Walking into a rehearsal of Bromley Bedlam Bethlehem, it is difficult not to feel that one is interrupting. Such was the intensity of feeling created by the actors: when I entered the backstage of the Fitzpatrick Hall at Queens’, Conor Rowlett and Saskia West, playing Eamonn and Sara, were pacing around the centre of the room in the midst of a furious argument. The tension was palpable, and yet for the uninformed, the writing seemed hilarious. At one of Eamonn’s more bitter lines about the sexual activities of Sara, I couldn’t help but burst into giggles – only to be shocked later, at how dark and twisted the line actually is upon realising that Eamonn was, in fact, Sara’s father.

As director Katie Woods later tells me, the play is “very, very dark”. The Camdram blurb offers what is essentially a checklist of classic ‘difficult topics’ – dementia, alcoholism, schizophrenia, and suicide are all mentioned within a seven-line description. Woods assures me that the cast is careful in their treatment of the subject matter, and that the rehearsal space is so open and friendly that nobody is made to feel uncomfortable. Indeed, this is clear throughout the rehearsal I watch – blocking and character motivation are very much discussed between the cast and the director, rather than dictated by Woods.

There is, of course, much to be discussed. The play will take place in the Corpus Playroom, and productions in the L-shaped theatre infamously need to be quite carefully blocked. However, it is not only the blocking which is being debated, but also the text itself. Bromley Bedlam Bethlehem is a piece of new writing by Rachel Tookey which won the Marlowe Society’s prestigious Other Prize. While it did have a rehearsed reading in the ADC’s Larkum Studio last year, Woods tells me the script has changed significantly afterwards, and so much of what they are rehearsing has never been tested. It is this which Woods finds most exciting about new writing - nobody has any expectations, and the production is essentially created from scratch. Tookey’s writing is clearly very strong: the scene I watched was high in emotion but avoids sentimentality, a frequent pitfall of student writing, by undercutting the lines with a wry humour. Nevertheless, as might be expected with a previously unperformed script, there are some lines which the team struggles to find convincing. What most impressed me in these (rare) cases is the care the actors take to make a line consistent with their motivation. They, and Woods, refuse to let anything be just thrown in or glossed over, and the lines which prompt heavy discussion seem to be resolved very neatly.

But as much as performing new writing is a challenge, it is also an opportunity. West, who has just finished playing Hero in ETG’s Much Ado About Nothing, tells me it’s “hugely liberating” to have moved to new writing, as one does not have to worry about being overly influenced by those who had previously interpreted the role. She is clearly also aware, however, of the need to do justice to Tookey’s writing, and admits it can be scary to have almost sole responsibility over portraying a believable and well-developed character. Having watched her in rehearsal, she seems to be handling this extremely well, and is also well directed by Woods, and well matched by Rowlett who, through his physicality and gruff voice, is very realistic in his portrayal of an older Irish emigrant. Indeed, despite having met Rowlett before, I am so taken by his Irish accent that I am astonished when he speaks in his naturally clear, clipped English tones while asking Woods for clarification on blocking.

When we discussed the status of new student writing in Cambridge, Woods seems excited by the “very good fringe stuff”, such as The Fletcher Players’ Smorgasbord, but does appear a little concerned by what might be perceived as the relegation of new student writing to the Corpus late spot. Direct competition with the ADC mains can be difficult, especially when those mains are reliable classics. However, after attending an excellent rehearsal, I am confident Bromley Bedlam Bethlehem, which is as well written as it is acted, would be successful no matter where it was staged. Although it deals with difficult subjects, the play is both enthralling and entertaining, and I would encourage everyone reading to take a punt on what I confidently expect to be a superb show.

Bromley Bedlam Bethlehem is on in the Corpus Playroom at 9:30pm from 30th January to 3rd February. There will be content notices displayed on the door