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[title]A spectacular new musical about the life of Anne Boleyn promises to be the highlight of the August outdoor theatre season – and the setting couldn’t be more perfect: Anne’s childhood home, Hever Castle. It’s more than a musical – it’s a homecoming. Here’s why you should go.
1. Because we love open air theatre
One of the many joys of British summer time is that the nights are (in theory) warm, dry and light enough for us to enjoy a night watching theatre under a (fully covered) outdoor theatre. And the most exciting night under the stars in 2025 will be Anne Boleyn the Musical, a brand new musical about the life and death of Anne Boleyn, the second wife to Henry VIII. It’ll be staged in a specially built 1,800-seater outdoor auditorium – which has a cover, so you're still able to see shows even when it rains.
2. Because we love Anne Boleyn
Almost 500 years since Anne Boleyn’s death… we’re still talking about her. Henry VIII famously had many, many wives, but it’s Boleyn who fascinates us endlessly: Henry literally changed the religion of the entire country in order to be with her, and he shocked the nation even more when he had her executed so he could move on to wife number three. She’s appeared in all sorts of fictional adaptations –recently the Wolf Hall books and as one sixth of the musical Six – but it’s high time she had a stage show all of her own.
3. Because it’s a proper musical
Outdoor theatre can be a mixed bag – beyond a couple of well-funded London theatres the standard can often lean towards the amateur when it comes to rural summer productions. But let’s stress that this isn’t the case with Anne Boleyn the Musical: the UK debut for renowned European musicals-in-castles company Historalia Productions. Written by Rebecca Night, lyrics by Rebecca Night and Sam Kenyon and music composed by Sam Gevers, it’s got a crack creative team including former Hampstead Theatre boss Roxana Silbert as director and the legendary sound designers Ben and Max Ringham, alongside impressive stage design from Robert Innes-Hopkins. So it’s a proper night out, not a bit of fluff coasting off its scenic surroundings. Although on that note…
4. Because Hever is the perfect location
Hever Castle would be a wonderfully atmospheric setting for a Tudor yarn even if the magnificent building and gardens had nothing to do with Anne Boleyn. In fact the Kentish castle – which dates back to the thirteenth century – was the seat of the Boleyn family and where she grew up. Given that the musical covers these early years (as well as the rest of her life), it’s hard to conceive of a more perfect backdrop.
5. Because it’s easy to get to from London
If the phrase ’staged in a castle in Kent’ makes you instantly glaze over and assume that it’s simply too far afield for you, a Londoner, to practically get to of an evening, then worry not. You can of course drive, but Hever has its own train station – hey, the Boleyns were important people – and is just 45 minutes from London Bridge and a mere 27 minutes from East Croydon. It’s perfectly comparable to a trip to, say, Wembley Stadium for many Londoners. So there’s no excuse not to embrace the Boleyn magic this summer.
Book your ticket now to Anne Boleyn the Musical at Hever Castle, Aug 2-30. Prices start from £50.95.