Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre, located in Chichester, Sussex, England, is a theatre designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, and 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 NT'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),
David Farr (theatre director) David Farr (theatre director) David Farr (born 29 October 1969) is a British writer, theatrical director and Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Farr was brought up in Surrey and educated in Guildford and the University of Cambridge (English Literature double first). Farr began directing theatre at University and won the "Guardian Student Drama Award" at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1991 with "Slight Possession" starring Rachel Weisz. His professional directorial debut came at The Gate Theatre, Notting Hill in 1995 (age25) under Stephen Daldry. He was also Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic from 2002 to 2005 and