Thursday 21st May 2026

Theatre

Blood will have blood: Cross Keys Productions’ ‘Macbeth’

Shakespeare revivals must tread a fine line: too often they turn into one-actor vehicles or experiments, or shipwreck upon the squall of their adaptation.

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...

‘Oleanna’: An imperfect but gripping watch

Boulevard Productions’ Oleanna leaves something to be desired, but what it lacks in production value it more than compensates for in audacity; so much so that David Mamet would be proud

“Pleasingly thoughtful and thought-provoking”

Natasha Burton previews 'Rewritten' at the Michael Pilch Studio

“It kept me hooked right until the final denouement”

Harry Hatwell applauds Playlliol's rendition of 'A View from the Bridge'

A day in the life of… a stage manager

Lucy Coupe gives her perspective on why stage managing is the perfect extra-curricular activity

“A marathon-style theatrical whirlwind”

Harry Hatwell is blown away by 'Angels in America' at the West End

“A fierce accomplishment”

Will Austin is absorbed in 'Reigen', a revival of Arthur Schnitzler’s controversial sexual drama

“A moving and engaging performance… beyond the level of most student drama”

Freddie Crowley is impressed by the professionalism and intensity of the dystopian drama POMONA at the Keble O'Reilly this week

“Emotive, vibrant, and politically charged”: Hamilton

Izzy Smith praises Lin-Manuel Miranda’s powerful soundtrack

A day in the life of… A script writer

Stage editor Katie Sayer considers the Oxford drama scene from the perspective of a budding playwright

“Student theatre at its finest”

Miriam Nemmaoui finds 'As You Like It' to be enchanting and captivating

“A piece of theatre that feels incredibly close and genuine”

Nina Crisp finds much to praise in 'I Know You', Sam Moore's postmodernist piece of new writing

“The play-text should never have been selected for performance”

Will Austin finds 'Five Women Wearing the Same Dress' to be outdated and hackneyed at the Michael Pilch Studio

“A tense and deeply disturbing piece”

Emily Lawford is left shaken by 'Orca', an award-winning drama about sacrifice and redemption

“Fun, thoroughly amusing and worth watching”

Freya Thorpe praises Ambriel Productions’ musical ensemble

A day in the life of… a lighting director

I came to Oxford with very little backstage experience. It’s really easy to get into the scene—TAFF (the University network of backstage crew) is...

“If you’d told me a year ago I would never have believed it”

Katie Sayer chats to Callum Cameron, the writer and star of They Built It, No One Came – coming to Oxford following a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe and a sell-out week in London

An odd mix of Sophocles, Stoppard and Wilde

Katie Sayer gives four stars to Simon Callow's revival of a 1970s classic

A day in the life of… an assistant director

Rebekah King describes her role assistant directing Brontë, Polly Teale’s successful 2005 period drama

“An aspirational first performance”

Jacob Greenhouse is impressed by 'Blatavsky's Tower', the first production from newly founded company

“A little-known gem”

Thomas Player gives four stars to 'Dear Brutus', an underrated classic

“Sharp humour with profound philosophical underpinnings”

Giovanni Musella looks ahead at a new production of Blavatsky's Tower

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