Daily Info's recommended events for the week ahead, Thursday 23rd October - Wednesday 29th October
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Half-term diversions, citywide concerts and a chance to win a BANGER of a prize - it's EP day!
Our Half Term Blog offers you loads to do this coming week, whether adults and children need some time apart or some bonding together. We have sporty, outdoor, cosy, planty, halloweeny, and crafty suggestions. We hope you find something fun!
Or if you’re all at home and want a reason to get the paints out, we’d like to direct you to two different art competitions: Sunningwell School of Art have an Arty Animals competition open at the moment. And at DI towers we’d like to see your pictures of fireworks , to win tickets to the big Round Table display at South Park (more on that below...). Sorry, these are both open to young people only!
This week in theatre, meet three very different, very real characters and an unfeasibly big herbivore, and see who’s leading in the My Absurdism Is More Absurd Than Your Absurdism stakes.
In The Importance of Being Oscar Wilde’s Valet, Oscar Wilde meets Stephen Stephens during his 1882 tour of the US. It is true that Stephen Stephens became Wilde’s valet, and Stephens was African-American. JC Niala and Bobby Theodore have filled in some of the gaps, and you can see a rehearsed reading of their play, following two students who uncover Stephens’ story (and something about themselves in the process).
Mark Thomas, comedian and activist, stars in Ordinary Decent Criminal. He plays Frankie, a recovering addict, who has just been sentenced to three and a half years in jail for dealing drugs. He somehow finds his way into the troubled hearts of his fellow convicts, and they into his.
Every one of us can picture the CPR dummy Resusci-Anne , but have you ever wondered where her image came from? All your questions will be answered, in the form of an evening of theatre, poetry, and sea-shanties. As well as learning about Anne’s origins, hear music from Kerensa, a gender- and genre-fluid artist singing in both English and Mandarin.
With Now is The Time of Monsters , award-winning comedian Josie Long has put together a new show about extinction, and how to navigate a landscape of monstrous disaster, but also about wonder and discovery. Did you know there were once armadillos the size of cars? But they’re vegetarian, so you don’t have to picture any Jurassic Park scenarios.
And fans of absurdist theatre should flock to the BT early slot this week for The Man Who Turned Into a Stick, a collection of three short plays by Kobo Abe, Japan’s pre-eminent modernist. You don’t often get to experience absurdism from outside Europe, so we say suck it and see! With human suitcases, a man who becomes a very sought-after stick, invisible boxers, and a nightmarish vision of humanity behind it all.
The Importance of Being Oscar Wilde’s Valet: The Old Fire Station, Wed 29th Oct, 8pm. Tickets: £1-£6.
Ordinary Decent Criminal: North Wall Arts Centre, Thu 23rd - Fri 24th Oct, 8pm. Tickets: £12-£20. Age 16+.
Resusci-Anne and the Personal Displays of Affection: The Nest (33-35 Little Clarendon St), Sat 25th Oct, 7pm. Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions).
Josie Long: Now is the Time of Monsters: Oxford Playhouse, Thu 30th Oct, 7.30pm. Tickets: £26. Age 16+.
The Man Who Turned Into A Stick: Burton Taylor Studio, Thurs 23rd - Sat 25th Oct, 7.30pm. Tickets: £6-8.
When it comes to nights out, what matters most is an electric atmosphere. And Common Ground aims to deliver with a night of off-the-wall electronica, headlined by Oxford ‘oddpopper’ Moogieman . He’ll be joined by the gritty electrofunk concoctions of Fleksi and expansive ambient soundscapes from Headphones Wasp.
Things take a turn for the edgy as Hngmn head up the Library ; if being emo was more than a phase for you, their brand of moody pop-punk will be right up your dark alley, rife with killer hooks and hard-hitting percussion. Also on the bill is Oxford outfit Spank Hair, whose introspective and relatable lyrics combine with a buoyant noughties indie-pop feel.
Finally, for the non-night owls, Oxford Contemporary Music's Tandem Takeover next weekend brings two days of musical celebration, marking four years since the birth of folk community orchestra Starling Sessions. Taking place at both the Sheldonian Theatre and The Nest, the weekend will include workshops and free performances from Tarik Beshir, Oxford Timorese Community Band, and Nostos Greek Polyphonic Group. The weekend will close with a ticketed evening performance from Starling Sessions and West African-influenced jazz group Sacred Funk 4tet, and an afterparty with Natty Hi-Fi on the decks bringing the reggae grooves.
Moggieman, Fleksi, Headphones Wasp: Common Ground, Fri 24th Oct, 8pm. Tickets £6.
Hngmn, Spank Hair: The Library Pub, Thurs 30th Oct, 7pm. Tickets £7.
Tandem Takeover: Sheldonian Theatre and The Nest, Sat 1st Nov, 1.15 - 11pm. Free (afternoon), various prices (evening).
This week Oxford is abuzz with music, art, autumnal cheer and…coffee? We begin our eclectic festival roundup with Oxford City Festival, a full month of showcases from the area’s best and brightest musical talent starting this Saturday. Venues like the Jericho Tavern, The Bullingdon, O2 Academy and Florence Park Community Centre will host stacked lineups of local sound from punk and goth to blues and Americana, featuring homegrown stars like The Kokroachez, Barricaine and Killer Kowalski.
Favouring something a little more serene? Celebrate the changing seasons at Harcourt Arboretum’s Autumn Fair, with a full programme of activities for kids and grown-ups to revel in the bounties of the harvest. Oxford Food Hub and Oxford Good Food will be offering apple pressing (BYO fruit!), and attendees can try their hand at archery, tree-climbing, traditional dyeing and weaving techniques, and get up close and personal with Harry the draft horse (and some birds of prey if you’re feeling brave). All this while being fed and watered with seasonal grub and enjoying some live folksy tunes - what’s not to ‘fall’ for?
At the King’s Centre it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee, with a whole festival dedicated to the joys of the blessed bean. Join local brewers like Routes, Jericho Coffee Traders and Missing Bean for samples, demos, competitions and more dedicated to the art of making the perfect cup o’ Joe; stick around for the Latte Art Throwdown!
And last but not least, a highlight of the craft calendar as Oxford Ceramics Fair brings over 70 top UK artists’ creations to the halls of St. Edward’s School. Be you a collector, a professional or just a fan of The Great Pottery Throwdown, fall in love with unique ceramic pieces, learn fundamental pottery skills from exhibiting artists and win beautiful prizes in the Celebratory Raffle, centred on the theme of the tea ceremony (free cuppa with every entry).
Oxford City Festival: various venues across Oxford City Centre, Sat 25th Oct - Sun 30th Nov. Timings and prices vary; check feature for full listings.
Autumn Fair : Harcourt Arboretum, Sat 25th Oct, 10am - 4pm. Tickets £12 (£10.80 concessions, £36.50 family bundle).
The Oxford Coffee Festival : The King’s Centre, Osney, Sat 25th Oct, 9am - 4pm. Tickets from £10.
Oxford Ceramics Fair: St Edward’s School, Sat 25th - Sun 26th Oct, 10am - 5pm. Ticket £8.50 (concessions £7, under 16s free).
Calling all arty kids, it's our Fireworks Competition ! If you are/have a creative kiddo aged 0-17, we want to see your artwork inspired by the theme of ‘fireworks’ - our favourite will win 4 Family Tent tickets (2 adults, 2 children) to Oxford Round Table’s legendary annual firework display on the 8th November. 4 standard tickets will also be offered to our runner up!
For your chance to win, all you have to do is:
1) Create your fireworks-themed art work in any medium (including digital).
2) Send it or scan a photo of it to fireworks@dailyinfo.co.uk including the following information: the name and age of the artist, PLUS the name and contact details of their parent or guardian (we will email the winners’ parents/guardians to arrange the tickets).
You can submit as many entries as you like: as long as they reach us by the deadline of noon, Tuesday 4th November we will look at them!
Image credits: Banbury Museum, Oxford Playhouse, Oxford Contemporary Music, Oxford Coffee Festival, Niamh Simpson
