- June 2021
‘The Trouble With Today’s Women’ is a verbatim piece of devised theatre. The show title takes inspiration from Sudha Buchar’s ‘The Trouble With Asian Men’. With performers and collaborators in different geographical locations, the show explores the experiences of women of colour in the modern world and grapples with the dissonance that they face navigating their personal lives. This production will explore pluralities of positions instead of a single meta-narrative, through the authentic voices of performers that will navigate themes of fragmented identity. Developed through workshops and interviews, personal stories on various themes will be adapted for a multi-media performance.
- March 2020
Three times a term, we host a night where people can come along and sing a musical theatre song for a smaller audience in a less intimidating venue (the ADC bar). The atmosphere is always friendly and uplifting, and the performances are always of a top quality.
The most wonderful thing about these shows is that the more intimate setting allows for those less confident performers to feel more comfortable in their singing and eventually move onto principal roles in bigger shows. You never know, any Bar Night participant might just go on to be the next big star of the stage! Not only that, but also the range of performers means that there is always a range of songs and dynamics to fit every audience member's needs. Whether you're into comedy or you're a hopeless romantic, there'll be something for you!
For the last one of the term, CUMTS are working in collaboration with Bread to bring you a Bar Night with entirely BME performers who will be singing all of their favourite songs from musical theatre. It going to be an amazing night so please don't miss out! Buy your tickets now!
- February 2020
On the eve of Singapore’s National Day in 1988, 3 people are killed along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), Singapore’s oldest expressway which cuts through the heart of the country.
An interrogator has 60 minutes to question James, whose script, ‘PIE’ foretold these 3 deaths. Somehow surviving a car accident along the PIE that killed both his parents just moments after he was born, James grew up to become an unsuccessful playwright who now faces accusations of murder.
As the fragmented story of what ‘actually’ took place unfolds, the line between the ‘real’ and the ‘official’ narratives blurs, as James is forced to confront an interrogator intent on writing her own script - that James is a Communist conspirator who masterminded these deaths to ignite widespread dissent. Set against the backdrop of the global Cold War and the 1987 ‘Marxist Conspiracy’ in Singapore, Pan-Island Expressway promises to be a riveting comedy, political drama and whodunit mystery - all in one play.
- February 2020
Deptford, 1982: unemployment abounds and the 1981 Brixton race riots are fresh in everyone’s memories. Caught in the midst of these racial divides are Chima and Onochie: two mixed-race brothers, sons of an Irish mother and a Nigerian father. Finally returning home from prison after he was blamed for the death of a white girl, Chima is horrified to find out that his younger brother, Onochie, has become a skinhead who no longer thinks of himself as black. As brutal justice seeks Chima out, Onochie must decide whether he will side with the community he’s tried so hard to belong to, or stand by the flesh and blood he barely knows.
- November 2019
- October 2019
“You need a name that expresses a Christian faith - Mary- mother of Jesus - is the most blessed name - but I just named another girl that this afternoon, ahh, there is Ruth - but I hate names of monosyllables so - ESTER! Yes, that is it, that is your name. Ester, she was a woman of great, great courage, saved her people in fact, second only to the Virgin Mary in Holy women in my opinion. And you look like one - indeed you do, you do.”
It’s 1896 in Rhodesia and Jekesai has just been given her new, Catholic name. Chilford, the only black Roman Catholic teacher in the region, has decided she’ll now be known as Ester, wear European clothing and speak only in English. She’s torn away from everything that she knows by her fellow African who earnestly believes the promises of the White man.
