What's in the Theatres This Week (Fri 28 Nov - Thu 04 Dec)?

Oxford Playhouse:

Chess The Musical - The critically acclaimed 'Rock Opera' from Tim Rice and the men behind the music of Abba and Mamma Mia comes to Oxford. Set during the later years of the Cold War, Hungarian refugee Florence is second to the American Chess Champion Freddie Trumper, who is also challenged for his title by Russian Anotoly Siergiesky. Things would be simple if all they did was play chess, but love, politics and intrigue get in the way.

Creation Theatre Company:

Hans Christian Andersen's Magical Tales - It wouldn't be Christmas without the spectacular 100 year old Mirror Tent, which Creation is bringing back to BMW Group Plant Oxford for a magical storytelling adventure, featuring all your favourite fairytales including The Little Match Girl, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Princess and the Pea and The Little Mermaid. The beautiful antique spiegeltent's velvet canopies, mirrored pillars and ornate booths form the perfect Christmas setting for action packed antics from well loved characters such as The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina and The Snow Queen in this enchanting production for adults and children alike. A Christmas tradition, a trip to this wonderland is the perfect stocking filler.

Old Fire Station:

The Winter's Tale - Winter in the Sicilian court and King Leontes suspects his wife and best friend of adultery. His jealous actions leave his wife and son dead, and his newborn daughter abandoned on the coast of Bohemia. Shakespeare's rarely performed masterpiece spins an entrancing tale of families torn apart and reunited, of misdeeds and ultimate redemption, in a magical show this Christmas.

Playhouse Creatures - Playhouse Creatures is the gripping tale of five female actresses in the opulent but unstable world of the seventeenth century theatre. April de Angelis' piece is both wry and poignant as it chronicles the troubled lives of these strong women. A play for all that looks at a special few.

Burton Taylor Theatre:

Neighbourhood Watch - A joke-shop owner, a priest and 2 French technology salesmen band together a motley Neighbourhood Watch as safeguard from a habitual thief; though their incompetence and conflict of interests soon derail the organization.

A Special Boy - Tansy is the carer for her special-needs brother. When he is the victim of a cruel practical joke, she turns her hairdressing salon into an interrogation room.

The Pillowman - A man is interrogated in a totalitarian state for murders that uncannily resemble those in the children's stories he writes. Hilarious, disturbing, and deeply poignant, the winner of the 2004 Olivier Award for Best New Play is one bed-time story that may not help you sleep.

New Theatre:

An Evening With Zucchero - Zucchero is a multi-million-selling Italian singer-songwriter, a global rock star who has released over 13 albums and sold alltogether over 25m. He performs at all the biggest charity events on the planet and is now releasing a best of spanning from 1986 to the present.

Frankie Boyle Live - With a string of TV appearances including every episode of BBC2's 'Mock the Week' and over one hundred sold out tour dates to his name already, comedy's hottest property, Frankie Boyle, is on the road yet again, performing all the best bits in his hit solo live show.
Tour extended due to phenomenal demand.

Jethro 2008 - The legendary Cornish Comic returns with another bout of heavyweight belly crunching comedy. He's slightly politically incorrect, but rated by many, as the funniest man in the land. If you don't laugh at this show, you need psychological help!!

Otello - Welsh National Opera - This tragic work charts the downfall of the noble Moorish General Otello - who loses everything he loves, including his own sanity, through the envy, ambition, duplicity and hatred of his lieutenant Iago. This calculating villain ensnares Otello's wife Desdemona and convinces him of her infidelity - resulting in tragedy. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. Pre-performance talk on Tues 2 Dec at 6.15pm in Wesley Memorial Church.

Jenufa - Welsh National Opera - Jenůfa hopes for marriage to Števa, the father of her baby, but is rejected. After spurning the advances of Števa's brother Laca - and being disfigured by him, she is hidden by her stepmother to give birth in secret. Her stepmother takes the baby, telling her it has died. Jenůfa is reconciled with Laca and agrees to marry him - but as the ceremony is about to begin, a murdered baby is found under the ice... Sung in Czech with English surtitles. Pre-performance talk at 6.15pm in Wesley Memorial Church

The Barber of Seville - Welsh National Opera - The Barber of Seville is one of the most popular operas by the prolific Italian composer Rossini. This perfect comic opera is one of WNO's all-time favourites. Mischievous Figaro, town barber and problem solver resolves to help the love-smitten Count win the beautiful Rosina. It takes all their guile to outwit her possessive guardian Doctor Bartolo who has his own sights set on the same prize. With pranks, crazy disguises and a few close shaves - the whole evening sparkles with wit, humour and sheer good fun. Sung in English. Cast includes Colin Lee, Laura Parfitt, John Moore, Eric Roberts, Tim Mirfin and Naomi Harvey

Pegasus Theatre:

Hansel And Gretel - Desperate times call for desperate measures! So when food is short and there are mouths to feed something's got to give. But when mum and dad leave the kids in the wood there turns out to be more questions than answers: Will the woodcutter turn out to be man or mouse? Will Hansel and Gretel ever find their way back home? Will the future be free-range or oven-ready? A sparkling re-telling of the familiar tale of breadcrumbs and witches makes a perfect recipe for a great night out.

Theatre at Headington:

Daisy Pulls It Off and Living With Lady Macbeth - Headington School presents a Double Bill of School Days Plays: Daisy Pulls it Off is a truly ripping yarn of pillow fights and midnight feasts in the dorm - it's all spiffing fun in this delightful spoof on school days adventure books for girls! Daisy, our heroine, is poor and disadvantaged, yet quite brilliant and overwhelmingly good. When she wins a scholarship to Grangewood School for Gels, Daisy proves to be a worthy heroine, fending off devilish tricksters and out-and-out rotters in her quest to restore lost treasure to the family of Head Girl and jolly good sport, Claire Beaumont.

The second half of the evening brings us back to reality in Living with Lady Macbeth. Unlike Daisy, Lily Morgan has no heroic qualities - variously described by her friends and family as 'dull', 'ordinary' and 'not particularly bright', Lily is barely noticed at school. That is, until she surprises everyone by auditioning for the lead in the school play - the part of Lady Macbeth! As Lily becomes intrigued by the character, she begins to discover within herself, deeper and darker powers ... maybe Lily Morgan isn't quite so ordinary after all.

College & Miscellaneous Theatre:

Dracula by Bram Stoker - Reverend Productions presents Bram Stoker's classic horror story complete with monsters, heroes, love and death in a world where nothing is certain and everything is at stake. Something has risen in the East. Something out of pagan folklore transported to the world of the living, with the strength of twenty men and the cunning of the devil. The living dead born twice upon the earth. A monster in man's shape... Mansfield College Chapel

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Experience the thrilling tale of Sweeney Todd re-invented in the sterile setting of a modern day operating theatre. Scrub up, take your seat, and watch the ensemble of nine surgeons singing and swinging their razors to the sounds of Stephen Sondheim's spine-tingling score and the smells of Mrs Lovett's pies! O'Reilly Theatre, Keble College

The Hypochondriac - Argan, an incurable hypochondriac, is eternally ill - despite being in absolutely perfect health. A collection of maniacal friends and family members, absurd and French, all shout, whisper, sing, dance, and cross-dress their way to assisting Argan towards a speedy recovery... Worcester College Chapel

Treasure Island (A Panto) - St Peter's Players present a pantomime production of Treasure Island. Don't miss a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas with pirates and parrots galore! Suitable for all ages and anyone of a nervous disposition! Wolvercote Village Hall

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