The Oxford Capitol Theatre has been a fixture of downtown Oxford for over 120 years. Built in 1903, the Capitol played a key role in the cinematic education of moviegoers, from silent films, to talkies, from black-and-white to colour. It has served as a movie theatre and a setting for theatrical plays of all kinds. Oxford schools made use of the space to introduce budding thespians to the world of acting and stagecraft. And not a few young couples stole their first kiss in a darkened theatre here!
What are your memories of The Capitol?
The Facts of Life at Capitol
(From The Oxford Journal, 14 February 1963)
Friday – Saturday. Have yourself a Ball with Hope . . . .
What? Why Bob Hope of course and Lucille Ball in a tender love story . . . Have you a surprise coming? While Lucille and Bob are well known as the top comics of Hollywood, they get the opportunity n “The Facts Of Life” to sound a serious note now and then. Both are not screwballs all the time and both play a believable part as humans caught in a web of circumstances that come dangerously close to tragic results. The story involves a romance between a married couple, not married to each other and on account of this theme we will not have any matinee. Our new policy in the future will be to not show Adult pictures at Matinee and to advise parents in the press and by signs on the theatre that the picture is classified as either not suitable for children or some other notice.
This does not mean that children are not allowed. The responsibility lies with the parents. “The Facts Of Life” is a comedy first and last and outside of the theme mentioned above, there is little to offend any age group. There’s laughs most of the time and you know what you can expect from Lucy and Bob. You’ll split your sides as the straying couple try to keep their relationship a secret.
In the cast with Bob and Lucy are Ruth Hussey, playing Bob’s wife, Don DeFore, Louis Nye, Philip Ober, Marianne Steward and Peter Leeds. If you have never learned the Facts of Life, you will now, and have the time of your life too.
