The Better Part of Valour

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! Today’s episode, “The Better Part of Valour”, takes us into the unexpected world of Ukrainian cricket—a story of courage, community, and resilience in the face of war. Our guest, Jonathan Campion, journalist and author of 'Getting Out: The Ukrainian Cricket Team’s Last Stand on the Front Lines of War', shares his first-hand account of Ukraine’s quirky cricket history and how its players became unlikely heroes during Russia’s 2022 invasion. It’s a story that proves bravery can emerge in the most surprising places.

In addition to Jonathan’s inspiring story, this episode offers an eclectic mix of entertainment to bring the community together. We have Latin jazz from Bob Morgan and Diego Laverde Rojas, whose music is guaranteed to captivate. True to Big Smoke tradition, we also have engaging games, including “Stump the Room”, where audience members challenge each other with impossible crosswords, and “Hat Tricks”, an interactive segment filled with cricket trivia as we get to know our audience, sponsored by Hatopia. Our Victorian Parlour Game of the week is 'Smells', simple to prepare with just a blindfold and a variety of scents, this game always promises plenty of laughs and surprises.

Our next show, “Christmas Cheese and Reindeer Games!” on December 13th, is a festive celebration filled with cheese tasting, music, holiday stories, and lively Christmas parlour games—all in support of Babylon Migrants Project. Don’t miss this mouth-watering evening with cheese specialist Emma Young. Get your tickets here and join us for the ultimate holiday gathering!

Some of the proceeds from our live recording went to Ukraine Charity, you can find out more about their work here.

Follow us on Instagram @thebigsmokevariety, and don’t forget to rate us 5 stars on your podcast app! Thanks to Sacred Grounds Cafe and Hatopia for supporting this event.