Daily Info's recommended events for the week ahead, Thursday 23rd April - Wednesday 29th April
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It's the last week of April! Look within to find grand openings, mob boss Macbeths, and how to spend your May Day!
We’re one week away from town and gown gathering cheery and bleary-eyed around Magdalen College Tower for one of Oxford’s oldest traditions, May Morning. Some will have woken at the crack of dawn, while the hardcore among us will have pulled all-nighters to catch Magdalen College Choir ring in the May with their angelic harmonies. For the full rundown on this year’s celebrations, have a look at our May Morning guide!
You can find an authentic tribute to May Mornings past at Iffley Church Hall, where the Oxford Waits will be giving proceedings a 16th century musical flourish - there’s never a better time to break out a hurdy gurdy. On the day itself, you can replenish your energy after the late night or early start with breakfast at The Story Museum, who will be open from 6am with rolls and hot drinks aplenty, as well as the Botanic Gardens, who’ll be serving up some Morris Dancing alongside their refreshments.
Speaking of dancing, once you’ve taken some time to catch up on sleep you may wish to head out for a celebratory shuffle. For a laid-back atmosphere, the Jolly Farmers will be hosting an all-day May Day Moot with live folk music and dancing; or for something more high-energy, Soul Sista’s May Day Special at the Bullingdon offers up a playlist of crowds pleasers spanning Motown, soul, funk and disco.
And we keep the festive spirit up into the following week with both Braziers Park and Carterton hosting their own May Day Fairs. Braziers will be offering live music, creative drop-in sessions for all ages and an assortment of food and drink, as well as some traditional Maypole dancing. And Carterton’s festivities include a dog show, fairground rides and appearances from beloved comic-book and fairytale heroes (plus the odd dinosaur, if you’re feeling brave).
Welcome the May: Iffley Church Hall, Wed 29th Apr, 7pm. Tickets £15.
May Morning Breakfast : Story Museum, Fri May 1st, 6am - 10am. £6.50 for a roll and hot drink.
May Morning at Oxford Botanic Garden : Oxford Botanic Garden, Fri May 1st, 5am - 7:30am (entry until 5:30am). Tickets £50 adults, £5 children.
May Day Moot: The Jolly Farmers, Fri 1st May, 10am - late. Free.
Soul Sista May Day Special: The Bullingdon, Fri 1st May, 11pm - 3am. Tickets from £6.50.
Braziers Park May Fayre: Braziers Park, Mon 4th May, 11am - 4pm. Free entry, parking £5 per vehicle.
Carterton May Fair: Carterton Recreation Ground, Mon 4th, 10am - 4pm. Free entry.
In festivals, this Saturday sees the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities welcome visitors for a jam-packed itinerary of performances, including cabaret, poetry, dance, and immersive digital installations. Standouts include dance collective ZooNations’s spin on the Mad Hatter’s Tea party, and 360 Vessels, a multimedia sonic installation created between artist Es Devlin and composer Nico Muhly.
East Oxford Art Market returns to the James Street Tavern with wall-to-wall stalls of independent artists plying their wares. Got a bare wall crying out for a bold lino cut, or want to accessorise with some funky one-of-a-kind jewellery? Resist the siren song of Amazon and pop on down to get it straight from the source - and if you’re an artist with pieces to sell, consider applying to be a future stallholder!
Maybe you’re wanting to feast more than your eyes, in which case you’ll find what you’re looking for on Witney’s Marriott’s Walk. Their monthly Fine Food and Craft Market brings together artisan traders of all kinds of sweets and savouries, piquant cheeses and moreish charcuterie. There’s also a wide selection of handmade ceramics and crafts, though we wouldn’t recommend eating those.
And to cap it all off, we have an event by kids, for kids with Roots Festival . Organised by the kiddos of Roots Radical Learning, the day will feature a yard sale, baked goodies and plants to purchase, fairground games and a play devised and staged by young learners. Entry is cash only so be sure to bring your coins!
Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities Open House : Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, Sat 25 Apr, from 10am. Free.
East Oxford Art Market : James Street Tavern, Sat 25th - Sun 26th Apr, 11am - 4pm. Free.
Fine Food and Craft Market : Marriotts Walk, Sat 25th Apr, 10am - 5pm. Free.
Roots Festival : The Childrens' Allotment, Cricket Road, Sun 26th Apr, 12.30 -3.30pm. Tickets adults £2, children £1.
“When shall we three meet again?”
If there’s a theme in the theatres this week, it’s get-togethers, with variously magical and murderous results. Party Season at the North Wall takes us on a sugar-fuelled fever dream of soft play and helium balloons, as Xander navigates three parties in the same weekend. He’s back in town, he’s on parenting duty, but grudges and tensions cloud the air at least for the adults. Will Xander grow up or just pass the parcel?
In Somerville College Chapel clouds are looming, as mob lieutenant Macbeth makes a play to be Kingpin, and the blasted heath is reimagined as a gambling den. Cross Keys Productions promise to please fans of the original and of The Godfather with their darkest of tragedies, and while the chapel setting may be beautiful the deeds are not. Original organ music will set the scene. Intrigued? Book fast - Saturday is already sold out!
If murder is ever light and frothy, it’s in Badger’s Drift , the setting for a new stage play of TV favourite Midsomer Murders. Beloved spinster Emily Simpson is found dead and her friend Lucy refuses to believe it was an accident. Cue DCI Tom Barnaby and hapless but loveable Sergeant Troy… In a twist, original TV Troy Daniel Casey is here playing Tom Barnaby, and that will be just one of the corkscrews of plot and commonsense for fans to get their heads round. Tickets start at just £15.60 and there are lots of matinees, making this play accessible to all. We’re looking forward to it immensely.
And finally, Hickory Dickory Dock - not the Agatha Christie (if your mind travelled down murderous lines) ut a charming slapstick adventure with glove puppets, by Garlic Theatre. This 50-minute performance is set in a clock museum, where the marvellous Mouse Clock is on display, until one day it gets broken and a brave mouse runs away. Meanwhile Mrs Hickory and her cat Dickory receive a large squeaking box… Bring your 3-8 year olds for some Saturday fun and a good singsong.
Party Season : North Wall Arts Centre, Tue 28th April - Fri 1st May, 7.30pm. Tickets £14-22.
Macbeth: Somerville College Chapel, Wed 29th April - Sat 2nd May, 8pm. Tickets £8 (£6 concessions).
Midsomer Murders - The Killings at Badger's Drift : New Theatre, Wed 29th April - Sat 2nd May, 7.30pm, plus matinees Wed, Thu and Sat 2.30pm. Tickets: £15.60 - £53.56.
Hickory Dickory Dock: Burton Taylor Studio, Sat 25th April, 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Tickets: £11.50. (£9.50 U18s and concessions). Suitable for ages 3-8.
Journey into the natural world in our exhibitions this week, starting with the new display in New College Library. As we discovered from their recent Edward Gorey exhibition it’s a great space, and the staff are welcoming to townies and gownies alike, invading their rather nice 1930s building with its specially named trolleys! Their new display Earth: Environmentalism and the Natural World dives into life around the world, from early herbals, pioneering maps, poems and the latest scientific research. It’s a journey through both space and time. Email the library to book a time, and enjoy a glimpse into the college’s amazing collection of books, going back to the 14th Century.
In Wolfson, you can see contemporary paintings by Renuka Gurung, a Nepalese artist whose work is based on traditional Paubha art. Paubha is a form of devotional painting, usually depicting Hindu or Buddhist deities, where the forms and sizes are set by tradition, and the process is meditative, “finding peaceful resonance within”. Dr Gurung is a teacher of the Paubha traditions and a scholar, and she has studied in London and Nepal. Visit Journey In Silence through to the end of June (check with the lodge in case of clashing college commitments) or learn more at the preview on Wednesday evening.
You can lose yourself in the waves at the North Wall, where former St Edwards' pupil Helena Clews’ vivid canvases revel in the cliff and sea colours of her beloved Devon. She has also painted some of the most iconic Oxford views, from the honey-coloured High St to the luscious greens of Christ Church meadow. Meet the artist herself on Fri 1st May (booking is advised for her tour of the exhibition). It’s almost as transporting as going on holiday, but for anyone already missing Devon, this might be a tough one!
Entwined is almost a pop-up exhibition it’s on for so short a time, but if you can catch it this weekend it looks a good one. Magdalen Rd artists based at the studios are coming together for a group show in their own space, showcasing paintings, ceramics, photography, prints and more from over 20 different artists, all on the theme of plants and flowers. There’s a preview on Friday evening and workshops over the weekend, so drop in and meet the artists, make something, and admire the wealth of art practice going on in East Oxford.
EARTH: Environmentalism and the Natural World: New College Library, open Monday - Friday until 31st Aug, 9am - 5pm. Free and open to all (email to book a viewing).
Renuka Gurung: Journey in Silence: Wolfson College (Levett Room & Florey Room), Mon 27 April - Fri 26 Jun, 10am-7pm (subject to college commitments, ring Lodge to check). Free. (Preview Wed 29th April, 6.30-8.30pm. Also free.)
Entwined: Magdalen Road Studios, Fri 24th - Sun 26th April, 11am-6pm. Opening Party Fri 24th, 6-8pm. Entry free.
Helena Clews: From Seascape to Landscape: North Wall Arts Centre, until Sat 2nd May, 10am-4pm. Entry free.
Our new sheet is out!
Keep your eyes peeled to spot the spring edition of Daily Info’s printed sheet across more than 300 Oxfordshire venues. We’ve got upcoming events from Jericho Comedy, Creation Theatre, Oxford Pride and more, plus volunteering opportunities, local services and QR codes that take you straight to our jobs and accommodation pages.
Our summer sheet will be out on the 6th of July covering events until mid September, so if you have an event, a service or even a podcast you’d like to promote, book a box ad with Daily Info and get it in the sheet at no extra charge! Got a promotional poster you want distributed? We can include those with our deliveries! Get in touch with us up to a week before distribution at info@dailyinfo.co.uk to register your interest.
Image credits: Mary Potter, ZooNation, The Wardrobe Ensemble, Helena Clews
