Reviews by Sophie Francis
Gwyneth Goes Skiing
Sophie Francis
I lost half a day of skiing!
It’s been a year since I witnessed the miraculous madness of Awkward Productions’ Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, so it has also been a year since I became a ...
a month ago
Gwyneth Goes Skiing
Remember Me
Sophie Francis
We were fortunate enough to get matinee tickets to this sold-out show at the Burton Taylor Studio, behind the Oxford Playhouse, on a rather warm Saturday afternoon. Remember Me is a three-hand play ...
3 months ago
Remember Me
The Music of Harry Potter by Mystery Ensemble
Sophie Francis
Harry Potter season is nearly here (only a couple of days until Kings Cross gets over-run with people trying to run into a wall between platforms…) and what better way to start it off by revisiting ...
3 months ago
The Music of Harry Potter by Mystery Ensemble
The Olive Boy
Sophie Francis
“Next time – bring biscuits.” I first read about this show while waiting in the foyer of a different theatre to see a Cher tribute. The less said about *that* evening’s entertainment, the ...
6 months ago
The Olive Boy
Came With The Frame by Mandy Constance
Sophie Francis
Having been fortunate enough to catch a previous performance from the “Oxford Platforms” at the fabulous Old Fire Station in Oxford, we were thrilled to be invited to see this staged reading of ...
10 months ago
Came With The Frame by Mandy Constance
Lizzie On The Fence
Sophie Francis
Just a heads up that I am already a huge fan of Human Story Theatre (HST), and their predecessor Saturday Matinee Company (SatMatCo), so this review will be a rave one. For those who have not come ...
11 months ago
Lizzie On The Fence
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story
Sophie Francis
As this show is on for one more night at The Old Fire Station (Friday 13th October – tomorrow), I feel it is my duty to demand that you go. Created and performed by Linus Karp this drag-cabaret ...
a year ago
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story
An Evening Without Kate Bush
Sophie Francis
She’s not there. But YOU are. I had no idea what I was signing up for when I booked tickets for An Evening Without Kate Bush. My husband had seen the trailer for it and expressed an interest, and ...
a year ago
An Evening Without Kate Bush
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Sophie Francis
Based on the 1988 film starring a suave Michael Caine and crass Steve Martin, this 2004 musical was completely unknown to me until I secured tickets to the opening night at the Old Fire Station. ...
a year ago
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Annie
Sophie Francis
I was so excited to get a last-minute invite to review this first performance of Annie at the New Theatre, Oxford, as the show continues its UK tour. I’ve seen the original John Huston film, many ...
2 years ago
Annie
Hamlet
Sophie Francis
Hamlet – Oxford Castle & Prison, June 21st 2022
To thine own self be true...
I have enjoyed a handful of performances of Hamlet, having studied the play at A-Level many moons ago, so I was very ...
2 years ago
Hamlet
The Rocky Horror Show
Sophie Francis
After the last couple of years of lockdowns, throat-swabbing, mask-wearing and self-isolating madness, and in the ongoing time of a global pandemic, what more could one want than sparkly hats, the ...
3 years ago
The Rocky Horror Show
The Woman in Black
Sophie Francis
“We’ll make an Olivier out of you yet” I entered the Playhouse foyer with some trepidation this evening. Upon mentioning that I was going to see The Woman in Black to one or two people I had ...
3 years ago
The Woman in Black
Under The Mask
Sophie Francis
How do I live with myself if someone gets hurt because of my mistake?
What a way to return to the theatre after months of forced abstinence. In the Playhouse Summer 2021 pamphlet, Under the Mask ...
3 years ago
Under The Mask
A Christmas Carol
Sophie Francis
In usual times I am fortunate enough to get to visit the theatre on an almost weekly basis, so this year has been a very different, and certainly much less culturally rich state of affairs, sadly. ...
4 years ago
A Christmas Carol
Can I Help You?
Sophie Francis
Presented by Playing ON, “a theatre company and social enterprise, set up in 2010 to produce quality theatre, transforming the lives of disenfranchised people”, Can I Help You? is the final play ...
5 years ago
Can I Help You?
Alex Hitchcock Band - presented by Witney Jazz
Sophie Francis
I enjoy listening to jazz. I know a whole lot of nothing about it, which is perhaps why I don’t offer to write reviews of Oxfordshire's jazz nights very often, but I know that I enjoy it.I’m also ...
5 years ago
Alex Hitchcock Band - presented by Witney Jazz
Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense
Sophie Francis
I genuinely didn’t know what to expect from tonight’s performance at The Theatre. My knowledge of PG Wodehouse begins and ends with distant memories of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie’s TV ...
5 years ago
Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense
Educating Rita
Sophie Francis
It is quite possible that my husband and I were the only adults at the opening night of Educating Rita that haven’t seen the award-winning 1983 film starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine. ...
5 years ago
Educating Rita
Me for Queen
Sophie Francis
It’s been nearly three years since I first encountered Mary Erskine’s alter-ego, Me for Queen, and I’ve loosely kept up with her via email, like an unanswered pen-pal; she sends me updates on ...
5 years ago
Me for Queen
Short Stories Aloud
Sophie Francis
Julie Mayhew and Elleke Boehmer, 14th January 2020
It was a dark and stormy night. No, genuinely, it was - I mean, darkness is pretty much guaranteed in mid-January at 7pm, but to add into the ...
5 years ago
Short Stories Aloud
The Day Shall Come [15]
Sophie Francis
It’s quite a rare occurrence for me to come into a film almost completely blind, but I purposely made the decision not to read or watch anything about Chris Morris’ latest offering prior to ...
5 years ago
The Day Shall Come [15]
Judy [12A]
Sophie Francis
The little I know about Judy Garland comes from Hollywood folklore, celebrity gossip magazines and a D in A-Level Media Studies many moons ago. She was drugged to wake her up, she was drugged to ...
5 years ago
Judy [12A]
Grease
Sophie Francis
Everyone has seen Grease, right? The 1978 film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in all their ‘teenage’ heartache-y glory? Grease, the stage musical version, came first, in 1971. ...
5 years ago
Grease
Stones in His Pockets
Sophie Francis
Written by Marie Jones in 1996 for the DubbleJoint Theatre Company in Dublin, Stones in his Pockets has spent the last 20-odd years winning awards and wowing audiences across the world (it’s been ...
5 years ago
Stones in His Pockets
Love's Labour's Lost
Sophie Francis
I arrived at Worcester College with a few moments to appreciate the beautiful buildings and gardens in the last of the day’s faultless blue skies and sunshine. What a stunning venue. With just ...
5 years ago
Love's Labour's Lost
Greta [15]
Sophie Francis
I saw the trailer for Greta and thought it could be a perfect ‘date night’ film to drag my husband along to. He hates a scary film, so, sadly, I don’t get to see them at the cinema very often. ...
6 years ago
Greta [15]
Oxford Literary Festival 2019
Sophie Francis
Interviewed by brilliant literary journalist Suzi Feay, Alex Reeve and Marlene Hauser are both debut novelists, but, on the surface at least, appear to have little else in common.Despite this, Feay ...
6 years ago
Oxford Literary Festival 2019
The Rocky Horror Show
Sophie Francis
I remember buying The Rocky Horror Picture Show on VHS as a teenager.I had never seen the film, but the iconic lips on the cover must have called out a siren song to me, because I bought it blind; no ...
6 years ago
The Rocky Horror Show
Russian State Ballet of Siberia
Sophie Francis
I will hold my hands up and admit that I have never been to the ballet before. In fact, the closest I have come to watching ballet in any form is watching Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. With that ...
6 years ago
Russian State Ballet of Siberia
Mary Queen of Scots [15]
Sophie Francis
With the chameleon-like Saorise Ronan in the eponymous role, this Josie Rourke-helmed film was one I couldn’t wait to see.Mainly to learn a little more about this fascinating period in British ...
6 years ago
Mary Queen of Scots [15]
Dirty Dancing
Sophie Francis
Those first few beats of Be My Baby provoke such a strong reaction in me, taking me back to the days where VHS video cassettes were the height of technology and Dirty Dancing was practically on a ...
6 years ago
Dirty Dancing
The Scarlet Vixens present Frosty Frolics!
Sophie Francis
For the second time this week we ventured upstairs to The Venue in The Jericho Tavern. The pub downstairs was packed with Saturday night revelry and the Christmas party vibe seemingly in full swing, ...
6 years ago
The Scarlet Vixens present Frosty Frolics!
SPUDS! Strange People Undertake a Drag Show
Sophie Francis
We arrived slightly late to the party on this Wednesday night, and boy, what a party it was. We followed the whoops and the cheers through the fairly sedate downstairs bar of The Jericho Tavern, ...
6 years ago
SPUDS! Strange People Undertake a Drag Show
The Magic of Motown
Sophie Francis
I’m always amazed by the buzz of excitement in the foyer of the New Theatre, it’s contagious. Even on a wintry weekday.So, as we took our seats amongst the throng of jolly theatre-goers, thoughts ...
6 years ago
The Magic of Motown
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald [12A]
Sophie Francis
Phoenix Picturehouse, Friday 16th November 2018 It’s been a long two years for my Potter-verse geek husband, and the teaser trailers and, eventually, final trailers for the second in the Fantastic ...
6 years ago
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald [12A]
One Night of Elvis
Sophie Francis
I wasn’t sure what to expect from my visit to New Theatre this evening, having never been to any professional tribute act before, let alone one for the King himself. I had that feeling of ...
6 years ago
One Night of Elvis
Oxford University Jazz Orchestra
Sophie Francis
It’s been a while since we were last at The Mad Hatter - if we lived closer to this Iffley Road gem, I’m pretty sure we would be regulars.It’s such a wonderful venue – very unassuming from ...
6 years ago
Oxford University Jazz Orchestra
The Band
Sophie Francis
Any show that has a backdrop of Ceefax pages (Teletext? Remember that?) flipping through news stories of 9 Sep 1993 and the Top 40 listings, is already a winner with me. That’s what greeted last ...
6 years ago
The Band
Bohemian Rhapsody [12A]
Sophie Francis
The band Queen is a part of me. I have known them forever, as their hair and music pervaded my youth, pretty much from the womb.I’m sure it’s safe to say I’m not the only person who thinks ...
6 years ago
Bohemian Rhapsody [12A]
6 Women
Sophie Francis
I’d better confess upfront that I
am quite invested in 6 Women. A couple of years ago, I was
fortunate enough to be approached to help with a new project about women from 6
different decades of ...
6 years ago
6 Women
Jon Ronson's Psychopath Night
Sophie Francis
I love Jon Ronson. So it’s not going to come as much of a surprise that this review is pretty consistently positive. I can’t remember how I first discovered his work; possibly when the film of ...
6 years ago
Jon Ronson's Psychopath Night
Heather Morris - The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Sophie Francis
I was made aware of The Tattooist of Auschwitz back in February when my mother-in-law received the hardback as a birthday gift. She had nothing but great things to say about it, so when the ...
6 years ago
Heather Morris - The Tattooist of Auschwitz
You've Changed
Sophie Francis
Having never been to Chipping Norton Theatre before, this evening was a two-fold treat. Originally a Salvation Army Citadel, the building is just out of sight of the town centre; beautiful yet ...
6 years ago
You've Changed
Thriller Live
Sophie Francis
Whatever you think of Michael Jackson, there is no getting away from his ubiquitous canon of work – from the early 60s with his brothers in The Jackson Five right up until his untimely death at the ...
6 years ago
Thriller Live
Short Stories Aloud
Sophie Francis
September 18th 2018 - Sharon Bolton and Daisy Johnson Yes! It’s back. After the endless summer break, it’s time to return once again to the wonderful Blackwell’s Bookshop for the ever so ...
6 years ago
Short Stories Aloud
King of Thieves [15]
Sophie Francis
Disappointingly, I missed the initial few minutes of King of Thieves, which I am hoping weren't too important to the plot – I always feel discombobulated if I come into a movie even a minute after ...
6 years ago
King of Thieves [15]
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again [PG]
Sophie Francis
Even if you don’t have access to a television or the internet, there is no way you have missed the fact that there’s a new film featuring the songs from Abba; it is everywhere – the seminal ...
6 years ago
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again [PG]
The Show That Must Not Be Named
Sophie Francis
My husband and I are fully signed up Harry Potter geeks so were intrigued to see Friday's performance in Blackwell's: The Show That Must Not Be Named. I must state upfront – as did our host, Harry ...
6 years ago
The Show That Must Not Be Named
The Yafo Kitchen
Sophie Francis
On entering UE Coffee (62a High Street, Witney) it was impressive how the quirky little coffee shop had been transformed into a quirky little eatery. The tables had been rearranged for optimum ...
7 years ago
The Yafo Kitchen
Cilla - The Musical
Sophie Francis
I’ll admit to knowing very little about the pre-television career of Cilla Black; while I grew up watching her on Blind Date and Surprise Surprise, it was not until I was a lot older that I ...
7 years ago
Cilla - The Musical
DRY
Sophie Francis
Having seen a few Human Story Theatre performances over the last couple of years, I came to Dry knowing that the performances and writing would be of a high standard, regardless of the subject ...
7 years ago
DRY
Harry Potter in Oxford Walking Tour
Sophie Francis
It was a beautiful day to be spending time strolling around Oxford, and what better way to do it than on a guided tour? Despite living in Oxfordshire for over ten years now, I've never visited the ...
7 years ago
Harry Potter in Oxford Walking Tour
Breathe [12A]
Sophie Francis
Breathe begins
in the 1950s, in the grounds of a beautiful country house, where Robin
Cavendish (Andrew Garfield), a charming young man, is playing cricket while
simultaneously falling for Diana ...
7 years ago
Breathe [12A]
Son of a Preacher Man
Sophie Francis
With such names attached to this new musical as Craig Revel Horwood (Director and Musical Staging) and television's Debra Stephenson (Alison) and Ian Reddington (Simon), as well as pop-reality star ...
7 years ago
Son of a Preacher Man
CSI Cogges: Forensic Challenge
Sophie Francis
The excitement began the day
before the event when I received an email thanking me for answering
the call to help solve the case of Flora Yarrow. Attached were related
newspaper articles, Flora's ...
7 years ago
CSI Cogges: Forensic Challenge
Short Stories Aloud
Sophie Francis
Tonight’s Short Stories Aloud was something of a special occasion, where regular audience members got to hear from usual host, Sarah Franklin, from a different perspective. But I am jumping ahead ...
7 years ago
Short Stories Aloud
The Fourth Dog
Sophie Francis
“We’re on our fourth dog for Christ’s sake!” You are cordially invited to witness the wedding of Katie and Andy. With parallels drawn between living and dead ancestors (the latter being ...
7 years ago
The Fourth Dog
I Capture The Castle
Sophie Francis
I can't remember how I first came to read Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle; no doubt it was recommended to me, or I found it on a list of coming-of-age 'Must Reads'. I do remember, however, reading ...
8 years ago
I Capture The Castle
Lewis & Leigh
Sophie Francis
I first discovered Lewis and Leigh at The Jericho Tavern last May, supporting Alphabet Backwards, and I loved their set. So when I heard they were back in Oxford touring their latest album Ghosts I ...
8 years ago
Lewis & Leigh
Wonderland
Sophie Francis
It's quite refreshing going into a musical knowing very little about it. While Wonderland may be based on stories by Lewis Carroll that are world-renowned, I knew nothing about this particular ...
8 years ago
Wonderland
Kate Nash
Sophie Francis
10 years ago Kate Nash released Made of Bricks, treating the world to her quirky, often foul-mouthed style of musical storytelling. I have to admit, while I was aware of her hit 'Foundations', I ...
8 years ago
Kate Nash
Arrival [12A]
Sophie Francis
A mid-week cinema screening at 9 o'clock on a chilly winter's evening is not normally what I would opt for, preferring instead to shut the world out straight after work and be snuggled up at home ...
8 years ago
Arrival [12A]
Sully: Miracle on the Hudson
Sophie Francis
Having seen Tom Hanks everywhere doing his press tour for this film, and being aware of the goings-on in the world over the past few years, it's almost impossible not to know about the release of ...
8 years ago
Sully: Miracle on the Hudson
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them [12A]
Sophie Francis
If you haven't heard about the new film from the team that brought us the Harry Potter juggernaut, then where have you been for the last couple of years? A new JK Rowling penned film, inspired by her ...
8 years ago
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them [12A]
Ghost - The Musical
Sophie Francis
Opening night at the New Theatre and the foyer and auditorium was buzzing. As the city of Oxford filled with grotesque ghouls and sexy witches, the theatre-goers were preparing for a different kind ...
8 years ago
Ghost - The Musical
The Girl on the Train [15]
Sophie Francis
I first heard about Paula Hawkins' book, The Girl on the Train, when I caught the end of an interview with the author on the radio, driving home from work. The concept of the story struck me as a ...
8 years ago
The Girl on the Train [15]
Flat 73
Sophie Francis
I have seen a couple of performances by the Human Story Theatre group, or at least half of the cast under the guise of SatMatCo, so I went into Flat 73 with high expectations of both the writing and ...
8 years ago
Flat 73
Jason Bourne [12A]
Sophie Francis
It's been nearly 10 years since we last saw Matt Damon play Jason Bourne, and 4 years since the forgettable The Bourne Legacy, where the Bourne franchise was slightly sullied with a rather mediocre ...
8 years ago
Jason Bourne [12A]
Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the musical
Sophie Francis
As soon as the house lights dimmed, I knew we were in for a magical evening; the orchestra struck up and the theatre was illuminated with beautiful mirror-ball lights, dazzling the Oxford audience, ...
8 years ago
Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the musical
Perfect
Sophie Francis
I was fortunate enough to hear about one of SatMatCo's (the Saturday Matinee Company) previous shows, Distractingly Female, back in October last year, and thoroughly enjoyed it - a brilliantly ...
8 years ago
Perfect
Short Stories Aloud
Sophie Francis
May 24th 2016 - Tracey Chevalier, Salley Vickers & Tessa Hadley This is my second visit to this monthly event, and I certainly chose a good one to attend! Where else could you possibly get to ...
8 years ago
Short Stories Aloud
Haha's @ The Hatter
Sophie Francis
Having heard that I'd have to answer a riddle to get into The Mad Hatter, I was preparing to hand in a blank page for this review, but fortunately the doors were open and we were welcomed warmly to ...
8 years ago
Haha's @ The Hatter
Alphabet Backwards, Lewis & Leigh, Cosmosis
Sophie Francis
Last night I found myself at the Jericho Tavern. When I say 'I found myself' I mean, I had purposely gone there to take in the evening's entertainment, but while there I also had a bit of an ...
9 years ago
Alphabet Backwards, Lewis & Leigh, Cosmosis
Newton Faulkner
Sophie Francis
Another mid-week treat awaited us at the O2 Academy on Cowley Road, in the form of the silken-voiced be-dreaded Newton Faulkner. But first we had to fight our way through the traffic, roadworks, ...
9 years ago
Newton Faulkner
Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Sophie Francis
In all of my 36 years, this is the first time I have ever seen a live performance of Joseph, yet I know pretty much every single word to all of the songs. Last night I surprised myself with the eerie ...
9 years ago
Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Binding
Sophie Francis
When I read the line-up for tonight's theatre at the Burton Taylor Studio, I knew it would be an interesting evening. Especially as my partner has recently begun his own transition as female-to-male ...
9 years ago
Binding
The Missy Malone and Friends Burlesque Revue
Sophie Francis
This was an anniversary of sorts for me. I spent Valentine's Day with Missy Malone and her troupe last year, popping my burlesque cherry at the Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot. So this year I ...
9 years ago
The Missy Malone and Friends Burlesque Revue
Simon Sebag Montefiore and The Romanovs
Sophie Francis
I happened to catch an interview with Simon Sebag Montefiore about his latest book The Romanovs on Simon Mayo's BBC 2 Drivetime show a couple of weeks ago. Now usually I would be hesitant to attend a ...
9 years ago
Simon Sebag Montefiore and The Romanovs
Gabrielle Aplin, Lewis Watson, Hannah Grace
Sophie Francis
Last night's gig started with the powerful bluesy sound of Hannah Grace. I recommend everyone YouTube her immediately, and pay particular attention to her cover of Beyonce's 'Crazy in Love' with a ...
9 years ago
Gabrielle Aplin, Lewis Watson, Hannah Grace
Short Stories Aloud
Sophie Francis
Short Stories Aloud is a monthly event held on the third Tuesday of the month at Blackwells Bookshop on Broad Street. Those attending are treated to an evening of, well, exactly what it says on the ...
9 years ago
Short Stories Aloud
Karima Francis, Charlie Hole & Roberto y Juan
Sophie Francis
My partner and I have been so excited to see Karima Francis live that we’ve both had countdown apps on our phone for the event since he booked the tickets back in September. I was introduced to her ...
9 years ago
Karima Francis, Charlie Hole & Roberto y Juan
Scouting For Girls, Mike Dignam
Sophie Francis
The last time I saw Scouting for Girls was at the Cornbury Festival a few years ago. And it was absolutely pouring with rain. Last night was no different, except the rain was in November (not July) ...
9 years ago
Scouting For Girls, Mike Dignam
Stomp
Sophie Francis
A unique combination of percussion, movement and visual comedy is how Stomp is described in the programme, and that is perfectly accurate. However, it doesn’t begin to explain how energetic and ...
9 years ago
Stomp
Elvis Night: Escape to Las Vegas
Sophie Francis
On Saturday evening, Elvis came to Woodstock and he brought some friends with him to entertain us. The venue was nicely busy, the bar area buzzing with the Rugby World Cup on in the background and ...
9 years ago
Elvis Night: Escape to Las Vegas
Swing Fix
Sophie Francis
My partner and I turned up just before 7:30pm, upstairs at The Mitre, to find the previous session still going strong, and everyone looking rather good. Now, I’ve taken part in dance lessons ...
9 years ago
Swing Fix
Romeo and Juliet
Sophie Francis
I never really thought of Romeo and Juliet as a comedy. You know the one; Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy? The one where our eponymous hero and heroine are both dead, by their own hand, by the ...
9 years ago
Romeo and Juliet
Cult Screens - Oxford
Sophie Francis
Clearly I won’t be reviewing the film. The film needs no reviewing. It is an 80s classic. A spectacle of sexy dancing, sexy romance and sexy old people who steal wallets. OK, scratch that last ...
9 years ago
Cult Screens - Oxford
The Listening Room
Sophie Francis
So I went to another gig last night. I know – on a school night! And I am so glad I did, even though, sadly, We Aeronauts had cancelled due to illness. My reason for attending this particular gig, ...
9 years ago
The Listening Room
Molly Goes to Pride
Sophie Francis
I’m always a bit nervous about turning up to clubs or pubs on my own. I had a pair of tickets for Molly’s second outing and a friend was supposed to be joining me, but was called into work. So I ...
9 years ago
Molly Goes to Pride
Cornerstone Comedy Club
Sophie Francis
“Hey Baby! Better stop smoking those cigarettes…Baby!” I love to laugh, which is always a good start when going to watch a comedy show. Paradoxically, I have a mixture of the British reserve ...
9 years ago
Cornerstone Comedy Club
The Strays, Too Many Poets, The Grafham Water Sailing Club, Mogmatic
Sophie Francis
It’s been a while since I went to see some live, local music. I used to do it loads when I was married; my husband recorded a weekly ‘new music’ podcast, which I gatecrashed after a while, and ...
10 years ago
The Strays, Too Many Poets, The Grafham Water Sailing Club, Mogmatic
Missy Malone and Friends Burlesque Revue
Sophie Francis
This was a last minute show for me – a friend from work told me she was going, and since I had no plans for Valentine’s Day (aw, shame) I figured I’d grab the chance to see what this burlesque ...
10 years ago
Missy Malone and Friends Burlesque Revue
Mark Watson
Sophie Francis
“Be funny, Daddy!” Having seen Mark Watson on various panel shows, and enjoyed his rather neurotic brand of comedy, I was looking forward to spending the evening with him. Especially with a show ...
10 years ago
Mark Watson
Dirty Dancing
Sophie Francis
I was lucky enough not only to get tickets to see this show (I was obsessed with the film) but also to interview the main three cast members AND have a little look backstage. Having never interviewed ...
10 years ago
Dirty Dancing
But First This
Sophie Francis
I would imagine I am not the target audience for this show. Admittedly, I am a massive fan of The Archers (I blame my parents), but I’m afraid that’s my only weakness for the station – aside ...
10 years ago
But First This
Hardboiled - The Fall of Sam Shadow
Sophie Francis
I was fortunate enough to see Rhum and Clay’s outstanding version of The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde at the Watermill Theatre last year, so I was excited to see their return to ...
10 years ago
Hardboiled - The Fall of Sam Shadow
Annie Get Your Gun
Sophie Francis
As the curtain lifts on this classic Wild West romp, the audience are teased with a slowed-down version of “There’s No Business like Show Business” as the Company move equally ...
10 years ago
Annie Get Your Gun
Pygmalion
Sophie Francis
I have never seen Pygmalion before, in fact, I’ve not even seen the film adaptation My Fair Lady. (As an Audrey Hepburn fan, I should be ashamed of myself.) So I came to this performance ...
11 years ago
Pygmalion
Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the musical
Sophie Francis
One look at the cover of the programme and you know you’re in for a fun evening – three men in enormous wigs and outrageous outfits, surrounded by sparkly disco lights. Unless ...
11 years ago
Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the musical
FT Weekend: Oxford Literary Festival
Sophie Francis
I was fortunate enough to be given my ticket to this event at the last-minute, and since it wasn’t a talk I would necessarily have chosen to go to, history not being a strong subject of mine, ...
11 years ago
FT Weekend: Oxford Literary Festival
The Tempest
Sophie Francis
After a rather long sojourn from seeing Shakespeare performed on stage, the first 30 minutes of this show was a bit of a shock to the system; it took a while to get back into the rhythm and flow of ...
11 years ago
The Tempest
FT Weekend: Oxford Literary Festival
Sophie Francis
Having read a few of Anita Shreve’s novels over the last few years, I was looking forward to her talk with Paul Blezard. Plus it gave me an excuse to go and buy her latest book The Lives of ...
11 years ago
FT Weekend: Oxford Literary Festival
Ghost The Musical
Sophie Francis
I’m the first to admit that I was slightly obsessed with Patrick Swayze back in the day. So I may have worn out my VHS copy of the film version of Ghost. This would initially, perhaps, suggest ...
11 years ago
Ghost The Musical
Replay
Sophie Francis
It’s always unnerving to enter an intimate auditorium and find the actors lying on the stage already, like you’ve arrived late to a small dinner party and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. ...
11 years ago
Replay
Noel Coward's Semi-Monde
Sophie Francis
Even before the performance had begun it felt as though we’d been transported to a vibrant party-scene, and that was just in the foyer of the Oxford Playhouse. There was a frisson of excitement ...
11 years ago
Noel Coward's Semi-Monde
Dallas Buyers Club [15]
Sophie Francis
“I guess you're handsome, in a Texas, hick, white trash, dumb kind of way.”
I know everyone is raving about Matthew McConaughey's star performance in this film, but I'm ...
11 years ago
Dallas Buyers Club [15]
Jo Caulfield: Celebration of Anger
Sophie Francis
This was my second visit to The North Wall, so I was ready for the fairly intimate size and layout this time round, although I hadn’t thought of it as a ‘posh prison’ as Jo ...
11 years ago
Jo Caulfield: Celebration of Anger
American Hustle [15]
Sophie Francis
“Some of this actually happened…”
American Hustle starts with a masterpiece of hair arrangement. We meet small-time con-man Irving Rosenfeld as the camera sweeps up from the ...
11 years ago
American Hustle [15]
12 Years a Slave [15]
Sophie Francis
“Slavery is an evil that should befall none.”
I’d heard a lot about 12 Years a Slave and that it was hotly tipped for the upcoming awards season, with an A-List cast including ...
11 years ago
12 Years a Slave [15]
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Sophie Francis
I bought tickets to see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe as a Christmas present for my partner. He'd mentioned it in passing and since we never go to the theatre, I looked it up and thought ...
11 years ago
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Oxford Literary Festival 2018
Sophie Francis
Tim Bentinck is best known for his role on long-running radio serial The Archers as David Archer. But you would never believe what else he’s been up to since he was born on a sheep station in ...
7 years ago
Oxford Literary Festival 2018
Rocketman [15]
Sophie Francis
We have been teased with trailers, snippets and a social media storm surrounding this colourful, epic musical fantasy about the early days of Elton John for months now, at least since the tear-jerker ...
5 years ago
Rocketman [15]
Rock of Ages
Sophie Francis
How prescient of my husband and his astute observation as we took our seats before the stadium-like stage: stacked Marshall speakers and scaffold-like light-rigs setting the scene for a rockin’ 80s ...
6 years ago
Rock of Ages
Oxford Literary Festival 2018
Sophie Francis
When I told my partner that I was going to listen to Ruby Wax talk about her new book How to Be Human – The Manual he kindly informed me that I’d made it this far without a manual, and done ...
7 years ago
Oxford Literary Festival 2018
