Culture

Between beer gardens and picnics: Climate Culture Care at the Ashmolean

When I returned to Oxford this term, just as England teased us with the sixth heat-wave of the year, I found myself at a loose end. With the deadline for two vacation essays still far in the distance, the sun lit up the sign for Soma Surovi Jannat’s Ashmolean Now exhibition, Climate Culture Care.

“What is a good life?”: The Standard of Living in review 

“What is a good life?” This axiological question, asked earnestly in the opening lines of James Graham’s The Standard of Living – playing at Theatre Royal Haymarket until December 12 – is often overlooked by the fractured and hyper-specialised discipline of economics.

Diverse voices: ‘Inshallah, Madonna, Inshallah’ by Miljenko Jergović 

‘When he created Earth and these lands upon it, when he divided people into...

Art as protest on university campuses

CW: rape. This week, Cornell University has made headlines as prosecutors reopened an investigation into...

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...

Review: A View from the Bridge – ‘dramatic, gripping and surprisingly funny’

This latest revival of the Arthur Miller classic copes well with its challenging text (and challenging accent).

Preview: The Witch of Edmonton – ‘promises a sufficiently sinister experience’

Hoof and Horn Productions' take on The Witch of Edmonton heads to the BT Studio in Seventh Week

Staging Invisibility

The writer of Week Seven's Hustlers at the BT discusses the concept of the hustler and diversity in theatre

Sensual Absence in Jim Jarmusch

"If there is one thing Stranger than Paradise and Down by Law teach about Jarmusch, it is that he does a disservice to himself every time he makes a film in technicolour"

Boards, Beats and Bros: Mid90s Review

"Following the traditional narrative arc of the coming-of-age tale, the film follows Stevie as he rides out the highs and lows of adolescence, and learns important life lessons along the way."

Sensuality In Strauss’ ‘Salome’

"Salome’s kiss is undoubtedly an extreme example, a sensual climax of an obscene kind, but musically important nonetheless, and a moment that illuminates its preceding pages of music."

Frequencies and what they do to you

A primer to the niche field of "sound art"

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