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Cambridge theatre is a \u201ctangled ecosystem,\u201d especially for postgrad studentsDaisy Cooper for Varsity<\/p>\n
Graduate students, or \u2018postgrads,\u2019 exist in an odd limbo at Cambridge: we make up half of the student population, but are much less present in student societies. In contrast to the milestones that mark and unify the undergraduate years \u2013 supervisions, mocks, revision, exams \u2013 there is no defining \u2018graduate experience.\u2019 We have MPhils cramming a lifetime of Cambridge experiences into a single year, PhDs who only emerge from the lab to visit the library, and MBAs running their own start-ups between lectures, all at different stages of their lives and careers. Some, however, do have something in common \u2013 a passion for theatre. I interviewed three MPhil students to find out more about their experiences, both positive and negative, with the Cambridge theatre scene as graduate students<\/p>\n
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\u201cGaining the confidence to pitch your own shows takes time which one-year MPhils usually don\u2019t have\u201d<\/p>\n
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Something I had wondered was how much of a minority graduates were in theatre. Tina, who has tried everything from producing to tech in her year at Cambridge, explained that it varies from show-to-show, but that there are often more than you might expect. In one of her recent shows, five out of 11 cast members and five crew members were graduates, including three PhD actors. Nora, who acted in The Gilbert and Sullivan Society\u2019s production of\u00a0Patience, highlighted the group\u2019s more varied demographic compared to other theatre societies \u2013 more people who take part tend to stay in Cambridge following their undergraduate course. As a result, their shows contain a varied mix of MPhils, PhDs, and even alumni.<\/p>\n
However, Tina senses a notable drop-off in graduate participation when it comes to higher-commitment roles like directors, producers, and backstage techies. A large factor is the timeline: \u201cI found myself facing graduation after I just became acquainted with Cambridge theatre,\u201d and the packed schedule of the MPhil course. Practicing tech skills and gaining the confidence to pitch your own shows takes time which one-year MPhils usually don\u2019t have. Combine that with the challenge of adjusting to theatrical norms in a new culture (Nora is from the US), or even a language outside of your mother tongue (Tina\u2019s undergraduate was in Beijing), and it\u2019s even more impressive how involved some MPhils manage to be.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt felt like everyone else had shared experiences that I lacked\u201d<\/p>\n
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Even then, there can also be social challenges that accompany these differences in life experience. Even as a younger graduate, aged 22, Nora found it hard to make friends on shows and connect with conversations revolving around club nights and weekly essays: \u201cthe undergrad experience is so different from the postgrad one. It felt like everyone else had shared experiences that I lacked.\u201d Rose, who spent a year working as a professional English and theatre teacher, felt as if she were: \u201cbabysitting rather than participating\u201d in a Michaelmas Fresher\u2019s show due to the age difference and chaos.<\/p>\n
In addition, graduates face different academic expectations which can affect their theatrical involvement. Tina\u2019s supervisor warned her that her involvement in theatre could: \u201cget in the way of serious academic research\u201d. Rose advises that directors should be aware that graduates have very different schedules to undergraduates. These may permit more time for rehearsals, but on the other hand, it may result in less capacity to reschedule fixed appointments at a short notice.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIs chaos the price for creative freedom? Is originality incompatible with accountability?\u201d<\/p>\n
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A major frustration is shared over how difficult it is to navigate the various Cambridge theatre networks. As an American student unfamiliar with the college system, Rose describes struggling to sort through the various theatre and audition opportunities from every college alongside the ADC. Nora suggests this as a possible reason for the lower graduate involvement in theatre: \u201cI wonder if a lot of postgrads just aren\u2019t as aware of where to look. It took me a while to figure out what CamDram [the online student database for Cambridge theatre] was and how to use it to find upcoming productions.\u201d Tina found CamDram helpful but similarly experienced poor communication from college theatre.<\/p>\n
I asked the interviewees, who all studied their undergraduate elsewhere, what surprised them most about Cambridge theatre. Tina praised Cambridge\u2019s sophisticated system of tech training, making it a more inclusive discipline to enter. Nora noted the: \u201clack of standardisation\u201d between the many groups, in contrast to her stricter undergraduate theatre society which kept productions running smoothly and held teams \u201caccountable,\u201d even if this impacted creativity. Rose critiqued the: \u201csevere lack of leadership and guidance from [the] ADC,\u201d but appreciated the wealth of opportunities available. The phrase \u201cboth a blessing and a curse\u201d came up several times, making me wonder why these trade-offs are necessary. Is chaos the price for creative freedom? Is originality incompatible with \u201caccountability?\u201d<\/p>\n
I think\u00a0not. Cambridge theatre may be a tangled ecosystem, but it is constantly evolving to become more inclusive and efficient. Graduates are part of the reason for that \u2013 with their outsider perspective and broader points of reference, they have insights into what may be missing, as well as how to improve what works. Understanding and addressing their challenges is an important step towards ensuring we continue to learn from everyone we\u00a0can.<\/p>\n
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