Vandal Factory
Episodes
Factory Floor Cuts: Refugee Week 2026
17 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate Refugee Week 2026 we give you this wonderful mixture of voices from all around the world. And to mark the 10 year anniversary of the mur...
Factory Floor Cuts: Perfect Show For Rachel (Flo O’Mahony, Zoo Co)
02 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Perfect Show For Rachel is a unique and trimphant theatre performance where Rachel controls the show! Rachel is a learning disabled woman who loves Ky...
Local, Global & Vocal! (Josie Long, Solace & Keep Our NHS Public)
24 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We ask comedian Josie Long about hope and anger! Josie is a jester, activist and all round good egg. She's a trailblazer of the UK comedy industry as ...
Factory Floor Cuts: Lens on Gaza: The Sun and Moon Still Rise (Fadi A. Thabet, Shazia Bibi, Jon Wakeman)
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Lens on Gaza: The Sun and Moon Still Rise is a photography exhibition at East Street Arts, in Leeds UK. It presents an intimate visual narrative of li...
#39 - Live at Manchester Punk Festival 2026! (Grail Guard & Smoked Poets)
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Natalie return to MPF for another live, raucous episode full of heart & humour (and a dash of chaos!). Joining them in front of a live a...
Factory Floor Cuts: Do It Yourself: Making Political Theatre (Common/Wealth)
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Common/Wealth are a theatre company based in Bradford and Cardiff, making work with, for and about working class communities and urgent social issues....
#38 - Crochet on the Barricades (Kallemi & Sarah Corbett)
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Natalie discuss recent protests, the Bussing In installation, their gig with Bob Vylan and Nat's dog, Ivy, pops by. Featuring interviews wit...
Factory Floor Cuts: A Grain of Sand (Elias Matar, Sarah Agha, Good Chance theatre company)
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
'A Grain of Sand' is a new play written and directed by Elias Matar and performed by Sarah Agha. It tells the story of Renad, an 11-year-old Gazan gir...
Factory Floor Cuts: Boff Whalley
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The full, unedited chat with Boff Whalley taken from episode #37. Boff is the former guitarist for Anarchist Pop-Stars Chumabwamba and founder and lea...
#37 - The Disruptors (Boff Whalley & Yung Yusef)
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Natalie interview musicians Boff Whalley and Yung Yusef. Boff Whalley is the former guitarist of Anarcho-Pop stars Chumbawamba and is the fo...
Factory Floor Cuts: Mohammed Moussa (Gaza Poets Society)
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mohammed Moussa is a poet, podcaster and founder of Gaza Poets Society. Joining us at Vandal Factory HQ half-way through a UK tour, Mohmmed talks abou...
Factory Floor Cuts: Pins For Peace (Mek Summat, Black Lodge Press & Alasdair Beal)
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pins For Peace is a vibrant exhibition inspired by The Peace Museum's unique pin badge collection, featuring large-scale badge artworks by over 30 art...
#36 - Live at Greenbelt Festival 2025! (Mohammed Moussa, Fadi Murad, Ste Bardgett)
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Deep in the woods of Greenbelt Festival, you'll find the Rebel Rouser stage, a home to distrupters, hopers and gobheads... and Henry and Natalie hosti...
Factory Floor Cuts: Amber Massie-Blomfield (Live at Greenbelt Festival 2025)
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded live at Greenbelt Festival 2025! Amber Massie-Blomfield's book 'Acts of Resistance' is about the power of art to make a better world. Coverin...
#35 - Hope In The Making (Bruce Kendrick, Portia Kamons & Nara Kim)
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're at Greenbelt Festival 2025 to recharge our activism! We discuss the powerhouse acts we see, and bump into Kate from Hot Squash and folk musician...
Factory Floor Cuts: Scott Burrell (Three Rivers Bexley)
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this Factory Floor Cut, Nat talks to Scott Burrell, Director of Three Rivers in Bexley, London. Three Rivers is a free-floating, social arts agency...
Factory Floor Cuts: Dr David Hayley (Art and Ecology)
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr David Hayley is an ecological artist and researcher. In this Factory Floor Cut, Nat talks to David about his creative practice, his career and the ...
#34 - Dance Through This Crisis (Joshua Idehen & Alexia Roditis of Destroy Boys)
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's the Comrade Conga! Have a dance with hope and anger! Poet Joshua Idehen discusses his new, powerful collection 'Songbook'. Alexia Roditis from De...
Factory Floor Cuts: chamæleon (Farah Chamma & LIEV)
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
chamæleon is a collaboration between Palestinian writer Farah Chamma's poetry and Brazilian producer LIEV's musical soundscapes. They explore the int...
#33 - Live at Manchester Punk Festival 2025 (Millie Manders & The Shutup)
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Henry & Nat return to MPF for another gobby live episode! We're joined by Millie Manders who talks about her musical influences, the politics on h...
Factory Floor Cuts: A Collective Action Towards Access (Daneka Etchells & Kit George)
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"We should be the brick in your wall and not just the morter you put on top." As part of episode #32, we spoke to artists about their freelance experi...
Factory Floor Cuts: Hannah Khalil (Irish-Palestinian playwright)
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hannah Khalil is an Irish-Palestinian playwright whose play My English Persian Kitchen recieved rave reviews after sold out shows. Hannah spoke to us ...
Factory Floor Cuts: Zita Holbourne (Artists Union England)
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the full interview with Zita Holbourne multidisciplinary artist, poet, musician, Trade Unionist and educator. Zita spoke to us about her works...
Factory Floor Cuts: Janie Nicoll & Megan Chapman (Scottish Artists Union)
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the full interview with Janie Nicol and Megan Chapman, visual artists and organisers for Scottish Artists Union. An edited version first appar...
Factory Floor Cuts: Annabel Turpin (Storyhouse)
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the full interview with Annabel Turpin taken from episode #32. Annabel is Chief Executive Officer at Storyhouse in Chester, which incorpora...
#32: The Freelance Feelings Factory
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Freelancers: Assemble! In this bumper special episode, Henry and Natalie have gathered unique contributions from across the UK. Featuring writers, dan...
Factory Floor Cuts: Culture As Resistance (Sarah Agha, Saied Silbak & Abed Al Ju'beh)
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A live panel discussion recorded at the 10th Leeds Palestinian Film Festival on 6th December 2024. Three Palestinian creatives share their thoughts on...
Factory Floor Cuts: Sarah Brigham
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The unedited interview taken from episode #31. Artistic Director of Derby Theatre Sarah Brigham talks about 'Welfare', a show written about the Derbys...
Factory Floor Cuts: B. Dolan
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The full unedited interview, taken from episode #31. On his last ever UK tour, rapper and activist B. Dolan discusses his latest album 'The Wound Is ...
#31 - Let Your Action Be The Answer (B. Dolan & Sarah Brigham)
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Natalie return after a haitus to discuss political music, theatre and community work. On his last ever UK tour, rapper and activist B. Dolan...
#30 - Live at Greenbelt Festival 2024! (Lunatraktors)
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Henry & Natalie host a live episode recorded on the Rebel Rouser stage of Greenbelt Festival 2024. Featuring 'broken folk' musicians Lunatraktors:...
Factory Floor Cuts: Amber Massie-Blomfield
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Taken from episode #29, this is an unedited interview with Amber Massie-Blomfield about her new book 'Acts of Resistance'. The book is a vital explora...
#29 - Joy Is Resistance (Marina Barham & Amber Massie-Blomfield)
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Your friendly podcast about hope & anger, joy & rage, love & justice.Featuring Marina Barham, the co-founder and General Director of Al-Ha...
Factory Floor Cuts: Lynn Faces (Laura Horton & Peyvand Sadeghian)
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, Henry chats with playwright Laura Horton and actor Peyvand Sadeghian up at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Their show, Lynn Face...
Factory Floor Cuts: Emilia Elfrida (The Menstrual Cramps)
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emilia from queer punk band The Menstrual Cramps talks about the origins of their scrappy DIY band, their new EP and the Bands Boycott Barclays campai...
#28 - Don't Let Your Guard Down (The Menstrual Cramps & The Hangout Youth CIC)
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We finally got rid of the Tories! But don't let your guard down, as we're still discussing hope & anger and social justice in these changing times...
#27 - The Activist Arts Manifesto (General Election special)
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the 2024 Genral Election round the corner, we asked: What would you change about funding, structures and management of arts and culture? This is ...
Factory Floor Cuts: Slash Fiction
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Slash Fiction are a south Yorkshire punk band whose new album 'We'll Hold This Line Until Hell Freezes Over' is a masterpiece of raw and wonderful ant...
Factory Floor Cuts: Palestine Unveiled art exhibition
01 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Natalie visited the Palestine Unveiled art exhibition, a one-day pop-up event at Cole's Gallery in the Leeds Corn Exhange. Celebrating solidarity thro...
#26 - Friends of Salt and Revolution (Taqi Spateen, Juman Quneis & Jon Wakeman)
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"People of Leeds are friends of salt and revolution." Henry and Natalie visit East Street Arts and meet Juman Quneis and Taqi Spateen, with speci...
Factory Floor Cuts: Richard Weston
18 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Film director and actor Richard Weston chats about his latest film 'Sparked', a drama about boxing and men's mental health set in working class Birken...
Factory Floor Cuts: Shareefa Energy
18 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our full, unedited interview with poet and activist Shareefa Energy. We discuss her jounrey into performing, her work in the West Bank of Palestine an...
#25 - Rage Is Valid (Shareefa Energy & Richard Weston)
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Arts & activism, hope & anger, solidarity & rage! Henry & Natalie are back with an interview with indomitable poet and activist Sharee...
Factory Floor Cuts: Protest Photography
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For months in Leeds, a sparky crew of photographers and video-makers have been documenting the demos. They've been capturing moments of anger, grief, ...
#24 - Live at Manchester Punk Festival 2024! (Erica Freas & Liv Wynter)
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are the artists! We won't be silenced! Henry and Natalie storm MPF with a special live episode about hope, anger, arts and activism. The duo are j...
#23 - Decorated with Solidarity (Red Ladder & Music For Science)
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Natalie interview Elvi and Chris about We're Not Going Back, a powerful play about Women Against Pit Closures during the 1984-85 Miners Stri...
Factory Floor Cuts: Shaymaa's Story
03 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Natalie talks to British-Palestinian Shaymaa Tannira who is desperately fundraising to help her family escape from Rafah, Gaza. Please donate whatever...
#22 - A Protest Is A Performance (Andrew O'Neill & Johnny Campbell)
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nat and Henry talk to two special guests: Occult metalhead comedian Andrew O'Neill about their 5-star show Geburah and trad folk singer Johnny Campbel...
Factory Floor Cuts: The Watermelon March
12 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why did hundreds of protesters carry placards featuring watermelons through Leeds? Every Saturday, over 1000 people of different faiths, ages and back...
#21 - It's Called The Struggle (Mark Thomas & Fold)
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Political theatre, anti-war music and protest poetry! Mark Thomas talks about England & Son, his one-man play by Ed Edwards about class, crime, ca...
Factory Floor Cuts: Crossgates Library Protest
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Saturday 6th January 2024 we attended an important community demonstration down our road. Crossgates Library is over 75 years old and for generations ...
Factory Floor Cuts: Gill Crawshaw
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gill Crawshaw is a curator who draws on her experience of disability activism to organise art exhibitions and events which highlight issues affecting ...
#20 - Disability Arts & Activism Special
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
ROAD TRIP! Henry and Natalie visited Manchester People's History Museum for the exhibition: Nothing About Us Without Us. How have disabled people used...
Factory Floor Cuts: Marena Riyad (Kufiya Comedy)
10 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Marena Riyad is a Palestinian comedian, actress and Henna artist living in Dallas, Texas. She was a semi-finalist for the funniest comedian in Texas a...
#19 - Palestine Solidarity Special (part 2)
03 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this special 2-parter, we champion Palestinian artists and voices in the struggle for rights and freedom against a brutal military siege and occupa...
#19 - Palestine Solidarity Special (part 1)
03 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this special 2-parter, we champion Palestinian artists and voices in the struggle for rights and freedom against a brutal military siege and occupa...
Factory Floor Cuts: Keith Saha (20 Stories High)
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Keith Saha is a writer and Co-CEO/Artistic Director of 20 Stories High Theatre Company based in Liverpool. We chatted to him after the performance of ...
#18 - Live at Big Up Fest! (Community arts & activism)
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're proud to present Vandal Factory's first podcast in front of a live audience! Recorded as part of BIG UP FEST at The Tetely in Leeds on 4th Novem...
Factory Floor Cuts: Peyvand Sadeghian
05 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We spoke to Peyvand straight after her show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Peyvand is a performer whose show, DUAL دوگانه is an award-winning...
#17 - The Seeds and the Tools (Anti-fascism & political theatre)
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Political theatre, direct action and community projects!What a summer! Henry and Natalie talk about a community project with young people exploring fo...
#16 - Black Lodge Press (Anarchist artwork is fun)
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CJ runs Black Lodge Press, creating radgey, spikey, angry, cheeky and bold artwork for posters, stickers, t-shirts and baby clothes. CJ talks about di...
#15 - Defiantly Compassionate (Queer theatre & strike action)
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a tough old month at Vandal Factory HQ. Henry and Natalie celebrate the life of a dearly departed friend and talk about the latest wave of v...
#14 - Thrown back into the fray (Feminist poetry & ska-punk)
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dani from Faintest Idea talks about their new ska-punk masterpiece. Performance poet Hannah Davies reads from her new collection Dolls. Plus we discus...
#13 - Dance Like A Feminist (Social justice & environmentalism)
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We chat and dance with Bolshee CIC about the Dancefloor Project, about making nights out safe for everyone. Henry and Nat also discuss Dougald Hine's ...
#12 - Pay Up! (Political poetry & strike action)
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Natalie speak to workers on strike on February 1st, marching and rallying in Leeds City Centre. Workers, and young people, speak from the he...
#11 - Common Altuism (Indie punk & feminist theatre)
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fresh from the Seacroft Climate Forum, Henry and Nat ask how do we build nourishing, powerful and political spaces to connect and build community? The...
A sort of 'Best of' - bites from episodes 1-10
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A few of our favourite moments, chats, provocations and poems from the first 10 episodes of the Vandal Factory show! Check out the full episodes for t...
#10 - It's getting hot in here / And I am dead inside (Anti-fascism & envrionmentalism theatre)
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Anti-Fascism, envriomentalism and community activism! Sharon Bailey talks about the Battle of Stockton, when in 1933 fascist Blackshirts were beaten b...
#9 - AWWOOOOOOO!!! (Political theatre)
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Natalie return from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (#EdFringe) - with strong opinions (as always!). We met and recorded an interview with SHE...
#8 - Unionising Mermaids (Trade Unionism and Eco-activism)
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Art and activism! Together at last!Nat talks to professional mermaid and eco-artist Lucy Meredith about public space, theatre (and swimming pools) and...
#7 - White Hot Panic (Feminist hardcore and folk punk)
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Nat are back! Joe Solo talks about his new album, Never Let Them Win, and how punk shaped him. Petrol Girls talk about their new album, Baby...
#6 - Revenge of the Trespassers (Punk poetry & genderqueer musical theatre)
24 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
First up, Henry reports back from Manchester Punk Festival, featuring a host of punk poets sharing their thoughts (and vibes). We play 'Ale of Punk Ba...
#5 - Love me, I'm a legend (Performance poetry & community theatre)
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Nat chat to theatre dirctor Freyja Winterson about ways communities can use art to challenge the climate crisis, and Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan ...
#4 - Vibe Journeys (Environmentalist dance & DIY Film Festivals)
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's a bit of a film special this month, as Henry & Natalie talk to Mosa Mpetha and Madeline Shann. Mosa is part of Iconic Presents and Scalarama ...
#3 - The Ghosts of Struggles Past (South Asian DJing & Black theatre)
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How's your hope? How's your anger?Henry and Nat chat to theatre director Dermot Daly about his work on the play 'My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored...
#2 - Free Nessie! (Environmentalism, Cop26 & solo theatre)
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Henry and Nat chat: COP26 a cop out? Reflecting on the climate movement with theatre director Zoe Lafferty. We discuss 'success' and tactics, as well ...
#1 - How's your hope & anger (Anti-fascism & political theatre)
30 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hey Vandals! Henry and Nat's very first episode looks at subcultures, normalising activism and political theatre and music. There's a chat with Rick B...