Oxford Playhouse unveils a vibrant autumn season, showcasing a compelling mix of theatre, dance, comedy, and family entertainment.

Season highlights include:

• An Oxford Playhouse co-production of Hugh Whitemore’s Breaking the Code, featuring new material written by Neil Bartlett.
• Gary Clarke Company’s highly anticipated dance theatre piece DETENTION, exploring the devastating impact of Section 28 on LGBTQ+ communities.
• The world premiere of The Party Girls, the sensational story of Oxfordshire’s Mitford sisters.
• Major stage adaptations of Jane Austen’s Emma and Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley.
• The award-winning Playhouse production team returns for yet another sparkling pantomime, Dick Whittington.

Autumn sees the premiere of the Oxford Playhouse co-production Breaking the Code. In partnership with Royal & Derngate, Northampton, and Landmark Theatres, the play is adapted from Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges. Hugh Whitemore’s evocative production tells the story of Alan Turing, the mastermind and code breaker famed for cracking the Enigma code at Bletchley Park. Breaking the Code explores Turing’s life, highlighting both the triumphs and tragedies that shaped him. For the first time, taking into consideration his recent Royal pardon and the development of Turing’s Law, the original play will feature a new epilogue by Neil Bartlett that speaks to Turing’s lasting legacy on modern Britain.

In the run-up to Breaking the Code, AI and consciousness are explored in Improbable Sessions – an experimental evening of improvised music and thought-provoking talks. In this one-of-a-kind session, leading thinkers in AI share the spotlight with a band of incredible musicians. The experts will speak, and the music will respond.

Gary Clarke Company (COAL, WASTELAND) bring their latest bold work DETENTION to the Oxford stage, exploring Section 28, a piece of legislation from Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government which devastated lives forcing people from the LGBT+ community into a place of secrecy, fear and shame. On stage, DETENTION brings together Clarke’s vivid and theatrical physical dance language performed by a company of exceptional professional dancers, an evocative narrator, actor, and five members of the LGBT+ community, selected from Oxfordshire who were directly affected by the legislation.

Spending much of their childhood in their Buford family home, the Mitford sisters return to Oxfordshire in Amy Rosenthal’s compelling and witty original play, The Party Girls, presented by Marlowe Theatre. The story is told from the perspective of Jessica (Decca) Mitford as she battles to stay true to her beliefs, whilst moving further from the values of her once-beloved sisters.

Celebrating Jane Austen’s 250^th anniversary, a delightful stage adaptation of her novel Emma tours to Oxford. The much-loved comedy of manners is produced by Theatre Royal Bath (Summer 1954, A Man for All Seasons) – the city synonymous with so many of Austen’s stories. This special production is adapted by Ryan Craig, whose acclaimed work includes plays for the National Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, and the bestselling stage adaptation of 1984.

Patricia Highsmith’s iconic psychological thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley comes to the stage in an electrifying production, marking seventy years since the novel’s publication. Highsmith’s gripping novel was the source material for the 2000 Oscar-nominated film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as the 2024 Netflix adaptation starring Andrew Scott.

After Oxford Playhouse was awarded the Achievement in Innovation Award at this year’s Panto Awards for the time travelling, 80s clad version of Sleeping Beauty, the team returns with a bold new take on Dick Whittington, written and directed by Toby Hulse. The widely celebrated Playhouse pantomime is a staple of the Oxford theatre calendar; board the bus to London Town this year for a riotous and uplifting tale of friendship, music, 90s cool and Britpop.

For younger audiences, Peppa Pig ventures back to Oxford in her Big Family Show. With a new arrival on the way, there’s much to do before the big day – expect music, adventure and plenty of surprises along the way.

Over in the Burton Taylor Studio this festive period, the elves are getting ready for the big day, but Where’s Father Christmas? In this interactive show – aimed at children aged 3 to 6 – join all your favourite festive characters in Father Christmas’ wrapping room for stories, songs and activities.

With a reputation for hosting the very best comedians, The Playhouse brings to the stage the latest shows from Jenny Eclair, Jen Brister and Josie Long. Other one-night performances include an unforgettable evening of wassailing from folk artists Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden, and an already sold-out sweeping performance of Eddie Izzard’s solo production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

There is also a range of talks this season to get involved in. The Playhouse welcome two leading surgeons behind the first UK womb transplant in The Gift of Life, as well as ‘statistical national treasure’ Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter who offers an essential guide to understanding The Art of Uncertainty, in collaboration with IF Oxford: The Oxford Science and Ideas Festival.

The annual Charles Simonyi Lecture also returns, hosted by University of Oxford’s Marcus du Sautoy. Join him and science writer Philip Ball for Beyond Weird: One Hundred Years of Quantum Mechanics.

University of Oxford student drama also returns to the Main Stage this season. Labyrinth Productions presents a bold staging of Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, A View from the Bridge. Striking visuals, an original score and a live orchestra capture the simmering tragedy of justice, masculinity and control.