It's a classic EP selection this week, with theatre, music, meet-ups, and an attempt at a world record to keep you busy!

Stages and Mages

From fresh new shows to musical adaptations of 90s teen cinema, here's the standouts this week at Oxford theatres. At the Old Fire Station, Oxford’s own Ronin Theatre returns with another revival of a modern gem. This time the group are staging the Olivier Award-winning comedy Home I’m Darling, which explores placing 50s domestic ideals into a modern setting.

Also drawing inspiration from the past is Edy Hurst’s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself , a wild ride that blends the Lancashire Witch Trials, neurodivergence and the Vengaboys. You can read our Q&A with Hurst for even more on this show.

It is the fashion of late for popular films to get the musical treatment, and this time it’s the turn of teen drama Cruel Intentions, coming to the New Theatre next week. Blending the original’s tale of high school seduction with a roster of 90s pop hits (from Britney Spears to R.E.M., via Natalie Imbruglia and TLC), the show has already proved a hit on Broadway and the West End.

Finally there’s something for the family in the form of Princess Smartypants. A fun-filled adventure yarn, this is perfect Easter fodder as it mixes songs and laughs to subvert the princess narrative.

Home I’m Darling: Old Fire Station, Wed 16th to Sat 19th Apr, 7.30pm (plus 2.30pm Sat), £13 to 17

Edy Hurst’s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself: BT Studio, Fri 11th Apr, 7.30pm, £12-14

Cruel Intentions: New Theatre, Tue 15th to Sat 19th Apr, 7.30pm (plus 2.30pm on Wed & Sat),

Princess Smartypants: North Wall, Tue 15th & Wed 16th Apr, 11am & 2pm, £8-10

Re-Sounding Sucesses

It’s three for the price of one across all our gigs this week, starting this Friday with a night of pulsing electronica in The Library basement, courtesy of All Will Be Wired . Tap into Tiger Mendoza’s commanding and layered mixes, the pulsing beatwork of The Cloud, and the Turkish influenced avant-grade sound of Gorali.

Ever the Oxford gig staple, the latest edition of Divine Schism hits Common Ground on Wednesday with another triple bill, headlined by the percussive, jazz and soul tinged acoustics of musical collective Kulku. Their ‘No-Age’ defying of genre convention will be supported by Lello and Double Yellow Lines to satisfy all your alt music cravings.

And It’s All About the Music curates final big three at the Jericho Tavern; featuring Colosopusss, the Lunar Kites and The Long Harvest. Expect things to take on a more prog/space rock vibe, with just a dash of neo-Americana for extra flavour.

All Will Be Wired - Tiger Mendoza, The Cloud, Gorali: The Library, Fri 11th Apr, 8pm. Tickets £5.

Divine Schism - Kulku, Lello, Double Yellow Lines: Common Ground, Wed 16th Apr, 7:30pm. Tickets £9-13.

It’s All About The Music - Colosopusss, Lunar Kites, The Long Harvest: Sat 12th Apr, 7pm, £8-10.

On The Town

The Oxford Comedy Festival might be a few months away, but QED Comedy is already picking up speed with a stand-up twofer tucked away in the Trinity Beer Cellar. Comedy 2 in 1 begins with ‘Outliars’, a three-truths-and-a-lie set of stories from the night’s lineup, followed by a classic tight ten from each of the four pro comics.

Want to level up? John Robertson’s cult live action video game The Dark Room switches on at the Mill Arts Centre on the 17th, bringing together fans of improv comedy and retro gamers nostalgic for an era of pixels and joysticks. Check out our Q&A with John to find out what makes this weird and wonderful show tick and play along to “win crap prizes or die”!

Film buffs, meanwhile, will want to head to the James St Tavern Tuesday evening for the weekly Cuckoo’s Nest film night. A chance to share a brew, talk cinema and catch unique short films from local and independent creators, come along as a spectator or to inspire the filmmaker in you.

And aspiring fantasy authors will find a home at Caper Books, where novelists Gareth Brown and Anne Corlett will be discussing their latest releases with fellow author Chris Sugden. From the intricate worldbuilding of Corlett’s alternate London in The Theatre of Glass and Shadows to the suspenseful conspiracies of Brown’s Book of Doors, the pair will share how they craft a universe that’s ‘magical, fantastical and mysterious’.

Comedy 2 in 1: Trinity Beer Cellar, Trinity College, Sat 12th Apr, 7:30pm (doors 7pm). Tickets £6.

The Dark Room: The Mill Arts Centre, Thurs 17th Apr, 7:30pm. Tickets £17.

Cuckoo’s Nest Film Night: James Street Tavern, Tue 15th Apr, 7:30pm. Free.

Magical, Fantastical and Mysterious: Gareth Brown and Anne Corlett: Caper Books, Wed 16th Apr, 7:30pm. Tickets £7.

Folking Around

The nonprofit Oxford Folk Festival plays on this year, with a whopping 76 artists and 60 dance teams, spread across 27 venues this weekend.

Events range from concerts and intimate performances by acclaimed singer-songwriters to dance workshops, family and SEND sessions, and a film screening. There’s an astonishing amount squeezed in, so be sure to take a gander over their full list of what’s on via Folk Fest's website.

And if festival mentions have got you pumped for what’s on the rest of the spring and summer, you need our in-depth guide to 2025’s music festivals here!

Oxford Folk Festival 2025: from 11am Fri 11th to 7:45pm Sun 13th, venues throughout central Oxford. Ticket prices vary (some events are free!) but a season ticket to all the social dances - ceilidhs, balfolk, and contra - can be purchased for £36 here.

Screen Time

Thrills abound this week in cinemas. Over at the Ultimate Picture Palace there’s Santosh, the UK’s entry for Best International Feature at this year’s Oscars. When a widow takes over her husband’s role as a police constable in rural India, she is drawn into an investigation into a young girl’s death, in what promises to a gripping, nuanced and deeply impactful watch.

Speaking of Oscars, recent Best Actor nominee Ralph Fiennes is back in cinemas in the sweeping epic The Return, with the actor taking on the role of Odysseus returning home 20 years after the Trojan War.

You may prefer your thrills and chills more intimate, which is where Drop comes in. The latest from Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day), it’s a Hitchcockian thriller where a first date is hijacked by an unseen assailant who starts sending cryptic text messages.

Finally, another director who makes their return is Alex Garland, co-directing the propulsive Warfare, based on a real-life mission going wrong during the Iraq War.

Santosh: Ultimate Picture Palace

The Return: Phoenix Picturehouse, Curzon Oxford

Drop: Vue

Warfare: Phoenix Picturehouse, Curzon Oxford

And Finally

Ever wanted to watch history (potentially!) being made? This Saturday might be your chance, as Morris Dancer Duncan Bhaskaran Brown attempts to break a world record with his continuous Morris Dancing performance. Occurring in Abingdon Marketplace, the action will take place over 11 strenuous hours. Come watch for free from 5am onwards, just or rock up close to 4pm to witness the crucial finale!

Image credits: Edy Hurst, Philipp Czampiel, James St Tavern, Matheus Ferrero via Unsplash, Duncan Bhaskaran Brown