2013/14 Week 27 Issue 609

“Art’s not supposed to be comfortable; it’s catharsis”

Special Pullout

Music meets Frank Turner. Full interview on page 19

The University of Exeter’s Independent Student Newspaper

Since 1987

Tuesday 21 May 2013 • Issue 609 • www.exepose.ex.ac.uk • Twitter: @Exepose • www.facebook.com/Exepose

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Goodbye St. Luke’s?

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

• Proposed plans suggest demolishing half of campus • Guild unaware of plans • Proposals found by student EXCLUSIVE Harrison Jones and Tom Elliott Online News Editors EXEPOSÉ has been shown pictures of plans suggesting that the University is considering a radical overhaul of infrastructure on St Luke’s campus.

Last week Exeposé revealed the announcement of developments to both Streatham and St Luke’s, but the leaked documents suggest the extent of further changes are yet to be decided and may be extensive.

The pictures appear to suggest that around half of the University’s smaller campus could be demolished – including the Sports Centre, Medical School Building, Baring Court and the newly renovated Library.

The plans also detail new buildings which would replace the demolished structures. The vision of what these new buildings could look like appears to be spacious and modern.

A student who wishes to remain unnamed alleges to have found the plans after a meeting between University bodies in the St Luke’s Medical School.

Folders detailing a meeting involving Exeter Medical School Management Team and the General Medical Council were discovered by a group of second year students, upon arrival at a seminar.

The documents were seemingly ac-

cidentally left in a top floor room of the Medical School, raising questions about why such sensitive plans were inadvertently discovered by students, considering the substantial amount of sensitive material which the University handles.

The University told Exeposé that only the developments outlined last week are formally planned, but confirmed that the meeting did take place.

Hugh McCann, Director of Estate Development said: “We are currently looking at the long term development of St Luke’s with a firm of consultants.

This exercise is about exploring the future capacity of the Campus over the next 5-15-25 year period. This would involve demolition of buildings in my view, though not North Cloisters or the chapel.”

“At this stage it is not possible to say definitely what the extent of any future development would be, given the timescales we are looking at, but we need to explore the possibilities at this stage in accordance with good estate management practice.”

“Immediate works are the conversions of College House and upper floors of South Cloisters for the Medical School to move into this year and next.”

There are currently 1,000 students on St Luke’s Campus, which caters for Sports Scientists and Medical Students, amongst others.

Screen: Ten things we love about the BAFTAs - PAGE 22

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Exeter says No Students reject motion to ban The Sun

Arts: Your guide to live comedy in Exeter- PAGE 27

Sport: Preview of the EUMCC vs Bath Cricket Varsity - PAGE 36

PAGE 4-5

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Exeposé THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

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MAKING THE HEADLINES Y E A R S

Exeposé is the University of Exeter’s editorially independent newspaper, produced entirely by and for students

Contact us Exeposé, Devonshire House, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4PZ E-mail: editors@exepose.com Call: (01392) 263513

Editorial team Editors Meg Drewett & Jon Jenner editors@exepose.com Deputy Editors Clara Plackett & Emily Tanner comment@exepose.com News Editors Louis Doré & Owen Keating news@exepose.com Features Editors Alexander Carden & James Roberts features@exepose.com Lifestyle Editors Kitty Howie & Emily-Rose Rolfe lifestyle@exepose.com Music Editors Magda Cassidy & Josh Gray music@exepose.com Screen Editors Megan Furborough & Rob Harris screen@exepose.com Books Editors Elli Christie & Emma Holifield books@exepose.com Arts Editors Sophy Coombes-Roberts & Ricky Freelove arts@exepose.com Games Editors Gemma Joyce & Becky Mullen games@exepose.com Sport Editors Will Kelleher & Mike Stanton sport@exepose.com Photography Niklas Rahmel photography@exepose.com Senior Proofreaders Charlotte Earland, Lauren Swift & Vanessa Tracey

Online www.exepose.ex.ac.uk Site Managers Olivia Luder & Liam Trim sitemanagers@exepose.com

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

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Louis Doré & Owen Keating news@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé News

Car thefts rise in St. James’ area

Photo credit: Joshua Irwandi

James Smurthwaite News Team EXETER’S St James ward has seen a sharp increase of car thefts in the past month, with 11 being reported since the start of April. Some of the vehicles that have been broken into belong to students. The thieves appear to have been targeting valuables such as iPods and sat navs which have been left on display.

Devon and Cornwall Police are advising students to, “keep your car as tidy as possible, even if it is nothing of value (such as rubbish or food wrappers) criminals will break in hoping to find something of value amongst everything else”. They also suggest “keeping your glove box open and leaving it free of items so anyone looking into the vehicle can see there is nothing of value”.

“I don’t think the rise in car thefts will make me change anything” Lucy Cliff, Student and St James resident Yellow posters have also been distributed on lamp posts in student streets to raise awareness.

Tom Shopland, a St James resident and car owner said, “I usually leave my belongings in my car and don’t think anything of it, but hearing this news will encourage me to leave it inside my house - it’s definitely not worth the risk!”

However, Lucy Cliff, also a member of St James, claimed, “I’ve always

Xmedia Awards backed by i Newspaper Tom Payne News Team THIS year’s Xmedia Awards have received the backing of the i Newspaper.

The collaboration is the first of its kind for the long-running annual celebration of student media in Exeter.

The awards recognise excellence across a range of categories, including best feature and best coverage.

Rhodri Jones, the Assistant Editor of the i, will judge the entries for ‘The i Newspaper Award for Best News or Coverage’.

The winners will receive a year’s subscription to the i as a reward.

Tom Payne, former Exeposé editor, said: “Getting the backing of the i is great news for everyone in Xmedia.

“It allows us to have some of our best work approved by one of the nation’s biggest publications, and one lucky winner will also get a year’s subscription to one of the country’s best newspapers.”

This year’s Xmedia Award judges also include senior BBC News producer Matthew Sidney, Sky Sports pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz, BBC News direc-

tor Chris Chook and entertainment TV producer Adam Hunt.

The Heads of Media committee, consisting of 2012/13 Exeposé editors Tom Payne and Zoe Bulaitis, and last year’s heads of XpressionFM and XTV,

“Getting the backing of the i is great news for everyone in Xmedia” Tom Payne, former Exeposé editor received hundreds of entries for the awards.

They were faced with the daunting task of whittling down the submissions to five shortlisted entries for each category, which will be announced closer to the event.

The awards ceremony will be held on Sunday 2 June at the Thistle Hotel.

Tickets are £35 from the Guild Information Point, and all students are welcome.

Exeposé

felt safe in Exeter and the St James area, it’s certainly much safer than other University cities and I don’t think the rise in car thefts will make me change anything.”

If you see anything that you think is suspicious you should report it to the Devon and Cornwall police by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.

University offers free refuse collection Simon Dewhurst News Team STUDENTS at the University of Exeter will benefit from free refuse collections at the end of the academic year.

The University, Students’ Guild and Exeter City Council are working together to ensure students living off campus leave their houses in a clean condition at the end of the year. The scheme was first introduced last year and helped to enhance the University’s positive impact on the environment. The aim is to ensure that as much recycling is carried out as possible to reduce the amount of material going to landfill.

Students are able to arrange for items such as glass and food to be collected by emailing streetwise@ex.ac.uk or by texting 07500977333.

There is also the opportunity to have refuse collected by using the ‘bin stickers’ that have been delivered to student houses. This intends to make sure that waste is not left outside for a long period of time after students leave for the summer. The Council have also used the opportunity to remind students to use local recycling centres when possible.

Students requiring more information should visit www.exeter.gov.uk/students

Engineering students to race at Silverstone Tom Elliott Online News Editor A TEAM of Exeter Engineering students have been busy designing, calculating and testing a car that they built themselves in order to compete in the world’s largest student motorsport competition.

Formula Student, run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, takes place at Silverstone in July. The competition will see 149 teams from 32 different countries compete on the track in cars that they have designed themselves. As well as racing, the teams will have their designs scrutinised by industry professionals and will explain

“Formula Student has been helping to develop worldclass engineers for 15 years” Ross Brawn OBE, Formula Student Patron their production decisions to a panel of experts.

The Exeter racing car was unveiled at a public launch in The Forum on 10 May. The launch featured former Exeter students who now work in the motorsport industry. McLaren design engineer Sam Tozer unveiled the car.

Sky Sports Formula One presenter Ted Kravitz also attended.

Speaking to the University, Joe Wait, an Exeter student participating in Formula Student, said: “What we really like about this project are the similarities to a real engineering project, which involves working with lots of different people. For example, I can’t design the body on my own; I have to know what the chassis will be like.”

Ross Brawn OBE, Formula Student Patron and Team Principal of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 team, said: “Formula Student has been helping to develop world-class engineers for 15 years now. It’s a fantastic challenge for students to undertake and encourages huge amounts of innovation, which I am particularly passionate about.”

Exeposé

| Week TWENTY-seven

NEWS

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

St. Lukes to be partially demolished

The Plans:

Existing buildings Proposed buildings for demolition Proposed new buildings

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Medical School told Exeposé: “These documents are in the earliest stages of a wider discussion about potential development of the St. Luke’s campus over the next 25 years. We are merely considering all options at this point, and no funding has been identified for this long term development.

Once we have considered the options, we will consult with students and staff before any action is taken.

In the shorter term, we are progressing with refurbishments on two buildings on the St. Luke’s campus, as part of the University’s commitment to providing the best possible facilities for students and staff.”

“Once we have considered the options, we will consult with students and staff before any action is taken.”

UoE Medical School The department added that: “beyond this, no decisions have been

National Student News Harrison Jones Online News Editor

made for capital projects at St. Luke’s.

Any future work would respect the fact that some of the buildings are listed, and a full consultation would be undertaken”, before concluding by saying “we are now looking into how these documents entered the public domain.”

Chaos with unpaid university fees

“it is good news that the University is planning to invest in the long term future of St. Luke’s” VP Participation and Campuses Jon Bagnall, VP for Participation & Campuses, revealed that the drawings had not been seen by the Students’ Guild, suggesting the ideas are in their infancy.

He said: “I can’t comment on them specifically, however it is good news that the University is planning to invest in the long-term future of the St Luke’s campus, which has previously been uncertain.”

Plagiarism: The numbers don’t lie Photo credit: Niklas Rahmel

Owen Keating News Editor

• 84 cases of plagiarism in 2011/12 • Geography subject

FIGURES released last week show that EU graduates have failed to repay at least £50 million worth of UK tuition fee loans over the last five years, amidst rising fears about the value for money which British institutions provide.

More than £15 million owed by graduates from Cyprus will not be repaid and the SLC lacks valuable information in regard to other loans totalling £41 million. They remain unaware about whether European graduate debtors are in employment and their whereabouts.

In an attempt to recoup some of the funds, the SLC has hired specialists to track down hundreds of overseas graduates.

The figures, published by the Student Loans Company in response to an inquiry by the Independent on Sunday, come after a study revealed one in three students do not believe their degree represents value for money.

The Higher Education Policy Institute and the consumer watchdog Which? polled 17,000 students from around the UK earlier in the year.

29 per cent said their courses were not good value for money, compared with only 16 per cent in 2006 - when fees were just over £1,000 a year.

The report also suggests that teaching time has only risen by 20 minutes per week since then, despite the nine fold hike in tuition fees.

Thatcher to be honoured by Oxford University

with most offences • 52.8 per cent of cases this academic year from international students STATISTICS obtained by Exeposé have shown that while the number of plagiarism cases at Exeter has generally decreased, the proportion of plagiarism cases involving international students has risen dramatically this academic year.

The facts, obtained using the Freedom of Information Act, cover the period from the start of the 2008/09 academic year to March 2013. There have been 53 cases of plagiarism so far this year, and 28 of those have been attributed to international students, 52.8 per cent of the total. In 2008/09, 31 of 92 plagiarism offences were caused by international students, a percentage of 33.7 per cent.

The same amount of offences (92) took place in 2009/10, though the percentage of cases involving international students rose to 39.1 per cent. Statistics for 2010/11 indicate a drop of 19.6 per cent in cases, but this significant drop was countered the following academic year as there were 84 cases in 2011/12, 33 of which involved inter-

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national students, a percentage of 39.3 per cent.

The worst offenders so far this year are Geography, with students from that department responsible for 22.6 per cent of offences. Two of the department’s 12 offences (16.7%) were committed by international students. The Geography Department has, however, halved the number of cases in the department since 2008/09, when they had 24 cases.

73.9%

Fall in Engineering plagiarism cases since 2009/10 The second highest offender so far this academic year is the Business department, with nine cases of plagiarism reported within the department, all of which have been attributed to

overseas students.

This academic year has also marked the end of four consecutive years of decreasing plagiarism rates within the College of Humanities. The statistics obtained by Exeposé, which cover eight Humanities subjects, show that 18.9 per cent of cases this academic year have involved Humanities students. This is a 58.8 per cent increase on last year, when only 11.9 per cent of offences were perpetrated by students in Humanities subjects. 2011/12, however, represented a four year low for plagiarism offences in the College, however, and was the culmination of a 45.2 per cent decrease in offences over four years.

Engineering is another subject to have cleaned up its act over the past four years, as 23 cases in 2009/10 has become only six so far this academic year, a drop of 73.9 per cent.

The punishments for each offence vary by subject and by severity of of-

fence, although there is an overarching trend for plagiarised submissions to be awarded a mark of zero, or in more serious cases for their entire module or academic year to be scored a zero.

Only in the most extreme cases would a student be expelled or excluded from the University.

Tom Payne, a third year English student, stated that: “it’s good news that cases of plagiarism are generally decreasing, but the sharp rise in plagiarism incidents involving international students needs to be addressed – the strong messages against cheating don’t translate effectively enough for international students. It’s hard to tell whose fault this is.”

Imogen Sanders, VP Academic Affairs, said: “Plagiarism is an issue for all of the Universities in the UK”, adding that “The Students’ Guild are continuing to work constructively with the University to reduce plagiarism”.

MARGARET Thatcher’s college at Oxford University has unveiled plans to honour the former Conservative Prime Minister, after her death last month.

Somerville College is establishing a £100 million scholarship trust in memory of her legacy, in a bid to help young people who succeed “against the odds” and win the chance to study at Oxford.

Ten “Thatcher scholars” will be selected from around the world yearly, with a focus upon disadvantaged youngsters.

Currently, students from private schools make up just under half of all Oxford students, with 93% of UK students attending state schools.

Thatcher, who gained a place to study chemistry in the 1940s after initially being rejected, was originally approached five years ago and greeted the proposal with enthusiasm. She was vocal throughout her life in supporting the college, having been awarded a bursary and scholarship after struggling to cope with the cost of living.

The scheme, called the Margaret Thatcher Scholarship Trust, has been endorsed by the likes of Tony Blair, George Bush senior and Mikhail Gorbachev.

The college hopes that the first beneficiaries will begin studying at the University by 2015/16, once funding has been sourced.

Students say n

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NEWS

Owen Keating News Editor

EXETER students have voted against a motion tabled last week which advocated banning The Sun from the Guild’s retail outlets. The motion to ban the most read newspaper in the UK was submitted by a student earlier this term, on the grounds that the ‘paper’s iconic “Page 3” feature was sexist and offensive.

The motion was defeated by a majority of 585, with 919 voting for the ban and 1,504 against it. There were also 18 abstentions.

The 2,441 votes cast represent a turnout of 13.77 per cent, and is the highest turnout ever for a Guild vote.

The total number of votes makes this the biggest student vote in England and Wales this year, and the largest democratic vote on this particular issue.

On Monday morning, when the vote opened, the rate of voters was higher than at peak voting time during the Sabbatical Officer elections, which were held last term.

The vote had been engaged with extensively by Exeter students, as Facebook groups had been set up and joined by hundreds of students from both sides of the debate. In addition, Xpression FM held a debate on Thursday night which finished with an exit poll in which 22 people voted for the motion, with 66 opposing it.

As of midnight on Thursday night, the day the vote closed, 2,109 of the voters were undergraduate students, with 124 postgraduate students and 107 PGT voters.

Second year students were the most prolific voters, with 894 voters from this demographic. 742 first year students also cast their votes.

Statistics released by the Students’ Guild show that of the 2,441 voters, 1,353 participants were male, with 987 female voters.

Exeter is only the second high-profile university to reject a ban of The Sun in recent years, following York University, who have also recently been in the news for rejecting the ratification of a Feminist Society. Earlier this week, the Cambridge University Students’ Union agreed to ban The Sun from their campus with a 100 per cent majority.

The successful “No” campaign claimed that the proposed ban achieved ‘nothing’, and said: ‘the argument is that The Sun’s Page 3 is misogynistic, and has no place in today’s society. Whilst this may be true, to ban a media publication from sale outright, rather than

21 MAY 2013 |

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allowing students to make up their own minds, is little more than censorship’.

One of the key facets of the motion is that if the vote had been successful, the Guild would have then petitioned the University to remove The Sun from their own retail outlets, which include not only The Market Place in The Forum but also shops across the city, including one outside St. Davids’ Station.

Statistics for the 1-7 May show that 1,042 copies of The Sun were sold in the Market Place over that week, as well of 16 copies of either the Saturday version of The Sun or The Sunday Sun. These 1,058 copies represent 5% of the 21,335 individual sales of publications.

The Daily Telegraph is the biggest seller in the Market Place, with 8,281 copies sold last week.

When asked about the student vote, a University spokesman said: “The University is aware of the...campaign to ban The Sun. At this stage, the University does not plan to remove The Sun from its university-run retail outlets. The outlets both on and off campus offer a range of newspaper and magazine options, cater-

“Last week saw the highest level of participation we have ever seen in a vote of this kind, beating our previous record by over 600 votes”

Exeposé

“We’re sorry to hear that Exeter University has not formally chosen to take this stance at this point”- No More Page 3

61.6% 37.6% against

for

Students’ Guild spokesperson ing to a range of customers, and feel it is up to them to make a decision about which publication they wish to publish.”

A spokesperson for the Students’ Guild told Exeposé “The Guild would first of all like to congratulate both campaigns on their incredible work engaging students on the issue of banning The Sun. With 2,441 students taking part, last week saw the highest level of participation we have ever seen in a vote of this kind, beating our previous record by over 600 votes.

The Students’ Guild will not ban The Sun from the Students’ Guild shop.

As has been noted, the shop may not currently stock the newspaper. However, if our suppliers change their pricing policy in line with our students’ wishes, we will be open to its return.

Overall, this past week has seen student democracy at its finest, and proof that if you have your say the Guild will always listen.”

Analysis: the debate in THE vote on whether or not to ban The Sun from Guild retail outlets comes amidst a national movement in universities against Page 3. Ten other universities’ guilds have moved to ban the sale of The Sun from their outlets, including Cambridge, Durham and the London School of Economics.

The No More Page 3 petition has instigated action within university guilds against the sale of Page 3 publications, citing the images as demeaning to women. The movement told Exeposé “We’re delighted that so many student bodies have decided to support the campaign; by supporting No More Page 3, many Student Unions have sent a powerful message to the students they represent that respect towards women is an absolute priority. This isn’t about censorship, this is about students declaring that sexism has no place on campus.”

Cambridge University students

A brief history of Page 3 Louis Doré, News Editor, takes you through the history of controversy surrounding Page 3 and The Sun

voted in council, with representatives from colleges supporting the movement unanimously. The No More Page 3 movement has also gained traction in Newcastle with 57 per cent of students of the Newcastle University Students’ Union voting to ban all Page 3 publications from being sold in the Students’ Union shop. Sheffield Students’ Union also moved to ban the sale of The Sun, without the vote of the student public however, passing the motion in committee behind closed doors.

There have been, however, some detractors from the movement, as the York University Students’ Union have denied the vote to ban The Sun. 70.8 per cent of 1402 students polled voted against the motion at the University which three weeks ago refused to ratify its Feminist Society for a second time.

Colleges at Oxford University have moved for a ban of the sale of The Sun also, as Brasenose College and St. Ed-

17 November 1969: Rupert Murdoch relaunches The Sun including clothed glamour models on Page 3.

mund Hall have both voted in favour of the No More Page 3 movement.

Leeds University also started a campaign against Page 3. Leeds University Union commented “the idea was proposed by a student and therefore scheduled to be taken to forum. Shortly after this, however, the student proposing the idea decided to discontinue.

For this reason, the idea didn’t make it to forum and there was no subsequent referendum.“ The No More Page 3 group commented in light of the results, “We’re sorry to hear that Exeter University has not formally chosen to take this stance at this point. However, we’re aware that there are still a lot of students at Exeter who wholeheartedly wish to see their university cease to support sexist publications; we would like these students to know that we will still be on hand to offer them advice and support.”

17 November 1970: On the first anniversary of The Sun’s relaunch, Editor Larry Lamb allows a topless photo of German glamour model Stephanie Rahn on Page 3. Larry Lamb begins an editorial tradition that lasts into the 21st Century.

no to Sun ban Exeposé

| Week TWENTY-seven

COMMENTARY

Owen Keating

News Editor

n context

Reporting by Louis Doré

Percentage vote by year:

by sex:

by subject:

by fee status:

1970s: The Sun rapidly increases in popularity to become the most popular paper in Britain.

The success of Page 3 is mimicked by The Daily Star and The Daily Mirror who both run the feature.

NEWS

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1980s: The Daily Mirror stops printing Page 3 after deeming it demeaning to women, while The Sun and The Daily Star continue it.

LAST week’s online debate on whether or not to ban The Sun on campus was sullied by offensive personal remarks on Facebook. Some students took the opportunity to hijack what had been a constructive debate with misogynistic comments, with one student even comparing the potential banning of The Sun on campus with the expulsion of Jewish people from Nazi Germany in the 1940s.

Although the students involved represented only a small minority of those involved to the groups, their comments dominated the conversation, with many other students condemning their actions as ‘vile’ and ‘shameful’.

Some students chose to respond to these condemnations with further insults, as one second year hockey player responded that ‘if you have a fantastic set of wobbolahs (sic) why not allow other people to appreciate such beauty’.

Similar sentiments were shared by some of this student’s friends, one of whom added that ‘sex is a part of life.

Something that many of you voteYES (sic) have probably never experienced in your life’. The same student also invited supporters of the ‘Yes’ vote to ‘get back in the kitchen, make me a sandwich, get your tits out and get on with life’.

Other students speculated that male supporters of the ‘Yes’ vote were only supporting the cause in order to seduce fellow female supporters, while another suggested that some ‘Yes’ supporters 1990s: The Sun changes the format of Page 3, adding a small profile of the models and insisting upon colour photography.

were unable to follow the debate and had got ‘confused’, because they ‘probably do Geography’. The same student, a regular commenter on the group, suggested that a more worthwhile campaign would target ‘fat people’, since ‘more people get offended looking at them then (sic) looking at pretty girls’.

When contacted by Exeposé, the student, who lists his political views on Facebook as “very conservative”, stated that he did ‘mean to cause offence’, and that ‘I quickly realized this was not a forum for personal opinion and more a place to shred people that did not believe in what I believed in…it’s not my fault I’m much cleverer than everyone else in the forum and therefore was able to wind everyone up a lot (sic)’.

Rob Harris, a second year English student, said that “it’s disheartening to see some students resort to such depressing and childish comments instead of actually engaging with the debate”.

Of the other students by Exeposé, one stated that he had apologised to students he had offended, and that he regretted his actions. Another stated that his only intention was to wind others up, and the remainder declined to comment before Exeposé went to print.

Virginia Walsh, leader of the ‘Yes’ campaign, said that “It has been really disappointing that a small minority have chosen not to engage with the debate intelligently. Some of what has been said has been extremely hurtful to me personally and many members of my team, and people seem to think that it is OK to make these kinds of comment on the internet. Despite those few, there have been many people who have been really supportive to me personally as well as defending us on Facebook, which is fantastic, and overall I think the campaign and debates which have resulted are actually really positive.”

>> Campaign posters defaced outside Queen’s

2012: The “No More Page 3” petition is started by Lucy Anne Holmes. It argues alongside an open letter from MPs to Dominic Mohan to stop Page 3.

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Photo Credit: Niklas Rahmel

Jan-May 2013: The Sun comes under scrutiny from the “No More Page 3” movement as more university guilds around the country ban the sale of the ‘paper from their retail outlets.

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| WEEK TWENTY-seven

Comment Exeposé

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est.

“However, a minority of students tarnished the contributions of the majority with derogatory and offensive comments often personally attacking campaigners” year.

Since Exeposé revealed that the vote was due to take place, interest around the vote has been enormous.

Campaign groups sprung up swiftly on Facebook and within days were regularly engaging with hundreds of students, both for and against the motion. In the name of fighting either censorship or sexism, the majority of posts within the groups furthered the debate with intelligent, insightful and well-argued contributions.

However, as is often the case, a minority of students tarnished the

“In the name of fighting either censorship or sexism, the majority of posts within the groups furthered debate with intelligent insightful and well argued contributions”

EDITORS DEPUTY EDITORS

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1987

Students voted “No”

EXETER University has spoken, and our Students’ Guild will not be campaigning to remove the Sun from University outlets. 13.77% of students voted, with a total of 2,441 votes cast.

It is the largest and most democratic vote of its kind at a UK university this

COMMENT

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

mentary on page 5 of this issue give a sense of the abuse, but represent neither all nor the worst of the comments that were made. Many were too personal to print.

Rightfully, this abuse was condemned by both sides of the debate.

The sexist comments made in no way reflected the arguments of the “No” campaign, and, ostensibly, had no impact on the vote.

But the abuse will linger in the minds of many that reflect on the vote. A 60/40 split shows a significant diversity in opinion amongst the student body. Yet when outsiders look at Exeter voting against a ban despite the majority of universities voting for

“Whether it was down to the strength of the “No” campaign or people’s own personal beliefs, university students voted, and the results of that vote will stand” it, alongside appallingly sexist comments on social media, will it be too easy to blame the age-old stereotypes that surround our university?

It shouldn’t be. Whether it was down to the strength of the “No” campaign or people’s own personal beliefs, university students voted, and the results of that vote will stand.

As for the handful of students that endangered the vote with sexist comments, they remain unnamed in Exeposé. They weren’t unnamed in the Facebook groups, for the whole world - and potential future employers - to see.

contributions of the majority with derogatory and offensive comments, often personally attacking campaigners for their views or - shamefully - for their gender. The comments mentioned in Owen Keating’s comThanks to those who helped proof this issue: Vanessa Tracey, Lauren Swift, Charlotte Earland, Tom Payne, James Crouch, Bethany Stuart, Krissi Hill, Naomi Politer, Isobel Eddyshaw, Sophie Beckett, Thomas Ling, Emily Lunn and members of the Exeposé editorial team

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Meg Drewett & Jon Jenner Clara Plackett & Emily Tanner

JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Comment

Students vote on banning The Sun from campus

“They highlighted the very issue we were trying to raise: that sexism is still present in our society” Holly Dowel

BY the time you are reading this, the student vote on the proposed boycott of The Sun in Guild outlets will be over.

But the important thing is that its legacy won’t be. Whatever the outcome, Exeter students have engaged with the debate more enthusiastically than we could have imagined. So many people have become aware of the wider No More Page Three campaign and have pledged support no matter what their vote – I’m so proud of what we have achieved as a student body.

What I initially believed would be a relatively small vote on whether the University condemned Page 3 or not became a campus-wide debate on the extent to which limiting student choice is permissible to discourage sexism; brilliant, but draining. Organising a campaign isn’t something that you can

turn off from easily; but I don’t want to turn off if it means that more and more students are rethinking their attitude to Page 3 and want to see it removed.

“What I initially believed would be a relatively small vote on whether the University condemned Page 3 or not because a campus wide debate” There were sadly a select few that took the opportunity to be rude and to try to hurt anyone who supported the campaign; some of our posters were defaced, and comments such as “slut”, “fatty” and “twat” were used repeatedly to belittle our supporters.

These people were removed from the Facebook group in a joint-decision with the No campaign. Although they didn’t engage fully in the debate in question, they highlighted the very issue we have been trying to raise: that sexism is

still present in our society. And really, that’s what our campaign was trying to address.

We knew when we started this that it was never going to change the world overnight. But by raising the issue of Page 3 and boycotting The Sun, we hoped to add Exeter to the growing list of universities that are willing to make a stand against something they disagree with so that change can happen. Change is a slow process; but that doesn’t mean that we can ignore factors that contribute to sexual objectification in the media and hope they go away.

Votes like this one and their consequences are important steps in ensuring that, maybe in ten years, sexism won’t be such a big issue.

Along with the drama, this campaign has given voice to student views and set a real precedent for a change in attitudes, and the support we have had from both friends and strangers is humbling and fantastic. I don’t regret it in the slightest.

“Many voting againist the motion will do so as they believe there is nothing wrong with having boobs in the most widely read newspaper” Rob Price THE OVERWHELMING reaction that I have received from students this week is “Why? Why has this question even been put to the student vote?” Many people have said that they feel it is patronising that someone has even proposed to have a newspaper banned on campus; every student should have the option to buy such a widely read newspaper or not.

Furthermore, the Yes campaign has continued to mislead people with the constant use of the word ‘boycott’.

This would entail every student still having the right to buy The Sun from any outlet, but being encouraged not to. A boycott does not need to be voted on. The only shop, as far as I know, that stocks The Sun on campus, is The Marketplace, and the manager has approached me to say that this vote has no influence on her whatsoever, and she will continue to stock The Sun. So why are we voting to ban The Sun, rather than actively boycotting

“To coincide with the student vote on The Sun, Exeposé Comment asked “Putting aside for a minute whether The Sun should be removed from Guild outlets or not, “Is Page 3 sexist?” (figures accurate as of 16/05/13)

Should the motion fall (as I’m writing there is still a day left to vote), then this could send the wrong message to Murdoch, that Exeter University has voted to save The Sun. Of course, anyone who’s kept up to date with the debate online will know that a majority of voters have done so

in the interest of maintaining freedom of student choice.

My point here is that the motion proposed has polarised support for an important issue: the portrayal of women in today’s media. Many voting against the motion will do so as they believe there is nothing wrong with having boobs in the UK’s most widely read newspaper, however many of us voting No empathise with the aims of the national No More Page Three campaign. A boycott would be welcome, but it would be much tougher to carry out and would require hard work and commitment to continue, perhaps a vote to ban The Sun was the easy option.

No matter the outcome of this proposal, it is fantastic that the student body has turned out in force to vote, with almost 2000 votes cast already - the highest ever in an Exeter Uni student vote and approaching the highest number of votes on banning The Sun in all other universities nationwide. Our students’ willingness and ability to engage in debate on the issue appears second to none.

of those who voted said YES

of those who voted said NO

the sale of The Sun from the only shop that actually stocks it? To send a bigger message to Murdoch. Rather than seeking to force The Market Place not to stock it, and actually preventing it from being sold by The Guild, a continued campaign to ensure that it would no longer be economically viable in either shop would go a darn sight further than seeking to make decisions for the whole student body.

The idea that this will send a message to Murdoch is actually one that could backfire massively.

“The Yes campaign has continued to mislead people with the word ‘boycott’”

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Exeposé

Abusing our freedom of speech?

Owen Keating

News Editor OVER the past week, Exeter’s students have flocked to the online ballot boxes to vote on whether or not their Students’ Guild should ban the sale of The Sun from its retail outlets. A record-breaking number of votes have been cast, and when the vote opened last Monday, the rate of students casting their opinion outstripped the peak rate during Sabb election week.

This enthusiasm for the debate was aided in no small part by well-publicised, convincing campaigns from both sides, as well as large Facebook groups where people would congregate to debate what is an important issue for this university and its students.

Unfortunately, there are two sides to every coin, and while many students from all parts of the political spectrum debated intelligently, some individuals took the opportunity to be personally offensive, through misogyny, homophobia, and vitriol.

It would be easy to say that these

“We should be asking them why they wrote what they did, and examining what made them think that such blinkered arrogant views were acceptable” trolls were a ‘minority’, and that they should just be ignored, and denied the oxygen of publicity. I disagree. We should be asking them why they wrote what they did, and examining what made them think that such blinkered, arrogant views were acceptable.

We are at one of the best universities in the country. We’ve all had to secure extremely high grades to get here.

One could be forgiven for assuming that we all possess at least a modicum of intelligence. That (apparently false) assumption is what makes the comments I’m about to list so depressing.

It’s sickening to see someone with an education that’s cost as much as a fam-

ily home describe someone as ‘gay’ for simply saying that they don’t want an objectified woman on the inside cover of their newspaper, or to assume that if someone doesn’t want breasts between their headlines then they must be a virgin, a prude, or some kind of mythical feminazi troublemaker.

Outside the debate’s Facebook groups, feckless morons continued to thrust their myopic views onto every-

“Women were reduced to ‘unattractive Mumsnetaspiring bints’ who needed to learn how to make sandwiches and give blowjobs rather than focus on outdated concepts like equality” one else. Students campaigning for this Guild to make a hugely progressive statement on how Exeter students view women were reduced to “unattractive, Mumsnet-aspiring bints” who needed to learn how to make sandwiches and give blowjobs rather than focus on outdated concepts like democracy and equality, as two of this university’s less celebrated thinkers were seen to observe.

It goes without saying that these people are allowed their opinions, however retrograde they may be. However, by that same measure, we, the rational majority, must also be allowed to show them that their views are as cretinous as they are offensive.

Maybe these people thought they would be able to bully “yes” supporters into submission through some sort of social shaming. They were wrong.

Instead, these trolls, by their depressingly arrogant, boringly misogynistic posts, have proved what the rest of us already knew: their vile reaction to a fair debate has shown that a serious discussion is needed regarding how some of the students at this university treat women.

LETTERS Dear Exeposé,

Censorship is a potent word. Would it not make more sense for the proposed ‘ban’ of the Sun to be rephrased as a ‘boycott’? I feel a vote based on these terms would appease those who are describing it as Guild censorship or more ridiculously as the ‘tyranny of the minority’. Whilst a ‘ban’ would infer censorship, a boycott would imply a moral rejection of the publication, which it seems is the intention of the proposal.

The idea of boycotting the Sun based on the content of Page 3 is totally worthwhile. Whilst it may not directly punch women in the face, it does affect our perception of women, as does the majority of porn. The presentation of a topless woman with a banal caption about the news is degrading. The women involved may advocate it, but they would - they are the only women truly reaping any sort of reward.

A boycott may be impotent as a singular action, but in conjunction with

James Bennett

Online Comment Editor VOTING “No” on last week’s referendum does not, as some seem to be suggesting, condemn you to being pro-The Sun, misogynistic or sexist. Rather, voting “No” demonstrates that you find a ban unnecessary, impotent and/or fundamentally undemocratic.

Last week the battle lines appeared at first glance to have been drawn such that you were forced to make a choice between being, a, “...fake libertarian” suffering from, “deep seated sexism” or some sort of Stalinist ally hell-bent on the restriction of the free press. There was also talk of, “political lesbians” at some point but that’s far too much stupidity to cover in one sitting. The point is, I have no interest in identifying with either of these caricatures which accurately portray no one; the reasonable, coherent debate lies as usual in the middle.

When the “Vote No” campaign have raised objections concerning how undemocratic this referendum actually

Liam Trim Site Manager

US students are a young and idealistic bunch. Well, so they say. At our time of life we are meant to be free of cynicism and disillusionment, ready to tackle the injustices of society. We are positive rather than pessimistic, progressive not conservative. The issues of the day excite and engage us.

Or do they? My initial reaction to the Facebook activity concerning the referendum, on whether or not The Sun newspaper should be banned from campus, was annoyance. Then the invites started flooding in. Not only was my news feed clogged with far from concise rhetoric about freedom of speech and the male fascination with breasts, but I was being asked by my friends to take a side in the debate.

Was I against misogyny or freedom of speech?

I didn’t really know or care. Well

“Modern feminism means that a woman can be proud of her body and appearance, without suffering from persecution from men and women alike” is, the reply has repeatedly come that we have an opportunity to vote, so it must be democracy in action. This response, however loudly and repeatedly it is presented, misses the point. A free press is a necessary element of a free democracy, not something that can or should be put up to a vote. The complaint is not that the referendum is undemocratic because we are not given the vote, it is because of what is at stake

“A free press is a necessary element of a free democracy, not something that can or should be put up to a vote” that should be especially protected. To voluntarily boycott the paper is entirely within your rights, to ban it is not.

The thing I hate about Page 3 is not the picture, it’s the caption which in-

evitably offers some opinion on Syria, or the deficit, or the Eurozone supposedly from the model. It’s condescending; whether or not the model has these opinions, the underlying assumption is that this woman could not be both attractive and intelligent, and that is abhorrent sexism.

I would argue though, that modern feminism means that a woman can be proud of her body and appearance, and choose to make a living through them, without suffering from persecution from men and women alike. A man’s attitude to women should obviously not be based on his interaction with a picture on an inside cover of a tabloid paper, and if they are then we need to address issues of gender equality on a national level, not by banning one paper among many which offer topless photographs of women.

“If you have an opinion act on it, even if the noise of the debate rumbling on in the background is an irritant” actually, I did. Like many of my media-conscious Facebook friends, I was against any act of censorship. As a budding journalist I saw the whole debate as rather pointless. It certainly wasn’t going to solve the problem of Page 3 and its associated evils. However, the fact that I was being pressed into taking a side put me off voting.

Many people are put off religion by overzealous preachers and resent having it “shoved down their throat”.

In the Facebook era preaching appears to have taken on a new guise. Whether we’re trying to revise, recovering from glandular fever or simply Facebook stalking someone, the preachy invites to campaign groups are off-putting.

But the invites come from friends who are just trying to do a small thing

to make a difference, even if it’s only in a university referendum. Principles matter. And what this referendum has shown me is that campaigning is hard.

You can slave over an eloquent post in a Facebook group, as opposed to a rant, but most people will neither read it or act on it. You can try to engage people but ultimately their own concerns will trump your cause.

In the recent local elections it was hard to get people to cast their vote too. It is important to stop the rot by ensuring we participate in democracy at all levels. If you have an opinion, act on it, even if the noise of the debate rumbling on in the background is an irritant.

Send your letters into editors@exepose many other universities and other institutions it will send a direct message to Dominic Mohan that the majority of an institution find it inappropriate in today’s society, of course the opposite would be just as valid if the measure was defeated.

The most important aspect of this proposal is the dialogue it has created.

Many have raised the legitimate complaint that this seems like censorship, however I feel that changing the wording to ‘boycott’ and the fact that there

would be a student-wide vote would erase this complaint, and leave the floor open to a more legitimate debate around support for and against Page 3.

Unfortunately many droll neophytes, rather than applying critical thought and joining in the debate which is a totally legitimate and necessary one, especially surrounding the issue and possible problems with porn - have resorted to online scaremongering and paranoid conjecture. This is a shame, but to be expected when de-

bating sexism. All the more need for a boycott. Remember, don’t feed the trolls.

Yours sincerely, Tom Oberst

Exeposé

| WEEK TWENTY-seven

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Is the new gym worth the cost?

Will Kelleher

Sports Editor HAVING seen the title ‘Sports Editor’ underneath my name above, you may not be surprised to read that I am completely behind the decision to raise fees at the Sports Park next year.

“The new facilities that are being built at the Sports Park are just another development that make our institution a beacon of success and the envy of many other Universities in the UK” First and foremost, let’s get this straight; the Guild, the AU and the Sports Park are not some sort of devil’s trinity intent on ruining your University experience and sucking every last penny from your student loan. Too often people stick the knife in and, without wanting to sound like Rafa Benitez, do not know the facts.

All three institutions try their damndest to provide the majority of students with a great three or so years at Exeter. The new facilities that are being built at the Sports Park are just another development that make our institution a beacon of success and the envy of many other Universities in the

Cartoon by Charlotte Micklewright

UK. Seeing as I work pretty closely with all three of these institutions, via my role at Exeposé, and I am one of the few people to have actually visited the building site and to see the detailed plans for the new facilities, I feel that I am in a fantastic position to comment on how justified the price-hike is.

Let me get this straight I do not have a position on the Guild, AU or Sports Park teams, I come from a neutral standpoint; what I do have, however, is pride of our University and the desire to see us compete with the best institutions in the country.

The Sports Park facilities will put Exeter at the forefront of student sport, where we belong. The Streatham Campus has been crying out for proper sporting facilities to rival its competitors. 2012/13 is set to be the best year ever for Exeter sport as we are close to clinching 5th place in BUCS something that has never been done before.

To get better we need these facilities.

The money raised from higher fees will be invested in better coaching, better facilities and more funding for clubs, which surely cannot be argued with. We must upgrade our facilities to maintain our tag as a successful sporting uni.

The fact of the matter is that the

FOR

AU worked tirelessly to freeze prices for last year so actually everyone will be getting ridiculous value for money next year for the use of one of the best University gyms in the country. For those still whinging, thank your lucky stars that the AU fought on your behalf for 18 months- the prices were set to be higher until they negotiated them down.

“If anything prices will encourage more people to go more regularly to get their money’s worth, and hey, you can watch Sky Sports while you’re there! So there is not much to complain about” Yes the prices for the very irregular user are higher but this is much cheaper than say a David Lloyd gym where hefty fees are the norm for one off visits. If anything the prices will encourage more people to go more regularly to get their money’s worth, and hey, you can watch Sky Sports News while you’re there!

So there is not that much to complain about. If you want success you have to pay for it. If you do not want to pay for the gym’s facilities then don’t- go for a run, it’s free! It would be terrible business by the University to keep prices the same. This all makes perfect sense to me!

hair on the wall. I don’t mean to be vulgar but that is disgusting. Then the

Larissa Rea WHEN I first heard that the gym prices were to increase, I was horrified. I wasn’t really willing to pay the initial £225 for a Gold membership, let alone £240. However I did, and whenever I go to the gym I am usually quite disappointed.

I tend to go around 11am12pm, and so there is not usually many people there. However it only takes one person to stop me from doing what I usually want to do, which is to go on the grey Life Fitness elliptical at the front next to the bikes on the top floor. After that I sometimes hit the showers, but I usually regret doing so because it al-

“For two weeks there was the same clump of hair of the wall. I don’t mean to be vulgar but that is disgusting. I don’t want to pay any more for a filthy gym” drains in the showers are always full of hair, the floors are usually dirty and understandably, wet.

I don’t want to pay any more money for a filthy gym. It’s disgusting in there. And I realise that they are making a bigger gym with many more machines, and it does look pretty awesome, but as students we shouldn’t have to pay extra for a decent gym, it should already be decent. I think it is so expensive for what it is.

Southampton University students only have to pay £130 per year for a gym that has 160 stations, that’s almost double the number of stations we have in Exeter at the moment – and it includes access to the swimming pool. I think that since they have put so much money into building this new gym, the prices should be relatively high, but they are high enough already, they shouldn’t put them any higher.

AGAINST

“Southampton University students only have to pay 130 per year for a gym that has 160 stations, that is almost double the number of stations we have in Exeter at the moment” ways seems to be filthy. I usually get changed in the disabled toilet before I go into the gym, and for two weeks straight there was the same clump of

Exeposé

| WEEK twenty-SEVEN

Features FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @ExeposeFeatures

Alex Thomas examines the making or the breaking of your career 1. Start early and prepare; update your CV and start to think about what industries or careers interest you. Sectors range from marketing and journalism, to engineering and finance, so starting to explore all of your options is a good way to start.

2. Don’t leave your applications too late, they can be time consuming and many companies will fill up before their closing dates, which makes it much

“Don’t leave your application too late; they can be time consuming and many companies will fill up before their closing dates” harder to get jobs later on. Don’t lose out to the early birds.

3. There are lots of resources for internships or graduate jobs. I found The Times and RateMyPlacement were the best, but other good sources include Target jobs and Milkround. Don’t apply to any old scheme, as there are so many out there. Find schemes that interest you, make a list of potential companies and rank them in order of preference.

4. The application forms can be time

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FEATURES EDITORS

Alexander Carden & James Roberts features@exepose.com

JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Features

Intern-al Affairs I’M sure that the majority of you are not worried at all, or haven’t even thought about getting a graduate job. We are, after all, studying at the University of The Year. Employers love that stuff, right?

Having gone through the process myself this year, I too started off with a similar attitude. It didn’t take me long, though, before I realised it wouldn’t be a walk in the park, but more like a walk around campus; an uphill effort to get to your destination.

We are constantly bombarded with stories of unemployed graduates and high applications to job ratios (56 applicants for every graduate job) which highlight the fact that a good degree alone is not enough.

One way of securing a job upon graduation is by getting a summer internship. High Fliers’ annual review of the graduate market said 75% of graduate vacancies advertised by City investment banks and half the training contracts offered by leading law firms are likely to be filled by graduates who have already completed experience with the employer. Many recruiters are warning graduates who have no previous work experience that they have little chance of receiving a job offer.

Can you afford not to get a summer internship? Having secured myself an accountancy internship this summer, here’s a guide to getting that golden opportunity:

FEATURES

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consuming and tend to ask similar questions. I found it handy to have a word document with all the questions and my answers, so I could work on them at my own leisure. It’s also handy for the repeated questions that inevitably blight the application process. If the time that you saved a cat from a tree was when you reacted quickly to a bad situation, then why do you need to constantly write up other examples?

5. Apply to at least 12 companies, although for very competitive markets such as investment banking, apply for more. Making a note of the deadlines and the stages you have reached is a good idea so you don’t get confused.

6. Prepare for rejections. If conservation work on the beaches of Costa Rica or conquering your fears with the largest bungee jump in the world didn’t impress employers enough, they were probably just jealous.

7. You may be asked to perform psychometric tests, which include numeracy, verbal and non-verbal reasoning assessments. It is well worth practicing before; you can even buy practice kits if you fancy. It is amazing how many companies use the same testing software with similar questions and answers, so if you practice enough it really does pay off.

8. When you get that interview don’t put too much pressure on it. The key is to be well prepared but also be relaxed and confident in your abilities. It might help you to organise a mock interview so you know what to expect; helpful housemates can be invaluable.

Be yourself, because they don’t want someone reeling off standard answers; they want someone who would add something to the company. Glassdoor.co.uk is a really good web-site for finding out what others have been asked in interviews. It may not sound much, but if you are prepared to be asked what their share price is or who the CEO is then you stand a much better chance of getting the gig.

Think of it like The Apprentice, but much more friendly. Good luck!

A sociologist’s guide to the Higgs Boson In the absence of a real physicist, Alexander Carden, Features Editor, stumbles through the confusing world of sub-atomics

The Higgs-Whatnow?

LET’S break this up a bit. Peter Higgs is a scientist. A boson is a particle, which roughly means one of a series of things smaller than an atom. Higgs et al came up with a theory which helped explain some features of the Standard Model. This theory suggested the existence of a particular field made up of a particular boson - ergo, the Higgs Boson.

The Standard Model?

It’s sometimes known as the theory of almost everything, which should clue you in that it’s very complicated.

Effectively, the Standard Model is a unifying theory as to how and why subatomic particles behave as they do – and considering sub-atomic par-

“If you call it [the God particle] within the hearing of a scientist, they will beat you to tdeath with an electron microscope” ticles make up everything ever, that’s an important thing to know. It isn’t entirely perfect and has a number of odd and very complicated issues – one of which was why some particles have mass when they apparently shouldn’t.

Enter our hero…

If this issue hadn’t been solved, there would still have been a great deal of doubt as to whether the Standard Model was actually correct or not. But to the decorous jubilation of scientists everywhere, its existence has been tentatively confirmed by the Large Hadron Collider – the big laser tunnel that we all thought was going to destroy the world – and thus validates the standard model as being an accurate representation of how sub-atomic particles work.

So cut the crap, how does it work?

Here goes. Dodging the underlying equations, the short version is that the maths says some particles shouldn’t have mass when they clearly do. The Higgs field could break some of the rules governing the mass of

some particles.

The best analogy, moved to an Exeter context, is imagining the field as the Enchanted Garden Ball, and the people as the Higgs Bosons. The ball/ field is full of people/bosons, randomly wandering around, except when they spy a passing BNOC/particle.

When said BNOC is spotted, people crowd around him or her, increasing their mass and slowing their progress with admiring comments about their gilet, whereas when I blissfully and anonymously wander through, I can escape unimpeded.

Wait, isn’t this the ‘God particle’? Or Possibly God himself?

No, no, three times no. If you call it this within the hearing of a scientist, or worse still dare to tie it in to some sort of religious context, they will beat you to death with an electron microscope.

And those are heavy. And expensive.

The name comes from it being known as the ‘goddam particle’ because of its impossible-to-find nature. And, in the proud tradition of cynical journalists and editors everywhere, it was transmuted into ‘the God particle’ solely to sell more copies of books and papers.

It does not prove or disprove any god or gods, nor the origins of the universe, nor anything else remotely that world-shaking. It’s merely a name designed to grab attention; and has done very well in that respect.

So, is it all hovercars and jetpacks from here?

Well, maybe. The practical uses of the Higgs Boson are pretty much unknowable. At the current time, it doesn’t seem to have any useful applications, but the same was thought of quantum mechanics (which led to the creation of computers and mobile phones) radio waves (all sorts) and relativity (GPS and SatNav) when they were discovered. So the short answer is you’ll have to wait and see whether soon you’ll be using the Higgs Boson every day as you float to campus on your anti-gravity skateboard.

Next time: A classicist’s guide to Scientology!

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Exeposé

Fake, harmful, misogynistic? Or fit, healthy, masculine?

Emma Sudderick looks at FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women AS Mila Kunis becomes FHM’s sexiest woman for 2013, the male magazine’s controversial award raises all the expected questions; is it acceptable to portray women as sexual objects in the media?

Does using phrases like “trouser-shatteringly sexy” degrade the female gender?

And is this award just another example of a core societal problem regarding expectations of the body?

“Does using phrases like ‘trouser-shatteringly sexy’ degrade the female gender?”

There is something to be said for the magazine’s popularity, despite accusations of derogatory publications denouncing women as little more than sexual objects. After the outrage at Tulisa Contostavlos of N-Dubz being named sexiest woman of 2012, FHM experienced their highest polls in the history of the magazine. The outcome named Perrie Edwards of The X Factor winning girl band Little Mix 55th in the list, Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke at 33rd and Beyonce Knowles still making the top 20 despite having a baby bump for most of the year.

of 2013 List, and asks if being ‘sexy’ is sexist

Yet, despite criticism that it is degrading and chauvinistic in its approach, the photographs used for the list are not as revealing as you expect.

Though this cannot be said for the entirety of the publication, there were some unexpected names revealed this year such as the 51 year old television presenter Linda Barker and News Reporter Susanna Reid, which proved that the list is not merely a repertoire of scantily clad models.

That is not to say that the FHM list is media at its finest; far from it. Rather, there seems something hypocritical about those who say a woman must be proud of her body but only exercises the right to express it in a way that society deems appropriate. In other words, by suggesting there is a deeper societal

“That is not to say the FHM list is media at its finest, far from it” problem with categorising women as ‘sexy’, the problem itself becomes so-

Though it is undeniable that judging women based on their physical appearance alone is vanity at its worst and debases the gender as a whole, the truth is that men are objectified in exactly the same manner.

You only have to look at the equivalent glossy magazines like Glamour, which publishes their equally shameless sexiest male award, to recognise the extent to which the male body is scrutinized by mainstream media. Take as another example the Diet Coke adverts, which appear to rely on little else other than the skimpily dressed gentlemen to sell the product without even a murmur of contradiction.

The crux of the argument then is that to recognise a woman as ‘sexy’ is to degrade her somehow. Yet, by suggesting lidified. I am all for the argument that what is inside matters more, but it seems many of those who criticise publications such as this have more of an issue with the sexual objectification of women rather than sexual objectification as a whole.

“the argument then is that to recognise a woman as ‘sexy’ is to degrade her” that the female body should be considered sacred, women’s bodies are being

put into exactly the patriarchal category which feminists are contesting. Indeed, feminism is about having freedom to choose their own bodily expressions and it would seem many of those announced

by FHM as ranking in the worlds sexiest women consider the recognition flattering, even honourable. Last year’s winner, Tulisa reportedly stated that “[the title] is a true honour and definitely a lovely confidence boost […] I’m proud of me and who I am”.

“Feminism is about having freedom to choose their own bodily expressions” Though I am not contesting the notion that sexism is still rife in society, it seems that by singling out magazines like FHM as portraying women as nothing more than physical objects, the barriers which are being challenged are actually strengthened. Instead, we should look at these images as liberating and light-hearted rather than criticising women for exposing their bodies and men for appreciating them.

Fitch Perfect - What price for a polo shirt?

Amy Young examines the culture of US retailer Abercrombie & Fitch AFTER charges of racial discrimination and other transgressions, the American retail giant Abercrombie & Fitch have created another public outcry. This time, they have come under fire after choosing to exclude plus-size women’s clothing from their stores, whilst still selling XL and XXL men’s sizes.

In a typical A&F store women’s sizes only go up to a size 10, which in the UK is around a size 14. The retail chain and its CEO Mike Jeffries have caused controversy for refusing to provide larger women’s sizes, like their competitors H & M and American Eagle. In a previous interview Jeffries defended his executive decisions stating: “In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-

cool kids.

Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong.

Are we exclusion-

ary? Absolutely.” Naturally, many people did not appreciate this blunt opinion.

“In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. Candidly, we go after the cool kids” But why do they sell larger men’s sizes, and not do the same for women?

Abercrombie & Fitch argue that they sell XL and XXL men’s sizes to cater for the athletic man. But if this is the case, then what about athletic women?

Are they not considered attractive by A&F? This would not seem surprising, as Jeffries ridiculously labels female legs that are not skinny as “butch”.

The company even has a ‘Look Policy’ which prevents its own employees from wearing clothes that are not consistent with the A&F brand. But Abercrombie & Fitch stores are not your typical clothes stores.

I have only had one experience of Abercrombie & Fitch, in a store located in New York City. Now I expected some form of grandeur in the Big Apple, but this was beyond what I could have ever expected. There was a queue of young adults outside, with a sort-of

bouncer at the door. Once you actually entered the building (after about ten minutes at least) a tall, extremely muscular, tanned and shirtless man was there to greet you. I was told on arrival that you could have your photo taken with him. Not once did I hear him speak, but he was being paid to be the image of Abercrombie & Fitch, not the voice.

In essence, the store was a nightclub. Inside were darkened floors that strongly smelt of the latest A&F scent, and crowds of people who could not hear each other over blasting club music. It certainly seemed to make no attempt to appeal to everyone. But this is the whole point of Abercrombie & Fitch, according to Jeffries. His argument is that “companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody”. At first, this seemed ludicrous, as surely if you widen your target market you would gain more interest and more sales? However, Abercrombie & Fitch earn their billions of dollars each year through their exclusivity.

“I really don’t care what anyone other than our target customer thinks” Through the ‘nightclub’ atmosphere they have created, Abercrombie & Fitch make their customers feel like VIPs. They want to make you feel that by entering the store and buying something with their label on it, you are “cool” and “attractive”, as if you could not be any of those things with-

out them. Of course you can, but as long as some members of the public believe it, A&F will continue to sell their merchandise to loyal customers and make billions. If this works, they will not care if anyone outside of this exclusivity is offended. As Mike Jeffries has said, “I really don’t care what anyone other than our target customer thinks”.

“No one should have the right to make anyone feel unattractive or incapable of having lots of friends” And of course, any public outrage is often quickly followed by a retaliation of some sort. Some insulted members of the general public have taken it upon themselves to attack Jeffries’ own appearance. But this will not do any good. Let’s not forget, he is not his target demographic, but their attempts to make him feel old and surgically enhanced simply strengthens the idea that there should be and is a fixed notion of what it means to be “cool” and “attractive”. I firmly believe in the whole ‘beauty (or coolness) is in the eye of the beholder’ idea. It is a matter of personal taste, not something to be dictated by a sixty-eight year old CEO or anyone else for that matter. No one should have the right to make anyone feel unattractive or incapable of having lots of friends. However, we cannot just get angry at Mike Jeffries or Abercrombie & Fitch, because unhealthy body images are perpetuated

by so many different fashion and beauty institutions. Trying to topple one institution will not topple them all, or this ‘exclusive beauty’ attitude.

My conclusion? In terms of sized clothing, if Abercrombie & Fitch do not sell larger sizes, then there are plenty of stores that do, and their clothes are just as good, if not better. Regarding the fashion industry’s obsession with a particular brand of beauty? I just do not know.

• 90,000 employees worldwide • 300 Stores in the US • $4bn revenue in 2011 • Also owns Hollister • Target of lawsuits for employment practices • Controversey over sales of ‘sexualised’ clothing and marketing aimed at children

Exeposé

| WEEK TWENTY-seven

Honest Jon Exeposé Features sought the counsel of Jon Gaunt, former tabloid journalist, for his take on the debate about press freedom on campus “HACKED OFF ARE GOING TO TRY AND SHACKLE THE BRITISH PRESS” is the bellowed claim that met Exeposé when we caught up with exSun journalist Jon Gaunt at the UKIP conference. He is, of course, referring to the pressure group comprised of those who feel they were the victims of questionably legal action by the tabloid press, and their efforts to influence the Leveson Inquiry and its suggestions for reform of the law surrounding freedom of the Press.

“How dare he say that eight million people who buy The Sun are wrong” While the report was produced long ago, and the recent Queen’s speech made no mention of the Royal Charter demanded by Hacked Off, the views of a journalist on freedom of speech are always relevant, particularly as Exeter has just been undergoing its own struggle with freedom of speech versus press content deemed unacceptable by some.

“We should be proud of the British press,” Gaunt says, “the British press is the bastion of free speech, whether it’s left wing or right wing, whether its George Galloway or Jon Gaunt or Richard Littlejohn.” His nightmare, he says, is that the press will become neutered,

as it is in France by strict privacy laws, with what can and can’t be published strictly governed by the law. “Powerful people,” he reminds us, “don’t want a free press”. Perhaps it is simply his recognition of his audience, drummed into him by years of journalism, or perhaps he is being genuine when he ascribes this struggle for young people, no matter their politics, to fight for. His admiration for the young people of UKIP’s youth wing reflects this view that young people should have a voice and a part in politics and journalism.

Continuing with the theme of pride, Jon makes it clear he is proud of his work as a tabloid journalist and economist. It is the reporting on scandals he points to as the tabloid’s finest contributions to the national debate – and although his first example, the Pakistani match fixing scandal that broke some years ago, seems relatively small-scale, that may be more down to his understandable reticence on scandals covered by super-injunction (which he also

The Welsh Exedus Richard Monnickendam ponders why the Welsh are flooding across the Severn

HOW many Welsh people were there in your life before university? Provided you’ve spent your entire life in England, and haven’t been convinced by Rhod Gilbert’s adverts to visit the country itself, then there has probably been a sudden influx of broad valley accents and random sheep sightings in your life since coming to university.

Despite the fact Wales has been under English control for over 700 years, we still haven’t quite managed to kick the sense of Welsh national pride. Even the nearly extinct language is on the rise, back to the highest level since the 18th century. And with more national stereotypes than you can count, there’s plen-

ty to give Wales identity. In short, the Welsh brand is ready and waiting to be exported when university comes around.

When it comes to choosing a university, proximity is often key, and with South Wales roughly two hours away, Exeter is well within striking distance.

Bristol probably takes the brunt of this invasion, but Exeter is not far behind The figures back this up. There was a 12.6 per cent increase in Welsh students on English university courses from 2009 to 2010 and this percentage has undoubtedly risen over the last three years.

Sure, it may be more expensive to go to an English university, but there’s another key issue to take into account. For all

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despises) than a lack of other stories.

He quickly dismisses his opponents, whether they be the BBC (“scared of their own shadow” after the Jonathon Ross/Russell brand debacle), broadsheet newspapers (such as The Guardian, “shoddy little shit rag that it is”) but his particular venom is reserved for those from Hacked Off and anyone else who wishes to restrict freedom of the press – and particularly of Hugh Grant, claiming that he has “this view papers like The Sun shouldn’t exist, because they are beneath him, he’s above all that. How dare he say that eight million people who buy The Sun are wrong?”

While he isn’t entirely remorseless about the actions of some journalists, particularly surrounding Milly Dowler and phone hacking in general, his position is very clear. And with his staunch defense of press freedom that was echoed by the ‘No’ campaign in the Guild referendum, he clearly is not alone in believing that a free press overrides any concerns over what it decides to publish.

And with the direction of legislation following Leveson still unclear, we must wait to see how our representatives place their own priorities. And indeed, by the time of publication, so too will we have seen the priorities chosen by the Exeter campus politics.

your lucky English Freshers paying tuition fees of £9,000 for your degree, your Welsh counterparts are still on the £3000 from before the fees hike, courtesy of the Welsh government. England has never looked more attractive for a Welsh student invasion, and the flow of students from Wales to England is already clear to see.

Of course, there is the flip side as well. As more students choose to move abroad, fewer go to the universities back home. This is reflected in the large drop of 15.3 per cent of Welsh students at Welsh universities from the stats at the end of the last decade. The Universities of Glamorgan and Newport were even forced to merge in order to survive. Besides, who really wants to go to university in Wales? It’s great for those wanting to do a degree in the Welsh language, but unfortunately those folks are few and far between.

I’m sure Aberystwyth has lovely beaches in the summer, but it dries up pretty quickly after you realise there’s only two pubs. And Bangor? A concrete town at the end of the world. Why on earth would you choose to go to places like Glamorgan, Newport or Swansea?

Cardiff provides a little attraction, with a top 40 ranked university and a city where most of the money in Wales has been ploughed into its regeneration, but that’s about it.

So it’s no wonder you have so many Welsh friends. And if you are lucky enough to drive out of Wales on one of the days in late September you can actually see these emigrates as they drain out of Wales across the Seven Bridge.

13

5 reasons we should hate career politicians Liam Taylor gives us yet more ammunition to use against our representatives IT’S no secret that politicians aren’t exactly the most popular breed of people, and with good reason. But there is one type of politician that is worse than the others: the career politician. A particularly untrustworthy and ruthless breed of lawmaker, who have never had a job outside of politics and treat conviction like a contagious disease. In short they are the worst type of people to run a country, and here’s why...

5) They lie (badly) The cynical amongst us are resigned to the fact that politicians lie about their policies. But careerists who change their minds with every new focus group are the worst culprits. Isn’t it funny how believing in nothing and an insatiable lust for power can do that to people?

Sometimes they are just unashamedly blatant about it. Take the Lib Dem’s election broadcast that had Clegg promising an end to broken promises, only to set about breaking as many of his policies as possible, as quickly as he possibly could. Add that to the expenses claimed for moats, duck ponds and other such ‘necessities’, and you have your perfect cocktail for distrust in politics. Though we don’t have a monopoly on greedy, lying politicians. Just look at a certain Norwegian politician who racked up thousands of pounds of expenses in calls to physic hotlines and blamed it all on an imaginary boyfriend. Honesty in public life, indeed.

“The career politician is a particularly untrustworthy and ruthless breed of lawmaker, who have never had a job outside politics” 4) They’re all the same Now I don’t mean they are literally clones of one another that have all rolled off the same assembly line; although Cameron, Clegg and the other one (Milli-something I think) seem to have alarmingly similar haircuts. I’m not just talking about the fact that they all went to the same schools. But they all sound the same and act the same.

They’re more interested in their image than in ideas; more interested in the polls than what is actually best for the country. This could be written off as the inevitable result of a lifetime spent crawling up the slippery slope of politics, but there’s more to it than that.

They’ve all climbed the same slope, and come out the same tired political product.

3) They’re hopelessly out of touch It’s no secret that politicians live in a bubble; they mix in the same social circles and get invited to the same soirées.

This has the inevitable effect that they start to care more about what these so-

cial circles think about them than what the voters think. It’s all about what policies will impress the host of the next dinner party. This creates a kind of echo chamber which not only means that they sound and look alike, but they start to think alike too. And they don’t think anything like the man on the street.

“Every five years they throw us a few treats and vague promises through fake smiles, and then hope we don’t kick up too much of a fuss when it’s just business as usual afterwards” 2) They don’t like you!

They don’t like us. The little people.

The plebs. They need us to vote for them but they don’t like us. It’s not just Cameron’s thinly veiled disgust for all those unimportant people demanding EU referendums. The same disdain for the ordinary man on the street is just as prevalent in the Labour leadership, which contains its own fair share of small-minded millionaires. Am I the only one who feels a party that purports to represent the working class should perhaps be led by people that have actually worked real jobs? They all think the same, and this is the reason they don’t like us; because we don’t think like them. Because ordinary people have an annoying habit of holding different opinions to them. But, nonetheless, they still need us to vote for them.

So every 5 years they throw us a few treats and vague promises through fake smiles, and then hope we don’t kick up too much of a fuss when it’s just business as usual after the election, except sometimes with a different coloured rosette.

1) They’re incompetent But all this would perhaps be bearable if they were at least competent at running the country. They’re not. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that basing policies around what your friends in Notting Hill think isn’t a reliable way to run a country. That’s how you end up with a gargantuan debt and a school system that’s worse than Estonia is at science.

It’s the combination of a complete lack of experience of the real world outside Westminster and the disregard for the concerns of ordinary that makes them so bad at their jobs. I mean how else do you explain how otherwise bright Oxbridge-educated individuals keep messing up so badly?

So there you have it, just in case you ever needed any reason to hate politicians more. And trust me, you can never hate politicians enough.

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Exeposé

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Tweets of the week Tweet us @ExeposeLStyle HANNAH BROCKFIELD @brockers14 Only exeter students would think a lunchtime bottle of prosseco on the cathedral green is perfectly acceptable #exeter ABI PATERSON @abipaterson Well, with this series of The Apprentice we have the added challenege of guessing the girls expressions #BotoxToTheMax KATHERINE ROBINSON @katherinerobbo AMT was a disappointment, definitely back to @CostaCoffee for my Chai Latte tomorrow #firstworldproblems #exeterstudent HARRY MCCARTHY @harrymccarthy I am officially a proper Exeter student now that @RampantSporting is following me

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15

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Kitty Howie & Emily-Rose Rolfe lifestyle@exepose.com

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Tim Bradbeer, gives guys a top hat and tail coat guide for dressing at formals MY female friends often whine to me how easy it is for men. Ball season comes along, and while women have to stress and worry about what dress to wear, us men get to sit back and relax, knowing exactly what to wear. Easy.

“What to and what not to wear for men is so easy, but people still manage to get it wrong” Well you would think this is the case, but the number of times I have seen guys going to an event with a clear black tie dress code, wearing jeans, or a bright blue suit, or no tie at all is unacceptable… It’s really frustrating because what to and what not to wear for men is so easy, but people still manage to get it wrong.

Now I am all for the metrosexual revolution (having died my hair ginger – intense mango, to be precise - to the disgust of my friends, I am certainly not one to advocate fading into a crowd), but there is a time, a place, and a way to stand out without looking a twat. Maybe get a funky bow tie, a flower for the button hole etc, but when an event clearly states what to wear, not doing so is just frankly rude. If you want to wear chinos, go to Arena, not Buckingham Palace.

As we all seem to live in Exe-

taaah, it would be easy to see this as a class issue. Some could view male dress codes as a design to out-price the majority of men, in order to keep a ‘quality’ clientele. I disagree with this wholeheartedly; it is not an issue of class or money, but rather of knowledge. Most of the black tie faux-pas I have witnessed in Exeter have been at some of the ‘rah-iest’ events of the year, showing that ‘perceived’ class has nothing to do with it. My dinner jacket is from Marks and Spencer for goodness sake (and washable too!).

All that men need to look fashionable, smart, sexy and, most importantly, appropriate for the occasion, is a little guide to what each dress code really means. And here it is! (You can thank me later)

“When an event clearly states what to wear, not doing so is just frankly rude” SMART CASUAL: Chinos, shirt, no tie, NO JEANS. SMART: Suits (like you’d wear to work) and ties.

JACKET AND TIE: This one’s obvious, but do make sure you don’t just wear a suit. Wear chinos, a tie and some sort of standalone jacket (sport, tweed, herringbone, etc).

BLACK TIE: Black dinner jacket (Americans call this a tux), a bow tie (any colour you like), BLACK trousers, BLACK shoes.

This one is the easiest but also the one men get the most wrong…

(jacket with tails), top hat (optional).

WHITE TIE: (This is the equivalent of morning suit but worn during the evening) Jacket with tails, white bow tie, white waistcoat, wing collar shirt.

Tiaras, crowns and military honours also would be nice as an addition if owned…

S o , there it is.

Now the summer is here, go out, look great, don’t look like a twat - top hat optional.

And for those really special occasions, they should push the boat out!

M O R N I N G SUITS: A morning suit

While, Emily-Rose Rolfe, Lifestyle Editor, tears up the girls’ style guide and rewrites the dress GENTLEMEN, you have absolutely nothing to complain about. The fit of your suit is the sole breaking point, and black tie events are in the palm of your hand for the next five years. You can put new bow ties, waistcoats and cufflinks on a birthday or Christmas list so there’s always variation in your photo stream.

Ladies, on the other hand… The dictators of fashion have decreed that one must never wear a dress twice, and with more assortment within the evening dress department than a Wilkinsons pic ‘n’ mix, it’s hard to pin down a dress that treads the line between flattering and reasonably priced. With an array of fashion trends to choose from, it’s easy to make yourself stand out from the crowd for the wrong reasons.

The black tie rulebook of 19th century Britain was strict and uniform; women wore ankle length sleeveless dresses with gloves, evening shoes, and a stole. In 21st century Exeter, we have unanimously decided to rip the rulebook up. Holland Hall Summer Ball 2012 dresses varied between floaty cotton, bottom-skimming bodycon, and full-

length satin gowns. Some girls wore flat pumps, others skyscraper heels that were swiftly kicked off when the award ceremony was over. The only continuity was the Exeter staple of flawless complexions and understated cosmetics.

One law that I live by was decreed

by Coco Chanel: “the best colour in the

“In 21st century Exeter, we have unanimously decided to rip the rulebook up” whole world is the one that looks good on you.” And to remember that black isn’t a colour. It is a widely believed but complete myth that a little black dress flatters every one, no matter how much or little effort you put in. There is a reason black dresses are worn to funerals – without embellishment they’re deadly and monotonous. They make even the sparkiest individuals fade into the background (unless it has a slit as high as Angelina Jolie’s, at which point you’ll have

countless men dedicated to your right leg). Thus, if you’re feeling too depleted by exams and want to opt for the safe place, give your classic dress a twist with an unusual beauty look, and a shiny new pair of shock factor shoes (see Dolce & Gabbana for shoe-spiration).

The tenth commandment is “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours possessions.”

Fashion follows this instruction – the biggest fashion houses were built on their own foundations. They didn’t borrow someone else’s bricks or builders, but made a new norm. You should follow suit

(literally). If the rulebook is already in the depths of Russia, why don’t you wear a ladies tuxedo? Add a slash of red lipstick, false lashes, and stilettos to a well-cut suit to display your feminine allure without showing your feminine parts. If your courage and male housemates don’t allow you to step out in a Saville Row suit, then simply don’t ask your friends what they are wearing. It’s a novel idea, perhaps against our gender’s instinct, but it means that you’ll walk into the event in an outfit that exudes your individuality rather than a pack mentality.

16

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21 may 2013 |

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1 shot, 2 shot, 3 shot, floor

Bella Jolly makes sure you’re in for a shot with her cocktail criteria BALL coming up? Hosting pre-drinks or just want to impress your date? We all know the (questionable) charms of a good bottle of Imperial Vodka, but some nights just call for something with a little more class. The end of term is coming, so why not play bartender for the night and celebrate with some deceptively impressive cocktails?

Champagne cocktails are your obvious choice for a Black Tie affair, and by the time you’ve swapped your vintage Veuve for a nice bottle of Sainsbury’s own brand Cava, they’re not going to break the bank. Add a few splashes of peach or blackcurrant liqueur and a fruity garnish and you’ve got a sparkly cocktail that not only tastes good, but looks seriously impressive, too. If you can face it the next morning, add some leftover bubbly to your orange juice for a glamorous champagne brunch.

“We all know the charms of a good bottle of Imperial Vodka, but some nights just call for something with a little more class” If you fancy something a little more summery, cocktail menus right now are bursting with variations on the theme of an English country garden. Get some gin, get something elderflower flavoured (liqueur, cordial, pressé) and mix it all together with your choice of cucumber, lemon and maybe some apple juice. You’ve got yourself a British summertime in a glass.

Finally, let’s not forget your standard crowd-pleasers: Cosmopolitan, Sex on the Beach, and my personal favourite, the Mojito. You can get your hands on pre-made mixes pretty easily; all you have to do is add the alcohol and

mix it all up. These lend themselves well to jugs, bowls or whatever your large vessel of choice may be, so they’re a great and relatively cheap option if you’re feeling like an extra generous host(ess). If you want to channel the summer holiday theme, adorn them with glace cherries, cocktail umbrellas and novelty stirrers and make like you’re somewhere suit-

ably exotic.

Of course, cocktails wouldn’t be cocktails without the necessary equipment.

Don’t forget to make or buy in some ice – even if the pressure’s on and the heat is high, at least you’ll keep your cool. If you’re feeling ambitious, deck out your kitchen as a fully-functioning bar, or if not, invest in some martini glasses and a couple of shakers and get everybody to have a go before you pour them out. Even if you’re actually drinking a double vodka-redbull, at least you’ll look the part.

She’s got it in the bag

An anonymous student finds out that there’s more to the ‘morning after’ than a walk of shame APPARENTLY formal university balls offer a bonding experience like no other, an event that you’ll never forget. Oh, if only I could.

For the first few hours, the Christmas Engineering ball was great. My new dress fitted perfectly, the gown of the annoyingly pretty girl in my lectures didn’t, and I even seemed to have attracted a handsome male admirer.

The next few hours of the ball were even better. El vino did flow and before long my new gentlemen and I were stumbling and laughing around the dance floor. It only took us another shot of Sambuca each before we were locked in a passionate, albeit very liquorice tasting, embrace.

We left the ball early and danced all the way back to his house. Unsurprisingly,

James Crouch gives a word of warning from the other side of the bar W H E N you find yourself slowly waking u p

at lunchtime, with a crinkled wine -stained shirt and a small army marching through your cranial cavity, you start to wonder “what o n earth happened to me last night?”

Over the next few hours you find embarrassing Facebook photos, texts you don’t remember sending and disgruntled housemates who only got a few hours sleep because of your inability to use door keys in the conventional when we got in the situation soon got more heated than a radiator in a brothel. Earlier in the night h e

told me that he wanted to work on a construction site, which figured now, as he certainly knew how to handle an erection. He was firm, yet tender; strong, yet lovingly; and certainly knowing of how to keep me awake half the night. It was not unpleasant.

The morning after I woke in his bed to be greeted by a note saying that my new lover had gone to his morning lecture, but he would be back to see me in the afternoon and I should help myself to any breakfast I could find. As

manner. If most of the above applies to you, you drink too much.

Before the shock horror in reply to that statement breaks out amongst the student readership, remember that not exactly every morning is like this. Feeling groggy the morning after is usual, but feeling like you need a half-day to re-enter the human race and pin down your worrying 90 minute meander between Mega Kebab and Mount Pleasant is not.

It’s an important distinction between being drunk, and being smashed like a piñata. To not know why you have a bruise, who you spoke to, where you went, or what you threw up on is really so dangerous and terrifying when you think about it sober.

I quite frankly am amazed that my only injuries from four years in Exeter amount to a burn mark on my hand and some slight scar tissue on my elbow - from when I used it to break a fall and, unsuccessfully, save my chips.

I know most who know me will say I’m the pot calling the kettle black, but I know whereof I speak. No one sets out to get “crunk” really, because when we all say that, we do so forgetting

“It’s an importance distinction between being drunk and being smashed like a piñata” something crucial. We say it not just forgetting what that stage feels like, we actually forget that stage exists.

We mean: get so drunk we don’t have a care in the world. We don’t mean: get so drunk that the link between you and reality becomes drowned by eight sambucca shots and a Jaegerbomb chaser.

Although, I’m still guilty, I sweet as this message was, it mainly gave me the time to take care of some necessary bathroom procedures. In just a duvet I found the necessary room downstairs and started my business.

You can dress it up all you want, but ‘The Alcopoop’, ‘Carlsberg Baby’, or ‘Poo of shame’ is the inevitable normal end to a night out. There was nothing natural about the size of the thing that made its way into the toilet bowl that morning. I can only really describe it as a Cadburys coated boa constrictor, and a portly one at that. Needless to say, it didn’t flush.

Like any lady in my delicate situation, I went completely schizo.

I kept walking around the toilet, just staring at the immovable brown adder below. A few minutes and several panic attacks later, I made the rash decision of grabbing the plastic bag that lined the bathroom bin and, like a dirty Steve Irwin, bundled what I could of my soiled python inside and

think everyone who gets seriously trolleyed (as in, needs to be carried out in a trolley) on a regular basis should probably keep a drinks diary, so they try and guesstimate what their limit is. The top benefit being it’ll save you money, we all know that the black hole your memory was sucked into happens to also be repository for your missing cash as well.

Alternatively, if financial renuneration doesn’t quite grab you, think of all the near misses you had with cars whilst crossing Sidwell Street, the countless dodgy men you’ve probably almost been mugged by but somehow got away unscathed, or (for me) that time I ended up in the park at the end of Priory Road almost in tears at three in the morning completely lost.

Embarrassing, mostly because I live not two minutes from where I was standing. But seriously: get drunk, have a great time, because you’re never going to have a better place to do it. But if this article is testament to more nights out than not for you, then just think about safety a little bit, because the last thing you want to do is not be able to drink another day Lifestyle Editors remind you to drink responsibly

Lifestyle Competition Congratulations to Charlotte Kelly for winning a gorgeous Freedom @ Topshop necklace, worth a mouth watering £40!

Keep an eye out for future competitions on the Lifestyle Facebook group and our Twitter @exeposelstyle.

dashed upstairs with it. I just wanted to get out of the door, dump the human doggy bag outside and get back to the safety of my home. I collected my belongings, got changed, fumbled on my shoes, and darted out the house.

When you think about it, it’s funny how hangovers can affect different people. For most, it just makes them tired and ill and for others it just leaves them depressed. For me though, they seem to leave several problems with short term memory.

I was about two minutes out of the door before I realised I forgot to move my bag of shit. Yes, my faecal pic ‘n’ mix was just lying on his desk, just waiting to tell its awful secret to my new lover. No matter how many times I banged on that ruddy door, nobody answered. There would be nothing I could say to explain this, so I just went home, praying that he’d somehow not notice.

He hasn’t been in touch since.

T

HE 3 to 8 June is a date that has been in my diary for a very long time. With only two weeks to go, it’s time to start getting excited for Arts Week 2013!

Arts Week 2013 is going to be a free, entertaining and diverse week of performances and workshops. Whether you prefer to sit back and relax to the musical concerts, get involved with making your own arts and crafts or being one of the first to watch what our Guild Societies are taking to Edinburgh Fringe this summer, then this is the week for you!

With over 60 performances to watch throughout the week, you will be spoilt in choice of what to see and do!

If film is your thing, there will be two Campus Cinema screenings during the week. Perhaps you fancy indulging your inner child with a trip to watch Wreck it Ralph, or enjoy a drink at the Ram whilst singing along to your favourite tunes in our outdoor screening of The Lion King, at the Ram Beer Garden.

Or maybe you would enjoy a night of theatre?

Then head on down to the M and D room on Friday 7 June to watch a variety of showcase performances written, performed and produced by students. This is a perfect way to get a taster of our theatre societies on campus.

There will also be numerous workshops to take part in. Ed Crumpton, local artist and designer of the Mariner’s Way sculpture will be passing on his skills, and the University’s very own XTV will be leading a workshop and letting you in on the tips that make those award winning pieces of student TV. And the fun doesn’t stop at the end of the week! Over the weekend we have teamed up with Grand Challenges to put on a music festival, which will take place on our main stage located on the Piazza. Music kicks off from around midday and goes on throughout the evening. With external bands such as Sheelanagig and Theatre Company Vamos, this is not an event to be missed!

Arts Week is not just a time of celebrating our students, the University and the freedom after exams that we have all so eagerly awaited, but is a platform for our societies and bands to enjoy performing on stage and give you a taster of what they do best. Maybe you might fancy becoming a member yourself at next year’s Fresher’s Week Society Squash?

This year’s Arts Week takes on a different form to previous years. We have shortened the days so that events take place between 5 and 11pm each evening. What better way to end a day of freedom than with a bite to eat at one of the Guild outlets and then heading on to some great performances and workshops.

We must thank the Annual Fund, Arts and Culture and Extunes teams for their help and support throughout the planning of this event without whom this celebratory week would not be able to go ahead.

So what are you waiting for? Take a look through our fun packed schedule, displayed on the next two pages, and put the 3 to 8 June in your diaries!

Lorna Miller, Arts Chair

in collaboration with

Exeposé

I

T’S often said that that the best things come to those who wait, and for this could not be more true at Exeter University. Once the exams are done and revision long forgotten, Streatham Campus comes alive with a week full of events and things to do, see and hear.

We might even be successful with the glorious weather that the South West is renowned for, but if that fails the acts that are lined up for this year’s Arts Week are sure to bring some much needed sunshine to your eyes and ears.

With over 30 societies, numerous genres and an infinite amount of talent, Extunes is always more than happy to get stuck in with the annual festival; with many of our constituent parts making plans as early as the dreary rain-filled days of February.

It’s a fantastic opportunity for everyone to get involved, from smaller groups such as Clarinet Choir, Steel Drums and our award winning A Cappella groups to the all singing, all dancing Footlights, Symphony Orchestra and Campus Bands.

There’s no excuse for you not to come and enjoy an evening of fabulous music, food and sunshine - is there a better combination? This year we’ve been privileged to team up with the Grand Challenges festival to give you deserving Exeter students and friends an Arts Week that’s bigger than ever with a Main Stage on the Great Hall piazza and much more going on in venues across campus including Devonshire House, the Forum and the Lemon Grove.

So thank you for your patience ladies and gentlemen, Extunes and its friends in drama, dance and the wider arts are pleased to present to you: Arts Week 2013.

Kit Fotheringham, ExTunes Vice President

ARTS week

ARTS week

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Arts Week Schedule Monday 3rd June 11:00 EUSO at the Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral

Wednesday 5th June

16:00 The Modern Prometheus

Thornlea Studio 3 (£1)

16:00 A Magician’s Farewell

Thornlea Studio 2 (£1)

17:00 22 Tones of Teal

Thornlea Studio 2 (£1)

17:00 – 18:00 Steel Drums

Main Stage

17:00 Punk Rock

Thornlea Studio 3 (£1) 17:00 – 18:30 Clarinet Choir

Main Stage

Tuesday 4th June

18:00 The Modern Prometheus

Thornlea Studio 3 (£1)

12:00 Harmonics

Exeter Cathedral

18:30 – 19:30 EUSO

Main Stage 19:00 22 Tones of Teal

Thornlea Studio 2 (£1) 19:00 – 20:00 Rapper Dance Workshop

Lemon Grove

16:00 Politicians in Dressing Gowns

Thornlea Studio 3 (£1) 17:00 Robotic

Roborough Studio 2 (£1) 17:00 – 18:00 Flute Choir

Main Stage

19:30 Punk Rock

Thornlea Studio 3 (£1)

17:00 Footlights

Reed Hall

20:00 – 21:00 Choral Soc

Main Stage

18:00 Politicians in Dressing Gowns

Thornlea Studio 2 (£1)

20:00 – 21:00 Semi Toned

M&D Room 20:00 – 21:00 Ceilidh Dancing Workshop

Lemon Grove

18:00 – 20:00 Concert Band

Main Stage 18:00 – 22:00 Campus Cinema

M&D Room 19:30 Robotic

Roborough Studio 2 (£1) 19:30 Footlights

Reed Hall

17:00-18:00 Theatre With Teeth M&D Room 17:15 Inside

Thornlea Studio 2 (£1) 18:00 A Magician’s Farewell

Thornlea Studio 2 (£1) 19:00 Soul Choir

Lemon Grove

Thursday 6th June 17:00- 18:00 Brass Ensemble

Main Stage 17:00 The Importance of being British

Roborough Studio 2 (£1)

18:00 – 19:00 Chamber Or19:00 – 23:00 Folk Soc Session chestra

RAM

Main Stage 19:00- 22:30 Footlights

Reed Hall 19:15 Inside

Thornlea Studio 2 (£1)

18:00 – 19:00 XTV

M&D Room 18:00 – 19:00 Rapper Music Workshop

Room 5 Cornwall House 19:00 – 22:00 Outdoor Screening: Campus Cinema

RAM Beer Garden 19:00 The Importance of being British

Roborough Studio 2 (£1) 20:00 – 23:00 Folk Music Session

Wells Tavern

ARTS week

ARTS week

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Sunday 8th June

Friday 7th June 17:00 – 18:00 XTV

Room 5 Cornwall House

Saturday continued

All Day Great Gorilla Painting

The Forum

17:00 Kill the Beast

Thornlea Studio 3 (£1)

All Day Mariners Way Exhibition

The Forum

18:00 – 18:30 World Music Choir

Main Stage

10:00 – 17:30 Star and Enigma Exhibition

Old Library

18:00 – 19:00 Theatre With Teeth

M&D Room

10:00 – 16:00 Printmaking Workshop

Northern Piazza

All Day Great Gorilla Painting

The Forum All Day Mariners Way Exhibition

The Forum 10:00 – 11:00 Zumba

Piazza 10:00 – 17:30 Star and Enigma Exhibition

Old Library 11:00 – 11:45 Nike Training Club

Sports Hall

12:00 – 16:00 Vintage Event

Bill Douglas Centre

12:00 – 12:45 Circuits

Sports Hall

12:30 Choral Society

Main Stage

12:00 La Navet Bête

Northern Piazza

13:00 – 16:00 Knot Making Workshop

Northern Piazza

13:00 – 13:50 Yoga

Piazza

13:00 – 19:00 Food Stalls

Northern Piazza

13:00 – 16:00 Printmaking Workshop

Northern Piazza

13:30 To The Woods

Main Stage

13:00 – 16:00 Food Demonstration

Northern Piazza

14:15 Banana Equivalent

Main Stage 15:45 Shotgun Theatre

Main Stage

13:00 – 19:00 Food Stalls

Northern Piazza

13:30 Tom Elliott

Main Stage

16:45 Empty Twist

Main Stage

14:00 – 14:50 Tai Chi

Piazza

17:30 Deathstar Disco

Main Stage

14:15 La Navet Bête

Northern Piazza

18:15 Soul Choir

Main Stage

14:45 Jack Turner

Main Stage

19:00 Moscow Magazine

Main Stage

15:00 – 16:00 Pilates

Piazza

19:45 Henry Adams

Main Stage

15:30 Duncan Stagg

Main Stage

20:30 Semi Toned

Main Stage

9:30 – 12:30 Kwik Cricket

Sports Centre

16:10 – 17:00 Spinning

Studio Two

21:30 Vamos

Main Stage

13:00 – 16:00 Fun Sports Day

Sports Centre

22:30 Sheelanagig

Main Stage

16:30 Count to Fire

Main Stage

18:30 – 21:00 A Capella & Singers

Main Stage 19:00 – 20:00 Scratchworks

M&D Room 19:30 EUSO Concert

Great Hall 20:00 – 21:30 EUTCo

M&D Room

20:00 – 23:00 Summer Ceilidh

Kay House (£4 members,

£5 non members) 21:30 – 22:00 Two Girls One Duck

M&D Room

Saturday 8th June 9:30 – 12:30 Volleyball

Sports Hall 9:30 – 12:30 Rush Hockey

Sports Centre 9:30 – 12:30 5-a-side Football

Rubber Crumb

17:45 Carrivick Sisters

Main Stage

Exeposé

| week twenty-seven

Music

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Listings Tue 21st May Young Kato Bristol Louisiana Wed 22nd May Gentlemen’s Dub Club Phoenix

MUSIC

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MUSIC EDITORS

Magda Cassidy & Josh Gray music@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Music

Long Live Frank Turner

Magda Cassidy, Music Editor, talks learning, loving and living with the fierce frontman of folk

Interview

Thu 23rd May Cancer Bats Phoenix Sat 25th May Isaac Indiana Cavern Tue 28th May Tribes Bristol Thekla Tue 28th May Thick as Thieves Isle of White Festival Launch Cellar Door Tue 28th May Streetlight Manifesto Bristol Fleece Fri 31st May The Skints Phoenix Fri 31st May Exeter Respect Launch Party Lemmy Mon 3rd - Sat 8th June Arts Week Festival Various Sat 25thMay Dot to Dot Festival Bristol Thu 6th June Example Bristol O2 Thu 6th June Toro Y Moi Bristol Thekla

One to Watch

Tribes @ BristolThekla ‘Tribes channel the classic melodies

of The Rolling Stones, Primal Scream and Bob Dylan whilst still sounding like they’re comfortable in their own skins’

Grab a couple of pints and see the future of lad-rock on the HMS Thekla at the end of May

19

AFTER seven years of critically acclaimed success and five albums behind him, you could forgive Frank Turner for exchanging the sweat, blood and tears of his earlier work for a more comfortable high horse. How-

ever, whether it’s his punk-rock past or Eton upbringing, Frank’s not giving up the fight anytime soon.

Whereas previous records have explored themes of atheism, patriotism and life as an underdog, Tape Deck

Heart, Turner’s latest release, provides a more personal and often painful insight into his past. “There are certainly large chunks of it that I’m really uncomfortable about releasing; there’s some really dark and raw shit on there.

But then art’s not supposed to be comfortable; it’s catharsis”.

With such an impressive catalogue of released material, it’s clear Frank’s passion for song writing comes from a need for release. After peppering England Keep My Bones with many a historical reference, “it was refreshing to sit down and not have anything more to say on the subject of England”.

However, with song writing constantly buzzing in the back of his brain, Turner was eager to acknowledge its annoyances. “There are days when I really wish I could shut the fucking thing off.

The new record comes out tomorrow and I’ve got ten new songs already – which is nice, cause I like writing songs, but there are days when I just want to be just not constantly pinging possible combinations of chords and words around in my head.”

Although done with musically delving into the past for now, Turner remains a self-proclaimed “incorrigible nerd”. Having studied History at the London School of Economics, Turner explains; “I am one of those

Exeposé Music’s Bogus Debate!

We posed the question: ‘Should a musician’s actions stop us from listening to their music?’ Thomas Ling and Hugh Dignan offered us these wise words...

HD: I HAVE a horrible secret I need to confess: I’m a fan of Charles Manson.

Not the murderer, the musician.

I’m not saying I in any way condone what he did, but I am saying I enjoy listening to the man sing. It’s a fact that I’m slightly uncomfortable with, but only when I want to be. When I’m actually listening to him the concern over the ethics of my choice disappears, and instead all I can think about is how heavenly that voice of his is. Admittedly, once ‘Look At Your Game Girl’ is over and looping in my head, I’m liable to feel slightly awful inside. Well, it’s either that or I just put it on again because it’s so good.

All that moral fretting doesn’t stop me liking his music though, or even being relatively public about it. I’ll gladly recommend Charles Manson to someone, although I’ll tag on a ‘No, seriously, he’s actually good. But I’m not saying I like him or anything…’ whenever I do.

Manson’s music stands on its own, in my eyes. And, since it’s not like it’s overly political or, worse, actually going to his bank account, I can’t see myself not listening to him any time soon because of what he did.

And sure, when I listen to him I can’t

help but wonder ‘What if’, but that isn’t going to stop me. I would prefer if he wasn’t the most notorious serial killer of the 20th century, but, ultimately, that isn’t hugely relevant to the fact he makes good songs.

When it comes down to it, once I listen, I find it pretty easy to separate the sounds he makes from the atrocities he committed. Other people may not find it so easy, and may think very troubling things about me when they see on Facebook that I’m currently listening to Charles Manson on Spotify TL: LIKE any teenager who just didn’t want to tidy their room, I used to love Lost-

VS

Prophets. I even saw them live and, despite the gig acting as some kind of emo Mecca for the local area, the first half was genuinely brilliant. Then about halfway through, and without any sense of irony, the lead singer spoke to the crowd in a bogus American accent. Suddenly, I lost all respect for the band. It’s a weird feeling having one of your musical heroes upsetting you with something so plainly fake, like Paul McCartney hitting you round the head with a prosthetic limb. No, I don’t know where he would get one.

Then I heard that lead singer of LostProphets and one man Marlin Mason parody, Ian Watkins (not to be confused with Ian “H” Watkins from Steps), had been charged with conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a one year old girl, alongside possession of indecent images of children and ‘extreme animal pornography’. All in all, this is another reason why I would never listen to them in pub-

people who really fervently believes in academic pursuits. I think if you’re going to go to Uni and study a subject then study the damn thing, you know, care about it”. Turner admits, however, that University did little to shape his career. “I wasn’t there very much - I wrote my third year dissertation in a tour bus driving around Europe!” Having formed the band Million Dead before beginning his studies, gigging was always a priority despite having no desire to study Music. “It never really crossed my mind that I would.

My conception of music is something more visceral”.

“If you’re going to go to uni and study a subject then study the damn thing!”

A proud ambassador of the DIY punk ethos, Frank was keen to shed some light for fellow aspiring student musicians. “If you’re in a band, book your own shows, make your own recordings and sell them yourselves.

Don’t wait for somebody to bring you the world on a plate, grab life by the throat and make it Read the listen to what you full interview at do.”

Exeposé Online lic.

Being the judgemental titamaboobs they are, people will still sadly associate his alleged crimes with his music, even though he’s awaiting trial. If you waltz over to the stereo at a party and put on a song like the LostProphets classic ‘Make A Move’, roughly half the people in that room will stare dumbfounded as if you just cranked up the volume to Gary Glitter’s extended audiobook of Hansel and Gretel.

The band’s reputation is hardly helped with music videos such as ‘A Town Called Hypocrisy’ in which Watkins portrays a horny kids TV presenter, that in retrospect is harder to watch than the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang undergoing a CRB check.

Even saying that the song is reasonably okay is a bit like admiring Nazi architecture, presuming the Nazis built a 300 foot statue of Anne Frank; the builders themselves may be innocent, but you’ll never be able to stop gawping at the water fountain that’s acting as a tear duct above.

Yes, if Watkins is proved innocent it would be judgemental to say that it’s morally wrong to listen to the whiney Americanised pandering, otherwise known as his music. I can only speculate why Watkins is so scorned upon while people continue to enjoy Michael Jackson’s music despite the numerous allegations against him.

20

MUSIC

21 MAY 2013 |

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Who is Mr Big? Magda Cassidy, Music Editor, unravels the enigma that is the Exeter Big Band

REPUTEDLY the biggest BNOC Exeter has to offer, Mr Big’s campus presence arguably opposes his title, so much so that only a select few can actually confirm meeting this elusive character shrouded in secrecy. Desperate to meet the brains behind the band taking Exeter by storm, it was armed only with a notepad and pen that I joined the elite and met the man of mystery personally.

Making brief eye contact through

his dark glasses, Mr Big greeted me with a breakfast black Russian and a dark smile, the smell of vinyl upon his suit.

Taking in his appearance, I immediately assumed his cohort would be equally superior and only open to the very best of players. However, Mr Big was quick to correct me, explaining that Big Band is in fact one of Exeter’s most inclusive music groups; “whether you’re Grade Eight on piano or have just picked up a

trumpet for the very first time”. Known for a diverse spectrum of material, Big Band’s sound combines a classic sound with a contemporary, jazz edge, playing anything from ‘Sing Sing Sing’ to ‘Stronger’ by Kanye West.

With their success and prestige, it’s hard to believe that Big Band have only been around for just over a year.

Formed in January 2012 with the ambition to make Jazz music available to all, Big Band have gone from strength to strength, growing in followers and gaining endorsement from their beloved Timepiece. Their termly Timepiece appearances are legendary, boasting the best tunes and free entry. They’ve also appeared on XTV’s The Venue and have some exciting plans for the future, including a tour of Brighton in June marking the brilliant end of a fantastic year, and most notably, a collaboration with Scratchworks Theatre Collective’s

performance of Best o ‘Fox’, returnf Ex B ringin ing from earg you the be lier in the year of y st our lo c a l mu better, and of sic course bigger, scene with live accompaniment from none other than Big Band.

However, what’s most outstanding about Mr Big is his even bigger heart.

Earlier in the year Big Band raised £185 towards building schools and water aid in Tanzania, and played at Children in Need Rocks in The Great Hall. When quizzed on his passion and dedication, Mr Big explained; “we just want to prove that Big Band music is still one of the greatest genres today. If we can do that, and help others simultaneously, well that’s the biggest dream of all”.

For more information head to www. eubb.co.uk

Magda Cassidy, Music Editor, brings you the low-down on the Bristol hoedown IF failing to grab Glastonbury tickets has dampened your festival spirits, and there aren’t enough pennies in your pockets to get you down to The Isle of Wight, do not despair. We’ve discovered one of the best lineups the UK music scene has to offer for a mere £20 a ticket, and it’s only a few miles away!

“The real beauty of this festival is it’s incredible ability to showcase the best new talent” Dot to Dot, the travelling festival, will be heading to Bristol this month for 14 hours of multi-venue musical nourishment. The festival brings the best live music to seven different locations within the city, including the O2 Academy, Louisiana and Thekla while providing the constant stream of music expected from any good festival minus the camping, wellies and raincoats (we hope). Instead, you’ll be immersed in Bristol’s very best, with access to reasonably priced food, Banksy on every

Isaac Indiana Borderlines Blue Reef Records .......................

DEVON-BASED quintet Isaac Indiana’s debut album Borderlines is full to the brim with highly listenable, guitar-centred indie rock/pop that showcases the band’s considerable musical talent, songwriting ability and ear for a big chorus. The band describes their style as “dangerously upbeat and catchy,” a claim that fortunately holds up over the course of the record. The opening tune, ‘Intro’, clearly defines the feel of the album, laying out a theme returned

other building, and the chance to experience sound waves on the waterfront.

The lineup boasts an exciting blend of indie, alternative and electro acts; including critically acclaimed Stratford-based band Dry the River, known for their quivering croon of “I loved you in the best way possible” in breakup anthem ‘No Rest’. Also heading up the festival is Brit Award winner Tom Odell, indie-folk songstress Lucy Rose who recently graced the Lemmy, and returning artist Benjamin Francis Leftwich who is rumoured to have made Dot to Dot history with an incredible performance in 2011. Other exciting acts include Deap Vally, Wolf Alice, and The 1975, who’ve gained plenty of Radio 1 appreciation since massive single ‘Chocolate’. Dot to Dot hosts many of those bands which you’ve heard of but haven’t got round to listening to fully, providing spectators with the ultimate opportunity to do so.

However, the real beauty of the festival is it’s incredible ability to showcase the best new talent for us stumbling upon. Previous Dot to Dot discoveries to in the following titular track, where Tom Sturges provides a catchy acoustic riff against the crooning vocals of Andy Jackson.

Highlights include ‘You and I’, a slow-burning tale of prospective romance, featuring a muted guitar riff and folky vocal harmonies I could certainly see myself singing along with on the Friday Timepiece dance floor. In terms of the overall album, ‘Lights’, the ninth track, seems to epitomise the band’s sound, with Sturges channelling the vintage guitar sounds of bands like The Black Keys and The Kooks with a tasteful solo. A tight rhythm section of Sam Hall on drums and Ben Houghton on bass underpins the band’s sound, leaving room for the heavy guitar and melodic piano sounds at the core of the album. Ben Homer’s solid work on keys is evident on tracks such as ‘Take it and Run’. However, the record’s far from formulaic. The band proves they can deliver a soulful ballad with tracks like ‘White Horses’, and seem unafraid to experiment, delivering classic-rock organ tones on the opening to ‘Loud and Clear’. All in all, a highly impressive debut!

COLIN BUGLER

Exeposé

THE FIRING RANGE will.i.am - #thatpower WHEN hearing songs like this, it’s easy to be inspired by artists – in particular, Van Gogh. I’d rather chop of an ear than listen to this repetitive and patronising dance track that contains so many pointless electric effects you’ll feel like C3-PO having a migraine by its end. It’s basically an electro sermon in which an autotuned version of Justin Beiber and Will.i.robot just about manage to remove their heads from their arses long enough to sing lyrics like “Hate to bust your bubble/ I’m on that other level”. However, this track should be commended for asking if hashtags can be used as song titles. Answer: no.

THOMAS LING

Taylor Swift - 22

include Jake Bugg, Florence & The Machine and Metronomy, so if you’re looking to tip off your radars with the UK’s best up and coming artists, look no further. However, in order to make

Michael Bublé To Be Loved 143 ...............................

I AM going to lay out all of my cards in front of you: I am a Michael Bublé fan. I enjoy his modern swing and jazz tones, the seductive lilt to his voice and the long-lost sense of Hollywood romance in his lyrics. I do admit To be Loved isn’t a progression from his previous albums, but this is not a criticism. His songs have always had a level of maturity and soul

the most of what the festival offers, it’s in your best interest to leave as much browsing time as you physically can, so plan ahead and be sure to bring a packed lunch! to them that very few artists capture.

Bublé’s voice is a rare breed, it’s one of the past that manages to stay contemporary enough to captivate the modern listener.

To Be Loved starts with the confetti covered and wedding bells ringing romantic song ‘You Make Me Feel So Young’, which wouldn’t be out of place in the credits of a 1950s romantic comedy. This flows smoothly into ‘It’s a Beautiful Day’, the song of the summer.

This catchy tune represents people who don’t care they don’t have a boyfriend/ girlfriend. You got dumped? The relationship was awful anyway. This song is a “stride of pride” song for all the single ladies and gentlemen out there. As the man himself croons, ‘It’s a beautiful day, the sun is up, the music’s playing’ – so get the BBQs on and blast this song out the speakers for an instant staple summer tune.

Covers, you ask? Oh yes, we have ten smackers. Notably, we have the delectable Mrs Reese Witherspoon crooning ‘Something Stupid’, and the overplayed ‘You’ve Got A Friend In Me’.

There’s little originality to them, but they are all hand picked to give his audience a feeling of very clichéd happiness. The

IF I’d listened to this song before April, I’m not sure I would have let myself get to 22. I love Taylor Swift, her pretty face and lively tunes, just as much as the next man, but this time it just doesn’t hit the spot. Atrocious lyrics and poorly structured rhyming patterns leave Taylor out on her own during the verses, which are quite painful to sit through. She just about meets the ‘Taylor Target’ with the bouncy chorus, but the half-hearted lyrical variation leaves you with the same impression: poor effort Taylor!

JAMES CROUCH

original songs are more successful than covers, and relinquishing the past for the present could make this album spectacular, rather than sparkly yet safe. ‘After All’, one of the four original tracks, is sung with the infamous Bryan Adams.

“Covers you ask? Oh yes, we have ten smackers” This collaboration adds a new and fresh rock twist to Michael Bublé’s otherwise purely modern jazz genre. Both strong voices submerge together to support each other in seducing every woman who listens to it. If music ever had two more successful wingmen then I’d eat my summer straw hat. If every single track was like this, it would put Bublé on the same levels as Sinatra and Simon (yes, I went there).

This album is a pick me up for the ladies, cougars more than students. But it will definitely send you into a flutter because ‘Who’s Lovin’ You?’, Michael Buble’s lovin’ you, and you’ll be lovin’ yourself after listening to this vibrant yet sultry album.

EMILY-ROSE ROLFE LIFESTYLE EDITOR

22

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Newsreel

BAFTAs: Ten things I love about you

Roger Ebert to receive a Sundance Institute Award The late movie critic will receive the Vanguard Leadership Award in recognition of his advocacy of independent cinema. The award will be presented to Chaz, Ebert’s wife.

New Star Wars film to be made in Britain Under J.J.Abrams’s direction Star Wars: Episode VII will return to Britain after the last two films were largely shot in Australia. No confirmed details about exactly where yet, but Pinewood, Shepperton and Leavesden are likely choices.

Gremlins set for a reboot Get ready for a Gremlin-style freak out as Warner Bros. has thrown out the plans for a sequel to the much-loved Gremlins films, and is now opting for a remake of the 1984 classic. No details as of yet, so it may turn out well… (it won’t.)

Robert Downey Jr fighting for fairer pay (sort of) The Iron Man star, who was reportedly paid $50million for his role in the first Avengers film has stated that he won’t return unless his co-stars receive a fairer paycheck - they only got $200,000.

Tim Bradbeer discusses the ten things we all learnt at the 2013 BAFTA awards 1. OLIVIA COLMAN is the new Queen of TV. End of. She managed to leap from relative obscurity with her tour de force performance in Broadchurch and thoroughly deserved her double win. Both speeches were heartfelt, emotional and endearing. You could almost hear a sigh as the entire nation mutually fell in love with her.

2. Claire Balding confirmed her status as a national treasure, accepting a special award for her work for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. Her speech was the best of the night, dedicating it to the entire team and ending with a just held together sob and a beautiful, “we won a Bafta…”

3. Michael Palin officially IS the nicest guy in Britain… who knew?

4. Made in Chelsea is now BAFTA worthy. As Graham Norton pointed out, “they were insufferable before, but what’ll they be like now!”

Films to see before you graduate: Dark City DARK CITY is a film that no one I know has ever heard of, and more’s the pity. A potential summary of Dark City would be something like taking Blade Runner, adding a sprinkling of The Matrix, and dumping it in a vat of film noir for a few hours. However, the film is so unique that comparisons don’t really do it justice, since story, tone, and art direction all come together to make a stunning work of cinema.

“It is a smart, beautiful sci-fi noir” The film follows John Murdoch, (Rufus Sewell), awakening in a hotel bath in a 1920’s era city with no memory of who he is. Finding a woman’s corpse in the room, Murdoch is chased through the city by shadowy men in

trench coats. Though the set-up sounds like a tired cliché, it’s clear from the get-go that the film is anything but, and it quickly becomes apparent that something far more sinister is going on.

Saying anything more would be revealing spoilers, and on that note, I’d heartily recommend the directors cut, which removes a spoiler-tastic monologue at the beginning and adds enough time to the film to let it develop at its own pace. Moving away from plot-content, the set direction is absolutely gorgeous, with clear influences from Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and the art-deco movement, with a music score that’s just as impressive.

Dark City is a smart, beautiful sci-fi noir that I cannot recommend enough, which deserves far more attention than it’s been given.

JAMES DYSON

5. The BBC is amazing, but apparently the Olympics weren’t so well thought of. Whilst Game of Thrones and the Paralympics were deserved winners, I do find it a little odd that the BBC’s coverage of last summer’s sports-fest failed to win anything. The gold medals may have outshone the coverage itself but it was no small achievement what the BBC achieved.

“You could almost hear a sigh as the entire nation mutually fell in love with Olivia Coleman” 6. Old people can have fun too. In her speech for Last Tango in Halifax‘s Best Drama win, Anne Reid made a brilliant swipe at the BBC for previous occasions of ageism, but praised them

for Tango’s octogenarian love story.

7. It was very refreshing to see a large gay presence at the winner’s podium at a time of debate about gay marriage and homophobia. TV greats including Claire Balding, Graham Norton, and even Sean Bean’s nomination for his performance as a transsexual played a big part of the evening.

As Caitlin Moran tweeted after, “BAFTAS were wonderfully gay weren’t they?”

8. Ben Whishaw may be a fabulous actor, but boy is he a bad public speaker. Who would’ve guessed that Richard II himself would squeal, flap his hands and generally sound like Gok Wan on acid when accepting an award? Stick to acting, Ben. 9. Sheridan Smith came a close second to Olivia for most adorable winner of the night. Swearing when accepting an award is always great, and her announcement to the audience

Headshot: J.J.Abrams

LADIES and gentlemen, I give you Jeffery Jacob Abrams – producer, director, screenwriter, actor, composer, lover, and fighter (probably)… is there anything he can’t do? Well, stick to a single career in film apparently, but why should he? Since the turn of the century, he has slowly but surely transformed himself from an unknown and unseen cog in the showbiz machine into one of Hollywood’s most exciting additions to mainstream cinema.

Starting off in the industry at just the age of sixteen, Abrams’ first flirt with film came when he was chosen to write the music for cult director Don Dohler’s sci-fi/horror flick Nightbeast.

Fast forward to college where his first major breakthrough comes when his college film treatment is bought by Touchstone Pictures and is soon used as the basis for Abram’s very first movie as a producer, the 90s comedy Taking Care of Business.

After many years spent writing

for films likes Regarding Henry, Forever Young and Christopher Nolan’s box-office darling Armageddon, his attention was soon directed to his

of celebrities and TV bigwigs that “you shouldn’t cry, you’ll look like a knob” was hilarious, and, wonderfully, would never happen in similar ceremonies across the pond.

“Who would’ve guessed Richard II himself would squeal, flap his hands and generally sound like Gok Wan on acid?”

10. Last but not least, the funniest moment of the night goes to Romola Garai, who when presenting the award for best comedy, gave a brief but detailed description of her post-natal surgery, including the gasp inducing “after the birth of my son, I had the misfortune of having 23 stitches in my vagina”. Take that Daily Mail, and goodnight. own projects. In 1998, Abrams co-created and helped write, produce, direct and compose the primetime television drama series Felicity, which rapidly achieved a devoted following and critical acclaim. The result was massive, opening the floodgates to the likes of Alias and the smash-hit series Lost.

In more recent years, there has been a definite shift from the small screen to cinema as he was attached to projects such as Mission: Impossible III, Cloverfield and of course, Star Trek. Now that Disney has handpicked him to carry on the legacy of the cultural phenomenon Star Wars, it seems that there is nowhere but up for Mr JJ Abrams.

ROB HARRIS SCREEN EDITOR

Exeposé

| WEEK twenty-SEVEN

Spring Breakers Director: Harmony Korine Cast: James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens 94 mins (18) SPRING BREAKERS has the dubious accolade of being the single worst film that I have had to sit through since my sister got the Twilight box set for Christmas. In hindsight, the near empty cinema scattered with the occasional creepy middle-aged man lurking in the dark, and the awkward adolescent boy sat alone in the front row, should have been my first warning.

The film’s cast features Disney channel alumni Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens playing, unsurprisingly, ‘spring breakers’ alongside the little known Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine, wife of the film’s director Harmony Korine. Despite the cast suggesting a relatively light-hearted High School Musical-esque plot, the film opens with what MTV would describe as “scenes of a sexual nature” and immediately takes the audience into the depressing world

of bored college students in small-town America.

After robbing a diner for cash, the girls head to Florida for the break of a lifetime. They soon become involved with the cornrow-plaited, pot-smoking, grill-wearing gangster ‘Alien’ played by James Franco, so named because “truth

“it is difficult to feel empathy for characters that are so clearly damaged”

scenes of robbing, shooting, drugs and sex… and little else. There is no character development, and it is difficult to feel empathy for characters that are so clearly damaged, but instead come across as unlikeable and contrived. What I believe was intended to be a hard-hitting indie-style film is actually embarrassing in its attempt to do so; and only worth seeing to truly appreciate the team of stylists that, against all the odds, managed to make James Franco look unattractive.

GEORGIA FRANKS

be told, I ain’t from this planet y’all”.

Franco’s acting is second to none, and it is worth seeing the film solely for his hilariously tragic monologue on how he has achieved the American dream because he owns two - yes two - bottles of Calvin Klein cologne, which he likes to mix together to keep him smelling ‘fresh’.

Aside from Franco’s near comic performance, the plot follows the girls as they become even further disconnected from reality through numerous

Term three treats from Exeter’s Campus Cinema Frankie Ainsworth looks at what’s coming up from cinema on campus

SOME of you have finished your exams already and for others the end is in sight.

So with potentially a lot of spare time on your hands, you might be looking for a film or two to see. Well, fear not for there are four at Campus Cinema. “But what is Campus Cinema?” you ask. Well, it’s a society which screens movies in the M&D room, in Devonshire House on Sundays and Tuesdays. There’s tiered seating, popcorn and everything. It’s a riot. Here’s what we’re showing: On Sunday 26 May, we have Flight, an epic story of Denzel Washington and upside down planes. Denzel plays a pilot who managed to miraculously land a commercial flight mid-nose dive, saving everyone on board. Turns out, however, that during his act of heroism, our protector was off his face. Queue a lot of unwanted media attention, a court case with the threat of imprisonment, some angry scotch glass throwing and a few half-clothed prostitutes. This film has pretty much everything. Personally my hat goes off to Denzel and his Oscar nominated performance as a drunk guy trying really hard not to look as pissed as a fish. Acting at its best.

Next on Sunday 2 June, we have Cloud Atlas, a film which I initially didn’t understand the plot of either.

It’s based on the highly acclaimed novel and stars a ridiculous amount

SCREEN

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of famous people in a ridiculous number of costumes. It’s a touching story of how souls intertwine across time and whether history repeats itself. If that sounds a bit too

Screen Asks This week, Screen asked for your top pick for when procrastination strikes: If it’s not goat parodies of Taylor Swift or YouTube documentaries on riot grrl I can usually be found making my way through the seven seasons of The West Wing.

MEGAN FURBOROUGH SCREEN EDITOR YouTube clips of The Ricky Gervais Show. For some reason Karl Pilkington calling tupperware “tubberware” makes me laugh more than anything.

MATT BUGLER ONLINE SPORT EDITOR SPEED TEN THOUSAND TIMES. BEST FILM IN THE WORLD. KEANU (AND HIS BICEPS) IS MY SOULMATE! AND A BUS GOES REALLY FAST AND IT’S AWESOME. OLIVIA LUDER SITE MANAGER

heavy for you, though, you can also just play a game of “where’s Halle Berry?” or “spot Tom Hanks in this bit”. No other film has quite the same game of trying to recognise various actors through their prosthetics. I was surprised by a stealthy Ben Whishaw on occasion.

Thirdly on Tuesday 4 June we have Wreck-It-Ralph, a computer animated movie which took an eternity to get released in the UK, though we have it now so all is well. Wreck-It-Ralph is the antagonist of his arcade game who has grown weary of smashing houses and constantly being painted as a bad guy. For once he wants to be a hero.

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As you can guess, changing everyone’s mind is not as easy as he’d hoped. This film’s a blast and we’re showing it at Campus Cinema for a special super cheap price, so really you have no excuse not to be watching it.

Finally on Sunday 9 June there is Stoker, an eerie family thriller which has nothing to do with vampires, I promise.

Mia Wasikowska plays a stoic, sulky girl whose mysterious uncle comes to stay the day of her father’s funeral.

What’s he up to? What does he want? Is he killing peo-

Liam Sullivan’s Kelly videos on YouTube…Will have you singing ‘Shoes’ moronically for days to come @lisarosestead I usually try to find interesting things to watch on YouTube, but whenever I go on I always end up watching a silly puppy/kitten video.

Then I’d try again and do the exact same thing. It’s a vicious cycle.

ROB HARRIS SCREEN EDITOR Breaking Bad in German. That way it counts as revision for my exam as well as being entertaining. @alicewirdbesser Porn.

CALLUM MCCLEAN

ple? This movie is stylish, clever and pretty as hell. Stoker toys with your expectations and leaves you in awe. I will never look at snow angels the same way again.

So there’s the line-up. It’s bound to be a lot of fun, so quit making flashcards for a bit and pop down to the M&D room. You won’t miss them.

Check out www.campuscinema.co.uk for more details.

As Hot As... the hot or nots of this week’s film news DOCTOR WHO - Fans in the US have been sent their DVDs of the latest series three weeks early, leading to spoilers for the season finale appearing online. In short, avoid the internet. We don’t care that you need to work.

Coal Mining

JURASSIC PARK - Universal Pictures has announced that the film has been put on hold so the studio can bring audiences ‘the best possible version’.

Honestly guys, we just want some bigass dinosaurs.

THE GREAT GATSBY - Despite launching in spectacular style, Baz Luhrmann has failed to win critical acclaim. A lukewarm reception won’t stop Screen however, oh no. Just you wait for next issue…

TOM HANKS - A recent poll named everyone’s favourite clean-cut father figure as America’s most trusted celebrity.

Seeing as he’s recently adopted an ever so slightly sinister moustachioed look as of late, this is quite the achievement.

RYAN GOSLING - He doesn’t like his cereal. Seriously, he won’t eat it. What do you mean you don’t know what we’re talking about? Google it! Seen it?

WASN”T THAT AWESOME?

Olivia Coleman

24

books

Books

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Book Shelf The 2013 Book Seller Awards have proved that the publishing industry is still a force to be reckoned with 1. Publisher of the Year Random House From sales of £47.3 million for the Fifty Shades triology to 28 no.1 titles, Random House looks set to continue from strength to strength as the merger with Penguin is now agreed, and they will only increase their 22 per cent hold of the UK market.

2. Bookseller of the Year Foyles For the second year running Foyles has won this coveted category. They are continuing to expand beyond their current outlets in Bristol and London. One of the judges described them as ‘the ideal bookseller’.

3. Digital Strategy of the Year Pottermore Faced with the anticipation of thousands of Potter fans Pottermore not only impressively created a ‘fully immersive’ experience but also unparalleled results through exclusive ebook sales. There are also plans to link with Playstation to broaden the network further.

4. Library of the Year Dundee & Devon Library Services Our very own county was praised for the extensive range of services offered beyond book lending. Funding cuts have also not prevented increasing visitor numbers and loan figures.

5.Publicity Campaign of the Year Emilie Ferguson & Emma Knight Using both word of mouth and a film trailer to raise interest in A Street Cat Named Bob (by James Bowen) Emilie Ferguson and Emma Knight amusingly culminated the campaign with ‘book signings’ using a pawprint stamp.

ELLI CHRISTIE BOOKS EDITOR

21 may 2013 |

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Exeposé

BOOKS EDITORS

Elli Christie & Emma Holifield books@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Books

Should the stories of history remain in the past?

Conor Byrne questions claims historical fiction gives an accurate portrayal of the past The latest issue of BBC History Magazine has an interesting interview with bestselling writer Philippa Gregory on historical fiction. This is an exciting

“It’s absurdly inaccurate, but it can be scrutinised as a work of literature” time for Gregory, since the BBC’s production of The White Queen, the story of Queen Elizabeth Woodville and her relationship with Edward IV during the Wars of the Roses, will soon be airing in a ten-part series.

I have particular issues with Gregory’s books, which are very loose with historical facts and rely heavily on scandal and sensation. What frustrates Tudorphiles are Gregory’s nonsensical claims that she is a his-

For

torian and her work should be, essentially, accurate. The problem is, however, if we take her work as factual, Anne Boleyn was a murderess and poisoner; Elizabeth Woodville was a witch; Elizabeth I was a teenage whore and later murderess, and Catherine of Aragon a sworn liar, to name but a few examples.

Problems, anyone?

Yet, after reading this interview (I’d begun it rather sceptically I must admit), my views shifted somewhat, after a particular comment by Gregory struck a chord; ‘What I do find surprising is that often only the history side of my novels is criticised. What people don’t do, and what they should, is also critique them as novels – neither side is primary’.

Without rejecting my beliefs, I think this is fair.

Gregory’s books are, after all, h i s torical

fiction. Why aren’t they interpreted, studied, and debated as other novels, rather than solely being considered by their historical accuracy?

Take The Other Boleyn Girl. It’s absurdly inaccurate, but it can be scrutinised as a work of literature, with themes of sisterly rivalry, love and passion, death and violence, religion, murder, adultery ... the list goes on. The use of structure and language can be appreciated – Gregory makes each character’s language differ. Anne utilises coarse and vulgar vocabulary in private, contrasting with her gracefulness in public life, while Catherine of Aragon maintains her regal presence through formal and discreet language.

Gregory’s choice of Mary as narrator is effective – she is a fascinating observer at the treacherous court, and we gain a glimpse mesmerising Anne’s dark side through the eyes of her sister.

The settings are interesting – the superficial but stifling court juxtaposes starkly with the serenity and peace of the Hever countryside.

Other historical fiction, such as Hilary Mantel’s novels, can be scrutinised and analysed in the same way, as can works dealing with historical

periods such as Nazi Germany, Ancient Rome, or Soviet Russia.

So Gregory’s comment is insightful,

“I, for one, found her version of the Boleyn family at times very offensive” and emphasises that historical fiction should be read and studied as literature in the same way as other novels – does the fact that they are historical really alter this? Yet, while this can be appreciated, authors, like Gregory, should not insist that their works are historically accurate. Whatever she says, she is not an academic historian, and noted historians like Alison Weir, who also write fiction, readily point out what is fiction and what is fact. Mantel does the same, informing critics that her version of Boleyn’s downfall is not factual. Perhaps Gregory should do the same – I, for one, found her version of the Boleyn family at times very offensive.

Elli Christie, Books Editor, defends historical literary jaunts Historical fiction is frequently mocked for how it ‘sexes up’ the past and the multiple covers of mysterious women that it seems to produce. However, it is unfair and short sighted to dismiss an entire genre because of some of its weaker offspring. How often are War

“they capture the spirit of a previous time with a motive to inform” and Peace, A Tale of Two Cities or The Three Musketeers described as historical fiction? They all aimed to describe and capture the spirit of a previous time with a motive to inform and influence their reader’s view of history.

It often seems that the only history that is thought worth teaching in schools is the World Wars with perhaps a couple of Romans or Saxons thrown in for spice. Unfortunately, this leaves a gulf which the Victorians, Georgians, Tudors and Stuarts (to name a few) all fall into.

Historical fiction, such as Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl and Kate Summerscale’s The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, attempts to provide a starting place for people to build their knowledge and interest from. Who would pick up a book which proclaims that it

is about a succession crisis and religious reformation in the 1520s? However, through reading a fictionalised account of someone’s part in the events it becomes relevant to modern issues and perhaps more interesting that a dry list of dates and facts.

Traditional representations of history routinely include many descriptions of what middle aged, rich, white men did and how their part in events dramatically affected the country. This ignores the fact that their power came from a diverse population who had experiences wholly different from those of the elite. Just because the women and the working class couldn’t directly control political events does not mean that they were completely divorced from them. As the well known

“As the well known saying goes ‘behind every great man is a great woman’” saying goes ‘behind every great man is a great woman’ and I am sure that more than one stuffy politician went home and discussed his day’s work with the wife before going back to work with a slightly different opinion.

Historical fiction commonly uses

the dynamic between lovers or husband and wife to drive the plot forward. Whilst this may seem to link the genre to what is commonly referred to as ‘chicklit’, I believe that it draws attention to what would have been on most minds of any period. The Napoleonic Wars were raging when Jane Austen wrote her books but few of the characters seem as interested in the wars as they are in the soldiers.

Whilst not the most respected and revered of writers Georgette Heyer perfectly provides a female perspective of the Regency. Unlike Austen she included copious amounts of period detail in her books from the price of candles to certain shortages of food in a particular year. Austen would have thought the detail irrelevant since her audience would have been aware of the background facts and issues but for modern readers this knowledge of the past is why historical

fiction is read.

Heyer apprecated that the every day was as much a part of history as the changing of d y -

nasties and this is what connects a reader to both the time and the concerns that a character might experience. Through a selection of the facts and events both Heyer and historians slant any view of history.

In the end all history is fiction since every document and every perspective recorded has its own motive and its own story to tell. History is not only written by the victors but created by historians too.

AGAINST

Exeposé

| WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN

Condensed Condensed Classics Classics The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood (1985)

“Better never means better for everyone... It always means worse, for some” THIS dystopian novel is set in the USA where a Christian cult has overthrown the government to form the Republic of Gilead. The regime enforced by this cult means that women lose their freedom, including their rights to work, read, and have property. The novel is narrated

by Offred, who was caught attempting to escape to Canada with her husband and child. She becomes a handmaid who are fertile women acting as concubines for elite, barren couples.

As a handmaid, her identity is stripped, her name refers to the man who aims to impregnate her (of Fred) and she is forbidden from leaving the grounds, apart from occasional grocery shops where she is always accompanied. Whilst the novel focuses on the role of the handmaids, it also explores the feelings of the wives who are forced to permit this state sanctioned adultery and, to some extent, the role of the husbands. Offred learns that there are still subversive elements to this new world and she begins to put herself in danger by engaging with these. The novel concludes with a metafictional epilogue taking place after the fall of “The Gilead Period” where academics have supposedly found Offred’s story recorded onto cassette tapes and are sharing it in a symposium for Gileadean studies.

Jess Fenlon

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel set in 1922 New York has, thanks to Baz Luhrmann’s new adaptation, suddenly become popular again. For many, the new movie will be their first introduction to what is easily my favourite book of all time. I hope the film does it justice.

“Jay Gatsby really isn’t the man who everyone thinks he is” At a first glance, The Great Gatsby appears to be little other than a story about rich New Yorkers, their extravagant parties, and the casual illegality of bootlegging during prohibition. In fairness, this is true: The Great Gatsby has become famous for its many party scenes depicting the lifestyle of the rich and famous in the 1920s. However, what is interesting is that the famous host, Gatsby himself, is in fact just an

Tomes or tombs?

James Crouch on the future of books and why they will survive If you’re an author and you’re sitting on a first-class train leaving any London terminus, you’ll probably be expecting a P45 form from your publisher sometime soon. Every journey I’ve gone on all I see are people scoffing their free coffee, tea and biscuits while looking at Kindle or another device for electronically reading books.

“Amazon has become an Aladdin’s cave for almost any book you could possibly want” Even for newspapers, if you are a Times reader you are often offered a digital package alongside the standard package, where no paper is involved at all. When you think about how expensive books probably are to make compared to merely pulling together a few hundred e-pages and creating an ‘Add To Basket’ button, no wonder people are worried about the death of books.

Fortunately though, the world is not always as it seems. Although it may seem like e-books are the new easy-toget thing, let’s remember all the things real books still have going for them. For a start, Kindles are a decently heavy investment before you actually get anything to read. This is something I think most people will regard as a waste of money - as I do quite frankly. Especially because of how easy and cheap books have become - and I mean that as a compliment!

Amazon has become an Aladdin’s cave for almost any book you could possibly want. Big, small, thin, fat,

‘ordinary man’, absent and unknown, but surrounded by mystery.

Through the narration by Gatsby’s new neighbour, Nick Carraway (who claims that he ‘reserves all judgements’, but ironically goes on to be the most judgemental character in the novel), it is revealed that Jay Gatsby really isn’t the man who everyone thinks he is.

Daisy is one of the most irritating characters I have ever come across. Apparently, she is “paralyzed with happiness” upon seeing Nick, and later cries uncontrollably because she has “never seen such beautiful shirts before”. Yes, shirts. This pretentiousness is something that Mia Farrow does remarkably well in the 1974 film version, and eventually no matter how much you want to throttle her, you can’t help but pity her.

However, while you may initially despise Fitzgerald’s depiction of women as flighty and frivolous, it begins to make a lot more sense as you come to understand that it’s all one big analogy for the American Dream, its corruption, and its ultimate unattainability. Gatsby, the every man, loves Daisy and wants nothing more than to be with her. But

BOOKS

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used, new, hardback, paperback, they have the book for you. Used Twilight Saga? One whole penny? Go on, why not. Brand new prints of the classics such as the brick-like War and Peace for only two quid? Sure thing! Books have never been so cheap or so easily available.

Then there are the personal things, such as gifts. A book I got from my Nan had a lovely handwritten message that you just couldn’t put on an e-book - without ruining the screen that is. And of course, nothing beats a good hardback book. Just looking at some leather-bound old books forces you to believe that they’ll be around forever.

And if that’s not enough to restore your faith in humanity’s faithful relationship with the printed and published word, just think about universities.

“Used Twilight saga? One whole penny? Go on, why not” Considering how long it takes to photocopy a chapter of some obscure thinker on the topic of methodological philosophy or some such nonsense, how long do you really think it’s going to be until the Forum Library is digitised? You’ll be waiting until kingdom come, which is, coincidentally, roughly speaking how long I think books will still be a part of our Check out lives next week’s Screen for.

section for coverage of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby

what he struggles with is that she has found Tom and been corrupted by money: the fickle American Dream isn’t as pure as it once was.

Eventually, both the reader and

“Just a little boat looking for a harbour” Gatsby come to realise that the chase is over; the pure and original Dream can never be reached. But Gatsby, who is essentially “just a little boat looking for a harbour”, never gives up.

There’s a lot more to the novel, some fabulous characters, and fantastic twists. I hope the film inspires people to read this beautiful book, which I’ve always found amazingly memorable.

I don’t have a copy of the text on me as I write but the quotes just keep bubbling up. Personally, I’m just looking forward to seeing the film: The Great Gatsby and Leonardo DiCaprio all in one place? Hello.

FRAN LOWE

25

Emma Holifield, Books Editor, discusses gendered book covers They always say you should never judge a book by its cover. But when bookshops are stocked to the brim with literary offerings,

cover art acts as a useful indicator that helps siphon off those that won’t appeal.

Never enjoying massively girly fiction, I walk straight past the shelves graced by ‘chick-lit’. Usually fronted by vapid girls staring poutily out into the middle distance, I discount these books without even reading the blurb.

Just from looking at their covers I as-

“What if out of the plethora of identically packaged ‘girly’ fiction there is actually a hidden gem?” sume they will not be my thing. But what if I am missing out by disregarding these books? What if out of the plethora of identically packaged ‘girly’ fiction there is actually a hidden gem?

The assumptions I gleam from its cover may mean I never get to read it.

Gender and literature has always been a hot-topic. Notably, like many of their contemporaries, the Brontë sisters wrote under male pseudonyms. More recently J.K. Rowling was famously told she couldn’t write under the name Joanne, instead being published by her initials.

Author Maureen Johnson was recently concerned by increasingly gendered covers. In her view, many books written by female authors are unfairly marketed as easy, ‘girly’ reading; “A man and a woman can write books about the same subject matter, at the

same level of quality, and that woman is simply more likely to get the softsell cover with the warm glow and the feeling of smooth jazz blowing off of it.”

To try and break these stereotypes she instigated the cover-flip challenge, asking her Twitter followers to tweet new covers for popular books, switching the author’s gender. In a matter of hours she received hundreds of #coverflip replies.

Some of them really prove her point. Books I’d always perceived as revered novels became deeply uninteresting when repackaged in a clichéd girly cover. Equally, works that I’d rejected as overly demanding looked much more approachable when their abstract fronts were abandoned.

The fact masculanised girly books seem ‘cleverer’, and ‘literary’ male works appear easier when feminised in itself shows our worrying dependence on how a book looks as an evaluation of its worth. Johnson wants books to be “freed from some of these constraints.”

With some publishers responding positively to the coverflip challenge, I for one, hope the book world takes notice of Johnson’s experiment. Download culture means readers are increasingly confronted with an expanding range of literature to choose from, with the vast array of e-books meaning literary choices are often made quickly.

The scant information provided about each work means that a cover can often clinch or discourage a sale.

This makes it all the more important that a book is covered in a way that appeals to its appropriate audience but doesn’t alienate others who are less familiar with works in its genre. For me, Johnson’s experiment reveals how packaging works based on their content rather than the author’s sex will go some way to preventing people basing their reading decisions purely based on a book’s appearance, destabilising the rigid categories of gender appropriate literature.

Any Last Words?

This week we asked you to come up with an unexpected second line to a well-known book or poem.

“Sand grains should sugar in the natal dew / The babe born to the desert, the sand storm / Retard mid-waste my cowering caravans-- / ‘There are bees in this wall.’” - ‘The Black Cottage, Robert Frost’. Why are there bees!? I still don’t really get it.

CLARA PLACKETT “Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter. They all lived with their mother at Watership Down.” The Tale of Peter Rabbit meets Watership Down... too mean?

ROB HARRIS

“She walks in beauty, like the night; ‘cos the council have turned all the street lights off” - A lesser known alternative of the Byron poem, for austerity Britain SHEFALI SRIVASTAVA T.S Eliot’s ‘Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ always somewhat baffled me with: “Let us go then, you and I, /When the evening is spread out against the sky/ Like a patient etherised upon a table” ... not quite the image one expects!

BETHANY STUART

Exeposé

| WEEK twenty-seven

Arts

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ARTS

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27

ARTS EDITORS

Sophy Coombes-Roberts & Ricky Freelove arts@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Arts

Living laugh on the Edge

Sophy Coombes-Roberts, Arts Editor, reports on the local comedy scene in Exeter I BELIEVE it to be widely accepted that Friday and Saturday nights in Exeter are a bit of a write off. As enjoyable as mingling with the locals and drunkenly busting moves at the Lemmy are, they rarely compare to a good Wednesday TP or Monday Mozza. In fact the weekend is often reserved for lounging in front of the TV and catching up on essays. Which is why you may be surprised to discover that last weekend, with the absence of any drunken antics, I had a great time on both Friday and Saturday night... enjoying the best of Exeter Comedy.

Comedy Clubs are huge in big cities such as London and Birmingham, where shows are packed with students (often with drinks in hand) looking for a great night out. However, I found out it isn’t only the big cities which produce

great quality comedy nights. The official ‘Exeter Comedy Club’ takes place on the first Friday of every month at the lively Corn Exchange Theatre and is always extremely busy. The layout is informal and fun with the audience sitting on tables, which you can even order pizza to during the

intervals. The atmosphere is electric, the bar reasonably priced and the comedy really top class with some big names on the comedy circuit gracing the stage

every month. It really is a hidden gem and great way to spend a Friday night whether it is with your partner or a big group of friends.

‘Edge Comedy’ is also another monthly comedy club, which really takes the profession back to its roots. The club see’s a huge variety of acts, offering the opportunity for up and coming comedians to get their foot in the door, but also showcasing some more experienced acts. Funny man Luke Honnoraty, is the regular compere and is light-heartedly entertaining who really thrives through audience participation. Whilst the headliners are sure to make even the sourest of men crack a smile.

Giverny Masso, Online Arts Editor, discusses losing her stand-up virginity HAVING only ever caught glimpses on TV, I was not sure what to expect from my first evening of live comedy. Comedy had always been something which had just never appealed to me. I enjoy attending performances of almost every other kind; dance, musicals and drama, just never comedy. Entering the Exeter Corn Exchange, I took my seat amongst what appeared to be regular attendees and waited for the Comedy Club Evening to begin.

As the compere, Romesh Ranganathan, took to the stage I was initially shocked. The prolific swearing and the bullying of a young audience member seemed plainly unpleasant. My first thought was that there was no way I would attend something like this with my parents. I soon relaxed though, understanding that these were just the conventions of comedy, and began to laugh along with everyone else.

The first act, Mathew Osborn, was

Exehibition

Each issue, Exeposé Arts will be featuring a piece of student art. This week, it’s student artist, Viv Moseley

I FIRST started taking a real interest in art when I was 16 and was inspired by the breadths of the subject, through history, psychology and it’s potential eccentricity through courses at Slade. Although I am largely an oil painter, I am becoming increasingly interested in less traditional mediums through installation and contemporary art which can be easily misunderstood and under appreciated due to what may seem simplistic expressions of art. I am currently focused on developing my Super 8 skills, incorporating film as

slightly slower getting started than Romesh had been. I found a few of my laughs slightly forced, and this began to confirm my fear that comedy could be a slightly awkward spectacle. However there were moments when Mathew did shine through, and you could see why he had won the 2009 English comedian of the Year award.

“The atmosphere was great, with an overly drunk audience member only adding to the entertainment” From here onwards things ran smoothly and I laughed uncontrollably.

The second act, Dana Alexander, was for me the highlight. “The only black female comedian on the circuit in Canada” was certainly not to be missed. I’ve heard people generalise before that female a medium in visual art. I love art which is created by the sensations the viewer experiences when interpreting the art, achieved so violently by Laure Provost.

‘A study of movement’ - This painting was inspired by the works of Gerhard Richter. By using the spinning character as a focal point I wanted to encapsulate change, progression and a confusion of past trajectories. Richter painted many “blurred” images, photographic in style and abstracts which showed spontaneity through layers of objecting colours, strokes and squeegeeing, I wanted the character’s personality to be represented in this way. The character undertakes a battle with it’s surroundings, trying to emerge and identify itself. This was to cogitate on our unavoidable two-way affiliations with the world around us, shaping us as we shape it.

comedians aren’t funny, however Dana entirely shattered this assumption. I particularly enjoyed her fantastically executed accents, ranging from the Queen’s English to redneck American.

The headliner, Marlon Davis, was also brilliant. The first thing that struck me was his likable persona, which he himself used for comic effect when he pointed out that his likability was due to his very “round face”.

Who couldn’t take a liking to someone with such a round, friendly face? Marlon was energetic, flying all over the stage, and his energy was infectious.

A d a m

In addition to the comedy clubs, touring comedians often bring their shows to other theatres such as The Northcott and The Phoenix. Recently Exeter has seen some really big names in comedy such as Josh Widdicombe (The Last Leg) and Chris Addison (Mock the Week), and we are eagerly awaiting the brilliant Jimmy Carr and

“Exeter Comedy Club takes place on the first Friday of every month at the lively Corn Exchange” Comedian of the Year Sarah Milligan, both of whom will bring their tours to the city before Christmas.

Bloom is definitely right in commenting that Marlin is “going to be a star” a n d has “all t h e charm and

If you have not already experienced it the Exeter comedy scene is not something to miss out on at during you time here. It makes a nice change to the standard night clubs, creates a great atmosphere and is the perfect opportunity to relax and laugh out loud. All students are sure to feel at home, whether you want to be rowdy and converse with the comedians on stage, have a tipsy night filled with laughter or just enjoy some talented comedians, these nights come highly recommended at good value for money.

The Comedy Club at the Corn Exchange returns for its final show of the season on June 7 costing £12, and June 1 will see Nick Page (as seen on BBC1) headline at ‘Edge Comedy Club’, £7 for students.

passion of Chris Rock”.

All in all, I had a great evening. I’m glad I tried something new, and I was lucky to be able to watch such esteemed acts for my first time. The atmosphere was great, with an overly drunk audience member only adding to the entertainment as Romesh called attention to him. I’d definitely recommend this as something different to do with a group of friends. With a few drinks, reasonably priced pizzas and a lively audience you can’t go wrong.

Photo: Marlon Davis and his “round face”

‘Home’ - This painting was created during my first term at university. It was a reflection on moving towards a more volatile future where my home, painted using unoffensive, calm, Monetesque colours was left behind as a sort of reverie. The repetitive bricks cast back a variety of memories of living in the same sole house up till now but also a stability in the nature of the house’s construction.

My past history cannot be changed, and will always remain in bricks and mortar. So although my current existence lies in Exeter, the house back home will always be there and could materialise again if I felt I needed to escape back, reminisce and re-identify myself using my childhood.

To find out more about Viv’s work, visit Facebook.com/vivienmoseleyart

To have your art featured in Exehibition, contact arts@exepose.com

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ARTS

21 may 2013 |

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

A mid-summer term’s dream

Exeposé

Krissi Hill, reviews the new adaption of Othello, starring Rory Kinnear at the National Theatre

Othello The National Theatre

Until 18 August THREE years ago I saw Rory Kinnear as Hamlet. It was the start of a beautiful, if one-sided, relationship. So when I heard he was playing Iago in Othello I quickly became incomprehensible with excitement. Assuming from my reaction that Rory Kinnear must be a Shakespearian Ryan Gosling my friends were more confused by his receding hairline than the old fashioned language, but Kinnear does not disappoint.

“Othello is an odd tragedy because other than Iago the characters are complete idiots” Shakespearean actors, more than any others, have the freedom to interpret their characters. Is Richard III a malicious and driven villain (Kevin Spacey) or a hurt and bumbling old man (Mark Rylance)? And, in my opin-

Romeo and Juliet The Lemon Grove

18:30 and 21:00 23 May - 24 May DRAMA comes to the Lemmy: Romeo and Juliet as you’ve never seen it before.

By the end of the year in Exeter, things can start to feel a little stale.

Sure, Arena’s a fun night, and Timepiece is always entertaining, but after your sixth Cheesy Tuesday in a row, it might be time to look for pastures new.

Exeter isn’t renowned for its night life, but if you look in the right places, you can be sure to find something different and exciting to do- at least until the next Cheesys!

Every year in the third term, Exeter’s drama students hold a festival of exciting and innovative pieces. One of the highlight of this year’s Term 3 drama festival is undoubtedly going to be R&J, a modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, set in our very own Lemmy.

Inspired by the ‘lad’ culture of Exeter Uni, a deadly mix of alcohol, hatred and lust will ensure this production will be anything but boring, especially not with the promise of a booze filled bar for the audience to enjoy! Directors Dan Jones and Tom Myles have some experience with updating classic texts. Jones helped to bring Amadeus to life on the North-

ion, no one does this more successfully than Kinnear.

Even in the massive Olivier Theatre the rest of the audience disappears as Kinnear draws you into his soliloquies. You, and only you, are that blessed fly on the wall as he concocts his devilish plans to destroy Othello.

If you can take your eyes of his expressive face for even just a moment you will see the audience involuntarily leaning closer as he lowers his voice. Rory Kinnear does not need Lynx.

Now, this is in danger of becoming merely another piece of fanatical ranting and though the primary reason I went to see Othello was cott stage this February and the two of them staged Caesar 2012, a modernised Julius Caesar, last year to great acclaim.

They say ‘Because it’s set in a club, it’s taking the performance that one step further-the audience get to experience the events alongside the characters. The cast is pretty stellar too’.

Lamda trained Heidi Lawry and campus heartthrob Philippe Edwards

“After your sixth Cheesy Tuesday in a row it might be time to look for pastures new” are heading up the huge ensemble, which is jam-packed with talent- including two of the stars of last year’s Northcott show. Lawry says ‘It’s going to be a huge challenge- I’ve never performed in a club before, let alone speaking Shakespeare in one! We’re really excited to bring something new to the Exeter drama scene.’

So, if you’ve had one too many TP burgers this term and want to try out something new, be sure to check out R&J. The flowing alcohol, great music and fantastic acting all ensures it will be a night to remember.

To book tickets, visit http://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/drama/whatson/ GEORGIA POSNER

Rory Kinnear, that is not why I think you should see it too.

Othello is an odd tragedy because other than Iago the characters are complete idiots.

This makes it harder to actually pity Othello because *spoiler* it is entirely his fault that he kills Desdemona. I mean seriously, who commits murder because of a lost handkerchief?

It’s laughable. And though Othello is primarily a tragedy it does have its funny moments.

Tom Robertson as the lovesick Roderigo was fantastically and very entertainingly pathetic. Both Adrian Lester and Kinnear also add innuendos

where I wouldn’t even have thought possible –although “beast with two backs” leaves little to the imagination.

Despite Iago’s repeated references to Othello in animalistic terms, Othello’s descent into incoherency and downright lunacy often seems a bit out of the blue. Especially when compared to his seemingly placid exterior.

However, Lester showed Othello’s almost bi-polar personality even before Iago worked his magic. His temper was truly formidable and I found myself physically shrinking.

Olivia Vinall was a great Desdemona.

Through isolating Desdemona as the only non-soldier Director Nicholas Hytner ensures that she remains vulnerable, but her

powerful speeches were full of earnest and passion rather than being the whining of a needy and petulant lover.

Hytner (also director of that infamous Hamlet) has outdone himself with the staging. With scenes set in an office and a men’s bathroom, elements of this tragedy become all too familiar and you can’t help but think how easily Iago has achieved this.

It’s hard not to leave Othello feeling worried for mankind, on super-alert for any Iago-like characters and Hytner’s production leaves you suitably distraught and yet satisfied Iago will get his comeuppance. In the case of Rory Kinnear I hope that comeuppance includes the Olivier award, not just another nomination.

To go or not to go?

Francesca De-Rosa reviews ‘The Complete Works Of Shakespeare’

WHO would have thought it possible to transform the whole of Shakespeare’s work into one production!

Condensing ‘8oz every second’ of Shakespeare’s writing does not seem much of an exaggeration, as the famed ‘bad boys of abridgement’ fit all thirty seven of Shakespeare’s plays, into less than two hours of laughter packed theatre!

“The play cleverly appeals to the Shakespearian expert, adding new modern twists, and fast paced comedy” The ‘Reduced Theatre Company” began in California in 1981. Since then the company has become extremely successful. As London’s longest running comedy at Criterion theatre, ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)’ certainly lives up to its high reputation. Racing through Shakespeare’s plays “The Reduced Theatre Company” reinterprets the wit and intelligence of Shakespeare for a modern day audience. From the word go the company are full of energy, bounding and dancing across the stage and jumping from one play to the next.

Aiming to convert the ‘Shakespeare non believer’ the cast provides nonstop comedy throughout, encouraging high audience participation and laugh out loud humour.

This fast paced, energetic theatre retains momentum right up until the curtain closes and explores a range of theatrical techniques. What better way to listen to the tale of Othel-

lo than through the exquisite medium of rap? What better way to hear the beautiful lyrics of Shakespeare’s epilogues, but played upon the ukulele?

Or are you more the sporty type? Well look no further and get involved in a game of American football against all of Shakespeare’s Kings! The Reduced Theatre Company caters for all.

The cast are passionate about their performance, and subsequently the audience believes and enjoys their theatre. However, amidst all the fun, the audience finds themselves learning too. The plays are

effectively grouped, exploring their similarities and differences, but also consider how we study character, historical context and critical debates, such as plagiarism, surrounding Shakespeare. The play cleverly appeals to the Shakespearian expert, adding new modern twists, and fast paced comedy. However, it also appeals to the complete Shakespeare novice, providing an engaging and exciting way to introduce and encourage people to get involved in Shakespeare.

BURGER AND A PINT

FOR A FIVER

*management reserve the right to change or remove this offer at anytime without prior warning. ** price quoted student VAT exempt price. Staff members will be required to pay VAT on food purchases as per Students’ Guild guidlines.

30

GAMES

21 MAY 2013 |

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Games It’s not Wii, it’s U

Exeposé

GAMES EDITORS

Gemma Joyce & Becky Mullen games@exepose.com

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @ExeposeVG

JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Games

Gemma Joyce, Games Editor, waves so long to the Wii U and asks if there’s any place for Nintendo in the next gen market

GAMING forums went wild recently when ASDA announced it had slashed the price of Nintendo’s Wii-U down to £149, making it £100 cheaper than when it was released around six months ago.

Things aren’t looking great for the Japanese gaming giant in terms of sales of their latest console, as it was reported that up until April it had sold less than five hundred thousand units, despite the original Wii console selling around four million. With the next generations of the Playstation and Xbox approaching fast, Nintendo is running out of time to get the Wii-U off the ground. This will not be an easy task.

The new CEO of Nintendo in America, Satoru Iwata, recently admitted the company felt “deeply responsible for not having tried hard enough to have consumers understand the product,” and also blamed the terrible sales figures on the lack of a defining title that did what Wii Sports did for the original Wii console. Wii Sports that was able to show off many of the original Wii’s capabilities to consumers who had never been in touch with such a device. The WiiU’s ‘defining’ title could have been ZOMBIU,

featuring a kickass trailer and plenty of intrigue. However, the ambitious move to allow an 18+ game to be one of the main drivers of the Wii-U’s advertising campaign seemed to do more to alienate the original Wii’s primary audience than it did to attract a new one. That’s not to say that the Wii-U’s fami-

ly games weren’t a prominent part of its appeal, but even the slightest gritting-up of a console who’s predecessor was at its best when the family was accidently hitting each other with unnecessary tennis racket clip ons doesn’t seem to have been the best idea.

Following rumours that Nintendo are working to secure conversions of IOS games to be compatible with their new console, it does seem that efforts to

boost sales are being put forward. However, the appeal of IOS games on the big screen is questionable and it looks like Nintendo’s drawing board will be further strained if that’s all they can come up with. Terrible sales are definitely hindering the amount of games made available for it, with the developers of the upcoming street-fighter Skull Girls tweeting that a Wii-U release would be

New worlds, new perspectives

What makes a good game? Jack Merrell discusses the importance of immersion in video games AS a player who uses games not just for entertainment, but as a form of escapism too, the ability to immerse the player within the game’s world is of paramount importance. Immersion being sufficient or not can change how you feel about the game’s fictional characters, or even whether or not you dig into your less-fictional wallet.

Let’s start with the characters.

Character development is a process that can create truly memorable characters within a game. Look at the huge success of Telltale’s The Walking Dead; gamers of all kinds were drawn in by the steady development of Lee’s relationship with Clementine and the other survivors. The game had a very human heart, perhaps making you care more about the characters

than you thought you would. While the game’s world was rather standard, the human core that each character possessed made it possible to relate to all of them on some level or another. Sure, they’re a work of fiction, but the connection you make to each character can be very real.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are titles where worlds are so rich and detailed that the characters often experience little development, but the sheer wonder of the fictional space is enough to completely pull you in. One look at Skyrim shows you that its developer, Bethesda Game Studios, knows how to create a fully-fleshed out world. Everything from different cultures, races and gods, predators hunting prey, and incredibly rich history and lore, makes it feel like playing the game is a small step into another world entirely. The world is even littered with a vast variety of books, which can con-

tain everything from an innuendo-filled play, to the history of extinct races.

“World design and character are key to successful immersion It even has the events of the preceding games to expand on the history of the world even further. Without this intricate level of world design, The Elder Scrolls would likely lose a large chunk of its appeal, making it little more than a generic (albeit very large) RPG. So could a balance between world design and character development be the key to successful immersion? Take a look at Mass Effect and you’ll find a series that millions found to be so engrossing and rich that it put developer BioWare firmly on the gaming radar.

The series is set across many galaxies and solar systems, includes wide varieties of alien life and technology, and introduces a wide cast of characters with whom players could interact beyond the story. It creates a realistic relationship between your character and his/ her squad, as they won’t tell you certain

things unless you’ve earned their trust or friendship. It makes the characters feel more real,and combined with a rich, detailed universe filled with varied cultures, beliefs, and species, it pulls you into the universe and doesn’t let go.

Some games sadly don’t seem to even attempt to draw you into their respective worlds. Take any given Call of Duty game, for instance. You take the role of one (or several) soldiers, and shoot whatever comes your way, with little-to-no character development at all. Squad-mates inevitably die, and you just don’t care. The world doesn’t do it any favours for immersion, either, as being set in the real world, the thrill of escapism isn’t there at all. Even the destruction of iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower should stir some degree of feeling, but it doesn’t.

It’s important to flesh out a game’s world so that you have some form of attachment to its locations and inhabitants. Removal of these aspects simply creates a forgettable experience throughout a generic world, as opposed to an exploration of an entirely fictitious universe that feels almost as real and detailed as the world around you.

unlikely if sales didn’t improve. Nintendo announced that they would be revealing a new 3D Mario game that is, reportedly, “bigger than any Mario game to date” at this year’s E3 Expo in June, but keeping players waiting for news on the big releases of the year hasn’t proven a great plan so far.

Moreover, with many viewing the Wii-U as nothing but a glorified iPad, Microsoft has already released a potential rival that transforms the customer’s smart phone, tablet or PC into a controller. This doesn’t require the purchase of a new console, and is a more convenient alternative to the chunky Wii-U handset.

If the Wii-U is to survive alongside the next wave of big consoles it will have to do more to incentivise developers to make games that can utilise its quite specific hardware and give more to those who have already bought it. They say that most products don’t beat the hype, but around the Wii-U there re-

Sims 4 to be playable offline THE Sims 4 has finally been announced for a 2014 release, as a ‘single and offline experience’. As the latest addition to EA’s infamous console-spanning, record-smashing franchise, the company have been quick to distance it from any traces of ‘Always-Online’. It’s clear EA are still feeling the tension from SimCity. It remains to be seen whether players will be put off by their past experiences.

Either way, it’s a good move on EA’s part to start cleaning up their reputation.

BECKY MULLEN

Microsoft’s latest

project(or)

MICROSOFT Research have been generating plenty of interest in their latest project, “Illumiroom,” that will be capable of projecting in game graphics as well as other onto the surrounding wall.

While the preview videos on their website are looking exciting, the company have said the product is not yet ready for the new Xbox, but will be giving a public demonstration in July at the Siggraph conference.

GEMMA JOYCE

Exeposé

| WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN

GAMES

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Game Dev Tycoon

Top Time Wasters

Build your gaming empire entirely on sugar, caffeine, and terrible puns Game Dev Tycoon Greenheart Games

Windows/Mac/Linux Out Now ‘LESS social, less vile, more game’ is the motto of Greenheart Games, the indie start-up by brothers Patrick and Daniel Klug. Based in Australia, the company released their first title, Game Dev Tycoon, last month.

“Rise up from humble beginnings to the very top of the gaming industry” The game, which allows you to build up your own games company from the ‘80s to the present day, caused a stir after the brothers released their own cracked version of the game with the aim of ‘holding up a mirror’ to illegal downloaders.

Cracked game users soon found suc-

cess a double edged sword, as their popular titles started losing money fast because of piracy. Frustrated players flooded forums asking for help in fixing the piracy issue, with some players rather ironically asking if it were possible to ‘research DRM’. But is the title itself worth a second look?

Game Dev Tycoon is a charming business simulation inspired by Kairosoft’s Game Dev Story. The aim of the game is to rise from the humble beginnings of your garage to the very top of the gaming industry. On its most basic level, game play is very simple. Quite simply, the more games and money you make, the more you can unlock and the more interesting and successful your games will be. You choose which elements of your game to spend your time on, can use research points to research new topics and genres, and you can also design your own game engines.

The sheer amount of options for developing your company and games is staggering, which requires some getting used to. My original plan to

run a company entirely dedicated to storytelling and top notch dialogue failed completely, so it wasn’t long before I started churning out war based action shooters like everybody else. I hated myself, but when the first good reviews starting rolling in, along with the cash, I felt a bit better. The first top 9/10 review for Soldiers Hugging Kittens left me feeling pretty smug.

“It wasn’t long before I started churning out war shooters like everybody else” But by the time you move into your first office, the difficulty jumps dramatically. The game isn’t necessarily harder, but with employees, training, and even more options added, it’s hard to know where to start.

You now need to balance workloads, paying your employees, and the mounting regret over choosing such a ridiculous company name because

it’s now emblazoned over your office.

It’s a bit of a learning curve, but with a great pay-off. Once you start getting the hang of it, game development kicks off again, and with the introduction of labs and other research avenues your games can become even more complex and industry-changing. Dominate the market, the way you want it to it to go.

All in all, Game Dev Tycoon is a well-made and entertaining title that makes a nice change from the usual round-up of ‘casual’ games. It may need a bit more patience and thought than Bejewelled or whatever other freebie you’ve got maxed out on your phone, but if you’re at all interested in the games industry, it’s worth checking out. We can hopefully expect even more good things from Greenheart Games in the future.

BECKY MULLEN GAMES EDITOR

Trailer Round-up: Springing into May We review this month’s trailers for Call of Duty: Ghosts, LEGO Marvel Superheroes, Way of the Dogg, and Assassin’s Creed 4

Call of Duty: Ghosts

LEGO Marvel Superheroes

I’D like to say the COD trailer was both surprising and shocking, a glimpse at a complete refresh of the franchise. It’s not. Once again the developers have seen fit to ignore the fans and show absolutely no gameplay. Instead we’re treated to several lingering shots of ‘warriors’ in their war gear. There’s also some forced metaphor about masks and protection, which is probably just trying to cash in on the super hero zeitgeist.

This trailer does absolutely nothing other than stupidly announce ‘Guess what?! We’ve done another COD!’ Sure, keep making the games, but don’t insult us with your vacuous artsy shots and suave voice-over.

JON JONES ONLINE GAMES EDIOTR

SPEAKING of the super hero zeitgeist: cue Marvel with a ‘children’s’ game that, unlike COD, completely delivers on their trailer. Sure, there’s no gameplay here either, but it’s LEGO Marvel! The game comes at the perfect time, bringing in characters from the biggest past and upcoming film blockbusters. They show off Spiderman, Thor, Wolverine, Iron man, Hulk and even more. The LEGO games are always fun, so add that to the the creation of a full Marvel universe and we have strong potential here. Hopefully we’ll see more soon, but if it’s anything like LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes then…it’ll probably be good.

JON JONES ONLINE GAMES EDIOTR

Way of the Dogg AH at last, my two loves combined: Snoop Dogg and video games. Oh what’s that? We’re meant to call him Snoop Lion now? And the gameplay is like a mash-up of Guitar Hero and one long quick-time event? Right.

While the gameplay looks uninspiring, both the sound and visual design come off well. It’s designed in a 3D comic book style, narrated in part by Snoop himself and played to a selection of his biggest hits. While the game doesn’t look like it’ll be taking home any awards, it will surely be appreciated by all those hard-core Snoop Dog fans. An acceptable way to spend a few hours, as long as you’re just listening.

JON JONES ONLINE GAMES EDIOTR

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Assassin’s Creed 4

This week, our writers give their top suggestions for beating the revision blues.

Fallout New Vegas - I’ve spent the last week in power armor twatting anything that moves with a super sledge.

George Pearcy Sins of a Solar Empire is the greatest time-sink ever made but World of Tanks just keeps on drawing me in.

Dave Fiander Stone Portal because my brain doesn’t need an intellectual break from revision.

Alex Phelps League of Legends, because the best way to revise is one ten minute session followed by a 40+ minute match.

Dom Ford Pokemon because I tell myself not to touch my PS3 and somehow end up on a Gameboy.

Jon Jones Guild Wars 2 - there’s something nice about co-operative play that differs greatly from fending for yourself in an exam.

Jack Merrell

UBISOFT’s newest trailer for AC: Black Flag sets the scene for the next instalment. In the aftermath of English and Spanish conflict in the early eighteenth century, desperate sailors turn to piracy. The trailer suggests chaotic betrayal, mutiny and cruelty as your character has to wrestle his way to the top of the pirate career ladder. Famous pirates including Charles Vane and Blackbeard are listed as potential rivals. Although the main character seems tragically lacking in flamboyant pirate hats,the game looks to shape up nicely. But I am personally looking forward to a trailer that shows off all those glorious pirate features.

FIFA 13’s manager mode, because dreams aren’t just made, they’re worked for.

Rob Harris

ALE X PHELPS

I haven’t been playing My Little Pony because its not at all adorable and fun and educational.

Kate Gray

Tiger Woods 07, because it was a simpler time, a time before the sex scandals and the jokes about balls and holes. A time when all your revision stress could be banished by the therapeutic swing of a virtual club and the joy of an 18 under round.

Tom Bond Peggle because it’s the only thing more colourful than my revision highlighters.

Gemma Joyce

Rome Total War, because it’s History revision.

James Roberts DreamLeague on iPad. It’s like FIFA except you can download Pele and Maradona as well as George Best and play them alongside Robin van Persie. They’ve got the PlayStation’s analog controls on iPad so you’d have to swerve on the screen - doing it for some 20 hours did my left thumb no favours #lifeafterdissertations #freeipadgames.

Joshua L. Irwandi

CELEBRATE YOUR GRADUATION Stunning surroundings, accessible accommodation and delicious dining, with everything you could need right here on campus, why stray on your big day?

Streatham campus is home to a variety of outlets for you and your family to refuel throughout your graduation.

caféreed

VISIT

THE P IMMS M ARQU on the EE North Piazza outside the Gre at H for a ce lebrato all ry drink

Call in to Reed Hall for refreshments and light snacks, or book a vintage high tea or celebratory lunch on 01392 725218. The beautiful grounds also provide perfect photo opportunities.

event

The Terrace Restaurant and La Touche Cafe are open for breakfast and lunch, or grab and go from the Market Place in the Forum.

CAFÉ

exeter

venues and hospitality at the University of Exeter

Bed and breakfast is available for you and your family, enabling you to stay on campus from just £33.63 per night. Book online at www.exeter.ac.uk/eventexeter/ accommodation or contact Event Exeter on 01392 215566.

PLANNING ON STAYING IN EXETER OVER THE SUMMER? Stay with the university in a city centre en-suite room at James Owen Court for just £119.98 per week. Applications now open to all registered students: www.exeter.ac.uk/accommodation/currentstudents/summeraccommodation/

Campus Services

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Exeposé

| WEEK TWENTY-seven

SPORT

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

33

Feature

In the Clubhouse

In the Clubhouse this week Nick Rogers, Sub Aqua Club’s Dive Officer, plunges into the unknown with Mike Stanton and Will Kelleher, Sport Editors FROM exploring the WWI wreck of a ship sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of South Devon to admiring the abundance and diversity of a coral reef in the crystal clear waters of the Egyptian Red Sea, every diving experience is a unique adventure.

“EUSAC is able to offer diving trips and dive training at ‘cost’ price, opening up what can otherwise be an expensive sport to students on a tight budget” Exeter University Sub Aqua Club (EUSAC) has been giving students the opportunity to experience the underwater world for over 40 years.

As a branch of the British Sub Aqua Club, EUSAC is able to offer diving trips and dive training at ‘cost’ price and in doing so opens up what can otherwise be an expensive sport to

students on a tight budget.

The term SCUBA, stands for ‘self contained underwater breathing apparatus’ and refers to the equipment used to allow a diver to breathe underwater.

Recreational divers with appropriate training can dive to a depth of 50 m (150 ft) and stay underwater for around an hour. Despite being considered by some as an ‘extreme’ sport, SCUBA diving is essentially a safe activity (certainly compared to the likes of horse riding!) as long as divers stay within well defined safety limits and follow their training.

There is no need to be a supremely confident swimmer to enjoy SCUBA diving although the ability to swim a continuous 200m is required in order to begin dive training.

In the past year, EUSAC has trained 16 new divers and progressed the training of a further ten to more advanced diving qualifications including two instructors. Initial diver training

60 seconds with...

Huw Rowlands

Nick Rogers

Club Captain 2012/13

Dive Officer

What is the best aspect of Sub Aqua Club?

Getting to train new divers every year and see their faces when they take their first breaths under water.

What is the best aspect of Sub Aqua Club?

Diving throughout the year with a group of like minded people without breaking the bank doing so!

Best sporting moment?

Passing my PADI instructors exam.

Best sporting moment?

A miserable January on Brixham beach, about 10 minutes into the dive I came face to face with an 8 foot Bottlenose dolphin that proceeded to play for the rest of the dive!

Sporting Hero?

Steve Martin - a Cave, Wreck and Tech diver Instructor Trainer and Explorer.

What are your pre-dive preparations?

Get all the kit set up and get into my dry suit. Make sure everyone else is set up and jump in.

What are your goals for the season/ next season?

I am heading off to SE Asia to work as an instructor as well as improve and move forward with my own diving, hopefully to do some cave and technical diving courses.

Sporting Hero?

Sheck Exley – By the time he was my age he had already logged 1,000 cave dives and broken several depth and distance records.

What are your pre-dive preparations?

I triple check I’ve packed all my kit!

From bitter experience I know how frustrating it is to miss out on dives after forgetting something silly.

What are your goals for the season?

Do more diving, pass my boat Coxswain assessment and maybe start doing some technical dive training.

consists of five theory lectures, five pool training sessions and five qualifying dives in the open water. Training sessions are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings during terms 1 and 2, with qualifying dives taking place as soon as possible after this (usually during the Easter holidays).

“In the past year, EUSAC has trained 16 new divers and progressed the training of a further ten to more advanced diving qualifications” EUSAC welcomes previously qualified divers from any agency (PADI, SSI, etc.) to either continue their training or to just dive for fun.

In addition, the club is always keen to recruit experienced divers to help out with training.

Although the club goes on at least

one warm water diving trip a year (recent destinations have included Malta and Sharm el-Sheikh), the majority of the club’s diving is in the UK and in particular the local waters of South Devon.

This stretch of coastline offers some of the best diving in the UK, including temperate reef dives and literally thousands of historic shipwrecks.

The club has its own dive boat, an eight metre RIB named ‘Aquaholic’, which it uses to dive offshore sites out of Teignmouth.

The club also has a well stocked kit cupboard and can lend members the equipment (cylinders, regulators, BCDs etc) they need for a nominal fee.

SCUBA diving is not a competitive sport and indeed competition between divers is actively discouraged in order to avoid the dangers of pushing too fast and too far beyond individual limits.

Instead the club measures its suc-

cess based on training competent divers, maintaining its excellent safety record and doing lots of diving! If you have a taste for adventure and a curiosity to see what lurks beneath the surface of the oceans then SCUBA diving is the sport for you and EUSAC is the place to do it!

“The club has its own dive boat, an eight metre RIB named ‘Aquaholic’ which it uses to dive offshore sites outside of Teignmouth” You can find more information and contact the club via its Facebook page named ‘University of Exeter’s Sub Aqua Club’ or by emailing the new Club Captain, Iain Logan at il233@ ex.ac.uk or the Diving Officer, Nick Rogers at njr210@ex.ac.uk.

Photo: Sub-Aqua Club

34

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In the news...

Women’s Rugby

Miki Kwek

Team Member

IT has been a golden season for EUWRFC. After finishing second in the Premier South league, they proceeded to charge through the knockout phase and, against all odds and expectations, defeated league rivals Cardiff Met at Twickenham in a closely contested match. High on this success, they were voted Team of the Year at the 2013 AU

Charity Lacrosse Sophy Coombes-Roberts Arts Editor

HAVE you spent all year looking for a chance to see EURFC brought down a peg or two? Well look no further, as EULC’s annual charity lacrosse match presents the perfect opportunity. Get yourself down to the rubber crumb on 24 May, 2-5pm, to see the Women’s 1st lacrosse team take on the men of Rugby Union in what is sure to be a heated yet hilarious affair.

In addition to the main match, there will be various other events going on which are not to be missed, including: mixed team games (for anyone to participate in), a BBQ, a stash stall, lacrosse bowling, shoot-outs and your chance to win a TP Gold Card!

The match is raising money for

Dinner for the second time in the club’s history.

All eyes will once more be on the team as they head up to Birmingham on the 1st June for BUCS rugby 7s.

Already defending 7s champions, and now with 15s gold in hand, rival teams will no doubt be seeking to steal some of the thunder from Exeter. However, the team has stepped up their fitness and training to prepare for the intensity of 7s matches, ensuring that all opposition will have to run faster and tackle harder if they are even going to come close.

EUAC General Secretary

THE BUCS outdoor championships, held on the May bank holiday weekend brought together over 105 institutions and are one of the most competitive events in the athletics calendar and held at the event’s long time home in Bedford.

In the sprints, ‘fastest man on campus’, Tyler Johnson, opted for the 400m, reaching the semi-finals along with Abbie Rudd in the women’s competition who smashed the 61 second barrier for the first time. Zac Cannon managed a PB in the men’s 100, whilst Laurence Thill went one better reaching the semi-finals. Ian Whittaker was the club’s winning sprinter, crossing the line first in his heat of the 200m to make

Exeposé

EUBC break records at BUCS Mike Stanton, Sports Editor, catches up with EUBC’s golden girl Jess Elkington on ther recent BUCS success and the upcoming regattas Photo (Top) EUBC (Bottom) Joshua Irwandi

Thai Community Lacrosse. This is a non-profit, independently run organisation based in the Klong Toey district of Bangkok. They are committed to spreading the sport of lacrosse in Thailand and teaching the game to underprivileged children, offering them a way out of addiction, gang violence and school truancy; common problems faced by the low-income areas of Thailand. During the match the players will be wearing custom made Thai Community Lacrosse training bibs which will then be sent out to Thailand with the UK representative and EULC member Grace Poonyarit.

Don’t miss out on the last lacrosse afternoon of the season. It is guaranteed to be great fun filled with exciting lacrosse, heaps of food and an array of activities to entertain everyone. Tickets cost £3 and can be brought on the day or in advance from a EULC member.

>> One EUAC member reveals his passion for high jump

Athletics Ollie Garrod

21 may 2013 |

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Photo: EUAC

the semi-final in 22.96 seconds.

Steve List racked up another 800m semi-final while Steph McCall, Juliet Broster and Philip Wilson made it a triple bill in the semi-finals of the 1500m.

On the long distance side both Jack Fitsall and Ollie Garrod dipped below the 16 minute mark for 5000m, EUAC veteran Will Cullen took on the task of the 10K running (25 laps) finishing in 4th place in the 10000m B final.

In the field Adam Snape led the way, jumping 1.85m in the final of the high jump competition finishing in 8th position.

The real stand out performances of the weekend came from the relay teams with all four teams making it through to their respective finals. Superb doubles from Tyler Johnson and Ian Whittaker saw both men’s university records smashed in 43.01 and 3:20.08 respectively.

FOLLOWING a strong, record-breaking winter season for EUBC, with wins at 4s Head of the River, Nottingham and a strong showing at Caversham, the club are looking forward to what should be an exciting summer and a chance to race side-by-side with other crews to put the long, hard winter training to the test.

The winter season started well with the Women’s crew winning the IM2 division at the 4s Head of the River, the Men coming in in a hard fought second and the Novices putting in a strong showing at Bristol.

The squads then headed to Peterborough, collecting 82 overall BUCS points, placing them in fourth place in the country in overall BUCS points.

“Building from the successful winter season, the squads went to Roadford Lake for an Easter training camp to prepare for the summer” The Women’s squad followed these successes with yet another win, this time at the IM2 category at Women’s 8s Head of the River, placing them in a phenomenal seventh place overall in nation-wide rankings. The Men also continued to perform at a high standard, competing in a day of racing for elite universities at Caver-

sham in March and gave a very good showing, doing the Boat Club proud.

Building from the successful win-

“We have been invited to row for GB universities at EUSA regatta in Poland in September” ter season, the squads went to Roadford Lake for an Easter training camp to prepare for the summer. This preparation paid dividends as the squads performed well at the BUCS regatta in Nottingham over the May Bank Holiday, with the Women’s lightweight quad winning gold and the Women’s lightweight eight claiming a well deserved bronze. Other notable performances included both Men and Women’s lightweight 4+ boats making the championship finals, along with the Men’s lightweight quad.

I caught up with gold medal winner Jess Elkington from the Women’s squad on the BUCS success. “We were having a pretty good day - we won the morning time trial and our semi final quite happily, and went into the final in 3rd place on time alone.” It was the final row of the regatta and they were up against the formidable girls from UCL, Glasgow, Oxford, Durham and Reading.

“We had a really good start and

held the lead all the way down the race; it was really good to be in charge of the field basically sitting on some really top crews. Obviously you can’t get complacent in that situation, but there comes a point, about 100m from the end, when you allow yourself to believe you’re not going to lose. Which is awesome!”

The Exeter quad held this lead throughout and crossed the line first by an astonishing ten seconds, securing a precious BUCS gold. But, the hard work doesn’t stop there. “Winning means that we have been invited to row for GB universities at the EUSA regatta in Poland in September, which is going to be a really exciting time for all of us. Now the focus is on Women’s Henley fingers crossed we will be returning to Exeter with some more bling.”

“We had a really good start and held the lead all the way down the race, it was really good to be in charge of the field” Following these successes in the winter and the start of the summer season, EUBC are raring to go as they head into the buisness end of the season with all squad members fully focused on the upcoming regattas.

Exeposé

| WEEK TWENTY-seven

SPORT

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

I wear red socks on Fridays

Crossword No. 48 by Raucous

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Across A NEW movement is sweeping Streatham Campus. The Red Sock Run, a sociable five kilometre jog around the university grounds, began two weeks ago and had its second outing last Friday.

Each Friday students and staff meet at 7.30am by the Great Hall Piazza resplendent in red socks. But why red socks?

‘Red Sock Friday’ is a movement inspired by a South African war veteran, Sidney Feinson. He made a pact with his friends to wear red socks as a symbol of friendship, unity and remembrance of the men they lost in battle.

According to their website “I wear red socks on Friday is a movement dedicated to making a difference, being passionate, inspiring others and being inspired, staying positive, remembering friends and expressing yourself.”

The Red Sock movement has been sweeping the world for a few years but has just started here at Exeter University.

This movement was set up by John McInroy, who is the son of Chris McInroy, Director of Hockey at the University of Exeter.

With Chris working at the University he raised awareness of John’s movement and together with the high performance coaches got some of the University’s high performance teams wearing red socks every Friday to build a team togetherness.

“It will be great to see Red Sockers around campus every Friday, all having there own personal reasons to put on a pair of the bright Red Socks” Alan Pope, strength and conditioning coach and Martin Hewlett, fitness instructor, are pioneers of Red Sock Fridays here at Exeter.

Martin Hewlett commented, “I feel that everyone has a reason to put on a pair of red socks in the morning, to take the time to think of someone

else, and to challenge themselves.

With people reaching the end of their degrees and moving away from the friends they have made Red Sock Friday seems like a great initiative to introduce to the university.

“Having the opportunity to share Red Sock Friday with other people is exciting and being able to offer a free five kilometrr run is a fantastic opportunity to get more people involved. It will be great to see red sockers around the campus every Friday, all having their own personal reasons to put on a pair of the bright red socks.

“Red Sock Runs are springing up all over the world. Just check out there twitter feed (@redsockfriday) on a Friday morning to see how many people don a pair of red socks and head out for a run. I think it’s time the University of Exeter has its own!”

So pull on a pair of red socks, celebrate friendships and be part of it each Friday!

Cricket Results from last Wednesday 2nd XI v UWE 1st XI Topsham

3rd XI v Southampton Topsham

(Reduced to 48 overs due to rain)

Southampton 3rd XI 117

Exeter

213-7 (48 overs)

Exeter 120-9

R.Croney

75

Exeter win by 1 wicket

W.Sensecall 53

Exeter chasing 118 to win after a good start slumped to 110-4 and then 114-9. The men in

UWE

120 (43.1 overs)

green just about secured the win late on. Last man

J. O’Dowd

4-27

Monhammad Talha took it upon himself to smash a

W. Sensecall 3- 40 N. Prowse

6 over mid wicket to secure the win!

2-15

Exeter win by 93 runs

The 2nds are now top of Western 1A with two wins from two. The 3rds also top their league, Western 2B having won all three of their fixtures so far.

1. Consequence of heavy 27.

Across (8) 5. Large (4) 8. French river (5) 9. Leaving (7) 10. Board used to contact spirits (5) 11. Child (6) 14. Stone (6) 17. “It’s one louder” than ten (6) 20. Agency promoting peace through education, science and culture (6) 22. Film (5) 24. A sphere (anag.) (7) 25. Lubricated (5) 26. Stroll (4) 27. Ingest liquid, alcoholic perhaps (8)

Down 1. Cheese (8) 2. Louder (7) 3. Including everything (7) 4. The Police song (7) 6. Joining (5) 7. Corner (4) 12. Winning serve (3) 13. Unlikely winner (8) 15. Insect (3) 16. Got away (7) 18. Satire (7) 19. Seasonal composer (7) 21. Relating to the nose (5) 23. Make beer (4)

35

36

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Sport

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TUESDAY 21 may 2013 |

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Will Kelleher & Mike Stanton sport@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Sport

The Cricket Varsity: EUMCC vs Bath Photo: EUMCC

The Final Whistle Here is your guide to a few upcoming sporting courses, classes and events 27 May

Cricket Varsity -Exeter v Bath 12.30pm £4 Exeter County Ground opposite Rowe House

28 March

Russell Seal Student Meeting 12:00-13:00 Present your views on the new fitness class timetable in September Contact – Neil Sheppard n.j.sheppard@exeter.ac.uk

5 June

AU Dodgeball Tournament £20.00 – open to all Sports Park Contact – au@exeter.ac.uk

8,9 and June

Cricket Will Kelleher Sports Editor

THE 1ST XI Cricket team face their South West rivals Bath on 27 May at Exeter County Ground in this year’s Cricket Varsity. The 50 over contest, played with a pink ball and coloured kits will commence at 12.30pm and with tickets at £4 it is set to be a cracking event.

Technically the match is a ‘friendly’ with no BUCS points up for grabs, but with Varsity pride at stake both sides will not be holding back. Exeter go into the game unbeaten in BUCS after great wins against Loughborough and Cambridge MCCU whereas Bath have lost three in the Premier B South having only beaten Aberystwyth so far this season.

EUMCC have not had a Varsity

“Exeter go into the game ubeaten in BUCS after great wins against Loughborough and Cambridge MCCU. Bath have lost three and won one” fixture for a while; due to the inclement weather last summer the match was called off twice.

The men in green should go into

the game as favourites, however, they were pushed hard by Bath in the indoor league this winter so it will not all be plain sailing.

Joe Barrs, 1st XI Captain and open-

“The £4 ticket gets you access to the ground with a hog roast, Timepiece bar and a raffle between the innings” ing bowler is looking forward to the event: “The varsity is undoubtedly the highlight of the 1st XI calendar this summer.

“Now that it is a game separate from BUCS against Bath, it gives the fixture more meaning and tradition. With the team in good form having beaten Cambridge and Loughborough comfortably in BUCS, we are very confident of putting in a winning performance against Bath.”

Richard Croney, Club Captain, believes that Exeter have done superbly to punch above their weight this season, pulling off some great results against the MCCU teams: “In theory with extra funding the MCCU teams in BUCS Premier A league get from the MCC - £82,000 a year – we ought to be nowhere near their position, and yet the hard work, amazing facilities at Exeter and the top

level coaching in the high performance unit, not to mention some extraordinary talent, has seen us comfortably assert ourselves as one of the finest university sides in the country.

“Although Bath play in the league below, they have some very dangerous cricketers and will certainly meet Exeter head on in what ought to be a fantastic contest.”

Third Year and all-rounder Will Clapp cannot wait to test his skills against Exeter’s South West rivals “Varsity is a fitting arena for the team to showcase our talent and (hopefully) a fitting way to show our progression from the very poor result we suffered at the hands of Cambridge two years ago.

Personally representing EUMCC and being lucky enough to play for the 1st team for three years is one of the highlights of my University career at Exeter. We are playing well and are confident of Winning Varsity and going far in BUCS, which would be a dream scenario for me to sign off at Exeter.”

The £4 ticket gets you access to the ground which will have a hog roast, Timepiece bar, music throughout the day and a raffle between the innings.

Proceeds will be split between the club and CLIC Sargent Children’s cancer charity who the club have raised a significant amount of money for in the past.

Ones to watch 1. Tom Abell

UKCC Level 1 Tennis Coaching Course 09:00-17:00 Students £165.00 Contact Paul Mouland 01392 722039

9 June

An opening batsman of immense quality, Tom has already shown his class in the comprehensive win over Loughborough with 86 not out. Contracted with Somerset and having already made his first team debut for the county, he’ll be looking to add a big Varsity score to his Fresher of the Year award.

Yoga Workshop: Moving Deeper - The Art of Patience (Yin Yoga) 13:00-16:00 Students: £10.00 Non-students: £15.00 St Luke’s Sports Centre 01392 724940

2. Bradley Lane

Contact Paul Mouland 01392 722039

Played cricket at the same Trinidad club as West Indies and IPL stars Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine, and brings some Caribbean flair to the side. Bradley hits a seriously long ball and swings the ball at pace. Perfectly suited to modern one day cricket, will no doubt be looking to cause mayhem with bat and ball

8-9 June

Free 09:30-17:00 Sports Park / Forum

Every Friday

Red Sock Run 5km 07:30-08:30 Free Outside Great Hall Wear Red Socks – All welcome Contact: Martin Hewlett m.j.hewlett@exeter.ac.uk