Saturday 17th January 2026

Culture

‘Beautifully we may rot’: ‘Madame La Mort’ in review

In a small, black-painted room on the top floor of a pub in Islington, known as The Hope Theatre, Madame La Mort was staged for the public for the first time.

Damaging detachment: Reflections on the Booker Prize 

This Christmas vac, I made up my mind to get out of my reading slump using the Booker Prize shortlist, revealing toxic masculinity as a key theme.

In defence of the theatrical release

If film, like all art, nourishes itself on its own œuvre, I don’t think we can afford to sever the association between the cinema and the film.

Falling out of Louvre

In spite of recent events, the expected heightened security was nowhere evident.

“A Kind of Dirty Poetry”

What does it take to put on a show at Fringe? With the finish line in sight, Missing Cat discuss the joys and travails of their project: a raw and visceral rendition of Woyzeck.

Does Taylor need to calm down?

An exploration of Taylor Swift, and the role that musicians should have in politics

Why Read Poetry?

It’s easy to be intimidated by poetry. Often it withholds as much as it gives, leaves obscure as much as it reveals. So why read poetry?

What is Beauty?

The standards of beauty in the media are goalposts that are constantly being shifted by cultural currents in history. But are trends in literature and film of #bodypositivity and self-love doing enough? Georgia Watkins investigates.

Bigmouth Strikes Again: Morrissey’s Provocative Politics

Morrissey has been cancelled. The Guardian asked the Mancunian crooner “what happened” on Twitter after his records were banned from Britain’s oldest record store....

The Timelessness of Vinyl

Why the cracking, authentic sound of a record will always beat digital music

Interview: ‘How To Use A Washing Machine’

In the cosy nook of an Oxford hostelry is where Georgie Botham and Joe Davies brainstormed into existence ‘How To Use A Washing Machine’. Little did they know, in Oxford in 2018, that their newly penned and composed musical would also then progress to a national tour. Imogen Harter-Jones interviews them to find out about their experience.

Apollo 11 (2019)- An Interview with archival producer Stephen Slater

Mattie O'Donovan speaks with Stephen Slater, the chief archival producer for Apollo 11, a new, critically lauded documentary on the first moon landing.

Midsommar (2019)- Review

Colette Webber critiques Hereditary director Ari Aster's new offering Midsommar, a contemporary take on the folk horror sub genre.

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom: The Pornography of Power

"Pasolini uses the language and imagery of obscenity in order to shock, but if not shocked, we would only be indifferent."

‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’: Marvel’s much-loved web-slinger swings back into action

"A pitch-perfect teenage (read: awkward) romance with great action, all anchored by solid performances from the ever-maturing cast."

Kiss My Genders – Celebrating identity with the Hayward Gallery

The Hayward Gallery's huge curation 'Kiss my Genders' attempts to unite over thirty artists from the LGBTQ+ community in a celebration of gender identity and fluidity. Charlotte Hall gathers her impressions of the exhibitions - how effective is it at breaking down stereotypes and prejudice?

A Tribute to Lewis Capaldi

In defence of the Greggs-serving, sunglasses-wearing, Scottish singer.

Love Island: the breaking point for exploitative television?

"Love Island doesn’t just expose its contestants to the vitriol of the public, it actively encourages it."

A Literary History of the F**kboy

The narrative of resistance and domination in relationships has been the recourse of storytellers since pre-Christian times, with the same lurid, visceral quality evident in Greek myth as in the modern trend of disturbingly violent porn. Yet these primal, animalistic tropes of female subjugation now exist in a ‘civilised’ society, whose vernacular is one of #TimesUp, sex positivity and high-street feminism.

‘The Lost Properties of Love’ by Sophie Ratcliffe

'treads a fine line between a deeply personal memoir [...] and an academic exploration'

If Ever I Stray

Genre devotion in Frank Turner's music - do musicians owe us consistency?

‘Was it written by aliens, or is it about vampires?’: A Q&A with Daniel Wakelin

"Often important texts appear in humble form, and humble forms often tell us more about the humble people who made and used them." Daniel Wakelin talks to Cherwell about medieval manuscripts.

The journey from script to stage

What is the process of staging a student production? We speak to the writer and director of this year's Christ Church garden play to find out.

Love, Lust and Angst

With ruthless contempt for form, clarity, elegance, wholeness, and realism, he paints with intuitive strength of talent the most subtle visions of the soul.” So Arne...

Follow us