OVO has unveiled an exciting line-up of one-off events as part of the OVO Roman Theatre Open Air Festival 2026, taking place at the Roman Theatre of Verulamium this summer.
Season Ticket holders have Priority Booking Access now. General Tickets go on sale on Saturday 21st March 2026.
In a landmark first for the festival, stand-up comedy joins the bill – kicking off on Sunday 7th June with an evening featuring Richard Herring and Catie Wilkins.
Richard Herring is a household name in British comedy: host of the award-winning podcast RHLSTP, star of BBC Two’s Fist of Fun, and creator of acclaimed stand-up specials including Hitler Moustache and Talking Cock – as well as a familiar face from The Great British Bake Off: Stand Up to Cancer.
Catie Wilkins is the star of the hit podcast Drunk Women Solving Crime, an award-winning author, and recipient of a Writers’ Guild Award for sketch comedy. She arrives fresh from her Edinburgh Fringe hit, We’ll See.
Richard says, “As a history nut, I am thrilled to be playing one of the oldest venues in the UK and to feel that psychic connection to performers from centuries before. I understand I will be thrown to the lions if I fail to get enough laughs. Harsh but fair.”
On Sunday 5th July, Victor and Albert bring their riotous musical comedy to the Roman Theatre. Described as “A Morecambe and Wise for the twenty-first century”, these identical twin dynamos are classically trained musicians who also happen to be hilarious – making them the perfect double act for anyone who loves music, comedy, or both.
The festival’s musical evenings begin with the return of Our Friends Electric, the infectious 80s tribute band. Back by popular demand following last year’s sell-out success, the group returns on Wednesday 22nd July to once again have audiences dancing in the Roman aisles to the iconic sounds of 80s synth-pop.
Kate Lindeman takes to the stage on Sunday 2nd August, delivering a brilliant vocal set spanning songs from across the decades.
And on Sunday 9th August, A Roman Theatre Spectacle by Tim Boatswain is a bold blend of comedy and tragedy set against the authentic backdrop of the only fully exposed Roman theatre in Britain. Audiences will witness the hilarious backstage battles between a pompous tragedian, a farcical comedian, and a clever actress, as their beleaguered manager struggles to maintain order. The company presents a medley of excerpts from Rome’s greatest playwrights – including Plautus, Seneca, and Terence – in a theatrical experience truly unlike any other.
Now in its twelfth year, the OVO Roman Theatre Open Air Festival has become a cornerstone of the UK’s summer arts calendar, welcoming over 16,500 visitors annuallyu
