New Talent: The Alternative Performance Society, Cause Célèbre

Bournemouth University’s Alternative Performance society are not only alternative by name but by nature as well. The quirky bunch is mostly made up of 1^st and 2^nd year Script writers who “wanted to get involved in something other than West Side Story”. The society was set up last year, when Simon Lay, President and Director of their latest spectacle, realised there was no society for students to write and perform their own plays.

This year the group has unfortunately seen a sketch show fall through. So determined to make their latest venture ‘Cause Célèbre’ a success, Simon has booked out the Lighthouse in Poole for a night, fitting the bill alongside the likes of John Buchan’s, ‘The 39 Steps’ and Eve Ensler’s, ‘The Vagina Monologues’. Although the play was blind cast and is still, in reality, work in progress, Simon is sure that it will be ready in time for the opening night.

With possibility of acquiring the likes of Colin Baker and film critic and Culture Show presenter, Mark Kermode for guest appearances the ticket sales have rocketed. Another performance is being considered at the University’s Allsbrook Lecture Theatre.

Simon comes across as a passionate director and never fails to make you smile with his extravagant gestures and witty one-liners. He started the group a year ago under the name of ‘The Multifarious Spectacle of Surrogate Ideas’ but thinking this was a bit of a mouthful, changed it to ‘The Alternative Performance Society’ to attract a larger cast.The performers receive their funding from the University, but at only £700, this barely covers the cost of hiring out the Lighthouse. The cost to the production currently stands at over a grand, leaving the society hopeful of breaking even with ticket sales.

But is it money that they are after, or just recognition? “I want to show people that the University has some really talented performers and writers and I chose the Lighthouse as a new, bright and shiny theatre which will showcase this talent,” said Simon.

The script writers started Cause Célèbre back in September and with the first draft finished in November the show promises a slightly twisted jaunt into the lives of fairytale characters. This show is certainly not for the easily offended and where there is space for innuendo, it never fails to satisfy. With characters such as Widow Wanky and The Fugly Sisters, this hilarious panto-esque tale really is, as the script states, a “Drama school’s living incarnation of hell!”