“Over many years of attending the festival we have always come away artistically nourished.”
– Hever Festival audience member 2024
The Festival Theatre is set for its most extensive season yet across three remarkable Kent venues Hever Castle, Chiddingstone Castle and Penshurst Place offering unforgettable performances that blend England’s rich heritage with breathtaking architecture and picturesque landscapes.
The vibrant programme features opera, drama, jazz, live music, inspiring historical speakers, comedy, dance, cherished family classics, and outstanding tribute acts, ensuring something for everyone to enjoy.
The season launches this spring with a thrilling lineup of musical performances. Highlights include Natalie Williams with Motown & More (Saturday, 3 May), Charles Court Opera celebrating their 20th Anniversary in song (Sunday, 4 May), The Fleetwood Mac Story (Monday, 5 May), and the inspired pairing of songstress-comedienne Liza Pulman and virtuoso pianist-songwriter Joe Stilgoe in A Couple of Swells, featuring classics from Paul McCartney to Irving Berlin (Saturday, 24 May). The UK’s premier musical theatre concert, Beyond the Barricade, celebrates its 25th anniversary (Sunday, 25 May). Fans of James Bond won’t want to miss Caroline Bliss, known for her role as Miss Moneypenny in A View to a Kill, as she introduces the James Bond Concert Spectacular (Friday, 30 May). Meanwhile, the UK’s top Dolly Parton tribute artist, Kelly O’Brien, returns with The Dolly Show (Saturday, 31 May).
The festival also boasts a rich selection of matinee performances catering to all ages, with tickets including access to Hever Castle grounds after the show. Comedy lovers can enjoy Dad’s Army performed as a radio play (Sunday, 4 May), The Three Musketeers (Saturday, 24 May), and The Rivals (Saturday, 31 May). Gilbert & Sullivan enthusiasts will delight in Forbear! Theatre’s production of The Mikado (Monday, 26 May), while families won’t want to miss the must-see half-term event, The Great Big Dinosaur Show (Tuesday, 27 May).
On Thursday, 29 May the Festival Theatre at Hever Castle will host two simultaneous performances giving audiences an exciting choice between The Three Inch Fools largely historical, always hysterical, brand new Tudor comedy The Most Perilous Comedie of Elizabeth I on the Castle View Lawn and the high-energy experience of an electrifying Summer of Love Silent Disco on the Loggia.
The Festival Theatre are thrilled to be producing the premier Glow Fest (Saturday 28 June). An event like no other, featuring an immersive promenade performance with stunning acts, feasting and dancing. A glorious out-of-hours celebration of the enchanting Elizabethan gardens of Penshurst Place.
As the season progresses, further festival delights include the Last Night of the Hever Proms (Saturday, 13 September) and The History Festival (19-21 September). The excitement continues to build toward a spectacular grand finale with Paul Young and Los Pacaminos (Friday, 17 October).
The festival promises to be a journey through music, theatre, and history like never before!
“A unique experience you will remember forever.”
