Friday 13th February 2026

Culture

Will 2026 finally kill the clean girl?

The clean girl has become ubiquitous throughout celebrity culture, magazines, and social media in recent years. Her brand prescribes a lifestyle, a kind of idealised minimalism.

Nostalgic and sincere: ‘The Glass Menagerie’ in review

Crazy Child Productions staged a genuine and thoughtful adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ classic.

Irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny: ‘My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend’

Aled is a chatbot, but also, more concerningly, Carrie’s mum’s AI boyfriend.

A twisted tour-de-force: ‘Bugonia’ in review

Bugonia is a triumph for director Yorgos Lanthimos and his collaborators. He has produced a cynical but rewarding reflection on the human condition.

Lost kids and exploding dogs

Two blockbusters are heading to cinemas this week. We take a look...

The Pillowman Preview

Wilner's direction of The Pillowman both distresses and impresses

Chain Reaction: Spinal Tap

How the original rockumentary changed music

The World’s A Stage: Japan

Cherwell investigates the arts of Noh and Kabuki

Oxford Shakespeare reaches new heights…

A second look at this week’s production of Romeo and Juliet

Radical harmony

Political radicalism - still thriving in the music industry.

A Special Boy: Review

The play promises to entertain - but does it live up to expectations?

The Winter’s Tale

Stage review of a seasonal Shakespeare classic.

Sweeney Todd

A classic piece of drama gets the Oxford treatment. Is it a clean cut or a close shave?

Neighbourhood Watch: Crime doesn’t pay

When stage comedy goes wrong.

Decemberists Review

We review 'Always the Bridsemaid'.

Alphaholics Anonymous

Guy Pewsey tackles his addiction head on meeting perky popsters Alphabeat

Blindness

Julianne Moore shines in an otherwise bland Blindness

Choke Review

We review the new film from the author of 'Fight Club'.

Leo and Russel take on the Middle East

Ian Lister finds Ridley Scott's attempt at political-action thriller somewhat lacking

Blasphemy: The Bell Jar

We give Plath a proper seeing to

Historical Histrionics

Jenni Diski's 'Apology for the Woman Reading'

Dubious Stains

Anne Fadiman's 'At Small and Large'.

This Year’s Models

When we let Andrew Mendelblat out of Oxford for a day, he headed straight for Pendon Museum

First Night Review: Through the Leaves

An impressive first night for Hamilton's lucidly directed production

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