The June issue has landed! Up this month... 🎆 Big Weekend 2019 🍓 Strawberry Fair 🌲Wild Wood Disco 🌈 Cambridge Pride 🍕 The Tasty 100 🍸The Cambridge Club Festival 🎭 Theatre picks 🎤 Top gigs 📚 Edition Book Club & loads more! Pick up a copy around Cambridge or have a read online!
XXXXXXXX
J UN E 2 019
YOU R MON T H L Y F I X OF LOCA L L I F E
E D I T I O N
T H E TA S T Y 100 WE ROUND UP THE CITY’S 100 BEST EATS & DRINKS
IN THE CITY G E T S E T F O R S U M M E R FROM THE BIG WEEKEND O STRAWBERRY FAIR & CAMBRIDGE PRIDE FESTIVAL, WE’VE GOT THE LOW-DOWN ON THE CITY’S BEST SUMMER EVENTS, PLUS ARTS, GIGS, THEATRE & MORE!
1
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
SIGN UP TO OUR WEEKLY DIGITAL NEWSLET TER
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
Welcome
EDITORIAL Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459
t
nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Chief sub editor Beth Fletcher Senior sub editor Siobhan Godwood Sub editor Felicity Evans Junior sub editor Elisha Young ADVERTISING Senior sales executive Lee Fifield 01223 492240 leefifield@bright-publishing.com CONTRIBUTORS Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Cathy Moore, Cyrus Pundole, Charlotte Griffiths, Siobhan Godwood, Charlotte Phillips, Daisy Dickinson, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Anna Taylor DESIGN & PRODUCTION Senior designer & production manager Flo Thomas 01223 492242 flothomas@bright-publishing.com Ad production Man-Wai Wong 01223 499468 manwaiwong@bright-publishing.com MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK CAMBRIDGE EDITIONMAGAZINE • Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage. • Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area. FIND US @CAMBSEDITION
here are two, very different, events that dominate the calendar each June in Cambridge: one town, one gown. On the gown side, May Week brings its usual fairy-tale twinkle – yielding the spectacle of a sea of immaculately attired students in ballgowns and black tie, but the exquisite fireworks displays over the river are the highlight. Grab some friends and a picnic and hire a punt for the best vantage point. The river on the night of the St John’s and Trinity balls is a brilliantly chaotic attraction in its own right: pack plenty of prosecco and ready yourself for punt gridlock. Our resident food historian
Dr Sue Bailey takes a deep dive into the food served at the May balls over the centuries – if you’ve a particular fondness for swans, I’d recommend skipping past page 90…. Town, meanwhile, is represented in Strawberry Fair, which brings a free-spirited celebration of Cambridge’s lesser-seen bohemian side to Midsummer Common each year. Free to attend, entirely volunteer-run and attracting some 40,000 visitors each year, Strawberry Fair has music, food and community arts in abundance, as well as a special place in many locals’ hearts. Find out what’s in store on page 38. Also celebrated this June is the city’s LGBT+ community, at Cambridge’s first ever Pride festival. Taking place on Jesus Green, this inaugural event promises live music, a river parade, street food and all kinds of community fun and entertainment – get the low-down on page 61. Inside this issue we also catch up with current members of the Cambridge Footlights: the world-famous student comedy group which jump-started the careers of Stephen Fry, John Cleese, Olivia Colman and more. With their latest international tour show hitting the ADC this month, we find out what it’s like to be part of this revered troupe, and what we can expect from their latest production. Over on our gardens page (117), Anna looks forward to a period of slowing down in the garden, and a month of warm, light, long summer days outdoors where the fruits of spring’s labour can be savoured. And what could be a better complement to a beautiful evening in the garden than a glass of wine and a delicious plate of food? If you need some inspiration on that front I suggest you turn to page 66 immediately for the Tasty 100: a comprehensive list of hundred of the city’s best eats and drinks, past and present. From the sloppy joy of a One for Ella burger to the garlicky goodness of Limoncello’s homemade pesto – have a read and see if your favourite made the cut (or tweet @cambsedition to make your case for any world-beating
foodstuffs omitted from the list!). We’ve also got news on top festivals including the Big Weekend and Wild Wood Disco, plus we pay a visit to the newly revamped Museum of Technology. Enjoy the issue and see you next month! Nicola Foley EDITOR IN CHIEF
This month’s cover illustration was created by Flo Thomas, senior designer & production manager at Cambridge Edition
Author illustrations by Louisa Taylor louisataylorillustration.blogspot.co.uk
5
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
C ONTENTS
8
l STARTERS Top things to do and see in the city, plus our favourite social media pics 13 l ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, concerts and theatre highlights to enjoy in June 27 l FOOTLIGHTS Edition chats to our city’s world- famous student comedy troupe 29 l ART INSIDER Ruthie Collins, founder of Cambridge Art Salon, shares her arty picks of the month 30 l MUSEUM OF TECH We pay a visit to the refurbished and reopened Museum of Technology 35 l BOOK CLUB Book recommendations, special offers and author interviews 38 l AFTER HOURS Comedy, festivals, gigs and more nightlife fun to seek out this month 45 l THE BIG WEEKEND Get ready for a huge, free party on Parker’s Piece – we’ve got all the details 48 l WILD WOOD DISCO A magical woodland disco with DJs including Seb Fontaine and Artwork 52 l CAMBRIDGE CLUB Sister Sledge, great food and drink, plus a craft market
55 LISTINGS Our at-a-glance guide to the top events and goings-on this month 60 l COMMUNITY HUB Community events, charity news and more, from your local hub 63 l FATHER'S DAY Dad-friendly dining and days out for maximum brownie points 66 l THE TASTY 100 Local chef Alex Rushmer runs down the 100 tastiest eats and drinks in the city 75 l FOOD NEWS All the latest news and gossip from the Cambridge food and drink scene 82 l SEEING DOPPLE We meet the man behind DoppleGanger, the vegan burger restaurant on a mission 86 l RECIPES Alex shares Vanderlyle’s lip-smacking roast broccoli with miso recipe 48 l
90 l CAMBS ON A PLATE Food historian Dr Sue Bailey talks May balls, swans and gin 92 l ON YOUR BIKE Looking ahead to a summer of cycling, we round up our favourite bicycles and accessories 97 l EDUCATION Top tips on attending open days, plus a spotlight on Hills Road Sixth Form College 108 l INDIE OF THE MONTH Up for June: we celebrate award-winning Chesterton cafe and bakery, Stir 111 l BEAUTY Daisy Dickinson rounds up the beauty products on her radar this month 117 l GARDENS Anna Taylor, owner of Anna’s Flower Farm, gets excited about the floral possibilities of summer 121 l INTERIORS From stylish furniture to dining alfresco, we dig up the latest garden trends
117
7
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
S tarter s
@BOGDAN.VASILESSCU
@CLAIREABELLEMAKES @SARAHJANEFOURACRES # INSTACAMB OUR FAVOURI TE CAMBRIDGE INSTAGRAM PICS OF THE MONTH. HASHTAG # INSTACAMB FOR A CHANCE TO FEATURE !
FOLLOW @CAMBSEDITION ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE GREAT PICS OF CAMBRIDGE
JUNE ESSENTIAL A DIP IN THE LIDO Jesus Green’s open-air pool is now officially open for its 2019 summer season, so if you’ve been missing the lido over the cooler months, now’s your chance to jump back in! It took 2.4 million litres to fill the tank to ready the pool for opening day, getting off to a slightly chilly start on the first day with a rather perky pool temperature of 10°C. Don’t worry, though; as the weather warms so will the pool, which is one of the longest lidos in Europe at 91 metres. Come sunny days, this little corner of Cambridge feels like a secluded summertime paradise. Pack a book and your shades and pitch up by the side for a sunbathe, hopping in for an occasional dip to cool off (of course, it’s more than suitable for doing actual exercise in too, we hear). Follow @JesusGreenLido on Twitter for opening times, pool temperature and cafe updates.
8
J U N E 2 0 1 9
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
XXXXXXXX STARTERS
MARKET SQUARE CINEMA
Enjoy the magic of the silver screen right in the heart of the city centre when the Cambridge BID outdoor cinema returns on 21 June. Grab a picnic, pull up a deckchair and join Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail on an adventure with Peter Rabbit , or sing your heart out with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again : it’s free to attend and runs 6.30pm until 9.30pm. cambridgebid.co.uk
DON’T MISS WIMPOLE HISTORY FEST I VAL
A feast of history, heritage and hospitality awaits this month at Wimpole History Festival, which returns from 20 to 23 June. From archery workshops to sword school, there’s plenty of interactive fun to enjoy, plus a bustling line-up of high- profile historians, authors, journalists, broadcasters and more. Speakers include TV historian Lucy Worsley, author and former House of Lords peer Melvyn Bragg, and producer and director Sally Wainwright. It’s a great opportunity to explore the Wimpole Estate itself, too, which offers a grand old country mansion to explore, as well as rolling parkland and a library of more than 10,000 books, making it the perfect backdrop for the festival. If you need any more incentive to check it out, there’s also a street food market, featuring top local traders like Azahar, Jack’s Gelato, Brewboard and Rural Coffee Project. wimpolehistoryfestival.com
ONE TO TRY OPEN FARM SUNDAY Have fun in the great outdoors when the LEAF Open Farm Sunday returns on 9 June. A chance to learn more about farming, meet animals and enjoy tractor rides, walks and demonstrations, the event is ideal for families and is part of a national initiative that will see hundreds of farms up and down the country open their gates to the public. Locally, you can visit Manor Farm in Harlton, which is open 10am to 4pm for barrel rides, craft stalls, welly wanging, machinery demos and a hog roast. Over at Hope Farm in Knapwell, meet the goats, sheep, cows and ponies, tuck into barbecue food and ice creammade on the farm, plus have a go on a bouncy castle or get your face painted. farmsunday.org
9
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
Culture Club
FESTIVALS•THEATRE•BOOK CLUB•OPEN-AIR CONCERTS
BAT SAFARI Take to the Cam with Scudamore’s to find out more about these creatures of the night
11
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
ARTS & CULTURE
JAZZ & BRASS IN THE PARKS
When it comes to making the most of a sunny day, we Brits are champions. At the first glimmer of sunshine, we’ve got our picnics and barbecues out, Pimm’s in hand, ready to kick back in the nearest park. Luckily for us, Cambridge has more than its fair share of green spaces, and the joy of spending a few hours on Jesus Green, Christ’s Pieces or Cherry Hinton Hall gets even better this month thanks to Jazz & Brass in
the Parks. Running on selected Sundays from June to September, the concerts will see a variety of local ensembles pitching up for afternoon concerts, which includes jazz and swing bands. It’s completely free – just turn up, grab a picnic and enjoy! This year’s programme sees Cambridge Groove Orchestra bring their eclectic sounds to Jesus Green on 16 June, and the Cambridgeshire Youth
Jazz Orchestra to the same spot on the 23rd. Up in July, catch Soham Comrades Band at Nightingale Rec on the 21st, then Caxton Swing will be blasting tunes at Jesus Green on 25 August. Rounding things off in September are the City of Cambridge Brass Band at Cherry Hinton Hall (8th) and the inimitable Brass Funkeys back on Jesus Green on the 15th. cambridgelive.org.uk
13
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
ARTS & CULTURE
Coming up at Cambridge Arts Theatre
T here’s an exciting mix of shows coming up at Cambridge Arts Theatre, with laughs, music, family fun and edge-of- your-seat thrillers on offer. Admissions (3 to 8 June) stars Alex Kingston and Sarah Hadland and features a liberal head of admissions at a private school, who is forced to make a choice between her beliefs and what is right for her son. The grandfather of chat shows, Sir Michael Parkinson, holds court on 26 June, in conversation with his son Mike. They discuss his journey from a Yorkshire pit village to interviews with iconic figures, featuring archive from the shows. A tribute to comedy legends Morecambe and Wise comes to the Arts on 27 and 28 June. An Evening of Eric and Ern has been described as like seeing the real double act live, as the duo behind the West End hit Eric & Little Ern return. Reverend Richard Coles has gone from eighties Top of the Pops appearances with The Communards to presenting Saturday Live on Radio 4 and featuring on Strictly Come Dancing and QI . You can see him reflect on a life less ordinary on 9 July. Family favourite We’re Going on a Bear Hunt ,
from 12 to 14 July, brings the hugely popular Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury book to the stage. With songs and interactive scenes as a family tries to find a bear through swishy- swashy grass and more, it’s a treat for children aged three and up. It’s followed by another fun-filled show, but definitely one for grown-ups, as The Rocky Horror Show runs from 15 to 20 July. Starring Strictly ’s pro-dance champion Joanne Clifton as Janet and Kristian Lavercombe as Riff Raff, be sure to catch legendary tunes such as Sweet Transvestite and Time Warp , and dress up as your favourite character. Stephen Tompkinson stars in Educating Rita , one of Willy Russell’s best-loved plays, which became a hit film in the 80s. He plays Frank, a frustrated poet and academic whose zest for literature is reignited by his student Rita. It runs from 29 July to 3 August. Come autumn, don’t miss the The Girl on the Train , a gripping adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ bestselling thriller which will keep you guessing until the final moment. Catch it from 23 to 28 September. cambridgeartstheatre.com
14
J U N E 2 0 1 9
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
ARTS & CULTURE
15
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
ARTS & CULTURE
I am sat in a punt, wearing multiple layers of clothing, holding a bat detector. I’ve been invited on 2019’s first outing for the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust’s hugely popular Bat Safari punting experience, and though the day’s weather has been more than a little inclement, a small but extremely excited band of bat enthusiasts have gathered for a late-night trip upriver under the guidance of the trust’s Iain Webb. Iain came up with the original concept to share expertise and bat appreciation with a wider audience, and as the punt pushes off from Scudamore’s upper dock, Iain realises that this outing is his hundredth; we break into a small round of appreciative applause. The mobile phone-sized bat detectors that we’re clutching pick up ultrasonic calls made by the bats and convert them into sounds that we can hear, filling the night with clicks, claps and beats, which Iain immediately makes sense of, introducing us to the bats flitting through the air above our heads. We share laminated cards that reveal more details of the shadowy flickers that blur across the evening sky. As the punt makes its way upstream toward Grantchester, expertly guided past low-hanging willow branches and half-submerged trees, we encounter several different species of bat, each making clearly distinct calls as they feast on flying insects. Occasionally, Iain shines bursts from a powerful torch in front of our punt’s path, freeze-framing swooping bats as they home in on their prey, or spotlighting surprised late-night waterbirds making their way across the river’s gentle current. The safari is afloat for around ninety minutes of fascinating after-dark bat action, sharing facts and figures, and learning how best to support our threatened bat populations. I learn two brand new words – ‘gaffing’ and ‘gleaning’ – which describe how bats pluck insects from the air – and after asking if there is anything we can do as individuals to help out these airborne mammals, Iain smilingly passed out an information-packed handout on how best to create a bat-friendly environment. Gliding silently on the river after dark while learning about the nocturnal residents of our city is a truly spellbinding evening that deserves its reputation as one of the most interesting experiences to be had in Cambridge – it will leave you with a newfound appreciation for bats and an immediate desire to go bat punting again as swiftly as possible. As punt operators Scudamore’s and the Trust split ticket sales 50:50 (which last year resulted in more than £10,000 being raised for the Trust), the more people who head to the river for this unique take on our city and its wildlife, the better... Bat Safari punts start on Friday 10 May and will be running every Friday evening through to 21 September, with extra punts on Saturdays during July and August. To book a space on the next Bat Safari punt, head to scudamores.com/bat-safari-punting
Echolocate nights
CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS HEADS OUT ON THE CAM FOR A BAT SAFARI WITH SCUDAMORE’S AND THE WILDLIFE TRUST
17
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
ARTS & CULTURE
BEGGARSTAFFS Groundbreaking work from two artists who rejected conventional training in the 1890s to create cutting- edge graphic posters is on display in Beggarstaffs, the latest exhibition at The FitzwilliamMuseum. Painters WilliamNicholson and his brother- in-law James Pryde began working together as the Beggarstaff Brothers during the decade, inventing a technique using collage and stencilling onto huge sheets of plain brown wrapping paper. They created some of the most memorable and innovative posters, including their celebrated Don Quixote poster for Henry Irving’s Lyceum Theatre production. The exhibition is free and continues until 4 August, illustrating how the Beggarstaffs’ shared love of striking subject matter worked on their different temperaments to inspire two remarkable careers. Both went on to be acclaimed as leading modern British painters in the early 20th century. fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
JUNE WI TH ENCHANTED CINEMA Critically acclaimed recent films mingle with classic movies on this month’s Enchanted Cinema programme, which is bringing open air screenings to the atmospheric walled garden at the Gonville Hotel. Don’t miss the chance to catch Oscar winner The Favourite , the off-the-wall Olivia Coleman/Rachel Weisz/Emma Stone royal drama that critics fawned over. It plays on the 14th. Two nights later at the same venue it’s time for a joyride in the DeLorean with Back to the Future , and then on the 20th, it’s over to Baz Luhrmann’s sumptuous reimagining of The Great Gatsby , which will feature a live swing band. Lady Gaga will be hitting the high notes in A Star is Born on the 28th, before Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury takes them even higher in the fantastic Bohemian Rhapsody on the 29th. enchantedcinema.co.uk
MAKE A FLOWER CROWN AT KETTLES YARD Get creative with beautiful blooms at Kettle’s Yard, which is holding two flower crown workshops this June. You’ll be in safe hands with the host, Anna Taylor, owner of Anna’s Flower Farm and Edition ’s resident gardening expert (find her column on page 117). Flowers have always been part of life at Kettle’s Yard, since the days when Jim Ede used to gather wild blooms and display them throughout the house to complement works of art like David Jones’ Flora in Calix Light and Winifred Nicholson’s Cyclamen and Primula . At the workshop, you’ll create a unique crown to take home with you, learning floristry techniques to create a headpiece decorated with seasonal flowers, foliage and other natural materials. You’ll also be treated to tea, cake, an out-of-hours visit to the house, top tips on keeping your flowers in tip-top condition and a glass of fizz to finish. The workshops take place on 8 June and 15 June and are priced at £65. kettlesyard.co.uk
18
J U N E 2 0 1 9
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
ARTS & CULTURE
New collection from Edelweiss
F ulbourn-based piano maker Edelweiss continues to break the world’s first multicoloured Elmer the Elephant piano! Much like the cheerful patchwork character, who celebrates his 30th anniversary this year, the Elmer piano rejects the idea of blending in, and instead wears its rainbow of colours with pride. The Elmer is just one of a collection of five new customisable self-playing pianos that are available to buy in Harrods and made by a team of artisans, technicians and craftsmen here in Cambridgeshire. The company has got many fans in high places: celebrities including Sia, Lady Gaga and Claudia Schiffer have tinkled the ivories on these gorgeous creations. Unlike conventional uprights and grands, the pianos fuse music and magic in one individually customisable work of art thanks to a hidden iPod, which is pre- programmed with 400 songs and a bank of precision electronic solenoids. the mould with its most dazzling collection to date – which includes
“Gone are the days of just black pianos – our new collection is the perfect way to find your true colours,” says Edelweiss head of design, Mark Norman. “When we were kids, we loved the story of Elmer, so we’ve brought some of the ideas in the book to life in our latest design. People want to break out of the traditional muted colours mould and find something different.” Times have been tough for the piano market of late – sales have dropped in the last 40 years from around 30,000 per year in the eighties to just 4,000 today, but we think this local company could herald a new era with its innovative approach. Harrods seems to agree, making the Edelweiss the first piano it’s chosen to sell since closing its piano department in 2013. “If you want a piano, you go to a piano shop; if you want to express yourself with furniture, you go to a furniture shop. Now you can get both in one unique piece,” says Norman. “It’s the perfect show-stopping centrepiece – even if you don’t play.” edelweisscollection.com
19
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
CAMBR IDGE OPEN STUDIOS Each weekend in July (6/7, 13/14, 20/21, 27/28) artists and craftspeople are opening parts of their homes, or studios, to the public, for a chance to see all kinds of work plus get an insight into the creative process. This year there are 95 new members taking part and, as well as Cambridge itself, you’ll be able to spot the distinctive yellow COS flags outside participating studios in villages around Royston, Saffron Walden, St Ives, Ely and Chatteris. It’s a great way to see the latest in fine art, photography, pottery, glassmaking, sculpture, textiles, jewellery, furniture making and much more. For more info, visit the website to pick up one of the yellow guides, found in libraries, galleries and selected shops, for a list of the artists and which weekends you can see their work. We’ll have a full preview next month. camopenstudios.co.uk
ART BATTLE You might have seen a slam poetry battle, but have you ever seen a live art battle? Now’s your chance, as two contemporary artists will be sparring against one another in an edgy clash of creativity at the Art Hound Fight Club on 28 June. The event is the launch party of this year’s Art Hound Gallery Summer Open House, which will see the Secret Garden Marquee at Burwash Manor filled with over a thousand pieces of artwork to browse between 28 and 30 June. The pair juking it out for the crowd are urban artists Charlotte Cooper and Alan Rogerson (with the finished pieces then going up for sale), and there will be drinks and music to enjoy. Elsewhere in the marquee, there will be a huge variety of work to explore, dating from 1910 to the present day, featuring all 20th century genres and the big names of both modern and contemporary art, including Picasso, Banksy, Tracey Emin and Matisse. thearthoundgallery.com
20
J U N E 2 0 1 9
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
ARTS & CULTURE
Motherworks T hemes related to maternal mental health and society’s relationship to motherhood feature in Motherworks, a day-long festival of performances and discussions at Cambridge Junction on 8 June. Highlighting first-hand accounts of IVF, postnatal psychosis and the impact of sociopolitical issues on mothering in the UK today, issues surrounding maternal mental health will be raised. Motherworks is also looking at how artists struggle to go back to their chosen art after having children, leading to the lack of artistic output. This lack of visibility is why the programme aims to stimulate debate on how to offer more support to audiences and artists, with one idea being residencies for artists wishing to explore their relationship with motherhood. Producer Ruth Dudman says: “The idea is that Motherworks creates a critical moment of reflection on motherhood. The programme not only features work from a range of artists directly inspired and affected by midwifery, study of maternal mental health, neurodiversity and IVF, but it also focuses on how new mothers working in the arts often struggle to continue their practice after having children. “That’s why there is a lack of work out there exploring this theme. Motherworks is full of brave artists whose honesty can serve as a permission card for the wider community to explore and unpack their own relevant experiences, in the hope that feeling less alone can be life-changing, or even life-saving.” The performances are bound to stimulate debate. Among them are To the Moon and Back , by Anna Furse and daughter Nina Klaff, which reflects on the experience of IVF from two vastly different perspectives. One as the fertility patient, the other born as a result of reproductive science. With unflinching honesty, they reveal some hard truths of their close and complex relationship. Dadders , by Frauke Requardt and Daniel Oliver, is another personal piece, revealing insight through interactive performance rooted in their experience. Daniel has dyspraxia and is too slow. Frauke has ADHD and is too quick. They are married and have childen. Edith Tankus’s Wild Country features an urban Canadian raising children in rural Kent, with declining parents back home. Part storytelling, stand-up and myth, how does she learn the codes of survival? Motherworks also features a free exhibition, discussion-based events and a community project for expectant mums. A day pass (with events from 10.30am to 4pm) is £12.50, £8 concessions. motherworks.org.uk | junction.co.uk
22
J U N E 2 0 1 9
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
ARTS & CULTURE
ALONG YOUR STREE T Byard Art’s exhibition of local scenes, Along Your Street, returns this month from 30 May to 30 June, with a special event on 6 June in support of Alzheimer’s Research UK. The exhibition features, among other works, 19 ink and watercolour paintings by Rob Howard, who has lived most of his life in the city and was influenced by his training as an architect. Other artists include Diane Griffin, whose scroll vases are pictured right, and Rosemary Trestini’s romantic landscapes (above). There will be a guest speaker from the charity on the 6th at the King’s Parade gallery. byardart.co.uk
23
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
ARTS & CULTURE
Names in lights WITH THEIR NEW SHOW HITTING THE ADC THIS MONTH BEFORE AN INTERNATIONAL TOUR, NICOLA FOLEY CATCHES UP WITH CAMBRIDGE FOOTLIGHTS
T he world’s most famous student comedy troupe, Cambridge Footlights has launched the careers of some of this country’s most revered stars. From John Cleese and fellow Python Eric Idle, to Olivia Colman, Stephen Fry and Peep Show stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb, the group has served as a finishing school for the very cream of British comedy. Little wonder, then, that it’s an intimidating prospect for a wet-behind-the- ears undergraduate with hopes of treading the boards. “The pressure of filling the shoes of previous alumni is something you have to kind of block out, otherwise I think it would be too much pressure,” laughs current writer and performer, Harriet Fisher. “Audiences come with a certain expectation given the history of Footlights, so I think using that nervous energy and pressure is great, but also remembering we’re doing our own show.” From writing to choreographing to casting, every element of Footlights productions is the work of students, toiled over in snatched hours between essays and exams. “Putting together a show, especially one that will tour so extensively, can be a rather daunting prospect,” comments tour manager, Hannah Lyall. “While we focus on the practical side of things, we have entrusted the production of the funny stuff to the wonderful people we’re working with! Over the course of our writing week in the Easter holiday, the cast worked hard
“Putting together a show can be a daunting prospect”
to produce lots and lots of sketch content. Since then, it has been a case of editing and finessing, casting and blocking, and most recently choreographing and rehearsing some exciting musical numbers. Things have really started falling into place and I am very excited to see it all come together.” You can see the fruits of their labour this month, when Footlights bring their trademark blend of skits, stand-up and songs at the ADC for their annual International Tour Show. Entitled Look Alive! , it features two hours of eclectic comedy performed by a talented cast, based around a museum of Earth itself. “You enter ‘The Earth Exhibit’ and join five human beings as they take you on a whirlwind tour of their bizarre little planet, seen from the outside for the very first time!” enthuses Amelia Hill, tour manager. “Forget everything you think you know and learn it all again in this spectacular, sketch- shaped trip through the kinks and quirks of life on Earth. With musical numbers,
choreography and non-stop laughs, it’s a fantastic way to spend a summer evening.” After the ADC run, it’s traditional for the show to embark on a UK tour, which this time will visit Manchester, Chester, London and Dorset. From there, it’s up to the Edinburgh Fringe, followed by a hop over to New York, LA and Philadelphia, among others. The final flourish, once the cast have returned back to Cambridge, is a second home run in October. “This year, we’re running workshops with schools in every location we visit,” adds Amelia. “This is something that’s just been started in the last few years. It’s exciting to perform in members of the company’s hometowns and to bring comedy workshops to students who might not know about the range of opportunities comedy performance offers. So, we’ve got an busy and exhilarating time ahead of us!” l Look Alive! runs at the ADC Theatre from 11 to 22 June, with tickets available from £9. adctheatre.com
27
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
ARTS & CULTURE The Art Insider RUTHIE COLLINS, FOUNDER OF CAMBRIDGE ART SALON, GIVES HER ARTY PICKS OF THE MONTH I t’s June, the time of year many in the city barely sleep on account of the May Balls (whether partying, or being kept up by noise from the partying). was a huge human rights issue and brought people from all over the country and parts of Europe to stand alongside the 80 Traveller families who faced eviction from their own land. “The project allows us to show is often disconnected from those who use them, this is what art can do: bring the forgotten closer. But not without something positive... “Even within
Don’t miss Dale Farm – the Eviction , co-curated by Phien O’Reachtigan of Traveller-Art-Performance and Cambridge’s Beverley Carpenter, which appears at the Tate Modern between 5 and 9 June, in association with Associates 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning, a centre for visual arts, education and creative enterprise. Juxtaposed against a backdrop of negative media attacks in the press and on social media towards the Traveller community, this exhibition aims to be therapeutic for those impacted by the loss of their homes, plus Traveller artists, whose creative responses are also included in the show. Pieces include paintings inspired by previous evictions and a decorative round table, created by women, that invited dialogue rather than confrontation with the police. Many will remember these evictions of 2011, which impacted 80 Traveller families and sent shockwaves throughout the entire community. “I was an activist at Dale Farm in 2011 and Oblique Arts currently holds the archive of papers for the ten-year legal struggle prior to the eviction,” explains Beverley, whose Cambridge-based arts charity holds much of the material for the show. “It
seriousness, I want the audience to take with them a pleasure of curiosity,” says Murillo, established as an art world hit in his 20s, and recently nominated for this year’s Turner Prize for his boundary- pushing work. As John Ruskin once said, “There is no wealth but life”. This puts much into perspective, as closer and closer the reality of climate change begins to hit. Like Murillo’s devastated pews, institutions are under pressure to change – or break down. It’s been a bewildering time for millions across the world, with many of Cambridge’s artists, as ever, pushing for the radical change that is needed. Whether you agree with Extinction Rebellion’s techniques or not, the UK government have now officially declared a climate emergency – and art will continue to play a big part in raising awareness about the situation. Artist Hilary Cox and others have set up Extinction Rebellion Cambridge Art Rebellion – watch out for them at Arbury Carnival’s parade on 8 June, or find them on Facebook to connect. Cambridge illustrator Jo Clark is now partnered with the Eden Reforestation Project, too: every ten cards sold through her website will help plant a tree! Every mug, art print and coaster will also plant a tree. Her work, snapped up by fans from all over the country, is gorgeous. Finally, those heading to Strawberry Fair – check out Cambridge Art Salon’s community art café in the Eastern Bloco
much unseen video footage and other Traveller artists’ material, alongside a large installation of the Dale Farm site,” she continues. “There was much artwork produced over the course of time that the Travellers resisted eviction. Much of this art was a way of interacting with the wider society.” Including artefacts from Dale Farm at the time of the eviction, visual art, music and video, you can also view unique footage from Grattan Puxon’s archive. This sounds like an unmissable This is where art can come into its own, giving voice to the marginalised, or helping us make sense of political upheaval or loss. Nothing does this quite like Oscar Murillo’s Violent Amnesia at Kettle’s Yard, which runs until 23 June. Exploring his own sense of displacement with visceral art ranging from large- scale paintings to recycled church pews, Oscar presents his art more as social practice. It is rare that those in a city like Cambridge feel the face-to-face impact of the fallout from globalisation. In a world where the labour behind goods exhibition – heartbreaking and cataclysmic in equal measure.
“This is where art can come into its own, giving voice to the marginalised or helping us make sense of upheaval”
area, with food by Alex Collis raising money for Greenpeace and creative projects. The best place to start with any change, is yourself. Have a fantastic June. l
29
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
A new chapter for the MUSEUM OF TECHNOLOGY EDITION TAKES A LOOK AROUND CAMBRIDGE’S EXCITING AND RECENTLY REVAMPED RIVERSIDE ATTRACTION A
with new displays that tell the story of Cambridge’s industrial history through engines, telephone exchanges, printing presses and many more fascinating and functional contraptions. Brought alive with lighting, sounds and interactive exhibits, the museum celebrates the achievements of local industries and the people who worked in them. Morgan Bell, assistant curator, explains: “Displays show many of the forgotten industries of Cambridge, such as ironworking and brewing. These paint a different picture of Victorian Cambridge than the more familiar spires and gargoyles, colleges and cloisters. The stars include the first steam engine purchased by Chivers and Sons to provide mechanical power to their jam- making factory in Histon, and the lathe that Mackay’s used to make the radio telescope array that Jocelyn Bell and Antony Hewish used to discover rapidly rotating stars called pulsars.” There’s also an exhibition dedicated to Pye and Cambridge Instrument Company; two local companies with international reputations for innovation, which features communication devices dropped to the French Resistance during the second world war, early TVs and a medical instrument that revolutionised the study and treatment of heart disease. “We want to use our site and collections to inspire a new generation
of engineers and be at the heart of our local community,” continues Morgan. “There’s plenty to entertain families, from the hands-on exhibits to an interactive model of the Pumping Station (complete with sewage smells!), as well as dressing up, activity stations with colouring in and feely boxes, and toolkits to help kids explore and learn.” OTHERSYDE As well as the overhaul at the museum itself, the surrounding site, known as Othersyde, has also had a makeover. In addition to serving as a visitors’ centre, it offers an exciting, community-led space complete with riverside bar, yurt, food shack and expansive gardens. A unique, multifaceted space that calls out to be explored and enjoyed, there are big plans for all kinds of arts events, plus an engineering shed housed in an old shipping container. “We’re a community hub,” enthuses Matt Taylor, owner of Othersyde, who tells us the venue is attracting a diverse crowd so far. “We’ve got woodcraft folk meeting here, Transition Cambridge meeting here, as well as a knitting group, Extinction Rebellion, steampunk people, local poets doing readings, cinema in the gardens, music events, comedy nights… We wanted to make it as open as possible – we’ve got all sorts of things going on!”
monument to Cambridge’s industrial heritage, the Museum of Technology towers imperiously over Riverside; easily the tallest building for miles around. It sits at the Cheddars Lane site of what was the city’s Victorian pumping station, built in 1894 as an ingenious solution to Cambridge’s mounting problem of waste and sewage disposal. It took the city’s household rubbish and burnt it to generate steam, which, in turn, powered the engines to pump waste out to the Milton sewage farm. When there, it would then be used as a fertiliser to the grow the crops that fed the horses, who pulled the carts which collected the rubbish and brought it to the pumping station. Even the ash from the burnt rubbish could be used to make roads in this remarkably joined-up, ahead-of-its- time system. The legacy of the Pumping Station lives on through the museum, where visitors can today see the magnificent Hathorn Davey steam engines and a huge historic boiler, alongside a collection of other artefacts that chart the evolution of power technology through steam, internal combustion and, eventually, electricity. The museum reopens this month following a redevelopment project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which has transformed the space
“We want to use our site and collections to inspire a new generation of engineers”
30
J U N E 2 0 1 9
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
ARTS & CULTURE
An ideal stop-off for cyclists and a lovely spot for an afternoon pint overlooking the river and enjoying a bite to eat, Othersyde is providing the neighbourhood with a unique and much-needed facility. “Riverside, this area, is very active – it’s very up-and-coming” adds Michael Brown, the marketing manager. “CB4 has really changed over the last few years, and not everything is about the centre of Cambridge anymore. This is becoming a very active suburb, where arts and community is really happening. And we’re part of that.” There are especially exciting plans for the old Engineer’s House, which will make an atmospheric setting for a series of immersive, action-packed escape games. It’s something that Michael and Matt, having set up LockHouse Games in the city centre, have bags of experience with, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Matt explains: “The games are based on a story about the chief engineer who first lived here, and we’ve made that a kind of fantasy adventure, rooted in the history of the building, but at the same time, making it a bit Doctor Who -ish. It should be a lot of fun! The first game is currently being built and should be ready by the end of June.” Fancy trying your luck? Up to 28 people can play at one time, and the game transports players to a (not wholly fictional) time when the city was in crisis due to an overwhelming build- up of rubbish and sewage – with teams tasked with fixing the steam engines and rubbish burners to save the city and make it safe again. There’s an ‘escape the haunted house’ game, too, inspired by the strange and spooky stories that shroud the historic Engineer’s House. Othersyde is open for drinks, food and private event hire now, with the Museum of Technology due to open on 7 June. l
31
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
BOOK CLUB
CAMBRIDGE EDI T ION Boo k Clu b BRINGING YOU TOP NEW FICTION PICKS, AUTHOR INTERVIEWS, DISCOUNTS AND LOTS MORE BOOK CHAT, THE EDITION BOOK CLUB IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL AND HEFFERS
INTERVIEW BY CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS
ISLAND SONG BY MADELEINE BUNTING AN INSIGHTFUL EXPLORATION OF THE NAZI OCCUPATION OF GUERNSEY I sland Song is the first novel by acclaimed author Madeleine Bunting, better known for her non-fiction work. Her meticulous research embroiders every page of this evocative tale of impossible choices made in the occupied Channel Islands – and the potentially devastating consequences that ripple through time. The novel follows London-based lawyer Roz as she returns to Guernsey to uncover the secrets of her late mother Helene’s life on the island during the second world war: but is the truth better left hidden? Published in 1995, Madeleine’s acclaimed earlier book The Model Occupation details the history of the Channel Islands between 1940 and 1945. As she was conducting the extensive research required for this non-fiction book, she found herself on a very long car journey – which is when the idea for Island Song first came to her. “There were stories that I was catching a glimpse of in the research, and I couldn’t quite get the people who could tell those stories – they had either died, or they didn’t want to talk, or were well hidden and didn’t want to make themselves public,” Madeleine says. “With non-fiction work you’re always grounding everything meticulously in your research and the evidence. That’s where the idea for the fiction came from: me imagining myself into a story, a composite that included lots of details from the research I was doing.” It’s not giving too much away to say that one of the secrets Roz uncovers is her mother’s apparent relationship with Heinrich, a German officer. Though this could easily have been told as a simple
u she reveals. “In 1994, as I was working out the plot, I was pregnant with my first child – so inevitably I didn’t get down to writing any of it until after I’d had my second child – so 1997 or 1998. I found whereas in the past there was a kind of complacency,” Madeleine says. “With Helene I thought: what choice did she have? And with Heinrich: he’s really careless, there’s an arrogance with which he imposes himself, which I think is deeply sinister – he took advantage of his position in several different ways – and that doesn’t mean that he didn’t genuinely fall in love with her, but whether she loved him, I think, is open to question.” This ambiguity has been picked up by some readers of Island Song , whereas other accounts gloss over the power imbalance and take it as a great love affair – you’ll have to read the book to draw your own conclusions. Another hidden side of Island Song is the lengthy story of the novel’s construction, which Madeleine agrees could almost sit alongside the book itself. “It’s had such a long history, this novel,”
romance, a love affair across enemy lines, Madeleine was more interested in the power imbalance between the two characters. “I think there’s a lot of ambiguity about the relationship between Helene and Heinrich,” she says. “The power is such that I think it compromises the possibility of a relationship in all kinds of ways. I came across a story which I incorporated into my non- fiction – a very touching love story between a Guernsey girl and her German sweetheart, who married after the war... I interviewed them in Plymouth in the early 1990s, surrounded by grandchildren and great grandchildren, and still touchingly devoted to each other – they were a very sweet couple – but what interested me was something much more ambiguous and unclear.” Though Madeleine finished this novel well before #MeToo and Weinstein’s crimes coming to light, Island Song ’s treatment and examination of the relationship between these pivotal characters does feel contemporary. “A lot of people are [nowadays] thinking very carefully about power and sexuality,
35
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
J U N E 2 0 1 9
BOOK CLUB
that I loved working in the evenings. I know it sounds kind of crazy, and I was exhausted – but there was something escapist about coming back from a day at work, getting the kids into bed and then settling down with my novel. I was so sleep-deprived, I can’t think what I was doing,” she laughs. “But I loved doing it. When I finished it, I sent it off to my then-publishers at Harper Collins, and they said they liked it, but not quite enough. I lost heart, and put it away in the attic until 2002, when an agent looked at it and said ‘go on, give it another try’, and I wrote a very different version.” This second version of the novel was also confined to the attic for almost 15 years, before Madeleine decided to have another go in 2016. “I brought both versions down – neither of them were on computer so I had to scan them all in and convert them to Word – but I then looked at both versions and it was really fascinating. I was really rather unhappy at the time of the first version, and I could see that in the writing. When I wrote the second version, I was much, much happier, so there was quite a dramatic jump between the two, in terms of tone and approach. Fiction comes out of our imagination, but is really closely allied to our emotional life, and actually what I wrote is what happened, which was that my marriage fell apart. It was really unnerving to go back to that first version and think ‘actually you did see it coming: here it all is: it already is true in your imagination.’ It was really strange.” Madeleine wove the two versions together, chopping and changing plotlines as she worked. “I thought I was wasting my time, but I was prepared to take the risk: I have such a Protestant work ethic and the idea of wasting time – it’s a terrible sin!” she laughs. “It took me until my 50s to think: ‘I can waste time if I want to’ – but I was astonished when Granta said they wanted it. So yes, for me, this is the story alongside this novel: about being prepared to take a risk, about self-belief and the lack of it – all of those things.” Now with a completed draft of her next novel (the subject of which couldn’t be further away from Guernsey) and a clear idea for the third, Madeleine has wholeheartedly embraced fiction writing, putting her diligence down to many years working for The Guardian as a journalist and her background in non-fiction books. “I’m very disciplined, but I don’t know
whether this is down to the non-fiction or the journalism! I always start the day with yoga and meditation. It’s taken me a long time to get here, but now the day just doesn’t work if I haven’t done both of those – so I often don’t get down to writing until 9:30am or 10am. And then I usually stick at my desk until about six.” Although Madeleine had the ideas for Island Song such a long time ago, it’s in the process of writing that the true story reveals itself. “I never had a very clear blueprint,” she says: “I had a few ideas, but then in the writing of it, so much more comes to life as I write. It’s immensely hard work. There is a very craft-like side to writing, which isn’t about ideas: writers can have very different ideas and preoccupations, but the craft of it and dealing with the emotional side is the same.” Madeleine talks enthusiastically about a book’s ‘afterlife’, or what happens once a book is released into the world: encountering different interpretations and readers with differing viewpoints is a process she finds truly compelling. “One of the weird things about writing a book is that you’re not entirely sure what you’ve written,” she says. “Readers all have such different perspectives, and bring their own life experience to how they interpret the novel. This afterlife of a novel is just fascinating: it gives you
LOOK OUT FOR THE CAMBRIDGE EDITION BOOK CLUB STICKERS IN HEFFERS & GET MONEY OFF OUR MONTHLY PICK Heffers is located at 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge blackwells.co.uk
insight into how your writing is landing, what interests people, what moves them, what annoys them. I think this is important – the legacy, the time that comes after publishing – which enables you to have a better understanding of the work you’ve created – and I would hope to then take that on to a next novel.” As is unsurprising for someone who’s spent the best part of 25 years writing and talking about the occupied Channel Islands, the author has looked elsewhere for her next subject – but is still uncovering gripping stories every time she visits the islands. “By and large the German occupation [of the Channel Islands] was nothing like many of the occupations in Europe, but still – all it took was breaking a regulation, someone getting annoyed, and you end up in a prison in France – and that could just spiral. There are stories of quite trivial incidents that led to tragedy, just so many extraordinary stories of how people managed and didn’t… I feel like a novelist could carry on quarrying Guernsey for incredible novels for decades to come. Another novelist!” she laughs. l
“It’s in the process of writing that the story reveals itself”
36
J U N E 2 0 1 9
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132Powered by FlippingBook