By Oscar Wilde

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple...”

Best friends and fashionable young men, Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing, seem to have hit upon the perfect ruse to escape their social responsibilities. They lead double lives – one in the city and one in the country. But when love enters the mix, confusion reigns. Into these choppy waters sails the formidable Lady Bracknell...

Oxford Theatre Guild present Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy for the very first time – updating the action to the roaring 1920s, where the young are determined to escape the strait-laced attitudes of the previous Edwardian era and embrace freedom and frivolity.

One of Oscar Wilde’s most enduringly popular plays, The Importance of Being Earnest features some of his best-loved characters, including Lady Bracknell, Miss Prism, Jack Worthing and Gwendolen Fairfax. A razor-sharp satire of snobbery and class distinctions, and an evening of hilarious misunderstandings.

AGE: 12+
DURATION: 120 minutes

Written and performed by Edith Alibec
Directed by Dana Paraschiv

Life doesn’t always turn out like you've imagined.

Fresh from a breakup, stuck in a weird job and having sex with randomers in search of The One™?, this is a(nother) one woman show about a(nother) woman. She’s really trying - but at a school reunion, all her peers are talking about investment banking, children and marriage. Feel like keeping her company?

Edith Alibec’s bittersweet play celebrates the bravery of failing (and laughing) at life when you've found yourself out of place - in another country, in the wrong company, or when you just feel like you've been left behind.

AGE: 16+
VENUE: BT Studio

By D.R. Hill

Draining the Swamp is a provocative new play, with five actors, exploring the life and activities of Fascist leader, Sir Oswald Mosley, from the 1930’s to 1960’s. It links Mosley’s world, and that of his controversial wife, Diana Mitford, to contemporary politicians and populist movements, with a chilling 2019 conclusion.

AGE: 12+
DURATION: 80 minutes
VENUE: BT Studio

Starring Shawna Hamic (Orange is the New Black) and River Medway (RuPaul’s Drag Race UK).

Fresh from complete sell out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and around the UK comes this critically acclaimed smash hit parody musical. Starring Shawna Hamic (Orange is the New Black, 1776 on Broadway) as ‘Ursula’ and River Medway (RuPaul’s Drag Race UK) as ‘Ariel’, Unfortunate is coming to Oxford Playhouse and things are gonna get wet!

Join everyone’s favourite Disney Diva, Ursula, as she gives her take on what really happened all those years ago under the sea. With an original hot pop soundtrack and trademark filthy humour, it’s time to take the plunge and dive into this year’s hottest night out.

Cruella told her side, and Maleficent’s had her moment. Now the legendary queer queen is ready to spill, in this tell-all tale of sex, sorcery and suckers.

AGE: 16+
DURATION: 135 minutes
WARNING: This production contains strong language, partial nudity, scenes of a sexual nature and flashing lights.

“There is a way to be good again”

Direct from Broadway, The Kite Runner, an outstanding and unforgettable theatrical tour de force returns.

Based on Khaled Hosseini’s international bestselling novel, this haunting tale of friendship spans cultures and continents and follows one man’s journey to confront his past and find redemption.

Afghanistan is a country on the verge of war and best friends are about to be torn apart. It’s a beautiful afternoon in Kabul, the skies are full of colour and the streets are full of the excitement of a kite flying tournament, but no one can foresee the terrible incident that will shatter their lives forever.

One Broadway season and two West End seasons have garnered international acclaim for this incredibly powerful story.

AGE: 13+
DURATION: 155 minutes
WARNING: This production contains mature content not suitable for young audiences including: strong language, depictions of bullying, sexual violence, suicide, the use of weapons and the sound of gunshots.

Griff Rhys Jones is back on the road with his much-anticipated brand new stand-up tour for 2023. Join Griff as he shares more funny observations and comic stories.

The show always varies as Griff rambles on the developing national permacrisis. Age. Family. Fraud. Nostalgia. The Tik Tok generation. Crocodile smuggling and noodling in Australia. Travel, dogs, hotels, drink and midnight trains. He takes questions from the audience and lets rip as his associations wander.

‘The Cat’s Pyjmas’ follows Griff’s last hugely successful international tour, ‘All Over The Place’, which saw him play to capacity crowds across the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Away from the stage, Griff is best known for his countless TV appearances, including as the star of ten series of Smith & Jones and one quarter of the ground breaking Not The Nine O’Clock News, whilst his multiple documentary series – most recently Griff’s Canadian Adventure (Channel 4) – have been critically acclaimed ratings hits.

Tickets: £26
Age: 16+
Duration: 110 mins

Forever proud to call herself a folk singer, Kate Rusby’s vocals never fail to connect the heart of a song to that of her audience. Named as one of the Top Ten Folk Voices of the Century, a Mercury Prize Winner, 6-times BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winner and a warm, Yorkshire sense of humour to boot, Rusby has achieved an unprecedented cross-over appeal. Despite stepping into a more contemporary production on her last few albums, she has stayed true to her roots. Her cover of Manic Monday (Hand Me Down 2020) featured on the BBC Radio 2 playlist.

The guests on the 2022 album 30 is testament to Rusby’s wide appeal and include the likes of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, KT Tunstall, and Beth Nielson Chapman. Celebrating over 30 years of touring and 22 albums including her latest Christmas album, Light Years, released in December 2023, Rusby and her band of merry and very talented men will be visiting The Playhouse in her 50th birthday year with songs old and new.

DURATION: 150 minutes

Join Ellie and Helen as they celebrate ten years of scumminess!

For a decade now, the Scummy Mummies have been touring their hit comedy show to sold-out audiences around the country. Now they’re bringing all their most-loved songs, sketches, and stand-up together for a night that will make you laugh till you wee.

Guaranteed to make you feel normal about your parenting skills, or very smug about being child-free.

Bring your gin-in-a-tin, pop a panty liner in, and let’s party!

Ages: 18+
Duration: 130 mins

Oxford’s own Award-winning Opera Company is back at The Playhouse with one of the greatest operas ever written. Tosca.

A nation State under the grip of a corrupt military junta. Love; Lust; Corruption; Betrayal; Justice and Redemption all come together in this epic opera by Puccini.

Oxford Opera’s new production takes an exciting new look at this classic opera as Tosca and Cavaradossi fight for love and freedom under the shadow of the oppressor Scarpia.

Under the leadership of Music Director John Warner, the Oxford Opera Orchestra will bring the full orchestral magic that is Puccini’s masterpiece.

Sung in English in a new translation by Christopher Cowell.

World class opera for everyone - with the City at its heart.

AGE: 10+

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Sir Gregory Doran

What happens when you fall in love with your best friend’s girlfriend?

A complex tale of passion and disguise unfolds as young adults navigate desire, consent, and the limits of friendship.

Directed by Gregory Doran and brought to life by Oxford University students. The Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays and also one of the most rarely performed. It will be the first time that Gregory Doran has directed the play.

Gregory Doran is the current Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at the University of Oxford. An outstanding Shakespearian with an illustrious career, he was Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 2012 to 2022 and is the first Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor to direct a student production as part of his tenure.

Ages: 14+
Duration: 150 minutes
Content warning: This production contains depiction and reference to attempted sexual violence, and threats of physical violence. Please be aware that there will be a live dog featured in this production.

Jacqui Dankworth - the imaginative and moving, award-winning vocalist - is joined by a stellar line-up of musicians for one of a limited number of tour dates at The Playhouse.

In this very special and intimate concert, audiences will be treated to a sparkling collection of songs drawn from her highly praised studio albums – including music from her much anticipated new Album due for release in Spring 2024 - alongside tracks that have inspired her incredible career.

Firmly established as one the country’s leading jazz vocalists, Jacqui’s live concerts showcase her unique versatility and effortless mastery of a wide spectrum of genres, drawing on jazz, folk, soul and blues, as well as her acute sensibility as a songwriter and lyricist.

Taking audiences by storm, Saltlines is a Prose and Music collaboration between bestselling author Raynor Winn and folk-roots supergroup The Gigspanner Big Band, which features some of the most celebrated names on the British folk scene.

Together they have created an emotional odyssey which explores the beauty, stories and traditions of the South West Coast Path.

The vibrant and thought-provoking compositions by Raynor have been especially written for Saltlines and artfully wrapped around songs and tunes that were originally gathered from the route of the South West Coast Path by the great song collectors Cecil Sharp and Sabine Baring-Gould.

This is an unmissable, life affirming experience for anyone who appreciates beautiful words, inspiring music and above all, cherishes the social and natural history of Britain’s coastline, and the common threads that bind its fragile communities and wildlife.

TICKETS: £29
AGE: 15+
DURATION: 120 minutes

Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt are back on tour for the first time in 10 years.

Older but not really much wiser, they are returning to what they do best; sitting in traffic jams wondering if a different route would have been better, and then in the evening, presenting their new live show. What have they learned from a decade of following the news for Mock the Week and The Now Show? What wisdom has experience taught them? And have they learned any new jokes?

Let’s hope so. They promise they have.

AGE: 16+
DURATION: 90 minutes

Based on the original book Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book.

Written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Charlie loves reading. Especially books about pirates. But his sister hates it - it’s boring! Can Charlie convince her that reading is fun? Perhaps if she read a book about a pirate, who is reading a book about Goldilocks, who is reading a book about a knight...

Come and delve into a range of books with Charlie Cook, brought to life with puppetry and enchanting songs, and perhaps you will be able to help his sister discover the wonderful world inside a book...

AGE: 3-8
DURATION: 60 minutes

Experience the magic of live ballet, right on your doorstep as the Ballet Central tour comes to Oxford.

The tour’s exciting mixed bill is performed by dance talents from the world-renowned Central School of Ballet and features much-loved classical ballet alongside exciting contemporary pieces and some brand-new work, created especially for the dancers.

Each year the Ballet Central tour brings the joys of dance to theatres across the country, inviting audiences to an evening of excitement, inspiration, and entertainment.

Fresh on the heels of his critically acclaimed memoirs, Nailing It, Montana’s transatlantic messenger returns with new rants, knife-edge observations, thrilling musical interludes and an ever-formidable knack for laughs on the fly. You’ll pay for the whole seat, but you’ll only need the edge of it.

'Vital and incredulously angry. Hilarious.'
The Scotsman

'Blissfully funny.'
The Guardian

AGE: 14+
DURATION: 120 minutes
WARNING: This performance includes adult content.

BBC Two’s flagship book show is taking to the stage!

Local bookworms are invited to join the nation’s favourite TV book club in this live version of the successful series that brings books to life.

Between The Covers’ Executive Producer, Amanda Ross, hosts the live event and has picked a fabulous new book to chat about, to inspire us all to get reading.

Comprising the panel are some best loved Between the Covers stars, in the form of Kacey Ainsworth, Jo Brand and Stephen Mangan, who will wax lyrical about some of their favourite books, so expect plenty of brilliant recommendations as well as enlightening and humorous insights into the reading habits of some of the nation’s favourite faces.

They will be joined by bestselling author of Star of the Sea, Joseph O’Connor, who will tell all on his books and writing habits.

Get your bookmarks at the ready and come join the club, as they take the show to the stage!

AGE: Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult
DURATION: 120 minutes
INTERVAL: Yes
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Advisory content - strong language

By Richard B Sheridan

Sir Peter Teazle believes his young wife is sleeping with someone else. She isn’t.

But she’s starting to think if her husband believes it, she may as well give it a go. After all, if you’re going to cause a scandal, you might as well enjoy it…

Deliciously naughty and outrageously silly, this timeless comedy is a masterclass in social satire and the art of gossip. Featuring an unforgettable cast of larger-than-life characters, each armed with a lacerating wit, The School for Scandal is one of the greatest comedies ever written.

Join us for a lightning-paced evening of romance, revenge and rollicking fun that promises to leave you entertained, enamoured – and perhaps even a little scandalised!

AGE: 10+
DURATION: 120 minutes

By Alfred Hitchcock Adapted by Patrick Barlow

From an original concept by Simon Corble & Nobby Dimon

Alfred Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller, The 39 Steps, brilliantly and hilariously recreated for the stage by Patrick Barlow as the smash hit Olivier and Tony Award-winning comedy, is back out on a UK tour after nearly 10 years in London’s West End, taking Broadway by storm, playing in 39 different countries across the globe, and delighting over 3 million people worldwide with its quintessentially plucky spirit and dashing sense of fun.

Follow the incredible adventures of our handsome hero Richard Hannay, complete with stiff-upper-lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing secret agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women.

AGE: 7+
DURATION: 100 minutes
WARNING: This production contains flashing lights.

A new adaptation based on the book by Herman Melville
Adapted by Sebastian Armesto

“It’s true. It’s all true for Moby Dick. He’s a killer, he’s a fury, he’s an angel of hell. Why if the white whale could talk he’d talk like Ahab.”

In search of fortune and adventure, Ishmael, a humble schoolmaster, ships on the Pequod, a whale-boat sailing out of Nantucket. The skipper, one Captain Ahab, charges his crew to wreak revenge on the white whale that lost him his leg - the infamous Moby-Dick. Ahab’s single-minded pursuit consumes Ishmael, the crew and the Pequod itself.

The spirit and atmosphere of Herman Melville’s masterpiece – romantic, ambiguous, and rich with allegory – is gloriously captured on stage by Simple8. Using some planks of wood, tattered sheets and an old accordion, the hunt for the most famous whale on earth is ingeniously brought to life.

AGE: 7+
DURATION: 125 minutes

1200 BC. A woman waits and watches the sea from a clifftop. She is Penelope, wife of Odysseus, who has yet to return from the Trojan War after ten years. Their son, Telemachus, wonders whether he will ever be able to fill his legendary father’s place.

1902. A young Cambridge student, Winifred Kennedy, digs in the ruins of Mycenae, heartland of ancient Greece, under the stern and watchful eye of archaeologist Henry Allen. Teddy, his son, loathes everything about the ancient world, so Winifred takes it upon herself to bring the past alive for him, drawing father and son closer together. Her vivid story-telling takes us back three thousand years, to the epic world of Homer’s immortal tales, The Iliad and The Odyssey, where great warriors clash in single combat and a city’s fate hangs in the balance. Odysseus’s perilous journey home after the war is one of the greatest adventure stories ever told.

Age: 7+
Duration: 120 minutes
Warning: This show contains violence (within the context of battle), strobe lighting, gunshots and smoking.

Adapted by Theatre-Rites’ director, Sue Buckmaster, from Akram Khan’s Olivier Award-winning DESH, this heart-warming story follows a young man trying to find his place in the world. Now returning to capture the imagination of a new generation of young audiences.

Chotto Desh, meaning ‘small homeland’, draws on Khan’s unique quality of cross-cultural storytelling, creating a compelling tale of a boy’s dreams and memories from Britain to Bangladesh that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the modern world. Blending Kathak and contemporary dance with an exquisite mix of spoken text, dreamlike animation, visuals and specially composed music, Chotto Desh is an enchanting and poignant dance-theatre experience for all the family to enjoy together.

AGE: 7+
DURATION: 50 minutes
INTERVAL: No
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Free lap tickets available to book for under 2s

Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Bob Merrill

Book by Isobel Lennart from an original story by Miss Lennart

Oxford Operatic Society are proud to bring the roaring 20s to The Playhouse stage and follow the journey of Fanny Brice as she dreams to take on Broadway.

Jule Styne and Bob Merrill’s Funny Girl is a musical theatre classic which celebrates the exuberant and elegant flavour of Broadway in the 1910s and 20s. Combining the comic genius of Fanny Brice and featuring such beloved songs as People and Don’t Rain on my Parade, Funny Girl shows a triumphant story of starry success and a bittersweet story of love.

AGE: 10+
DURATION: 120 minutes
INTERVAL: Yes
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This amateur production of Funny Girl is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.

Due to phenomenal demand, the sell-out hit show is back… Uncanny: I Know What I Saw with Danny Robins.

Danny asks the questions – do ghosts exists? And if not, why do we see them? During 2023, 25,000 people at theatres across the country came to find out the answers, in the biggest live investigation into the paranormal. Ever.

Another chance to join Danny and his team of experts for this terrifying and thought-provoking evening, featuring chilling real-life stories of the supernatural experienced by ordinary people from ordinary places, brought to life on stage through thrilling theatrical invention in a mix of projection, sound and spellbinding storytelling.

Whether you are #TeamBeliever or #TeamSceptic, a long-term Uncanny fan or just interested in the paranormal, you’re welcome to Uncanny: I Know What I Saw.

Age: 10+
Duration: 110 mins

Based on the book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

The crew are back with another ROAR-some adventure!

Zog, super keen student turned air-ambulance, still lands with a bang-crash-thump. Together with his Flying Doctor crew, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout, they tend to a sunburnt mermaid, a unicorn with one too many horns and a lion with the flu. However, Pearl’s uncle, the King, has other ideas about whether princesses should be doctors, and she’s soon locked up in the castle back in a crown and a silly frilly dress!

With a bit of help from some friends and half a pound of cheese, can Pearl make her uncle better and prove princesses can be doctors too?

Based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s bestselling sequel, Freckle Productions (Zog, Stick Man, Tiddler & Other Terrific Tales) are back, with music and lyrics by Joe Stilgoe (Zog), for this truly modern take on the classic fairy tale.

TICKETS: Adults £18/Children £16
AGE: 3+
DURATION: 60 minutes

Directed by Gareth Armstrong

Performed by Gerard Logan

The award-winning Wilde Without the Boy is a dramatisation of De Profundis, Oscar Wilde’s searing letter to his gay lover, written from Reading Gaol.

Wilde’s brilliant poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol narrates the execution of a soldier convicted of murdering his wife.

AGE: 12+
DURATION: 120 minutes
VENUE: BT Studio

Camelot is in trouble. King Arthur knows that if he doesn’t turn things around, this civilisation will be forgotten, and be known as nothing more than a rather dull time in British history. But when three hapless squires approach him about changing that legacy... a legend is born.

Teaming up with one of UK theatre’s best comedy writers and directors, John Nicholson (Peepolykus), award-winning funny men Le Navet Bete (The Three Musketeers, Treasure Island, Dracula: The Bloody Truth) are back with a brand-new laugh-out-loud show for the ages.

A comedy for the whole family, this hilarious retelling of the Arthurian legends will have audiences crying with laughter and become part of the legend themselves!

Ages: 7+
Duration: 130 mins

From the same company behind the critically acclaimed RUSH - A Joyous Jamaican Journey.

Their brand-new production tells the story of the man who brought Reggae music to the world. Featuring live songs One Love, No Woman No Cry and Is This Love, all played live on stage by The King of Reggae Band.

From a government yard in Trenchtown to Rastafari Icon, this brand new narrated musical charts the life and times of the King of Reggae, touching every aspect of the Jamaican superstar's musical, spiritual and political life and the impact his music was to have worldwide.

Duration: 130 minutes
Warning: This production features a gun shot.

Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award nominated smash hit show, The Tiger Who Came to Tea returns on tour.

The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger!

Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos. Don’t miss this stunning stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem... expect to be surprised!

TICKETS: £18
AGE: 3+
DURATION: 55 minutes

Directed by Niki McCretton
Music by Dom Coyote | With additional music by Tim Dalling
Starring Tim Dalling, Jenny Harrold and Daniel Rejano

Three very funny men seek refuge in a grand but abandoned old house; one of them is Pinocchio and it turns out he’s had quite a life!

Children’s creativity is said to be at the heart of Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company’s productions and that is very apparent in its fun and inventive offering of Pinocchio. This adaptation combines classic elements of the story – a poor woodcarver, the tell-tale growing nose, the dream of becoming a real boy – with their hallmark hilarity, skilled puppetry, original music, fantastic staging, outstanding performers and extraordinary physical tricks.

Invest in your children’s imaginations and take playfulness home with you!

Ages: 3+
Duration: 60 mins

The Ghost Stories of E F Benson

Directed by Gareth Armstrong

Performed by Gerard Logan

Night Terrors is a spellbinding evening of three tales of the supernatural from E.F. Benson’s brilliant collection of ghost stories.

Award-winning actor Gerard Logan will take you to a world of invisible, but terrifyingly present, spirits.

AGE: 12+
DURATION: 75 minutes
VENUE: BT Studio

The history of humankind lives on a timeline of exploration, and this is what's next…

Based on true events, What's Next? is a captivating one-woman show that delves into the remarkable life of Harriet Quimby. This exciting new production shines a light on the often-overlooked historical milestone: the awe-inspiring journey of the first woman to conquer the skies solo and soar across the English Channel.

AGE: 12+
WARNING: Mild use of strong language
VENUE: BT Studio
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Supported and funded by The Arts Council England

In this election year – with the country in turmoil – there’s only one comedian who can kill the mood even further…
Nish Kumar – one of The Guardian and The Telegraph’s 50 Best Comedians of the 21st Century – is back on tour with his brand new politically-charged stand-up show, Nish, Don’t Kill My Vibe.

Expect jokes about climate collapse, income inequality and the emotional sensation of being a British Indian man who isn’t going to vote for a British Indian Prime Minister. It’s 80 minutes of sweet, sweet vibe killing, plus support act and interval.

As seen and heard on The Mash Report, Taskmaster, Pod Save the UK, Live at the Apollo, Hold the Front Page and your favourite tabloid newspaper.

AGE: 14+
DURATION: 120 minutes
INTERVAL: Yes
WARNING: Includes strong language

Seventy minutes. Seven seasons. One Spike.

This fast-paced gem brings you the entire 144 episodes of the hit 90s TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as told through the eyes of the one person who knows it inside out… Spike. Buffy Revamped tours the UK following its award-winning Edinburgh Fringe premiere in 2022 and several sold-out national tours.

Funny, satirical and bursting with 90s pop-culture references, it’s the perfect parody for Buffy aficionados and those who never enrolled at Sunnydale High alike.

Created by comedian Brendan Murphy whose last show, FRIEND (The One with Gunther), won Best Play at the Worldwide Comedy Awards.

Winner: Best One Person Show and Best Comedy Performance at the DarkChat Awards 2022.

AGE: 14+
DURATION: 70 minutes

Performed by Sarah-Louise Young
Made with Russell Lucas

Howl with the Hounds of Love and dance on the moors with Wuthering Heights!

She’s not there - but you are.

Whether you’ve been a fan for decades or recently joined the shoal via the Stranger Things phenomenon, there has never been a better time to release your inner Bush and celebrate at this joyful, unique and mind-blowing show.

Following its sold-out, critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe première, London seasons, UK and Australian tours this smash-hit, award-winning show is back! Sarah-Louise Young and co-creator Russell Lucas pay glorious homage to the music, fans, and mythology of one of the most influential voices in British music.

Age: 10+
Duration: 110 minutes

Somewhere in a parallel universe little Alfie’s natural comedic performance skills were recognised by his doting parents who encouraged and developed his blossoming talent. After several years as a stage school brat Alfie’s angelic face was launched on stage and screen and the rest is history.

Meanwhile, in this universe Alfie Moore was told to stop messing about in class before being ‘encouraged’ into the grinding, grimy world of an apprenticeship in the Sheffield steelworks. When recession hit he traded steel for copper by joining Humberside Police.

In his 40s a surprising career shift turned middle-aged Alfie from street cop to BBC radio star. But when TV fame beckoned could he grasp it or was he past it?

TICKETS: £24
AGE: 14+
DURATION: 120 minutes

Fresh from a phenomenal 15th year at Edinburgh Fringe, the West End hit heads to Oxford! With a BBC Radio 4 series, a critically acclaimed West End run and an Olivier Award to their name, The Showstoppers have delighted audiences across the globe with their ingenious blend of comedy, musical theatre, and spontaneity.

A brand-new musical comedy is created from scratch at each performance of this award-winning show as audience suggestions are transformed on the spot into all-singing, all dancing productions with hilarious results. These incredible performers are guaranteed to impress as they create shows packed with drama, dazzling dance routines and catchy melodies – and it’s all made up on the spot!

So, whether you fancy Hamilton in a hospital or Sondheim in the Sahara, you suggest it and The Showstoppers will sing it!

AGE: 12+
DURATION: 110 minutes
INTERVAL: Yes
WARNING: This is an improvised show, there may be some mild swearing and mild sexual innuendo.

Adapted by David Wood

An inspirational story of hope, determination, and triumph.

Floella Benjamin’s award-winning and iconic book Coming to England comes to life on stage with music, storytelling, and humour.

Much loved by children and families, Coming to England tellsFloella’s own story of emigrating to England as a child. Aged just 10, she and her siblings left Trinidad and sailed alone to join their parents. But Floella’s excitement for her new life in England is short-lived, with her family subjected to racism and intolerance in 1960s’ London. Guided by her mother, and working twice as hard as her classmates, Coming to England tells the story of how a young Floella overcame adversity and grew to become Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham.

Adapted for the stage by David Wood “the national children’s dramatist” – The Times this vibrant and energetic musical is the perfect entertainment for the whole family.

AGE: 7+
DURATION: 120 minutes
INTERVAL: Yes
WARNING: This production includes strong language and historically accurate racially abusive language.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Free lap tickets available to book for under 2s

Written by Suzanne Andrade
Directed by Suzanne Andrade and Esme Appleton
Film and animation by Paul Barritt

The new show from multi-award-winning company 1927.

Combining handcrafted animation and bold storytelling, Please right back sweeps audiences into a magical, mischievous world, inspired by a true story.

Kim and Davey’s dad, Mr E, has disappeared. When Mr E writes to his children to tell them what has happened, his imagination takes over. Reality collides with fantasy, as we travel on a fast-paced journey through his wild adventure stories. Mr E’s letters are staged using song, dance, and subversive animations, as his stories become a kind of game between him and his children – a cathartic release in the face of distress.

Part social realism, part science fiction with a healthy dose of mischief and a dash of dystopia, Please right back is a eulogy to the power of the imagination, storytelling and make believe.

AGE: 8+
DURATION: 140 minutes
INTERVAL: Yes

"In the autumn of 2015 I sit at my desk waiting for an email that will tell me what I need to do to the script to get it onto the screen. I turn the radio on. I listen to a report about the refugee crisis. My mother calls. She tells me she’s broken The Duke. My mother, my film script and the refugee crisis all need my attention.”

Shôn Dale-Jones, the multi-award winning writer/performer behind Hugh Hughes performs the Fringe First award winner, The Duke.

Funny, poignant and playful, the one-man show weaves together the tragi-comic fate of a family heirloom - a porcelain figure of The Duke of Wellington, the quandary of a scriptwriter stretching his integrity and an unfolding disaster as thousands of children flee their homes. Blending fantasy and reality, this playful show gently challenges our priorities in a world full of crisis.

Proceeds donated after the performance are presented to the Save the Children's Emergency Fund.

AGE: 8+
DURATION: 60 minutes
VENUE: BT Studio

Named after the old Northumbrian word for twilight, The Darkening is made up of four North-East England-based members: Kathryn Tickell (Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle, vocals), Amy Thatcher (accordion, synth, clogs, vocals), Kieran Szifris (octave mandolin), Joe Truswell (drums, percussion); with Josie Duncan from the Isle of Lewis (vocals, clarsach). Together these dazzling musicians create musical magic; dynamic and unique "Ancient Northumbrian Futurism”.

Based in the shadow of Hadrian’s Wall yet reaching out to the wider world, Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening explore the connecting threads of music, landscape and people over a period of almost 2000 years. Songs range from themes of freedom, nature and venturing out into the world after times of darkness, to a Roman inscription with links to Libya and Syria magnetically pulled into the 21st century with glorious vocal harmonies and the wildest of piping.

Duration: 150 mins

In a rented apartment on Chicago’s South Side, the Younger family is full of hope, dreams, grief, and big plans. Their beloved father has died, and the money from his life insurance policy could change their lives.

Mama wants to put down roots in a home of her own. Her daughter Beneatha has her heart set on becoming a doctor. But her son Walter Lee thinks the money is his to spend — and he’s willing to sacrifice his values and his family to get what he wants. Each must face what it means to escape the confines of a segregated society. How do you create a meaningful life in a world designed to keep you down?

Groundbreaking, pioneering and challenging, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun broke barriers as the first play by a Black woman on Broadway. Directed by Tinuke Craig (Jitney, The Color Purple), this classic family drama full of humour and heart, remains relevant and powerful in a world still divided by inequality.

AGE: 14+
INTERVAL: Yes
WARNING: This production contains racially explicit language, themes and content and reference to abortion

Fresh from Live At The Apollo, A League Of Their Own and Have I Got News For You, Maisie Adam is heading to The Playhouse with her brand new show!

She’s five years into her job as a comedian now, so she’s due an appraisal. Join her for the ultimate performance review, where you’ll either see just why she was awarded Best New Act and nominated Best Newcomer…or, you’ll see someone who’s ready for “organisational restructure”.

See you at the appraisal, she looks forward to seeing you!

AGE: 15+
DURATION: 120 minutes
INTERVAL: Yes
WARNING: Includes strong language and adult content

Scotland’s queen of comedy Fern Brady (Taskmaster, Live At The Apollo, Roast Battle, Russell Howard, The Last Leg) is back on tour with a brand new show.

What happens when you get everything you want and it’s not enough?

This is a great show to come and see if you are a fan of the Scottish comedian Fern Brady. Fern is the author of Sunday Times best selling memoir Strong Female Character whose previous show Power and Chaos was broadcast on BBC1.

TICKETS: £26
AGE: 16+
DURATION: 100 minutes

Get ready for a dream of a panto at Oxford Playhouse!

Our Beauty’s got herself in a spindly situation with an evil fairy and now she’s not just resting her eyes, like Grandpa on Boxing Day, but she’s well and truly out for the count.

Will good triumph over evil? Will love win over jealousy? Will we find an alarm clock loud enough to wake this Sleeping Beauty before it’s too late?

Join us at The Playhouse from Fri 22 Nov 2024 to Sun 5 Jan 2025 to find out. Expect spellbinding costumes, toe-tapping tunes, and all your favourite loveable (and downright boo-able) panto heroes and villains.

Reawaken your magical side with a festive experience that’s perfect for all the family. Never mind goodnight, this is sure to be the BEST night.

Don’t hit snooze… book your tickets now for next year’s Oxford Playhouse Pantomime, Sleeping Beauty.

Duration: 120 mins
Ages: 5 - 105!

A show about being human-can you relate???

Just like Tom Cruise does all his own stunts, I'm going to do all my own jokes!

A deep, dumb show for the masses.

Star of Dancing On Ice (ITV), champion of Taskmaster (Channel 4), co-host of Mel Giedroyc's Unforgivable (Dave), regular on QI (BBC) and as seen on The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS) and Would I Lie To You? (BBC)

Ages: 14+
Duration: 110 mins