1816: The Year Without a Summer

CREATIVES BIOS

NAT RICHES AND NATASHA ATKINSON; CO-WRITERS

Nat Riches is an experienced writer and composer; having composed a full musical by the age of 18, Nat has also written and staged a university pantomime, and was shortlisted for the 2021 Robinson College Music Society Composition Competition.

Natasha Atkinson, a talented musician, writer and composer, was Music President of Downing College. She has performed original musical theatre compositions at bar nights and composed music to be played at a wedding at Girton College and a Downing College fundraising event.

Nat and Natasha have been composing musical theatre songs together since music GCSE. They both received full marks for compositions at A-level, and wrote original music for their band. At the University of Cambridge, they decided to combine their talents to create their biggest project yet: 1816.

GINA STOCK; DIRECTOR

Gina Stock is an emerging director and choreographer with a passion for combining literature and musical theatre through unconventional and abstract narratives. She has directed in Cambridge, Edinburgh and London for student and professional theatre, and is otherwise based in East Anglia where she works on accessibility of the arts and community projects. Her work has previously been described as “exhilarating, sexy and very creative” (The Cambridge Critique), a “sugary spectacle” (Varsity) and “unparalleled artistry and skill” (The Tab).

RICH MANDAL; MD

Rich is a first-year music undergraduate at King’s. He is a singer and a pianist, and an accomplished composer of contemporary classical music who has won multiple prestigious national awards. Since starting his degree, he has found himself immersed in the musical theatre world. Previously, he knew musical theatre only from the perspective of a pit-band keys player, but within a span of 8 months, he has explored himself further as a musical director, composer, techie, soundie and an actor within the world of Cambridge theatre. Since taking on the role of musical director for the 2024 Fresher’s Musical, he has developed a particular knack for directing new theatrical music, having also directed and conducted a student-written short opera. He cannot wait to bring to life the amazing concept of 1816, and is looking forward to taking part in his first ever Camden Fringe show.

CAST BIOS

FRANCESCA HORGAN

Francesca Horgan has just completed her MPhil in Modern British History at the University of Cambridge. While at Cambridge she has enjoyed getting involved with shows including Sister Act and Sweet Charity, alongside singing in Magdalene College Chapel Choir. During her undergraduate degree she enjoyed roles as a performer and choreographer in a number of musicals including Grease, Legally Blonde, RENT, and Anything Goes. She is excited to be performing at Camden Fringe, and is looking forward to starting an MA in Musical Theatre at LAMDA in September.

OLIVER KINGSTON

Oliver Kingston is a Writing for Performance Master's student at the University of Cambridge. He completed his undergraduate studies in Film and Television Production at the University of York, where he was an avid member of the Central Hall Musical Society. There he performed in Spring Awakening, Sunshine on Leith, The Addams Family, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Carrie. At Cambridge he performed in Dungeness. However, this is his first time at Camden Fringe and he is very excited to be an overly dramatic writer playing an overly dramatic writer on stage.

KATE WOODMAN

Kate Woodman is a first year student at the University of Cambridge studying Education. Last year she completed a gap year acting diploma at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and trained at Stagebox for 7 years. Kate has directed and performed at "The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Edinburgh Fringe last year and has worked on Bille August's "The Count of Monte Cristo", Amazon's "Fifteen Love" and CITV's "Teds Top Ten". She has loved playing roles such as 'Wednesday' in "The Addams Family", "Daddy Brubeck' in "Sweet Charity", "Velma' in "Chicago" and "Hester' in "The Deep Blue Sea". Kate is so excited to be performing at the Camden Fringe for the first time as Mary Shelley, who is such an interesting, talented and strong woman!

KAITLIN PRYCE

Kaitlin Pryce is a first year English student at the University of Cambridge. This is her first time at the Camden Fringe, having previously performed in student theatre such as 'Bloody Poetry' at the ADC and 'Ill-Divining Souls', a student-written piece at the Corpus Playroom. When not writing essays, she will still be found writing her own projects, and as such is really passionate about bringing this group of Romantics to life!

JOE DAVIES

Joe Davies is a second-year law student at the University of Cambridge. Making his Fringe debut, Joe is emerging onto the musical theatre scene. He loves a Gothic novel and is excited to explore the tales behind the tales.