Theatre Guide Dog: Week 7

You have to hate this place sometimes.

A thick, syrupy, Dickensian fog has descended on Cambridge and you swear you can actually feel it pressing against your fucking skull.

But fear not, little ones. Theatre is here to help. Whether you get your kicks from family dysfunction, governmental corruption, or lonely deformed people, there’s plenty of misery about to indulge in.

The Improvised Musical – 5th March only

Not content with merely singing things at us and occasionally writing musicals which start aggressively non-anonymous comment wars, the Cambridge musical theatre scene has taken it up a level. There is some alarming business about bringing an item of your own for the props box, but I really wouldn’t trust actors with personal possessions. Particularly ones that sing. Tuneful bastards.

Corpus Playroom, 9.30pm £5-6

The Government Inspector – 6th-10th March

After two hundred years, we’re still not tired of watching corrupt politicians getting bollocked over. Also even if you don’t really know much/give a fuck about politics you can go to this and feel good about yourself for seeming edgy and intellectual but it’s okay because this is a comedy too.

Corpus Playroom, 7pm £5-6

Festen – 6th-10th March

I have a theory that an unspoken prerequisite of Cambridge studentship is having serious, deep-rooted, issues. I also have a theory that an unspoken prerequisite for wanting to stand in a brightly-lit spot in and otherwise dark room in front of hundreds of people with high chances of humiliation is having serious, deep-rooted, issues.

ADC, 7.45pm £6-10

Eigengrau – 6th-10th March

The plot of this sounds a lot like Closer, but then Closer is really fucking good. Queens’ is also very far away, though, so maybe it takes more time for information to reach them.

Queens’ Fitzpatrick, 7.45pm £4-6

The Hunchback of Notre Dame – 6th-10th March

On their determined journey to conquer as much stage-space as possible with each performance, James Swanton’s gangly limbs and alarmingly stretchy face finally receive a spotlight all of their own and tackle the writings of minor one-man legend Pip Utton.

Corpus Playroom, 9.30pm £5-6

Little Shop of Horrors – 7th-10th March

The more scripted but less “famous” musical theatre offering this week. Take your pick. Or see both, what do I care.

Magdalene Cripps Auditorium, 7.30pm £5-8

CODA – 7th-10th March

Another obscurely-named Closer-sounding drama, but student-written this time. (Seriously, though, such a good play.) Best hope the writing’s better than the poster though. Just sayin’.

ADC, 11pm £4-6

Top Girls – 7th-10th March

I am suspicious of people well into their second term at university clinging to the label of “Freshers’ Show”. You also know something is wrong when feminist plays written in the Thatcherite era are still regarded as relevant. Though it might have something to do with that information flow problem and Queens’ again.

Queens’ Fitzpatrick, 11pm £4-6