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Chichester Festival Theatre has announced its new 2026 season, including the world premiere of Magic, a brand-new play written by and starring the Olivier Award-winning David Haig.

Magic runs from 24 April to 16 May 2026 in the Festival Theatre, and marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Harry Houdini.

The production reunites David Haig (Killing Eve, Four Weddings and a Funeral) with Chichester following the 2014 premiere of his acclaimed drama Pressure, which went on to enjoy West End and international success. A film adaptation starring Andrew Scott is due for release this year.

Magic was originally set for the Bridge Theatre.

Science vs Spirit

Magic is based on extraordinary historical events, and explores the unlikely and volatile friendship between two of the early 20th century’s most famous men:

  • Arthur Conan Doyle (David Haig): The brilliant creator of Sherlock Holmes, who became a fervent believer in spiritualism, desperately seeking a psychic reunion with his deceased son.
  • Harry Houdini (Hadley Fraser): The world’s greatest escape artist and illusionist, who was equally obsessed with the afterlife but determined to expose it as a cruel, theatrical fraud.

As the two men spar, the play asks a timeless question: What are we prepared to believe, and why? While Conan Doyle champions the promise of the psychic world, Houdini is hell-bent on demonstrating the mechanics of the “magic.” The drama promises to be a gripping exploration of grief, faith, and the thin line between reality and illusion.

A Stellar Cast & Creative Team

The production is directed by Lucy Bailey (Witness for the Prosecution, The Other Boleyn Girl).

Hadley Fraser (The Lehman Trilogy, 2:22 A Ghost Story) returns to Chichester to play the infallible Houdini, starring opposite David Haig’s Conan Doyle.

The company also features:

  • Jenna Augen (Leopoldstadt) as Bess Houdini
  • Claire Price (The Capture) as Jean Conan Doyle
  • Ben Jones, Marc Serratosa, Ella Tekere, François Testory, Jade Williams, and Kristin Wei Wong.

Magic – Performance Details

  • Theatre: Festival Theatre, Chichester
  • Dates: 24 April – 16 May 2026
  • Tickets: General booking opens 28 February.

Magic is one of eight world premieres in Chichester’s ambitious 2026 season, which also includes a landmark stage adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Atonement and the venue’s first-ever production of My Fair Lady.

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Main photo: Magic starring David Haig and Hadley Fraser - Chichester Festival Theatre

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