Photo Flash: Marlowe 5 Celebrates 5th Anniversary

Hundreds of people came to the venue for exhibitions, performances, tours and workshops, and the gala, which featured some of the shows seen at the theatre in the last five years, and those to come. There were appearances by the National Theatre's War Horse, the Royal Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Northern Ballet's Jane Eyre, and the musicals Chicago, Mamma Mia!, and The Bodyguard. Glyndebourne Opera, ZooNation Youth Company and the Philharmonia Orchestra were also represented.

Marlowe 5 included a new production co-created by The Marlowe Theatre, Wise Words and Virtual Schools Kent. Warrior Poets was an immersive installation inspired by poems written by young people in care in Kent. The project's Artistic Director was world-famous poet, Lemn Sissay, who also opened and closed the gala.

The gala saw the launch of The Marlowe's Creative Opportunities Fund, which aims to change lives through theatre. Proceeds from the gala went to the fund.

Theatre Director Mark Everett said: "In today's uncertain financial climate for all theatres, and notwithstanding the considerable success of our mainstream programme and Front of House and hospitality services, we need help to further our ambition to be a great centre for the performing arts and the creation and production of new work of the highest quality here in Canterbury.

"Therefore, we have launched our new Creative Opportunities Fund as a vehicle to raise money to enable us to develop our creative work in our community, with young people, and with artists and companies locally and beyond.

"I am very grateful to Arts Council England for its help to us on this new journey through a major grant from its Catalyst Evolve Fund to the Marlowe Theatre Development Trust (our charitable vehicle). The essence of this support is that the Arts Council will match pound-for-pound all donations to the Marlowe Theatre Development Trust for the Creative Opportunities Fund. "

Marlowe 5's Principal Sponsor was Pharon Independent Financial Advisers, in association with Kuoni; Media Sponsor: Kent on Sunday and Kent Life; Birthday Sponsor: Romax; Birthday Supporters: Dems, Majestic, Mickle Print, St. Edmund's School, Canterbury, University of Kent, Whitehead Monckton.

Members of The Marlowe Youth Theatre join The Natural Theatre Company for a street performance

Bruno Serrano (2) meets one of the Lyma Bird Hatchlings.

Joey and Topthorn, from the National Theatre’s War Horse, outside Canterbury Cathedral. War Horse featured in the gala performance, ahead of its month-long run at The Marlowe in September 2017.

Pop-up theatre from Vamos

Jimmy Grimes (left) leads the National Theatre puppetry workshop

Lemn Sissay

Warrior Poets in The Marlowe Studio

Micha Richardson (Ali), Lucy May Barker (Sophie) and Blaise Colangelo (Lisa), from Mamma Mia!

Magic man (and start of Dick Whittington), Stephen Mulhern

Canterbury Players Sarah Gooch (Quince) and Lisa Nightingale (Bottom) in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.