Monday 15th June 2026

Theatre

Slow down, you crazy child: What Oxford student theatre can learn from garden plays

Student theatre strives to be as professional as possible, but the annual garden play offers something unique: permission to have fun.

‘Our House’ in the middle of Beaumont Street

'Our House' ultimately becomes not just a story about crime or morality, but about the vulnerability of growing up and the frightening uncertainty of trying to decide who you are.

Testing my patients: ‘The Effect’ at the BT Studio reviewed

Necessarily navigating the difference between ‘side effects’ and reality, the play strikes a fine balance between what one thinks and what one feels.

‘The Harrowing of Hell.26’ reviewed

Fundamentally, The Harrowing of Hell.26 is a finely acted, well-produced play which was enjoyable enough to watch, but its conclusion is unsatisfying.

The Inheritance review – ‘it is hard to imagine this play is really as universal as it advertises’

John Livesey finds that Stephen Daldry's ambitious play loses its momentum

Upcoming Trinity Theatre – a guide

Cherwell Theatre takes a look at the most exciting shows for the term ahead

‘She is the one controlling the play’- Rufus Norris’ Macbeth

Norris’ production is a moving theatrical piece that allows Lady Macbeth to be the puppeteer she has so desperately always wanted to be.

RSC Macbeth Review: ‘technical wizardry fails to bring any tension or magic’

Dodgy directoral decisions and acting leaves one foreseeing a dark future for this unconvincing RSC production

TEDDY Review – ‘Music is a point of connection between then and now’

Laura Plumley reflects on a musical pursuit of the American Dream

The Ferryman Review – ‘bursting with intergenerational energy and tragic potency’

Jez Butterworth and Sam Mendes' present a tale of a family riven by personal loss and political upheaval

The Great Wave Review – ‘a complete clash of cultures, identities, and outlooks’

Indhu Rubasingham's revealing production about a dark part of Japanese cultural history is relevant and immensely human

Shazia Mirza: ‘I don’t think about the audience anymore. I just go ahead and do it.’

Acclaimed comedian Shazia Mirza talks Acorn Antiques, ‘snowflakes’ and teaching with Izzy Troth

Best of Hilary Theatre

Cherwell contributors reflect upon the best student theatre of Hilary Term.

I Slept In These Clothes review – ‘comics to look out for’

Fenella Sentance is thoroughly entertained by the dynamic of Verity Babbs and Chloe Jacob's comedy duo

A Review of Reviewing: of Source-Texts and Slighting

Charles Britton ponders the relationship between a borrowed script and an adapted performance in theatre criticism

13 Review – ‘effectively and enjoyably portrays Bartlett’s broken Britain’

Bertie Harrison-Broninski is impressed by the ambition and scope of this drama of political intrigue and belief

Summer and Smoke Review – ‘re-staged inventively, but unpretentiously’

Rebecca Frecknall's musical re-imagining of William's play at the Almeida is dazzling

RSC Hamlet Review – ‘This is simultaneous creativity and destruction. To be or not to be.’

John Livesey reflects upon the Basquiat elements of this perceptive RSC production

The Crocodile review – ‘a carefully considered yet hilariously nuts production’

Cesca Echlin is left in fits after a performance of Dostoyevsky's short story

Walk Like Natives review – ‘A flash-mob blending into the crowd’

A secret piece of theatre, taking place in central London, is a pure celebration of joy.

The Flick review – ‘a little theatrical masterpiece’

Flick is an exceptional production that brings a thin script to vivid life

Labyrinth preview – ‘an impressive blend of exciting text and creative movement’

Tom Mackie finds himself anything but lost in this psychomaniacal retelling of the Theseus and Ariadne myth

The Flick preview – ‘there’s even going to be popcorn’

Bertie Harrison-Broninski is impressed by this witty and elegiac homage to the silver screen

Not About Heroes review – ‘It is rare to find a student production of such maturity’

Chloe Taylor is impressed and moved by this poignant study of war and poetry

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