Hi everyone, happy Week 11! This week, we have EUSOG’s Ruddigore on as well as the Improverts weekly Friday show. Make sure to check these out! This is my last newsletter as your president, and I just wanted to say thank you to the committee and the members for making this year so special. It’s been one of the coolest and most rewarding experiences to serve as president this year. Enjoy your week, everyone!
Lauryn McGuire
President 25’/’26
Ruddigore
The Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group proudly present Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Ruddigore: The Witch’s Curse’!
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, heir to an infernal curse, has fled his role as Baronet of Ruddigore and gone into hiding as Robin Oakapple. His curse? Commit the sin of murder once every day, or be inflicted with a hundred terrible agonies. As his old foster-brother sails into port, and his brother, currently bearing the curse, continuous his murderous streak, Robin Oakapple’s time is limited.
Can he dispel the curse once and for all, or shall innocent villagers perish forever more? Come to the Bedlam Theatre from the 1st to the 4th of April to find out. We’ll be dead thrilled to have you!
Improverts
What happens when rival butchers meet at the laundromat? Or Queen Lizzie walks into a chippie? We haven’t got a clue, but bring your quirkiest suggestions to the Fringe’s longest running sketch-comedy-improv show and watch them unfold in beautiful chaos!
Fancy a giggle? Come along at 10:30pm every Friday to catch a show!
Fancy making others giggle? Come along to one of our weekly workshops every Saturday at 12midday!
Imps tn? Hell yeah!
Right now, the current committee is preparing handover documents to give to the newly elected committee members. We’re also writing up reflections about each of our positions for archival and reference purposes. I am currently trying to finish implementing the updated DM checklist I made with the help of the current theatre managers.
Written by Scarlett Guang
A Clockwork Orange was presented in Bedlam Theatre both in 2011 and 2017.
The play tells a story of 14-year-old Alex in a world dominated by ‘ultraviolence’, social disorder and fear. For Alex and his gang of droogs, destruction is the only comprehendible form of expression. With a new government in power, however, things are about to change. Betrayed by his gang, Alex is imprisoned and agrees to become the first subject of the experimental Ludovico Technique in exchange for his freedom… The production explores the crucial importance of free will, arguing that it is better to choose to be evil than to be forced to act good. It challenges totalitarian control and psychological manipulation, suggesting that stripping a person of choice, even a criminal, makes them a “clockwork orange”—a mere machine.
Every human being brought onto this planet is one of a kind. We have unique thoughts, logic, leading up to a variety of reactions, even when facing similar situations. Our will is influenced by the surrounding environment and people we interact with. But how does this not make us complete replicas of our ancestors? The answer is simple – because our will is free. We are in charge of our own thoughts, and we let the inputs develop, foster in our brain, until it steps into metamorphosis, nurtured by our great and powerful minds. Thus, a new cycle begins.
It is natural to have opposed opinions, to take different angles, to appreciate variety – as this is still, by far, the most efficient way towards creation. Mind-blowing to realise how every whim appearing in my head does not come from nowhere but is weaved by my past existence. We are contextures of the past – humankind is built this way, to some extent. But without free will, losing control of our own minds, are we still us? Or are we just hollow, working apparatus?
Every Sunday 12:00 to 14:00, we do theatre maintenance where we tidy up the building and make improvements. Bedlam runs on volunteer help, so you will be asked to attend one of these sessions if you have worked on a show in the theatre. Similarly, you will be required to help staff a show (or two if you did a mainterm) in exchange for the members who helped staff your show. You can log into your account on the Bedlam website to see if you have maintenance or staffing debt and sign up for a session to fulfill that. There are instructions on the website and people to help you in the building, so don’t worry if you’re new to any of the tasks! You can clear maintenance debt by coming to a Maintenance Session or talking to Maysan Abdidayim or Morgan Hazelip (Theatre Managers) at [email protected]. Likewise, you can contact Uppie Shah or Elise Chan (Front of House Managers) at [email protected] if you have any questions about staffing. You can sign up for your staffing slot here. Thanks for the help!
For Bedlam-related welfare issues: [email protected]
Show-specific welfare reps: Check your proposal or ask your producer if you’re not sure who that is!
What we can help with: - Disagreements about show-related issues - Safety and well-being concerns on shows - Scheduling conflicts you’re not sure how to handle - Pretty much anything else related to a Bedlam show or the society itself!
Other welfare resources to keep on hand: For mental health concerns or non-theatre related issues, please reach out to the Edinburgh Student Wellbeing service or make an appointment with Edinburgh’s Student Counseling Service.
Apart from this newsletter, we are on a lot of other social media. Find and follow us using the links below to stay up-to-date! Bedlam Website - Instagram - Facebook Group - Mailing List - EUSA Website (to buy membership) Facebook Groups: Bedlam Techies and Backstage! - Bedlam Directors - Bedlam Writers - Costumers at Bedlam and Beyond
Last updated: Monday 30 March 2026 at 13:10