CHICHESTER’S Festival Theatre reopens tonight with a new production of Amadeus, featuring West End and Hollywood star Rupert Everett alongside acclaimed young actor Joshua McGuire.

Everett will be the very first actor to be seen by an audience on the Festival Theatre stage following the £22 million redevelopment of the Grade II* listed building.

Amadeus is a fictionalised account of the rivalry between court composer Salieri and the young genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, set amidst the splendour of 18th century Vienna.

The multi award-winning play – later adapted into an Oscar-winning film – will be the second production by Peter Shaffer to be staged during Festival 2014.

Rupert Everett plays embittered court composer Salieri. Everett returns to Chichester for the first time since his acclaimed performance in Pygmalion (2010).

Other theatre credits include The Judas Kiss (a Chichester co-production), for which he won a Whatsonstage.com Award and Olivier Award nomination. Film credits include The Madness of King George, Another Country and Dance with a Stranger.

Joshua McGuire plays Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His credits include a leading role in the highly praised production of Privacy (Donmar Warehouse), Posh at the Royal Court and West End, and the title role in Hamlet at Shakespeare’s Globe. Screen credits include Mr Turner which won rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival 2014 and BBC 2’s The Hour.

Jessie Buckley plays Constanze Weber. Credits include Michael Grandage’s production of Henry V, The Tempest at Shakespeare’s Globe and A Little Night Music at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Amadeus is directed by Jonathan Church, Chichester’s Artistic Director. Musical staging is by Stephen Mear, Chichester’s associate choreographer.

• Amadeus is at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, until August 2.