Chichester Festival Theatre Festival’s 2026 season runs from March to October, with an ambitious programme featuring eight world premieres, a major summer musical and a bold new take on Shakespeare’s most beloved comedy. Artistic Director Justin Audibert and Executive Director Kathy Bourne announced the season as the theatre celebrates the continued national success of its productions, with six previous Chichester productions touring London and venues across the UK.
Major Musicals and Classic Drama
For the first time in its history, Chichester will stage Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with designs by Peter McKintosh and choreography by Stephen Mear. The much-anticipated production marks a significant milestone for the theatre and is set to be one of the highlights of the summer season.
Meanwhile, Justin Audibert co-directs A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Hannah Joss, reimagining Shakespeare’s classic comedy amid the Sussex rave scene of the 1990s. Munya Chawawa takes on the role of Bottom, opposite Jemima Rooper as Titania, promising a vibrant, contemporary spin on the Bard’s most popular play.
Eight World Premieres
Festival 2026 places new writing centre stage with eight world premieres across the Festival Theatre and the intimate Minerva Theatre.
David Haig stars as Arthur Conan Doyle in his own new play Magic, alongside Hadley Fraser as Harry Houdini. Directed by Lucy Bailey, the production explores the relationship between the creator of Sherlock Holmes and the world’s most famous escape artist.
Ian McEwan’s acclaimed novel Atonement receives its first stage adaptation, written by Christopher Hampton and directed by Adam Penford, bringing one of the most celebrated British literary works of recent decades to the stage.
John Morton (W1A, Twenty Twenty Six) launches the Minerva season with Eclipse, starring Sarah Parish and Rupert Penry-Jones. Geraldine James makes her Chichester debut in 45 Years, adapted for the stage by Hannah Patterson from Andrew Haigh’s award-winning film and directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah.
Other premieres include Atlantis by Emily White, a timely drama about a family confronting climate change, directed by Guy Jones in a co-production with Theatr Clwyd; a small and quiet light by Stephanie Street, exploring the life of Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan, co-produced with Orange Tree Theatre; and Antigone Exits by Nina Segal, a 21st-century response to Greek tragedy directed by Jeff James.
Family Highlights and Festive Favourites
Family audiences are well catered for with The BFG, adapted by Tom Wells with additional material by Jenny Worton. Presented in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Singapore Repertory Theatre, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and the Roald Dahl Story Company, the production arrives in Chichester direct from Stratford-upon-Avon, directed by Daniel Evans.
The festive season sees the return of Hey! Christmas Tree, written by Vicki Berwick and based on a poem by Michael Morpurgo, alongside Chichester Festival Youth Theatre’s musical adventure Peter Pan.
Access, Emerging Talent and The Nest
More than 21,000 tickets will be available at £10 and £15 across the season, alongside 10,000 £5 Prologue tickets for 16–30 year olds, reinforcing Chichester’s commitment to accessibility.
The Nest, the theatre’s dynamic studio space launched in 2025, continues to offer a rolling programme of comedy, music and fringe performance, contributing a distinctive new dimension to Chichester’s cultural nightlife. The season will also feature backstage tours, off-stage events, free live music and family activities.
Announcing the programme, Justin Audibert and Kathy Bourne highlighted the theatre’s growing national reach and reaffirmed their commitment to ambitious new writing alongside large-scale theatrical spectacle.
With eight world premieres, a landmark production of My Fair Lady and a bold reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Festival 2026 promises to be one of Chichester Festival Theatre’s most expansive and exciting seasons to date.
Find more information on the 2026 Chichester Festival Theatre program here.
