Oxford Playhouse Season Brochure November 2013 to May 2014

Free What’s On GuideNovember 2013 to May 2014

Welcome to a Playhouse for Everyone

OPINI ON

Welcome to Oxford PlayhouseNovember 2013 to May 2014

A warm welcome to the winter and spring seasons at the Playhouse.

First things first; if you haven’t yet booked for one or both of our Christmas shows, then get moving. Robin Hood promises to be a top class Playhouse panto, written and directed by the brilliant Peter Duncan, and Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle in the Burton Taylor Studio will enchant and enthral those too small for panto, as well as their parents and grandparents.

Once the festive season is over, we will kick start the new year with a veritable feast of theatre-going...

OPINI ON

I am leaving the Playhouse in January 2014, so I won’t be here to see these wonderful shows, but I trust that you will. It’s a special theatre, and one that I’ve been proud and privileged to be part of for many years. Thanks for your support and here’s to a bright future for Oxford Playhouse.

Michelle Dickson Director, Oxford [email protected]

There are West End hits in the form of Chariots of Fire, Dial M for Murder and The Play That Goes Wrong, the acclaimed Talawa Theatre Company and National Theatre production of Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, and brand new productions of the classic plays Pygmalion and Translations.

There’s amazing circus with Flown, stunning dance from Ireland’s Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre, brilliant comedy and promising shows from Oxfordshire talent.

AN OXFORD PLAYHOUSE PANTOMIMEFriday 29 November 2013 to Sunday 12 January 2014

Written and directed by Peter Duncan

Robin Hood is riding into Oxford Playhouse for the first time in this action-packed new panto.

This year’s swashbuckling Christmas adventure Robin Hood will soon be upon us. Robin, Marian and The Merry Men are running out of time to battle the evil Sheriff of Nottingham and they’re going to need you to cheer them on! Book now for this classic tale that’s sure to delight all the family.

If you haven’t booked tickets for your family yet don’t panic – we have over 70 performances to choose from, but some shows are filling up, so book now to secure the date you want and ensure your family enjoy the panto thrills, spills and sing-along songs.

Don’t forget…H If you’re coming in a group, ask about our

GREAT rates for schools and groups of 10+, including some FREE tickets for teachers and leaders.

H There are FREE toys and games in the Circle Bar to keep everyone amused before, after (and even during) the show.

H Little people can get FREE booster seats so everyone can see the action. Babies can come too if you book a FREE baby ticket at the Ticket Office.

The cat’s whiskers…even by the impressive standards achieved at this venue over the years. HHHHH Oxford Times on Dick Whittington 2012

Ticket prices£14 to £24.50 | Discounts available Schools from £11

For a full performance schedule please call the Ticket Office on 01865 305305 or visit www.oxfordplayhouse.com

TICKETS FROM £14

Thursday 12 to Tuesday 31 December

FATHER CHRISTMAS AND THE ICICLE BICYCLE An Oxford Playhouse ProductionWritten and directed by Helen Eastman

From the team that created the sell-out Playhouse shows Dear Father Christmas and Where’s Father Christmas?

All the elves are busy working away, making bikes, trikes, scooters and toys for Christmas presents, but the snowmen are causing chaos, and Rudolph’s too poorly to pull the sleigh. How is Father Christmas going to deliver all the presents? He’s going to need your help!

Come to the North Pole for stories, festive songs and decoration making. Meet Father Christmas and all his team in this interactive adventure for young children and their families.

Before you come…Post your letter to Father Christmas in the Playhouse’s special post box in the theatre foyer, or download decorations to make at home.

SOME PERFORMANCES ALREADY

SOLD OUT - B

OOK QUIC

KLY

TO AVOID D

ISAPPOINTMENT!

Ticket prices £7.50 Children £5.50 Premium shows £8.50 Children £6.50Age guideline 3 to 6At premium shows you can stay and greet Father Christmas after the show.

December 10am 11am 12pm 3pm

Thu 12

Fri 13

Sat 14

Sun 15

Mon 16 NO PERFORMANCE

Tue 17

Wed 18

Thu 19

Fri 20 NO PERFORMANCE

Sat 21

Sun 22

Mon 23

Tue 24

Wed 25 NO PERFORMANCE

Thu 26 NO PERFORMANCE

Fri 27

Sat 28

Sun 29

Mon 30

Tue 31

Relaxed performance Sun 29 Dec 12pm(see pg 64 for more info)

Running time50 minutes. Children must be accompanied by an adult.Don’t forget – you can stay and play for free after each performance!

Ticket prices £7.50 Children £5.50 Premium shows £8.50 Children £6.50Age guideline 3 to 6At premium shows you can stay and greet Father Christmas after the show.

H Enjoy 50% or 25% off tickets for selected performances

H Three FREE programme vouchers every year

H Guaranteed early mailing of OP What’s On Guides

H Priority booking periods every season

Membership: £50 per year.

Sign up today at the Ticket Office.

ENJOY! MEMBERSHIP GIVES YOU 50% OR 25% OFF TWO TICKETS FOR ALMOST EVERY WEEK-LONG PRODUCTION AT OXFORD PLAYHOUSE.

This year’s Christmas Light Festival will see the return of the famous lantern parade and late night openings at museums and arts centres across the city.

Snowy Storytelling Friday 22 November at 4pm Come to Oxford Playhouse for a free after school storytelling session for ages 5 to 10 (and their grown-ups). It’s a perfect festive preparation for the lantern procession.

The Oxford Poetry Walk Friday 22 and Saturday 23 November 10am-6.30pm A 70-minute audio walk around Oxford with specially selected and recorded poetry by Live Canon for company. Pick up an MP3 player, headphones and a map from the Playhouse Ticket Office and set off to enjoy the city with literary greats as your guides.

CHRISTMAS LIGHT FESTIVAL

Friday 22 and Saturday 23 November

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Ticket pricesSnowy Storytelling Free but book in advanceThe Oxford Poetry Walk £3.50 | No discounts

A comfortable, friendly, reasonably priced café to use during the day and evening. Meet friends, relax, study and enjoy a range of home-cooked and locally sourced food and drink.

Try locally blended loose leaf tea, wood roasted artisan coffee, homemade delicious soup, quiches and sandwiches, made with Oxfordshire bread, and tasty treats including cakes, biscuits and G&D’s ice-cream.

Take advantage of the free wi-fi, toys and games for children, and a range of alcoholic and soft drinks served all day.

All purchases support Oxford Playhouse.

OXFORD PLAYHOUSECAFÉ BAR

Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm

6 01865 305305

It’s mid-winter. The roads are icy. Everyone has a cold. The boiler has broken down again and the gas bill is due. The AA are busy advising comedians “not to tour the country unless it is absolutely essential”. Despite all this, Punt and Dennis are ploughing on regardless.

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, described as “the kings of satirical comedy” (Guardian) have starred in many popular TV and BBC Radio 4 productions, including The Now Show, It’s Been a Bad Week, Outnumbered and My Hero.

Show time 8pmTicket prices £20 discounts £18Age guideline 14+

RBM

PUNT & DENNISPLOUGHING ON REGARDLESS

Thursday 16 January

Unbelievably funny. This is a real class act.HHHH Scotsman

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The nation’s favourite poet Pam Ayres returns with her latest hit show.

Funny and approachable, Pam Ayres’ poetry sounds simple, as though dashed off, but this is deceptive. Her hair-trigger timing, her eye for the detail of everyday life, and for the absurdity therein, makes for an art that hides art.

Pam has sold millions of books, CDs, and DVDs over the years, and she is still a regular on TV and Radio, on programmes such as Just a Minute, Ayres on the Air, QI, Countdown, and The One Show. She has a new book of poetry, You Made Me Late Again!, and will be signing copies after the show.

Show time 7.30pmTicket prices £22 discounts £20

Acorn Entertainments Ltd

AN EVENING WITH PAM AYRESFriday 17 January

Forget the corny comedian: Pam Ayres is a proper poet, whose wistful, funny, and perceptive verse captures both the joy and unfairness of life.Sunday Times

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Following a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and prior to a West End season, acclaimed impressionist Luke Kempner presents this tour-de-force comedy.

As celebrities start appearing at the Abbey, cultures clash and eras collide in this hilarious and affectionate new parody. Familiar modern voices from popular TV shows pop up to help the cast of Downton save the estate from financial ruin – again!

Having made his name with YouTube hit Downstairs at Downton, Kempner brings his debut solo show to the Playhouse, following critical acclaim from, amongst others, Stephen Fry: “a fine impressionist, giving a splendid display of Downtonry.”

Show time 7.30pmTicket prices £16 discounts £14

Seabright Productions

THE ONLY WAY IS DOWNTONSaturday 18 January

Written and performed by Luke KempnerDirected by Owen Lewis

A tightly written and performed mash-up of the saga with modern TV hits… an affectionate spoof.HHHH Independent on Sunday

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Filter Theatre in association with Royal Shakespeare Company

Two worlds collide in this explosive take on Shakespeare’s lyrical Twelfth Night, originally commissioned for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival.

Olivia’s melancholic, puritanical household clashes head-on with Sir Toby’s insatiable appetite for drunken debauchery. Orsino’s relentless pursuit of Olivia and Malvolio’s extraordinary transformation typify the madness of love in Illyria: land of make-believe and illusion.

In this enormously funny, fast-paced production of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy, dynamic narrative, witty invention and bursts of music result in a joyous celebration. This is undoubtedly one of the freshest and most acclaimed Shakespeare productions of recent years.

By William ShakespeareCreated by FilterDirected by Sean HolmesMusic & Sound design by Tom Haines & Ross Hughes

Show times Tue to Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pmTicket prices £11 to £26.50 | Discounts availableEnjoy! members 50% off Tue eve & Sat matPost show talk Wed

TWELFTH NIGHTTuesday 21 to Saturday 25 January

The most hardhearted purists would melt at Filter’s 90-minute reworking... For newcomers to Shakespeare, I can’t think of a better introduction.

HHHH Sunday Times

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Packed with poems and music, and with the traditional speeches to the lads and lassies and the toast over the haggis, this promises to be a very special event, in celebration of one of Scotland’s great poets.

This unforgettable Burns Night will include classic poems by and about Robert Burns. A traditional haggis lunch or dinner is also included in the ticket price.

This seasonal Playhouse Plays Out event is presented by Live Canon, whose previous Playhouse performances include the hugely popular The Oxford Poetry Walk and Poetry, Pie and a Pint.

Show times 1pm & 7pmTicket prices £21 (includes two-course lunch or dinner) Please advise us of any dietary requirements when booking.

Live Canon

BURNS NIGHTSaturday 25 January

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The Royal Oak Pub 42-44 Woodstock Rd Oxford OX2 6HT There is limited capacity for this performance so early booking is recommended.

Alan Ayckbourn has written 77 plays, many of which have been performed in the West End, at the National Theatre, around the world and at Oxford Playhouse. Major successes include Relatively Speaking and The Norman Conquests.

Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre for 37 years, Alan has won awards including the Olivier and Tony Special Lifetime Achievement Awards. Knighted for his services to the theatre in 1997, he celebrates his 75th birthday in 2014 and is interviewed by his biographer Paul Allen on his remarkable life and work. Four new productions by Alan Ayckbourn come to the Playhouse in February (see page 17).

ALAN AYCKBOURN

In support of Oxford Playhouse

Friday 31 January

Show time 5pmTicket prices £9 discounts £7

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Widely regarded as a working class hero of our time, John Bird, founder of The Big Issue, has become a revolutionary for and on behalf of the poor and homeless, stirring everyone from pop stars to politicians.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear the story of his success in a personal tale that is both achingly funny and powerfully inspiring.

John Bird will be signing copies of his latest books, including The Necessity of Poverty, after the event.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOHN BIRD: FOUNDER

OF THE BIG ISSUEFriday 28 February

Show time 5pmTicket prices £9 discounts £7

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Mischief Theatre & Kenny Wax

Noises Off meets Fawlty Towers in this West End smash hit comedy.

The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempt to put on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong does, as the accident prone thesps battle on against all the odds to get to their final curtain call.

This “ridiculously funny” (HHHH Times) new laugh out loud comedy has enjoyed two successful runs in the West End and was the sell-out hit of the Edinburgh Festival with sensational reviews and numerous accolades and awards.

“Genuinely hilarious” (HHHH Daily Telegraph), this brilliant and highly energetic new farce will leave you aching with laughter.

Show times Mon to Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pm Ticket prices £11 to £26.50 | Discounts available Enjoy! members 50% off Mon eve & Sat matPost show talk Wed

OPINION

Don’t just rely on the critics. As well as a host of four and five star reviews, Joanna Lumley said it was “spectacularly funny and bitingly accurate”. It’s going to be a fantastic night out.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONGMonday 27 January to Saturday 1 February

I haven’t laughed so much for years.Independent on Sunday

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Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough, in association with Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Alan Ayckbourn makes a welcome return to the Playhouse with three world premieres and a major new revival, all performed by one ensemble company.

Arrivals & Departures, Ayckbourn’s newest play, is a heartfelt comic drama set in a rail terminus, whilst in the hilariously relevant remount of Time of My Life, a family’s celebration in their favourite restaurant has unforeseen consequences. Farcicals, a double bill of two new frivolously fun farces – Chloe With Love and The Kidderminster Affair, makes up this joyous celebration of Ayckbourn’s talent and range.

Join us for one or all of these brilliant plays.

Few of Ayckbourn’s plays are more affecting than this Beckett-inspired tale of terrorism. HHHH Guardian on Arrivals & Departures

Profound and witheringly funny. Stage on Time of My Life

Written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn

Arrivals & Departures Mon: 7.30pm | Wed: 7.30pm | Thu: 2.30pm & 7.30pm | Sat: 7.30pmTime of My Life Tue: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Sat: 2.30pmFarcicals Wed: 2.30pmTicket prices £11 to £26.50 | Discounts available Top price tickets for 2 plays £45Top price tickets for 3 plays £60 Enjoy! members 50% off Mon eve & Sat mat

OPINION

Arrivals & Departures is a very special play – gripping, engrossing and beautifully performed. It’s bittersweet, heart-breaking and heart-warming. A real treat.

AYCKBOURN ENSEMBLEArrivals & Departures

Time of My LifeFarcicals: The Kidderminster Affair & Chloe With Love

Monday 3 to Saturday 8 February

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Catch Alan Ayckbourn for a very special Friday at 5pm on Friday 31 Jan. See page 13 for details.

Michael Rose Ltd

Adapted from the legendary Oscar-winning movie and direct from the West End, this is a spectacular and ingenious retelling of Eric Liddell’s and Harold Abraham’s quest to become the fastest men on earth. Chariots of Fire is an electrifying and immensely moving tale of two men’s rivalry, and their unwavering determination to conquer the world in the face of prejudice, immovable beliefs and overwhelming odds.

With thrilling track races through the auditorium, a cast of 21 and the original, iconic Vangelis score, this is a theatrical event that will leave you breathless with excitement.

Celebrate one of the country’s greatest ever sporting achievements as the critically acclaimed Chariots of Fire makes its Oxford premiere.

Stage Adaptation by Mike BartlettDirected by Edward HallMusic by Vangelis

Show times Mon to Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pmTicket prices £14 to £29.50 | No discounts on Fri & Sat evesEnjoy! members 25% off Mon eve & Sat matPost show talk Wed

Pure exhilaration.HHHHH Times

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CHARIOTS OF FIREMonday 10 to Saturday 15 February

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University of Oxford Student Companies: Cabal Productions & Labyrinth

The Ritz. Paris. Champagne flows and intrigue abounds as the roaring twenties reach full swing.

Witness the various lives and loves of the heirs to the British Empire play out beneath the chandelier infested ceilings of the Ritz Hotel. Watch as they search for something, someone or some place to escape to.

Bursting with sophistication, decadence and notoriously acerbic wit in its portrayal of characters revelling in outrageous immorality, Semi-Monde is considered to be Coward’s most autobiographical play.

University of Oxford Student Companies Cabal Productions & Labyrinth bring this powerful, daring and rarely seen play to the Playhouse stage for the first time.

By Noël Coward

Show times Wed, Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pmTicket prices £11 to £17 | Discounts availableStudent tickets £11 available in advance Enjoy! members 50% off Wed eve & Sat matAge guideline 14+This amateur production is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH LTD.

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SEMI-MONDEWednesday 19 to Saturday 22 February

Fiery Angel

When murder calls…hang up.

Frederick Knott’s intense and darkly gripping thriller, Dial M for Murder, takes to the stage. Don’t miss this hit show, starring the much loved Christopher Timothy (All Creatures Great and Small).

Convinced his wife is having an affair and motivated by resentment, jealously and greed, Tony Wendice plots the perfect murder. But no-one, let alone Tony, could have predicted the way in which the plan subsequently goes awry.

Famously directed on screen by Alfred Hitchcock, Lucy Bailey’s exciting and claustrophobic production reclaims this brilliant and erotic tale of betrayal, passion and ultimately, murder.

By Frederick KnottDirected by Lucy Bailey

Show times Tue to Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pmTicket prices £11 to £26.50 | Discounts availableEnjoy! members 50% off Tue eve & Sat matPost show talk Wed Captioned Performance WedAudio Described Performance Sat: 2.30pm | Touch Tour: 1pm

DIAL M FOR MURDERTuesday 25 February to Saturday 1 March

Dial M for Marvellous.HHHH Daily Telegraph

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Following acclaimed visits with Rapunzel and Underneath the Floorboards, balletLORENT returns to Oxford with a thrilling new dance event.

Performed in the stunning setting of the ballroom of the Town Hall, The Night Ball is an exuberant display of colourful choreography and joyous dancing. Accompanied by a brilliantly inspired and eclectic soundtrack, The Night Ball will be a truly unforgettable experience.

Take your seat at a table on the edge of the dance floor and watch these wonderful dancers up close, dancing different styles and genres in an intimate and beautiful series of passionate couple dances, wallflower solos and energetic ensemble dancing.

After the performances, the dance floor and bar remain open and the music plays on, giving you the chance to throw your own moves or be partnered by one of balletLORENT’s ten professional dancers.

Directed by Liv LorentChoreography by Liv Lorent and the dancersCostume design by Michele Clapton

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THE NIGHT BALLMonday 3 and Tuesday 4 March

Oxford Town Hall, OX1 1BX

Show time 7.30pmTicket prices £13 discounts £11 Age guideline 12+Location Oxford Town Hall, OX1 1BX

To judge by the audience’s reaction, balletLORENT has a real hit on its hands.British Theatre Guide

OPINIONThis show is irresistible, joyful, exciting, impressive, moving, infectious and fun. A simply brilliant night out.

balletLORENT

University of Oxford Student Company: Screw the Looking Glass

In the bloodiest times,There are still good people.

A child is abandoned in the heat of civil war. A servant girl sacrifices everything to protect him. When the mother returns to demand her son, it is up to Azdak – a former poacher turned judge – to decide the boy’s fate.

The Judge was always a rascal. Now the rascal shall be the Judge.

University of Oxford students present an epic fable of comedy and adventure. Brecht’s satirical masterpiece explores the far-reaching consequences of the smallest moral choices, pitting individual integrity against corruption and injustice. Can love triumph over selfishness and greed?

Previous productions by Screw the Looking Glass include Julian Mitchell’s Another Country at Oxford Playhouse and Ella Hickson’s Eight at the Burton Taylor Studio.

By Bertolt Brecht Translated by James and Tania SternWith songs by W. H. Auden

Show times Wed, Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pmTicket prices £11 to £17 | Discounts availableStudent tickets £11 available in advance Enjoy! members 50% off Wed eve & Sat matPre show talk Wed: 6pm with Philip Pullman (free to ticket holders) This amateur production is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH LTD.

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THE CAUCASIANCHALK CIRCLE

Wednesday 5 to Saturday 8 March

Talawa Theatre Company in association with the National Theatre presents

Talawa Theatre Company and the National Theatre bring Errol John’s “bruising, brilliantly witty play” (Time Out) to Oxford after a critically acclaimed London run.

In Port of Spain, Trinidad, the snatches of calypso music, hymn tunes and drums are interrupted by the raucous celebrations of troops returning from war. Here, neighbours drink, brawl, make love, look out for each other and crave a better life. But Ephraim is no idle dreamer and nothing, not even the seductive Rosa, is going to stop him from escaping his dead-end job for a fresh start in England.

Universally praised by critics and audiences alike, the creative team have reunited to present John’s mesmerising and heart-warming masterpiece once more.

By Errol JohnDirected by Michael Buffong

Show times Tue to Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pm Ticket prices £11 to £26.50 | Discounts availableEnjoy! members 50% off Tue eve & Sat matPost show talk WedCaptioned Performance Wed

OPINIONI’m delighted that this play is coming to the Playhouse. Moon on a Rainbow Shawl is a searingly brilliant drama, and in the talented hands of director Michael Buffong, this will rival Fences for a wonderful evening at the theatre.

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I was spellbound… thrilled by one of the twentieth century’s great neglected plays... just go.HHHH Times

MOON ON ARAINBOW SHAWL

Tuesday 11 to Saturday 15 March

Oxford Theatre Guild

What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it’s curved like a road through mountains.

In the simmering heat of a Louisiana summer, the tensions of a small family are about to explode.

Fleeing her Southern home to escape scandal, fading beauty Blanche DuBois finds herself in the passionate and brutal world of downtown New Orleans. Moving in with her sister, she shares a story of misfortune, hardship and bad luck with Stella and her cynical, hard-drinking husband Stanley.

Lyrical, poetic and heartbreaking, Tennessee Williams’ iconic, Pulitzer Prize winning play is brought to the stage by Oxford Theatre Guild.

By Tennessee Williams

Show times Tue to Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Sat mat: 2.30pmTicket prices £11 to £17 | Discounts availableEnjoy! members 50% off Tue eve & Sat matPost show talk ThuThis amateur production is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH LTD.

A STREETCARNAMED DESIRE

Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 March

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Oxford Theatre Guild has a reputation for the high standard of its productions and this is no exception.

Oxford Times on Oxford Theatre Guild’s Pride and Prejudice

West Yorkshire Playhouse

This planet is for everyone, borders are for no one.It’s all about freedom.

Alem is fourteen and in the UK with his father on the best holiday he has ever had. Until the unthinkable happens; he awakes to find himself alone, a stranger in an unfamiliar country. Overnight he has become a refugee.

While his Ethiopian father and Eritrean mother work towards peace between their warring homelands, Alem is left to find his way alone, navigating prejudice, violence and the bureaucracy of the system. But friends rally around him and, with their help, Alem takes control of his life to become more than just a Refugee Boy.

Gail McIntyre brings together the work of two of the UK’s most prolific and revered poets, Benjamin Zephaniah and Lemn Sissay, in a heartbreaking and bittersweet production that pulses with energy, love, loss and hope.

Based on the novel by Benjamin ZephaniahAdapted for the stage by Lemn Sissay Directed by Gail McIntyre

Show times Tue & Wed eves: 7pm | Wed mat: 1pm Ticket prices £11 to £18 | Discounts available Enjoy! members 50% off Tue Age guideline 10+School Project A schools project is available for KS2 and KS3 Please contact [email protected] for more information.

REFUGEE BOYTuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 March

Sissay weaves in poetry, laughter and, as the sky beyond the ruins clears to starlight, moments of awe.

HHHH Times

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Known to millions for his appearances on QI, Stand Up for the Week and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, the master of observational irony and rapid-fire wit Rich Hall has created a brand new show.

Award-winning Hall has received critical acclaim across the globe and performed to sell-out audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe, across the UK and at comedy festivals worldwide. In 2013, Rich won the Barry Award for Outstanding Act – the biggest prize at Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see the comic genius from Montana discuss the state of the world, delivered in his own hilarious, deadpan and unique way.

Show time 8pm Ticket prices £12 to £19

Off the Kerb

RICH HALLThursday 27 March

Now is the time to grab this chance to see the great man at work.Guardian

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Set in the zany world of modern fashion, with costumes inspired by Gianni Versace and Jean Paul Gaultier, this energetic production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic masterpiece promises a riotous feast for the senses.

Expect stunning gowns, glamour, glorious singing and, of course, the company’s inimitable brand of mad-cap humour.

An unmissable evening of high-class entertainment, which will delight both Gilbert and Sullivan enthusiasts and those experiencing the wit and verve of this ingenious operetta for the first time.

Show time 7.30pm Ticket prices £11 to £22 | Discounts available

Opera della Luna

THE MIKADOFriday 28 and Saturday 29 March

Jeff Clarke’s vivacious production is delightful. Mischievous and witty, and the outfits have all the razzle-dazzle of Versace.Financial Times

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Show times Sat: 3pm | Sun: 3pm & 7.30pmTicket prices £11 discounts £9Age guideline 14+Location FREUD CAFÉ, 119 Walton Street, OX2 6AHCapacity is limited so early booking is recommended.

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A female anarchist. A road checkpoint in a war zone. A girl who rode a bike and grew tomatoes. An elusive central figure who could be a terrorist, a victim or an artist – if indeed she exists at all.

Oxford Playhouse’s 16|22 Young Company presents Attempts on Her Life, a journey through situations that sometimes connect and sometimes don’t. With scenes ranging from the witty to the deeply disturbing, Martin Crimp’s utterly compelling play was first performed at The Royal Court to critical acclaim, and has since been performed all over the world.

Attempts on Her Life is part of the Radical Thinking season. Throughout 2014 many of Oxford’s arts organisations will make shows, host exhibitions and curate events by some of the UK’s most exciting artists, bringing to life ideas from the pioneers of old and pirates of today who have changed the way we think.

This will be a promenade production.

Written by Martin CrimpDirected by Jo Noble

ATTEMPTS ON HER LIFESaturday 29 and Sunday 30 March

FREUD CAFÉ, 119 Walton Street, OX2 6AH

An Oxford Playhouse Production

No shortage of talent on display from this lively company.Oxford Mail on 16|22’s Under Milk Wood

English Touring Theatre, Rose Theatre Kingston & Sheffield Theatres

1833. Rural Ireland. The British Army arrives to translate Gaelic place names into the King’s English. Farm-girl Máire finds herself torn between the affections of the local school teacher and the love of a British soldier, between her native tongue and a new language, and between the comfort of the familiar and the excitement of foreign possibilities.

The resulting clash of two worlds threatens the very heart of the community as both English and Irish struggle to interpret each other. What gets lost in translation?

Celebrating its twenty-first anniversary year, English Touring Theatre’s recent visits to the Playhouse include Ghosts and The Misanthrope.

By Brian FrielDirector James Grieve

Show times Tue to Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pmTicket prices £11 to £26.50 | Discounts availableEnjoy! members 50% off Tue eve & Sat matPost show talk WedCaptioned Performance WedAudio Described Performance Sat: 2.30pm | Touch Tour: 1pm

OPINIONThis production promises a winning combination. A brilliant play, by the author of Dancing at Lughnasa, a wonderful director James Grieve, who won awards and plaudits for Love, Love, Love and the creative vision of English Touring Theatre, which has produced many triumphant plays seen on this stage.

TRANSLATIONSTuesday 1 to Saturday 5 April

Brian Friel’s beautifully nuanced play of language and meaning.Irish Times

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Musical Youth Company of Oxford

Guys and Dolls is one of the best loved musicals of all time. The romantic and hilarious tale rollercoasters through a larger than life vision of the New York underworld where there are scams on every street corner, gangsters bet on love, crap games move from sewers to the Save a Soul Mission and long engagements cause the flu!

The story was made famous by the 1955 film version starring Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson, a gambler whose heart is stolen by an earnest Salvation Army girl. Memorable tunes are scattered liberally through the show and include Luck be a Lady and Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat.

This vibrant and dynamic production is brought to you by the talented Musical Youth Company of Oxford. The group was recently given the Flame Award by the National Operatic and Dramatic Association for its “inspiration to musical theatre”.

Music and lyrics by Frank LoesserBook by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows

Show times Wed to Sat eves: 7.30pm | Sat mat: 2.30pmTicket prices £11 to £19 | Discounts available Enjoy! members 50% off WedThis amateur production is presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD.

On behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL of NEW YORK.

GUYS AND DOLLSWednesday 9 to Saturday 12 April

Sensationally exciting dance. The chorus singing puts many a professional group to shame.Oxford Times on Musical Youth Company of Oxford’s Oklahoma

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Dance Touring Partnership presentsFabulous Beast Dance Theatre’s

The internationally acclaimed and award-winning Fabulous Beast, described as “one of the most daring and highly original dance theatre companies in the world” (Times), presents an extraordinary double bill of darkness and light from choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan, danced to Stravinsky’s thrilling and powerful scores.

The Rite of Spring explores dark, elemental forces, power and violence, with the rhythmic elements of the music played out in scenes of a pagan fertility rite. In contrast, Petrushka is bright and light, using elements of traditional folk dances to conjure up warmer days as the company dances for approval from their ancestors.

Performed by an international cast of 14, both pieces are theatrical interpretations created in response to the music that caused outrage and excitement in the early twentieth century.

Choreographed byMichael Keegan-Dolan

Show times 7.30pm Ticket prices £11 to £21| Discounts availableEnjoy! members 25% off TuePost show talk TueAge guideline 16+ Contains nudity and sexual imagery

THE RITE OF SPRING& PETRUSHKA

Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 April

There’s no doubting the spell of Keegan-Dolan’s imagination.HHHH Guardian

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Circus Evolution presents Pirates of the Carabina

A captivating evening of circus packed with daredevil stunts, madcap humour and brilliant live music presented by the same team who brought the sell-out Petit Mal to the Playhouse.

A stunning troupe of circus performers and musicians are getting ready to put on a jaw-dropping spectacle.But there’s a problem; no one is prepared and mishaps, disasters and disagreements threaten to wreck the show. An aerialist is still ironing her dress, a cranky diva gets tangled in the rigging and one of the stuntmen is dangling from the lighting bar. Catastrophe is just one wrong move away.

Performers fly, fling, spin and swing across the set in brilliantly choreographed chaos. Flown is big, beautiful and bonkers, and an experience for everyone to treasure.

Performed by Pirates of the Carabina

Show times 7.30pmTicket prices £11 to £21 | Discounts availableEnjoy! members 25% off FriAge guideline 7+

FLOWNFriday 18 and Saturday 19 April

Exquisite moments of beauty... brilliantly athletic.HHHH Guardian

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MJE Productions, Mark Goucher Ltd and Theatre Royal Bath

Alistair McGowan leads this major new centenary production of Bernard Shaw’s enduring exploration of gender and class, which also stars Jamie Foreman and Rula Lenska.

The aristocratic and pompous Professor Higgins makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can transform the manners and speech of Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, and pass her off as a society lady.

BAFTA award-winning Alistair McGowan is a renowned impressionist, comic and writer and has established himself as a formidable actor in recent years, receiving great acclaim for several West End roles.

Pygmalion is one of theatre’s most entertaining and beguiling plays, and provided the inspiration for the musical My Fair Lady. It remains one of Shaw’s most popular plays, full of his trademark wit, style and humour. A British masterpiece.

By Bernard Shaw Directed by David Grindley

Show times Tue to Thu & Sat eves: 7.30pm | Fri: 8pm | Wed, Thu & Sat mats: 2.30pmTicket prices £14 to £29.50 | No discounts Fri & Sat evesEnjoy! members 25% off Tue eve & Sat matPost show talk Wed eve

PYGMALIONTuesday 6 to Saturday 10 May

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The Playhouse’s resident company Shared Experience is creating an exciting new production based on the tale of The Little Mermaid, written and directed by Shared Experience’s Artistic Director, Polly Teale.

Plundering this classic fairy story for its dark, erotic and mythic power, Shared Experience will evolve a highly visual performance style for a production they hope to tour in 2015.

As a key part of the show’s development, the company will work on the first draft of the play here in Oxford, bringing to life scenes for the first time. Audiences will be invited into the rehearsal room to observe this exciting creative process, and then join in a conversation with the actors and director about what they have seen.

Shared Experience

MERMAIDSaturday 8 February

Oxford Old Museum(at side of Town Hall )Blue Boar StreetOxford OX1 1BX

Capacity is limited, so early booking is recommended.

Show times 3pm & 7pmTicket prices £9 discounts £7Age guideline 12+

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Five emerging composers and writers, all students at the University of Oxford, have collaborated with Music Theatre Wales to each write an aria – a moment of opera. This special evening is a rare chance to see part of the creative process with each new aria being performed for the first time by professional singers and then discussed and explored by composer Judith Weir with Music Theatre Wales’ Artistic Directors – Michael McCarthy and Michael Rafferty. Oxford Playhouse has had long associations with both Music Theatre Wales and the University of Oxford and is delighted to be part of this collaborative approach to the complexities, challenges and discoveries involved in writing a contemporary opera.

Music Theatre Wales in Oxford

MAKE AN ARIA PUBLIC PERFORMANCE

Thursday 27 February

Show time 8pmLocation Jacqueline Du Pré Music BuildingTicket prices Free but book in advance

OPT In! is our scheme for 16 to 25 year olds offering free, £5 and £10 tickets on selected

shows at Oxford Playhouse. Your membership includes discounts at participating

shops, cafés and restaurants across the city.

To join, buy a membership card for just £1 from the

Oxford Playhouse Ticket Office. Please bring a passport sized

photo and a valid ID which states your birth date.

ARE YOU 16 TO 25 AND INTERESTED IN

FREE AND DISCOUNTED THEATRE TICKETS,

PLUS SPECIAL OFFERS ACROSS THE CITY?

Membership: £1

Sign up today at the Ticket Office.

COMEDYDRAMAFAMILY MUSIC POETRY

Theatre and events especially for families. Come and play in the foyer area before and after the show.

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Friday 3 January

THE HONOLULU COWBOYS

Saturday 4 January

OXFORD JAZZ MASTERS SERIES A Tribute to John Coltrane

Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 January

FIJI LAND By Nick Gill

Show time 8pmTicket prices £8 Discounts £6

Show time 8pmTicket prices £10 Discounts £8

Show times Wed to Sat eves: 7.30pm | Sat mat: 2.30pm Ticket prices £10 Discounts £8Age guideline 14+

Imagine yourself sitting on a beach and listening to the waves; surrounded by smiley ukulele players, as Max Moonlight did when he formed The Honolulu Cowboys.

With a line-up of ukeleles, two guitars, banjoleles, kazoo, pedal steel and vocals, this is a musical experience of unsurpassed exoticity. You’ll hear traditional Hawaiian favourites mixed with pop hits and country classics from a band featuring members from the age of 8 to 65, all sharing the same hula passion.

OxJaMS returns to the BT for one night only with musicians Paul Dunmall (tenor, soprano saxes) and Tony Bianco (drums) paying tribute to the jazz giant John Coltrane.

The evening is hosted by the OxJaMs Trio: George Haslam, Richard Leigh Harris and Steve Kershaw. With support from Jazz Services/PRS and SLAM.

A conversation between two masterful musicians and an electrifying tribute at the same time. Paul Acquaro, New York

Welcome to fiji land. Things are very simple here. Follow orders. Fight the good fight. You can even take photos.

Grainer’s new. He asked to come over here. Wolstead likes to watch people while they sleep. Meanwhile, Tanc’s here to do what he’s told and do it proper.

fiji land is a surreal and incisive play about the very real things that happen when the cell doors shut and the world looks away.

Three Streets Productions in association with Oxford Playhouse supported by MCS Drama.

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OXFORD PLAYHOUSE AT THE BURTON TAYLOR STUDIO

JANUARY TO APRIL

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Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 January

ALMOST RANDOM THEATRE (ART) By Chris Sivewright

Wednesday 15 JanuaryFrank Wurzinger’s

GOODBYE GÜNTHER Directed by John Wright

Show times 7.30pmTicket prices £8 Discounts £6

Show time 7.30pmTicket prices £10 Discounts £8Age guideline 13+

Two nights of brand new drama from Almost Random Theatre, featuring six premieres spread over Monday and Tuesday evenings. ART is a local theatre company which includes actors, writers and directors from across Oxfordshire.

School Assembly As well as School Assembly, Monday evening will feature the winner and runner-up of the ART 2013 Playwriting Competition on the theme ‘Wellbeing’.

Transformation As well as Transformation, Tuesday evening will feature the winner and runner-up of the ART 2013 Playwriting Competition on the theme ‘Retreats’.

Goodbye Günther plays with one of our biggest fears and taboos – dying. The ever optimistic protagonist finds humour in even the darkest moments as he rehearses the end of his life using slapstick, clowning and irreverent improvisation. A moving, beautiful and hilarious show.

Wurzinger is a gentle clown with a warm and engaging stage presence...He has an edge, and subverts his innocence. Total Theatre

Thursday 16 and Friday 17 JanuaryMakin Projects and Boothby Graffoe

SCRATCH!

Show times 7.30pmTicket prices £8 Age guideline 14+

Are you feeling lucky? Join arch-surrealist Boothby Graffoe for a typically skewed look at the weird little world of the UK lottery scratch card. Who buys them? How many do they buy? What, really, are the odds they might win? Have you got one? Do you want one? What would you do with all that money? Will Boothby win during the show? More importantly, will he share any of his winnings with you?

An enigma wrapped in a riddle. He plucks comedy from confusion and brilliance from thin air. Scotsman

This is a preview performance of Boothby’s new show.

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JANUARY TO APRIL

Saturday 18 JanuaryTeasel Theatre Company

GRISLY TALES FROM TUMBLEWATER Directed by Caroline Horton Performed by Edward Jasper

Friday 21 MarchRosie Wilby

NINETIES WOMAN

Show time 2pmTicket prices £7.50 Children £5.50Age guideline 8+

Welcome to Tumblewater. Not that it’s a very welcoming place. Caspian Prye, the twisted landowner, controls everything and everyone; even the police. Into this world stumbles Daniel Dorey, a fearless orphan armed only with his wits and a satchel of spine-chilling stories.

Charles Dickens meets Roald Dahl via Horrible Histories with laughs, frights and live music in this one-man adaptation of Bruno Vincent’s deliciously dark novel.

Astonishing... a thoroughly enjoyable and wonderfully vibrant show.HHHH Edinburgh Festivals Magazine

Live interactive storytelling interspersed with video interviews, music and photo archive.

Award-winning comedian Rosie Wilby traces a personal journey through early 90s feminism to find the collective of women who set up Matrix, York University’s feminist newspaper in the 90s.

Plenty of laughs and charm… the most fun you can have in a pair of dungarees and Doc Martens.HHHH What’s Peen Seen


Saturday 22 MarchKid Carpet

BLAST OFF! In association with Tobacco Factory Theatre

Show times 11am & 2pmTicket prices £7.50 Children £5.50 Age guideline 4+

The Noisy Animals are the biggest band in the world, and they’re about to blast off into outer space on a super duper really fast adventure around a rock ‘n’ roll musical universe.

Kid Carpet and The Noisy Animals are back at the BT Studio with brand new adventure Blast Off! which features an entertaining mix of live music, silliness and lots of laughs.

Great melodies and infectious pop hooks… if only all pop music could be this fun. iDJ Magazine on Kid Carpet

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Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 March

EACH OF US By Ben Moor

Wednesday 26 March

A CONVERSATION WITH MY FATHER By Hannah Nicklin

Mentored and supported by Third Angel

Show time 7.30pmTicket prices £10 Discounts £8


Writer-performer Ben Moor (Coelacanth) returns to the BT with a new solo comedy about love, friendship and human connection in uncertain times.

In a chaotic world, populated by self-conscious bees and time travelling ghosts, a man decides what to treasure and what part each of us has to play.

Funny, romantic, surreal and poetic, Ben’s stories are always extraordinarily uplifting.

HHHHH Express

This is a story about my Dad (a retired policeman) and me (a protestor).

It’s a story about fear, bravery, what it feels like to be kettled, about the surprising similarities between both sides of the protest lines.

It’s about working out what matters, and standing up to protect it. It’s about what makes them ‘Them’ and us ‘Us’.

It’s about me, and my Dad.

There are also some jokes in it. Because serious things are worth laughing at a little bit.

Idiosyncratic, touching and thought-provoking.HHHH Fest Magazine

Thursday 27 and Friday 28 March Tobacco Factory Theatre

BANKSY: THE ROOM IN THE ELEPHANT By Tom Wainwright Performed by Gary Beadle

In 2011, UK graffiti artist Banksy spray painted ‘This Looks A Bit Like An Elephant’ on the side of an old water tank in Los Angeles. The disused tank was home to a man called Tachowa Covington who, in his seven years there, had furnished it with carpets, a stove and even CCTV.

The tank instantly became a work of art and was taken away to be sold. By making a statement did Banksy end up making a man homeless?

A colourful and compelling performance by Beadle and a spunky, clever script that weaves poetry and street swagger from Tom Wainwright. Stage


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JANUARY TO APRIL

Saturday 5 AprilGarlic Theatre

THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE

An old broom stands in the corner, a book is on the table and a young boy alone in the castle feels a tingling in his fingertips…

Can he work a spell himself? Caught in the whirl of magic, the broom dances and spins as it fetches water and more water for the cauldron.

The boy watches transfixed as a flood starts to rise. Will he be able to undo the spell before the sorcerer returns?

Monday 31 March and Tuesday 1 AprilUntied Artists

FOR THEIR OWN GOOD

Saturday 29 MarchHalf Moon

HOW HIGH? A Theatre Jemilda Production

Two knackermen, a horse, a gun and a tiny metropolis full of death. Can the way we kill animals teach us anything about our own demise?

Combining beautiful puppetry, new writing and documentary material, this Fringe First award-winning show tells a moving and darkly comic tale about the only certainty in life – death. How it’s become removed from us as a process. How maybe we should reclaim it.

Astonishingly poignant...a rare energy and power.Scotsman

Hetty loves to measure things. She measures in feet and hands, in sausages and snails, in butterflies and Barbies. Her uncle Magnus travels the world in his hot air balloon, searching for the tallest things he can find, sending her leaves from lofty treetops and stories of giants and trolls.

Join Hetty as she explores the world of height and meets an extraordinary new friend.

Very engaging and captivating. A play of awe and wonder.Primary teacher on How High?


Show times 11am, 2pm & 4pmTicket prices £7.50 Children £5.50Age guideline 4+

Show times 11am & 2pmTicket prices £7.50 Children £5.50Age guideline 4 to 9

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MONDAYS, 13 JANUARY TO 31 MARCH(NO SESSION ON 17 FEB)

HEY DIDDLE DIDDLETUESDAY 18 AND WEDNESDAY19 FEBRUARY

BRAVE NEW WORLDTUESDAY 14 JANUARY TO THURSDAY 27 MARCH 16|22

Times 10.30am to 11.15amLocation Top RoomTickets £5 for 1 adult & 1 pre school child, £2 for second childAges 5 and under

Times 10am to 4pmLocation Top RoomTickets £50Ages 9 to 13

16|22 is sponsored by Oxford Theatre Guild and HMG Law.

Have you discovered the perfect musical start to the week for you and your pre-school child? Hey Diddle Diddle is a friendly sing-song and play session held weekly at Oxford Playhouse. With free tea and coffee, as well as a chance to stay and play (and explore the big OP toy cupboard!), Hey Diddle Diddle is a fun way to start the week for both parent and child.

16|22 is currently working towards its thrilling production of Attempts on Her Life (page 37). Why not come along to the show and see what you could be doing as a member of 16|22?

Our next in-take for 16|22 will be in April 2014. With weekly classes and professional guidance from the Playhouse team, it’s a fun way to enjoy learning new skills and build confidence.

Discover the characters and language of The Tempest at this new two day workshop on Shakespeare. Participants will dive into this well-loved play exploring the themes, performance styles and text in exciting and interactive activities. A brilliant opportunity for budding actors to be creative and have some fun.

PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN HALF TERM WORKSHOPS OXFORD PLAYHOUSE YOUNG COMPANY

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WEDNESDAY 12 MARCH

FREE TEACHERS’NIGHT

Time 6.30pmLocation Hospitality RoomTickets Up to two free tickets available for each school

LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH OP

Enjoy a glass of wine, whilst finding out what’s coming up for schools at Oxford Playhouse, before watching a performance of Talawa Theatre Company and The National Theatre’s production of Errol John’s Moon on a Rainbow Shawl.

THURSDAYS 23 JANUARY, 13 FEBRUARY, 20 MARCH AND 3 APRIL

SPOTLIGHTOXFORD PLAYHOUSE

CONNECT

Times 12pm to 2pmLocation Hospitality RoomTickets £6 (Includes sandwich lunch)Ages 50+

Spotlight is a friendly and informal session for over 50s to learn more about theatre. Each session looks at the show playing on the Playhouse stage or an aspect of theatre making, with activities and guest speakers including actors and the creative teams behind our main stage shows.

Come and join a group of like-minded individuals and explore the making of great theatre. No experience or knowledge necessary and feel free to come by yourself.

Oxford Playhouse works with a number of local charities and community groups, providing free tickets, backstage tours, workshops and more. To find out how the Playhouse could support your charity or group please contact [email protected]

OXFORD PLAYHOUSE OFFERS A BURSARY SCHEME FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO TAKE PART BUT MAY NEED HELP WITH FEES. THIS SCHEME IS SPONSORED BY OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS. FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL [email protected]

SCHOOLS, COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES ADULTS & GROUPS

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DiscountsTurn to page 61 to make sure you’re getting any discounts we offer.

Vouchers and Theatre Tokens Oxford Playhouse vouchers and SOLT Theatre Tokens are available for purchase in person from the Ticket Office and can be used to buy tickets for any performances at the Playhouse.

Staying in touch Follow us on Twitter @OxfordPlayhouse and like us on Facebook.

Tickets OxfordWe sell tickets for many concerts and other events both locally and nationally. This service is available at the Ticket Office, on the phone or online until 4pm on the day of the performance.

Visit www.ticketsoxford.com for further details or follow us on Twitter @TicketsOxford.

Family Friendly Wherever you see this symbol, there is a show or activity designed especially for families. There will be free art activities and games in the circle bar before, during and after the show, special facilities including booster seats, toilet steps and seats and a buggy store. There’s a baby change facility on the ground floor and babes in arms are welcome at family shows, but please book a free ticket at the Ticket Office.

Made in Oxford These shows have been created here in the county, either by Oxford Playhouse or by local artists, amateur and professional.

OPT in!A membership scheme for people aged 16-25 to get free, £5 and £10 theatre tickets, free backstage tours and access to special events. Your OPT in! card also provides discounts for loads of local businesses. OPT in! costs just £1 to join, check out the website for more information www.oxfordplayhouse.com/OPTin! or find us on Facebook, just search ’OPT in! Oxford Playhouse’.

AccessRead more about the Access facilities available at the Playhouse on page 64.

Useful InformationMake sure you get the most and the best out of your theatre.Please contact the Ticket Office for further information.

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How to get to the Playhouse

Our Address:Oxford Playhouse Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2LW

By Road:ParkingParking in Oxford can be expensive. It is often cheaper to park on-street. You will find pay-and-display meters on Broad Street, St. Giles and in Jericho.

Car ParksGloucester Green (underground, nearest to the Playhouse), Westgate Shopping Centre, Worcester Street, Abbey Place, Oxpens and Oxford Rail Station.

Park and RideUsing one of Oxford’s five Park and Ride services is probably the easiest and cheapest way to get around the city. For more information visit: www.parkandride.net

By Train:Oxford rail station is a 10 minute walk from the Playhouse.

By Bus and Coach:The city’s main bus and coach station is a two minute walk away from the Playhouse situated in Gloucester Green.

Botley Rd

Town HallOld Museum

Royal Oak Pub

FREUD CAFÉ

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Data Protection: When processing your booking Ticket Office staff will ask you your name, address and telephone number. This information is required for administration purposes and may be used to keep you informed of forthcoming events. In the case of sales for other venues you may receive information from the event promoter. We may also pass your details to other carefully selected organisations if you agree. The Oxford Playhouse Trust Ltd is a registered charity and we occasionally contact our audience as part of our fundraising initiatives. Please let us know if you would like to be kept informed about future events, activities and fundraising.

Possible limited view. Please call the Ticket Office for further information.

These seats can be removed to accommodate wheelchairs. Please call the Ticket Office for further information.

Rows A – C are sometimes removed for staging and are therefore not always available – please check with the Ticket Office when booking.

F27

E27

D27

C27

B27

A27

W27

U26 U1

G1 G27 5G 32G

U6 U23

W22

T16 T11

T26

S27

R26

Q27

P26

N27

M26

L27

K26

J27

H26

G26

F25

E25

D24

C23

B22

A21

F1

E1

D1

C1

B1

A1

T1

S1

R1

Q1

P1

N1

M1

L1

K1

J1

H1

G2

F3

E4

D5

C6

B7

A8

FIRST FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR

In personMonday to Saturday 10am to 6pm or until 30 minutes after the start of the evening performance. Sundays and Bank Holidays two hours before the performances.

Waiting listsWaiting lists on the day are available one hour before the performance starts at the Ticket Office. For full details please call 01865 305305

Returns and exchanges Oxford Playhouse is able to exchange ticket(s) (to the same value) or resell your tickets (if the show has sold out ) if you find yourself unable to use them for whatever reason. Oxford Playhouse can only exchange or resell pre-collected ticket(s) that have been returned to the box office, or ticket(s) that are waiting for collection. To exchange your tickets to another event, you must inform us at least 24 hours prior to the advertised start time of the event for which you are unable to use your tickets. If you would like us to try and re-sell your tickets (non-guaranteed), you must let the ticket office know as soon as possible before the advertised start time of the event.

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Seating Plan

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Discount Group Ticket Price Conditions

Up to 50% off opening night and Saturday matinees for week-long shows. Bonus Enjoy! discounts of 50% or 25% on most shorter runs Free 16 to 25 year olds if they are a member of OPT in! £5 and £10 (membership cards £1 from Ticket Office) for subject to availability allocated performances. See page 49 for more information.

Early Bird £3 off each ticket Available for most shows when you book 3 or more productions in the top two ticket prices before Friday 10 January 2014.

In Advance £2 off each ticket Available for most shows on full priced tickets of £12.50 or more for under 18s, over 60s, full-time students, ES40s, BECTU and Equity members.

Access users £11 or £14 per ticket Available for most shows for access facility users, wheelchair users and one companion.

Schools & Colleges £11 or £14 per ticket An allocation of tickets is available plus one free teacher Monday to Thursday. seat for every 15 seats School tickets for Robin Hood from £11 booked

Group Rate 20% off full priced For all groups of 10 or more. tickets for most Not available online, email Katherine.Jones@ performances oxfordplayhouse.com for group bookings. Payment must be made as one transaction. Special group rates apply for Robin Hood.

Student Standby £11 or £14 per ticket Best available seats on the day of the (full-time) performance. Book in person at the Ticket with valid photo ID Office. Standby rate available in advance for Semi-Monde and The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

Over 60s Standby £12.50 or £14 per ticket Best available seats for all matinee performances bookable during the week of the show. Not available online.

Standby £11 or £14 per ticket Best available seats on the day of the performance for under 18s, ES40s, BECTU and Equity members for most shows. Book in person at the Ticket Office.

Conditions: All discounts are subject to availability and at the discretion of the Duty Ticket Office Manager and may not be available for all shows. Discounted tickets cannot be booked in conjunction with any other reductions or offers. Proof of status is required. Please note that not all discounts are available with online booking.

Available on up to two tickets, almost every production, for all Enjoy! members. Join the Enjoy! scheme via the Ticket Office for an annual fee of £50.Not available on tickets for Punt and Dennis, Pam Ayres, The Only Way is Downton, Burns Night, The Night Ball, Attempts on Her Life, Rich Hall, The Mikado, Flown, Fridays at 5.

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CORE FUNDERS

OUR SUPPORTERS

Oxford Playhouse gratefully acknowledges the support of its core funders:

Trusts:AnonymousCharity of Thomas Dawson CHK Charities LimitedThe Coutts Charitable TrustDoris Field Charitable TrustThe D’Oyly Carte Charitable TrustThe Dragon Christmas Charity SaleErnest Cook TrustEsmée Fairbairn FoundationThe Foundation for Sport and the ArtsThe Foyle Foundation

Garfield Weston FoundationThe Helen Roll CharityThe Leche TrustThe Lord Faringdon Charitable TrustThe Ormonde Charitable Trust Mr & Mrs JA Pye’s Charitable SettlementSt Michael’s and All Saints CharitySir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary SettlementThe Souldern TrustThe Still Point Fund

A special thank you to all:Patrons, volunteers, trustees and donors

University of Oxford College Members:All Souls CollegeLincoln CollegeThe Queen’s College

Platinum: Silver:

Bronze:

Building Support:Equipment and Technical Support:

16|22 Young Company Sponsors:Learning and Productions Support:

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OXFORD PLAYHOUSE

FOR THE STARS OF THE FUTUREOxford Playhouse is a charity, and makes a difference to the lives of 200,000 people every year. Share the love – come to see shows, spread the word and put your hand in your pocket. The Playhouse has to raise £250,000 each year to create great theatre, subsidise tickets for everyone, give free tickets to those who can’t afford to pay and provide transformative opportunities for children and young people. This year every £1 you give will be matched with another £1 from Arts Council England (up to £58,000). Donations of any size are greatly appreciated and make a real difference.

For further information on making a donation to our fundraising campaign or leaving a gift to the Playhouse in your Will, please visit www.oxfordplayhouse.com/supportus or email [email protected]

You can also support the Playhouse by texting OXPL01 £5 or £10 to 70070.

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AccessFacilitiesOxford Playhouse offers a range of facilities for audience members with access requirements, including level access to the auditorium, low level counters at the Ticket Office and bar, wheelchair spaces (stalls: end of rows E & L and centre of row T), audio described, captioned and signed performances. Look out for these symbols on the show pages of this Guide.

Captioned and signed performances are excellent for people who are deaf, deafened and hard of hearing. Captioned performances may also be of interest for those whose first language isn’t English and for anyone who finds it helpful to follow the text during a show.

Audio described performances are designed for blind or partially sighted audience members. Via headphones, a live narrator describes the action in the pauses between the onstage dialogue.

Touch tours accompany audio described performances.

The auditorium has a Sennheiser infrared system for audience members who are hard of hearing. Please ask the Ticket Office at the time of booking to advise you on the best places to sit for using the Sennheiser headsets within the auditorium. Relaxed performances are aimed at anyone who would benefit from a laid back environment including people with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, a learning disability or very young children who might be afraid of the dark. The atmosphere in the auditorium will be relaxed with the house lights partially on. Audience members will be free to come and go as they please throughout the show and make noise if they want to. The performance on stage will be unchanged.

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November 29 Fri Robin Hood 7pm OP 3 30 Sat Robin Hood 2pm, 7pm OP 3

December 2 Mon Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 3 Tue Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 4 Wed Robin Hood 10am, 6pm OP 3 5 Thu Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 7 Sat Robin Hood 11am, 3pm OP 3 8 Sun Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 9 Mon Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 10 Tue Robin Hood 10am, 6pm OP 3 11 Wed Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 12 Thu Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 12 Thu Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 11am, 3pm BT 4 13 Fri Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 14 Sat Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 14 Sat Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 15 Sun Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 15 Sun Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 16 Mon Robin Hood 10am, 6pm OP 3 17 Tue Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 17 Tue Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 11am, 3pm BT 4 18 Wed Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 18 Wed Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 19 Thu Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 19 Thu Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 21 Sat Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 21 Sat Robin Hood 2pm, 7pm OP 3 22 Sun Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 22 Sun Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 23 Mon Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 23 Mon Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 24 Tue Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 24 Tue Robin Hood 11am, 3pm OP 3 26 Thu Robin Hood 2pm, 6pm OP 3 27 Fri Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 11am, 3pm BT 4 27 Fri Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 28 Sat Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 28 Sat Robin Hood 2pm, 7pm OP 3 29 Sun Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 29 Sun Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 30 Mon Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm, 3pm BT 4 30 Mon Robin Hood 2pm, 6pm OP 3 31 Tue Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle 10am, 12pm BT 4 31 Tue Robin Hood 11am, 3pm OP 3 2 Thu Robin Hood 2pm, 6pm OP 3 3 Fri Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 3 Fri The Honolulu Cowboys 8pm BT 51 4 Sat Robin Hood 2pm, 7pm OP 3 4 Sat Oxford Jazz Masters Series 8pm BT 51 5 Sun Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3

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Date Day Production Time Venue Access Page

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January 7 Tue Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 8 Wed Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 8 Wed fijiland 7.30pm BT 51 9 Thu Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 9 Thu fijiland 7.30pm BT 51 10 Fri Robin Hood 10am, 2pm OP 3 10 Fri fijiland 7.30pm BT 51 11 Sat Robin Hood 2pm, 7pm OP 3 11 Sat fijiland 2.30pm, 7.30pm BT 51 12 Sun Robin Hood 11am, 4pm OP 3 13 Mon ART: School Assembly 7.30pm BT 52 14 Tue ART: Transformation 7.30pm BT 52 15 Wed Goodbye Günther 7.30pm BT 52 16 Thu SCRATCH! 7.30pm BT 52 16 Thu Punt & Dennis 8pm OP 7 17 Fri SCRATCH! 7.30pm BT 52 17 Fri Pam Ayres 7.30pm OP 8 18 Sat Grisly Tales from Tumblewater 2pm BT 53 18 Sat The Only Way is Downton 7.30pm OP 9 21 Tue Twelfth Night 7.30pm OP 11 22 Wed Twelfth Night 7.30pm OP 11 23 Thu Twelfth Night 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 11 24 Fri Twelfth Night 8pm OP 11 25 Sat Burns Night 1pm, 7pm Royal Oak Pub 12 25 Sat Twelfth Night 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 11 27 Mon The Play That Goes Wrong 7.30pm OP 15 28 Tue The Play That Goes Wrong 7.30pm OP 15 29 Wed The Play That Goes Wrong 7.30pm OP 15 30 Thu The Play That Goes Wrong 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 15 31 Fri Alan Ayckbourn 5pm OP 13 31 Fri The Play That Goes Wrong 8pm OP 15

February 1 Sat The Play That Goes Wrong 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 15 3 Mon Arrivals & Departures 7.30pm OP 17 4 Tue Time of My Life 7.30pm OP 17 5 Wed Farcicals 2.30pm OP 17 5 Wed Arrivals & Departures 7.30pm OP 17 6 Thu Arrivals & Departures 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 17 7 Fri Time of My Life 8pm OP 17 8 Sat Time of My Life 2.30pm OP 17 8 Sat Mermaid 3pm, 7pm Old Museum 48 8 Sat Arrivals & Departures 7.30pm OP 17 10 Mon Chariots of Fire 7.30pm OP 19 11 Tue Chariots of Fire 7.30pm OP 19 12 Wed Chariots of Fire 7.30pm OP 19 13 Thu Chariots of Fire 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 19 14 Fri Chariots of Fire 8pm OP 19 15 Sat Chariots of Fire 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 19

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February 19 Wed Semi-Monde 7.30pm OP 21 20 Thu Semi-Monde 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 21 21 Fri Semi-Monde 8pm OP 21 22 Sat Semi-Monde 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 21 25 Tue Dial M for Murder 7.30pm OP 23 26 Wed Dial M for Murder 7.30pm OP 23 27 Thu Dial M for Murder 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 23 28 Fri John Bird 5pm OP 13 28 Fri Dial M for Murder 8pm OP 23

March 1 Sat Dial M for Murder 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 23 3 Mon The Night Ball 7.30pm Oxford Town Hall 25 4 Tue The Night Ball 7.30pm Oxford Town Hall 25 5 Wed The Caucasian Chalk Circle 7.30pm OP 27 6 Thu The Caucasian Chalk Circle 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 27 7 Fri The Caucasian Chalk Circle 8pm OP 27 8 Sat The Caucasian Chalk Circle 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 27 11 Tue Moon on a Rainbow Shawl 7.30pm OP 29 12 Wed Moon on a Rainbow Shawl 7.30pm OP 29 13 Thu Moon on a Rainbow Shawl 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 29 14 Fri Moon on a Rainbow Shawl 8pm OP 29 15 Sat Moon on a Rainbow Shawl 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 29 18 Tue A Streetcar Named Desire 7.30pm OP 31 19 Wed A Streetcar Named Desire 7.30pm OP 31 20 Thu A Streetcar Named Desire 7.30pm OP 31 21 Fri Nineties Woman 7.30pm BT 53 21 Fri A Streetcar Named Desire 8pm OP 31 22 Sat Blast Off! 11am, 2pm BT 53 22 Sat A Streetcar Named Desire 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 31 24 Mon Each of Us 7.30pm BT 54 25 Tue Refugee Boy 7pm OP 33 25 Tue Each of Us 7.30pm BT 54 26 Wed Refugee Boy 1pm, 7pm OP 33 26 Wed A Conversation with My Father 7.30pm BT 54 27 Thu Banksy: The Room in the Elephant 7.30pm BT 54 27 Thu Rich Hall 8pm OP 34 28 Fri Banksy: The Room in the Elephant 7.30pm BT 54 28 Fri The Mikado 7.30pm OP 35 29 Sat How High? 11am, 2pm BT 55 29 Sat Attempts on Her Life 3pm FREUD 37 29 Sat The Mikado 7.30pm OP 35 30 Sun Attempts on Her Life 3pm, 7.30pm FREUD 37 31 Mon For Their Own Good 7.30pm BT 55

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68

April 1 Tue For Their Own Good 7.30pm BT 55 1 Tue Translations 7.30pm OP 39 2 Wed Translations 7.30pm OP 39 3 Thu Translations 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 39 4 Fri Translations 8pm OP 39 5 Sat The Sorcerer’s Apprentice 11am, 2pm, 4pm BT 55 5 Sat Translations 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 39 9 Wed Guys and Dolls 7.30pm OP 41 10 Thu Guys and Dolls 7.30pm OP 41 11 Fri Guys and Dolls 7.30pm OP 41 12 Sat Guys and Dolls 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 41 15 Tue The Rite of Spring & Petrushka 7.30pm OP 43 16 Wed The Rite of Spring & Petrushka 7.30pm OP 43 18 Fri Flown 7.30pm OP 45 19 Sat Flown 7.30pm OP 45

May 6 Tue Pygmalion 7.30pm OP 47 7 Wed Pygmalion 2,30pm, 7.30pm OP 47 8 Thu Pygmalion 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 47 9 Fri Pygmalion 8pm OP 47 10 Sat Pygmalion 2.30pm, 7.30pm OP 47

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FOR THEATRE LOVERS, FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS, FOR PARENTS, FOR THEIR CHILDREN, FOR THE ASPIRINGACTOR, FOR THE SEASONED PRO,FOR WORLD CLASS THEATRE,FOR CONTINUING SUCCESS,FOR THE FUTURE.

OXFORD PLAYHOUSE

Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2LW Registered Company No. 2397373 Registered Charity No: 900039 VAT No. 537166534

Oxford Playhouse gratefully acknowledges the support of its core funders:

Design: www.uniform.net

Oxford Playhouse can provide this brochure in alternative formats including audio and large print. Please contact Dee Millard on 01865 305301 or at [email protected]

Oxford Playhouse Season Brochure November 2013 to May 2014

Documents

Transcript of Oxford Playhouse Season Brochure November 2013 to May 2014