Sunday 26th July 2026

Culture

Caught Between Grief and Hope: ‘On Some Far Shore’ Reviewed

Fresh off the back of Our House and Macbeth, Cross Key Productions presents an original three-hander focused on the complexities of grief and young love. Produced by Madi Boutcha...

The road to reckoning: ‘The Slip’ reviewed

Sharp, unsettling, and emotionally intelligent, 'The Slip' is a striking showcase of the ambition and talent behind Wide Eyes Productions, while establishing Wyatt as a writer-director to watch.

How an Oxford undergraduate made a name in choral music

When he arrived at Oxford, he expected his future to lie primarily in orchestral music. Instead, it was choral music that transformed his direction.

‘Scenes With Girls’ and complicated female friendships

'Scenes with Girls' deserves to be seen as one of Labyrinth Productions’ (Rosie Morgan-Males and Emily Cullinan) most impressive accolades.

Sculpture To Die For

On a gloomy and macabre rainy day over the vacation, I found myself being led down into the basement studio and workspace of Polly...

A Beginner’s Guide to… The Mechanisms

The Mechanisms are utterly unique. Each of their albums feature sci-fi reimaginings of classic folklore, from Grimm’s fairy tales to Arthurian myth, perfectly capturing...

Ana and the Other: a split of the self

In his latest piece, David J. Hills imagines the presence of two versions of oneself

Preview: Orphans

Oscar Haines is moved by this bold production

Review: The Good Delusion

Antonio Gottardello finds this moral play fun but disappointingly shallow

“The music of our generation”

“I think the proudest moment of my music career was when my first royalties cheque came,” says Ozzy. “It was the same time that these bailiffs were knocking on my mum’s door..."

Review: We Are Scientists – Helter Seltzer

We Are Scientists know how to write a chorus. However, what makes Helter Seltzer, their fifth studio LP, quite so exciting is that their pop sensibilities have now been coupled with a synthy sheen.

Review – Animal Collective at the O2 Ritz

Song after song from the latest album was interspersed with judicious spatterings from the back catalogue – and when they actually brought these tracks out (such as the more Pop-like ‘Daily Routine’ from Merriweather Post Pavilion), the mood finally picked up; with people going from a semicatatonic sway to actual dancing.

Spotlight: Drama and identity

Alex Barasch notes a welcome development in Oxford’s theatre scene and beyond

Review: Eddie the Eagle – ‘he’s a laughing stock’

Eddie the Eagle is the same bland, fabricated underdog cliché we’ve seen time and again, writes Tom Barringer

Interview: Jessy Parker Humphreys

Alex Barasch talks to Jessy Parker Humphreys, one half of Not Your Nice Girl, about gender, drama and performance art in Plush

Nobody’s Fault But Zeppelin’s: When Influence becomes Plagiarism

Lorenzo Edwards-Jones gives no quarter to 'Stairway To Heaven' apologists following band's latest lawsuit

Review: Disorder – dull and boring

ONE STAR “Un, deux! … trois, quatre! Un, deux! … trois, quatre!” You'd be forgiven for thinking you're back in your first ever French lesson, mais non,...

Ringroad

'Aren't these things supposed to be killing us?' – contemplative new verse from Thomas Hornigold

Review: Parquet Courts – Human Performance

Lorenzo Edwards-Jones is pleasantly surprised by Parquet Courts' latest release

Review: Victoria – the one-take film exhibits electric momentum

For Louise Howland, Victoria was less a film and more a transcendental journey through time, space, youth and love

Should music be used for political ends?

Richard Birch contextualises the Rolling Stones' recent visit to Cuba

Review: Zayn Malik – Mind of Mine

Harry Smith found more to like in the former One Directioner's debut than he bargained for

Delving into Dickens: A literary love affair

Markus Beeken considers his begrudging bromance with one of the most famous writers in history

Review: Grimsby – crude and vulgar

Sacha Baron Cohen's reliance on tired 'chav' stereotypes was so bad, Ellie Gomes was forced to cover her eyes

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