Friday 4th July 2025
Blog Page 2179

Balague claims Ronaldo/Calderon deal

Jack Pitt-Brooke
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Balague claims Ronaldo/Calderon deal

Everyone’s favourite Spanish journalist, Guillem Balague, has come out with quite a bold claim today: that “Cristiano Ronaldo, in conjunction with his agent, Jorge Mendes, has reached an agreement with Ramon Calderon, to sign for Real Madrid in the summer”.

It’s reported on GuillemBalague.com (it went up at midnight Monday night/Tuesday morning), and was the frontpage story in Spanish sports ‘paper Diario AS, for whom Balague writes, on Tuesday.

I’d recommend reading it all (links here and here), but it’s pretty self explanatory. Ronaldo wants to play for Real Madrid in 2009/10, and has agreed with Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon to do so. He would be paid €12million a year.

It’s easy to get sceptical about transfer rumours (and rightly so) but what’s striking about this is the lack of ambiguity or equivocation. There’s no ‘I understand’, no ‘sources have suggested’, no ‘reports indicate’. It’s reported as fact. Balague may well get as much wrong as he gets right (I’m still waiting for Manuel Pellegrini to take the Newcastle job), but when it’s Iberian players in England he tends to be on the money.

The stumbling block, of course, remains the same as last time: the refusal of Sir Alex Ferguson to let the world’s best player leave against his will. And given his recent comments on an alleged deal – ‘I wouldn’t sell them [Real Madrid] a virus’ – we can expect another summer of rumour and attrition.

Two Oxford students arrested for blockade of Stansted airport in climate protest.

Dhatri Navanayagam
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Two Oxford students arrested for blockade of Stansted airport in climate protest.

Two Oxford students were among climate change activists who blockaded Stansted Airport during the early hours of the 8th December 2008. Lucie Kinchin, a second-year English student from Pembroke College, and Jonathan Leighton, a second-year Computer Scientist from St Anne’s College, took part in the protest against the government’s decision to allow the creation of a second runway at Stansted.

At 3am the 57 activists of the anti-aviation group Plane Stupid broke through the fence and onto the runway, which was closed for maintenance. According to one of the activists, Lily Kember, 21, the group used bolt cutters to cut their way through to 50 meters from the runway. They then chained themselves together on the runway and used security fencing in an attempt to create a “fort”. A spokeswoman said they planned to continue the blockade for as long as possible to prevent the runway from opening.

Although flights restarted at 8am, the protest caused the cancellation of numerous flights. Ryanair cancelled a total of 56 flights in and out of the airport. Passengers were told there was “limited availability” on all Ryanair flights for the next three days and that they should go home and re-book.

According to Plane Stupid, the disruption to flights would prevent “the release of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere”.

Jonathan Leighton justified the demonstration, arguing, “Stansted’s main business is in short-haul flights and these cause by far the most environmental damage per mile…and current government policy completely ignores the urgency of this issue.”

Lucie Kinchin said, “The decision on whether Heathrow will have a third runway is imminent, and it is moments like these in which people should be inspired to take action…Ours is the last generation capable of preventing catastrophic climate change, which is why I was a part of this action.”

However, the Society of British Aerospace Companies criticised the protest. Spokesman, Matthew Knowles, said: “These protesters are ignoring the reality around aviation and climate change. Flight numbers have increased at Stansted but noise nuisance around the airport has actually decreased and aircraft are 70% more fuel efficient than they were 50 years ago.”

Ryanair said it wanted an investigation “as to why the BAA Stansted security has once again failed to keep Stansted secure and open to the travelling public”.

However, Mark Davidson, a spokesman for Stansted Airport, refuted claims that the airport’s security was not adequate. He said Stansted’s fencing was acceptable for an airport. He added, “If there are any lessons to be learnt from this incident, we are more than happy to take them on.”

As for the protest itself, he said, “While we respect everyone’s right to protest, breaking the law is unacceptable and unnecessary. There are other different legal channels through which one can protest.”

Students have also disagreed with the way in which the protesters behaved. Ali Kyrke-Smith, a Worcester first-year, said, “Whilst I sympathise in part with their motives, I believe that such actions make their views look like those of extremists, marginalising people who might otherwise share them, and therefore I do not believe that such a protest is effective.”

A police spokesperson said 50 people were arrested for aggravated trespass, three for trying to enter a restricted area and four on conspiracy to commit a public nuisance.

 

Government intern scheme to help graduates find jobs

Marta Szczerba
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Government intern scheme to help graduates find jobs

Government announced plans for a National Internship Scheme to help graduates facing toughest job market in a generation.

John Denham, the Skills Secretary, said that the scheme would incorporate up to three months’ paid work experience. He revealed that four well-known companies, including Microsoft and Barclays, have agreed to take part.

While the internships will not pay a full salary, pay levels will be set slightly above the combined total that a student would earn in that time from a grant and a loan. This means that the interns’ income will not suffer.

The minister justified the scheme saying, “They [new graduates] will be a very big group. We can’t just leave people to fend for themselves.” He added that he hopes the placements will lead to permanent positions. He said, “At the end they will be more employable, and some of them will get jobs.”

The director of the Oxford University Careers Service, Jonathan Black, praised the scheme, “In general, it is a jolly good idea. It is better to be doing an internship rather than bar work. It is important to tackle long-term, young unemployment. It can blight an entire generation like in the 1980s.”

Similarly, students are positive about the government initiative. Anna Hill, a modern languages finalist at New College said, “The national intern scheme is a step in the right direction, as long as the participating graduates don’t get their hopes up too much about the possibility of permanent employment as a result.”

However, the scheme has not yet been confirmed. A Barclays spokesperson said, “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We are in on-going talks with the government. It is too early to sign anything yet. However, we look forward to exploring how any government initiative can be integrated with our own programmes.”

Some students think that the scheme will only help graduates in traditional ‘milkround’ industries. A St Anne’s finalist said, “I think people at Oxford are really split into two in terms of careers. Either they are into Law/Banks/Accountancies or they are really not.

I think this government programme will help people who want to go into these. I’m not really interested into going into these industries. I want to take a post-graduate course, but that decision hasn’t been affected by the credit crunch.”

In the ‘milkround’ industries, many gradates are facing a tough time. Paul Kavanagh, an Economics and Management finalist, despite a predicted first class degree has been rejected from several investment banking posts. He said, “From what I’ve experienced…everyone is finding getting a job in investment banking really difficult this year and given the number of applications to jobs being offered, unless you have had prior investment banking experience, such as an internship or close family connections in the industry…it’s really hard to secure a job, whereas any other year it would have been relatively easy.”

As a result, Kavanagh is applying for a Masters degree, even though it’s going to be a “financial struggle”. He admits, “The only reason I’m applying for a masters is because of the job situation. As I feel it’s better to do something constructive…rather than just wasting a year.”
Jonathan Black emphasizes that the competitive environment in the investment banking does not mean that the majority of undergraduates will be negatively affected.

He said, “There are clearly fewer jobs in the traditional sector. However, it is important to keep in mind that only 4% of our graduates go to work in investment banking. Only 100 students or so will have to think about different industries. For example, some retail companies have pockets expanding and will recruit for management.”

The consensus is that the credit crunch forces graduates to look beyond the financial industry. Another E&M finalist said, “I think now the economic crisis has made a lot of people look into other sectors or even post-grad study which they probably wouldn’t have considered before.”

Anna Hill added, “Despite so many negative effects, the credit crisis is certainly encouraging people to think of creative solutions and I think we could see an increase in entrepreneurship amongst graduates who are so often stereotyped as blissfully unaware of life outside of comfortable grad schemes.”

 

 

0th Week: New Season

Oskar
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0th Week: New Season

Hello dear reader(s). Single reviews are back, which is rather depressing after allowing myself to get all excited about exclusively excellent music just before Christmas. But now it’s 0th week and raining, and once more we shall don our mitts and scavenge for titbits on the midden of the music industry. After that, I’ve got a new feature to buck you back up.

White Lies – To Lose My Life *

Those teasers! White Lies are treating us to a sweet little puzzle here. Are they going for Depeche Mode? Echo and the Bunnymen? It’s very confusing in the verse as to exactly which ’80s indie grouches they’re really ripping off. Then the chorus comes in and clears everything up with a cheeky grin – it was just The Killers all along, as usual! Oh, the scamps, what will they think of next?! (Actually, there are undertones of Stellastarr* here too, except that band would never have turned out so plodding and stunted a tune)

Girls Aloud – The Loving Kind ***

Like the song above, this is indebted to the ’80s. Most things are, and most – unemployment in the north-east, yuppie consumerism, White Lies – are very bad indeed. However, this steals a large slice of fun from the Pet Shop Boys, throws in some generic and undemanding beats, and infuses it all with a warm, bubbly sort of feeling that saves it from mediocrity. Not as innovative as some of their singles, but a damn sight better than moping indie luddites.

Kid Cudi – Day ‘N’ Nite ***

A potential R&B/rap star with an irreverent sense of humour, meaning he doesn’t take himself so ridiculously seriously? This is strange and welcome news indeed. He needs to work out that, if he’s going with the big chorus thing, he needs an actual tune, or at least a hook that uses multiple notes. But all the same, however atonal this is, the beat’s good and there’s a fresh sort of pulse going on underneath. Promising.

Little Boots – Stuck On Repeat ****

For some reason, this is still iTunes’ free single of the week, so for god’s sake go and download it if you haven’t already. Not her best effort, and you hardly need telling she wrote it for Kylie – it sounds almost exactly like ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.’ But then that was a great pop song, and so’s this. It sounds rather sassier in the studio than in this pyjama-acoustic clip, mind…and maybe her success will get people listening to Imogen Heap again. That’d be nice.

Something Old, Something New

This is my new plan: I find a semi-obscure classic record for a knock-down price and point you in its direction, then point out something more up to the hour alongside it. Up to the minute is a little too hip for me…

Vera Lynn, The Best of Vera Lynn – Laugh if you will, but this WWII sweetheart sang some of the greatest easy-listening songs ever penned: intelligent, romantic, by turns strident, kitsch or sultry. OK, there’s some embarrassing stuff on here, but 25 songs for 88p is something like a good deal. Classic standards like ‘Over The Rainbow’ compete with those she made her own, from ‘We’ll Meet Again’ to the supreme ‘White Cliffs Of Dover’.

Empire Of The Sun, Walking On A Dream – how’s this for cutting edge; it’s not out for over a month. But judging by the title track, this could be 2009’s Oracular Spectacular. If you want something already available, then you won’t find a better deal than last month’s Welcome To Mali by Afropop legends, Amadou et Mariam, going for £3 on Amazon’s mp3 store.

And that’s my good deed done for the day…

Gourcuff fires Bordeaux into second

Jack Pitt-Brooke
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Gourcuff fires Bordeaux into second

I’m a big fan of Samir Nasri.  He’s certainly two steps up from Aliaksandr Hleb.  With his delicate touches, powerful shot and Algerian heritage, comparisons with a certain Juventus and Real Madrid midfielder are inevitable.  But if you asked a Frenchman who is ‘le nouveau Zidane’ you’d just as likely hear another name: Yoann Gourcuff of Girondins de Bordeaux.

Or, legally speaking, of AC Milan.  Gourcuff is someone – like Glen Johnson – whose big move came too early, and has had to step down to really impress.  After only 66 league games for Stade Rennais he moved to Milan in summer 2006, as he turned 20.  His skill set – two footed, elegant, sharp passing and deadly shooting from distance – was not unique to him at the San Siro though.  Behind Seedorf, Pirlo and Kaká he was limited to 36 league appearances (and only two goals) in his two seasons there.

So in summer 2008 he was loaned back to France, to Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux side.  With fellow creator Yoan Gouffran and strikers Marouane Chamakh and Fernando Cavenaghi, Gourcuff is central to the team playing the best attacking football in France.  In his 18 league games this season, he has four goals and eight assists.  FranceFootball rates him as the fourth best player in the league this season. He has also made his international debut this season, and now has six caps and one goal.  C’est magnifique – see it here.

This weekend Bordeaux hosted Paris Saint-German, another side with a sense that this could be the year that the Lyon monopoly is broken.  Despite PSG’s big names – Makélélé and Giuly both started – Bordeaux tore them apart.  4-0 was the final score, but Gourcuff scored the third goal, a piece of cool brilliance reminiscent of Denis Bergkamp in his pomp.  See it here.

Just one point behind Lyon, and with no need to do well in Europe, this could well be Bordeaux – and Gourcuff’s – year.  But if he keeps on doing this well, Milan could well want him back next summer.

The Theatre By The Brewery Entrance

Andrew Mendelblat
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The Theatre By The Brewery Entrance

The Theatre Royal at Bury St. Edmunds made national news three years ago when the Heritage Lottery Fund agreed to a plan to fully restore the only Regency theatre left basically intact in the country. Two years after the project’s completion, it gleams. Murals of the muses based on ones known at related theatres decorate the proscenium, while clouds and a wide blue East Anglian sky cover the auditorium ceiling.
So what was the theatre like for the original audiences? Smelly, the theatre press officer, Lucy Close, told me. The boxes which now hold six with the aisle filled with a fold-out seat would once have held sixteen and people smoked and drank beer through the plays (all four hours of them). The theatre was designed to be a social centre for the local gentry; the box which was originally the most expensive was at right-angles to the stage to give the audience a better view of its occupants (it’s now the cheapest) and the circulating space outside the boxes was made large to give them somewhere to talk (not for everyone, of course: the theatre originally had separate entrances, with critics naturally going in with the working classes).
Tobacco and lamps would not have been the only sources of smoke: the large amount of space under the stage is a reminder of gadget-crazed audiences who had the pleasure of watching windmills burn down on stage, as well as wind, lightning and boats crossing stormy seas, and the theatre puts on regular readings of plays from the period (to which, the Artistic Director, Colin Blumenau was pleased to tell me, a loyal and mostly local audience comes). The only theatre in the country which is a National Trust property, it is leased from Greene-King, whose massive brewery over the road dwarfs it, and it is run by a charitable company.
This historical significance makes it architecturally fascinating, but also brings problems compared to running the huge Victorian theatres that long ago replaced its contemporaries. When I asked Blumenau what his problems were, he didn’t hesitate: “We’re half the size of the Oxford Playhouse.” It had been a jerky interview up till then, my questions mumbled and hesitant from getting up at five that morning, his answers as clipped as possible (the theatre had been putting on the Christmas panto for two weeks twice-daily and he could only spare ten minutes from a meeting to speak to me) and Close often breaking in to explain to me what his short sentences meant with answers four or five times as long, but that question suddenly made his answers start to flow. The 360-seat theatre is too small for many touring companies to accept, Blumenau explained, and he had to be careful what he chose-“you’re buying in stuff unseen and…to keep the audience coming…you’ve got to keep the quality up”. Strikingly, however, he praised the Heritage Lottery Fund for being willing to back a total restoration programme over less ambitions options. My feeling, reading through their programme, is that they’ve been successful so far, with a far more interesting mix of plays than most local theatres offer, appropriately for such a distinctive, beautiful theatre.

Happy Hilary

Gini Sharvill
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Happy Hilary

The first Monday of Hilary is officially the most depressing day of the year. Perhaps not a surprising revelation to Oxford students – the return to work is never welcomed with boundless enthusiasm, especially when it comes accompanied by January puddles and greyness. Yet the first Monday of HT09, 18th January, is also officially recognised across the country as “Blue Monday” – the gloomiest, most miserable day of them all. It is a definition calculated by psychologist Dr Arnall according to factors of weather, debt, time since Christmas and abandoned new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and the itch to begin afresh. No wonder we return to Oxford feeling slightly damper, heavier and grumpier than normal – we are statistically bound to it. Add to this the continual barrage of devastating news: mayhem in the Middle East, the continual collapse of high street stores, rising unemployment rates and consumer costs – and it seems as if 2009 is calculated to be a year of difficulty, stress and unhappiness. How will we poor students cope?

Perfectly well, infact. So stop your whining.

We may be entering the worst recession in living memory, but we don’t live in Gaza, the Democratic Republic of Congo or Afghanistan, and there is more chance of being killed crossing Queen’s Street than by Islamic terrorists. Let’s continue to be inspired by the fruitful dedication and hard work of the British Olympic team in Beijing, and remember the stealthy British resilience that we are famous for. We’re good in battle – so stand up straight, start humming ‘Jerusalem’ at all times, and recognise some of the many causes for Oxford Cheer in 2009.

1.Thankfully, most of us are yet to enter the job market and shocking unemployment rates still have time to (please) improve before we graduate. Plus, at the moment we’re doing out bit as the university is the second largest employer in Oxfordshire, directly and indirectly supporting over 18,000 jobs.

2.Several upcoming events in Oxford will serve as happy, legitimate distractions from work such as the Oxford Folk festival in March, the Turl Street Arts festival and (in case you may have forgotten) the Boat Race in April.

3.An increasing number of colleges are paying for their students to be members at Iffley gym, which means a saving of £50, if not improved cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance levels as well.

4.The Carling Academy is hosting a few good bands in the next few weeks, such as The Rifles, Starsailor, Hundred Reasons…and Goldie Lookin’ Chain, and there may actually be some good speakers at the Union this term.

5.Apologies here to students of Classics, Psychology, Law and other silly subjects who examine in Hilary, but for most students this is the term of stress-free bliss. Evaporated are the Michaelmas struggles of post-summer re-engagement, and the exams of Trinity are many a week away: spring can just breeze on by.

6.Student mentality has become the official British line of action. Frugality is good, and students are no longer the embarrassing, avaricious baddies ordering tap water in restaurants. We were right all along.

7.It looks set to be a great year for films -with double doses of Che Guavara and Kate Winslet, some more magic from Dan Brown and Harry Potter, and a dash of Star Trek. Grab your Orange Wednesday or Student Beans discount and trot on down to George Street to enjoy.

8.Hilary is the term of Varsity matches and university pride – so either shout and stamp furiously in support or, if you’re competing, make sure you bloody win.

9.Save money on meals out and impress your mother/friends/girlfriend by discovering your hidden talent: la cuisine. McCarthy Brothers, a grocer stand in the Covered Market, has reported an increase in sales as shoppers in the recession are inspired by lighter wallets and celebrity chefs to stay in, save, and get cooking themselves. JCR kitchens: stand by.

10.It’s cold outside. Really cold. Days spent wholly indoors (in pyjamas) are, for now, completely acceptable.

11.Finally, our two main political parties are starting to demonstrate real differences between each other. As efficient action is demanded to cope with immediate issues, it is becoming an exciting time to jump off the fence and onto a political side.

12.Likewise, the US is soon to have a cool, new president. Not only is Obama quite handsome, he’s making politics interesting and accessible for everyone and offering a symbol of hope and change for a world in crisis in 2009.

13.There are only 48 more Monday mornings until next Christmas.

14.If you live out, don’t feel stingy about turning down the heating in your house. You’re saving energy: you’re saving the plant. Keep at it. Similarly, buying new clothes for a happiness booster is simultaneously supporting Cornmarket’s stores. If you still feel guilty about being so grotesquely materialistic, then visit second-hand shops in Cowley instead, and call your new clothes ‘vintage’.

15.Oxford University researchers have struck gold and made what is, quite possibly, the most important discovery in centuries. Wine, chocolate and tea can improve cognitive performance: the student diet was right all along.

Happy New Year, everyone.

 

The Critic as Artist

Tom Bumstead
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The Critic as Artist

On the topic of writing play reviews the first thing to say would be, ‘Look on it as an ideas party, no one will be judging you. Have fun with it, go mental. Then go sane again; stop, check and hit that delete button.’ There are few things in life more soul crushing than the slowly dawning realization that someone has a strictly voluntary attitude towards punctuation or is using the article as an excuse to take the path less trodden through a thesaurus. I should know – I’ve seen the pained look on editor’s faces when handling my own laboured pontifications. Seriously though, to move into the colloquial (another classic mistake) reviewing is great fun. First, and perhaps most important, it represents one of the most comfortable ways to inflate your ego on the market. As you stroll through the quads you could at any moment interrupt your fellow students discussing your latest searing indictment of the Oxford stage, their voices hushed with awe. I’m not saying it’s likely but it could happen. At least you get to express your opinion to people who aren’t obligated to listen to you by ties of friendship, profession or law. And you don’t have to call yourself a ‘blogger’ while you’re doing it. Some people have a gift that they should share with the world- a real gift not just the ability to grow their hair too long and play the guitar under a tree, groupies take note. And some only think they do; it’s a critic’s job to save people from having to waste time sifting through the good and the truly awful. Our gift, dear readers, transcends that of lesser mortals and allows us to pronounce on others; magnanimity is extended to the good, and righteous (yet constructive) fury to the bad. Take this from To shout or not to shout by Sophie Duncan:

‘I do understand that shouting onstage is fun, and that it is tempting: big scene, big part, and some dimly-understood blank verse that suggests this scene is All About You And Your Big Huge Angst. Your audience is with you. Your character has just suffered unimaginable heartbreak. And naturally the only way to express this is by covering the first five rows in noise pollution and phlegm.’

People who can write like that need to be read. Note also how I clearly differentiate clearly between the writer, whose primary task is to be thoughtful, precise and imaginative, and the editor, whose job is to fill a page ostensibly dedicated to ‘stage’ in a week when there are no plays by any means necessary. Now this could be said about any section of the Cherwell but Stage has several other big advantages. You get to go see plays for free and you get the following awesome chat-up line, ‘Hey, I’m reviewing a little piece for the paper and I’ve got one spare ticket with your name on.’ Although it might be better never to use it: the option is there for you. It’s not all about ego though; you also get the liberating experience of responding to a piece of art not in theory but in practice- for yourself and for others. For all the cynicism of this article I do believe, as an editor, that reviews should be grounded in an artistic aesthetic; one that is bold, brave and, above all, punctual.

A more competitive league?

Jack Pitt-Brooke
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A more competitive league?

Sean wrote a very good piece on the struggles of the Big Four this season.  It is demonstrably true that none of them have matched the levels we expect of them.  Even league leaders Liverpool are only on course for an 83 point season.  United won the league in 2002/03 with 83 points, but it wasn’t since 2000/01 that the league had been won with fewer points (United again, with 80).

He puts this down to the failings of each of the Big Four.  This is certainly plausible: none of them have looked exceptional this term.  But could it be attributed to another factor altogether?

Despite what Sky Sports News can lead us to think, none of the Big Four operate in a vacuum.  Each game in which they drop two points, one unfancied opponent picks up one.  Every shock defeat means that one of the Unfashionable Sixteen has picked up three. 

Could this year’s tight league table be down to a big step up in quality throughout the division?

Almost all of the teams who have previously struggled are stronger this year.  Fulham beat Arsenal and drew with Chelsea at home and drew at Anfield.  Everton have held Chelsea and United to draws at Goodison. Promoted Hull won at the Emirates and drew at Anfield.  Even Stoke have beaten Arsenal and got two draws against Liverpool. 

Just watch old episodes of Premier League Years.  Gone are the days when bottom half sides would be full of players like Peter Atherton, Graham Hyde, Peter Fear or Bryan Gunn.  Gone are the ploughed up pitches, 9-0 demolitions and Peter Kay style centre halves.  Could a player like Julian Dicks or Neil Ruddock survive in today’s game?  Just watch the bottom few teams in today’s Premier League.  West Brom keep the ball on the floor even when a more direct style could benefit them.  Blackburn (19th) have Roque Santa Cruz, Spurs (18th) have Luka Modrić , Stoke City (17th) have, err, Ricardo Fuller, Middlesbrough (16th) have Tuncay Şanlı and Manchester City (15th) have a Brazilian inside forward who calls himself ‘Robinho’.

We like to define the Premier League as the triumphs and disasters of four big clubs, and therefore we naturally ascribe their struggles to their own failures.  But could it be that the competitive nature of 2008/09is due not to a process of levelling down, but one of levelling up?

What’s On in Hilary

Andrew Mendelblat
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What’s On in Hilary

CORRECTION (27/1/09): The performance of Hamlet in 3rd week has been cancelled due to being unable to recruit a full cast. AM

There’s something missing from our spreadsheet of student plays next term: Shakespeare. We had trouble believing it, but apparently there is not one student performance of anything by the Immortal Bard, though there are two professional ones: an already-sold-out Othello from the RSC and an experimental version of Hamlet. In fact, classic plays have been almost locked out, with only the medieval morality play Mankind in 3rd representing the 97.96% or so of recorded history before 1900 in the first half of term.
With nothing on in first week, our spreadsheet starts a little later, with two sketch shows in second week: an Oxford Revue performance at the Wheatsheaf on the 27th and Correctness Gone Mad, a sketch show which has chosen the daring approach of not featuring swearing or sexual content, as well as the comedy Blind Date, which follows a date gone wrong, at the Burton Taylor Studio. Third week brings Art by Yazmin Reza, which analyses modern art through seeing how a plain white canvas shatters friendships, and the aforementioned Mankind (set in a tavern) and Hamlet, which involves the actors choosing which parts to play just before the performance and asks the audience to supply props. 4th begins with perhaps the three best comedies of the whole term, The Philadelphia Story, The Entertainer and Black Comedy, as well as Squirrels by Mamet and The Cactus Where Your Heart Should Be, a comedy-murder-mystery at Jowett Walk Theatre.

The best listing of plays on this term is the University Drama Officer’s at http://www.stcatz.ox.ac.uk/udo/listings.asp, but it still doesn’t cover everything; there are several things on this term that we’ve only found out about through friends or that we know little about: if you think something might pass us unnoticed, please comment on this article and tell us.

 

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