Redesign

For those of you with keen eyes, you'll notice we gave Oxford City Guide a bit of a freshening up. We changed the navigation - moving if from vertical to horizontal. We also rearranged our menu items a little and created a new section called Tourist Info, which contains all of the information we feel is of interest to visitors of Oxford, while keeping the What to See & Do section geared a bit more to locals. We removed many of those pesky Google Ads (does anyone click on those anyway?), and tried to give the guide a cleaner look overall.
We'd love to hear what you think of it! Send an email to editor@oxfordcityguide.com and let us know what you think.
-alissa (the editor)

Christmas in Oxford

Don't forget to keep an eye on our ever-changing Christmas Guide. We are constantly adding new listings for the various holiday events that keep popping up. We also recommend our Christmas Gift Guide to help you find that perfect gift for your friends, family, and co-workers.

This Week's Classical Music (Dec 1-7)

This week's Coffee Concert at the Holywell Music Room features the Angel Piano Trio. The Holywell Music Room is also hosting the Oxford Company of Musicians' Cello and Piano Recital, and the Oxford Folk Festival's performance by The York Waits.

The Sheldonian Theatre is hosting the Oxford Bach Choir's performance of Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Oxford Philomusica's Mozart Requiem, and The 18th Centruy Concert Orchestra's performance of Handel's Messiah.

The Jacqueline du Pre Music Building at St. Hilda's College will host Out of the BlueOxford Philomusica's Mozart Violin Sonata Series, and a cello and piano performance as part of the JDP Concert Series, featuring Steven Isserlis on cello and Sam Haywood on piano. performing their a capella singing, a special Christmas cushion concert for the little ones,

Lastly, the University Church of St Mary will host the University Church Choir's Advent Carol Service, and Exeter College Chapel will host Commotio, a choral group, performing their Advent / Christmas Programme.

Get information for all classical music events in Oxford

This Week's Jazz and Blues (Dec 1-7)

At Freud this week, you can catch The Karl Demata Blues Duo, Alex Hawkins on jazz piano, Bob Cockburn on guitar and vocals, Jean Philippe on piano, Stuart Slaymaker on guitar, and Eddie Thompson on acoustic guitar; Backroom at the Bullingdon Arms features Pete Brown & The Interoceters (pictured) on their famous Monday Blues night, as well as the Tom Grey Quintet on their Oxford Jazz Club Tuesdays; The Spin Jazz Club at the Wheatsheaf has the Nicolas Meier Group; The Old Parsonage has the Graham Harvey Trio; Gee's has Graham Harvey Trio; The Big Bang Restaurant has the Tim Dawes Trio; Bar Milano has Delicious Music Jazz Night with Eddie Thompson and Pawel Kuterba; and lastly, Joe's Cafe in Summertown has Blues for Pablo.

Get information for all jazz and blues music events in Oxford

For music other than classical, jazz, and blues, check out our extensive gig guide

What's in the Theatres this Week? (Dec 1-7)

The Oxford Playhouse:
Dick Whittington - The Panto!
A capital pantomime for young and old, with rats, a cat and streets of gold! Christmas just isn't Christmas without an Oxford Playhouse pantomime, the purrfect treat this festive season with magic, sparkle and fun for all the family.

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Creation Theatre Company:
Arabian Nights - Celebrate the festive season with us as we whisk you away on a magic carpet ride to an unforgettable world of colourful characters, fantastical creatures and devious villains.

Suitable for children 5+

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Old Fire Station:
The Eight Reindeer Monologues - "That man has been a walking, talking, holly-jolly sex-crime-waiting-to-happen for years!" A one-week only opportunity to hear the celebrated Eight given free rein to speak out on the recent North Pole scandal. See Christmas as you'd never imagined it before...

What the Butler Saw - Two psychiatrists (one excessively libidinous, the other certifiably insane); one recently ravaged nymphomaniac; one cross-dressing policeman; one well-hung pageboy; one innocent secretary. Four doors; half a dozen bottles of scotch; a consulting-room couch that’s big enough for two. One of the greatest farces of the twentieth century. May not be suitable for under 14s.

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Burton Taylor Theatre:
Switch Triptych by Adriano Shapin - New York City, 1919. At a switchboard exchange on the eve of automation, three soon-to-be-out-of-work 'hello girls' stare down the future, desperate to preserve their matriarchy. Winner of the 2004 Scotsman Fringe First Award. "It's hard to imagine more brilliant or arresting new writing." Daily Telegraph

Motherland - From the heart of the homeland, spring the lives of women. Full of joy and laughter in peaceful times, they are forced into extraordinary situations when war descends upon them. Girls become fighters and women, the bearers of life, become bearers of death. When it comes to suffering, fighting and dying, they are equal to men. Yet, from the destruction, new strengths are born. A physical journey telling the story of five women, through times of war, persecution, love and hope.

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New Theatre:
West Side Story

Grumpy Old Women - Inspired by the ratings-busting BBC Two series and best selling Grumpy old Women handbook, Grumpy Old Women Live, is a celebration of the pre, peri and post menopausal female condition. Three live and rather furious females take to the stage for an orgy of middle aged mayhem, 90 minutes of theatrical HRT with not a thong in sight. Don't forget your bifocals.

Human League - Formed in the late 1970s by Sheffield-based computer programmers Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware, Human League evolved into one of the seminal 80s electro pop bands. Fronted by former hospital porter, Philip Oakey - and featuring dancers Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall - the band went on to record some of the most influential songs of the decade.

Die Fledermaus

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Pegasus Theatre:
The Firebird - Imagine a world of magic and mystery: incredible creatures and fabulous forests. Imagine the most beautiful thing you ever saw: pursuing it; possessing it. And now imagine having to choose between keeping it for ever and setting it free. Min age 6

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College Theatre:
The People Next Door - O'Reilly Theatre, Keble College
Council flat staircase. Contemporary urban Britain. The People Next Door charts what happens to the more-or-less friendly relations among the residents - confused half Asian Nigel with his history of mental heatlh problems, unhappy 15 year old Marco and feisty Scottish granny Mrs. Mac - when their peace is invaded by a psychopathic plain clothes cop called Phil, determined to get results. The result is a priceless comedy; full of lines that will make you laugh and then pull you up and make you think.

Magdalene - St Peter's College Chapel
A modernised dramatisation of the life of the legendary Mary Magdalene(Chloe Masterton), performed in the medieval setting of St. Peter's chapel.

The Mysteries - University Church of St. Mary's
This production will present a new realisation of the medieval mystery cycles using the impressive space of the beautiful University Church. The blend of comedy and awe, light heartedness and high seriousness that survives in The Mysteries makes for compelling theatre.

All Cry Glory! - O'Reilly Theatre, Keble College
A unique and heart-warming account of the Chritmas story. Based on the story of Simeon and Anna, two devout elderly temple-goers who await the Messiah (Luke 2). Simeon arrives at the temple early in the morning convinced this is the day the Christ will arrive - How will he stand against the opposition to his faith? How will the news affect those around him? Who will believe? Who will stand?

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Abingdon Touring Theatre:
Aesop's Fables
Their third tour is a specially commissioned adaptation of Aesop's Fables. This tour has been written to be suitable for the entire family and will combine Aesop's stories with tales from his own life.
Showing this week at - Hagbourne Village Hall, Horton-cum-Studley, Great Milton Neighbours Hall

For all theatre information, times and dates, click here

What's in the Cinema this Week? (Dec 1-7)

Opening in Oxford this week is Deck the Halls, starring Danny DeVito, Kristin Davis, and Matthew Broderick. Danny DeVito stars in this seasonal comedy of two neighbours in New England who compete to have a house decorated with so many Christmas lights that it can be seen from space. The film contains mild innuendo and language. (PG)

Also opening this weekend is Stranger Than Fiction, starring Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Will Ferrell who stars as a taxman who finds out that his dull life is coincidentally being written by an author (Emma Thompson). He soon starts to dramatically change his life. The film contains one use of strong language. (12A)

This weekend has the opening of the highly publicised children's film Happy Feet, starring the voices of Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, and Robin Williams. Antarctica is brought to life in this story about Emperor penguins finding their soul mates through their own individual song. However, one young penguin has to rely on his ability to dance. The film contains very mild danger.(U)

At the Phoenix this week is London to Brighton starring Alexander Morton, Nathan Constance, Johnny Harris, Sam Spruell, Georgia Groome, David Keeling, Lorraine Stanley, and Jamie Kenna. London to Brighton depicts 24 hours in the life of a prostitute (Stanley) and a young runaway (Groome), fleeing to Brighton in a desperate attempt to save their own lives after they fall foul of a London crime lord. (18)

Get showtimes for all the cinemas in Oxford