KATHARINE at Chester Cathedral

Exploring the fascinating 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.

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.