Cherry Gilchrist
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Cambridge goes mad for Marat Sade

17/8/2012

14 Comments

 
It was in the early spring of 1968 that a bunch of assorted students, friends and townies began to rehearse for a production of Marat Sade in Cambridge . Or, to give it its full title, The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade, written by Peter Weiss. See the following link for plot, if you can work it out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marat/Sade

We gave our all to the madness and chaos. Bruce Birchall, our alternative-style theatre director extraordinaire, strode around rehearsals thwacking his tall boots with a whip, de Sade style.  It was a stirring, primeval experience, and when we performed at Peterhouse College, one friend in the audience reported, ‘At first I was seeing students acting lunatics. But then you really did become lunatics.’ Praise indeed.

These photos below are the sheets of contact photos for the production which I’ve managed to keep hold of all these years. Spot me looming in the third photo down, top row, third from the left – lots of long dark hair.

One of the poignant aspects of looking at these photos now is to ruminate on what became of those who took part. Here are some of our varied destinies: imprisoned as member of the Angry Brigade, human rights lawyer, initiated as shaman in Siberia, financial journalist, sent down from Cambridge for drug dealing, local radio commentator, advertising executive, writer (that’s me), died young of natural causes, computer scientist. Mixed bag. And now I’m sad, when searching out Bruce Birchall, to find that he died last year (1946-2011). Re the conversation about Bruce’s demise at http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3627, I’m afraid the ‘poor personal hygiene’ comment really was true! You didn’t get too close. But he was a talented director, as acknowledged at http://www.unfinishedhistories.com/history/individuals/bruce-birchall/

Right, reminiscing over - who’s for a revival of Marat Sade?

If you have memories of this production, please leave your comments here. For better views of the photos,  contact me via this website and I may be able to email them to you.

Picture
14 Comments
Tony Allen link
1/4/2014 11:14:38 pm

I am writing about Bruce Birchall and West London Theatre Workshop circa1972-74 and reference this production and will link to your site. thank you, very best Tony Allen

Reply
Cherry Gilchrist
2/4/2014 01:01:51 am

Pleased that it's of interest, Tony. If you want to post a link to your writing here, you're welcome

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Tim Evans
2/3/2018 01:36:33 pm

Hi Cherry I was in the Cambridge production - I was the madman with the Christ complex and was crucified. Remember?

Cherry Gilchrist
3/3/2018 01:36:10 am

Tim - it's wonderful to hear from you! Could you email me via the Contact Page on this website? Or PM me via Cherry Lee-Wade on Facebook. I'd love to write and catch up - still in touch with several of our old friends. Cherry

Janet Whitton
14/7/2014 04:23:44 am

I was Simone in that play and worked with him in a further Summer production. I only have a couple of the photos you show and would love you to email me the complete set. I have a friend who was also in the play and still has the original programme and cast list.

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Elizabeth Scott Andrews
1/9/2016 09:47:10 am

Hello Janet,

I was Rossignol in that play and remember you very well. I would love to see the original programme and/or cast list if your friend still has it!

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Janet Whitton
1/9/2016 10:23:43 am

Hi Elizabeth,
My friend is abroad at the moment, but I'll tell her when she gets back next month. Such memories.

Elizabeth Andrews
2/3/2018 05:00:21 pm

Hi Janet,
Any possibility of seeing the original programme and/or the the cast list? I realise that a lot of time has gone by....

Cherry Gilchrist
3/3/2018 01:37:17 am

Yes, I live in hope of seeing the programme too! That would be great.

Cherry Gilchrist
2/9/2016 01:15:01 am

Hi Elizabeth and Janet - could I see a copy of the programme and cast list too if poss?? And I'd be pleased to put it up on the blog if the friend permits. There has been a lot of interest in this memoir!

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Gill Roberts (nee Wilkinson)
10/12/2018 03:18:22 pm

Hi Cherry, remember me? I was Charlotte Corday in the production and also worked with Bruce on many others! Yesterday we had a wonderful Sunday reunion with Jim Pye and his wife Suze and Andrew Butterworth and his wife Hannah and Jim has emailed your link to me. The boys played two of the singers. We, all three feature hugely in these photos.

Andy and I have always kept in touch but we had lost track of Jim for 27 years! The reunion was wonderful. I haven't seen you or Chris since you lived in Camberwell with your gerbils!!

I can fill you in on quite a few of the others featured in the contacts if you email me.

Yes, it was a wonderful production and experience and Bruce was indeed a stunning director. Sadly he got sidetracked somehow and failed to fulfil his enormous promise. I remember him so fondly and always hoped that our paths would cross again one day. I was deeply saddened by news of his early death.

I think I too have some contact sheets - and possibly still the programme - in my very crammed and untidy loft!

I could write on and on.............How are you? Well and happy, I hope.

I’ll fill you in on my life and on others should you decide to respond.

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Elizabeth Andrews
10/12/2018 04:34:53 pm

Hi Gill, How lovely to see a message from you after all these years! I was Rossignol (the third singer), and remember Jim and Andy so well. It really was the experience of a lifetime.
All the best,
Liz

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Cherry Gilchrist link
11/12/2018 11:21:27 am

Hello Gill - wonderful to hear from you! This post of mine seems to have drawn in quite a few people who were involved in the production. I'm going to email you separately via the contact form you sent with my bits of news.

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john barker link
23/4/2019 02:15:49 pm

I played the Herald in this super production and in my old age have returned in small part to performance as in the Collaborations section of the website. My memory of he M/S is bitter sweet as I fell in love with Els van Dijk who played a mad woman but who died tragically young aed 26. Ed Emery who played another of the 'patients' has been a good friend ever since and Tim Hodginson of Henbry Cow fame is still playing great music. I would very much like a copy of the contact sheet. Thanks in advance and best wishes.

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    Cherry Gilchrist

    Author of books on family history, relationships, alchemy, myths & legends. Life writing tutor, early music singer, arts lecturer. Keen on quirky, ancient and mysterious things.

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