At the heart of our campus, the Richard Cairns Theatre continues to inspire the next generation of performers, technicians and storytellers. You may have seen recently that our latest programme of extraordinary productions earned an impressive seven nominations at the School Theatre Awards 2026, including Best Musical and Best Play for Hadestown: Teen Edition and Beowulf respectively. While accolades are always welcome, what matters most is what they represent: a vibrant culture of creativity, and collaboration at Brighton College.
Today is World Theatre Day, and to celebrate, we’ve delved into our archives to find some stellar examples of the rich history of outstanding drama at the College. From one of our earliest recorded productions - performed entirely in Greek(!) - to today’s ambitious, award-nominated shows, our pupils have always brought imagination, commitment and joy to the stage.
Here’s to the performances that have defined us - and to many more still to come.
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Whether it is a photo, uniform, diary, or program from a school play, every piece of history speaks to our shared journey. The Brighton College Archive contains hundreds of fascinating primary sources and we actively encourage interested OBs to get in touch and arrange a tour.
If you have any historic artefacts, documents, or memories from your College days that you would be willing to share with us, please contact our College Archivist, Mr James Harrison.