The full cast has been revealed for the world premiere of Anne Boleyn the Musical, opening this August in the historic grounds of Hever Castle — the childhood home of Anne Boleyn herself.
Running from 2 to 30 August 2025, this landmark production will be the UK’s first outdoor musical to feature immersive binaural sound design, created by the acclaimed Ringham Brothers.
Emily Lane, known for her roles in Hello Dolly and Frozen, will star as Anne Boleyn. She leads a cast of seasoned musical theatre performers including Mark Goldthorp as Henry VIII, Dona Atallah, Noah Sinigaglia, Kim Ismay, Joshua Oakes-Rogers, Matt Bond, Clive Hayward, Chomba S. Taulo, Rebecca Luter, and Jay Worley.
Young Anne will be portrayed by Annabelle Jones and Betsy Godden, while Arthur Moffat and Dawson Richards will share the role of Young George Boleyn.
The production will also feature a 35-strong community cast from Kent, performing alongside the professional company in a specially constructed 1,800-seat outdoor auditorium with Hever Castle as a dramatic backdrop.
Director Roxana Silbert said, “I am absolutely thrilled to be directing this epic show in the stunning surroundings of Hever Castle. Anne Boleyn has so often been portrayed as just a manipulative flirt. Rebecca has thrown new light on this brilliant, headstrong, charismatic woman who brought very radical and progressive ideas with her from Europe, drove social change, and ultimately laid the way for her daughter Elizabeth to become Queen. This is a thriller about women in power and an unexpected love story that led a woman to change the course of a nation’s history. The gorgeous, orchestral music, the epic design and joyous choreography – are all are firmly rooted in historically accurate Tudor sensibility, but with a contemporary twist.”
The musical features a book by Rebecca Night, lyrics by Night and Sam Kenyon, and music composed by Sam Gevers, recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
Owen Emmerson, historian and assistant curator of Hever Castle, added, “Rebecca Night’s gifted script for Anne Boleyn the Musical is a unique triumph – bold, intelligent, and profoundly moving. It offers us a rare and enriching window into one of the murkiest aspects of Anne Boleyn’s story: her inner world. That this remarkable work should be performed at her childhood home is especially powerful and fitting.”
Audiences can enjoy a full evening experience, with the estate opening from 6.10pm. Premium ticket holders will have access to the lakeside Italian Loggia, while others can opt for fine dining in the Astor Wing or enjoy food trucks and a full bar in the main tent.
Eliane Astor-de Merode, co-founder of Historalia Productions, said, “It’s incredibly important to us that the whole experience feels magical from the moment people arrive at Hever Castle. Whether you choose to sip your wine by the lake at the Loggia, or to enjoy a sumptuous two course meal in the historic Astor Wing, or grabbing a bite in our bustling main tent, we want everyone to feel welcomed and well looked after. This isn’t just a night at the theatre — it’s a full summer’s evening out, and we’ve made sure there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
Anne Boleyn the Musical is produced by Historalia Productions, with a creative team including Associate Director Lydia Scott-Johnson, Choreographer Alistair David, Associate Choreographer Ben Mundy, Musical Supervisor Matthew Malone, and designers Robert Innes-Hopkins, Michel Jacobs, and the Ringham Brothers.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
