The playwright and theatre director John Barton is returning to the ADC Theatre after an absence of forty years. Most recently in the news as the writer of current epic Tantalus, he will be staging a production of his highly acclaimed one-man show, Le Morte D'Arthur, on Saturday 3 March. Proceeds from the event will go to the English Faculty's fundraising campaign.

The playwright and theatre director John Barton is returning to the ADC Theatre after an absence of forty years. Most recently in the news as the writer of current epic Tantalus, he will be staging a production of his highly acclaimed one-man show, Le Morte D'Arthur, on Saturday 3 March. Proceeds from the event will go to the English Faculty's fundraising campaign.

Previously staged at the Almeida Theatre in London, the play is a dramatisation of Sir Thomas Malory's epic fifteenth-century tale of King Arthur's court. John Barton will give his individual interpretation, followed by a discussion in which members of the audience will be encouraged to participate. Since the audience will include some of Cambridge's most eminent medievalist scholars, this part of the afternoon promises to be informative as well as entertaining.

John Barton says that he is very much looking forward to returning to the ADC, the home of his earliest theatrical successes, after a 40-year gap. He has many fond memories of the theatre and of the people who worked there.

Whilst reading English as an undergraduate, John particularly recalls learning about Shakespeare and getting to know Le Morte D'Arthur. He was taught by Dadie Rylands, and as Dean of King's passed his theatrical experience on to later generations, including the Marlowe group in the latter half of the 'sixties. It was during this time that Peter Hall first approached him with the idea of setting up the Royal Shakespeare Company, asking John to be Assistant Director upon its foundation in 1959. For the next three decades John was Associate Director and worked with some of Britain's finest actors, including Peggy Ashcroft, Judi Dench, Jeremy Irons, Ben Kingsley, Ian McKellen and Peter O'Toole.

The event is being organised by the Faculty of English and all proceeds will go to their fund-raising campaign. Professor Dame Gillian Beer from the Faculty said "We are delighted to be welcoming John back to Cambridge theatre after such a long absence. He is a central figure in English theatre and a strong supporter of our campaign."

The Faculty of English has made a significant contribution to the world of drama, enabling future actors, directors and producers to learn the literary skills crucial for later success. Notable directors who read English at Cambridge are Sir Peter Hall (formerly RSC), Trevor Nunn (Royal National Theatre), Simon McBurney (Theatre de Complicite) and Oscar-winner Sam Mendes (Donmar Warehouse); other celebrated Faculty alumni include Sir David Hare, David Baddiel, Emma Thompson, Miriam Margoyles, Griff Rhys Jones, Stephen Fry, Simon Russell Beale and Rachel Weisz.

The Faculty is raising money to build a new home for Cambridge English, and to fund three new teaching posts. The building will include seminar rooms to facilitate teaching in larger groups, and the Faculty's first on-site drama studio, which will provide space for workshops, experiment and rehearsals. The University of Cambridge prides itself on the freedom and support that it gives students to pursue creative ideas outside their chosen fields of study, encouraging individuals to remove the boundaries that can exist between their intellectual and creative lives.

Tickets
Tickets available now from
the English Faculty Events Office:
Tel - 01223 335080
Fax - 01223 335075
Email - english-events@lists.cam.ac.uk

Prices
Theatre and champagne reception - £20
Theatre only - £15
Theatre only (students) - £3


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