- October 2016
This October the Pembroke Players Japan Tour will return from Japan with the same Shakespeare play first toured ten years ago: Romeo and Juliet.
In the 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare’s death the ever-recognisable love story of Romeo and Juliet continues to find new resonance. This is a modern, energised restaging of the classic text.
Having performed in Tokyo, Okinawa, Ely, Cambridge and London – don’t miss the last few performances of this show with some of Cambridge’s most experienced actors.
- March 2016
The Brickhouse Theatre Company presents Samuel Barber's lush, gothic opera Vanessa. First performed in 1958, this expansive work won Barber the Pulitzer prize, but has since been under-performed. Director Judith Lebiez brings Vanessa to life in its first Cambridge presentation.
In the words of Barber's partner, and librettist, Giancarlo Menotti:
"This is the story of two women, Vanessa and Erika, caught in the central dilemma which faces every human being: whether to fight for one's ideals to the point of shutting oneself off from reality, or compromise with what life has to offer, even lying to oneself for the mere sake of living."
- February 2016
When dreams of power and takeover begin to fill the minds of the Disciples, Judas is quick to express his disdain at Jesus in order to avoid punishment being brought upon himself and The Disciples. Caiaphas, Annas, and others agree that his followers need to be crushed and Jesus must die. This is the epic tale of the seven days leading to Jesus' death on the cross - with music composed by none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber!
You don't want to miss this one!
- November 2015
The Rover is a comedy by Aphra Behn. Basically the 17th Century 'Inbetweeners'. Taking place during carnival time in Naples, English exile Belvile is seeking to reunite with his love Florinda. His friends are looking for women too, often with disastrous consequences. Placed in a modern setting, The Rover explores contemporary issues such as sex, rape culture and gender identity.
Thursday 26th, Friday 27th, Saturday 28th November, 7pm.
Tickets only available on the door, £5 per person.
https://www.facebook.com/events/473687579477163/
- November 2015
An apprentice to a band of pirates, Frederic has turned 21 and has chosen to leave piracy forever. As he says farewell to his former colleagues, who should appear but the beautiful Mabel, daughter to the esteemed Major General Stanley, and her many sisters. The two fall in love, and despite the group initially being captured by the pirates, they are soon released as the pirates have a soft spot for orphans, which Major General Stanley exploits. But despite a seemingly perfect life ahead for Frederic and Mabel, the pirates soon find a way to get at Frederic's sense of duty to the pirates...
The Pirates of Penzance is one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most famous shows, and the Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society are delighted to present it as this year's freshers' show!
- February 2015
« Le Mariage de Figaro » was performed in 1784 for the first time. The play was censored for many years, and this already hints at its revolutionary and insolent dimension.
This sequel of sorts to "The Barber of Sevilla" mainly revolves around this question: will Figaro and Suzanne manage to get married and circumvent the Count’s lustful « droit du seigneur »?
It is a witty, enjoyable and vibrant play: plots intertwine, characters drop their masks, and the feudal order of things starts to unravel. This play was (and still is) considered as foreshadowing the events of the Revolution in 1789. And to add to the original energy and liveliness of the play, which was also called « La Folle Journée » ("The Mad Day"), we’ve decided to include music interludes, dancers and a chorus... This vivacious and joyous swirl of characters, plots, puns and comic moments will keep you in your seat and leave you dazed and amused.
The play will be performed in French with English surtitles.
https://www.facebook.com/events/838901189504581/
- November 2014
A man is about to be executed. He has committed an atrocity so terrible that he faces the most severe punishment the town can throw at him. Koko, a lowly tailor, has been caught flirting.
The Mikado is the most famous of all Gilbert and Sullivan's comic masterpieces. Set in the topsy-turvy Japanese town of Titipu, 'The Mikado' combines biting social commentary with dark gallows humour to tell the story of Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado who disguises himself as a wandering minstrel in order to escape the romantic attentions of the elderly Katisha. In his travels he encounters and falls in love with the lovely Yum-Yum, one of three little maids who are the wards of Ko-Ko, the town executioner. Ko-Ko is engaged to Yum-Yum himself, but is distracted from his wedding plans by the royal decree that he must execute someone within a month... and Nanki-Poo seems like a good candidate.
- October 2013
Shortly before the start of WWII, Britain agreed to take in 10,000 unaccompanied children from Germany, Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia in an attempt to free them from the growing threat of Nazi terror.
Kindertransport literally means the ‘transportation of children’ and Diane Samuels’ play is an account of how one child was affected by this separation from her family - how fear followed her, how she tried to deny her roots and how important this became in her relationship with her own daughter.
In this play, there is a recurring theme of the Ratcatcher. He is rooted in the original tale of the pied piper of Hamlyn, who lures children away. His presence creates fear and foreboding, personifying the threat to the Jews who were compared to rats in German propaganda.
Eva is sent to Britain to escape the threat but survival comes at a price. As she accepts a new life in England and a new name 'Evelyn', she learns to hide behind a façade of order and control.
This play reveals the love and pain in mother / daughter relationships; the dilemma that tells a parent to send their child away to avoid mortal danger when that child, in Diane Samuels’ words “will, in most cases, say they’d rather stay and die with their parents”.
Kindertransport shows the consequences of such actions and the subsequent search for identity.
- November 2011
"Yeomen" is darker and more serious than Gilbert and Sullivan's other works but it is also one of the best loved and is widely regarded has having the finest score of the lot. Set in the Tower of London in the reign of Henry VIII, it tells the story of Colonel Fairfax, who has been sentenced to death for malicious accusations sorcery. Even in death Fairfax hopes to cheat his accuser of victory; at the same time his old friend, the Beefeater Sergeant Meryll, believes him innocent and plots with his family to set him free. Their scheming will entwine their fate with that of two strolling players, the jester Jack Point and singer Elsie Maynard, as the show builds to a heart-rending emotional climax.
- November 2010
1985: A media scandal rocks the British political landscape. Iolanthe, member of notorious freedom fighter gang, the Fairies, has an affair with a junior parliamentarian and rising political star. Then she disappears off the tabloid radar in disgrace and an interesting condition.
2010: With their leader having turned to drink, the Fairies are rebels without a cause. Little do they know that by persuading the Fairy Queen to welcome Iolanthe back into their ranks, they will start a revolution.
24-27 November 2010: Join us for this contemporary reimagining of Gilbert & Sullivan’s charming operetta, where magic lurks behind political activism and the establishment doesn’t stand a chance!”
Tickets from www.adcticketing.com
- November 2010
The ever popular, high energy Bugsy Malone is coming to Cambridge! Whether the ratmataz music, dancing chorus girls or watching splurge flying everywhere is your thing, there's something for you in this production!
- March 2010
"I'm in the frozen frozen Arctic
I've lost somebody
the body's under the ice
but it's getting harder and colder
the ice is building up..."
Ten year-old Rhona is abducted, abused, and murdered, resulting in the stagnation of the lives of three people connected to this crime. Yet the mother, the perpetrator, and the academic studying the criminal brain, eventually cross paths, culminating in a shocking confrontation.
Winner of the TMA Best New Play Award, and also nominated for a Tony, FROZEN is a challenging and dark exploration of forbidden desire, guilt, and ethics, by one of Britain's premier playwrights.
"A major play ... thrilling, humane and timely." The Times
"Consistently surprising and even bravely comic..." Indepedent
Keep up to date with the production and find out more at:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=322366122205&ref=mf
External links, rehearsal and production photos will be added.
- April 2009
A drama/music/dance instalation tour experiencing the Dante's Divine Comedy.
- February–March 2009
This already much hyped show promises to be a really enjoyable event. The musical is based on the cult tv programme of the 90s. It is a love story, set in the infamous maze featuring duplicity, Zimmer frames, and an outlandish musical score.
- November 2008
Patience 2008 Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society are proud to present this witty Wildean musical comedy as their 2008 Freshers’ Show. This frothy musical romp combines a sparkling score, a delightful gallery of characters and the beautiful evocation of a bygone medieval neverland where damsels swooned and sighed for their sweethearts, and where love could turn the world upside-down. Everyone is welcome to audition for a role in a play that is sure to be one of the highlights of the year.
- February 2008
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
The ultimate battle of the sexes in aristocratic pre-Revolution France. Seduction, Manipulation, and Deceit, 'Dangerous Liaisons' will be coming to Cambridge next term. Using the play behind the film, we want to create a dark masterpiece at one of Cambridge's larger venues and we want you to be a part of it. The story follows Le Vicomte de Valmont as he seduces young inexperienced Cecile and the demure yet passionate Mme Tourvel while being encouraged by his former mistress La Marquise de Merteuil who while seemingly supportive has ulterior motives. Tickets available on the door. Feel free to contact me, John, with any questions at jrm62@cam.ac.uk.
- November 2007
This term's exciting Freshers' Show is RUDDIGORE, one of G&S's lesser-performed but still immensely enjoyable collaborations. A witch's curse condemns each Baronet of Ruddigore to commit a crime a day or perish- desperate to avoid this fate, Sir Rutheven Murgatroyd hides out as Cornish farmer Sir Robin Oakapple to try and win the heart of his beloved, Rose Maybud- but his secret is only safe for so long. The show features some of Gilbert's most loved characters, including Mad Margaret and the sailor Dick Dauntless, as well as a male chorus of ghosts and a female chorus of professional bridesmaids, and some of Sullivan's best songs, such as "When the Night Wind Howls" and the patter trio "It really doesn't matter."
- May 2007
'The Cello Player' is a new work by Irish playwright Patrick Corbett, Ocras’ writer in residence. Set in a care home for people with mental illnesses, the play delineates the interaction between a dementia sufferer - a former international concert performer - and a truculent and bitter elderly newcomer, Nellie, unwanted by her family. Dealing with cross-currents of memory and dementia, the play explores the fragility of the self and the stories we construct our lives out of, offsetting these issues with a vein of irony and black comedy.
- November–December 2006
"Iolanthe" is one of Gilbert & Sullivan's most exciting operas; set between the warring worlds of Fairyland and the House of Lords, this production promises to be visually stunning, dramatically gripping, musically charming, but above all, the most fun show of the year!
- November 2006
"An exemplary piece of amateur theatre" [Varsity - 4 Stars]
Sophocles' masterpiece is brought to life in this, Blake Morrison's vivid and brilliant translation and adaptation of the third Theban Play.
Oedipus, by this time dead and gone, had two sons. One lies in state, waiting for a funeral with full honours for fighting with his city, while his brother lies on the dirt where he fell, rotting carrion for the birds, after he fought against it. Their fates are Creon's law. But Oedipus's daughter, Antigone, cannot suffer this last outrage on her family's honour, and she risks death from the state to follow Godly law (burying her treacherous brother). The question is, will Creon realise his mistake and retract his inhumane law in time to save his own family?
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You can pre-book tickets by emailing antigone@brickhousetheatre.co.uk Please include the day you want booking in the subject of the message. In the body of the email please include the day you want, your name and how many tickets you want reserved. You can pay for and collect your tickets from 7:00 to 7:20 on the day of the performance (the show starts at 7:30). After 7:20 we reserve the right to disregard your reservation.
We regret that we can only accept payment in cash and only on the night of the performance
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Read the full review at http://www.varsity.co.uk/reviews/610/1
- March 2006
"Love and Other Frustrations" is an evening of short paradoxical one-act comedies filled with delicious surprises and with Ives' uniquely engaging distortions of reality. A collection of brain-teasing comedies that will push your smart buttons while cracking you up repeatedly.
All profits will go towards the continued support of "Thalia" in the future.
To book a ticket email gp266 and send a cheque payable to "Cambridge University Hellenic Society" to Maria Dimitriadi, St Catharine's College.
Please write your full name and college on the back of the cheque.
Book soon as there is only limited capacity!
For more information contact George Poulogiannis (gp266)
- January–February 2006
An Irish rural hedge school is shaken up by the emergence into the sleepy community of two Irish soldiers who have come to remake the map of Ireland. Their task; to anglicise the place names, has far reaching personal and cultural effects for the small group involved. The focus on turbulent Anglo-Irish relations remains disturbingly relevant as ever today as in the 1830s. The poignant exploration of cross cultural love, transcending the language barriers, and the themes of loss and identity is perpetually met with the darker undercurrent of the potential for violence.
- November–December 2005
- November 2005
The kids of Rydell High class of '59 live out their final year in a whirl of sex, dance and Rock n Roll. The Boys' leader Danny Zuko comes back to school after some summer lovin' with with Rydell's newest chick, Sandy. But will she be accepted by the gang and become cool enough for Danny? Unlikely if the Pink Ladies have anything to do with it....
Presenting an amateur production of everyone's favourite musical - the original show is racier and funnier than the film, whilst remaining packed with classic tunes for you to sing along to. With a hugely talented cast full of Cambridge's finest, you can't fail to enjoy yourself with this fabulously clichéd show. Entertaining from start to finish this is an ideal evening out for anyone from the die-hard grease fan to the musical theatre virgin....come and witness 'Cambridge theatre does Grease'....you will not be disappointed!
To reserve tickets please email grease@brickhousetheatre.co.uk. You're tickets must be collected and paid for on the night, at least ten minutes before the start of the performance.
- March 2005
A British twenty-something studying photography in New York, Michael suddenly finds his senior thesis attracting more attention than he expected. But as the buzz and mystery surrounding his exhibition continue to grow, he is eventually forced to revisit his painful past--indeed, his work's very "inspiration". A Thousand Words, the debut play by American writer Max DiLallo, explores the anguish of lost love, the complexity of modern relationships, and the profound, transformative power of art.
- January 2004
It's Oscars night: the night when beautiful women wear barely-there dresses in an attempt to make it onto the news; the night when the Hollywood establishment pats itself on the back and honours its brightest stars; the night when two psycho killers hold a critically-acclaimed director hostage in his own home.
Inspired by the outcry over Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers, Popcorn is a biting satire of America's litigation culture and the growing influence of the media in people's lives.
- November 2003
Written over 20 years, TANTALUS is theatrical legend and RSC co-founder John Barton's attempt to recreate the lost tale of the Trojan War. Brutally cut in its debut tour in 2000, this new production represents the first ever attempt to stage the text as written, with fresh additions by Barton.
A chorus of girls - refugees or tourists, ancient Greek or modern day - sit on a beach and tell stories which come alive about them. Their talk of war and loss is interwoven with the tale of the destruction that will be wrought on the house of Tantalus, and all humanity, by war. Successful applicants can look forward to workshop sessions led by Barton himself in the coming weeks.
- February 2003
'Shakespeare's forgotten Rock and roll masterpiece.'
- October 2002
