Cambridge Goes to Edinburgh

You guessed it, it’s that time of year again – and as the Edinburgh Fringe pulls into town once more, Cambridge has its characteristically ubiquitous presence. If you’re in the area, be sure to check out some home-grown talent!

Chaucer All Strung Up (The Franklin’s Tale) – C Venues, 2pm, Wed 31 July – Mon 26 August

Chaucer as you’ve never seen him before – in a circus. We’re promised storytelling, creativity and imagination and a show not to be missed.

Oresteia – C Venues, 7.30pm, Wed 31 July – Saturday 17August

After a spectacular run at the ADC, this adaptation of Aeschylus’ trilogy features casinos, virtual reality and the walls of Troy. Revenge has never looked so good.

Snap Out Of It! – C Venues, C Nova, 11am, Thu 1 – Mon 26 August

Following their successful five-star run in Cambridge, the Strung Up Theatre Company takes their show to Edinburgh, giving us a fresh take on mental health issues through verbatim theatre.

PICK ME UP – A Sketch Show – The Caves,  7.40pm, Fri 2  – Wed 28 August

The weird and wonderful Pick Me Up, the sell out comedy from five Footlights tour veterans promises a newer, tighter and even funnier collection of comic concoctions than they’ve done before.

Esio Trot – Assembly Three, 10.30am, Thu 1 – Mon 26 August (except 13^th)

Who doesn’t love Roald Dahl? This stage adaptation of his classic tale will delight adults, children and tortoise-lovers alike.

Kind – Zoo Studio, 11am, Fri 2 – Sat 17 August

New writing, physical theatre and puppetry combine to tell the story of Skildir, a young woman trapped in an abusive relationship, and Sùlair, an outsider whose love of sea-birds has drawn him to a remote island community. Its critically-acclaimed Cambridge run suggests that this is worth a watch.

Way Back – Underbelly, 12.50pm, Thu 1 – Sun 25 August

Way Back is a brand new, poignant and genuinely daring new comedy, sensitively exploring the taboo themes of depression and suicide.

The King and Queen of the Universe – C Aquila (Temple Theatre), 1.05pm, Thu 1 – Fri 23 August

An unexpected encounter in a park leads to a young couple losing their illusions about the world and each other.

Dressing Down – Gilded Balloon Teviot, 3pm, Wed 31 July – Mon 26 August

Footlights rarely fail to amuse and Dressing Down is no exception, combining costumes and comedy in this adaptation of this year’s Spring Revue.

Guido! – C too main house, 3.50pm, Thu 1 – Mon 26 August

Guido brings to life a riotous period of English history through musical comedy. This fun and original show will appear to anyone with a sense of humour.

Robin – The Caves, 4pm, Thu 1 – Sun 25 August

Robin is a one man show in two parts, a one-man farce where everything goes right. Sort of. Guess you’ll have to see it to understand…

I’ll Be Seeing You – Paradise in the Vault, 4pm, Sat 3 – Mon 26 August

Between the Bars theatre company gives us a powerful glimpse of 1940s Cambridge, with three interweaving personal stories against a backdrop of a city which thought it was safe from the horrors of war.

The Footlights International Tour Show 2013 – Pleasance AceDome, 5.20pm Fri 2 – Mon 26 August

Ensure you catch the renowned Tour Show before it jets off to America to complete its already-successful run. Promises to be more classic comedy from the Footlights.

Six Characters in Search of an Author – C Venues, 8.45pm, Wed 31 July – Sat 17 August

The description hastens to remind us that “it’s only a show” – a show that promises to blur the boundaries between imagination and reality.

Assassins – theSpace, Surgeon’s Hall, 2pm, Mon 12 – Fri 23 August

Set in a Fairground shooting gallery, Assassins follows 9 historical figures as they attempt to assassinate the president. The show boasts dark humour and thought provoking moments in its harrowing perception of the American Dream.

Are You Sitting Comfortably? – C Nova Studio, 4.30pm, Sun 11 – Mon 26 August

A romantic comedy set in, um, a radio, Are You Sitting Comfortably?  tells the story of boy-can’t-meet-girl, bursting with music, sketches and all the radio-related puns you can dream of. Why not?

Free Footlights – The Dram House Upstairs, 6.30pm, Sat 3 – Sat 24 August

A welcome complement to their paid shows, this hour of sketches, stand-up, monologues and more looks to be one of the sell-out performances of the Free Fringe.

The Revolution Will Not Be Improvised – Laughing Horse, The Newsroom, 12.30am, Mon 12 – Thurs 22 August

A talented young bunch of ad-libbers going by the name of the Cambridge Impronauts seek to add to the gallimaufry of improvised drama at the Fringe with this revolutionary new show.

Magpie & Stump Are Chairman Lmao and the Lolitburo –  theSpace on the Mile, 22:05, Mon 19 – Sat 25 August

Cambridge’s oldest comedy society returns to the Fringe, with a fresh hour of stand-up, and a dead bird in a box. With special guests from Cambridge’s comedy scene featuring every night they’re promising a stand up which “is more amusing than the show title.”

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 If you have a show that you would like added to the above list, or are interested in reviewing a show at Edinburgh for the Tab, please contact [email protected].