Within the stress of a hectic eight-week Cambridge term, essays can become overwhelming, planned experiments might not always go according to plan, and the equations sometimes stop adding up. In the spirit of the student journalism zeitgeist that is Week Five, I’m here to remind you that it is essential to remember to take some time out and relax: to switch off, to do something different entirely, to take yourself away from the world of academics. In fact, immersing yourself in another world entirely is not a bad place to start – and where better than the world of the theatre?

In the fast-tempo, high-pressure, insular space of Cambridge, it is worth reminding ourselves of those famous Shakespearean words: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Whether you’re intending to watch theatre or to become involved in a production, the stage can be a great alternative world to knowingly engage in, allowing us to put the dramas of our day-to-day existences in perspective.

“I know that for that one evening I can take time out and enter a different world entirely”

As a staff reviewer for Varsity, going to see a new performance each week this term has been a wonderful experience, an outlet for stress, and a regular enjoyment that I can look forward to. It allows me to know that for that one evening I can take time out and enter a different world entirely. 

The four walls of the theatre enclose you, creating an alternative world. I’ve been embroiled in tragedy of ancient wars as enemies collide and star-crossed lovers are torn apart thanks to a brilliant dramatisation of Othello that I was lucky enough to see at the ADC two years ago. And I can thoroughly recommend distraction via numerous hilarious, comedy-driven collaborations of sketches, wound brilliantly together by a small skilled cast – in particular one that I recently enjoyed by the Footlights. Some biblical drama perhaps: Darkness Falls at the West Concert Hall was spectacular and another treat. I’ve been delighted by show tunes and Shakespeare alike, and can even continue to look forward to more modern drama – look out for The Importance of Being Earnest, soon to appear at Trinity Hall: a witty Wilde play never fails to excite and leave you laughing.

Watching performances, but also getting involved in them, can enable escapism from the ‘Cambridge Bubble’. “Theatre gives me an escape from work in that it gets me out of my room and out of my head”, says third-year English student, Eleanor Mitchell. She describes how her involvement in a current total of 30 shows has enabled her to do something “completely unrelated to [her] degree”. As she succinctly puts it: “It’s nice to remind yourself that you’re not just a reading and writing machine!” As well as breaking the bubble of work, the theatre world offers Eleanor a new community of friends: “I’ve also found theatre to have a really friendly and welcoming community made up of people who have all kinds of amazing talents and ideas for putting together a fantastic show.” 

Review: Unravelling the Ribbon

So this Week Five, go wild and increase the drama in your life, whether that means losing yourself for a week in the character of another, meeting new faces backstage, or just going to see a performance. Cambridge’s incomparable theatre scene can offer you that space in your week for pure relaxation. No guilt, no worries – and it’s unlikely a director will ever set you an essay.