A "generational" actor for Chichester's first-ever home-grown Hamlet

CFT artistic director Justin Audibert will direct the venue’s first-ever production of Shakespeare’s supreme tragedy. And he is doing so because he has got his Hamlet –

Giles Terera, winner of an Olivier Award for Hamilton (West End), and Critics’ Circle Best Actor Award for Blues for an Alabama Sky and the title role in Othello at the National Theatre.

“I can't believe it hasn't been done before here,” Justin says, “and I don't know why it hasn't been done before.”

Surprising also perhaps is the fact that Justin is putting it in the Minerva: “But the reason is because there is something so visceral and so personal about being able to be in Hamlet’s mind that having the opportunity to see into this brilliant actor’s mind – a generational actor like Giles Terera – is going to be something incredibly special and completely unique in that space. We have had King Lear and Macbeth in the Minerva and this will be just right as well. It is definitely one of the top ten greatest plays ever written and Giles will be fantastic in the part.

“I'll be directing. Since I've been here, I think one of the questions that people have asked me most is when am I going to do some Shakespeare here so I feel that the first Shakespeare we do is probably something that I should direct.”

And Justin's approach, with which Giles is in agreement, is that it should play like a thriller: “We both agree that it should absolutely propel you along.”

It is also part of a deliberate initiative to secure the schools, the colleges and the university audiences at the Festival Theatre: “Alongside Lord Of The Flies this is part of our aim of widening our audience base and increasing our younger audiences.”

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The full Minerva season is:

• Mark Addy and Jenna Russell in The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, a new musical adapted by Rachel Joyce from her own multi million-selling novel, directed by Katy Rudd, May 5-June 14, Minerva Theatre.

• Beverley Knight in Marie And Rosetta by George Brant, directed by Monique Touko a co-production with Rose Theatre and ETT, June 25-July 26, Minerva Theatre.

• Choir by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, directed by Hannah Joss, August 2-30, Minerva Theatre.

• Giles Terera in Hamlet by William Shakespeare, directed by Justin Audibert, September 6-October 4, Minerva Theatre.

• Safe Space by Jamie Bogyo, directed by Roy Alexander Weise, October 11-November 8, Minerva Theatre.

Priority booking for Friends & Champions of Chichester Festival Theatre opens: Saturday, February 22 (online and booking forms only); Tuesday, February 25 (phone and in person). Booking for groups and schools opens: Thursday, February 27. General booking opens: Saturday, March 1 (online only); Tuesday, March 4 (phone and in person).

Tickets from £10: cft.org.uk or 01243 781312. Prologue: 9,000 £5 tickets are available for 16-30 year-olds across all Festival 2025 productions; sign up for free at cft.org.uk/prologue.