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BOSTON INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2026
The World Comes to Boston.
Now in its second year, the idea behind the Boston International Arts Festival is simple: to bring brilliant international theatre and performance to our local community, while encouraging participation, equality and diversity across Boston and beyond.
Boston is home to a truly international community, with an incredible mix of theatre, music and art, so where better to celebrate it than here?
At Blackfriars, we work hard to make our theatre a welcoming place for everyone. We’re especially pleased to welcome Boston Borough Council back as a supporter of the festival, helping us keep ticket prices as low as possible. Whether it’s a chance to discover something completely new or enjoy something familiar and nostalgic, we hope there’s something here for you.
Supported by:
Friday 2nd October 2026 | 7pm
A One-Woman Comedy Show
The hit of last year’s festival is back!
Expect rap, pickled gherkins and audience participation in this bold, hilarious show exploring life beyond ideology. Set between construction sites in Czechoslovakia and the UK, MONUMENT asks: what’s the real cost, and purpose, of hard work?
There’s even a mid-show pickle! This truly is the show with a bit of everything.
Performed in English
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Sunday 4th October 2026 |
11am & 1.30pm
Bubble Magic for All Ages
Meet Ray Bubbles, international Bubbleologist and Guinness World Record holder, on a mission to create the ultimate square bubble!
Expect incredible bubble sculptures, magical effects and plenty of surprises, from a volcano bubble and bubble ghost to a tornado inside a bubble.
Inspired by Ray’s work with SEND schools, neurodivergent adults and science centres across Europe, the show is suitable for children and adults with additional needs.
Performed in English
Tuesday 6th October 2026 | 7.00pm
A Contemporary Folk Comedy
How much strength does it take to survive when the future seems already decided?
Blending aerial theatre, acrobatics, dance and sharp comedy, Three Sisters tells the story of women shaped by tradition, bound by family and driven by resilience. Inspired by Nordic folklore and old customs surrounding marriage and women's roles in society, the performance explores love, loyalty, strength and sisterhood with humour, heart and a touch of social satire.
A visually striking production where powerful storytelling quite literally takes to the air.
Performed in English
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Tuesday 13th October 2026 | 7.30pm
This is not a tribute show!
Christine Bovill, one of Europe’s finest interpreters of French song, returns with a fresh take on Piaf, her acclaimed show inspired by her own remarkable journey and the life and music of Edith Piaf.
At its heart is the often funny story of a young Glasgow girl, reluctant in school French until she heard that song. Her journey becomes interwoven with Piaf’s extraordinary life and those unforgettable songs.
An award-winning songwriter, Bovill has taken Piaf across Europe and the Far East, with sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Fringe.
“I wasn't prepared for the effect her voice would have on me.” – Sunday Times.
Performed in English
Saturday 3rd October 2026 | 7.00pm
A Moving Story of Home, Identity and Belonging
Ana has made a new life in the UK, but the voice of her grandmother still calls her back to Croatia. As traditional Croatian pepper biscuits are baked live on stage, one question lingers: where is home when your heart belongs to two places?
Written by Croatian playwright Kristina Gavran and performed by Croatian actor Tina Hofman, Pepper & Honey is a warm, poignant and beautifully observed story of migration, family and finding where you truly belong.
Performed in Croatian with English translation.
Monday 5th October 2026 | 7.00pm
A Hypnotic Contemporary Circus Performance
How do we care for ourselves and each other when life feels overwhelming?
Blending contemporary dance, hair hanging, aerial rope and reimagined Baltic folk music, How a Spiral Works explores care, pressure and connection through powerful physical performance.
Created by British circus director Jason Dupree, Latvian choreographer Alise Bokaldere and Lithuanian aerialist Izabele Kuzelyte, the piece brings together one dancer, one aerialist and one rope, all bound within an ever-evolving relationship.
Friday 9th October 2026 | 8.00pm
Vlad Ilich & Radu Isac
Two award-winning international comedians. One unforgettable night.
British Comedian of the Year 2025, Vlad Ilich brings his sharp observations on identity, immigration and life as a Macedonian living in London, while Romanian comedian Radu delivers his brilliantly dark, sugar-coated take on life, proving that even the saddest subjects can become laugh-out-loud funny.
With television appearances on the BBC, Channel 4 and Comedy Central, plus sell-out Edinburgh Fringe performances between them, this is an evening of intelligent, fearless comedy not to be missed.
“You'll laugh when you know you shouldn't.”
Performed in English
Saturday 31st October 2026 | 7.00pm
A Philosophical Mystery Drama
During one extraordinary night, the worlds of the living and the dead begin to merge.
Roger’s past returns to the home he once knew, bringing with it the shadow of his first wife, the secrets of his mistress and disturbing questions surrounding his current wife. As memory, guilt and reality become increasingly difficult to separate, the night unfolds through suspense, dark humour and unexpected revelations.
Written by Maiks Fulstops, GOODNIGHT! explores truth, love, betrayal and redemption through expressive choreography, striking visual design and an original musical score.
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