What’s On At the Theatre

FRANCESCA HILL and JAMES MACNAMARA are tired, oh so tired. But they’re still excited about theatre, and this week is oh so action-packed!

ADC Corpus Playroom Footlights Footlights Spring Revue mumford theatre review Theatre Theatre programme

CUSU‘s Mental Health Week was two weeks ago: theatreland has caught up and is offering two of the most interesting plays of the year, both dealing with this issue. And there’s Shakespeare, Footlights Spring Review, a new opera, MORE sketch shows… get going before revision swallows you whole.

 

Dust Song

ADC, 11pm, 6th – 9th March, £6/£5

A new opera composed by Joe Bates, with a libretto by Ceci Mourkogiannis, co-directing alongside Fred Maynard. There’s some serious Cambridge talent behind this production, but they’re doing something very difficult – go and see if it succeeds.

 

 

 

Footlights Spring Revue 2013: Dressing Down

ADC, 5th – 9th March at 7.45pm, 7th and 9th at 2.30pm
Mats £8/£6, otherwise £10/£8

What you make of this is likely to depend on how many Footlights shows you’ve seen before. This is a three-man, many-costume show, and whilst it’s funny, we think they have and can do better.

 

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum

Mumford Theatre, Anglia Ruskin, 7.45pm, 6th – 9th March, £10/£8
Matinee 2.30pm, 9th March

This production of Sondheim’s classic isn’t perfect but certainly makes a good evening’s entertainment. It’s funny, clever, and there are some consistently strong performances.

 

The Gift Of The Gorgon

King’s Bunker, 7pm, 7th – 8th March, £6/£5

The King’s Website calls it “a play about playwrights and academics, about right and wrong, about justice and revenge”. Francesca isn’t exactly a Schaffer expert, but thinks that all sounds great.

 

The House of Bernarda Alba

Corpus Playroom, 7pm, 5th – 9th March, £6/£5

By Corpus Playroom standards this is apparently only acceptably grim. Lorca’s classic tragedy about a house of women in mourning hit the mark in every way for our reviewers.

 

Julius Caesar

Fitzpatrick Hall, Queen’s College, 7.30pm, 5th – 9th March, £6/£5

BATS have done good things in the past, and JMac has heard that this might be good too. The Part II English Tragedy paper looms – this might give revision a welcome boost.

 

Leaving the Ward

Corpus Playroom, 9.30pm, 5th – 9th March, £6/£5

This play features some of the best acting of the term, and behind it is process that many people try but rarely is it pulled off like this. However, JMac had an issue with the way some of the themes are dealt with – but he urges you to go and make up your own mind.

 

 

Snap Out Of It!

Pembroke New Cellars, 7.30pm, 5th – 9th March, £5

A potentially important piece, this is a weaving together of accounts of mental illness through innovative dramatic technique. Not as pretentious as it sounds – in fact, in looks to be one of the theatrical highlights of the year.

 

 

Tough Crowd: A New Sketch Show

Pembroke New Cellars, 9.30pm, Tue 5th – Sat 9th March, £5

Another sketch show this term – haven’t we laughed enough? Can we bear any more mirth? Apparently this show won’t add to it much. So there’s no need to worry.