Forge Press #126

We review new Sheffield bar Pitcher & Piano in Lifestyle

p18

Arts speak to Kevin Jackson at The Lantern Theatre

Read about some of the creepiest video game moments in Games

p36

THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

p26

ISSUE 126 | WEDNESDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2018 | FREE

Tributes paid at Goodwin to Women’s Football Captain

£60m overbudget Tram Train derailed on first day Ewan Somerville

Sheffield’s controversial new tramtrain has derailed on its first day of service, grinding the city to a halt in a ‘major incident’ after it was hit by a lorry.

Four passengers suffered minor injuries after the crash in the Attercliffe area as emergency services... (cont. on p6)

Sheffield UCU back strike action despite lack of national turnout

Friends and teammates of Cerys released balloons in her memory at Goodwin Sports Centre. Image: Juliet Cookson

Ben Warner Ben Warner

A memorial has been held for former Sheffield University Women’s football captain Cerys O’Boyle, who has passed away at the age of 21.

Cerys had just started a Masters in Modern History at the university but

died after a short stay in hospital on Saturday 13 October.

Other members of the football club, including new captains Grace Byrne and Nancy Stroud, held a memorial for their friend and teammate before their training session at Goodwin Sports Centre on Monday 22 September.

Everyone released a balloon into the air, with a written message to Cerys enclosed.

Nancy said: “We did this because we felt we needed to do something for her as a club and we will continue to honour her memory forever.

“It was so important for us that players old and new, freshers and

girls who have been with the club for years, and coaches came together to not only show our love for Cerys but our support for each other.

“I do not know what other people wrote but I wrote that her passion is my inspiration. Her passion for the club, for life, for her friends.”

Cerys was... (cont. on p5)

Members of Sheffield UCU have voted to support industrial action over higher education pay, after a ballot by the national union.

However, the lack of turnout at the vote around the country means widespread industrial action is unlikely to... (cont. on p4)

JUST USE CODE: THE OFFICAL FOOD OF

SHEFFIELD STUDENT LIFE

PIZZA241 EVERY SINGLE DAY

*Buy one get one free on medium & large pizza only. Valid online only. Free pizza must be equal or lesser value than the first.

Not valid with any other offer. Offer can be withdrawn without notice. Available in participating stores only. Student ID required. EXP 31-5-19

AT THE CHECKOUT

2 write for us!

press.news@forgetoday.com

PIC OF THE PRESS

Town Hall’s clock tower peering over the city centre one October evening

Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief David Anderson Managing Editor Becky Sliwa Webb Deputy Editor David Craig Deputy Editor James Pendlington Head of News Ben Warner Head of Sport Adam May LOF Coordinator Sorcha Simons Culture Coordinator Tom Buckland Culture Coordinator Gethin Morgan News Editor Lucas Mentken News Editor Niall O’Callaghan News Editor Alex Peneva Features Editor Arya Damavandy Features Editor Rebecca Lally Opinion Editor Connie Coombs Opinion Editor Matthew Hartill Arts Editor Charly Hurrell Arts Editor Sophie Maxwell Lifestyle Editor Harry Browse Lifestyle Editor Amelia Shaw Music Editor Harriet Evans Music Editor Ben Kempton Screen Editor Gethin Morgan Screen Editor Izzy Cridland Games Editor Luke Baldwin Games Editor Tom Buckland Tech and Science Editor Aidan Hughes Tech and Science Editor Jade Le Marquand Break Editor Robin Wilde Break Editor VACANT Sport Editor Patrick Burke Sport Editor Joshua Taylor News Online Editor Ewan Somerville News Online Editor Ynez Wahab Features/Lifestyle Online Editor Rebekah B Lowri Opinion Online Editor VACANT Culture Online Editor Brenna Cooper Culture Online Editor Ben Kempton Sport Online Editor Michael Ekman Sport Online Editor VACANT Copy Editor Coordinator Leah Fox Copy Editor (News) Charlotte Knowles-Cutler Copy Editor (LOF) Brogan Maguire Copy Editor (LOF) Laura Foster Copy Editor (Culture) Salena Rayner Copy Editor (Culture) Bethan Davis Copy Editor (Sports) Charlie Payne Design and Training Coordinator Chloe Dervey Secretary and Social Secretary Connie Coombs Inclusions and Welfare Coordinator Charlotte Knowles-Cutler Marketing and Publicity Coordinator Chloe Dervey Photography Coordinator Juliet Cookson Website Coordinator VACANT In-house Artist Chloe Dervey

Image: Juliet Cookson

Editorial

This lull between the prettiness of early Autumn and the festive cheer of Christmas can be quite a bleak time.

Sure, Halloween is a nice excuse to dress up, eat sweets and maybe have a few too many to drink, but once that’s over we’ve just got a couple of desolate months of cold, dark days and nights to get through before the festive season. And, now the clocks have gone back, everything’s colder and darker an hour earlier.

For many of you, your student houses will probably have condensation dripping off the windows by now, and towards the later hours of the evening you’ll probably even be able to see your own breath. So you’re probably lapping up any excuse to get out of the house, rather than sitting at home debating whether or not you can justify putting on a fifth jumper.

Maybe be productive and head down the library, where you don’t

have to feel bad for feeling warm.

Better yet, take advantage of Sheffield’s excellent ale scene and persuade your mates to cosy up in a pub for a comforting pint. Or why not use bonfire night as an excuse to pop outside and stand in front of a big fire? It’s a great way to save on your heating bills. We’ve even highlighted a few of our favourite bonfire and fireworks nights on page 23, so please check them out.

Hell, if you want somewhere closer to home, I’ll even give another shout out to our own Students’ Union, who host so many regular events to get you out of the house and trying something new (I promise they’re not paying me for this). Check out ‘What’s On’ for more?

Maybe pop down to Film Unit to watch a scary flick, head over to Coffee Revolution to try your hand at some life drawing (they even do it with dogs now!) or check out Bar

One’s magical Harry Potter Quiz (although I’m still resentful that they voted to screen Fantastic Beasts rather than Goblet of Fire and Patrick Doyle’s impeccable score). Or maybe, if your house is warm enough, just sit in with a cup of tea and this issue of Forge Press.

This issue our team of Editors and contributors have once again done a stellar job, not least with the moving tributes to former women’s football captain Cerys O’Boyle, who tragically lost her life this October.

The messages from Cerys’ teammates, friends and family show just how loved and respected she was. We’d like to dedicate this issue to her memory, and the impact she had on so many.

Get involved Want to join the team? Get involved!

No prior experience is necessary, just join the Facebook group Forge Press Contributors and come along to our regular contributor meetings

every other Tuesday to meet the team and pitch your own ideas.

Contact editor@forgetoday.com with any questions.

3

News NEWS IN BRIEF SHEFFIELD More trees to be saved

STUDENT Magid to talk to Geography Society

NATIONAL Brexit won’t affect Budget

More trees will be saved after a deal was brokered last week following talks between the Council and protesters.The row over the tree felling has meant that work has been stopped since March. The Sheffield Tree Action Group (STAG) has said it wanted “to see the figures”.

Lord Mayor Magid Magid will deliver a talk on behalf of GeogSoc on Monday, 19 November. Magid will talk about “everything from climate change to the Cathedral Archer Project” and will be followed by a Q+A. Tickets are free and go live on Wednesday 31st October at 12pm.

Philip Hammond has said that the end to austerity won’t be affected by the Brexit deal Britain gets.

Hammond announced at least an extra £2bn a year for mental health services, a £30bn package for England’s roads and £60m for planting trees in England.

SHEFFIELD Hundreds protest Universal Credit

STUDENT Hallam announce £800m project

Hundreds of local Labour Party activists rallied outside Sheffield town hall protesting the rollout of universal credit, due to take place in November. The rally was attended by all five of the city’s Labour MPs as well as representatives from the council.

Sheffield Hallam University have announced an £800 million 20-year project to move the university into one city centre campus. It is hoped initial works will be started in early 2020 and completed in summer 2022 though no planning applications have been submitted yet.

Kavan Blissett Image: South Yorkshire Police

Family of NATIONAL stabbing Philip Green named victim in House of Lords support Sir Philip Green was announced as knife-free the business tycoon who had taken out an injunction to gag allegations campaign of harassment against him. Using Parliamentary privilege, Lord Hain named Green, saying “it was in the public interest”. Green has denied the allegations.

Adam May The aunt of Kavan Brissett, a

21-year-old stabbed to death

in Sheffield this summer, has

urged for a change in culture after

Jared O’Mara MP can’t attend PMQs due to shouting Niall O’Callaghan

Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O’Mara has said that he is unable to attend Prime Minister’s Questions because of ‘all the shouting’.

O’Mara, who has autism and cerebral palsy, called on the Speaker during a Westminster Hall debate to change the way he chairs the weekly questioning and attempt to limit the shouting and heckling of MPs. He said: “So far my autism has not been taken into account by Parliament.

“I have asked for adjustments from the Speaker’s Office so that I can comfortably speak in the chamber, because with things such as shouting, when everyone is heckling, the aggression and the loud noises mean I cannot cope.

“I have only been to Prime Minister’s Questions once because

of all the shouting.”

O’Mara resigned the Labour whip back in July, shortly after being reinstated following an investigation into abusive messages he made on social media resurfaced.

In a statement to constituents he said that he had been ‘made unfairly to feel like a criminal’, and that the Labour Party had not conducted a fair investigation. He recently blamed misunderstood Eminem lyrics for the misogynistic and homophobic comments.

The comments come in the week the Labour Party have announced that their candidate for O’Mara’s seat would come from an All Women Shortlist.

The policy has been used regularly

by Labour since the 1997 General Election as part of an effort to reach 100 female MPs, which they did.

A spokesman for the regional

another stabbing in the city.

Libby Hamilton is a supporter

of the #KeepSheffieldStainless campaign after her nephew

was stabbed in an alleyway in Upperthorpe on 14 August.

She says that a change in attitude

must be made to help reduce the number of stabbings after a new double attack occurred on 20 October.

“I don’t know how people can

ignore the situation at the moment or think it’s not possible that it could affect them. With social

media I feel there’s this lifestyle that’s being promoted that’s

impossible to achieve,” she said.

“People have got to understand

that social media is not real. It’s not important how you look, what car

Jared O’Mara Image: Chris McAndrew

you drive or the clothes you wear.

What use is that going to be if you

kill someone and go to prison for 30

Labour Party told the Sheffield Star: “The Labour Party is committed to achieving gender equality among our elected representatives, we are proud that we have more women MPs than all political parties combined.

“Many CLPs are selecting their

candidates through All Women Shortlists.”

Applications for the role are still open and will close on Friday 2 November.

Laura Gordon has already been announced at the Liberal Democrats’ candidate for the seat.

years?”

Kavan’s funeral was attended

by over 500 people, as family and

friends came out in support to pay their final respects.

“What could that person ever do to

make us feel better? They’ve done

the worst thing they could possibly do,” she said.

4 write for us!

press.news@forgetoday.com

Robert Peston Sheffield UCU back strikes despite low national turnout talks Brexit and austerity were willing to strike over higher Ewan Somerville

ITV News’ Political Editor Robert Peston has lamented the ‘tragedy of Brexit’, and called a no-deal scenario ‘catastrophic’, in an exclusive interview with Forge Media last week.

“I’m more uncertain about where we’re heading than I’ve ever been,” the award-winning journalist said.

He was speaking at an Off the Shelf festival event about his new book WTF? in the Octagon on Monday 22 October.

“People aren’t behaving as they were supposed to, normally people don’t vote to make themselves poorer,” he said.

But he showed how it will be the start of 2025 before Britain’s productivity reaches pre-2008 levels, and the highest interest rates in 350 years have widened the wealth gaps between the north and south, and young and old.

“My book WTF? is all about the massive inequalities in wealth, in power, and a perceived sense among millions of people that this place is not being run in their interests.

“But Brexit is occupying every bit of emotional, intellectual space, and it means that nothing else of substance is being done to fix what’s wrong with this country.

“That, in my view, is Brexit’s great tragedy.”

Peston saw Theresa May setting a deadline of March 2019 to leave as the single worst move by a British Prime Minister in decades, because all negotiating clout was lost at that point.

He added that a no-deal could create a constitutional crisis where Parliament seeks to take control of the executive.

“I’m amazed that we as a nation are living with this conceit that no deal is better than a bad deal.

“What keeps me awake at night is that we don’t trust democracy.

Lots of people say to me that if we don’t leave they will never vote again.”

To hear the interview with Forge Radio in full, head to https:// tinyurl.com/y7brjypy.

Ben Warner

(cont. from front page) ...take place.

A statement from Sheffield UCU said: “We are happy that we are one of the seven HE institutions which met the threshold for local industrial action.

“Despite there not being a national mandate for strike action due to the arbitrary response threshold imposed by anti-trade union law, 69 per cent of respondents voted to strike, which shows the deep anger of university staff across the country.

“We are still in dispute, and we will not stop fighting against the systematic inequalities that have become standard in HE.” On this issue, the UCU have been working since March with UNISON, Unite, EIS and GMB, four other trade unions which have members in higher education.

They argue that pay has not risen in line with inflation, leaving higher education workers with less disposable income, struggling financially. They are also campaigning to reduce the gender pay gap, which they see as still prevalent.

The University and College Union balloted members on whether they

education pay, and although support was in favour of going on strike, in most institutions the turnout did not meet 50 per cent and thus strike action can’t go ahead.

Matt Waddup, UCU national head of policy and campaigns, said: “It is very frustrating that while overall the turnout is the highest we have seen in UCU for a national pay ballot in this sector, this is not enough to take action in the vast majority of institutions.

“While we all know the law is unfair, we also know that without a high turnout we cannot turn the anger about the treatment of staff into tangible action so I would like to thank those of you who voted and who worked to increase the turnout for your support.”

In Sheffield, 68.9 per cent of members were willing to strike and 77.8 per cent were willing to take part in action short of a strike on a turnout of 50.2 per cent.

Support for this strike action was not as resounding as for the previous strike action this year, which saw lecturers walk out over a dispute about pensions, in which their postretirement pay would be based on investment performance rather than contributions.

Image: Ben Warner

Image: Ben Warner

5

News

Clockwise from top-left: club members prepare to release their balloons; her housemate joined in the tributes; the balloons fly away above the Goodwin Sports Centre; the players line up before the memorial. Inset: Cerys supports the Uni at Varsity this year.

Images: Juliet Cookson Inset: John O’Boyce

Memorial held for beloved former women’s football captain Ben Warner

(cont. from front page) ...club captain for the 2017/18 academic year, alongside Harriet Houston.

Harriet said: “She was very passionate and very, very kind and I think her football made her so special, it was such a big part of her life. She was always willing to try new things and she really did live life to the full.

“Cerys embodied that, she was busy every single day and any evening that she could be. She didn’t rest, she didn’t sleep. She absolutely had an excitement for life and that made her really special.

“I will miss lots of things about her. I’ll miss her trying really hard

to stay positive on the football pitch but that not coming across to the others.

“I’ll miss our FaceTimes and text conversations, I’ll miss her keeping me updated on everything footballrelated.

“I’ll miss the weekends away we never got to have and I’ll miss the trip to Boro she never got to take us on.”

Tributes have flown in from family, friends and those who knew Cerys, including on an hour-long special episode of the Roar Show on Forge Radio last week.

Her father, John, said: “Cerys loved everything about the University of Sheffield. She loved her studies, loved the people and absolutely adored the sport. She put

everything into her role with the University Women’s Football Club.

“It is inevitable that when you lose someone that brought in so much light that the world seems like a darker place.

Over recent weeks my wife and I have felt so empty and lonely.

But we know the type of person Cerys was and we know how she would want us to approach the future.

She was always so dedicated, caring and enthusiastic about everything - and so full of fun. She would want

everyone to remember her with a smile.

“Creating a legacy for Cerys is important to us. She greatly valued the importance of social inclusion and always went out of her way to broaden participation.

Equally though, I hope that her positive outlook on life may simply provide an impetus for all that knew her to follow her example - Live, Laugh, Love, Roar.”

Her funeral was held on Monday 29 October and was attended by around 50 teammates and

coursemates from Sheffield, as well as Greg Unwin, Club Sport Manager of Sport Sheffield.

Greg said: “The whole of Sport Sheffield are devastated by the sad loss of Cerys and she will be greatly missed. During her time with Sheffield University Womens Football Club, Cerys gave 100 per cent dedication both on and off the pitch.

“Cerys was black and gold through and through and will be forever in our thoughts.”

Listen to the special Roar tribute show to Cerys on Forge Radio here:

6 write for us!

press.news@forgetoday.com

New Sheffield tram-train derails on its first day Ewan Somerville

(cont. from front page) ...descended on the scene at 3.20pm last Thursday, 25 October.

The tram shifted around 30 feet sideways from the tracks at the intercrossing with Stanniforth Road, close to Woodbourn Road tram stop.

Steve Barber, a passenger on the tram and vice-president of the Light Transit Association, told the BBC: “We bounced off the rails, went into the air, and then crashed into the ground.

“It’s a complete wreck, staff were crying.”

Only hours before, the opening ceremony for the brand new government-funded venture featured Rail Minister Jo Johnson and Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis.

The first of its kind in Britain,

Image: Ewan Somerville

it sees a tram able to also run on the main railway network linking Sheffield’s tram system with Rotherham in three services an hour.

But, arriving almost three years late and £60m over-budget, last

year the Commons Public Accounts Committee branded the scheme as an example of “how not to” manage a rail project.

The crash caused severe disruption to travel around the city, with passengers unable to travel

directly by tram between the city centre and Meadowhall, and heavy congestion was reported.

At the scene, Forge Press witnessed the recovery operation continuing into the evening with police in attendance and

SU to host auditions for new series of University Challenge

Consultation on Ponderosa refurb finishes Alex Brotherton

The public consultation on the refurbishment of the Ponderosa ended on Wednesday, as Sheffield City Council prepare to invest heavily in the popular green space.

After the Council were granted £1.5 million of public health money to regenerate the city’s green spaces, an online questionnaire was launched to give locals a say in the redevelopment process.

Suggested developments included the renovation of footpaths, improved sport and play facilities, and even the building of a cafe and toilet.

Ben Curran, Labour Councillor for Walkley, said: “Local people love the Ponderosa, but we know that it could be improved further. I will fight to see those improvements brought in to reality.”

Walkley councillors proposed improvements to the area’s play and sport facilities, to make Ponderosa more welcoming, accessible and safer for the local community.

Councillor Curran described the move as the next step in rejuvenating Sheffield’s parks, following improvements made to green spaces on Hammond Street, Jericho Street and Longsett Street in the past year.

Councillor Mary Lea, Cabinet member for culture, parks and leisure, said: “Our aim is to refurbish Ponderosa so it is a space available to everyone who wants to enjoy it, whether that is for meeting friends, a day out with the family or staying active.

“The improvements to Ponderosa are part of our project to upgrade parks across the city; making them places where people can enjoy the outdoors, making the most of the brilliant green spaces Sheffield has to offer.”

The Ponderosa hosts events throughout the year, such as the successful Peace in the Park festival in June.

The 10-hectare recreational space is not officially a public park, but was designated as open space by Sheffield City Council.

maintenance workers continuing to assess the damage.

A Stagecoach Supertram spokeswoman said on Thursday: “No one has been seriously injured, however a small number of people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

“We are assisting police with their inquiries into the circumstances.”

The idea for the pilot project originated in 2012, and a two-year trial phase will be used to decide on a wider roll-out.

Mr Johnson hailed it as “pioneering” at the launch, adding: “It lays the groundwork for ambitious transport schemes right across the country that should give commuters more choice.”

A report last year deemed it “unacceptable” how costs soared to £75 million from an initial £15 million, and questioned its value for taxpayers.

Stacie Moore

Image: Chelsea Burrell

Auditions for the University of Sheffield’s team for the next series of popular quiz show University Challenge are set to be held at the Students’ Union.

The University of Sheffield and Sheffield’s Students’ Union are looking for four students to make up the team who ‘represent our core values and academic success’.

They want rounded candidates who can represent the university respectfully as well as having the right skills and knowledge to successfully respond to the quiz questions, providing healthy competition for the other teams.

The first auditions this year took place on Tuesday 30 October and more will be held on Monday 5 November from 5:30 - 6:30pm in the Nelson Mandela Auditorium in the SU. Specific dates for the filming of the competition are yet to be confirmed, however it is set to be between February and April 2019.

7

News

World Week took place from 21 to 28 October.

Image: Kalina Mileva

SU Council elections see record turnout of votes Alex Peneva

This year’s SU Council elections have been branded as the most successful Council elections in the SU’s history by Lilian Jones.

Results were announced on Thursday 18 October at a results evening at Coffee Revolution, and showed the highest turnout at SU Council elections ever, with over 4,700 votes cast for the positions of SU councillors and NUS delegates.

The elections saw a record number of candidates running for positions too, as 248 students stood up to be departamental or representative councillors, or NUS delegates.

World Week Parade demonstrates international diversity Lucas Mentken

Dozens of students marched through the city waving flags for this year’s World Week Parade on Sunday 21 October.

It was the first event of World Week 2018, which lasted from 21 to 28 October and included several cultural workshops and ‘Give it a Go!’ sessions.

Participants gathered at the Students’ Union’s plaza where members of the International Students’ Committee (ISC) distributed national flags.

The group, led by the University Samba band, marched through campus and along West Street, before stopping at the Peace Gardens where Paul Blomfield MP

held a welcome talk.

Aritro Dutta, Chair of the ISC, said: “I am very happy with this year’s turn out. Organising the event itself was a challenge but it was a happy challenge.

“When I was going through the pictures I was so glad that we did something like this. Everyone was smiling and noone was sad. I feel that being the reason people are happy is the best thing.”

Saya Uotani, ISC East Asia Representative, said: “Events like World Week showcase what the diverse international community at

our university has to offer.

“They are important because they provide a chance for all kinds of students to celebrate tolerance and inclusivity, and it is also a great opportunity to get involved!”

The Students’ U n i o n ’ s International Officer Rex Béchu has also been very supportive of World Week and took part in the parade as well.

World Week takes places annually and aims to showcase diversity in the student population under the hashtag #WeAreInternational, a campaign

launched jointly by the University and the SU, which is now supported by dozens more institutions worldwide.

The ISC Chair added: “The parade is one of my favourite campaigns.

I have been part of it since the first year and this is my third. It was really special seeing all the people’s happiness.

“I would like to say thank you to everyone who came to the parade.

We are just a small body who wants to unite all students but it is the students who make the parade a success.”

Highlights from this week included Sheffield’s Got Talent, a World Week themed Yo! Karaoke session and the International Language Festival.

I am incredibly impressed how many students have stood up in order to make students’ lives better

Lilian Jones, President of the SU, said: “I am incredibly impressed how many students from across the departments and representative groups have stood up in order to make students’ lives better.

“By standing at this election, you have put yourself forward to truly represent students, in front of the SU as a councillor, or nationally as an NUS delegate.

“Both are a chance to make a real change to students’ lives and I can’t emphasise this enough.”

The highest number - a total of 14 candidates - competed for the opportunity to represent the Sheffield SU at the NUS National Conference in April next year. They will be sending a delegation of seven students together with the SU President.

e h t t a h c r a e s r u o y t r a t S

G N I S U HO ATION M R O F IN FAIR r e b m e v o N h t 4 1 y a on d i 0 s n 0 : U e 5 ’ 1 n s 11:00 - dio, Student Wed Stu & n o i s u F , y r d n Fou

Make Yours a

Smart Move

Welfare

9

Features Features Editors Arya Damavandy Rebecca Lally Happy Halloween!

Aesthetically this is one of the coolest times of year. We love it! And what better way to enjoy it than with a tasty variety of sweet articles.

We’ve got the obligatory Halloween feature, detailing the interesting history of the holiday; it’s very well researched and detailed!

Fellow Forge editors Connie and Jade go to each others lectures to see what it’s like on opposite ends of the Science and Humanities spectrum.

This article is sure to put a spooky grin on your face!

A great student comedian (Arya testifies) talks about the difference between comedy specials on TV and the small shows that prop up the industry in our third article.

Student break ins are a problem everyone is spooked about. Our fourth article looks at some people who have been through the experience, and gives some advice on how to avoid it.

Enjoy, and have a terrifying end of October!

Want to write for Forge? Great!

Join our Facebook group Forge Contributors or just drop any of us an email! Hope to hear from you soon!

write for us!

press.features@forgetoday.com

Pagan to Christian and more: Halloween’s surprising 2,000 year evolution Rebekah Lowri

It’s Britain 2,000 years ago, the sun is setting and you’ve been working in the fields for weeks now, harvesting crops and storing them for winter.

It’s the last day of October, the days are getting shorter and today marks Samhain — the final day of Harvest, and the beginning of the long dark winter. As night falls, the villagers extinguish the hearths in their homes, and the village elders and druid priestesses, dressed in long robes, light an immense bonfire made of oak branches in the nearby fields.The entire village gathers around.

An offering is made to the Celtic deities, and a druid priestess sacrifices cattle and reads the future in the burnt entrails, as you would tea leaves. As it’s Samhain, the veil between this world and the netherworld is said to be so thin that the spirits of the dead can roam freely. The presence of these otherworldly spirits help the priestess to make predictions about the future, and she prophesises who will die and who will prosper over the harsh winter months. The living wear disguises made from animal heads and skins to hide from mischievous ghosts, and the spirits of ancestors return home. After the ceremony is over and the offerings have been made to the gods, the hearths are reignited with flames from the bonfire.

Fast forward a few hundred years, and the mission of Augustine has established Christianity’s lasting place in British culture by the end of the sixth century, after a few unsuccessful attempts. What was once a persecuted minority sect of Judaism, Christianity spread from the Middle East to Greece and Italy, then up through Northern Europe.

As the Church began to expand

their mission further north, they set their sights on Britain. But upon arrival in Europe, they encountered a problem — the native population already had a religion, and had been celebrating their own religious festivals and worshiping at the same sacred places for hundreds of years.

The Church had to devise a strategy if they were to be successful in converting a Pagan Europe.

Paganism, in this case, means any religion that predates the arrival of Christianity. The polytheistic beliefs belonging to the native population of Europe and the British Isles were largely based on the celebration of changing seasons, with spirits and gods appearing in the form of

The Irish settlers brought with them the host of pagan traditions which... evolved into the Halloween of today natural elements, such as the Sun God and River Spirits.

Over the centuries to follow, hundreds of monasteries and churches were established throughout the country, becoming centres for wealth and education, and Christianity grew from a cult to a national religion which would last a millennia. In an attempt to make the transition between unholy pagan customs and the Christian faith as smooth as possible, the earliest monasteries and churches were actually built on top of ancient Celtic sacred sites, such as temples and shrines. The idea was that it would be easier for the pagans to worship

the o n e t r u e Christian God if they could still worship at the hallowed places to which they were accustomed.

As well as places of worship, the Church also claimed various festivals and celebrations that belonged to the Pagans. Seizing an opportunity to further the cause of Christ, the Church grafted Christian ideologies onto existing harvest festivals throughout Europe, to make Christianity easier for the masses to engage with. Age old traditions rooted in Celtic folklore were sanctified by Pope Gregory III in the 8th century, and the first Allhallowmas, or all Hallow’s Eve, followed by All Saint’s Day on the 1st of November, and All Soul’s Day on the 2nd of November.

Unsurprisingly, the Church decided to observe these holidays on the dates that corresponded with the autumn celebrations of Samhain, and instead of lighting a bonfire and telling fortunes, the Church turned it into a day to honour a host of saints and martyrs, lighting candles and going to mass.

In many pre-Christian religions, the 25th of December marks the birthday of their respective sun gods, such as the ancient Roman god Mithras. Along with the Germanic celebration of Yule, people would feast together, decorate their houses with branches of evergreen trees and holly, and light candles and fires to celebrate the return of the Sun as the days slowly get longer. Sound familiar? Thought so. The decision to place Christmas on the same date is thought to be that of Roman Emperor Aurelian in the mid 3rd century, coinciding with the existing festivals observed during the Winter

Solstice.

There is little to no evidence suggesting that Jesus was born on this date, and scholars estimate that he was actually born sometime during the summer months.

So how did we get from spooky 2,000-year-old harvest festivals, to a religious day celebrating saints?

Halloween arrived in America in the 1840s, when the potato famine in Ireland drove thousands to cross the Atlantic in search of a new life.

Along with St Patrick’s Day, the Irish settlers brought with them the host of pagan traditions which over time evolved into the Halloween of today. Now, disposable decorations, trick or treating, and carving Jack o’Lanterns is all we have left of the ancient holiday. Samhain became All Hallows Eve, which over time evolved into the Halloween of today, a secular holiday celebrating all things spooky.

It’s impossible to deny the parallels between the Pagan and Christian versions of these well known holidays, as Christian ideologies were inserted into ancient Celtic lore and festivals and these two worlds merged. These hybrid holidays, like Halloween, are ancient traditions which took on a religious meaning, but now are evolving again to become more and more secular and consumerist. So as you’re putting on your scariest costume this Halloween season, take a moment to remember that you’re participating in an ancient pagan tradition, dating back thousands of years.

10 write for us!

press.features@forgetoday.com

Science vs Humanities: Can you handle each other’s lectures?

Connie tries Neurobiology

The last time I was interested in science was when, age four, I decided I wanted to be an astronaut. This dream was pretty quickly scuppered when I realised the amount of maths you have to do, and I settled for a life in the humanities. I’m in my fifth year at Sheffield, three years of a philosophy degree, followed by two years slaving away over an MA in Law, and I’ve not once experienced the desire to see how the other half live. Nevertheless, when Jade (fellow Forge editor, of Science and Tech) offered me the chance to go to one of her lectures in exchange for coming to one of mine, I agreed, because I’m a yes-man at heart.

I chose to go to a developmental neurobiology lecture as it was that or membranes, that Jade cheerfully offered me. I’ve not had a 9am in years, and I’m reminded of just how hideous they are when I stumble into the Diamond at 8:50 on a miserable Monday morning. The Diamond, I discover, offer a cooked breakfast for just over £3. I am furious that I didn’t know this before, even though nothing could have motivated me to get there any earlier. I head to the lecture theatre and meet Jade, who (somewhat reassuringly) looks as tired as I am. One of the first slides contains the sentence ‘neurite selection involves choosing among nascent neurites’, and this sounds something of a tautology to me. It’s more than likely that I’m just stupid.

The lecturer states that there is a poster that explains an experiment, and I’m taken aback, shocked that posters are still in use and actually offered as a way of learning at university. As Jade tells me later, this is not the case.

The main thing I have taken away from neurobiology lectures is that there’s pictures, and lots of them.

Neurons look like deep sea starfish.

One of the most beautiful kinds of neurons are purkinje, the lecturer says. It looks like a deathcore band logo. I quickly realise that knowing lots of big words doesn’t mean you can understand what’s going on, and my notes reflect this. The lecturer continues to describe neurons as beautiful; I feel we are very different people. I get distracted by the word somatodendritic, because there’s nothing like that in the law, and in doing so miss what it actually means.

He shows us a video of his daughter using optical tweezers in his kitchen sink, except the video doesn’t work initially. When the video loads, she looks far too young to be using something that sounds so fancy. The experiment, as it turns out, involves a ping pong ball in a plastic container full of water with the kitchen tap running. There are no tweezers in sight and I realise I need to better manage my expectations.

It is 9:30, and all I can think about is how much I want a cooked breakfast. Jade appears to read my mind, and leans over to ask, “Do you want to get food after this?” Yes, you beautiful soul, I do.

We head to Spoons after the lecture finishes. I have a begrudging respect for science students. Nothing on this earth could persuade me to go to 9ams on a drizzly Monday morning to listen to a man gush about the beauty of cells, but the room was two-thirds full, and people were participating. I’m thrilled to know I was right to avoid science in general, but it was worth the breakfast after.

Jade takes on Law

Connie went to one of Jade’s 9am lectures in the Diamond

Legally Blonde is one of my favourite films of all time, and every time I watch it I become defiantly sure that I would ace studying law. So when Connie suggested that I come to one of her lectures in exchange for her coming to one of mine, I was thrilled at the prospect of living my dream of becoming a real-life Elle Woods. In hindsight I guess bringing a chihuahua with me to the lecture was a mistake…

After getting lost in the maze that is the Hicks building (I wander around aimlessly for a few minutes until I realise that the entrance is down the road because that makes sense), I find Connie sat on the floor eagerly awaiting my arrival; we both know that we are going to get breakfast after this, so we are a lot more keen than that 9am we shared on Monday.

The lecture starts and I’m glad that I at least understand the words the lecturer is saying, a privilege that Connie was denied last time. Most of the slides seem to be just references to publications and books, and I can’t help but feel sorry for these people. I snigger at the idea that an 8-year-old publication is apparently recent; I could read a paper from this year and it would still be relatively old.

As the lecture progresses I become more and more aware that there has yet to be a lively discussion about sperm. I still hold out hope, although,

since the topic is rehabilitation of offenders, I accept that it may be fruitless.

There seem to be fewer images in law lectures than in my science lectures, and by fewer I mean none.

I feel this is odd, but not nearly as odd as the seemingly sporadic use of capital letters and quotation marks - I genuinely couldn’t tell if it was sarcasm or not. When we finally reach our first image it is a photo of a typical rehabilitation program which apparently consists of flip charts and people wearing lanyards. It looks a lot like one of those PSHE days at school if I’m honest.

We move on to a table of results from some sort of study. My scientist brain kicks in as I notice the small sample size and the lack of replication of said study. Two minutes later I am proven right, thus making me feel very smug.

There seem to be fewer images in law lectures than in my science lectures, and by fewer I mean none

I kinda blank for the next five or so minutes, but I return to the lecture at just the right point to hear the phrase ‘A Welsh context’. Although I don’t understand why or even how these words were uttered, it is now my sole aim to squeeze this into every conversation I have from now until the day I die.

Despite the fact I didn’t get kicked out for not knowing what was going on or solving a murder, I enjoyed pretending to be a law student. It definitely wasn’t because I didn’t actually have to remember anything and I got to have a great breakfast afterwards.

Jade got lost in the Hicks building looking for Connie’s Law lecture

11

Features

Big names, small beginnings: Why comedy isn’t all about what you see on TV Matt Prestage

Regardless of whether you take a casual interest when your channelhopping thumb alights on a relevant show, or you consider yourself a connoisseur of the genre, anyone reading this will have at some point in the recent past watched a comedy show. Live or on television, you will have watched and laughed. That is, after all, what’s expected. Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo, any of the many and varied comedy galas and roadshows and specials that make their way to our screens, all of them are engineered by experts and tailored by artists to provide us with a good chuckle. Don’t worry – I’m not about to launch into a tirade against these shows, raving about how they’re all as genuine and spontaneous as a WWE pay-perview match. I am a huge fan of these shows and I think that, while they are at times a little contrived, they represent a lot of what is great about the sense of humour we have in this country.

What I would like to do, however, is

draw attention to an element of these shows or, more accurately, the performers themselves, which many among you may have wondered at but never researched: just what exactly were these stand-ups doing before they sashayed onto our screens?

Did they once walk among us, as they can no longer do for fear of being set upon by hordes of screaming fans demanding they write a joke across

their foreheads? Good question, glad you asked. I’m going to have a go at answering it.

It will come as no surprise to you that stand-up comedy is not a phenomenon restricted solely to television. University of Sheffield students may well be aware that every once in a while a comedian strays from the urban jungle of London all the way up to the plains of Sheffield and performs for a few nights in our very own Students’ Union in front of a pack of students whose social lives we can safely assume are far from vibrant, as they clearly have nothing better to do with their Saturday night (that may be a little unfair; maybe I’m just bitter because I didn’t get tickets to see Russell Kane).

Comedy, especially stand-

up, is everywhere – you just have to know where to look. In Sheffield itself, there are a great many monthly and, in some cases, bi-weekly shows which allow the local cohort of jesters and entertainers to showcase their talent. Expand your net to the whole of South Yorkshire and you could go out every night, sit in a room above/below/next to/ in some way close to a pub and have yourself a right old giggle.

And it’s at these comedy nights, held in back rooms and attics and cellars, anywhere with a stage and chairs, where all the names you now know from television began.

Those who regularly watch comedy on television or Netflix will be familiar with the polished and well-produced veneer

which seems to cover every comedy show these days. Slick jokes told to receptive audiences who laugh at the right moments and shut up when someone else is talking.

This image of stand-up comedy is both flattering and, for the most part, wildly inaccurate. What you see is a tiny portion of what that comedian has probably spent most of their working life building up to.

Those jokes weren’t always that smooth and welldelivered – they had to be honed, right

from the original idea down to the witty one-liner you just watched, in front of audiences in those back rooms. Audiences who are very often drunk and very rarely silent. Everything you watch on television has been worked on to the point of exhaustion. Have you ever wondered how comedians can possibly remember all that material? Some of them talk for hours, how can they keep all those words in their head? They have no choice. For months prior to that big show at the O2 arena they will have been slaving away at a desk and onstage to create that tight set for your enjoyment. It is by no means an easy job.

Why am I going on about this? Simply because in the comedy industry so much attention is given to the finished product and not to the effort which goes into making it. People who enjoy laughing are frequently so engrossed in the latest Netflix special

they pay a monthly fee for, that they forget that just down the road there’s a live comedy show going on for free.

But because it’s not a guaranteed laugh, or it doesn’t feature any

big names, that show is overlooked by people who forget that without shows like that, their favourite panellist on Mock the Week would never have been given the big break that made their name. These little shows are the lifeblood of the comedy industry. They can be found in any city or town, and the beauty of them is that anyone can give it a go.

Sure, this means there’s an element of risk when it comes to watching the show. Entire evenings could go by when the audience doesn’t laugh once. On the other hand, you never know when someone will come onstage who does manage to make you laugh. And they may not be famous, they may not have a film crew capturing their every move and a producer agonising over which angle makes them look sexiest. But they are real, they are right in front of you and that is the thrill of live comedy.

I’m not attempting to preach to you – it’s likely you were already aware of a lot of what I’ve just said.

But the one message I would like to send you away with, dear reader, is this: give those little shows a go.

Without them, nothing you see on television would be possible. Next time you see a small show in a room above a pub being advertised, go along and see what’s there. I think the results may surprise you.

12

Features

An Unwelcome Surprise: Student Home Invasions Noah Martin

The term ‘burglary’ paints a picture of quiet hours in the middle of the night, an empty house with the lights turned off and perhaps, if the criminals are particularly lucky, a bathroom window on the ground floor that has been left slightly ajar.

A shadow creeps in unnoticed, and leaves holding a flat screen TV and some family heirlooms.When the unlucky occupants come home after an evening out, they find their house ransacked with no trace of the perpetrators in sight.For students, the risk of this kind of attack is high.

It is no secret that student digs, with their ample supply of MacBooks and iPhone 7s, are a veritable playground for those criminals inclined towards home invasion.

In an article from earlier this year, The Tab found that in Broomhill alone there had been 96 burglaries reported to the police in 2017, a number that is worryingly high for an area of relatively small size.

Equally, in 2017 Forge Press reported that Sheffield ranked as the third most-targeted student city, having had 706-recorded burglaries within a one-mile radius of the University of Sheffield main campus buildings.

When I was a student in Leeds, the burglary horror story that circulated around campus went like this: a group of housemates that had enjoyed

a fruitful session of pre-drinking bundled into a taxi, having turned all the lights off and locked the door.

The taxi driver asked “Everyone off to have a good night out then?” and the customers replied “Yes!” with the enthusiasm of the slightly tipsy. What happens next is still a grey area but the result would be the same. The happy group would come back to their home at 4am to find it turned upside down, their laptops and precious items gone. Rumour had it that taxi drivers passed on information about empty houses to criminals who then came and did the dirty work, knowing that the occupants would be out for a while.

This tale used to terrify me. Although no one was ever certain whether the taxi drivers were involved, and the police rarely apprehended the culprits in those situations, the fact that somebody somewhere was informing the burglars which houses were empty was frightening.

It is no surprise either that the quality of student digs, with their aged structures and lowquality security systems, probably contribute to the problem. Windows are often fitted with old locks that haven’t been changed for years, and doors fall apart around the hinges.

In one particular house I lived in, the front door didn’t sit properly in the frame, so even when it was locked it looked slightly open and could easily have been shoved open.All

these factors make student houses prime real estate for the perceptive criminal.

So, are burglaries always conducted on dark misty nights when no-one is at home? Are we all condemned to remain indoors, staring vigilantly out the window with one eye on the back door?

Apparently, even occupants being inside the house does not deter some burglars from making an attempt.

Maria, an English student at the University of Sheffield, was inside her house when a burglar attempted to break in only a few weeks ago.

She said: “My friend was having a cigarette outside on our front step and saw someone in our garden at the side of the house so she went to see who it was.” The person ran away when they saw Maria’s friend approaching but they had already been in the house by that point.

“We have a picnic table in our garden and our living room window was open, so the burglars had moved the picnic table to just underneath the window and climbed on top of it, through the window and into our living room.

“Myself and two others were in, including the flatmate that was smoking outside. Our back door was unlocked so they burglars must have ran out the back door from the living room.

Although nothing was stolen, police classed the incident as a

burglary because of the fact that the person had entered Maria’s house.

Unfortunately, there were no traces of any fingerprints as the burglar had worn gloves.

Incidents like this one often lead people to feel scared and anxious; even if nothing is stolen, there is still a residual feeling that a stranger has invaded your private space.

Maria said: “I was really scared, too scared to search the house. It made us all feel uneasy and scared; it’s made us extra careful and vigilant.”

The after effects of a burglary can cause serious implications to a student’s studies, particularly around exam season. Not only are there the effects on mental health, but there is the physical problem of actually having work stolen from you. There is no shortage of dissertation horror stories involving stolen laptops that contained the only copy of the 10,000-word dissertation. Despite the fact that extenuating circumstances can be given for events that a student “could not reasonably have done anything about”, there is no number of days or weeks that can repair the mental damage caused by having to repeat a year’s worth of hard graft.

So, in a situation where students appear to be the target of a growing trend of burglary and theft, what can we do to protect ourselves from becoming a victim?

Advice on the University of

Sheffield website says that students and staff should “ensure doors and windows are locked, even if you’re in the property” to avoid inviting burglars into our homes. Sensibly, the website also recommends keeping valuables and keys out of view, away from doors and windows.

They also advise that thieves look out for information on social media about whether a property is going to be empty over the holiday periods.

Students should avoid advertising on Facebook that everyone is going away for the holidays. Some of the advice is a little less helpful, however, and the suggestion that students should “Consider fitting CCTV systems” in their homes might be a bit farfetched. Persuading the estate agents to come and fix a broken boiler in winter is hard enough; sweettalking them into installing a costly hi-Tec security system might be an ambitious shot in the dark.

13

Opinion Opinion Editors Connie Coombs Matthew Hartill Happy Halloween!

Hope you’re having a spectacularly spooky time! Tis the season to be scary, and we’ve gotten in the spirit with a big ol’ picture of Trump. We’ve finally managed to sort out how the internet works, and now you can find articles online too! Isn’t technology magical? For those of you who prefer the printed word, we have many delights to feast your eyeballs upon this October 31.

From Trump to weed, as usual we got it all. Happy reading, and stay spooky.

write for us!

press.opinion@forgetoday.com

What’s spookier than a climate change denier? One whose name is Donald J Trump Victoria Caton

In the wake of the publication of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on the looming climate change ‘catastrophe’, US President Donald Trump has suggested that leading scientists on the matter have a ‘political agenda’.

Backtracking from his earlier views, in which he stated that he believedglobalwarmingwasa‘hoax’, Trump has now acknowledged the existence of climate change, while simultaneously proposing that such effects on the planet could ‘change back’. For some, these views seem to indicate a change of heart for Trump, who just over a year ago withdrew from the Paris Agreement, which aimed to “strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below two degrees Celsius”.

The evidence for the existence of climate change caused by human activity is overwhelming; according to NASA, the planet’s temperature

has risen by “about 0.9 degrees Celsius since the late 19th century” with the majority of the warming taking place in the last 35 years.

2016 was the hottest year on record, and eight of 12 months were the warmest ever recorded for their respective month.

Alongside this is the warming of the oceans, rising sea-levels, shrinking ice-sheets,

glacial retreats, decreased snow cover and declining Arctic sea ice.

While it is true that Trump’s views have progressed from his initial denial of the existence of climate change, his stance on action has not. During a spell of particularly cold weather last December he tweeted that “perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming.”

Such refusal to make decisive action, according to the UN, could have disastrous consequences, especially considering that leading scientists have declared there are only 12 years to reduce the effects of global warming to 1.5 degrees, and that any higher would lead to ‘disastrous’ results for the planet.

Arguably, Trump’s acceptance of the existence of climate change is a progressive step in the right direction. But integral to the survival of the planet is immediate and conclusive action, and Trump has made no indication that this is his intention. In that regard, very little about his statement is truly progressive, as it makes no difference what his view is on climate change if he does not attempt to make any headway in solving these problems.

When the leader of the world’s largest superpower remains indifferent, the fate of the planet seems doomed.

Image: Gage Skidmore

Spooky skeletons and pumpkins are still relevant today Benjamin Wright

This dressing up is arguably the

compete for the scariest costume and feast upon sugary treats.

acting as a chance for children to

day of the year, or as a party-fuelled

or-treating’ was coined in the early 1900s by Americans. The fact that the holiday originated in Celtic Britain comes as a surprise to many, signifying the legacy of historical traditions to the modern day. The contemporary perception of Halloween, however, is largely no longer on a religious or spiritual level and is rather a mere celebration of fear. Cynics would argue that the holiday has become ‘Americanised’ and exaggerated to take advantage of the consumerist society. The fact still remains that Halloween is a break from the normality of life,

As I am sure we are all aware, though, Halloween is not just a holiday directed towards children.

It is essentially an excuse to enjoy spookily-themed cocktails while wrapped in a white sheet with two eye holes. In this sense, the attraction towards Halloween pertains in the appeal of fancy dress, which draws out the inner child within us all. Supported by statistical analysis from ‘Statistica’, Halloween has in fact the second highest annual expenditure, behind Christmas holidays. Whether you picture Halloween merely as another

celebration of fear and terror, the annual holiday still maintains pertinence within modern society.

Image: Petar Milosevic

Want to write for Forge? Great!

Join our Facebook group Forge Contributors or just drop any of us an email! Hope to hear from you soon!

It’s that spooky time of year again, with questionable fancy dress costumes and carved pumpkins.

Benjamin Wright examines the origins of Halloween, and questions whether the holiday has lost its vigour and significance within modern communities.

In itself, the concept of Halloween allegedly originated from the Celts with a tradition known as “Samhain”, whereby people would dress up in white clothing and light fires as a spiritualist technique to ward off ghosts and evil spirits.

origin of the fancy dress element to Halloween, whereas ‘trick-

14 write for us!

press.opinion@forgetoday.com

No-Platform Nick: Who’s at fault for Clegg no-show?

Nick Clegg, the former deputy Prime Minister, has cancelled a speech at the University due to the threat of student protest and potential security concerns. Ben Prizeman examines whether the Union should have done more.

Image: Alex Folkes / Fishnik Photography

Nick Clegg, the former deputy Prime Minister, has cancelled a speech at the University due to the threat of student protest and potential security concerns.

The Sheffield Star has reported that former Sheffield Hallam MP Nick Clegg has had to cancel a soldout talk at the Students’ Union because of ‘security concerns’ resulting from student protests.

This is not just a terrible outcome for the students who had reserved tickets for this event, but should send a cold shiver down the spine of any student who believes in free speech.

Preventing Nick Clegg from speaking to a group of Sheffield students through the threat of protest sets a dangerous precedent for the future. Any societies wanting to invite controversial figures to speak at the Student’s Union should not have to fear protests and embarrassment. I am sure that most students would agree with me that everyone from Jacob Rees-Mogg to Nicolás Maduro (president of Venezuela) should be able to address

students at any university around the country, should they be invited.

We cannot divine the truth unless we hear arguments from all sides.

As students, we are here to learn as much about the world as we can by accessing as many sources of information as possible. The more points of view you read or listen to, the sharper your critical reasoning will become. If all you get from your university education is a few bad hangovers and the ability to critique ideas effectively, then it has been worth every penny. No one will be pulling the wool over your eyes.

I would go as far as saying that preventing speakers from addressing students is tantamount to the robbery of ideas. Every potential speaker has a unique point of view. In Nick Clegg’s case, it would have also offered the opportunity to network and engage with an individual who was at the of heart of government for five years.

This situation is comparable to idea of a restricted-books section, a politically incorrect section of the library that only authorised students

would have access to. It defeats the whole purpose of a university education and allows other people to control what sources of information you have access to and consume.

This cannot be allowed to happen in the future.

However, I do understand the balancing act the Students’ Union has to undertake. It must balance the rights of people to protest with the guest speakers’ rights to free speech. I would call on the students who threaten such protests to show restraint and be open to listening to ideas that they might find distasteful.

There is currently a trend in Britain and America to ‘no platform’ people - to stop people from having the chance to express their views through the threat of violent protest.

Groups that feel disenfranchised have also been disrupting talks to stop people from speaking. No platforming someone will not prevent an idea from spreading, and it will not silence the proponents of the idea. As has been shown by the recent US elections, stopping people

from expressing views only leads to those people keeping quiet and expressing their feelings through the ballot box. You cannot stop an idea by silencing it. You can stop or challenge ideas by taking the proponent of that idea to task in open and free debate, or by writing strong critical pieces about it and laying it out bare, in the bright light of day for all to see.

I would respectfully ask the Students’ Union and relevant members of the university staff to clarify with all the societies what measures it will take in future to balance both the needs of free speech and the right to protest, so all parties will feel that they have been heard. At its very core, the mission of a university is to promote the critical exchange of ideas. Students come from all over the world to the University of Sheffield, sometimes from places that do not have the levels of free speech we enjoy in Britain. I sincerely hope that freedom will not be hindered in the future.

We reached out to Lilian Jones, President of the Students’ Union, for reply: “The University and its Students’ Union were happy to host the Q&A with Nick Clegg, and it was not our decision to cancel the event. The Students’ Union events team took several measures to ensure that he was able to attend, and worked closely with the Young Liberals society to mitigate any security risks when they occurred. We believe that external speakers play a central role in university life and allow students to be exposed to a range of different beliefs, to challenge other people’s views and to develop their own opinions. We recognise that some speakers invited by our societies will generate an emotive response from other members of the SU, and we work with the university to ensure we have sufficient measures in place to ensure everyone can enjoy the event safely. We know that our students were looking forward to the event, and we were disappointed that Nick Clegg felt that he had to cancel.”

15

Opinion

O Canada: Weed is legal - will others follow suit?

Salena Rayner

On Wednesday 17 October, Canada became only the second country to legalise the possession and use of recreational marijuana. As I write a week after the law came into force, Canada appears to be taking steps in the right direction. But, inevitably, bumps in the road to a stoner utopia have already materialised. The week opened with legal dispensaries running out of cannabis due to high demand. Consumers resorted back to the black market to buy the

amount that the former cannot supply, partly because of problems with securing it. This now-legal industry looks set to be worth $6.5 billion annually. However, at least for now, it’s finding its feet as it tries to catch up with demand.

The war on drugs has failed and we are seeing wider and more in-depth debate on weed as a drug distinct from any other.

Canada’s decision to change tack on policy, with campaigns focused on harmreduction rather than prohibition, can only result in progress as more and more public discussion is had. Any country that hopes to bring safety, or even control, to

use of this recreational drug should watch closely. Note that I say watch closely as opposed to diving head-long into following suit.

With this leap in progress, Canada will undoubtedly see improvements in the safe use of recreational marijuana but greater research, including more accurate information on the drug and its effects, is needed. Failing this, they face issues with making hollow claims in their campaigns for responsible use. For example, a campaign on drug-impaired driving features vague statistics on the risks of driving whilst high, some statements

being specific to weed and others simply referring to the generic ‘drug’. If the government is not sufficiently aware of the risks, it’s difficult to see how they will convince the Canadian public to step in line, let alone become informed enough to use safely.

If they manage to pull it off, the legalisation of marijuana could be a huge success not only for Canada,

but for everyone who believes that weed should be controlled, legalised or utilised for its benefits safely. And who knows, perhaps this momentum will begin to make waves here in the United Kingdom in the future. I for one will be watching in anticipation.

Do you think cannabis should be legalised in the UK too? Should we follow Canada’s footsteps, or is that a horrible idea?

Let us know: press.opinion@forgetoday.com

Policing paedophiles: Will Hampshire’s idea work?

Photo credit: Rossographer

This article contains reference to things readers may find distressing. Reader discretion is advised.

Danny Lardner

It was revealed last week that over the last two years, Hampshire Police have been issuing those suspected of child sex abuse with leaflets to remind them that it is illegal to have sex with anyone under the age of 16.

On the face of it, it’s quite an absurd concept. However, though it might seem unfathomable that people need reminding that you can’t touch kids, we don’t live in an ideal world.

Strange as it may sound, the scheme does have good intentions.

The Constabulary see it as an important ‘foot in the door’ and use the notice to prevent sexual predators from committing crimes

as opposed to chasing them down when it’s too late. Far too often, we criticise the police for not doing exactly that and you have to applaud

However, to believe that these leaflets could have a genuine deterring effect is naive

the Hampshire Constabulary for taking a more preventative approach, especially as an NSPCC

report has claimed 5 percent of children in the UK have been sexually assaulted.

However, to believe that these leaflets could have a genuine deterring effect is naive. Of the 54 people who were handed the notices in the last two years, nine have gone on to be charged with a sexual offence. Those who choose to sexually abuse a child aren’t going to be discouraged by a leaflet - my mental profile of a sex offender doesn’t include the term “stickler for the rules”.

If anything, being aware that the police have their ears pricked may only make potential offenders more devious and more careful.

Also, not everyone that receives the leaflet is guilty. There is a risk

that the notice unfairly criminalises those who receive it. The act of labelling someone a threat with this notice undermines the presumption of innocence. The leaflet will appear on an enhanced DBS check for the recipients, and the odds are low of a future employer doing enough research to find out the truth.

Some people might call it lazy policing, some might criticise budget cuts - maybe some help from May’s magic money tree would give officers more time to tackle issues as serious as this in a better manner.

Either way, this isn’t the best way to deal with the problem. Not only is it impersonal, it unfairly criminalises the innocent and, when it comes to the serious offenders, it simply does not work.

16

Lifestyle Lifestyle Editors Amelia Shaw Harry Browse It’s beginning to look a lot like halloween, and we have packed this issue with things to soothe those beckoning winter blues.

We’re getting pumped for pumpkins with a piece on making the most of this gloriously ghoulish vegetable that is so often forgotten as being edible.

Get creative with our adaptable winter cookie recipe, and calm your common cold with our handy advice. We also tackle mental health, suggesting ways to reach out to the people you know during what can be a really difficult time of year. As we dive into the most festive months of the year, we focus on the things which bring us together.

write for us!

I’ll Be There For You

Struggling with mental health can be isolating, Eleanor Phillips suggests ways to reach out to your friends.

Eleanor Phillips

University is marketed by society as “the time of your life”- but for many students the change of environment can cause immense feelings of stress, loneliness and depression.

According to a recent survey run by the World Health Organization Initiative, one in three first-year university-level students report symptoms of a mental health disorder.

Of course, help is at hand from universities - three quarters of students were aware that their university had a counselling service they could access. However, taking initiative to access these services can be incredibly overwhelming for an individual, and often is not the first port of call.

If you feel that someone close to you is struggling with their wellbeing, it’s so important to reach out to them. It doesn’t have to be a point blanc intervention, as this can make an individual feel like a problematic burden to those

around them, discourage them from talking about the issues and potentially isolate them further.

Something as simple as making time to have a cup of tea together just to check in and have a chat, can make all the differenfce So, what can you do to try your

best to be there for a friend in need? And what should you avoid doing altogether?

Something as simple as making time to have a cup of tea together, just to check in and have a chat, can make all the difference.

Never be afraid to ask twice “are you alright?” as someone’s first answer may be them shying away from the issues.

Bite the Bug

Emily Evans gives her advice for coping with your cold this winter Emily Evans

Want to write for us? Drop us an email, or join the Forge Press Contributors Facebook page.

press.lifestyle@forgetoday.com

Anyone else getting sick (pun intended) of the constant coughs and sniffles when you’re trying listen to in your lectures? If your answer is a nod of the head then make sure you take note of the following tips so that you won’t be needing those tissues everywhere you go. It’s hard to get sympathy for our headaches when away from home…

VITAMINS We hear it everywhere that all these vitamins and minerals are vital for maintaining good health, but the

It’s important when someone is talking about such sensitive subject matters to really pay attention. Put your phone away and on silent.

Really make the effort to set aside some time where you are all ears and listening to them.

It’s great if you have a mutual understanding of where they are coming from and can relate to them, but remember the conversation isn’t about you and your experiences, it’s about theirs. Be aware of the balance of the conversation, don’t demean someone’s experiences in comparison to yours even if it was unintentional. They’ll pay back the experience to you when you need it.

Poor mental health can drag people down beyond their ability to even carry out a daily routine, so praise their achievements - no matter how big or small. They went to all their contact hours this week? That’s great! They managed to get out of bed before 12? What a step in the right direction. It’s the little steps which lead to bigger progress, so always celebrate even

the most minor things as positively as you can.

Reaching out to someone for a chat should also not be considered as a one-time good Samaritan deed. Just because someone may feel better today for having spoken out on their issues, doesn’t mean they’ll still feel better tomorrow.

Keeping up frequent conversation and checking in on a regular basis is key to building a solid support system for someone suffering with mental health.

Again, it doesn’t have to be so in depth, just simply asking about their day, what they’ve been up to, how they are feeling – just being that point of contact can mean the world to someone.

everything we touch throughout the day, but just keeping a little hand sanitiser with you to use every now and then is always beneficial. Hand shaking is the easiest way of germs being carried, as well as nail biting.

of getting infections as it creates abnormalities with your respiratory system, then creeps over to your immune system. Use that, and the fact it’s so expensive, as some incentives to quit.

SWEATING It’s not pretty but it’s good. Whether it be a jog, gym session or even a visit to a sauna, releasing the toxins in your body will keep the infections away.

SIESTA Balancing sleeping with workloads on top of a social life sounds like a futile juggling act, however the 7-8 hours sleep a night is needed to allow your body to recuperate from all the work. It’s inevitably not going to happen as often as we try, so having a catnap in the afternoon will work wonders.

KEEP THE PAWS CLEAN It’s difficult to keep track of

ALL THE MORE REASON TO QUIT Smoking exposes you to the risk

talk is true. All supermarkets have A-Z multivitamins, containing enough to see you through for a few months. It’s worth the few spare quid you might have at the end of the week – especially from all the nights out.

Need somebody to talk to?

Check out these useful links: www.sheffieldnightline.co.uk www.bigwhitewall.com

GIVE YOUR PHONE A RINSE Grab an antibacterial wipe, and give your phone a good scrub. It goes everywhere with you, so whenever you shower give it one too.

EAT GOOD Protein is your best mate as without it our immune systems are weakened, especially with the run up to winter.

Stock up on eggs, fish and yoghurts and you should be feeling fab.

17

Lifestyle

Oh My Gourd!

Rebekah Lowrie

As opposed to being frightening, Halloween costumes have become either leopards in hot-pants, or recent pop-culture icons. It seems that Halloween has lost it’s spook.

Do you want to know what the scariest thing about Halloween is these days? It’s the food waste.

Every year in the UK during the Halloween season, 18,000 tonnes of food waste is produced. Under the assumption that 100 per cent of this food waste consists of pumpkins, it would mean that around five million perfectly edible (and might I add, delicious) pumpkins get thrown to landfill each October.

Eat with the seasons That’s right, vegetables are seasonal. If you’re concerned about the environment, eating seasonal foods is one of the best ways to go about doing your bit.

These tend to be sourced more locally, as opposed to being shipped from the other side of the world where it’s still warm enough for strawberries to grow.

Here’s what’s in season this Autumn: Mushrooms Cabbage Leeks Potatoes Onions Squashes and Pumpkins We bought a pumpkin and one of it’s cousins, the butternut squash, and decided to craft a three course dinner with it.

We simply chopped both the pumpkin and the squash in half, removed the seeds, brushed both halves with a little olive oil and salt and roasted them in the oven for 35–40 minutes at 180 degrees.

The flesh should be soft to the touch. After they’re cooked it’s really easy to peel off the skin. We made all of these vegan, but you can easily make them with dairy products if needed.

Check out what we made to the right...

Images: Rebekah Lowrie

Rebekah’s dishes

Seasonal Soup with Butternut Squash, Pumpkin and Paprika Roast half an onion and 4 cloves of garlic with the squash. Once cool enough to touch, blend half the butternut squash and one third of the pumpkin (you’ll use the rest later), along with the garlic and onion in a food processor. Transfer to a pot and stir on a medium heat, adding 300ml of vegetable stock gradually. Add one tsp of Paprika, half a can of coconut milk (200ml) and season to taste. Simmer for 10–15 minutes. Serve immediately.

We served the soup topped with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of paprika and some salt & pepper croutons.

Baked Kabocha Korokke (Japanese Pumpkin Croquettes) Katsu Curry Once roasted, mash the other half of the butternut squash and one third of the pumpkin with a fork.

Add half a finely chopped onion, fried with a clove of garlic until translucent (3–5 minutes). Mix together and add 4 tbsp of flour and 2 tbsp soy sauce. The mixture is super sticky, so be ready to get your fingers mucky! Once cooled, shape into flat oval shaped croquettes, about the size of your palm. Brush with a mix of flour and water (or an egg) and coat in Panko breadcrumbs. Brush with oil and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve on top of sticky rice, with Japanese curry sauce (which can be found in most of the oriental shops dotted around Sheffield), and chopped spring onion.

Maple Pumpkin Chocolate Pastry

Pie

with

To make the filling, add 425g of the roasted pumpkin to a bowl, 200ml of canned coconut milk, 150g brown sugar, 40g cornstarch, 85g maple syrup and 1 tsp vanilla.

Add the pumpkin spice (1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg and a pinch of salt), and whisk the mixture until smooth.

To make this recipe easier, you can buy pre-made shortcrust pastry in the supermarket, but we decided to make a chocolatey version from scratch. Roll the pastry into a round flan dish, press it to the edges and prick the bottom with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees before adding the filling. Bake for another 50–55 minutes, until the top starts to brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then serve with caramel sauce and and chopped pecans.

18

Lifestyle

Pitcher and Piano opening Amelia Shaw

This week, new swanky bar Pitcher & Piano opened its doors to Sheffield locals, and Forge Press were invited to a pre-opening event to try out some of the food and drink on offer. With a number of Pitcher & Piano bars already dotted around the country, this opening was long-awaited and certainly didn’t disappoint.

The new bar has been opened at the former National Union of Mineworkers building on Holly Street (just by the City Hall) and it serves a huge variety of food and drink in a fantastically designed venue. There are large bars upstairs and downstairs, as well as a special gin-only bar on the top floor, all within a very Instagrammable setting.

A whole page of the drinks menu is dedicated to their very

own house cocktails, which will be part of a 2-for-1 happy hour everyday between 5pm and 8pm.

Our favourites were: Jack Berry, a mixture of Jack Daniels, Chambord and fruit juices; Tropical Thunder, Spiced Rum, Cointreau and passionfruit, and Blueberry Rush, a blend of Vodka, Chambord, and blueberry liqueur with a number of different fruits and cranberry juice.

If none of those take your fancy, they also serve the classics, and a glass of prosecco is only a fiver making it the perfect place for a celebration.

As the name suggests, certain cocktails are also available as pitchers, which unfortunately we didn’t get to try, but they sound perfect for the weekend or a midweek treat with your mates. Or to have to yourself, we won’t judge.

Alcohol isn’t everything, though, and this place has really worked hard to make sure that the drivers and non-drinkers are not left out.

A number of mocktails, and alcohol

free beers, in addition to the new alcohol free spirit ‘ Seedlip’ are on the menu which ensure no one will be short of choice.

The food, however, was nothing you wouldn’t expect from any other restaurant. Their small dishes were pretty impressive, though, offering everything from buttermilk squid to patatas bravas. We’d recommend the halloumi fries and Peri-Peri chicken skewers. Yum. The burgers were also super tasty, and the brownie dessert definitely one of the best brownies in Sheffield. A quick word of warning, though: there was coriander on almost everything, so if you’re a hater, maybe ask for your dish to be made without it!

Whilst the food was nothing that would blow you away, the cocktails and ambiance were amazing and certainly make up for it. Pitcher & Piano will make the perfect date, celebration, and post-graduation spot!

Winter Cookies Steps 1.

2.

The

Cookbook Emily Evans

3.

4.

Ingredients 120g of butter – salted or unsalted 115g of brown sugar 120g of caster sugar 1 large egg 225g of self-raising flour Any chocolate of your choice; feel free to experiment with milk,white or dark chocolate chips, even M&M’s or Smarties. Just make sure they’re a similar size to the examples given.

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract if you want an extra sweetness.

5.

6.

7.

Preheat the oven to 180˚c, gas mark 4.

Cream together the butter and the sugar, and then add the egg and vanilla extract.

Bit by bit, sieve into a bowl the flour and the salt, folding the ingredients together. Once all the dry ingredients have been mixed in, add your choice of chocolate and fold again.

Roll the cookie dough into £2 coin sized balls, and then place onto a greased baking tray about 3-4 inches apart.

Bake for 8-10 minutes and until golden brown Keep your eye on them as they approach this time. Avoid opening the oven door as this could affect the baking process.

Transfer to a cooling tray, and leave to stand for 5-10 minutes. Make a cuppa in the meantime, and then you’re all set to indulge!

Enjoy!

November is

Men’s Mental Health Month Check out all that’s going on in your su at Sheffieldsu.com/mensmentalhealth Cecilia Hudson-Molinaro Activities Officer

Sarah Morse Sports Officer

20

Break Broken Editor Robin Wilde

Welcome, weary readers, to a special Halloween issue of Break.

The night has claimed too many of our number already, and the beasts which scurry beneath the floorboards grow more numerous by the hour.

My lamp grows dim and I have not long left on this Earth to share my knowledge. It relates, after many years of study at Miskatonic University, to how we cling to this inert sphere in the face of horrors more potent than all the foul news in these pages run together.

The ancient Shoggoths of Antarctica, discovered in the Dyer expedition, are surely soon to breach their mountain walls and engulf the Earth - and it strikes me as scarcely appropriate to focus on trifling puzzles and games in these troubled times.

Instead, use these pages in a more inventive way - to shield your eyes from direct gaze at the forces which have driven the sanity from the minds of so many.

I must close now - a knock comes upon the door, and it is even odds whether the preparations I have made will hold back the dark.

Save us!

press.break@forgetoday.com

We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.

These clues herein were the last remnants passed into my care of my old friend, along with a soaked briefcase, a pair of spectacles and a bloodstained cloak. For the sake of posterity I enclose them here. I fear my time, too, may be due.

BEWARE THE ORDER OF DAGON

T

W

I

F

I

E

E

S

T

L

H

O

W

E

H

A

D

R

S

W

J

W

H

E

E

N

H

A

E

I

F

A

E

I

U

I

I

S

D

G

E

T

Y

T

O

Y

T

L

D

C

S

T

A

D

R

O

H

I

R

B

O

L

G

K

M

Y

R

O

E

L

U

N

O

E

C

B

E

E

O

O

K

R

D

D

N

T

U

F

O

E

M

D

R

U

H

M

W

O

G

H

R

O

N

S

E

E

T

S

E

A

E

N

E

E

S

R

S

P

N

A

A

E

A

N

L

E

R

D

O

E

U

A

T

R

L

E

R

T

L

S

Yours, with dearest wishes,

T

E

U

T

M

R

O

T

P

I

T

W

T

T

U

Robin

H

E

L

H

E

E

F

H

L

N

O

O

H

H

N

E

P

S

E

N

D

T

F

A

T

F

R

E

E

G

Y

V

T

Y

O

T

H

L

N

O

A

L

G

Y

E

W

O

O

R

N

H

I

Y

E

T

L

D

R

H

R

“Where does madness leave off and reality begin?”

H. P. Lovecraft, The Shadow Over Innsmouth

IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS

IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS

licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License.

See: https://xkcd.com/license.html. Property of the blind idiot God, Azathoth

IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS

IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS

U

N G E

R T

H E

Y

H

X

In his house at R’lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming

E

It is true that I have sent six bullets through the head of my best friend, and yet I hope to shew by this statement that I am not his murderer. At first I shall be called a madman—madder than the man I shot in his cell at the Arkham Sanitarium. Later some of my readers will weigh each statement, correlate it with the known facts, and ask themselves how I could have believed otherwise than as I did after facing the evidence of that horror—that thing on the doorstep.

Until then I also saw nothing but madness in the wild tales I have acted on. Even now I ask myself whether I was misled—or whether I am not mad after all.

I do not know—but others have strange things to tell of Edward and Asenath Derby, and even the stolid police are at their wits’ ends to account for that last terrible visit. They have tried weakly to concoct a theory of a ghastly jest or warning by discharged servants, yet they know in their hearts that the truth is something infinitely more terrible and incredible.

So I say that I have not murdered Edward Derby. Rather have I avenged him, and in so doing purged the earth of a horror whose survival might have loosed untold terrors on all mankind. There are black zones of shadow close to our daily paths, and now and then some evil soul breaks a passage through. When that happens, the man who knows must strike before reckoning the consequences.

I have known Edward Pickman Derby all his life. Eight years my junior, he was so precocious that we had much in common from the time he was eight and I sixteen.

He was the most phenomenal child scholar I have ever known, and at seven was writing verse of a sombre, fantastic, almost morbid cast which astonished the tutors surrounding him. Perhaps his private education and coddled seclusion had something to do with his premature flowering. An only child, he had organic weaknesses which startled his doting parents and caused them to keep him closely chained to their side. He was never allowed out without his nurse, and seldom had a chance to play unconstrainedly with other children. All this doubtless fostered a strange, secretive inner life in the boy, with imagination as his one avenue of freedom.

At any rate, his juvenile learning was prodigious and bizarre; and his facile writings such as to captivate me despite my greater age. About that time I had leanings toward art of a somewhat grotesque cast, and I found in this younger child a rare kindred spirit. What lay behind our joint love of shadows and mar-

vels was, no doubt, the ancient, mouldering, and subtly fearsome town in which we lived—witchcursed, legend-haunted Arkham, whose huddled, sagging gambrel roofs and crumbling Georgian balustrades brood out the centuries beside the darkly muttering Miskatonic.

As time went by I turned to architecture and gave up my design of illustrating a book of Edward’s daemoniac poems, yet our comradeship suffered no lessening. Young Derby’s odd genius developed remarkably, and in his eighteenth year his collected nightmare-lyrics made a real sensation when issued under the title Azathoth and Other Horrors. He was a close correspondent of the notorious Baudelairean poet Justin Geoffrey, who wrote The People of the Monolith and died screaming in a madhouse in 1926 after a visit to a sinister, ill-regarded village in Hungary.

In self-reliance and practical affairs, however, Derby was greatly retarded because of his coddled existence. His health had improved, but his habits of childish dependence were fostered by overcareful parents; so that he never travelled alone, made independent decisions, or assumed responsibilities. It was early seen that he would not be equal to a struggle in the business or professional arena, but the family fortune was so ample that this formed no tragedy.

As he grew to years of manhood he retained a deceptive aspect of boyishness. Blond and blue-eyed, he had the fresh complexion of a child; and his attempts to raise a moustache were discernible only with difficulty. His voice was soft and light, and his pampered, unexercised life gave him a juvenile chubbiness rather than the paunchiness of premature middle age. He was of good height, and his handsome face would have made him a notable gallant had not his shyness held him to seclusion and bookishness.

Derby’s parents took him abroad every summer, and he was quick to seize on the surface aspects of European thought and expression. His Poe-like talents turned more and more toward the decadent, and other artistic sensitivenesses and yearnings were half-aroused in him. We had great discussions in those days. I had been through Harvard, had studied in a Boston architect’s office, had married, and had finally returned to Arkham to practice my profession—settling in the family homestead in Saltonstall St. since my father had moved to Florida for his health. Edward used to call almost every evening, till I came to regard him as one of the household. He

had a characteristic way of ringing the doorbell or sounding the knocker that grew to be a veritable code signal, so that after dinner I always listened for the familiar three brisk strokes followed by two more after a pause. Less frequently I would visit at his house and note with envy the obscure volumes in his constantly growing library.

Derby went through Miskatonic University in Arkham, since his parents would not let him board away from them. He entered at sixteen and completed his course in three years, majoring in English and French literature and receiving high marks in everything but mathematics and the sciences. He mingled very little with the other students, though looking enviously at the “daring” or “Bohemian” set—whose superficially “smart” language and meaninglessly ironic pose he aped, and whose dubious conduct he wished he dared adopt.

What he did do was to become an almost fanatical devotee of subterranean magical lore, for which Miskatonic’s library was and is famous. Always a dweller on the surface of phantasy and strangeness, he now delved deep into the actual runes and riddles left by a fabulous past for the guidance or puzzlement of posterity.

He read things like the frightful Book of Eibon, the Unaussprechlichen Kulten of von Junzt, and the forbidden Necronomicon of the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred, though he did not tell his parents he had seen them. Edward was twenty when my son and only child was born, and seemed pleased when I named the newcomer Edward Derby Upton, after him.

By the time he was twenty-five Edward Derby was a prodigiously learned man and a fairly wellknown poet and fantaisiste, though his lack of contacts and responsibilities had slowed down his literary growth by making his products derivative and overbookish. I was perhaps his closest friend—finding him an inexhaustible mine of vital theoretical topics, while he relied on me for advice in whatever matters he did not wish to refer to his parents. He remained single—more through shyness, inertia, and parental protectiveness than through inclination—and moved in society only to the slightest and most perfunctory extent. When the war came both health and ingrained timidity kept him at home. I went to Plattsburg for a commission, but never got overseas.

So the years wore on. Edward’s mother died when he was thirty-four, and for months he was incapacitated by some odd psychological malady. His father took him to Europe, however,

and he managed to pull out of his trouble without visible effects.

Afterward he seemed to feel a sort of grotesque exhilaration, as if of partial escape from some unseen bondage. He began to mingle in the more “advanced” college set despite his middle age, and was present at some extremely wild doings—on one occasion paying heavy blackmail (which he borrowed of me) to keep his presence at a certain affair from his father’s notice. Some of the whispered rumours about the wild Miskatonic set were extremely singular.

There was even talk of black magic and of happenings utterly beyond credibility.

Edward was thirty-eight when he met Asenath Waite. She was, I judge, about twenty-three at the time; and was taking a special course in mediaeval metaphysics at Miskatonic. The daughter of a friend of mine had met her before—in the Hall School at Kingsport—and had been inclined to shun her because of her odd reputation. She was dark, smallish, and very good-looking except for overprotuberant eyes; but something in her expression alienated extremely sensitive people. It was, however, largely her origin and conversation which caused average folk to avoid her. She was one of the Innsmouth Waites, and dark legends have clustered for generations about crumbling, half-deserted Innsmouth and its people. There are tales of horrible bargains about the year 1850, and of a strange element “not quite human” in the ancient families of the run-down fishing port—tales such as only old-time Yankees can devise and repeat with proper awesomeness.

Asenath’s case was aggravated by the fact that she was Ephraim Waite’s daughter—the child of his old age by an unknown wife who always went veiled. Ephraim lived in a half-decayed mansion in Washington Street, Innsmouth, and those who had seen the place (Arkham folk avoid going to Innsmouth whenever they can) declared that the attic windows were always boarded, and that strange sounds sometimes floated from within as evening drew on.

The old man was known to have been a prodigious magical student in his day, and legend averred that he could raise or quell storms at sea according to his whim. I had seen him once or twice in my youth as he came to Arkham to consult forbidden tomes at the college library, and had hated his wolfish, saturnine face with its tangle of iron-grey beard. He had died insane—under rather queer circumstances—just before his daughter (by his will made a nom-

inal ward of the principal) entered the Hall School, but she had been his morbidly avid pupil and looked fiendishly like him at times.

The friend whose daughter had gone to school with Asenath Waite repeated many curious things when the news of Edward’s acquaintance with her began to spread about. Asenath, it seemed, had posed as a kind of magician at school; and had really seemed able to accomplish some highly baffling marvels. She professed to be able to raise thunderstorms, though her seeming success was generally laid to some uncanny knack at prediction. All animals markedly disliked her, and she could make any dog howl by certain motions of her right hand.

There were times when she displayed snatches of knowledge and language very singular—and very shocking—for a young girl; when she would frighten her schoolmates with leers and winks of an inexplicable kind, and would seem to extract an obscene and zestful irony from her present situation.

Most unusual, though, were the well-attested cases of her influence over other persons. She was, beyond question, a genuine hypnotist. By gazing peculiarly at a fellow-student she would often give the latter a distinct feeling of exchanged personality—as if the subject were placed momentarily in the magician’s body and able to stare half across the room at her real body, whose eyes blazed and protruded with an alien expression. Asenath often made wild claims about the nature of consciousness and about its independence of the physical frame— or at least from the life-processes of the physical frame. Her crowning rage, however, was that she was not a man; since she believed a male brain had certain unique and far-reaching cosmic powers. Given a man’s brain, she declared, she could not only equal but surpass her father in mastery of unknown forces.

Edward met Asenath at a gathering of “intelligentsia” held in one of the students’ rooms, and could talk of nothing else when he came to see me the next day. He had found her full of the interests and erudition which engrossed him most, and was in addition wildly taken with her appearance. I had never seen the young woman, and recalled casual references only faintly, but I knew who she was.

It seemed rather regrettable that Derby should become so upheaved about her; but I said nothing to discourage him, since infatuation thrives on opposition. He was not, he said, mentioning her to his father.

In the next few weeks I heard of

22

What’s on

write for us!

press.hello@forgetoday.com

1 Nov - 14 Nov

Spiderwalk 2018

Other Highlights:

Thursday 1 November 6pm - 1am Peak District

Proud 2 November, 11pm - 3am Foundry £5.50

Sheffield’s famous Spiderwalk returns once again, seeing another group of brave volunteers taking on a 13-mile hike through the peaks at night to raise money for local charities. Even if you miss out on the main event, there’s still plenty of time to sponsor the participants (they have until 26 November to raise money).

Gunpowder Gauntlet Colour Run 3 November, 11am Meadowhall £17.50-£22 Ashtanga Workshop 4 November, 1pm - 3pm Uni Central £5.50 Life Drawing 7 November, 7pm - 9pm Coffee Revolution £6.60

Credit: Dan West

Trump: The Musical

Pop Culture Embroidery

Beginners Sign Language: 5-Week Course 12 November, 5pm - 7pm Raynor Lounge (at the SU) £13.75/£11.55 (Res Life)

Wednesday 7 November 12noon - 6pm Octagon Meeting Room 1 £3.30/£1.10 (Res Life)

Sunday 4 November 7:30pm - 9pm Foundry £13.20/£11 (concession) Blowfish Theatre bring Trump: The Musical to Sheffield Students’ Union, their satirical glimpse at what the world could be like two

years from now. The show has had great reviews and should distract you from your existential dread for 90 wonderful minutes.

Learn a totally new way to express your love for your favourite movie!

This event is a collaboration between the university’s Cosplay and Stitch societies, and should leave you with some neat homemade merch and a fun new skill as well.

Flux 15 November, 11:30pm - 3:30am Foundry £5.50

Credit: Sheffield Cosplay Society

Learn How to Read Tarot Cards

Film Unit: Funny Cow Sunday 11 November 3:30pm and 7:30pm Nelson Mandela Auditorium Film Unit are putting on a free screening of Funny Cow, an intense comedy-drama about a female comedian trying to make a name for herself by performing in the sexist men’s clubs of the 1970s and 80s.

Maxine Peake stars, giving a critically acclaimed performance.

Free

Monday 12 November 7:30pm - 9:30pm High Tor 4 @ The Edge £2.75/55p (Res Life) Embrace your mystical side with this exciting Give it a Go session that will teach you how to interpret tarot cards, quite possibly giving you an insight into the future.

Harry Potter Quiz Night Monday 12 November 4pm-9pm Bar One

Tfw Goblet of Fire doesn’t get screened at the quiz.

Credit: Movie DB

Kick off your week right with a Harry Potter-themed night in Bar One, complete with a themed menu, quiz and even a film screening! You can vote for which Potter flick you’d most like to see on the Facebook event page, use your democratic right.

23

BONFIRE NIGHT

2018

Illuminate the Gardens 2018 Friday 2 November - Sunday 4 November Botanical Gardens £10

This annual event is a favourite among Sheffield locals, bringing the botanical gardens to life with fireworks, performers and delicious food. Illuminate the Gardens runs all weekend and should be a nice way to unwind after a week of lectures and stress.

Yellow Arch Bonfire Party Saturday 3 November 8:30pm-2:30am Yellow Arch Studios Free

Yellow Arch Studios are hosting a bonfire party complete with fire jugglers, great DJs and, well, a bonfire of course. Best of all, it’s free entry and open until the early hours so there’s no excuse not to head down and have a boogie.

After Dark Fireworks Spectacular Monday 5 November 5:30pm-10pm Don Valley Bowl £12

Probably the biggest bonfire night event in Sheffield, After Dark’s annual firework display attracts thousands of people from across the city.

With a funfair, street food and even fire spinners, there should be plenty here to keep you entertained.

Credit: Yoninah

24

Arts

write for us!

press.arts@forgetoday.com Image: S1 Artspace

EXHIBITION Arts Editors Charly Hurrell Sophie Maxwell Happy Halloween! I hope you can pry yourselves away from fashioning your costumes and carving happy pumpkins to spare time to read all things arts. If you’re not one to celebrate all things spooky, celebrate the fact that you’ve made it to the halfway point of the first semester. You’re probably starting to feel the heat with work piling up, forcing you to neglect Sheffield’s wonderful art scene. Sit back and relax, we’ve got you covered.

Editors’ Picks

Construction House

at S1 Artspace Lauren Savage

As we approach the centenary of the founding of Bauhaus in 2019, it seems a fitting time to reflect on the impact the school has had on artistic practice and the role of art and artists in society. A new six-month exhibition called Construction House at S1 Artspace brings together three thematic strands of Bauhaus philosophy, displaying contemporary art that is collaborative, collective and cross disciplinary. The venue, a renovated former garage block, stands at

the centre of the residential Park Hill Estate and could not be more suitable for the exhibition, with the translation of Bauhaus literally meaning ‘House of Building’.

Order and Limitations, the first of the three exhibitions, focuses on patterns, rules and rhythms as a source of creative inspiration.

Upon entering the exhibition your attention is immediately drawn to a series of steel sculptures on the floor (James Clarkson’s Drop Box).

These replicate cardboard nets that have been designed to fit around specific objects for the purpose of transporting them. They are modest

and un-ornate but pay due homage to one of the biggest ideas to come out of the Bauhaus—that “nothing that is not functional cannot be beautiful” (Adolf Loos).

Anni Albers’s Do III is abrasive and bold;the solid colour green and multiplying straight lines, celebrate the belief in perfection and the efficiency of geometry. Similarly, Joanna Wells’ Devotion to small things uses minimal techniques in rhythmic principles, which explores repetition as a site for transformation.

The whole experience is made immersive by Ashley Holmes’ audio installation We’ll clap for you - easily the most impressive part of the exhibition. The soundscape

moves from tribal chanting to minimal digital sampling, which is both disturbing and comforting.

The piece was developed out of a workshop with young people at the Broomhill Community Centre in Sheffield, and as the workshops progress, the more the sound evolves.

Although being a little underwhelming in the end, the exhibition opens new perspectives on the teachings of the Bauhaus and how they might still be relevant to artists working today.

Order and Limitations is on show until Saturday 24 November.

Close Quarters Head down to Studio Theatre from 27 October to 10 November for Close Quarters, a production challenging the barriers facing women in the army. Following the lives of the elite female soldiers chosen to serve in the British infantry for the first time, it is bound to be an action packed evening provoking discussion.

The Netherlands If action’s not your thing, The Netherlands showing at Theatre Deli on 7 November uses multimedia to deliver a unique, metaphorical performance with a two man cast. This production explores the terrifying but beautiful journey that carers of disabled children face. Composed of a series of monologues delivered directly to the audience, this feels like a private conversation between you and them.

The

Bookshelf

A showcase of student creative writing

Poem of the paper: A Halloween Haiku

by Charly Hurrell

boo boo boo boo boo boo boo boo boo boo boo boo

h

boo boo boo boo ah

Fancy yourself a Keats? Send us your Lamia!

Get in touch with press.arts@forgepress.com to get involved!

STORY The Freeman Diary: Chapter Three Ryan Smith

The accompanying letter that came with it said to meet at Oxley Square Tower Block 5 in Section 6 on 15th March.. However, there were more pressing concerns than this nonsense. I had another two Commission takeovers to advise before that December alone.

The various white collar bullshit continued like the very trains on the railways I owned. Nothing ever does change that much in life, and when it does, it’s far too late to do much about it. That’s what I thought too until that early March of 2020.

If I hadn’t turned up to that meeting, 15th March 2020, you would never be reading what you are reading now.

The meeting was in the back of my mind, mixed with the other thousand thoughts a day, like the chewing gum stuck to the underside of every high school desk in the country. If I didn’t go I’d be in even more trouble, perhaps more than I am now. They need me now, you see. But you’ll learn all about that

come the end of this.

In the early March of 2020 I received a phone call. This is another one they won’t print for you – the phone calls never get mentioned, only unless it’s written down. Yeah, they can trace calls but you’d be surprised at the myriad of tracks that are covered by agency bloodhounds. I’d just finished another meeting with the Railways Commission about new routes cutting through the North, taking away the TransPennine and replacing it with the Co-Line TransExpress. You may have seen it in the news a few years back. Now you know who to thank for that mess. I sat back at my desk, when the phone rang.

‘Hello?’

‘Say no. Do not be swayed.’

‘Who is this?’ I tried to interrupt, but the voice continued.

The story continues in our next issue out on 14 November.

25

Arts

SHORT STORY A Perfect Day for Bananafish

by J.D. Salinger Charly Hurrell

Catcher in the Rye is a classic, with no room for debate. Salinger’s way with charismatic words spoke to sixteen-year-old me and created a world of rebellion without any harsh consequences. In A Perfect Day for Bananafish (a short story within For Esme, With Love and Squalor and stories), his words are as powerful as I remember.

Muriel Glass is introduced as a vapid, vacant and marriagedependant young girl. Her image is clear when described in the short story. She speaks on the phone in a way that you criticise her for being so rude to her mother, however her mother is equally as harsh on her. The in-the-distance conversation with her father only adds to the realistic tone of their relationship, becoming clear that

Muriel is certainly too immature to be married. Their conversation is about her husband, Seymour, a WWII veteran. The simplicity of her stating his dislike for being nude, though later we meet him in the sea in bathing clothes, explains their relationship being as clear to each other as a bowl of pea soup.

A Perfect Day for Bananafish closes a very short story with an ending just as abrupt. It leaves you not wanting more, though, having already given all it can give. Salinger has managed to create Seymour’s fantasy realism within a realist short story and has proved his way with words perfectly by describing real life mental issues going unnoticed in an empty young marriage. The contrast between a woman who stayed at home through the war and the nonchalant concern of the severity of Seymour’s mental health portrays wonderfully the real life societal view on post-war PTSD

through his narrative. Seymour’s abrupt ending is as much a shock to the reader as it is to Muriel, which makes it so effective. The collection contains excellent short stories on individuals and couples, and allows for a brief break in a hectic day.

Painting: Robert Vickrey

THEATRE One of

Northern Ballet: The Three Musketeers

history’s

great dandies, whirling gaily

at Lyceum Theatre James Doran

From the very outset Sir Malcom Arnold’s musical accompaniment thrusts the viewer into the intriguing and unstable world of 17th century Paris. The jilted combination of percussion and brass in the opening scene allows imagination of the French courts’ political chaos under the eccentric Louis XIII, with the three musketeers inevitably providing comic relief with cameos of boyish charm and boisterous behaviour. Unsurprisingly, the three musketeers steal the show as they guide us through various perils and vices, interspersed with masterful duels that are brought to life before inventive backdrops.

But the shenanigans of the title characters aren’t the only offering of humour, as Louis XIII announces

himself to the audience in a manner as expressive as you’d imagine for one of history’s great dandies, whirling gaily back and forth across the stage in a dress to match that of his disapproving wife, Queen Anne.

Unbeknownst to the King of course, his wife is venturing off each evening with the Duke of Buckingham, the English cad and courtier.

Amidst the chaos of promiscuity and duelling, d’Artagnan appears as the washed-up nobleman desperately seeking purpose in the French capital. Having befriended the three musketeers in a roundabout manner, a particularly memorable moment of the performance comes as d’Artagnan first lays eyes on Constance – the lights soften and the orchestra deftly draws the viewer into a wonderful slow-motion vignette as the young lovers’ eyes meet.. David Nixon’s

impressive direction masterfully contrasts disorder and intimacy in this way several times throughout the evening, leaving an impression on the viewer.

It would be wise to avoid retelling one of Dumas’ classic tales, but I wonder why it took until 2006 for such an adaptable story to reach ballet. Nevertheless, commendations to David Nixon and writer David Drew for bringing The Three Musketeers to life with the aid of immersive costumes and sets, meticulous choreography and, of course, the beautiful music of the late Sir Malcolm Arnold. Northern Ballet’s production does great justice to a tale of such stature.

The Three Musketeers continues at Canterbury Marlowe Theatre until Saturday 3 November.

back and forth across the

stage in a dress

26

Arts

In Conversation with Kevin Jackson, Volunteer at The Lantern Theatre Sophie Maxwell

Arts Editor Sophie Maxwell caught up with Kevin Jackson, a volunteer and board member of The Lantern, to delve into the past and present of this quaint Victorian theatre.

Tucked away in the leafy suburban streets of Nether Edge lies the Lantern Theatre. It is at the heart of local community theatre, but often neglected by students due to its distinguished location outside of the university bubble.

The grade II listed building has been standing for over 120 years, making it the oldest surviving theatre in Sheffield. Its 84 seat capacity offers intimate performances from budding and semi-professional actors, telling the tales of up and coming stage writers. Despite its modesty, the theatre is run by an army of enthusiastic volunteers who love to put on over 10 shows a year.

“It’s 100 per cent voluntary work” boasts Kevin Jackson, who works for a learning company, creating training courses and videos as his day job. “We have front of house volunteers, as well as those who pay a membership, who are also involved in the creative side.”

Becoming a member of the theatre means becoming a member of Dilys Guite Players (DGP), the in-house community theatre group and registered charity who own the theatre.

“As a paid member, you are an owner of the charity and the theatre. It’s very much a community theatre, for people in Sheffield who want to get involved.”

Jackson tells of students who venture to the theatre and flourish, including how the youngest board member Harry Rowbotham started out. “He came to do tech in his spare time whilst at university, and he just loved it.

It’s like a lot of people, they come to the theatre, they see it and never want to leave it. He’s now

our technical director.”

The DGP host a number of schemes to encourage engagement from the wider community and to

There is much meets the eye when The Lantern. There main predecessors

more than it comes to were three who were

Dilys Guite at The Lantern Theatre the day she got the keys Image: The Lantern Theatre platform surrounding creative talents.

“New Writing Festival is a collection of small pieces, that are no longer than 20 minutes long, with a minimal cast of no more than five, played to a black box set,” continues Jackson.

“It’s open to anybody who has a piece that they would like to put forward for consideration. Each year they’ve done it, it’s grown.

Some years we’ve had up to 60 entries. The next festival will be in February.

“Another scheme is Write On, a festival of one act plays, which are often longer pieces than those in New Writing. We’ll choose two different plays: It’s twice the opportunity for people to get something new on stage. This will happen late next year.

“There is a wide gamut of things people can get involved with.

Originally, when it was set up, it was about educating people in the arts and all its forms. What we’ve tried to do since 2013 is broaden that a bit, so that people can get involved in different ways. We’ve had people make film trailers for us, people writing, photographers.

We want to link it all together.”

responsible for the creation and upkeep of the theatre before the DGP. “It was built in 1893 by the Webster family who owned the house next door. William Webster was a wealthy steel manufacturer in Sheffield. The widely accepted story is that back in the 1890s he wanted to build a theatre for his daughter who wanted to act, as he didn’t want her to move to London. Whether or not this is true or not we’ll never know, but that’s the story that has been passed down.

“We know he died not long after it was built, and his son became head of the household. At some point after that the theatre changed hands, going to Charles Richardson. During the war it went into disrepair. In the late 1950s, actress Dilys Guite saw it. She was walking past the theatre gates and her son dropped a toy out of his pram. She saw this building and thought ‘what is it?’”

Dilys saw a future for the theatre, but shortly after moved away from Sheffield.

Upon her return six years later,

living on the road the theatre also inhabits, she decided to take action. In 1958, Dilys made an appearance on Women’s Hour to share her story. Jackson summarises the broadcast.

“From her kitchen window she could see the top of the theatre, the lantern itself. She was cleaning her dishes one morning and thought ‘today will be the day I make some headway with this theatre’.

“It was just after 9am she left the house to visit Richardson.

By 9:25am she walked back into the house with the keys of the property and permission to renovate it.” Headstrong Dilys and her friends renovated the theatre, leading to the reopening in 1957. “Richardson thought Dilys had done such a great job that he gave her the deeds and the theatre.”

With a history dating back over a century, and with Halloween approaching, Jackson spills on whether or not the theatre is in fact haunted. “Yes, absolutely.

On E row, seats E5 and E7 are often found down. Also along that row, that’s where a figure has been seen by people who work in the theatre. We’ve had incidences where people feel someone holding their hand as they walk down the aisle of the theatre.

Sat in the dressing room within the attic of what once was a stables, Jackson tells of the

temperament of a ghost sighted within this very building. “We presume he was the stable hand here. Some people describe him as an angry man.”

Despite multiple sightings, Jackson assures me there have been no frightening experiences.

“We’ve actually named the ghosts. They’re just looking after the place.”

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved at The Lantern, from showing off your artistic flare to simply joining the audience for a brilliant, potentially even supernatural, evening of theatre.

Next up is John Godber’s Christmas Cracker, showing 10-15 December. All students are eligible for concession tickets. See the website for further details.

THE OFFICAL FOOD OF

SHEFFIELD STUDENT LIFE

EVERY SINGLE DAY VALID ON MEDIUM OR LARGE PIZZA ONLY

NOW YOU ARE AT UNI TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE…ONE CODE, TWO PIZZAS

DON’T FORGET THE CODE!

JUST USE CODE: 167 - 169 WEST STREET SHEFFIELD, S1 4EW

01142 787878 /DominosPizza

@Dominos_UK

PIZZA241

AT THE CHECKOUT 371 ECCLESALL ROAD SHEFFIELD, S11 8PF

24hr DELIVERY StudentsOfDominos

01142 669988 Click

Tap the app

*Buy one get one free on medium & large pizza only. Valid online only. Free pizza must be equal or lesser value than the first.

Not valid with any other offer. Offer can be withdrawn without notice. Available in participating stores only. Student ID required. EXP 31-5-19

28

Music Music Editors Harriet Evans Ben Kempton It’s the Halloween issue! The time of year to start panicking about how quickly uni is passing by but fear not, there are some scarily good articles to read in the music section - those were some weak puns.

write for us!

LIVE

A week at The Tuesday Club Ben Kempton

Mr Scruff & Mr Thing

Ben Kempton takes us through a week at Foundry’s own Tuesday Club. With performances from electro-swing artist Mr Scruff & Mr Thingand hip-hop legend Ocean

The Tuesday Club presented Mr. Thing and Mr. Scruff at the Foundry on Friday 19 October. Continuing with their theme of musical diversity following rapper Ocean Wisdom’s appearance earlier in the week, both DJs provided a different sound to the Foundry on a sold-out Friday night.

Mr. Thing is a renowned British hip hop producer that has worked with artists such as Yungun, Doc Brown and Devise. Balding and unassuming, he stood behind his decks in an oversized tee and played some of the hottest rap records of recent years, as well as past classics which got the crowd fired up. Mr. Thing showed off the DJ talent that made him winner of the 2000 DMC UK DJ Championships by not simply

Wisdom, it’s clear that there is no shortage

Editors’ Picks

of musical diversity there.

Ben: ‘Little Monster’ Royal Blood

Sticking with the theme this issue I’m picking ‘Little Monster’, a modern rock anthem by duo Royal Blood. Their 2014 self titled debut album is outstanding throughout, with ‘Little Monster’ being one of the standout tracks. The song isn’t actually about a monster but instead a girl: “Hey litte monster, you know it’s all okay, I’m gonna love ya, no matter what you say” suggests whatever she’s done or how much she’s messed up, the singer will always love her. Maybe I should have saved this for the Valentines issue!

Harriet: ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ The Rolling Stones

Also sticking with the spooky theme, I’ve picked an absolute rock classic from way back in 1968. You can’t get much more terrifying than a first-hand account from the Devil himself boasting about his role in several violent historical atrocities.

Despite the disturbing subject matter you can’t help but bop along to the groovy maracas that lace the track. It’s definitely one you mustn’t forget to add to your Halloween playlist.

press.music@forgetoday.com

Ocean Wisdom Famed for its diversity in dance music, The Tuesday Club went one step further and provided one of the UK’s finest hip hop talents this week. Ocean Wisdom is a Camden lad who has only emerged on the scene within the past two years after releasing his debut album Chaos 93 in 2016. Already widely regarded as one of the best in the business due to his rapid flow, the Students’ Union did extremely well to bring this talent to Sheffield.

The night kicked off in regular style with resident DJ Andy H. His eclectic music taste showed as he adjusted his usual dance tunes to perform a CD scratching hip hop set, playing the likes of Bugzy Malone’s ‘Warning’, ‘Hip Hop’ by Dead Prez and I found myself Shazamming a rap anthem I’d not heard before‘Jim Dean’ by Evidence. The scene was set.

Second up were two slightly tragic blokes with their matching puffer parka coats on. Not made any better by the fact one of them had

to hold his hood up with his hand because it kept falling over his eyes.

But don’t tell them I said that, they looked hard as nails. MCs Kannan Revolution gave it their best shot but unfortunately the crowd were there for one act and one act only. It showed. As their set came towards an end the hype began to build and the crowd became restless. Elbows were flying as the crowd swayed together from left to right.

Before the man himself came out on stage his DJ came on and played a unique bassline/ trap crossover which got the crowd going crazy.

Crazier than I’ve ever seen it before

I’ve never seen anyone with a flow like Ocean Wisdom - it’s difficult to comprehend how he actually does it.

after three years of going to Tuesday Club. It was like a zoo. Finally, Ocean Wisdom walked out, dressed perfectly. Take note parka boys.

He repped a durag and a long black Comme De Garcons puffer over the top of an all-black combination of tracksuit bottoms, a sweatshirt and a NICCE shotta bag, all topped off with the black Nike Airs. Dressed the part, he opened with his biggest hit ‘Revvin’, which caused the place to erupt. I’ve never seen anyone with a flow like Ocean Wisdom it’s difficult to comprehend how he actually does it. It became really noticeable when the DJ cut the music and he was left freestyling over the top of nothing but the sound of the crowd going crazy for him.

Other hit tunes ‘Tom & Jerry’ and ‘Righteous’ were played before he decided to “make it grime”. The DJ mixed the ‘Hypnotise’ beat with his own grime beat, which formulated the ideal backbeat for Ocean to spit bars to. His partner on stage was the perfect hype man, shouting “When I say Ocean, you say Wisdom…” getting the crowd fired up.

just playing the tracks but going proper old school and scratching the disks to create an authentic hip hop sound and experience.

After a few hours of rap, the event progressed into a night of electrohouse-jazz. Mr. Scruff came on stage and got behind the decks alongside an MC as the crowd stirred in front of him. The MC didn’t do much other than evoke positive messages and sway along with the rest of the crowd to Mr. Scruff’s genius hybrid DJ set. Unlike anything I’ve heard before, he would play a typical jazz song consisting of saxophones, trumpets and bass guitar, then out of nowhere drop a house bassline cutting through the jazz, working in beautiful harmony. The result: a crowd of boogying students with a new love for jazz.

Doing a full circle, the set ended just how it started with ‘Revvin’. As he left the stage I genuinely felt like I’d just seen an artist at work, and I even got a fist bump from him.

29

Music Review

No Bounds Festival Hope Works Lily Bichard-Collins

Sheffield’s No Bounds festival celebrated a second year as part of the city’s prolific music scene. The generous line up boasted names such as Daniel Avery, Paula Temple, Volvox and Mark Fell. It all took place in the grounds of the WWI gun barrel factory-turned-club, Hope Works, and the two-day event certainly succeeded in proving why Sheffield is known for its electronic music.

When I arrived at the venue I was unsure what to expect. I didn’t know much about the performers and being a new student, had yet to venture to this side of town. Despite this, as well as trying to ignore a bad case of Freshers flu, I knew it’d be a good night as soon as I heard the crowd-chatter and pulsing bass from outside, even more so when I felt the sweat in the air inside the warehouse. Events like these are the perfect antidote to overly-promoted and highly-strung student club nights, for those who enjoy a more leftfield, curated night out where you can let loose and boogie away your woes without judgement.

Some personal highlights of the Saturday night lineup include Kampire, a Ugandan DJ whose extremely danceable, fast-paced house beats had an obvious influence of traditional and contemporary African

styles. Her picks were fun,energetic and accessible for those opting for a more disco-ey feel over some of the heavier, more experimental acts.

Another favourite was Volvox, a New York DJ with straightforward, groovy, techy beats that were easy to get lost in despite the densely packed room. The sound system was crisp and, despite having three acts on simultaneously and in close proximity, was allsurrounding.

If you found yourself wanting a more ambient, hypnotic feel then Bristol duo Giant Swan was who to see. The NTS regulars certainly attracted a crowd as the heavy bass and experimental sounds rang out. It was unlike any live set I’ve seen before, with distorted percussive beats and slow-echoey tones.

Unfortunately, my cold-riddled-self couldn’t hack it until the 7am finish but I did make sure to stay for Daniel Avery, the London-based producer, whose much awaited second album was just released this year. Avery embodies the underground club scene, and with strobe lights and sweat in the air amongst the dancing crowd it was a perfect way to end the night, even if I would have liked to have lasted to see Afrodeutsche.

No Bounds festival was a really impressive event and had a lot of experimental sounds. Keep your eyes peeled for Hope Work’s upcoming events.

LIVE

Jorja Smith Rock City Nottingham Alice Bliss

Jorja Smith, who was once considered an underdog, has become an it-girl of the modern music scene. Having been likened to Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill and Rihanna, her latest album Lost and Found saw her shoot to fame as one of R&B’s biggest new artists. There’s something innately political about Jorja and her music. She is a young, English, down-to-earth woman whose voice and lyricism resonates with the challenges and the importance of identity. Jorja sings mostly about love, and it is hard not to love her. This is someone to stand at the front for.

Already inside the venue, the crowd is young and buzzing with anticipation. On Wednesdays, this huge two-story venue holds the club-night Crisis, the UK’s biggest weekly student night. This is quite a

different scene. Perhaps because it’s a Sunday night?

Amina Rose from South London, touring with her album London Burning, warmed up the crowd. Her music is grounded in reggae and hip hop, with a poppy, electronic twist.

One of her favourites to perform, ‘Paradise’, is the most well received by the exponentially amassing viewers. Rose is petite with a huge, excited smile. She is like Smith’s younger sister, who is just happy to be at the party.

The audience are stood wall-towall, and as Smith appears on stage a warm, adoring calls arise from all around. Sparkling subtly with the lights behind her, she wears a quiet smile, beginning her eponymous track ‘Lost and Found’. One of the things that is so astonishing about Smith is the effortlessness with which she releases her bewitching melodies. Members of the crowd became lost in the music and recited

every word.

Despite this, there is a prevailing sense of immediacy. On the song that earned her her fame, ‘Blue Lights’, she stops singing and let the crowd take the mic. Her music reflects the feelings of losing and finding a sense of identity that is common to the process of growing up. Later into the evening, Jorja performs Rihanna’s ‘Man Down’, a personal influence of hers. She is pitch-perfect and picturesque. It feels reductive, but impossible not to remark on Jorja’s striking beauty.

A beauty that stems perhaps from an obvious kindness within. With a nod of recognition and appreciation to her band, and her support Mina Rose, Smith finishes with ‘On My Mind’. As the people pour out I don’t doubt this song is on their minds, as it is on still mine.

Photo by Anton Mak

30

Music

Photo by Kevin Wells

LIVE The O2 Academy Rudimental Ben Kempton

Having released their last album way back in 2015, it came as a bit of a surprise to see Rudimental touring the UK. However, after recent single ‘Let Me Live’ and announcing at their gig that there’s a new album on the way, it made a lot more sense.

Known for their mix of RnB, house and drum & bass mashed together in a positive pop format, the London group were powerhouses a few years ago with hits such as ‘Waiting All Night’ and ‘Lay It All On Me’. Now they are making their big return with a UK tour, which stopped off at

Sheffield’s O2 Academy.

The venue was completely sold out and the crowd’s age range varied from young teens to 60 year olds (predominantly middleaged Capital FM-listening mums though). It’s no surprise that the age bracket was higher with tickets priced at £30. The lights went out and then came back on in an overwhelming array of colour as the group came onstage. Before they even started, it was impressive to behold the ensemble of elements that make up Rudimental. Three choir vocalists, including pop star Ella Henderson, a synth deck captained by a man wearing a ridiculous colourful LED hat and robes, a bassist, saxophonist,

drummer, DJ, trumpets as well as the lead singers – who change alternatively depending on the song.

Whatever your opinion of the group, they perform real music, which is refreshing in the modern age of do-

it-on-a-laptop pop music.

Rudimental went through their catalogue playing all of their big hits. Certain songs were performed exceptionally well. ‘Not Giving

Positive energy and happiness oozed from the group, who were beaming with smiles the whole set

In’ was incredible because of the use of live saxophone. Using live instruments rather than just playing on them over record adds a depth to the live experience which was definitely felt. Not only that but the

group use several different singers throughout their set for different songs. Each one added something new to the performance and each voice was spectacular, particularly Ella Henderson, who belted out her vocals.

Encore ‘Feel The Love’ also popped, reminding myself and the rest of the crowd how good that song actually is. It also epitomised the tone of the night. Positive energy and happiness oozed from the group, who were beaming with smiles the whole set. Front man DJ Locksmith shouted “Feel free” as the group boasted a spirit of multirace, cross-gender equality saying it doesn’t matter “how ugly or pretty you are, how tall or short you are, how black or white you are, we’re all equal.”

The songs they played from the new album fell flatter with the crowd, as they inevitably would, but their new reggae sound is something I am

looking forward to. Unfortunately, the sound system at the O2 did them no favours either. Every time their songs went to drop there was a lack of oomph in bass which is needed for dance acts. However, this didn’t stop the mums in the crowd from getting their groove on.

Sort your bills the easy way.

We combine all of your utilities, such as gas, electricity, water, broadband and TV into one split monthly payment for every housemate.

Scan to find out more:

No more headaches, no more confusing admin, and no more chasing your housemates for money.

0333 240 9030 glide@glide.co.uk

32

Screen Screen Editors Gethin Morgan Izzy Cridland BOO! Ha, gotcha. Happy Halloween folks. What better film to review in this Halloween special issue than, erm, Halloween. We’ve got a whole bunch of other reviews too, ranging from a terrifyingly bad 1 star mess to some scarily good 5 star masterpieces. Meanwhile Luke Baldwin gives his take on the current state of horror in Hollywood. Enjoy.

write for us!

press.screen@forgetoday.com

BIG SCREEN

Halloween

Editors’ Picks Get Out

Máté Mohos

Horror is not my favourite film genre but I, like everybody else, really enjoyed Get Out. It’s theme is interesting and relevant to America’s current political climate, it’s also funny and psychologically gripping and chilling. This is a smart, well presented horror that doesn’t rely on gore and violence to create atmosphere.

Izzy

Train to Busan

Doing relative justice to Michael Myers at this point shouldn’t be hard. The sturdy serial killer, who reformed the horror genre back in 1978 with John Carpenter’s Halloween has had his reputation tarnished by a series of increasingly disappointing and weird sequels - remember when his penis got electrocuted by Busta Rhymes? It could only get better after that.

So now he is back in a follow-up that’s also titled Halloween, which ignores all the sequels that came before, attempting to revitalize the series and bring it closer to its roots. The film, helmed by David

Gordon Green, sees Michael locked up in a psychiatric facility and the only survivor of his original killing spree, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), as a paranoid loner who lives

25%

is the average Rotten Tomatoes score of the nine movies since the 1978 original

in a makeshift fortress at the end of town, dreading the day Michael returns. Of course, Michael doesn’t stay locked up. He escapes and heads right to Haddleton, Michigan, where Laurie, her family, and a handful of other supporting characters live.

NETFLIX

Apostle Two years ago this Korean zombie romp became a bit of a cult hit.

Quite rightly so, too. Set mostly on a train from Seoul to Busan, a zombie virus strikes just as SeokWoo and his daughter get on the train. Cue claustrophobic, superintense thrills. The building of characters is masterful and director Sang-ho Yeon perfectly delivers a gradual drip-feed of information about the zombies and their weaknesses.

Exhilarating, emotional and full of superb set-pieces, this is certainly one to search out.

Gethin

Lauren Savage

Set in the early 20th century, opium addict Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) sets off for a faraway island in search of his sister Andrea (Lucy Boynton), who has been taken hostage by the island’s inhabitants; a prophet and his fanatic followers.

The opening credits are violent and unnerving. Although graphically simple, the synchronisation of the image and crescendo of the sound is very effective and establishes the mania of the film. Whether it succeeds in sustaining this is unconvincing.

Considering Michael’s holiday plans, it might not be a spoiler to say that you shouldn’t get too attached to most of them.

Michael doesn’t have a motive for his killings because frankly, he doesn’t need one. He goes to places and does things only because the plot requires him to, without uttering a single word or exhibiting a shred of human-like behaviour. Instead of a personality, he’s got a stretched out William Shatner mask and his only character traits are a series of household items he uses to strangle, stab and club his victims to death with. Sure, he might have a personal grudge against Laurie now, but that aspect is mostly ignored. When the two inevitably face off, it’s similar to

what happened in the first movie: fake alarms, jumpscares, screaming and blood.

Curtis as Laurie and Judy Greer as her daughter Karen are as good as Hollywood veterans can be at roles that could be comfortably played by college-dropout drama majors. The rest of the cast are also convincing at just sort of being there until their characters are murdered. It is a bythe-numbers horror movie where the killer keeps killing people until he is stopped, without anything else added to the equation. Some viewers will definitely like that. You know who you are.

Richardson’s character seesaws between a bumbling Hugh Grant and a deranged, malcontent monster. With Stevens’ portrayal of the latter being somewhat forced, the fluctuations aren’t believable and this damages a central theme; the intermingling of the sacred and profane. Michael Sheen, however, provides an energetic performance as cult leader.

All the central characters are compromised by a lack of backstory and this leaves the audience lacking the depth of understanding that the narrative demands. The screenplay is flat and lazy, often using clichés and metaphors that don’t carry any weight.

One aspect the film does not lack is gore. Gareth Evans (director) continues to fuel his lust for bloodshed, death and general mayhem from The Raid films

to make for another gruesome cinematic experience.

The film is saturated with obscenities of bitten off fingers, drilled craniums, and speared bodies. The violence is viewed both as purification and as punishment and is one of many profound hypocrisies Evans is trying to expose. This regression into savagery is made tangible by the cinematography which is the support on which this film barely survives. The shaky camerawork and extensive use of aerial and low angle shots provides a visceral seasickness, which occasionally subsides in sublime shots of the Welsh countryside.

It’s a shame the film’s narrative does not demonstrate the same technical skill and clarity of vision as the shooting and post-production do.

33

Screen

Big Screen Bad Times at the El Royale George Bell

Big Screen

First Man

Daniel Furn

First Man is worlds away from director Damien Chazelle’s previous films, La La Land and Whiplash yet, incredibly, the same themes of ambition, determination and sacrifice are once again present in another stunning outing for Chazelle.

First Man, as expected, charts NASA’s efforts to reach the moon, from the early Gemini and Apollo missions right up to the famous moon landing in July 1969. What is perhaps unexpected is that it isn’t really about the moon landing at all, instead focusing on Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) and the impact the

Big Screen Dogman Lisa Wehrstedt

Dogman is one of the most extraordinary films of the past years and a huge step forward for Italian cinema.

Directed by Matteo Garrone, it tells the story of Marcello (superbly played by Marcello Fonte), a dog groomer by occupation and dog lover by hobby. He is a tame man, small and scrawny, loved by his

mission had on his co-workers, his relationship with his family and on Neil himself.

Gosling is heartbreaking as Armstrong, who is outwardly cold and professional yet crumbling underneath. He portrays a reserved and private man whilst managing to convey his inner turmoil. Claire Foy too is resolute as his wife who struggles with the fallout of Neil’s career; two of the film’s most powerful scenes show her putting Neil and NASA in their place due to the impact the moon mission is having on her family. Jason Clarke and Kyle Chandler provide strong support to round off a strong cast full of remarkable performances.

Despite the space scenes not being the focal point of the film, they’re spectacular. Rarely giving us an exterior look of the ship, Chazelle keeps the camera inside the cockpit to give a claustrophobic, frenetic,

incredibly personal and realistic portrayal of 1960s space travel.

When something goes wrong in space you don’t just see the effects, you feel them – through excessive shaking, disorientating cuts and Gosling’s pained expression it is hard not to believe that you too are in that cockpit. As for the inevitable moon landing scene, it doesn’t disappoint and creates one of the film’s most emotional and stunning sequences. Despite being a relatively calm and short scene the end result is beautiful, celebrating the vastness of the moon, the scope of humanity’s achievement and most importantly delivering a fitting emotional end to Neil’s arc.

This film is an in-depth character biopic, and those looking for an overdramatic and action-packed race to the moon will be disappointed. But for those who came to see the story of Neil Armstrong, First Man soars.

The El Royale is a waning hotel situated along the state lines of Nevada and California and serves as the backdrop to Drew Goddard’s neo-noir thriller. Seven strangers come together one fateful night at the hotel, ranging from a priest (Jeff Bridges) to a travelling vacuum salesman (Jon Hamm) and through Goddard’s use of interweaving vignettes for each of the central characters, it soon becomes apparent that everyone is hiding something.

Film noir seems to have been a large source of inspiration for Goddard and so whilst the plot moves forward there are times where the audience is left with more questions than answers. This seems intentional, as though these minor open ends are there to add to the overarching sense of deception throughout the film.

However, despite the long run

mates and adored by his daughter.

He approaches everything and everyone with courtesy and nice words. Not even the local thugs’ pitbulls dare hurt him. Marcello himself doesn’t believe he could ever be capable of hurting anyone.

But Marcello is also a product of his environment. Garrone returns to a scenario similar to the one of his 2008 Gomorrah: the abandoned outskirts of a big city in central Italy, where mobsters reign supreme. We can easily imagine the past glory of this seaside village in the 60s but with the same ease we can see the unlawful business that went into the construction of this cement giant.

The high rates of small criminals have damaged Marcello’s business; not his salon as much as his side job as a cocaine dealer. Former boxer turned local bully Simone (Edoardo Pesce) has long stopped paying in cash and Marcello’s benevolently granted doses have turned him into a raging cokehead, feared by the street’s shop owners.

Marcello’s inability to say no gets him stuck in a tricky situation.

Even when it becomes clear that Simone expects him to do prison

time on his behalf, Marcello doesn’t have the power to rebel and instead betrays his friend on a promise of a payment that will allow him to take his daughter on one of their usual lavish vacations.

Dogman is a film of extraordinary bite and strength.

It completely lacks in physical violence.

Garrone has produced a masterpiece while also creating a new genre - a sort of sentimental noir, a rom-noir if you wish. It investigates the pettiness of criminals as well as their emotional

time of 144 minutes, the film arguably struggles with pacing issues as it draws to a close with the final scenes seeming rushed which seems odd with the careful structuring of the film up until this point.

The film captures the essence of 1970 and boasts a decent soundtrack that heightens the overall feel of the film. With just one central locale for the plot of the film, it isn’t hard to see parallels to Tarantino’s work. Such as: Reservoir Dogs and more recently The Hateful Eight – particularly the latter with the varied ensemble of characters and letting the audience see what the characters themselves cannot.

The film doesn’t lull at any point and whilst the end doesn’t seem to be in-keeping with the rest of the film, the cast and plot hold your attention, offering memorable performances from all involved.

Goddard seems to deconstruct and reshape classic cinematic genres in order to reach this final result. It’s entertaining, visually impressive and successfully captures a by-gone era through the set, costuming and soundtrack.

life and drives.

The film premiered at Cannes earlier this year and is coming to the UK quite late and in the original Italian version. Dogman was nominated for the Palme d’Or and Fonte won the Best Actor award at the French festival. It was also selected as the Italian representative for the Foreign film category at the Academy Awards.

34

Screen

Horror’s On Fire Audiences Are Terrified A

n ever changing world and audience means that cinema is constantly being adapted and reborn.

Westerns make way for kung fu, fantasy flicks are replaced by sci-fi adventures and super macho action heroes make way for comic crusaders. But from Nosferatu to A Quiet Place, one genre has always stood the test of time: Horror. As long as humans seek entertainment they’ll look for some way to scare the shit out of themselves.

And why not? Fear is one of the most basic and primordial sensations a person can experience. Even for the less easily spooked, there’s a certain macabre and animalistic thrill that comes with the grotesque and often violent imagery we associate with the genre. Like the part of us that wants to see the gazelle get chased down by the lion, we all secretly want to see the teenage girl get got by the masked killer. Whether associating with the victim or the monster, the endorphins and adrenaline provided by horror films combined with the knowledge that we’re in no real danger creates a cocktail our minds just can’t resist. It’s the simplicity, and in some ways necessity, of this feeling that makes horror so accessible from a creative and experimental point of view.

Anyone with an eye for directing and an idea of what’s scary can make a genuinely

compelling and terrifying horror film. Take Sam Raimi’s pivotal The Evil Dead. A measly budget and amateur production meant nothing when driven by Raimi’s vision and passion for the genre.

The result was a film that shocked audiences at the time and was

As long as humans seek entertainment they’ll look for some way to scare the shit out of themselves. banned in several countries, but now stands up as a classic of the genre.

Fast forward almost two decades to 1999 and we hit the peak of low budget horror with a film that would define the genre for years to come: The Blair Witch Project.

Like Raimi, here was a group of students whose limitations in equipment and budget forced them to innovate and adapt, thus introducing the found-footage style to the mainstream. Not only did this style lend itself perfectly to the nature of horror, invoking a far more

grounded and personal fear, but it cost next to nothing to make.

The Blair Witch Project is one of the most profitable films of all time based on budget compared to box office, grossing over forty times its initial cost. This figure didn’t go unnoticed by Hollywood executives.

One of the disadvantages of horror being so widely popular yet so simple is that it provides an opportunity for studios to be lazy and churn out cash grabs. Prime suspect: Paranormal Activity.

This film earned over 130 times its budget and spawned several lacklustre sequels released over consecutive Halloweens, which

Luke Baldwin delves into the never-waning power of fright-films

many would argue epitomises some of the major issues faced by the genre. But for all the films’ shortcomings there is one often overlooked plus to the franchise’s success.

The success of Paranormal Activity and its sequels catapulted the then-unknown studio Blumhouse Productions into widespread recognition.

True to their roots, the studio has become most renowned for championing low budget horror and debut directors. Some of their most notable terrifying triumphs include The Purge, Sinister and Insidious, all of which converted humble budgets to box office smashes. This clear business incentive has even lead to larger studios putting their confidence in bigger budget horror, namely the recent adaptation of Stephen King’s It. But commercial success and mainstream appeal has always been the genre’s greatest strength; one of Blumhouse’s films hoped to subvert the trend of horror faring poorly in terms of critical acclaim.

Get Out represents a new breed of horror which seemingly subverts the genre entirely, whilst retaining that instinctive element of fear that keeps us coming back for more. A dash of comedy here, a sprinkle of

satire there and some wonderful tension-building camera work - it’s easy to understand why Jordan Peele’s masterpiece captured the hearts of so many reviewers as well as the viewing public.

It’s worth noting that this film, along with others such as It Follows, also highlight horror’s political and societal power; there’s nothing like a good ol’ scare to make someone wake up and smell the bullshit of everyday life that we otherwise show apathy towards. This sort of message does require a much softer touch; cheap jump scares or gratuitous gore just doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to convey an idea to an intelligent audience.

Instead, modern political horror is rooted deeply in psychology and the use of perturbing, but not necessarily bloody, imagery.

Horror is, at its core, a bit of fun. But it has the potential to be so much more. Fear can be an incredibly powerful and poignant emotion and its ability to disturb, in an almost Lovecraftian way, can completely rewire the way we see the world and those around us. Put that in the hands of a talented director with a vision and you have the prospect of an exceptional piece of cinema.

Fortunately for us, it seems studios are beginning to come round to this idea too. The future looks very bright indeed for the horror industry.

35 write for us!

Games

FEATURE

Games Editors Tom Buckland Luke Baldwin SpoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooky.

SpoooOooOooOoOOoOKY. SpOOoOoOOoOooOOkY. SPooky.

Editors’ Picks

Tom - Oxenfree Want a game that isn’t overtly scary, jam-packed with jump-scares and running away from insane ghoulies and monsters dead set on ending you? Well, worry not - I’m the type of person to help you out as I’m a self-proclaimed wuss. Oxenfree is a story-driven supernatural thriller where a group of teenagers travel to an island for a night and weird and odd events start to unfold. I’ll avoid going in to too much detail but the game’s conversation mechanics are fluid and innovative, and set a foundation for how conversations happen in games for now on.

Luke - Visage What is it about small Japanese girls with long black bangs that Western audiences find so terrifying? Cinema is riddled with these ghastly gals, from The Grudge to The Ring, and videogames have a couple good innings too. Most famous is F.E.A.R’s terrifying tike Alma, but P.T. certainly wet modern gamers appetites for the spooky girl genre. So why not play the demonic demo’s spiritual successor Visage?

Or even better watch me and Tom play it over on Forge TV’s Youtube channel!

press.games@forgetoday.com

I’ll say it if no one else will Developers need breaks too

Chloe Dervey

Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser caused the latest anti-crunch uproar last week after claiming his team were doing 100-hour weeks throughout the final stages of development for the eagerly anticipated Red Dead Redemption 2. In typical twitter fashion, his comments were digested at large and spat back out with disgust from many in the gaming community, but perhaps the worst part of all of this is that no one was exactly surprised by them.

RDR2 has been in development for seven years, and those with early access seem to be implying that the game will be industrychanging. With sixty-plus hours of content, 300,000 animations and 500,000 lines of dialogue, Houser’s comments were remarked in a context that suggested 100-hour working weeks were necessary practice to accommodate the creation of a game of such sheer scale. Again in games the conversation has to revisit what is determined necessary in order to get AAA titles ready to launch, and to what extent “employee passion” is used as justification of the exploitation of hardworking developers to meet deadlines.

This isn’t the first time Rockstar has been associated with allegations of exploitative working conditions.

GTA V had an extensive crunch period, and Rockstar was the acting publisher of L.A Noire, of which it is no secret that the last two years of its production under Team Bondi (now dissolved), was development hell. It is now steadily being implied that pressures from the publisher contributed to negative working conditions, aside from Team Bondi founder Brendan McNamara’s brutal acceptance of crunch as a method of survival in a competitive industry.

In a statement to Kotaku, Houser was quick to clarify that contrary to his now infamous quote, Rockstar is “a business that cares about its

employees”, and his expectations of them does not match those of which he sets himself and fellow senior staff: “We obviously don’t expect anyone else to work this way [...] we have some senior people who work very hard purely because they’re passionate about a project, or their particular work [...] but that additional effort is a choice”.

Crunch may be effective in short term productivity but it is undoubtedly dangerous to staff welfare In an attempt to push back against criticism, the Red Dead developers have been forthright in making statements with various media outlets, and importantly, encouraged their own staff to come forward about their experiences on social media and to do so frankly.

Following this, some came forward from several Rockstar studios, such as UK-based Rockstar North and Rockstar Lincoln, to reaffirm Housers statements that only a select group of senior employees were working these hours, and also defending their own choices to work paid overtime on occasional weekends and week days.

However this doesn’t shift attention away from the fact that this is not the first time games management has come under scrutiny for its extensive crunch culture, but the extent to which people have a problem with crunch comes and goes like a first place lead on Mario Kart. Back in 2015 the International Game Developers Association published reports that 62% of devs indicated their jobs involved crunch time, which again wasn’t exactly news lest we forget the ea_spouse live journal fiasco where it was revealed that EA staff were at one time expected to

undergo 85-hour working weeks.

Crunch may be effective in short term productivity to meet development milestones, but it is undoubtedly dangerous to staff welfare even when it is framed as voluntary overtime. Where overworking is normalized, it makes an ambiguous line of what is expected from employee dedication.

It is not enough to accept that crunch is an act of pride, dedication or passion when development teams are both the first to make extensive sacrifices for the games they create, and the first to face the consequences of poor management and planning in a competitive industry where deadlines loom amidst fears of layoffs.

Maximising output by engendering crunch into the work ethic of a company has manifested itself throughout the industry as a norm, and the horror stories aren’t hard to find: unpaid overtime during deadline periods, sleeping under office desks, fears of speaking out for job security and cultures of whistleblowing...

62%

of devs indicated their jobs involved crunch

Thimbleweed Park developer Jenn Sandercock’s response to the Rockstar controversy gained quite a lot of attention when she took to Twitter, telling her own experiences of initiating a cake day as a time-out during crunch period when working at a AAA company. In short, those higher up said that to continue with the cake outside the assigned lunch hour would jeopardise her career, as it implied the office was slacking off during this time. It may be no coincidence that the official twitter account for Naughty Dog career information,

NaughtyDogJobs, soon after tweeted about their “donut friday”, averting potentially suspicious minds from fears of our favourite big names being no exception to an intense crunch culture which has no room for much needed breaks.

Whether distaste for crunch among the games community has stimulated any change in the industry as a whole is yet to be seen, but we as consumers also need to reflect on our tendency for blatant disregard of the teams behind games. A prime example of this was the recent collapse of Telltale, where the initial reaction from a significant number of fans was to be more concerned that Clem’s story would be left unfinished, rather than being concerned for the majority of the 250-strong team at Telltale being laid off without much initial indication of severance.

Still, RDR2 is going to come out and by the time you’re reading the review in the next issue of Forge Press, you’ll probably have forgotten about crunch again, until another whistleblower comes forward to remind us that crunch is awful, everyone’s tired, and devs deserve more.

36 write for us!

Games

and

Ghouls

Ghost stories are regularly told around this spooky time of the year, and so Forge Games have decided we’ll tell our own - with the natural gamesy twist. Several contributors have written for us scary moments, experiences, or games that still haunt them to this day. Be warned, adventurers, this article is not for the ill-willed for the faint hearted: only the brave survive.

There’s absolutely nothing to worry about, of course!

We’re kidding. You can trust us. Promise.

XCOM 2

press.games@forgetoday.com

Tails Doll

One of my most bizarre and memorable scary-gaming experiences is also somewhat embarrassing to look back on. I was a very paranoid and jittery kid back in Year 5 and 6, whilst also being quite sheltered. As you can imagine, I was easily spooked by any dumb

creepypasta or chain letter I read on the internet. Cue the ‘Tails Doll Curse’. The Tails Doll was a playable character in an obscure racing game called Sonic R, which was meant to be a robotic version of Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog. What made kids on the internet latch onto it being “creepy” was the fact it was a limp floating rag doll with lifeless eyes.

This got to the point where entire rituals for summoning the doll and cursing yourself had been made up, as well as an evil backstory and tons of gory fanart and fanfiction (as Sonic fans are want to do). My curiosity got the better of me and I read about it constantly, even talked about it with other kids at school.

Part of me definitely wanted to believe it was real (life was pretty boring back then). I also had an active imagination and would recognise (spooky!) faces in ordinary shapes and objects, so for a good month or so I was deathly afraid of the Tails Doll. I didn’t like being alone in my room, and would be overly cautious about keeping lights switched on wherever I went.

Looking back on it, the whole affair was funny as hell. I own a copy of the game now (big up Sonic Gems Collection) and because of this experience, playing it is a barrel of laughs.

-Arya Demavandy

Fancy picking up something spooky to celebrate Halloween?

Not a fan of traditional horror games where you creep around a haunted mansion waiting for the next jumpscare (just because Resident Evil did it well we don’t need to repeat it ten million times))? Well how about trying I thought that watching a different kind of horror game: playthroughs of Until Dawn on XCOM 2. On paper, this seems like YouTube would have completely a weird statement to make. XCOM prepared me for any and all scares 2 is, after all, a sci-fi turn-based this game could throw at me, but lo An indelible memory for strategy game with no dark corridors, and behold, I was utterly mistaken. me is the first time I played immersive first person perspective Until Dawn was released in 2015 Shadow of the Colossus. I and no ghosts, ghoulies, or monsters

by Supermassive Games, and the had the house to myself for popping up out of nowhere. narrative was widely praised for the weekend and my friend When looking for horror elements being a cunning and complex “cabin had given me a copy of the in XCOM 2, the story is a decent place on a mountain with no phone signal” game to play. Five minutes after to start. While the original XCOM horror game. It was major news at turning the console on, I had and remake where focused around the time for both the brilliant cast to take a break. Some games try fighting alien invaders on earth, XCOM of actors, including Rami Malek and to scare you. They use traditional 2 presumes you lost the battle. You are Hayden Panettiere, and for its variety techniques like jump cuts to now a small resistance group trying to of alternate routes and endings. artificially create fear in the player. bring down the new alien order. You I played this game with a group of Shadow of the Colossus doesn’t try spend the entire campaign constantly friends in a pitch-black living room to scare you, it tries to isolate you. short on resources, struggling to stop at about 2am. This was either the best In the first few moments of playing I the ticking clock of the “Avatar Project” or worst decision ever. Each taking was painfully aware that the only living which threatens to destroy your resistance turns to play as different characters, we creatures I had seen was a bird of prey, movement. were filled with dread as the pressure a horse and a man. The world was dark Where the real horror starts however is in of failing quicktime events or choosing enough to feel monochrome and the sounds the combat. Aliens ranging from humanoids a negative dialogue option would make were sinisterly magnificent. The pipes, the to giant snakes, with all kinds of abilities from the animation of a butterfly effect appear faint choral music and the strings combined to lasers to mind control, makes keeping all your on-screen. This means you’ve probably leave me shivering - even though my room was soldiers safe a nightmare. Over the course of messed up,and your character is now warm. The game also makes you feel small. The the campaign and hours of tense battles, you going to die because of your actions. Or be contrast in size between Wander, the playable will grow a real affinity to each squad member, maimed. Maybe both. protagonist, and the Colossi, the monsters that and the fact that they can die at any moment Almost every choice you make has an Wander must conquer, is stark. That, combined makes for a nail-biting experience. Even in full impact, and that’s what makes this game with a certain repetition (upon beating each Colossi, cover, there is a small chance of death. The so terrifying. Not only are you facing down you are returned to the centre of the world to do the “War Of The Chosen” expansion ramps the a masked killer, a creepy psychologist and same thing again), left me pondering my greatest action up even higher by adding zombies missing friends, but bam a wendigo. Add fears. called “The Lost”, which always feel one time pressures, a gorgeously eerie colour The Shadow of Colossus is a truly great horror that missed shot away from overwhelming pallette and disturbing ambient sound stays with you. Blood, guts and screaming in video you. If you are feeling brave this design and you have a recipe for a room full of games are too ostentatious for my tastes. A game which Halloween, get this game and play screaming twenty-somethings, throwing one forces the player to consider being alone and the dark on a high difficulty. another the PS4 controller to take over playing consequences of human desire ultimately creates a true - Alex Bruce and a pact to keep the lights on for the rest of experience of horror. - Angelo Irving the night- Meredith Graham

Shadow of the Colossus

Until Dawn

37

Games

Welcome back to the stage of history! Only this time it sucks.

REVIEW Soulcalibur VI David Craig

Soulcalibur VI is bitterly disappointing. It’s clear that the developers at Project Soul have made an effort to course-correct after the bizarre fifth instalment,

but in doing so they saddle this entry with an entirely different set of problems.

While the previous game had very little in the way of singleplayer content, Soulcalibur VI is packed with modes to play through; the issue being that you simply won’t want to. The game has two story modes, Chronicle of Souls and Libra of Souls, neither of which are particularly compelling.

In Chronicle, you play as various characters in a canon reimagining of the events of the first game,

while Libra follows your own original creation on a separate new story.

Presumably, there wasn’t money in the budget for cutscene animations and so both stories are told primarily using character portraits pasted onto static backgrounds. Chronicle is the only mode with voice acting to accompany these stills, but it is so painfully bad that it actually makes the narrative segments even harder to sit through. Both modes are cursed with scripts so

FEATURE Peripher-hell: should we be expected to buy extra stuff to play games?

Lisa Wehrstedt

With the release of Starlink: Battle for Atlas, the debate around toysto-life games reopens.

Created by Ubisoft, Starlink is an open-world game that takes place in a fictional solar system called Atlas. You get to explore various planets and help their people defend themselves against the vile threats of the Forgotten Legion while spending the entire game in your spaceship. Each planet is instantly recognizable by its unique and detailed design and colours as well as the characterization of its inhabitants.

Throughout the game you will have to defeat the Legion and stop its leader Drax from taking over the galaxy. All of the members of the crew are playable characters, including Fox McCloud from the Nintendo Star Fox series which first debuted 25 years ago.

The game is named after an in-game hi-tech invention that allows to build and rebuild your spaceship at any time. But it’s not only an in-game mechanic. In fact, you get to physically interact with the Starlink technology though the Starlink toys. The game comes with a variety of different weapons, pilot figurines and ship parts to mix and match to create the ultimate spacecraft or to swap on the fly. Every element comes with unique statistics and features that will be needed at different stages of the gameplay.

The Starter packs for every console are sold at £69.99, but the contents of the sets change quite a bit, making the price for the entire collection rise to a total of £309.87.

The game doesn’t require the toys to be played in full. And honestly the controllers with a toy spaceship mounted on top of it seem awkward and impractical.

But the argument that they are

unnecessary and pricey reminds me of the debate around the release of the Nintendo Labo, with the argument there being that while the idea was extremely innovative – as per usual for Nintendo – the kits were essentially overpriced cardboard cutouts.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas seems like it’s trying to get on a train that has already left. Other toys-tolife games like Disney Infinity and Lego Dimensions lived their prime three years ago and have now been discontinued.

Toys-to-life games and toycons to me have always seemed like a great idea to make the game world expand beyond the screen and enter the kids’ minds as they play with the toys, unbound from the game dynamics or plot. And they definitely have an appeal with the parents, who would much rather see their kids play with a figurine in their hand than with a controller.

However, I cannot shrug off the

inexcusably terrible that it feels like the whole game was written in an hour.

The gameplay sporadically dotted between these story beats is for the most part classic Soulcalibur. The fighting mechanics are smooth, easy to pick up and fun as ever, but the long gaps between fights (not to mention some tedious load times) make these two modes almost unplayable.

Taking refuge in the standard arcade mode is an option, but somehow even this ends up falling short. Instead of the brief twobattle contests of the previous games, each stage consists of three longer battles in an attempt to further pad out the single player content. Unfortunately, this ends up turning the mode into something of a chore, particularly for any speed runners out there.

That isn’t to say the game isn’t fun, but naturally playing for long stints as the same character can lead to things getting quite repetitive. This is despite some notable gameplay tweaks such

as the brand new Reversal Edge mechanic which is by no means a terrible addition, but equally feels unnecessary and often interrupts the flow of a battle.

Creating some more interesting stages may have been a more valuable use of time. The stages in Soulcalibur VI look nice enough, but some backgrounds feel quite lifeless and the complete lack of interactivity is disappointing (especially when compared to the likes of Injustice and Dead or Alive).

This latest entry offers the same tight gameplay Soulcalibur is known for with a fresh coat of paint, and if you’re a die-hard fan that might be enough to warrant a purchase. However, if the series hasn’t grabbed you before, there’s nothing here that will change your mind. The single-player modes are disappointing and the online is bog-standard. Ultimately, the soul does still burn but it seems to be getting dimmer.

idea that these games are just huge marketing schemes to make money out of kids and their parents. The need to own the full collection has been a strong feeling for all young kids since the days of sticker albums and Pokémon’s “Gotta catch’em all!” The collection element is what allowed the Amiibo series and the Skylanders games to be successful for so long.

We can only wait and see if Starlink will last the test of time or if, like the Labo, it will fade into oblivion after a month of its release. What is sure is that, with the genius idea of bringing back a beloved Nintendo Character like Star Fox, Starlink has definitely

secured itself the sales from all the older gamers who might not buy further sets but will proudly display their Fox McCloud and Arwing figurines.

What do you Starthink about this?

All images accredited to Nintendo

Nintendo Labo received similar controversy over its extra, necessary peripherals

Labo? More like Fab-o

38 write for us!

Science & Tech Well, it seems we missed the memo about the spooky edition of the paper, so since we’ve already spent a month planning this, we’ve decided to completely ignore the theme and deliver a piece about the recently announced Nobel Prize winners, along with a very appropriate piece about the apparent sexism that exists within science. Enjoy and don’t get too scared.

Aidan’s Pick The Infinite Monkey Cage: Science vs The Supernatural - Does Science Kill the Magic?

BBC Radio 4’s award winning

Jade’s Pick

The Science of Ghosts - Joe Nickell

In my feeble attempt to make our issue somewhat spooky I reccomend this book. It attempts to answer that age-old question: are ghosts real? The author does not patronise its readers, he rationally explores the evidence surrounding whether or not ghosts exist. A thoroughly eyeopening read for believers and non-believers alike.

Bethan Goodhead

This year, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences have awarded the prize for chemistry to three scientists. The first half of the prize was awarded to Frances H. Arnold from The California Institute of Technology. The other half has jointly gone to Sir Gregory P. Winter from Cambridge’s MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, and George P. Smith from The University of Missouri. These scientists have “harnessed the power of evolution” in order to benefit human existence.

Since the dawn of life some 3.7 billion years ago, Earth has been optimising organisms through evolution to live longer. The limitation of evolution is that it is an extremely slow process of genetic change and natural selection (or “survival of the fittest”). This year’s Nobel Laureates in chemistry have been inspired by this natural process a n d pursued research to “speed u p ”

evolution for humankind’s benefit.

The work has been focused on enzymes (protein in cells which speed up chemical reactions, such as breaking down food) and antibodies (protein in blood which identifies and attacks virus or bacteria, like the common cold).

In 1993, Frances H. Arnold conducted the first manipulated evolution of enzymes. Her work on optimising enzymes has drawn upon imitating the natural process of evolution, by introducing mutations to the enzyme and observing whether this improves the efficiency or not. Since then, her work has encouraged an environmentally friendly method of manufacturing pharmaceuticals, and also the creation of renewable fuels for sustainable transportation.

In a world focused on improving our carbon footprint, Arnold’s work couldn’t be more relevant.

George P. Smith’s work is based upon bacteriology and immunology. They developed an idea for the laboratory technique known as the phage display of peptides and antibodies in 1985, where a

Frances Arnold (centre), Sir Gregory P. Winter (left) and George P. Smith (right) Share the 2018 Nobel Prize for chemistry

Jade Le Marquand

The award for medicine this year has been jointly awarded to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo who have both seemingly revolutionised the way cancer can be treated.

Cancer is characterised as uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells which can spread and infect the rest of the body. Since these cells are recognised as ‘self’ by the immune system, there is no defence exhibited by the immune system to combat them.

In the 1990s Allison, amongst

Nobel Prize season is upon us, and it’s a great time to understand how far scientists have come in their fields of knowledge. The prestigious

virus which infects bacteria (bacteriophage) can be used to evolve new proteins. Gregory Winter then took this knowledge of the phage display, and used it to create new pharmaceuticals by directing the evolution of antibodies.

In 2002 his first recognised method - adalimumab - was developed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel diseases. From then on, the phage display has been implemented to produce antibodies that can neutralise toxins, neutralise autoimmune diseases and cure metastatic cancer.

The direction of evolution is still a growing field and there is still a lot to learn. The breakthroughs in this field are astonishing, the knowledge will continue to grow and accomplish its primary purpose; to help humankind.

award has been allocated 110 times since it began in 1901, and first came into being in 1896 after the death of Alfred Nobel whose last will and

Y R T

ED

M

radio show and podcast The Inifinite Monkey Cage is hosted

by Prof Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. In series 4 episode 6, Brian and Robin are accompanied by actor and magician Andy Nyman, psychologist Richard Wiseman and neuroscientist Bruce Hood. Together they discuss a range of supernatural phenomenon. Listen to it on the Radio 4 website, Spotify or iTunes.

NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS

CHEM IS

Science & Tech Editors Jade Le Marquand Aidan Hughes

press.science@forgetoday.com

Image: Royal Karolinska Institute others, noticed that the T-cell protein (a key component of the immune system) CTLA-4 functions as a ‘brake’ on the system i.e. it prevents an immune response.

From here, Allison set out to investigate whether blocking CLTA4 function could release this break and thus trigger the immune system to start attacking cancer cells. Incredibly the technique seemed to work, as he managed to completely cure cancer in mice and soon set out to develop this technique to use in humans.

In 2010, it was shown that this technique could indeed be successfully implemented in humans, causing any signs of cancer to disappear for many.

Concurrently, Honjo discovered a similar protein, PD-1 which functions in the same way as CLTA-4 but by a different mechanism.

Similarly, he and his team showed that blocking PD-1 could cause activation of the immune system which successfully k i l l e d

IC INE

tumours, resulting in human studies which again showed that the results seen could be successfully replicated in humans.

Even though these results are very promising, the side effects and limitations associated with this treatment need to be overcome before they can be approved and mass-administered. Regardless, these breakthroughs are profound and can potentially change millions of lives.

James P. Allison (left) and Tasuku Honjo (right) share the Nobel Prize for medicine All images: Niklas Elmehed. © Nobel Media

Science & Tech

testament specified a wish for his fortune to be split into five parts: chemistry, physics, medicine, literature and peace. Here, we look into

the work of the recipients of this year’s chemistry, medicine physics and the newest addition of economic sciences winners.

Aidan Hughes

On the 2nd of October 2018, The Royal Swedish Academy of the Sciences announced the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2018. One half of the prize was awarded to Arthur Ashkin of Bell Laboratories, USA, with the other half was jointly awarded to Gérard Mourou of École Polytechnique, France, and Donna Strickland of University of Michigan, USA. Strickland became the third woman ever to receive the award, joining Marie Curie and Maria GoeppertMayer who earned the achievement in 1903 and 1963,

PH YS

M

IC S

S IC EC

O N O The

prize

for Economic Sciences was awarded to two American economists based on important work they have done since the nineties on the most “basic and pressing” economic issues of our time, as quoted by The Guardian.

The study of managing limited resources, economics has been gradually merging with nature, which also manages constraints on economic growth and how we deal within these boundaries.

Romer illustrates how technological change and its associated knowledge can act as a driver of long-term economic growth. When annual economic development of a few percent accumulates over decades, people’s lives can be literally

Vavi Maniichuk

transformed, because economic forces govern the willingness of a range of powerful and influential companies to continue producing new ideas, remaining fresh and innovative.

Romer managed to solve the ageold issue of how primary economic

respectively.

The prize was awarded “for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics”. Ashkin received the prize “for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems” whilst Mourou and Strickland received the prize “for their method of generating high-intensity ultra-short optical pulses”.

The term ‘laser’ is an acronym for ‘light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation’. Lasers are devices which produce light with only one wavelength, intensity and direction. Traditionally, they have numerous applications including surgery, reading and writing information onto CDs and for cutting metal.

Ashkin’s

breakthrough in laser physics is realised through a phenomenon known as radiation pressure.

Radiation pressure is observed when electromagnetic radiation (light) is incident on a surface, this radiation exerts a force on the surface and the radiation pressure is equal to the force per unit area. Ashkin was insightful enough to understand that the force exerted on a surface by radiation could be utilised in order to manipulate objects within space.

He first tested this hypothesis by measuring the acceleration of small plastic beads in a laser beam and subsequently managed to levitate the plastic beads by counteracting gravity with the radiation pressure from a laser. The technique was developed further and the laser light was focussed using a lens - this produced a pair of optical tweezers that could be used to trap not only plastic beads

Arthur Ashkin (right) shares the pyhsics prize with Donna Strickland (left) and Gérard Mourou (centre)

idea that countries can improve their performance if they focus on supply-side measures, such as research, development, innovation and skill-enhancement. As a result of Romer’s work, lots of new research has been inspired, which concentrates on regulations and policies that encourage new ideas and long-term prosperity.

growth drives technological Nordhaus’ research centres more on development, which leads to climate change. His work deals with economic decisions and market the interaction between society conditions that determine the and climate change, in which creation of new technologies. he became interested Romer laid down his during the solutions to this problem seventies, during the nineties, when creating the foundation scientists of what is now termed as were endogenous economic beginning growth, which is both a to take conceptual and practical notice of theory, explaining how the potential ideas are different to other impacts of goods, requiring specific combustible fossil conditions to thrive fuels on within a specific The work of William D. Nordhaus (left) market. and Paul M. Romer (right) has earnt them the prize for economic sciences In essence, it is the

being one of the causes of a warmer climate. His model combines new theories and empirical results from wide-ranging areas such as physics, chemistry and economics.

Nordhaus’ model is now widely used, especially to replicate how economy and climate have co-evolved over the past, which is now being used to study the

consequences of climate policy interventions, such as carbon taxes.

The two economists’ contribution are methodological, and provide us with basic yet highly i m p o r t a n t insights into the causes and impacts of technological innovation coupled with climate change.

A l t h o u g h there are no conclusive answers yet, their findings bring us closer

39

but other small objects such as live cells. This technology has important implications for biological systems as it allows the isolation of single cells to be studied without physical contact necessary.

Mourou and Strickland produced an innovative method for regulating laser intensity and pulses; previously, the power of lasers was limited. At peak powers, pulses with intensities in the order of gigawatts per square centimeter resulted in severe damage to the laser materials through various mechanisms including extreme overheating.

Mourou and Strickland developed a technique known as chirped pulse amplification (CPA) which involves stretching a light pulse to reduce its peak power, then amplifying it and finally compressing it. This process results in extremely high intensity laser pulses that would be unattainable without the use of CPA. This technology allows lasers to act as knives for ultra-high precision cutting or for recording images of rapid events such as the vibration of molecules or photosynthesis.

to being able to understand and decide how best to achieve prolonged sustainable economic growth in the global world. For example, in Romer’s response to news of his award, Romer said (as quoted in The Guardian), that it was highly possible to freeze global warming at a maximum increase of 1.5C, which is in line with the recommendations

of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He goes on to say that, “Once we start to try to reduce carbon emissions, we’ll be surprised that it wasn’t as hard as we anticipated.

The danger with very alarming forecasts is that it will make people feel apathetic and hopeless. One problem today is that people think protecting the environment will be so costly and so hard that they want to ignore the problem and pretend it doesn’t exist”.

Romer optimistically ends his thoughts by saying, “Humans are capable of amazing accomplishments if we set our minds to it”.

And he isn’t wrong.

40

Science & Tech

Sexism in Science - Will Equality Ever Be Achieved?

Bethan Goodhead

Ask a child to draw a picture of a scientist and most of the time you will get the same result: an old white man with wild white hair and glasses, wearing a lab coat. Women in science, myself included, are trying to eradicate this stereotype by speaking out and communicating our passion for the subject for all to hear. The more often this is done, the more we can change the face of science.

Although it is argued that we are getting closer to equality, we must still take time to remember the difficulties women have faced when pursuing careers in science. Take the example of Rosalind Franklin,an English chemist.

She graduated from Cambridge University during World War II, achieving a degree in physical chemistry, and with this she researched DNA at King’s College London.

She never realised her work was stolen because, in 1958, aged only 37, she died of cancer Here she was asked by the project director John Randall to construct a powerful X-ray camera, which enabled the viewer to look closer than ever before at the structure of DNA. From here she was the first to observe the helix structure of DNA. What she did not realise was that Cambridge researchers James Watson and Francis Crick, who were also researching DNA structure, took her conclusions to King’s College’s funders. From here they submitted an article to the prestigious scientific journal ​Nature​ and went on to publish the famous book ​The

Double Helix in 1968​.

She never realised that her work was stolen because in 1958, aged only 37, she died of cancer. She was dead by the time Watson and Crick claimed the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962.

In light of this, we can surely all agree that it is completely shocking that someone in 2018 would claim that women have not made their mark on science.

Allessandro Strumia recently claimed that “physics was built by men” This, however, is not the case for everyone. The (now suspended) Italian scientist Alessandro Strumia recently claimed that “physics was built by men” during a

presentation to a young audience of predominantly female physicists.

He also presented a series of charts which, he stated, demonstrated that women were hired more often over men. Therefore, he added, his results “proved” that “physics is not sexist against women”, and that actually it is male scientists who are suffering discrimination.

The fact this came just days after the announcement that the Nobel Prize for Physics has been awarded to a woman, Donna Strickland, (along with two male recipients) for the first time in 55 years, and the announcement that the Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded to a team including female chemist Frances Arnold clearly disproves Strumia’s preposterous theories.

However, the worry remains that his comments are overshadowing the congratulations being afforded to all of the recipients, including Strickland and Arnold. This must not happen - for the good of science as a whole.

Rosalind Franklin

Alumni Profile: Dr Helen Sharman Aidan Hughes

Helen Sharman is a celebrated astronaut who, in 1991, became the first Briton in space and the first woman on the Mir space station as part of the Project Juno space programme.

Helen Sharman was born in Grenoside, Sheffield in 1963 and

She responded to a radio advert stating “Astronaut wanted - no experience required”

Dr Helen Sharman Image: Anne-Katrin Purkiss

attended local schools before attending the University of Sheffield and achieving a BSc in Chemistry. She then obtained a PhD from Birkbeck, University of London. Subsequently, she worked as a chemist for confectionary giant Mars.

In 1989 she responded to a radio advert stating “Astronaut wanted – no experience required”. She was then selected ahead of 13,000 other applicants to undergo 18 months of intensive astronaut training at Star City in Russia. As well as learning the Russian language, Sharman learned in detail the scientific programme operated on the space station.

On 18 May 1991, Helen Sharman was launched into space with Soviet cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Anatoly Artsebarsky.

Sharman spent eight days on the Mir space station, in which time she carried out medical and agricultural tests and took photographs of the British Isles.

For her accomplishments, Sharman received an OBE and, perhaps more impressively, a star on the Sheffield Walk of Fame, outside Sheffield Town Hall. She currently works in the Chemistry department at Imperial College London, though recently visited Sheffield to receive an honorary degree.

The Juno Mission Patch Image: Soviet Space Program

41 write for us!

press.sport@forgetoday.com

Sport Thoughts

@ForgeSport

Forge_Sport

Novak is Back Jordon Sollof

T

he resurgence of Novak Djokovic has been nothing short of amazing. The 31-yearold Serb recently blew away Borna Coric to win his fourth Shanghai Masters crown and close the gap on world number one Rafael Nadal.

His winning streak has stretched to an impressive 18 matches, and the current world number two is playing like the Djokovic of old that dominated the sport between 2010 and 2016.

His complete loss of form was a remarkable development for a man who at one stage in his career held all four grand slams at once and reached 23 out of 24 grand slam semi-finals.

Djokovic was not only unbeatable, but also entirely untouchable.

But this year he slipped out of the world’s top 20 following his exit to the relatively unknown Italian Marco Cecchinato, ranked 72nd in the world at the time, in the last eight at Roland Garros. Over the past year or so, it had seemed as if the 14-time grand slam champion had

Djokovic is seeking to close the gap on Nadal - the only player ranked above him Image: Tatiana, Flickr

lost the fight, desire and steeliness that he possessed during his years of dominance. However, his comeback proves that his mental strength should never have been questioned.

Djokovic’s return to form proves that his mental strength should never have been questioned

In under two months, Djokovic has clinched two grand slams and become the first ever player to win all nine Masters 1000 tournaments with his success at the Cincinnati Masters in August. He looks best positioned out of the ‘big four’ to win many more slams during his final few years on court, with Nadal and Murray struggling with fitness this season and Federer edging

closer towards bringing the curtain down on his illustrious career.

Even for those who are not huge fans of the Serb, it is safe to say that everyone would agree that tennis is better for having a Djokovic who is firing on all cylinders. Some players would never have come back from long spells out due to injury and a significant dip in form, but this is a man who is always striving for more, and that’s what makes him a sporting great.

Six months ago, we would never have thought that Djokovic would have a realistic chance of finishing 2018 as world number one, but he is now just 35 points behind Nadal. If he was to leapfrog the Spaniard and finish the year as the best player on the planet, it would surely be one of his finest achievements.

Sabres player to participate in Euro Combine Josh Taylor

A University of Sheffield student is aiming to forge an American Football career in Europe.

Alex Price is a French and Economics student currently on a year abroad studying in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Whilst he was here in Sheffield he played for both the Sheffield Sabres and the Sheffield Giants as a wide receiver.

He left the Giants and the Sabres at the end of last academic year and hopes to attend the Euro Combine, an event where the top prospects from around the world can showcase their skills in a number of drills and exercises.

Price also hopes he can play in the German Football League, an elite

American Football league which was set up in 1979.

I’m extremely excited for the Combine, the main thing for me is just the opportunity to compete with players at a really high level He said: “I’m extremely excited for the Combine, the main thing for me is just the opportunity to compete with players at a really high level because that is what you need to show you where your game is lacking.”

Price’s style of play is catered toward route running; standing at 6ft3in he excels in contested catches and because of his size he is often used in concepts that create a one on match up with a defender.

He excelled last season and his style of play helped him win the honour of Most Valuable Player in 2018 for the Giants.

After his studies he wants to return to Sheffield to continue playing.

He said: “My main goal right now is using my time playing in Switzerland to prepare myself to help the Sheffield Sabres win a championship when I return; this team is really the one closest to my heart which I care about the most.”

The Euro Combine starts on Saturday 3 November at Schwabisch Hall in Germany.

Image: Mark Price

42

“

write for us!

press.sport@forgetoday.com

Cerys was somebody who made the most out of everything

Friends pay tribute to former Women’s Football captain Cerys O’Boyle

Adam May

The recent passing of last year’s cocaptain of the Women’s Football team, Cerys O’Boyle, was a sad day in the Black and Gold community.

She was a popular and infectious figure both inside the football club and the wider sporting community.

There was an emotional memorial held at Goodwin Sports Centre last week as black and gold balloons were released with individual notes written inside them.

Catriona Rawsthorne said: “When I think of C Bob, I think of her everbeaming smile and her cracking northern accent in the changing room before matches with ‘Come on gals, we’ve got this!’

“C Bob was undoubtedly the

loudest, funniest voice to be heard in the changing rooms, or in fact anywhere she was, and that for me, is what I’ll miss the most: her presence.”

Jamie Jones added: “I will think of her and miss her so much every day. She loved her family endlessly and they should be very proud of the bubbly, smiley, kind, selfless and proud girl that she turned into.

Love you forever Cbob, we will never forget you.”

Jessica Jordan said: “C Bob, you were one in a million and will be missed by so many.

“I’m so grateful for all the memories I have with you, I will cherish them forever. Love you lots, your Jessie J.” Pat Riddick paid tribute to her warming personality and said:

“Walking into the flat at the beginning of first year, I think most of us heard Cerys’ roaring Northern accent before we set eyes on the girl who it belonged to. But the northern hallmarks of warmness, willingness to sacrifice and humility ran through her.”

Alex Cawthorne said: “A genuine, honest and happy person who was always a joy and pleasure to be around. Cez was always a bundle of energy and love no matter where, who with, what place or what time.”

Sophie Thomas, Alice Hann, Lizzie Sheppeck, Thea Oram and Jessie Romain added: “You knew if you knocked on her door she’d be there and talk to you for hours and hours.”

Cerys, far right, celebrates last year’s Varsity win

New Norton facilities are fantastic asset, says Cox Activity Andy Cox highlighted the significance of the improvements.

“I am delighted to be up at Norton Sports Park,” he said.

“It’s been here since 1910, so I’m

Image: Adam Richmond

Patrick Burke

October 24 marked the first round of BUCS fixtures which reaped the benefits of the wide scale developments at Norton Sports Park.

New 3G and astroturf pitches have been installed at the site to the south of Sheffield, catering for rugby, football and hockey. These new

additions accompany the already outstanding facilities which include five 11-a-side grass football pitches and two full size rugby pitches, as well as surfaces suitable for cricket, nine-a-side football, lacrosse, ultimate Frisbee and American football. The pavilion has also been refurbished which enhances the thoroughly professional set-up.

Speaking to Sport Sheffield, Director of Sport and Physical

absolutely delighted we can get students using the facilities.”

He was also clear that the newlook Norton will bring benefits both to the university and the region as a whole.

“It’s not only for students, it’s going to be for the community as well so it’s going to be a fantastic asset for everyone in this area,” he added.

“We’ve spent a considerable investment from the university: multi-million pounds to put [in] two artificial grass pitches, a sand dressed hockey pitch and a 3G rugby and football pitch as well, so it’s multi-sport, and it’s going to be great that we can use it for all sorts of different things and different events.

“By having these fantastic facilities it’s going to enable us to hopefully recruit some more talent and to add to the ones that we’re

developing at the moment, but having the new facilities [and] new surfaces should enable top class sport to be played here for rugby, lacrosse, football and hockey.”

The Black and Golds christened a new era with some fine successes.

The first fixture on one of the new 3G pitches could scarcely have gone better, as the Ultimate Frisbee Men’s 1s hammered their counterparts from Sheffield Hallam 15-1.

After that, on one of the new astroturfs, Uni of’s Hockey Men’s 4s recorded an 11-0 rout against the University of Huddersfield’s Men’s 1s.

Success continued throughout the afternoon as the Lacrosse Men’s 1s marked their debut on the new 3G surface with a fantastic 33-0 victory against Northumbria University Men’s 1s.

It was a similarly good afternoon for the Lacrosse Women’s 1s, who made the short trip to Sheffield Hallam Women’s 1s and triumphed 29-1.

It should also be remembered that alongside the tremendous

hub of activity at Norton is a firstclass complex at Goodwin Sports Centre. This retains artificial pitches, a multi-purpose sports hall, swimming pool, squash courts,

a tennis court and the S10 Health Fitness Centre.

And it was at Goodwin where the Fencing Women’s 1s trounced Durham University Women’s 5s 135-31.

In the evening, the Basketball Men’s 2s recorded an equally impressive 100-38 win against University of Leeds Men’s 3s.

These were among 20 wins for the University of Sheffield’s teams on another busy Wednesday in what was the second week of the season for most sides.

The results have the Black and Golds in 23rd place in the BUCS Points Table at the time of writing.

43

Sport

Captain’s corner

In this week’s segment, Charlotte Johnson and Charlie Hawley give us a glimpse into what it’s like to be a captain in the university’s Rugby Union sides.

Josh Taylor

JT: How did you get into the sport?

CN: I first got into rugby when I was 8 years old, playing touch at my local club Cheltenham Tigers. Since then rugby has been a constant in my life. All throughout school and now at University I’ve played at every opportunity I could get, and I’ve loved every minute of it!

CJ: I started playing rugby in my second year as a complete beginner.

I had been involved in other sports across university but wanted to be part of a team. A couple of friends came with me a Give it a Go session and I enjoyed it so much I never stopped going!

JT: What’s it like being in the Rugby Union club?

CN: There’s nothing quite like being part of Rugby Union at university.

We have a fantastic new coach in Ants Posa who has shaped us into a really exciting, attacking club.

Training is really varied and exciting, especially on our brand new 4G pitch up at Norton Sports Park. You get to play every week with your best mates and then go out and have a great time together afterwards.

CJ: Playing rugby at university is so much fun, the girls are so friendly & there is so much going on! I don’t think people realise how much the club has to offer aside from actually playing rugby. We play intramural netball, touch rugby, have strength and conditioning sessions, weekly socials, tour, volunteer. There is always something going on.

JT: How did the club do last year?

CN: Last year was the most successful year in the club’s history. Our 1st XV completed an unprecedented treble.

That is: winning the league, the BUCS Trophy and beating Hallam at Varsity. On top of that we won our promotion play off and got promoted to North Premier B, the highest standard the club has ever competed at- just two promotions

below BUCS Super Rugby which is televised on BT Sport!

JT: How can people get in touch?

CJ: If you’re interested in joining SULRFC, give us a message on Facebook ‘Sheffield University Ladies Rugby Football Club’ or e-mail us @ rugby.union.womens@ sheffield.ac.uk . There is plenty more information on the Sport Sheffield website - we would love to

have you!

CN: The SURFC is a very open and inclusive club. We have players from across the globe who all love what we’re about. We’ve got 4 teams with a range of standards so there’s a place for everybody. If you’re interested then please contact our Club Captain (cnewhall1@sheffield.ac.uk) or find us on Facebook ‘Sheffield University Rugby Football Club’.

Image: SURFC

Women storm Loughborough in Peaks Hill Climb Adam May

Continued from back-page...

While the uni teams are well versed in the Hill Climb, it didn’t make the challenge any easier to overcome, and the men’s team showed how every single move counts.

They won by a 0.2 second winning margin, and Eugene said the supporters gave the side that cutting edge.

“I took my brother’s advice, that the crowds in the final two minutes would be insane, so I only needed to focus for the first five minutes,” he added.

“The supporters were incredible.

After I finished and started to ride back down, I got told I’d come second and I could hardly believe my time of 6:26. I was elated.

“I assumed that had won us the team prize, but I didn’t realise quite how close it was. We got away with

it.

“With the standard being so high at Sheffield it’s hard to get into the top three men’s. Both Nic Clayton and Josh Curtis missed out by less than two seconds.”

The Women’s stormed to success in the Peaks, finishing above Loughborough by over a minute with a time of 8:23:113.

0.2sec Men’s fine winning margin

Sheffield’s Hannah Larbalestier finished quickest by 15 seconds to scoop gold in the individual event.

“Both Hannah Larbalestier and Holly MacMahon are class acts, and I was never in doubt that they could win it,” said Eugene.

A fine result for the Black and Golds, and there’s plenty more where it came from.

Image: Alex Vella

Head of Sport Adam May Hi everyone.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for the Black and Gold community after the sad and sudden passing of Cerys O’Boyle, last year’s co-captain of the Women’s Football team.

While I didn’t know Cerys personally, through reading all the lovely, heartwarming and emotional tributes, it’s clear that she had an infectious soul that went far beyond sport.

She was well-liked within the sporting community and wider uni life, and when the Women’s Football 1s played at Hillsborough last year - scooping their first ever Varsity win over Hallam - Cerys made sure the changing room was in tip-top condition, laying out everyone’s shirts and making them feel extra special.

My sincere condolences and thoughts go out to her family, friends and team mates at this time.

You’ll be missed, Cerys, and you’ll forever be a Black and Gold.

44

Sport

write for us!

press.sport@forgetoday.com

@ForgeSport

Forge_Sport

Images: Alex Vella

Sheffield smash Peaks Hill Climb

Women’s team dominate while Men win by 0.2 seconds in BUCS comp Adam May

The University of Sheffield’s cycling team pedalled their way to victory last weekend at the BUCS Hill Climb, scooping first place in both team races and individual efforts.

The event saw cyclists compete through the scenic Peak District, beginning at the spectacular Barber Booth before climaxing at the testing slopes of Mam Tor. A test of strength, stamina and power, the race put both teams through their paces as the Black and

Golds targeted BUCS success.

Showing the fine margins in the sport to optimal degree, the men’s team won by 0.2 seconds. Every second counts and the team captain, Eugene Cross, who finished second in his individual event, was ecstatic with the club’s performances.

“I was extremely proud. We have dominated every year I’ve been at Sheffield so obviously the pressure was on for us to perform,” he said.

“We lost a lot of good riders from the men’s side last year so it was far from guaranteed we would win with that side.” (cont. on p43)