Saturday 16th May 2026

Culture

Who gets to speak? The rise of the male podcast epidemic

I couldn’t help but notice, however, that one of the reasons for my disillusionment with the genre was likely the glaring gender imbalance, often when it came to the most successful, well-known podcasts.

The Devil is Sponsored by Dior: ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ in review

In the world of The Devil Wears Prada 2, there is one thing that could have never existed: The Devil Wears Prada.

Hidden Gems: ‘The Storytellers’ at Worcester College

From the first moments, The Storytellers feels unusually thoughtful, generous, and alive.

Toni Servillo shines in thoughtful assisted dying drama: ‘La Grazia’ in review

Does Big Tobacco sponsor Paolo Sorrentino’s films? Almost certainly not, but their money would be worse spent elsewhere.

I’m Still Here: An exploration of memories

"I’m Still Here follows a mother and her family as they deal with the disappearance of the father at the hands of a military dictatorship."

What the book you’re reading says about you

In an institution as prestigious as Oxford, every book you pull out in public is transformed into a portable personality test, a hard launch...

Why romance books should be your post-exam read

With finals in full swing, and prelims just around the corner, Oxford’s libraries are full to the brim and SOLO is open at all...

Review: Blood Wedding – ‘A lunar eclipse on the stage’

A trembling bride. A distrustful mother. Two murderous rivals vying for a single, wavering hand. A wedding vow broken, unleashing all the violence of...

Review – The Wykehamist: ‘A Saltburn for the other place’

In the underbelly of Hong Kong, a Goldsmith-Sachs Vice President invites a woman back to his penthouse apartment for sex. Once there, he tortures...

Form, function, and art in the cultural weight of architecture

With roughly 55% of the world’s population living in cities, the urban world – the brainchild of architects – has become what most people...

The cantatas of Bach with New Chamber Opera

Recently, students from the University of Oxford have blessed the city with several performances of cantatas by the great Johann Sebastian Bach. On Wednesday...

Review: Crocodile Tears – ‘Techno-futuristic, but why?’

There is a lot to like about Natascha Norton’s Crocodile Tears. Female lead Elektra Voulgari Cleare is both electric and effortlessly elegant, and male...

Review: ART – ‘Charm, jazz, and friendship at its wittiest’

ART is charming. Centred around long-time friends Yvan (Ronav Jain), Marcus (Rufus Shutter) and Serge (Jem Hunter), the play not only raises pertinent questions...

The Journal of a Chambermaid: The greatest novel you’ve never heard of

It is easy to suppose that the greatest authors of the 19th century have all already been discovered. Especially when it comes to French...

The Oxford Cinema & Café: A profile

"The opening of The Oxford Cinema & Café marks a new chapter in Oxford’s cinema scene: a move further towards independent cinema."

W.H. Auden at the Bus Stop: In Praise of Intellectual Delay

It’s a damp Tuesday afternoon, and W.H. Auden is waiting patiently at the bus stop...

The Case for Reincarnated Romances

"Reincarnation romance films are sometimes silly, mostly melodramatic, but always overlooked as a subgenre."

Review: All My Sons – ‘At the end of the American Dream’

Joe Keller, played by Tristan Hood, represents the American dream. He is a wealthy businessman with a traditional family with a surviving son that...

Review: The Tempest – ‘Power looks good on her’

All the guests arrived and promptly took their seats, as one of the directors (Seb Carrington) announced the play would begin in 5 minutes....

Review: Bush! The Musical – ‘Is our actors singing?’

While the genre of historical musical theatre centred around US politicians may be dominated by Hamilton, Bush! The Musical has earned a place in...

Review: So Far, So Good – ‘Counting down the fall’

Student theatre has always thrived on experimentation, collaboration, and the courage to speak up. So Far, So Good, a new piece of original writing...

The writer behind ‘The Writer’

Tucked away in a room at Worcester College, I sat in on a rehearsal of Ella Hickson’s The Writer (2018), which Fennec Fox Productions...

Reframing Oxford’s controversial portraits

“All art is quite useless,” declared Oscar Wilde in the preface to The Picture of Dorian Grey. It’s a provocative claim, inviting us to...

‘Love in the face of hate’: A closer look at ‘Blood Wedding’

Emma Nihill Alcorta is the director of a new adaptation of the Spanish masterpiece Blood Wedding, running at the Oxford Playhouse. With flamenco rhythms and...

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