Terence Rattigan's In Praise of Love Returns to Oxford

By Alyssa | WhatsOn local events writer Alyssa picks out timely events, local favourites and useful places to eat, stay and explore.

Terence Rattigan's In Praise of Love Oxford production marks a monumental moment for regional British theatre, arriving as an ambitious in-house revival to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the playwright's death. Directed by Mike Tweddle, this rare staging breathes fresh life into one of Rattigan's final and most deeply autobiographical masterpieces. For Oxford, this is not merely another touring run but a bespoke home-grown production honouring one of the city's most distinguished literary alumni, who studied just down the road at Trinity College. Staged inside the intimate proportions of the city's premier producing theatre, it promises to be one of the most poignant and intellectually stimulating theatrical events of the spring calendar.

Subtle Heartache and Razor-Sharp British Wit

Stepping into the auditorium for this production means immersing yourself in the hushed, charged world of 1970s drawing-room drama, where emotional tectonic plates shift beneath seemingly polite conversation. Rattigan wrote the piece inspired by the real-life marriage of actor Rex Harrison and Rachel Roberts, weaving a narrative around a husband and wife who each conceal a devastating medical secret from the other to spare each other's feelings. On stage, that premise translates into blistering emotional tension masked by stiff upper lips, wry quips, and the clink of ice against crystal tumblers.

Audiences who appreciate rich, subtext-heavy writing will find themselves hanging on every syllable. There are no bombastic set changes or grand distractions here; the power rests entirely in the claustrophobic intimacy of two people navigating mortality and devotion. Evening theatregoers can expect the kind of quiet, breathless intensity where even the rustle of a programme feels sacrilegious. Director Mike Tweddle leans into the nuance of Rattigan's cadence, balancing devastating melancholy with mordant wit, ensuring that laughter often catches in the throat as the characters' mutual deceptions begin to fray.

A Gathering of Literary Minds on Beaumont Street

An in-house production of this stature draws a uniquely engaged crowd to Beaumont Street. On any given night, you will find lifelong Rattigan enthusiasts mingling with university literature scholars, drama students, and visiting theatre lovers who have travelled across the country specifically for this rare revival. Because the play is staged so infrequently compared to evergreen classics like The Deep Blue Sea or The Winslow Boy, an atmosphere of collective discovery settles over the house.

During the interval, that quiet focus transforms into an animated hum in the circle bars and foyer. Strangers exchange impressions over glasses of wine, dissecting the psychological honesty of the dialogue and debating how Rattigan's personal struggles informed his late-career work. There is a palpable sense of community pride in seeing the city produce work of this calibre on its own stage, reclaiming an Oxford-educated dramatist's legacy with the care, gravity, and artistic polish it deserves.

Know Before You Go

• Book well in advance: because this is an exclusive in-house production running for a strictly limited three-week season, prime stalls and circle seats are in high demand. Secure seats directly through the official Oxford Playhouse box office.
• Arrive at least 30 minutes before the 19:30 evening curtain to navigate box office collections, drop heavy winter coats, and settle into your seat without disruption.
• The venue features step-free access to the foyer and ground-floor stalls, accessible facilities, and an infrared hearing enhancement loop. Contact the front-of-house team ahead of your visit if you require designated wheelchair seating or companion tickets.
• City-centre parking directly outside on Beaumont Street is virtually non-existent due to evening loading restrictions and bus priority zones. Drivers should utilise the Pear Tree or Redbridge Park & Ride services, while train travellers will find the venue an easy eight-minute walk from Oxford railway station.
• Matinee performances are typically scheduled on midweek afternoons and Saturdays; check the live schedule when selecting dates if you prefer daytime travel.

Make a Weekend of It

An evening at Oxford Playhouse places you right at the gateway to Oxford's cultural heart, making it effortless to build an enriching overnight stay around your theatre tickets. Before heading to the auditorium, take a stroll through the collegiate quarter of the University of Oxford, paying a visit to the tranquil grounds of Trinity College on Broad Street, where Terence Rattigan studied history before departing to pursue playwriting in London.

Directly across Beaumont Street sits the magnificent portico of the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology. Britain's oldest public museum makes a splendid pre-show companion, offering vast collections of European fine art, ancient sculpture, and quiet gallery spaces to wander through on an afternoon before the curtain rises.

When it comes to dinner before the 19:30 start, you have exceptional choices within a few paces. Around the corner on George Street, Côte Brasserie provides warm, dependable Parisian bistro classics like confit duck and steak frites served swiftly enough to ensure you never miss your cue. If you prefer a relaxed local vibe with a pint in hand, slip into Friars Entry to find The White Rabbit, a much-loved independent pub serving artisan wood-fired pizzas with blistered crusts alongside an outstanding rotation of regional ales.

To complete your cultural getaway, retire right across the road at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, a Graduate by Hilton. Its soaring Victorian Gothic exterior, heritage-inspired suites, and bustling cocktail lounge provide a suitably stylish, period-appropriate setting to mull over Rattigan's drama long into the night. Alternatively, if you favour riverside walks after morning coffee, head down Saint Aldate's to The Head of the River, Oxford, where cosy waterside rooms overlook the gentle flow of the Thames at Folly Bridge.

I hope you find Rattigan's bittersweet Oxford homecoming just as moving and memorable as I do — Alyssa for What's On Oxford.