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Theatre

“Tragic but thought provoking”, ‘An Enemy of the People’: Review

Ibsen has re-entered the drama scene with the current production of his classic play An Enemy of the People at the Duke of York theatre this spring. With big...

“Extremely vulnerable”: Review of The Sun King

It is difficult to imagine the stiflingly intimate space of the Burton Taylor transformed...

The Oxford Revue: A Room with Revue

'a simple and clever production which ranks as one of the most enjoyable shows I've seen all year'

Dynamic, Chaotic and Physical: Review of Frantic Assembly’s Metamorphosis

"Frantic Assembly takes on a new challenge, taking a decades old Kafka novel, The Metamorphosis, and putting it to the stage in their signature physical theatre style."

Mature and Intelligent: Julius Caesar at the TS Eliot Review

"From start to finish, it was a show filled with excellent performances from leading cast members."

Bringing Oxford theatre to London via a garden shed: an interview with the cast and crew of Casterbridge

"It’s a bit of a mad play, and a lot of quite mad things happen, because that’s what happens when you translate Victorian characters into the modern era."

‘Uninhibitedly comical’ – Review: The Improv Squeeze

"The performers [...] delivered a cohesive, entertaining and – dare I say it – heart-warming musical which was received with barrels of laughter."

‘Heartbreaking and beautiful’ – Review: Brain Freeze

"From the play’s beginning, this immensely talented cast of Oxford students captured my imagination, and I was swept up by the story they had to tell."

‘A wildly enjoyable ride’ – Review: The Importance of Being Nihilists

"We’re left with a simple truth: not everything has a deeper answer, and perhaps we shouldn’t be looking for one."

‘The modern cult of the Girl Boss’ – Review: She Felt Fear

"Surrounded by the pressure to be beautiful, to craft a beautiful life, and to appreciate beauty, is it any wonder that Kathy goes a bit crazy? She Felt Fear is a portrait of hysteria in the twenty-first century."

‘They might just murder each other first’: A Review of Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter

"Disgusting basement? Check. No gas for the kettle? Check. Cryptic instructions from a mysteriously absent boss? Double check. The lack of workplace protection laws is appalling."

‘Mortality and the human condition’ – Review: Wednesday, Death Meditation

"This uncomplicated plot provides Worth with rich opportunities for philosophical musings, with ideas explored in the piece ranging from the abrupt to the more profound."

Oscar Wilde, the 70s, and psychiatrists: The Importance of Being Nihilists

"It digs into some of the most important things we have to face in our lives. Sexuality, family, the education system, the way we judge others and ourselves."

New writing in Oxford: An interview with Shaw Worth and Kirsty Miles

"I think to write a play you’ve got to be constantly re-inspired. It requires so many exchanges between characters and demands inhabiting so many different psyches."

‘Persevering through anything’: An interview with the cast and crew of Sweeney Todd

'The most thrilling moment so far was singing the opening ballad as a whole cast with the band for the first time. I’d never felt such a mix of excitement and nerves and awe all at once.'

‘I laughed so much that my face hurt’ – Review: The Jericho Comedy Gala 2022

"At best, I expected a night of mildly diverting entertainment – perhaps an audience member would heckle someone – and at worst, I was bracing myself for two hours of second-hand embarrassment. Anyone who is familiar with Jericho Comedy will already know how wrong I was: I laughed so much at this comedy gala that my face hurt."

‘A masterclass in laugh-a-minute sketches’ – Review: The People vs. The Oxford Revue

It is an amazing skill to have such a carousel of worlds and people played by the same few actors, and yet the show never felt disjointed; it was almost as if the tennis players, the telly-tubbies and the young conservatives were all interconnected.

Cabaret and Spring Awakening: The Art of Reviving Musicals

"Can we ever justify ticket prices of more than £200 given the theatrical experience involved – or are we just making theatre expensive and inaccessible?"

Interview: Cut, Paste, Enter.//Paper Moon 

Paper Moon’s latest production, an immersive theatre experience called Cut, Paste, Enter. Took place this week at Modern Art Oxford. Ahead of their opening, Cherwell spoke to Chloe Dootson-Graube (Creative Director), Georgie Dettmer (Director), Grace Olusola (Writer), and Hannah Gallardo-Parsons (Sound Designer) about putting together this exciting new project.

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