Don’t know what to do this weekend? Try these 12 suggestions for size – a round up of the best gigs, events and plays on in Oxfordshire this coming week

1) First up is Rock of Ages running this weekend from Friday - Saturday at Brookes Union, the 80’s-themed hilarious musical brought to you by The Fortune Players and featuring legendary songs from the 80’s including: Don’t Stop Believin’, We Built This City, The Final Countdown, Wanted Dead or Alive, Here I Go Again and I Can’t Fight This Feeling. www.brookesunion.org.uk

2) Avant-folk artists James Yorkston and Laura Moody sisit St Barnabas Church, Oxford Tomorrow. wegottickets.com. The Irregular Folk sessions organised and curated by Oxford’s Vez Hoper are among the city’s must-see musical events, with interesting line-ups and beautiful venues. Her first of the year sees her return to St Barnabas Church for a night of tunes from the Fence Collective’s James Yorkston who appears with Indian classical singer and musician Suhail Yusuf Khan, and Lamb’s jazz double bass player Jon Thorne. Also up is the extraordinary avant-cello player Laura Moody. Witty banter and poetry comes from the impossibly talented George Chopping.

3) Dr. Phil Hammond is bouncing into Banbury's Mill tomorrow night with his highly subversive comedy, How to Survive the NHS… and Help the NHS Survive in which Dr Phil calls for an end to top down disorganisation of the NHS, and launches his own bidet revolution – from the bottom up. Learn how not to use the NHS, how to survive when you have to and how to die properly when your time comes. Stuff the politicians. www.themillartscentre.co.uk

4) Folk duo Ryley Walker and Danny Thompson are at The Bullingdon, Oxford, tonight (wegottickets.com). At opposite ends of the age spectrum 20-something Primrose Green star Ryley Walker and double-bassist Danny Thompson, one of the founding members of Pentangle present a wealth of never-before heard material as well as tunes from Ryley’s acclaimed pair of albums.

5) Standby For Tape Back-Up is the true story of one man’s journey into synchronicity and madness and comes to Oxford on February 23 at the Old Fire Station.

After a hard-drive crash and a near death experience, Ross Sutherland found himself house-bound with only one thing for company: an old videotape that once belonged to his granddad. The videotape allowed Ross to open a dialogue with his late grandfather, and eventually helped him confront the illness that had nearly ended his life. www.oldfirestation.org.uk

6) Those dapper Witney chaps, with a natty line in waistcoats Little Brother Eli come to The Wheatsheaf, Oxford tomorrow. wegottickets.com, bringing a touch of their rap-influenced bluesy rock with them. The venue was the scene of their storming appearance for last year’s Oxford Punt. Expect great things.

7) Then on Saturday, The Interactive Quartet means that you can experience live classical music up close as St Paul’s Quartet play Haydn’s Opus 20, no. 4, at the OFS, before you then get involved yourself. A chance for old and young to get hands-on and become part of the creative process, with demos and games to explore the music and techniques. The whole family is invited to come and face the music – this event is for anyone aged 6+. www.ticketsoxford.com or 01865 305305.

8) Don't forget that the ballet sweeps in to the New Theatre from Feb 22-24 with performances of The Snow Maiden, Giselle and Swan Lake all brought to you by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia accompanied by The Orchestra of the Russian State Ballet. 0844 8713020. atgtickets.com/oxford

Oxford Mail:

9) Multi-award winning drummer Sam Kelly plays The Haven at The Bullingdon, on Mnday with an impressive band featuring notable guitarist Gregor Hilden, Paul Jobson (keys and vocals), Richard Sadler (bass) and Rowena Poole (vocals). Look forward to a juicy blend of blues, jazz and soul. Wegottickets.com

10) Professor Wood will be appearing at the fourth Bloxham Festival of Faith and Literature this weekend with another distinguished Professor - Stanley Wells, a world famous expert on Shakespeare, talking about Shakespeare’s friends, family, his neighbours and rivals tomorrow at 2.15pm.

Other well-known speakers include novelist Salley Vickers, broadcaster and former ‘Communard’ the Revd Richard Coles, who presents Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4, and the distinguished retired judge, Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss. The Festival – a literary festival with a theological slant – takes place at Bloxham School and St Mary’s Church. This year’s theme is ‘All The World’s A Stage’ in honour of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

www.bloxhamfaithandliteraure.co.uk or phone 0845 017 6965

11) The Northern Irish firebrands Stiff Little Fingers return for a night of 70s and 80s punk next Thursday at the O2. Jake Burns and co are among the punchiest acts on the scene, with their raw energy seemingly growing as they get older. ticketweb.co.uk

12) Hailed as ‘Play of the Year’ by critics, Oxford Playhouse gives a right royal welcome to the arrival of King Charles III from Monday 22 to Saturday 27 February, when playwright Mike Bartlett gives us a bold and brilliant insight into the throne room in this jubilant and unmissable drama.

Featuring a consummate cast including Robert Powell, explore what goes on underneath the coronets and tiaras of Britain’s most famous family. 01865 305305 or www.oxfordplayhouse.com