Project summary

The Grade II* listed Chichester Festival Theatre was founded in 1962 by Leslie Evershed-Martin CBE, and designed by architects Powell and Moya. With 1206 seats, the Festival Theatre was the first modern theatre in this country to have an open 'thrust' stage with the audience seated around it on three sides, allowing a close involvement with the actors.

Leslie Evershed-Martin was inspired by the Festival Theatre in Stratford, Ontario, whose founder, Tyrone Guthrie, encouraged him to proceed. The theatre opened with Laurence Olivier as its first Director, and has built an international reputation for theatrical excellence.

The emphasis of the theatre's programme is on the summer Festival, which runs from April to September and includes plays from classics to contemporary writing, as well as musicals and a programme of events designed to enhance the audiences' enjoyment of the productions.

The building is now operating well beyond its original capacity both in terms of backstage facilities and also front of house. The project aims to assess the environmental aspects of the continuing operation, improve access into the auditorium and renew ageing technical equipment, as well as reviewing the condition of the building's fabric.

Charcoalblue is providing theatre design services in a close working relationship with longtime collaborators Haworth Tompkins, with whom we are also currently working on the National Theatre and the Liverpool Everyman.

Technical systems design is also being undertaken by Charcoalblue to update and improve the stagelighting, audiovisual and stage engineering facilities.