- October–November 2008
"The father, as we have established, treats the little girl badly, and one day the girl gets some apples and carves some little men out of these apples, all little fingers, little eyes, little toes, and she gives them to her father but she says to him they’re not to be eaten, they’re to be kept as a memento of when his only little daughter was young, and naturally the pig of a father swallows a bunch of these applemen whole, just to spite her, and they have razor blades in them, and he dies in agony."
A writer in a totalitarian state is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a number of child-murders that are happening in his town.
FallOut Theatre returns with its third production, following After The End and The Cement Garden, both of which opened to rave reviews from audiences and critics.
- October 2008
Life x 3 is a sharply comic dissection of modern marriage. A quiet night in in Paris quickly degenerates for astronomer Henri and his wife Sonia. Not only is their six year old son refusing to go to sleep until he’s eaten his way to diabetes, but now Henri’s boss and highly strung trophy wife Ines have arrived a day early for the most important dinner party of Henri’s career. Off-guard, unprepared and facing a dinner of Wotsits, conversation goes from polite to terse to worse as family, work and life are all placed under the microscope, exacerbated by the bottles of Sancerre and philosophies of child-care. Brittle, biting and brutally funny, Life x 3 is a close-up of how one glib comment or one word unsaid can change your life, three times over.
- October 2008
Patient 6457 is dead. Patient 6459 has given birth to a child. Not a good Christmas for Roote.
Roote is the director of a well-oiled establishment for people who have lost their way. Knowledgeable in the fields of philosophy, philology, photography, phytology, phytonomy and phytotomy, he's undoubtedly a man with more than enough experience to be at the top. So when an investigation ensues to discover how a child was conceived on the premises, he is at the forefront of the operation, and it's his considered opinion that the mother had an accomplice...
But things are hotting up: how can Roote be expected to think straight, when everything's clogged up, bunged up, stuffed up, buggered up? When the snow has turned to slush?
Pinter's darkest comedy sparkles with wit and intensity. Bureaucracy, corruption, paranoia, and the futility of power lurk beneath a viciously deceptive facade of rib-cracking insignificance.
www.thesnowhasturnedtoslush.co.uk >>>
- October 2008
Fresh from their success at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Alcock Improv are Cambridge’s best loved foil-wrapped-for-flavour improvised comedy group.
Famed for their infectious enthusiasm and wit, Alcock use audience suggestions to inspire a spectrum of comic characters and situations.You might find them cracking out the mouse traps or performing a miniature musical based on YOUR suggestion; essentially it’s a journey to anywhere and Alcock draw the map.
Our best advice is: expect the unexpected... so, come and check out the group that “revolutionized the comedy scene in Cambridge” Varsity 2008.
- August 2008
Meet Telephos. Early twenties. Failed shopkeeper. Single. Knobbly knees.
Hero?
This a new musical like nothing you will have seen before. HERO tells the story of Telephos as he flies, falls and finds, following him around Ancient Greece and quite literally to Hell and back as he tries to discover the meaning of being a real hero. Fast-paced and action- packed, crammed with loveable characters and memorable songs, HERO is a show which promises to have you laughing, crying and desperately trying not to stand up and join in as we sing and dance through Telephos' world.
CUADC is proud to present HERO, written by Ben Nicholls and Ashley Riches, at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It promises to be one of the most exciting shows you'll ever see.
http://www.anyonecanbeahero.com/
Book tickets by phone: 01223 300085 or from the adc website: http://www.adctheatre.com/
- August 2008
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends..."
The Cambridge University American Stage Tour, on its ninth tour, is proud to present Henry V: one of Shakespeare's most memorable and exciting plays, his most patriotic piece, and an epic and vigorous portrayal of one of England's most popular national heroes.
"Small time, but in that small most greatly lived, This star of England"
Several years of bitter civil war have left the people of England restless and dissatisfied. The new king, Henry, must live down his wild adolescent past, gain the respect of his country and secure his place on the throne. As he lays claim to the 'vasty fields of France' and his fleet sets sail across the Channel, rumors of assassination are rife. Henry must not just bury his feelings but also risk all he holds dear if he is to succeed. Prepare to witness a tale of conspiracy and betrayal, of royalty and treachery, of romance and conquests, and of tennis balls, as this dynamic and dramatic production makes you question where heroism ends and immorality begins.
- October 2008
On their 125th anniversary, the world famous Cambridge Footlights come charging back with their eagerly anticipated, brand new show, "Devils".
Throughout their long and grand history, Footlights continue to be an unparalleled force in British comedy. The club's luminaries range from Peter Cook and John Cleese to present day stars such as Mitchell and Webb, Sacha Baron Cohen, and last year's if.comedy Best Newcomer, Tom Basden. "Devils" is the culmination of a fantastically successful year for a club, as the finest few comedians have been plucked from one of the largest and hardest-working comedy institutions in the world, to present a stunning mosaic of sketches, monologues, songs and more.
- March 2008
"Bang Bang You're Dead" is a resource for dealing with a broken world that's violent, unhealthy, unfair, and beyond the power of anyone to fix except today's generation. It's about a theatre of life."
- March 2008
'I wish…'
The Baker and his Wife wish for nothing more than a child of their own. Cinderella wishes to go to the ball. And Red Riding Hood just wants to visit Granny.
But are wishes that simple? And if a wish is granted, what comes after its Happily Ever After? In Sondheim's musical masterpiece choices are made and paths are followed, but these are dangerous Woods, and even familiar stories can lose their way…
Into The Woods is an enthralling blend of the fantastically funny and the deliciously dark, investigating the power of wishes and the nature of human desire.
This year's Lent Term Musical promises to be a spectacular rendition of Sondheim's modern classic. At its heart an exceptional piece of dramatic storytelling, this production will include live music and stunning design in the creation of a hugely enjoyable theatrical experience for young and old alike.
The Woods are waiting…
- March 2008
Rob's being moved from Intensive Care tonight. Shel wants to see him but Alex doesn't. She'd prefer to stay in and make Louis cry. They have to go but the phone rings. It's Janet. She likes leopard print garments and dead Shitzues. Betty is having a turn. She has a grater. And a colander. So they're coming over. With juice. Locked in a house together guerilla warfare ensues, people forget and (fake) leopard print flies. Step into the Cooper family living room for a story about lunacy, happy dinosaurs and loss. A very unoriginal family comedy then. But that's kind of the point.
The Harry Porter Prize was established five years ago to celebrate the contribution to Footlights of the Club’s Senior Archivist, Harry Porter. In past years the award has been judged by Stephen Fry, Bill Oddie, Michael Frayn and Declan Donnellan, and we are pleased to announce that the prize this year will be judged by Mike Newell, the multi-award-winning director of television and screen productions such as 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'.
- March 2008
Few words survive from the dark ages. Even fewer from women. But a voice echos through the millennia, speaking of miracles and martyrdom... One thousand years ago, in a lonely cell in a remote abbey in Saxony, the nun Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim wrote the play Dulcitius. Both farce and tragedy, it is a tale of buffoonish Roman soldiers battling the frightening conviction of three girls determined to be Christian martyrs.
To the modern audience, it is a play for both skeptic and believer, the contented and the disillusioned; a thoroughly unusual and vital attempt to reconcile a rationalist Western framework with the sublime influences that shape our common history, mythology, and current struggles with religious extremism. This production fuses the original play with modern texts to illuminate its central themes.
From the sublime to the mundane, modern to ancient, science to religion, this unique theatrical event is a reminder of how much - and how little - has changed over the past one thousand years.
- March 2008
A lot of stuff has happened before now. The dinosaurs were around before you were even born, for example. This show of occasionally true snippets lays siege to the history books, doctors the documents, annuls the annals, crucifies the chronicles, blitzkriegs the bulletins and pillages the village. They offer answers to all those questions you ask yourself about history, and some you don’t: “What happens if you try to fit the names of all 267 popes into songs by the Beach Boys?”
The Footlights Spring Revue is one of the biggest and funniest shows of the year. On the 125th anniversary of the word-famous comedy club, Snippets promises to be another innovative addition to the Cambridge Footlights’ illustrious history.
- February–March 2008
The Medics Revue 2008 - The Hysterectomy Boys
- February–March 2008
- February 2008
GASP IN WONDER as before your very eyes we conjure up the wondrous world of the complete works of the greatest writer who ever lived…with a cast numbering literally into the lower single digits!
GAPE IN AWE as, armed only with a bare stage and a bare slate, we re-create this wealth of literature!
There is nothing to stop the action spilling over and engulfing you in a whirling tornado of energy, cookery programmes and maybe the odd banjo. Join us for a night of cross-dressing, bad dancing, curious accents and the greatest literary event of the century!
Forgotten your Shakespeare? Let us remind you!
“What cheek! What nerve! What sheer, heavenly, unadulterated fun!” Sunday Express
- February 2008
CUJO live at the ADC Theatre - for one night only!
- February 2008
"Mr Sloane, I believed you were a good boy. I find you have deceived me."
Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr Sloane depicts the convergence of four very abnormal Londoners on one very normal London living room....Young Mr Sloane is a devilishly attractive orphan with a very murky past. All he really wants are some parents to love. The situation becomes somewhat sticky when Sloane moves in with Kath, a middle-aged sexually frustrated frump who is looking for a long-lost baby. It becomes a little stickier when Ed, Kath's wide-boy brother reveals a personal penchant for the boy and his youthful form. It becomes even sticker once again when their elderly father, Kemp, recognises Sloane as the murderer of his former boss. Set in the 1960s, Mr Sloane is concerned with a restless, ruthless, single-minded pursuit of satisfaction and promises to be an unsettling, pulsating and wickedly amusing sanctuary from the bluesy lethargy of Week 5.
- February 2008
'I lost two homelands as a child... I lost two homelands but I sought a third: a space for the imagination.' (Adam Zagajewski)
They say that in any family there are at least three great stories. This is a tale about not three stories but a whole patchwork quilt of stories, wrapped around one woman. Asked to tell the story of her life, Lily loses her grip on the present and begins to delve deeper and deeper into her past. After all, when reality is turned upside-down, our imagination starts filling in.
In a bold and exciting piece of new writing and ensemble theatre, this production will take you skating off into your imagination, right back to the heart of storytelling.
- February 2008
Under the dark, dank February sky, a dazzling light will shine. She is The White Devil. And like a mine of diamonds, she refuses to break.
Atop the chequered marble of an Italian court, a game of chess will be staged; some will play dukes, others must play pawns. The key to survival is clever moves and viciousness. It’s theatre, after all.
Vittoria and Flamineo, proud but poor siblings, know this game all too well. Flamineo acts as pander between his married sister and the Duke of Brachiano - an illicit affair unfolds, breeding lust, murder and revenge in its wake.
Vittoria, the femme fatale, becomes the scapegoat – her startling wit and rebelliousness pose too great a threat to male dominance. She must be destroyed.
Webster’s tragedy is crueller, darker and more seductive than any of Shakespeare’s; it’d be a nightmare to miss.
- February 2008
"Dreams are a sweet mistake. All dreamers must awake."
Many decades have passed since the heyday of the Weissman Showgirls, and the old Weissman Theatre, now derelict and crumbling, is due to be demolished. As the showgirls and their partners return for a first and last reunion, they confront ghosts of their younger selves...
This biting satire on age and nostalgia features show-stopping songs, spectacular choreography and the accompaniment of a 30-piece orchestra.
- February 2008
"Malcolm Scrawdyke. On behalf of the party, on behalf of the nation, I address you. You are the fount of our wisdom, you are the source of our strength, you are our bastion against eunurchy. Dynamic Erection is the future!"
"Little Malcolm and his Struggle Against the Eunuchs," follows expelled art student Malcolm Scrawdyke as he persuades his fellow students to join him in forming, The Party of Dynamic Erection. To Malcolm, the real reason for his failure at art school is that society is run by 'eunuchs' who stifle true geniuses like himself. With his friends Irwin, Wick and Nipple, he plots to conquer the world and enjoy 'power for power's sake.'
- February 2008
An artist, a scientist and a sexpot are coming to dinner. Paige, hostess extraordinaire, is celebrating the publication of her husband's best-seller about the psychological apocalypse. The arrival of Mike, marooned in the foggy lane having crashed his van, provides an unexpected addition to the evening's entertainment. A silent waiter, sourced from an obscure website, completes the picture. Primordial Soup is first on the menu - let the dinner from hell begin. In this macabre yet humorous work Buffini makes it clear revenge is the main dish on the menu, spiced with pungent allegory. The dinner party is the perfect dramatic arena: the intimate battleground of men and women, public and private, pretension and reality, passion and restraint. This production's colourful and playful design explores these tensions.
The production side is very exciting - I envisage the set design as minimalist but stylised and prominent. This will be complimented by a bold and striking lighting design. I'm taking the play, a colourful and vibrant black comedy, in a surreal direction and the design should mirror this weirdness! Lots of use of unusual and bright colours and playing with some sharp angles (in both set and lighting) are all part of the design concept. The Technical Director would face some original challenges - from dealing with huge chandaleers (which must be functional as well as being able to fly out!) to overseeing the life (and death?) of real lobsters (and their aquirium home) - both examples of how this play is very different to your usual mainshow. This play changed from 'Festen' recently and we have the challenge of finding a talented and creative production team in a very short space of time...
- January–February 2008
A minor masterpiece from Tennessee Williams' lesser known explorations into the theatre of the 'Outrageous'; featuring a giant pelican, a drunken fisherman, a Hollywood Indian, two stoned female clowns and a tragic ex-Vaudevillian soubrette, accompanied with a Chaplinesque set and an on-stage gypsy-klezmer band, THE GNADIGES FRAULEIN (The Gracious Maid) will be an unprecedented theatrical experience at the ADC theatre.
Written in the 1960's, during his self-professed 'stoned age', Tennessee Williams found himself spurned by critics for not producing another Glass Menagerie or Streetcar; the original Broadway production closed after only six days of performance. But this was more of a sign of Williams' transgressive talent than failed artistry; in his own words it was "a grotesque comedy that was incomprehensible to people" but "everyone has the tears that are expressed in this play". This is not, as narrow-minded critics have claimed, a second rate attempt at the theatre of the absurd but a logical climax of themes and emotions that are central to Williams' theatre: tragedy, comedy, black humour, pathos, the grotesque, melodrama and an underlying spirit of endurance pitted against the unrelenting cruelty of the world.
The play is set in Cocaloony Key, a non-realistic evocation of the Southern Florida Keys in which giant birds that resemble Pelicans (Cocaloonies) ominously co-inhabit with their human counterparts. In order to pay her rent for the local boarding house, run by a cruel and clownish landlady, Molly, the 'Fraulein' has to submit herself to a savage, daily contest with the Cocaloonies to catch fish from the harbour. As the two unsympathetic clowns watch her clockwork battle with the birds they wonder if she has "guts enough to fight the good fight or will she retire from the fish-docks like she did from show business?"
It is at once deeply tragic and profoundly comic. This production will be infused with a faithful spirit of play, spectacle, sensitivity and, most importantly, a commitment to entertain, move and disturb its audience.
- January–February 2008
Downing Dramatic Society, Alcock Players and GODS present.. ALL THE ORDINARY ANGELS.
Two brothers. One girl. A whole load of ice cream.
When Guiseppe Raffa decides to retire from the ice cream business, only one son can take over. It's not long before tactics get dirty.
Rocco is up to something with the garden wall. His wife, Bernie, is sick of waiting at home for the children that may never arrive. Lino is in love with Lulu, even though she says that she’ll break his heart.
And Lulu?
She has bigger ideas. She’s in love with ice cream and will let nothing stop her from reaching her goal. When Lino starts to lose the competition, she helps Rocco invent a very special ice cream, an ice cream that the people of Manchester can’t stop craving.
Will Manchester get their ‘fix’?
- January 2008
As fast as Parker, as wild as Tarka, as funny as Farquhar, this is Anthropology: a Materialist History of the World in One Hour. We take you from man standing upright to man landing on the moon, and leave you wondering why he bothered doing either. Along the way, we will answer all of the questions that have vexed historians since the year dot. If rowing went out of fashion in the 11th century, why do people still do it? Why did the Welsh not take over the world when they had the chance? What was the first camera small enough you could stick it down your pants? War (huh, yeah) what is it good for? How many Wrongs make a Wright brother? Is life better down where it's wetter, or are crabs not to be trusted on such matters? Come along and find out: ANTHROPOLOGY!
- January 2008
“Perspectives” is an exploration and expression of the themes of time and memory through contemporary dance, in an attempt to define them in a beautiful and engaging sensory spectacle.
Drawn into each “Perspective” the audience will be woven into the fabric of time with each thrilling moment and each inspiring movement of electric live dance. From the timeless aesthetic of classical ballet to the current pulsing beat of Hip-hop, “Perspectives” is a dynamic production gripping the audience in the powerful rhythm of its performance and vibrant intensity of its memory.
Let us transport you to a different time and place where you can embrace the contemporary heat of Cambridge dance glimpsing into the future and forming memories that will last a life time.
- January 2008
Alcock Improv have brought some of their friends to the ADC for a week of adrenaline-fuelled comedy! Tuesday - Alcock Improv - "The Footlights should watch their back" Varsity ** Wednesday - The Institute - Canal Cafe, London regulars Thursday - The Oxford Imps - "the best improvised comedy that I have ever had the pleasure to witness" *** - Three Weeks August 2007 Friday - Pappy's Fun Club - “Extraordinarily fresh and funny" Dominic Maxwell, The Times Saturday - Scratch Impro - “Side splittingly funny” The Guardian
- December 2007
Pompey defeated, Julius Caesar returns to Rome, flushed with triumph. But Rome has changed, and talk of assassination lurks behind every column...
Cambridge University European Theatre Group's 50th anniversary production of one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies brings the political intrigue of Ancient Rome into a modern setting in which our barbarism and ambition are revealed in the relationships with those closest to us. Morality is forgotten in the lust for power, love is cast viciously aside, and the true nature of honour is finally realised.
ETG was founded in 1957 by a group of students including Sir Derek Jacobi, who toured Europe in a fruit van. Highly acclaimed recent productions include Macbeth (2006), The Taming of the Shrew (2005), and Romeo and Juliet (2004).
This brilliant new production tours Europe in December 2007 before returning to the ADC Theatre, Cambridge, for a run from 15-19 January 2008.
- January 2008
Fledgling Productions are delighted to be returning to the ADC in January for their sixth show here. Following last year’s outstanding production of Seussical, this year you can enjoy two exciting shows for the price of one!!
A cast of talented local youngsters, aged from 6 upwards, will bring to life two of Disney’s all-time greats.
Jungle Book, with its cast of fun characters, including Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo, Shere Khan, Kaa, Colonel Hathi and the unforgettable King Louis, will tug at your heart strings with songs such as ‘The Bare Necessities’ and ‘I Wan’na Be Like You’, which have been firm favourites since the film was released 51 years ago!
Then, swap the jungles of India and for the colourful magical carpets of Arabian Agrabah where you can witness Aladdin and Jasmine, with a little help from The Genie battle the evil Jafar; a show that will send you away with a spring in your step, singing those enchanting melodies – ‘A Whole New World’, and ‘A Friend Like Me’.
- November–December 2007
Attempts to describe her? Attempts to destroy her? Or attempts to destroy herself?
Seven nameless figures. One hour. One red bag. One ashtray. One hotel. One protagonist, missing.
In 1997, Martin Crimp’s controversial scenarios for the theatre revolutionised British playwriting, challenging audiences and defying critics. The seventeen ‘attempts’ are the search for the perfect story, and the action runs the gamut of modern life – from terrorism to pornography to gap years and smoking in the blink of an eye. Our protagonist is the ultimate enigma, and the possibilities are endless.
More relevant than ever to the world and our attempts to explain it, this daring and emotionally charged production of a modern classic will leave you speechless.
Ten years on, Attempts on her Life is back with a bang.
- November 2007
Ooh err matron!
Fresh from the Edinburgh fringe, ICE are back to the ADC bringing you a fully improvised farce. All the action is under your control as expert performers spontaneously create drama, passion, intrigue and romance in front of your very eyes. Well, maybe a bit. Mostly it's just hilarious fast-paced comedy!
Who murders whom? Who falls in love with whom? What could possibly come between the happy couple? Will Lord Fotheringale ever live down the embarrassing wombat incident of last night's dinner party? You get to choose!
Jeeves and Wooster meets Carry On meets AN ADDITIONAL THIRD CONTRASTING THING! The play will be lovingly created on the spot for you by our expert improvisers, so there is only one chance to see this unique and perfect creation. It has never been seen before and will never been seen again! No Scripts, no Rehearsals, no Kenneth Williams!
- November 2007
Once Upon a Time… there was an ADC/Footlights Pantomime.
You want traditional? This is traditional. The panto is back, and back to basics.
In a land where bulbous beanstalks grow, dark forests lurk, and the monarchy teeters on the edge of survival, get ready to see your favourite characters as you’ve never seen them before. From the three little pigs to the Fairy Godmother, and a big, bad pantomime wolf. Prepare to boo and hiss as you encounter the wicked Stepmother and cheer as Prince Charming tries to save the day.
The biggest and boldest show of the theatrical calendar, this year's pantomime features a script by Footlights regular Alex Clatworthy and Footlights Harry Porter Prize winner Rory Mullarkey, a catchy-as-hell original score by Harry Winstanley and performances from Cambridge's top comic actors. Once Upon A Time… is guaranteed to be fantastic fairy-tale fun for all the family. Oh, yes it is!
- November 2007
Stop Press! Here comes a play set in a local newspaper office, which redefines the idea of NEWS: Old lady savaged to death by her own collection of cats! Abusive secretaries! The tragic tale of a man who was just too good at digging holes without a spade! Ian McKellen's furtive fancy dress hobby! Chicken wings! An aristocrat in a cardboard box! Murderous schoolchildren! Indestructible gardeners! THE END OF THE WORLD! (on a provincial scale). - Forget world news! forget Heat magazine and The Times, and come to a place where 'Botox' is how posh people say 'buttocks', where congestion charges are when the price of Kleenex goes up, where the men are men, and so - for the most part - are the women. Hot new writing from Cambridge alumnus Tom Hensby, (shortlisted for the Harry Porter Prize and the 'Other' Prize): I Scream Scoop: Terrible pun. Terribly funny play.
- November 2007
What exactly do we mean by charity? Delve into the dirty, underhand and political world of big business philanthropy where principals and ideals simply disappear. Churchill's unnerving dark humour and trademark wit coupled with the Fresher talent on display make this play this season's must see!
- November 2007
Smash! Into a thousand pieces shatters the mind of the Disciple as he seeks knowledge from the Sage of Ages. Catapulted through fast-paced comedy sketches in this high-octane revue, prepared for you by Triple Point Comedy (fresh from their Edinburgh Fringe performance), the Disciple has no choice but to learn and laugh with pain and joy.
Marvel as Triple Point's experienced alternative comedians soar through darkly comic scenes and leave you giggling for more.
Meet the man who designs your nightmares. Taste the sweet tears of laughter of those around you. Prepare for wisdom.
- November 2007
Crowds are gathering. The town is made ready. The Visit begins. The arrival in Güllen of Claire Zachanassian, billionaire and former resident of the town, sends ripples of excitement through the sleepy eastern European settlement. But after Zachanassian offers the townspeople the grant they so desperately need in return for settling her old scores, the veneer of civilised life is scraped off to reveal the darkness beneath. Alfred Ill must die. And his neighbours and friends must do it. It’s only a matter of time.
The inspiration for Lars Von Trier’s Palm d’Or winning ‘Dogville’, ‘The Visit’ has transfixed audiences around the world with its blend of broad humour and bleak drama.
The CU Amateur Dramatic Club's Freshers' mainshow: see the best of Cambridge’s new theatrical talent in this dark comedy.
