Friday 29th May 2026

Culture

Oxford on-screen: Historical atmosphere and fantasy worlds

Ideally, we should strike a balance; an awareness of the reality of life at Oxford can co-exist with an appreciation of its grand architecture and historical atmosphere.

The rise of Stats.fm: Music as a signal of identity

It is far harder to maintain a separation between your taste, your identity, and how you are thought of by others.  

‘Would you mind if I asked you a troubling question?’:  ‘Ulster American’ in review

Arun Lewis reviews Grá Productions' staging of David Ireland's 'Ulster American', and finds fault in an otherwise fascinating performance.

Subs, dubs, and AI flubs: Lost in film translation

How hard could it be to watch an entire film in German when I could not even introduce myself in the language? Quite hard, it turns out.

Taking Control

Cherwell examines the role of the director

Don Carlos

We weigh in on the upcoming adaptation of the Friedrich von Schiller classic

Liberal Facism

Jonah Goldberg's new book Liberal Facism sounds like it ought to be an interesting, though not entirely revolutionary, proposition

Odds and Sods and Death and Dogs

Paul Freestone's tender and humorous photographs find beauty in the mundane and subtly blur the boundaries between the human and the natural

Doubt

John Patrick Shanley's film adaptation of Doubt arguably equals, and quite possibly surpasses, the play upon which it is based

Black Comedy

This production of Black Comedy illuminates Shaffer's script

The Entertainer

John Osborne's historic follow-up to ‘Look Back In Anger' charts the life of Archie Rice, son of smash-hit music hall comedian Billy Rice

Stryding to success

Joseph Weir discovers the story of a DIY label and Tinchy Stryder's rise to stardom

Behind the Scenes: The Line-Producer

In the second edition of Behind the Scenes, Andrew Litvin tells us something about line-production

These Dark Materials

An adaptation of His Dark Materials hits Oxford next term, and Cherwell went backstage to see it being created.

Coolness In The Face Of Fire

Vid Simoniti talks to a Merton student who balances studying philosophy with flaming poi

The Cactus Where Your Heart Should Be

The Cactus Where Your Heart Should Be is fun, but never quite brilliant

Squirrels

Good acting and directing can't get David Mamet's flawed Squirrels to the top of the tree

The Philadelphia Story

The OFS performance of late-1930s classic The Philadelphia Story is hugely enjoyable

Not as stable as they look?

More information and analysis on Cherwell's interview with Bob Blackman on the future of the West End

Behind the Scenes: The Producer

In the first of a new blog dedicated to the people who make our films, Laura Hastings-Smith talks production

Review: Mankind

Our man is impressed by this modern update of the medieval classic

Straight to DVD: Mob Doc

Out of Africa...we review the latest from Kenya's Jitu studio

Review: The Broken

Our review of Sean Ellis' latest horror flick

On the road to nowhere

Casting an eye over Sam Mendes' Oscar-baiting 'Revolutionary Road'

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