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John Simpson: Leaders and Lunatics

Join the BBC's World Affairs Editor for an exclusive evening packed with unparalleled insights from one of the most distinguished foreign correspondents of our time.

  • 31st January 2025 - 31st January 2025
  • 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Join the BBC’s World Affairs Editor and Magdalene College Honorary Fellow and alumnus, John Simpson CBE (English, 1963) for an exclusive evening packed with unparalleled insights from one of the most distinguished foreign correspondents of our time.

With decades of first-hand encounters and personal dealings, John will explore the enigmatic personas of global figures such as Putin, Xi Jinping, bin-Laden and Thatcher.

John will navigate the intricate web of international relations, delving into the complexities of our global issues – from conflicts, war and famines, to world economies and climate change.

What links Mandela and Princess Diana? Or Zelenskiy and Mugabe? John will reveal the common threads linking these figures, and offer a unique perspective on the impact they’ve had on world affairs.

As a household name who has covered almost every major event in the world from the 1960’s to present day, you will have an opportunity to ask John your questions – what were these leaders and lunatics really like, and what on earth is going on? Don’t miss John for an evening that promises to entertain, enlighten, and inspire with his fearless journalism and captivating storytelling.

Programme

Date: Friday 31st January 2025
Venue: West Road Concert Hall, 11 West Rd, Cambridge CB3 9DP
6.45pm: Doors open
7.30pm: Show to start

Doors will open at 6.45pm, with the show starting at 7.30pm prompt. Latecomers arriving after the show has started will not be permitted entry to the auditorium until the interval. There is a bar at West Road Concert Hall which will be serving drinks prior to the show and during the interval (card purchase only). The running time will be c.2 hours including the interval, and the anticipated finish time is c.9.30pm.

Tickets

Tickets are £35.00 each (or £15 for selected balcony seats with a very restricted view).

All profits from this event will be going to support the Pepys Restoration Project, which will completely renovate and repurpose Magdalene College’s unique Grade I listed Pepys Building in Second Court. We are most grateful to John Simpson for his time and generosity in offering this event.

Facilities

  • Facilities for Disabled Guests

Accessibility Facilities

  • Induction loops
  • Wheel chair accessible
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Did you know?

Bringing the river to life in raucous style each June, ‘The Bumps’ are a chaotic series of rowing races. In this Cambridge tradition, which dates back to the early 19th Century, boats set out in single file and must catch and touch, or ‘bump’, the boat ahead without being caught by the rowers on their tail.