Shining over a century of British comedy are the Footlights – the legendary Cambridge theatrical society that counts among its alumni some of the finest, and even the most groundbreaking, comic minds ever to have lived. Monty Python, Douglas Adams, The Goodies, Mitchell and Webb, Armstrong and Miller, Fry and Laurie, Mel and Sue…the list of earth-shattering collectives and household names that began life as theatrically-minded youths within the prestigious university is intimidating. Come July, shuffling their feet on a stage in Cardiff, ready to join the ranks of the greats – there will beam a new generation of Footlights.
Embarking on their international tour, the BAFTA and Oscar nominees of tomorrow will be stopping by Cardiff’s Glee Club to perform their newest oddball showing Dream Sequence, guaranteed to be a unique cutting-edge brand of intelligently-crafted nonsense cut with the hilariously unpredictable. At their home turf of the ADC Theatre, offbeat sketches and witty skits regularly meet impromptu stand-up and audacious singing, so those in attendance must prepare themselves to be completely unprepared. As current member and Dream Sequence performer Henry offers cryptically, “The best part is the interval.”
With the coming and going of students from the University comes leagues of potential new talent and an ever-shifting focus of discipline and ideas, the only constant being the incredible reputation of their output. Among the temperament of the current line-up is an appreciation for diligent method in madness, a fervent order to chaos. “We want to be sensitive to the rhythms of the show” says director Ellie, explaining an ordered filing system of sketches ranging extensively from Surreal to Calm down and Nightmare. Regardless of heritage, simply placing giggly young adults together in a room with pen and paper overnight is never guaranteed to yield a comedy classic for the ages. “It’s been a really long time in the making” John digresses, referring to a writing process that began back in January.
Cambridge Footlights: Dream Sequence, The Glee Club, Cardiff, Tue 4 July. Tickets: £12. Info: 087 1472 0400 / www.glee.co.uk
words JASON MACHLAB