Chichester Festival Theatre facts for kids
The Festival Theatre in March 2010.
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 Chichester Festival Theatre
Location in Chichester city centre
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| Address | Oaklands Park Chichester, West Sussex England |
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| Coordinates | 50°50′35″N 0°46′39″W / 50.843048°N 0.777390°W |
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| Construction | |
| Opened | 1962 |
| Architect | Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Chichester Festival Theatre | |
| Designated: | 12 June 1998 |
| Reference #: | 1323693 |
The Chichester Festival Theatre is a famous theatre building. It is located in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. The theatre was designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya. It was opened in 1962 by its founder, Leslie Evershed-Martin.
A smaller theatre, the Minerva Theatre, was built nearby in 1989. It offers a more personal and close-up experience for audiences. A third performance space, called The Nest, opened on July 31, 2025.
The first artistic director was Sir Laurence Olivier, a very famous actor. The first National Theatre company was actually formed here. Shows from Chichester often moved to the National Theatre's home in London.
The first plays performed in 1962 included The Chances by John Fletcher. The Broken Heart by John Ford also opened that year. Another play was Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov. Many well-known actors performed in the first season. These included Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, and Michael Redgrave.
The theatre's main season, called the Festival Season, usually runs from April to October. It features a wide variety of shows. These include classic plays, new plays, and musicals. About 230,000 people come to watch these shows each year. Many productions that start at Chichester later move to London or go on tours around the country and even internationally.
The theatre also offers many extra events. These include special performances, music shows, and family days. You can also take tours and listen to talks about the theatre. During the winter, the theatre hosts touring shows. It also puts on a special Christmas show performed by the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre.
The theatre has a big program for learning and participation. It helps people of all ages get involved in theatre. Its Youth Theatre is one of the biggest in the country. It has over 800 young members.
Chichester Festival Theatre is a registered charity. This means it is a non-profit organization. Mark Foster is the chairman. Justin Audibert became the artistic director in April 2023. He leads the theatre alongside Kathy Bourne, the executive director.
History of the Theatre
The idea for Chichester Festival Theatre came from Leslie Evershed-Martin. He noticed similarities between Chichester and a city in Canada called Stratford, Ontario. Stratford had a successful theatre festival. Evershed-Martin believed Chichester could have one too.
He reached out to the famous actor Laurence Olivier. He offered Olivier the job of directing the new theatre. Olivier led the theatre until 1966. After him, John Clements took over the role.
Artistic Directors
- Sir Laurence Olivier (1962–1965)
- Sir John Clements (1966–1973)
- Keith Michell (1974–1977)
- Peter Dews (1978–1980)
- Patrick Garland (1981–1984)
- John Gale (1985–1989)
- Michael Rudman (1990)
- Patrick Garland (1991–1994)
- Sir Derek Jacobi and Duncan Weldon (producer) (1995–1997)
- Andrew Welch (1998–2002)
- Martin Duncan, Ruth Mackenzie and Steven Pimlott (2003–2005)
- Jonathan Church (2006–2016)
- Daniel Evans (2016–2023)
- Justin Audibert (2023–present)
More to Explore
- Chichester Festival production history
- Grade II* listed buildings in West Sussex
