Culture

Good grief! Why do we feel for the death of fictional people?

Whether it’s a mild sniffle or full-blown tears, I always end up feeling a bit ridiculous about the whole ordeal when it’s over. I mean, it’s not real, is it? Why do I waste my grief on things that haven’t happened, that will never happen?

The rise of the pop girlie: Marketing mediocrity or feminism in action?  

“GIRLS INVENTED PUNK ROCK, NOT ENGLAND”: so reads the iconic green T-shirt of Sonic Youth legend Kim Gordon. The slogan stands in defiance of an unfortunate truth in the music industry: femininity and credibility often exist in contention with one another.

World music after ‘world music’

On the face of it, the term ‘world music’ is perhaps one of the...

NAZA: The most important film of the year

The filmmakers of NAZA clearly know that beyond physical distance, emotional distance is what allows the violence in Gaza to continue, and shows us just how easy it is to ignore what is going on right under our noses.

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

The World’s A Stage: Russia

Cherwell witnesses how theatre is central to Russian cultural life

Review: The Academy

OFS, Tuesday - Saturday 6th week

A dinner enagement

Wadham Moser, Thursday-Saturday 6th week

Behind the leaves

A look at Franz Xaver Kroetz, Germany's most popular living playwright

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