Sunday 18th 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.

Van Gogh and Britain

Exploring Van Gogh's fascination with British culture and Dickens

Tracey Emin’s A Fortnight of Tears: an unflinching study of the haunting power of trauma

The body is placed centre stage in an exhibition that flits between the violence of both birth and death.

BBC Three’s Fleabag

“I’d just like my tits to be that much bigger — does that make me a terrible feminist?” Such forthright, fourth wall busting, hilarious, and...

Jordan Peele’s new horror film ‘Us’

The idiom, “To be afraid of one’s own shadow,” normally forms part of an insult, a derogatory phrase denoting child-like cowardice. The characters of...

Hartnell’s ‘Bodies’: Hugely readable

A review of Medieval Bodies by Jack Hartnell (Wellcome Collection, 2019, 352 pages)

Talkin’ ’bout a Revolution: The Sound of Protest Art

Tracy Chapman’s appearance at the 1988 Nelson Mandela tribute concert transformed her career. The political turmoil surrounding Apartheid was transposed onto Chapman’s performance; songs...

Mackintosh at the Liverpool Walker

A working-class liberator of the arts

Review: Betrayal – ‘all the poise, restraint and subtlety that Pinter’s masterpiece requires’

Ingenious set design, the actors’ spectacular chemistry, and director Lloyd’s brilliant attention to detail make Betrayal a triumphant culmination of the ‘Pinter at the Pinter’ venture

Review: The Duchess of Malfi – a brave and ambitious move

York Settlement Community Players present an ambitious take on the Webster classic

The crises of contemporary art

An exploration of beauty and meaning in the world of contemporary art.

Some New Angles on Perspective

A preview of Thinking 3D (Treasury Room, Weston Library), on from March 21st 2019 until February 9th 2020.

A tapestry of living and dead: Max Porter on his new book, ‘Lanny’

An exploration of Max Porter, in conversation with Ali Shaw, and his new novel, Lanny.

The Dark Review – ‘calls our attention to the othering of refugees’

Taiwo Oyebola finds that poet Nick Makoha's new play uncovers the stark realities of a refugee's journey.

So Far Gone – Ten years on

A decade ago, Aubrey Graham was trying to break into the music industry. After 8 years playing Jimmy Brooks on a Canadian soap opera Degrassi, he...

Bird Box: a victim of its own platform?

It is ironic that Netflix, the reason for the film’s rapid popularity, might also be the reason why it’s not as memorable a film as it could have been. Emilie Rapport Munro discusses whether Netflix overdid its latest hit

Surviving the Drama Scene

Do Oxford's student theatre productions have the longevity of professional shows?

Fade to Black – a history of the theatrical blackout

The convention which now seems part-and-parcel of theatre wasn’t always there – indoor venues and developments in lighting provided new staging opportunities. But what is the theatrical blackout for?

Review: What Comes After – ‘one of the most effortlessly flowing performances’

Wonderful set design, music, and performance make for a beautiful new song cycle by Máth Roberts

Coldplay heating up

The death of being embarrassed about playing Coldplay in the shower

Lust for Life: Lana Del Rey

A genre in herself, Lana’s sleepy Hollywood aesthetic and tragic love songs have earned her success in the indie pop scene. Under her...

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