It’s exciting to witness the rise of local quartet Do Nothing. They’ve played some massive shows this year — including a sold-out...
A spooky tale to set you up for Weenie day...
Since its inception in 2009, The Nottingham Comedy Festival has been consistently bringing the laughs to our city year after year. With 2019 set to be the biggest and best festival yet, we caught up with co-founder and director Helen Stead…
Each month, our anonymous mental nurse, who has over two decades on experience working in Nottingham, will deal with a specific mental health issue with practical, accessible advice. This month, it's psychosis...
Summer might be bowing out for another year but that doesn’t mean the festival fun is over just yet. We catch up with our mate Tommy Farmyard, one of the brains behind Hockley Hustle, to find out what to expect from this year’s edition of the much-loved community festival...
We've always wanted to know the secrets behind a well-cooked sirloin...
Since 2013, Trekkah Benjamin has been at the helm of Notts music label Phlexx Records. A&R Manager Maddy Chamberlain and Marketing and PR Coordinator Cate Grundy complete the Phlexx family, joining Recording Director Trekkah in 2017. Between them, they’ve got the industry nailed – but they aren’t stopping yet. We grabbed the trio for a chat ahead of our joint stage stint at the Hockley Hustle...
One of them is the multi-award-winning producer of The Play that Goes Wrong, Top Hat and Six. The other is one of the most legendary figures in the history of theatre, winning numerous Tony and Olivier Awards, directing the likes of Cats, Starlight Express and Les Misèrables, and being named by The Telegraph as one of the most influential people in British Theatre. Together, Kenny Wax and Sir Trevor Nunn are launching Identical, a brand-new musical premiering as part of the new season at Nottingham Playhouse…
From studying drama at Nottingham College – then known as Clarendon College – in the sixties, Robert Lindsay has gone on to become one of the most respected and well-loved stage and screen actors of his generation, picking up a BAFTA, a Tony Award and three Olivier Awards along the way. Not too shabby for the boy from Ilkeston. We caught up with the actor as he prepares to head back to the local stage with a starring role in Prism, the story of legendary Oscar-winning cinematographer Jack Cardiff…
She’s serenaded the likes of Professor Brian Cox and Phillip Schofield, and now Vikki Stone is bringing her new stand-up show Songbird to Nottingham. We caught up with the award-winning comedian and musician to talk about her comedy inspirations, creative process and what she thinks of our fair city…
Stone Soup Academy is a secondary school in the centre of Nottingham that works with troubled students, helping them do better both inside and outside of the facility. We spoke to Headteacher Kerrie Henton and Head of Engagement Oliver Sillito about its recent Stand Up to Knife Crime comedy event and how it engages its students...
Yorkshire lad Scott Bennett uprooted to Beeston a while ago, but he made sure he brought his Northern sense of humour with him. Ahead of his new tour Leap Year, which was nominated for Best Show at Leicester Comedy Festival, the comic invites us into his shed to talk touring, writing for some of the UK’s biggest comedians and his comedy heroes...
Stick these lot in yer ears...
When does a reflection or shadow become as physical as a 3D object? At what point does light become a sculptural component in an installation? What is solid, what is immaterial and does it really matter?
From growing up on the streets of Nottingham to becoming a pioneer of British comedy, few people made as great an impact on the entertainment industry as Fred Karno. Credited with discovering Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel, his meteoric rise to fame was only matched by his rapid fall from grace with the advent of film…
At the height of its popularity, Hancock’s Half Hour attracted audiences of more than 20 million people. For context, that’s almost 40% of the entire population of Britain at that time, and four times as many UK viewers of the Game of Thrones series finale. Described by Mark Lewisohn as “the yardstick against which all subsequent British sitcoms have been measured”, its influence can still be seen in anything from Alan Partridge and The Office to Seinfeld. This month sees actor, impressionist and lifelong Hancock fan James Hurn return to Nottingham with his one man-many voices Hancock and Co. show, featuring brand new material and lost sketches…
Despite the city already being home to a plethora of South Asian food spots, Notts’ latest Indian fine dining restaurant seems to be proving popular with local foodies...
There's nothing worse than bombing in front of a packed crowd... We asked you lot to share your worst public speaking experiences...
We run down some of the best herbivore-friendly places to grab a veggie or vegan burger in Notts...
Nottingham’s longest-running comedy club Just the Tonic is back with a brand new residency at Metronome. To celebrate, we’ve delved deep into the LeftLion archives to let owner Darrell Martin know what some of Britain’s most famous comedians really think of him and his club...
Since opening its doors, Metronome has provided Nottingham with one of the most innovative and exciting live venues, delivering a visual experience few in the city can rival. To celebrate their first birthday, we take a look back at an eclectic year of highlights, ranging from theatre and poetry, to DJ sets and ensembles…
We took to the streets to find Notts' best dressed...
Back in Shakespeare’s day, the water was so dirty that alcohol was the preferred drink of choice, meaning that there’s every chance actors performed his work half-cut. Shit-Faced Shakespeare are taking the Bard’s work back it’s roots, with one member of the cast getting tipsy during each performance. We spoke to members Saul Barron, Lucy Norris and Beth-Louise Priestly about their boozy exploits ahead of a performance at the Nottingham Playhouse...