The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code opens at the ADC Theatre on Thursday 19 November, a production by the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club. It's an adaptation of the novel by Dan Brown, brought to the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel.

There's a bit of a specific story behind this one: it's a CUADC Freshers' Play. That's one of three shows the club puts on each year exclusively for freshers, with roles open in acting, directing, producing and publicity, backstage and welfare. So the whole thing is run by the newest arrivals to the university, from the people on stage to the ones keeping the lights on.

That fits the venue, too. The ADC Theatre on Park Street is one of the smallest departments of the University of Cambridge and the oldest university playhouse in the country, with plays on the site since 1855. It's run almost entirely by students with no Faculty involvement, and it's the centre of university drama in Cambridge. Over the years it's helped launch the careers of Sir Ian McKellen, Rachel Weisz and Emma Thompson. Resident student companies include the CUADC, the Cambridge Footlights, the Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society and the Fletcher Players.

So, The Da Vinci Code is a student-led take on a well-known thriller, staged in a theatre that's been a springboard for some of the biggest names in British acting. It runs at the ADC Theatre on Park Street, with the first performance on Thursday 19 November.