Live events are back. Hopefully, this time, for good.
It has been an extremely difficult period for the live entertainment industry and theatres in our area will be desperate to get bums back in seats to make up for lost revenue over the past 18 months.
Here are some of the best shows coming to Cambridgeshire this September:
Ed Byrne, Cambridge Junction, Wednesday 1
Kicking off a refreshingly busy month at the Junction, Ed Byrne returns from the success of his 2017/18 UK tour with a new masterclass in observational comedy: ‘If I’m Honest’.
Tackling the trials and tribulations of bringing up his two sons in characteristically self-deprecating fashion, he questions how many of his own traits he’d really like to pass on to his offspring.
Grease, ADC Theatre, Cambridge, Wednesday 1 - Saturday 11
When this year’s Summer Nights draw to a close brush aside those back to school blues and relive this all time classic musical at the ADC theatre.
The Cambridge-based Pied Pipers are putting on a 12 day run of the famous love story between Danny and Sandy with matineé performances on the Saturdays.
Huntingdon Comedy Club, Commemoration Hall, Saturday 4
Newly refurbished, the Commemoration Hall is hosting the Huntingdon Comedy Club from Chuckl this September after a sold out show in August.
Top billing this time goes to Luisa Omielan, Bafta Breakthrough Brit winner of 2018 with appearances on Live at the Apollo and Miranda alongside her solo stand up shows.
Her most famous tour ‘What Would Beyoncé do’ has been called “one of the top UK comedy shows of the last decade” by the Guardian.
She is supported by rising comics Kae Kurd, Ria Lina and Esther Manito.
Frank Skinner, New Theatre, Peterborough, Sunday 5
After a sold out five-week run at the West End’s Garrick Theatre, the timeless Frank Skinner is visiting Peterborough as part of his ‘Showbiz’ tour.
The show’s title comes from the numerous tales he’s collected over several decades in the biz now, maintaining the sense of humour that made him popular in pubs and clubs in Birmingham as a young comic.
His own recognition of how long he has been around is not skirted over, but a source of a lot of the jokes in this 90-minute exploration of all things celebrity.
The Cambridge Club Festival, Childerley Orchard, Cambridge, Friday 10 -Sunday 12
Bringing its feel good funk, soul and disco to a family friendly environment that doesn’t compensate on the music, The Cambridge Club Festival is returning once more to brighten up the late summer.
There are also workshops, rides, entertainment and a whole host of festival food trucks to keep you busy outside of the main stage.
With headline sets from Rag’N’Bone Man and Jack Savoretti, and an after-dark DJ set from Horse Meat Disco, there's a real range of artists to enjoy.
Why the Child is Cooking in the Polenta, ADC Theatre, Cambridge, Monday 13
Exploring the concept of what it feels like to be a foreigner, this one night only performance adapted from Aglaja Veteranyi’s autobiographical novel follows the story of a young girl and her family of circus performers who have emigrated from Romania.
Constantly on the move, the challenges the family face are viewed through the lens of a child’s grappling with them, naturally innocent and imaginative.
D-Day Darlings, The Maltings, Ely, Friday 17
There are a limited number of tickets left for the wartime songstresses D-Day Darlings in Ely.
Bringing the best music from their successful 2018 album ‘I’ll Remember You’ to a special matinee performance at The Maltings, these songs will bring back a host of memories for attendees.
Strawberries and Creem, Childerley Orchard, Cambridge, Saturday 18 - Sunday 19
Following its successful 5 year run at Haggis Farm, Strawberries and Cream festival is this year moving to Childerley Orchard for its 6th event with their biggest lineup to date.
Offering a feast of urban and dance music, expect to hear hip-hop, R&B, Afrobeats, dancehall, house, drum & bass and more across multiple stages with the likes of Bugzy Malone, Mall Grab and Wilkinson headlining.
John Bishop, New Theatre, Peterborough, Tuesday 21 - Wednesday 22
Another comedy star making his way to Peterborough this September, John Bishop’s new show ‘Right Here, Right Now’ is his eighth time touring and will see him perform in the UK, Ireland, Europe, America and Canada.
Educating Rita, Angles Theatre, Wisbech, Thursday 23 - Saturday 25
Educating Rita, best known as the 1983 film adaptation starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters, was originally a stage play written in 1980 by Willy Russell and is set entirely in the office of an Open University tutor.
Themes include Britain’s class system, the flaws in institutional education and self-development in this three-show run at the Angles Theatre in Wisbech.
St Ives Comedy Club, Corn Exchange, St Ives, Saturday 25
The corn exchange in St Ives will also be hosting one of Chuckl’s comedy clubs this September.
On the lineup is Larry Dean, Scottish Comedian of the Year winner, Michael Odewale, winner of best new show at the 2019 Leicester Comedy Festival, and Stephanie Laing, finalist in the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year competition.
There is also one more comedian to be announced.
Ocean Film Festival, Cambridge Corn Exchange, Saturday 25
For marine enthusiasts, The Ocean Film Festival will be visiting Cambridge as part of its world tour.
The short films curated for the festival include an iceberg-dodging kayaking expedition, extreme skimboarding, and an exploration of the Kuril Islands - known as one of the last paradises on Earth.
Many of the films dedicate a lot of attention to the conservation of our oceans, making them particularly relevant to our time, and to the spirit of adventure.
The Vaccines, Cambridge Junction, Wednesday 29
Hopefully, you’ll have had both your jabs by the time Cambridge welcomes a very different kind of Vaccines to the city.
One of the most influential indie bands of the last 10 years in this country, The Vaccines have new music and old favourites to share with their audience in one of their notoriously high energy shows.
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