Magdalene May Ball

MONA EBERT upholds Magdalene’s attention to detail, in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream – white tie style’.

burger dining Fish pedicure London Magdalene white tie

The queue for Magdalene’s Centenial May Ball was an early indication of just how magical the night was going to be. This was surely a line of Cambridge’s most attractive and finest – boys in white tie are a personal favourite. The entertainment for those eagerly waiting to get in was fitting – an accapella group on a punt occupied the ball goers as they took photos on the bridge. The weather held out and we moved quickly. After 45 minutes we were in.

As we waited to get our wristbands, it quickly became clear that the committee had taken care of every detail – decorations were hanging from the trees in the forms of gold and silver pears and apples. The attention to every miniscule aspect of the decoration was extremely impressive, and truly unique to Magdalene. My only worry was the lack of lighting in the ticket tent. My hands were shaking as I placed my arm under the machine that was to punch the metal into place. In the dark. Mildly terrifying.

All was allayed – including the cold – by the sword opening of champagne bottles and calming jazz lulling coming from one of the two music tents. The programme for the evening topped that of other balls in appearance, carefully sealed with wax. Every inch of this ball oozed immaculate precision and careful planning.

Those lucky enough to have a dining ticket (apparently the 5 course meal was ‘amazzzinggg’) were still finishing off desert as I joined the long queue for what must be the best burger I’ve had outside of London. The wait was definitely worth it. Some guy in the curry queue had the same verdict: ‘definitely the best Indian food I’ve ever had in Cambridge.’ It’s a tough competition when you’ve got the Mahal within walking distance.

The first of my many personal glitches came when I entered the sushi tent. Apparently you could learn how to make your own. I confused the ingredients bowls with actual finger food. So I apologise now if there was a considerable dent in the crab supply. Making the most of their hilly grounds, guests were treated to a stroll into the pet cemetery where the committee had hidden an outdoor cinema, and a fresh pizza service (stone oven included) right behind it.

Another attraction that I happily missed was the fish pedicure. Many druken revelers obviously failed to see the hygene implications of such a ‘treat.’ Never mind. A few paces down by the Cam ‘beach’ was a punt station and a spectacular fair ground, beyond which was one of the highlights – the cocktail stand. The Passionfruit Martinis were impeccable, although service was sometimes slow and often confused due to the lack of lighting. Once more however, the wait was definitely worth it.

I must admit that I missed The Mystery Jets – simply because I got distracted in the Shisha Tent. Covered in plush pillows with an ample supply of pipes, I was nearly lulled to sleep by the many wonderful acoustic acts. As the evening went on, I couldn’t help but feel that I had landed in a Midsummer Night’s Dream – white tie style. The one down side to the many fairy lights, whimsical decorations and soft hummings of Cambridge’s finest musicians is that I increasingly felt like I was paying for Valentine’s Day. I was perpetually locked between a triumpherate of lovers, unashamedly exploring pda to its very limits.

I had promised myself to avoid another certain personal blunder – the silent disco. For onlookers still sober enough to judge, the dancers looked truly hilarious. By 5 in the morning, after a delicious breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, it seemed like the best idea ever. No longer silent, I had found some extremely agile dance partners and shouted my lungs out to the ‘sexy channel’. It proved to be the perfect way to welcome the morning.

Another tent to get stuck in was the Comedy Tent. An ecelectic mix of surprisginly comfortable armchairs meant that many of the visitors nodded off within a matter of minutes. But those wise enough to keep their eyes and ears open were treated to a variety of acts – from singing to story re-enacting; the acts were interactive and hilarious. The poetry reading was sure to wake anyone up. Although extremely impressive, the references to tuition fees and our future on the dole was something I had hoped not to be mentioned at all this week. However, the political wake up call proved once more how lucky Magdalene’s guests were. This was truly a spectacular, magical night that was not to be missed.

Photos by Rosie Keep

Food & Drink:

Wow factor:

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Star Attraction: Food and drink

Biggest Turn Off: The ban on drinks on the main stage and the queues for the cocktail stands