Over nearly 30 years the Summer Festival has become established as one of the premier outdoor events in the South East, attracting thousands every summer many of whom return year on year. Now in its 4th year on the stunning Two Sisters Lawn, the Festival Theatre goes from strength to strength, with audience comments from the 2011 season including:
"...We have been attending Hever for way over 10 years. The 4 shows we have seen this year have been the best ever. Keep up the good work!!..."
"...I would like to congratulate you all for an excellent Summer Festival. I think it has all come together very well now with excellent facilities to go with the very enjoyable entertainment. I am very much looking forward to next year!..."
"...Thank you for some splendid evenings - performances and food and setting. A special word of thanks to the Hever cat for its starring role in "As You Like It". I hope that the talent scouts for "Dick Whittington" were watching.!..."
"...Last night we attended the Harlem Hot Feet concert. What a brilliant night out - the best of all the concerts we have been to. The dancers were so full of energy, the band were great and the whole evening was great fun. Everyone in our party was bowled over...."
"...I just had to write to say how wonderful the productions "As You Like It" and "Rigoletto" were - really superb! Everyone in our group thought that "Rigoletto" was one of the best opera productions we had seen - ever! (and that includes Glyndebourne and Covent Garden!!) Thank you!..."
The Summer Festival offers a rich variety of performing arts and entertainment catering for a wide variety of tastes from jazz to classics; from drama to opera and musical theatre. Audience are able to enter the grounds from 6.30pm for evening performances, where they may enjoy the beautiful Castle gardens and ambience by bringing a picnic, choosing to eat in the Castle Restaurant or by simply wandering through the magnificent gardens. For matinee performances, the audience may remain in the gardens after the performance until the grounds are closed for the day, usually at 6 pm.
Of course the highlight of your visit is to enjoy the feast of theatre and music on offer, prepared by professionals with an established reputation for quality and set in a magical location. The stage is fully covered, and the seating tiered, with the vast majority of seats also under cover.
The Venue
The Theatre is located on the delightful Two Sisters Lawn in the award winning gardens of Hever Castle, adjacent to the legendary Anne Boleyn Walk - the Castle was originally the home of the Boleyn family. The Theatre is surrounded by some 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.
As well as being a visual delight, the setting provides a natural auditorium with easy access to the theatre car park and the lakeside for those who prefer to picnic in view of the lake. For the others, the lawn itself provides a convenient and relaxing spot for that pre-show picnic.
Theatre Facilities
The facilities include a large specially designed 'Saddlespan' canopy to house the stage and technical equipment, as well as tiered and covered seating for 390. As such, it provides an unusually high degree of protection against inclement weather.
For those audience members who prefer a hardier and more adventurous option, the auditorium also provides a further 70 reserved uncovered seats, as well as unreserved space on the grass either side of the reserved seating for concerts.
Parking
There is free and ample parking for cars and coaches, most of which provides hard standing.
Accommodation
On selected weekends, the Astor Wing will be offering accommodation. Each of their 21 rooms are individually designed, offering both comfort and luxury. For further information please phone 01732 861 800 or email tudor@hevercastle.co.uk
