The Secret Garden (Open Air Theatre version) (NHB Modern Plays)

'What happened then, some would say, was almost magic.' Disregarded and disobedient, ten-year-old Mary Lennox is sent from India to Yorkshire, and put into the care of an uncle she has never met. At Misselthwaite Manor, a brokenhearted house full of secrets and strange noises, Mary discovers a garden as lost and neglected as she is. If she can learn to make friends with robins, grumpy gardeners and a boy who speaks to animals, Mary might be able to bring more than just the garden back to life... The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett's tale about the magic of nature and the nature of magic, has been a beloved and quietly radical classic of children's literature since its publication in 1911. Holly Robinson and Anna Himali Howard's thrillingly adventurous adaptation was first performed at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London, in 2024. 'A beautifully crafted, thoughtfully updated new version of the immortal children's novel' - Time Out 'A gorgeously modern, enchanted adaptation... a must-see summer show for all ages' - The Stage 'This vivacious, subtly inventive new version puts the microscope on Hodgson Burnett's classic to reveal an earthy enchantment. It speaks potently to our environmentally frazzled times... It's a treat' - The Times 'A sheer delight... in terms of sheer loveliness and final achievement, nothing beats this delightful new adaptation... Holly Robinson and Anna Himali Howard have hit the jackpot here... book your tickets right away' - iNews 'An old-fashioned tale brought beautifully into the modern age' - Telegraph

Holly Robinson is a Birmingham-born playwright now based in London. Her debut play soft animals was premiered at Soho Theatre, London, in 2019. Her adaptation (with Anna Himali Howard) of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel The Secret Garden was staged at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2024.