This week's best of Oxford - theatre, exhibitions, comedy - is all wrapped up in our fabulous Editor's Picks.

Acting the Part

Our theatre picks have a literary leaning to them this week, beginning with a unique adaptation of a 19th century classic. Tess, a dynamic staging of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbevilles, returns to the Oxford Playhouse, where it wowed Oxford audiences last year with its deft use of circus techniques to capture Tess’s tightrope walk through Wessex society.

Or if detective fiction is more your cup of tea, there’s no mystery as to where you should spend your evening tonight - Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act at the Cornerstone Theatre! With Nigel Miles-Thomas as our titular sleuth (and fourteen other characters as well!), see an ageing Holmes come out of retirement following the death of Dr. Watson for the final case of his legendary career, with plenty of familiar faces along the way… Can’t catch it tonight? Solve the case by heading to the Mill Arts Centre on the 13th!

And those that want to throw the book out the window and choose chaos, look to Who Stole the Script? at the Burton Taylor Studio. The House of Improv sends up the film noir genre with shady dames, grizzled PIs and gangsters galore - all completely made up on the spot. Come with suggestions ready for a new noir every night.

Tess: Oxford Playhouse, Tue 4th - Thu 6th Mar, 7.30pm (plus 1.30pm Thu). Tickets from £14.

Sherlock Holmes’ Last Act: Cornerstone Arts Centre, Thu 27th Feb, 7.30pm. Tickets £16 full price, £14.40 concessions, £12.80 members.

Who Stole the Script?: Burton Taylor Studio, Tue 4th - Sat 8th Mar, 9.30pm. Tickets £6/5.

Bright Young Things

Three up-and-coming comedians tour their latest works to Oxford this week, bringing heaps of laughs with them. First up, at the Glee Club, is French stand-up Celya AB (supported by Oxford's own Chelsea Birkby). The previous winner of Best Newcomer at the Chortle Awards, her latest brings her self-deprecating wit alongside a side order of hot takes on judges, toothpaste and the sexiest thing anyone can do on a date.

Birkby is also touring their latest show, This is Life, Cheeky Cheeky, to Oxford for a homecoming gig. A smash hit at the Edinburgh Fringe, with Chelsea featuring on Dave’s list of top jokes of the fringe, it’s an hour that’s smart and silly, meshing pop culture and philosophy that should go down a treat.

Finally, there’s Huge Davies who combines comedy chops with lyrical prowess, as he weaves songs into his shows alongside deadpan humour and crowd participation. There’s no performer quite like Davies on the scene today.

Celya AB: Of All People: The Glee Club, The Bullingdon, Thu 27th Feb, 7.15pm, £14-16

Chelsea Birkby: This is Life, Cheeky Cheeky: Common Ground, Fri 7th Mar, 7pm, £7.50 to 9.50

Huge Davies: Album For My Ancestors (Dead): North Wall, Sat 1st Mar, 8pm, £18.50

Books, Radio and Textiles

Expect a burst of colour at Magdalen Road Studios as Textiles in Oxford unveils their showcase for 2025. Using the theme ‘Kaleidoscope’, local textile artists have used a variety of techniques to let their imagination run wild, creating an eclectic exhibition that celebrates the possibilities of the medium.

History buffs will want to make a beeline to the Weston Library for Magna Carta 1225 , marking the 800th anniversary of the definitive document granting crucial rights for England’s barons against the Crown. 1215 might be when the Magna Carta was first issued, but it wasn’t until 1225 that it was solidified by Henry III - chart its evolution over the course of ten years with copies of each manuscript, and see its cultural impact across the centuries.

And while you’re there, lend an ear to a more recent innovation with Listen In, an exploration of the impact of radio on domestic life. Explore how tuning into the airwaves changed a generation via first-hand accounts from home radio’s first listeners.

Kaleidoscope: Magdalen Road Studios, Sat 1st - Sun 9th Mar, 10am - 7pm. Free, artwork for sale.

Magna Carta 1225: Weston Library, until Mon 21st Apr, 9am - 5pm. Free.

Listen In: Weston Library, until Sun 31st Aug, 9am - 5pm. Free.

Let's Get Quizzical

Do you teem with trivia? Are you a whiz at a quiz? If so, this section is for you!

There’s three great quizzes happening in less than a week. First up, join the Lord Mayor of Oxford for a charity quiz at the Town Hall, in support of three great local organisations. Yellow Submarine empowers and employs those with learning disability and on the autism spectrum, SeeSaw offers grief support to young people and their families, and Love Barton is a Christian charity fighting poverty and deprivation in Barton. Come along for a joyous general knowledge quiz and do good in the process.

On Saturday afternoon, the Bring Your Baby Quiz returns to Tap Social Movement. Bring Your Baby started as a series of guided walks and has now branched into a popular recurring quiz, which encourages appearances from infants and provides the same buzzy, friendly competition of a late night pub quiz, at a parent-friendly time.

Finally, on Wednesday, Port Mahon plays host to the second PMQs History Quiz, run by the Oxford Brookes History Society. This bi-weekly quiz alternates with their film quiz from Keeping It Reel, so every week offers a chance to sharpen up your skills - and maybe win a £50 pub voucher. Get ready to go down in quiztory!

Lord Mayor of Oxford's Charity Quiz Night 2025: Oxford Town Hall, Fri 28th Feb, 7pm doors for a 7.30 start. Tickets £6

Bring Your Baby Pub Quiz: Tap Social Movement, Botley, Sat 1st Mar, 12 to 2.30pm. Tickets £11.

PMQs History Quiz: The Port Mahon, Wed 5th Mar, 7pm. Tickets £3.

Glitzy Finale

Sunday marks the award season finale for this year, with the Oscars (which you can watch on ITV if you want to stay up for it). And amongst the contenders is I’m Still Here. Nominated for three awards – best picture, lead actress and international feature – and a strong contender. In the final category, it chronicles a mother as she struggles to keep her family together during the 70s Brazilian dictatorship.

An also ran for awards glory (it was nominated for both BAFTAs and Golden Globes) is Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl, with a career-best turn from Pamela Anderson as an aging showgirl facing retirement.

And the Ultimate Picture Palace has a past Best Picture winner, Billy Wilder’s wonderful, bittersweet comedy The Apartment. Following an insurance clerk as he navigates office politics and potential romance, the film won 5 awards at the 1961 ceremony, including Picture and Director.

I’m Still Here: Phoenix Picturehouse, Curzon Oxford

The Last Showgirl: Phoenix Picturehouse, Curzon Oxford

The Apartment: the Ultimate Picture Palace

And Finally

Is there a local charity that holds a special place in your heart? Nominate them for Brand the Bus! The competition from Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel collects votes from the public, with the winning charity’s brand plastered on a double decker bus, as part of an advertising package worth £100,000. The contest is open to all charities and good causes making a positive impact in Oxfordshire, but this is the final call for nominations, so be quick - entries close on Saturday, March 1st!

Image credits: Oxford Playhouse, Glee Club, Bodleian Library, Oxford Town Hall, Oxford Bus Company