COMEDY:

  1. SHAPARAK KHORSANDI: IT WAS THE 90S! OFS, May 13-14 and The Mill Banbury on April 2. From indie discos to unflattering crop tops, this is an hilarious trip down memory lane. But how does the decade of binge drinking and walks of shame look now without snakebite and black tinted specs?“
    https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/shaparak-khorsandi-it-was-the-90s/
Shaparak Khorsandi

2) Tweedy’s Lost Property, The Mill Banbury. Feb 4 – the comedy and slapstick legend and star of Gifford’s Circus and our all time favourite clown, this one-man family show is about his job in a Lost Property Office. No matter what he does, Tweedy seems to get into a mess, but can always find a creative way to get out of it. Age 4+. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/tweedys-lost-property/

3) MARK WATSON: THIS CAN’T BE IT, January 20. The Mill, Banbury. We’ve all had some pondering to do about the fragility of life recently, but skinny national treasure Mark Watson has it covered.  At 41, he’s halfway through his days on earth, according to the life expectancy calculator app and is cramming a couple of years of pathological overthinking into an evening of stand-up. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/mark-watson/

4) CRIMES, CAMERA, ACTION! The Theatre Chipping Norton, 16-18 March. Meet world-weary, hard-boiled private-eye Stan Shakespeare. The case? A screen starlet is stabbed as a result of a prop mix-up on set. It sets in motion a typically fast-paced and hilarious chain of events that sees a cast of four comic actors take on multiple roles, great theatrical set pieces, the quickest of quick changes, lightning-fast word play and a thrilling plot driving the action at breakneck pace. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/whats-on/crimes-camera-action

Crimes, Camera, Action

5) STEWART LEE: SNOWFLAKE/TORNADO, Oxford Playhouse, JAN 17 – 22. A double-bill of two past 60-minute sets. Snowflake looks at the Covid-Brexit era, lovely woke snowflakes and horrible people. Tornado questions his position in the comedy marketplace after Netflix mistakenly listed his show as “reports of sharks falling from the skies are on the rise again. Nobody on the Eastern Seaboard is safe.” Includes new material. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/stewart-lee-snowflake-tornado

Stewart Lee

6) MAISIE ADAMS: BUZZED, THE MILL BANBURY, SEPTEMBER 16: Fresh from Live at The Apollo, Mock The Week, and The Last Leg, Best Newcomer nominee Maisie Adam is back with a brand new show. Rammed with witty observations, high-octane energy and some right good jokes, this high-energy show promises to be better than whatever else you had planned. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/maisie-adam-buzzed/

Maisie Adam: Buzzed

7) Home I’m Darling, The Theatre Chipping Norton, 5-9 April. What makes a perfect marriage? This brilliantly thought-provoking comedy written by Laura Wade (Posh, The Riot Club), won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy about living the 1950s dream. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/whats-on/home-im-darling

DRAMA:

  1. I, Elizabeth Didcot Cornerstone, Monday 7 March. It’s 1568 as this young Queen unburdens herself of her many troubles and reveal her innermost thoughts on marriage, succession, religion, war and the challenges to her throne. Using only Elizabeth’s own letters, speeches and writings, Rebecca Vaughan takes you through the monarch’s life as we learn who was the woman behind the crown. https://www.cornerstone-arts.org/whats/i-elizabeth
I, Elizabeth

2) The Dresser, Oxford Playhouse, Tue 25 to Sat 29 Julian Clary and Matthew Kelly star in Ronald Harwood’s hilarious and affectionate portrait of backstage life. It’s 1942 and in a war-torn provincial theatre an ageing actor is struggling to complete his 227th performance of King Lear. It is down to Norman, his devoted dresser, to ensure that the show goes on. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/the-dresser

The Dresser

3) The Mountain Top, 4-14 May, The Theatre Chipping Norton. Winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2010, this tender, stunning play explores the conflict between heroism and humanity, and between the public image and the real person. An intimate side of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr glimpsed in the last hours of his life. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/whats-on/the-mountaintop

The Mountaintop

4) Private Lives, Oxford Playhouse. Tuesday 1 to Sat 5 March. Patricia Hodge and Nigel Havers star in Noël Coward’s gloriously entertaining theatrical gem. Elyot and Amanda, who were once married, find themselves on honeymoon with their new partners, in the same hotel on the French coast, admiring the view from adjoining balconies. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/private-lives

Private Lives

5) Here’s What She Said to Me, OFS, February 19. Meet Agbeke, Omotola and Aramide, three generations of proud African women who connect with each other across two continents, time and space. They share their struggles, their joys, tragedies and broken dreams through drama, music, poetry and movement to tell a moving story of daughters and mothers with hope, optimism and resilience. https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/heres-what-she-said-to-me/

Here’s What She Said To Me

6) THE DA VINCI CODE, OXFORD PLAYHOUSE, October 17-22. The blockbuster story that captivated the world is now an epic stage thriller starring Nigel Harman which follows symbologist Robert Langdon as he travels from Paris to London to discover the truth behind a mysterious and bizarre murder. Later, he learns about a religious mystery protected by a secret society. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/the-da-vinci-code

Da Vinci Code

7) See-Through, March 9, OFS. A wanna-be YouTuber reality show that invites you to see behind the camera. Claire Gaydon examines the cost of sharing in the digital age. Part documentary, part live performance, part parody, Claire does everything she can to entertain her online audience, while remaining 100% totally authentically real.
https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/see-through-22/

See Through

8) Private Peaceful, Oxford Playhouse, March 23 -26 – Michael Morpurgo’s award-winning book adapted for the stage depicts The Peaceful brothers, Tommo and Charlie who have a tough rural childhood who both fall for the same girl. Set against the epic backdrop of WW1, we join 18-year-old Private Tommo Peaceful in the trenches as he takes us on a journey through his most cherished memories and tells his story of courage, devotion, family and friendship. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/private-peaceful

MUSICALS:

  1. Waitress – April 25-30. New Theatre. Chelsea Halfpenny (Emmerdale, Casualty) plays opposite Matt Willis in the hit comedy. Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of happiness. When a hot new doctor arrives in town, life gets complicated. With the support of her workmates Becky and Dawn, Jenna overcomes the challenges she faces and finds that laughter, love and friendship can provide the perfect recipe for happiness. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/waitress/new-theatre-oxford/

2) Black is the Color of My Voice, Oxford Playhouse, 10 February – A moving and enraging evening of theatre inspired by the life of Nina Simone. Fringe First award winner Apphia Campbell’s acclaimed production follows the successful jazz singer and civil rights activist as she reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy destined for a life in the service of the church, to a renowned jazz vocalist at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/black-is-the-color-of-my-voice

3) The Osmonds: A New Musical – February 22-26 tells the official story from Jay Osmond about the five brothers from Utah who were pushed into the spotlight as children and went on to create smash hits decade after decade. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-osmonds-a-new-musical/new-theatre-oxford/

4) The Addams Family, New Theatre, May 24-28. Everyone’s favourite kooky family stars Joanne Clifton (Strictly Come Dancing and The Rocky Horror Show) as Morticia. Join the family, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Pugsley and more for a heart-warming story of love, family, and friendship with a twist! Featuring a live orchestra and extraordinary original score. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-addams-family/new-theatre-oxford/

DANCE:

!) Re: Birth, Wednesday 20 April, OFS. Dam Van Huynh draws upon the words of writers, poets, activists as an awakening to his displaced experience as a child refugee from the Vietnam war. A recollection of visual impressions and sensations, pictures and stories, memories and dreams. https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/rebirth-2/

Re:Birth – Van Huynh Company © Foteini Christofilopoulou

2) The Russian State Ballet of Siberia – February 10-12. New Theatre is bringing three enchanting ballets; the seasonal sparkler Snow Maiden, the notable love story Romeo & Juliet, and the greatest romantic ballet of all time Swan Lake! You’ll be transported into a wonderful fairy tale world and each of these dazzling performances. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/russian-state-ballet-of-siberia-snow-maiden/new-theatre-oxford/

Russian State Ballet of Siberia

3) KHAOS & HYMNOS, The Mill Banbury, March 10. Inspired by the Women’s March, Chhaya’s double bill centres around female empowerment and freedom of speech. Featuring six dancers and three live musicians, expect evocative choreography that seems to compel you to dance in the aisles and out into the streets. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/khaos-hymnos/

KHAOS

4) Diversity – Connected, New Theatre – May 30-31 Britain’s Got Talent winners are back with a new show which centres around the world of social media, the internet, and the digital era we now live in, and how this connects us all. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/diversity-connected-2022/new-theatre-oxford/

CHILDREN’s THEATRE:

  1. Tom Thumb, Story Museum, 30 January. Performed entirely on and under a kitchen table by CBeebies’ Patrick Lynch, this wee wonder of a show from Lyngo Theatre is full of magic with feathery spinning birds, a flying house and a portable forest. Ages 3+. https://www.storymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/tom-thumb

2) Oh No, George! Oxford Playhouse Feb 23-24. Adapted from the award-winning picture book by Chris Haughton this is a delightfully playful tale of a dog who wants to be good but just can’t resist temptation for children aged 3+ (and their grown ups) using acrobatics, slapstick comedy, Sign Supported English and live music to bring George’s joyful escapades to life. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/oh-no-george

Oh No George

3) ‘Flotsam and Jetsam’s Adventures to the Trash Vortex, Didcot Cornerstone, February 23. An interactive experience for the whole family. Learn about recycling with a few movie references thrown in and a bunch of wild pirates. https://www.cornerstone-arts.org/whats/flotsam-and-jetsams-adventures-trash-vortex

Flotsam and Jetsam’s Voyage to the Trash Vortex

4) Gangsta Granny, New Theatre, May 11-14 – It’s Friday night and Ben knows that means only one thing – staying with Granny and it’s going to be sooooooooo boring! But what Ben doesn’t know is that Granny has a secret – and Friday nights are about to get more exciting than he could ever imagine, as he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime thanks to author David Walliams. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/gangsta-granny/new-theatre-oxford/

5) Morgan & West Unbelievable Science, The Mill Banbury, Feb 11 – captivating chemistry, phenomenal physics, and bonkers biology in this fun for all the family science extravaganza! Expect explosive thrills, chemical spills and a risk assessment that gives their stage manager chills from these magicians, time travellers and all-round spiffing chaps Morgan & West all backed up by the daring duo’s trademark wit, charm and detailed knowledge of scientific method. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/morgan-west-unbelievable-science/

Morgan & West Unbelievable Science

6) You Choose – 31 May, Story Museum, for ages 2-7. A different story in every show! Based on the brilliant book by Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt, this brand new interactive musical show for all the family lets YOU CHOOSE what happens! Using the picture book, games and challenges, each show will come up with a unique story, with different characters every timehttps://www.storymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/you-choose

ART & STORY-TELLING:

  1. Performance artist Marina Abramović, Modern Art Oxford and Pitt Rivers Museum, 24 September 2022 – 15 January 2023. Developed following a research residency at the Pitt Rivers Museum in 2021, this new exhibition is informed by the artist’s exploration of objects associated with ritual, magic and spirituality in the museum’s collection by staging new performance-based works exploring transitional states of being. Accompanying the exhibition will be an installation of new artworks at the Pitt Rivers Museum. https://www.modernartoxford.org.uk/whats-on/marina-abramovic
Marina Abramovic

2) An Evening with Fran Lebowitz, New Theatre, June 27. The American author, public speaker, and occasional actor will be live in conversation sharing her invariably cutting take on anything and everything; from growing up in New Jersey and being expelled from her high school , to moving to New York City in the 70’s, and writing a column for Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. She offers insights on gender, race, gay rights, and the media, as well as her own pet peeves. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/an-evening-with-fran-lebowitz/new-theatre-oxford/

3) Jackie Morris, Story Museum, March 8. To mark International Women’s Day, join us for a very special event with Jack Morris, proze-winning, internationally best-selling artist and author of over 40 children’s books, as we explore the power of fairy tales and feminist heroes. https://www.storymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/jackie-morris-in-conversation

Jackie Morris