Wednesday 1st July 2026

Culture

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.

‘The Moro Affair’: Astonishingly original, but not quite a story

The acting in 'The Moro Affair' was superb across the board, with Harriet Wilson’s Pope as a standout, and Rosie Sutton’s direction was flawless.

‘Music can be everything’: Aurora Orchestra’s Jane Mitchell on the narratives around classical music

The Aurora Orchestra, who are playing at Oxford’s Schwarzman Centre on the 19th June, are best known for performing their orchestral repertoire from memory.

Preview: Love’s Labour’s Lost, Christ Church Cathedral

Barbara Speed urges you to watch this lighthearted and energetic production of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost, in an idyllic Oxford setting

When is a book a book?

Review of Terry Eagleton’s latest book of literary criticism

Captivating Calligraphy

Review of the Ashmolean’s exhibition of Qur’anic art

Oxford Oddities #4 – Hertford

Exploring the history of our colleges to discover eccentric artistic personalities.This week: Hertford’s Evelyn Waugh

Women Playwrights

Maria Fox addresses the dearth of women writing for the stage

The Bluffers’ Guide to: Women on Stage

Our weekly guide talks you through all the classic roles available to female actors

The Bard in Drag

Angus Hawkins muses on cross-casting in Shakespeare

Cannes you feel the love tonight?

Nick Hilton examines the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and whether it's just a Hollywood jamboree

Review: The Dictator

Georgina Pollard is pleasantly surprised by the latest film from the creator of Borat

TV Flop of the Week: Made in Chelsea

Carmella Crinnion is sick of everything about Made in Chelsea

Here’s to you, Ms Robinson

Christy Edwall listens to the Pulitzer-prize winning novelist and essayist speak

Review: Bug

Will Tummon is held emotionally captive by this raw, heartfelt and unmissable production

Review: Proof

Jonathan Chapman is not disappointed by this emotional play

Review: Dark Shadows

Georgina Pollard is left somewhat cold by Tim Burton's latest film

Review: Donkeys’ Years

In one of the last bastions of all-male academia, Jonathan Chapman takes in a delightful garden production

Suicide on the rail tracks

Thoughts from inside a train. When somebody took their own life under the wheels of an earlier train, things started to look a bit different.

Preview: The Deep Blue Sea

Timothy Bano previews what looks to be an excellent production of a play full of emotional understatement

Preview: Proof

Angus Hawkins recommends this stunningly good production

Angels and Consolations

Katy Wright provides a glimpse into what it is like to stage an opera

Storming the Bastille

Matthew Robinson and Olivia Arigho-Stiles consider the up-and-coming indie quartet

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