How the theatre looks today. Picture submitted by Frances Moran.

Kent University’s Gulbenkian Theatre celebrates its 40th birthday this summer. Today, it's not only the cultural hub of the campus, but a firm favourite with the community for the wide range of productions it stages. In the 1970s the Gulbenkian’s success led the university to introduce its degree programmes in drama and theatre studies - now a flourishing department.

Dee Ashworth (pictured left) arrived in 1984 to take up the post of technical director and took over as director in 1994, just as the professional programme began to blossom and the opportunity to diversify arrived.

Now the Gulbenkian offers pretty well everything, from drama, dance and music, to comedy, children’s shows and talks.

Mr Ashworth says part of the theatre’s popularity lies with its thrust stage design which means all 343 seats are good and offer a perfect view of the performers.

"As a result we have a fabulous relationship between the audience and those on stage and this intimacy makes such a difference, especially in the shows which have just one or two people," he said.

Listen: Dee Ashworth speaks to Adam Williams about the 40th anniversary

Mr Ashworth said he was keen to get across the message that the Gulbenkian was not a private theatre for the university. "It is open to the community and we really do want more people to come up and visit us and see our shows," he said.

With the closure of the Marlowe, local groups such as Herne Bay and Canterbury Operatic Societies have turned to the Gulbenkian for their productions, something which Mr Ashworth is particularly pleased with.

"We see the Marlowe and the Gulbenkian as complementing each other," he said.

For more memories and coverage of the Gulbenkian's 40th anniversary, see this week's Kentish Gazette.