Arts Theatre Summer 2013

APRIL - November 2013 Box offic e: 0 1223 503333 Book online and select your own seats: www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

calendar

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Mon 22 - Sat 27 Apr

THE PITMEN PAINTERS

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Sun 28 - Mon 29 Apr

BALLET BLACK

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Wed 1 - Sat 4 May

I WAS A RAT!

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Mon 13 - Tue 14 May

Richard Alston Dance Company

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Sat 18 May

CLARE TEAL AND HER BIG BAND

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Wed 15 - Sun 19 May

THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD

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Tue 21 - Sat 25 May

ENGLISH TOURING OPERA - SUMMER

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Mon 3 - Sat 8 Jun YES, PRIME MINISTER

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Mon 10 - Sat 15 Jun

THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE

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Mon 17 - Sat 22 Jun

DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS

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Mon 24 - Sat 29 Jun

BIRDSONG

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Wed 17 - Sat 27 Jul

KING LEAR - Outdoor performances

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Wed 21 - Sat 24 Aug

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - Outdoor performances

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Tue 17 - Sat 21 Sep

GLOBE Theatre ON TOUR - HENRY VI

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Mon 23 - Sat 28 Sep

A PASSIONATE WOMAN

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Wed 16 - Sat 19 Oct

THE CAMBRIDGE GREEK PLAY

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Tue 29 Oct - Sat 2 Nov

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

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Wed 13 - Sat 16 Nov

ENGLISH TOURING OPERA - AUTUMN

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HOW TO BOOK

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education

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supporters

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ACCESS

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Supporters

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.

• I Was a Rat: Pre show talk, Thurs 2 May 5.45pm

• A Passionate Woman: BSL Interpreted performance,

• Richard Alston: Pre show talk, Mon 13 May 6.45pm

Wed 25 September, 7.45pm.

• ETO Pre show talk 21 May, 24 May and 25 May 6.30pm.

• James and the Giant Peach: Audio Described

All performances will be surtitled, except Cosi Fan Tutte on

performance, Sat 2 November 2.30pm, Touch Tour available

Thu 23 May

• English Touring Opera: Pre show talk, 13, 14 and 15

• Dreamboats and Petticoats: Audio Described

November 6.30pm

Performance, Sat 22 June, 4pm. Touch Tour available

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Designed & Printed by John Good Ltd, Coventry

welcome Welcome to our summer 2013 season. When I go into the West End these days, which I do a couple of times a week, I sometimes wonder why I bother. By the time I’ve paid the extortionate rail fares or parking, forgotten my congestion charge, struggled to find anything decent to eat for less than a king’s ransom, been disappointed by one of the ticket “offers” that leave you only able to see half the stage, waited, at the albeit very swish, Kings Cross and then braved the “vomit comet” last train home, only the amazing theatre makes it worthwhile.

In recent months our audiences flocked to see Noises Off following its sell-out run at The Old Vic, they saw Rupert Everett in The Judas Kiss, Felicity Kendal in Relatively Speaking and Lenny Henry in Fences before the West End audience and they will soon see the effervescent Lynda Bellingham, on her first return since the unstoppable Calendar Girls, in the West End bound A Passionate Woman. The best of the West End is already here in Cambridge so you really don’t have to travel to see the very best that our industry has to offer. When you bear in mind that we combine this with stunning subsidised theatre, the finest touring opera and the cream of contemporary dance the bright lights of London town suddenly don’t shine so brightly. I can be home before I would have even made it to Kings Cross!

As you may have seen in the press we recently received a wonderful £500,000 boost from Arts Council England towards our Act Two campaign to rebuild and extend our Front of House facilities. We are extremely hopeful of some more exciting news in the very near future. Perhaps, with bit of luck, not only will our drama be as good as the best that London can offer but we will be able to make your theatre going experience pleasurable in every sense. It would be wonderful if all our patrons could get a drink without feeling hassled, go to the loo without feeling stressed and meet friends in our foyer without thinking that they were at Piccadilly Circus! Keep your fingers crossed for us, and please talk to our Development office if you would like to know more or make a donation to the campaign.

Thank you as ever for your unwavering support and encouragement 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

Saturday 18 MAY

DIVAS - CLARE TEAL AND HER BIG BAND Conducted by Grant Windsor The Queen of Swing celebrates the music of her heroines, the leading ladies of the big band stage Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Doris Day and many of their glamourous contemporaries.

The multi-award winning, singer and Radio 2 broadcaster also demonstrates the influence these characters have had on her own acclaimed catalogue of work, with the help of a top flight big band, starring many members of her beloved BBC Big Band.

Songs include ‘The Folks Who Live on The Hill’, ‘Fever’, ‘That Old Black Magic Called Love’, ‘Too Darn Hot’, ‘Get Happy’, ‘Secret Love’ & ‘Feeling Good’. This is a not to be missed evening of Feel Good music inspired by the greats and played by the best.

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7.45pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

Monday 22 – Saturday 27 April Bill Kenwright Presents the Live Theatre Newcastle and National Theatre co-production of

‘Lee Hall’s superb play’

‘Everyone should see it’

DAILY TELEGRAPH

THE TIMES

Last chance to book!

Originally produced by Newcastle’s acclaimed Live Theatre, and following sellout seasons at the National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway, Bill Kenwright presents the award winning play The Pitmen Painters.

Written by Lee Hall, creator of the worldwide sensation Billy Elliot, The Pitmen Painters has received huge critical acclaim and won the Evening Standard award for Best New Play.

In 1934, a group of Ashington miners hired a professor to teach an art appreciation evening class. Rapidly abandoning theory in favour of practice, the pitmen began to paint. Within a few years the most avant-garde artists became their friends and their work was acquired by prestigious collections; but every day they worked, as before, down the mine. Examining the lives of a group of ordinary men who do extraordinary things, The Pitmen Painters is a humorous, deeply moving and timely look at art, class and politics.

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 Habit of Art, Billy Elliot, Brassed Off

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 5

Sunday 28 – Monday 29 April

Ballet Black

Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black highlights and celebrates the talents of black and Asian dancers from around the world, and has garnered praise from all quarters, with recent accolades including a Critics’ Circle National Dance Award nomination for Best Independent Company of 2012. Having established a huge following in its inaugural decade, Ballet Black is now 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 with exciting new work from up and coming choreographers, Ludovic Ondiviela (The Royal Ballet), Robert Binet (National Ballet of Canada) and world renowned dance maker Javier De Frutos. British choreographer, Christopher Marney (Gothenburg Ballet, New Adventures) creates Ballet Black’s newest story ballet, an episodic journey through relationships built during World War Two. Experience the loneliness of the women left behind, the aftermath of a soldier’s turmoil, and the fun of the London dance halls set against the sights and sounds of the Blitz spirit.

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Sunday – Monday, 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

Wednesday 1 – Saturday 4 May Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company, Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company, the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and Teatro Kismet (Bari, Italy) present

‘Philip Pullman is one of the supreme literary dreamers and magicians of our time.’

GUARDIAN

Philip Pullman’s

I Was a rat!

Adapted and directed by Teresa Ludovico English version by David Watson

Wednesday, 1.30pm & 7pm

“I Was A Rat!” insists a scruffy page boy who turns up one evening on the doorstep of old married couple Bob and Joan. But what is he now? A terrifying monster rampaging in the sewers? A money-spinning fairground freak? Or just an ordinary boy, though a little ratty in his habits?

Thursday, 1.30pm & 7pm Friday, 7pm Saturday, 2.30pm & 7pm: £12.50 Children/£15 Adults All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee

Philip Pullman’s glorious and gripping story is brought to life on the professional stage for the first time in the UK. Combining humour, fantasy, and adventure this moving and darkly comic tale slowly reveals its connection to one of the most famous fairy tales of all time. Full of music, fantastic physical performances and unforgettable images I Was A Rat! will surprise and delight audiences of all ages.

Adapted and directed by Teresa Ludovico, artistic director of Teatro Kismet in Bari, Southern Italy, best known here for her thrilling visual and physical style.

Free pre-show talk, thursday 2 may, 5.45pm. Please book on 01223 503333

Book if you enjoyed: Swallows and Amazons, His Dark Materials, Michael Morpugo

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 7

Monday 13 – Tuesday 14 May

Richard Alston Dance Company Unfinished Business Lachrymae The Devil in the Detail

‘Witty, chic… The whole inventive work is a delight’ SUNDAY TIMES

‘A thing of truth and beauty’ INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

The Richard Alston Dance Company return to Cambridge Arts Theatre with a programme of three pieces all accompanied by live music.

Unfinished Business is danced to the beautiful, lucid and flowing music of Mozart – the two movements of an unfinished piano sonata, Opus K533. To these, Alston has added an extraordinary arrangement of Mozart’s brilliant Gigue in D by the Italian virtuoso Federico Busoni, creating a third movement and bringing things to a rousing close.

Lachrymae, set to the compassionate and tender music of Benjamin Britten, for viola and piano, spins emotional variations on a gentle song by John Dowland – quietly but deeply moving.

Richard Alston has revived his effervescent The Devil In The Detail, inspired by the music of ‘King of Ragtime’ Scott Joplin. Irresistible classics such as ‘Maple Leaf Rag’ and ‘The Entertainer’ are blended with the lightness and finesse of Alston’s choreography.

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Monday – Tuesday, 7.45pm: £15/£20/£25 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee Free pre-show talk, MONDAY 13 May, 6.45pm. Booking Essential on 01223 503333

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

HHHH ‘Lovingly and simply brought to the stage’

HHHH ‘Fun, daft and a little scary!’

TIME OUT

HHHH ‘Perfect children’s entertainment’

EVENING STANDARD

‘The Gruffalo said that no Gruffalo should Ever set foot in the deep dark wood…’

SCOTSMAN Wednesday 1.30pm, Thursday 10.30am, 4.30pm Friday 10.30am, 1.30pm

Following hot on the heels of the Gruffalo’s sell out tour and his monstrous West End success comes The Gruffalo’s Child.

Saturday 11.00am, 2.00pm Sunday 11.00am, 2.00pm: Tickets: £12.50

One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s child ignores her father’s warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist... does he?

Tall Stories Theatre Company returns, bringing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s award-winning sequel to life in this magical, musical adaptation.

Ages: 3+

All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee

Book if you enjoyed: The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Charlie and Lola

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

All illustrations copyright © Axel Scheffler 2004, published by Macmillan Children’s Books.

WEDNESDAY 15 - Sunday 19 MAY

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Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 May

English Touring Opera English Touring Opera brings a feast of opera which focuses on storytelling through bel canto, beautiful singing.

****

‘Robust, virile and emotionally charged … English Touring Opera’s performance is enthralling.’

TELEGRAPH

Mozart’s Così fan tutte Thursday 23 and Friday 24 May Sung in English This high energy, laugh-a-minute comedy about making mistakes in love is one of Mozart’s most famous operas. In one day, two pairs of fiancés are parted, and new fiancés found – or so it seems. Discovering they are not at all the people they thought they were is strange, exciting, and very embarrassing.

Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra Wednesday 22 and Saturday 25 May Sung in Italian with English surtitles In this compelling drama Simon Boccanegra is a former pirate who returns to the city of Genoa to become its leader. With a large cast and orchestra, this rarely toured opera includes a raft of colourful characters from Simon, the rough-hewn buccaneer, to his spiteful adversary, his own father-in-law, Fiesco.

Donizetti’s The Siege of Calais (L’assedio di Calais) Tuesday 21 May

Sung in Italian with English surtitles Tuesday – Saturday, 7.30pm

Donizetti’s rarely performed epic tells the story of the Burghers of Calais, who offered up their lives to save their citizens from the English army. The opera includes poignant scenes between the young couple at the heart of the drama and between the leader of the city and his anguished followers. Meanwhile, at the gates, the triumphant King Edward III shouts for blood. ETO’s new production features designs by Faroese artist Samal Blak, inspired by the siege of Stalingrad.

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£15/£25/£30/£35 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee Free pre-show talks, 6.30pm on 21,24,25 May. Booking Essential on 01223 503333

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

****

‘There is much to admire and enjoy, with assured singing throughout.’

INDEPENDENT

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Monday 3 – Saturday 8 June

DIRECT FROM THE WEST END

By Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn

**** ‘The audience loved it. A hit’ Daily Mail

‘Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey are back in truly vintage form. As politically sharp and blissfully funny as ever’ Daily Telegraph

Following three sell-out seasons in the West End and after playing to packed houses in Cambridge last year, the hit comedy Yes, Prime Minister is back due to phenomenally popular demand.

The original writers of the classic BBC TV series, Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn have reunited for this anniversary production with a new satirical take on Whitehall. Prime Minister Jim Hacker and his Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby are back, spinning out of control through the collapsing euro and austerity measures in a world of 24 hour news, Blackberrys and ‘sexed up’ dossiers.

With the country on the brink of financial meltdown the PM is staring disaster in the face with his only apparent salvation in 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?

Fast becoming the most successful play of the decade, Yes, Prime Minister marks the return to Cambridge by Michael Fenton Stevens, well loved for his many pantomime appearances at the Arts Theatre as well as roles in Benidorm, Drop The Dead Donkey and My Family. He is joined by Crispin Redman (Law and Order:UK) and Indra Ové, who starred alongside Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh in the 1995 film adaptation of Othello.

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, The TV Series

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 13

MONDAY 10 – SATURDAY 15 JUNE

The Award-Winning West End play

The Olivier Award winning comedy, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is coming to Cambridge Arts Theatre as part of its first major national tour. Written and directed by Jim Cartwright, this sparkling new production is a story of music, divas and romance featuring songs by some of the world’s greatest female stars, including Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.

Shy Little Voice spends most of her time hidden away with her late father’s record collection, perfecting her astonishing impersonations. Her extraordinary talent remains a secret until she is overheard by local talent scout Ray Say. Determined to hit the big time, Ray sets about creating the show of the century with Little Voice as his star. When the big night arrives, Ray is convinced that this is his last chance for fame and fortune. But has anyone asked Little Voice what she wants?

Starring Beverley Callard (Coronation Street), Ray Quinn (Dirty Dancing, Grease, Legally Blonde), Duggie Brown (The Comedians) and introducing the sensational Jess Robinson as Little Voice.

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‘Gritty, Heartwarming, Funny, Entertaining. A superb night of theatre’ whats on STAGE 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: Noises Off, The Ladykillers, Abigail’s Party

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

Monday 17 – Saturday 22 June ­Bill Kenwright AND LAURiE MANSFIELD IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC Present

Direct from london’s West End

BOOK BY LAURENCE MARKS & MAURICE GRAN

‘I LOVED EVERY MOMENT’

‘Gloriously Sweet’

Daily Telegraph

the express

Inspired by the smash hit multi-million selling albums Dreamboats and Petticoats one, two, three four and five, the West End sell out sensation Dreamboats and Petticoats The Musical, featuring some of the greatest hit songs of the rock ‘n’ roll era, comes to Cambridge Arts Theatre.

Monday – Thursday, 7.45pm Friday 8pm Saturday 4pm, 8pm: £15/£25/£30/£35 Thursday 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30

Dreamboats and Petticoats The Musical features classic tracks from Roy Orbison, The Shadows, Eddie Cochran, Billy Fury, and many more, including ‘Let’s Dance’, ‘Only Sixteen’, ‘Happy Birthday Sweet 16’, ‘Let It Be Me’, ‘Great Pretender’, ‘C’mon Everybody’, ‘Let’s Twist Again’ and many more hits from music’s golden era!

In 1961 emotions run high as young musicians Norman and Bobby compete to win a national song writing competition – and, more importantly, the attention of the gorgeous Sue! But when Bobby discovers that shy Laura is no slouch on the piano, love and rock ‘n’ roll fame beckons…

All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee Audio described performance, Saturday 22 June, 4pm Touch tour available, please book

Book if you enjoyed: Save the Last Dance for Me, Classic Rock ‘n’ Roll

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 15

Monday 24 – Saturday 29 June The Original Theatre Company & Birdsong Productions Ltd present

By Sebastian Faulks Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff Directed by Alastair Whatley

HHHH

‘Superb... it left me choked up. Thoroughly recommended’ INDEPENDENT

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HHHH

‘Captures both the pain and the pity of a war that almost defies comprehension.’

GUARDIAN

A mesmerising story of love, courage and sacrifice is now brought to the stage in this critically acclaimed version of Sebastian Faulks’s bestselling novel.

An epic tale of love and war set both before and during the Great War. In pre-war France, a young Englishman Stephen Wraysford embarks on a passionate and dangerous affair with the beautiful Isabelle Azaire that turns their world upside down. As the war breaks out over the idyll of his former life, Stephen must lead his men through the carnage of the Battle of the Somme and through the sprawling tunnels that lie deep under-ground. Faced with the unprecedented horror of the war Stephen clings to the memory of Isabelle as his world explodes around him.

Performed by a dynamic ensemble company including award winning actress Sarah Jayne Dunn (Drop Dead Gorgeous), Charlie G Hawkins (Eastenders), Arthur Bostrom (‘Allo, Allo’), Tim Van Eyken (War Horse), Tim Treloar (National Theatre, RSC) and introducing newcomer Jonathan Smith as Stephen Wraysford.

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 novel, Parade’s End, Journey’s End

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 17

shakespeare’s GLOBE

Outdoor performances in the master’s garden, Corpus

Wednesday 17 – Saturday 27 July

King Lear

By William Shakespeare

Old King Lear, weary of royal duties, proposes to break up his kingdom and divide it among his three daughters. But this rash generosity is cruelly repaid and Lear discovers too late the false values by which he has lived – and, in turn, the suffering common to all humanity.

Every evening at 7.30pm Thursdays, Saturdays and Sunday 21 at 2pm Please note there is no performance

Tempestuous poetry shot through with touches of humour and moments of heart-rending simplicity, King Lear is one of the deepest artistic explorations of the human condition. Performed on an Elizabethan-style stage, a small troupe of travelling players breathe new life into Shakespeare’s great tragedy.

Joseph Marcell will play King Lear. He is best known for his role as Geoffrey in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and has previously performed at the Globe in Much Ado About Nothing (2011) and Coriolanus (2006).

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on Monday 22 July Tickets: £20 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

There will be no seating for these performances, but there will be some limited room for patrons to bring their There will be limited wheelchair spaces provided. Performances go ahead in all but the most inclement weather

ON TOUR PRESENTS

Christi College Entrance via Free School lane

wednesday 21 – saturday 24 august

The Taming of the Shrew

By William Shakespeare

Two wealthy sisters in Padua must be married off. The modest, demure Bianca has no shortage of suitors, but who on earth will take the wild, ungovernable, ‘shrewish’ Katherina? Perhaps the gold-digging Petruchio, as maddeningly strong willed and perverse as Katherina herself, will be equal to the task of bullying her to the altar.

Direct from the Globe and performed on an Elizabethan-style stage with an all-female cast, a small troupe of travelling players breathe new life into Shakespeare’s outrageous comedy. Starring one of theatre’s great screwball double-acts, a couple hell-bent on confusing and outwitting each other right up to its controversial conclusion.

Every evening at 7.30pm Thursday and Saturday, 2pm Tickets: £20 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

own chairs. This will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis and so cannot be guaranteed. conditions so please dress accordingly. Admission will be 30 minutes before the start of the performance.

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Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 September Globe Theatre on Tour presents

Henry VI

Three Plays

By William Shakespeare

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HENRY VI

The plays which make up Shakespeare’s Henry VI create a world without ideology; a savage time, when the heroes are not kings, but formidable women, such as Joan of Arc, or rebels, such as Jack Cade. Bold characterisation, black comedy, rhetorical power and, in the personality of Henry VI, touching pathos combine in Shakespeare’s powerful rendering of a country racked by civil war.

Shakespeare almost certainly did not set out to write a trilogy. Each play can be enjoyed without knowledge of the other but for true theatre lovers there is the rare opportunity to see all three parts in one week, with the chance to devote yourself to an entire day of the Bard on Saturday 21 September.

HARRY THE SIXTH Tuesday 17 September, 7.45pm Saturday 21 September, 12.30pm

Following the death of Henry V, celebrated for having united England and subjugated France, divisions appear at the highest levels – first between those around the infant Henry VI, later between the two great factions in English politics: the houses of Lancaster and York. Only the young Lord Talbot, locked in combat with the bewitching and enigmatic Joan of Arc, seems capable of redeeming a divided and dishonoured kingdom.

THE HOUSES OF YORK & LANCASTER

Wednesday 18 September, 7.45pm Thursday 19 and Saturday 21 September, 4pm

The saintly Henry VI is undermined by his nobles, especially the ambitious Richard, Duke of York, and by the Kentish rebellion, led by the charismatic Jack Cade, popular champion and savage critic of England’s social inequality.

THE TRUE TRAGEDY OF THE DUKE OF YORK Thursday 19, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 September, 7.45pm

A bloody power struggle opens up between the King’s party, led by the fearsome Queen Margaret, and the Yorkists, led by first Richard, then his sons Edward and ‘that lump of foul deformity’, Richard of Gloucester.

Tue: Harry the Sixth, 7.45pm Wed: The Houses of York & Lancaster, 7.45pm Thu: The Houses of York & Lancaster, 4pm.

The True Tragedy of the Duke of York, 7.45pm Fri: The True Tragedy of the Duke of York, 7.45pm Sat: Harry the Sixth, 12.30pm

The House of York & Lancaster, 4pm

The True Tragedy of the Duke of York, 7.45pm Tickets: £15/£21/£25/£27

THREE-SHOW TICKET £30/£42/£50/£54

This will entitle you to see all three shows for the price of two. Just one booking fee is applicable. This three show ticket cannot be booked online.

Terms and Conditions apply. Please note, there are no concessions for these productions.

All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee

Book if you enjoyed: Henry V, Anne Boleyn, Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 21

Monday 23 – Saturday 28 September

prior to the West End It’s the morning of Betty’s son’s wedding and she decides to go up into the attic to dust.

Surrounded by clutter, memories and ghosts from her past, Betty finds herself torn between the three men in her life – a husband she’s never really loved, a son she’s about to lose and a man she had a passionate affair with over thirty years ago.

Desperate to escape it all, there’s only one place to go and that’s…up.

Kay Mellor’s glorious comedy stars Lynda Bellingham and Christopher Timothy and is brought to the stage on its pre West End tour by David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers, the multi award-winning producers of Calendar Girls, Brief Encounter, The Full Monty and ART.

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MONday – Saturday, 7.45pm and Saturday, 2.30pm: £15/£25/£30/£35 Thursday, 2.30pm: £15/£20/£25/£30 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee BSL interpreted performance, WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER, 7.45pm

Book if you enjoyed: Calendar Girls, Relatively Speaking, Barefoot in the Park

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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Wednesday 16 – Saturday 19 October

The Cambridge Greek Play 2013 A double bill of

Directed by Helen Eastman Music by Alex Silverman Designed by Neil Irish Lighting Design by Neill Brinkworth

‘The Cambridge Greek Play… a revelatory experience’ GUARDIAN

in the original Greek with surtitles

The triennial Cambridge Greek Play returns to the Arts Theatre. After the success of 2010’s Agamemnon, the same creative team return this year with a double bill of tragedy and comedy. The tradition of performing a play in Greek every three years at Cambridge University extends back to 1882 and boasts an impressive alumni, from Rupert Brooke to Ralph Vaughan Williams.

This is a unique opportunity to hear the extraordinary language of these two great plays, with a newly commissioned orchestral score by composer, Alex Silverman.

From the suffering Prometheus, trying to save mankind, to the madcap meanderings of the all-singing, all-dancing Frogs, this promises to be a rich and varied night of great theatre.

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Wednesday – Saturday, 2.30pm and 7.45pm Tickets: £15 / £20 / £25 Schools and Students: £15 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

Tuesday 29 October – Saturday 2 November Birmingham Stage Company presents

Perfect Half term Treat!

Tuesday – Friday, 2pm and 7pm Saturday, 10.30am and 2pm

James lives with Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, the most revolting Aunts in England. They make him work and slave and never let him play with other children. Then one day he meets a mystical old man who gives him a bag that contains the strongest magic the world has ever known. When James accidentally spills the bag near an old peach tree, the most incredible things start to happen – and James embarks on the adventure of a lifetime with the most amazing group of characters you could ever meet.

The Birmingham Stage Company returns to Cambridge with Roald Dahl’s amazing story, following its acclaimed productions of George’s Marvellous Medicine, Horrible Histories and The Jungle Book. If you’re looking for fruitfilled fun and wizzpopping wonders, then don’t miss James and his Giant Peach!

Children: £12.50/Adults: £17.50 All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee Audio described performance, Saturday 2 NOVEMBER, 2.30pm Touch tour available, please book

Book if you enjoyed: George’s Marvellous Medicine, Horrible Histories

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 25

Wednesday 13 – Saturday 16 November

English Touring Opera

Baroque Opera from Venice

Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea Thursday 14 November

Love, power, morality, corruption… Monteverdi’s final masterpiece (The Coronation of Poppea) is often described as his greatest achievement, combining mythic and very human themes, and featuring some of his most glorious music.

Handel’s Agrippina

Friday 15 and Saturday 16 November An unlikely comedy about Agrippina’s struggle to secure Rome’s throne for her son Nero, Agrippina is set to some of Handel’s finest music, making it a youthful masterpiece of dazzling invention, virtuosity and humour.

Please note: All three operas will be sung in English.

Wednesday – Saturday, 7.30pm:

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Cavalli’s Jason

£20/£25/£30/£39

Wednesday 13 November

All tickets are subject to a £2.50 booking fee

Cavalli’s Jason was a runaway hit when it premiered in Venice in 1649, and it proved one of the most popular operas of the 17th century. The opera opens after Jason has abandoned his wife, Isiphile, for the sorceress Medea. Cupid, protector of Isiphile, intervenes on her behalf, sending Jason and a motley cast of characters on a rocky journey back to his family in Lemnos.

Free pre-show talks, 6.30pm on Wed 13, Thu 14 and Fri 15 November. Booking essential on 01223 503333

BOX OFFICE: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

how to book Summer Opening Hours:

Please note that during our quieter summer period in July and August we may be operating reduced hours at the Box Office. Please check the website for information, where we will be posting details of any planned reduction in opening hours.

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, Visa or Maestro).

Booking fee

All shows 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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education Cambridge Arts Theatre has a diverse range of shows this season which will supplement and support the national school curriculum. We offer a variety of activities and materials, to support the performances, so the experience doesn’t end with the final curtain.

I WAS A RAT!

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company, Nottingham Playhouse

Theatre Company, New Wolsey Theatre and Teatro Kismet This exciting adaptation of Philip Pullman’s book, I Was A Rat! offers Post Show Talks, a resource pack and fully funded workshops to help you make the most of your experience.

RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY One of the country’s leading chorographer lead dance companies. Offering a Pre Show Talk and a wide range of resources, such as a teachers’ booklet and nutrition and hydration advice for dance students.

The GRUFFALO’s CHILD Tall Stories A much loved children’s story, The Gruffalo’s Child is brought to life on stage in this magical production. Suitable for children aged 3 and above. We can provide a learning pack with range of activities designed to aid key foundation skills.

Henry VI – The Globe

By William Shakespeare

A rare opportunity to see all three plays which make up Shakespeare’s stunning Henry VI. Each play was written independently, so they be enjoyed individually or as a trilogy.

There are a range of teaching resources available online, through The Globe theatre’s website www.shakespearesglobe.com/education.

James and the Giant Peach The Birmingham Stage Company

By Roald Dahl Half term fun for all the family with this classic tale. There will be an activity guide available for families to make the magic of your visit last all week by exploring the world James and the Giant Peach visits and the fantastical creatures that live inside.

The Greek Play - The Frogs and Prometheus Aristophane and Aeschylus A very rare opportunity to see two great Greek plays, performed entirely in Ancient Greek (with surtitles), by Cambridge University’s Greek Society. Ideal for those studying Ancient Greek, Classics, Drama (Greek Tragedy appears on the AQA AS syllabus) or for those with an interest in Greek Mythology.

If you would like to discuss the educational resources for any of the shows featured in the brochure please contact Victoria Willingale, Marketing and Education Officer on 01223 578912 or email at vwillingale@cambridgeartstheatre.com.

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education work experience We offer exciting one week work experience placements for students in full-time education within Cambridgeshire.

Undertaking your placement at Cambridge Arts Theatre will allow you to gain an important insight into the arts world whilst developing your employability skills.

Benefits • • • •

Spend time in different departments, from the technical team to the marketing team Fully structured programme Learn how a theatre operates Get involved in professional theatre work

How to apply

Panto Wheels We know Christmas is still a long way away but fundraising for our Panto Wheels scheme is storming ahead.

Panto Wheels helps to subsidise travel costs to ensure that children from Cambridgeshire have the opportunity to visit the theatre and enjoy all the educational benefits it brings (as well as having a lot of fun).

Last year we helped over 1400 children, who otherwise would have been unable to attend, come and see Jack and the Beanstalk. This year we want to transport even more children into the magical world of pantomime and we cannot do this without your help.

For further information on the scheme and how you can help please visit our website www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

Photo credit: Children of Arbury Primary with their own beanstalk, inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk.

There is significant competition for work experience placements, so we ask that you send in a letter of application and a CV to vwillingale@cambridgeartstheatre.com. This should outline your experience, your interest in Theatre and future aims. The next stage of the application process is to invite you to attend an interview at the theatre.

This year our Marketing and Education Officer, Victoria Willingale, is breaking a sweat by cycling 100km in June to raise money for this great scheme. You can sponsor her at www.virginmoneygiving.com/VictoriaWillingale.

If you would like any more information about work experience or Panto Wheels please contact Victoria Willingale, Marketing and Education Officer on 01223 578912 or email at vwillingale@cambridgeartstheatre.com.

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with grateful thanks to our current supporters PRODUCER Adam and Carrie Glinsman DIRECTOR

Baroness Cohen of Pimlico; Jeff Iliffe and Keren Williams; David J H Jones; Dave and Adrienne Murphy; Andy Swarbrick; Anonymous

PRINCIPAL

Simon Aldridge; Timothy Cribb; Roger and Susan May; Professor Hugh Mellor; Rory Morrison-Smith

BUSINESS SUPPORTERS Deloitte; Hannay Robertson Ltd; Language Testing 123; Peters, Elworthy & Moore; TTP Group plc; Turney and Associates Ltd HONORARY MEMBERS Bland, Brown & Cole; Davis Langdon LLP; Hannah-Reed Associates; Wates Construction Ltd

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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. 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 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.

We are grateful to for their support of our access facilities.

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