The Secret Garden (NHB Modern Plays)

When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. Left to make her own entertainment, Mary stumbles upon a garden, overgrown and locked for years. A forbidden garden.

Finding her way inside, with the help of a friendly robin, Mary begins to feel a connection to the house and its inhabitants. Then, one night, in one of the house's many rooms, she hears the sound of crying…

Frances Hodgson Burnett's delightful and enduring tale celebrates the power of transformation and healing through nature. Elizabeth Newman's magical adaptation was premiered at Pitlochry Festival Theatre's open-air amphitheatre in 2023, where Newman is Artistic Director.

This version will appeal to other professional and amateur companies looking for a much-loved classic that can be easily staged in theatres, outdoor venues – and gardens.

'An enriching, affirmative show, steeped in gentle wonder' – The Stage

'A near-perfect summer theatre experience for children… The Secret Garden is fast emerging as a key children's story for our time: a profound legend about how human beings need the natural world and its energy to survive and thrive… Newman's adaptation glows from its opening moments with love for, and understanding of, the basic dynamics of Hodgson Burnett's bold narrative… a beautiful show' – The Scotsman

'Enrapturing… a tremendous fervour of pace… simply gorgeous… a thing of beauty' – Reviews Hub

'Retains all the essentials of the original novel but brings in the whole thing at around 90 minutes, including an interval. It's appealingly crisp, which is helpful for the younger members of the audience, and it doesn't shun the novel's all-important use of Yorkshire dialect… a play that retains its own distinctive sense of charm' – WhatsOnStage

'The perfect show for all the family… delights at every turn… a salve to the soul for grown ups in these troubled times and even better, the children in the audience clearly loved it' – Broadway Baby