Open air theatre to open in New Forest, supported by Judi Dench and Mark Rylance

New Forest Open Air Theatre is launching a fundraising campaign to create a new 300-seat seasonal woodland theatre on the Hinton Admiral Estate near Burley, with the venue planned to open for the 2027 summer season.

The project will establish a permanent home base for the company, which was founded in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and has since staged outdoor productions including Shakespeare, family theatre and seasonal events across the New Forest.

The new theatre will be situated in a naturally occurring woodland basin on the 5,500-acre Hinton Admiral Estate. Designed by local architect Natalie Skeete of Forest Architecture, with theatre consultants Charcoalblue and designer James Turner, the structure will be built using coppiced timber from the surrounding woodland.

The theatre will be dismantled at the end of each performance season, with the design intended to minimise its impact on the woodland. The site will make use of existing estate infrastructure including parking, utilities, catering and visitor facilities.

The company is seeking to raise the remaining funds required to deliver the project and has launched a new membership and patron scheme alongside opportunities for support from individuals, businesses, charitable trusts and foundations.

The campaign is supported by cultural figures including Mark Rylance, Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Lenny Henry, Dan Snow, Geraldine Somerville and Candida Meyrick.

Artistic director Abbey Wright said: “This project brings together world-class theatre, community engagement and access to nature in a way that is unique to the New Forest. Our ambition is to create a venue that delivers outstanding cultural experiences while remaining accessible, sustainable and rooted in its local landscape.”

Chair of trustees Marcel Bruneau added: “We believe this project has the potential to become a significant cultural and community asset for the region, creating opportunities for audiences, artists, young people and isolated individuals, while contributing to the visitor economy and supporting sustainable tourism in the New Forest.”

Dench, who is a patron of the company, said: “I am so happy to be a patron of the beautiful New Forest Open Air Theatre. There is nowhere like it. A glorious mix of theatre and trees; what could be better?”

Meyrick, patron and landowner, said: “We all need the New Forest Open Air Theatre now more than ever. To combine the power of live theatre with the restorative potential of community gathering in a woodland setting is transformational. We are so proud of supporting this brilliant venture at the heart of the Hinton Admiral Estate.”

The company also plans to develop community participation, outdoor learning, wellbeing and engagement with nature as part of its longer-term work. It is already working with partners including Culture in Common to improve access to arts and cultural activity for isolated communities.

The first programme for the new venue will be announced at a later date. New Forest Open Air Theatre’s fundraising campaign can be found on its supporter page.