All aboard! Take a heart-stirring journey through Oxford in this immersive, eye-opening, trip through time, in a story that leads us from the 8th century to the 21st.
Meet Paulette who was born in Jamaica, crossed an ocean to expand her horizons and now, in 1966, is determined to change the world. She hopes you will come along for the ride.
Commissioned by The Schwarzman Centre to champion the community in Blackbird Leys and introduce the University Of Oxford’s incredible new arts centre, When The Blackbird Sings involves an exciting and novel bus journey from Blackbird Leys into the city centre, meeting lots of interesting historical characters along the way.
Starting today (September 23) and running until October 11, you’ll meet a remarkable group of pioneers, passionate changemakers, a patron saint and fellow humans simply trying to survive, amongst others.
And with the new theatrical experience already selling out, When The Blackbird Sings is capturing the public’s imagination.
‘we want to provide a new way to see your city. It’s an invitation to everyone’
So what is the aim of the show? Director Erica Whyman says: “We want When The Blackbird Sings to appeal to anyone who might not have been to a theatre, as much as regulars, but also to provide a new way to see your city. It’s an invitation to everyone.”
It was also a collaborative effort to get When The Blackbird Sings off the ground, made with Creation Theatre and written by Natty Mark Samuels, Helen Eastman and Afsaneh Gray, alongside Blackbird Leys’ community leader Dolcie Obhiozele.
Dolcie had amassed quite an archive of local residents stories, passed down from generation to generation, many of them hailing from The Windrush generation, highlighting their courageousness on landing in the UK, from housing and jobs to family, racism, isolation and loneliness.
‘It’s really important for the younger generation to hear about their ancestors, and how they broke down barriers to help build a stronger community here. It’s part of their history too’
“We wanted to capture that. But we also wanted to redress the truth around the Windrush generation,” Dolcie says, “because they were asked to come over by the British government to help rebuild Britain. They came because they were asked to. And that’s why the Windrush scandal is so unjust.”
“So we are delighted to be taking part in When The Blackbird Sings. It’s really important for the younger generation to hear about their ancestors, and how they broke down barriers to help build a stronger community here. It’s part of their history too.”
Erica continues the story: “But there were still two briefs which we needed to connect – the two worlds of Oxford and East Oxford – until we realised that many Blackbird Leys residents commuted into Oxford for work, so buses were central to their experience.
‘we knew we needed a bus’
“That’s when we hit upon the idea of time travel, because while Oxford’s history is much more well known, it’s often seen through an academic lens. So instead we are basing When The Blackbird Sings on the characters we meet – the first in Blackbird Leys at the bus stop who gets talking about the 60s ind invites us to go to the maternity hospital, which was part of the Radcliffe Infirmary back then, to help fight for equal pay for black nurses.
“But When The Blackbird Sings is also about all the people they meet on the way, from Suffragettes to the first African-American Rhodes scholars, and the origins of Oxfam.”
“And that’s when we knew we needed a bus! And thanks to Oxford Bus Company we’ve now got one with its own driver.”
Bus secure, When The Blackbird Sings is now ready to rumble: “We’ve done some practice runs and are feeling optimistic,” Erica says. “The narrative is conveyed through headsets and that’s how to listen to the characters telling their stories. So yes, it has been quite a technical feat to pull this off, but it’s also been quite exciting.
‘we wanted When The Blackbird Sings to break down barriers and speak the truth’
“Plus, we’ve really enjoyed making the show because it combines everything I love about this city and its readiness to campaign for justice. But Oxford can also be narrow and elitist and we wanted When The Blackbird Sings to break down barriers and speak the truth, so we want everyone to come and see it.”
In terms of logistics, the starting point for When The Blackbird Sings is the Blackbird Pub in Blackbird Leys. Book tickets for inside the bus online. Tickets for uncovered seats on the top deck of the bus will be released for sale on the door, 30 minutes before the performance, weather dependent. There is a courtesy bus to take you back to the Blackbird Pub afterwards.
When the Blackbird Sings runs from September 23- October 11. Book here https://www.schwarzmancentre.ox.ac.uk/whats-on/when-the-blackbird-sings-t2pc
Production originated as part of The Leys Festival 2026
