FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
Issue 98
Inside this issue... Comment Trump should become President p. 11
FREE
Features The New Manorexia
Lifestyle p. 16
Sport
Sheffield’s vintage scene explained p. 21
University Hockey Club raise ÂŁ7,000
p. 47
SOCCOM DECIDES HARAM-NAY Chloe Coleman News Editor An application to begin a society dedicated to celebrating the life of the illustrious gorilla, Harambe, has been rejected. Alex Richardson, Masters student and member of Societies Committee, put forward an application to start a society to honour and educate about the life of Harambe. Harambe a male silver-back gorilla who was controversially killed on 28 May 2016 after a three-year-old boy climbed into his enclosure, has become an internet sensation since his death. Harambe was born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in 1999, and was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo to learn adult behaviour.
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COUNCIL PROPOSAL THREATENS STUDENT RENTS Chloe Coleman News Editor
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A motion has been proposed to full Council by Walkley Labour Councillor Neale Gibson to introduce business rates on student properties. The motion was passed by the Labour group at the beginning of the month and has called on the Government to introduce business rates on residential properties let to students, the cost of which could potentially be passed on to tenants and raise rents even higher.
167 - 169 West Street, Sheffield S1 4EW
886 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield S11 8TP
Delivering 24hrs a day, 7 days a week Closes for carryout from 4am - 11am.
Delivering 24hrs a day, 7 days a week Closes for carryout from 11pm - 11am.
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2 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
NEWS
press.news@forgetoday.com
In Brief...
Forge Press Editorial Team Editor
editor@forgetoday.com
Anna Gillies
Deputy Editor editor@forgetoday.com Hallam Roffey Head of Online
editor@forgetoday.com
Caro Kyllmann News
press.news@forgetoday.com
Lisa Latham Chloe Coleman Josh Peachey Hope Cunningham
Wicks Out for Harambe
Student Sent Grass (not weed)
Nicola Sturgeon Tickets Sell Fast
Fundraising Success For Hockey Team
Can you believe it was a mere five months ago that the Cincinnati celebrity gorilla was tragically taken from us? On 28 October, a candlelit vigil is scheduled in Weston Park to honour the most famous ape ever. 1,700 people have said they’re interested on Facebook, 1,100 have said they’re going.
20-year old maths student wasn’t expecting much through the post but became rather confused when dozens of grass samples came through his letterbox. After posting pictures on Twitter, and getting retweeted over 600 times, he eventually caught on that it was all a prank by his mates. He did put them to use as coasters.
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, is hosting the annual Sheffield Politcal Economy Research Institute lecture on 7 November. Tickets sold out quickly, being all snapped up in a matter of days after their release. The talk is titled “Scotland and the UK - economic policy after the EU referendum.”
The Men’s Hockey Team bus was destroyed by an engine fire on the way back from a trip to Manchester, causing roughly £40,000 in damages to kit. Luckily no one was injured and the teams started a crowd funding campaign which has recieved donations from 146 people, raising nearly £7,000.
Comment
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Will Morgan Michael Chilton Features
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Jess Davis Ellena Rowlin Laura Mullan
Coffee Break
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Sian Bradley Lifestyle
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Joseph Mackay Sport
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Sheena Sidhu Ed McCosh Hugh Dickinson Music
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Harry Chambers Emma Williams Games
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Ashfaq Emritte Nick Burke Arts
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Mollie Davidson Laura Mulvey Screen
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Luke Baldwin Beth Andralojc
Copy Editors Harriet Hales Harry Gold Kimberley John Shaun Thomas Katharine Swindells Tom West Holly Overton Molly Kerkham Want to send us something? Forge Press Media Hub Union of Students Western Bank Sheffield S10 2DG
Editorial
A
s we enter into October it’s safe to say that Freshers’ Week is long gone and the reality of university life has hit. Weeks of reading, assessments and a permanent runny nose are what lie ahead for most of us, it’s a bleak future I realise. For those of you still committed to the Freshers’ Week level of socialising, I take my hat off to you – sadly third year is catching up with me and I’m lucky if I make it to Pop Tarts each Saturday. If I was to give any first years a bit of advice, it’d be to make the most of those spontaneous Tuesday nights out to Plug, they get harder when the pressure of two-thirds of your
Anna Gillies, Editor
degree mark is hanging over you. It was amazing to see so many of you at the Activities Fair interested in writing for Forge Press, hopefully some of you will find your names on our pages. Remember if you didn’t write for this issue there are still loads of opportunities to get your work published throughout the year, our team would be more than happy to hear from you. If you need any email addresses they’re all to your left alongside a run-down of who’s who. In terms of content, we have some really good stuff for you in this issue. The team have worked really hard and consumed a lot of chocolate in the process - the shop has been selling Galaxy bars
for a pound this week, an offer we couldn’t refuse. We’re being very topical in this issue with several pieces on the theme of the ever-interesting US Presidential elections; expect lots of pictures of Donald Trump’s face and that awful haircut. Features are looking at ‘Manorexia’ and the often understated issue of male body image struggles, while Lifestyle have the low down on London Fashion Week – our editor Joe had fun editing that one. Entertainment have their usual array of reviews alongside some great features. Games have an interview where they find out more about a Board Game Preview, Arts
have set out to demystify jobs in the industry, and Music have an interview with Greg James following his set at the Union last week. The Screen team have a feature about the new Louis Theroux film, My Scientology Movie, something which I’m insanely jealous of as I haven’t been to see it yet and I’m a huge fan of his. Sport have the usual BUCS reports as well as an update on the Hockey Team burning bus saga. Have an amazing week and remember, if the cold is getting you down, all six series of Gilmore Girls are currently on Netflix – thank me later.
What to look out for over the following fortnight
Want to get involved or got a story to share?
What’s On Event
Time/Venue
Event
Time/Venue
Blackpool Trip: The Indian Society are hosting a trip to experience the world’s biggest light festival.
15/10/16 £15 members, £18 nonmembers 10:30-22:30
14/10/1615/10/16 Bar One & Interval Free
RAG Week: The annual festival of fundraising continues, bringing a plethora of ways to get involved, have some fun, grab some bargains, and help worthy causes.
10/10/1616/10/16 All around the Union and campus.
17/10/16 Octagon 12:00-15:00 Free
Crick Annual Lecture: The annual Sir Bernard Crick lecture will be given by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow on ‘designing for democracy’.
27/10/16 17:00 Tickets Online
International Chocolate Party: In homage to Gene Wilder. Free chocolate all night, 6ft chocolate fountains and flags.
14/10/16 Fusion & Studio 23:00-03:00 Tickets Online
Oktoberfest 2016: The 3rd annual SSU Oktoberfest. Two days of German beer, food and music, complete with steins, bratwurst and an oompah band. Professional Graduate and Placement Fair: A unique one day event to help you find graduate placement and internship positions.
We always welcome writers, photographers and artists to join us here at Forge Press. Come and pay us a visit in the Media Hub situated in the Students’ Union or email our editor at editor@forgetoday.com
FORGE PRESS 3
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
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Bus bosses back down on price-hike for students Lisa Latham News Editor
•• Stagecoach buses lower ticket prices after short rise •• Dom Trendall working to secure better transport deals for students.
students to favour their service and Stage Coach to bring ticket prices back down. Trendall says: “I have always believed that this is an important issue for students, which is why I put it at the heart of my election manifesto.
I’ve been liaising with city councillors about what more we can do for students. Central to this is concerns about student bus passes. We need to ensure that they are affordable and suitable for students who stay in Sheffield over the summer.”
NEWS
Trendall will meet with a Sheffield city councillor next month to discuss student transport in Sheffield and work towards instigating a new bus pass deal that caters for all students.
Stagecoach buses have lowered their student ticket prices after a short lived increase of 20p, potentially in a response to discussions between First buses and SU President Dom Trendall. Trendall has collaborated with First buses over the summer to negotiate better transport deals for students in Sheffield, a key point in his manifesto. First did not raise their prices in September to match those of Stage Coach, causing
Hopeworks voted No.1 club night in north
Josh Peachey News Editor DJ Mag have decided that Sheffield’s Hope Works deserved the title of No.1 club night in the north. The future show features superstar acts like Blawan, Lee Gamble, Sunil Sharpe, Hodge and Leif, and is curated for their fourth birthday. Hope Works said in a statement on Facebook: “Thanks you to all the amazing talent that has played for us so far, all the artists who’s work we’ve shown and the creatives who we work with especially from Sheffield. You’ve all helped so much make Hope Works what it is”.
Students couldn’t identify rapists’ quotes from lads mags comments Chloe Coleman News Editor
•• Male students were unable to differentiate between lads’ mags jokes and comments from a rapist.
In a recent study, male students were unable to tell the difference between ‘jokes’ in lads’ mags and quotes from convicted rapists. According to three new studies published in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinities, although lad culture had declined along with sales of magazines, there was also a tendency towards “the ironic use
of racist and sexist humour” among young men in the study. They also said that “consumption of hostile sexism” now mostly occurred online when young men watched pornography. One of the most alarming statistics is that out of 274 American college students, none were able to distinguish between quotes from lads’ mags and that of a convicted rapist. Examples of the remarks of rapists and lads’ mags quotes included: • “The possibility of murder does bring a certain frisson to the bedroom.” • “You do not want to be caught red-handed … go and smash her on a park bench. That used to be my trick.” • “Girls love being tied up … it gives them the chance to be the helpless victim.” • “If the girl you’ve taken for a drink won’t spread for your head, think about this mathematical statistic: 85 per cent of rape cases go unreported.” • “You know girls in general
are all right. But some of them are bitches … The bitches are the type that … need to have it stuffed to them hard and heavy.” Only the last quote in this list was made by a convicted rapist, the rest were from lads’ mags. Another of the studies conducted showed the desensitising nature of certain lads’ magazines and their potenially damaging effects on the attitudes of young men. 81 British men aged 18 to 50 were presented with sexist jokes either in or out of a lads’ mag context. Young men tended to consider the jokes less hostile towards women when they were in the magazines. Results such as these suggest that casual sexism is often perpetuated by lads’ magazines, and that as a significant influence in the lives of young men their content ought to be reassessed.
Sheffield Theatres wins £150k for work towards diversity Chloe Coleman News Editor Sheffield Theatres has won a £150,000 boost from the Arts Council for the work it has done. Sheffield Theatres has brought more black and ethnic minority staff and audience members in its theatres. The Change Makers funding will allow the theatre to appoint Javaad Alippor who is the artistic director of Bradford based theatre company Northern Line. Furthermore, the money will also help to increase diversity in all areas of its work.
4 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
NEWS Politics Watch Natalie Bennett eyes up Snap-Election Sheffield Seat
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Young refugees to be brought to Britain following Calais camp closure
Arrangements for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from Calais to the UK are to be implemented before the closure of their camp, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has assured MPs. Campaign group Citizens UK have devised a list of children with a legal right to come to the UK and await verification from the French authorities. The Government will then move quickly to remove the youngest children with family links in the UK or Dublin. Others will be safeguarded and collected throughout the rest of the operation. Though Rudd was unable to say how many children would be transferred, in a Daily Mail interview she said that 300 refugees would be “a really good result.”
EU students still eligible for funding in England
EU students applying to attend English universities in the next academic year will be eligible for grants and loans, regardless of Britain’s position within the EU. Universities UK President Dame Julia Goodfellow said the announcement has provided universities with much-needed clarity and provided certainty over future funding.
UKIP Defence Secretary hospitalises MEP
UKIP MEP Steven Woolfe has been treated in hospital following an altercation between himself and the UKIP Defence Secretary, Mike Hookum. The incident occurred after the two men rowed during a meeting at the European Parliament. Woolfe was later taken to hospital after suffering two seizures. UKIP Chair Paul Oakden stepped in to placate the two men and calm the quarrel. Interim leader Nigel Farage said he was “not impressed” with the incident but wishes not to get involved. Hookum insists he did not punch Woolfe and has posted a picture of his unbruised hands on Twitter by way of proving his innocence. He described the incident has a “handbags at dawn, girl-on-girl scuffle”.
Josh Peachey News Editor
•• The former leader of the Green Party has been nominated by the party to be a candidate for Sheffield Central •• The party are suspecting a snap-election will be held in the near future Former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett has been nominated to be the Sheffield Central Candidate. Bennett credited the former Sheffield Central candidate, Jillian Creasy, for boosting the popularity of the Green Party over the last two elections. In 2015, they came second with the third highest Green vote across the country. Ms Bennett, who stood down as party leader in September, said: “I’m honoured that Green Party members in Sheffield have given me the opportunity to build on that work, to elect the first Green MP in the North.” “I visited Sheffield regularly as Green Party leader and what I saw made me decide to make my life here. I was inspired by the great radical political tradition and the exciting developments in small businesses, social enterprises
and cooperatives. I saw inspiring artistic endeavour, the energy of the universities and their students and experienced the green environment of the Outdoor City.” Sheffield Greens increased their average share of the vote by 5% across the constituency in the May 2016 council elections and have elected councillors in three of the five wards. The party are preparing for a snap general election and believe that Sheffield’s needs match the Green Party ideals. Ms Bennett said: “Sheffield is leading the country in redeveloping its industrial roots and building on strengths in the creative and technology industries. The city also stands out for welcoming refugees and developing innovative community institutions in response to the hideous damage inflicted by Tory austerity. “Sheffield deserves to have its views loudly and clearly represented in Westminster by a party that is resolute and secure in its values and principles and an individual equipped to ensure those views are heard.” she added. Sheffield Green Party Election Agent Eamonn Ward added: “Natalie made numerous visits to support Jillian Creasy’s campaign in 2015 and our council election campaign last May. With Natalie
as candidate, we can build on solid work since our first councillor was elected here in 2004 and elect the first Green MP in the north.”
Paul Blomfield, Labour, has held the Sheffield Central Consituency seat since 2010.
Referendum to Boost Representation for Actvities Hallam Roffey Deputy Editor A proposal to create nine new roles on the Students’ Union Council will go to referendum this October. The full proposal is ‘Should the Students’ Union create 9 new roles on Council to give a voice to students involved with Welfare, One World, Sustainability, Equality & Liberation, Sport, Social Justice (e.g. Community & Volunteering), Creative & Media, Special Interest and Education?’ All students have a right to cast a vote for or against the proposal, but the referendum will only be valid if at least 2,500 votes are cast in total for ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or ‘Abstain’. Proponents of the proposal
argue that it is important students involved in clubs, societies and committees have their own view on the SU Council, making it more relevant and representative. Those against the proposal believe SU Council meetings could become too unwieldly with 72 Councillors, that all students are already represented and that it will cost the SU more to run a bigger Council. A full summary of arguments for and against are available to view on the ‘Make a Change’ section of the SU website. An amendment to the proposal made by Societies Committee to change the Councillor positions to represent the groups that students
are involved with, such as ‘Faith’, ‘Media’, ‘Performance’ and ‘Popular Culture and Gaming’ did not pass as it did not receive the required number of ‘likes’ on the SU website. A debate on the proposal took place in Coffee Revolution on 13 October. Voting for SU Council elections will open 10am on 17 October and close 5pm on 20 October.
FORGE PRESS 5
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
NEWS Doctor’s ‘SocCom decides Haram-nay’ Orders best (cont.)
Chloe Coleman News Editor
•• SocCom reject application for Harambe society •• The gorilla has become a social media sensation since he was controversially killed
student pub
...continued from front page Since his death, Harambe has become an internet sensation and now lives on in the hive mind of the online world, and according to the society application this was to celebrate that. The application process for starting a society is clearly laid out on the SU website, and in order to apply for society status, your group should meet criteria; such as there shouldn’t be any societies similar
to your proposal and you should outline what aims you have. The next stage is that the proposal gets taken to Societies Committee, and they made the decision about whether or not the society will be approved. This is ultimately where the proposal fell through; Societies Committee decided to reject HarambeSoc for a multitude of reasons. In the application form, Richardson states that HarambeSoc would have “monthly meetings” and would “hopefully get a gorilla in to speak about the impact this has had on the gorilla population all over the world.” While laying out the aims for HarambeSoc, Richardson stated that the society would have “candle light vigils in honour of Harambe.” There would also be “socials and meeting where we can mourn our loss together and talk about the impact he had on our lives.” They would also “look into other opportunities to help out western lowland gorillas so none of them have to suffer like he did.” When talking to Forge Press,
Richardson was not disheartened by the rejection, but instead stated that: “I will continue to fight for the right to appreciate Harambe and I hope others will do the same. We may not be a society but we are part of a movement that will never die.” Furthermore, there is a Harambe vigil scheduled for Friday 28 October of which the Facebook event has attracted 1,200 attendees Organiser Nick Burke spoke about the event: “I’m touched that so many people share my love for Harambe, and I’m hoping this even will be an opportunity to unite and celebrate the life and death and afterlife of a true hero.” Fred Gill, Chair of SocCom, defended their decision: “Due to the Applicant letting us know that that this was a joke application, Societies Committee took the initiative during a busy meeting to reject the proposed society. If you want to apply to create a society you have until Sunday 23 October to send your application in.”
Rebecca Lally News Contributor The local Uni favourite The Doctor’s Orders has recently been voted best student pub in the 2016 Great British Pub Awards. After a record number of entries to the competition, the popular pub came out on top, beating out rivals from across the UK. The Doctor’s Orders holds the enviable position of being the closest pub to the Students’ Union as well as to the teaching hospital, and takes advantage of this fact by offering a 10 per cent discount to NHS staff. The pub serves a range of local ales and fresh beer from its own microbrewery, alongside a vast menu offering freshly made pub food.
Council Spend £5 million On Seven New Cycle Routes Hundreds of Under16s Chloe Coleman News Editor
•• Sheffield Council are spending £5 million on new cycle lanes •• The aim is to have the lanes built within a year Sheffield Council have revealed plans for seven new cycle lanes throughout the city. The new lanes, which could cost almost £5 million, will be put in place to encourage more people to cycle through the city. Of the new cycle lanes, four routes will be in the city centre and three will be in green spaces. The plan is to eventually have a network of safe cycle routes that are across the city, but they will also connect routes throughout the countryside. The aim Sheffield Council have is to get 10 per cent of travel in the city to be made by bike by 2025 and
25 per cent by 2050. Route One will start at Portobello Street. This route will potentially be one of the most useful for students, as it heads along Portobello Street, onto Trippet Lane and then to the train station. Plans to build the route this summer were stalled because the council temporarily diverted traffic from John Lewis along to Trippet Lane to Rockingham Street as there is a new retail quarter being developed. Sheffield Council told The Star that “work could commence on the route as soon as the retail quarter designs were finished” and they will “not be waiting until the development was built. This could be within a year.” Izzie Kai, a keen cyclist and politics student, said: “I’m really excited about this. The current cycle lanes in Sheffield aren’t sufficient and not only will this encourage more people to cycle, it will be safer.”
suspected of Sexting
Josh Peachey News Editor South Yorkshire Police records show that hundreds of children under the age of 16 were suspected of sexting in the last year, which constitutes a sexual offence. There were 238 offences of taking or distributing indecent photographs of children, from underage suspects. South Yorkshire Police have now sent out officers to warn children of the various dangers of sexting. NSPCC North of England Campaigns Manager, Helen Westerman, told The Star: “It is important children are made aware off the consequences - not only the legal ones, but also the fact that when something is shared it’s very difficult to conrol.”
Friday 14 October 2016
6 FORGE PRESS
NEWS Council Proposal Threatens Student Rents (cont.) Chloe Coleman News Editor
•• Labour Councillor proposes introduction of business rates on student properties •• Rents could increase for students living in the area ...continued from front page Labour council have previously voted against taking action on private sector rental accommodation and work with good landlords and tenants to drive up standards across the board and last month refused to give the Council’s support to the “Renter’s Rights” private member’s bill. Councillor Richard Shaw, Lib
Dem spokesperson for housing said “Not only is our Labour Council completely failing to acknowledge the problem faced by many people in Sheffield of poor standards and high rents in private sector rented housing by repeatedly voting down our proposals to take action, they are now proposing crazy measures which would lead to students, who are particularly vulnerable to being charged sky high rents, paying even more for their university accommodation.” “This ridiculous suggestion from our Labour Council shows just how financially incompetent they really are.” Will Morgan, English Literature student said “students are so worried about rent, and this will just add to this.” Neale Gibson was reached out for a comment, but did not respond.
Naked woman filmed in city centre Holiday Qian News Contributor
A video entitled “Janna Nude in Sheffield” has been shared on various hardcore porn websites in the last few days. The 32-minute clip shows a woman, named as “Janna”, stripping off to perform a sex act behind a rock sculpture in the grounds of St Mary’s Church near Bramall Lane. She can be seen stark naked in broad daylight in a string of other locations across Sheffield while a woman behind the camera films her brazen antics and comments on the activity. “We’re in Sheffield today,” the X-rated film begins with a female voice telling viewers as “Janna” is
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filmed near a graffiti strewn wall at the rear of the Spearmint Rhino lap dancing club in Brown Street. After receiving dozens of complaints since September 2010, South Yorkshire Police announced it was stepping up efforts to prosecute people committing acts of public indecency in South Yorkshire. Jade Brice, detective inspector from South Yorkshire Police, said: “Incidents of this nature can be highly distressing for victims and witnesses, so they are thoroughly investigated so that offenders can be quickly identified.” The woman, is also shown stripping off outside BBC Radio Sheffield and near Heeley City Farm in front of shocked passers-
by and as motorists drive by just inches from the lurid behaviour which includes using a sex toy and urinating in public. Footage then shows the woman stripping off on a traffic island thought to be near Heeley City Farm - while motorists pass by in the background. Earlier this year, a couple were caught having sex in broad daylight in Doncaster town centre - just yards from where hundreds of young students were in classes. Last month, a woman was photographed walking naked through Doncaster town centre and a photo of a woman having her bottom groped outside a taxi office went viral on Facebook. After receiving dozens of complaints since September 2010, South Yorkshire Police announced it was stepping up efforts to prosecute people committing acts of public indecency in South Yorkshire. Jade Brice, detective inspector from South Yorkshire Police, said: “Incidents of this nature can be highly distressing for victims and witnesses, so they are thoroughly investigated so that offenders can be quickly identified.”
Jessica Ennis Hill announces retirement Lisa Latham News Editor Sheffield born athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill has made the decision to retire following a career of sporting successes, including being crowned world champion twice and winning gold and silver medals in the London and Rio Olympics. The heptathlete hinted that she might retire soon in Rio, and confirmed her decision in an Instagram post on Thursday morning. She wrote: “I’m so fortunate to have had such an amazing career within the sport I love and this has been one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make “But I know that retiring now is right. I’ve always said I want to leave my sport on a high and have no regrets, and I can truly say that. I want to thank my family and incredible team who have spent so much of their time supporting me and enabling me to achieve my dreams. Also a huge thank you to all those people who have supported and followed my career over the years x. Ennis-Hill has participated in athletics from a very young age,
and competed first in 1999 in high jump and pentathlon with her school. Her coach, Antonio ‘Toni’ Minichiello, has worked with her since she was 11 years old and believes that now is the right time for Ennis to retire. He says “Many sports people hold on too long. Jess has managed to avoid walking out of the stadium after failing a qualifying round “She’s walking out of the stadium by stepping off the podium. She’s one of our sporting greats. It seems fitting this way.”
FORGE PRESS 7
Friday 14 October 2016
Former lecturer awarded Nobel Prize Todd Baker News Contributor
•• Former university lecturer praised for work with molecular machinery •• Research could help towards treatments of major illnesses. Professor Sir Fraser Stoddart, a former Chemistry lecturer at the University of Sheffield, has
received a Nobel Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which praised his work with molecular machinery as a ‘big leap forward’. His winning paper was titled ‘for the design and synthesis of molecular machines’. Sir Fraser, who first joined the university in 1970 as a Research Fellow, before becoming a lecturer and then receiving an honorary degree in 2008, is now the university’s fifth Nobel Prize winner and it it’s third in the field of Chemistry, following in the tradition of noted Sheffield Chemists Richard Roberts and Sir Harry kroto. The prize, which will be shared with fellow scientists Jean-Pierre Sauvage and Bernard L Feringa (Ben) from the Universities of Strasbourg and Groningen respectively, was awarded for the development of the world’s smallest machines, a type of molecule which can perform a task when energy is added, with examples including a molecular motor and nanocar. The machines, which are a
thousand times thinner than a strand of hair, are small enough to enter the human body and could be able to deliver drugs from inside to treat conditions like cancer. This award, received on the 5th October, is the latest in many that Sir Fraser, who spent twenty years at The University of Sheffield, has received with others including the Royal Medal in 2010, the Albert Einstein World Award of Science and the Royal society of Chemistry’s Century Prize. In addition to this, in 2007 the Sunday Tunes write that in the field of nanotechnology Sir Fraser is what J.k Rowling is to children’s literature. In receiving this award, Sir Fraser, born in Edinburgh in 1942, further highlights the success of the university’s Chemistry department with Mike Ward, Head of the Department of Chemistry and Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Sheffield, stating that he was delighted “that the area in which I grew up as an academic has been given such recognition.”
Over 2000 students write to Vice Chancellor to fight fees Josh Peachey News Editor Last week a letter signed by over 2,200 students was sent to the Vice Chancellor, calling on the University to reject participating in the new Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The letter, written by Students’ Union Officers to Sir Keith Burnett, basically argues against the rising of university tuition fees. Ultimately, students could be facing fees of over £10,000 by 2020. The proposed framework (TEF) introduces graduate salaries and employment destinations as key measures of ‘excellent teaching’, and enables universities to raise fees each year if they score highly. It would mean that tuition fees would be raised to £9250 for the 2017/18 academic year. For the first time, this means that universities will benefit directly from graduates choosing the highest paid employment options over more meaningful or rewarding options with less financial reward. “As a Students’ Union we
are committed to opposing the framework and want Sheffield to lead the way in opposing its implementation,” said Ali Day, SU Education Officer, who will present the letter to the VC alongside SU President, Dom Trendall. “We want to be the place where students stand alongside their university, showing a united force against the damaging plans.” Earlier in September, Dom To find out more about the campaign, go to www.sheffield. su.com/TEF.
Trendall and Ali Day gave out a statement expressing how “extremely disappointed” they were about an article that the Vice Chancellor wrote titled ‘Cashstarved campuses must raise fees or drop standards’. A decision is expected imminently from the University about whether to implement TEF and raise fees, most likely by late October.
NEWS
SCIENCE & TECH UK’s first driverless cars to appear in Milton Keynes Dan West Deputy Editor Driverless car trials have recently appeared on the streets of Milton Keynes. Initially 40 pods will be roaming the 250km of walkways and cycle paths in and around Milton Keynes, before they’re introduced over the next few years to Coventry, Bristol and Greenwich. The vehicles are controlled with an iPad, allowing people to just select their destination before
being whisked there at 8km/h. The current pods do have a steering wheel in case of emergencies but are entirely automated and use a large array of sensors and cameras, including a laser based radar system called lidar. It is the hope that the cars will catch on as a taxi service, whereby an app will be used to book a destination, and a pod will arrive shortly after. The automated cars are also environmentally friendly and run off electrical charge.
Samsung S7 Note goes up in flames Chloe Coleman News Editors The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has seized production after reports that the device has been catching fire. After reports that the phone had been dangerous, the phone’s
production rate was reduced, but it seems that this precaution was not enough as the tech giant is no longer making the phone. Owners of the Samsung phone are expected to be able to return the phones for a refund or an exchange for a different phone made by Samsung.
Applications to live on ‘extraterrestrial space nation’ open Lisa Latham News Editor A team of engineers, scientists and legal experts have put forward a proposal for an ”extra-terrestrial” nation state to be created in space. The project has been dubbed “Asgardia” and aims to foster peace, improve access to space technologies and offer protection to citizens of planet Earth. Though plans for the construction and implementation of the orbiting state are still vague, Russian project leader Igor Ashurbeyli expresses confidence in the new state and says I do believe that as soon as this
country becomes a part of the UN family, citizenship of that country will be really quite prestigious.” Applications to live on Asgardia can be submitted through a simple application form available on the project website.
8 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
NEWS SU OFFICER BLOG Anna Mullaney, Welfare Officer, comments
Recently, it was said to me “student mental health will only be prioritised as an issue once a student takes their own life”. The irony in this statement is that this is already occurring. Nationally, student suicide is at its highest since 2007, with Sheffield being no exception to this trend. Whilst the rates of student suicide do not show students to be a particularly at risk group compared to other social groups, the significant rise in reports of suicidal thoughts, attempted suicides and selfharm must be factored into consideration. Statistics are coming out of our ears on the skyhigh rates of students and young people reporting difficulties with their mental health, with the NUS showing 78% of students experienced issues in the last year. On a national scale, it is certainly the case that mental health has become somewhat of a ‘buzzword’, flying across the pages of the Guardian and the like with high frequency. Are people experiencing, suffering or affected by mental health issues, episodes, experiences, conditions or illnesses? Do we think mental illness is on the rise, or are people just reporting more? Are our students self-diagnosing themselves with issues they don’t have? Is this generation less resilient than previous ones, who would pick themselves up and go on? Are we less equipped to cope with life’s challenges, and more dependent on those around us? Do we expect more support now than we actually need? The fundamental truth that students are concerned for their mental health means we absolutely must prioritise the issue. At present, I do not believe that mental health and wellbeing is prioritised enough. The circumstances through which your average 18-year-old undergraduate will arrive at university are now, arguably, fundamentally conducive to poor mental health and wellbeing. The debate around tuition fees may be an exhausting one, but it is one we cannot ignore as a gamechanger in the world of student wellbeing. I don’t refer to rises in fees as simply the
idea that ‘now student debt has tripled that means mental health is bad’. Such an argument is far too simplistic and completely ignores the actual impact of what paying these fees means to your standard undergraduate 18-yearold. It means that they have now arrived at university not for an education, but to buy their degree as a commodity that they will use to advance themselves along the conveyor-belt that society in the UK has become. The reasons why this reflects a lack of prioritisation of student wellbeing are many. It fundamentally alters the amount of pressure on an individual to succeed during their time at university. If they don’t exit the conveyor-belt having ticked the boxes of first class degree, membership of at least five societies and sports clubs, weekly club nights, volunteering on the side, part-time job, internships during the summer, friends for life, graduate job in central London lined up, why did they even enter it? With this context in mind, it feels as if no one is prioritising the mental health and wellbeing of our students, including the students themselves. With all those tickboxes to get through, who has time for sleep, a good meal, healthy lifestyle and crucial self-care? All of these things may feel completely secondary, and yet without them, we become significantly more vulnerable to mental ill-health. It is for all these reasons that mental health and wellbeing will form the central focus and ultimate priority of my year as your Welfare Officer. I aim to shift the mindset around mental health and wellbeing, and hope to encourage the university, the SU and students themselves to prioritise it. Calls for more funding to support services and more diverse forms of support are extremely important and must continue. However, the roots of the issue run deeper into our entire attitude towards what it is to be a student, and what we expect of our students. Until we attempt to relieve these pressures and allow students to be humans, prioritising their mental health and wellbeing as a result, we will never truly address the issue.
Are you ready for World Week? Chloe Coleman News Editor Between 23 and 30 October, the Students’ Union and Concourse will be dressed up ready for World Week and the #WeAreInternational campaign. This year, the International Students’ Committee are collaborating with the University on their programme in order to offer students a diverse and exciting series of events that will celebrate cultural diversity, and address social stigmatisation. World Week events consist of many events, such as the famous World Week Parade, but also with additions of International Languages Festival, Sheffield’s Got Talent to other societies’ collaboration such as Film Unit’s International Film Screenings, 24-hour Volunteering, Breaking Boundaries around the world panel. There will also be a Mental Health Matters’ seminar as well as a series of Halloween-related sustainability events – Pumpkin Carving and Global Campus events. Ana Popa, International Students’ Officer at the SU has said that “this year we have tried to make most of our events free or cheaper to increase accessibility and inclusion.” She also added that she is “proud of the work ISC has done so far and how their
vision as a committee is not only to send a positive message about our diverse community, but in the light of Theresa May’s latest speech, to send a political message – that we are Global citizens and we will celebrate a World Week”. Santhana, Chair of ISC, has added: “The International Students Committee strives for unity and solidarity among our students. World Week has always been an internationalisation campaign for ISC, as we hope students from
around the world would unite and embrace their cultural differences to show everyone that there is some good in the world, and we are a huge part of it.” ISC would like to emphasise that World Week is open to everyone, students, staff and members of the general public.
Four unexploded World War II bombs found in a week Lisa Latham News Editor Several Sheffield streets were closed on October 3 after an unexploded bomb was uncovered during building work. The bomb, believed to be a World War II munition, was the fourth to be found in the city in a week. The other three were found in the same area, near the city centre days previously. Traffic around Matilda street was diverted while police collaborated with bomb disposal officials, and the area was declared safe around four hours later.
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FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
NEWS
Park Hill redevelopment complete in five years Dan West Deputy Editor The redevelopment of Park Hill is set to continue, this time with 330 student housing units. Developers Urban Splash and Sheffield City Council have come to an agreement that would see the Park Hill regeneration completed in the next five years, after the initial phase was nominated for the UK’s highest architecture award, the Stirling Prize, in 2013. In phase one 260 homes and 10 business spaces were constructed and the new agreements see a further four phases enacted. Phase two would consist of 210 properties and phase three are the 330 student housing units, which would be built with an external partner. Phases four and five would consist of further housing, both for the open market and for social use, and a provision for the S1 Artspace, a gallery and studio organisation that helps to create new work as
well as providing a space to display them. Whilst the site is located very close to one of Sheffield Hallam University’s campuses, therefore making its students more obvious occupants, the location close to the railway station makes it very easily
to get the tram to the University of Sheffield, and in reality is no further to walk the student accommodation in the student residences of Ranmoor and Endcliffe. Park Hill is Europe’s largest listed building and has been in the process of regeneration since
2007, so will have been a 15-year project for Urban Splash by the time the 32-acre site is completed. In the 1980s the flats were held in notoriety due to crime and drugs and were in a bad state of disrepair.
•• SU Council sees most nominations for posititions to date More students than ever before have run for positions on the Students’ Union Council. Student Councillors are elected to represent the views of students, oversee societies and working and representative committees, run elections and referenda, decide on SU policy, and oversee what elected Officers are doing. Councillors do not work full time and meet every fortnight. Currently, the SU Council is made up of 46 Departmental Councillors, eight Representative Councillors and one Environmental & Ethical Councillor though a proposal to change these positions will be put to a referendum this October (see p. 4). This year has seen the most nominations for positions in
Louis Theroux
After a follow-up Saville documentary, and the release of his latest feature on Scientology, Louis has had a good week.
Bob Dylan
The US singer has been awarded the 2016 Nobel prize for literature, becoming the first ever songwriter to win the award. It’s clear the Times They Are A-Changin’.
Most nominations for SU Council Hallam Roffey Deputy Editor
GOOD WEEK
the Council to date. In total 203 candidates were nominated for positions by close of nominations. This compares to 122 last year, 185 in 2014 and 119 in 2013. In 2006 there were 144 nominations and in 2007 just 96 students put themselves forward, representing an increase of 112% since 2007. These figures do not reflect candidates who withdrew from the election before voting opened. Since close of nominations, 10 candidates have withdrawn this year, meaning the total number of candidates stands at 193. Though in 2006 the SU Council was different in the way it was structured and therefore a direct comparison cannot be accurately made, these figures are indicative of increasing democratic engagement in the Students’ Union and University politics. Some positions have shown a particularly marked increase in interest. In 2015, just two students applied for the International Student position in comparison to 12 who put themselves up this year.
Forge Follows the Fortnight...
KIMYE
If it wasn’t bad enough that Kim Kardashian West was robbed at gun point whilst on a visit to Paris, husband Kanye has received criticism from fans for stopping his gig to be at her side. Seems a bit harsh if you ask us.
UKIP
The NUS National Conference Delegate position increased from 13 nominations last year to 23 this year. Only one person put themselves forward for both the Ethical & Environmental and LGBT positions in 2015 compared to five and six nominations this year. Positions for departmental representatives have also seen a large increase in interest. Of particular note Geography has nine candidates this year whereas it had
only one in 2015. Automatic Control and Systems and Engineering also have nine students running, an extra compared to 2015. Voting for SU Councillors will open at 10am on Monday 17 October and will close 5pm Thursday 20 October. You can find out more information and view a full list of all candidates running in the SU Council elections on the SU website.
The new leader Diane James resigned after a mere 18 days, Farage has stepped back in, and there was a punch up at their party conference.
BAD WEEK
10 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
COMMENT
press.comment@forgetoday.com
No one deserves to be assaulted
K
Catherine Horner Sociology Student
im Kardashian was held at gunpoint during an armed robbery in her Paris hotel room during Paris Fashion Week on Monday 3 October. Since then details of the incident have continued to emerge outlining the horrific ordeal. The star of the hit reality TV series Keeping Up With The Kardashians was robbed of around £8 million worth of jewellery, including her £4 million engagement ring bought by husband Kanye West just weeks earlier, by five masked gunmen. It is alleged that the middleaged men broke into the room and threatened Kim with a gun, before tying her up, gagging her and pushing her into a bath, leaving Kim still tied for some time afterwards. Whilst the incident itself would
seem horrific enough, that was not the end of it. As soon as the story broke, the barrage of conspiracy theories and abuse began. According to social media, any cause of the incident was entirely up for debate. From an inside job by her bankrupt security guard Pascal, a staged robbery or an insurance scam,
everyone appeared to have their own theory. As further details continued to emerge, the barrage of abuse continued, with one Twitter user writing: “I’m glad Kim Kardashian was robbed it is a total joke and she deserved it I hope her kids were there also”. With many posts over the various forms of social media echoing this vile sentiment, the question of the desensitisation of the public to the celebrity world must be raised. When stripped back, this story is simply about a young woman, targeted in a vicious attack in a place she should be safe. Had this been a ‘normal’ person - just an average girl in an average hotel room - would the reaction have been the same? Is the public detachment from the celebrity world so great that their immediate thoughts are hateful? We all know that in the modern age, trolling is considered a standard,
something readily accepted. In response to a life-threatening event, many chose to jump on the ‘trolling’ bandwagon. One user saw fit to shed what they thought to be a humorous light on the situation, sharing: “I don’t know if #KimKardashian deserved to get robbed or not, I’m just glad it helped in postponing taping of #kuwtk indefinitely #finally”. Regardless of any personal feelings towards the Kardashians, an underlying issue remains. She is someone’s wife, daughter, sister and mother. How anyone can truly bring themselves to believe that she deserved to be put through such trauma is incomprehensible. Had this occurred in relation to any other celebrity or had it been Kanye West instead, would the reaction have been the same? The likelihood is no, it would not. In the days since the story broke, countless articles have continued to appear. Many of
these stories have highlighted the horrors of the event whilst some have continued to circulate stories with every detail they could find as well as any slither of a story they could get. It would appear that the wider media now have so little integrity that they choose to manipulate a traumatic event to further their own reputation. All being said, the outpouring of support for the Kardashian sister has been overwhelming. One user shared their disgust stating: “People who think @ KimKardashian deserved to be robbed are the same people who probably think women “ask for it” when they get raped. #shame” Whilst many questions relating to the regulation of social media and the integrity of the press are to be raised, one thing is for sure: Kim Kardashian’s life is unlikely to be the same. Love her or hate her, no human being deserves such a thing.
An ode to club promoters
Matt speaks out against the deforestation of the Amazon at the hands of club promoters. Matt Wickens Politics and Philosophy Student
L
et me paint a picture any Sheffield student, young or old, can relate to. Imagine yourself, dear reader, standing by the Students’ Union in Freshers’ Week, deciding to visit the Information Commons to pick up a textbook for your upcoming studies or simply to remind yourself of all the tears and pain you’ve experienced inside that great library of ours.
You stride towards the IC, weaving your way in and out of the hordes of people gathered underneath the Concourse. You begin to walk past the Hick’s Building before you suddenly realise you’ve made a terrible mistake. The scene that greets your eyes - outstretched arms clutching piece after piece of paper that you will have brush your way through, like a modern day Indiana Jones clawing your way through a jungle of limbs. Shouts greet your ears, pleading with you to take a two for one deal on drinks, or to experience the best burger ever, or to visit a club you think you heard of once. You wonder if it is it worth taking another route? Shall I walk down Glossop Road?
Perhaps Western Bank will have the book? But you know there’s only one inevitable journey that you can take. You plunge into the fray. By the time you’ve escaped, slipping by The University Arms, your body weighed down with the leaflets you’ve been passed, you begin to wonder whether it’s worth getting a textbook at all. You’ve got enough sheets of paper to make an unabridged edition of Shakespeare. Casting these scraps into a bin (hopefully a recycling one) you carry on with your mission about campus. If this article seems to be just someone moaning about the invasive tactics of student promotion, it’s not meant to be. It’s simply making the point that handing out so much paper is not good for anyone: students, the university, the businesses and of course the environment. There are about 26,000 students who have been making their way through the Sheffield campus over the past fortnight. This presents a tempting opportunity for any bar that wants to get some student loan money out of an newbie’s bank account and into their cash register. This is fair enough; there are tonnes of good bars in the city. It’s not a particularly pleasant experience for any student though.
The point of being a student is exploring the city, not being pressured into going somewhere. Surely, any student would want to work on a clean campus that isn’t a sea of crumpled promotion leaflets or discarded plastic bags. The University and the Students’ Union have to bear the cost of these invasive marketing techniques, employing litter collectors to scrape up, day after day during Fresher’s Week, the detritus left behind from these businesses. It’s clear what the effects on the environment are. The University consumes enough paper as it is, as each day students print out articles for their seminars or old exam papers to pore over. However, there’s a sheer meaninglessness to the amount of waste being generated by this type of promotion as thousands of leaflets are printed and handed out, only to be glanced at and then thrown away. Quite how many acres of the Amazon Fresher’s Week in Sheffield consumes, I hate to think. Or how many species of beetle have become extinct due to deforestation, just so students can glance at an advert about a two for one meal deal on West Street. Perhaps what’s craziest about the paper that’s churned out each September is that it’s not
even sensible from the point of view of the business. There are tonnes of online marketing possiblities which would give a business owner a far greater reach. Through using advertising platforms like Facebook Adverts, bars could reach plenty more individuals through carefully targeted ads that can give them an indication of how well their campaign is going and how many people it has reached. Facebook estimates that with a £50 budget, a business could potentially reach up to 7,000 people in the Sheffield region. Loads of opportunity to promote an offer on pizza! So there you have it. The fetish businesses have with shoving paper in our faces doesn’t work for us, them or the enivornment. What can we do about it? If you’re a Sheffield business
owner get on your Facebook account, set up a page for your company, and discover all the wonderful ways you can use their advertising platform. If you’re from the University then why not levy a charge on companies for on campus paper promotion? Then that money can be donated to protecting parts of rainforest from being turned into a flyer about Jagerbombs. Finally, if you’re a student, then just don’t accept the paper. This entire invasive method of marketing depends on one thing: you grabbing that leaflet. If businesses get the message that we’re just not going to have paper forced on us, then we’ll end up with a far happier Freshers’ Week.
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COMMENT
COMMENT FREEDOM EDITION It’s that time again. Get out your popcorn folks, it’s election year.
THE PULP-PIT “the soap-box of the common people”
What is the weirdest thing you have seen on a night out? “I once saw two students fully brawling over half a pizza from dominos on West Street. It wasn’t even late, it was only like 11PM” ANONYMOUS
TRUMP CLINTON D
ARGUING FOR TRUMP Matthew Rowland Physics Student
onald J. Trump receives lots of media coverage in which he is accused of every -ism and phobia under the sun, with limited positive reporting. Mr Trump is the obvious choice for President and primarily this comes down to that what the media aren’t covering - his policy positions.
THE WALL
Illegal or “undocumented” migrants cost the United States somewhere in the region of $100 billion a year, yet due to obvious difficulties in discerning the number of individuals this figure is prone to variability. A wall would decrease this figure substantially, as well as work to reduce the estimated two million illegal migrants. This also does not account for the monies being sent from the US to (primarily) Mexico by “illegal aliens” - $25 billion is sent from the US to Mexico annually. Mexico will pay for the wall and there are a multitude of reasons why. The Trump administration could implement legislation requiring proof of an alien’s right to be in the US before any international transfers can be made, increase tariffs on goods from Mexico, and raise costs for obtaining visas. The cost of the wall (around $10 billion) is surely worth less to Mexico than the inflow of monies from the US. However, none of this comes close to the human cost of failing to stop the rampant drugs and arms trade on the southern border. A manned border wall would drastically limit the drug routes into, and the arms routes out of, the US and consequently
strip the drug cartels of their power, currently used to kill 20,000 people every single year. CHINA Trump promises to get tough on China and renegotiate most of the trade agreements the US has with other nations. This is entirely necessary as the US has, and has had for decades, a trade deficit with the rest of the world. Simply this means that the US is haemorrhaging money: more goods enter the US than leave and consequently more money leaves than enters. While this can arguably have positives, it hands huge power to foreigners over the value of US currency. A large scale sell-off of accumulated currency could trigger a huge devaluation in the dollar, with serious ramifications for the global economy. Taking steps to ensure that this does not happen to arguably the most important currency in the world is of interest to anyone living in the Western world. HEALTHCARE Trump wants to repeal Obamacare and there are good reasons for this. Firstly, under the Affordable Care Act, you are penalised if you choose not to purchase healthcare. Secondly, the cost of healthcare has increased by over $5,000 dollars per household on average, and the excesses on these plans are often unaffordable with some rising to $7,000 by 2017. Trump intends to reform this by repealing the act, and replacing it with legislation allowing individuals to buy health insurance across state lines, make insurance premiums tax deductible, and end the monopoly of the pharmaceutical industry by allowing safe drugs sales from overseas to reduce the costs of healthcare.
I
ARGUING FOR CLINTON Will Morgan Armchair politico
n a discussion on who would make a better president, a man who admits to sexual assault or a woman who accidentally used a private email server, it would be easy to list the reasons to vote against the former.
The majority of people know why they shouldn’t vote for Trump, so I’m not going to waste valuable column inches describing why electing him would be a disaster. Instead I’m going to focus on the much overlooked case for Hillary Clinton, the most politically experienced candidate for presidency since the 1980s. LAW AND ORDER Following another year of mass shootings and mass incarceration, undoubtedly law and order is one of the most contentious issues of this election season. Hillary Rodham Clinton has the only plan with a hope of ending this dark period for America. In her first term she plans to invest $1 billion in police training programs that focus on challenging racial prejudice within the police and the deescalation of conflict. Furthermore, Clinton will reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule II substance. This is important as arrests for mere possession of cannabis disproportionately affects the African American population, despite a similar usage rate to white Americans. This is part of Clinton’s overall plan to end America’s reign as the most incarcerated country on earth, with 25 per cent of the global prison population languishing in the nation’s jails
mostly mandatory minimum sentences. Mandatory minimums are the crux of Clinton’s reform plan. She wants to cut minimum sentences in half for non-violent drug offences and to allow current prisoners to seek fairer sentences. This will not only lower future incarceration rates but also current rates and so help to end America’s prison problem. HEALTHCARE Clinton has a long history of advocating for universal healthcare and, as with crime, Clinton has applied common sense to how Healthcare should be changed. Rather than just saying that Obamacare doesn’t work and therefore should be scrapped, Hillary will reform the parts of the Affordable Care Act that failed citizens. This means a state-led reduction in additional healthcare costs, from lowering deductibles to reducing the cost of prescription drugs. This means that comic book villains like Martin Shkreli won’t be able to increase the cost of life saving medication by thousands of a per cent just to turn a quick buck. The wealthiest nation on earth can do better than that and Hillary’s plans will make it do better than that. TAX REFORM Under the Clinton administration the very wealthiest in society would be forced to pay at least as much tax as the very lowest paid. This, in addition to the closing of loopholes will stop millionaire and billionaires from paying little to no tax and force them to contribute towards the society that built them. Clinton is the only candidate that can be trusted to fix America’s top-down tax system, being the only major candidate to both file tax returns and actually pay tax.
“The manager of a fast food establishment once offered me a job and drugs in the same sentence at around 3AM on West Street” COMMENT SNITCH
“Whilst enjoying a night out I decided to “steal” my friends nose to which he responded with extreme force. Chasing me then dragging me to the floor in a vicious retrival of his “nose”. After a bitter struggle he was victorious” FORGE PRESS INFORMANT
“I was walking down the street when I saw a woman holding something over a bin. As I drew closer I saw that she was holding her baby over the bin whilst it pooed. It was really weird.” LOCAL GRASS
“On my way home from nights out I alwasy used to see pissed people humping this bush by the side of the road. The owner had misguidedly trimmed it into the shape of a naked woman, forgetting that drunk students have probably humped worse” MYSTERION
“One of my friends from home came to visit me. After one night of cheap Sheffield booze he reached a state where he’d fall asleep whilst standing up, then awake screaming with laughter a few seconds later. He then proceeded to vomit through his laughter. West Street Live is a dark place.” MAN FOUND ON A BENCH
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COMMENT
press.comment@forgetoday.com
The Establishment Strikes Back
Or why we should endorse policies, not people.
T
Paddy Martin History Student
he Brexit vote illustrated the disconnect that large proportions of British people felt with the Government. Now it’s time to rebuild bridges and eradicate the meaningless rhetoric which left us divided and distrustful of our politicians.
Back in June, the British people made their anti-establishment sentiment heard with millions of people voting to leave the European Union. Brexit can be, and has been, painted by the right-wing press as a triumphant victory for ordinary British people, releasing themselves from the grasp of the corrupt, undemocratic rule of the European Union, or as the Daily Mail put it ‘the day the quiet people of Britain rose up against the arrogant, out of touch political class and contemptuous Brussels elite’. The sense of disengagement between people and the political elite is something which Brexit not only illuminated, but seemingly sought to address. This has been seen in the rise of populist Nigel Farage who claimed to be helping Britons ‘take back control’ of their country.
However, three months on, can we really claim that the vote to leave the European Union has changed this relationship between people and the political elite? Do Britons feel more empowered? Do we have greater faith in politicians representing our interests? In the immediate aftermath of the referendum doubts of such progress soon emerged. It took merely a number of hours, after Leave campaigners jubilant celebrations for their key arguments to fall through and for promises to be broken. The most noticeable being the pledge to invest the £350million we give to the European Union every week into the NHS. The betrayal many people felt from the likes of Gove and Johnson led to a petition calling for a second referendum. Research by Opinium suggested that if given this chance, 1.2million people would change their vote from Leave to Remain. How could it come to be that a referendum which was meant to address the disconnection between British people and the political elite left many feeling even more distrustful and distant? Yes, many people were and still are pleased with the decision to leave the EU, but we should not
simply ignore such statistics or write them off. Instead, we should use them to highlight how the issues which this referendum sought to address have not been settled. Throughout the campaign politicians on both sides failed to provide an accurate, informative argument which addressed the issues that people were facing. Instead they tried to persuade voters through scaremongering and spouting meaningless promises under the pretence of connecting with the British people.
“This leaves us in an environment of post-truth politics” This leaves us in an environment of post-truth politics, where the sway of voters is often based on misinformed information and heavily influenced by the perceived characteristics of politicians. For example, Farage’s common touch as the ex-city broker who perches at the bar sipping on his pint, or Johnson’s non-conformist attitude which humours the public whilst creating the illusion that the old Etonian offers something different to his counterparts. When the media play up to
this, like the right-wing press did during Brexit, it creates a dangerous façade that distracts from the facts. Instead of scrutinising the arguments, it creates the perception that the way for people to express their discontent with current politics and distrust of the political elite would be to vote Leave. Analysis of the demographics of the referendum vote shows that it is areas which have been the worst hit by austerity that were more likely to vote leave. Voting Leave was a revolt by the working class and others who too felt disconnected from the political elite, a way of hitting back at the neoliberal establishment which they felt so distant from. This is the irony of fighting establishment with establishment. The referendum
put the people in charge for one brief moment, giving them the opportunity to make their perceived anti-establishment statement. However, once it was made, the establishment soon took back the reigns, claiming to have addressed the issue of disconnection between people and the political elite. Thus following David Cameron’s departure, we have seen the establishment rebranded. This new Tory government, led by Theresa May, has begun driving in the slogan ‘a country that works for everyone’ in recent weeks. However, we must learn from the Referendum and ensure that proper scrutinisation of the policies comes before mere soundbites which have misled us in the past.
Existence is pain, get over it E veryday my newsfeed is permeated with Brexit woe and misery. Don’t get me wrong it is heartbreaking and soul destroying. I am not for one moment arguing that the growing alarm over the UK’s financial situation or the increased xenophobic language and (God forbid) policy announcements from our governing Tory party are not causing depression on an unprecedented scale, however we should consider a wider field of
sadness and drudgery. Today alone we have the Presidential election in the US conflict in the Middle East and the inevitable march towards the extinction of all species of bee on Earth. These are all things that should be taking up our fretting time and filling us with even more existential dread that our existence is under threat from a multitude of directions, not merely the Brexit vote. Consider this your firm but fair
reminder that there is more than just Brexit that should be causing you to wake up in a cold sweat screaming for sweet release from this world. Remember that you can have both quantity as well as quality when looking for new lows in human existence. Even looking into the future we can be safe in the knowledge that there will continue to be events to keep us up at night with some truly monstrous happenings. Growing instability around the
world for example is a sure sign more conflicts will soon spring up and consume your sleepless nights with worries. The gradual destruction of the environment coupled with climate change is also a strong contender here as it will undoubtedly at some point in the next century put a dampener on your day (to say the least). Or, if we want to be really ambitious, we can always shudder at the thought of the heat death of the universe, where entropy will
dictate a cold and black end for all existence as every star in our universe burns out. In short if you are going to be kept up at night at all the horrors that are part of our world don’t focus on merely one, there are a plethora to choose from, each more daunting than the last. That is the ugly truth dear reader, please don’t forget it.
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COMMENT
Politician’s corner
It’s A Good Day to Ghostbust 4: Ben Hur
David Craig takes a look at why the film industry seems stuck on rehashing old stories.
A word from one of your local politicians, MP for Sheffield Central Paul Blomfield.* *other politicians are available
“Brexit means Brexit.” That’s all Theresa May and Boris Johnson can manage to say when we challenge them on their approach to negotiating our departure from the EU. But what on Earth does it mean? The frightening truth is that they don’t know. Nearly four months after the referendum, they still haven’t got a plan. And their uncertainty is undermining our economy. I backed staying in the EU. So did most students I spoke to during the campaign. But, by a narrow margin, the country decided otherwise. We have to respect the result but not the Tory ‘brexiters’ interpretation of their mandate. People didn’t vote to sever our relationship with the EU at any cost. I’m determined to hold the Government to account, which I’ll be doing in my new job as a Shadow Minister on Brexit. Students have raised specific worries with me. Concerns about the ERASMUS programme, research funding, future work opportunities in Europe, and the importance of international students to our universities. And on wider issues too – from tackling climate change to protecting people’s rights. In helping to shape Labour’s approach, and how we challenge the Government.
If you would like to contact Paul on any of the issues raised here, you can email him at paul.blomfield. mp@parliament.uk If you are a local Sheffield MP then please get in touch about getting a column of your own! (Looking at you Clegg). press.comment@forgetoday.com
A
David Craig Student
fter a summer movie season that offered little in the way of originality, the conversation surrounding the abundance of remakes and sequels in Hollywood has flared up once again. As of 2016 the blockbuster genre is in its least interesting state since it came into existence, with studios afraid to venture into new territory. It’s a far cry from the promise shown during the 1980s but shouldn’t be seen as entirely the fault of a perceived laziness in the industry; we need to take some of the blame ourselves. So how did we get here? In
September 1975 after two and a half months of release, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws became the highest grossing film of all time in North America and in doing so reshaped the landscape of cinema. Jaws was a new kind of film; fresh and modern, it appealed to the youth of America in a way that previous success stories like Lawrence of Arabia and Spartacus never had. While earlier films like Easy Rider and Bonnie and Clyde may have also courted the younger generation, in doing so they often offended older America and were slapped with a restrictive R rating which limited their audience. Jaws, on the other hand, was
universally appealing and thanks to some last-minute editing it was able to capitalise on this with a family-friendly PG rating. It broke the mould in other ways too, being the first movie to efficiently use TV advertising to its advantage and the first to open in hundreds of cinemas at once rather than slowly build up from a few (as was standard practice at the time). Prior to Jaws the summer blockbuster was only a twinkle in the eye of a Hollywood machine that largely dismissed the summer months as a dead season for cinema business. Yet in a post-Jaws world every major studio wanted a blockbuster to call their own and the result was a wave of films that are still highly relevant to this day.
“paying to see original films and choosing to skip reboots and sequels is the only form of action Hollywood will pay attention to” Star Wars. Indiana Jones. Ghostbusters. Terminator. Films like these and many others led most fans to regard the 1980s as the golden age of blockbuster cinema and some to romanticise 1980s Hollywood as a haven for creative types with new and original ideas. A stark contrast to the Hollywood of today which we criticise for being just the
opposite. Indeed, many of the 80s blockbusters are cash cows that are still being enthusiastically milked by the film industry to this day, some three decades later. But why? At what point did studio executives become so riskaverse? Well first of all, it should be noted that film remakes are not a new thing; the 1959 epic Ben-Hur was a remake of a 1926 silent film, the 1960 western The Magnificent Seven was a remake of the 1954 Japanese film Seven Samurai. There are plenty of other lesser-known remakes dating all the way back to the 1930s, when mainstream American cinema was still in its infancy. With this in mind, it is possible to argue that the only reason Hollywood took so many chances on original ideas in the 1980s is that they had no choice but to do so. The modern blockbuster was an entirely new genre and there were relatively few films from Hollywood’s past that could be reshaped to fit the blockbuster template. It might be overly pessimistic to call 1980s cinema creativity out of necessity, but the fact of the matter is major movie studios are – and always have been – more concerned with making money than with making art. Film studios were willing to take more chances in the 1980s because each of them wanted to bag the next Star Wars, the next movie that would become a worldwide
phenomenon and a goldmine for years to come. That’s still the case today but with one major difference. Back in the early years of the blockbuster studio executives had no idea what would be popular with audiences. They were in uncharted territory. In today’s landscape that simply isn’t the case. Years of box office figures and audience polls have allowed film studios to distil a formula for making the safest blockbusters possible. As the cost of film production rises (when adjusted for inflation the first Star Wars film had a budget of about $45 million, in comparison to the $200 million spent on The Force Awakens) this is a formula that is put to use more and more frequently. While before there was a little slack for box office flops as Hollywood collectively tested the waters of this exciting new genre, in today’s world people are putting their careers on the line with every big budget movie they make. Filmmaking is by its nature a risky business and if studios can lessen that risk by using a franchise name the public are aware of, or a concept that audiences have connected with in the past then you can bet that they’re going to do it. The only way we can speak out about this uninspired method of thinking is with our cash - paying to see original films and choosing to skip reboots and sequels is the only form of action Hollywood will pay attention to. But this isn’t what we do. While some reboots and sequels have found themselves imploding at the box office, for every rejected rehash there are half a dozen that have gone above and beyond the point of profitability. In a world where almost every year the highest-grossing films are reboots or sequels to things that have come before, Hollywood simply doesn’t believe us when we say we’re desperate for more original ideas in our movies. So it’s time to make a choice: do we want brave, entirely new concepts, or do we want to see the next Star Wars movie?
14 FORGE PRESS
Friday 14 October 2016
COMMENT
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COMMENT FEATURE
Are we really interested in politics or are we just looking for some entertainment? With the US presidential race underway Abby Suttle explores the way in which politics has become more about its entertainment value rather than political know-how...
T
he first I knew of the now infamous Donald Trump was when I saw him on the Apprentice. Bored on a Sunday morning, I flicked carelessly through the television channels and was surprised as I was met, not by the gruff, cockney Alan Sugar calling the shots, but the fluffyhaired American, Donald Trump. The Apprentice, is an entertainment, reality TV show which has the audience gripped in the drama of the business world. It is quick, emotional and full of big personalities. Sadly, this has some bleak similarities to how modern day politics is run. Audiences saw this during the US Presidential Debate where it seemed that important issues were not being taken seriously. It was not a thoughtful issue-
based debate where clear solutions and explicit plans are laid out and
“Appealing to the public is not necessarily the same as being a genuinely good President.” debated for their merits and failings. Rather, party politics was reduced to playground one-upmanship, with the childish comeback of ‘I’m telling the teacher’ becoming ‘I’m telling my lawyers’. In an adversarial two-horse race, the clamour for votes, is all based on who that person is. Appealing to the public as a charismatic, confident, knowledgeable leader is not necessarily the same as
being a genuinely good President. The person who looks better on a platform won’t necessarily make the best policy choices but when one candidate is pitted against another the contest is far away from any political policy, the contest is in the entertainment of the whole affair. But surely this superficiality must exist for a reason? Are we getting less critical and more susceptible to easy ploys? I would argue no. It goes a little deeper than that. We are possibly busier than ever before and the way that most people, at least most y o u n g people, e n g a g e with the
news is through the internet. It’s the videos that pop up on Facebook or on BBC News or the Mail Online or Twitter. My generation has seen a bit of both worlds. Not brought up with a smartphone recording our first school play, but still computer literate and engaged with technology. Modern technology makes information more accessible than ever, and it really is very impressive when you consider that essentially all human knowledge and achievements are accessible online. Want to know what time the subway runs between
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Friday 14 October 2016
COMMENT
politicians, is playing the “Trump, like manyrolemodern of the performer
“
Hongik University and Anam in Seoul? Or the birth place of an Eastenders actress? Just Google it. We want to know things right this instant. Waiting for things to load simply is not worth the time when you can access an alternative quicker and easier than ever before. We do not have to settle for something more difficult. This kind of mentality has permeated politics. For many a brief summary is enough to have a decent idea of what’s going on, a video of less than a minute is enough to be clued up with the current tribulations within Labour, or on May’s social policies. This happens nowhere more so, than in the intensive realm of US politics.
“Party politics was reduced to playground one-upman ship, with the childish come back of ‘I’m telling the teacher’ becoming ‘I’m telling my lawyers’.” Gordon Browns’ regretful remark into a forgotten microphone calling 65 year old Gillian Duffy a ‘bigot’ was a scandal, and led to lots of grovelling. He was torn apart by an already hostile press, who took it as his bad attitude and falseness.
Compare that to some of the ‘gaffes’ performed by Trump which are laughed off as part of his big personality. He has been caught red-handed lying many times, disclaiming his own Twitter record and previous interviews with just a straight up denial. It seems odd that he maintains popular support when these controversial statements reflect how he feels towards his voters. Indeed, politics is increasingly becoming more like an entertainment show and it’s wholly worrying. Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson said a week is a long time in politics, and now, with the public opinion more clear than ever through trending hashtags and social media, it seems that even a few hours can seem like a lifetime in politics. Trump, like many modern politicians, is playing the role of the performer and that is how he manages to get support. The impact of social media, whilst not only making politics much more accessible, has changed the reliability of the picture and news you can see. Go back a few decades and most people’s access to information was through the newspapers, the radio or the television. If a politician said an outrageous contradiction, someone would have to manually go through old newspapers or tapes to find a record of this
being said or done. Now all you have to do is Google it. Whilst you can easily find out what has happened it can also be a lot more unreliable. Previously, it was big, trusted institutions like the BBC letting you know what was happening. Now with increasing internet access, people can claim outrageous things, with a total lack of any real evidence, and have people believe it. Just Google Lizard People if you want to know more. Looking at it historically, there has always been fanfare around these issues, especially in the USA. The famous debates between Lincoln and Douglas in 1858, intensively discussing the finer points of slavery, were literally begun with parades to the stage. On our side of the pond, things perhaps
may seem more austere. Jeremy Corbyn was very unpopular for on occasion not donning a tie, an issue which reflects the kind of formal atmosphere within our system.
People of the past looked into the future and saw a world where menial tasks were done by machines and we spent our days enjoying our free time. This is,
“Harold Wilson said a week is a long time in politics, and now, with... social media, it seems that even a few hours can seem like a long time in politics.” Of course, the differences reflect the very political systems they inhabit. The US Presidential race is much more individualistic, each candidate representing themselves more than the wider party and hence, their name being on everyone’s lips. In our firstpast-the-post system, there is less emphasis on the individual and more on the party policies overall. Clinton and Trump both desperately want the presidency, for that they need votes, for that they need people to like them, and for that they need to be entertaining. But this increasing blurring of politics and entertainment perhaps reflects deeper issues. Underlying it all, there must be more deep-seated reasons than the notion that we are too self-centred to care about the wider world unless it is broken down into fun, emotional chunks.
obviously, not the reality. Today, the modern 9am to 5pm is often more of a 7am to 7pm, and we are seeing increasing levels of stress and mental health issues than ever before. People want to know what is going on but they are already tired from long days at work, of targets and deadlines, with enough of their own personal hardships to deal with. Politics being broken down into easily digestible sound bites is a welcome summary. This change is neither a positive or negative trend. Trying to slow the popularity of social media is like King Canute stopping the tide, it just won’t happen. Politics is still about power, it is just that the delivery has changed. Entertainment is increasingly important. We must each be as critical as possible and do our own research into what we trust. And with all of human knowledge at our fingertips it is not impossible to do so.
Tweet us your thoughts @forgepress
16 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
FEATURES
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“Muscle Dysmorphia is however, a serious psychological condition, one that as many as one in 10 male gym users could suffer from.”
O
ur Instagram feeds are flooded with filtered images. Augmented selfies, carefully angled snapshots of homes and holidays, and aestheticised portrayals of our lifestyle create an illusion of perfection. For hours we pour over highprofile accounts, watching endless snapchat stories of workout routines, sports cars and swimming pools in a fantasy so far removed from our own lives we feel inspired, but also devastatingly insignificant. Today with the booming popularity of visual social media platforms, we have pages and pages of photographic content at our fingertips. With every two-minute break in our day, we waste no time in scrolling and refreshing our feeds. The desire, the craving, to keep up to date with friends, ‘big names’, or even people we have never met (but would like to be) drives our day. Ask yourself: does what you choose to post online reflect the reality of your life? In the endless cycle of producing and consuming idealised illusions of reality, we choose only to post the pictures taken from a certain angle. The selfie in our gym clothes, despite the fact it’s the first time we’ve worn them in two weeks. The group shot with friends at the bar with no mention of the previous nights alone. An obsession with our appearance and the quality of our lifestyle is not, and maybe never was, an issue only affecting women. In a culture where men are expected to be impassive, forthright and unconcerned with a want for praise, it’s easy to overlook how this issue is affecting us all. The sensation of disaffection and inadequacy that engulfs us when scrolling through the lives of the elite is no surprise really, when you consider how easy it can be to create a perfected representation of our own lives online. This is not just about images and illusions though. It is much more than that. The content fed to us online and in magazines propagates a lifestyle superior to our own, which can become a basis for envy and self-dissatisfaction. It is not just the rich and famous either. The guy you went to college with Snapchats his workout routine and looks practically Herculean in comparison to your boyish physique. The friends you went to school with post a glittering image and Facebook status announcing their engagement, while you manage a failing dating life and live at home with mum. Kanye sells out Madison Square Garden again, while you set your 6.30am alarm in preparation for yet another
gruelling day at the job you wish you could afford to quit. It is enough to make us miserable, and it does. Since the 90s, supermodels and A-list studs have covered every magazine, flawless and superhuman. ‘Size Zero’ was the thing, remember that? It still affects us all. Research from the NHS information centre and the ‘Beat Eating Disorders’ charity tells us that up to 6.4 per cent of adults in the UK exhibitsigns of an eating disorder (Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, 2007). “The Health and Care Information Centre published figures in February 2014 showed an 8 per cent rise in the number of inpatient hospital admissions in the 12 months previous to October 2013. The Costs o f Eating Disorders report found that this is indicative of the trend in increasing prevalence over time: a 34% increase in admissions since 2005-06 - approximately 7 per cent each year.” Moreover, the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey revealed that up to 25 per cent of those displaying signs of an eating disorder were male. It is also probable that this figure is much higher, and due
ridicule. It stretches beyond the struggle for weight loss too. Recent reports have detailed a frenzy for achieving the ‘perfect’ masculine physique, where men are slaves to the gym in an unending battle for a chiselled chest and eighteen-inch biceps. Some have labelled this trend for bulking, steroids and weightlifting as ‘bigorexia’, a term that (perhaps problematically) plays on the term ‘anorexia’ in linking this obsession with body dysmorphic disorders more familiar to us. ‘Muscle Dysmorphia’ is however, a serious psychological condition, one that as many as one in 10 male gym users could suffer from. In a kind of ‘reverse anorexia’, muscle dysmorphia is an anxiety disorder preoccupied with the idea that one isn’t big enough, or gaining muscle at a desirable
The
Man r
As image obsession becomes a phenomeno explores medical conditions and the change
to certain social stigmas, men studied might have refrained from discussing conditions and anxieties concerning their weight or appearance. Bulimia and anorexia are eating disorders often associated with young women, and have had widespread news coverage over the past decade due to rising numbers of diagnoses. As studies have shown though, it is not just females who are affected by body dysmorphic disorders (BDDs). To be concerned with one’s own appearance is often seen as an act of vanity or narcissism, and a social stigma formed around eating disorders becomes damaging and problematic, especially for men. Men affected by anorexia, bulimia and body dysmorphic disorders might feel compelled to hide away their internal struggles and to suffer in silence, in a desperately sad attempt to appear the antithesis of weak, feminine or self-absorbed. Social and cultural ideologies about what being ‘a man’ might mean, deny men the ability to voice their mental health concerns without fear of judgement and
rate. As well as overexertion at the gym, other signs of bigorexia include: Working out compulsively; use of anabolic steroids; excessively looking at your body in the mirror; abuse of supplements and constant drinking of protein shakes; irritability and angry outbursts; depression and mania; panic if you miss your gym session; training while injured; prioritising working out over family and social life. Growing pressure on men to achieve a powerful, masculine physique in order to feel attractive or successful can lead to disorders such as this. In a society we believe to be equal, cultural expectations about how a man should look and act leads some men to becoming transfixed with obtaining the ‘body beautiful’. If their body is strong and masculine, then surely they will see equal success in other parts of their life? Perhaps it is about getting more attention from women, respect from the boys at work, or finding a feeling of superiority above average Joe on the street. Usually though, it can be more about proving their masculinity; proving
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FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
FEATURES their worth. It’s the internal struggle concerned with proving oneself however, that can lead to overwhelming feelings of misery and dejection. Muscle Dysmorphia typically causes men to spend less time with their friends and loved ones, as they devote hours upon hours lifting weights and putting in shifts at the gym. Money is lost to excessive amounts of protein shakes, gym equipment, anabolic steroids, strict diet plans and gym memberships. If it goes too far, it can often be hard to turn back. Worryingly, feelings of inadequacy and failure men might feel when they do not meet their personal body goals could lead to depression and feelings of suicide. Almost everybody feels unhappy about how they look at some point in their life, but these feelings often subside or are fleeting insecurities. BDD affects the sufferer much more severely- a hatred for one’s own appearance and feelings of inadequacy become inescapable and distressing. It is believed that as many in one in 100 people in the UK could suffer with the condition, and this statistic underestimates anybody hiding it from others. BDD is also found to affect males and females in equal numbers. Then there is what you need to know to get help if you feel that you could be affected by this: Sufferers of BDD are often hesitant to because they feel embarrassed or uncomfortable explaining their issue. It is important to remember though, that
New
rexia
on for men, not just women, Liam Hulmes in the way society now regards appearance... Body Dysmorphic Disorders are long-term health conditions, and just like a physical affliction, it is not the sufferer’s fault and neither should they feel ashamed. Social stigmas surrounding mental health must be broken. With images of ‘perfection’ all around us on social media and in our magazines, it is easy for us to fall into the trap of feeling inadequate, and thoroughly dissatisfied with the quality of our lives and the appearance of ourselves and our environment. We live in a culture where everything feels like a competition. Who gets the most likes, the most views or followers. Whose life looks impossibly perfect on Instagram; clean eating, superfood smoothies, ripped abs and designer products.
It’s important we realise the images we see online are not a true depiction of things as they are, and the worth of a person is in no way correlated with projections of their lives or accomplishments across their social media. Just like people with body dysmorphic disorders have an inability to see the reality of their appearance, the current cultural trend for sharing aestheticised depictions of our realities leads to a different kind of disillusion. In comparing our own lives to the ones we see splashed across our screens, we find ourselves feeling demoralised and unhappy. We are failing to see however, that these carefully assembled, augmented versions of reality are never a true representation of what really exists on the other side of the screen. Be assured that sharing details about our lives online is not a competition in which we must participate.
“Ask yourself: does what you choose to post online reflect the reality of your life?”
18 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
FEATURES
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Social media or anti-social?
In 2016 we all have a love/ hate relationship with our phones, but is it ruining real life experiences because we are more concerned with what we put online? Florrie Andrew investigates and even puts herself on a social media ban.
R
ecently, a Saturday night in Sheffield involved me going to the nightclub Popworld to witness Jo and Bradley from S Club 7 jamming out our favourite childhood hits. Preparation for the night had been intense, mainly having their albums on repeat all week long. It’s safe to say the neighbours weren’t impressed. However, when Jo and Bradley finally took to the stage, did I sing along to the chorus of ‘Reach’? No. Did I put my week long rehersals to good use? Nope. Instead, I stood still, in silence, capturing those famous lines on film for my Snapchat story. Being able to watch back a night out whenever you want is just as good as being there yourself. Said no one ever. Yet, I was content with not singing about reaching for the stars and was
more concerned with how good my Snapchat story was. On reflection of the night before, I realised just how much my life revolves around social media applications. Not one meal time goes by where I don’t refresh, refresh and refresh my social feeds. Regularly, I send pictures of the meals I’ve prepared to my friends on Snapchat and sometimes post meals out to Instagram, but why does this really matter? Does anyone really believe that their friends actually care what type of pasta they’ve had for dinner? I hope not. But acknowledgment of our latest activities is enough to keep us sending and updating. Ashamedly, I must spend hours of my life on social media. I could be spending this time on university work, but I would
rather be taking the latest quiz on Buzzfeed. Or, if I’m not on it, it is likely that I will be thinking about it. Prior to meeting up with friends, it is now innate for me to check my Facebook to see if, horror, they have cancelled our plans. A 2015 GWI report found that the UK average of time spent on social media a day is 78 minutes. That’s over 474 hours a year, which equates to walking from Ranmoor to the Students’ Union 1,139 times. The average user could most likely write their dissertation in the time they spend on social media a year. Or 50 dissertations, depending on how late you leave it.
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FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
FEATURES It is unquestionable that social media is often the antithesis of being sociable. Admit it: you’ve had conversations where, at the end, you realise you had no idea what was being said as you were intently (yet subtly) scrolling through your Twitter feed. And how many times have you been speaking to your friend and they’ve responded with a slight ‘hm’ and then gone on to show you something they’ve found when doing the same thing? Despite arguably the many unsociable elements of phone applications, it goes without saying that many form an instrumental part of our lives. Possibly the most widely used social media website is Facebook- every university student’s bible. No matter how much you despise the Mark Zuckerberg website, you simply cannot go without it.
pictures of the display. 110,000 retweets later, and I think it’s safe to say that @JessyJeanie won’t be indirected anytime soon. Social media has taken over our lives to the extent that we make it take over our pets’ lives too (or, so we pretend). Instagram accounts like @HarlowandSage and @ Marniethedog are run from the perspective of the dogs and have over 1.3 and 2 million followers respectively. Even the most political cat in Britain has its own Twitter account, with @Number10Cat posting somewhat unofficial meowings from behind the black door.
A 24 hour ban... To find out to what extent social media takes over my life, for Forge Press, I put myself on a ban for 24 hours. My findings? I certainly am a little more obsessive than I should be. Within minutes of starting the ban, I had typed in my code on my phone and flicked on to the home screen of my beloved Twitter, Facebook , Snapchat and Instagram apps. The nerve-endings in my fingertips were going ballistic. Do. Not. Click.
Between lectures:
There’s not long now until I finish these 24 social mediafree hours. I find that I complete notes more quickly without social media as a distraction. However, the fear that something is happening on social media that I am missing out on is constantly there.
The last hour:
It’s surprising how quickly I have got used to not having social media. Already alternatives to getting the latest updates are evolving and, frankly, 23 hours without crying at Snapchat story updates as someone videos that hilarious moment they had with their new friend is a holiday in itself.
The finish line:
I’ve done it. Glazing over the small slip-up earlier in the day, I can now freely update myself on what songs people were jamming to at Corp thanks to Snapchat and where in the world your gap year friend is. Yay!
One hour in:
Has anybody organised an event? Has anyone in my flat responded to my demand that we go to the Chuckle Brothers night? I made a folder consisting of my apps to resist the temptation. I was not going to delete them entirely off my phone for the sake of an experiment, obviously.
Two hours in: It’s imperative to hearing about society events, nights out and for communicating with those members of your course you’ve only ever made eye-contact with once but have no one else to go to. One of the newer forms of social media is Periscope. Fancy broadcasting live your own one-man Great British Bake Off? This is the app for you.Alternatively, you could Periscope someone climbing Trump Tower in New York City, as one man did in August this year. 703,081 people tuned in to watch the possibility of a man falling to his death (he didn’t, thankfully) from one of the most hated buildings on Earth. Frankly, daily vloggers become irrelevant as soon as you consider the prospect of becoming an every-single-second vlogger. Online activity on these websites can easily be the make-orbreaking of you. Last month, one Pennsylvanian girl found unpleasant tweets about her on her roommate’s twitter so printed off the subtweets and stapled them, alongside some paper hearts, on to the wall of their shared room, tweeting
Dinner time. The part of the day in which Facebook is most active, as everyone loiters around waiting for the water to boil. For today’s meal, I slouch against the kitchen surface and double, triple check the recipe book to pass time.
The rest of the evening:
I managed to sign up to three supermarket loyalty card schemes: productive.
Bed time:
No goodbye webosphere tonight. Instead, I read. Aw, I love reading.
Morning:
I’m feeling cut off from civilisation.
Mid-lecture:
BUSTED. I broke it. Subconsciously during a two-minute break, I tapped on to Twitter. I guiltily continue. That never happened.
Ultimately, those 24 hours revealed that I rely heavily on social media for the latest news updates but also proved that, as particularly evident from my mid-lecture rule breaking, it is the #1 time filler. Nevertheless, despite its flaws, social media, in my opinion, is the best way to inform audiences of news that they may never have otherwise come across. And, let’s be honest: where else would you get your daily fix of puppy pictures?
20 FORGE PRESS
THURSDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
LIFESTYLE Ich Bin Ein Berliner Travel
Lifestyle contributor Aisling Power spends a few days in the German capital
T
he beautiful city of Berlin has had more than its fair share of woes, including numerous wars and the separation of the East and West for 28 years by a wall. This rich but deeply saddening history has built modern day Berlin; a German capital with an extremely unique culture. One of the best things to do to see Berlin in a short period of time is to go on a walking tour. The tour I went on was filled with ionic sites, most notably Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, some of the remaining Berlin Wall and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews
of Europe. At each place the tour guide explains the history behind the places and the city. For example, we visited Bebelplatz where the burning of the books occurred in Nazi Germany in 1933. This square now has a memorial in the form of an underground library with space for the 20,000 books that were burned, and a quote by Heinrich Heine; ‘That was only a prelude; where they burn books, they will in the end also burn people’. All the different museums in Berlin leave you spoilt for choice. The Stasi Museum gives an insight
‘Next came Dr. Pong, a minimalistic bar which was basically a guy with a fridge, a ping-pong table and a poker table.’ to what life was like in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and is eye opening to just how much the Stasi watched their ‘own people’. A much more interactive museum is the DDR Museum, which again gives an insight to Berlin under the USSR through videos, extracts of books and props, including costumes to try on and a car that you can ‘drive’. There are various places to go to get a bird’s eye view of Berlin
including the TV Tower, the Reichstag and the Berliner Dom. The Berliner Dom is the more painful of the three as it involves walking up 270 steps to get to the view, but is well worth the struggle. In addition, the Dom itself is a magnificent building with intricate decoration and the Hohenzollern Crypt (one of the most significant royal burial places in Europe). For a cheap day out, Berlin Zoo is a must. With a Berlin Welcome Card it costs a total of €10.50 for the day. The animals include classics such as lions, monkeys and bears, plus a petting zoo with goats and donkeys running wild and people trying to feed or play with the animals. Another cool section is Nocturnal animals, which included bats, kangaroo rats and buttoneyed slow lorises which were SO CUTE and not common in many other zoos. In addition to being full of history Berlin is renowned for its nightlife, with an enviable amount of bars and clubs. In Friedrichshain there is Suicide Circus, a techno club playing heavy electronic music to the relatively small & sweaty dancefloor filled mostly with tourists. For the Goths out there, there is Slaughter House. Similar to Suicide Circus, the dancefloor is relatively small but not usually as crowded, with much more room for headbanging.
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There are lots of different pub crawls in Berlin for tourists. The 666 Alternative Bar Crawl offers a different experience to just going out and getting absolutely sloshed. As part of this bar crawl they visit different local bars and then finish in a club. The first bar was called Yesterday. It’s an extremely cool bar with a chill atmosphere and unique decorations, including a wooden Alice in Wonderland garden dangling from the ceiling. Next came Dr. Pong, a minimalistic bar which was basically a guy with a fridge, a ping-pong table and a poker table. The last bar was a Goth bar with a metal statue of a sizeable penis at the top of the stairway and
decorations that looked like they had been taken out of Scooby Doo, but would be perfect for anyone who enjoys heavy metal and absinthe shots. The bar crawl finished in Cassiopeia, located in the middle of a bombed out train depot from WWII. This club has a huge beer garden as well as two floors of music. The bottom floor is hip hop and the top floor is indie music. They also have themed nights including a 90s night which consisted of people belting out Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys all night long. Berlin is an awesome city to visit for a few days; it is very unlikely you could get bored.
Finding your work & exercise balance Health & Fitness
Lifestyle contributor Ben Hardy talks through the trials and tribulations surrounding excersise in exam / essay season
T
he temptation during an essay may be to camp out in the library with long sessions late into the night, complete with snacks and caffeine to accompany this exhausting burst. Yet, there is a way of making the essay deadline period far less stressful as part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Dedicating a part of a weekly routine to exercise is easily done so it doesn’t restrict the amount of time required to complete an essay. In fact, the beauty of being a university student is that the hours are incredibly flexible for time management based on the individual. Sure, courses such as medicine aren’t as flexible, but
this is not an excuse to abandon exercise. For those who are aged between 19 and 64 (I imagine this should apply to the majority of those with essay deadlines!), it is recommended by the NHS that 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of intense exercise are
required weekly. This equates to no more than two and a half hours. Alternatively, this can be broken down into half an hour for five days each week. As a result, weekends could be exercise free. Even with essay deadlines, it is really easy to accomplish. As well as amounting to few
hours during a week, the benefit of exercise is that there are so many different ways of doing it. The choice is entirely up to the student. Whether it may be independent running and aerobic exercises or team sports and societies, exercise is offered for those willing to be active. By exercising independently, a student can balance fitness with essays whenever they wish to do so. Swimming and running are manageable possibilities, perhaps first thing in the morning, or at the end of a day of work. Goodwin sports centre has a pool, and there are many parks in the city such as Crookes Valley, Endcliffe Park and Ponderosa where running can be carried out in pleasant surroundings. Those that choose running may want to create a motivational playlist to keep adrenaline and motivational levels high as they pound the streets or parks of Sheffield. Another option is regular bursts of short vigorous aerobic exercise which could be done as part of
quick breaks from an essay. Ideally done in the privacy of a room where no onlookers are present, exercise such as press ups, sit-ups or even yoga can be speedily done in order to maintain concentration and fitness levels as opposed to slogging through an essay in long sittings. The University of Sheffield is blessed with many sports teams and societies if the preference is to exercise with friends and opponents. Sports such as football, squash, rugby or netball can be fun as well as guaranteeing the recommended time of exercise a week. Time management so that both exercise and essay work become a part of a weekly schedule becomes a habit that will make you feel better for it. Exercise can even become a welcome relief as a change to work during your day. Sheffield’s facilities make exercise very achievable so that a fulfilling student lifestyle is possible. On top of socialising and periods of relaxation, both exercise and study can be scheduled.
FORGE PRESS 21
THURSDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
LIFESTYLE The lowdown on Sheffield’s LIFESTYLE LOVES Vintage Scene By Joseph Mackay
Vulgar
Fashion
Lifestyle contributor and online vintage seller Sam Ralphs gives ‘insider info’ on some of Sheffield’s most well known Vintage Shops
T
COW
T
he most prominent store in Sheffield for Uni of students, ‘We are Cow’ Sheffield is one of a growing chain of vintage stores across the North of England with stores in Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham and newly opened Liverpool store alongside the Sheffield branch. Cow’s clothing is unapologetically trend led, if you want to achieve the vintage look they are the place to go. Rife with American influences, Cow offers not unfairly priced branded items from big names like Ralph/Tommy with the average price point being around £20-30, to on trend aesthetic pieces, faded graphic T’s, heavy shirts, heaps of corduroy and a light smattering of sportswear, usually sourced from America. Firmly set in the 90s the Cow aesthetic is grungy, loose and worn in. A clear ‘look’ that’s very popular at present. Cow’s offset is perhaps how much they’re making vintage shopping like normal shopping, there are very few out of the box pieces and outfits put together from their lines can be pretty standard rather than stand-out.
Freshman’s
F
Good for: Trend pieces, ‘vintage look’ and easy shopping.
reshman’s have been in the vintage game for years (about 25); they have a wealth of experience and an emphasis on value. They’re focused on getting good stuff in and out quickly for a fair price. Flat pricing reigns with bargains to be had, nestled amongst the more regular pieces there are some special bits indeed. If you know what you’re looking for in rarer vintage - go have a look. Set up by item, Freshman’s store is an easy one to navigate, yet still retains the ‘treasure trove’ element that makes vintage shopping so rewarding versus regular highstreet. Sportswear pieces, classic on trend vintage items such as flannel shirts, worker/chore jackets and sports jumpers (adidas, nike etc. alongside some USA team pieces) at very fair prices. You can also find more thoroughly British, style specific lines at Freshman’s, tied to Mod, Punk and 80s Casual styles.
Bad for: Smaller sizes (particularly men’s) and unique pieces.
Good for: Hunting for gold and experienced staff.
West street, (opposite Nando’s) Instagram: @cowsheffield
Bad for: Consistent quality. Carver street, Instagram: @freshmansboutique
‘If you know what you’re looking for in rarer vintage - go have a look.’
he new kids on the block, Vulgar are confident and loud they sell the bright and the colourful, crazy prints and loud patterns. They’re not all that dictated by trend, preferring to do their own thing and it’s great. The best and most unique store environment of any, Vulgar’s shop is filled with Victorian themed bits and bobs, antique animal skulls and taxidermy covering the walls and shelves. Most prominent of all is a giant Zebra’s head sitting above the counter. The store is filled with vibrancy. Expect to pick up some of the boldest print shirts and knit jumpers, coloured trousers and patterned dresses and tops. Vulgar also features the Savage Sister concession, a shop within a shop, filled with designer glamour and sparkle. Big name designer pieces at fair prices; ideal to find a unique piece you won’t bump into every day. Good for: Unique pieces, bright/bold colours and designer pieces.
FASHION
Towards the end of last academic year I lived across the road from a Subway, and became quite close friends with the owner; Subway Mandy. At the end of the year she gifted me with her finest possession: her Subway cap. And I wear it with pride. Tesco, Tuesday Club, Lectures, Weddings, Funerals....
FOOD After a housemate brought in a distinctly hipstery toaster with a special bagel setting on it as a housewarming gift from their gran, there has been a bagel CRAZETM in the household. This CRAZETM has lead to the discovery of a variety of new bagel styles which I am enjoying. My two picks of the bunch are The New York Bagel Co.’s Blueberry and Cheese varieties.
Bad for: Small men’s collection Division street, next to Devonshire Green. Instagram: @vulgarshop / @ thesavagesister
TRAVEL On Friday evening I found myself on the 8:00pm train from Sheffield to Manchester to go to the Warehouse Project. I would bore you about it here, but if you want to read more, check out page 33 *wink wink*
22 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
LIFESTYLE Fashion
Lifestyle contributor Sophie Wilson lays down the season’s top trends
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ashion Week was a celebration of youth culture In the wake of Brexit and the closure of Fabrics, young designers fought back defiantly Fashion thrives under political turmoil, and this summer it has given young London designers all the inspiration they need. However, instead of becoming overtly political which can often come across as insensitive coming from the world of luxury fashion, this season’s collections were a celebration of youth. Brexit and the closure of Fabric may have left a sour aftertaste for young Londoners, but this fashion week up and coming designers showed that creative young people cannot be beaten down. We will continue to dance and have fun, and we will look good doing it. After Marc Jacobs’ controversial use of dreadlocks in his representation of contemporary rave culture in New York the previous week, it is refreshing and reassuring to know that London can do it better. Molly Goddard’s show epitomised this attitude, balancing between lighthearted fun and timely poignancy. Spotlights danced across the runway as club music pounded from the speakers. The clothes themselves harked back to the teenage ultra-femininity of Goddard’s earlier collections, with an abundance of tulle and frills injecting a prom queen vibe. The collection managed to be both mournful and empowering, given the context of recent London nightclub closures. The outfits were defiant, a call back in time to the London nightlife of the 70s and 80s when fashion subcultures came out in droves to get into clubs with crazy dress codes to dance all night, before property developers and council members started to shut these places down. Another charm of Goddard’s collection is its effortlessness. The pieces are undoubtedly cool, but most of them can just be thrown on. This is dressing up, but not the kind that means spending hours in front of a mirror trying to look flawless. As much as the models are a little overdressed for a night on the town, there is nothing objectifying about this. The collection was clearly produced through the female gaze, and there is not a high heel in sight. The glamour of heels is worth sacrificing for a brilliant night out. There is freedom from all mundane restraints, even if only for one night and Goddard staged the most stylish night out
FEATURE ever at her show. After models had walked the runway they stayed at the back and danced under the spotlights. Fashion can be fun and posey simultaneously. Young women love to compliment each other’s outfits, hair and makeup on nights out and this collection’s neon tulle is the exact thing that will gain compliments from the edgiest fashionistas. It would be unlikely to spot Goddard’s designs at the sort of rave that made up the backdrop to the show. Instead, what is created is a fantasy world, one where everyone dresses like a princess of nightlife and all of London’s best clubs are still open every weekend. The collection is euphoric, showing that we will not let older generations get us down. Ashish’s Spring 2017 collection is equally defiant, triumphing both diversity and nightlife with detailed embroidery and sequins gracing traditional Indian dress. Ashish Gupta migrated from India 20 years ago, and this celebration of his culture went down the runway alongside slogan T-shirts and sporty jackets. The collection fought back at bigots who see negativity in multiculturalism. The casting was perfect for the show, with mostly unknown models and predominantly models of colour making it more believable and the message more effective. Gupta walked onto the runway at the end wearing a T-shirt with the word “Immigrant” boldly emblazoned across the front, rounding off the message of the whole collection, which was that despite Brexit, despite rising rates of hate crime, no one should ever feel ashamed of who they are and where they are from. London Fashion Week is a platform for young designers more than any other major fashion capital in the world, making fashion an important voice in the millenial sphere. The Spring 2017 collections are a place to gather inspiration, spread the message of acceptance and have a good time. This season, London Fashion Week was a time to forget about luxury fashion as frivolity and turn a blind eye to all the big houses chasing money rather than creativity, and instead recognise fashion as a defiant means of commentary for young people, when we so often feel as though we are given no voice.
Fashion
London Fashion Week: Runway Trends Checklist for Spring / Summer 2017 by Aditi Babel
but I can’t tell you how many of them I saw. Mixing Patterns & Prints with Black & White. Even neutral was interesting this season. I saw head-to-toe looks that were exclusively white and black, simultaneously featuring flower patterns, stripes, polka dots, etc. But the real winners were— Metallics, Glitter, High-Gloss & Shine. All the shiny clothes. So many shiny clothes. Velvet. Velvet dresses, tops, jackets… I won’t lie, they all looked SO COOL. But man, if you can wear velvet in the summer, I salute you. Mustard: The everywhere.
Silk Slip Dresses. This 90s staple was featured on runways with a modern twist: worn on top of a white T-shirt. Pair with a choker, crimped hair, and a tamagotchi. Midi to Long Length. There was a huge shift away from mini skirts and dresses this year. I swear at some shows I didn’t see a single knee (Eudon Choi, I’m looking at you). However, to compensate for this… Net-like, Lace, & Sheer Fabrics. These were majorly featured throughout London Fashion Week, loosely either over entire outfits or just by themselves. This material allows your silhouette to ~ shine ~. Light Jackets. Whether oversized, structured with shoulder pads, quilted bombers, or the varsity variety - it almost feels like wearing light jackets this spring / summer season will be cooler than not wearing one at all. Unless you’re showing off your… Shoulders! Off-shoulders, shoulder cutouts, bardot necklines, and even the occasional shoulder pad were seen at some of the biggest shows. Shoulders are having a bit of a sexy moment. And No Necks. For reasons beyond my understanding, nobody wanted to see them. Necks were eclipsed by high-collared clothing, turtleneck styles, or chokers. Fashion is weird sometimes. Promiscuous Professional Wear Made To Be Worn Casually. Blazers worn with nothing else, or if really conservative, with just a lacy bra. Loose smart trousers with fashionforward and NSFW tops. Very very sheer blouses. Ruffles & Puffy Sleeves. A bit random
Colour.
It
was
Strappy Sandals. Seriously. All. Over. The. Runway. But if these aren’t really your thing, sneakers and platform shoes are still classic. Hair Centrally-Parted. symmetry is so hot.
Because
FORGE PRESS 23
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
LIFESTYLE Girls just wanna stay in... Nightlife
Lifestyle contributor Catherine Horner tells us to ditch the high heels for Mickey Mouse slippers in a guide to the ‘Girly Night In’.
I
t is well known that students have developed a reputation for living it large – partying until the early hours of the morning and then rolling into a 9am lecture still feeling the effects of the night before. Going all out every night may appeal to many however, it is always nice to relax and unwind every now and again. What better way to spend an evening than cosying up with your
girls (or guys) in your pyjamas and your slippers, with copious amounts of food and a classic film collection? With the new university year firmly upon us, a relaxing night in provides the perfect escape from those endless readings and pages upon pages of notes. There are endless elements to the perfect night in – with possibilities for everything you could ever need depending on taste and preference. Even better? It can all be done on a student budget. Firstly, the sweet treats are an absolute essential. Every night in needs sugary
‘So call your girls, grab your slippers and enjoy your night of films, food and relaxation’ unhealthy snacks, so put down the poached eggs and the kale and grab whatever you can get your hands on – treat yourself. It wouldn’t be a girls’ night in without popcorn and whilst you can pop your own, for the sake of easiness, almost any and every supermarket stocks it. Sweet, salty, toffee? The world is
your oyster! Obviously, no girls’ night in would be complete without chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Endless chocolate. Whether it be Cadbury’s or Galaxy, almost everyone loves the sugary sweetness so choose wisely and choose plenty; you’ll need it. For those few who aren’t chocolate-lovers other options fit the job perfectly. From Skittles to Starburst, there are no rules, there’s something out there for everybody. Why not indulge in some much needed TLC? Light some divine smelling candles, even grab some fairly lights and create the perfect relaxing atmosphere. Then comes the best part. Grab your face masks, your nail varnish and anything else of the like and viola! - a home spa. With a selection of your favourite girls and their fantastic supplies, there’s no need to splash out when everyone can swap and share. Whether you each do your own or choose to smear each other in face mask goodness, by the time it’s all complete, everyone feels rejuvenated, revitalised and thoroughly relaxed. Finally, and arguably the element on which the entire evening hinges – the movie itself. Now, whether it’s
a classic rom-com film collection or something a little more dramatic, the films simply make the evening. Whether it’s a traditional film such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s or something a little more modern (did someone say A Cinderella Story?), classic films such as these can simply make the evening. With all of that in mind, there
you have it – a few, but certainly not all, essentials for your girls’ night in. There are absolutely no set rules for a girls’ night in. Board games? Go for it! Saw movies over chick flicks? Absolutely! Relaxation and rejuvenation are the aim so call your girls (or guys), grab your slippers and enjoy your night of films, food and relaxation.
lightly seasoned Greek roast potatoes accompanied the meal and this was enough to both fill my stomach and leave me unashamedly wanting more. The meal cost me just over £6 and is at the higher end of Alyssum’s price range; I would happily pay this again for such an enjoyable meal. What makes this café even better is the menu’s ability to accommodate vegan and vegetarian dietary requirements. The friend who accompanied me to Alyssum has an allergy to milk which can often present an issue when we plan to go out for lunch. However, this was no problem for Alyssum. The superb menu meant that she was able to enjoy a house-made falafel pitta (topped with hummus, tomato, cucumber and onion) and was able to finish the meal with a vegan avocado brownie. It could not have been a more ideal menu. With the impressive array of homemade cakes staring at me from the counter I couldn’t resist indulging in a cheesecake brownie with a cup of tea for afters. Just like everything else at Alyssum it tasted amazing.
This pleasant Crookesmoor cafe completely blew my expectations with both its exceptional food and faultless service. I would recommend this lovely café bistro to any student as a way of trying authentic Greek food for a very reasonable price. I will definitely be visiting Alyssum café bistro as a regular throughout this year.
LIFESTYLE REVIEWS
Alyssum Café Bistro Food
Lifestyle contributor Amy King reviews Alyssum Café Bistro in Crookesmoor
S
ince moving to Sheffield last September I have been impressed with the number of independent eateries, and quirky cafes that the city has to offer. My recent favourite has to be Alyssum Café and Bistro conveniently located for students on Barber Road in the Crookesmoor area. This dainty Greek café is the ideal place for a delicious lunch break, or for a spontaneous tea and cake stop after a long day at university. When me and my friend arrived at lunchtime the café was almost full, but the atmosphere inside was pleasantly relaxed despite the number of people. Upon entering we were greeted by a friendly front of house member and then found ourselves a snug table at the back of the café. The gorgeous café interior has been thoughtfully decorated with details such as fairy lights,
bunting and personal Alyssum touches which make the cosy space feel immediately inviting. After a long deliberation over Alyssum’s breakfast and lunch menu I finally decided I would try one of the specials: a lamb gyro with fresh salad and tzatziki. I’d only tried a gyro once before at
this point, and I wanted to see how Alyssum’s would taste in comparison. It did not disappoint. The lamb gyro was assembled on top of a soft pitta bread with fresh tomato, cucumber and onion. The gyro was topped with an authentic tzatziki that was both refreshing and flavoursome. A portion of
FORGE PRESS 25
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
ENTERTAINMENT Inside this issue...
Five Minutes with Forge
GAMES
Every issue we take someone from around campus and quiz them on their cultural tastes. In this edition we have the wonderful and ever-attentive Station Manager of our sister-outlet Forge Radio: Charlie Martin. Who is your all time favourite band or artist? Without a doubt, Coldplay. No matter what anyone says What is your favourite album of all time? If I’m trying to avoid a Coldplay answer I’d probably say The Invisible Band by Travis. Reminds me of my childhood. You can only take five records with you to a desert island. What would they be? A Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay Flowers In The Window - Travis Hold My Hand - Jess Glynne Proud - Heather Small Babylon - David Gray
Are there any releases your
We have an interview with the co-creator of a record breaking crowd-funding campaign P. 26 ARTS We demystify careers in the arts by asking film, theatre and publishing pros for their tips P. 29
upcoming looking
forward to film-wise? There’s a film about nazi spies that looks cool, because I’m a history nerd.
MUSIC
Do you have a favourite
Forge chat to Radio 1 DJ Greg James and visits the Warehouse Project in Manchester P. 32
artist? Not really, though I quite like Van Gogh. Have you exhibition
been to an or museum
SCREEN
recently that impressed you? No but I’ve always loved the Imperial War Museum. I also went to the Holocaust museum in Berlin this year, which was incredibly moving.
Our review of Louis Theroux’s latest documentary. P. 36
What is the best play or What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to? Keeping up traditions, would have to be Coldplay, probably their 2011 Mylo Xyloto. Although this years was great too... Who ae you really into at the moment? Eliza and the Bear, can’t get enough. What is your favourite film? Shrek (1, 2, 3 and 4).
musical you have seen? Lion King.
Entertainment picks not to miss this fortnight
You can only have one console and one game for the rest of your life. What would they be? Wii, purely for Just Dance. Do you have Pokémon GO? No, not a fan. What is your favourite book? One Day by David Nicholls, I’m a hopeless romantic.
Have you read anything recently that you’d recommend? Girl on the Train was great. Apprehensive to see the film because of it. What is your favourite television / Netflix series? Has to be Hustle, but I’m a dedicated Eastenders viewer Are you into any television series at the moment? The Apprentice is my life. When you think of your childhood, what film comes to mind? All I ever dreamed of was being in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
What? Matt Berry and The Maypoles Where? Foundry, SU When? 26 October, 19:00 What? The Divine Comedy Where? Foundry, SU When? 15 October, 19:30 What? Steve Mason Where? The Leadmill When? 15 October, 19:30 What? The Jungle Book Where? Film Unit Cinema, SU When? 16 October, 15:30 and 19:30 What? Breakfast at Tiffany’s Where? Lyceum Theatre When? 18 October - 22 October
26 FORGE PRESS
GAMES
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
press.games@forgetoday.com
On the back of a rec0rd-smashing crowdfunding campaign, Nick Burke sits down with Steamforged Games co-founder Rich Loxam to discuss the meteoric rise of the Stockport-based developer.
T
here is a social shift occurring. Evenings spent online with eyes glued to the computer screen are being rejected in favour of face-to-face interaction, dealing cards and rolling dice. As Rich Loxam, co-designer of the record-breaking Dark Souls - The Board Game sees it, we’ve come full circle. “I think this is a big trend that’s happening”, he says recalling late nights in front of the PlayStation in a room packed with his most competitive mates. “People just want that social interaction”. With modern games guiding players straight to the internet, many fear we are no longer connecting in the right way. Perhaps something has been lost amongst the influx of technology, left behind in those raucous nights full of competitive swagger and shared experiences. Thankfully, capturing this pure social fulfillment remains a possibilty, albeit in a world of card and resin rather than wires and screens. “I think board games offer a more interactive social experience, compared to video games”, Rich muses. Many would agree. The genre now encompasses more variety than ever before, offering everything from 15 minutes of light-hearted competition to day-long wargames of intense strategy. In fact, the entire industry is expanding rapidly in response to this huge demand. From huge licensing deals with the likes of Star Wars to smash-hits such as Cards Against Humanity, we see the collections of new hobbyists burgeoning and more creative developers than ever before. Of the latter, nowhere in the UK
Founded in 2014 by Rich and design partner Mat Hart, along with retail specialists Byron Orde and Greg Plail, extraordinary success has come very early in the lifecycle of the company. So early, in fact, that the founders are still struggling to take stock of their new situation, with Rich observing “It still doesn’t feel real. It’s crazy what’s been achieved for a company who’ve only been 12 months in retail… for a UK company as well in this marketplace is just phenomenal.” Despite this meteoric rise, it was a long journey that led Rich to cofounding Steamforged and creating their first product, Guild Ball. “I was a teacher for eight years. I’d come home from work about six or seven o’clock, jump on Skype, and work until about one or two in the morning getting the ideas down, every day for like a good year.” Clearly, there is no substitute for hard graft, something that is embedded into the company’s ethos. This was particularly key to the phenomenal success of their latest project. During a short development time - “much shorter than we’d actually want” - the team threw themselves into development, going “hell for leather” to create a marketable product. And so, after less than six months of development, Dark Souls - The Board Game was born, and as Rich recalls, “the rest is history”.
“Board games offer a more interactive social experience, compared to videogames.”
FORGE PRESS 27
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
GAMES Prepare to Die Dark Souls: The Board Game mixes dice, cards, and beautifully sculpted miniatures with an fresh combat system of big risks and bigger rewards. And dying. Lots and lots of dying. With the move to the tabletop, Steamforged have created a tactile, engrossing version of the iconic Dark Souls journey through darkness and despair. The sheer variety of playable characters, loot and fearsome adversaries ensure every challenge will be different, and with a trilogy of awardwinning videogames to draw from, the potential of the project is staggering.
Work in progress version For many, Dark Souls represents much more than ever on Kickstarter”, Rich states, with more than a hint of represent that constant danger. When you’re playing a videogame. Hidetaka Miyazaki’s darkly enchanting wpride. “It’s also the biggest UK Kickstarter ever out of all a game, we don’t like a position where you’re moaning world of death and decay oozes a rich lore and rewarding Kickstarters, which is kind of cool.” ‘well I can’t actually do anything here, so I’ll just pass gameplay, for those who persevere. The series is known Cool indeed. This is a company whose growth has my turn’.” Here, the team’s confidence in their design for its crushing difficulty and vague guidance and as such been so extraordinary that the ever-expanding size of becomes apparent. “As designers we’re very bold. We’ll has found a devoted community that plumb its depths for their offices is struggling to keep pace. In many ways, make decisions that we feel are right for the customer.” secrets and an ever-increasing challenge. It is addictive the success of Steamforged represents a big win for the Despite this, Rich accepts potential buyers may criticise combat married with the very best of dark British board gaming industry as a whole, so change. Again, here Steamforged believe they are setting fantasy storytelling. “As designers often overlooked or underperforming. It’s an industry standard. “We want to make sure we feed As such, the capture of the Miyazaki’s IP also a testament to how strong design, a clear back to the community and make sure those guys feel like we’re represents a massive coup for Steamforged, concept and good pedigree can take even we listen to them, because we do.” With customer support even if Guild Ball had successfully staked very bold. fledgling companies to unexpected places. available 24/7 throughout the Kickstarter campaign, the the team’s claim of a clear philosophy and We’ll make Not just companies either, but people company were determined to work with their backers exhaustive design. decisions that too, with some of Rich’s closest designers every step of the way, adding features and fine-tuning Perhaps this attention to detail is what joining the team on the back of careers as rules to accommodate fans of Dark Souls and board we feel are resulted in the extraordinary early success professional gamers. “Their skillsets are from games alike. “At the end of the day, if your customers of Dark Souls - The Board Game. Released right for the outside our realm in games. It means they’ve support you and your company they’ll support you onto crowdfunding website Kickstarter in customer.” got an analytical brain, abilities to see paths forever, because they know you create quality products April, the project secured its entire £50,000 and patterns… the kind of things we need and they know that what you do is going to deliver to funding goal in just three minutes, going on to break when we’re refining a system.” them that quality experience”. multiple records and raising over £4 million in pledges For Rich and Mat though, it goes beyond A refreshing statement of intent from such a from over 30,000 backers. “It’s the biggest board game the game’s system. Everything has to be “It’s not about small company, and Rich insists Steamforged considered, from the box to the branding. copying what’s will fight tooth and nail to maintain this “We look at every product, other ranges, how been done, it’s connection. “We’re in a privileged position, the shelf looks. Can you differentiate from about setting privileged to be where we are, as designers 100m away what product is what? Things and with our design team, and we don’t take like that. You really have to break a product precedents.” that for granted.” down.” It is easy to understand the excitement Distilling a blockbuster videogame almost infamous surrounding Dark Souls – The Board Game. All along, in its demand for fast reflexes and timing into the Steamforged have offered a clear proof of concept, thoughtful, turn-by-turn strategy of a board game might intriguing design direction and, most importantly, seem an impossible task. But with an ally in the iconic shown essential reverence to their cult subject matter. world of Dark Souls, the team were able to capture the It is clear that Miyazaki’s gothic masterpiece lies in the thematic essence that mattered and from there the hands of competent and confident people who simply gameplay evolved naturally. “I think it wrote itself. We want to make great games. As for Rich, he doesn’t see Optional Suffering looked at what are the pivotal things about Dark Souls; an overwhelming challenge, only an opportunity to push the risk/reward, the fear element… but it’s not about the genre forwards. “Design ebbs and flows, but we don’t Steamforged have already announced copying what’s been done, it’s about setting precedents.” make the wheel. We just look at it and try and make it “Mega Boss” encounters available as To that end, the team tried to create as many unique better. That’s what designers do.” expansions, with some of Dark Souls’ most ways of channelling Dark Souls as possible; for example, twisted and iconic monsters brought to health is tied to stamina. The more you move, the less Dark Souls – The Board Game is scheduled to be life as wonderfully detailed models. likely you can take a hit and survive. It serves to give every released April 2017. (See above: Gaping Dragon) decision weight and purpose. “That was a way for us to
28 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
GAMES FIFA 17 ««««
F
Adam Richmond Contributor
IFA 17 is quite possibly the biggest sports game ever to be churned out of the EA Sports conveyor belt of game releases. In previous iterations of the game it felt as though they had literally just clicked copy and paste and added a few fancy words to certain things to differentiate it from previous instalments. FIFA 17 seems to be the exception. With a whole new mode in the form of The Journey, and with the Frostbite Engine powering the game, it is a truly next-gen experience. The game takes a bit of getting used to in terms of how to tackle the new set pieces. Penalties and
Tomb Raider
The Journey Back to PS4 Chloe Dervey Contributor
free kicks used to be easy to finish and felt quite formulaic whereas now the more realistic run up makes it connect more to the rest of the game. It seems that in terms of gameplay, this FIFA is all about giving you more options when playing.
“From the title sequence it feels like a movie.” And what makes this year’s game so stunningly beautiful? The Frostbite Engine. Everything from the lighting, the ball, the grass and even the beads of sweat on the players’ faces look fantastic. They’ve even mastered the physics
of long hair, with the tops of certain players’ heads coming to life, bouncing when they run. It’s the little things that count. Perhaps the best aspect of this year’s game is The Journey. You control Alex Hunter, a 17 yearold from Clapham. From the title sequence it feels like a movie. The first thing I noticed being from South London was that the accents were perfect. The acting was captivating and it made the beautiful game of football come to life. I’m not going to say anything about how Alex Hunter’s journey pans out. Spoilers. The main negative of this year’s game is that Manager Career Mode and Ultimate Team seem to have taken a bit of a backseat role.
W
hen Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration took the cover of Official PlayStation Magazine with style in the September 2016 issue, the re-launch of the second instalment in this rebooted series was hard to miss. Subtitles on the cover accurately described Lara as “The First Lady of PlayStation” - so why is it that she went temporarily exclusive to Xbox, only to return? Here’s a brief recap of all the recent drama surrounding gaming’s golden girl. Fans were left heartbroken when at Gamescom 2014 it was confirmed that Rise of the Tomb Raider would be released as an Xbox exclusive the following year. Naturally, the internet flew into uproar. Fans took to angrily jumping on publishers, Square Enix and developers, Crystal Dynamics, to demand answers for taking away their access to the leading lady of gaming. Lara has a long history of not only being an icon of the PlayStation brand, but also as a multiplatform heroine, available widely to fans. Titles in the franchise have previously
FIFA 17 is the best game EA have released in recent years. Even though it will be the biggest sports game out this year, it won’t be the best because of the neglect to other modes that it incorporates into the game.
“It made the beautiful game of football come to life.”
been released onto platforms spanning PlayStation, Xbox and PC, the first instalment which reached Xbox being Tomb Raider Legend (2006). Even titles Tomb Raider Anniversary (2007) and Tomb Raider Underworld (2008) were both released on the Nintendo Wii. To say the least, Xbox exclusivity came as a big surprise for fans of the franchise, new and old, especially when some could argue that the PS4 offered better exclusives at the time. With the likes of Naughty Dog releasing the outstanding The Last of Us: Remastered and having also announced the fourth (and now maybe last) instalment of the smash hit franchise Uncharted at E3 2014, consequently many were not willing to buy a new console
“Naturally, the internet flew into uproar.” in order to enable themselves to invest in a single title. To add to the confusion, at the time of the announcement, PS4 was out-selling Xbox One quite significantly. Xbox was in need of an iconic character to rival the likes of Nathan Drake, and a triple-A title to rival the likes of Uncharted. Exclusivity was a method thought to help boost Xbox sales. Exclusive games sell consoles, effectively. However, despite rave reviews the game initially failed to sell as well as its predecessor, not to mention in essentially only appealing to one side of participants in the
ever ongoing console war. Further impacting sales, Rise of the Tomb Raider was released on the same day as Fallout 4, another long anticipated instalment to a very popular series. After some scrutiny of a statement from Darrel Gallagher (Head of Development at Crystal Dynamics at the time) on their “friends at Microsoft”, many suspected that Microsoft had basically offered the studio a rather large chunk of money, at the expense of fuelling the rage of many disappointed fans. Yet after long debate, confusion and suspicion as to whether the game would ever arrive onto other platforms, July 2015 saw Square Enix reveal a PS4 release date of late 2016. This gave the Xbox version one year of exclusivity. On the plus side, and it is a big plus, the 20-year celebration edition literally comes with everything, including VR support, an art book, all previously released DLC, new multiplayer modes, character skins, and more. It seems good things do come to those who wait! After a quiet E3 this year in which Rise of the Tomb Raider was mentioned hardly at all, it’s a relief that Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics are finally making a big deal not only about the launch onto PS4, but also celebrating the 20th year of the series as a whole. Lara is a gaming legend, and it’s only right that the franchise be celebrated in such a way that lets more of the fans have the best experience of her latest adventure.
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ARTS
press.arts@forgetoday.com
Demystifying
jobs in the a r t s Interviews compiled and edited by Arts Editor, Mollie Davidson
Helen Stallard PR Director, Helen Stallard Communications B.A. in History What does your work involve? I work with arts and cultural organisations to put together marketing and communications campaigns. This might be a festival, arts organisation or tour. My work involves: creating a visual identity for a project; social media campaigning; organising advertising; writing brochures; and placing stories in the media. I work with Midland Creative Projects to support the promotion of Beyond the Water’s Edge. How did you realise this is what you wanted to do? I did some work experience at a theatre company and the rest is history! I worked for a few years as an in-house marketer but set up on my own 11 years ago so that I could have greater flexibility in my work. What previous work have you done? I have been with my business for 11 years now. I will work on about 10 to 15 projects a year, so there’s little time to get bored. Prior to that I worked in-house with a theatre company and an arts marketing agency. What is the best advice you have received? Find a specialism. If you want to work in the creative industries, you need to be really good to get noticed. So get trained up: it doesn’t matter if it’s as a finance person, a marketer, a technician, a producer; just be really, really good at something.
Jonathan Davidson Executive Producer, Midland Creative Projects B.A. in Performing Arts What does your work involve? For the Beyond the Water’s Edge production my work started with developing the initial concept of how contemporary poetry could be presented, which was done over many years. I worked closely with Neil Astley and Simon Thirsk from Bloodaxe Books and Steve Byrne of Interplay, and others, including more recently with our producer, Antonia Beck. Linked to this has been raising money to make the work, which is largely grant funded by Arts Council England. How did you realise this is what you wanted to do? I pretty soon realised I was better at getting other people to make performance work than doing it myself. By chance I met the Theatre Manager of the Oxford Playhouse when I was 19 and he described his work as Arts Administration. What is the best advice you have received? At Leicester Polytechnic our Lecturer, Oliver Bennett, said on the first day that if we didn’t want to be first to arrive and last to leave and to receive no applause, then we were on the wrong course because that’s what Arts Administration meant. So my best advice to myself has been to stay fit and live for a very long time.
NEIL ASTLEY Editor and Managing Director, Bloodaxe Books. B.A. Hons in English Literature and Language What does your work involve? Select titles to be published and work with poets; edit and typeset 30 books a year; co-design book covers; negotiate contracts with authors and agents; research and compile anthologies; work on co-publication projects and partnerships (as with Midland Creative); consider and reject author manuscripts. How did you realise this is what you wanted to do? I needed a university degree to be considered for editorial work. I founded Bloodaxe Books in Newcastle after graduating in 1978, there was an opening for a press which would publish new poets, poets from the north and women poets. For the first five years I supported my publishing work first by combining it with grant-aided postgraduate studies and then with part-time employment in a bookshop. What previous work have you done? Newspaper reporter and subeditor; publisher’s secretary; press officer; administrator; bookshop assistant; au pair; bus conductor; night porter; waiter; washer-upper. What is the best advice you have received? Trust your instincts.
Stay fit and healthy, work for free and try to live within your means - if all else fails just be really good at something. We asked five professionals behind the touring production of ‘Beyond The Water’s Edge’ to give the inside story into how they began working in the arts world...
Steve Byrne Director, B.Ed in Drama (Goldsmiths College) What does your work involve? I work with the actors on how to interpret the poems in front of a live audience. How did you realise this is what you wanted to do? From a very early age I wanted to work in theatre and was lucky enough to join a very creative Youth Theatre Workshop in my home town. I was also member of the National Youth Theatre. What previous work have you done? My first job was at the Birmingham Rep as an actor for five years. Then gave it all up to be a rock star with a band called ‘Missing Airmen’. We did eventually go ‘missing’ and I ran back to theatre as an M/D Composer and then started to direct. What is the best advice you have received? The director Robert Wilson, gave a talk at the Institute of Arts in London when I first started directing. His advice was: “You guys, all you great guys of British theatre. When you direct a play you know exactly what you want before you get into rehearsal. Why the fuck do you bother?”
Simon Thirsk Executive Chair, Bloodaxe Books B.A. Philosophy What does your work involve? I am responsible for the financial management and governance of Bloodaxe Books. In practice this means working out Bloodaxe’s strategy, finding out what other people (readers, funders) want from us and negotiating with Arts Council England. How did you realise this is what you wanted to do? It turns out I am more of an organiser than a writer. For 15 years Bloodaxe was an unpaid hobby. What previous work have you done? I had temporary work on a farm, as a nursing assistant at a Cheshire Home, lugging sacks for the Post Office, as a runner for a City stockbroker, and as a play leader on summer play schemes. I trained as a journalist and worked as a reporter and sub-editor. What is the best advice you have received? Anyone can live beyond their means, learn to live comfortably within them.
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ARTS Theatre Review: Tanja ««««
Aidan Kidder and Lucy Foster Arts Contributors
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f ever there was an important story to be told it is that of Tanja, a semi-fictional account of a woman seeking asylum in the UK to escape enslavement by human-traffickers in the sex trade. This is a story with real emotive power that leaves one questioning our government’s policies towards asylum seekers. For Tanja (Emily NtshangaseWood) the UK represents a vision of hope. Yet upon arriving in the UK she is met by an immigration officer (John Tomlinson) who very quickly begins to tear down this vision. Handcuffed and subjected
Exhibition Review: Away From Home «««««
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Rebecca Lally Arts Contributor
way from Home is an
exciting new microexhibition at the local independent gallery Bank Street Arts. Described by the gallery as ‘an exploration of friendship and home through poetry and photography’, the premise for the exhibit is romantically unique. The two artists Rosalee Kiely and Gabriela Morales met as undergraduate exchange students in Halifax, Canada, and formed a bond that has lasted since then, despite the former now residing in Melbourne and the latter in Sheffield. This joint project was conceived by Kiely, who was inspired by the theme of ‘home’ and wrote a variety of poems surrounding it. Morales responded to her poetry with photographs that she felt were suitable. The connection between the two media is not always immediately obvious, but upon examination, it becomes apparent that the artists were taking their own creative slant on the same concept. I was struck by this collaborative premise: how two artists could use two different forms of media (written vs. visual) and yet still tell the same story. Despite the photographs and poems being written halfway across the world from one another, the two mediums work well together. The
to suspicious questioning, Tanja is locked up and made to feel like a criminal. As one inmate tells Tanja, here, “you count your days up”. The set and lighting was minimal but oppressive enough to create an atmosphere of entrapment and claustrophobia, all centred around a harsh metal bunk bed on stage. The decision to have a guard on stage watching Tanja through a CCTV screen in her cell throughout the performance was effective in exposing the intrusiveness of the asylum seeking process.
“Tanja shatters the UK’s ‘welcoming’ reputation.” Ntshangase-Wood gives a very personal performance as Tanja. She herself was an asylum seeker kept as Yarl’s Wood Immigration
Removal Centre. Her story of bravery and defiance is used throughout the play. However, the question of why refugees like Tanja perceive the UK as a friendly, welcoming nation is something of a mystery. Since the fairly recent securitisation (turning a subject into an issue of security, more than likely affecting the security of the state) of migration,
the British media has relished any opportunity possible to blame this country’s misfortunes on innocent migrants. Tanja’shatters the UK’s perceived ‘welcoming’ reputation. For Tanja, it is as though she has escaped one nightmare, only to find herself in another. The audience are shown a sobering reality of 21st century Britain, but with a run time of one
photographs bring an order to the poetry and arrange it into a broadly chronological order spanning from childhood until maturity. In the words of the artists, it explores ‘tentative alightings in places of home’. The combination of poetry and photography to recount the next stage in the journey explores new dimensions that would not otherwise have been visible. It allows the viewer to engage with the art in a more intimate and vivid way – pairing a physical image with the images painted in the poetry makes it easier to develop a connection with the artists’ experiences.
“The premise for the exhibit is romantically unique.” The theme of ‘home’ was an appropriate one for the two collaborators – both are from different cultures and have lived and studied abroad, meaning that they view ‘home’ as both a physical and emotional state that is not necessarily linked to one location. The poems and photographs associate themselves with Canada, England and Mexico, and this mixture of cultures diversifies and enriches the perspectives presented to the viewer. ‘Away from Home’ is an artistic exploration of home, travel, friendship and growing up. Although these are universal themes, I found it engaging on a more personal level: as a university student, these concepts are especially relevant. I hope to see more from the artists in future. Away From Home ran at Bank Street Arts from 6-8 October.
hour, Tanja uses its time wisely. It exposes the dire consequences of being kept behind the barbed wire fence and not being allowed to have an identity. Yet, Tanja also shows us the consequences of having the platform to share your story and to tell it centre stage; which is, unquestionably, great theatre.
Yet you wouldn’t leave your pet cat in the hands of an untrained vet because they’re simply ‘good with animals’ or be willing to pay high prices for a meal cooked by an untrained Chef who was just ace at cheese on toast. So why do people expect young creatives to enter the business with no further education than what they taught themselves or managed to pick up in year 8? And it’s clear that this luck-based approach is often their only option, as prices of top-level schools push them out of the competition.
The High Price of Art
of around £4600 per term. The extreme fees mark the elite quality of these schools, but even local, some may say amateur, lessons can break the bank as the price Lucy Harbron of humble old Stagecoach now Arts Contributor exceeds £300. With prices which rise with age, no student finance n the recent months, social system, and few scholarships media has seen an onslaught available, it’s baffling how any of JustGiving pages being set school-leaver can contemplate up to help fund young people’s full-time arts training as a serious dreams of studying the arts in our option. So with this enormous most prestigious schools. Take two hurdle to overcome, it’s no wonder seconds to google the subject and Amy from down the road has to do you’re hit with a page full of “Fund a bit of online bucket-shaking. ---- through ballet school”, “Help But what confuses me is the --- pay for vocal lessons”, “Get ---double standard between training to art school”. in arts subjects versus academia. The recent proposal of the raising “It’s no wonder of universities fees was met with Amy from down the immediate public outcry, while road has to do a bit the gradual, yet consistent, rises in price of arts classes have gone of online bucket- the relatively unprotested. Could it be shaking.” that we’re too reliant on talent? As though actors or artists need no further honing of their craft; they And it’s no wonder, with arts were simply born with the skill to schools like Sylvia Young and last them a career? Italia Conti boasting tuition fees
I
“Could it be that we’re too reliant on talent?” In a society so centred on what the big-time creatives are doing, it makes you wonder why arts training is still treated as classist and unrealistic to many. A recent viral post summed this up for me: “People pay £200 to see Beyoncé, but not a fiver to see their musician friends play in a local pub…” And this is true; so many have shaken their heads at individuals online campaigns for funding while sharing videos of Yeezy season 3 with a heart-eyes emoji, or spent a fortune on a piece of art purely for its signature. Even Yeezus himself went to university to train in his field, and if the current isolation of young creatives from arts education continues, how can we ever hope to establish our generation as one of equal, let alone exceeding, creative excellence?
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Theatre Review: SLUG Josie Le Vay Arts Contributor
S Theatre Review: Beyond the Water’s Edge ««««« Laura Mulvey Arts Editor
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s the performance of Midland Creative Project’s Beyond the Water’s Edge begins, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d been transported back to a simpler time. The anonymous blackness of the Crucible’s Studio Theatre is broken by soft yellow lamplight, which illuminates three emerging figures. Plainly dressed with harmonising guitar and accordion, they could be travelling minstrels poised to recite an ancient ballad. But there’s nothing outdated about this production. Beyond the Water’s Edge brings together a selection of the world’s finest contemporary poetry. A truly global project, the performance features works in translation from a multitude of languages, lifted from the pages of the Bloodaxe Books collections. Together, they paint a picture of the diversity of human experience in our modern world.
“The production breathes life into the art of poetry.” The emotive content of the poetry is compelling in itself, but it takes on a new power with the dynamics of the live music, the artistry of the lighting and the theatricality of the performers. This is a production which breathes life into the sometimes side-lined art of poetry, refreshing techniques from an era which put poetry at the heart of our cultural identity. With material as diverse as it is engaging, Beyond the Water’s
Edge carries us on a sweeping tour of the international literary scene. The performance opens with The Sea Wind, a vivid yet lilting piece translated from the original Swedish. The poem is lyrically beautiful and its images made all the more striking by the rolling waves of music produced by the multi-talented cast. This is followed later by The Fly, a humorous Czech poem which is undercut at all times by one of the actors who plays a muted trumpet to create the incessant whine of the pesky creature. As with any production of this sort, some pieces will capture your imagination, while others will leave you cold. One poem is sung and I find it jarring against the expressive spoken word which has gone before. But that is the beauty of this collective experience, everyone is on their own journey of interpretation. I look around, and the rest of the audience is spellbound.
“Rapidly changing voices keep you on your toes.” While the idea of a poetry reading could seem off-putting to some, the multi-dimensional nature of the production ensures it is accessible and fun. The rapidly changing voices of the poems, blended seamlessly by the three actors, keep you on your toes. During Kurdish verse The Fruit Seller’s Philosophy, one performer adopts the unmistakeable patter of a market vendor, seizing the attention of various audience members. Other works introduce more poignant characters, such as Korean The Cleaner at Okcheon Station, who “bent-backed, just kept sweeping, over and over.” Beyond the Water’s Edge brings home the timeless joy of poetry, as well as its burning relevance in the modern day. Striking, dynamic, and constantly thought-provoking, the show is a must-see for poetry fans and sceptics alike.
LUG is a new, exciting and ground-breaking production, brought to Theatre Delicatessen by the Nabokov company. By combining storytelling, live music and film, SLUG introduces the audience to a compelling story regarding gender and sexuality. The piece, written by the awardwinning Sabrina Mahfouz, is based on the true story of Gayle Newland (or “fake penis woman” as she was labelled by the press). The former University of Chester student posed as a man, initially online and then in person, to build a relationship with the girl she loved but could not have. Mahfouz has taken this story to a far deeper level than the media ever dared, creating a thoughtprovoking piece which explores the complicated issues of gender identity, judgement and cultural norms. This all-female collaboration includes world beatbox champions Bellatrix and Grace Savage, poet and performer Jade Anouka
Off the Shelf 2016
ARTS and drummer Caragh Campbell. Anouka and Savage take centre of stage as Jay and Anna in this gig theatre production, performing spoken word over live music specifically produced for the performance by Bellatrix. Behind them, a film is projected onto the wall, showing a variety of footage to complement the performance on stage. Images of Jay binding her chest fade into more abstract footage of cash flying around the evil-looking faces of Theresa May, Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch. It is hard to keep your eyes off the performance; not only is the story deeply moving and engaging, but you cannot help but be in awe of the talent of the women on stage. Nabokov, the ccompany who produced SLUG, have created something truly special by tapping
into contemporary political and social issues and communicating them to an audience through music, film and theatre.
Off the Shelf, one of the UK’s largest literary festivals, is back in Sheffield for 2016. Over 200 events will be held across the city from October - November, featuring a diverse selection of poetry, film and much more. Don’t miss the chance to hear from famous authors or discover brand new talent! Check out our picks for the week ahead
OTS Listings
“You cannot help but be in awe.” Beatboxing and theatre aren’t two things you’d normally expect to see together, but Shef O’Driscoll has created a new breed of theatre with the ability to bring in a younger and larger audience than ever before. SLUG is an unmissable production; ground-breaking not only in its genre, but also in the issues it brings to light. It is definitely something to be excited about, packed with talent, great music and some important messages to take home.
Sheffield VeRse
Saturday 15 October, 11am, Free
THEATRE DELICATESSEN Be immersed in the work of local poets through a cutting-edge Virtual Reality lens. Art Deco
Sunday 16 October, 2pm, £5
MILLENNIUM GALLERY An illustrated talk taking us through the glamour of the art deco movement. COMING OUT: A History of LGBT Identities
Monday 17 October, 7.30pm, £6
THE FOUNDRY This all-encompassing talk maps the transformation of identities and the struggle for LGBT equality. The Hammer Blow - How 10 Women Disarmed a Warplane
Tuesday 18 October, 7pm, Free
QUAKER MEETING HOUSE A discussion of the power of civil disobedience. Writing in Crisis
Friday 21 October, 6pm, Free
BANK STREET ARTS Hear poetry from writers who have experienced homelessness.
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press.music@forgetoday.com
Features
Forge Talks To Greg James Forge TV and Forge Radio met Greg James prior to his DJ set in the Foundry and Josh Shreeve spoke to him about his first show on Radio 1, his love of puns and the one song he hates more than any other... So Greg, you’re back here after you infamously cancelled on us in February? Yeah I know, I forgot I cancelled until someone tweeted me earlier saying ‘eugh are you going to show up this time, are you?’ but it was a genuine excuse, it was basically the night before the triathlons for Sport Relief. So I couldn’t come to Sheffield, and then go and do a triathlon in Belfast the next day. I am so sorry I cancelled but it was for charity so if you’re angry at me, you’re angry at people who needed your help! Okay? So you’re here for Freshers Week, obviously the start of uni for a lot of people. Am I right in thinking the day after you graduated you did your first show? Yeah my first proper show on Radio 1 was the day after my graduation ball. They needed somebody and they rang everyone else but no one was available so they were like, ‘what about that new guy, shall we try him?’ and I’m very thankful that they did. But I had to leave my graduation ball a little bit early to get back to London and then people were saying ‘what are you doing loser? Why are you leaving so early?!’ and I could be like ‘well, I’m going to work for Radio 1
tomorrow!’ Well I want to get to know a bit more about you as you obviously love your puns Greg, so I’ve got a little game called ‘Greg Blames’. So I want to know who you blame for these certain things that have happened in your life. First of all, who do you blame for the poor puns you come up with? Or really good puns… Well puns are awful but they are quite addictive - people do like them begrudgingly. Who do I blame… my dad has got a good/bad sense of humour. Greg Blames… who do you blame for your love of radio? What sort of presenters were you looking up to when you were growing up? When I grew up a little bit and was listening to everything and not just listening to stuff that was ‘supposed’ to be for me as a teenager - I was listening to everything. I listened to loads of stuff like Radio 4, Radio 4 Comedy. Actually Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant and Karl Pilkington when they were on XFM. I used to listen to that religiously becuase it was stupid and rude and
it felt like they weren’t allowed to be doing what they were doing. I really liked them. In terms of one person who was amazing, Terry Wogan was the best ever. He nailed that single person radio show that made you feel like he was just talking to you as a mate. Greg Blames… your love for the Maccabees. I know they’ve split up recently but who got you into them? My best mate Jack when we were at university. He has always been cooler than me and always recommended good stuff for me to listen to so we used to send each other songs when we were at University because we missed each other. Then I eventually went to see them in my first year at University as they were playing at the Norwich Arts Centre and it was quite a small little venue and it was the first time I’ve ever moshed. The song was ‘First Love’. It was great. It’s what your teenage years are all about! Yeah I had a proper indie haircut as well. The proper 2004 haircut. I looked like something out of the Kooks. So when you go out tonight, you’ll play a selection of tracks, self explanatory. On my show we have track of the week on Forge Radio, and I like to do track of the bleak which is our least favourite song of the week whether it be musically or lyrically. Have you got a track at the moment which you’re not so keen on? Tulisa’s got a new one - that’s as terrible as all the other ones. And I never really liked ‘One Dance’ by Drake. I never really got it. I really like Drake but I had to play it for 15 weeks as number one. People clearly love it! If you had to do one dance for the rest of your life what would it be? Show us now...
I can’t do the worm but if I could I would never not do it. It’s one of those things, if you crack out the worm (so to speak) then people are like ‘oh my god that guy just did the worm, what a man!’ I will learn it one day. I can’t do it now I’ll break my neck! We’ll expect to see it on stage tonight! If I’m going to leave on one thing, you are infamous for the 10 Minute Takeover. If tonight was just a 10 Minute Takeover which three songs would you use to pump up all the freshers? ‘The Scientist’ by Coldplay ‘Babylon’ by David Gray ‘Let Her Go’ by Passenger Goodnight Sheffield!
Listen to and watch the whole interview at forgetoday.com and catch Josh Shreeve’s show Just Joshing, presented with Josh Peachey on Forge Radio on a Thursday 4pm-5pm
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Features
Forge Visits Joseph Mackay went to Manchester on 7th October to visit The Warehouse Project with the line up including Lethal Bizzle, TQD and Andy C.
O
ver the Summer I found myself chatting to somebody from Manchester, and we were talking about our first experiences with nights out. My first ever night out had been a jaunt to the glitz and glamour of St. Helens for a friends 17th Birthday, and his had been to The Warehouse Project. Renowned across the UK for having pretty much the entire monopoly on Manchester’s nightlife from September through to the New Year, the Warehouse Project has built quite a name for itself, and getting straight to the point – it lives up to the hype.
“If the fact you’ve got the travel to Manchester puts you off at all, don’t let it.”
If the fact that you’ve got to travel to Manchester puts you off at all, don’t let it. The train (without a railcard) cost me a delightful £12 with return, you can pre on the TransPennine express, and WHP on Store Street is a literal three-minute walk from Piccadilly stationnot in a warehouse at all as it happens, but in a sizeable disused air raid shelter/car park below the station. It is here that we encounter one of my few gripes with the night on the whole: the 10.30pm last entry time. This created a massive queue of 5000 people the length of the street and also means you’re there for 7 hours
“it’s nice and busy from the start with sizeable crowds” One upside to the early last entry time is that it’s nice and busy from the start, with sizeable crowds gathered as first main room act Murlo tanks through ninety minutes of easy going house music. The place is fit to burst towards the end of the set as he closes with his particularly grimey remix of AJ Tracey’s ‘Naila’ as the man himself jumps on the microphone.
The Warehouse Project Manchester Following this comes my personal highlight of the night: UKG/Grime/Bassline/ Whateveryoufancy ‘Supergroup’ TQD, comprising established producers/DJ’s Royal-T, DJ Q and Flava D. The first of two Warehouse Project slots this year as part of their ‘Only One’ tour, they absolutely tear their hourlong set a new one as they smash through an amalgamation of their own material and influences: from DJ Q’s 2006 bassline era Niche ‘kinda chavvy in a good way’ filth, Flava D’s more recent polished (but still equally repugnant) productions, to Royal-T’s amped up Grime Instrumentals. There’s a clear relationship between the group that really brings their slot to life, with a unique sense of friendly competition as they each take their turn to step up to the tables, and the set really shines when they play in tandem – treating the decks like drum machines and samplers. They should have received a slot longer
than an hour, and the set could also maybe have benefitted from being a bit later than 11:30, but these are minor complaints really.
“Lethal Bizzle was powering through sall the greatest Bizzle hits.” Following the dizzying highs of TQD comes the inimitable Lethal Bizzle, who fully makes use of his half hour slot powering through all the greatest Bizzle hits. Whilst maybe on the ‘cheesier’ side of the UK Grime scene, he performs with enthusiasm and energy, and really is a good MC in the sense of knowing how to work a crowd well. Energy levels skyrocketing at this point, Headliner and all around Drum & Bass heavyweight Andy C takes to the stage alongside MC Tonn Piper, and completely smashes the roof off the place. It’s clear that the majority of the crowd are solely here for this reason, and
within the first five minutes of the set there isn’t a single person to be seen standing still. His set is the perfect balance of his own productions, remixes of popular material; it’s exciting, high octane, enthusiastic, and a reminder of the reason I fell in love with Drum & Bass as a teenager, when I used to go and player laser tag every Friday night. Taking the ‘headline’ slot in the second room is Champion, who is actually incredibly technically impressive and plays a very competent set. A clear issue however, is that a lot of the material he plays comes courtesy of producers such as Flava D, DJ Q, Royal T… You can see where I’m going with this. Still a very good set, still as dirty as your student house kitchen bin.
“there isn’t a single person seen to be standing still.”
Up-and-coming DJ Talent Barely Legal follows, taking literally any genre she can get her hands on and throwing it into the soup, which shouldn’t work but really does. We’re talking Golden Age Hip Hop straight into Garage and back again, continually playing around with the tempo before settling into a comfortable liquid DnB section for the final half, which was particularly welcome around 4am when enthusiasm started to dwindle. The conclusion to the evening came in the form of Delta Heavy in the main room, who were, disappointingly, one of the weaker acts of the night. Renowned for their forceful production in the dubstep era, and more recently heavy hitting Drum & Bass, on paper they should have by all means been the ideal act to close the night.
“It’s clear around half-way through the set that the crowd is just physically and emotionally spent” Unfortunately, they just never really manage to get their set off the ground. Whilst the Drum and Bass sections of the set are perfectly decent, they have an unfortunate disposition for throwing Brostep into the fry every three songs or so, causing energy levels to frequently spike up and down. It’s clear around halfway through the set that the crowd is just physically and emotionally spent. The set itself isn’t bad but a lack of audience connection really lets it down. As the lights come we head back up to Piccadilly station to catch our 6am train. Billed as ‘an event celebrating the multiple strands of British bass music’, The Warehouse Project fully delivered, putting on a night that really showcased the variety the UK has to offer. Fully recommend. Very good. Would go again.
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Reviews The Amazons @ The Rocking Chair «««
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Marie Elise-Worswick Music Contributor
emember that innocent side of your highschool fantasies, in which you sneaked out at night to see Nirvana play in an underground club, thick with smoke, everyone around you an accomplice of mystery and adventure? That’s the vibe you get when you enter the Rocking Chair, ready to headbang and dance. Graces opened the show, followed shortly by Tibet. Then up come the Amazons, clearly the professionals of the whole bunch, and the buzz level of the crowd rises. Kicking off with distorted guitars and sounds effects, the first installment of their headline tour evolves into a night of lost loves, repressed anger and teenage angst. The vocals are clean and span a surprising range, while
Johnny Lloyd @ The Harley ««««
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that sounds good. Their music is fun, almost carefree, the choruses grow into a crowd-funded experiment, and while most are not memorable, all of their songs are nice to listen to if you need something to dance to, without going pop. Their most recent single, ‘In My Mind’ (which brought forth immediate cheers from the audience), is also their most mature, showing a side of the band with more complex orchestration and deeper lyrics.
Harriet Evans Music Contributor
harming, humble and oh so cool. Johnny Lloyd, the ex-frontman from altindie four-piece Tribes, who split up in 2013, is now touring his first solo EP Dreamland. I chatted to him before the gig. So how’s the tour going so far? It’s been amazing, I wasn’t expecting anybody to come and tonight’s sold out, it’s been really amazing to see people listening to the new songs and getting into them. What’s it like being ‘solo’ rather than performing with a band as such? Well, I do perform with a band, yeah, it’s different innit, but there’s been a three-year gap now it feels like the right thing to do. It is strange seeing your name and stuff but I’m just getting used to it.
the instrumentals keep the beat up, without standing out in any particular way.
“You can’t deny the band’s charm.”
You can’t deny the band’s charm, though. Matt Thompson, the
frontman and winner of the Best Hair Award that night, small-talks with the audience, asks them all out for drinks afterwards and looks like a perfectly nice chap, who just happens to have three sold out concerts across the UK. It’s so refreshing to see bands perform together, having fun and enjoying the moment and the connection with the crowd. Their desire to be noticed, in a “Hey, mum, look what I did” sort of way, served as a reminder that behind Muse and
Arctic Monkeys and Nirvana stand some very normal approachable people, who have started it all in a very similar fashion. Enthusiasm an impossible-to-find gem. The Amazons provide you with plenty of energy to keep you moving, but it’s never so relentless that you start questioning the variety of their songs. While the 4/4 beat suffers little to no change throughout one hour of concert, you can’t help but appreciate their commitment to making something
Potential Christmas number one then? Christmas number one (laughs).
going to be something special. Johnny glowed as he took to the stage, the smile on his face showed how chuffed he was to see the crowd come to life. They played a mix of songs some from Dreamland mixed with some old and new material. The tracks had a different vibe to Tribes’ airy melodies and had a rockier vibe. New song ‘Boys Don’t Dance’ was definitely a crowd favourite. The catchy upbeat melody meant you couldn’t help but dance along with a smile on your face. They played a
“Give it 2 to 3 years and we might just have another Coldplay on our hands.” A fun show, worth a shot if you’re in need of a Wednesday night outing, and I believe, in my own humble opinion, that these guys have a lot more to offer. Give it 2-3 years and we might just have another Coldplay on our hands.
Tell us about Dreamland. It started off in March 2015, I sent a load of songs to Jamie T, and he picked out ‘Hello Death’ and that was like the initial bit. Cus I wasn’t really sure what direction I was gonna do and he was very much like, “let’s record this song!”, and then about six months later I met with Hugo White from the Maccabees who I sent all the other tunes to and started making the EP. I didn’t really have a collection of songs they just came about with me getting off my arse and back out there. They’re two amazing artists to work with. Yeah they’re very different people. Jamie’s more like he knows what he likes immediately. Hugo is really methodical as you can imagine from the Maccabees records. It’s much lengthier but so rewarding. They kind of had a similar sound in a way, and they’re really good friends of mine which helps. Have you got any plans for an album? Yeah, a new EP out in April and another tour around then before the festivals. I’ll record the album next September and put it out at Christmas or January.
Any plans after this tour? We’re going on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls on Saturday, then November we’ve got Tom Odell’s tour. We’re just touring as much as possible and getting back out there. The Harley was packed with people of all ages; it was a festivallike atmosphere in a tiny pub in Sheffield. The night was clearly
mixture of emotion filled songs and rockier anthems. ‘Happy Humans’ and ‘Pilgrims’ lifted the atmosphere to an incredible high. The final song ‘Running Wild’ was where the energy peaked. One guy even crowd surfed, which isn’t something you’d expect at a venue like The Harley; Johnny’s face was a picture. It was a really brilliant gig that embodied what indie-rock should be; a group of people coming together, sharing good vibes and singing and dancing to good music.
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FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
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Reviews
Forge speaks to... Milburn Ben Kempton Music Contributor
Fresh off the back of their Tramlines festival comeback triumph, Milburn talk reunions, Alex Turner, and Spotify.
J Ardyn @ Foundry ««««
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Alison Walker Music Contributor
n their first UK tour. the Gloucestershire siblings took the stage, supporting Wild Beasts. Twenty year old brother and sister, Rob and Katy Pearson, sat down with us before their gig at the Student Union on Saturday and told us about their success over the last year, creative processes, and their eccentric relative which inspired the name “Ardyn” (pronounced “RDn”). Since forming their band 5 years ago, the musically talented duo have performed over 175 gigs across the UK, developing their talents, and gaining fans with their self-written lyrics and soothing melodies. Katy expressed that her lyrics come from a “sense of consciousness”, and apart from ‘The Universe’, her lyrics have had
an emotional connection to the way she was feeling at the time, and the tune followed suit. Their first EP The Universe was released last year, and after being consumed by a busy festival season, like Bestival and the Sheffield acclaimed Tramlines, which was ‘one of the best gigs we did this season’. Ardyn have come back to the wind and hills to indulge fans with their ambient music as they join Wild Beast’s UK tour. Now their dream has become more real, as people unload their equipment for them whilst they enjoy a classic Sheffield meal at The Harley. ‘We had a distant relative show up called “Ardyn” and we got along really well, so we asked her if we could name our band after her’. An eccentric relative, with peacocks in her home and the heart of a youngster, seemed like the perfect fit for the bass, guitar and piano playing sibling band. As they have grown up together, and those of you at home that are now thinking of starting a sibling band, the two said they have to make a conscious effort to keep a professional relationship, “Its hard because we do get competitive”.
Sat in the room before they go off for a sound check, the two were very professional and excited to announce their first headline tour, which starts in Glasgow on the 10th of November. Their plans will be to move to London, but until then they are more than happy to please a London crowd at their gigs, before retreating to the countryside, where the two grew up, as there is no place like home. They did not disappoint with the night either; with a pair of passionate artists and an attentive crowd, the night was surely enjoyed by all. Their music is one you can dance to, but if you want to stop, sway and listen, Ardyn will hit the spot. The lyrics written for Ardyn’s music is so emotionally invested, that the listener is able to follow the song and feel involved. Unlike many artists, Ardyn’s first focus is the lyrics, and the music follows naturally. Both Katy and Rob grew up listening to The Beatles, Beach House and the Maccabees, but with their own creative talent, Ardyn’s music style is their own.
Head Carrier Pixies «««
Tracks on Head Carrier come and go in short two-minute controlled bursts, and then die out in the fear of overstaying their welcome. The title track kicks off the album promisingly, with Black Francis’ repeated “I’m going down the drain/Again” guaranteeing a dread and defeat that never really arrives. Elsewhere the album drifts and drags; songs like ‘Classic Masher’ and ‘Oona’ seem bland and forgettable, feeling like false imitations of a sound that once was great and meaningful but has long since lost its way. On ‘All I Think About You’,
Ethan Hemmati Contributor
I
t’s unlikely that there will be many other albums more self-consciously conventional than the Pixies’ latest postreunion effort, Head Carrier.
Where criticism of their previous album Indie Cindy centred around the band’s inability to progress to a new sound after twenty-three years of hibernation, it’s almost as if Head Carrier has succeeded in discovering an even more orthodox format of the Pixies’ sound.
oe insists there were no hard feelings over the break up, mostly down to the fact they have known each other ‘since they were six or seven years old’ and their return to the Sheffield scene has not gone unnoticed. The Milburn boys started the band when they were fourteen and have grown up going to and performing at iconic venues such as a personal favourite of Joe’s, the Leadmill. Further afar from Sheffield, Joe ‘has been shocked the most’ by the reception Milburn have received. ‘We kind of expected it in Sheffield but we’ve also been selling out rooms in places like London and Glasgow. We thought Sheffield would be it but we’ve had a couple of crackers elsewhere. It seems the fans are devout wherever they are.’ The “dream”, Joe admits, is “to one day play Glastonbury”. Milburn are familiar with festivals after playing at Y Not? Festival, which happens to be just up the road from Sheffield. ‘I highly recommend this to students, it’s picturesque and not too big either which I like.’ Milburn rose with the rest of the Sheffield music scene, in particular, Sheffield’s beloved Arctic Monkeys, who Milburn performed several gigs with in 2005. Joe describes Milburn’s
Paz Lenchantin’s vocals are unconvincingly propelled to centre stage in a cheap mimic of the great ‘Where Is My Mind?’. So far, so average.
“You can hear the paranoia.”
Thank God then for the tremendous ‘Um Chagga Lagga’, a haunting, deranged and unexpectedly violent mess, with an attitude first hinted at in the interesting ‘Baal’s Back’ earlier
relationship with the Arctic Monkey’s as ‘quite normal.’ He explains, ‘I know that’s strange to say but we all grew up together and we were close friends anyway. You’ve got to think about it in context, we’re all just mates and performing with each other was the natural thing to do’. What is Alex Turner like you may wonder? ’He’s not very tall and he needs to put some weight on.’ Apart from the crazy gigs and sell out shows, Milburn have also established a presence on the streaming service Spotify, with roughly 2 million streams overall and their hit song ‘Send in the Boys’ on 475,000 streams. Amidst the controversy of artist’s relationships with with streaming services, Joe insists he is not going to be ‘some sort of Luddite that refuses to move and evolve with the times and I think Spotifty is an amazing thing. But I’m also on the other side on the coin, from those half a million stream we’ve seen about 15 quid.’ Can Milburn fans can expect more songs and possibly an album? “I don’t want to make too many commitments or promises. We’re going to do this tour and see how we get on but I think we’d be stupid to not try and get a couple more tunes down.’ It sounds like Milburn fans can keep their hopes up.
on but continued here. The sheer intensity of this Zeppelin-styled stallion is electrifying, and the album suddenly locks into place as a result. It feels as if Head Carrier has finally found its sound ten tracks down the line. You can hear the paranoia in Francis’ cry of “They’re coming to get me”, and feel the grime in his guitar. “If I had a certain style/Stuff would start to happen” Francis sings on ‘Talent’. Truly, if the Pixies could work out this frustrating, riveting yet occasionally boring style of theirs, stuff really will start to happen.
36 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
SCREEN
press.screen@forgetoday.com
The Love of Louis Screen Editor, Luke Baldwin discusses Louis Theroux’s recent surge in young followers after attending a special screening of the documentarians latest film at the Showroom Cinema followed by a live Q&A with the man himself
FORGE PRESS 37
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
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hen I first heard the concept of Louis Theroux’s new film, My Scientology Movie, my initial reaction was one of scepticism. Due to a lack of availability of interviews with actual members of Scientology, a religion widely known for its secretive nature, Theroux endeavours to recreate the groups inner workings using actors and advisors in order to give the most realistic representation of Scientology ever seen by the public. Bit of a cop out, right? Theroux himself admitted how he’d been trying to have a crack at Scientology for years but failed miserably each time. For me, this concept represented the usually very investigative Theroux effectively giving up. Fortunately, I was proven wrong. Produced by the award winning Simon Chinn (Searching for Sugar Man and Man on Wire), it very quickly becomes evident that the real purpose of Louis’ dramatisation is not to give some true to life image of the shady figures behind the world’s most infamous cult, but rather to rattle their cages and draw them out into the open where they can be exposed for the monsters they allegedly are, effectively allowing them to dig their own grave. What we’re left with is in many ways one of Theroux’s most revealing documentaries to date, unplanned and off the cuff. Camera phone footage of aggressive and harassing behaviour from the supposed cultists as well as cease and desist style letters from their lawyers are littered throughout the film, and shed a far more critical light on Scientology than any simple interview ever could.
“What we’re left with is one of Theroux’s most revealing documentaries to date, just because so much of it is unplanned and off the cuff” That being said, My Scientology Movie can at times feel somewhat lightweight, especially when compared with some of Louis’ recent more hard hitting documentaries on tough topics such as dementia, alcoholism and Jimmy Savile. Director, John Dower, summarised the films tone brilliantly in the post film Q&A, which was streamed to theatres across the country from the London Literature Festival, when he compared it Louis’ Weird Weekends, harking back to his somewhat comical films released around the start of the millennium. The characters involved feel more like bizarre enigmas to gawk or laugh at, rather than the recent sympathy
given to the victims of circumstance portrayed in Theroux’s recent work. He himself even described his interest in Scientology being due to the sheer quirkiness of many of its members.
“Louis’ usual persona of the bumbling Brit abroad, complete with long awkward pauses and terribly endearing colloqualisms, is as funny as ever” The film is driven along and kept engaging by the ever enigmatic Theroux. His usual persona of the bumbling Brit abroad, complete with long awkward pauses and stutters as well as some terribly endearing colloquialisms (at one point he describes losing his temper as “getting his dander up”), is as funny as ever, however it can sometimes feel like the film is set up to showcase Louis’ unique sense of humour, rather than actually expose anything incriminating regarding Scientology. Perhaps this reflects the lack of obtainable information or material on the topic at hand. I have always believed this portrayal of Theroux, who is clearly a highly intelligent and eloquent man, to be merely an investigative technique in order to appear non-threatening and lure his interviewees into a false sense of security, and coax them into revealing their genuine nature and thoughts. Dower spoke how the crew would say Theroux reminded them of the snake from The Jungle Book and that he “gave people enough rope to hang themselves”, reflecting his somewhat aloof and hypnotic behaviour. Comedian Adam Buxton, who chaired the Q&A and is a long-time friend of Theroux, compared the charismatic Louis’ devoted followers and the trust (and therefore power) they bestow upon him, to both the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard and Jimmy Savile, infamously also the topic of a Theroux documentary. It’s worth noting that, according to Theroux, Scientology consider journalists morally equal to “sexual deviants” and “perverts.” However Theroux believes that his good nature and lack of malicious intent, describing himself as an “open book”, were what differentiated him from these two men, who he described as taking a more “gradual” approach. Buxton confirmed this, stating it wasn’t a technique and that L0uis simply, “is how he is.” An audience member also praised Louis for his genuine want to provide people with a platform
to perform on in order to express their story and view. I think this combination of being informative and investigative, but with an endearing and amusing undercurrent, is what makes Louis so lovable, especially with the more inquisitive student. Praise should also be given to the young Andrew Perez, the largely unknown actor who is cast as Scientology’s sociopathic yet somewhat seductive leader, David Miscavige. His ability to easily channel Miscaviges intense anger, as well as his strange likeability and charisma, brings some excitement to the otherwise pointless, and in many ways boring, re-enactment sections of the documentary. In the film, Perez even receives admiration from former Scientologist turned whistle-blower Mark Rathburn, who appears and advises on the film and who knew Miscavige personally for several decades.
“Perez’s ability to seemingly easily channel Miscavige’s intense anger, as well as his strange likeability and charisma, brings some excitement to the otherwise pointless reenactent sections” Buxton discussed how adding many of Louis’ old, and often more light hearted, documentaries to Netflix has introduced a “new generation” to his work. This new wave of fans were pulled in even further when hit with his recent, heavier topics. My Scientology Movie is perfectly suited to this new generation, balancing the humour and intrigue of Theroux’s older documentaries, with the drama and mature themes of his recent forays. Throw in insightful and interesting debate on current topics like consumerism, religion and celebrity culture, all critiqueing the illusion of the American Dream, and you’ve got yourself some classic Louis Theroux.
Screen Street
So what is it about Mr. Theroux that students love so bloody much...
« “He appeals to liberal students, he asks the questions they want answered. He’s quite edgy.” - Jess (English)
« “His charm makes him very innocent and non threatening and it just makes you go Oh Louis” - Lydia (Physics)
« “It’s just a nice, approachable posh bloke who cares about things and people” - Dave (French with Polish)
« “He interviews people in a way where you get the view of the interviewee not the view of the interviewer” - Matthew (Economics)
« “A man who gives the nation informative documentaries whilst fulfilling his role as a national treasure” - Lewis (Business Management)
« “He’s a quality guy and tries to provide as non biased documentaries as possible on a wide range of topics. Also because of that video of him dancing to Groove is in the Heart” - Joe (Music and Korean Studies)
« “He’s got a good sense of humour, which makes him entertaining, but also more engaging than other documentaries.” - Sovra (History and Japanese)
« “The stories he covers and the way they’re presented are gripping. You just want to watch more and more” - Liam (Nursing)
38 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
SCREEN Blair Witch
« Sam Kelly Screen contributor
Free State of Jones
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Jason Fotopoulos Screen contributor
he guns keep firing, men fall, but those left march on. The opening sequence of Free State of Jones sets the theme that spans the full length of director Gary Ross’s 2h 20m of running time: relentless struggle. It is 1862 and the American Civil War is raging. Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey), disillusioned with the rich man’s war, deserts and forms a small guerrilla army consisting of poor farmers, their families and runaway slaves. The movie, based on a true story strives to remain historical accurate. The latter half of the film focuses on the racism that persisted in the southern states of America after the abolition of slavery.
“The movie, based on a true story strives to remain historically accurate.” However, the concept that poor whites are not much higher in the social ladder than blacks is acknowledged all the way until the credits roll. One of the redeeming features of this film is the acting: McConaughey is brilliant as a dirty, rugged, unkempt rebel and convincingly portrays the pioneering values that Knight would have displayed in real life. Other stunning performances come from Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mahersherla Ali, who respectively
S
press.screen@forgetoday.com
eventeen years ago, The Blair Witch Project revolutionised horror cinema, popularising the found footage genre and sparking dozens of imitators, from REC to Paranormal Activity. That style of
filmmaking is now so ubiquitous that many people don’t get the Blair Witch hype. It’s been done a million times since, so it’s no longer that scary. The problem, then, is how do you
make such a sequel in 2016 that’s scary, relevant, and fresh after two decades of dozens of films ripping off its predecessor? Unfortunately, Adam Wingard’s film fails to answer this. Blair Witch follows James, younger brother of the original’s Heather, who has grown up with the knowledge of her disappearance in the woods and the footage that remained (i.e. the contents of the original film). Apparently neither he nor his friends watched any of that footage, because they think it’s a good idea to go back in the woods – armed with more cameras – to try and search for the house that Heather and friends ended up in at the iconic ending of the original. There are some modern updates, as they bring digital cameras, smartphones (though reception quickly vanishes) and a drone; but once they end up back in the
woods it is essentially a rehash of the first film, with a larger cast (six instead of three) of less interesting characters. As it progresses it’s clear that there is going to be no slow-burning tension, no building sense of terror and paranoia, no unsettling evocation of primal fears. Instead, we get a few lame jump scares here and there, cheap gore, and it even lacks all of the atmosphere and suspense that made it good. Meanwhile, the found footage style is clumsily executed - there are too many characters wielding cameras about, and they constantly film things that they have no logical reason to be filming. Ultimately, Blair Witch is a sequel has nothing to add to this well-worn genre. And what’s sad is that a classic horror movie will always have this rubbish attached to its legacy.
play Rachel and Moses, two runaway slaves. Unfortunately, the multiple cutaway scenes leave viewers with the feeling that the actors didn’t have the chance to really develop their characters. In spite of the inconsistent narrative structure of the film, the cinematography is excellent. The wide, open shots of the desolate Mississippi countryside epitomises the lonely battle fought by Knight and his comrades. Free State of Jones accurately tells the true story of Knight and his endeavours, and leaves you asking the question: how much have things changed?
SMALL SCREEN
composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer have previously teamed up on E4’s Utopia, and the atmospheric similarity is too pronounced; National Treasure feels like an edgy sci-fi, which undermines its own seriousness. Writer Jack Thorne, hot from penning the West End’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, has emphasised the necessity of keeping Yewtree-related discussions alive in a recent interview for The Guardian. The emphasis of the programme, however, has barely stepped beyond Finchley’s front door, keeping the alleged victims’ voices in silence. If the purpose of National Treasure was to cast a new light on celebrity sex crimes, its first three episodes have failed. Thorne has
expertly maintained the ambiguity surrounding Finchley’s innocence. But it’s that half of the story that needs telling: endless close-ups of Finchley’s craggy face are not revealing anything new about sex
National Treasure
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Sophie Maxwell Screen contributor
s National Treasure approaches its fourth and final episode, the rape trial of the fictional but oh-so-relevant Paul Finchley (Robbie Coltrane) looms darkly. The four-part series for Channel 4 has garnered attention as an important Yewtreeinspired drama featuring serious acting talent but so far it has not warranted the stamp of great TV. Paul Finchley is the titular ‘national treasure’; an ageing icon of TV comedy and one half of a double act with Karl Jenkins (a perfectly cast Tim McInnerny). As the first episode begins, Finchley faces the humiliating task of presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to his comedy partner, whose efforts on screen have routinely outshone his own. The word humiliation recurs through flashbacks showing the imbalanced success of the duo, but Finchley soon finds a new kind of spotlight amid a flurry of historic rape allegations. As Finchley’s supposed crimes hit the front page, the narrative explores the debilitating effects of the accusations on his personal life. Andrea Riseborough is breathtaking as Finchley’s adult daughter Dee. Julie Walters is just as good as ever as the stoic, conservative wife Marie; but her character is unfortunately too severe alongside Coltrane, whose performance is deeply affecting. Director Marc Munden and
“If the purpose of National Treasure was to cast a new light on celebrity sex crimes, its first three episodes have failed.” offences or public responsibility. Here’s hoping that the final episode will turn the tables. I’ve had enough of pretending to care about famous old men. I want to hear the other side.
FORGE PRESS 39
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
SCREEN The Girl on The Train
Travel puns aside, the story is told from the perspectives of three women: Rachel (Emily Blunt), a lonely alcoholic still bitter from the failure of her marriage; the current wife of Rachel’s ex-husband, Anna (Rebecca Ferguson); and Anna’s family nanny, Megan (Hayley Bennett). Rachel rides the train all day, pretending to her flatmate (Laura Prepon, Orange is the New Black) that she is working, when she is in fact travelling to observe her old neighbourhood and the folks currently residing there, specifically Megan and her striking ex -husband (Justin Theroux). Don’t be quick to judge the leading protagonist - who hasn’t drunk stalked, dialled, and tried to steal the child of their former husband? Rachel is indeed an extremely obsessive and fascinating character. It’s disappointing, therefore, that Blunt’s performance as this disturbing figure of burning resentment does nothing to illustrate her talent as an actress. Let’s put it this way: her portrayal of Rachel fails to bare resemblance to Glen Close’s performance in Fatal
Attraction. At times, her acting in the movie is hard to watch; it even becomes ridiculous to watch, somewhat like observing a 40 year old on a hen night as opposed to a woman on the cusp of insanity. Disappointingly, the denouement of the movie is in no way shocking.
SCREEN DIGITAL
Cult Corner
Luke Cage
Rick and Morty
while somehow defying the widelyaccepted rule that ‘random’ doesn’t equal ‘funny’. While the first season is a bit patchy, the second enjoys an astonishing run of quality episodes, consistently nailing the humour the first enjoyed at its peak. It remains to be seen as to whether Harmon, Roiland and their team of (undoubtedly unhinged) writers can maintain this standard in years to come. There seems to be little cause for concern, though. Like the criminally undervalued Futurama, Rick & Morty has created an endlessly customisable universe. The possibilities for pseudoscientific improvisation are tied only to the imagination of the writers and their skill for the art. As Rick oxymoronically states, “sometimes science is more art than science.” This could go on for a while.
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Bridget Jones’s Baby «««««
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Harry Minogue Screen contributor
n an age where we are constantly bombarded with reboots, sequels, remakes and reimaginings, it was almost inevitable that the next instalment of the Bridget Jones series would be continued on the screen in a similar format. Unlike so many of continuations we’re presented with, however, a return to the world of Bridget Jones was very welcome indeed. Picking up 11 years on from the events of Bridget Jones’s Diary, we find Bridget (the excellent as ever Renée Zellweger) celebrating her 43rd birthday, yet again single and currently employed as a television producer. After abandoning a celebratory night out thanks to cancellations from her friends due to their various family commitments, her friend and colleague Miranda (Sarah Solemani) convinces her to come along to a music festival. There she ends up sleeping with Jack Qwant (Patrick Dempsey), a billionaire dating site owner and
then not a week later, then goes on to spend the night with old flame Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). As one might discern from the title Bridget falls pregnant, but without being any the wiser as to whom the father is. It’s a comedy set up as old as the hills but it’s put to good effect with a vibrant and witty script coauthored by Emma Thompson. As well as authoring the film, she puts in a brilliant turn as Dr Rawlings, aided in no small part by the allocation of some cracking one liners. The performances were top notch all round with the cast clearly having a ball and relishing their return (with Sally Phillips, Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones amongst others reprising their roles). The film contains all the hallmarks we’ve previously seen in the series: Bridget’s often abysmal social skills, her managing to screw up spectacularly at work, a warring relationship between two men competing for her heart, her oddball parents and so forth.
Hannah Dodd Screen contributor
atching The Girl On The Train is a bit like arriving at the station and then realising that you’ve forgotten your railcard, before eventually deciding to proceed with the big budget journey only to be left with the underwhelming feeling that the whole journey could have gone a lot better. Sadly, in spite of its eminent plot potential and
“The biggest issue with the movie is that it has been released in the shadow of two big hitting female thrillers.” star-studded cast, this ostensibly promising movie arguably fails to leave its platform.
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Nick Burke Games Editor James McCann
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he seemingly unending tide of Marvel hero films has been a major component of Hollywood for the last few years. Since Iron Man in 2008 to the latest Doctor Strange film coming out later this month, Marvel Studios have produced 15 different Hero-themed movies for the big screen. The studio has even proved just as lucrative on the small screen with Agents of Shield and the slightly less successful, Agent Carter. The new market seems to be, however, the Netflix original series. Luke Cage follows the recent successes of both Daredevil and
Jessica Jones and takes a strong shot at the Marvel-for-adults genre. The fight scenes involving Luke Cage (Mike Coulter) himself are few and far between. This aversion to constant action means the plot is not quite as fast paced as what Marvel fans may be used to. This is, however, made up for
with beautifully shot scenes and quotable quips being thrown by each of the bold and intriguing characters. The superhero game is growing up - and it’s doing it well. The superhero game is growing up - and it’s doing it well.
For those losing hope in the production line of stale animated comedies from across the pond, fear not. The brilliantly fresh and absurdist Rick & Morty, created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, is the cult saviour the genre has been crying out for. Lovers of Community will be all too familiar with the latter’s infuriatingly effortless ability to make metaphysical observations accessible and hilarious. Freed from the shackles of actors and the laws of this dimension however, Harmon and co-creator Roiland (improvisational comic and voice of both Rick and Morty) unleash their giddy zaniness, delivering a mind-bending take on “science”
“ The most annoying aspect of the movie is that it is set in Manhattan - when in the novel, it is set in gritty London. ” Its ending is anticlimactic, by the end I was still waiting for the nail biting suspense to begin. The only character who leaves a remote impression on the audience is Megan - and she’s absent for the greater part of the film! If I were you, I’d leave this train-wreck of a movie and would proceed to demand a reimbursement for the ticket.
42 FORGE PRESS
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
COFFEE BREAK
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Weird World Playing chicken: Why did the chicken cross the road? I guess we’ll never know. Motorists in Dundee cried fowl when they saw a chicken in the middle of a busy East Marketgait street at rush hour. Police rescued the bird and took it back to the station in an attempt to reunite it with its owner, but its home and motive for crossing the road remain to be seen. Perhaps it was on its way back from a hen do. You must be taking the piss: Urotherapy, a treatment with roots in Indian culture that was used by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, has become a health trend in modern-day Britain. Doesn’t sound too strange, right? The treatment involves dabbing small amounts of urine on your face, with the urea and uric acid apparently acting as a handy exfoliant - which might be quite strange, after all. However, a number of people are swearing by it. Though maybe take care before kissing any converts. Today’s daily dose of cute: Three adorable kittens were rescued in London and taken to a nearby Blue Cross shelter after being found in a crisp box. The abandoned felines were flea-infested and suffering with anaemia when they were found. But thanks to the actions of the passer-by who discovered them, and the Blue Cross’ rehabilitation of the one month olds, the three will be able to be rehomed in the near future. The kittens have been named, thanks to what they were found in, McCoy, Dorito and Pringle.
ON THIS DAY 1066 - The Battle of Hastings: the English army is defeated and King Harold II is killed. 1926 - Winnie the Pooh is published for the first time by A. A. Milne. 1968 - The Apollo 7 crew transmit the first live TV broadcast from space. 1969 - The 50 pence coin is introduced in the United Kingdom. 1982 - Ronald Reagan announces a “war on drugs” in the U.S. 1984 - “Baby Fae” becomes the first infant to undergo a successful heart transplant after receieving the heart of a baboon.
Only 71 days until Christmas!
WORD SEARCH
Thief misunderstands job description: A thief in Perth, Australia, has done what may be a first in the history of all thefts by leaving his ‘victim’ in profit. Tom Drury was worried when he realised his Mazda had been broken into, but not only had the perpetrator removed a broken car stereo Drury had been trying to get rid of for months, but they had accidentally left AUD$22.10 - about £13.75 - on the seat. They can feel free to ‘rob’ us any time.
How many times does the word ‘students’ appear in this issue of Forge? Think you know? Tweet us your answer @ForgePress using #CoffeeBreak.
NEWS QUIZ 1) Ed Balls turned heads in his most recent Strictly Come Dancing appearance last weekend, performing a dance based on which Jim Carrey film? A) The Mask B) Liar Liar C) The Cable Guy D) Bruce Almighty
7) Sneaky pranksters in West Yorkshire sprayed a police Land Rover which colour this week? A) Pink B) Yellow C) Silver D) Gold
2) After being put on the spot by an audience member at the second presidential debate, what did Hillary Clinton praise Donald Trump for? A) His hair B) His vast, vast, vast fortune. Vast. C) His tan D) His children
8) A couple on a coach trip in Scotland issued a bizarre complaint. What was it? A) Too many sheep B) They couldn’t understand what anyone was saying C) It was colder than they expected D) They spent ‘too much time’ on a coach
3) Trump has had the backing of many politicians and celebrities, though recent controversies have driven some away. Three of these famous names still back the tycoon, but one of these staunch Republicans has denounced him. Who’s the odd one out? A) Mike Tyson B) Arnold Schwarzenegger C) Jon Voight D) Scott Baio
9) According to two Danish doctors, what should you absolutely not do while on the toilet? A) Read the paper B) Grunt C) Lift your knees D) Fall asleep
4) Which Samsung Galaxy phone is being recalled after numerous reports of models catching fire, including on a plane? A) Note 5 B) Note 6 C) Note 7 D) Note 8
10) Which of these classic Disney films is NOT getting a live-action reboot in the next year? A) Hercules B) Aladdin C) Mulan D) The Little Mermaid
5) Which Spice Girl recently announced she was having a baby at the age of 44? A) Posh Spice B) Ginger Spice C) Baby Spice D) Old Spice 6) York City sacked manager Jackie McNamara this week, before doing what? A) Appointing his brother as manager B) Apologising and reinstating him C) Asking him to continue training the team D) Throwing him a party
News Quiz Answers: 1) A 2) D 3) B 4) C 5) B 6) C 7) C 8) D 9) B 10) A
Images: Kura Kun (Spice Girls); Blue Cross (Kittens)
FORGE PRESS 43
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COFFEE BREAK
NONOGRAM
How to complete a nonogram A completed nonogram will show a hidden image. Simply colour in grid cells based on the numbers at the side of the grid. The numbers measure how many unbroken lines of filled-in squares there are in any given row or column. For example, a clue of “4 8 3” would mean there are sets of four, eight, and three filled squares, in the row or column it matches up with, in that order, with at least one blank square between successive groups. You may find it easier to put a cross in any squares that shouldn’t be coloured in.
UNSCRAMBLE Rearrange these letters to form a nine-letter word! Clue: Following in someone else's footsteps
M E A N G U I L T
FILBERT
D H AR
M IU M ED
EA S
Y
SUDOKU
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press.sport@forgetoday.com
Sports Thoughts
There are two servings of food for thought this week: Katy Sandalls casts a critical eye over Women’s Sport Week and the lack of coverage afforded to women in sport, while Adam May focuses his ire on Fifa President Gianni Infantino’s plans to expand the World Cup to include 48 national sides.
Women’s Sport Week fails to address the big issue Katy Sandalls Forge Sport contributor
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he start of October marked Women’s Sport Week, a week which should have shown all the wonderful things that women have contributed to the world of sport, especially given the summer’s success in Rio. Instead, it simply showed one of the biggest problem’s that women’s sport faces; a lack of coverage. Few media organisations were brave enough to organise some sort of attention to the week. Sky backed the initiative and the BBC for its part decided to put out a few pieces by well-known female sportspeople, but precious little else seemed to materialise in the mainstream media. Amongst the BBC’s pieces was a column by Susie Wolff, a former Formula 1 test driver who highlighted the issue of women’s invisibility in motorsport. It was an interesting article by a woman whose opinion I value but
one which ultimately came to the same conclusion; women don’t do motorsport. Not enough girls do it at a young age and so it will take years for F1 to play host to another female driver.
Quite a damning conclusion, but one that wasn’t all together surprising especially when Wolff herself retired from the sport as she believed she couldn’t go any further. Perhaps more damning still of the opportunities available to women were the words of women’s rugby international Danielle Waterman who mentioned her happiness at the England team having their own women’s kit. England’s women’s rugby aren’t the only ones without specific kit, the English cricket team have only had kit for 8 years and football for 12. Advertisers are never going to be interested in a team that is rarely even noted in the national press so it’s not surprising that heels have been dragged over female specific kits. Image: Wikipedia
As someone who has never been particularly “sporty” (sport was for the sporty girls) but has enjoyed watching the Olympics for years, the ability to watch and hear about women doing well was always welcome and sadly novel.
“The wider lack of interest shown by the media makes it clear that women’s sport is still just a sideshow that can’t even be engaged in fully for a week”
It’s sad that as I sit here aged 21 little has changed and the general feeling still remains that sport is for men. The Women’s Sport Week did little but confirm my opinion on this. The opportunities to get involved in the Women’s Sport Week were limited to say the best; Scottish
women were given one option, rugby. There was nothing on offer to women in Wales and Northern Ireland. Yorkshire-based women were given the option to attend a conference in Leeds, or give triathlon a go in Malton, and nothing else. Hardly a varied choice but one which probably recognises the funding difficulties available. Given that this is the “week’s” second year perhaps I shouldn’t be so harsh, but surely this lack of interaction and the wider lack of interest shown by the media makes it clear that women’s sport is still just a sideshow that can’t even be engaged in fully for a week by the nation. It’s a sad testament to how far women’s sport has yet to go to be recognised but there are many, including our Olympic heroines, who will keep it going forward. Perhaps next year it will have us all talking, somehow I don’t think it will.
Fifa fatcats ready to dine out on its expanding cash cow Adam May Forge Sport contributor
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he World Cup is perhaps the most hotly anticipated football event on the calendar. It’s a celebration of the sport’s ability to bring together different cultures in the name of the beautiful game. Yet the competition as we know it is under threat. Under plans put forward by newly-elected Fifa president Gianni Infantino, the World Cup finals could be extended to 48 teams, 16 more than the current format. The plans, which have sparked debate over what it could mean for the competitiveness of the competition, would see a preliminary knock-out round take place prior to the group stages, with no fewer than 16 teams failing to make the cut and sent home at the first time of asking. It all sounds very well and good and would likely, on paper, create an enticing narrative.
But as we saw in the summer in France, the expanded European Championships created some of the dullest football we’ve had the displeasure of witnessing.
“The game needs to keep its integrity on the field intact” Not only would an expanded tournament create a dreary spectacle as teams look to set-up a rigid backline that’s too fearful of conceding and thus leading to dull 0-0 draws or slender 1-0 victories, it makes the qualification process somewhat meaningless. For England fans, we all know the inevitable. Qualify with flying colours and then mess around with the team in pre-tournament friendlies, only to get knocked out and a post-mortem conducted shortly afterwards. The qualification process is too easy for teams like the Three Lions,
who pass through groups with ease, yet to expand the tournament further means that the nations unable to compete with the world’s best sides will aim to shut up shop as soon as they reach the World Cup finals. Qualification loses its edge because so many teams are given second chances, and what should be an entertainment business soon becomes a show of who can make the least mistakes. Sounds exciting, no? You can see FIFA’s reasoning: it will increase income, draw in larger audiences, and it allows more nations to participate in the historic competition. There should be a line, however, between enabling participation and decreasing the competitive edge because teams are too afraid of error and throwing the months of hard work that went into qualifying in the first place into history books that no-one will bother reading. On the flip side, tournament expansions can also lead to stories such as that of the inspiring
Image: Kremlin
Icelandic team who gained the admiration of many, yet to have over a dozen nations already knocked out before the group stage kicks in suggests that many nations that are capable of achieving such a feat will be swamped out. The powerhouses of international football will be so intent on not slipping up that flair and attacking genius may well have to be sacrificed. It will be a tournament for the tactical wizards but, as a spectacle, its allure could diminish hastily.
And with trust in football waning following investigations made by the Daily Telegraph that led to Sam Allardyce’s sacking, the game needs to keep its integrity on the field intact. That should begin with a competitive tournament that features the world’s best, and not any old nation that have been the benefiters of a lenient qualification structure. The World Cup is a cash generator, though, and its expansion, unfortunately, appears inevitable.
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press.sport@forgetoday.com
Steelers thrash Giants to maintain 100% record
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George Carr Forge Sport Contributor
he Sheffield Steelers stormed to a third straight victory in the Elite League as they thrashed Belfast Giants 5-1. Unlike the scoreline suggests, it was a close tie with little between either side for large portions of the match. With the game tied going into the final period the Giants forced the Steelers to take their performance up a gear, in order to seal the victory. Despite an exciting first period neither the Steelers nor the Giants could take the lead despite a number of power plays and missed opportunities. All that was missing was a goal and the first inevitably came through last week’s match winner Jesse Schultz in the first minute of the second period. The Steelers caught the Giants out on the break and Valdix squared it into the path of Schultz who smashed Sheffield into a 1-0 lead. The goal injected new life into the Steelers and they began to control the game. The match became faster and far more aggressive as both
sides knew the significance of the second goal. In the closing minutes of the second period, and at the worst possible time for the Steelers, the Giants equalised against the run of play, setting up an exciting final period for the neutral.
“The game finished with a brawl behind the net.”
Bjorklund put the game to bed with the Steelers’ fourth, and with only minutes remaining of the match the Giant’s frustration became apparent. Two players gave penalties away and the Steelers capitalised on the power play with a fifth through Valdix. The Giants’ anger boiled over at the end as the game finished with a brawl behind the net, but the Steelers were not riled, safe in the knowledge that they had run out comfortable winners. Although the score-line was
unfair on the Giants, the Steelers deserve all the credit for picking themselves up after conceding a late equaliser in the second period. They went on to score four goals, reminding everyone of their status as reigning champions. The result leaves the Steelers in fourth place, having played four games fewer than current league leaders Nottingham Panthers. They are the only team with a 100% league record this season.
Image: Ollie Hastings
The Giants started the third period as the better of the two sides, twice coming close to scoring the winning goal. However, a penalty against the Giants proved costly as the Steelers took full advantage of the powerplay as Schultz fired in his second of the night. This time the Steelers wouldn’t give the Giants the chance to get back into the game as only a minute later Desbiens scored the third goal to put the game to 3-1 and almost out of reach. Prior to the goals, there had been nothing between the two sides, but the Steelers went on to dominate the final period.
Sheffield sides suffer twin tennis home defeats
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Tim Adams Forge Sport Contributor
he University of Sheffield Tennis Men’s and Women’s 1s both lost their opening league matches 8-4 on Wednesday afternoon. After the triumph of Varsity, it was a chance for Sheffield’s premier teams to set a positive tone for the upcoming campaign. The Men’s 1s, drawn against the University of Durham 4s, and the Women’s 1s, who welcomed
Sheffield Hallam 1s, lost both the doubles matches but did win the last four singles comprehensively. Led by captain Tom Dyakowski, the men’s team included Joe Tingey, Vilis Vitols and debutant Max Heath. Taking to courts one and two, all four were confident in triumphing over a tough Durham foursome. The women’s team were hopefuly of securing victory also, with Ashley Fletcher leading a line of Natalie Bacon, Sarah Moore and Carla Beceanu against a Hallam side
determined to avenge the Varsity loss. In the competitive doubles matches, Hallam opened up a 4-0 lead by winning both their doubles 6-1 6-1 and 7-5 6-3 respectively. In the men’s doubles matches, Durham’s tactical tenacity under pressure was key to winning both matches, 4-6 7-6 10-2 and 6-2 6-7 10-7. By lunchtime, Sheffield were 4-0 down in both ties and needed a change in fortunes to win their opening round fixtures. The singles matches created renewed hope when Tom Dyakowski won his first set 6-1, but as the momentum swung Durham’s way so did the scorecard, ending up 1-6 6-3 6-4. A myriad of Sheffield defeats followed with straight set losses of 6-3 6-1 in the men’s draw, with 6-2 6-0 and 6-1 6-4 drubbings in the women’s side. As the scoreline confirmed both teams were losing 8-0, Durham and Hallam had officially triumphed. However, the four remaining singles ended with some emphatic but tight Sheffield wins. First, Vilis Vitols won his match 6-1 6-4, in similarly authoritative fashion to Joe Tingey’s 6-2 6-0
trouncing. Ashley Foster dispatched her opponent with a 7-6 6-0 victory while Carla Beceanu rounded off proceedings with a 7-6 3-6 10-5 triumph. Tom Dyakowski told Forge Sport: “It was very tough losing all of our three set matches because if we had won one of them at least, we would have got a draw. “Overall it is disappointing, but it was good to get a couple of wins lower down the order. “I think Durham with us are one of the best teams in the league.” “We do now have a coach with us during training sessions, so I think that will make a big difference between bread and butter mistakes, and hopefully we are not going to make any more,” said Ashley Fletcher. With nine league matches and plenty of cup ties coming up shortly both the men’s and women’s teams will take the positives out of today’s defeats and look to embark on a more positive run in the coming months. Now a coach is running training for both teams, the balls are now in their court regarding a response.
Hockey Club raise £7000 after “incredible response”
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Hugh Dickinson Forge Press Sports Editor
he University of Sheffield Men’s Hockey Club have raised almost £7000 since their kit was destroyed in a bus fire two weeks ago. The club lost £40,000 of club and personal hockey equipment and £30,000 of personal belongings when their transport caught fire on the M62 on the way back from a pre-season game. Despite most of this being covered in insurance, funds were still required to cover costs and excesses and resulted in a JustGiving page being set up. The £7000 raised includes an anonymous single donation of £2000 and £500 donated by Robin Eyre Change Management. The generosity has extended beyond straightforward donations, with equipment being leant by other University clubs and kit by affiliated Saturday side Sheffield University Bankers. Barrington Sports have also offered their help by providing discounts for those looking to replace kit. Club Sponsorship and Alumni Secretary Joel Gandhi wanted to “thank everyone for the incredible response” and said that the club had been “inundated with messages and offers of support.” He added that the experience “hasn’t dampened spirits, the boys are really excited to start BUCS and represent the University.” This seems to be holding true so far with the team recording a win, two draws and a loss on the opening day, including a last minute equaliser away at Hallam for the Men’s 3s.
Image: @Shefunihockey
Brand New to Forge Sport BUCS Wednesday Live: text commentary of all the BUCS action Every Wednesday 2-7pm at www.forgetoday.com/sport Followed by The ROAR Show at 7pm
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Men’s Football 2s suffer agonising last-minute defeat FOOTBALL
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University of Sheffield Men’s 2s
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York St. John University Men’s 2s
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Adam May Forge Sport contributor
niversity of Sheffield Men’s Football 2s got their BUCS Northern Division 4B campaign off to a losing start as they were stunned by a 90th minute winner at Norton Playing Fields. York St John 2s scored with seconds to spare after Sheffield looked to have earned a share of the spoils thanks to James Lineau’s equaliser six minutes from full time. Sheffield, who were pipped to last season’s title by five points after an impressive showing by Teesside 1s, got off to the best possible start when James Smith was tripped inside the area. The winger stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick into the bottom right corner with just two
minutes on the clock. The conditions worsened as the rain became heavier and Sheffield began to struggle with the zippy surface, eventually surrendering their lead shortly after the quarterhour mark.
“They were okay, the other team played well and had good luck.” - Siamak Zaad A free-kick from the left was headed away comfortably by the Sheffield back-line, but Alex Mooney flapped at York St John’s cross from the opposite flank and gifted the visitors a leveller. Sheffield were then twice denied
by the upright as Smith squandered a chance to regain the advantage, but York St John pulled themselves ahead eight minutes after the interval when a well-drilled cross along the face of goal was swept home from close-range. A barrage of attacks came from Sheffield, with the hosts dominating the wide areas; yet they failed to apply the finishing touch to a catalogue of chances. Alex Bradshaw headed against the bar and a couple of clear-cut penalty appeals fell on deaf ears. A Sheffield equaliser looked inevitable, but it was worth the wait, as Lineau pounced on an uncontested ball in the box, rifling a shot past the helpless goalkeeper into the top corner to record what looked to be a hard-earned point. The drama did not stop there though, as a shot squirmed under the body of Mooney after a decisive counter-attack with virtually the last kick of the game, giving York St John their first BUCS win of the new campaign and dealing Sheffield a sickening blow. Sheffield manager Siamak Zaad felt that the home side showed enough to record at least a point, but bemoaned their profligacy in front of goal as they were punished
by an economical York St John side. He told Forge Sport: “We had a very good performance but unfortunately the ball hasn’t gone in [enough times]. “If you see the first-half we have created lots of chances but we didn’t score, we had one hit the bar and the post in the second-half as well, and we were in shape, good in
our movement but today isn’t our day. “They were okay, the other team played well and had good luck. “We worked really hard, had teamwork and we were united when we were down and kept pushing up. “We had good behaviour on the pitch. We will go and work on our finishing.” Image: Adam May
Rugby Union 3s swept aside Men’s Hockey 2s RUGBY UNION Sheffield Hallam University Men’s 2s University of Sheffield Men’s 3s
31 10
Josh Minchin which became a key part of the Forge Sport Contributor game for the men in crimson.
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heffield Hallam University Rugby Union 2s triumphed in their opening BUCS fixture 31-10 over city rivals University of Sheffield 3s, who struggled to get a foothold in a game played under the lights at Hallam Sports Park. Sheffield found themselves under pressure from the kick off, and soon enough Hallam managed to convert a penalty early on to open the scoring. The early lead was one from which Sheffield would never recover. Dominating the game, Hallam’s forwards put constant pressure on the Sheffield line with some excellent ball recycling, a feature
A lineout soon led to the night’s opening try, which was bundled over in the 18th minute. Hallam’s kicker converted this one, and added six more points through penalties to make it 16-0 at half time.
“A noisy crowd made their presence felt”
The hosts started the second half well, scoring soon after the referee’s whistle to make it 21-0. Another was run in soon afterwards, and fears began to mount that Sheffield would be on the end of a rout. A forward pass denied Hallam
a certain try, and immediately following that error Matt Jones broke with some blistering pace on the left wing to open Sheffield’s account. The woodwork denied kicker Tom Grier, but an excellent example of cross-field kicking gave Matt Jones his second of the night, and spared Sheffield’s blushes to leave the score at 3110. As captain Tom Grier confirmed after the match, 18 of the Sheffield 22 were freshers making their debut BUCS appearances, a statistic which tilted the already stacked odds further in Hallam’s favour. A noisy crowd made their presence felt, and arguably influenced some of the ill-discipline which cost Sheffield more than 10 points throughout the match. “Knock-ons and rucking errors can be worked on in training” Grier told Forge Sport after the game. Despite imperfections, this fresh Sheffield side did show flickers of promise in an otherwise disappointing night for the visitors.
steal last-gasp victory
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Sam Constance Forge Sport Contributor
last-gasp winner set the University of Sheffield Men’s Hockey 2s off to a fantastic start as they claimed all three points against the University of York 1s. The game had a very cagey opening, with Sheffield and York constantly trading possession, yet neither side could provide the key finish to break the deadlock. The closest either side got to a goal in the first half was a series of penalty corners from Sheffield that were brilliantly saved by the York goalkeeper, who kept the game goalless entering half time. After the game got back underway, the fans at Goodwin who came to watch the game were treated to a lovely spell of dominant play by Sheffield, as they created many superb scoring chances and began to wear York down. Late in the game, Sheffield’s George Ashton suffered a nasty
injury as he collided with a York player and suffered a concussion that forced a stoppage in play and eventually called for him to leave the field. Once play had restarted, Sheffield picked up where they left off, creating plenty of chances, but once again not being able to convert in the final third. However, it was in the dying minutes that Josh Gemmill managed to step up and score the winner for Sheffield, his first goal for the team in five years of playing for the club, slapping a shot past the helpless York goalkeeper after a great piece of build-up play. The 1-0 victory sets Sheffield up for the rest of the season, and they will look to keep that momentum going for their next game, against Newcastle Men’s 2s on November 2.
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BUCS Weekly Round-up
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Anthony Phillips Forge Sport Contributor
he University of Sheffield got their 2016/17 BUCS campaign off to a great start recording 23 victories, four draws and 16 losses during the first week of fixtures. Sheffield had four undefeated teams last season – Men’s Lacrosse 1s, Women’s Basketball 1s, Men’s Table Tennis 1s and Men’s Fencing 1s - as well as a number of teams who clinched league and cup titles, and will be hoping to replicate or better their overall BUCS finish of 19th place. The Men’s Rugby Union 1s followed up their 24-0 defeat of Lancaster on October 5 with a 3418 demolition of Newcastle. The Union 2s also won in convincing fashion with a 37-0 rout of York, while the Men’s Rugby League 1s beat York St John’s 4612 to give Sheffield three big rugby victories. Women’s Football also had a good start to the season, with the 1s beating Leeds Beckett 4-1 while the 2s thrashed Sunderland 4-0. There were also good opening wins for golf, table tennis, netball and fencing. In terms of losses, there was an agonising 123-120 defeat for the Women’s Fencing 1s against Liverpool. The Men’s Football 2s also had a narrow loss, losing 3-2 to York St John’s (see page 47). The biggest disappointment came from the Women’s Hockey 1s, who were edged out 1-0 in an away to Birmingham. The Women’s Badminton 1s also struggled in their first BUCS fixture of the season, losing 6-2 to Northumbria. There were a notable number of fixtures against arch rivals Sheffield Hallam. The Women’s Basketball 1s had not tasted defeat in the entirety of the 2015/16 season, but lost 97-35 against their nearest rivals at EIS Sheffield. The points were shared in the Lacrosse Men’s 1s (see the lead back page report), while the Men’s Hockey 3s drew 2-2. The best result of the day came from the Men’s Football 1s, who beat Hallam 2-0 at Hallam Sports Park in a repeat of their Varsity triumph.
Star performers The Squash teams recorded six victories from six matches played. Sides from Durham, Newcastle, Leeds, Sunderland and Leeds Beckett (twice) were all put to the sword in an excellent overall performance.
Men’s Lacrosse 1s share spoils with Sheffield Hallam in thrilling opener Adam Bailey Forge Sport Contributor
LACROSSE
University of Sheffield Men’s 1s
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Sheffield Hallam University Men’s 1s
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arsity may be a few months away but the battle was just as fierce this week as the University of Sheffield Lacrosse Men’s 1s played out a thrilling 1010 draw with city rivals Sheffield Hallam University at Goodwin. Although Sheffield were unable to avenge their Varsity defeat from April, they most certainly showed intent for the season having been promoted to the BUCS Northern Division 1A, a league that Hallam won last season with a 100 per cent win record. Despite Hallam being considered the team to beat in the league this season, Sheffield started the match the more confident. The home side were rewarded in the 14th minute, when Cameron Parks opened the scoring, before Elliot Banks cancelled out Parks’ opener to ensure there was nothing to separate the two sides after the first quarter.
This was the story for the rest of the match, as every time one team scored, their goal was quickly cancelled out. Oli Murray put Sheffield ahead within seconds of the start of the second quarter, before Hallam equalised while taking full advantage of having a player extra as Ben Page-Laycock served a penalty on the sidelines. Sheffield were back ahead as
Parks scored his second goal of the game to restore the hosts’ advantage. Hallam then scored two goals in quick succession to ensure Sheffield trailed for the first time in the game at the end of the second quarter. With just one goal in the match at the halfway stage, the match was tightly poised, and could have gone either way. It looked like it would be Hallam celebrating at the full time-whistle after they extended their lead to 5-3 at the start of the third quarter. Sheffield showed great character, however, and were soon back on level terms. Marcus Goodlad pulled one back, before Parks completed his hat-trick to make it 5-5. The rest of the quarter saw each goal scored by either side quickly cancelled out.
Page-Laycock equalised twice for Sheffield after Hallam had seized the advantage, before he completed his hat-trick to put the home side ahead, only for the visitors to draw back level. The score was 8-8 heading into the final 20 minutes, setting up a tense final quarter, and that certainly proved to be the case. Goodlad equalised after Hallam had gone ahead, before Tatton put Sheffield ahead with 10 minutes left. Hallam refused to be beaten though, and equalised to make it 10-10 with five minutes left. Despite both teams pressing for a winner, neither side could find the winning goal and had to settle for a point from their opening game.
Image: Adam Bailey
Basketball 1s victorious Josh Taylor Forge Sport contributor
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BASKETBALL
University of Sheffield Men’s 1s
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Northumbria University Men’s 3s
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he University of Sheffield Men’s Basketball 1s started their quest for promotion from BUCS Northern Division 2B with an 8577 victory over Northumbria University Men’s 3s on Wednesday at Goodwin. Northumbria, looking to gain revenge following defeat to Sheffield last season, started the opening minutes of the first quarter brightly, taking a 7-2 lead with the home side failing to muster anything on offence. Their lead did not last for long;
Sheffield fought back, capitalising on steals to unleash explosive breakaways to take a 24-17 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Beginning the second quarter, the visitors set out to close the deficit early, but found themselves halted by a rigid Sheffield defence which excelled at stopping activity around the hoop. The home side’s ability to repeatedly latch onto rebounds at both ends of the court proved to be a massive factor, with numerous scoring opportunities presented as a result. With the game becoming
increasingly heated, Northumbria staged a fightback just after Sheffield’s Marko Amesaza-Kutija left the game on crutches, yet the visitors failed to make a free throw that would have seen their opponents’ lead cut to just one point. Jonathon Tsui made Northumbria pay, converting two free throws of his own to put Sheffield 43-37 up, with three more points added before the end of the quarter as the hosts threatened to pull away. They would do exactly that at the start of the third quarter as Tsui built on his first half performance, deftly making his way through the Northumbria defence on multiple occasions to help Sheffield storm into a 57-43 lead. Defensively, Sheffield were still holding out, but a few moments of complacency in the form of some sloppy passes saw Northumbria claw their way back into the game. With the third quarter coming to a close, the visitors capitalised on
some timely momentum to slash the lead to just six points, with the scoreline standing at 65-59. As much as Northumbria pushed in the fourth quarter, Sheffield’s strong defence continued to collect rebounds and stop the opposition creating anything of note, while at the other end the away side could not keep Sheffield at bay. The hosts would suffer more injury problems towards the end of the match, however, as Tsui left the game following a collision. Sheffield were not deterred, and sealed the win with an eight-point advantage over the visitors to record a vital win in their season-opening game. After the game, victorious captain Jake Chilver told Forge Sport: “I’m absolutely delighted. The first game is always a difficult one to get out of the way.” Chilver and his side visit the University of Leeds Men’s 1s next week as they look to add to their opening day victory.