Oxford Playhouse

Why go

See a live performance in a theatre with a long place in Oxford's cultural life. The current programme offers a choice of productions, while the building itself links the city's theatre history to Beaumont Street. The reason to enter is the show you choose, so check the Playhouse listing before making it part of your day.

What to look for

• The stone-faced 1938 theatre stands on Beaumont Street opposite the Ashmolean Museum.
• The programme ranges from plays and comedy to musicals and family performances.
• The nearby Burton Taylor Studio is a separate, smaller performance space associated with the Playhouse.

The full story

Oxford Playhouse began in 1923 as the Red Barn on Woodstock Road, founded by J. B. Fagan. Its present home on Beaumont Street, designed by Sir Edward Maufe, was completed in 1938. The stone frontage sits among the street's older Regency buildings, giving the theatre a civic presence quite different from a college performance room. In 1961, manager Elizabeth Sweeting and resident stage manager Iain Mackintosh created the Prospect Theatre Company from the Playhouse. It went on to tour widely, linking Oxford's stage with audiences far beyond the city. The Playhouse also has close ties to university drama, while its nearby Burton Taylor Studio provides a smaller space for student and professional productions. Together these strands explain why the venue is more than an attractive facade: it remains a place to encounter live theatre.

Useful to know

• Use the Playhouse's dated What’s On listing to choose and book a specific performance.
• If you need step-free seating, discuss stalls and wheelchair spaces with the box office; the Circle has no step-free access.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.