- 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.
- February–March 2014
You are invited to Valentine, part sketch comedy, part experiment, part game. With one of the most talented casts Cambridge comedy has ever seen, Valentine is an all-new variety show in the corpus playroom, for your entertainment.
- February 2014
Can SCIENCE and THEATRE work together? Science! the musical’ is a brand new exciting musical about life in the lab, written by Cambridge University PhD Student, Andrew Goldman.
Janice, a young enthusiastic graduate student has just had her first paper proposal accepted at a conference, only that ... she has not yet written the paper! In two short weeks, she must learn the process of doing scientific experiments from a cynical post-doc named Simon, and her well-meaning if somewhat aloof professor. Meanwhile, the conference organizer and publishing kingpin Jay Wiles Blackly is pressuring Janice to finish her work soon or else she'll never make it in the scientific world.
- February 2014
"I love you so much I could burst into flames"
London is dying.
Amidst the chaos and horror, two sibling survivors deal hallucinogenic butterflies from an old ice cream truck and throw parties. These aren't just any parties, but parties for the super rich in which their wildest and darkest fantasies are realised.
In exchange for them escaping with what remains of their family, the next guest wants just one thing...
How far would you go to save the ones you love?
Warning: this show contains adult themes and language, graphic imagery, and scenes of violence, which some viewers may find disturbing or offensive.
- February 2014
A surreal musical comedy adventure tells the tale of eccentric couple Ezekiel and Aphrodite Sparks on the hunt for a mythical immortal panda, in pursuit of which treasured nature documentarist David McAttenford has lost his life.
Complete with singing, silly dancing, quick character swaps, a tribute to London bus drivers, a lot of running about, a surprising amount of Chinese history and, of course, a panda, the show sees us led from the 'section of the British Library for Things Proved Silly or Factually Incorrect' to the remote village of Hu Flung, in Xi Li province, China. But will our two penniless, half-pissed protagonists ever manage to outsmart Sir Reginald Huntleigh Morgan, mustachioed gentleman adventurer and full-time villanous bastard, who always seems to be one step ahead...
- February 2014
Nine parallel lives, interlocked by four infidelities, one missing person and a mysterious stiletto, are woven through a fragmented series of confessionals and interrogations that gradually reveal a darker side of human nature.
From the award-winning writer of 'When the Rain Stops Falling' (***** from Tab and Varsity), 'Speaking in Tongues' is about the right and wrong of emotional conduct. It is a story about contracts being broken between intimates while deep bonds are forged between strangers in a world of hidden connections.
- February 2014
From the team behind the five star 'And The Horse You Rode In On' comes DERROGADE, a brand-new thriller following the incarceration of the criminally insane Harry Derrogade and the young journalist Nat Harper over a period of one month, as they delve deeper and deeper into Harry's past, and perhaps discover something that will leave both of them scarred for the rest of their lives.
- February 2014
William Carlisle is intelligent, articulate and f***ed.
Set in the library of a Stockport grammar school, 'Punk Rock' is a thought-provoking and shocking study of the pressures faced by young people today. As the plot progresses, William's and his friends' seemingly innocent worries about their mock exams and relationships become increasingly dark.
'...The History Boys on acid...' 'If Lord of the Flies met Skins...' Evening Standard
- January–February 2014
“There are noises in the room, things creak, footsteps on the stairs, out in the corridor, I think it’s him, every time I think it’s him. They say he’s dead but what if he’s not?”
Billy is violent, disturbed and sexually dominating. He controls his wife and two adult daughters to the extent that they can't leave the room without asking permission: the women are there to service him and his insanity. One day his family shoots him dead. 'Five Kinds of Silence' shows a distorted world of madness, control, and despair through the eyes of dead Billy and those of his family, struggling to understand reality outside their stifling tomb.
A harrowing, yet provocative physical theatre production.
- January–February 2014
“My wife is a nymphomaniac… I married her for her money and, upon discovering her to be penniless, I attempted to throttle her. She escaped my murderous fury and I’ve had to live with her malice ever since.”
Dr Prentice’s attempts to seduce his prospective secretary at his private psychiatric clinic are interrupted by the unexpected arrival of his wife. His subsequent endeavours to hide his transgression begin a string of deceptions and misunderstandings that drag everyone one into a day’s worth of farcical chaos. A government health inspector arrives, various characters are wrongly declared insane and are sedated, a rape is reported and cross dressing ensues. What the Butler Saw, is dark and relentlessly funny – Joe Orton’s finest farce.
- January 2014
Putting the World to Writes involves one young, idealistic woman; a keyboard; a ukulele; and shallow philosophies about what could be done to make the world a better place. Let's be honest, it's not going to change the world, but it might make you laugh for an hour - or, at the very least, consider the sorry state we're all in. And if THAT doesn't sound like fun, I don't know what does.
Shortlisted for Musical Comedy Awards 2014.
Previous praise for Rosalind Peters: 'Comedy musictress, Rosalind Peters, may be the most ambitious rhymer I have ever seen.' (Fellow Bright Club comedian Josh Witten); 'impeccable comic timing' (CTR); 'lovely singing voice' (Varsity)
- January 2014
“We go, see the slo-mo ebb and flow; the mill, the babble, the rabble of wobbling waywards, exiled and aimless, unlike us as, purposeful and double-file, like kids on a dare, we head to who the fuck knows where?”
Over the course of a single night, three people are ripped from their daily lives and catapulted into a world of singing serial killers, avenging angels and lovesick demons. Told through overlapping, rhyming monologues, the gritty and fantastical are pitted together in this award-winning, exhilarating play.
- January 2014
After suffering a major loss while he was on a cross-country bike trip, 21 year old Leo seeks solace from his feisty 91 year old grandmother Vera in her New York apartment. Over the course of a single month, these unlikely roommates infuriate, bewilder, and ultimately reach each other.
The Heywood Society presents '4000 Miles', a show which looks at how two outsiders find their way in today's world.
'A funny, moving, altogether wonderful drama' - The New York Times
https://www.facebook.com/events/615840261809202/?fref=ts
- January 2014
An hour of stand-up from four of Cambridge's top comedians: Charlie Palmer, Milo Edwards, Wilf Bagnall and Josh Erde.
Previous praise for performers:
Charlie Palmer:
'Stellar' - TCS
'Charlie Palmer will go far.' - The Tab
'Delightfully goofy' - Broadway Baby
Milo Edwards:
‘Fantastic... had me in hysterics’ - The Cambridge Student
‘A total crowd-pleaser’ - The Tab
‘Well-judged and intelligent’ - Varsity
Josh Erde:
'A comedy masterclass... brilliantly constructed' - Varsity
Wilf Bagnall:
'Don't really like him' - Charlie Palmer
'Very wide neck' - Josh Erde
'I'm f*ing hilarious, you c**' - Wilf Bagnall
- January 2014
A new comedy sketch show all about books, but you don’t need to be a bookworm to find it funny. With a star-studded cast including the comedic talents of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and William Shakespeare, it is already being billed as the most important literary event of our time. Expect shameless irreverence, shallow comment and brilliant puns. Don’t forget to book (look, there’s one already)!
- January 2014
- January 2014
'Kat is moving out of the London flat she shares with ex-boyfriend Ben. Helping her are Thea, her best friend, and Josh, the new man in her life. Ben (who’s not even meant to be there) is hurt and angry and still in love with Kat. But is it now too late to tell her… ?' A contemporary drama that explores love & loss. With critically acclaimed productions in both Edinburgh & London, 'Worlds End' comes to Cambridge for the first time ever.
Award winning playwright Paul Sellar has given permission for New Dawn Theatre to use an updated version of the original text. A play for anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak.
"It’s a delight to see so much that’s right packed into such a short playing time. I strongly advise anyone to take out 70 minutes to see this new play... A delight... relationships may not last but this play certainly should.” The Evening Standard, Fiona Mountford, 2008
'Worlds End' a play by Paul Sellar (Copyright 2008) is reproduced by permission of Sheil Land Associates on behalf of Paul Sellar.
- December 2013
From a trollop-laden Victorian farce, to the state of Australian television, to a modern ‘meet the parents’ piece – The Alternative Christmas Party is an evening of original comedy one-act plays and sketches for the mince pie weary.
There will be absolutely, categorically, unquestionably and indisputably no mention of Christmas whatsoever. None. Nothing. Not even a bit of tinsel. Nada navidad. Although the first play is set at Christmas time and the following six sketches all mention Christmas. There is the chorus of irritable carol singers and the last one-act play is called Ado at Christmas. Which is quite Christmas-y. In fact it’s very Christmas-y. OK, it’s really very very Christmas-y!
- December 2013
Adolf, a young up and coming artist begins to harbour suspicions and questions the whereabouts of his rather frivolous and free spirited older wife. A timely visit from a mysterious and enigmatic stranger just might be the answer to putting these doubts to rest and with his offer of solace, a way to make sense of a world of uncertainty where his masculinity, creativity and indeed his very existence is at stake. Who is this stranger? Why has he appeared at such a pivotal point in the life of this young artist? Strindberg’s dark and timeless tragicomedy grants us a peek into a world of sexual obsession, revenge and the reopening of old wounds, ending with the inevitable but shocking lesson of what could happen when love dies.
- December 2013
Join the Cambridge Impronauts for an evening of untold terror, laughter and music as they take the world of horror, spin it around, kick it down the stairs and stick a moustache on it. Audience suggestions give lifeblood to a monstrous creation, meaning that a new tale of woe is constructed every single night.
Scream as the Archmage Dung Beetle unleashes an army of resurrected fridges to blast a hole in the Boyzone layer. Cry out in horror as the Devil himself takes on the Corpus Chronophage at Connect Four to see who will gain custody of George Lucas’ soul. Cackle with malevolent glee as the mutated form of Alan Sugar’s head transplanted onto the body of a tapir runs amok in Norman Bates’ kitchen.
If you don’t come out laughing, you won’t come out at all!
- December 2013
Lynette’s former career as a feisty, ambitious journalist seems a distant memory to those that know her as the warm, homely wife and mother that she later became. However, as her family gathers for a low-key birthday celebration, flashbacks from her past begin to cloud her mind and she starts to open up for the first time about her real past existence. Her children, now adults with children of their own, disappoint her with the doubt they show about her incredible stories. Frustrated, she delves further into her past, inter-weaving scenes from her previous power-laden existence into her present-day banality.
The core of her frustration lies in a deep-seated secret she was bound by national governments to supress. She knows the real story of JFK’s assassination. And she knows, because she saw the footage first-hand, before the rest of the country. What’s more, that footage lies, metres from where her family now sit, squabbling over petty problems and refusing to listen to her tale. Perhaps if they won’t listen, she may be pushed to reveal what she tried to hide for thirty years, and show them the evidence that was meant to go unseen forever.
- December 2013
An hour of standup from regular Cambridge comedians Charlie Palmer, Milo Edwards and Henry Anderson-Elliott.
Previous praise for Milo Edwards: ‘Fantastic... had me in hysterics’ - The Cambridge Student ‘A total crowd-pleaser’ - The Tab ‘Well-judged and intelligent’ - Varsity
Previous praise for Charlie Palmer: ‘Stellar’ - The Cambridge Student ‘Charlie Palmer will go far’ - The Tab ‘Delightfully goofy’ - Broadway Baby ‘Charlie Palmer has all the women’ - CamFM
Previous praise for Henry Anderson-Elliott: ‘SO GOOD’ - The Tab ‘Thoroughly unlikeable’ - Milo Edwards ‘Smells awful... silly beard’ - Charlie Palmer
- November 2013
It's Martha's wedding day and 3/4 of the household are happy about it. There's only one more day to get through, one more day before she and Jack can jet off to Mozambique together, Bollywood-style. But two family members are missing: Sophie and Freya. The two girls wait it out upstairs in a haven of their own, but as the morning stretches on, questions begin to surface. Why is Sophie refusing to talk to Marian? What's the meaning behind Freya's final art piece? And who exactly is Uncle Paul related to? Come find the answers in Jitters, a comical new play making its debut at the Corpus Playroom.
- November 2013
Take one couple, one NHS hospital ward, and a handful of vaguely helpful staff. Mix ingredients in middle-aged blender until thoroughly agitated. Top off with labour pains and serve with a twist of gender politics, et voila; you have yourself a visceral, modern concoction about life and its shortcomings. Tender, heartfelt, and darkly comic, Joe Penhall's crowning glory is one for adults only.
- November 2013
BAD JOKE: What do you call Cambridge's best comics plus a fantastic headliner? ANSWER: Anything you like because we can't hear you. It's COMMENTS DISABLED, a fresh, irreverent standup night loosely themed around disability, with all profits going to MIND.
- November 2013
Alice Naylor is having the family round. Son Henry’s got a new car with a football sticker on the back, Other Son Gavin’s brought Thornton’s Continentals, and Husband Roger has taken to painting everything. Not even a nice colour. Lilac. That's a shit colour. Normally, Alice would take this all in her stride, but the thing is, she’s gone and got herself in a coma.
From writer Pete Skidmore (“destined for great things”, Sally Harrison, Woolyback Productions; Smashed Shakespeare: Hammered Hamlet; Footlights smokers; CowsDrinkMilk), and the team behind “When the Rain Stops Falling”, “The Music Box” and “For Colored Girls”, comes a relentlessly inventive pitch black comedy based on everyone’s true story. “An Earlier Heaven” illuminates the universal cracks in family life, and gives an uncompromising voice to the secret loves and hates everyone harbours.
- November 2013
Ten men. Early 20th Century Europe. One day. Grappling with their appalling situation and each other, life for a soldier in the First World War is never easy.
- November 2013
The Other Prize has long been recognised as a primary vehicle for uncovering exceptional student writing in Cambridge. This year's winner, Occupied, follows a group of students' attempts to challenge the “theatrical establishment” and occupy the Corpus Playroom. Inspired by the controversial Lady Mitchell Hall Occupation in 2011 it takes a humorous (though hopefully optimistic) look at the trials and tribulations of student activism.
- November 2013
“I wanna climb back inside my mum. What’s wrong with that?”
The enduring story of Oedipus, the man who murdered his father and slept with his mother, is hurled from classical Greece into the “unimaginable wastelands” of present-day north London, as full of riots, filth and decay as ancient Thebes.
The twentieth century’s revolutionary master of stylised physical theatre, Steven Berkoff offers a searing and visceral reinterpretation of Sophocles’ enduring classic.
Don’t miss this intimate showcase of Cambridge’s newest dramatic talent.
“The bravest, most exciting and moving Greek tragedy in years” (The Sunday Times)
- November 2013
In an immersive and engaging approach to performance, ONE BY ONE breaks theatre right down to the essentials, with only one person in the audience. Spanning across a variety of spaces in the Corpus Playroom, a cycle of simultaneous performance pieces will provide a spectator experience varying from the voyeuristic to the confrontational.
- November 2013
BEAST beast [beest] noun 1.any nonhuman animal, especially a large, four-footed mammal. 2.the crude animal nature common to humans and the lower animals: Hunger brought out the beast in him. 3.a cruel, coarse, filthy, or otherwise beastlike person. 4.the beast, the Antichrist. Rev. 13:18.
Egon is a painter. Valie is a prostitute. Are they in love, or is it lust? Lust can be beastly, but so can decay.
In the intimacy of the Corpus Playroom, a relationship begins, unfolds and dissolves in Elena Bolster's acclaimed verse play.
