Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week we press start on the world of video games. From ancient history to interactive storytelling, we explore not just what games are, but what they might become — and what they can reveal about how we understand the world around us.

Kevin is joined by Dr Richard Cole, Senior Lecturer in Digital Futures in the Department of Classics & Ancient History at the University of Bristol. Together they trace Richard’s journey from a game-loving childhood through to a career exploring how video games, virtual reality, and AI can open up new ways of engaging with history. From Age of Empires and GoldenEye to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the conversation unpacks how games don’t just represent the past — they remix it, reshape it, and invite us to step inside it.

But this isn’t just about entertainment. From immersive VR reconstructions of ancient sites to AI-powered museum experiences, Richard shares how games are becoming powerful tools for inquiry — “machines for asking questions” that allow us to test ideas, explore complex systems, and better understand both the past and ourselves. We also step inside the Bristol Digital Game Lab, where game design is being used to tackle real-world challenges — from algorithmic bias to postnatal mental health — revealing how play, creativity, and collaboration can unlock entirely new ways of thinking.

Then it’s time to pop into the local for a quick Pub Quiz, this round: The History of Video Games. Think you know your classics? Put your gaming knowledge to the test — then check your answers below.

And we’re trying something new… The Big Smoke every week! So tune in next Thursday for more adventurous audio!

So whether you’re levelling up, exploring new worlds, or simply pressing pause for a moment — there’s always a place for you in The Big Smoke.

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🎮 Pub Quiz: The History of Video Games — Answers

1) Which American pizza chain was founded by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell?

Answer: C) Chuck E. Cheese Founded in 1977 by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, Chuck E. Cheese was originally called Pizza Time Theatre and combined arcade gaming with family dining—essentially one of the first places to bring video games into a social, real-world setting.

2) Which early Nintendo game is widely credited as one of the first to feature a structured storyline in video games?

Answer: C) Donkey Kong Released in 1981, Donkey Kong is widely credited as one of the first video games to feature a clear, character-driven storyline—introducing a hero (Jumpman, later Mario), a villain (Donkey Kong), and a rescue mission.

3) In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which real historical conflict forms the backdrop of the game’s story?

Answer: B) The Peloponnesian War Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is set during the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE), the major conflict between Athens and Sparta—though the game blends real history with mythology and dramatic storytelling.

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Links

🎓 Richard A Cole – University of Bristol

🎮 Bristol Digital Game Lab

▶️ Bristol Digital Game Lab – YouTube Playlist

📚MA Games Design (Narrative) | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro & Show Menu

(01:38) Dr Richard Cole Interview

(53:31) Pub Quiz: The History of Video Games

(54:56) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week we turn our attention to the objects that surround us — the everyday things we carry, discard, and barely notice — and ask what they might reveal about who we are and the times we’re living through. From museum collections to sensory experiences and a little magical mischief, this episode explores the curious relationship between the material world and the mind.

Kevin is joined by Corinna Gardner and Donata Miller-Obebe from the Victoria and Albert Museum to explore the fascinating world of Rapid Response Collecting. From single-use vapes to the mosquito emoji, the V&A is capturing objects that speak to contemporary social, political, and cultural moments as they unfold. Together, they discuss what it means to collect the present — how design reflects behaviour, how objects carry meaning, and why even the most ordinary items can become powerful markers of our time.

From the museum to the brain, it’s time for Archie’s Neuro Nuggets. This week, we dive into the strange, tingling world of ASMR — exploring what happens when whispers, taps, and gentle sounds trigger sensations of calm for some, and disdain for others.

Back on our audio stage, we return once more to the corridors of the Xander Eldrick Institute, where The Strange Brothers continue their pursuit of the mystical arts. With more mind games, magical mishaps, and deeply questionable decision-making, Salazar and Craig find themselves once again toeing the line between illusion and chaos.

So whether you’re noticing the objects around you a little more closely, tuning into the subtleties of sound, or simply coming along for the ride — there’s always a place for you in The Big Smoke!

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Links

🔎 Explore the V&A’s Rapid Response Collection

💡 Email your Rapid Response Collecting ideas: aapd.enquiries@vam.ac.uk

🧠 Archie McAlpine & Associates Ltd.

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro & Show Menu

(01:37) V&A Rapid Response Collecting Interview

(46:39) Archie’s Neuro Nuggets: The Science of ASMR

(53:13) The Strange Brothers: Conscious Subconsciousness

(1:02:32) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Archie’s Neuro Nuggets by Archie McAlpine

The Strange Brothers written and performed by Jamie Sandersfield and Matthew Nicholson

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week, we follow the rich and robust story of coffee in London, from smoky 17th-century coffeehouses to the modern-day communities forming around a simple cup.

Kevin is joined by historian Dr Matthew Green and Redemption Roasters’ In-custody Training Manager Thomas Clare to explore the past and present of London’s coffee culture. From the first coffee house in St Michael’s Alley, to the explosion of hundreds of coffeehouses across the city, Matthew paints a vivid picture of a society waking up, quite literally, for the first time. But this isn’t just history. Thomas brings us into the present day, sharing the work of Redemption Roasters, where coffee becomes a vehicle for rehabilitation, training prisoners in skills that offer purpose, dignity, and a path forward. Together, the conversation reveals coffee not just as a drink, but as a catalyst for ideas, community, and change.

From the café to the street corner, our Parish Notices turn to the quiet magic of Little Libraries — those small, often handmade book exchanges that appear in neighbourhoods across the city. Modest in scale but rich in spirit, they transform passing strangers into neighbours, offering stories freely and reminding us that community can be built in the simplest of ways.

And while we’re out wandering with coffee in hand and book tucked under arm, we stumble into comedian Kate Sharp, who leads us on a slightly unhinged tour of London’s Blue Plaques. Blending history with humour, her take on the city’s most famous markers reminds us that behind every plaque is a story — and sometimes, a punchline.

Then it’s time to pop into the local for a quick Pub Quiz, this round: Coffee Curiosities — testing your knowledge of the surprising facts hidden in your daily brew.

So whether you’re lingering over a coffee, wandering the streets, or simply taking a moment to breathe, there’s always space for you in The Big Smoke

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☕ Pub Quiz: Coffee Curiosities — Answers

1) What do people in Finland sometimes dip into their coffee?

Answer: C) Cheese

In Finland, it’s traditional in some regions to serve coffee with leipäjuusto, a mild “squeaky” cheese. Small chunks are dropped straight into the cup, where they soften and soak up the coffee — then eaten afterwards.

2) Why is one of Indonesia’s coffees among the most expensive in the world?

Answer: B) The beans are eaten and then excreted by an animal before being collected

In Indonesia, kopi luwak is made using beans that have passed through the digestive system of civet cats. The process is said to change the flavour profile, and its rarity has made it one of the most expensive coffees in the world.

3) What do people in Turkey sometimes do with leftover coffee grounds?

Answer: B) Read them to tell your fortune

In Turkey, after drinking traditional coffee, the cup is often turned upside down and the remaining grounds are read to predict the future — a practice known as tasseography.

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Links

🚶 Take Matthew Green’s Coffeehouse Tour

☕ Redemption Roasters

📚 Penguin – 90 Little Bookstops

📖 Little Free Library – and how to build your own!

🎤 See Kate Sharp’s Standup Comedy

🔵 English Heritage Blue Plaques – Harry Beck

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro and Show Menu

(02:19) Matthew Green and Thomas Clare Interview

(50:17) Parish Notices: Little Libraries

(1:00:55) Blue Plaque Walking Tour: Harry Beck

(1:10:18) Pub Quiz: Coffee Curiosities

(1:11:42) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Original Music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Parish Notices by Blanche Coy

Blue Plaque Walking Tour written and performed by Kate Sharp