FESTIVAL Readings of plays put on at the Cambridge Festival Theatre 1929-1935

Throughout its life as an expressionist theatre (1926-35), the Festival Theatre, Cambridge put on a wide variety of contemporary and classic plays, in verse and prose, from Britain and abroad.
As part of Cambridge’s Edge Festival, from 12-16 November 2002 Context Theatre with the Marlowe Society will present a series of rehearsed readings from plays that where performed there, acted by a student Ensemble after being workshopped with professionals, accompanied by discussions led by visiting guests. There will be an exhibition in the Circle Bar to accompany the readings.

• Photographs

The programme will run as follows, each event beginning at 7.00pm in The Playroom (St. Edward's Passage), then moving next door to the Arts Theatre Circle Bar for the post-show talk/discussion.

• Tuesday 12^th November
  CENSORED
  Hoppla! By Ernst Toller, directed by Zoe Svendsen (Context Theatre)
  "An intensely political play, which Toller wrote in response to his own time as a political prisoner, Hoppla! tells the story of a search for political truth in a series of expressionist episodes, interspersed with film footage. "
  Dramatised reading of censorship letters.
  "A comedic montage of communications between Terence Gray and the Lord Chamberlain using documentary materials."
  Talk by Steve Nicholson (University of Huddersfield and author of Foreign Drama and the Lord Chamberlain in the 1950s)

• Wednesday 13^th November
  IRISH AND VERSE DRAMA
  On Baile’s Strand by W.B. Yeats, directed by Tim Cribb ( Cambridge University).
  "A tragedy that retells in verse the Gaelic legend of Conchulain and the high King Conchubar."
  Nishikigi translated and adapted by Ezra Pound, directed by Claire Pamment (Context Theatre).
  "A Japanese Noh drama of two lovers, lost to each other in life, and in death, condemned to walk the earth, tormented by the impossibility of love."
  Discussion with directors and cast

• Thursday 14^th November
  AMERICAN EXPRESSIONISM
  The Adding Machine by Elmer Rice, directed by Simon Godwin (Northampton Theatre).
  "Mr Zero loses his job to an adding machine. An expressionistic satire on man versus the machine."
  Talk by Iain Mackintosh (Theatre Projects Consultants and author of Architecture, Actor, Audience)

• Friday 15^th November
  WOMEN'S DRAMA
  A Woman’s Honour by Susan Glaspell, directed by Rebecca Manson-Jones (ATC).
  "A man awaits trial without an alibi for he is defending a woman's honour, but which woman and why? A feminist farce that asks what a woman's honour really is. "
  Discussion with Jean Chothia (Cambridge University) and Rebecca Manson-Jones

• Saturday 16^th November
  THE RISE OF THE AVANT-GARDE
  Maya by Simon Gantillon (tbc)
  "A 'woman' is visited by travelling seamen who each project onto her their individual desires. She becomes the possession of others and a provider of dreams. A piece loaded with both symbolism and realism. "
  Panel discussion with Erica Whyman (The Gate Theatre), Claire Pamment and Zoe Svendsen (Context Theatre).

To Book:
12-16 November, readings begin at 7pm, free talks at approximately 9.15pm
The Playroom, St Edward’s Passage
Booking: Arts Theatre box office 01223 503333
Tickets: £4 and £3 conc. (50p off each subsequent reading attended)

Please contact us if you have any questions:
Zoe Svendsen (artistic director, Context Theatre) zoesvendsen@gmx.de
Claire Pamment (dramaturg, Context Theatre) clairepamment@hotmail.com

Or if you would like to be part of the Marlowe Ensemble company for this and possibly future projects:
Simon Gillis (President) president@themarlowe.org