Tuesday 20th January 2026

Culture

‘Songs, skits, and a third thing beginning with S’: Jack McMinn in conversation

If there’s one thing I believe Oxford’s theatre scene is missing, it’s a button-down-shirt-wearing ex-zoology student with a penchant for writing songs about Pret A Manger.

The Oxford art calendar: Hilary 2026

Oxford’s frosty Hilary term is best spent looking at new exhibitions. This art calendar will guide you through some of the upcoming highlights.

‘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.

Taking up Tupac’s “thug poet” mantle

'You Only Live 2wice' is Freddie Gibbs living up to his predecessors, says Jonathan Egid

“A tense and deeply disturbing piece”

Emily Lawford is left shaken by 'Orca', an award-winning drama about sacrifice and redemption

Dispatches: A meeting of minds, memories, and bad wine

Jem Bosatta explores a connection between memory and the senses

OxFilm: Oxford International Film Festival

Calum Bradshaw walks us through this year's Oxford International Film Festival

Warhol and the importance of social exchange

Mia Neafcy explores the notion of consumerism in American capitalist society

The humble notes that hold great meaning

Katherine Wood explores the past and present of Russian bard music

The comeback kids keep ‘lad rock’ alive

Kasabian's 'For Crying Out Loud' is the Leicester band at their best, says Matt Roller

Empty voices speak freely but not responsibly

Ethan Croft considers cultures of discussion within the Twitter-sphere

‘Generation Kill’ director Susanna White talks documentaries and Dickens

Calum Bradshaw reports on an evening with the acclaimed filmmaker behind a host of documentaries, feature films, and television series.

The Japanese House – “I’ve never wanted fame at all”

Ellen Peirson-Hagger interviews Amber Bain on her moody indie project

A titanic record for all the wrong reasons

Will Cowie finds Gorillaz's Humanz to be soulless and robotic

Take me to (Broad)church

Charles Britton takes a spoiler-filled look back at Chris Chibnall’s crime drama

Is television too small for the both of them?

Theo Davies-Lewis pits the BBC against streaming services

Asian actors are invisible in Hollywood

Vivien Zhu argues that change from studios and in racial attitudes is necessary to make progress on the under representation of Asian actors

A limp, lifeless insult to every single viewer

Christopher Goring is reduced to a gibbering mess by "Sandy Wexler"

American art at the cutting edge of the 21st century

Altair Brandon-Salmon explores two samples of recent art and their resonances

Exploring Hull and its high water

Julian Wood travels around Kingston-Upon-Hull and immerses himself in 2017's 'City of Culture'

“Fun, thoroughly amusing and worth watching”

Freya Thorpe praises Ambriel Productions’ musical ensemble

Acting out against commoditisation in art

Anoushka Kavanagh considers resistance to the shifting role of the consumer

A day in the life of… a lighting director

I came to Oxford with very little backstage experience. It’s really easy to get into the scene—TAFF (the University network of backstage crew) is...

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