#122 February 2020
12 -19 FEBRUARY NOTTINGHAM FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE AND CURIOSITY
CELEBRATING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHS WITH FUN HANDS-ON FAMILY ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE CITY
EVENINGS 12 - 19 FEBRUARY LATES SCIENCE AFTER DARK
POPULAR SCIENCE TALKS, COMEDY AND PERFORMANCES FOR ADULTS IN YOUR FAVOURITE CITY CENTRE VENUES
WWW.NOTTSFOSAC.CO.UK @NOTTSFOSAC
Credits Contents
Games Master Alan Gilby ([email protected]) Editor-in-Chief Jared Wilson ([email protected])
Editor Ashley Carter ([email protected])
Assistant Editor Emily Thursfi eld (emily.thursfi [email protected])
Listings and Food Editor Eve Smallman ([email protected]) Only Fools and Heroes The Great Escape Spinning a Story Editor-at-Large 10 We popped over to Newstead 16 Our Editor Ashley Carter spent 18 LeftLion’s Editor-at-Large, belting Bridie Squires ([email protected]) Village to check out the two weeks solving puzzles, fi nding poet and all-round renaissance Nottingham branch of Fools and clues and opening locks to bring woman Bridie Squires gives us the Sub-Editor Heroes, the nationwide LARP you the comprehensive guide to inside scoop the one-woman show Lauren Carter-Cooke community, as they embarked on a Nottingham’s impressive escape created from her experiences as a day of adventure... room community... croupier: Casino Zero Designer Natalie Owen ([email protected])
Sales and Marketing Manager Adam Pickering ([email protected]) My First Gaming Obsession Game Plan 13 Missing lectures, avoiding your friends and family, going 29 The Nottingham video game developer behind Creative Digital Assistant for days on hardly any sleep... Let’s be honest, we’ve all titles like Homefront: The Revolution and Dead Island talk Curtis Powell ([email protected]) been there. We round up the best stories of your fi rst to Screen Co-Editor George White about the past, gaming obsessions present and future of Dambuster Studios Videographer Georgianna Scurfi eld (georgi.scurfi [email protected]) 15 A Quidditch Player in Notts 31 Make Room Thought Quidditch was consigned to the pages of Harry What do you get when you cross an escape room Web Developers Potter? Think again. We fi nd out what it’s all about from a company with a leading tabletop gaming franchise? A Tom Errington ([email protected]) member of the Nottingham Nightmares Quidditch team… Warhammer 40,000 escape room, that’s what... Hamza Hussain ([email protected]) 21 Across the Board Gaming Addiction Community Editor Notts-based tabletop games studio Needy Cat have 32 We talked to Nottingham Trent University’s world- Caroline Barry ([email protected]) worked with world-famous names to create innovative, renowned expert on gaming addiction, Dr. Mark exciting board games, and are now gearing up to launch Griff iths, about what it really means to be addicted to Fashion Editor their very own video games Anna Murphy ([email protected]) When Duty Calls Go Figure Literature Editor 23 We catch up with University of Nottingham alumnus Andy 37 With an aim to balance the gender scales in tabletop Kate Hewett ([email protected]) Wilson, Chief Operating Off icer of Sledgehammer Games, gaming, Annie Norman’s Bad Squiddo Games is the company behind gaming monoliths like Call of Duty and selling the largest array of realistic female miniatures Music Editors Mafia III in the world... Eileen Pegg ([email protected]) Becky Timmins ([email protected]) 26 Under Cover Artist 46 Out of Time Screen Editors Raphael Achache gives us the lowdown on his cover, Did you know that Nottingham hosted one of Jamie Morris ([email protected]) which blends the LeftLion team with famous gaming the most legendary chess tournaments of all time George White ([email protected] characters and lobs them together on a Guess Who? board in 1936?
Stage Editors Rebecca Buck ([email protected]) Dom Henry ([email protected]) /leftlion @leftlion @leftlionmagazine Sports Editor Gemma Fenyn ([email protected]) Thanks to All Our Supporters Photography Editors Featured Contributor Tom Quigley ([email protected]) Fabrice Gagos ([email protected])
Cover and Poster Julian Bower, Frances & Garry Bryan, Nigel Cooke, Caroline Raphael Achache Gilby, Rachel Hancorn, Rhys Hawkins, Friday Club Presents, David Knight, D Lawson, Barbara Morgan, Ron Mure, Reg & Interns Photographers Lynette, Livi & Jacob Nieri, Dr Lesley Prince, In memory of Jenny Ali Taylor-Perry Sandra Bartley Smith, Jed Southgate, Spicer, Ivy House Environmental, Nigel Megan Hill Diksha Chettri Tamplin, James Wright Christopher Post Mann Hans Emilie Mendham Charlie Ellis Nigel King Writers Tom Morley Andrea Hadley-Johnson Tom Patterson Polly Jean-Harrison Jennifer Warrior Zach Harrison Addie Kenogbon Illustrators Sam Nahirny Liv Auckland Laura Phillips Leosaysays Love reading a free, independent Adrian Reynolds Jenny Mure Joe Robinson Agnes Papp magazine every month? Derry Shillitto Corrina Rothwell George White Alex Vine Carmel Ward George is a 22-year old student at NTU, where he is Become a LeftLion Supporter. studying for a Masters in Magazine Journalism. He has contributed fi lm reviews and articles to LeftLion since LeftLion Magazine has an estimated the start of his course, and recently became co-editor of We’ll post you every print issue, readership of 40,000 and is distributed the Screen section. George hosts a fi lm podcast, Three plus treats. to over 350 venues across the city of Guys Talk Film, with his uni mates and has written about Nottingham. movies for several diff erent websites. He is keen to celebrate Nottingham’s outstanding fi lm culture, and leftlion.co.uk/supporters If your venue isn’t one of them, or you’d like all the weird and wonderful things that make the city so to advertise, contact Adam on 0115 9240476, great. He also has strong links to the cinematic industry (he was once tweeted by Amy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine). email [email protected] or visit leftlion.co.uk/rates
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 5 Editorial
I thought; the character was already called Ash. The problem was, there was no option to save the game so, for about three months, the PC had to be left on at all times.
One day, during our weekly argument, my sister hovered her fi nger over the power button, with the aim of making me nervous enough to apologise for some misdeed or another. I regrettably called her bluff and, with the single push of a button, she sucked my entire Poké-world, including a level 30 Primeape, into the electrical oblivion. My reaction would have shamed the Tasmanian Devil, as I immediately whirled into a babyish blind-rage, smashing anything and everything I could get near in her room. When the dust settled, I was left sweaty- browed and panting, standing ashamed over my destruction. The fact that the loss of some made-up Japanese monsters brought me to that level of emotion was, frankly, terrifying, and my parents made the wise decision to keep me away from video games for the foreseeable future – a decision that has stuck for life (other than the odd European Cup winning campaign with Derby County on Football Manager, obviously).
I’m not entirely sure what the point of the story is here, other than to acknowledge While trying to think of what to write for the power to entertain, occupy and obsess my Editorial this month, my mind wandered that video games have over us. You younger back to my own history with games, and to readers are among the fi rst generation to be the fact that, despite loving the medium, I’ve raised by parents who grew up as gamers, never actually owned a games console of any and we’re now living in a time where video kind. I was about thirteen years old when the games have overtaken music, television and Pokémon craze swept through my school like fi lms as the primary source of entertainment Tactical nuke, incoming! Beatlemania. For a time, the cards replaced in the world. What better theme then to Diksha Chettri pounds and pence as the school’s off icial dedicate an issue of LeftLion to? @diksha_chettri2609 currency, and pretty much everyone was trying to catch ‘em all on their Gameboys. My mate had managed to get hold of a PC-friendly version of the game, and was selling fl oppy disks (I’ll admit it – I’m a little long in the tooth) with it on for 50p – or one Poliwhirl card in old money. I eagerly bit his hand off for a copy and, commandeering my sister’s PC, eagerly launched the game, quickly falling down the rabbit hole of collecting, fi ghting and exploring the incredibly addictive world. It was kismet, Ashley Carter, Editor [email protected]
Now, if you don’t mind, I’d hate to spoil such a beautiful afternoon on such beautiful land Through the Fire and Flames attempt #84 with any further unpleasantries Charlie Ellis Jennifer Warrior @charlieellisphoto
6 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 Notts Shots
A wild Diglett appeared… Available from your local Vespucci Surfi ng store Tom Patterson Sandra Bartley @tapatto @sandrabphotography
Want to have your work featured? Send your high-res photos from around the city, including your full name and best web link, to [email protected]
The last thing she remembered was a monk chanting “Wololo” Nigel King nigelking.photograph
Now get off your couch and go skate Ah, there’s nothing like the hot winds of Hell blowing in your face. Tom Quigley Mann Hans tomquigley.co.uk @mannhansphotography
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 7 interview and photo: Georgianna Scurfi eld ‘
Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...
Scrabble We played a lot of Scrabble when we were children. It was all Ted Heath’s fault, when he introduced a three day week. The whole country had to fi nd new ways to pass the time. We reckon he had shares in Waddingtons. We never won at it either. We can barely read or write.
Colditz Leigh This was a board game based upon the TV show starring Robert Wagner. No matter how many times Mother read us the rules we couldn’t “We’re here for a ‘Magic: The Gathering’ tournament. There was a pre- understand them. You needed some kind of university degree to escape release of cards this morning, so everyone has to play with whatever random from that place. selection they received. I’m not playing though, I’m not very good at it! I prefer stuff to do with Pokémon. Trivial Pursuit When we were teenagers our parents bought us a version of Trivial Pursuit I’m here with my friend Vic and her boyfriend. And my boyfriend, but he’s which came with a music CD. At fi rst it went well, but eventually it just busy playing in the tournament. I think board game cafes are a good way to became a massive shouting match between us. come and meet up with friends – they’re not too expensive, you get food and they have all sorts of games you can rent out and play. A Question of Sport I’m a student at Trent, I study fashion. My particular style is quite gothic and We had this in the eighties. Our sister knew more about sport than the witchy. I want to start my own line, to bring gothic clothing more out there, rest of the family together. She kept shouting the name “Jack Nicklaus” rather than the casual, sporty stuff . and we just ignored her. Turns out she was right. Her fi rst husband was a keen golfer. There’s so much variation when it comes to gothic style, you can do whatever you want. It’s more of an idea to explore. If your favourite colour is pink, wear Computer Games pink. I have a comfortable style – just lots of black, apart from the hair. My We’ve never ever played computer games. Never had any of them at home clothes are my external style but my hair represents my true personality. and never bothered to play them in the arcade. It’s just not our thing – you have to realise we’re coggin’ on a bit. I’m proud of the way I express myself. I’ll wear anything I want, go out with confi dence, and be glad I still feel like myself without keeping up a façade for Escape Rooms other people’s benefi t. It’s taken me a while to get to that state. A few people who come into the shop have told us about them. It sounds terrifying, we hate the idea. It’d just be us two screaming “Help” and I was bullied for just being how I am. I’ve learnt to live with it. More than that: “Please let us out” at a door for an hour. enjoy it. Don’t ever be afraid to be a bit diff erent.”
words: Adrian Reynolds illustration: Corrina Rothwell
8 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 Book Meal S – J J Abrams & Doug Dorst Sunday Dinner This book was recommended to My boys insist on ‘Dad’s dinner’ me by a friend who got my psyche every week. It feels like the one completely. It’s one of the only time that as a family, we are interactive books which is tangible, completely dedicated to sitting Pick Six immersive and off ers diff erent down, and enjoying the company conclusions at every turn. I would of friends, family and neighbours. recommend S to any hungry mind. Free for all on the roasties!
Film Superman (1978) Holiday Destination “You will believe a man can fl y”, and Antiparos I certainly did. My fi rst cinematic My wife and I fi rst travelled experience, and I cherish the there on our honeymoon, and memories it evokes each time I hit subsequently fell even further in play. It’s such a magical fi lm for its love. We still visit every year as a age, which is, of course, timeless. family. It’s a small island, a little Superman was the fi rst time I ever off the beaten path, and it takes visited a cinema, so it obviously nearly 24hrs to get there but, hell holds a very special place for me . yeah, it’s worth the journey!
Song Notts Spot Electric Dreams by Phil Oakey and Prudential Building, King Street Gergio Moroder I’m a huge fan of Victorian I love a silly song. I’m also not architecture. But this spot, ashamed to say that I’m a huge fan which was designed by Alfred of cheese, despite my wife’s disgust! Waterhouse, is my personal I’ve always been a fan of any great favourite; it’s only rivalled by St We’ve tasked Escapologic’s Key Master movie soundtrack (not Armageddon or Pancras. It’s nice to know that Titanic though), but if I had to pick just St Pancras’ heritage originated Simon Stokes with choosing a few of his one song, it would have to be this. locally to me too. favourite things... escapologic.com
“Like it’s all nice cafes there now, it’s um... dentrifi kention.” “Ooh I don't like to get the tram: I've got a neck problem.”
“Mars bars are about a tenner now. Freddo’s got his own “I think there are some people mortgage!” who live on our road that look like they don’t belong in Woman: Wollaton.” What's that computer thing that answers all your questions? “I've only had one house party. Lad: Guy 1: We're so drunk. Google? Someone broke the radiator Woman: Guy 2: I've seen you so drunk you No, the one that talks. and did a wee on the couch. Lad: soiled yourself. Siri? My mum wouldn't let me have Woman: Yeah, that's it, Syria. Well, Guy 1: No you haven't. Maybe wet another one.” “I'm not wasting valuable salad!” myself, but not soiled myself. everyone's been kicking off cos there's Guy 2: It's just a generic term. summat on telly saying "Syria, turn the telly off " and the bloody thing turns itself off . “I helped my client get in touch with her inner 11-year-old boy to his unicorn.” Yeah, Bobbers Mills Road, brother: Bobbers Mills Road! Yeah, love you. Mum doesn't yeah, ya get me? Bobbers Mills Road!” “Thing about having a “I've never eaten a Twinkie but I feel platypus for a pet is: like I know what one would taste like” it'd be funny for about fi ve minutes, then it'd “It’s D & D & D. Man: Why did we come to be rubbish.” Dungeons and Dragons Nottingham? To sort the Bloke 1 hands a cigarette over and Death, bro! It’s the Woman: new thing.” shower in the rental “Where’s yer pop-eyed friend? to Bloke 2 Ah well, there's Bloke 2: Man: The one that looks like Kermit always tomorrow. money for I’ll it, give hang you on. some the Frog?” Bloke 1: “Give up your rooms, sleep don’t worry No about honestly it. mate, on the fl oor, then you’ve got Bloke 2: more space for dogs.” 50p. That’s Nah, what I’ll they give cost you at Person 1: You getting some school. cigarettes? Person 2: No, it’s alright. I’ve got a banana. “Get out of that chair or you'll get done by “You look like Batman “I heard that when you die, it’s the police.” – Mum to with a beer belly.” Greg Wallace narrating the daughter in a shop afterlife.” “You're going to hate “Well, if it does happen this. My friend made again, we're gonna have a mushy pea gin.” to drill a hole in't sand.” “Barnaby – did you walk “She ran off wi’ an Elvis round in a circle?” impersonator. He went bust. Lost the farm, the house, the “There was an egg Range Rovers. Everything. in that toilet and a We all knew what she wor. I “Don't lie to me. Just little chicken just forecasted it. But anyway he’s get it checked.” hatched out of it.” orate. Living in a rented fl at in Man on Boots tannoy: Attention you lucky – Little girl at the Eastwood. He’s back on the “You're like a Disney shoppers! There is just Princess for vermin.” leisure centre tools.” one sandwich left in our fridge. Come and get it before it goes – it's only 50p. leftlion.co.uk/issue122 9 ONLY FOOLS AND HEROES
photos: Fabrice Gagos
Gaming isn’t just about smashing controllers and passing Go for £200, you know. In the UK alone, thousands of people regularly meet up to get involved in live action role-play. We decided to head along to the Nottingham branch of Fools and Heroes, a UK-based LARP society, to get a peek into the world of high fantasy, magic, monsters and mystery…
For the uninitiated, live action role-play (or LARP), is a form of role-playing where video games, books and films don’t quite scratch that fantasy itch. The good folk at the participants create and physically portray characters in a real-world setting that often Nottingham branch of Fools and Heroes – a nationwide LARP society with 21 branches includes adventures, narratives, banquets and combat with like minded LARPers in a that run events every weekend – were kind enough to allow us to visit their recent safe, inclusive setting. While it might not receive much media attention, LARP serves as event near Newstead Village. We’re not going to lie; it looked like an absolute blast… a huge source of immersive entertainment for thousands of people who find that
foolsandheroes.org/branches/nottingham
10 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 ONLY FOOLS AND HEROES
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 11 #425CF2 My First... gaming obsession
My first game console was a Master System 2. Before that, I would play My first game was Fable 2 on the Xbox 360. It had really brilliant on my dad’s Spectrum and watch my mate’s older brother playing on humour. The best part was how wonderfully fleshed out all the his Nes. I was obsessed with Alex Kidd since it was my first console; characters were, and it even had a dog. There were also these I didn't understand how it worked though. I switched my beautiful locations with lots of secrets to discover each Master System on, and was shocked to see a game time, a stellar voice cast. It was so good, I could boot up with my name – since my dad did a go on and on about that game forever. I’ve bit of bedroom programming, I assumed completed 100% of it, and have regularly he’d made a game for me! I used to gone back and played it again over the get jealous after seeing my mate’s years (including, I will admit, late last brother playing Mario, knowing I year). Though the first and third couldn’t play it because I didn’t games are also really good, have a Nes. But Alex Kidd was the second game will always my Mario for a long time. It's be really special to me. You not an easy game to go could easily say I’ve put back to, but back then hundreds of hours into I’dplay constantly. that game.
Male, 34 Male, 33 Long Eaton Long Eaton
I was introduced to My first gaming the Commodore 64 obsession was back when I was in definitelyDoom on infants school, and the PC. My mates had became obsessed Doom on the proper with strange sounds consoles and I was so and animations in the jealous. It looked really background of games spooky, but also had like Wizball and IK+. I some mystery to it. I was spent hours on ‘shoot- rubbish at coordination em-up construction kit,’ and kept dying all the time, where I’d make paths for and so I had to ask my friends enemies and different sounds if they knew of any tips to help with mad echo. I can remember me. A pal’s wise older brother proudly showing my mum the told me two cheat commands; game I made: you controlled a poo IDDQD and IDKFA – one put you on that shot smaller poo at other poos. ‘God Mode’ (unkillable) and the other It was an amazing sea of brown, with the gave you unlimited weapons. I then spent most ‘pekawowoow’ sound effects you’d ever three years hammering monsters and finding heard. I now work with videogames, making and secret levels without fear and I bloody loved it. I curating them for the public. I secretly wish I could change would go to sleep and still see the little gun swaying left my snowball-based game to throwing poos for old time’s sake. and right in my mind's eye. It was the best time ever.
Male, 39 Female, 35 Basford Sherwood
illustration: Alex Vine
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 13
When it comes to stereotypes, I’d say the one we get most is that we’re a ball at the bottom, and that’s the snitch. Each team has a seeker who all nerds who are obsessed with Harry Potter. We play on a big bit of grass basically wrestles with the snitch runner to try and catch the ball, who has called The Down, which always has a lot of people walking past. That’s to try and stop them. This is the one bit that does differ from the books: part of the reason we play there – the exposure. Some of them are huge you only get thirty points for catching the snitch, rather than 150. Potter nerds – we call them ‘capes’ – but you do get heckled occasionally. We get a lot of drunken lads running onto the pitch and trying to jump I became captain for the 2019/20 season. I’ve never really seen myself as through the hoops. It normally goes terribly and is pretty embarrassing a leader. It’s not that I don’t want to be, but I’ve just never gone out of my to watch. But I don’t play because I love Harry Potter. I mean, I’ve read the way to be one. But we had a big turnover of players during the last year, books and seen the films, but I play because I enjoy the game. meaning I was one of the most senior members of the team. It felt like the natural responsibility to step up. It also meant that I moved from being You can recognise a lot of elements of the game from the world of Harry a chaser – which I’d been for my first three years with the team – to a Potter. Of course, we’ve had to make it realistic and practical because, you keeper. The new role requires a bit more experience, knowledge of tactics know, we can’t fly about. We do have a bit of equipment that we call a and a lot more pressure. broom but it’s not wood and it hasn’t got bristles. It’s a one-metre long piece of PVC tubing that acts like a handicap. Like with rugby, you can’t pass the ball forwards and with basketball how you can’t double-dribble; I don’t play because I love Harry it makes the game harder. Quidditch is full contact, mixed-gender, and you almost have three games going on at the same time. You’ve got your Potter. I mean, I’ve read the books and quaffle ball – a semi-deflated volleyball – that you have to get through the three hoops that are at either end of the pitch. Each team has two seen the films, but I play because I enjoy beaters as well as three chasers and a keeper who have to handle the quaffle, pass it about and try and get it through the hoop, which gets you the game ten points. Some of the team have been together for four years now, and there’s Then you’ve got your bludger balls, which we use dodgeballs for. It makes normally around twenty members of the team. It’s a small enough group sense, because you’re basically playing a game of dodgeball with them, as to get to know each other really well. As a team you go through a lot they’re used to break up play and stop the opposition from scoring. If you together both inside and outside of quidditch, so when it comes to playing get beat by a bludger you have to dismount, run back to your own hoops in a tournament you’re really fighting for each other. and tap back in, which takes about twenty seconds. It’s a very inclusive sport – you get a lot of women who initially come That’s it for the first eighteen minutes, which is across as quite timid, but when it comes to game time they’re taking when the snitchers and the seekers come on. down these huge guys. It’s really nice to see that sort of stuff. While it This is what we get asked about the most: isn’t recognised by Sport England yet, that’s what the national governing our snitch is a person dressed in yellow body, Quidditch UK, are working towards. When people first started that has a special pair of shorts with playing it was very much a bunch of nerds and fans, but it’s evolved. a patch of Velcro on the tailbone. Quidditch is definitely on its way to becoming something big in its Attached to that is a sock with own right.
illustration: Jenny Mure
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 15 THE GREAT ESCAPE Nottingham’s escape room scene has a reputation for being one of the best in the country. So, during two weeks of searching, puzzle-solving and code cracking, we decided to see what all the fuss about...
For some, being trapped in a room full of puzzles, locks and (sometimes) frights is the stuff of nightmares. But for an increasing number of people, escape rooms are becoming an obsession, and recent statistics show that there may be as many as 60,000 rooms around the world, with almost 1,500 in the UK alone. The premise is simple: you’re locked in a themed room, usually for an hour, and have to solve a series of tasks in order to escape. With Notts considered one of the strongest locations in the UK, there’s plenty to choose from...
ESCAPOLOGIC
Rooms: Having already tried Howitz and Heistakes, we swung by Escapologic to try out Robin of Lockskey and Curio, both of which immediately entered my top ten favourite rooms ever. Curio is somewhat notorious for its difficulty and, although we didn’t escape, it was one of the most challenging and enjoyable experiences I’ve had in a room yet. For those who haven’t tried it: you should prepare yourself for the unexpected. Other rooms include their notoriously terrifying Butcher, Epi-entre, Cryptic and Contraption, as well as their brand new Warhammer 40,000 room, Immaterium, which you can read all about on page 31.
What we say: There is so much to love about Escapologic and their approach to creating truly immersive, innovative experiences. They host some of the best rooms I’ve ever attempted, combining a mixture of horror, intrigue and action experiences that always deliver a challenging balance of invention and excitement that bring people in from all over the country. And talking to Simon Stokes, their charismatic Key Master, you can see that much of their deserved success comes from his genius, ambition and drive. He’s like a benevolent mad professor, constantly conjuring new ways to push the limits of what the experience can be, and it boggles the mind to think of what he would be doing if escape rooms had never taken off. You also get the sense that he’s the unofficial leader of Nottingham’s escape room community, offering help and support to new and established rooms in the city. Unlike other industries, there is a distinct lack of competition between rival escape room companies. A strong escape room scene helps all of them equally due, in part, to their addictive nature: once you’ve completed one, you immediately want to try another. Whether you’re a seasoned escape room veteran or a newbie, Escapologic’s eclectic selection of rooms doubtlessly have something to suit, and should be the first port of call on your escape room journey. 21-23 Castle Gate, Nottingham, NG1 7AQ escapologic.com ESCAPE STATIONS
Rooms: As the newest member to Nottingham’s growing escape room community, Escape Stations have just launched their first room, Prometheus. As a history geek that spent three weeks unsuccessfully trying to find an Ancient Greek themed room in Athens, you can probably imagine my excitement when they kindly agreed to let me have an early preview attempt at the room. It did not disappoint. The room leans towards logical, tactile puzzles, and there’s attention to detail in the craftsmanship that clearly shows it was designed by a real enthusiast. It’s Nottingham’s newest room, and could well prove to be one of it’s most popular.
What we say: If there’s one thing that Nottingham’s escape room owners have in common, it’s a genuine enthusiasm for the crafting of original, challenging rooms that don’t rely on the usual tropes. Within a minute of talking to Escape Stations’ Managing Director Tom Armstrong, you feel that enthusiasm emitting from every pore in his body. The room has clearly been a lengthy labour of love and, having experienced both their first room and seeing what they have in store for the future of the location, it all seems completely worth it.
Gothic House, The Basement, Barker Gate, Nottingham NG1 1JU escapestations.co.uk
PIEMINSTER
Rooms: Having already completed Germageddon, their science-themed room in which the aim is to stop the spread of an apocalyptic chemical outbreak, we headed over to Pieminister to try The Demon Barber. Inspired by the story of Sweeney Todd, the room begins in an eerie Victorian barber’s shop, and only gets more macabre from there. The Demon Barber had some wonderfully grizzly elements and a clear, linear narrative that makes it ideal for those less experienced in escape rooms.
What we say: You can’t help but admire the faith Pieminister have in their menu in building a Sweeney Todd themed room inside a restaurant that exclusively sells pies. The fact that they’re the only escape room in Nottingham that also serves as an eatery, as well as allowing (and encouraging) alcohol inside the rooms, ensures they offer something different to the other venues in Notts. Their rooms are fun, the food is great, and the combined offer on both presents something entertaining and unusual to do with your mates.
57 Long Row W, Nottingham NG1 6JB pieminister.co.uk/escaperooms
words: Ashley Carter illustration: Agnes Papp ILOCKED
Rooms: iLocked is home to three high-tech rooms; you can travel back to Ancient Egypt in The Mummy, confine yourself to a submarine-setting in Deep Blue: Sabotage, or travel deep into outer space in Alien. We tried out the latter, finding it not only challenging, but also impressively immersive and hugely enjoyable. It’s clear that the iLocked team place two factors above all else: technology and production value. The spaceship setting envelopes you completely, and care has clearly been taken to ensure that there are no off-theme elements to the room which would threaten to break that. There’s also a stimulating balance of both team and individual challenges, as players are separated in order to work on multiple puzzles concurrently. There’s more than enough here to exhilarate and test all levels of escape room enthusiast.
What we say: The more of Nottingham’s escape rooms we completed, the clearer it became that each location had its own unique selling point. Whether by design or a happy accident, it’s ensured that the city has an eclectic array of rooms that provide something for all experience levels. With iLocked, the focus is clearly on technology. Priding themselves on being different from traditional rooms, their three experiences are all completely computer automated, made possible by over eight miles of cabling and a seriously impressive computer setup. As much as they’re creating great rooms, iLocked are creating compelling, memorable experiences. A consistent factor across all of the locations in Nottingham seems to be a desire to push boundaries and take escape rooms to the next level, which was evident with iLocked’s use of technology, including VR. It’s a healthy competition that keeps the experience fresh and interesting, as well as pushing the limits of immersive entertainment. And it’s working; while being absorbed in one of iLocked’s rooms, it’s all too easy to forget that you’re doing an escape room at all.
Marco Island, 1 Huntingdon St, Nottingham NG1 1AQ CRYPTOLOGY iamlocked.co.uk
Rooms: Another venue with an impressive array of rooms to choose from, including the Robin Hood Discovery Tour, Nottingham’s only outdoor escape experience, in which players walk almost three miles around the city finding clues, solving puzzles and uncovering codes. Having previously tried Rameseize, their Ancient Egyptian themed room, and the incredibly well-crafted, multi-faceted Dreamscape – which takes you on a journey through the dreams of Dr. Lucy Dee – we tried out their newest room, Daylight Robbery. Perfectly situated in an old bank vault, the objective of the room is less to escape, and more to steal as many valuable items, bundles of cash and priceless jewels as you can before moving on to the ultimate prize: the Daylight Diamond. Great escape rooms always leave a lasting impression, and I was thinking about Daylight Diamond for days after completing it. The sheer number and variety of puzzles ensured that there is no risk of getting stuck, because there was always something else to do. By subverting a number of traditional escape room tropes, its multi- layered approach to puzzles tricks you into over-thinking simple tasks and under-thinking complex ones. In a word, it’s superb.
What we say: If iLocked are the kings of technological rooms, Cryptology have blazed a trail in creating the multi-layered, non-linear escape rooms in which not all puzzles and tasks need to be completed. There’s a beautiful frustration in knowing that the clock is ticking and not everything in the room can be accomplished within your given hour, but their rooms are unique in that they can be played multiple times, with each being a completely different experience. Owner Mark Thompson is another member of the community that seems to live and breathe escape rooms, and the energy and enthusiasm he has for his craft is infectious. As his brainchild, it’s clear that Daylight Robbery was an enormous enterprise, taking nine months and a lot of testing to complete. It was definitely worth the effort and, after finding out what they’ve got planned next, Cryptology look like they will continue to go from strength to strength. 107 Upper Parliament St, Nottingham NG1 6LA cryptologyrooms.co.uk/nottingham
CAVE ESCAPE
Rooms: We tried out both of the rooms on offer at Cave Escape, starting with Carfax, a take on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Several themed rooms that I’ve done outside of Nottingham simply use a popular franchise to attract fans in, only for the room itself to have little or nothing to do with it at all. Refreshingly, it was obvious from the opening minutes that Carfax had been crafted by genuine fans of Stoker’s work, and the amount of detailed information and key plot points covered was seriously impressive. Next, we tried Monuments, a WWII-themed room based around the Allied effort to retrieve priceless artwork stolen by the Nazis. The initial plan to rank all of the rooms we tried in Nottingham was quickly abandoned after realising that, for different reasons, they were all excellent. But had we stuck to that plan, Monuments would have doubtlessly been near the list’s summit. The innovative use of space, technology, a video element and variation of puzzle types was superb, leaving me with the excited feeling of immediately wanting to play it again. A genuinely brilliant escape room.
What we say: The Cave Escape experience hits you as soon as you walk through the doors of their Mansfield Road location. Everything from the antique furniture to the decorative wall art reveals a punctilious approach that makes all the more sense when you learn that Cave Escape’s owners, couple Nick and Jenny, were set designers in their previous profession. It would have been easy to rest on the pull of having rooms based in Nottingham’s caves, but for them, that was just a starting point upon which they’ve built two truly first-class rooms. The passion for the process is clear in both of them and, with family dog Obi never too far away, they’ve created a beautifully-crafted, warm and welcoming atmosphere for real enthusiasts.
63 Mansfield Rd, Nottingham NG1 3FN caveescape.co.uk
leftlion.co.uk/issue121 17 interview: Ashley Carter & Derry Shillitto illustration: Leosaysays Bridie Squires has certainly been keeping herself busy since stepping down as our Editor last year. Not only was she Nottingham Trent University’s fi rst ever Writer in Residence, but she’s been quietly working away on a one-woman show based on her experiences as a croupier. With a performance scheduled for later this month, she told us what to expect from Casino Zero…
Tell us a bit about Casino Zero… would come in with wads of cash, and then you’d see How could you tell when someone was addicted? I performed a version of it at Nottingham Poetry Festival them working in a restaurant. You just thought, ‘Where They have these guidelines of certain behaviours to look last year – that was a compilation of a few poems I’ve did you get that money from?’ Some shifts ran until 7am, out for, but there were times you could just see the anger written over the years that I threaded into one narrative. so when you’re spinning at half-six and there’s nobody in people who’d lost. One guy throwing his stack of chips I plotted the poems according to how emotionally there it’s all a bit bleak. at the wheel, frustrated he couldn’t claw it back. intense they were, and weaved them all together in a sort-of story. This new show has plucked the characters Another kid was still knocking around at 4am, and his out of that version and written a whole new narrative. I saw it in one lad the fi rst mate mentioned the money in his bank account. There was sheer panic in his eyes when he turned to his mate How diff icult has it been to form that into a narrative? time he gambled. He put a fi ver and said, “What money? What bank account?” He’d That’s been one of the toughest things to get my head literally done all of his wages. One guy did his entire around. I had an idea of diff erent structures you can on red and it came in. His money restaurant business loan on three-card poker. apply to plots, but actually applying it has properly doubled just like that. You could mashed my head. It’s taken a lot longer than I thought I saw it in the eyes of one lad, the fi rst time he gambled. it would. A massive puzzle. Knock one thing out and a see his pupils dilate and his face He put a fi ver on red and it came in. His money doubled vortex appears. just like that. His pupils dilated, he started sweating. He went all hot. He was in. was in. You could see it clear as day. What does the narrative of Casino Zero involve? It’s about Croupier, who needs to buy a caravan for her How diff icult was it to transform all of those visceral grandad. The whole thing is set in the casino, where Even though you’re working for the casino, did you experiences into Casino Zero? the staff get free energy bars so they can deal faster. want customers to win money? Or do you ‘win’ when It all started when Roger Robinson got me to turn all the Croupier’s supervisor Janet loves the things but every they lost money? stories into a stack of poems on a Mouthy Poets writing time Croupier eats one things get a bit weird. With It was awful when a customer you liked was losing to retreat. Last year at Nottingham Poetry Festival, Anne the promise of an eventual promotion and raise, Janet you. You’re willing the cards, or the ball, to land in their Holloway, who runs the publishing house Big White encourages her to deal faster – which is true to how favour. In the same breath, you have this clicker on the Shed asked me if I wanted to perform an extended set it actually is in a real casino. Obviously, the odds are table that tracks how much money you’re taking in, so if as part of her event. After I had a half-hour show, I put in always in the casino’s favour, so the more spins you get you take a lot and keep all your cash chips, you’re given a funding bid for Arts Council England’s Develop Your in, the more money the casino makes. a very subtle ‘well done’ when you come off the table. Creative Practice Grant, and it made me really think Every so often the casino will lose money, but they about what I wanted to explore with it. And that’s based on your experiences as a croupier? always win it back. I remember one guy winning £30,000 Yeah. I want it to be true enough to the experience one night, but he came back the day after and lost it all. For this development phase, I’ve had a lot of support of a real casino that people who have worked in that from various mentors: Deborah Stevenson, Hugh environment recognise it, but at the same time it’s Were you sad that he lost it all? Dichmont, Hannah Silva, Adrian Reynolds, Motormouf, turned into this surreal, abstract, caricatured beast. No, he was a prick with too much money. He wasn’t a Siobhan Cannon-Brownlie. Talking to people about the bad person, just a smarmy, unlikeable guy. He actually ideas has been the most helpful thing. It’s been a tough How long did you work as a croupier for? tried to ban himself from the casino. As much as I’m nut to crack so far - I’ve been learning a whole new Two years in total. I was at university doing an English cussing casinos all the time, they’ve got these social creative process. degree and working in a pub. I decided to drop out and responsibility schemes in place, which are important. start cleaning toilets in the casino ‘til 4am. In retrospect, One of the questions I ask myself is, to what extent is it I knew I wanted it to be a one-woman show, because it was a weird move, but I wasn’t feeling great at the their responsibility to look after people who are free to I’m a narcissist and I can’t aff ord to pay actors. But time and I knew I had to change something. make their own choices? It’s tricky. Balance it all with the this new version has turned into more of a monologue intense advertising and the hypnotic slot machines that interspersed with poetry, soundscape and song. I’ve It seems exciting from the outside, but how emit a continuous sound of winning. That’s just the tip of been thinking about Fleabag a lot, and what Phoebe much was it just like any other job? the iceberg. There are so many sensory tricks casinos use Waller-Bridge did with that. It was mundane. Repetitive motions over to keep people playing. All the numbers on a roulette and over again. At times, it was satisfying. wheel add up to 666. I knew I wanted to use a loop station because of the You know where you stand with the repetitive nature of the casino too. My ambition was to routine. If there were no people at Did it have muc of an eff ect on your own attitude have a fi nished product by now, but I know I want to keep the tables, those that had been to gambling? shaping and improving it after the February showing. working there for a long time You’d get people who’d come in and put a grand down You need to respect the process. would talk about the good old on red, win, and leave. It does make you wonder. I’ve had days when there were stacks a good punt myself. Croupiers are the biggest monsters of chips on the table and in a casino. You trick yourself into thinking you can beat everything was a bit it. The general manager frowned on us going to other Bridie will be performing Casino Zero at Nonsuch Studios on Friday crazy, but nowadays casinos, but I loved rocking up with all the gaming staff , 21 February. it’s all just a bit sad. doing chip tricks and getting lairy. You can see how it bridiesquires.com A lot of people gets people.
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 19
words: Emily Thursfield Across the Board illustration: Alex Vine
Tabletop games studio Needy Cat are the fast-paced, sharp minds behind some of the most exciting board games on the market. Working with household-name franchises as well as other small creators, they have one aim: to get as many people playing games as possible. We spoke to them about their work, as they gear up to launch their first, completely in-house designed game, Robot Fight Club…
“We always joke that if people are coming to one-man business in Lincolnshire called Atlantic Nottingham to work, they’ve either got a job at Miniatures,” says James. “I personally think they’re Boots, Experian or in the gaming industry,” laughs some of the best miniatures on the market,” James Hewitt, one half of Needy Cat, a Notts- chimes in Sophie. “He wanted to make a tabletop based tabletop design studio specialising in board game so came to us for a chat. It’s been fun games, card and roleplaying games. There’s not working with him as it’s very distilled creativity – a hint of rivalry here though; I soon learn the there’s no commercial concerns so it’s very open. gaming industry is full of nothing but love: “We’ve We’re able to think ‘What would be cool? Guys all got our own little niches within the niche, and riding giant chickens with fists that punch you? we’re all fans of each other's work.” Let’s put it in!’”
It became clear almost as soon as I’d entered The revival of board games shouldn’t come as the Needy Cat office that James and his partner, a surprise to anyone; in a world inundated with Sophie Williams, make a great team; the sort that screens and digital distraction, it’s no wonder you’d fear to come up against in a friendly game people are taking a break by clearing the dust of Pictionary, or that could read each other’s minds offMonopoly or locking themselves in rooms to during Articulate. Based in a small unit in Basford, escape. James reckons there’s a primal need in together they’ve built their own gaming empire all of us: “Every culture in history has had and work with world-renowned companies, board games in one form or another. There are thanks to their twenty years of experience in the games that are older than the pyramids that tabletop industry. have been discovered.”
“We design games for clients. People come to us As games-fanatics themselves, Sophie and James with intellectual property, like a licence to a film do everything they can to enable as many folk as or a range of models, and we help them create possible to get a leg-up into the industry. As well a game,” says James. “I was working at Games as a rule review service for other games, Needy Workshop’s head office designing games for Cat also runs a podcast interviewing industry about five years, and then one of my colleagues professionals, and offers workshops and courses, passed away suddenly. I was in my mid-thirties, both locally and on their patreon account, to help and it was a real wake up call that life is short. I’d anyone launch their own game. They are also the always wanted to do something for myself so I founding members of the Nottingham Tabletop took that chance.” Gaming Collective, who meet twice a month to socialise, share tips and offer emotional support. Support, it seems, is the biggest thing the gaming We’re able to think community offers each other. Sophie likens it to buying clothes: you can never own enough ‘What would be cool? Guys t-shirts. riding giant chickens with When I ask what makes a good game, they fists that punch you? Let’s put almost shout in unison “Decisions!” Sophie says: “Because they can be almost semi-cooperative, it in! they force dialogue around the table. One of my favourite gaming experiences is Pandemic Legacy. After their amicable departure from Games It’s like playing a game where you’re a character Workshop, the company immediately hired Needy in the TV series 24 or something, such high Cat to work on a game that would be distributed in pressure.” more accessible gaming channels, such as Barnes and Noble stores in the US. “The initial plan “Didn’t we play it when we were on parental was for Sophie to help me out with the project leave?” laughs James. Sophie rolls her eyes: “We management side of things, but we soon had so kept playing games in the middle of the night much work on that Sophie now designs games while I was having braxton hicks. We had to be on full-time too,” says James. Maybe we should think high alert so we thought ‘what shall we do? Let’s about getting someone else to do all that other play a game!’” James looks at me, “Thankfully, we stuff now...” get along.”
From there, Needy Cat worked with Manchester- As well as working on a host of projects, based studio Steamforged Games on a tabletop including what they believe to be the first game/ adaptation of the latest Devil May Cry video novel crossover of its kind with literary series game – a project so secretive they were sent an Newbury and Hobbes, Needy Cat are gearing up encrypted hard drive of the installment, hand- for their most exciting venture yet – the launch delivered by courier. of their own tabletop game, Robot Fight Club, with the Kickstarter going live at the end of One of the most intricate projects to date was February. The two-player game is different from their collaboration with James’ ex-employers, anything they’ve worked on before, and they’ve Bulwell-based Mantic Games, on a board game collaborated with students from Confetti on the for the Hellboy comic book series. The game’s game’s artwork. “This is where we want to be Kickstarter raised $1.5 million, and James and heading in the future – doing more for ourselves,” Sophie soon had a big challenge on their hands. says James. “I’d always been the one roped into testing his games, so taking on Hellboy was a natural step Before I leave, I have to ask about the needy forward for me,” says Sophie. “I basically spent cat. “He’s the worst,” sighs Sophie. “Helo is six months writing everything – there were lots gigantic and incredibly needy. He just sits of moving parts and it was a mind-boggling on top of our games, batting the pieces experience working out how all the content and swishing his tail around like ‘Oh no, interacted with each other. While games might everything is ruined.’” It’s nice to see a few appear easy to learn for the player, there’s a lot of misplaced pawns haven’t stopped this pair complexity designing them that you don't see in from succeeding. the final experience.” Needy Cat will demo their upcoming Kickstater, It’s the freedom of creativity that keeps them Robot Fight Club at The Dice Cup on Saturday going, though. “There’s this chap called Dan 8 February. who makes beautiful resin models. He used to needycatgames.com work for Disney as a VFX artist, and now he’s a
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 21
WHEN DUTY CALLS interview: Jamie Morris
As Chief Operating Officer for Sledgehammer Games, University of Nottingham alumnus Andy Wilson has overseen some of the biggest video game franchises in the history of the medium, including Call of Duty. We caught up with him to talk about the current state of the industry, the unprecedented success of COD and violence in video games… It’s been almost twenty years since you graduated They all have a lot of challenges, but the franchises I read that Sledgehammer employees are awarded from the University of Nottingham. How much we work with now have huge fan bases with very high with coins inscribed with the company’s values… can you remember about the city from your expectations. It’s a challenge – almost like something you would student days? get if you were in the military, which obviously Wow, that is going back a bit! There was a club called Is the success of that franchise something that you connects with the history of the games we make. We The Lenton which we used to go to a lot; that was could have ever anticipated? don’t really do it in the same way anymore, but we the focus of our social scene. We also used to go Generally, people get into this industry because they do try to establish the studio values, and extend that running in Wollaton Park. I went back last March to want to do something significant whether that’s an culture and those principles. Now we use the coin as do a lecture to my old Computer Science class, and independent developer, having an idea you want to more of a reward scheme; if someone has gone above I think the principles of student life are all the same. bring to life, or working on a mega-franchise with the and beyond, and you think they’ve done something The thing that strikes me now is that students tend production value of a Hollywood movie. But one thing really great, you can nominate them. Then, at the end to do a lot more outside of their course, so they’re that always excites me is trying to create that next big of the month, we hand them out. It’s done to show more active in forming groups and clubs, and learning thing. You dream of having a freak-out hit that reaches that the team has seen the hard work and rewarded it. outside of what the university delivers. They seem a people all over. There is a huge amount of satisfaction It’s a bit like gameifying work, really. bit more organised and street-smart than we were in seeing something come out and feeling like you’ve twenty years ago. had a large part in the making of it. But that level As a company, how did you overcome games like of success – selling tens of millions of copies – is Call of Duty lazily being used as a political football How did you make your way into the gaming very rare. There are so many aspects to making and by those seeking to find a link between real-world industry after uni? marketing a game, and all of those aspects have to violence and violence in video games? It was in 2005, four years after I graduated. I actually work hand in hand. If you’re lucky you make a great There have been some attacks on the industry in went to work for an investment bank straight after game, and you have that kind of success. recent years, and I do find it quite lazy. I think it’s one uni. I didn’t particularly want to do that, but the of those things that keeps coming and going. There games industry was a lot smaller then, and it was are studies out there that fairly conclusively prove quite hard to go straight in. I wanted to enter as a It’s outstretched any other that there are no links between video game violence producer or project manager rather than a coder or an industry; in terms of revenue, and people going out and doing terrible acts, so I artist. I spent about four years just trying to find my think it’s just an easy way out. But it’s always going to way in, then a job came up in Brighton that wanted games are bigger than movies be something we have to deal with. As developers, we someone who had a bit of experience from outside don’t have a checklist of things we’re not supposed to the industry, and it all took off from there. and music combined now do in case we poke a tiger somewhere, but sometimes we do heavy things. And now you’re the Chief Operating Office of How much has the industry changed since you first Sledgehammer Games! What does a C.O.O actually got involved? From a development point of view I have always felt do day-to-day? It’s exploded! It’s vastly bigger than it was. It’s comfortable with the themes and cultures I like to I run all of the operations, and am in charge of outstretched any other industry; in terms of revenue, build, and we have a sense of responsibility to not operational effectiveness. Things like product games are bigger than movies and music combined do anything gratuitous. We don’t deliberately try development, the actual making of the game, now. The calibre of cutting-edge Hollywood-level to sensationalise, we don’t try and get attention or essentially all of the game development happens effects has gone through the roof. They’re much make sales. As long as I feel I’m holding my team and through me. There’s a Creative Director, who takes more complex than they used to be. But consoles myself accountable, then I’m fine. There will always care of all of the creative management, and I’m the can technically do so much more now, so it’s be people that are going to attack. Politicians and one who is actually executing it all and getting inevitable that every aspect of the industry has grown people that didn’t grow up with video games often do things built. exponentially. it. It’s all a bit alien and unusual to them, which makes it an easy target. Having that level of control over a company that Where can you see it going next? produces one of the biggest gaming franchises At the moment we’re seeing much more of a trend When black and white silent movies evolved into in history in Call of Duty must bring a pretty huge toward social gaming where people are connected. films that dealt with more serious themes in the fifties amount of pressure… Games like Fortnite, with large maps and tons of and sixties, the same criticisms were leveled at that Yes, it does! The nature of the kind of games I work players definitely have a social aspect to them. You industry. We’re just seeing the same thing repeating. on professionally – we call them AAA games – all can see the influence in the fact that people make When the video game industry has finally been have that level of pressure. Back in the day, working money from playing games like that on YouTube. accepted, there will be another that crops up and for a small publisher that didn’t have much money There are less of the single-focus games that I used to becomes the new target. brought a different type of pressure. You’re aware that play when I was younger. you’re trying to compete with not a lot of resources. sledgehammergames.com
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 23 Grown bored of Max, Bernard, Claire and the gang? Don’t worry, thanks to our cover artist Raphael Achache, you can play everyone’s favourite mystery face folly with video game versions of us lot instead. You’re welcome.
Adam Alan Anna Ashley Becky Bridie
Caroline Curtis Dom Eileen Emily Gemma
Eve Fabrice Hamza George & Jared Kate Jamie
Natalie Gareth Raphael Rebecca Tom E Tom Q
------(Top row L-R) Adam Pickering (Sales and Marketing Manager) as Rich Uncle Pennybags, Alan Gilby (Games Master) as Luigi, Anna Murphy (Fashion Editor) as Carmen Sandiago, Ashley Carter (Editor) as Donkey Kong, Becky Timmins (Music Co-Editor) as Amy Rose, Bridie Squires (Editor-at-Large) as Lara Croft
Second Row (L-R) Caroline Barry (Community Editor) as Coco Bandicoot, Curtis Powell as John Marston, Dom Henry (Theatre Co-Editor) as Van Pelt, Eileen Pegg (Music Co-Editor) as Tails, Emily Thursfield(Assistant Editor) as Princess Peach, Gemma Fenyn (Sports Editor) Wii Sports Mii,
Third Row (L-R) Eve Smallman (Food and Listings Editor) as Eevee, Fabrice Gagos (Photography Co-Editor) as Red, Hamza Hussain (Web Developer) as Minecraft Steve, George White and Jamie Morris (Screen Editors) as Doduo, Jared Wilson (Editor-in-Chief) as Mario, Kate Hewett (Literature Editor) as Zelda
Bottom Row (L-R) Natalie Owen (Designer) as Harley Quinn, Gareth Watts (Finance) Professor Plum, Raphael Achache(Cover Artist) as Wreck-it- Ralph, Rebeeca Buck (Theatre Co-Editor) as The Queen of Hearts, Tom Errington (Web Developer) as Operation Guy, Tom Quigley (Photography Co-Editor) as Vault Boy
Adam Alan Anna Ashley Becky Bridie
Caroline Curtis Dom Eileen Emily Gemma
Eve Fabrice Hamza George & Jared Kate
Natalie Gareth Raphael Rebecca Tom E Tom Q UNDER COVER ARTIST slowly disappear from our clothes as we get older. I understand there’s levels of professionalism that comes with having a job or a certain level of success, but we shouldn’t let our profession or age affect the freedom we have to express ourselves.
I’ve always had a fascination with bright colours, alternate realities, and beautiful beaches. Everything combined has made me the artist I am. One of my favourite projects I worked on was an exhibition titled Safe sex is cool inspired by Larry Clark’s 1995 filmKIDS . Working together with a dear friend with HIV, I looked to remedy the silence around safe sex. We hand- painted seven canvases, screen printed posters and t-shirts, and created an installation resembling an apartment scene from the film.
Kay Arefaine I’m originally from California. My days consist of being Teenage Fever in my studio manifesting success, and my nights Painting faux leather is a challenge. When you make a getting to understand the UK’s young culture. I’ve mistake you can’t go back and fix it. Throughout 2019 always wanted to vlog my everyday life as an artist, I focused on painting denim and faux leather, each so I began that in the new year. I’ve had an idea about piece more colourful than the last, with psychedelic an art show influenced by rave culture, and its iconic imagery and a street-fashion feel. In the past I’ve symbols that make up the experience. My main focus painted big-scale murals, shops, and huge canvases; now is to get the ball rolling with those paintings, and now my style is on a much smaller scale, I have to to find a gallery or venue to showcase my artwork. focus on the finer details. @goldenpyramidstv I wanted this piece to be relatable to teenage me, goldenpyramidstv.com and teenagers today. Colours and other fun things
Raphael Achache talks us through his retro board game inspired cover...
Tell us a bit about yourself… Leosaysays between realities, Moonliffe ends up traversing a I’m a person. Moonliffe post-apocalyptic Nottingham to find answers to the demise of their own world. The game is currently in What was the inspiration behind the cover? Moonliffe is a 2D action adventure video game early development, with release scheduled for 2021, LeftLion approached me with the concept of being developed by regular LeftLion illustrator and but you can follow its progress on Twitter. creating a Guess Who? board with illustrations all-round good-egg Leosaysays. The game starts based on the core magazine staff themed on in a post-war world, in which the civilisation of the @Moonliffe_game characters from popular games. After looking eponymous main character, Moonliffe, has been leosaysays.com at a few versions of the Guess Who? board game practically destroyed by a group of interdimensional @Leosaysays covers, it was clear to me that we had to create alien-like creatures. Armed with the ability to travel something as close to the original cover as possible. All the hard work had been done: the horrible seventies colour scheme and badly collaged photography. It couldn’t have been done any other way.
How does it compare with some other projects you’ve worked on? To be honest, a lot of my work is quite varied. One day I can be out illustrating cans of dog food, and the next I could be creating fine art to be hung on someone’s living room wall. It’s rare, however that I get to combine disciplines, so putting together photo and illustration was fun. The nostalgic element was also a winner.
Tell us about some projects you’ve worked on in the past… A lot of my work revolves around product innovation; I sit in meetings and draw ideas. Cheese snacks, electric toothbrushes, toilet paper. One of my favourites last year was spending a few days with a well-known vodka brand in New York. But most of the time I’m in places like Slough or Welwyn Garden City drawing sustainable multi-purpose cleaner or cold soup for cats. It’s all good fun.
What have you got planned for the future? I’m actually having a go at going fully freelance from the beginning of February, trying to make it as a self-employed graphic designer and illustrator. To be honest, my main plan is to get some work so I can keep paying rent.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers? Nah… @raphaelachache
2626 leftlion.co.uk/issue120 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 words: Polly Jean Harrison
Think wargaming is just for boys? Think again, as Nottingham’s Annie Norman is addressing the gender balance in tabletop gaming, selling the largest array of realistic female miniatures in the world with Bad Squiddo Games.... Wargaming is often seen as a male hobby. Fewer than 2% Annie crocheted herself a bag for her game dice while at Annie doesn’t let that negativity affect her as it comes from of players are women according to The Great Wargaming university, making some for her friends too. Before she people she simply “doesn’t care about”. Survey by Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy Magazine. But knew it she became “The Dice Bag Lady”, with crafting 29-year-old Annie Norman is here to change the game, turning into a full-time job with customers all over the Describing her interests as “guinea pigs and feminism”, literally. Over the last five years, Annie has built her world. at the start of Bad Squiddo, Annie found there was an company, Bad Squiddo Games, from scratch, and now sells element of people buying for the cause. They recognised the largest collection of realistic female miniatures in the what she was trying to do and wanted to support her in it. world.“I didn’t expect the company to last the year,” she I want people to look at it As great as this was, she didn’t want to be just the feminist says, “which is why I have a strange company name which without the gender hat, and to buy wargamer: “I want people to look at it without the gender is really hard to spell on the phone.” hat, and to buy them because they’re cool figures. them because they’re cool figures. A female miniature wearing clothes should be a normal For those who don’t know, wargaming is a subsection of A female miniature wearing thing anyway." tabletop strategy game where you play through battles using model soldiers, or miniatures. There are two parts to clothes should be a normal As far as she’s aware she is the only company doing what the hobby: the painting of the miniatures and the playing she does. “I’m slowly and stealthily changing what the itself. The most popular game is Warhammer, sold by thing anyway tabletop looks like,” she says proudly. “I’ve even got other Games Workshop, though there are many others in the companies to sort their female miniatures out.” fantasy and sci-fi genres, as well as historical games where Unfortunately, after several years of intense crocheting, Emily Ridding, who works at Warhammer Nottingham, has players re-enact actual battles from the past. This is where her bag shop had to close in 2015 after a series of wrist also noticed a recent shift in women joining in the hobby: Bad Squiddo Games come in, as they focus on women in injuries left her unable to craft. In her final trade show, “It's not 50/50, as much as we’d want it, but we do get a lot history; collections include Viking shieldmaidens, Amazons she took a few female figures to sell. The response more women in the shop than we would have a year ago. and WW2 “lumber-jills”. she received was so overwhelmingly positive that she continued, and decided to set up Bad Squiddo Games. It’s not seen to be a men’s hobby because it’s just a hobby She first decided to make her figures because she “got for everyone.” really angry about it.” Looking online for a female Viking, The reaction to the company has been astounding, as the Over the past five years, Games Workshop has released it blew her mind that "they were either topless or in metal business continues to grow and expand on ranges and more female-orientated models and story-lines to their bikinis – and that was the only choice.” Starting off as a miniatures it sells. She has a large online community built games, as well as making their sets generally gender curator and vendor of other brands of female minis, last up around the business, with more than 10,000 followers neutral. Whether this is because of Bad Squiddo Games or year she took the plunge and began to focus solely on across social media. Affectionately referring to it as her a happy coincidence, Annie’s not sure, but the community designing and producing her own range through her “cult,” Annie likes to engage with her customers online as is becoming a far more welcoming place for women. online store. an extension of the shopping experience and to see her figures in action. “I’ve definitely had an impact," she says, "but I don’t know Annie got into wargaming when she was ten, after her how much of that would have happened anyway.” Either mum bought her some old Games Workshop magazines Despite the great reactions, there have been some way, industry giants are now working to encourage from a car boot sale. She pored over the pages to decide negative comments to her business too. When she first women and change the attitudes of players, which makes what she would buy, until she went to a shop and realised started out some people assumed that it was run by her her ecstatic. “Seeing them do that is good as it gets more the magazines were so old that none of the sets she partner at the time and that she was just the face as a people thinking about it, and hopefully they buy my wanted were still in production. Nevertheless, she started marketing ploy: “I’ve had to prove that it’s definitely just stuff too!” to paint and play Warhammer before getting into more me and it’s not going anywhere. That’s what kept me niche history games. going – spite!” She has received negative comments at shows too. Someone once shouted “Get a job!” at her. But badsquiddogames.com
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 27
GAME PLAN words: George White
Located in the heart of Nottingham, Dambuster Studios has been one of the country’s biggest video game developers for over twenty years. With projects including dystopian fi rst-person shooter series Homefront: The Revolution and Dead Island, their Studio Development Director Rob Matthews tells us they have no plans of slowing down...
It’s clear that Dambuster Studios’ development director Rob Matthews is of six people. Since then, the complexity of games, and the industry as a whole, pleased with what the company has achieved over the last two decades. “We has expanded. We have 160 staff across four or fi ve key departments, so we were founded in 1999 as Free Radical Design, and started off with Timesplitters need to maintain communication to keep up with the constant changes.” on the PlayStation 2. That was a huge commercial and critical achievement, and propelled the studio forward from there,” he says. “Since then, we’ve worked A decent number of these staff are from Nottingham, including Rob himself, on a number of big projects, including Crysis for both the major gaming consoles which is something he’s very proud of. “I’m Nottingham born and bred. I started and Ryse: Son of Rome, which was Xbox One’s launch title at the time.” my career in the city before moving away, and then came back to Dambuster about fi ve years ago. A good number of us are from here. There are even a few Rob proudly points out a wall in reception, which is decorated by magazine of us who went to the same school in Carlton, which is quite funny,” he muses. covers showcasing Dambuster's games, as evidence of their outstanding progress. “Our work has become really popular over the years. Titles like Dead “Overall we have a nice range of people at the company. As the industry has Island now have a loyal fanbase, and have set us up for success. This is cause for grown, we’ve hired from further afi eld to make sure we’re building towards optimism going forward,” he says. long-term success. Around a quarter of our staff are from Europe, and they’ve been great for bringing new skills and expertise.” Our work has become really popular over Rob is equally enthusiastic about Nottingham’s gaming industry as a whole, which he believes is on the up. “At the moment it’s positive for gaming in the years. Titles like Dead Island now have a Nottingham. There is a huge amount of talent in the city. In the past, we’ve been a little overshadowed by Leamington Spa, which has studios like Ubisoft and loyal fanbase, and have set us up for success Playground,” he reveals. “But now there is healthy competition here, with lots of great studios. We are the only ones really focused on AAA games, but others in Nottingham are doing impressive things in diff erent areas. There’s a broad However, the studio’s history hasn’t been without its challenges. “There have range of competitors, which is defi nitely good.” been ups and downs. We’ve changed names three times, which may have diluted our identity a bit. I think people sometimes forget that staff here actually The rapid transformation of Nottingham’s gaming community is representative worked on a number of titles when we were Crytek and Free Radical. But I don’t of the wider industry, which has changed dramatically in recent years - and will think it takes too much weight from us. Overall we’ve been really successful.” continue to in the future. “Options in the industry are always expanding. There is a new generation of home consoles coming through in the Despite switching names and moving headquarters (their original studio was next couple of years. Streaming continues to remove barriers to based “just off junction 25 of the M1”), their philosophy has remained the same. entry, with new players like Google entering the scene. Virtual “We want to make sure people receive a high quality game and make good Reality has been building for a while, and mobile phone memories. Whatever we do, we want to off er value for time as well as money,” games will remain popular as there are still new markets Rob says. “We have developed a technical pedigree, and we are looking to build to exploit.” upon our expertise. We are a one-project studio built for narrative-driven, fi rst- person games, and we are aiming to improve our reputation and keep moving For Rob, this growth in choice can only be a positive forward to higher levels.” thing: “I don't necessarily think we will lose many of the platforms that we have at the moment, Building a studio with such an impressive reputation is not always easy, with Rob there'll just be a broad spectrum of options which having to handle a lot of moving parts in his role. “Managing a gaming studio is will be far more accessible - and that’s good both stressful and very enjoyable. The trick is to ensure eff icient communication. for everyone.” The amount of features and content we deal with is massive,” he explains. “When I started in the gaming industry, over 25 years ago, I was in a small off ice dsdambuster.com
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 29
words: Zach Harrison photo: Fabrice Gagos
We’ve worked very closely with Games Workshop to create a totally What happens when you combine immersive experience the biggest name in miniature wargames with one of the country’s leading escape room creators? Immaterium: the world’s firstWarhammer 40,000 live-action escape room. Here’s everything you need to know about the brand-new immersive entertainment collaboration from Games Workshop and Escapologic…
As two of the biggest entertainment companies in their respective fields, Games Workshop Immaterium represents and Escapologic have both made huge contributions to putting Nottingham firmly on the next phase of expansion the gaming map. The former has grown exponentially since its establishment over forty for Games Workshop, with the years ago, establishing a world-recognised brand that carrier a market capitilisation of juggernaut success of the world- more than £1bn, while the latter has consistently pushed the boundaries of immersive, recognised Warhammer brand continuing real-life entertainment experiences, creating a host of innovative escape rooms that draw to flourish year after year. With the British enthusiasts from the world over. high street continuing to suffer a series of high-profile struggles in recent times – including Together, the two gaming monoliths have combined to create Immaterium, the world’s first the collapse of House of Fraser, and major chains like official Warhammer 40,000 live-action escape room in Nottingham. Inspired by books, Jack Wills, Patisserie Valerie and Debenhams all entering games and miniatures of the world-renowned fantasy universe, the experience promises administration – Games Workshop continue to buck the to bring the raw emotion of Warpspace to life, taking the excitement of tabletop gaming to trend. In 2017, the publicly traded British stock outperformed all another level by physically plunging players into an elaborately detailed rogue trader ship others, spurred on by the seemingly endless appeal of Warhammer heading towards a warp storm. 40,000, an extensive tabletop conflict game in which two players fight with armies made up of collectible miniature figurines. “Think real challenges, real stakes and real tension,” Simon Stokes, Escapologic’s CEO and Key Master says, “We’ve worked very closely with Games Workshop to create a The same can be said of Escapologic, who have led the way in establishing totally immersive experience that we are confident will chime with the experiences and Nottingham as one of the best escape room cities in the UK. Under the expectations of a passionately devoted fanbase.” leadership of Stokes, their innovative, richly detailed rooms continue to earn praise from a wide-range of sources, including frequently being named in the top-three spots on lists of the UK’s best escape rooms.
With over 1,500 rooms currently in operation in the UK, escape rooms have quickly moved from being a niche live-action experience hybrid to a mainstream staple on Britain’s entertainment scene. Last year even saw Red Bull, a brand more commonly associated with extreme sports, stage the Escape Room World Championships in London, which saw four- strong teams from 23 different countries compete to be crowned victorious. Other popular entertainment franchises have seized on to the surge in popularity, with Doctor Who rooms being built in six locations across the UK, and an official BBCSherlock escape room, featuring original footage from the show’s acting talent, opening in London at the end of 2018.
While official figures are elusive, it’s been estimated that there are up to 175,000 active or semi-active Warhammer players currently in the world, with another 750,000 playing every once in a while which, when coupled with the growing popularity of escape rooms, suggests that Nottingham may be host to the next big thing in entertainment. “Fans can look forward to intricately designed areas that interconnect in ingenious ways,” Stokes says, “And fiendishly challenging puzzles, games and codes. That’s all I’m saying for now – we don’t want to give the whole game away!”
Immaterium: A Warhammer Escape Room is scheduled to open at Escapologic in April 2020
Escapologic, 21-23 Castle Gate, Nottingham, NG1 7AQ escapologic.com games-workshop.com
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 31 As the first person to coin the phrase “technological addiction” in the mid-nineties, it’s fair to say that Dr. Mark Griffiths was way ahead of the curve when it came to predicting the potential impact technology could have on society. The world-renowned psychologist is a Distinguished Professor at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Social Sciences, as well as the Director of their International Gaming Research Unit, which was established to, amongst other things, discover and understand attitudes toward potentially addictive behaviours in gaming. And with an estimated 33 million gamers in the UK – almost half the population – we caught up with Dr. Griffiths to find out what it actually means to be addicted to video games...
How do you determine whether or not someone is Is there a specific type of game that those who fulfill extent that you’ve now got research on gaming disorder addicted to gaming? those six components tend to become addicted to? in almost every Westernised country. When I think back You can speak to fifty psychologists and we’ll all give Most research shows that traditionally it’s been online to 1995, my team’s main research areas were gambling you a different answer of what it is to be addicted. I’ve multiplayer games like League of Legends where we’ve addiction, gaming addiction and internet addiction, but used the same definition since 1995 in a paper called seen people at the problematic end of the spectrum. they have all kind of come together now. Technological Addictions, which is when I first laid out what One thing I’ve said with my research is that people can I call my components model of addiction. I believe that become addicted to even the simplest of games. I would What are your thoughts on the professionalisation of all addictions comprise six components, and if any say that there were people out there who were clinically video gaming? behaviour fulfills those I would define that person as addicted to Tetris, although they were few and far I think it’s probably harder to become a professional addicted to that activity, whether it’s gaming, gambling, between. The thing with online games is that they never video game player than to become a professional sex or eating. end, so you do get that fear of missing out. With a game footballer. A football team needs a squad of thirty that’s going on for 24 hours, you’ve got to be offline for players, whereas to become the world’s best Fortnite What are the six components in relation to twelve hours because you’ve got to sleep and do other player, it’s going to be much harder. Things like the video games? things. So it’s the online element, rather than the genre Fortnite World Cup have legitimized children to tell their The first is salience: “This is the most important thing of the game, that’s most important. parents that they want to be professional gamers. It’s in my life, this is an activity that I will do to neglect interesting, because if you’re a professional gamer, it’s everything in my life, and even if I’m not actually doing not unusual to spend twelve or fourteen hours a day the activity, I’m thinking about doing it. So I’m totally People can become gaming, because it’s their job. People will ask if they’re preoccupied.” The second is mood modification, which addicted but, for me, they’re not addicted to gaming, is when you use the activity as a way of modifying your addicted to even the simplest they’re addicted to their job. It’s like an Olympic athlete mood either to get buzzed up, high, aroused, excited, of games. I would say that there being addicted to exercise because they’re doing it for or the exact opposite, to escape, de-stress or relax. twelve hours a day. The third is tolerance, which is the idea that we need were people out there who were more and more of an activity to get those same initial Are you a gamer? mood modifying effects – so somebody that started clinically addicted to Tetris I remember playing Space Invaders in amusement arcades off playing video games for an hour or two per day will back in the late seventies. I grew up as a gamer, and build up to where they’re playing twelve or fourteen In your experience, what has been the biggest spent hours and hours playing Donkey Kong, and I’m still hours a day. change in academic research into gaming addiction? a gamer. My kids started playing video games when Just the sheer increase in the amount that’s going they were three; I’m not anti-gaming in the slightest. The fourth component is withdrawal symptoms. If you on worldwide now. In the nineties, about 90% of the are genuinely addicted to an activity or substance, papers published on gaming addiction came from me – when you are unable to engage in that activity, you it was just not something that was particularly will experience the shakes, headaches, nausea, looked at. I was the first person to stomach cramps and, on a psychological level, you publish a paper on online will feel increased irritability and frustration. The fifth gaming in 2003, and over component is the most important one: conflict. This is the last ten years it where an activity is so conflicting in a person’s life that has multiplied they neglect their job or education, their loved ones, by such an family and friends. They also experience what I call intrapsychic conflict – a conflict within yourself. They know that they’re doing this activity too much, and should probably cut down or stop, but feel unable to do so and experience a subjective loss of control. Finally, you’ve got relapse. Even if you’ve managed to give up for a number of days, weeks, months of years, when you’re starting to engage in the activity again you go straight back into the addictive cycles you were in before.
How widespread is gaming addiction? By my definition, very few people fulfil those six components to be considered genuinely addicted. There are people out there who engage in problematic aspects to do with gaming without being addicted. Every week I get emails, usually from women, saying that my husband or boyfriend is addicted to playing games, because as soon as he comes home from work he spends six hours playing video games and completely ignores me. While that person might be gaming excessively, if you can go to work for your eight-hour day, you’re quite clearly not addicted.
32 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 Mental Health: Gambling
January 2020 saw the announcement that from An example of this would be in hypomania, which Tuesday 14 April, bets using credit cards are to be is characterised by an elevated mood state. I banned. Further to that, the head of mental health have worked with many individuals who have services in England has written to fi ve major experienced feelings of euphoria and exhilaration gambling companies, demanding urgent action and embarked on a spending spree with no regard on tackling gambling addiction and its impact on for the consequence. The diff erence here is that people’s health. with treatment, these compulsions and impulses do subside and return to normal behaviour. Sadly, These actions may curb the more rational among there is often a trail of debt and the remorse can us to think twice about parting with large sums of lead to low mood and depression. money. But what about those individuals who are impulsive, disinhibited or thrill-seeking? I have witnessed how diff icult it is for individuals to seek help with gambling addiction. It destroys Gambling, like all addictions, may have started as families and relationships, causing loved ones a way of coping with feelings that you felt unable to feel helpless and hopeless. The fi rst step, to deal with in any other way. It is a compulsion as always, is to accept the fact that there is a that is diff icult to control, and you need help and problem. A desire to seek help and instigate support to stop. However, other mental health change is key. The catalyst for this is unique for problems may manifest in a similar way but occur each person. Much to the frustration of others, more acutely. only the person struggling with this terrible addiction can make this decision.
illustration: Liv Auckland
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 33 words: Eve Smallman illustration: Ali Taylor-Perry
The term science might throw up images of luminous test tubes and crazy- haired Einsteins, but that’s a microscopic portion of it all. To get you in the know, Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity is back, bringing a whole galaxy of knowledge and excitement into streets, universities, community centres and more. We chatted with producer Megan Shore about what’ll be occurring this year and why you should go along...
Whizz-bopping and think-tanking is in our city’s DNA – we’ll spare you Of course, curiosity is a key element here. “It's not just for people looking the Boots and ibuprofen-filled speech – and we have two universities and to become engineers – it's about teaching people in Nottingham to be a host of other companies ticking their way through the latest innovative curious and ask questions,” she says, “That can lead to lots of different research. It therefore makes perfect sense that we’re home to a week long things, whether that's going into the science field or doing something else festival about science. It’s jam-packed with workshops, pop-events and entirely.” loads more – but it wasn’t always such a big bonanza. Megan says: “The festival developed from a pop-up shop in Broadmarsh. It went down really It’s not just got shenanigans for the kiddiwinks, either – they’ve got well, and we reached lots of new people who might not have thought something that will interest everyone. Fancy watching a live heart science was for them.” The bewildered interest from the gathering crowds dissection on Valentine’s Day? Who wouldn't? “I feel like there's going to be sparked the idea of starting a science-themed festival that ran all over the a lot of couples that are very anti-Valentine’s there!” Megan laughs. They’ll city, with a plethora of organisations working together to make it happen. also be popping up activities at the Victoria Centre, Sneinton Market, Lakeside Arts and various other venues. Taking place between 12 - 19 February, the later events lap over half term, which is handy for anyone still struggling with a Christmas hangover or It’s clear they’ve gone above and beyond to find something to please is a bit strapped for cash. “It’s great for people who want to get out and everyone. Megan rounds off by saying: “A lot of the time, people think that don't want to stay in the house.” says Megan. “That's why we do things in science is not something that they're interested in. But come along and give community library spaces, or in the city centre. It's all very easy access, and it a try – I think you'll be surprised at how engaging the events are.” you don't need to be into science to take your kids along.” The Festival of Science and Curiosity is on across Nottinghamshire from Wednesday 12 February to Wednesday 19 February.
Heading to the Festival of Science and Curiosity? Make sure you check out Flight. It invites audiences to step inside a 40ft shipping container – with an interior exactly resembling a plane – and take a 30-minute short-haul flight in absolute darkness. Artistic Director Glen Neath tells us why it’s out of this world…
Describe Flight... How did you make it an immersive experience? The idea came after making our first show,Seance , and then We wanted to play with the ideas of fear, anxiety and people wondering which other environments we could work with. finding things unnerving, with short intense shows that draw We decided on a plane; we sourced parts from old, knackered on these things. Being completely in the dark puts you in a aircrafts and fashioned a narrative around that. We have 3D very unusual place, as you can't even see your hands. Because sound, blurring the idea of what is real and what isn't. The you can't see anything you're then very much aware of your show is about being on a plane but also in an alternative sense of hearing. From this, everyone has a very individual space which was running alongside it. That is what inspired experience, because they can hear other members of the the quantum multiverse concept we came up with. audience having their own experience too.
The quantum multiverse…? What has the reaction been like to it so far? It's basically the idea that there’s more than one possible On the whole, the response has been very good. Quite a lot thing that can happen; that there's all these different worlds of people have seen the set then walked straight out again! running parallel to each other. It's like the idea of playing But although it deals with a stricken plane, it does end with a Russian roulette and you surviving, and that world you message of hope, and that has been pointed out a few times survive in is the one you are conscious of. When you come out too. In March, at King’s Cross, we are planning on having all of the show, you're the conscious version of you that survived. three shows on as a collection, that people can spend the evening going to. Having Flight on in Nottingham is good as How did you come up with the concept? people will be able to see it individually, but we are quite Originally we did a few long shows using the same darkness excited about having them on together. and sound. But the problem was that theatres were all different shapes and sizes, so the sound was vastly different You can experience Flight at Lakeside Arts between Saturday 15 - Sunday than the one it was recorded in. We decided to make shows 23 February. we could control, so we had the idea of doing them in shipping containers, which would mean we could tour them. darkfield.org
34 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 REVIEW: THE DICE CUP
Finding something unusual to do in Nottingham city centre can sometimes be diff icult. But if your tummy is grumbling and your boredom is tumbling, vegan boardgame cafe The Dice Cup could sort you out.
Despite there being over 800 board games just waiting to be opened and their worlds explored, it’s not intimidating at all. You can play everything, from the more intricate games that you’ll be playing NEON WOLF for hours, to snappier ones like card games and Battleships. We went for the latter – it’s a hard- hitting, strategic minefi eld, right?
Along with many people in the UK, I decided to do Veganuary this year. This hasn’t been too diff icult for me, apart from very much missing my best friend: cheese. But the oozy-gooey-melty stuff that topped the vegan pepperoni pizza we had was unbelievable. My cheesy heartstrings are just twanging thinking about it. The cafe has partnered up with plant- based deli No Homers for their vegan meats, which has allowed them to make doner, turkey and other interesting alternatives available on their menu.
photos: Natalie Owen
Walk into the Neon Wolf cafe and you’ll immediately They don’t have a full food menu at the moment, but start eyeing up spots for your Instagram. It’s bright, they are cooking up plans to have local street food engaging and slick, with colourful Goose Fair-vibe seats vendor guest spots in the kitchen. Not only this, but and arcade machines that you’ll play with a mean coff ee they’ve got plans for yoga and coff ee mornings, as well buzz. It’s good coff ee too – they’ve partnered up with as game challenge nights on their arcade machines Stewart’s and have nabbed two head baristas from a where people can win a day in a tattoo chair. notorious Nottingham coff ee shop. The nostalgic interior is due to James’ childhood. “When Having an aesthetically-pleasing cafe to marry up I was a kid, me and my mate used to ride our BMXes to their already thriving tattoo studio – situated just from Toton to the Showcase Cinema to play on the Ninja downstairs – makes perfect sense. Owner James Irons Turtles machine, because it was a fi ve player game.” For puds, we tried out the Biscoff milkshakes and says: “It's a bit more fun, with the games and the food, When we snap him for photos, he’s clearly at home split a carrot cake. The milkshake was frothy and and is in line with what we've got in the studio. If this on the gaming machines. “I'm not really into modern fulfi lling, and the carrot cake was so moist, with was a subsidised cafe for the tattoo parlour it wouldn't gaming,” he laughs. “I had a go on Call of Duty and I was not-butter-butter-cream that melted on the tongue. work – it needed to be a stand-alone business by itself, terrible!” They don’t overly push the fact they serve all vegan taking the food and drink seriously.” food – they often fi nd that people are surprised Coming to the cafe off ers you a really good place to because they can’t taste the diff erence. It’s a As well as a tasty cup of char, they also off er vegan inspire you tattoo-wise too. “We've got books that refreshing attitude and one that I reckon a lot of confectionery from Mansfi eld’s Macaron Girls. people can fl ick through, and we've got an art wall with places will start adopting in the future. Doughnuts, cookies, cupcakes… Cue a Homer-esque hand-drawn postcards from our artists.” There’s no mouth dribble. They’ve even got Simpsons-style pressure to get a tat though – you can go in and enjoy Regardless of your food preferences or your doughnut cupcakes. “I'm vegetarian not vegan, but the cafe just for its treats and tricks. gaming expertise, you’re defi nitely not rolling the the amount of times I’ve looked at a menu, squinting dice coming here. It’s a lovely place to unwind, for a ‘V’ has been awful. I wanted it to be the other “If you're creative, you like tattoos and you like coff ee, eat uncomplicated yet tasty grub, and have an way around!” he says. “We've put countless months of it's probably the best place you can come to in the UK,” entertaining time. Eve Smallman development into the food, going back and forth on James smiles. “There just isn't anywhere like it.” recipes as well. It’s all vegan and all really good – you Mansfi eld Rd, NG1 3GY won’t be able to taste the diff erence.” Derby Rd, NG1 5AA @ thedicecup neonwolf.co.uk
New Restaurant Event Must Try Food
FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR FOOD ViDa by Lorentes Valentine’s Day Gin Tasting - Friday 14 Feb Romance Collection – Studio Chocolate
Close your eyes, ignore the cold weather, and imagine Sip on fi ve gins, specially selected for their links to all Surprise the other half with these choccies, guaranteed you’re in sexy Spain. Tantalising tapas, good red wine things romantically Victorian – aka the language of to make their hearts melt. Flavours include Cherry and a cosy atmosphere make this a date staple. fl owers and making eyes at your forbidden lover over a Amaretto, Praline Caramel and Champagne. Eat them at Flamenco dresses are not mandatory. fl apping fan. the kitchen table or... somewhere else in the house. lorentes.co.uk maltcross.com @_studiochocolate Review: The dice cup Review: Monga Besn t roma tic hot spots
It might appear like it’s lacking a soul, but I think it’s fair to say that one of the best things about the Vic Centre is the recent revamp of the ad-hoc food court occupying what I like to call the “big Tesco end.”
However, it’s the latest addition to the food network that got me the most excited. As someone who could happily eat beef noodle soup ‘til I was up to Sexy Mamma Love Spaghetti my eyeballs and maintains that bubble tea is the Nestled away in Hockley is this little best hangover cure out there, the opening of a slice of Italy. The small-but-cosy Taiwanese-style fried chicken joint made me jump restaurant provides an intimate for joy inside. Monga started out in London, and setting for the perfect date, serving this new Vic Centre location is the first foray outside up rustic Italian favourites that are the capital. always bursting with flavour. Make sure you book in advance because it’s First marinated in honey, fresh chicken fillets are permanently chock-a-block. dipped in batter rather than dry flour before frying, giving you a portion that’s thick, juicy and tender facebook.com/sexy-mamma-loves- at the same time. They’re not here to play when spaghetti it comes to portion sizes either – I walked past a handful of signs boasting their 2cm thickness, and Petit Paris was still surprised when I was presented with a Paris is the city of love (or so they piece of chicken the size of my head. say), so take a trip á la française to this hidden city-centre gem. Regulars claim the Parisienne-style joint serves up the best food and wine in town, so take your best company to sample the classic á la carte menu. Bon appetit, baby.
petitparisnottingham.co.uk
Oscar & Rosie’s If three-course meal dates aren’t really your thing, consider laid-back pizza at Oscar & Rosie’s. Grab a slice of the action with your love, with fresh sourdough pizza that has topping options aplenty. Then when you go for the same slice at the same time… Chow it down yerself.
oscarandrosies.com
Coco Tang Café Quaintly situated down the historic Byard Lane, CoCo Tang Café offers a 1950s Saigon-inspired eating experience, serving up authentic Vietnamese cuisine until 10pm daily. Complement your meal with a We went for the combo option – chicken, fries, traditional Asian coffee by day or enjoy salad and a drink for just under a tenner. I wish I a unique cocktail from their signature knew exactly what spices go into coating the thing menu at night. – a quick google suggests garlic, chilli and Chinese five spice – but all I know is it’s one of the most cocotang.co.uk distinct yet moreish combos I’ve ever experienced. The Lobster Pot Never afraid to push the boat out, I got mine Oysters are an aphrodisiac, if you topped with seaweed flakes, which was a catch our drift. This family-run seafood welcomed addition. The best part is we left feeling paradise puts a Thai twist on classic stunned, content and, most surprisingly, not seafood dishes. If oysters aren’t your feeling like we’d bathed in a bucket of grease. I’m thing, try the acclaimed lobster or crab going back there ASAP. Emily Thursfield dishes and chow down on some of the best seafood in the Midlands. Victoria Centre, NG1 3QP lobsterpotnottingham.co.uk
Bsweet This Italian-owned dessert place will make your tastebuds go ‘Mamma mia!’ There is nothing more romantic than ordering an ice cream with two spoons. The interior is also gorgeous, which means you can snap the perfect loved- up selfie. Cute.
bsweetdesserts.co.uk
To Follow The Kitchen on Pelham Street illustration: Ali Taylor-Perry Their home-cooked, rustic food will give you serious tummy rumbles. Fresh salads, packed sandwiches, decadent cakes and bountiful breakfasts all feature on their Insta. @pelhamstreetkitchen leftlion.co.uk/issue122 36 DOUGHNOTTSOFFICIAL.COM
#DOUGHNOTTS 14 King St, Nottingham, NG1 2AS
Mixed, glazed & crafted by hand Seas of Mirth (Album) Sub Marine Dreams
First breaking onto the scene with manic pirate shanties, this latest work sees the band evolving to more diverse instrumentals yet remaining loyal towards all things nautical. The perfect antidote to the overindulgent chart music, this album is packed with ten brilliantly-performed skits, each nodding to an underwater theme. Ranging from the hyperactive Ink (do the blollop) to the hazy and harmonious prog-rock banger, Jellyfish Metropolis, it’s only if you tune into the lyrics that you realise the subtle and beautiful ridiculousness of it all. They’ve matured, but they haven’t lost their sense of humour. Eileen Pegg
Alice Robbins Cult of Dom Keller GDFS (Single) Ascend! (Album) It’s been four years since the psychedelic fi ve-piece’s If there’s one thing that will see us through to spring, it’s last release, but Ascend! was defi nitely worth the wait. Alice Robbins’ new single GDFS. Occupying a paradisal The sixth album from the band features their usual brand place between sleepy indie and progressive folk, Alice of abrasive guitars paired with plenty of distortion, had a cracking 2019, playing enchanting shows and indistinguishable vocals and thunderous cymbals releasing EP Lavender Honey. GDFS suggests there’s plenty resonating to create a dynamically sonorous nine-track more where that came from; wistful vocals fraternise with record. Dense layers of sonic alchemy build the fuzz- guitar-meets-organelle consonance against a backdrop fuelled sound throughout to create a brazen, tripped- of candescent drumming. With a sound that’s delicate yet out soundscape that takes you on a sonic journey to a ballsy, we can’t wait to watch her soar in 2020. surreal, post-apocalyptic dimension from start to fi nish. Becky Timmins Laura Phillips
Hurtsfall Daisy Godfrey 12 Long Years (Single) Many Shades (Single)
Established in 2017, Hurtsfall are a relatively new outfi t but Daisy Godfrey; a name which if you’re not familiar with, this doesn’t detract from how refi ned they sound. Here, you need to get to know. Many Shades marks this ultra-cool Sam’s vocals really are an instrument in their own right, Nottingham lass’ hotly anticipated second single and rather a layer atop the band which has a bassline from boy was it worth the wait. Featuring Daisy’s signature guitarist Mike that’ll send listeners on a mad Joy Division soulful vocals, bags of attitude and stunning gospel- nostalgia trip (Hookey would be proud). The synths mirror inspired harmonies, it’s neo soul at its fi nest. If you’re after cold, mellow melodies from an era that’s often associated something fresh and funky with subtle nods to the very with greed, is this a warning? Only time will tell… best nineties R&B, this could just be your new favourite Joe Robinson tune. Addie Kenogbon
If you’re from Nottingham and want to get added to our music writers list, or get your tunes reviewed, hit us up at [email protected]
Your new Notts music tip sheet, as compiled by Nusic’s NUSIC Sam Nahirny. Want more? Check out the fortnightly BOX podcasts and live sessions on the Nusic website.
Celestines Sancho Panza Anthemic indie, with the rock and roll energy of arena rock bands We could go rave on about the NG music community for ages – like Kings of Leon. Celestines have got some BIG songs under their but one thing we really do love is seeing musicians supporting belt, to say they're a relatively new band – their lead single Die4 is other musicians. And Sancho Panza may be one of the most an anthem. Lead vocalist Dev’s unique tone really shines through loved artists in all of Notts. Surfi ng the line of indie swag, rock – and, being wrapped all together in the band’s sonic loveliness, and roll-ability, with a sprinkling of pop melodies, they’ve got makes the kind of thing you just wanna belt out in the shower. You their unique sound down to a T. And that’s before you see them can hear the energy that makes you think ‘yeah – this is gonna be a ram out The Bodega, Rough Trade, or whichever local venue riot live.’ they’re set to dominate next.
facebook.com/wearecelestines/ facebook.com/sanchopanzzza/ 38 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 Book Reviews
Take Three Anthology (Soundswrite Press)
This exciting collection features the work of three female poets living and working in Nottinghamshire: Tuesday Shannon, Pippa Hennessy and Elizabeth Hourston. Split into three sections, each poet has space to project their own voice in the collection, with elements of shared kinship coming through.
Perseverance and family come to form two of the most noticeable motifs for each poet. It builds a cohesive sense of the whole collection, with differences between each poet’s work maintained. For example, in comparison to Hennessy, Why Video Game Adaptations Can Still Work Shannon and Hourston maintain a more structured approach to free verse. Hennessy instead uses the page to demonstrate her ability to connect the elements of found With a number of recent video game poetry in Quantum Theory and the speaker’s voice. This adaptations faltering on the big screen, you collection as a whole is extremely enjoyable to read and will might think they’re doomed to fail. Look at definitely be one I return to.Kate Hewett the utter mess around the proposed Uncharted movie; it feels like a hundred different directors have been cycled through before the thing’s even reached pre-production.
Yet while there have admittedly been a number of woeful adaptations in recent years, there is hope for these films in the future if they follow the path of The Witcher.
The Netflix series bases its story on the novels, but is clearly influenced by the games from Brian Clough: Fifty Defining Fixtures the franchise and shows future filmmakers Marcus Alton that the key to success is to not take things (Amberley Publishing) too seriously. Embrace the games with all There are few characters in Nottingham’s history that have their weird and wonderful features rather provided as many hours of endless entertainment as the than shying away from them. The Witcher late, great Brian Clough. Countless books have been written has a number of faults, including a pretty on Ol’ Big Head but, whether it’s his personal or professional illogical storyline and some very questionable life (if you can really make a distinction between the two), dialogue, but there is a joy to its self- Clough provides a seemingly endless well of fascinating, awareness. It pokes fun at the gruff grunts hilarious anecdotes. of Henry Cavill’s Geralt, the insane range of characters in the show and the general Focusing more, although not exclusively, on the football ridiculousness of its entire genre, but it makes side of things, Marcus Alton’s comprehensive, endlessly the series more entertaining as a result. There readable Fifty Defining Fixtures is a must-read for any who have is fan service aplenty from a cast and crew an interest in Clough’s life. Alton’s uncluttered, entertaining who clearly enjoy the games themselves, narrative flair is perfect for providing the backstory on which has led to an instant cult following and the football games that made Clough a legend, delivering overwhelmingly positive response from the a perfect balance of statistics, first-hand accounts and people that really matter: those who play the context. Whether you’re reading cover-to-cover, or dipping games. in and out for specific games, it’s a genuinely absorbing read. Ashley Carter The lesson for filmmakers is this: if you are making a movie based on a game, embrace it
Face Blind in Berlin, Suffolk and Gedling This is the complete opposite to 2016’s Assassin’s The Memoirs of Chris Cook Cann Creed, a snooze-fest so devoid of enjoyability (Loaf on a Stick Press) that it makes The Da Vinci Code feel like a comedy. The film introduces new characters Mushroom Bookshop served as Nottingham’s premier radical to which audiences have no prior affection bookshop from the early seventies until its closure in 2000. and attempts to develop a fresh storyline with With its roots firmly set in the anarchist movement, it blessed depth and mystery. But it doesn’t appreciate Heathcoat Street with a selection of counter-culture, lesbian the history of the game and its lore, and fails and gay literature for almost three decades, courtesy of co- to acknowledge the wit and humour in the founder Chris Cook Cann. series. It considers itself better than the game it’s inspired by and is more focused on a mass While Cann’s endlessly enjoyable memoir, Face Blind in Berlin, market than the actual fans of the franchise. As Suffolk and Gedling, covers this distinctive period in Nottingham’s a result, the film struggled at the box office and cultural history, it also delves into many more chapters in the was mauled by audiences who felt betrayed by author's fascinating story. Her life’s events, which span from the direction it took. growing up as something of a child spy in sixties Berlin, her involvement in non-violent direct action in the eighties and her So the lesson for filmmakers is this: if you are campaigning efforts to save day case at Hayward House, are making a movie based on a game, embrace it. also accompanied by the list of books Cann was reading at the Don’t consider yourself better than the game time, providing an interesting, contextualizing insight into her developers and don’t take things too seriously. mindset and changing interests. Video games and their stories are often weird, bizarre and flawed, but that’s what makes It’s a hard book to review in as much as the most honest them great. Make these films for the fans and thing I can say about it would be: just pick up a copy and start it might just become a success. The Witcher reading. Cann writes with wit, wonderfully capturing some showed filmmakers how it’s done. Here’s of the weird and wonderful idiosyncrasies of life, as well as hoping they listen. providing a unique insight into an incredibly important chapter in Nottingham’s past. Helen Baxter-Clark words: George White
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 39 “One of the most exciting things Nottingham Cathedral Choir I’ve seen all year.” Evening Standard Musical & Amicable Society Baroque Orchestra Alex Patterson conductor
“A thrilling grime musical.” The Guardian J. S. BACH St John Passion
19–21 Mar
A Royal Court Theatre Production
Saturday 7 March 2020, 7.45pm Nottingham Cathedral Derby Road, Nottingham, NG1 5AE By Debris Stevenson feat. Jammz Tickets: £16, £12, £10 available online from A coming of age story inspired by Dizzee Rascal’s seminal album www.nottinghamcathedralmusic.com Nottingham Tourism Centre 1-4 Smithy Row, Nottingham NG1 2BY tel. 08444 77 56 78 or at the door (subject to availability) nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk 0115 941 9419
Originally co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW and the Royal Court Theatre in 2018, supported by Jerwood Arts. BEST OF FEBRUARY
Casino Zero Light Night Yazmin Lacey Surface: Department for Dance When? Friday 21 February, 7pm When? Friday 7 February When? Saturday 8 February When? Saturday 8 February Where? Nonsuch Studios Where? Across the city centre Where? Peggy’s Skylight Where? Surface Gallery How much? £7 How much? Some events free, How much? £14.30 How much? £8 on the door others paid Our very own Editor-at-Large Bridie Yazmin Lacey will be gracing Peggy’s If reality has got a bit much for you Squires has created her own one- Yes, it’s still winter, but the bright stage with her glorious fusion of lover’s lately, boogie on over to the Surface woman-show Casino Zero. It’s all about lights and glowing atmosphere rock, soul, jazz and techno. After Gallery for two fl oors of music and a newly-recruited croupier, who is that will be around this evening the show head over to Suede where psychedelic heaven. With a mission faced with lairy situations aplenty will make it feel like summer again. Yazmin and friends will be taking over to be bigger, better, and weirder, this and moral compasses that are There will be parties in Old Market the decks to keep the party going on is going to be a look into the world of replaced with roulette wheels. We Square and Sneinton Market, till late. See you there, pears. disco. Dust off your disco pants and chatted to her on page 18 about how workshops at places such as get ready to dance the night away. she created it and why you should Handmade and Malt Cross, plus lots pop along. more at all your favourite venues.
PVC: A Virtual Reality Ambush When? Thursday 27 February, Open Dome: Exploring Skyscapes Festival of Science and Curiosity Just the Tonic Comedy Club 6.30pm When: Friday 28 February, 7pm When: Wednesday 12 February to Featuring Spencer Jones Where? New Art Exchange Where: Nottingham Contemporary Wednesday 19 February When: Saturday 15 February How much? Free How much? Free Where: All over the shop Where: Metronome How much? Some events free, others How much? £12 - £16.50 Chronic Insanity are here to disrupt You know that thing above us? Well, paid everything you know about theatre, NTU is celebrating the sky in style Just the Tonic always puts on a corkin’ so bring your socks because they’ll at the Nottingham Contemporary. This wonderfully whimsical night, but this one is going to be a be sure to be knocked off with this Notts writers, poets, astronomers, festival is taking place across real treat. Double-BAFTA nominated media mixin’ performance. Expect and photographers are gathering the Nottinghamshire area, with comedian Spencer Jones is taking to to be plunged into a world of live together to put on a truly immersive workshops, events and lots more for the stage for some glorious stand- performance, virtual reality, and a night. Head over for a starry night peeps of all ages. Whether you’re into up. Afterwards he’ll be doing a lot of side-splitting laughter. full of all things arty. the sciencey bits or just fancy seeing 50-minute Disco Experiment, so stick summat a bit diff erent, you’re sure to around for that if you’re as curious as fi nd something that tickles your fancy. we are about it.
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 41 What’s on?
SATURDAY 1 FEB MONDAY 3 FEB TUESDAY 4 FEB WEDNESDAY 5 FEB THURSDAY 6 FEB
Milton Jones in 😂 Reiki Apollo5 Catrin Finch & Cimarrón The Hallé Goes To Nashville Milton: Impossible 🔧 ♫ ♫ ♫ Nottingham Womens Centre University Hall Lakeside Arts Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £5, 2pm £5 - £25, 7pm £20, 7.30pm £19.50 - £39.50, 7.30pm £30, 7.30pm
Words for Wellbeing The Island Child Tamaryn Piatti String Quartet Freewheelin 🔧 📖 ♫ ♫ ♫ St Anns Allotments Five Leaves Bookshop The Chameleon Lakeside Arts The Plainsman £35, 10am £4, 7pm £10, 7pm £18, 5.30pm Free, 9pm
Life Drawing with Tas Severis Explore Art Club Open Hack Night Treasure Island Carnaval Transatlântico 🎨 🎨 🔧 🎭 ♫ Patchings Art Centre New Art Exchange Nottingham Hackspace Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Alberts £52, 7pm Free, 4pm Free, 6.30pm £19.50, 7pm £11 - £15, 8pm
Words for Wellbeing 📖 🎥 Kinky Boots 🎨 Line Drawn 👪 Black Creatives Network St Anns Allotments Savoy Cinema Portraiture Workshop New Art Exchange £35 - £45, 10am £11 - £13.50, 8pm City Arts Free, 6pm
SUNDAY 2 FEB £7, 5.45pm Michaela Anne + Jack Klatt Strictly Come Dancing Desert Island Flicks ♫ 🎭 🎭 The Bodega Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Stitch and Bitch Bonington Theatre Carl Hutchinson Live 2020 🎨 😂 £14 - £15.40, 7pm £51.60, 7.30pm Crafty Crow £8, 7.30pm Canalhouse Free, 5pm £12, 5pm Caramello: Lost City Of Atlantis Race Night (Scalextric) Tony Law: Identities ♫ 🚲 📣 Rock City The Dragon Book Signing: Kwoklyn Wan The Glee Club Sam Baker 📖 ♫ £7.50 - £10.24, 10pm £5, 7.30pm Waterstones £13.60, 7pm The Old Cold Store Free, 10.30am £16, 7.30pm Sam Lee The Game Harry Potter Game Day ♫ ♫ 📣 Rescue Rooms Rock City The Interrupters Waterstones Jean Selim Abdelmoula ♫ 🎭 £13.75 - £19.25, 7.30pm £30.25, 6.30pm Rock City Free, 1pm Theatre Royal and Royal £20 - £22, 6.30pm Concert Hall Words for Wellbeing Top Flight Time Machine Georgie £11, 11am 🔧 🎭 ♫ St Anns Allotments The Glee Club NTU Vocal and Metronome ♫ £35 - £45, 10am £14.25, 7pm Instrumental Competitions £8, 7pm Stella and the Starshiners 👪 University Hall Lakeside Arts Free, 1pm £8.50 - £10, 1pm
FRIDAY 7 FEB SATURDAY 8 FEB SUNDAY 9 FEB MONDAY 10 FEB TUESDAY 11 FEB
Friday Night Rally Iceland Symphony Orchestra Argentine Tango 😂 ♫ 🔧 🎭 Overheard 🎭 An Inspector Calls Nonsuch Studios Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall 62nd Scouts Hall Lakeside Arts Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £8 - £10, 7pm £9 - £37, 7.30pm £7, 3.15pm £12, 6pm £10 - £35.50, 7.30pm
Light Night Napoleon Dynamite 👪 🍴 🔧 Now a Major Motion Picture 🎲 The 1UP Video Games Quiz Sneinton Market ♫ Bam Bam: The Launch Night Food and Film Night Broadway Cinema Broadway Cinema Free, 5pm The I Club Rough Trade £35 - £70, 7pm £1, 8.45pm £7 - £13, 8pm £20, 7pm Harleighblu ♫ 🔧 Words for Wellbeing 🎨 Body As Canvas / Surface Peggy’s Skylight ♫ Mimm Present Yazmin 🎨 Drawing Workshop St Anns Allotments New Art Exchange £12 - £17, 8pm Lacey (DJ Set) & Friends The Playwright 38 £35 - £45, 10am Free, 1pm Suede Bar £20, 1pm Glowstick Trials Free, 11pm 👪 🎨 Pastel Course with Chas Wood 🎭 ...If We’ve Never Been The National Justice Museum 🎥 Kinky Boots Patchings Art Centre To The Moon? £3.50, 6.30pm 🔧 500 Words: A Workshop Savoy Cinema £52, 10am Nonsuch Studios for Young Writers £11 - £13.50, 2.30pm £10, 7.30pm Exhibition Launch Party Nottingham Writers Studio 🎨 🎭 Two & Light Night £10, 2pm Fiona Stein ♫ Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Open Critique Night Nottingham Contemporary Peggy’s Skylight £11.50, 7.30pm Nottingham Writers Studio Free, 6.30pm 🔧 Candle Jar Craft Workshop £3 - £5, 1pm Free, 7pm Malt Cross ♫ Pkew Pkew Pkew Light Night: An Free, 5pm Hypersensitivity 🎨 ♫ The Bodega ♫ Billy Lockett Alternative Fashion Show The Chameleon £10 - £11, 7pm The Glee Club Soul and Flare ♫ Music for a Better State of Mind £3, 7.30pm £14.75, 7.30pm Free, 6.30pm Rough Trade ♫ Shopping £3, 7.30pm Sonny Rollins and the ♫ Rough Trade 😂 Eric and Ern 🍴 MJ the Art Traveller Modern Jazz Quartet £10.99 - £19.99, 6.30pm Nottingham Playhouse + Cocktail Lab ♫ Definitely Oasis Peggy’s Skylight £23, 7.30pm MinorOak Rescue Rooms £8 - £16, 6pm 🎲 Malt Cross Pub Quiz Free, 6.30pm £13.20, 7pm Malt Cross 😂 Jokes and Jerk £1, 8.30pm The Angel Microbrewery Free, 7pm
42 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 WEDNESDAY 12 FEB THURSDAY 13 FEB FRIDAY 14 FEB SATURDAY 15 FEB SUNDAY 16 FEB
Valentine’s Day Gin Tasting Ancient Crafts: Flintknapping Chloe and the Colour Catcher 👪 Nottingham City WI 🎨 Ivon Hitchens: Gallery Tour 🍴 🔧 👪 International Community Centre Lakeside Arts Malt Cross Lakeside Arts Lakeside Arts £4, 7.30pm Free, 1pm £30, 7pm £40 - £50, 11am £7.50 - £8, 1.30pm
Valentine Burlesque Cabaret Evening Watson Fothergill Walk 🎨 Line Embroidery Workshop 🏫 CAMPUS Talks: Quinsy Gario ♫ ♫ 🎩 City Arts Bonington Gallery Variety Show Nottingham Cathedral Tourism Centre £10, 5.45pm Free, 6.30pm Alea Casino £12 - £12, 7.45pm £12, 10am £16 - £50, 7pm Fat Thursday On A Saturday 90s TV Film & Music Quiz Night ♫ Oh Wonder ♫ JazzSteps: Xhosa Cole Quartet 👪 🎲 Metronome Bonington Theatre ♫ Wholesome Fish New Art Exchange Bunkers Hill £19 - £31, 7pm £5 - £12, 8pm Malt Cross Free, 2pm Free, 7.30pm £5, 7.30pm Washdown Open Mic Alan Barnes with The 🎭 The Naughty Fox 😂 Miz Cracker ♫ ♫ Nonsuch Studios The Glee Club ♫ Emily Hodkinson WOLF Italian Street Food Nottingham Jazz Orchestra £8, 10.30am £21.60, 7pm Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £8, 7.30pm The Federation Club Free, 1pm £10, 8pm Marvin’s Revenge 🎥 Shutter Island 🚲 Unibet Premier League Darts ♫ Nottingham Contemporary Motorpoint Arena Nottingham 👪 Cocktails and Crime The Angel Microbrewery ♫ Tori Freestone & Alcyona Mick £5, 6.30pm £29.20 - £148.20, 7pm The National Justice Museum £8, 7.30pm Peggy’s Skylight £21.95, 7pm £6 - £10, 6pm
Just the Tonic Presents: 📣 Beeston Tales ♫ Jimi: The Legend Lives On ♫ The Beeston Victory Club Nottingham Playhouse ♫ Heartbreakers Ball Spencer Jones ♫ God Damn £6 - £7, 7.30pm £24, 7.30pm The Space, Nottingham Contemporary Metronome The Bodega £11, 8pm £12 - £16.50, 7pm £6, 7pm In Progress: The Glad ♫ Lunchtime Recitals 🎭 University Hall Game And Aftershock 📣 Iain Dale: All Talk With 🎭 Chicago 🔧 Argentine Tango: All-Day £3, 1pm Rescue Rooms Kenneth Clarke Nottingham Arts Theatre Beginners Course £5, 8pm Nottingham Playhouse £11 - £14, 2.30pm 62nd Scouts Hall £1 Comedy Night £23.50, 7.30pm £25 - £40, 9.30am 😂 The 1975 Canalhouse ♫ Claudia Huckle Contralto ♫ £1, 8pm & Simon Lepper Piano 📖 An Evening with Kate Spicer Motorpoint Arena 🎨 Paint a Pot Lakeside Arts Waterstones £41.52 - £129, 6.30pm The Harley Gallery £18, 5.30pm £5, 6.30pm £5 - £22, 10am
MONDAY 17 FEB TUESDAY 18 FEB WEDNESDAY 19 FEB THURSDAY 20 FEB FRIDAY 21 FEB
DSLR Photography: Build a Cardboard City Mànran Oi Frog 🔧 👪 ♫ 👪 From Landscape to Monoprint 🎭 Embedding Your Skills Lakeside Arts Lakeside Arts Lakeside Arts Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Broadway Cinema £8, 10am £18, 7.30pm £8, 10am £11.50 - £13.50, 3.30pm £90 - £100, 6pm Young Physicist for a Day Everyday Life in 📖 Nottingham City WI Book Club 👪 Oysland 👪 Lakeside Arts ♫ Roman Margidunum ♫ Heron Music Cafe Broadway Cinema City Arts The Poppy and Pint Free, 7pm £5, 1.30pm £10, 7.30pm Lakeside Arts Free, 10.30am Free, 1pm The Sleeping Beauty 🎨 Explore Art Club 🎥 Pink Flamingos Savoy Cinema 🎥 My Pet Fauxes 🔧 Words for Wellbeing New Art Exchange Nonsuch Studios ♫ St Anns Allotments Free, 4pm £11 - £13.50, 2pm £7.50, 8pm Metronome £35 - £45, 10am £5, 7pm The Ripple Effect 🎭 A Monster Calls 🎨 A Heart To Love New Art Exchange 🎭 The Black Charade ♫ Totally Wired! Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Bonington Theatre ♫ Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £16.50 - £36.50, 7.30pm Free, 4pm £7, 7.30pm Alberts £11.50, 7.30pm £8.80 - £14.30, 7.30pm Tori Freestone Trio 📖 Poetry from Helen Mort ♫ Castle Rock Brewery Coach Tour Southwell Library 📣 The Pete Wylie Show 👪 Tell Your Story! Five Leaves Bookshop The Fox and Crown ♫ New Art Exchange £2 - £4, 7pm £10, 7.30pm £15, 10am The Bodega Free, 1pm £17 - £18.70, 7pm Jordan Brookes 📣 Listening: A Crisis 😂 Tori Freestone Trio The Glee Club ♫ Casino Zero ♫ Tori Freestone Trio Nottingham Contemporary West Bridgford Library 🎭 Beeston Library Free, 6.30pm £11.60, 7pm £10, 7pm Nonsuch Studios £10, 7.30pm £7, 7.30pm Gentleman’s Dub Club ♫ Lauran Hibberd ♫ Sorcha Richardson Rescue Rooms ♫ Lazy Dog 🔧 Animation The Bodega The Bodega ♫ Technologies Workshop £9 - £9.90, 7pm £20.35, 6.30pm £9, 7pm The Plainsman Nottingham Contemporary Free, 9pm Free, 5pm SFiCE Social Cafe Peer Support Group 👪 👪 📣 An Evening with Hill View Community Centre Nottingham Womens Centre Charlie George 🍴 Chateaubriand & Wine Evening Free, 5pm Free, 1pm The Southbank City Hart’s Hotel and Restaurant £75 - £150, 7.30pm £16.50 - £38.50, 6.30pm
leftlion.co.uk/issue122 43 What’s on?
SATURDAY 22 FEB SUNDAY 23 FEB MONDAY 24 FEB TUESDAY 25 FEB
🎥 Kes Film Screening 👪 Igloo 🎩 Georgian Delights: Gallery Tour 🎲 Pub Quiz Mansfield Central Library Lakeside Arts Lakeside Arts The Sir John Borlase Warren £3, 1.30pm £8, 11am Free, 3.30pm £1, 8.30pm
♫ Songwriter Sessions: ♫ Irish Traditional Folk 🎥 Beetlejuice ♫ Shakespeare’s Songs City Arts Music Session Savoy Cinema Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £4, 7pm Malt Cross £5 - £6.95, 8.30pm £11.50, 7.30pm Free, 3pm 🎨 Aardman Model Making Workshop 🏫 Shakespeare’s Inspiration 🔧 Teenage Flicks Nonsuch Studios ♫ Nearly Dan Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Broadway Cinema £10 - £25, 11am The Glee Club £11.50, 7.30pm £35 - £70, 7pm £19.60, 7pm ♫ Brandon Block + Alex P 🎨 Practical Art-Exploring Painting 📖 Between The Lines Book Club Alberts 🎭 Qawwali: NFAK Tribute Tour Nottingham Writers Studio New Art Exchange £11.25, 8pm Nottingham Arts Theatre £66, 10am Free, 6pm £17 - £25, 7pm ♫ Sigala 🔧 The Language Philosophers Use 🎭 Pyramus and Thisbe Rock City ♫ Griever + The Oklahoma Kid The Nottingham Mechanics Institute The Studio Theatre £19.80, 6.30pm Ye Olde Salutation Inn £54, 6.45pm £8.50 - £10, 7.30pm £7.70 - £10.20, 8pm 🎭 DirtyFilthySexy Presents: ♫ Twin Peaks ♫ Massicot + Slagheap + Queer Sounds 🚲 Wilder v Fury II The Bodega The Mysterious Monopole Rough Trade The Southbank City £13 - £14.30, 7pm JT Soar £6, 9pm £5.50, 2am £6 - £8, 8pm ♫ Goo Goo Dolls 🎭 Missimp: Improv Triple Decker ♫ Kiefer Sutherland Rock City ♫ Laurence Fox Nottingham Playhouse Rock City £35.75, 6.30pm The Bodega £7 - £9, 7.45pm £32 - £35.20, 7pm £17.50 - £19.25, 7pm 🔧 Now a Major Motion Picture 😂 Just the Tonic 📖 Tales of Frost & Firelight Broadway Cinema 🚲 Yoga Metronome City Arts £35 - £70, 7pm Nottingham Womens Centre £7 - £13, 6.45pm £5 - £25, 3pm Free, 1pm
THURSDAY 26 FEB FRIDAY 27 FEB SATURDAY 28 FEB SUNDAY 29 FEB
The Chase How to Be Amazingly Happy! YOUnique Festival 2020 Cara Dillon ♫ 🎭 👪 ♫ The Chameleon Nonsuch Studios New Art Exchange Lakeside Arts £6.60, 7.30pm £7.50 - £15, 7.30pm Free, 12pm £20, 5.30pm
Virtual Reality: A New Reality? Jungle Cakes Stephen Bailey: Can’t Be Bothered Food Tales: Doing Things Differently 👪 ♫ 😂 🏫 New Art Exchange The I Club Metronome Lakeside Arts Free, 6.30pm £12 - £15, 10pm £10.50 - £14.50, 6pm Free, 1pm
Lucy Beaumont: Space Mam Michael Ball + Alfie Boe Eco-Cleaning Workshop City WI Craft Club 😂 ♫ 🔧 🎨 Canalhouse Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Malt Cross Broadway Cinema £12, 8pm £46 - £90.80, 8pm £26.64, 1pm Free, 6.30pm
Howl at The Den Open Dome Yoga Sound Movement: Grounding Pyramus and Thisbe 😂 📣 👪 🎭 WOLF Italian Street Food Nottingham Contemporary Nottingham Contemporary The Studio Theatre £5 - £9.50, 8pm Free, 7pm £10 - £25, 11.30am £8.50 - £10, 7.30pm
Portico Quartet Near Mrs + Special Guests Big Thief Take Off 20 ♫ ♫ ♫ 📣 Metronome Rough Trade Rock City Antenna Media Centre £17.50, 7pm £8, 7.30pm £23, 6.30pm Free, 8am
Quartet Com Alma: Jazz of Brazil AC/DC UK PuNk It uP! Presents: 1525: Arts Funding Workshop ♫ ♫ 📣 🔧 Peggy’s Skylight Rescue Rooms Brian James In Conversation Nottingham Contemporary £5 - £8, 8pm £13.20, 6.30pm Rough Trade Free, 5pm - 7pm £13.52 - £15, 6pm
Magic of the Musicals Witches Can’t Be Burned Jared James Nichols ♫ 🎭 ♫ Nottingham Trent University Nottingham Playhouse Stage Fighting Rescue Rooms 🔧 £8, 7.30pm £5, 7.45pm Nottingham Playhouse £13.75, 6pm £35, 2pm
The Marcus King Band Etta Bond Food Tales: How a Bakery Can ♫ ♫ 📣 Rescue Rooms Metronome Ambient presents Subb-An Change Their Food System ♫ £22, 6.30pm £12.50 - £15, 7pm The I Club Lakeside Arts £8 - £9, 10pm Free, 1pm
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44 leftlion.co.uk/issue122 ONGOING STUFF LIKE EXHIBITIONS AND PLAYS AND THAT
Encroachments Winter Olympics Qualifying Games New Art Exchange Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Free £11 - £178.08 Sat 18 Jan - Sun 15 Mar Fri 7 Feb - Sat 8 Feb
A Black Canvas Volunteer Response Exhibition New Art Exchange Backlit Gallery Free Free , 12pm Sat 18 Jan - Sun 15 Mar Fri 7 Feb - Sun 9 Feb
Journeys to Nottingham from Denzil Forrester: Itchin & Scratchin the Windrush Generation Nottingham Contemporary Bonington Gallery Free , 10am Free Sat 8 Feb - Sun 3 May Mon 27 Jan - Sat 1 Feb Diane Simpson: Sculpture, Nell Gwynn Drawing, Prints 1976–2014 Lace Market Theatre Nottingham Contemporary £10 - £11 Free , 10am Mon 27 Jan - Sat 1 Feb Sat 8 Feb - Sun 3 May
Angela Verdon Sung Tieu: In Cold Print Djanogly Art Gallery Nottingham Contemporary Free Free , 10am CELEBRATING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, Mon 27 Jan - Sun 9 Feb Sat 8 Feb - Sun 3 May ENGINEERING AND MATHS EXAGGERATE EVERYTHING Chicago Backlit Gallery Nottingham Arts Theatre 12-19 FEBRUARY 12pm £11 - £14 , 7.30pm Mon 27 Jan - Sat 15 Feb Thu 13 Feb - Sat 15 Feb The Science Behind Beer Flight by Darkfield Barley Twist Lakeside Arts Ivon Hitchens: Space through Colour Free, 7.30pm £8 Matt Woodham: Sensing Systems Djanogly Art Gallery Bonington Gallery Wed 12 Feb Sat 15 Feb – Sat 21 Feb Free Free , 10am Mon 27 Jan - Sun 23 Feb Sat 15 Feb - Sat 28 Mar Are We Addicted to the Internet? Sci-Fi, Science & Curiosity Quiz Rough Trade Broadway Georgian Delights: Life Free, 7pm £1, 8pm Made in Dagenham During The Reign of George IV The Space @ Nottingham Girl’s High School Thu 13 Feb Sun 16 Feb Lakeside Arts £9 - £15 , 7.30pm Free Tue 18 Feb - Sat 22 Feb Tom by Wilkie Branson Camp Querdy Mon 27 Jan - Sun 29 Mar Lakeside Arts Nonsuch Studios Moonlight And Magnolias £12, 6pm and 8pm £6, 7pm Fri 14 Feb Tue 18 Feb Brick by Brick Nottingham Playhouse The Harley Gallery £8.50 - £37.50 Free Fri 21 Feb - Sat 7 Mar Tom by Wilkie Branson Science in the News: Mon 27 Jan - Sun 19 Apr Lakeside Arts The Infinite Primate Crate Off the Wall £12, 4pm and 7.30pm Nonsuch Studios Sat 15 Feb £5, 7.30pm Stewart Lee Lakeside Arts Nottingham Playhouse Free Wed 19 Feb £26.50 , 7.30pm Sat 22 Feb - Sun 29 Mar Anatomy Nights: Wed 29 Jan - Sat 1 Feb Valentine’s Day Special Rudolph Steiner A Servant of Two Masters Canalhouse Green’s Windmill £5, 7pm £5, 7pm Holes Lace Market Theatre Nottingham Playhouse £10 - £11 , 7.30pm Fri 14 Feb Wed 19 Feb £12.50 - £25.50 Mon 24 Feb - Sat 29 Feb Wed 5 Feb - Sat 8 Feb Wikipedia EditAThon: Feb Half Term Activities: Sonic Moves Women Scientists Backlit Gallery Nottingham Chinese New Year Gala 2020 Nottingham Contemporary Lakeside Arts Free , 11am Free, 11am NOTTSFOSAC.CO.UK £8 - £10 Sat 15 Feb - Sun 23 Feb Sat 15 Feb Thu 6 Feb - Sat 8 Feb
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leftlion.co.uk/issue122 45 illustration: Natalie Owen
illustration: Natalie Owen
When you think of Nottingham’s rich sport and gaming history, your mind might immediately wander to the worldwide success of Warhammer, the unprecedented double European Cup winning Forest team, or even Herbert Kilpin, the Notts legend that founded A.C Milan. What you might not know is that the city hosted the 1936 Nottingham Chess Tournament, which is still remembered as one of the most legendary events in the history of the game...
Nottingham might not immediately spring to mind Vidmar, whose career pre-dated World War One, uncharacteristic, extraordinary series of blunders which as a great chess city. Certainly not ahead of cities like Efin Bogoljubow who, though past his best, was still helped determine the top five places. Havana, St. Petersburg, Vienna or New York, which have optimistic of success and Savielly Tartakower. It’s all produced grand champions and hosted legendary hard to imagine a sporting entrance more dramatic It was to be the last tournament for the great Emanuel games. But the 1936 Nottingham chess tournament is than Tartakower’s, who sent shockwaves through the Lasker who, having utterly dominated chess with still remembered in almost mythological terms. Dr J. tournament before a single game had been played. The his unique psychological approach to the game for Hannak even went so far as to describe the tournament, night before the opening match, a Dutch ship believed almost three decades, was ultimately defeated, and which was held at the University of Nottingham between to be carrying him sank to the bottom of the Thames died four years later in New York at the age of 72. 10-28 August, as the “greatest chess tournament ever,” during a storm. Tournament organisers, assuming he The eventual winner, young Mikhail Botvinnik, seized – sentiments echoed by W.H. Watts, who called it “the had died, hastily announced his passing to a hall full of victory in somewhat contentious circumstances. Having most important chess event the world so far has seen.” shocked attendees, only to have Tartakower stroll in methodically worked his way to seven draws and seven twenty minutes later, very much alive and ready to play. victories, he met with last-placed British master William The reason? It remains one of the few tournaments Winter, who completely outplayed him on the final day. in chess history to include five past, present or future With first prize on the line, and defeat seeming certain, grand champions: Russians Mikhail Botvinnik, the The 1936 Nottingham chess Botvinnik was inexplicably offered a generous draw by future three-time world champion and the methodical Winter. Why? Winter was a well-known Stalinist, and Alexander Alekhine; Dutch grandmaster Max Euwe; tournament is still remembered would have rather seen a Soviet player crowned as legendary Cuban world champion José Raúl Capablance, champion. His wish was granted, and Botvinnik became considered by many to be one of the greatest players in almost mythological terms the first Soviet player to achieve success outside of the of all time, and Emanuel Lasker, the enigmatic German Soviet Union. genius who had reigned as champion from 1894-1921 These established players were widely expected to be – the longest reign of any officially recognised World challenged, if not surpassed, in Nottingham by four In an era when world-class players meet one another Chess Champion in the history of the game. young pretenders to the throne, Sam Reshevsky, Reuben every three or four months, modern chess fans have Fine, Salo Flohr and, in only his second voyage to a grown accustomed to the regularity of matches It was a coming together of giants of the game, and tournament not in the Soviet Union, Mikhail Botvinnik, between true greats. But 1936 was a wildly different a generational clash for the ages. Imagine Martin who turned 25 during the eighteen-day tournament. time for chess, and tournaments like Nottingham’s were Scorsese, Orson Welles, Charlie Chaplin, Stanley Many of the details of the tournament come from the incredibly rare – that calibre of competition was not Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock all competing for the Best methodical writings recorded by Botvinnik’s fellow matched for almost two decades. While Vienna’s 1882 Director Academy Award; it was almost unimaginable Russian, Alexander Alekhine, who kept a detailed tournament or the 1924 tournament in New York may be that, not only had these five greats gathered together account of each and every game. The British press considered the most legendary in the early years of the in one place, but four of them would return home reported that the atmosphere was one of incredible game, neither matched Nottingham’s 1936 tournament having lost. tension – helped in no small part by false death rumours for its ability to bring the sheer number of grand – and that Alekhine, a notorious chain-smoker, went champions together in one city for a tournament that is The tournament also represented something of a through over 100 cigarettes during a single game. The rightly considered as one of, if not the, greatest in any changing of the guard in world chess. Three true pressure ultimately told on both the experienced and era of the game. veterans of the game were present, including Milan younger players, as the tournament was decided by an
We’ve teamed up with the National Justice Museum to put objects from the past into Object the hands of people of the present. This month, we took a chess set and playing cards, hand-crafted by prisoners, to Steve at The Dice Cup Walk photos: Fabrice Gagos words: Andrea Hadley-Johnson
“This is really good. It reminds me of “This is actually quite impressive. I “I’m not sure what piece it is. It can’t “I think I could have done a better job that bit in The Shawshank Redemption don’t think I would be able to do that. be a King, because then it would have of making playing cards when I was when he gets a rock hammer and These must have taken a lot of time to be taller than the Queen. Maybe eight, but they didn’t have the same makes the little figurines, doesn’t he?” to make and sculpt when you’re it’s a Bishop, because it does kind of tools I would have had. I guess they in prison.” look like a Cardinal.” weren’t allowed scissors.”