Theatre in the UK is a diverse scene. There are hundreds of beautiful historic theatres, and various imaginative troops and shows at venues across the country. Perhaps because we’re so absorbed in the Cambridge theatre scene (rightly so, Cambridge students are spoilt for choice by the bustling scene here), we might overlook the opportunity to see theatre a little closer to home – in our hometowns, or in the area regional to Cambridge. However, this doesn’t mean the theatre scene stops elsewhere. Further afield than Cambridge, or even London (naturally the West End is the other theatre hotspot), there are so many unique theatres up and down the country which might have a unique insight, or provide something slightly different to the trends and style of Camdram.

Over the holidays many people return to their hometowns and, for quite a few of us, we replace the thriving student theatre scene of Cambridge with our local one. For me, that means the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds. But at only a thirty-minute train journey away, arguably the Theatre Royal is still quite local to students in Cambridge.

“The theatre is intricately detailed, and a uniquely bright, colourful space, painted in golds, light blues, and reds”

While the Cambridge student schedule makes it quite hard to find a free day (if you do come across one) and would like to explore a new town, I would personally recommend Bury St Edmunds as not only a beautiful town, but also the host of a small but mighty theatre scene. The theatre is intricately detailed, and a uniquely bright, colourful space, painted in golds, light blues, and reds. It’s a shocking contrast to the planer black or wood of most modern theatres, and many of the theatres we have here in Cambridge. The Theatre Royal was designed and built in 1819 by William Wilkins and is a dazzling example of a Regency playhouse. Architecture students might recognise William Wilkins as also being the architect behind King’s College bridge here in Cambridge.

I’m aware that right now I sound like the tourism board for Bury St Edmunds, and while I promise I’m not on the payroll, I would sincerely recommend it. The plays on at the Theatre Royal are often a brilliant thing to see, and come with the added benefit of getting a quick break from the Cambridge bubble.

My favourite play I’ve seen there so far is a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, wherein Frankenstein was portrayed by a woman. The make-up was brilliantly grotesque, the acting physical and disconcerting, the lighting and sets dramatic and macabre, and the jump scares were plentiful. The play intensely brought the loneliness and horror of Frankenstein’s monster’s existence to life. Cameron Robertson brought the heart wrenching, guttural desperation, and panic of the creature to life while still managing to create a feeling of the monster’s deep goodness, his love for nature, and original wish to live a life he feels will earn him love. The sets were dramatic, intricate, gothic, and engrossing. The detail of Frankenstein’s lab, brains and hands in jars, the spotlight on the central operating table was strikingly eerie.

This is one show of quite a few I have seen at the Theatre Royal – and I can say they have all been creative or interesting in some way, from audience participation, pantomime, to performing Jane Austen novels: there is a great variety.

“Theatre has never really recovered since covid, and many local theatres are severely underfunded and struggling more than ever”

The Theatre Royal is a beautiful historic theatre, and one I would obviously recommend you make a day trip to if you can. But more than just a single theatre, it’s crucial that we continue not just to support the thriving theatre scene in Cambridge but also local theatres in our hometowns. Theatre has never really recovered since Covid, and many local theatres are severely underfunded and struggling more than ever. Without support and funding, local theatre could soon be a past time we lose forever.

In an era with online and at home streaming, and a myriad of other methods of entertainment at our fingertips, it is easy to overlook theatre as an option. It requires time, planning and more commitment than watching something quickly on YouTube – which means that over the holidays, when we’re trying to relax, even those who go to see student plays in term time might not have the same incentive to go to their nearest theatre. However, commitment is exactly what makes theatre so crucial.

You can’t just pause a theatre show, you can’t rewind, you are there – in front of the stage, in front of real people. You are glued in front of the drama, there’s no screen to separate you, no place in the room you can look away and be distracted by a bird outside, your dog, or a text message. Instead, the whole room is in darkness but the stage, your phone is turned off (hopefully) and there is no mitigating division between you and the stage, making the drama more intense, more personal, and more overwhelming.

“Whereas with a film or TV your eyes are controlled by the camera, with theatre you have the freedom to notice all the details on your own”

Whereas with a film or TV your eyes are controlled by the camera, with theatre you have the freedom to notice all the details on your own. You are not prepared by movie genre conventions such as horror for the next jump scare, instead the shock is immediate. The object of fear, or laughter, or tears is in the room with you.

Theatre as a collective experience, as an unedited live performance, is a uniquely intense and fulfilling art form; to lose this at any level would be a shame. The artistry and expertise that goes into theatre deserves our attention; supporting your local theatre might even expose you to new forms of theatre which we don’t see as often in the Cambridge theatre scene.