A mini festival featuring music and theatre performances is set to be held outdoors.

The Hever Festival Theatre had to postpone its full festival for this year, but instead is holding a Bitesize Festival, which runs from Tuesday, August 18 through to Sunday, August 30.

There will be a fortnight of festival favourites. Keeping the wellbeing of artists, audiences and staff at the forefront of their work, the festival team have developed a socially-distanced programme with a small number of their favourite artists on smaller shows, shorter performances without intervals and also with a smaller audience capacity.

Music will include the Ronnie Scott’s Quartet on Saturday, August 22, the Charles Court Opera with a celebration of Gilbert and Sullivan on Sunday, August 23; the Kent-based Night Owls Productions with The Dolly Parton Story on Friday, August 28 and The Simon and Garfunkel Story have created a new ’unplugged’ performance just for the festival on Saturday, August 29.

There will also be a Last Night of the Hever Proms to round things off on Sunday, August 30.

For Shakespeare lovers the energetic, chaotic and environmentally sustainable HandleBards will perform Romeo and Juliet on Tuesday, August 18 and the imaginative The Three Inch Fools play A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Tuesday, August 25.

Hever Festival’s first ever Bitesize Stand-Up Comedy Club features Javier Jarquin and Gary Tro and is compered by award-winning stand up, and Live at the Apollo star Laura Lexx on Friday, August 21.

For families, Illyria return with The Wind In the Willows amongst the trees on Anne Boleyn’s Walk on Wednesday, August 26.

Festival director Ailsa Molyneux said: "It has come as a happy surprise to us all that we are able to hold events this year and we can’t wait to share the 2020 Bitesize Festival.

"The theatre tent is not available, so we have the joy of performing with a castle view and are delighted to be returning to the loggia. As many of our audience members will know the loggia was the home of the festival theatre for many years, it’s good to be back."

Ticket are £20 with family shows £12.50. Visitors can bring their own cushions, blankets, chairs and picnics.

To book go to heverfestival.co.uk. Prices reflect the fact that performances are not undercover.

Read our review of the 'new normal' at Hever Castle and Gardens here.

For more entertainments news across Kent click here.