Dame Maggie Smith’s association with Chichester Festival Theatre spanned 30 years. Her first appearance was in 1964 as Desdemona in Laurence Olivier’s Othello, as part of the company who would go on to form the nucleus of the newly established National Theatre. Othello was one of the defining productions of Olivier’s tenure as CFT’s first Artistic Director, and people camped out overnight hoping for returned tickets.

In 1965 she played the title role in Miss Julie opposite Albert Finney, and Clea in the world premiere of Peter Shaffer’s ground-breaking Black Comedy. Dame Maggie returned in 1969 to play Margery Pinchwife in The Country Wife. She was a memorable Millamant in Congreve’s The Way of the World in 1984, and also made a guest appearance during the 1995 season for an evening of poetry and prose, Let’s Keep In Touch. Her final appearance here as a performer was in Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads solo play, Bed Among The Lentils, in 1996.

Dame Maggie also maintained close links with the Festival Theatre through her late husband, the playwright Beverley Cross, and her sons, actors Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens.

Maggie Smith was one of the supreme actresses of her generation, and Chichester Festival Theatre was lucky enough to witness some of her most memorable performances. She will be hugely missed, and our sympathies and thoughts are with her family and friends.