Key Theatre

Peterborough’s intimate riverside theatre, where the city gathers close to the stage. Since 1973, the Key has paired touring drama, comedy, music and family shows with home-grown talent, an annual pantomime and unmistakable views across the River Nene.

The Key Theatre Peterborough occupies one of the finest cultural settings in the city. Its glass-fronted foyer and bar face the River Nene, while the theatre itself sits between the city centre and the broad lawns of The Embankment. It feels close to everything, yet has a character and atmosphere entirely its own.

The theatre opened in 1973 and has grown into one of Peterborough’s most treasured cultural institutions. A major refurbishment in 2010 created the distinctive glass frontage and added the Studio Theatre, giving the Key both a traditional main stage and a smaller space for new work, emerging performers and more experimental productions.

What makes the Key special is its intimacy. The 360-seat main auditorium brings audiences unusually close to the stage, creating an immediacy that suits drama, comedy and family theatre particularly well. Alongside touring productions, the programme gives local companies, dancers, young performers and creative talent an important platform within the city.

The location adds another dimension to a visit. Audiences can look out across the river before a performance, walk beside the Nene or combine a matinee with the nearby Peterborough Lido, Cathedral Square and the wider city centre. Few theatres are so closely connected to their city’s landscape.