Daily Info's recommended events for the week ahead, Thursday 5th June - Wednesday 11th June
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This week's EP has got it all - fabulous festivals, terrific theatre, groovy gigs and a bunch of free activities to take part in.
Can’t wait til Glastonbury? You can still get your festival fix on your doorstep, beginning with Ffennell Festival at Hill End Outdoor Education Centre! One for the nature lovers, enjoy live music and BBQ while learning fun and useful outdoor skills, including knot tying, willow weaving and bushcraft.
Over at Church Farm, classic summer fair fun meets some four-legged friends with Antlers and Artisans. The fair combines music, artisan stalls from local sellers and tasty breakfast butties or BBQ with the chance to head on one of the farm’s signature deer safaris - for Sunday fun, the buck stops here (sorry).
Last but certainly not least, the ever beloved Jericho Street Fair returns for what’s rumoured to be its biggest edition yet. Expect market stalls galore on Saturday (be sure to pick up a lip-smacking crepe), as well as special a Capella performances from the Jericho Singers and Morris dancing; then cap things off with Run Jericho on Sunday. Marking 200 years since the neighbourhood began, this year’s festival sets off Jericho’s bicentennial with a bang.
Ffennell Festival: Hill End Outdoor Education Centre, Sat 7th Jun, 11am - 4pm. Tickets £8 adults, £4 children (age 2+).
Antlers and Artisans: Church Farm, Sunningwell, Sun 8th June, 10.30am - 5pm. Free, booking required.
Jericho Street Fair: The Old Bookbinders, Sat 7th Jun, 12pm - 4pm. Free entry.
Run Jericho: Start/finish at St Barnabas Primary School, Sun 8th Jun, 10am - 12.30pm. Spectating free, late entry registration fees vary.
The O2 is the place to be for those looking to go Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger on their night out, as Daft Funk take to the decks. One of the world’s most prominent Daft Punk tribute acts, get your helmets on and brace yourself for a night of French house and electronica smash hits, set against a scintillating laser light show.
Of course, some of us might favour a more easy-going evening outing; if that’s the case, Robin Ince’s The Universe and the Neurodiverse may be just the ticket. Known for his work on The Infinite Monkey Cage, Ince’s ever-curious and always hilarious insights into modern science culminate here in a show that celebrates our strange and diverse humanity.
Ince isn’t the only comedy royalty hitting the Old Fire Station this week; Shaparak Khorsandi also takes the mic for her latest show, Scatterbrain. With decades of stand-up experience (and a recent ADHD diagnosis) under her belt, Khorsandi’s set is part memoir, part therapy, part love-letter, and all delightful.
And if you’ve ever seen a Shakespeare play and thought, “meh, I could do that”, now’s your chance with The Improvised Shakespeare Show. One of the UK’s most sought-after improv groups, and boasting a constellation of five star reviews, improv troupe ShakeItUp Shakespeare create a new Shakespeare play on the spot based on YOUR audience suggestions, - how’s that for bardic inspiration?
Daft Funk: O2 Academy, Fri 6th Jun, 7pm. Tickets £19.25.
Robin Ince - The Universe and the Neurodiverse: The Old Fire Station, Sat 7th Jun, 7pm. Tickets £17.
Shaparak Khorsandi - Scatterbrain: The Old Fire Station, Thu 5th & Fri 6th Jun, 8pm. Tickets £19-23.
The Improvised Shakespeare Show: Mill Arts Centre (Banbury), Thu 5th Jun, 7.30pm. Tickets £16.
Head on down to the theatre for intriguing shows named after animals and other theatrical curios. At the Playhouse there's The Vanishing Elephant, a moving tale of friendship and belonging that follows a young boy from Bengal who dreams of becoming an elephant trainer.
At the same time there's a pair of plays at the BT Studio that show the best of student theatre. Crocodile Tears is a cinematic fever dream of heartbreak and rebirth, whilst Bear mixes fairy tales and folklore to explore a profound fear. See one or see both and wallow in the future of theatre.
WhatNot Theatre have steadily building up a repertoire of cracking family friendly theatre shows, and Boxes is a sensory show developed for under threes about what we can conjure with our imagination.
And finally there's still a chance to catch Earnest? at the Aylesbury Waterside. This comedy hit follows a production of Oscar Wilde's classic coming-undone and being forced to include the audience more and more. This is one show guaranteed to make you laugh.
The Vanishing Elephant: Oxford Playhouse, Wed 11th to Sat 14th Jun, 11am & 7pm (Wed to Fri), 2.30 & 7pm (Sat), £14 to 28.
Crocodile Tears: BT Studio, Tue 10th to Sat 14th Jun, 7.30pm, £6 to 8.
Bear: BT Studio, Tue 10th to Sat 14th Jun, 9.30pm, £6 to 8.
Boxes: Pegasus Theatre, Wed 11th Jun, 11am, Free.
Earnest?: Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Thu 5th Jun, 7.30pm, £23.65 to 34.65.
Oxford is jam-packed with community gatherings and events based on passion - not profit. This week we’re highlighting four great, free activities to dip your toes into.
Museum Lates - after hours openings at museums - have become popular across the city, and Museum of Oxford’s Past and Present Party on Friday looks like excellent fun. Celebrating their 50th anniversary, the evening will be jam-packed with history and nostalgia. Crafts, talks, workshops and a paid bar all contribute to the merriment.
On Saturday afternoon, head to The Old Schoolhouse to try your hand at improvisation. The First Steps in Improv taster is a completely beginner-friendly intro to the medium for curious adults, with collaborative games and a non-judgemental atmosphere.
Monday night, the Oxford Poetry Library hosts their monthly Getting Started with Poetry evening. If you’ve always had a love for words but never been sure where to start, this evening is for you (more experienced writers are also very welcome). Expect a gentle and informative evening of exercises and inspiration.
Also on Mondays, the Rose Hill Samba Band meets for practice in the Rose Community Centre. This friendly group is for anyone aged nine and up who loves music - no previous experience necessary. You’ll be learning to play in an authentic Brazilian-style samba band, led by expert band leaders. Rock on!
Museum Late: Past and Present Party: Museum of Oxford, Fri 6th Jun, 6-8.30pm. Free, drop-in or book online.
First Steps in Improv: The Old Schoolhouse, Sat 7th Jun, 2-4pm. Free, register online.
Getting Started with Poetry: The Community Works, Mon 9th Jun, 7-9pm. Free, register online.
Rose Hill Samba Band: Rose Hill Community Centre, Mon 9th Jun, 6-7pm. Free, register online.
As summer approaches, cinemas become the place for delights, both big and small. This week is the John Wick franchise's turn to return to the big screen with Ballerina, a spin-off that follows another assassin on the path of vengeance. Come for the starry cast headed up by Ana de Armas and stay for the balletic action set pieces and cameos from previous instalments.
For those seeking more intimate delights, The Ballad of Wallis Islands looks positively charming. The film follows former bandmates who reunite for a private show on a remote island. Written and starring Tim Key and Tom Basden, and also featuring Carey Mulligan, Wallis Island mixes folk melancholy and lo-fi British comedy.
And for those seeking a classic watch, David Lynch returns to the Ultimate Picture Palace as part of their Dreamscapes season, with his rich, beguiling descent into the darkness of LA that is Mulholland Drive .
Ballerina: Curzon Oxford, The Oxford Cinema and Cafe, Vue.
The Ballad of Wallis Island: Phoenix Picturehouse, Vue, Curzon Oxford.
Mulholland Drive: Ultimate Picture Palace.
To finish off Big Green Week in style, Climate Collective Oxford is showcasing what a community climate hub in Oxford could look like. Head to Wesley Memorial Church on Saturday for a free day of talks, stalls, and workshops. Children’s book author Mini Grey will present a playful whistle-stop history of planet Earth, renowned social philosopher Roman Krznaric will discuss the meaning behind his book, How to Be a Good Ancestor, climate campaigners will discuss their paths into activism, and much more!
Thrive Oxford: Wesley Memorial Church, New Inn Hall Street, Sat 7th Jun, 10am - 4pm. Free, register online.
Image credits: Jericho Street Fair, O2 Academy Oxford, Oxford Playhouse, Oxford Poetry Library, Thrive Oxford
