- February 2015
6 double acts take to the stage in an attempt to wow and impress the audience - for one night only, it's "The Double"!
12 performers have been split into teams of two - forced into a double act with someone they've never written with before, and asked to create 10 minutes of new and original material.
The double acts could choose to write conventional sketches, musical comedy, clown, physical comedy or even some kind of dialogue with a narrative; so long as it's funny, anything goes!
From the people that have collectively brought you Booby; Pelican; Sunset Eternal; S.C.O.F.F; The Witt Club; Hissy Fit; Dystopia: The Musical; STIFF!; The 2014 CUADC/Footlights Pantomime: The Emperor's New Clothes; Tamburlaine the Great; Female Personality of the Year; The Canon; SPLEEN; Dumpf; Conitnuum!; Laughing Fitz; numerous Footlights smokers, and many more.
- February 2015
As the New York Times put it, 'Pravda is an epic comedy - part The Front Page, part Arturo Ui - in which a press baron resembling Rupert Murdoch...does battle with over 30 characters as he conquers Fleet Street journalism and, by implication, liberal England's soul'. As Punch put it Pravda is also 'Savagely bitchy and often wildly funny'.
Ridiculous and hilarious, but powered by a central figure of reptilian evilness, Pravda is a comedic drama based in the newspaper print rooms of the 1980s. As a business man starts to treat the world of journalism like he does his dodgy business deals, he encounters moral resistance from a few individuals who seek to take him down. As careers rise and fall and revenge plots are created, the characters are lead into the age old conflict between ethical underdogs and corrupt powerhouses.
"'we' don't publish corrections...a newspaper isn't just a scrap of paper, it's something that people feel they have to trust. And if they can't trust it, why should they read it? A thing is true or it isn't. So by definition, what is printed must be true - otherwise why print it? And if we apologise and correct, how can the readers know what is true and what is not?"
- February 2015
In 2004, the nation was left aghast when big-cheese sketch troupe S.C.O.F.F.! announced they were splitting up. There were protests, outrage, crying in the streets – and for many fans, the possibility of ever laughing again seemed a distant dream.
Yet, dreams do sometimes come true. After ten rocky years apart, the group are back and bigger than ever. For four nights only, S.C.O.F.F.! will be hitting the ADC stage, before setting off around the country to tickle our funny bones once more. Don’t miss out on this red-hot ticket to see your favourite S.C.O.F.F.! sketches performed, live, by the old gang you know and love.*
Due to filming commitments, Fiona will not be joining the troupe for the Comeback Tour. S.C.O.F.F.! apologises to fans.
- February 2015
Trouble is brewing in the picture book New England town of Eastwick. When three women ostracised by society wish for their ideal man, they have no idea what lies in store.
As the irresistible Darryl van Horne manipulates the three women, all hell breaks loose in Eastwick, literally. Under the watchful eye of the moon, Alex, Jane and Sookie bring themselves to life in ways they could never have imagined. But all is not as it seems, and things are spiralling out of control.
Combining soaring harmonies and excellent score with a darkly funny script, The Witches of Eastwick was first presented by legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh. This production takes a fresh look at the material, resulting in a show which glories in the power and character of its female leads. Not for the faint hearted, this musical is a magical rollercoaster ride.
Be careful what you wish for. Speak of the devil and he might appear.
- January 2015
The finest of Cambridge’s musical theatre talent will be joining forces to create an original musical... in just 24 hours! Following a similar format to the ADC’s incredibly successful 24-Hour Plays, several creative teams will be given a theme for a musical and will have just 24 hours to compose and rehearse their song. Overnight, the composer and lyricist for each team will write their song and the following day their performers will learn it in time for their one-off performance at 11pm. The result will be an eclectic and brand-spanking new musical, and a spectacular celebration of new writing.
- January 2015
A most dastardly murder has taken place. But where? And how? And how long before the murderer is brought to justice? The last question, at least, we can answer fairly definitively: it’ll take one hour. But the rest is in your hands. And before the hour is up, you’ll bear witness to skulduggery, intrigue, and shocking twists which neither you nor we will see coming.
Join the Cambridge Impronauts (“genuinely fantastic” – The Tab ★★★★★; “a real humdinger” – The Cambridge Student 9/10) as they spin together a murder mystery before your very eyes. Prepare yourself for a story which has never been told before, and will never be told again.
No scripts. No rehearsals. No problem.
- January 2015
Join Footlights regulars Theo Wethered, Jordan Mitchell, Guy Emanuel, Archie Henderson and Milo Edwards for Sunset Eternal: a new hour of stand-up, songs, double-act and double-entendre.
Come. Laugh. Cry. Listen. Breathe. Continue.
Previous praise for performers:
"Creative and absolutely hilarious" - The Tab
"Fantastic... had me in hysterics" - TCS
"The performers were all excellent in both timing and delivery, and their unwavering energy" - Varsity
"Yum." - The Tab
From the people that have collectively brought you Booby, Pelican, Dystopia: The Musical, Amirite?, Dumpf; and numerous Footlights smokers.
- January 2015
“If you knew God, Doctor, you would know about the Devil. I only know he was my little Alan, and then the Devil came.”
Alan Strang is a nice boy. His family love him. He has nice eyes. Then one night he blinds six horses with a metal spike.
For Martin Dysart, the psychiatrist charged with treating him, what starts as a routine case quickly descends into a dark history of parental oppression and religious fanaticism. From violent Biblical imagery to twisted sexuality and paganistic ritual, Dysart finds himself immersed in events which threaten to shatter his own faith in reason and sanity.
Branded as one of the most controversial plays of the twentieth century, Equus uses an act of inexplicable violence to explore the dark and primal side of humanity, culminating in a finale which has gone down as one of the greatest – and most disturbing – in modern theatre
- January 2015
It’s been weeks and the estate bombings still haven’t ceased. Meanwhile Gary’s school project on Osama Bin Laden is creating waves among the locals. An alleged pedo, a violent thug and his sister take matters into their own hands, to protect the safety and honour of their estate.
Four characters try to understand their feelings of self-hatred and the futility of life. Dennis Kelly (Utopia, Matilda the Musical) shows our capacity to detect a fault with ourselves or the world around us. Then he shows what happens when we blame that on someone else.
Osama The Hero is a brave masterpiece of contemporary theatre. It charts the course of a fragmented reality, where disparate elements coalesce violently for one central act, before exploding again into ambiguity. It is a play about the necessity and danger of making truth. And watching it, you are forced to construct your own.
- January 2015
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” (Charles Darwin)
Evolution. To develop, progress, metamorphose. Join Cambridge University Dance Society for a kaleidoscopic evening of creative dance collaboration; featuring electric fusions of contemporary, ballet, Fosse, Charleston, hip-hop, Rock’n’Roll, ballroom, belly-dancing, folk-dancing, Indian and Bollywood. Don’t miss the ADC’s biggest dance show of the year, as Cambridge University Dance Society return to the ADC stage for their annual variety dance show, which offers a performance platform for all dancers across every corner of Cambridge and showcases the spell-binding talent of the Cambridge dance scene.
- December 2014
“Stars, hide your fires; Let light not see my black and deep desires.”
Rich, dark and brooding, 'Macbeth' follows the story of Macbeth and his ambitious wife as they become increasingly trapped by a supernatural prophecy that puts Macbeth on the throne of Scotland and destroys his sanity. Drawing on a loosely-mediaeval aesthetic that places the witches and their prophecy as the focus of an omnipotent “other”, acting over the characters and the audience, this year’s production draws audiences into a world they cannot fully comprehend or escape.
The European Theatre Group is a self-sufficient theatre tour, that has travelled by coach to schools, universities and professional venues across Europe each December for the last 57 years. Whilst Switzerland remains a central part of the itinerary, tours have also included dates in Belgium, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy. In recent years the company have enjoyed performing for a London audience, before a home run in January at the ADC Theatre, Cambridge.
An integral part of the tour is the educational enrichment we provide. The play is designed to engage with modern audiences, from children to expatriates; alongside this we offer both artistic and technical workshops, and work with schools to support students studying the text in class.
- January 2015
Ah, democracy: the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.
And now it is truly being tested. Rational choice theory economists are forced to grapple with the continued popularity of the KFC Double Down, Rupert Murdoch chortles (humbly), and Apple’s CEO leads on progressive issues more than a Democratic US President.
As Britain hurtles towards yet another election there is perhaps no better time to tackle democracy and its discontents through the merciless form of sketch comedy.
- January 2015
Sit back, relax and enjoy 'Telly Visions' A sketch show dedicated to the little screen. Put the remote down and stop flicking between channels, this is the one for you. Put your feet up, lounge out in them joggers, grab some snacks, take a chill pill have a pretzel and a pepsi (don't bring them into the theatre). Over the course of an hour, watch your favorite shows, be bombarded with adverts, vote in talent competitions, win prizes, and be bamboozled by random stuff.
EVERYTHING IS ON TV THESE DAYS
- January 2015
What? Ben Pope (stand up) & Lunchtime of Champions (Jamie Fraser and Alex MacKeith’s double thing).
Who? As above. They all used to be in the Footlights but now they live together, just like the friends on ‘Friends'.
Where? ADC Theatre.
When? 11pm, Tuesday 13th January.
Why? Displaying the tender fruits of six months’ work since graduation. Also, any excuse to get out of the house really.
How? Drive up, park. Ask around for any tech required. Go to Bill’s or somewhere cool for a bit (Indigo, still?) and then just do the show. And drive back.
So? Come and hang out. Look at what people muttered and flung at them recently:
“Cleverer than you think” ★★★★ - The Skinny
“Too clever by half? Of course” ★★★★ - Varsity
“The production as a whole was slick” ★★★★★ - The Tab
“Tight show” ★★★★ - CTR
“Smart and artfully ramshackle” ★★★★ - The List
And? That's it pal.
- December 2014
New York City, 1955. Angie and her friends are having a dinner party. Angie and her friends are the wives of seven career-criminals in the underground world of organised crime, but they don’t like to talk about it. When the ‘job’ their loved ones are on goes awry, the emotional fallout starts to fracture their relationships, their sanity, and even Angie’s dining room.
Resplendent with chaos, profanity and Italian food, The Wives Of Others is a brand-new, pitch-black comedy from the writer of And The Horse You Rode In On and The Angel Rails, chronicling an evening for the world’s most inept gangsters, at the world’s most dysfunctional dinner party. Think Goodfellas meets 12 Angry Men; Agatha Christie meets Quentin Tarantino.
- December 2014
- December 2014
Since its inception in Manhattan's Lower East Side over 15 years ago, the 24 Hour Plays have appeared all over the world, pushing theatrical talent to its limit and creating unforgettable performances.
What will happen when Cambridge is asked to create 5 new plays in just 24 hours in front of a panel of judges? The clock is ticking.
- November 2014
Booby is a Sketch Show by Footlights Archie Henderson, Adrian Gray and Oliver Taylor. If you giggled at the title then you're immature, and will love the show.
- November 2014
Emperor Wilf loves clothes. No, he REALLY loves clothes. But why? Maybe it’s because he wants to impress his newly-inherited kingdom. Or perhaps it’s to do with the town newspaper, the Looking Glass, run by the shady reindeer-human Rudolph Murder, who has been spreading snide rumours about the Emperor. Perhaps he just has a passion for fashion. Whatever the reason, the Yuletide Parade is fast approaching, and unless he finds the perfect outfit, something pretty bad is going to happen. Something really bad. We know what it is - we’re just being coy. So thank goodness he’s spotted an advert in the paper for a new, sparkly, confidence-boosting suit that’s bound to be the talk of the town… Come on down to the ADC this Christmas to catch a glimpse of Wilf’s... tribulations.
Featuring a brand-spanking new score, bare jokes, the cream of Cambridge acting talent, and written by 3 members of the Footlights, this year’s CUADC/Footlights Pantomime is seam-ingly flawless - don’t get your knickers in a twist, book your tickets now!
- November 2014
'Who's spoiling life, me, us them or God?'
The residents of Road are at the mercy of their country. A state-of-the-nation drama, presenting the underclass of the North. Fighting to escape the endless circle and inevitability of class and regional oppression, the people of Road are merely surviving.
Prepare to be both uplifted and weighed down. Let Scullery walk you down Road where you will come face to face not only with those who live there, but with your own prejudices, fears and ambitions for a better future.
- November 2014
The Witt Club is made up of stand-up comedians Adrian, Ted, Joshan, Ken, and Yaseen.
Between them, these lovely lads have brought you: spleen, Footlights Presents: Dumpf, The Importance of Being Improvised, Set List, Continuum, Free Footlights 2014, Smile, Ted Hill’s Quip Tease, Three White Guys 2, Improv from the Crypt, Feastival, and a smorgasbord of Footlights and college smoker appearances.
They’ll be talking at you for about an hour then you’ll go home.
Previous praise for performers:
Adrian Gray:
“5-star act” - The Tab,
“had the audience in hysterics” - Varsity
Ted Hill:
“incredibly natural and stuffed full of great material” - The Cambridge Student,
“Ted Hill shone… the room immediately took to him” - Varsity
Joshan Chana:
“top grade student comedian” - Cambridge Theatre Review
Ken Cheng:
“formidable…wry, pragmatic brand of comedy produced floods (and, in my case, actual tears) of laughter” - Varsity
Yaseen Kader:
"thought-provoking, exquisitely written, and doesn’t scrimp on big laughs to achieve this for even a second" - Varsity
- November 2014
From homemade fireworks to dubious ballet, everything that can go wrong does at the Sycamore household. But when their youngest daughter brings her fiancé and his buttoned-up parents over for dinner, that's when the real fireworks start to fly.
Join Cambridge's newest acting talent as they tell the story of the Sycamore household, at times heart-warming, at times eccentric, and at times just plain mad!
- November 2014
'I might almost as well have been a man... I should not have bothered you all so much then'
It is the A Hundred Year War and England have the upper hand, occupying part of France. In Northern France a fifteen year old peasant girl claims to have visions from God. These visions tell her to liberate France from its English domination.
Saint Joan tells the story of Joan of Arc, a girl who says she is the ambassador of God on earth. Refusing to accept life as a woman, Joan lives and fights as a man, asserting herself with a confidence which brings her power over statesmen and royalty as she leads Charles VII to victory.
Joan is fighting with God on her side. The only problem is, so is everyone else.
Through rap music and neon lights, Joan's story is told in a fast-paced interpretation, dealing with religious terrorism in a modern world.
- November 2014
"Did you ever have one of those days? At least I didn't get tattooed again... And I still have my dowry... Maybe things are beginning to pick up for me."
The sexy, sultry, side-splittingly hilarious show that brings you Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now and The Rhythm of Life. From the dark, grungy depths of the trashy Flamenco Ballroom to the effortlessly elegant Pompeii Club, we follow the lovable Charity Valentine in her pursuit for true love in 1960s New York City. Charity is dated by one suave, sophisticated guy after the next and never learns her lesson: not to wear her heart on her sleeve.
A smoking ensemble of dancers perform a sleek and modernized medley of traditional Fosse, jazz and contemporary dance whilst the stunning musical accompaniment reverberates against the priceless script, with the stage, top-to-toe in glamorous, spangling Gatsby-esque high-fashion.
"Tonight. Tonight. It will all happen tonight!"
- November 2014
“Everything we cook must be enhancing either our soul or our sex lives. Which is it for you?”
“Both?”
“Twat.”
Five years after graduation and now helplessly wading through their new 'professional' lives, seven friends are brought back together for a reunion party. As the night wears on and the alcohol flows, the sordid secrets of their shared pasts come to the surface. Roll on the most awkward game of sardines the house has ever seen.
In this sharp, funny piece of new writing, we are left asking whether innocence is really something that can be lost in one night.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
"An astonishing debut. Crisp, sharp comedy writing" - TT Guide
"Soul, sex and passion with a vengeance. Don't miss this cracking drama" - Diesel
- November 2014
CADS present the first hypnotism show to hit the Cambridge theatre scene: The Hypnotist. For one night only, witness the power of The Hypnotist as you lose the ability to remember your own name, or even speak in your own language, but acquire the ability to speak a new one. This ADC One Night Stand promises to blow away sceptics and believers alike.
- November 2014
‘Go on! How’s it gonna be? “We gonna get a little place . . .”’
George and Lennie have a dream. It is a dream of freedom. After finding work on a ranch in California's Salinas Valley, that dream seems almost within reach for these two migrant farmhands. But, on a suffocating summer evening, that dream falls quickly and traumatically from their grasp.
John Steinbeck’s modern classic is brought to the stage in an adaptation that expresses the immense value of hope and trust. This visually striking production promises a timeless tale of love, loyalty and determination, seething above a brooding score. This is a tale of hope and human resolve at their most strained.
- October 2014
'The Cenci' tells the story of the infamous Cenci family; with a father who revels in his sons' death and plots to rape his daughter, the family implodes on itself. This is a play that wrestles with the beautiful and the vile, nature and artifice, body and mind, and whether there is such a thing as right and wrong.
Tragedy at its most glorious, unperformed in Shelley's lifetime and rarely performed since, this is an undervalued play that brings together the best of Romanticism and the Renaissance tragedy.
- October–November 2014
There were hundreds of nominations, millennia of misogyny and six weeks of gruelling challenges. But there can only be one Female Personality of the Year.
Join the nation's favourite presenter as she takes to the couch with our four finalists to discuss ambition and achievement, and why they deserve the prestigious Female Personality of the Year award.
Scaling cliff faces on screen, and smashing glass ceilings off screen, each of our inspirational finalists represents not only themselves, but also the millions of extraordinary women who make a difference every day.
Aspiration. Perspiration. Women.
Welcome to the studio.
- October–November 2014
"It's only history if you steal something really large - like a country, then it's history". In 1950's west-central Johannesburg, artists, activists and illegal bars make up the freehold township of Sophiatown, the beating heart of culture in apartheid South Africa. Home to Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Lewis Nkosi and Mariam Makeba, when the Government decides to racially and geographically segregate the population, Sophiatown finds its very existence threatened. Enter the politically charged household of local shebeen owner Mamariti; home to Jewish tenant Ruth Golden, political journalist Jakes, local gangster Mingus, his truanting teenage-sister Lulu, socialite girlfriend Princess, shoe-loving henchman Charlie and local politician-cum-mystic Fafhee and you have an explosive cast of diverse characters battling for recognition amongst class warfare, racism and political rebellion. An evocative piece of political-musical theatre, Sophiatown is a history lesson that won't be easily forgotten.
- October 2014
Luke and Josh are two Footlights who have been friends for over 10 years. Now they have an hour of comedy together!
- October 2014
"Our city drowns in a tidal wave of disease and death that shows no mercy..."
Thebes is cursed.
In his luxurious palace, King Oedipus fights against fate to determine the reason for this punishment by the gods. However, he uncovers dark, disturbing truths unlike anything he could have imagined. Years later, his daughter Antigone battles for justice against her autocratic Uncle Creon, becoming a revolutionary in a city that has descended into poverty and chaos.
The terrible fate of Oedipus, Antigone and their family unfolds in an evocative new production based on Sophocles' masterpiece. ‘Oedipus and Antigone’ is an unforgettable epic tragedy which follows a proud father and brave daughter battling the gods for survival. This ancient story echoes down the centuries and asks us to consider the role destiny plays in all our lives.
- October 2014
Thalposis. Definition: Sensation of warmth. Sample Sentence: “After feeling another wave of thalposis, Tommy realized he was in the kiddie pool.”
Follow six nerdy American school kids as they compete in the ultimate quest: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They each have their own battles to contend with, from pushy parents, to spiritual encounters, extreme nut allergies and unexpected manifestations of puberty. Through all of this and more, our contestants navigate the tournament’s pressures, and learn that there’s more to life than what can be found in the dictionary. Featuring off-Broadway hit songs such as “I Speak Six Languages”, “My Friend the Dictionary” and “My Unfortunate Erection”, this is Tony Award – winning, partially improvised musical comedy is not to be missed.
- October 2014
Footlights bring you the funniest songs, sketches, monologues and standup in an hour 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 2014
The backyard of a suburban home, Connecticut, August 1948. Set over 24 hours, the play is a claustrophobic portrayal of the conflict between a man’s duties to his immediate family and to his wider national family. Tensions rise and fall as the family simultaneously attempts to come to terms with the past and to fashion a future for itself though it feels impossible.
- September 2014
For its 15th year, CAST will once again be touring the USA in September with a company of Cambridge's finest actors, directors, designers and crew.
Hero and Claudio are falling in love, but aren’t a strong enough pairing to outplay the scheming Don John. Meanwhile, old sparring partners Beatrice and Benedick revel in their war of words, but neither wants to get married and certainly not to each other. As they take up opposing corners, matching each other line for line, their friends team up to plot a way to bring them together.
For this cast of players, it’s a game of five acts.
Filled with live music, a line up of vibrant characters and sparkling dialogue, this is Shakespeare’s comedic skill at its absolute best. As devious strategies are prepared, sides drawn and redrawn, and untruth after untruth exposed, the outcome of each romantic match is just too close to call at least until the final hand has been shown.
