Oliver Twist in mind, to a restaurant that promised to give me “more”.

Every meal at London Road’s plushest new venue (which fills the gaping hole left by Antibo’s) has been painstakingly planned to deliver more taste, more comfort and more attention to detail than any other venue in town.

MORE was 22 months in the planning and it shows in the details, right down to the luxury ice-cream served as standard, free wi-fi and daily deep-cleaned loos.

The restaurateur at its helm has high-end aspirations, and so far his creation has ticked all of the obvious boxes – from the pitch-perfect audio-visual system and steaming (quite literally, so stand back) induction-heated dishes of curries, to £300 bottles of Cristal champagne kept on ice.

All it took to whet my appetite was the South Indian dosa, freshly cooked and wrapped straight from the griddle, served with coconut chutney and sambhar. Next came succulent Desi Lamb curry, naan bread and a helping of ridiculously, sorry it can’t be helped, ‘more – ish’ Chill Paneer.

I quote funny-man Jimmy Cricket when I say, “and there’s more”… another jovial chef filled my third plate of food. This time, freshly char-grilled chicken tikka and shish kebabs.

MORE should woo diners who might otherwise snub the self-service concept. It replicates high-end all-inclusive resorts where dishes are cooked to order, or are replenished swiftly to satisfy streams of demanding diners, rather than left sitting.

Thousands of customers have sampled MORE’s cross-continental delights since October 13, 2011. Crowd-pleasing dishes include Chinese kung-po chicken, aromatic crispy duck, Mexican fajitas, masala fish, Portuguese piri-piri chicken, American malted waffles and Indian samosas. Vegetarian and vegan diners are specially catered for.

Back in 1994, Leicester’s very own comedy festival kicked-off. There were 40 events programmed at 23 venues over seven days, attracting an audience of 5,000. Last year the numbers rocketed to 370 shows split across 50 city venues and 17 days, entertaining a staggering 60,000 people.

Festival founder and director, Geoff Rowe, told me how a group of students from De Montfort University studying arts management decided to run a comedy festival as part of their final year project.

He said: “Lots of people have been involved from the very beginning and it’s fantastic to think that something which started in such a small and modest way is now the longest running comedy festival in Europe, and is one of the most significant ones in the UK and on the international comedy scene. It is great for us and the city of Leicester and is something that really helps put us on the map.”

Over the years a number of top names have made Leicester laugh, including Jo Brand, Alan Davies, Simon Day, Jimmy Carr, Russell Brand and Dara O’Briain. In the first year, for example, there were performances from Harry Hill and Matt Lucas, who was still a fledgling funny-man at the time, but has since gone on to enjoy huge fame as one-half of Little Britain.

Leicester-born comedy writer and performer, Elaine Pantling, who was in the line up in 2002 sings the praises of the annual event.

She said: “This is a great place to see not only established acts, but new talent. It is a place where you are bound to have a wonderful time, as there is something to suit everyone. It is so important to keep live theatre and comedy alive. The festival provides a place for communal
laughter and the much-needed happy bug that is infectious and will spread rapidly. This comedy epidemic is crucial to the general wellbeing of all people in
Leicester and beyond.”

Running from February 3 to February 19, this year sees the festival team up with UKTV’s home of witty banter, the comedy channel Dave. This is the second year the organisers have worked with them, but the first that they are the official sponsors of every show.

Geoff Rowe added: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for us, I think, and will give us a much greater national profile, while at the same time enable us to do more here locally in Leicester – and that’s the important bit.”

At the time of writing, the organisers were still in talks about whether any of the shows will be broadcast on air, despite the television tie-up being in the bag.

Leicester Comedy Festival organisers have also made a conscious effort to encourage more families to come along in 2012.

Geoff said: “There was a time when comedy was perceived to be inappropriate for younger people or the older audience because of the language. But we’ve always tried to have shows that appeal to the wider audience. So, yes, there is stand-up comedy and late night shows, but there is also a lot of variety for the family audience and we are lining up programmes during the day that families can enjoy.”

“This comedy epidemic is crucial to the general wellbeing of all people in Leicester and beyond.”

Like any comedy fest worthy of our giggles, Leicester’s festival has a habit of showing off the wall, one-off events. We’ve seen Stewart Lee taking part in a debate about Jerry Springer the Opera in Leicester Cathedral, and John Ryan performing his Hurt Until it Laughs show in two Leicestershire prisons.

Remember the special event held to honour writer and Leicester-lad Joe Orton, featuring Sue Townsend, Joe’s two sisters and Simon Fanshawe? Not forgetting Comedy in the Dark, which proved you can turn the lights off, have fun and save the planet at the same time.

For Geoff and the other organisers, the Leicester Comedy Festival has always been a long-term project. There is no immediate plan for the future, apart from ensuring it lasts another 20 to 30 years! They described the 2012 festival as more of the same with a few surprises thrown in.

When asked to describe the most satisfying thing about putting on such a large event,

Geoff replied: “It’s the way so many organisations, charities, faith and community groups, schools as well as the comedians and venues, all get together to focus on something. In the past it has been quite challenging to get that kind of buzz going, but it really happens now. One of the most satisfying things is to just walk around the city and see that buzz.”

Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival Preview Show helps us start the New Year with a smile at De Montfort Hall, on January 13 from 7.30pm. Call 0116 233 3111 or visit www.demontforthall.co.uk for tickets.

The 2012 festival runs February 3 to February 19 with appearances from stars including Alistair McGowan, Pam Ayres, Chris Addison, Josie Long and Sarah Millican. For dates and ticket details visit www.comedy-festival.co.uk.

The Writers’ Gallery is an online who’s-who of the best writing talent to grace the city since the 1980s, which goes live to an international audience of readers in March.

It is the latest output of the Grassroutes Literature project, curated by Leicester University’s School of English and funded by the Arts Council England and Writing East Midlands.

Acclaimed writers who will be showcased by the new cross-cultural gallery include Leicester-born fiction author Bali Rai, a writer of young adult fiction whose latest book is called Killing Honour. The Zimbabwean city-based writer, Ambrose Musiyiwa, who is currently writing Diary of An Asylum Seeker, is another inclusion.

Organiser Dr. Corinne Fowler, a lecturer in Postcolonial Literature at Leicester University is keen to highlight the surge of transcultural writers not based in London.

She said: “Leicestershire has a dynamic literary scene and much of its writers’ poetry, drama, short stories and novels has a transcultural dimension. The Grassroutes project is not designed to contest London’s literary dominance. It aims to raise the profile of fifty of Leicestershire’s best writers, in keeping with the wider aims of the project, which is to promote greater public engagement with the region’s writing.”

Organisers explained: “Grassroutes supports the efforts of independent publishers and literature development agencies to inspire public engagement with the diverse writing cultures of multi-racial Britain.”

Our quest to become one of the forerunners in Britain’s top flight continues. The 2011/12 British Basketball League (BBL) season has started in incredible fashion and head coach Rob Paternostro has put together a squad filled with exciting talent, whilst also being able to add the country’s top British player to his roster.
In December 2011 Leicester Riders announced a deal which saw Great Britain captain Andrew Sullivan signing with us, for the season ahead of the eagerly-anticipated London 2012 Olympic Games. A veteran forward, who has played across the continent, Sullivan is a player who seems to have won silverware wherever he has played, having previously lifted the BBL Championship and Cup whilst with Newcastle Eagles and Mersey Tigers.

Local businesses in Leicester helped snap up Andrew Sullivan for the duration of the BBL season. These latest sponsors include Jamie Lewis of Jamie Lewis Residential, Vic Sethi of Anand Daewoo International, Romail Gulzar of Pukaar News and Paul Levenston of Laurick Jewellery.

In addition to Sullivan, Leicester Riders have recruited some incredible talent from across the Atlantic. Enigmatic point guard Cameron Rundles won NCAA tournaments whilst with Wofford College in America – and has shown early on that his talent and enthusiasm for the game of basketball could ensure that he is a winner with Riders.
Alongside Rundles, fellow American Ayron Hardy has set the league alight, winning the Molton Player of the Month award for October following an incredible start for the rookie in Britain. Hardy’s ability to score at one end of the floor and defend strongly at the other has made him a key part of the Riders team, winning rebound after rebound en route to becoming a regular name in the BBL’s Team of the Week.

In guards Flinder Boyd, Bradd Weirzbicki and John Griffin, Riders have players that can dictate the pace of games, whilst also calling upon the ability of being able to sink crucial shots at vital times in games.

Big men Brett Royster, Barry Lamble and Tom Sherlock emphasise the depth of the Riders squad – making them one of the toughest teams in the BBL this season. It’s certainly an exciting time to be a Riders fan!”

WORDS BY Kelly Pipes

Love tokens stealthily delivered by secret admirers and walks in the park shared by sweethearts, are still Valentine’s Day fare for romantic souls. Many of us, however, make do with a cheapie card, snatched at the last minute from the local garage.

But take heart – even if your partner’s imagination can only stretch as far as a plastic-wrapped rose or a heart-shaped chocolate, just be grateful they’re not belting your behind with strips of goat pelt. For this is what passed as amore during the Roman era, when the seeds of Valentine’s Day as we know it were potentially being sown.

Long ago, in a time before Tiffany’s engagement rings, the pagans of Ancient Roman society celebrated the feast days of Juno Februtis and Lupercalia from February 13 to February 15. Back then, there was no finer display of affection than lashing the ladies with the shredded skin of a sacrificed goat.

This not so tender act boosted a woman’s fertility the revellers believed, and upped the male mojo for a strenuous three-days of frolicking with the opposite sex – all at the foot of Palatine Hill in Rome.

But Laura Hadland, senior curator for the Jewry Wall Museum in St Nicholas Circle, a bone-fide expert in the Roman civilisation, was quick to steer me away from the theory that contemporary Valentine’s Day began with Lupercalia.

She said: “It was a very ancient festival that may date to pre-Roman times, focused on purification and fertility. The goddess, Juno Februtis or Februata is  thought to have been particularly connected with this festival as she was associated with the month of February.

“Februa’ and all of these related words essentially mean ‘religious purification’.

“So there were lots of things happening in the Roman world in February, but there is no connection with modern-day celebrations of St Valentine’s Day.”

That said I can’t resist comparing some of my earliest Valentine’s Day memories with the nervous anticipation surely felt by Roman girls on February 14, the Eve of Lupercalia. On this day young men took turns to pull girls’ name at random from a ceremonial urn – a custom which must have raised a blush in the cheeks of some mushy Roman maidens.

Once the lucky-dip was complete, the newly-matched young couples spent the festival together, falling in love and perhaps getting married. Historians believe that Lupercalia was one of only a few times each year that single boys and girls were allowed to mingle.

But daydream over. Marriage was stamped out altogether by the blood-thirsty Roman Emperor Claudius II. ‘Claudius the Cruel’ came to the conclusion that Roman men much preferred warming their marital beds to dying in the blood baths that were his battlefields. So he called off all engagements and forbade weddings, in an effort to bolster his waning army.

Back then, there was no finer display of affection than lashing the ladies with the shredded skin of a sacrificed goat.

Frustrated fiancés across the Empire wept as their men set off for war rather than into wedlock. Then, as one story goes, a Christian bishop who lived in Rome around 270AD, took it upon himself to marry draft-worthy military men and their betrothed in secret ceremonies.

Inevitably a snitch turned in this romantic rebel, whose name was Valentine or ‘the lovers’ friend’. He was dragged in front of the courts, clubbed within an inch of his life and finally beheaded for his services to marriage.

Later, Bishop Valentine was made a Christian martyr, purportedly on February 14 – slap-bang in the middle of those age-old pagan festivities of fertility.

Is it too great a leap to make… to say that by coinciding the dates of this martyrdom with the festivities of Lupercalia, the Church effectively censored the pagan raunchiness, replacing it with the pious memory of St Valentine that has survived through the ages?

History books speculate that February 14 became a fully-fledged Christian holy day in Rome around 470 AD, stubbing out any festivities associated with the pagan deities Februtis and Lupercus. Saints names had to be pulled from boxes at random rather than girls’ names, in another sign of the clean-up.

Laura Hadland, for one, thinks my aspersions fly too far.

She said: “St Valentine could have been one of a number of historical Valentines, so no-one is actually sure which one the Christian Saint’s Day  commemorates.

“He could have existed at any point from the mid- to late-Roman Empire when the early Church effectively was the Roman Empire, and when it was the Roman Elite who were against raunchy sex in the lower classes – so it doesn’t really work out.

“The association of Valentine with modern ideas of romanticism are almost certainly no older than the fourteenth century, 1000 years too late for there to be a link with Lupercalia.

“The most you could suppose is a link between people celebrating love, romance, sex and fertility in the springtime – when that sort of thing is blooming in the natural world.”

Fast forward to medieval England where the cult of St Valentine grew with renewed vigour far from the Roman Forum. It is here, that poet and playwright Geoffrey Chaucer is credited with creating the link between love and romance with February 14, and the feast day of St Valentine.

In his poem The Parliament of Fowls, Chaucer famously, and for the very first time, links romantic love with February 14. He writes of a royal engagement and the mating of lovebirds happening on St Valentine’s Day.

And with that, the scholars believe, he set Valentine’s mushy associations in stone to this day.

Holly Bell, a finalist in BBC 2’s Great British Bake Off who was famous for her fancy cakes, will teach students how to make fondant creatures, bake 12 cup cakes and use a piping bag like a professional.

The 31-year-old mum of two promises the one-day classes will be fun and exercises will be focused at all levels, from beginners to experts. The 2012 class dates are January 22, February 5, February 19, March 14, March 24, April 4 and April 15.

Bread lovers can also learn how to make loaves just like Holly at her bread-making classes on January 11 and 18, February 1 and 22, March 7 and 31 and April 17 and 29.
Holly holds all of her classes at Bridge 67 Cookery School in Smeeton Westerby.

Visit www.recipesfromanormalmum.com to book.

Among the accolades up for grabs on February 7 are Best Tourism Event in Leicester and Leicestershire, Best Large and Small Hotel and the Outstanding Customer Service Award.

Winning businesses and venues on the day at the National Space Centre, in Exploration Drive, will qualify to represent Leicester on a national scale in this special Olympic year.

Martin Peters, Chief Executive of Leicester Shire Promotions, said: “The new awards for Leicester and Leicestershire will allow local tourism businesses to demonstrate their excellence and by winning the local awards, they will go on to compete against the cream of England’s tourism sector in the VisitEngland national awards later in 2012.”

Vic Sethi, along with his brother in law Harjot Anand and uncle Babu Anand, have helped turn city-based Anand into a distribution giant who have worked with manufactures including Duracell, Panasonic, Energizer, Eveready, Maxell, Samsung and Sony, since the company was established in 1981.

His organisations have defied the economic downturn – something he attributes in some part to the experiences thrust upon his family in Kuwait, where his family had migrated to when he was a child. “I am a believer that in recession you can either, break or make,” Vic explained when asked how his company had weathered the recent economic storms.

This businessman, born in New Delhi, left Kuwait in 1991 following its invasion by Saddam Hussein. He is also a firm believer in never speculating beyond a company’s means.

He reflected: “For me I had been through the worst recession when Kuwait got invaded and we had nothing left. Therefore we had to stand on our feet from  scratch again and this has made me stronger and resistant in life.

Our father Mr Anand’s teachings have played an important role in this. He always said never borrow money from anyone as it is as good as working for the  lenders, so we only worked with what we had, which has made us a very credible and solid company.”
Prepared for the post-Christmas rush for electronic goods, Vic expects January and February 2012 to be busy for their team. They are based at the company headquarters at the Meridian Business Park, and from retail and wholesale arms on Leicester’s Golden Mile (Melton road).

Vic explained: During the month of December people buy gifts and are looking at accessories and add-ons for the presents in January and February. March gets a bit slower, but that enables us to look into other product ranges, other business channels.

Trade shows are at the top of their agenda in March, with the company’s first show of 2012 booked for April at the NEC in Birmingham. The West Midland’s exhibition centre itself is something Vic dreams of replicating closer to home. When asked what he would try to bring to Leicester if he had just one chance put use his business acumen and financial support to work, He replied: “I would first create a great giant venue for exhibitions and functions with links from the train station and
local airport.”

“We are living in one of UK’s most vibrant multi-cultural cities, where everyone lives in harmony. This would encourage more visitors to Leicester and bring Leicester on the map of the world, by holding international conferences, international trade fairs and other events.”

His vision for this entertainment hub would also accommodate weddings, community and cultural programs and much more.

In 2011 Vic decided to exclusively sponsor the Somalia Olympic Team for Olympics London 2012. But recently he took a decision to step down from the sponsorship.He confirmed his sponsorship for the Leicester Riders Basketball club in December 2011, securing Andrew (Drew) Sullivan for the club.

A wider aspiration Vic has for Leicester in 2012 and beyond, is to see the city’s public sector (government public servants) and the business / private sector standing  united, striving to make a positive impact on the wellbeing of the local community.

“Our father Mr Anand’s teachings have played an important role in this. He always said never borrow money from anyone as it is as good as working for the lenders, so we only worked with what we had, which has made us a very credible and solid company. ”

“Leicester’s business or private sector needs to get involved more,” he reflected. “We need more businesses to come out and contribute towards community projects. We all came with the urge to make money in this country so that we can help our families locally and back home.

“We should carry on doing that, but we should always be grateful to the countries we reside in which give us our livelihood. This country has offered us the right of vote, freedom of speech, practising our faith by contributing and supporting us when needed without any restrictions, therefore in return it is our responsibility to make sure that once we have brought our family to a comfortable position, it is time for us to go out and help others in whatever we can and also take part in community projects by supporting them.”

She is known to millions who watch her work on the world’s satellite channels. Born in Libya, she then grew up in Syria and Egypt, and in 2001 came to the UK. Colonel Gaddafi once summoned her to his Bedouin tent near Sirte to ask her to write a movie about Libya. Her company, Liberty Media Productions, has offices in Leicester and London.

Which of your script-writing projects or TV assignments has made you most proud, and why?
Ma Malakat Aymankum (Your Rightful Disposal, 2010), I think because it is the project which liberated me from fear. At the beginning of my writing career I used to be shrouded with fear, so I could not voice many ideas which I believe in, as I was afraid of what other people would think.

But through time I broke free from fear, and that was obvious in Ma Malakat as I could speak about taboos and challenge them. This thirty episode TV soap opera tackles Arab women’s current struggle for equality and freedom in the Middle East.

What gives you the strength to continue tackling culturally divisive subjects, even when faced by the pressure of more conservative voices?
I want to inspire the future generation. I do not want the daughter I might have one day to suffer what I suffered from when I was living in the Middle East. The only way to do so is to change into an inspirational person myself.

How does it feel to have the opportunity, through your dramas and TV appearances, to be a force for change in the Middle East?
In front of the camera I feel so free, I feel I forget and forgive all the pain I went through in my life. I feel I am finally under the light after being entrapped for years in the shadow. I feel liberated and free, and you can not be a force for change unless you are liberated yourself and free.

What are your hopes for the Middle East in the years to come, following the Arab Spring?
I hope people will change from being, for long years, subjects of government into citizens of state who have rights and opportunities. I hope we will be ruled by democratic laws and civil society laws. I hope we as women can gain our rights and contribute to the society.

For full story please contact us or pick up your copy of Pukaar Magazine, now available at your local store.

The memoirs of burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee are brought to life by multi award-winning actress Caroline O’Connor as Mama Rose. Her credits include Chicago, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Follies, Piaf and Mack and Mabel.

This jewel of American musical theatre charts Mama Rose’s story of her mother, and her determination to live out her own dreams of stardom through her two daughters. It features many well-loved numbers including Everything’s Coming up Roses, You Gotta Have a Gimmick and Some People.

Originally premiering on Broadway in 1959, Curve’s production of this classic fable is the first in the UK for many years. This much-anticipated revival is directed by Curve Artistic Director Paul Kerryson.

10 Mar-15 Apr at Curve, Rutland Street 0116 242 3595 curveonline.co.uk

NUTCRACKER!

Now celebrating its 20th year, Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! is still one of the best-loved dance productions ever staged in the UK. Tchaikovsky’s majestic score meets Anthony Ward’s incredible sets and sizzling choreography to create a modern theatrical feast packed with wit, pathos and fantasy.

A family favourite, Nutcracker! follows Clara’s bittersweet journey from a bleak Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross’ Orphanage, through a shimmering, ice-skating winter wonderland to the scrumptious candy kingdom of Sweetieland.

Matthew Bourne’s company New Adventures has produced some of the most successful contemporary dance productions including Swan Lake, The Car Man, Edward Scissorhands and Cinderella.

27 Feb – 3 Mar at Curve, Rutland Street 0116 242 3595 curveonline.co.uk