Vanity Fair 

by Kate Hamill

24th – 28th May 2022
ADC Theatre

“This play is – quite simply – the best thing I have seen in Cambridge, and you will miss out terribly by not going to see it too.”

“A theatrical triumph[...]Vanity Fair pulled the audience in and created one of the most enjoyable theatre experiences I have ever been lucky enough to have in Cambridge.”

Kate Hamill's adaptation of William Makepeace Thakeray's novel embraces the wild and wacky while still remaining an incredibly moving work. I embraced the theatricality of the play, encouraging exaggerated performances alongside a production design that referenced old theatrical traditions, including footlights and red curtains, as well as modern takes on the period such as Bridgerton and Emma. (dir. Autumn de Wilde).

Additionally, as a mixed-race person myself, it was essential to me that this cast be majority-BME, reflective of my desire to see people like myself in period pieces and on stage in general. The result was a fun and freewheeling production that nevertheless had a balance with the serious and heartfelt.

Photos by Ben Nicholson.

Cast

Becky – Temitope Idowu

Amelia – Angela Okafor

Rawdon – Jacob Benhayoun

George – Ollie Flowers

Dobbin – Kailan Hanson

Mr. Sedley/Lesser Pitt/Fairgoer/Coachman/Gentleman 1/German Fairgoer 1 – Katya Stylianou

Miss Briggs/Lady Bareacres/Servant 1/Landlord/German Fairgoer 2/Gentleman 2/Sheriff – Naphysa Awuah

Jos/Sir Pitt/Mr.Osborne/Miss Jemima/Auctioneer/King – Hugo Gregg

The Manager/Miss Crawley/Lord Steyne – Jaden Tsui

Crew

Director  – Arianna Muñoz

Producer  – Fiona Popplewell

Assistant Director  – Emma Griffiths

Assistant Producer  – Qawiiah Bisiriyu

Welfare Officer – Ajay Gill

Publicity Photographer – Abby Reeves

Set designer  – Cody Knight

Costume Designer  – Ramisa Hassan

Composer  – Medomfo Owusu

Publicity designer  – Winnie Zhu

Sound Designer  – Tirza Sey

Lighting Designer  – Cat Salvini

Technical Director  – Hugh Bowers

Assistant Stage Manager  – Diana Nowicki

DSM  – India Chahil

Assistant Stage Manager  – Stevie Harding, Mio Lobban, Nathaniel Kemp

Lighting and Set Assistant – Ashley Quinn Dubois

Stage Manager  – Lucas Smith

Costume Assistant – Esme Bishop

PLX  – Lucas Holt

Lighting Operator – William Ashton, Evie Chandler, Jacob Baldwin

Followspot Operator – Katy Lawrence, Amy Meyer, Daniil Soloviev, Mia Grant, Tungsten Tang, Xoan Elsdon

Set builder and painter – Aayushi Jhaveri, Millie Cole, Olivia Thomas-Neher, Rosie McLeish, Subomi Ade-Alamu

Sound operator – Zak Bakkali

Lighting Assistant – Matthew Wadey

Set builder and painter – Heloise Turbie, Philip Al-Taiee, Alex Wrathall, Hannah Samuel-Ogbu, Holly Clarke, Isabelle Duffy-Cross, Georgia Hewett

Associate Director – Jacinta Ngeh, Isabella Woolston, Jake Fenton

Dress Rehearsal Photographer – Benjamin Nicholson