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A History of the Films of Leftlion

Over the last decade, as well as producing lots of written journalism, LeftLion have also made a few films. To celebrate our 20th Birthday, we’ve decided to release some of the best things knocking around in our video archives for free on our website and Youtube channel so you - and the whole world - can all view them at your leisure. Here’s a few favourites we’d like to point you to…

Theatre Review: The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man

Ian C Douglas reviews The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man... 

The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man

A bold re-telling of the Elephant Man story – the man, not the specimen. Nottingham Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for their exciting autumn season headline production, The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man. This European premiere of Australian playwright Tom Wright’s acclaimed play is a fresh new telling of the story of Joseph Merrick. 

A Brief History of Hip-Hop and Rhyme in Nottingham

On 11 August 2023, people from around the world will celebrate the 50th birthday of Hip-Hop (half a century since DJ Kool Herc’s famous ‘Back to school jam’ in The Bronx, NYC). Over the years Nottingham has also played a part in shaping its popularity in the UK. Claude Money goes through a brief history of Hip-Hop and rhyme in Nottingham.

From Waterfront Festival to Tales of Victorian Crime, Here's What's On in Nottingham This Week 26 June - 2 July

Our recommendations of what to see, do, buy and drink over the next seven days in Nottingham...

We Chat to Scott Taylor, the Brains Behind the We Share These Streets Podcast

Do you ever consider the streets you’re walking on? What happened on them hundreds of years ago? These are the exact questions Scott Taylor asked himself when he created We Share These Streets - the twenty-episode podcast exploring the days of Nottingham past…

We Chat With Emily Campbell, the Nottingham Weightlifter Making Sports History

Emily Campbell made sporting history in Tokyo when she won the first ever British Olympic medal for female weightlifting. The Bulwell native chats to us about her journey to silverware, the messages she uses her platform to promote, and her expectations for Paris 2024…

Out of Time: Nottingham's Cinematic History

We might be miles away from Pinewood Studios and the red carpet shenanigans of Leicester Square, but Nottingham has a rich cinematic history of its own. Often shining a light on sections of society that big-budget titles ignore, we take a look at how our city has changed cinema over the past century and a bit…

Film Review: Crimes of the Future

David Cronenberg returns to his body horror roots in this late-career gem…

7 of the Best Underdog Stories in Cinema History

AR App Brings Pieces of Nottingham’s History to Life

Experience what life would have been like back in the day with a new app from Nottingham Trent University...

How Nottingham’s Stone Soup Academy Are Using Comedy to Crack Down on Knife Crime

Though it may have fallen out of popular conversation, knife crime is still a major issue in Nottingham, according to Oliver Sillito from the city’s Stone Soup Academy. That’s why the free school is throwing a creative showcase on Tuesday 19 July to open up conversation and challenge standing perceptions about young people and crime…

We Dive Into Nottingham Forest’s History-Making Season, Which Saw Them Return to the Premier League for the First Time in 8,414 Days

A kebab shop with a firework-fuelled marketing masterstroke. Depeche Mode blaring from passing cars. Our right-back’s mother carried shoulder high in her Calippo-fluorescent replica shirt rhyming ‘shite’ with ‘dynamite’. Red smoke. Handwritten plans taped to a water bottle wrapped in a towel. Que sera, sera…

7 of the Most Stressful Moments in Film History

From Goodfellas to Funny Games, there have been some proper tense moments on the big screen...

A Rich History in Danger: Photographer Nathan Langman Muses on the Iconic Victoria Centre Market.

For the last few months, Notts photographer Nathan Langman has been taking pictures at Victoria Centre’s iconic market - capturing the nostalgic simplicity of a long-running collective tradition. But faced with soaring rent and utility bills, many of these pillars of the community are at risk of collapse, and there is now a fear that this cherished city spot could be lost to history…

Out of Time: Exploring the History of the Victorian Freak Show With Author Dr John Jacob Woolf

How is it that, in the space of less than a century, society’s attitudes towards people born with disabilities changed from them being exploited as the most popular form of entertainment in Victorian society to being seen with sympathy, dignity and respect? Partly based on our intrinsic fear and fascination with ‘the other’, and partly down to a myriad of other reasons - including the intervention of Queen Victoria herself - the freak show played an enormous role in shaping modern attitudes, and remains one of the most macabre, unusual and complex periods of British cultural history. Ahead of his talk at Nottingham Theatre Royal this month, Dr John Jacob Woolf, historian, author and expert on the Victorian freak show, explains more…

We Chat to 400 Rabbits Manager Julien Latil About the Venue’s History, Kiefer Sutherland, and the Social Media Story That Went Viral

400 Rabbits - the bar where Aztec mythology, tequila and mezcal come together to provide a unique experience for visitors. We chat to general manager Julien Latil to find out more about the history of this iconic venue, the team’s lengthy campaign to offer Kiefer Sutherland a drink, and the social media story that won over people from around the world…

We Took a Trip to the Nottingham Caesars to Learn More about American Football, the History of The Club and Making International News

It’s fair to say that the rise of American Football in the UK has been meteoric. From the NFL regularly playing games at Wembley Stadium, to viewing figures and Google searches rising year after year, the sport now has an estimated 27,000 active players in the country. And Nottingham is no exception. Established in 1984, the Nottingham Caesars are one of the oldest American Football clubs in the UK, playing in the BAFA National League NFC South. We caught up with Caesars’ defensive linesman and Gameday Co-Manager Jamie Gatley to talk about the past, present and future of the club, and how a group of hungry mice recently helped the club gain international press…

Out of Time: The History of the Hemlock Stone

On the outskirts of Stapleford lies a striking phenomenon in the form of the Hemlock Stone. Believed to have been a focal point for communities ranging from the Celts to the Romans, this fascinating rock formation has baffled locals for millenia, with some claiming it was the work of the Devil himself. We investigate this magnificent marvel in further detail…

The Fascinating History of the Nottingham Guild of Magicians

From performing at office parties and weddings to selling out shows on the West End, this city’s magicians bring joy and blow minds across the UK and beyond - no small part thanks to the guidance and support of The Nottingham Guild of Magicians, our answer to the Magic Circle. We take a look back at its decades-spanning history, and dive into its future plans with President Andrew Morrison…

New Documentary Celebrates the History of Iconic Notts Gay Pub the New Foresters

Nottingham’s oldest gay pub, New Foresters, opened in 1958 and has been the hub of Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ community ever since. We catch up with local filmmaker Damien Ebanks ahead of the release of his new documentary, which highlights the significance of this venue as a safe space for self-expression, and the importance of its landlady, Debbie Law…

The Oral History Report Captures the Living Memories Behind the Promenade, Home to Nottingham’s Most Colourful Houses

First classed as listed buildings in the eighties, the Promenade is home to some of Nottingham’s oldest and most colourful houses. We chat to Dan Lucas and Laura Summers about The Oral History Report - the book capturing the living memories behind this historic neighbourhood...

Best Crime Films: Our Favourite Movies About Sins On Screen

The Benefits of Studying Art History

New Art co-Editor Kelly Palfrey explores the benefits of studying Art history, and the extent to which in can improve your confidence to work in the art sector

Out of Time: Nottingham's Food History - Cheese Riots, Celery and HP Sauce

With this being the food and drink issue, our regular history feature explores Nottingham’s history of eccentricity, rebellion and invention through three food-related stories: Marshal Tallard’s introduction of celery to the country in the early eighteenth century, the 1766 Cheese Riots and Frederick Gibson Garton’s invention of HP Sauce in 1884…