When the Blackbird Sings
23 September to 11 October
About When the Blackbird Sings
An immersive, eye-opening, heart-stirring journey through time.
Directed by Erica Whyman and written by Natty Mark Samuels, Helen Eastman, and Afsaneh Gray.
This is the story of Paulette, who was born in Jamaica, crossed an ocean to expand her horizons and now, in 1966, she is determined to change the world. She hopes you will come along for the ride.
Join ‘When the Blackbird Sings’ in Blackbird Leys for a warm welcome and the start of a glorious odyssey through the city of Oxford. You will meet remarkable pioneers, passionate changemakers, a patron saint and fellow humans simply trying to survive.
You will be invited to hop aboard a bus to travel back to the 8th Century and forward to the 21st on a quest to find ancestors on whose shoulders Paulette can stand.
The journey will end at the new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, with truth in our mouths and hope in our hearts.
Before You Arrive
This is a promenade production, meaning the performance takes place across several locations in Oxford. Audience members will travel between locations primarily by bus, with one short walking section of approximately 0.75 kilometres.
The performance begins in Blackbird Leys, the starting venue is to be confirmed. Here tickets will be checked on arrival before the show begins.
Please avoid bringing large or heavy bags with you. The performance will last 2.5 hours and there will be some drinks and snacks incorporated.
During the Performance
Once the show begins in Blackbird Leys, audience members will board a bus which forms part of the performance itself. The route travels through Temple Cowley, Cowley and into Oxford city centre.
All audience members will have a seat on the bus, and headphones will be provided so you can hear the performers clearly throughout the journey.
While everything possible will be done to keep the performance running to schedule, there may occasionally be slight variations to timings due to traffic conditions on Oxford’s roads.
The bus will stop on Oxford High Street for a short walking section of the production. One of the locations visited during this section is a faith building (a church). After this, audiences will reboard the bus for the final journey north along Woodstock Road to the Schwarzman Centre (OX2 6GG), where the performance concludes.
After the Show
At the end of the performance, you are welcome to leave directly from the Schwarzman Centre.
For anyone who has parked a car or left a bicycle at the starting point, there will also be the option to take the bus back to Blackbird Leys after the show. It will be ensured that you can return easily to where you began your journey! This is not include in the running time of the show.
Accessibility
If you have any access requirements, please contact the box office in advance to discuss your needs. There is a maximum number of wheelchair spaces available on the bus for each performance, so it is important that you make it known if you will be travelling with a wheelchair.
The walking section of the production is flat, and there is an alternative route available that avoids cobbled surfaces.
If you have any further questions, the box office team will be very happy to help.
Tickets
Please see important booking information below.
Booking information
Ticket prices:
Standard – £27.50
Student – £10.00
Tickets are subject to a booking fee
Dates & times:
Wednesday 23 September to Sunday 11 October 2026
Running time:
120 to 150 minutes
Location:
Across Oxford
Age guidance:
12+
Good to know:
Please note this event begins in Blackbird Leys and mostly takes place on a bus through to the centre of Oxford with stops along the way, ending at the Schwarzman Centre. There will be a shuttle bus leaving 15 minutes after the show finishes going back to Blackbird Leys. The starting venue will be announced soon and communicated to all bookers.
About Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities is a major new cultural and academic landmark for the University of Oxford, bringing together seven humanities faculties with performance, exhibition, and public engagement spaces under one roof. Located in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, it is designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration while opening the humanities to a wider public through events, performances, and year-round programming.
At its heart are world-class venues including a concert hall, theatre, cinema, recital spaces, and galleries, supported by flexible teaching and meeting facilities. A central atrium acts as a social hub, blending academic life with informal gathering spaces, cafés, and exhibitions. More than a university facility, the Centre functions as a civic cultural destination, connecting scholarship with creative practice and strengthening Oxford’s wider cultural life.
