"Don’t let my poor Nelly starve" just may have been King Charles II's last words, we can't be sure.  But we can be sure of some things: Nell Gwynn was certainly the King's mistress, the mother of one of his children and a woman who rose from poverty to a position of power and influence at court.

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Jessica Swale's play Nell Gwynn won an Olivier for Best New Comedy in 2016 and began life at another outdoor theatrical space: Shakespeare’s Globe.

 

It follows Nell’s journey from orange hawker to leading actress to King’s mistress through playhouse to palace garden and back again. It’s for the most part a jolly, jaunty piece with plenty of good jokes, music and song, but it has its sombre moments too. Perhaps above all it shows how talent, native wit and a cheeky sense of (defiantly feminist) humour can take you – just about – wherever you want to go.​​

 

This is a hugely popular play for two very good reasons: it tells a touching story with heart and humour

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Playing in the open air from 9th to 18th July, 2026 audiences are welcome to bring their own picnic and enjoy a typical English summer evening whilst being entertained by this production, brought to you by The Windsor Theatre Guild.