Theatre
Take in a breath of fresh air as you enjoy the theatre
There are few better ways to spend a summer afternoon or evening than by sitting outside, with or without a picnic, in front of a theatre production. The good news is that Kent offers a wide variety of opportunities to do just this.
Summer Festival at Hever Castle The Festival Theatre is an open-air venue set in a magical location in the award-winning gardens of Hever Castle, near Edenbridge. Located on the delightful Two Sisters Lawn next to the legendary Anne Boleyn Walk – the castle was originally the home of the
Picnic time, Hever Castle
can stay in the gardens after the performance until the grounds close for the day, usually at 6pm.
July 6 Rock Choir 17 Paul Chowdhry, comedian 24-26 Anne Boleyn by Howard Benton (matinee July 25)
August 1 Tosca by Giacomo Puccini 2 Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi
Boleyn family – the theatre is surrounded by delightful flower beds including the famous 'long border' and an abundance of ornamental trees. It also contains the picturesque Two Sisters pond (and grotto) and a magnificent tulip tree. The summer festival offers a wide selection of shows with something to suit all ages and most tastes. The stage is fully covered, and the seating tiered for 390 people, with the vast majority of seats also under cover. Audiences can enter the grounds from 6.30pm for evening performances, where they can enjoy a picnic or a meal in the castle restaurant, or simply wander through the magnificent gardens. For matinee performances, the audience
22 Mid Kent Living
3 The Big Chris Barber Band 5-6 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland 7-8 The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan 9 Soul Legends 10 Q the Music; Themes from the James Bond Movies 15 Big Girls Don't Cry (Tribute to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons) 16 Sinatra, Sequins and Swing – The Capitol Years Live 17 The Simon & Garfunkel Story 19 Cinema under the Stars: Jailhouse Rock – Cert U 20 Cinema under the Stars: Dirty Dancing – Cert 15 21 Cinema under the Stars: Rush – Cert 15 22 Cinema under the Stars: War Horse – Cert 12A 23 Robin Hood 28-30 It Could Be Any One Of Us by Alan Ayckbourn 31 Last Night of the Hever Proms
Romeo and Juliet, by Changeling Theatre See Shakespeare’s epic love story in the open air this summer. “Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene; from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.” Verona. Two families united in civil war. Two young lovers united in forbidden love. The tragedy of Juliet and her Romeo: a fated romance between two impetuous and desperate lovers. A long feud between the Montague and Capulet families disrupts the city of Verona and causes tragic results for Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet who fall in love, but whose families will not allow them to be together. But their destiny is locked and they cannot be apart. In achieving their fate, they must pay the ultimate price. Kent’s Changeling Theatre is touring Romeo and Juliet in outdoor venues from country homes to ornamental gardens, from castles to beaches and public parks. Every year, Changeling Theatre offers its audience the chance to select the play the company should stage the following summer. After last year’s hugely successful tour of Richard III, audiences overwhelmingly chose Romeo and Juliet.
Shakespeare’s The Tempest The critically-acclaimed Pantaloons put their own unique and hilarious twist on Shakespeare's romantic tale of shipwrecks, sorcerors and silly servants. Expect music, magic and mayhem in one of the Bard's best-loved plays – in the open-air where it belongs.
Romeo and Juliet
Dates and venues as we went to press:
July 1 Walmer Castle (Deal Festival) 3 Dartford Central Park 4 Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Sevenoaks
6, 20 Eastwell Manor, near Ashford
8-9 Upnor Castle, Medway 10, Enbrook Park, Saga Sandgate (for Hi Kent) 11 Belmont House, near Faversham 12 Whatman Park, Maidstone (for Kent Charities Group) 12 Dandelion Time, East Farleigh, near Maidstone 16 Biddenden Vineyards 17 Great Comp Gardens, Platt 18 Tithe Barn, Lenham 19 Margate Main Sands 23 Nurstead Court, Meopham 24 The Dog and Duck Leisure Park, Plucks Gutter 25 The Friars, Aylesford 26-27 The Walled Nursery, Hawkhurst 29 Swarling Manor, Canterbury 30 Rochester Castle 31 Nurstead Court, Meopham August 1-3 Boughton Monchelsea Place, near Maidstone.
July 12 – Godinton House and Gardens, near Ashford 17-18 – Leeds Castle, near Maidstone 23 – Hall Place and Gardens, Bexley 22 – Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst 24 – Smallhythe Place, Tenterden 24-25 – Mount Ephraim Gardens, Faversham
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