#MYPEMBROKE Issue 3 - Easter 2017
Contents
#MyPembroke… …is SAFE - 4
from Manchester to Cambridge - Emily Fish
…is SEXY- 6 Belén Bale, Jago Thornton and Iris van Rosenburgh
…is a RAINBOW FLAG - 16 Pembroke and growing up queer - Belén Bale
…is ROMANTIC - 18 Magdalena Danowska, Dan James, Helen Jennings and Geraint Owen
Welcome to issue 3… In Lent term, the JPC was discussing how to reinvigorate Pembroke’s positive public image, in light of some of the pretty negative and downright appalling things that have been given press attention recently. One idea was the #MyPembroke online campaign, showcasing things about college that make us proud to call it home. Some of those aspects are portrayed in this issue, and discussed in the articles by Emily, Bel and Dísa. Perhaps the image we have presented here is too rose-tinted, and fails to address issues which college needs to work on - but in some ways, that is the intention. This issue, in contrast to our International Women’s Day edition, is designed to be wholly positive and entertaining, and hopefully in the least patronising way possible.
…is BREAKING STEREOTYPES - 26 Shushma Balaji, Fleur Conway, Hannah Bishop and Scarlett Cox
…NEEDS TO RELAX - 30 De-stressing on a budget - Charlotte Araya Moreland
…is DRAMATIC - 34 Emily Fish interviews Jessica Murdoch, Geraint Owen and Alistair Henfrey
Thank you to…
The wonderful Pembroke Street team, and Tasha in particular for coordinating so many photoshoots; to Jago Thornton, Iris van Rosenburgh, Magdalena Danowska, Dan James, Helen Jennings, Geraint Owen, Shushma Balaji, Fleur Conway, Hannah Bishop, Scarlett Cox, Jessica Murdoch, Alistair Henfrey, Gina Wong, David Ifere, Dan Sanderson, and Amy Teh.
…is HOME - 40 Dísa Greaves explores a student room in Pembroke
Pembroke Street team.. Editor Charlotte Araya Moreland Creative director Phoebe Flatau Editorial team Emily Fish, Belén Bale, Tasha May, Dísa Greaves Illustrator Lizzy O’Brien Photography Tasha May Publicity Eunice Wong Treasurer Tim Lee illustration by Amy Teh
2.
3.
Contents
#MyPembroke… …is SAFE - 4
from Manchester to Cambridge - Emily Fish
…is SEXY- 6 Belén Bale, Jago Thornton and Iris van Rosenburgh
…is a RAINBOW FLAG - 16 Pembroke and growing up queer - Belén Bale
…is ROMANTIC - 18 Magdalena Danowska, Dan James, Helen Jennings and Geraint Owen
Welcome to issue 3… In Lent term, the JPC was discussing how to reinvigorate Pembroke’s positive public image, in light of some of the pretty negative and downright appalling things that have been given press attention recently. One idea was the #MyPembroke online campaign, showcasing things about college that make us proud to call it home. Some of those aspects are portrayed in this issue, and discussed in the articles by Emily, Bel and Dísa. Perhaps the image we have presented here is too rose-tinted, and fails to address issues which college needs to work on - but in some ways, that is the intention. This issue, in contrast to our International Women’s Day edition, is designed to be wholly positive and entertaining, and hopefully in the least patronising way possible.
…is BREAKING STEREOTYPES - 26 Shushma Balaji, Fleur Conway, Hannah Bishop and Scarlett Cox
…NEEDS TO RELAX - 30 De-stressing on a budget - Charlotte Araya Moreland
…is DRAMATIC - 34 Emily Fish interviews Jessica Murdoch, Geraint Owen and Alistair Henfrey
Thank you to…
The wonderful Pembroke Street team, and Tasha in particular for coordinating so many photoshoots; to Jago Thornton, Iris van Rosenburgh, Magdalena Danowska, Dan James, Helen Jennings, Geraint Owen, Shushma Balaji, Fleur Conway, Hannah Bishop, Scarlett Cox, Jessica Murdoch, Alistair Henfrey, Gina Wong, David Ifere, Dan Sanderson, and Amy Teh.
…is HOME - 40 Dísa Greaves explores a student room in Pembroke
Pembroke Street team.. Editor Charlotte Araya Moreland Creative director Phoebe Flatau Editorial team Emily Fish, Belén Bale, Tasha May, Dísa Greaves Illustrator Lizzy O’Brien Photography Tasha May Publicity Eunice Wong Treasurer Tim Lee illustration by Amy Teh
2.
3.
#MyPembroke…
…is a safe haven
Emily Fish discusses the sense of safety she feels in Cambridge, having grown up in the unpredictable metropolis of Manchester.
Coming to Cambridge, then, was a bit of a shock to the system. We joke about the bubble – and indeed it has its faults – but when I wander home from Cindies alone at 2am, whistling and clutching my cheesy chips, I am grateful for the sense of safety that I am endowed with. It would be ignorant to suggest that Cambridge doesn’t have its dangers. Of course there is crime here, as there is everywhere in the world – yet as soon as I’m within the college parameters, I can be sure that the risks that will meet me are comparatively minimal. Perhaps a part of it is the topography of Pembroke: the college grounds feel like a well-kept communal back garden and the hall
Growing up in Manchester, there is a part of yourself that is constantly switched on to fight or flight. There is something inherently discomforting about a city that is populated by some 2.55 million people, in which you are only a single figure. When I am in its city centre, stumbling down the street with my friends at 3am, or walking to the bus stop alone at night after closing the shop, I become acutely aware of that fact. It’s not necessarily that I don’t feel safe there – Manchester is my favourite place in the world, and there’s nothing that could discourage me from professing my love for it to anyone that will listen. With its rich cultural history, celebration of diversity, and, let’s be honest, some absolutely cracking music, Manchester is the country’s hub of all the things that I hold dearest. It’s home.
4.
But it is also capable of making me feel as though I need some permanent form of protection. There was at least one incident when my college in Rusholme was put into lockdown because a stabbing had taken place just outside of its gates. The evening news is always littered with bits and pieces about various crimes that have taken place across the city. Bus drivers have often told me to “stay safe” as I get off to walk home at night.
feels like an (admittedly rather grandiose) dining room; the JP is somewhat like a living room, and the tiny, tiny gyp in P staircase is reminiscent of my similarly tiny kitchen in Manchester. Home, for most, is an intrinsically safe space, and when the walls of your university home encompass four courts, the feeling of homely safety is inevitably extended. The college’s physical manifestations are only one factor in the sense of security that blankets me during term time. Its human components are even more vital. As I stroll through college, to Trough, to check my
pidge, or even (God forbid) to lectures, I am welcomed by smiling faces and warm greetings as opposed to the mass of indistinct and fleeting identities that flicker past me when I walk down Market Street. From the people that serve our food, to the porters, to the maintenance men, each person contributes to the overwhelming sense of community that immediately eradicated all the vulnerability I felt when I arrived at university. More than any, Jan, the college nurse, has helped me through imposter-syndrome, pneumonia, and even five hours in A&E after post-prelims celebrations left me with a concussion. And I know that there are plenty of others who can vouch that the support she offers goes above
and beyond what you might expect from her. It is probably true that not everyone shares this feeling of safety that Pembroke provides for me – everyone’s circumstances are different. But, coming from a city that can often be formidable and reductive, Pembroke’s cosiness is something that I am frequently grateful for.
•
Emily Fish is a first year English Literature student and part of the Pembroke Street editorial team. 5.
#MyPembroke…
…is a safe haven
Emily Fish discusses the sense of safety she feels in Cambridge, having grown up in the unpredictable metropolis of Manchester.
Coming to Cambridge, then, was a bit of a shock to the system. We joke about the bubble – and indeed it has its faults – but when I wander home from Cindies alone at 2am, whistling and clutching my cheesy chips, I am grateful for the sense of safety that I am endowed with. It would be ignorant to suggest that Cambridge doesn’t have its dangers. Of course there is crime here, as there is everywhere in the world – yet as soon as I’m within the college parameters, I can be sure that the risks that will meet me are comparatively minimal. Perhaps a part of it is the topography of Pembroke: the college grounds feel like a well-kept communal back garden and the hall
Growing up in Manchester, there is a part of yourself that is constantly switched on to fight or flight. There is something inherently discomforting about a city that is populated by some 2.55 million people, in which you are only a single figure. When I am in its city centre, stumbling down the street with my friends at 3am, or walking to the bus stop alone at night after closing the shop, I become acutely aware of that fact. It’s not necessarily that I don’t feel safe there – Manchester is my favourite place in the world, and there’s nothing that could discourage me from professing my love for it to anyone that will listen. With its rich cultural history, celebration of diversity, and, let’s be honest, some absolutely cracking music, Manchester is the country’s hub of all the things that I hold dearest. It’s home.
4.
But it is also capable of making me feel as though I need some permanent form of protection. There was at least one incident when my college in Rusholme was put into lockdown because a stabbing had taken place just outside of its gates. The evening news is always littered with bits and pieces about various crimes that have taken place across the city. Bus drivers have often told me to “stay safe” as I get off to walk home at night.
feels like an (admittedly rather grandiose) dining room; the JP is somewhat like a living room, and the tiny, tiny gyp in P staircase is reminiscent of my similarly tiny kitchen in Manchester. Home, for most, is an intrinsically safe space, and when the walls of your university home encompass four courts, the feeling of homely safety is inevitably extended. The college’s physical manifestations are only one factor in the sense of security that blankets me during term time. Its human components are even more vital. As I stroll through college, to Trough, to check my
pidge, or even (God forbid) to lectures, I am welcomed by smiling faces and warm greetings as opposed to the mass of indistinct and fleeting identities that flicker past me when I walk down Market Street. From the people that serve our food, to the porters, to the maintenance men, each person contributes to the overwhelming sense of community that immediately eradicated all the vulnerability I felt when I arrived at university. More than any, Jan, the college nurse, has helped me through imposter-syndrome, pneumonia, and even five hours in A&E after post-prelims celebrations left me with a concussion. And I know that there are plenty of others who can vouch that the support she offers goes above
and beyond what you might expect from her. It is probably true that not everyone shares this feeling of safety that Pembroke provides for me – everyone’s circumstances are different. But, coming from a city that can often be formidable and reductive, Pembroke’s cosiness is something that I am frequently grateful for.
•
Emily Fish is a first year English Literature student and part of the Pembroke Street editorial team. 5.
#MyPembroke…
…is sexy
6.
7.
#MyPembroke…
…is sexy
6.
7.
“ The malegaze does not define sexiness confidence does ”
Belén Bale HSPS
on the Library Lawn, 4th May 2017 8.
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“ The malegaze does not define sexiness confidence does ”
Belén Bale HSPS
on the Library Lawn, 4th May 2017 8.
9.
Iris van Rosenburgh,
Natural Sciences Yamada Room, 8th May 2017
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Iris van Rosenburgh,
Natural Sciences Yamada Room, 8th May 2017
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“There’s something odd about the closed photo-shoot…of it being a private, closed event… yet the omnipresent notion that it is going to be thrust into the public sphere…”
“There’s something odd about the closed photo-shoot…of it being a private, closed event… yet the omnipresent notion that it is going to be thrust into the public sphere…”
Jago Thornton Music Yamada Room, 8th May 2017
14.
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Jago Thornton Music Yamada Room, 8th May 2017
14.
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#MyPembroke…
…is a rainbow flag
Belén Bale discusses her personal experience of growing up queer, and finding confidence in her sexuality at Pembroke.
It’s impossible to ignore Pembroke’s recent presence in the national media, which has unfortunately been for worse rather than for better. Sometimes it seems as if the many positive aspects of college, particularly those which persuaded me to apply here, are overshadowed by the negative picture which makes its way into the papers. If anything, though, this only makes me appreciate those positive elements which can often be taken for granted, not least how personally accepted I feel as a student who is queer. I came out publicly the day after the legalisation of gay marriage. It was the 14th of March, a date I’ll never forget, in part thanks to the cringey Facebook status that went with it. It is fair to say that it became the central part of my identity for a long time
16.
afterwards. I was always in fishnets, denim jackets, and boots, complete with a bowl haircut which I thought was edgy but actually just looked like a bird’s nest that I had to keep flicking out of my eyes like a punk Justin Bieber. I listened to obscure riot girl bands from the nineties, and wrote angsty poetry about the many intense crushes I had on all my straight friends. I let my friend tattoo me on her bathroom floor just to be grunge, and I watched all the LGBT films on Netflix wishing I was a Parisian lesbian with dyed-blue hair. During that time, I felt like I did this all out of some intense pride - but now, looking back, it was more because I was trying to compensate for still feeling nervous and uncomfortable underneath. Although I knew
I was queer from a young age, I sometimes felt that I came out too young, too quickly, and under too much self-imposed pressure. As a consequence, despite appearing to the world as incredibly confident, I was still coming to terms with something that felt too big to deal with. Although these feelings faded over time as I genuinely became more confident and comfortable in myself and my body (and grew out my hair), I couldn’t help but feel nervous driving up to Cambridge in early October that I wouldn’t be accepted, and that my insecurities would come back.
“I didn’t have to wait for - or worse, anticipate - someone’s double take.”
However, I quickly realised that all of these fears and nervous feelings which I hadn’t felt since being sixteen were completely unnecessary. People here just didn’t care. It was a non-thing. It was so blasé in conversation that I found myself speaking about past relationships without giving a thought to what I was saying. It was the most freeing thing to be able to sit in the library and talk about a great date I’d just been on, with the only thing to worry about being Pat catching us talking. I didn’t have to wait for or worse, anticipate - someone’s double take. Instead of my sexuality marking me out, it is just another part of my identity, and doesn’t define me as particularly different. It’s become something to be celebrated along with everything else.
As a fresher, I know I have a long way to go but coming here has furthered my sense of self-acceptance. Something as simple as being able walk around college, holding my girlfriend’s hand, with hardly a look from anybody means the world to be, not least in such a traditional place where change occurs painfully slowly. Everyone should have something that makes them happy to be here. For me, it’s how included I feel. I’m seen as just me, with sexuality being almost wholly insignificant. Of course there are problems, and I would never claim that my rose-tinted experience of Cambridge applies to everyone. But this is my personal account of life as a queer woman, and I feel is well-worth talking about with the positive aspects of Pembroke in mind. I finally feel completely confident, and not like I’m faking it half the time. I can save that for my supervision essays.
Belén Bale is a first year HSPS student and part of the Pembroke Street editorial team. She is the JPC Women’s Welfare officer.
Lord Chris Smith, Master of Pembroke College and one of the first openly gay MPs in Britain. Photo by Tasha May
17.
#MyPembroke…
…is a rainbow flag
Belén Bale discusses her personal experience of growing up queer, and finding confidence in her sexuality at Pembroke.
It’s impossible to ignore Pembroke’s recent presence in the national media, which has unfortunately been for worse rather than for better. Sometimes it seems as if the many positive aspects of college, particularly those which persuaded me to apply here, are overshadowed by the negative picture which makes its way into the papers. If anything, though, this only makes me appreciate those positive elements which can often be taken for granted, not least how personally accepted I feel as a student who is queer. I came out publicly the day after the legalisation of gay marriage. It was the 14th of March, a date I’ll never forget, in part thanks to the cringey Facebook status that went with it. It is fair to say that it became the central part of my identity for a long time
16.
afterwards. I was always in fishnets, denim jackets, and boots, complete with a bowl haircut which I thought was edgy but actually just looked like a bird’s nest that I had to keep flicking out of my eyes like a punk Justin Bieber. I listened to obscure riot girl bands from the nineties, and wrote angsty poetry about the many intense crushes I had on all my straight friends. I let my friend tattoo me on her bathroom floor just to be grunge, and I watched all the LGBT films on Netflix wishing I was a Parisian lesbian with dyed-blue hair. During that time, I felt like I did this all out of some intense pride - but now, looking back, it was more because I was trying to compensate for still feeling nervous and uncomfortable underneath. Although I knew
I was queer from a young age, I sometimes felt that I came out too young, too quickly, and under too much self-imposed pressure. As a consequence, despite appearing to the world as incredibly confident, I was still coming to terms with something that felt too big to deal with. Although these feelings faded over time as I genuinely became more confident and comfortable in myself and my body (and grew out my hair), I couldn’t help but feel nervous driving up to Cambridge in early October that I wouldn’t be accepted, and that my insecurities would come back.
“I didn’t have to wait for - or worse, anticipate - someone’s double take.”
However, I quickly realised that all of these fears and nervous feelings which I hadn’t felt since being sixteen were completely unnecessary. People here just didn’t care. It was a non-thing. It was so blasé in conversation that I found myself speaking about past relationships without giving a thought to what I was saying. It was the most freeing thing to be able to sit in the library and talk about a great date I’d just been on, with the only thing to worry about being Pat catching us talking. I didn’t have to wait for or worse, anticipate - someone’s double take. Instead of my sexuality marking me out, it is just another part of my identity, and doesn’t define me as particularly different. It’s become something to be celebrated along with everything else.
As a fresher, I know I have a long way to go but coming here has furthered my sense of self-acceptance. Something as simple as being able walk around college, holding my girlfriend’s hand, with hardly a look from anybody means the world to me, not least in such a traditional place where change occurs painfully slowly. Everyone should have something that makes them happy to be here. For me, it’s how included I feel. I’m seen as just me, with sexuality being almost wholly insignificant. Of course there are problems, and I would never claim that my rose-tinted experience of Cambridge applies to everyone. But this is my personal account of life as a queer woman, and I feel it is well-worth talking about with the positive aspects of Pembroke in mind. I finally feel completely confident, and not like I’m faking it half the time. I can save that for my supervision essays. •
Belén Bale is a first year HSPS student and part of the Pembroke Street editorial team. She is the JPC Women’s Welfare officer.
Lord Chris Smith, Master of Pembroke College and one of the first openly gay MPs in Britain. Photo by Tasha May
17.
#MyPembroke…
…is
ROMANTIC 18.
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#MyPembroke…
…is
ROMANTIC 18.
19.
Married couple
Magdalena Danowska and Dan James
Ivy Court, before the Natural Sciences subject dinner, 2nd May 2017 20.
Magdalena & Dan
21.
Married couple
Magdalena Danowska and Dan James
Ivy Court, before the Natural Sciences subject dinner, 2nd May 2017 20.
Magdalena & Dan
21.
Helen & Geraint
Helen & Geraint
“ I was absolutely thrilled when Geraint proposed, for obvious reasons; he's such a catch! Our marriage is utterly harmonious, which is fitting considering our shared passion for choir. “
Helen Jennings, Law, and Geraint Owen, English Literature, in the Orchard, 5th May, 2017 24.
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“ I was absolutely thrilled when Geraint proposed, for obvious reasons; he's such a catch! Our marriage is utterly harmonious, which is fitting considering our shared passion for choir. “
Helen Jennings, Law, and Geraint Owen, English Literature, in the Orchard, 5th May, 2017 24.
25.
#MyPembroke …
Dísa Greaves talks to four female students undertaking typically male-dominated degrees.
…is breaking gender stereotypes Shushma Balaji and Fleur Conway, first year engineers
HANNAH BISHOP second year engineer
“It doesn’t feel any different being a girl in engineering - the only downside is when practicals require greater physical strength.” 27.
#MyPembroke …
…
…is breaking gender stereotypes Shushma Balaji and Fleur Conway, first year engineers
Dísa Greaves talks to four female students undertaking typically male-dominated degrees.
HANNAH BISHOP second year engineer
“It doesn’t feel any different being a girl in engineering - the only downside is when practicals require greater physical strength.” 27.
SHUSMA BALAJI first year engineer
In 2014, only 14% of students beginning a Computer Sciences degree at Cambridge were female, with Engineering and Mathematics also having gendered admissions rates.
28.
SCARLET COX
only female CompSci at Pembroke “It does feel there is a problem attracting girls to this course, especially with the gender ratio.�
29.
SHUSMA BALAJI first year engineer
In 2014, Cambridge only 14% of students beginning a Computer Sciences degree were female, with Engineering and Mathematics also having gendered admissions rates.
28.
SCARLETT COX
only female comp sci at Pembroke “It does feel there is a problem attracting girls to this course, especially with the gender ratio.�
29.
FIND YOUR INNER DOMESTIC GODDESS
De-stressing…
However primitive and crusty the Pem gyps may be, you can still rustle up a dish or two in there with ease. Even cooking something as simple as beans on toast (definitely one of your five-a-day, and cheaper than Trough) needs a different kind of concentration to study and will take your mind off things for a while.
… on a budget
DIP INTO SOME CUL TURE The Fitzwilliam Museum’s exhibition ‘Madonnas and Miracles’ (great for historians!) is on until 7th June, while Kettle’s Yard's ‘Sea to Shore: Paintings by Alfred Wallis and Christopher Wood’ is also on at the Fitz until 27th August.
by Charlotte Araya Moreland
Exams. There’s no getting away from them, but Easter term doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Everyone has ways of dealing (or not) with the drudgery and stress of revision, be it exercise, hitting Cindies every week, or taking up permanent residence in the library. Pembroke Street wants to bring you a few easy - and cheap - things to do that you might not have thought of.
BE MORE ZEN College yoga is on Fridays at 12.15pm for £2, and Zumba is on Wednesdays at 5.15pm for £3 - both in the New Cellars.
30.
31.
FIND YOUR INNER DOMESTIC GODDESS
De-stressing…
However primitive and crusty the Pem gyps may be, you can still rustle up a dish or two in there with ease. Even cooking something as simple as beans on toast (definitely one of your five-a-day, and cheaper than Trough) needs a different kind of concentration to study and will take your mind off things for a while.
… on a budget
DIP INTO SOME CUL TURE The Fitzwilliam Museum’s exhibition ‘Madonnas and Miracles’ (great for historians!) is on until 7th June, while Kettle’s Yard's ‘Sea to Shore: Paintings by Alfred Wallis and Christopher Wood’ is also on at the Fitz until 27th August.
by Charlotte Araya Moreland
Exams. There’s no getting away from them, but Easter term doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Everyone has ways of dealing (or not) with the drudgery and stress of revision, be it exercise, hitting Cindies every week, or taking up permanent residence in the library. Pembroke Street wants to bring you a few easy - and cheap - things to do that you might not have thought of.
BE MORE ZEN College yoga is on Fridays at 12.15pm for £2, and Zumba is on Wednesdays at 5.15pm for £3 - both in the New Cellars.
30.
31.
GET OUT OF THE BUBBLE London is only a forty-minute train ride away (about £16 for an off-peak day return with a 16-25 Railcard) although with the never-ending possibilities of things to do, it can be difficult to know where to start. For the theatre-goers, there are £7.50 tickets to National Theatre productions and free tickets to shows at Covent Garden’s Donmar Warehouse available for young people. Other interesting things to do include attending PMQs on Wednesdays (although perhaps not the most relaxing of activities), walking through Hampstead Heath or Richmond Park, and visiting the Sky Garden.
VISIT THE CHAPEL The Pembroke chapel welcomes all, and regardless of faith, it is no bad thing to take out a period of time for thought and reflection. Opening hours are 8am-midnight everyday, with services throughout the week.
BRING A BIT OF LIFE TO YOUR ROOM Student rooms can be sparse and sad spaces, no matter how many Pink Floyd posters and fairy lights are on the walls. Adding a plant or two (minimum attention - cacti; moderate attention - an actual house-plant) can bring life to your room. The town market sells potted plants cheaply (£2£5 for a small peace lily, lavender plant or geranium), as does Marks & Spencer.
32.
WRITE, DRAW & TAKE PHOTOS FOR PEMBROKE STREET! The deadline for submissions for the ‘Home’ issue is 27th May. For inspiration and ideas check out our website! We’re especially looking for photography and art. 33.
GET OUT OF THE BUBBLE London is only a forty-minute train ride away (about £16 for an off-peak day return with a 16-25 Railcard) although with the never-ending possibilities of things to do, it can be difficult to know where to start. For the theatre-goers, there are £7.50 tickets to National Theatre productions and free tickets to shows at Covent Garden’s Donmar Warehouse available for young people. Other interesting things to do include attending PMQs on Wednesdays (although perhaps not the most relaxing of activities), walking through Hampstead Heath or Richmond Park, and visiting the Sky Garden.
VISIT THE CHAPEL The Pembroke chapel welcomes all, and regardless of faith, it is no bad thing to take out a period of time for thought and reflection. Opening hours are 8am-midnight everyday, with services throughout the week.
BRING A BIT OF LIFE TO YOUR ROOM Student rooms can be sparse and sad spaces, no matter how many Pink Floyd posters and fairy lights are on the walls. Adding a plant or two (minimum attention - cacti; moderate attention - an actual house-plant) can bring life to your room. The town market sells potted plants cheaply (£2£5 for a small peace lily, lavender plant or geranium), as does Marks & Spencer.
32.
WRITE, DRAW & TAKE PHOTOS FOR PEMBROKE STREET! The deadline for submissions for the ‘Home’ issue is 27th May. For inspiration and ideas check out our website! We’re especially looking for photography and art. 33.
Emily Fish talks to Alistair Henfrey, Jessica Murdoch, and Geraint Owen about their experiences with Cambridge theatre so far.
How did you get in to theatre? Geraint: My family are involved in theatre so it was something I kind of inherited. Jess: I’m not sure exactly when I got into theatre, but I became a part of the National Youth Theatre a few years ago and when I started doing shows with them was when I realised that I really wanted to pursue drama. Alistair: 7 years old. The play: Our Planet Future. My role: Drip the Fridge. It was a really moving production and I hope to reprise my role as Drip on the Broadway stage in the near future. Or the West End. I’m not picky. But in all seriousness, the shows we put on at school were a really big part of forming my involvement in theatre. Alistair and Geraint – having both acted and directed, which do you feel you are more likely to pursue? G: Directing because I prefer telling people what to do rather than being told what to do. And also because you get to watch something that was at one point just an idea, grow into a fully-fledged production.
34.
A: I think directing, mainly just because I love watching theatre. And when you’re directing you get to create the show that you’re watching, which means that it’s kind of tailormade for you, so you get to watch theatre that you love. What are your favourite things about Cambridge theatre? J: The shows that you see here are just so good. It’s so easy to forget that all the people on the stage, all the crew, the director, the producers, everyone, are all doing a degree and creating these incredible productions at the same time. It’s not like we’re at drama school, where theatre is your work – here work and theatre are two very separate things and yet people are managing to create some of the best amateur theatre that I’ve seen. A: Yeah, it’s so easy to take advantage of the shows that you see here – because so many of them are of such a high calibre, people can begin to expect too much of it. But it’s so important to remember that for a lot of these people the play that you’re seeing is their first foray into the Cambridge theatre scene.
#MyPembroke… … is
dramatic 35.
Emily Fish talks to Alistair Henfrey, Jessica Murdoch, and Geraint Owen about their experiences with Cambridge theatre so far.
How did you get in to theatre? Geraint: My family are involved in theatre so it was something I kind of inherited. Jess: I’m not sure exactly when I got into theatre, but I became a part of the National Youth Theatre a few years ago and when I started doing shows with them was when I realised that I really wanted to pursue drama. Alistair: 7 years old. The play: Our Planet Future. My role: Drip the Fridge. It was a really moving production and I hope to reprise my role as Drip on the Broadway stage in the near future. Or the West End. I’m not picky. But in all seriousness, the shows we put on at school were a really big part of forming my involvement in theatre. Alistair and Geraint – having both acted and directed, which do you feel you are more likely to pursue? G: Directing because I prefer telling people what to do rather than being told what to do. And also because you get to watch something that was at one point just an idea, grow into a fully-fledged production.
34.
A: I think directing, mainly just because I love watching theatre. And when you’re directing you get to create the show that you’re watching, which means that it’s kind of tailormade for you, so you get to watch theatre that you love. What are your favourite things about Cambridge theatre? J: The shows that you see here are just so good. It’s so easy to forget that all the people on the stage, all the crew, the director, the producers, everyone, are all doing a degree and creating these incredible productions at the same time. It’s not like we’re at drama school, where theatre is your work – here work and theatre are two very separate things and yet people are managing to create some of the best amateur theatre that I’ve seen. A: Yeah, it’s so easy to take advantage of the shows that you see here – because so many of them are of such a high calibre, people can begin to expect too much of it. But it’s so important to remember that for a lot of these people the play that you’re seeing is their first foray into the Cambridge theatre scene.
#MyPembroke… … is
dramatic 35.
“But in all seriousness, the shows we put on at school were a really big part of forming my involvement in theatre. “
G: That’s definitely my favourite thing: that there is absolutely no experience required to be a part of some of the most incredible opportunities that are happening. Your theatre CV could be completely blank and there is every chance that you could be a part of a huge show – you just have to audition or apply.
charity that supported the issues central to play, it didn’t just feel like we were putting on a play. It felt like we were doing something bigger. And that sounds kind of pretentious but when you get to do something that is so much fun with such a lovely group of people, and it’s also doing good, it’s hard to top that.
A: I think the diversity of shows that are being put on, as well, is something that is practically unparalleled. There are shows like Stuart: A Life Backwards that was in support of charity, the BME Macbeth in Lent Term that provided a space entirely for BME students to create theatre; you have threehour Renaissance plays being put on at the ADC as mainshows and then the lateshow that night is a Footlights smoker. The different theatres – the ADC, Corpus, and all the different colleges – mean that there’s so much opportunity for a huge range of theatrical pursuits.
A: It absolutely has to be Deep Blue Sea, which I directed in Lent Term. The cast and crew was made up of the loveliest people who I now consider to be really close friends. It was a really warm group. And it didn’t feel like we were just trying to churn out another show; everyone was really invested. There was so much time and effort and hard work that went into making it what it was, but I didn’t really care that the final product was great and well received because the process of creating it was so fun.
What’s been your favourite show to be involved in? G: The 24 Hour Musical was amazing – being set a concept at 9pm and spending 24 hours writing, composing, directing, and finally putting on a mini musical was crazy and difficult but ultimately so rewarding. Somehow throughout the entire 24 hours there was constantly such a high energy despite the fact that none of us had slept, and that’s a great atmosphere to be a part of. J: Come Back to Bed, because I got to snuggle with a boy for half an hour during preshow every night. No, no, it was really probably Stuart: A Life Backwards. Because it was based on the life of a real man, from Cambridge, and all proceeds went to a
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“ I think the diversity of shows that are being put on, as well, is something that is practically unparalleled. “ What would be your dream show to put on or be a part of in Cambridge? A: I have so many but I’ll try and whittle it down to three. Translations by Brian Friel, which is a charming little play that I almost got to do last term but I couldn’t get the rights. The Island, by Athol Fugard, which is about two prisoners on an island who put on a production of Antigone – it’s demonstrative of their lives and really embodies their situation. And finally Doctor Faustus, by Marlowe. I want to do a really
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“But in all seriousness, the shows we put on at school were a really big part of forming my involvement in theatre. “
G: That’s definitely my favourite thing: that there is absolutely no experience required to be a part of some of the most incredible opportunities that are happening. Your theatre CV could be completely blank and there is every chance that you could be a part of a huge show – you just have to audition or apply.
charity that supported the issues central to play, it didn’t just feel like we were putting on a play. It felt like we were doing something bigger. And that sounds kind of pretentious but when you get to do something that is so much fun with such a lovely group of people, and it’s also doing good, it’s hard to top that.
A: I think the diversity of shows that are being put on, as well, is something that is practically unparalleled. There are shows like Stuart: A Life Backwards that was in support of charity, the BME Macbeth in Lent Term that provided a space entirely for BME students to create theatre; you have threehour Renaissance plays being put on at the ADC as mainshows and then the lateshow that night is a Footlights smoker. The different theatres – the ADC, Corpus, and all the different colleges – mean that there’s so much opportunity for a huge range of theatrical pursuits.
A: It absolutely has to be Deep Blue Sea, which I directed in Lent Term. The cast and crew was made up of the loveliest people who I now consider to be really close friends. It was a really warm group. And it didn’t feel like we were just trying to churn out another show; everyone was really invested. There was so much time and effort and hard work that went into making it what it was, but I didn’t really care that the final product was great and well received because the process of creating it was so fun.
What’s been your favourite show to be involved in? G: The 24 Hour Musical was amazing – being set a concept at 9pm and spending 24 hours writing, composing, directing, and finally putting on a mini musical was crazy and difficult but ultimately so rewarding. Somehow throughout the entire 24 hours there was constantly such a high energy despite the fact that none of us had slept, and that’s a great atmosphere to be a part of. J: Come Back to Bed, because I got to snuggle with a boy for half an hour during preshow every night. No, no, it was really probably Stuart: A Life Backwards. Because it was based on the life of a real man, from Cambridge, and all proceeds went to a
36.
“ I think the diversity of shows that are being put on, as well, is something that is practically unparalleled. “ What would be your dream show to put on or be a part of in Cambridge? A: I have so many but I’ll try and whittle it down to three. Translations by Brian Friel, which is a charming little play that I almost got to do last term but I couldn’t get the rights. The Island, by Athol Fugard, which is about two prisoners on an island who put on a production of Antigone – it’s demonstrative of their lives and really embodies their situation. And finally Doctor Faustus, by Marlowe. I want to do a really
37.
sexy, burlesque production. It would be so fun. G: Michael Frayn’s Noises Off would be mine, simply because it would be the biggest directorial challenge that I could set for myself. It involves co-ordinating so many entrances and exits and everything has to be so perfectly planned and timed that if I managed it then it would be incredible. I also just love Othello. J: If I could play any part on stage it would probably be Iago (wink, wink Geraint). What shows are you preparing for right now? G: I’m directing Two, which is the Corpus late in Week 7. It’s the first thing I’m directing in Cambridge and I’m really excited to work with Alistair, embrace the play’s pub setting, and monopolise on all the potential for getting drunk. I’m also producing Fundamentally, A Stand Up Show, which is a one-night stand at the ADC. A: I’m also a part of Two, which I’m Assistant Directing, and also looking forward to drinking at all possible opportunities. My next project, though, is playing Harry in Spiders, a student-written play by Kate Collins (Newnham) which was long-listed for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting in 2015. Funnily enough, it’s not about spiders. It’s about a boy and a girl, who live in a squat. And double denim will be involved. If that doesn’t sell it I don’t know what will.
some really interesting ideas. I’m also playing my namesake in The Merchant of Venice at the ADC – the stage is going to be flooded, so that’ll definitely be something to watch. Do you have any advice for people who want to be a part of Cambridge Theatre? J: Just put yourself out there! Just audition for anything and everything, pitch shows if you want, apply for jobs even if you’ve never done them before. There are so many great opportunities and you’ll never know unless you just give it a go. G: And go and see as much theatre as you can. Every week there is such a variety of shows, you can never be bored. You don’t even need to worry about having to pay for all of it, because you can steward shows at the ADC and Corpus which requires practically no work and you get to see the show for free. It’s also a great way to network a bit and meet other thespy people. See The Merchant of Venice at the ADC Theatre, 7:45pm, 16th-20th May. See Spiders at The Corpus Playroom, 7pm, 23rd-27th May. See Two at The Corpus Playroom, 9:30pm, 13th-17th June.
Photo: Elise Limon
J: I’m also in Spiders with Al, which is really exciting that we serendipitously ended up doing a two-hander together. It’s sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and it feels quite real. It’s not trying to be literary theatre or trying to be clever. It’s just a play about two characters that tells a story and touches on
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sexy, burlesque production. It would be so fun. G: Michael Frayn’s Noises Off would be mine, simply because it would be the biggest directorial challenge that I could set for myself. It involves co-ordinating so many entrances and exits and everything has to be so perfectly planned and timed that if I managed it then it would be incredible. I also just love Othello. J: If I could play any part on stage it would probably be Iago (wink, wink Geraint). What shows are you preparing for right now? G: I’m directing Two, which is the Corpus late in Week 7. It’s the first thing I’m directing in Cambridge and I’m really excited to work with Alistair, embrace the play’s pub setting, and monopolise on all the potential for getting drunk. I’m also producing Fundamentally, A Stand Up Show, which is a one-night stand at the ADC. A: I’m also a part of Two, which I’m Assistant Directing, and also looking forward to drinking at all possible opportunities. My next project, though, is playing Harry in Spiders, a student-written play by Kate Collins (Newnham) which was long-listed for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting in 2015. Funnily enough, it’s not about spiders. It’s about a boy and a girl, who live in a squat. And double denim will be involved. If that doesn’t sell it I don’t know what will.
some really interesting ideas. I’m also playing my namesake in The Merchant of Venice at the ADC – the stage is going to be flooded, so that’ll definitely be something to watch. Do you have any advice for people who want to be a part of Cambridge Theatre? J: Just put yourself out there! Just audition for anything and everything, pitch shows if you want, apply for jobs even if you’ve never done them before. There are so many great opportunities and you’ll never know unless you just give it a go. G: And go and see as much theatre as you can. Every week there is such a variety of shows, you can never be bored. You don’t even need to worry about having to pay for all of it, because you can steward shows at the ADC and Corpus which requires practically no work and you get to see the show for free. It’s also a great way to network a bit and meet other thespy people. See The Merchant of Venice at the ADC Theatre, 7:45pm, 16th-20th May. See Spiders at The Corpus Playroom, 7pm, 23rd-27th May. See Two at The Corpus Playroom, 9:30pm, 13th-17th June.
Photo: Elise Limon
J: I’m also in Spiders with Al, which is really exciting that we serendipitously ended up doing a two-hander together. It’s sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and it feels quite real. It’s not trying to be literary theatre or trying to be clever. It’s just a play about two characters that tells a story and touches on
38.
39.
photos by Tasha May
Ahead of Pembroke Street’s ‘Home’ issue, Dísa Greaves explores the room of Charlotte Araya Moreland, our editor.
If you live in college, it can feel like you spend half your time moving in and moving out - nevertheless, we do spend the best part of half a year at Pembroke. So arguably, it’s just as much our home as wherever else we spend the rest of the year. Charlotte, a first year historian and editor of Pembroke Street, has let us into her room for a glimpse of how she has made Pembroke home. Her room is quietly hidden in E staircase, overlooking Old Court with a priceless view of the Chapel, the Hall and the Library. The initial feel of the room is ‘lived in’. It is not artificially neat, but is a reflection of the inhabitant’s personality, with small beautiful details throughout that you just can’t help but be drawn towards. She has various posters and paintings hung up and placed around the room. They are largely classical in style, with a sizeable portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, and various other nods to history and politics that are of importance to Charlotte. It appears she has a knack of collecting excellent little pieces; a black and white photo of her grandparents, a small Grecian style statuette acting as a bookend and a book from the fifties titled “Men” resting on the mantelpiece to name a few. 40.
Her own description is that the room has a “keen sense of history,” which appeals to her. It is, after all, in the oldest part of college and has seen many students come and go. While she does not know the history specific to her room, it is E staircase that saw Ted Hughes living there, and is rumoured to have seen the formation of the legendary Monty Python. It is this authenticity and “oldness” that is her favourite aspect of the room with the clean, white fireplace, tall ceiling and small window poking out of the roof. But inevitably, there are bits that are not quite so dreamy, namely the modernity that is juxtaposed with antiquity. The original fireplace is unfortunately blocked and wires can be seen passing through the room. There is a rather obnoxious fire door sign, an unsightly ceiling light and a thermostat that she has cleverly managed to cover up. When asked which three items she could not be without, she said her plants, books and the portrait of the Elizabeth I. Her room is littered with greenery; plants in clear pots showing tangled roots, cacti on the window sill, and vases of fresh flowers from the market. There are books everywhere. She
#MyPembroke…
…is home
41.
photos by Tasha May
Ahead of Pembroke Street’s ‘Home’ issue, Dísa Greaves explores the room of Charlotte Araya Moreland, our editor.
If you live in college, it can feel like you spend half your time moving in and moving out - nevertheless, we do spend the best part of half a year at Pembroke. So arguably, it’s just as much our home as wherever else we spend the rest of the year. Charlotte, a first year historian and editor of Pembroke Street, has let us into her room for a glimpse of how she has made Pembroke home. Her room is quietly hidden in E staircase, overlooking Old Court with a priceless view of the Chapel, the Hall and the Library. The initial feel of the room is ‘lived in’. It is not artificially neat, but is a reflection of the inhabitant’s personality, with small beautiful details throughout that you just can’t help but be drawn towards. She has various posters and paintings hung up and placed around the room. They are largely classical in style, with a sizeable portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, and various other nods to history and politics that are of importance to Charlotte. It appears she has a knack of collecting excellent little pieces; a black and white photo of her grandparents, a small Grecian style statuette acting as a bookend and a book from the fifties titled “Men” resting on the mantelpiece to name a few. 40.
Her own description is that the room has a “keen sense of history,” which appeals to her. It is, after all, in the oldest part of college and has seen many students come and go. While she does not know the history specific to her room, it is E staircase that saw Ted Hughes living there, and is rumoured to have seen the formation of the legendary Monty Python. It is this authenticity and “oldness” that is her favourite aspect of the room with the clean, white fireplace, tall ceiling and small window poking out of the roof. But inevitably, there are bits that are not quite so dreamy, namely the modernity that is juxtaposed with antiquity. The original fireplace is unfortunately blocked and wires can be seen passing through the room. There is a rather obnoxious fire door sign, an unsightly ceiling light and a thermostat that she has cleverly managed to cover up. When asked which three items she could not be without, she said her plants, books and the portrait of the Elizabeth I. Her room is littered with greenery; plants in clear pots showing tangled roots, cacti on the window sill, and vases of fresh flowers from the market. There are books are everywhere.
#MyPembroke…
…is home
41.
has managed to fill a whole bookcase to the point of overflowing, and has somehow convinced college to let her not move them out during holidays (kudos to you, Charlotte). HRM the “Virgin Queen” is very much the centrepiece of the room, hanging above the fireplace as a true girl-power *icon*. If her walls could talk, they would tell us that she spends far too much time watching TV and worrying about boys. All the great thoughts that could have been had… Guilt about productivity is not an uncommon feeling though, you’re not alone, Charlotte! 42.
The three words she chose to sum up her room were homey, temporary and cold. “Homey” and “temporary” summarise Cambridge living well, I feel. As for the cold, I suppose it cannot be helped; that’s the trade-off for the authentic history.
Dísa Greaves is a first year Land Economist, and the Pembroke Street blogger.
43.
She has managed to fill a whole bookcase to the point of overflowing, and has somehow managed to convince college to let her not move them out during holidays (kudos to you, Charlotte). HRM the “Virgin Queen” is very much the centrepiece of the room, hanging above the fireplace as a true girl-power *icon*. If her walls could talk, they would tell us that she spends far too much time watching TV and worrying about boys. All the great thoughts that could have been had… Guilt about productivity is not an uncommon feeling though, you’re not alone, Charlotte! 42.
The three words she chose to sum up her room were homey, temporary and cold. “Homey” and “temporary” summarise Cambridge living well, I feel. As for the cold, I suppose it cannot be helped; that’s the trade-off for the authentic history.
Dísa Greaves is a first year Land Economist, and the Pembroke Street blogger.
43.