Viking World 2016
Friar Gate, Castle Gate, Goose Gate. All o’ these street names indicate a Viking settlement from the days of yore, and, indeed, Nottingham was home to a whole load of the Nordic invaders and settlers way back when. As part of the international conference, The Viking World: Diversity and Change, the University of Nottingham are hosting an evening of events for the public to fill their noggins with all the Viking related knowledge they have to offer. There’s to be a writers’ round table discussing the facts about vikings found in fiction, as well as a public lecture from Victoria Whitworth. Expand your mind and learn loads more about the first folk in our city.
Monday 27 June, free, University of Nottingham
Nottingham Together
We don’t know about you, but we’ve been left reeling in the aftermath of the EU referendum. A win for the leave vote has flung us into a whole heap of uncertainty about the future of our country, currency and place in the world. Most worrying is the outburst of racist and xenophobic hate crime. The People’s Assembly are organising a gathering at the Brian Clough statue to send the message that the good people of Nottingham welcome, accept and encourage diversity within our community, and that we will not tolerate hateful rhetoric in these city walls. Here here. Get down, and make yourselves heard.
Tuesday 28 June, 5.30pm, free, Brian Clough Statue
Derren Brown
The master of all mind games is making his way to Hoodtown, armed with a pack of cards, a series of seemingly unconnected numbers, and a whole lorra brain games. Have your mind moulded by our Dezza at the Theatre Royal, as he brings his new show, Miracle, to the masses. The multi-award winning psychological illusionist is being hailed as ‘a dark manipulator of magic and mind control, a miracle man of our modern times’. The only way to find out if these bold statements are true, is to get yourself a ticket and open your mind. Or maybe not. You don’t know what he’s got planned.
Runs until 2 July, various times, £32.50 - £42.50, Theatre Royal
Exhibition Launch: Hurvin Anderson
Always ones to champion diversity and culture in their exhibitions, New Art Exchange are hosting a solo exhibition of Hurvin Anderson’s work. The England-born artist is son to Jamaican parents, and a lot of his work is inspired by his life growing up in Birmingham’s African-Carribean community, and examines his Black-British experience. This time, the exhibition is centred around his latest piece, Is It Ok To Be Black?, a piece that has been commissioned to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the Arts Council Collection. See it in all it’s glory, just off Sherwood Rise.
Friday 1 July, 6pm, free, New Art Exchange
Norbiza
We love it when tabloids remove celeb couples of all sense of individuality and merge their names to create cringingly brilliant ‘couple names’. Brangelina, Kimye and TomKat to name but a few. Taking a leaf out of their book, organisers of the Norwood Park event have merged their Southwell town name with party destination Ibiza, to encourage party goers to pop on down and catch Andy Cato of Groove Armada playing until the early hours. The Grammy and Brit Nominee will be playing inside the Georgian mansion, and there’ll be a whole load of treats available on the night, from pizza vans to luminous cocktails made with healthy energy drinks. We’re buzzing.
Friday 1 July, 8pm, £50 incl. drinks and canapes on arrival, Norwood Park, Southwell
Mouthy Poets: Say Sum Thin 11
Spoken word poetry is on the rise in Nottingham, with bard-packed events popping up all over the shop. Leading the troop are the mad, bad, and dangerous to know Mouthy Poets, who’re bringing a double whammy of shows to your lugholes at the beginning of this month. Expect truth, laughter, tears, pensive ‘Mmmm’s, clicks of support, and a whole lot of metaphorical wizardry. The Neville Studio show, at 2.30pm, has got an open mic – email production@mouthypoets.com to get on that. The auditorium show starts at 7.30pm and is headlined by US legend Buddy Wakefield, plus UK stalwart Anthony Anaxagorou. You’d be daft not to kidda.
Saturday 2 July, £4/£6 for studio show, £7/£9 for auditorium show, Nottingham Playhouse
Lofty Ambitions
There ain’t no short of folk with creative endeavours round these here parts. Zines, printing companies, artists, musicians, DJs and actors alike are aplenty in Nottingham, and The Lofthouse are bringing them all together for an afternoon of alternative and affordable arts. Stalls from the likes of Dizzy Ink, Plates Records, MO Vintage Clothing and Run of the Mill printers will be attended throughout the day, alongside live music from Jimmy Mack, Josh III and Mathew Orell. Plus, an open bar all day will set you up good and proper for your Saturday night on the town. It’s win win, really.
Saturday 2 July, 12pm, free, The Lofthouse
Henry Normal
The godfather of British television and Nottingham poetry is back with a bang, and returning to his home town of Hucknall for a one off show. The writer of The Royle Family will share his experience as a young lad growing up in sixties Hucknall, revealing all about the inspiration behind some of his most famous works, along with exactly why you can’t give kids plain biscuits no more. Fussy boggers. Support comes in the form of Matt Black, Derbyshire’s Poet Laureate from 2011 to 2013. All in all, it’s an evening ram-up with talent, and stuffed to the rafters with some proper Notts larfs. Tickets available here.
Saturday 2 July, 7.30pm, £10, Byron Cinema, Hucknall
For the full motherload of everything else going on this week check out our comprehensive Nottingham events listings.
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