Monday 19th January 2026

Culture

‘Beautifully we may rot’: ‘Madame La Mort’ in review

In a small, black-painted room on the top floor of a pub in Islington, known as The Hope Theatre, Madame La Mort was staged for the public for the first time.

Damaging detachment: Reflections on the Booker Prize 

This Christmas vac, I made up my mind to get out of my reading slump using the Booker Prize shortlist, revealing toxic masculinity as a key theme.

In defence of the theatrical release

If film, like all art, nourishes itself on its own œuvre, I don’t think we can afford to sever the association between the cinema and the film.

Falling out of Louvre

In spite of recent events, the expected heightened security was nowhere evident.

The Great Wave Review – ‘a complete clash of cultures, identities, and outlooks’

Indhu Rubasingham's revealing production about a dark part of Japanese cultural history is relevant and immensely human

Is Fresh Meat still fresh?

Seven years after its original release, does Fresh Meat still reflect our current university experience?

Netflix and Cannes

Was the decision to ban Netflix from competing for awards at the Cannes Film Festival justified?

Playlist: Sounds of Spring

Celebrate new life with this new playlist

Travel writing remains unrivalled

The art form which continues to provide the greatest insight into other cultures

Patriotism and Chilean Poetry

Bridget McNulty discusses Hugh Ortega's debut collection and Chilean identity

What to expect on a student film set

A student set is an exciting and inspiring place to be

Playlist: Hottest Tracks of the Month

These are the songs that have lit up March, making us ready to spring into Easter.

The tradition of ignorance in English travel writing

The linguistic and cultural superiority that lives on into the digital age

‘Sehnsucht’ and life’s insatiable longing

The desire for the unattainable is both the inspiration for great art and the catalyst for great sorrow

The rise of the dystopia in a pessimistic world

As the world becomes increasingly hostile we turn to hell in art for comfort

Fighting art with art in Bolzano

In Oxford we argue over the future of the Rhodes statue, but in Italy they have found a new solution

Shazia Mirza: ‘I don’t think about the audience anymore. I just go ahead and do it.’

Acclaimed comedian Shazia Mirza talks Acorn Antiques, ‘snowflakes’ and teaching with Izzy Troth

Yo La Tengo Album Review: Convention and experiments

Indie stalwarts Yo La Tengo subtly surprise on latest effort.

Holidays lead us down the trail of discovery

Cheryl Strayed teaches us the value of taking a break from our everyday lives

Best of Hilary Theatre

Cherwell contributors reflect upon the best student theatre of Hilary Term.

I Slept In These Clothes review – ‘comics to look out for’

Fenella Sentance is thoroughly entertained by the dynamic of Verity Babbs and Chloe Jacob's comedy duo

A Review of Reviewing: of Source-Texts and Slighting

Charles Britton ponders the relationship between a borrowed script and an adapted performance in theatre criticism

I was overcome with a sense of familiarity, intermingled with strangeness

Beth James reflects on the forgotten female modernist poet, Hope Mirrlees

Oxford International Art Fair Review – Open to all

Oxford international arts fair offers a accessible approach to curation for better or worse

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