Exposed Magazine March 2023

SPRING EVENTS GUIDE // MICKEY NOMIMONO // EMILY REDFEARN // EXPOSED AWARDS // OPEN UP SHEFFIELD // MISHRA // WILDFIRE ROAD

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

MARCH 2023 - WEEKEND DJ NIGHTS

MARCH

@CUBANA

FRIDAY

DJ NIGHTS

DOWNSTAIRS COCKTAIL BAR

FROM 9pm FREE ENTRY

MARCH

@CUBANA

SATURDAY

DJ NIGHTS

DOWNSTAIRS COCKTAIL BAR

FROM 9pm FREE ENTRY

Latin music, Reggaeton, Salsa, Samba, Mambo and Bachata with the latest tunes from the finest DJ’s

DJ Roly Caballero (Havana, Cuba)

3 4

10 11

DJ ANNA DE ORTE (DIRECT FROM BARCELONA)

DJ Ebo (Baila Reggaeton UK)

24

17 31 18 25

DJ ANNA DE ORTE (DIRECT FROM BARCELONA)

DJ Ebo (Baila Reggaeton UK)

EVERY WEEK

DJ Roly Caballero (Havana, Cuba)

WITH ARMANDO MURILLLO (CONGAS)

JOIN US EVERY SATURDAY FOR THE PERFECT PARTY MIX UP OF NU LATIN SOUNDS. FROM BRAZIL TO CUBA VIA THE UK AND BEYOND

DJ ANNA DE ORTE (Direct from Barcelona)

WITH ARMANDO MURILLLO (CONGAS)

DJ Fabio Bahia (Calle Ocho, Leeds)

WITH ARMANDO MURILLLO (CONGAS)

DJ ANNA DE ORTE (Direct from Barcelona)

WITH ARMANDO MURILLLO (CONGAS)

THE BIG SWING IS BACK!

FREE Swing Dance Class from 8pm.

Live music starts from 8.45pm.

Swing & Jazz DJ sets from 11pm

WEDNESDAY

1

BIG SWING EVERY WEDNESDAY IN MARCH!

THE BIG SWING IS AN EXCITING NIGHT OF UPBEAT JAZZ AND SWING FROM 8pm IN THE CUBANA DOWNSTAIRS LOUNGE BAR.

ALL LEVELS - STARTS 8pm FREE ENTRY ALL NIGHT!

CHARLIE LUDLAM

Learning the piano from the young age of 7 and working as a professional musician from the age of 15 with his father’s band, Charlie knows his eggs as they say. He is now a seasoned and popular young performer in great demand!

WEDNESDAY

MARCH 8

MARCH

WEDNESDAY

15

DAVID BROAD

With a succession of dance based gigs behind them David and his band of refined gentleman are taking the Lindy Hop scene by storm. Influences range from Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday to Blind Blake and Robert Johnson! Come and tap your toes to this lively fingerpicking swing, blues, folk and country guitar player!!

THE DIZZY CLUB

Sheffield’s most loved, long standing swing band. Their music often crosses the genre divide simply because they are so interesting musically. Influences of Hot Club, 40’s swing, Blue note Soul and Sinatra often with Latin rhythms gives them an edge.

TA URANT & CUBAN BAR

MARCH 22

WEDNESDAY

SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY BIG BAND

The University’s exciting ensemble organised and led entirely by current SU students. They play a variety of great music to the highest standard in a fun, and inclusive environment. A serious amount of brass.

WEDNESDAY

MARCH 29

MARCH

TESSA SMITH

Leeds Vocalist Tessa and her Applejacks are entertaining and captivating. With a strong Lindy Hop background Tessa knows how to play for dancers and does so regularly all over the UK. Their music choice has a variety of flavours and will stretch your dancing to its optimum.

“A raucous mix of live music and dancing that everyone can’t help getting involved in!”

CONTENTS

FEATURES

26: SPRING INTO LIFE

Spring? Don’t mind if we do. From inner-city music and arts festivals to citywide celebrations of the great outdoors, we round up some of the best bits heading to Sheff as we leave the icy doldrums of winter.

14: CITY VIEWS

This month’s Steel City story comes from Katey Lovell, who reflects on how a heavily industrialised 1990s Sheffield became her adopted home.

38: THE FELLOWSHIP OF FAGAN’S

A group of nine Sheffielders have joined together on a noble quest: to take on Fagan’s following the departure of its long-serving landlords. Ash Birch went to find out what they have in store for the much-loved traditional pub.

46: MICKEY NOMIMONO

Ahead of his biggest show to date, we caught up with DIY indie-punk Mickey Nomimono to chat about the Sheffield scene, revamped live shows and his observational style of writing.

68: OPEN UP SHEFFIELD

We explore what’s taking place at this year’s Open Up, a much-loved annual arts festival opening up studios and showcasing 92 Sheffield-based artists and makers across the city.

76: WILDFIRE ROAD

New to Sheffield Theatres this month, Wildfire Road tells the story of a group of strangers thrown together by chance on a flight to Tokyo as it is hijacked. Olivia Warburton sat down with actors Siubhan Harrison and Mark Weinman to hear what audiences can expect.

I think that I reached ‘peak Sheffield’ a few years back. It was while interviewing Richard Hawley, obviously, and listening to the Pitsmoor crooner deliver an eloquent sermon on why he loves living here (perks of the job, eh?). During this engaging lesson in Steel City culture, there was one line in particular that stuck with me: “In other cities, you’d have to make big plans to encounter wildlife and nature; in Sheffield, you’d have to make big plans to avoid it.”

This pithy statement rings true as we finally enter the spring months. As I made my regular commute from S8 to S3 this morning, the blossoming greenery and early morning sunshine en route made it feel very much like the city, along with its 500,000-odd inhabitants, was beginning to shake off the harsh constraints of winter and look ahead to what the warmer days would bring.

Also blooming away nicely is the city’s events calendar. This month alone we’ve got the Festival of the Outdoors, Sheffield Beer Week, Sheffield Adventure Film Festival and the return of multiple outdoor markets, mind-bending exhibitions and big cultural happenings heading our way. We’ve rounded up some of our top shouts from now until the end of May (pp. 26-35), so you can whip the diaries out and start planning ahead in good time.

In other news, traditional pub lovers can breathe a sigh of relief while reading about the saving of the famous Fagan’s by a group of committed Sheffielders (including an Arctic Monkey) in the food & drink section. For local music kicks, you’ll find my natter with rising musical talent Mickey Nomimono ahead of his headline Yellow Arch gig, plus there are fresh details on a certain annual awards do making its triumphant return in May.

The rest I’ll leave you to discover yourselves!

Take care, Joe @josephfood

GAFFERS

Phil Turner (MD) phil@ exposedmagazine. co.uk

Nick Hallam (Sales Director) nick@ exposedmagazine. co.uk

FINANCE

Lis Ellis (Accounts) accounts@ exposedmagazine. co.uk

GRAFTERS

Joe Food (Editor) joe@exposedmagazine. co.uk

Ash Birch (Online Editor) ash@exposedmagazine. co.uk

GI’ US A HAND PLZ

Iago Castro Charlon, Lucy Jeffs, Adele Parr, Heather Paterson, Cal Reid

THE BUSINESS STUFF

Exposed is published monthly by Blind Mice Media Ltd

Unit 1b, 2 Kelham square Kelham Riverside Sheffield S3 8SD

The views contained herein are not necessarily those of Blind Mice Media Ltd and while every effort is made to ensure information throughout Exposed is correct, changes prior to distribution may take place which can affect the accuracy of copy, therefore Blind Mice Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for contributors’ views or specific entertainment listings.

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IT RISES TO IN MARCH, MOVING UPWARDS TO 12° IN APRIL AND 16° IN MAY.

800+

MANAGED GREENSPACES ARE READY TO BE EXPLORED HERE IN THE CITY, SPREAD OUT ACROSS 4,000 HECTARES OF LAND.

SPRINGING FORWARD

199

HOURS OF SUNSHINE PREDICTED FOR MAY IN SHEFFIELD – THE SUNNIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR.

As the days get brighter and the social calendar builds up accordingly, let’s all take a moment to appreciate the onset of the soul-nourishing spring months. While Sheffield can certainly do cosy, the Outdoor City is on best form when it’s in full bloom. That’s why we’ve dedicated a fair chunk of this here issue to what’s worth getting excited about now that we’re leaving the long, dark winter behind –festivals, events, gigs, theatre and all manner of fun and games heading our way. Time to get stuck in!

“AGREAT NORTHERN BEACONOF CELEBRATIONANDESCAPISM”-NME

THINGS YOU ONLY KNOW IF YOU’RE A...

THEATRE DIRECTOR

GETTING A GOOD TEAM AROUND YOU IS VITAL

As a director, a large amount of my work is done before I get in the rehearsal room. Obviously, that relates to the actors I cast, but it also includes the team around me: the set and costume designer, sound designer, lighting designer, production manager – it can be a big group of people! So, it’s important to assemble the right team that you can get on with, work well with and have a shared creative language with. If I assemble the right team, my job becomes pretty easy!

2

IT’S A GREAT WAY TO TRAVEL

But not necessarily in the way you might think. I’ve certainly been lucky and recently returned from a tour in America where I visited LA, Chicago and New York. But that said, I also get to visit places in the UK that I probably would never go to otherwise – whether that’s Watford or the UK’s smallest theatre in Richmond, North Yorkshire. In theatre, we have what’s called a ‘digs list’, which is basically a list of houses where you can stay, and rather than doing AirBnB or hotels, people – often strangers – will let out a bedroom in their house. It’s a very interesting way to meet people outside of the theatre world!

DON’T BE SCARED TO TALK ABOUT MONEY

I’ve been a freelancer all of my career and still haven’t worked this out! But a big part of it is learning to know your worth, haggling and not being afraid to ask for more. I think coming from the north and not having much money myself made me feel awkward discussing it at first, but it took me about ten years to realise that I could usually ask for more than the amount being offered. I learned that people go in low and negotiate up. When you’re working on a show it can be an all-consuming life – we often do 12 or 14-hour days – so it’s important to properly value your time and break down what that’s worth. It might be your passion, and you might love it, but you still have to pay rent and buy food.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO VALUE DOWNTIME

As mentioned, people can work really long hours in the theatre industry, often working evenings and weekends. Therefore, it’s important to make the most of downtime. The pandemic taught me that: all my work had gone but it made me value time away from work more, and I had to redefine what I did when I’m not at work. It’s made me more conscious of respecting other people’s private lives, family time and general downtime too, which means I do my best not to waste their time when scheduling work.

3 4 5

ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD GAME

I actually start every day with the team playing a game. I think it helps a company to get into the mood for teamwork; it encourages the idea of play, thinking creatively and fun. Anything from four square to duck, duck, goose can work nicely!

Laura Keefe is a Sheffield-born, London-based theatre director who is currently back in the Steel City with Wildfire Road, a new play showing at Sheffielld Theatres’ Playhouse (formerly Studio) from 4th-18th March. Head to sheffieldtheatres.co.uk for tickets and more info.

Image: Steve Tanner

All about good food and good wine, Luca is a restaurant bringing some Mediterranean flair to Sheffield, from the people who brought us the much-loved coffee shop staples Joni and Gaard.

Luca opened in October 2021, transforming a bar and grill into a neighbourhood restaurant in Oughtibridge. The brainchild of Liam Bardell and Nathan Scarlett, joint owners of Sheffield favourites Joni and Gaard, Luca has forged a new direction for the successful group as a fully-fledged restaurant rather than a coffee shop. The venue boasts a grill and a Mediterranean feel, building on the previous incarnation that customers were familiar with. This has been coupled with a complete overhaul of the interior to create a cosy and welcoming space with a hint of taverna in the décor.

Overseen by executive chef Richard Barber, the head chef designs Luca’s menu in collaboration with his small team, as the managers are keen for individuals to contribute as much as possible. They have free rein to create whatever dishes work for Luca’s seasonal menu, utilising the grill and double pizza oven to their full potential. Favourites include the beef shin rigatoni, which features a ragu cooked for six to seven hours and has been a hit with customers right from day one.

Local produce is an important cornerstone of the restaurant group’s ethos, so they aim to use the same suppliers for all three sites such as their veg supplier in Barnsley. Luca also uses John Crawshaws, a butchers just down the road in Hillsborough, while Gaard uses vegan ingredients to show people just how tasty plant-based food can be and Joni is renowned for excellent coffee. It all comes down to attention to detail, from the coffee beans to the equipment, ensuring that the group can go above and beyond with the food and drink they deliver.

The newest addition of a second Joni, which opened in the summer of 2022 at Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, is tucked away is a peaceful spot that even Sheffielders may not have come across. Executive chef Richard is excited by the brand’s ambitions and explains that “it’s a massive team effort across all the sites. We want our staff to work for a growing company and get involved so we can keep pushing forward.” Luca and Joni mark two have both got off to a great start and there is still more to come in future, so watch this space and don’t miss a visit to Luca in the meantime! @luca_oughtibridge

PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLIE GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY

GUESTS WILL HAVE FRONT-ROW SEATS TO OUR EXPERT TEPPANYAKI CHEF PUTTING ON A SPECTACULAR SHOW OF ROARING FIRE, IMPRESSIVE TRICKS AND FUN WITH FOOD WHILST SERVING AN 8-COURSE SET MENU OF YOUR CHOICE ON A TRADITIONAL TEPPAN HOT PLATE.

I first visited Sheffield in 1996, tagging along with my United-supporting best mate and her family to watch Howard Kendall’s Blades beat a lacklustre Luton Town 1-0. The hills of my South Wales home seemed a distant memory as we reached Park Square roundabout – the façade of Park Hill flats looming above the crumbling, graffiti-marred frame of a derelict building nestled near the elevated tramlines. My first impression of Sheffield was that it was dirty; grimy, industrialised, part building-site. Yet one spraypainted missive amid the tags stood proud and hopeful. It proclaimed: Good

As You

For a closeted queer teen from a small market town it was the warmest welcome I could hope for. I’d barely seen the place but I’d fallen for Sheffield and its possibilities hook, line and sinker.

Over the next couple of years there were regular trips to Bramall Lane where we watched a squad including Sheffield’s homegrown talent Mitch Ward and Dane Whitehouse. Each visit started with a detour to Meadowhall’s Oasis where we’d eat Turners sandwiches laced with ready salted crisps as Georgey Spanswick gurned on the big screen, before heading to the three-sided Bramall Lane (pre-John Street renovation) to cheer on the Blades.

By 1998 I’d moved to the city, living in Woodville Halls on Hallam’s Collegiate Crescent campus. Student life revolved around happy hour at Champs, nights out at Republic and stomach-churning hungover walks into town past Ward’s Brewery on Ecclesall Road. Football was still one of my main interests; as well as having my own season ticket halfway up

BY KATY LOVELL

the Kop, I watched the reserves and youth team games too.

Sickly Cavendish smells, sticky Leadmill floors, grease-coated chips from Dev Chippy in a bid to sober up. Sunday afternoons in The Yorkshire Grey. A rodent-infested Nether Edge flat above the one musician Adrian Flanagan rented.

Pollards hot chocolate when my mum came to visit. Dates at Pizza Hut with my now-husband. Quiz nights at The Stag with friends, our team’s name ‘The Jackson Four’ a reference to the Nether Edge convenience store where we’d spend our winnings on tubes of Pringles or a cheap bottle of vino. A grade II listed cottage in Norton Hammer with thick walls and thin windows.

Tumbling confetti at the Register Office followed by fake December snow at the Ski Village. A sick baby at the Children’s Hospital, a lively toddler running riot around Megacentre. A red-bricked terrace off Abbey Lane with dangerously slick laminate floors.

Sunday lunch at Wetherspoons, relentless school runs and swim runs and Cubs runs. Graves Park animal farm and Millhouses Park café. A house in Greenhill with noisy neighbours and a worn terracotta carpet on the stairs.

All of which brings me here, to a 1930s terrace in S8. We bought it because of the location – a short walk to the charity shops of Woodseats in one direction, the independent eateries and coffee shops of Meersbrook an equal distance in the other. My favourite is Baked and Caked because of Andy and Wendy’s commitment to exploring vegan flavours (try the custard and fruit-topped Meersbrook bun pastries – you won’t regret it), but Kopi and Chai on the corner of Derbyshire Lane and Norton Lees Road is the perfect spot for people-watching with a coffee and avo on toast. Street art in the area includes pieces by Faunagraphic and Bubba 2000 and Millhouses, Graves and Meersbrook Parks are close by for dog walks and evening strolls. Micropub Guzzle, tapas bar The Tramshed and pie-gurus The Broadfield are all within a fifteen minute walk and my beloved Bramall Lane can be easily reached on foot or by bus. No longer closeted (pansexual and proud!) it’s great to be able to stroll to Lykke, the venue Rainbow Blades now meet at on matchdays.

Grimy? Sometimes. Industrialised? Sadly, not as much as it once was. A building site? Well, for a city that’s undergone numerous major facelifts over the past quarterof-a-century, the scaffolding and road diversions never seem to disappear. But Sheffield, and I, have come a long way since those visits in the ‘90s. It’s every bit as welcoming as I’d anticipated it would be. It’s my adopted home.

Katey Lovell is an author and freelance writer based in Sheffield. Follow Katey on socials (@katey_lovell) to stay up to date with her latest work.

FOR A CLOSETED QUEER TEEN FROM A SMALL MARKET TOWN IT WAS THE WARMEST WELCOME I COULD HOPE FOR. I’D BARELY SEEN THE PLACE BUT I’D FALLEN FOR SHEFFIELD HOOK, LINE AND SINKER.

...BUT SHEFFIELD, AND I, HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THOSE VISITS IN THE ‘90S. IT’S EVERY BIT AS WELCOMING AS I’D ANTICIPATED IT WOULD BE. IT’S MY ADOPTED HOME.

Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone is now live

As of Monday 27 February, Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is now being enforced in the designated city centre area.

What is it?

The CAZ is a Class C charging zone, which means that some vehicles driving within, or entering, Sheffield’s inner ring road and city centre that do not meet vehicle emission limits set by the Government will be charged.

Who will be charged?

Only the most heavily polluting vehicles will be charged for entering Sheffield’s CAZ. Private vehicles, motorcycles and lowerpolluting vehicles will not have to pay.

Vehicles that will be charged include heavy goods vehicles (HGV), light goods vehicles (LGV), vans, buses, coaches and taxis.

How do I check if my vehicle will be charged?

You can check whether your vehicle will be charged, using

the Government checker at www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones

(or scan the QR code on this page).

If the vehicle you own is compliant, then you do not need to do anything. If your vehicle is not compliant, and you drive into, out of, or within the zone, then you need to pay each day you travel.

How much will I need to pay?

Charges are:

• £50 per day for larger vehicles – such as buses, coaches and HGVs

• £10 per day for smaller vehicles – such as taxis and LGVs

• Larger campervans / motorhomes can apply for a discounted rate, reducing the charge amount to £10

If you’re entering the zone you can pay up to 6 days in advance, on the day, or up to 6 days after your journey. For information and a simple and secure way to pay, head to www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones .

Financial support

Financial support to upgrade

or replace a vehicle to meet CAZ standards is still available for vehicle owners based in Sheffield and Rotherham. Local exemptions and discounts are also still available, please visit the website (sheffield.gov.uk) for further information on how to apply.

An automatic, temporary exemption will be applied for Hackney Carriage vehicles licensed by the Council, up to 00:00 on Monday 5 June 2023. You do not need to apply for an exemption if your vehicle is one of the following:

• Nationally exempt

• Meets required emission standards

• A private car or motorbike

Why does Sheffield need a CAZ?

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) latest assessments show that Sheffield is not compliant with the annual limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). That’s why we urgently need to reduce NO2 levels around the city.

The CAZ will take us a step closer to cleaner air and higher standard of health for local people, especially those most vulnerable to pollution related health issues, such as the elderly, un-born babies and young children. Air pollution contributes to around 1 in 20 of deaths in Sheffield each year. The city’s Clean Air Zone is part of a national Clean Air Strategy funded by DEFRA, to tackle air pollution, including roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations.

To learn more about the CAZ please visit the website: www. sheffield.gov.uk/cleanair

SCAN HERE TO CHECK IF YOUR VEHICLE IS COMPLIANT

All you need to do is scoot over to the LIVE VOTING PAGE at exposedmagazine.co.uk, fill out your choices before the closing date on 11th April and we’ll announce shortlists the following day.

What’s The Plan?

It’ll be the usual big night craic, taking place at Peddler Warehouse on Thursday 18th May and celebrating the best of the local scene spanning food, drink, culture, fashion, music and beyond –with all winners on the night chosen by you lovely lot, the Exposed readership, and a handpicked selection of local judges with expertise across a number of sectors. We'll be introducing you to this year's judging panel over the next few weeks.

When does voting open?

Voting is open now and you’ve got up until 11th April to cast your votes. Once the votes are counted, we’ll announce the shortlist for each category. The votes are split 50/50 between you guys and the judging panel (the Strictly method).

‘Ow Much?

Tickets are £40 a pop (£20 standing), which includes entry to the awards, drinks on arrival and food from a range of street food traders – as well as plenty of live entertainment to get you in the party mood.

Fancy a biggun?

We’ll announce the venue hosting the afterparty on our socials this month. Might be worth booking the next day off work, mind.

IN A NUTSHELL…

Exposed Awards 2023

May 18th Peddler Warehouse

£40 seated // £20 standing Contact:

It’s back – bigger and better than ever before! We’re just a few months away from the return of our annual do bigging up the very best of Sheffield: the Exposed Awards 2023 is around the corner and it’s time to have your say!

MULTI AWARD WINNING

(Don’t forget to vote for us in the Exposed Awards 2023)

Join us for a Sardinian Christmas at Domo. We’re bringing Castelsardo to Kelham Island with a feast of delicious flavours to showcase Sardinia’s deeply-rooted Christmas traditions.

Join us for a Sardinian Christmas at Domo. We’re bringing Castelsardo to Kelham Island with a feast of delicious flavours to showcase Sardinia’s deeply-rooted Christmas traditions.

AWARD WINNING SARDINIAN SOUL FOOD IN THE HEART OF LITTLE KELHAM

CHRISTMAS LUNCH MENU £29.50pp

CHRISTMAS LUNCH MENU £29.50pp

CHRISTMAS DINNER SET MENU £38.50pp

We want you to experience the real Sardinian way of life. Whether you need coffee on the go, lunch with colleagues, after work drinks, feasts with the family, or cocktails at the weekend we serve up Sardinian tradition all day long.

CHRISTMAS DINNER SET MENU £38.50pp

Available all day

Available all day

For parties of 8 or more please email info@ domorestaurant.co.uk or call us on 0114 3221020 (Deposit & pre order from a set menu required).

For parties of 8 or more please email info@ domorestaurant.co.uk or call us on 0114 3221020 (Deposit & pre order from a set menu required).

EAGLE WORKS, 34-36

APERITIVO

Join us from 5pm - 7pm, Monday - Thursday for £7 Italian Aperitivo cocktails!

EAGLE WORKS, 34-36

EAGLE WORKS, 34-36

COTTON MILL WALK, LITTLE KELHAM, S3 8DH

COTTON MILL WALK, LITTLE KELHAM, S3 8DH

COTTON MILL WALK, LITTLE KELHAM, S3 8DH

T: 0114 3221020 // E: info@domorestaurant.co.uk// www.domorestaurant.co.uk

T: 0114 3221020 // E: info@domorestaurant.co.uk// www.domorestaurant.co.uk

T: 0114 3221020 // E: info@domorestaurant.co.uk// www.domorestaurant.co.uk

kelu

Kelu, which is Sardinian for the word “Sky” is an oasis of warmth, mystery and cocktail mastery, where in the space of an evening visitors can enjoy a sense of disconnection from the outside world.

A cocktail bar at the gates of Kelham Island, hidden above street level... Find your way up the steel stair case & prepare to be transported to a Sardinian paradise with a twist of modern indulgence.

EVENING APERITIVO

Cleverly formed dishes & appetisers, designed to transport you to a warm evening on a Sardinian terrace.

Join us Wedensday to Saturday between 5pm & 7pm for aperitivo, where cocktails are 2 for £12 and Sardinian nibbles are on the house.

AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE

Kelu is the perfect venue for any occasion with seating for up to 80 guests we can help make your celebration one to remember

CELEBRATE MOTHERS DAY AT KELU

We are open Mother’s Day March 19th for a one o special. Please book online

Weds - Thurs: 5pm - 11pm Fri - Sat: 5pm - 1am

KELU 294, Shalesmoor, Sheffield S3 8UL @ k_e_l_u

FAITH NICHOLSON ANNIE JUDE’S

Community-minded gift shop Annie Jude’s has been a big part of the recent independent resurgence in Hillsborough. Lovingly run by local resident Faith Nicholson, she offers a whole range of gifts, crafts and handmade items created by local makers, with a strong emphasis on female creatives.

Stocking everything from candles to confectionery, jewellery to prints, and even skincare and clothing – there’s truly something for everyone amongst her treasure trove of independent goodies.

Faith has always had her heart set on being her own boss and during the pandemic set up a crossstitch business. Following the sad passing of her mum, Judith Anne, for whom the shop is named, she was able to take things to the next level, using her inheritance to set up the shop.

Faith said: “When my mum died it completely changed my perspective. She was a very strong woman. When she was younger, she even opened her own school.

“When she knew she was going to die, she gave me some money and said, ‘now you can start a business.’ It really helped me and gave me something positive to focus on.

She added: “For me, International Women’s Day is chance to celebrate women like my mum. Over 80 percent of the makers I stock are female. Women are just so special and to have the opportunity to showcase them means a lot.”

@anniejudeshopsheffield

Image: Hayley Gell

SARAH SCALES AND ROSIE MAY JUNO’S

A queer and intersectional feminist bookshop that focuses on books written by women and people of colour, as well and other marginalised groups such as disabled and queer authors, Juno Books can be found on Chapel Walk.

The wonderfully inclusive bookshop was launched by Sheffield residents Sarah Scales and Rosie May, who met five years ago at a sling (baby carrier) meetup group held at Ponds Forge, quickly becoming fast friends.

Both Sarah and Rosie have a passion for reading, as well as a strongly held belief in the importance of intersectional feminism and inclusion. Finding themselves frustrated by the lack of representation in the mainstream publishing industry, they decided to create their own independent space to help raise up marginalised voices, while, of course, helping you find your new favourite book.

Rosie said: “We try to have as inclusive a range of books as possible, because we realise the power of having a space like this. Particularly for people who don’t find themselves represented in mainstream bookshops.

“There’s so much great writing, particularly by women, people of colour and queer people at the moment. We really want people to feel like they’re being reflected back by the stuff that they read.”

@junosbooksheff

IN CELEBRATION OF IWD 23 TAKING PLACE ON 8TH MARCH, WE PAY HOMAGE TO FIVE OF OUR FAVOURITE FEMALE-OWNED SHEFFIELD INDEPENDENTS…

SARAH HATTON AND VIRGINIA MYERS TENAYA WINES

A boutique wine shop and bottle bar, Tenaya Wines focuses on female producers and brings a taste of California to Crookes.

Last year, owners Sarah Hatton and Virginia Myers transformed a former charity shop on Crookes High Street into a stylish bottle shop and drinking space inspired by the West Coast of America.

Virginia explained: “We both love California. We love the vibe and we love the produce. The people are so relaxed, open and friendly, so I think we’re just wanting to bring a bit of that lifestyle over here. Sheffield’s a naturally friendly place, so it’s a good fit!”

Between them, the pair have over 20 years’ experience in the wine industry, giving them a vast amount of knowledge, not to mention qualifications (both having qualifications from WSET, the Wine and Spirits Education Trust), when it comes to the best way to enjoy a glass of vino.

Their friendship was formed whilst working together at popular Sheffield wine shop Starmore Boss, where Sarah, who is also a designer creating knitting patterns (ask your nan), worked for eight years.

Prior to meeting Sarah, Virginia had a stint managing an independent wine shop in Winchester, before moving to California and becoming a winemaker for an independent urban winery in San Francisco.

@tenaya_wine

Image: Ellie Grace

ELLIE GRACE ELLIE GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY

Sick of her old mundane job in retail, Ellie decided to channel energy into something she knew she was good at and established Ellie Grace Photography in 2013. In those 10 years since getting started from scratch, she has gone from shooting one wedding a year to booking over 50. Having grown into one of Sheffield’s most sought-after wedding photographers, Ellie reached the point where she had to start turning some potential clients down, and now she is exploring a new angle for her business.

Ellie expressed how she wants to explore other avenues and move away from focusing primarily on weddings to instead centering her business around food and lifestyle photography.

The pandemic certainly posed its challenges, like it did for many other independent businesses, but what it gifted Ellie with was time to reflect on her work, triggering her to realise that she didn’t want to stop at just photographing weddings.

Ellie said: “No one had heard of me in Sheffield 10 years ago, and now they have.

“Every day, the business is evolving and I am now evolving into a completely different kind of photographer.”

She still wishes to do wedding photography, but now plans to dedicate more time transitioning to focus her work on food and lifestyle.

@elliegracephotography

Image: Danni Maubaum

NIAMH KAVANAGH GYPSY ROSE SALON

Quirky hair salon Gypsy Rose Salon has been an institution on Queen’s Road since opening its doors back in 2015, showing a special love towards caring for textured hair, something commonly an afterthought to other stylists.

Niamh Kavanagh, the woman behind the much-loved salon, became a hairdresser set up shop 8 years ago. Today, she not only ensures her clients have the best haircuts around, but is also committed to educating other hairdressers about how to cut curly hair. She found people with naturally curly hair were not currently being catered for, but this gaping hole in the market allowed her business to find its niche.

From working for herself with only a Saturday girl to offer a helping hand to now having what she describes as a “self-employed family” of six stylists with an administrator, Niamh never anticipated the heights her business would today reach.

“It taught me a lot about myself. I found out I like nurturing people, and the job involves a bit of that.”

Niamh wishes to expand on the educational aspect of her business and is excited for the natural progression of the salon, encouraging anyone who wants to take the plunge to make that step!

She added: “Never underestimate the time it takes to grow something successful. Find your people, and trust your heart and your instincts.”

@gypsyrosehair

Image: Lou White

SHOP SMALL SUPPORT LOCAL

We aim to showcase the cra smanship of quality local makers. We only work with partners who are talented and passionate to ensure there is something for everyone at Annie Jude’s.

92 Middlewood Rd, Hillsborough, She eld S6 4HA

www.anniejudes.co.uk

Sithee later, winter! In a bit, pal! Ta ra, love!

After plenty of hunkering down (and nervously watching the smart meter) during the long, dark winter months, we’ve all certainly earned a social break – and there are plenty of things happening in Sheffield to shake you out of the hibernation funk. From inner-city music festivals to open-air cultural celebrations, here are some top suggestions for making the most of spring in Sheff.

PHOTOS: MARKETING SHEFFIELD

RAISE A GLASS TO SHEFFIELD BEER

Heralding tap takeovers, exciting brewing collaborations, beery events and the famous Indie Beer Feast festival, Sheffield Beer Week makes a welcome return to the city’s social calendar this month. Centred around a key strand, ‘Going Back to Our Beer Roots’, there will be a key focus on the local beer industry running through the week, as well as beer and food pairings, community and heritage events, International Women’s Day events and celebrating Sheffield as The Outdoor City.

Various locations. 6-12 Mar.

REVEL

IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Taking place throughout March, The Festival of the Outdoors brings together a whole host of events and activities celebrating nature and adventure on our doorstep. As well as headline events including the likes of Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (3-5 Mar), Pollen Market (19 Mar) and the Park Hill Urban Cyclo Hill Climb (25 Mar), the month will be populated with special one-off events ranging from skateboard jams at Castlegate to guided tours exploring the city’s political past. All events are available to find online at welcometosheffield.co.uk. Various locations. 1-31 Mar.

JOIN A FAMOUS LANTERN CARNIVAL

An annual community event which has been running since 2004, the Sharrow Lantern Carnival attracts around 2000 people to this family-friendly evening stroll, hundreds of whom bring hand-made lanterns to parade through the streets in a celebration of togetherness. Beginning in Mount Pleasant Park at 5:30pm, this joyous parade will contain jaw-dropping examples of creativity, fire dancers and several samba bands.

Mount Pleasant Park. 19 March.

START

FESTIVAL SEASON EARLY

Now into its third edition, Get Together has earned a rep as one of the city's best festivals for independent music, art, food and drink. Last year the team announced they would be moving to Kelham Island for the 2023 edition, taking over warehouses, breweries and unconventional spaces as well as teaming up with local businesses. The lineup’s not too shabby either: Friendly Fires, Cmat, Hamish Hawk and Coach Party are just a few of the acts you can catch. 10 stages across Kelham Island. 20 May. £35.

EXPAND YOUR MIND

Ever thought about hair? Not just about whether your barnet needs a trim, but about the significance of our complex relationship with the fibrous stuff on heads. Hair: Untold Stories, a new exhibition at Weston Park Museum, puts the substance before the style and unfurls the untold stories of hair. It weaces in the work of artists, film makers and designers with a wide range of objects and archive material to explore connections with our ‘crowning glory’. Weston Park Museum. Mar-Oct. Free.

Site Gallery will be refreshing their offering for the spring months, moving on from Platform 22 to Interspecies Entanglements – a new exhibition will bring together artists and artworks that highlight humanity’s interdependence upon nonhuman species, and that have radical approaches to making work in the shadow of looming climate catastrophe and political upheaval. Site Gallery. 17 Mar-28 May. Free

For the art lovers, there’s an exciting opportunity to meet a wide range of local artists and makers studios for Open Up. Now in its 25th year, this celebration of local creativity removes the barrier between artists and audiences, opening the doors at 100+ studios across the city and giving you the opportunity to browse and buy wares first-hand. Various locations. 29/30 Apr, 1 May and 6/7 May. Free.

It’s great to see Sheffield Beer Week back for its ninth edition. How proud are you with what the event has achieved so far?

I think it shows the passion and love which people have for beer, brewing and independent businesses in Sheffield. So it’s humbling to see that expressed year on year. It’s also great to see people coming together under the beer week banner to celebrate; even after a global pandemic. In many ways it seems even more important to continue.

A key strand this year will be ‘Going Back to Our Beer Roots’. Why did you think it was important to focus on that this time around?

Supporting local breweries and businesses just seemed an obvious element to highlight even more this year. There’s always a Sheffield theme each year, but we just wanted to make it even more prominent in 2023, considering everything we’ve all been through. The last three years have been extremely tough and if Sheffield Beer Week can be a positive boost for the city - footfall, revenue, the social fabric of the community. It’s all about saving local jobs, keeping more money circulating in the city, keeping livelihoods going, spreading positivity. We truly believe it’s the small businesses that will rebuild the high streets and neighbourhoods post pandemic.

What else are you looking forward to?

Getting back to enjoying a great Sheffield brewed beer in a brilliant independent beery venue! We’re looking forward to seeing all those smiles, hearing those heart-warming conversations and seeing connections made over a quality hand-pulled cask ale, or can of craft beer.

We’re looking forward to trying our collaboration beer (Cloud Peak Session IPA) with Abbeydale and Indie Beer Feast on tap around the city. It’ll also be great to join Lost Industry Brewery at their International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day event (though I’m not looking forward to the early morning!).

How can Exposed readers get involved in this year’s event?

Head to our website, sheffieldbeerweek.co.uk, to see the full listings (this is regularly updated till launch), pick a few events to attend and get out and about around Sheffield. If you are on social media, do drop us a shoutout - @SheffBeerWeek.

JULES GRAY

FOUNDER OF HOP HIDEOUT AND SHEFFIELD BEER WEEK

Image: Partrick Marks

Kweku! How’s it going?

I’m good! I recently finished my tour and I’m heading back to Ghana to record my next album. I’m returning to my roots, so I’ll be working on extending the Afro-Funk and Afro-Sonic sounds that we’re known for. It’ll be good to come back from my roots to Sheffield for the big show at Foundry in April, and then we’ll be doing the festival circuit in the summer.

How have the live shows been going down recently?

Incredible. We played Liverpool, Newcastle, Norwich and Coventry for Independent Venue Week – all of them shows were good vibes. Bristol was another amazing show. We’ve been playing tunes from the latest album – Zone 6, Agege – and they’ve been going down very well with audiences.

For anyone out there who hasn’t experienced a KOG gig, how would you sum them up?

It’s a soundsystem, man. We’re bringing a whole new energy with two of my favourite singers, Rebecca and Aziza Jaye, so there’s a wide variety of sounds and energies at the shows. It’s vibrant and we throw a party to link all of us together as people. It’s all about positive vibes; it’s an explosion of energies that allows you to be yourself while exploring the music of different cultures. Music heals, you know?

Coming to see KOG is really like going to a church. You can heal through dance and enjoy the catharsis. I would urge everybody to come; pour out your burdens, scream, dance and sweat together.

KWEKU SACKEY AKA THE GUY BEHIND KOG

Image: Lindsay Melbourne

ENJOY GIGS GALORE

As per, the Steel City will be ringing in the spring months with a veritable smorgasbord of live music for us to enjoy. The Foundry in particular has pulled out all the stops, bringing intriguing post-punk, new-folk duo The Waeve (24 Mar) to the venue this month, followed by hook-laden pop rockers Black Honey (2 Apr), the ever-vibrant Afro-fusion partystarters KOG (21 Apr) and hometown hero Lucy Spraggan (19 May)

We recently celebrated 25 years of Yellow Arch Studios, and the iconic venue is showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to its live schedule. Highlights for the next couple of months at the Burton Road venue will see audiences soaking up everything from Shanghai Treason’s inimitable brand of ‘Yorkshire flatcap banjo punk’ (17 Mar) to jaw-dropping blues rock performances from Sari Schorr (14 Apr).

It’s legends galore down at The Leadmill, with Britpop royalty Inspiral Carpets (14 Apr) and Gaz Coombes (19 Apr) treading the venue’s famous boards. If you’re after a nostalgic bit of fun, the much-loved 10-piece brass band Old Dirty Brasstards (23 Mar) will perform a special pop-punk inspired set, while some of the finest songwriters on the current circuit, Maisie Peters (18 Apr) and Billy Lockett (26 Apr), are also scheduled in for next month.

If boneshaking punk rock that you could knock a jig out to sounds like your cuppa, look no further than six-piece Ferocious Dog (25 Mar) stepping up at Corporation this month. Elsewhere, Record Junkee continues its role of showcasing the best up-and-coming live acts in the country, hosting post-punk outfit Cuacamaras supported by Juke and Django Jones & The Mystery Men (14 Apr) for what will undoubtedly be a lively affair.

Open Up has been running for 25 years. Why do you think this event has gone down so well in Sheffield?

It’s a simple format that works well in Sheffield: for example, I’ll open my studio, which is in Walkley, and welcome you in to have a look around! I built the studio myself and people love walking through the garden, seeing my workspace and then talking about the different ways of making pottery. There are quite a cluster of artists in Walkley, and so people often do a tour taking in a number of different studios across the day as well as dropping into our local café’s.

Do any highlights stand out over the years?

We have a festival brochure and website available to help people find the artists and makers they want to see. As it’s our 25th year this year, we got together with the event cofounder and a number of people that have been exhibiting with Open Up for over 20 years so as to prepare some publicity material. Their obvious enjoyment in doing Open Up, which is all about meeting and chatting with people, was the big takeaway!

What can people explore at Open up 2023?

We’ve got over 115 artists in their studios in and around Sheffield this year covering all sorts of art forms and in all sorts of venues. Every artist and maker will welcome you into their studio and be happy to talk to you about their work, and some will be doing demonstrations. If you’re interested in taking up a hobby, the artists will be more than happy to talk to you about that and places like the Art House in the city centre will be doing taster sessions for people to get involved in.

How can people get involved?

The easiest way to get involved is to start with the website, www.openupsheffield.co.uk. Here you’ll find out information about all the artists and makers. You’ll also find out how to get hold of the festival brochure. People love the brochure and use it to find their way around on the day, with the website maps open on their phones. We’ve found that people keep the brochures for years after the event and use it as a directory of artists, getting in touch and coming back to see their favourite makers again after the event.

EAT, DRINK AND SHOP AT A MARKET

As the weather steadily improves, there are plentiful opportunities to browse wares and eat/drink your fill at Sheffield’s increasingly numerous outdoor markets. Kicking off the spring season at Peddler Warehouse is vegan/vegetarian street food extravaganza Veg Out (18 Mar), followed quickly by a bumper-sized Pollen Market (19 Mar): an important cog in the innovative Grey to Green scheme, which sees hundreds of shoppers heading to a revitalised section of Castlegate to browse an abundance of florals, plants, art, gifts, street food and plenty more. Later in the month, the ever-popular Nether Edge Farmers Market (26 Mar) returns to S7 with a wide selection of traders and craftspeople selling their wares, plus the added draw of live entertainment from local musicians – and occasionally the odd dance troupe! Over by the canal basin, Quayside Market (8 Apr) brings the chilled weekend vibes with a host of amazing street food traders along with independent craft stalls, live DJs, cocktails and craft beer.

How did Pollen begin?

I think the concept of a botanicals market originally came about in 2020, during the middle of the Covid lockdown, and the first Pollen event took place in September 2021. It was created to be based at the Grey to Green area in Castlegate, which at the time was being developed by landscape architect Nigel Dunnett. I think the location ties nicely into what draws people down to Pollen, promoting the idea of regeneration and sustainability in the city. I’d say the space is a bit of a hidden gem, it runs from Waingate to Yorkshire Artspace and we’ve now seen up to 4,000 people turning up at our events there.

March is your flagship Pollen event of the year. What can we expect? Yes, we team up with Festival of the Outdoors for what is essentially our biggest event of the year. As such, we will have a few more stallholders that

might not be directly selling botanicals but are linked to the outdoors theme: think wildlife photographers, outdoor clothing brands, etc. There’ll be activities, too, such as DC Outdoors offering stand-up paddleboard sessions over the road at Victoria Quays.

Sounds great. What else can people get up to?

Loads! There’ll also be food traders, coffee traders and a mobile bar as well. We’ll have live music from the Sheffield University Brass Band and we’ll be looking at getting a few more live acts confirmed. People will be able to grab a bargain at the Wonky Flower Shop, where we take all the imperfect products from traders and sell them as pay-as-you-feel products with all proceeds given to charity. It all fits perfectly with the spring equinox – a celebration of plants, flowers and the outdoors.

LAUREN BARKER PROJECT MANAGER AT POLLEN

ANDY VAN VLIET OPEN UP SHEFFIELD DIRECTOR

Image: Joe Horner

It’s great to see Theatre Deli reopening its doors in Sheffield. What can you tell us about the new venue?

We are extremely excited to open Theatre Deli Sheffield’s new space this March! We have a ten year lease in our new home on Arley Street, which will give us a real opportunity to set down some roots and work towards more longer term strategies. We have a main performance space for artists, companies and groups to present their work, along with a wonderful dance studio complete with a mirrored wall and custom-made sprung floor, and two further rehearsal rooms. Our building also has a co-working space available for hot desking and a café bar area perfect for socialising, networking or just for grabbing a quiet cup of coffee. It will be a brilliant resource for our local and regional creative communities as well as local groups and organisations. We encourage those who are curious to stop by and pay us a visit once our doors are open.

For those not familiar with the organisation, what is the key ethos behind Theatre Deli?

Theatre Deli’s primary ethos is taking over empty spaces in city centres to create hubs that support emerging artists, companies, and communities whose identities, backgrounds, disciplines or work are underrepresented. In Sheffield there will also be an emphasis on programming work in our performance space, enabling artists a platform to bring their productions and projects to audiences across the city and beyond. We will also be developing our relationships with local groups and community partners so that we can work together in supporting important work.

Moving forward, what else are you planning to bring to the table?

We’re artist-centric and want to ensure we are offering our local artistic community the opportunity to engage in a number of Talent Development opportunities, as well as using our space to explore their own stories and projects. We look forward to hosting an exclusive weekend long Improvisation Hack for the thriving improvisation scene in Sheffield and beyond. Our initiative OpenStage Night this March will be an opportunity for artists and companies across the creative spectrum to come together and share their ideas, future projects, and network with peers. We will also be hosting regular producer meet ups to allow producers across artistic disciplines to connect and support each other. We’re excited to see the return of our national Artistic Residency scheme, including ringfenced opportunities for both marginalised and disabled communities in Sheffield and London. We look forward to welcoming the Sheaf Poetry Festival in May as well as a number of exciting local partnerships and companies who will be staging their productions in our theatre. Our programme is very flexible and it’s the perfect time for folks to get in touch and discuss their projects with us.

DAJINDER SINGH EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AT THEATRE DELI

MIRIAM MARGOYLES

VISIT THE THEATRE

Fans of local theatre and arts will be thrilled to see the return of Theatre Deli this month. Following eviction from their Eyre Street venue in early 2022, they secured new premises at Arley Street Studio Hub, a collection of artist studios run by CADS. The new building will feature three rehearsal studios, a performance space, an open office area for hot desking and a bar/café. Their new programme kicks off with a its doors with a performance of MAD(E) by Mandala Theatre (21st-25th March) – a passionate, exhilarating and uniquely theatrical commentary on masculinity and men’s mental health.

Elsewhere, Sheffield Theatres have a bustling show schedule, promising something for everyone over the coming months. Fans of ABBA will adore The Way Old Friends Do, written by Ian Hallard and directed by Mark Gatiss – a new comedy about devotion, desire and dancing queens.

Lyceum. 7-11 Mar. £15-£45.

80 years since its invention The Crucible will be bringing Brecht’s famous play, The Good Person of Szechwan, right up to date with a critically-acclaimed adaptation following Shen Te’s struggle to lead a life that is “good” according to the morality taught by the gods. The Crucible. 11 Mar-1 Apr. £15-£33/

Back to the Lyceum and BAFTA-winner Jessica Ransom Diane Keen (Doctors, and Neil McDermott lead the cast in this Home, I’m Darling – a thought-provoking new comedy by Laura Wade(Posh/ The Riot Club) about one woman’s quest to be the perfect 1950s housewife.

Lyceum. 18-22 Apr. £15-£45

Ian Hallard (writer) mentioned that it was very sad for him not to have been able to come out to his Nan to whom he was very close. He was incredibly touched that his character is able to make up for that in the play by coming out to his Nan, who is played by you. Do you think that it is easier these days for young people to be more open about their sexuality, especially to members of their family? NO! I don’t think it’s ever easy to come out; it just depends on the family of course. These days there’s no excuse to be homophobic, but that doesn’t stop people from having stupid attitudes. It may be marginally easier, or I do hope so.

You have played such a wonderfully diverse group of characters in your voice over career. How does it compare to being on stage or screen?

I’m really lucky to have a flexible voice so I’m not typecast vocally, which I am physically, but no more so than any other fat person. It’s inevitable that someone with my build isn’t going to be the love interest, but I provide different sparks and as I’ve got older, the parts have got more malevolent and evil is always delicious to play. My theatre days are over because of spinal stenosis, but I can continue vocally and I intend to.

Is there a character in a play or film that you have not played that you would love to play (I think you would make an amazing ‘Queen Lear’)?

I don’t approve of mangling Shakespeare with genderbending but I would so love to reprise LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT. I could, because I have just enough mobility to play Mary Cavan Tyrone. Mrs. Alving (GHOSTS) would be fun to try and Queen Margaret. I got old too quickly.

THE VOICE OF ‘NAN’ AND ‘PETER’ IN THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF FAGAN’S

Last month, Sheffield witnessed the end of an era as Tom and Barbara, custodians of landmark city centre pub Fagan’s, called time at the bar after an illustrious 37 years at its helm.

For anyone who’s enjoyed a proper pint of Guinness in the pub, heard one of Tom’s (many) stories across the bar or maybe even helped him with a crossword clue or two over the years, their retirement, and the possibility of a city without one of the three points of the ‘Irish Triangle’, felt like a huge loss to the city.

Thankfully, a group of nine Sheffielders started a WhatsApp group, which included an Arctic Monkey, Sheffield hospitality experts, Warp Film execs and a joiner, where it was decided that rather than see the pub fall into disrepair – or worse, become a chain pub – they would club together and bring the boozer back to life.

The even better news is that they plan to change very little about what makes it so special. One of the nine and Royal Oak substitute David House told Exposed: “We don’t want to change the heart and soul of the place, so it’s still going to look the same.

“We’ll be adding little touches, but we’ll still have proper

Guinness. All the musicians want to stay, so there’ll still be five nights of music a week and a quiz and, after last time, Robbie Williams is still barred from coming in! The biggest change will be having a card machine!”

The Rockingham Group’s James Hill added: “We want to make sure it’s doing what it’s currently doing, keeping that traditional nature, but also bringing it forward into the next 37 years of Fagan’s with some of the things that Sheffield is currently doing.”

Niall Shamma, Warp’s Chief Operating Officer, added: “Tom came in 37 years ago under Fagan’s shadow and he had to make his own stories. We can’t just redo what Tom did; we’ve got to start a new story. We’ll always be incredibly indebted to Tom and Barbara, but it’s also about finding the new generation of people who call this place home.”

The nine is made up of Arctics drummer Matt Helders, James O’Hara and James Hill of The Rockingham Group, who own Gatsby, Picture House Social and

Public; Warp’s Mark Herbert and Niall Shamma, Can Studio’s Ian Stanyer, painter and decorator David House, joiner Ben Pickup, and James’ brother and financial analyst Tom O’Hara.

James O’Hara said: “As much as it was about us wanting to take on the pub, because we’re proud to have it in the city, it was also about not wanting the wrong people to have it. We thought it should remain with Sheffield people, people who care about the place and care about what Tom and Barbara built.

“We’ve all got links to the place, so we thought we should be the people who step in and be the custodians of it. The Fellowship of Fagans – one pub to unite them all.”

We don’t want to change the heart and soul of the place, so it’s still going to look the same.

One other change will be the end of hot food. Ben Pickup explained the decision: “We can’t make the food that Tom did, and there are probably people out there who haven’t eaten since –because they’re still full!

The snog, the snug and one of the best traditional supping spots in the city – Fagan’s will live on, thanks to a consortium of Sheffielders who’ve united to take on the iconic pub.

I’D BEEN LIVING IN SHEFFIELD FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND DIDN’T KNOW IT EXISTED. WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR, FEELING THAT WARMTH AND THE MUSIC WAFTING THROUGH, I INSTANTLY FELT A BIT OF GRIEF FOR NOT KNOWING ABOUT IT SOONER.

FOOD & DRINK

“We’ll have pork pies and other bits, but it won’t be Tom getting up from doing a crossword to make it, bringing it, to go sit down and do his crossword again.”

Mark Herbert added: “Basically, we’re all artists, and none of us can cook!

“We’re really excited to get going, but the people I’m telling who’ve been here or don’t necessarily even live in Sheffield, they’re excited too. It’s a bit of a sanctuary, this place. It’s always sort of had that vibe that you don’t get bothered. Whether you’re a musician, singer, actor, whatever, you can just be left alone, and I think there’s a lot of people that have been here and love it for that, so they’re excited too.”

Brewery permitting, they are hoping to be open within the month, albeit with slightly changed and later opening hours. The plan is to open from 4pm midweek, midday at the weekend, with a 1.30am close on Friday and Saturday nights.

Ian Stanyer summed it up: “I didn’t know about this place until about 10 years ago. Mark brought me down one night, and I’d been living in Sheffield for about 20 years and didn’t know it existed. Walking through that door, feeling that warmth and the music wafting through, I instantly felt a bit of grief for not knowing about it sooner.”

When asked for his thoughts on taking on the pub, Matt Helders told Exposed: “You’ve gotta pick a pocket or two!”

@faganssheffield

GREEN GRILLIN’

Last month, hugely popular Kelham Island veggie and vegan specialists V|OR|V opened a second site in the Orchard Square food hall, Sheffield Plate.

V|OR|V Presents the Grill House will focus on veggie and vegan kebabs, small plates, and sides, opting to use humble, locally sourced vegetables to recreate those much-loved MiddleEastern flavours, rather than ‘fake meats’.

Owners are confident the new site will retain the high-quality diners have come to expect from their Cornish Street restaurant, but in a fast-casual dining setting that, for the first time, also allows them to provide a dedicated takeaway service through Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

Owner Matt told Exposed: “When we were approached by Sheffield Plate, we jumped at the chance to get involved – it was kind of a no-brainer. It’s something that we’ve wanted to do for a while and we’re looking forward to adding to the vegan and vegetarian options at Sheffield Plate.” Alongside the main event kebabs, the menu will also offer a selection of seasonal meat-free meze dishes and sides at reasonable prices.”

Much loved dishes from V|OR|V, such as grilled Yorkshire Halloumi with Sheffield Honey and Korean Fried Kohlrabi, make a return alongside plenty of new favourites and specials. The bread will be made fresh by Lovely Rita’s bakehouse, just one mile down the road, and the mushrooms for their Mushroom Adana kebab are grown to order by Seven in Neepsend. @vorvrestaurant

A NEW DORE OPENS

The former Dore Grill site on Church Lane is being renovated and converted into two new businesses: a modern bar & restaurant and an artisan bakery & coffee shop. Both businesses are set to open this spring. The lifestyle space will provide all day casual dining with Italianinspired dishes for 190 covers across the bar, restaurant and outside terrace area. The on-site bakery and coffee shop will be open from 8:30am with both businesses operating seven days a week.

The development is by an independently owned retail and hospitality group based

in the Peak District. Other sites under their care include Bank House, Hathersage; Coach House, Castleton; Nineteen Ten Café and Castleton Coffee Co.

The new businesses will create 30 jobs for the local area and they are inviting applications for bakers, baristas, cocktail bartenders, front of house and kitchen staff at all levels.

Samantha Vardy, Director, said of the new venture: “Our aim is to deliver a great customer experience and we want to recruit the very best people for this exciting new hospitality project.”

Much-loved Abbeydale Road bakery and brunch spot Forge Bakehouse has opened a new venue in Beauchief. The secondary site, based on Hutcliffe Road, will be serving up the usual top-tier coffee and freshlybaked treats that have become synonymous with the café.

A new bar in Woodseats has vowed to price-match its Wetherspoons on food and drink. Bulldog Value Bar opened on Chesterfield Road last month and the majority of their draught beers cost between £2.50£3.

It’s been a difficult start to the year for many of our restaurant and eateries. One of the city’s favourite vegan street food spots, Doner Summer, announced it would be closing down its venue in the courtyard at 92 Burton Road, citing financial difficulties in the current climate. Elsewhere, one of the city’s longest standing Indian restaurants, Balti King, has closed its doors after 33 years of serving the community in Fulwood.

TAKE A (SPRING) BREAK AT KOMMUNE

If delicious international food, indie retailers, a well-stocked bar and chilled food hall vibes weren’t enough to tempt you, check out some of the brilliant upcoming and ongoing events that Kommune have in store for us over the next couple of months. Don’t miss out!

Sushi Sunday: Beginner’s Sushi Making Masterclass with Edo Sushi

Sunday 9th April // 5-6:30pm

Whether you have an interest in Japanese culture, fancy learning a new skill, or simply love sushi, this masterclass is a fantastic opportunity to try your hand at the art of sushi making. It’s hosted by Kommune’s very own in-house sushi masters – Edo Sushi – and has limited places to ensure an intimate evening that offers everyone the chance to absorb new knowledge. Tickets are £55 and the class is aimed at beginners though all are welcome.

Salsa Classes Every Wednesday

From Wednesday 1st March Beginners 7:30-8:30pm // Improvers 8:45-9:45pm Looking for a fun way to socialise and make friends? Why not try learning to salsa, an AfroCuban style of dance that’s brilliant for improving your fitness and coordination, with Tenfoot Dance Company at Kommune. You don’t need any previous dance experience and can join with or without a partner. The inaugural class on Wednesday 1st March is free for beginners, otherwise it’s £8 per class or £12 for both, followed by free social dancing until midnight. Expect a warm welcome, zero judgement, and an evening that puts a smile on your face and a tap in your toe.

Yoga & Brunch

From Sunday 5th March // 10:30-11:30am

Kommune invites you to an intimate hour-long session of Vinyasa yoga, suitable for all abilities and absolutely the best way to kick off a lazy Sunday. The yoga session kicks off in The Kommunity Room at 10:30am, followed by brunch and coffee at 11:30am in the main dining hall. Brunch is provided by The Grind Café, one of the food hall’s newest additions, which includes all the usual favourites from a special post-yoga menu. Note that you need to bring your own yoga mat for this event. It will take place on the first Sunday of every month, starting on Sunday 5th March, and is sure to prove popular so don’t forget to book a place!

£5 Lunch Deal

Available every day from Monkey Jar, Urban Pizza, Hanoi 75 and Yoki Social, this cracking offer is the perfect excuse to avoid another al desko lunch. Enjoy freshly prepared food with your colleagues, or catch up with mates over a choice of cuisines for the bargain price of just £5.

// info@kommune.co.uk // Insta: @kommune_ch // FB: @kommune.ch // Twitter: @ kommune_ch // TikTok: @kommunech

Take the plunge and skydive for Sheffield Children’s Hospital

Has skydiving always been on your bucket list? Why not make 2023 the year you take on the challenge? Team Theo is braving the fall with charity skydive days on 8th July and 16th September.

Taking place at the UK’s largest, most popular skydiving centre, Skydive Hibaldstow in North Lincolnshire, the 15,000ft tandem skydive is a once-in-a-lifetime experience taking in incredible views over the English countryside. Not only that, but the skydives are amazing opportunities to raise vital funds for the Charity.

The Charity relies on donations each year to transform the experience of children who visit Sheffield Children’s, sometimes for months on end. Whether it’s improving wards or funding new, life-changing equipment, money raised through the charity skydive has a real impact on the hospital experience for children.

Being one of only three stand-alone specialist children’s hospitals in the UK, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has some of the best medical and surgical services for children in the country, looking after children from across South Yorkshire and beyond.

This year, the Charity has two of their very own team members taking to the sky, Head of Fundraising, Cheryl Davidson and Events Fundraising Officer, Phoebe Marriott.

Cheryl said: “I’m taking part with my auntie and friend in memory of my uncle who passed last year and who supported the charity for years after the loss of his son Thomas.

“After taking part in the charity

abseil last year, it gave me the confidence to take on the skydive. I’ve supported lots of our brave fundraisers that go above and beyond to support the charity and I want to honour them by taking part as well. Jumping out of a plane is the least I can do to support such a fantastic hospital and staff that save so many lives!”

The Charity works hard each year to ensure that visitors to Sheffield Children’s can be that bit more comfortable in what can be a scary and unfamiliar environment. That’s why fundraising challenges like the skydives are all the more important, with big leaps like those generating a lasting impact to help Sheffield Children’s soar to new heights.

Phoebe added: “Within my work for the charity, I see first-hand how important it is to fundraise for the development of the hospital and I am in awe of the incredible work done by Sheffield Children’s.

“The impact of the hospital on the children and their families is huge, which is why so many of those who have visited fundraise for us. I’m taking part in the skydive as a thank you for the amazing work they do.”

To sign up for one of this year’s skydives yourself, visit tchc.org.uk/ events or call 0114 321 2470 to find out more.

Combining peppy DIY beats with the rapid delivery of hard-hitting home truths, Mickey Nomimono takes you on a satirical audio tour of modern-day society in the UK covering small-town life, questionable characters and soul-destroying jobs. It might sound grim - and at times it is - but you’ll find that the artist’s

diatribes are often served with a healthy dollop of humour and a refreshing side of self-awareness.

Sound like your bag? Mickey’s biggest show to date took place at Yellow Arch last month, but as Exposed discovered over a brew with the main man, there’s plenty more still to come…

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you ended up in Sheffield?

I did a sound engineering degree in Bristol. Had a great time, lost a lot of brain cells and finished my degree. I didn’t want to move home and had a few mates up here, so I just kind of ended up in Sheffield.

It didn’t take long for you to get involved with the local music scene up here, getting a job at Yellow Arch and working on some of the gigs and events there. How are you finding that?

I actually won that job in a game of ping pong, or that’s the story I like to tell anyway. I met my current boss playing ping pong down at Millowners [Arms] and I convinced him that I could do sound, so now I’m production manager. It’s good fun; they’re good people down there.

When did it go from sound engineering to making your own music?

I was always making tunes. I started this project last year, so it was already conceptualised by the time I started working at Yellow Arch. Fortunately, I’ve been able to position myself so that I’m around live

music all of the time, which is quite nice. Previous to that I was driving for Amazon, so it’s nice to be working around what I like doing.

One of your songs is called ‘DHL, which I imagine is a direct reference to your time working as a delivery driver.

Yeah. It’s a bit nail on the head that one, isn’t it?

There’s always a spoken word, observational element to your songs. I get the impression that you might write a lot on-the-go?

I write a lot of time, usually just on scraps of paper and stuff like that. There are a lot of words in there, aren’t there? Like ten words a second or something. Well, probably not quite that much – but yeah, a lot of time is taken up with writing things.

I saw something from you where you spoke about how you’d often write about the mundanity of everyday life, which also allowed you to expose the not-so-mundane bits. Does it have to be lived experience for you to write about it?

Erm. Yeah, but sometimes I’ll make things up. So, things might be based on experience, but I might also just make up a character to throw in there. You’ve got to have some freedom in it, you know? Just talking about delivering parcels for Amazon won’t make for a very good tune.

Words: Joseph Food

Photography: Lewis Evans

AND I QUITE LIKE THE IDEA THAT I’M SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN DANCE MUSIC AND INDIE OR PUNK OR WHATEVER YOU’D LIKE TO CALL IT.

There are three tracks out now: ‘How Does It Taste’, ‘Mr Relatable’ and ‘DHL’. Are there a few more on the back burner?

I’ve got hundreds of things dotted around on my computer, but it’s just about getting the right ones out. I’m gonna get another single out in the next couple of months.

What sorts of things really get you stoked up to write?

It’s usually when I’m pissed off about something. It can be acrimonious and a bit nasty, but it’s usually something I find funny as well. I like to keep it tongue-in-cheek and not take myself too seriously.

What were the early sounds that laid the foundations for Mickey Nomimono? My parents were really into drum’n’bass; my dad in particular would have loads of those records from before I was born, so I grew up listening to a lot of breakbeat, jungle, Micky Finn, Aphrodite, all of that stuff. Ian Dury is another big influence – it’s the cheeky lyrics and I think The Blockheads were amazing. There’s a big dance music influence on what I do, and I quite like the idea that I’m somewhere in the middle between dance music and indie or punk or whatever you’d like to call it.

Being a relative newcomer to the scene and the city, what are your thoughts on Sheffield? It’s good, man. I’m from a small suburban town in Staffordshire and I’d drive into Birmingham a lot to get my big city kicks. Any city is good for me, you know? There are people who really care about music here, and there’s plenty of interesting stuff going on.

Speaking of which, your headline show heads to Yellow Arch on Friday 24th of Feb. Must be a big one for you?

I’m really excited. It’s the biggest one to date and obviously a venue that I know well. It’ll be the longest set I’ve played, so there’ll be stuff I’ve never done before, and I’m changing the live set a bit by bringing a few synthesizers out with me. It’s all change. The live set’s going to be developed a lot this year and this is the starting point for it. We’ve got some good support on the night: a two-piece called Jeuce, who riff off each other really nicely on stage; an artist called Rosey PM, who’s just fantastic and has some great tunes; and there’s another really good rock two-piece playing called Juke.

What normally comes across at a Mickey Nomimono live show?

I like to get up in front of people and shout at them about what I do and don’t like. It’s cathartic. When else do you get the chance to do that? I like seeing wide eyes, people catching flies in the audience, you know? But I think people will be expecting a bit of energetic, fast-paced noise. It’s loud, unapologetic, doesn’t take itself too seriously and you can dance to it. Come down and have a laugh! @mickeynomimono

DRY CLEANING @ FOUNDRY

“I spent £17 on mushrooms for you,” Florence Shaw is telling the Foundry crowd. “‘Cause I’m silly.”

Except this isn’t a mid-set rant about overspending on mushrooms. Dry Cleaning lead singer Shaw is in the middle of set highlight ‘Strong Feelings’, bemoaning a lost lover in her unique style. Shaw doesn’t sing; rather, she speak-sings, only occasionally raising her voice above a loud whisper.

Behind her, the rest of the band thrash out tight post-punk jams that at times threaten to overwhelm. But holding it all together is Shaw, centre stage, the steady eye in the middle of this raging storm.

It wasn’t always meant to be like this. In 2017 Shaw was still teaching illustration at university, thoroughly fed up with life and keeping a record of her wandering thoughts, when guitarist Tom Dowse invited her to join the newly-formed band. They haven’t looked back since. Foundry is packed tonight, just as the rest of the venues have been on their UK tour.

But holding it all together is Shaw, centre stage, the steady eye in the middle of this raging storm.

At times, the gig feels like each member of Dry Cleaning is having their own private jam session while Florence reads out her old tweets on stage. Each of those wandering thoughts from her lecturing days is delivered with an exaggerated eye roll, or shake of the head, or audible sigh. The delicious contrast between the band’s furious jams and Shaw’s deadpan delivery comes alive in a live setting.

Some lines are the type that don’t normally make it all the way from brain to mouth. ‘That seems like a lot of garlic,’ she muses on ‘Strong Feelings’. Others hint at a simmering dissatisfaction beneath the surface. ‘Everyday, he’s a dick…’ she huffs on ‘Her Hippo’. On ‘New Long Leg’, someone is taking a Florence-style ear-bashing: ‘You’re a spoon pal, you are’.

As her dissatisfaction rises to the surface, the band around her raises the volume. Shaw is immovable on stage, keeping herself together even as the world pushes and pulls her around. ‘You’re always stressing me out,’ she (speak) sings. ‘Don’t press me.’

On ‘Scratchcard Lanyard’, that deep-seated unease with modern life starts to take a clearer form. She talks of making a ceramic shoe, of learning how to dance, of joining a knitting circle. Of – yes – buying scratchcards and getting lanyards. But ultimately, the swipe-and-snapand-skip culture isn’t doing her any good. ‘Do everything and feel nothing,’ she snarls.

And she remains there, centre stage, rolling her eyes at the storm and turning her nose up at the dark clouds overhead. “Things are shit,” she says. “But they’re gonna be OK.“ Maybe we could all do with being a bit more Florence sometimes.

WORDS: NICK HARLAND PHOTOGRAPHY: MAL WHICHELOW

WORDS: IAGO CASTRO CHARLÓN

PHOTOGRAPHY: BENJI WILSON (@JAMBURRITO1)

MICKEY NOMIMONO @ YELLOW ARCH STUDIOS

It started as any other cold February night. Just before leaving my home, I grabbed my Minolta, hoping to shoot some good snaps. It’s almost March, and this British winter seems to be an especially long one, so my mindset while walking to the gig was focused on finding something warm my night a little bit. I was sure I would find it inside at Yellow Arch Studios for Mickey Nomimono’s headline gig featuring some talented Steel City support.

Expectations were high, and the frosty evening didn’t stop me from enjoying a cold lager with my mate. It was during the first sip of the second Moretti that the first notes of live performance invaded the room: aggressive, rebellious melodies. The first band to take action was Juke, offering up a solid punk show, more than enough to increase the temperature a couple of degrees. The energy was infectious and the foundations for an exciting night of live music were laid.

Next up was Rosey PM, who rapidly enchanted the crowd with a selection of melodic, easygoing tunes. Before we had time to refill our glasses, the third act of the night arrived: violent drumming spread around the room – the signature calling card of lively duo Jeuce. Fast-paced garage punk was the perfect way to get everybody hyped up before the arrival of the main man.

Mickey Nomimono stormed onstage like a hurricane of pent-up energy, with the potency increasing with each song. The crowd got on the same page as him from the start and the moshpits started to be routine towards the end of the show. I found this occasion perfect to experiment with my camera, throwing myself in the middle of the pushes and the sweat, aiming to get some snapshots of the passionate scenes. I can’t wait to develop my film roll.

There was a lot of love in the room. Mickey’s father (I’m ashamed to say I forgot his name with so much going on) approached me, curious about the camera, and, full of pride, shouted, “That’s my son!” I took a picture of him in front of the full crowd, and I’m sure it’s a memory he’ll keep for a long time. We even took one together, to remember the happy occasion.

On my way home, I couldn’t stop thinking about the effort everybody put together to come up with such an immense show. Another cold night. Another Friday eve in Sheffield. You gotta love this city, especially when it comes to its live music offering and dedicated venues like Yellow Arch.

AUTHOR & PUNISHER @ RECORD JUNKEE

It’s one thing blasting out Author & Punisher on Spotify, or even firing up a live performance on YouTube, but actually seeing it in the flesh, well, let’s just say nothing can fully prepare you for the sheer onslaught of straining audio fibres that the one-man metal sound scientist assaults you with.

Reader, it’s the loudest thing I’ve ever heard. Like, ever! The moment the opening drone rumbles through Record Junkee, I’m slightly regretting forgetting ear plugs. I’m not sad about it though: I was expecting big, I was expecting industrial chaos. It delivered… and then some.

But before we get into all that, in the clear light of the following day, with my hearing partially restored, it’s probably worth giving an explanation of what Author & Punisher actually is. A metal act at heart, San Diego’s Tristan Shone writes songs that groan with discordant rhythms and doomy reverb. He shrieks from his gut. He manipulates raw audio signals into distorted, sacrificial lambs, slaughtering them with each new, crushing layer. So far, so metal, right?

Right. But what’s endlessly intriguing here is the way he does it; at root, he uses the same processes and equipment as other electronic artists, but, utilising his professional and academic background in mechanical engineering (Shone has worked at the National Centre for Microscopy and Imaging Research at the University of San Diego since 2007), he designs and builds his own unique controllers, which he calls drone and dub machines.

These machines look and sound like dystopian torture devices. Take Rails, for example, a sliding, pistol-gripped controller programmed as a drum machine. It looks like a deranged butcher’s meat slicer and creates the sound of the world ending (for any drummer’s telling you they’ve got a difficult job – the man is doing it all with one hand!). Shone grips Rails’ handle with his right hand and pumps it throughout the hour-long set, pummelling out beats using the triggers under his fingers – it’s relentless.

There’s a fair amount of geeking out over the instrumentation to be enjoyed. I mean, I can’t think of another show where, pre and post-performance, the audience lined up to take photographs of the instruments. Frustratingly, the technical mastery behind these creations is far beyond my comprehension, but what I can appreciate is the passion that stops all this frenzied ingenuity from being a mere gimmick. Shone’s contorted energy and brutal stagecraft is what brings these disparate electronic signals to life.

In his newer material, there’s even a bit of traditional melody and (almost) straightforward singing, and the addition of guitarist, HEALTH, for this tour further beefs up the wall of sound, and maybe even humanises it a bit.

Not that anyone is looking at the human guitarist. I’m sure he’s lovely (kudos on the fetching goatee ‘stache) and I’m sure he’s doing interesting things, but Shone’s struggling cyborg performance is a far more mesmeric proposition. At one point in the set, he wraps a trachea microphone around his neck and captures warbling, chesty vocals, probably best exemplifying his unique union of man and machine and his struggle to tame the technology he’s created.

His agony, his concentration, his sheer workload while on stage is an awe-inspiring feat of musical craft. I can’t think of anything else like it. I can’t think of another artist so completely in control of a sound that is so relentlessly straining at the leash. Nothing is in the same league. It’s not even in the same timeline!

MY LIFE IN MUSIC

FORD COLLIER (MISHRA)

THE FIRST RECORD I BOUGHT…

Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace by Foo Fighters was the first CD I bought with my own money. I’m quite happy with that one; I still think it’s a great album, and some of the more acoustic songs in particular are great. I’m sure my parents bought me some more embarrassing CDs before that, though... I definitely had some Busted lying around.

MY FIRST GIG…

Some friends of my Dad’s had tickets to U2 at Wembley that they passed on to us when I was about eight. Me and my Dad went for the experience. We couldn’t see much and didn’t stay until the end, so it wasn’t incredibly inspiring. Before that, though, I always used to sit in on the concerts at the folk festival in the village where I grew up. I didn’t know anything about the music, but I remembered being captivated by seeing the performers playing their instruments up close. I remember seeing Tim Van Eyken, who I still think is great.

THE FIRST SONG I PERFORMED…

The first instrument I learnt was saxophone (although I can hardly play it now), and my teacher arranged a jazzy version of ‘Jingle Bells’ for the nativity concert when I was in year six. I think it went down pretty well.

A SONG I WISH I’D WRITTEN…

‘Indignados’ by Kefaya. This band are a big inspiration on Mishra: the rhythm and gnarly horn line are kind of touchstones for us when we think about writing music. It’s groovy, catchy and the track just keeps rolling on. When a track has such a

I STARTED BUSKING ON THE STREETS AS A TEEN. WHEN I STARTED PERFORMING, I ALWAYS HAD SO MUCH STAGE ANXIETY, BUT BEING OUT ON THE STREETS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE ALL DAY WAS A GREAT LOW PRESSURE WAY TO GET OVER IT.

good groove, it’s amazing how long you can listen to it for.

I FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC WHEN…

I started busking on the streets as a teen. When I started performing, I always had so much stage anxiety, but being out on the streets in front of people all day was a great low pressure way to get over it. Me and my friends used to try things out and experiment; usually, this would end up with us trying to play folk tunes as fast as we possibly could.

ONE SONG THAT I CAN’T GET OUT OF MY HEAD AT THE MINUTE…

‘Meditation’ by Cory Wong has such a good melody and is so simple. The whole track’s an instrumental arrangement of this one melody, with a lovely piano solo in the middle, and it works

so well.

A RECORD THAT REMINDS ME OF A SPECIFIC TIME AND PLACE…

‘Murder She Wrote’ by Chaka Demus and Pliers. I first heard this at Glastonbury Festival in 2018 and it made me realise how much I love that particular groove. In the Jamaican context, it’s called the Dembow rhythm but it’s also called Reggaeton. It’s so addictive, the one rhythm that always makes me want to dance. I like to sneak it into as many of the tracks I write as I can.

Mishra have formed a new collaboration with international fusion-vocalist Deepa Sri Shakthi and headline the Greystones on the 15th April (plus a familyfriendly show earlier in the day with Concerteenies). Tickets are available at mishramusic.co.uk/ gigs.

From jazzy Jingle Bells to gnarly horn lines, Ford Collier (bottom-right) of global folk collective Mishra talks us through his life in music.

tuesday 7 march 2023

the tuesday club:

wilkinson ft. mc ad-apt

£12/14, Doors 11:30pm, 18+

friday 10 march 2023

grapefruit

(lgbt+ clubnight)

£4, Doors 11:30pm, 18+

Wednesday 15 March 2023

lapsley

£14.50, Doors 7pm

friday 31 March 2023

The orielles

£15, Doors 7:30pm

disco wonderland:

friday 31 March 2023

the abba disco

£8/11, Doors 10pm, 18+

sunday 2 april 2023

black honey

£13, Doors 7:30pm

friday 14 april 2023

wargasm

friday 17 march 2023

st. paddy’s day bash

£5, Doors 11:30pm, 18+ [student only]

friday 24 March 2023

the waeve

£20, Doors 7:30pm

friday 24 march 2023

mungo’s hi fi & friends:

eva lazarus, charlie p

solo banton & aziza jaye

£12.50/15, Doors 11:00pm, 18+

saturday 25 March 2023

daft funk

£15, Doors 7:30pm

monday 27 march 2023

tide lines

£16, Doors 7:30pm

tuesday 28 march 2023

the tuesday club: bou & haribo

£10/12, Doors 11:30pm, 18+

£16, Doors 7:00pm

saturday 15 april 2023

peter hook & the light

joy division: a celebration

£32.50, Doors 7pm

friday 21 april 2023

k.o.g

£15, Doors 19:30

friday 28 april 2023

big country

£30, Doors 7pm

tuesday 16 May 2023

lostboy

£10, Doors 7pm

friday 19 May 2023

lucy spraggan

£21, Doors 6:30pm

friday 27 october 2023 from the jam

“all mod cons”

£, Doors 7:30pm

friday 3 november 2023

flash & the darkniss

£20, Doors 7pm

pigs pigs pigs pigs

thursday 5 oct 2023

pigs pigs pigs

£17.50, Doors 7:30pm

all shows open to the public (14+ unless stated otherwise) tickets available from foundrysu.com box office: 0114 222 8777

saturday 2 december 2023 definitely oasis vs the complete stone roses

£17.50, Doors 7pm

foundry, sheffield students’ union western bank, s10 2tg foundrysu.com - foundry@sheffield.ac.uk @foundrysheffield

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

A huge hit both at the box office and with audiences, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a very accomplished spin-off which has taken everyone, not least of all me, by surprise. Admittedly, when I first caught the trailer, I gave it the customary tiresome eyeroll, and muttered, “Here we go… another one.” How wonderful it was to come out of the cinema having been both entertained and moved by what could easily have been another artless, cynical attempt at squeezing the last few dregs of cash from the shrivelled udder of a weary franchise.

The first thing to say is it looks great, with an animation style clearly inspired from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The voice acting is fabulous, as one would expect when you’ve got a principal cast formed from Antonio Banderas, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Salma Hayek and Ray Winstone. The layered jokes all work, both for adults and for children, with equal success; the characters old and new are well-developed and likeable.

What makes The Last Wish exemplary is that it remains anchored to its central themes of facing death and valuing what you have in the here and now. Popular franchise characters that have existed for a long time, be they serious or comedic, can only

continue to work if there is some form of dissection exposing their flaws and addressing them with frankness. Children’s films and superhero films are often guilty of sidestepping that exploration based on their target audience. The Last Wish remains considerably focused to surprisingly dark – and often frightening – extents that will push kids out of their comfort zones. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Wolf character, a terrifying cross between Death from The Seventh Seal, Eastwood’s Man with No Name, and an albino Wile E. Cayote. Pleasantly welcome, too, for me at least, was the inclusion of a James Stewart-inspired insect! 4/5

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

If the absurdly charming title isn’t enough to draw you in, then the deserved critical lauding certainly should.

The stop-motion/live-action mockumentary follows a young shell and his grandmother who occupy an Airbnb where the previous owners’ breakup has resulted in the pair being separated from their family (a wider collection of anthropomorphised shells and household items). Marcel becomes an internet sensation thanks to documentary filmmaker Dean’s uploading of short films on YouTube. Marcel then endeavours to find his family whilst caring for his grandmother and sharing with Dean a uniquely profound outlook on life.

On a technical level, you instantly forget you are watching a walking shell with feet and buy into the legitimacy of his life and struggles. This is less to do with the mockumentary format, or the animation, both of which are executed brilliantly, but with how well constructed Marcel is as a living being. The voice acting from Jenny Slate and Isabella

Rossellini, who play Marcel and Nana Connie respectively, is simply stellar. Although some humour comes from how these one-inch-tall shells function inside a house with Borrowerstyle contraptions, the funniest moments come from Marcel’s observations of the wider world and his interactions with Dean behind the camera.

Marcel’s trials and tribulations are identical to that of any human being. At its heart the film is following someone’s journey through a time of upheaval in their daily life, which we all face at one time or another. Many of these scenes are handled far better than a great number of films featuring normal people

exploring the same subject matter. The very fact you find yourself welling up at a one-eyed, converse-wearing mollusc demonstrates how deeply it understands its central themes. This comes in no small part from the real-life experiences of its director Dean Fleischer Camp, who essentially plays himself in the film. Elements of the narrative are identical to the breakup of his own marriage with Jenny Slate. A softly delivered but intensely poignant little film, that underneath the charmingly odd premise is fundamentally concerned with end of life, family responsibility and moving forward in the wake of great loss. 5/5

CAL’S BEST BAFTA PICTURE 2022

The Banshees of Inisherin

Demonstrably the best film of 2022, Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin reunites the stars of In Bruges Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson for this tale of a broken friendship in 1920s Ireland. Witty, dark, subtly profound, moving and beautifully shot by Ben Davis, Banshees can speak to us all on some level, such is the nature of its story.

There are political undertones relating to the 1922-23 Civil War which parallel the petulant falling out between Pádraic and Colm. For me, however, it is a commentary on the nature of creative indulgence and midlife crisis. One morning, faced with his own mortality, Colm’s selfish desire to create something that will last leads him to turn his back on decency, which he perceives as dullness. The one thing all people must have time for irrespective of their personal endeavours. Selfishness of this nature has far-reaching consequences, making emotional casualties of those who simply don’t deserve that pain.

The cinematography is reminiscent of Freddie Young’s work on David Lean’s underrated romance epic Ryan’s Daughter: every shot of Banshees is a wonder to behold. All the performances carry an understated yet almost unbearable sense of inner turmoil. Whilst Austin Butler’s electric performance as Elvis Presley was marvellous, and rightly deserved the win for Best Actor, Farrell’s is just as strong for precisely the opposite reasons. 5/5

312 shalesmoor, s3 8ul

sky sports & BT SPorts live entertainment burgers & sides beers, wines and spirits cocktails & cask weekly pub quiz

@shipinnkelham

THE FABELMANS

I’ve been a fan of movies for over four decades, am now a semi-professional film critic, and was recently advised by a medical professional to cut all film consumption in half. There isn’t a feature film director on the planet I couldn’t identify by brow alone, and yet, I’ve never heard of Sammy Fableman, a director seemingly so prevalent and acclaimed he’s worthy of a self-penned, self-directed, two-and-a-half-hour, 40 million dollar autobiopic; a cinematic pat on the back so large he risks punching a hole through his own sternum. What the hell has Sammy Fableman done to deserve such a privilege? Is this some kind of elaborate joke?

Unless you’re Alfred Hitchcock or Louis CK, onanistic undertakings are always carried

out in private. Such extremities of self-indulgence naturally evoke intense feelings of shame, the shame that makes you pull the curtains closed and double check the doors are locked. It is apparent Sammy Fableman has no such shame, his self-titled film a masturbatory ego-rubbing of the most violent and brazen, a narcissistic orchestration of Michael Flatley proportions. From writing and casting to the marketing and title, Sammy Fableman’s self-centred family melodrama oozes conceitedness like a wicker septic tank oozes liquid shit.

The film starts as it means to continue, with a literal train wreck. The collision appears in The Greatest Show On Earth, the 1950s snoozefest Sammy’s mother (Michelle Williams) and father (Paul Daniels) take him to see as a young boy. Much like David Cronenberg’s tasteless symphorophiliacs in Crash (1997), Sammy soon becomes obsessed with recreating the collision, and then capturing it on his father’s 8mm camera. This esoteric little home movie

kick-starts a lifelong fascination with the craft of filmmaking. It was a shock to learn of The Fablemans’ seven Oscar nominations, especially for Best Picture which saw many of 2022’s finest snubbed. I was sure Judd Apatow’s The Bubble would be a shoo-in for the top prize, a rare and refined satirical masterclass from a filmmaker at the top of his game. Alas, it would appear Sammy Fableman is destined to succeed, as if the critical response to the film is just a continuation of the film itself. I could have sworn I watched the credits roll and drove home, and yet there’s the uncanny feeling the film never finished,

like we are now inhabiting some form of interminable end credit sequence where we are but powerless and unimportant side characters in Sammy Fableman’s tale of irrepressible excellence and acclaim. One where Sammy is The Creator; a writer, director and protagonist rolled into one, a filmmaking God amongst cinema-going mortals, the divine being of the big screen, magnanimously pausing for snaps on the red carpet as we fling ourselves at his feet begging for news of his latest project. We are not worthy, Sammy Fableman. We are not worthy. Whoever the fuck you are.

-1 3D glasses out of 5

South Yorkshire’s foremost cinemagoer and West Street Live Annual Short Film Competition runner-up (2008), Matt Karmode casts his critical eye on the month’s new and noteworthy films.

a stand -up guy

Hello all! Welcome to the March edition of my comedy column. Once again, it’s been a busy old time with gigging and promoting for Sheffield’s comedy scene over the last month – but what a treat it has been!

One of the biggest standouts for me is how busy Monday night comedy has become in this glorious city. It’s a beautiful thing to see the public coming out and supporting both new and established acts at two of Sheffield’s loveliest and warmest places for live comedy at the start of the week.

On the first Monday of the month you have The Ship Inn Comedy Night, which is run by myself and Oli Clarke, and on the second Monday of the month there’s Picture House Comedy run by the tireless man I call the ‘roadrunner of the circuit’, Tom Douglas (BEEP BEEP!). We used to go through a phase where you never really knew how many wanted to

come out on a cold Monday night, but WOW! We’ve seen some great numbers in for comedians looking to ply their trade. Even for those starting out in comedy, all they want is an audience to perform to. It shows that Sheffield comedy is not only going through a real boom in terms of talent, but this is reciprocated by the public making sure they are giving so much support not only on the usual mainstream nights of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday but on nights that have been historically difficult to sell! So, thanks to everyone for coming and giving it large.

To have names such as Jo Caulfield and Nathan Caton asking about the city and looking at places to gig is such a great feeling for all of us involved in Sheffield comedy. We have progressed brilliantly, but we’re certainly not kicking back with a cigar and thinking that we have made it. We are definitely trying to strive for more, and although I often say that Sheffield is the epicentre of Yorkshire comedy – which it is –there is still some work to be done.

So, this means that a few of us have been talking about a South

LAUGH LOCAL: A COMEDY NIGHT NEAR YOU!

Hagglers Corner

1st Weds of the month

The Ship Inn

1st Monday

Picture House Social 2nd Monday

Escape Rooms

Every Tuesday

Yellow Arch

3rd Thursday

Indie-Go

4th Thursday

Toolmakers

Last Saturday

The Yorkshireman

1st Thursday

Yorkshire comedy festival and what the landscape of that would look like. This wouldn’t necessarily be the final masterpiece of the comedy journey, but it will outline our ambitions. The fact that we are even talking about this as an entity incredible and, once again, it couldn’t have been done without the support of so many people: partners, audiences, comedians, venue staff and promoters alike. Watch this space and let’s see where this takes us.

My one to watch this month is Adam Anwar. Adam has performed in Sheffield a few times now. He’s back at The Ship Inn on Monday 6th March, closing the night! This guy is a serious player of the standup game. I urge you to come and see this uber hilarious, fall-off-yourseat-with-laughter funster!

That’s all from moi. See you around the Sheffield venues, keep supporting local comedy and I’ll be back again next month.

@danielinnisscomedy

By Daniel Inniss Comedian & promoter

SPRINGING FORWARD

Is it March already? As the spring months arrive, we have another busy period of queer joy ahead.

First up, goths, thots, queers and weirdos of the north rejoice as King Confuza returns bringing you unadulterated queer goth, stompy joy with their latest edition of Cryptid Queers – A Thot in the Dark (Sat 25 Mar): Sheffield’s best, weirdest – and only – drag monster cabaret at BAL Fashions, bringing you some of the most exciting drag monsters and alternative performers the UK has to offer with DJ’s playing a heady mix of classic and contemporary cyber goth floor fillers ‘til 3am.

There’s more drag over at Malin Bridge Inn, whose lineup this month included Tanya Minge’s Drag Queen Bingo (Fri 3 & Sat 17 Mar) with £500 of prizes, DJ Brooke’s Sassy Saturday (Sat 11 Mar), Fireball Friday [Fri 31 Mar] and The Aunty Ginger Show (Sat 18 Mar). Emma Maezin will also be hosting Drag Bingo (Fr 24 Mar) at Bagshawe Arms and Drag Karaoke (Fri 10 & Sat 18 Mar) at The Ball Inn, while Bipolar Abdul will be hosting this month’s Drag Bingo (Wed 15 Mar) at Hagglers Corner.

And if that’s not enough drag for you, last but by no means least, we have Haters Roast (Fri 31 Mar) at City Hall, a drag comedy spectacular hosted by The Vivienne, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season

1, joined by Trinity the Tuck, New York City queen Miz Cracker, the infamously disqualified Willam, Canadian drag star Jimbo, RPDR UK fan favourite Baga Chipz, Season 2 winner Lawrence Chaney, North

Carolina’s Heidi N Closet and RPDR Season 13 runner-up Kandy Muse. Expect the ultimate showdown of witty insults, spilled tea, insensitive comments, political incorrectness and hilarious shenanigans. Looking for a night out? Bisexual icon Self Esteem plays two dates at Sheffield’s O2 Academy (Thu 16 & Tue 21 Mar) touring her stand-out album, Prioritise Pleasure, plus LGBTQ+ clubnight Grapefruit (Fri 10 Mar) returns to Sheffield Students Union celebrating all things Queer and open to both students and non-students from the community. LGBT+ students can also join the Tuesday Social (Tue 7 & 21 Mar) at Raynor Lounge, inside Bar One, to meet the SU LGBTQ+ committee and other LGBTQ+ students. For groups and organisations representing and working with members of Sheffield’s LGBT+ communities, Sheffield LGBT Multi-Agency Network (Wed 1 Mar) will be hosting their quarterly meetup to discuss issues affecting our communities, collaborate on events and ensure that LGBTQ+ voices are heard in citywide discussions and consultations.

If you fancy heading to the flicks, over at Showroom Cinema there are two last

chances to see Joyland (Wed 1 & Thu 2 Mar),a love story between the youngest son of a patriarchal Pakistani family and a trans woman he meets after secretly taking a job in a burlesque theatre. The film touches on issues including discrimination against the transgender community, gender-based violence and conformity to centuries-old norms.

That’s your lot for this month! As always, keep an eye on the Sheffield LGBT+ events page on Facebook www. facebook.com/sheffieldlgbtevents for updates and announcements on the latest events and news.

Photo: Lindsay Melbourne

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OPEN UP SHEFFIELD 2023

A CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS CREATIVE

A much-loved annual arts festival showcasing over 115 artists and makers, visitors to Open Up can explore a variety of creative studios in and around Sheffield: getting to meet the people behind the work, learn more about their processes and even buy work from the makers themselves.

Organised by the artists and makers themselves and taking place over two bank holiday weekends (29 Apr-1 May and 6-7 May), this well-established event is now in its 25th year and will again be showcasing a wide range of art forms in loads of interesting locations. With many studios gathered in natural clusters across Sheffield and beyond they’re ideally located for a tour and, as they’re all handily listed in the free event brochure and on the web site www.openupsheffield.co.uk, you’re likely to find somewhere nearby to pop down and pay a visit to or something new and interesting a little further afield to go and see.

Offering the perfect excuse to grab a few friends and spend some time exploring Sheffield’s rich vein of innovation and creativity, as well as the opportunity to explore parts of the city you might not know so well, it’s a must-attend event for anyone interested in the arts and crafts. In homage to Open Up reaching its quarter century, we’ve rounded up five great reasons why it’s considered one of the most important events on the city’s cultural calendar.

It makes for a fantastic day out. Open Up is a very social event, popular with groups and families, where thousands of people join in with a city-wide festival using the event brochure to plan local trips and excursions to different neighbourhoods across the city. Exploring various parts of Sheffield through the medium of art sounds like a winner to us (and the opportunity to buy some unique works is a nice bonus!)

Sheffield is renowned as a City of Makers. Open Up brings together the wide array of art forms being practiced on our doorstep: painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, printing and paper working, textiles, photography, glass, woodworking, jewellery and metalworking – just to name a few! In a world dominated by digital consumption, the opportunity to interact with these works of art and learn from the creatives behind them becomes even more valuable. You may well be surprised by what’s going on just around the corner from you – and here’s the perfect chance to immerse yourself into it!

Many artists and makers have spent a lifetime at their craft; they do Open Up because they want to meet people and share their passion and knowledge. Not only can you put a face to the name of an artist or maker whose work you admire, but you can support them directly while learning about traditional skills that form a key part of Sheffield’s cultural heritage, as well as the more contemporary forms of art growing the landscape. Set up and run by the artists and makers themselves, the event removes the boundaries often present between artist and those interested in the arts and crafts. If you’re thinking of taking up a hobby, it’s a great way to find out more from practitioners – for free! Visiting an open studio is a great way to get creative inspiration through seeing and talking about the work on display. Sharing skills and knowledge is at the heart of Open Up’s ethos, so there will be demonstrations taking place and the opportunity to ask experienced artists and makers for advice on how to get involved yourself – whether that’s pointers on the best crafts and supplies or learning about useful techniques and materials. The spaces themselves are fascinating! Many of the studios are based in old buildings steeped in history, inspirational creative hubs of art or even the artist’s’ own homes and gardens! It’s all about experiencing art at its source, engaging with passionate creatives and – most importantly – having plenty of fun while doing so!

For more information and to download the brochure for this year’s Open Up event, head to www.openupsheffield.co.uk.

I’VE ALWAYS IMMENSELY ENJOYED MEETING AND WELCOMING VISITORS; SHARING MY ENTHUSIASM, HEARING PEOPLE’S COMMENTS AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MY PAINTING – IT’S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF BEING AN ARTIST, PART OF SHOWING THAT YOU’RE THERE AND SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU DO.

STEPHEN TODD, PAINTER

OPEN UP IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST AN EXHIBITION; AND, ALTHOUGH THERE IS WORK FOR SALE, I REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO COME AND SEE MY WORK AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. IT’S A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AS THERE REALLY AREN’T THAT MANY GALLERIES THAT WILL SHOW LOCAL ARTISTS WORK AND YOU RARELY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE MAKER IN THEIR STUDIO MARY ELSE, POTTER

Join Open Up 2023! Hurry, the call for artists and makers closes on 17th February. Visit www.openupsheffield. co.uk for more information.

New artists and makers £65, full fee £95. No commission on sales.

Open Up is an annual open studios event in and around Sheffield. The event will run across five days including the bank holiday weekends 29/30th April, 1st May and 6/7th May 2023.

In this month’s showcase of Sheffield-based creative talent, Lucy Jeffs speaks to illustrator and animator...

EMILY REDFEARN

FIRST OF ALL, HOW DID YOU GET INTO GRAPHIC DESIGN?

It started through education and university. I initially trained as a graphic designer, which eventually led me back into illustration and animation as well. Then I ran with those two mediums because that’s what I’m most passionate about.

YOU FOCUS ON A LOT OF BOLD AND BRIGHT COLOURS. WHAT DRAWS YOU TO THIS STYLE RATHER THAN FINE LINE OR MINIMALIST APPROACHES?

I think I go for bright and bold colours because that’s what interests me the most in art I like, and the other artists I look to have always been quite like that. Especially the Hanna Barbera cartoons and the kind of old-school animations and cartoons I grew up with, they were always full of high-impact, sugar-loaded colour. Also, I really like high-contrast art, so I go for all or nothing in that way. In general, I just like uplifting, quite fun work. I envision how someone might view my work and I’d like it to be something that could bring a smile to their face

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PROJECT THAT YOU’VE WORKED ON?

The work I did with Quorn was definitely one of my favourites. It was about Leaf and Shoot, a Sheffield-based biopic farm who sell their produce to local cafes and areas in the city. It was a really close one to my heart because everyone in Sheffield was bunching together and working on a shared project. Also, I really like mixed mediums, and we got to combine a lot of creative skills: their videography, my illustrations and animations, then the input from Static Flow Productions who produced it. Obviously, the story behind it was very sustainable, very eco-positive, which we were all very passionate about. That combined with it being Sheffield based just made it a nice touching piece. Other than that, I really enjoy my work with Terrace Goods, a restaurant in town, which I branded and did a lot of illustration work for. That has been a lovely project to have seen grown from the ground up into what it is now.

ON THAT NOTE, HOW HAS IT BEEN WORKING WITH SHEFFIELD INDIE BEER FEAST?

It’s been amazing. I think the nature of beer can art and design are very much to my taste. It’s out there, can be very experimental; it doesn’t have to literally be what’s in the can, so it can be quite playful. When you go out for a drink, it’s to have a laugh and some fun and that’s the kind of feel we wanted for Indie Beer Feast this year – something light, fun and informal, which are all elements that carry through my work.

HOW WAS THE JUMP FROM DOING FULL-TIME GRAPHIC DESIGN TO BEING A FREELANCER?

I didn’t really have much choice at the time because I lost my job during the pandemic, but I had always freelanced on the side, and I knew that that was the direction I wanted to go in. Thankfully, it was really fruitful, and I’m very thankful for a drop in the deep end. I always think that life’s a combination of hard work and coincidence: you can work as hard as you can, but you have to have the element of luck and timing for certain things to happen.

DO YOU HAVE ANY MILESTONE MOMENTS?

The opportunity to lecture was lovely because it sort of feels like coming full circle from when I was studying. My biggest milestone is probably getting signed to Roar agency last October. It came out of nowhere – we just started chatting on Instagram –and then Skye, my agent, asked if I wanted to be represented and it all went from there.

ANY UPCOMING PLANS?

I’m getting a new studio, which will be nice. I’m also hoping to do more physical work this year because I work digitally most of the time, which I do really love, but it’s nice to get away from a computer, go a little bit old-school and paint my voice in a traditional medium. @emredfearn

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ARTISTS SPOTLIGHT

WILDFIRE ROAD

This month, Sheffield’s iconic Playhouse theatre welcomes a brandnew play to its stage. Written by Eve Leigh and directed by Laura Keefe, Wildfire Road tells the story of a group of strangers thrown together by chance on a flight to Tokyo as it is hijacked. Whilst comedic in nature, the play at its core brings home an important message centred on the climate crisis. Olivia Warburton sat down with actors Siubhan Harrison and Mark Weinman, who star in the show, to hear what they had to say about what audiences can expect, how rehearsals have gone so far and their time in the Steel City.

Without giving too much away, what can audiences expect from Wildfire Road?

SH: Essentially, it’s a play about climate change. A story about a group of strangers who come together in a crisis, experience this stressful scenario and the comedy that can arise from those moments. But also, it’s about the future of the earth.

MW: It’s hard because we have the future and, like Siubhan mentioned, we have these inner monologues from the passengers on board the plane and then we have these direct address moments to the audience. We straddle these different perspectives of what would be a linear journey through the play. I guess it explores time, as we mention it quite a lot.

If you had to categorise it into one genre, what would you say it is?

MW: We are still exploring what that is. There’s definitely a lot of comedy in there. We have this lovely steer from our writer, Eve, who on the front page of the script says as a direction, ‘if in doubt, play it light; if in doubt, play it funny’. I guess at the heart, what’s anchoring the play is the climate crisis, something very serious, so I think we’re trying to explore how people find humour in those moments of panic and crisis.

SH: I mean the message is very clear: that we have

to do something about the future of the world, our behaviour on this planet and what it does for future generations. But it’s not approached in a patronising style. It’s approached in a funny way, which hopefully will get the message across without it feeling like we’re doing a play about climate change.

I know you mentioned you have just done your first stagger through of the play in its entirety, but how would you say rehearsals have been going as a whole?

MW: It’s just been so much fun.

SH: It’s a really silly, creative rehearsal room that’s led wonderfully by Laura Keefe which encourages us to play with endless options. There’s nothing too silly that anyone can do.

MW: Everyone is so willing to jump in and try something. There is never a moment where we sit around not knowing. If we can even take one little bit from that as an ingredient and use that going forward, then we use it.

How would you both describe your characters?

SH: I play Marina, a flight attendant. The interesting thing about flight attendants in this scenario is the necessity to keep it together for the

sake of the other passengers. It is her job to be professional at all times, so it’s interesting to see the moments when she unravels and the moments when she forces herself to put on a positive face. MW: Dave is a bit of a lost soul. He’s in a bit of a mundane job, doesn’t really feel like he’s moving forward and I think he’s searching for some sort of adventure that’s going to take him forward, hoping that it’s going to open new doors for him. He’s a bit of a loner and I have kind of attached him fixed with technology and sci-fi-y stuff, but I think he’s looking to break away from that. He just wants to make a human connection.

How would you say Wildfire Road compares to shows either of you have previously worked on?

SH: On the first reading, I don’t think I got most of it. It is so layered. Then, I read it again and had no idea how it was going to work on stage, how Laura was going to make it come to life. That, for me, was really exciting. The rehearsal process and exploring all the possibilities has been such a wonderful thing. It’s new writing, which is always exciting because you’re not recreating or reimagining. It’s completely new, which means that everything is possible. I really like doing new writing for that reason, because there are so many options you can

explore.

MW: I definitely agree. The first time I read it, I was like, ‘I need to read that again’. My head was a bit frazzled. What I did see in it were some really beautiful, human moments. There’s some real naturalism in there amidst the chaos which was really lovely. I always do a thing where I put my ‘IKEA’ hat on and ask what’s missing from the play; because when you get instructions from IKEA to assemble something, there’s always a part missing. I think that’s always a good way to read the script. Whatever is missing is the bit that excites me with the script, and I remember very much thinking that with this.

How have you found being in Sheffield so far?

MW: I’ve worked in the building a couple of times running auditions for National Youth Theatre over the years. I’ve always enjoyed those weekends when I was doing it, but I didn’t know the city at all. I’ve got a couple of friends here and I’m enjoying meeting up, and I’m going to do some walks. It’s also just really friendly.

SH: It’s unbelievable how friendly everyone is.

MW: Everyone says hello, thank you and looks you in the eye. It’s great. It’s scary that two hours away on the train can be that different. That says more about London unfortunately. That’s also what is really nice about the theatre: it feels very much like it’s a family-run venue.

SH: I’ve been here for ages because my partner was in Standing at the Sky’s Edge, which has just been on, so I spent a lot of time visiting. Every Sunday we had a walking club and would go out into the Peak District and walk. It’s so beautiful. The scenery is incredible. We’ve had a lot of good Sunday roasts. Brilliant pubs. Brilliant vegan food.

How are you both feeling ahead of opening night?

SH: There’s exciting work to be done, but I think the show will be really entertaining and hopefully it will be powerful in its message.

MW: There are a few movement numbers in there that I need to go over. What is glorious is everyone is so good at helping each other out. I’m slightly slower at picking up some of the musical numbers, but everyone is just so patient and kind. We’ve got plenty of time. I’m not worried about it. It’s a good place to be because it means you can go into that final week, finesse it and your mind is extra switched on. Opening night will be fun. It’s a short run though, two weeks, so it’s going to be strange. We will get to the end and feel like we’re just getting into the swing of it.

SH: That’s actually something really amazing about Sheffield, specifically the Playhouse, that they do such short runs of new writings. It’s a really unique thing. It means that they are constantly getting new people in and pushing themselves, and the audiences have always got something new to see.

Wildfire Road runs at the Playhouse from 4th-18th March. Tickets (£22) and more info at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk