Exeposé Issue 617 Week 12 by Exeposé

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Tuesday 10 December 2013 • Issue 617 • www.exepose.ex.ac.uk • Twitter: @Exepose • www.facebook.com/Exepose

Lose your prohibitions: SSB successor revealed EXCLUSIVE Jon Jenner Editor EXEPOSÉ can exclusively reveal that the official replacement for the Safer Sex Ball (SSB) will take place next term. The brand new event will not resemble the Safer Sex Ball, after the legendary fundraiser was cancelled earlier this year. The inaugural ‘Prohibition Ball’ will take place in Exeter Phoenix on 7 February and will act as RAG’s headline event for the academic year. Exeposé understands that the theme, often the most anticipated and controversial part of the former SSB, will be based on prohibition in the 1920s, with a distinctly “underground” feel. The ball will remain centred around a headliner and various performances throughout the evening, with RAG apparently keen on involving as many student societies as possible. The headliner is yet to be confirmed. When approached by Exeposé, Laura Yonish, RAG’s Events Officer, said: “I can confirm that RAG are putting on a headline event on 7 February at the Exeter Phoenix. We’re really excited about this, it has all the components of a fantastic event and we cannot wait to reveal more in the coming weeks. We’re very focused on creating a legacy for the new era of RAG and we hope that this event will continue a wonderfully successful year for the society”. The Safer Sex Ball was cancelled by the Students’ Guild in February, following concerns around student welfare and significant negative national media coverage. Two Guild staff were

fired after distributing CCTV footage of two students performing a sex act in the Ram during the ball. The ball also received accusations of racism for its tribal theme, with students and staff signing a petition to have the theme changed. Before its cancellation, the ball had been running for twenty-one years, regularly raising more than £20,000 for its chosen charities, including the Eddystone Trust, a local charity that supports AIDS sufferers. Exeposé reported in February that RAG were concerned that the loss of such a high profile event would result in poor turnout and less money for the nominated charities. Exeposé understands that the budget for The Prohibition Ball is significantly smaller than that of the SSB. As a new event, the ball will have a capacity of 500 as opposed to the 2,000 of last year’s SSB. Tickets will cost £25, with 100 early bird tickets available at £20. This is significantly more friendly on the student budget than last year’s tickets, which were priced at £42, with VIP tickets for £60. There is no chosen charity for The Prohibition Ball. All proceeds from the event will go to RAG’s nominated charities for 2013/14: Devon Freewheelers, Rainbow’s Trust, Concern Universal and Community Action. RAG have raised £40,037.91 so far this term. Jak Curtis-Rendall, VP Participation and Campuses, commented: “RAG has done an outstanding job so far this year, raising a phenomenal amount of money for its chosen charities. I am confident that the committee will apply their proven skills to the Prohibition Ball and turn this new event into a huge success”.

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Uni move to reduce staff bullying and harassment EXCLUSIVE Owen Keating News Editor

>> Headliner Rudimental performing at last year’s Safer Sex Ball

AN INVESTIGATION by Exeposé has revealed that the University of Exeter is implementing strategies to improve the working environment for their employees. The University’s most recent Staff Survey indicated that 4.4 per cent of staff felt bullied or harassed at work. The survey, conducted in Spring 2012, estimated that nearly 50 staff across the University described themselves as feeling “bullied” or “harassed” by another colleague or a superior. Despite this, only one official complaint about bullying or harassment was submitted to the University in the academic year 2011/12, amidst what one academic currently working at the University has described as an “oppressive” culture. Figures obtained via the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) show that between three and five per cent of respondents from colleges including Life and Environmental Sciences, the Medical School, and Social Sciences and International Studies said that they felt bullied at the time of the survey. Nine per cent of 214 respondents from the College of Humanities said that they felt bullied or harassed, nearly double that of any other college, and triple that of any other college included in the survey, excluding the Business School. The survey, answered by 1,072 staff, is the only staff satisfaction survey that the University has undertaken since the academic year 2009/10. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Arts: Catch up with musical superstar Lee Mead - PAGE 30

Games: Check out the next generation of consoles - PAGE 34

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Guild condemn HEFCE bursary cuts Tom Elliott Online News Editor

• Minimum bursary amount drops to £2,000 • Guild says cuts will “directly impact” students THE NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME’S funding for the 2014/15 academic year has been cut from £150 million to £50 million. This reduction will see the University of Exeter’s allocation reduced from £1.17million to £390,000. The minimum overall value of bursaries that students can be awarded will change from £3,000 to £2,000. Exeter’s Students’ Guild has “strongly condemned” the actions announced by the Higher Education Funding Council England (HEFCE) last week, stating that the cut “will directly impact on the students with the greatest financial needs”. The National Scholarship Programme (NSP) is a government scheme which gives financial help to students studying undergraduate courses in England. First year students who have a household income of £16,000 or less are eligible for the programme at Exeter, which provides financial assistance in the form of fee waivers and bursaries. The University has been asked to confirm their financial support arrange-

ments by 16 December and is currently in discussions about what these arrangements will be. All English universities were informed of the NSP changes through an open letter from HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council England) on 28 November. In a response to the letter, the Students’ Guild said: “Alongside the cut, there was an announcement that the minimum overall value of bursaries for students has been downgraded from £3,000 to £2,000 which, in real terms, will most likely represent a cut to the bursaries many of our poorest students receive. The Students’ Guild strongly condemns these actions, which will directly impact on the students with the greatest financial needs”. The Guild have also expressed their frustration at HEFCE’s justification for cutting two thirds of the NSP. The statement says: “We are also frustrated by the rhetoric used to justify these cuts, and the suggestion that the removal of £100 million funding will provide ‘more valuable ways of widening access’. The lack of consultation with students nationally and locally on this decision is truly shocking, especially when considering that applications have already begun and many students have already applied to the University of Exeter”. HEFCE’s open letter claims that the programme is now more flexible for students than before. The letter justifies reducing the minimum level award available to students to £2,000 by stating that the lower figure will ensure that their original ‘estimate’ of 100,000 students benefiting from the award is still a possibility.

The letter says: “To make the programme more flexible for students in this transition year, we have removed the £1,000 limit on the amount of the award that can be given in the form of cash. We have also reduced the minimum level of award for full time students to £2,000, which means that 100,000 students could still receive an award, in line with our original estimate”.

We are deeply committed to reducing as far as possible financial barriers to students studying at Exeter Janice Kay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education Questions have been raised over whether it would be more suitable to allocate less bursaries of a higher value rather than cutting the minimum level of the award and allocating to the same amount of students. Megan Furborough, a third year English student, said: “Reducing the amount of monetary aid available to the poorest students at a time of ever-increasing living costs and £9,000 fees is appalling, and so it is reassuring that the Guild are condemning this action. There is no easy route to take regarding the allocation of bursaries following these cuts, but what is important is that students do not become further victims of educational disadvantage due to their

financial situations”. Exeposé have been assured that discussions between the Guild and the University regarding the cut to the programme “began immediately”. Alex Louch, VP Academic Affairs, said: “I am deeply concerned and frustrated by the immediacy of these cuts to the National Scholarship Programme, which will impact on the financial support package available to Exeter students from households with an income below £16,000. I am pleased that the University approached the Students’ Guild immediately to begun discussions about this issue and we are working to ensure that bursary allocation for students of the lowest income backgrounds will not reduce”. Professor Janice Kay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education said: “We are considering what we will do and are in discussions with the Guild to ensure that the impact on students wishing to study at Exeter is minimised and that we continue to provide excellent financial support to our students, particularly those from the lowest income backgrounds. However, we are not yet in a position to confirm what the future arrangements will be; we want to assure our students and applicants to Exeter that, in spite of the announcement last week, we are deeply committed to reducing as far as possible financial barriers to studying at Exeter”. Currently over 750 first year students at Exeter are receiving support through the NSP. However, the numbers eligible for the programme vary so figures could change next year when the cuts take effect.

New luxury accomodation sold in weeks Vanessa Tracey Copy Editor NEW luxury student apartments on Longbrook Street have been purchased prior to construction in just seven weeks by UK and overseas investors. The new £17m scheme by Vita students will convert Portland House, a former office building adjacent to John Lewis, into 161 studios and two bedroom apartments ready for the student intake in 2014. Investors will have been attracted by the seven per cent rental yield for five years that Vita Students have guaranteed. As well as boasting a central location on Longbrook Street, Portland House will also contain its own ‘stateof-the art’ gym, a games room, laundry facilities and 24/7 on site security. Private and group study areas will also be made available for the tenants, making Portland House a heavy competitor to other independent student properties such as Printworks or Point Exe.

Jeff Elder, one of the investors of the scheme, told Exeter Express and Echo: “after examining the company and the student property sector I realised that the yields that can be achieved are stronger than any other property group”. The increasing student population at the University is one of the principle reasons that Exeter was chosen as the location of Vita Student’s latest project. The company already launched their first property in Liverpool last year and similar schemes are also due to open in Bristol and Manchester for 2014. Sophie Weeks, a second year English student said: “It’s concerning that the University have taken on more students than it can realistically house to a standard that they want. The situation seems especially strained with the closing of University halls of residence Hope and Lazenby. It’s a shame that independent companies have had to step in and that they can take advantage of what the University isn’t catering to”. The boom in the student property sector has had a significant effect

on the market, outperforming all other property asset classes since 2011. Two billion pounds worth of investment was ploughed into the student property sector in the first three quarters of 2012 alone,

with properties especially aimed at international students. Construction work for Portland house is already underway. Photo Credit: Express & Echo

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University pays less than £4.50 per student for ELE service Louis Doré News Editor THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER currently pays less than £4.50 per student for ELE (Exeter Learning Environment), the portal via which its students access their coursework. Exeposé has been told by the University that it pays “slightly under £80k per annum” for the portal hosted by the University of London Computer Centre (ULCC). Most students at the University currently pay at least £9,000 in tuition fees each academic year. ELE costs have increased slightly in recent years following investment in additional file storage to support the growth in online courses. This combined with the acquisition of 24/7 support from The University of London Computer Centre has led to the current yearly costs of around £75,000 per annum. The University has stated that: “this is one of the student systems we make the most significant investment in annually”. The University of London Computer Centre currently holds among its clients the University of York and the Royal Veterinary College of London, providing higher education support for both institutions. One senior developer supports ELE, with others providing cover, while a team from Education and Quality Enhancement also support it, instructing learning technologists in the Colleges. Following investment in April 2012, ELE is available at all hours for students, with help from the Exeter IT Out of Hours 24/7 support service. The

University has stated that since making these investments “the impact (in terms of time lost when ELE has been down) has been drastically reduced”. The University also employ the

I’m very excited that students are co-leading on a project of such importance to the future of IT at the University Alex Louch, VP Academic Affairs MyExeter portal for students. The project started in 2006 with delivery in 2007, with the primary setup cost for the portal being staff costs. Existing continued costs are the maintenance of the IT infrastructure that sustains it and the cost of staff, which comprises of two senior developers who are supported by other colleagues. According to the University, during the last two years substantial investment has revised and upgraded the portal improving its reliability and resilience. The University of Exeter’s expenditure on online learning for students can be said to be comparably lower than its rival universities. The University of Bath, for example, spends £126,000 per annum on staffing costs and technical support, as well as £10,000 per annum on servers for hosting the service. Bath has employed three full time staff to support the Moodle platform. Although the exact costs

of hosting were unavailable, Durham University revealed in an FOI request that they had spent between £100,000£200,000 on license renewal alone for its ‘Blackboard’ student service in 2010. Brunel University also estimates their costs for their own VLE, ‘Blackboard Learn’, to be £300,000, in a contract that expires in August 2015. The University are currently in the process of completing a new MyExeter project, due for completion by September 2014. Another longer term ELE project is also underway. The Guild has been heavily involved in consultation on the new projects, with Guild President Hannah Barton recently visiting developers in London. The Guild is always consulted on

projects of this nature, with attendance of key project board meetings and one to one meetings with key staff. The MyExeter project is designed as a shift towards students being a central part of the project development, in an IT development that has not been seen previously. A University spokesman said: “The University’s IT vision, and IT investment programme running over the current five years has a multi-million pound budget, including a £0.31 million investment in the student portal, to enable more people-to-people interaction and seamless access to services. At Exeter the VLE is based on Moodle which is very different to Blackboard and is more cost-effective

for us, representing better value for money and greater flexibility which is a good thing for our students. Many universities are now moving to Moodle”. Alex Louch, VP Academic Affairs, said: “I’m very excited that students are co-leading on a project of such importance to the future of IT at the University, and I think this reflects the strong partnership that exists between the Students’ Guild and the University”. Clara Plackett, a third year English student, said: “I’m glad that there is a new MyExeter project in the pipeline. MyExeter and ELE are currently generally consistent in themselves, but any improvements are always welcome”. Photo: Niklas Rahmel

University moves to improve working conditions CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

An academic who currently works in the Humanities department told Exeposé that they considered it “almost impossible” for a junior academic to have a meaningful impact on college-wide decisions that were being made on their behalf. They also suggested that some academics were “bored” with trying to change what they considered to be an “abusive” use of “top-down executive policy” in order to regulate staff. In addition to the survey figures, Exeposé’s data request revealed that three official complaints alleging bullying or harassment have been made to the University since 2010/11, with one complaint respectively in each full academic year since that point. From these three complaints, two investigations have been carried out into the allegations made, while in the other case, the employee resigned before the University began to consider the grievance. The two investigations resulted in one instance in an employee being given training and a change of management, while in another, the employee resigned

before a disciplinary hearing could take place. Another academic, who recently left the University, told Exeposé in October that: “During my time at Exeter, I saw serious bullying by management, openly expressed contempt for able academic staff, and unjustifiable attempts to sack people while gross misbehaviour by management went unremarked and uninvestigated. I was very glad indeed to leave such a troubled institution”. When contacted by Exeposé regarding this statement earlier this year, the University declined to comment on the former academic’s opinion on the grounds that they didn’t know the circumstances surrounding their employment and departure. Exeposé understands that the University is implementing four key policies in order to improve working conditions at the University. A Wellbeing project, sponsored by DVC Professor Janice Kay and led by Kate Lindsell, Assistant HR Director (Health and Safety), will review how well the University provides for the physical and mental needs of their work-

force. This will include a full review of occupational health services. This team will work closely with the Future Workways project, which focuses on working environments and flexible working.

I was very glad indeed to leave such a troubled institution Former University employee The Leadership and Voice team, sponsored by Vice Chancellor Steve Smith, will focus on how leadership teams and employees can improve their connection and communication, in order to build a stronger sense of engagement and a healthy dialogue across the University. This initiative will include all members of the Vice Chancellor’s Executive Group going “back to the floor” in the New Year, spending a day with a colleague to understand the day-to-day

issues their employees face. The University is also prioritising the promotion of a culture of dignity and respect, in order to promote the right behaviours and empower people to safely express their opinions about situations that feel wrong. This initiative, sponsored by DVC Professor Mark Goodwin and led by Andrew Johnson (HR), will launch a common Code of Conduct, guiding both students and staff and underpinning University policy. A parallel workstream is also doing further work on one of the biggest concerns raised in the last Staff Survey, that of academic workloads. This project sets out to address these concerns, including the implementation of a common system to support workload management. It is sponsored by DVC Professor Nick Talbot, and led by Gill Allaway, who works in Strategic Planning and Change. The next staff survey takes place in April 2014, while HR will also be implementing more regular Pulse surveys to be more in tune with what staff are feeling and thinking. A University spokesman said: “The

2012 University of Exeter staff survey revealed that 88 per cent of staff say the University is a good place to work and 89 per cent are proud to work here. “Some 5 per cent of staff reported being harassed or bullied. Eleven other universities took part in the same staff survey and the range is 3-14 per cent, so we have one of the lowest rates in the sector. “The Vice-Chancellor has held open forums with 1,200 staff and bullying has not been raised as an issue. We have a zero tolerance approach to bullying and have a team of harassment advisers to whom staff can talk to in confidence as well as several members of the senior team with whom staff can discuss any concerns”. Hannah Barton, Guild President, commented: “Staff wellbeing is an important issue that deserves the University’s close attention. All employees have a right to feel valued at work and I believe that satisfied staff are better prepared to provide the sector-leading university experience that our students expect”.

NEWS

National Student News Hannah Butler News Team

Thousands sign segregation petition MORE than 4,600 people have signed a petition fighting Universities UK’s apparent endorsement of sex segregation in UK universities. Segregated seating, described by the petition as “gender apartheid” was recently the subject of a report by Universities UK, advising universities managing “controversial guest speakers” or groups to ensure “the freedom of speech of the religious group or speaker is not curtailed unlawfully”. The guidance, aiming to allow certain religious groups to hold debates in accordance with their belief systems, has however caused controversy, with the petition claiming that “segregation is never applied to those who are considered equal”. Previous controversies include the threats of academic Lawrence Krauss to walk out of a UCL debate in March, after attempts were allegedly made to enforce the audiences’ separation. UCL commented that it does “not allow enforced segregation on any grounds”, later banning the group hosting the debate from campus. Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK, noted universities’ responsibility to “balance their obligation to encourage free speech with their duties to ensure that the law is observed, the safety and security of staff, students and visitors secured, and good campus relations promoted”, adding however that “achieving this balance is not always easy”.

38,000 loans unaccounted for THE NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE has indicated that hundreds of millions of pounds of public money is currently unaccounted for, after being paid out in student loans to students the government now has no employment records for. The watchdog has warned that the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) is not doing enough to ensure that all those who took out loans under the scheme and are now earning £21,000 or more annually are repaying these loans. BIS has been found to have no employment records for around 38,000 borrowers. While in many cases this indicates unemployed former students living in the UK, the NAO has claimed BIS and the Student Loans Company (SLC) have not sufficiently analysed how many of these borrowers may be former EU or UK students now working overseas, who may be earning enough to begin repaying their loans. The NAO has called on the government to improve information gathered about those who have taken out loans. A BIS spokesperson commented: “We are continually improving the collection process for borrowers and we will carefully consider the NAO’s recommendations as part of this programme”.

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Sabbatical Officer roles to be restructured following internal review Kitty Howie Lifestyle Editor CHANGES will be made to the existing structure of the sabbatical officers after a comprehensive internal review in order to improve the team’s efficiency. The review sought to identify and implement changes directly suggested by successive sabbatical teams, with the intention of making the structure more fit for its purpose. The four current roles of the sabbatical officers: President, VP Welfare & Community, VP Participation & Campuses and VP Academic Affairs, were produced from the last review of sabbatical roles and responsibilities. In the four years since the last review, the University has experienced several significant changes, including the tripling of undergraduate tuition fees, Exeter’s entrance to the Russell Group, the completion of the Forum and the Sports Park. The review states that changes will be made to some titles. In the 2014/5 elections, VP Participation and Campuses will become VP Activities. The current focus of ‘Campuses’ will be dropped from the title, as it is felt that the representation of students from all campuses is already a

central focus of all work of the sabbatical officers. Moreover, the change to ‘Activities’ from ‘Participation’ more effectively aligns the role with the interests of students engaged with activities and volunteering. Following concerns expressed at the lack of focus on the diversity agenda, VP Welfare & Community will become VP Welfare & Diversity. The title of VP Academic Affairs will also change. VP Academic Affairs, now considered out-dated, will resume its previous title of VP Education. The review also includes some additions to the role overviews. The Pres-

ident will have the extra responsibility of taking a lead on Guild commercial services, while VP Activities has new emphasis ensuring student views are relayed to Employability & Graduate Development. The VP Welfare & Diversity mandate advocates the responsibility of the promotion and implementation of the Guild’s equality and diversity work as a chief concern, and newly supports the valuable input of hall committees. Changes will also be made to the timings of elections. The International Students’ Officer, the Postgraduate Students’ Officer and the St Luke’s Officer will all be elected at the same time as

the Sabbatical officers. It is thought that this concurrence will increase electoral turn out. Hannah Barton, Guild President, commented: “This timely review of the sabbatical officer roles recognises the evolving needs of our students in the context of a changing higher education landscape and strong growth on all of the University’s campuses. Each role has been carefully rebalanced to ensure that it will serve students in the most relevant and efficient way and I am confident the refreshed posts will be responsive to our members’ needs into the future”. Photo: Josh Irwandi

Over £40k raised Police warnings by RAG this term over drink-driving Emily Tanner Deputy Editor RAG has recently announced a fundraising total of £40,037.91 for this year after numerous fundraising events throughout the term. This total also places Exeter RAG third on the university leader board behind Queen Mary’s Belfast and the University of Oxford. Numerous events organised by RAG have taken place this term and contributed towards the current total. Major activities such as The Amsterdam Hitch Hike, in aid of Amnesty International, and Movember, the total for which currently stands at £12,808, have raised large sums of money for the society whilst regular events including raffles, pub quizzes and a seasonal Christmas Market have also contributed to the total. President of RAG, Henry Bowles, commented: “I’m thrilled with the total so far, everyone on committee has done a fantastic job. Look out for even more great events next term. We will be celebrating our successes at the first annual Exeter RAG Awards on Saturday 22nd March”. RAG are the largest student group on campus who each year raise money for three nominated charities as well as various other charitable causes such as Children In Need. The nominated charities this year are Devon Freewheelers – a local charity which funds an emer-

gency courier service for the NHS – national charity The Rainbow Trust and international development charity Concern Universal who tackle poverty in the poorest international communities. Imogen Bodimeade, RAG Officer, said: “We are really happy with the total so far and hope that we can continue the success into next term. Personally I’m just really impressed with the committee this year and the total reflects their hard work and dedication. Furthermore the total itself wouldn’t be possible without students who have given their money and come to our events. This money will no doubt be important to the charities we have supported and we’re proud to know that we are going to hopefully make a difference to charities based locally, nationally and internationally”. Josephine Watts, a third year Engineering student commented:“I think it’s really impressive that RAG have raised so much money through their exciting events this term. The recent Christmas Market was really fun, festive and a great way to raise money for such worthy causes. I’m sure their total will increase even more next term”. Sponsorship from major events such as the Kilimanjaro Hike, Gorilla Trek and Movember is still coming in meaning that the current total of £40,037.91 will inevitably increase in the coming months combined with the variety of fundraising activities and events RAG are set to organise in 2014.

Helen Carrington News Team DEVON AND CORNWALL POLICE are running their annual campaign to warn people of the potential consequences of drink-driving. The ‘What Will Your Drink Cost You?’ campaign is being run in association with a Plymouth University student who was convicted of drink-driving last November. The student said: “Drink driving had a catastrophic impact on every part of my life – my university placement, my finances, my relationships and my independence”. The Plymouth man had elected to drive home after a night out in order to avoid a £25 parking fine. He was caught by police, found to be three times over the drink-drive limit, and banned from driving for 12 months. As part of this year’s operation, officers will be increasing the frequency of roadside checks in early mornings and at night, in a bid to deter reckless driving over the festive season. Chris Rootkin, VP Welfare & Community, said: “I urge all students to consider their own safety and that of others over the Christmas period. Drink driving is a serious offence that costs lives. If you are going to drink, leave the car at home and encourage your friends to do the same. It simply isn’t worth running the risk of losing your license or picking up a criminal record”.

Inspector Richard Pryce, Head of Roads Policing, said: “If convicted of drink driving you will have a criminal record, lose your licence and potentially your livelihood; you could spend time in prison and receive a hefty fine. Convictions can also significantly increase insurance premiums and prevent travel to certain countries. More importantly they risk causing a death or serious injury on the roads”. Police and Crime Commission-

I urge all students to consider their own safety and that of others over the Christmas period Chris Rootkin, VP Welfare & Community er Tony Hogg said: “I want everyone to enjoy Christmas and I know for many that involves drinking alcohol but if that is the case don’t drink and drive. The implications are high and the cost of a taxi ride might just be the best thing you buy this Christmas”. The Force campaign is part of a national initiative launched by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

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Students raise a ‘fantashtic’ Medical School £12,800 for Movember links ADHD and socio-economic deprivation Emily Leahy News Team

LAST week saw the end of the University’s contribution to the national Movember campaign, where students and staff raised money in aid of promoting men’s health. The aim of Exeter’s effort this year was to exceed last year’s total of £2,400. So far, this has been hugely surpassed, with this year’s total reaching £12,808. Universities across the country raised in excess of £1.5million. Primarily, the charity encourages men to register online and earn sponsors by growing facial hair over November. From campus more than 150 people registered on the Movember website, where you can also donate to the charity. The University team included students, members of the Estate Patrol team and university senior managers. A number of other fundraising events also took place throughout the month. These included a ‘Row for a Mo’ challenge, the AU Olympics and a 90 strong female contribution by the Exeter ‘Mo Sistas’ athletic tournament. Additionally, to commemorate the end of the month, on Friday all students and staff were encouraged to dress up in a Movember theme and carry a donation box around with them. When asked about the cause Harry Williams, RAG Movember Co-ordinator, said: “This is the biggest that Movember has ever been at the University of Exeter and more and more people are talking about what Movember is and what it promotes”. President of EUSC, Dan Crawford, said of his club’s contribution: “the four of us from the swimming club were able

to raise £74. We wanted to raise money for a good cause promoting men’s health within the club and Exeter”. Jak Curtis-Rendall, VP Participation and Campuses, commented: “Congratulations are due to the organisers of this year’s Movember campaign who have ensured our most successful year yet. Movember is an important way of raising awareness of men’s health and mental health issues and I was pleased to take part alongside VPs Alex Louch

and Chris Rootkin. I can’t wait for next year’s campaign”. The month has been a great success, but for the charity it doesn’t end here. They will continue to fund men’s health programmes and create a greater awareness and understanding of the health risks men face such as: testicular and prostate cancer as well as mental illness. You can find out more about the organisation and and donate here: www. uk.movember.com.

Beatrice Wood News Team A RECENT study has shown links between social and economic status and childhood attention deficit disorder, known as ADHD, in the UK. The study, led by the University of Exeter Medical School, carried out research on more than 19,500 children, all of whom come from different social and economic backgrounds. All born between 2000 and 2002, each child was analysed at nine months and the ages of three, five, seven and 11. Research is planned to continue into their adult years. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry has published the finds. The study covers wide-ranging topics, including parenting, school choice, child behaviour and cognitive development and income. Dr Ginny Russell, a member of the University of Exeter Medical School, has commented on the find of the study. She states that the results provide “strong evidence that ADHD is also associated with a disadvantaged social and economic background”. Dr Russell further states that this research has been important as it has illustrated what causes ADHD. Furthermore, in studying the causes of the

Photo: Exeter University Movember

disorder, methods of prevention can be researched and analysed, allowing greater support and treatment for people suffering from ADHD. Russell stated: “Some people believe that ADHD in children causes disadvantage to the economic situation of their family, but we found no evidence to support that theory. It’s important to discover more about the causes of this disorder so that we can look towards prevention, and so that we can target treatment and support effectively”. A number of key factors have been identified which increase the chances of a child having ADHD. These include a child being born into families that sit below the poverty line in the UK and children with parents in social housing. Also mentioned is the increased likelihood of younger mothers having a child with ADHD compared to older mothers. The odds of having a child with the disorder are also increased if the child is born into a single parent household, rather than a household with two live-in parents. Previous studies on the disorder have been conducted in Northern Europe, the United States and Australia. Overall this study has shown the link between ADHD and socio-economic status exists in the UK.

Academics recognised Exeter historian documents WWII as “rising stars” Clara Plackett Deputy Editor ASTROPHYSICIST Dr. Stefan Kraus and Modern Languages film historian Prof. Sally Faulkner have recently been awarded highly prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prizes for their respective work on star and planet formation and Spanish cinema. The £70,000 prize is usually awarded to researchers under the age of 36 whose work has already made an impact internationally and whose future research plans are highly promising. Dr. Kraus, a Science and Technology Facilities Council Fellow, commented: “The prize will allow me to initiate new projects that will help answer some of the fundamental questions about the planet formation process. I am very excited that this work and my research field is recognised with a Philip Leverhulme Prize”. Professor Faulkner was the winner of the only prize awarded for Hispan-

ic Studies in 2013. Her latest book, A History of Spanish Film:Cinema and Society 1910-2010, is the first exploration of the relationship between Spanish film and social mobility.

I’m delighted that my research has been recognised in this way Professor Sally Faulkner, Modern Languages Professor Faulkner said: “I’m delighted that my research has been recognised in this way. The two years of research leave that the prize will give me will allow me to further my work in a number of areas, including a collaborative project on middlebrow cinema, which re-assesses categories of ‘art’ and ‘popular’ cultures in world cinema; silent film, including the place of

Spanish silent cinema in transnational circuits of exchange; and Spanish culture of the contested long transition to democracy”. Philip Leverhulme Prize winners can choose to receive the £70,000 over a period of two or three years. Nominations are accepted for work across 18 broad disciplines, with prizes in 6 offered each year. This year, the selected disciplines are: astronomy and astrophysics; economics; engineering; geography; modern languages and literature; and performing and visual arts. Alex Louch, VP Academic Affairs, said: “These awards are further vindication of the world-class quality of the research undertaken by our outstanding academics and I congratulate Dr Kraus and Prof. Faulkner on their continuing success”. A third year student also commented: “Exeter is known for its modern, up to date teaching, so it’s great to see that some of our academics are being rewarded as such”.

Owen Keating News Editor AN EXETER historian has collated a collection of 500 of the most interesting articles from New York Times reportage from the front line of World War Two. Professor Richard Overy has edited The New York Times Complete World War II 1939 – 1945 with the aim of providing a new perspective on the war. The articles offer a new take on WWII, as they include first hand accounts, major events, and little known anecdotes. The book covers major battles, including the Battles of the Bulge and Iwo Jima, as well as tales from the US home front and profiles of notable leaders, including Winston Churchill. The book is accompanied by a CD-ROM, which contains all the articles written by The New York Times to inform their readers about everyday occurences on the Front.

Professor Overy said: The New York Times was America’s premier newspaper during World War II and the range, intelligence and literary quality of the articles is particularly impressive. The hundreds of articles I’ve chosen here give a fresh perspective on the war and remind the reader that the journalists had to try to work out what was happening in a very uncertain world, not knowing, as we now do, the eventual outcome”. Professor Overy is the author or editor of 30 books on World War II, air power and the European dictatorships, including most recently The Bombing War: Europe 1939-1945. He won the Wolfson prize for History in 2004 and the Samuel Eliot Morison Prize from the Society for Military History in 2001. He is a Fellow of the British Academy.

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The reality is that the SSB isn’t coming back - but there is a huge event in its place pre-drink and agonising over whether a coat would ruin your immaculate body paint. If you could remember the famous headliner’s set, you probably hadn’t done the evening properly. The SSB was so renowned that its fame extended far beyond Exeter, making it onto FHM’s list of “Top 100 Things to Do Before You Die”. It was this exterior interest in the ball that eventually led to its cancellation, as the national media gleefully ran first with the racist connotations of the ball’s theme, and then the alleged sex acts in the RAM. When the furore finally died down, the ball was cancelled; the SSB had been too big and too controversial for too long to continue running. There were promises that it would

1987

be replaced, and vows from RAG that the ball would continue in some form. Rumours have been flying around all term that every event promoter in Exeter was on the verge of running its own SSB; one group even went as far as creating a fake SSB on ticketing website Fatsoma, claiming the event would be held at Westpoint Arena. The reality is that the SSB isn’t coming back – but there is a huge event in its place, aiming to be just as integral to the Exeter student experience as its predecessor was. Admittedly, the 1920s theme of The Prohibition Ball means that you’ll be wearing pinstriped suits rather than boxers and body paint, but the ball will certainly retain the best aspects of the SSB, without its controversies. In its very name, The Prohibition Ball acknowledges and embraces the fact that it isn’t the SSB anymore; RAG are prohibited from putting on another SSB, so its successor will have an underground, behind closed doors vibe. It represents a defiant nod to the fact that the charity have had their biggest event taken away from them, and a confidence that they are easily capable of replacing it. RAG are aiming for The Prohibition Ball to rise like a phoenix from the debauched ashes of the SSB, and, from what we’ve discovered so far, it looks fully capable of doing so.

Merry Christmas from Exeposé

EXEPOSÉ would like to wish all of its readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The term seems to have flown by, and it’s certainly been a busy one. Since September, Exeposé has covered abusive bouncers, sexist songs, sexist DJs and an extensive survey into student alcohol habits. We were also there as the EDL marched through our city, and as the people of Exeter rallied against the group’s extremist ideologies.

EDITORS DEPUTY EDITORS

Get the ball rolling

THE Safer Sex Ball, from 1991-2012, was undeniably one of the highlights of the Exeter University calendar. It was a night for outrageous outfits, a hefty

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Admittedly, we haven’t covered everything… in October, a local man managed to steal a bus and drive it for 10 miles, but we forgot to tell you about it. It is our biggest regret of 2013. Whether you’re using the holiday period for relaxing after a hard term or studying for an even harder one in 2014, we hope you all enjoy yourselves and look forward to having you back next year!

Thanks to those who helped proof this issue: Vanessa Tracey, Lauren Swift, Charlotte Earland, Maddi Puleston, Tim Bradbeer, Beth Gore, Sabrina Aziz, George Choyce, Isobel Burston, Pavel Kondov, Rosie Howard, Alex Bonner, Ben Pullan, Thomas Davies, Sam Brewer, Emily McIndoe, Emily Leahy, Sophie Harrison, Tristan Gatward and members of the Exeposé editorial team

Meg Drewett & Jon Jenner Clara Plackett & Emily Tanner

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The sorrows of a sober second year “Now I can’t drink alcohol I realise that perhaps I was part of a wider scheme where students don’t even realise the pressure I’m under”

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Genevieve Kotarska I WAS recently informed by a doctor that I have to take a break from alcohol. I don’t drink more than the average university student, and I probably drink a lot less than some, yet a reaction to alcohol now means that I’m plunged into a life of second year sobriety. I have never felt pressured to drink alcohol at university, but now that I can’t drink alcohol I realise that perhaps I was part of a wider scheme where students don’t even realise the pressure they’re under. The fact is that if you want to go out with friends, whether to clubs, pubs or house parties, or if you want to get involved with the social side of most sports, you expect (and are expected) to drink. Sports socials are pretty much out of the question if you don’t want to drink, house parties tend to be pretty mundane without that alcohol haze and the sweaty, sticky clamour of nightclubs is unappealing without the buzz of a few vodka cokes. Although there are plenty of

options for teetotal students during the day, if you find yourself stuck for something to do in the evenings there tends to be limited options that don’t involve alcohol. If your flatmates are going out you don’t want to be left out, but watching them drink themselves stupid isn’t usually as funny as

I don’t drink more than the average university student, and I probably drink a lot less than some, yet a reaction to alcohol now means that I’m plunged into a life of second year sobriety it sounds and more often than not by 11PM you fancy a hot chocolate and bed more than watching your friend bolt another cider black. This is where the problem seems to lie; alcohol creates an exclusive circle and if you don’t drink then that circle often seems impossibly hard to become a

part of. I think most of the pressure people feel to drink isn’t the active shouts of “down it” but a passive air of exclusivity that means students who don’t want to drink will forever feel like they’re missing out. Yes, the pressure at sports socials tends to be a lot more direct, but it is easy to simply not attend the socials and still get involved with the sport if you’re a sober student. It’s a lot harder to exclude yourself from your friendship group and a whole world of evening socialising, most of which will involve alcohol somewhere along the line. It seems that as long as there are students there will be pressure to drink, and I’m sure that many other universities would find similar survey results as were found by Exeposé last week. I don’t think that pressure can ever be removed, but what can be done is the creation of more societies and events that don’t involve drinking. As for me, the alcohol bandwagon is calling, and in just over a month I can once again answer its cry.

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The best way to have their say?

“Whether this is a good or bad matter, that divides opinion”: Exeposé Comment takes a look at last week’s strike Bryan Toh ON 3 December, members of the university’s staff went on strike, in what was yet another result of the on-going disagreement between the universities trade unions and lawmakers regarding staff pay. Although I wasn’t affected by it, I found the strike particularly interesting as it was only my second time witnessing one. In my native Singapore, strikes are a rare beast, due in no small part to the tight reign the government keeps on labour unions. Whether this is good or bad is

a matter that divides opinion. Some observers say that the lack of strikes makes Singapore more efficient and productive. Others see it as a restriction on freedom of expression or rights campaigning. I, for one, take the middle ground. Strikes upset both the economy and the public, and should be kept to a minimum. However, that is not to say that workers should not be allowed to air their views. Instead of encouraging striking, I feel unions and workers should explore more constructive and less disruptive ways of getting their point across. This could include table talks or signing petitions. My take on last week’s strike, and strike action in general, reflects that stand. Of course, as someone with limited work experience, and zero background in the UK’s labour system,

I’m not in the best of positions to be offering solutions.

Instead of encouraging striking, I feel unions and workers should explore more constructive and less distruptive ways of getting their point across Strikes however, are definitely not the way forward for the UK’s workers. Firstly, as I mentioned above, they are disruptive. This effect is especially felt

in a pre-paid, service-oriented sector like higher education. If the staff go on strike, students are essentially losing out on valuable curriculum time that has already been paid for. Secondly, the effectiveness of strikes is a disputable topic. The Miner’s Strike, which took place in Britain around 1984, lasted for a year, before starvation eventually forced the miners to concede. Even if the strike does bring change, it is usually minimal, as in the case of the firefighters strike in 2002, which resulted in scant wage increases. This begs the question: are strikes worth the trouble? Thirdly, strikes are self-defeating, particularly in a state such as the UK where they are commonplace. When I expressed my surprise to my English friends about the staff strike, I was often

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Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Tim Bradbeer AS MANY of you would have noticed, many of the university staff were on strike last week. Regardless of my opinion on the practice of striking, trade unions or picket lines, I felt compelled to write to Exeposé expressing my disappointment on how the strike was enacted. The staff said they were striking because of reduced pay, and wanted to send a clear message to the university management, something I do support.

In fact, the vast majority of staff who cancelled their contact hours last week (in my experience) were not at the picket line However, I felt this was not what came across during the actual strike. Taking position at the bottom of Stocker

met with nonchalant responses such as: “Oh, it happens, you’ll get used to it”. As people get more desensitised towards the strikes, the worker’s voices risk becoming increasingly muted. These three points illustrate that essentially, strikes are generally not a preferable way for workers to voice their discontent. Going back to last Tuesday’s staff pay strike, it would perhaps have been better for the two major parties involved – staff and students – if the strike did not take place, and staff adopted alternative means of campaigning. At the end of the day, I find it a pity for such an excellent education system to be marred by something that, to me, is unproductive - striking.

Road, a prime position to catch the attention of students, and not actually any of the university management, who we assume wouldn’t walk into campus as we do but would drive, and so can speed past the picket line with little to no inconvenience. I for one, and a number of my peers, in fact found the picket line rather intimidating. The entire point of a picket line is to advertise your cause and intimidate the workers not involved in the strike. In fact, it intimidated the students, regardless if they supported the strike or not. I am not suggesting that any of the strikers were aggressive to any student, and in fact offered sweets to passing students, however the number and volume of the strikers, and the fact that they surrounded the path so students had to walk among them, being offered leaflets countless times regardless of whether they wanted them, meant for a less than pleasant experience entering campus. In fact all of my lectures were cancelled that day, however due to tasks and essays, I decided to come into campus in order to work in the library. It seems mind-boggling that I was made to feel intimidated when coming in to campus to do the work set by the intimidators. In fact, the vast majority of staff who cancelled their contact hours last week (in my experience anyway)

were not in fact at the picket line. This seemed strange, as the union had said all levels of univserity staff were striking in support of the support staff, however it seemed that few teaching staff were actually present. One must assume that they were catching up on their marking or having a lie in, all the while I was trudging to campus to complete tasks set by them, to meet a wall of noise and intimidation for choosing to do so. So my suggestion is, yes, if you feel the need, strike away. But don’t take it

I am not suggesting that any of the strikers were agressive to any student, however the volume of strikers meant for a less than pleasant experience out on us, take it out on the people making the decisions. Surely there is a way to seek change without upsetting those who have no power over that change.

Maddi Puleston WALKING into campus on Tuesday was informative, nothing else. About twenty-five people stood in small groups, representing the four Unions on strike. They were chanting, using hooters and handing out leaflets. Yes, they were shouty and insistent, but to say only that they disrupted my walk into campus and day of contact hours would be a self-centered approach to a sensitive issue. If I earned a low wage and my pay had been comparatively reducing by 13 per cent over five years, I think I would be quite shouty too; especially if the student body I worked closely with and for appeared to have mostly apathy for my cause. Students occupy a place of privilege. I agree that disrupted timetables are frustrating, however, the majority of tutors have provided alternative arrangements. Surely if we were really outraged by missing contact hours, we would never skip a lecture? Yes, there will be students inconvenienced by Tuesday’s strike, but the negative reaction seems

disproportionate. We will be able to catch up with work missed, but employees of our University will probably return to the same working conditions. I recently read that 30 students occupied a room in Queen’s overnight before being evicted by security staff. Our University has 18,500 students. Why aren’t we more aware and ready to act upon how the University employees are treated? The question I feel we should be asking is not whether it is right for strikers to inconvenience students with their actions and picket lines, but whether as students we are complacent enough to ignore the problems of University staff. Having contact with the strikers on the picket line was my first physical contact with the strikes; strikers were not trying to prevent students from attending University, but attempting to engage us with issues important to them. If the strike does not end how the Unions wish, I hope that the strike action has at least made some students more receptive to the concerns and opinions of workers who are essential to keep the University running smoothly.

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With Yuletide almost upon us, Exeposé Features sent resident funnyman and Music Editor, Josh ‘Man Baking’ Gray to meet the visionary director of the whole Christmas project. While Josh is no newcomer to Christmas, the man he meets is a veteran of countless winter holidays, and, as Josh finds out, it might be beginning to take its toll. Prepare to meet...

WHEN I was told I would be joining Saint Nicholas for an exclusive interview I was ecstatic. After all, who hasn’t dreamt about meeting the figure that used to slither down the chimney once a year to creep into your room to stuff your stockings full of tasty treats? Without the annual visit of Old Chubby and his sack of fun, Christmas

We arranged to meet at the King Billy at his request. The question ‘why would Saint Nick, patron of joy, want to meet in such a hive of scum and villainy?’ never crossed my mind would consist of naught but ugly relatives and forced conversation, and so I jumped at the chance to thank him in person for saving me from the joys of family reunion and for providing me with that copy of Zoo Tycoon that has kept me entertained ever since.

We arrange to meet at the King Billy at his request. The question “why would Saint Nick, patron of joy, want to meet in such a hive of scum and villainy?” never crossed my mind, so full of foolish boyish enthusiasm was I; and so, surrounded by a sea of glaring EDL-dropouts, I sat down to interview international superstar and sometime-member of rap collective D12: Father Christmas. On this occasion he eschewed his standard red and white winter overalls, opting instead for shades, brown slacks and a Tupac t-shirt drawn tightly over his vast gut. “I ain’t taking questions on ‘Elf and Safety’” he grunts before I have a chance to speak, referring to his ongoing court case with the workers’ rights union. I assure him I intended no such thing, only for him to lean forward until his face is just inches from mine. I smell the unmistakeable Christmas stench of brandy and pies on his breath and it slowly dawns on me that this man is drunker than I am. “Are you religious, boy?” he growls with a voice blacker than the most charred Christmas pudding in history. I insist that I am not, and he retreats back somewhat. But, despite his

It slowly dawns on me that this man is drunker than I am dark glasses, I can tell his eyes are boring into my soul. “Never had any truck with faith of any kind,” he wheezes, pulling a large red handkerchief from his grubby pocket and coughing black phlegm into it, “hokey religion’s no match for a cool mil in your bank account. Pure, hard free market capitalism is the only religion worth a damn”. Somewhat shocked by this, I ask how he can make money off a holiday based

He begins the laborious process of constructing the biggest, dirtiest rollup I’ve ever seen around generosity and love. “S’easy” he guffaws, “sponsorship and merchandise! Every Coca-Cola advert that

tells you it’s Christmas time, that’s $3 million American dollars transferred to an offshore bank account in Lapland. Every shopping centre I visit, I charge £100 per child’s dream come true. Every Santa-shaped chocolate you buy is paying for my holiday house in Tuscany. I’ve got a good system going”. I attempt to bring the subject round to the good cheer of Yuletide, but Father Christmas is having none of it. “I fucking hate Christmas”, he roars, “Fucking kids with their letters as long as your arm, asking for the latest Rizzle Kicks book or whatever. Get a job you bunch of hippies!” He laments the contractual obligations of Christmas Eve, but admits that most of the heavy lifting is now done by imported labour, “I don’t like the labourers, but they’re ready to work for a damn sight less than those money-grabbing elves”. He begins the laborious process of constructing the biggest, dirtiest rollup I’ve ever seen as our conversation moves to the controversial topic of toy manufacturing. “We’ve outsourced most of the actual toy construction for tax reasons”, he admits as he sprinkles some leaves of what looks suspiciously like crushed mistletoe into his open

Exeposé

| WEEK twelve

-ly like crushed mistletoe into his open fag before rolling it up and licking the side with a tongue as yellow as a patch of snow that a passing cat has pissed on. A brief altercation with the barman ensues when he tries to light up inside, but eventually Santa concedes and heads outside screaming “Nothing but coal for your kids this Christmas!” along with some imaginatively festive swearwords, many of which seem to involve involuntary reindeer copulation. After he calms down, I try to ask him what his favourite thing about the Christmas season is. This seems to cheer him up, “The women”, he leers, “especially where the beginning of advent also marks the start of bikini season. A couple of them and a few bottles of French Hennessy Cognac to

I ask him what he’s got planned for the post-festive season. “A bit of this and that,” he replies “I do a lot of work in the Congo and Sierra Leone.” I ask which charities he works with, “Charities?” he throws back is head and roars with laughter “Ho ho ho! “

keep me company in my sleigh is all I really want for Christmas”. I hastily change the subject to his plans for Christmas future, a move that, in hindsight, wasn’t wise. “What you’ve got to understand, boy, is that Christmas

in open-mouthed astonishment as the Jolly Fat Man outlines his plans for Christmas monopoly, which include a drive to begin advertising “just after New Year, so those bollocking furniture stores stop stealing the money we could be taking off the unsuspecting public”; the introduction of a ‘Santa Prime’ service which would require anxious parents to pay a healthy subsidy to receive their children’s gifts on the morning of the 25th rather than 3-5 working days after (an initiative that Father Christmas insists will “encourage those tight-arsed working classes to pry their wallets open and start doing a little giving”); and a plan to expand into the burgeoning Middle Eastern market by replacing his long-serving reindeer with a caravan of camels. Now thoroughly disillusioned with the whole idea of Christmas spirit, I choke back the tears of sad disappointment welling in my eyes to ask Father Christmas about his numerous side-projects, which include his now defunct symphonic metal outfit Sleigher (“we’ll be back with a new album as soon as Rudolph’s out of rehab”), his reality TV show Ho Ho Ho: Girls Gone Wild (“there’ll be a new series once this women’s rights fad fades away”) and his series of workout vid-

A brief altercation with the barman ensues when he tries to light up inside, but eventually Santa concedes and heads outside screaming “Nothing but coal for your kids this Christmas!” along with some imaginatively festive swearwords, many of which involve involuntary reindeer copulation isn’t a holiday, it’s an industry, a business. The most perfect business model in the world! Me and the board of

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supermarkets met last week to discuss how we can minimise costs and maximise income, and we had some ruddy brilliant ideas flying about”. I listen

eos Chimney Slim (“I’ll bring out a new one when some fitties start buying it, I can’t abide signing DVDs for fat chicks”). I am unable to ask Father Christmas about his most recent foray into the world of acting in the now inevitably postponed Michael Bay blockbuster Santa vs. Killer Robots From Space. In this film which Father Christmas was due to star alongside Miley Cyrus and Morgan Freeman, as apparently “shit got too real”. Sensing that he desperately wants the subject changed, I ask Father Christmas what he’s got planned for the post-festive season. “A bit of this and that,” he replies “I do a lot of work in the under developed African countries”. Amazed, I ask which charities he works with, “Charities?” he throws back his head and roars with laughter, “Ho ho ho! You wouldn’t catch me dead wasting time with those bloody

Easter Bunny, “Me and EB go waaay back, we met at one of Stalin’s shindigs back in the day. Now there is a cat who knows how to plan a party”. I leave the interview still feeling shell-shocked from the meeting I have just had. Was it all a bad dream? Would I wake up tomorrow refreshed in a bright colourful world where Father Christmas embodies the hopes and desires of all the world’s children? While considering the merits of memory suppression I feel the light patter of snow on my shoulders. I tear myself from my inner musings to look around, and what a sight meets me. The streets are white and glistening, a children’s choir sings by John Lewis and a jolly robin lands on the wall by my hand. As I reach out my hand to my feathery friend, I suddenly hear a roar like a tortured beast behind me and spin around… but there’s nothing there.

charities. I was talking about my diamond business!” Disheartened once more, I resign myself to the misery every person gets when their childhood hero turn out to be very different in person. Santa goes on to list his numerous business contacts, who seem to range from Russian oligarchs to the

“Up here boy”, sounds the familiar booming voice, and I look up to see Father Christmas. The roar is emanating from his hovering motorbike, a grotesque machine that looks like it’s been constructed out of a dead reindeer’s carcass (I later realise this must have been why it could fly). “I couldn’t let you leave without an early Christmas treat”, he guffaws as he throws a parcel down into my waiting arms. Flushed with childlike joy I open the parcel, thinking that maybe I had been wrong about this jolly man. Inside the wrapping paper I find… an advent calendar full of reindeer droppings. “Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas”, guffaws Saint Nick, and with that final parting cry he puts his foot down and he and his skeleton-bike shoot into the night, leaving behind him a cloud of black smoke that covers the previously pearl-white tableau. The smog cleared to reveal a group of crying carollers, a dead grey robin and a tattered fallen banner bearing the legend ‘Christmas is coming’.

The Jolly Fat Man outlines his plans for Christmas monopoly, which include the introduction of a ‘Santa Prime’ service which would require anxious parents to pay a healthy subsidy to receive their children’s gifts on the morning of the 25th rather than 3-5 working days after

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Exeposé

Money for nothing, your O N 5 November Ryan Reiss emerged victorious from a field of 6,352 men and women of hugely varying ages (21 to 92) from 83 different nations over nine days of competition. His prize? A cool $8.5 million dollars and the title of World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event (ME) Champion. The American became the 6th straight ME champion aged under 25, showing how much of a young man’s game poker has become. But isn’t poker only for the super-rich and the internet nerds? Okay, let’s tackle the internet nerds point first. Whilst your impression of most poker players may be 30-somethings who still live in their parents’ house, afraid to come out of the basement, there are many examples of this being untrue. Poker professionals are

constantly trying to become healthier individuals, as it’s impossible to concentrate for large periods of time with diets of fast food, red-bull and coffee. There are also a number of world-class athletes enjoying themselves by indulging in poker. Current Tennis World No. 1 Rafael Nadal is a recent addition to the team at PokerStars, the leading online poker site. It’s definitely worth watching the YouTube video of him learning to bluff by trying to convince people he’s not Rafa. 18-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps also plays a lot of poker, entering tournaments around the world. There are many people from other walks of life that like to indulge in poker, such as Vicky Coren, Ben Affleck and Toby Maguire. The point stands: it isn’t always the usual suspects at the poker tables.

Rafael Nadal is a recent addition to the team at PokerStars, the leading online poker site The point about the game being dominated by the super-rich is a fair assumption. With the WSOP ME requiring a $10k entry fee, it obviously prices out a lot of people. However, we only have to go back ten years, when Chris Moneymaker (yes that is genuinely his legal name) qualified for that year’s ME for just $10. He turned that $10 into a very nice $2.5m, a very good return by any measure. PokerStars’ online MicroMillions tournament series paid $126,000 to the winner of their main event which had a buy-in of only $22. So whilst buying in directly to the big tournaments may be for the extremely affluent, it is possible to get to poker’s richest prizes in other ways. Exeter have their own example of this, with current student Harry Lodge qualifying for the UK Poker Tour event on the Isle of Man for FREE. Yes, you read that correctly, free. The event usually requires a £1,000 buy in, but Harry earnt his place free of charge and ended up in a brilliant 5th place, taking home £27k. Harry is currently General Secretary of Exeter’s very own Poker Society, and Exeposé caught up with him to talk about his poker career. I met Harry at one of the weekly Poker Society tournaments, and it is immediately obvious this is a comfortable setting for him. But there’s nothing about the second year Economics student that

would suggest he’d just paid off his student loan after three days work. When questioned about the fact he pretty much shrugs it off, claiming that all the money is still just sitting in his PokerStars account. “I took my girlfriend out for dinner!” he laughs when I ask about his plans for the money. That’s still going to leave a lot of change from £27,000. Harry talked with a smile when he was asked about playing in the event. “Playing live tournaments is a different challenge to online, but there are some things you can use live that you don’t have online. When you’re sitting across from the other player, they can give off tells and their body language can change in different hands. One player would use his hands to cover his face when he had a big hand which was a big help.” Meeting some great players along the way was another highlight for Harry. 2013 WSOP Player of the Year Daniel Negranu was there playing in the event, as was British professional Jake Cody. Meeting these two was a personal highlight for Harry: “Sitting at the table with players I have a tremendous respect for was amazing, seeing them finally play for real rather than just on TV was something very special”. So experiences aside, was the tournament always destined to be this successful for Harry? Looking back now it’s easy to say it was always going well, especially as he started Day Two of the tournament in a nice position, 20 out of 380, but it wasn’t all plain sailing. “The first two hours of Day Two weren’t good. I got in some difficult situations against some very good players and it left me with one of the shortest stacks in the room after this point”. Harry still looks a bit frustrated about that moment in the tournament. Watching everyone else increase their stacks whilst you’re going the other way is tough mentally, but Harry said he remained patient, despite the looming possibility he would have played a lot of poker for little or no return. But Day Two got better for Harry, moving up the rankings with some clever play to reach the final table and Day Three. Obviously the final table of a big event is where every poker player wants to be, and Harry was extremely proud of his achievement, “Playing poker on TV is the pinnacle for all players, for one of my first big live tournaments to reach this stage was amazing”. However, it’s not all good things on the final table, Harry recalls. “You feel a lot more pressure when playing on TV, as

Stepping into the fast-paced, high-stakes world er ace, Harry Lodge, who tells all about playing

Exeposé

| WEEK TWELVE

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

r chips for free more pressure when playing on TV, as a bad play is immediately highlighted for the entire audience to see, as they reveal your cards after the hand finishes. I knew, however, it was the first TV appearance for other people, which might make them scared of the whole experience, another thing I would be able to exploit.” Harry’s losing hand was one to be gutted about, as before the hand, he was ahead. “I was upset to go out on that hand, as I had Ace Jack whereas my opponent held Queen Ten, but when the Ten came on the flop it put him ahead”. I can also imagine it’s hard to be too upset if you’ve just paid off your entire student loan! Is £27K and a UKIPT final table enough prize money for Harry this year? Not at all, Harry has already qualified for the UKIPT tour event in Nottingham, as he looks to build his career in the game. Looking forward, Harry is thinking positive, “In the next five years I hope to finish my degree and start playing poker professionally, both live and online, whilst remaining successful”. What this interview highlights is that poker is no longer restricted to Las Vegas casinos and smoky basements, but is accessible throughout the world. The European Poker Tour operates all across the continent with tour locations including Monte Carlo, London and Barcelona with a huge number of nationalities represented at every event. The buy-ins at these events range from €220 for side events to a massive $100,000 for the super-high roller event reserved for only the seasoned pros and the extremely affluent. The world’s largest tours also span across the globe into the Pacific regions, with both WSOP APAC and the Aussie Millions available to those players located in that area of the world. China is also catching onto the Poker boom, with Macau hosting some of the largest cash and tournament pay-outs in the world.

Is £27K and a UKIPT final table enough prize money for Harry this year? Not at all So we’ve mentioned the smallest tournaments in the world, but what about the biggest? You might be forgiven for thinking the biggest would be the $100,000 buy in at the PCA, but one tournament at the WSOP dwarfed them all. The 2012 Big One for One Drop had

an eye watering $1,000,000 buy in, and 48 people stumped up the money to be part of history. $111,111 per player of this entry fee went to charity, all going towards One Drop’s mission of providing clean water for everyone in the world.

Full Tilt Poker was convicted of defrauding its members through a secret ‘God Mode’ But before poker gets all high and mighty, the winner Antonio Estfandiari took home over $18m and British pro Sam Trickett took home $10,112,001 for coming in second place. On the brightside, there were other players that were not professionals taking part and a lot of businessmen, promising to donate everything of their winnings to charity as well. Is Poker starting to concern itself with how it’s perceived? Online poker is still banned in the States, after Full Tilt Poker was convicted of defrauding its members through a secret ‘God Mode’, which allowed people at the top of the company to see their opponents’ cards during a game. The funding structure of the company was also set up as a global ‘Ponzi Scheme’ with each new investor’s money being used to pay the returns to the original investors. Obviously this scheme cannot continue as the new investors dry up. However, Full Tilt has been re-launched successfully in recent years, and online poker is closer than ever to being reaccepted in the US. Poker has had a long battle to convince people that it is not a game played purely in the shadows. Exeter Poker Society has also experienced its own troubles regarding this image when trying to find a room for their regular games. Over the Summer they were granted permission by a University official to use the space at the top of the Forum, but his decision was overruled by someone higher up who deemed poker to be ‘inappropriate’ for such a prominent space. This came despite the fact that joining the society and playing regular poker is a lot cheaper than joining the average AU club, but the image played its part. However, the Poker Society is steadily growing and at the end of the year will once again take a large group of players to the UKSPC which was men-

tioned earlier. Events like this have helped open the student world up to the higher levels of poker, with the winner of the event qualifying for the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour Grand Final at the end of the year. With events available to students becoming more and more common, poker will become more and more a young man’s game. With other Poker Society members, Will Fasano and Andy Wade, having also played at U K I P T Events and with many members planning to play when their schedule allows it’s safe to say that the global influence of poker has well and truly hit the University of Exeter, and it’s definitely not the only university in the UK experiencing the uprising of the game.

of online poker, Scott Johnson speaks to student pokg your hand, keeping your cool and pocketing £27K

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LIFESTYLE

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Santa baby, slip a gold card under the tree...

Sabrina Aziz has been a really good girl this year, so put ten fantasies on her wish list

A SELF-TYPING laptop plugged into my brain All I have to do is just think about my essay and the laptop would do all the work for me. Undoubtedly a sure fire way of attaining that illustrious first. If the concept works, I may even consider making a business out of it.

A traditional, hideously cringeworthy and toasty warm Christmas jumper An electric blanket This is a definite necessity now that I’m in second year. I’ve moved out of the sanctuary of heated halls (so unappreciated at the time) and into a rented house where, unfortunately, you actually have

to pay to keep warm. It turns out that there’s a price to not having your toes fall off in winter, and that price is surprisingly expensive. So we’ve sensibly opted to decline heating this year… hence the need for an electric blanket! The ultimate secret hangover cure After over a year at uni this much needed miracle cure has still managed to elude me. I’ve tried everything from downing tomato juice (doesn’t work) and having a full English breakfast (doesn’t work but at least tastes good) to vodka shots the next morning in the hopes of just skipping the hangover and staying drunk (definitely doesn’t work. I do not recommend. At all). A traditional, hideously cringe-worthy and toasty warm Christmas jumper

A seasonal must have that I, sadly, do not have. I’m hoping for one with a giant reindeer on it. With a bright red nose that makes a sound when you squeeze it. The more outrageous, the better. Like the kind Ron Weasley would get for Christmas. From his mum. Only worse. An unlimited supply of Nandos Because cooking is hard. And washing up is just unnecessary work. But with an unlimited supply of peri peri chicken, I would never be required to do either again! Considering my recent mishaps with cooking (I can only apologise for the raw chicken incident so many times…), I’m sure my housemates would at least be happy! Plus, you know, it’s Nandos. Enough said. Pre-cocaine addiction Zac Efron Does this really need expanding? We’ve

all seen 17 Again. To have better ‘bants’ My mate suggested this one. But then they use words like ‘bants’ so it’s probably for the best that I don’t take this advice too seriously...

I’ve tried everything from downing tomato juice and having a full English breakfast to vodka shots the next morning To ride a wave A wave of love, happiness and rainbows. Only kidding. Riding a real kind,

the salty ocean foamy kind is a personal goal of mine. After a year of being in surf club, ‘surfing’ (drinking), it would be nice to actually be able to surf. Standing up a few times on your foamy and then being so surprised at yourself that you immediately fall off it does not count. Apparently. Snow The one positive aspect of living in a city built on hills is that sledging season must be awesome, right? Wrong. Last year’s snowfall was disappointing, it being very hard to sledge on less than an inch of slush. This year it would be amazing to actually see some decent snowfall in Exeter. Considering our warm wet westerlies, it’s unikely. To get a first One can only dream.

Eamonn Crowe asks for just five things to improve his Exe-perience - Santa can you help? A PARKA coat As everyone knows, Exeter is the home of individual fashion, with no two people wearing the same as you walk up to the Forum. Amazingly, I think I’ve found the next big thing in Exeter clothing; a green, fur trimmed parka coat. As winter lasts all year round in Exe, Christmas is the perfect time to receive a warm coat. The concept is radical, but I really think parka coats could be popular on campus.

The ability to skip all club queues I love a night out making shapes, but the bit before the thumping beats and great regrets is what I’m not so keen

I want to jingle my bells on the dancefloor all night long on. That’s right, I’m talking about the queuing. Queues in Exeter last forever (don’t even get me started on Timepiece) and despite various attempts to skip the queue, such as asking my female pals to get freaky with the bouncers or proclaiming I have various contagious diseases, the line doesn’t lessen. That’s why I would like the ability to skip these

queues, because I want to jingle my bells on the dance floor all night long. A portable heater (with assistant to carry it) Coming from sunny(ish) old London, I wasn’t quite prepared for the below -freezing temperatures in Exeter. Don’t be fooled by the girls still wearing sunglasses and the guys still wearing shorts, its cold out here for a fresher like me. But I will need a little helper to carry it for me as I traipse around campus… My library books are

heavy enough as it is. A Dominos gold card Before university, Dominos was a once every six months occurrence, but now, alarmingly, it’s a weekly one. Yes, if you buy your post-night-out

I have yet to find out who to bribe around here to get top marks Italian treat with your flatmates the whole thing works out a lot cheaper. But maybe sometimes I’m not in the

mood to share? This is why I would like a Dominos gold card, which gets me free pizza whenever I want it. Come to think of it, a gym membership might be useful too… A first in my degree Like Sabrina, what I want most this Christmas is a guaranteed first in my university degree. I have yet to find out who I have to bribe around here to get top marks so I’ve decided to leave it up to Santa and his magic elves. I would much rather spend my time at university dining out, clubbing and pranking my flatmates than actually working, so a guaranteed first would be nice. So, that’s my biggest wish this year…

LIFESTYLE

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

10 DECEMBER 2013

Tweets of the week Tweet us @ExeposeLStyle Jonathan Jenner @JonJenner Eating a mince pie in my pants #thethuglyfchoseme Ellie Page @Sissymo Wonderful lecture warning: ‘If you don’t like your theology fluffy, what we’re about to read may sound like the ramblings of a drunk 14yrold’ Holly Alsop @hollyalsop where the hell is the pound sign on an American keyboard? #exchangeproblems Matt Hobbs @matthobbs1993 #tweetajoke If Santa and Mrs Claus had a baby what would he be? ... A Subordinate Claus!

Cowboys and Carols

Carmen Paddock describes her picture perfect Christmas in Texas ASK most people how they imagine the season and their answers tend to include roast turkey, mince pies, chilly evenings curled under blankets or around a fire, beautiful piles of snow everywhere, and other ‘traditional’ seasonal delights propagated in mass culture. To me, however,

Laura Yonish @lozyon Just got told I ‘look good for a hangover’. Considering I haven’t even sniffed alc for over a week, I’m just gonna smile & graciously accept. Abi Paterson @abipaterson I find the struggle with my advent calendar is not so much in the finding of the door but in the all important getting the chocolate out Bryony Izzard @bryony_izz Gonna marry the person in this house that works out how to put the heating on Matthew Merrett @m_merrett Why did I down two bottles of wine last night?!?!? #winepedo #notevenarealsocial Jack Wardlaw @jackwardlaw94 Sometimes I hear little voices telling me to wear more colour... And then I smack those hippies silly and put on more black Lucy Johnson @Miss Lucy Eliza “You must come to my Bach soirée darling”. Possibly the poshest thing I’ve ever heard and I go to Exeter uni #madeinchelsea Jo Hornsey @joshornsey How can you critically write about a moshpit if you’ve never been in one? How can you critically write about a moshpit?! #disneydegree Alexia Thomaidis @alexiathom Finally get the essays done... and then referencing just takes the piss #letmesleep Ben Stanbury @Ben_Stanbury To the rah in the IT room with the most annoying rah laugh I’ve ever heard: Call your chauffeur, its time to go home #Exetah

nothing could be further from this picture. I hail from the United States, and my family almost always returns to my grandparents’ Texas Hill Country ranch as soon as the holidays arrive. Texas: the arid land of cacti, coyotes, and cowboys and in no way a winter wonderland. Nevertheless, I can’t imagine a place I’d rather be at Christmas time. The holiday season has its own aesthetic in the Lone Star State. We do not even try to mimic the traditional; we embrace the land’s special character. Santas wear cowboy hats and boots, cut-outs of Saguaro cacti and coyotes are decked in lights (Texans are generally smart enough not to mess with the real things), and spindly cedars replace the voluptuous evergreens. Add in my appropriately-dressed relatives – cowboy boots, massive belt buckles, and flannel shirts – and classic country singers twanging Christmas carols over the radio, and there is no mistaking our location. Although snowballs and snowmen are sadly not part of Texas Christmases, we keep ourselves entertained in our own unique ways.

The weather – typically around 12 degrees – makes it pleasant to explore the outside. Over my years of holiday visits my cousins and I have hiked all around my grandparents’ extensive property (almost one hundred acres), collected Native American arrowheads from dry stream beds, played game upon game of baseball, and shot prickly pear cacti with AirSoft rifles. I am not kidding. It is every bit as stereotypically Texan as it sounds.

The holiday season has its own aesthetic in the Lone Star State...we embrace the land’s special character

‘Everything’s bigger in Texas’ is certainly true during the holidays. The ranch house, barns, and other outbuildings – all with white stucco walls and red tin roofs – are trimmed in gigantic coloured lights. And big does not begin to describe dinner on Christmas Eve, breakfast on Christmas morning, and Christmas Day’s huge meal. In the Texas Hill Country, the three major culinary influences are Mexican, American Southern, and German. Christmas Eve is a gargantuan Mexican feast prepared by my grandmother, mum, aunts, and (in recent years) me. Black beans, homemade salsa and guacamole, chicken enchiladas with homemade salsa verde, queso fresco, posole, at least two varieties of tamales

(meat wrapped in cornmeal and boiled in corn husks), and sopapillas (puffy fried dough slathered in honey). Christmas morning brings the Dixie version of Pigs-In-A-Blanket, which consists of fat sausages wrapped in buttermilk biscuit dough. Finally, a massive German spread completes Christmas lunch: sausages, sauerkraut, and mustards dominate the main course, and German Christmas breads and spiced cookies complete the culinary experience. I am sure I am not the only one whose blue jeans are a bit tighter by the end of the holiday! And no holiday in Texas is complete without fireworks. Unless there is a burn ban in effect (a not uncommon occurrence in the semi-desert conditions), there are no restrictions on what pyrotechnics you can launch. None. And when my slightly pyromanical uncle is in charge of supplying them, it’s always an impressive display. We’ll have a bonfire every night we’re out at the ranch, but on Christmas Eve and Christmas Night we’ll ensure it is at least two metres high. Then our ready supply of fuel will set off firework after firework of the size that would be most likely illegal elsewhere in the world. During my nineteen years we have avoided all injuries besides minor burns and scares. However this is not an endorsement. I would highly recommend NOT trying this at home. What happens in Texas should stay in Texas, but thankfully the memories of family, food, fireworks, and cowboy cheer will always remain.

Hannah Butler shares her quintessentially English Christmas Day IN my household, Christmas Day traditionally starts early. The current record for me and my sister trooping into our parents’ room with manic grins and stockings in hands is currently 5am – completely oblivious, of course, to the fact that said parents had been forced to stay awake until well into the early hours, due to the overexcited “can’t sleep” routines we inevitably made them endure. The early mornings are still a prominent feature of Christmas Day though, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Those first few waking minutes, in which I lie in bed, heart pounding like that giddy 8-year-old who can already see the shadow of a filled stocking in the gap of light issuing from the bedroom door… that’s Christmas for me. That feeling continues as the family crams onto our parents’ bed, bleary eyed and giggly, exchanging Merry Christmases

between yawns. Over the years, this scene has evolved: a couple of years ago, my sister and I surprised our parents by buying and filling stockings for them, an act which has stuck. Last year’s stocking routine undoubtedly beat the previous year’s hands-down though: reaching the end of the presents, as my sister pulled

I lie in bed, heart pounding like a giddy 8-year-old out the obligatory orange that was to go straight back into the fruit bowl, I shook out my stocking and complained to my parents that they’d forgotten mine. Exchanging puzzled glances, they admitted that actually, they hadn’t put oranges in either of our stockings this year. This was when, taking a closer look, we re-

alised that what was in my sister’s hand was last year’s orange, completely fossilised after twelve months in the bottom of her wardrobe. Disgusting, of course, but it left us crying with laughter. That moment made my Christmas last year. Not just the fossilised fruit – although that was pretty impressive – but the four of us sharing a moment of utter hilarity and closeness we don’t get to experience too often any more. Christmas is full of special moments. I know that this year, like always, I’ll go to bed exhausted but unspeakably thankful that on this special day I can surround myself with those I love and cherish This year though, I’ll also be donating to Crisis at Christmas, reserving a place for someone less fortunate than myself to enjoy warmth, company, support and advice on 25 December. For my family, Christmas is a day to over-indulge, and enjoy each other’s company.

However, projects like this offer hope and support, changing lives and proving Christmas can be special in more ways than one.

Exeposé

| WEEK twelve

lifestyle

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Monthly Makeover

Every month Exeposé Lifestyle gives you the opportunity to try out a new look. This issue, Emily-Rose Rolfe, Lifestyle Editor, restyles the fashion-challenged Daniel Sparks Before

WE set off with an £80 budget, an over excited Lifestyle Editor, and a vast array of high street stores to explore. What does Dan Sparks have to say about this reindeer restyle? Why did you want to be restyled? I have always had mixed reactions to my dress sense (I won’t call it style), and have been told a few times that I would look a lot better if I decided to put a little effort into what I wear. I was finally worn down and decided to give dressing with more effort a go, then a few of my friends pointed me to this feature so I decided to go for it!

I usually hate shopping, so I was surprised to find that I wouldn’t have rather been hitting myself

Big Question: Do men care about clothes? Yes. But not this one. I know a lot of guys who care about the clothes that they wear, possibly not as much as most of the girls I know, but guys in general do care.

Did you enjoy shopping? I usually hate shopping, so I was surprised to find that wouldn’t have rather been hitting myself over the head with a mallet when I went shopping with the stylist.

I would be able to look a lot better if I decided to put a little effort in

Were there any major disagreements with the stylist? Yes. She wanted me to buy a reindeer jumper with googly eyes and a squeaky nose. Just no.

How would you describe your usual style? Comfortable. I don’t think about what I wear, for me the most important thing is that I don’t feel like an idiot wearing it and that it’s comfortable. I also buy things to last, my original shoes have lasted me four years of almost constant use and are only now starting to

He’s Snow Idiot HAVE you guys caught up with Reggie, the Exeposé Christmas snowman? Reggie became Exeposé’s unofficial mascot when he was purchased by our Editor as a mere decoration for the media office. His cheeky smile and rocking fashion choices meant

fall apart. I think the stylist might have had to take several deep breaths when I explained that I had probably been shopping less than five times in the past three years, and that I’d never shopped for myself in Exeter (despite being a third year).

that he quickly established himself as a firm favourite within the media team – XTV were so fond of Reggie, he was even temporarily kidnapped. Over the next week, he will be making several appearances over campus to spread the feeling of festive fun beyond the confines of the

What do you think of the new outfit? I actually really like it. Although it is not an outfit that I would have picked out for myself I do really like it, and might start buying more stuff like it in the future (but don’t tell Emily-Rose, she might hurt herself trying to pat herself on the back). Did you learn anything? Shopping isn’t always awful, if you

office - why not pose for a picture with him and see it later in our gallery online? Catch up with Reggie’s adventures so far in Lifestyle on www. exepose.com

know what you’re getting you can get in and out quickly as possible with the minimum of discomfort.

After

What’s the most embarrassing thing in your wardrobe? I wouldn’t class them as embarrassing but I’m sure the stylist would have said my original shoes (although for practicality and comfort they can’t be beaten). Do you think you’ll dress differently now you’ve been restyled? I don’t think it’ll change much immediately, it’s only one outfit, but my wardrobe will now expand to a similar style to the new clothes which I got in the restyle. What would you rate your new outfit? 8/10 Any other comments? I am still not sure whether I should be insulted or not that some of my friends haven’t recognised me since… Jumper, Topshop, £34.20 (inc. student discount. Trousers, Zara, £22.99. How’s your relationship with your wardrobe? Fancy trying out a new style, or something you wouldn’t normally be willing to part with your precious pennies for? Just email lifestyle@exepose. com with the subject ‘Makeover’ and you could be the next student to be restyled, receiving up to £80 worth of clothes to keep!

Photos: Niklas Rahmel

Competition Winner Congratulations to Imogen Watson the winner of our Retweet competition on Twitter which ran alongside the release of our fashion shoot.

the fashion shoot!

Imogen won a treasure trove of gorgeous Freedom, Wallis and DP jewells – some of which were featured in

Check out the Exeposé fashion shoot on issuu.com if you missed it.

LIFESTYLE

Independent Exe

Zoe Jones urges you to take a trip around independent shops in Exeter on the search for Christmas presents EXETER has so much to offer. This may be a pretty bold statement and may be one that perhaps isn’t relevant to every aspect of the Exeter life (the nightlife, maybe?), but I’d like to throw it out there to the student body. One thing that I think sums this up beautifully is the Exeter Trails series; if you haven’t heard of it, then you haven’t been exploring fully enough and this is probably to your detriment. Exeter Trails is a scheme that has been around for the past year, and the team (which includes the guys behind No Guts No Glory) worked with the aim of promoting Exeter’s independent businesses. What they have produced is a neat series of five maps, giving different routes around the city depending on what you’re looking for. Firstly, these maps are precious little things, being beautifully illustrated and well-designed. Secondly, the five maps are split into categories: activities and hobbies, bygones and boutique, café culture, creativity trail and glorious food. The maps cover a huge range of Exeter’s independents, including Minerva and its enviable range of streetwear, the

10 DECEMBER 2013 |

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Real McCoy’s vintage oasis, quirky local food shops and cafes both in the town centre and down on the quay. Independent shops like this become invaluable for searching for the ideal Christmas gift, helping you to source a “not on the high-street” quirky, or perhaps even one off, gift for someone special.

Seeking out these gems on the trails means that you really immerse yourself in the true heart of Exeter, and buying

from them may be expensive at times but I find there’s a satisfaction in knowing that I’m supporting the local Exeter community rather than a global corporation. I feel that everyone should take advantage of the veritable candy box of unique businesses that this city and its people offer and should dive right in. There’s something in the cosy and muddled atmosphere of somewhere like Book-Cycle that modern and impersonal corporations could never possibly hope to emulate. Your fellow shoppers and shop workers are also so much more engaging because you’re all there for the same reason: you’re both passionate about the buying and selling experience. At the end of the day, the majority of us only have three years here and we need to make the most of it, so get your hands on one of the Exeter Trails and begin exploring. Oh and by the way, they’re free. Christmas time is the perfect time to do so: whether you’re keen to get some quirky gifts, or just spend some quality time with friends and family once deadlines are finally out of the scene. There is no excuse. Maps are available around town or at www.exetertrails.co.uk

Exeposé

Sorority sister In her final column, Holly Alsop, tells us tales of Thanksgiving I’VE been to see Catching Fire a couple of times now because not only is it a brilliant movie but the Movie Tavern I frequent is super cool in that you can text your food orders to the front desk and they’ll bring it to you so you never miss a moment. One American invention I will make millions from when I introduce it to the UK.

I must say pumpkin pie is an acquired taste But what I won’t be bringing back any time soon is their chocolate. Hershey’s has got nothing on Cadbury’s. I found this out when I ate my very first s’more a melted marshmallow, melted chocolate delicacy wrapped between crackers. I can already tell this column will focus mainly on eating since food, football and family was the order of the day over Thanksgiving. One of my sorority sisters was kind enough to invite me home and show me what it’s all about. And what it’s all about is food, I felt absolutely stuffed but I must say pumpkin pie is an acquired taste. However, I loved eating something other than cafeteria food and engrossing myself in American television, chiefly The Walking Dead and being chatted

up by her elderly, hillbilly uncle who insisted Birmingham, UK was not a place; “baby girl, I’ve seen you walking down the streets of Alabama”. Black Friday was an experience I’m not likely to forget. The day when prices are slashed and hundreds of people go to shops at midnight, at 4AM or 6AM to get the best deals. Typically all the shops open at 6 in the morning but every year it gets earlier and earlier. So we made our way to Washington DC in search of cheap clothes at 1am. While I didn’t encounter any enraged housewives fighting over televisions (it was reported a lady pulled out a gun to defend her trolley in Walmart) I did almost get trampled by the crowds in the mad dash to Forever21. The thing with sales though is that buying lots of cheap things quickly adds up and I’m dreading seeing my credit card bill at the end of the month. These Americans do like to party as straight after Thanksgiving festivities end comes a little W&M tradition we like to call ‘blow out’ where everyone gets smashed on the last day of classes. Smuggling their lethal concoctions into class through polystyrene cups and water bottles. Like every year, people will suddenly become more chatty and emotional in class and predictably crash at about three in the afternoon. Then afterwards.Christmas. I’m already drowning in the multitude of tacky Christmas jumpers on campus, but at least it means I’ll be home soon and be surrounded by understanding friends who will share my excitement over the M&S Christmas ad and have heard of Love Actually. Merry Christmas!

Escape to the Shed Kathy Giddins chats to Jan, fashion fairy Godmother and owner of vintage clothing shop the Shed

Photos: Niklas Rahmel

MANY of you will probably have noticed the bright and wonderful vintage and pre-loved clothing shop which has now become a permanent feature in Devonshire house. Contrary to its name however, the Shed is really a veritable treasure trove where fashion lovers are sure to find a bargain. I can wholeheartedly say that I have fallen in love with this little shop and what makes the experience of hunting through the rails of the Shed even more enjoyable is the presence of the owner Jan, who in my opinion is somewhat of a fairy godmother. She is softly spoken, always willing to help you out and listen to you and in the end you can be sure that whether you’re wearing a 1920’s style sequined number or an Yves Saint Laurent jacket - you shall go to the ball!

privately and I had a recycling shop in Exeter. I came to the university to do a vintage fair and following various negotiations with the Students’ Guild my request to have a shop here was finally accepted. I’ll re-apply for next year and the area will probably be refurbished.

How did your business take off and what brought you to Exeter Uni? It started out as a hobby when I did a car boot sale. It’s really opened up a whole new world for me! I used to buy

Why do you think vintage and vintage-inspired clothing is so popular? What is the attraction? It’s individual and it allows you to put your own look together. Many of the

What sort of clothes do you sell and where do you get it from? I’m looking all the time in various places such as markets and recycling centres. I like doing wacky things and I feel I have something for everyone in the university. I always wanted to teach art so I love up-styling and making something from nothing. In the future I’d like to organise a clothes swap between students and I’m planning to expand on the male side of my stock.

high street stores clone each other and are very corporate and it is generally the colder, more corporate person who will turn their nose up at previously worn clothes. People with more character and soul tend to like vintage and second hand clothing and being able to buy good quality clothes at a good price is something which I think appeals to a lot of people. Normally vintage and designer clothing is expensive so how do you manage to make your stock so affordable? The art is going out to hunt for something and paying very little for it. I love the environment here and I like to make my stock affordable for students so the average price range is £10- £15. It’s important to build up a reputation and spread the word rather than trying to get the highest possible price for what I sell. If you want to contact Jan, please ring her on: 07850683916

looking for the finest accommodation with unrivalled facilities in exeter? youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll kick yourself if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t check out picturehouse apartments ph@collegiate-ac.com tel 01392 690 202 www.collegiate-ac.com

Jan & book Sept ings open

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Listings Tue 10 December Hacktivist Bristol Thekla Tue 10 December Thick As Thieves Cellar Door Wed 11 December The Herbaliser Bristol Christmas at the Spiegeltent Thu 12 December Peace, Drenge Bristol Anson Rooms Sat 14 December Yes Sir Boss Phoenix Sat 14 December Loom Cavern Sun 15 December The Wurzels The Tunnels, Bristol Mon 16 December Ocean Colour Scene Bristol O2 Mon 16 December Kurt Vile The Fleece, Bristol Thu 19 December The Computers Phoenix Mon 23 December DJ Derek Bristol The Thunderbolt Tue 31 December Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. Cavern

One to Watch

All You Need is a Love-In

Josh Gray, Music Editor, heads to Bristol to chat to electro-basque botherers Crystal Fighters ONLY one word can really describe Crystal Fighters, and that word is ‘eccentric’. The London based band stormed onto the scene in 2011 with debut album Star of Love and huge singles

On this album we were thinking of ancient times and ‘the cave’ being the place people would go to lose sense of time and space ‘Plage’ and ‘I Love London’, as well as a flamboyantly out of this world live show. Having developed a unique style through the fusion of northern-Spanish basque music with danceable electronica, the band have logically followed up their debut with their more unhinged

latest record Cave Rave. “On this album we were thinking of ancient times and ‘the cave’ being the place people would go to lose sense of time and space to find some kind of enlightenment,” explains guitarist Graham Dickson, “These days people can go to a club and kind of have the same experience, potentially accessing the different parts of their mind they haven’t accessed before”. The band have sought to expand their influences on their new material after spending some quality time in the basque heartland: “Once we got out there and we were writing and integrating into the culture for the first time we started thinking about indigeneous cultures around the world and their collective appreciation of existence from the different corners of the world. We started looking at cave art and seeing the similarities in the documentation of early creativity”. At this point the wonderfully-

named singer Sebastian Pringle chips in: “We wanted to explore the sonic healing properties of these ancient musics. There’s such a deep realm there which is pretty much completely ignored by western cultures. I’d be interested in finding out if there’s anyone creating electronic music that taps into these healing qualities”.

We wanted to explore the sonic healing properties of these ancient musics “It seems like we’ve lost touch with the importance of these ceremonial frequencies” adds Graham. Ceremony is central to both Crystal Fighter’s music and performances, and during their show Sebastian presides like a hippie-priest in colouful robes,

preaching the message of love from a tall pulpit the band erect in the middle of the stage for live shows. At one point, Graham commands everyone in the crowd to hug their neighbour, and it feels completely natural. “It is a ceremony; every time we play, we play like it’s the last show potentially we’ll ever play. We have so much to celebrate, both us and the crowd, in just being able to be here and be able to enjoy this”. While on the subject of ceromies, I ask the band if they’d ever record a Christmas single. “Every year I write one but I keep on forgetting to finish it,” laughs Sebastian. “I’d like to write a Christmas song that’s not necessarily Christmassy focusing on how ironic and interesting the holiday season is,” muses Graham. If Crystal Fighters ever do make a Christmas single, you can bet it won’t be normal.

Globetrottin’: Exeposé Music brings you four albums influenced by world music... Talking Heads - Remain In Light

Paul Simon - Graceland

Joni Mitchell - Hejira

Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel

THE ALBUM on which David Byrne ditched the unnatural parameters imposed by western music and experimented with african-influenced rythmic songwriting.

THE DEFINITIVE ‘western rock star goes world-music’ record, Simon meshes his style of songwriting with the voices of Ladysmith Black Mombazo and the textures of tribal music.

INSPIRED by the Arabic word for ‘journey’, Hejira is an exploration of Mitchell’s famous folk/jazz hybrid and draws on a range of global influences.

YOU could potentially choose any of Peter Gabriel’s albums for this list, but it’s in this understated masterpiece that he most smoothly sprinkles different world styles over.

Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly @ The Cavern Sam Duckworth and co. will be gracing Exeter’s The Cavern for a New Year bonanza. Check it out if you’re sticking in the town over the holidays.

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10 DECEMBER 2013 |

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Don’t Let The Bells End Exeposé Music brings you the Top 10 Albums of 2013 from Arctic Monkeys’ acclaimed fifth offering to Mercury Award winner James Blake and indie popsters Bastille

TWO:

Modern Vampires of the City Vampire Weekend VAMPIRE WEEKEND’S latest effort has all the sprightly, afro-pop ingredients that they are renowned for, but has a haunting tone swimming

Bad Blood Bastille BASTILLE’S debut album was one of the musical highlights of my summer. Bad Blood proved to be a fresh and new sound with originality and musicality to boot. The big powerful sounds of songs like ‘Pompeii’, ‘Laura Palmer’ and ‘Icarus’ lift you up and give it pace and power. They’re great big ballads that capture the listener in what it’s telling you. The use of, by pop stand-

Melancholy piano playing gives the songs an elegaiac quality ards, abstract images in their songs elevate them and raise their impact, and I hope I don’t cheapen them by saying they’re great sing along songs too. There are also songs like ‘Oblivion’ and ‘Get Home’ that just sound beautiful. The soft melancholy piano playing gives them an elegiac quality

AM Arctic Monkeys AM is to be felt as much as it is to be

beneath it that makes it one of the most beautifully crafted albums of the year. Koenig’s lyrics drift with ambiguity but are supplemented by his soft, frosty vocals and uneasy suspended chords on the synth that decorate the entire album with mystery. Whether it be the lingering chill of ‘Step’ or the bounding energy of ‘Finger Back’, with every listen of this album you notice something new, clever and utterly captivating. LEWIS NORMAN

FOUR:

Overgrown James Blake HAVING this as my favourite album of the year might come as a surprise since I only discovered it in late summer. Before now I was not a die-hard James Blake fan, but this album transformed my view of him and was the definitive soundtrack to my first term. The album is a culmination of eerie piano riffs, soft eloquent bass and vocal perfection. After hearing the album in full

SEVEN:

ONE:

and the lyrics pulled at my heartstrings when I first heard it. I may sound a bit pretentious but it just is lovely to listen to. It’s a bit Coldplay-esque but it feels new and exciting. A great variety of tracks and emotions with lyrical insight and flair makes Bad Blood one of the year’s stand out albums. It’s beautiful, brilliant and bold and I can’t wait to see what more Dan and his group have for us.

THOMAS DAVIES

Its unadulterated longing, like the whole album, demands your emotional listened to, in a certain state and at a certain time. It is an album drenched in sweat-soaked lust to go with Alex Turner’s broken heart. ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ is already one of their best songs, thudding with Matt Helders’ restrained yet still penetrating percussion; the lyrics are gorgeous and Jamie Cook’s reverberating refrain above the riff envelops what is the consummate track to lead the record. Followed by

FIVE: ...Like Clockwork Queens of the Stone Age

during what felt like, dare I say, a life changing performance at Bestival, it became clear to me that this was the

Overgrown is an album that must be listened to in full. Every time greatest thing I would hear all year. Overgrown must be listened to in full. Every time.

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the thunderous ‘R U Mine?’ the album’s introduction is enough to convince that this is the wonderful conclusion to the musical exploration that began in earnest on Humbug. Though Arctic Monkeys may be one of the few arena ‘rock’ b a n d s retaining any relevancy in 2013, their lack of competition does not detract from the proficiency of AM.

...LIKE CLOCKWORK is the first album to be released by rock heavyweights, Queens of the Stone Age in four years. Combined with a set of disturbing animations the entire album seems designed to be played as a single narrative, which makes it the closest thing to a concept album that the band has produced. The tracks themselves are a departure from the full-throttle sex, drugs and desert-loving sound that fans are familiar with, but the difference comes in the tone and song-writing

TOM REED

EIGHT: AMOK

Atoms For Peace THE ALBUM that’s been long awaited since their formation in 2009, AMOK is the debut b a b y of UK supergroup Atoms for Peace. Flea and T h o m Yorke’s passion for progressive music is given an outlet to thrive in this post-electronic side project, and it’s not hard to see why the latter was voted University of Exeter’s favourite Alumni - Radiohead’s expansive sound, spanning genres from experimental rock to electronica, is showcased further on AMOK, where Thom Yorke’s

capabilities are turned to more down-tempo beats and introspective lyrics: ‘Look out the window / What is passing you by’ croons Yorke, his emotive voice just another element to the intricate layered production. From the haunting opening of ‘Before Your Very Eyes’ to the shuddering funk of ‘Judge, Jury and Executioner’, AMOK fuses each of its members’ different styles into a handsome mongrel of a record. Flea’s melodic basslines weave in and out of the schizophrenic beats supplied by Beck’s drummer Joey Waronker and Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco, while Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich’s geni-

us covers everything like fine snow. AMOK pulls of that rare feat of cramming a group of musicians, who are all brilliant in different ways, into one room with a wholly impressive outcome. EMILY MARSAY

Want more? Find Out Exeposé Music’s full Top 20 Albums of the Year online!

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Josh Homme’s presence can again be felt as one of the many sources of influence. The greatest aspect, however, is the introduction of an R&B groove which permeates much of the record, nestling alongside the fuzz and falsetto they have been developing on the previous two albums. “I Wanna Be Yours”- the exquisite, whirling conclusioncalls back to the opener not only through the shared colloquialism, but its unadulterated longing, like the whole album, demands your emotional attachment. WIL JONES

style, rather than from throbbing bluesy guitar riffs that made their name. The lyrics are strangely open in comparison to the cryptic nature of Josh Homme’s previous offerings, but all the more powerful for it. Don’t be put-off by the surreal collaborations listed on the credits (Elton John anyone?); this is still pure Queens of the Stone Age - maturing like a fine wine into the elders of the rock world and still on top form. DOMINIC WOODCOCK

THREE:

Random Access Memories Daft Punk 8 YEARS since Human After All’s mixed reception, French duo Daft Punk’s 2013 offering was highly anticipated. Per-

From within this album came the hit of the summer in ‘Get Lucky’, with the rest of the album filled with signature dancy tunes haps one of the most listened to albums of the year, the robots used canny marketing to whip up a hype that would even make Morrissey quiver. But the release of record proved to the world that hype can still be justified. From within the album came the hit of the summer in ‘Get Lucky’, with the rest of the album filled with signature dancey tunes and some

SIX:

Yeezus Kanye West COMING off the back of the mammoth success of Watch the Throne, Kanye West’s collaboration with the only rapper more famous than him, he made the album no one anticipated. Never one to shy away from challenging his fans – this is the guy who released an album of auto-tuned ballads – Yeezus shows Kanye actively turning his back on the mainstream. He has received flak for his dumb lyrics but, ultimately, they are effective and funny. I laugh at lyrics about croissants and ‘Swaghili.’

NINE:

Drenge Drenge DRENGE may sound like a distressing disease you caught after taking a trip to a dingy brothel in the eighteenth-century, but the two Loveless brothers from the Peak District serve up a racket. Their eponymous debut grunts and smashes its way through 12 rounds of swashbuckling grunge. It’s a bruising encounter. The early on one-two punch of ‘Bloodsports’ and ‘Backwaters’ is followed by brutal tracks ‘Gun Crazy’, ‘Face Like A Skull’ and ‘I Don’t Want

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To Make Love To You’, where raucous riffs and slapped skins collide to form a seething backdrop over which Eion snarls and spits with all the vigour of an adrenaline shot. Each 3-minute blast of sound is powered by the anger: the brothers rage against the crappiness of modern life and the studpidy of modern love without ever letting up until the album’s final minutes. If you’re still standing by this stage, album closer “Fuckabout” delivers a gentle knockout blow after the full frontal assault of the rest of the record. BEN CLARKE ONLINE MUSIC EDITOR

excellent cameos, not least by Pharrell, Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder. The latter’s contribution on ‘Giorgio By Moroder’ takes Daft Punk back to an excellent 90’s experimental vibe and shows that the godfathers of electro can still work their way round a catchy sample and a high octane song progression; but it’s the quiter songs such as “Game of Love’ that really show the musicianship behind Random Access Memories. Overall a catchy and interesting LP with all the trademark verve and funk, but it could, perhaps, be said that the record packs an all too similar punch.

CHRIST MAS CR ACKER Where did Chili Peppers’ John Frusciante break his nose?

Just under the bridge SAMUEL BAKER

Lewis’s Love It or Loathe It Columnist Lewis Norman tackles this week’s releases

Petition for Dappy’s horse to be given a Brit Award IMAGINE the scene: An overconfident, onesie-clad egotist hoisted upon a horse like a lord of a manor house. Now imagine the horse betraying him and violently kicking him in the face. Okay, perhaps I’m being a bit harsh, but you have to appreciate the reaction of the British public. The 2,000 signatures on the petition to give the horse a Brit Award for an Outstanding Contribution to Music acts as a humble reminder that the British public does still have a sense of humour and collective abhorrence of frankly abysmal music. Fortunately, Dappy is fine and has since made up with his beloved horse. One Direction : Midnight Memories I CAN’T help but feel like Christmas has come early for me as I have the opportunity to fulfil every music columnist’s dream, decapitate a One Direction album. In all fairness, the album isn’t quite as bad as its predecessors however, that doesn’t make up for its overall shocking quality. Despite being in their early 20’s, the boys still manage to sound like prepubescent Teletubbies and their lyrics still have the emotional capacity of pondweed. All in all I hope that Santa carries a few copies of this in his sleigh to stick in the stockings of naughty children this year.

CALLUM BURROUGHS ONLINE MUSIC EDITOR

To be honest, I laugh at Kanye’s deluded arrogance too, (Bound 2 video anyone?) and I’m okay with that. On the flipside, he also excels in spitting legitimately great verses when addressing race issues on New Slaves and Black Skinhead. Put together with all sorts of diverse samples – from Marilyn Manson to 70s bubblegum pop – the instrumentals show that West is still a great producer. Considering the different styles of music he channels on Yeezus, Kanye manages to produce a surprisingly cohesive end result. Sure Bound 2 feels a bit tacked on the end but it doesn’t

matt e r , not one bit, because it is vintage Kanye at his best. If you don’t Kanye as seriously as he takes himself, Yeezus is a great album. DOMINIC WOODCOCK

TEN:

Holy Fire Foals HOLY FIRE is at once lustrously produced and polished, yet is still pulsating and exuberant. Foals knee-jerking energy has not been squeezed lifeless, but channelled into an album brimming with tightly realised pop - rock brilliance; it blends the angular guitar and frenetic lyrical refrains of Antidotes with the pathos and wider soundscape of Total Life Forever, swelling up into the emotional crescendos of the brilliant ‘Late Night’ and ‘Bad Habit’, and crashing into the swaggering grunge of Inhaler. Meanwhile ‘My Number’ stomps straight into your local indie-disco with melodic panache. Holy Fire – in short – confirms the unlikely cardigan- clad Oxford lads, as the vanguard of British rock. CIARAN WILLIS

THE FIRING RANGE’S

WORST XMAS SONG EVER The Cheeky Girls Have A Cheeky Christmas WE’RE all content to put up with a bit more cheese than usual at Christmas. However, having had this absolute shocker slip through the net onto my iTunes playlist, tucked away on some compilation album, I’ve come to the melancholy conclusion that perhaps, cheesier isn’t always better... Even at Christmas. Lyrics reeking of innuendo are plain cringey: I’m pretty sure not many of us generally feel ‘sexy in the snow’ and, quite frankly, dancing outside in those gold hotpants I’d more likely be catching hyperthermia than having a ‘hot hot Christmas night’. Sorry, girls. You haven’t got me feeling festive. HANNAH BUTLER

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Newsreel Doctor Who special breaks records November’s 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor is officially the most watched TV drama so far this year, attracting overnight ratings of 10.2 million with a further 12.8 million estimated to have watched the episode since in the UK alone. With the special also spurring nearly half a million tweets, the BBC’s drama controller Ben Stephenson stated how “It’s a fantastic tribute to both Steven Moffat and the creativity of all those involved in the show throughout its history”.

Paul Walker remembered After a tragic accident while being driven home from a charity event for Reach Out Worldwide, the star of the popular Fast & Furious franchise has sadly passed away aged just 40 years old. Celebrities and fans alike have offered their fullest condolences, with regular co-star and friend Dwayne Johnson tweeting “All my strength, love & faith to the Walker family during this heartbreaking time. We find our strength… in his light. Love you brother”. He will be missed.

The Wolf of Wall Street suffers cuts To avoid receiving an NC-17 rating in American cinemas, Martin Scorsese’s latest film has had several scenes involving nudity, sex and drug-taking removed in order to reach a wider audience. Despite this last-minute editing, the movie still clocks in at two hours and 59 minutes, making it Scorsese’s longest ever title. Expect to see it in UK cinemas on 17 January.

XTV Advent Calendar XTV’s advent calender is back! Join them on their YouTube channel for a festive journey through December, featuring shorts from all their shows, a particuarly lovely robin animation and lots of Yuletide fun!

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Ho-ho-holiday viewing

Maddie Soper gives her rundown of the best-of-the-best festive films EVERY year they’re wheeled out to do the rounds again, like your favourite winter jumper. They’re dependable, comforting, and familiar. But what really are the best Christmas films? First on the list is Jim Henson’s 1992 Muppet treatment of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. Whilst it may not have the hallmarks of a cinematic triumph, it’s nevertheless a beautifully crafted and moving take on Dickens’ greatest tale. As with any musical, it was always going to be make or break with the songs, and in that regard it delivers in spades. Michael Caine is wonderful as both the villainous and reformed Ebenezer Scrooge, but was clearly cast for his acting gravitas rather than musical ability. But nobody cares, because Michael Caine is singing with Muppets about Christmas, and everything is perfect in the world. They may be puppets, but the scenes at the Cratchett house demonstrate that Kermit and Miss Piggy can break hearts just as easily as split sides, and every year I still end up crying shamelessly at a tiny frog. Its widespread popularity

and solid place in our hearts does just go to show that the films are much better judged by their place in childhood memories than by box-office earnings.

The magic of the Christmas classic will always be there to welcome us But where would Christmas be without the miraculous inter-weaving of eight seemingly unconnected storylines? In a shocking turn of events, 2003’s Love Actually sees a Richard Curtis romantic comedy featuring Hugh Grant. Only this time he’s joined by the crème-de-la-crème of British movie talent, and in addition to that pesky love in the air, there’s Christmas all around. Ignoring the usual criticisms of “trite”, “contrived” and “painfully self-indulgent”, I stand firm behind my love of this movie. With a fabulous soundtrack and shots of an increasingly Christmassy London, Love Actually’s charm

lies precisely in the unremarkable nature of the stories it tells and the lives it unfolds. Whether it’s the sickeningly adorable Martin Freeman and Joanna Page, or Colin Firth with his Portuguese waitress, there is bound to be a story that melts your heart. There’s even patriotic British speeches and grand romantic gestures with cue-cards. But most powerful of all is the reminder that Christmas isn’t necessarily all happy. The scenes with Laura Linney and her mentally-ill brother are agonizing to watch, and involve the winner for most heartbreaking sequence featuring half-naked people. But my favourite strand has always been the impeccably-acted Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman story that leaves you feeling wretched in all the right ways and features the perfect use of a Joni Mitchell song. But when it comes to perfect Christmas movies, there is only one to top the list. Fading-in on

the utter despair of Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey, it’s hard to comprehend how his tale will end up the most inspirational and joyous of them all. It’s A Wonderful Life may have been released in 1946, but it holds the same power to captivate and move audiences every Christmas season. As we see all the lives that this seemingly unremarkable man has touched, It’s A Wonderful Life serves to remind us that no matter how bleak the world may seem, Christmas is a time to appreciate what really matters. And when we return to Bedford Falls each year, and hear that little bell ring, the magic of this Christmas classic will always be there to welcome us.

A Festive Alternative: Edward Scissorhands WHILST most of this film is set in a sundrenched and pastel-toned 1950s California, there’s snow (ish), there’s a Christmas tree and there’s Winona Ryder dancing under the flakes, which makes Edward Scissorhands my alltime favourite Christmas movie. Directed by the lengendary Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands is framed by an elderly grandmother telling her granddaughter where the Christmas snow comes from. The story recounts the tale of Edward (Johnny Depp), an artificial boy left with scissors for hands after his kindly inventor dies before being able to attach his human hands. Orphaned and alone in a crumbling mansion - after being taken in by Peg Boggs, a local Avon Saleswoman (Dianne Wiest) - Edward falls in love with the Boggs’s daughter Kim (Ryder).

Despite the town’s initial admiration of his hedge-cutting skills, a series of disastrous accidents with his scissor hands lead to Edward being ostracised and feared by the townspeople, particularly Kim’s boyfriend Jim (Anthony Michael Hall). The best scene comes as the Boggs family are putting up their Christmas decorations. Putting his hedge-cutting skills to good use, he creates an ice-sculpture, the shavings flying at such speed that they fall as flakes on a beautifully dancing Kim. Danny Elfman’s haunting score, an elderly Kim’s admittance that “sometimes you still catch me dancing in it” and the chemistry between Ryder and Depp (they dated in real-life after this film) will leave you crying into your selection box and howling “WINONA FOREVER!”

Burton’s kookiness and the film’s quieter but still powerful tone make it a worthwhile change from the in-your-face antics of Elf or the preposterous storyline of Love Actually, leaving Edward Scissorhands as the perfect film for curling up on the sofa over the Christmas break. MEGAN FURBOROUGH SCREEN EDITOR

The top TV picks for the Christmas holiday Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor Wednesday 25 December, 7:30pm BBC ONE

Top of the Pops 2 - Christmas Special Thursday 19 December, 8:00pm BBC TWO

Downton Abbey Wednesday 25 December, 8:30pm ITV1

Educating Yorkshire at Christmas Thursday 19 December, 9:00pm Channel 4

AFTER the resounding success of November’s 50th Anniversary special The Day of the Doctor, this year’s Christmas offering is shaping up to be one of the best yet, with fans eagerly awaiting laying eyes on Peter Capaldi as the Doctor for the very first time.

WHILST the series has been off our screens for several years, we can always depend on the likes of Top of the Pops to bring some much needed musical Christmas cheer to our television screens. It may be naff, but it’s still a tradition stretching back for decades.

WITH Matthew Crawley’s traumatising death at the end of the last Christmas TV special, avid drama lovers around the country will be trampling all in their path to make their way to their telly screens to see if this year’s offering will be able to match it.

STANDING as one of 2013’s most entertaining yet heart-felt reality TV series, with the likes of Big Fat Quiz of the Year filling up Channel 4’s schedule, this still might seem like an odd addition. However, give it a chance and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Exeposé

| Week twelve

Old vs. New: The debate Harriet Large weighs up the true meaning of a Christmas classic

DECEMBER is upon us and this can only mean one thing… it is now socially acceptable to whip out the endless supply of Christmas DVDs, sit in front of the television, hot chocolate in hand, and let the overwhelming sense of Christmas cheer envelop us. But which yuletide film will take your fancy this festive season? Will it be a timeless Christmas classic or a modern-day blockbuster? As someone who is completely adverse to change and takes great pleasure in routine, I am one for following traditions and Christmas is no exception. Each year my family are subjected to watching an endless array of festive films in the run up to 25 December (the majority of which they have seen countless times), and my word, do we have a good selection. First, we begin with the ultimate classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. No matter how many times you see this perennial Christmas favourite, you will never fail to appreciate its warmth and sentiment. With a delightful song and dance sequence, visually witty moments such as the

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dance floor that converts into a swimming pool during a feverish Charleston competition, and sophisticated dialogue, this is a true masterpiece.

It would be unfair to generalise all modern films as a calamity. In fact there a select few produced in the last decade which could be classified as classics Next on the list: The Snowman. With its charming plot and enchanting musical score, this classic has been bringing yuletide cheer for years. The flickering, broad-strokes animation style truly makes this movie look like a picture book come to life. This nostalgic tale is short but sweet and a mustsee during the festive season. Then we move towards the modern era of Christmas films. Movies like Love Actually and Elf come into play, with their jovial characters, laughs a-plenty and thoroughly engaging stories. These comedic masterpieces are not to be missed under any circumstance. The real question is will these contemporary movies ever compare to

the old-world charm of the classics? It is true, perhaps, that in this day and age, directors see the festive period as an excuse to capitalize on the holiday spirit. Thus endless Christmas movies with no real sentiment or creativity are consistently churned out. These low-budget spin-offs somewhat tarnish the magic of Christmas films with their awful plot lines, non-existent humour and complete lack of yuletide cheer. Examples include Black Christmas, an awful Christmas-themed horror remake, Surviving Christmas, a Ben Affleck disaster, and Four Christmases, a generic American comedy with a dreadfully predictable plot. However, it would be unfair to generalise all modern films as a calamity. In fact, there have indeed been a select few produced in the last decade which could easily be classified as classics, take Miracle on 34th Street or Home Alone. They skilfully combine the romanticism of the classics with the contemporary twist needed to appeal to the population today. When all’s said and done, any Christmas film that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside and heightens the feeling of festive spirit is a success in my eyes; the year of production is insignificant. If there’s a positive ending, plentiful amounts of snow and an abundance of Christmas cheer, then that’s good enough for me!

Screen Asks This week, Screen asked: which film or TV character would you most like to be your Secret Santa? Carrie Bradshaw!

CLARA PLACKETT DEPUTY EDITOR

Anyone but The Wizard of Oz, he’d probably give me a crap cop-out present like courage or something. ROB HARRIS SCREEN EDITOR Alan from The Hangover, it would be unforgettable... wait! RICHARD BERRY Gatsby. He’d buy me a fuck off house and take me to awesome parties. And hopefully introduce me to Jay Z and Lana Del Rey. TIM BRADBEER Christina Hendricks...oh wait, you mean the giver not the gift. JOSH GRAY MUSIC EDITOR Gene Hunt. He’d buy me a pint, and then save me from purgatory or something. Alcohol + spiritual redemption = two for the price of one. OWEN KEATING NEWS EDITOR

The Doctor. He could take me on a splendid trip to a medieval Christmas banquet or some other equally amazing holiday experience. The only downside is that it would probably involve a hostile extraterrestrial force at some point along the way... CARMEN PADDOCK Angela Chase, because all she’d have to do is give me her old clothing cast-offs and I’d be a very happy girl. MEGAN FURBOROUGH SCREEN EDITOR Moonface from The Magic Of The Faraway Tree because he could go to Present Land and get me a perfect present and give me some of his exploding toffee ELLI CHRISTIE BOOKS EDITOR Winnie the Pooh, because he’s a honey connoisseur! SOPHIE COPELAND Daenerys Targaryen because I want to have a go at riding her dragon. RICKY FREELOVE ARTS EDITOR

A holiday from Christmas films Katherine Watson recommends unseasonal films this Christmas THE experience of flicking through the TV channels and finding nothing but the same five Christmas films being shown for the tenth time in two days is one that is all too familiar in the final few days before Christmas. Now I’m a huge fan of Christmas films, and completely understand how they are a necessary part of Christmas, but in the moments when I would rather be back in a lecture theatre than have to sit through Elf again, I turn to the channels bucking the trend and showing – horror of horrors! – unseasonal films. These channels don’t choose the festive favourites to fill their airtime during the long lazy days of the Christmas break, but to classic movie marathons; and for me, these films are as essential to the traditional picture of Christmas as films like The Grinch and The Muppets Christmas Carol. A day filled with the epic scale of Lord of the Rings or the general hilarity of Come Dine With Me (who can

beat Dave Lamb as narrator?) is never a day wasted. My favourite series however has to be The Chronicles of Narnia; granted, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has a certain Christmas feel to it with the snow and the appearance of Father Christmas, but the sheer magic and adventure in these films (only the first two though; we don’t speak about The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) is enough to excite my inner child in the run up to Christmas. Christmas has truly arrived when I’m sitting in my tinsel-adorned living room, snuggled under an entire bed’s worth of blankets with my sister, eating endless quantities of Quality Streets, ice-cream and Terry’s chocolate orange (which my dad has bought two weeks early in an attempt to be organized, naively assuming they will still be there

on Christmas Day) watching all six Star Wars films…and then telling people what a productive day we’ve had. After all, it is Christmas; how much more productive does a day need to be?

As Hot As... the hot or nots of this week’s film news THE FIFTH ESTATE..-. Even though it received decent reviews, Forbes has estimated the biopic only managed to gross $6 million worldwide. Unfortunately, it looks like Benedict Cumberbatch cannot save everything.

Coal

THE INBETWEENERS 2 - With shooting already starting earlier this month, Will, Simon, Jay and Neil will find themselves on the sunny beaches of Australia. After the franchise’s previous success back in 2011, do we really need to pull the series out of the closet again?

TARANTINO - The director has stated that his next film will be a Western, but will not be a sequel to Django Unchained. We may be torn between how much we want another Django and how much we would like to see something different, but either way colour us intrigued.

BAD SANTA 2 - Luckily for us, a sequel to 2003’s cult hit Bad Santa is said to be starting production next year, with star Billy Bob Thornton on board with the project. Nothing says Christmas cheer like a deliciously dark comedy.

SHERLOCK - You better clear your calendar, because Sherlock lives. Beloved Benedict will be back on our screens on 1 January, with episodes 2 and 3 on the 5 and 12 of January. Make sure that you save the dates.

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Books

Book Shelf With all that free time this Christmas (not to mention revision to avoid), why not sink your teeth into a nice long novel? Here is a list of some classic long novels of all time to whet your appetite. Clarissa Samuel Richardson The first edition of Clarissa was around 969,000 words. Since then the work has grown, following Clarissa Harlowe on her romantic escapades with the wonderfully named Lovelace over one million words. War and Peace Leo Tolstoy This epic Russian work is widely regarded as one of the most important works of literature in the world. Freuqently topping lists of books to read before you die, why not delve into the story’s lengthy 1,400 pages this December? Les Misérables Victor Hugo The hype surrounding the musical’s 25th anniversary, not to mention the recent star-studded film adaptation, seems to have died down. So why not turn to the original novel to continue the romp into the world of the French Revolution? Hugo’s expansive novel is notoriously difficult. But at over 1,200 pages it offers a wealth of extra information about some much loved characters and interesting historical information. The Subspace Emissary’s Worlds Conquest Christian Consisting of 3.5 million words and counting, the writer simply known as Christian has created a work of Mario Brothers fan fiction that is regarded as the longest work of fan literature ever! At thirteen times the length of Ulysses, Christian’s work is certainly an epic undertaking for the Christmas period, no doubt providing ample procrastination to last well into next term.

Exeposé Books wishes you not only a bookish holiday but a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

BOOKS

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

Welcome to Ryan Town Exeposé Books talks to the ever popular extraoardinaire of the paper-cutting world, Rob Ryan The idea of paper-cutting constituting fine art may sound surprising. Surely that’s what you got up to as a child, bringing horror to your parents as they watched you turn the floor into a flurry of paper snowflake offcuts. However, London based artist Rob Ryan succeeds in turning this simplistic art form into something beautiful and intricate that tells magical stories.

Fairytales are fucking mental and I don’t think my work really is Rob reveals that he discovered paper cutting in around 2000. Having studied fine art at Trent Polytechnic, followed by printmaking at the Royal College of Art, he had previously specialised in screen-printing. Rob says that his work in paper-cutting has become more detailed over the years. Certainly,

flowers that must be painstaking to create. His words provide both poignant and witty accompaniments to his beautiful art. Sometimes just a few choice phrases go alongside his pieces, whilst at other times, as in his books, his pictures serve to frame and bring a focus to his story. Their poetic language and heart warming themes read almost like children’s stories or fairytales. But Rob doesn’t recognise these links in his work. “Fairytales are fucking mental and I don’t think my work really is,” he says whilst comparing the two. When asked about his inspiration, Rob seems somewhat unclear as to how much autobiography is included in his work. He suggests “about 20 per cent” is

based on his own experiences, having little idea about the other 80 per cent: “god knows where the rest comes from”. The huge variety of themes in his work, crossing the spectrum from love to loss, hints at a diverse source of influence. Fitting this, Rob acknowledges that “there are thousands” of artists and authors who inspire him, admitting “I’m incredibly easily pleased and amused.” When asked whether he finds it difficult to keep up with the current demands on his time, Rob simply replies “Yes!!” His use of exclamations is hardly surprising. His recent workload is daunting to say the least, including several ranges of ceramics and a

recent book release alongside collaborations with the poet Carol Ann Duffy and fashion designer Paul Smith. His designs have been used by Smith and have been featured in the pages of a host of fashion magazines including Vogue. Rob reveals having enjoyed the experience of seeing his work made into clothing saying “it’s genuinely exciting to see someone wearing one of your t-shirts!” On top of all of this, Rob now runs Ryan Town, a London based art gallery and shop near to his East London studio. This is stocked with a variety of Rob’s work, from his small hand crafted goods to limited edition screen prints. Luckily, Rob is committed to his art, revealing that he has enjoyed every mo-

His words provide both poignant and witty accompaniments to his beautiful art ment of his career. Indeed, when asked about his favourite moment he says “I don’t have one, they’re all great!” With his work continuing to furnish almost every household item imaginable and his recent book, The Invisible Kingdom, being the first in a trilogy, keep your eyes peeled for much more from this incredibly talented artist a n d wordsmith.

his pieces are incredibly intricate, with his complicated scenes often involving tiny stars and

The Invisible Kingdom Rob Ryan Hutchinson London £16.99 Arriving in an exciting package wrapped with special Rob Ryan tape, everything about Rob Ryan’s new book The Invisible Kingdom is a delight. Oversized like a picture book, just picking up the text stirs memories of the anticipation associated with opening up a children’s story. Even the book’s jacket holds surprises, doubling up as a huge poster for those who, like me, find themselves unable to resist peeking at the cover underneath. But unlike the scantily worded picture books of my childhood, this book holds an expansive magical tale that spans 60 elaborate and beautiful pages. The book follows the childhood of a solemn and studious young prince as he battles with his solitary life.

Haunted by the knowledge that his future path has already been mapped out for him, the Prince feels confined by the walls of his palace home. The palace’s royal Bootman acts as a source of constant reassurance for the boy. He fuels the Prince’s imagination and helps him to discover that his palace home offers more freedom than it first appears.

Everything about Rob Ryan’s new book is a delight These themes of royalty and nocturnal adventure may seem to be primarily suited to a young reader. However, a darker thread of loss interweaves the narrative, meaning the story transcends such age restrictions. Ryan’s tale poignantly describes a father and son trying to build a relationship when they already know it is far too late. Indeed, the story’s focus on the

time the pair have lost to studying and completing royal duties is a welcome sentiment for students, providing plenty of justification for avoiding uni work over Christmas! The strange setting of Ryan’s story also serves to expand the story’s appeal. Its princely protagonist brings initial expectations that this story will follow many children’s fairytales to be set in a romanticised, unspecified past. Yet electric lamp posts, cars and traffic lights grace the pavements of the book’s fictional city. Rather than stumbling across mythical mermaids, fishermen spend their day boxing their haul into lorries to stock fish and chip shops whilst the Prince scales a towering crane. If this strange tale can even be considered a fairytale, it is certainly one that has been modernised. As well as offering rich decoration, Ryan’s distinctive pictures frame his text wonderfully. The distinct changes in colouring throughout the text complement and enhance Ryan’s poetic

language, ensuring that every page is unique. Each turn of the page offers a scene that is as intricate and detailed as Ryan’s singular works of art. The artist’s skill is particularly clear in a striking scene showing the inside of the palace. The double page spread is filled with silhouetted images of the palace workers going about their duties, offering a scene of busy servant life that gives even Downton Abbey a run for its money. Including both prose and song, the book proves that Ryan is as talented with words as he is with images. With Christmas fast approaching, this exquisite book would make a treasured gift for all ages. A truly enchanting tale, the story will immerse you in the Prince’s strange world and leave you excited for the next two instalments, both of which are due for release next year.

EMMA HOLIFIELD, BOOKS EDITOR

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Condensed

CHRISTMAS Classic

A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens (1843)

“Merry Christmas! What right do you have to be merry? You’re poor enough.” Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is the cautionary fable of shrewd businessman Ebenezer Scrooge’s tragic demise, a victim of seasonal cheer. On Christmas Eve the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come manipulate Scrooge, scaring him out of his clear-minded mercantilism. The first ghost tricks Scrooge into believing that his love of money has cost him personal relationships. By exhibiting the urban poor’s plight, the second jolts Scrooge out of his accurate belief that the idle poor are assisted by prisons and work houses. The final ghost frightens Scrooge with the poor’s mortality, despite its benefit of decreasing surplus population. Scrooge, alas, resolves to ‘change his ways’ abandoning his commercial capacities, succumbing to charitableness. The financially-inclined Dickens (why else would he have serialised his books for any reason but monetary gain?) used his novella to warn fellow businessmen not to fall foul of the emerging Christmas spirit, as Scrooge did. How the prelapsarian Scrooge would admire the modern entrepreneurs who have profiteered from commercialising Christmas cheer. If Christmas, as Scrooge put it, is a humbug, you might as well make some money from it!

Exeposé

Books to spend your Christmas with Exeposé Books suggest some reads that will be a real treat for the holiday season A Song of Ice and Fire George R.R. Martin Although I pride myself on being the kind of person who always picks a book over a movie, I admit that it was television that first introduced me to the world of Game of Thrones. In my desperation during the season breaks I decided to give the books a try and

Saying that I devoured them would be an understatement saying that I devoured them would be an understatement. My initial start was slow since I was not accustomed to the style of writing. It is very technical and descriptive, fitting the setting of the books. However, once I got past the initial introduction, into the crux of the story line I was hooked. I’m currently on the

Author Profile Doris Lessing On November 17 2013, the Nobel Laureate writer Doris Lessing passed away, aged 94. As the final full stop is etched, marking the conclusion of this prolific writer’s remarkable life story, it seems appropriate to flip back through the pages and review almost a century of achievements and difficulties in Lessing’s exten-

William o’Rourke

fourth book (A Feast For Crows), stuck is more like it, as it’s been a constant passenger by my side every day. Being a first year law student leaves very little time for extra-curricular reading but hardly stops me from sneaking a read every chance I get. This new found onslaught of work is certainly not going to deter me from finishing the entire series. I am a determined addict eagerly awaiting the much needed holiday time. For all those who are yet to venture into the books I suggest you get started immediately. Even if you’re already a fan of the television series, invest in the books anyway. The prose, character development, language and settings are beautifully written and incredibly vivid. Although a little warning from the lips of one who has gone before you, in the Game of Thrones no one is safe, expect the unexpected and since saying any more would constitute a spoiler, be prepared for the great adventures that awaits. Ifeoluwatolani Omotola sive career. Lessing was born in 1919 to British parents in Persia, now Iran. However, the prospect of wealth from maize farming resulted in 1925 in the family’s move to Southern Rhodesia. During a childhood described by the writer as an uneven mix of some pleasure with much pain, Lessing endured intimidation in a convent school before dropping out of high school and ending her formal education aged 13. Becoming a self-educated intellectual, L e s s i n g ’s early reading included Dickens, Stevenson and Kipling, and later D. H. Lawrence, among others. At age 15,

Cereal

Quarterly, £10 AFTER having to read copious amounts of densely printed and written academic books this term, my eyes found relief in opening the minimalist pages of Cereal. This magazine focuses just as much on the experience of reading as it does on the content itself. The pages are thick and the volume has a reassuring weight to it which makes it a luxurious read. However, I have to admit that I’m scared of marking any of the perfectly white pages and ruining this beautiful magazine! Cereal manages to cover an impressive range of topics for a magazine that is supposedly ‘in pursuit of food and travel’. I’ve learnt about myths surrounding roses, edible insects and how the Giant’s Causeway was formed from only a couple of articles from one issue. Cereal ignores the philosophy of learning something new every day. Instead it demonstrates the hundreds of facts and ideas that can be grasped by an eclectic and enquiring reader. There is also a wide range of travel she fled home, working as a nursemaid while writing stories, two of which she sold to magazines in South Africa. Moving to Salisbury in 1937, Lessing married Frank Wisdom and had two children, but left her family upon feelings of being trapped in a persona that would destroy her. Joining the Left Book Club, a Communist group, she later married Gottfried Lessing, and had her third child. Eventually she became

She rejected attempts to classify The Golden Notebook as feminist disillusioned and left the movement in 1954, after moving to London with her young son in 1949, where she published The Grass is Singing. This was to be the first of 50 novels published by Lessing in her lifetime, including in 1962 The Golden Notebook. Following the writer Anna Wulf as she struggles to negotiate work, family and emotions in 1950s London, The Golden Notebook was in 2005 voted by TIME magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels since 1923. Lessing’s response to some critics’ accusations she portrayed female an-

destinations which are covered. While I can’t travel to the beaches of Santa Barbara in the immediate future I can imagine reaching the Causeway Coast, or even at a stretch Reykjavík. Despite being an unusual travel guide, Cereal could definitely act as one since it provides telephone codes and tourist websites. My one reservation over recommending Cereal to others is the expense of a copy, which for a student is off-putting. It is definitely a luxury which can be returned to and appreciated on many different levels. However, this does make it less accessible than glossy magazines which can easily be picked up at any newsagents and treated without much thought. For those looking for something different to read over the holidays Cereal is definitely a must. It brings back enjoyment not only to the act of reading but also to finding out knowledge as well.

ELLI CHRISTIE, BOOKS EDITOR ger and aggression in an “unfeminine” way was to argue that “apparently what many women were thinking, feeling, experiencing came as a great surprise.” However, she also rejected attempts to classify The Golden Notebook as feminist, regretting critics’ failure to appreciate the novel’s main themes. Lessing’s other works explored “inner space fiction” and science fiction, demonstrated in her 1971 Briefing for a Descent into Hell, and Canopus in Argos: Archives; a series of novels and novellas. Lessing’s 1985 The Good Terrorist reflected her earlier radical writing on social issues whilst a member of the Communist movement. Lessing also published two novels under the pseudonym Jane Somers, attempting to represent difficulties faced by new author to get works published. Lessing’s literary successes won her recognition and admiration. In 1995 she received an Honorary Degree from Harvard University, the same year returning to South Africa after being banned for 40 years on account of her political views. Although declining a damehood, describing the title as “a bit pantomimey”, Lessing was named a Companion of Literature by the Royal Society of Literature. In 2005 she was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and in 2007 became the oldest winner at the time of the Nobel Prize for Literature, at age 88. Hannah butler

Any Last Words? As the term comes to a close we asked you which five literary characters would be your ideal Christmas dinner guests Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Gandalf - no one does eating or drinking quite like hobbits, and no one does a good fireworks display like the old wizard. CARMEN PADDOCK

Gatsby (to bring the party), The Ghost of Christmas Present (to bring the festive excess and Christmas needs Dickens), Alice of Alice in Wonderland fame (because what’s Christmas without a bit of fairytale magic), Bridget Jones (just to see who she

ended up with) and Jesus (because it is his birthday after all). EMILY TANNER Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Walder Frey. HUGH DIGNAN

Jake, Rachel, Marco, Cassie and Tobias from Scholastic’s Animorphs series. The idea that all your guests could suddenly turn into a tiger, a gorilla, a hawk etc. would be a good incentive to put on a tasty spread. ROB HARRIS

Willy Wonka and four Oompa Loompas. I think they’d bring excellent desserts and I’d like to see how I’d be dispatched. RICKY FREELOVE

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Applicat ions o pen f or Universit y acc ommodat ion* *On campus studio rooms (Limited Availability)

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Why not consider being a Residence Life Mentor? If you’re friendly, approachable and ready to help, you might be the right person to join the Residence Life Team for 2014-15 and offer peer support to students living in University residence.

In return, you’d receive full training and a rent discount on a range of rooms in University accommodation. HOW TO APPLY Please contact residencelife@exeter.ac.uk for more information or visit

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ARTS

Arts

Arts Diary Our regular Arts Diary column shows you all the important events going on in Exeter Freshers’ Week...

Art

Awake Through Years @RAMM 7 December - 23 March

Comedy

Josh Widdicombe @Barnfield Theatre 13 December

Theatre

Cinderella @Exeter Corn Exchange 14 December- 5 January Robin Hood @Theatre Royal Plymouth 20 December- 25 January

Recommend West Side Story

WOULD ON the you evening like to be of in America? Well, Exeter Footlights will take you there October next January 20,when at athey ceremony stage the iconic musical West Side Story.

at the Guildhall in the

This production, directed by Jordon Murphy city and of London, starring Nick it was Kenchington and Amy McIntosh as the starcrossed announced lovers Tony that andThe Maria, will run 29 January –1 February 2014, and is set Bike to beShed one ofTheatre the greatestisthe theExeter Footlights have ever staged. “It’s the winner biggest cast ofthat’s the been My involved Theatrein years,” says producer Joanna Tew. Matters! The show, Most which Welcoming revolutionised American musical theatre with its stunningTheatre dance sequences Award.and underlying dark themes, is brought to life with energy and intensity theof talented Situated at thebyend cast members. “We’re balancing the familiar elements theheart musical,ofwhich an alley in ofthe the audience have seen before, and our ownExeter, interpretation the themes the it is aofhidden show tackles,” director Jordan Murphy explains. treasure “Thisof is athe fresh city. and With different interpretation to the film, definitely, which is exciting. I feel so lucky and a 60 seat subterranean proud to have such an amazing team”. Tickets auditorium go on sale December and adjacent 4.

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Exeposé

ARTS EDITORS

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

Taking the lead with Mead Sophy Coombes-Roberts, Arts Editor caught up with West End superstar Lee Mead ahead of his debut in Plymouth’s pantomime, Robin Hood CATAPULTED to fame in 2004, musical theatre star Lee Mead is no stranger to the stage. After winning Andrew Lloyd Webber’ s talent show Any Dream Will Do, Lee has enjoyed a successful career in the West End starring in Legally Blonde, Wicked and of course, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Despite swapping the curtain calls for his new role in Casualty, he has well and truly caught the performing bug and is down in Plymouth for the Christmas season taking the lead in Robin Hood. With three albums to his name, a solo show and a role in a popular TV drama, “why panto” I ask? He laughs, “I got asked to do panto a few years back just after I finished Joseph, but at that point I hadn’t done much television or straight acting work and was really keen to do more of that before I went back into musicals and pantomimes”. Nevertheless, last winter he starred in Jack and the Beanstalk in Southhampton working for the biggest pantomime company in the country, Qdos, “I really enjoyed last year” he admits, “Panto is a chance to have fun and do a show over Christmas which is going to make people happy and give people a good time – so I sort of agreed to come back and do it again this year”.

I was nine years old in junior school when I first played Robin Hood Coincidentally, Robin Hood holds a special pace in Lee’s heart. As well as being a classic tale and a great story, the character was his first ever stage role. “I was nine years old in junior school and it was a school production of Robin Hood. I remember being so nervous standing on the assembly hall stage in the costume and a peaky green cap - so it is nice to play the role again”. This time around he informs me they are sticking with the popular story but adding a modern twist “and a few gags in-between” he adds. With rehearsals fast approaching, Lee is excited to come down south to Plymouth and take a break from his hectic schedule. Without prompting Lee tells me he is looking forward to working alongside his good friend Nigel Havers, whom he shared a stage with last year in Jack and the Beanstalk.

He speaks very highly of the former Oscar nominee: “Nigel has become a good friend; he has had an amazing career and done some great work over the years. Essentially, like me, he sees panto as the time of year to have some fun and make people laugh”. Also joining the cast is funny man Bobby Davro whose impressions and Saturday night comedy Lee grew up watching. As with all shows he explains that once the rehearsals commence with himself, Nigel, Bobby and the 40 man-strong company, they will undoubtedly adapt the script and dialogue to work around each other. However, “rumour has it that there can be a lot of ad lib and going off the script with Bobby,” he jokes, “but it is a lot of fun and I am looking forward to working with him”. As if that wasn’t enough, this year’s director is former BBC Head of entertainment Tudor Davis, whose accolades include directing the Royal Variety Show. “He is so talented and to have him directing the production this year is incredible”. Script and actors aside, Lee promises that Robin Hood will be fun for all generations with in-jokes for the older members of the audience but plenty of laughter for the kids. “I have a young daughter who saw me for the first time on stage last year in the panto. If I was doing a musical she would be too young to come, whereas with the pantomime she will understand a good proportion of the show especially with the spe-

cial effects and funny characters”. Talking about his daughter Betsy he tells me how last year “she was in the audience screaming and screaming, when there was a quiet moment where I came on stage as Jack and I heard her cry ‘daddy’ from the audience”. A lovely moment for Lee as a father and a performer as he assures me she will be back this year as well.

Panto is a chance to have fun and do a show over Christmas which is going to make people happy Moving on from chatting about Robin Hood, I couldn’t let him go without talking a bit about his success. Quite simply brilliant on the reality TV show Any Dream Will Do Lee describes the process as “a lot of fun but extremely scary”. The pinnacle of any musical theatre career is to work with the Andrew Lloyd Webber and of course it was Webber’s show Lee first triumphed in. “Genius, he is a genius,” Lee tells me, “You don’t achieve his level of success without a lot of hard work, an amazing talent and his incredible passion. When I was in Joseph it was amazing to work with him and once in a while we meet up, but very rarely. It

is funny because growing up I used to watch his shows and listen to his music so to see how he works is surreal and quite humbling”. Despite working with such iconic figures, Lee wasn’t always set on a future in the arts. “I started very late actually; I was 17 and playing football before that. My best friend, who is now my daughter’s godfather, belonged to a local amateur dramatics company and one day I went down with him. I auditioned for my very first show A Slice of Saturday Night - I was nothing special but could hold a tune and got the main part. I really enjoyed the show and got more into it at school”. After his A-Levels he trained at a performing arts college, then got his first job as a cruise singer and the rest is history. With hundreds of budding thespians at Exeter, I made sure to ask Lee what advice he would give to students hoping to peruse a career in Musical Theatre. His response epitomises his down to earth demeanour: “It is important not to take it too seriously whatever level you are at, work very hard, be professional and just enjoy it, have fun. Whether it is serious acting, panto or musical theatre it is about having fun yourself, because if you enjoy it then the audience will too”. Nevertheless, Lee didn’t get where he is today without hard work and a stiff upper lip as he emphasises: “you can’t expect to have great results without putting in the time; rejection is part of the job but it is a life choice. I never expected to have the level of success I have achieved but succeeding for me has always just been getting paid work and getting to do what I love – so I regard myself as doing well for the six years prior to winning the show as I am now, because I was working in what I loved doing”. Lee Mead’s success shows no sign of slowing down. He is signed to Casualty for the next year with his first episode airing in early 2014 and on top of that, he has his own concert tour yet still finds time to work on his fourth album as well. For his fans an imminent return to the West End seems unlikely but a return within the next couple of years is certainly not off the cards. Robin Hood is running from Friday 20 December - Saturday 25 Janurary 2014 at Theatre Royal Plymouth so students have a good few weeks to catch the show at the beginning of the spring term.

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ARTS

Oh no it isn’t! Oh yes it is!

Heart-warming performances, audience participation and humorous Milly Hindle uses her personal experiences to punch lines, Sophie Tooley praises British pantomimes condemn the traditional Christmas panto THAT fateful day my mum told me I really was “too old for the pantomime this year” had to be one of the worst days of my life. Well, maybe not, but it was a pretty big deal. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without that yearly trip to the local panto. Amidst the often questionable acting, cringe-worthy jokes, obscenely priced flashing devices and hairy-legged dames lies a heart-warming tale which always marks the panto trip as one of my top ten Christmas joys. The sparkling costumes, intricate set, feel-good songs and ridiculous

Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas without that yearly trip to the local panto games will enthral each spectator, whether they like it or not. Yes: pantos are cheesy and predictable but that’s just what makes them so entertaining. The crude jokes, humorous comments on your hometown and the endless slapstick humour will inevitably bring a smile to every audience member. Not only are pantos delightfully ridiculous and amusing but they also tell a moral story. Essentially, pantomimes

comment on the true nature of human life. Okay, I am an English student so I probably would say that as I’m always driving my friends crazy by reading way too much into everything. However, these exaggerated fairy tales show us the concepts of good and evil, with a glorious happy ending proving to us that good can always triumph. Pantos are more than just theatre – they are an essential part of the Christmas season. Everyone leaves their seats with a warm glow in their heart: full of anticipation and excitement for Christmas and New Year. They may not be the best productions you’ll ever see, but they serve their purpose of entertainment ten times over. Not only this, but the pantomime plummets children into the world of theatre as it will often be their first experience of a live performance. Instead of sitting in front of a screen for hours on end, children can scream “It’s behind you!” with the numerous interactive games and sing alongs that pantos offer. And whatever my mum may say, pantos have a joke for every generation. Children, teens, mums,

dads, grandmas and grandpas flock to the theatre each year for their Christmas panto experience. And if one thing is certain this holiday, it is that I will be joining them.

HAVING been in several pantomimes as a child, I can see now that they weren’t exactly the debut into thespian fame that I might have hoped for. Every year was the same: an amalgamation of seven-year-old show-offs, the reluctant offspring of pushy parents and a few normal kids who got bored of endless TV and computer games as the holidays wore on. We were all squashed together into something called a ‘chorus’ and dumped onto the stage to form a vaguely interesting backdrop for the main action. Having stood stage left for the first five minutes, gazing demurely at the adoring audience, we were soon fidgeting with our hand-medown costumes and slumping against a garish mural that probably wasn’t going to hold the weight of several bodies, no matter how small. This would soon merit the sharp hiss of a stressy, middle-aged woman, trying to make up for her careerless existence by terming herself ‘stage manager’ for the week of the show. The lights would eventually dim and we would be hauled off the stage and out of the way, constantly shushed and steered into the wings, where we couldn’t cause trouble. Misery to he who dawdled in the hope of claiming the spotlight for a few seconds: this soon merited a not-so-affectionate

trampling on by the older cast members, marching through the clutter of kiddies like the un-parted Red Sea.

Pantos weren’t exactly the debut into thespian fame I had hoped for Now for some reason, this wasn’t enough to put me off, as I came back year upon year to claim my whole square centimetre of stage space. The problem was, so did everybody else. The final number and the curtain call was a logistical nightmare, with too many bodies to fit on the stage creating a rather precarious human Tetris. Had we all stayed still and held our breath, we might have survived the applause and even managed to disentangle ourselves from sweaty armpits and perspiring face-paint. But no, the director had decided that we should all take a step to the right to bow, to ‘create a nice aesthetic’. Too young to pipe up with intelligent enquiries regarding risk assessments, I ignorantly followed these instructions... and promptly launched myself straight off the stage. After that, it’s safe to say, I participated in pantomimes no more.

Tis’ The Season For Some Tinsel

Kitty Howie, Lifestyle Editor, decks her halls with trees, tinsle and tidings of good cheer

TIS’ the time for tinsel, at least in my case. As soon as 1 December strikes, I’m struck with the insatiable desire to cover most surfaces in my house with chintzy snow-flake cut outs and enough tinsel to make my eyeballs hurt. Decoration at Christmas time has always played a big part in my family’s celebration, particularly because it drew us all together: it would be a special occasion to go out on a drive to the Christmas tree yard at the crack of dawn in order to secure the best tree. The hall in my childhood home has a big wooden staircase which wraps around like a spiral. I’ll never forget the year when my Mum and Dad forked out for our biggest ever tree – I think it was roughly the same size as the tree in the Forum. The thing was so big it had to be delivered as we couldn’t chaotically drive it home on top of the car roof as normal. We hadn’t considered that we wouldn’t be able to fit it through the front door. Or the back door. Or the French doors. In true Basil Fawlty-style mania,

my Dad took to sawing the top of tree off so we could get into the house, and then went about re-attaching it with metal wires. Regardless of its butch and perhaps unorthodox construction appearance, it’s the most memorable and beautiful Christmas tree I’ve ever seen.

Whilst my kind of Christmas decoration certainly is not high art, its abundance of twinkly tinsel... inherently appeals In the same way decorating draws my family together each year, the same can be said of my experiences decorating our fresher accommodation and student houses in Exeter. In first year we bonded over the colour scheme of baubles and tinsel, all

clubbing together for a Poundstretcher tree and health and safety dubious fairy lights. After putting everything up in our kitchen and admiring the beauty and novelty of tinsel hanging precariously from the ceiling, we subsequently bonded over the horror of having to take everything down following a strict “fire hazard warning” letter from the accommodation office. Second year was better – with the useless landlord permanently out of the picture in Malta, sellotape and blutac were liberally applied to all surfaces, including our dubiously painted walls (naughty, fuck the deposit). We sat down together with glitter glue and an extraordinary amount of cotton wool and worked together to make handmade decorations. Other than sitting and eating together most nights, it was really nice to spend time together creating decorations which we’d all be able to enjoy. We dragged our previously banned fresher tree out of the cupboard and revelled in placing it in a prime position in the bay window. Our house screamed festive fun. Until

someone stole our garland from the front door. Third year so far has largely been the same as second year, except the fairy lights were a lot harder to untangle and our garland is nailed more firmly to the front door. Constructing the Poundstretcher tree this year made me feel incredibly nostalgic: whilst no saws were involved, when the top of the tree was accidently snapped off in a hangover-induced stupor and I found myself forlornly winding gaffa tape around the trunk, I was reminded of my Dad attempting similar reparations all those years before. Whilst my kind of Christmas decoration certainly is not high art, its abundance of twinkly tinsel paired with a sense of tradition, routine and nostalgia inherently appeal. A lot of people use the excuse of ‘expense’ to explain the absence of deco-

ration in their student lets, yet after the initial investment in Poundland and Poundstretcher first year, we haven’t had to spend anything else on Christmas decorations. Paired with the ability to draw friends and family together, plus the capacity to improve upon paper snowflake cutouts every year, Christmas decorations can’t fail to put a smile on my face.

ARTS

Exehibition Every issue, Exeposé Arts features a piece of student art. This week, it’s student artist, Hannah Peck

WHEN asked to write ‘about your work, what you do and how you do it’, it struck me that drawing with black

Mojo Harold Pinter Theatre

until 25 January 2014 EVEN before the curtain rose, excited anticipation was overwhelmingly present in the theatre. Not only was this the first major revival of Mojo since its original Olivier award-winning run in 1996, but the cast promised brilliant ensemble acting: Brendan Coyle (Downtown Abbey), Rupert Grint (Harry Potter), Ben Whishaw (Skyfall), and Colin Morgan (Merlin) joined stage veteran Daniel Mays and newcomer Tom Rhys Harries. Despite the unbelievable hype, it did not disappoint in the slightest. Even without the A-list names, the intelligent script and fast-paced story made for a thrilling evening of theatre. The action takes place in 1958 Soho, where the mob-run club Atlantic has become the hottest place in town after picking up the new rock n’ roll star, Silver Johnny. After the two bosses refuse to sell their prize act - and one wild night of drug-induced inattentiveness - Silver Johnny disappears but one of the two bosses is discovered, legs in one trashcan and head in another. The

The Exeter Blitz Project The Bike Shed Theatre

1 December PEOPLE think history is a collection of names and dates, but any historian will tell you that’s rubbish. History is as much about the people who make it as it is about what actually happened and there are always attempts to convey this through writing and education. I was fortunate enough to watch a brilliant example of history coming to life, and I feel privileged to have seen it. The Exeter Blitz Project tells the story of Exeter in the Second World War from the perspective of those who

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pens on white paper (or occasionally cream when things get really interesting) gives me very little to expand upon technique-wise. I could instead tell you that after being nagged for a few months by a pushy friend I decided to set up a Facebook page of some of my drawings about a year ago. After a few pity likes I decided to up the game by putting them on postcards, selling them in a café at home. From there they’ve somehow appeared around campus on

stash t-shirts and logos (Razz my Berries and Pearshaped to name a couple – fruity) and soon to be iphone cases! Style wise I think I was most inspired by the packaging of a wellknown quiche company, local architecture / scenery, the stationery section of The Hambledon, Lazy Oaf and, (I wish I was) Shantell Martin. Despite all these claims I still struggle to use my scanner and still buy pens from Poundstretcher.

plot is then driven forward by the survivor’s conflicting interests in their bids for attention, power, and pure survival. Laughter alternates with terrifying intensity, and the ambiguous ending leaves the question of comedy or tragedy up to the audience. Silver Johnny himself is only seen on stage twice, but Harries captures the teenage rock star persona well. Brendan Coyle’s Mikey has the ability to command the entire stage through his silent presence... It’s captivating, especially considering the crazy antics of his fellow performers. Colin Morgan is Skinny, the club’s dim-witted cloakroom attendant who earns more and more respect from Mickey as the play progresses. He keeps the role’s wonderful inherent comedy whilst never devolving into stereotype; Skinny is entirely human and sympathetic, and thus his character’s journey becomes more poignant. The show-stealer is Ben Whishaw as Baby, the abused son of the murdered mobster. It is clear from the start that Baby is chillingly volatile, charismatic, arrogant, and desperately seeking validation. His magnetic charm and horrible past make one hope for the best, and yet it is impossible to fully sympathise with

his punchy psychotic violent outbursts. Whishaw’s performance is riveting. (He can sing. He can dance. And he looks damn fine without a shirt on. Forget Silver Johnny, Ben Whishaw has more than enough talent and raw sexual appeal for the entire night). Mojo, however, would have been merely a brilliant character showcase with no coherency if not for Daniel Mays and Rupert Grint as Potts and Sweets, the club’s upstairs functionaries. Their lightning-quick repartee and dynamic physical acting keeps the stage pulsing with energy, and these antics quite literally hold the play together: they serve to deliver key background information, add laughter (however black and bitter) to the most shiver-inducing scenes, and unite all clashing motivations into a single plot. Both sides of the duo deliver in spades. Mays’ superb diction, comic timing, and over-the-top physicality mark him as a seasoned actor in top form. Although Grint is definitely not as experienced – Mojo marks his stage debut – he keeps up admirably and never lets his partner down.

were present. It touched upon the war and society, from the Blitz to evacuees and Americans moving into Exeter, and how they feel in the modern world. As a history student, it was a real insight into what life was like back then I felt as if I’d taken something from it at the end. If I’d seen a glimpse of the past. I’d say I learnt more in that performance than from most books or TV programmes. This is because nearly all of the script is composed of testimonies from various people who were aged from five or six to mid-20s at the time of the war. I can’t think of a better way to have done it as verbatim theatre is perfect to tell history. Despite being dressed in wartime costume they didn’t use the testimonies to script a scenario

and it was all the better because of it. You could feel the age in their vocabulary and it was only at the start and end when the real voices overlapped with the actors that you felt they were different people. The anecdotes, little things like one person saying ‘pardon my French’ after swearing and attitudes to events humanises these people in a way that I think you cannot quite create with fictional characters. Dramatically, the show wasn’t an attempt at reconstructing the past visually, as I imagined it might be. Most of it was just the actors talking about ‘their’ experiences. That was extremely powerful because it drew the attention to the words and personalities of the people themselves. What carried this were the actors themselves. The

Chris Ramsey - Tour Northcott Theatre

1 December MY familiarity with Chris Ramsey prior to the gig was limited to his panel show appearances – numerous as they are unfunny. In a stand-up environment, however, he produced a show of superb comedy and unexpected freshness. Angry man and fellow Northerner Carl Hutchinson did a fairly solid job opening, with highlights including a particularly funny story about garlic bread and a linguistic exploration of the word ‘arse’. Chris came out soon after, engaging in audience participation for a fair amount of time before beginning his set. It was in this that his best feature was initially revealed – quickness of wit in audience interaction without its inherent nastiness, stemming from, as he put it, a ‘desperate need to be liked’. Judging from the audience’s response, he was going to satisfy this necessity quite effortlessly tonight. Barely holding the show’s narrative together was a now infamous incident of Ramsey’s accidental swearing on weekend morning TV with a variety of hilarious anecdotes splashed in between. Ranging from accounts of his ‘so thick he’s genius’ friend Andy through the

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inspiring story of the rise of the hashtag symbol, right up to the time when his early morning notoriety saved him from being arrested, the stories were plentiful

The sunny Geordie is an entertaining storyteller and an endearing comic and consistently hilarious. They came and went, often off-topic and purely for the sake of their comedic value. This was a nice change to the current trend of entire shows revolving around separate, often dull jokes, which are later revealed to contain cunningly concealed allusions. A further breath of fresh air was his unobtrusive material, lacking in self-reference, repetitiveness or unnecessary profanity – the latter holding true only if you accept his rather convincing case that his Saturday morning TV accident was not actually swearing. Much better live than on his panel show appearances, the sunny Geordie is an entertaining storyteller and an endearing comic – original without being excessively edgy, traditional without being excessively safe. PAVEL KONDOV Photo credit: theheartofcamelot.com

CARMEN PADDOCK five actors alternated between about 13 people and it was difficult to match a name to an actor at any specific moment. That’s not because of the actors performances by any means; there were clear distinctions in voice and physicality between people . By the end of it you had an idea in your head of who these people were. To be honest names didn’t matter; I was absorbed in their performance to such a degree I didn’t need a name to know who the actors were. The ambience was punctuated by newsreels, music and sounds from the time which helped to recreate the feel of the era. There was even some dance, which added a bit of movement to the piece but not as to detract from the spoken words. The intimate nature of

the Bike Shed helped greatly with this, (it felt like I was having a conversation) and without big scenery or stage, it emphasised the natural and emotional performance of the actors. However, it was more than just performance for me, it was a dialogue between the past and present. For just two hours, five people became the voice of a generation. One day the stories told in this play will become just that but for now the human factor, the bit that’s hard to discern from a textbook, is alive and kicking. It’s a human representation of wartime Britain, and it’s a true window into the past.

TOM DAVIES

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GAMES EDITORS

Gemma Joyce & Becky Mullen games@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Games

Next-gen has landed Following the releases of the biggest names of the next generation, Exeposé Games discusses the highs and lows of the launches Xbox One Price: £429. Launch Titles: AC4, Battlefield 4, COD: Ghosts, FIFA 14, Forza 5, Killer Instinct, Lego Marvel, Ryse, Watchdogs, Zoo Tycoon PlayStation 4: Price: £349. Launch Titles: AC4, Battlefield 4, COD: Ghosts, Contrast, Killzone Shadow Fall, Knack, Lego Marvel, Need for Speed: Rivals WITH both Microsoft and Sony’s latest entries into the console market breaking sales records worldwide, the war over who has the prettiest and shiniest monolithic black boxes is finally underway. The problem is, it has not just been the astounding commercial success that has taken the headlines. In light of a recent string of delayed content,

suspect decisions and broken promises, all signs point towards a hurried and premature launch for both systems. To kick this off, let’s sit the Xbox One on the naughty step. Kinect is pretty nifty isn’t it, Xbox? What with all your convenient voice commands and seamless integration into your games? Sadly, for now Microsoft’s vision of an effortless Borg-like assimilation of player and machine is in need of a much needed tweaking. Suffering from a rigid list of voice commands and weak incorporation into launch titles, one can’t help feel that the much flaunted Kinect 2.0 isn’t quite ready for prime time. Now, I see you sneaking away PS4; don’t think you’ve gotten out of this.

At least Microsoft’s camera can actually be used for something other than allowing people to get banned from Twitch for live-steaming a bit of slap n’ tickle via The

Play- r o o m as miniature AR Robots watch on in horror. Sure, Killzone: Shadow Fall may have picked up some pretty good scores, but there is no dodging the unfortunate truth that Knack is barely more exciting than chatting and playing snap in a dark room with Peter Andre’s agent. Unfortunately, it’s been a rather mediocre line-up from Sony, with flagship titles like DriveClub being pushed back to 2014. Whilst it may be accurate to say third party multiplatform titles such as Assassins Creed IV, Battlefield 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts are the superior versions, many running in 1080p rather than 720p like on Xbox, in practice these differences are negligible with very little to differentiate the two. So even though Xbox One technically has gloating rights over its game library, Microsoft seems to have outlined a rather unsettling nextgen trend that apparently does nothing more than raise a stubborn middle finger to consumers. I speak, of course, of micro-transactions. Be it paying for content to add to Forza 5’s massively strippedback track and car selection, being spammed with messages to buy points to upgrade your characters in Ryse and Crimson Dragon or having to fork out

just to unlock characters in Killer Instinct’s anaemic roster of fighters, it’s a worrying feature that has reared its ugly head in the majority of Xbox One launch titles. Features on both systems may be incomplete such as content sharing or may even be outright missing l i k e t h e

P S 4 ’ s a b i l i t y to jump into a friend’s game or the Xbox One’s Twitch and Sky functionality, but essentially forcing gamers to play incomplete games when they buy an Xbox is a sad state of affairs. With all these problems laid bare, it would still be irrational get too discouraged by the Xbox One and PS4 launches. Yes, there may be teething problems, but these are necessary evils that define every console generation. One only has to look at the PS3’s massive development issues and the Xbox 360’s original 68 per cent failure rate to understand this. The best is yet to come. ROB HARRIS SCREEN EDITOR

IN the last two weeks we have had the release of Sony and Microsoft’s next gen consoles: the PlayStation Four and Xbox One. The sales figures for both have been successful, shifting over one million units in their first day on the market. Most gamers out there wanted one of these two consoles, and if they weren’t shivering out in the cold at midnight, they will definitely be hoping for one under the Christmas tree, I know I am, at least! Naturally there are several results of such a high demand. Many disappointed gaming fans are left walking from shop to shop, or browsing countless websites, only to find that there simply isn’t one left for them, or that it will be delivered three weeks after Christmas.

Only 0.4% of PS4s have been affected by any issues, and only a ‘minority’ for the Xbox One Even for the lucky ones, there are two problems that are bound to disappoint. There’s a fairly limited number of launch titles for gamers to test out their new shiny console, with many games available on the previous

inatively coined their consoles error as the ‘blue light of death’, an error which has affected consoles’ performance after reportedly becoming damaged in the post. Meanwhile, Xbox One owners have reported a scratching noise that has also prevented discs being read at all. However, the word ‘some’ is important here. According to figures only 0.4 per cent of PS4 consoles have been affected by any issues, with only ‘a minority’ reported for the Xbox One. But we have to remember that everyone expected this before the release. As much as everyone wants the pre-release testing to remove every problem, it’s something of an inevitability that when a brand new system comes around some problems are going to slip through. If we cast our minds back to the previous generation, we can see how they have really progressed and improved over time - even if some problems, like the Xbox 360’s ‘ring of death’, never go away. A new generation is meant to mean progress, which the two new consoles have successfully achieved. For those that have a console that’s gone wrong, they have every right to complain and be aggrieved that they were one of the unlucky ones. But for us on the outside, still waiting for Christmas, we shouldn’t make judgments on either console based on past prejudices. It’s always better to wait and experience it for ourselves, even if it might take a while. SAM BREWER

generation anyway. A change in policy from Sony has also given gamers another disappointing similarity between the two, as online gameplay will come as part of a subscription, though other features have been included to sweeten the deal. Perhaps the biggest similarity between the two, that people like myself will be guilty of pointing out, is that both have had significant problems on the actual consoles at launch. Sony have imag-

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All I want for Christmas is...

GAMES

Exeposé Games have cruelly intercepted a hopeful Tom Davies’ letter to Santa, and all he wants is pirates and a smidge of festive gang violence DEAR Santa, It’s that time of year again. Thanks for the games you got me last year, I loved Dishonoured! But it’s now another year, and time for another list, so I’ve written down the six games that I desperately want this Christmas, before my PS3 kicks the bucket and I have to start paying for online gaming. 1. Battlefield 4. I’m not really a shooter person, Santa, but I did like the look of this one. Something about the spectacle of blowing up buildings and rolling out in a tank squadron across the plains is appealing. It’s exploring the wider aspect of war and changing tactics to match the surroundings, and the combined vehicle infantry combat that look very exciting. Besides, I haven’t played a good shooter for a little while - it’ll be nice to have one. 2. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Who wouldn’t want to be a pirate? I mean really? Anyway, I’ve played every single console release of Assas-

sin’s Creed so far, and it would feel wrong if I didn’t carry on this tradition. The expanded naval combat and the ability to sail across the Caribbean is a big step for the franchise and I’d really like to go around firing cannons and having the Pirates of the Caribbean theme tune blaring in the background. Can I get a hell yeah? Santa? 3. Civilization V: Brave New World. It’s not a PS3 game, but I need something to get me through the next academic year without a TV. Why not Civilization V? It’s one of my favourite strategy games and new content is always appreciated. I’m a bit of a history guru so the new archaeology function looks very interesting. Playing as new civilizations would be an added incentive to get back into it. 4. Batman: Arkham Origins. Yes Santa, I know Mark Hamill was your favourite Joker, and I know they haven’t added much to the core game - but come on, it’s an Arkham game. You

loved Arkham City and anyway, I really like the look of the multiplayer on this. Even though they haven’t expanded it that much, it’s still Arkham, and I applaud them for not mucking it up if nothing else. I mean, could you imagine a bad Arkham game… shudder. 5. Grand Theft Auto V. I know, I know. Grand Theft Auto V has been out for ages by now but guess what? I still haven’t played it yet! It’s one of the best games of the year, with action, a great story, a franchise that continues to be brilliant and I still haven’t played it yet! It’s got a huge open world with the freedom to do a massive amount of quests and activities and I still haven’t played it yet! It seems everyone else has it, Santa, so why can’t I? 6. Lego Marvel Superheroes. Seriously, I love these games. The Lego franchise is a big hit in my household because it’s something I can play with my parents (please don’t laugh) and it’s good fun. It’s nothing too serious,

or too difficult. It’s a game that I can just relax with and spend some time breaking bad guys into little bricks. The fact that it’s got all my favourite heroes in it just makes it better. So there we have it Santa, my gaming list for 2013. I hope this letter finds you well and the elves aren’t still stuck in a Call of Duty phase (give them Far Cry 3 for pity’s sake, that’ll sort them out). Merry Christmas, smiley face etc. Oh, and if you could possibly rustle me up the gun from Portal, that would be really, really cool. Love from, Tom Davies

(Dr) Who designed this terrible game?

The anniversary show may have been a hit, but the game should be exterminated Doctor Who: Legacy Tiny Rebel Games

Android/iOS Out Now ON 23 November 2013, Doctor Who celebrated its 50th Anniversary. The Doctor, played by Matt Smith, and The Doctor, played by David Tennant, met The (War) Doctor, played by John Hurt. It was, in a word: impressive. Four days later, the BBC released the Doctor Who: Legacy game. Sadly, its not so impressive. The Sontarans have perfected time travel and are trying to start the ultimate war, which is creating paradoxes. The Doctor must gather his allies to fight an array of monsters that are all coming through time. So far, it could be worse. Sadly, it gets worse.

The game is broken to make fans spend money The combat system is completely broken. The ‘fighting’ of the aliens is done via matching up coloured spheres, Bejeweled Blitz style. The more connections you make, the more powerful your attacks. You can almost hear the tapping of Control-C and Control-V in the design offices underneath the TARDIS sound effects that play every time you win a level. Every. Damned. Time. Speaking of sound effects, the one for each monsters’ attack is the same for every enemy. quite why a dinosaur attacks with the same sound as a Weeping Angel is a topic for the

forums. Some unlockable characters are arbitrarily superior against aliens. The boss fights have an arbitrary time limit. But worst of crimes is that upon my unlocking of David Tennant, discovering that only one incarnation of the Doctor can lead your party. I felt like both my hearts had been ripped out. The 50th Anniversary boasted about the multiple Doctors but I can’t have them in my imaginary army against imaginary monsters for no apparent narrative reason? Since I’m supposed to be a part of this battle, I should get a say in who fights; or rather, who dies. Moreover, because the difficulty suddenly increases, it’s as if, expecting a casual stroll on the Lost Moon of Poosh you find yourself flying into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. Legacy is a Freemium game. That is, free to play, but with In-App-Purchases of Time Crystals (whatever they are) that allow you to unlock new characters and – more importantly – continue your game when you’re inevitably defeated. It’s supposed to save you grinding through past levels, but there’s an obvious conclusion. The game is broken in order to get Doctor Who fans to spend their money. It’s common practice, and absolutely ruins the fun. I gave up playing Doctor Who: Legacy because I didn’t want to give them any of my money in order to keep playing, just so I could eventually give them more money. If you’ve got any love for Doctor Who, you’ll avoid this app like a Dalek avoids stairs. The game is like a Cyberman: it has absolutely no emotion. But the soundtrack is passable, I guess.

ADAM SMITH

One you might have missed Becky Mullen, Games Editor, reviews a thoughtful indie with a twist Contrast Compulsion Games

Xbox 360/PS3/PS4/PC Out Now CONTRAST isn’t a normal indie title. By combining 3D and 2D platforming with a strong voice cast, beautiful jazz soundtrack, and more than a little pinch of noir, Compulsion Games have produced a game that’s truly unique in atmosphere and tone. The story is what drives Contrast, even though it’s not a particularly original one. Didi’s parents separate and her father tries to make good, this time by setting up a circus. His investors aren’t the patient sort, though, and he’s still got a lot of work to do. This is where Didi steps in, with the help of her imaginary friend Dawn. There are a few twists and turns in the narrative, some more mature than others, but the real strength is how the game tackles these issues. The adult story behind Contrast is a sinister one, but it’s always simplified through the eyes of Didi. It’s endearing, emotional, and really pretty damn sad. The art and design of the game is its strongest element, and what really sets it apart from other platformers. Blending 1920s noir, vaudevillian circus, and the fantastical imagination of a young girl is no easy task, but Contrast pulls it

off brilliantly. The city is lit with enough mood and cynicism to make a private investigator weep into his whiskey, straight, but there’s enough light-hearted magic in the air to stop you getting too bogged down in the grim streets... You play as Dawn, who can shift in and out of shadows to help Didi in her adventure around the city. Dawn is an acrobat and feels suitably light on her feet to move. Her design is also a bit special. It’s not very often you get a game with one female protagonist, let alone two, and Dawn is silent and stoic like the best of them. Contrast loves to play with light and because Dawn can’t see any of the ‘real’ people Didi interacts with, all you see is their shadows. Cut-scenes quickly get full of ridiculous hand-waving, because it’s pretty hard to show emotion with just silhouettes. Sometimes these movements look a little disjointed, or break the laws of physics altogether, but it’s still a fantastic concept. The shadow concept is well implemented for the puzzles as well. Most action in the game is puzzle-solving and platforming, but it needs quick fingers as much as any shooter. Make Dawn shift into 2D and jump from shadow to shadow to reach new places, or use light-sources to create your own solutions. It’s hard to tell if you’ve really got awful hand-eye co-ordination, or

if you’ve just put the shadows in the wrong places. The controls are well optimised for PC, but there were times when the more forgiving joysticks would have been a welcome change.

The adult story is sinister, but simplified through the child-eyes of Didi The game’s biggest drawbacks come back to its development. Like most indie games, it’s pretty short. It only took me five hours, with several reloads – Contrast can be annoyingly buggy in places, and it’s easy to jump out of shadows and get stuck. You can often get out by shifting in and out of the shadows again, but it doesn’t always work. The game is also a bit skimpy with its saves, so if you’re planning to dip and out, be prepared to repeat the puzzles. Contrast has tremendous potential as a concept and is well delivered, for its roots. A lot of imagination was poured into its design and gameplay, and the thoughtfulness really shows. The industry would be a better place if more developers followed in Compulsion Games’ footsteps.

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10 december 2013 |

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Exeposé

Feature

In the Clubhouse

In the Clubhouse this week Christina Barraclough, Climbing Club’s Publicity Secretary, hangs out with Mike Stanton and Will Kelleher, Sport Editors THE SOUTH-WEST has always been a popular area for climbing due to the quality and quantity of natural and quarried rock. The climbing club was first established so climbers could easily find belay buddies and to teach beginners; since then, it has grown considerably. Over the years climbing has become much more popular and accessible due to more indoor facilities. We do everything from bouldering, top-roping and leading to traditional and deep-water soloing – trust us, you want to get involved with at least one of these types of climbing. They are a great way to build strength, fitness, and friendships! If you are an adventurous type of person, you definitely want to join in and give it a go! This year we are keener than ever to have more fun, get stronger and generally be more psyched. We held our own climbing competition down

at The Quay Climbing Centre earlier this term, where everyone from complete novices to experts got involved. It was a fantastic event, with everyone enjoying the climbs as well as the social atmosphere. In climbing competitions you must get to the top of the most routes to win; this can be harder than you might think! One event is the London University Bouldering Event (LUBE). It is a

We do everything from bouldering, top-roping and leading to traditional and deep water soloing national competition and this year the A Team has come first in the first two out of four rounds, 147 points ahead.

60 seconds with... Keiha Dhruev

Thomas Williams

Climbing team member

What is the best aspect of Climbing Club? Meeting people who share your obsession and understand your compulsive need to climb. Best sporting moment? Soloing freeborn man. This route feels like a real coming of age moment, the history surrounding it, the wild moves and the adrenaline of final crux high above the drink still gets my heart pounding. Sporting Hero? Either Jules Lines for being completely mental and extremely modest at the same time or Pete Oxley, the man responsible for making Dorset the climbers playground it is today. What are your pre-climb preparations? Before a comp I look at the problems, assess which order I want to do them in and drink a lot of coffee! Caffeine is key! What are your goals for the season? To win LUBE and do well in BUCS. and do more outdoor climbing.

What is the best aspect of Climbing Club? The people, everyone is great fun and the people I climb with also encourage and give tips to help me climb better. Best sporting moment? Well every time you achieve a new grade is always good. Sporting Hero? Anyone who gives everything they’ve got to their sport. What are your pre-climb preparations? Just a simple dynamic stretch for every muscle group. What are your goals for the season? I am currently Flashing 6a+ I want to give myself a big goal and try and Flash 6C by the summer.

There have also been lots of outdoor trips – this is the best way to climb. At Easter we held our annual trip abroad to Fontainebleau, a world class bouldering destination in France. Over 30 members joined us this term in the Peak District for a weekend, staying in a scout hut, climbing, and playing some crazy games. It was a fantastic opportunity for the club to get stuck into some really adventurous climbing and to spend some time together as a club. We have two rounds left of LUBE, and of course, BUCS. We also have our week abroad in Fontainebleau, France in Easter – it’s not one to miss - and we also run a trip to Cornwall in June. The best way to get information is to join our Facebook group ‘University of Exeter Climbing Club’ or email club captain Elaine Budden at ‘climbing. captain@exeter.ac.uk’. This year we have climbers at all

levels of experience and everyone has just been having fun getting involved, climbing hard, along with lots of banter. Everybody is easy-going, fun and shares a passion for climbing. We of-

At Easter we held our annual trip abroad to Fontainebleau, a world class bouldering destination fer everyone the opportunity to get involved as much as they want whether they join us indoors, outdoors or at the pub. We also have some, let’s say, unique, ideas for the coming socials in term two! The normal timetable is Mondays at The Barn Climbing Centre; it is a

great place to boulder and train hard. Thursday is usually the set day for socials yet we like to mix up the evening so the day sometimes varies. On Wednesdays and Fridays we all head down to The Quay Climbing Centre, which is also where you will find the club members throughout the week! We’re happy to announce that as of the spring term our members will now receive an exclusive discount here on club nights. Outdoor trips are run on the weekends (weather permitting). Apart from in the competitions, climbing is a personal sport which gives you the opportunity to really work on your own goals and push both your physical and mental boundaries. But the great thing about it is that you always end up climbing with other people, working together on completing the routes and bouncing off each other’s energy. Photo: Climbing Club

Exeposé

| WEEK twelve

Selected BUCS Results

Basketball Men’s 1sts Swansea 1sts

108 82

Women’s 1sts Plymouth 1sts

117 133

Football Men’s 1sts Hartpury 2nds

2 0

Men’s 3rds Bath 3rds

2 1

Men’s 4ths Bristol 3rds

0 0

Women’s 2nds Bournemouth 1sts

1 5

Golf Mixed 3rds Bournemouth 4ths

4 2

Hockey Men’s 2nds Cardiff 1sts

5 1

Men’s 3rds Swansea 1sts

4 3

Women’s 4ths Bath 3rds

4 0

Netball Women’s 2nds Plymouth 1sts

29 28

Men’s 2nds 35 St Mary’s College 1sts 10 Men’s 4ths Bournemouth 1sts

22 19

Women’s 1sts Oxford 1sts

81 0

Squash Men’s 1sts Cadriff Met 1sts

5 0

Women’s 1sts Bournemouth 1sts

4 0

Tennis Women’s 1sts Bournemouth 1sts

8 4

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Men’s Squash Matt Bugler Online Sports Editor

5 0

THE MEN’S 1ST TEAM maintained their unbeaten record this season, overcoming Cardiff Met 5-0 to make it eight wins from eight. They have now opened up a substantial lead at the top of the second division as promotion looms ever closer. Cardiff Met arrived in Exeter having already conceded one match, as they were unable to find a replacement for their fifth seeded player. Exeter’s captain Joel Brickell took to court to open proceedings, and quickly stormed into a 9-0 lead in the first set. He wasn’t so much controlling the T as camping in it, sending his opponent all over the court and repeatedly wrong-footing him. Brickell appeared to have more time on the ball than the Cardiff Met player and made use of the dummy shot, where he shaped up to drive it back, only to drop it short. In the second set he collided with the Cardiff Met man, who fell over and hit his head on court. Although he looked in some pain, he was able to come back on court after a quick break and battle on. He found some late resistance in the third set, but with Brickell continuing to deny him space by finding the corners by the walls, it was a comfortable 11-2, 11-2, 11-5 win in the end. “I felt pretty good and was playing with good quality,” Brickell said. “With a big early lead I was just

trying to keep concentrated”. Nick Thompson was next up. His match was very competitive in the early stages, with both players pushing each other around. A delicate drop shot was enough to take the first set 11-8. The Cardiff Met player looked tired already in the second set, but was at his most comfortable in the longer rallies. He recovered from 5-8 down to force a set point, and after a mammoth rally eventually took it 11-9. If there had been a sense that he had won a crucial point in the course of the match, then that evaporated in

the third, with Thompson regaining composure and pulling away. The Cardiff Met man’s tank was empty and Thompson cruised home 11-2, 11-3 in the last two sets. The overall win had been secured for Exeter, but the format means that every set is worth a point in the league table. Peter Joyce was to win in straight sets 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 to claim another three points for Exeter. John Taubert brought some French flair on court in the final match, and was often finding the low shots just above the tin. A big forehand straight drive

sealed the first set 11-3, but he found himself 3-6 down in the second. Taubert regrouped to win the next 12 points in the match and fend off some late resistance to win 11-3, 11-6, 11-8. On this camaraderie Brickell said: “the boys work hard and we’re getting our results. “When you’re in a team you become a good bunch of friends and that’s half the trick of it- if it’s not fun - there’s no point doing it”. Assuming they top the table when BUCS finishes in January, they will face one of the bottom teams from the Premier Division in a playoff in March to secure promotion.

Exeter prevail in top of the table clash Men’s Football Freddie Turner

Rugby Union

Men’s 1sts make it eight from eight EUSC 1st Cardiff Met 1st

Fencing

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Sports Team

EUAFC 1st UWE 1st

2 0

THE EUAFC 1sts increased their lead at the top of the table after a fantastic 2-0 victory at home to their nearest rivals UWE. Josh Higgins and Toby Yeates’ strikes were enough to take the Green Army four points clear in BUCS division Western 1A and strengthen their chances of promotion to the Premier South. On a crisp winter’s afternoon at Topsham, both sides went into the game knowing that a win would take them top and put them in pole position for promotion going into the Christmas break. UWE came out of the traps more quickly and dominated the first few minutes, with consecutive corners well cleared by the Exeter defence. Exeter were gradually able to get into the game, with captain Jesse Wilson standing out, winning some huge challenges both in the air and on the floor. They began to dominate possession, with some fluent one touch

moves, however were unable to create any clear cut chances. With neither team looking particularly potent, a goalless first half looked most likely, but a long shot from Exeter winger Josh Higgins changed this. His speculative effort from over thirty yards out was hit straight at the keeper, who made a complete hash of his save and the ball dribbled over the line.

Both sides went into the game knowing that a win would take them top and put them in pole position for promotion The important deadlock had been broken in the most unlikely of circumstances. Exeter went into the break one up after a tense first half. The second session began in the same vein with chances few and far between and Exeter narrowly on top. Jack Jones impressed in the middle of the park with a combination of lung-busting runs, neat passes and well-timed challenges.

The all-important second goal once again came out of nowhere but there was no luck involved in this one. Sharp play down the left from full back Lewis Ainson led him to fizz the ball across the box and the oncoming Yeates stuck out an outstretched leg to volley into the back of the net. It was a great goal and an extremely important one for the Green Army. UWE rang the changes, going for the jugular to get back in the game leading to a more open affair. Exeter’s defensive unit came to the fore and began to look impenetrable with Jim Micklem and Louis Bouwers marshalling the line and winning the aerial battle. At the other end a counter attack nearly allowed Exeter to put the game to bed. The impressive Toby Yeates broke and squared to Tom Male, who found Myles Blenkinsop in acres of space but his shot was well saved. Moments later Higgins again tried from long range and nearly doubled his tally with an audacious half volley. His spectacular dipping strike smashed into the crossbar. UWE gave one last push and had their best chance of the game as their shot looked destined for the back of the net, only for Bouwers to clear he-

roically off the line. It was clear that Exeter were adamant on upholding their clean sheet. The final whistle blew and was met with glee by Exeter; it was clear this win meant a lot.

The important deadlock had been broken in unlikely circumstances and Exeter went into the break one up Afterwards a delighted Wilson commented: “That was our best team performance of the season. “I am absolutely delighted. It is clear things are starting to come together”. Jean Luc Esposito, club captain, said, “It’s a huge result for the club. Promotion to the Premier division is key. You can tell the strength and conditioning through the High Performance Programme is paying off.” EUAFC will return to BUCS action in the new year, hoping to secure their promotion.

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Exeposé

In the news... EUWRFC obliter Golf Chris Fleming EUGC

THE 1STS looked to continue their unbeaten run in the league with a victory away to Merrist Wood. A couple of absentees meant the team were not at full strength but with the calibre of players coming in, the team were still confident of getting the win. Some superb golf from Welsh International Katie Bradbury set the tone

Cheerleading Alicia Wedderburn-Graham Exeter Emeralds Captain

THE EXETER EMERALDS cheerleading squad competed in the regional competition ‘Winter Wonderland 2012’ at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre last weekend.

Exeter Emeralds once again came out on top; the girls were awarded two first place trophies The day began with an early start and 21 very nervous girls. After one of the Jazz squad members came down with mumps, the girls were unsure of what to expect. At 9.04am the Jazz squad took to the stage and performed a very moving routine to ‘Fix You’ by Coldplay. They had just followed RH Tom Cats who had blown away the audience, so tensions were high.

for the day, shooting (-5) and winning 7&6. Comfortable wins then came from Joe Davis, Ben Leigh and Chris Fleming to ensure the EUGC took the match 4-2. This results leaves the team unbeaten for the term and at the top of the BUCS Southern Premier League table with a game in hand over the Christmas period. The match ended with a final score of 4-2 to Exeter.

40 minutes later the hip hop squad took to the stage and performed their circus themed routine, which went the best it could have gone. A tense period followed as the girls were left to watch their rivals until the award ceremony. Exeter Emeralds once again came out on top; the girls were awarded two first place trophies winning both Senior Open Jazz and Senior Open Hip Hop. However, the nerves were not yet over as the stunt squad were still to perform. That afternoon, the stunt team went up against nine other teams, but after a solid performance they managed to get an impressive 4th place trophy. Overall, the competition was a huge success, and the Emeralds returned yet again with more trophies to add to their collection. All the time and effort from captain Kirsty McKay and vice Lois Gidley had paid off. The girls should be immensely proud – it just goes to show that hard work really does pay off – a huge well done!

Jiu Jitsu Giverny Masso

ing this with his hands tied behind his back. The majority of the competitions were then held in the afternoon.

THE 2013 Jiu Jitsu Nationals were hosted at Exeter police headquarters on November 23 and 24. Exeter University won the most medals in the nationals for the ‘Seishin Mizu Ryu Tatakai’ (the Water Mind School of Fighting Arts) style of Jiu Jitsu, founded by 5th Dan Black Belt Dr Richard Catterick. Students and Senseis of the clubs Exeter College, University and Town, Leicester University and Town, Southampton University and Town, Welwyn Town, London Town and Ronin, all attended the event.

The best thing about the nationals is, despite the intesity, there are no hard feelings after a match

Online Arts Editor

Exeter won eight Gold, seven Silver and four Bronze medals throughout the Nationals weekend On the Saturday the Senseis from the different clubs held seminars in grabs, random attacks, knife attacks and locks for students of all levels before giving demonstrations. Sensei Shogo Miyakati and Sensei Jacob Kamper displayed throws for Exeter University, Sensei Jacob show-

Chris Waterworth, Exeter University Social Secretary and Orange Belt Men’s Middleweight Silver Medallist, said: “Probably the best thing about nationals is that despite the intense competition that goes on in every bout, there are no hard feelings between fighters after the match and a great atmosphere of camaraderie.” The second day consisted of more training seminars including gokenin training under Richard Catterick and some syllabus teaching. The non-gokenin grades, the elite grappling and the Isshin Kumite competitions were also held. Exeter University won eight Gold, seven Silver and four Bronze medals throughout the weekend. Exeter Sensei Shogo Miyakita won the Open Men’s Groundwork competition and Exeter Sensei Laura Ibarra won the Open Women’s groundwork.

Women’s Rugby Union

Jessica Ramsey

EUWRFC Club Captain EUWRFC 1st Oxford 1st

81 0

IT was with a convincing upper hand following a 34-0 win that EUWRFC took to the pitch on Wednesday, eager to obtain their victory against Oxford. Conditions at Duckes were favourable and the girls in green made a strong start with outside centre Katie Alder scoring on the wing in the first four minutes. It was soon clear that Oxford were at a disadvantage against the powerful Exeter forwards, mistakes were made at the breakdown and over-commitment caused an overlap amongst the backs. Despite several penalties against them, Exeter fought back scoring their second try eight minutes into the game, this time in the hands of speedy winger

Katie Geal. Exeter proved their capability time and time again in the scrum driving the opposition back; their third try coming off the back of an Oxford scrum, this time scored by Welsh International Rebecca De Filippo.

With favourable conditions the girls in green made a strong start with inside centre Katie Alder scoring on the wing in the first four minutes Hannah Gilling then placed the ball between the posts and Lucy Demaine followed with a clean conversion. Oxford didn’t take the scoreline lightly, fighting back and gaining a fair deal of possession, however Exeter’s forwards dealt with the opposition’s physicality,

enabling Geal to score again. Demaine’s boot added the two points and Oxford looked tired. Exeter’s attacking phases were a real strength throughout the match, with forward runners repeatedly breaking through the gainline. Gilling tore through the Oxford defence to make the HT score 43-0. Exeter dominated the first phases of play in the second half with another try from Geal three minutes in. Despite replacements taking to the field throughout and several players out of position, Exeter’s winning form did not let up and they pushed forwards with a formidable defence. Unfortunately for Oxford, they missed a vital opportunity in Exeter’s 22; their weaknesses were highlighted through some poor handling. Exeter’s seventh try came from Geal again and the eighth from Demaine who added further points with her boot. Oxford mustered all their strength and fought hard for possession of the

Exeposé

| WEEK twelve

SPORT

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

erate Oxford 81-0

Christmas Crossword No. 55 by Raucous

Photo: George Keleny

Across 1. & 16. Down. Seasonal film (3,1,9,4) 6. Inherent (6) 8. Lizard (5) 10. Dailies (anag) (7) 11. Covert (11) 14. Fake (7) 16. Hungarian composer (5) 17. Acclaim (6) 18. Scientific testing (13)

ball but Exeter’s fitness overruled and Geal went on to cut several unbelievable lines scoring an additional two tries - making an impressive debut, Ursula Sullivan scored in the last few minutes of the game making the final score

This win over 5th placed Oxford secures Exeter’s third place standing, ten points adrift from league leaders Cardiff Met in the BUCS Premier South 81-0 to Exeter. This win over 5th place Oxford secures Exeter’s third place standing in the BUCS Premier South, ten points adrift from leauge leaders Cardiff Met. Exeter will look to build on this emphatic victory going into back-to-

back matches home and away against Gloucestershire, who are currently sitting one place ahead of Exeter, in second, by just five points. These up coming fixtures will prove vital in the race for the all important top spot. If Exeter is able to secure these back-to-back victories, they would leap frog Gloucestershire and their challenge for the coveted position. The result was a much needed boost for the squad, having just lost their second game of the season the previous week to Cardiff Met. It is hoped this strong performace marks a turning point and provide the inspiration for a charge for first place as the term comes to a close. Make sure you get down to Duckes on January 15 to cheer on the girls in the all important return leg against Gloucestershire as all your support will help them in their push for the first place spot in the league in their bid to retain the BUCS champions title.

Premier South 2013-14 Team

Points

Cardiff Met

Gloucestershire

Exeter

SW Pontypridd and Cardiff

Oxford

Cardiff

Down 1. Frozen water spike (6) 2. St. Nicholas (5,5) 3. Power units (5) 4. Stylish (7) 5. Building brick toy (4) 7. Bad revs (anag) (7) 9. Cylindrical pasta (10) 12. Not one or the other (7) 13. Seasonal drink (6) 15. Sea (5) 16. See 1. Across.

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10 december 2013 |

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SPORT EDITORS

Will Kelleher & Mike Stanton sport@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Sport Photo: George Keleny

Women’s 1sts break Bournemouth Women’s Tennis

Alexander Bonner Sports Team

Exeter 1sts Bournemouth

8 4

THE WOMEN’S 1STS overcame a resilient Bournemouth in this week’s round of BUCS fixtures to triumph 8-4, which cements their second placed position in the BUCS Southern Premier League. Exeter managed to overcome a difficult round of doubles matches to take victory in three out of the four singles matches. Both Emily Wicks and Megan Horder agreed on the importance of the home crowd. Horder said: “In tough fixtures, like Bournemouth, the home crowd are a real advantage”. In the doubles fixtures, Wicks partnered Horder, and overcame some early pressure on the Wicks serve to take an early lead in the first set. Break point chances came few and far between as both pairs delivered some

strong service games until the score reached 4-3. Some consistent groundstrokes by the Bournemouth pair saw them take a late break, they continued to press home their advantage and took the first set 6-4. The Exeter pair managed to regain some much needed momentum, which culminated in a crucial break point opportunity for both Wickes and Horder, an opportunity the pair capitalised on to take a 4-2 lead in the second set. Consistent serving saw the pair see out the first set in style 6-4. This momentum only continued into the championship tie-break, with the pair overcoming some initial Bournemouth pressure to take the tie-break 10-4, and thus the match 4-6, 6-4, 7-6. On the adjacent court, Sophie Messem and Georgie Pool faced a resilient and composed Bournemouth pairing, with the Exeter pair ultimately succumbing to the consistency displayed by their Bournemouth opposition. The early ground stroke exchanges set the tone for what was a difficult match for Messem and Pool, with the

In this issue of Exeposé Sport...

Bournemouth pair targeting the second serves to take an early break in the first. Bournemouth’s consistency came to great fruition in the second set, with some end-to-end rallies capping off a very exciting set of tennis.

In tough fixtures, like Bournemouth, the home crowd are a real advantage Both Messem and Pool fought valiantly until the end, but could not overcome what was a strong display by this Bournemouth pairing, who saw the match out, winning 6-3, 7-5. Wicks’ good form in her doubles fixture continued into her singles match, overcaming some initial pressure in her service games to take the first set 6-4. Wicks utilised her cross court forehand well to dominate the early stages of the second set, and take a command-

In the Clubhouse: Climbing - page 36

ing 4-1 lead. A delicate slice brought up triple match point for Wicks, who concluded a very strong afternoon with a 6-4, 6-1 win. Adelina Lipan dominated her match throughout, combining some consistent serving with some excellent groundstrokes to take the first set 6-1. Lipan capitalised on her opponent’s frantic groundstrokes to take a commanding lead in the second set, with an exciting passing shot by Lipan displaying one of the many highlights of the match. She continued to press her advantage to take the match comfortably 6-1, 6-0. The next two singles matches were less successful for Exeter, as honours were even. Messem, putting her disappointment behind her after her doubles result, demonstrated some excellent tennis throughout her match to put her opponent under some immense pressure. Messem utilised both her forehand and backhand strokes well to spray shots all around the court, a tactic her Bournemouth opponent failed to deal with.

Messem raced to a 6-0 lead to take the first set, and capitalised on some inconsistent serving in the second set to take the match 6-0, 6-1. Horder, following her excellent display in the doubles, ended proceedings in a more disappointing fashion. Her Bournemouth opponent pounced on some early chances to take an early break in the first set, and then continued to dominate proceedings. Horder found it difficult to deal with the power and consistency displayed by her opponent, and quickly lost the first set 6-2. An early break in the second set for Bournemouth, courtesy of some excellent volley play, was one of the highlights in this match. Some strong serving saw the match end in victory for Bournemouth, with the score ending 6-2, 6-2. Overall, a good afternoon for the Women’s 1sts, as Exeter overcame some difficult Bournemouth opposition to come through confidently.

EUWRFC emphatic win - page 38-39