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Chichester Festival Theatre

1962 establishments in EnglandBrutalist architecture in EnglandBuildings and structures in ChichesterGrade II* listed buildings in West SussexTheatres in West Sussex
Tourist attractions in ChichesterUse British English from May 2021
Chichester Festival Theatre, Sussex geograph.org.uk 1760414
Chichester Festival Theatre, Sussex geograph.org.uk 1760414

Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Martin in 1962. The smaller and more intimate Minerva Theatre was built nearby in 1989. The inaugural Artistic Director was Sir Laurence Olivier, and it was at Chichester that the first National Theatre company was formed. Chichester's productions would transfer to the National Theatre's base at the Old Vic in London. The opening productions in 1962 were: The Chances by John Fletcher (first production 1638) which opened on 3 July; The Broken Heart (1633), by John Ford, opened 9 July; Uncle Vanya (1896), by Anton Chekov, opened 16 July. Among the actors in the opening season were: Lewis Casson, Fay Compton, Joan Greenwood, Rosemary Harris, Kathleen Harrison, Keith Michell, André Morell, John Neville, Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, Michael Redgrave, Athene Seyler, Sybil Thorndike and Peter Woodthorpe. The Festival Season usually runs from April to October and includes productions from classics to contemporary writing and musicals, reaching an audience of 230,000. Productions originated at Chichester frequently transfer to London or tour nationally and internationally. A range of additional events is designed to add to the experience of visiting the theatre, including performances, cabarets, family days, tours and talks. Through the winter months, the Theatre presents touring productions and a Christmas show mounted by Chichester Festival Youth Theatre. The Theatre runs a large and active Learning, Education and Participation programme for all ages; its Youth Theatre is one of the largest in the country, with over 800 members. The Theatre is a registered charity and is chaired by Mark Foster. Daniel Evans has been the artistic director since July 2016, sharing the leadership of the theatre with Executive Director Kathy Bourne.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Chichester Festival Theatre (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Chichester Festival Theatre
Broyle Road, Chichester Chichester

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N 50.843048 ° E -0.77739 °
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Chichester Festival Theatre

Broyle Road
PO19 6AP Chichester, Chichester
England, United Kingdom
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cft.org.uk

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Chichester Festival Theatre, Sussex geograph.org.uk 1760414
Chichester Festival Theatre, Sussex geograph.org.uk 1760414
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Nearby Places

Chichester Castle
Chichester Castle

Chichester Castle stood in the city of the same name in West Sussex (grid reference SU863052). Shortly after the Norman Conquest of England, Roger de Montgomery ordered the construction of a castle at Chichester. The castle at Chichester was one of 11 fortified sites to be established in Sussex before 1100. The Rape of Chichester, a subdivision of Sussex, was administered from the castle and was split off from the larger Rape of Arundel; a Rape was an administrative unit originating in the Saxon era and continued by the Normans. Situated in the north-east corner of Chichester, the castle was protected by the city walls. As it was an urban castle inserted into a pre-existing settlement, buildings were probably cleared to make way for the castle. Chichester Castle was of timber construction; although some timber castles were rebuilt in stone, there is no evidence that this was the case at Chichester.Although the castle was originally built by the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earls of Sussex owned it in the period 1154–1176, after which it passed into the possession of the Crown. Early in the 13th century, Chichester Castle was used as a court and jail. Chichester and Oxford Castle were two of the earliest urban castles to be used for this purpose, but gradually most urban castles were also used in this way. In 1216, the castle, along with many others in southern England, such as Reigate Castle in Surrey, was captured by the French. This was part of the First Barons' War against King John (reigned 1199–1216). The castle was recaptured by the English in the spring of 1217. In the same year, Henry III ordered the castle's destruction. Between 1222 and 1269, Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall, gave the site to the order of Greyfriars for their use as the site of a friary. The remains of the motte are still visible in Priory Park, Chichester; the motte is protected as a Scheduled Monument.