2012/13 Week 18 Issue 605

THE RUGBY VARSITY

The inaugural Rugby Varsity pull-out: 8 pages of coverage, pages 21 - 28

The University of Exeter’s Independent Student Newspaper

Since 1987

Tuesday 19 February 2013 • Issue 605 • www.exepose.ex.ac.uk • Twitter: @Exepose • www.facebook.com/Exepose

Free Photo: Joshua Irwandi

Cocaine on campus

An Exeposé investigation reveals traces of the Class A illegal drug in eleven locations across campus. This includes Northcote House where senior University staff have their offices, and the Guild top corridor

An Exeposé investigation • pages 4 - 5 Comment: Your opinions on the end of the SSB - PAGES 9-11

Screen: Exeposé’s predictions for this year’s Oscars - PAGE 35

Arts: Interview comedian and presenter Steve Punt - PAGE 41

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MAKING THE HEADLINES Y E A R S

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Editorial team Editors Zoe Bulaitis & Tom Payne editors@exepose.com Deputy Editors Ben Murphie & Ellie Steafel comment@exepose.com News Editor Beccy Smyth news@exepose.com Features Editors James Crouch & Megan Drewett features@exepose.com Lifestyle Editors Thomas Ling & Alex Tindall lifestyle@exepose.com Music Editors Callum McLean & Anthony Prodromou music@exepose.com Screen Editors Louis Doré & Owen Keating screen@exepose.com Books Editors Tom Bond & Emily Lunn books@exepose.com Arts Editors Clara Plackett & Emily Tanner arts@exepose.com Games Editors Marcus Beard & Jonathan Jenner games@exepose.com Sport Editors Will Kelleher & Mike Stanton sport@exepose.com Photography Joshua Irwandi photography@exepose.com Senior Proofreaders Elli Christie, Megan Furborough & William O’Rourke

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@Exepose facebook.com/exepose issuu.com/exepose Advertising Ross Trant R.Trant@exeter.ac.uk (01392) 722432 The opinions expressed in Exeposé are not necessarily those of the Exeposé Editors nor the University of Exeter Students’ Guild. While every care is taken to ensure that the information in this publication is correct and accurate, the Publisher can accept no liability for any consequential loss or damage, however caused, arising as a result of using the information printed. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss or damage to artwork or material submitted. The contents of this, unless stated otherwise, are copyright of the Publisher. Reproduction in any form requires the prior consent of the Publisher.

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News

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19 february 2013 |

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NEWS EDITOR

Beccy Smyth news@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé News

R.I.P. SSB: “End of an era” as Guild cancels legendary charity ball Photo: Joshua Irwandi

Tom Payne Editor RAG has vowed to fight for the future of the Safer Sex Ball (SSB), after the Students’ Guild cancelled the event last week.

Last week Exeposé broke the news that the SSB would be cancelled and replaced with another ball, after concerns over damaging media coverage and the welfare of students who attend the ball.

Although the Guild have promised a replacement for the event, RAG called that “naïve” in a statement seen by this paper.

RAG stated that the “unique selling point has been vital to the event’s popularity”, adding that a “change in the format” would damage its success and the charitable legacy of the ball.

RAG said that charities such as the Eddystone Trust for HIV and sexual health services could lose out on the £20,000 which the SSB raises every year.

In their statement RAG said: “We hope that the Students’ Guild will recognize the popularity of the SSB with the students and its inherent charitable mission. However, if this will not be the case then we will seek alternate means of funding and running the event.”

The Students’ Guild said in a statement that the ball had led to “unintended consequences for students who attend the event”, claiming that media coverage could infringe on the welfare

>> Last week’s news of the SSB cancellation has provoked a strong reaction from the student body

of the students who go to the ball.

They added: “In spite of significant efforts in recent years, the event’s association with promoting safer sex has been overshadowed with a less positive image, leading to unintended consequences for students who attend the event, as well as RAG, the Guild and the University.

“Therefore the Guild and RAG are working together to formulate a way

to reinvent the SSB, maintaining its strong assets; raising charitable funds and awareness of key issues whilst providing great student development opportunities and a great night out for students.”

Many students and alumni took to social media to express their opinions.

Alex Morrison, a BBC journalist and Exeter alumni, said: “Sad to see the Exeter Uni has ditched the Safer Sex

Ball. Was great fun!”

Exeter student Emma-Louise Vetriano, tweeted: “This can’t be true?

It was in FHMs Top 100 things to do before you die!”

The ball usually raises £20,000 for The Eddystone Trust, a HIV and sexual health services charity based in Exeter.

The Trust has been contacted for comment but has not yet replied.

INTERVIEW: Exeposé speaks to RAG Exeposé: How do you think the cancellation of the SSB will affect your fundraising totals as well as the profile of RAG on campus?

RAG: Our greatest worry is that the popularity of the event is so huge that we could lose a lot of student interest.

It is without a doubt the biggest event on the Exeter social student calender - but that isn’t to say we don’t raise a lot in other great events: we raise £30,000 for doing the SSB, but we raise £150,000 doing other events.

We’re not talking big changes we’re talking tweaks which we can make to satisfy student opinion.

Exeposé: What’s the most important part of the SSB for RAG? RAG: We’re focusing mainly on cam-

paigns and awareness. Campaigns Week was new this year and everyone has said it went really well, but we need to develop it over the years to come. The way it was run this year was fantastic. The main focus of the ball is to raise money for and awareness of sexual health and AIDs charities.

Exeposé: Do you think the Guild’s action is a sign that efforts to change the focus of the SSB to campaigns and awareness was unsuccessful?

RAG: No, we think that’s the wrong end of the stick. The Guild have their own reasons for cancelling the event.

They were highly supportive of the campaigns week and told us it was a great success.

As we said, we will only be making slight alterations. The Guild were

still very positive about this as long as we reach a compromise that we think the students will love, and will hopefully remove some of the unwanted controversy.

Exeposé: Do you think negative media coverage is to blame for the cancellation?

RAG: Perhaps it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. But it’s definitely not the only reason - last year’s event got some negative attention as well. The Guild told us that every event gets reviewed by the Guild our’s was reviewed this year and they told us that because of ‘X,Y and Z’ the event wouldn’t be going ahead in the same way. We’re not exactly sure what those reasons are - we just know that things need to be tweaked.

Exeposé: In your original statement you said you thought the Guild’s promises were “naïve” and “unrealistic”. Do you still think that?

RAG: We’re not sure if that’s going to happen or not. We’re not entirely sure what’s happening now. It sounds like the Guild have been having more conversations and we’re now not sure what they do and do not want us to do.

But that’s mainly because the consultation process is ongoing.

A meeting that was in the calender is now being brought forward. We’re quite optimistic now about working with the Guild, and we have a few ideas for how we can reinvent the SSB. We’re now welcoming student opinion.

Exeposé

| Week EIGHTEEN

National Student News PM relieves visa fears for international students DAVID CAMERON has made moves to assuage the fears of Indian students hoping to study in the UK ahead of concerns around tougher Visa regulations on post-study students who wish to remain in the country after higher education.

It has been stipulated that foreign students must secure a graduate level job from an accredited employer with a minimum salary of £20,000 if they wish to work in the UK after their studies. Mr Cameron was speaking ahead of a planned visit to New Delhi and Mumbai, stressing that there was “no limit” to the number of potential students who could stay in the country.

“The University acknowledges the positive impact our international students have on local jobs and investment” Neil Armstrong, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor He remarked that the only requirement for an international student to stay in the UK was a guaranteed place at a University and a basic English qualification. His statement can be seen as a response to the concerns of some businesses and universities who have suggested that new regulations will deter international students from staying and working in the UK. Exeter University claims to be home to over 5,000 students from outside the UK from a total of 140 different countries. Writing in April 2012, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Neil Armstrong commented that the University “acknowledges the positive impact our international students have on local jobs and investment.”

Nominations for 2013 Guild Teaching Awards now open THE Guild teaching awards have entered their fourth year with nominations now open for the 2013 ceremony.

Categories include Most Supportive Member of Staff, Best Overall Lecturer and the award for Innovative Teaching. Students can vote for members of staff and teaching departments online at www.exeterguild.org/academicrep/ teachingawards/.

Last year’s event was attended by more than 220 University staff members and students with entertainment provided by the Exeter University Jazz Orchestra and a key note address delivered by alumnus and Guardian Journalist John Crace. The English Department won Best Subject and Tim Rees from the History Department walked away with the title of Best Lecturer.

NEWS

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Students charged over £280,000 in library fines in last 5 years • £63,574 accumulated in 2011-2012 alone • University unable to clarify where and how your money is spent Clara Plackett Arts Editor THE University has accumulated a total of £283,188.55 through library fines since 2008, Exeposé can reveal.

Last academic year the library made £63,574 through fines alone, and this academic year they had obtained £25,832 by the beginning of January 2013.

The library has also regularly obtained over £60,000 from library fines annually since 2008. This information was obtained after Exeposé submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to the library.

The library’s Customer Services Manager, Stephen Mossop, stated: “Library resources, no matter how extensive, are finite, and the library is under an obligation to ensure that they are held in common for the benefit of all members of the University.”

£283,188.55 The amount accumulated through library fines since 2008

He also explained: “We often waive fines where there are extenuating circumstances or where we are convinced that there has been a genuine misunderstanding. Last year we waived fines totaling almost £22,000 for such reasons.”

Mossop outlined that the money accumulated through fines is used to help “facilitate purchases identified from direct student requests under the ‘I Want One Of These’ scheme.”

Some of the money collected on particular days is also given to charity,

Photo: Josh Irwandi

and approximately £700 was raised for Children in Need and other RAG charities last November.

Mossop explained that the money is “used across the range of library

“It’s ridiculous that we aren’t able to see exactly where this large amount of money is going. How can we know if it is benefitting us at all?”

A second year English student services that are in place to support students, such as book and journal spending, study space provision, equipment and facilities.”

The library cannot, however, provide an exact breakdown of where and how this money is spent.

Some students have expressed dissatisfaction with this lack of transparency. A second year English student commented on the fines: “It’s ridiculous that we aren’t able to see exactly where this large amount of money is going. How can we know if it is benefitting us at all? Those who have accumulated £50 library fines for forgetting about a ready text for a short amount of time deserve to know what their money is going towards.”

Imogen Sanders, VP Academic Affairs, commented: “Having sat on the Library Budget Governance Group, I have seen how the library is making considerable investments to ensure that students are at the forefront of its expenditures.”

One great scheme in particular is Library Champions, which allows students to tell the library which books they want them to buy if they don’t already have them.”

Survey suggests students’ library experience is improving Louis Doré Screen Editor THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S library is improving year on year, according to survey that polled 917 students and staff in November 2012, carried out by LibQUAL+, a web based assessment.

Library users rated customer service as the best category, with “library staff who instil confidence in users” being rated as the most successful quality of the facility for the second year running.

In response to the survey, a library spokesperson stated: “This is really pleasing to hear as we have worked hard to ensure that library staff are even more visible and accessible than ever before, and that they are able to deliver a high-quality customer experience consistently in all of our libraries and across all of our opening hours.”

Since the opening of the Forum Library in May 2012, the capacity of the library has swollen to 700 study seats, rising to 850 at peak exam time.

The number of people using the library has also increased, following the £5.8

million investment, which also funded a library app available to download that enables content to be browsed on Apple, Android and Blackberry devices.

“We are putting in 50 extra permanent seats this term in response to feedback” Jess Gardner, Head of Library and Culture Services The survey results reflect increased traffic as students stated their least favoured feature of the library

was finding “quiet space for individual work”. A second year English student observed: “I haven’t used the library as a workspace since Freshers’ week, as I never think there’s going to be enough space.”

In response, Jess Gardner, Head of Library and Culture Services, commented: “We are putting in 50 extra permanent seats this term in response to feedback and to make sure help is available for students when they need it, we are employing and training students to help out at peak times.”

NEWS

19 FEBRUARY 2013 |

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Exeposé

Right under their noses: co Tests at eleven locations across Streatham campus have revealed evidence of cocaine in areas used by both staff and students. Beccy Smyth, News Editor, reports...

INVESTIGATION

COCAINE traces have been found in eleven buildings across campus, an Exeposé investigation can reveal.

Tests were carried out in a total of fifteen toilets in both academic and non-academic buildings across campus using specialist swabs that detect cocaine residue. The results indicate abuse of the Class A drug extends beyond the recreational spots on campus to academic and administrative buildings.

Cocaine was discovered in the toilets in the Lemon Grove, Northcott Theatre and the Forum, as well as in the following academic buildings: the Physics Tower, Washington Singer, INTO, Queens Building and Amory, and the disabled toilets on Level 0 of the Forum Library.

Positive results were also obtained in a toilet tested in Northcote House, the administrative hub on campus which houses the offices of senior University staff. There is no open access to Northcote House for students.

Similarly, two separate toilets at the end of the Guild top corridor tested positively for cocaine residue.

These toilets are open for staff and student use, as well as visitors to the university.

Toilets in the Peter Chalk Centre, Harrison Building, the first floor of Queens Building, Streatham Court and Level -1 of the library were also tested, but the swab results were negative.

The strongest results were found in the disabled toilet on the ground floor of Queens Building and the disabled toilet on the first floor of the Physics Tower. In both of these locations, a much larger trace quantity was detected in comparison to the other locations tested According to Estate Patrol, the number of reported drug-related incidents on campus increased by almost two-thirds in 2012. In 2011, only eight cases were reported, in comparison to the 23 cases that were reported last year.

A spokesperson for Estate Patrol said that it sometimes receive phone calls from students who have noticed a suspicious smell in Halls of Residence but confirmed that in virtually all cases cannabis is the drug being

used. The spokesperson also told Exeposé that generally, Estate Patrol do not seize large amounts of drugs on campus.

A spokesperson also commented that they were not surprised by Exeposé’s findings, considering the large number of people on campus.

When presented with the evidence obtained by Exeposé, a spokesperson for the University said: “The University has a zero-tolerance policy towards drug taking, and informs the police of all incidents as and when they occur. If students see anything suspicious or would like to report an incident, please contact Estate Patrol.”

“Evidence of such widespread use of cocaine on the campus is deeply concerning to us at the Student Health Centre” Dr Vik Mohan The University also stated that the high number of positive test results in multiple locations across campus is not unexpected, considering that “most of the toilets tested are used by hundreds if not thousands of people each year.

“Last year we had 23 reported drug incidents among our 18,000 students, the vast majority of which were related to cannabis use. Whilst we’re not complacent, the evidence does not suggest that we have a significant drug problem at Exeter.”

The Guild agreed with the University regarding the extent of drugs abuse on campus, emphasising that “the Guild operates a zero tolerance to drugs use amongst students and staff” They added: “The Guild does not believe that there is a significant drugs problem at the University. The Advice Unit is available 24/7 to discuss any issues surrounding drugs use. The Advice Unit works closely with the Wellbeing Centre, should anyone wish to discuss the matter in confidence.”

However, Dr Vik Mohan, who practices at the Student Health Centre said that Exeposé’s findings were concerning.

She said: “Evidence of such

widespread use of cocaine on the campus is deeply concerning to us at the Student Health Centre, as cocaine use poses such a huge risk to the health and wellbeing of our students. These risks include addiction, death from overdose, heart attacks or seizures, and mental health problems (or worsening of pre-existing mental health difficulties).

“Of course we strongly advise against the use of cocaine, and all other recreational drug use. However, at the Student Health Centre we offer a full range of confidential support for anyone with concerns about their health as a result of any drugs they may have used or are using, and are very experienced at supporting students with drug-related problems.”

In addition to the Student Health Centre, Dr Mohan advised that there are many other places students involved in or affected by drugs can go for confidential advice and information. These include the NHS Direct, NHS Choices, Exeter Drugs Project and Talk to Frank websites.

Dave Rigg, the Director and Founder of Crackdown Drug Testing, the company that makes the brand of swabs used in Exeposé’s investigation, stated that the swabs obtain results that are between “95 to 99 per cent accurate”. He also confirmed that the swabs can detect traces of cocaine up to a month after the surface has been used for snorting substances, even after repeated, direct contact with cleaning products.

Rigg explained the science behind the swabs: “The test is based on the reaction between cobalt thiocyanate and cocaine. Cobalt thiocyanate in solution is a pink colour, when cocaine comes into contact with it an immediate blue colour develops. This simple generic test is widely known and used throughout the forensic science community.”

Rigg explained the swabs are regularly used by Devon and Cornwall and Metropolitan Police, as well as dozens of other UK constabularies, prisons and customs to detect cocaine abuse.

Additional reporting: Zoe Bulaitis, Tom Payne, Ben Murphie and Ellie Steafel

COCAINE HOTSPOTS Exeposé reporters tested for cocaine in male, female and disabled toilets on surfaces where cocaine can be lined up for use. The swabs operate on the principle that when cocaine comes into contact with Cobalt Thiocyanate, a reaction occurs and a blue colour is generated. This indicates that cocaine has been used on that surface.

This map shows where positive results were found. Although cocaine was found in many places around campus, negative results were also found in Peter Chalk Centre, Harrison Building, Streatham Court and Level -1 of the Library.

‘‘

WASHINGTON SINGER

Home to the Psychology Department. Positive result in female toilets on the ground floor

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I would put the accuracy at 9599 per cent. Virtually every police force in the country uses us.

We’ve had positive results from Parliament, courts, police headquarters, all over Dave Rigg, Founder-Director Crackdown Drug Testing

Exeposé

| Week EIGHTEEN

NEWS

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ocaine found across campus PHYSICS TOWER

AMORY

Cocaine found in the disabled toilets on the first floor

INTO

A positive result was found in the female toilets next to the INTO café

Ground floor toilets produced a positive swab

The flagrant dismissal of this investigation by those authorities tasked with the protection of students is, frankly, reckless COMMENTARY

Ellie Steafel and Ben Murphie Deputy Editors

LIBRARY

Cocaine found in the disabled toilets on Level 0

NORTHCOTE HOUSE

The admin. hub of the Uni. Positive traces found in the toliets on the same corridor as the Vice Chancellor’s office

FORUM

Cocaine found in the disabled toilets outside the RAM

NORTHCOTT THEATRE Cocaine in the first floor accessible toilet

GUILD CORRIDOR Cocaine found in male toilet on Guild corridor

CORNWALL HOUSE

Positive traces found in the toilets of the campus nightclub

QUEENS BUILDING

Evidence of cocaine use found on the ground floor disabled toilets

The risks of taking drugs COCAINE is a Class A drug, meaning it is illegal to have in your possession, give away or sell. Cocaine can leave you with a criminal record and, crucially, can cause serious physical and psychological complications.

The immediate effects of smoking crack-cocaine can last an estimated ten minutes, while cocaine lasts up to around 30 minites once snorted.

The psychological effects include

an intense sense of euphoria, alertness and self-assurance. The physical effects include an increased heart race, loss of appetite and raised body temperature.

The risk of a critical overdose increases significantly if cocaine is mixed with other drugs or alcohol.

Overdosing on cocaine can lead to depression, anxiety, paranoia and even death.

WHEN Exeposé asked for comment following our investigation into Class A drug use on campus, the Guild and the University were surprisingly slow to react. When they finally did, their statements exposed a casual, flippant attitude towards our evidence.

You would imagine that the confirmation of cocaine use in academic, recreational and exeuctive buildings might spark some concern from the powers that be at the University. Instead, spokespeople for the Guild and the University provided limited and vague responses which we felt were disproportionate to our findings.

“Spokespeople for the Guild and the University provided limited and vague responses disproportionate to our findings” Class A illegal drug use is a serious and troubling discovery. We believe that the legitamacy of our

Possession is strictly illegal - no matter what you’re using it for, and the penalty is up to five years in jail.

Supplying to someone else can get you fourteen years in jail, and an unlimited fine. You are also considered to be illegally ‘supplying’ drugs if you share with friends.

It is also illegal to allow other people to use cannabis in your house, or on any other premises, and possession can get you up to seven years in jail.

It takes only a few hours for drugs to be detected in the urine and two to three days for the substance to clear your system.

The precise length of time in which drugs can be detected is dependent on a number of variables. Metabolic rate, drug dosage, and how it was taken can all be factors affecting substance detection.

Class A

Includes Ecstasy, LSD, heroin, cocaine, crack and magic mushrooms. Possession may result in up to seven years in prison, a fine or both. If you are caught distributing this could lead to a life in prison or an unlimited life fine.

Class B

Includes Amphetamines, Cannabis, Methylphenidate (Rotalin), Pholcodine you could be sentenced to five years in prison or as many as 14 years for distributing.

Class C

Includes tranquilisers, some painkillers and Ketmanine. Possession can lead to two years in prison and up to fourteen years for distributing.

investigation is warranted. The evidence is clear and the means used to obtain it have been verified. So why are the Student’s Guild and the University’s executives so nonchalant?

The Student Health Centre, on the other hand, were more troubled by the news: “Evidence of such widespread use of cocaine on the campus is deeply concerning to us at the Student Health Centre.”

“Cocaine use poses such a huge risk to the health and wellbeing of our students.”

“The evidence is clear and the means used to obtain it have been verified. So why are the Student’s Guild and the University’s executives so nonchalant?”

When the health risks are high and the evidence abundantly clear, the flagrant dismissal of this investigation by those authorities tasked with the protection of students is, frankly, reckless.

The University’s statement goes so far as to argue: “the evidence does not suggest that we have a significant drug problem at Exeter.”

Perhaps more disturbing, however, is the notion that traces of cocaine were found in facilities used by staff, as well as students and visitors. In their statements, neither party makes any reference to this additional, startling finding. Can we honestly say that cocaine use is limited to the student body alone?

Have your say E-mail us your thoughts on Exeposé’s cocaine investigation editors@exepose.com Tweet: @Exepose

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Exeposé

Meet your new sabbatical officers for 2013/14

Hannah Barton Guild President

Alex Powell AU President

“I am completely elated to have been elected… I can’t wait to work with such a great team of Sabbs”

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who voted”

Photo: Joshua Irwandi

Academic Affairs Alex Louch

Welfare & Community Chris Rootkin

“All the hard work “I think we’ve got a and running up and great team so bring “I really am down Stocker Road looking forward on July!” in a wetsuit had to representing the paid off” students of Exeter”

Elections 6% below voter turnout target Jon Jenner Games Editor

>> Elated: Hannah Barton is elected the first female Guild President since 2007

Participation & Campuses Jak CurtisRendall

34 PER CENT of students turned out to vote in this year’s Sabbatical Elections – a 4 per cent decrease from last year.

The Students’ Guild had initially set a target of 40 per cent of the student body voting in this year’s elections, which would have been a two per cent increase and secured Exeter’s reputation as the most democratic university in the country.

In spite of the slight drop in voting turnout, it is still higher than the national average of turnout in student sabbatical elections. Nick Davies, Guild President, said: “This year’s turnout – which was just over 34% –

was the second highest in our history.

All of the Sabbs are delighted with this.

At present, our turnout is 16% above of the national Students’ Union average, and we’re still top of the Russell Group turnout.”

34%

Percentage of students who voted in this year’s elections In order to meet these targets the Guild increased the area where candidates could campaign from the length of Stocker Road to anywhere on campus. The Forum, built to provide a “heart” for Streatham campus, became an appropriately central hub for campaigning, including interviews, free-

bies and various publicity stunts. The added incentive of an “I’ve voted” wristband was also introduced, available from one of three polling stations in order to show that students had voted.

Results were announced on Friday 8 February in the Lemon Grove, and booing filled the venue as the four per cent drop in votes was announced.

Over the course of the evening, the new Sabbatical committee and AU president were announced, with Jak Curtis-Rendall as VP Participation and Campuses, Chris Rootkin as VP Welfare and Community, Alex Louch as VP Academic Affairs and Alex Powell as AU President. In the most closely contested vote of the evening, Hannah Barton narrowly defeated Nic Craig to become the next Guild President, becoming the first female to be elected since 2007.

Annual celebration of diversity set to descend on campus Katya Simms RUN by the Students’ Guild and the International Students’ Council, Diversity Week will take place on campus from 19 February to 2 March. The events will celebrate multiculturalism, cultural differences and diversity at the University of Exeter.

The ‘week’ will include events such as a talent show, football tour-

nament, Model United Nations crisis game and a quiz-style “Diversity Challenge”. The Diversity Ball will conclude the week, and will take place in the Great Hall on the evening of 2 March.

The Diversity Week “Global Affairs at a Glance” event on 27 February will provide students with the opportunity to find out more about current affairs in countries throughout the world in a simple, accessible and informative

“Diversity Week is one of the biggest annual events on campus” Jon Bagnall, VP Participation and Campuses way.

As part of the goal to celebrate the multiculturalism at the University, there will also be a Diversity Fair

in the Forum on Thursday 28 February. The aim of the Fair is to provide both local and international students in Exeter with the chance to experience cultures and traditions of countries throughout the world.

Jon Bagnall, VP Participation and Campuses, stated: “Diversity Week is one of the biggest annual events on campus, and this year has received the largest amount of funding since it began, so we are looking forward to

the 25th of February with great anticipation!”

Susie Wilson, a second year Psychology student said: “It’s great that we have such a culturally diverse university and I’m looking forward to being able to explore this multiculturalism during Diversity Week.”

For more information, visit the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ DiversityWeek2013.

Exeposé

| Week EIGHTEEN

NEWS

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In a class of our own: number of Firsts awarded increases by 12% in a decade • 20.3% of Exeter students awarded a First Class degree last year • University link the rise to a higher standard of students admitted to Exeter Photo: University of Exeter

Owen Keating Screen Editor THE number of First Class degrees awarded by the University of Exeter has increased by nearly 12 per cent in the last ten years, according to statistics obtained by Exeposé.

The figures, which cover degrees awarded to undergraduate students, show a significant shift in the proportion of students to be awarded a First at the end of their degree.

“People aren’t getting better academically - they’re getting better at understanding what is required to score high grades” English Masters student In the academic year 2011/12, 20.3 per cent of students left Exeter with the highest degree classification, in comparison to the 8.6 per cent of undergraduates who achieved the same in 2001/02. The number of students graduating has remained fairly consistent, but have increased slightly year on year.

In 2001/02, 272 out of a total of 3152 graduating students achieved a First. In 2011/12, 748 out of a total 3681 students were rewarded the same classification.

The rate of the increase is in line with the rising quality of students at Exeter over the past ten years, according to the University. The grades required

to get into the University have “substantially increased” in recent years. Higher quality students are more likely to get better degrees, hence the rise in Firsts being awarded, a University spokesperson explained.

Imogen Sanders, VP Academic Affairs, said that the rise in Firsts was “consistent with the rise of the university’s academic strength”.

She added: “Part of this has been because we are attracting the best students, who are more likely to graduate with these grades: this year the university has

received applications from three quarters of the market’s share of students predicted to achieve triple A grades.

“However, some students have questioned whether an increase in the number of Firsts being awarded actually correlates to an increase in student quality.

Zoe Hope, a Masters student who received her undergraduate degree from Exeter in 2012, said: “To get a First Class degree symbolises having worked hard at something and succeeded in terms of marking criteria. Students are

increasingly aware that success is measured in quantitative terms.

“I don’t think that more people getting Firsts means that people are getting better academically, rather getting better at understanding what is required to score high grades with regards to marking criteria.”

The number of students achieving a 2:1 has also increased by 10.6 per cent in the last decade. In 2001/02, 52.2 per cent of students achieved a 2:1, in comparison to 62.8 per cent last academic year.

English professor forced to edit book after truth behind Richard III’s death is unearthed Emily Tanner Arts Editor PHILIP SCHWYZER spent five years writing about Richard III, before the King’s body was dug up - forcing crucial re-writes of his upcoming book, Shakespeare and the Remains of Richard III. It was recently confirmed that the remains found under a car park in Leicester were those of the famous King whose death at the Battle of Bosworth ended the War of the Roses.

For Schwyzer the discovery does shed light on the presentation of Richard’s body in Shakespeare’s text: “He had a severely curved spine, but he was not the ‘monstrous hunchback’ we read about in the play. Shakespeare focused upon and very much exaggerated his deformed nature.

“He freely reinvents Richard, describing him as a man who looked so hideous that no one could ever love him. That gives way to his ambition

and villainy.”

Yet Professor Schwyzer doesn’t believe that this new evidence will solve all of the mysteries of the play.

He said, we still “don’t know his motivation, his crimes or psychological state. Shakespeare was possibly hinting at the audience to address those unanswered questions left at the end of the play.”

“Shakespeare freely invents Richard, describing him as a man who looked so hideous that no one could ever love him” Professor Philip Schwyzer Now just weeks before his deadline Schwyzer will have to make last-minute edits, and “change a few maybes to definitelys.” He will also have the difficult task of persuading readers that he formulated his title before the remains were uncovered last year.

Photo: Rex Features/ Leicester University

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Exeter Uni’s sexual health facilities fifth best in UK EXETER UNIVERSITY’S sexual health facilities are ranked fifth out of Russell Group universities, recent research has suggested.

The research, conducted by DrEd, an online website offering health advice, was computed into a ‘Sexual Health Report Card’, which grades the 24 elite universities according to the typical degree classifications – a First, 2:1, 2:2 and Third.

Exeter achieved a 2:1 in the report card, placing joint fifth with the University of Cambridge with an overall average of 64 per cent. Nottingham University achieved the highest First out of UK universities, with a mark of 83 per cent.

The sexual health facilities of Russell Group universities were graded against several marking criteria. These included hours of operation, drop-in services, location of services, quality of sexual health information online, contraceptive availability, quality of on-campus information and sexual assault resources, among others.

Exeter achieved an ‘A’ grade in the following criteria: opening hours, drop-in services, and location. However, the availability of contraceptives and sexual assault resources brought Exeter’s mark down. Exeter was graded ‘F’ in both of these categories.

Pete Mercer, NUS Vice President, commented on the research: “If nothing else, hopefully the Dr Ed report card will increase awareness of student sexual health issues and encourage universities to both take them more seriously and to learn from the best examples already in existence.”

The report card results were obtained using extensive data capture via student welfare representatives on university campuses, and ‘mystery shopper’ approaches were also used.

Flasher terrorises student in halls A FLASHER was seen publicly masturbating near halls of residence in the St David’s area.

A spokesperson from Estate Patrol said: “I can confirm that, at 8.45pm on 7 February, we received a report of a person wearing a blue bandana pulled over his face. He was seen by two students with his trousers around his ankles and playing with himself in the vicinity of the St David’s residences.

“The victims had the presence of mind to telephone the Estate Patrol but the team were unable to locate the offender.”

Grace Hopper, VP Welfare and Community, commented: “If any student notices anyone suspicious on campus or in the local area, then you should call Estate Patrol (01392 263999) or the local police. If you have been affected by such an incident, then you can book an appointment at the Wellbeing Centre by calling 01392 72 4381, or talk to the Guild’s Advice Unit.”

The matter has been reported to the Police.

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what is clearly a very serious problem.

The Guild and the University’s statements in response to our findings are wholly inadequate - yes, these facilities are used by thousands of different staff and students every week, but the truth is that none of them should be using Class A drugs on campus.

“No one at Exeposé is naive enough to think that drug use doesn’t happen on campus, but our findings suggest that drug use on campus is widespread” Maybe if the University begins to acknowledge the potential prevalence of drugs campus, they can begin to develop support systems and awareness for those suffering from drug abuse.

Try and you will succeed THIS week’s issue of Exeposé welcomes a first for your student newspaper. This week we celebrate sporting excellence at the University by hosting an eight page sports special. The pull-out offers full coverage of the Rugby Varsity match, between Exeter

“Exeposé strives to present content that students want to read and we hope that the Varsity pull-out will offer something new for our diverse readership” University Rugby Football Club (EURFC) and Team Bath 1st XV. These two teams have a highly competitive history and we looked forward to the task of covering this tense occasion.

We hope that you enjoy the cov-

EDITORS DEPUTY EDITORS

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Not to be sniffed at THIS week’s drugs investigation by Exeposé shows that cocaine is being used in many buildings across campus.

Whilst to some it might be unsurprising that cocaine was found in the RAM and Lemmy, positive swabs in academic and administrative buildings are possibly more surprising.

No one at Exeposé is naive enough to think that drug use doesn’t happen on campus, but our findings suggest that the prevalence of drugs is more widespread than expected. Cocaine should not be found in Northcote House, the Library or in toilets at the end of the Guild Corridor. The results suggest that drug use across campus extends to the entire population of Streatham campus, including students, staff and vistors to the grounds.

In 2008, Exeposé carried out a similar investigation, with similar results. Five years later, it seems that little action has been taken to address

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erage of the match, and that students engaged in sport, or simply interested in sports journalism will recognise the efforts of the Exeposé team this week.

Credit is due to the statisticians, photographers, writers and members of the editorial team, who have worked tirelessly (for over 100 hours!) to pull together the Varsity coverage.

Working on a new project can be daunting, and it is undeniable that this project was unchartered waters for us.

We felt that it was important for your student newspaper to reflect the interests of all students at the University of Exeter. The Varsity is a big part of university life, of interest to many more than the 3,000 students who attended the match. Exeposé strives to present content that students want to read, and we hope that the Varsity pull-out will offer something new for our diverse readership.

Thanks to those who helped proof this issue: Megan Furborough, Elli Christie, Will O’Rourke, Dale James, Conor Byrne, Meg Lawrence, William Cafferky, Liz Moore, Amrita Pal, Will Binks, Josh Gray, Charles Foster Kane, Kate Gray, Alex Phelps, Emma Holifield, Rory Morgan, Tom Elliot, Colin Bugler, Niklas Rahmel, Vanessa Tracey, Bethany Stuart, John Eustace and members of the Exeposé editorial team

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Zoe Bulaitis & Tom Payne Ben Murphie & Ellie Steafel

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Exeter student speaks out about her experience as a sugarbaby I did the work, I got paid, I then took the coward’s way out and ignored him. There is no guilt, he could afford the money I received. This was the right thing to do

Anonymous

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IT is unarguably exciting, having the interest of a rich and powerful older man. I can see the financial benefits of having a ‘Sugardaddy’, and I applaud the self-containment of girls who use their natural advantages to pay for an education without compromising their integrity. No one has the right to degrade the method they choose to fund something that will give them financial independence and allow them to grow intellectually. Marcus Beard’s facetious comment in the last issue of Exeposé about students choosing to ‘fuck and suck’ their way through university was insulting; they would almost definitely not be fucking and sucking older men if they weren’t receiving the means to support themselves. Attention should not lie with the standards of these students, but the society which provides the environment in which this happens.

“Attention should not lie with the standards of these students [...] society provides the environment in which this happens” Neither the arrangement itself, nor the payment is the issue. Personally, it’s just something about the inauthenticity of these arrangements that I find troubling. Meeting ‘the man’, in the pub

where I worked over the summer, was initially exciting. He was the managing director of a firm I knew, and I had inadvertently and unknowingly been following his career path simply through personal interest. I googled extensively to check if I was being conned; I was not. This shared interest seemed for me the main thing keeping us in contact.

I had visions of Carey Mulligan in An Education, talking to cultured, accomplished people, smoking indoors in a ‘classy’ way, whilst drinking wine that cost more than £3.99. Unfortunately, this is not the sixties, and phones can send photos. After repeated requests for photos of my bum, the feeling of this being slightly sleazy crept upon me.

However, I forcibly persisted in the idea that ‘the man’ and his friends enjoyed my company. I knew of his intentions, but I felt assured enough to be able to handle these appropriately, and get some work experience into the deal. My mother was fully behind this idea, “for the reference!”

It saddens me a bit. I would never want a daughter of mine to be in a situation where she is appreciated only for her youth and looks, in order to get something beneficial for her future career. I did the work, I got paid, I then took the coward’s way out and ignored him. There is no guilt, he could afford the money I received, and I felt that this was the right thing to do. I found out he was married, so with the morality of taking money for work that doesn’t really deserve it being questionable, I decided that the only solid “right”, would be to allow his wife a husband who wasn’t considering adultery with a girl 20 years younger. Or with me

at least. The whole experience was underwhelming, if not for the anger I subsequently feel at men who have the advantages of age and wealth, with which to manipulate others. I felt ambivalent about being considered only for the way I looked; every woman experiences this, but I was left with the knowledge, however unjust, that in 20 years’ time my partner could consider the same thing.

“There is nothing genuine or honest in your connection with each other, however much SeekingArrangement will tell you otherwise” ‘Sugardaddy’ relationships work on the basis of money and sex; there is nothing genuine or honest in your connection with each other, however much SeekingArrangement will tell you otherwise. It is purely a financial transaction; unfortunately you are using yourself as the service or product you offer. If you think that you can either separate yourself from the feelings of unease, or fully throw yourself into an artificial relationship through ‘arrangement’, then this is for you. The blunt truth is you cannot have an ‘arrangement’ where the benefactor is feeling unwanted. “No, I don’t want you to see me naked” is an obvious turn off. Playing avoidance is temporary, and giving in is horribly unsettling. Both involve lying in your whole conduct towards one person, just for money; the worst thing I took from this experience is how easily it can become habit.

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The SSB: gone but not forgotten Following the cancellation of the most popular of Exeter balls, Exeposé invited you to have your say.

Was the end of the SSB a necessary inevitability or a misguided mistake

Cartoon: Charlotte Micklewright

Alex Green BY now we’ve probably all heard that the curtain has fallen on the SSB. Irrespective of whether we approve or not, I can’t help but be sympathetic to the Guild’s position in the face of the unanimously negative media coverage – but should that coverage really have been such an important factor in their decision to cancel the event?

The Telegraph, one of the few broadsheet papers to touch the story, took its usual, laughably transparent swipe at political correctness by downplaying the casual racism of the tribal theme: apparently, the fact that this premise would not be understood as racist by most of the student body meant it was not racist, full stop – but what breeds racism if not ignorance?

The Sun featured a bold appeal for people who knew the two ‘romping students’ in question to come forward and share their story, while at the same time explaining why the filming

It is hard to take the scandalised preaching of a populist, perennially intolerant, blaringly hypocritical press seriously of the video constituted an invasion of privacy – seemingly without any irony whatsoever. However, my favourite was the ‘Degrees in misogyny’ article published by that legendary stalwart of gender equality: the Daily Mail. A glance at the newsfeed and the main picture insert and you could be forgiven for assuming the article

“There is no doubt in my mind that RAG should do some soul-searching over whether the SSB was sexually or racially insensitive” only planned to showcase the more revealing pictures it had managed to acquire, perhaps going on to accuse the girls pictured (was it only girls in attendance at the SSB? – none of the papers printed images of boys) of

being underweight, overweight, too concerned about their weight or not concerned enough about their weight.

And yet surprisingly, and not unlike the proverbial pot to our kettle, DM attacked what it called a ‘culture of sexual bullying and voyeurism’ at the University of Exeter. Although I do welcome authors Paul Bracchi and John Stevens’s elegantly self-aware and impressively poignant foray into satirical writing, I hope their readership understood the joke.

There is no doubt in my mind that RAG should do some soul-searching over whether the SSB was sexually or racially insensitive, but I find it hard to take the scandalised preaching of a populist, perennially intolerant and blaringly hypocritical press seriously.

The Guild should not have taken their hysterical reactions into account in its decision to cancel the SSB – these papers have all too frequently shown

The Guild are only concerned with media image, not student opinion or the charities Clara Plackett Arts Editor WHETHER The SSB is your idea of a good night or not, there is no denying that the Guild’s recent cancellation of the event is symptomatic of complete mismanagement. Instead of accepting that mistakes have been made with this year’s SSB and trying to ensure that these are never repeated again, cancelling the event entirely shows that the Guild are only concerned with the current media image of the university, rather than student opinion and the charities which benefit enormously from the SSB. It is a great shame that The Eddystone Trust, who work so hard to provide free and confidential Sexual Health Services, will lose out on £20,000 worth of funding, and that other campus-based charities such as Community Action will be losing out too. The absence of

the SSB will also give companies like Original Sin more opportunities to put on similar events, with no guarantee that any of the proceeds will reach a charity. If events like the SSB begin to fall outside the university’s control there is a potential for even more scandals involving students to emerge, and these will still reflect badly upon the university as whole, even if the university is not actually responsible for organising them.

Although the Guild plans to provide an “alternative event” it remains unclear as to how closely this will resemble the original SSB. Another big ball is bound to be very popular, but if the Guild follow their promise to “reinvent the SSB, maintaining its strong assets” and hold another event where students still go out in their underwear, then there was no point in a “cancellation” anyway.

To me, the cancellation of the ball is a brash reaction to a flood of negative coverage in the press, and, ironically, cancelling the event has fuelled public criticism of Exeter University in the media regardless.

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The real victims are the charities - cancelling the SSB is a rash response borne out of fear Jess Newton I HAVE never been the Guild’s biggest fan, but this really takes the cake. Their behaviour is becoming as boring and predictable as a soap opera, not to mention arbitrary. I can’t imagine what they hope to achieve by cancelling SSB, but I foresee nothing but negative results.

Surely alienating and angering thousands of students that have enjoyed the SSB responsibly during their time at Exeter risks the Guild’s reputation as student representatives. Considering that, despite a pointed effort this year, interest in the elections dropped yet again, this is surely a chance that they cannot afford to take. If they continue sucking the fun out of everything, how can they expect to maintain an affinity with the student population? Cancelling the event that unites all students, regardless of their degree subject or extra-curricular interests will leave a big hole in our university’s social calendar.

Of course, where there is demand, there is supply. The SSB will live on under a different heading; it will be taken on by a profiteering events company and made cheaper and probably less respectable. The real victims will be the charities; nothing raises money like the SSB. Sex sells, so why not let it sell for a good cause? The press may have clouded over the issue of the mas-

sive lapse in Guild security with their sex-based observations and virtually ignored the event’s charitable purpose, but rolling over and admitting defeat does Exeter students no favours. In cancelling the SSB, the Guild not only shows weakness in not reaching a satisfactory solution, but actually seems to accept the accusations of promiscuity that have been levelled at Exeter students in the aftermath of the scandal.

They are supposed to be on our side; instead they have effectively held up a banner to the world saying: ‘You were right, Exeter students are sluts’.

The Guild will claim that cancelling the SSB is in the long-term interest of its students. Not content with constantly bashing our heads in about employability on a 9 to 5 basis, they have expressed concerns about how our social behaviour will affect our futures.

Cancelling the SSB in response to a bit of negative press is just an extension of this, a rash response borne out of fear. They can’t honestly believe that employers will hold a black mark against our name because of this. Why, because it’s the one university where students get drunk and have sex?

The Guild cannot ignore how fundamentally important the social side of university is to the student experience.

Instead of cancelling our version of Christmas in an autonomous display of power, the Guild needs to give up on its delusions of grandeur and unchallenged respectability and get back on a level with its students before they lose us forever.

Dale James

THE revelation that the SSB has been cancelled indefinitely by the Student Guild does not come as any sort of surprise but it’s still hard to tell whether or not it was the right call.

I’ll try not to go into a high-minded moralizing lecture, but I am against not what the SSB stood for but the way that it was managed. I am a first year, but mature student, writing this having only heard of all-manner of crazy and unsavoury things which have surrounded the popular SSB from second or third year students, the event has and will be remembered as the stuff of legends for sure.

“Exeter, the university only just accepted into the prestigious Russell Group having its name dragged through the mud in such a scandalous manner would be nothing short of an unmitigated disaster for students and staff alike” When the story of the CCTV scandal broke my first thought was that the Guild should focus on containment and damage control, if word of this reached national press then it would spell a PR disaster not only for the University but for the

The University should rethink structure of first year

Helena Bennett argues that University shouldn’t be about learning everything there is to know about one discipline Helena Bennett

In a lot of ways, the first year of university can seem like an easy ride –many feel they can relax slightly and focus on enjoying the ‘university experience’ before the serious studying starts in year two. From an educational standpoint this brings many advantages. UK students are the most examined in Europe, and it seems healthy to have at least one year in our lives when we can just enjoy studying our chosen subject without spending hours every week agonising over that one grade boundary-defining mark.

However, as of this year and for the forseeable future, each year at university means three times as much debt as it did a year earlier. People will therefore undoubtably start to question whether the nine thousand we pay in our first year shouldn’t be spent on something more useful than getting us settled into university and bringing everyone up to the same level.

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Personally, I haven’t found this first year very inspiring at all. My course is nothing like I had hoped and many of my friends have said the same. But that’s not to say it hasn’t been useful to me: all the free time I didn’t have when working towards my A Levels has, ironically, given me a chance to do what you’re meant to do before applying to UCAS, i.e. reflecting on what you want to do with your life and working out which would be the best degree to help you get there. Better late than never!

“Personally, I haven’t found this first year very inspiring at all. My course is nothing like I had hoped and many of my friends have said the same. But that’s not to say it hasn’t been useful to me” The current system for choosing higher education in this country essentially expect people to have made these decisions by the age of seventeen, and I know we feel pretty grown-up and sorted by that stage, but most of us are

going to live until we’re about eighty.

That’s a lot of pressure concentrated on a couple of years’ decision time.

So many people end up changing their course that it almost seems silly to have us each apply for one fixed degree programme. This is why on some level I believe it would be helpful for everyone to start in the first year with something comparable to Flexible Combined Honours and then specialise in second year. I myself am changing to Arabic and Persian in September; when my school started to encourage us to plan for university at the start of year twelve I was barely aware it might be an option. Had I been encouraged, like my parents and aunt during the 1980s, to take modules from three different areas that interested me, I could have saved the fifth lot of nine thousand I’ll now have to pay on top of a four year course.

Aside from my personal experiences, I think that university shouldn’t just be about learning everything there is to know about one discipline – it should be about learning as much as possible about as many things as possible. An un-counted first year has the potential to contribute a lot more to that than it does now.

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If the story could have been prevented from reaching an international audience, the SSB could have survived student community here. Exeter, the university only just accepted into the prestigious Russell Group having its name dragged through the mud in such a scandalous manner would be nothing short of an unmitigated disaster for students and staff alike.

Alas, the Guild failed in containing the story and media such as the Daily Mail, The Express, and even The Sun went wild with it with reports ranging from the disdainful (guess who?) to the humorous (and again).

If the story could have been prevented from reaching an international audience then I really think that the SSB could have survived its latest and last controversy but as soon as the story reached international outlets the beloved event for many was a dead-man-walking. Students can protest against the SSB being led to the gallows all they want but in this case they really need to look at this from the perspective of the University. The British media is ruthlessly efficient at demonization and if the image being painted of Exeter University is an unpleasant one what does that tell prospective students and their families? Even more so what message does that send out to international students which make studying and living here so much richer?

I cannot light-foot around this: If the media is depicting Exeter University as a tacky campus twinned

with scenes one would associate with a brothel people will begin to shun it, resulting in falling student numbers and public support. The Guild was therefore forced to distance itself from the scandal and put an end to the SSB as a last resort in damage mitigation, it’s simple as that.

“If the media is depicting Exeter University as a tacky campus twinned with scenes one would associate with a brothel people will begin to shun it, resulting in falling student numbers and public support” Critics of the SSB, especially students, are frequently labelled with all manner of derogatory terms such as “fugly”, “frigid”, and “fatty” but they hold the high ground here: Perception is reality to media soaks and sex is a taboo subject in British society.

There is a time and place for sex and it is certainly not something to be flaunted around. There are other ways the Guild can promote the admirable message and charitable nature of the SSB but the event needs a serious doover before it can fly again.

Nic Craig discusses what it was really like running for Guild President Nic Craig Hi, my name is Nic Craig, and I’m not your Guild President (but I wasn’t far off). Whether you’re a candidate, a voter or like two thirds of the University, a completely disinterested party, I think I speak for everyone in Exeter when I say that I’m glad that elections week is over. What you don’t see though, is that behind the flyer that gets shoved in your face by the shoddily drawn t-shirt, there is an awful lot of time and effort that goes into the elections from hundreds of people. As a candidate who came extremely close to winning - just four first preference votes separated myself and Hannah Barton - you might think that it has all been a giant waste of time for me, but surprisingly, it’s been massively rewarding.

My decision to run for Guild President was a last minute affair, made only 11 days before voting opened. In that time I assembled a team who between us covered a huge number of tasks from writing and polishing my manifesto to designing a logo & brand to sourcing funding for 2000 ‘Click Nic’ pens (sorry if you got one that didn’t work).

Come the opening of voting on the Friday morning, the free breakfast did

little to soften the 7am start (feel free to question my true reasoning for running), but it was fantastic to get underway with campaigning. The week was a massive rollercoaster of emotions, but on the whole it as an awful lot of fun. Personal highlights included playing campaign cricket, taking a dip in freezing Peter Chalk fountain and oddly enough, the Presidential debate. Above all, however the opportunity to meet and talk to so many students about their time in Exeter was what made the week so memorable.

Although to most, us candidates are an irritating bunch who are determined to chase you up Stocker Road to better our C.V. and win £18k, the reality is that we all care about representing the student body and making positive changes at the University; perhaps our failure to properly convey this message is the reason behind the drop in turnout this year.

I’d like to thank my team for their tireless efforts; it’s through their hard work that I got so much enjoyment out of the week. I ran for President because I wanted to better everyone’s time in Exeter and for each and every student to be well represented; with Hannah Barton, we will get that, which means a good result for all. I went into the process with nothing to lose, and despite not winning, I have gained an awful lot from the experience; now to pick up my degree which seems to have fallen by the wayside!

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Episode IV: a new Pope Rachel Alcock-Hodgson looks back on the eight year tenure of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI Photo: www.educadora91.com

Famous Benedicts

Pope Benedict IX Benedict IX became the first pope to resign in 1045. After a scandalous time in the Vatican, including gay sex romps and various immoralities, he sold the Papacy to his godfather, who become Pope Gregory VI. After a complicated few years involving multiple attempts to return to the Papal throne followed by further resignations, he was eventually driven out for good in 1048.

IN an almost unprecedented move, Pope Benedict XVI is to resign from office at the end of the month after an announcement on Monday.

Having been elected at the age of 78 in 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) was one of the oldest new popes in history. He is now the first Pope to resign in 600 years. At the age of 85 he says old age has made it impossible to carry out the job as it needs to be done.

The Pope’s announcement left his cardinals reeling. One of those called to hear the announcement, the Mexican prelate Monsignor Dr Oscar Sánchez, said none of the cardinals had expected it. “The Pope took a sheet of paper and read from it. He just said that he was resigning and that he would be finishing on February 28...The cardinals were just looking at one another. Then the pope got to his feet, gave his benediction and left. It was so simple; the simplest thing imaginable. Extraordinary. Nobody expected it. Then we all left in silence.

There was absolute silence … and sadness.”

Even the official spokesperson for the Vatican admitted he had been taken by surprise. But the brother of the German-born Pope said the pontiff had been advised by his doctor not to take any more transatlantic trips and had been considering stepping down for months.

The BBC’s David Willey in Rome, said that although the news was a shock, the signs had been there to read. The 2013 Easter vigil mass, perhaps the most im-

portant liturgy of the year, usually celebrated at midnight, had been scheduled for early evening this year to allow the Pope to retire well before midnight.

In his statement the pontiff said that “in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to steer the ship of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me.”

His resignation shows an acknowledgement of the rigours of the job and moreover the “strength of mind and body” required to steer the church through the modern age.

“He lacked the energy and focus for substanial reform” Overshadowed by sexual abuse scandals, Pope Benedict’s papacy has received mixed reactions. He has said that he never wanted to be Pope and as a piano-playing academic, was a direct contrast to the charismatic John Paul II. However, he was not the out-and-out reactionary that he was predicted to be.

He oversaw a number of modernisations especially in engagement with the media as the Holy See began to communicate to the world via the Internet and Twitter (the latter sometimes in

his beloved Latin - the language he used for his resignation statement).

He did remain theologically conservative throughout his tenure. To a rapidly changing modern Western world, his pronouncements on gay marriage seemed harsh and out of kilter with the changing times. But this was a man who was suspicious of making accommodations to a fickle and individualistic world hell bent on the pursuit of pleasure.

Regarding the question of contraception, he argued that condoms should be used by prostitutes but that they were not an answer to “the evil of HIV infection” and that the “sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalisation of sexuality” where sexuality is no longer an expression of love, “but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves.”

In contrast to John Paul II, he met time and again with victims of sex abuse and took action against some of those who the institutional Church had sheltered for decades.

But he lacked the energy and focus for substantial reform of the various Vatican ministries that would have made the actions of bishops and priests transparent and truly accountable - a huge task for any man, let alone an ageing academic.

One of the organisations representing victims of Catholic clergy in Ireland’s notorious orphanages and industrial schools, said the outgoing pontiff had broken his promise to offer justice

for the crimes of priests and other members of religious orders.

John Kelly, co-founder of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, said: “In our view we were let down in terms of promises of inquiries, reform and most importantly of all the Vatican continuing not to acknowledge that any priest or religious found guilty of child abuse would face the civil authorities and be tried for their crimes in the courts.”

“Benedict’s resignation marks the increasing awareness of the Catholic Church’s need for modernisation” While a resignation in full freedom and properly published is fully within the rights of a Pope, it is extremely rare and has created a furore in the European media. Ezio Mauro, chief editor of Italy’s La Repubblica daily calls the Pope’s shock resignation on health grounds an “eruption of modernity”. The editor of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Bernd Riegert, calls the Pope’s move “a courageous step, a revolutionary step”.

“He has helped himself to freedom, he is setting boundaries. No longer will successors be able to cling onto their office.”

It is unclear who the successor will be, but Benedict’s resignation seems to be a mark of the increasing awareness of the Catholic Church’s need for modernisation.

Benedict Cumberbatch Mr Cumberbatch is possibly the most prominent Benedict in Britain today. At the age of only 36, he has had an incredibly successful movie career in films such as Atonement and Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy. This success has extended to TV with the series Sherlock. He is commonly considered a heaththrob.

Eggs Benedict Eggs Benedict is a popular dish made of two halves of an English muffin, topped with ham, poached eggs and hollondaise sauce. It’s commonly served at breakfast or brunch, and there are numerous varieties. The dish is available on the breakfast menu at Bill’s for £6.95.

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Equality is on the horizon

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With the recent passing of the same-sex marriage bill and to highlight LGBT history month, Exeposé Features looks at the issues behind the change to the legal definition of marriage in Britain LISTENING to the debate over the introduction of gay marriage is fascinating. Only this government could introduce a measure that appears so popular and have it met by muddled half-hearted support surrounded by grumblings of even semi-coherent disapproval.

Now I will say only this of the political process behind the change. It is true that no-one voted for it in the 2010 general election because no-one proposed it and there has been little or no consultation. Opinion polling does show that only a minority support depriving homosexual couples of any rights, but whether or not the majority support changing the definition of ‘marriage’ is far from clear. It is this substantive issue which is so important.

What is key here is the fact that marriage and its’ definition is not a private matter. It is a social institution, it is public property as it were. The rights, preferences or interests of individuals should have no sway over the definition of such public property. I feel wholeheartedly that this is the angle we must look at: whether or not we should effectively change the definition of marriage.

Those often in support of gay marriage view it as the right of every consenting couple to get married. They view it as the right of a man or woman to publicly demonstrate their love to another and commit. But that in itself does not give a reason to change the definition.

“What is key here is the fact that marriage is not a private matter, it is a social instituion” For example, a religious marriage (for most faiths in the UK at least) is not legally binding - and so does not meet this criterion that homosexual marriage will - which I’m sure most religious people would view as drastically more important than the legal binding of a state sponsored marriage. These people go through the civil marriage process to achieve the legal rights. In terms of actual rights, gay men and women have already achieved near parity in the many rights civil partnerships give. The truth of the love and commitment surely comes from the couple, the name is worthless.

A union without this does not magically gain it when called love.

But if marriage is a public and social institu-

tion, for society’s benefit, then what is that benefit? That everyone is in a loving relationship? Well, you can do that without being married, so it can’t be that. To make sure that everyone has the same legal rights? Well, that’s already been achieved without this change in the definition of marriage.

“I do not believe society has anything to gain by giving state endorsement to homosexual relationships any more than heterosexual relationships” For me, society benefits because it is able to endorse a set of values and forms of conduct whereby we have children and perpetuate society. This sounds like a tiny part of marriage, but I argue there is nothing more fundamental in nature than reproduction and continuation of ourselves. And I argue this social institution is about trying to get all its members to raise the new generation, the continuation of ourselves, in the best way possible.

As is commonly spouted on TV and radio, ‘marriage is the best condition in which to raise children’, and I agree.

This is not to slate single mothers and fathers, I myself was raised by a single mother for 20 out of 21 years of my life. I merely argue that the most worthwhile reason for marriage is for its adherents to state t h a t

they intend to a raise family and wish to do so in the guise that society would prefer.

This is why, of course, we used to have laws that made adultery illegal and made divorce impossible without evidence of some outside element that made the marriage untenable (such as impotence or infidelity). It was because the state tried to make it hard for couples to split and endanger the good upbringing of the next generation. That was the sole purpose of the state’s interference.

This is why I do not support ‘gay marriage’ as it is termed. I do not believe society has anything to gain by giving state endorsement to homosexual relationships any more than heterosexual relationships. What do I care about what goes on in your bedroom and why do I care that you love each other? But, as a member of society, I care that you bring up your children in the happiest and most secure situation we can all structurally provide.

“I simply don’t view this as a matter of equality” I simply don’t view this as a matter of equality. This is an issue of what marriage is as a social institution and what it means for society. It is not just something which can be played around with personal preferences, but has to be focussed on the family nature of marriage. This is why I remain uncovinced by the change in the definition of marriage.

JAMES CROUCH FEATURES EDITOR

FOR advocates of equal rights, gay rights activists, and many ordinary citizens in British society, the news this week that gay marriage is to finally be legalised in Britain has met with joy, relief, surprise, and celebration. 400 MPs in the House of Commons voted in favour of legalising gay marriage and 175 voting against. Prime Minister David Cameron enthusiastically announced: “Last night’s vote will be seen not just as making sure that there is a proper element of equality, but also helping us to build a stronger and fairer society”. Ed Miliband agreed with Cameron, stating: “this is a proud day and an important step forward in the fight for equality in Britain”. But there has been a considerable backlash, particularly from other politicians who strongly oppose plans to legalise gay marriage.

The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 first declared that a marriage is void if the respective partners are not male and female, while same-sex marriages were simultaneously prohibited in Northern Ireland and Scotland. However, in 2004 the Civil Partnership Act was passed and came into effect in December 2005, granting same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities of marriage but not allowing gays to marry in the sense that heterosexual couples are able to. There has been increasing levels of support for gay marriage in the UK, with a June 2012 survey showing that 71 per

cent of the British population were in favour of same-sex marriage.

In Europe, the situations regarding same-sex marriage vary substantially.

Same-sex marriage is currently legalised in Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. In contrast, however, the constitutions of countries including Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia and Ukraine define marriage strictly as being between a man and a woman. Despite this, the situation in Europe is incomparably better in relation to gay rights in other continents.

In Africa and some parts of Asia, for instance, continuing hostility remains, while the execution of a 16 and a 17year old in Iran, allegedly for homosexuality, shocked the world displaying how gay rights are not universally accepted by any means. The Iranian President notoriously denied that homosexuals even existed in Iran.

“Will we see our society becoming even more equal, or will hostility continue?”

So, is it likely that the gay marriage bill will be passed in Britain, and samesex marriages will finally be legalised?

Will we see our society becoming even more equal, or will continuing hostility mean that this is only a dream, with no hope of becoming reality? This is such a controversial issue that it is unlikely that anyone will ever be completely satisfied. What can be noted, however, is how gays have been granted increasing rights over a long period of time, with the concept of same-sex marriage generating more acceptance and support in a forward-thinking, liberal society. But issues of religion and tradition remain critical, meaning that the road to gay marriage on the same basis as heterosexual marriage is likely to be paved with troubles.

CONOR BYRNE

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FEATURES

Celeb matters

19 FEBRUARY 2013 |

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Exeposé

Meg Lawrence asks whether the views of celebrities really matter in our society?

CELEBRITY is the new religion. But did you realise it’s also the new oracle of reason? It’s nothing new, since the golden age of cinema celebrities have used their fame and public position to voice ideas about politics and society. But in this modern age, where social media is at its height, celebrities have an unparalleled opportunity to share their opinions with the world. How thoughtful.

Don’t believe me? On Twitter, the most followed people are Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, whose followers amount to over 100M. If you have an interest in politics, you might like to know that Barack Obama takes fifth place on this list, with 26M followers. Clearly there are many who want to hear what Justin had for breakfast, but when do the opinions of celebrities become overbearing? We all have the right to exercise our freedom of speech, but when does this cross the line?

I’d hazard a guess that the answer is when they have absolutely nothing to add to intellectual debate. For example, in a recent interview surrounding his new Die Hard movie, Bruce Willis condemned any gun laws that could infringe rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the US Constitution. Whilst Willis dismissed links between his new gunfilled movie and his protests against the proposed legislation, it is rather coincidental that he chose to promote both at the same time. Bruce Willis is an action movie star. The debate should be confined to how good an actor he is, not his views on gun legislation. The day Barack Obama appears in the latest Die Hard movie we can perhaps spare some time to listen to Willis’ political ramblings.

Dame Helen Mirren recently announced that she believed victims of date rape shouldn’t expect the issue to go to court. Mirren stated that she had been a victim ‘a couple of times,’ but believed it was a matter that should be sorted between those involved. This relates back to the dated ‘she was asking for it’ defence, which shows complete

disregard for the safety and respect of women. Even politicians should think twice before sharing their bigoted views with the world.

Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe backed Mirren’s statement, saying, ‘(a woman) should accept that she has got herself into that position. What’s she asking for? A cup of tea?’ It’s particularly frightening when a member of the party that leads our country holds such backward, harmful views.

According to the Home Office, 60,000 women are raped every year, but of these cases only ten per cent are known to the police, and of those known only six per cent result in a conviction. No wonder more women don’t come forward.

D e spite this, there are times, a l though I hate to admit it, when celebrity expression is invaluable.

Barack Obama’s 2012 election campaign was endorsed by celebrities such as Jay-Z, Stephen Spielberg and George C l o o n e y, each of w h o m w i l l have induced s o m e public opinion into voting for Obama. Am I guilty of only wanting celebrity endorsement when I happen to agree with the individual’s opinions? Maybe. But I satisfy myself that my opinions aren’t to the detriment of others.

Celebrities need to remember why they’re famous. While it may be great that Hilary Duff supported Obama, who really cares? We wouldn’t ask a chef to express their view on the latest medical advancements, so why should celebrities be able to express their opinions about areas which they have no expertise in?

If a famous person can use their status to motivate others to take action, it is to be applauded. But I would hope that they would think long and hard about the power of their influence. It’s easy to lose count of the number of celebrities who complain about intrusion into their private lives - I believe the greatest travesty is how they manage to intrude into ours.

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Tackling poverty: politi Elena Wason looks at the world’s progress in tackling poverty and asks

LAST week the deep issues of international development and poverty rolled past the media’s peripheral vision again, as they got mildly excited

by David Cameron’s co-chairing of the panel on the Post 2015 Development Agenda. The meetings aim to renew or refresh the Millennium Development Goals which expire in two years’ time, so world leaders are revelling in the opportunity to demonstrate their concern and commitment to helping those less fortunate. But what progress is really made when the cameras stop rolling and the leaders go back to their privileged lifestyles?

“Countries riddled with poverty are struggling with much more than not being able to feed everyone; they are more often than not at battle with entrenched disputes” The Millennium Development Goals were set up in 2000 by the UN, and served as a concrete commitment

to the world to achieve targets and put numbers on the amount of global progress made. Poverty eradication proudly featured as one of the eight goals, and the aim of halving absolute poverty was actually achieved as early as 2008.

This has been largely attributed to the rocket growth of India and China, two of the most heavily populated and fastest growing economies in the world, who through this growth have managed to pull millions of people out of poverty. But the means of progress, albeit slower, is still being offered in bitesize chunks to nations who continue to struggle, be this through the top-down or bottom-up approaches. The countries of the world have seized their pick-axes and are chipping away at the problem, declaring with determination: ‘we’re working on it’.

Mr Cameron quite rightly pointed out that the problem cannot be tackled by simply throwing money at countries and hoping that it ends up in the right place. There are many issues with development assistance that were ignored in the past, but thankfully have been increasingly coming to the forefront of the foreign affairs agenda. This ‘mod-

ern’ approach involves crucially looking at the reasons behind poverty and what keeps people poor, which are primarily factors such as a lack of rule of

“Countries of the world have seized their pick-axes and are chipping away at the problem declaring: ‘we’re working on it’” law, external and internal conflict, and government and institutional corruption. If the top-down approach is going to be implemented by these national and global institutions, then these barriers need to be knocked down before societies can be built up. Countries riddled with poverty are struggling with much more than not being able to feed everyone; they are more often than not at battle with entrenched disputes about religion, natural resources and undemocratic governments, to name a few.

The DebSoc debate on Friday raised some interesting points about poverty, asking whether it is something that the world could ever eliminate for

Big bucks for Becks

Adrien De Palmas looks at the high salaries of footballers and asks if more should take David Beckham’s philanthropist approach?

ONLY a few weeks after the astonishing revelations of Lance Armstrong in Oprah Winfrey’s talk show, the sports news is once again at the centre of attention: footballer David Beckham announced he was joining Paris St Germain (PSG) football club and giving away his entire salary. The 37-year-old footballer has surprised many by revealing his five-month contract with the Parisian football club and, above all, by deciding to give his huge salary, estimated at €800,000 per month, to a children’s charity.

Since the beginning of the economic and financial crisis, the salaries of celebrities have been highly topical and are a recurrent issue in the

news. For instance, the transfer of the Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic to PSG club last year for €20 million plus a €14 million monthly pay caused a lot of ink to flow in France.

“The footballer’s donation can be considered as quite small when compared with the wealth he has accumulated over time” In fact, when thousands of families all around Europe are having much trouble paying their debts and daily bills, many find it indecent that arrogant footballers are earning such high sala-

ries and are spending them outrageously. This time, one could have thought that David Beckham donating his salary to charities would have eventually calmed people down, but many criticisms have been made already.

The footballer’s donation can be considered as quite small when compared with the wealth he has accumulated over time. This new salary undoubtedly represents only a tiny part of his entire wealth, but does it really matter? How can someone be blamed for donating money to charitable organisations? However small a donation could be, the fact remains that it is a praiseworthy move for the good cause. Furthermore, this is not the first time David Beckham has decided to

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Not so innocent after all

Harrison Jones reflects on his experience of meeting disgraced politician Chris Huhne and offers his sympathetic opinion

ical or personal?

if we should be doing more to help the poor? good. It’s a tough question, but the one thing that the opposing sides agreed on was that we should never stop trying.

Political institutions have picked up on the fact that populations care about their fellow nations and therefore vote for those who also do, so spending on foreign aid is often used as a tool to further political interests. In reality though, does this matter if one way or another the world is getting somewhere in its fight to save people’s lives?

“Organisations such as ‘emerge poverty free’ specialise’ in this bottomup approach, working to empower women and give children a childhood” But it is not just political institutions that are at war with poverty. Independent from high-profile politics, just in the UK there are thousands of grassroots development charities who believe that we should not stop trying. Their budgets may not stretch into the billions, but each organisation works away at its give away part of his fortune to those in need. Indeed, he regularly makes donations to charities (Malaria No More, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children…) and has been the UNICEF ambassador since 1999.

“The debate should not be focused on how much money David Beckham is going to donate but rather on the reasons behind his donation and transfer”

The debate should not be focused on how much money David Beckham is going to donate but rather on the reasons behind his donation and transfer to the Parisian football club. Various facts tend to make the public sceptical as to David Beckham’s real intentions.

So why did he sign a contract with PSG? Is it for pure altruism? If David

specialist field. They crucially empower local communities to make change from the bottom up, rather than relying on the top-down approach and hoping that the highly absorptive upper layers of society will be saturated, and allow for a few drops to trickle down. Organisations such as emerge poverty free specialise in this bottom-up approach, working to empower women, to give vulnerable children a childhood, and to support sustainable farming projects as a few examples. Work such as this, and the real touchable impact it has, expresses that it is not merely government and UN involvement that is necessary for the world to develop and overcome poverty, it is the collaboration of institutions and people coming together that smashes the problem the hardest.

Do you want to make real change happen? emerge poverty free are working at Exeter to get students involved in the fight against poverty.

They are looking for a student ambassador and people to fundraise and campaign on behalf of those around the world whose voices are muffled.

Contact: info@emergepovertyfree.org

Beckham is to give his entire salary to a charity, he does not really have any financial incentive to join the French football club. Moreover, was he to actually earn this salary he agreed on with PSG, the 75 per cent tax law – yet-to-be-voted – applicable to households earning more than a million euros per year, would have driven away any financial motivation to join the Parisian club. In addition, his public image seems to be lucrative enough – his appearance in numerous commercials suggests so – to allow him not to continue his career as a footballer.

Another question that arises is why PSG agreed to sign the contract with David Beckham. After all, he is no longer the highly demanded footballer he was a decade ago. He is 37 years old and gave to understand last year, when leaving the Los Angeles club, that he thought of retiring. According to Nasser al-Khelaifi, President of PSG, “he’s a very proficient player and [I’m sure] he will add big volume to the club”. It is thus hard to understand why David

ELEVEN months ago, as the naïve editor of a college magazine, I knocked at a secreted, modest house in the heart of Eastleigh, and interviewed a charismatic, charming and (apparently) genuine, politician named Chris Huhne.

Tentatively raising the driving license affair that blighted – and has now ended – an esteemed political career in rather undignified fashion, he quickly distanced himself from any wrongdoing.

“I’ve said very clearly that I’m innocent. I intend to fight this in the courts, and I’m confident that the jury will agree with me.” He lied, before lying again in court. It was wrong, it was illegal, but was it really anything out of the ordinary?

In reality, this scandal would never have come to part had he not been caught speeding – a common offence, frequently irritating the general public since 1896.

“His fateful speeding ticket has eliminated any chance of fulfilling his potential. It leaves you wondering, for Huhne’s part, ‘what if ’” Yet after Huhne’s actions, public perception of politicians now rests at an increasingly dismal low, with many viewing them as cheats and liars. That is - of course – a sweeping generalisation, but arguably there are aspects of truth in it. You only have to look at the expenses scandal, which saw three Labour MPs and a Conservative peer imprisoned, to see that MPs are not always sincere.

Others highlight the list of broken Liberal Democrat pledges to show political corruption. Granted, there is a difference between manifesto pledges not being fulfilled in coalition, and perverting the course of justice. But nonetheless, it remains true that politics is not the most honest of professions, as exemplified by one of the most senior politicians in Britain, Nick Clegg. The Beckham will be part of the team only

“It is said that the arrival of the British footballer is nothing more than a way of drawing the attention away from the corruption scandal surrounding the World Cup”

for five months.

The press, and particularly the French press, suggests that it is no accident if David Beckham has joined PSG. With the Parisian football club being owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, it is said that the arrival of the British footballer is nothing more than a way of drawing the attention away from the corruption scandal surrounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In fact, it is believed that France supported the candidacy of Qatar for hosting the World Cup, following an unofficial

deputy prime minister claimed expenses on business class air travel, despite flying in economy during his time as an MEP, but never faced significant repercussions.

Ultimately then, the fate of politicians can often come down to luck.

Most have been evasive or misleading at some point, some just experience heavier consequences than others. Huhne had the disadvantage of contending with a revenge-driven ex-wife, on a crusade to bring down her former husband for an offence she was clearly party to.

When you consider what Huhne actually did, it is easy to feel a pang of sympathy. He was caught speeding hardly the crime of the century.

He then made two stupid decisions: to put the points on Vicky Pryce’s license and then to stick with the lie, because he wanted to maintain his career.

Yet this all happened 10 years ago - it seems a little harsh to bring the issue back up now. But it is upon margins such as these that the modern political career hinges - the phantom factor of luck plays a huge part. If someone pressed into events 25 years ago, they might find Cameron’s activities less than impressive, in the morally-toxic Bullingdon club at Oxford University, infamous for ritually ‘trashing’ restaurants.

Huhne was perfectly equipped to go all the way in politics, having attended Westminster school, the University of Paris and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he gained a first class degree in PPE. Starting out as a journalist, he achieved quickly at The Independent

and The Guardian, winning financial journalist of the year in 1989. The successes followed in politics, as his meteoric rise from MEP to leadership contestant in seven years saw him become a leading light in his party.

He also had a successful career in finance, becoming managing director of Fitch IBCA, and Vice-Chairman of Fitch Ratings. His economic CV then, ominously, is probably superior to that of the Chancellor, who reportedly dropped PPE because economics was “too hard.”

Yet, despite Huhne’s credentials, you can’t help but feel he’s underachieved in politics.

Though his record as an MEP was excellent, six years seems too long for a man with such ambition. Though he achieved much in his position as environment secretary, he’s certainly got the temperament to go higher. And though he fought valiantly in two leadership contests, he lost twice.

His fateful speeding ticket has eliminated any chance of fulfilling his potential, after last week’s resignation.

It leaves you wondering, for Huhne’s part, ‘what if?’

What if, had he remained a Labour supporter after graduating, would he have done under the Blair administration? What if, had he overcome the finest of margins and won the Liberal Democrat leadership, would the party’s fortunes have been under his stewardship? And most notably perhaps, what if, had he been the deputy prime minister in this coalition, would it’s fate have been?

Certainly, had he not been caught speeding and been in Clegg’s shoes, things would have been very different indeed, for the Liberal Democrats and perhaps even the country.

agreement between the former French President and the Emir of Qatar.

Others have suggested that Qatar may see David Beckham as

es again the controversial issue of the salaries paid not only to footballers but also to actors and singers. Are such high salaries justified?

a future influential trainer for its national football team and that this short-term contract with

PSG could therefore be seen as a bridge.

The transfer of David Beckham rais-

“He is no longer the highly demanded footballer he was a decade ago. He is 37 years old and gave to understand last year that he thought of retiring”

While some are concerned with signing contracts worth millions of pounds with clubs, producers or record companies, and spending excessively, it is worth remembering that over 3 billion people in the world live on less than $2.50 a day, according to the World Bank.

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LIFESTYLE EDITORS

Thomas Ling & Alex Tindall lifestyle@exepose.com

Anorexia FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @ExeposeLStyle

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Confronting the problem

Jasmeet Sansoye tells the true realities of living with an eating disorder DESPITE knowing that eating disorders are a very real and increasingly deadly problem, little is done to promote awareness of them and how to combat them. The government is focused solely on the obese population of this country, not those who are severely underweight, yet both sides of the scale have a common cause: mental illness.

I was 15 when I became anorexic.

Ironically, I wasn’t underweight – my BMI was 20 but anorexia was still having a big impact on me. Once a social butterfly, I isolated myself from my friends because parties meant calories, which were the enemy. I was envied by my friends for my figure but all I could see was an overweight, worthless girl when I looked in the mirror.

“My body began eating my muscle beacuse there were no fat reserves” Why did I become anorexic? I was bullied throughout school from the age of 10. I was perpetually told I was ugly and fat. My dad was an alcoholic and after a few drinks couldn’t control his tongue. Not only did I receive verbal abuse at school, but at home too.

I was constantly rejected by men and at that time, I thought that having a boyfriend was the only thing to give me worth. I hated myself. There was a point at which I couldn’t bring myself to look in the mirror without bursting into tears and hitting myself. Mostly, I became addicted to losing weight.

The euphoria of managing to eat less

than my ‘maximum calorie allowance’ (which was 500 kcals at my worst) and seeing the number on the scales dramatically drop gave me worth: I was finally good at something. If I was thin, I would be happy because you don’t see sad skinny people.

“I just wanted to be happy like my friends.

They ate what they wanted” It continued and it only worsened.

What no one tells you about EDs is that you don’t just get skinny, you suffer. My calorie intake wasn’t sufficient enough for my brain to function; an MRI revealed my brain had shrunk.

I would exercise obsessively at the detriment of my social life. My body began eating my muscle because there were no fat reserves and I therefore woke up with sores on my hips and ribs as my bones weren’t cushioned.

Rather than attract people to me and living out a buzzing lifestyle, as is often portrayed by the media, people pitied me and recoiled from me.

I couldn’t sit down for more than an hour without crying because my bottom was so bony. Eventually, I gave up anorexia. It wasn’t worth the physical pain or the emotional damage that I was causing my mother. At my worst, I was told by doctors that I had 2 weeks to live because my body was eating my organ muscle; organ failure is what commonly kills anorexics. I just wanted to be happy like my friends.

They ate what they wanted, went on holidays and partied. I spent the sum-

mer between year 12/13 in hospital recovering.

Having been fully recovered for almost 3 years, it worries me to walk around campus. Once you have had an ED, it is shockingly easy to spot other sufferers. The problem here is widespread because there is an unspoken pressure to conform to a certain image, which isn’t helped by the sexualisation of student nights out in Exeter. This only adds to the sinister feeling that we are all objects. Many times, I have approached people and asked them if they are okay because I have been there before. Contrary to popular belief, I wasn’t met with hostility. Instead, these despairing souls have thanked me, cried and let go of the silent burden that they are carrying.

It’s time we stopped fearing approaching this delicate subject. ED sufferers feel isolated and alone, like there is no one to talk to and we certainly don’t like approaching our family. This is where you can help, as friends and classmates.

Here are some tips on how to talk to someone you suspect may be suffering from an eating disorder: - Remember, just because they’re a healthy weight doesn’t mean they’ve not got an ED. Bulimics are generally a healthy weight but have disordered eating habits.

- Do they make excuses not to eat? Do they obsess over calories? Do they talk about food a lot? ED sufferers actually love food but they restrict their intake, so conversing about food is a way to indulge without the guilt. Furthermore,

they may talk about your eating habits to compare themselves with you and give themselves a ‘boost’ if you consume more.

“Sit down and talk with them, one on one, or with a group of friends that care and have concerns” - Have you noticed any other addictive/obsessive behaviour? This could be a sign. Having an ED is like an addiction and the steps to recovery are very similar to that of recovering from

drug abuse. When I was anorexic, I was also addicted to self-harming and had OCD. - Sit down and talk with them, one on one, or with a group of friends that care and have concerns. Don’t patronise them, just say that you have your concerns and that you are only speaking out because you care and don’t want them to hurt themselves. Make them feel like they do have value because majority of the time, we do it because we feel worthless. Don’t threaten them with going to the doctors because that will make them more reluctant to talk about their problems and will cause distrust.

The Facts

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where the sufferer drastically reduces their food intake to combat an irrational fear or gaining weight

One per cent of women in the UK between 15 and 30 suffer from anorexia 11 people in every 100,000 develop anorexia each year Around 40 per cent of anorexia sufferers never completely recover Men account for around 10 per cent of anorexia cases There are cases of anorexia nervosa in children as young as six, and some research reports cases developing in women in their 70s.

Around 46 per cent of anorexia nervosa patients fully recover A BMI below 17.5 is seen as indicative of anorexia nervosa Some research has found that female relatives of anorexia sufferers were 11.4 times more likely to suffer from anorexia compared to relatives of unaffected participants Research has found that 20 per cent of anorexia sufferers will die prematurely from their illness You can reach The Anorexia and Bulimia Care helpline by calling 03000 11 12 13

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CALUM BAKER @calumbkr Pope Benedict resigns a few months into Operation Yewtree. I’m saying nothing.

CONOR BYRNE @ConorByrnex Worst thing about being cateredthe staffs’ attempts at pancakes on Pancake Day. #blurgh RUPERT THE RAH @RupertTheRah Might run for the new #Pope position just for the #Banter...and the large wine cellar the Vatican holds. #StPetersLashilica BETHAN ROBERTS@bethanaroberts Eating Nutella directly from the jar is my new thing #health RACHEL BANKS @rachelhbanks Cheesey tuesdays has taken my soul. Thank god for robbie williams #angels TOM MURRAY@tmurrayfilms Just saw a man wave at his own reflection. Classic Exeter REECE MAYCOCK@ReeceMaycock_ Having no one to watch the footy with because all your friends are playing lacrosse or going to the varsity #PoshUniProblems #OnlyInExeter CHARLOTTE TOMLINSON @CharlotteATom Waitrose delivery to Birks #onlyinexeter JAMES CROUCH @TheBig_JC WHY DID THE POPE HAVE TO RESIGN ON A DAY WHEN I NEED TO DO AN ESSAY AND NOT WORK ON EXEPOSÉ FEATURES #breathe #breathe OWEN KEATING @owenkeats There is something very surreal about a stumbling lemmy reveller when you yourself are walking in the opposite direction, sober.

CHESSIE HUGHES@ChessieHughes That moment when it’s just You, Wiley and an Up Hill Sprint #gym #fitness RHYS GRAVELL@rhgravell Annoyed with @CheeseyTuesday. get there at 10, get in at 11.15, then stop playing music for 15mins. may have lost their biggest fan tonight.

MITCHELL TRAVIS @DrMitchTravis Reasons I should win the best overall lecturer at the Exeter teaching awards. 1) modern hair.

JONATHAN JENNER @JonJenner My grim refusal to leave a single coco pop behind is probably the chief reason for me being late of a morning #notobsessive #shitimissedone

19 FEBRUARY 2013 |

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Exeposé

Getting out of the closet and into the frying pan An anonymous student talks about their bisexual university experience FOR me, being bisexual means seeing the potential for beauty and loveable qualities in both male and female human beings. I absolutely love humanity (even if it can be fairly rubbish at times), and sometimes find it hard to understand how my heterosexual friends manage to avoid getting silly crushes on every beautiful and/or intelligent person they meet.

Obviously I’m not attracted to everyone on the planet – that would just be exhausting! But I’ve reached the stage where I can make the most of being attracted to men and women. I don’t get upset when Mr Darcy is off-screen in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, because I appreciate Elizabeth just as much. That’s not to say that being a sexual minority (i.e. not straight) is always a barrel of laughs – there’s a lot of worry that comes with it, normally attached to what people will think of me.

Will my female friends feel uncomfortable if I pay them a compliment? Will people I’m attracted to shy away from a relationship in case I’m unfaithful?

was younger, being bi tended to make me feel guilty, muddled and very very isolated. I got cross with myself every time I realised I was attracted to a girl, and tried desperately to repress those feelings. It also affected how I related to the men I found attractive. It was hard to choose between not mentioning it and feeling dishonest and undeserving, and mentioning it and risking uncomfortable and upsetting conversations which might ruin the relationship.

Growing up in a conservative, rural area made me believe all the horrible things people assume about bisexuality.

I hated myself for being greedy and indecisive. I knew that while my friends were ‘totally cool’ with men liking men, they would assume I was just attention-seeking if I admitted being attracted to women.

Luckily, I realised that this was all completely irrational, especially as I found it pretty hard to think of charac-

teristics all straight people must have instead of those that had been imposed on me by the vacuous world of the 15 year old girl. If not all heterosexuals find love like the hopeless fools you see in romcoms, there was no reason why I might be obliged to be promiscuous and unreliable. This was a weight off my mind, but it taught me something quite fundamental about the way society treats sexuality.

If I had been straight, I wouldn’t have had to reassure myself in this way, or tell my friends and family what my sexual orientation was. I wouldn’t have to explain to (usually drunk) acquaintances that I’m not a sex maniac or convince the more paranoid that being attracted to girls doesn’t mean I’m attracted to them.

Then again, if I hadn’t had to put up with those things, I’d be limited to admiring less than half of the world’s population!

“Bisexual people are never mentioned in media debates about same-sex marriage” Bi-erasure can also be pretty stressful – why are bisexual people never mentioned in media debates about samesex marriage? I might actually want to use that right in the future, but the focus is always on the views of the people who certainly won’t – straight people. On the whole, however, being aware of my sexuality makes me feel more at ease with the world and how I relate to it.

It hasn’t always been such a positive part of my life though. When I

Are you getting enough sleep?

Thomas Ling, Lifestyle Editor, talks about the dangers of sleep deprivation AS well as secretly not liking you, the chances are that your parents think you’re also quite lazy. In fact, there’s a whole anti-procrastinating mob gunning for you that’s full of people like Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield and part-time humanoid, who adamantly argue that “students don’t work hard enough”. In fact, just about everybody thinks that students are so lazy that they can’t even be bothered to finish typing out a simple paragraph without missing out the last few words, which is of course completely However, according to scientists, it’s actually very important for students not to push themselves too hard and to always get enough shut-eye. Sleep deprivation can be extremely dangerous, leading to poor memory, prevention of the body’s natural healing process,

acute weight loss or gain, poor memory, diabetes and loss of co-ordination.

Essentially, it makes you feel like Pete Doherty attempting the maze level on Takeshi’s Castle.

Predominantly, long term sleep deprivation essentially provides a huge kick to your mind nuts, unleashing a neurological cycle of disintegration.

Brain imaging has shown that sleep deprivation can boost its core emotional centres, which while initially causing mild grumpiness, can eventually lead to severe anxiety and depression. A sleep study of more than 5,600 people also found those who slept fewer than six hours a night were more likely to suffer a stroke than their well-rested counterparts. Don’t worry though - chronic sleep deprivation also affects high blood pressure and causes increased

susceptibility to heart disease and cancer! Silver linings and all that.

In the short term, an all-nighter can also render you about as useful as an inflatable anchor aboard a submarine.

Driven by a chemical called dopamine, the mesolimbic pathway (the neural circuit controlling enjoyment) is stirred, which causes the decision areas of the brain to shut down. Dopamine can produce a boost in motivation, general positivity and even sex drive. However, you can suffer from permanent brain damage if the mesolimbic pathway is excessively stimulated, meaning you’ll be unable to deal with unexpected situations. This all means that after a few all-nighters you’ll have to invest in some cotton buds just to stop your brain seeping out your eyes like a neural fondue.

It’s also very tempting to rely on energy drinks to keep concentration levels up all night, but this too can leave disastrous effects on the body. Excessive caffeine intake can actually cause a drop in concentration levels until your reality becomes so warped and confusing it’s like living in the film Inception, an irony you’ll be too tired to fully appreciate. Also, caffeine, in quantities of about 100mg (what you can find in a regular coffee) also causes increased gastric acid secretions in the stomach.

Although this may sound sexy, too much caffeine creates a kind of faecal Niagara Falls for your digestive system to deal with.

In summary, working late may sound a good idea, but in the end you’ll face a simple choice: get more sleep, or get more loo roll. Jumbo size.

Exeposé

| WEEK EIGHTEEN

Spotted, confessed, overheard...over-analysed?

Lifestyle’s new columnist, Emma Thomas, asks why Exeter students are so bothered about private and state schools “I CAN’T afford a MacBook so every morning, I steal a piece of fruit from breakfast and Sellotape it to the back of my Dell laptop so I can blend in with everyone else in the library and hide the fact that I am a state-school peasant.”

Ninety- eight ‘likes’ and several comments on the notorious “Exeter Student Confessions” Facebook page clearly showed that this tickling confession was a sentiment shared by many of us here at Exeter. Some of the confessions on the page, which admin shut down after the SSB scandal, were beyond explanation (“I looked up to see my roommate, completely starkers, pissing all over me”… whoever this was - you have my many condolences), but many seem to run along the theme of wealth and one’s schooling standard.

“Why does the choice of laptop so heavily influence our perception of others’ school history?”

This provokes a couple of questions: why does the choice of laptop in particular so heavily influence our perception of others’ school history?

And why do us “state-school peasants”

Blind Date

What Ronnie thought of Kate What were you hoping for before your date?

A chance to meet someone new and have an evening of brilliant conversation.

What were your first impressions?

Friendly, enthusiastic and a great smile - all you can ask for really!

What did you talk about?

We had a vast range of conversations - our mutual love of France, the Great British B a k e

lifestyle

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

feel so much in the minority? When I first read the anonymous confession, I laughed and thought, “Yes, another comp-school commoner like me!” …

Then I realized that I don’t quite fit into the category described. I did go to state school, but I also own a MacBook. To be honest, I feel more shame for the latter than the former, mostly through fear of being deemed a private school rah.

Sure, MacBooks are expensive, but it’s not necessarily an indicator of family wealth. For me, having worked 45 hour weeks over the summer in a sweltering kitchen, to afford a laptop I bought because of a knack of breaking anything less durable, takes a lot of the glamour out of owning it. I often wonder why the hell I bought the thing for uni, considering that I’m too embarrassed to actually use it on campus. But, more importantly, why do those of us who don’t hail from the private quarter feel so out of place?

According to The Complete University Guide the stats are actually 71:29, state school students being very much in the majority. We can’t deny that Exeter appears quite a middle-class university. Until freshers’ week you probably could’ve convinced me that lacrosse was just a fictional sport played in Mallory Towers. Apparently it’s commonplace! Who knew? And there

are certainly a lot of people wading through the concrete in Hunter wellies on a drizzly Monday morning. Looking like an aristocratic farmer seems something of a fashion around the Forum.

Off, the Guild Elections, our course (we both do Classics), music - we covered quite a lot of topics.

What mark would you give the evening out of ten?

A solid 8!

Any awkward moments at all?

I don’t think so!

Did the evening excel your expectations?

Yes absolutely - great company and great cocktails!

“Do people realize that true country folk wear overalls, not Topshop tweed jackets?”

I often wonder if these people realize that true country folk wear overalls, not the Topshop tweed jackets that are more and more frequently popping up within a sea of Hollister and Abercrombie and Fitch. Most farmers aren’t rich, as they’re paid a pittance for their produce. Trust me, I’m from Cornwall. But hey, after wearing soaking wet shoes all day I’m wishing I did the same.

Money is undeniably a focus of uni life, probably in part due to the hitch in tuition fees. Things like the “Chavs vs.

Rahs” nights perpetuate this awareness.

What would Owen Jones say?!

At one unrelated event a friendly guy told me of his parents’ second house in my hometown, assuming I’d be impressed. Unfortunately, as so many locals back home are unable to afford a

decent first home, I was not. Other students have been known to rave of their lord/lady position after a few beers at Timepiece. But, at the same time, I regularly have debates with friends about who went to the crappiest secondary school. One friend even proudly retells stories of the many times he’s been ‘jumped’ in Merthyr. “It’s like” says another- “people are saying: ‘I did it, against all the odds, now I’m here in my gilet!’”

“Money is undeniable a focus of uni life, probably in part due to the hitch in tuition fees” So what is it with the running class disparity joke at Exeter? The idea of sticking an apple segment to your laptop is hilarious, of course. But this isn’t Oxford; I highly doubt many people got in via a fat cheque to the chancellor from Daddy.

So, my confession of the week? It’s hard not to judge others when you feel like the odd one out, (guilty as charged), but, in the end, we all got here through academic merit, let’s just leave it at that.

19

Lonely Hearts Are you single and looking for friendship, or maybe more? Are you looking to meet someone but are too shy for Blind Date? Email lifestyle@exepose.com with the number you like the sound of and we’ll let them know. Message us too if you want to post your own lonely heart.

1 2

3 4

Fresher girl seeking older male student for romantic liaisons. Who knows where it could lead us?

Blonde bombshell of a man seeks date for the evening. Flexible on looks.

Just has to be willing.

Likes: Beekeeping, long walks in the park, strawberry picking, whale songs Dislike: Children, intimacy Second year history student seeking someone to wax my moustache, cradle me to sleep and rub my weenus. Delicately.

Part Iranian fourth year seeks friendship and maybe more. any bit of fun.

Looking for a girl with a good sense of humour.

When Ronnie Henderson spent the evening with Kate Gray?

Did you feel there was any romantic tension?

I though there was a little...

Do you think they fancied you?

I’d like to think so...

What was their most attractive physical feature?

I’d have to go with her eyes.

What was the worst thing about them?

The fact that she hasn’t seen Gladiator - as a Classicist this is quite unforgivable!

“Do you think they fancied you?

I’d like to think so...”

By the end of the night was there a hug, kiss or something more? If so, how was it?

We hugged goodbye - it was very, erm, nice!

Would you meet up with them again?

Yes, it would be great to have another opportunity to chat.

Snog, marry or avoid?

I definitely would not avoid, the idea of marriage may be a tad early, but a snog wouldn’t go amiss!

What Kate thought of Ronnie What were you hoping for before your date?

A good night, good company and good conversation.

What were your first impressions?

Smartly dressed, nice glasses, and tall, but then again, everyone’s tall to me...

What did you talk about?

Food, skiing, travelling and hunting...

Living up to Exeter stereotypes, apparently!

Any awkward moments at all?

Only when an Xpression social formed around us...

Did you feel there was any romantic tension?

Not really, but I wasn’t expecting fireworks from a blind date!

“Do you think they fancied you?

I didn’t pick up on anything” Do you think they fancied you?

I didn’t pick up on anything...

What was their most attractive physical feature?

Height. I like ‘em tall.

What was the worst thing about them?

A Classics student that’s never been to Italy?!

By the end of the night was there a hug, kiss or something more? If so, how was it?

Just a hug. It was nice.

What mark would you give the evening out of ten?

A fairly respectable 7.5. It was enjoyable, and I felt comfortable just chatting away with him.

Did the evening excel your expectations?

Yes, it was really nice to have so much in common to talk about.

Would you meet up with them again?

Maybe, as friends.

Snog, marry or avoid?

It’s a bit soon for that...

Exeposé

| WEEK EIGHTEEN

RUGBY VARSITY 2013

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

21

The Rugby Varsity 2013 Photo: Josh Irwandi

29 - 6 Will Binks at Sandy Park, Exeter EXETER 29 BATH 6

EXETER recovered from a scare at half time to record a convincing victory over Bath in the Varsity match at Sandy Park last Wednesday.

Having led 3-0 at the interval, Bath

imploded in the second half as Exeter romped home to a 29-6 victory.

The atmosphere was tense. Onesies were abundant. The freezing and wet conditions did little to abate the rippling atmosphere that had seized upon Sandy Park. Exeter came out to train under the ‘Take Courage’ beer sign, defying the conditions. At the other end, ominously, Bath trudged under the ‘LeRoy Funerals’ advertisement.

The cheerleaders came out to rapturous applause, matched only by Ben King’s inspiring rendition of ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’ on the trombone

Photos: An visual timeline of the evening’s events - PAGES 24-25

over the PA system. The cheerleaders heartily powered through the tempestuous conditions, providing entertainment for all.

Exeter fans, quickly anaesthetised to the freezing conditions by hurried beverage intake, greeted their gladiators with a well thought-out roar of ‘EURFC’, heralding the start of play.

Yet the spectacle that was the first half was promptly summated by the opening minutes. The kick off set the tone, skidding to an Exeter player, who quickly helped Bath to a turn over. Exeter then thought they had made a break,

Comment: Will Kelleher analyses the match as a whole - PAGE 26

but instead were pulled back for offside by the referee, who put in an interesting performance (to be politically correct).

Bath full-back Chris Lewis slotted the penalty from out left to provide the only score of the half. A sloppy, error strewn performance from Exeter followed, in which promising situations were often met by a sturdy defence by Bath, whose forwards held firm impressively.

Penalties in kickable positions were routinely kicked to touch, from which the line out was at times wayward. A tussle for forward supremacy ensued,

Statistics and Ratings: Varsity by numbers - PAGE 27

which probably suited Bath’s game plan perfectly. George Stephenson, the visiting scrum half, was slow and lethargic in dictating their tempo, yet there did not seem to be much urgency to correct this from the Bath side.

Exeter by comparison tried to play a high tempo game, willing to risk losing the ball in order to force a try.

Yet, for all the dynamism and variation of play Toby Bain, Rob Coote, Ali Chisholm and Mike Pope tried to inject, Exeter never looked particularly incisive.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 For SPORTS NEWS FOllow @Exeposesport

22

Rugby VARSITY 2013

Exeposé

19 FEBRUARY 2013 |

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Pre-match analysis: the season so far...

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

BUCS Premier South A League Table* Played Won

1.

Drawn Lost

GD

BP

Pts.

Cardiff Metropolitan (UWIC) 11 9 0 2 132 5 41

2. EXETER 11 8 0 3 151 9 41 3. UWE (Hartpury)

9 6 0 3 188 6 30

4. BATH 11 5 0 6 135 7 27 5. Swansea

10 5 0 5 -58 3 23

6. Cardiff

9 3 0 6 -176 2 14

7. Glamorgan

11 0 0 11 -327 2 2 * as of 11th Feburary 2013

Sandy Park Varsity results:

‘

Mike Stanton

Sports Editor

Before the ‘Best of the South West’s’ rugby outfits locked horns on Wednesday night Mike Stanton, Sports Editor, caught up with Bertie Haskins, and his opposite number, Bath captain, Max Maidment, who spoke about their prosepects for this all important, end of season fixture.

Bertie Haskins EURFC Club Captain POSITION: PROP

LOOSE

HEAD

The team is in really good spirits and playing with confidence. Training has been going well and we are on a good run of form at the moment, especially at home where we are yet to lose a game.

“The whole of the University seems to be buzzing for Varsity. This is going to be very special!”

By securing the double over our rivals Hartpury, beating them home and away, the team is flying high and we

2010/11 season: Exeter 23-13 Bath

2011/12 season: Exeter 16-14 Bath

A last minute try by Exeter’s Nick Morris secured the win for the men in green after Chambers and Goddard had put the home side ahead in the inaugral Sandy Park Varsity fixture.

Tries from Rob Hockedy and a 65th minute effort from First Year, Rich Sinel, put Exeter ahead. A drop goal put Bath within striking distance with time running out but EURFC held on

are feeling very ambitious in the approach to this important Varisty match.

Bath are not a team that should be underestimated and for the EURFC 1sts XV to beat them would be a huge achievement.

We both play very exciting and positive rugby and we know that Bath are going to turn up hoping to spoil our party at Sandy Park.

Further than just the pride that the Varsity victory would bring, this is our last BUCS game and to secure the points would give us a greater advantage in the Cup with a home draw.

The whole of the University seems to be buzzing for Varsity, and we are hoping for a large turn out. With the home crowd behind our boys, this is going to be very special!

Max Maidment Team Bath 1st XV Captain POSITION: TIGHT HEAD PROP The annual varsity match against Exeter is always a special occasion for the boys and is definitely one of the highlights of our season.

Playing under floodlights in front of several thousand people will be a new experience for many of the guys involved and a memory that will stick with them for a long time.

The Exeter supporters are very passionate and extremely vocal – the atmosphere is amazing for a university fixture.

The match on Wednesday night will be the second time we have played Exeter this season. The reverse fixture back in December was a very important clash with the winner taking the top spot in the league at the halfway

to claim their second Sandy P a r k Varsity win. >> Eyes on the prize: The Varsity Cup

stage.

Despite us seizing the initiative with an early try and subsequently leading at the break, Exeter remained strong, capitalised on our errors, and eventually took a 17-16 victory with the last kick of the game.

Having not yet secured our spot in the knockout stages, it is crucial that we perform well on Wednesday night.

Having said that, coming off the back of a few impressive wins including a bonus point victory over Hartpury college last week I’m sure Exeter will be equally determined to take the honours as they chase second spot in the league and a home quarter final.

We know what to expect from Exeter on Wednesday night and with our style of play fairly similar to theirs, I anticipate a fast and physical game; one which could well again be decided by the last play of the game.

Exeposé

| WEEK EIGHTEEN

Rugby VARSITY 2013

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Team line-ups

23

Four second half tries seal EURFC win

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Exeter

Bath

Shirt Number: Ali Chisholm Mike Pope Toby Bain Will Dunkley Luke Treharne Fraser Gillies Rob Coote Bertie Haskins Jonny Ellis Robbie Richardson Jamie Gray Ben King Justin Blanchet Sam Blanchet Fraser Bashford (c)

15 Chris Lewis 14 Alex Brown 13 Oliver Evans 12 Ben Loosmore 11 Sam Miller 10 Freddie Strange 9 George Stephenson Jake Slade 1 2 Josh Elliot 3 Max Maidment (c) 4 Hugo Govett 5 Jake Oldaker 6 Adam Anker 7 Matt Lowcock Freddie Clarke 8

Replacements: Exeter: 16- J.Li (on

Bath: 16- T.Vaughan-Ed-

57) 17- R.Sinel (on

wards 17- A.Jamieson

32) 18- W.Burton (on

(on 73) 18- O.Parkinson

71)19- M.Peters (on 57)

(on 65) 19- J.Robson (on

20- O.Claxton (on 67) 21-

57) 20- L.Huelin 21- I.Bal-

A.Struminski (on 61) 22-

bin 22- R.McQueen

A. Wilcockson (on 61) 23T.Dowding 24- G.Archer 25- C.Crane

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 ...The last ten minutes of the first half provided some key moments. Firstly, openside Matt Lowcock saw yellow for Bath for repeated infringements at the ruck, but this failed to spark Exeter. The other important moment saw Bertie Haskins, Club Captain, pick up an injury that unfortunately forced him off, to be replaced by Richard Sinel, who quickly made his presence felt.

In what was perhaps the only extraordinary moment of the half, Exeter destroyed Bath at the scrum, forcing them from the ten metre line into their own 22.

Eventually a penalty was given (bizarrely brought back from where the Exeter juggernaut had ended up), which again was put out for a line out.

Ball thrown away, chance lost, half over. Territorially Exeter were impressive, yet lacked a real sense of threat to the Bath try line. Exeter’s set piece was not as effective as Bath’s, with hooker Josh Elliot hitting all his lineouts.

Whilst the score line was arguably harsh and not a disaster, it was something Exeter had done little to change.

“Territorially Exeter were impressive yet lacked a real threat to the Bath line” The second half needed to start more positively, and instantly Exeter looked more measured and patient in their approach, building the play up instead of kicking it away wastefully.

And this patient play built the platform from which Exeter got their first score of the game from.

A recovery from Fraser Gillies

saw the ball moved quickly from the right to left flank. Rob Coote found the opening and jinked past three players before offloading expertly to Bain, who slid over in the corner to give Exeter the lead for the first time- a lead they would not relinquish. Chisholm pulled his conversion attempt wide, but Exeter were ahead for the first time in 40 minutes, and forced Bath to attempt some creativity of their own.

“Rob Coote found the opening and jinked past three players before offloading expertly to Bain, who slid in the corner to give Exeter the lead” With Coote increasingly finding his passing range and Jamie Gray putting in an impressive defensive performance, Exeter were beginning to translate their dominance onto the scoreboard. A second Bath sin bin, this time for second row Hugo Govett, led to a successful Chisholm penalty, 8-3 to EURFC. Despite being pegged back

by Lewis’ second penalty, a moment of magic from the Exeter number 15 put Exeter firmly in control.

Alex Wilcockson, one of the substitutes brought on, all of whom were extremely impressive, took a big hit, from which the play again was switched to the left flank. Chisholm, seeing open space ahead of him, chipped the ball over the Bath defence, ran onto it and slid onto the bouncing ball and over to take the score to 15-6 in Exeter’s favour. A great finish.

Another yellow card for Bath, this time for burly captain Max Maidment,

with 15 minutes to go, summed up their second half showing – their first half discipline and application replaced by a slack and tired performance. Exeter exploited their third period of numerical advantage by scoring their third try, a charge down breaking kindly for Jamie Gray to tap over.

There was still time to put extra gloss on a mixed performance, Ollie Claxton scoring the final try from a quick free kick after a scrum collapsed.

Chisholm put the conversion over to finish with 14 points to his name, unsurprisingly seeing him named as the sponsors Man of the Match.

Less a game of two halves, this was a clash with one squad posessing more depth than the other. The introduction of the likes of Claxton, Wilcockson, Sinel and Matt Peters added an energy, organisation and discipline that Bath’s first team could not match over the full 80 minutes, whilst their subs failed to have a noticeable impact.

“The introduction of Claxton, Wilcockson, Sinel and Peters added energy, organisation and discipline that Bath’s team could not match” Exeter were sloppy with their handling, in the first half, which was in fairness considerably wetter. However, in the second period EURFC showed what they had to offer in an attacking sense. In the context of a Varsity game, on a freezing, wet evening, with an expectant crowd the entire squad can be very pleased with their evening’s work.

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Rugby VARSITY 2013

19 FEBRUARY 2013 |

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Exeposé

Varsity 2013: mud, s SUPPORT

The ‘Tweed Clad Muppets’ of EURFC join the rest of the University in a huge show of support for our boys

KICK OFF

Bath Fly-Half Freddie Strange gets the 2013 varsity underway

STREAKER

Streaker shows considerable balls in his comic interlude to the tense match

INJURY

Club Captin Bertie Haskins forced off the pitch after 32 minutes

ExeposĂŠ

| WEEK EIGHTEEN

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

RUGBY VARSITY 2013

sweat and beers...

25

Our gratitude to the Photo Team: Chris Mastris, Niklas Rahmel and Joshua Irwandi

TURNING POINT

The Exeter scrum march Bath back 20 metres securing their first foothold in the game

TRY TIME

Tries from Bain, Chisholm, Gray and Claxton helped the green machine pull away

FULL TIME

At the final whistle, EURFC secure a comfortable victory over their SW rivals

26

RUgby VARSITY 2013

Four your tries only Will Kelleher

Sports Editor

WHAT a way to end the regular season for EURFC. The 1st XV produced an accomplished performance on Wednesday night to send Bath packing, ruing their luck after their third successive Sandy Park Varsity defeat.

Conditions were always going to play their part and certainly the first half suffered due to the wet, foggy atmosphere and bog-like pitch. The intense pressure of playing in front of an expectant and vociferous crowd coupled with the weather made sure that the first period would become a no holds barred midfield battle. For the initiated, the first 40 minutes were tense and dare I say, exciting but could be seen as slow and dull for the newcomer.

Neither side could wrestle control of proceedings in the first half and the only real points scoring was physical rather than numerical. Bath were intent on playing a slow, grinding and narrow game hoping to grind Exeter down until they ran out of ideas. It looked as though this might work as the game neared half time as muddled decision making, opting not to turn their territorial advantage into points, by Exeter made sure Bath went into the break a sole penalty ahead.

Varsity will always have big collisions and players will demonstrate a never-back-down attitude so it was great shame to see Club Captain Bertie Haskins limp off with a foot injury af-

ter 32 minutes. His replacement, Sinel, last season’s winning try scorer, however, had an instant impact. His first scrum was superb as EURFC marched Bath back 20 metres and won the penalty.

The AU clubmen and especially the EURFC members raucous support was unwavering throughout, surely adding wind to the Exeter sails.

If the first half was an attritional battle the second was an attacking slaughter as Exeter, no doubt buoyed by half-time words, came out with upped intensity and went for the jugular from the outset. Bath were unable to cope with the speed of Exeter’s attacking play after the break and conceded early after a superb piece of two-on-one play by scrum half Rob Coote to feed Bain who finished well in the corner.

“If the first half was an attritional battle the second was an attacking slaughter.

Exeter came out with upped intensity and went for the jugular from the outset” Bath constantly tried to slow Exeter’s momentum but the referee was hot on their tail reaching for her yellow card on no less than three occasions.

This was very costly as Chisholm’s chip and Gray’s charge down put the men in green in an unassailable lead.

The second period proved that the first was worth it. Exeter capitalised as Bath wilted before their eyes. When Claxton touched down for Exeter’s fourth you felt that the final whistle couldn’t come sooner for the visitors.

Full-back Ali Chisholm will take the

Overheard at Varsity 2013: “We knew we had the edge, even if it took 70 minutes”

19 FEBRUARY 2013 |

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“Dominant team, dominant score” Jack Robinson, EURFC

“Bath shouldn’t have turned up, they were shit”

Fraser Bashford, EURFC Varsity Captain

“If we win, I’ll drink more!”

Anonymous Spectator

“I’m going big time tonight!”

Chris Barnard, Spectator

Marcus Cottle, EURFC

“Ooh what a lot of thigh! Those boys could open a butchers shop”

plaudits for a complete performance but credit must go to the work of the forwards in the first half in grinding Bath down so that the second half onslaught was possible.

As it happened...

Exeter Bath PENALTY 3 MINS

“The second period proved that the first was worth it.

Exeter capitalised as Bath wilted before their eyes” Exeter have now won all three of their Sandy Park Varsity fixtures and end the normal BUCS season unbeaten on their own turf, a fantastic achievement. The 1st XV’s season does not end here however as they have now secured a home draw in the play-offs.

If they perform as well as they have done all season Exeter could be making a rare trip to rugby HQ, Twickenham to play in the BUCS final.

It has been a fantastic season for the club all told. The 2nd XV are currently two points clear at the top of the Western 1A league with four fixtures left in the campaign. Exeter also are dominating the Western 2A league with the 3rd and 4th XV BUCS teams first and third respectively as of this week. EURFC’s 5th XV, otherwise known as the mighty Flair XV, have four matches to secure promotion, with only three points separating them and breaking into the top two. Finally the 6th XV, the second fresher XV have won all five of their BUCS fixtures so far.

With many of the 1st XV gaining higher honours this season and some top performances throughout the club EURFC has plenty to shout out, none more so than: Exeter 29 Bath 6. The three-peat complete. Well done boys.

“EURFC took it to us and that’s what told in the end”

SIN BIN 29 MINS

Half Time Score: 0 - 3 TRY

43 MINS

PENALTY 53 MINS

SIN BIN 53 MINS

PENALTY 58 MINS

CON. TRY 62 MINS

Max Maidment, Team Bath 1st XV Captain

SIN BIN 65 MINS

“I think it’s just a fantastic display of talent from Exeter Rugby” Will May, EURFC Club Vice Captain

CON. TRY 69 MINS

“The best bit was the cheerleaders’ arses” Will Atkinson, EURFC

Ellie Steafel, Spectator

“Our determination is what broke Bath” Keith Fleming, EURFC Director of Rugby

“On a wet day Exeter delivered the goods” Rory Macrae, EURFC

Exeposé

CON. TRY 79 MINS

Final Score: 29 - 6

Exeposé

| WEEK EIGHTEEN

The match in numbers

Player Ratings Exeter

by James Tapp

EXETER

2. Jonny Ellis

7

Solid member of the front row, allowing Exeter time to regain possession in a scrappy first half

3. Robbie Richardson 6

Even with wet weather making his life difficult, Richardson worked tirelessly in every ruck

4. Jamie Gray

9

A stunning performance. Completing several charge downs, devastating tackles and touching down a game-shifting

SCORE BREAKDOWN Full Time Score

29

1. Bertie Haskins 6

Strong start but unfortunately an injury forced Bertie to end the game early

RUGBY VARSITY 2013

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Bain, Chisholm, Gray, Claxton

Tries

Chisholm (3)

Conversions

Chisholm

Penalties

BATH 6 Lewis (2)

TERRITORY

by Matt Bugler, Louis Doré and Mike Stanton

6

6. Justin Blanchet 7

>1%

Threw himself about with no regard for his own safety- all you ask from a blindside

7. Sam Blanchet

7

75%

24%

nicely Forever throwing his weight around causing constant problems for Bath’s defence

9. Rob Coote play

10. Fraser Gillies

Exeter 22m

Bath 22m

POSSESSION

7

Creative with the boot in such wet weather, using several grubber kicks to

by James Tapp and Joe Alexander EXETER

make ground Showed good ability to read the ball while in open play but didn’t see much

BATH

of it

7

but dished them out too

8

Fantastic speed allowed him to not only make an impressive defensive tackle

Statistics by Ben Clarke

but also run in a great try

14. Mike Pope

7

Pope sniped his way around the field and showed impressive skill in the offload

15. Ali Chisholm

Replacements 16. Li 7 17. Sinel 8 18. Burton 6 19. Peters 6

PENS CONCEDED TURNOVERS

9

Ran in a try and also with the aid of his boot kept the scoreboard ticking over

20. Claxton 9 21. Struminski 7 22.Wilcockson 7

7

3. Max Maidment

5

4. Hugo Govett

6

5. Jake Oldaker

5

6. Adam Anker

6

7. Matt Lowcock

6

8. Freddie Clarke

5

Successful in all 8 of his lineout attempts, and had a particularly impressive first half. Bath’s most effective player The Captain didn’t lead by example missing frequent tackles and eventually being sinbinned. Dissappointing

An honest performance from a man who refused to give up when his side was under immense pressure

Idle for the most part of the match with few opportunities. Didn’t provide the steel the Bath pack needed Composed when in control of the ball, and contributed to the tackle count. He can be satisfied with his personal performance

10. Freddie Strange 5

Not at the races. The poor conditions seemed to get the better of him, and his all round game suffered

5

A largely anonymous display from a player that rarely touched the ball and missed some tackles

12. Ben Loosmore

7

13. Oliver Evans

6

14. Alex Brown

6

Tenacious tackling, and a powerful runner, he caught the eye of the crowd.

Took more than his fair share of hard hits

13. Toby Bain

2. Josh Elliot

11. Sam Miller

11. Luke Treharne 6

12. Will Dunkley

6

Applied himself well in the rucks, and didn’t shirk away from his responsibilities

9. George Stephenson 7

8

Showed great ball handling skills in the breakdown as well as speed in open

1. Jake Slade

Played well before becoming the first player for Bath to head for the bin just before half time

A few monster hits excited the crowd, some fantastic rucking set up the backs

8. Fraser Bashford 7

by Joe Alexander

A lackluster display which will be very frustrating for the player. Not the talisman the team needed

Midfield

Ensured that the forwards always had strong momentum when driving forward

Player Ratings Bath

Govett managed to secure a couple of turnovers, but let the side down by receiving a yellow card allowing Exeter a foothold in the game

try

5. Ben King

27

LINEBREAKS

Consistently industrious throughout the match, but few attacking opportunities to really make an impact Found it hard to make an impression but was always calm when receving kicks in the blustery wind

15. Chris Lewis

6

Had success in each of his two penalties, but found it demanding to integrate himself into the match in open play

OWN LINEOUTS WON

OWN SCRUMS WON

Replacements 16. Vaughan-Edwards 6 17. Jamieson 6 19. Robson 6 20. Huelin 5

28

RUGBY VARSITY 2013

19 FEBRUARY 2013 |

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“Our determination broke Bath”

Exeposé

Top Tweets from the game The best of your tweets from Wednesday night using #Varsity13 UoE_Estate Patrol @UoE_Security The campus is very Qu**t (don’t say it) tonight. Seems everyone is at the rugby, sounds like a good result for UoE rugby!

Vix D @Abena_D Too many balls on the field #streaker James Tyndall @jamestyndall 29-6 EURFC, jog on Bath #bepolitetotheladies Ella Robinson @ellaRobinson123 Very yummy bums Matthew Bugler @MatthewBugler My halftime apricot and yoghurt alpen bar is the most exciting thing about this match so far In At the Side @inattheside Big mention for lock Ben King’s attempt at a chip through #flair Deanna Quirke @quirkyyy AVE IT BATH Layla Michelle @leyla_michelle First time at a rugby game, already my favourite sport. Rugby >>>> American Football Fliss @FlissNewland The rugby players from Exeter are way fitter #JustSayin Freddie @freddiejturner I’d rather have a shower than a bath Katie Barry @katiebarrybarry I really want Exeter to win as revenge for Bath rejecting me Robyn Smith @robynlouise710 Post-varsity walk back to campus in full cheer stash and last night’s make up. I’m not in the best of areas.

The last word: Exeposé’s Awards

KPMG Man of the Match

Exeposé Man of the Match

Ali Chisholm

Jamie Gray

Exeter’s full-back was the star man on Wednesday night, clocking up an impressive 14 points out of Exeter’s total 29. Chisholm expertly came into the attacking line when needed and produced a stunning try in the second half. He put Bath to the sword with his kicking off the tee and came home with the Man of the Match award.

The big second rower was imperious in defence, not letting anything through. He was a key man in a dominant scrum and bagged himself a try after tirelessly charging down the Bath 10 to put a nail in their coffin.

A complete performance from the second year who has represented England Students and Exeter Chiefs this season.

The Sports Editors’ Gamechanging Moments Will- The superb quick hands in midfield and then Chisholm’s presence of mind to chip Lewis, Bath’s full-back, re-gather and dive over for EURFC’s second try put this game to bed.

The Ladies’ Choice

Mike- A scrum on the Bath ten metre where Exeter embarrassed Bath by driving them back 20 metres thus gaining the penalty which would bring a happy tear to any self-respecting forward’s eye.

Ellie Steafel- Toby Bain: His chiselled cheeks and rogueish smile had my eye from kickoff. With a bum that would make adonis blush, I would welcome the chance of a ruck.

Zoe Bulaitis- Keith Fleming: It was the kind eyes and silver fox demeanour that first attracted me to Keith. I would be the Hooker to his prop any time.

With Grateful Thanks The first ever Varsity pull-out could not have been possible without the help of a few key people.

Thanks very much to our team of writers: Joe Alexander, Ben Clarke, Louis Doré, Will Binks, James Tapp, and Matt Bugler who sat in the baltic conditions, compiling statistics and taking down notes. Without them the pull-out wouldn’t have been possible.

To Nic Craig for tireless interviewing and tweeting on the night.

Next to the three photographers Josh Irwandi, Chris Mastris and Niklas Rahmel, who have added colour and a touch of class to these 8 pages.

To the AU for cooperating with our ambitious demands, to EURFC for allowing us access to players and for winning as the pull-out would have been pretty morbid if we’d lost!

Finally to Exeposé for allowing us to do the pull-out in the first place and especially Zoe Bulaitis for embracing rugby and being the Queen of design!

ExPanD yoUr horIzonS • ExPErIEnCE nEw CUlTUrES • EnhanCE yoUr EmPloyabIlITy • FUnDIng oPPorTUnITIES avaIlablE

in China this summer

International Exeter scholarships worth £800 are available for Exeter students to travel to three of China’s most prestigious universities this summer.

Tsinghua University, Beijing

Fudan University, Shanghai

Teach at the Tsinghua University English Summer

Study in English at the Fudan Summer Session in

Camp in Beijing (26 June - 21 July).

Shanghai (8 June - 13 July).

Peking University, Beijing

Deadline for applications: Thursday 28 February

Study in English at Peking University’s Summer School International (8 July - 2 August).

For more information and an application form please contact the outbound Study Abroad team: outbound@exeter.ac.uk or visit: www.exeter.ac.uk/international/abroad/ summerschoolscholarshipfund/ Eligibility requirements apply

Study abroad

study or teach

30

MUSIC

Music Tue 19th Feb NME Awards Tour w/ Django Django, Miles Kane & More o2 Academy Bristol

Exeposé

MUSIC EDITORS

Callum McLean & Anthony Prodromou music@exepose.com

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Listings

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Joy to the world

Interview

Tue 19th Feb Exit Cellar Door Tue 19th Feb Heidi Talbot Phoenix Wed 20th Feb Beats and Bass w/ J Kenzo Cavern Fri 22nd Feb Our House w/ D3ADL1NE Cavern Fri 22nd Feb Reel Big Fish Lemmy Sat 23rd Feb Kaiser Chiefs Exeter Great Hall Thu 26th Feb CHVRCHES Thekla, Bristol Mon 4th Mar Willy Mason Phoenix Fri 8th Mar Tom Odell Thekla, Bristol Mon 11th Mar Foals o2 Academy Bristol Tue 12th Mar Danny Howard Lemmy Tue 12th Mar Jessie Ware o2 Academy Bristol

Fortnightly Freebie

Ahead of their show at the Phoenix, Harry Ward catches up with dream popsters The Joy Formidable THE Joy Formidable are by all accounts, one of the UK’s hottest bands right now, and with Wolf’s Law fresh off the press, the follow-up to their 2011 debut, I catch up with frontwoman Ritzy Bryan to talk life on the road, emotional healing, and the challenges of recording one of 2013’s most highly anticipated albums.

“We like to challenge the reaction and challenge emotion ” With the band’s trademark anthemic guitar riffs this time accentuated by orchestral strings and pianos, it’s a bigger, better and overall more grandiose affair this time around. “We’re from classical backgrounds,” Ritzy explains, “so it doesn’t seem like an unnatural step.

On the first record there was this real excitement about making guitars sound very ambient and the guitars were providing those orchestral, ambient layers. Rhydian had been very naturally just been playing more piano over the course of the twelve months on the road and that’s one of the instruments that we wrote a lot of the songs on.” This isn’t a total change in direction for the band though. “The guitar still features really heavily on this record. It’s completely a guitar record but it’s an exciting, fresh, modern sounding guitar record”.

Despite its elaborate and ambitious compositions, the songs came freely and easily during the writing of Wolf’s Law. “There were moments where it was a labour of love,” she concedes, “but it’s got to be unforced, part of the lifestyle, and part of your everyday pattern.”

While the bulk of the recording took

THE FIRING RANGE * The Flaming Lips Sun Blows Up Today

LocalNatives-You&I tinyurl.com/a6kvyw7 To coincide with their stunning sophomore album Hummingbird, the American four-piece released this lovely single on their soundcloud. Highly recommended.

What the hell did I just watch? Is that The Flaming Lips in a Hyundai ad? I guess it’s better than the epilepsy-inducing video the band produced but still, what is happening in the world?

Are they really trying to make it big like ten years after anyone not on all the drugs cared about them? And do they really think that saying ‘Run’ and ‘Fun’ over and over and over again is the way to do it, especially with noises so painfully mediocre and offensively inoffensive? These are questions that hurt my brain so I’ll just go back to squinting in confusion at the screen.

HUGH DIG-

place in the solitude of Portland, Maine, much of the record was written on the road while touring The Big Roar. “It’s a high energy situation where you can be inspired by the smallest of moments, and it brings up a lot of variety in the writ-

“Touring is a high energy situation where you can be inspired by the smallest of moments ”

ing and the themes that start to appear through the record.” One such theme is relationships on the mend, an idea compounded by the album’s title, an adopted term that refers to the way in which bones adapt to the stresses they’re put under. “The Big Roar chronicled a very personal chapter where there were a lot of relationships that had broken down,” Ritzy admits. “I had become estranged

from my father during that period, and there was a sense of starting to feel a bit different; ready to reconcile.”

Such lyrical threads might mark a departure from the angsty, guitar-driven sounds of The Big Roar, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the unrelenting and impassioned enthusiasm of the band’s live performance. “The approach doesn’t change, whether we’re playing an arena-sized venue or a sweaty basement, we definitely like to challenge the reaction and challenge emotion.”

With a US tour on the horizon, a European tour underway, and a Welsh-language EP in the works, The Joy Formidable have a busy year ahead of them, but for now, Ritzy is just happy to be playing live once again. “We’re fired up by the new songs live and it’s great to see the fan-base again, so we’re having a lot of fun.”

Search Exeposé Music to vent your musical frustration, for exclusive competitions, interview opportunities, gig tickets & more...

Little Mix Change Your Life

As soon as I heard this song I immediately went home, searched through my draws, and pulled out my graph sheet entitled ‘Projected X-Factor Winner Career Trajectory’. My finger tenderly traced the descending line as it fell ever downwards, just as it had done with Joe Thingy, Whatshisface Cardle and many more before them, and I felt safe in the knowledge that Little Mix have approximately 6 months before being relegated to Simon Cowell’s creepy sex dungeon. Either that or they will be genetically blended with One Direction in a nightmarish attempt to recreate the Expendables. Either way.

JOSH GRAY

The Cribs Leather Jacket Love Song

‘Leather Jacket Love Song’ is the first single off The Cribs’ forthcoming greatest hits compilation, Payola, Few would have guessed that from the plethora of garage rock bands emerging in the wake of The Strokes, the Cribs would have lasted the longest. As if to acknowledge this, The Cribs have stuck to what they know best. They draw upon their own tried and tested formula; dangerously addictive guitar riffs underpin the twins’ energetic cries, topped off by trademark lo-fi production. Cribs fans, this comforting mug of Cribs cocoa is a fitting testament to a fruitful career.

ADAM SUMNALL

Exeposé

| week EIGHteen

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Push The Sky Away ...............................

Out now

SOMETHING that has defined The Bad Seeds is Nick Cave’s snarl. He’s snarled about murder, love and redemption. He’s snarled in 3 different bands in a black suit and a white shirt for 4 decades. He’s snarled through heroin addiction and divorce. We have grown to love Nick Cave’s snarl. But on Push The Sky Away the snarl is absent.

The ultra-verbose visions of evil and dark characters are replaced with a more reflective poetry, not to deny that the story Cave weaves in his songs is still compelling. A profound sense of unease permeates the album, such as ‘On The Water’s Edge’, where an eerie violin drifts into the mix, a bass rumbles restlessly and drums twitch. It is one of the rare occasions where the music truly overshadows Cave’s lyricism, the bass especially capturing the dark, feverish,

Foals Holy Fire ...............................

Out now

FOALS have long been associated with the floppy haircuts, chest-height guitars and general pretentiousness left over from Yannis Philippakis and Jack Bevan’s involvement with The Edmund Fitzgerald and Foals’ own 2008 debut, Antidotes. But a couple more years saw Foals’ sound develop both thematically and emotionally into the melancholic beauty of Total Life Forever, its sparse rhythms and intense hooks exploring the group’s increasingly mature sound only continued on Holy Fire.

This latest Foals fix is without a doubt their most anthemic and poppy to date, not in a nightmarish quasi-Bono meets Coldplay ballad at Glastonbury kind of way, but in their longstanding effortlessly cool and refreshing sound.

The breadth of their musical influences has also audibly expanded, with Yannis’

Music

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sexual undertow of the song – used again to great effect on ‘Real Cool’.

The lead single, ‘We Know Who U R’, also showed a movement away from the garage rock sound that has defined much of their career and an inclination towards more sonic exploration. It sounds strikingly natural, an exhalation of creativity with uncomplicated but sincere lyrics. Cave sounds stately and reflective, a stark contrast to his usually fierce delivery.

The standout track is ‘Jubilee Street’, where Cave describes his journeys down the track’s namesake whilst remembering a girl named Bee. Each line is delivered as if reliving suppressed and painful memories, until the song rises into a beautiful orchestral crescendo: Cave sings “I’m transforming/I’m vibrating/I’m glowing”, the music perfectly matching his lyrical voyage upwards out of his body. The crescendo is terrifically timed – it feels unforced, a natural progression capturing the inescapable journey of the song.

The album is dark but in a different way to previous releases; containing no linear narratives or music, it feels elemental and subtly menacing. For example, in ‘Higgs Boson Blues’ Cave’s breath creeps into your ears, the song replete with the imagery that fills the album with references to the present (“Miley Cyrus”, “Wikipedia”) and the past (“Robert Johnson”), exemplifying Cave’s preoccupation with their collision in reality. Cave sounds overwhelmed, and you become overwhelmed with him by the strange world and times that we live in.

DAN HALL vocals sounding eerily similar to his self-professed icon Arthur Russell on the contemplative ‘Moon’, whilst guitarist Ed Congreve’s love of disco and house has clearly influenced the funky progression of the catchy ‘My Number’.

From the onset, with the teasing instrumental ‘Prelude’ providing glimmers of the heavier sound prevalent throughout the album’s big hitters, Holy Fire is an album geared towards crowdpleasing. It’s not very difficult at all to imagine GCSE-fuelled mosh pits at the Reading main stage once ‘Inhaler’ reaches its crescendo, or in the aftermath of the slow-build of the aggressive ‘Providence’. These floor shakers and crowd movers are where Holy Fire is at its most successful. Yannis’ ever more versatile vocals, floating over choppier and heavier reverb-laden guitar work, combine beautifully with bubbling math rock guitars on album highlight ‘Milk And Black Spiders’.

As much as Holy Fire marks a shift in sound worthy of celebration, the ever enigmatic Yannis still struggles with clunky metaphors, with clichés such as “I’m the last cowboy in town” and “I want to sail away from you” sitting awkwardly throughout the album.

Holy Fire is the perfect example as to how an indie band can both diversify and popularise their sound without selling out, or having to resort to sterile shoutalong stadium-fillers. Lush and spacious production combines with refreshingly dynamic songwriting embellished with elements of funk, dance and pop. An early shout for album of the year.

TONY PRODROMOU, MUSIC EDITOR

31

An itch Jah just can’t Scratch, mon Henry Coulshed witnesses reggae legend Lee ‘Scratch Perry’ grace the Phoenix HAVING shaped the sound of reggae and practically invented dub, the man born Rainford Hugh Perry, now known as The Upsetter, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, deserves more than most his status as a musical legend. Approaching his 77th birthday, he continues to spread the word of Jah and the music he pioneered to Western audiences. On 12 February, this journey brought him to Exeter Phoenix.

The crowd’s diversity was testament to Scratch’s long-standing appeal. There were young couples snogging, old dreadlocks flopping, skinheads, potheads, culture-vultures and everything in between.

Perry took his time in emerging. His backing band The Upsetters took to the stage at half nine and started laying down some classic reggae with a sprinkling of surf guitar.

The bassist excused P e r r y ’s initial absence between each song.

Although The Scratchless Upsetters’ playing was tight, after about 40 minutes of fairly samey dubby instrumental reggae it was a relief when the first vocal croakings emanated from backstage. Huge

Eels Wonderful, Glorious ...............................

Out now

THE only word that can possibly describe this wonderfully eclectic but beautifully constructed album is this: swagger. Wonderful, Glorious struts, strides and sneers its way through a magnificently self-assured 50 minutes, seamlessly alternating between cynical superiority over the rest of the world and pure enjoyment of life.

“You’ll all be sorry when I leave town” spits singer Mark ‘E’ Everett on ‘The Turnaround’, amply demonstrating a renewed confidence in his own ability that was lacking throughout Eels’ 00s output. The last ten years have seen E pass through a serious identity crisis.

After writing some of the best but most depressing albums of the 90s, drawing heavily on his own devastatingly sad life story, E grew a beard and attempted to start writing cheerier songs. This

cheers greeted Perry as he slinked on.

Those expecting his trademark eccentric fashion were not disappointed by his red

“His rambles spanned improvised poetry, proclaiming himself to be King Solomon and a fish with a man head, and shouting ‘FIRE!’ ” and gold suit, topped with a spike-studded red flat peak. Needless to say, the red matched his beard.

The set properly began in a similar musical vein as the instrumental tracks, but became much more engaging as Scratch paced the stage toasting and singing in weathered tones. He shook a lot of hands from the front row of the audience, and encour-

scattershot run of albums contained a few brilliant tunes but failed to be the fully cohesive work that Eels had the potential to deliver. E also became way too obsessed with his outrageous beard - writing, not one, but two concept albums about it. Maybe it’s the result of mysterious cosmic facial hair forces at work, but in shaving off that monstrosity E has managed to stop hiding behind his ‘Dog-Faced Boy’ persona to return with a real sense of purpose and surety in Eels’ sound.

The themes of desire, loss and joy that inspired their last trilogy of concept albums are present, but combined and employed in a much subtler manner.

Strains of old Electro-Shock Blues-era Eels can also resonate on ‘Accident Prone’ and ‘True Original’, but with a far more optimistic vibe.

Happiness is starting to suit Eels, a band who many might only know from their pessimistic early singles ‘Novocaine For The Soul’ and ‘Susan’s House’, or the heart-breaking ode to loss ‘I Need Som\e Sleep’ inspired by the death of E’s baby son (which, strangely enough, featured in Shrek 2).

Lead single ‘Peach Blossom’ is the most perfectly crafted, joyful song Eels have managed to produce yet, a celebration of life that’s solid evidence the singer has finally outrun his demons.

After a spell in the wilderness, E has come back all guns blazing with an album that laughs in the face of expectation and proclaims a new reign of Eels, whether we want it or not.

JOSH GRAY

aged people to touch their lighters with his. A lifetime of Rastafarianism has left him with a gloriously cracked voice, capable of murky incantations as well as an unusual take on romantic reggae crooning. Between numbers his rambles spanned improvised poetry, religious preaching in which he proclaimed himself to be King Solomon and a fish with a man head, totally incomprehensible mumbling sections, and shouting “FIRE!” The addition of vocals made The Upsetters play better, as they worked within song structures and responded to Scratch’s improvisation. The tone also shifted away from classic reggae, notably in the set highlight, where some distorted guitar and an evil sounding synth took the dub to a dark and groovy place. The drummer played fantastically, preventing the dub from getting too languid, and my section of the crowd kept dancing for the entire set. As the band left after the encore, the “LEE! SCRATCH! PERRY!” chant confirmed the enduring appeal of a true great.

Get in tune: online and on air Head to Exeposé Music Online for an exclusive interview with Get The Blessing (half of trip hop legends Portishead), a special feature on The Brit Awards, weekly interviews with local artists in Best of Ex, Beginner’s Guides to bands and genres and loads more reviews and comment pieces. www.exepose.ex.ac.uk Tune into our radio collaboration with Xpression FM Music, The Xmedia Music Show 6-7pm every other Monday, or listen back to past episodes featuring an exclusive mix from ojf, interviews with Alt-J, Peter Hook, Ethan Johns & much more www.facebook.com/ xmediamusicshow

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Newsreel Downey Jr. buys rights to Black Mirror episode

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“The only way to get rid of my fears is to make films about them”

Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr has bought the rights to an episode of Charlie Brooker’s Channel 4 series Black Mirror with the apparent intention of turning it into a sci-fi blockbuster. Jesse Armstrong, the original writer of the episode being adapted (‘The Entire History of You’) will write the screenplay.

Tarantino plans Django/Basterds Trilogy Speaking after winning a BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay for Django Unchained, legendary director Quentin Tarantino has said he’s planning to rewrite another segment of history in his next film. 38% of Empire Online readers voted for him to cover the Vietnam War.

Doctor Who goes 3D for 50th birthday The BBC have announced that Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary will be commemorated with a 3D special which will be shown in cinemas. The BBC’s Drama Controller, Ben Stevenson, compared the anniversary to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics, labelling it ‘a national event’.

Leah Devaney takes a look at Sacha Gervasi’s biopic of one of cinema’s most complex characters Hitchcock Director: Sacha Gervasi Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson 98 mins (12A) THE release of Hitchcock unfortunately follows in the wake of the BBC Christmas drama The Girl, publicised to death over the festive period and focussing on what is perhaps the most interesting aspect of Alfred Hitchcock’s life, his dark and intense obsession with Tippi Hendren, lead actress in The Birds. Compared to this the subject of Hitchcock seems a little frivolous. Psycho may be the directors most famous and most recognisable movie but there

is a lot less intrigue in its making than that of its successor.

Thankfully Hitchcock overcomes these difficulties, and Sacha Gervasi’s final product is well worth the wait.

The film is a genuinely impressive retelling of the golden moment that truly made Alfred Hitchcock ‘the master of suspense’.

“An excellent film, touching and funny in equal measure” As always, Anthony Hopkins delivers a scarily realistic performance as the great man, simultaneously both brilliant and creepy. The small interludes, where Hitchcock imagines himself to be in conversation with PORTRAYING the complex character of Abraham Lincoln, perhaps the most iconic President in American history, is going to offer a significant challenge to any actor. The similarly long-boned Daniel Day Lewis, already a two-time Oscar winner at 55 years old, passes the test with flying colours.

For proof, look no further than the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA

BAFTA Winners Best film - Argo Best actor - Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln Best actress - Emmanuelle Riva, Amour Best supporting actor - Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained Best supporting actress - Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

Lincoln Director: Steven Spielberg

Best director - Ben Affleck

Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn 150 mins (12A)

Ed Gein, the real life ‘psycho’, represent stand-out moments and expose more than a hint of Hannibal Lector in his obsessive behaviour. It is said that there is a thin line between genius and madness, and Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal suggests that Hitchcock walked this line precariously.

However, it is Helen Mirren as Hitchcock’s wife Alma who steals the show. At times, she threatens to sideline her famous husband and make the film about her struggle to carve a role for herself as something other than just Mrs. Hitchcock. If the sinister side to Alfred Hitchcock suggests that he was not as great as his work, the fractious relationship he had with Alma is further proof that he was far more than just a director. While Hitchcock’s role in the film seems to be about proving to the world that he is better than it thinks

he is, Alma seems to have grudgingly resigned herself to the fact that, like all great artists, he is a man who is impossible to live with but ultimately worth the sacrifice.

awards his heartfelt performance has received. The method actor that he is, he ploughed immense research into the role, apparently reading close to 100 books on the man. It pays dividends.

Despite the film taking place during the final climactic months of the Civil War, action fanatics must be content with one horrifying opening scene where men on both sides die ugly deaths in an ocean of mud. Instead it is the divisive House of Representatives which is the battleground for this film, not Virginia, Maryland or the Potomac. Lincoln’s plot centres around the President striving to garner enough votes to pass the 13th Amendment, a law that would abolish slavery across all of America, before the war ends.

The Republicans utilise all manner of underhand tactics in an attempt to reach the two thirds majority, be it through arm-twisting or other methods of coercion. Leading them in the House is Thaddeus Stevens, powerfully portrayed by another Academy award

winner, Tommy Lee Jones. Through his barnstorming performance of the radical fervently intent on ridding America of the overbearing shadow of slavery, he almost threatens to eclipse Day-Lewis.

Focusing on Lincoln: the deep thinker, well spoken, and incredibly hard working man that he was - DayLewis excels in his portrayal. We often see him with his head bowed in a darkened setting, emphasising weariness caused by the stresses of war, politics, and family. The entire film is highly atmospheric as a result.

If there is any fault to be had, it’s the slow-paced feel, and that Spielberg occasionally makes Lincoln appear saintly, almost other-worldly, when in reality he was the ultimate pragmatist.

Nevertheless this is one of several masterful performances from a starstudded cast in what is overall a very good film.

“Anthony Hopkins delivers a scarily realistic performance” Overall, Hitchcock is an excellent film, touching and funny in equal measure. At times the plot lags, and it is not exactly fast paced, but the brilliant cast and impressive attention to detail fill these gaps well and paint an insightful picture of a man who spent his life behind the camera.

ELLIOT LANG

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SCREEN

Films to see before you graduate: Labyrinth QUINTESSENTIAL ’80s viewing, and a film to see before you graduate, Labyrinth is a fantasy film starring Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie (and some VERY tight trousers). If that’s not enough to entice you, it is a Jim Henson production filled to the brim with weird and wonderful puppets, and its screenplay is written by Terry Jones, one of the Pythons.

Connelly stars as Sarah, a 16-yearold teenager with a very strong imagination and a belief in dreams enchantments, princesses, and legend. After a disagreement with her stepmother, she wishes for Jareth the Goblin King (Bowie) to take Toby, her baby brother, back to his castle. Transform-

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the Labyrinth without CGI. It is clear that a lot of care and consideration went into how the film would look, with one of the finer examples being an Escher-style staircase sequence. Whilst some have criticised a wandering plot line, the dream narrative doesn’t need to follow a logical order and this allows for the viewer to become immersed in

“There’s a Facebook page with over 11,000 ‘likes’ dedicated to Bowie’s crotch”

the labyrinth’s twists and turns.

However, the best performance has to be from the Goblin King and it is because of this that Labyrinth has gained its cult status. Despite never being able to quite decide if he is purposely hamming up the role or being deadly serious about the whole thing, a wig-wearing David Bowie is absolutely fantastic as Jareth. His song ‘Magic Dance’, with the ever-quotable line of “You remind me of the babe / What babe / The babe with the power” is the highlight of the whole film – if only for the very awkward dancing.

And as for the extremely tight trousers...well just for starters there’s a Facebook page with over 11,000 ‘likes’ dedicated to Bowie’s crotch!

MEGAN FURBOROUGH

ing from a barn owl in Sarah’s bedroom, he informs her that if she can solve the mystery of the labyrinth and find his castle before 13 hours has passed she can have Toby back.

The sharp dialogue and sheer wackiness of the plot prevent Labyrinth from being seen as just a kid’s fantasy movie. Aside from the smattering of Freudianism, the puppets are very likeable – Ludo in particular – and don’t stall the plot’s action, proving how effectively you can create a world like

Exeposé

This is 40 Director: Judd Apatow Cast: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, Megan Fox 134 mins (15)

Owen Keating, Screen Editor, reviews This is 40 an IN describing this film as a ‘sort of sequel’ to Knocked Up, the film that made his name, Judd Apatow set the tone for a film that is frustratingly neither here nor there in its vagueness. Instead of following Seth Rogen’s chubby stoner as he tries to negotiate adult life, Apatow switches his focus to his sister-inlaw and her husband.

Some of this vagueness may be deliberate, since the two characters at the heart of the action, Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann), seem to be utterly rudderless as they approach middle age. They’re both turning 40 in the same week, despite the 38 candles on Debbie’s cake, and an opening sequence which involves a shower, Viagra, and a lot of shouting sets the tone for what is a fairly grim two hours if you’re one of those people who prefers happiness to the apparent desolation of becoming too old to realistically star in a happy-go lucky sitcom on CBS. Debbie works hard to balance the books at her boutique clothing store, unaided by assistant Megan Fox, who

Critically inflamed

doesn’t even appear to be actually acting as she bounces around the store, flirting her way to massive sales figures. Pete, on the other hand, lives some kind of warped mid-life crisis based on owning an indie record label, wearing cycling gear to do mundane household tasks, and eating a lot of cupcakes out of the sink. When he’s not doing these things, he’s playing Scrabble on the toilet. Lad.

“This is 40 really disappointed me” Anyway, the pair bumble towards the big Four-O, trying to close the chasm that threatens to engulf their marriage. Their cute but irritating kids babble on about Lost, all the while trying to stop their parents from becoming another divorce statistic. In-laws and colleagues complicate the situation, and Paul Rudd spends a lot of time looking like he’s just realised he’s lost his packed lunch.

Robert J. Harris questions why we value awards, reviews and the ramblings of writers I CAN’T escape the fact that I am and likely always will be - one of the many cinephiles who will without fail get caught up in all the interest, gossip and scandals surrounding the awards season. Given all the excitement and sentimentality, in a way those few months are like the Christmas of show business, only rather than a jolly man with a beard giving out presents to apple-cheeked children it’s surly big-wigs giving out statues to an exclusive group of multi-millionaire actors, directors and producers. Whilst I still believe that the likes of the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes and of course, the Academy Awards all deserve some degree of recognition, as my interest in movies becomes more entrenched and my awareness of the film industry grows, it has become clear that with the good there must always come the bad, and sadly even the downright ugly.

The first issue comes before the awards are even set in motion, and that is the production of the films themselves. It may not be caused directly by the awards season, but there is no doubt that the current movie culture is one that hinges on one major factor – mar-

ketability. Generally speaking, if the men and women in charge of commissioning a film believe that it would not make enough money then it will never see the light of day. It’s as simple as that. Of course you cannot blame studios for trying to maximise their earnings. They are, after all, just a business trying to make money. However, this leads to the situation where aspiring nominees for ‘Best Picture’ are forced to walk the line between mass appeal and critical pandering. If they fall too far one way, they may soon find themselves ignored by the general movie-going audience and, while they may form a die-hard fan base in the process, will ultimately wither when exposed to the harsh realities of a competitive world. On the other hand, falling too far in the opposite direction may result in fiscal success but that still won’t save it from the eventual flogging from exasperated film critics before being locked in the stocks by Mark Kermode and pelted with (and indeed on) Rotten Tomatoes.

On many occasions, critics have commented on how certain films such as Lincoln seem to be ‘made for an

Oscar’, and it is certainly never surprising when they pop up in list after list of nominations come award season.

What is it about some movies which just seem to make them perfect award material? Bluntly speaking, the fear of any backlash from both the public and

“Looking back at previous winners of the ‘Best Picture’ category, it becomes immediately obvious that there is an accepted standard of what makes an awardwinning film” critical spheres lead to films seeking an award to play it safe. Looking back at previous winners of the ‘Best Picture’ category, it becomes immediately obvious that there is an accepted standard of what makes an award-winning film.

To stand any chance of walking away with a trophy, it must be a drama and perhaps more importantly, it must have

a strong enough campaign to back it up.

If both of these aspects are in place, the chances are that it will be entered into the category.

Once the select group of movies have been filtered over the months by various critics and festivals, more often than not the voters will reward the honour on a well-written, solidly acted and directed picture which does not disrupt the status quo. This is perhaps most evident when looking back at the 14th and 63rd Academy Awards. Heard of Citizen Kane, the most important piece of cinema ever made? Because it had been so publically rebuked by William Randolph Hearst, the inspiration for Charles Foster Kane, not only was it shunned at the awards, it was booed whenever its mere name was mentioned. What about Goodfellas, probably one of the most influential films of the past 28 years? Beaten to the mark

by Dances With Wolves. In terms of legacy between the two, it’s practically incomparable.

This brings us on to one final problem, and that is with those in charge of making the final choices. Many rightfully take issue with the fact that more

often than not an award for best actor or actress may be given out purely on the basis that it is their ‘time’ for an award rather than if they are truly deserving of one, but what is perhaps a larger issue is the makeup of the voters themselves. With an average age of 62 and made up of 94 per cent white members, 77 per cent of which are men, the Academy Award voters can definitely be seen as not properly reflecting the social aspects of our society, and this is something that will not change until there is an overhaul in the structure of the system.

Of course, we must not forget what makes all of this great. Regardless of whom the awards go to, it is still a celebration of great film making which stretches back to the early 20th century, and importantly acts as a beacon for original screenplays against the ever-growing wave of franchises and sequels. On top of this, awards are central to recognising the hard work of directors and actors alike and are responsible for forming and developing countless movie careers. It is for these reasons that, despite many faults, award season will deservedly live on.

Exeposé

| WEEK EIGHTEEN

SCREEN

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

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Academy Award Predictions Your four Screen Editors predict who will be lifting the Oscars this award season...

LOUIS DORÉ

OWEN KEATING

OLIVIA LUDER

LIAM TRIM

Best Picture

d is sorely disappointed.

All in all, things are not going well. Nonetheless, the party itself offers everyone a shot at redemption, and if this film’s Valentine’s Day release tells you anything, it’s that everything is going to end up alright in the end.

This is 40 really disappointed me.

Knocked Up was sharp and spiky, but this ‘sort of sequel’ is sort of laboured and just a bit glum. Sharp cameos from Lena Dunham and Chris O’Dowd threaten to lift this film above painful mediocrity, but my expectations of chaotically jolly banter between Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann were unfulfilled. I laughed three whole times in 141 minutes, which still meant that I had more fun than everyone else in the film. Combined. If you’re thinking about taking anyone to this as a date movie, don’t. Unless you’re planning to sweeten a terrible evening by breaking up with them afterwards.

The 85th Academy Awards take place on 24 February on Sky Movies, presented by Seth MacFarlane.

For more Oscars 2013 news and all your film reviews and features, visit @ExeposeScreen on Twitter, join Exeposé Screen on Facebook and visit www.exepose.ex.ac.uk Illustration: Emily Lunn

ARGO Whilst not neccesarily the greatest picture on the list, Argo was intelligent and stylish. It also pats Hollywood on the back in a big way, which I’m sure the Academy will feel happy to reward.

AMOUR Argo is the overwhelming favourite, and it’s not hard to see why. However, I’m a big fan of the underdog, so I’m backing Michael Haneke’s Amour.

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS Would you bet against him? The double Oscar winner has been universally critically acclaimed for his portrayal of Lincoln, this combined with a film that is clearly mining for Oscar gold means Day-Lewis can probably expect a third.

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS Jamie Foxx and Bradley Cooper both gave the kind of performances that made me want to be best friends with them, but if I were a betting man, I’d be backing Daniel Day-Lewis.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILDIf you’re going to be boring and follow the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs, Argo is probably a shoo-in.

But Beasts of the Southern Wild is just beautiful.

LINCOLN Argo has the momentum post-BAFTAs and I wouldn’t be surprised if it won.

Zero Dark Thirty is very current, but also probably too controversial for the Academy. Lincoln is this year’s King’s Speech and my money’s on Abe.

Best Actor DANIEL DAY-LEWIS Hugh Jackman did some convincing vein-popping in Les Mis but it’s got to be Day-Lewis. Honestly, he deserves to win for Lincoln’s beard alone.

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS If there’s a dead cert category, this is it. Daniel Day-Lewis only comes out of hibernation to collect awards.

Best Actress

JESSICA CHASTAIN Zero Dark Thirty may not be providing Katheryn Bigelow with another Oscar, but Chastain may be rewarded with her first after her exquisite portrayal of a CIA agent.

JESSICA CHASTAIN Zero Dark Thirty has been somewhat lost in the crowd of such a strong list of nominated films, but I think that Jessica Chastain’s strong performance will earn her the gong.

EMMANUELLE RIVA While Quvenzhané Wallis has the edge in adorable and Jennifer Lawrence has redefined kooky, my bet is on lone octogenarian, Emmanuelle Riva. Especially as she’s refreshingly free from all that horrible Hollywood awards politicking.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE Jessica Chastain’s Homeland impersonation won’t win. Jennifer Lawrence is Hollywood’s in-demand actress right now and she gets my vote.

Best Supporting Actor CHRISTOPH WALTZ Whilst it may not have been the most emotionally charged performance, he carries one of the most acclaimed films of the year through its (rare) lulling moments, whilst remaining complimentary to Jamie Foxx.

CHRISTOPH WALTZ The moustache. The panache. The warm feeling of security he gave me when he killed all those racists.

N/A None of the nominees! Where’s Leonardo DiCaprio?! I haven’t even seen Django Unchained yet but he should definitely win. He just looks so heartbroken at awards ceremonies - I can’t take it anymore!

ANNE HATHAWAY Having absolutely stolen Les Misérables and cemented her place as a huge name in Hollywood following The Dark Knight Rises, adding an Oscar to her credentials could be on the cards for Mrs Hathaway.

ANNE HATHAWAY Anne Hathaway’s last few films have catapulted her to the top table of Hollywood’s elite performers, and her electrifying performance in Les Misérables deserves to be recognised.

TOMMY LEE JONES Tommy Lee Jones and his thunderous speeches spiced up Lincoln perfectly.

He and Christoph Waltz are my favourites, but double barrelled duo Seymour Hoffman and De Niro stand a chance.

Best Supporting Actress ANNE HATHAWAY Helen Hunt had the most interesting role, but Anne Hathaway is taking no prisoners. Whether it was the hacked-off hair, the single take or just damn good acting, she’s a dead cert.

ANNE HATHAWAY Not quite as certain as DDL winning but almost; critics appear spellbound

by Anne Hathaway’s handful of teary close-ups in Les Misérables. She’ll get to splutter out another irritating speech.

Best Director STEVEN SPIELBERG I can’t see this one going anywhere else. Spielberg’s known record for epic filmmaking has been lended seamlessly to Lincoln’s story and he can expect add to a third Best Director Oscar to his collection.

STEVEN SPIELBERG I’d like to see David O. Russell do the business with Silver Linings Playbook, but I think everyone knows it’s going to be Spielberg. Again.

STEVEN SPIELBERG I don’t want Michael Haneke to win because his speech won’t come close to matching the hilarity of his parody Twitter account. Could be Spielberg just for old time’s sake.

DAVID O. RUSSELL Ben Affleck won in London but isn’t even nominated here in a strong line-up. Ang Lee and Spielberg are heavyweights but I’m going to take a punt on David O. Russell because he keeps making Robert De Niro cry.

As Hot As... the hot or nots of this week’s film news

THE DAILY MAIL - The crusade against Jack Whitehall and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year is finally over after the media watchdog decided not to investigate them. 200 people complained. Out of 3.1million. I wonder why?

Papacy

RICKY GERVAIS - Twitter motormouth Gervais’ sitcom Life’s Too Short has failed to secure a second series, after people realised that the show could be construed as cruel, offensive, and a little bit shit.

LEWIS - ITV’s iconic detective series has finally finished. Millions of old women sigh, and return to afternoons with Noel Edmonds and his big red boxes.

CALL THE MIDWIFE – The hit BBC period drama has been commissioned for a third series. The first episode of the current series got 9.3m viewers, which is 1.77 times the population of Scotland.

Big.

ALAN PARTRIDGE – Jurassic Park!

Alan’s move to the big screen now not only has a car chase through Norwich, but a release date. 16 August 2013. Eat it.

#Varsity13

Give something back to an exceptional teacher.

NOMINATIONS FEB 11 - MARCH 1 Most Supportive Member of Staff / Innovative Teaching / Best Feedback Provider Best Overall Lecturer / Best Graduate Teaching Assistant / Research Inspired Teaching Change Agents Champion / Best Employability Support Subject with the Best Research Community* / Best Subject*

WWW.EXETERGUILD.ORG/TEACHINGAWARDS2013 * These categories can only be nominated by SSLCs

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| WEEK EIGHTEEN

Books Following the 50th anniversary of Sylvia Plath’s death, we look at some of the most influential of her fellow “confessional” poets 1. Robert Lowell

Popularly considered to be one of the founders of the confessional movement, Lowell hailed from Boston, Massachusetts. Born in 1917, he went on to win the Pulitzer prize twice. He first received wide acclaim for Lord Weary’s Castle, though arguably Life Studies is the most influential book he published.

He suffered from manic depression for most of his adult life, which especially influenced Life Studies.

2. John Berryman

Another major figure in the movement, this academic and poet was born in Oklahoma before later moving to Florida. He was haunted by his father’s suicide and struggled to come to terms with it in his most well-known work, The Dream Songs. Like Plath, he also studied at Cambridge on a scholarship. He led a somewhat tumultuous life, which is explored in his work.

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The unbearable difficulty of reading Salonee Kakodkar gets a word-based workout as she ploughs through Dostoyevsky and Faulkner on a quest of self-improvement MOST readers agree on a canon of particularly acclaimed difficult books books that are hard to read for their syntax or style, their length, structural or generic strangeness, peculiar experimental techniques or abstract form. The list is inexhaustible; from those mere mortals among us who have found themselves reading and rereading the same paragraph of James Joyce’s Ulysses, to the individuals driven to tears by Faulkner’s one-line chapter, “My mother is a fish,” in As I Lay Dying.

However, consider the notion that we shouldn’t read for the sake of reading or to pass a test at school, but read to learn, requiring us to regard our brain as the muscle it is - lifting the subjects with the most friction and weight. For me, that means forcing one’s way into uncharted territory and wrestling with unfamiliar subjects, instead of opting for an ‘easy read.’ Never mind the amount of learning, work or thinking a person commits to in a day, n o n e of it is rel-

evant until it occurs against the backdrop of exhaustive analysis.

“Choose to read something that challenges, instead of something that merely entertains” The books allegedly above one’s ‘level’ of reading can pressure a reader to actively disengage from all the momentum around, and provoke readers to ponder and refine their own ideas, beliefs and opinions whilst shaping their own reality. Solid, hard thinking. No half -baked solutions or answers.

Choose to read something that challenges, instead of something that merely entertains.

Unlike Gregory David Roberts’s novel Shantaram (published in 2003 and over 900 pages long) which was mentally taxing because of the sheer length and matter, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment (first published in 1866) is challenging in the argu-

ments it poses about human existence.

Through the story of the brilliant but conflicted young Raskolnikov and the murder he commits, the Russian author scrutinises the theme of redemption through suffering. The author provides his readers with compelling, suspenseful and penetrating psychological analysis that goes past the crime to uncover something about the human condition - the more we intellectualise, the more imprisoned we become.

What I remember, after having read the book, is being captivated by Dostoevsky’s exceptional understanding of human nature. A master storyteller, who was not only able to create complex characters but transport me powerfully inside a character ’s mind, Dostoevsky’s novel is one that will indefinitely make its reader stop, ponder a n d

absorb the substantial content instead of mere mindless reading. Of course, reading ‘difficult’ books isn’t easy and takes an effort to master. It’s the same as gradually lifting heavier weights at a gym - one has to work through the initial pain to finally achieve success. People seem to ask me if the books I lug around are for school because they are full of notes and post-its - why would someone put so much energy into something they weren’t receiving any credit for?

Because I enjoy it and gain a sense of empowerment through understanding.

Most of it is the ability to push through on your own and build confidence, without having an overbearing trainer controlling what you can or cannot be lifting. March on and I think you will discover that you are able to read above your supposed ‘level’ even outside the classroom.

3. Anne Sexton

Also a Pulitzer Prize winner, Sexton suffered from depression and her poetry reflects her suicidal tendencies. Her work also explores female issues that were not previously acknowledged in poetry, such as menstruation and abortion. Her career was encouraged by W. D. Snodgrass (another leading confessional poet).

4. Sylvia Plath

One of the most well-known poets in the movement, her emotional style has led to much speculation on the autobiographical content of her work. Continued debate over her work and life has prolonged public interest in the confessional movement.

5. Allen Ginsberg

In the 1950s Ginsberg courted controversy by tackling taboo subjects such as homosexuality, communism and drugs. His outspokenness led to an obscenity trial of his best known epic poem Howl. He was seen as a leader of the Beat Generation and became a somewhat iconic figure in the 1960s.

Our writers wade through an intimidating library of classics so you don’t have to 2666

Ulysses

Anna Karenina

War and Peace

Roberto Bolaño

James Joyce

Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy

IT sat on my bookshelf for a couple of years before I finally dared to crack open the 912-page monster this summer. It turned out, surprisingly, to be a (fairly) quick read since there is constant action and movement in the plot; from crimes in Mexico and the gory, daily problems of being in prison there to academics falling in love at a conference in Italy. To give a plot summary which ties these strands together plausibly would end up as long as the book since Bolaño’s prose is admirably spare, allowing the book instead to be populated with a multitude of characters who all feel very developed despite only crossing the thread of the story for a few pages. Unexpectedly the beauty of 2666 is the very broadness of the plot which refuses to be predicted but will be unravelled at its own leisure.

OUR English A-Level class had the somewhat rocky experience of being taught by a man clearly infatuated with James Joyce – and thus Ulysses was an obligation rather than a choice, one which struck fear into our very souls as we tried to find punctuation and decipher narrative from free indirect discourse.

For anyone stuck on a desert island I would heartily recommend it, for Joyce has created a completely intriguing Rubik’s Cube of a novel that if you attempt in sections can provide really rewarding reading. The allusions to The Odyssey and the utterly anal nature of the details are just two examples of why this is Joyce’s magnum opus. He also, rather amusingly, gives the finger to the literary world as in his own words he created something that “will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant”.

THIS might be embarrassing for an English student to admit, but it was simply the length of Anna Karenina which initially deterred me from reading it. When I finally began I was confronted by a barrage of incomprehensible Russian names, not helped by the fact that each of the many characters could seemingly be referred to by any of their three names at any given moment. However, after persevering for a few pages I became too intrigued by the nuances and complexities of all of the different relationships to mind the effort it took to keep up. By the end of the book it became clear that it is the depth of psychological exploration of such a vast array of characters that is Anna Karenina’s greatest strength, a combination which would be impossible if it was any shorter. Any film adaptation could only dream of the luxury of space available in the novel.

SOME books gain a reputation for being difficult simply by their outward appearance, i.e. heavy enough to be used as a blunt weapon and with writing so small and abundant that even the most dedicated scholar would think twice. Tolstoy’s book may look uninviting, but it is certainly worth the effort. His attention to detail and finely combed critique of aristocratic Russian life during the time of the Napoleonic invasion informs as well as entertains – it’s like a history book garlanded with an array of interesting, often quite malicious, characters. His little essays on war and society are also dotted around the book, allowing us to rethink whatever pre-conceived notions we have on warfare and aristocracy. The ending is admittedly of its time but, nevertheless, War and Peace is well worth a read, if for no other reason than to show off to others that you’ve done so.

Elli christie

Bethany stuart

Sophie beckett

nicole laffan

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books

Hitler’s Willing Executioners Daniel J. Goldhagen THE HOLOCAUST remains a disturbing, unsettling issue in society, reminding us all of the brutality and cruelty capable by some under terrible conditions. Today it is an issue more open than ever before. Literature, films, art, exhibitions and plays abound on the 20th century’s worst and arguably most shocking genocide. One controversial and disquieting work within this broad field of literature is Daniel J. Goldhagen’s Hitler’s Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust, first published in 1997 and perhaps the most debated work within Holocaust studies, generating fierce criticism, outrage, horror, and from other sides, acclaim and praise.

To those unfamiliar with Goldhagen’s writing, the central thesis driving this book is that it was not the oppressive conditions of the Nazi dictatorship, the vicious propaganda directed against Jews, the pervasive ideologies utilised by the state, or other important economic or political factors which eventually led to the implementation of the genocide. Instead, it was bloodthirsty and violent anti-Semitism held by ordinary German people of a kind

so strong that it rendered them different to other Europeans and Americans.

Viewing all Germans as desirous to harm and kill Jews in torturous and cruel ways, Goldhagen’s book is often punctuated with unsettling claims such as: the German people were “seething with hatred” for their Jewish neighbours, “German antisemitism helps explain their immense cruelty towards Jews that were almost always voluntaristic, initiated by each individual himself or herself.”

“The Holocaust remains a disturbing, unsettling issue in society, reminding us all of the brutality and cruelty capable by some under terrible conditions” Goldhagen’s book was made famous due to excellent publicity well before the book itself was actually published. Its impact was immediately huge, generating substantial controversy worldwide. Perhaps surprisingly, it was extremely popular in Germany, and Goldhagen visited many parts of Germany giving talks on his theories.

But Goldhagen’s selective and indiscriminate use of evidence renders

this book highly flawed, often ignoring contemporary documentation – of which there is much – which opposes his arguments that all Germans participated eagerly in the Holocaust due to a desire to have bloodthirsty revenge on Jews.

According to Goldhagen, Germany has endured substantial and fierce anti-Semitism ever since the medieval period, eventually intensifying in the years before the Second World War. Germans became increasingly intolerant towards Jews, a claim which ignores that not only were Jews integral to German culture but enjoyed some significant freedoms and rights.

Apparently, according to Goldhagen, following the Holocaust Germany suddenly renounced its anti-Semitism and became democratic. The illogicality of statements such as this only enhance the book’s disturbing nature. For those seeking monocausal arguments about the Holocaust which ignore multiple and complex factors, Goldhagen’s work is to be read. Its continuing impact in Holocaust studies implies a disconcerting desire by some to explain genocide as cases of ‘us’ against ‘them’ – the perpetrators were ‘evil’ and ‘inhuman’, they were not like, (in Goldhagen’s view), contemporary American society.

CONOR BYRNE

Can you ignite the skill to write?

Rory Morgan asks if you can teach someone to write like Dickens or rhyme like Rossetti

FORTY years ago when Malcolm Bradbury first introduced the now renowned Creative Writing Masters degree at the University of East Anglia he was faced with strong criticism. Today, over 10,000 creative writing courses can be found in the UK and over 70 universities offer undergraduate degrees. However, writers and academics still heavily contest the question of creative writing’s relevance and ability to produce truly talented authors.

“Creative writing courses are not production lines of outstanding writers but instead open up new ways of studying” Exeter currently has undergraduate Creative Writing modules headed by Andy Brown and a Masters programme also. Posing the question directly to Dr Brown he responded by comparing the practice to the teaching of “drawing” or “playing the cello” but confessed not every student could be moulded into a prodigy. “But can you teach the students to be a Leonardo da Vinci, or an Emily Dickinson? Of course not.” Dr Brown encourages individuals to regard these courses as a

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way of becoming more imaginative and engaged as individuals.

It seems that a similar school of thought is held at UEA. Third year undergraduate Creative Writing student Sam Holland commented: “You can’t teach someone to write something phenomenal but you can stimulate creativity by challenging how someone perceives the world.” The creative writing courses at UEA have produced literary heavyweights such as Ian McEwan, but successful authors such as David Baddiel and Will Self still contest their relevance. Baddiel has affirmed his thought that “the only way to learn is by reading other writers” and it seems there is a fear amongst some that the popularity of Creative Writing is belittling the study of literature.

But surely the two are not mutually exclusive? They have been taught side by side in the school curriculum in the USA for over a century and this inclusion must have helped American authors such as Cormac McCarthy or J. D. Salinger craft and perfect their unique styles. In an interview with BBC Radio 4 Ian McEwan mused “perhaps all civilised people should be able to pen a short story in their life” and maybe the writing of poetry is useful in showing how “difficult it is to do it well.”

There is clearly little damage that can occur from these courses, besides a few bruised egos and less than brilliant literature and it seems tenuous to argue that these courses can damage a writing style, build false hopes and are utterly pointless.

Perhaps these authors who have taken creative writing courses would still be the literary legends they are without them. Although it is strange to suggest that they did not come away with anything from this education.

A new way of viewing these courses is necessary. They are not production lines of outstanding writers. Instead they are opening up a new way of studying literature by showing varying versions of the creative process involved in crafting the literature students read. Nevertheless, the importance of studying literature remains and the relevance of creative writing is put into question without it.

Author Profile: Sylvia Plath SYLVIA PLATH is a literary figure of near-mythic repute. She has divided readers and critics alike – for both the style of her work and her well-publicised relationship with Ted Hughes.

This is clear from the fact that this month, 50 years after her death and the publication of her novel The Bell Jar, critics are still arguing the same debates: how much did Hughes censor her work? How much is he to blame for her suicide?

Plath has become a prototype of the suffering poet, an image that unfortunately overshadows her remarkable work.

“Many find her melodramatic but I think the raw emotion of her poetry is what makes it so powerful” The American poet, novelist and writer was born in Boston in 1932, and studied at Smith College before gaining a scholarship to Cambridge, where she met Hughes. They were quickly married and lived in America, then Britain and had two children. The Bell Jar, her only novel, was published a month before her final suicide attempt and has been seen by many as a fictionalisation of her early life. The novel’s protagonist is bright, ambitious but later disillusioned and her ensuing mental illness leads her to attempt suicide. Plath suffered from depression for the majority of her adult life and she first attempted suicide during the summer after her third year at Smith College, which resulted in spending time in psychiatric care, where

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she received electric shock treatment.

The autobiographical echoes in The Bell Jar have made it famous, but I think that her poetry best demonstrates her talent.

Her poetry has often been described as confessional due to the excess of emotion, which has distanced her from many readers who have found her self-indulgent and melodramatic. Personally I’m in the other camp – I think the raw emotion of her poetry is what makes her writing so powerful. She had written poetry from a very young age and excelled academically throughout her career, but it was the publication of Ariel that cemented her literary reputation. Plath became the first poet to win the Pulitzer Prize posthumously, for The Collected Poems, edited

by Hughes after her death. Her poetry is dark – not recommended as reading that would lighten your mood – with beautiful, sometimes surreal images. The anger and suffering that is present in some of her poems has made her an icon for some feminists, who turned her into a tortured female figure (at the expense of Hughes), following her death. “Daddy” is one of her best-known poems, though I would recommend “Mirror” to those wanting to read her work for the first time.

Though I found it near-impossible to separate Plath from Hughes, and her writing from her turbulent life, I would encourage new readers to try and experience her work aside from her autobiographical fame.

50 years later, it is time to leave the domestic debates to those who were actually involved, to drop the labels of proPlath or pro-Hughes - and to realise that it’s possible to be both.

It’s time we came back to the poetry and the writing that started it all.

EMILY lunn books editor

Any Last Words?

This week we asked: which literary character are you most like?

Oliver Twist. Because no matter how much food you have at home, students always welcome more and more.

TOM FFISKE I’m a bit like Robin Hood, except I don’t take money from the rich, and I give out Sambuca shots indiscriminately.

JAMES CROUCH Tony Stark...because I too can have questionable facial hair and talk too much too fast.

HUGH BLACKSTAFFE The wife of Bath...because I am sawwcy.

ALEX PHELPS

Fowler from The Quiet American because I’m a cynical, atheist, British journalist and I spend my days being given opium by my Vietnamese lover.

TOM BOND Marianne Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility. I shall continue to follow her policy of following one’s heart rather than one’s head in the hope that maybe I, too, can marry Alan Rickman.

KATE GRAY Count Dracula. I’m not really a morning person either. Actually, I can really relate to the mother in the classic Biff and Chip books.

She and I both harbour a secret hatred of children.

THOMAS LING

Opportunity.

It’s staring you in the face.

Undergraduate and Graduate Opportunities It’s February already, so there’s no time to lose. Apply now to make the most of your opportunities with PwC in 2013. Text ‘PwC Exeter’ to 60300* for a chance to win an iPad mini and get details of the events we’ll be attending at Exeter this month.

Take the opportunity of a lifetime www.pwc.com/uk/exeter www.facebook.com/PwCCareersUK © February 2013 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. *Texts charged at your standard network rate.

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Arts Diary Our regular Arts Diary column shows you all the important events going on in Exeter...

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ARTS EDITORS

Clara Plackett & Emily Tanner arts@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Arts

Taking a Punt on Steve

Ben Murphie, Deputy Editor and Thomas Ling, Lifestyle Editor, catch up with comic Steve Punt

Art Maia Conran @ Phoenix 1 February-16 March Exeter’s Fine Art Collection @ RAMM until 30 March

Comedy Wit Tank @ Phoenix 24 February

Drama Running on the Cracks @ Northcott Theatre 20-23 February Aubade @ Bikeshed 23-28 February

Dance Richard Alston Dance Company @ Northcott Theatre 26-27 February

Art Attack This week we’d really love to discuss some album artwork in ART ATTACK because we’re feeling musical!

This is the Arctic Monkey’s album cover for “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”. What do you think about the relationship between the photos on the front and back covers?

Do you think we can consider album covers like this as art?

STEVE PUNT spares no energy in discussing every topic that is thrown his way. His friendly enthusiasm belies a somewhat exhausted exterior, an impressive feat following a lengthy train journey with the prospect of an extensive radio show rehearsal ahead. Punt’s work on shows such as Mock the Week, Would I Lie To You? and Spitting Image make up a long line of credits that stretch across television and radio.

Since meeting his renowned comedy partner Hugh Dennis in the 1980s, the duo worked endlessly writing material for comedians until landing their own programme, The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show. These days, he is best known for presenting topical radio comedy The Now Show, triumphantly still on air after 38 series.

Punt’s abilities extend far beyond cutting edge satire. His current visit to Exeter is in support of The 3rd Degree, a radio panel-quiz project, where he relates how “you get a much nicer show the more friendly it is.” With a format that pitches student against lecturer, Punt opts to avoid stern Paxman-esque clichés, citing a dislike of “sneery quizzes.” Rather than an intellectual bloodbath, listeners can expect instead “a very high powered pub quiz.”

Punt’s panel show experience goes KATIE WILKINSON: I think album covers are almost always art - they’re visual, they’re conveying a message, a lot of thought goes into colour, tone and other artistic aspects.

JON JENNER: The combination of the front and back covers with the album title itself perfectly conjures up the idea of a swaggering Sheffield lad who is defined precisely by what people think of him. So appropriate for a band that took the world by storm whilst simultaneously pleading “Don’t believe the hype.”

far beyond radio, and it is with invaluable insider knowledge from decades at the BBC that he gives a weary insight into the explosion of the format onto TV screens: “There’s more panel shows because they are cheap. Compared to a sketch show, a panel show is very cheap to make and it’s a great way of using stand-ups.”

“Compared to a sketch show, a panel show is very cheap to make and it’s a great way of using stand ups” True to his genuine nature, Punt eagerly explains the dark side of this formula. When asked if Mock the Week’s Frankie Boyle ever tipped this comedic balance too far, he swiftly responds: “Well, I think he did. There’s a point where the others knew he did. It was actually getting very difficult to edit the show because Frankie would just take over and he also did a very clever thing; he used additional writers and the others were thinking ‘Frankie’s got three times more jokes than everyone else’… that’s because he’s got two writers with him.”

Punt talks of the ensuing “armsEMILY TANNER: I absolutely love this cover (and the album itself) and think it says so much in such a simple image.

CALLUM MCLEAN: As the Sheffield lads frequently pointed out, “You can see from the image smoking is not doing him the world of good”. It’s a bleak, gritty portrait of playfully debauched Yorkshire youth, done for (and with) great effect, so good on ‘em.

MEGAN FURBOROUGH: I agree with Callum - I don’t believe that this image condones or encourages smoking and I

race,” saying how “there was a point where all the regular panellists were all secretly working with writers and none of them were telling the others, but it just meant that there were more jokes in the show, it also meant that it became a matter of doing one liners.” By contrast QI is “the only panel show that is genuinely spontaneous…it has a completely different feel because they really are riffing off each other.” This seems a world away from Mock the Week where “they’ve got to get the punch lines out.

There’s a tacit understanding of how that has to work ... some people enjoy it and some people really don’t enjoy it.

Women find it very hard.”

It’s well known that comedy has a dark side, one that has led many to call for tighter controls in recent years, whilst leading comedians such as Rowan Atkinson to controversially speak out against such censorship. Punt points to audience appropriate material, rather than risqué comedy itself: “The people watching Channel Four at half past ten, that’s what they expect, that’s what they want. Punt discusses how “a lot of the time the problem is that everybody can see everything. Even in Radio, you can access iPlayer now so you can always access your outrage whenever you want.” Proving that he think that whole line of argument (e.g. violence on screen causes violence in real life etc etc) is just a bit tired now.

If you’re going to smoke I doubt you’ll be encouraged by a dirty ash tray overflowing with butts! I also never thought of the back cover as conveying despair - the expression on the back could be just as cocky as the front.

CALLUM MCLEAN: I always thought it looked more like 4am fatigue.

is no stranger to the issue, he remembers “we did a joke about that on the last series [of The Now Show]: iPlayer: making the indefensible unmissable.”

You’d be forgiven in thinking that Punt is willing to talk about the negative side of comedy at such length due to some arrogance from being in the business for so long. Yet it is with friendly eagerness that he responds to questions, even adding his own advice for budding writers: “Don’t confuse cynicism with humour. A lot of people think that comedy is very cynical about everything but actually most comedy writers are really interested in everything,” he goes on to say how “the cynicism is a façade, [comedians] will pick something up, read it, watch weird documentaries…they’re very good on pub quiz teams.”

Overall, it seems that Steve Punt is a man nurturing a never-ending thirst for knowledge in an ever-growing number of areas. Fortunately for him, and his listeners, it just so happens that he’s a very funny man as well.

The edition of The 3rd Degree recorded at Exeter University is due to air on Radio 4 in March.

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Dynamic spaces and performing places Emily Tanner, Arts Editor argues that art galleries are not what they used to be and it’s definitely a change for the better

OVER the past week the German electronic band Kraftwerk played a number of shows at London’s Tate Modern. The performances proved highly popular and sold out rapidly after the release of the tickets a few months ago, demonstrating that the combination of music and art is not so niche at all. Art galleries may once have been stuffy white rooms, filled from floor to ceiling with paintings from the Renaissance, in which you felt that the clicking of a boot heel was a deafening noise amidst the thoughtful silence of the other visitors, yet this is no longer the case. Many galleries are being used as dynamic performance spaces, bringing together different strands of art and culture to make a richer, less alienating experience.

Of course, numerous galleries still exist where you feel underdressed if

“The music and performance element of the show is not separate from the art”

you’re not in your Sunday best, but these are increasingly becoming the minority. Kraftwerk’s shows at the Tate Modern are not the first to take place in an art gallery and the combination of live performance and art is no longer a novelty. In 2011, American psychedelic rockers MGMT played a show at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, collaborating with video artist Alejandro Crawford to create what was effectively a live installation piece, which combined the band’s music and Crawford’s visual art. In the case of both Kraftwerk and MGMT the music and performance ele-

ment of the show is not separate from the art and instead the two combine to become an immersive artistic experience.

Away from musical performances taking place in galleries, many venues now actively support a programme of performance art, dance and theatre alongside more traditional visual art.

Each year New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) holds an Annual Performance Symposium in which experts discuss the changing attitude towards performance in art and the relationship performance has with the gallery space and MoMA is currently looking back on the history of art and performance in ‘Performing Histories’. Back in England, the Tate Modern recently opened The Tanks, a space devoted to showing a programme of performance in the depths of the gallery. Importantly, neither gal-

lery has shunned more traditional forms of art. MoMA are currently hosting an exhibition of Edvard Munch’s works alongside Trajal Harrell’s Used, Abused and Hung Out To Dry, a piece focused

“Kraftwerk’s shows at the Tate Modern are not the first to take place in a gallery. The combination of live performance and art is no longer a novelty” on choreography. The Tate Modern permanently houses a collection of works by artists such as Picasso, Van Gough and Warhol whilst offering a series of experimental performances in The Tanks and both are working to demonstrate the

place of performance within the world of art.

Admittedly, it is largely galleries devoted to modern art which are working to change the perceptions of art and performance. It is unlikely that The Rolling Stones will play a gig in the National Gallery anytime soon, or that the latest show in immersive and experimental theatre will debut at Exeter’s RAMM but it is clear that things are changing. At only twelve years old the Tate Modern has already put its stamp on the art world and is showing that art galleries are not only for high hung Rembrandts and those with afternoons to kill. Instead, as the recent Kraftwerk shows demonstrate, galleries can be exciting places where unique artistic experiences can take place and thrill spectators.

A new world symphony for classical music?

Emma Pidsley shines a new light on the performance of classical music in a look at the Age of Enlightenment Orchestra ORCHESTRA: snobby, elitist, generally something which makes you feel distinctly uncomfortable? If you would rather go to the library and do some extra reading than go to an orchestral concert of an evening then you would definitely not be alone. The stigma surrounding orchestras and classical music in general has become so powerful that most young people encountering the idea of an orchestra would lock it away in some stuffy church hall in their mind and throw away the key.

However, as a self-confessed “Orchestra Nerd” I can confirm that it is far from snobby, far from stuffy, and distinctly removed from the grey realms of boring. So what went so wrong? People who reject classical music don’t realise that it is an extremely colourful, creative and subjective form of art. Orchestral music accompanies our lives more than we realise. Without music how would great films such as Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings fare? Not to mention the TV themes we all know and love like Downton Abbey. And it’s not only the modern stuff which has made the cut. Tchaikovsky’s famous ‘Swan Lake’ has graced our ears recently in Black Swan, and is one of the elements which makes the film so effective. Tchaikovsky’s ballet music was also used recently in David Attenborough’s Africa

as deer were shown leaping gracefully across the plain. In fact, Africa was full to the brim with moody and beautiful classical music which made the already breath-taking filming even more spectacular.

“Something needs to be changed to make orchestras more accessible for a wider range of people” According to a recent article in The Independent, orchestras “must ‘ride the wave of change’ or die” (Nick Clark, 24th Jan). The new head of Universal Music believes that the key to making this change is to make classical concerts more accessible by removing the conventions around clapping, (ie: allowing applause between movements of a piece) and the performers engaging with the audience more. He believes that to do this, the musicians need to “appear more excited.”

Although I agree something needs to be changed to make orchestras more accessible for a wider range of people, the issue is not, in my opinion, that the players look uninterested or that the audience have a burning desire to clap between movements. The key to engag-

ing an audience is to connect with them through the music itself. Every piece has a story to tell; the players need to believe it themselves to convey it. Like all forms of art, the connection to the audience or reader is about the feelings it evokes.

You wouldn’t necessarily encourage someone to connect with a piece of artwork by putting it in an exciting frame.

Verbal communication is also key to making the audience feel more relaxed, a lot of orchestras just play through their repertoire without a word in-between.

This doesn’t help with the “snobby” reputation.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, based in London, is over-throwing the stuffy image by playing with original Baroque instruments, getting rid of conventions such as having a single conductor in charge, but most of all their difference is in the unique way they interpret their repertoire. Their by-line is “not all orchestras are the same” and that is exactly what people need to realise.

Like most forms of art, it won’t be for everyone, but you never know until you give it a try! There are some great concerts happening this term right on your doorstep, including Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s “Hollywood Concert” on 14 Feb, and Exeter University Symphony Orchestra’s concert on 19 March, both in the Great Hall.

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RAMMbassador Day RAMM 2 March 2013 NEVER been to the RAMM before?

No not the Ram student bar, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter’s brilliant museum just off Gandy Street.

Voted ‘Museum of the Year’ in 2012, the RAMM has recently undergone a huge refurbishment. Far from the stuffy museum trips that haunt many people’s childhoods, a visit to the RAMM is more like entering a swish art gallery, with every object being beautifully and thoughtfully displayed. One museum award judge even referred to it as “a magical place”, reflecting the way one room transports you to our planet’s prehistoric origins and the very next immerses you in Exeter’s Victorian past. There’s an immense variety.

Whether you’ve been before or not, make your way down to the RAMM on Saturday 2 March: ‘RAMMbassador Day’. 11 students from Exeter, known as ‘RAMMbassadors’, have each chosen an object from the museum’s huge collection of artefacts. After in-depth research surrounding these (including liaising with museum curators), the students have prepared informative

Ants in Space - Preview Silverton Community Hall 21-23 February 2013 LOOK out Exeter students! Silverton Luvvies are presenting the interstellar musical, Ant in Space. Brace yourselves for the onslaughts of an intergalactic battle between giant ants and evil lizards, aided by a dalek of course, as space wars enter Devon! This brand new show is bringing the space age into musicals. Ants in Space bursts on stage at Silverton Community Hall from February 21-23 2013 featuring four live, action-packed shows.

The Silverton Luvvies drama group has written the original work themselves and set the space war story to popular songs played by their semi-professional band.

Director Portia Smith said: “This is fantastic community theatre, from the actors to the band to the backstage crew. It is a real team effort.

“We have written an original script with a range of colourful characters, from cunning space ants, terrifying lizards and a use-

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and dynamic talks about their chosen artefacts. Their enthusiasm is clear and after each talk you will find yourself convinced that the object you have just heard about is the most important in the RAMM, only for the next to make you think exactly the same about a completely different museum piece!

Based on each RAMMbassador’s particular interests and expertise, the talks range from the huge and ancient to the small and much more recent.

This offers a great introduction to the museum’s diverse collection, reflecting the variety of the RAMM’s one million objects. All this in bite-size five minute chunks, making the talks a nice break from learning in long lectures!

So why not wander down to the RAMM on Saturday, March 2 to support your fellow students and learn about some amazing objects and the historical insights that these can offer. Talks are running all day from 10:30am until 3:30pm. And, the best part, the RAMM is free entry for all… very student friendly!

EMMA HOLIFIELD less dalek. It promises to be great fun, clever and wonderful value for money.”

Doors and a bar open 30 minutes before each performance and there is also an interval. There will also be a bar and disco on the Friday and Saturday performances.

Performances are at 7.30pm on February 2123 and at 2.30pm for a Saturday matinée.

GRACE MCGEEHAN

Tony Law Exeter Phoenix 13 February 2013 PERFORMING at the Phoenix Theatre as part of the LOL Exeter Comedy Festival, Tony Law brought to the stage his five star, sell-out show from last year’s Edinburgh Festival.

After seeing him on such shows as Russell Howard’s Good News where he donned a onesie and leapt into a tangent about war planes, the title “Maximum Nonsense” was not a surprise and I was not disappointed in my high expectations of utter absurdity.

Describing himself as “half

Artist Profile Sophie Elm WHILE in Edinburgh last summer for the annual Fringe Festival I found myself in The Red Door Gallery staring wistfully at a selection of prints labelled “House 1-5”, courtesy of Sophie Elm – aka Jeff Josephine Designs and find myself now somewhat obsessed.

Elm is currently studying illustration at the Edinburgh College of Art after a foundation course at Leeds.

Originally from Yorkshire, her roots have inspired her work in their very British-ness. Indeed her work is saturated in the British culture, from the floral patterns of China teacups to the sausage-dog seen in her most recent works. There is something very innocent and childish about Elm’s prints and patterns, her use of primary colours

pirate, half Viking”, Law sauntered onto stage wearing breeches, knee high mustard socks, a neckerchief and his trademark wild hair - his impact was powerful and instantaneous on a packed audience. Most notably the aspects which were best received were his incessant accent changes, remarkable tangents and the random playing of the steel drums to end the first half.

When you see Tony Law you must strap yourself in and let yourself be taken on the journey, give in to the comedy so to speak. The rhizomatic way in which he moves from topic to tangent can take you to the highest

“Seeming spontaneous, as if he’s a pissed uncle at a wedding making a spectacle of himself” point if you let it, whereas attempting to logicise the humour will leave you flat on the ground at a loss to what on earth is going on. Indeed, it is a very sensory experience – the overtness of his appearance, the way he uses his voice, his accents and movement on and quaint designs; for instance returning you momentarily to a very youthful and nostalgic period. Elm’s aim seems simply to make people smile as she states in her bio: “the world shall become a sweet shop of temptations!”.

She clearly aspires to create art for art’s sake and make the mundane that little more exciting.

“Indeed her work is saturated in the British culture, from floral patterns to sausage dogs” Elm describes herself as an “illustrator, decorative designer, pattern maker, typographer and print maker” on her websites, an exceptionally versatile artist creating prints - like those I still lust after! -to Rob Ryan-esque novelties; at present she has a Val-

stage are instinctive and natural – almost seeming spontaneous as if he’s a pissed uncle at a wedding making a spectacle of himself. He creates a relationship with the audience through this, the blunt honesty when a joke flops or triumphs. However, regardless of how spur of the moment it seems, I sensed that in actual fact we had played right into his hand and he held all the strings very tightly.

How does one finish an act that has documented the linguistic history of the term “scoop-mud”? Of course it is with the audience singing a chorus of “Tony doesn’t know how to end his show” accompanied by spotlighted miniature elephants, adopting the personas of the likes of Jack Whitehall and Morgan Freeman.

If you get the opportunity, Tony Law is an experience in himself and I heartily recommend you grab the chance. However, it is not for the faint-hearted and so if you don’t wish to be used, abused and toyed with stay WELL away from the front line!

BETHANY STUART entine’s collection of the most adorable block-printed, heart-shaped cushions inspired by the First World War tradition of soldiers and sailors who would make pincushions to give to their sweethearts. For all the book-lovers of us out there we can even look forward to a collection of collaborative designs.

A really eclectic artist with a simple purpose to create pieces that inspire a bit of juvenility and a celebration of our culture, Elm really is one to watch as while the Best of British is still being enjoyed in the wake of 2012 her designs are destined to strike a chord with all of us who are inspired by our rich and quirky heritage.

BETHANY STUART

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GAMES

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The future of Playstation

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GAMES EDITORS

Marcus Beard & Jonathan Jenner games@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Games

Sandbox What would you like the PS4 to be capable of?

Jon Jenner, Games Editor, previews the PS4 ON Wednesday 20 February, the world’s game journalists will converge on New York to witness what everyone is expecting to be the world’s first look at the PS4. Whilst I can’t promise what the announcement will contain and what the PS4 is capable of, I’ve sifted through the rumours, the speculation and the precious few facts to provide a comprehensive preview of “the future of Playstation”.

The Event

It’s safe to say that the meeting isn’t going to tell us everything. The talk will likely be shorter than an E3 conference, with Andrew House standing up in front of the world’s media, cradling the PS4 like the most technologically advanced baby in the world. The controller will also likely be shown along with details of what it can do (presumably something more useful than SIXAXIS) as well as – most importantly – a montage of games in production for the console. Sony’s first-party powerhouses will all be present and correct, and the fact that we’re watching gameplay will be stressed; finally, a proper first look at what the next generation actually looks like.

Release Date

What the event probably won’t give us is a concrete release date – no single day to circle in the calendar, unfortunately. If we get anything more than a “by the end of the year” it will be surprising, but regardless of whether it’s mentioned in the event, the PS4 will hit the USA, Japan,

and Europe by 2014. Sony won’t want to miss the all-important holiday rush.

The event will probably avoid mentioning the price, but Sony will likely stress that this is a quality piece of kit – and you’ll have to fork up for it. £350-400.

Dave Fiander Stone: It being capable of having DLC releases at the same time as other platforms would be nice...

Rob Harris: To be capable of running the Catholic church. The Pope resigns a only a week before Sony asks us to ‘see the future’. Coincidence? I think not.

The Launch

Sony products aren’t selling due to poor marketing, and there’s no way they’ll let that happen with the PS4. The hype around the launch will be enormous, and the games that accompany it will be absolutely vital. Media Molecule (creators of Little Big Planet) have begun teasing a new title, and Evolution Studios (creators of Motorstorm) have begun a countdown on their Twitter; it’s no coincidence that these studios are teasing content two weeks before the big meeting, so as well as being present at the meeting, they’re strong shouts for launch titles. As well as the obligatory FIFA.

Thomas Ling: Love.

Hugh Dignan: Stopping the voices.

William Madsen: Access the Steam store.

James Roberts: Xbox Live Alex Phelps: Being a transformer, it is about time Japan make it happen.

Connectivity

The PS4 isn’t going to be backwards compatible… or at least not in the traditional sense. Instead, Sony’s acquisition of cloud-based service Gaikai means that, potentially, the entire back catalogue of Playstation titles would be available to stream seamlessly from the cloud. The potential for cloud-based gaming is enormous and will likely feature heavily in Sony’s plans for the PS4.

The PS Vita will likely be pushed as an invaluable companion to the home console too, in order to boost the handheld’s sales.

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Tom Bond: Keeping the Dualshock controller, and if that fails, a virtual reality 3D headset. That or Tron.

Owen Keating: I’m really intrigued by the concept of a console that communicates only in iambic pentameter.

Louis Doré: Letting me beat Owen on FIFA for once.

Sony: This is your life!

Exeposé Games clings to their childhood with fond memories of Playstation’s SPYRO 2: Gateway to Glimmer was one of the earliest games on any Sony console that I played. It was colourful, the characters were amazingly varied, and I can still replay the soundtrack in my head.

The almost sinister Mr Moneybags demanding gems to teach you skills which we probably all could have worked out on our own, the graphics freezing continuously because in Spyro if you had someplace to be, you obviously charged everywhere: but it was all part of what made it so endearing. It was the first game I ever got to 100 per cent completion, and its still one of the greats.

ROSIE HOWARD WHENEVER I think PS1, I think MediEvil - the hilarious tale of the very much dead and cowardly Sir Daniel Fortescue getting a second shot at being the hero in defeating the evil wizard

Zarok. As a young kid the story was beautifully generic. But this game was the dog’s scrotum; incredibly hard and pant-destroyingly funny.

It had a brilliant Monty Python-esque feel to it, sprinkled with a garish cartoony quality. A horrible level with the boulders at the beginning, along with a boss made of a stained glass window, took up most of my childhood and probably halted early sexual development.

But what a game, and with Sony giving Sir Dan his due as a classic character in PS All-stars last year, it rekindles my hope for a next-gen MediEvil... because another game of bad one-eye jokes, fart humour, impossible bosses and a character who takes his own arm off to hit enemies with can’t be left behind in the 90s.

GEORGE PEARCY FOR all modern gaming’s high-def, 3D, blood-splattered insanity, it is perhaps a testament more to youth than

to quality that James Bond: Nightfire on the Playstation 2 is still, for me, the best gaming experience I’ve enjoyed Specifically, the split-screen mode, which I played with my brothers and friends for hours on end back in the early 2000s, when motion-control seemed about as far off as the hoverboard and Call of Duty was less popular than Tony Hawk. Nightfire’s music, maps, characters and weapons (who could forget Oddjob’s hat?) simply demand an unmodified re-release, only with online play available. Grab your sentinels!

EDWARD SCOTT MY apologies if this short piece induces tears of mutual nostalgia, or indeed pity upon my misspent childhood.

I write today about the summer in which I discovered Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on PS2, when not a day went by when I did

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GAME FACES Get in the know

Shigera Miyamoto

Designer, Mario, Zelda

Marcus Beard, Games Editor, re-learns the laws of space Antichamber Alexander Bruce

PC/Mac Out Now ANTICHAMBER is like walking around an Escher painting: endless, confusing and terrifying at times. Yet, in doing so, you gain an intimate understanding of the twisted logic that defines the space.

When you start, you’re dropped in a stark white room with a chasm between you and a black sign. “Jump!” reads the bright pink text ahead of you.

In any other game, this would be a predictable and familiar way of teaching players the jump mechanic. In Antichamber, trying to jump the gap will land you at the bottom of the pit – but a sign reads “failing to succeed does not mean failing to progress”.

You walk through a tunnel and round an infinite staircase before finding the chasm is discovered by looking behind you. It seems like the same space, but now the text says “Walk.”

Doing so glides you to the other side.

Within 60 seconds, Antichamber tells you what it will remind you throughnot brandish that annoying controller whose wire didn’t quite reach the sofa and skip happily through the bright grounds of Hogwarts fulfilling every magic related fantasy I could possibly dream up (minus the dodgy fan fictions, of course.)

Bearing in mind this was before Alfonso Cuarón plunged the screen world of Harry Potter into greyness, I have more memories of the intensely colourful Quidditch pitch, beautifully detailed classrooms and delicious looking jelly beans bobbing around the castle than I do of my own hometown that year. Oh, what good times were had.

GEMMA JOYCE CHEATING remorselessly and spending dozens of minutes suspended in the air spamming kickflips and melons in Tony Hawk’s 2, collecting apples and wreaking havoc with masks in CTR, the brutality of the 400m in Athens

out the game: forget everything you know about game design.

The clean interconnected ‘puzzle rooms’ whiff a bit of other first-person puzzlers (The Ball, Portal), but you won’t have seen challenges like An-

“Within sixty seconds, Antichamber tells you what it will remind you throughout the game: forget everything you know about game design” tichambers anywhere else. Abandonment of ingrained laws of space and perception overshadows the management of boxes, buttons and cubes as the key game mechanic. Game-break-

ing is the focus of Antichamber, and with each room forcing you into a new way of thinking about puzzles, it’s much harder than you think.

Using a conventional solution to a problem will lead you back to where you started – but this isn’t always a bad thing.

It’s scary to feel powerless in a universe that seems to bend its laws just to trick you, but more rewarding than any Sudoku or Crossword puzzle when you find the consistency in the universe’s warped rules.

Later in the game, more block pushing is introduced and it’s a shame to have the anti-puzzles take a backseat to ones we’ve seen hundreds of

times before, particularly when tedious 2D problems prevent you from progressing.

The joy of Antichamber lies in the feeling of wrestling with a strange beast from the inside. You’ll be repeatedly tricked and led places you weren’t intending to go, but discovering how to use the space’s bent rules to your advantage makes for novel gameplay.

It’s a technical and design feat, but the flatness of the atmosphere and lack of real story make it easy to surrender when you can’t see a solution.

Reggie Fils Aime COO, Nintendo

Gabe Newell Founder, Valve

2004 (tougher than the real thing, trust me), bafflingly terrible goalkeeping and commentary in Pro Evolution, that secret level in Crash Bandicoot that was just boxes.

I could go on but these are the memories that mean the most to me from the old Playstations. They’re silly and a bit broken but they were all somehow more fun, more enjoyable and more memorable than any of the things I shot on the last generation.

Even Zakhaev’s arm loses to ending Dr. Nefarious.

HUGH DIGNAN I’M renowned for being terrible at gaming (it turns out PlayStation 1 didn’t teach me very much actually) but I still tried, much to my friends’ despair.

When playing Tomb Raider I was never very good at the actual missions and my only success story is the occasional satisfaction of locking the butler

in the freezer when visiting her house.

My only real skills lay with Tekken 3 where I was practically a fighting champion. PlayStation 1 developed my true ability of winning fights by manically pressing random buttons in no particular order without any tactics. It remains a talent of mine to this day. Thank you, Sony.

EMMA SUDDERICK

Hideo Kojima

Creator, Metal Gear Solid

Peter Molyneux Creator, Fable

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Dead Space 3

The last bastion of survival horror or another faux- action romp?

Dale James reviews Dead Space 3 Visceral Studios

Xbox 360/PS3 Out Now EVOLUTION is essential for any franchise, there’s simply no avoiding that fact. What can be avoided, however, is betraying one’s roots in exchange for progress. The ill-received Resident Evil 6 stand as an unfortunate example of what happens when developers try to change too much. Where Resident Evil faltered, Dead Space has not. It has survived the sketchy business of evolution.

It’s odd to say this but it’s somewhat satisfying to see Dead Space, a series long compared to Resident Evil, actually beat its competition at their own game.

Two months have passed since the events on Titan Station’s Sprawl and downtrodden Engineer/Marker-Killer-Extraordinaire Isaac Clarke has gone into hiding. Isaac is shaken out of his fugue state to aid two EarthGov officers in the search for his former flame Ellie Langford and her research team. Under attack by Unitologist soldiers, Isaac learns that the Church of Unitology has all but overthrown EarthGov, and has caused another Necromorph outbreak.

Faced with no other option Isaac accom-

panies Norton’s crew out into deep space to find Ellie. What did Ellie’s team find in such a remote region of space? Why has Unitology risen up now of all times?

All of this and more is revealed as Isaac takes on the monsters from his childhood nightmares once more.

“Dead Space 3 manages to deliver scares and edge-of-your-seat moments frequently” Dead Space 3 retains a sense of constant tension through its varied environments and top tier sound design which always manages to unsettle the player. Whether you are in the void of deep space, hopping between ancient derelict spaceships, or fighting both Necromorphs and the elements on the icy plains of Tau Volantis, Dead Space 3 manages to deliver scares and edgeof-your-seat moments frequently. Whilst there are tedious “shoot-out” segments of the game where Isaac and Carver are faced with fanatical Unitologists they are few and far between and rarely break the atmosphere that other gameplay elements do such a stellar job of instilling.

While previous games were disappointingly short, depending on the

>> Isaac Clarke: The series protagonist and the gaming equivalent of John McClaine. Isaac has survived two Marker incidents but remains an emotional wreck because of it.

>> John Carver: An EarthGov sergeant who joins Isaac’s mission to put an end to the Markers. It’s unclear why he has a vendetta against anything connected to the Markers.

>> Ellie Langford: The only other survivor of the Titan Station outbreak and Isaac’s ex-girlfriend. Despite all that happened to her on Titan Station Ellie is determined to put an end to the Markers.

difficulty and amount of optional side-missions done, Dead Space 3 can take between 20 and 25 hours to complete. Couple this with a nifty “New Game +” mode which carries over all your upgrades and resources to another play-through, the equally lengthy Co-Op campaign, as well as all-new modes (unlocked once certain requirements have been met) and you’ve got a lot of content here. “Classic mode” will really appeal to ‘purists’ who want to play what they deem the authentic Dead Space experience, restricting weapon construction to series staples and limiting the abundance of resources. Whilst it’s good to see that Visceral have clearly taken the concerns of their fans into consideration it’s still baffling why these features aren’t available from the start. It’s almost like Visceral are testing the waters, to gauge fan reaction to series changes before going any further.

Yet, the story is somewhat convoluted; it features a love triangle which frankly doesn’t work, especially in such a macabre and hostile setting. Especially towards its conclusion, the game delves into some rather far-fetched areas and certain developments will leave players scratching their heads. The biggest problem with the story however is the way it ends; while it is not quite a Mass Effect

3 level of rage-inducing but it is still unsatisfactory to say the least. If the series is going the way I suspect it is then EA need to hang their heads in shame.

Another gripe I have falls at EA’s feet again: the persistent plugging of downloadable content. Normally I do not have a problem with downloadable content because it can help prolong the life of a game but here it has been implemented for entirely the wrong reasons.

You’re able to buy “rations packs” containing resources, weapon blueprints, and new suits. If this was a small menu on the title screen I would not have such a big problem with it but the frequency that these packs are advertised in-game is relentless and it really started to get on my nerves. Call me a ‘purist’ but if someone needs leg-ups in this genre of game to the extent that they are willing to pay out of their own wallet then they don’t belong here to begin with. Practices like this in gaming need to die a horrible fiery death, the sooner the better.

Despite its minor narrative and peripheral problems Dead Space 3 manages to survive its own evolution, catering to both conservative and progressive fans and delivering a tense thrill ride which still manages to scare players silly.

It takes two to be terrified... the co-op campaign CO-OP is arguably Dead Space 3’s strongest suit, which is remarkable considering the nature of the genre.

Co-Op campaigns work on a drop-indrop-out system which enables players to join active games at will provided the host has the feature enabled.

If you do not have many gaming buddies with the brass to pick up Dead Space 3 do not worry, the matchmaking system is really efficient and does a good job balancing Co-Op duos based on skill and progress.

The enemies become considerably stronger in Co-Op mode. The op-

tion to revive downed partners can be disabled, and other options can make Co-Op as relentless and tense as playing solo.

Dead Space 3 also gets communication spot on with the implementation of clear in-game voice comms, which I highly advise people make the most of. How else are you going to warn your partner that a Necromorph is about to shank them from behind?

However, what really makes CoOp stand out is the ingenious spin which sees each player having alternate experiences as a result of their

characters’ dementia. For example, the player controlling Carver will occasionally hallucinate and hear the distorted screams of his dead wife and son, whilst the player controlling Isaac will not see or hear anything.

A particularly terrifying segment sees Carver completely overwhelmed by his dementia, becoming trapped in his own mind and unable to defend himself in the real world.

The player controlling Isaac is forced to protect Carver as hordes of Necromorphs converge on their position.

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Maze

Crossword No. 45 by Raucous

Across Finish!

Spot the Difference

47

1. Suppression (10) 6. Norse god (4) 7. Precision (8) 8. Semiaquatic mammal (5) 9. Building feature (7) 10. Female champion (7) 12. Rower (7) 13. Relating to heat (7) 15. Accept (5) 16. Sword (8) 17. Amphibian (4) 18. Rises from the floor in caves (10)

Down 1. Sat on (5) 2. Pompous people (7,6) 3. To be flattering (13) 4. Theory developed after writers like Woolf, Eliot and Joyce (13) 5. Nasally ingested (7) 11. Narcotic (7) 14. Cut (5)

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Will Kelleher & Mike Stanton sport@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Sport

Sailing into BUCS playoffs

Sailing

Lucy Goff Team Member

Lucy Goff

Sailing

Team Member

>> Exeter unfortunately lost to Northumbria 30-87 despite the best efforts of their shooters

Basketball

Ellen Gibson Team Member

ON Wednesday 13 February, Exeter’s Women’s Basketball team faced Northumbria in a bid to make it to the final eight of the BUCS playoffs. Unfortunately they were outclassed by a six man team that never seemed to tire, but Exeter put in a gutsy performance and should be extraordinarily proud of their success in the league this year.

The first quarter began with Northumbria getting called for lingering in the key, and Exeter’s Katie Hall scored a smooth three pointer, but unfortunately that was not a sign of the match to come. Play was intense from the first whistle and Northumbria used a press defence against Exeter which

was hard to break.

Northumbria’s number 23 proved a huge presence on the court, and after a few minutes her team scored a three pointer of their own. Katie Hall retaliated with a skilful drive to the basket, drawing a foul and scoring both of her freethrows, but some haphazard rebounding from Exeter meant the first quarter drew to a close with a score of 7 – 20.

The second quarter witnessed a brutal foul on Sarah Kwap, the sound of which reverberated around the court, but the refs inexplicably didn’t call it.

Exeter stepped up their defence and proved a real challenge for Northumbria at times despite the team’s bigger stature, but Exeter weren’t securing the rebounds on too many occasions and Northumbria proved extremely adept at intercepting the ball when they did.

As a result the score was 11 – 40 as

half time loomed.

The third quarter saw Exeter in team foul trouble due to their efforts to defend aggressively, and Northumbria scored two three throws as the match became increasingly more physical and players on both teams hit the floor. However, Exeter persisted in giving the visiting team a challenge and scored a number of well earned baskets to bring the score to 20 – 72.

The final quarter saw Katie Hall hit another three pointer, and was Exeter’s best scoring quarter as a result.

The score board settled at 30 – 87 by the final whistle, but Exeter put up a valiant effort against a taller, untiring team who barely missed a shot. Exeter did excellently to get so far in the league, and next year is sure to prove a big year for the constantly improving team.

EXETER’S First Sailing Team finished second this weekend allowing them to qualify straight into BUCS Finals.

Our second team will also go to BUCS Playoffs, and unfortunately Exeter third team narrowly missed out on a spot at that competition.

Exeter’s top three teams took to the road to travel up Bristol’s Chew Valley to compete at the 14 team strong BUCS Western Qualifiers event. The competition was of a very high standard, with the best teams from the surrounding area all taking part.

The weather on the first day saw a perfect medium breeze and bright sunshine, a pleasant change to the grey British winter weather we are used to.

After a shaky first race, Exeter First’s won all their races that day, only conceding one loss to close rivals Bristol 1sts, the only race they lost at the contest.

“The competition was of a very high standard, with the best teams from the surrounding area all taking part” Exeter Seconds had a good day’s sailing, meeting some very well matched teams, finishing the day with 50 per cent win ratio.

Tom Brophy, third team Captain said; “Our team had some close races on the Saturday, although we won two races in total against some very strong competition, I think the team bonded very well over the course of the event.

This led us to win a following two races in the next day, which only had us just miss out on a space at playoffs!”

Sunday brought cloudier weather and stronger breeze, and thus it was

quite a bit nippier. Our sailors wrapped up warm and braved the harsher conditions. The first team had a good first few couple of races, albeit slightly confused by the very wonky course.

Both the first’s and the third’s last race of the day was against each other! The tension was palpable going into the start, with the third’s appearing to be in a far better position off the start. However, a dodgy start line call had Patrick Harrison spinning which allowed the first’s to just sneak a win from them.

“The First team go on to sail at the Wessex Winter warmer in two weekends time” James Anderson, first team Helm said, “It was a race of two halves, at the end of the day, the boys done good.

We were consistent and focused, but I think there are always areas to improve.”

The competition was excellently run, with hosts University of West England getting through a full 71 races on the first day and completing the round robin by lunch time on Sunday.

The First team go on to sail at the Wessex Winter warmer in two weekends time, whilst the Thirds have the Nottingham Snakebite fast approaching. Exeter are also entering a Ladies team to Ladies Team Racing Nationals mid-February.

EUSC are also please to announce a new partnership with Sperry Top-sider. Sperry Top-Sider has been an American Original since 1935 when Paul Sperry invented the first boat shoe for sailors. Today, Sperry Top-Sider continues to have a “Passion for the Sea” with those who enjoy the good life in, on and around the ocean.

Thank you to BUCS Sailing and UWE for hosting such a great event.