Sunday 17th May 2026

Culture

SNL UK and British sketch comedy

SNL UK provides a ripe opportunity to explore our own distinct tradition of sketch comedy.

Twisted but funny: ‘The Birthday Party’ in review

CW: Rape What’s stuffier than a perfume shop and more packed than a Lego Store...

‘The Two Noble Kinsmen’ reviewed

One of the finest traditions of Oxford drama is the summer garden play. Freeing...

Life on Earth: Art as armour in Mandel’s ‘Station Eleven’

The novel demonstrates how speculative fiction is a genre ultimately concerned with the relationship between the environment and the individual, between Earth and humanity.

Review: London Assurance

Attention to detail and professional delivery meant this production was close to perfect

Interview – Mehdi Hasan

Marc Pacitti talks to Mehdi Hasan about Israeli nuclear arms and the duplicity of Dawkins

Review: Middle England

This play's promising start tailed off to an unsatisfying finish

Review: Valerie June – Pushin’ Against a Stone

Rowan Borchers isn't impressed with this Southern singer-songwriter...

Preview: London Assurance

Cherwell's sneak peek at the Merton Float's 7th week play

Review: Chastity on the Verge

Jordan Reed gives three stars to this production at the Burton Taylor in 6th week.

Preview: The Little Shop of Horrors

Helen Reid gives four stars to this musical being performed in Queen's College Gardens in 6th week.

Spotlight On…Michael Boyd

In conversation with the ex-director of the RSC about his early years in the Soviet Union

Preview: Die Frau von Früher

Ani Kodzhabasheva is impressed by the Oxford German Play

Interview: Cornelia Parker

Sadie Levy Gale talks to Cornelia Parker about constructing destruction

Review: Little Shop of Horrors

Matthew Hilborn gives four stars to the Queen's College Garden show: the musician Little Shop of Horrors

Preview: Middle England

An examination of our class prejudices at very close quarters

Spotlight On… Look Back in Anger

Evy Cavalla speaks to the director and assistant director taking Osborne's show to the Fringe

Review: Surfer Blood – Pythons

Derick J Patterson finds a new favourite band in these American surf-rockers

Review: Laura Marling – Once I Was An Eagle

Jack Chown is disappointed as this bird fails to take off

In Defence Of Poetry

Lucy Pinching on freedom of expression with Oxford PEN

Interview: Splashh

Luke Barratt chews the fat with Sasha Carlson, lead singer of Splashh

Review: Ksenia Levina’s First Exhibition

Delia Lockey is impressed by Levina's soothing yet powerful art

Ecological Art

Stanislav Shmelev wants things to be built to last

Review: The Job Lot

The Job Lot is a pleasing enough comedy, but it has the potential to be much more

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