- November 2014
"I feel like everything I do is a performance for lapel mics and security cameras. Like there’s something in me which is the only real thing in the world and someone is trying to bleed it from me." A soldier comes home. A journalist loses his mind. An advertising firm markets a war. An adaptation of Aeschylus' Oresteia for a century of humanitarian intervention and marketised warfare, war war brand war interrogates family, war and tragedy in the internet age. As changed technologies and identical hubris lead nations into deadly wars with all of the relentlessness of the ticker tape that scrolls across the bottom of news channels and stock exchanges alike, one family's imbalance of power brings violence to an international arena.
Thom May has written for the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Court Studio Group. "war war brand war" is the winner of the 2014 RSC Other Prize.
"Intelligent, urgent and formally playful ... the play demonstrates the emergence of a clear and confident dramatic voice" - Pippa Hill, RSC
- November 2014
“Sometimes in my head I think it works, and then... Sometimes I just think it's crazy.”
David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize winning play confronts the madness of family, death and maths in a subtle and absorbing story.
Catherine has spent years caring for her mathematically brilliant but mentally unstable father. Now she also has to deal with his nosy ex-student and her estranged controlling sister and they both seem to think that she’s the one who needs help. As she tries to negotiate her relationships with them both, everyone begins to question what’s true about Catherine and everyone has a different theory and different ways to prove it.
- November 2014
Join award-winners Tom Fraser (most improved bowler, 2003) and Seb Sutcliffe (handwriting, 2004, 2005) as they embark on one of the shows of the term.
The Corpus Playroom is set to turn into a mad house of sketches and silliness for an hour as Seb and Tom show you how dumb they can be. Prepare for as much of the old wordplay also.
Leave your issues and anxieties and political views behind, because Tom and Seb have created a world that will not give into shite.
All we promise is fun.
- November 2014
"Hell is other people."
Three damned souls are trapped for eternity in a small Second Empire drawing room where the lights are always on and no one can sleep.
Jean Paul-Satre’s existential classic weaves a blackly comic triangle of desire, spite and violence as the three inhabitants wrestle with each other and with themselves. Each have their own secrets to tell, each have their own lies to expose. The pressure-cooker spirals into a maelstrom of manipulation, mockery, and malice.
- November 2014
A night of exciting new stand up comedy.
It promises to be a Jolly Good night...
- November 2014
“My mother- almost on her deathbed- no, on her deathbed, made me swear that I’d never be a slave to any man.”
July 1945. The eve of the Labour election victory. In the courtyard of an English country home, the servants celebrate. Down in the kitchen, dizzy with the hedonism of a new social era, the daughter of the house, Miss Julie, seeks out her father’s chauffeur. Together, the two embark on an evening of passion and betrayal.
- November 2014
In October 1998 Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Five weeks later, the Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie, and over the course of the next year, conducted more than 200 interviews with people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, a chronicle of the life of the town of Laramie in the year after the murder. THE LARAMIE PROJECT is one of the most performed plays in America today.
"He said, c’mon guys, lets show the world that Laramie is not this kind of town. But it is that kind of town. If it wasn’t this kind of town, why did this happen here? I mean, you know what I mean, like – that’s a lie. Because it happened here ... And we need to own this crime. I feel. Everyone needs to own it. We are like this. We ARE like this. WE are LIKE this."
- October–November 2014
Is laughing one of your favourite hobbies? It's certainly one of ours!
Breaking Down is a brand-hot-out-of-the-spanking-new-oven sketch show, brimming with absurdity and verbal jousting. Satire you say? There's possibly some here. Parody? Yup! A cheeky corpse... or nine, who knows? Hell, there might even be some actual violence, this show is just so off the handle. Is that even an expression? Ah who cares....
So come along one and all and get your teeth into our attempt to have your ribs tickled and your eyes streaming.
- October–November 2014
The play that inspired Alfred Hitchcock's famous thriller of the same name, Rope is a tense psychodrama that promises to keep audiences on tenterhooks: 1929. Two well-bred Oxford students who, under the malign influence of Nietzsche and his theories of the Übermensch, kill a fellow undergraduate just for kicks. They then hold a dinner party, serving the food and drink from a chest that contains the corpse.
Can they keep their composure or will conscience and morality strike too late?
- October 2014
Last year, Yaseen Kader degraded from Cambridge. In the intervening time, he dealt with depression, sleep disorders, bizarre medication side-effects, eccentric therapists, con-man doctors, and arguably too much free time. And now he's going to tell you all about it, in an hour of stand-up comedy. There will be jokes, stories, and light verse, all in an attempt to maybe, just maybe, make you smile.
"Yaseen Kader is a great comedian because he strikes the right balance between awkward and confident, making him endearing but easy to watch." - TCS
"Bizarre? Yes. But also entertaining." - The Tab
"Yaseen Kader’s poetry is artistic gold." - TCS
- October 2014
Edward Bond is often ranked amongst the most important dramatists of the twentieth century, and was described by the Abbey Theatre, Dublin as the most influential British playwright of all time. And yet his work, often contrary and controversial, is rarely performed in the UK.
This production of 'Saved' offers a rare chance to experience first-hand the potency of Bond's theatrical vision. Withdrawn from public performance upon its 1965 debut (no doubt for a particularly shocking act of violence in its first act), this depiction of deprived South Londoners both young and old made history in contributing to the fight against censorship. Through the lives of twenty-somethings Len and Pat, and their struggle to get by in a world of aggression and poverty, Bond offers a way of seeing the world like no other. It is a landmark work, both humane and harrowing, and never more timely for a contemporary audience.
- October 2014
“…What we buy says, you know, a lot about… Who We Are”
Tax is really, really taxing for Ben Edwards. Newly self-employed, he is now facing his dreaded self assessment form, with every receipt evoking the good times and the bad – memories of things gone wrong, gone right, the journeys he’s been on, the relationships that have begun and ended and the people he has lost. With a little help from Inland Revenue, Ben begins to stitch together the patchwork quilt that is the last Tax Year, and relives the times that were both hilarious and tragic, all mixed up in one shoe box of receipts.
Award-winning playwright James Graham (Tory Boyz, This House, Privacy) presents an affectionate, funny and touching portrait of one man's accomplishments, failures, triumphs and regrets. In performance, each receipt triggers a particular speech and Ben plucks them from the audience's hands at random, unravelling his story in a unique order every single night.
- October 2014
In October 1941, in the oppressive terror of occupied Denmark, two men reunite after years apart. One is the founder of modern physics, an intellectual giant whose achievements are unsurpassed. The other was once his disciple, a charismatic young scientist whose partnership with his mentor led to an overhaul in our understanding of the universe. One is Danish, the other German. One is building a bomb.
Michael Frayn’s Tony Award-winning masterpiece, described by the Sunday Times as “an intellectual thriller, a psychological investigation and a moral tribunal in full session”, comes to the Corpus Playroom for the first time. Revisiting the legendary meeting between Neils Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in which the world hung delicately in the balance, it questions whether man is at the centre of the universe, and if so, what hope there is for creation.
- October 2014
Having individually performed in the same room at Smokers around Cambridge (ADC, Pembroke, Fitzwilliam, Christ's), Orlando and Jamie continue their trend of non-interaction with a shared hour of stand-up for one night only at the Corpus Playroom. There will be talking.
Previous praise for the performers:
“had the audience in hysterics” - TCS
“prompted spontaneous applause” - The Tab
“worth going just to see Jamie Armitage’s fantastic hair” - Cambridge Theatre Review
- October 2014
We're all failures, deep down. This is a sketch show about that, and duck smuggling. Please laugh.
Previous praise for the writers/performers:
“Future star of tomorrow” – TCS
“Very funny” – The Tab
“In a word, hilarious” - Varsity
- October 2014
Eclectic, absurd, and rather silly - journey through the garbled minds of five semi-fresh Cambridge Comedians.
Who is ‘Anthony’? What is ‘Anthony’? How is ‘Anthony’?
Frankly, we don't know. When we've written it, we'll get back to you.
- August 2014
Parade is a modern musical written by Jason Robert Brown. It tells the true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish Yankee factory supervisor, falsely accused of murder. Set in Marietta, Georgia in 1913, just 50 years after the Civil War, the mix of anti Yankee feeling and rife anti-Semitism at the time leads to a miss-carriage of justice with tragic consequences. Parade was first performed in 1998 and was the winner of many awards, including the Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Musical Score.
- July 2014
- July 2014
Paul Fisher is a really nice guy - even if he's a bit of an endearing jerk. He only has one problem: he doesn't have a 'plus one'. And he desperately needs a 'plus one'. Like now. Why? He's just received an invitation to the second wedding of his ex-wide and the invitation includes - you guessed it - a 'plus one'. And the wedding is next week! What's a man to do in these desperate circumstances? Dive into the murky waters of internet dating, that's what, and arrange seven dates with seven prospective 'plus ones' in seven days - all of whom look remarkably like his mother!
- June 2014
Adeline grew up knowing that big sister Greer would always be there for her. Until Greer pissed off to London, that is, leaving Addie and her unexpected baby daughter on the other side of the world. Now Greer's back and wants to rebuild their relationship. Yeah right. Right? We're looking for fabulous cast and crew to stage this low-key, sad, awkward, great production about sisterhood, parenthood, and the strangeness of coming home.
- June 2014
The world changes and you with it.
Abi Morgan's play, originally performed in collaboration with Frantic Assembly, is the story of one couple, told from two different points in their lives: as young lovers in their twenties and as worldly companions looking back on their relationship.
Their past and present selves collide in this haunting and beautiful tale exploring love, memory and loss.
- May 2014
“I know, this all sounds like some crazy plot to a stupid play…”
It’s 1965 and famed movie star James Redgrave is set to return to the stage after a long absence from the spotlight. To celebrate he throws a small party at his London apartment just hours before the opening night. However amidst the champagne, cold buffet and the arrival of his insufferable mother, he is accidentally incapacitated. But the show must go on. The understudy is horrendously drunk, the director is a complete buffoon and there’s a dead body in the spare room! Will the show be saved at the last minute? or will everything fall to pieces?
With guest appearances from Julie Andrews, Ann-Margret and Charlie Chaplin, this hilarious satire of Hollywood’s golden age will have you in stitches from start to finish!
- May 2014
Bad Advice offers a fresh outlook on the dating game. In this new comedy, we watch from within Jim's troubled mind as he struggles to embark on his first relationship since coming out of the closet. Out of his depth but refusing to give up without a fight, all of Jim's inter influences are laid bare for us to see in this heart-wrenching and hilarious escapade into the dangers of dating, love and out-of-date seafood.
- May 2014
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join the Cambridge Impronauts as we travel to a world of sharp suits, sharp knives and sharper wit, as we take the spy thriller genre, put a gun to its head and give it a thorough shakedown.
Following our signature blend of laughter, song and cold-blooded assassination, each night will feature a whole new host of cunning rogues, monstrous henchmen and devilish schemes. With you suggestions kept firmlyin mind, we'll weave a whole new narrative in the style of your favourite spy film, novel, play or video game.
You provide the intelligence, we'll provide the action.
No scripts. No rehearsals. No problem.
- May 2014
' ‘The war is over, the war begins… for me.’
Troy has fallen, and its women wait in the wreckage to discover their fates. Having borne witness to the death of husbands, fathers and sons and seen their city burned to the ground, they now face slavery, abuse and humiliation at the hands of their enemies.
In a modern world no stranger to the inevitability and futility of war, this story of grief, fear and how people react to it is as current and hard hitting now as it was when Euripides presented it to an uncomfortable Greek audience over two thousand years ago. The characters he created remain to this day some of the most complex representations of women in theatre.
This is a powerful and moving exploration of the arrogance of power and the violent aftermath of war, in which women are so often the ultimate victims.
- April–May 2014
What if the world descended into post-apocalyptic turmoil? What if every faction of society spiralled out of control? What if badgers governed humans? There would be no need to make a song and dance about it.
But some people probably would anyway.
Dystopia: The Musical (A Sketch Show) depicts everything that we humans hold dear collapsing into catastrophic confusion, with the occasional song to lighten the mood. Join us as dark dystopia clashes with whimsical musical theatre in a fabulous armageddon. Just don't expect to make it out alive. And definitely don't expect to make it out elated.
**Post-apocalyptic tristesse not included.
A new sketch show with music from Footlights regulars Milo Edwards, Archie Henderson, Jordan Mitchell, Theo Wethered and Guy Emanuel
- April–May 2014
“The Tory Party is the gayest party, by about a country mile”
Sam is northern, gay and a Conservative. As a parliamentary researcher he is struggling to reconcile his private sexual identity with his public political life, whilst his supercilious boss, a persistent lover, a gang of GSCE schoolchildren and the memory of past PM Edward Heath constantly play on his mind… From the acclaimed writer of the National Theatre’s ‘This House’, comes a sharp and witty political comedy of private party politics, careerism versus idealism and the processes of change and acceptance.
“…it’s not who you are, it’s what you do. You should hold on to that”.
- April 2014
A night of stand-up comedy featuring:
Ted Hill (compere): 'incredibly natural and stuffed full of great material' - TCS.
Chris Page: 'A delightfully geeky flair' - Tab
Harry Wright : 'lived up to his star billing' - Norwich Tab
Dan Leigh: 'kept the audience bubbling over nicely throughout' - TCS
Patrick Brooks: 'fine' - Ted Hill
Victor Herrero: 'kept the audience on their toes' - TCS
- April 2014
Two vagabonds find themselves in the middle of the American Nightmare. Their absurd stories, wild accusations and aimless ponderings reveal a dark and murky past. Having stolen the ticket to a brighter future, redemption proves far from forthcoming for those who've taken the wrong road through life.
Waiting for Godot meets Pulp Fiction in this gritty new black comedy.
- April 2014
Two nameless men from different worlds sit in a run-down New York apartment. One of them has just tried to commit suicide. The other managed to stop him. Now all he has to do is convince him not to try again. With differing life stories, altering world views, and opposite opinions on the nature of belief, the two men discuss the world around them, especially the meaning of life and religion. Powerful and moving, with sweeping, heartfelt dialogue, the Sunset Limited takes the audience on a thought-provoking journey. This meditative work is the product of Cormac McCarthy, one of the finest writers of our time.
- March 2014
Let the Cambridge Impronauts transport you back to the timeless era of period drama. Join us for a story of dances and debutantes, of ruffs and reticence, of silverware and status anxiety. You choose the period; we'll supply the drama.
Will the foppish bohemian win the duchess's hand from the slimy archduke? Will the mistress of the house frolic with the footman, or will he be too busy getting kinky with the kitchen boy? And will anyone ever get a bloody job? Who knows?
But an hour of wig-raising, warmongering, butler-bashing and bodice-ripping is sure to straighten things out.
- March 2014
Taken hostage by unseen captors in Lebanon and trapped in a cell, three western men from very different backgrounds struggle to stay alive and to stay sane. Every day, as they battle against despair, they use imagination as a powerful weapon; balancing their grim existence with powerful moments of hilarity and fantasy.
Based on the experience of real hostages Brian Keenan and Terry Waite, both held in Beirut in the 1980s, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me is a moving tale of human resilience and spirit.
- March 2014
“So you’re actually sane? That’s very impressive. In this day and age”.
THE CUT – a musingly fierce play from the controversial writer behind the hit 'Shopping and Fucking'
Paul is not just a rubber stamp. He is counted on by his government to deliver the cut – a mysterious operation with potentially sinister outcomes on its recipients. As a rising tide of opposition questions whether the operation is indeed beautiful or simply barbaric, it is cutter Paul who feels the strain. Can he hold his workplace and family – or even himself – together?
From one of the directors of JERUSALEM - ‘Explosive, daring and strangely moving, Jerusalem pushes the limits of what we expect to see on stage’ (TAB)
... and CAN’T STAND UP FOR FALLING DOWN – ‘This is a must-see play if ever there was one’ (VARSITY). ‘life-affirming’ (TAB)
- March 2014
1930s Paris. Jean Cocteau's masterwork, translated by Jeremy Sams, revolves around love, sex and hate in a fabulously decrepit bourgeois family in their deliciously dusty apartment. Five characters, each trying and failing to reconcile their desires with persuasion and deceit. With its rambling wit and wavering melodrama, you'll find yourself laughing even when the characters are at their most blissfully tragic. Les Parents Terribles is both tragic and comedic, dark and frivolous.
- March 2014
“A non-theatrical, theatre production about language and chance. The story Cinderella, with much of the translations of the world from Serbian to Soqotri. More than 500 versions, of millenniums many, Cinderella is understand as universal knowledge. What happens when languages kiss: A Cinderella masala, of stories bring us together, interpretations apart.”
- February–March 2014
Christopher Marlowe: writer, lover, spy, Corpuscle. When his secret diary is discovered during a thoroughly unprofessional archaeological dig, a tale of daring, seduction and secrets is brought to light. The young Marlowe writes of his time as a penniless and foolish undergraduate at Corpus, recruited by the Privy Council to investigate a series of suspicious goings-on in an isolated convent in France.
Marlowe is plunged into a scandalous world of lies, treachery and mad nuns. King Henry IV of France is planning an invasion, and the Queen of England is in danger...
Now Marlowe must escape using only his wit, charm and rugged good looks – and, perhaps, a healthy dose of cross-dressing. But even if he makes it back to English shores, can he trust anyone he finds there…?
The Corpus Freshers’ Show will be performed, directed, produced, designed and crewed entirely by those new to Cambridge drama.
