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When the Blackbird Sings

When the Blackbird Sings
Wed 23 Sep - Sun 11 Oct, 18:30 - 18:30
The Stephen A Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, Oxford
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.
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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 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. We will end our journey at the new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, with truth in our mouths and hope in our hearts.
*Some walking or wheelchair travel is required, on flat but sometimes uneven surfaces. Please ask us for more information – we are keen to make this experience as accessible as we possibly can within the constraints of some of the oldest parts of the city.
Production originated as part of The Leys Festival 2026.
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.
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£10
Address
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 6GC





