Saturday 21st February 2026

Culture

Red soles, red flags: Jaden Smith and the celebrity takeover of high fashion

Smith’s appointment has raised some serious questions about the extent to which nepotism and celebrity is superseding artistic talent in the fashion industry at present.

Techno, tragedy, and medieval monologuing: ‘Brew Hill’ in conversation

Pecadillo Productions’ ‘Brew Hill’ watches the deterioration of the romance between Nat (Trixie Smith) and Gordon (Jem Hunter).

Will 2026 finally kill the clean girl?

The clean girl has become ubiquitous throughout celebrity culture, magazines, and social media in recent years. Her brand prescribes a lifestyle, a kind of idealised minimalism.

Nostalgic and sincere: ‘The Glass Menagerie’ in review

Crazy Child Productions staged a genuine and thoughtful adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ classic.

‘He eagerly played the lead guitar whilst simultaneously thrashing a piano chord with his foot’ – A review of Jacob Collier’s Bristol concert

'With at least 12 different musical instruments on stage, Collier tirelessly leapt from one instrument to another across the stage'

Harry Potter as Therapy

'I am 25 years old, and I have reread the Harry Potter books 10 times, but in this review I want to introduce you to something truly special'

“A Brilliant Balancing Act”: A Review of By Proxy

By Proxy is shocking, morally complicated, and will have you frustrated, yet empathetic towards both Kit and Jo. It is also hysterically funny, with witty dialogue and inside jokes that will appeal to the Oxford student. By Proxy is a brilliant balancing act that engages at every turn.

“A Joy to Watch”: A Review of ‘Window Seat’

The play is a joy to watch. Coleman always provides just enough detail in the dialogue to allow the audience to follow what is happening without making the relationship between the two characters seem overlaboured or mechanistic.

“Dreamlike and Wonderful”: A Review of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

"All in all, a dream-like and wonderful way to spend the ‘three hours between our after-supper and bedtime’, in the words of Theseus himself."

How can we make the most of Oxford’s eight-week frenzy?

"We have found ourselves in a place where we are surrounded by tradition and glamour, yet we have no time to enjoy it."

Retelling the Immigrant Experience: A Review of ‘Xiao’

'Before us is a potted plant, a porcelain tea set, a dinner table, and a couple in embrace.'

Review: ‘A Girl in School Uniform (Walks into a Bar)’

'This is a production that knows what it’s doing.'

“Fast-paced, witty and painfully relatable”: Review of Immaculate

'The Devil, complete with a set of black wings, is sat at the end of the row having a chat with an audience member as we arrive for the opening night of Oliver Lansley’s ‘Immaculate’ '

“Heartwarming, enjoyable, and refreshingly different”: A Review of Sisyphus House

'The charm of the production was in the idea that the titular house had been witness to all sorts of burgeoning relationships throughout its tenure, and this was sweetly conveyed through Nott and Bruton’s writing.'

“A successful exploration of the play’s tension and comedy”: A review of Macbeth.

Andrew Raynes’ production of Macbeth is a successful exploration of the play’s tension and comedy, and the cast and crew should be congratulated on bringing that out. The production succeeds in creating the world of Macbeth, and is blessed with some very talented actors which help bring it to life.

Kesha ‘Gag Order’: A review

'The album is all Kesha, a meticulously crafted and finely tuned testament to her prowess as a songwriter.'

Meeting the President’s Husband: An Interview with Peter Kessler

'Come to Magdalen Monday Movies. You will not regret it. And whatever happens, you're not getting your money back.'

Evil Dead Rise: Brutal, Bloody, Bonkers.

'Spirits are unleashed, souls are possessed, and jumpscares are aplenty.'

Why Oxford’s Fashion Gala was better than the Met’s  

'The line of reporters and photographers asking the same questions to uncomfortable-looking celebrities, who try to recollect why Lagerfeld was in fact their personal hero, makes for tortuous watching.'

Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying: Tracing the Atmospheres of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic

'When the pandemic hit Ontario, William Faulkner was a cadet in the Canadian Royal Air Force. Writing home to his parents, he would bemoan the lengthiness of his base’s lockdown, and the protracted sense of time it engendered.'

Some habits die hard: the truth about Oxford’s Coffee Culture

The baristas in Cornmarket Pret know my coffee order on sight. My friends rarely see me without a strong black Americano in hand. You...

Open Minds, Open Conversations: An Interview with the LOAF Podcast

I knew vaguely of the podcast run by four of my fellow Christ Church students before interviewing them for Cherwell. It takes hard work...

Guardians of the Galaxy 3

'If you’ve been sitting at home with your cork board and red string, becoming the next Hercule Poirot trying to work out how on earth the MCU fits together nowadays, give this intergalactic film a try.'

LB’s — Summertown’s one-of-a-kind Lebanese deli

"Summertown’s options are ever growing, but through all of that, it is clear why LB’s has remained a staple."

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