KATHARINE Will Embark on Tour of UK Cathedrals
Slaget Theatre's binaural audio production marks the 500th anniversary of the King's Great Matter.
Exploring the life and legacy of Katharine of Aragon, the powerful new immersive audio experience KATHARINE will tour selected UK cathedrals this Autumn alongside a programme of free library pop-up experiences. Created by Slaget Theatre, in association with Whispered Tales, this multidisciplinary production combines binaural audio technology, contemporary dance and immersive storytelling to transform historic spaces into intimate encounters with one of history's most misunderstood queens. Performances will run Thursday 15th October 2026 – Saturday 23rd January 2027.
Marking the 500th anniversary of the King's Great Matter, KATHARINE re-examines the story of Henry VIII's first wife through her own perspective. At a time when questions of identity, migration, power and belonging continue to shape our society, the production invites audiences to reconsider a familiar Tudor narrative. Through cutting-edge audio technology and site-specific staging, the stunning and historic backdrop of cathedral spaces becomes the setting for a deeply moving and thought-provoking theatrical experience.
Performer Olena Hrabchak (Global Folk Project, Movema; Expressia Festival) drifts throughout the guided journey as an ethereal figure, moving between historical embodiment and contemporary presence, weaving through the unfolding narrative. Directed by Esther Simpson of Whispered Tales, (Protect The Beats, Eurovision 2023, Refuge Island and Our Crossing) and featuring choreography by Lisa Simpson (founder of Lisa Simpson Inclusive Dance, LSID), the production is reimagined for each venue, with the live performance carefully adapted to respond to the unique architecture, history and atmosphere of every space. Audiences experience the production through immersive binaural sound design on headphones, creating a deeply moving and thought-provoking theatrical experience for theatre goers and history buffs.
Written by playwright Nicola Werenowska (Alice in Wonderland, Derby Theatre; Ghost Stories by Candlelight, The Globe Theatre; The Secret Garden, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds), KATHARINE marks a significant reimagining of Katharine of Aragon's narrative through text, choreography and vibrant storytelling. Alongside the cathedral tour, KATHARINE will be presented through a series of free library pop-up experiences across Essex and Suffolk. Featuring extracts from the production's immersive soundtrack and a newly commissioned audio work exploring Katharine's love of books and her commitment to women's education, these events offer local communities free access to the arts while shedding further light on her legacy.
Hazel Edwards, South East Area Director of Arts Council England comments, 'We are pleased to invest £70,340 of National Lottery funding in this innovative reimagining of Katharine's story. It is brilliant to see high-quality creative work, rooted in Tendring one of our Priority Places, reaching such a diverse mix of local spaces—from our historic cathedrals to libraries at the heart of communities in North Essex and Suffolk.'
Writer of KATHARINE, Nicola Werenowska comments, 'I've long been fascinated by the stories of real women, women who history has the tendency to erase or reduce to a mere footnote. Henry VIII's first wife, Katharine of Aragon, is one such woman. With KATHARINE I wanted to move past the history to her story, to reclaim her narrative from a vital and fresh female perspective. I wanted to explore her memories directly so that her resilience, faith, and defiance feel immediate. The more we explored, the more we found how deeply her struggles as a migrant and political figure 500 years ago echo the upheavals and societal challenges we face in today's world.'
Director of KATHARINE, Esther Simpson shares, 'When Nicky and I first started exploring working together it was the story of Katharine of Aragon which excited us both. We wanted to create a theatrical experience that breaks out of conventional auditoriums to inhabit spaces steeped in history and community life. By blending a live performer with cutting-edge binaural audio technology, we are turning historical walls into an atmospheric soundscape where audiences don't just watch her story—they find themselves immersed in it. To perform KATHARINE in settings like cathedrals, castles, and local community libraries allows us to intimately connect today's world with her world. It's an incredibly moving way to explore power, betrayal, and erasure, inviting the audience to stand up close to herstory.'
Tour Dates
- 15th October 2026 – Colchester Castle, Castle Park, Colchester CO1 1TJ. VIP performance at 7:30pm. Not for public listings.
- 16th – 17th October 2026 – St Nicholas Church, 67 Church Street, Harwich CO12 3DR. Various times. Tickets from £5. Book tickets
- 10th – 13th November 2026 – Chester Cathedral, St Werburgh Street, Chester CH1 2DY. Various times. chestercathedral.com
- 21st – 23rd January 2027 – Peterborough Cathedral, Minster Precinct, Peterborough PE1 1XS. Times to be confirmed. peterborough-cathedral.org.uk
Pop-Up Library Dates
- 1st September 2026 – Wivenhoe Library, 104/6 High Street, Wivenhoe, Colchester CO7 9AB. 9am – 5pm. No ticket required. Pop-Up Library only.
- 1st September 2026 – St Mary's Annexe, St Mary's Church Wivenhoe, Essex CO7 9BD. 7pm – 9pm. Free. Artist Talk with Nicola Werenowska and Matthew Linley. stmaryswivenhoe.org
- 12th September 2026 – Frinton Library, 59 Old Road, Frinton-on-Sea CO13 9DA. 10am – 4pm Pop-Up Library, free, no ticket required. 2:30pm – 4pm Artist Talk with Nicola Werenowska and Matthew Linley.
- 19th September 2026 – Between the Tides: The Walton Arts Festival. Walton Library, 52 High Street, Walton on the Naze CO14 8AE. 10am – 4pm Pop-Up Library, free, no ticket required. 11:15am – 11:45am demonstration with Matthew Linley, free, no ticket required.
- 24th September 2026 – Harwich Library, Upper Kingsway, Harwich CO12 3JT. 10am – 4pm. Free, no ticket required. Pop-Up Library only.
- 10th October 2026 – Manningtree Library, The Library, High Street, Manningtree CO11 1AD. 10am – 4pm Pop-Up Library. 2:30pm – 4pm Artist Talk with Nicola Werenowska, booking link to follow.
Library Performances
- 27th November 2026 – Colchester Central Library, Trinity Square, Colchester CO1 1JB. Free performances at 10:30am, 12pm, 2pm and 3:30pm. Must be booked in advance – booking link to follow.
- 28th November 2026 – Braintree Library, Fairfield Road, Braintree CMY 3YL. Free performances at 10:30am, 12pm, 2pm and 3:30pm. Must be booked in advance – booking link to follow.
- Suffolk Library dates to be announced.
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