ART & EXHIBITIONS

Podcasts from India and Pakistan partition — Postcards from Home

Baby, it’s cold outside (freezing actually), so head indoors to check out one of these cool exhibitions popping up this month, including Manisha Gera Baswani’s Postcards from Home at the Ashmolean – a nostalgic collection of postcards remembering the history of India and Pakistan’s partition. The stunning photographs are paired with heartfelt words about the losses suffered by South Asians during 1947. It’s on until March and is FREE.

Elsewhere at the Discover Bucks Museum in Aylesbury you can see Sew New! which brings together a collective of impressive embroiders with themes ranging from nature to conceptual art. Fans of The Great British Sewing Bee will love. Open 15 – 21 Jan.

Meanwhile MK Gallery’s Press Start which dives into the making and mastering of video games. Created by University of Northampton students, it looks like a goodie for teens. From 13 Jan – 5 Feb.

THEATRE

/ PLAYS AND MUSICALS

Wycombe Swan is not holding back on the eccentric stage design and show-stopping costumes this month and Cirque: The Greatest Show is the top of the agenda. The award-winning show is a mixture of circus and musical theatre with hits from Moulin Rouge, Hairspray, Rocketman and The Greatest Showman – 27 – 29 Jan.

Also at Wycombe Swan, the one-night-only (19 Jan) show The Simon & Garfunkel Story which follows the rise to fame of the American folk-rock duo. Expect an electrifying live band and a little nostalgia as the show includes real footage of Paul and Art.

West End smash hit The Commitments is bringing soul, rock & roll and a little Irish charm to Aylesbury Waterside Theatre. Opening 30 Jan, the musical stars Coronation Street’s Nigel Pivaro and features classic tunes from the fifties and sixties.

Tony award-winning musical Evita hits Oxford Playhouse from 23 – 28 Jan. Oxford Operatic Society present the acclaimed story, which follows the powerful rise of Eva Peron, the First Lady of Argentina and the struggles she faces between 1934 and 1952. A brilliant evening out with your teen daughter for a little learning and a lot of great music.

The Old Fire Station has an exciting calendar this month. Glasshouse Productions present a dark-comedy Cell Outs diving into the dangerous truth of life as a prison officer (27 Jan), followed by Mary Shelley’s gothic classic Frankenstein is presented by Wild Goose Theatre (31 Jan).

BALLET

Matthew Bourne’s award-winning Sleeping Beauty is pirouetting onto the stage at Milton Keynes Theatre to celebrate its 10th year since premiering at Sadlers Wells where it became the fastest selling production in the company’s history (17 – 21 Jan). A must see for ballet newbies and stalwarts alike.

Then over at New Theatre Oxford the Varna International Ballet is performing three shows Coppelia (30 Jan), Giselle (31 Jan) and The Nutcracker (1 Feb). The ballet company have been performing for 75 years and this year’s run of shows will be its first in the UK.

MUSIC

At the 17^th century estate Penn House, nr Amersham, the Cello Miniatures will perform works by great composers including Vivaldi and Mendelssohn. The duo mixes cello and piano to bring the classics to life (20 Jan).

All the cool jazz cats out there get yourselves down to The Kenton Theatre, Henley-on-Thames for The Ronnie Scott’s Allstars Present: The Ronnie Scott’s Story. An evening of classic music and unbelievable stories celebrating one of the most famous jazz venues in the world (21 Jan).

COMEDY

Looking for laughs? You’ve come to the right place! Roll call, please:

Harry Hill is back on the circuit performing his new show Pedigree Fun! at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre (20 Jan); comedian and JackFM presenter Dom Joly is performing Holiday Snaps – Comedy in the Danger Zone at New Theatre Oxford (20 Jan).

WELLBEING COURSES

It’s Wellbeing Month at Muddy! Learn how to make your own pots in Where Inspiration Blooms‘s three week wheel-throwing course running from 4 Jan to 18 Jan.

For the artsy among you; Social Pottery in Milton Keynes host a relaxing pottery painting session every Saturday of the month 7, 14, 21 & 28 Jan. You get 90 minutes and 20 colours to let your imagination run wild.

The Castle, Oxford also welcome creativity to the life-drawing classes every week Monday – Wednesday evenings. If you’re better with a needle than a paintbrush, the Ashmolean Museum have a three-day Medieval Embroidery course in which you will embroider your own medieval star sign – tough time to be a scorpio – 29 Jan.

Get out and about with the Chiltern Society for their organised walks, unfortunately there is only one walk available in Oxfordshire this month, 29 Jan from Checkendon. If you’re Bucks-Bound there’s plenty to choose from this month across Amersham, Great Missenden, Whiteleaf Hill, Penn and Fingest.

Looking to host a dinner party or two come spring? Spruce up your steaks, salads, and sushi with chef Simon Hartley at Hartley Cookery School – based in Haddenham, the courses are flexible so you can squeeze them into your wellbeing schedule.

A day of winter fruit pruning in a stunning orchard of 2500 trees at the luxury gardens of five-star Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons – where do we sign up? Two Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc’s Gardening School is offering a winter fruit pruning course from 24 Jan – happy gardening!

FOOD AND DRINK

Veganuary is upon us – head to Gloucester Green for the Vegan Market with delicious plant-based foodie goods (anyone else fancy a tomato and lentil pie?). There’s 40 stalls to browse, including some cool ethical jewellery, vegan soaps and delicious artisan baked goods – we’re here for the food after all (22 Jan)

Or for something meatier, there’s a 5-course banquet of Scottish dishes (yes there’s haggis!) for Burn’s Night at Preston Bisset Nurseries pop-up Garden Tipi. There’ll be bagpipes on arrival, plus canapes and fizz. Kilt optional (27 Jan)

ALREADY GONE THIS MONTH!

There’s also still time to see world-renowned artist Larry Achiampong’s Wayfinder at MK Gallery, an exploration of the relationship between identity and the digital age – topical to say the least – running until 15 Jan. Find out more about the artist and exhibition in Muddy’s chat with him. Also at MK Gallery is the exhibition Our Very Own, a celebration of work created by the gallery’s staff and volunteers (bosses everywhere should be taking notes) running until 8 Jan.

Yaw Asiyama’s Me Marley & I tells the coming-of-age story of the playwright during 1970s Ghana, with Bob Marley’s revolutionary reggae tunes setting the scene. Expect a look into Asiyama’s culture and a raw telling of what it was like being a teenager during that time. Not quite a musical but sure to get you singing along – 14 Jan at MK Gallery.

/ FESTIVE

They’re still going if you want to keep the festive feeling! There’s The Oxford Playhouse‘s in-house panto Cinderella – follow Cinders and Buttons, outwit evil sister and find love – until 8 Jan; Chippy Theatre’s Dick Whittington with a classical musical score and delightful script – until 15 Jan; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at MK Theatre with Lesley Joseph as the Wicked Witch alongside Rob Rinder (that’s Judge Rinder to you and me), Paul Chuckle and comedian Aaron James – until 8 Dec.

Meanwhile at North Wall Arts Centre in North Oxford, Creation Theatre is putting on its 10th show at the venue The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast. Not a panto in the traditional sense, but still with a dash of festive silliness for the season – until 7 Jan.

Oxford’s iconic Sheldonian Theatre is hosting the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra for an evening of Mozart’s concertos, with ounder Marios Papadopoulos conducting the performance (14 Jan).

Oxfordshire Mind and Jericho Comedy are taking over Oxford Playhouse for their annual fundraising Comedy Gala – six comedians including BAFTA-nominated Rachel Parris (14 Jan); at The Mill Arts Centre in Banbury Hal Cruttenden will be performing his new stand up It’s Best you Hear it from Me about his newly single life (14 Jan),

If you’re more into candlelit baths (aren’t we all) make bespoke soy and beeswax candles in a Candle By Events beginner’s workshop 14 Jan.

January joy! Brilliant things to do locally this month

You may also like