Image: Chichester Festival Theatre Facebook page

The Chichester Festival Theatre has announced its Festival 2015 line up, which will be the first since the theatre underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment.

The theatre had major work done to it last summer, but it has now been finished, meaning this year’s festival can go ahead uninhibited.

Jonathan Church, the Artistic Director for Chichester Festival Theatre, said: “We are back to normal this year. It’s a huge relief after three years to come back to business.

“We have also continued to grow over the years we’ve had the refurbishments.

“We had the best ticket sale in our history last year.”

The season runs from April to November, and represents the first full line up since the work on the theatre.

The festival went under a £22 million refurbishment, which improved the foyer, accessibility, auditorium and the backstage area.

Alan Finch, the Executive Director, said: “Having succeeded in reopening the Festival Theatre on time and on target, our aim this year is to make the most of all the opportunities we’ll have to use our renewed building as creatively as possible.

“We are looking forward to the challenge of staging productions that are bigger and bolder, and that will enhance the audience experience.”

Highlights in the festival include Young Chekhov, which puts the dramatists’ first three works together for the first time ever.

As well as that, Michael Ball will be performing in Mack and Mabel, and Lenny Henry will make his Chichester debut in Educating Rita.

Lenny Henry said: “It means a great deal to me personally and professionally to be in Willy Russell’s classic play about the ways in which education can change your life.

“I hope that it’ll inspire audiences to think about the pathways and obstacles to success that education offers the young – and not so young! – today.”

The Chichester Festival Youth Theatre is also returning, for the 30th year.

The full line up for Festival 2015 in Chichester, and tickets for many of the events, can be found here.