Anne Boleyn musical comes to her childhood home

West End performer Emily Lane is playing Anne Boleyn

The world premiere of a musical about Anne Boleyn is to be performed at her childhood home on Saturday.

Henry VIII's second wife, who was beheaded in 1536, grew up at Hever Castle in Kent.

Anne Boleyn: The Musical will be staged at a specially constructed 1,800-seat outdoor auditorium on the lawn outside the castle until 30 August.

A production spokesperson said: "The castle itself forms a key part of the set, heightening the sense of authenticity and theatrical grandeur."

"The musical tells Anne's personal story, revealing how her ambitions and choices not only placed her at the heart of Tudor court life but ultimately helped alter the course of English history," the show's producers said.

It covers her emotional farewell to her family at Hever, her experiences in the courts of Flanders and France and her return to England, where she catches the attention of King Henry VIII.

Roxana Silbert, the musical's director, said: "Anne Boleyn has so often been portrayed as just a manipulative flirt.

"The show throws 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."

Mark Goldthorp stars as Henry VIII in the musical at Hever Castle

West End performer Emily Lane plays the title role, leading a professional cast of established musical theatre names, alongside a 35-strong community ensemble drawn from Kent.

Open auditions were held in Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells in March and April.

Each audience member will wear a personal headset, allowing them to experience all the drama "in an immersive and intimate way".

Duncan Leslie, Hever Castle's chief executive, said: "The opportunity to host Anne Boleyn: The Musical was something we couldn't resist.

"We look forward to welcoming long-time fans of Hever as well as many newcomers, offering them a not-to-be-missed, West End-calibre performance at one of England's best loved locations."