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23 - 25 Oct 2025

Bradford Arts Centre

Bring It Back

Natalie Davies

An immersive theatre experience that explored Bradford's musical heritage.

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Remember when Bradford buzzed? Bassline, bhangra, and dancefloors full ‘til 6am. Nadia, a thirty-something washed-up DJ, was looking to get that energy back — and she wasn't asking nicely.

A Bradford 2025 Artist-Led Award project.

Part love letter, part comeback mission, Bring It Back was a high-energy theatre experience with heart, humour, and heavy beats. The audiences night out started here.

We all pine for the past when things get tough, and when you’re in your 30s, the desperation for nostalgia really kicks in. This immersive show followed Nadia Uddin’s love/hate relationship with her hometown of Bradford and her battle between striving for success or contentment.
Mixing film, live stream video and a DJ live on the decks, Bring It Back fed the souls of Bradfordians who longed for the booming nightlife they once had. The night finished with a post-show DJ set, so audiences were bouncing from start to finish!

About the artist

Bradford born and bred, Natalie Davies has worked as an actress on stage, screen and radio since 2011. Credits incl. ‘The Full Monty’ (Disney), ‘Hullraisers’ (Channel 4), Bradford’s City of Film feature ‘Eaten By Lions’ (Netflix/ UK Cinema Release) and ‘The War After the War’ directed by Johnny Vegas and starring Sir David Jason (BBC Radio 4). Telling the stories of her city is at the heart of her artistic practice, with my own autobiographical show ‘Full English’ produced in 2021 in partnership with Kala Sangam and Bent Architect, winning Best Stage Production at the Asian Media Awards in 2021.

Artist-Led Project Awards

This project was supported by the Bradford 2025 Artist-led Project Awards programme.

Find out more about this programme and the projects that we supported below.

See all Artist-Led Project Awards ↗
Credits
Supported by Bradford Arts Centre, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Arts Council England. With thanks to the National Theatre Generate Programme.

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