Reviews by Anna Dominey
Seed Guardians
Anna Dominey
“It takes a village to… save the world!” I have been aware of the pioneering work of Mandala Theatre Company for years but for one reason or another had never managed to catch their shows ...
2 months ago
Seed Guardians
Re:Fashion - a local sustainable runway show
Anna Dominey
Timed perfectly to coincide with Sustainable Fashion Week 2024, Cherwell Collective launched their Carbon Cost of Fashion exhibition (running at Blenheim Palace from 23-27 September at the Stables ...
2 months ago
Re:Fashion - a local sustainable runway show
Unfortunate: The Untold Story Of Ursula The Sea Witch
Anna Dominey
Having had a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and now stopping in Oxford on a UK-wide tour, Unfortunate
has a lot of hype around it. Witnessing the rapid development from
fringe play to ...
8 months ago
Unfortunate: The Untold Story Of Ursula The Sea Witch
Alison Spittle: Soup
Anna Dominey
Alison Spittle made a triumphant return to the Old Fire Station last night to serve up (ahem) her latest treat: the Oxford leg of her Soup tour. Although she is Irish and lives in London, this ...
9 months ago
Alison Spittle: Soup
Hot House
Anna Dominey
As
part of the ongoing Dancin’ Oxford Spring Festival, Richard Chappell
Dance returned to the Oxford Playhouse on 4th March for the Oxford leg
of the tour of their new show, Hot House. The ...
10 months ago
Hot House
Jonny & The Baptists: The Happiness Index / Ten Thankless Years
Anna Dominey
Musical
comedy act Jonny and the Baptists are going on a new tour, launched
from their ‘spiritual home’, Oxford’s very own Arts at the Old Fire
Station. They will be here for two more ...
11 months ago
Jonny & The Baptists: The Happiness Index / Ten Thankless Years
Shrek The Musical
Anna Dominey
As a fan both of musicals and the film Shrek, I leapt at the chance to witness the combination of these two concepts in the form of Shrek The Musical, which is running at the New Theatre this week. I ...
a year ago
Shrek The Musical
Unexpected Twist
Anna Dominey
This half term, Oxford Playhouse hosts the latest production from the Children’s Theatre Partnership and the Royal & Derngate, Northampton: a new musical based on Michael Rosen’s 2018 ...
2 years ago
Unexpected Twist
King Lear
Anna Dominey
Siege Theatre are rounding off this year’s Oxford Shakespeare Festival with a production of Shakespeare’s tragic tale of succession and betrayal, King Lear. This may seem an odd choice to take in ...
2 years ago
King Lear
Johannes Passion Performed by Luceat Choir
Anna Dominey
As Easter eggs often go on sale the minute the Christmas decorations come down, the anticipation of this seasonal celebration can quickly fade into the background, so that it later creeps up on us, ...
3 years ago
Johannes Passion Performed by Luceat Choir
Do You Love Me Yet? - Online Event
Anna Dominey
What happens when you take two professional actors who have never met, and film them having a conversation, live and unscripted? This is an interesting enough experiment to explore, but in Do You ...
4 years ago
Do You Love Me Yet? - Online Event
The Black Horse
Anna Dominey
Want to see what The Black Horse is like for yourself? We're running a giveaway competition where you can win a £50 voucher! Since welcoming customers back in August, the team at the Black Horse ...
4 years ago
The Black Horse
Dirty Bones
Anna Dominey
As a resident of the Westgate’s rooftop, Dirty Bones (the only branch outside London) is relatively new to Oxford, and that youth seems to translate into an innovative energy which is perfectly ...
4 years ago
Dirty Bones
Brasserie Blanc
Anna Dominey
To demonstrate how well they have adapted to the requirements of ‘the new normal’, the Brasserie Blanc team kindly invited Team DI to try some complimentary food in their lovely venue. The tables ...
4 years ago
Brasserie Blanc
We Will Rock You
Anna Dominey
We Will Rock You is a fun and energetic show that unashamedly knows and embraces its target demographic, from a position somewhere between a tribute show and a jukebox musical: an unlikely vision of ...
5 years ago
We Will Rock You
Russian State Ballet of Siberia
Anna Dominey
Coppélia, Monday 24th February 2020
The Russian State Ballet of Siberia are currently touring around the country, and are in Oxford for just two more nights, offering a novel, pleasing ...
5 years ago
Russian State Ballet of Siberia
Science Oxford Centre
Anna Dominey
The newly-opened Science Oxford centre is a fabulous space for enthusing kids about the joys of scientific discovery. I went along with a curious friend for a special Harry Potter-themed night just ...
5 years ago
Science Oxford Centre
The Personal History of David Copperfield [PG]
Anna Dominey
At a time when the real-life farce of politics is taking itself beyond the realm of parody, sometimes we need a dose of cinematic escapism. I was surprised to find such a tonic served up by renowned ...
5 years ago
The Personal History of David Copperfield [PG]
All Aboard the H-Ox-Warts Express!
Anna Dominey
Tapping into the Harry Potter hype that pervades amongst grown-up muggles (especially here in Oxford!), Science Oxford have uncovered the secret to engaging the young-at-heart with their impressive ...
5 years ago
All Aboard the H-Ox-Warts Express!
James Street Tavern
Anna Dominey
The James Street Tavern has had a makeover and is almost unrecognisable, so far is it from its previous incarnation. The decor has been updated, and the family team who also run the Old Bookbinders ...
5 years ago
James Street Tavern
Randall Munroe - How To
Anna Dominey
The Sheldonian was almost literally packed to the rafters on Friday night as excitable nerds of all ages piled in to hear from the veritable genius behind the xkcd comics, Randall Munroe. Munroe is ...
5 years ago
Randall Munroe - How To
BBuona Pinsa Bar
Anna Dominey
This delightful pizzeria has an unassuming exterior on Gloucester Green, meaning it is somewhat hiding in plain sight. From outside, Buongiorno E Buonasera looks like a deli you would nip into to ...
5 years ago
BBuona Pinsa Bar
Malory Towers
Anna Dominey
Malory Towers is the second production from Wise Children, the new theatre company headed by renowned director Emma Rice. A nostalgia-filled adaptation of children’s fiction may seem an odd choice ...
5 years ago
Malory Towers
The Grapes
Anna Dominey
I loved the last iteration of The Grapes so went on something of an emotional rollercoaster when it appeared to close down a few months ago and then suddenly reopen soon afterwards, consisting of ...
5 years ago
The Grapes
Posh
Anna Dominey
In a week when the 'born to rule' attitude of Old Etonians in power threatening the freedom of the many has faced vocal widespread scrutiny, resulting in real-life politics being more dramatic than ...
5 years ago
Posh
Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Anna Dominey
With its bright displays and desert setting, the celebratory atmosphere created by Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat makes this production feel like a perfect show for the summer, even if ...
5 years ago
Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
The Girl on the Train
Anna Dominey
Adapted from Paula Hawkins' record-breaking bestseller of the same title, The Girl on the Train arrives in Oxford at an exciting time, just before its tour reaches the West End. The stage production ...
5 years ago
The Girl on the Train
Cornbury Festival 2019
Anna Dominey
Set among beautiful countryside in a way that feels simultaneously spacious and like a collective experience, Cornbury Festival is a well-curated weekend of, quite simply, great music. Compared to ...
5 years ago
Cornbury Festival 2019
Offbeat Festival 2019
Anna Dominey
Life and Death, Old Fire Station, Sat 29th June
The billing of 'Life and Death' - 'four Oxford University researchers explore life's big questions through drama, comedy and live music' - was ...
5 years ago
Offbeat Festival 2019
Tandem Festival 2019
Anna Dominey
If you're looking for a day's or weekend's worth of new, unique and uplifting experiences, seek out a ticket to Tandem Festival. The volunteer-led collaborative effort, featuring partnerships with ...
5 years ago
Tandem Festival 2019
The Runway Show
Anna Dominey
Since 2016, under the command and creative drive of Laure 'Lady Boss' Loutala Mpolo, AFROShow has brought the most exciting fashion designers with influences from all over Africa right to Oxford's ...
5 years ago
The Runway Show
Turn of the Screw
Anna Dominey
Having not encountered Turn of the Screw before, whether the original short story or one of the numerous screen adaptations it has inspired, I had no preconceptions about what to expect as I headed ...
5 years ago
Turn of the Screw
SOLD
Anna Dominey
North Wall Arts Centre, Thursday 6th June 2019 Kuumba Nia Arts and the Unlock the Chains Collective have come together to produce SOLD, a masterful adaptation of the autobiography of Mary Prince, who ...
6 years ago
SOLD
The Anchor Inn
Anna Dominey
Finding myself with an idle afternoon, having
finished some errands in town and in a mood to have someone else do the
cooking, without wanting the grease of another takeaway, I decided to wander to ...
6 years ago
The Anchor Inn
Healing Spaces Exhibition
Anna Dominey
For anyone with an interest in history, whether in terms of local history, the history of science and medicine, or the development of social policies, I would urge you to spend a little time ...
6 years ago
Healing Spaces Exhibition
Reginald D Hunter: Facing the Beast
Anna Dominey
I have always admired Reginald D Hunter as a comedian who is controversial in the right way, and on Twitter and in interviews he comes across as a genuinely decent person. So I was hoping that the ...
6 years ago
Reginald D Hunter: Facing the Beast
Ray Bradshaw: Deaf Comedy Fam
Anna Dominey
Ray Bradshaw has an unusual background, in that he was raised by two deaf parents and consequently, as this show revealed, is fluent in sign language and acted as their interpreter from a young age. ...
6 years ago
Ray Bradshaw: Deaf Comedy Fam
Lucy Spraggan
Anna Dominey
When Lucy Spraggan won over the X Factor judges auditioning with an original composition, it was clear she had wit, talent and buckets of personality. Seven years and five albums later, she proved ...
6 years ago
Lucy Spraggan
Côte Brasserie
Anna Dominey
Côte is one of those rare chain restaurants that proves that repeating a winning formula can sometimes ensure everyone can enjoy a great experience wherever they are. I've been to a few of their ...
6 years ago
Côte Brasserie
The Sisters Brothers [15]
Anna Dominey
Adapted from Walter deWitt's 2011 novel of the same title, The Sisters Brothers, as director Jacques Audiard's first English-language film, is a beautifully told, if occasionally strangely-paced, ...
6 years ago
The Sisters Brothers [15]
The Plough
Anna Dominey
Re-opening in 2018 after an 80-year stint as The Tailor, The Plough makes a convincing claim to being 'Oxford's newest oldest pub' - the original Plough stood on the same site from 1656 to 1924. ...
6 years ago
The Plough
Afternoon Tea at Exeter College
Anna Dominey
Whether it's for holding a Guinness World Record for most toast soldiers simultaneously dunked into boiled eggs, or for its renowned conference catering services, Exeter College enjoys a reputation ...
6 years ago
Afternoon Tea at Exeter College
Victoria Turk - Digital Etiquette
Anna Dominey
When I first registered for Let's Discuss Digital Etiquette, I had anticipated quite a theoretical comparison of people's behaviour on- and offline, perhaps with a bit of handwringing about how ...
6 years ago
Victoria Turk - Digital Etiquette
Carmen
Anna Dominey
The founding aim of the Oxford Opera Company is to provide a professional opera for Oxford - fronted by professional performers from all over the world, while remaining rooted in the community. This ...
6 years ago
Carmen
Annie
Anna Dominey
As someone who was a childhood fan of the film version of Annie, I will try to avoid comparing the stage show to the film throughout this review! The well-known story follows the antics of Annie (a ...
6 years ago
Annie
Wig and Pen
Anna Dominey
With its central location, and cosier surroundings than some of its chain-restaurant neighbours, the Wig and Pen offers a safe option for anyone looking to get a quick, cheap meal en route to the ...
6 years ago
Wig and Pen
Gangstagrass
Anna Dominey
With awesome instrumentals, mesmerising rhythms and creative verbosity, Gangstagrass are a musical sensation not to be missed. Their innovative combining of Hip Hop and Bluegrass does more than carve ...
6 years ago
Gangstagrass
Waiting for Gary
Anna Dominey
AD: For people who have never encountered your work before, how would you sum up what you do?
KS: If I had to sum up my work, I would call it contemporary comedy with a feminist twist. My first ...
6 years ago
Waiting for Gary
The Rocky Shock
Anna Dominey
In the Wardrobe Theatre’s signature style, The Rocky Shock is a mashup of two well-known shows, in this case two Rocky’s - Balboa and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. To truly cement the sense of ...
6 years ago
The Rocky Shock
Sister Act the Musical
Anna Dominey
The award-winning Oxford Operatic Society have produced a joyful, loving homage to the blockbuster hit Sister Act, in a show guaranteed to fill you with warmth this January.
The group brings to ...
6 years ago
Sister Act the Musical
The Red Lion (Gloucester St)
Anna Dominey
Standing proudly on Gloucester Street in the very centre of town, the Red Lion is understandably popular as a spot for midweek drinks, particularly in their pretty beer garden, which is usually ...
6 years ago
The Red Lion (Gloucester St)
Syncopation: OUJO end-of-term concert
Anna Dominey
The dress code on the invitation to Oxford University Jazz Orchestra's end-of-term concert was 'smart casual', which, while its exact meaning in terms of clothes perpetually has people wringing their ...
6 years ago
Syncopation: OUJO end-of-term concert
Salome
Anna Dominey
Oscar Wilde's Salome is one of his lesser-known plays, possibly because it is so starkly different from the romping comedies for which he is most celebrated. Expanded from just a few short verses ...
6 years ago
Salome
Smallfoot [U]
Anna Dominey
Smallfoot is a warm, likeable film reflective of a golden age for kids’ cinema. It has a number of serious messages which do not in any way compromise how enjoyable it is to watch.
As the title ...
6 years ago
Smallfoot [U]
Juliet and Romeo
Anna Dominey
Juliet and Romeo, a new production from Lost Dog theatre, sets out to explore what would happen if Shakespeare’s tragedy hadn’t ended with both the protagonists dying. The overarching message I ...
6 years ago
Juliet and Romeo
Michèle Mendelssohn 'Making Oscar Wilde'
Anna Dominey
I went along to Dr Michèle Mendelssohn’s Making Oscar Wilde unsure of what to expect. Having studied Wilde in some depth for my A-Level English coursework seven years ago, and being aware of the ...
6 years ago
Michèle Mendelssohn 'Making Oscar Wilde'
Book Launch - White Lies, Deadly Lies by Peter Tickler
Anna Dominey
White Lies Deadly Lies is the accomplished 6th crime novel from local author Peter Tickler, which Oxfordshire-based readers will enjoy as much for the familiar setting as for the cleverly told, ...
6 years ago
Book Launch - White Lies, Deadly Lies by Peter Tickler
The New Dancing Dragon
Anna Dominey
In an unassuming building on the Banbury Road, just north of the bustling parades of Summertown, the delights of the New Dancing Dragon await. The restaurant has undergone a monumental transformation ...
6 years ago
The New Dancing Dragon
Festival Dinner
Anna Dominey
The invitation to the first ever IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival dinner didn't give much away, only that there would be a short talk from a philosophy professor at the end, so I arrived not ...
6 years ago
Festival Dinner
IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival
Anna Dominey
Festival Dinner, Hertford College, Thu 18th Oct 2018.
The invitation to the first ever IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival dinner didn't give much away, only that there would be a short talk from ...
6 years ago
IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival
The Bicycle Shed
Anna Dominey
We trekked through a very rainy Sunday morning to the warm haven of the newly-opened Bicycle Shed, a bit worse for wear after a heavy Saturday night. I was a bit disappointed to discover that brunch ...
6 years ago
The Bicycle Shed
Joe's Bar & Grill
Anna Dominey
Joe’s is a charming place which is quirkier than it initially seems, and enduringly popular because of the many purposes it can serve as a venue: it is just as naturally a home for a casual burger ...
6 years ago
Joe's Bar & Grill
The Wife [15]
Anna Dominey
As a reviewer, I have watched several shows recently from which a lot of the merit comes from the plot. I don’t mean to say that this makes The Wife one dimensional, because it is miles away from ...
6 years ago
The Wife [15]
The Fishermen
Anna Dominey
Having been given a fairly detailed description of the plot of The Fishermen, I arrived at the North Wall feeling well prepared for this powerful drama, but there was so much more to this play than ...
6 years ago
The Fishermen
Thirsty Meeples
Anna Dominey
'Congratulations, you guys are in charge of a unicorn stable'. Overheard from one of Thirsty Meeples' experts explaining a game to another table, this pretty much sums up what visitors love about ...
6 years ago
Thirsty Meeples
The White Rabbit
Anna Dominey
Tucked away in the deceptively unappealing Friars Entry, the White Rabbit is something of a poorly-kept secret in the heart of Oxford. With a combination of great food and drink, friendly staff and ...
6 years ago
The White Rabbit
