Review: Sorry Sorry Sorry Very Sorry

 Forgive the obvious pun, but I’m certainly not sorry sorry sorry very sorry to have seen the Footlights’ newest production at the ADC theatre. From the absolutely absurd to the agonisingly authentic, the six performers waltzed between sketches with such fluidity we could almost ignore the second-hand embarrassment that each all too familiar uncomfortable scenario elicited. 

 The versatility of the entire cast and brutally bare set design made the transitions from creepy tinder date to fallopian tube all the more imperceptible. As co-directors Poppy Maxwell and Manon Harvey told me, these relatable depictions of rejection remind us that when faced with the lows of life all we can do is laugh or cry – so why not laugh?

 Completely student-written, the team’s collaborative approach to making light of rejection as a “universal constituent of the human experience” allowed the audience to chuckle through the tears and join them on their mission “just to have fun”. Their emphasis on physical comedy made use of the entire theatre, and with each performer’s repertoire, they certainly knew how to immerse us in the extremes of emotions.

 With sketches ranging from invalidating therapy sessions and anti-aggro football matches to Young Harry auditions and a Truss X Taylor collab, the performances were simultaneously satirical, lighthearted and inclusive in their content. The team were commendable in taking on the challenge of tackling such a range of issues by finding the humour in their hypocrisy and absurdity, enhanced by the bittersweet relevancy of the music selected by Freddie Dobbs to complement each scene. 

 The modernisation of the themes explored inevitably appeals to a rather specific, yet evolving target audience. Consequently, one or two members of the crowd sat awkwardly giggling to mask their singular unseenness – likely feeling victim to the narratives of the irreverently termed “wokeratti” as were the sad, sad members of the RAT support group. But, of course, you can’t please everyone, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing that in adapting the humour, those who are yet to get on board with Footlights’ modernised vision were somewhat excluded from the overwhelming feeling of catharsis resonating through the audience. 

 Ultimately, Sorry Sorry Sorry Very Sorry was a fantastically funny demonstration of how the Cambridge creative scene is trying to shine a light on the non-elite experience, going some way in unapologetically rectifying the university’s history of white-washed exclusivity. You’d be sorry to miss it!

4.5/5

Sorry Sorry Sorry Very Sorry is showing at the ADC Theatre at 11pm from the 1st February – 4th February. Book your tickets here.

Feature image credits: screenshot from Camdram website

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