About Us
Jump to links:
Artists in Residence
Artistic Vision
Oxford Playhouse is a theatre for everyone.
Oxford Playhouse and its Burton Taylor Studio present and produce a wide range of live performance. The programme includes the best of British and international drama, family shows, contemporary dance and music, student and amateur shows, comedy, lectures and poetry.
We also create live performance here in Oxford. The Playhouse produces and tours its own shows, hosts Artists in Residence and presents Playhouse Plays Out, an ongoing series of off-site events which happen at locations across the county.
The theatre's Learning team works with over 15,000 people each year through post show discussions, workshops, work experience, holiday schemes, a youth theatre and a young people’s theatre company.
Oxford Playhouse Productions
2011
Oxford Playhouse has been steadily increasing its producing arm, and in 2011 produced seven shows, including; a co-production of Brontë with Shared Experience which toured nationally, a new small-scale production of The Wright Brothers by David Hastings, which premiered at the Singapore Arts Festival before playing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, Paterson Joseph’s new play Sancho – An Act of Remembrance, which premiered in the Burton Taylor Studio in September, and three Christmas shows; a revival of Bath Time, written and directed by Toby Hulse, playing Bristol Tobacco Factory throughout December, Dear Father Christmas, a new show for children under six, written and directed by Helen Eastman, that will premiere in the Burton Taylor Studio, and its annual pantomime, which this year is Mother Goose, written and directed by Peter Duncan, which will run for 75 performances from Friday 2 December.
In 2012 the Playhouse will co-produce a new Helen Edmundson play with Shared Experience about Mary Shelley, a production of Dick King-Smith’s The Crowstarver with Theatre Alibi and Animal Farm by the resident young people’s theatre company, 16|22.
2010
2010 was a busy year for OP.
We mounted a world premiere of Von Ribbentrop's Watch by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, Olivier award nominated and renowned theatre and tv writers. It played in Oxford in September, before touring to Watford Palace Theatre, Richmond Theatre and Salisbury Playhouse. It was very warmly received by packed houses, and was a great success.
Our production One Small Step played 20 countries this year, all managed by OP. The actors got passport stamps from Australia, Singapore, Dubai, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Palestinian Territories, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Ireland, USA, China, India and more. Find out more about the show on its worldwide travels: One Small Step on tour 2010
Oxford Playhouse co-produced an adaptation of Graham's Greene's The Ministry of Fear with Theatre Alibi and The Northcott Theatre, Exeter. This exciting new stage version has completed its extensive UK tour. For more information, see www.theatrealibi.co.uk
We also presented our co-production with Unlimited Theatre of The Ethics of Progress; a fast-paced, informative theatre lecture about quantum physics, inspired by conversations the performer and writer, Jon Spooner, had with University of Oxford's Professor Vlatko Vedral, Professor of Quantum Information Science. It toured the UK and internationally.
To and Fro was a home-made piece, created by our 16|22 young people's company, with professional directors, designers and support. It was inspired by T S Eliot's Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock, and was a promenade performance at The Rookery in Old Headington.
The year came to a close with Cinderella, written and directed by Peter Duncan, in the main house and Bath Time, written and directed by Toby Hulse in the studio. Both of which were magical productions, which had audiences captivated - the perfect end to the year.
2009
2008
- Molora, adapted and directed by Yael Farber (co production with The Farber Foundry)
- Spies, by Michael Frayn, directed by Nikki Sved (co production with Theatre Alibi)
- One Small Step written by David Hastings, directed by Toby Hulse.
- Sleeping Beauty, written and directed by Peter Duncan
2007
- Molora, adapted and directed by Yael Farber (co production with The Farber Foundry)
- Aladdin, directed by Peter Duncan
2006
- Three Tall Women, directed by Irina Brown
- Dick Whittington, directed by Peter Duncan
2005
- Cinderella, directed by Ian Talbot
- The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Erica Whyman
2004
- The Dumb Waiter and Other Pieces, directed by Douglas Hodge
- Amajuba, directed by Yael Farber (co-production with The Farber Foundry)
- Peter Pan, directed by John Doyle
2003
- Amajuba, directed by Yael Farber (co-production with The Farber Foundry)
- Jack and the Beanstalk, directed by Christopher Scott
2002
- Spot’s Birthday Party, directed by David Wood
- SeZaR, directed by Yael Farber (co-production with Arc Productions)
- Mother Goose, directed by Michele Hardy
2000
- Spot’s Birthday Party, directed by David Wood
- Aladdin, directed by Michele Hardy
Having artists in residence at Oxford Playhouse is one of the ways we're making the theatre a home. Opening our doors to local artists, and offering them space, support and opportunities helps their development, and also benefits the theatre and our audiences. These artists have a long-term connection to the Playhouse, which means their creative minds are here to inspire us all.
Idle Motion
Idle Motion became Artists in Residence at the Playhouse in 2010.
Idle Motion is a young physical theatre company based in Oxford. Devising their ensemble shows from scratch, the team uses workshops, play and improvisation. Their filmic style is highly visual, creating bold images on stage with an innovative use of props and movement. Strong narratives and a sense of storytelling result in rounded and dynamic pieces of theatre.
With the support of patron Juliet Stevenson, Idle Motion is a small company with big ideas and a huge passion for creating exciting and beautiful new work. Nominated by Total Theatre Awards as ‘Best Emerging company 2009’ for their production Borges and I, Idle Motion has since dreated and toured The Vanishing Horizon, and recently premiered The Seagull Effect.
Idle Motion is an incredibly exciting young theatre company, which is already making work of real distinction. As an ensemble who devise and perform together, they are a committed and talented group who deserve to be seen by a wider audience. Their work is visually beautiful and emotionally engaging; they have a great talent for story-telling. Michelle Dickson, Director, Oxford Playhouse
Michael Gabriel
Michael Gabriel has been drawing from live performances at the Oxford Playhouse for over thirty years.
He has made hundreds of quick sketches and paintings of actors, rehearsals, and performance moments.
As an Artist in Residence, he continues to draw and exhibit at the Playhouse, and aims to create a body of work celebrating the experience and magic of theatre and the excellence of theatre in Oxford.
Michael's first exhibition of work, Between the Lines, was exhibited throughout the Playhouse in the autumn of 2009 and more recently Michael exhibited work with sculptor Alison Berman during Art Weeks 2010.
Theatre is a transient art-form, and often shows live on only in our memories. So how wonderful it is to have the talented Michael Gabriel on hand to record some of those treasured images from the stalls of the Playhouse. The drawings and paintings capture both the moment and the spirit of the productions, and are a fine accompaniment when we look back at our past. Michelle Dickson, Director, Oxford Playhouse
Walker Park
We are working with contemporary dance and music company Walker Park who have been Artists in Residence at the Playhouse since 2006.
Artistic Directors Fin Walker [choreographer] and Ben Park [composer] have both been evolving their streams of work independently of each other for the past 2 years, and together on new work.
I invited Walker Park to join us as Artists in Residence, as I am a huge admirer of their work and wanted to help them make a base in Oxford. Together Fin and Ben create dance and music, which challenges the mind whilst stimulating the senses. They work with incredibly talented dancers and musicians, and seeing the work take shape over weeks and months in our rehearsal space is a revelation and a privilege.
The Playhouse supports Walker Park through providing free rehearsal space, sharing resources and expertise, and through commissioning. Michelle Dickson, Director, Oxford Playhouse
The Opera Group is a new type of opera company. At the company's heart is the development and presentation of brand new musical storytelling. Their aim is to merge the best of contemporary theatre and music. For over ten years they have been touring two new productions, both new commissions and fresh revivals of classics per year across the UK and Europe, and in 2010 on Broadway.
The Opera Group works with a variety of partners who share a passion for reaching the widest possible audiences through touring, site specific and participatory projects.
I’m really excited to have The Opera Group as our newest Artists In Residence. They are a great match for the Playhouse; inventive, challenging, innovative and at the forefront of their artform. I hope we will be able to make the most of their visits to Oxford, deepening the relationship with audiences and exploring opportunities to work together collaboratively on supporting education and development projects. Michelle Dickson, Director, Oxford Playhouse
They have been visiting the Playhouse for many years, most recently with The Enchanted Pig(15-18 April 2010) and The Lion's Face (23 May 2010).