Review: Anne Boleyn the Musical

Review: Anne Boleyn the Musical

06-08-25 Hever Castle by Teresa Brown

Some shows bring history to life. This one invites it to sit beside you, whispering in your ear, galloping past on horseback, and echoing through the very walls where its heroine once lived.

This world premiere from Historalia Productions isn’t just another retelling of Anne Boleyn’s rise and fall. It’s a haunting, glorious homecoming. Staged on the grounds of Hever Castle, where Anne spent her formative years, the production transforms the setting into something living and immediate. As she takes her first steps toward the throne, you feel the weight of history pressing gently at your back.

Innovation is at the heart of the experience. Each audience member wears a headset, delivering stunning binaural sound design from the Ringham Brothers. It’s crisp, immersive and profoundly intimate. You don’t just hear Anne. You are pulled into her world.

Emily Lane leads with warmth, wit and steel, delivering a performance that is both vocally radiant and emotionally grounded. Mark Goldthorp’s Henry VIII is full of charisma and danger, and his entrance on a white horse through the grounds prompted an audible gasp from the crowd. It was theatrical magic, with the truth of history riding in its shadow.

Costumes impress, choreography is alive with detail, and the original score by Sam Gevers, with lyrics by Rebecca Night and Sam Kenyon, feels rich, stirring and contemporary while rooted in period.

Matinee Radio says: long may she reign.

Anne Boleyn the Musical plays in a specially constructed 1,800 seat outdoor auditorium in the grounds of Hever Castle from 2 – 30 August 2025,   Get more information from the official site HERE.