2015 looks set to be another exciting year for Oxford drama, but before we got too preoccupied with ringing in the new, we decided to pause and reflect on some of the greatest theatrical achievements of the past year. The fruit of said reflections was this – the definitive [citation needed] guide to the ten best shows of 2014. Did you miss out on the absolutely unmissable? Did you catch ‘em all? Read on to find out.

10. Henry V

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This production fully exploited Oxford’s potential for fantastic outdoor performances, taking its audiences to a variety of locations around Worcester College and gardens for a production of a Shakespearean classic. This Henry V was endearingly humorous, but combined charm with a commitment not to diminish its portrayal of the human cost of conflict, whether medieval or modern.

9. Blue Stockings

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In a year when several of our colleges are celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the admission of women, this reminder of the bravery of the initial female students in English universities was a timely one. In following the students of Girton College, Cambridge as they fight to be the first women to be allowed to graduate, we were reminded not just of how far we have come, but also of the courage and dedication of early female academics and students.

8. Frankenstein

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Taking on the task of adapting a classic novel is a daunting one, even more so with the added challenge of modernisation, but this devised piece, directed by Harley Viveash, made it look almost effortless. The stories of both creator and creature were elegantly updated with central performances from Howard Coase and Nick Finerty, who engaged the audience’s attentions and gained their sympathies. The setting may have been modernised, but the themes and emotions were one hundred per cent Shelley.

7. Assassins

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Sondheim seems to have had a bit of a moment among Oxford dramatists this year, with at least three of his musicals performed in 2014 and West Side Story still to come at the Playhouse this Hilary! Assassins was the pick of the bunch, bringing the stories of the men and women who have attempted to assassinate American presidents to the stage of the Keble O’Reilly. The cast combined formidable talent in singing and acting to make this into a fascinating and thought-provoking analysis of the failings of the American Dream.

6. Orlando

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Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando features a main character whose gender mysteriously shifts from male to female, and who enjoys a lifetime spanning centuries of important historical occurrences. In addition to choosing to perform an adaptation of a well-established literary text, this production, directed by Niall Docherty and Livi Dunlop, took the additional risk of casting two actors in the title role, one male, one female, who played the part on alternate performances. This innovative decision paid off, with both Grainne O’Mahony and Dominic Applewhite receiving rave reviews for their performances, and the show seems to have pleased Woolf newcomers and super-fans alike.

5. The Pillowman

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As the nights grew darker last Michaelmas, so did the theatrical content on offer, with Martin McDonagh’s play about twisted stories and twisted storytellers being performed by Rough-Hewn Theatre at the Oxford Playhouse. The subject matter was grim but compelling, with a delicate balance of the humorous and the hard-hitting, and featured arguably the most strikingly beautiful and ingenious set to grace the Playhouse stage this year.

4. Jerusalem

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In fourth week of last term, the Keble O’Reilly was transformed into the rural lair of Rooster Byron, the dishevelled hero of Jez Butterworth’s play, documenting the day of the Flintlock Fair, where Byron clashes with old enemies, and tells tall stories with old friends. Byron’s bucolic hedonism, with all its seedy splendour and splendid seediness was realised wonderfully by the production as a whole, by also individually by Barney Fishwick who more than rose to the challenge of taking on the main part.

3. The Furies

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There’s very few productions in the world this innovative and impressive, and far less that are performed in Ancient Greek. The Furies filled this theatrical niche with set and performance taking inspiration from sources as diverse as the paintings of Francis Bacon and the movements of animals in nature documentaries. What really marked this piece out from the rest, however, was the bold use of sound, which was evident both in its fantastic semi-improvised score, and the way Arabella Currie’s direction turned the language barrier into one of the play’s greatest assets rather than one of its greatest obstacles, by having the Furies themselves speak over each other, or in varying volumes and tones, to create a visceral and immersive soundscape.

2. The History Boys

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A play about sixth form boys training for entry to Oxbridge might seem an obvious fit for Oxford dramatists, maybe even a bit too obvious, but this talented cast, helped by excellent direction and design, more than made it work. Alan Bennett’s hilarious and moving masterpiece really came alive in this production, which sparkled with wit and intelligence.

1. As You Like It

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Beating the boys to the top spot were the wonderful women of this all-female Buskins production. Taking place in the appropriately pastoral landscape of Worcester College gardens, this As You Like It captured the humour and the romance of Shakespeare’s comedy, with Clemi Collett giving a fantastic performance as a wickedly witty Rosalind, ably supported by Claire Bowman as co-exile and cousin Celia, and Aoife Cantrill as an adorably smitten Orlando. With a beautiful setting, and spectacular performances all round, this was a true gem of a production.

Public objection to Chris Grayling’s proposed ban on sending books to prisoners, now declared unlawful by the high court, culminated in a high-profile protest outside Pentonville Prison in London earlier this year. In the intervening months, disputes between members of political and literary institutions were of a telling nature. There was much idealised rhetoric about an access to books symbolising the “values which distinguish our country”, designed to counter the snide elitism of a certain minister claiming that prisoners are “not waiting for their next Jane Austen”. Perhaps it is appropriate that an altercation over books was turned into a narrative of good against evil. Stories provide us with heroes and villains, but literature looks beyond that, and banning books for those who society has cast as the bad guys deprives them of access to such a perspective.

Studies from 2014 have shown that 48% of the prison population cannot read, write or count to the standard expected of an 11-year-old.  Wider problems in the education system have cut off many from even being eligible to receive the benefits that reading can bring, suggesting that the furore surrounding the proposed ban signifies our unwillingness to come to terms with our own failings as a nation. The redemptive power of books – as if independent from pre-existing education and firm foundations of literacy – is a dream that we all want to believe in. Accepting that a poor start in life can have inescapable consequences, that redemption is unlikely when so much is stacked against you, would mean facing up to widespread social problems many would rather shy away from.

Reality stands out clearly among the narratives. Avi Steinberg, a former Boston prison librarian, did not shy away from unpalatable truths in a previous interview. Despite once having been mugged in a park by an ex-con who boasted that he’d still got two overdue titles, his experiences gave him insight into this matter that seems to elude the well- meaning literary establishment: “Prisoners weren’t there to transform themselves, or be transformed – but they would still come to the library.”

The television series The Wire is famously reliant on the experiences of its cast and crew which make it a reflection of prison reality – former policemen, Baltimore journalists, drug dealers – and for incarcerated D’Angelo Barksdale in the second season, the prison book club is highly symbolic of both his attempt to reform and the futility of it. D’Angelo, when discussing The Great Gatsby, picks up on Gatsby’s library of unread books as falsely symbolic of his education and his unfounded reputation as an ‘Oxford man’. He both relates to and scorns Gatsby’s attempt to re-invent himself as a way of coming to terms with his own past: “It doesn’t matter that some fool say you different, ‘cause the only thing that make you different is what you really do, or what you really go through.” The potential for redemption that we want to see in books is set against a much harsher reality when D’Angelo is killed for co-operating with the police.

However, the galvanising of support in protest against the proposed law achieved its clearly worthy aim, and perhaps it is the symbolism of that which counts. A book ban would suggest that inmates have been given up on, that they are now part of a system with no contact with the outside world, subject to its unstimulating atmosphere and to the limited content of its libraries – and that chances to reform and rehabilitate are being chipped away at bit by bit. It means that we have to fight these smaller battles to prevent a future where there is no more fight to be had.

At the Pentonville protest Carol Ann Duffy read her poem Prayer through a megaphone; a poem in which prayers are answered and deep consolation is found in seemingly small and unexpected ways – as in books for example. It was subtly appropriate to the issue at hand, bringing some meaning and nuance into a protest that is, after all, a spectacle – a visual vehicle for conveying black-and-white messages, seldom doing matters of complexity justice – as literature ought to do. 

The Woman in Black Oxford Playhouse

26-31 Jan

Based on Susan Hill’s novel and recently inexplicably spawned into a movie franchise, The Woman in Black is currently touring theatres around the country. It follows an elderly Arthur Kipps narrating Hill’s classic story of Eel Marsh House to a young actor. What makes the play so scary is its ability to make the whole theatre its set; no audience member feels quite comfortable. The old creaky Fortune Theatre, its home since 1989, is perfect for this so it will be interesting to see how it transfers to the relatively modern surrounds of the Playhouse. Regardless, there is a reason this play is, and has been, so popular and so the opportunity to see it in Oxford is exciting.

Spamalot New Theatre

9-14 Feb

West-End favourite Spamalot embarks on a national tour beginning in January following its great success in the West End and the incredibly successful Monty Python reunion this Summer. Given that it parodies the legend of King Arthur and his Roundtable, English students and a few History students could argue it as revision…well, maybe not. But Eric Idle says this fan-favourite will be “more like a Python show” and with its new director Christopher Luscombe it has a “whole different spirit”. Sounds good to us.

Macbeth Oxford Playhouse

24-28 Feb

With the original idea of a Macbeth adaptation, the Fliter Theatre Company will be bringing their show to the playhouse in February. Whilst this will probably the tenth adaptation of Macbeth you’ve seen since coming to Oxford, they are offering something new with their focus on sound and music at the heart of the play and their use of a minimal set with few actors. This is an experimental and innovative piece and it will be intriguing to see how the risk pays off. Although I’m not sure it can beat the adaptation of Macbeth set after a night in Park End at Cuppers this year…

One Man, Two Guvnors New Theatre

24-28 Feb

Based on the Commedia Dell’Arte piece A Servant to Two Masters, the hugely successful One Man, Two Guvnors continues its national tour at the New Theatre. The hilarious production reinvents itself with a new cast including Barry from Eastenders (Shaun Williamson) and Alicia Davies. A great chance to see a good dose of cross-dressing and star-crossed lovers outside of Shakespeare, this slapstick comedy is perfect for escapism.

The Man Who Would Be King BT Studio

17 March

Falling just short of term time is this adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s novella that was a firm favourite at the Fringe this year. It follows Peachy Carnehan and Daniel Dravot as soldiers who come up with a plan to become Kings in Northern Afghanistan. The play has just two actors with the invisible Colonel supposedly seated in the audience. The intensity and audience involvement of this will be exciting to see in the intimate setting of the BT Studio.

★★★★★

Christmas may have become a thing of the past, but the music leftovers linger on well into the January sales. It’s true, the Capitalist tycoons are eager to get their mitts on our well earned Christmas pennies from Granny in their stores . However, musically they churn out the same playlist year in year out. Everyone likes a new song as much as they like the latest model Smartphone, don’t they?

But there’s something different about Sam Smith’s cover of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’. ‘It’s just a rehashing of an old Judy Garland number from 1944’, I hear you music aficionados indignantly cry. Yes, it is a cover, but Smith makes it his own. Stumbling on the song, I was pressed against a touching and soul rendition of the classic. Garland’s version is a sublime warble. But Smith’s is a sombre and heart breaking coo. The musical tour de force of 2014 has showed no sign of stopping with this, his Christmas present to his listeners.

Sam’s angelic rendition of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ is sparse. But this isn’t the musicians being lazy and hoping to be home as soon as possible for chestnuts by the fire. The simple arrangement allows his angelic tones to shine out against the tinkling of a piano. His version is a nostalgic , melancholy concoction. It leaves the reader feeling warm for Christmas’s and mulled wines past. But you also can’t welling up as Smith winds his beautiful tones around the classic lyrics. He gently reminds us that it is indeed the season to abandon our worries, be grateful for what we have in life and cherish our time with our loved ones. Sam’s hauntingly beautiful number has indisputably touched this reviewers heartstrings. I just hope his velvety voice will enthral you as much as it has me, and make those post-Christmas hangovers slightly more bearable.

★★★★☆
Four Stars

I have not exactly been blown away by Doctor Who Christmas Specials of recent years; a contention which, it seems, I share with a prior Cherwellian. Last year’s in particular, I felt, had a poor resolution, and was really unable to capture the epic immensity that Moffat intended to be the siege of Trenzalore. 

It’s true that Doctor Who Christmas Specials tend not to be particularly impressive, and understandably so. When you think about it, Christmas is actually fairly constraining; writers are compelled to include some sort of festive theme, which can compromise the plot or make it seem too childish, and, for similar reasons, it can’t be too dark or too scary.

Given its not-so-impressive legacy, I suppose this could be why I found this year’s special particularly entertaining, and certainly a breath of fresh air from some of the more recent let-downs. 

I was particularly nervous about this year’s decision to include Father Christmas. Watching the trailer, this, I had thought, could go one of two ways: it could either be a well-explained masterstroke to the plot, or it could leave it devoid of any logic or sense. Given Who Specials of Christmas past, I was naturally inclined towards the latter. 

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In actual fact, Santa was an endearing and well-thought-out addition to the plot. The casting choice of Nick Frost was excellent; he portrayed a Santa with attitude, while at the same time bringing an element of humour – and, of course, Christmas cheer – which counter-balances well Peter Capaldi’s dark Doctor; an element magnified by the sass that Father Christmas sends the Doctor’s way. Santa’s cadre of elves also added charm to the plot.

Most importantly, however, the appearance of Saint Nick was roundly explained as the plot progressed; the comic relief, and the obligatory Christmassy aspect of the special well packaged-away and accounted for by the end of the episode.

The new aliens, too, were particularly impressive. Sure, the face-hugging Kantrofarri – or ‘dream crabs’ – were ripped off from Alien, but this is humorously acknowledged in the course of the episode, the Doctor remarking to his human companions, “There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everybody keeps invading you.”

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This is also where the episode loses marks for originality, however; the face-hugging crabs induce their victims into a dream state. The notion of dreams has already been well-explored during the Moffat era in ‘Amy’s Choice’, where Amy has to choose between two realities. This episode is not quite the same, but I can’t help but feel that it’s covering trodden ground. 

Still, the emphasis on dreaming well counter-balances the mild terror of the Alien-inspired face-hugging creatures, focussing the episode on our friendly, eccentric Gallifreyan genius – in effect what Doctor Who is about, and what makes it such quintessential family viewing.

It’s hard to go into more depth on this point without giving away too much of the plot, but I’ll summarise it thus: What do you get when you cross Alien and Inception? Apparently, a resoundingly good Doctor Who Christmas Special.

Christmas. It’s here. Again. With a crushing regularity that some would argue serves only to highlight time’s onward march towards an inevitably lonely death, the festive season is upon us once more. The more cynical readers have doubtlessly clocked that Christmas is a time when a lot of people can make a lot of money by making a lot of other people poorer and fatter; an unconventional tradition, I’m sure you will agree, but one that the Western world seems to have taken to with gusto. Noddy Holder will once again emerge from the Christmas period £800,000 richer for doing precisely nothing apart from continuing to bludgeon us around the ears with a song written 41 years ago (you’d never know, it’s aged very well), whilst the major supermarkets once again engage in their weird ritual dance in which they spend as many millions as possible in the pursuit of making their potential customers cry over an advert that has nothing to do with anything they sell.

While the thought of this relentless materialisation can be a depressing one, we are here to help – just consult our handy guide to anti-Christmas literature, perfect if you still need to pick up a last-minute gift for that Christmas-despising family member we all know and love. (And no, the irony has not escaped me that I’m encouraging you to rebel against the commodification of Christmas by… buying something.)

For the Grinch in your life, you really can do no better than David Sedaris’s Santaland Diaries. This collection of essays manages to encompass illegitimate Vietnamese children, prostitution, blackmail, and comparisons between children’s nativity plays and cancer – so definitely a good place to start if you’re looking for a grittier Christmas this year. The title essay is based on Sedaris’s experiences of working as an elf in Macy’s over the holidays, and brings to life in laugh-out-loud fashion the absolute absurdity of collective human behaviour at Christmas. I even managed to enjoy the essay despite the fact that I myself was recently rejected for a position as a Christmas elf at my local shopping outlet (no, really), meaning lines such as this one – “Even worse than applying is the very real possibility that I will not be hired, that I couldn’t even find work as an elf. That’s when you know you’re a failure” – carried an extra acerbic weight. Sedaris’s book will validate your feelings of arch knowingness as you observe the foolish materialism of others during the festive period, and that’s really all you want from a Christmas gift.

Next up, O. Henry’s classic The Gift of the Magi. Nothing says “Happy Holidays!” better than a poverty-stricken couple mutilating themselves and selling their most valuable possessions in order to partake in the capitalist gift-buying ceremony of the festive season. Merry Christmas.

Finally, for something sweetly different, there’s E.E.Cummings’s Santa Claus: A Morality. Rivalling Sedaris’s essay entitled “Dinah, the Christmas Whore” for shock factor, the play’s main protagonist is Death – perfect for combating the saccharine-yet-oh-so-problematic-in-its-suggestion-of-forced-marriage cuteness of the John Lewis advert this year. Like Sedaris’ bemused Macy’s elf, Cummings satirically mocks the deadening lack of individuality that becomes so apparent at Christmas time. Yet rather than being a totally depressing indictment of our unforgiveable blandness, the play becomes the unexpectedly lovely and truly cockle-warming story of Santa and his daughter. For something properly different yet still properly Christmassy, this has to be the winner – AND it’s available online absolutely free, meaning you don’t have to put a penny in Amazon’s pockets! On that truly happy thought, let me wish a very merry Christmas to one and all – enjoy your anti-festive reading – and to all a good night!