Going to the theater is a popular activity in Oxford, especially the outdoor performances of Shakespeare plays in the summer. If you intend to see a show while in town, you should check the listings at the individual theatres and buy your tickets in advance, or else you may be disappointed.
*Look for our Child Friendly Events (blue background)
Oxford Playhouse | Creation Theatre Company | Old Fire Station
Burton Taylor | New Theatre (Apollo) | Pegasus Theatre
Theatre at Headington | University Theatre | Oxford Shakespeare Company
North Wall Arts Centre | Miscellaneous Theatre in & Around Oxford
Oxford Playhouse
Beaumont Street, 01865 305305
official website
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What's Showing?
George’s Marvellous Medicine
By Roald Dahl. Adapted by David Wood
George creates a marvellous new medicine to cure his grandmother of her terrifying temper. But, when she drinks his special new potion, the most incredible things start to happen. And George’s adventure has just begun!
The Birmingham Stage Company is back on tour with a brand new adaptation of one of Roald Dahl’s funniest and most exciting stories following their acclaimed production of Danny The Champion Of The World, which enjoyed packed houses when it visited the Playhouse in 2008. George’s Marvellous Medicine is fizztickling fun for all the family. This Roald Dahl classic is adapted for the stage by David Wood whose many Dahl adaptations include The BFG, which visited Oxford Playhouse last year. Age guideline 4+
“Wonderfully witty. Enters into Dahl’s quirky world with aplomb and enormous glee.” - The Times
Tuesday 10th - Saturday 14th August
£16 / £14 / £11
Quartet by Ronald Harwood
Retired opera singers Cissy, Reggie and Wilfred are excited about performing a concert until their tranquil world is unexpectedly interrupted by the arrival of legendary diva, Jean Horton. As old rivalries resurface and past secrets are revealed, can the four put aside their differences? Oscar and Academy award-winning playwright (Taking Sides, Oxford Playhouse 2004) and screen writer (The Pianist), Ronald Harwood, is the author of this touching and uplifting story of self-discovery and life-long friendships. His masterful story telling combined with sparkling wit creates a bittersweet comedy that is at times both poignant and hilariously funny. A star-studded cast features the critically acclaimed Timothy West (The Winslow Boy, Playhouse 2009), film icon Susannah York (Gold, Superman, A Man For All Seasons), Michael Jayston (Nicholas and Alexandra and Dr Who) and Gwen Taylor (Prick up Your Ears in the West End and star of Heartbeat, Barbara and A Bit Of A Do on TV).
"Harwood is now unquestionably our greatest living playwright." - Sunday Telegraph
Monday 16th - Saturday 21st August
What's Showing?
Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece of true love in adversity, performed in Creation’s trademark fast paced, innovative and accessible style at the stunning rooftop amphitheatre of Oxford’s Said Business School.
Alfresco Pizza before the show - Pizza, pasta, strawberries and cream, and bar available from one hour before the show starts – enjoy with friends.
100% weatherproof - You can book in advance and be assured the performance will go ahead whatever the weather, thanks to the indoor option.
FREE KIDS TICKETS!
One free under 12 ticket when purchased with a full price adult ticket available on Band A, B or C seats. Maximum of 4 free tickets per postcode. Limited availability and subject to terms and conditions. Tickets must be booked before 30 June. Performances are suitable for children age 6+ subject to parental discretion.
9 July - 4 September 2010
Old Fire Station
George Street, 01865 297170 (Box Office)
official website
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What's Showing?
The OFS is now closed
ATG has now handed over the keys of the OFS to the homeless charity Crisis. Funded by the Government's ‘Places of Change’ programme, the building will be refurbished throughout, creating inspirational spaces for performances, rehearsals, exhibitions and social enterprise. Crisis intends to reopen the venue in the summer of 2011. The changes to the OFS means that the night club has now closed but ATG are planning to redevelop a space at the Oxford New Theatre to provide OFS night club customers with an electrifying brand new alternative venue.
Burton Taylor Theatre
Gloucester Street, 01865 305305
official website
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What's Showing?
Emily Dickinson & I: The Journey of a Portrayal
A one-woman play about writing, acting and getting into Emily Dickinson’s dress. Movingly told and intensely personal, Emily Dickinson & I tells of the relationship between a dead poet and her living admirer, separated by a continent and a century. This original piece of work is presented as part of the Emily Dickinson International Society conference in Oxford.
Saturday 7th - Sunday 8th August
£10 (£8)
The Law of Inertia: A Play Reading
A man has a car accident. His car is wrecked. He walks away unhurt. Is it a miracle? Is it luck? Is it just the laws of motion as described by Sir Isaac Newton? A work in progress reading of a new play written by Rachel Barnett discussing the themes of faith, anxiety, panic and the unreliability of time. Following the readings there will be a Q&A session with the writer, director and actors. Ticket price includes a free drink.
Wednesday 25th August
5 pm
£5 (£3)
Are There More of You?
The hilarious and heartbreaking tale, written and performed by Alison Skilbeck, of four women living seemingly different lives but all on the verge of a nervous breakthrough and linked by the same postcode. Claire, a bright, abandoned Ambassador’s wife with blood on her hands, Italian Sophia, who serves egg ‘n’ chips by day and osso bucco and Verdi by night, Sara, the local spirit weaver, all sweetness and light unless you tangle with her, and Sam a bluff northern business woman who’s always got on with men, but seems to be going home alone. SW11 will never be the same!
Thursday 26th - Friday 27th August
7.30 pm
£10 (£8)
The Magnificent Flying Machine
Have you ever dreamed of having wings? Follow the wacky adventures of Professor Bix Horn as he flies by the seat of his pants and tries to build a flying machine out of the most unlikely things. Family favourite Garlic Theatre returns to the BT Studio with their beautifully crafted puppets, a bowler hat and a balloon to take you on a hare-brained journey of a lifetime...Ages 4+
Saturday 28th August
11 am, 2 pm, & 4 pm
£7 (£5)
New Theatre
George Street 0870 606 3500
website for tickets and information
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What's Showing?
Fame – the Musical
With a brand new show and a brand new director, the New Theatre Stage Experience is back! From 5th – 7th August, the New Theatre becomes New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts as it plays host to a brilliant new production of Fame – the Musical!
“The production that emerges is fresh and lively, and bubbling over with energy and enthusiasm” - http://www.whatsonstage.com/central (on Bugsy Malone, Stage Experience 2008)
Follow the journey of a group of ambitious and talented young students as they chase their dreams of becoming Broadway’s brightest stars in this iconic 80s musical. Featuring unforgettable songs such as the Oscar-winning title song ‘Fame’ and packed with comedy, drama and breath-taking dance routines, this promises to be the most challenging and rewarding Stage Experience yet.
Tuesday 5th – Saturday 7th August
Remember When
Join Neil Sands and his brilliant cast of West End performers for a trip down memory lane with this very special show that everyone is talking about. A wonderful mixture of great songs from wartime medleys, every popular show tunes, early rock 'n' roll, to the start of the swinging sixties. Combined with stunning costumes, lots of fun and a truly unique atmosphere that will warm your heart, it gives a feel-good mix that will have you singing, laughing and yelling for more. Join us for an afternoon of magical musical memories with songs from the 40's, 50's, 60's & 70's!
Tuesday 10th August
Postman Pat
Postman Pat returns to UK theatres as the newly promoted Head of the Special Delivery Service (or SDS) with his brand new show “A Very Royal Mission”.
In Pencaster, everyone has received a letter from the Palace, delivered by Pat and his faithful cat Jess, of course. Someone special is coming to open the brand new SDS Sorting Office and they only have a short time to get themselves, and Pencaster, prepared for a very royal visit.
Mrs Goggins, Ted Glen and Ben Taylor are helping with the preparations, while PC Selby finally has something important to do! What could possibly go wrong…….?
But look out! Just as everything is prepared a storm hits Pencaster throwing the royal visit into doubt. Only one man can be counted on – the Head of the SDS, Postman Pat of course... with a little help from his trusty sidekick Jess the Cat and his brand new SDS Helicopter!
Get ready for takeoff and join Pat and his friends in 90 minutes of fun and participation, and remember no job is too big – the special delivery always gets through! Mission Accomplished!
Sunday 15th August
Pegasus Theatre
Magdalen Street, 01865 722851
official website
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What's Showing?
The new look Pegasus is re-opening on 4th September!
Theatre at Headington
Headington School, Oxford 01865 759138
official website
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What's Showing?
Billy Elliot the Musical: Billy Youth Theatre
To celebrate five amazing years in the West End, the producers of Billy Elliot the Musical have launched Billy Youth Theatre, an exciting new initiative providing schools and youth groups around the country with the opportunity to perform their own productions of this internationally award-winning show.
Billy Youth Theatre is a nationwide event and local performing arts school Stagecoach Oxford are delighted to announce that they will be taking part with productions planned in March and early August. The August showcase will be held at the Theatre at Headington.
Thursday 05 - Friday 06 August
5.30pm for a 6pm performance start
Tickets: £10.00, £8.50 concs | Gala night (6 Aug): £15, £12.50 concs
What's Showing?
Oxford Summer Tour - The Master and Margarita
Black Magic, romance, hellish parties and one very fat cat.
Oxford University Dramatic Society presents a unique performance of their 125th Anniversary UK tour production, The Master and Margarita, a brand new adaptation of Bulgakov's cult classic.
Stalinist Moscow no longer believes in heaven or hell. The Devil visits the city in disguise and wreaks havoc on its faithless population. Meanwhile, Margarita searches for her lover, The Master, a writer whose novel about Pontius Pilate fell foul of the censors...
This is a unique opportunity to enjoy a cultural extravaganza of art, music, theatre and literature all in one night at Modern Art Oxford.
Guests will get into the spirit with cocktails made with premium Wight vodka, and enjoy pre-show fare provided courtesy of Arbat.
Monday 02 August
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Booking can be made via the OUDS box office. For more information or to reserve tickets please email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
£15
What's Showing?
William Shakespeare’s The Tempest
A magical storm. A long plotted revenge. A whirlwind romance. Journeys of tragedy, comedy and music come full circle in Shakespeare’s late great masterpiece. Directed in the round by renowned Wadham Alumnus Mick Gordon with music by Nick Lloyd-Webber.
The Oxford Shakespeare Company performs in the open air. They provide unreserved tiered seating with rugs available for hire. Warm clothing is recommended!
Wet Weather Policy: in the event of bad weather we reserve the right to stop and start the action or move the show as necessary. The decision to cancel the show will not be taken before the scheduled start time. If a performance is cancelled for any other reason you will be entitled to equivalent tickets for any performance of the same show during summer 2010, subject to availability. Refunds cannot be given.
Wadham College gardens.
Sunday 4 July - Thursday 19 August
Noël Coward’s Private Lives
Oxford Shakespeare Company’s Nicholas Green directs Coward’s classic 1930’s comedy of manners. Full of wit and razor sharp dialogue, Private Lives remains one of the most successful and popular comedies ever written. Performed in the Wadham College Gardens.
Please note that the Oxford Shakespeare Company performs in the open air. We provide unreserved tiered seating with rugs available for hire. We recommend warm clothing! Wet Weather Policy: in the event of bad weather we reserve the right to stop and start the action or move the show as necessary. The decision to cancel the show will not be taken before the scheduled start time. If a performance is cancelled for any other reason you will be entitled to equivalent tickets for any performance of the same show during summer 2010, subject to availability. Refunds cannot be given.
Sunday 25th July - Friday 20th August
What's Showing?
The Singalong Glee Club
Riotous celebration packed with show-tunes, pub songs and surprise specialities. Lyrics provided, requests welcome, singing optional!
Your hosts: Fringe First winner David Benson and his common-law pianist Stewart Nicholls.
Saturday 31st July
8.30 pm
£10
What's Showing?
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Produced by Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour. Hermia loves Lysander and Helena loves Demetrius - but Demetrius is supposed to be marrying Hermia. When the Duke of Athens tries to enforce the marriage, the lovers take refuge in the woods outside the city, and walk into the midst of a dispute between the king and queen of the fairies. But they are not alone.
So, too, does a group of amateur actors rehearsing a play. Between the angry fairies, the bumbling players and the dazed lovers, flies Puck armed with a potion capable of making anyone fall in love with the first person they set eyes upon.
Performed on an Elizabethan-inspired stage, a troupe of travelling players breathe new life into this amazingly inventive play. Dreamlike, funny and beautiful, a cast of talented actors return to the remarkable setting of the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library Quadrangle with Shakespeare’s greatest comedy.
“On a scale of one to ten of spectacular venues, the Bodleian Library Quad has to score eleven.” - Oxford Times
Tuesday 27th July - Sunday 8th August
£17.50
Children’s Theatre in the Garden - The Secret Garden
Join us for another family classic as Heartbreak Productions return with The Secret Garden, a magical story about a young orphan girl who finds a whole new world hidden in the grounds of her new home. No seating is provided so please bring your own picnic chairs or blankets. Gates open one hour before the performance for picnics. Tickets are NON-refundable and the performance will go ahead except in severe weather conditions.
Waterperry Gardens, Waterperry, Near Wheatley, Oxford, OX33 1JZ
Thursday 5th August
6.00 pm
Adults £12, concessions, students and children aged 16 and under £7.50.
Rambert Ballet School at Christ Church
Following the popularity of last year’s visits by the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, we are pleased to say that they will be returning this summer with performances at 12noon and 2pm on Thursday 12 August and 1pm and 3pm on Friday 13 August. The Rambert School and the Cathedral have teamed up, and Christ Church will provide a performance venue for the school’s MA in Advanced Dance Performance, so we look forward to regular visits in the future
Thursday 12 - Friday 13 August
12noon and 2pm on Thursday 12 August and 1pm and 3pm on Friday 13 August
The Cathedral Office, Christ Church Tel: 01865 276155
The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company Present The Yeoman of the Guard
For the first time in their 16 year history the highly acclaimed professional Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company will move from their traditional Buxton Opera House home to present a week-long open-air run of “The Yeomen of the Guard” with Oxford Castle as its dramatic background. Jeff Clarke’s dramatic new production opens on Bank-Holiday Monday August 30 and plays through to and including Sunday September 5th.
Set in the Tower of London, “The Yeomen of the Guard” is the closest that Gilbert & Sullivan came to Grand Opera. Gilbert’s satire and thought-provoking one-liners abound. There are plenty of topsy turvy complications to the plot and many believe that the musical score is Sullivan’s finest.
A cast to match the splendour of the occasion has been assembled including some of Britain’s finest specialist G & S performers - Charlotte Page (Elsie), Richard Gauntlett (Jack Point), Bruce Graham (Sgt Meryll), Oliver White (Fairfax) and Jill Pert (Dame Carruthers). The renowned National Festival Orchestra with musical direction from John Owen Edwards will add further excitement to Jeff Clarke’s dramatic new production.
This is a fantastic and rare opportunity to see some of the very best Gilbert & Sullivan performed against the backdrop of the imposing and quite magnificent Oxford Castle walls – some of which date back to the 11th century. So if you thought Oxford was just about elegant spires and world-class academia then think again! Join us for a wonderful performance in an atmosphere of history which is perfect for one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s finest works.
Monday 30th August - Sunday 5th September
First 4 rows £44 including a glass of Buck’s Fizz & programme, middle 5 rows £30, rear 4 rows £22