The Friars · Canterbury · Kent CT1 2AS
The Marlowe: Kent's own theatre, inside the walls
Canterbury's Marlowe brings touring productions, opera, ballet and pantomime to the county, which saves a great many Kent residents the journey to London. It sits on The Friars, inside the medieval walls, where the streets are narrow and nothing parks.
Which is the entire point. A West End-scale touring production without the journey to W1, the last train, or the two-hour round trip. For most of our customers this is the closest major theatre by a wide margin.
Why Kent people use the Marlowe instead of the West End
It is not a compromise. It is frequently the same production.
The same shows
Major West End and touring productions play here, often with the original staging.
Twenty minutes, not two hours
From Canterbury or Whitstable it is minutes. From Medway or Maidstone under an hour.
Rather than one in the morning
The whole evening is shorter, cheaper and considerably less tiring than the equivalent in London.
And no parking inside them
Canterbury's centre is medieval, pedestrianised in parts, and the city car parks are a walk and slow to clear.
What the Marlowe programmes
A full year of touring work, and the pantomime is a Kent institution in its own right.
| What is on | When | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Touring musicals and plays | Year round | Often the same productions that play the West End. |
| Opera and ballet | Seasonal | Visiting companies, with conventional theatre timings. |
| Pantomime | December and January | A county fixture. Matinees, families, and the busiest weeks of the year. |
| Comedy and one-night shows | Year round | Punctual and quick to clear. |
| The Marlowe Studio | Year round | A smaller space with a different programme and an earlier finish. |
| Schools and youth productions | Term time | Daytime performances with coach parties. |
Canterbury from across Kent
These are short local runs. For east Kent this is the nearest major theatre by a considerable margin.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Canterbury & surrounding villages | 2 miles | 8–15 min |
| Whitstable & Herne Bay | 8 miles | 15–25 min |
| Faversham & Teynham | 12 miles | 20–30 min |
| Ashford & Charing | 16 miles | 25–35 min |
| Sittingbourne & Bredgar | 20 miles | 30–40 min |
| Dover & Folkestone | 18 miles | 25–40 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 30 miles | 40–55 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 28 miles | 40–55 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 45 miles | 55–75 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 52 miles | 65–85 min |
A Canterbury theatre evening
Parking inside the walls is the constraint
Canterbury's centre is medieval and partly pedestrianised, and the city car parks fill in the early evening and empty slowly afterwards. The Friars itself is a narrow street with no scope for waiting. We set down as close as the layout permits and collect from the ring road side, which is a short walk and a considerably faster exit.
Pantomime season is the busiest fixture
The Marlowe panto runs through December and January and is a genuine county institution, with matinees drawing families from across east Kent. That means pushchairs, coats, grandparents and Canterbury's worst traffic of the year. It is worth booking transport early for those dates; they fill quickly.
It saves a London evening
For anyone in east Kent, seeing a touring production at the Marlowe rather than the same show in the West End saves roughly three hours of travel, a considerably larger fare, and the business of getting home after eleven. That is not a small difference, and it is why this is one of our steadier local bookings.
Make an evening of the city
Canterbury has a good deal within a few minutes' walk of the theatre, and an earlier drop for dinner costs nothing extra. Given how short the journey is for most of our east Kent customers, arriving with time to eat properly is easy.
Marlowe Theatre questions
Local answers for a local theatre.
Can we park near the Marlowe?
Not easily. Canterbury's centre is medieval and partly pedestrianised, and the city car parks fill in the early evening then empty slowly. The Friars itself has no scope for waiting.
Where do you drop off and collect?
As close to the theatre as the street layout permits, and we collect from the ring road side, a short walk away, where the vehicle can pull off quickly.
How far is it from around Kent?
Minutes from Canterbury itself, fifteen to twenty-five from Whitstable or Herne Bay, under an hour from Medway or Maidstone. For east Kent it is by far the nearest major theatre.
Do they get the same shows as the West End?
Frequently, yes. Major touring productions play here, often with the original staging. It saves a London evening for a great many Kent residents.
Is the pantomime worth booking early?
Yes. It is a county institution running through December and January with matinees, and those are the busiest dates in Canterbury's year for traffic and for our vehicles.
Can we eat first?
Yes, and there is plenty within a few minutes' walk. An earlier drop costs nothing extra when it is included in the quote.
Do you cover school and youth performances?
Yes, including daytime performances with coach parties. Tell us the group size and any requirements at the enquiry stage.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking and unaffected by traffic or a late finish.
Kent venues and guides
The county's own calendar.