Friday 20th February 2026

Culture

The ‘Silent’ Film

Not speaking does not necessarily mean having nothing to say. As much can be said with an image, movement, or glance as with a word.

A day in The Sun: ‘Ink’ at St John’s

James Graham’s Ink, directed by Georgina Cooper with the St John’s Drama Society, dramatises Rupert Murdoch’s acquisition of The Sun in the 1960s, tracing its astonishing surge to unprecedented popularity.

‘Cathy naur’: Emerald Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ in review

Although my Yorkshire identity and love of 19th-century novels make me inclined to defend Emily Brontë with all my might, I really did give this film a chance.

‘Crawling with personality’: ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ in conversation

Last week, I infiltrated a rehearsal for Cross Keys and 2046 Productions’ upcoming Little Shop Of Horrors.

Techno, tragedy, and medieval monologuing: ‘Brew Hill’ in conversation

Pecadillo Productions’ ‘Brew Hill’ watches the deterioration of the romance between Nat (Trixie Smith) and Gordon (Jem Hunter).

‘I don’t like the idea of hope’: An interview with Iya Kiva 

Iya Kiva is an award-winning Ukrainian poet, originally from Donetsk. Since 2014, when war first came to her region, she has lived in displacement.

A bold choice for limited space: ‘Tick, Tick…Boom!’

This ambitious take on a classic struggled in the space constraints of the Michael Pilch studio.

‘Fresh energy’: Corpus Christi’s Owlets on their revival

Abigail Lakeland interviewed Clara Woodhouse, Owlets President, to discuss its resurgence, and what audiences can expect.

From topping charts to ‘The Traitors’: An ode to Cat Burns

The chaotic new season of 'The Traitors' made me reflect on the celebrity version, and my personal favourite contestant, Cat Burns.

Spoonerisms and malapropisms: ‘You Got Me’ in review

Silent Tape Productions' 'You Got Me' is a hard-hitting story about memory, powerlessness, and the cyclical passing of time.

Will 2026 finally kill the clean girl?

The clean girl has become ubiquitous throughout celebrity culture, magazines, and social media in recent years. Her brand prescribes a lifestyle, a kind of idealised minimalism.

Nostalgic and sincere: ‘The Glass Menagerie’ in review

Crazy Child Productions staged a genuine and thoughtful adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ classic.

Irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny: ‘My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend’

Aled is a chatbot, but also, more concerningly, Carrie’s mum’s AI boyfriend.

An intervention for men’s winter fashion

In winter, comfort tends to take precedent over style. Fashionable tops are sacrificed for warm jumpers, and then engulfed by coats.

A twisted tour-de-force: ‘Bugonia’ in review

Bugonia is a triumph for director Yorgos Lanthimos and his collaborators. He has produced a cynical but rewarding reflection on the human condition.

‘Heated Rivalry’ vs ‘Stranger Things’: Case studies in creative control 

Stranger Things, like Heated Rivalry, has dominated the cultural zeitgeist at various points across its ten-year airing schedule.

Dropping hints before dropping albums: The art of the tease

Promotion seems to be a part of the performance for many artists, setting the stage for the project they are going to release, and priming their audience.

The mysterious posters in Oxford, and the novel behind them

I had assumed it was just another poster, lost in the usual blur of student plays, society termcards, and talks promising free pizza. But this one was oddly specific.

Musical theatre and classic literature: A marriage of two minds?

Musical theatre owes a great debt to the literature of preceding centuries. Often, all we need is one idea to ignite a spark that leads to something greater.

Rich and generative: In conversation with ‘The Glass Menagerie’

After the success of The Creditors last Michaelmas, the Keble-based Crazy Child Productions is set to bring Williams’ breakout work to the Keble O’Reilly.

How not to decolonise a museum: ‘Suturing Wounds’ at the Pitt Rivers

Emma Heagney reviews Sara Sallam's exhibition at the Pitt Rivers and how the museum interacts with decolonisation.

Rory Stewart’s ‘Middleland: Dispatches from the Borders’ in review

Middleland (2025) is not his masterpiece, but it is as much worth reading as any of his work – erudite, perceptive, and beautifully written.  

A breakdown in technicolour: ‘Company’ in review

With flashing lights and a shower of confetti, Fennec Fox Productions’ Company bursts onto the Playhouse stage to deliver its exuberant portrayal of romantic pessimism, just in time for Valentine’s Day. 

Lost and found: The art of translation

Translation should be more than mechanic substitution. It demands that the translator acts as a conduit, conveying the intricacies of emotion, style, and intention, while negotiating the hurdles of linguistic complexity.

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