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Theatre Review: Deathtrap

Classic Broadway black comedy from the Thriller Season crew

Nadia on… the role of an MP

Nadia Whittome, the MP for Nottingham East, writes about the role of MP and how its function has evolved over the years.

Behind Rotari Bakes: A family run Nottingham bakery creating bespoke cakes, bakes and memories

In the heart of Nottingham, where creativity meets comfort food, Rotari Bakes was born; not from a lifelong baking tradition, but from an unexpected journey of reinvention and family ambition

A generation on pause: we speak to NEET young people in Notts

You may or may not have heard the term NEET before, standing for Not in Employment, Education, or Training. It describes a wide group of people that could be made up of young carers, people with severe medical conditions, or even people on gap years, as well as many other circumstances. We spoke to some Nottingham folks who have found themselves in these kinds of situations. 

Theatre Interview: Dan Lewis

Steptoe and Son ride again at the Nottingham Arts Theatre. Actor Dan Lewis shares his trip on the rag and bone cart as the curmudgeonly Albert... 

Gig review: Arab Strap at Rescue Rooms, with Stuart Pearce

Arab Strap are the Scottish indie rockers who time forgot. Formed in sometime in the mid-1990s, reformed in 2016 after a 10-year hiatus, and intermittently but definitively performing music ever since, they had not appeared in Nottingham for almost two decades. That changed this month, and LeftLion's Michael Prince was on hand to document the show...

We catch-up with legendary local commentator Colin Fray as Nottingham Forest returns to European football

Across three turbulent decades at Nottingham Forest, one voice has remained constant: BBC commentator Colin Fray. For Forest fans, he’s been a companion through the chaos - narrating from the end of the Clough years to the lows of League One, then back again; to the highs of the Premier League and now Forest’s long-awaited return to European football. We spoke to him about his journey behind the mic…

By youth, for youth: Nottingham celebrates 25 years of International Youth Day

This year marked the 25th anniversary of International Youth Day; we headed down to the pop-up shop organised by Nottingham City of Literature’s Youth Board to join in with the celebrations...

Musicals, outdoor cinema and music gigs: Here's what's on in Notts this week, 18 - 25 August

While it's nearing the end of a summer of fun, Notts will never run of fun things to do. Here's our pick of the week...

Gig review: Wet Leg at The Level

Having released their second album, moisturiser, Wet Leg have found a new image and buckets of new energy. We dropped in on their gig at The Level to discover a band who are at their most confident, and having more fun than ever...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #29: Notts music we're currently spinning

Summer's not over yet, and the new music just keeps coming, too! In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2025, our music team reviews new releases from Blu Syrup, The Doubtfires, Long Pockets, Michael Vickers and Nicole Hannah...

In photos: Vona Vella at The Grove, with Jmaes and Modern Coven

Pick Six: Heidi Hargreaves

For this month’s Pick Six we turned to Heidi Hargreaves: co-founder and creative director at Dukki Gifts. 

Our August cover artist Paul Turner-Groves talks about collage, creativity and his love of Notts

Collage artist Paul Turner-Groves talks us through his art process and the inspiration behind this month’s LeftLion cover…

Exhibition review: the New Art Exchange Open Exhibition

How do you capture and represent the vast talent of artists across the UK? How can an organisation elevate this work, highlight key themes, and further its own mission in the process? At its core, the New Art Exchange Open Exhibition provides answers to these questions.

Theatre Review: Death by Fatal Murder

A hilarious love letter to the classic crime thriller

Gloworm Festival Review

Gloworm Festival made its vibrant return from 8–10 August at its beloved home, Thoresby Park! Our very own Natalie took her family along to dive into the fun and experience all the magical moments the weekend had to offer…

Festival review: LeftLion at Y Not Festival 2025

This year, the turnout for Y Not Festival was unmatched and another big musical step forward for Nottingham artists. Along with huge bands including The Prodigy, Courteeners, Franz Ferdinand, The Last Dinner Party, Sigrid, and Madness, the festival audience from all over the country witnessed many of our own city's top bands in a diverse, friendly and passionately musical environment. LeftLion was there to sample as much of the local action as possible...

Experiencing Nigeria and musical experiments: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 11 - 18 August

If someone tells you there's nowt happening in Notts, just direct them here - as we approach the end of summer, things continue to be buzzing in our fine old city, as various events - from experimental music, to art shows about gardening, kick off. Also, a lot of it's free...