Built in 1962, this somewhat Soviet-looking playhouse has a long and distinguished history. Sir Laurence Olivier was the theatre’s first director, and Ingrid Bergman, Sir John Gielgud and Sir Anthony Hopkins have all played here. Today it hosts a mix of entertainment from musicals to opera, stand-up comedy to Shakespeare.
Chichester Festival Theatre
Southeast England
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
27.8 MILES
One of southern England's most awe-inspiring buildings, 11th-century Winchester Cathedral boasts a fine Gothic facade, one of the longest medieval naves…
28.03 MILES
The Royal Pavilion is the city’s must-see attraction. The glittering party pad and palace of Prince George, later Prince Regent and then King George IV,…
14.77 MILES
Portsmouth's blockbuster draw sees you gazing at the evocative hulk of Henry VIII's flagship, the Mary Rose, and jumping aboard Nelson's Battle of…
14.79 MILES
The raising of the 16th-century warship the Mary Rose in 1982 was an extraordinary feat of marine archaeology. The £35-million, boat-shaped museum that's…
14.82 MILES
As resplendent as she is venerable, HMS Victory was Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) and the site of his famous dying words 'Kiss…
27.71 MILES
Winchester College delivers a rare chance to nosey around a prestigious English school. It was set up by William Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, in 1393,…
22.49 MILES
Lemon-frosted and Italianate, Osborne House is pure Victorian pomp. Built in the 1840s at the behest of Queen Victoria, the monarch grieved here for many…
27.63 MILES
The fantastical, crumbling remains of early-12th-century Wolvesey Castle huddle in the protective embrace of the city's walls. Completed by Henry de Blois…
Nearby Southeast England attractions
0.42 MILES
Chichester’s purpose-built museum provides a home for the eclectic collections of the erstwhile District Museum, as well as some artefacts from Fishbourne…
0.47 MILES
Chichester’s almost complete ring of Roman defensive walls are around 1.5 miles in length, and provide a pleasant escape from the retail bustle they now…
0.49 MILES
This understated cathedral was begun in 1075 and largely rebuilt in the 13th century. The free-standing church tower went up in the 15th century; the…
0.55 MILES
A Queen Anne mansion built by a local wine merchant, handsome Pallant House and a 21st-century wing host this superb gallery. The focus is on mostly…
1.46 MILES
Fishbourne Palace is the largest-known Roman residence in Britain. The palace lies 1.5 miles west of Chichester, just off the A259 (take bus 700 from…
9.59 MILES
Arundel’s ostentatious 19th-century Catholic cathedral is one of the dominating features on the town’s impressive skyline. Commissioned by the 15th Duke…
9.85 MILES
Arundel Castle was first built in the 11th century but all that's left of the early structure are the modest remains of the keep. It was ransacked during…
9.9 MILES
Located opposite the Arundel Castle gates, this small museum has sections on the castle, the South Downs National Park and the River Arun’s role in 19th…