The Festival Theatre announces a new season packed with Music, Comedy, Drama, Family events, History and the exciting return to Penshurst Place with Fiesta! In The Walled Garden.
Tickets are now on sale for The Festival Theatre’s 2026 season, a vibrant programme packed with festival favourites and exciting new highlights, staged across three of Kent’s most prestigious and beautiful historic locations: the award-winning gardens of Anne Boleyn’s childhood home, Hever Castle, alongside Chiddingstone Castle and Penshurst Place.
The Festival Theatre season launces on May Day
Launching over May Day weekend, the festival opens in spectacular style with the high-energy tribute band Abba Inferno (Sat 2 May), followed by the riotous comedy spoof General Medical Emergency Ward 10 (Sun 3 May). From there, the laughter continues with a rich comedy lineup including Alan Ayckbourn’s Relatively Speaking (Sat 23 & Sun 24 May), comedian Mark Steel (Sat 30 May), The Tommy Cooper Show, Just Like That (Sat 25 July), and Mike Leigh’s iconic Abigail’s Party (Fri 21 & Sat 22 Aug).
Music lovers are spoiled with a double appearance from vocal powerhouse Natalie Williams with Motown & More (Fri 29 May) and a late-summer return with her band (Fri 28 Aug). Further highlights include Too Darn Hot, celebrating the greatest musical movies of all time and the Bond movies on Father’s Day (Sun 21 June), and for fans of SIX! The Musical, the latest Edinburgh Fringe hit Mary Queen of Rock (Thu 13 – Sat 15 Aug).
Modern tribute artists the whole family will love include The Ed Sheeran Experience (Sat 1 Aug), Oasiz (Thu 6 Aug) and Hannah Jenkins as Taylor Swift in The Tour of the Eras (Wed 26 Aug). Legend tributes include Strictly Dan (Fri 24 July), Complete Madness (Fri 31 July), The Simon & Garfunkel Story (Sun 9 Aug) and The Dusty Show (Sat 29 Aug). Into the Autumn the season continues a cinematic triumph as Vox Lumiere reimagines Fritz Lang’s Metropolis with live singers, musicians and a light show (Sat 10 Oct).
Fiesta! In The Walled Garden
Following last year’s success Fiesta! In The Walled Garden returns (Sat 20 June) celebrating the stunning Elizabethan Gardens of Penshurst Place, featuring a new line up of immersive performances, alfresco dining and dancing in this truly unique exclusive event for a limited audience.
Festival Director Ailsa Molyneux says: “We are thrilled to be performing at Chiddingstone Castle and Penshurst Place once again, and to be back in the Two Sisters Theatre, our home at Hever, for the whole summer. This is our 45th anniversary, we’re back to our traditional dates with a programme that celebrates our diversity.”
Shakespeare is brought to the festival this year by Duke’s Theatre Company and their Romeo & Juliet on Anne Boleyn’s Walk (Wed 27 & Thu 28 May) alongside Illyria’s As You Like It at Chiddingstone Castle (Mon 31 Aug).
Families can enjoy a joyful run of classic matinees including The Jungle Book (Tue 28 July), Jeeves & Wooster (Sat 1 Aug), Around the World in 80 Days (Fri 7 & Sat 8 Aug), Pinocchio (Wed 12 Aug), Treasure Island (Wed 19 Aug), and The Three Inch Fools in King Arthur and the Holy Fail (Tue 25 Aug).
Younger audiences will delight in enchanting puppetry production: Flyaway Katie by Long Nose Puppets (Sun 31 May) and Michael Morpurgo’s Kaspar: Prince of Cats (Fri 7 Aug). Audiences are welcome to enjoy the castle grounds after matinee performances, making each visit a full day out.
Opera lovers are also in for a treat as The Merry Opera Company bring Così Fan Tutte to Hever (Sun 26 July), alongside Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance (Sun 2 Aug) and Iolanthe (Sun 23 Aug).
Much loved favourites return, including The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars (Sun 2 Aug), Last Night of the Hever Proms (Sun 30 Aug), and some of Kent’s most spectacular Silent Disco settings, Forest Fest in Chiddingstone Castle Woods (Sat 8 Aug) and Flower Power on the Loggia at Hever overlooking the lake (Fri 28 Aug).
The History Festival
(Wed 5- Sat 8 Aug) returns for the third year bringing some of the country’s leading historians together, carefully curated by Hever Castle’s own Dr Owen Emmerson.
For tickets and full programme details, visit heverfestival.co.uk or call 07379 488477 (Mon–Fri, 10am–2pm).