Reviews by Ross Wittenham
Oxfringe Festival 2012
Ross Wittenham
The Oxford Students’ ‘play in a day’ production of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors was the last act on Sunday’s schedule at the Castle Quarter, and because of delays it ...
14 years ago
Oxfringe Festival 2012
Science Writes To Life
Ross Wittenham
This event was one I had high hopes for. The premise was that the Oxford Brookes Faculty of Health and Life Sciences had teamed up with the Poetry Centre as part of Oxford Brookes' Amazing Arts ...
14 years ago
Science Writes To Life
Avenue Q
Ross Wittenham
Dear God, someone somewhere has just conned me into going to see a musical. It gets worse though. Now I have to admit that it was actually pretty good. However, I do have some justification for ...
14 years ago
Avenue Q
The Odyssey
Ross Wittenham
There is a lot going on in the Factory’s performance of The Odyssey, in fact possibly too much. The whole concept of the performance revolves around a series of gimmicks. For example, each ...
14 years ago
The Odyssey
Yes, Prime Minister
Ross Wittenham
From Monday to Friday this week the Oxford Playhouse hosts the new Yes, Prime Minister. Anthony Jay and Jonathan Lynn’s well loved theme is brought right up-to-date with jokes about the ...
14 years ago
Yes, Prime Minister
Coriolanus [15]
Ross Wittenham
For those of you who have seen the photos, watched the trailers, read the hype and think that Coriolanus is all about Fiennes and Butler duking it out, think again. Sure, there are a few ...
14 years ago
Coriolanus [15]
The Power Of A Dream
Ross Wittenham
Tonight’s performance was the culmination of a movement started in September 2011. Looking for something to celebrate the Cultural Olympiad, as well as the venue’s 50th anniversary, the ...
14 years ago
The Power Of A Dream
Having A Laugh
Ross Wittenham
It was a cold night on Saturday, with snow just beginning to fall in Abingdon as we got to the Amey Hall. Nevertheless, it was a welcoming venue, and packed out at that. The night was being put on by ...
14 years ago
Having A Laugh
Liz Green + Brickwork Lizards
Ross Wittenham
Saturday night’s gig at the Jericho kicked off with a set from Hound Reels, performing as a solo act. He is a bit like lower pitched version of Anthony and the Johnsons, or Johnny Cash without the ...
14 years ago
Liz Green + Brickwork Lizards
Macbeth
Ross Wittenham
Platform4 Productions’ Macbeth is tight, professional, and engaging. It has a strong aesthetic that comes across in every aspect of the production. For example, the wardrobe: early 20th century ...
14 years ago
Macbeth
A Silent Film – The Projectionist EP
Ross Wittenham
Recorded in a shed, produced by the band themselves, this four track EP could just about be the best thing I have heard all year. Coming from an apocalyptic post-rock direction, A Silent Film – who ...
18 years ago
A Silent Film – The Projectionist EP
Sonicbob - 10 Ways To Kill A Lifetime
Ross Wittenham
A CD brimming with potential and colour, 10 Ways to Kill a Lifetime is a showcase of interesting ideas & musical hybrids. True, the songwriting isn’t always perfect – in some cases you are ...
18 years ago
Sonicbob - 10 Ways To Kill A Lifetime
Alphabet Backwards - Polar Bear
Ross Wittenham
Alphabet Backwards is a man who is doomed to hit a live audience at some point, and this will surely be an interesting experience. He is a prolific artist (this being his second Ep in nearly as many ...
19 years ago
Alphabet Backwards - Polar Bear
Romeo & Juliet
Ross Wittenham
Here’s the score; theatre on the lawns of Brasenose New Quad, with Pimms in the interval; the setting sun giving the lighting for Shakespeare’s most renowned work; Romeo & Juliet. Damn, that ...
19 years ago
Romeo & Juliet
Alphabet Backwards – In Love With The Weatherman
Ross Wittenham
Z… Y… X… Or something like that. Alphabet Backwards is the project of 23 year old bedroom musician James Hitchman. With a Nizlopi voice and Chris TT funk – though he doesn’t say as much – ...
19 years ago
Alphabet Backwards – In Love With The Weatherman
Parallel Worlds
Ross Wittenham
On Thursday, at around 7PM, I ventured down to Ovada in Gloucester Green to see the opening night of Katy Beinart’s new exhibition Parallel Worlds. The concept is fairly easy to grasp and a real ...
19 years ago
Parallel Worlds
Oxfringe Open House
Ross Wittenham
One thing’s for sure; this was a game of two halves. And, like some other games of two halves, it was bloody boring; ending with a 0:0 score-line, with no real action having taken place. The first ...
19 years ago
Oxfringe Open House
The Curse Of The Werewolf
Ross Wittenham
A slice of whodunnit / thriller / horror with a “thick vein” of comedy (Sorry: had to be done). The cast and crew were mainly recruited from the local schools while the script was written by Tim ...
19 years ago
The Curse Of The Werewolf
Aesop's Tales
Ross Wittenham
The Abingdon Touring Theatre is a small group of talented amateur actors in their gap years. The group has been around for a relatively short period of time (a year at most) but it managed to ...
19 years ago
Aesop's Tales
