The current Marlowe Theatre opened in 2011 — a sleek, copper-clad building on the riverbank that replaced an older venue down the road. It is the largest regional theatre in southeast England and gets a serious touring programme: Royal Shakespeare Company productions, West End musicals on tour, ballet, and an annual pantomime.
The building is worth a look in its own right even if you do not catch a show — the riverside terrace bar is open during the day and gives a slightly different angle on the city walls. Named, naturally, for Christopher Marlowe, who was born in Canterbury in 1564 and went to the King's School up the road.