Footlights

The ADC Theatre is the home of the Footlights.

Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University.

History

Footlights' inaugural performance took place in June 1883. For some months before the name 'Footlights' was chosen, the group had performed to local audiences in the Cambridge area (once, with a cricket match included, at the 'pauper lunatic asylum'). They wished to go wider than the University Amateur Dramatic Club (ADC), founded in 1885, with its membership drawn largely from Trinity College, and its theatre seating only 100. They were to perform every May Week at the Theatre Royal, the shows soon open to the public. A local paper commended the Club's appeal to the 'general public, the many different classes of which life in Cambridge in made up'.

The club grew in prominence in the 1960s as a hotbed of comedy and satire. Having established a tradition of performing at the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the club entered the mainstream when its members formed half of Beyond the Fringe, the hugely popular stage revue which toured Britain and America in 1960. The 1963 revue then followed in the footsteps of Beyond the Fringe, appearing in Edinburgh and London's West End, before travelling to New Zealand and the United States, where it made appearances on Broadway and The Ed Sullivan Show and received a full-page review in Time Magazine. Over the next decade, Footlights and its members came to dominate British comedy, creating and starring in shows such as I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again, At Last the 1948 Show and That Was The Week That Was, forming comedy groups such as Monty Python and The Goodies, and generally fuelling the Satire boom.

During the 1980s, Footlights has since reinforced its position at the heart of British comedy. The 1981 revue won the inaugural Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and spawned Fry and Laurie, the first in a long line of popular and successful double acts formed at the club. Many of its former members have gone on to win Oscars, BAFTAs and other awards and enjoy success in the entertainment and media industry.

Today, Footlights is recognised as a finishing school for many of Britain's most well-known comic entertainers.

Activities

During term, Footlights produce the regular and very popular Smokers - an informal mixture of sketches and stand-up - at the ADC Theatre. The club also performs plays, pantomimes and sketch shows and least one revue, usually in the spring. Outside of term, Footlights often go on tour, performing their best new material in the West End and abroad.

For information about individual Footlights revues, see Cambridge Footlights Revue.

Famous members

The careers of many prominent figures in the world of entertainment began in Footlights — while prominent figures in other industries also took part in Footlights. They include:

Name	Birth	Death	Career
Douglas Adams	1952	2001	Comedy writer, known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Clive Anderson	1952	—	Comedian, television presenter, barrister
David Armand	1977	—	Comedian, actor, member of The Hollow Men
Alexander Armstrong	1970	—	Comedian, television presenter, half of Armstrong and Miller
Pete Atkin	1945	—	Singer-songwriter, radio producer, known for This Sceptred Isle
Richard Ayoade	1977	—	Comedian, actor, director, co-creator of Garth Marenghi
James Bachman	1972	—	Comedian, actor, writer
David Baddiel	1964	—	Comedian, novelist, television presenter, half of Newman and Baddiel
Morwenna Banks	1964	—	Comedian, actor
Humphrey Barclay	1941	—	Comedy executive, producer of I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again
Sir Brian Barder	1934	—	Diplomat, popular blogger
Sacha Baron Cohen	1971	—	Comedy writer and performer, a.k.a. Ali G, Borat and Brüno
Tom Basden	1981	—	Comedy writer and performer, singer-songwriter, member of Cowards
Robert Bathurst	1957	—	Actor
Sir Cecil Beaton	1904	1980	Photographer, interior designer, stage and costume designer
Peter Bennett-Jones	1956	—	Television producer and agent, co-founder of Tiger Aspect and Comic Relief
Martin Bergman	1957	—	Producer, writer, director
John Bird	1936	—	Comedian, actor, satirist, member of Bremner, Bird and Fortune
Simon Bird	1984	—	Comedian, actor
Timothy Birdsall	1936	1963	Cartoonist
Christopher Booker	1937	—	Journalist, author, founding editor of Private Eye
Leslie Bricusse	1931	—	Lyricist, composer, playwright, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Eleanor Bron	1938	—	Actress, writer
Tim Brooke-Taylor	1940	—	Comedy writer and performer, member of The Goodies
Gus Brown	1974	—	Comedian, actor, half of Laurence and Gus
Spencer Brown	1978	—	Comedian
Robert Buckman	1948	—	Comedian, writer, television presenter, columnist, physician
Tony Buffery	—	—	Psychologist, actor, comedian, writer, known for Twice a Fortnight
John Cameron	1944	—	Composer, arranger, conductor, musician
Jon Canter	1953	—	Comedy scriptwriter, principal writer for Lenny Henry
Graham Chapman	1941	1989	Comedian, actor, writer, member of Monty Python
John Cleese	1939	—	Comedian, actor, writer, member of Monty Python
Olivia Colman	1974	—	Comedian, actor
Peter Cook	1937	1995	Comedy writer and performer, editor of Private Eye, member of Beyond the Fringe
Joe Craig	1980	—	Novelist, musician, known for the Jimmy Coates series
Thurston Dart	1921	1971	Keyboard player, conductor, musicologist
Russell Davies	1946	—	Journalist, broadcaster, presenter of Brain of Britain
Hugh Dennis	1962	—	Comedian, actor, writer, voice-over artist, half of Punt and Dennis
Penny Dwyer	1953	2003	Comedian, actor, writer, metallurgist
Jimmy Edwards	1920	1988	Comedy actor, writer, star of Take It From Here and Whack-O!
Mark Evans	—	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Julian Fellowes	1949	—	Screenwriter, director, actor, novelist, known for Gosford Park and Downton Abbey
Peter Fincham	1956	—	Television producer and executive, Director of Television at ITV
John Finnemore	1977	—	Comedy writer and performer
John Fortune	1939	—	Comedian, actor, satirist, member of Bremner, Bird and Fortune
Michael Frayn	1933	—	Playwright, novelist, known for Noises Off and Copenhagen
Robin French	1978	—	Playwright, scriptwriter, songwriter
Sir David Frost	1939	—	Television presenter, interviewer, satirist, star of The Frost Report
Stephen Fry	1957	—	Comedian, writer, actor, novelist, half of Fry and Laurie
Graeme Garden	1943	—	Comedy writer and performer, illustrator, member of The Goodies
Bamber Gascoigne	1935	—	Television presenter, author, known for University Challenge
Mel Giedroyc	1968	—	Actor, writer, television presenter, half of Mel and Sue
Stefan Golaszewski	1982	—	Comedian, writer, director, member of Cowards
Matt Green	1979	—	Comedian, writer, actor
Germaine Greer	1939	—	Writer, broadcaster, academic
John Grillo	1942	—	Actor, playwright
Lawrence Grossmith	1877	1944	Actor
Nick Hancock	1962	—	Comedian, actor, television presenter, known for Room 101
Norman Hartnell	1901	1979	Fashion designer
Sir David Hatch	1939	2007	Broadcasting manager, producer of Just a Minute and I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue
Natalie Haynes	1974	—	Comedian, writer
Tony Hendra	1941	—	Satirist, writer, creator of Spitting Image
Kit Hesketh-Harvey	1957	—	Comedy writer and performer, half of Kit and The Widow
Tom Hollander	1967	—	Actor, co-creator and star of Rev.
Matthew Holness	1975	—	Comedian, co-creator of Garth Marenghi
Alex Horne	1978	—	Comedian
Kenneth Horne	1907	1969	Comedian, businessman, star of Round the Horne
Claude Hulbert	1900	1964	Comic actor
Jack Hulbert	1892	1978	Actor
Tristram Hunt	1974	—	Politician, historian, broadcaster, newspaper columnist
Sir Nicholas Hytner	1956	—	Film and theatre producer, Director of the National Theatre
Eric Idle	1943	—	Comedian, actor, writer, songwriter, member of Monty Python
Clive James	1939	—	Writer, poet, critic
Jonathan James-Moore	1946	2005	Comedy producer, theatre manager
Peter Jeffrey	1929	1999	Actor
Simon Jones	1950	—	Actor
Rufus Jones	1976	—	Comedy writer and performer, member of Dutch Elm Conservatoire
Jo Kendall	—	—	Actor
Tim Key	1976	—	Comedian, actor, poet, member of Cowards
Paul King	1978	—	Comedy director, known for The Mighty Boosh
Matt Kirshen	1980	—	Comedian
Ian Lang	1940	—	Politician, business executive
Hugh Latimer	1913	2006	Actor, toymaker
Hugh Laurie	1959	—	Comedian, actor, writer, musician, half of Fry and Laurie
John Lloyd	1951	—	Comedy writer and producer, creator of Have I Got News for You and QI
Nicholas Luard	1937	2004	Satirist, travel writer, owner of Private Eye, co-founder of The Establishment
Jonathan Lynn	1943	—	Comedy writer, actor, director, creator of Yes, Minister
Miriam Margolyes	1941	—	Actor
Dan Mazer	1971	—	Comedian, producer, screenwriter, known for work with Sacha Baron Cohen
Simon McBurney	1957	—	Actor, writer, director, founder of Complicite
Kevin McCloud	1958	—	Writer, designer, television presenter
Geoffrey McGivern	1952	—	Comedy actor
Rory McGrath	1956	—	Comedian, co-founder of Hat Trick Productions
Ben Miller	1966	—	Comedian, director, actor, half of Armstrong and Miller
Sir Jonathan Miller	1934	—	Theatre and opera director, humorist, sculptor, member of Beyond the Fringe
David Mitchell	1974	—	Comedian, actor, writer, half of Mitchell and Webb
Nick Mohammed	1980	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Lucy Montgomery	1975	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Neil Mullarkey	1961	—	Comedian, actor, writer, founding member of The Comedy Store Players
Jimmy Mulville	1955	—	Comedian, writer, television presenter, co-founder of Hat Trick Productions
Simon Munnery	1972	—	Comedian
Richard Murdoch	1907	1990	Comic actor
Jon Naismith	1965	—	Comedy producer, creator of The Unbelievable Truth, producer of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
Henry Naylor	1968	—	Comedy writer and performer, half of Parsons and Naylor
David Nobbs	1935	—	Comedy writer, creator of the Reggie Perrin series
Sir Trevor Nunn	1940	—	Theatre and film producer, Director of the National Theatre
Des O'Connor	1972	—	Television presenter, burlesque performer, musician, lyricist
Michael O'Donnell	1928	—	Journalist, author, broadcaster, physician
Bill Oddie	1941	—	Comedian, actor, musician, naturalist, television presenter, member of The Goodies
John Oliver	1977	—	Comedian, writer, television personality of Daily Show fame
Richard Osman	1970	—	Producer, Creative Director of Endemol UK, co-presenter of Pointless
Andy Parsons	1967	—	Comedian, comedy writer, half of Parsons and Naylor
Sue Perkins	1969	—	Comedian, actor, writer, television presenter, half of Mel and Sue
Steve Punt	1962	—	Comedian, actor, writer, half of Punt and Dennis
Jan Ravens	1958	—	Actor, impressionist
Griff Rhys Jones	1953	—	Comedian, actor, writer, co-founder of Talkback, half of Alas Smith and Jones
Blake Ritson	1980	—	Actor, director, writer
John-Luke Roberts	1985	—	Comedy writer and performer, known for Spats
William Seaward	1986	—	Actor, director, founder of The Strolling Theatricals
Tanya Seghatchian	1968	—	Film producer, former Head of the Development Fund at the UK Film Council and British Film Institute
Sir Peter Shaffer	1926	—	Playwright, known for Equus and Amadeus
Charles Shaughnessy	1955	—	Actor
Paul Shearer	1960	—	Comedy writer and performer, known for The Fast Show
John Shrapnel	1942	—	Actor
Ben Silburn	1968	—	Comedy writer, television presenter, member of El Moustachios
Richard Sisson	1957	—	Pianist, composer, half of Kit and The Widow
Julian Slade	1930	2006	Musical theatre composer, known for Salad Days
Tony Slattery	1959	—	Comedian, actor
Ali Smith	1962	—	Novelist, short story writer, journalist, known for Hotel World
Michael Marshall Smith	1965	—	Novelist, screenwriter, short story writer
Gregory Snegoff	1955	—	Voice-over artist, writer, director
Sarah Solemani	1986	—	Writer, actress
Dan Stevens	1982	—	Actor
Richard Stilgoe	1943	—	Songwriter, lyricist, musician
William Sutcliffe	1971	—	Novelist
Jonny Sweet	1985	—	Comedian, writer
Edward Taylor	1931	—	Comedy writer, radio producer, creator of The Men from the Ministry
Joe Thomas	1983	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Emma Thompson	1959	—	Comedian, actress, screenwriter
Sandi Toksvig	1958	—	Comedian, writer, presenter of The News Quiz
Richard Vranch	1959	—	Comedian, actor, musician, founding member of The Comedy Store Players
Nicola Walker	1970	—	Actress, known for Spooks
Ian Wallace	1919	2009	Opera singer, actor, broadcaster
Mark Watson	1980	—	Comedian, novelist, radio presenter
Robert Webb	1972	—	Comedian, actor, writer, half of Mitchell and Webb
Mark Wing-Davey	1948	—	Actor, director
Sophie Winkleman	1980	—	Actress
David Wolstencroft	1969	—	Scriptwriter, creator of Spooks
Richard Wordsworth	1915	1993	Character actor
Maury Yeston	1945	—	Film composer, lyricist, musicologist
Martin Young	1947	—	Television reporter, interviewer, co-creator of Rough Justice

Presidents

The elected leader of Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club is known as the president, who is assisted by a vice-president, treasurer, archivist and several other posts to form the committee.

Past presidents have included the following:

• Peter Cook (of Pete and Dud)
• Tim Brooke-Taylor & Graeme Garden (of The Goodies and I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again)
• Eric Idle (of Monty Python)
• Tony Slattery (of Whose Line Is It Anyway?)
• Hugh Laurie (of Fry and Laurie, Jeeves and Wooster and House)
• David Mitchell (of That Mitchell and Webb Look and Peep Show)

The current Footlights President is Phil Wang, and the current Vice President is Pierre Novellie.

List of presidents

1886 - F. W. Mortimer 1887 - J. J. Withers 1888 - W. S. Gilbert 1890 - Oscar Browning 1891 - C. M. Rae 1892 - Oscar Browning 1894 - Oscar Browning 1895 - Oscar Browning 1896 - H. C. Pollitt 1897 - H. C. Pollitt 1898 - M. V. Leveaux 1899 - S. W. Burgess 1900 - O. J. Goedecker 1901 - R. J. White 1902 - E. K. Fordham 1904 - G. S. Heathcote 1905 - G.S. Heathcote 1906 - H. Rottenburg 1907 - H. Rottenburg 1908 - J. S. Murray 1909 - L. B. Tillard 1910 - A. R. Inglis 1911 - A. R. Inglis 1912 - P. D. Ravenscroft 1913 - C. A. A. Douglas Hamilton 1914 - M. Cutherston 1919 - B. D. Nicholson 1920 - B. D. Nicholson 1921 - M. D. Lyon 1922 - M. D. Lyon

1923 - F. E. Powell 1924 - J. A. C. Barradale 1925 - H. J. Warrender 1926 - J. D. Houison Craufurd 1927 - H. C. Martineau 1928 - H. E. R. Mitchell 1929 - J. Fell Clark 1930 - J. C. Byrom 1931 - R. S. Hill 1932 - P. E. Lyon 1933 - J. A. Coates 1934 - Lord Killanin 1935 - Harry Lee 1936 - Peter Crane 1937 - Albert E. P. Robison 1938 - P. B. Meyer 1939 - Sir Robert Ricketts 1947 - D. C. Orders 1948 - D. C. Orders 1949 - Simon Phipps 1950 - Adrian Vale 1951 - Ian Kellie 1952 - Andrew Davidson 1953 - Peter Firth 1954 - Leslie Bricusse 1955 - Brian Marber 1956 - Tim Berington 1957 - Allan Mitchell 1958 - Peter Stroud 1959 - Adrian Slade

1960 - Peter Cook 1961 - Peter Bellwood 1962 - Robert Atkins 1963 - Tim Brooke-Taylor 1964 - Graeme Garden 1965 - Eric Idle 1966 - Andrew Mayer 1967 - Clive James 1968 - Jonathan James-Moore 1969 - Barry Brown 1970 - Adrian Edwards 1971 - Richard MacKenna 1972 - Steve Thorn 1973 - Robert Benton 1974 - Jon Canter 1975 - Clive Anderson 1976 - Chris Keightley 1977 - Jimmy Mulville 1978 - Martin Bergman 1979 - Robert Bathurst 1980 - Jan Ravens 1981 - Hugh Laurie 1982 - Tony Slattery 1983 - Neil Mullarkey 1984 - Nick Hancock 1985 - Kathryn Crew 1986 - Nick Golson 1987 - Tim Scott 1988 - Peter Bradshaw 1989 - Roland Kenyon

1990 - Henry Naylor 1991 - Sue Perkins 1992 - Dan Gaster 1993 - Mark Evans 1994 - Robert Thorogood 1995 - Charlie Hartill 1996 - David Mitchell 1997 - Sarah Moule 1998 - Richard Ayoade 1999 - Kevin Baker 2000 - Matt Green 2001 - James Morris 2002 - Ed Weeks 2003 - Stefan Golaszewski 2004 - Ed Riches 2005 - Raph Shirley 2006 - Simon Bird 2007 - Will Sharpe 2008 - Sam Sword 2009 - Alastair Roberts 2010 - Abi Tedder 2011 - Mark Fiddaman 2012 - Phil Wang 2013 - Harry Michell

See also

• The Oxford Revue
• Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club
• Cambridge University Light Entertainment Society

Sources

Information about the Footlights Revues during the first one hundred years of the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club (1883–1983), and the people who appeared in them — with a foreword by Eric Idle.

External links

• Official website
• Past members and shows
• Footlights Alumni Association