Happy 400th issue everyone!! For this special issue, we wanted to celebrate everything that has come before us, so expect some brilliant articles inspired by previous issues of Venue! Secondly, at the time of me writing this, we’ve just found out that Venue has been shortlisted for both Best Culture Publication and Best Magazine Design for the 2024 National SPA Awards!! We want to take this moment to thank everyone who has written for us, you have been such an integral part of making Venue shortlist-worthy!
There is also a focus on the lovely city we live in, with our Books Editor Sophie interviewing local booksellers, an insightful ‘walking tour’ of Norwich, and the second part to the excellent interview with local artist James Kessell. I was also excited to get the opportunity to interview the fabulous local illustrator, musician and maker Morwenna Farrell!
We’re also slowly coming to the end of our time as Co-Editors, with only one more issue to go. So Tee and I, and our lovely Section Editors shall see you in our final issue of Venue very soon, but for now enjoy celebrating Issue 400 with all of us x
- Millie Smith-Clare @millie.s.c | she/her
We’ve finally made it to Issue 400, our penultimate issue :0!! I hope you’re all doing well and are looking forward to the upcoming spring break – I know I am!
Firstly, as Millie said, we’ve just found out that Venue has been shortlisted for two awards at the Student Publication Awards!! We couldn’t be prouder of the team for all their hard work in creating such a wonderful year of Venue. To be nominated in the SPAs is truly testament to this, so a round of applause for all the Venue team, and wish us luck!
In this issue we are celebrating the 400th issue of Concrete and Venue, and looking back at some articles that were published in the early issues, as well as a collage of ads from across the years in the What’s On section. It’s so interesting to reflect back on how things have changed, especially as we edge towards the last issue of the year, completing our part in this wonderful magazine’s history. Enjoy!
Tee x
The Creative Condition: In Conversation with James Kessell - Part Two, Les Misérables: A Performance that Needs No Introduction, The Art of Movie Posters.
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A Walking Tour of the City of Stories, What Does Working in Norwich Mean to You?: An Interview with Local Booksellers, What Are Our Editors Currently Reading?, If Books Could Kill: The Cost of Book Buying as a Hobby.
Beachy Head, The Girl I Saw, So I’m Turning 20..., The Hunt Can’t End Until We Revolt, Through Me.
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(This issue’s Creative Writing prompt was ‘Milestones’ in spirit of Concrete’s 400th Issue)
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Meet the Maker: An Interview with Morwenna Farrell, Designers of the Century, The Pitfalls of Sales: For the Planet, Celebrity Stylists: Flawless or Fails.
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Who is this being made for? - The Dilemma of the Modern Movie Musical Adaptation, 3D Cinema - 2010 vs 2024, Cinematic Titans of 2023: What Will Win?, All of Us Strangers - a tale of love, loss and legacy
- Tshequa Williams @lifeinateecup | she/her
ISSUE 400 | TUESDAY 12TH MARCH 2024
FRONT COVER CREDIT: The Met (Public Domain)
arts editor: Lily Glenn @lilyglenn1 | she/her
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Is TV Dying? The Event of Television, 2024 Netflix MustSees, From the Archive: The Event, Issue 146 15/01/2003.
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A “stumbling giant” No Longer: The Return of HMV Marks the Vinyl Revival, An Interview with The UEA Symphony Orchestra on their Upcoming Concert Roots and Dances, The BRIT Awards 2024: A Review.
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A summary of key events happening on and around campus, as well as a collage of ads pulled from the archive.
fashion editor: Caitlin Bennett she/her
“Hi! I’m a second year English Literature Student. You’ll also find me as the Social Sec for the Creative Writing Society! I’m looking forward to reading your submissions”
arts editor: Sara Budzinska @_sarabudzinska_ | she/her
“I am a second year English Literature and Creative Writing student. As well as books, art and musicals, I love volleyball and swimming. I’m tremendously excited to work with some great writers and publish some amazing articles this year :))”
books editor: Sophie Handyside @maysbooks | they/them
“I’m Sophie May, a third year Literature and History student from the Southwest countryside. You will never find me without a coffee and a book! Contact me via Instagram (above) for recommendations, reviews, or a chat.” creative writing editor: Will Muncer @will_writes_stuff | they/them
“Hi I’m Will. I’m a third year Creative Writing and English Literature student who loves film, comics and audio dramas. After uni, I’d love to break into the comics industry!”
“I’m Caitlin, a first year Natural Sciences student. I am very passionate about writing and enjoy conveying meaningful, creative stories. In a previous life, I delivered several babies, having began my journey at UEA on the midwifery course. I am excited to work with you on all the Fashion articles and news this year!”
film editor: Ore Adeyoola @ore.adeyoola | she/her
“Hi! I’m Ore, this year’s film editor :) I’m a third year Media Studies student who loves all things pop cultureread more of my writing on my Instagram (above).”
tv editor: Lucy Potter @lucyclairepotter | she/her
“I’m Lucy, and I study Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism. I am also Head of Tech for Livewire1350, and a Publicity Secretary for UEA Ballet. Personally, I love writing about theatre, and of course TV - my favourite shows are Our Flag Means Death and Taskmaster!!”
music editor: Lily Taylor @lilypt27 | she/her
“I’m Lily and I’m a third year English Literature with Creative Writing Student. I’m a big music fan who is an avid gig-goer and loves playing guitar.”
Norwich-based artist and designer James Kessell produces multidisciplinary work ranging from intimate charcoal portraits to data projection installations. Sitting across from Rebecca Warren’s Jean in the sunlit, glass-walled Sainsbury Centre Cafe, James confronts self-defining questions and offers insight into surviving as a creative.
Do you feel having the studio space brings you closer to your father?
Yes, I’ve thought about that a lot. The studio I’m in has a similar feel to his, completely accidentally, but perhaps it’s one of the reasons why I feel so creative within it. They both have a skylight providing natural light. I’m even using one of his easels, set under the skylight. There’s also a large mirror behind me, exactly like the one my father had. The reason for the mirror is something I learned from him - it works for everything. I make a few marks and then instinctively turn to look in the mirror and see the work reversed. It gives that benefit of distance because you’re seeing at twice the distance. The moment you turn, you see it differently. If you are working on a face, you see instantly that an eye is out of position, or that the gaze or shadow is wrong, or there should be some highlight reflected up from the shirt. Art speaks back to you. It’s sort of like a relationship - not a one-way thing at all.
On moving to Norwich, I quickly became aware of how many artists live here - due to the high demand, finding a studio was very difficult. There is support to be found amongst Norwich artists, but you’ve got to go out and connect. I didn’t know anyone, so I introduced myself in lots of places and went to gallery openings, gradually developing my own network of people. That led to my first opportunity to exhibit my work in Norwich Theatre. But because there are limited spaces to exhibit your work there is a lot of competition. There are lots of writers here too - I collaborated with the poet Joe Hedinger on a project called Places Been. That project really fed me creatively and we’re going to do more work together.
What are the biggest challenges that you’ve experienced as a creative?
Creative types can tend to be a bit selfinterested and needy. But you have to give so much of yourself and so much energy to relationships, especially when you have children, that for a long time it’s not about you anymore! Your own creative wants, needs and aspirations take a back seat. Cyril Connolly talked about the pram in the hall as a metaphor for life getting in the way of art. Being an artist can be a selfish thing. But having said that, my personal relationships, and enabling my children to become the people they are now, have been more important and necessary to me than any art I have ever made.
It’s also challenging to make a living from your work. A lot of those we would call really successful contemporary artists received recognition straight out of art school, or very early on in their careers. That may be not so much about the merit of their work, but the agendas of curators and collectors. Who champions or buys your work is a really important factor in making a living from it.
One of the things I find, and I think it’s a common factor among ‘serious’ artists, is self doubt. I was listening to Maggi Hambling on the radio the other day, saying “I live in a perpetual state of doubt about what I’m doing, why I’m doing it.” I think that’s healthy, in that you are self-critical and are striving towards something better. But it can also be a real downer.
Do you ever feel misunderstood as an artist, or feel a need to be recognized through art?
I think it’s part of the human condition anyway, but there is perhaps a deeper need in creative people. You have this urge to be creative, but you also have a desire for others to engage with your creation and to respond positively. That need to create and be appreciated are two sides of the same coin.
James can be found at jameskessell.co.uk and @kessell.studio on Instagram.
Les Misérables, an astounding musical, has once again captured the hearts and minds of its audience. As the second longest running musical in the West End, Les Mis has had over 13,000 productions since 1980. The current Sondheim Theatre cast has created yet another captivating production, retaining its magic and impact even after all these years; a tragic tale depicting how even in times of hardship and oppression, moments of passion and community continue to enrapture audiences.
As no connoisseur of musicals, I must confess I had some apprehensions about Les Mis. Yet as I took my seat and the lights darkened, I knew it was going to be a jaw dropping spectacle. Once the music started it did not cease until the curtain fell again. It was the speed and fast paced movement from scene to scene that first stood out, the audience feared missing even a single second. The characters immersed the audience into the world of the play. Hence the speed of the performance was necessary, not just to forward the plot, but also to contrast with the slower mournful songs accompanying the timeless moments. I dared not breathe in these moments, to not break the stillness and silence that the cast created. This stillness hung in the air like a veil, further establishing an intimacy with the performance.
Both Javert, played by Stewart Clarke, and Jean Valjean, played by Peter Jöback, dominated the stage whenever present. Javert’s height and rigid posture, along with his long dark hair created a stark contrast with the smaller, grey haired Valjean. When both characters occupied the stage, they created a true battle of harmonies as they fought for control over the space and plot. The scene in which Javert attempts to arrest Valjean, but releases him for Cosette’s sake, particularly illustrated this compelling battle, as the two men not only strived to fight and pull against each other physically, but also vocally, demonstrating the skill and power behind their voices.
The constant sound throughout the musical, coupled with its quick pace, made the occasional silences all the louder. One moment of silence that stood out was the death of Amena El-Kindy’s Eponine in the second act, a much bloodier half than the first. It was the stillness of Eponine’s death which morbidly prepared the audience for the slew of deaths to come. The heartache that this scene produced, enhanced by the lighting, only fuelled the audiences’ and characters’ rage for the next flurry of deaths. Soft light to oppose the hasher white light, shot through the stage creating an “x” upon the characters’ heads as they were shot and killed. This allowed each death to be individually and equally acknowledged as they died caught in this light. The very first time this target was created, there was an audible gasp in the audience, as little Gavroche, played so well by the young actor Elliott Norrington, was killed upon the highest point of the barricade. Where Eponine’s slow demise lead us into the brutal and harsher deaths of the rebels, Jean Valjean’s death left us with a cathartic ending.
Les Misérables was a truly exceptional experience, and one I hope I can experience again. With the last song, the characters broke the fourth wall and commanded the audience to rise, creating a moving ending to an intense performance. And yet ironically, this revolutionary play which advocates for an end to exploration of the proletariat, has been turned into one of the most expensive commercial shows on the West End, only fuelling a capitalistic system.
In celebration of the 400th issue of Concrete, this article looks back at Venue’s past by reimagining an article from 2015. Inspired by Adam White’s curation of six ‘beautiful and provocative’ film posters, I have chosen the same number from movies released from 2015 onwards. Unfortunately, because of copyright laws, you’ll have to search for the posters online if you’re not familiar.
Produced by the same studio that made Your Name, Suzume is a feel-good coming-of-age fantasy film. The art of the film itself is beautifully detailed and the magic of the movie is captured by the sense of movement and breath-taking sky in the poster. Signature to Shinkai’s films is his use of both hyper-realistic and traditional animation, utilising both 2D and 3D artwork, as can be seen in the poster with the difference between the art style of the landscape and the foreground.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a sci-fi black comedy film unlike any other and this internatinal advance poster, created by James Jean, succeeds in representing this. Jean’s use of colour, movement, and composition results in an almost hypnotic kaleidoscope-like effect that entrances the viewer. The slight use of abstraction in Jean’s painting technique adds to this dream-like quality. Additionally, the inclusion of tiny references to minute aspects of the film captures the chaos and high detail of the movie.
Photographer Autumn de Wilde made her directorial debut with Emma. The movie poster showcases Wilde’s skills as a photographer and her use of colours, textures, and lighting. The mustard yellow text colour for the title of the film enhances the matching shade of Emma’s dress and its contrast with the misty background of the English countryside, presenting Emma’s independence and exceptionality.
One of the many unique designs for Poor Things, the poster variant with Bella wearing a pink dress immediately suggests the Baroque style with its use of light and dark, contrasting the character of Bella Baxter with the backdrop, as well as the ornate details of her clothing and the sense of awe evoked by Bella’s upwards gaze and the dramatic grandeur of the painting behind her. Meanwhile, the editing of Bella’s body references the surrealism of the film.
The poster for Portrait of a Lady on Fire evokes a painting style called ‘tenebrism,’ which features extremes between light and dark, often with a sense of drama or violence imbued in its sparse use of light. In this painting style, as in the poster, the use of light often focuses on illuminating the face or hands of the subject matter, creating a distinctly striking effect. This technique, along with the melancholy expression of Héloïse looking directly at the viewer creates a sense of high drama and emotion.
The main poster for Asteroid City captures the unmistakable directorial style of Wes Anderson with its bright pastel colour grading and symmetrical framing whilst simultaneously hinting at the meta aspects of the film; the choice to pose all of the cast staring at the camera distinctly and poignantly breaks the fourth wall in harmony with the movie’s themes of loneliness, sense of self, and performance.
By Will Hinch
Since 2012, Norwich has had the distinction of being the first UNESCO City of Literature in England. Perhaps the best way to understand why is to take a walk around the city.
In the small church of St. Julian’s, that stands on Rouen Road, the earliest surviving book authored by a woman in English, Revelations of Divine Love, was written in 1395 by Julian of Norwich. Julian lived secluded in a cell attached to the church, praying and meditating. She is one of the most incredible medieval mystics. Her visions of Christ-as-lovingmother communicated in the Revelations still move hearts today, religious or not, with their hopes that ‘all shall be well.’ No stay in Norwich is complete without a visit to her small cell, where a mass is still held most days. There is a sense of tranquillity there; I once spoke with a woman who had travelled from Somerset to do nothing but spend three days there in meditative silence.
Just outside is one of Norwich’s eight Book Benches. These sitable stone sculptures feature the titles of books with connections to Norfolk, some famous, some esoteric.
A short distance from St Julian’s church is another literary landmark, the National Centre for Writing. It led Norwich’s bid to become a UNESCO City of Literature, so its impact should not be overlooked.
It organises scores of literary workshops, programs, and events throughout the year, which are undoubtedly worth checking out.
Closely partnered with the National Centre for Writing is the British Centre for Literary Translation, founded in 1989 by W.G. Sebald (best known for The Rings of Saturn). It is highly regarded, being the leading translation institution in the UK. Head to the Forum at the heart of the city, to find the church of St. Peter Mancroft, which houses the tomb of renowned 1600s polymath and bibliophile, Thomas Browne. His influence on literary style cannot be underestimated, and his private collection of books became the foundation of The British Library.
Opposite that church is the impressive Millennium Library; the busiest library in the UK from 2007-2014, remaining a bustling hub of activity. In 1850, Norwich was the first municipality to enact the Public Libraries Act, pointing to a long precedent of the importance of culture to the city. Today, Norwich spends more on culture, per capita, than any other in the UK.
If you would like to empty your wallet for the sake of this statistic, I would recommend The Book Hive for new books. It tends to stock more pleasantly unexpected offerings than Waterstones, including indie-press publishings. For secondhand books, head to Tombland for the
appropriately-named Tombland Bookshop, with its antiquarian (pleasingly antediluvian?) atmosphere.
Clearly, Norwich’s literary merit would be greatly diminished without UEA. Our famed Creative Writing Course, established in 1970, was the first of its kind in the UK. Notable alumni include Ian McEwan, Naomi Alderman, and the Nobel Prize Laureate, Kazuo Ishiguro.
And finally, perhaps most importantly, UEA is the home of Concrete, of course.
To celebrate Concrete’s 400th Issue, I decided to revisit some articles written by our incredible previous editors. I was met with an array of pieces recommending the bookstores of Norwich, to the events hosted at the National Centre for Writing; reminding me how fortunate Concrete is to call Norwich home. Yet, I wanted to get personal, and ask our local booksellers what working in the UNESCO City of Literature means to them.
Throughout one rainy afternoon, I spoke with three wonderful booksellers in my obnoxiously green coat, cautious not to drip rainwater on the things I love so dearly. I first spoke with Meg from The Book Hive: Faber’s Independent bookshop of the Month, and British Book Awards finalist for the Independent Bookshop of the Year. Phil, the owner of the Dormouse Bookshop, who has been working with books for the last 35 years, and Hettie, a UEA student and Waterstones bookseller, the largest bookshop in Norwich.
Firstly, the all-important question: What do you like about being a bookseller in Norwich? “I think there’s a real appetite for literature and stories”, Meg began, “because it’s a UNESCO City of Literature, there are so many writers and readers here, you’re really immersed in a lovely community.” It became apparent that the community of literature lovers in Norwich appealed to all three booksellers, as Hettie agreed “Being a City of Literature, it feels like there’s a real community of book lovers here because of that. We also have really impressive literary courses at UEA and the Centre for Writing here, and some great local publishers.” Phil, who sat behind a towering stack of books, looked out of the window to his right overlooking Elm Hill. “In Norwich?” he laughed, “The people. The customers. If you read a book you generally have a better attitude towards the world I find.” Turning back to me he smiled, as another customer roamed his compacted secondhand shop.
“Because books cover every subject under the sun, you really don’t know, as a second-hand dealer, what books you’re going to find next” replied Phil, when I asked him what his favourite part about being a bookseller is. “Of course, there are old favourites you’ll see over and over again, but every so often, something comes along you haven’t seen before which is really interesting.” Meg similarly responded that “the main thing is being constantly exposed to exciting new books, especially small press, and translated
fiction which we specialise in here…one of the best things is getting to talk about the books you’re enthusiastic about. I really love it when people come in and ask ‘what have you read recently?’ and they buy the books I recommend because I hope they enjoy them!” Hettie, however, replied with an answer I couldn’t have predicted. “I run the shop’s TikTok! I love recommending books, advertising events, and attempting-”, she whispered, “-to do trends. It’s fun because I can recommend books I think deserve more attention amongst the more popular books Waterstones promotes.”
When I asked Meg if she had any tips for getting into bookselling, I was met with an enthusiastic “Yes! An obvious and probably very unhelpful one is to read as much as you can.” As we both laughed at the simplicity of the answer, she told me she came to The Book Hive from a publishing background, “I think it’s really advantageous to have some understanding of different aspects of the trade and the life-cycle of the book.” Nodding toward Concrete readers, she advised to “take advantage of uni modules, especially the publishing modules on the Literature and Creative Writing courses. UEA has amazing opportunities for that and their publishing project is hugely valuable.”
While reviewing my questions on the bus into the city centre, I was deeply curious if there were any habits of readers in the stores, and whether these habits varied from the smaller, independent stores to larger, mainstream chains. Seated in the Waterstones café, Hettie explained that they “sell a lot of fantasy at the moment, we’ve got a YA fantasy event coming up which will be exciting, as well as ‘cosy crime’”, she gestured, using quotation fingers, “like Richard Osman’s collection to Janice Hallett.”
On the contrary, Meg replied that “there’s a real desire to find small press and translated fiction, and niche, often quite strange non-fiction which you might not find in other shops.” Whilst the difference between independent bookstores and chains became clear, with Meg affirming that the “main habit in The Book Hive is people looking for something different”, Phil told me he doesn’t believe in readers’ habits, “What you like one day, you’ll like something else another day, I prefer variety.” With my eyebrows raised in agreement, Phil explained, “I like all books. I mean, some books are better than others but I don’t believe in favourites.”
Finally, I asked if they had any recommendations for the readers of Concrete “Ahh! I have so many recommendations”, Meg sighed in response, “My number one is Devoured by Anna Mackmin.” Pausing to reach down behind the till, she pulled out a shiny, deep red copy. “It’s fantastic” she exclaimed, handing it to me. My jaw fell open when she told me “This was published by Propolis, an imprint of The Book Hive! It’s an interesting and strange coming-of-age story. The work we publish here is so cool, we also have This Hollow Land by Peter Tolhurst, all about Norfolk folklore.”
Locally published books were evidently favourites to recommend, as Hettie from Waterstones recommended After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz. “It’s an imagined history of queer women in the modernist period, fragmented like the works of Sappho, and it was published in Norwich so you should definitely read it!”
Phil from the Dormouse, however, asserted, “I always go out of my way not to recommend books, because it’s all about taste. Just because I like something, doesn’t mean somebody else will.” While I nodded in agreement, surprised to receive such an answer, Phil looked up, pondering. “Saying that” he continued, “If I’m forced into a corner, I’d recommend The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff, and Illusions by Richard Bach.” Once I concluded the interview, Phil spoke passionately about what The Tao of the Pooh meant for him, where I left him to serve a customer who had “finally chosen a book.”
I was kindly gifted this non-fiction book by a family friend. With beautiful illustrations and aesthetically pleasing photography, Good Mornings is bursting with tips about how to cultivate the perfect morning ritual for wellness, peace, and purpose - something I am in much need of! Dunne considers those with busy lifestyles, providing less time-demanding opinions of the suggested ritualsthe perfect book for busy students.
This was on one of my module’s reading lists, but its definitely one I’d recommend to all! Butterfly Fish is a hybrid between historical fiction and magical realism. It bridges contemporary London with eighteenth century Benin in Africa, and pulls together family legacy, history and the power of magic! It is quite dark in places as it explores greif, but overall, it is so beautiful to read.
I can understand why readers in 1796 didn’t need reality television when this book was published. Overflowing with bloody, gruesome, gothic tropes, The Monk follows the downfall of Ambrosio in his temptation by a woman disguised as a fellow Monk. Intertwining the context of Catholic Institutions and the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution, this is one of the few texts set for a seminar I’ve looked forward to reading. Completely and utterly unpredictable, this is a classic that defies the stereotype of dull.
In Zen, the first understanding is that nothing is permanent, everything is transitory; the second is that almost everybody has a money pit.
Some people collect shoes, some collect games, and some will wake up and find that all of their cash has, overnight, magically turned itself into a pile of secondhand books. How does that happen? How did we get here?
The first problem is that there are just so many of them - it’s so easy to find something that you, dear Concrete reader, could conceivably read and be interested in, and with a little spare time and a little spare income, poof! Sparks fly, and in a puff of smoke, another new book appears on your shelf, and your wallet feels just a little lighter.
But nothing in life is permanent or infinite, including spare time. I can categorically tell you that, with the limited time we have and the thousands of books that’d make worthwhile reading, there just isn’t the time to read every single one of them. But, that isn’t the point, and it’s rarely, if ever, stopped anyone from buying new books.
In fact, there are books on your shelf right now that are going unread, but look around in a week or two and soon there’ll be another, and five, and ten, and pretty quickly you’ll realise how Mickey Mouse in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice must have felt.
It’s not to say that there aren’t ways of mitigating the cost; if you, Concrete reader, spent all your time buying new hardbacks from Waterstones, you wouldn’t be reading this right now, because you’d quickly be destitute. But there are always alternatives. Secondhand bookshops and discount online retailers come to mind, but, regardless of where it comes from, if buying a book comes with the reassurance that at some point it may interest or excite or move you, so what if it costs money? What is spare income for, if not for that purpose?
We’re living in a period of human history and in a rarefied position in the first world, where the freedom to write, publish, and access any kind of literature has never been greater. It’s never been easier to be informed or educated, or at the very least be entertained by the written word, so my question to you is, why not do it?
My Grandad was destined to die for as long as I can remember.
But, despite all odds, he kept surviving.
I remember one summer, he took me to the beach. He turned to me and stated, “Did you know I’m actually not meant to drive?”.
He was a tease, I was a solemn child. I grabbed the seatbelt tightly, in my unconscious horror. I didn’t think he had seen, but he let out a chuckle. I always thought he patted my head in that moment. But obviously, he didn’t. He was driving.
I sat on a bench overlooking the sea. Some would have considered it serene. My tiny attention span, however, didn’t appreciate the view of the pebble beach. Instead my gaze flitted between the shells on the ground, the great grassy cliff that towered above, and my Grandad as he approached the bench with two slightly melted ice-creams.
“Who’s the second ice-cream for?” I asked Grandad, as he settled into the seat next to me.
“Me! Why? Do you want me to eat yours too?” I shook my head fervently. He smiled, sticking his tongue out and taking a massive lick of his ice-cream, “It’s just a small one. Don’t tell Grandma.”
It was our sworn secret. I vowed never to tell anyone. And I didn’t. Until that evening, in the car ride home, when I cracked and told my parents.
We sat, talking about all kinds of unimportant things. About what I wanted to be when I grew up; about the different types of dogs we liked; about what we planned to do in the garden later. All the things that are life or death in a child’s small world.
My Mum had told me that Grandad’s mind worked backwards. He could remember things that were far away, but had trouble remembering what was right in front of him.
Towards the end of his life, I started to wondered if he wasn’t backwards. That, maybe, he wasn’t confused at all. He was where he preferred to be, in his Memories. That, maybe, he would see forwards, into the future. To a world without him. And, maybe, it wasn’t a world he wanted to know.
“Grandad?” I asked, eating my dribbling ice-cream, “Why do you live in your memories instead of here?”
He pondered thoughtfully for a moment, “Why would you want to live in yours?” As a child, who barely had a memory of yesterday, this stumped me.
“Well,” he prompts, with a soft smile, “Any ideas?”
“None.” I say weakly.
We sit, silently, staring at the unmoving ocean. Everything else in the world seems so small. He takes my hands and gives them a comforting pat. There’s an unspoken solidarity, knowing we’re both where we would prefer to be. A world with him. Even if it’s a memory.
My Grandad, like every other human on the planet, was a person destined to die. But, despite death, he keeps living.
As I made my way to school today
I saw the girl stood by the road I almost kept on walking by But then I saw her face and slowed
“Don’t do it” I told her and I meant it
Though her eyes were blank and cold She looked right through me, wiped a tear, Stepped back and did as she was told
I saw her at the store today
Drifting up and down an aisle
Something told me to follow her We walked in silence for a while
Finally she lingered by a shelf
To pick up a carton of bleach
I gently took it from her hands And moved it where she couldn’t reach
I wasn’t surprised to see her today
Although it wasn’t until evening She was sat alone on a park bench My heart ripe with uneasy feeling
Her head hung heavy, her mouth was slack And her eyes were doll-like glass I stuck my fingers down her throat ‘til pills peppered the grass
By Ellie DharamrajI took her hand, we staggered home Laying entwined in our bed
I in silence, she screamed and cried Both wishing we were dead
Some time passed, the days all merged Tangled helpless, lying there
She wept and wept and tore at her skin
All I could do was stare
“I don’t want to do this anymore”
I told her, and I meant it
“I want us to get better” I insisted, It took courage to admit
While I spoke, her tears had dried
She reached out for the window ledge
She world had moved on without us And she drew nearer to the edge
Desperate to join those outside In the mundane of work and play
She chose to jump but I chose to stay I hope I don’t see her again today
“I want us to get better”
20 (1)
So I’m turning 20... Hooray! Huzzah! Woo hoo?
I’m told it’s a big birthday They say, “it’s exciting for you”
Scared feels more true to me with How my age has dropped the ‘teen’ It gave 18 an exciting sheen That then rubbed off on 19
Soon... I’m turning 20
Help it’s chipped all 19’s lustre, It was only a buffer from my fears
Now they strike with all they can muster.
Someone stop me turning 20, Hang on, ignore that part, It just feels I have started To find out... what’s in my heart? Shut up you sappy shit.
By Sam Hallam
20 (2)
Still not yet 20, Heavy relief when I woke up today, I still have time aplenty To continue my neurotic way
Simply turning 20
How ‘bout it just be an age?
It’s supposed to occur magnificently
That just feels like a cage
So if I know this, why do I stress?
How come I can’t enjoy this birthday, It’s supposedly the best, nothing less
Though it hounds me for a life plan right away
Oh shit I’m turning 20, Knowing nothing of what to do, Ambling into adult numbers
Yet no teen shield to guard my fear
Only maybe I can just relax
Keep going without turning life to the max.
“I still have time aplenty to continue my neurotic way”
The barrage of disturbed leaves fighting against the fine winds of the East,
Hell has opened its fiery gates wide for the Monsters of Metal and Noise, End of his life– my father’s life– by the hands of the Devil’s own beast.
His blood soaks the foliage. A stain of red splashed by his open heart, Unified, tearing his flesh, a cruel release of his dignity, Not another loss, another body carved by sanguinary art, The eyes of the trees crying as my father’s body is torn apart.
Crying the tears of a thousand horrors, from the anguish of this sight, And the anger of nature, unbalanced when Evil walks amongst us, Noting the plague they bring, the poison they cast upon the land despite, The Earth offering sanctuary. Yet still, they yearn only to smite.
Engorging themselves on the Earth’s heart, the gifts of the plant and the crop, Never repaying the life they feed on. Corrupting the grounds with decay, Death and poison– since the plague of this evil bought life to a stop.
Untimely creatures with an array of wild, flailing limbs and blunt teeth,
Noises of victory mixed with laughter covers my father’s dying scream, Till he gurgles the blood in his throat, a spiked bed of rocks underneath, I cry alone, the last of my line. The pain of this cruel regime. Lost, youthless tears from my eyes, mixing with his pooling blood and the stream.
Winds chanting their war cry around me, the Earth wants me to start the fight. Energy filling my heart and soul, for my world I must do what’s right.
Running towards them, alone, unafraid and yet outnumbered by far, Evil caught up in celebration, my father’s skin in a rough hand, Vaulting the bushes, my charge is the beating drums, broken by a scar, Only justice and pain, it’s the revenge of the Earth that I demand, Locking eyes with the first grinning human, the one who struck the fatal blow; The antlers on my head sink into his flesh and now his blood starts to flow.
“Crying the tears of a thousand horrors”
You haven’t looked at me the same since. Your eyes have gone cold. I suppose it was bound to happen at some point, I just wish I knew when I pushed you too far. When was the moment your mind changed, and when did you start to hide it? Somewhere along the road, as milestones turned to paving stones we relentlessly rode over, you decided you would leave me behind.
It wasn’t always like it was. Somewhere between our first kiss and our first kid I was convinced I loved you. And somewhere after that I knew I didn’t. That hurt to realise. But I still tried to make it work. I guess I didn’t succeed, or get anywhere close. At least I never had my foot halfway out the door, like you did. You pulled away from any attempts I made. You weaponised the side of your face, and that unshakeable gaze of yours into a point I could never quite see. You turned away from me until I gave in. You gave up on me. So I gave up on you.
I thought that was the way we’d leave it, honour our commitments, spare the kids. We could never have found fulfilment in each other, as we promised at our wedding, so we’d find other ways. You had your classes, and your friends, and the kids. I had work. And what you found on
By Rory Elliott-Bradymy other phone.
I never let her in our home. Or any of the others, because I know you know there were others. I never let them in our bed. They never saw the children, I never spoke to them about the children, or you or anything. That wasn’t what it was. I need you to believe me. I need you to believe me about this at least.
You didn’t have to send me the papers at work. It was humiliating, everyone saw. I told you I’d come to the meeting, I told you. I told you I’d sign what you wanted. So I’ll put on my best tie. The one you bought me. I’ll put on my best cologne and my best suit and I’ll wear it like a back brace. I don’t think I could stand without it. Across the table I’ll see you once more. It’ll be different this time. I’ll look at you and you’ll look through me.
“Milestones turned to paving stones”
Irecently met with local maker and musician, Morwenna Farrell, to chat about her clothing brand –handpicked vintage garments and sustainably sourced tees, all screenprinted with her own illustrations. As we sipped away on coffees in Yalm, we touched upon her brand, sustainability, and love of music.
How would you describe your brand in three words?
Vintage, Americana and punchy.
What was the starting point for your business?
I went to NUA to study Illustration, where I found my real love and passion. It helped me realise that I could have a career out of creating art. I then discovered screen-printing, and it all just fell naturally into place. It’s funny really, my creative side has always been secretly there, so when I delved into screen-printing, I felt as if something had sparked inside me screaming this is what you should be doing!
Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
My brain is always thinking, and connecting ideas. If I’m in a vintage shop and something catches my eye, it will instantly excite me – my phone’s camera roll is packed with thousands of photos
of inspiration. Sometimes inspiration will come from my own music, often I’ve written a lyric which sparks an idea for a design. It’s lovely thinking how I’ve finally been able to bring together my passions of vintage, drawing, screenprinting, and music.
Could you tell me more about your music?
After dealing with sad news during lockdown, I realised that life is too short to not do what you love. In 2021, I finally said to my now bandmate, you know what? let’s do this! My music really ties into my art, drawing upon inspiration from Country music. And I’ve recently joined another band, which I’m absolutely loving!
What is your design process like?
Well take my current project – a celebration of the 1980s. I start by visually collecting inspiration from all the 80s films I love. I note possible phrases and quotes for my garments. Then I churn out drawings in my sketchbook, before honing in on one design.
What inspired you to incorporate thrifting and sustainability into your brand image?
As a student, I volunteered at Print to the People in Norwich. One day as I was screen-printing, I noticed my denim >
< coat had a huge stain, and I thought how incredibly embarrassing! But then it clicked, I should experiment and print onto the denim. I was so happy with how it turned out, and I began to think of all the marked items in charity shops which people have discarded, and how I could repurpose and give these items a new lease of life! It began to go hand in hand, and I found the way I loved to work.
All my new unisex t-shirts are Earth Positive 100% Organic Cotton Tees, manufactured solely from wind and solar power. It’s really important to me that we consider where our new clothes come from and the impact they have on the environment.
Working as an independent – what are the joys, and what are the challenges?
As a creative, there is a great sense of self-doubt – luckily my lovely husband helps with these moments. The joy is definitely creating something that started as an idea and has now flourished into a business. Watching the journey from
sketch, to screen-printing, to customers wearing my designs is really exciting.
How do you hope people feel when they see and wear your designs?
I want them to feel good about themselves, and also sassy! I love when I’m selling at markets, and that one particular piece finds the right person. It makes me so happy to see their face light up as they try on the garment, and it reminds me that I really am in my dream job.
You can find Morwenna selling in-person at her own pop-up shop 2nd-15th April, and the Fierce Babe Spring Market on 28th April.
Morwenna’s Instagram is @morwennafarrell_illustrations and her Etsy shop is @MorwennaFarrell where you can find anything from screen-printed vintage garments, tees, tote bags, prints, and even stickers and guitar picks!
With the Met Gala coming up in May, now is the perfect time to look at some of the best, and upcoming, designers from the last 50 years.
Alexander McQueen
Known for his imaginative designs, Alexander McQueen is one of the most prominent designers from the early 2000s. His unique styles explore themes of romanticism, sexuality, death, and folklore. McQueen showcased his first collection at London Fashion Week in 1993 and then went on to win his first British Designer of the Year award in 1996. He has gone on to become one of the most influential designers of all time.
Maria Grazia Chiuri
Following stints at Valentino and Fendi, Maria Grazia Chiuri is currently the creative director for Dior, the first woman to hold this position since the inception of the brand in 1946. Her designs are overtly feminist using quotes from feminist figures such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her most iconic design is the Fendi Baguette Bag.
Chemena Kamali
Chemena Kamali is the newly appointed creative director for Chloé and has stunned millions with her debut collection at Paris Fashion Week. Originally, Chemena was the design director for Chloé under Clare Wright Geller. Chemena left in 2016 to join Saint Laurent before moving back to Chloé as the creative director in 2023. Her debut collection has taken Chloé back to its original roots, mixing classics with 70s bohemian and modern pieces. Chemena’s work has placed the brand high at Paris Fashion Week in 2024.
Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood has been an iconic fashion house since the early 1970s, with Vivienne being responsible for bringing modern punk and classic tartan prints to the forefront of the fashion industry from the 1970s onwards, mixing her designs with political messages to showcase national sentiment at the time. Her designs frequently took inspiration from historical periods and mixed them with modern styles, cuts, and tailoring, including Marie Antoinette-style face paint worn by Kate Moss in 1995.
We’ve all been there… going to the city for a bit of light shopping, not wanting to spend too much and knowing we don’t need anything else; we may even claim we’re going to stick to the list. However, when our shiny shoes adorn the cobblestones of Norwich, we see red. Literally, we see red. We see the signs and posters for clearance sales and reductions in clothing stores. Then we believe we are on to a winnerthey are reducing the clothes, and we are getting a bargain, trawling through racks and rails for items that we think we need.
If your excursions are anything like mine, you end up coming home thinking I would never wear this, or the material is static and now I am wearing half of my cat, or the boots don’t fit and are too high heeled.
The glitter falls off the winning bargains, and they are actually just last season’s trends that were not selling in the stores.
This also means that we probably won’t end up wearing these clothes. They will sit in our wardrobes until we give them to a friend, or donate them to charity at best, others may bin them, ending up in landfill. Our purses have forked out for useless pieces of clothing that never got to hit the town, and the planet is paying because these non-functional items were never intended to be worn but to be thrown away.
So next time, you see the glimpses of red on the windows, just remember these sales are more of a ploy to make money, than for your best interests in getting a bargain, and that sometimes these items lose their appeal once buried in the forgotten corner of a wardrobe.
In the vibrant tapestry of Hollywood fashion, the name Law Roach shines brightly as a beacon of creativity and style. Roach, acclaimed stylist extraordinaire, has left an indelible mark on the industry through his collaboration with the ever-stunning Zendaya. Their partnership is synonymous with innovation, elegance, and a fearless approach to fashion that captivates audiences worldwide.
Roach’s talent lies not only in his ability to curate jaw-dropping looks but also in his profound understanding of Zendaya’s persona.
Together, they’ve crafted ensembles that not only push boundaries but also reflect Zendaya’s essence with authenticity and grace.
Their synergy has birthed iconic moments on red carpets such as Zendaya’s recent appearance in archival Mugler couture from 1995 at the Dune 2 premier. This look really embodied Roach’s take on styling which he calls ‘Method Dressing’.
Alongside this dynamic pairing emerges another notable collaboration: that of Selena Gomez and her stylist, Erin Walsh.
Gomez, a pop sensation with a penchant for chic sophistication, has found a kindred spirit in Walsh. They’ve embarked on a journey of blending contemporary trends with timeless elegance to create
looks that resonate with Gomez’s evolving image. With Selena’s previous looks not proving popular, many are relieved by this long overdue partnership with Walsh.
At the 81st Golden Globes, Gomez wore a red Armani Privé dress which really showcases that Walsh’s choices are a good move for the singer.
However, not all fashion tales unfold with such taste.
At the Super Bowl 2024, amidst the flurry of celeb looks whilst the Chiefs beat the 49ers, Blake Lively’s style choices fell short of expectations. Known for her impeccable taste and sartorial prowess, Lively’s ensemble failed to make the desired impact, drawing criticism from fashion pundits and fans alike. The misstep served as a reminder that even the most seasoned fashion icons are not immune to occasional blunders on the grand stage of high-profile events. Lively, who is known for styling herself, did not do her best in Vegas. Her huge hair, paired with a two-piece red Adidas tracksuit, was not one of her best looks. The red made sense, but a tracksuit did not seem like the vibe for the big game, and even her thousands of dollars’ worth of jewellery could not save this look.
Yet, amidst the ebb and flow of fashion triumphs and tribulations, one thing remains constant: the transformative power of style and the visionaries who shape it.
Whether it’s Roach and Zendaya pushing boundaries with their avant-garde creations, Walsh and Gomez redefining elegance with their contemporary flair, or Lively’s occasional stumble reminding us of fashion’s unpredictability, each moment serves as a testament to the dynamic nature of the industry.
Looking at the history of film, some of the most successful movies are in fact musicals. Dripping in technicolour, with extravagant sets, huge dance sequences, and catchy musical scores – the Hollywood movie musical was an exciting spectacle. Later, a Broadway-to-Hollywood pipeline formed, giving audiences some of the most widely acclaimed films of the 20th century. My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music expertly translated their contents from stage-to-screen, both utilising the new possibilities available to them with the film medium. Maria was able to actually twirl on the iconic hill situated in the Austrian Alps, singing out the titular number.
Although the Golden Age of musicals is long past, there is still the odd stage-toscreen adaptation dotted throughout film history, which is critically acclaimed. Take the brilliant 2002 adaptation of Chicago, which impressively collected six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The popularity of these films show that there is still space for musicals in Hollywood.
This leads onto the recent confusion surrounding the 2024 adaptation of the Broadway musical Mean Girls – it was not advertised as a musical. With this lack of accurate advertisement, fans of the original 2004 cult-classic of the same name, took to social media to bash the adaptation and the actors, as they
believed it was yet another film remake. This marketing decision is baffling, as audience members who are unaware of the original stage material, only realise what they have paid to see is in fact a musical, once the film has begun. One fan of the musical even created their own version of the film’s trailer titled, ‘Mean Girls 2024 But It’s Advertised As A Musical’.
Aside from this marketing issue, another dilemma is the adaptation downplaying the musical aspects within the film, which disappoints the cinemagoer who is in fact a fan of the musical source material. With Hollywood’s tendency to cast actors who are not from a musical-theatre background, I was initially impressed by the casting of the highly talented Reneé Rapp, allowing her to reprise her role as Regina George. However, as a fan of the musical since the OBC recording was released in 2018, I was personally disheartened upon listening to the film’s soundtrack. Some of my favourite songs were either cut short, or removed completely. In the songs that do remain, the rich Broadway orchestrations have been altered in favour of a more radio-friendly pop sounding score. There seems to be a lack of focus on who the intended target audience is, neither quite tailoring to the mainstream audience or the theatre fans.
To end on a more positive note, in recent years, there have been some truly wonderful adaptations, such as Tick,
Tick… Boom!, In The Heights and The Color Purple, which all draw upon the spectacle element of a musical. These adaptations expertly incorporate the beautiful Broadway orchestrations alongside the utilisation of the film medium to create fanciful and visually exciting sequences for the big screen. With this in mind, we can’t lose complete faith in the future of movie musicals!
Fourteen years ago, Duncan VicatBrown and Paul Martin wrote an article for the first issue of Venue debating the usefulness of 3D technology in film. In 2010, the one and only film I’ve ever seen in 3D came out - James Cameron’s record-breaking Avatar. Vicat-Brown’s reluctant defence of 3D technology in cinema revolves around the massive success of the first Avatar film, grossing a mind-blowing $2.93 billion. Besides the financial success of the film, the beautiful CGI bought droves of viewers to pay the extra tenner for the highly advertised 3D experience and the initial audience’s reaction has held up. Although the actual story of Avatar has seen a lot of criticism, the visual effects for 2010 are still breathtakingly beautiful. Vicat-Brown belief that films that are made with 3D technology in mind all throughout production, rather than as a hasty last-minute money maker, legitimise the technology and prove its potential.
In 2010, I would’ve probably made the exact same assessment. I have vague but fond memories of being absolutely in awe at the eye-candy that was Avatar. But now, after visiting the cinema dozens of times in the past year and never even considering 3D, I’m left wondering why it lost its relevance. I’m reluctant to
say 3D is dead. Since its distribution in the early 1920s, 3D film has leapt into and out of the public’s interest like clockwork. After the pandemic shut down cinemas and premiering films on streaming services became the norm, there was no space for 3D films. As the vaccines rolled out however, audiences were encouraged to return to physical theatres to bring back profits for cinemas. One huge draw was the highly anticipated, long-awaited Avatar sequel.
That’s right. James Cameron saved 3D twice.
Avatar: The Way of Water made $2.43 billion in its six-month cinema run, $1.16 billion of this being 3D ticket sales. Although I’ve personally heard mixed reviews on the quality of Avatar 2’s 3D cinema experience, its success proves that even thirteen years later, postpandemic, and amidst a cost-of-living crisis, audiences will still pay for a pricier ticket if they can expect a highquality experience. So, who was right about the future of 3D? Duncan VicatBrown or Paul Martin? Unsatisfyingly, the answer is somewhere muddled in the middle. The future of 3D remains unclear, but if all else fails - Avatar 3 comes out in 2025 to a cinema near you.
Oscars season is upon us once again, and with 2023 being such an amazing year for cinema, many categories are tightly packed with competition. The summer was dominated with giants such as the unforgettable ‘Barbenheimer’ combo which were followed by masterpieces such as Killers of the Flower Moon later in the year. So what’s going to win each award on the 10th of March?
We can look at different award ceremonies to get a general idea of those with the highest chances. In my eyes the frontrunner for Best Picture seems to be Christopher Nolan’s 3 hour biopic, with Oppenheimer already taking home that title in the BAFTAs, Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes. The resounding success of this epic extends further, with Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. being very likely picks for best actor in a Leading Role and Supporting Role respectively. Directing arguably has stiffer competition with the likes of Scorsese, Lanthimos and Glazer all being on there but Nolan does
stand a decent chance. Other awards it is likely to take home include Best Editing and possibly Best Sound
So where does this leave Barbie? It is nominated for nearly every category, but I feel like it has only got a chance at a select few. We live in a timeline where it is actually nominated twice for Best Original Score including fan favourite I’m Just Ken, but realistically Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For? is the likely winner here. Ryan Gosling claimed
By Ore Adeyoola PHOTO
By Noah Martin
a controversial nomination for his role as Ken, himself arguing that the exclusion of Director Greta Gerwig and Lead Actress Margot Robbie was ‘disappointing’. Going off of other awards, the pink-clad feature is also likely to win Best Adapted Screenplay and Production Design
Other than Oppenheimer, Poor Things is the flick that is likely to dominate in some capacity with Emma Stone being unanimously praised for her standout performance and is very likely to win the Best Leading Actress category. It could also contend with Barbie for Production Design while winning Costume Design too.
Spider-verse fans rejoice because it too has been nominated for Best Animated Feature Film, leaving it with a good chance of taking home a second Oscar after its prequel did the same. Although it will have to triumph over Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and The Heron, an amazing film in its own right.
*Only some minor ‘spoilers’...don’t stop yourself!*
Gazing across the London skyline from a small high-rise bedroom. Surrounded by millions of strangers, yet feeling inadequate and alone. This is something many of us will experience at some point in our lives - I know I have - and this opening image focuses the viewer’s outlook perfectly. Where or when this occurs varies, but that sense of isolation amongst the busyness of day-to-day life can leave us asking ourselves similar questions. Questions about our past, present and future. For Adam (Andrew Scott) - a queer fortysomething freelance scriptwriter - such questioning stems from his experience of two intertwined childhood traumas; the sudden death of his parents, aged 12, and the impact of the often implicit but impactful culture of homophobia and toxic masculinity which they imposed upon him from a young age.
Central to All of Us Strangers (AOUS) runs a core life lesson that is often hard to reckon with against our past - but, if internalised, can set many of us free to live more fulfilling and happy lives in the present: when we
allow ourselves to become all consumed by past mistakes we can risk neglecting the joys, opportunities and ultimately, the people, right in front of us. That being said, the film equally portrays how taking the time and care to work through the tricky questions of our past will be an important part of the healing, allowing us to move forward.
When skimming through recent reviews of AOUS, I noticed many came from the perspective of queer men who grew up in 1980s England, at the height of the Aids “epidemic” and the fear-induced media and social frenzy that came with it. I wanted to listen to these voices. As someone who has only recently outwardly recognised their own queerness, ahead of writing this piece, a part of me questioned whether I was really ‘qualified’ to do so. But this made me consider how sometimes our perceptions of past identities or experiences do not for a minute invalidate our interpretations of new ones. And this, I believe, goes to the heart of this deeply personal film.
The intricate and brutally honest look into the romantic connection (and disconnection) between Adam and Harry (Paul Mescal) demonstrates that while our individual journeys may be wholly unique - the raw emotions we experience along the way - are often held in common with those around us. In the case of Harry, he is a younger queer man who wasn’t around during the horrors of the 1980s when Adam was growing up. But in openly relating to the shared effect of Adam’s pain, Harry is able to comfort him through empathy, gentle acts of kindness, and ultimately “death-defying love” for him.
The redeeming result of Adam’s questioning of his past, present and future leads him to recognise these qualities in Harry and open up his soul to be purged of the ”hooded claws” of his past, despite initially neglecting his sixth-floor acquaintance. But is it too late? Harry too has got “vampires” at his door.
Many people believe that the era of TV is dead, with younger generations reaching for on demand content and binge-watching show, instead of sitting down in front of the TV to watch something as it airs. However, when it comes to events or programmes which are broadcast live on television, people are still brought together around the box to watch and experience things as they happen – but is it enough to save the traditional experience of TV?
As I’m writing this, I’m currently watching The BRIT Awards which I have sat down to watch almost every year since I can remember. Awards ceremonies like the BRITs or the BAFTAs can obviously be livestreamed online, but there’s something nostalgic about watching it on live TV, particularly when you catch a glimpse of something that they couldn’t edit out in time, but would absolutely be gone once it was put onto the on-demand platforms. There are so many iconic moments from the Brits’ history (such as Madonna’s unfortunate tumble back in 2015) which are always experienced best live, rather than in a 10 second TikTok a week or so later. Despite the excitement there used to be around award ceremonies, it doesn’t seem to be enough anymore to draw in audiences, as according to NME, The BRIT Awards 2024 “achieved the lowest television viewing figures in the show’s history, with an average of 2.5 million”, which is almost a million less than last year’s average of 3.3 million.
In last year’s final viewing figures, the BBC’s coverage of the Coronation of King Charles III topped the charts with 12.8 million views, followed by Happy Valley (BBC) at 11.9 million, Eurovision (BBC) at 10.7 million, Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off at an average of 9.7 million, and ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here reaching 9.0 million on average (according to figures released by the BBC). Out of the top five, I watched the Coronation (purely out of intrigue), and The Great British Bake Off which I tune into every year. Aside from those, there were very few programmes that I sat down to intentionally watch on their live broadcast, and often watched shows like Eastenders (which I have watched all my life) on demand for the convenience of not having to sit down at exactly 7:30pm every day.
With I’m a Celeb still reaching number five in the viewing figures, the intrigue of social experiment is not fully dead, with reality TV still capable of drawing audiences to stay up to date with contestants each week. In recent years, shows like I’m a Celeb, Love Island and The Traitors have led to a big resurgence in the popularity of reality TV, and are favoured by production companies because it is a formula proven to do well. Furthermore, 2023 saw the return of OG reality TV favourite Big Brother, the first series since it was axed by Channel 5 in 2018, followed by the return of Celebrity Big Brother this month for the first time in six years. Big Brother’s
relaunch reached 2.5 million views on its opening episode (twice the amount that Love Island achieved on the first episode of season 10 in June 2023), but these figures are much lower than Big Brother’s hayday which averaged at 10 million views according to The Guardian. There are also ongoing concerns of the impact that reality TV has on its contestants, and the responsibility of caring for them after the show has finished.
The only other category of TV truly capable of attracting audiences to live broadcasts are sports events, with Ofcom reporting 16.1 million views of the 2022 FIFA World Cup: England vs France quarter final match, and the Women’s Euro 2022 Final (England vs Germany) receiving 11.2 million views. Last year’s Women’s World Cup Final between England and Spain had a peak of 14.4 million views, the highest ever for a Women’s World Cup final (according to figures from Barb).
Overall, viewing figures are still historically low across the board, and it’s only really cultural events, sports games (where England are doing well), and much loved longstanding series’, which are able to reliably attract viewers to the TV. Whether that’s because of shortening attention spans, limited time to watch things live, or a lack of interest in television that hasn’t moved quickly enough with the times, live broadcast TV is evidently struggling to maintain relevance – but it isn’t dead just yet.
With the darker days behind us, the evenings becoming longer and brighter, and February now at a close, 2024 is well underway. There is lots to look forward to on the screens this year, so here is a roundup of Netflix’s most exciting offerings.
This year, we will be blessed with the return of the brilliant Bridgerton to our screens - a family we have all gotten to know and love. This third installment will follow Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington’s love story, in true Quinn fashion, for another dose of spice and romance. This will debatably be the most exciting season yet, with this couple having to endure the longest awkward side glances, and slow burn across the other two seasons. Bridgerton season 3 will be realized in two parts and will be premiering 16th May.
Another series you may have forgotten about after binge-watching is Emily in Paris. The fashionista has gotten herself into quite a predicament if you remember in the previous season and I cannot wait to watch the drama unfold when season 4 airs (the date is yet to be announced). Highly recommend for chick-flick lovers,
rom-com fanatics, and drama queens.
Other series’ which are making a comeback this year include Heartstopper (S3), Outer Banks (S4), Selling Sunset (S8), Squid Game (S2) and Sweet Tooth (S3) –all recommendations to add to your watch list!
It would be rude not to quickly run through the amazing films that the platform is releasing this year too, starting with the dark fantasy tale Damsel, starring Millie Bobby Brown, which premiered 8th March. Netflix are also throwing it back to the 80s with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. This will see Eddie Murphy reprise his role as Axel in the fourth installment in the series (30 years since the third). The title Back In Action will also be released with an all-star cast, telling the story of settled down, long retired CIA operatives - you know it’s going to be good when it’s directed by Seth Gordon! Finally, for everyone who has fallen in love with Glen Powell since Top Gun: Maverick (2022), and then married him with Anyone But You (2023), he features in Hit Man, a classic romance with a twist set to be released on Netflix in June.
By Caitlin Bennett
In keeping with the 400th issue, we thought it would be fun to reprint some articles from a past issue of Venue. This page features two articles from Issue 146 of The Event (an old name of Venue), dating back to January 15th 2003. For time comparison, this issue is a couple of years older than most current first year who have come to university straight after further education. The scans aren’t the best quality, but we’ve tried to restore them the best we can. Hopefully you can read through the articles – if not a scanned copy of the issue can be found online on Issuu (www.issuu.com/concreteuea/docs/ the_event_issue_146_-_15-01-2003).
These articles are a true time capsule of early 2000s television, covering the return of Friends, Fraiser and ER on Channel 4 (all of which have now ended) and a selection of TV and radio highlights, including Wife Swap, a classic that is the epitome early 2000s British TV. It’s an interesting contrast to today’s Venue, especially in featuring a Radio 2 show, as radio is not something we’ve really featured this year – although perhaps we should next year!
There’s a bittersweet nostalgia to this article, as we’re now reading the Friends segment after the passing of Matthew Perry. It’s interesting to read how viewers who tuned in each week for another episode, reacted to the show’s decisions. Juste certainly did not appear to be a fan of Monica and Chandler’s relationship, “I was the first to sigh and give up in advance.” – a surprising comment, seeing how well-loved their relationship is to Friends fans.
In 2013, the Venue Music Section documented the unsurprising announcement of HMV’s administration. The music and entertainment retailer fell into administration on the 15th January 2013, putting 4,350 UK jobs at risk. With such a large record store chain potentially closing its doors for good, along with the growing popularity of digital streaming platforms, many believed this would signal the end of vinyl records. Former Venue Music writer Harry Edwards argued against this in a February 2013 Issue, stating that “HMV’s downfall doesn’t spell the end for the physical format.” So, you may be asking, eleven years later, what has happened in the world of record stores, and is the vinyl revival still going strong?
Harry Edwards concluded his 2013 article by stating he believed that there was still a “slim hope” for HMV if they managed to “gain some of the personality provided by the independents that keeps them relevant.” Harry has a point – you only have to look at the success of Rough Trade UK. It was reported in September 2023 that the independent record store had made record revenue amid a vinyl sales boom.
After this article was written, HMV was bought by Hilco UK in April 2013, who took the company out of administration and saved 141 shops and 2,500 jobs.
Although the high-street giant fell into administration again in 2018, they were picked up by Sunrise Records, a record store from Canada, in early 2019. The company had already acquired the leases of over 70 HMV shops in Canada after HMV Canada entered receivership. The founder of Sunrise Records, Doug Putman, had a large focus on the vinyl revival and wanted to increase the chain’s emphasis on vinyl phonograph sales. As a result of this, Sunrise Record Shops (that had transitioned from HMV) managed to sell at least 500,000 LP records within 2017 alone.
Within the last few years, the positive impact of Sunrise’s acquirement of HMV has been clear to see. In 2019, the HMV Vault in Birmingham was opened and labelled as Europe’s biggest entertainment shop. Furthermore, the flagship store on Oxford Street, London, made a comeback last year, due to what was described as a “dramatic turnaround” for HMV who had returned to profit in 2022.
Therefore, I have to agree with Harry Edward’s opinion from the 2013 issue:
It was never about the lack of demand for the physical format. The success of Sunrise Records, Rough Trade and the mighty comeback of HMV show that there is obviously still a place for the physical format in today’s world.
Ihad the opportunity to speak to the UEA Symphony Orchestra regarding their upcoming concert, Roots and Dances. The event, due to take place on the 21st March, will see the 70-piece orchestra perform Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, Duke Ellington’s Suite – The River, and Florence Price’s The Oak. I was joined by Stuart Dunlop, Conductor and Director of Music at UEA, alongside orchestra members Heather Pirie and Amelia Fox. Stuart began our conversation by talking about the influence behind the chosen music. He focused first on Florence Price, who was the first African American woman to be recognised as a symphonic composer.
“She, of course, came through lots of discrimination. She came through the Jim Crow Era. Nevertheless, what you can hear in The Oak, which is quite a dark piece in some ways, is a black American composer trying to understand what symphonic music is and not only on the terms of symphonic music, but on the terms that she can contribute to. So, it’s not necessarily music that fits comfortably into our preconceptions of symphonic music, but it’s a valuable way of looking at music that would otherwise be neglected or unheard. It’s a voice from the past and a voice for the future. And it’s something I think we should be playing.”
Stuart then continued by discussing Duke Ellington’s Suite – The River.
“Ellington was a deeply religious man. He treated the river as a kind of spiritual metaphor. The first movement is the spring, the beginning of the river, and the last movement that we play is where the river joins the sea. There is this idea that that is an image for life, and then you join this greater
thing through which you then await to rebirth, at least, that was Ellington’s take on it. So, it’s genuinely serious music, and again, from a perspective that as a Symphony Orchestra we don’t always pay attention to.”
Finally, Stuart went on to talk about the Symphony Orchestra’s “concentrated protein rich version” of West Side Story. “It’s a big, big orchestra, so the sound you’ll get in the room will blow you away. The sound in the room will change your hairstyle. It’s not a medley of tunes from the show. It’s much more integral than that. It has its own narrative drive to it. It has a real arc from beginning to end, the kind of triumph and tragedy of the piece, which is about racial tension.”
Stuart’s passionate and insightful description of the pieces was impressive, but I wanted to know: why these three pieces in particular? “All the pieces will make an impact. There is not necessarily a coherent arc through the pieces, but they are all related. They’re all American, for one thing, but they are all related by this unheard voice theme. These kind of neglected, or not necessarily neglected, things that we should pay attention to. There is also this idea of making music out of adversity, out of prejudice and bringing that to a symphonic arena, which should be hearing this music.”
I then turned my attention to Heather and Amelia, wanting to know their experiences of rehearsal for this event. Amelia began. “I think we all have great times in the rehearsal. It’s very much not easy, but it is really good to sink your teeth into.” Heather agreed, stating, “I think the accessibility of the programme and audience engagement
wise; it will be a really nice concert. I think lots of people could come to it, it doesn’t matter if you’re not as exposed to classical music, or you haven’t really gone to many concerts before. I think it’s a good one to come along to and experience some new music. And I think the programme really showcases the different sections in the orchestra as well, especially in the Bernstein and Ellington and then a lot more in the Price. We play a little together, but I think there’s some really great moments that it picks out a lot of different parts of the orchestra, which is quite nice to listen to.”
What really struck me in our interview was the strong sense of community the orchestra seems to have. Amelia summarised this well: “I always say that playing in orchestras or chamber music with other people is the best part of music. Being able to share and sit in the rehearsal, and have the music in front of you, but really think about what you are trying to achieve as a group. I lead the viola section which can be quite challenging, but it can also be very fun and nice to be able to. Really focus on what you can do and how you can help everyone.”
Stuart concluded the interview, stating, “Community’s a big word in what we do and it’s often overlooked, and particularly in a setting like a university Symphony Orchestra, we should be trying to make sure that people feel like they belong.”
Roots and Dances will be taking place on the 21st March at 7pm, at the Church of St Peter Mancroft, Norwich. Tickets are available at the UEA Events page via the UEA website.
Kylie doing a shoey! RAYE’s grandma! Rob Beckett dressed as a giraffe! The BRIT awards are always eventful, and this year was no exception. It was a night of incredible music, fantastic performances and emotional moments.
The night was dominated by singersongwriter RAYE, who won a recordbreaking six awards, including best artist and song of the year. Her success is a story of triumph over adversity; after leaving Polydor Records due to their refusal to allow her to release an album of her own, to win the award for Best Album is an incredible moment which proves the importance of selfbelief and being true to yourself. Her music includes candid references to her struggles with mental health and her experience of sexual harassment in the industry, and it was fantastic to hear her use one of her many speeches to advocate for better recognition for songwriters.
Other notable speeches came from subpostmaster Jo Hamilton, who courageously called out the UK government for failing to compensate victims of the Horizon post office scandal. Furthermore, Norfolk’s own Bimini Bon Boulash shared a powerful message of support for trans and nonbinary people, fighting back against the lack of respect that politicians such as Rishi Sunak have shown towards the LGBTQ+ community by stating that ‘trans rights are human rights’.
The BRITS came under scrutiny last year for the lack of female nominees; for example, every contender in the best artist category was male. Fortunately, this year saw strong female representation. Ten out of the fifteen awards were won by female or non-binary artists such as Dua Lipa, SZA and Miley Cyrus. Furthermore, the awards have retained their genderneutral award categories, a really positive step towards ensuring that all artists, regardless of gender identity, are able to have their achievements recognised.
The night saw some stunning live performances. After a now infamous performance in 2018 which gave birth to the ‘go girl, give us nothing’ meme, Dua Lipa opened the show with a highenergy performance of Training Season With a high-powered dance routine and background dancers on wires, she proved that, with her recent venture into acting on the big screen, she’s a true triple threat. There was also an amazing performance from Afrobeats artist Rema of his hit single Calm Down, as well as from Canadian pop star Tate McRae.
For most categories, it was relatively easy to predict who the winner would be; there were, however, a couple of surprises. After an enormous year for Taylor Swift, many assumed that she would be the winner of International Artist of the Year. However, the award instead went to SZA, who recently took home three Grammys after being nominated for an incredible nine in total.
We also saw Casisdead win the award for Best Hip Hop, Grime or Rap Act despite being up against far more well-known names in the genre such as Dave and Central Cee, the latter having over ten times as many monthly listeners as him on Spotify.
Many thought that the night was far less exciting than it has been in previous years, for example, none of the winners gave a host the middle finger like Adele did in 2013, or fell down the stairs midperformance like Madonna in 2015. And whilst the night did lack the chaotic energy of many previous years (with the exception of CMAT, who channelled her inner Jarvis Cocker circa 1996), it was still an evening of real emotion, bold statements and iconic moments. It has clearly been an incredible year for British music.
‘The night was dominated by singersongwriter RAYE, who won a record-breaking six awards, including best artist and song of the year.’
Women’s History Month Art Exhibition – 20th March, 6:30pm-8:30pm THE ENTERPRISE CENTRE, UEA
Celebrating women and non-binary artists at UEA, NUA and greater East Anglia, with live music, art and complimentary drinks and nibbles!
Dick and Dom in Da LCR – 22nd March, THE LCR
Celebrate the end of term with a game of bogies, and a boogie to dance classics.
Propaganda Norwich Easter Eggstravaganza – 29th March, THE WATERFRONT
The indie and alternative easter party.
A Visit from the Easter Bunny – 31st March, THE HUNT
Wouldn’t it be funny, if you were visited by the Easter Bunny - or the Tesco delivery driver with the chocolate eggs you ordered (don’t forget your Clubcard!).
Edward Scissorhands – 16th April20th April, NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL
See Matthew Bourne’s magical dance production of Tim Burton’s classic film. Tickets start from £10.
Swim School – 22nd April, THE WATERFRONT STUDIO
Edinburgh based indie grunge pop band Swim School comes to Norwichtickets available for £12.
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