May Day, theatre, cinema, family fun and much more - all in this week's six-section EP!
Stage of Development
The North Wall brings social media to the stage this week with Liberation Squares, the funny and furious story of three teenage girls navigating the power and pushback of online activism. When their online presence is targeted by a racist and Islamophobic state surveillance programme, their bond will be tested as the three explore different ways to resist.
Oxford’s pre-eminent drag divas are back to shake up the Old Fire Station with the SPUDS variety show. A delicious assortment of burlesque, lip sync extravaganzas, comedy and poetry, no matter how you like your SPUDS, you’re sure to have your appetite fed.
Meanwhile, the Playhouse welcomes the much-anticipated UK tour of The Kite Runner, the stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel. In 1970s Kabul, an act of youthful cowardice will alter the friendship of the kite running team Amir and Hassan forever. Years later, Amir is called on a life-changing journey to prove “there is a way to be good again”.
Wifi Wars puts your own tech to the test at Aylesbury’s Norman Bragg studio; hosted by Dara O’Briain’s Go 8-Bit’s Steve McNeil, play along with this comedy game show on your smartphone or tablet to win big. Remember to keep your batteries charged!
Liberation Squares: The North Wall Arts Centre, Tues 30th Apr - Wed 1st May, 8pm. Tickets £16 (pay less options available).
SPUDS: The Old Fire Station, Sat 27th Apr, 8pm. Tickets £12.50-£16.50.
The Kite Runner: Oxford Playhouse, Tues 30th Apr - Sat 4th May, 7:30pm (2:30pm matinee Thurs and Sat, 8pm Fri). Tickets from £14.
Wifi Wars: Norman Bragg Studio, Aylesbury, Sat 27th Apr, 4pm/7pm. Tickets from £15.40.
May Day! May Day!
May Morning is an institution in Oxford, and post-pandemic, it’s felt more special than ever. For the uninitiated, at dawn on May 1st each year locals flock to Magdalen Bridge to listen to the Magdalen College Choir sing, a tradition that welcomes in Spring. Of course, depending on age and commitments, you may make an evening of it the night before, or need somewhere to park in town on the morning of. You’ll definitely want a hot breakfast afterwards (our top pick is Tick Tock Cafe at the top of Cowley Road, a classic greasy spoon and open from 3am on May Morning). For all the info you need to make the most of the occasion, check out our freshly updated May Day page .
If you want to boogie the night away beforehand, we’ve got a couple of great options for you. Over in Botley, Tap Social Movement hosts its MayDay Allnighter, with DJs Hooked On and Count Skylarkin collaborating (plus some guests!) to bring a night of nonstop sound, from dancehall, jungle, dnb, house and more.
Meanwhile on Cowley Rd, tear up the Bullingdon’s dance floor with Simple presents May Day, another all nighter with DJs Dr Banana, Sully and EBITDA serving up house and jungle bangers.
For something completely different, sleep in (at least til dawn!) on the morning, and head to Wytham Hall that evening for a Beltane Singing Circle, Yoga Session and Soundbath. This relaxing session promises to ring in the warmer weather in way that will leave you refreshed and inspired.
MayDay AllNighter: Tap Social Movement. Tue 30th Apr, 10:30pm - 4am. Tickets £8.
Simple presents May Day: The Bullingdon. Tue 30th Apr, 11pm - 6am. Tickets £25
Beltane Singing Circle, Yoga and Soundbath: Wytham Village Hall. Wed 1st May, 6.30-9pm. Tickets £30 (concessions available).
Out of this World
Things go intergalactic this week with a trio of astronomical-themed events for all space lovers. The Market Tap, partnering with Gulp Fiction and the Space Store (all mainstays of the Covered Market) plays host to a cracking night of space chat, with 90 minutes of space talks with planetary scientists, followed by a quiz themed around the great expanse that stretches far beyond the Earth.
The Mystery Ensemble go Interstellar, with a Tribute to Hans Zimmer, as they perform the score to Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning journey across the cosmos. Zimmer’s score will be reimagined for a mix of electronic and acoustic instruments.
And for a deeper dive into the subject, there’s A Mystery We May Solve: What is Dark Matter? This talk from Professor Kimberly Palladino looks at what astronomers can tell us on the subject and how physicists look at dark matter, and is part of the May Music Festival, which pairs science talks with great classical music performance.
Space Talk & Space Quiz: The Market Tap, Fri 26th Apr, 6pm, £2
Interstellar: Tribute to Hans Zimmer: Sheldonian Theatre, Sat 27th Apr, 7pm, £20-45
A Mystery We May Solve: What is Dark Matter?: SJE Arts at the Church of St John. Sat 4th May, 5.30-6.30pm. Tickets £3, or free in conjunction with an evening concert ticket.
Big Screen Thrills
The big release in cinemas this week is the highly anticipated latest from Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Bones and All). Challengers follows a trio of tennis players (Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor) as their careers and love lives weave together in an erotically-charged fashion.
Speaking of blockbusters, to prepare for the forthcoming release of the latest Mad Max film, Furiosa, why not revisit the brilliant Fury Road? It’s the kind of masterpiece that richly rewards in a cinema, a frenetic, exhilarating race across the apocalypse.
Also sure to be a thrill ride is Boy Kills World, an action-packed genre piece, following a mute and deaf man as he seeks bloody vengeance for the death of his family. What makes this film different? The man’s internal dialogue is narrated by voice actor (you’ll know him from Bob’s Burgers and Archer as the titular role in each) H. Jon Benjamin. Colour Daily Info intrigued!
Finally, the Ultimate Picture Palace kicks off a series of food film classics with Pixar’s tribute to the act of cooking, Ratatouille. Brad Bird’s sweet and poignant film teaches us that anyone can cook, even a rat.
Challengers: Curzon Oxford, Phoenix Picturehouse, Vue, Odeon George Street
Mad Max: Fury Road: Phoenix Picturehouse, Vue, Odeon George Street
Boy Kills World: Odeon George Street, Vue
Ratatouille: Ultimate Picture Palace
All in the Family
Ever wondered about the science behind what’s in your toy box? Wonder no more with Science Oxford’s Toy Factory, as the fun-maker team shows you how to create toys of your very own. Learn the physics and engineering behind spinning tops, climbing toys, pecking woodpeckers and more - and best of all, you get to take your creations home!
Or join Marty McFly on his second time-travel caper to the distant future of 2015(!) in Back to the Future II, a very special screening at the Tap Social to raise funds for Botley Skatepark. Presented by Cinema Under The Stairs, expect popcorn, a raffle and wacky sci-fi antics, all in aid of a great resource for the community’s children and young people.
And if you like nothing more than a bit of handmade craft, you can try your hand at wood carving with a fun and beginner-friendly intro session at Hill End. Join instructor David Knight to carve your own spoon, spatula or butter knife for a one-of a kind addition to your kitchen counter. For ages 14+.
Toy Factory: Science Oxford, Sat 27th Apr, 10:30am/12:30am/3pm. Tickets £10 per child (inc. adult).
Botley Skatepark Fundraiser - Back to the Future II: Tap Social Movement, Sat 27th Apr 2pm (start time 2:30pm). Tickets £4 plus booking fee.
Intro to Woodcarving: Hill End Centre, Sat 27th Apr, 10am-1pm/2pm-5pm. Tickets £35.
And Finally
Are you an artist in Oxford and passionate about the local community? Or do you know an artist that fits the bill? Makespace are looking for a local designer/artist or illustrator to create a series of illustrations to visually activate their new civic space for communities on George Street. The art will be used to inform the identity of the space, which is set to open in 2027. You can find more information on the opportunity here.
Image credits: Ali Wright for the North Wall, Tim Hughes, Peter Bo via Unsplash, Gabriel Vasiliu via Unsplash, Makespace Oxford