Cambridge theatre and the Fringe are star-crossed lovers, soulmates even. The Fringe is an opportunity for Cambridge theatre’s best to showcase their talent to an audience outside of the bubble and impress them as they do us year-round. Here’s a guide to what Cambridge talent has to offer this year - you won’t want to miss it.
Cicada’s Children
After the cult of Cicada’s Children is discovered, its only remaining member, Bella recruits an unsuspecting idiot. This twisted tale is written by Anna Feldman and co-directed by Jake Fenton and Aoife Pallister Begadon. Anna was keen to expose her play to a wider audience, and the cast is incredibly excited that it’s being staged in the first full-capacity, post-COVID, Fringe.
Cicada’s Children is showing at theSpace on North Bridge from 15-20th and the 22-27th August
The Cambridge Footlights International Tour Show 2022: Are We There Yet?
A (very loosely) travel-themed sketch show which takes us all the way from yoghurt to Robbie Williams, Are We There Yet? is reviving the Footlight’s tradition of sending a touring sketch show to the Fringe. The sketch show is written by Sophie Stemmons, Jonathan Neary, Katie Devey, Chakira Alin, Adam Al-janabi and directed by Molly Taylor, and the cast is excited to see how a new audience will react to the show.
The Cambridge Footlights International Tour Show 2022: Are We There Yet? is showing at the Pleasance Dome AceDome from 3-29th August
Fake It Till You Make It
This is a darkly comic one-woman show about an actor named Leda who is struggling to ‘make it.’ This feminist comedy is written by Gaia Mondadori and directed by Mojola Akinyemi, and the cast and crew are especially excited about their all-female production team.
Fake It Till You Make It is showing at the Mille from 15-20th August
Dirty Laundry
What happens when three footlights live together for over a year? They write a sketch show about the experience. This personal production is written by Emily Symington, Robbie Boyd, and Maddie London and directed by Martha French, and they are excited to see the result of their collaborative comedy on stage at the Fringe.
Dirty Laundry is showing at the Greenside on Infirmary Street on the 5-20th August (but not the 14th!)
Life Before the Line
Jewish festivals, first love, testing friendships and terrorism, this play follows the lives of four Jewish teenagers coming-of-age during the 2016-17 rise in antisemitism. This poignant production is written by Amy Lever and directed by Ben Phillips, Tasmin Jones and Amy Lever who want to celebrate diversity within the Jewish community, and champion under-represented voices such as those of northern Jewish people, Iranian Jewish immigrants and LGBTQ+ teenagers.
Life Before the Line is showing at theSpace Venue 42 from 15-27th August.
CUMTS: Sleepover
Sleepover is a coming-of-age musical comedy that involves immigrant teens; twelve hours, and one suspicious box teeming with questions about sex. This musical comedy is written by Laura Chan and directed by Mia Urwin who are excited to bring their production to the Fringe and be part of such a big celebration of theatre.
CUMTS: Sleepover is showing at Just The Tonic at The Caves from 4-28th August
Living with Sin
This is a musical that seduces us all to try a little sin. It is written by Gabrielle James and Joshua Newman and directed by Ilona Sell. Tempted to preview it before the Fringe? Living with Sin is running a preview performance in London on the 28th July. They are incredibly excited to be celebrating the magic of Cambridge Theatre at the world’s largest arts festival.
Living with Sin is showing at theSpace @ Niddry (Upper Theatre) from 5-15th August, theSpace @ Niddry (Lower Theatre) 15-20th August, and theSpace @ Surgeons Hall (Grand Theatre) 22-27th August
The Cambridge Impronauts Present: Keeping Up with the Kimprov
This is your daily dose of unscripted reality TV - drama, love, and laughter, it is a production of minor inconveniences.
The Cambridge Impronauts Present: Keeping Up with the Kimprov is showing at the Gilded Balloon Patter House from 3-28th August
Girlboss
What does it take to be ‘that’ girl? Can one not just be a girl? These questions are put to the comedic test by performers and writers Ella Burns and Dulcie Whadcock. They claimed that they are “not holding back on our critiques on the ridiculous expectations for the modern woman.”
Girlboss is showing at the Gilded Balloon Teviot from 3-14th August
Real, Mad World
Laura, a transgender woman and playwright desperately wants to be a mother - so much so that she writes herself into another life: one with a womb. It is written by Jack Ward and directed by Flo Winkley.
Real, Mad World is showing at theSpace on North Bridge from 15-20th and 22-27th August
Loveless
A pornshoot goes disastrously wrong; four characters are left having to process and confront their feelings about the porn industry, and each other. Loveless is written by Gregory Miller and directed by Diana Nowicki, who “expect to stew, cook, and whatever else when up there.” They are also looking forward to “seeing the audience’s reaction every night,” and “putting the show on in a new space”.
Loveless is showing at theSpace on the Mile: Space 2 from 5-13th August
The Calligrapher
This follows the story of a Quran, complete with 6,000 verses of elaborate calligraphy and 600 pages of decorative motifs, and written in Saddam Hussein’s blood. It is written by Abraham Alsalihi and directed by Lise Delamarre who are excited to be going to the Fringe.
The Calligrapher is showing at the Forest Theatre, Greenside Venuesfrom the 15-21st August
Chuck Salmon: Pool Noodles
Dive funny-bone-first into a slip ‘n’ slide sketch adventure in the world’s largest leisure centre, with hilarious lifeguards and heroic comedian Chuck Salmon: the funniest whistleblower since Edward Snowden. It is written by Alex Franklin, Noah Geelan & Will Bicknell-Found and directed by Patrick Wilson, who have been developing the show since they graduated.
Chuck Salmon: Pool Noodles is showing Just Up The Road, Just the Tonic at the Caves from 4-28th August
How Not To Owl
This is a split hour of stand-up comedy from Isaac Kean and Andy Bucks, Cambridge Footlights members and Chortle Student Comedy Award finalists, who wrote the show. The script was edited by Grace Beckett and directed by Lewis Roberts and Leila Lawrence, whom all wanted to experience performing at the Fringe.
How Not To Owl is showing at theSpace on The Mile from 22-27th August
Antigone
This is a radical and fun musical retelling of an ancient Greek myth: one about a young girl who stands up to tyranny. It is written by Marina McCready and Felix Elliot and directed by Marina McCready, Ella Harpaz-Joralemon, Felix Elliott and Mary Offer. They are looking forward to having such a diverse cast of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled cast all represented within the same show.
Antigone is showing at theSpace at Surgeon’s Hall (Grand Theatre) from 15-20th August, and at theSpace at Surgeon’s Hall (Fleming Theatre) from 22-27th August
Heroes
Jonno, an 18-year-old on the verge of manhood meets his estranged father for the first time, which brings into question everything he’s ever known about family, friendship and community. It is written by Chakira Alin and directed by Dixie McDevitt and Izzy Collie-Cousins. They are a mix of new and original cast members, and they can’t wait to celebrate people and communities that are seldom justly represented onstage.
Heroes is showing at TheSpace at Venue 45 from 15-20th August and 22-27th August.
Practice Room 99
When events at their recording session take a spooky turn, three brass players must work together to save their studio. This year, the play returns with a brand-new story for the troublesome trio, promising more slapstick and a sprinkle of movie magic. It is written and directed by Emilia Morgan, and the cast and crew are excited to perform at the hub of live comedy this summer.
Practice Room 99 is showing at Venue 38, theSpace Triplex from 22-27th August
Cadenza
This is Cambridge University’s premier mixed A Capella ensemble, composed of twelve fabulous singers and a beatboxer. They perform original arrangements of jazz and pop: this summer’s show includes hits by Justin Bieber, Amy Winehouse and Hamilton. The group have performed at May Balls and jazz nights at college bars, and are excited for their second performance at the Fringe.
Cadenza will be performing at the Grand Theatre, Surgeons Hall at theSpace, Nicolson Street from 9-13th August.
