Venue 313

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Editorial

Issue #313 22 September

In the first week of June (halfway through the country’s spring academic semester) presidents of all eighty-six of Japan’s national universities were issued with new reform guidelines from the minister of education concerning the structuring of academic departments.

These reforms are purportedly concerned with the dismantling of inefficient teaching colleges. However, the vague nature of the guidelines has caused many to view this issue as a potential wideranging attack on humanities and social science departments state wide. Indeed, one university president has called the plans ‘antiintellectual’ and argues that the reforms are a symptom of the Japanese government attempting to ‘shift the circular fields to greater utilitarian’ value at the whim of the market.

Editors: concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk Ana Dukakis Joe Fitzsimmons Arts: concrete.arts@concrete.uea.ac.uk Brett Mottram Creative Writing: concretre.creativewriting@concrete.uea.ac.uk Jay Stonestreet

The effects of this reform package are yet to be seen. The signal they have sent across the world though, cannot be ignored. In times of economic downturn, markets, and those on the right, are often quick to point to the humanities as draining education funding away from ‘real-world subjects’ with higher earning potentials and employability prospects. These accusations must not be left unchallenged. The mission of Venue is to explore all that creativity has to offer; from high fashion to junk television, from the Impressionist masters to the latest video-game blockbuster.

None of these accomplishments are possible without students learned and immersed in centuries of human creative endeavours and the skills required to produce them.

These subjects shape our collective cultural consciousness and produce commodities that enrich and define lives. They provide a context to make sense of our ‘realworld’. To argue they do not best serve society is a short-sighted statement indeed.

We cannot allow the market to use the current economy to fuel its ideological war against the arts, lest our capital gains be left as hollow as our academic20 departments.

Fashion: concrete.fashion@concrete.uea.ac.uk Lizz Gowens Leah Omonya Film: concrete.film@concrete.uea.ac.uk George Barker Melissa Haggar Gaming & Technology: concrete.gamingtech@concrete.uea.ac.uk Tom Bedford Music: concrete.music@concrete.uea.ac.uk Freya Gibson Daniel Jeakins Televison: concrete.television@concrete.uea.ac.uk Hannah Ford

Art and Design: concrete.artdesign@concrete.uea.ac.uk Dougie Dodds Cover Art : Dougie Dodds

Whatever it is you choose to read, chances are you’re looking to gain something, whether it’s insight into the human condition or baking tips. This issue of Venue has many things to offer, from eclectic music playlists to why dystopian angst is so popular. * But if there’s anything else you should gain from opening this paper, let it be this fact: in Izumisano, Japan, an app has been created to report uncollected dog poop. That’s right; people are being encouraged to snap pictures of any offending matter and upload it for poop “G-men” to track.

If you were eating while reading this I apologise profusely.

Even if you weren’t, let me take a moment to explain myself. I can already hear you wondering: why on Earth did you choose that topic? Why focus on (literally) a piece of crap while there are so many more important things to worry about?

To this I say: yes, you’re right. Of all the news to share, this is probably the least important. But I chose it not just for its comic value (I hope it provides that, if nothing else), but because it shows a small step. Picture glossy smartphones and fake camera clicks, officials striding purposefully towards the scene of the crime. Here is a story – albeit a weird one – of people taking small steps – steps to better their environment, their community. Sometimes it’s nice to stand back and admire these small steps, regardless of how unusual or poop infested they may be. So enjoy your first steps, whether they mark the beginning of university or a return, whether they’re big or small, poop infested or (ideally) not. And if you’re ever feeling nervous (new steps tend to have that effect), hopefully this bizarre fact will lighten your day: somewhere someone could be uploading a picture of dog poop for their city officials to see. *Did I just plug Venue content right inside Venue itself? Possibly.

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Music ings in the lyrics aside, it’s something pretty special and all about female empowerment (which is something I can definitely get behind). (MH) Hooton Tennis Club – Kathleen Sat On The Arm Of Her Favourite Chair

Kurt Vile - Life Like This Kurt Vile is dad-rocking his way into my heart. ‘Life Like This’ blends country-folk guitar work with repeating piano lines and synth guitar tones. This is what Vile does best; he gets you hooked on his sound, and it’s a sound which you hadn’t thought existed before. ‘Life Like This’ does this with ease, with its lazy hypnotic sway, and Vile’s distinctive loose Dylanlike vocals, which transform the simplest lyrics into something more complex and varied. In the current atmosphere of the musical industry, where precision and perfection are priority, Vile is a breath of fresh air. (Hugo Douglas-Deane) Fetty Wap – RGF Island Arguably hip-hop’s biggest breakthrough artist of 2015, New Jersey’s Fetty Wap continues his run of brilliant singles with ‘RGF Island’. Comparable to his huge crossover hit ‘Trap Queen’, this new single exudes confidence and suggests his self-titled debut album (due later this week) could be one of the highlights of the year. (Daniel Jeakins) Lana Del Rey – Music To Watch Boys To This has to be a personal favourite to listen to at the moment. Taken from her upcoming album Honeymoon , ‘Music To Watch Boys To’ is a new addition from Lana Del Rey. What I enjoy most about it is the summery tone of the song, which feels almost like the musical equivalent of a summer’s breeze. It’s atmospheric and a joy to listen to, with great use of sweet and sultry vocals, entrancing beats and a dreamy chorus.

What more could you want? (Meilissa Haggar) The Libertines – You’re My Waterloo The shining light in an otherwise disappointing return in Anthems for Doomed Youth, ‘You’re My Waterloo’ finds The Libertines at their romantic, contemplative best. Written around the release of raucous debut ‘Up The Bracket’, it’s a poignant love song featuring some of Pete Doherty’s best lyrics since the band originally split. (DJ) Hailee Steinfeld – Love Myself Usually when an artist releases their first single, it can be pretty disappointing, or even embarrassing. But not Steinfeld. Despite having some pretty decent films roles under her belt, her first solo single ‘Love Myself’ is a real feelgood tune, and sometimes you just need that bit of pick up from a rough day. All double mean-

Produced by The Coral guitarist and Arctic Monkeys collaborator Bill Ryder-Jones, Liverpudlian slackers Hooton Tennis Club’s debut The Highest Point In Clifftown is one of the indie highlights of the year. Single ‘Kathleen…’ is the best example of the bands brand of jangly pop-rock, and in another era would have dominated mainstream radio stations. Hooton Tennis Club may not be destined for the huge things they arguably deserve, but their first album is a record well worth discovering. (DJ) Justin Bieber – What Do You Mean?

Ok, even I hate myself for this one. Despite adamantly claiming I would never be a Bieber fan, his latest music is actually alright.

Well, it’s pretty good. Alright, it’s better than good. It’s a more mature sound than his previous work, undeniably catchy and smooth; things I thought I’d never say about the Biebs.

‘What Do You Mean?’ is just more proof that Bieber can make some killer tunes. (MH)

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Years & Years – Desire (Gryffin Remix) BBC Sound of… winners have a less-than glowing reputation amongst music critics, with the poll generally accused of playing it safe, but Years & Years have bucked that trend by producing one of the best dance-pop albums of the year in Communion. Gryffin’s reworking of single ‘Desire’, which features in new Zac Effron flick ‘We Are Your Friends’, transforms the song into a huge club anthem and should feature on any freshers’ week playlist. (DJ) The Wombats – Greek Tragedy Indie-pop three-piece The Wombats arrive at the LCR this week on the back of a hugely successful album in Glitterbug, which has seen them book their biggest ever headline show at London’s Alexandra Palace. Their UEA set will no doubt be a hit-packed affair and certain to feature current single ‘Greek Tragedy’. Fusing Passion Pit-styled synths with classic garage rock guitars, this new single establishes itself as one of the highlights of their discography upon first listen. (DJ)

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Lou Reed – Perfect Day At Venue we’ve celebrated the news of a sequel to Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting with a feature on the use of music in cinema, which you can find on the next page. Who can forget the scene in which Mark’s (played by Ewen McGregor) heroin overdose is soundtracked

by Lou Reed’s classic, heartfelt anthem ‘Perfect Day’? It’s one of the most powerful moments in British cinema history, and it’s brought to life with the effective use of popular music. (DJ)

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Music Mac DeMarco

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Another One - Hugo Douglas-Deane

Another week in his bedroom studio and another album from Mac DeMarco. The goofiness of his last release Salad Days does return, albeit older and wiser.

Another One finds DeMarco reaching for softer synths, more chilled out drum patterns, and the songs themselves being slower paced than previous releases. It’s more mellow and subdued. DeMarco has told interviewers that Another One is a concept album of sorts; that the lamenting lyrics, such as ‘Will she love me again tomorrow / I don’t know, don’t think so’ (‘Without Me’), are apparently not drawn from personal romantic woes. It’s a reassuring sign for DeMarco fans though, as he’s pushing himself towards newer territories, mixing up his trademark summery vibes with greater emotional depth and a maturer tone.

Lillie Coles For Australian rock band Tame Impala, the days of Feels Like We Only Go Backwards are well and truly over. Their new album Currents is forward thinking, and lights the way for psychedelic rock to enter pop territory. Written by multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker, Currents is a break-up record, but it focuses on moving on and making up with the self. The album is an opportunity for the band to move on too, introducing a brand new sound. Parker balances lyrical lessons in heartbreak with punchy bass, distinctive falsetto, older psych-rock structures and just the right amount of synth and guitar to transcend genre boundaries. The only classification this album needs is that it is a masterpiece.

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The heavy snare beats of ‘Let It Happen’ march us straight into the band’s new life,

Mellisa Haggar Usually, when someone makes the transition into the competitive music industry, having come from amateur beginnings or a different career entirely, they are faced with much scepticism surrounding their legitimacy as an artist, and their ability to make effective music.

This was this case for YouTuber/Actor-turned ‘official’ singer-songwriter Troye Sivan when he released his first major-label EP last year, entitled TRXYE. But the Australian teen surprised everyone when his first major venture achieved reasonable critical and commercial success, garnering him a spot at number 5 on the Billboard 200. After a year’s absence from

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‘The Way You’d Love Her’ kicks off the album with the familiar elements of any Mac DeMarco song; washy, jangly guitars with ample vibrato to boot, simple clean drums with plenty of snare rolls, and cheery bass which moves about and infuses the song with a nice degree of movement. The song ‘Another One’ flows into step with mesmerising keyboard lines and echoed vocals, and while it’s sombre, it remains more of a slow-dance than a sad song.

As a whole, the album’s sound is murkier and more ruminative than its predecessors, departing from the airy, punchy sounds of Salad Days and 2. The use of synthesiser and keyboard is less clear-cut than on previous albums, where songs were either guitar or synthesiser. It perhaps indicates that De-

Marco is treating these sounds as more than just an experiment in creating an out-there 80s synth ballad, and instead using these sounds to imbue the album with a darker atmosphere. ‘No Other Heart’ and ‘Just to Put Me Down’ aren’t exceptional songs, although the climax and solo on the latter is a standout point for the album thus far.

at an American high school leaving prom.

The song is a real triumph, which encapsulates the breadth of Mac DeMarco’s signature sound; the bass as ever is simple yet clever, and the notes jump around enough to keep things interesting. It’s smooth, and also funky, and of course the song features DeMarco’s hallmark guitar sound.

The fifth track, ‘A Heart Like Hers’ (notice the recurring theme?) brings the album back down again, with moody synths and DeMarco’s lilting vocals mourning unrequited love. ‘Without Me’ is a standout track.

DeMarco doesn’t embellish the song too much, and yet manages to create much using little: simple drums, one guitar, a synth line, bass, vocals. It’s a romantic homage to lost love and one which would be at home

While it’s not the most consistent album, Another One exhibits DeMarco’s ability to create aw more nuanced and varied record, to write creatively and with imagination.

Where he goes next will be interesting to see. Fingers crossed he pushes himself even further out of his comfort zone.

Currents - Tame Impala although the track gives us eight minutes to adjust to the new tone. Parker admits he wanted to make Currents ‘a bit more minimal’, which is evident in the slow, glitchy synth riffs and a noticeable lack of pedal guitar compared to last album Lonerism.

Tame Impala’s new, minimalist era is also evident throughout ‘Nangs’, the Australian slang word for nitrous oxide, or laughing gas. The sound of an opening canister at the start is followed by trance-like synth and pitch bending, creating a narcotised, disoriented feel. Despite the warped instrumentation, Parker keeps his feet planted firmly on the ground when it comes to lyricism. ‘But is there something more than that?’ is the only lyric, which attempts to laugh off endings and see them more as new beginnings.

‘Eventually’ and ‘Cause I’m a Man’ are the tracks closest to what we would expect from Tame Impala, paying homage to ‘Lonerism’s synth sounds in ‘She Just Won’t Believe Me’ and the decisive beats of ‘Feels Like We Only Go Backwards’. The band seem unapologetically optimistic about new directions though, both musically and after a break up, clear in the lyrics ‘I know that I’ll be happier, and I know you will too.’

The heartbreaking, raw lyrics of ‘Cause I’m A Man’ are contrasted by the punchy pop beats in funk-driven ‘The Less I Know The Better.’ This sunny, sepia toned snapshot of heartbreak seems more like a sing-in-the-car track than a weepy ballad. Similarly, hiphop infused ‘Love/Paranoia’ shows Tame Impala sounding more like The Weeknd

than Pink Floyd. Updating psych-rock into pop territory has given Currents a more universal demographic, but also showcases Tame Impala as an incredibly versatile band.

All in all, Currents sounds raw, polished and effortlessly cool all at once; it’s the shabby chic creation that everyone needs in their music library. This heartbreak album puts a positive spin on endings - we let them happen, we will be happier, and maybe we just need to laugh about them (with or without the use of legal highs).

Not quite pop, not quite rock, the album is definitely out there, but it is clear to say that Currents is far more psychological than psychedelic.

Wild EP - Troye Sivan the music scene, Sivan is back, offering up a second major-label EP, this time entitled WILD. But does Sivan prove himself to be more than just a passing artist with a few catchy songs under his belt?

Opening with the title track, ‘Wild’, Sivan’s album quickly establishes itself as an exploration of electronic pop music. The captivating and smooth vocal delivery by Sivan is paired with up-beat, rhythmic instrumentals, all gleamed to production perfection. ‘Bite’ details Sivan’s first encounter at a gay bar, and his journey through his sexuality is one that is expressed through effective lyrical images and alliteration: ‘You can coax the cold

right out of me/ Kiss me on the mouth and set me free’. Going from strength-tostrength, Sivan builds momentum as the album progresses, finding solid footing on the piano-laden and effortlessly cool ‘Fools’. Switching between more classical instruments and experimental electro beats, ‘Fools’ is a pristine mix of both new old and old; representative of where Sivan finds himself in the current music industry.

Sivan did not navigate this new venture alone, however, and fresh duet ‘Ease’ sees him team up with Broods duo, Caleb and Georgia Nott, the latter providing vocals for the song. Sivan has such a dominating and mesmerising voice that

you almost forget that this is supposed to be a joint effort. A new sound for Sivan, ‘DKLA’ - Don’t Keep Love Around - sees him unite with Tkay Maidza, who raps a segment of the song, adding a new urban electro vibe to the album. Considering the strong material presented by Sivan so far, ‘The Quiet’ is an underwhelming addition for the singer, and there is just too much going on in this song for anything to be particularly note-worthy.

Despite this, WILD is inventive, energetic and distinctive, proving Sivan’s capability as a fully-fledged singer-songwriter. It is not hard to see where Sivan’s true passion lies..

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Music The Power of Music in Film Emma Holbrook News this week that Ewen McGregor’s next project will be a sequel to iconic 1996 film ‘Trainspotting’ got us at Venue thinking about the longstanding relationship between music and cinema. After all, would Danny Boyle’s classic black comedy be quite the same without the sounds of Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Pulp accompanying some of its most memorable scenes? With that in mind, we asked Emma Holbrook to explore the art of the movie soundtrack.

Dani few can beat the Bee Gees fronted soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever, which is something of a disco masterpiece, even 30 years on.

Regina Spektor and easily one of the best songs of 2009, ‘Sweet Disposition’ – makes for a pretty stunning record on its own.

In fact, this record and Awesome Mix Vol.

The ideal movie soundtrack seems to be the ability to weave it seemlessly into the fabric of the film, until one is unrecognisable without the other. With music and film so inexorably combined, an effective soundtrack can turn a good film into something iconic, and imagining a scene without a particular choice of music soon becomes unthinkable, like Back to the Future without Marty McFly shredding to Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B Goode’; ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ without Judd Nelson’s fist-pump across the football field in The Breakfast Club; or in fact, any of The Graduate without the dulcet tones of Simon & Garfunkel.

Yet sometimes, one solitary musical moment is enough. In Napoleon Dynamite, this moment is so famous that it has essentially made the remainder of the film redundant and Napoleon’s dancing to Jamiroquai’s ‘Canned Heat,’ as part of the bizarrely successful campaign to help his friend become class president, is nothing short of genius. For six films, the music in the Harry Potter series was limited to orchestral scores, so when Nick Cave’s ‘O Children’ crackled over the wireless in Deathly Hallows Part 1, it helped create one of the loveliest and most surprising moments of the series.

A discussion of movie scores would undoubtedly require a separate exploration in itself – even if you only consider the last twenty years – but they often function in very similar ways and in the case of Daft Punk’s outstanding score for Tron Legacy, they may even be considered interchangeable.

In the case of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, the soundtrack is so essential that it physically manifests in the film, as protagonist Peter Quill’s solitary link to Earth, housed in a Sony Walkman. Awesome Mix Vol.1 became something of a revelation last summer and perfectly defined the film’s nostalgic tributes to the 70s, with its ingenious mix of timeless classics – such as ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ and Jackson 5’s ‘I Want You Back’, along with bursts of cheesiness in the form of ‘The Pina Colada Song’ and ‘Hooked on a Feeling.’

Michael Giacchino reduces countless people to tears only five minutes after the opening credits of Pixar’s Up; Clint Mansell’s ‘Lux Aeterna’ has long been prime fodder for dramatic Hollywood trailers; and no sports parody is complete without the twinkling keys of Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire score.

Defining and complementing the film’s aesthetic is often the most difficult element, for even a flawless curation of songs needs to work contextually in order to thrive. The effortless cool of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive is matched only by the ambient electronica of Kavinsky, M83, Electric Youth and College. Meanwhile, indie darlings Juno and The Royal Tenenbaums both opt for lo-fi, vintage musical accompaniments that speak to their overall sensibility, with Cat Power’s ‘Sea of Love’ and Elliott Smith’s ‘Needle in the Hay’ respectively enhancing the emotional resonance.

But for more mainstream tastes, Bridget Jones’s Diary provides endless satisfaction thanks to anthems ‘I’m Every Woman’ and ‘Respect’, not to mention a drunken rendition of ‘All By Myself ’ that is hilariously familiar to some. And when it comes to guilty pleasures,

boast killer soundtracks with the likes of Iron and Wine, Bon Iver and Arcade Fire on their roster – and yet, barely any of the songs feature in the film until the credits roll.

On the flip side, none are more reliant upon a stellar soundtrack than movie musicals, no matter the genre: whether it’s Moulin Rouge! and its transformation of pop songs like ‘Roxanne’ and ‘Your Song’; a musical education courtesy of School of Rock; or the now ubiquitous ‘Let It Go’, which surely accounts for the majority of Frozen’s incredible success.

However, few represent the scale of what musical scores can accomplish more than John Williams: a composer who defined a film with just two notes (Jaws), as well as creating sprawling orchestral odysseys and having the likes of Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones, E.T. and Jurassic Park to his name.

The delightfully twee (500) Days of Summer undoubtedly wins the prize for best cinematic use of Hall & Oates ever, during a perfectly tongue-in-cheek musical number, whilst the remainder of its soundtrack – with She & Him’s reimagining of The Smiths,

1 are rare examples of soundtracks that can successfully function outside of their source material, despite a recent insistence upon this. The soundtrack has now become an almost separate entity: blockbuster franchises Twilight and The Hunger Games,

The evolutionary relationship between music and film has defined a significant part of pop culture for decades and though the function of a soundtrack has changed somewhat, it remains irrefutable that the vast majority of iconic movie moments would be nothing without their musical accompaniment.

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Music Headliners In Waiting Daniel Jeakins, Steve Bennett, Sophia Palmer Following a summer spent shivering in muddy fields, taking elbows to the face in mosh pits and nursing splitting hangovers, we look at some of the acts we feel are capable of triumphing in headline slots at Festivals in 2016.

Lana Del Rey

Royal Blood

Since the release of major-label debut ‘Born To Die’ and huge crossover hit ‘Video

One of the great features of the noughties garage rock revival was that

and you can expect them to be the main event at an out-and-out rock festival like Calling or Isle of Wight next year.

A$AP Rocky Following up on the promise of debut album ‘Long Live A$AP’ this year with a far more accomplished, creative full length, ‘A$AP Rocky’ is, much like contemporary Kendrick Lamar, ready to upset rock diehards by topping the bill at Reading and Leeds. ‘At Long Last A$AP’ is a far more ambitious hip-hop album than his first, but also holds the mainstream necessary to make the jump to a festival headline act.

Foals Now unidentifiable with the band who burst onto the indie scene towards the end of the 2000s, following tales of wild house parties in Oxford, Foals have become an incendiary live band capable of delighting huge festival crowds. Their secret set at Reading was a personal highlight of my summer, and having already topped the bill at Latitude and Bestival, the band are more than equipped to bring the house down at a major festival. With new record 'What Went Down' providing several new huge tunes to their live arsenal, Foals are more than capable of headlining Reading & Leeds next year.

Amanda Palmer Playing venues ranging from opera houses and churches to stadiums and street corners, cabaret-punk singer Amanda Palmer has demonstrated that her commanding stage presence is not defined by setting. Equally as famous as an author, human statue, and motivational speaker, Palmer’s shows are frequently more focussed on establishing a conversational connection with members of the audience than performance. The variety style performance that this creates in small to medium sized venues would be ideal transferred to large, middle-brow festivals such as Glastonbury or Latitude.

Kendrick Lamar Since the release of ‘Good Kid, m.A.A.d City’, in my mind of one of truly great records of the new millennium, the profile of Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar has seemingly increased. 2015 has seen him top the US singles chart release a fiercely political new album sure to top end of year lists in December, and feature heavily on Dr Dre’s first full-length release in 16 years. He completely outclassed The Libertines on the Sunday of Reading this year, and is surely primed to follow in Kanye West’s footsteps as the next hiphop artist to top the bill at Glastonbury.

Everyting Everthing

Boy Better Know (featuring Stormzy, Lethal Bizzle and Tempa T) Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg's 2011 Coachella headline slot, which featured all-stars of the west coast hip-hop scene, was one of the most memorable festival headline slots in recent memory. With grime proving such a force at festivals in 2015, what could be better than a huge headline slot all the key players of the UK rap scene next year? If the likes of Boy Better Know's Skepta and JME agreed to perform with the likes of Lethal Bizzle and Stormzy, the result could be a joyous celebration of the re-emergence of British grime.

Games’, Lana Del Rey has amassed one of the strongest, most consistent discographies in modern pop music. Recent singles ‘High

By The Beach’ and ‘Music To Watch Boys To’ suggest the release of upcoming LP ‘Honeymoon’ could prove to be a career peak for the New York singer, and one could only imagine the kind of enchanting headline set she could come up with if given the opportunity.

it produced a stream of headline-ready bands capable of topping bills after the release of just two albums. The likes of Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes and Franz Ferdinand all achieved this accolade, and of all the recent breakout bands in guitar music the most capable of achieving the same feat is Royal Blood. Another album loaded with as many razor-sharp, hook-laden rock songs as their first,

With the recent release of their latest album ‘Get to Heaven’, Everything Everything has the potential to be a headliner in the future. Looking back at their previous singles ‘Cough Cough’ and ‘Kemosabe’, their combination of vibrant instrumentals and distinctive almost-falsetto singing sets them apart from other indie rock bands, while remaining catchy enough to avoid estranging the listener. With their new album honing in on their unique style and with a strongly contemporary message about recent global events, combined with their current tour around the world taking them from Hamburg to Leeds, from Prague to Shanghai, Everything Everything is sure to captivate any

audience that they perform for .

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Fashion SS to AW

Melissa Haggar Life as a student can be hard. It can be even harder when you can barely afford basic groceries, let alone fashionable clothing items.

When every purchase counts and where your budget can only stretch so far, it’s essential that you have a few staple pieces in your wardrobe that can help bring the foundations of your outfit together. Whilst rolling up to your lectures in your pyjamas may sound like a good idea, the practicality of it, and the societal consensus on night-time wear as day-time wear being strictly unacceptable, inevitably forces you to forage through your floor-drobe to find a (partially) clean outfit to wear today. Never fear; we’ve come up with the top 10 items that you can wear throughout the seasons.

1. Leather (look) Jacket You can never really go wrong with a leather jacket, and whether you have the budget for real leather (let’s be serious – you don’t) or the more affordable faux leather, something with a leather look is essential for your wardrobe.

Doubling up as a perfectly pleasant jacket for the colder months (teamed up with a scarf and layers to beat the chill) and a light and striking jacket for the warmer months, the leather look jacket will never fail you.

2. Black Leggings We know what you’re thinking, but hear us out. Ever since our childhood years, leggings have always been a comfortable option. Plenty

The Top Ten Student’s Closet Items to Take You From SS to AW

Melis of room and easy to pair with different tops, the rise of black leggings back into fashion has made us simply overcome with joy. You need these.

3. Black Dress People always say that a black dress is such a classic ‘must-have’ item, and they’re quite right. The black dress can be interchangeable for a multitude of occasions; dress it up with statement jewellery for a night out, or throw on a knit over top for a more casual look. Interviews, Family occasions, nights-out, shopping trips – get the right black dress and it’ll last you a lifetime.

4. Plimsolls Whether you can justify spending your week’s budget on a pair of Converse is up to you, but the cheaper alternative is a dashing pair of plimsolls. Once your choice of footwear in junior school gym, the plimsolls have re-emerged as a fashion statement in

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their own right. Not only comfortable, but also available in a range of styles and prints, these nifty shoes will keep your feet cosy, look stylish, and give you some left over cash for that take-away you’ve been craving.

5. V-Neck Tee Another simple but classic option. The V-Neck tee is a go-to item when assembling an outfit, and you can easily pair this with jeans for a more casual look, or smart trousers for a smartcasual look. The point is, you’d be foolish not to own at least one tee in your wardrobe.

6. Sweat pants Sweat pants. Need we say more? You’ll thank us.

7. Oversized Jumper Nothing beats a good oversized jumper, and depending on the fabric of choice you can get a finer knit one that will be great to wear on those cool summer nights as well as chilly autumn mornings.

8. Ripped Jeans Another simplistic item, the standard skinny jean has always been the pinnacle of denim fashion, but now you can add something a little extra – rips! Yes, truly rock that dishevelled student look and opt for purposeful rips in your clothing (very breathable in summer).

Avaliable in a variety of colours, you’re sure to find something that works with your wardrobe.

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9. Boots There’s a boot for everyone, and whether you’re preference is Chelsea, chunky or heeled, there’s a boot for you.

10. Hoodie The ultimate in student wear, the hoodie is the jumper you need. If you want to go full-student-mode, you can even get one with your Uni’s name on it. Because who doesn’t love a bit of good old representation?

Storage Tips

Tips to Maximise your Clothes Storage Space at University Roseneath Machube Before coming to uni, we all have a rough idea of what halls will look like. In fact we may have attended enough open days to know that the rooms are very small and the storage space is non-existent. Okay, slight over-exaggeration there, but the storage space is rather small as well. Being on a student budget, you ought to make the most of the clothing you already have and pack one or two suitcases of your clothes that you'll get the most wear out of whilst still remaining quite stylish. Here are a few tips on making the most of your storage space.

1. Don’t over pack. You can easily fall into the trap of thinking you need to take everything you own "just in case". This is the worst mistake, as you'll end up hoarding and having way too many clothes and nowhere to put them. You'll end up living in a pigsty.

2. You're likely to have one or two suitcases.

Lay all your clothes out upon arrival at uni and bring out what you're most likely to wear

hang dresses or shirts that you don't want to get creased, you can purchase a clothing rail. These are inexpensive and won't take up too much space. A clothing rail is also very convenient because you can quickly grab an item on the go.

4. Buy storage boxes. These are the holy grail. You can get a variety from Poundland.

These are great to store make up, flats, scarves, socks… the list is endless. They can be tucked under the bed as well to reduce clutter and maintain order in your room.

Flickr

that season. For example, in autumn time you're unlikely going to need your big coats and boots. Pack those away and store under your bed and keep only what you need. Make use of the cupboards you've been provided with to have your shirts, pants and shoes.

3. If you find you're running out of room to

5. You can make a closet organiser by taking a hanger and attaching a few clips or rings that you can hang your hats, baseball caps and scarves on. This is great for organising as well as keeping everything tidy.

6. Any drawers you have should be maximised. If you can't find already made compartment dividers, make your own by using thick rulers to make divisions. This

is great for jewellery, as you can separate items and make the most of one space.

7. Buy a shoe organiser off eBay or Amazon: every inexpensive and extremely useful. You can buy two or three of these and hang behind your bedroom door, your bathroom door and your closet door. You can store anything in these, even your t-shirts. You can roll them up and place them in which saves a great deal of space.

8. Getting ready every morning should be quick and hassle free. This can be maximised by how you store your clothing. Some may think this is quite over the top however it's worked well for the two years I've lived in halls so give it a try. On a Sunday have a look through your clothes and decide what you'll wear throughout the entire week and then set that aside or have it at the top of your clothing pile or on that clothing rack we spoke about. That way you can just quickly grab what you're wearing and be out the door.

8

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Fashion A Look Inside My Wardrobe A Jungle of Prints, Denim and Assortes Tees.

Melissa Haggar more is more) or bracelet, and are paired with some form of cleated shoe.

If we’re getting really formal, there’s even the few odd varying of materials, from crushed blue velvet long-sleevetops to a particular glittery crop top, there are a few treasures tucked away behind an alarming amount of cotton.

For most people, crop tops would be an opportunity to show off a portion of belly, but for an incredibly short person like me, a crop top is more of a regular full-length top. So, there are the few obligatory sort-of-crop tops in subtle mint, bizarre zebra patterns and even some tartan styles.

This is certainly the wilder side of my wardrobe and for the average clothes owner, this section probably looks like a collection of things nobody would ever wear outside (except of course, that I do…actually wear them…outside).

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8

Melissa Haggar

It’s fair to say that if you were to look inside my wardrobe you’d be assaulted with a variety of prints; everything from bold Aztec to delicate flowers lined up nicely on the rails. When it comes to prints, there are endless possibilities. I find prints quite versatile and easy to pair with jeans or a skirt, and make a good go-to combo when getting dressed for uni or going to the cinema with friends. Pairing a flower-print jumper with some simple trousers or black skirt (with leggings if it’s winter – hey; I’m a leggings girl at heart) means saving valuable time when getting ready in the morning. Jumpers are a staple of winter months, and the ones that adorn my closet usually vary in style and colour, but most are relatively formfitting and quite thin (because there’s nothing worse than being too warm).

If you manage to get further in there, past the array of bomber jackets, pastel, and signature black leather jackets, you’d find a rather large collection of denim. Denim skirts, denim shorts and whole lot of denim jeans. Basically, something Levi would be proud of.

There’s not just the usual blue skinny style though, most of them have rips (because who doesn’t want to look like they just crawled out of a hedge on their knees?) and are different colours for a multitude of occasions, and some are more high-waisted than others.

Of course, it’s not all jumpers and denim. There are a fair few t-shirts that have a certain novelty to them, as I like things to be a bit different. Not content with a simple white or black tee, a golden rule of mine is that there always must be something on it. A yin yang symbol from Topshop? Check. Classic

Mickey for the days where you just want to bask in the Disney life? Check.

A top based on a TV show that you love (slight nod the Pretty Little Liars over here with Rosewood High)? Check.

Of course, no wardrobe would be complete without something that says California on it. Usually these go with some sort of necklace (because

All in all, my wardrobe seems to be suffering from some sort of teen identity crisis, but apparently that’s my style.

Elaborate accessories (including a fair few sunglasses, bejewelled necklaces and patterned belts), jackets and odd tops are just some of the things you can find, and if you look really hard you might find the odd dress or two (that I might wear with tights on a more casual basis). It really is a bit of a treasure trove of mismatched junk but I love it.

Melissa Haggar

9

Film Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Melisa Haggar Death.

Destruction.

Dystopia.

Apparently these are the latest trends in young adult films, which rely on their plucky young heroes to beat the odds against chaos, dictatorial government organisations, disaster and disease. If it sounds overwhelming, that’s because it is, for in these films youngsters really do have to overcome the impossible for simple survival, for the right to be ‘free’.

story forward. But this is not the case, as although there are a few wavering moments, you can’t help but get behind the characters and their mission, led by the everoptimistic Thomas.

This is where we join Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. The sequel to 2014’s popular Maze Runner, we re-join our teens: Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), Newt (Thomas BrodieSangster), Minho (Ki Hong Lee), Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), Frypan (Dexter Darden) and Winston (Alexander Flores) as they journey out of the maze and into the Scorch, a desolate land plagued by virus and filled with ridiculous obstacles. Quickly realising that W.C.K.D. is still at large, the group must embark on a journey to find the ‘Right Arm’, a resistance group out to save the immune.

With the stakes higher than ever, it could be easy to get lost in the momentum the film relies on to propel its characters and

George Barker From its promotion American Ultra appeared to be an unassuming stoner comedy with a healthy dose of action thrown in.

While the leads are certainly stoners, there is little of that genre as the film tries hard to be a quirky and comedic action flick. American Ultra has some brilliant ideas but all you ever get are undeveloped hints at what a great film this could have been.

The curtain opens on Phoebe (Kristen Stewart) and Mike (Jesse Eisenberg) her anxiety plagued boyfriend. The

O’Brien excels in t h i s role, aided by trusty team-mates Hong Lee and Brodie-Sangster, who make you

believe in their friendship, as you begin to truly want them to succeed and triumph against those who wish to control them and their lives.

Whilst there are many familiar faces among the group, there are a few new ones to, in particular the plucky and charismatic Brenda (Rose Salazar), who assists Thomas in his improbably journey (because if we’ve learned anything, it’s that nothing is impossible in these worlds). Salazar is instantantly likeable, and those who have been left dissatisfied

by Teresa’s character portrayal so far will find solace in Salazar’s Brenda, as she battles infected, jumps from buildings and traipses across high-rises.

Whilst this second film in the franchise may not be as entertaining as its YA counterparts (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, for instance), it is still a capable and

satisfying film in its own right. Opting for a darker tone, the film feels more intense and exhilarating. With plenty more actionsequences, drama and remarkable sets, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials leaves its predecessor firmly in the dust for blazing new heights.

Yes

+Thrilling - Action Packed + Engaging Characters

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is best watched on the big screen to maximise the intensity and exhilarating events that unfold for Thomas and his unfortunate friends.

American Ultra performances here are excellent; Eisenberg and Stewart have great chemistry and really make you care for the couple. But when it turns out Mike has been activated as a sleeper agent for a defunct CIA project, they must fight for their lives. Sadly the CIA plot is contrived, and the film would have benefitted from a simpler explanation to Mike’s predicament.

American Ultra is surprisingly violent. The action is bloody, Mike is skilled at using improvised objects turning him into a lethal Jackie Chan-like weapon.

These

scenes are nothing special, but the ideas and potential they cruelly hint at could have made them so much more. A fight in a neon rave room and a final showdown in a supermarket offering countless improvised weapons fall flat. American Ultra forgets the quirks it introduces and more importantly forgets to be funny. One scene Mike and Phoebe are a heart-warming couple laughing over Mike’s graphic novel, the next Mike is spraying the brains of someone suffering from a mental health illness across the floor. This highlights another glaring issue: the disposable goons are people suffering from a mental health illness manipulated by the CIA. They become offensive stereotypes and one by one these ‘crazy’ ‘psychotic’ victims are killed. While Mike has a revelation towards the end that these people are just as much victims of the CIA as he is, it doesn’t really absolve the portrayal.

American Ultra could have been so much more, a director adept at visual comedy like Edgar Wright could have made for some truly spectacular and hilarious action scenes.

As it stands the CIA sequences are dull, poorly acted and over scripted. For a comedy you’ll rarely laugh and in the few cases when

the film remembers to be funny the jokes are poor. Weirdly and perhaps worst of all, the end sequence teases everything the film could have been. It remembers to blend comedy and action, and the credits treat you to a bright and colourful action sequence depicted by the characters from Mike’s comic. Watching this sequence truly makes you realise what this film could have been.

No

- Missed Potential - Flat Humor + KristenBerg

Eisenberg and Stewart provide great performances to a mediocre film that cruelly teases it's potential but fails to deliver.

10

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Film Dan Struthers On paper this Tom Hardy-shaped vehicle, where he plays notorious East End gangsters: the Kray twins, sounds like a winner, and perhaps even Oscar bait come awards season.

However, this 131 minute film feels like it would have benefited from a harsh cut down to an action packed 90 minute movie. Ultimately, the story feels like a run-of-the-mill gangster biopic that embraces all the clichés, with no intention of establishing itself as an original film. At one point, the camera follows Reggie Kray on one long tracking shot through his club as he greets every second person, surely a not-so-subtle homage to Goodfellas. While this could be interpreted as a cutesy nod to the 1990 Martin Scorsese classic, it instead feels like the director has run out of ideas and has shoved this iconic shot in. Having said this, the film opens with a beautiful tracking shot of Reggie offering the policemen, who are trailing him in a car a cup of tea and then allowing them to follow him, which showcases some brilliant cinematography and allows the humour of the script to shine through.

Legend This review wouldn’t be complete without talking about Tom Hardy’s double performance as the infamous twins. As you can expect, Hardy gives it his all and is so convincing in his take on the Krays that you forget, even in the scenes where it’s just the two of them, that he is playing both characters. He fleshes out both characters from their personality to their voice, giving Reggie a surprisingly soft Cockney accent, while Ronnie sounds more like the lovechild of Michael Caine and Alan Partridge. Minus Tom Hardy’s solid performance, the rest of the cast neither excel nor disappoint, even with the likes of Christopher Eccleston, David Thewlis and Colin Morgan. When you wish you were watching them as The Doctor, Professor Lupin, and Merlin respectively you know that the film has not left a very lasting impression.

One of the biggest problems with the film however, is Reggie’s love interest, Frances Shea, who also provides the narration for the whole movie. Narration is often cited as the mark of a lazy writer but when included to add another layer to the film, whether providing a comic

and inspirational narration (see Trainspotting) or a darker and more cynical voiceover (look no further than Fight Club and American Psycho) then it can pay off. Legend, however, uses the narration to state the obvious and would be exactly the same film if it was taken out. When actress Emily Browning has to sell such clunky lines in voiceover as “What did I want for my Christmas? My Reggie safe and above board”, you realise that she, like the rest of the cast, is doing her best with what she has got. The narration from the viewpoint of Reggie’s wife was an interesting idea but ultimately felt like an attempt to give her more to do rather than telling her side of the story, which is strangely absent until the end.

Despite the problems with narration, and the pace of the story, Legend is an enjoyable movie. The film does have some brilliantly brutal and hilarious scenes, often at the same time, such as a scene conducted by the Krays’ rival gang who have a man dangling upside down with two wires attached to his nipples while staging a mock court. If you walk into

the cinema not expecting a complex retelling of the Krays’ rise and fall from power, but expecting to see a standout performance from Tom Hardy, you won’t be disappointed.

Yes

+Bloody Fun - Dodgy Narration +The Hardy Boys

Tom Hardy's compelling performance brings life to a fairly lacklustre script. Will it stand the test of time?

Probably not.

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11

Film

Yasmi

The Social Network (2010) From the drunken ‘adding’ of just about every random person you meet during a night out, all the way to the internal panic at seeing ‘26 tagged photos’ pop up the morning after, it seems impossible to imagine university life without Facebook. Following the real life story of Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin, The Social Network is a brilliant and clever film about the creation of Facebook, friendship, lawsuits, and betrayal.

The Roommate (2011)

Monsters University (2013)

It is natural to feel nervous when it comes to meeting your flatmates, but just know that they will not be as bad as Rebecca Evans. This is a dark and gripping film that follows fashion student Sara Matthews as she settles into college life and tries to make friends. However, her flatmate, Rebecca, grows obsessed with her and seeks to destroy anyone who tries to steal Sara away from her.

Pixar never fails to prove that we are all big kids at heart. Acting as a prequel to Monsters Inc., we get a delightful peak at what Mike and Sully were like as college students. When they both get thrown out of the Scare Program, the two have to work together to overcome both social and educational challenges to get back on track. This film shows that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and that even the most unlikely people can become friends.

Legally Blonde (1998) Blonde and bubbly fashionista, Elle Woods, decides to apply for law school in a desperate attempt to win back the affection of her exboyfriend. Thinking her as a ‘dumb blonde’, her fellow students are quick to judge her and put her down. However, Elle’s unique personality, and knowledge of beauty and fashion, serves as a surprising advantage in her law career and shows that you should never judge a book by its cover.

University on Screen The pick of films about University life Holly Mason

Deadman on Campus (1998) Josh Miller is a medical student who is determined to study. However, with the help of his flatmate, Cooper, who tempts him with girls and parties, that plan quickly goes out of the window. Their only hope is an urban legend that if a college student’s roommate commits suicide, then they will get straight A’s. The two then search for a third, suicidal flatmate in this silly, tongue-in-cheek film.

Pitch Perfect (2012) Strong female roles, a hilarious society, an awesome soundtrack, with a bit of romance thrown in the mix? Yes please! Pitch Perfect is the ideal feel-good film to watch when deadlines are all getting a bit too much. And because, well, acapella is pretty awesome.

Animal House (1978) “Toga! Toga! Toga!” - This film is a college classic! Animal House follows the battle between a fraternity and the strict school dean. Extreme pranks, parties, bad grades and cheating boyfriends, lead to outrageous and eccentric shenanigans, and the film is packed full with laugh-out-loud moments. All of us has a friend like Bluto!

Oxford Blues (1984) American hustler Nick Di Angelo enrols at Oxford University in the hopes of winning his dream woman, Lady Victoria Wingate.

Along the way, he joins the rowing team and comes to learn that friendship and promises are just as important as his romantic endeavours. Definitely worth a watch if you are a fan of 80’s ‘brat pack ’ films!

12

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Film Dystopian Angst

Teens, grey colour palets and post-apocalyptic scenarios, are such a recipe for success Yasmine Haggar It would be fair to say that in recent times Hollywood has definitely capitalised on the success of the dystopian genre amongst adolescents by producing such box office successes as The Hunger Games, Maze Runner and Divergent (all adapted from popular literary series) and with The 5th Wave set to release in 2016, there are no signs that the popularity of dystopian films is waning. But what exactly is so captivating about dystopian films, particularly those geared towards young adult audiences?

One thing to consider is that the media, particularly visual media, can act as a mirror, reflecting current events occurring in our own society and projecting them onto the big screen to reach wider audiences. Dystopian films allow for a commentary on social and political events that are relevant to our own society, without directly referencing the current state of affairs, by drawing upon parallel universes. These universes often face problems comprable to our own, but at a higher extremity, and this increased intensity is often appealing to the average cinemagoer looking for a dramatic performance.

The Hunger Games, for instance, reflects the ‘pageant’ nature of a great deal of reality television, in which individuals compete for the nation’s favour. In this case, the level of drama is increased by choosing to depict children fighting to the death; however it is not so dissimilar from adults cohabiting in restricted settings to win monetary prizes or surviving in isolated environments and completing challenges designed to illicit fearful responses. In particular The Hunger Games draws attention to the parasitic nature of the media, who are more concerned with scandal and drama (Katniss and Peeta’s relationship, or what Katniss is wearing) than true tragedies and events (for example the fact that each year children are dying for entertainment in the games).

Following the same trend, Maze Runner is based around the notion that the Earth has been ruined by a harsh climate and disease plaguing the land (the Earth is in ruins and the human race is dying out). This could be seen to reflect many disease ‘epidemics’ that concern society today (Ebola being a recent example) or society’s relatively apathetic attitude

toward climate change and the repercussions of changing meteorological conditions.

Young adult dystopian films may also have an appeal because they tend to follow a youthful ‘underdog’ - someone who faces many similar problems to those that young people today face - forming relationships, ‘fitting in’, the uncertainty of adult life, the oppressive nature of institutions or authority figures - but with added dramatic effect for entertainment purposes. Young adult dystopias often reflect how an older generation has destroyed or corrupted civilisation. They follow younger people who must overcome the obstacles created by previous societies, who may have only been concerned at the time by short term effects as opposed to long term solutions, and this is appealing to more forward thinking and liberal younger generations.

Additionally, dystopian films resonate with left-wing anarchists, as well as those who are paranoid about government control.

A simple internet search can reveal the current moral crises concerning surveillance monitoring, and dystopias really capitalise on this notion of extreme government control.

Such films usually depict an omnipresent, omniscient government that does not allow for individual thoughts and feelings which go against the narrative they are trying to convey. This has real world application with regards to concerns about freedom of speech and the current state of political correctness. Therefore, dystopian films allow an outlet for such fears to be voiced, and allow the viewers to draw the parallel between fiction and reality, ultimately posing the question: what if this were to happen to us?

Finally, there is something about disaster and dystopian films which is intrinsically alluring; it may appeal to the human inclination to survive despite all odds, and ultimately dystopias are enticing because, usually, there is at least one survivor. Despite significant challenges, individuals, especially teenagers, do actually survive. Such an outcome offers hope in what can seem like uncertain times, and this is critically important when attempting to face problems in our own society in the current social and political climate.

Head to Head: Best Dystopian Hero

Lionsgate

Hermione Granger

Peeta Mellark

Warner Bros

Lionsgate

Katniss Everdeen

Peeta Mellark is one of the best characters primarily because he’s loveably hopeless. In the first film alone he spends pretty much the entirety of The Hunger Games disguised as some rocks, gets seriously poisoned, and is ultimately ‘dumped’ by Katniss. He may not be the strongest dystopian teen character ever, or in The Hunger Games franchise for that matter, but his unintentional clowning is worth watching time and time again.

Why does Hermione Granger deserve to win the title of best dystopian teen character? Simply, because she is the first major female character to redefine her own gender.

She is a ‘know-it-all’. She is bossy and a little bit nerdy. The first to complete and hand in her homework and she isn’t afraid to correct you if you are wrong. She stands up for herself and knows what she wants. If that isn’t the greatest role model for young girls then I don’t know what is.

There’s little that Katniss Everdeen can’t do. With trusty bow and arrow (flames optional) in hand, she is quite literally the girl on fire. Determined, head-strong and with a sense for justice, Katniss defies the odds and makes sure they’re firmly in her favour. If you ever need someone to catch you a spot of lunch or help you take down a dictatorial government, then she’s your gal. What’s most important about Katniss though, is she is human, she makes mistakes and she has her faults.

But she’s not trying to be perfect. And that’s pretty admirable.

Dan Struthers

Amy Lee

Melisa Haggar

13

Creative Writing So here it is - the first creative writing theme of the year, and considering the big changes that many of you will or have encountered coming to UEA, I thought it suitable to ask for writing on the subject of turning points in our lives. The submissions were sometimes touching, occasionally mystical and always intriguing, so make sure to have a read! Welcome to a fresh new year of writing.

Jay Stonestreet

Refuge Bay

refuge bay

where the displaced wriggle restless like waves landing the carpet sea, pasts strand in shimmers of the moonlit tint of the night’s nest of sleeping hair but by day, they lay the same dust colors want skin to shade the sun bodies slip back in, lapped up by the canine tongue of the tide

Step in Stones

two babies steal shoes, giggling as they pile them in a mound, half expecting to be told off and finding sardine dried smiles, they continue entertaining death

We once set out in rafts lashed and bound by strands of the lands that outgrew us

Carlo Saio

to be taken to a destiny that only a few made Waterwind our course until we mastered it in sail, in starryskyeyes: the maps that may never lie, no matter which way man sides and now we listen, unwinding cochlear spirals for silence we have lost to ferrying lights flickering coastlines, overrun in slick and spill, the slurry we are stuck in, inventing a way out Adventure in discovery has shrunk into an umbral star, alive in hindsight in its wake of vast space, touching the ocean along the back of night The eyes we see through have forgot how they look Where will they turn to when we have mastered it all, recollecting forms of the god, Nature, from the shallows of ourselves and hailing it as our art?

Eunhae Lim

Carlo Saio

14

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Creative Writing Rose-Tinted

Tristan's tips

Why spell your name in roses When I can tint your specs the same colour?

You’d be blind in crimson Neglected yet winsome I’d call you every Saturday For restaurant-toilet sex Store-bought sandwiches And blind hope.

Tristan's tips to eating when money's tight as a student the trick is to eat at a pretty place. even if it’s crap, take it somewhere: at the park, with the wet grass prickling your skin. to the roof. in a terrace. under the sun, with the wind against your face. take it where you’ll forget about your crumbling stomach. potatoes. mashed potatoes, diced and baked. cut potatoes and put them in your soup. hash browns during breakfast, or chunks with spices and eggs. fries for lunch with cheese.

To you I’d be King Scarlet Or maybe even Captain An indestructible flicker at the centre Of world tinged by shifting shapes in blood Clots form for a short term this scar tissue Will never matter once you’ve put your specs on.

This passes on in burst vessels, throbbing veins, Bruises under weary bags of eyes Too purple-tired to carry on.

In the white milk of eyeballs Pressure rises, veins throb and maybe A little heartache causes them to burst Blood-shot red sky so you’ll see Eye for eye the world I do Rose-tinted.

Peter Thorn

Citalopram I followed you down Aspall dipped streets where you numbed my wild feet ripping skin into satellites and racing automatic eyes.

I stuttered past houses which I can no longer see.

I remember when we used to curse into guillotines played with blood cells threw aside arms closed over razor rivers and forgot the road swept rock.

I ran after you: always a figure across the hallway squashing insects in the alleyway whispering insecurities and so many sentences I cannot remember.

I reek of you Alone in A&E she was watching me between rising gums and dead cheeks swaying in the desert sunflower flickering splinters in my fingers and I can’t call home

Nina Ward

eggs on everything. on lo mein so greasy it makes the afternoon burn with envy and desire; eat it in the heat, until your head cracks into emptiness.

Untitled

You shifted feet, got away quick and changed your name.

I prefer the old you, although I don’t know you now, for you’re a traveller, but for one week you stayed put with me and we shared those careful morning conversations on mattresses in the warmth in the floor.

when you come home tired, boil up a big plate of pasta. do your damnedest to excel. mix your pasta with canned tomato sauce and cheese, and go to a pretty place to eat and cry, because of the way the taste of ammonia settles in your tongue like a lover’s kiss. remember how you lived and how easy it was, with your chin held high while staring at anything. remember your meal. remember your solitude, and hold on to her. she will know more than anyone you will tell this story to.

Julian Canlas

Then you said you had to catch a train, which had you a place and you left our window-seat, which you shared with me on my birthday when we left our friends to see in the second decade together.

Hugo Doulgas-Deane

Sorry, Persephone The first time I shared it, clumps covered off cream carpet, A varnished new face for the grubby old coin, cutting corners like royal decree: severing tails from heads.

As chance would have it: ‘M’ hated that military fade.

The first time I thought it, I was sitting up late one May evening at M_ road.

Standing in that unkempt gardenw, brambles and weeds teasing exposed knees I knew then what he put in those ‘ciggies’.

The first time I hurt him, his brittle bones bent and broke, a pale face looked puce that day, Nose now curved and cragged as the Cornish coast. I’m sorry darlings ­I’ve nutted our host.

The first time I saw it, was in the reflexion of some spoon or hubcap, Three younger siblings and six little eyes.

Watching me, Watching ‘them’.

Lucas Cumiskey

15

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Arts

The Shawshank Redemption Norwich Theatre Royal An Interview with Ian Kelsey

Dan Struthers This month celebrates a major milestone in movie history: the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption turns the big 21. Adapting the original Stephen King novella for a tour around the UK seems the logical step to commemorate such an iconic film. Tasked with taking on the protagonist, Andy Dufresne, is Ian Kelsey who is no stranger to treading the boards, having appeared as a leading man in Grease and Chicago; and having recently finished his stint on BBC’s Doctors. Ian was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to talk to Venue about the production which hits Norwich from 26 th to 31 st October.

Ian, you’ve been touring the UK since 18 th August, what’s the reaction from the audience been like so far?

Yeah, really good. I met a couple of lads last night just outside the theatre and they loved the film and were absolutely really happy with what they saw. They turned up because they loved the film and loved the show.

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Shawshank is considered one of the best films ever made, how does it feel to make a play about such an iconic film? Do you feel a lot of pressure?

No, there’s no pressure. There’s only the same amount of pressure as there is with doing anything. You want to do good. So, you don’t want to do better just because somebody else has done a version of it which has been truly outstanding, like the movie. We’re just lucky that this is based on the same book that the film is based on.

You said recently that you decided not to watch the original film as it wasn’t helpful for stage…

Yes, absolutely. That was a film performance, and it wouldn’t help me at all to try and replicate what Tim Robbins (Andy Dufresne in the 1994

film) could actually achieve by having a camera up his nose. You can say so much with your eyes and you can achieve that with a camera so close to you. You can’t do that if you need to get it across to the back row. I decided to watch Birdman of Alcatraz and while watching it I wondered if Tom Robbins had watched this. What Bert Lancaster did with that role was amazing and it’s pretty much the world Andy is in so that helped me prepare.

How did you go about portraying the character’s vulnerability on stage whilst making sure you were audible?

I did approach the director with my dilemma because even in the script it says in brackets ‘softly spoken’ and it was like, how am I going to do that?

The director just said: in the rehearsal room play the moment, find why you’re saying what you’re saying and then your craft will kick in when you walk on to a stage and you will fill the room.

So what attracted you to this production of Shawshank in particular?

Bloody hell! Well it’s one of the best roles an actor can get his teeth into. I couldn’t say no, put it that way. When the phone call came through it was a no-brainer.

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somebody in you start depending on the person, depending on that friendship to keep yourself going, and then if it all falls apart you’re broken hearted.

You’ve recently finished on BBC’s Doctors, how does it feel to be playing such a different character with Andy Dufresne?

It was a bit of a shock to the system, to be honest. I enjoy being on set for 12 hours and in-between having fun with the crew. It’s hard work: 12 hours on set, and then squeeze in sleep as well, and have a life! When you come into a theatre it might as well be a totally different job that happens to have acting as a similarity. You’ve got the same script every night. It’s about discovery every night and it will be for the next four months.

And finally, why do you think Shawshank is still beloved 21 years on?

The music is beautiful, the cinematography is fantastic, and the performances are fantastic, so that’s why it’s a winner. And the book is fantastic, it’s no coincidence that things last, because they’re just good.

Your co-star Patrick (Robinson – playing ‘Red’) described the relationship between Andy and Red as ‘almost like a love story’. Would you agree with that?

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Arts

500 Pages of Summer Students Talk About Their Reading Experiences Over The Summer

Breakfast of Champions

Nathaniel Woo

Filled to the brim with Vonnegut’s trademark blend of the profoundly childish and the hilariously sombre, Breakfast of Champions is a novel that confronts many of the world’s – and especially America’s – most prominent topics and themes.

Written in a hyper-simplistic style, comparable to what it would sound like trying to describe humanity to an alien, Vonnegut is able to effortlessly define complex issues like racism, the Vietnam War, and sexual inequality without any unnecessary preamble. Removing any historical attempts at justification or explanation, these issues take on a new level of poignancy, reminding the reader that these controversial topics are, in fact, painfully simple.

What lies at the centre of Breakfast of Champions, however, is a story about fictional storytelling itself. Describing the novel in his eloquent and equally-stylistic preface, Vonnegut states that Breakfast of Champions is the product of trying to rid his head of fifty years’ worth of “junk”. That junk includes multiple self-drawn illustrations of anuses, genitalia and underwear, as well as a quirky cast of characters, many of whom have featured heavily in previous Vonnegut novels. The most central of these recurring characters is Kilgore Trout, a failed scifi writer who, by sheer chance, is invited to make the keynote address at an art convention.

acters. With the novel’s frequent references to the Creator of the Universe, it often becomes difficult to differentiate this omnipotent Creator from the character of Vonnegut himself.

The author’s limitations, however, are made plainly visible when he finds himself being physically injured by the fictional rampage of Dwayne Hoover, or emotionally moved by the words of the pretentious expressionist artist Rabo Karabekian (words that were, of course, written and created by Vonnegut himself ).

Breakfast of Champions quite literally allows the reader to experience what it’s like to enter into the deconstructive insanity of Kurt Vonnegut’s imagination.

It is self-deprecating, it is insightful, it is tortured and twisted, but most of all, it is always full of Vonnegut’s cynical sense of humour.

The Opposite of Loneliness

Hannah Armstrong

For decades literary critics have been battling it out to decide, once and for all, whether a book’s context should influence your reading of it. It’s a moot point, whether the history of a book should affect your reading of it, but to me it’s irrelevant because once you know the circumstances of its publication, there is no helpful switch to delete the information. Whether you like it or not, foreknowledge of the events surrounding the book’s birth will always influence your interpretation of it.

And yet, when reading Marina Keegan’s The Opposite of Loneliness, I did my very best to treat it like any other collection of short fiction and essays by a budding writer.

I strained to imagine how I would have felt reading Keegan’s self-consciously youthful and optimistic essays, the now semi-famous line, ‘We’re so young. We’re so young. We’re twenty-two years old. We have so much time.’, if I didn’t know the fate of its author.

Keegan died in a car crash just five days

after graduating from Yale. This book was put together by her family and loved ones so they could share some fraction of her talent with the world, and when you read The Opposite of Loneliness it is clear that Keegan genuinely did have a gift. Her short stories are so human, so vulnerable, and her essays cut to the quick. Her voice is youthful and she expresses with exquisite alacrity so many of the fears and desires which plague our generation.

Her topics range from existential thoughts on the fate of the universe and mankind, to the life of an exterminator, and her memories of her first car. Yet in each I find myself thinking, yes, I know this, I have felt this too, how did you know? Perhaps it is because in some ways Keegan and I are not so different, both young, Western women studying literature at university, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this is in fact one of Keegan’s great gifts. Her generosity and empathy for people is such that she invites us to feel it too. She takes each reader into her confidence, confessing her deepest thoughts with open hearted honesty until we feel as though we have found a new friend.

Every time I caught myself pausing, setting the book aside for a few moments as I wondered yet again how Keegan had managed to hit the heart of the matter so precisely, I asked myself whether I was being moved just by her words, or if I was allowing her death to make me sentimental.

And yes, it’s true that the opening essay, also titled The Opposite of Loneliness, does pack more of a punch when you know that the writer’s bright dreams of will never be fulfilled in the ways she imagined. But I am certain that however much you know of Keegan’s story, you will be moved by her call for passion in the face of bitterness, and optimism in the face of doubt.

When arriving at the convention, he meets Dwayne Hoover, a successful car-dealer who goes on an insane rampage when he takes one of Trout’s novels for literal truth. That novel, of course, takes the form of a letter from the Creator of the Universe. In the letter, the reader is told that he is the only freewilled human on Earth and the rest of humanity are mere robots.

Revealing most of the novel’s conclusion in its first few pages, Breakfast of Champions is, of course, relentlessly meta. The fictional nature of the story is constantly emphasised as Vonnegut directly asserts his ability to manipulate the lives of his char-

Anastasia Dukakis

The opposite of loneliness is what Keegan says she found at university, and it is this undefinable emotion which suffuses the book, it’s what lies behind her raw compassion. It’s what Keegan tries to impart to all her readers, and it’s what I hope all of UEA’s new students find when they arrive.

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Gaming & Technology Campus CommunYikation The Brilliance of UEA Yik Yak

Tom Bedford England always gets everything American late. Such was the case with Yik Yak, the social media app that ascended to a level of primary importance in UEA’s social media outlets last year, on par with the Spotted pages themselves.

The app allows users to post short messages anonymously to people in the local area, mixing Twitter with Snapchat to create something you’d assume was a deadly mix, but you’d be wrong.

Fun Fact: Yik Yak has been banned on many American school and college campuses including Norwich University, Nebraska.

You may know of Yik Yak already; it’s not an underground app, and it’s been in the app charts on multiple occasions.

But you don’t yet know Yik Yak UEA, the best Yik Yak campus there is.

The reason UEA’s campus has such yakclaim is threefold: relevance,

regularity and respect. Of course some posters have none of these, but are kind to each other, despite being anonymous and mostly unaccountable for their words.

If you’re on Yik-Yak late at night you shouldn’t be surprised to observe bizarre post-LCR booty calls, thrown desperately into the cyber abyss; however most of the time the Yaks are actually relevant and useful for people on campus.

E v e n t s a r o u n d c a m p u s , t i c k e t releases, and uni news are all broadcast a n d discussed, and you’re sure to see them on the app before anywhere e l s e .

Thom

If you looked at Yik-Yak over the summer you’re sure to have noticed how quiet it is, with only the occasional post mourning the absence of university, a social life or absolutely anything to do other than lie in the sun. However, at UEA, everyone is Yakking at all times of the day, and you can be certain that each time you check the app someone will have posted another hilarious UEA bunny joke.

Photo Credit

Wikimedia

W i t h o u t wanting to sound sentimental, we all love UEA. From rabbits to racing wheelbarrows, it is absolutely the best place on Earth, and one of the reasons is the respect that most people show to their fellow students.

This extends to Yik Yak. Don’t get me wrong- it’s not quite cloud cuckoo land ,where everyone sings songs to each other and rainbows constitute most of the architecture. There are still stupid and insensitive comments made. But compare UEA’s Yik Yak, where people can have prolonged conversations about the goats in the square or methods to procrastinate, to other Yik Yak campuses, where as much as being female means your opinion must be discounted, and you’ll realise things could be worse.

I could go on but I’m sure you’ll use Yik Yak over the coming semester and then, upon returning home for Christmas, realise how great UEA’s Yik Yak is. UEA is wonderful.

Disclaimer: this article is based on experiences gathered by the writer over the past academic year. Other people may have experienced other sides of the app, and its atmosphere over the next year may vary. The responsibility is yours, freshers.

OnePlus 2 Equals A Great Disappointment George Pegler Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus has recently announced the successor to the well-received OnePlus One, the aptly named ‘OnePlus 2’. At a pop-up event in London, I was lucky enough to get a hands-on experience with the device before it officially launched on 11th August 2015.

The company markets the ‘2’ as the ‘2016 flagship killer’. Does it warrant such an ambitious title?

The phone ticks most of the standard boxes, with a 5.5-inch 1080p display, powered by a surprisingly large 3300mAh battery.

It follows the smartphone trend with a fingerprint sensor in the home button, along with a 13mp camera with laser autofocus and an f2.0 aperture. OnePlus have also used the controversial Snapdragon 810 processor, which has shown to overheat on tested devices.

The camera is undoubtedly the most important feature on any student’s phone.

The memories created over the typical 3-year degree deserve to be remembered on social media pages like Instagram and Facebook with incontestable clarity. The OnePlus 2 fails in this regard. It’s by no means a bad camera, but when compared

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Flore

Why This Smartphone Doesn’t Live Up to The Hype Fun Fact: It took Chinese company OnePlus only 64 seconds to sell their inital stock of 30,000 OnePlus Two phones in China. to the LG G4 and the Samsung Galaxy S6, or even the Moto X Play, it’s just not in the same league, and OnePlus know it.

They claim they are working to improve the camera in an upcoming software update.

The 2 is a good phone. However, when I’m simultaneously describing features on other phones as fantastic, I struggle to understand how the OnePlus 2 is a true ‘flagship killer’.

The issues I have with this device are plentiful. The phone is marketed as a ‘flagship killer’ for the predominant reason that it is cheap. Starting at £239 for the 16gb model, it is not even half as expensive as the Samsung Galaxy S6. This is worthy of praise and of particular importance to us students.

However, instead of making this device available to the masses, an invitation from OnePlus is required before you can purchase this device. I personally received a coveted invitation to purchase this phone, yet the fact

I’m still using my LG G4 bears testament to how little confidence I have in this device.

The OnePlus 2 does have some seemingly radical changes over its predecessor.

OnePlus’ ‘Style-Swap’ gives users the option of customising the removable covers. This comes as a relief; the grainy texture of the default ‘Sandstone Black’ cover did not feel as premium as other flagship devices the 2 is meant to ‘kill’. The alternative covers; Bamboo, Rosewood, and Kevlar are a step in the right direction but pale in comparison to the customisability of Motorola’s ‘Moto Maker’.

Furthermore, the navigation keys have been integrated into the bottom bezel for optimum efficiency. This is a smart move

by OnePlus but is somewhat reminiscent of the design on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and other smartphone flagships. One interesting feature is the inclusion of the new standard of charging, USB-C. However, this has come at a high cost with the absence of Quick Charging. The 2 also lacks an NFC chip, a mainstay of Android since the start. In a device purported to be a ‘flagship killer’, the absence of such features refutes such a ludicrous claim.

Overall, I found it extremely difficult to decide whether or not I would recommend this phone, and that’s because it raises more questions than answers. Why is there no wireless charging? Why label itself with such an overblown title? Why have an invite system? Why didn’t I purchase one? It’s because I couldn’t answer any of these relatively simple questions as to why I am so disappointed with this device. Unfortunately, the OnePlus 2 bears testament to the age-old saying “you get what you pay for”. I recommend you purchase better smartphones instead such as the Moto X Play or the LG G4; as OnePlus themselves say, “Never Settle”.

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Gaming & Technology Metal Gear Solid V Phantastic Game Or a Total Pain?

Thomas Masters Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the latest production of gaming industr y legend Hideo Kojima (and his last for Konami). Having eagerly awaited the game for three years, the closure of Kojima Productions months away from the release of The Phantom Pain created a great deal of anxiety among fans. In terms of the gameplay, we need never have worried.

Fun Fact: Hideo Kojima started his game design career on the 1986 classic Penguin Adventure.

MGS V is one of the most joyous, beautiful, polished, challenging, dulcet and thrilling games I have ever had the pleasure of playing.

Stalking or sneaking past guards, extracting prisoners and animals from battlefields, collecting cassette

tapes of classic 80’s tracks and blazing around in your personal suppor t helicopter as the legendar y Snake is just intensely fun, and at some points feels absurdly juxtaposed with the stor y, which alternates between 80’s action-thriller and a dark disconnection from reality.

But you wouldn’t want it any other way. The way you approach any objective is up to you, laying way for a great deal of replay value.

and the fans- deser ved, it really could have been a contender for Game of the Year. Instead it stands simply as a solid monument to Kojima’s career.

Nether theless, the stor y of MGS V does have to be addressed. The beginning is spectacular and an incredibly strong star t. However, the second chapter of the game is essentially a repeat of those in chapter one. Then, apropos of nothing, the end of the stor y just sor t of... happens. It feels out of place, and many hardcore fans will walk away feeling shor t-changed (revealing that the Kojima/Konami

Flickr

Bounty Hunters- Super Mario Style Florence Leslie

The One Glitch to Rule Them All while those who sat in presence of this moment exclaim: “that was the craziest thing I have ever seen” with reverence.

The value of this glitch lays in its ability to trim time off of established world records. The speed running community is known for holding large competitions, world record attempts and vastly successful charitable donation drives. At ninteen years old, the bright colours, sounds and textures of Super Mario 64 continues to hold a special appeal, so for the glitch not to have been discovered and routinely exploited among players is rare.

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split has had a significant impact on the final product). A lot of content appears to be missing. Despite the stor y’s flaws, it’s still the most fun I’ve had with a game in a long time. If only it had been finished in the way it-

Flickr

YouTube user Pannenkoek2012 has a wager for you. If you can replicate a previously unknown glitch in Super Mario 64, he’ll trade you $1000 US Dollars.

The established community speedrunner, Pannenkoek2012, uploaded a video to the site on 4th August, placing a bounty of $1000 on the replication

of a Super Mario 64 glitch. Captured on the Amazon-owned streaming service Twitch, the player DOTA_ TeaBag skilfully deploys the ‘upwarp’ (disappear and reappear, or sail upwards rapidly). Super Mario himself then rockets skywards as a result, skipping a large chunk of the vertical platforming level, ‘Tick Tock Clock’,

During the performance of the glitch, Mario arrives at the intersection between two ceiling tiles before landing at the top of the level, seemingly out of nowhere. If a way to replicate this action is discovered, players may be able to ‘up-warp’ through vertical

Fun FactUEA has one noted alumni named Mario- Marios Demetriades. He is the current Transport, Communications and Works minister for Cyprus. No news on any Luigis.

levels of the game, such as ‘Tall, Tall Mountain’ or ‘Tick Tock Clock’, where the glitch was first performed.

Players are instructed to record their attempts on Nintendo 64 emulation software and upload the results to a filesharing website. As an extra-tip, glitch-hunters are advised to play the Japanese version of the game, as the ability to warp remains undiscovered on the PAL (Europe) or NTSC-U/C (USA/Canada) ports of Super Mario 64.

In the age of instant information, the mythos surrounding video game cheats and glitches has disappeared.

Gone are the days of flipping through the code booklet in magazines such as Nintendo Power. Nintendo Magazine has ceased to exist in Europe at all. It’s no wonder, then, that the community has rallied to unravel this great mystery.

The first person who can upload evidence proving the legitimacy of their claim wins the prize. It’s still open-season on the bounty, around £650, so we better start blowing the dust off our cartridges to recapture the days of video game lore – the one glitch to rule them all.

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Television Education Revisited

Remembering the good and the bad of our school years in Educating Cardiff Maddy Smith

As the leaves start to turn red and brown, and the morning pavements are once again full with children off to school, we ourselves are caught in this ‘back to school’ feeling. Why? As it marks a return to school in Educating Cardiff.

For freshers, this ‘back to school’ feeling is still recognisable. However, for others returning to university, we are swept away with nostalgia for a time which is continuing to fade in recollection.

Educating Cardiff is the third instalment of the ‘Educating …’Channel 4 series, perfectly timed to coincide with the return to school. Its strength lies in its ability to connect with those still at school, as well as those who have long since left behind the excitement or annoyance of senior school education.

Educating Cardiff works best, or is indeed more entertaining, for those who have already left school. We see the programme through the weary eyes of the adults, and are able to view the events of the programme with more perspective perhaps than those still in education.

Indeed, perhaps those at undergraduate level at university can connect with the programme best.

Our school years seem, for many, like a lifetime ago, yet we can still remember the school lunches comprised of gloop, arguments over who said what to who, and the almost superhuman ability to disregard the importance of the dreaded GCSEs. We are still of the same generation, and can easily recognise the act of texting behind your bag placed in front of you on your desk, the bickering caused by late night Facebook arguments the night before, the hoodie-under-blazer renegades and the impossibly short tie heroes.

However, there are many glaring problems

with Educating Cardiff. The cute ‘awww’ moments may not be able to distract from the times where you feel as though the children filmed are being somewhat exploited through editing for the benefit of ‘entertainment’. As much as one is aware that all involved in the programme have done so willingly, I can’t help but wonder if the teenagers included are fully aware of the continuing effects that having their

worst moments at school on camera will have on their future. I for one am glad that my most heinous moments at school are contained within the memories of a select few, and only ever resurface in jest over a glass of wine with old school friends.

Yet this is counteracted by the trend within the programme of final success and personal growth. Each pupil followed falls and fails, yet succeeds in either an academic, personal, or social way by the end of the programme. It is the classic tale of rags to riches, retold within a school. If it were not

for this then I would have qualms with the representation of the pupils on the show.

Yet the structure of the programme instils within the viewer a complete empathy for the students. Like the X Factor tragic background stories, yet seemingly more real. We empathise completely with the troubled students, and by the end of the show we see behind the tantrums and shouting to a teenager trying to work out

who they are and where they are going.

Educating Cardiff’s excellence in entertainment lies in this ability to create empathy. It allows us to relive our school days through these children, recognising ourselves and others. We are the boys fighting for rugby captaincy. We are the girl bored with class who can’t stay out of trouble. We are the new year sevens in awe of how big and scary the year elevens are.

We have sympathy for the teachers, and recognise within them the quirks and strict reprimands from your own teachers. If it were not for this empathy, then Educating Cardiff would be a bland display of the surface reality of school.

As the new first years arrive at UEA, and as others return, it is easy to see the comparisons between our university years and school years.

Our schooldays seem like an intense rehearsal for university life, even adult life and jobs.

The same cycles continue of starting anew; returning from being the top dogs in one place to newbies in another; new faces arrive in September and others don’t return; lunch breaks are spent laughing; early morning classes are as bad as those 8:30am school starts. Whilst we don’t have to deal with bad school dinners or being forced into P.E. lessons on rainy afternoons, Educating Cardiff reminds us of the reason why we identify so strongly with the students: even after our school days are long gone, we too act out similar scenes and replay the script of high school, yet on a different stage.

Wikimedia

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Television Sense8tional

Exploring Netflix’s most ambitious - and diverse - drama yet Melissa Haggar

It is rare in the current state of television with the vast amounts of technology available, particularly green screen, to find programmes recorded on location, and not in a single major studio. Perhaps this is what makes Sense8 (a play on the word Sensate), the latest Wachowski siblings effort, so unique. Filmed on location in an astonishing eight different countries – London, San Francisco, Chicago, Berlin, Seoul, Reykjavík, Mexico City, Nairobi and Mumbai – Sense8 is truly remarkable in the scale of its production.

Not content to get the feel of each place from computer generated imagery, the Wachowski’s Sense8 portrays the multitude of different cultures beautifully; from the lively and colourful Mumbai to the isolated and breathtakingly beautiful Iceland, there is nothing quite like seeing such powerful imagery incorporated into a television show.

But Sense8 is no ordinary TV show.

Available on Netflix, the show centres around eight individuals: Chicago police

officer Will (Brian J. Smith), IcelandicLondon DJ Riley (Tuppence Middleton), Sun (Bae Doona), the daughter of a powerful Seoul businessman, transwoman hacktivist and blogger Nomi (Jamie Clayton), Kala (Tina Desai), a university educated pharmacist, Berlin locksmith and safe cracker Wolfgang (Max Riemelt), closeted Mexican actor Lito (Miguel Ángel Silvestre) and Capheus (Aml Ameen), a matatu driver in Nairobi. The strangers suddenly find themselves mentally and emotionally connected after having a vision of a violent death of a woman named Angelica (Daryl Hannah). Now, able to communicate with each other, as well as use one another’s language and combat skills, the sensates must help one another to survive, avoiding the clutches of ‘Whispers’ (Terrence Mann), whilst being assisted by another sensate, Jonas (Naveen Andrews).

The show explores some intriguing themes which help make it more provocative and thoughtful, like its focus on politics, sexuality, gender,

religion and identity. These are often themes not heavily focused on in some shows, and to see them all colliding with each other in one distinctive programme is rather profound. Despite these being issues people deal with daily, there is this element of discovery, a journey of identity that the characters go on that just doesn’t seem to have been handled in such a way before. Sense8 is unashamedly proud of its diversity (as it should be) and it feels refreshingly like a very inclusive show, not afraid to be a little different. Combining elements of sci-fi and serious societal and criminal issues (including transphobia, murder, homophobia, theft, freedom of thought and identity issues) makes for a compelling viewing experience, and the scale of the production helps to contextualise just how large and important these topics and themes are.

What is perhaps most striking is how impressive and well-rounded the characters are. Their story really feels identifiable and they each have their own unique personality, one that is

portrayed expertly by each actor, and the relationships that they form with one another are believable and resonate deeply. In particular, Clayton and Freema Agyeman (who portrays Nomi’s girlfriend Amanita) are particularly noteworthy, as they both deliver deeply moving performances, along with Bae Doona (who portrays Sun) and Middleton (Riley). Throughout the series, the sensates all share similar emotions and experiences, made more powerful by their psychic connection. One of these moments in particular is a touching scene between Nomi and Lito, as the latter struggles to keep his sexuality a secret, in fear of destroying his career. There are plenty of dramatic and exciting choreographed scenes in Sense8, such as Nomi’s escape from the shady Whispers with the help of her cluster, but it is these touching scenes focusing Flickr on themes such as identity and self-acceptance which feel the most powerful. It reminds us that, no matter our backgrounds, culture, religion or ethnicity, maybe we are all human and all share these same human emotions and experiences.

Audiences seem to agree that Sense8 is something special, as the show has rapidly gained a large fan base and an overwhelming online response so strong that it has already been renewed for a second season, and received over one million user ratings on Netflix (viewers rated it 4.2/5 stars). Critics also appear to be favourable towards the show, with a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Overall, Sense8 is an intriguing look at the ways in which we are linked to one another, despite the differences in culture, location or mind-set. The science fiction element ensures its popularity amongst audiences, whilst the characters are intensely likeable. The Wachowskis are surely onto a winner with this one.

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Television Recipe for TV Success

Why a show all about baking has been this year’s biggest hit Sarah Hudis Last year, the show which brought in the biggest audience of an incredible 13.3 million people was not what you may expect. Was it the highly anticipated return of Sherlock? The final of Britain’s Got Talent or The X Factor? No – it was a little show all about baking. The Great British Bake Off began as a small show on BBC2, bringing small audiences. Then, several series in, its popularity suddenly exploded, and is now one of Britain’s favourite and most successful TV shows, having been sold all around the world, with many different countries’ own versions. On the surface, it seems like an unlikely hit; what is so exciting about watching people bake some cakes or pastries? But start watching and you’re quickly hooked. Let’s not forget: last year’s infamous “bingate” scandal made actual front page news. This year seems to be even better and more popular than the last. So why is the Bake Off so popular? What is its recipe for success? Well, as with any bake, it all comes down to its ingredients.

Ingredients: o 200g of Mel and Sue’s jokes o 200g of overambitious ideas which ultimately fail (oh Ugne, that was one ugly-looking cake) o 100g of Paul Hollywood’s icy stares o 100g of Nadiya’s amazing facial expressions o 300ml of everybody’s crush, Tamal o 1 incredibly difficult technical challenge o 5 tbsp of innuendoes o 1 tsp of Mary Berry’s infamous “death stare” o A sprinkle of Flora being pretentious and saying something about her aga As with any TV show, a lot of its popularity relies on its characters, and there have certainly been plenty of interesting characters this year. It seems half the population of Britain have fallen in love with anaesthetist Tamal (see some of the tweets he receives for proof ), and has rightly crowned Nadiya queen of facial expressions. Her look of confusion mixed with fear when they announce the technical is truly a thing of beauty. Then there’s the one you secretly hope will fail, for no other reason than because they are annoyingly perfect, such as nineteen year old Flora, who cooks posh cakes in an aga whilst the rest of us her age struggle to cook Super Noodles in a microwave.

But Bake Off wouldn’t be Bake Off without presenting duo Mel and Sue, who bring humour and fun to what could have been a very dry format (and that certainly wouldn’t have pleased Paul). Their friendliness and willingness to help the contestants – even if they make it slightly worse sometimes – is great to see, and their ability to find innuendos in everything is what Bake Off has become most famous for.

From jokes about soggy bottoms to cracks, and baps to buns, the show is not afraid to be a little tongue in cheek, and it is what makes a show about baking so brilliant. It is also so brilliantly and quintessentially British – the other Bake Off’s from around the world lack this humour and cheekiness, not quite getting our British humour and ability to find a whole world of innuendo in baking.

Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry are the perfect judges for Bake Off, playing a sort of good cop, bad cop routine (except when something has really annoyed or disappointed Mary, and you do not want to be on the receiving end of her death stares. If you present Mary Berry with a soggy bottom, you’ll seriously regret it).

Another secret to Bake Off’s success is the different challenges set each week. With

themes such as bread week, Victorian week, and “alternative bakes” such as dairy and gluten free, we get to see the bakers struggle with something new, sometimes overcoming the challenge, sometimes failing spectacularly. It’s often the times it doesn’t work out which makes the show so great, as the bakers desperately try to fix their disastrous Black Forest Gateau (poor Dorret), epitomising another British institution almost as great as the innuendo: keep calm and carry on. Just shove some decorations on there to cover up the burnt bits, it’ll be fine. The technical challenges make for particularly tense viewing, especially those devised by evil mastermind Paul Hollywood; what even are flaounas?!

Since Bake Off started, department stores have reported a huge increase in baking equipment, as the success of the show seems to have inspired people to start baking themselves. With not just Mary and Paul, but also previous contestants releasing recipe books, Bake Off fever has well and truly hit Britain.

Of course, not all of us are skilled bakers (or even passable), so it’s probably no surprise that during a series of Bake Off, supermarkets also report increased sales in cakes, biscuits and pretty much whatever the bakers are creating that

week. Just try watching Bake Off without suddenly getting serious hunger pangs and craving a type of biscuit you’d never even heard of before. So not only is it a great show, it’s great for the economy! (but not so much our waistlines).

Bake Off has become a surprise success to many critics, yet as a viewer it’s not hard to see why the show is so well loved.

This year’s contestants are the best and most likeable yet, and some of their creations – such as Paul’s incredible lion face bread and Nadiya’s levitating soda pop can cake – have been spectacular.

There’s been plenty of drama involving undercooked bread and unset mousse, which somehow manage to become moments of nail biting tension to rival the biggest scripted dramas on TV. So why has a show involving a few people baking in a tent become so popular, and how does it manage to create moments of laugh-out-loud humour and plenty of drama? Because it’s more than just baking – it’s Bake Off!

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