The Queen’s Reading Room Festival: Tickets Now On Sale
The Queen’s Reading Room charity is delighted to be staging
its inaugural literary festival on the 11th June 2023.
Scroll below for details our Festival programme
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Set in the stunning surrounds of Hampton Court Palace, The Queen’s Reading Room Festival will be a literary event like no other.
Visitors can explore the Palace on literary themed tours and tread the floors where Shakespeare once performed with his King’s Men; wander the sumptuous gardens bursting with life in summer; listen to poetry read by some of our country’s finest actors, and of course enjoy shows from our headliners, including Dame Judi Dench, Gyles Brandreth, David Olusoga, Ben Macintyre and many more…
EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMME
Our festival runs in two key parts: daytime, from 10am-5pm and evening from 6pm to 9.30pm. The Palace will close at 5pm and reopen at 6pm, allowing staff to clean the site and prepare for our evening performance. Visitors with tickets to both daytime events and the evening session will be allowed to stay in the Gardens ahead of the Palace reopening at 6pm.
Main Stage
11:00-12:00
Austentatious, plus special guests!
The award-winning smash-hit comedy, as seen in the West End and heard on Radio 4. The all-star Austentatious cast will improvise a hilarious new Jane Austen novel, inspired entirely by a title dreamt up by HM The Queen Consort… Performed in period costume with live musical accompaniment, it’s a riotous, razor-sharp show where swooning is guaranteed.
The revolving Austentatious cast include numerous, award-winning TV and Radio starring performers, including Rachel Parris (The Mash Report, Live at the Apollo), Cariad Lloyd (QI, Inside No.9, Griefcast, The Witchfinder), Joseph Morpurgo (Radio 4, Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee), Andrew Hunter Murray (No Such Thing As A Fish) and more.
This special, short edition of Austentatious is hosted by TV and Radio broadcaster, Professor John Mullan; with Director of Jane Austen House Lizzie Dunford and a collection of some very special Austen treasures…
‘Ridiculously silly…wickedly funny’
★★★★★
The Times
‘A joy to behold’
★★★★
The Guardian
‘Brilliant, barmy improv’
★★★★
The Telegraph
‘Sheer unbridled silliness’
★★★★
Evening Standard
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13:30-14:30
An eye for a spy: espionage writing in fiction and non-fiction with Ben Macintyre, Ken Follett, and Robert Harris
Join three of our greatest writers of espionage literature for a session all about spies, lies and disguise. Where is the line between truth and fiction in the life of a spy? Why have secret agents been the cause of fascination since time immemorial? And what is it like as a writer to step into the mind of a spy?
With readings from David Harewood.
Ben Macintyre
is Associate Editor on The Times and author of nine bestselling books, including The Spy and The Traitor, Agent Sonya and Double Cross. 2022 saw three film and TV adaptations of his works: Operation Mincemeat starring Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen; SAS: Rogue Heroes with Jack O’Connell; and A Spy Among Friends with Damian Lewis and Anna Maxwell-Martin. Ben’s new book is ‘Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle’, and tells the astonishing true story of history’s most infamous prison.
Ken Follett
is the international best-selling author of The Pillars of the Earth, The Evening and the Morning and A Column of Fire. His books have sold 188 million copies in 80 countries and in 40 different languages. His spy thriller ‘Eye of The Needle’ published in 1978 remains one of the most popular and critically acclaimed works of espionage fiction.
Robert Harris
is the author of fifteen bestselling novels: the Cicero Trilogy, Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, The Ghost, The Fear Index, An Officer and a Spy (which won four prizes including the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction), Conclave, Munich, The Second Sleep, V2 and Act of Oblivion. His work has been translated into forty languages and he is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
David Harewood
is an actor, presenter and writer.
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16:00-17:00
Remembering Dame Hilary Mantel; with the Royal Society of Literature
David Olusoga and the Royal Society of Literature host this session in memory of one of the greatest English-language novelists of our time: Dame Hilary Mantel. In the stunning surrounds of Hampton Court Palace, we’ll explore the life and legacy of the famed author of the ‘Wolf Hall’ trilogy and stunning autobiography, ‘Giving Up The Ghost’. Guests include authors Kamila Shamsie and Philippa Gregory, with readings from stage actor Ben Miles and Dame Harriet Walter.
David Olusoga OBE
is a British historian, writer, broadcaster, presenter and film-maker. He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature
Kamila Shamsie
is a Pakistani and British writer and novelist who is best known for her award-winning novel ‘Home Fire’.
Philippa Gregory CBE
is a bestselling British historical author, writer of the award-winning ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ and ‘The White Queen’, basis for the BBC One drama.
Ben Miles
starred in and co-wrote the stage adaptation of the ‘Wolf Hall’ trilogy, and is the narrator of the audiobook series.
Dame Harriet Walter
is an award-winning British actor and Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
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20:00-21:30
Dame Judi Dench, William Shakespeare and friends
Join Gyles Brandreth in conversation with Dame Judi Dench, talking about her life, her career, and her special love for William Shakespeare. Expect anecdotes, admissions and perhaps even a sonnet or two. Plus surprise guests…
Dame Judi Dench
made her first professional stage appearance in September 1957 with the Old Vic Company at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool, as Ophelia in Hamlet. Since then, she has established a world renowned reputation for award-winning performances of Shakespeare over a career spanning six decades.
Gyles Brandreth
is an author, broadcaster, entertainer, former MP and dear friend of Dame Judi Dench.
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Gallery Stage
12:30-13:00
Kate Mosse: Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World
International bestselling Author Kate Mosse OBE shares a special short edition of her first ever theatre tour and one woman show: ‘Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World.’
Audiences can expect a fabulous burst of entertainment: part detective story, part love letter about how history is made, part celebration of extraordinary, brilliant trail-blazing and inspirational women throughout history. Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World will surprise, amaze, challenge and perhaps even encourage some to undertake a little family history of their own…
Kate Mosse
is the author of ten novels & short story collections, including the No 1 bestselling The Joubert Family Chronicles – ‘The Burning Chambers’, ‘The City of Tears’ and ‘The Ghost Ship’ – as well as the multimillion selling Languedoc Trilogy – ‘Labyrinth’, ‘Sepulchre’ and ‘Citadel’ – and No 1 bestselling Gothic fiction including ‘The Winter Ghosts’ and ‘The Taxidermist’s Daughter’. Her books have been translated into 38 languages and published in more than 40 countries. She has also written four works of non-fiction, four plays and numerous essays.
A champion of women’s creativity, Kate is the Founder Director of the Women’s Prizes – the largest annual celebration of women’s writing in the world – and is the Founder of the global campaign #WomanInHistory launched in January 2021 to honour, celebrate and promote women’s achievements throughout history. She was awarded an OBE in 2013 for services to literature and women, was named Woman of the Year for her service to the arts in the Everywoman Awards and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
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15:00-15:30
The Sinister Everyday: the fact and fiction of crime writing with Peter James
Peter James, the best-selling crime writer and the creator of Roy Grace, takes us on a thrilling journey at the intersection of fact and fiction in crime writing.
Peter’s passion for research and accuracy has brought him face to face with many murderers and criminals, as well as those who protect us from them. Talking us through his research and personal experiences, Peter will reveal why we are fascinated by the sinister everyday, the idea that crime is tangible but just far enough from us when we read crime fiction.
Peter James
is a UK No. 1 bestselling author, best known for writing crime and thriller novels, and the creator of the much-loved Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. With a total of 19 Sunday Times No. 1s under his belt, he has achieved global book sales of over 21 million copies to date, and has been translated into 38 languages.
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BOOK SIGNINGS
Authors will be signing books throughout the day. Join them and get yourself a signed copy of your favourite books!
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TOURS
Tours – Tudor
Explore Hampton Court Palace on a literary themed tour: Tudor edition! Tread the floors where Shakespeare once performed with his King’s Men, learn about the history of the King James Bible and discover what King Henry VIII himself liked to read…
Tours – Georgian
Explore Hampton Court Palace on a literary themed tour: Georgian edition! Come and explore Hampton Court Palace’s literary past on a new and unique guided tour offered exclusively in conjunction with The Queen’s Reading Room.
From Shakespearean sonnets and stagings to the setting of Virginia Woolf dinner parties, experience the rooms of the Palace like never before as the tales of this historically unique building are intertwined with literary legacies. To tour, or not to tour, that will be the question!
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Visitors who have tickets to one or more of our sessions will have access to the ground floor areas of Hampton Court Palace, including the Tudor Kitchen, Orangery and ornate Privy Gardens. Guests will also be able to enjoy the elegant formal gardens and can feast and sup like Kings and Queens in our food village on the lawns or within the Palace cafes.
There will be a selection of food and beverage options available in the formal gardens of Hampton Court, all take card payment. These will be open from 10am to 5pm and 6pm to 8pm. In addition the Tiltyard café and Privy Café will be open until 5pm.
Please note strictly no food or drink apart from bottled water can be taken inside the Palace. There will not be any refreshments available onsite once the evening performance commences.
Our festival runs in two key parts: daytime, from 10am-5pm and evening from 6pm to 9.30pm. The Palace will close at 5pm and reopen at 6pm, allowing staff to clean the site and prepare for our evening performance. Visitors with tickets to both daytime events and the evening session will be allowed to stay in the Gardens ahead of the Palace reopening at 6pm.
This event is a co-production with Historic Royal Palaces and all proceeds will go to The Queen’s Reading Room and Historic Royal Palaces charities.
HOW TO GET THERE
ADDRESS:
Hampton Court Palace East Molesey Surrey KT8 9AU United Kingdom
PARKING
We offer specific parking for the event and customers will be charged at £6 per car if pre-booked, please note only card payments will be possible on the day itself. Please enter Post Code KT8 9AU and strictly follow signage to HAMPTON COURT MUSIC FESTIVAL (don’t worry, these signs will also take you to the right place for The Queen’s Reading Room Festival) – this will take you to the car park both for the daytime and evening sessions.
Accessible parking must be pre-booked and is available on a first come served basis in the Palace car park which is at the main entrance of Hampton Court Palace, follow directly Post code KT8 9AU.
Parking can be booked as an add-on to tickets to the event.
TRAIN
Hampton Court Palace is situated only a few minutes’ walk from Hampton Court Station which is on a direct line to and from London Waterloo. There are 2 trains per hour from London Waterloo with the direct trains, which take 40 minutes from central London. Visit southwesternrailway.com to book your ticket or call 0345 6000 650. The last train will leave Hampton Court to London Waterloo at 23.24.
BUS
There will be no bus replacement services but bus timings will operate as normal as shown below:
TAXI
The only drop off and pick up point for taxis will be at Home Park (KT8 9AU).
Please note, taxis may get turned away if they come to the Palace Gate.
Please see a number of some local taxi companies that provide minicab services and have been informed of high demand:
- Angel Cars West Molesey: 020 8941 4151
- Bats Cabs Hampton: 020 8893 8080
- Kingston Minicabs Cars: 020 8390 3000
- Molesey Taxis Capital Cars: 019 3230 0311
- My Walton Taxis (King Cars): 0193230 4304
- ZedCarz Minicab: 020 8330 3300
Uber, Bolt and Lyft are also available if that is simpler for guests.
Our festival runs in two key parts: daytime, from 10am-5pm and evening from 6pm to 9.30pm. The Palace will close at 5pm and reopen at 6pm, allowing staff to clean the site and prepare for our evening performance. Visitors with tickets to both daytime events and the evening session will be allowed to stay in the Gardens ahead of the Palace reopening at 6pm.