PENELOPE Keith and an Olivier Award-winning topical drama are highlights of this year’s Chichester Festival Winter Season announced yesterday.

The Good Life star plays actress Mrs Patrick Campbell in the world premiere of Anton Burge’s one-woman play Mrs Pat, at the Minerva Theatre, in Oaklands Park, Chichester, from Thursday, October 15, to Saturday, November 7.

Before it closes for a refurbishment the Minerva hosts another world premiere with Walter And Lenny – which marks the 50th anniversary of the first performance of Leonard Bernstein and Chichester Cathedral Dean Walter Hussey’s Chichester Psalms in the Cathedral. The new play, devised by Peter McEnery and directed by Julia St John runs from Wednesday, November 11, to Saturday, November 14.

Following seasons at London’s Almeida Theatre and the West End Mike Bartlett’s drama King Charles III makes its Chichester debut at the Festival Theatre from Monday, November 30, to Saturday, December 5.

And there’s more traditional drama at the Festival Theatre from Monday, November 23, to Saturday, November 28, as Agatha Christie’s record-breaking whodunit The Mousetrap continues its national tour.

Following their promenade performance Running Wild this summer, Chichester Festival Youth Theatre returns from Friday, December 18, to Saturday, January 2, with the perennial favourite A Christmas Carol, adapted by Bryony Lavery.

More long-running productions at the Festival Theatre for 2016 include the stage adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather and the Moscow City Ballet in January, while in February there is more fun for youngsters with Dinosaur Zoo, and a co-production of Alan Bennett’s Single Spies between the theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

But traditionally the winter season is also about one-off performances, and among those making a date with the Festival Theatre are jugglers Gandini, poet Pam Ayres, ground-breaking stand-up Stewart Lee and singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading.

Friends of Chichester Festival Theatre can get tickets from Monday, while public booking opens on Monday, September 21.

For the full line-up visit cft.org.uk