The Festival Theatre

Hever Castle, Edenbridge TN8 7NG

The Festival Theatre has played at Hever Castle, each summer, without a break, for the last 40 Summers. This makes us the longest running open-air theatre in the South East (only beaten countywide by Regents Park and The Minack Theatre). It is definitely time to celebrate…

The Last few years have been difficult for everyone, the festival is no exception. However, we are now looking ahead to 40 brilliant events to mark our 40th year. Several of our most popular companies are choosing to celebrate with us by bringing their ever-popular latest shows, alongside several new-to-Hever companies whose stunning productions we will enjoy for the first time. There are 40 good reasons to join us this season, surely there is something for everyone from Horrible Histories Barmy Britain – New! to The Wizard of Oz, The Dolly Show to the Last Night of the Hever Proms or Nightingale the Ballet to The Best of Baroque with the Guildhall Strings.

New for 2023 includes; Dinner Jazz with saxophonist Heather Hoyle, the energetic, full of original music Duke’s Theatre Company Twelfth Night, Wild Arts The Elixir of Love – opera packed with big tunes, romance, and mischievous comedy, sung in English. History is at our heart with a Boleyn Talk by The Countess of Roden, a new play The Sphere of Light set at Hever Castle and a talk on the new exhibition at Hever Castle on ground-breaking discoveries found within Anne Boleyn’s Book of Hours. Charles Court Opera are back with very different performances; Titipu Tea, a G&S concert with afternoon tea in the Guthrie Pavilion and Come and Sing The Pirates of Penzance where the audience sing the choruses from your seats. Forbear! Theatre are performing The Gondoliers for those who would like a more traditional G&S performance. We are delighted to welcome 1974 ABBA, The Dolly Show, How Sweet It Is -The Greatest Hits of Motown, all visiting for the first time with their world class shows.