Hot Rats (A Cinematic Cabaret)18+

The rats return to help save independent cinema and local venues – with your host Alfred Ratcock (plus compliments from The Chef). This one’s a special: the rats are loose in the Ultimate Picture Palace on Jeune Street, just off Cowley Road. The UPP is Oxford’s oldest cinema, community-owned by over 1,200 local people, and fighting for a lease long enough to secure its future. Head over to savetheupp.com and donate to help keep this amazing local venue alive.

‘Hot Rats’ is a cabaret night for experimental, sexy, whimsical, genre/gender bending, queer, poetry, comedy, drag, music and performance art in Oxford. Get your ratty little bodies down where creativity and inspiration festers, thrives and survives. ‘Hot Rats’ is a night where anything goes. Doors at 7:30pm. Show/exposé starts at 8pm. Bring your mates, bring your bodies and come and nibble away at our ears…

See ya there little ratties! 🔥🐀

NOTE: if you cannot afford a ticket, please drop us a message on Instagram (@hotrats.oxford) or give us an email at [email protected]. Nobody will be turned away due to lack of funds, but tickets may be sold out on the door if you don’t let us know in advance.

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Hot Rats (A Cinematic Cabaret) between September 29, 2026 and September 29, 2026.

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What else is on?

Today (Saturday 17th October)

15:30

Better Go Mad in the Wild 15
1h 24m | Czech w/ English subtitles
Two ageing brothers live as hermits in a crumbling farmhouse near the Czech-German border, arguing, making up, and singing ballads to chickens. Narrated by a slaughtered bull, Miro Remo's award-winning film is a funny, tender portrait of seclusion and brotherhood.

Book here

17:45

Extra Geography 15
1h 34m
In their final year at an early-2000s boarding school, two best friends set themselves a mission: to fall in love with their geography teacher. Molly Manners' freewheeling comedy drama is a funny, warm-hearted portrait of female friendship.

Book here

20:00

Queen at Sea 15
2h 1m
Amanda walks in on her mother Leslie and stepfather Martin in an intimate moment. It seems consensual, but Leslie has advanced dementia. Lance Hammer's follow-up to Ballast stars Juliette Binoche and Tom Courtenay. Berlin Silver Bear Jury Prize winner.

Book here


Tomorrow (Sunday 18th October)

12:30

Hotel Transylvania U
Kino Kids Cinema Club
1h 31m
Dracula’s monster-only hotel is turned upside down when an ordinary human stumbles into his daughter’s birthday party. A hilarious, spooky adventure packed with monsters, mayhem and family fun. Kino Kids Cinema Club tickets cost £7 Adults and £5 Children.

Book here

14:45

Lady in a Cage 15
1h 31m
A power failure traps wealthy widow Cornelia Hilyard in her mansion's cage-like elevator, leaving her powerless as young thugs break in to rob and terrorise her. Olivia de Havilland and James Caan star in this tough, unusual 1960s thriller.

Book here

17:00

EN Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty Cert-TBC
2h 40m (inc. 10min interval)
Cursed to die on her sixteenth birthday, Princess Aurora is saved by a spell that puts her to sleep for a hundred years instead. Sir Kenneth MacMillan's ballet, filmed live at the Royal Albert Hall for a one-off screening.

Book here

20:15

Extra Geography 15
1h 34m
In their final year at an early-2000s boarding school, two best friends set themselves a mission: to fall in love with their geography teacher. Molly Manners' freewheeling comedy drama is a funny, warm-hearted portrait of female friendship.

Book here


Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!