- February 2010
HMS Pinafore tells the story of Captain Corcoran and his crew aboard their saucy ship the Pinafore!
Ralph Rackstraw, a humble foremast lad, is in love with the Captain's daughter, Josephine. To make matters worse for the lovers, she has caught the eye of the Lord of the Admiralty himself, Sir Joseph Porter, and now faces the decision whether to marry for love or for reason. Add into the mix the crafty old sailor Dick Deadeye, the mysterious bumboat women Little Buttercup, Sir Joseph's loyal contingent of sisters, cousins and aunts and a crew of hornpiping sailors, and Captain Corcoran has his hands full keeping order on deck! Featuring the songs 'I'm called little Buttercup', 'I am the Captain of the Pinafore' and the soaring 'He is an Englishman' (not to mention some of the wittiest dialogue found between songs!), HMS Pinafore is one of the most-loved and enduring musical shows of all time.
Tickets are sailing out of the box office at an astonishing rate of knots - so be sure to book yours early!
- March 2009
This exhilarating story of extreme passions, in both their most beautiful and ugliest forms, is brought to the magnificent Cambridge Arts Theatre by The Marlowe Society, now in its 102nd year.
Helmed by exciting young director, Charlotte Westenra, the production returns the play to its Verona setting, where immature passions and blood feuds explode in the fiery Italian heat to bring tragedy to the door of the city's most powerful families.
Westenra directed Manuel Puig's KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN at the Donmar Warehouse and has worked on its West End productions of FROST/NIXON and PIAF. Drawing on an exciting creative team who cut their teeth in arenas as dynamic and diverse as the Royal Shakespeare Company and Rio de Janeiro's Theatre of the Oppressed, and united with The Marlowe's electrifying cast, this fresh production is far more than just the 'greatest love story of all time'.
Youthful love provides the spark to ignite the generations of unchecked hatred in the searing Italian summer, "for these hot days is the mad blood stirring."
- February 2009
Iolanthe, a fairy, was banished from fairy land for breaking one of their cardinal rules - she married a mortal. Twenty-five years later, she is pardoned by the Fairy Queen, and reveals that she has a child. Her son, Strephon, is a fairy down to the waist, and is in love with Phyllis, a beautiful ward in Chancery. The course of true love never did run smooth, however, and Strephon has to compete with half the House of Lords and the Lord Chancellor himself for Phyllis' hand. All hell breaks loose when the fairies and peers clash, and the Fairy Queen decides to send Strephon to parliament...
With some of the pair's wittiest dialogue and most famous music, including 'The March of the Peers', the Lord Chancellor's 'Nightmare Song', Iolanthe's beautiful aria 'He Loves' and the stunning Act One finale, 'Iolanthe' is one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most-loved operas, and we are giving you the opportunity to help bring it to life on the Arts Theatre stage.
- November 2008
Performed in English.
She is the mermaid forbidden to mix with mortals. He is the handsome prince for whom she risks everything. Together they embark on a love affair that sees her sacrifice her home and her immortality. Dvorak’s rapturous score, presented here in an acclaimed chamber version, is crowned by the poignant “Song to the Moon”.
A new production by James Conway and associate director Tom Daley, conducted by Alex Ingram, with designs by Paul Wills. Donna Bateman (Susannah, ETO Spring 2008) sings the title role, with Richard Roberts as the Prince, Fiona Kimm as Ježibaba, Camilla Roberts as the Foreign Princess.
- November 2008
Performed in French with English surtitles.
La tragédie de Carmen is opera at its most powerful, a raw and visceral adaptation of Bizet’s most popular work. Peter Brook and his collaborators have crafted a concentrated night of theatre that focuses on the fatal relationships between the gypsy, soldier, village girl and bullfighter.
The score retains all of the most famous musical moments of the original; Carmen’s Habanera and Seguidilla, Don Jose’s Flower Song, and Escamillo’s swaggering Toreador Song. Directed by Andrew Steggall, conducted by Gareth Hancock, and featuring Leah Marian Jones sings the title role, with Sinead Campbell as Micaëla, David Curry as Don Jose, and Nicholas Garrett as Escamillo.
- November 2008
Performed in English.
She is the mermaid forbidden to mix with mortals. He is the handsome prince for whom she risks everything. Together they embark on a love affair that sees her sacrifice her home and her immortality. Dvorak’s rapturous score, presented here in an acclaimed chamber version, is crowned by the poignant “Song to the Moon”.
A new production by James Conway and associate director Tom Daley, conducted by Alex Ingram, with designs by Paul Wills. Donna Bateman (Susannah, ETO Spring 2008) sings the title role, with Richard Roberts as the Prince, Fiona Kimm as Ježibaba, Camilla Roberts as the Foreign Princess.
- February 2008
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE is possibly Gilbert & Sullivan's most enduringly popular collaboration. Telling the story of Frederic, a Pirate apprentice, who is desperate to overcome his "sense of duty", defeat the pirates and win his beloved Mabel, the show features the swashbuckling Pirate King, the bumbling chorus of Policemen and of course that very model of a Modern Major General! The Major General's song is just one of the 'big hits' from the show, along with "A Policeman's Lot is not an happy One!", "With Cat-like Tread", "Poor Wand'ring One" and many others!
- November–December 2007
The ever-popular Cambridge Operatic Society is delighted to be returning to the Arts Theatre for its annual production, looking set to top the success of last year's smash hit 'My Fair Lady'. The twelfth of Gilbert & Sullivan's successful collaborations, 'The Gondoliers' is a Mediterranean delight full of instantly recognisable music that takes us from the grand splendour of Venice to the fictional Spanish island of Barataria. Two newly-wed gondoliers suddenly discover that one of them is the heir to a kingdom. In the ensuing marital confusion, it is revealed that the prince was wed in infancy to Casilda, daughter of the Duke of Plaza-Toro... but blissfully unaware of this, she's secretly in love with her father's aattendent, Luiz. Just who is the true heir to the Baratarian throne? And more to the point, will love ever triumph over duty?! 'The Gondoliers' is a vibrant, sparkling operetta packed with some of Sullivan's finest music, including the famous song 'Take a pair of sparkling eyes'. So join us to dance the cachucha, fandango and bolero and immerse yourself in the unique topsy-turvy world of Gilbert and Sullivan.
- October 2007
Child-murderer, illegal immigrant, witch, scorned wife, deportee, serial killer or proto-feminist hero? Euripides’ Medea, the most controversial woman in Greek tragedy, has fascinated and horrified audiences for the last 2500 years. Medea has betrayed her family and her country to help Jason win the Golden Fleece, escaping to his palace in Corinth. But as the play opens, Jason has abandoned Medea, now the mother of his children, to marry a Greek princess. Ordered to leave the country, Medea begs one day’s grace – and uses it to plot her revenge.
The 40th Cambridge Greek Play continues a long tradition dating from the 1880s, harnessing professional theatrical and academic expertise to interpret Greek tragedy for new audiences. Annie Castledine (director of the acclaimed 2004 Cambridge production of Oedipus) returns alongside a new and exciting co-director, Clive Mendus. The production is set in 1912 against the background of the suffragette movement, highlighting resonant historical parallels.
In Euripides’ Medea, the force and rhythms of the Greek language combined with original music, staging and design will make for an unforgettable experience.
Please see www.the-medea.co.uk for the latest information.
- October 2007
The Marlowe Society’s centenary celebrations reach their peak with a production of Cymbeline, directed by Marlowe alumnus Trevor Nunn. Although he has never directed the play before, he acted in the 1960 Society production, directed by the legendary ‘Dadie’ Rylands, alongside fellow students Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Derek Jacobi and Margaret Drabble.
‘The Marlowe Society has had more influence on the British theatre than, I think, anybody knows’ Sir Peter Hall
Cymbeline is one of Shakespeare’s magical romances, written at the end of his writing lifetime. It is full of narrative surprises: a wicked Queen, a pair of lovers, a cunning Italian, a Roman invasion, not one but two lost sons, a mysterious prophecy, and a gender changing heroine who fakes her own death – all reconciled in a virtuoso display of plot resolution in the last scene.
Past alumni of the Marlowe Society include Rachel Weisz, Griff Rhys Jones, Simon Russell Beale and Sam Mendes.
- February 2007
Oklahoma! was the first professional collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, who would go on to become the most successful musical team in Broadway history. The first production was responsible for moving back the boundaries of what was considered possible in a musical comedy.
The music and lyrics have proven to be some of the best in musical theatre with songs that include "Oh What a Beautiful Morning", "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top", People Will Say We're in Love, "I Can't Say No", "Oklahoma! and many more, making this a musical treat for all the family.
- February 2007
Arguably the most popular opera ever written, Gilbert and Sullivan's most enduring work continues to delight audiences spanning the world. Replete with biting satire and social commentary which remain hilariously relevant to modern audiences, The Mikado is a tale of love and decapitation set in a typically topsy-turvy Japan, with a score packed full of some of the duo's best loved songs.
Disguised as a wandering minstrel, the Mikado's son, Nanki-Poo falls in love with the beautiful Yum-Yum. However, each of them has a rival for their affections - the dragon-like Katisha and the self-important Ko-Ko. In a world where executionees become executioners and flirting is punishable by death, can their love survive?
- March 2006
CU Hindu Cultural Society brings you MASTANA 2006 - a celebration of the best in Asian artistic talent from around the university. Hosted again in the Cambridge Arts Theatre, following the success of previous shows, Mastana 2006 promises to be bigger and better than ever. From traditional acts demanding great technical and aesthetic skill, to contemporary presentations that burst with energy, to fusions of the two that represent the creativity of British Asian youth, Mastana promises to enthrall you. Witness the colourful and diverse culture of the Indian subcontinent. The cultural experience continues with sumptuous Indian snacks provided during the interval. All proceeds from the event will go towards charity as usual.
- March 2006
'Sin will pluck on sin'
King Henry VI is dead - stabbed in the tower by Richard of Gloucester - and the bloody Wars of the Roses are finally at an end. Edward IV is on the throne, his new queen Elizabeth at his side and flanked by his younger brothers, reunited in their victory. The wounds of civil war, however, are slow to heal and will begin to bleed again as one man keeps his eye fixed firmly on the crown...
A creative team led by director Tom Cornford and designer Lucy Osborne join a student company to create a vivid re-working of the young Shakespeare's first hit. This classic tale of terror and the pursuit of power launched the career of David Garrick and imprinted Laurence Olivier on our imagination. As the Marlowe Society approaches its centenary, come and see the next generation of theatre-makers bring it screaming into a new century.
- February 2006
Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society is proud to present a sprightly adaptation of the all-time classic musical Singin’ in the Rain. Set in 1927, it satirizes the momentous and painful period in Hollywood movie history when ‘talkies’ took over from silent pictures.
Lina Lamont – the temperamental Queen of the Silver Screen – has but one problem during such a transition: a shrill and squeaky New York accent. As her career faces troubled waters, Kathy Selden steps in to help save this fading star, only to fall in love with Lina’s co-actor Don Lockwood. Professional and personal tensions rise as Don faces difficult decisions both on and off screen. Guaranteed to set your feet tapping, join CUMTS as they return to the Cambridge Arts' Theatre Stage with this musical extravaganza.
- February 2006
- March 2005
Mastana is the annual variety show organised by the CU Hindu Cultural Society and is the biggest Asian cultural show in and around Cambridge. This is a charity event encompassing a wide range of acts from traditional to contemporary dance, singing, short plays and many others.
- March 2005
This will be the society's Lent Term Arts Theatre production, running the week beginning Monday 28th February, and is arguably the society's most ambitious project in recent history.
The show uses the Greek myth of Orpheus and Euridice as its basis, and transforms this story into a fabulous riot of music, comedy, colour and glamour! The show features the crazy gods of Mount Olympus and the spooky, seductive Underworld, and is bejewelled with sparkling musical items, to include the world-famous Can-can!
- February 2005
This award winning musical about the power of love over class divide brings together hilarious but insightful lyrics with fantastic melodies. Showstopping numbers and warm humour keep this show at the heart of British musical theatre.
- February 2005
Two sets of identical twins – separated in a shipwreck at birth – unwittingly cross paths in the magical city of Ephesus. Plunged into a whirlpool of confusion, a series of chance encounters leads to mistaken identities at every turn: claimed as husband, friend and master by complete strangers, each begins to wonder whether he is losing his wits. Meanwhile, sucked precariously into the muddle are a pair of spirited sisters, who discover that love at first sight isn’t easy when two men look the same!
Be swept away as this sensational story of family and true love unfolds. Following the success of The Taming of the Shrew (2003) and Twelfth Night (2004), Cambridge University’s critically acclaimed Marlowe Society invite you to join them for a carnival of magic and mayhem in this enchanting romantic comedy.
London-based director Laura Baggaley is no stranger to Cambridge theatre, having directed Romeo and Juliet for the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival in 2002. Her previous collaborations with designer Simon Kenny include an acclaimed production of Carmen for Hampstead Garden Opera in 2003. Last summer Laura directed for the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, working with Cambridge composer Rebecca Applin, who has also created an original score for The Comedy of Errors.
The Marlowe has a long-standing reputation for producing top-quality drama, and is known for launching the careers of theatre luminaries such as Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir Ian McKellan and Sam Mendes. More recently, Daniel Stevens starred in the Marlowe Society’s production of Macbeth, where he caught the eye of Sir Peter Hall. Dan can currently be found playing Orlando in Hall’s London production of As You Like It.
- October 2004
Oedipus is the King of Thebes, but he is not Theban. Oedipus saved Thebes when he solved the Riddle of the Sphinx. Can he allow his ignorance to be the cause of new jeopardy?
The 2004 Cambridge Greek Play presents a unique collaboration; directed by Annie Castledine ('a maverick visionary' - The Guardian, June 2004) and designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis, it will explore new approaches to the modern performance of Greek tragedy, and will be performed in ancient Greek, with surtitles.
For more information see www.oedipustheking.co.uk
- March 2004
- March 2004
- February 2004
Down-trodden orphan Seymour Krelbourn discovers a strange and interesting new breed of plant, which catapults him to fame and fortune. But success comes at a price - the plant has a man-sized appetite! Man and plant enter into a Faustian pact that endangers the life Seymour's love, Audrey, and threatens to destroy the world as we know it.
The show includes such well-loved numbers as 'Somewhere That's Green', 'Suddenly Seymour' and 'Feed Me'. This darkly comic musical promises to be a feast of horticultural hilarity and fun!!
'Feed me, feed me now!'
- March 2003
- February–March 2003
- March 2002
- March 2002
by Leonard Bernstein
- October 2001
- February 2001
version by Professor Michael Irwin of University of Kent
- February 2000
- February 1999
- March 1997
