Brasenose is a very special place on your average day, but on a Saturday in early May, it was transformed into A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Each Quad hosted a variety of attractions, from swingboats to a flower garland workshop. Diners were treated to an exclusive drinks reception and a fantastic four-course meal in the Dining Hall. For those who weren’t dining, food flowed freely from the stalls set up all around the grounds. Pizzas, pulled pork, bolitas, crepes and a selection of cakes all seemed to be replenished till the early hours of the morning.
In addition to food and drink, the Ball played host to a series of musical acts, headlined by SHY FX, on the two main stages. Hall became a laser quest arena ('Love’s Lasers Lost'), while the Bar was turned into Puck’s Tavern, complete with fortune telling, henna, and karaoke.
The Ball was preceded by a #whatrevels campaign across Oxford and on social media- it clearly worked, with tickets selling out shortly after they went on sale. The Ball Committee, ably led by Harry Ager, worked incredibly hard to bring it all together on the night. Gatecrashers and mischief-makers were dealt with by an in-house team led by Andy Talbot, our Head Porter.
As the night wore on, New Quad transitioned to a silent disco. At 5 am, survivors (I believe there were over 400 of them) were treated to breakfast on our Old Quad. This was my first Brasenose Ball, but people older and wiser than me say it was one of the best in living memory.
by Siddarth Shrikanth - Second Year Biology student