Hever Festival Theatre is a stunning open air seasonal venue set in the grounds of Hever Castle and this year it is putting on its biggest festival yet.
Everything from magic, live music acts, operas, Gilbert and Sullivan, plays, family shows and films are planned throughout the season which runs until August.
Performances for the Hever Festival Theatre 2021 will take place in four spectacular locations in the award-winning gardens of Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn. The Two Sisters Theatre, the original heart of the festival where the seating is tiered and under cover, The Main Lawn Stage with a superb view of the castle, The Loggia’s tranquil Italian Gardens with the magnificent lake view and Anne Boleyn’s Woodland Walk, a secluded open-air ancient woodland glade.
Social distancing will continue throughout the 2021 season at Hever Festival Theatre. Chairs have been removed from the Two Sisters Theatre, while the new performance spaces allow audiences to choose where to sit and enjoy the vista from their own chairs or blanket, in the sunshine or under the stars.
Hever Castle’s own historian, Dr Owen Emmerson with Claire Ridgway, will spend an evening charting the colourful history of Hever’s most famous residents from their astonishing rise to power to their dramatic and bloody end The Boleyns of Hever Castle (Sunday 1 August).
Kent artists are among the line ups ready to take to the stage including Night Owls Amy Winehouse Tribute Back to Black, Beyond the Barricade, New Creations Collective re-telling of The Secret Garden through classical music and ballet and First Knight Theatre’s second instalment of Alan Ayckbourn’s Norman Conquest Trilogy Living Together.
Tribute performances are among the musical highlights; The Upbeat Beatles, ELO Again, Adele Someone Like You and Abba Chique. The New Jersey Beat return with the songs of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and Emperors of Soul will be celebrating the songs of Motown.
Last Night of the Hever Proms return with an additional Bitesize performance early evening, so audiences can enjoy a leisurely picnic post performance (Sunday 29 August 5.30pm and 8pm).
Ronnie Scott’s All Stars are back with two popular shows: Rhapsody in Blue, A Jazz Portrait of George Gershwin with James Pearson and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club at 60 celebrating the club’s 60th Birthday. Britain’s Got Talent finalist Ben Hart will also be amazing guests with his magic as he embarks on his debut solo tour.
Hever Festival Theatre hosts the first live performance of the recently recorded transcription by the multi-talented violinist David Juritz of Bach’s masterpiece the Goldberg Variations. Transcribed for Craig Ogden, widely acknowledged as one of the leading guitarists of his generation, Craig and David will be joined by the internationally renowned cellist, Tim Hugh. And as an added highlight David Juritz will be discussing ‘Arranging the Goldbergs’ in a 20 minute pre-performance talk.
Charles Court Opera, one of the leading and most versatile chamber opera companies in the UK is returning to Hever Festival Theatre with three Gilbert & Sullivan productions: Iolanthe, Express G&S; a murder mystery romp through the complete works of Gilbert and Sullivan in 75 minutes! and The Mikado.
Hever favourites Opera Brava also return bringing two greatly loved classics; Puccini’s Tosca and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.
The programme of family shows has been extended once again with a performance to enthral the children each week of the holidays, commencing with Arthurs Dreamboat, Immersion Theatre’s wild adaptation of The Jungle Book, Dustbin Doris presented in association with the Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival, Horrible Histories: Gorgeous Georgians and Vile Victorians and Morgan and West’s action-packed family show The Three Musketeers
Tickets can be booked online or through the Box Office 01732 866114.
Hever Castle annual members are entitled to 10% discount on tickets. They need to email [email protected] for the discount code.
Book your visit to Hever Castle & Gardens.
Within the grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, there are two opportunities for you to stay the night with us.
Hever Castle has played host to many important events and celebrations for over 600 years. In 1903 when William Waldorf Astor set about restoring Hever Castle to its former glory, he added the Astor Wing, to accommodate his family and guests, before creating a lake and the spectacular Italian Garden to house his impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary.
There are multiple places to eat & drink across the Hever Castle Estate. Select between the Castle & Gardens and Golf Club below to discover more.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, Hever Castle Golf Club is a 27 hole Kent golf course that will encourage and inspire all golf enthusiasts.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, the Wellbeing Centre consists of five smart treatment rooms.
