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Feminism: What does Exeter make of it? Features P 12-13

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Monday March 21 2011 Issue 578 www.exepose.com

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Staff spend £3.8m on travel

Photo: Henry White

University staff travel across the world to countries including Australia, China, the USA, Hawaii, Indonesia and the Bahamas.

Ben Tyson EXETER UNIVERSITY has spent millions of pounds on staff travel across the globe over the last three years, an investigation by the Express & Echo has revealed. Figures released under the

Freedom of Information Act have shown that over £3.8 million has been spent on trips, made by the 3,310 staff of the University, since September 2008. Countries visited total 140, with regular trips to Australia, China and the USA, whilst more unusual destinations include the Bahamas,

Hawaii and Indonesia. Last year, the University spent almost £2.2 million on staff travel, whilst costs for this year have amounted to £1.1 million so far. Unfortunately, the investigation was unable to obtain information detailing the purpose of these visits,

or the staff involved. The University has released a statement saying, “The investment in international visits by faculty, students and professional staff supports our ambition to be recognised as a University of global standing.”

The statement goes on to say, “This global reach is what makes Exeter a leading international University and we will continue to invest in opportunities for students and staff to engage with their international peers.” Continued on page 3...

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The Exeter student newspaper

Exeposé, Cornwall House, St German’s Rd, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6TG (01392) 263513

News

Tristan Barclay, Editor, interviews Exeter’s MP, Ben Bradshaw.

Comment

P 8-9 What does Exeter mean to you? Exeter’s society presidents give their views.

Lifestyle

P 16-19

Lifestyle check out the latest trends ready for spring.

Arts

P 32

Arts Editors speak to visual artist Bryony Kimmings about her new show, ‘Sex Idiot’.

Editors Tristan Barclay & Andrew Waller editors@exepose.com - office hour, Wed. 11-12

Deputy Editors Rachel Bayne & Jennifer Seymour depeds@exepose.com

News Editors Ellie Busby & Charlie Marchant news@exepose.com

Features Editors Columba Achilleos-Sarll & Anna-Marie Linnell features@exepose.com

Lifestyle Editors Laura Le Brocq & Clare Mullins lifestyle@exepose.com

Music Editors Ellie Bothwell & Ben Murphie music@exepose.com

Books Editors James Henderson & Jacob Moffatt books@exepose.com

Screen Editors Calum Baker & David Brake screen@exepose.com

Arts Editors Rosie Scudder & Ellie Steafel arts@exepose.com

Video Games Editors Stephen O’Nion & Alice Scoble-Rees games@exepose.com

Sports Editors Alexander Cook & Andy Williams sport@exepose.com

Photography Editor Henry White photography@exepose.com

Advertising Stuart Smith S.C.G.Smith@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

march 21 2011

News

Exeposé

Aaron Porter fights for students

Ellie Busby & Charlie Marchant - news@exepose.com

Steve Smith shook hands with Gaddafi Caitlin Jones

STEVE SMITH, Vice-Chancellor of Exeter University, shook hands with Colonel Gaddafi over plans to educate Libyan academics in Britain in 2003. Professor Smith was in Libya at the request of the British Council as part of a £75 million deal to educate the next generation of Libyan academics. Professor Smith signed an agreement to set up the English Centre for Education in Tripoli which was to provide English tuition for graduates of the Libyan Accademy for Graduate Studies. A University spokesman stated: “Money was never exchanged and no links were ever established. The initial proposals just fizzled out and the university’s strategic priorities changed.” The revelations come as Gaddafi continues to cling on to his 41-year rule in fierce battles across Libya.

Exeter is one of many universities coming under scrutiny for their links with the Libyan regime and Robert Halfon MP has tabled a Commons motion “to trace the huge amounts of money from Middle Eastern dictatorships that have flowed into British universities” with a call to fine those that have received funds from totalitarian regimes. Howard Davies, former Director of the London School of Economics, resigned earlier this month after accepting donations from the Libyan regime. Saif al-Islam, Gaddafi’s son and potential successor, is an LSE graduate and delivered an open lecture to the university last year. Another of Gaddafi’s sons, Mutassim Gaddafi, received private English lessons from the School of Oriental and African Studies in the summer of 2006. At the time of going to press, the Libyan government had declared an immediate ceasefire, hours after a UN Security Council resolution backed a no-fly zone over the country.

Photo: Henry White

Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor, met Colonel Gaddafi eight years ago to discuss education.

Students campaign for ball in castle Hannah Sweet Senior Reporter STUDENTS have started a campaign for this year’s graduation ball to be held at Powderham Castle. Jade Lowe and Nicola Shaw, final year Exeter students, have set up a Facebook group to gauge student response to the idea of holding the 2011 graduation ball at Powderham Castle instead of the planned location of Westpoint Arena. At the time of going to press, the group had over 400 members. Jade told Exeposé, “We didn’t want to celebrate our graduation at Westpoint as SSB was such a let down to so many; who knows if the venue would even reach capacity and, like SSB, we’d be left with empty ware-

house space and awful musical reverberation. We feel that Powderham Castle would be the ideal location to have our Grad Ball as we have been deprived of the privilege of having a University event at Powderham.”

“We feel that Powderham Castle would be the ideal location to have our Grad Ball” Jade Lowe, Final year student

However, the Guild has stated a number of reasons for choosing to hold the event at Westpoint Arena rather than at Powderham. Alex Bordoli, VP Participation

and Campuses, commented, “We believe that graduates deserve the opportunity to attend their graduation ball and that numbers should not be restricted. Interest is significantly higher than last year already so we are fully expecting demand to exceed capacity at Powderham.” Westpoint Arena has a capacity of 4,000 compared to Powderham which could hold just 1,800 students. Balls at Powderham are also held outside on the lawn, leaving the possibility of a last minute cancellation in the case of bad weather. Bordoli added, “There are also significant cost implications on moving the ball to Powderham at such late notice.” The deposit put down for Westpoint Arena would be lost, and there would be fewer attractions and extras available at Powderham due to

the cost of fully fitting up marquees. Jade and Nicola have created a survey for students to choose which location they would prefer. Jade said, “So far, results from our survey have indicated 85 per cent of people would rather have it at Powderham and 53 per cent are willing to pay the maximum price bracket (£51-£65) so increased insurance shouldn’t be a problem.” She added, “We feel that it should be down to the students’ final vote as to where they want their Graduation Ball.” Voting is now also open for the theme of the ball, with four options to choose from: Alice in Wonderland, Indian Summer, Cirque du Soleil and British Garden Party. Tickets for the ball will go on sale on March 31.

Exeposé Week Twenty two

Staff travel costs Uni millions

News

Pledges to improve Uni

LUKE APPLETON, creator of MyExeterIsDown.com, is urging University officials to sign pledges to improve University facilities. Appleton set out bulletpoints of basic commitments that the University should make in light of the £9k fees announcement. He has sent these lists in stamped address envelopes to officials, including Steve Smith, Exeter’s Vice-Chancellor; David Allen, Registrar and Deputy Chief Executive; and Janice Kay, Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology.

Town v Gown Size of circle indicates number of visits to a country or region

Continued from page 1... Research from Oxford Economics has shown the contribution of the 4,000 international students at Exeter to be significant to the University and the city. This year international students will pay over £30 million, whilst total contribution to the city’s GDP will exceed £57 million, supporting 2.3 per cent of the total jobs in Exeter. However, in the context of the University’s stated intention to charge the maximum £9,000 tuition fees from 2012, questions have been raised about the amount being spent on staff travel costs.

Andrew Waller, Exeposé Editor, has said the number of trips being made was astonishing. “Who are all these staff? And what exactly are they gaining from being abroad? It would be nice if some of the money funded student travel.”

Joe Johnston Senior Reporter

Exeter of whom 178 took part in the ballot. 106 members voted for strike action.

In 2010 the University spent almost £2.2 million on staff travel, whilst costs for this year have amounted to £1.1 million so far

Jonnie Beddall, Guild President, said, “The £4 million headline looks big. But we know international marketing is crucial to the University’s international student recruitment.” He added that the “University has to be brutal in cutting out any unnecessary cost. Students will not accept waste when we’re paying so much to live and study here, and that’s only going to intensify when fees go up in 2012.” With the announcement that Exeter has become one of the Top 200 Universities in the world in October 2010, it is unlikely that levels of investment in international promotion of the University will be reduced.

Most Popular Staff Destinations

mist desire to save money.” The statement goes on to say, “We have repeatedly called on the employers to meet us as the ACAS to resolve the issue, but they have refused. We are now left with no option other than to strike.” Stephen Cooper, Director of HR at Exeter, has stated, “The University offered to meet with UCU later this month to discuss ways in which the dispute might be resolved. The UCU has regrettably decided to ignore it and proceed with strike action. The University is doing all that it possibly can to mitigate potential disruption to students.” The University management have warned staff that their pay will be withheld for those days in which they participate in the action, and that this money will instead be donated to the

student hardship fund. The Students’ Guild is currently carrying out a consultation with students with a referendum on the issue. Bertie Archer, VP Academic Affairs, has stated, “We understand the position of the staff, but our top priority is to students. We will put every effort in to ensure that students’ teaching and assessment are not negatively affected by the strike.” This will be first time that staff have been on strike at Exeter University since 2006. Kate Robarts, a second year History student, said, “We should support lecturers. If we want to attract the best academics we need to ensure they have fair treatment.” Aaron Porter, president of the NUS, has urged the UCU and staff employers to meet and discuss the issue.

Total trips made since 2008: 3496 USA - 215 Kenya - 116 Australia - 114 South Africa - 63 China - 36

Tutors to strike over pensions

STAFF at Exeter University are set to join a national strike over a pensions dispute. At the time of going to press, two days of protests had been announced by the University and College Union (UCU) with the first being held on Tuesday March 22, and the second taking place two days later. Members of the UCU have been in dispute with the University over proposed changes to the University Superannuation Scheme pension fund, and also pay and job security. Exeter will be one of 63 UK universities taking part in strikes over the changes to the pension fund. The UCU has 490 members at

“We should support lecturers. If we want to attract the best academics we need to ensure they have fair treatment”

Kate Robarts, second year History student

In a statement on their website, the UCU have stated, “There’s no need for the employer’s reforms. Our pension scheme is in good health. We believe that they have unnecessarily provoked a bitter dispute by forcing unpopular proposals on staff through a short-ter-

EXETER residents are becoming increasingly concerned about new plans to house nearly 500 students in the city centre. A planning application for 487 student rooms, on a site at the upper end of Western Way which is currently occupied by the James Townsend printing works, has been registered with Exeter City Council. Becky Moore, local resident, said, “Combined with the Sidwell Street proposals for the Stoneman & Bowker site and existing student blocks in Sidwell Street and Blackboy Road, if this proposal goes ahead, the number of students just in purpose-built blocks, never mind the ones in normal houses and flats, in a very small area will total more than 1,000.” This potential increase of students in a confined area has raised concerns within the community as many residents believe it may result in more anti-social behaviour. A University Spokesman ensured that they are “committed to reducing pressure on the city’s housing stock by accommodating more students on campus. As part of this commitment, £130 million worth of new student accommodation is being built on our Streatham Campus to provide space for 2,600 students.”

Teaching awards return to Exeter NOMINATIONS for the Teaching Awards closed on March 21 following a two week campaign in which students could nominate staff who excel in their roles. The awards are organised jointly by the University and the Students’ Guild to recognise the talents of Exeter’s staff. The nominees are now undergoing a process of shortlisting by the Student Staff Liason Committees (SSLC). A panel of judges will then decide on the overall winner of each category. The categories include, Most Supportive Member of Staff, Most Innovative Teacher, Best Feedback Provider, Best Overall Lecturer, Best GTA of the year and Most Inspiring use of Research in their teaching. The winners will be announced at a final ceremony on Wednesday May 4.

march 21 2011

News

Women march against City Council cuts Alex Wynick RECLAIM the Night organisation hosted marches in several cities, including Exeter, on Sunday March 13. The march took place in Bedford Square, and was organised by Exeter University’s Gender Equality Society. It lasted approximately one hour with drumming and chants from the crowd, culminating in speeches in the Phoenix Centre. One of the speeches was given by Moira MacDonald, who attended Exeter’s last Reclaim the Night march in 1981. The march took place to highlight the lack of protection for women walking through the city at night. The organisation said they wanted to “raise their voices and join the battle cry against violence against women, in the hope that one day, we won’t have to reclaim a night, but that every night will be safe for everyone.” They pointed out that the rape conviction rate in the UK is at a mere 5.3 per cent, “one of the lowest in Europe.” Particular emphasis was paid to the recent local council cuts to street lighting, with letters signed to the County Council challenging this decision. The police estimated 100 people marched in Exeter, with a 60/40 split between women and men. Caitlin Hayward-Tapp, Event Organiser and Exeter University student, described the event as a “fantastic suc-

Exeposé Photo: Henry White

cess,” adding, “many protestors spoke to me later about how empowering and exciting marching was.” Caitlin further said, “This is only the beginning of feminist activism in the City. With the County Council’s cuts dramatically affecting women and the government’s cuts disproportionately affecting women, we need to stand up and raise our voices. We did so last night and we will continue to do so until we are heard.”

“We need to stand up and raise our voices. We did so last night and we will continue to do so until we are heard” Caitlin Hayward-Tapp, Exeter student and Event Organiser

As the first Reclaim the Night march in thirty years, the organisation opened the march to men for the first time, acknowledging that “men’s role in the fight against violence against women is vital.” Chris Hardy, VP Welfare and Community, described the event as “particularly relevant” and applauded events like Reclaim the Night because they “serve to give women a chance to reclaim the streets in a safe and empowering event.” The Reclaim the Night march highlighted women’s concerns over walking home alone late at night without street lights.

Devon Week eats up campus Forum Elections Rachael Peers STUDENTS participated in a host of events as part of ‘Devon Week’, which took place on campus last week. The week was a celebration of all things Devonian, with the events showcasing the best of what the county has to offer. The Students’ Guild organised the event to promote local businesses across the University, with the hope of building links between students and traders. Jonnie Beddall, Guild President, said, “Devon Week has a very clear purpose – to take the best of Devon and celebrate it on campus. I love the area’s specific culture and customs and it’s time we shouted about them.” The festival got underway on

Monday with free cream teas being offered to students in Devonshire House, which ran out within a matter of hours. More free food and drink was available on Tuesday, the theme continuing with Community Action’s food and drink quiz in the RAM on Tuesday night.

“Devon Week has a very clear purpose- to take the best of Devon and celebrate it on campus”

Jonnie Beddall, Guild President Azalia Lawrence, second year Psychology student, commented, “I was surprised by the number of students surrounding the various stands on Tuesday, but it was nice to see the

support for local producers. I tried the Burts Potato Chips and Luscombe juices, they were lovely.” Cyan Turan, second year English student said, “Devon Week was great because I got to sample some of the local produce.” The RAM provided the backbone of the celebrations, with a week-long beer festival, where a variety of local speciality ales were served and live music acts, including several campus bands who performed. The festival also saw the launch of the new RAM ale, which was described by one Politics second year student as “RAMtastic.” Other activities throughout the week included a tour of the Otter brewery in Honiton, wine tasting and a Farmers market, where produce from many local vendors was available to taste and purchase.

Ellie Busby News Editor

THE results of the Forum and Representative Elections were announced on Friday March 18. The voting opened on the morning of March 12, and ended at 4pm on March 18. The new Forum Officers are: Jenny Mayhew (with 415 votes), Campaigns Officer; Kate Mellor (460), Environment and Ethics Officer; Maddie Soper (453), Equality and Diversity Officer; Joel Khaw (462), International Officer, and Sam Grace (426), St. Luke’s Officer. The election of the Societies Officer position was suspended late in the nominations week, due to a delay in announcing the position on the Students’ Guild website. The Societies Executives and the

Guild felt that it would have been an unfair election, as the position was put up later in the week. This meant that less people would have realised that they could run for the role. The role description was also unavailable, which would therefore have made it hard for students to assess the suitability of the candidate when voting. The election for the post of Societies Officer has been postponed and will occur in due course. Other roles elected were the Representatives, Student Trustees and Guild Councillors. Azalia Lawrence, Mental Health Representative-Elect, commented, “I think it is really important to have student reps as it makes the Students’ Guild more accessible.” All the results will be available on the Students’ Guild website.

Exeposé Week Twenty two

Japan tsunami affects people worldwide

Photo: AP

News

National Student News

Universities rush to join the £9k club

OXFORD, Durham, Leeds and Liverpool have announced plans to charge the maximum tuition fees of £9,000. These are the latest to joint a growing list of universities intending to charge the highest possible fees. The Government has warned universities that plan to charge more than £6,000, that they may have to lower their fees if they do not attempt to widen their pool of applicants beyond white middle-class teenagers. Universities claim to be planning generous packages of fee subsidies and bursaries to ensure access for all. Andrew Hamilton, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, has stated, “These proposals show the strength of our commitment to being accessible for all, and to attracting the very brightest students, whatever their circumstances.” Liverpool Hope is the only university so far to rule out charging the full amount since MPs voted in December to raise the cap from £3,290 to £9,000.

Japan suffered devastation after a tsunami on March 11 which followed an earthquake that reached 8.9 on the Richter Scale.

Hannah Brewer Senior Reporter EXETER UNIVERSITY and local residents are offering their support to those affected by the tsunami, which took place in Japan on Friday March 11. Japan was struck by the most powerful earthquake on record to have hit the region: the 8.9 magnitude tremor, (nearly 8,000 times stronger than the one which devastated Christchurch, New Zealand, in February), triggered a tsunami which struck about 250

miles north-east of Tokyo. Since then, explosions at the Fukushima nuclear plant, the eruption of the Shinmoedake volcano, and the following snow storms have instigated a nuclear as well as a humanitarian and environmental crisis. The official death toll has risen to 4,255, with 8,194 people registered as missing. Both the University and local residents have shown their support. An open busking event was held at Exeter High Street on Wednesday March 17 to encourage wide community awareness and support for the

ongoing crisis. On the day of the earthquake, Simon Wright, Head of Student Services issued a statement to all students and staff that the University is “aware that many Exeter students may have friends and family in those areas” and assured that student “services will make provision and offer priority appointments for those who are directly affected by these international situations”. As one of these services, the University Chaplain, Reverend Clifton Graham, along with the Multi-faith Chaplancy Team will “offer support,

advice, friendship and guidance to all University staff and students. When difficulties occur we are all committed in ensuring that no one feels isolated or helpless and that there is always someone to call who is willing to listen.” If students at the University have been affected, a full listing of University support services can be found at http://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/. In addition Britain’s Foreign Office helpline for anyone in UK worried about friends/relatives in Japan is: 020 7008 000.

Scots Unis Strike

EIGHT Scottish universities have seen hundreds of staff take industrial action over their pensions. 135,000 students in Scotland have been affected by the staff walkouts, including the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews. A second day of strike action has been scheduled for March 24, organised by the University and College Union (UCU). Sally Hunt, UCU General Secretary, said, “We cannot, cannot accept the very punitive proposals that the employers have put on the table.”

New Asia Night success Calum Baker Screen Editor EXETER UNIVERSITY Asian Society held the city’s first ever ‘Asia Night’ on Saturday March 12, which proved to be an outstanding success. The event, hosted by the River Dream Church, was attended by over 300 people – including Lord Mayor Marcel Choules – and raised £782.11 for the I-India charity, supporting street children and orphans in Jaipur. Nitika Jain, AsianSoc secretary, and Toshan Patil, AsianSoc Events Coordinator, handled the organisation of the event in conjunction with Exeter Hindu Temple Project, Chinese Student and Scholar Association, Exeter Break Dancers and International, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Bruneian (BruEx) Societies – all of whom contributed on the night, holding performances and providing food. The aim of the night, besides raising charity funds, was to promote Asian

Photo: Nikita Jain

cultural awareness around Exeter. Nitika commented, “After the success of Diwali, Asian Society has been dedicated to raising cultural awareness and promoting internationalism.” Following a short presentation on the Japan tsunami, members of each society performed a series of traditional dances, including a Thai display with the Mayor. Nikita added, “Through Asia Night we were able to bring all Asian cultures together and celebrate each country and its diversity.” Toshan noted, “Since it was the first time we were doing this we didn’t expect more than 200 people. However, the venue reached its maximum of 300 within the first 20 minutes.” Following the turnout – and that of November’s popular Diwali celebrations – the Society hopes to make Asia Night an annual event, again collaborating with our impressive range of Asia-centric societies. Asian Society’s Asia Night saw the maximum 300 people attend within the first 20 minutes of doors opening.

march 21 2011

News

Exeposé

Bradshaw supports students over Coalition Photo: Henry White

Interview

Tristan Barclay Editor BEN BRADSHAW MP has called on Exeter students to inflict a “stinging defeat” on the Coalition parties in May’s local election, after he claimed that neither the Conservatives nor the Liberal Democrats particularly care for young people. Speaking to Exeposé as Exeter City Council faces up to £2.4 million in cuts to its budget, Bradshaw said, “Whether you’re talking about tuition fees, cuts to EMA, cuts in bus services and public services, cuts in family tax credits – all of these are penalising young people in particular. I just don’t know why this government has got it in so much for young people.” With proposals to cut bus routes, switch off street lights and abandon sports pitches, Bradshaw admitted that times are tough for the Labour-led City Council. Pinning the blame squarely on the previous administration, Bradshaw said, “The current council has a really tricky job in clearing up the mess it inherited from the totally incompetent and leaderless Liberal Democrat administration that ran it up until last year.” Pressure groups, such as the Exeter Anti-Cuts Alliance, are not so convinced, claiming that the Labour Council has not done enough to stand up to the cuts. To this, Bradshaw said, “Exeter’s Labour council will do their utmost to ensure the

weak and vulnerable, and frontline services are protected.” As Exeter announces plans to charge £9,000 for a year’s tuition from 2012 onwards, the Exeter MP was at pains to stress that there are two sides to the tuition fee argument. “The Government has put universities like Exeter in a very difficult position,” he said. “It is reducing by 80 per cent the support for university teaching, so of course the universities are desperate to replace that lost income with

“I was full of admiration for the action taken by Exeter students” Ben Bradshaw, Exeter MP

income from wherever they can get it.” Bradshaw did not blame university management groups for charging such high fees. “The responsibility for this is not lying with the vice-chancellors of universities; it lies with Government which has taken a deliberate decision to remove the overwhelming bulk of public support for university teaching.” Bradshaw was full of praise for Exeter students’ protests, both in London, on campus and with Exeter College students in the city centre stating, “I was full of admiration for the action taken by Exeter students, particularly given the total be-

trayal by the Government of their promises before the election.” On the Town vs Gown issue, Bradshaw admitted that there is always the potential for problems. “Of course, from time to time, issues arise around noise and accommodation, an issue which it is important for the University and City to manage well together.” However, for Bradshaw, the overwhelming contribution by students to the City is a positive one, “We’ve enjoyed a very good relationship with the University in Exeter – the University is a major contributor to our local economy, as are the students. I welcome the fact that the University has done so well and expanded so rapidly in recent years.” However, Bradshaw was adamant that students should use the upcoming local elections on Thursday May 5 to send a clear message to the Coalition. “There are a number of wards in Exeter with large student populations, which are currently represented by Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors, and I hope very much that students will organise and agitate and ensure we have a very large turnout of the student vote, and that the student vote makes quite clear what it thinks.” Convinced that the current Government is bad for young people, Bradshaw said, “I’m afraid it’s a very tough time to be a young person and we’ve just got to try and make sure we get this Government out as soon as possible.”

Ben Bradshaw, Exeter MP and former Cabinet minister, discusses student politics.

MDC building works restarted KPMG Partnership Photo: Henry White

Rachel Bayne Deputy Editor WORK on the new Mood Disorder Centre is set to recommence this week. Building on the Sir Henry Wellcome Centre was suspended last November, when the main contractor for the site, Rok, entered administration. A University Spokesman said: “Following a retendering process a new main contractor, Leadbitter, has now been appointed for this project. Leadbitter have taken over the responsibility for the site and, following a period of preparation, begin work on site immediately.” “The project is now scheduled for completion in November 2011 and the building is expected to be occupied by the Mood Disorders Research Group in early 2012.” The Centre is a £3.6 million research centre which aims to improve the understanding and treatment of depression. Bryony Bain, a second year Psychology student, is pleased to see that work on the centre has restarted. She said: “I’m excited to be working in such close proximity to the application of practical, evidence-based therapies for mood disorders. The research conducted will be influential to students and the general public alike.”

Rachel Scott

Building work restarts on the University’s Mood Disorder Centre.

EXETER UNIVERSITY has agreed to partner KPMG in its new school leavers’ scheme. The scheme, announced by KPMG in January, will entail students enrolling onto a six year programme during which they will undertake work experience at KPMG, take a relevant honours degree and gain a professional accountancy qualification from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (ICAS). They will also receive a salary and have all their tuition fees paid. KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services and is currently ranked 4th in The Times list of top graduate employers. Joining with Exeter University’s Accounting programme, which sits at number one in the Times Good University Guide, this suggests it will be a very strong partnership. Professor Richard Lamming, Dean of Exeter University Business School, said, “The Business School has been enjoying an unprecedented period of significant growth and investment,

much of it focused on delivering a fantastic student experience. Partnership within a truly innovative programme such as this fits perfectly into our entrepreneurial philosophy.

“The Business School is well known for strong relationships with many leading graduate employers, including KPMG” Professor Richard Lamming, Business Shool Dean

“The Business School is well known for its strong relationships with many leading graduate employers, including KPMG, and I’m delighted that this has been recognised with this new scheme. My Accounting colleagues and I are very much looking forward to welcoming our first KPMG students later this year.” KPMG echoed the University’s sentiments, stating, “We very much look forward to working with Exeter to make the scheme a success.”

Exeposé week twenty two

Comment Tristan Barclay & Andrew Waller - editors@exepose.com

Exeposé

The Exeter Student Newspaper

The meaning of Exeter University FOR this issue, Exeposé invited its editors and various society presidents to write their thoughts on what it means to be a student here in Exeter. Reading the responses, printed here in our Comment pages, it seems Exeter is a place of parties, clubbing, sun and booze. It has to be said that we were rather surprised at the homogeneity of our writers’ thoughts. By contacting society presidents, we had assumed we would receive a wide range of responses, with people talking about their differing interests and university experiences. It seems, though, that whatever your activity, it all comes back round to the same thing in Exeter - the people and the place. As we edit our last edition of the newspaper, we thought we would take a self-indulgent moment to give our thoughts on the meaning of Exeter. First and foremost, it has to be the institution. We’re at a top university, and your time here, whether undergraduate or post, should be the most intellectually stimulating of your life. We’ve certainly encountered some fantastic tutors across many of the colleges, all of whom have challenged our assumptions and encouraged our interests. The University is packed full of top-class academics, with quality research in areas as diverse as Astrophysics and English literature. Speaking with tutors has been a great way to open horizons, particularly after the intellectual confinement of the National Curriculum. Second, we do live in a beautiful area, nestled in the Devon hills at the mouth of the Exe. Trips down to Topsham and out to Sandy Park make for great weekends, and the countryside is but a jog away. Despite threats to the viability of the Northcott in recent years, we are lucky to have such a vibrant cultural scene in our provincial town. EUTCo, Footlights,

and Gilbert & Sullivan Society treat Exeter students ever year and the City’s venues provide plenty of entertainment. But hold on. Exeter isn’t entirely the bucolic picture we’ve just painted. Life in Exeter is not without its flaws, many of them quite considerable, and Exeposé has commented all year on the struggles faced by modern students. We’ve tried to highlight these issues, and it could not be more important to us to stress that these pages are for you to challenge authority and make your voice heard. Without doubt this year’s biggest Higher Education issue was the rise in tuition fees. Exeposé continues to oppose fees and the ongoing commercialisation of Higher Education. Whilst the news is disappointing, it was great to see such passion from students up and down the country. The fees debate forced us to question why we bother with a degree, but so long as we keep in mind the ideals of education, we can continue to fight against the changes. Many have highlighted divisions between students on the issue but, fire-extinguisher or not, we’re not as divided as the media would like to suggest. It doesn’t take a newspaper to tell you that our University is changing. Trying to study on a building site is extraordinarily difficult, and one can’t help but think the opulence of the new buildings cements the new primacy of money in Higher Education. However, it is up to Exeter students to rise above this, and Exeposé thinks they’re doing a pretty good job so far. It’s not etiquette to credit leading articles with an author’s name, but as we hand over to a new committee, we would just like to thank everyone that has read and contributed to the newspaper this year. It’s been a privilege and we wish you all the best. Tristan Barclay & Andrew Waller

Thanks to all those who helped proof this issue:

Esmeralda Castrillo, Tom Payne, Amy Weller, Andy Smith, Adam Koziol, Fiona Lally, Cyan Turan, Zoe Dickens, Luke Graham, Joe Johnston, Rebecca Sutton, Katie Lewis, Sophie Duncan, Tom Bond, Emily Lunn, Hannah Walker, Joshua Irwandi, Nick Gilbert, James Crouch, Jack Steadman, Zoe Bulaitis, Laura Stevens, Sara Price, Tori Brazier, Sam Lambert and members of the Exeposé editorial team.

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In support of UCU strikes Freya Joseph

ON Tuesday March 22 and Thursday 24, the University and College Union (UCU) plans to strike in protest of the proposed cuts to academics’ pensions. The cuts are, of course, a result of the infamous cuts in government spending. In my opinion, the strikes are completely legitimate. There are numerous issues with the new pension plan that need to be addressed. Firstly, the financial aid given to those unlucky enough to be made redundant has been slashed, at a time when redundancies are more likely than ever. Secondly, long-term pension plans will be harder for newly qualified or young staff to obtain, clashing somewhat with the Conservative Government’s pledge to restore teaching to a ‘noble profession.’ The

creation of a two-tier pension scheme could cause lecturers to lose as much as £127,000 from their current benefit package. Above all that, the real complaint amongst lecturers is that there is no real need for the reform. Members of the UCU openly approved of their pension scheme, believing it to be sufficient and sustainable in the long term. Of the members who responded to the poll, 96 per cent of the UCU rejected the idea. Amazingly, the TPS still plan to follow through. The old pension scheme was thriving, even growing; but educators are yet another blameless group falling victim to the cuts. It’s all part of Cameron’s plan to restore Britain to its former glory (I’m pretty sure Britain’s ‘glory days’ happened before a BA cost you £21,000). Along with the catatonic Big Society programme privatizing the nation, our PM pledges to deny government funding to any graduates looking to go into teaching who had not achieved a

2:2 in their degree. Fair enough - no point teaching if you couldn’t grasp the material yourself. But the graduate achieves a 2:1 or above from a ‘good’ university (lots of subtext there) in a ‘rigorous’ science or maths-based subject, they can apply to have their student loan written off. Not arts graduates, not humanities - a bit of a running theme with this coalition. In case you’re interested, Clegg studied Social Anthropology, so probably wouldn’t have qualified. It might work. If it doesn’t dawn on these gifted graduates that their debt is written off at the expense of their pension, Cameron could well have a fleet of brilliant minds passing their insight down to the next generation of brilliant minds and future lecturers. The UCU expects the University of Exeter to be affected by the strikes. I, for one, hope to see tutors defending themselves, particularly if someone throws a fire extinguisher through a window.

fair. Her goal was to give the advice necessary for obtaining a job position. What type of position she would aid us in obtaining soon became clear. The advice for job hunting was to go out, hand out resumés, and talk to and engage with the people who would be able to give jobs. This of course seems like a good tip. However, the strategy given was to be sure to do your makeup well and show some cleavage. Yes, this is the advice that University of Exeter is advocating through the job fair run by the Works. How though does this advice align with the mission and values of the University? On the website for the University, an explicit claim is made that it is a value of the University to aim to be “a champion for our students, dedicated to their development and wellbeing.” Presumably, the University attempts to meet this aim through its key characteristics, also listed on the website, including, “Providing an outstanding student experience which prepares students for meaningful employment and a fulfilling life.”

The programs offered to student then must be a part of this experience, which will contribute to our personal development. And with advice from the University on exploiting female sexuality to obtain employment, it is no surprise that as written about by the BBC on February 21 2011, the glass ceiling is still in existence in the UK’s professional world, according to 73 per cent of female managers surveyed. While it cannot claim that the University has created a culture of young women who use sex appeal as a means to finding a job, perhaps by passing the opportunity to use their minds, the University is certainly contributing to sustaining such a culture by advocating the perceived benefits of flaunting an overdone version of femininity. In doing so, the University is further promoting the gender inequalities in the work place by emphasising female sexuality over competency. And of course reflecting on this issue begs the question of exactly how the young lady running the job fair landed her position.

Exeter’s maintainance of the glass ceiling Abby Duffy One of my first impressions of British culture, upon arrival to the UK, was droves of scantily clad young women, stumbling down the streets of Exeter. This was a shock to even my Hollywood-desensitized American eyes. Why would so many young people be exposing themselves to such extremes in the chilly British climate? To this question, I received at least a partial answer a few weeks ago. As a newcomer to the UK in need of some part time work, I attended a job fair run by the Works, funded by the University of Exeter. The fair

“The University is further promoting the gender inequalities in the work place” consisted of me, four others in search of advice and a young woman, who is a student of Exeter paid to run the

march 21 2011 Exeposé

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Sunshine or rain; Ram or Library; St Luke’s Julia Ho International Society President When you say “Exeter” I say “the Ultimate Student Experience.” When I first came to Exeter in 2008, the city was nothing more to me than a small countryside town, the hilly campus paths transporting me far from what I was used to back in Manila. Indeed, I was caught entirely unaware when I noticed my ever increasing love for Exeter; to the extent that I am now finding it hard to envisage life beyond my graduation this year. Coming to Exeter represented a new chapter in my life, which I found not only breathtaking and absolutely wonderful but also effortless. Exeter has given me so much to do and has been a continuous montage of exciting student experiences. Living on campus, in halls, alongside fellow British and Erasmus students has left me with priceless memories, but most importantly, it has given me dear

friends that I now consider my family. After my year as a Fresher I could scarcely imagine anything more exciting – and yet, true to form, Exeter delivered year after year; my second and third being even more exhilarating than the first. Living off campus was a whole new experience that really marked my transition into the later years of my university career. What’s for certain, I’d never regret my decision to take up a committee position on the International Society and to become part of the Exeter Women’s Basketball team, two arenas in which I have had the opportunity to influence others and in turn see myself grow. My advice to any student here: get involved. Being President of the International Society has given me skills which cannot be taught within the four walls of a lecture hall. All the beautiful people I’ve met and the unparalleled experiences I’ve had here in Exeter have certainly shaped my being. I am leaving here as a more confident, dynamic and passionate individual.

Priyanka Parekh Asian Society President

Neil Williams Irish Society President

Exeter is my home away from home. Being an international student, at first, Exeter seemed extremely different from my hometown Mumbai. But Exeter, being a growing hub of internationalisation, gets more comfortable and homely every day. The large number of international students has created a small cultural centre in the South West. I have come to realise my dreams in life here at Exeter, by being a part of the diverse student population. Having travelled a lot around the world, Exeter is no doubt one of the best cities I’ve been to. The lively town centre with musicians around on weekends, families out for meals and some shopping; just a few of the things that make everyone living in Exeter feel close to each other. It is said that classrooms only provide 40 per cent of the total education we receive when at university, the rest is self-taught by experiences. Exeter has opened up a lot of opportunities for all students, and being able to involve myself in the action on campus is one of the most satisfying and best experiences I have had. I am quite upset to be graduating this summer because I have grown to love everything about it (who would want to leave the warm sunny days and living conveniently close to the beach?) I hope to come back in a few years to see an even more vibrant Exeter.

When I first applied to Exeter nearly three years ago, I thought the change from Dubai to this city would be massive. However, after only a few weeks I realised that Exeter offered so much to a student. This vibrant little city brings together so many students throughout the year and you can guarantee to see friends around the bars and clubs in town.

Victoria Constable Politics Society President Exeter has become my home; living, studying and working here has meant that I no longer feel like a student but a part of the Exeter community. I have had my highs and lows throughout my degree; being disappointed with a rubbish mark, great nights out with friends, contracting meningitis, being elected President of Politics Society and even getting the odd first. I will remember all of it fondly, for throughout my time the University has supported me, been friendly and approachable and cared about me as an individual not just as a student number.

“The University has supported me throughout” Although the campus has changed a lot over the past few years, I was lucky enough to have been able to enjoy it when the campus was at its best. The amount of life that this campus has and the closeness of everyone make this tight-knit university something special. It was only in my final year that I became more involved in the University, starting up the Irish society, as well as becoming involved with the society executive committee. Exeter is a place unlike any other. The friends I have made over these years and vibrancy that this city offers is like no other and it is the best city in the world.

Above all, being at Exeter has made me a confident and self-assured person. The ability to participate in pretty much anything you are interested in outside of studying has been fundamental. From sports to book societies; there is something for everyone and I chose areas such as Politics that I wanted to explore which I never could at school. Coming from a sixth-form of 15 girls I thought I would find it difficult to be socially at ease. However, I could not have been more wrong. Exeter suits me down to the ground; the advantages of catered halls (RIP Kilmorie) when making friends, which is often overlooked by many other universities. The small, yet cosy atmosphere of a night out, probably bumping into someone you know is something only Exeter can offer. Enthusiastic lecturers who have inspired and, of course, the listless ones who have bored us rigid; they have all contributed to how we will remember our time at university. I will think of Exeter as a place in which I properly grew up, met life-long friends and learnt a great deal about myself.

James Henderson Books Editor Well first things first it’s the campus. It’s the green…sorry, it’s the memory of the green campus. It’s “Will you SHUT UP, it’s the library for crying out…Oh hello mate, how’s the work going…” It’s “Sorry I’m 25 minutes late to the seminar, what can I say? Forum Project.” It’s “I slept through my 9am, woke up at 10:30, I was like damn, then I went back to sleep.”

Emma Bettany Choral Society President Exeter means the chance to get involved, to have the opportunity to put something together with enthusiastic, like-minded people, new facilities and supportive friends. I’ve had the chance to lead the choral society – though I’ve never had a singing lesson – during my time here, which has been a fantastic time. Exeter means not just an education in the subject you study, but the chance to really learn. I was fortunate enough to enjoy the campus before the building works started, but we have (and will have) some fantastic facilities here on campus. In the city, Exeter means a great blend of history and investment in the future. I love all the nuances of the city: Stepcote Hill, Freecycle and the house that moved are just beautiful. Although Exeter is also a by-word for drizzle and hills, it really has been a joy to be here in this vibrant city. Exeter is where I live. It’s seeing a full on bath on the pavement in Vic Street, five days in a row. It’s having more empty bottles than clean cups. It’s spreading butter with the handle of a spoon. It’s I’ll do my washing up tomorrow, but you won’t. It’s “I’m so tired! I had to get up at 10:30 today!” It’s Moberly House, but not for much longer. It’s that lime green cheesecake in the Birks’ canteen. It’s living the dream. Exeter is where I go out. It’s Lash, Banter, Bolt, Arena? It’s “Why did I do that?... really? I don’t remember anything.” It’s an £80 fine by the way. It’s drinking cider at the Lemmy, Lemmy, Lemmy. It’s singing “don’t wine me up” to the arena toilets guy. It’s definitely hitting Timepiece on a Wednesday. It’s definitely not hitting Timepiece on a Wednesday. It’s Cheesy Tuesdays. It’s cider black. It’s Co-op cash back. It’s “I’ve got to be up in 4 hours.” It’s the ‘De La Portée’ incident; but that’s another story. Exeter is where the students are. It’s Jack Wills jogging bottoms, a Ralph Lauren polo, a Jack Wills gilet, flip flops (in November), a MacBook Pro, a Blackberry, a Superdry bag and blonde hair (however you come by it). It’s not being sure how you came to own all these things. It’s the sports. It’s when the lecturer is a hero. Exeter is unbelievable. It’s the EXEcruciatingly bad puns. It’s the locals. It’s: no, no way, no that’s just the maximum they’re allowed, It’s NINE THOUSAND POUNDS!? It’s probably… No, it’s definitely the best university in the world.

Exeposé Week twenty two

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or Streatham. What does Exeter mean to you? Rachel Bayne Deputy Editor Red and White scarves fluttering in the wind, standing in the Big Bank Stand and Ryan Harley’s golden boot. Yes, that’s right; Exeter City Football Club is a huge part of what Exeter means to me. Saturday afternoons in the sunshine, surrounded by West Country chants, while reporting on the football has really made my second year, and if it wasn’t for a lacklustre performance in the cup, there may also have been a trip to Wembley. My favourite moments so far this season have included: toppling their local rivals Plymouth, Yeovil and Bristol Rovers in the Johnston Paint Trophy,

Hannah Glasgow Oxfam Society President Too many memories to recount in too few words. What does Exeter mean to me? Well the standard, the physical face of Exeter, the scenic value of the typically Devon countryside: the rolling hills, the river Exe, the quay, the quaint towns. But it’s not all about its location and what I’ll take away with me when I leave, it’s the people I’ve met, the memories they’ve made, the imprint I’ve left and the future it’s going to give me. Exeter, yes, will always mean university, a degree, a place at which I studied. But it will also mean the beach, the seagulls round the Cathedral, the Ram on Saturday evenings, ridiculous numbers of essays, poster making… I mean I am from the Geography department, cider and black in the Vic, the smell of Arena, running by the Exe, £5

David Brake Screen Editor As my tenure as President of Campus Cinema and editor of Exeposé’s Screen section ends, it allows me a kind of olde hindsight. Thus, as I sit in my chair and smoke my proverbial pipe, I can smile on my time so far at Exeter. I’d like to think I give a lot to my degree and my societies, spending most of my time on campus. However, Exeter has provided me with a lot in return. Within the safe haven of campus, I’ve been able to make friends from all backgrounds, live off Rich Tea biscuits

watching them embarrass Paul Ince by toppling Notts County 3-1 and cheering them along in the Southampton game. Ryan Harley has been ever present this season and will be a loss when he joins Swansea in their chase for a Premiership spot, but hopefully with Logan, Cureton and Sercombe still involved with the Grecians, the team won’t need to be rebuilt next season. As a team, they have a lot of spirit, through the way they dealt with the death of Adam Stansfield and the way they managed their club after past owners stole from the team’s accounts. Now the Grecians are truly owned by Exeter locals and other clubs could do well in following their suit. Paul Tisdale’s men may have a difficult sprint finish if they mean to finish in the League One playoff places, but next season, they have a chance at League One domination.

bottles of wine on Fridays in Firehouse, great surf so close in Cornwall, treks around Dartmoor, coffee in Boston Tea Party and the school-disco feeling of the Lemmy to name a few. But it has also meant finding people who share my values and my passions, people who’ve made me laugh and ultimately people who have made me who I am today. I guess it’s a second home, where we each have the opportunity to make of it what we will. We ourselves have the opportunity to give meaning to the name Exeter: I mean we are the makers of the memories that it holds. A wise person once said to me history remembers what we did last, so I leave you with this - how will you be regarded when you are gone, when you have left Exeter? Our time at university is brief but what Exeter really means to each and everyone of us is what we have put into it. So what does it mean to me? It means three years of hard work, three years of incredible friendships and three years of having the most amazing opportunities put before me. and Ice Tea and survive all nighters on nothing more than Haribo and Ribena. Thus, I am not the stereotypical Exeter lad; instead of drinking pints of beer, I’ll knock back glasses of cranberry juice. Indeed, when I first arrived to this university, with warnings of snobbery and gilets around every corner, I feared that a man of my measly stature would be crushed by this apparent tour de force. However, I did not demise. It is true there are cliques but everyone has their own group of friends and that’s fine by me. Nevertheless within this university, it is possible to meet and make new friends every day and do the things you love to do. Therefore, I feel that Exeter represents pure opportunity – put in the effort and you’ll receive all the benefits and more.

Jack Bennett XEng President What does Exeter mean to me? More than it means to Bill Bryson. The travel writer once quipped that the Devon capital was “not an easy place to love” going on to say that it “was extensively bombed in the war, which gave the city fathers a wonderful opportunity, enthusiastically seized, to rebuild most of it in concrete.” Not to disagree, such areas as Sidwell Street resemble a concrete jungle, but the Cathedral yard and quayside epitomise

The cathedral was built in 1111AD and contains the world’s second largest collection of church bells (just behind Liverpool Cathedral), but these little

factoids aren’t the reason I love it so. During the final few months of my second year, things were not well on Abbots Road as my housemates and I were at war – but simply by walking past the 12th century structure and onto the quay in the streetlight-lit hours of the morning made all those troubles seem distant. In this instance, the people and the city itself combined to help me cope with the hardship and gave me an image and an emotion I had never experienced before and will likely never feel again. To put it briefly, Exeter is who you spend you time with; from your flatmates on a prelash in first year, to your coursemates in the Green Room at 3am in your fourth, and everyone in between.

sity just to study. Speaking of employment, the lack of preparation, which, as mentioned, wasn’t from laziness or overindulgence in certain types of beverage, but was caused by an ambitious quest to conquer 4,000 words of crucial academic work which clearly caused consternation amongst some of the teaching staff. Although the academic staff at this university are purely here to be academics, most students have other commitments, both in extra curricular activity and in purely social aspects of life. Staff appear to sometimes forget that there is more to life than simply reading and education. Indeed the old cliché “The University of Life” isn’t in existence just to patronise people. When I hear about staff getting angry at students for not being prepared

it does make me wonder how in touch with the student body they really are. Yes, they are here to teach, and yes, we are paying a lot of money to be here: but the fact we are given such ridiculous deadlines by the department needs to be understood to allow us the chance to actually finish work and be prepared for future work. Academic staff also need to appreciate that we don’t have dedicated, funded time to the subject, and do have other things going on in our lives. We’d all like to make the most of our education and time here and the University sometimes makes it hard for us to achieve both. This not only prevents us from dividing our time fairly, but leaves the staff employed to teach us with little to do or talk about, which is understandably frustrating for all involved.

sheer saturation of email inboxes pretty much cancels out any mass appeal and effect they have until they are devalued to the point of apathy. Obviously certain events are incredibly useful such as; Welcome Week, RAG Week, Election Week etc, but they’re accompanied by an established purpose, as well as the participation of dozens of people coordinating and publicising the entire function. For instance, while Green Week is an important cause, there seemed to be very little publicity around it. I know first hand the effort needed to put on a week-long event, and with so many students, and so large a campus, it seems ‘all or nothing’ is an apt sentiment to govern the themed weeks. Despite what I’m saying, I don’t think the answer is to simply ramp up the presence of these events; to pour

out onto Campus flyering and postering every visible person and surface respectively whilst emailing us hourly on the whereabouts of a cake sale. Nor should we look to cut out these events entirely; causes like Mental Health Awareness are more than worthy of our time. Rather, we should look to better focus these kind of events so more people can benefit and get involved. Would it not make sense to combine Relax Week with National Student Money Week? Personally I’ve found that student stress can often be related to money mysteriously being spent on alcohol, rather than food. Perhaps I’m being too idealistic. Perhaps the space in the calendar would soon be replaced with Everyone-GetsA-Bit-Tired-Sometimes Week or Fancy Facial Hair Fortnight. But a man can dream. Or failing that, there’s space in the calendar for Dream Awareness Week

a raw kind of scenic beauty rarely found in a city. More than mere bricks, mortar and concrete, Exeter has the people with whom I have shared my last four years. From my unhealthily social first year, to the hardship of my second year, to the relentless all-nighters in the Harrison building in the third and fourth years – the memories are of the people, not the places.

“More than it means to Bill Bryson...”

Won’t read, won’t teach Anonymous English Student This week has been plagued with essay deadlines for most 2nd year English students. As a result, and quite frankly, understandably, any reading required for this week’s lectures and topics has somewhat suffered and been left on the wayside by the large majority. Lecturers and seminar leaders should have accounted for the appalling issuing of a joint essay deadline by the department by prescribing much lighter reading, or, by being far more realistic in their expectations of a student population that isn’t employed by the Univer-

The week to end all weeks Stephen O’Nion Video Games Editor Come one come all! Put your Devonrelated memorabilia aside folks, because now it’s time for Relax Week! Already I’m sure that you, like me, enjoyed Fairtrade Fortnight a few weeks ago and National Student Money Week just before that, and now can’t wait for Relax Week to offer us a few well-earned days of relaxation in the face of our studies. Or maybe you had little idea they were even happening, or what they were meant for in the first place. Most of these causes are more than worthy of our time, often commanding the attention of a fair few people, but the

March 21 2011 Exeposé

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The powerless Demo Hub Had Porter already lost the battle? James Crouch

Rik Glauert

Last month Aaron Porter announced he will become the second person to serve just one term as NUS President. Defending his decision not to stand for re-election he stated that NUS action had bought “the coalition to its knees” over education cuts and rises in tuition fees. Porter speaks of a “new landscape” and “next phase” in the fight against the Coalition’s reforms. But has his leadership (or lack thereof) already lost the battle? With the Coalition’s announcement of education reform, Porter was thrust into the media glare. He began well, calling all students to a ‘Day of Action.’ When this day turned ugly, I remember seeing Aaron Porter’s face on the BBC for the first time. With students he was meant to represent lying in hospital beds after violent clashes across the capital, Porter mentioned nothing of police brutality. Instead, he focussed on vehemently condemning the violent minority, suggesting they should be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Alongside this, he provided no support from the NUS to student sit-ins nationwide. Actions which he apologised for later,

calling them “spineless.” Further embarrassment came with leaked emails in which he described the cuts as “fairly progressive.” With the Coalition’s reforms being passed in December despite student protests, Porter’s term in office began to resemble that of Gordon Brown’s. Porter’s equivalent of ‘Duffy-Gate’ came recently when he accused those booing him off-stage in Manchester of anti-Semitic remarks; apparently confusing “you’re a fucking Tory too” with “you’re a f***ing Tory Jew.” The NUS has been seen as a breeding ground for Labour careerists, providing a first step into politics for the likes of Jack Straw and Phil Whoopas. Perhaps Porter has got all he wanted from his presidency. He has had the chance to engage in political debate and vaguely weathered the media storm. Andrew Neil even declared, ‘I think I was listening to a future MP there,’ after talking with him. I believe Porter has certainly proven he has the duplicitous and spineless nature needed to succeed in politics. Porter’s career aspirations are of little consolation for the students left with the prospect of astronomical tuition fees. Many will be glad to see the back of this New Labour hack and hope it’s not too late for his replacement to provide real anti-cuts leadership to the NUS.

The most amazing addition to the guild website is finally here: the Democracy Hub. “Huh?” or “what?” will probably be the most common response that sentence got. Despite sparking a glimmer of interest in one housemate of mine, I think I can safely say that the whole concept hasn’t totally caught on. From the initiated amongst you that I’ve spoken to, I’ve had mixed reviews. When asking about the new site, someone’s initial reaction was just to exclaim a rude two-syllable word, before explaining that it was all a pointless waste of time. To an extent

it’s true; what real power does the Guild have? So I can see the Guild may or may not be supporting a two-day strike by staff, but in the end of the day, what difference does it make? If you’re a little more positive about this whole escapade, you’d probably say it’s a good idea... Just that we’re all too apathetic to use it. Fair point. I do not have the time or the inclination to go about voting for things which may or may not have ‘influence,’ let alone ‘power.’ Quite frankly, the number of various things I’m being told to go and vote for is taxing enough: running through a whole list of names I don’t know, trying to find the one tenuous link I promised to cast my ballot for, is not my cup of tea. So forgive me if I don’t jump for joy when I’m told I can do this three-fold on a brand new

webpage over supposed ‘student issues’ as well. But above all else, my issue here is why should we need to do this? I thought we voted in our Sabbatical team for a reason: to represent our views. What was the point of the pages of manifestos and forests worth of leaflets? It really appears that we’re now just doing their job for them. The Democracy Hub is powerless to change much, and what the Guild can change they’ve already told us about. And even if this wasn’t true, there’s no way enough students will be mobilised to give anything on the site a true mandate. At the end of the day all I really want is my Sabbatical team to go and do what I voted them to do – i.e. their manifesto – and leave me in peace for another year while I stress about the next dreaded essay deadline.

I kept my distance until, after a dinner characterised by free flowing wine and not much food, my curiosity got the better of me. I approached a lecturer who, having been drunkenly informed earlier in the evening by a friend that I ‘found her voice really sexy,’ probably had questions of her own to ask. I awkwardly explained how her voice reminded me of Rachel Weisz from The Mummy and, pleased to discover that not only had she seen the film but that the resemblance had been noticed before, we carried on chatting. Having grown in confidence, I conducted a tour of a large number of the teaching staff and, after securing several high fives but alas, not the famously elusive and well guarded first name of

one particular lecturer, headed to Arena to end the night. What occurred to me the next morning, as well as a thumping headache, was how natural it had been to interact with people I had always previously considered professionally distant. That distance has been bridged and, for me, it was an extremely positive experience that now cannot be undone for the rest of my time at university. Little did I know as I sleepily logged onto Facebook, that not only had the gap been reduced the previous night, but the roles of student and teacher reversed entirely. It took me minutes to discover the comments (and photos) that exposed the consequences of one lecturer’s messy evening. Suffice to say, it seems we’re not so different after all...

criticism. I would describe the current situation as outrageous. I am a first year English undergraduate and I can assure Bertie Archer that the unambitious target of ten hours of contact time per week is no way near being met in some departments. As Ellie writes, six hours is all the English department provides - and the quality is distinctly variable. This is, of course, for about 20 weeks of the year. It was with sheer disbelief that I discovered that there is no contact at all between April and October. Naturally, we are paying for accommodation that we do not require for much of this period. I am sure that many Exeposé readers are in the same position as me - we are stacking up huge debts for the future, and we will still require parental assistance to help with day-today living.

It is no surprise to me that the University is slipping down the student experience league - the only question is how it was placed so high previously. I can only think that your Comment writer, Matt Palutikof, is employed as a PR man by the University. His extraordinary claims about the redevelopment bear no relationship to the dismal experiences and shocking value for money experienced by my peers and myself. If Exeter proposes to charge three times as much for the same “service,” I can assure them that complaints will be coming thick and fast. With regret, I must remain anonymous as I have no confidence that my opinions would not be held against me. Nevertheless, I would like to see a largescale debate on contact hours open up. Anonymous English undergraduate

Bridging the social gap Louee Dessent

Standing in the reception room of Reed Hall, mingling with the guests of the annual Classics Ball and helping myself to the free ‘sparkling wine,’ it suddenly dawned on me that this was the first occasion I had ever seen my lecturers in a social setting. Don’t get me wrong, I know they’re human, yet still I was shocked to see them there, dressed up and drinking with the students, unsure whether it was my potential behaviour or theirs on such a merry occasion that worried me most.

Letters to the Editors - Send your letters to letters@exepose.com Law Library should be for Law students Exeposé It’s March, and in the Law School the deadlines are looming. But to my disappointment the library is booming. The area is swarming not with lawyers to be, but geographers, engineers, historians - all in my library furiously swiping, I burst into the cluster with just about all the patience I can muster. A computer is free! I run for the chair but a girl pushes past me, I throw her a glare. Should I stay? Should I go? Now the song’s in my head... I suppose I must try the Main Library instead. Bounding up the stairs to find a PC. Presume I could find one for a £9,000 fee... An hour has gone by but my fight for survival has finally paid off – now I am the rival of students searching in a desperate attempt while

I dare to check facebook; imagine their contempt. If this were merely a one off occurrence, perhaps I could shrug off my educational disturbance. Yet time after time I sigh in exasperation, for the University still fails to provide a workstation. Alicia Mietus Kicked out of the Business School Exeposé I was having a wander around the new Business School building last Thursday evening after a stint in the Streatham Court computer room. I’m not a Business student, but was interested to get a look at the facilities, particularly as they should give a taste of what is to come in the Forum. However, innocently wandering, I was accosted by two members of staff, who told me to

get out as there were ‘functions’ taking place that evening. It didn’t seem very fair that I was being kicked out of a student building because corporate types were about. Surely no one visiting a University would be hugely offended by meeting a student in a corridor? It would just be nice if certain staff remembered why they’re here. Anonymous Skewed news priorities Exeposé May I politely suggest that your news priorities were incorrect in your Week 18 issue? Surely the biggest story was, by a long way, the unbelievable fact that contact hours at our University are decreasing - unbelievable since they are already so small. Your News Editor, Ellie Busby, was very restrained in her

Exeposé week twenty two

Features Columba Achilleos-Sarll & Anna-Marie Linnell - features@exepose.com

Walking the Razor’s Edge

Dan Orton talks with Noel “Razor” Smith about prison life and the penal system. I KNEW the man I was about to meet had the same birthday as me, Christmas Eve, but I thought that was where the similarities might end. I do not have any tattoos, do not know how to use a gun and have never been to prison. All these attributes, on the other hand, apply to Noel ‘Razor’ Smith. Ex-con and writer for Inside Times, Smith visited Exeter on March 4 to speak about his 30 plus years behind bars, at the invitation of the University’s branch of the Howard League for Penal Reform. Before the talk, he had time for a quick cup of ‘sticky’ (sticky toffee = coffee), a chat about prison life and his latest book A Rusty Gun. First things first then: is it Noel or Razor? “Noel, definitely Noel.” ‘Razor’ is a nickname he is trying to lose, something left over from his past life as a career criminal. It is, however, the name he writes under. I am curious as to how he got into the writing game. It isn’t easy to get work published at the best of times, but being locked up surely doesn’t help. He leans back in his chair, the most conspicuous man in Queen’s Café, and says that the only things in your cell were “a book and a piss pot.” Because he couldn’t read, he would play football

with the book. It was a priest who, upon noticing Noel’s unorthodox use of said book, got him into reading. He started off basic, but before long was a “vivacious reader.” He could consume up to three books a day, when “there was nothing else to do.” In time, Noel figured that if these people could write books - many of which were truly awful - then so could he. Following some of his poems and short stories being published, with competition wins, Noel was able to buy himself a type-writer. In 1997, John McVicar (now a journalist but at the time Britain’s Public Enemy No. 1) introduced him to the writer Will Self, who persuaded him to write his autobiography A Few Kind Words and a Loaded Gun. Noel tells me that it was only when his son died, under “mysterious circumstances,” that he finally agreed to write the book. He needed money to pay for the funeral. The autobiography, though, was a success and he was surprised by its reception. At the mention of his son there is a definite change in his tone and expression, so I decide to move on. Prison is obviously no picnic. Noel describes it as a “Darwinian struggle: survival of the

The Numbers Game

fittest.” He made his reputation, found his “face,” by being the sort of person who would “come back on people if they done me.” “If you were in the shower with

“I had reached the pinnacle of prison life, was in with well known murderers,” he tells me. But eventually he saw it all as: “false and childish nonsense”

soap in your eyes,” he mimes washing his face, “I will come in there and stab you.” Thankfully he does not mime the last bit - though I do make a mental note not to piss him off. In 2003 Noel was transferred, voluntarily, to HMP Grendon. This is a unique and entirely voluntary prison, dedicated to intense prisoner therapy. It has strict rules; prisoners must refrain from violence, taking drugs and sex. Volunteers must also forego any chance of parole. Noel tells me that Grendon is not for all prisoners and I ask how it felt to go from cock of the roost in HMP Whitemoor to Grendon’s zero tolerance approach.“I

had reached the pinnacle of prison life, was in with well known murderers,” he tells me. But eventually he “saw it all as false; all just childish nonsense.” Once again he mentions the death of his son, Joe, which gave him the epiphany he needed to get out. Still, Noel recognises that there is something fundamentally wrong with the current penal system. “It doesn’t work at all,” he says, shaking his head, “Let me put it this way: if every hospital in the country took people in with sprained ankles and let them out with bubonic plague, people would be up in arms. Those hospitals would close down and start again from scratch. The prison system takes in petty thieves and sends out major criminals and nobody says a word.” When Jack Straw comes up in brief discussion, he does not exactly hold back on the recent ruling against giving prisoners the right to vote. “What a horrible, hypocritical man he is. A nasty, two faced slimy-,” Noel trails off. “Prisoners aren’t interested in the vote and the few that are would vote BNP. They don’t give a toss. But if they want it, they should have it, I agree with the principle of it.” Noel’s lecture that afternoon con-

sisted of a potted history of his hokeycokey experience of prison, in and out between the 1970s and last year. Later that evening, over a pint in the Impy, Noel teaches me and the other organisers of his visit how to make prison alcohol, or “hooch”, and tells us what a funny guy “Charlie” (Charles Bronson) is. When asked what the prison officers are like, he states that many of them are worse than the prisoners. Any prison officer who wants to change the system is immediately shunned by their colleagues. Prison then is a harsh environment for all involved. “When all’s said and done: prison’s not a nice place.” Robbing banks, on the other hand, he tells us is easy. “But don’t do it,” he laughs. With the current prospect of rising tuition fees, maybe it seems tempting. Talking to him showed, though, that prison is certainly not the walk in the park many tabloids have us imagine. Robbing banks might be “easy”, but I wouldn’t want to risk it. Besides, for starters: I can’t use a gun. And quite frankly, I’d look ridiculous with a shaved head. Think I’ll stick to writing about the life of criminals, rather than living the experience.

Maxim Edwards on how to put your stamp on the purple envelopes of 2011. THE first census after the American Revolution asked only six questions, two of which were the number of free white males older than sixteen and the number of slaves. These questions could tell us more about the year 1790 than all the recipients’ answers combined. The ominous purple envelope from the Government currently arriving in homes across the UK, in every language from Abkhaz to Zulu, will also be history in the making. How fascinating Exeter in March 2011 will be to future generations is really not for me to say, but unlike others, I am cautiously optimistic about the census and its use to future generations. Perhaps the best description for it is a ‘snapshot in time’- one which includes those 390,000 Brits who declared themselves Jedi in 2001, to the approximately 150,000 who refused to take part that same year. I have no doubt that somewhere, in a Starbucks, some contrarian is penning a facile argument as to the

census’s alleged constraints of civil liberties, whilst simultaneously tweeting his innermost secrets to all and sundry. But to conflate this census with government surveillance is simply to misunderstand its purpose. Remembering how easy it was in 2007 for the UK’s entire child benefit records to be misplaced by a junior official, one can’t be fully convinced of the absolute security of census details. Yet, does it really matter? A fascinating article in The Independent last year revealed how much total strangers can know about us simply through a combination of Facebook, Twitter and, most importantly of all, location based applications on iPhones. A simple fact of our times for you: what the Government needs to know about you, it probably already does. As in America in 1790, what we will read in future years most from the British census are its questions. Questions are already being asked about why we still need an obligatory

census question on religious belief, or indeed ethnicity. Many thanks to the author of the letter in The Guardian advising us to write ‘Other: Human’ as our ethnic identity’. That the aerospace and defence technology firm, Lockheed Martin, has been contracted to prepare the census is also very revealing about the times we live in. Perhaps the point most overlooked by those who oppose a census on principle is that it gives a picture of the UK, as painted by Brits themselves. On that picture we will each leave a smudge of ourselves and our own understanding of complex questions, such as religious and ethnic identity and that is something to be treasured. Anyone visiting Cornwall next week, for example, will notice that some local authorities have provided information as to how to

declare one’s ethnicity as Cornish. Self-identification and self-definition

are some of the most valuable treasures of democracy and their historical value in this next census will be matchless to historians. As someone interested in family history research at far too young an age, I can vouch for the importance of crusty old British, German and Polish censuses. Besides, how could we make more series of Who do you Think You Are without them? For what it’s worth, I feel that my house’s census, with its food smudges and coffee cup rings may help immortalise St. James’s and the state of its student kitchens. I for one will be interested to see Exeter’s results when the census statistics are published. So, Jedis on campus: declare yourselves.

Features

The Feminist Question

march 21 2011

Exeposé

In light of International Women’s Day, Features asks Exeter: What does Feminism mean to you?

Sound of Misogyny Problems still exist

Hazal Han

“OI you! Yeah, you with the green dress and the Beyonce walk! I bet you’ve got a tight pussy!” This was the lovely message hurled my way by some drunk, halfwitted men who clearly thought I’d appreciate their wonderfully sexist and degrading comments as I walked, alone, between Amber Rooms and the Sainsbury’s cash point. Now ask yourselves this - was it wrong of me to have gone to the cash point on my own? Should I have taken a man with me? Was my dress too revealing? Is my walk deliberately provocative? In other words: is this all my fault? If your answer is yes, then we still have a long way to go with feminism. No woman should feel threatened by merely popping out to a cash point on her own. No woman should need a male escort. Feminism isn’t about

women hating men, it’s about women AND men joining together to fight for women’s equality. If there was one man who was a feminist amongst that group of men, who saw me for what I really am - a human being with human feelings and not merely an object there for their amusement - then maybe I wouldn’t have had to deal with that kind of humiliation. So, to men who are against feminism: are you really willing to let somebody intimidate your mother/sister/auntie/girlfriend in this way? And as for women who are against feminism - are you really willing to be treated like a second class citizen? Because I’m not, and millions of women out there won’t stop until we are recognised for the human beings that we are.

The idiocy of the alternative Mark Johnston

FEMINISM is important to me for many reasons, many of them already noted, but one of the main reasons is that the alternative is stupid. For, surely, it is stupid to accept that half of a population will never be able realise their full potential. Surely it is stupid to discourage half of a population from giving their full contribution to the whole population. Those who stand in the way of feminism are, basically, just stupid, and I don’t like to consider myself, my friends, and people in general as stupid.

Samantha Brook

I’M frequently surprised by how many girls squirm at the word feminism: casually saying that it’s overstated, out of date. Discussions on gender relations usually meet with equally uncomfortable responses. I understand that women aren’t stoned for adultery on our streets, and no, fortunately unlike the Democratic Republic of Congo, we’re not facing wide-scale gang-rape and mutilation, but we do have our own set of problems. One of those: the rather depressing low number of high powered women in business and politics; a mere 24 female executive directors in the FTSE 250.

Now, I’m aware positive discrimination is a fairly controversial road to go down, but Norway has provided a fine example of where its application can lead to real inroads and opportunities. The requirement of 40 per cent of those sitting on the directors’ board to be women is hardly outrageous and certainly evens up the field; in fact, more than that, it alters the whole business environment. The Davies report has recently ruled out quotas instead suggesting a target of 25 per cent by 2015, but such goals are infrequently made a reality, too many times similar government

An Unequal Culture... Caitlin Hayward-Tapp I’M often told that we no longer ‘need’ feminism, that it ‘goes too far’ or that it is, indeed, ‘dead’. These views astound me, especially when they come from women. Feminism is the belief that women have the right to be equal to men, financially, emotionally, physically, socially. I am a feminist because I believe this, and because I do not believe that we have reached that point, in the UK or elsewhere. This is not something one imagines – such brutality and oppression simply couldn’t be made up – and yet constantly feminists are told that their work is no longer relevant. In the UK 40 years after the Equal Pay Act, women who work full-time are still paid, on average, 15.5 per cent less per hour than men. One in four women will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime. One incident of domestic violence is reported to the police every minute. On average, two women a week are killed by a current or former male partner. The UK rape conviction rate is the lowest in Europe and just over a third of people in the UK believe that a woman is partially or totally responsible for being raped if she has behaved in a flirtatious

manner. Locally, support services for victims of domestic violence are being cut by 43 per cent through the government changes to public sector funding. Internationally, Women perform two-thirds of the world’s work and produce half the world’s food, but earn just 10 per cent of the income and own 1 per cent of the property. Women constitute two-thirds of the world’s 800-million illiterate adults, aged 15 and over. Only 28 countries have achieved the 30 per cent target set in the early 1990s for women in decision-making positions. One in three women will be raped, beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise violated in her lifetime. More than 500 “corrective rapes”, designed to ‘cure’ lesbianism, are reported in South Africa each year. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, women are raped as a ‘weapon of war’. Female recruits in the American military are now far more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed in combat. Abortion rights, and the right to support from Planned Parenthood, are constantly under attack in America. Prominent celebrities consider it acceptable to joke about rape (Jimmy Carr), to declare women “don’t enjoy

aims have been cast to the wayside. Women are now outnumbering men in higher education and technology is evolving to accommodate the friction between career and family; there are no more excuses. Moreover, companies have actually been seen to perform better with a greater percentage of women in the boardroom. In a couple of years, maybe less, it’ll be us entering into that job market and I’d like to see that glass ceiling broken once and for all; quotas could enable a genuine breakthrough.

sex” (Stephen Fry), and to deny the authenticity of the rape of a thirteen year old (Whoopi “it’s not rape-rape” Goldberg). The work of celebrities is seen as more important than the possibility they are a rapist (Assange and Polanski). Some, like Charlie Sheen and Chris Brown continue to be celebrated despite serious accusations of domestic violence. Jokes about rape and sexual abuse are seen as acceptable and women who challenge them are considered ‘humourless.’ If you think that any of this should change: you are a feminist. But feminism isn’t about dealing with these horrors alone. Feminism is about coming together to fight these issues. It is also about learning about yourself, and growing as a person. As a feminist I met and challenged Emma Thompson. As a feminist I organised the first Exeter Reclaim the Night march in thirty years. As a feminist I have been involved in the (successful!) campaign for a Rape Crisis Centre here in Exeter. As a feminist I respect and love my body. As a feminist I respect and love other women, and men. As a feminist I have met some of the most inspiring, enthusiastic and strong people, whose voices strengthen mine, and mine theirs. As a feminist I am not alone i n all I experience, in all I challenge, and in all I love. As a feminist I am powerful.

Women and history: 1911 Marie Curie becomes the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, as she is awarded honours for her work in chemistry

1923 Matrimonial Causes Bill passed. For the first time, a woman can divorce her husband on the grounds of infidelity alone

1928 Equal Franchise Act. All women aged over 21 gain the right to vote

Exeposé week twenty two

Feminism is essential

Owen Pinnell

IF you believe in equality, then it is essential to be a feminist. There is simply no alternative. We hear a lot in the media today about “rabid” feminists. This is a convenient fiction that serves to keep the establishment intact. In reality, women still face oppression the world over. Men are still in charge: just glance at the CEOs of top companies or the gender balance of parliaments everywhere if you want proof. Across the developing world, discrimination against women in education and work is the greatest bar-

rier to poverty reduction. The great majority of the one billion in poverty the world over are women, according to the UN. The feminist cause is more prescient than ever. As men, it is important to support women in their fight, and not to belittle their cause. Casual sexism should never be tolerated as it perpetuates the attitudes that lie at the root of institutional discrimination and oppression. It’s all too easy to pass sexist jokes off as ‘banter’, but ultimately it takes more courage to call a friend out for a remark than to let it pass. Being a feminist is as important for a man as it is for a woman. While

women must lead and determine their cause, we must march with them, fight with them, and support them every step of the way. We all have mothers, sisters, and loved ones who we would never allow discrimination against. Why should women we don’t know be any different?

...Or one Feminist too far? Jessica Leung

PERHAPS unfairly, the term ‘feminism’ is often associated with women burning their bras and chaining themselves to railings. Feminism is about fighting for gender equality – allowing males and females to be on an equal footing. However, it seems that today feminism is often mistaken to be a statement of female superiority. As a female myself I understand the need to have the same opportunities as men. If I am doing the same job as a man, then I sincerely hope I am being paid the same amount. I also appreciate that I have a right to vote, just as I am allowed to wear trousers without making any anarchic statement. What bothers me is when all this goes too far. It then becomes less of a statement of equality, but more a belief that women should be the dominant sex. Surely this is counter-productive and extremely hypocritical? In this day and age, male and female are on an equal footing in most aspects of life. Paternity leaves were introduced for working women who did not want to give up their jobs when they have a baby. Women can now work as doctors, taxi drivers and even join the army. Yet it seems

1948 Cambridge University opens its degrees to all women for the first time

1961 The first contraceptive pill goes on sale

that extreme feminists still have to find something to pick at. They question why women are not allowed to fight on the front line, yet they do not see that women are biologically less strong than men. Women would naturally find it more difficult to carry the heavy artillery. Although females are the weaker sex physically, this by no means suggests we are the weaker sex overall. It seems ridiculous to change the titles of policeman to police officer, and fireman to fire fighter to incorporate the women in these careers. Surely women should feel empowered by the fact that they are accepted in what was previously a male dominated world? Some feminists even find it extremely offensive that God is represented as male, claiming that He should take the form of a woman instead. This is simply ludicrous as it suggests that the whole of church history should be changed just so women can be placed on a higher ground than men. There is also a strong difference between chivalry and misogyny. Men hold doors for women not because

1994 The Church of England ordains its first female Vicar

2009 Carol Ann Duffy is appointed as the first female poet laureate

they think you are incapable of looking after yourself; but rather, it is a polite, chivalrous gesture. Men evolved to look after women, but this does not need to suggest that men are looking down on their abilities. There are many powerful, independent women in the world that would happily accept gifts from their partner, as it is not a sign of misogyny, but a sign of respect. I expect to be cared for by men, but I do not assume a male dominance – they are two very different things. The key factor here is choice. I have the power to choose to wear skirts, bras and makeup. I choose to let men lend me their coats when it’s a cold night. It is this element of independent choice that suggests females are not treated unfairly – in fact it is very empowering. It seems that to blindly conform to a feminist stereotype possibly makes you appear even weaker, as all your choices are determined by a need to make a statement against men.

Loud and Proud Cyan Turan

ARE you a feminist? If not, why not? Are you ideologically opposed to gender equality, or are you a woman who has been made to feel ashamed about feminism by a man? I ’ m not going to write this piece apologetically: I am a feminist and proud. You should be too. Men have done a tremendous job of making women feel like feminism is for no-one but shavenheaded, briefcase-brandishing ‘lesbians’. It’s about time women stood up and put the record straight. For a start, there’s nothing wrong with being a skinhead, homosexual working woman. But the problem is, men have characterised feminists in such a way that the concept isn’t one that appeals to women any more. Women who endorse feminism feel increasingly belittled by men who like nothing

Features

more than stereotyping them for their own benefit. Of course, ladies, men are going to be reductive about feminism, but that doesn’t mean you have to believe it. Increasingly, working women are realising that they can’t ‘have it all’, and no, they won’t see as much of their children if they devote most daylight hours to their career. But housewives can be feminists too: because feminism is a belief, not a lifestyle choice. Feminists shouldn’t be an endangered species: everyone should be one. It seems like the root of the problem is that men and women have forgotten what feminism is. Modern notions of feminism, conveniently informed by men, involve ‘dykes’ and ‘pitbulls’. As no woman wants to be labelled as something she doesn’t believe she is, she rejects any notion of feminism - even if she does believe in what it actually stands for. Feminists, as Mary Wollstonecraft would have us believe, support equal rights for women and fair access to education. Yet so many of us dismiss the embodiment of these values. Dragon’s Den entrepreneur, Deborah Meaden, recently denounced feminism, stating “I’m not a feminist. I consider my position in the business world not as a woman but as a person.” I find it astounding that such highprofile figures, role models even, are embarrassed to call themselves feminists. It is feminism that allows her to enter boardrooms, feminism that supports her status as a person. Her entire notions of self, the basis of how she considers herself are grounded in the work that feminists did for women nearly 200 years ago. If we are ever to close the gender pay gap, if women are ever to be considered the political, social and economic equals to men, then we must stop listening to the men who tell us that feminists are ‘butch’ and start truly recognising the pioneering intelligence of our female ancestors.

march 21 2011

Features

Exeposé

Western Intervention in Libya: The Dilemma Yes: the sensible option. James Crouch

AT this very moment in time, Civil war is being waged across Libya. Tanks are rolling along the Libyan horizon, shells being fired across the skyline. It’s now decision time for the rest of the world: Should the West intervene or not, and, if so, in what way? This is the question on everyone’s lips. For days, the news has been dominated by little else than the question of a no-fly zone. David Cameron has made clear what he thinks – to go ahead with one. Sarkozy and Cameron have been the most vocal of all the Western leaders to call for intervention and they’re not pulling any punches. The French have even officially recognised the rebel council as the legitimate government of Libya, the furthest anyone has gone so far. There’s no question that a nofly zone would be a relatively easy measure to put in place, as far as military procedures go. We definitely have the capability – the West versus Libya, I know who the bets would be on. Any such action will give a clear message that we want to buy time for rebels in the hope that Gaddafi will eventually lose. But should we? I would argue yes. For those of you getting on your high horse about the need to protect all the people of the world, I just ask you to hold on for a second. North Korea or Cold War USSR sounds like the perfect place we should have intervened to protect citizens. Protecting the week against the strong... as was said in Yes, Minister, “the Russians are too strong!” No one would seriously think about invading either of them for the fear of repercussions. So don’t go too far down that train of thought, because it is logically indefensible. I think we should implement the no-fly zone, not because we should be Libya’s knight in shining armour, but because to do so would be to our advantage. We have significant

interests in the Middle East and now the world’s eyes are upon that region, it is not the best time to be out of sync with the wishes of most of the people there. The Arab League, led by Egypt, has come out firmly in favour of a nofly zone. Yes, the Egypt that is now run by a government decidedly hostile to Gaddafi. Most of the Arab world seems to be abandoning the dictator or actively turning against him. Add to this that the rebels themselves are also asking for a nofly zone, suggesting to me one thing: all the important players of the region have made up their mind and we’re left to decide if we’re going to go with the tide or simply drag our heels. If the rebels lose out, Egypt and the other Arab states will not be unjustified in arguing it was the West that stalled and failed to help. If the rebels win how I’m not sure - then they can say it was no thanks to us. We’re left with much of a region resentful that we didn’t do much. For once we would have had an opportunity to act in the region at their invitation rather than at

our own, and we would have blown it. Of course, there are other forms of intervention we could look at. The USA is at the moment considering whether it can train the rebels and arm them with better equipment. Personally, I think this would be a good way to act too, and will allow us to not become directly involved in any conflict. But the issue remains is that there is no real momentum behind arming the rebel troops, and only the United States has made any overtures in that direction. And, the idea of arming yet another group of people in the Middle East does seem to smack of the historical meddling which the West has been guilty of in the past. For the most part, the talk is still of a no-fly zone, and that is slowly what more and more actors in the international stage are coming round to. That is the next step for the international community to take. If we don’t take at least some action, I expect to see one of the most crucial regions in the world hold a serious amount of resentment towards us for some time to come.

No: have we not

learned? Columba Achilleos-Sarll, Features Editors AS the world waits in trepidation, the unnerving prospect of military intervention in Libya is upon us. Has history taught us nothing? On one side, the painful echoes of genocide in Rwanda and Bosnia continue to resound loudly in the ears of state leaders and suggest we should intervene in Libya. But on the other side, the deafening silence brought about by Iraq and Afghanistan surely cannot be forgotten. Yes, we must assess the Libyan case, not from fear caused by political misjudgement, but in isolation. Treading, however, the fine line between these historical epochs, the question remains whether it is ever morally right for states to intervene in the affairs of other states. This is the question that hangs delicately

above the Pentagon, Europe and UN headquarters as leaders make their decisions, and infiltrates the moral conscience the world over. For state leaders of the West, the decision to intervene is not a simple diagnosis through moral duty to protect, but a case of strategy – and selective strategy at that. As he straddles the ebb and flow of politics and economics, Gaddafi has switched from friend to foe. In an international community of autonomous states with no central authority, law is not black and white but a moral tug of war. These shifts mean that military intervention can never be legitimised or, in fact, justified. All that can be hoped is that, first and foremost, states ensure the freedom of their own people. The decisions of state leaders, the UN, and other such organisations, should thus always be viewed with suspicion; self-interest will continue to dictate the workings of the international state system. Even if backed by the US, the moral dilemma over whether to intervene cannot be seen as a purely straight forward military operation. With questions remaining unanswered, the possible escalation of increased violence, civilian casualties and ultimately the strengthening of Gaddafi’s forces, also remains. Whilst those in the Middle East call for ‘democracy’, Western governments, of course, wish to retain their strategic interests. Ironically, however, the democratic uprisings sweeping across the Middle East could sit not in concert with western intentions: the legacy of western colonialism would argue otherwise. We from the West talk as if we are privy to knowledge and superior in development, which allows us to act within a moral paradigm, to distance ourselves from the situation and subsequently take the fate of Libyans into our diplomatic procedures. But, to quote Guardian writer Seumas Milne: “the Arab revolution will be made by Arabs, or it won’t be a revolution at all”.

From the Ritz to the rubble

Mark Pettitt questions how far Cameron’s political future rests with Saudi Arabia.

AS the door of political change opens, beckoning in democracy within the Middle East, Cameron would have been revelling in the exportation of Western principles; liberté, egalitié and fraternité. Yet, such joy I’m sure was short lived and replaced with the knee-trembling fear of deeper economic recession. As the pile of discarded Middle East political leaders mounts as they are thrown forlorn from the Ritz to the rubble, pressure is mounting on Saudi Arabia’s House of Saud to reform. Cracks are appearing in the oil rich country which could have a

devastating impact upon the Western economy, plunging it into a much deeper recession with Cameron weeping into the arms of George Osborne asking, “Oh how did it come to this, Oik?” I doubt any amount of foundation would be able to cover up such emotions on Conservative posters at the next election. Whilst such fantasies of a dejected Cameron may have Ed Miliband grinning unbearably over at Labour HQ, such Saudi cracks spell problems for our economy. Already, as a result of the unrest, the price of Brent Crude Oil has risen to $116 per barrel, and

if the cracks widen this will only get worse. The Middle East produces 56 per cent of the world’s oil, with Saudi Arabia alone claiming to have 20 per cent of the word’s oil beneath its feet. Considering the price of oil has already risen with Libya and Tunisia together producing only 3.4 per cent of the world’s oil, the price of widening Saudi Arabian cracks is ominous. Panicky investors already fear the worst, that calls for reform could transform into street protests as seen in Egypt and Libya. As a result of such speculation, the Saudi stock exchange has been falling, anticipating the

worst. The fire of democracy is spreading throughout the Middle East, and the smoke has now appeared in Saudi. Many of the arsonists are young adults: 70 per cent of the population are under 30 and, of those between 15 and 24 years, 39.5 per cent are unemployed. Discontent with the status quo is rife with thousands expressing themselves on blogs, or on Facebook and Twitter. Such outbursts have rightly worried the ruling King Abdullah, who recently offered to share $37 billion of his petroleum bounty with the population through

pay rises and larger unemployment benefits, i.e. a bribe to stem the discontent and allow him and his family to stay in power. Saudi Arabia, being a ‘rentier state’ relies on a delicate balance of power, in the form of an unwritten and unbound contract with its people. Essentially, the population is not taxed, and the country is run by the King from oil revenues. However, this delicate balance has begun to topple, and if it falls, I suggest we all buy bikes, go green, and thank some form of a higher power that we aren’t David Cameron’s political future.

Exeposé week twenty two

The Olympics comes to London

Features

A cracking start or a limp shot? Annabel Jolly looks at London’s preparation for the Olympic Games. AS of today, it is less than 500 days until the world descends on London for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Last week, a team of four champion rowers and sailors unveiled a countdown clock situated in the middle of Trafalgar Square. Tickets officially went on sale on the 15 March, and all of a sudden it seems quite impossible to ignore: the Games are coming to London, and soon. Call me pessimistic, but it seems that much of the Great British Public are looking towards London 2012 with more scepticism than excitement. The nation seems convinced that the venues won’t be ready, that we’ll run out of money – even the British athletics team, comprising some of our main medal contenders, have already announced that they’ll be missing the Opening Ceremonies. UK Athletics claim that their athletes will remain in training abroad until the last possible minute to avoid unnecessary distractions, but the snub seems clear nonetheless. It has to be said, it is difficult to have confidence in our Olympic Committee when everything they have unveiled thus far seems so far off the mark. First, there was the official logo, met with criticism and ridicule the world over. As recently as February this year, Iran filed an official complaint with the International Olympic Committee. They claimed that

fashioned from droplets of the same steel used to build the Olympic Stadium, but they look more like Pixar characters than anything supposed to represent British pride and success. And who can forget our handover ceremony? At the sensational Closing Ceremony of the Beijing Games back in 2008, we had the chance to show to the world just a glimpse of what we had to offer. Apparently, the best we could come up with was the product of a TV reality show, the pretty, perfectly nice, but fairly inane David Beckham, and a typically bumbling Boris Johnson, all aboard a lumbering double decker bus. It is hardly the stuff to fill one with confidence, and few have bothered to mask their scepticism in the press. After all, who needs the Olympics? We’ve royals to marry off! However, I’m continuing to hold out hope. Ticket launches may have been eclipsed, and rightly so, by the devastation facing Japan, but whether we like

the logo spelled out the word ‘Zion’, a Hebrew term which is often used to refer to Jerusalem and/or Israel. The nation demanded that it be withdrawn, and went so far as to threaten to boycott the games entirely. Although the IOC quietly rejected the complaint and it appears that Iran will indeed compete, it is clear that this is not the success that the logo’s designers had envisioned. Then there are the official mascots of the Games. Wenlock and Mandeville – the Olympic and Paralympic mascots, respectively – are

it or not, the Games are coming our way. If everyone in the country embraced the Olympics with the same excitement with which we are apparently looking towards the Royal Wedding, it seems impossible to avoid the good hearted, patriotic spirit that the Games are supposed to symbolize. In Beijing, last quaddrennium, we pulled off a record medal haul, with a total of 47 medals. The only time we’ve ever bested that figure was in 1908, the first time London hosted the Games, which can only be a good omen. With figures such as Jess Ennis, Tom Daley and a whole host of rowers and swimmers leading our winning hopes, it seems difficult to be anything but optimistic. Maybe our Opening Ceremony won’t be quite as spectacular as China’s was, and maybe all our flashy new facilities won’t quite be ready on time, but then again maybe The Powers That Be will surprise us, and maybe they will be. If all doesn’t go quite to plan, we should probably take the lead, take a step back, and have a good laugh at Wenlock and Mandeville and pictures of Lisa Simpson possibly committing unspeakable acts and whatever other oddities emerge from the London 2012 team. After all, if we can’t embrace and enjoy our own Olympics, then why should anybody else?

“Let’s talk about something exciting. Me” Alexander Boni addresses the controversy that is Charlie Sheen.

IF you’re like me and in the midst of destroying your keyboard as you frantically hammer out reams of words for your dissertation then you probably don’t have much time for the news right now. It’s interesting how some of the key issues never change; the Middle East in turmoil, the economy lumbering along and bankers being evil. But there was one story that caught my eye, and brightened my day by having me in stitches with each new development. That’s right folks, its Charlie Sheen. Sheen has always been something of an oddity, even by Hollywood’s standards. An enigma, wrapped dusted off with crack cocaine. To many, he is the epitome of the party lifestyle; porn star wives, piles of cash and enough powder to put the Alps to shame. On the other h a n d ,

many see him as an example of everything that is wrong with Hollywood; porn star wives, piles of cash and enough powder to put the Alps to shame. Indeed, Sheen is a divisive character with a personality that takes several burly men in white overalls to restrain. Having recently been ditched from CBS’s Two and a Half Men for his out-of-control lifestyle and checking himself out of rehab, he has decided the best thing to do to repair any damage to his reputation is to take on the interview circuit. Under the correct circumstances and with a worldclass PR manager to hand, this can be a road to Easy Street, laying foundations for memoirs and let’s face it – everybody loves a

comeback kid. Sheen is under none of these circumstances and his PR manager recently ditched him, citing that he was impossible to manage, and that making Sheen look good was an exercise in futility. Surely, somebody of Sheen’s calibre and experience is savvy in the ways of fickle publicity and has an idea of how to pull this off?

“Making Sheen look good was an exercise in futility” Well, in blunt terms, Sheen clearly has no clue what he is doing. He exploded onto the interview circuit, clumsily spouting the drivelling rants of a man who is clearly deranged. Without a doubt, the man has lost the plot. Aside from boasting about “banging seven gram rocks” and how he often has more drugs than “a normal person could handle” he has busied himself by suing CBS and Warner Brothers for dropping Two and a Half Men. Ironically, estimates put the losses of the two firms due to the show’s cancellation somewhere around a quarter of a billion dollars in lost revenues and wasted time – which makes it hard to understand how Sheen and his $2 million-per-episode contract are so aggrieved.

But then again, Sheen himself claimed nobody but he could handle his brain and he is probably dead right on that one. As for me, I don’t feel particularly annoyed at Sheen’s recent tirades; in fact to say anything other than that I love every moment of it would be an untruth. You see, Hollywood stars melt down all the time; Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, Owen Wilson, and it is rarely very interesting beyond the first instance. What Charlie Sheen has done though is watch all these people freak out, watched them collapse in on themselves and then raised them a whole shedload of insanity. Mel Gibson, eat your heart out. Britney Spears, do us a favour. Sheen has given us all an insight into his life and, frankly, it is like the climactic scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark and right now our faces are melting right off. I’m sure I won’t be the only person who will miss Two and a Half Men, especially now that it was clearly not meant to be a comedy series but a family-friendly reality show based on Sheen’s life. But if showbiz has shown us one thing over the years, it’s that guys like Sheen don’t get finished by this kind of thing. If anything, he will be back within a year or so in a bigger role than ever with bigger pay cheques than ever and a metric tonne more crazy to boot.

@charliesheen - 2.9 million followers and counting: 1.39am March 7 “You smell that? Do you smell that? I love the smell of Napalm in the morning.” 3.00am March 7 “This Warlock is in the breach. Poised. T - minus 51 mins. Read my tigerblood dripping lips; you’ve been warned.” 12.52pm March 5 “My lawyers asked that I stop talking with the press.” 12.21am March 5 “It has all of us within its pages. Most Twitter followers EVER, 24 hr period. They should change it’s title; ‘The Guinness Book of Us’” 3.43pm March 4 “You already own you. Now go... Earn the power. Earn the Truth. Earn the most important component in this entire dimension, yourself.”

Lifestyle

march 21 2011

Exeposé

Laura Le Brocq & Clare Mullins - lifestyle@exepose.com

Put a Spring in your step

Sophie Lanning and friends, Lucy Sargeant and Livvy Howarth, rejuvenate their wardrobes.

NOW is the time to spring clean your wardrobe and update those tired and worn staples with this season’s new fashions. 70’s revival, block colours and sport luxe is what Spring/Summer 2011

is all about. It’s not hard or expensive to update your favourite items to fit in with the current trend, so make the most of the warm weather and hit Exeter’s high street. Dressing on trend couldn’t be easier. Girls: In the back of every girl’s wardrobe lies a pair of denim shorts whose only trip out this winter was western theme dress up at Rococos. As the spring sun shines through the forum project scaffolding, it’s time to whip them out again and start thinking about getting that bikini bod on show.

“Socks and tights are no longer basics; they can transform your outfit”

tile. Bright colours and colour blocking are all the rage this season, so go for bold statements: the rule of colour clashing doesn’t exist this time round. Socks and tights are no longer basics; they can transform your outfit. Bring back your beloved primary school socks, but pull them over the knee and jazz them up with floral patterns or lace to keep in line with the vintage feel. Knee high socks are the perfect addition to 70’s platforms or wedges and they keep your legs warm when the weather turns. Accessories are key when creating the look, a mix of 70’s bohemian with sophistication. Transform your denim shorts by wearing a camel coloured floppy felt hat, it’s bound to ooze class. Finally, try a small leather handbag with

a large gold clasp for that vintage feel. Guys: Think clean lines, simplicity and a lean silhouette. Save yourself from looking like a victim of the Timepiece Wednesdays epidemic; not every night is a hockey social. You can easily resurrect your chinos with relaxed 70’s shapes and colours; we suggest throwing a paisley scarf around

“Replacing flipflops with boat shoes is a great way to tie the look together”

your neck for that chilled out look. Layer a button-down faded denim shirt with an unstructured illustrated tee, both of which are awash on Exeter’s high street. Step into spring by ditching the Jack Wills flip-flops and rolling up the bottoms of your chinos to embrace the warmer weather. Replacing flip-flops with boat shoes is a great way to tie the look together without looking like a fashion victim; be sure to ditch the socks. Guys and Girls: Topshop Top - £18

Primark Socks - £2 Primark Sunglasses - £1.50 H & M Waistcoat - £14.99 H & M bag - £12.99 Zara Men’s Top - £19.99

What better way to get excited about post-exam days on the beach and chilled out festival nights, than welcoming back the decade of the hippie. One of the strongest trends of the season is the 70’s - its easy and something to have fun with. Don’t take it too seriously: team your denim shorts with a pretty blouse. Cute bow blouses with billowing or bishop sleeves are feminine and versa-

It’s time to eBay that Gilet

Francesca Gillett bites the bullet and owns up to her overdraft. AFTER a passionate three months, the love affair with my Jack Wills gilet is ending. It was mutual; with the overdraft limit looming, the relationship just wasn’t working out, and now the Kirkbridge Classic is leaving me. The news comes as no surprise to all those who know me, those who have heard me say, “Oh I’m returning it next week” ever since I first guiltily traipsed home with it. Lying defeated on my desk, the beautiful pink and blue label taunts me every time I see it, causing sickening flashbacks to the moment when I handed over £98 for a piece of clothing that barely acknowledges the existence of arms. The daily guilt I face over spending that much money on one item became, frankly, difficult to live with.

I’m not going to lie; I thought the gilet completed me. After working through worries concerning loss of identity, conforming to the masses and buying into the Jack Wills cult, my gilet and I had some wonderful times. Already I am missing the romantic walks together, that beautiful detachable fur trim and the general, heartening warmth it never failed to provide to my core body parts. But, after the compassionate, let-me-downgently Natwest assistant informed me that no, an-

other overdraft extension is not available, action was called for. Taking charge of my finances, my assets are currently being valued for auction. Which is why, as of later today, another JACK WILLS KIRKBRIDGE GILET SIZE 8 will appear on eBay, joining the tenor-so other listings from cash-strapped students like myself. The 28 day return limit of Jack Wills being sadly expired, eBay is my salvation. The prices of gilets on there are lucrative, often

fetching the same, or bizarrely sometimes more than the retail price in a Jack Wills store. Yes, the market research has been done, the photos taken (I was tempted to model it as one last embrace) and I am ready to sell. I make no bones about my love of eBay; I can often be found rejoicing in a juicy bidding war for a fifties-style vintage dress or perhaps a book or two, but this time it is different. I’ve started to bat for the other team, the sellers. The decisions are endless; what font to use? How many pictures? Should I include a free gift?! (I decided against the free gift – although figuring that it’s important to tempt potential buyers, the only free gifts that I could really provide involve food, most of which are soup tins nearing their expiry date).

My item description became so persuasive that I even began to doubt my own reasons for selling, having to log in to online personal banking to get myself firmly back on track. Now the listing is done, however, I can sit back and watch the eBay community compete for my beloved gilet. I will miss it, but am hoping the pain will become bearable as wintry outerwear gives way to floaty cardigans and summer dresses. Gilets are not allowed with bare arms anyway, as I was informed by my fashionable, gilet-conscious friend on first buying the item, a rule I definitely saw an Exeter local breaking last week. And anyway, if the pain of separation is too much, I can always buy a replacement next term.

Exeposé week twenty two

“This week I’ve been thinking about...”

Lifestyle’s columnist, Zoe Dickens, on giving up sweets, bread and the battle with temptation in the run up to Easter.

I’M a great believer in Lent and have religiously given something up every year since I was 12 years old. I have, however, never set a New Year’s Resolution. I realise that this is something of a paradox, as Lent has basically become a second chance for everyone who failed back in January. For me, this has something to do with the fact that a period of 40 days is manageable, it’s definitely something I can do, whereas a New Year’s Resolution isn’t supposed to end. Ever. Failing at something that is supposed to last indeterminately into my future is a guilt that my conscience really doesn’t need. Of course, as with Christmas and Easter, we shouldn’t forget the reason we, for want of a better word, celebrate Lent.

“Lent has basically become a second chance for everyone who failed back in January”

That aside I honestly am a fan. For anyone attempting this modern fast for the first time, the sense of accomplishment you’ll get when Easter Sunday rolls around will show you exactly why. A quick scout of Facebook on Shrove Tuesday showed me that people were giving up everything from the more obvious chocolate to the rather quirky solitaire and the, let’s face it rather difficult, complaining. This year I’m giving up sweets.

Campus Style OUR roving photographer and Lifestyle team bring you the best style on campus!

I know this is a pretty normal one and to most people wouldn’t be that difficult, but if I tell you that I’m a multipack of Fruit Gums a week kinda girl maybe you’ll see where I’m coming from – especially since Morrisons have ever so kindly decided to put them on special offer this week. So here I am (at time of writing, two days into the forty day stint) with a sharing bag of toffee popcorn on my lap because I’m not a huge chocolate fan and quite frankly I have to get my sugar fix from somewhere. However, as hard as it may be I’m willing to bet it won’t be as difficult as last year when I decided it would be a really good idea to give up bread. Now this may seem slightly bizarre as bread forms a staple of our hearty British diet and it’s not exactly junk food, but it must be understood that I was a bread fiend. I’m not talking a couple of slices of toast and the occasional sandwich here, I could happily eat my way through a large French stick (that’s two feet of unadulterated carbs) in the waking hours of one day. Put simply, I was Dr. Atkins worst nightmare. I’m very proud to say that I did in fact manage the whole of Lent without touching a single piece of bread (if you don’t count tortilla wraps which, after a long internal struggle, I decided weren’t actually bread). It was by no means easy and I had some particularly pathetic low points, namely, dippy eggs with Ryvita soldiers and going into Subway, realising there was nothing I could have and then talking the man into letting me buy a pot of meatball marinara filling.

That month I lost cool points left, right and centre.

“After a long internal struggle, I decided tortilla wraps don’t actually count as bread” However, what did surprise me is just how strong my willpower actually is and it has, thankfully, caused a lasting change in my life. It now takes me at least two days to get through an entire French stick and a loaf can last almost an entire week. It also helps to know that I’m not the only one who struggles. My housemate routinely gives up chocolate for Lent and over the years has lasted from a pathetic three days to the entire Lenten period. She is a chocolate addict in every sense of the term and, last year, this saw us stood in a newsagent for at least 20 minutes trying to decide whether or not Caramac bars were actually made of chocolate. I was adamant they were, she was looking for a loophole, the ingredients list was more than a little ambiguous. Eventually we had to ask the shopkeeper to step in as an official adjudicator and it was decided that a Caramac is, in fact, not made of chocolate but instead an unidentified golden substance masquerading as a form of chocolate. To this day I am not entirely satisfied she wasn’t just trying to make a sale.

Lifestyle

Heart Marathon

Charlotte Robinson runs for charity. ONE phone call changed not only my university experience, but my entire life. This time last year, while I was recovering from a heavy night out and a 9am lecture, my Mum contacted me and told me that my Dad had died suddenly during the night of a heart attack. I am an Essex girl (neither blonde nor vajazzled) and finding out this news 250 miles away from home was incredibly hard. I returned home as quickly as I could and, thankfully, my friends and family were there for my Mum and I. Death, and other family problems such as illness, are hard enough to cope with when you are at home, but it was when I returned to Exeter that I felt utterly lost. How do you cope with these sorts of things when you are supposed to be having the time of your life and living independently? I, like so many others, was in that position and luckily, I found something to turn to: running. It sounds crazy, especially as I have never done any form of sport in my life except for PE years ago. However, I had always watched the incredibly fit people on the telly running the London Marathon every year and thought that one day I would join them. After my Dad’s death, I decided that the time was now. So I contacted the British Heart Foundation and they agreed to let me run for them. And here I am, a month before the marathon, having raised just over £1300. I am not saying that taking up running and focusing on this new goal got me over my grief and made life easier, because it didn’t. Anyone who has been unfortunate to suffer any upheaval at home will know that it doesn’t just dissipate overnight. But it has helped. The Marathon has given me something to focus on when all I want to do sometimes is crawl into bed and hide. I’m

doing something that I know my Dad would be incredibly proud of and although it won’t bring him back, it may save someone else’s Dad. If I had any words of advice for any student coping with life-changing problems, whatever they may be, I have three pointers. 1) Don’t be afraid or ashamed to lean on people, be it friends or family, or even the student counselling service: they were amazingly helpful and sensitive and didn’t make me feel like I was crazy. 2) Even if it is something small, find something new to focus on and get you out of bed every day be it sport, an instrument, whatever (you don’t have to run a marathon). And lastly 3) Make sure you laugh. It’s such a cliché but it really is the best medicine, your sense of humour will help you get over any obstacle in life. I have just about a month to go until I (hopefully) run the 26 miles. I am suffering from blisters on blisters, exhaustion, cramps and withdrawal symptoms from alcohol but it is still the best thing I have ever worked towards in my life. There are so many people who die from heart conditions each year and the British Heart Foundation help to prevent these problems and support those who suffer from them. According to statistics from the British Heart Foundation an estimated 9000 people will lose a parent this month due to coronary heart disease. Please encourage all your loved ones to be healthy and take a look at the British Heart Foundation’s website. If anyone wants to tune in and watch me and many other people suffer and/or make a massive achievement then please watch the marathon on the April 17. To sponsor Charlotte Robinson please visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ CharlotteRobinson.

[Centre] Name: Stefan Ciesla Studying: Law, 4th year.

This fortnight, we plucked up the courage to ask that burning question - what do YOU think about Jack Wills?

What’s your opinion on Jack Wills? “Well, I found this gilet and I like it a lot, but I wouldn’t say I’m a particularly loyal customer.”

[Left] Name: Jiale Tan [Centre] Name: Studying: Business and EconomStudying: ics, 3rd year. What she’s wearing: What’s your opinion on Jack Wills? “Jack Wills is pretty cool but I prefer Abercrombie & Fitch and Tommy Hilfiger. I’m just more of a Ralph Lauren girl at heart.”

[Right] [Centre] Name: Neil Williams Name: Studying: Studying: Law, 3rd year. What she’s wearing: What’s your opinion on Jack Wills? “I’m not much of a fan really. I think it’s labelling for the sake of it.” - Neil’s friend would like us to mention that he is President of Irish society.

march 21 2011 Exeposé

Lifestyle

We’ll buy it, Jack Willing Tom Goodsir on the Jack Wills conformist mindset.

I’M not really into nature, or Bill Oddie, or tucking my trousers into my socks, but I did manage to catch a glimpse of Springwatch the other day. It’s official; the UK’s most common bird, the humble wood pigeon, has been ousted from its top spot by the lesser-stitched Mr Wills, a curious, duck-like bird, most often seen sporting a top hat. As it’s just coming up to Easter, Mr Willses (plural) are in full breeding season, are particularly common around the Home Counties and can be spotted lurking mostly around holier-than-thou schools and Starbucks coffee houses. Yes, I am talking about Britain’s latest style stereotype, invented a few years back by two chaps from Devonshire. Williams and Shaw decided they’d like to make some “Fabulously British Clothing” inspired by their grandfather; Jack Williams. After just a simple misspelling on the Company’s House form, Jack Wills Limited was born. You can’t have missed the blue and pink striped bags waltzing around Exeter, or the hoodies with generic terms like ‘Varsity’ and ‘Seasonnaire’ printed across them, implying, but not necessarily guaranteeing, an expensive education. Maybe even you own one yourself? It’s no surprise that Jacky Willis and his mates were listed in the Times FastTrack 100 list for 2010 and the ‘preppy’ look

is (and will continue to be) a favourite amongst ladies and gents under the age of twenty-five. If you are new to the name, a quick flick through the website gives you the gist of what JW is about. There are plenty of pictures of enormously attractive people, showing all their underwear and having enormous amounts of pretend fun. You’ll also find your very own chance to buy into this ideology: ladies,

how about a gilet (£129), a slightly faded hoodie (£59) or your boyfriend’s shirt (£49)? For the gents; a genuine boating blazer (£249 - not waterproof), a vintage rugby top (£69 -presumably used) or an ill fitted pair of pyjama bottoms (£59 in elephant-arse grey)? I’ve got no problem with expensive clothing; I myself own one too many shirts by the likes of Smith and Baker, but are we really getting value from old Jack? Well, maybe, when they are not sickeningly branded or only available in garish pink, the shirts fit and this season’s Buttershaw dress will pretty well guarantee you any man you set eyes upon.

That said, I’m not sure this is true for the aforementioned pyjama bottoms (sorry, sweatpants). Given the cost price of these items can’t be more than a tenner, isn’t a fifty quid mark up a little steep? It’s a lot to pay to look like you haven’t bothered to dress yourself. It’s a well known fact that sportswear is unacceptable unless going to, returning from, or participating in a sporting event; however much you spend on it. The usual excuse for sportswear (“oh they’re so comfortable”) is equally unacceptable. Jeans are comfortable, shorts are comfortable, nudity is comfortable: you have plenty of options. My biggest problem with Jack Wills though, goes deeper than offensive tracksuits: it’s The Wills ideology. Jack has created more than a look; it’s a lifestyle, and it’s a lifestyle which advocates conformism. It doesn’t promote the good things about fashion, individuality or self expression; it promotes subscription to a particular look. If you’ve got our brand name on your boxers, you’ll be happy. You spend fifteen years of your life in uniform, begging to get out of it, and when you finally do you end up buying some more. Come on Exeter; there are infinite opportunities and ways to fashion your own style: get creative.

Short story

Isabel Stoddart ponders the short winter.

“THE sun is shining, the weather is sweet, make you want to move your dancing feet...” The words of Bob Marley can surely apply to the lovely sunny weather we’ve been having in Exeter. However, it is still March. March, the last month of winter. So why in the world, in temperatures of 8, 9, 10 degrees, are there people running around in shorts and flip flops?! It seems that for students the winter months only include December and January, forget about February and March, which often see freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. I agree, the weather has been pretty nice over the last few weeks, but it is still snowing in the north of the country and us southerners are taking the sunshine a teeny bit too seriously. Summer clothes seem to be somewhat of a uniform for students when there is the slightest ray of sunshine. Boys are without a doubt the main culprits; any excuse for them to don the Hollister shorts and Havaiana flip flops, and they’re on it. Because they know girls just LOVE that look, along with goose bumps and blinding-white skin. Last week, however, my disdaining gaze did come across a girl wearing hot pants. No tights, no leggings, not even a

pair of socks to accompany her bare legs. At least the poor girl had had the foresight to fake tan. But there’s more. I was innocently wandering around town on Sunday, minding my own business, when a young ‘lad’ ran past wearing shorts. Just shorts. And shoes of course, and some form of underwear I should hope. But honestly, who wants to see your chest? Especially as it’s not what one would call ‘buff’. I think there should be a special department of the police force to deal with matters such as these. The Exeter ‘Anti-Bare-Chest Squad’, ABS for short; a team that goes around telling people to put their shirts back on. I would happily be Chief Officer in command if it meant stopping men from having this desperate need to show off their torsos. Heaven forbid what a nice summer will bring: an epidemic of barechested men. So come on Exeter. It’s only a few days until it is officially spring, and then it’s only another few months until summer, when the weather is generally warm and sunny enough to wear shorts, flip flops and itsy-bitsy bikinis if you so wish. But if itsy-bitsy bikinis are your cup of tea, then please refrain from wearing them on campus, for now at least.

They attempted to silence their critics by telling them they were exhibiting “bourgeois tendencies.” They claimed that the protests by workers, those the CPGB was meant to represent, were actually fascist plots to overthrow the “genuine workers’ government.” I wondered whether they actually believe this, or whether their loyalty to the USSR was so strong that they would have used any excuse to defend it. By the time 5pm arrived I’d found plenty of potentially useful information, though nothing spectacular. I managed to find my way to my friend Alex’s house, and since I had to be up early the next day to get to the archives when they opened, Alex and I did the sensible thing and got completely wasted. Day Three I woke up the next day in Alex’s lounge with a pounding hangover, but managed to make it to the archives for 10.30am. I had more luck, and came across a lot of very useful stuff, including minutes, reports, articles, resolutions by both the party leadership and dissenters within the party, and letters sent between

party members. After all the events of the past two days, it finally felt that the trip had been worthwhile. At 5pm I casually asked the archivist how big the document storeroom was, and he offered to show me round. Surprisingly, it was no bigger than the reading room itself, but absolutely packed full of documents. There were about 200 boxes of files on Michael Foot, the ex-leader of the Labour Party, alone. I felt privileged to be allowed in there, as if I’d just been let through the pearly gates, except instead of St Peter guarding the entrance it was Tony Benn and Karl Marx. It was almost enough to make me forget my hangover. On the train home, as on the way up to Manchester, my thoughts wandered from my seminar reading to various rambling half-dream thoughts. Suddenly, I was with Lenin and another unidentified, bearded revolutionary. Lenin tells me a joke that makes literally no sense, with a non sequitur punchline, and I laugh. It is a genuine laugh; I am not just trying to be polite to him. After the experiences of the last couple of days, his joke was far from the strangest thing to have happened.

How far would you go for your dissertation?

Alex Blake swaps Russia for Manchester on his research mission.

I ORIGINALLY decided that I wanted to do my dissertation project on diaries in the USSR in the 1930s. Plenty of translated diaries in the University library, so no problems there. The difficulty was that I don’t speak any Russian and would not be able to travel to Russia to look at original documents. My dissertation supervisor then suggested that I write about reactions to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Later in the same meeting, he felt this was too broad, and that maybe I should focus on British reactions to the events. Actually, he said, this is also too broad. How about reactions of the British Left? Great, not at all obscure. Having been to the National Archives over the summer and sourced a fair amount of information, at our next meeting my tutor stated that he felt that this concept was also too broad, and had to be narrowed down once again, now looking solely at reactions of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). But this was still too broad. How about reactions of three Historians within the Communist Party? So it was decided that I should go to

the Labour History Archives in Manchester. These contain all the archives and files of the CPGB, as well as numerous other collections of personal papers, the Labour Party archives, etc. Later, when I came to making travel arrangements, I discovered that a single train ticket to Manchester cost around £40, while a bus ticket cost £8. The choice was clear. Day One By 1pm on the bus I was ridiculously tired. I drifted in and out of sleep. My thoughts wandered from the writings of Lenin on my seminar readings in front of me to various socialist and anarchist theoretical concepts, until a voice burst into my head: “Anarcho-penguins! Anarchopenguins! We are the anarcho-penguins!” In my blithering half-awake state I did not know who or what the anarcho-penguins are, but decided they warranted further investigation upon my return to Exeter. After a reflective journey, I arrived in Manchester. On the way to the hotel I saw a sticker on a wall. It read: “Students f**k off back down south.” It looked like it had been professionally designed. Shortly af-

terwards I was nearly run over as I crossed the road. Welcome to Manchester. Day Two I arrived at the archives in the morning, but they were not exactly what I was expecting. I have twice been to the National Archives in London, which are huge. There are maybe 50 places for people in each reading room. Whenever you order a file it takes about half an hour to be retrieved from the archives. However, the Labour History Archives are another matter. The reading room is absolutely tiny. There are spaces for 13 people to sit down. You order a file and the archivist finds it for you in about two minutes. This was a good thing, as there were so many files that I needed to look at. In reading the documents I was amazed at the excuses the CPGB leadership made for the Soviet invasion of Hungary. In meetings and debates many ordinary Communist Party members accused the Soviets of breaking socialist principles by suppressing democracy, yet the party leaders performed intellectual somersaults and twisted and turned this way and that.

Exeposé week twenty two

Lifestyle

London Calling

Alex Hawksworth-Brookes is a tourist in his own country.

All photos: Jess Leung

Street. Then came Regent Street, and for one reason: toys. Despite having never visited Hamley’s before, and probably being far too old for it now, I was filled with a sense of childlike excitement the moment I entered the shop. Had I not already blown most of my budget on travel and food, I definitely would have left the shop with my body weight in sweets and toys. Exploring the multiple floors, each filled with innumerable goodies, perfectly captured the excitement of visiting somewhere unique for the first time – a feeling that extended to the rest of the trip. After a long evening in Hard Rock Cafe (a must visit for any music lover) and a short night’s sleep I was eager to see even more on my second, and final, day. Having spent most of the Saturday getting to grips with the Tube system I decided to step on to one of the iconic red buses for the trip to St Paul’s Cathedral, whose ornate architecture contrasted strongly with the more modern surroundings. From there it was only a short walk beside the river to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London itself. For me, the Tower was a definite high point: a guided tour from one of the Beefeaters, followed by an awed visit to the Crown Jewels and the royal armour collection created an unrivalled tourist experience. An afternoon spent in the British Museum completed what had turned out to be a very historyfocussed day. I left London with many typical post-holiday feelings: a longing for more time, a sense of fondness for memories just made, along with sheer exhaustion from two days of solid sightseeing. I also felt a strange stirring of patriotism – as if I was more of an Englishman for having seen so many national landmarks. I enjoyed my time in London immensely, and my only regret is that I didn’t have enough time to see more; hopefully I won’t have to wait another 21 years to go back.

LONDON: host of the 2012 Olympics, Europe’s largest city, home to several World Heritage Sites, and, up until a few weeks ago, somewhere that I had never been. Despite having visited many a foreign city, I had managed to make it to the lofty age of 21 without ever stepping foot in my country’s capital. Having lived in rural Shropshire all my life, and seeing Exeter as vast in comparison to home, a weekend in the capital was a daunting yet exciting prospect. In many ways I felt as if I was about to travel abroad for a mini-break, only without the hassle of passport control and baggage claim, rather than go somewhere many of my friends regularly visited and talked about. For me, London was something of an enigma: a collage of movie scenes and postcard snaps. Despite only having a couple of days to do so, I was eager to experience my capital city in person and enjoy the novelty of being a tourist in my own country. My day began with a train journey from Exeter, giving me ample time to read my Eyewitness Travel Guide to London (I had already fully embraced my status as a tourist). After planning out my day and settling into the hotel, my first stop was the Houses of Parliament. Even an overcast sky and a street full of student protestors couldn’t dent my excitement (even if the protestors made me feel as if I should have been in the city for something other than sightseeing). Not even the wail of police sirens could detract from the majesty of Westminster, with the view from across the river providing many a photo opportunity. Sadly, my race to see as many things as possible didn’t give me long to take everything in. However, a stroll through St James’ Park (complete with pelicans), followed by yet more posing in front of Buckingham Palace was ample compensation. Next on my whistle-stop tour was Old Bond Street, followed by the scrum of Saturday shopping on Oxford

“I had managed to make it to the lofty age of 21 without ever stepping foot in my country’s capital”

The Spanish side of South Street

Emily Lunn tapas it up in El Bocado, Exeter’s newest Spanish restaurant. IF you’re feeling a bit more adventurous than the standard Dominos, I suggest that you head to South Street for a small taste of Spain. El Bocado translates as ‘a bite or snack,’ a perfect definition of tapas: small, mouth-watering morsels. Inside the restaurant, fairy lights hang against darkened windows alongside the romantic dark red walls, candles and vivid paintings. There are larger tables for group meals, or raised chairs and tables set against a backdrop of fairy lights, perfect for a romantic date. Perched at a high table on a definitely unromantic meal with my Mum, I surveyed the extensive menu. There was a large array of fish, vegetarian and meat tapas, as well as a selection of paella.

After my usual bout of indecision we settled on a tapas each as a starter, followed by paella (minimum order for two). Before the food arrived we were treated to a complimentary shot of soup, a decidedly good sign. It was mushroom, bay leaf and tarragon - and delicious. My tapas of pan-fried monkfish and smoky bacon in white wine was excellent. My Mum’s choice of chargrilled courgette, fennel, sweet peppers and aubergine was just as good, and both raised our expectations for the main course. Our Paella Valenciana arrived in a huge dish, spectacularly decorated with mussels, alongside chicken, chorizo and a variety of seafood. The chorizo had a full flavour with a touch of papri-

ka, and even the squid rings were nice (I don’t normally classify squid as edible). It was too good to waste, so we managed to finish it off. As no restaurant review is complete without a pudding, I simply had to order dessert. The trio of desserts looked impressive but I definitely couldn’t have managed it, so I settled for pears poached in red wine with vanilla ice cream. The ice cream is locally produced with clotted cream and is rich and smooth. The pear was tender and slightly spiced from the wine. All in all, it was a fantastic meal. The staff were friendly, the service was quick, and the restaurant has a good atmosphere as well as excellent food. They have Spanish guitar or Flamenco

dancing on some nights, and daytime specials if you’re looking for a place to lunch. Tapas prices range from roughly £3 to £6, and paella from £10 to £16. They recommend about six tapas between two for a main meal, the best way to sample a variety of things if you find yourself spoilt for choice. If you have room for pudding, these are priced at about £4 to £7. If your budget is a bit tight, this is definitely a good place to take your parents, and obviously the food tastes even better when you’re not paying. Despite the extensive drinks menu, my only lamentation was the lack of Sangria. However, if you want to broaden your culinary tastes in a stylish manner and for a reasonable price, El Bocado is the place for you.

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Exeposé week twenty two

Music

Ellie Bothwell & Ben Murphie - music@exepose.com

Upcoming INTERVIEW 21/3 – Boys With X-Ray Eyes, Cavern Club

21/3 – Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Exeter University Jazz Orchestra and Soul Choir), Exeter Phoenix 23/3 – Fireworks, Cavern Club

23/3 – Shooting Fish, Mama Stone’s 24/3 – Dan Webb & The Spiders, Cavern Club 24/3 – Mike Westbrook’s Big Band, Exeter Phoenix 25/3 – Dele Sosimis Afrobeat Orchestra, Exeter Phoenix 25/3 – Dark Knights, Exeter Phoenix 25/3 – Example, Lemon Grove 25/3 – Session One, Mama Stone’s 26/3 – The Abyssinians, Exeter Phoenix 26/3 – Mad Dog Mcrea, Mama Stone’s 27/3 – Chixdiggit + Mike TV + The Cut-Ups, Cavern Club 27/3 – Sunday Jazz Evening feat. The Swiss, Mama Stone’s 28/3 – Jesca Hoop, Exeter Phoenix 28/3 – Greg James, Lemon Grove 29/3 – John Grant, Exeter Phoenix 30/3 – Dave Rothery (The Beautiful South), Mama Stone’s 31/3 – Harbour + Pylons, Cavern Club 1/4 – Chicken Shack, Exeter Phoenix 1/4 – Sub Focus DJ Set, Lemon Grove

Woonstruck

Ben Murphie, Music Editor, enjoys a tête-à-tête with Jamie Woon. The walls start shaking on the way up the stairs to the main hall. Roadies shimmy back and forth with cables and clipboards as the drums finally kick in and the synth takes off, the bass making our teeth chatter. A voice starts to mesh with the layers of rhythms already chugging away in a manner somewhere between Mary J Blige and Prince. Jamie Woon is soundchecking. “You try to make it work for the venue that you are in and some people don’t know the songs on this record so I’ve been cranking it up a bit.” The singer comes across softly spoken and a world away from the wall of beats and vibration that collapses on his audiences every night. Enjoying his first headline tour of the UK, Woon came to mainstream attention with his inclusion in the BBC Sound of 2011 poll, a yearly attempt to weather the highly unpredictable waves of popularity surrounding new faces in music. “The funny thing is that you don’t ask to be put forward for it so it was really mad placing in the top five,” says Woon. “Exposure-wise it’s been brilliant and I’d finished my record just before I got nominated so I didn’t feel a load of pressure.”

“I’m definitely a bit of a control freak” Mirrorwriting comes out in April and features Woon’s distinctively smooth vocal abilities, layered on top of one another and mixed at a range of tempos. His musical palette incorporates everything from vintage R&B to Soul and even the sharpest buzz-word of recent times, Dubstep. Yet the singer himself describes it as “quite mellow listening, lots of ambient sounds and such.” A major-label release has been some years in the making and began after Woon graduated from the Brit School and started honing his craft with only a loop station and guitar. On deciding to self-produce the album, he says, “I’m definitely a bit of a control freak ... I’d always made music on my own because I’d been gigging on my own for so long.” It was his decision to start recording his material on a laptop that led to development: “there were just loads more different sounds available in the software ... I’d never really thought about mixing them together before. I just started doing it, then I got into it, then

I grew a confidence.” Yet long before the Brit School and electronic mixing, Woon’s first introduction to music came from his mother. Moonlighting as both a Celtic folk singer and a backing vocal for advert sessions, she is cited as a massive influence: “Musically I learnt from her to be really diverse in what I do and I think that’s to not be in any particular scene, to just write songs and be truthful with my emotions.” This is certainly evident both from the genredefying nature of the music he produces and the smooth tone of his singing. “Her inflections, her sound and her multi-layered vocal was something I found myself instinctively doing when I first started recording,” says Woon. He talks of a love of roots music and blues engendered from a young age: “folk was always playing in the house...I’ve always liked folk music.” It was a trip to guitar camp in America that brought him into contact with famous slide guitarist Scott Ainslie and his version of the traditional folk/blues standard ‘Wayfaring Stranger.’ “I was really attracted to the yearning in the song and how ancient it seemed,” says Woon; his own cover would incorporate his trademark loop vocals and go on to become his first single. “I’d been using the loop station for a couple of years, looping lends itself quite well to blues.” It is in developing original material that Woon talks of his inspiration, saying how it comes from “very specific” points in his life. “If I have something that is a scene or a moment or an occasion that is really lodged in my brain, that makes it really easy to write a song.” This is subsequently filtered through his own myriad of musical influences which extend as far as ‘90s R&B and the work of Boyz II Men: “in England, indie press laugh up their sleeve at that kind of stuff but in America they take it as seriously as anything else,” he says. “It’s really earnest, it wears its heart on its sleeve and it’s really sort of technical muso music that I’ve got a massive soft spot for.”

“I’m getting some demons out” It is this penchant for unusual rhythms and harmonies that have seen Woon compared with the likes of Post-Dubstep messiah James Blake.

“I think we have similar influences and Dubstep is having a moment right now,” he says of the London born wünderkind, “I’m totally happy for people to associate me with him because I really like his stuff... I think my record is definitely a poppier record than his.” Although the comparisons continue to mount, Woon says, “I leave it up to people to say what they like really.” With a slew of festival dates over the summer, it seems that there is little standing in the way of the smoothvoiced singer. Woon relates how his next effort is already being planned: “I’d definitely liked to have started on my new record before the year is

out,” he says, and admits that “collaborating is somewhere I want to go.” Whilst he may be used to the solitude of his laptop, for his next release he would like to “get someone else to produce it and do it in a shorter period of time.” Until then, however, we can only make do with the odd single and live performances, something Woon himself wishes to change: “its been a long period of talking about my music without letting anyone hear it,” he says. “That’s the thing about this tour, I’m getting some demons out.” Jamie Woon’s debut album, Mirrorwriting is out on April 4 on Polydor Records.

March 21 2011

Music

Exeposé

INTERVIEW

Here’s looking at you, Kid Amy Weller meets Kill It Kid. Kill It Kid’s journey to Exeter has been far from easy. After travelling from Brighton, disaster struck as the wheel of their trusty tour van quite literally broke loose. Following a quick diversion to London, we see them arrive dazed, anxious and not knowing what to expect from the sea of faces in the Cavern. Their set is powerful, with their new ma-

terial shaking the walls and overloading the amps. “It’s a lot more aggressive kind of garage blues, which I think is necessary,” says frontman Chris Turpin, small in stature yet possessed of gargantuan vocal strength. “We kept on being pushed into the nu-folk bracket for our last album, which is your Johnny Flynns

and your Laura Marlings which kind of frustrated us as we always saw ourselves as a blues band.” It is worth noting the absence of fiddle player Richard Jones, allowing the band’s sound to progress further into the murky world of distorted blues. For their latest effort, they have employed samples from the Alan Lomax Photo: Sapphire Mason-Brown

LIVE REVIEWS PJ Harvey, Troxy, London February 28 As eager crowds poured out of the tube station and down to Troxy, an old Mecca Bingo hall in East London, the sense of anticipation for this long sold-out night mounted. The intimate atmosphere of the venue added to the privilege I felt at seeing the incredible Polly Jean Harvey, whose impressively diverse musical career spanning the past 20 years has met consistent critical acclaim. Most recently, she was honoured with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ at the NME awards last month. Opening with the title track from her latest release, eighth studio album Let England Shake, Polly graced the stage in a floor-length white gown and feather headdress. Accompanied by band members John Parrish (collaborator on four of PJ Harvey’s albums), Jean Marc Butty and Mick Harvey (of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds), it proved to be an evening of musical excellence. After the title track, the band worked their way through the entirety of the new album, interrupted only a few times by old crowd pleasers such as ‘Down by the Water’ and ‘C’mon Billy’ from 1995 album To Bring You

“Her voice was mesmerizing when singing about historical destructions ranging from World War One to Iraq” My Love. Polly has been offered a position as a war correspondent following the release of Let England Shake; prompted by its complex and insightful lyrical concern with war. Her voice was mesmerizing when singing about historical destructions ranging from World War One to Iraq, creating a profound atmosphere with lines such as, “I’ve seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat, / Blown and shot out beyond belief” in ‘The Words that Maketh Murder.’ These new songs reflect a tension between love of country and disgust at its political pursuits, which Polly’s voice mimicked, particularly in her harrowing performance of ‘England’. Almost wailing the lines “I love England, you leave a taste, a bitter one”, she emotively evoked her difficult sense of nationality, which left the audience thoughtfully silenced. After many of these eerie and slightly saddening songs from Let Eng-

land Shake, the sudden guitar riff of ‘Big Exit’ was a welcome change for the audience, who burst into an energetic appreciation of the track from ‘pop’ album of 2000, Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea. The euphoric chanting along of “Baby baby ain’t it true, I’m immortal when I’m with you” was a definite highlight of the evening and emphasised PJ Harvey’s triumph in their active aim of producing every album in a different musical style. The band ended the gig chronologically with the last track from Let England Shake, ‘The Colour of the Earth’, and were met with rapturous applause. Fans were desperate for more, and a further ten minutes of roaring appreciation led to an encore of a further three songs. Polly was also met with screams of delight when she finally spoke; the performance had been completely silent until this point and filled with heckles like “please say hello!” Modestly thanking the audience and her band members, she then launched into incredible performances of older songs to top the remarkable evening, playing ‘Meet Ze Monsta’, ‘Angelene’ and fittingly to close, ‘Silence’. Turn to page 24 for a review of PJ Harvey’s new album, Let England Shake. CLARE DOUGLAS

field recordings of the 1920s, a catalogue of American preachers and blues musicians. “It’s gonna be throughout the whole album,” says Turpin, “we feel that there’s a lack of sincerity in what’s being put out at the moment which sounds kind of clichéd but it’s true.” Desperate to avoid categorisation as a “cheap kind of Brit/blues band,” Kill it Kid entrenched themselves deep inside the indie hub of East London, the notoriously fashionable Shoreditch. Guided by Leo Abrahams, producer and creative protégé of Brian Eno, they describe their latest effort as “a really different affair to the last one.” With their sights set on summer festivals, Turpin talks of plans to tackle America: “We’re off to SXSW which is the next big thing,” he says, “selling American music to Americans rather than trying to flog it to people in Devon.” Of commitments on this side of the Atlantic he says, “our booker hasn’t told us but we’ve seen a couple come up online...2000 Trees would be really fun to do.” Despite having a busy touring schedule, the band have still found time to mix with some of the most influential names in fashion. Having been approached by the Burberry Acoustic campaign, an exciting project launched by Burberry to showcase some of the fastest rising home-grown musical talent, Kill It Kid have seen themselves dressed by the

brand and even filmed for a promotional music video. “They have money but they do care about what they are putting out,” says Turpin. “We were at the Catwalk for their summer collection with Andy Murray and Serena Williams, Cat Deeley and that bird from Sex and the City – Sarah Jessica Parker.” When it comes to guilty pleasures in music, Turpin is evasive at first but eventually admits, “I’m a big Ke$ha fan myself.” He is, however, quick to push bandmate Steph into the firing line, “she’s very into Kiss FM, full stop.”

“We feel that there’s a lack of sincerity in what’s being put out at the moment” On plans for the future, Turpin seems eager to reveal that the band are in the final of the International Songwriting Competition; “with me being the songwriter it’s quite exciting.” He also tells us about an American release for their new album: “we’ve just been in talks with quite a big label in the States and it’s ridiculously big news as far as we’re concerned.” It seems the band’s new direction is serving them well and it promises that we will be hearing from them in the future.

Exeposé week twenty two

Frank Turner, Lemon Grove, Exeter February 20

die-hard fan’s obscure favourites were played, the crowd pleasers, the upbeat and the relaxed. Turner’s music is not exactly how you would imagine an amazing live gig if you like to jump around but his touring experience means he chooses the right songs to maximise this potential. He even sang a song about folklore with no musical accompaniment and it went brilliantly; here’s to artists that can still actually sing!

On Sunday February 20 the legend that is Frank Turner graced the Lemmy with his presence for the third year in a row. The support, Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun, were fantastic; as usual it was a little heavier, a little more rock and drum beats than Turner himself. Lockey avoided the scourge of all support acts which is to drown their own singing with over enthusiastic and amplified guitar; instead they hit an excellent balance between their instruments and their vocals. This meant that, as all good support acts should, they started the gig there and then, the crowd assembling just as they did for the main attraction himself. They even tried to sing with no microphones in the middle of the crowd which would have been amazing, if the Lemmy had let them do it.

“I hate cancelling gigs more than I hate...punching babies” Judging by crowd size, it seems Frank Turner’s appeal spans not only the country but the student-local gap, as well as the 20/30/40 year-olds’ gap. There was everyone from local Devon lads, to Topsham teens, and from

“There is so much potential to be pretentious or weird or, indeed, boring, but he bypasses it all”

student socialites to ‘reet old rockers’. Of course it goes without saying that for some reason almost all Turner’s fans knew all the words to all of his songs - they are catchy and so despite being a varied bunch everyone was singing along.

Despite currently writing a new album, Turner only played three new songs and didn’t lose the crowd’s reverence for an instant. I fully enjoyed them and I usually hate every song the first time I hear it. There was a mix of the new and the very very old, the

So, why is this article so heavily laden with praise for Frank Turner? Well there are a number of reasons, the first is most eloquently put in ‘Try This At Home’: he says “there’s no such thing as rock stars, there’s just people who play music and some of them are just like us and some of them are dicks!” Turner’s appeal when seen live is that he seems a bit like one of us, he’s excited, he’s up for it, he sings his heart out (albeit more tunefully than I did) and he understands what it’s like to go to gigs. The epitome of this was another quote from the evening, in reference to the re-arranged date, “I’m really sorry, I hate cancelling gigs

Music

more than I hate…punching babies… or something like that…” I could see myself saying something like that; frankly I wish I did say such things. Many of Turner’s songs are a mix of punk and folk type themes and often reference historical or political events; there is so much potential to be pretentious or weird or indeed boring but he bypasses it all. I enjoy the songs that explore protest in Love, Ire and Song despite being the sort of person who generally avoids or is irritated by such things. Yet, it’s not all serious there are plenty of other songs that discuss going to the park to have a few drinks or interesting nights out:‘Dan’s Song’ and ‘The Real Damage’, respectively. Overall, they have a positive feeling; you can get riled with the protest, emotional about the history, nostalgic with the folklore or find meaning in the ones about life but you leave happy and feeling included. Overall, the gig was brilliant. I’ve seen Frank Turner plenty of times already but he always delivers. Maybe you haven’t heard of him or maybe you think that it’s not your sort of thing but I’ve infected my housemates and my friends already. If you think he’s not for you, you just haven’t realised it yet. One of his lines is true for everyone eventually: “After all the loving and the losing / For the heroes and the pioneers / The only thing that’s left to do / Is get another round in at the bar.” JAMES HENDERSON BOOKS EDITOR

ONE TO WATCH Sapphire Mason-Brown brushes the dust off Oh Ruin. “Climb upon the rooftops to the top of your voice, and tell it to the sky, your love has arrived” opens the title track of Oh Ruin’s The Pillow Where Your Head Does Lay EP. This is preceded by complex and intricate finger-picked melodies which continue throughout the song. With increasingly powerful drums and bass, it rises in intensity carrying the song through to a surging close. ‘The Pillow Where Your Head Does Lay’ is a perfect example of much of Oh Ruin’s music. At the forefront of the song is Oh Ruin’s outstanding lyrical ability amongst Irish folk-inspired guitar riffs. Such is the case for most of Oh Ruin’s songs as his gravel-laden Celtic drawl sings songs of love, woe and stories told by the moon. Oh Ruin (Eoin O’Ruainigh) began his musical journey playing guitar for a number of bands in Dublin, including support tours with Morrissey. It wasn’t until moving to London that he began to work on solo material leading to the eventual release of his Silver Lining and Pillow Where Your Head Does Lay EPs. The spirit of the troubadour is alive in Mr O’Ruainigh with many of his songs invoking the tales of the musical poet strolling around some village green with a guitar in hand. One such song is ‘Ringsend’, the darker, somewhat haunting B-side to ‘The Pillow Where Your Head Does Lay.’ Accompanied by heavy drums and howl-

“At the forefront of the song is Oh Ruin’s outstanding lyrical ability amongst Irish folkinspired guitar riffs” ing in the background, the lyrics speak of the narrator lodging with a “red headed whore” and “imagined, outrageous, preposterous wrongs”. When playing live he jokes about his guitar which constantly requires tuning, “Who makes these?” he exclaims. This is all the more humourous when taking into account who actually did make Oh Ruin’s guitar, for his mastery of the guitar is present in more than his playing skills. He trained as a luthier for three years, set up his own workshop in East London and made the forever out-of-tune guitar that he presently plays. In recent years, Oh Ruin has supported Fyfe Dangerfeid, Alasdair Roberts and Laura Gibson and over the summer he played at the Green Man, End of the Road and Mosely Folk Festivals. He’s presently on tour in the US but he’s sure to pop up at a few UK festivals later in the year.

Photo: Sapphire Mason-Brown

March 21 2011

Music

Exeposé

CLASSIC ALBUM REVIEW Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan Released March 19 1962 on Columbia Records On November 20 1961, a twenty yearold Bob Dylan walked into Columbia Recording Studios in New York with his guitar and harmonicas. He had been asked to go there by famed talent scout John H. Hammond, who would later say “it occurred to me at the time that I’d never worked with anyone so undisciplined before.” The sound that came out of the young folk singer was raw and untreated as he hammered through 11 old folk standards and two of his own compositions. It appeared highly unlikely that his music would go on to become some of the most influential in the modern cannon, whilst the man himself would take on the role of international hipster icon, many times copied but never bettered. Yet it is precisely this untamed attack that gives this album its most timeless moments. From the raggedy folk meditation on mortality that makes up ‘In My Time of Dyin’ to the stuttering and wild howl of ‘Gospel Plow’, the material is infused with an honesty that springs from the simplicity that is an arrangement of guitar, vocals and har-

monica. New York was in full grip of the hugely popular folk movement at this

time, which saw a multitude of young hopefuls descend on the coffee houses

of the trendy Greenwich Village to proclaim their authenticity as grass roots troubadours. It is Dylan’s skill to mix the baleful moan of the blues and the earnest proclamation of the New York folkie to present traditional music in an exciting and relevant way. His voice bows and drawls like a man many years his senior. Whilst some hear a gruff wail, others identify an authenticity and range that serves the well-travelled songs with a respectful tone. It is the original compositions, however, that prove the most exciting glimpse into the kind of performer Dylan would grow into. “Song to Woody” is a heartfelt homage to folk legend Woody Guthrie and contains the lines “I’m seeing a new world of people and things / Hear paupers and peasants and princes and kings.” It is this kind of delivery that would eventually turn into the Wayfarer snarl of ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ and its dissection of modern society typical of so many polemical Dylan songs. The second original track, ‘Talkin’ New York’, highlights an impressive storytelling ability interwoven with a rich harmonica melody and backed by tinkling guitar chords. Elsewhere, ‘Baby Let Me Follow You Down’ has a brief introduction spoken over the melody that relates to how Dylan came by the song. This is something that would go on to be brutally abused to this day by open mic singers grasping for realism, but here it is con-

versational and gives a nice insight into both performer and song. Some may say that this album’s greatest strengths are also its greatest weaknesses. The production is basic, the instrumentation sparse and the singer sounds like he could wander out of tune at any moment. However, the range of tones and moods here is undeniable and as an example of where Dylan began, it is a thrilling and unmissable artefact.

Let England Shake PJ Harvey

land is ploughed by tanks and feet, feet marching” and the much more aggressive closing lines, “What is the glorious fruit of our land? The fruit is orphaned / deformed children.” In other songs, this anti-war message is strengthened repeatedly; soldiers are compared to “lumps of meat” by the unfeeling world. In interviews, PJ Harvey has said that she’s now reached a level of confidence where she can use her language fully, quite a statement if you know her previous lyrics. However, unfortunately this album confirms that providing listeners with snippets of lyrics just doesn’t do the fluidity and strength of these messages any justice. A variety of different genres are used throughout - there are some poppier songs, and a couple of traditional folk melodies. The general theme, though, is that PJ Harvey is using military music tricks to try and get England to wake up. This is the message of the title track which, though not the strongest of the album, carries her main view that England has fallen asleep and nothing is stirring it, not the government issues, the fighting or anything else. She’s desperately calling for anybody to lift their head and look, see what’s going on around them and realise this shouldn’t be happening in a country as magnificent as England. So, just let England shake and see what happens.

BEN MURPHIE MUSIC EDITOR

1962 in music January 24 – Brian Epstein signs to manage The Beatles. April 7 – Mick Jagger and Keith Richards meet Brian Jones. They go on to form The Rolling Stones. August 17 – Instrumental record ‘Telstar’ is released by The Tornados. It was the first song by an English group to reach number 1 on the Billboard Top 100. September – Booker T. & the M.G.s. form from the ashes of the Stax Sessions band. October – Frank Sinatra releases All Alone.

ALBUM REVIEWS Build A Rocket Boys! Elbow

Following a Mercury Prize winning album can be a poison chalice for many bands as expectations jump to unprecedented levels, a height which some bands cannot satisfy. So could Elbow, a band who admitted they had thrown everything into their last album, produce anything equalling the brilliance of The Seldom Seen Kid? With Build A Rocket, Boys!, Garvey and crew have more than succeeded. The extent to which is that if there was an Elbow Greatest Hits album now, three to four of the songs here would be contenders for a place. Elbow’s individuality derives from their unique style of raw lyrics, twisted guitars and technical gems which compliment Garvey’s stunningly emotional voice. From the first listen, ‘Open Arms’ and ‘With Love’ stand out as the chart hits from this album, and with the backing of The Hallé choir,

“Elbow’s individuality derives from their unique style of raw lyrics, twisted guitars and technical gems which compliment Garvey’s stunningly emotional voice” the songs will be stunning when Elbow tour later this year. However, as with The Seldom Seen Kid, the album requires several listens to fully appreciate it. Within each track of Build A Rocket Boys! there lies a clear thoughtfulness and heart behind each track. The song ‘Lippy Kids’, the original title for the album, is a stunning anthem for today’s youth and regret for their own ever increasing age, “Do they know those days are golden? / Build a rocket, boys!” Indeed Elbow are triumphing the youth, not partaking in subtle criticism. This is an ever present ideal throughout the album: Elbow’s love for others and sadness at their own missed opportunities. It is not over-sentimental in any way, just a matter of understanding each listener as an individual, a factor that has made Adele’s latest album so powerful

recently. As seen with ‘The Night Will Always Win’, Garvey makes his lyrics come alive, pouring soul and emotion into every word. Underlined by a gentle piano beat, he sings “I miss your stupid face / I miss your bad advice” – there’s a clear sense of regret combined with an understanding and acceptance of one’s failure. An ethereal quality surrounds this album with far-reaching lyrics, and vocals from Garvey pack this album with a heavy punch and a toe-tapping beat. However, Elbow do not stray far into different grounds, with many of their character traits present within the album. Is this The Seldom Seen Kid 2 then? Although it has similarities, the sense of relaxation from the record suggests a band more comfortable in their status as mainstream outsiders. This is seen in slightly indulgent opening opus of ‘The Birds’ which clocks in at over eight minutes. However, this song also explodes into brilliant life come the five minute mark with a cacophony of noise from the brilliantly warped guitars and technical wizardry. Unlike others, the Mercury Prize seems to have cemented Elbow’s confidence in their art and this assurance prevails and places this album into the echelons of greats.

DAVID BRAKE SCREEN EDITOR

My anticipation when turning on the new PJ Harvey album was high; with her fantastic 20 year track record and her barrier breaking history, this could be something special. Let England Shake demonstrates the strength and richness of Harvey’s music. It fills the atmosphere and takes the listener exactly where she intended. There is undoubtedly a lyrical theme throughout the album - a huge offensive is launched on the destruction and pain of war. You can see glimpses of this if you scan the track titles: ‘On Battleship Hill’, ‘The Words That Maketh Murder’, ‘Hanging In The Wire’ and a few other dark phrases scatter the back of the sleeve. This message finds itself in the lyrics of virtually every song, the first blatant instance being the third track, ‘The Glorious Land’, which opens with a bugle call, followed by invasive questions and answers: “How is our glorious country ploughed?”, “Our

JOE PLATONOFF

Exeposé week twenty two

Collapse Into Now R.E.M.

Thirteen Senses Crystal Sounds

Let me get one thing straight: R.E.M. have already made the best albums that they ever will. However, this does not mean that they are no longer capable of producing really good albums, and Collapse Into Now is an excellent example of this. In 2008 the band released Accelerate, a fast-paced rock album considered by many critics and fans alike to be a return to form after a somewhat lacklustre decade. Reinvigorated by the success of that album the band began work on the follow-up, which promised to be more expansive than its predecessor.

“The band has amalgamated everything that made them great” Collapse Into Now is certainly more varied than Accelerate, containing an assortment of rock songs, such as the fast paced ‘All The Best’, radio friendly pop numbers like the bizarrely titled ‘Mine Smell Like Honey’ and beautiful ballads like the ‘Everybody Hurts’ counterweight ‘Every Day is Yours to Win’. The album revisits a lot of the band’s history; there are sounds that seem reminiscent of the days of Green which established the group as one of the best in the world, Out Of Time which contained the timeless classic ‘Losing My Religion’, and Automatic for the People which is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. The band has amalgamated everything that

made them great, along with their revitalized sound, and the end result is their finest album in over fifteen years. Opening track ‘Discoverer’ starts the album in a big way; Peter Buck’s trademark Rickenbacker rings out from the word go before crunching into the chorus, in which lead singer Michael Stipe admonishes some of the band’s previous shortfalls: “it was what it was, let’s all get on with it now.” The song sounds like a more modern version of ‘Turn You Inside Out’ (from the aforementioned Green) and is a definite grower, which seems to improve with every listen. Elsewhere, lead European single ‘Überlin’ features a very typical R.E.M. sound, complete with jangly guitars and excessive use of the word “Hey!” ‘Oh My Heart’ continues the narrative of Ac-

DAVID JOHNSON

You may have come across Thirteen Senses at some point without even realizing; their music has been used regularly in television promos and series. The four-piece band from Penzance gained acclaim for their debut album The Invitation which was filled with accessible and dreamy pop songs. The follow-up Contact continued this trend with a similar sound, as well as containing a few subtle developments. The third album has been a long time coming, originally planned for a 2009 release, but pushed back. In 2010 a preview album was made available to stream from the band’s website, for a limited time only. A physical release was promised, but a date for this was only recently confirmed. Now the third album has finally arrived. Was it worth the wait? The band have really developed and expanded their sound to reach new heights, whilst retaining their distinct sound. Free from studio pressures, this self-produced album has given the band free reign over their music, allowing them to be more ambitious and experimental. Sometimes

They’re back. Taking a leaf out of Radiohead’s book, Arctic Monkeys have released a surprise new song and video ‘Brick by Brick’, the first from new album Suck It and See. The song stomps into view with stubbornly lazy chords, overcut with shimmering siren guitars that mix beautifully with the backing vocals. The joyous sing-a-long chorus evokes a hazy summertime glow, reminiscent of recent Kasabian.

Interestingly it feels like more of a looped mantra than a song; the omnipresence of the “brick by brick” echo dominating throughout. This is Arctic Monkeys’ most unashamedly fun song for a while. Shorn of the usual pockets of darkness and sinister undertones, it is a simple statement of energy and desire: “I wanna rock and roll!” After their now legendary introduction to the music world saw them shoot into the position of indie trailblazers and media darlings, it seems Arctic Monkeys are taking a look into the past. Previously at the forefront of new music, it feels like they have consciously absorbed more

celerate’s hidden gem ‘Houston’, and is just as effective if not more so. Upon first hearing ‘It Happened Today’ I was confused as I was expecting a third verse that never came. The song fades out with over two minutes of wordless vocal harmonies, showcasing the band’s secret weapon, Mike Mills’ vocal capabilities, as well as a guest appearance from Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. The icing on the cake comes from the two closing tracks; the thoughtful ‘Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I’ makes use of a mandolin, and album-closer ‘Blue’ sees the band take a more experimental turn and features some astounding guest vocals from Patti Smith.

SINGLE REVIEWS Noah and the Whale L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.

Almost two years since their last release, Noah and his sea-dwelling mammal are back with a bang. Taken from their third album released on March 7, ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.’ draws you in from the first listen and soon you’ll find yourself humming the chirpy little chorus all day. Its incredible catchiness is not the only thing that makes it great, however. The vocals, mainly sung by lead singer Charlie Fink, are confident and cheerful, delivering an uplifting message of optimism. It’s a definite one to add to the ‘feel good

songs’ playlist. After Fink’s romantic split from singer Laura Marling in 2009, which heavily influenced the band’s second album (a record full of heartbreak, sadness and general wallowing), it seems the band have got their act together and returned to the music that made them popular. ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.’ is reminiscent of the band’s debut single ‘Five Years Time’, a track that thrust radio DJs and listeners alike into a mad frenzy for folk. The single itself recounts the beautiful tale of two people, joined by their belief in the same mantra – the heavily-punctuated title of the song. Thoughtful lyrics combined with a charming melody, the track is promising and has already hit the number one spot twice in NME’s weekly single chart. If this single is anything to go by, it looks likely that their next album, Last Night on Earth will ensure that my love affair with the delightful Noah and the Whale continues long into the future.

FRANCESCA GILLETT

Brick By Brick Arctic Monkeys

Music

such efforts can end badly, but happily that is not the case here. The album opens with the title track, a real testament to just how far the band has come. An interesting, almost galloping percussive introduction gives way to a triumphant six minute epic; “A little wiser now” is the first lyric we hear from Will South’s distinctive falsetto voice, yet another testament to the band’s growth since their last release. By the time the chorus kicked in I knew I was in for a treat. Up next is the lead single ‘The Loneliest Star’ which is very much familiar territory for the band, not that this is a bad thing. Their penchant for catchy sing-along choruses is as prominent as ever, and I can imagine this being a live favourite. The same can be said for ‘Home’ which also finds its place alongside the band’s classics (‘Into The Fire’, ‘Follow Me’ etc.). Other highlights include ‘After The Retreat’, ‘I Saw Stars Disappear’ and ‘Out There’ - perhaps the band’s most ambitious track to date, a colossal eight minute track, which concludes with a glorious orchestral arrangement. Also available on the album are four tracks which were not on the digital release, which see the band continuing to explore new areas, the best of which is ‘Send Myself To Sleep’ a beautifully layered track, with more of an acoustic feel than the majority of the album. The whole album flows beautifully from start to finish, and although some tracks are not as strong as others, the overall effect is a very positive one.

DAVID JOHNSON

classic influences to refine their sound. Arctic Monkeys are now a world away from the Arctic Monkeys of their debut album. Gone is the rapid-fire wordplay and full-throttle riot of early tracks; now you’re more likely to find a meandering guitar solo or a hypnotically-chanted vocal. Like previous evolutions, this new sound is likely to alienate some fans, but you can’t help but praise and respect the band for not resting on their laurels and churning out the same lad-rock single after single. TOM BOND

Screen

march 21 2011

Exeposé

Calum Baker & David Brake - screen@exepose.com

NEWSREEL

STEVEN SODERBERGH, director of Ocean’s 11-13, Traffic, Che and Erin Brockovich, has decided he shall retire from filmmaking after the relase of his last two films. It’s an absolute bolt out of the blue from ‘The Most Active Director in Hollywood’. We hope this is merely a midlife crisis. Come back to us Soderbergh! In better news, the long-awaited reboot of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is on its way. Huzzah? Angelina Jolie will not star as the lead in yet another Hollywood series overhaul. So, again, expect extensive speculation and months of guessing games for lead actress. GK Films have confirmed a 2013 release. Meanwhile, Rango has burst onto the cinematic scene with a bang claiming the title of the biggest opening of 2011, earning a massive $38million in its opening weekend; a fact that pleases your beloved Screen section as great fans of this brilliantly animated film. In trailer news, there’s only one place to start. The Smurfs, starring Neil Patrick Harris and Katy Perry, looks set to be a great hit for those under five. For the rest of us, cover your eyes and run! Also, the first teaser for Conan the Barbarian was released. The update seems only to provide us with a younger version of Schwarzenegger. Two very withered thumbs up. However, the best of the trailers this week is J. J. Abrams’ latest, Super 8. With heavy Spielberg influences, the film looks set to be a summer smash.

COMPETITIONs THIS week, we are again offering THREE PAIRS of tickets for any film at any time that you fancy at ODEON. All you need to do is email us with the subject line “I LOVE THE SCREEN SECTION”, and you’ll get entered into the draw.

We also have THREE PAIRS of PICTUREHOUSE tickets - for those, email us with ‘I STILL LOVE THE SCREEN SECTION’. And, yes, you can enter both competitions. All entries should be sent to: screen@exepose.com Deadline is April 1.

What film has taught me Laurence Morton on the golden rules he’s learnt from cinema.

FILM has often taken it upon itself to educate us and fill the gap left in between school lessons on chemical reactions and quadratic equations. As people leave school, they can continue to broaden their horizons through the flickering cinema screen, receiving messages of historical importance, moral guidance and practical teaching. With a plethora of parables cast towards unsuspecting viewers, it can be challenging to take the correct lessons from the right movies, sifting through the misinformation and false hopes that Hollywood likes to feed us. I bravely attempt to do this and prove that my life benefits from my intake of movies.

through rock ‘n’ roll we can stick it to The Man. Practical application of this knowledge is a tad difficult but I would interpret it as meaning that when you’re angry, you should brandish a guitar and produce

large volumes of noise. Or, failing musical ability, a scream should suffice. 3. (500) Days of Summer, the refreshing anti-romance romantic movie, dispels the myths about love and searching for ‘the one’ created by typical Hollywood movies from the romantic genre. This is for everyone who has panicked after hearing that 112% of people find their soul mate at university. 4. The Beach employs Leonardo Di Caprio for the sole purpose of our education. We learn that insane Scottish people are not a reputable distributor of maps or tourist guides. This is Ordnance Survey’s area of expertise. Leave it to them.

1. 300 surely serves to justify the motto ‘size doesn’t matter.’ If that small army could take on a mammoth military force then maybe one day Southampton FC can take the Premiership title. This lesson still awaits vindication. Watch this space.

5. 1980 brought the prized teacher that is The Shining. That envy for Jack’s newfound job babysitting a grand hotel fades soon after he utters “Here’s Johnny!!” Learn from this: stick to Travelodge. 6. Inception reminds us that oversleeping is a bad thing (that’s one my course might benefit from). While pinching yourself is a good way to check you’re not dreaming, a spinning top is less painful. 7. The elongated Final Destination series doesn’t really intend to give education for the nation. But there are lessons to be had: there is no point in eating healthily because Death has a multitude of other, much crueller ways of killing you than plain old obesity and heart problems. Nail guns? Elevator decapitations? Oh yeah, and avoid tanning beds. 8. 28 Days Later: when the apocalypse hits England, it’s clear that all men will think about will be sex. Clearly movies have equipped me well for life and provided me with valuable teachings that I have now passed onto you. Go forth into the world and utilise them.

2. School of Rock is an obvious one, where Jack Black’s enigmatic schoolteacher neglects ‘the three Rs’ in favour of more necessary wisdom, such as how “the world is run by The Man”, and how

Disclaimer: this list is not an adequate replacement for an education.

Too many cuts Mia Nashe thinks we should just... slow... down.

SO we all know that films have sped up since the days of the ‘golden oldies’ – by which I mean the times of Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Hitchcock, etc. But when I think of who, in today’s cinema, should inherit Hitchcock’s mantle of ‘the master of suspense’, I struggle. This is not because I’m currently so dosed up on caffeine I’m having a brain freeze, but because there simply aren’t any. A recent scientific study shows that over the years, shots in films have been shortened to fractions of a second with increasing regularity. According to psychologist James Cutting, this has been a move towards matching our natural pattern of attention, which finds fast-paced modern movies “more engrossing”. I would like to challenge this, and boldly claim that a slow-paced Hitchcockian film beats the whiplash-inducing antics of Bourne any day. This is not to say the Bourne trilogy and suchlike aren’t good, but the speed they seem to think necessary to retain a modern viewer’s attention means they have to shove the twists and turns of any

story in our faces. A LOT. Consequently, in modern films (warning: huge generalisation ahead!) we never have to work anything out for ourselves anymore. Okay, we get the odd Paranormal Activity, making a point of playing a Peter and the Wolf-style game in an effort to catch us with our guard down. But rare exceptions aside, cinema seems afraid to ask an audience to commit to the long haul these days. Personally, I think that we, who like to think of ourselves as educated,

reasonably intelligent beings, owe it to ourselves to broaden our horizons. I understand how tempting those reality TV shows, slapstick comedies or mindless action films can be after the stress of a long day. Really, I do. But I bet that if you venture a little outside of your habitual comfort zone and check out some classics or commit to following one of the great drama series currently on, you won’t regret it. Go ahead and dive headfirst into those black and whites, perhaps with Hitchcock, or perhaps a star-stud-

ded witty gem like Some Like It Hot. Trust me, any slow-paced setting of the scene will be worth it. There are many, many more I could mention, but I’d like to give a heads up on iPlayer’s latest. Good on you if you’ve been following Being Human, the more mature, domesticated and de-cornified British answer to Buffy. But there are bigger and better fish out there to fry, amongst them BBC One’s compelling costume drama South Riding, and the final series of crime drama Waking the Dead. To catch more quality programmes from the very beginning, look out for the next series of Doctor Who and Luther, a unique police drama whose merits I cannot praise highly enough. If you take my advice and go the extra mile, whether it be for an older film, or a discerning TV programme (because let’s face it, they have more time to play with), not only will you enrich your cultural knowledge, you’ll find something you can really look forward to. Instead of filling your evenings with the meaningless kicks of an affair with reality TV or sitcoms, try something with a tad more integrity. Go on, I dare you.

Exeposé week twenty two

This is the War Room

Calum Baker and David Brake, Screen Editors, argue between art films of the ‘60s and blockbusters of the ‘80s.

Screen

DAVE and I are going to argue which decade is the greatest in cinematic history. I think the ‘60s; Dave thinks the ‘80s. We’ll see who wins. Me. No, we’re each going to prove the other wrong. When I say ‘each prove the other wrong’... I’m gonna prove Dave wrong. So, Dave: the 1980s. Oh! Right, I’m up first. OK, fair enough. 1980s. I was no more than a sperm. It was a good decade. I feel the 1980s was the best decade because it was the most fun. It made film the ultimate populist thing, films for everyone. See, with ‘80s films... Reagan... money - everyone’s happy! It basically made cinema so accessible, and so enjoyable. And I just really like it because there’s so many cool people in it. Well, the ‘60s were the turning point where people started having fun with cinema which led to people really having fun with cinema in the ‘80s. The ‘60s involves a lot of internationalism, and er... ‘60s, we’re right in the heart of the French New Wave, which is where they really start, y’know, expressing their love of slightly staid Hollywood cinema

but also poking fun at it and having fun with the things you can do with cinema... which then actually bleeds into the way people make cinema in Hollywood, which makes American cinema much more fun. And it’s basically showing people that anyone can pick up a camera and make movies, the breakout of independents as well - especially in Britain -I will admit the ‘60s allowed the ‘80s to happen. There’s no doubt there. The ‘80s, thanks to Reagan, were the true product of what the ‘60s should have been, ‘cos the French, boom, America: Ferris Bueller looks towards the camera, he’s ultra-cocky; Marty McFly does a guitar solo for four minutes, and everyone’s in on the joke. ‘80s is the big in-joke in a way, as it’s so self-knowing. It means that even today, the good films of the ‘80s kind of understand where they’re coming from. It’s the accessibility of it. But the ‘60s was not only accessible to viewers, it was also accessible to artists; anyone could just walk in, make a film and just kinda get it out. Towards the end of the decade, you get things like Easy Rider and Midnight Cowboy,

y’know. A little bit earlier on you get British films where, y’know, people are really just going low budget - Tom Jones was a little British film which won a big Oscar. But it’s not all about that either the ‘60s had some massive, massive films which still hold up as incredible, things like Lawrence of Arabia and Cleopatra. My thing is that with the ‘80s, when I grew up, I tagged on late to the John Hughes generation, and I felt, within the world that we live in, that Hughes “got” us, and I think that a lot of filmmakers since have stolen the Hughes ethic. I just really admire the ‘80s for having that confidence that I never thought I would have, in the sense that it represents everything I wanted to be. But the ‘60s represents everything I wanna be; it’s all wild, and there’s a lot of artistry, insane and playful, and a great deal of it’s not taking itself too seriously. But when it does take itself seriously it does it so bloody well. The ‘60s is such a period of upheaval - y’know, we see when people protest it’s really great. When people do that through films, it’s such an urgent way to get a message

across to all and it is such an accessible medium to show that things can be done. Like, the ‘80s have Oliver Stone, which is great, but he really came out of the ‘60s stylistically. Well... ‘80s films are like everything ‘80s stereotypes should be, representing everything that happened in the ‘80s. The ‘60s is a man in a suit with rebellious traits. But the ‘80s is Marty McFly... it’s so unique, it’s kind of... the ‘60s had confidence, it was brand-new filmmaking, a new generation. The ‘80s was so obvious, bordering on the arrogant -Yeah, but that’s the horrifying thing. It’s the branding, the marketing and the Spielberg, and Zemeckis turned out to be even more of a racist than we thought. I kind ofI like it for all of that. Not the racism. It’s more... I can pick up anything from the ‘80s no matter what mood I’m in. It has so many popcorn films. The ‘80s represented community films. Growing up: Back to the Future, then Die Hard, then Predator. I just admire it for understanding people. I think the ‘60s just showed people

that revolution of all kinds could be possible. It isn’t quite as big a blockbusting, mainstream a decade as the ‘80s, but it created a lot of ideas that carried through to the ‘80s... sexual revolution, barriers coming down, people being less afraid to do crazy things. The ‘60s basically gave people the confidence to be insane artisttypes. Fun filmmakers. I kind of bought into all the mainstream. I am one of the millions that would stand in the queue: this film entertains me. Call me a sell-out, but I just enjoy the sense of sitting with other people, laughing and enjoying everything. So why do the ‘80s win over every other decade? It copied the ‘60s, and made it mainstream. Cocaine producers, hyped-up and sugary. Pure energy. Anyone can watch this, and enjoy it. It’s freedom to enjoy. I think the ‘60s allowed us to enjoy film. Made people move about and start making more interesting things. I’m basically, like, the populist one here. Happy audience. And I left my beret at home.

Tori Brazier counts down the 10 biggest stars of 2011.

9. Hailee Steinfeld. She not only managed to hold her own against Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon in True Grit but actually excelled, hence all the award nominations. In fact, she kicked ass. And she’s only 14. Need anymore be said?

Spielberg’s hotly-anticipated movie version of Warhorse, and in the upcoming star-studded film of John le Carré’s Cold War novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, it’s going to be difficult for him to go wrong!

4. Andrea Riseborough is a force to be reckoned with. Having portrayed Margaret Thatcher in TV movie The Long Walk to Finchley, she also featured in a delightful bimbo-esque role in Made In Dagenham, in Never Let Me Go, and can currently be seen in Brighton Rock. She also landed a lead role in Madonna’s (yes, that one) directorial debut W.E. as Wallis Simpson. We should expect great things.

2. Michael Fassbender... A man in demand after his extraordinary turns in Hunger and Inglourious Basterds. This year, he’ll be Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre, Magneto in X-Men: First Class and Carl Jung in the biopic A Dangerous Method. And Ridley Scott’s cast him in Prometheus - boom!

5, 4, 3, 20 11 WITH the inevitable lull in the film world following on from a hotly-contested awards season, it seemed appropriate to take a look at those who seem destined to achieve more than a splash of stardom over the course of this year and beyond...

10. Felicity Jones started out in such British television stalwarts as The Worst Witch and the obligatory Jane Austen adaptation, this time Northanger Abbey. Starring in Julie Taymor’s gender-bending The Tempest, where Helen Mirren’s playing Prospera, her first lead role is in, umm, Chalet Girl, with Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick, as well as Bill Nighy- a sign of quality, I really hope!

8. Alexandre Desplat. Having seemingly scored every picture with an enjoyable soundtrack recently, he’s moved onto the highest echelon of filmic composing with his delightfully zany Oscar nom’d work for Fantastic Mr. Fox and this year’s success story, The King’s Speech. Oh yeah, and he did Harry Potter 7. 7. Benedict Cumberbatch. After jolly good press for his lead role in Mark Gatiss’ Sherlock last year, he can currently be found treading the boards in Danny Boyle’s West End production of Frankenstein. Having also been cast in

6. Emma Stone, popular actress and darling of Superbad, was handed a lead role in the recent excellent ‘teen movie’ Easy A, for which she was Golden Globe nom’d. She has also been cast as Gwen Stacey in The Amazing SpiderMan... 5. A proper Northerner, Richard Armitage. Having done period drama (North & South), Saturday night romp (Robin Hood) and primetime slot drama (Spooks) for the BBC, Armitage is finally going global, and impressively so, with a role in blockbuster Captain America and the part of dwarf (yes... ) Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.

3. Olivia Wilde, aka the bisexual from House, moved into leading film roles effortlessly as Quorra in TRON: Legacy, despite being criminally underused. She can next be seen in the most ridiculous and/or brilliant (delete as applicable) movie of 2011: yes folks, it’s Cowboys and Aliens! Starring alongside Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford though, we can perhaps hope for the latter.

1. The starriest star on the rise, however, belongs to Andrew Garfield. First demanding attention in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus frolicking around as Mercury and he has been in both Never Let Me Go and yes, THAT film, The Social Network, where he arguably stole the show as Eduardo Saverin. He is also the new Spider-Man, by the by... So there you have it, 10 stars who I really hope continue to be successful, not least because I’ll look pretty stupid if they don’t.

Screen

Submarine

Dir: Richard Ayoade Cast: Craig Roberts, Paddy Considine, Sally Hawkins (15) 97mins THERE is a lovely, horrible moment in Submarine when a girl falls into a pond. She is being bullied, and in her desperate attempts to retrieve her school bag from the hands of Oliver Tate, she loses her balance. Filmed in slow motion, shot from multiple angles, she wavers momentarily on the edge of the pond, a look of horror in her eyes as the nature of her predicament, the inevitability of her fate, dawns on her; finally she succumbs to the force of gravity. In Submarine, the feature-length directorial debut of Richard Ayoade, star of The IT Crowd and cocreator of the brilliant Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, anguish and hilarity hang in the air in a similar fashion. The two words, in fact, become almost synonymous, and one finds oneself constantly

Source Code

Dir: Duncan Jones Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan (12A) 93mins IF the plot of Source Code confuses you, don’t worry; it’s all the rage these days. It seems that a new genre of existential or ‘Where am I?’ films has emerged with Inception, Unknown and now Source Code exploiting the potential of keeping everyone in the dark about what’s actually happening. Initially, Source Code seems to be driven by the basic sci-fi premise set up within the first few minutes of the film. Captain Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) finds himself in another man’s body on a Chicago train when a bomb explodes. Rather than dying, he finds that he is being used as part of a program called

march 21 2011

teetering on the verge of laughter, bracing even at the most delicate and heart-wrenching of moments. At the film’s centre is the aforesaid Oliver, our narrator, played by the extremely impressive Roberts. An awkward and intelligent 15 year old, Oliver likes to entertain the notion that his life is the subject of a fascinating biopic, with cameras following his every move, and he has a tendency to retreat into the alternate and more pleasant reality of his imagination, which is a strange and entertaining place indeed. Paradoxically, it is a familiar one too. He is self-centred and pretentious, and suffers from a certain moral cowardice that allows him to justify a foray into bullying, for instance, in the name of losing his virginity – or, as he ruthlessly puts it, “progress”. But he is also charming – even in his lack of charm

Source Code where he relives the last eight minutes of this man’s life again and again until he finds the identity of the bomber, thereby stopping another attack. If this was all there was to the film then it would be standard sci-fi action fare, struggling for box office attention. Instead the film is given extra emotional weight by the focus on Stevens’ battle to find out where he is, why he is doing this and what will happen if he succeeds. This is powered by Gyllenhaal’s excellent performance in the lead role, providing a captivating and sympathetic presence. He switches superbly between the macho man action scenes and the more dramatic moments of a man struggling with an identity crisis. You really root for Stevens in what

Classic Films #18: If....

Dir: Lindsay Anderson Cast: Malcolm McDowell (15) 111mins IF.... (with four dots) is one of the most bizarre films ever made (even by 1960s standards) but it is also beautiful, mesmerising and a fascinating allegorical tale of rebellion against the establishment. The film follows a year in the life of Mick Travis, played by McDowell in his first film role, and his group of nonconformist classmates as they struggle through life at the independent boy’s boarding school they attend. Oppressed by the prefects who run an almost barbaric regime as the bumbling Housemaster (Arthur Lowe) turns a blind eye, Travis and his friends set out to disrupt

– and he becomes increasingly aware that other people too have emotions. Eventually, however, his behaviour jeopardises his relationship with pyromaniac Jordana (Yasmine Paige), whom he neglects as he attempts to rescue and reinvigorate his parents’ marriage. Beautifully shot, and complimented exquisitely by Alex Turner’s excellent soundtrack, Submarine is a glorious and ironic celebration of the never-ending conflict and dialogue between desire and reality; of young love, the isolating awkwardness of adolescence, and the dull, helpless monotony of middle-age. Almost every joke contributes something to our appreciation of the characters, and reflects – however abstractly or exaggeratedly – something recognisable in our own reality; indeed, that is a large part of why they’re so funny. Rarely has teenage angst been captured with such depth of emotional understanding, such human tenderness of touch, and few films this funny offer such a vicarious and moving experience.

BILLY WILSON

ends up feeling like an hour of physical and mental torture for him. The narrative is disorientating and nightmarish, with every fresh scene a puzzle to be taken on with Stevens to try and gain a foothold in the plot. This isn’t to say the film is confusing. It is complicated, yes, but the exposition is so well-handled that it never spirals out of control. Instead, there is a certain joy in the permanent struggle to discover the truth, and the identity of the bomber. If nothing else, Source Code could be a more exhilarating, interactive upgrade from Cluedo.

and ultimately bring down this tyrannical order with tragic results.

“One man can change the world with a bullet in the right place.” The thing about this film is probably its audacity. It begins normally enough with all the boys arriving back for another year, there’s some standard examples of first years being teased, there’s a look at some of the school’s traditions and the staff are shown to be suitably pompous and out of touch. Then, it’s like everyone involved, including Lowe, went on some sort of acid trip. There are several surreal sequences with one involving a trip to a café where Travis has a sexual encounter with The Girl (Christine Noonan)

Hall Pass

Dir: Bobby & Peter Farrelly Cast: Owen Wilson, Christina Applegate (15) 105mins THERE are times when watching middle-aged men trying and failing to relive their glory days is funny, nay, hilarious; alas this is not one of those occasions. ‘Embarrassing’ comes strongly to mind, predictable, abysmal jokes… simply put, watching mid-30-yearolds eating space cake on a golfing green isn’t as much fun as you’d think. The moralistic, one-dimensional plot sees Rick (Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) frustrate their wives so much with their appreciation of other women’s bottoms and leave them feeling so undervalued that they scoop off the children and issue their husbands with a ‘hall pass’: one week off marriage. Unsurprisingly their attractive wives (Applegate and Jenna Fisher) get lucky while their other halves resort to a cringeworthy chat-up line, awkward attempts of seduction and gain a whole new respect for married life. It’s fairly disenchanting that the Farrelly Brothers have stooped this low. As a fan of earlier work such as There’s Something

Vera Farmiga also excels as Carol Goodwin, the military officer charged with guiding Stevens through his task. Monagahan has

Exeposé

About Mary and Shallow Hal this just lacks any sort of compensating spirit and it doesn’t help that Wilson’s not particularly convincing as the more responsible of the two. Hall Pass doesn’t even have the ‘so bad its good’ factor going for it. Its one redeeming feature is the amusing clip at the end; shame it’s just an afterthought. I can’t honestly say it merits sitting through 105 mind-numbing minutes.

SAMMY BROOK

little to do other than look confused and smile with those freakishly large cheeks of hers, but boy does she do it well. Both actresses prove to be good foils to Gyllenhaal, turning out great performances. Duncan Jones’ visuals are never less than stunning and the unexpected moments of emotion and humour balance out the overall feeling of tragedy. The film does struggle to conclude neatly and ends up tying itself in knots but still remains satisfying and entertaining. Source Code is emotionally intense, often uncomfortably so, but there is enough of a pay-off to make it well worth watching.

TOM BOND

whilst his friend supposedly sits idly by, drinking coffee. Sexual freedom is a recurring theme; a relationship develops between a senior and a first year and at one point the Housemaster’s wife decides to walk naked through the hallways. Many scenes were shot in black and white but with no reason offered as to why; it only adds to the surrealism (although in interviews Anderson has claimed the production was simply running out of money).

“There’s no such thing as a wrong war. Violence and revolution are the only pure acts.”

Obviously the major theme of the film is anti-establishmentarianism, or

to put it colloquially, sticking two fingers up at The Man. The surrealism is stitched together with scenes demonstrating Travis et al.’s small acts of rebellion and the subsequent punishments they receive for such behaviour. The prefects take great delight in disciplining their inferiors. Indeed, they take a bit too much delight and by the end of the film you won’t be surprised by Travis’ last act of defiance. I don’t want to spoil the ending but to sum up, this film is like Tom Brown’s Schooldays mixed with A Clockwork Orange and the inside of Salvador Dalí’s head. In fact it is no surprise, based on this performance, that McDowell went on to do A Clockwork Orange to such great acclaim. A mustsee film with as much relevance now as it had 40-odd years ago.

DAN ORTON

Books

March 21 2011

Exeposé

James Henderson & Jacob Moffatt - books@exepose.com

A note from your Editor

Feature

Jacob Moffatt, Books Editor, takes a look at one of his favourite books, and arguably one of the most exciting of the last 20 years.

With this being the final Books section of my tenure I have decided to leave with a frank but personal appraisal of a book I have read many times. The work of Bret Easton Ellis has graced these pages several times during the last year, though to my recollection his most famous effort, American Psycho, is yet to be given pride of place. Released five years after Ellis’s début novel Less Than Zero announced his arrival on the literary scene, American Psycho cemented his place in the history of modern American writing. Its original release in 1991 had everything a book needs to succeed: endless criticism from political and feminist groups, problems getting published in any number of countries and a perfect 50/50 split between people calling it art and people calling pornography. It is graphic, violent and hilarious. It satirises 20th century life, culture and Capitalism, whilst seemingly celebrating its ills. And it has an ending that is debatable as to what actually happens and

provides little or no concrete moral. In short, for me it is the perfect novel for the 20th century. Certainly for the ‘90s at the very least. Immortalised in film by Christian Bale, the novel’s narrator Patrick Bateman is the poster boy for the superficial, capitalist ‘yuppies’ that ruled Manhattan and the City of London. Loathsome and charming, Bateman embodies the complete bastardisation of the American dream. During the day he is a successful and sophisticated Wall Street banker, dancing gracefully around the homogeneous financial districts of New York, and at night he roams its streets as a murderous psychopath. The hyper-reality of Ellis’ most violent scenes, both sexual and bloody, tackle head on the problems of a society that has become desensitised by convenience foods and daytime television. The horror, the “intolerable material” as Norman Mailer described it, is a stroke of literary

James Henderson, Books Editor, explores, appropriately, just how much there really is to take into account when ending a book. As my time as editor draws to a close, I have been led to contemplating endings in the literary world. There are plenty of different types after all, from

in this superstylised writing we can accept them, and because of the

early killings of homeless men, we are never comfortable with Patrick Bateman, even when we are forced to identify with large parts of his exterior life. The novel reads as an utterly horrific, yet logical conclusion to the modern world’s desire for more of everything. More skin in pictures, more access to celebrity lives, more chances to be celebrities, more, more, more. And with more of what we want comes more of the darker side of human nature, something that Bret Easton Ellis captures with a terrifying ease.

The happy ending dilemma has always troubled writers. Is it possible to tie everything up with everyone winning apart from the specifically crafted ‘dislikeable’ characters? Largely, it would appear that the public does like a good ol’ fashioned happy ending but there are qualifications to this. Firstly, there comes the idea of realism, it is infinitely possible in a modern day novel, set in our world, to have some aliens beam up the main character, avoiding the trouble and set him down safely – happy ending secured. However, this will also irritate the majority of those that have followed the plausible storyline this far, thinking within the limits laid down by the author, only to find that they descend into the ludicrous. Thus, we arrive at an ending as happy as possible whilst maintaining the integrity of the storyline (pardon the pretentious sentence). Closely linked to this realism aspect is the idea that an ending must be well thought out, that is to say, it

makes sense and does not contain any obvious flaws. Again, this cannot be taken at face value or the playground favourite of ‘then he woke up and it was all a dream’ would be ruling our bookshelves. Rather as if a somewhat dashing Books Editor were to hotfoot it without finding himself a wonderful replacement and the Books section was left as holey as the ankles of your Jack Wills jogging bottoms (or so I would imagine). So, finally, in conclusion, last but not least, to summarise, at the end of the day and with all things considered, an ending needs to be happy but realistic, with room left to ponder but closure given and without obvious flaws. Whether I have learnt anything from this literary stroll remains to be seen but the last thing to note about endings is that they must be timely, don’t go on forever and if all else fails just signpost it with:

“It satirises 20th century life, culture and capitalism, whilst celebrating its ills” genius and is as calculated and deliberate as the lengthy lists of brand names and descriptions of Bateman’s exacting routines. And

The end is nigh Feature

it is this that makes this book so remarkable. Few authors in this modern era have had the skill or bravery to shock or terrify us. Bret Easton Ellis manages to twist the pinnacle of success into a heinous and savage nightmare. It is hard to deny that large sections of the novel are more than a little difficult to read, but

cliffhangers to the Hollywood-style happy ending; there’s the, thankfully rare, unhappy ending and of course the epilogue, wrapping up the characters’ deeds for years to come. There are of course different groups of people who hate all of these types of endings (what a wonderful world eh?) But what do we really want from an ending? Is there a hybrid that can satisfy us all? To begin (how ironic) there is the need for closure. Even a cliffhanger has to conclude something, the evil plot, the full plan of the hero, some coming together. Everyone needs to arrive at the edge of the cliff, in order that one of them

can hang by the fingertips from it. Yet closure can go too far; the epilogue ending which gives what is essentially full closure, is often criticised. ‘How dare the author tell me ever so slightly more than I wanted to know?’ This refrain is of course satirical but readers often do conclude that the author was ‘wrong’ about the future in the epilogue, despite the fact that everything an author invents about the characters is gospel truth. So it appears the perfect ending must allow the

“Largely it would appear that the public does like a good ol’ fashioned happy ending” reader some possibility to decide upon the ultimate destiny of the character once the narrative ends, based on what they learnt of him from said narrative.

THE END (for what it’s worth).

Exeposé week twenty two

Classic Review

Catch 22

Joseph Heller ISBN: 1857152204

Joseph Heller’s sprawling masterpiece throws us into the middle of the beleaguered John Yossarian’s life as a bomber pilot at the height of the Second World War. Yossarian is perpetually approaching his last few flights as the bloated bureaucracy of the USAF keeps increasing the number of missions he must complete before being discharged. The world Yossarian and his comrades inhabit, the tiny Italian island of Pianosa, is governed by seemingly unending variations of this monumental bureaucratic lunacy. These embody themselves in numerous versions of the notorious Catch-22, an expression which the novel introduced into common usage in English.

Classic Review

of the surrounding characters, not his reserved, erratic father, his curious and judgemental neighbour, nor his flirtatious, dwarfish friend Jamie have recognised his homicides as belonging to him, but freak accidents, all happening to occur as Frank stood by, unable to intervene.

Iain Banks

“Banks creates an anomaly: a murderer who it is very easy to empathise with”

The Wasp Factory ISBN: 0349101779

Great books often fall into categories describing their effect as explorations of philosophy or as allegories. The Wasp Factory, written by the Scottish novelist Iain Banks, would nicely slot into the more gruesome bracket of novels, alongside Kiss Kiss and Let the Right One In. It is the story of Frank Cauldhame, a 16 year-old eunuch with an interest in things ritualistic that is almost demonic. Near the beginning of the novel Frank reveals to the reader that he is guilty of three murders: that of two of his cousins and his little brother. None

Surprisingly, perhaps, these murders take up relatively little of the narration: more is devoted to the machinations and obsessions of the forever pre-pubescent teenager. Frank delights in rituals, he takes great pleasure in the invention of his own mythology and traditions and, at the book’s beginning, we are introduced to his ‘Sacrifice Poles,’ sticks upon which he places the heads of the small animals he hunts and sacrifices, in the hope that they will gaze upon and pro-

The classic example, and the one which is central to Yossarian’s growing frustration with life in the Air Force is the fact that in order to want to fly his escalating number of missions he would need to willingly place himself at the mercy of the manifold dangers of flying; anti-aircraft fire, ludicrous mission plans and psychotic pilots to name but a few, something only an insane man would subject himself to. As such, he could legitimately claim insanity and thus get himself discharged. However, the desire to remove oneself from the danger of death is the action of a sane and rational mind, and so he would be

tect his vulnerable island. Combined with this integral sense of spirituality, though, Banks provides Frank with a definite sense of realism: his perceptions of events are never shocking or unusual. That is, until he describes his murders, although, thanks to being set in the past, it is almost as though they have been perrpetrated by another person, and Frank describes it as “just a phase I was going through.” In this way, Banks creates an anomaly: a murderer who is very

Classic Review

Lady Chatterley’s Lover D. H. Lawrence ISBN: 0141192178

“Everyone needs to arrive at the edge of the cliff in order that one of them can hang by the fingertips from it”

‘Ours is essentially a tragic age’ when Lady Chatterley’s Lover isn’t published in the UK until 1960 due to ‘obscenity’. Joyce’s Ulysses is widely regarded as the best book of the 20th century, but why would you want to read something that is fundamentally un-

deemed fit to fly, despite the fact that he must be insane in order to do so.

“The desire to remove oneself from the danger of death is the action of a sane and rational mind and so he would be deemed fit to fly” The sheer lunacy of Yossarian’s situation is reflected in the narrative structure, in that there doesn’t really appear to be one. Events are described to us in a seemingly random order, which, although confusing at

easy to empathise with. As the novel moves towards its conclusion, and Frank realises that the situation is fquickly getting out of hand, the reader follows with panic and sympathy. The novel mounts an impressive climax, with plateaus of shock and discovery coupled with yet another climb to an even more disturbing finale. What remains the most lasting impression from The Wasp Factory is the fathomable? I agree, you wouldn’t. Life is definitely too short. However, these two novels have something in common; they were both banned in the UK in the 1920s for being ‘obscene’. Seeing as we now have the privilege of living in a very liberal society I would urge you not to enter (post-university) adulthood without having perused Lady Chatterley’s Lover which I would argue is the greatest novel of the 20th century. Connie Chatterley, an aristocrat, is dissatisfied with her marriage to paralysed ex-soldier Clifford Chatterley; she feels alone, isolated and unfulfilled – her youth is wasting away before her very eyes. Connie and Clifford begin to resent each other as their marriage slowly crumbles and, on a walk in the woods near their home, Clifford makes an unexpected suggestion: he encourages Connie to have affairs with other men and if the outcome of this is illegitimate children then so be it. Connie is horrified by Clifford’s idea yet as time goes by she begins to consider his proposition... Then, she begins to take particular notice of the gamekeeper, Mellors. Their liaison develops rapidly into an illicit love affair unbeknown to Clifford and we are given explicit details of the rampant relationship that begins to develop. In Mellors,

Books

first, eventually pays off as each one of the superbly realised supporting characters comes into their own, leading to Yossarian’s final, thrilling confrontation with all aspects of his life in the air force. It is virtually impossible to convey the novel’s huge array of merits in such a short piece of writing. Suffice to say, it is not only a savagely funny, pitch black satire of authority, bureaucracy, Capitalism and military life, but a genuine tragedy in which the full horror and madness of warfare manifest itself in Yossarian and his comrades, bringing out the best and worst aspects of human nature. Owen wood easy nature with which Frank commits his murders. It’s Banks’ use of “I felt it, it had to happen” that rings too familiarly in our ears – the sense of something appearing morally justifiable that becomes equitable to a thorough and rational analysis. Banks, in the preface to the 25th anniversary of his novel, stated he wanted to say something about ‘The System’, about the toxic influence of the situation on the innocent individual – that of bad barrels corrupting what used to be pretty good apples. Beyond this though, there are hundreds of asides that make the book impossible to put down. The monstrous nature of Frank’s cousin (on whom the conclusion hinges,) the manipulations of his father, the cold, detached decisions of the protagonist – all these aspects make The Wasp Factory a stunning, shocking and stirring read.

Jack Flanagan Connie finally finds a lover. This novel was the first of its era to illustrate sexual relations in such an overt and frankly realistic manner. The only country that would warrant its publication in 1928 was Italy, and Penguin Books were prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act 1959, before Lady Chatterley’s Lover was finally granted publication in the UK in 1960. The Penguin publisher’s dedication in my edition reads ‘to the 12 jurors, three women and nine men, who returned a verdict of ‘Not Guilty’, and thus made D. H. Lawrence’s last novel available for the first time to the public in the United Kingdom.’ In my opinion, they did not only return a verdict, but returned a masterpiece to the public that had been criminally made unavailable because of the reality in which it depicted human relationships. In many respects, Lady Chatterley’s Lover anticipates the social, moral and political progression that would come with the 20th century; it engages with the hypocrisy of the aristocracy and displays the struggle of the modernist novel to become accepted as part of the canon of English literature. Pollyanna Cotterill

March 21 2011 Exeposé

Arts

Rosie Scudder & Ellie Steafel - arts@exepose.com

Sex, Love and STIs INTERVIEW

Ellie Steafel and Rosie Scudder, Arts Editors, interview visual artist and ‘Sex Idiot’, Bryony Kimmings.

ALMOST a year ago, at the Edinburgh Fringe, we walked into a show provocatively named Sex Idiot and encountered a lederhosen-clad woman wearing a hat of twigs. We could tell this would be one of the highlights of our Fringe experience and, as she hits Exeter as part of her tour, we jumped at the chance to interview the show’s star and creator, Bryony Kimmings. Sex Idiot is a one-woman show based on Kimmings’ own experience of discovering she had an STI. In the show, Kimmings takes an often shockingly honest look back at her sexual past, incorporating original dance, song and poetry into what is essentially an open conversation with the

audience. The show features a diverse range of flamboyant costumes created by David Curtis-Ring who has made some of Lady Gaga’s outfits. With no specific character to portray, Bryony is entirely herself on stage. The constant outfit changes that occur therefore relate more to the mood she is trying to capture than to a role she is performing. We asked Bryony how important the visual aspect of Sex Idiot is: “I’m not pretending to be someone else. I’m just some

freak who likes to wear weird things. They suit the mood and the tempo of the work and ultimately I just like being a woman who likes to change her clothes a lot.” However, the audience isn’t just watching Bryony change outfits. In keeping with the relaxed, interactive nature of the show, audience members are required to unhook Bryony’s bra straps and hold her props,

witnessing all costume changes onstage as part of the performance. Nothing is left to the imagination in this show.

On that theme, one of the most extreme requests Bryony makes of her audience is to donate their pubic hair. Passing round a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, a pair of scissors and a cup, Bryony asks (but does not force) audience members to participate in this unexpected, hilariously awkward ritual. Alas, the cup never reached our row (and there may not have been enough Jack Daniel’s in the bottle) but Bryony has “never had a show yet where people haven’t given over their pubes.” When asked about the desired reaction to this part of the show, Bryony revealed: “When I came up with the idea, the reaction of my partner of the time was ‘Please do not do that, that’s gross’ and I thought ‘Yes, that’s the perfect reaction.’” Dealing with such taboo subjects as sexual encounters and STIs, one would expect a wide range of responses to the show. The Fringe provides the perfect platform for this kind of show, however touring round the country, performing in often less intimate venues, Bryony has been surprised and touched by the reactions to Sex Idiot. “Talking about sex, I expected to get a few dirty emails from people. But receiving a handwritten note from a mother and daughter saying they’d loved the show and it had made them cry, as well as drunken emails from girls ranting about their rubbish boyfriends, is so lovely and rewarding.” Your experience as part of Bryony’s audience isn’t always a comfortable one. However, there’s something about Bryony’s unique brand of charming outrageousness that encourages you to do things you would never normally do, let alone in a packed theatre. Luckily, Bryony says she has “never done the show and not had someone undo my bra, take off my dress or cut their pubes. Weirdly it’s always the really straight-laced guys who want to do it. Ultimately, the more people are willing to cooperate, the better I’m doing my job. It’s the idea that I’m giving you everything and you only have to give something quite menial back.”

Sex Idiot is deeply personal in its nature, as the audience watch Bryony lay herself bare (in both senses of the word) and candidly share her experiences of sex, love and relationships. When we asked Bryony about the dif-

it difficult to maintain energy show after show: “it can be quite difficult if I’m tired or in a bad mood. For example, if I feel like one scene has been played too straight, I know I have to try hard to make the next more funny.

ficulties of performing such an autobiographical show she explained that, “In Edinburgh I was very emotionally drained, and still felt very close to the show. But as the tour has gone on, I’ve managed to distance myself more from it. Now it’s more nostalgic and familiar rather than exhausting and emotionally tiring.” The performance explores such a diverse range of emotions that we wondered if Bryony finds

The show is great because it’s essentially just me having a conversation, so I can adjust it depending on my mood. The nice thing about now having a bit more distance from the subject matter is that I can do that.” When watching Sex Idiot, you get a real sense of the cathartic nature of Bryony’s creative process. After realising she had chlamydia, Bryony embarked upon a toe-curlingly awkward

Exeposé week twenty two journey, contacting all previous sexual partners to inform them of her discovery. She combined the results of these phone calls, along with extensive research and dramatic experimentation, to create the deeply personal and authentic Sex Idiot. Bryony firmly believes that nowadays STIs are far more of a taboo than sex, as people consider them as “something faulty, a kind of dirty weakness. There is a weird stigma behind them. Having an STI doesn’t necessarily mean you’re sleeping around and anyway, one in three people get chlamydia. I had it, so there had to be part of the show where I said ‘It’s not that big of a deal.’” Bryony’s creative process seems at times to be a form of catharsis. We talked to her about her thoughts on this: “The show was a very cathartic experience for me. As someone who never usually looks back, going over old relationships like

know if he’ll be able to come out.” After her tour finishes in May, Bryony will begin to embark upon her next project, already entitled 7 Day Drunk. Intended to explore the relationship between alcohol and creativity, Bryony will create all of the material for the show over a seven day period, whilst drunk. “All my work comes from some kind of experiment. This one is based on the fact that I believe I’m a better artist when I’m hungover or drunk.” In keeping with her preferred creative process, the show will be compiled from extensive research and creative experimentation, as experts observe her in her drunken, artistic state. Bryony acknowledges that this idea could go horribly wrong: “This could be the worst show ever. I could discover that I’m absolutely not more creative when I’m pissed. But that’s exciting for me.” Once again,

theatre review

Hamlet @ Northcott Theatre March 5

ONE of the greatest – and longest – tragedies in English theatre, Hamlet is the classic tale of a son seeking revenge for his father’s “most unnatural murder.” The Northcott’s production boasted of shortening the play into a mere two and a half hour production – which was mostly successful, removing the political side-story and shortening scenes whilst retaining every key moment for each character. My only complaint was the bizarre, and seemingly pointless, moving of the famous “To be or not to be?” speech from the third to the fourth act. The speech gave no extra weight to the later scene and its removal from its original position made Hamlet’s rejection of Ophelia seem juvenile rather than tortured and heart-wrenching.

“The use of smoke and dramatic blue lighting made the appearances of the ghost enjoyably eerie - melodrama that Shakespeare would have approved of”

The staging was a single stone lobby that was seamlessly and effectively transformed into a throne-room, watch-tower and graveyard. The use of smoke and dramatic blue lighting made the appearances of the ghost enjoyably eerie - melodrama that Shakespeare would surely have approved of. On the whole the acting was enjoyable – the beautiful Ophelia was particularly moving – with Hamlet’s anguish

at the loss of his father tangible. To my mind Polonius did not use the full potential of the comedy in his lines, rushing over what could have been hilarious and emphatic comic pauses and therefore prompting only weak laughter from the audience. The fencing scene was impressively executed, paying close attention to the historical realities of Renaissance sword-play.

“Considering the point of a soliloquy is for the protagonist to connect with his audience, having the minor characters sharing Hamlet’s most intense and moving moments in the play was unacceptable” However, for me, the text was inexcusably defiled by the director’s baffling decision to split Hamlet’s soliloquies in the first act into a chorus performance. Considering the point of a soliloquy is for the protagonist to connect with his audience, having the minor characters sharing Hamlet’s most intense and moving moments in the play was unacceptable. This was not helped by the actors seeming inability to say lines in unison, creating an unwanted echoing effect reminiscent of a child’s nativity play. Asides from the alteration of the original text, which seemed to be meddling for meddling’s sake – it was an enjoyable production with sound acting, excellent staging and music, and the final line, “Good night, sweet prince”, was emotional and tender.

that was a mixture of lovely and painful memories. It also gave me the chance to say sorry to some people and reconnect with those I hadn’t seen in years.” In fact, some of her previous sexual partners have actually seen the show, though no ex-boyfriends have yet attended as Bryony considers it “weird to be friends with exes. The ex-boyfriend with agoraphobia whom I talk about in the show, I really hope he comes… although I don’t

Bryony will draw on taboos in her next venture, commenting on the growing culture of binge drinking and its effects on society. We are looking forward to what is sure to be another fantastically original, challenging and hilarious piece of theatre. So if you think swigging Jack Daniel’s whilst you trim your pubes in public sounds like your kind of thing, head down to Exeter Phoenix on March 22 to see Bryony performing Sex Idiot.

RAZZ MY BERRIES is the University of Exeter’s Arts magazine. They publish students’ articles, photography, artwork and creative writing on a seasonal basis, aiming to showcase the best of Exeter’s creative talent. The sixth issue of Razz My Berries will be available to buy from the Guild Shop in Devonshire House from Monday March 21. The issue’s theme, ‘Love and Lost’, inspired a wide range of articles. Razz asks what have we lost in letting part of our identity go online, whether love really is blind, and if Disney and porn have truly ruined our relationships. They have also got an interview with BBC’s Pippa Evans, a Romeo and Juliet themed photo shoot, as well as many more articles, poetry and prose.

Editors’ Top 10

1. Tim Ellis: The

Tourist

Exhibition March 12-April 30 SpaceX

2. Journey’s End Play March 21-26 Theatre Royal, Plymouth

3. Gaucher’s War Play March 22-26 Drum Theatre, Plymouth

4. Dark Matters Cabaret March 24-26 BikeShed

5. Merge 4 Dance March 30 BikeShed

6. The Bloodline

Play by SourDough March 31-April 2 BikeShed

ALEX WYNICK

razz launch

Razz My Berries Launch @ Exeter University March 21

Arts

7. The Devil Has You can get involved by emailing the editors at razzmag@gmail.com. Follow the magazine’s blog at www. razzmag.wordpress.com where you can also download back issues. ELLIE WALKER-ARNOTT

Quentin’s Heart

Play April 1 Northcott

8. The Count of

Monte Cristo Exhibition April 1-May 15 Phoenix Centre

9. Short Shrifts Short Plays April 5-9 BikeShed

10. Private Peaceful Play April 6-9 Northcott

Arts

March 21 2011 Exeposé

COMEDY review

Angelos Epithemiou @ Exeter Corn Exhange March 7

HE comes from the Greek island of Tesco (two islands down from Argos), is an ex-burger van owner, and arrived in Exeter last Monday night, complete with his trusted Sainsbury’s bag to host a comedy gig at the Corn Exchange. It was of course Angelos Epithemiou, the surreal comedy creation that is probably best known for his appearances on the zany comedy panel series Shooting Stars. And in fact, just like the show, the best way to describe this gig is random. Angelos is the slimy creation of Dan Renton Skinner, a former member of the Perrier-nominated sketch group Dutch Elm Conservatoire. Complete with anorak, greasy hair, short trousers, and NHS specs, Angelos gained notoriety after appearing on Vic Reeves’ and Bob Mortimers’ Shooting Stars, first as a regular contestant and then as the score-keeping replacement of Matt Lucas. Now that the show has ended and his burger van has been burned down, he is “reluctantly” touring the country

with a show that promises “three jokes, some impressions, two dances, and a big quiz.” The 90 minute gig is very much in the vein of Vic and Bob’s comedy, where surreal nonsense dominates. As well as walking his stuffed dog “Tinned Tomatoes” on the end of a retractable pole, dancing to Lady Gaga in a tight white spandex leotard, and asking an audience member “what’s the best of the three main things?”, Angelos’ gig also contained in-jokes from the TV series, such as inviting the audience to guess “What’s in the bag, Angelos?” (It was a walking stick, in case you were wondering). Though there were some genuinely funny moments, there was a sense that Skinner needed more material or some structure to improve the gig. His comedy creation also needs some fine-tuning, as Angelos’ naivety and slurring sits at odds with some of his gags, such as his impressive impersonations of Chris Eubank and Duncan Bannatyne. Some of his back story seemed a little confused too, as he asserts that he was born on a Greek island, yet later states that he was born behind the back of a UK Richer Sounds branch. Saying this, Skinner displayed so

much energy and enthusiasm throughout the gig that his enjoyment was infectious. His willingness to make himself look ridiculous combined with his quick-witted audience interaction meant that he had the total support of

the crowd. Though the name Angelos Epithemiou might not be that familiar now, if Skinner can slightly tweak and improve his performances then it seems that we can expect big things from this character. And despite the haphazard

comedy, Angelos did actually leave the audience with some words of wisdom that seem particularly apt for us students: “at the end of the day, don’t muck about.” STEPHANIE MARSTON

and the subtle disdain of her guests, the party quickly spirals into a disaster zone, with a tragic, and almost pitiful conclusion. It is the characters that shine throughout this play. Of the girls, we have Beverly Moss – our host, and Angela and Susan, the unfortunate guests. Beverly was acted fantastically by Bryony: combining buoyant and risqué humor with a sense of lovelessness and debauchery – she arrested the room from beginning

to end. The charmingly dim-witted Angela, played by Heidi Goldsmith, was a profound treat throughout the play, maintaining an entertainingly drab and clumsy style. Finally Susan: peering upon the party with poorly masked scorn and embarrassment, she was played aptly and with a constant sense of derision by Daisy Rodger. The male characters, despite having less time onstage, were equally impressive. Luke Theobald continues a streak of impressive performances as Laurence Moss – Beverly’s superior and stressed husband, who meets his inevitably abrupt end as the play finishes. And Alex Piggins as Tony: Angela’s taciturn but ill-tempered husband; easily conveyed, despite a lack of lines. Conversation was breezy and relevant to the story throughout, broken up by periods of physical humour – Beverly

at one point slow dances with Tony, to the misguided satisfaction of Angela, and the much incensed but impotent Laurence. The use of music to construct an overlying theme; the ubiquitous drone of Abigail’s rock, the dreadful significance of Beethoven’s 5th, was well placed and effectual. At no time tedious, Abigail’s Party was a fantastic way to spend an evening. It displays the talent the Drama department at Exeter can yield, as well as the capabilities of young actors to play people who are not nearly as transparent as they first appear. The play itself, written by Mike Leigh, serves as an additional critique along the lines of Revolutionary Road and The Great Gatsby; ironically comical, and a sound allegory for the hypocrisy of the “new” middle-class. A brilliant performance. JACK FLANAGAN

THEATRE review Abigail’s Party @ M&D Room March 11 THE aspirations and pretensions of suburbia are ever ripe for parody, and its effectiveness is proved to exquisite effect in this production of Abigail’s Party. In this painfully funny play set in 1970s Britain, we watch as Beverly Moss (played to frumpy perfection by Bryony

Twydle) attempts an evening party with a horrible mismatch of suburban archetypes. The story centers around this one evening, while another party rages next door: that of the titular, but unseen, Abigail, and her rowdy teenage companions. As though in competition with this youthful revelry, Beverly is constantly pushing at a good time of her own, and (of secondary concern) her guests. However, between the poorly nuanced barbs

exeter’s got talent IT’S a talent show with a twist. The winner of the event will play at Beach Break Live. Organised by RAG in collaboration with Beach Break Live it’s in aid of their five nominated charities. Last year raising over £1,000, this year we’re determined to make even more. Through working closely with Beach Break Live, we are able to give away lots of awesome prizes. The past two rounds of Exeter’s Got Talent have seen some incredible acts ranging from acoustic acts to dance acts to club singers and demonstrating the best Exeter has to offer. Both rounds have been close with only one vote separating the

finalists. The final comprises of six acts: Shoes Off Lights Out, Gav Penn, Jethro Lynch, TNS, Archie and the Alpaca Emporium and Exeter Uni Breakdancers. All the acts are worth a watch and will be performing on Tuesday March 22 in the Lemmy from 7:30pm onwards. It’s free to attend the event and if you like what you see, you can vote for £2. All of the profits go to charity and we will be hosting a free clubnight in the Lemmy afterwards with Beats and Bass. So if you’re a fan of live music come down to the Lemmy on Tuesday March 22 at 7:30pm.

Exeposé week twenty two

theatre review

Waiting for Lefty @ BikeShed Theatre March 9

OVER a bridge, down some steps and we had arrived; a small venue with wooden tables and hang on, board games in the corner? Apparently the Bikeshed not only offers live theatre but the chance to play Cluedo during the interval. Before we had time to question why on earth this was our first visit, the doors had opened and in we went. The stage area was intimate, even without my glasses I would have been able tell the difference between each character. The stage design was remarkable. I am often impressed by what can be done with so few props and such little space; here a table and a telephone were enough to set the scene for the rest of the evening. The projections too, simple though they were, effortlessly marked the change from workplace, to kitchen, and then again to a doctor’s office. I sat, contemplating the coat stand, when suddenly a poorly dressed group came storming through the doors, yelling and cat-calling and shouting abuse at an elderly man who

had arrived on stage. Don’t worry though, he was shouting right back and soon enough the workers were as silent as the audience members they had sat down amongst. After a long speech featuring politics, economy and war this man they called “Fatt” had introduced the plot, but not without interruption. Angry outbursts were erupting from different parts of the room, but each with the same agenda: money, or moreover, lack of it. “When will our wages go up?” “Should we strike?” But whilst their boss tried to convince them not to, the question on everyone’s lips remained, Where is Lefty? The plot then moved through varying settings, from a less-than-inviting family home where a man and wife heatedly discuss their finances as hungry children sleep in the next room, to a doctor who loses his job as a result of harsh discrimination. The pressure of making money impacted every aspect of this play which, whilst it was charming, distinctly illustrated the cruel realities of working class life. Each actor played a role or three, each as striking and able to evoke sympathy as the next. I particularly enjoyed Oliver Stoney’s entertaining portrayals of a worker, a boyfriend and a wealthy sci-

Creative Writing Corner Our Virtue by Jack Flanagan

It’s grey, the sky Until wrapped in amber arms And at once burst forth a colored chorus, And a dim world is forgot. No tree grows Of another’s roots Writ deep in our tissue The follies of our youth What once was passion (We called it truth) In Vanity ended And If in Fortune: Soothed. Writ Deeper Still, Is Another Truth: It is one’s subtle pain Only one other can Sooth. It is the vice of the Weak, And their Virtue, too.

entist. The multi-roles were effective, as was the intimacy of the stage area. It wasn’t lengthy but the anticipation peaked throughout with the question

‘Where’s Lefty, Where’s Lefty? He will sort this out.’ By the end of the performance, there was only one question I had,

Arts

which I scrawled on the bottom of the Bikeshed’s comments card: ‘Are you hiring?’ LAURA ROBERTS

COMEDY review

Simply The Jest @ Exeter Phoenix March 13

SITTING innocuously at the sides of the stage as audience members filled the Black Box room at the Exeter Phoenix, sketch-comedians Simply the Jest proceeded to catapult themselves into the limelight and unleash their collective talent onto the unsuspecting masses. Doing far more than simply getting a Tina Turner song burrowed into your brain, they provided some great ideas, solid one-liners and a variety of talent that kept the audience laughing all evening. Clad in matching navy jumpers with names printed on, STJ’s comedy-collective look worryingly like summer activities co-ordinators. You have a sudden fear they might form a chair circle, ask

you about your feelings and serve you terrible watered-down orange squash. What they do instead, however, is throw some pretty damn funny jokes at you. Each performer had something to recommend them; from Bryony Twydle’s sweet-yet-sadistic television sex expert (“Were you bullied in school? No? You should have been.”) to the wailing mania that is Luke Theobald’s voice – an entire performer in its own right. The sketches came thick and fast: Dame Maggie Smith’s inability to let go after the end of Harry Potter, iPhone apps that tell you about trains you’ve already missed, and Yorkshire-based allmale tribute band Destiny’s Accident. Admittedly, there were the occasional lulls in the evening, when the performers resorted to comedic clichés to try and get laughs. A routine about Mary and Joseph getting counselling for her “affair” rang

out as one-note, and at one surreal point there seemed to be about five minutes dedicated to as many Polish stereotype jokes as could be crammed in. However, they seemed to be aware of this themselves, and followed these up with some moments of absolute brilliance; special mention to Jack Stanley’s attempts to conform to the increasingly insane demands of a life-drawing class, and to Izzy Rabey for an exploration of Welsh rap that involved choons so banging you half expected the Aberystwyth Massive to rock up.

“Special mention to Izzy Rabey for an exploration of Welsh rap involving choons so banging you half expected the Aberystwyth Massive to rock up.” I’m informed after the show that they’ve already arranged to go to the Edinburgh Fringe this summer, using these performances to test their reception. The Exeter audience has been entertained and appreciative: with the talent and timing they’ve already shown, and given the chance to refine old material, formulate new, and develop just a little more as a unit, Simply the Jest may prove themselves up-and coming contenders in comedy. IAN CHRISTIE

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? CARE ABOUT RECYCLING? IS STREET LIGHTING IMPORTANT? DOES STUDENT HOUSING MATTER? IF THESE ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU REGISTER FOR THE LOCAL ELECTIONS EXETERGUILD.COM/LOCALELECTIONS

Exeposé week Twenty two

Video Games

Stephen O’Nion & Alice Scoble-Rees - games@exepose.com

NEwsbyTES

Kids! Want to be just like your soccerballing heroes?! Look no further than www.coleofduty.com - giving you the chance to put yourself into Ashley Cole’s boots and unleash air rifle-based pain on a selection of enemies. To think some people say video games aren’t realistic; football and gun crime? What more do you want? Well if you wanted the similarly ‘adult’ game We Dare UK release to be canceled then you’ve got your oddly specific and topical wish. Ubisoft has cancelled the ‘quirky’ title after a particularly negative response by the public, leaving teenagers with more money than sense to make up real dares at parties. Like it was in my day! One thing that has significantly changed is the new holder of ‘best selling game in the US’. Yes, Treyarch’s all-conquering Black Ops has taken the title. With over 27 million US players and over two billion hours of online gameplay, Black Ops has brought the future, and 12 year old American kids who won’t shut up, straight into our living rooms! Progress! The crushing onslaught of the god of Progress, Progressaroth, may continue in horrifying fashion. Peter Vesterbacka, an Angry Birds exec has used his informed opinion from years in the industry to predict that innovation has ‘moved into mobile and social’ gaming, and that the traditional model of console gamers for high prices and long development times is inefficient and likely to not last. Evidently Mr Vesterbacka hasn’t read Newsbytes’ well-googled section above this one. Oh Peter, bet you feel a fool now. Eh? Peter? Feel a fool yeah? Peter? One developer that seemingly isn’t abandoning the traditional business model is Ubisoft aren’t content to twiddle their thumbs when there’s marketshare to be had in the music genre. Yes! Forget your Guitar Hero, your Rockbands and your Disney: Sing the Hits! Rocksmith is the new kid in school promising compatibility with any real guitar to make learning real instruments fun.

REVIEW

Beyond Good & Evil HD. Ubisoft; XBLA/ PSN March 2 2011

Beyond Good & Evil is one of those fondly remembered classic games which everyone would have loved if there’d just been the time to play it. Also, the story seems all kinds of confusing at first, what with a talking pig as a main character. And, it was backed by practically zero advertising. Don’t forget 2003 was a busy year. Everyone was clearly occupied with watching the final Matrix movie, and

Stephen O’Nion and Alice Scoble-Rees, VG Editors, each take a side in the ultimate showdown.

Stephen

You know, I’ve owned a fair few consoles in my time: the Mega Drive, the N64, the faithful GameCube, the list goes on. Yet there’s another that I love far more: the computer. Already there’s something inherently nerdy about that sentence so I’ll refrain from using words like gigahertz, megabyte, and internet for fear of undermining my argument. It’s pretty obvious that, well, you own a computer; that it does so many other things; that you could probably boot up Solitaire in an instant. But when it comes to gaming, it’s a problem that consoles can be seen as acceptable whilst PC-gaming is stigmatised. COD or Fifa sessions with some brewskis and some bros (possibly named Brad, Chad and Tag) are all well and good, but with more and more games switching to network play rather than split screen, the playing fields are increasingly even. Or at least they would be if consoles didn’t go all HAL on us and deny any kind of backwards compatibility. Alternatively, take Bioware’s latest offering, Dragon Age 2. An Exeposé-ac-

then working hard to try and forget it. Our collective time would have been much better spentplaying BG&E. The good news is that now there’s an HD remake for you. And yes, that was a tortured bunch of sentences, but surely they will make sense by the end of the review. BG&E is a game in the spirit of Uncharted, or Ratchet & Clank. It is a third-person adventurer, with some exploration and some puzzle solving. It pulls off a brilliant story, and even manages a few amazing stealth sections. Our hero, Jade, is an investigative reporter who begins to unravel a massive conspiracy. Naturally, she responds to this with adventuring, and martial arts. As a video game, it is pretty much the definition of a cult

This will be our final battle... It’s Console Vs. Computer. claimed game with slick, reactive combat and a deep, rich story. When it comes to playing its console version though, there’s something missing. Rather than rely on tactics and strategy, you’re forced to rely on fairly clunky console controls and hope for the best from your squad. And this is a Bioware game. In the hands of lesser quality developers, strategy, management and sim games are often ruined. For all the benefits of controllers, they’re utterly undone when it comes to some form of tactical complexity. There’s a reason Shogun: Total War is a PC exclusive. It’s not your fault console, you just weren’t made that way. Besides, for each costly console upgrade every six or seven years, the PC

“It’s not your fault console, you just weren’t made that way. ” needs nowt but a little tweaking and it’s good to go for another year. It’s this power that can immerse a player like no other. Or, if power isn’t your thing, you’ve got all the hits from times of yore just waiting to be replayed. If I want to boot up Total Annihilation or Theme Hospital - there’s nothing stopping me, except the fear of a crippling addiction recurring I guess. However, if I want to play World Cup Italia ‘90 on the Mega Drive, I’m going to have blow some serious dust off that cartridge. To be honest, there are so many cross-platform titles nowadays that it barely matters what the game is. Instead what matters is what the platform is. And when you’ve got a constantly upgradeable, multi-tasking, leviathan it’s kind of obvious that it is, as it always has been, the PC. Sorry Brad.

classic. And of course, the question is not if this was a great action-adventure game eight years ago, but if it is a great one now. Short answer: yes. Longer answer: hell yes. The game remains as great as it was. It’s aged slightly for sure, but that just gives it character. The HD update makes the environments seem all the prettier, and the character models are more detailed. Although, to be honest, the camera can still be a pain sometimes, it never bothered me, whilst the remastered soundtrack is full of absolute gems. Best of all, as a game it still feels fresh. And the price is great, only 800 MS points. Considering how many people rushed out to pay 1200 points for five Call of Duty maps, this is a great sign. If Ubisoft are going to continue supporting their

Alice

I’m not going to say I don’t love my PC – why, I’m writing on it this very moment! – but as far as gaming is concerned, consoles are where it’s at, and it’s been that way for a long, long time now. Just look back over the last E3. And the one before that. The significant leaps forward that are being made in the industry are being made for consoles. Motion control wasn’t developed for a computer screen; the 3DS ain’t no netbook, no sir. Consoles are the hottest market right now, so it’s there that the big, exciting leaps are being made, and maybe one day my PC will catch up. I can’t really imagine standing in my bedroom yelling ‘FIREBALL’ and flailing at Dragon Age 8 Part 3: The Dragoning. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be a tremendously good thing mind you, just that the desktop is lagging behind, and is showing little interest in trying to catch up too. If that wasn’t enough, consoles are the friendlier face of gaming, because it’s still harder to haxxor and illegally download games through your console, thus undermining the very industry I love, than on your PC, where it’s so easy it’s almost like you’re being invited to (I have been told). The worst I’ve heard of happening to consoles so far is the hack for Kinect that, the brain trust behind it hope, will lead to lonely men being able to virtually fondle dead eyed, pixelated

classics, it will make the world a better place. Unlike those Wachowskis, whose movies just made the world more disappointing.

8.5/10 Iain Dawson

women in the comfort of their own homes. And that’s not dangerous piracy, that’s just…sad. Despite that though, and most importantly, consoles have become the acceptable corner of gaming. Whilst the nerd, or Poindexter if you will, is still characterised as a neck-bearded World of Warcraft player, bleached the same shade as the Bone White paint he has for his Warhammer figurines by all those hours accumulated in front of the screen, in the dark, in his basement, console gaming is actually… kind of cool these days. It’s pretty standard for some of the lads to get together and play a bit of Call of Duty co-op online, whilst pre-lashing and having some pretty banterous chat. If gaming is ever going to be a totally socially acceptable hobby (which, let’s face it, it totally should) then it will be the 360, the PS3, perhaps even the Wii that is the wind beneath its wings.

week Twenty two Exeposé

Video Games

review

Dragon Age II: Bioware, EA; PS3/360/ PC/Mac March 11 2011

Poor Bioware. Few developers are cursed with such a terrifying band of thunderous zealots as fans, and every time they try to release a sequel to one of their flagship RPG franchises, there’s always trouble. The much-lauded Dragon Age series is no exception. Simply put, how the hell were they supposed to follow up a game like Origins? Well, apparently… by throwing an absolutely bloody enormous curveball. Bizarrely, Dragon Age 2 is actually much more of a spin-off than a direct sequel, with the major plot-related loose ends from its excellent predecessor pretty much totally ignored. There’s a few cameos from major characters and the occasional vague reference, but essentially this is an entirely new story - you don’t even get to massacre that many darkspawn. Instead (and rabid Origins fanboys may wish to be sitting down for this) Bioware has taken the bold step of making the game entirely about the various political struggles within the city of Kirkwall, focusing on fully-voiced, exclusively human, Shepard-esque protagonist, Hawke. Uh oh. Cue terrifying torrent of spluttering, incandescent outrage from the darkest recesses of the internet. Dragon Age 2 has a hell of a lot to prove. And (whisper it) – it almost manages it.

Why work? Paul Williams champions Metroid: Zero Mission.

If the victory fireworks at the end of Solitaire have lost their sparkle then perhaps its time to try something with more bite. A trip to the alien infested planet Zebes in Metroid: Zero Mission is in order! A GBA remake of the original 1986 Metroid game, Zero Mission is easiest to find now on a laptop emulator. Even better, mashing the keyboard will look just like you’re typing up notes! Zero Mission, like the other 2D Metroid games is a side scrolling shooter/platform game. However, such pigeonholing does not do the game justice. Metroid games are famous for two things: Firstly, the great sense of exploration. The game world is expansive, and working out how to get from A to B can require some thought. Large parts of the game will seem impossible to get to, but by getting a new item or trying something that isn’t obvious, you can get there. It’s very rewarding, more so because such an effort has been made to make the different areas feel distinct. Secondly, bosses. Huge, awesome bosses. Massive lizards, worms and a purple dragon-pirate Lord. YES! I took more than a few attempts to beat some, but the sense of accomplishment is great. The game has plentiful save points, perfect for a little progress during lectures. So stop reading, don your Varia Suit, go forth, shoot Metroids!

The game’s plot spans an entire decade, using a framed-narrative device to propel the action forward sometimes years at a time, creating a sort of ‘greatest hits’ of Hawke’s life, complete with the occasional ‘exaggerated’ section as the storyteller gets carried away, featuring better skills, ludicrous setpieces and, amusingly, all-round inflated breasts. Whilst this approach isn’t entirely successful (the first few hours remain rather clunky, convoluted and lacking in focus) once the story really gets going it’s utterly compelling. The streamlined dialogue system is a welcome addition, with the snarky options often being genuinely funny, and offering a nice break from the usual RPG moral spectrum of nauseating saint or baby-eating monster. Add in some much improved graphics, supposedly ‘bastardised’ yet actually vastly superior combat (faster and more satisfying than that of Origins) and some (mostly) great new characters, and you’re left with a game that can easily swallow up 50-odd hours of your time without you even noticing. Huzzah. Obviously though, it’s not perfect. Origins itself was only released just over a year ago, and that its sequel has clearly been rushreleased to ride the wave of its considerable

success is often painfully obvious. NPC’s have an alarming tendency to stand in the exact same spot for ten years, and you’ll find yourself hacking your way through the same cave about thir-

Review

Fight Night Champion: EA Sports; PS3/360. March 4 2011 ‘Get up! Get up!’ Fight Night is back and offers its strongest challenger yet to the title of undisputed boxing game, and fortunately for it, and us, it’s EA’s strongest contender yet. You start laid flat on your back in the midst of a bare-knuckle prison brawl. It’s the bloody side of boxing, and you’re going to see a lot of it in a story that charts the rise, fall, and rise again of Andre Bishop, a former Olympic medal winner sent to jail after being set up by a corrupt fight promoter.

teen times before the first two hours of gameplay are even up. Elsewhere, some moustache-twirling obvious-villain will refuse to let you into an area, claiming it’s so overfull that refugees have been being turned away in their hundreds for months, and you’ll be able to look over their shoulder to see the tumbleweed blow across the massive, empty town square behind him, Kirkwall’s sole three citizens rattling around unconvincingly in the background. It’s also got a bad case of that common gaming malady of equating ‘mature’ with gratuitous sex n’ violence, with enemies often literally exploding when killed and excruciating innuendos shoe-horned in to random market transactions. Shudder.

recycling and a palpable sense of ‘oh sod it, this’ll do’. Basically, assuming you’re not a thunderous Bioware zealot, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. But, unfortunately, you’ll also be frequently left feeling somewhat cheated.

8/10

Lizzy Quinlan

Ultimately, then, Dragon Age 2 is an excellent game, albeit one that falls just short of its vast potential. It’s fun, addictive and at times genius, but it’s also let down by its lazy levelThis is the first story mode of the long-running franchise, and provides a brilliantly clichéd six hours of game play that recalls the more enjoyable boxing flicks in existence. Make no mistake, it’s not without its flaws - the long loading screens taking you out of the moment are worth a mention - but the most annoying part is the final battle. Throughout Champion mode you’re rising through the ranks after your release from prison, sometimes charged with specific challenges that reflect real concerns in the sport; cut over the eye? Protect your head; broken hand? Score a knockout with the other. Yet in the final battle you’re tasked with running away for two rounds, scoring some cheap body shots, and running away for a further two rounds. Tactics are all well and good, but not when you’re holding left on the joystick to

than dodging a powerful punch only to land a reply on an opponents chin. And it’s damage you’ll see. As the trailers rightly proclaim there really is ‘more blood than ever before’, not in a gratuitous fashion, but instead to make each punch really resonate. Open up a cut on a rival’s eye and you’ll score a technical knockout; take too m u c h damage in your career and it could do serious harm in the long term.

dodge an inevitable K.O. Champion mode, though, is just a small part of a very deep game boasting a significant amount of improved game play and revitalised features. Rather than relying on complex joystick movements, the all new ‘full spectrum punch control’ allows a simple flick to get that uppercut or jab. Button mashing is available, but there’s nothing more satisfying

Unfortunately, whilst realism works in most circumstances, when it comes to the Legacy mode, it can often descend into monotony. Training is repetitive, convoluted and often better served by the AI. Train up your stats enough though, and eventually your own boxer, with a ridiculous amount of customis-

Mini-feature

Bored in a lecture? Adam Koziol sets out Plants Vs Zombies’ appeal.

When people think of games to play in lectures, several things spring to mind. Free iPhone apps, flash games, web browser games; these are what many would consider the perfect distraction from a boring lecture. Plants vs. Zombies is none of these things. Instead it is a game that actually requires a purchase of all things! It may seem a bit mad to actually PAY for a game when there are so many available for free, but hear me out. The big problem I have with free games is that, with some notable exception, they are terrible. Sure they might be more interesting than whatever you’re supposed to be learning (I’m looking at you here History Foundation) but is boredom really an excuse to put up with terrible gameplay? Not in my book. After all how many of you could say that you can play an hour of the Wikipedia game without being just as bored as you were before? That is what gives PvZ the edge, in that it is actually good. It’s a tower defence game that sets itself apart from the rest with a very different structure. It is also incredibly addictive and packed with content. The main game is huge and there’s a whole variety of other modes on top of it. Available both on Steam and the App store, the sheer amount of hours you can get from it makes it well worth your money. This is a game that will get you through not just one lecture, but through an entire term, if not more; and that’s what makes it perfect. able features, can go up against the greats, all set against some of the most hilariously over the top commentator banter in any sports game. Add to this the ability to upload your own (or your friend’s) face onto a fighter, and seeing yourself in the ring with Raging Bull is as real as it’s ever going to be. It’s this kind of fighting that obviously provides the meat of the game. Want to re-enact Ali vs. Frazier or Tyson vs. Holyfield? It’s easy, and with such online variety it’s possible to navigate some slow loading screens and fight anyone online, joining gyms, fighting for championships – all making sure Fight Night is a game that doesn’t exhaust itself quickly. It might not be perfect, but Fight Night Champion more than lives up to its name. Even if you’re not a boxing or a brawler fan, there still might be something in it for you. So sit back, play the story and get to making and remaking some history.

8/10 Stephen O’Nion

Video games Editor

Exeposé week Twenty two

RETRO

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Nintendo; Gamecube/ N64/ 3DS? November 1998

As a game frequently quoted by many as an all time favourite, Ocarina of Time holds a special place in the history of the industry. Released in 1998 to almost universal acclaim, and having been re-released on the Gamecube and Wii, it is one of the few games to have truly stood the test of time, especially considering its upcoming rebirth on the 3DS. Ocarina of Time follows the journey of Link, a small, green-clothed boy from a forest village as he journeys across the realm of Hyrule, travelling through time to save the world from the evil Lord Ganondorf. Almost every aspect of the game is memorable, from the first moment Link steps out onto the wide expanse of Hyrule Field, to the infuriating complexity of the Water Temple. There are so many unique locations to be explored, each with their own distinct characters, sidequests and secrets, all of which make the world feel vast, organic and immersive.

review

Pokémon Black and White: Game Freak, Nintendo; DS March 4 2011

Violent attacks on people on the street, muggings around the corner, an attempt to end the tyranny people have over Pokémon and a secret project to resurrect two legendary dragon Pokémon in order to destroy all opposition. Team Rocket were too soft, but Team Plasma will stop at nothing, robbing other trainers in order to ‘liberate’ Pokémon. One by one the gym leaders and the elite four are crushed until all that stands between Team Plasma and world domination is one teenage kid. Yes, the fifth generation is now here! If 493 beasties wasn’t enough, there’s now another 156 to choose from. With a whole new region to explore and more Pokémon than ever before, it’s going to be one hell of a journey. If you miss your old favourites fear not – the pokétransfer function allows you to import your killer squad from the fourth generation.

All of this, combined with the constant character development provided by the introduction of new gadgets and tools for Link to use, make the gameplay compelling and addictive. The constant introduction of new features, places to explore, people to interact with, chickens to kick and goodies to obtain, means that Ocarina of Time entertains long after the kingdom has been saved from the forces of darkness. Even without the presence of glassy-eyed nostalgia, there is almost nothing to criticise about this game; the graphics were groundbreaking for their time, and still stand up well today. The soundtrack is memorable and was perfectly matched to the environments and situations. In order to avoid any further babbling about this game’s innumerable qualities, I will simply say this: Ocarina of Time made such an impression on me that I still own it in its original format so that, on rainy days, I can play it and remind myself of the good old days before high definition graphics, motion control and online features. Ocarina of Time set the bar for games in its generation and continues to stand amongst the very finest of video games. Alex HawkswortH-Brookes Whereas SoulSilver and HeartGold had some 3D attributes, Black and White take them to a whole new level, including an entire 3D city and spiralling towers where you can view all four sides of the building. Sometimes, however, it does feel that the 3D maps are unnecessary and 2D would have worked just as well. This generation also includes some new exciting features such as seasons which affect the visuals, music and even the wild Pokémon. They change each month so, if you missed your chance to catch that rare Beartic, you don’t have long to wait until it’s winter again. The game also includes brand new three against three ‘triple battles’ with an intriguing tactical edge. The Pokémon on the edges have a limited range, meaning you have to position your squad carefully to win the game. Despite the many new features, it might still feel like too much of the same for some players. However, if you’re looking for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but with an exciting new twist, then this is the game for you. Lord N is already mobilising his minions. So quick, grab a pokéball and get running – the fate of the Unova region rests in your hands.

7/10

Jonathan Minter

Video Games

More than just the Ocarina of Time

James Smith presses play on music in video games.

As a medium, video games are as reliant, if not more reliant, than film and television on music. Movies tend to use music as a dramatic backdrop to a particular scene, often with tinkling, sad piano pieces when someone is crying, or bombastic orchestral set pieces during the big scenes of action movies. Everyone who has seen Gladiator knows how important the music is in setting the scene and getting the audience’s blood pumping. If you were to swap ‘Are you not entertained’ by Hans Zimmer with ANY other piece of music, the effect would not be the same and the film would not have the status it does. Pirates of the Caribbean, Pulp Fiction, Scott Pilgrim vs The World and Indiana Jones are some other films where the music is just right. Of course, film and television have a little more artistic license than video games, at the moment, and can afford to use silence or music that is juxtaposed to the scene in order to get an effect. Video games, in comparison, require a greater amount of music than film or television in order to be great works. For instance, games like Pokémon and Final Fantasy, where the player has little interaction beyond selecting moves in battle or schlepping around the overworld, are heavily reliant on their musical scores in order to be enjoyed. The classic Pokémon battle themes, and the new Team Plasma theme, are two prime examples of how music can make a low-interaction game as engaging as highly immersive titles like Oblivion or Fallout. These two pieces of music, constantly repeated have the same effect as the Gladiator score, they get the blood pumping, give the battle a sense of urgency and importance, and make you actually not wholly resentful of having to fight the thousandth Watchog of the day. Sticking with Pokémon, the different pieces of music for each area gives the game’s world a sense of size that, in truth, it doesn’t possess. By making each area sound different the world seems much larger as you have travelled to this very different sounding place. In the case of Red and Blue, it was the only real way of distinguishing each city other than Celadon. Larger gameworlds, like the aforementioned Oblivion and Fallout need high quality music in the game in order to avoid seeming boring and too vast. When walking from one town to another, both games provide the player with some aural delight in the form of Jeremy Soule’s ridiculously listenable score and the context relevant yet slightly juxtaposed 40s and 50s tunes of Fallout’s various radio channels. These colossal gameworlds need good music to keep the player occupied whilst they wander from similar village

to similar village, hunting down unicorns or mutants or whatever. Travelling from place to place is only really ac-

cepted by the player in part because the atmosphere of the gameworld is inviting, largely due to the potential for exploration and danger, but also because the music provides a perfect backdrop to the game itself. As with film and television, video games can also use music to help set particular scenes. Boss battles in particular are where games will introduce a new score in order to indicate that this particular fight is more important than the previous skirmishes. The Zelda games are perhaps the best example of this, with a Battle Theme, a Boss Battle theme, and a Final Battle theme. By doing this, the game tells the player that the giant one-eyed bug/lava dragon/ twin witches are much more dangerous than their minion counterparts. The tempo quickens, increasing the player’s adrenaline, and making each boss battle much more engaging than the fights along the way. With the Final Battle, the game unleashes its most bombastic score yet, leading to heightened adrenaline, aggression and sense of urgency in the player. This simultaneously makes the Final Battle much more tense and rewarding when finally completed. Overall, games need music for three main reasons: setting the scene, differentiating events and keeping the player interested. Silent Hill, Bioshock and Resident Evil are games where the three are fully interwoven and are some of the best video game scores ever written. Certain other games, particularly from the 8-bit and 16-bit era have had their theme music ingrained in the fan community, due to the pure ‘hummability’ of the music: Mario, Zelda, Metroid and Tetris...you know you know the music. To see what I mean, play your favourite game on mute. I’m telling you now that Red Dead Redemption will seem like a boring gallop through some desert, Arkham Asylum will just plain suck, and you won’t realise you’re running out of time on Super Mario Brothers. In short, they won’t be the game you love anymore.

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The lemmy

Monday 28 March 2011

9pm-2am ÂŁ3 on the door

End of term Party

The Lemon Grove Streatham Campus

Greg James Tickets available from www.exeterboxoffice.com

Tickets available from The Lemon Grove Box Office

More information www.exeterguild.org

Events on Facebook facebook.com/exeterguild

Exeposé week Twenty TWO

Sport

Josh Irwandi says League One football can Moberley Half Marathon Running be just as exciting as the Premier League Another trophyless season. With nine games remaining, and even if you chuck down Elixir of Life to Pelé, Michel Platini, Peter Schmeichel, or Johan Cruyff and force them to sign for Exeter City, there is no way the team of our town are going to be promoted to the English Championship. Exeter are already 12 points off the play-off zone, they didn’t go anywhere far in FA or Carling Cup, and they pitifully slipped the chance to fill up the Grecians’ trophy room after losing 2-1 to Brentford – a game that would have brought them to their first ever Johnstone Paint Trophy Final in Wembley had they held the score at 0-0 and won on away goals. Another trophyless season. It is disappointing, yes, but I keep my chin up as I eagerly wait for next year’s fortune and, as always, experience the joy of watching lower English league football i.e. League One. One of the reasons I came to England was, undoubtedly, its football. I applied to Manchester but fortunately was rejected because if I had got in there, Old Trafford would be my Church and the University my wasteland. Exeter was kind enough to sign me, and I didn’t regret accepting their offer when I landed in a peaceful, scenic part of the country. A teacher of mine back in Jakarta, Indonesia advised me to watch Exeter City play for one sole reason: authentic English football. That’s true, I thought. With the Premier League jam-packed with international players, half of the clubs owned by foreign investors - less than 40% of its players being English – I wanted to see the unseen part of the English leagues. If you go to England, quite naturally you might want to try Cornish pasties, shepherds’ pie, roast beef, or fish and chips... not French foie gras, Spanish paella, Italian gelato, or Dutch cheese. The Premier ‘international’ League is full of that, it is barely ‘English’ anymore, and nPower League One seems to be the answer for watching how English players play their original kick-nrush. This is what Premier League does not have, and hurray – we have it just around the corner. League One is also more unpredictable. In the Premier League, you expect Man United, Arsenal, or Chelsea to win the league. It’s always one of those three; the rest of the league wobble and waffle around trying to scrap a couple of spots for European football, the rest of the league’s games are watched unenthusiastically as those three teams dominate the headlines. On the contrary, you’ll never know who’s going to win in League One or any lower English leagues. Some might say, the newly degraded teams could peg back immediately to the Championship or Premier League, but that’s certainly not the case most of the time, as seen with Southampton, Leeds, Charlton, or Middlesbrough. It’s very unpredictable; they go yoyo with their performances and the leagues they play in, whilst their best players

depart, seeking a higher challenge. On the other hand, Exeter City was in Nationwide Conference in 06/07, promoted to Blue Square Conference in 07/08, up to League Two in 08/09, and League One in 09/10. Three promotions from an outof-nowhere team in the last four years were universe-shattering, thanks to the Grecians’ manager Paul Tisdale. Wishful but hopeful thinking as it is, who knows, in three, four years time, Exeter could fly up to Premier League for the first time as Blackpool did last season? Talking about the value of a season ticket, Premier League teams clearly have a larger ticket price margin than anyone due to the popularity of the competition and, obviously, exciting players up there. However, please remember that there are 46 games in League One, 38 in Premier League. Ironically, you pay more and watch less in the Premier League. Now let’s compare Man United and Exeter season ticket prices for a second. Man United’s North and South Stand Upper Centre, the best seats in the house, cost a staggering £913/annum (let alone the waiting list). Their North East Quadrants Tier 1, out-of-the-park seats where you can only see one end of the pitch, the wink of Ronaldo or the fart of Gerrard, are £700/annum. Their cheapest East/ West Stand Lower, is where you get loose, flying stone-hard balls from Rooney’s cannonball at 120 km/h. You simply have to be alert all the time, and you’d like paying £513/annum to get a red face. Now, let’s think about Exeter. Flybe Stand’s adult season ticket sells at £440/ annum, the most expensive you can get, but still lower than Man United’s cheapest. Stagecoach Stand alone cost £385/annum. Big Bank is £320/annum if you’re tight on budget, and rejoice Arsenal fans, it’s named after your legend Cliff Bastin. Obviously you won’t spend as much as

if you buy a Premier League club season ticket, and interestingly enough you won’t feel too gutted spending either. I paid £10 for that night’s game, Exeter lost, whatever. On the other hand, I idiotically paid £100 in Xmas 2009 for Man United vs. Aston Villa game, which they lost 1-0. I was gutted to the bottom of the earth. The high price you pay is worth it when your team win, but looks ridiculous if they lose. Therefore, the lower price in League One is, mathematically speaking, worth it. More games, less gut, and oh: easier access in and out of the ground. I waited two hours for the tram after that blessed Man United game, while two hours after the game in St. James Park I was already in bed. What makes League One exciting is, also, the beauty of the FA or Carling Cup. These two cups draw anyone with anyone. As I mentioned earlier, Exeter hosted Man United in The Park five years ago. And, if you notice, Leyton Orient hosted Arsenal two weeks ago, being the last League One side in FA Cup this year. In Carling Cup, Exeter was lucky to face Roy Keane’s Ipswich at the start of the season, which they respectably lost 3-2 a.e.t. Back to money – with £10, if we’re lucky with the draws we could watch international players playing in our neighbourhood. In the next few home games, Exeter is going to host the country’s great but sometimes forgotten talents, the young, loaned out players from the Premier League, or old, retiring legends. You’ll see Harry Kane of Tottenham and England U19s against Leyton Orient, a bunch of Man United trainee (Ben Amos, Kieran Lee, and Ritchie Jones) and Man City past-time favourite Paul Dickov against Oldham, and, the rivals clash in May against Plymouth Argyle, you could see Shaun Wright-Phillips’s brother, Bradley. At the end, no matter where they played before, we cherish the young players for their talents and constantly encourage them to play well and get to a higher level. Certainly, there are players out there in League One, Two, or Championship, with silky skills still unspotted. Simultaneously, we could sympathise with thrown-out, old players which feels like visiting a retirement home. It’s all good fun. Those are the joys I had from watching League One and I am sure you’d feel the same when you start watching Exeter City at their best. Now let’s go out on a Saturday afternoon and attend a game, cheering for Exeter so that they could build up on their momentum. If you go to The Park, there is a poster just outside the stadium that shows red-and-white Grecian stripes cramming High Street after their promotion to League One. Personally, I’d like to see that, somehow, happen again within my next two years at Exeter. With enough support, a miracle for Exeter City Football Club could happen. Guess what, Man United was no bigger than us just a century ago. What happens in the next a hundred years – who knows?

Hannah Carr

Moberly House’s top track athletes will endure their own strenuous half marathon, or as locals call it ‘The Moberly Marathon (divided by two)’, where they shall battle against the hilly Devon terrain and the relentless gale force winds. This may be a slight exaggeration but nonetheless, on Thursday March 24 it shall be an exciting time for the halls, as Moberly House host their own half marathon. Training for the nine committed runners started back in January with the ambition of

competing in the Great West Run. Unfortunately, as all first years, this practically could not be possible, but undeterred, the bold athletes took it upon themselves to organise their own ‘Moberly Marathon’ and embrace the achievement of running an impressive 13 miles. Although it is not classed as a competitive event, no doubt there will be fierce competition with eight-out-of nine athletes being male, and for that reason, considerable respect goes to the one female for running with them. This event has attracted some other enquiries, and interest is still growing among amateurs who ambitiously still would like to participate. Contact has been made with the AU President and the Athletics Club Captain for awareness and diet advice, which has caused a rise in determination in the enthusiastic students. In the marathon, there will even be bikers for water supply and to push their pace; nothing will jeopardise their performance. Their half marathon is a rather scenic route stretching along the River Exe which starts and finishes at Moberly House. With a start-off time of 10am, the last runner is expected to burst through the finishing tape, or loo roll, at 12noon to the applause and encouragement of many residents who will be waiting to celebrate the runners’ success. It will be held at Moberly House green at 11.30am, March 24.

EUNC net promotion Netball

Rachel Bayne Sports Editor-elect EUNC soar into the top flight after the 1st team toppled Kent 1sts in the third match of the Southern Premiership Playoffs. On Wednesday, March 16, the girls dominated Kent in a very high scoring game, winning 59-27 in front of over 70 supporters. This sees them enter the Premiership for the 2011/12 season after narrowly missing out on promotion last year. Exeter opened the match in stunning form, netting 15 shots in the first quarter, three times the amount of their opponent’s score. Their passing was fluid, with one goal being scored off only six passes from GK to GS. Exeter led from the off, and with the attacking force of Kara Stone as GS in the first half, Kent did not have a look in. The second quarter saw Exeter quickly double their score, where they led Kent by 32 points to 11. Kent also doubled their score, with fast paced passing from their centre, but Exeter were in charge. Exeter played superbly, with their GS, Kara Stone, making nearly all her chances with cool, calm composure. The 3rd quarter saw a boost in energy from Kent, with their centre taking command of the middle of the court. The scoring, however, slowed down, with the result of the 3rd quarter being 41-15. Exeter showed positive team-

work to keep their lead against a Kent side grappling for a comeback. In the last 15 minutes of the match, Kent looked even more frustrated, with unnecessary shoving in the middle of the court resulting in free passes for Exeter’s WA and WD. Exeter capitalised on Kent’s errors, with Stone making clinical chances in front of goal. The end featured desperate play from Kent with another shoulder barge on Exeter’s WD and fumbles in front of the post by Kent’s shooting team. Exeter played the last five minutes in front of a jubilant crowd and stood up to the pressure of Kent’s counter attacks, fending off their rivals to win the match in style. Rachael Smith, EUNC Publicity Officer said, after the match: “To finally achieve our goal means everything.”

Sport

March 21 2011

Exeposé

Also in the news Lacrosse Ladies conquer Lou Indoor Cricket

Tom Worthington EUMCC

EXETER headed to the indoor cricket finals day at the SWALEC stadium in Cardiff in the hope of securing their first BUCS gold since winning the competition four years ago. Unfortunately they failed to make it through to the final after falling short in the final group stage. After winning every game on the road to the finals in comprehensive style, the EMUs harboured true belief that this could be their day. But after losing to Birmingham in their first game and then see the Midlands side beat Leeds on the last ball, a promising campaign ended in disappointment. Heading into the Birmingham game, Exeter sent Birmingham into bat. Despite leaking extras, Exeter restricted their opponents to a below par 105. Unfortunately, two quick wickets saw Exeter off to the worst possible start in reply. Captain John Todd reached his 25 and retired in an attempt to rebuild the innings, but more wickets saw the required run rate begin to rise out of the

Eukww

Charlie Mole EuKWW Captain The Uniwake Winter Wakeboard Jam was held at Liquid Leisure cable park on March 2, the first opening day in 2011. It acted as the first big Uniwake event of the year and gave students a chance to kick off the season with a jam style competition. Just over 100 riders attended the event, 70 of which were competitors. Fourteen EUKWW members met outside the Peter Chalk Centre at 8am ready for the three hour drive to Windsor. The conditions for the jam were pretty baltic; the air temperature was approximately six degrees with a northerly wind making a wind chill of

Ladies Football

Clare March EULFC Media Sec

EULFC have made it to the final of their Western Conference BUCS cup after an impressive 3-0 victory against Southampton Solent in their semi-final last Wednesday. The opening goal came from the penalty spot, with Jess stepping up and coolly slotting it past the diving keeper. After a tense first half, the score at half time was 1-0, with EULFC in the driving seat. Not wanting to rely on their opening goal, EULFC kept pushing in the second half, with Emma causing the Solent defence problems with her speed and Alice and Crackers combining well, producing some exciting attacks down the right wing. Jen dominated the central midfield, and produced an excellent cross-field pass which set up Jess to score the second with a calm finish. Crackers was rewarded for her hard work, with a superb goal from a free kick just outside the 18 yard box.

EMU’s reach. Despite a valiant last man stand effort from Todd on his return to the crease, Exeter ended up all out for 75, 30 runs off the required target. Exeter now needed Leeds to beat Birmingham, and then record a convincing win in the last group game against the Tykes. But their first disappointing game of the whole campaign would ultimately cost them a place in the final, and after seeing Birmingham reach Leed’s score on the last ball of the match in a dramatic run chase, the EMU’s fate was sealed. With Birmingham’s place in the final secure, Exeter’s game with Leeds was essentially a dead rubber with nothing more than pride at stake for the two sides. With nothing to play for, Exeter went into bat with the pressure off and with a freedom to play their shots. Todd, Chris Webb and Tom Worthington all reached 25 retired in an impressive total of 140, the highest by any team on the day. A solid bowling performance followed in what turned into a heated game, with neither team willing to go home without a win. With Leeds falling 25 runs short, Exeter finished with a performance more like they had produced in previous rounds. zero degrees and the water wasn’t much warmer having thawed out the week before. The day started off with two hours of practice free ride sessions, which many riders spent huddled into the warm hut under the heaters. There were three categories for male and female: beginner, intermediate and advanced. The beginners braved the conditions first, followed by inters, then advanced. Despite the cold, there were students in every category trying new tricks in an attempt to impress the committee judges. Exeter students grabbed runner up in the female beginner category (Hannah Martell), and a win in the intermediate mens (Liam Proctor), to round off an excellent day out and start to the season.

With Asbo producing some fine saves at the other end, the final score remained 3-0. EULFC are through to the final. The whole squad put in 100 per cent for this competition and have been rewarded by reaching the final. EULFC will meet Aberystwyth in the final on March 23, so fingers crossed they can bring some silverware back to Exeter. 1st team Captain Toddy added after the game; “I’d like to say a big thanks to the entire EULFC squad and everyone who’s been part of our season for all their hard work on and off the pitch hopefully we can continue to progress next season.” In other news, EULFC Reserves beat Bideford LFC in their Devon Premier League game at the weekend. EULFC were unlucky to be 1-0 down at half time, however, an excellent second half team performance, with Hannah scoring two superb goals, was enough to win the game. A great save by the EULFC keeper in the last minute allowed the team to gain the three points that they thoroughly deserved.

Lacrosse

Ginny Langton Club Captain The knowledge that Exeter Ladies 1sts hadn’t beaten Loughborough in four years was enough to make the team have an even more restless night in the Travel Lodge. Upon arrival, the intimidation tactics were at play as the pitch was in the centre of campus with a lot of spectators. With a motivational speech from captain Anna Wylie and some music, the team was more focused than ever before. As they strode out on to the pitch, the Loughborough girls entered from the opposite end and the weather, sensing the mood, turned on Exeter. As the team warmed up, they were

casting glances towards the opposition who looked like a very strong side. Ignoring this, the team focused on their game plan for the next 60 minutes. The clock started and the game began with Loughborough winning the first draw, but Exeter managed to tackle the ball off them and sling it down to the attack. A check to the head ensured a free position to Millie Whittington who convincingly fired it into the back of the net. With this rush of adrenalin on their side, the team got their heads in the game and two more goals were put away by Anna Murch and Melie Pemberton. At this a panicked Loughborough called a time out and Exeter took the time to talk tactics. The pause in play seemed to have taken an effect on the Loughborough side and

they came back with two goals in rapid succession. Anna Wylie gave the team a telling off for getting complacent and the game truly began. With both sides evenly matched it was a one up, draw, one down situation, with Ellie Purves taking a few hits for the team. Half time called and before the team knew it, they were back chasing the Loughborough girls as they shattered Exeter’s defence. The tension could have been cut with a knife. Fantastic play from Fi Watherston and Emily Zaborski and some strong drives from Melie Pemberton ensured that Exeter kept on top of the opposition. With eight minutes to go, Exeter were a goal down and the anxiety in the team was quite clear. Exeter were so close, beating Loughborough the aptly named

Exeposé week Twenty TWO

ghborough 11-10

Sport

Crossword

Across

1. Play featuring Malvolio, Feste and Count Orsino (12) 6. Republic formerly known as Zaire (5) 7. The Beatle Responsible for Imagine (6) 8. 3 wheeled form of transport (8) 9. HQ of the US Department of Defence (8) 10. Apply friction and pressure (3) 12. Poem by Shelley (10) 16. An Unforgivable Curse (5,7)

Week 22 by Clare Mullins

Down

1. Fear of complex devices (12) 2. The power to which a base must be raised to produce a given number (9) 3. Tinseltown (9) 4. The character voiced by Robin Williams in Walt Disney’s Aladdin (5) 5. 1000 kilograms (5) 10. Strategic board game (4) 11. Fruit responsible for David Miliband’s downfall (6) 13. Powerful Jedi master (4) 14. Swedish pop group (4) 15. Chilled with frozen water – killed (slang) (4)

Solutions to No. 20 Across - 1. Pennsylvania; 6. Topic; 8. Iraq; 9. Carbon; 10. Benghazi; 12. Omega; 13. Cygnet; 16. Agamemnon; 18. UN; 19. St Bernadette. Down - 1. Pythagorus; 2. Neptune; 3. Succuba; 4.Narnia; 5. Aquaintance; 7. Ironic; 8. IO; 11. Hogan; 14. Lamb; 15. Dear; 17. NRA.

“Exeter victorious, with a score of 11-10”

With an injury to Anna Wylie allowing Exeter time to gather their thoughts and prayers, the team focused their game and channelled their adrenaline and nerves towards a win. A ferocious five minutes from time, both sides led to a draw. With all of 30 seconds to go, a penalty was awarded to Melie Pemberton. She kept her cool and fired it towards the bottom right hand corner. The goalie

was helpless. With 10 seconds to go the team was counting down to the final whistle. Full time and a pile up of 18 ecstatic girls ensued with the Loughborough players and spectators looking crestfallen as their reign had finally come to an end. The dramatic 60 minutes left Exeter victorious, with a score of 11-10. The semi-finals happened in Manchester against Cambridge on March 2. After a long drive and great night in the Holiday Inn the girls were fired up to show the Cambridge team what they were made of. With a supporting team of Andy, the fitness instructor and Dan, the coach, the team was pumped up for the game. At quarter time the score stood at 3-0 to Exeter and the team could

see from Cambridge’s demeanour that they were truly shocked at Exeter’s standard. The team had the element of surprise on their side and Exeter used it to their advantage. At half time, Cambridge had closed the gap and the tension was unbearable. After a stern team talk Exeter were rallied up with a renewed fervour and they knew that this win was within reach. Unfortunately, the next half hour proved too much for Exeter and the Cambridge girls flipped their complacency for much needed determination. The score stood at 7-9 to Cambridge at the final whistle. A disheartened Exeter congratulated each other for a fantastic season and a close call against the potential BUCS champions.

1. Which of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was built first?

5. Who was the first person to reach the South Pole?

2. What do ‘nicitating’ women do to men?

6.Who was Time’s Man of the Year for 1939 and 1942?

3. How long did Snow White sleep before she was awakened by the Prince?

7. What did Peter the Great impose a tax on in 1698 prompting many males to cry foul?

4. What animals does a hippophobe fear?

8. What pair of Old West outlaws were born Robert Parker and Harry Longabaugh? Answers: 1. The Pyramids 2. Wink at them 3. One Year 4. Horses 5. Roald Amundsen 6. Joseph Stalin 7. Beards 8. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

“sporting university,” was a victory Exeter will never forget. The defence stepped up to the plate with Alice Thornton and Lottie Sharland stopping the Loughborough attack in their stride.

Pub Quiz

Sudoku

Easy

Hard

Sport

Monday March 21 2011

Alexander Cook & Andy Williams - sport@exepose.com

Soto: Polo hero fo’ sho’ Polo

Nicole Bruins Polo Club Secretary

THE Arena Polo Nationals held every year at the Hand Equestrian Centre in Bristol is the biggest polo event on any University’s polo calendar. Bringing together over 52 universities from across the UK and Ireland, with over 130 teams, it is no wonder that the polo nationals have even made the Guinness Book of Records as being the largest held university polo competition in the world. With chukkas starting from 8am in the morning and continuing till 10pm at night and over 70 games being played each day, there is continuous action from dawn till dusk. This year Exeter entered five

Will Budge

teams competing at beginner, novice and intermediate level. The beginner’s team included Georgie Mitchell, Liv Fawcett, Christina Rasmussen and Georgie Broughton-Pipkin. All four players, having just started polo this academic year, played above their standard beating Oxford Brookes in their first match. They continued to put up a strong fight for the rest of their matches, committing to each and every shot, which in one match meant Georgie was flung off her horse right into the arena wall because she was so intent on scoring that goal. There were two teams entered in

“They once again destroyed their rivals Imperial making them the overall winners of the lower intermediate section, taking home the giant shield”

the novice section. Novice A included Lindsay Geekie, Sophie Strongman, Nicole Bruins and Miguel Soto who after winning consecutively on Thursday, Friday and Saturday made it through to Sunday’s final, where they lost to Warwick 2-0. A special mention for Miguel Soto, who played some unbelievable polo, carrying his

Exeter Polo charge on in a weekend at the Arena Polo Nationals in Bristol.

team victoriously to the finals. The Novice B team included Harriet Walsh, Lee Benney and Victoria Hale who also played some spectacular polo, winning matches against Warwick and Royal Holloway, with great goals being scored from all three players. In the intermediate section Exeter had Alice Etchells, Lucy Watson and Francois de Nicolay – a.k.a

Demons felled by UWE Bullets American Football

“Georgie was flung off her horse right into the arena wall because she was so intent on scoring a goal”

‘the Dream Team’, winning all their matches with flying colours (8-1, 6-0, 4-0 and 7-4), which took them straight through to the finals. Here they once again destroyed their rivals Imperial making them the overall winners of the lower intermediate section, taking home the giant shield and champagne. The last team was a combined representatives from both Exeter and UWE in the line-up. Representing

Exeter was Cameron Houston who played some incredible polo on his machine of a horse Gamble. With car loads of Exeter players and spectators making the effort to come up to Bristol for the weekend in support for the University, there was a great group of people and “Oh Exeter...Is Wonderful” could be heard way above any of the other cheers in the stands.

Exeposé

ON Sunday March 6, the UWE Bullets played host to the Exeter Demons in a clash with post-season consequences for both teams. Exeter needed a win to guarantee their passage into the post-season and UWE needed a win to gain their third consecutive SWAC title. The game ended 36-20 in UWE’s favour, helping them to hold onto their conference championship. UWE’s offence was well matched by Exeter’s but their use of trick plays gave them the edge and a 16 point victory. All of Exeter’s points were scored by wide receiver Will Budge, making three touchdown receptions from quarterback Fin Brown and running in a two point conversion. Despite conceding thirty six points, Exeter’s defence stood up to one of the most explosive offenses in the BUAFL valiantly and forced several turnovers. Adam Shields earned himself the title of Defensive MVP at middle linebacker policing the offence well and constantly invading the UWE backfield. The difference between the two teams was UWE’s trick plays. A pass from a UWE wide receiver led to a touchdown early in the second half and wide receiver reverses gained yards all game. Exeter’s offence was on form but was let down by a handful of turnovers, one of which gave UWE the ball on Exeter’s one-yard-line. However, Budge (offensive MVP for the third successive game) opened the scoring for the Demons from fifteen yards out, and then added a second run through the same route on the other side of the formation. Budge then ran in the two point conversion through a huge hole opened up by Harry Paget, the Demons’ leading blocker with fourteen pancakes this season. Midway through the fourth quarter, Exeter kept themselves within touching distance through Brown completing a long bomb to Budge who ran the ball the rest of the way for a fifty seven yard touchdown. It was not until the bus ride home that the Demons heard the news that they would be going to the post-season. Cardiff having beaten Bath, Exeter remained in fourth place in the SWAC, good enough to qualify for the BUAFL Challenge Cup. This is a great success for a club only in its second year in the BUAFL and hopefully Exeter will progress far into the post-season knockout tournament.