Theatre Delicatessen is hosting the Sheffield based play “The Church of Jim”, which explores politics, religion and community spirit. The Church of Jim is the story of a community formed to bring hope into a seemingly hopeless situation. Sheffield Live! reporter Shamaan Freeman-Powell spoke to author of the play, Andrew Cook.
The local TV channel for Sheffield marked its second anniversary with an invitation to get involved. Sheffield Live! TV launched in September 2014, providing a diverse programme schedule, from politics to poetry, and working alongside Sheffield Live! community radio and the SheffieldLive.org website. The channel operates on a not-for-profit basis and is open to volunteers, community reporters, and independent producers. Presenter and reporter Simon Thake spoke to Steve Buckley, Chair of Sheffield Live!
Sheffield-based Eclipse Theatre have been awarded a grant of £125,000 by Arts Council England. The company, formed in 2010, aim to be at the forefront of delivering stories from the Black British experience in regional theatres. The grant funding, part of the Catalyst: Evolve programme, is intended to support development of the company. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Founder and Artistic Director, Dawn Walton.
Hundreds of people, including children and families, enjoyed their August bank holiday at the Sheffield Fayre at Norfolk Heritage Park. The Fayre features a horticultural show as well as an arena for local dance and performing talent. There were also sideshows, fairground activities and street dancers performing to keep the crowd entertained. The Sheffield Fayre is in its fifteenth year and is organised by Sheffield City Council in partnership with the Friends of Norfolk Heritage Park, University of Sheffield and the National Fairground Archive. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Marge Allen, Chair of Sheffield Fayre and Co-ordinator of Friends of Norfolk Heritage Park.
The Abbeydale Picture House on Abbeydale Road is the venue for the latest production from the Opera on Location team. Their production of Tosca, the heartbreaking operatic love story is set in the 1920s which is also the decade when the former Picture House cinema was opened. Opera on Location, created after the success of the production of Benjamin Britten’s opera version of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in August 2013, is a new opera company based in Sheffield with the aim to perform exciting opera in real locations. Kathryn Gasic and Gareth Lloyd, the company founders, produced and self-funded the production, which took place in the Winter Gardens, as part of the A Boy Was Born festival hosted by The University of Sheffield. After receiving critical acclaim for their sell-out run of the Britten opera, they decided to create the company in order to repeat this successful approach to opera performance.
My first encounter with Game Over was a Facebook invitation.
“Here we go…” I thought, “I can’t wait to decline this!”
I’m quite picky with events I go to, a general rule I follow is – if it’s not gigs, I’m not interested! I don’t even visit the cinema, and as somebody who spends hours alone rejecting social invitations on a regular basis in favour of being at one with my Xbox, I was at first reluctant to go to an event that would require me actually speaking to other human beings (and not down a mic).
Why do I need to go to a bar to play video games when I can just merrily sit here, check my phone (for the texts I’m not going to receive) and eat some custard creams in the comfort of my own crumb riddled bed?
This is why…
I realised almost immediately that Game Over has been the type of social activity I have been looking for. I was lucky to meet some of the nicest people I have ever interacted with and it was genuinely one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had in a long time. There is something quite brilliant about being complimented on your t-shirt because somebody knows it’s actually the vault boy and not TinTin!
What makes this night even better is that you don’t have to be some powernerd who spends all day on COD shouting at four year olds and throwing their controllers at the wall. Nope, this was for anybody who has an interest in anything games related new and old. I sometimes find that myself and others are put off by these events on the basis that there will be some know-it-all fedora wearing guy going around trying to educate people on the history of video games. Every single person I spoke to was down to earth and friendly.
And what better way to make some friends than virtually shooting them in the head?!
Not only can you kick some serious backside on Mario Kart, but you can eat a slice of pepperoni and neck a beer at the same time.
I really struggle to fault this event.
For those of you who would like to visit and beat me at some games, check out the latest event on Facebook Game Over – Battle Of Seven Hills and like and join the page here: Game Over – Facebook Page
Please also remember to tune in to Gamers Rule on Sheffield Live! – every Saturday from 11am to 12noon!
Thousands of people went along to Clifton Park over the weekend, for the Rotherham Show. The annual event included hundreds of stalls, a pop up high street, local charities, a diversity festival, and a vintage vehicle rally which was new for this year. Our reporter, Kathryn Smiles went along to find out more.
Meadowhall is 25 years today since it was first opened to the public. Over the weekend the centre will be celebrating its 25 years of existence and to celebrate the quarter of a centenary occasion the centre is hosting a weekend of birthday celebrations. Sheffield Live spoke to Darren Pearce who is the centre director of Meadowhall about the various events during the weekend and what it means to the community.
London 2012 silver medalist Will Bayley says he will take anybody on at table tennis at National Paralympic Day. He got his first table when he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of seven. He is aiming for gold in Rio next year.
A new mountain bike trail has been opened at Lady Cannings Plantation. The trail is for beginners but there is also plenty there for the more experienced riders. The trail has been funded by a crowdfunding scheme.