Cambridge Arts Theatre
A pril – Augus t 2012 BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333 Book online and select your own seats: www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
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calendar
Page 6
Tue 10 – Sat 14 Apr
Avenue Q
7
Tue 17 – Sat 21 Apr
Swallows and Amazons
8
Mon 23 – Sat 28 Apr
Yes, Prime Minister
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Tue 1 – Sat 5 May
The Lady in the Van
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Sun 6 May
Stacey Kent
10
Mon 7 – Sat 12 May
Barefoot in the Park
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Tue 15 – Sat 19 May
Henry V
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Sun 20 May
Gyles Brandreth
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Tue 22 – Sat 26 May
English Touring Opera
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Tue 29 May – Sat 2 June The Real Thing
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Wed 6 – Sat 9 Jun
27
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Sun 10 Jun
JACQUI DANKWORTH
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Tue 12 – Wed 13 Jun
Ballet Black
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Thu 14 – Sat 16 Jun
Matthew Bourne
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Mon 18 – Sat 23 Jun
Volcano
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Mon 25 – Sat 30 Jun
Ladies in Lavender
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Sun 1 Jul jenni murray
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Mon 2 – Sat 7 Jul
Educating Rita
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Mon 9 – Sat 14 Jul
The Final Test
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Mon 16 – Sat 21 Jul
Blood Brothers
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Mon 23 – Sat 28 Jul
Doctor in the House
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Mon 30 Jul – Sat 4 Aug Murder on the Nile
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Mon 6 – Sat 11 Aug
27
Tue 30 Oct – Sat 3 Nov Horrible Histories
Dry Rot
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HOW TO BOOK
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Education
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ACCESS
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supporters
supporters’ circle: IMPRESARIO Adam and Carrie Glinsman PRODUCER Nigel and Hilary Pye DIRECTOR
Baroness Cohen of Pimlico Jeff Iliffe and Keren Williams David J H Jones Dave and Adrienne Murphy Andy Swarbrick William Topham and Wendy Taylor Anonymous
PRINCIPAL
Simon Aldridge Peter and Gillian Andrews Timothy Cribb David and Jane Dandy Professor Hugh Mellor Rory Morrison-Smith Mr J.W. Scott
business supporters: DIRECTOR The Technology Partnership Plc PRINCIPAL Language Testing 123 Mills and Reeve LLP Turney and Associates Ltd Peters, Elworthy & Moore HONORARY MEMBERS Bland Brown & Cole Davis Langdon LLP Hannah-Reed Associates Wates Construction
assisted performances and post-show talks Get involved and make the most out of your trip to the theatre with our programme of assisted performances and post-show talks. • Swallows & Amazons: Post-Show Talk, • The Real Thing: Captioned performance, Wed 30 Wednesday 18 April, 7.45pm May, 7.45pm. Post show talk, Wed 30 May, 7.45pm. • Henry V: Post show talk, Wed 16 May, 7.45pm. • ETO: Captioned performances, 23 and 24 May, 7.30pm. Pre-show talks, 24, 25 and 26 May, 6.30pm. Booking essential on 01223 503333. 2
Designed & Printed by John Good Ltd, Coventry
• Blood Brothers: Audio Described Performance, Saturday 21 July, 4pm. Touch Tour Available: Please book on 01223 503333 • Murder on the Nile: BSL Interpreted Performance, Tuesday 31 July
welcome Welcome to our summer 2012 season. As you read through our brochure I hope two words will come to mind: quality and diversity. Many of our shows are either pre or post West End runs, they are often mentioned as “Theatre picks” in the National press and the reviews are always outstanding. Due to the loyalty and support of you, our audience, all of the leading touring companies are keen to come to Cambridge. Where else in the region can you see classic drama such as the Globe Theatre’s Henry V, The National Theatre of Scotland’s 27 alongside laugh-out-loud comedies such as the West End smash-hit Yes, Prime Minister and Alan Bennett’s classic The Lady in the Van. Children and families are well served with the delightful Bristol Old Vic and National Theatre production of Swallows and Amazons and the ever popular Horrible Histories. Musical fans are in for a treat this season with the outrageous Avenue Q and the classic Blood Brothers. Opera buffs will find much to enjoy in English Touring Opera’s summer offering and dance fans can see the ever popular Ballet Black and for the first time ever at the Arts see Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures. Once you have decided which productions you want to see I know you will find our booking process much easier. Our brand new box office system is working well and you can now select your own seats when booking online. Even better, you can join our Supporters’ Circle from just £5 a month and get priority access to your favourite seats all from the comfort of your own home! Finally, I wanted to thank you all for your generosity during our wonderful run of Cinderella this year. As many of you will know we do bucket collections at the end of each pantomime performance. This year we raised an astonishing £10,000 for local charities. Even though we are a charity ourselves we are strongly committed to playing our part in our local community. Thanks to you, we were able to pay for local schoolchildren to come to the panto, support local cancer charities such as Arthur Rank Hospice, Halo nurses and Macmillan Cancer Research and to brighten the lives of seriously ill children at Addenbrookes. Thank you once more for your support and I look forward to seeing you again soon at Cambridge Arts Theatre.
With kindest regards,
Dave Murphy Chief Executive Cambridge Arts Theatre 6 St Edward’s Passage Cambridge CB2 3PJ Administration: 01223 578933
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Cambridge Arts Theatre @camartstheatre Cambridge Arts Theatre is managed by The Cambridge Arts Theatre Trust Ltd. Registered in England No. 03536370 Registered Charity No. 1069912. Registered Office: 6 St Edward’s Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ VAT Registration No. 213 2677 84
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for one night only Sunday 6 May
STACEY KENT & HER MUSICIANS
“Everything about Stacey Kent – the choice of songs, the musical interplay, the glorious voice – leaves me searching for a more superlative word than ‘greatest’!” Humphrey Lyttleton, BBC Radio 2 Stacey Kent, a best-selling member of the Blue Note roster of recording artists, now boasts six best-selling albums and a string of awards, including the British Jazz Award and BBC Jazz Award for ‘Best Vocalist’. Stacey delivers fresh interpretations of some of the most emblematic songs in her repertoire, including standards from the Great American Songbook such as: The Best Is Yet To Come, They Can’t Take That Away From Me and It Might As Well Be Spring.
7.45pm: £12.50/£17.50/£22.50 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Sunday 20 May
A Royal Audience with
Gyles Brandreth: A Diamond Jubilee Special “Wonderfully entertaining” Financial Times
“Highly amusing” Evening Standard To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, Gyles Brandreth presents a unique evening of stories, revelations and insights about The Queen and her family. With tales of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Prince Harry, this promises to be an entertaining, sometimes surprising, and often touching, right royal celebration.
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Gyles Brandreth is a former MP and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, now best known as a reporter on The One Show (BBC1) and a regular on Just A Minute (Radio 4).
7.45pm: £12.50/£17.50/£22.50 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Sunday 10 June
JACQUI DANKWORTH And her Musicians
“A seriously good album in the classic mould.” GUARDIAN
“Impressionistic, soulful and beguiling“ TIME OUT Jacqui Dankworth, the imaginative, moving, and adventurous vocalist, makes a triumphant return to Cambridge in concert with her stellar group of musicians. Already established as one the country’s leading jazz vocalists, Jacqui’s live concert showcases her unique versatility as well as her acute sensibility as a songwriter and lyricist. Jacqui’s latest album It Happens Quietly, featuring arrangements and performances by her father, the late Sir John Dankworth, was released in August 2011 to widespread critical acclaim.
7.45pm: £12.50/£17.50/£22.50 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Sunday 1 July
AN AUDIENCE WITH
JENNI MURRAY “Her enthusiasm is infectious and she is great company; funny and a little mischievous.” GUARDIAN In a fascinating and unmissable evening as part of our ‘One Night Only’ series, Jenni Murray discusses her long career in Broadcasting, particularly her 22 years at the helm of Woman’s Hour. Delving into the programme’s 64 year history, Jenni will talk about her most engaging and most terrifying interviewees: from Barbara Castle to Kaffe Fasset, Monica Lewinsky to Tom Hanks and Jack Nicholson, Margaret Thatcher through Blair to Gordon Brown.
7.45pm: £12.50/£17.50/£22.50 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 5
er st s! on urn e M et th it r h
Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 April
★★★★★
Sunday Times, News of the World, Sunday Express After a hugely successful run here at Cambridge Arts Theatre in 2011 Avenue Q returns for another week of mischief, fun and political incorrectness.
Tuesday and Thursday, 7.45pm Wednesday and Friday, 5.30pm and 8.30pm
The Tony Award-winning Avenue Q is the irresistibly charming musical about the lovably hopeless characters on a downtown New York street trying to make sense of life’s burning issues: love, work, relationships and, above all, just how are you supposed to pay the bills with a BA in English?
Saturday, 4pm and
Hilarious and uproariously entertaining, with a terrific batch of songs performed by a cast of hugely talented performers and puppets, Avenue Q is a musical like no other. So don’t let your life suck – book your tickets today!
Book if you enjoyed: Mongrels, South Park, the show last year
Contains scenes which may be unsuitable for children under 12
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7.45pm: £15/£25/£30/£35 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 April The Children’s Touring Partnership in association with the National Theatre present the Bristol Old Vic production of
A new musical play with book by Helen Edmundson and songs by Neil Hannon, based on the book by Arthur Ransome Directed by Tom Morris
‘A triumph – a thing of beauty’ OBSERVER
★★★★★ ‘Funny fresh and inventive. A show full of wonder and delight’ Daily Telegraph
All aboard The Swallow! Follow Captain John and his able crew as they set sail to Wildcat Island on an exotic adventure to encounter savages, capture dastardly pirates and defeat mortal enemies. An action-packed musical adventure for the whole family, Swallows and Amazons is a story of an idyllic era, of endless summer evenings and the beauty of youthful imagination. This delightful and gloriously imaginative production is directed by Tom Morris who also co-directed the international smash hit War Horse, is written by Helen Edmundson, writer of the National Theatre’s Coram Boy, with music by Neil Hannon from the The Divine Comedy. Swallows and Amazons is presented by the Children’s Touring Partnership whose recent production of Goodnight Mister Tom starring Oliver Ford Davies received public and critical acclaim. Suitable for 6+
Tuesday – Saturday, 7pm Wednesday and Thursday, 1.30pm Saturday, 2.30pm Adults/Children: £20/£15 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee Free Post show talk, wednesday 18 April, 7.45pm
Book if you enjoyed: The original Swallows and Amazons novels, Carrie’s War, War Horse
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 7
Monday 23 – Saturday 28 April
By Anthony Jay & Jonathan Lynn Starring graham seed and michael simkins
****
‘The audience loved it. A hit’ Daily Mail
‘As politically sharp and blissfully funny as ever’ Daily Telegraph
Image credit: Manuel Harlan
Following two sell-out West End seasons and a What’s On Stage award for Best New Comedy, Yes, Prime Minister comes to Cambridge Arts Theatre for one week only.
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In a world of spin, BlackBerrys and ‘sexed up’ dossiers, the PM is staring disaster in the face. The country is on the brink of financial meltdown and the Government’s only apparent salvation comes from a morally dubious deal with the Foreign Minister of Kumranistan. Will Jim Hacker and his team of advisors be able to rescue the country from the edge? The original writers of the classic BBC TV series, Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn have reunited for this anniversary production. Prime Minister Jim Hacker is played by Graham Seed (Nigel Pargetter in The Archers, Basket Case) and his Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby is played by Michael Simkins (Mamma Mia, Above Suspicion), in this hilarious play. Recommended for over 16s.
Monday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: The Thick of It, Spitting Image, Three Days in May
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 May Hull Truck in association with Richard Jordan Productions Ltd present
The Lady in the Van By Alan Bennett
‘A master class in what regional theatre can achieve at its best’ telegraph
‘A star turn – or more specifically, a star three-pointturn - for Nichola McAuliffe’ Guardian
Alan Bennett has a very unusual neighbour. Parked at the bottom of his garden is a van. With a lady in it. The lady in the van is Miss Shepherd and Alan knows very little about her. She used to drive ambulances in the war, might have been a nun, sells pencils and pamphlets and has an unexplained aversion to piano music. Based on Bennett’s own recollections of the belligerent Miss Shepherd, who parked up her van in the garden of his London home and refused to leave for 15 years, The Lady in the Van is a beautifully observed, hilarious and poignant drama by one of the nation’s best-loved playwrights. Bennett’s critically acclaimed plays include The History Boys, Talking Heads, The Madness of George III and The Habit of Art. The Lady in the Van stars Nichola McAuliffe as Miss Shepherd. Her previous credits include Surgical Spirit, Coronation Street and Kiss Me Kate at the RSC for which she won an Olivier Award for Best Actress.
Tuesday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£21/£25/£27 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: The History Boys, The Madness of George III
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 9
Monday 7 – Saturday 12 may Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre presents
Directed by Maureen Lipman with Peter Cregeen Corrie and Paul are newly-weds who have just moved into their cold eyrie of an apartment. Corrie is starry-eyed; young lawyer Paul is less enamoured after staggering up five flights to reach an apartment with no bath tub and a broken skylight. Odd Bohemian characters inhabit the building, including Victor Velasco who uses their bedroom as a back door. When Corrie tries to set him up with her lonely mother she learns, through a series of domestic catastrophes, that real marriage requires more than being barefaced in the bedroom and barefoot in the park. Olivier award-winning Maureen Lipman’s television credits include: Agony; Agony Again; About Face and Ladies of Letters. Film credits: Educating Rita and The Pianist. Stage credits: over twenty West End plays from Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers; Oklahoma!; A Little Night Music to When We Are Married. Her tenth book, I Must Collect Myself, is out in paperback. She previously directed Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys in Edinburgh.
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One of the world’s most popular playwrights, Neil Simon has had countless successes: The Odd Couple, The Sunshine Boys, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Laughter On the 23rd Floor and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lost in Yonkers. His screenplays include Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, The Goodbye Girl and The Odd Couple.
‘A bubbling, rib-tickling comedy’ NEW YORK TIMES
Monday – Saturday, 7.45PM And Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: Wife After Death, Alan Ayckbourn, Noël Coward
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Tuesday 15 – Saturday 19 May Shakespeare’s Globe in association with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse presents
By William Shakespeare
‘O for a muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention: A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, And monarchs to behold the swelling scene.’
‘Dominic Dromgoole’s intelligent, faithful and entertaining new production’
Shakespeare’s masterpiece about the turbulence of war and the art of peace portrays the romantic story of Henry’s campaign to recapture the English possessions in France. But the ambitions of this charismatic King are challenged by a host of vivid characters caught up in the real horrors of war.
Tuesday – Saturday, 7.45pm
Observer on Henry IV
And Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Directed by Dominic Dromgoole, the play which opened the new Globe celebrates the power of language, summoning into life courts, pubs, ships and battlefields. Henry V marks the third year of successful collaboration between Shakespeare’s Globe on tour and Cambridge Arts Theatre. Previous productions that have toured to Cambridge include The Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet.
FREE Post Show Talk, Wednesday 16 MaY, 7.45
Book if you enjoyed: Hamlet, Macbeth, Henry IV
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
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Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 May
English Touring Opera Tuesday 22, Thursday 24 and Friday 25 May, 7.30pm
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE By Rossini Rossini’s high-spirited and vocally brilliant masterpiece is a work of comic genius. Thomas Guthrie directs ETO’s exciting new production, alongside conductor Paul McGrath, a master of Italian opera. Nicholas Sharratt will sing the part of the roguish young Count Almaviva, masquerading as the student Lindoro. His beloved but cunning Rosina will be sung by Kitty Whately, winner of the 2011 Kathleen Ferrier Award
Wednesday 23 and Saturday 26 May, 7.30pm
EUGENE ONEGIN By Tchaikovsky Following the huge success of their 2007 production, ETO Director James Conway and Conductor Michael Rosewell return to Tchaikovsky’s romantic classic. A new cast, led by emerging star Nicholas Lester, perform heartfelt arias, splendid choruses and beautiful ballroom scenes. Tchaikovsky’s gift for melody, rich orchestration and drama make Eugene Onegin a night at the opera for romantics of all ages.
HHHHH ‘Covent Garden would count itself lucky to host a show of this calibre.’ Independent
‘…a dazzling Onegin’
Guardian
Tuesday – Saturday, 7.30pm: £15/£25/£30/£35 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee Captioned performance, 23 May and 24 May, 7.30pm free Pre Show Talk, 24, 25 and 26 MaY, 6.30pm, booking essential on 01223 503333
Book if you enjoyed: The Marriage of Figaro, Il tabarro & Gianni Schicchi
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333 (Sung in English translation)
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www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Tuesday 29 May – Saturday 2 June
Tom Stoppard
English Touring Theatre and West Yorkshire Playhouse present
By Tom Stoppard ‘A glorious play… Stoppard’s wit and intellectual rigour is warmed by the glow of romance’ Daily Telegraph
‘English, Touring and Theatre are three wonderful words. Put together they are more wonderful still.’ SIR Ian McKellen
Henry, a brilliant and celebrated playwright, has written a play about fidelity and the complexity of love. With wife Charlotte in the starring role, Henry’s reality and fiction begin to blur when passions ignite and his own marriage becomes entwined with that of Charlotte’s co-star. Tom Stoppard is one of the most important writers alive today. Previous work includes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Arcadia, Empire of the Sun and Shakespeare in Love. Winner of the Evening Standard, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, and the Tony Award for Best Play, The Real Thing sees Stoppard at his very best in this sparklingly witty, genuinely moving and thought-provoking play. The tremendous English Touring Theatre joins forces with the celebrated West Yorkshire Playhouse to stage this electrifying new production of Stoppard’s cunning exposé of love and betrayal.
Tuesday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£21/£25/£27 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee Captioned performance, Wednesday 30 May, 7.45pm Free Post show talk, Wednesday 30 May, 7.45pm
Book if you enjoyed: Arcadia, Shakespeare in Love
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 13
wednesday 6 – Saturday 9 June
27
The National Theatre of Scotland presents
By Abi Morgan
Director Vicky Featherstone Set and costume designer Merle Hensel Lighting designer Natasha Chivers Composer Nick Powell 27 is a new play by Abi Morgan, who created the screenplays for The Iron Lady (for which Meryl Streep recently won an Oscar for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher) and Shame (directed by Steve McQueen and starring Michael Fassbender). Abi is a BAFTA Award-winning writer whose recent work for television The Hour was a huge hit on BBC2 and her plays include Lovesong (Frantic Assembly), Sleeping Around and Tiny Dynamite. ‘My greatest fear in this world is to be left, the last nun standing, remote in hand, shouting quiz answers at the TV screen.’ American scientist Dr Richard Garfield has given Ursula a difficult choice. She is soon to become the mother superior of a convent that has been given the opportunity to take part in his revolutionary scientific study. Crucially, this study would require that the nuns donate their brains after death to potentially unlock the mysteries of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Ursula must weigh up the value of preserving her faith, versus embracing science for the potential benefit of all. The study is agreed and Richard and his team come to the convent every year to test the nuns. This union will change their lives forever. For Ursula, facing the mounting pressure of taking over the ailing convent, the study brings more challenges than she could ever have imagined. It rocks her faith and her hitherto cloistered existence to its very core, forcing her once again, to make a difficult choice. 27 is an important play about loneliness, ageing, science and the loss of our sense of self. Drawing on research contained within the book and study Ageing with Grace, it is an extraordinary examination of a lifestyle in decline, but one whose dignity and faith could hold the key to some of the most urgent issues of our times – our ageing population and the decline of our minds.
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Cast includes
Maureen Beattie Lesley Hart Finn den Hertog Molly Innes Colette O’Neil Ashley Smith and Benny Young wednesday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£21/£25/£27 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: The Faith Machine, Angels in America, Tree of Life
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
HHHH
‘A play that invites reflection, and certainly deserves rewatching.’ Edinburgh Evening News
HHHH
‘A masterful piece of new theatre, dense with ideas, jumping with funny lines.’ independent
HHHH
‘A touching lament for the absolute in a volatile world.’ Guardian
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Tuesday 12 – Wednesday 13 June
Ballet Black
‘Directed with flair and imagination’ Observer
‘A company with an astonishing amalgamation of strength and elegance.’ The Stage
Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black, a company with a passion to highlight and celebrate the talents of black and Asian dancers from around the world, has garnered praise from all quarters. Recent accolades include the 2009 Dance Europe Award for Outstanding Dance Company. Having established a huge following in its inaugural decade, Ballet Black has been appointed an Associate Company of the Royal Opera House. For their return visit to Cambridge Arts Theatre, the company are delighted to present a mixed bill of premieres from the latest in British choreographic talent: Jonathan Goddard of Rambert Dance Company, Jonathan Watkins of The Royal Ballet and Martin Lawrance of Richard Alston Dance Company, the creator of Pendulum for Ballet Black in 2009. They will also debut Storyville, a dark tale of love, corruption and survival set in the nightclubs of 1900’s New Orleans, by renowned choreographer, Christopher Hampson.
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Tuesday – Wednesday, 7.45pm: £12.50/£17.50/£22.50 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: Matthew Bourne, Ballet Boyz, Richard Alston
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Thursday 14 – Saturday 16 June A NEW ADVENTURES PRODUCTION
As part of the company’s 25th Anniversary celebrations, Matthew Bourne (Swan Lake, Nutcracker!, Cinderella, Edward Scissorhands, The Car Man) returns to his roots in a programme of early pieces that launched the career of Britain’s favourite choreographer. SPITFIRE – An advertisement divertissement (1988) Both a celebration of male vanity and an affectionate comment on the preening grandeur of the danseur noble, Spitfire is Bourne’s first hit, and something of a signature piece. TOWN and COUNTRY (1991) An Olivier award nominated piece that most crystallized the Bourne style; gloriously witty and ironic, but also strangely moving and heartfelt. Using the evocative music of Elgar, Noel Coward, Eric Coates and including a potted 3 minute version of the classic film Brief Encounter. THE INFERNAL GALOP - A French dance with English subtitles. (1989) Typical of Matthew Bourne’s early work; “a Franglais Spectacular” and a characteristically witty and astute satire of English perceptions of the French, inspired by all the familiar and much loved icons of France in the 1930s and 1940s.
‘Seriously beautiful choreography’ Time Out
‘Brilliant and Hilarious’ the guardian 1988
Thursday – Saturday, 7.45pm: £15/£22.50/£25/£27.50 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: Richard Alston, Ballet Black, BalletBoyz
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 17
Monday 18 – Saturday 23 June Thelma Holt & Bill Kenwright present
JENNY SEAGROVE DAWN STEELE JASON DURR
FINTY WILLIAMS PERDITA AVERY TIM DAISH Robin Sebastian Recently widowed Adela Shelly finds herself being seduced by the suave Guy Littleton, a visitor to her elegant Caribbean house. When Guy’s acid-tongued wife Melissa decides to fly in to see off the competition, she hasn’t considered that Adela’s best friend might also be falling for her husband’s charms! As tensions begin to erupt, so does the volcano, with explosive consequences… Never performed in the author’s lifetime, this is the first major production of a work which gives a fascinating insight into the glamorous and scandalous Caribbean lifestyle that Coward himself enjoyed.
DIRECTED BY ROY MARSDEN DESIGNED BY SIMON SCULLION LIGHTING BY MIKE ROBERTSON SOUND BY MATTHEW BUGG
Monday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30
Jenny Seagrove’s illustrious career has included starring roles in television classics from Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A Woman of Substance to Judge John Deed; Films such as Local Hero and Don’t Go Breaking My Heart; and over a dozen West End successes, most recently in The Country Girl opposite Martin Shaw. Also starring Dawn Steele who has recently completed three series of ITV’s Wild at Heart and starred in the hit BBC drama Monarch of the Glen and Jason Durr who is of course well known for his seven years as the star of ITV’s Heartbeat, and more recently Above Suspicion.
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Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: Present Laughter, The Reluctant Debutante, Verdict
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Monday 25 – Saturday 30 June
Based on the film written and directed by Charles Dance Adapted for the stage by Shaun McKenna
Starring HAYLEY MILLS and BELINDA LANG With Robert Duncan, Carol Macready, Abigail Thaw and Robert Rees Based on the hit film by Charles Dance starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, and on the original short story by William J Locke, Ladies in Lavender tells the tale of two sisters, Ursula and Janet, who live in a close-knit fishing village in picturesque Cornwall, in 1937. When a handsome and talented young Polish-Jewish violinist bound for America is washed ashore, the Widdington sisters take him under their wing and nurse him back to health. However, the presence of the mysterious young man disrupts their peaceful lives and the community in which they live. Hayley Mills is from one of Britain’s greatest theatrical families. Her extensive film work include lead roles in The Parent Trap, Whistle Down the Wind and Pollyanna; recent theatre includes The King and I and Humble Boy; on television, she plays Caroline in ITV’s Wild At Heart. Belinda Lang is most well known on television for 2 Point 4 Children; recent theatre includes Hay Fever with Judi Dench (West End) and the 2011 UK tour of The Reluctant Debutante.
Monday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 19
Monday 2 – Saturday 7 July The Menier Chocolate Factory and Theatre Royal Bath Productions present
MATTHEW KELLY and CLAIRE SWEENEY in
Educating Rita By Willy Russell
HHHH
“Memorable and joyous” Independent
A gem of British theatre, Educating Rita is the unforgettable story of the relationship between a feisty Liverpudlian hairdresser and a jaded university professor. Rita has a passion for literature and is intent upon self-improvement. Frank’s disillusionment with life has driven him to the bottle. As Rita grapples with the trials of education, Frank learns to believe in himself again. Originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the show won the 1980 Society of West End Theatres award for Best Comedy and Best Play. Since this time, Educating Rita has never been out of production somewhere in the world. The film version which starred Julie Walters and Michael Caine was Oscar-nominated and won three BAFTA awards. Matthew Kelly is one of the UK’s best-loved actors. Winner of an Olivier Award for Of Mice and Men, and widely acclaimed for his performance in the television drama Cold Blood, his recent stage roles range from the musicals Spamalot and Lend Me A Tenor and Legally Blonde in the West End to Troilus and Cressida at the Globe and Waiting For Godot with Ian McKellen. Claire Sweeney is one of the UK’s most sparkling personalities with a string of credits from stage and screen including Brookside, Loose Women, Chicago and Guys and Dolls opposite Patrick Swayze and Don Johnson. Willy Russell was inspired by his own experiences at evening classes to write this touching comedy. One of the UK’s most successful playwrights, his much-loved repertoire includes Blood Brothers and Shirley Valentine.
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Monday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: Blood Brothers, Shirley Valentine
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
“A truly great play… a succession of blissful one-liners” Daily Telegraph
“Fresh and funny” Guardian
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Monday 9 – Saturday 14 July Ian Dickens International Ltd. presents
Starring
COLIN BAKER and PETER AMORY With Karen Ford and Nicola Weeks
Legendary Doctor Who actor Colin Baker, Emmerdale bad boy Peter Amory and Karen Ford (Grange Hill) star in the world-premiere production of the hilarious new comedy The Final Test. Peter and Ruth have had a long and happy marriage. Or so Peter believes. They both have their own interests – he loves listening to the cricket on the radio, she likes to travel. But all is not well as Peter discovers one afternoon when he’s dozing on his deckchair and listening to the last test from The Oval, as his wife dramatically announces that she has sold the house and is moving to Bexhill-on-Sea with her lover. When the new owners move in they discover they have an elderly cricket-loving squatter living in the garden… The Final Test is the first stage play by highly-acclaimed novelist Chris Paling. Both hilarious and moving in equal measure, it’s a touching and poignant comedy about marriage, cricket, and the dangerous lure of Bexhill-on-Sea.
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Monday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£21/£25/£27 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: Outside Edge, Neighbourhood Watch
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Monday 16 – Saturday 21 July Bill Kenwright Presents
Starring
MAUREEN NOLAN
HHHHH
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‘Wonderful’
‘Dazzling’
‘Sensational’
Evening Standard
sunday telegraph
daily telegraph Monday – Thursday, 7.45pm
Written by Willy Russell, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences. Starring Maureen Nolan in the iconic role of Mrs Johnstone, the superb score includes ‘Bright New Day’, ‘Marilyn Monroe’ and the emotionally charged hit ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’. Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi-award winning Blood Brothers, and Bill Kenwright’s production, having recently celebrated its 23rd phenomenal year in London, continues to enjoy standing ovations at every devastating performance.
Friday,8pm Saturday, 4pm and 8pm: £15/£25/£30/£35 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee Audio described performance, Saturday 21 july, 4pm Touch tour available, please book
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 23
Monday 23 – Saturday 28 July
By Richard Gordon and Ted Willis Directed by Ian Talbot Starring Joe Pasquale and Robert Powell With Emma Barton, Gay Soper and Tom Bucher Do you need a prescription for laughter? Then here comes the cure as the classic British comedy, Doctor in the House returns to the stage! Doctor in the House follows the fortunes of Simon Sparrow starting as a new medical student at the fictional St Swithin’s Teaching Hospital in London. Taken from the novels by Richard Gordon, Doctor In The House was the most popular box office film of 1954 and this success spawned six sequels and a popular television series. When young student, Simon Sparrow has to leave his first choice of lodgings to get away from his landlady’s amorous daughter, he ends up with three amiable but less-than-shining fellow students as flat mates including the work shy Tony Grimsdyke (Joe Pasquale). Towering over them all is the short-tempered, demanding chief surgeon, Sir Lancelot Spratt (Robert Powell), who strikes terror into his inadequate undergraduates. Starring one of Britain’s most loved funnymen, Joe Pasquale as Tony Grimsdyke and star of stage and screen Robert Powell as Sir Lancelot Spratt, Doctor in the House has delighted audiences for generations. Refereed by award-winning director Ian Talbot, this is comedy at its very best; the doctor will see you now!
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Monday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£21/£25/£27 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: classic British comedy, Yes Prime Minister, Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Monday 30 July – Saturday 4 August Bill Kenwright by special arrangement with Agatha Christie LTD presents
Starring
KATE O’MARA, DENIS LILL SUSIE AMY, CHLOE NEWSOME BEN NEALON and MARK WYNTER Now in its seventh thrilling year, the Agatha Christie Theatre Company presents a stylish new production of the queen of crime’s classic thriller Murder on the Nile. On board a steamer, cruising under the Egyptian sun, honeymooners Simon Mostyn and his wealthy socialite wife Kay find themselves pursued by an old flame of the newly wedded groom. Then tragedy strikes; a body is discovered and all fingers point to Simon’s ex fiancée. But everything is not what it seems, and holidaying cleric Canon Pennefather is drawn into a web of intrigue and deceit as he finds himself on the trail of a ruthless murderer. Agatha Christie® Murder On The Nile™ © 1946 Agatha Christie Limited (A Chorion Company). All Rights Reserved.
Monday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£21/£25/£27 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee BSL interpreted performance, Tuesday 31 july, 7.45pm
Book if you enjoyed: Verdict, Witness for the Prosecution, Murder on the Orient Express
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 25
MOnday 6 – Saturday 11 August Ian Fricker presents
Starring
LIZA GODDARD, NEIL STACEY With GARETH HALE AND NORMAN PACE
A crooked bookie and his two accomplices devise a cunning plan to ‘get rich quick’; to kidnap the odds-on favourite horse and replace it with their own decrepit nag. But Honest Alf, Flash Harry and Fred find more hurdles than they bargained for on their way to the final post - a comatose horse, a blossoming love affair and a bewildered French jockey all see chaos reign under the roof of the eccentric Colonel Wagstaff and his wife. Listed in the National Theatres’ top 100 plays, Dry Rot was first performed in 1954 and ran for more than 3 years in the West End. Written by John Chapman, who wrote over 200 TV comedies including the Emmy award winning Fresh Fields, Happy Ever After and The Liver Birds, this hilarious farce is one of the finest examples of the genre. Secret doors, split-second timing, flawless physical comedy and an all-star cast with some of the country’s best loved faces including Liza Goddard, Gareth Hale & Norman Pace and Neil Stacey, make Dry Rot a sure bet for an explosive night that will have you roaring with laughter.
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Monday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£21/£25/£27 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
Book if you enjoyed: classic British comedies, Come On, Jeeves, Neighbourhood Watch
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
TUESDAY 30 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 3 NOVEMBER BIRMINGHAM STAGE COMPANY PRESENTS
««««
‘The latest sensation on the theatrical block’ TIMES
We all want to meet people from history. The trouble is everyone is dead! Prepare yourselves once again for Horrible Histories live on stage! Using actors and ground-breaking 3D special effects, these two astounding shows are guaranteed to thrill you and your children. Historical figures and events will come alive on stage and hover at your fingertips. TERRIBLE TUDORS: From the horrible Henries to the end of evil Elizabeth, hear the legends (and the lies!) about the torturing Tudors. Find out the fate of Henry’s headless wives and his punch up with the Pope. Survive the Spanish Armada as it sails into the audience!
Horrible Histories books are published by Scholastic Ltd. Horrible Histories is a trademark of Scholastic Inc. and is used under authorisation. All rights reserved. Illustration copyright © Martin Brown.
TUDORS: TUES 2PM, WEDS 7PM, THURS 2PM, FRI 7PM, SAT 10.30AM VICTORIANS: TUES 7PM, WEDS 2PM, THURS 7PM, FRI 2PM, SAT 2PM £12 CHILDREN / £15 ADULTS
All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
VILE VICTORIANS: Could you be a Victorian historian? What exactly did a baby farmer do? Can you escape the misery of the mines or the filth of the factories? Do your best to dodge the rotten railway and prepare for the Charge of the Light Brigade!
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333 www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 27
how to book ONLINE
Book online at www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
In person
Monday to Saturday, 12noon – 8pm (including Bank Holidays)
By telephone
Monday – Saturday, 12noon – 8pm on 01223 503333 to reserve your tickets or to pay by credit card (Mastercard, American Express, Visa or Maestro).
Booking fee
All shows now carry a £2.50 booking fee in addition to the published prices. The booking fee is essential direct income for the Theatre. Because ticket revenue is divided between many different parties, an increase in ticket prices would not necessarily benefit the Theatre. By adding a booking fee, we can ensure that every penny goes directly to the Theatre to help us protect its growth and longevity.
Refunds & exchanges
Tickets are not refundable unless a performance is cancelled. Exchanges and resales may be made under certain conditions; please contact the Box Office for details of our policy.
Discounts
Discounts for customers with disabilities apply to all performances. We also offer discounts on certain performances for students, over 65’s, groups and schools. Please check with the Box Office at the time of booking for available discounts. Please note: there are no discounts on the lowest price seats. Only one discount applies and all discounts are subject to availability.
The Management reserves the right of admission and the right to offer alternative seating. Cambridge Arts Theatre cannot be held responsible for changes to programmes and casting made by touring companies. Latecomers will be asked to wait for admission until a suitable break in the performance, which may in some cases be the interval.
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taking part this season Our outstanding summer season is one of our best yet, with plenty of educational elements to entice you and your pupils to pay us a visit. Workshops are available to schools and groups when booking for the relevant show. Please get in touch with Ali Roberts, Schools’ Liaison Officer for further information on any of the events on offer.
Swallows and Amazons
Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 April Relevant to all those who have ever been children…. For children to exercise their imaginations, teachers to reminisce and both to participate, this show has no boundaries in its appeal. Topics arising for discussion include: what it is to be a child both then and now, events, games and rituals that are significant to children’s learning and development. Downloadable resource pack on www.swallowsamazons.co.uk. Workshops available by arrangement.
Henry V Tuesday 15 – Saturday 19 May Suitable for students in secondary and higher education… Shakespeare’s Henry V explores themes such as cultural diversity, the role of women in this era and the roles of rich and poor during wartime, making it suitable for students of history and politics as well as drama and English. Free post show talk, Wednesday 16th May, 7.45pm
English Touring Opera Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 May A chance to take part… ETO brings The Barber of Seville by Rossini and Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky to Cambridge Arts Theatre this spring. Check out their website at englishtouringopera.org.uk if you are interested as a school in taking part in their lively and inventive operas for children.
Ballet Black
Tuesday 12 – Wednesday 13 June Calling all students of ballet and choreography… Ballet Black was set up by Cassa Pancho in 2001 as a way to provide dancers and students of black and Asian decent with inspiring opportunities in classical ballet. Ballet Black are regular visitors to Cambridge Arts Theatre and students of dance should not miss this opportunity to see them in the flesh.
Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures
Thursday 14 – Saturday 16 June Completing a week of outstanding dance… The reviews tell you all you need to know: ‘The U.K.’s most popular unclassifiable dance company’ (San Francisco Chronicle) ‘Offers the best fun of any dance show’ (Independent) ‘The Noel Coward of modern dance’ ‘Brilliant and hilarious’ (Guardian). TUESDAY 30 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 3 NOVEMBER BIRMINGHAM STAGE COMPANY PRESENTS
Horrible Histories ««««
‘The latest sensation on the theatrical block’ TIMES
Tuesday 30 October – Saturday 30 November A half term treat….. Horrible Histories returns this October with The Terrible Tudors and The Vile Victorians. Both productions are brought to life with a fantastic mixture of actors and ground-breaking 3D special effects. Encourage your students to supplement the usual historical hysteria experienced in school history lessons and pay a visit to the theatre during half term week!
We all want to meet people from history. The trouble is everyone is dead! Prepare yourselves once again for Horrible Histories live on stage! Using actors and ground-breaking 3D special effects, these two astounding shows are guaranteed to thrill you and your children. Historical figures and events will come alive on stage and hover at your fingertips. TERRIBLE TUDORS: From the horrible Henries to the end of evil Elizabeth, hear the legends (and the lies!) about the torturing Tudors. Find out the fate of Henry’s headless wives and his punch up with the Pope. Survive the Spanish Armada as it sails into the audience!
Horrible Histories books are published by Scholastic Ltd. Horrible Histories is a trademark of Scholastic Inc. and is used under authorisation. All rights reserved. Illustration copyright © Martin Brown.
TUDORS: TUES 2PM, WEDS 7PM, THURS 2PM, FRI 7PM, SAT 10.30AM VICTORIANS: TUES 7PM, WEDS 2PM, THURS 7PM, FRI 2PM, SAT 2PM £12 CHILDREN / £15 ADULTS
All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee
VILE VICTORIANS: Could you be a Victorian historian? What exactly did a baby farmer do? Can you escape the misery of the mines or the filth of the factories? Do your best to dodge the rotten railway and prepare for the Charge of the Light Brigade!
BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333 www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 27
For more information on any of the educational aspects of the productions in this brochure please contact Ali Roberts, Schools’ Liaison Officer on 01223 578912 or aroberts@cambridgeartstheatre.com
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access Do you ever wish our shows were louder, easier to see or captioned? Well, they are. Cambridge Arts Theatre welcomes customers with disabilities. If there are any access issues that you would like to discuss with a view to making your visit to the Arts Theatre more enjoyable, contact the Box Office Telephone: 01223 503333 or e-mail: access@cambridgeartstheatre.com
‘This Theatre’s great...it’s accessible for everybody.’ Mark Taylor, Access Officer – Cambridge City Council Travel and Parking There are parking spaces for customers with disabilities in three locations near to the Theatre: four on Peas Hill; two in Wheeler Street; seven in King’s Parade and 27 in the Grand Arcade car park. Alternatively, we would be happy to book a taxi to take you home; please ask a member of the Front of House team on your arrival. Access in the theatre Both entrances have level access and doors which can be opened by a push button placed at a suitable height for wheelchair users. There is a lift to all floors and accessible toilets on each level. We have eight spaces reserved for wheelchair users in the stalls. Please let us know what type of wheelchair you have when you book your seats, this will enable us to allocate the correct space. Cambridge Arts Theatre also has two house wheelchairs. Deaf and HARD OF HEARING customers The auditorium has a Seinheiser infra-red hearing enhancement system and an induction loop. The Box Office will advise you on which seating area suits your specific needs. A limited number of headsets are available from the Front of House sellers, they are easy to use, but please arrive a few minutes early if you haven’t used them before. Our Front of House staff are happy to help; please let them know if you experience any problems. To book tickets please contact us using the dedicated email address: access@cambridgeartstheatre.com. Details of BSL interpreted performances are on the show pages. A written synopsis of signed productions is available in advance by emailing the box office: access@cambridgeartstheatre.com STAGETEXT® captioned and surtitled performances In captioning, the words appear on a screen at the same time as they are spoken. This enables people with a hearing loss to understand fully. Blind and Visually Impaired customers. We can provide large print cast lists on request. Guide dogs are welcome.
Details of audio described performances are on the relevant show pages. A pre-performance touch tour of costumes and set may be available (subject to safety regulations) one hour before audio described performances. Please confirm with the Box Office when you make your booking.
For customers with disabilities and one companion, we offer seats at reduced prices. Please enquire at the box office when booking.
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We are grateful to for their support of our access facilities.
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The Cambridge Chop House has a fantastic location in the heart of the city with views of King’s College and King’s Parade and is just two minutes walk from the Arts Theatre.
‘The restaurant of choice for theatre-goers on the way to Cambridge Arts Theatre, a stone’s throw away. A chic interior, friendly service and delicious food’ IRISH TIMES
PRE-THEATRE: £12 for 2 courses / £16 for 3 courses Monday – Friday only, until 7pm
Have your pudding and coffee after the show. 1 King’s Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1SJ
01223 359506 www.chophouses.co.uk The Cambridge Chop House
@cambscuisine