Monday 15th June 2026

Theatre

Slow down, you crazy child: What Oxford student theatre can learn from garden plays

Student theatre strives to be as professional as possible, but the annual garden play offers something unique: permission to have fun.

‘Our House’ in the middle of Beaumont Street

'Our House' ultimately becomes not just a story about crime or morality, but about the vulnerability of growing up and the frightening uncertainty of trying to decide who you are.

Testing my patients: ‘The Effect’ at the BT Studio reviewed

Necessarily navigating the difference between ‘side effects’ and reality, the play strikes a fine balance between what one thinks and what one feels.

‘The Harrowing of Hell.26’ reviewed

Fundamentally, The Harrowing of Hell.26 is a finely acted, well-produced play which was enjoyable enough to watch, but its conclusion is unsatisfying.

Preview: The Witch of Edmonton – ‘promises a sufficiently sinister experience’

Hoof and Horn Productions' take on The Witch of Edmonton heads to the BT Studio in Seventh Week

Staging Invisibility

The writer of Week Seven's Hustlers at the BT discusses the concept of the hustler and diversity in theatre

Review: The Tempest – ‘exploit the comic potential in Shakespeare’s verse’

RJ Productions present an enjoyable rendition of Shakespeare’s last solo-authored play, whose strongest points lie in its subtler elements

Review: Ordinary Days – ‘brings the score to life in quite an extraordinary way’

A rom-com premise gives way to a brilliant musical at the BT, with endearing and relatable performances

Review: My Mother Runs in Zig-Zags – ‘incredibly refreshing and ambitious’

An all-BAME cast and crew production, My Mother Runs in Zig-Zags powerfully explores civil war, intergenerational trauma and the diasporic experience

Review: The First Last – ‘an unmitigated triumph’

Student playwright Matt Kenyon's hilarious comedy about unplanned fatherhood is on at the BT Studio until Saturday

Preview: A View from the Bridge – a fresh take on the Miller classic

Practically Peter Productions bring the Arthur Miller classic set in 1950s Brooklyn to the Pilch in Sixth Week.

Should comedy have an expiration date?

In a politically correct society, we look at whether it is right to remove offensive jokes from comedies written before our time

Review: Amadeus – University College Players ‘have more than risen to the challenge’

With outstanding performances and excellent musical accompaniment, University College Players do justice to Peter Shaffer's Amadeus

Review: The Roaring Girl – ‘a ground-breaking proto-feminist piece of theatre’

With cross-dressing, feminist themes and a feisty soundtrack, The Roaring Girl proves a fifth week delight

Review: Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons – ‘complex but never cumbersome’

With a compelling performance and effective use of lighting and music, Dromadaire Productions encourages us to consider the importance of communication

Review: The Reunion(?) – ‘a subversive new take on the classic murder mystery’

The Oxford Revue's latest show builds up to a brilliant punchline

Review: Your Little Play – ‘a tragic storyline which by now seems all too familiar’

Nightjar Theatre's production tackles themes that are particularly pertinent to our time

Shakespeare Done to Death?

In the wake of the Emma Rice 'scandal' at the Globe, we examine why we keep treading old boards.

Review: Allotment – ‘as if the audience is intruding upon the sisters’ realm’

MuckyOven Productions present an intriguing play about gardening, sisterhood and the passing of time.

Review: Twelfth Night – ‘dispels the myth that Shakespeare isn’t funny’

Brasenose Arts Week puts a contemporary spin on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Review: A Little Night Music – ‘a sophisticated and pleasant performance’

Despite some minor setbacks on the opening night, A Little Night Music delivers a confident performance, including some moments of hilarity

Review: (The Wings of the) Seagull – ‘leaves you frozen’

This one-actor show from mealspiel easily wins over its audience, with laugh-out-loud moments interspersed with stomach-churning horror.

Review: A Woman of No Importance – ‘the best Wilde production I’ve ever seen’

With a terrific cast, a splendid setting, and a deft handling of the script, Magdalen Players' take on A Woman of No Importance proves to be a fourth week delight

Review: Four Men in Their Respective Cells – ‘a whistle-stop psychological drama’

Though hitting the right notes thematically, Four Men in Their Respective Cells lacks polish and a conclusive ending

Follow us