Oxford and Cambridge: A Theatre Guide

Oxford and Cambridge are among the most theatrically active cities in England outside London, and their combination of professional producing and receiving venues with exceptionally active university theatre cultures creates a theatre ecology unlike any other in the country. Both cities have a long tradition of training future professional theatre makers through their student theatre societies, and both have significant professional venues that bring touring productions and original work to audiences outside London. This guide covers the principal venues in each city and what they offer theatregoers visiting or resident in the area.

Theatre in Oxford

Oxford Playhouse

The Oxford Playhouse on Beaumont Street is the city's principal producing and receiving theatre. As one of Britain's older regional theatres, the Playhouse has a programme that combines in-house productions with incoming touring work from major companies. The theatre's proscenium stage and mid-scale auditorium make it suitable for drama-led work and smaller-scale musicals, and the programming typically reflects both the academic character of the city and the broader interests of the regional audience.

The Oxford Playhouse is where Oxford's theatre-going public is most likely to encounter work of the highest professional quality outside the touring circuit. New plays, classic revivals and productions from major London companies and regional theatres appear in the programme throughout the year.

New Theatre Oxford

The New Theatre Oxford on George Street is the city's large-scale touring venue, with a capacity that suits the major commercial touring productions that make up the West End touring circuit. Productions of shows like Les Misérables, Hamilton and Wicked visit the New Theatre on their national tours, and for Oxford audiences who want to see major West End productions without travelling to London, the New Theatre is the primary destination.

The scale of the venue means it suits large-scale musical productions more naturally than the intimate drama that the Playhouse programmes. The two venues effectively divide Oxford's theatre audience by genre and scale, with the Playhouse serving drama and smaller productions and the New Theatre serving the large commercial touring market.

University Theatre in Oxford

The Oxford University Dramatic Society, one of the oldest university drama societies in Britain, produces work throughout the academic year in venues ranging from the Burton Taylor Studio beside the Playhouse to larger spaces hired for specific productions. The quality of university productions in Oxford varies but has historically included early work by professionals who went on to define British theatre, and at its best the university theatre circuit produces work that competes in ambition if not in resource with professional productions.

For theatregoers in Oxford, following the university theatre programme alongside the professional venues gives access to a much wider range of work than either alone would provide, including experimental, devised and new writing that the professional venues may not programme.

Theatre in Cambridge

Cambridge Arts Theatre

The Cambridge Arts Theatre on St Edward's Passage is the city's principal professional theatre, a mid-scale venue with a proscenium stage that programmes a mix of incoming touring productions, Cambridge-originated work and productions that draw on the cultural life of the university city. The theatre is close to the city centre and to several colleges, and its programme reflects both the academic and the general audience for theatre in Cambridge.

The Cambridge Arts Theatre has a history as a producing house as well as a receiving venue, and the combination gives it a different character from a purely touring house. Work seen at Cambridge Arts Theatre can include pre-London tryouts, productions of classic texts and new writing alongside the touring programme.

ADC Theatre

The ADC Theatre on Park Street is the home of the Amateur Dramatic Club, which is the oldest university theatre society in Britain. The ADC produces work throughout the academic term in its own venue, and the programme includes drama, comedy and musical productions from a student company with a tradition of producing professionals of the first rank.

For audiences interested in seeing early-career talent in an intimate and often experimental context, the ADC is worth attending independently of any interest in the academic institution it is associated with. The quality of production varies, but at its best the ADC programme offers work that would hold its own in any professional Off-West End context.

Cambridge Junction

Cambridge Junction is a mixed arts venue in Cambridge that programmes live music, comedy, and theatre in spaces of different configurations. For theatre that sits outside the conventional producing and receiving model, Cambridge Junction provides access to touring experimental and physical theatre companies and productions that would not typically appear in the Arts Theatre or the ADC.

Touring Productions in Both Cities

Both Oxford and Cambridge receive major touring productions as part of the national touring circuit. For audiences outside London who want to see major West End transfers of shows like The Phantom of the Opera or the national tours of new productions, checking the programmes of the New Theatre Oxford and the Cambridge Arts Theatre is the most efficient way to identify when these productions will be visiting.

The touring circuit schedule changes throughout the year, and it is worth checking the theatres' own websites when planning a visit to either city. Some productions make only single-week stops at regional venues, while others play for longer engagements depending on the size of the venue and the scale of the production.

Booking

For the national touring programme and West End listings, BritishTheatre.com provides full production details and touring schedules. For West End shows and London venue information, tickadoo covers the full programme with seat maps and pricing. tickadoo also offers theatre gift vouchers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main theatres in Oxford? The Oxford Playhouse on Beaumont Street is the main producing and receiving theatre. The New Theatre Oxford on George Street is the large touring venue for major commercial productions. Both operate independently and programme different kinds of work.

What are the main theatres in Cambridge? The Cambridge Arts Theatre is the principal professional venue. The ADC Theatre is home to the University of Cambridge's Amateur Dramatic Club. Together they provide access to professional touring work and university theatre.

Do major West End tours come to Oxford and Cambridge? Yes. The New Theatre Oxford and the Cambridge Arts Theatre both receive major national touring productions. Shows like Les Misérables and Wicked have appeared in both cities as part of their UK tours.

Is university theatre worth attending in Oxford and Cambridge? For audiences interested in early-career talent and experimental or new work, the university theatre circuits in both cities can be genuinely worthwhile. The OUDS in Oxford and the ADC in Cambridge have strong traditions and, at their best, produce work that competes with professional standards.