We are the Lakeside Theatre, the theatre in the heart of the University of Essex‘s Colchester campus.
We offer live theatre, music gig nights, live comedy, open mic nights, live screenings of some of the best theatre available and much much more. We are open to Essex students and staff and the general public and we welcome members and non-members to all of our ticketed events!
The Lakeside Theatre is the hub for all things creative at the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus.
We’re home to two performance spaces: our intimate Studio and our mighty Main Stage. We also have a pretty swish café.
Take a look around below – use the menu in the top left corner to choose which space you want to explore.
Are you looking for the perfect venue or to put on a show? Our 200 seat theatre could be just what you’re looking for!
We offer high-quality facilities with friendly service at competitive prices, as well as the professional experience and skills to ensure your event runs smoothly.
We are currently closed for new bookings, but will be opening for enquiries about a limited number of 2026 dates in Autumn 2026. If you would like to join our mailing list and be the first to hear when we open for 2026 dates, please email us on arts@essex.ac.uk.
If you are interested in hiring Lakeside Theatre, please visit our Hire our spaces page.
You can also view our Technical Specifications for both the Main Stage and Studio theatres, and you have any technical or production questions, please email our technicians on arts@essex.ac.uk.
