ENCORE! THEATRE PICKS

Put on your leather jacket and channel your inner T-Bird or Pink Lady: Grease is hitting the stage at New Theatre Oxford (24 – 28 Sept). With a storyline that takes you back to high school days (minus the homework), this musical looks like a guaranteed good time. Still at the New Theatre, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is the family crowd-pleaser (1 -6 Oct) that comes with added bonus of The Vivienne as the child-catcher. Huge news too that War Horse (10 Dec – 4 Jan) is returning to New Theatre this year. This visually stunning production tells the story of friendship and bravery during World War I, brought to life with life-sized puppets that are nothing short of magical. Rebus: A Game Called Malice is a new play by Sir Ian Rankin and Simon Reade, on at the Oxford Playhouse (Oct 29 – 2 Nov) Created exclusively for the stage, this play is written by the bestselling author of over 30 novels and the creator of the inimitable DI John Rebus. Steel yourself for a murder mystery set in an Edinburgh mansion.

The Ballet Rambert show inspired by Peaky Blinders is already sold out at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on 13 Sept but I’d keep an eye out and you may get lucky with a ticket return for this gripping tale of the Shelby family’s dark beginnings. Otherwise plan forward and book now for its residency at New Theatre Oxford from Tues 15 – Sat 19 Oct.

Love a musical? Head to the Milton Keynes Theatre to catch popstrel Kym Marsh (of Hearsay and Strictly fame) playing Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians: The Musical from 1-5 Oct. You’ll also want to catch the smash hit 1920s musical Chicago, transferring from the West End to the MK Theatre from Sat 12 – Sat 19 Oct. With a plot that covers murder, corruption, adultery and treachery, it’d be criminal to miss it.

PANTO SEASON

Looking towards the festive season, there’s a motley crew of celebs preparing to cross-dress in the spirit of panto in Bucks and Oxon (oh yes there is). Enter, stage right: The Further Adventures of Peter Pan: The Return of Captain Hook, which is setting sail for the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from 5 Dec to 6 Jan with Celebrity Big Brother ‘star’ Bradley Riches on board as Peter Pan, and Mark Moraghan off Coronation Street as Captain Hook. Doesn’t float your boat? There’s an alternative Peter Pan panto at the Milton Keynes Theatre (6 Dec to 5 Jan) – and this one has Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood as the pantomime baddie. Also vying for your attention is The Wycombe Swan, which offers Bucks local Vernon Kaye as Aladdin (13 Dec to 5 Jan), plus a bawdy adults-only panto called Jack and His Giant Stalk. The mind fair boggles.

Oxfordshire panto fans are well-served too. At Chipping Norton Theatre, they’re reaching for the clouds with Jack and the Beanstalk (13 Nov to 12 Jan) promising giant-sized adventures, magic beans, and a whole load of audience participation. Over at the Kenton Theatre in Henley-on-Thames, don’t miss Snow White, packed with spectacular dance routines, hilarious scripts, and maybe even a water gun or two (14-30 Dec). In Oxford, The Oxford Playhouse presents Sleeping Beauty (22 Nov to 5 Jan), while the North Wall Arts Centre is staging Hansel & Grettel, this year’s children’s Christmas show from the ever-inventive Creation Theatre (1 Dec to 4 Jan). The Gingerbread Boy at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre (20-24 Dec), which is aimed at ages 3+, also sounds perfect for younger audiences.

MUSIC

With over 10 million album sales to date and his successful BBC Radio 2 show, Buckinghamshire local and brilliant musician Jamie Cullum is bringing his energetic live show to New Theatre Oxford (19 Nov). Known for blending jazz with contemporary pop, he’s bound to sell-out, so get in fast. Missed out on Oasis reunion tickets? You can catch the next best thing: tribute band Definitely Mightbe are playing at Oxford’s O2 on 26 Oct, with a Paul Weller tribute for company. I’d also recommend The Lightning Seeds and Shed Seven, but they’re already sold out – so dodge the endless run of tribute acts and book in for The Orb + Ozric Tentacles on 06 Dec. Jazz fans in the house? Head to the Summertown Wine Bar for the Spin Jazz Club‘s Flight of Hand featuring David Gordon (17 Sept), or Art Themen Featuring Liam Dunachie (01 Oct).

Classical music is always well served in Bucks & Oxon, and you can catch Verdi’s Rigoletto with the brilliant Welsh National Opera’s performance at Oxford New Theatre (24-26 Oct), promising a night of tragic love, betrayal, and vengeance. In Buckinghamshire this month, there’s the West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival at the pretty St Mary the Virgin church in Hambleden (19-21 Sept). Organized by High Wycombe-born viola player Lawrence Power, the theme of this year’s festival is ‘Enchanted’, with composers ranging from Telemann to four of the great Romantic piano quintets and Hermann’s score for the Hitchcock’s film Psycho.

The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra also reliably hits all the right notes – in a packed autumn programme, the highlights are virtuoso violinist Maxim Vengerov returning to Olivier Hall for a night of violin concertos (04 Oct), the recital of Bach’s Trio Sonatas at Merton College Chapel by Bath Abbey organist Huw Williams (22 Nov), and the festive Christmas with Sir John Rutter on 12 Dec, where the acclaimed conductor will lead the Choristers of Winchester Cathedral and the Choir of Merton College. See the full autumn programme here. Another cultural Christmas highlight is the festive recital by the choir of Christchurch Cathedral, part of the Music at Oxford programme. Rejoice in this glorious annual carol service on 18 Dec and 22 Dec.

ART & EXHIBITIONS

After four months of intensive building work, Modern Art Oxford is reopening in November with a captivating exhibition by the late Cuban artist Belkis Ayón, whose powerful work re-imagines ancient stories. Be sure to check out the opening event on 1 Nov for live music and a few drinks.

Across at The Ashmolean Museum they’re hosting a season of events, talks and displays inspired by their major exhibition Money Talks: Art, Society & Power, which explores the influence of money in our world through various artistic perspectives (until 5 Jan). Plus, it’s your last chance to explore one of the UK’s finest collections of vintage Star Wars toys and original movie posters at Discover Bucks Museum. Its May The Toys Be With You exhibition offers a nostalgic journey through the iconic designs that captivated a generation—a must-see for fans, featuring rare treasures from a galaxy far, far away (until 2 Nov).

Up in the north of our patch, Banbury Museum is running an immersive 3D experience called Surprise Your Eyes (until 6 Oct). It’s a bit of a sci-fi day out: the experience will make you feel as though you’re in a fantasy world – perhaps fighting dinosaurs or battling sea monsters. Well, we all need a bit of escapism. There’s also a new outdoor sculpture exhibition by Jenny Pickford at Waterperry Gardens near Oxford. Called SuperNature, it runs until 20 Oct. Jenny makes iron sculptures and architectural work at her forge in Herefordshire, and has exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show.

We all know Oxford’s dreaming spires are steeped in history – but for most of the year many of its loveliest spots are hidden away behind ‘no entry’ signs. Not on 14-15 Sept, when the annual Oxford Open Doors unlocks places and spaces usually closed to the general public – like the beautifully preserved Elizabethan wall paintings off Cornmarket Street. Over in Bucks, The Chiltern Society’s Heritage Festival, running from 12 Sept to 6 Oct, offers another glimpse inside grand private homes. Many events are already fully booked, but browse the listings to discover some gems.

You have until 20 Oct to catch the reunion of five Guercino paintings, together for the first time since they left the studio in 1651. They’re currently on display at Waddesdon Manor in King David and the Wise Women. And as one ends, another begins – here’s a female art icon to stick in the diary. The new Vanessa Bell exhibition opens at MK Gallery on 19 Oct. Sister of Virginia Woolf and husband of Duncan Bell, Vanessa was at the heart of the visionary Bloomsbury Group – her first solo exhibition in seven years is bound to be a hoot.

LITERATURE & TALKS

Calling all bookworms – and wannabe authors. Now in its 18th year, Henley Literary Festival is back from 28 Sep to 6 Oct with another brilliant line-up of bestselling speakers. This year’s hot tickets (above) include Michael Palin, Rupert Everett, Gruffalo creator Julia Donaldson and David Nicholls – expect his event to be a sell-out after his page-turner One Day became a smash-hit TV success too. Buckinghamshire-based bookworms should head to Cliveden Literary Festival (21-22 Sept) on the Berks border – nab tickets ASAP, as you’re won’t want to miss out on literary heavyweights like Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, William Boyd and John Banville, plus Prince Andrew’s nemesis Emily Maitlis and Oscar-winner Rachel Weisz, who’ll give an insight into working in Hollywood.

Also loving the prospect of listening to dare-devil explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes (the oldest Briton to summit Everest) on 22 Sept at the Milton Keynes Theatre. Want to hear about the time he had a double heart bypass three months before completing seven consecutive marathons in seven days on seven continents? Check out his Mad, Bad and Dangerous show here.

Comedy

John Bishop takes some time off the telly to tread the boards again with his new stand-up show Right Here, Right Now (Nov 14-15) at the New Theatre Oxford. Meanwhile, Paddy McGuiness returns to stand-up with his Nearly There tour in his post-Top Gear leap at the Milton Keynes Theatre (3 Nov), and Jimmy Carr brings his Laughs Funny show, full of edgy one-liners, to the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on Fri 4 Oct. He’s followed by pub landlord Al Murray’s Guv Island tour on Sat 9 Nov.

Over at the Wycombe Swan Dawn French and Ruby Wax are making light of the highs and lows of their lives (shows on 19 and 20 Sept respectively). Catch Ben Elton’s Authentic Stupidity stand-up show at the Milton Keynes Theatre (15 Sept) and the Wycombe Swan (16 Sept), or hop over to The Hexagon in Reading for the Stand Out, Stand Up (for Slapstick) charity night led by Jo Brand and Rory Bremner (14 Oct), Ed Gamble (6 Nov), The Big Comedy Bash with Adam Hills and Jack Dee (11 Nov), plus another chance to catch Ben Elton (19 Nov) and Jimmy Carr (21 Nov). Be quick as they’re selling fast and missing out is no laughing matter.

Your unmissable Autumn Culture Guide

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