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Pick Six: Steven Sheil at the Mayhem Horror Film Festival

For this month’s Pick Six we turn to Steven Sheil, Co-Director at the Mayhem Horror Film Festival which takes place at Broadway Cinema between Thursday 16 - Sunday 19 October.

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #14: Artist, Performer and Filmmaker Hetain Patel on Inspiration, Superheroes, Nationalism and Nottdance

This episode we are joined by artist, performer, filmmaker, sculptor and general arts polymath Hetain Patel to talk about his time in Notts, his work, superheroes, nationalism and quite a lot more...

Actor Matt Gavan gives the inside scoop on Nottingham Playhouse's new play Eureka Day

Matt Gavan has acted in big hitting films and series like Christopher Robin, Masters of the Air and Pennyworth. But now he is treading the boards in Nottingham Playhouse's new comedy Eureka Day. Leftlion caught up with Matt on day two of rehearsals... 

Paradigm shift: acclaimed filmmaker Adam Curtis talks politics, filmmaking, and Wollaton Hall

Bafta-winning documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis is one of the country’s most intriguing, with a long career under his belt of making surreal films exploring how people think, feel, and act in the West. His latest: Shifty: Living in Britain at the End of the Twentieth Century just happens to feature archival footage from Wollaton Hall, filmed back in the 80s by the BBC. With this in mind we jumped at the opportunity to pick his brain about filmmaking, politics, and more…  

Director Eoin McKenzie on masculinity, role models and The Show for Young Men

Glasgow-based theatre producer and director Eoin McKenzie’s The Show for Young Men – a GuestHouse Projects production – which comes to Nottdance in November as part of a national tour, uses dance to explore the friendship between a man and a boy. We chatted to McKenzie, who delves into the creative processes behind The Show for Young Men and shares his thoughts on masculinity and community among men...

We chat to Sonya Madan of Echobelly about touring, enduring friendships and the state of the nation

Gig review: Club Onion 5 at The OId Cold Store

Club Onion is the brainchild of Twisted Onion promoters Steve Solbé and Steve Hardaker. The events bring a mix of live bands, electronic artists and DJs to locations across the UK with the vibe being very much 1988–1992, bringing to mind the Megadog events from back in the day. The fifth Nottingham edition took place at The Old Cold Store...

Comedy Review: John Shuttleworth's Raise the Oof at the Nottingham Playhouse

Celebrating forty years in showbiz, John Shuttleworth flew into Nottingham on his Yamaha organ and wowed audiences. But what is an oof? And is it true that there is more to Mr Shuttleworth than his mild-mannered personality suggests...  

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #13: Filmmaker Adam Curtis on Shifty, politics, filmmaking and Wollaton Hall

For our latest episode we are joined by veteran BBC documentary filmmaker, whose latest project Shifty promintently features some 1980s footage of Nottingham's Wollaton Hall...

Artworks: Lucy Suggate and Tender Stones

For this month’s Artworks, we speak to dance artist and choreographer Lucy Suggate about her work Tender Stones, which will be performed this month as part of the 2025 nottdance Festival.

Atticus Finch, Sunk and cider: here's what's on in Nottingham this week Monday 5 - Sunday 11 October 2025

October is here! To start the month off, you can find everything in Nottingham from the punk scene to uplifting singing-storytelling, from a stage adaptation of a world-famous American Southern Gothic novel to the annual Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival...

Comedy Review: Mark Steel at the Nottingham Playhouse

BAFTA-nominated Mark Steel, a regular on the nations TV, radio and bookshelves, gives us insight into his journey surviving cancer...

Stapleford singer George Gadd talks about his new band and debut album Too Many Ghosts

He’s been a stalwart of the local Nottingham music scene for over a decade now, so it seems quite remarkable that George Gadd’s debut album – the recently-released Too Many Ghosts – has taken this long to manifest. We caught up with the Stapleford singer-songwriter to hear about the making of this deeply personal first record, his musical influences, as well as his upcoming launch show at The Bodega…

LeftLion's Latest Listens #32: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this autumn edition of LeftLion's Latest Listen, our music team reviews new releases from Vona Vella, Cara Flynn and Dekker...

Comedian Carl Donnelly previews his new gig at The Squire Performing Arts Centre

TV and radio comedian Carl Donnelly is touring with his first new show in five years. So what kept him so long? It's quite a story and one he shares with Left Lion... 

Left Magpie: September 2025 - Sun Sets On Mid Table

Our Notts County columnist Julian McDougall, is back with a report on this month's action at Notts County FC and is somewhat confused to see the pies in mid-table...

We speak to Dekker about music, personality and artistic intention

With a new album Neither Up Nor Down under his belt, US-born Nottingham resident Dekker is preparing for a hometown show at Rough Trade. We caught up with Brookln to talk about his streaming platform success, the personal nature of his music persona, and the creative influences Nottingham provides...

Comedian and activist Mark Thomas talks Ordinary Decent Criminal

Cathy Symes interviewed Mark Thomas, the political activist, comedian, actor and director who is starring in Ordinary Decent Criminal, an award-winning play coming to Nottingham's Lakeside Arts in November...

The Thompsons on street art, Rocky Horror, and Notts venues

In late August, Nottingham's most opinionated grocers told us their opinions on September's hot topics - spanning street art, Nottingham venues, and surreal two trips that they made to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Theatre Royal...

Derek Jacobi, dark storytelling, beautiful photography, music, theatre and more: Here's what's on this week: 29 September - 5 October

The nights are rolling in, so time to book in some cosy evenings of storytelling or indulge in some beautiful photography. Here's what's on in Notts this week...

We catch up with local punk outfit Sunk ahead of their gig at The Chapel

Punk is a rather strange genre: it leaks out of the idea of being a music style and instead lives its own existence as a lifestyle, a spirit, one that always exists in every social system in the world, in one form or another. Punk is also deeply intertwined into the music scene of Nottingham. One up-and-coming band, who boast loud, chaotic but intricate and charged live shows, is Sunk. We caught up with them at The Angel on a wet Saturday night, an hour before they took to the stage of The Chapel...

Waste Nott want not: the Sherwood zero-waste outlet flying the flag for sustainable shopping

We may be used to the blaring brands and excess packaging of supermarkets, but in many neighbourhoods in Nottingham a more sustainable option exists for buying groceries in independent zero waste shops. We spoke to  Liz Thomas, a director and volunteer at Sherwood’s Waste Nott, to learn how the small not-for-profit is making an impact by cutting down unnecessary packaging and waste.

Theatre Review: Dear England at Theatre Royal

Dear England, the National Theatre play about Gareth Southgate and his journey as England manager, arrives at Nottingham's Theatre Royal as part of its 160th birthday celebrations...

Wok This Way: The Seafood Guy Brings Hong Kong to Notts

There’s a new café in town serving Hong Kong classics. Our Food Co-Editor, Julia Head, AKA Nottingham Food Guide, met up with owner Johnny Tam to find out how he brought the flavours of Hong Kong to Nottingham with The Seafood Guy.

Seven great Notts spots for thrifted and vintage fashion

In celebration of Second Hand September, fashion editor, Addie Kenogbon-Harley gives us the lowdown on how to grab a bargain, look after the planet and get your hands on the best thrifted treasures this month.