Got the January blues? Fear not, because we’ve collated a momentous guide of what to book now for 2025 taking in Oxfordshire’s theatres, museums, festivals, concerts and so much more, aimed at everyone from 0-105. From magic to musicals and classic to comedy, county-wide, it’s all here. Enjoy!
ART: Emily Hoyle: The Chapel, The North Wall, Jan 8 – 18 A diverse collection of paintings, drawings, and sculpture by artist Emily Hoyle who draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, animals recurring in her artwork. A recent graduate of Oxford’s Ruskin School of Art, Emily is North Wall’s ArtsLab visual artist for 2025. https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/emily-hoyle-the-chapel/
COMEDY: Oxfordshire Mind Comedy Gala, Sat 11 Jan, Oxford Playhouse. 2.30pm & 7.30pm. Get ready for another night of unstoppable laughter as Oxfordshire Mind and Jericho Comedy stage their annual Comedy Gala! Featuring top-tier comedians Dom Joly, Marcel Lucont, Katie Norris, Chelsea Birkby and compere Alex Farrow, help celebrate Jericho Comedy’s tenth year of fundraising. Age guideline: 16+ https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/oxfordshire-mind-comedy
THEATRE: Chinese New Year Festival, Oxford Playhouse, Jan 15. Welcome in the auspicious Year of the Snake with some incredible acrobatics, Chinese dance, Britain’s best Kung Fu display and an 18-metre-long dragon to illuminate the stage, in collaboration with the Confucius Institute at Oxford Brookes, directed by Jinlong Culture & Performing Arts. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/chinese-new-year-festival-2025
THEATRE: Last Rites, Jan 15 – 17, North Wall. A physical and non-verbal show about grief and parenthood, told through physical storytelling, dynamic projection and a soundtrack that can be felt and heard. Unfolding through a Deaf man’s perspective, it explores the poignant story of a complex relationship cut short as Arjun travels from the UK to India to perform his father’s funeral rights. https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/last-rites/
COMEDY: Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time, Jan 17, Oxford Playhouse and March 21 at The Theatre Chipping Norton. One of the UK’s favourite TV household names brings his most personal show to date. Come and join Ed as he mines the most tragic event in his life for laughs. Book at https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/ed-byrne-tragedy-plus-time and https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/ed-byrne-tragedy-plus-time respectively.
THEATRE: The Shark is Broken, Oxford Playhouse. Jan 23 – 25. Fifty years on from the 1975 smash hit Jaws, this critically acclaimed Olivier award-nominated production celebrates movie history as it peeks at the choppy waters behind Hollywood’s first blockbuster and imagines what happened on board ‘The Orca’ when the cameras stopped rolling. Co-written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, Shaw also stars in the play as his father, Robert Shaw. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/the-shark-is-broken
STUDENT: Into the Woods, January 29 – February 1, Oxford Playhouse. Student company Peach Productions is staging Stephen Sondheim’s Tony and Olivier award-winning musical following our favourite fairy tale characters as they embark on a journey to fulfil their deepest desires. But are they prepared for the consequences? An emotive exploration of hope, family, and the hazy lines between right and wrong. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/into-the-woods
COMEDY: Oxford Improv Festival, The Old Fire Station, Jan 31-Feb 2. READ ABOUT IT HERE Whether you’re completely new to improvised comedy, a seasoned pro, or just here for the laughs, there’s something for everyone in Oxford’s newest festival line-up. From murder mysteries to rom-coms, anything goes as the improv comedy is created live on stage, fuelled by audience suggestions. https://oldfirestation.org.uk/show-category/ox-improv-fest/
COMEDY: Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf, Oxford Playhouse, Mon 3 – Sat 8 Feb. The celebrated comedian shares his stage with a tough-talking werewolf comedian from the dark forests of the subconscious who hates humanity. Can the beast inside us all be silenced by Lee’s critically acclaimed stand-up? https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/stewart-lee-vs-the-man-wulf
MUSIC: Transatlantic Sessions, New Theatre Oxford, Saturday Feb 8. It’s 30 years since the original TV series aired, exploring and celebrating the rich musical traditions that connect Scotland, Ireland and the US. Continuing the theme, the line-up combines guest singers and celebrated house band, interweaving original material with age-old tunes and songs https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/transatlantic-sessions/new-theatre-oxford/
FAMILY FRIENDLY: You Are The Sun, The Theatre Chipping Norton, Feb 9. 11am, 1pm, 3pm. HurlyBurly Theatre presents this folk inspired opera for babies and grown ups that explores the magic of nature. Combining the joy of gentle classical singing and sensory play. For 0 – 2 year olds. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/you-are-the-sun
THEATRE: Summer 1954, Oxford Playhouse. Feb 11-15. Nathaniel Parker and Dame Siân Phillips lead the cast in a double bill from Terence Rattigan as his one-act masterpieces Table Number Seven (from Separate Tables) and The Browning Version will be paired for the very first time. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/summer-1954-table-number-7-the-browning-version
ART: Imogen Rigden: Impermanence, North Wall, Feb 12 – March 1 This is local artist Imogen’s third exhibition at the North Wall – her multi-disciplinary works (paintings, textiles, sculptures) telling stories about the ordinary, overlooked and transient events in nature. https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/imogen-rigden-impermanence/
ART: Anselm Kiefer: Early Works, February 14– June 15, Ashmolean. The early output of the towering figure of postwar art, this group of 45 early works made during the period 1969–1982 features paintings, watercolours, artist books, photos and woodcuts, rarely displayed in the UK before. The exhibition will also include three new paintings from Kiefer’s own collection, chosen by the artist. https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/anselm-kiefer-early-works
CLASSICAL: Braimah Kanneh-Mason plays Mendelssohn, Dorchester Abbey. February 15. OSJ brings you this classic line-up of three masterpieces by Mendelssohn. Starring in the violin concerto is Braimah Kanneh-Mason, the second oldest of the Kanneh-Masons, the prodigious clan from Nottingham. Plus the Hebrides Overture and Italian Symphony. https://www.osj.org.uk/osjevent/braimah-kanneh-mason-plays-mendelssohn-7pm-at-dorchester-abbey/
MAGIC: James Phelan: The Dreamer, Didcot’s Cornerstone, Feb 15 – Star of The Greatest Magician, and the BBC’s most broadcast magician of the last decade – the award-winning James Phelan debuts this breath-taking new magic show. https://www.cornerstone-arts.org/whats/james-phelan-dreamer
THEATRE: A Man for All Seasons, Oxford Playhouse, Feb 18-22. The final years of Sir Thomas More, the 16th-century Lord Chancellor of England, are depicted by celebrated actor Martin Shaw in Robert Bolt’s award-winning play. As Henry VIII seeks a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, Sir Thomas faces a difficult choice between his loyalty to the king and his own conscience – an internal conflict that shaped English history. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/a-man-for-all-seasons
THEATRE: (the) Women, Feb 18-19, The North Wall. A dark comedy about early motherhood and the impact it has on your identity. Catapulted from a hit play and hijacked by motherhood, the wild nights out have been replaced by evenings in with baby and a breast pump. M is burnt out, angry, lonely, unsure and terrified of the future. This 2022 Bruntwood Prize shortlisted play by award-winning writer Jane Upton is relatable and funny. 15+ https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/the-woman/
COMEDY: Dillie Keane: Thoroughly Modern Dillie, The Theatre Chipping Norton, Feb 25. Accompanied by the extraordinary talent of Michael Roulston on piano, a new raft of songs, some old, some new, some borrowed, some unashamedly blue, her mordant sense of humour still getting the better of her most of the time. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/dillie-keane
COMEDY: Justin Moorhouse: The Greatest Performance Of My Life, The Mill, Banbury, Feb 28. this enduringly popular comic never fails to deliver. At least, he’d better not fail to, given what he admits himself is something of a bold show title, all delivered with this trademark warmth and charisma. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/justin-moorhouse-2025/
MUSIC: Blazin’ Fiddles, The Theatre Chipping Norton, March 3. One of the world’s most prolific fiddle groups formed for a one-off tour of the Scottish Highlands in 1999 and still raising roofs over two decades later. A rare and virtuosic selection of the fiddle’s diverse Highland and island voices, backed by powerhouse guitar and piano. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/blazin-fiddles
THEATRE: Tess, Oxford Playhouse, March 4 – 6, a groundbreaking circus adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, weaving together Hardy’s words and the extreme physicality of circus to tell this tale of power, loss and endurance. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/tess
THEATRE: The Count of Monte Cristo, The Theatre Chipping Norton, March 6. Alexandre Dumas’ celebrated novel is a favourite of readers all over the world, but it rarely makes an appearance on our stages or screens. And certainly never like this, so join three intrepid actors in this fast paced and furiously funny retelling of the greatest revenge tale ever. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/the-count-of-monte-cristo
COMEDY: Angela Barnes: Angst, North Wall, March 6. Having swapped a career in health and social care for stand up in 2010 and won multiple national awards her brand-new show features stories of success and sound logic, but mostly stories of unmitigated failure, a distinct lack of wisdom, a little bit of German and loads of jokes from the ‘gloriously down-to-earth, straight talking and extremely funny comic’. https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/angela-barnes-angst/
THEATRE: Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of), Oxford Playhouse, March 10-15. Following its triumphant West End run, with the story told from the viewpoint of the servants in the Bennet family house, Isobel McArthur’s brilliant and joyful adaptation is a hilarious, kookie and affectionate reimagining of Jane Austen’s best-loved novel, complete with a string of karaoke hits. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/pride-prejudice-sort-of
MUSICAL: Only Fools & Horses The Musical, March 10 – 15, New Theatre Oxford. The Trotters are back and coming to Oxford direct from a record-breaking four-year sold-out run-in London’s West End. Featuring all your favourite characters from Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad, Cassandra and Raquel to Boycie, Marlene, Trigger, Denzil and Mickey Pearce and cherished material from Britain’s best loved TV series, prepare to get reacquainted. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/only-fools-and-horses-the-musical/new-theatre-oxford/
BOOKS: Kate Mosse: Labyrinth Live: Unlocking the Secrets of the Labyrinth. The Theatre Chipping Norton. March 13 Celebrating the 20th anniversary of her global best sell Labyrinth, the famous author goes behind the story of her international multi-million copy Number 1 bestseller, using music, imagery and film. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/kate-moss
FAMILY FRIENDLY: SPLASH! Didcot Cornerstone, Sat 15 March – a playful, interactive adventure by DancingStrong Movement Lab! Designed for young children and families, this multi-sensory show combines dance, art, and audience participation to explore our connection with water – from gentle streams to the vast ocean. Fun, educational, and access-friendly. https://www.cornerstone-arts.org/whats/splash
COMEDY: Lou Sanders: No Kissing in the Bingo Hall, Oxford Playhouse, March 23. A show all about being human, from the critic’s and audience favourite. This is Lou’s most revealing show yet. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/lou-sanders-no-kissing-in-the-bingo-hall
COMEDY: Iain Stirling: Relevant, Oxford Playhouse, March 25 Known for his iconic narration of ITV’s Love Island, the BAFTA-winning comedian embarks on his biggest show yet c/o his intuitive and razor-sharp humour. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/iain-stirling-relevant
FAMILY FRIENDLY: The Detective Dog, March 28-29, The North Wall. A really funny, thoughtful Julia Donaldson adaptation about the magic of books. Tiny and Tall Productions brings this well-loved story for Deaf and hearing family audiences, using captivating puppetry, surprising smells and toe-tapping music. Age 3-8 https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/the-detective-dog/
CLASSICAL: TOSCA, Oxford Playhouse Theatre, March 28-29. Get swept away by the emotional intensity that Puccini created as as New Zealand born Samoan, Marlena Devoe, brings the epic story of love, lust, loyalty, corruption, jealousy, revenge and redemption to life with Oxford Opera Company. Directed by Oxford’s own Katie Blackwell and featuring nearly 50 of Oxfordshire’s young people from the newly launched Oxford Opera Youth Company. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/tosca
BOOKS: The Oxford Literary Festival, March 29 to April 6. What a line-up is in store for you this year. Think veteran stage and screen actress Miriam Margoyles, BBC Gardener’s World presenter, Adam Frost, fresh from the jungle, writer, broadcaster and Anglican priest Rev Richard Coles, outstanding British photojournalist Don McCullin, one of the UK’s wittiest and best-loved poets Wendy Cope, bestselling novelist Lionel Shriver, award winning writer Jonathan Coe in discussion with crime writer Val McDermid, Alexander Armstrong on his debut children’s book, Cressida Cowell on new book Dragon Tales: Short Story Collection and a sneak peek of How to Train your Dragon School, ahead of a new film in June. Joseph Coelho – former Children’s Laureate and award-winning author, Rob Biddulph, star of #DrawWithRob, with a fun-packed event for all the family. Which just scratches the service of the myriad of events to enjoy. Book now at https://oxfordliteraryfestival.org
COMEDY: Shaparak Khorsandi, Scatterbrain, The Mill, Banbury. March 30. Having reassessed her life through the prism of an ADHD diagnosis, one of Britain’s most beloved and scatterbrained stand-ups lets you back into her mind (warning: it’s cluttered in there) in this, her extended tour. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/shaparak-khorsandi-scatterbrain/
THEATRE: Oxford Theatre Guild‘s Pygmalion, Oxford Playhouse, April 1-5. Celebrating 70 years of community theatre-making, OTG presents George Bernard Shaw’s classic. Set in the bustling streets of early 20th century London, the story of Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle dreams of a better life. A sharp critique of the British class system, told with wit, humour, and social commentary. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/pygmalion
CLASSICAL: OSJ’s ‘The Music in my Life’ Alexander Armstrong, Sheldonian Theatre, April 8. Oxford’s very own Alexander Armstrong is interviewed by Sue Cook about his life, opinions and the music that has shaped him, played live by OSJ, including Bach, Britten, Dvorak, Beethoven and Mozart. https://www.osj.org.uk/osjevent/the-music-in-my-life-alexander-armstrong-with-sue-cook-7pm-live-at-sheldonian-theatre/
MUSICAL: MYCO’s Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Oxford Playhouse, April 9 – 12 – Brought to you by the award-winning Musical Youth Company of Oxford, the retelling of this sparkling musical will have everybody talking about Jamie again! Jamie wants to be a drag queen and go to the school prom in a dress. Supported by his brilliant mum andfriends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness, into the spotlight. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/everybodys-talking-about-jamie
COMEDY: Marcus Brigstoke: Vitruvian Mango. April 15. Are men any use at all? That’s the question the award-winning comedian is considering. He thinks they might still serve some useful function, but what is it? His latest show will resolve the entire issue once and for all (in a non-patriarchal, open-minded sort of way). https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/marcus-brigstocke-vitruvian-mango
THEATRE: Far From the Madding Crowd, Didcot’s Cornerstone, April 16 – Thomas Hardy’s classic tale of love, class, and gender roles in Victorian England comes alive in a thrilling new adaptation by the acclaimed Conn Artists Theatre Company, featuring an ensemble cast with period music and songs. https://www.cornerstone-arts.org/whats/far-madding-crowd-0
COMEDY: Harry Baker 2.0, North Wall, April 17. Uplifting, funny and good for the soul! Previously part of musical comedy duo Harry and Chris, Harry’s profile has exploded online recently so this is a very hot ticket! The World Poetry Slam Champion is back and celebrating wellies, postcodes, funerals and fertility journeys with his irrepressible combination of playfulness, vulnerability and hope that has reached millions online. https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/harry-baker-wonderful-2-0/
FAMILY-FRIENDLY: THE WORST PRINCESS, Oxford Playhouse, April 17-19. A delightful dragon-tastic show for pop princesses and naughty knights as Full House Theatre bring their delightful comedy based on the book by Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie. Feisty Sue is not your everyday fairy tale superstar, but manages to make friends with a dragon, escape from a tower and set the Prince’s pants on fire. A laugh-out-loud comedy with cool puppets, sing along pop anthems and a dazzling larger-than-life dragon. 3+ https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/the-worst-princess
THEATRE: This Kind Of Black, BT Studio. April 24-26. A powerful new stage show by poet and musician Reece Williams about growing up in Manchester’s Moss Side in the 1990s. It celebrates community despite the media portraying you through the lens of ‘Gunchester’. But it’s also about the relationship between a father and a son, and the impact of trauma on the mental health of young Black boys across the generations. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/this-kind-of-black
DANCE: Ballet Black: Shadows. Oxford Playhouse. April 25 – 26. A stunning double-bill featuring a piece inspired by the darkly stunning comic bestselling novel My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, the other sees award-winning choreographer Chanel DaSilva making her debut, the first Black woman to choreograph for The Joffrey Ballet. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/ballet-black-double-bill
THEATRE: Macbeth, Oxford Playhouse, April 29 – May 1. This Out of Chaos production stars award-winning actors Hannah Barrie and Paul O’Mahony who play more than 20 roles as Shakespeare’s brutal tragedy is given new life in a haunting, breakneck adaptation which retains the intensity and intrigue of the original cautionary tale, directed by Mike Tweddle. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/macbeth
COMEDY: Mark Steel: The Leopard in My House. May 7. The BAFTA-nominated writer and comedian chronicles his battle with throat cancer – a battle he is winning (thankfully) and which only his rapier wit could fashion into a hilarious and emotional comedy tour show. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/mark-steel-the-leopard-in-my-house
COMEDY: Kerry Godliman: Bandwidth, Oxford Playhouse, May 8. Comedian, actor, writer, podcaster, broadcaster and all round legend, returns with her straight-talking charm and quick wit in this, the next stand-up instalment of the longest sitcom in her head. While parenting teenagers and considering dealing HRT on the black market, she recounts the life of a middle-aged woman who hasn’t got the bandwidth. We are so there! https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/kerry-godliman-bandwidth
THEATRE: Heka – Gandini Juggling, Oxford Playhouse, May 10. Blurring the lines between juggling and illusion, transporting audiences to a mesmerizing realm where objects materialize, vanish, and transform. The show asks what is real, and what is simply a trick of perception with humour, philosophy, contemporary choreography and world-class juggling. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/heka-gandini-juggling
MUSIC: The Rheingans Sisters, May 13, The North Wall. The folk duo from Sheffield are back with a new album and live show featuring their unmistakable brand of avant-garde trad, blending ancient song and universal stories with future imaginings, dystopias and dreams. https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/the-rheingans-sisters/
THEATRE: Kim’s Convenience, Oxford Playhouse. May 13 – 17. Ins Choi brings his heartwarming drama about a family-run Korean store that inspired the Netflix phenomenon. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/kims-convenience
COMEDY: Sara Pascoe: I Am A Strange Gloop, The Theatre Chipping Norton MAY 21 and Oxford Playhouse, July 16. Contemplating a new era as a middle-aged mother. With her classic trademark humour, she tries to work out who she is while watching Peppa Pig coated with squashed banana. We see you! https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/sara-pascoe-i-am-a-strange-gloop-tour-preview AND https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/sara-pascoe-i-am-a-strange-gloop respectively
MUSIC: Sophie Ellis- Bextor, New Theatre, Oxford, Saturday June 7. One night only, but the comeback queen of pop is shining brightly. Disco dancers start limbering up! https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/sophie-ellis-bextor/new-theatre-oxford/
THEATRE: Derren Brown: Only Human, New Theatre Oxford. June 10-14. The content is still under wraps, but expect a mind-blowing experience as the multi award-winning maestro of mind control and psychological illusion returns with his brand new live show. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/derren-brown-only-human/new-theatre-oxford/
MUSIC: Nocturne, Blenheim Palace, June 18-22. With Gary Barlow and Richard Ashcroft already announced as headliners, there are more names to be revealed in this annual music extravaganza, so we’ll keep you posted. In the meantime book here https://nocturnelive.com
COMEDY: Q.E.D’s Oxford Comedy Festival, OFS, July 1-31 featuring over 50 amazing comedy acts heading to Edinburgh and touring the country, including the very popular podcast We Hate Movies from the US with a residency of six shows on July 18-20 July. https://oxfordcomedyfestival.co.uk
MUSIC: Truck Festival, July 24-27, Steventon. Tickets have nearly sold out READ ABOUT IT HERE so get down to Oxfordshire’s best indie festival with headliners including Kasabian, Courteeners, Nothing But Thieves and Bloc Party READ OUR 2024 TRUCK FESTIVAL REVIEW HERE alongside the likes of The Last Dinner Party, Blossoms, and Franz Ferdinand. https://truckfestival.com
ART: This Is What You Get: Stanley Donwood, Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Ashmolean, August 8 – January 11 2026, The first large-scale institutional show exploring the visual art of Stanley Donwood and Thom Yorke and the iconic images of Radiohead. The exhibition will look at the artists’ 30-year collaboration which found expression in album covers, digital compositions and etchings, to unpublished drawings and lyrics in their sketchbooks. https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/this-is-what-you-get-stanley-donwood-radiohead-thom-yorke
MUSIC: Big Feastival, August 22-24, Kingham. Headliners are still to be announced but judging by last year’s stellar line-up we will be in for another epic musical treat on Alex James’ magic farm. https://thebigfeastival.com
THEATRE: An Evening with Mary Beard, New Theatre Oxford, Oct 2. Step into the world of Ancient Rome with the renowned historian as she uncovers the stories that history forgot, taking you beyond the well-worn paths of emperors and battles, revealing the rich and complex lives of those often left out of the history books. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/an-evening-with-mary-beard/new-theatre-oxford/
MUSICAL: Mamma Mia, New Theatre Oxford, Nov 25-Dec 6. Still as joyful as ever, enjoy the ultimate feel-good factor at the world’s sunniest and most exhilarating smash-hit musical, set on a Greek island paradise, as this story of love, friendship and identity unfolds through the timeless songs of ABBA. https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/mamma-mia/new-theatre-oxford/
MUSICAL: Miss Saigon, New Theatre Oxford, Dec 16 – Jan 3 2026. It may be a long time away but this is the New Theatre’s Christmas show whose soaring score features the hit songs The Heat is On in Saigon, The Movie in My Mind, Last Night of the World and The American Dream.https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/miss-saigon/new-theatre-oxford/
