Oxford Playhouse - What's On Guide - Autumn 2023

What’s On Autumn 2023

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Welcome to the autumn season – we can’t wait to kick things off with the joyous and upbeat sound of RUSH from the JA Reggae Band, bringing the story of the Windrush Generation to life. If you missed their visit last year, make sure you’re there this time round. There’s more exhilarating music with the hugely popular and celebrated Blood Brothers by Willy Russell, coming to our stage for the first time. The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True

There’s brilliant drama with the world-premiere of Murder In The Dark starring Tom Chambers; a riveting thriller Farm Hall written by Katherine Moar, with a stellar cast; magical storytelling including puppets and live music based on Sophie Anderson’s much-loved novel The House With Chicken Legs; the return of the internationally acclaimed Gecko Theatre with the emotional and poetic Kin; and a powerful stage adaptation of Ken Loach’s iconic film I, Daniel Blake, an emotional and vital piece of theatre.

Every three years we are very proud to present the University of Oxford Greek Play. This November will see a student staging of Medea by Euripides, performed in Ancient Greek (with English translation surtitles). In contrast, Tony Kushner’s iconic contemporary play Angels in America, will also be performed by a student company.

We have a fantastic comedy line up this season which includes Bridget Christie, Russell Brand, Jenny Eclair and Reginald D Hunter. Our brilliant one-nighters include a journey into the paranormal in Uncanny, inspirational career insights from Olympian Sir Bradley Wiggins; and seasonal wassailing with Eliza McCarthy & Jon Boden.

And of course, the festive season wouldn’t be festive without the Oxford Playhouse pantomime. A glorious mix of the traditional and the new, Jack and The Beanstalk is a heart-warming story, oodles of fun and an extravaganza of song and dance for all to enjoy! It will be here before we know it...

Thank you for your support and we very much look forward to welcoming you to The Playhouse soon.

The OP Team

Back by popular demand!

RUSH: A Joyous Jamaican Journey

Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush ship – join us for an incredible narrated musical telling the story of the Windrush Generation, and how Reggae music took the world by storm.

Featuring ska, rock steady, calypso, gospel, lovers rock, dancehall and Reggae played live by the JA Reggae Band. Get ready to enjoy the music of Desmond Dekker, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Millie Small and many more.

If you missed the sell-out show in Summer 2022, grab your tickets now!

Keep the summer vibe going with a show guaranteed to bring feelings of sunshine, happiness and joy. We promise you’ll leave smiling and on cloud nine!

Fri 8pm, Sat 7.30pm

Tickets from £10

Age guideline 11+

British Sign Language Sat

“This is a fantastic show, informative, hugely entertaining and the musicWOW! The two vocalists were outstanding and gave me chills with their amazing voices.”

Audience Member

FRIENDS 25% off

“This is unmissable.”

StageTalk Magazine

“Effervescence and energy... there was not a single moment when the audience failed to sway from side to side and sing along”

Redbrick

Bridget Christie:

Who Am I?

Bridget Christie is hot, but not in a good way. The 51 year old critically-acclaimed stand-up leaks blood, sweats, and thinks that Chris Rock is the same person as The Rock.

The Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning comedian and star of Taskmaster cannot ride the motorbike she bought to combat her mid-life crisis because of early osteoarthritis in her hips and RSI in her wrist; wonders why there are so many films, made by men, about young women discovering their sexuality, but none about middle-aged women forgetting theirs.

It’s a menopause laugh-a-minute with a confused, furious, sweaty lady who is annoyed by everything.

8pm

Tickets £23

Age guideline 14+

HHHH “Making us laugh in surprising ways... a mini masterpiece.” The Guardian

Little Wander in association with PBJ Management

Russell Brand: Bipolarisation

Rules and rule breaking! Democracy and freedom!

We reach conclusions from mass confusion by polling the live audience. We want to hear YOUR opinion.

After amassing a movement of 25 million people across his digital channels, the Community festival and the live show Stay Free; the cultural and political commentator and award-winning British comedian is back on stage.

7pm

Tickets £38

Age guideline 16+

The Guardian

“Striking perspectives from the place where Brand’s piety, politics and sense of humour meet.”

Bill Kenwright presents

Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers

Written by Willy Russell, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins, separated at birth, who grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences.

Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi award-winning Blood Brothers Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone. It has been affectionately christened the ‘Standing Ovation Musical’, as inevitably it “brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval” (Daily Mail).

The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True

Tue – Thu & Sat 7.30pm Fri 8pm Wed, Thu & Sat 2.30pm

Tickets from £10

Age guideline 12+

Audio Described Sat mat

This production contains haze, replica firearms, loud noises including gunshots, depictions of mental illness and drug use.

Sunday Times

“A triumphant evening... Unmissable and unbeatable.”

The Spectator

“Gritty, gripping, superb .”

Mail on Sunday

“Dazzling .”

Sunday Telegraph

FRIENDS

25% off Tue

“Exhilarating...

One of the best musicals ever written.”

Blood Brothers at Oxford Playhouse is sponsored by Blenheim Palace

The House with Chicken Legs

Written by Sophie Anderson

Adapted by Oliver Lansley

Marinka dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends; but there’s one problem – her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning.

Based on Sophie Anderson’s much-loved novel, the story comes to life with puppets, live music and magic in this co-production from award-winning theatre company Les Enfants Terribles and HOME Manchester

We follow Marinka, a young girl trying to find her feet when her home is quite literally pulled from under her. Funny, thought-provoking and full of life, the show deftly navigates the complexities of loss from a whole new perspective.

Founded in 2001, Les Enfants Terribles (Alice’s Adventures Underground, The Trench) is an Olivier-nominated theatre company known for its unique aesthetic, and dedicated to putting the audience at the centre of the story.

Thu 7pm Fri 2.30pm & 8pm Sat 2.30pm & 7pm

Tickets from £10

Age guideline 9+

Captioned CAP Fri eve

Audio Described Sat mat £5 tickets for

HHHHH “A show that has legs and deserves to run.”

The Reviews Hub

HHHH

The Guardian

HHHH

The Stage

“A piece packed with fun, exuberant musical numbers, amusingly irreverent performances and inventive theatricality.”

“Magically inventive and involving.”

Murder in the Dark

Starring Tom Chambers

By Torben Betts Directed by Philip Franks

What happens when the lights go out...

New Year’s Eve. A car crash on a lonely road brings famous, but troubled, singer Danny Sierra and his extended family to an isolated holiday cottage in rural England. From the moment they arrive, a sequence of inexplicable events begin to occur... and then the lights go out. This thrilling new ghost story will thrust you into darkness and have you on the edge of your seat until the final chilling twist. Are you brave enough for Murder in the Dark?

Starring TV and stage favourite Tom Chambers (Holby City, Casualty, Waterloo Road, Father Brown and Strictly Come Dancing champion).

A world premiere from the acclaimed writer Torben Betts, produced by the award-winning Original Theatre who brought you the pulse racing hit The Mirror Crack’d by Agatha Christie (OP Oct 2022), Alan Bennett’s The Habit of Art, the smash-hit comedy Invincible and the acclaimed Birdsong

Mon – Thu & Sat 7.30pm Fri 8pm

Thu & Sat 2.30pm

Tickets from £10

“A n uncommonly talented playwright.”

Time Out on Torben Betts

“A killer thriller to knock ’em dead.”

Daily Mail on Original Theatre’s Night Must Fall

Age guideline 14+ £5 tickets for 14 – 25s

FRIENDS

50% off Mon & Sat Mat

Mon – Wed

Quaere Living on The Mirror Crack’d

Original Theatre, Trafalgar Theatre Productions & JAS Theatricals present the world premiere of

“Original Theatre’s production is gorgeous.”

Kin

We exist both where we’ve come from and where we’re going.

As a young child in 1932, Leah embarked on an epic journey from Yemen to Palestine. Ninety years later her grandson imagines the voyage her family made to escape persecution and build a better life.

Artistic Director Amit Lahav, together with Gecko’s extraordinary ensemble of international devising performers, presents a provocative story of desperation and compassion. At a time when the re-birth of community and acceptance seem vital to our survival, they bring their own experiences of migration, racism, empathy and home to this poetically intoxicating performance.

Prepare to be moved to the core by Gecko’s hypnotising beauty, compelling global soundtrack, and unbarred emotion. Look inwards and ask, ‘Who am I, and where do I belong?’

7.30pm

Tickets from £10

Age guideline 14+

Post show talk Wed with British Sign Language

Contains themes of racism and migration. Haze and strobe effects.

“For sheer visual lushness you can’t beat Gecko, a company which under the direction of Amit Lahav has developed a distinct theatrical style.”

Lyn Gardner, Stage Door

FRIENDS 25% off Wed

£5 tickets for 14 – 25s Wed

A Gecko Theatre production

Crimes on Centre Court

Lord Knows, the chair of The Whombledun International Invitational Tennis Tournament, has died and his son, Hugh, is suspicious. The police won’t take the case so Hugh calls in Perry & Penny Pink, private investigators.

What transpires has all the hallmarks of multi-award-winning New Old Friends particular brand of theatrical hilarity: a cast of four performers play countless characters with quick-fire changes and quicker wits. Expect mirth, murder and mayhem, with a side of tennis.

Crimes on Centre Court, based on a story from the award-winning podcast (#2 in iTunes fiction chart), is an ace of a show which you’re sure to (fifteen) love. This deucey treat will rally the spirits and leave you wanting a second serve-ing of the volley of gags and visual delights. You won’t see it game set and matched anywhere else.

New Old Friends have built a national reputation with their wildly inventive set-pieces, twisty plots and commitment to unadulterated entertainment.

Fri 8pm Sat 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Tickets from £10

Age guideline 12+

British Sign Language

Sat mat

The Stage

British Theatre Guide

A New Old Friends production in association with MAST Mayflower Studio

“A hilarious serve-and-volley tennis match played out on stage.”

“A barrage of deliciously hilarious one-liners and belly-aching back-handers.”

A tiny dragon Productions and ETT co-production in association with Northern Stage. Originally co-produced with Birmingham Rep and Oldham Coliseum

I, Daniel Blake

Daniel Blake adapted by Dave Johns from the film directed by Ken Loach, written by Paul Laverty, and produced by Rebecca O’Brien for Sixteen Films

A powerful stage adaptation of Ken Loach’s iconic, multi award-winning film Dan is a carpenter. A Geordie through and through. Just on the mend after a heart attack. Katie has just arrived from London. Finally got a council house for her and the kids. A fresh start.

I, Daniel Blake is one of the most important stories of a generation. A glimpse behind the headlines and the stark reality of what happens when the political system is stacked against you. With 14.5 million* people living in poverty in the UK, this is not fiction. It is reality.

A touching and vital story of how people come together in the face of adversity and how sometimes creating a family to support you just isn’t enough. The show is adapted for stage by Dave Johns who played Daniel Blake in the award-winning 2016 film.

*Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2022 Poverty Report.

Tue – Thu & Sat 7.30pm Fri 8pm Thu & Sat 2.30pm

Tickets from £10

guideline

HHHHH “Heartfelt performances centre a powerful adaptation of the Ken Loach film that feels more relevant than ever.”

The Stage

The Guardian

Morning Star

“Both moves and provokes.”

“

I, Daniel Blake demonstrates how theatre can campaign for social justice.”

Daniel Boyd

William Chubb

Alan Cox

Julius D’Silva George Jones

Forbes Masson

Farm Hall

By Katherine Moar Directed by Stephen Unwin

“It was never about the Reich or the war. It was about physics.”

Based on a remarkable true story. Summer 1945, Hitler is dead, but the war in the Pacific rages on. When six of Germany’s top nuclear scientists – including three Nobel Prize winners – are detained by the Allied forces at Farm Hall, a country house in the Cambridge countryside, they find themselves shut off from the outside world. Their entertainment? Some redacted newspaper, a broken piano and a copy of Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit. But as the months go by, their attention turns to the ongoing war and thoughts of their broken homeland.

The scientists’ tranquil summer is shattered by the inconceivable news that the Americans have succeeded where the Germans have failed, that the United States has not only built an atomic bomb, but has used one against Japan...

Unbeknownst to the scientists, during their stay, every inch of Farm Hall was bugged and their every action recorded. This play is inspired by the true events that took place at Farm Hall between July 1945 and January 1946.

Directed by Stephen Unwin, previously Artistic Director of English Touring Theatre and the Rose Theatre, Kingston. The stellar cast includes Forbes Masson, Daniel Boyd, Alan Cox, Julius D’Silva, William Chubb and George Jones

Mon – Thu & Sat 7.30pm Fri 8pm Thu & Sat 2.30pm

Tickets from £10

Age guideline 12+

Captioned CAP Wed

Audio Described Sat mat £5 tickets for 14 – 25s Mon – Wed

HHHH “A riveting wartime thriller... searing performances... a punchy accomplished play.”

The Guardian

HHHH “A strong ensemble...

The Times

HHHH “Katherine Moar’s riveting debut play.”

Daily Mail

Theatre Royal Bath Productions presents the Jermyn Street Theatre production of

Thoroughly absorbing, beautifully acted.”

Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out

Peppa is back, in a brand new live show!

Join Peppa, along with her family and friends as they go to the zoo and also the beach for a special party- it’s going to be an exciting and fun packed day.

Prepare to sing and dance with colourful scarecrows, feed the penguins, build big sandcastles, and even swim in the sea!

Packed full of songs, dance and muddy puddles, Peppa’s Fun Day Out guarantees giggles and snorts for all Peppa fans, and a perfect introduction to theatre.

Wed & Thu 10am , 1pm & 4pm

Tickets from £10

Family Tickets available

Babies in arms under 12 months are free but need a free baby ticket (not available to book online).

The Stage on Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever

HHHH “A loving creation of the TV show... it works beautifully.”

Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

By Tony Kushner

“History is about to crack wide open.”

Prior Walter is a gay man with AIDS, experiencing visions from the heavens as he lies in his hospital bed. Harper Pitt is a neurotic Mormon housewife who is suffering from hallucinations. Their increasing disconnection from reality brings their confused partners, Louis and Joe, closer together. Tension builds, secrets abound, and sexuality is questioned in the pressure cooker that is an increasingly conservative and intolerant America.

Angels in America: Millennium Approaches is the iconic, Pulitzer Prize winning first half of Tony Kushner’s Gay Fantasia on National Themes, a complex exploration of homosexuality, love, and loss during the American AIDS epidemic of the 80s.

Wed, Thu & Sat 7.30pm

Fri 8pm

Thu & Sat 2.30pm

Tickets from £10

Age guideline 14+ £5 tickets for 14 – 25s

FRIENDS 25% off

Wed & Sat mat

Wed – Sat

University of Oxford Student Company: Happier Year Productions

University of Oxford Student Company

The Greek Play Medea

By Euripides

What drives a mother to kill her own children? How can a victimised woman turn into a passionate and scheming avenger? These questions have gripped audiences of Euripides’ Medea for over 2000 years. Performed in ancient Greek, with surtitles of a new English translation, the 2023 Oxford Greek Play aims to breathe new life into the past and reveal its timeless significance.

A stranger in a foreign land, deserted by her husband Jason, Medea initially finds herself in a desperate situation. Her intelligence and wrath is feared by King Creon of Corinth, who casts her into exile. But she is fatally granted one more day to stay. A proud but treacherous woman, an expert rhetorician driven by ungovernable passion, Medea enacts deadly vengeance that shocks any who witness it. Euripides’ Medea is a classic drama that questions more than it answers, never failing to both fascinate and astound.

Wed & Thu 7.30pm

Thu 2pm Fri 1pm & 8pm

Tickets from £10

Age guideline 15+

FRIENDS

25% off Wed & Fri mat

£5 tickets for 14 – 25s Wed – Fri

Jenny Eclair: Sixty! (FFS!) XXL Show

Tour Extended Due to Popular Demand!

Having hit 60 (but still a year younger than Madonna), Jenny Eclair AKA ‘The Face of Vagisan’ confronts a new decade of decrepitude. Now that it takes 20 minutes of scrolling down to find her DOB when she’s filling in forms online, should she celebrate or crawl into a hole? What will her 60s hold for this 1960’s babe and is it a legal requirement to buy Nordic walking poles?

Reginald D Hunter: The Man Who Could See Through Sh!t

In these supercharged socio-political times the challenge is more and more becoming separating what’s true and what’s real.

Lucille Hunter proudly proclaimed “It’s easy to see through sh!t, the hard part is pretending you haven’t.” Join Reginald D. Hunter for an hour of exploring this phenomena in this progressive work in a pre next-variant world.

The Guardian

8pm

Tickets £25

Age guideline 16+

The Times

7.30pm

Tickets £24

Age guideline 18+

“Sexagenarian shtick from a joyous comic.”

“Comedy of a rare scope.”

The Annual Charles Simonyi Lecture: Entangled Life

Join Marcus du Sautoy and Merlin Sheldrake for this year’s Charles Simonyi Lecture

Thinking about fungi makes the world look different. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that support and sustain nearly all living systems. Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and help remediate environmental disaster. In this lecture, Merlin Sheldrake will discuss the ways these extraordinary organisms – and our relationships with them – change our understanding of the planet on which we live, and the ways that we think, feel, and behave.

Eliza Carthy & Jon Boden’s Wassail

Before there was carolling, there was wassailing, where seasonal songs were exchanged for money, food and ale. In the countryside trees were blessed, while in the towns wassailers went from house to house with their songs and calls for Christmas treats. Coming from the Anglo Saxon waes hael, ‘wassail’ is a toast wishing good health with a ‘be well’.

Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden combine their considerable talents and reputations within the UK folk scene, for the first time ever touring as a duo for a nationwide wassail.

Presenting seasonal, traditional material on a stage decorated for the occasion, they will perform some of the oldest songs in the English canon, tell Christmas tales and light up the darkest days of the year, ahead of Christmas Day itself.

5.30pm

Tickets £8

Age guideline 12+

7.30pm

Tickets from £10

U14s to be accompanied

Uncanny: I Know What I Saw

Do you believe in ghosts? Are UFOs real? Is the impossible possible?

Join Danny Robins, creator of the smash hit BBC Radio 4 paranormal podcasts Uncanny, The Battersea Poltergeist and The Witch Farm and award-winning West End play 2:22 –A Ghost Story, for the biggest investigation into the paranormal – ever.

In Uncanny: I Know What I Saw, you’ll be immersed in the sights, sounds and scares of brand new, real-life stories of the supernatural, from ghosts and poltergeists to UFO sightings and other strange encounters. Watch as these creepy, thrilling tales are brought to life on stage by Danny Robins and his ever-present team of experts.

An Audience with Sir Bradley Wiggins

Join The Tour De France and Olympic Medallist Sir Bradley Wiggins as he discusses his inspirational and extraordinary career, what brought him to cycling and everything in-between!

A British former professional road and track racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 2001 and 2016, he is the only rider to have won both World and Olympic championships on both the track and the road, as well as winning the Tour De France.

Sir Bradley has worn the leader's jersey in each of the three Grand Tours of cycling and held the world record in team pursuit on multiple occasions. As well as winning gold at four successive Olympic Games from 2004 to 2016, he also held the record as Britain’s most decorated Olympian, with 8 medals.

7.30pm

Tickets from £10 Age guideline 10+ (parental discretion advised)

8pm

Tickets from £33 VIP & Super VIP Packages available Age guideline 16+

Tilted in association with Leicester Curve

An Oxford Playhouse Production

By Jack Counsel

Directed by Toby Hulse

Get ready for a GIGANTIC panto experience!

Climb to new heights with Jack and the Beanstalk, a FEE FI FO FUN pantomime for everyone to enjoy here at Oxford Playhouse, from the production team that brought you the glittering Cinderella (2022/23).

Poor Jack can’t seem to help getting into trouble with his mum. Now he’s really landed himself in it by selling the family cow to a stranger for a handful of old beans. But hang on a minute! Those mysterious beans have started to grow... and grow... and GROW!

Join Jack and his friends on an adventure of lifetime, as they scale the beanstalk and take on a Giant. Full of infectious laughter, brilliant storytelling, singing, dancing, cheering for the goodies and booing for the baddies, an Oxford Playhouse pantomime is fabulous festive fun for young and old alike.

Tickets from £10

For everyone aged 5 to 105!

BOOKING INFORMATION

Friends

25% off Sat 2 Dec at 4pm, Fri 15 Dec at 6pm and Fri 5 Jan at 11am & 6pm

GREAT rates for groups for peak and off peak performances only Groups 10+ 10% off Groups 40+ 20% off Age guideline and baby tickets We recommend 5+ for our pantomimes, brave children under 5 are more than welcome but may find some scenes loud and others scary. Babies under 24 months old must have a free lap ticket which can be booked via the Box Office.

Don’t forget Oxford Playhouse is the perfect place for festive fun with the whole family. We have...

• Picnic bags for children to take into the show! Pre-order yours online or via the Box Office for £6

Oxford

on

Daily

• FREE booster seats for children so everyone can see the action.

• Ear Defenders Please note we only have a limited quantity.

• Locally sourced drink and treats for grown-ups.

“A glittering pantomime... we laughed, shouted, sang and stomped our feet for the most Christmassy two hours you could wish for.”

Times

Cinderella 2022/23

“A real treat... a high-quality show, with good jokes, a healthy sprinkling of magic, and a terrific cast.”

Info on Cinderella 2022/23

Burton Taylor Studio

Fri 8 Sep

Fri 22 Sep

Fri 29 Sep

amendments: A Play on Words

A highly charged political comedy about political correctness.

Meet middle manager Kenneth. His task: talk sense into employee John over the hot topic of harassment. But what is - and what is not - acceptable to say?

Expect controversial debate, dazzling word play and perfect comic timing that packs a punch.

HHHHH

“A comedic rollercoaster of a debate.”

Mumble Theatre

HHHHH

“A perfect comedic gem.”

Plays to See

A Trio of Tennessee Williams

This enthralling revival of Williams’s lesser-known and rarely performed works encompasses strong female characters and their entrapment with the poetic writings of a literary giant. Featuring Ivan’s Widow, Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen and 27 Wagons Full of Cotton

“Beautifully crafted performances, these rare Williams plays deserve packed houses and Fox and Hound themselves accolades... proving a special attunement to them all.”

Richard Beck

Hauntings

Directed by Gareth Armstrong

Music by Simon Slater

Hauntings is a spellbinding evening of tales of the supernatural, during which the award-winning actor, Gerard Logan, will take you to a world of invisible, but terrifyingly-present, spirits.

HHHHH

“Watching Logan work is like being privy to a wonder of nature... A true masterpiece of solo performance.”

The Edinburgh Guide

HHHHH

“Logan is astounding... He takes a strong script and flies it to the stars.”

Edinburgh Festival 2016 Review

7.30pm

Tickets £12.50 | £10.50

Age guideline 14+

2.30pm & 7.30pm

Tickets £12.50 | £10.50

Age guideline 14+

7pm & 9.30pm

Tickets £12.50 | £10.50

Age guideline 14+

Middleweight Theatre

Fox and Hound Theatre Company

BTS Family Shows

The Stealer of Stories

A long time ago, before electricity and espresso, in a distant land amongst a mountain range, nestled a little town called Harmony. Fuelled by kindness the townsfolk lived a self-sustaining peaceful way of life and never was a town more joyous than if it had been lifted off the pages of a Story Book. However, Grimm, an unhappy soul, vows to steal all the books and lock them away from curious eyes. One stormy night he is visited by the spirits of the story book and with a sprinkle of magic he learns the importance of kindness and charity.

Exploring the importance of compassion, community and inclusion through storytelling, this interactive family performance is aimed at the child in all of us.

11am & 2.30pm

Tickets £10.50 | £8.50

Age guideline 5+

Jack and the Beans Talk

Jack lives on a small farm with his mum and very little to eat. Imagine his surprise when he swaps his cow for some magic beans and starts to hear a whispering in the breeze and a giant rumble in the sky...

Charming and inventive with plenty of interaction.

The Cost of Everything

When did everything get so expensive? When did living get so expensive? Is there anything we can do to change... everything?

The Cost of Everything is an interactive performance/game show for simultaneous live and online players which interrogates the cost of living crisis by building a brand new model city live on stage, and asking you, the audience, how the city should be run.

11am, 2pm & 4pm

Tickets

Adults £10.50

Children £8.50

Age guideline 3 to 7

Part of Tiny Ideas Festival 2023

7.30pm

Tickets £12.50 | £10.50

Livestream tickets £5

You can choose to join us in person or watch from home via livestream. Depending on how you join us, you will have a different role to play.

Age guideline 12+

Garlic Theatre present

Hidden Track Theatre

Whatnot Theatre

IF Oxford, the science and ideas Festival

Oxford Playhouse hosts two exciting events from IF Oxford, the science and ideas Festival.

Fri 27 Oct Sat 28 Oct

Braintastic!

Science: Your Irrational Brain

This interactive game show uses demos, experiments and quizzes to show how brains trick us into making irrational decisions every day. Get your voting device ready and navigate the quirks of your brain. This challenge helps you understand human defaults. Can you spot and learn from unconscious bias to make smarter choices? To fully take part, you will need a smartphone or tablet to access the game app.

5pm | Tickets £5

Age guideline 13+

Feedback Loops

Words alone cannot always describe inner thoughts and feelings. The rhythm of Ambient Electronica builds dance performance in a unique production. Heart-rate, blood pressure, skin conductance and movement data can track episodes of depression, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis in clinical settings, and Feedback Loops represents this biometric data through a performer’s bodily movements.

Join Alina Ivan and the dancer in a post-performance panel discussion to explore lived experiences in new ways.

3pm | Tickets £12 (£10 discount)

Age guideline 13+

Take Part

Ages 5 and under Ages 12 to 16

Hey Diddle Diddle

Monday morning musical fun, to start your week with a dance and a song!

Kickstart your little one’s excitement for creativity and imaginative play with our Hey Diddle Diddle sessions – a perfect introduction to music, dance and performance for early years children and their adults.

With a new theme each week, you and your child are invited to play, laugh and learn in these fun, interactive sessions.

If you would like more info before signing up, please email participation@oxfordplayhouse.com

Playhouse Youth Theatre

Playhouse Youth Theatre is our platform for young people to develop their passion for performance, learn new skills and build confidence and friendships in a supportive setting.

Youth Theatre members will spend the Autumn term building skills in voice, expression and movement, as they rehearse a series of short, scripted scenes to be performed to an invited audience of family and friends in our Top Room at the end of term.

If you would like more info before signing up, please email participation@oxfordplayhouse.com

Mondays: 18 Sep – 13 Nov (No session Mon 23 Oct) 11am – 11.30am

Ages 5 and under Lucy Room, Oxford Playhouse

Buggy/pushchair space available in Foyer

Fee £5 per session (1 adult & 1 child)

£3 per additional ticket

Please note, the Top Room, Circle Bar and BT Studio are only accessible by stairs

Tuesdays: 19 Sep – 14 Nov (No session Tue 24 Oct) 5pm – 7pm

Ages 12 to 16

Top Room, Oxford Playhouse

Fee £75

Take Part

Ages 17 to 25

Playhouse Young Company

A two-term project across Autumn ‘23 and Spring ‘24, our Playhouse Young Company will work collaboratively in preparation for a public performance on the Main Stage in March ‘24.

Open to young people aged 17 to 25 with a commitment and passion for performance, participants will spend the early parts of the project building skills in voice, movement and expression. At the end of the Autumn Term, participants will be introduced to the script for the Spring Term performance, with the expectation to learn lines over the Christmas break. In the Spring term, participants must commit to rehearsals on both Wednesday evenings and Saturday daytimes.

If you would like more information before signing up, please email participation@oxfordplayhouse.com

Wed: 20 Sep – 15 Nov

(No session Wed 25 Oct)

Wed & Sat: 10 Jan – 20 Mar 5pm – 7.30pm (Wed), 12noon – 4pm (Sat)

Ages 17 to 25

Top Room, Oxford Playhouse

Fee £150 (to be paid in two instalments of £75 at the start of each term)

Ages 26+

Playhouse Adult Company

Our Playhouse Adult Company is a multi-generational group, made up of those with a passion for theatre, eager to build their confidence in performing and create a new group of friends.

In the Autumn Term, the Adult Company will build a foundation of key skills in voice, movement and expression, as they rehearse a series of short, scripted scenes to be performed to an invited audience of family and friends in our Top Room at the end of term.

If you would like more information before signing up, please email participation@oxfordplayhouse.com

Thu: 21 Sep – 16 Nov

(No session Thu 26 Oct)

5.30pm – 7.30pm

Ages 26+

Top Room, Oxford Playhouse

Fee £75

Please note, the Top Room, Circle Bar and BT Studio are only accessible by stairs

Ages 11+ Ages 11 and under

KEEN

Drama Workshops

Our FREE, inclusive drama workshops return for the Autumn Term at KEEN, St Clement’s Centre, Oxford.

Accessible to disabled and non-disabled participants, these weekly drop-in sessions provide a supportive opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to have fun and be expressive through performance. Each term, participants build bold characters and explore imaginary worlds, in preparation for an exciting performance to family and friends at the end of term.

To book a place, please email: keen@keenoxford.org

Fun Palace

Sharing skills, meeting new people, creating connections.

Fun Palace believes in the genius in everyone, and that creativity in community can change the world for the better. An annual nationwide weekend of action – activities and workshops in arts, science, craft, tech, digital and sports – Oxford Playhouse is delighted to be hosting its tenth Fun Palace this year.

Perfect for families, drop in for free arts and science activities across our spaces, with crafts and ideas to take home and share with your wider friends and community. Additional activities will be available to download and print from our website.

Mon Dates TBC

6.30pm – 7.15pm

Ages 11+

KEEN Oxford (St Clement’s Centre, OX4 1GG)

FREE (Please book at keen@keenoxford.org)

Please note, the Top Room, Circle Bar and BT Studio are only accessible by stairs

Sat 7 Oct 11am – 3pm

Ages 11 and under (children must be accompanied by an adult)

BT Studio FREE (just drop in)

Ages 7 to 11

Play in a Week: Jack & the Beanstalk

Spend the week with us being creative, playing games and making new friends.

At our Play in a Week scheme, we will be exploring the magic tale of Jack & the Beanstalk, breaking down the story and rebuilding it in our own way, ready to perform to parents and families in the BT Studio at the end of the week.

Sessions will involve working together through games and activities, where everyone’s ideas are shared and celebrated.

If you would like more information before signing up, please email participation@oxfordplayhouse.com

Ages 12 to 16

Comedy & Clowning

Come and spend a week with Small Nose theatre company, finding your funny and unlocking the joy within jeopardy. Theatrical clown, the Small Nose way, through improvisation and game-play, is the most freeing of art forms, where mistakes are an absolute must.

Whether you are someone looking for new skills, someone looking to engage with your inner funny, or someone who is looking to overcome fears and anxieties through performance, our Comedy & Clowning week, promises skills and confidence for life. Oh, and lots of laughter!

There will be a sharing to family and friends at the end of the week.

If you would like more information before signing up, please email participation@oxfordplayhouse.com

Mon 7 – Fri 11 Aug 10am – 1pm

Ages 7 to 11

BT Studio

Fee £150

Mon 14 – Fri 18 Aug 10am – 3pm

Ages 12 to 16

BT Studio

Fee £150

Please note, the Top Room, Circle Bar and BT Studio are only accessible by stairs

Ages 18+ Ages 50+

Adult Skills Masterclasses

Whether you’re keen to develop a life-long passion or spark a new curiosity, our Adult Skills Masterclasses provide an introductory guide to professional skills used by creatives across the theatre industry. Something to learn for stage performance, in the rehearsal room or in the theatre workshop, each Masterclass is delivered by an exciting practitioner working in the industry today.

Join us for one or enjoy five across the course of the week:

Improvisation: Mon 14 Aug

Movement & Physical Theatre: Tue 15 Aug

Costume Design: Wed 16 Aug

Directing: Thu 17 Aug

Playwriting: Fri 18 Aug

If you would like more information before signing up, please email participation@oxfordplayhouse.com

Mon 14 – Fri 18 Aug

10am – 4pm

Ages 18+

Top Room, Oxford Playhouse

Fee £35 per Masterclass (£150 for the week)

Please note, the Top Room, Circle Bar and BT Studio are only accessible by stairs

Social Thursdays

A welcoming, supportive space for people later-in-life to come together, have a go at creative activities and build new friendships, our Social Thursdays sessions provide opportunities to allow everyone the space to try something new. A curated programme of various art forms, including talks, dance, singing, play-reading and much more, our sessions are designed for you to take part at your own pace. Refreshments available during the session.

If you would like more information before signing up, please email community@oxfordplayhouse.com

“Each session has something for someoneI enjoyed all 3. I felt even more revitalised than usual!”

Previous participant

Thu 14 Sep, 5 Oct & 16 Nov 10.30am – 12noon

Ages 50+

Main Foyer, Oxford Playhouse FREE (Please book at community@oxfordplayhouse.com)

Supporters

Oxford Playhouse Trust gratefully acknowledges the support of its core funders:

St John’s College Oxford

Supported by The Visitor Economy Renaissance Programme grant funding, secured by OxLEP Business

Platinum Supporter

Trusts & Foundations

The Atlas Fund

The Backstage Trust

Doris Field Charitable Trust

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust

Dr T M N Salvesen’s Charitable Trust

The Emmanuel Kaye Foundation

The Garrick Charitable Trust

The Hugh Fraser Foundation

The Lord Farringdon Charitable Trust

Mactaggart Third Fund

Mr & Mrs J A Pye’s Charitable Settlement

The Schuster Charitable Trust

Souldern Trust

Still Point Fund

Theatres Trust

The Thompson Family Charitable Trust Anonymous (but greatly appreciated)

Building and Technical Supporters

Gold Supporters

Business Club Members

Creative Learning and Production Supporter

Volunteers

Over 100 volunteers give up their time to help out at Oxford Playhouse. Thank you!

Thank You

By coming to Oxford Playhouse, you help to keep theatre thriving – thank you. As a charity we also rely on the generosity of friends, members and donors to put productions on stage, reach out to the local community and develop local artists. If you can, please consider making a gift so our work can continue to flourish in future. For further information, contact development@oxfordplayhouse.com

Friends of Oxford Playhouse

Applause Friends

Rev Charlotte & William

Bannister-Parker

David & Marie-Jane Barnett

Danby & Sandy Bloch

Prof Sir Clive & Lady Margaret Booth

John Peter H Bradley

Brian Buchan

Antony W Budgen

Matthew Derbyshire

Alex Duncan

Marion Frostick

Simon & Alison Jeffreys

Greg Lovett

Keith McCullagh

Elizabeth Paris

Sue Staunton

Timothy & Marion Stevenson

Jens Tholstrup

Dr Trudy Watt

Ovation Friends

Prof Sir Richard and Lady Elizabeth Brook

Debbie Dance

Dr Sos Eltis

Richard Gladstone

John & Margaret Leighfield

Prof Colin & Annette Mayer

John Parrott

Will Schreiber

Anonymous

Standing Ovation

Edward & Anna Bernard

David & Sue Jackson

Anonymous

Donors £250+

00Productions

Louise Armstrong

Lady Helen Baker

Sir Christopher and Lady Wendy Ball

Pauline F Beighton

Edward & Anna Bernard

B J Birch

Valerie Boasten

John Peter H Bradley

Lesley Brown

Antony W Budgen

Prof John Carey

Martin Cattermole

Mark Charter

Dr Mark Crane

Karen David

David Dunne

Prof Raymond and Sandra Dwek CBE

Kathleen Emmens

Miss Patricia Freestone

Cllr. Dr James Fry

Alan Grafen

Kevin Green

Brian Griffiths

Guy Grimsley

Dr Sophie Hague

James Hammond

Nigel Harper

Alan Hodgetts

Simon Inch

Dr Jane Jackson

Sarah Jones

Sue Ledwith

Geoffrey Lescott

Kathryn Lewin

Peter Mackridge

John May

M J Morris

Elizabeth Paris

Brian W Plater

Diana B Renton

Steve Rumford

Prof John Simons

Sue Staunton

Michael Tappin

Jens Tholstrup

Dr Louise Upton

J Willis

St Aloysius First School

Donors £1,000+

Diana Acland

Saphié Ashtiany & Prof Paul Davies

Rev Charlotte & William Bannister-Parker

Prof Sir Clive & Lady Margaret Booth

Prof Sir Richard & Lady Elizabeth Brook

His Hon John Quentin and Her Hon Ann Campbell

Keith Crawford

Dr Cecile Deer

We are also incredibly grateful to those who prefer to remain anonymous and anyone who has supported us during the past year, but who we are unable to list here. Your help and solidarity has made an enormous difference during these most challenging of times. Thank you.

James Del Favero

Richard and Felicity Dick

Alex Duncan

Liesl Elder

Dr Sos Eltis

Richard Gladstone

David and Sue Jackson

Paul James

John & Margaret Leighfield

Jack Macpherson

Greg Lovett

John Parrott

Dr Michael Peagram

Timothy & Marion Stevenson

Alison Townsend

Alan Trinder

Joyce Wales

Edward Whinney

Dr Trudy Watt

Corporate Donations

Carter Jonas

Designers Guild

Lucy Group

Nicholsons

Tickets and Discounts

Oxford Playhouse strives to be a Playhouse for Everyone. For all week-long professional productions, we have an allocation of tickets available for just £10 each, to make theatregoing affordable. Please be sure to book early!

Across our performances, ticket prices may vary according to demand. Flexible pricing allows the theatre to be sustainable, to ensure we can continue bringing the best work to our stages. Please book early or to guarantee access to the best seats at the best prices (and a priority booking period), why not join as a Friend of Oxford Playhouse for just £60 a year. Friends and Patrons are also exempt from paying admin fees when exchanging tickets.

Please note, all tickets are non-refundable. Tickets can be exchange for another performance of the same production up to 48 hours ahead of the start time and subject to availability. A £2 admin fee applies per ticket (up to a max £10).

Discount Group Ticket Price Conditions

Friends & Patrons Up to 50% off opening night or Available on up to two tickets, on either the opening Saturday matinees for week-long night or the Saturday matinee, for most productions. shows. Bonus discounts of 25% Friends membership is priced at £60 a year, and Patron or 50% on most shorter runs levels start at £600 a year. For more information, (excludes £10 tickets). visit www.oxfordplayhouse.com/membership

In Advance £4 off each ticket.

Available for most shows on full priced tickets of more than £10 for people 18 and under, Full Time University/College Students (must provide ID on collection), those in receipt of Universal Credit, NHS Staff and Equity, BECTU and Stage Directors UK members. No further discounts available. £11.50 tickets for students and under 18s are available for student shows, and must be booked by the Sunday before the show starts.

Access Users £11.50 or £15 per ticket. Available for most shows for Access facility users, wheelchair users and one companion.

Schools & Colleges £11.50 or £15 per ticket

An allocation of tickets is available Monday to Thursday plus one free teacher seat for most shows. School tickets for Jack and The Beanstalk for every 10 seats booked. are from £13.

Group Rate 10% off for groups of 10 or more

For all groups of 10 or more. Not available online, email and 20% for groups of 40 or more. boxoffice@oxfordplayhouse.com for group bookings. (Available Mon to Thu & Sat Payment must be made as one transaction. Matinee performances only).

Over 60s Matinee £4 off the full price.

Limited number available to anyone aged 60+ for most Thursday and Saturday matinee performances. Must be booked before the week of the show. Max 4 tickets per booking.

£5 Tickets £5 tickets available in advance

You must be aged 14 to 25 and a member. for selected shows, subject Membership cost £5. Join at the Box Office or visit to availability. www.oxfordplayhouse.com/membership

Booking Information

Seating Plan

Possible limited view. Please call the Box Office for further information. These seats can be removed to accommodate wheelchairs. Please call the Box Office for further information.

Rows AA to C are sometimes removed for staging and are therefore not always available – please check with the Box Office when booking.

CIRCLE

View from Row A, Circle

View from Row K, Stalls

View from Row A, Stalls

Access Facilities

We want to make your visit to Oxford Playhouse and the Burton Taylor Studio as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. We offer a range of access facilities. To find out more information about the accessibility of our venues please visit www.oxfordplayhouse.com/access, call the friendly Box Office team on 01865 305305 or email access@oxfordplayhouse.com

Our range of Access facilities includes:

General Access Our main entrance is at street level on Beaumont Street and fully wheelchair accessible with automated doors. Our Box Office, Auditorium, The Gladstone Room and Foyer Bar are all fully wheelchair accessible, with low level counters. There is also an Accessible toilet on ground level.

Wheelchair spaces Within Stalls, end of rows E and L and centre of row T. Unfortunately, the Circle, Lucy Room and Top Room are not currently wheelchair accessible. Our BT Studio is only accessible via two flights of stairs. If you require a stair climber, please let the Box Office know when booking.

What’s On Guides are available as audio recordings and Large-print copies on request. Please email access@oxfordplayhouse.com

Sennheiser infrared headset system can help to boost the sound level straight to your hearing aid and headphones, if you are hard of hearing. Please ask the Box Office team at the time of booking, who can advise on the best places to sit for using the Sennheiser sets.

Captioned performances convert spoken word into text that appears on a screen as the words are sung or spoken on stage.

British Sign Language (BSL) performances feature a BSL interpreter, who stands at the side of the stage and interprets the show for D/deaf audiences.

Audio Described performances (via headphones) offer a live narration describing the action in the pauses between the onstage dialogue, for those who are blind or partially sighted. Free touch tours also accompany these performances and are a chance to explore the set before the show begins.

Relaxed performances are specifically set up to be more sensitive to audiences who may benefit from a more relaxed environment, including people with autistic spectrum conditions, learning disabilities or young children. The house lights will be partially on, sound levels reduced, and audience members can come and go as they please and make noise if they want to.

Dementia Friendly Performances are carefully tailored for those living with dementia and their friends, family or carers, so everyone can enjoy the show in a supportive, comfortable, and relaxed environment. Adaptations include reduced volume of music when dialogue is taking place.

RUSH: A Joyous Jamaican Journey

Jack and the Beanstalk running from 24 November 2023 to 7 January 2024

Cover image: The House with Chicken Legs by Andrew AB