OTS Listings: What not to miss at Off The Shelf 2012
WEDNESDAY 10TH OCTOBER. 7.30PM.
CITY HALL.
£10/£8 (CONS).
Acclaimed comic Robin Ince talks the audience through a selection of novels that have been accepted into his Bad Book Club. From the trashy romance of Mills and Boon to a case of rampaging killer crabs, Ince takes a light-hearted look at things that probably shouldn't have made it to print, highlighting some of his favourites from his Book Club shows in London, at which he encouraged members of the audience to bring along second-hand books for him to poke fun at.
Bad Book Club has been nominated for the best live show at the British Comedy Awards, and Robin Ince has just finished his sell-out Uncaged Monkey tour.
THE REVOLUTION WILL BE DIGITISED.
MONDAY 22ND OCTOBER. 7PM.
SHOWROOM CINEMA.
£7.50/£5.50 (CONS).
Freelance journalist and author Heather Brooke explores how the rise of digital media has affected our everyday lives, the way governments use our data and how campaigners and activists are utilising new technologies to hold them to account. At the centre of the debate is a war over information and how it is used to control populations, giving rise to a number of urgent questions that will only become more relevant as time passes.
Heather Brooke is a journalist and Freedom of Information campaigner, best known for uncovering the MP expenses scandal. She is a visiting professor of journalism at City University and has written two books, Your Right to Know and The Silent State.
EVEREST THE OLD WAY.
MONDAY 22ND OCTOBER. 7.30PM.
STODDART BUILDING, HALLAM UNI.
£6/£5 (CONS).
In 1964, five trainee teachers pledged that they would trek to the base of Mount Everest after finishing their training in Sheffield. Three years later, after saving £300 each, they embarked on an epic journey, encompassing Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal, before finally making it to the base camp of Everest. David Peckett and John Driskell talk through their experiences with the help of diary extracts, digitally enhanced photos of the original trip, and by comparison to a return visit made in 2010, with modern trekking equipment.
Recommended for climbers, hikers, travellers and those with a youthful sense of adventure.
MY LIFE WITH INSPIRAL CARPETS.
WEDNESDAY 24TH OCTOBER. 7.30PM.
SHEFFIELD UNI AUDITORIUM.
£9/£7 (CONS).
Inspiral Carpets were an influential band formed in Oldham in the early 80s, part of the "Madchester" scene that fused dance elements with rock sensibilities. Singer Tom Hingley talks about his experiences over the years, from chart hits, Top of the Pops appearances and music festivals to in-fighting and the eventual break-up of the band. Appearing in support of his new book, Carpet Burns: My Life with Inspiral Carpets, and also playing an acoustic set, Tom gives a unique account of an exciting time for music, both nationally and internationally.
Tom is a visiting lecturer at Salford University and is currently studying for a PhD in music performance.
|WEDNESDAY 24TH OCTOBER. 7PM.
SHOWROOM CINEMA.
£7.50/£5.50 (CONS).
Owen Jones' book Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class was released last year to a warm critical reception, being named the best-selling politics book of 2011 by The Sunday Times and The Bookseller. In this talk, Owen will discuss his theories about the term 'chav', and how the caricature it creates promotes prejudice and ignorance, rather than looking at the infinitely more complicated reality.
Owen Jones is a columnist for The Independent and has previously worked as a trade union lobbyist and parliamentary researcher.
The Man Who Sold The World.
TUESDAY 30TH OCTOBER. 7PM.
SHOWROOM CINEMA.
TALK OR FILM: £7.50/£5.50 (CONS) / BOTH: £13/£9 (CONS).
Everyone loves a bit of Bowie. From the glammed-up androgyny of Ziggy Stardust to the sombre, Eno-influenced second half of Low, no-one reflected the ups and downs of the 70s more than this elusive and much mythologised performer. In this talk by cultural historian Peter Doggett, Bowie's influence on the world around him is laid bare through intelligent insights into his career and life as a musician, while his own sources of inspiration are also explored in depth. Peter Doggett has been writing about musical and cultural history for 30 years, having recently published You Never Give Me Your Money, a book about the break-up of The Beatles. This event will also include a screening of The Man Who Fell to Earth, a surreal sci-fi featuring Bowie's first starring film role.
Inkle Interactive.
WEDNESDAY 31ST OCTOBER. 2PM.
SHOWROOM CINEMA.
£7.50/£5.50 (CONS).
Software studio inkle, best-selling author Dave Morris and publisher Profile Books have created an interactive version of Mary Shelley's gothic horror Frankenstein. True to the original novel while at the same time giving participants the ability to shape the story as they see fit, Frankenstein for iPad provides a new way to enjoy a story that has inspired countless others since it was penned in 1818. Suitable for both adults and over 11s, this promises to be a refreshingly different take on a modern classic.
The afternoon will also feature a talk by Jon Ingold of inkle, who will explain how the novel was adapted and talk about the possibilities offered by the software. What better way to spend your Halloween?
Su Blackwell.
SUNDAY 4TH NOVEMBER. 11AM.
SHOWROOM.
£7.50/£5.50 (CONS).
Su Blackwell is an artist who works primarily with paper, sculpting unique works of art from everyday objects and bringing the pages of books to life in three dimensions. Su Blackwell in Conversation will see the Sheffield-based creator talk about her career as an artist, during which she has had her pieces exhibited at The Bronte Parsonage Museum and The Graves Art Gallery, with two London shows approaching this autumn.
In the past Su has done illustrations for the likes of Vogue. Her most recent book, The Fairytale Princess: Seven Classic Stories from the Enchanted Forest, is a collaboration with Wendy Jones. The talk will be accompanied by images of her intricate work.
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