What's in the Cinema this Week? (March 2-8)

Opening in Oxford this week is Freedom Writers starring Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, and Imelda Staunton. Hilary Swank stars in this true story about a young teacher who inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school. The film contains one use of strong language and moderate violence.(12A)

Also in Oxford this week is Ghost Rider starring Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, and Peter Fonda. Nicolas Cage plays a young stuntman who sells his soul to the evil Mephistopheles. As a result, he's forced to become an avenging spirit who roams the streets, punishing people for their sins. The film contains fantasy horror and moderate violence. (12A)

Also opening this week is The Illusionist starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, and Jessica Biel. Edward Norton stars as a magician in the early 1900s in Vienna who uses his powers to simultaneously free the woman he loves from her engagement to the Crown Prince and undermine the monarchy. The film contains infrequent moderate violence, mild sex and language. (PG)

Get showtimes for all the cinemas in Oxford

What's in the Theatre this Week? (March 2-8)

The Oxford Playhouse:

Baby Balloon -
A giant balloon starts to glow. Two playful dancers emerge from inside and invite you to explore the colours, music and textures of their airy world. A captivating theatrical experience for children aged 6 months to 2 years and their carers.

Entertaining Mr Sloane - London, the 1960's. The Krays are on top. A young man with freshly dyed hair is looking for lodgings, no questions asked. University of Oxford students present this biting comedy that exposed the hypocrisy of the swinging Sixties.

Old Fire Station:
Arsenic And Old Lace - '... insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops.' Two lovable elderly ladies are poisoning their lonely lodgers to save them from life's woes; something their nephew is a little more than shocked to discover. A hilarious black comedy in 1940's Brooklyn with charm, surprise and just a pinch of arsenic.

Going Postal - Moist Von Lipwig has a choice. Revive the dying Post Office, or die. Not a great choice. Unfortunately, being Postmaster General brings its own problems: twenty years of unsent mail, and an evil communications corporation keen to eliminate competition... Terry Pratchett's Discworld delivers a first-class thriller in this hilarious adaptation.

Burton Taylor Theatre:
The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek - by Naomi Wallace. Two teenagers plan a race across a railroad trestle into the face of an oncoming train. Ignored by their struggling parents, they reach out to each other with disastrous consequences.

A Paper Girl - by Tom Campion. Mark is talking to phantoms and slowly fading away himself. How far do obsessions live on, and what happens to those who get caught in the middle?

Dr Faustus - by Christopher Marlowe - Schoolboy Faustus finds a naughty magic book. Good school prefect tries to save him, but bully Mephistopheles tempts him and Faustus signs away his soul. He forgets his schoolwork and causes trouble with Mephistopheles. The years pass, schoolboy tricks become adult debauchery until naughty Faustus meets his fate.

New Theatre:
Dave Matthews - Singer-songwriter from the infamous Dave Matthews Band. Known for his incredible musicianship, intricate songwriting and soulful voice, Dave Matthews embarks on his first solo European tour, bringing an intimate and personal show to the Uk.

Childish Things 3

Johnny Spacehopper And His Vital Statistics: Quantum Theatre Company - A theatre-in-education company. Unlike most T.I.E. companies, Quantum writes and performs material based on the National Curriculum for Science and the National Guidelines for Environmental Studies. It was founded in 1988 as a direct response to the lack of educational drama available to schools on the subject of science.

Joan Baez - 'An artistic life forged in the heat of our times...' (Anthony DeCurtis), one of the most influential singer/songwriters of the '60s, Joan is without peer. Her admirers transcend musical strata and national boundaries. Her growth as a musician and as a human being have proceeded hand in hand. Enrolling herself in the Civil Rights cause and the peace movement, a spokeswoman for non-violent resistance to and protest against immoral authority, she has refused to pay taxes that go to escalate the war in Vietnam, and has sung at almost every historic demonstration, and fosters a school for non-violent protest in California.

Graham Gouldman's 10cc - Founder member Graham Gouldman resurrecting the legendary seventies Manchester pop band. Expect of the old favourites - 'Rubber Bullets', 'Dreadlock Holiday' and of course 'I'm Not In Love'.

Pegasus Theatre:
Dancing Chronicles - Dawn Chorus
Dancing Chronicles - Fireside Tales
Dancing Chronicles - Impact
Tac-au-Tac Dance Theatre, with director Joelle Pappas, presents an entire youth dance festival in a single day. Talented young people aged between 3 and 26 perform a selection of contemporary dance pieces to live musical accompaniment. Performances on three separate nights.

Made in Oxford - Leading Oxford based professional dancers and companies, will be presenting a different programme each night. The programme features a specially commissioned dance piece choreographed by Gill Clarke working with Oxford based professional dancers. Contemporary Dance

Theatre at Headington:
Curse of the Werewolf - Buzz Halliburton, an entertainer fallen on hard times, is summoned to Gargoyle House, a spooky castle on a lonely New England island. With him is his partner, Admiral Byrd, a penguin who can tap dance. One grisly murder takes place before Buzz's arrival, but there are more to follow! Because of the family curse, there's a werewolf in the house. But who can it be? The new governess? Sheriff Birdsong? The neighbour with the leaky boat? Olga, the gypsy, who still uses a wagon and horse?

College Theatre:
All That Jazz - Pembroke College Hall
PCMS Productions presents three elegant evenings of jazz cabaret entertainment from performers across the university. The show will feature jazz numbers from the musical "Chicago" and from jazz vocalists such as Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ray Charles and Nina Simone, accompanied with jazz and tap dancers, and a 10 piece live jazz band. As part of the jazz club atmosphere, our guests will watch the show seated at dimly lit tables where canapes and a complementary glass of wine will be served, all included as part of the ticket price. A wine bar (also stocked with soft drinks) will also be available before the performance and during the interval. Dress code is strictly black tie.

Musicals and All That Jazz (for the NSPCC) - Magdalene College Auditorium
The best of Broadway and the West End musicals packed into one fantastic evening of song and dance, with numbers from Les Miserables, Fame, The Producers, Miss Saigon, Cats and many many more!

The Awakening - O'Reilly Theatre, Keble College
'The Awakening' caused a furore in America when it was first written; Kate Chopin was condemned as immoral for its message. Nowadays, however, it constitutes a classic tragedy as society threatens the longed-for happy ending.

For all theatre information, times and dates, click here

This Week's Classical Music (March 2-8)

Friday:

• Faculty of Music's Les Haulz et les Bas - Gothic Winds: Wind Music From The 13th-15th Centuries For The 'Alta Capella' - Holywell Music Room

Saturday:

• Eglesfield Music Society presents Megan Howells (soprano) - Queen's College (Free)


• Crusifixus - A concert of reflective music for Lent and Passiontide. Programme to include works by Allegri, Morley, Purcell and Walton - St Mary Magdalene Church


• Oxford University Sinfonietta presents Revualtas, Janacek, Rautavaara, Mozart - Wesley Memorial Church


• Hertford Bruckner Orchestra presents Glinka, Borodin, Musorgskiy, Shostakovich - University Church of St Mary

Sunday:

• Coffee Concert with the Adderbury Ensemble - Holywell Music Room


• Cushion Concert for children - Featured Instrument: Oboe - Jacqueline du Pre Music Building


• Oxford Jazz Master Series presents Oxjams - George Haslam, Richard Leigh Harris, and Steve Kershaw with Sibyl Madrigal (poetry), Alex Ward (clarinet), Kay Grant (vocal, electronics), Veryan Weston (piano)- Holywell Music Room


• Spring Serenade: a Song Recital: Schubert, Brahms, Faure, Hahn and Canteloube - Jacqueline du Pre Music Building

Monday:

• University College Music Society - Oxford Sinfonia Eroica Bruch Violin Concerto no.1, Beethoven Symphony no.5 - University Church of St Mary

Tuesday:

• Alexander Morrison Organ Recital - University Church of St Mary the Virgin


• Solo Piano Recital: Jack Ridley - Holywell Music Room

Wednesday:

• Organ Recital - Robert Patterson (Canterbury Cathedral) - Buxtehude & Mendelssohn anniversary series - Queen's College (Free)


• St Hilda's College Music Society Recital Series - Oxford University Brass Ensemble - Jacqueline du Pre Music Building


• Magdalen Opera Group - Magdalen Auditorium


• Oxford Belles presents Beauties and the Geek - St Hilda's Auditorium

Thursday:

• Magdalen Opera Group - Magdalen Auditorium


• Oxford Philomusica performs Berlioz / Rachmaninov - Sheldonian Theatre


• Oxford Belles presents Beauties and the Geek - St Hilda's Auditorium


• Christ Church Music Society Song Recital - Matthew Bennett (tenor) with Clive Driskill-Smith - Christ Church

Get information for all classical music events in Oxford

This Week's Jazz & Blues (March 2-8)

Friday, the Matt Waites Trio (alto sax) are performing at The Old Parsonage; Sunday has the Natalie Williams Quartet at The Old Bank's Quod Brasserie in the evening and Gee's afterwards; The Backroom at the Bullingdon Arms is featuring Steve Arvey (pictured) on their famous Monday Blues night, and Alvin Roy on Tuesday; Wednesday has the Alison Bentley Trio (Kevin Armstrong – guitar & Paul Jefferies – bass) at The Big Bang; and finally, Thursday has Renato D'Aiello on Tenor Sax at the SPIN jazz club at the Wheatsheaf.

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