2015 looks set to be another exciting year for Oxford drama, but before we got too preoccupied with ringing in the new, we decided to pause and reflect on some of the greatest theatrical achievements of the past year. The fruit of said reflections was this – the definitive [citation needed] guide to the ten best shows of 2014. Did you miss out on the absolutely unmissable? Did you catch ‘em all? Read on to find out.
10. Henry V
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This production fully exploited Oxford’s potential for fantastic outdoor performances, taking its audiences to a variety of locations around Worcester College and gardens for a production of a Shakespearean classic. This Henry V was endearingly humorous, but combined charm with a commitment not to diminish its portrayal of the human cost of conflict, whether medieval or modern.
9. Blue Stockings
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In a year when several of our colleges are celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the admission of women, this reminder of the bravery of the initial female students in English universities was a timely one. In following the students of Girton College, Cambridge as they fight to be the first women to be allowed to graduate, we were reminded not just of how far we have come, but also of the courage and dedication of early female academics and students.
8. Frankenstein
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Taking on the task of adapting a classic novel is a daunting one, even more so with the added challenge of modernisation, but this devised piece, directed by Harley Viveash, made it look almost effortless. The stories of both creator and creature were elegantly updated with central performances from Howard Coase and Nick Finerty, who engaged the audience’s attentions and gained their sympathies. The setting may have been modernised, but the themes and emotions were one hundred per cent Shelley.
7. Assassins
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Sondheim seems to have had a bit of a moment among Oxford dramatists this year, with at least three of his musicals performed in 2014 and West Side Story still to come at the Playhouse this Hilary! Assassins was the pick of the bunch, bringing the stories of the men and women who have attempted to assassinate American presidents to the stage of the Keble O’Reilly. The cast combined formidable talent in singing and acting to make this into a fascinating and thought-provoking analysis of the failings of the American Dream.
6. Orlando
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Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando features a main character whose gender mysteriously shifts from male to female, and who enjoys a lifetime spanning centuries of important historical occurrences. In addition to choosing to perform an adaptation of a well-established literary text, this production, directed by Niall Docherty and Livi Dunlop, took the additional risk of casting two actors in the title role, one male, one female, who played the part on alternate performances. This innovative decision paid off, with both Grainne O’Mahony and Dominic Applewhite receiving rave reviews for their performances, and the show seems to have pleased Woolf newcomers and super-fans alike.
5. The Pillowman
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As the nights grew darker last Michaelmas, so did the theatrical content on offer, with Martin McDonagh’s play about twisted stories and twisted storytellers being performed by Rough-Hewn Theatre at the Oxford Playhouse. The subject matter was grim but compelling, with a delicate balance of the humorous and the hard-hitting, and featured arguably the most strikingly beautiful and ingenious set to grace the Playhouse stage this year.
4. Jerusalem
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In fourth week of last term, the Keble O’Reilly was transformed into the rural lair of Rooster Byron, the dishevelled hero of Jez Butterworth’s play, documenting the day of the Flintlock Fair, where Byron clashes with old enemies, and tells tall stories with old friends. Byron’s bucolic hedonism, with all its seedy splendour and splendid seediness was realised wonderfully by the production as a whole, by also individually by Barney Fishwick who more than rose to the challenge of taking on the main part.
3. The Furies
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There’s very few productions in the world this innovative and impressive, and far less that are performed in Ancient Greek. The Furies filled this theatrical niche with set and performance taking inspiration from sources as diverse as the paintings of Francis Bacon and the movements of animals in nature documentaries. What really marked this piece out from the rest, however, was the bold use of sound, which was evident both in its fantastic semi-improvised score, and the way Arabella Currie’s direction turned the language barrier into one of the play’s greatest assets rather than one of its greatest obstacles, by having the Furies themselves speak over each other, or in varying volumes and tones, to create a visceral and immersive soundscape.
2. The History Boys
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A play about sixth form boys training for entry to Oxbridge might seem an obvious fit for Oxford dramatists, maybe even a bit too obvious, but this talented cast, helped by excellent direction and design, more than made it work. Alan Bennett’s hilarious and moving masterpiece really came alive in this production, which sparkled with wit and intelligence.
1. As You Like It
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Beating the boys to the top spot were the wonderful women of this all-female Buskins production. Taking place in the appropriately pastoral landscape of Worcester College gardens, this As You Like It captured the humour and the romance of Shakespeare’s comedy, with Clemi Collett giving a fantastic performance as a wickedly witty Rosalind, ably supported by Claire Bowman as co-exile and cousin Celia, and Aoife Cantrill as an adorably smitten Orlando. With a beautiful setting, and spectacular performances all round, this was a true gem of a production.
