Neither fancy nor run down, I'd not shy away from another performance at The Oxford Playhouse - and…read moreneither should you - but I'd set my expectations accordingly. Having bought advance tickets to a very good, creative, evening performance (Moby Dick) I was surprised to see how casual the Playhouse's interior looked and felt. It wasn't just the presence of a lot of children in the audience but also the sale of ice cream in the theater at intermission. This is not a theater experience that one should feel the need to dress up for; it's sort of the opposite of that. If ancient yelp reviews are accurate, The Oxford Playhouse is an attractive option for Oxford students. As a visitor to the town, I'd not call this a "must" but after a day of doing "whatever" it offers a comfortable finale.

I really love the Optin program and it's a great way for students to see good theatre for a…read morereasonable price. It's near the Ashmolean Museum which makes it a great way to end an evening of sightseeing.

This is a well known provincial theatre, now owned by Bill Kenwright, if I'm not mistaken. So,…read moreyou'll see quite a lot of pleasant sort of stuff, nothing too challenging. Well known for its panto. Not really my cup of tea, but it doesn't mean that you will not enjoy it.

Lovely old theatre situated right opposite the left side of Windsor castle. Near to train station…read moreand bus stops and plenty of places to eat and shop nearby. They have a great Panto on here each year and have had some very good plays and big bands etc. They often have 2 for 1 offers and early booking offers if you look at their website. There is a carpark to the rear of building across the road.

The Wycombe Swan and Town Hall are great venues for all different types of shows. They have…read moremusicals, plays, comedy acts and a pantomime every year. The Hellfire comedy club held at the Town Hall is especially good. At only £9 for 3 comedians it is excellent value and the food and drink on sale is also very reasonable. The ticket prices are generally very good and whilst the booking fees are relatively low you can avoid them by going to the box office and buying your tickets there. They are open 6 days a week until 8pm so it's quite easy to find a convenient time to drop in.

How did we ever manage without a theatre in our town? For a small building they certainly manage to…read morepack a lot in. I have been going here for many years and have never been disappointed. There are so many different types of show to see, from ballet, plays, musicals and pantomines, a lot of shows which have been on in the west end, make their way to Wycombe Swan.

This is a new arts centre built in St Edward's school's old swimming pool complex - or so I've been…read moretold. It is a small but interesting venue (and doesn't really look much like an old swimming pool though trying to work out what it used to look like does give you something to do while waiting for your play/concert). There is a gallery in the foyer which is used for exhibitions and these change fairly regularly so it is worth looking in to see what is on. The theatre hosts a variety of musicians and theatre companies. You'll need to check their website to see what is on. They have got the Creation Theatre doing Measure for Measure in March 2008 which will make a change for the company - fancy actually preforming in a purpose built theatre instead of at a car factory, in the open or in a tent. If you do go then remember that South Parade is a one way street. If you are driving you get into it from the Banbury Road. There is parking available on the nearby streets in the evening but during the day you'll probably have to go to the Ferry Pool carpark or the one behind the Coop and walk. Plenty of buses go up the Banbury and Woodstock roads.

This is a great alternative venue for up and coming performers, and some well established ones…read more It's not got the grandeur and the history of the New Theatre or the proximity to the train station of everything on George Street, but it's great for residents of North Oxford and it's easy enough to get to for visitors. The North Wall Summer Festival every July has new music, drama, comedy and other performances, and in fact the best thing about this centre is the variety in its shows. You're unlikely to find an old favourite here, but it's great for checking out contemporary performances at reasonable prices. I'm looking forward to seeing Precarious Dance Theatre here in September. The theatre is cosy and the stage fairly small. It's hard to avoid kicking the seat in front or being kicked, unless you get one of the seats round the edge. There is a very limited bar before some performances (water, J2O or beer), but the front of house staff are very friendly and it's interesting wandering around the gallery beforehand. The toilets let the place down - the women's at least are painted in a dubious gold colour.

Even if you are visiting Oxford for a short period of time, you should really try to see the…read moreSheldonian Theatre. The Theatre was built in the 1600's by Christopher Wren and has been in active use ever since by the university, amateur players and conference organizers. If you can see a show here, you will be amazed by the interior of the building. Extraordinarily precise baroque architecture and perfect acoustics. A great venue for musicals. If you can see a musical here, i would recommend it. One word of advice: the seats aren't particularly comfortable (sometimes hard wooden benches), so if you can smuggle a cushion in, good for you!

A 70 foot span, no Gothic vaulting or columns to hold it up - the ceiling of the Sheldonian Theatre…read morein Oxford. This was in 1663 and a real poser for Sir Christopher Wren - all before pocket calculators and Google. How did he do it?? Well, come and see for yourself, climb up to the Cupola and stand on the very ceiling - you might not want to thud across it, knowing it's 340 years old and just a big bunch of space for 60 feet below. If you're interested, Wren actually achieved the 70 foot feat by creating a matrix of trussses, which rotate and interlock with each other, a bit like weaving - yes woven wooden beams and that was a first! Just hope it'll last! At least long enough for your safe visit. You can be reassured that when inspected, the surveyors considered it likely to '...remain in such good Repair and Condition, for one hundred or two hundred Years yet to come' (1720). Mmmmm. (It has been checked more recently, by the way.) Up in the Cupola itself, wonderful views of Oxford across all points of the compass. And all this, without even mentioning the imposing Theatre hall itself. Look at the other side of the ceiling, from bottom up and view the magnificent painting by Robert Streaker, created from 1668-1669. Look out for Rapine, with her 'fiery eyes, grinning Teeth, sharp Twangs, her Hands imbrewed in Blood, holding a Bloody Dagger in one hand, in the other a Burning Flambeau..' She's nice, but maybe think twice about asking her on a date. The Theatre is the ceremonial hall of the University and is named after Gilbert Sheldon, Warden of All Saints College and later Archbishop of Canterbury, who paid for its building between 1664-9. It was the first major design (did I forget to mention that before?) of Sir Christopher Wren, Professor of Astronomy (1632-1723). It is now used for lectures and concerts. Well worth the £3.00 entrance fee. (Parachutes extra.)

What a transformation!!!! After complaining for about the last 10 years about the 'food' being a…read moremandatory aspect of the ticket price and having to queue on the stairs in an orderly fashion for the 'hit and miss' buffet - both in presentation and options (and often leftovers if we arrived after 7pm) we were absolutely amazed at the difference in ambience in the restaurant, the food was very well presented AND tasty, the service was great by the waiting staff resulting in a nice relaxing pre-show experience. However, a little 'surprise' was the £5 per head service charge which felt sneaked onto our bill - this really should have been noted somewhere clearly so that I didn't wonder what vintage wine I had ordered that cost more per glass than several bottles can in my local supermarket! We watched 'It Runs in the Family' and it was absolutely brilliant - we decided it was the best production we have seen here. How the actors kept it together and didn't collapse laughing is a true sign of their professionalism - I don't think I can recall another play that has made my husband laugh so much. It is such a funny and mood lifting farse - I really do recommend seeing it it to help get through the cold weather we are still enduring.

My mother took me and my girlfriend here as a birthday present, which turned out to be the perfect…read morefamily evening. We sat out the back by the river as the sun set and had a few drinks before dinner was served. The dinner is run buffet style, although without the option of getting seconds. We had a selection of pesto salmon, vegetable pasta bake, vegetable and beef pie, and vegetables and potatos with gravy. While it wasn't the best food I've ever tasted, it was well cooked and quite delicious. It also came with desert. The shows are all professional quality, and have a very fun and immersive feel. Its a great evening out for the whole family, even if many of the patrons are retirees.

This is one of the best theares I have ever been to (and I've been to lots) It is hopslessly…read moreromantic, both in location, and in the way it has been renovated and made into a theatre. The theatre itself is in the old mill, and it is impossibly tiny and beautiful. to get into the auditorium, you walk over the stream, and the wheel is still turning. Inside Ithink the theatre seats 150 people, although it may be less. There are lots of exposed beams, and the stage is tiny. The balcony has one row down each side and I think 2 at the back. All the play I have seen here have been great. They also have a restaurant in a barn, and the food is delicious, and well worth the trip just for that. The whole thing is set in a stunning garden, so that if you are going to see a show, I would highly reccomend you get there early so you can walk about, sit by the river, and have a drink in amonst all the beautiful flowers and feed the ducks as well of course!

A quaint, beautiful, cosy theatre (with bar & restaurant) in a renovated Watermill…read more The Watermill really is a unique little place, the theatre must seat less than 200 - it's within the old mill tower, the audience often sit around the small stage, and you really feel part of the performance. They run a range of productions some of which have ended up in the West End (Gondoliers) or on Broadway. They have an annual Shakespeare play and a Christmas production for children over the festive period. Highly recommended, well worth the trek out to Bagnor, remember to book the restaurant early and order your food before curtain up.

A great little theatre. I think it is manned predominantly by volunteers so has a very friendly…read moreatmosphere. You get all sorts of shows here from professional comediens to amateur dramatics and musicals (I have been fortunate enough to perform here and thoroughly enjoyed it). The theatre is accross the road from Ickenham tube station (approx 100m), on the Metropolitan & Piccadilly lines, for easy access to those who can't drive/don't have a car or would prefer a social evening. It also has its own private car park; however, this gets very busy so turn up early to avoid dissapointment. It holds about 160 people seated in the auditorium, with a basic seating layout. Sound travels quite well and you can generally hear everything, even if you are right at the back (so long as the actors/singers voice carries!). It has a nice little bar in the theatre with a sufficient seating area. The Foyer/Bar area is modern and tastefully laid out with the more traditional surroundings of the theatre building and garden. There are also some very nice pubs in the local area to visit after the show has finished. There is plenty going on here, so always worth putting it into your favourites list so you can keep abreast of events.

This was a fun little auditorium. We went to see the Christmas pantomime show and the group, young…read moreand old, enjoyed it. The auditorium was comfortable and the facilities were nice. It was decently sized so I would check it out depending on what audience turn out you expect to get.