Where to see outdoor theatre in Kent this summer
Sit back and watch performances of Shakespeare’s greatest works and Jane Austen’s timeless stories against the backdrop of Kent’s beautiful countryside, historic houses and summer gardens.
This year’s outdoor theatre season is in full swing, so if you fancy soaking up the sun, along with a touch of culture, here’s where you can catch magical open-air shows over the next couple of months…
CHANGELING THEATRE
Kent’s touring theatre group, Changeling Theatre, are back on the road this summer with their brand new production, Twelfth Night. The group will be performing Shakespeare’s timeless comedy at venues all over the county, including beaches, castles, parks and gardens. For the first time this year, the show will also be coming to Shepherd Neame’s Old Brewery Store in Faversham for one of the company’s only indoor performances.
Details: Opens on Friday, July 4 at Boughton Monchelsea Place near Maidstone. Dates continue until Sunday, August 17. Find dates and book online here.
FORT AMHERST
A darker twist on one of the Bard’s most famous works comes from Midnight Circle Theatre, a gothic group of performers who are putting their own spin on A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The play is being given a sharper edge with supernatural creatures, forbidden love and blurred lines between reality and fantasy. The historic fort is also one of the locations for Changeling’s summer tour, and there’s a series of proms-style performances coming to the amphitheatre later in the summer.
Details: From Sunday, June 15 at Fort Amherst in Chatham. Find dates and book online here.
HAZLITT THEATRE
The Hazlitt Theatre’s open-air summer tour returns this year, visiting venues around the county town and charging just £5 a ticket for theatre-goers. The production is The Wind in the Willows, following Mr Toad’s wild ride with Mr Mole, Ratty and Badger. The tour is now in its fifth year and is supporting charity Mid Kent Mind with donation buckets at every location.
Details: Opens on Saturday, August 16 at the Hermitage Millennium Amphitheatre in Maidstone. Dates continue until Sunday, August 24. Find dates and book online here.
HEVER CASTLE
A brand new musical all about Hever Castle’s former resident, Anne Boleyn, is set to make its debut at the historic landmark this summer. The show will take place in a newly constructed outdoor auditorium, creating an immersive experience that takes audiences through the Queen’s life and legacy.
The Hever Festival is also up and running, with various performances throughout the summer, including Shakespeare’s Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and family comedy Horrible Histories. You can find the full programme here.
Details: From Saturday, August 2 to Saturday, August 30 at Hever Castle in Edenbridge. Book online here.
IMMERSION THEATRE
Family theatre company Immersion Theatre is taking two productions across the country this summer. The Tempest, one of Shakespeare’s renowned comedies, follows a crew who are shipwrecked on a remote island where they encounter magical wizards and spirits. The company is also touring The Wind in the Willows, taking the cast of animal characters to open-air venues up and down the country.
Details: Kent shows start from Thursday, July 31 at Emmetts Garden in Sevenoaks. Dates continue until Saturday, August 30. Find dates and book online here.
NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTIES
Kent’s National Trust sites are opening their grounds and gardens for a series of outdoor theatre performances from talented companies. There’s a charming production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the stunning Sissinghurst Castle Garden, the family-friendly Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck at Knole, the whimsical Alice Through The Looking Glass at Scotney Castle and a programme of shows inside the barn at Smallhythe Place.
Details: Various dates at Kent’s National Trust locations. Find dates and book online here.
THE PANTALOONS
The Pantaloons, a theatre company known for bringing colour and comedy to classic productions, are putting their twist on four different shows this year. The group will bring their adaptations of Sense and Sensibility, Robin Hood, Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream to audiences until September.
Details: Kent shows start from Sunday, June 29 at Mount Ephraim Gardens in Faversham. Dates continue until Saturday, August 9. Find dates and book online here.
PENSHURST PLACE
The south lawn at Penshurst Place, overlooking the beautiful gardens, will host Facsimile Productions’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream this July. The fantastical production is set between Athens, where a love triangle plays out during wedding celebrations, and a magical forest filled with fairies. Your ticket will also include entry to the gardens.
Details: Friday, July 4 at Penshurst Place, near Tonbridge. Book online here.
THIS IS MY THEATRE
To celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, This Is My Theatre is introducing modern audiences to two of the writer’s best-loved stories. The company is putting on its versions of Pride and Prejudice and Emma and, at select venues, audiences will be given the chance to decide which show they want to see at the start of the evening, so you really don’t know what you’re going to get.
Details: Kent shows start from Friday, July 25 at The Friars in Aylesford, near Maidstone. Dates continue until Friday, September 19. Find dates and book online here.
TONBRIDGE CASTLE
Tonbridge Castle is reopening for the summer with a string of outdoor events, from live music to artisan markets. There will also be open-air theatre, including Immersion Theatre’s The Wind in the Willows and comedy versions of Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth from Four Forty Theatre.
Details: Sunday, July 20 to Saturday, July 26 at Tonbridge Castle. Find dates and book online here.
Don’t forget to check out our guide to Kent’s outdoor cinema season.
