- February–March 2025
Big. Loud. Chaotic. Hilarious.
The annual showcase of the Cambridge Footlights is back. Bigger and better than ever.
- February 2025
Expect laughs, laughs, and more laughs...
Footlights bring you the funniest songs, sketches, monologues and stand up in an evening of non-stop, back-to-back fun-filled hilarity. The material is always original and always varied. It can be soft and silly; rude and spikey; wordy and nerdy or a little surreal - whatever the style, it's always "uproariously funny" (Varsity)
- February 2025
Ready for a sketch show so funny it should be illegal?
Footlights Presents: WANTED follows eight convicts who’ve broken out of prison—and straight into chaos. From outrageous disguises to heists gone hilariously wrong, watch as plans spiral out of control in the most unexpected ways. With sharp humour, unexpected twists, and a touch of camaraderie, WANTED delivers big disasters and even bigger laughs. This high-energy, theatrical sketch show is a must see - criminality has never been so funny.
- January 2025
Many of us will know someone who's lining up a graduate job at one of the big oil firms; they're probably future Chemical Engineers, Market Analysts, or Petrol-Pump attendants (insert joke about the employability of humanities degrees). But now there’s a new scheme for Stand-Up Comedians! This may all seem unbelievable, as I’ve made it all up, but it’s really true. I’m lucky enough to be partnering with one of these companies to produce my debut stand-up hour, ‘One Shell of a Guy’, this sponsorship will have no impact on the show and I barely even mention the company in the title so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
- January 2025
Expect laughs, laughs, and more laughs...
Footlights bring you the funniest songs, sketches, monologues and stand up in an evening of non-stop, back-to-back fun-filled hilarity. The material is always original and always varied. It can be soft and silly; rude and spikey; wordy and nerdy or a little surreal - whatever the style, it's always "uproariously funny" (Varsity).
- November 2024
A long time ago in a kingdom far far away, Snow White is celebrating her eighteenth birthday surrounded by bags of dirty washing. With Dame Trudy Wench at her side, she makes sure that the palace is spick and span for Queen Grismerelda and her handsome son Prince Charming.
That is until Snow is banished into the Fantasy Forest, all thanks to the Magic Mirror, with nowhere to go and no pennies to her name. Join her, Trudy, Grismerelda, Prince Charming, Hemingway the Huntsman and the Stardom Seven as the magical story unfolds in the fairest panto of them all!
Don't miss this year's CUADC/Footlights Pantomime: Snow White!
This production will contain innuendo and political humour. While the content is suitable for all ages, it may not be appropriate for younger audiences. Parental discretion is strongly encouraged.
- November 2024
Standup. Making Friends. Nothing Else.
- November 2024
- October 2024
Expect laughs, laughs, and more laughs...
Footlights bring you the funniest songs, sketches, monologues and stand up in an evening of non-stop, back-to-back fun-filled hilarity. The material is always original and always varied. It can be soft and silly; rude and spikey; wordy and nerdy or a little surreal - whatever the style, it's always "uproariously funny" (Varsity).
- October 2024
Expect laughs, laughs, and more laughs...
Footlights bring you the funniest songs, sketches, monologues and stand up in an evening of non-stop, back-to-back fun-filled hilarity. The material is always original and always varied. It can be soft and silly; rude and spikey; wordy and nerdy or a little surreal - whatever the style, it's always "uproariously funny" (Varsity).
https://www.instagram.com/footlights_smokers/
- August 2024
Join the Cambridge Footlights at Edinburgh Fringe for an hour of stand-up, songs, sketches and much more! Come and see some of the brightest up-and-coming comedians for free, with a different line-up daily!
A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Anthony Walker Foundation, an anti-hate and anti-racism charity in Liverpool.
- June 2024
It's that time of year again.....
The Footlights International Tour Show is back and has brought together six of Cambridge's BEST comedians to create a sketch show that can only be drescribed as 'funny'. And this time they have a dog (breed yet to be specified). You'd be absolutely silly to miss it as it jets off from Cambridge, across the UK, to Edinburgh, and Beyond!!!!
- June 2024
Join Footlights Members for a final round of laughs for the academic year. The cream of the crop! Not your average smoker! Super-duper fun!
- March 2024
- February 2024
Spring Revue is one of the biggest events in the Cambridge comedy calendar, showcasing the talents of comedians within the current Footlights membership. This year’s theme is “Washed Up”:
“While taking a cruise around the Bermuda Triangle (which was unreasonably cheap in hindsight) a shipwreck leaves the cast stranded on a desert island. Left with nothing but eight records, the complete works of William Shakespeare, the Holy Bible and a volleyball, the cast must find some way to keep themselves entertained. So to quell conversations of who to eat first, the passengers sit around the fire telling stories…”
As the creative culmination of the 2023-24 Footlights membership expect a show bursting at the seams with wicked wit, unforgettable characters, and even non-complimentary ice cream at the interval…
- January–February 2024
Prepare for a surreal journey into the wild and wacky world of sleep and CRAZY dreams! Introducing "Footlights Presents: Nothing Really Mattress"– the mind-bending sketch show that'll leave you questioning reality, one snicker at a time. Join us as we dive headfirst into the land of slumber, where anything goes and the laws of physics take a night off. Don't sleep on this one! Join us for a night of laughter, where even your wildest dreams can't compete with the hilarity of "Footlights Presents: Nothing Really Mattress."
- November 2023
Our tale follows Dick, an optimistic (if sometimes naive), young lad who lives with his mum in Cambridge. Vigorously inspired one day after reading the autobiography of political journalist (Julie Fitzwarren), Dick decides to go to London to try and carve out success for himself - he hears the streets are paved with gold! On arrival in London, Dick is gleeful to glimpse what looks like a Yellowy gold road! But it turns out to be a double yellow line. Undeterred, Dick enters the big city and starts seeking for work. As luck would have it ends up employed at his inspiration’s house, where he is under the authority of the snobby, jealous chef Nigel Oliver. Nigel is determined to get rid of Dick and plots with his dog crony how to do so. Panto-hilarity ensues!
- October 2023
- October 2023
- July 2023
After a three-year hiatus, the Footlights Standup Showcase is back! Taken to London for the first time, this year's graduating cohort of standup comics and a guest compère take the stage at the OSO Arts Centre.
Don't miss your chance to see the show from the group that launched many of the greatest names in comedy, including Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Sandi Toksvig, David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Sue Perkins, and Richard Ayoade.
- June 2023
‘The most renowned sketch troupe of them all’ (The Independent) embark on their annual international tour with a brand-new show, travelling to London, Edinburgh, Los Angeles, New York, and more! You’d be silly to miss it.
- June 2023
- February 2023
Spring Revue is the Footlights' annual showcase featuring its graduating members performing a mix of newly-written material and the best of their previous sketches.
- February 2023
"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,
Thank you for taking the time to apply for this role that you so clearly wanted. Unfortunately, this time we are not going to be able to..."
Experiencing a bit of dejavu? Reluctant recognition?
Want to cry?
Can we interest you in laughing instead?
More specifically- want to laugh for a full hour, at the ADC Theatre, Park Street, Cambridge, CB5 8AS?
For here it is- a sketch show about REJECTION!
What you have lost in your hopes, dreams, wants, desires, potential lovers, life-long aspirations and ambitions, you will GAIN in giggles!
Yes, a completely reasonable trade off...
STOP feeling ‘Sorry sorry sorry very sorry’ for yourself and come and see ‘Sorry sorry sorry very Sorry’ for yourself!
- November 2022
In the midst of woeful underfunding and ridicule from local private school St Perfectton’s Prep, join the students and teachers of Grove Park Secondary as a mysterious pirate offers them the geography field trip of a lifetime. Will they find Billy Bones’ lost treasure? Will Jemima Hawkins fulfil her dreams of adventure and find the love of her classmate Lily? And will by-the-books Geography teacher Mr Livesey learn that there is more to life than longshore drift and oxbow lakes?
Geography Trips have never been more thrilling than in ‘Treasure Island!’, a story of swashbuckling, sea-shanty singing and self-discovery.
- October 2022
- October 2022
- June 2022
All aboard The Cambridge Footlights International Tour Show 2022: Are We There Yet?
Buckle up as we hit the road for a tour of life itself, visiting more sketch-shaped destinations than a travel agent could dream of. Join five curious tourists for a holiday filled with laughs, quirky characters, and sand in uncomfortable places.
‘The most renowned sketch troupe of them all’ (The Independent) embark on their annual international tour with a brand-new show, travelling to London, Edinburgh, Los Angeles, New York and more! You’d be silly to miss it.
- May 2022
Bunker is a brand new comedy by Jonathan Neary and winner of the Footlights Harry Porter Prize, being staged as an ADC late show from Wednesday 18th May.
'While hosting a party to usher in the final New Year before the end of the world, Vincent and Julie are posed with an uncomfortable and inconvenient question: Which of their guests do they want to take the third space in their underground bunker? Weighing factors of ethics, merit, and general personability, Vincent and Julie spend the evening attempting to navigate the tricky ethical questions and social mores that come with the imminent apocalypse. As tensions rise and new information is revealed, Vincent and Julie discover that their guests have opinions of their own on the matter.'
- May 2022
The young white looking guy who swears he's an Arab really does a funny show about being an Arab but not really.
semi-finalist- chortle 2019
quarter-finalist - Leicester square new comedian 2022
quarter-finalist - the Musical comedy awards 2022
quarter finalist- Sketch off 2022
This performance is recommended for audiences aged 15+
- March 2022
Spring Revue is one of the biggest events in the Cambridge comedy calendar, showcasing the talents of comedians within the current Footlights membership. And this year, the Footlights want to bring you the most exciting and audacious sketch show Cambridge has ever seen. As the creative culmination of the 2021-22 Footlights membership, expect a show bursting at the seams with wicked wit, unforgettable characters, and even non-complimentary ice cream at the interval.
- February 2022
Marx, Jesus and Mufasa walk into a bar… Who wouldn’t wanna know what happens next!
In Heaven and Hell, we ask the red-hot pokery questions which the establishment doesn't want you to think about… What happens when Heaven gets bought out by Facebook? Should Judge Rinder win Hell’s employee of the month? And for Christsake (get it?), does Batman need to go on a mindfulness course?
We've risked our spiritual salvation to make you heathens giggle, so please come and make our punishment worth it. You’ll be bellyaching all through this rip-roaring hour of sketch banter. Heaven and Hell is transsubstantially the spiciest thing since Beelzebub’s butter chicken special. Be there or burn in Hell.
- November–December 2021
Welcome to Rapunzel! In a land where art has been banned and all the Dames have been banished, can this kingdom be brought back to life?
In a dastardly plan to keep them away from his crown, the evil King sends his nephew and niece, Prince Victor and Princess Stella, on a quest to save Rapunzel from her dragon-guarded tower in the hopes that they perish. Along the way they instead encounter adventure, hilarity, and friendship. Join Victor and Stella on their way to save Rapunzel and, ultimately, the entire kingdom.
Rapunzel brings live pantomimes back with a queer and colourful bang. A celebration of individuality and self-love, Rapunzel is not to be missed.
- October 2021
Salmonella is the Footlights Harry Porter Prize Play Winner for 2020, judged by comedian and ex-Footlight, Phil Wang.
Salmonella follows the young adult life of best friends Sam and Ella as they navigate early adulthood and all the laughter and tears that come with it! Meanwhile, 60 years on, in the old people's home, Sam and Ella reminisce on their youth together and consider...how much has really changed?
The play takes us through the ups and downs of early adulthood, charting the downright ridiculous scenarios that the two get into in their new flat together.
- October 2021
- October 2021
