Chichester Fringe announces its 2025 line-up

The Fringe is back! This year, the Fringe will be packing over 50 artists and companies into 2 weeks, from Saturday 31 May to Saturday 14 June. There will be an exciting range of performances, ranging from clowning, theatre and music through to comedy and cabaret.

Carol Webb, Chichester Fringe Director, says, “For 2025, the Fringe is hosting many new performances that are taking place in exciting new venues across the city. There is so much on offer across all genres of the arts.”

Head to the Chichester Fringe website for tickets, for further information and to be kept updated: www.chichesterfringe.co.uk.

COMEDY & CABARET

Direct from Edinburgh Fringe, ‘Confessions of a Teletubby’ (14 June) takes to One-O-Four’s stage. Discover the truth with the original LaaLaa as she spills the beans on what it took to become one of the world’s most famous giant yellow puppets.

Comedians from all over the country bring their shows to the Fringe, including Jaz Mattu (7 June), Shalaka Kurup (6 June), Andrew White (10 June), Bryan Stoops (6 June) and Cordelia Graham (6 June).

And that is not all, this year we have improvised shows, including ‘Prop Roulette’ (31 May), ‘Who Wrote This?’ (12 June) as well as ‘A Room Full of Idiots’ from local theatre company Kuckoo Theatre (12 June).

At Chichester City Arts Centre there is a variety of comedy on offer as well, including stand up Phil Green (7 June) and ‘Destination: ‘Old Hag’’, possibly the world’s first Situation-Operatic-Comedy! (8 June)

THEATRE

From Chekov’s ‘The Seagull’ (11,12,13 June) to ‘Potted Pride and Prejudice’ (4 June), you can get your theatrical fix throughout the Fringe!

Local theatre company Kitchen Sink Productions bring their new production ‘Things A Bright Young Queer Can Do’ to The Old Court Room (7 June), centering the voices of LGBTQ+ people exploring their identities, challenges, successes, and dreams, offering a poignant reflection on queerhood and our shared collective experiences.

At Christ Church, a new venue for the Fringe, two plays will take place on 13 June: ‘Grandma’s Shop’, the Edinburgh Fringe 5-star hit, and ‘Escape the Rat Race’, full of witty musical numbers that affectionately hold a mirror up to the joys and mundanity of the working world – a must-see for anyone who has ever worked in an office.

The final day of the fringe (14 June) will see a full day of theatre, where you can watch show after show at One-O-Four, including ‘The Tragical Performance and Retelling of Dr Faustus’ and ‘The Last Bantam’, a historical WW1 play. The evening concludes with The Playweavers hosting a night of short plays.

MUSIC

For music lovers, we are hosting a music night at JAM Cafe with brand new artists sharing their own work (3 June), MC’d by Ruby Bodenham. For the first time folk music is part of the line-up with performances from Oving Folk (7 June) and The South Downs Folk Singers (1 June). If you are after an intimate music experience, book to see musicians Mia Reed or David Robinson, who will be performing in New Park’s Picture Palace on Saturday 7th June, but book fast as there are only 13 seats per show!!

NEW COLLABORATIONS

This year sees a new educational collaboration with the University of Chichester and Havant and South Downs College.

Working closely with the team at the University, this year’s InterACT Festival (13 June) and Acting Showcase (11 June) will be ticketed through Chichester Fringe for the first time, and tickets are free!

InterACT is a day-long festival of performance work from the graduating students of BA (Hons) Theatre, BA (Hons) Drama, Theatre & Directing & BA (Hons) Acting students at the University of Chichester. A collection of dynamic solo performances, directed work, productions, workshops, installations, and celebration of work created this year.

Dr Jodie Hawkes, Senior Lecturer in Theatre at the University of Chichester said: ‘The partnership between Chichester University Theatre Department and Chi Fringe is a powerful catalyst for emerging talent. By providing a professional platform for these graduate showcases, Chi Fringe are investing in the future of theatre in the city. The Theatre department has a national reputation for producing students who create innovative new theatre. Partnering with Chi Fringe celebrates our shared commitment to the future of the theatre industry and celebrates the achievements of graduating students, launching their careers in a dynamic and supportive environment.’

Havant and South Downs College’s Pivoital Performance Company will also be performing their new production of ‘The Seagull’ on 11th, 12th and 13th June at its South Downs theatre venue.

MORE RETURNING SHOWS

After great success last year, many shows are returning, including The Chichester Fringe Cabaret, this year live from Chichester Canal (10 June). Epic Comedy and The Chichester Fringe New Comedy Act of the Year returns too! 20 comedians from Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey will be competing to become Chichester Fringe’s New Act of the Year. The competition will be run over two heats on 3 and 5 June, with the grand final on 10 June.

And don’t miss last year’s winner Baron Fortitude, who brings his show to the Chichester City Arts Centre on 11th June.

COMMISSIONING GRANT WINNERS

The two worthy winners of the new commissioning grant are local writer and director Lin Robinson with her show ‘Toil’ and University of Chichester Graduate, Iona Rose, with her show ‘Three Witches Brew’.

The Fringe has awarded them £250 each to help bring their work to life, as well as a place to debut their work in the Chichester Fringe 2025 programme. These awards have been enabled by a generous grant from Chichester City Council.
The grant is for those who need additional financial support in order to develop their performance, including finance to help secure rehearsal space, props or costume.

Lin Robinson, writer and director for Troubadour theatre said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be one of the two recipients of the first Chichester Fringe Commissioning Grant award, 2025, and very grateful to the Fringe Team for considering me worthy of this funding. I’m looking forward to getting the production process underway and to Troubadour Theatre’s participation in the Fringe in June.”

NEW VENUES

Havana, Christ Church, The University of Chichester, Havant and South Downs College and JAM cafe have officially been added to the venue line up with returning venues including The Old Court Room in the City Council Building, New Park Centre Studio, Chichester City Arts Centre, The Picture Palace, Chichester Canal Cafe, Richmond boat, and One O Four.

Tickets are on sale now: head to the Chichester Fringe website so as to be kept updated and to secure your tickets: www.chichesterfringe.co.uk.