Daily Info's recommended events for the week ahead, Thursday 19th December - Wednesday 25th December
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It's the week before Christmas and all through the Picks, we've got concerts and pantos for getting your kicks; with holiday lunches and big-screen vampyrs, we've got all you need from Christmas to New Year!
As Christmas draws ever closer, we’ve got a bevy of concerts in store for anyone that fancies an ancient (or more modern) Yuletide carol. The Old Fire Station takes us back to school in the best possible way with The Big Christmas Assembly, a joyous night of festive crowd-pleasers hosted by James B. Partridge (Primary School Assembly Bangers). Tap into your memories of being a kid at Christmas and sing along to the holiday’s greatest hits.
Moving from classics to classical, Instruments of Time and Truth light up the Church of St. Mary the Virgin with their performance of Handel’s Messiah. Handel’s legendary oratorio will be joined by the Oxford Consort of Voices and a score of accomplished soloists for one of the most celebrated traditions in Oxford’s musical calendar.
Or take a trip back in time with vOx Chamber Choir’s Medieval Christmas By Candlelight; with a repertoire including compositions from Byrd, Gabrielli and Brumel, the choir pays musical homage to the choral traditions shaped in Oxford since the Medieval and Renaissance period. Come along to Pusey House Chapel to take in some glorious harmonies and a nip of mulled wine.
And Keble College Chapel plays host to the Oxford Pro Musica Singers for their Christmas Cracker concert. Taking us on a journey through carols across the centuries, the concert will also contain readings and plenty of opportunity for audience participation for all keen warblers out there. This event is always a popular one so make sure to get your tickets fast!
The Big Christmas Assembly: Old Fire Station, Sat 21st Dec, 3pm/7:30pm. Tickets £20.50-24.50.
Instruments of Time and Truth - Handel’s Messiah: University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Sat 21st Dec, 5pm. Tickets £15-45.
vOx Chamber Choir Medieval Christmas By Candlelight: Pusey House Chapel, Sat 21st Dec, 5pm. Tickets £16 (£8 for under 18s).
Oxford Pro Musica Christmas Cracker: Keble College Chapel, Sun 22nd Dec, 5pm. Tickets £5-25.
Seasonal shows are still in full swing across Oxfordshire; in Witney, Buttercross Theatre is staging Puss in Boots at the Corn Exchange, right up 'til Christmas Eve, and then again from the 28th til New Year’s. This cheering panto would be a great pick for a family day out.
Meanwhile, The Mill Arts Centre, brings the Gruffalo back for another year, with The Gruffalo 2024 on until Christmas Eve. The ever-popular show is a faithful and polished adaptation of the beloved book, with songs and laughs to keep kids aged 3 and up engaged throughout.
Over in Aylesbury, The Waterside Theatre premieres a brand-new family Christmas tale called The Gingerbread Boy, which focuses on embracing our differences and the magic of friendship. It’s from the producers of their previous sell-out show Santa’s Elves and the Shoemaker, so you’ll be in safe hands.
Finally, something for the grown-ups: enjoy some spoken word at the Old Fire Station on Friday evening, with Witching the Wild Year. The show explores folklore, ancient wisdom and the shifts in the season for a thoughtful and invigorating celebration of the solstice.
Puss in Boots: Witney Corn Exchange, Thu 19th - Tue 24th Dec, then Sat 28th - Tue 31st Dec, 1.45pm and 7.30pm (not all dates have both times). Tickets £15/standard, £8/under-14s.
The Gruffalo 2024: The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury, daily from Thu 19th - Tue 24th Dec, 10.30am, 1.30pm, 4.30pm (not all dates have all times). Tickets £16.
The Gingerbread Boy : Norman Bragg Studio at the Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury, Fri 20th - Tue 24th, 1.30pm and 4.30pm Fri and Sat, and 10.30am, 1.30pm, 4.30pm Sun - Tue. Tickets from £15.95.
Witching the Wild Year: The Old Fire Station, Fri 20th Dec, 7.30pm. Tickets £16.50.
As schools shut and work slows down, why not take your tribe down to the multiplexes for some movie goodness? There are two big budget sequels to try this year, with the half prequel, half sequel Mufasa: The Lion King out on Friday. What makes this one particularly interesting is that it is from Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins. Alternatively there's Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the latest instalment in the incredibly popular series about the speedy blue critter. You'll know what to expect with this one but it does add Keanu Reeves to the mix, which we're all for here at Daily Info.
Something truly bizarre arrives on Boxing Day in the form of Better Man, a biopic of Robbie Williams that stands out because the pop star plays himself, CGI-d to look like a Planet of the Apes-style monkey. Colour us intrigued.
New Year will bring a pair of cinematic delights. In the red corner there's awardsy romance, We Live in Time, featuring likely Oscar contenders Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. And in the blue corner there's Robert Eggers' new take on the original movie vampire Nosferatu : this creepy gothic horror stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe. Whichever you go with, we hope you ring in 2025 with a good first cinema trip.
Mufasa: The Lion King: Curzon Oxford, Odeon George Street, Vue
Sonic the Hedgehog 3: Odeon George Street, Vue
Better Man: Curzon Oxford, Odeon George Street, Vue
We Live in Time: Phoenix Picturehouse, Curzon Oxford, Odeon George Street, Vue
Nosferatu: Phoenix Picturehouse, Curzon Oxford, Odeon George Street, Vue
Before we have to behave nicely in front of our relatives, here's a last chance to get a little rowdier. For some irreverent and hilarious stories you wouldn’t want to share at the dinner table, head to Wait, What?, Undercover Comedy’s night of comedy storytelling, tonight at the Larder. Enjoy some hysterical tales of holiday mishaps, and get a hot chocolate and mince pie to sweeten the deal.
Meanwhile, Rob Moriarty headlines George Street Comedy Club ’s last show before Christmas. Winner of more comedy gongs than you can shake a stick at, Moriarty combines the lewd and crude with an easy charm and conversational comedy style that makes him one to watch.
What could be better than leaving it all on the dancefloor? How about supporting a local charity while you do! The Tap Social’s Boogie Wonderland features a whopping seven local DJs on decks spinning everything from classic funk and Northern soul to jungle, garage and dubs, all in aid of Crisis’ crucial work to support people experiencing homelessness.
Metalheads have reason to rejoice as Swarmed occupy the Jericho Tavern for a night of hardcore not to be missed. Marking the release of their latest EP, Sun and Void, the band will be joined by Obeyer, Iridium and Crawler to form a lineup of modern metal’s very best.
Wait, What?: The Larder, Magdalen Rd, Thurs 19th Dec, 7pm. Tickets £5.50.
George Street Comedy Club : The Wig and Pen, Fri 20th Dec, 7pm. Tickets £8.50.
Boogie Wonderland in aid of Crisis: Tap Social Movement, Fri 20th Dec, 6pm - midnight. Free, donations encouraged.
Swarmed (ft. Obeyer, Iridium and Crawler) : The Jericho Tavern, Sat 21st Dec, 7pm. Tickets £8 advance, £10 on the door.
Whatever your musical preference, you can dance the night away as we wave goodbye to 2024 and welcome 2025.
Over at the Tap Social they’re turning their taproom into a 80s paradise for Miami Vice New Year’s Party. With tunes spun by Oxford Soul Revue all night long, neon lights and fancy dress encouraged, it promises to be a truly groovy way to ring in the New Year. Or if you're into a booming bassline, Hooked on New Year's Eve at the Bullingdon will have five hours of the finest DnB, Jungle and Reggae.
For something more classical, head to Dorchester Abbey for the Orchestra of St John’s New Years Eve concert, an evening of waltzes and polkas with works from Strauss, Anderson, Gershwin and others. Or you can have a swinging ol’ time at the Summertown Speakeasy with The Ewan Bleach Sextet for an evening of jazz, swing and non-stop dancing.
Miami Vice New Year’s Party: Tap Social Movement, Tue 31st Dec, 8pm to 2am, £13.80
Hooked on New Years Eve: The Bullingdon, Tue 31st Dec, 10pm to 3am, £22.25
New Years Eve Concert: Dorchester Abbey, Tue 31st Dec, 6 to 8pm, £5 to 20
Summertown Speakeasy NYE Party: The Summertown Speakeasy (Cherwell School), Tue 31st Dec, 8pm to 12.30am, £40 to 45
Oxford Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA) is once again hosting their incredible Christmas Lunch at The King’s Centre in Osney Mead. Each year, they serve around 500 diners a three course Christmas dinner for free, with food that would have otherwise gone to waste, and can include transport as well. If you know someone who you think would benefit, head to their website to find out more. We also list further free community resources, including food hampers and alternative Christmas meals, in the Eating Out section of our Christmas Guide - follow the link here to take a look.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Daily Info, and we'll see you in 2025!
Image credits: Instruments of Time and Truth, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Swarmed, Myriam Zilles (Unsplash), Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action
