Culture

The rise of the pop girlie: Marketing mediocrity or feminism in action?  

“GIRLS INVENTED PUNK ROCK, NOT ENGLAND”: so reads the iconic green T-shirt of Sonic Youth legend Kim Gordon. The slogan stands in defiance of an unfortunate truth in the music industry: femininity and credibility often exist in contention with one another.

World music after ‘world music’

On the face of it, the term ‘world music’ is perhaps one of the...

NAZA: The most important film of the year

The filmmakers of NAZA clearly know that beyond physical distance, emotional distance is what allows the violence in Gaza to continue, and shows us just how easy it is to ignore what is going on right under our noses.

In conversation with John Kennedy, “one of the most trusted voices in music”

In a media landscape often dominated by gossip, rumours, and sometimes pure hate, it’s undeniably refreshing to listen to John, a man who never lost sight of what really matters.

Review: An Evening of Dance

Rebecca Tatlow watches dancers reach for the stars at Wadham's town and gown charity event, An Evening of Dance

Dramatherapy: theatre’s love-child

Carla Neuss discovers the psychological benefits of theatre

The Tortoise and the Fair

Kathleen Bloomfield and Lauri Saksa spend the day watching and photographing Oxford's annual tortoise fair

Review: Paul Hillier, Theatre of Voices – Stories

Paul Hillier leads Theatre of Voices in an enthusiastic and dramatic performance of John Cage and Luciano Berio

Knowing the score

Cherwell reports on the Cavatina Trust, an organisation aiming to break down the stuffy conventions of classical music

Review: Friendly Fires – PALA

The trio from St Albans offer us a sophomore album which, despite its tropical beats and infectious ambience, doesn't fully live up to expectation

Review: Kate Bush Director’s Cut

Cherwell is unconvinced by Kate Bush's latest offering which remasters and reimagines her old hits rather than offering up new ones

An odd future for hip hop?

Thomas May talks about how Tyler, The Creator has taken his transgressive act from the blogosphere to the mainstream with aplomb

Mambazo are on a mission

Cherwell chats with Albert Mazibuko, one of the original members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo

The Lives of Others

Jessica Goodman's skilful street photography captures the lives of others in just one click

One lucky bastard

Christy Edwall hears Tom Stoppard at the Sheldonian discuss the role of the artist

Review: Les Précieuses ridicules

Helen Tatlow passes a whimsical hour at Moliere's comedy of manners

And the rest is art history

Cherwell talks to art critic and Christ Church alumnus Andrew Graham-Dixon

Joe Cornish: Chip off the old block

Cherwell speaks to first-time director Joe Cornish about his film Attack the Block

Painting the moment

Cherwell meets painter Clova Stuart-Hamilton to discuss Oxford Art Weeks, painting Calpol, and ‘in the moment-ness’

A right repentant madam

May Anderson is entertained by The City Madam

Review: Smother

Wild Beasts return with a cleaner, more atmospheric album

Papa Loach… and son

Cherwell takes a look at Ken Loach in the wake of the directorial debut of his son, Jim

Review: The Rover

Fiamma Mazzocchi Alemanni is wooed by Restoration comedy, The Rover

Review: She Was Yellow

May Anderson is provoked by a five-star production of a stunning piece of new writing

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