Forge Press #121 by Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Issue 121

No Tears Left to Cry

Infinity War

Ariana Grandes’ ode to those lost in the Manchester attacks

A review of the film over a decade in the making

Protesters gathered outside Firth Court to protest against racism

Alex Peneva

Music

p. 30

Screen. 35

Arsene Wenger

Who will replace the legendary Arsenal manager? Sports

p. 41

BME Sheffield students protest against racism

(full story on page 5)

Labour lose local seats but make

Official Forge Press

gains nationally in local elections

Apology for Issue 120

Ben Warner

Forge Press would like to apologise for an error in the Varsity issue of the newspaper. A line on our front page read that the University of Sheffield football team had lost in their match against Sheffield Hallam last night, Wednesday 25 April. In actual fact, Uni of scored two

Labour suffered losses on Sheffield City Council while the Greens and the Liberal Democrats both increased their number of seats in a good night for the opposition parties. This was in contrast to national gains of more than 70 seats, but in

Sheffield it is thought that the trees played a large part in the success for the minority parties. The Labour administration in Sheffield has come under fire for its tree-replacement policy and the partnership with contractor Amey, and seems to have been punished for that with these results.

The student areas in West Sheffield, where the crux of the tree issue has sat, generally voted against the Labour candidates . City ward is now the first ward in Sheffield to have a full complement of... ( cont. on page 4)

goals in injury time to win the match 3-2. We apologise unreservedly for the mistake in our ‘Sexist tweets from Uni sport team condemned’ article. A match report of the victory, with the correct score, can be read inside the paper in our Varsity pullout.

Forge Press Editorial Team Editor editor@forgetoday.com Luke Baldwin Managing Editor Freyja Gillard Deputy Editors editor@forgetoday.com Nick Burke Michael Chilton Web Coordinator Dan Cross Head of News Ben Warner News press.news@forgetoday.com David Anderson Alex Peneva Gethin Morgan Opinion press.opinion@forgetoday.com James Pendlington Josie Le Vay Features press.features@forgetoday.com Katharine Swindells Megan-Lily McVey Elsa Vulliamy Coffee Break press.coffeebreak@forgetoday.com Dave Peacock Lifestyle press.lifestyle@forgetoday.com Harry Gold Ellie Conlon

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

Editorial

ell this is it, my final issue as Editor of Forge Press. Oh how time flies. I know, I know, you’ll miss me. But dry your tears, I’ll still be around next year as your friendly neighbourhood Games Editor. I’ll be taking over for Editor of Year Chloe Dervey, so I’ve got some pretty big shoes to fill. Figuratively that is, Chloe’s about four and a half foot so I’m guessing her shoes are actually quite small. Still though I’m surprisingly nervous for the role; the section has produced some of Forge’s best editors over the years so there’s a lot to live up to. Games is a section I’ve always admired and I can’t wait to get back into being a section editor. “But how will Forge Press possibly carry on without you at the helm?” I hear you cry. Well fear not, I’m leaving the role in the very capable hands of one David Anderson. Dave has been a joy to work with this year, his professionalism and willingness to get involved really embodies the spirit of Forge. No

doubt he, along with the rest of the managing editorial team, will do the paper justice. The future certainly looks bright for Forge Press. I’d also like to show my appreciation for the other outlets of Forge; prior to this year I wasn’t really aware of what TV and Radio did but they have done nothing but impress me from the get go. I’ve loved working with them, particularly Kerry and Ed who have both been a huge inspiration for me. It’s strange, when I started in this role I wasn’t really sure what to expect. My only prior experience in journalism was my two year tenure as co-editor of the Screen section, something I saw as a passion project more than anything. With that in mind it’s safe to say that the past year has been a steep learning curve. There’s nothing that can prepare you for a role like this and I’m not ashamed to say that at times earlier in the year I thought I wasn’t up to the task. But, thanks to the incredible support I have received from my team, I persevered.

Particular plaudits need to go to my Deputy’s Michael and Nick as well as our Managing Editor Freyja Gilliard. I’ve spent the past few weeks singing your praises in person, mainly when drunk, so I won’t bang on about it. You’re all amazing. Thanks to you I can now look back at my year as Editor in Chief with immense satisfaction, not only because of what we as a team have achieved, but how I have grown as an individual. For every time I have doubted my own ability there are numerous occasions I can look back on with a lot of pride. I don’t know if I’ve been a great leader so I’ll shut up and end with a quote from someone who is undoubtedly one of history’s greatest leaders and a personal hero of mine, Sir Alex Ferguson: “Too many managers talk too much. The two most important words for a player, or for any human being, there is nothing better than hearing well done.” On that note I’d just like to say well done to my entire team, it has been a genuine honour to lead

such a hard-working and talented group of individuals. However it’s an even greater honour to call you my friends. Because at the end of the day Forge, like anything you do at Uni, isn’t really about the skills you learn or the way we work. It’s about the friends you meet, the memories you make and the experiences you have. I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavours, no doubt you will be just as great at that as you have been as members of Forge. I hope you have enjoyed your time here as much as I have enjoyed working with you. So for the final time from me, enjoy yet another wonderful issue of the best damn student newspaper in the world, Forge Press. Cheers.

Pic of the Press

Head of Sport Adam May Sport press.sport@forgetoday.com Josh Taylor Tim Adams Music press.music@forgetoday.com Ben Kempton Florence Mooney Games press.games@forgetoday.com Chloe Dervey Tom Buckland Arts press.arts@forgetoday.com Laura Mulvey Sophie Maxwell Screen press.screen@forgetoday.com David Craig Joseph Mackay Copy Editors Connie Coombs Brenna Cooper Leah Fox Harriet Evans Amy King Charlotte Knowles-Cutler Photography Kate Marron

Photo by Alex Wilcock

Want your photo here? Contact

press.photography@forgetoday.com with submissions

The perfect end to a perfect year, the annual Forge Awards is a chance for TV, Radio and Press to celebrate all their hard work and let their hair down. This weeks Pic of the Press is the most wonderful Press Editorial team anyone could ask for. Sadly, a couple people missed out on the photo op but we’ll definitely get one with the full team before the end of the year.

Get Involved Want to join the team? Fancy yourself a decent writer or presenter? Then why not get involved with Forge Media! No prior experience is needed and anyone can apply. Join the Facebook group “Forge

Media Contributors 17/18”for all the lastest articles or to pitch your own ideas. Like our Facebook page for all the latest news, reviews and features as well as the location of contributor meetings. We will be holding several events during Freshers so you keep your eyes out for Forge in September Contact editor@forgetoday.com with any questions.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Official Forge Press Statement on Guido Forge Adam Bailey Dan Cross David Anderson Forge Heads of Outlets 2018/19

orge Media would like to apologise for recent comments made on the @ GuidoForge Twitter account, in particular tweets in which a student was misgendered. We apologise for any offence caused as a consequence and for the dismissive attitude when the

account was made aware of this. All outlets of Forge have a responsibility as Working Committees to educate ourselves and our members with regard to pronouns and terms relating to the LGBT+ community and other liberation and equality groups. We acknowledge Forge could do more to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues and the use of personal pronouns and have planned training in September to start working on this. We are keen to collaborate with the LGBT+ Committee, as well as the other Equality and Liberation

Committees to ensure we are better representing all student voices. As the incoming Heads of Forge Media Outlets for the next academic year, we have reviewed the situation and have decided to terminate the @GuidoForge Twitter account with immediate effect. Forge Media takes pride in being accountable and representative of the whole student population, and we believe @GuidoForge is not a positive representation of this. As a student media organisation and a working committee, Forge should be able to

be held accountable for what they publish and broadcast.We feel that the anonymity of @GuidoForge undermines this. Over the last five years, @ GuidoForge’s satirical content has proved popular with its followers and has helped increase interest in student politics. However, we believe any account of this nature should be able to be held to account and its current structure and operation did not allow this. We will be reviewing what people liked about the account over the

summer and will look at avenues for producing content which could fulfil an alternative point of view whilst remaining accountable and accessible to all. Any imitation accounts or those related to Guido Forge are not affiliated with Forge Media.

Student Colour Run returns Gethin Morgan

Endcliffe Student Village, which holds around 3,000 of the University’s students

Ben Warner

11 per cent of students switch flats because of arguments Robin Wilde

ne in nine students change their accommodation due to arguments with housemates, according to new research. A poll of 2,106 recent graduates by the homewares retailer Hillarys found that arguments over food theft, mess and lack of privacy were some of the biggest causes of disputes, despite most enjoying their time away from home. 31 per cent of the 2,106 recent

graduates surveyed cited taking food or drink that didn’t belong to them as a major cause of disagreement, with unbearable mess and dirt coming in second at 22 per cent. Borrowing things and not returning them came in third, while a lack of respect for privacy and excessive noise made up the top five. Tara Hall, spokesperson for Hillarys, said: “When you head off to university, living away from home is just as big a learning experience as attending lectures. So see it as a great

31% cited food and drink theft as a cause for arguments

opportunity to discover what kind of behaviours and actions work, and what it’s better to avoid.” Despite the high rates of annoyance, attitudes towards housemates were generally positive. 78 per cent of those surveyed claimed to still be in touch with their former housemates, with 42 per cent meeting up regularly. But seven per cent of friendships broke apart as a result of arguments, and 11 per cent ended up changing their living situation as a result.

Students got colourful in the sun on Saturday as the Student Colour Run returned to Sheffield for a fourth consecutive year. Hundreds of students and locals took part in the 5k run, which saw them covered in colourful powder as they did 3 laps of the brand new route that went round both Crookes Valley Park and Weston Park. There was a ‘colour fight’ and a mass warm-up before the run started at 12pm, with participants encouraged to have fun and take it at whatever pace they pleased. The event, which also takes place in Leeds, Liverpool and Lincoln, promotes happiness, wellbeing and fun as well as fitness. University of Sheffield student Kyla Dougan took part in the event, she said: “The colour run was definitely worth it, even though I’m still trying to get colour out of my hair! It was great to see so many families and students all having fun, and I’ll definitely be doing it again.” The Student Colour Run in Sheffield is organised in partnership with Sheffield Students’ Union, Hallam University Union, Sheffield Active and Sheffield College. Tickets ranged from £16.50 to £18.50 and included a Colour Run t-shirt, bag, race number and 3 100g bags of colour powder, as well as free entry to Code Student Saturdays on the night of the event, 5 May. £1 from every ticket went to either Sheffield RAG or Hallam RAG.

It was great to see so many families and students all having fun

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

Clockwise from top-left: The count in action at EIS; the podium from which results were announced; the sign for Crookes & Crosspool; the result being announced for Broomhill & Sharrow Vale Photos by Ben Warner

Labour lose local seats but make gains nationally Ben Warner

(cont. from front page) ...Green councillors with Martin Phipps joining Rob Murphy and Douglas Johnson having beaten Beverley Thomas by just 16 votes. Cllr Phipps said: “The results of tonight show clearly the level of dissatisfaction with the council – on the privatisation of our street maintenance or the failure to get to grips with our air pollution crisis. “More Greens on the council means that we’ll be able to ask more questions and get more time

to represent the people of this great city.” Broomhill & Sharrow Vale was one of the biggest gains of the night for the Green Party, with Kaltum Rivers getting 2,703 votes ahead of Labour’s Janet Ridler on 1,926. She said: “We campaigned on increasing the level of scrutiny and challenge to the Labour council, and that is what we’ll be aiming to do, starting today. It is clear that the undemocratic ‘strong leader’ method of government is unsuited to our aspirations and profoundly undemocratic.” Labour’s only gain of the night

came in East Ecclesfield, where former University of Sheffield student Moya O’Rourke won the seat from UKIP with 1,534 votes. UKIP

seats lost for Labour finished last with 343 votes. Cllr Alison Teal was re-elected with the biggest vote share of the night in Nether Edge & Sharrow. Cllr Teal said: “I want to thank the people of Nether Edge and Sharrow

who have come together to protect their community, and who have backed me so strongly in this week’s election. “To go from being elected two years ago by a handful of votes to the 56% share of the vote I received last night, shows how strongly the electors agree with my determination to stand with the tree protectors, their desire to see an open and transparent justice system and demand that the streets be run for communities, not profits.” While the results show that Labour are receiving some backlash in areas where tree-felling is a big issue, they

consolidated their vote in areas like Burngreave and can take confidence from that. They still hold a solid majority of 10 seats, and will be hoping to improve on this showing next time elections roll around. Nationally, Labour gained Plymouth from the Conservatives, while they lost control of Derby and Nuneaton & Bedworth. They were expected to capitalise more on a turbulent time for the Tories in Westminster, but failed to gain any of their target councils in London and lost Barnet. Losses for Labour in Sheffield were coupled with a victory for Dan Jarvis on a mayoral level (read more on page 7).

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Local MP praises overdraft charge plans Ben Warner

Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield has claimed Labour’s proposals to cap overdraft charges will “make a real difference”. The plans would be expected to help students as well as disadvantaged groups in the city and will cover all fees for unauthorised overdrafts, interest payments, and charges for declined payments. Blomfield said: “Austerity, poor growth and unstable working conditions have created a vicious circle of debt for some of the poorest in Sheffield. “At the same time, some companies are making massive profits from people’s financial difficulties. “Labour estimates that over 2.7 million people will benefit from the cap, and that those benefitting the most will be those in the greatest financial difficulties. “Revenues from overdraft lending, including fees for unpaid items, are currently around £2 billion per year, and we estimate that the cap will reduce this by approximately £233 million.” The MP, a former general manager of Sheffield Students’ Union, was re-elected last year with a majority of almost 58%. He was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2010. He is currently a Shadow Minister for Exiting the European Union.

Protesters from BME Committee gathered outside Firth Court in an anti-racism protest

BME Sheffield students protest against racism Alex Peneva and Lucas Mentken

ozens of Sheffield students gathered outside Firth Court to protest against racism and the University of Sheffield’s supposed lack of response to racist behaviour. The anti-racism protest, organised by Sheffield Students’ Union’s Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) committee went ahead on Friday 27 April. The protesters wanted to

urge the University to respond to recent alleged racist behaviour by its students and take action to prevent further similar incidents. Hajira Liaquat, chair of the BME committee, said: “The point of this protest is to give students who don’t normally get to explain their stories about racial incidents a chance to talk about it. “We are hoping that the University takes us seriously. We need institutional change, more voices,

Students march in solidarity with Sheffield’s homeless Niall O’Callaghan

round a hundred students from the University of Sheffield marched from Devonshire Green to the Cathedral on Saturday 5 May for a day of ‘Community ReAction’ in support of Sheffield’s homeless population. ‘Save Our Sandwiches’, who were recently endorsed as “ace” by former Labour leader Ed Miliband, were behind the event. They are a student organisation set

Alex Peneva

up to ‘redistribute surplus food from University food outlets to charities who give it to those in need’ who, according to organisers, have saved 35,000 sandwiches since 2015 from going to waste. The march chanted “no justice, no peace, no more people on our streets” on their route down Division Street and through the city centre. Complete with placards and even a samba band, the march stopped outside the Cathedral, where speeches were given by Joe and

Hannah from Save Our Sandwiches, a volunteer from Ben’s Centre and former leader of the Green Party, Natalie Bennett amongst others. Addressing the crowd, Natalie Bennett said “I’ve got a saying, which is politics should be something you do and not have done to you. “Today you are doing politics and we all have to do more politics to change those structural issues so that nobody is homeless. That should be the starting point.” The march was followed by

more BME staff and more help.” The protest came after an incident at the Varsity Ice Hockey 1s match in March, when a University of Sheffield student reportedly threw a rotten banana at black Hallam student Tyrell Pearce. In his speech during the protest Tyrell Pearce said: “They are trying to sweep it under the carpet that there has been a racial incident. If this keeps happening university is just not a good place to be in.”

Hajira Liaquat claimed: “The University refused to treat the incident as racist which is atrocious. This is why we needed to do something about it.” Kieran Maxwell, President of Sheffield Students’ Union, said: “The University needs to do more and the Students’ Union stands shoulder to shoulder with the affected students.” The University’s reponse to the incident can be found on the following page.

“an evening of buffet style food, fundraising activities, and live music” at Foodhall near the Moor. A five-pound donation was recommended, with any extra funds being donated to Ben’s Centre.

Organiser Abbie Laycock said: “We feel like we really managed to engage a lot of people with the issues regarding homelessness in the city currently, especially at the evening Foodhall event. “The Foodhall event attracted a diverse crowd, including Ben himself from Ben’s Centre who were all there to engage in an afternoon with the community. “It’s our biggest event to date, and hopefully we will have many more exciting events like this one next year. “We’re especially grateful to all those who spoke, sang, stewarded, marched, made food, donated money and offered their time and attention to Community ReAction.”

Today you are doing politics and we all have to do more so that nobody is homeless

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

Arctic Monkeys to open popup shops worldwide Ben Warner

The alleged racist incident took place during the Varsity ice hockey match in March

Dan West

University apologise for distress caused over alleged racist incident Ben Warner

he University of Sheffield have apologised for distress caused in relation to the incident at the Varsity ice hockey match in March. In a statement sent to the Students’ Union Officers and members of the Black & Minority Ethnic Committee, they said: “The University understands students’ concerns and wishes to apologise sincerely for the distress caused.” The report of the incident said that they will be ensuring clarity about the procedure for misconduct

The International Students’ Committee hosted their World Food Festival on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 May. Held in the Octagon Centre in Sheffield Students’ Union, the two day festival saw 12 stalls from different national societies, including Arab Society, East African Society and Indian Society. The societies offered up a variety of foods and drinks from around the world, while entertainment also took place throughout the day. Dishes ranged from Lebanese Chicken Shawarma to Egyptian Messa’aa, and all were priced between £1 and £3. Photograph by Ruxandra Mindru, Media Officer at International Students’ Committee

concerns during Varsity in the future. They also said they will look to improve the complaints procedure based on students’ feedback. A Task Force is also to be set up with students and the SU for the first time to take action to improve inclusivity on campus, offer education and celebrate racial diversity. Hajira Liaquat, BME committee chair, said: “This is a massive step forward and an acceptance that the University must become better and begin addressing the taboo of race within their institutions.

The University wishes to apologise sincerely for the distress caused

The report said: “The University is committed to ensuring a safe, inclusive and respectful campus for all. Preventing racism is a key component of this.” It concluded by saying: “The University apologizes once again for any upset caused to our students in the response to this incident and looks forward to a strong, productive collaborative programme of work in the months ahead to ensure a positive University environment where all are supported to achieve their potential in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.”

Sheffield is playing host to one of six pop-up shops worldwide celebrating the release of the Arctic Monkeys’ new album. It is the only one of the six stores which will be opened by the members of the band themselves. The shop, which opened today, offers “unique and limited album and merchandise items” according to the band’s website. Shops have also opened in Paris, New York, Sydney, Tokyo and Berlin. Sheffield, the band’s hometown, is the only city in Britain to have a shop opening its doors. It comes along with the release of Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, their highly-anticipated sixth album, which has received mixed reviews. They have been bold with their new album, not releasing any singles. The Sheffield rockers will play four shows at the Fly DSA Arena in September.

Tramlines second stage name revealed Danny Brown

Tramlines has announced the name of its all-new second stage at this year’s festival after asking fans to help name the stage on Twitter. The winning name is the typically Yorkshire-inspired ‘T’Other Stage’, which beat other fan suggestions such as the ‘Hendo’s Stage’ and the ‘Park Stage’. ‘T’Other Stage’ will host performances from the likes of Clean Bandit, Shed Seven and Little Comets when the festival comes to Hillsborough Park on June 20-22. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Craig David and Stereophonics are set to headline with Blossoms, Reverend and the Makers, Mystery Jets and Milburn also confirmed on the bill. They have also announced that they will have a comedy lineup for the first time, featuring Henning Wehn. The festival is celebrating it’s 10-year-anniversary this summer and will take place in the 40,000 capacity Hillsborough Park for the first time since relocating from the city centre. Tickets are still on sale in their sixth release and are currently priced at £79 for a weekend ticket.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Dan Jarvis elected as first Sheffield City Region mayor Ben Warner

an Jarvis has been elected as the first mayor of the Sheffield City Region ahead of several other candidates. The Labour and Co-Operative candidate, who is currently the MP for Barnsley Central, was elected on second-preference votes, ending up with 74 per cent of the vote in the second round against the Conservative’s Ian Walker. He came just shy of winning the election in the first round, getting 122,635 votes (48 per cent) on a turnout of 26 per cent. That meant all but the top two candidates – Jarvis and Walker – were eliminated and second-preference votes counted.

144,154 total votes for Dan Jarvis

Four candidates were on stage for the declaration: Jarvis, Mick Bower (Yorkshire Party), Naveen Judah (South Yorkshire Save Our NHS) and Robert Murphy (Green). After his victory was announced, Jarvis said he was proud to be elected and thanked the people who elected him. He said he was committed to giving back to the people who voted him in. He also paid tribute to the election officials and other candidates who made the election possible, as

well as his family and team for their “fortitude” and “patience”. He said we needed to prepare for a post-Brexit Britain, and we needed to reform every aspect of our political system. “For us here in South Yorkshire, that begins today,” he said. Speaking exclusively to Forge Press, Jarvis said he was committed to students: “When I first announced my intention to run to be the mayor, the very first meeting I did was at Sheffield Hallam University so I’m really keen to work with students. “I think we can be really proud of the talent of the young people we’ve got here in South Yorkshire, really proud of the fact that we’ve got two world-class universities and some really good colleges. “It’s an important agenda for me, to work with students and listen to what they’ve got to say, to listen to the issues that really matter to them, whether it’s about transport, skills, employment opportunities or housing. “These are big issues for younger people so I look forward to working with students and younger people more generally to see what I can do to support those agendas as the new mayor.” Mick Bower, who finished fourth on first-preference votes, said: “I think it’s just onwards and upwards for us from here. The more people who get to listen to what we’re talking about, people can hear that what we’re talking isn’t pie-in-thesky, it’s common sense.”

Above: Dan Jarvis conducts interviews after being announced as the new mayor. Below: The count takes place, with votes arriving from around South Yorkshire.

Ben Warner

UoS study uncovers better method of tracking Multiple Sclerosis treatment

Sheffield 6th

Sarah Bloodworth

Niall O’Callaghan

niversity of Sheffield researchers have found a better way of monitoring the way Multiple Sclerosis patients walk. The researchers worked alongside Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to develop a Multiple Sclerosis (MS) monitoring system that produces more accurate data, by using attached monitors that track movement outside of a lab setting. MS is an autoimmune condition, meaning the body mistakenly attacks its own immune system and causes a range of symptoms, including mobility issues. The study analyses the walking patterns of MS patients in their daily life. This has the potential to advance knowledge about a

condition that, according to the MS Society, effects over 127,000 UK citizens. Dr Claudia Mazzà, engineer and researcher at the University of Sheffield, said the study is important because it provides information about how walking styles change outside the lab, which can not only help better the treatment for the patient, but test the effectiveness of medicine. She said: “It’s important to know what the patient is doing when they aren’t being monitored constantly. It allows us to process the information in a much more accurate way. They can design specific treatment that is more tailored to the patient’s status. You want more information than what you just observe in a lab.” Dr Mazzà added that multiple sensors are measured in a lab

It’s important to know what the patient is doing when they aren’t being monitored constantly

setting but a one-monitor system is used in real life so as to reduce the burden on the patient. The researchers monitor parameters such as sequences of steps and velocity of the walker. The study, called ‘Free-living and laboratory gait characteristics in patients with multiple sclerosis’, was published this month in PLOS ONE. According to Dr Mazza, they plan to continue their research by monitoring larger groups and accommodating the algorithms for variables like slow walkers. “The recognition of slow steps becomes very difficult. So what works well (for one patient) does not work well when the patient walks slower,” Dr Mazzà said. “But we are really lucky to work here in Sheffield. This is just the beginning for us.”

cheapest city

for graduates Sheffield has been revealed as the sixth cheapest place for students to live after graduation, according to research conducted by Propillo. Taking an average salary of £18,000 one year after graduation as the basis for their research, Propillo concluded that graduates in Sheffield could save £97.93 per month after the cost of rent and other living costs had been taken into account. The cheapest place to live according to their research is Stoke-on-Trent, where graduates could save £242.27 per month on the same salary. Unsurprisingly, London was deemed the most expensive place for graduates to live where they would have to fill a black hole of £1,262.40 on the salary.

Friday 11 May 2018

Features facebook.com/ForgePress

@ForgePress

Forge Press

It’s here, the final issue of the year, and although we’re sad about our time as editors coming to an end, we are also beyond excited to pass on the torch to next year’s brilliant editorial features team who will bring their own great spin to Features. We thought we’d give them the chance to quickly introduce themselves, so read on to find out more about Arya and Rebecca! Features love from Megan, Elsa and Katharine x

press.features@forgetoday.com

Rebecca Lally

Arya Damavandy Hi, I’m Arya and I’m a first year studying English Literature. Uni has been a blast so far, and I’m very excited about being a Section Editor for Features. It’s going to be a brilliant ride, and I can’t wait to start pitching ideas and reading contributions from lots of different and interesting people. You may have seen some of my writing here and there in a few different sections, so my tastes are pretty wide, but as long

as something is fun or fascinating I’m always on board. I’ve dabbled in a few different societies, but I find myself returning to HorrorSoc, AnimeSoc and SLUGSoc more than others. I’m a bit of a nerd pop-culture enthusiast, so talk to me about video games, anime, film, music, and books of course! You know the drill. But I’m not shy about politics or social issues, or any part of the world at large. For a section like Features the sky’s the limit!

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Hi! I’m one of the new Features Editors here at Forge Press. I was especially surprised to get the role because I’m currently studying abroad several thousands of miles away - and this has made me even more excited to get back to Sheffield in September! I’m a Modern Languages undergraduate student, and I’ve been writing for Forge Press since

the beginning of second year. I’ve really enjoyed it, but I’m also looking forward to being an editor and helping our writers produce the best work possible. I want to see more in-depth pieces about Sheffield life and what it means to be a student in this city, as well as more writing about current issues affecting women and minorities.

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issue 119

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Out With the Old... The outgoing Features Editors reflect on their memories of the past year.

Artwork by Chloe Dervey

Megan

Katharine

How did you get involved with Forge? I joined Forge at the AGM last April simply out of boredom of my degree and intrigue about the student paper. I remember walking into the Media Hub during the handover process thinking that being a section editor would be a breeze (a misconception I blame on watching too much Gilmore Girls), but I will tell you I was wrong. Forge deadlines coupled with uni deadlines has been a hard task, but it has been so worth it. I’m so happy to look back and say it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made at uni.

How did you get involved with Forge? When I started uni, Forge Press was the one thing I knew I wanted to be involved in, and when there was an EGM for Features editor in first semester, I jumped at the chance. Of course, I didn’t get it. Forge fell by the wayside a bit after that in favour of my backup society, Sheffield Labour Students, which was steadily threatening to take over my life. In a blink, it was the end of second year, and it occurred to me that I’d kick myself if I left uni without giving student journalism a proper go. So, pushing aside my past failure, I ran for Features Editor again. And I never looked back.

What’s been the best part? Katharine and Elsa – you have been the best team to work with and I’m so proud of what we have done for Features this year. From covering organisations to give them well-deserved recognition to features about mental health, I feel that we can look back and say we’ve done a great job. I hope Rebecca and Arya enjoy it as much as we have.

What’s been the best part? This past year has been hard, no doubt about it, but Elsa and Megan have been so great, and between us we’ve published some incredible pieces. Forge has also given me the chance to remind myself how much I really do love writing, and how much I want to keep doing it after uni. But my proudest moment was during the SU elections, forced to watch from the outskirts, seeing from that perspective just how tirelessly the whole Forge Media team worked. And when other candidates marvelled at the quality, and sheer volume of coverage, I could smile and think those are my people.

What’s would you say to anyone who is thinking about getting involved with Forge? Forge has been a massive part of my second year at uni and there’s no doubt it will be when I finish studying abroad. If you want to get involved more at university and be part of an inclusive, hilarious group of people, do Forge. And there is nothing more rewarding than opening the paper each fortnight beaming with pride over your friends’ work and thinking, I helped create that.

What’s would you say to anyone who is thinking about getting involved with Forge? When you’re a tiny fish caught up in the surreal, frantic, jumble of a pond that is university, it’s easy to feel lost. The Forge Media hub is still surreal, frantic and jumbled, for sure, but in it I’ve met some of my best friends at university, and I couldn’t recommend it more. Nowhere will you find such an open welcome than in student journalism, and I’m honoured to have had the opportunity to be a part of that. Thank you.

Elsa How did you get involved with Forge? I’m a masters’ student, and this is my fourth year of participating with Forge! I joined in 2012 as an overeager fresher and stayed on for three consecutive years. Apparently I just can’t stay away, because after a couple of years out, I ran in last years’ AGM and got re-elected onto the editorial team along with the other two fab Features editors. What’s been the best part? The best part by far has been hanging out with everyone else on Forge. Everyone on this team is an absolute ledge but - and I might be biased - Kath and Megan are two of the official coolest people you will ever meet. We are all insanely busy and we’ve all found editing this section hard at times, but these two girls have always been there to support me. What’s would you say to anyone who is thinking about getting involved with Forge? If you’d like to learn some new skills, as well as hang out and have a laugh with some like-minded people - I’d highly recommend getting involved with Forge in some way or another. In my four years of being involved with this paper I’ve never not felt included, and I’ve met some truly wonderful and talented individuals. The paper has been an extremely formative and memorable part of my university experience, and I can’t imagine what my time in Sheffield would have been like without it.

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

Who gives a d the plight of the world’s migratory fish

While migration is a hot topic among the politically-inclined, the world’s migratory fish don’t get a lot of attention. Following World Fish Migration Day, Darby Knight looks at how human interventions like dam construction are seriously damaging fish populations and those that rely on them.

hilst UK politicians bicker about the movement of fishing vessels through our waters, on 21 April an exceptional effort was expelled worldwide to raise awareness of a different kind of movement: that of fish. Events were run globally in over 454 locations to raise awareness of the plight facing fish that make their journeys right under our noses, beneath the water’s surface. Fish move in all manner of ways, and the purpose of World Fish Migration Day is to enlighten,

as well as inspire people, to help solve the problems facing migratory fish and the people that rely on them. The most famous fish migrations are undoubtedly those taken by salmon, swimming as adults from the sea to breed in rivers. This migration route is also undertaken by sturgeon, which the International Union for the Conservation of Nature have named as the most endangered group of fish species in the world. Many other species of fish will undertake the same journey in reverse: swimming the

World Fish Migration Day seeks not only to raise awareness of the plights fish face travelling through waters, but that of the people that rely on them.

‘catadromous’ route from freshwater to the sea to breed. This behaviour is seen most famously in eels, whose migrations have been a mystery until recently. Some fish are amphidromous, meaning they can tolerate both freshwater and saltwater, and move freely between the two for no distinct purpose. These fish include river sharks, bull sharks and the highly endangered sawfish. Fish can also migrate without traversing from saltwater to freshwater or vica versa. Oceanodromous fish can migrate across oceans or along coasts to use different habitats, whilst potamodromous fish migrate within river systems. By far the most impressive of these potamodromous journeys is undertaken by the dourado catfish, which swims from the headwaters of the Amazon to the estuaries on the Atlantic coast, and then back again, every year, a journey covering 7200 miles. This incredible journey was only mapped in 2017, showing just how

much there is left to learn about the movements of fish. So, why do migratory fish deserve a special focus? Due to their nature, they require numerous different habitats in many different areas, as well as free, unblocked passage along river systems. But as humans seek to solve their own problems, we are modifying rivers to best suit our own needs, often with little consideration for the wayward wanderers using rivers not just as highways, but homes. Migrating fish have a threephase journey: where they live, where they go to and the waters connecting them. If any one of these phases becomes impassable, the population’s life cycle is compromised. In some fish a non-physical barrier is enough to block migration. Changes in the environment, such as to water temperature, can make a section of water impassable to some species. Changes to flow that favour colonisation of a route by predators can also prevent successful migrations. More

often than not it’s humans that cause these subtle, but impactful ,changes. We also block fish migrations in much larger, more noticeable ways. Over 50,000 large dams have been built so far in over half of the world’s major rivers, with plenty more in development. Many smaller dams and weirs also impede the movement of fish up and down rivers. Dams are nothing new - the first have been traced back to 3000BC. So why are they a threat now? It’s the size and rate of dam construction that has increased dramatically and is now focused in more biodiverse areas (areas with more species), such as the Amazon and parts of Asia. More fish species live, including some of the largest ones, but the huge dams we now frequently construct are almost certainly impassable to all. The flooding of habitats caused by the construction of dams and reservoirs can cause changes in water depth and temperature which blocks fish migration, disrupting feeding and spawning

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Friday 11 May 2018

dam?

areas and cues. Fish can be killed directly by turbines, their eggs or juveniles cannot drift down the river system, and adults cannot migrate to spawning grounds or the oceans. Populations can be fragmented or isolated, impacting their reproductive potential. Sediment carried by rivers collects behind dams, as do pollutants washed into rivers, such as pesticides and toxic metals. Dams annually block around 25% of the global river sediment load from reaching the sea. Flood or drought cycles disrupted both upstream and downstream from dams can cause increased erosion downstream. The presence of dams can greatly change the environment itself and how the environment interacts with fish, as well as impacting fish directly. World Fish Migration Day seeks not only to raise awareness of the plights fish face travelling through waters, but that of the people that rely on them. In many developing countries fish is the most important and

cheapest source of protein. Over 200 million people in Africa consume fish as their main source of protein. It’s estimated that further dam construction in the Mekong would cause fish abundance to drop by a third, impacting the food and economic security of over 60 million people. So not only is there an imminent threat to fish, but there is to people too. Communities that depend on fishing for food and income are often excluded from dam construction planning and decision-making, and are left with their knowledge neglected and with no support after it is built. Including people that rely on fish in the dam-planning process and the knowledge they have of the environment, could provide co-benefits for fish, as dams can be constructed to minimise the impacts on people and the fish they depend on as much as possible. This will likely slow the dam building process down, and bloat budgets, so is unlikely to happen, especially

given the increasing rate of dam construction. Dam construction, however, has some positive environmental impacts: countries like China and India that are heavily reliant on coal have turned to hydroelectric dams as a cleaner, more sustainable source of energy. Could dams be built or modified to reduce their impacts on fish? One way to try and circumvent river blockage is to install fish ladders in dams to allow fish to pass. These have shown positive results in the past, but the majority are designed to allow the passage of salmonid fishes. Passages have been too small for large migratory fish, and often form ‘ecological traps’ where fish get upstream but cannot return downstream. For fish ladders to be a valid, ubiquitous option, they must be tailored to fish living in each river system. Whilst dam construction accelerates in developing countries, developed countries are now removing dams at a

Communities that depend on fishing for food and income are often excluded from dam construction planning greater rate than building them, and restoring the habitat and rivers to their former states. However, dam removal itself can severely affect fish. Rushes of sediment and accumulated pollutants can be released, flushing habitats with silty and toxic waters. In other words, the legacy of the dam’s decadeslong impacts upstream can be instantaneously released downstream. Careful planning and preparation is needed for dam removal, which makes it an extremely costly procedure, though maintenance of retired dams is often more expensive. The principal aim of World

Fish Migration Day is to raise awareness of the key issues facing migratory fish, the people that rely on them, and the need for solutions that work for all. Freshwater ecology is not a subject taught openly until college or university education in the UK at least, but some communities where these fish are most important grow up with these rivers, and older generations are those who see the change before their eyes.

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

Bursting the bubble In this series we go beyond the University to speak to Sheffield residents, from outside our uni bubble, to hear their thoughts on the city in the past and the present and to find out what they think about students.

Thomas Vigar

One of Stan Skinny’s favourite places in Sheffield is The Gardeners Rest pub, where he’s recently developed a passion for billiards. It’s a bit like pool, but more complicated, and since he was introduced to it four months ago it’s become one of his favourite things to do. Not the kind of person to do things half-heartedly, in January Stan set up the Sheffield Billiard Championships. In April he went further and looked to establish the World Billiard Championships: “Although I found out there’s already a World Championship for

billiards and it’s in Jersey. I think they were a bit annoyed!” A self-described ‘Renaissance man’, Stan is involved in many different things, from comedy to music to acting. He has a love for poetry, and shares his poetic talent by leading workshops for school children. He has also run music and comedy nights in venues across the city. One such event, ‘The Shipping Forecast’, is a comedy night of “silly nonsense”, where you can “escape from being an adult”. Worried that comedy is often too serious, he has created an evening of weird and wonderful entertainment, where

people needn’t worry about all those mundane, day-to-day issues. That interest in escapism is something he’s always had. Coming from a small, working class town in Staffordshire, he says, “I think all you can do in those situations is kind of dream away living a bit”. He would often consider what it would be like to be famous: “I think the fantasy of fame is quite compelling. You could just live in that dream world… dream about being interviewed by Parkinson or something.” As time has gone by though, Stan’s attitude has changed somewhat. “I don’t think I’d want to be famous. I think as I’ve got

Students massively help Sheffield’s vibrancy - Stan Skinny, poet, comedian, actor, musician and more!

older, fame doesn’t really matter”. Stan studied English in Sheffield before moving to London, but returned because of the city’s unique character. “It’s not as frightening as Manchester. It’s not as up itself as Leeds. It’s not exhausting like London.” And his favourite thing about the city is a sculpture that reflects that distinctiveness: “In Firth Park there’s just a big carrot in the ground. I really don’t know why it’s there… I think that’s just great!” As a lover of the arts, Stan is excited to see many new underground venues opening, such as DINA, Foodhall, The Audacious Art Experiment and Theatre Deli, which he believes are “great for the city in establishing its identity going forward”. A concerning development for Stan however has been the tree felling. But even this has highlighted something positive, in the response of residents. “It’s a great showcase of the city’s confidence. The residents here, their willingness to not take any bullshit”. He is proud that Sheffield “is a city of protest”. Stan believes that the presence of students “massively helps Sheffield’s vibrancy” and is pleased

that there is “an influx of new minds every year that are bringing new ideas into the city”. However he notes that “if they engage more, the city will only benefit more”. Sheffield has so much to offer, and he would like to see students get more involved with all the wonderful things going on. He accepts that it is difficult, “but it’s rewarding if you do because you’ll find more interesting things if you look under the covers perhaps, under the floorboards”.

Friday 11 May 2018

Opinion facebook.com/forgetoday

Well, we finally got here. Our final paper. At present we’re unsure whether or not we’ll be able to convince our replacements to fill the section with poor puns, obscure references and wiki facts. So, in order to keep our legacy intact, we shall say our goodbyes. Except it’s only actually Josie typing this, but whatever. Goodbye Opinion readers. If you bother to read this section every week, I love you, because I don’t think our big scary editor even bothers to do that [Ed. - I definitely do]. Your complaints (and articles, if you so wish) will soon be sent to two fresh-faced

Forge Press

Editors, Connie and Matthew. Be kind to them, for they are young, untarnished, and eager to begin what will be a long and hard year. Don’t let them turn into what we are now - shells of beings, no morals in sight. Regards, JamJo xxx (James and Josie)

press.opinion@forgetoday.com

Upskirting finally going down? Olive Enokido-Lineham

A petition to y l t n petition petitions e r a App g an opinion on why n i t r i k s p u g n online petitions are i h t o n s a h useless h t i w

t has been ignored and side-lined for too long; it’s time for the government to identify upskirting as a criminal offence. Classed as an offence in Scotland since 2010 and recognised worldwide by countries such as Japan, upskirting refers to the act of

The lack of sensitivity...given to this criminal act by the government must be changed

o d to g n i t r i k s s d r a bo

taking a photograph underneath a person’s skirt without their permission. Whilst supposedly being covered by Voyeurism (Section 67) in the Sexual Offences Act of 2003, upskirting is not a specific offence in England and Wales. Complaints from members of the public as young as ten have been made over this issue. Although clearly a serious problem, it has been side-lined by the Ministry of Justice who claim that it’s covered by alternative avenues of prosecution. If so, then why was further action not taken for campaigner Gina Martin when she became a victim of upskirting at a concert in Hyde Park? The police told her that the photo was not graphic enough because she was wearing underwear. This just proves how prevalent the degrading and dismissive

treatment of victims is. The lack of sensitivity and serious attention given to this criminal act by the government must be changed. Deeper and more dangerous implications arise when turning a blind eye to this matter; it discourages victims from coming forward, silences debate and empowers the perpetrators. Classing upskirting as its own offence is crucial as it will empower victims to come forward and increase the likelihood of perpetrators being held accountable for their crimes. It’s a hard issue to tackle. Many offences require witnesses and unfortunately upskirting is often unobserved. Victims of other offences receive anonymity whereas upskirting victims do not have automatic rights to this. Providing evidence proves tough as images often appear on the internet a while after the incident took place, but these difficulties must not be used as an excuse to hinder efforts which pursue further legal action.

Victims deserve justice and the government must take a stand against this offence A Freedom of Information Act in 2015 revealed that only 11 charges of upskirting have been pressed since 2015. It is clear that the current classification of upskirting as voyeurism is completely inadequate. Victims deserve justice and the government must take a stand against this offence.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

We need to question why the university still runs a Woody Allen module Lucy Harbron

ver the past months, the #MeToo movement has gained speed triggered by over 50 women accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse and misconduct. And once the ball was rolling, more men and women gained the confidence to speak about powerful men in Hollywood who were once deemed untouchable; outing public figures such a Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K, Steven Seagal, Ed Westwick and almost 100 more. But magically, Woody Allen wasn’t included in the narrative, and still manages to remain unaffected and celebrated within the industry, and seemingly within the University of Sheffield, despite the accusations against him. In case you didn’t know, here’s a quick recap: Allen’s adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, accused him of sexually assaulting her at the age of seven. Her stories were supported by three eyewitnesses. She has stuck true to the same story for over 20 years now. At the time of the assault, Allen was in therapy due to his inappropriate behaviour around Dylan and her mother ordered babysitters to never leave him alone with the children. Yet Allen’s career and stardom remained intact, even when he went on to marry his ex-wife’s adoptive daughter. Indeed, the School of English at this very University still continues to run a module titled “Love and Death in the Films of Woody Allen”. Surely a university as liberal as ours would opt out of celebrating the work of an

alleged abuser? When the #MeToo movement is so powerful and the SU regularly runs events speaking out against assault and abuse, it feels wrong that this module continues to be taught. Whether it means to or not, dedicating an entire module to one person puts them on a pedestal, celebrating their work and holding them up as an example. One may argue that we should be able to separate the art from the person, but that’s a dangerous rhetoric. Excusing the deeds of those in powerful positions sets a precedent. Letting Allen off because he makes good films suggests we should let off all abusers in our own life because they’re a good laugh. By ignoring the accusations and continuing to celebrate Allen’s work, you become an apologist, you enable these awful acts and abuses of power to continue, and you perpetuate the culture that allows men like Weinstein to do what they’ve done, placing powerful, rich men above the law. You cannot separate the work from the person, especially when the abusers face is plastered all over posters, screens and red carpets despite the changes trying to be made in the industry. English students can go an entire year without studying anything by a person of colour, we can go entire modules and even years only reading work by men, but somehow the only director they could think to dedicate a module to was Woody Allen? It’s hard to see how the module can continue to be justified. There are so many other directors they could have picked that would be more

Official University of other Sheffield response

There are

so many

directors they could have picked that would be more revolutionary, more interesting, and far less problematic

revolutionary, more interesting, and far less problematic. In a time where victims and survivors are gaining the strength and confidence to come forward and try to clear Hollywood of abuse and misconduct, and a time of a general all-round increase in support for victims of abuse and empowerment against violence and manipulation, I for one am not here for an entire module dedicated to a man with such a questionable past. And I am certainly not here for the University being passive and apologetic in ignoring that.

“Students engaging with the arts and humanities encounter challenging moral, philosophical, political and ethical questions as an integral part of all the subjects we study. The ability to investigate, question and evaluate them contextually, dispassionately and without prejudice are the mature analytical qualities and skills fostered by studying the arts and humanities. Decisions about whether to offer, change or withdraw modules are taken by staff in consultation with the School’s Learning and Teaching Committee on the basis of collective reflections on the written evaluations of students taking the module. These decisions tend to be taken at the end of each academic year. This module will be reviewed in the usual way at that point. It’s important to make clear that the module is not (nor has ever been) a straightforward celebration of Allen and his work. In lectures and seminars, we do not avoid or swerve the allegations of sexual molestation. Nor does teaching ever airbrush out deeply problematic questions of gender, sexuality and race in Allen’s films themselves. These questions are raised consistently and repeatedly throughout the course. Direct reference is also made to the accusations surrounding Allen both at the beginning and end of

the course and there is a dedicated folder on the course website with articles and columns on both sides of the debate, including recent thinkpieces published online.Students are not -- by any stretch -- required to write hagiographies of Allen; they are, however, asked to interrogate the cultural relevance and controversial status of his film-making. Art and culture ask difficult questions of all of us. Why does contemporary culture celebrate certain figures and not others? Is the director even the most important person in the creation of a film? Might an Oscarwinning film like Annie Hall be as much the creation of Diane Keaton as its director? Talking about these films and the context that surround them seems to me more relevant and urgent in light of the #MeToo and #Time’sUp campaign, not less so. One of the assessment questions relates directly to this: How do we engage with Woody Allen’s Films in a PostWeinstein world?” - Dr Jonathan Ellis, School of English

Friday 11 May 2018

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Alfie Evans deserved peace - it’s time his parents and doctors got some too Paige Cockbain

grew up in Liverpool, and when I heard the controversy and drama surrounding Alfie Evans and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, my first

A parent cannot be objective, and to ask them to be is nigh on impossible thoughts were those of horror. With parents helpless to the suffering of their child, and armies of people angrily protesting outside a place where children go to heal, it seemed to me it was a mess no matter what

angle I looked at it from. I suppose the question hanging in the air was this: do professionals or parents know best? The fact it must be asked is a tragedy in itself. Two very young parents, and the doctors at Alder Hey, were forced to face an illness in a child that they could not cure. It is a scary thought, to know there are illnesses and conditions that sometimes cannot be solved. The professionals involved are surely commendable for their efforts in trying to save the little boy, who sadly passed away in the night a week after his life support was switched off. The question of whether the courts were right to have intervened is a simple answer in my eyes, though it is a hard pill to swallow, hence the nationwide upset over the situation. I do not believe parents have ownership over a child, just as I don’t believe the courts have ownership over one either. To be human is to be free, but as for making a decision when one isn’t in a position to

make their own, or is too young to know any better? I believe in this case that it cannot be decided by a parent who simply can’t bear the thought of losing their child. Of course they can’t - it is an almost incomprehensible thing. A parent loves their child unconditionally, and that they retain often blind hope is natural. A parent cannot be objective, and to ask them to be is nigh on impossible. Alfie Evans was plagued with an incurable, mysterious and degenerative neurological condition. Once a brain has degenerated, it does not regenerate. In my opinion, the way the doctors stuck by their decision that Alfie would be better off spending his final hours surrounded by the family who loves him, was courageous, especially in the face of the violent aggression they endured by the general public. It was mercy, not cruelty or apathy. In the end, the doctors and courts decided what they knew to be the

best path. In the end the Evans family thanked them for everything they did. They were a rock in a whirlwind of hate and aggression that got far too out of control. What wasn’t right were the armies

Once a brain has degenerated, it does not regenerate of people threatening to turn off fire alarms, attack the hospital full of ailing children and staff. People were jumping on the bandwagon of a situation they did not understand. Conspiracy theories? A child was dying, yet people did as they so often do, and made a movie out of it. They surrounded a hospital with nothing but negative energy and hate, while inside a poor family mourned their

son. Alfie Evans was dealt a truly unfair hand, and he is at peace now. I wish for his parents and the staff of Alder Hey to have their rest now, too.

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Friday 11 May 2018

Enoch Powell: He protecc, he attacc, but most importantly he is bacc (on Radio 4) Ben Warner

ersonally I was shocked when I found out that Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech was to be read out on BBC Radio 4 – one of the country’s intellectual broadcasting hubs.

... this speech was derided as horrifically racist when he made it in 1968, and rightly so We shouldn’t be ignoring history, absolutely. Britain has a shocking past, much of which has been wiped from the history books meaning millions of people will never know. And to that end, we shouldn’t ignore Powell’s infamous speech, but I’m astounded anyone thought it was a good idea to re-record it with an actor and play it in full.

Powell was speaking against the Labour government of the day introducing the Race Relations Act 1968, making it an offence to deny services to people based on the colour of their skin. I accept the argument that we need to analyse what was said in speeches like this and we should look at them, if only to see how the world has changed in the 50 years since then, and to attempt to prevent history from repeating itself. But this speech was derided as horrifically racist when he made it in 1968, and rightly so. “In this country in 15 or 20 years’ time the black man will have the whip hand over the white man,” Powell said. It resulted in him being sacked from the Shadow Cabinet the next day and effectively ended any longterm political ambitions he had. Despite that, he was wildly popular among the general population after the speech was made, because it was one of the first times that a politician came out with views like this. That the reaction to the speech being broadcast in 2018 was so negative shows how the world has changed, perhaps to the point where these wildly outdated views aren’t given airtime. It’s even more irresponsible to

broadcast it in the current climate, especially after the recent Windrush scandal. In the years before the speech was made, many people moved to Britain from the Caribbean and the Commonwealth to help the country rebuild after the Second World War. They did jobs that no-one else wanted to do, and received little to no thanks. Speeches like Powell’s incited hatred against them. Broadcasting this speech, which contains hatred towards many marginalised people, is wrong and could only serve to once again incite hatred against them. Analysing the content of the speech, for me, isn’t enough to justify that.

Allan Warren

A statue? A woman? Unprecedented Jack Mattless

ritain’s dreary mix of monuments dedicated to dusty nineteenth century statesmen and overweight monarchs (think Edward VII opposite KFC in the city centre) goes largely unnoticed thanks to none of them having any contemporary relevance. However, the statue of Millicent Fawcett unveiled in Parliament Square last week changes this and serves not only as a fitting celebration of the woman herself, but also of the female suffrage campaign she was instrumental in leading. Political significance aside, the visuals are outstanding. Not only has former Turner Prize winner Gillian Wearing seemingly managed the impossible in making the forged bronze of Fawcett’s clothing look like real-life tweed, but she has cleverly made the focal point of the piece not the steely persistence of Fawcett’s face but the message on the banner she holds which reads, “Courage calls to Courage everywhere”. Originally appearing in a written tribute to suffragette Emily Davison, who jumped in front of the King’s Horse at the 1913 Derby, it serves as a reminder there were at times two very separate campaigns for female suffrage. However, those who argue it ought to have been a suffragette

honoured, rather than the suffragist Fawcett, are wrong. While it is certainly true that the militant acts of the Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), raised the national

The idea that there’s no place for statues in a modern, pluralistic society is nonsense profile of the women’s movement, we shouldn’t conflate notoriety with success. In fact, Fawcett’s own organisation, the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) peaked at a membership of around 50,000, whereas the WSPU only ever reached about a quarter of that size. The vote itself was only granted in 1918 as a token of thanks to the efforts of the female workforce during the First World War. The patience and sense of duty both the WSPU and NUWSS showed in

halting their campaigns for the duration of the war chimes far more closely with the steady, legalistic framework used by Fawcett than it does the drama of the Pankhurst’s. However, to focus only on her push for female suffrage would be doing Fawcett a disservice. Her role as a successful campaigner extends way back into to the mid-nineteenth century. She was instrumental in repealing the controversial Contagious Diseases Acts on the grounds they violated the basic rights of the most vulnerable women in society and would have brought public attention to the horrifying conditions of prisoners in the Boer War had the Asquith government not ‘done an Alistair Campbell’ and sexed up the report, blaming the deaths on factors other than themselves. The idea that there’s no place for statues in a modern, pluralistic society is nonsense and the case of Fawcett shows it. More statues like this one where the focal point is not so much on the individual but the causes they stood for and messages they carried can finally help make our public spaces more egalitarian.

Friday 11 May 2018

Lifestyle facebook.com/ForgePress

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Harry Gold and Ellie Conlon

Forge Press

Lifestyle Editors

Hi guys, unfortunately this is the last issue Harry and I will be editing (I know, we’re getting tearful too). For our final issue, we have an article written by the lovely David Drew. David has studied at three universities and worked at three. He recounts his experiences of being at university in the 1960s studying mathematics at the University of Southampton. Secondly, we have two articles from the new Lifestyle Editors, Amelia Shaw and Molly Kerkham!

Amelia tells us about her experience as an Erasmus student in Berlin and debunks myths about its famous nightlife. And last but definitely not least, Molly gives Lifestyle some year abroad advice, so any of you readers who are looking into having a year abroad, definitely give this a read! We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our section over the last year as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together. Love Harry and Ellie x

Going up to University in 1968 David Drew offers a retrospect of what university was like in the 1960s now that he is once again a student in Sheffield The first term at university Standing at the station with a suitcase in my hand, I had an address in my pocket for my uni digs, having failed to get into halls. It contained all that I needed; some clothes and some books. Not that you needed books for reading mathematics; just concentration. The first Union meeting in the debating chamber was a bit stressful because you had to decide what to wear, whether a cravat or a tie. I chose a tie since this was 1968. Only the Beatles had long hair. You felt you had to look smart. Southampton was an easy choice. No one in my family had ever been to university. An article in the Sunday Times said that after Cambridge (Isaac Newton and all that), Southampton was good. So that was that. No league tables. The first term was lonely. After morning lectures I returned to my room and cooked some baked beans. Fortunately, mathematics was my saviour and I became very good friends with my potted plants although I missed my girlfriend from home. She worked as a florist and we had agreed to part when I left home to study. Luckily it was possible to move into halls during the first term and there were four people on my corridor, one of whom had been to Eton. He knew a lot about existentialism and did not believe in God. As a result of my church upbringing (Baptist) I had never met anyone like that and it felt intimidating. I was a university student for the first time in 1968 and am again a student now, 50 years later. At the end of term one there were examinations. My tutor was gently reassuring when I told him after five weeks that I wanted to leave. I wasn’t good enough I said. But at Christmas my marks were quite good. By the end of that year five of us had bought a Bedford van which we named Amos, I had cut windows into it and we had driven to Dubrovnik, camping all the way. Things were looking up.

The politics of the left and right Politics at university was a serious business; the left squared up to the right in frequent debates at the Students’ Union. The left was in the ascendancy; the International Socialists (a group which became the SWP) and the Socialist Labour League leading the charge. The right was represented by a small group called the Monday Club and went around the campus wearing Eton collars. One of them, Gerald Howarth, became a government minister. There was a great deal of interest in politics at the time. Harold Wilson was the Prime Minister and he managed to keep us out of the Vietnam War for which we were grateful. It was a time of protest and the Vietnam war was the focus. This was epitomised by the US singer Country Joe Macdonald who made famous a protest song ‘I feel like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag’. In England there were the Grosvenor Square Riots. Getting a degree There were no computers and no PowerPoint slides so learning took place in the lecture hall with chalk and talk. The professors were brilliant but in some cases seemed not to enjoy teaching. This was bad news for us. One lecturer would come in and start writing, hardly glancing at the students. He would write on a dozen blackboards and then rush to the beginning and start again. The good news was that this encouraged concentration but if you lost the thread you were stuck. I cannot remember much about mathematics from that time. Teaching techniques have changed somewhat now, mainly for the better. We knew we were fortunate to go to university. My dad was a draughtsman and my mum was a cashier in Woolworths and people like us did not go to university. We didn’t pay fees and a grant of £360 a year allowed us to live comfortably (a working man earned £600 a year). It is a terrible thing that current students are loaded with debt. There

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Friday 11 May 2018

seems to be considerable pressure today to compete and succeed, a pressure most of us did not feel because there were lots of jobs. Music and the counterculture Bands at university were great and Cream came down to the university: Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton. The main influence on us was Bob Dylan who turned electric in 1965 (the Judas Tour). We eagerly awaited his albums and, with there being no YouTube, we just worked out the chords from the record. Dylan sang about things we had barely heard of, for example, ‘The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll’ (1964), about a black barmaid killed by a young white man. The killer served six months in jail. Thus we learned about the Civil Rights Movement. The sexual revolution ‘Sexual intercourse began/In nineteen sixty-three/ (which was rather late for me) /Between the end of the Chatterley ban /And the Beatles’ first LP’ said Philip Larkin. Actually it was much later than that for most of us. In 1967 there was the summer of love for the hippies in San Francisco but we never heard about it; there was no great feeling of sexual revolution. All the women at my school had gone to teacher training college rather than university and I found out years later that they were still angry about it. Things have picked up a bit now. Community Action Community Action flourished at university at this time: students were keen to do something to help local people. All the RAG Funds went to local community projects. Every weekend we asked for paint from local hardware stores (mostly nasty shades of green and blue) and decorated the houses of old ladies. There was a great deal of poverty and the old ladies were grateful that we would paper over the cracks and finish a decorating job in a weekend. During the Easter break in 1970 we built an adventure playground in St Mary’s in Southampton, which

meant that children at last had somewhere to play safely. There are many more students involved in this kind of thing now. Going to university in the sixties was a fantastic opportunity. My only advice: do it. David Drew studied at three universities and worked at three, including the University of Sierra Leone. He is currently studying French at the University of Sheffield.

There were no computers and no PowerPoint slides so learning took place in the lecture hall with chalk and talk. The professors were brilliant but in some cases seemed not to enjoy teaching.

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

Erasmus experiences in Berlin

Amelia Shaw

ot many of us can actually afford a ‘gap yah’, so Erasmus and studying abroad offer pretty good alternatives. Although, contrary to common belief, you do also need to do actual uni work. As much as we all love Sheffield, it’s a pretty good excuse to get out and explore another part of the world for a bit, and dodge that dreaded dissertation for another year. First thing’s first, Erasmus makes you realise just how different the UK can be from the rest of Europe. Is there anything worse than living with ten other people, none of whom pay university fees? Nope, and they like to boast about it. You also have to be prepared to be met with constant questions about Britain and its culture. ‘Do you all love the royal family?’, ‘do you really drink tea and

eat cakes every day?’, and ‘how often do you eat fish and chips?’. The worst is ‘why did Brexit happen?’, but let’s not even get started on that one. The student accommodation in Berlin basically makes Endcliffe look like a hovel, and not even a slightly posher Ranmoor can compete. Big rooms (all en-suite), a free gym, a massive supermarket just five minutes walk away, and a tram stop right outside the flat door has made me never want to leave. However, my Erasmus university definitely does not have the convenience factor. The Humboldt Universitaet is completely spread across the city, sometimes buildings are miles apart. Tourists start to get irritating – does that mean I can call myself a Berliner now? Anyway, don’t ever moan about your walk home to Endcliffe/

Crookes ever again, and if you live in Sheffield’s city accommodation, you don’t know how lucky you are. Now you might be under the impression that people in Berlin have easy access to its famous nightlife, but it’s often not the case. Berghain is this fantasy people go on about, but barely anyone ever goes, and unless you’re really into your techno it’s apparently not that good anyway. Three lots of security, questioning and no photos allowed inside? It makes having to deal with the Corp bouncers seem like a dream - bet it’s got nothing on Pop Tarts. A big part of Erasmus is getting to know another academic system that can be incredibly different from home, depending where you go. Now, the Humboldt Universitaet in Berlin is so old fashioned that student ID

cards (without a photo) have just been released and everyone seems to think it’s revolutionary. Academic culture is also very different. Instead of those awkward seminars where barely anyone speaks, in Berlin people continuously debate and are always challenging what the lecturer says. Seminars with as many as 28 people can be a bit intense. On the plus side, exams and essays are often optional and only taken if you desperately need a grade (which Erasmus students usually do, thanks a lot Sheffield). Berlin as a city is fascinating. It’s full of history and amazing things to do and see that make Sheffield seem like a little village in comparison (sorry Sheff, love you really). It’s also great for Instagram – important, obviously - as stunning

architecture, street art and cool bars can be found everywhere. The best is Klunkerkranich, a rooftop bar with amazing views over the city, found in a multi-storey car park; it’s a bit weird, and very Berlin. There’s also so much to do. Museums, art galleries, flea markets, you name it, you can probably do it in the German capital. The food options are incredibly diverse and it’s usually very vegan friendly, if you’re into that. More seriously, Erasmus should be recommended to everyone and it can definitely be a bit of a life changer – cringey, I know. It comes with its hard parts and downsides, obviously, but studying abroad is definitely one of the best university experiences on offer, and Berlin is pretty cool.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Year Abroad Advice Molly Kerkham

Disclaimer: I’m a panicker. A nail biter. A card-carrying worrywart. And this year, like many other students, I packed my bags, left the cosy confines of Sheffield and became an Erasmus student. More specifically, I hopped across the Channel to become a teacher in France. A year abroad is a really exciting time. It’s a fantastic opportunity to travel, learn a new language and meet new people. But it can also be a stressful one. So, here’s my tips on how to take the pressure off yourself while on your travels. Get chatting A good way to allay pre-move nerves is getting an idea of what to expect. Talk to someone who’s done something similar before, or do some online research. This can help when you arrive too. Learning more about how to limit culture shock, a headsup on the medical system or offering tips on making friends in your new home. Bring EVERYTHING This might be boring, but believe anyone who tells you to bring photocopies upon photocopies of every document you have to your name. I might be biased (I went to France, a country whose bizarre bureaucracy seems to be a both point of national pride and dismay), but trust me, coming prepared will make tackling a bewildering admin system a lot less stressful. Don’t bring everything Remember, shops exist abroad too. If you can, leave that extra case at home. Categorising your list can make packing easier: essentials, or things that are difficult or expensive to find abroad (prescription medication, photos of your cat); things that you might need and might be hard to find (adaptor plugs, Marmite); and nonessentials that you’ll definitely be able to get your hands on (shampoo, cornflakes). Doing a bit of research or asking others who’ve been there before can be really helpful when debating which item to ditch in order to get your case under the dreaded airline weight limit. Don’t panic if everything isn’t 100% organised right now It’s a great idea to start looking into the big stuff (like housing and work) as soon as you can, but take a deep breath and stay calm if everything doesn’t fall into place right away. Spending a while in a hostel or an Airbnb before you find a place isn’t the end of the world (and it’s certainly better than hastily signing a dodgy contract). Nor is not having that elusive second semester work placement sorted out before you leave in September. Keep trying, and things will work out.

You don’t have to be fluent immediately (or even by the time you leave) When I first arrived, my - unexpectedly - poor French was a constant source of cringiness. After a few weeks of stumbling over my words, nodding my way through conversations I wasn’t following and people asking if I was German or Italian because of my “strange accent”, I decided it didn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if a stranger, or even a colleague, thought I was a little odd. The most important thing when learning a foreign language is practice, and confidence. So go ahead. Speak. Chat. Natter. Worst case scenario, you’ll have a funny story to tell. Of course, the feeling that you’re not improving can be disheartening. However, instead of setting your heart on immediate fluency, focus on small goals. Challenge yourself to include a new word or phrase in conversation - it can really help to notice yourself improving. It’s okay to have down days Remember, you are living here. If you’re spending months at a time somewhere, then you’ll have good days and bad days, just like back home. It sounds obvious, but it can be easy to imagine your year abroad as an extended holiday, full of sunshine and seizing the day. Not every moment has to be a life changing adventure. Some days you’ll have chores to do, exams to revise for, or simply need a breather and a Netflix binge. Let yourself stay at home sometimes - without feeling guilty. Take social media with a pinch of salt Social media can pile on the pressure to have a good time. Whether you’re reading messages about your uni mates’ night outs back home or scrolling through insta after insta of year abroad students living it up in Montreal or Malaga, it’s not hard to imagine you’re the only one not having an amazing time. It’s easier said than done, but it’s important to remember that everyone else only posts the highlights of their life online - almost no one adds to their Instagram story details of the time they missed a train, or misunderstood someone in a supermarket. Instead, pay attention to the good experiences you’ve had - the new things you’ve done, the places you’ve been, even if they seem small. Before you know it, your time abroad will be over. So, make the most of it - carpe diem and all that - but don’t forget that taking a breather and looking after yourself can be just as important as chasing adventure. Regardless, your year abroad will help you grow and learn, even if it’s in ways you weren’t entirely expecting.

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Friday 11 May 2018

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Laura Mulvey

@ForgePress

Hello and welcome to our very last issue of the year! We have plenty of summer treats lined up to see you through the deadline season. On this page, see what Joe Reed made of SUPAS’s latest offering, a musical version of cult classic The Addams Family. Plus, get incoming Arts Editor Charly Hurrell’s take on the touring production Tom and Bunny Save The World.

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Arts Editor

At the Festival of Debate, Elizabeth Day caught up with renowned comedian Francesca Martinez to chat about her upcoming performance. We also have a run-down of the pressing debate Should We Give Money to Homeless People Who Beg?, while incoming Break Editor Robin Wilde fills us in on former Labour leader Ed Miliband’s sell-out show. Finally, as this is my last ever issue of Forge, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has written for and followed the Arts

The Addams Family

Review

by SUPAS

Joe Reed

t’s not often that student productions incorporate great comedy with musical talent, but SUPAS’s The Addams Family manages to make it work as part of a heart-warming redemption story. It’s a textbook Hollywood romance, too, one that makes you laugh for the duration. Set in the dark world of the Addams family mansion, we are introduced to the family as daughter Wednesday has recently turned eighteen and fallen in love. Unfortunately for her she has fallen in love with a ‘normal’ boy called Lucas who comes from a ‘normal’ family, a choice she is sure will not sit too well with the rest of her family. When Lucas visits the family home with his parents Alice and Mal, all manner of hilarity ensues. Wednesday and Lucas discover what it really means to be normal, and both sets of parents re-discover why they fell in love all those years ago.

As always, SUPAS

has put together an

impressive assemblage of leads.

As always, SUPAS has put together an impressive assemblage of leads, all of whom deliver powerful vocal performances throughout the production. Special mention must go to Lily

Photos by Dan Lewington

Review Charly Hurrell

Backler, whose vocal performance as Wednesday really carries the show forward with momentum. Despite being dubbed a musicalcomedy, it is not simply the music that creates a tremendous show. There are some beautifully hit comedic performances: Zac Lewis’ overhyped, well-meaning Uncle Fester is the source of many a laugh from the audience. But really the gold medal for comedy must be handed to Stephen Bache for his performance as the family butler Lurch. While a relatively small part, the comedic timing is second

to none and really helped to create a well-rounded show. Seeing it on the opening night meant the performance wasn’t without its teething problems. An overly loud orchestra (who otherwise were beyond excellent) occasionally drowning out the performers and a couple of missed cues were the only blemishes on an otherwise pitch-perfect show. If you haven’t yet had a chance to see a SUPAS show, it is definitely worth your time to get yourself down to their next one.

pages over the last two years. I’m happy to leave you in the frighteningly capable hands of Sophie and Charly, and look forward to seeing where they take the section next. It’s been a pleasure.

Tom and Bunny Save the World at Theatre Delicatessen

ith a burst of interest in the apocalyptic genre coming in the last decade, it’s understandable as to why it has even made its way into a smalltime musical. Tom and Bunny Save the World places a southern graduate and a northern, freewilled girl on a road trip back to the holy grail of Yorkshire, while facing an onslaught of zombies. Tom, performed excellently by Jamie Mawson, is the underdog of the cast. He’s the quietest of the characters, but the audience can’t help but be enticed by his sweet characterisation. His nickname for the zombies, ‘Jam Faces’, is wonderful. Bunny, however, is obnoxious, loud and detracts from the perfectly-timed and excellently-rehearsed supporting cast. The accents are relentless, at times making the dialogue incomprehensible. The cast’s entrance on stage is similar to an elephant falling through a glass roof. Everyone works together to create an intrusive melo-dramatisation of menial acts. Tying one’s shoes does not take a variation of six facial expressions along with the support of four singing cast members. The juxtaposition of first world problems and the possible failure of survival in a zombie outburst is an excellent idea

that will definitely draw a wide range of audience members in. However, their constant overdramatisation of each movement eventually becomes tiresome. The supporting cast are constantly full of energy, and the production is excellently timed, but the

The cast’s entrance on stage is similar to an elephant falling through a glass roof. constant singing is eventually debilitating. A good concept and enjoyable for musical fanatics, but perhaps rethink if you don’t enjoy repetitive singing for an hour.

Forge Recommends: USLES Presents: An Evening of Light Entertainment

13th May | 4-10pm | Foundry, Sheffield Students’ Union Join USLES, The Shrimps, Comedy Revue, and Cosplay Soci-

ety for a fun-filled evening showcasing a wide range of talent. It’s a perfect excuse to relax before exams.

Tickets are £5 and available on the SU website.

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

The Festival of Debate continues to incite the city with food for thought for the fourth year running. This is continuing until 29 June.

Francesca Martinez: “ I’m not disabled or faulty, I’m just me” By Elizabeth Day

otorious funny woman Francesca Martinez, who has performed amongst the likes of Frankie Boyle, doesn’t shy away. The no-bullshit stand-up pokes fun at herself, championing her cerebral palsy and making her comedy different from the rest. In her latest comedic instalment, Martinez performed a show for her Sheffield audience, based on her book ‘What The **** Is Normal?’ as part of the Festival of Debate. To find out what’s hiding behind the quick-witted one-liners, Forge interviewed Francesca on the more serious stuff. From growing up with cerebral palsy, to feeling abnormal in a society obsessed with fitting in, Francesca gave me an insight into her world. Q: What is “What The **** Is Normal?” really about and why should people go and see it? A: ‘The show is about my journey to realising nobody is normal. I grew up in a world where people labelled me ‘abnormal’. But as a kid I felt totally normal, I was really unaware that I was different. But then I went to an all-girls high school. I realised very quickly that ‘wow, I’m in a world that sees me as abnormal, broken and faulty’. That was a real turning point for me. I used to wish and pray that I wasn’t me - that I could be normal. When I was about 19, I had a conversation that literally changed my life. It made me realise ‘hang on a minute, I’m not disabled or faulty, I’m just me’. I realised very quickly

that I should focus on what I could do and not what I couldn’t. I should be appreciating my body for keeping me alive. It made me realise that my own battles in life have not been because I’ve been wobbly, they have been because I live in a culture that can’t handle difference and breeds self-loathing. Once I rejected that value system, I became so much happier as I embraced who I was. This show is especially relevant to students, who are at the beginning of their adult life because that generation has the most pressure put on them. It really upsets me that a lot of the younger generation don’t like themselves; they should be celebrating being young, being beautiful, being healthy. But instead, 90 percent of students are struggling with pressures to conform. The show is kind of a battle call to rebel against a corrosive value system, embrace who you are and get on with living life.

I don’t think there is an objectively normal person, or an objectively beautiful person, or an objectively successful person. Normality is a concept designed to disempower us and make us feel like we are not good enough. So, the

Q: Your show deconstructs the notion of normality. What does the term ‘normal’ now mean to you?

Q: Students are often stereotyped as using university as a vehicle to ‘find themselves’. What would you say to a young person who is struggling to accept who they are?

A: Normal means different. Everyone is different. Everyone has things they can and can’t do and for me, that is normal. It is normal to struggle with things as a human being. It is normal to like yourself and want to find a way to be happy with yourself.

term ‘normal’ to me means diversity.

A: I would say to students and anyone who is struggling, the most important thing in the whole world is to learn to think for yourself. If you can develop those tools, or help

someone else develop those tools then you become equipped with the mental capacity to fight back. When I was so unhappy, I didn’t even realise I had given away my choice in what to think. I say in my show that the only power we have is the power to choose what to think. I gave that power away. I think many of us do, without even realising it. But when you take that power back, when you say ‘my thoughts and my beliefs aren’t making me happy, they are not serving my wellbeing’ you can then decide what sorts of beliefs do make me happy. I don’t watch TV, I don’t read newspapers, or look at adverts. I don’t even have a smartphone because I don’t want to be online all the time. I constantly try to shield myself from really crappy values and pressures. There are lots of ways to accept who you are but as a starting point, you have to believe that you have the right to question, think for yourself and make up a value system that is beneficial to you, instead of detrimental. Q: You often use your experiences with cerebral palsy as inspiration for your comedy. Does humour help you accept yourself and at what point did you start laughing along with the jokes too?

A: When I was little, I hated being pitied – I didn’t understand why I was being pitied because I felt so happy. I always thought ‘why are people talking to me in a weird voice?’ and then I realised it was that they feel sorry for me. For some reason, I thought if I could be funny I could kind of burst that bubble and make them respect me. From a very young age, I’ve used humour to relax people and show my personality over my disability. Comedy is a great way of saying ‘hey, I’m me and there’s nothing scary about it’. Anyone can become disabled at any time, so I’m not different from anyone else really.

Normality is a concept designed to disempower us.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Reviews

Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloyd Reasons to be Cheerful by Robin Wilde

hose who haven’t been following Ed Miliband’s career since his electoral defeat in 2015 would be forgiven for confusion at the rest of this sentence, but his podcasting and presenting career has really come into its own. Reasons to be Cheerful, co-hosted with Absolute Radio presenter Geoff Lloyd, has topped 30 episodes and shows no signs of slowing.

They’re a riot when they find their pace. In this vein, the duo have taken to Britain’s cities for a series of live shows, and it’s gratifying to see that at each they’ve involved local guests and experts to discuss the topics under consideration. In Sheffield, the pair were talking

higher education, its problems and its future, with a panel of guests which included former Students’ Union President Josh Forstenzer alongside Dr. Jo Grady and Mark Leach. Aside from the obvious novelty of a former contender for Prime Minister playing Marxist board games and discussing his favourite Gordon Brown moments, Miliband is a genuinely strong presenter who brings thought and incisive questioning to his guests. While politicians discussing policy on stage is not a rare event for those few who seek it out, Ed and Geoff brought enough passion and patter to proceedings that the evening never felt dull or stalled. There was plenty of audience participation ranging from the serious (questions about education policy) to the silly (a game called Do I Look Like A Badger? in which contestants make Miliband guess a name without using certain keywords). The podcast’s weak point is usually its guests, and this live show was unfortunately no exception. Upstart Crow’s Rob Rouse, who also hosts a show on Radio

Sheffield, rather misjudged the room with a series of 1970s-style dinner lady jokes, while Reasons to be Cheerful announcer Gayle Lofthouse combined their efforts

to produce a distinctly local radio chatter feel to their section. Ed and Geoff’s layers of injokes might be a bit inaccessible to those who haven’t listened to every

show, but they’re a riot when they find their pace. For the terminally awkward, a more relatable politician than Ed Miliband is hard to find.

Should We Give Money to People Who Beg? by Lucy Fox

A giving £1 to someone would shorten their life by 1 hour.

n obvious point of controversy surrounding all societies with an evident class hierarchy is whether those who can should give money to those who beg. The Festival of Debate, in association with Roundabout, hosted the discussion with panelists of differing viewpoints to challenge our reasoning. The four panelists included Jason Marriot (Framework), Tracey Ford (Sheffield City Council Drug and Alcohol Coordination Team), David Ford (Expert Link) and Peter Sephton (Sheffield City Centre Residents Action Group). With an array of perspectives, debate was rife. To start, various statistics were given by the panel. These started positively: from October 2017 to February 2018 the number of reported begging incidents in Sheffield had fallen from 401 to 191. However the facts soon turned dark; for instance Sephton claimed “giving £1 to someone would shorten their life

by one hour.” As can be expected, members of the audience soon questioned this and the tone was set for some lively debate that continued throughout the evening. Sephton’s coining of the word ‘drugaholics’ to describe people suffering from addictions was an obvious point of controversy and paved the way for a discussion on the labelling of people in our society, and the need to see people as individuals without stereotyping. Discussion dominated the idea of whether giving money facilitated the cycle of addiction. Ford spoke passionately about the power of substance abuse and suggested that begging can enable people to avoid turning to crime to finance their habit. Others spoke out equally as strong on how giving money can cause people to disengage with services. Moreso, Marriot stated from experience that “begging is not a consequence of homelessness, but it may be a cause”. He then went on to describe a situation where occasional begging

increases until people are fully dependent on it as a means to live. Emotion peaked halfway into the debate, when a member of the audience stood up to share her experiences of the daily struggle she faced on Sheffield’s streets. Others spoke powerfully about the incredible resilience and strength needed to survive. Few will have left the event thinking that begging is an ‘easy option’, even if that had been their original point of view. This debate is so complex, it cannot be summed up by the use of labels or statistics. Dramatically different views exist, but maybe there isn’t a strictly right or wrong answer. People can still help in alternative ways, by volunteering or donating to local charities who are doing some amazing work with the street community in Sheffield.

Friday 11 May 2018

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Chloe Dervey

@forgetoday

Hi Gamers! In this issue, the indie spotlight shines on our new favourite thing, Monster Prom. Meanwhile, Games has never looked so good in pink. Hot damn. Find Hogwarts Mystery and God of War reviews, and two opinion pieces over the page! *Que Simple and Clean, by Utada HIkaru* Now before I start crying on the keyboard, I want to quickly

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SECTION OF THE YEAR 2017/18 don’tcha know.

Forge Press

Games (SECTION OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!) Editor thank all of the incedibly talented and dedicated members of Forge Press for making many hours of hard work into great fun (Media hub? more like Media HUG! sorry). But the BIGGEST THANK YOU goes to my absolutely exceptional coeditor and otherhalf, Tom. I’m immensley proud of everything we’ve achieved with the section this year (all that singing in the hub paid off,

huh?) and I know I leave Games in good hands. Tom and Luke will make a great team, but Chlom is forever. Also shout out to Sian: Thanks for reading and glad you enjoyed Thimbleweed Park!! Ah, my legacy. Finally... thank you Lara, thank you Kris, thank you Chloe, thank you Jill. Game over! Chlo x

Indie spotlight

icture this: you’re at high school and you’re kind of a loser. Prom is coming up in three weeks time, the most important event in any teenager’s life, and you’re desperate for a date. The catch? You’re a monster, as is the rest of the student body. The entire game’s concept is simple, get a date for prom. You do this by exploring the school and encountering dateable ghoulies, hoping that when the time comes one of them will take your miserable acne-ridden

teenage self to prom. The best part is that the game allows four different players to battle it out and get dates for prom, back-stabbing and toe-stepping abound! Let the games begin! Us at Forge have taken a stab at wooing these monsters and are compelled tell you about our experiences of this phenomenal game. Don’t fret about spoilers, as the game is randomly generated and there are hundreds of different outcomes, scenarios, and endings for you to see.

Chloe

Tom

What did I do to try and secure a date for the Monster Prom? What didn’t I do. There he was. Damien, the fiery prince of hell sitting at the middle table in the cafeteria, plotting the best ways to violently quell a peasant revolt. There I was: Brian, a massive Frankenstein-looking monster with a tendency to skip class and throw some mad shapes at a rave on the school grounds. We were the perfect match, or so I thought. My competition, the dastardly handsome prince from another dimension, threatened to steal Damien from my cold undead grasp. I had to whip up something smart, something bold, something creative if I was to catch him by his devil horns and make him mine forever. I seized the opportunity to hang with the local witch coven (who didn’t appear on our first play-through) and boy did they do me a solid. After a series of transfiguration spells of a certain, shall we say, aviatic nature, Damien was impressed with Brian and frankly so was I. Unfortunately at this point poor Brian’s charm skill was so low that she accidentally insulted Damien’s grandmother in an attempt at flirting. It all started going drastically downhill, and ended with a stream of insults so savage that I’m still not quite over it. No, Brian did not get a date to the Monster Prom, but she did get likened to a disappointingly bland spice in Damien’s heated rage.

My name is Tom, but in Monster land my name was Vicky, a quirky and cute Frankenstein’s bride with their eyes firmly set on Polly Geist, the school’s spooky ghost and also the resident party animal. It was a rough journey. There were times when Polly doubted my skills in love (specifically, in the bedroom) and there were times when, in my efforts to woo her, I kidnapped a man for her to do whatever she pleased with, only to find her affections were stronger for him than I! However, I had an ace up my sleeve. I visited the school’s shop, run by a cat, and bought a white sheet with two holes cut out in it: a ghost costume. The entire school from then on was convinced I was a ghost (besides the hipster vampire) and Polly adored it. She had a ghost friend, and thus, she fell in love with me. That’s right. I wooed the ghost by pretending in the most shoddy way possible to be a ghost. Lying is the way to love, you heard it here first. Oh, and I totally told Polly that my rival was going to take FOREVER to die and so was super incompatible with her. Back off, she’s mine.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery REVIEW Alex Peneva

hat’s the first thing you would expect from a Harry Potter game? Surely, it’s the chance to play as the boy who lived himself or, at least alongside him. If you were dreaming about becoming the new Ron Weasley or Hermione Granger, then Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery might leave you disappointed. After you get sorted into a Hogwarts house of your preference, Dumbledore welcomes you, saying: “The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, is now safe. Years from now, young Harry will be old enough to attend Hogwarts. But for now, it’s your turn!” And with that, your own adventure begins, ten years before the Harry Potter story we all know. Whether you’re an avid fan of the series or not, you will find Hogwarts Mystery exciting and captivating during the first few hours of gameplay. But how long this feeling of excitement will last for is still to be confirmed. In your first year you will attend Flitwick’s Charms, Snape’s Potions and Madam Hooch’s Flying classes, as well as meet new friends and, of course, your very own Draco Malfoy-esque rival; a haughty nemesis who will always get in your way and drive you nuts. Playing this game does require

a lot of patience. To complete tasks you will need energy, which refills over time. If you are looking for a game to play all the time, Hogwarts Mystery won’t work well for you. But, it might be a good way to keep yourself busy during a ten minute lecture break. The storyline of the game allows you to develop your character into a fine wizard/ witch based only on what you learn through the game, so no previous knowledge of the series

Playing this game does require a lot of patience is required. During your seven years in Hogwarts, you’ll solve the mystery of the five cursed vaults, rumoured to contain treasures and magical artefacts. This plot point makes its debut in this game. When it’s time to duel and you find yourself in a bind, all the spell practice will pay off, so you better work hard in class from the very beginning! Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery will likely be different from what you expected, but if you need something to entertain and distract you from the distressing reality that is exam season, why not give it a go?

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

God of War REVIEW

Luke Baldwin

t’s been 13 years since the original God of War burst onto the PS2, and the series has not ventured far from its signature tone or style since. But now, with an expanding market and a more intelligent consumer base, a hack-n-slash about a grumbling manly killing machine simply doesn’t the cut the mustard anymore. To Sony’s credit, they’ve definitely endeavoured to make the new God of War different to the norm while fitting in with the rest of the franchise. But have they delivered on such a huge ask? The most obvious shift is the games setting. With the Gods of Olympus dead (spoiler), former God of War Kratos is all that remains of the series’ Greek roots. Instead, the game revolves around Norse mythology, beginning in Midgård. For many this may seem like a strange choice; the Greek pantheon is relatively well known due to it’s common portrayal in media and artwork. Most people know the basics of Greek Mythology. However, this transition to Norse mythology means that most people’s knowledge of the topic doesn’t extend beyond what’s happening in the Thor films. Yet, players will quickly find that this

isn’t an issue. The characters, creatures and legends are diverse and interesting enough to imbue a sense of wonder and excitement which captures the player’s attention immediately. Likewise, one would be wrong to assume that a Nordic-inspired setting would constrain the world to snowy mountaintops and dense forests, but God of War actually offers incredibly vibrant and varied locales. These worlds look gorgeous regardless, but a PS4 Pro and 4k display showcase them for what they really are: some of the most beautiful and detailed visuals ever seen in gaming. This beauty is highlighted by how the the realm is shown to the player. Gone are the sweeping wide cameras which enhanced the cinematic set pieces that the series is known for. Instead, the game opts for a close over the shoulder camera, which never cuts away from the main menu. The entire game is one continuous tracking shot without a single loading screen. Cutscenes are seamlessly integrated, meaning the only interruptions are when Kratos dies. This method perfectly reflects the game’s semiopenness, which expertly blends a grandiose sandbox with storydriven linear sections. The result is an intimate and personal experience which makes Kratos relatable, but also enhances the scale of the bigger, more actionbased portions of the game. This tone is reflected in the combat. Kratos no longer wields the iconic Blades of Chaos which he used to slaughter hordes of flimsy enemies in over-the-top fashion. Instead, his weapon of choice is the Leviathan Axe, a more understated weapon, or his bare hands. Although the somersaults and backflips are a thing of the past, the combat has a far more brutal, weighty feeling to it. Backed by a plethora of RPG elements, the gameplay is truly exceptional. Plus the ability to throw your axe and magically recall it, akin to Thor’s Mjolnir, always feels satisfying and never gets old. But the true star of the show has to be the protagonists and their respective actors. Kratos, voiced by Christopher Judge (who readers may recognise as Stargate SG-1’s Teal’c), does a sublime job of portraying what is an incredibly complex character. Previously a two dimensional hypermasculine sex-driven killing machine Kratos, much like the series itself, has matured significantly. The

Spartan is now a battle-hardened veteran who must balance his troubled past and harsh reality with a desire to protect and nurture those he loves, namely his young son Atreus. The parent and child relationship is a concept we’ve seen many times, notably in films like Logan and games like The Last of Us, but one that is very befitting of the game’s dramatic tone. Not only does Atreus serve as a handy combat companion, complete with his own skill trees and progression, but he is backed by an exceptional performance from up-and-coming talent Sunny Suljic. Suljic perfectly captures Atreus’ desire to impress his gruff and introverted father as well as his childhood whimsy and innocence. It’s understandable that Judge said he initially thought the script for God of War was for a film. The game transcends our perceptions of what a video game should be. The unique setting, distinct tone, clear themes of parenting and learning and deep, meaningful characters creates a truly cinematic and immersive experience. Combine this with some solid gameplay and you’ve got what is surely one of the greatest games of this generation.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Shadow of the Tomb Raider Announcement OPINION Tom Buckland

n recent weeks, Shadow of the Tomb Raider was announced and screenshots were leaked. It was all very exciting and us at Forge Games are passionate fans of the Tomb Raider series. Yet, there’s a sense of apprehension regarding the trailer and the screenshots of what’s to come in Lara’s adventure through Latin America. The visuals are breathtaking, but there’s still something troubling about how it all looks. It may be because it’s nothing we haven’t already seen. The tone is tense, the environment is exotic, the weather is miserable, and Lara looks like she’s having a bad time. Why is none of this surprising? This trilogy was designed to be an evolution of Lara, seeing her evolve into the “Tomb Raider” that fans know and love. In order to get an idea of what the ‘Survivor Reborn’ trilogy is meant to lead to, us at Forge went back and played the old Tomb Raider games. The endearing but awkward original series hasn’t aged well, yet there’s something these iconic games possess that the latest Tomb Raider games do not have: a likeable, charismatic, and happy Lara Croft. Lara doesn’t have much of a

Fortnite is better than PUBG OPINION Kavan Mankoo 26 September 2017, a day like any other. Little did we know, it would be a day that would change the gaming world forever (Well, at least for the near future). Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode was released and lives were changed. Fortnite was a modestly selling game until that fateful day in September, but since then it has grown to become a gargantuan

figure in gaming for so many different reasons. One of the chief reasons for its popularity is simple: it’s free to play and not pay to win. Everyone loves free games and all gamers love developers and publishers who show a little bit of ethical backbone and respect for their community. With PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) you have to pay £27 to buy the game and after that no further purchases are forced upon you. When you consider that Fortnite is free though, it

just makes it more appealing. Everyone likes free stuff. For a game that’s free, the impressive and consistent number of updates assure that Epic Games will be adored by the masses . You don’t see that in PUBG. You know what else you don’t see in PUBG? A game that works. PUBG is a broken game. They hid this through the mysterious guise of the phrase we’ve all come to know and hate: ‘early access’. This, for developers, is an excuse to release half a game.

backstory back in the original games. She was in a plane crash in the Himalayas, survived for two weeks, and subsequently decided the life of adventure was for her and so began raiding

The tone is tense, the environment is exotic, the weather is miserable, and Lara looks like she’s having a bad time. Why is none of this surprising? tombs. This was never shown in the games, but it didn’t detract from Croft’s character. She was seen as a confident, sassy woman who was adventuring just because she could and wouldn’t let anyone get in her way. Now we bring you forward to 2013,

But even when it went full release it was still broken. Fortnite used the same ‘early access’ title but it worked, and never had any major problems with cheaters. Now the game has been fully released and is better than ever. There is an argument that PUBG is a game designed for more mature audiences. From the cartoon-like art style and the lack of blood, it’s obvious that Fortnite is a game directed at a younger audience and that is perfectly okay. Realistic games are great, but something doesn’t have to be dark and gritty to be good. Sometimes, shooting John Wick with a Gold Scar while dressed as superhero is just more appealing.

when the first of these new Tomb Raider games was released. Lara’s new hobbies are solely whining, falling off things, and whining some more. Her determination and perseverance shown throughout Tomb Raider 2013 and its sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider are wellwritten and entertaining, of that there is no doubt. The problem is, there’s only so much of it that we can handle. There is more than just one trait to a character, and Lara isn’t done any justice when players mostly see her as being exceptional at complaining. Without question, presumptions can be dangerous. So going into Shadow of the Tomb Raider with the preconception that it’ll be identical to previous games is unarguably closed-minded. But it’s hard not to have that mindset when the tone of the trailer suggests a Lara Croft who’s still uncertain of herself and looks like a glutton for punishment. Watch the trailer, she falls off like three different things. It should be a fantastic game with undeniably phenomenal action sequences and production values through the roof, but there’ll be a sad, disappointing sensation if the game repeats the notes that have already played several times in the games before and doesn’t add anything new or refreshing to Lara’s character. Just crack a joke Lara, that’s all we ask.

The absolute main reason why Fortnite is brilliant, though: it’s fun. There’s no better way to phrase it. From experience, even watching someone else play is just as fun - well not quite, but it’s my turn soon…

You know what else you don't see in PUBG? A game that works.

Friday 11 May 2018

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Flo Mooney | Music Editor

@ForgePress

This is a very sad issue for me, as it is my final issue on Forge [insert sad face emoji]. It’s been a blast, I’ve learnt a lot and had the pleasure of working with a great team. As an ode to this final issue, Ben and I have tried to make it our best yet! This week we’ve got our typical array of reviews from Tom Misch to Blossoms, as well as the unexpected duo of Sting and Shaggy. Alongside our reviews, check out our interview with Wulfman Fury. This up-and-

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Music

coming Sheffield band will be storming the stage at Tramlines this July. Keep your eyes open for these guys. For my final issue, I’ve written an opinion piece about the current relevance of the singles charts. As the way we consume music has changed, the charts have struggled to keep up, and it appears it has lost its ability to really chart the newest most popular music. As summer is coming, we’re heading towards the release of the new albums for the summer. Leon Bridges soulful sophmore outing is a perfect record

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for this weather, as well as Twin Shadows’ most recent release Caer. Keep your ears perked up for new music from Florence + The Machine, Arctic Monkeys and Kanye in coming months. It’s looking exciting! Finally, I must send my thanks to my fabulous co-editor, Ben Kempton, and wish him and new Music Editor Harriet Evans all the best for next year. Over and out.

Editors’ Picks. Album.

Good Thing by Leon Bridges You won’t believe this came out last week. Leon Bridges captures the soul of the 60s with his powerful voice, potent lyrics and raw, stripped back sound of the instruments. Despite providing a time machine experience, Bridges does not get himself lost in the dying genre. His stylish character, as seen on the endless videos of him dancing on his instagram, emits through his work resulting in a up to date version of a timeless classic.

Single.

‘Hunger’ by Florence + The Machine It’s been three years, but Flo’s back. ‘Hunger’ is the first single from her hugely anticipated forthcoming album High as Hope, the follow-up to 2015’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. ‘Hunger’ is classic Florence, soaring and roaring, with her distinctive dancing vocals and poetic lyrics. If this is a taster for what is to come on High as Hope we’re in for a treat.

Sting & Shaggy 44/876 Flo Mooney

f there’s one feature that defines music in 21st Century, across all genres, it is the collaboration. From Nelly and Kelly Rowland 2002 anthem ‘Dilemma’, to Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa’s current hit ‘One Kiss’, there are too many between to mention. One collaboration no one could have seen coming is that of Police frontman Sting, and early noughties reggae star Shaggy, but here it is: Shaggy and Sting’s duet album 44/876. On first listen, this collaboration

almost makes sense. The Police always had clear reggae influences in tracks such as ‘Roxanne’ and ‘So Lonely’. If Sting’s aim was to put a new twist on his familiar style and sound, a reggae collaboration isn’t such a crazy idea. What is a crazy idea is collaborating with a reggae artist who hasn’t been relevant since the release of ‘It Wasn’t Me’. The ‘Mr Boombastic’ hitman doesn’t exactly scream credibility, so it seems unclear what Sting was attempting to achieve here. Beyond, the sonic coherence, there is little else positive to say about this album. From ‘Gotta Get Back My Baby’, where pensioner

Sting awkwardly describes his love interest as “girl” and “baby”, to the uncomfortable overly-positive chorus of ‘Dreaming in the USA’ which would have been more at home on an early S-Club 7 album. 44/876 appears to be an attempt to stay relevant by two artists far past their prime. However, rather than being an exciting alteration from their individual backcatalogues, it is an embarrassing and self-indulgent record by two artists completely unaware of their audience.

Ariana Grande No Tears Left to Cry Paige Cockbain

fter last years tragedies in Manchester, Ariana Grande’s new single was anticipated on a whole new level, and with many unsure what to expect. With a track title named ‘No Tears Left to Cry’ one would assume it would be a solemn and emotional ballad, but what she delivered instead was an energy and vitality which was so very her. In the wake of the Manchester tragedy, Ariana organised the One Love Manchester benefit concert, showing that no matter what her and her fans would not be silenced. She’s carried that approach into her newest single. It’s music straight off the dancefloor, playful synths, full-sounding baselines, and powerful vocals, one you can’t help but move to. It makes you smile, sticks in your head, inspires you. It’s as if she’s saying, “you think we’re going to waste another

tear on the misery you spread? No, let’s dance.” Music heals, this song is a reminder of that. She states “Don’t matter how, what, where, who’s trying - we’re out here vibing.” Her proclamation of “can’t stop, so shut your mouth” preaches fighting fire with fire has never worked, we all need to love more and hate less. That attitude is echoed through this entire song, and it is the nicest, most dignified and refreshing surprise we could have hoped for. Most notably, despite being the Queen of Collaborations, and wonderful ones too, she is the sole artist for ‘No Tears Left to Cry’. This is her song, her ode to those lost, herself, and her fans. It’s a song that is both personal, yet broad enough that anyone can love it. A song to bring people together in happiness, because it’s about time we were all done with tears. Nice work, Ari.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Geography Tom Misch Danny Brown

“You have to love this thing, man. You have to love it and breathe it. It’s your morning coffee. It’s your food. That’s why you become an artist.” These are the words from the opening monologue of ‘Before Paris’, the first track on Tom Misch’s ‘Geography’, paying tribute to the love of music at the heart of the London singer/ songwriters latest album. On his sophomore studio release, multiinstrumentalist Misch infuses hip-hop beats with jazz and electronic instrumentals to create an irresistibly smooth and easy sound. The DIY-style record, largely produced by Misch himself from his bedroom studio, features collaborations with a number of artists including the likes of hip-hop star Loyle Carner and soul outfit De La Soul. Misch’s nonchalant expertise is evident from the opening instrumental of ‘Before Paris’, fading into the effortless guitar noodling and crisp saxophone solo of ‘Lost In Paris’, a collaboration with US rapper GoldLink. On ‘South of the River’ Misch pays tribute South London, saying: ‘You should come south of the river - this is where it all starts’ of his creative homeland, shared with long time collaborator Loyle Carner. A more traditional ballad approach is taken on ‘Movie’, a low-key track featuring a spoken monologue from Misch’s sister, which was inspired by a scene from a love story made by Misch’s grandparents back in the late 1940s. It’s no surprise to learn of Misch’s creative family roots - with film-making grandparents, an actor for a sibling, a musical father and makeup artist for a mother it’s easy to see where the young

songwriters creative instincts stem from. This innate love for music is celebrated on ‘It Runs Through Me’, a euphoric track largely lead by collaborators De La Soul, which pays testament to the power of music through Latin rhythms and uplifting choruses. Misch, who was originally reluctant to sing on his music when he began uploading it online in 2011, takes a breather on a breezy instrumental cover of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Isn’t She Lovely’. ‘Disco Yes’ lives up to its title; the lively funk track layers shuffling drum rhythms and jangling guitar riffs over a stomping bassline with Poppy Ajudha’s talented vocals making it a stand-out song on the album. The vast range of instrumentation used throughout the record is typified on ‘Man Like You’, a string-laden cover of a Patrick Watson track, doting: ‘I knew a boy who was swallowed by the sky, by the flashing lights, a man who got lost in the big dark blue’ Loyle Carner’s enlivened appearance on hip-hop number ‘Water Baby’ is yet another triumphant moment for the album - proving the point at the centre of Misch’s ‘Jazz doesn’t have to be boring’ philosophy. While the rest of the album provides more-of-thesame gentle jazz groove, the latter songs rall into a similar monotone as a couple of others throughout the record - while an uplifting album in places, there are moments where it loses momentum. Despite this, there’s no Tom Misch’s ‘Geography’ is an effortless and endlessly listenable album and one that showcases the talent of one of modern jazz’s most promising young prospects.

Joe Tryna

resh from their forays into London and Paris’ live music scenes, their largest crowd at Picture House Social and a debut on BBC Introducing, local lads Wulfman Fury have stormed the Steel City, while also venturing well-beyond its soundscape. I sat down with George Moran (frontman), his younger brother Joe (vocals and guitar) and Will Severs (keyboards) at their local haunt for a pint of Kellam Island’s finest and a chat about their inspiration, the past six months, and what’s in store next. Wulfman Fury’s inspired explosive sound finds resonance in their band name origins - a mix of poet Walter Whitman’s cognomen and Brad Pitt’s pounding World War II film Fury - while their sonic inspirations come from the likes of The Strokes and Richard Swift. “Shit-loads of stuff” George says, while confidently asserting that they’ve found their own blueprint, “and we’re gonna stick to it.” Their first single and video ‘Nightsweats’ features some feral, but tame foxes (a running theme in their work) and finds inspiration in Joe and George’s vivid experiences of sleep paralysis. Joe talks about being “totally unable to move, it freaks you out”. That freakish panic is caught perfectly in the delirious, sweaty track it finds representation in. While George is the primary lyricist, their sound is grounded in collaboration, with lyrics and riffs contributed by all members. Their latests track ‘Getaway’ features some of Will’s best magic on the keyboards. A synthesised electronic sound “changes it from the normal indie-rock into something a bit different,” Will claims. It’s a “badass” sound that shows this group can also innovate upon their blueprint, while retaining their driving-rock ethos. Frontman George found an induction into his trade as a session guitarist with Miles

An Interview With..

Wulfman Fury Kane. “Obviously, I got to see the world” George tells me as he recounts his work with the current member of ‘The Shadow Puppets’ double act. “It ticked every box, we travelled, and supported people like Bob Dylan and the Arctic Monkeys,” recounting his times hanging around with Alex Turner and co, even with Turner’s parents. Despite revelling in this opportunity, George expresses the determination that oozes collectively from Wulfman Fury: “Now is the time to have my own shot at it”. “The main thing for us at the

minute is our two newest tracks”, currently unreleased but promising to be “the best so far. Upbeat, short, snappy. Sonically, they’re a step up”, he continues. Will and Joe echo a “genuine” belief in these upcoming songs. With upwards of 30 tracks already planned, and currently surrounded by a buzz of interest, a debut Wulfman Fury album is also not far away. The band have a great admiration for Sheffield’s local music scene, a particular favourite being Cafe Totem, a “perfect place for an upand-coming band”. With campaign

of home-town consolidation under way, the band’s upcoming schedule is packed. They’re supporting the High-Hazels at Leadmill on 4 May, followed by a gig at Record Junkie on 25 May, and upcoming shows at Manchester and London. More information on a performance at Devonshire Green in June is to be released shortly, and of course, their Tramlines debut later this year. The band members that make up this local Sheffield outfit are shared in a common aspiration to make it big. Their industry and inspiration are evident in their

packed schedules, their fresh writing, energetic performances, and music-videos that punch above their current weight. But, with the promise of their best sounds yet to materialise in the coming months, the tantalising suggestions of a debut album on the horizon, and a lively schedule of gigs, this group are only going to get heavier. Checkout their singles ‘Getaway’ (a video for which dropped on the 20 April), ‘Nightsweats’, and ‘Draw the Line’ on Spotify, and definitely try to catch them at Leadmill, on the Saturday 21 July at Tramlines Festival.

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

Blossoms Cool Like You Danny Brown

t’s fair to say that in 2015 not many people expected Blossoms to go from playing their local pub in Stockport to a main stage slot at Glastonbury within just two years. Even fewer people expected them to bag a number one album with their debut release. However, it was testament to the hard-working attitude and considerable talent of the Blossoms lads that they managed to do just that. After bringing their whirlwind breakthrough success to a close with a triumphant headline show at Castlefield Bowl last summer, Blossoms have returned with a new album ‘Cool Like You.’ If the past has proved that the sky’s the limit as far as Stockport’s finest are concerned, then their second album is no different in terms of ambition. Expanding on the synth influenced sound of their selftitled debut, the band have set their sights on arenas and headline slots with this latest collection of indie anthems. Opening track ‘There’s A Reason Why’ demonstrates this perfectly.

It’s soaring synth top-line and emphatic chorus bearing all the signs of a ready-made festival banger. The band have described their sound on the record as Blondie meets New Order. Perhaps this is more clear than anywhere else on ‘I Can’t Stand It’. The band deliver an 80s-style pop ballad infused with sci-fi style atmospherics and electronic drum sampling. Title track ‘Cool Like You’ follows in the same vein with Tom Ogden’s crooning vocals exploring ‘How it really feels in the space where I won’t be / cool like you’. With its intergalactic sounding synth, ‘Unfaithful’ takes more than a little inspiration from the Doctor Who theme tune and sees Ogden try desperately to dissect a failing relationship. Blossoms latest record is similar to the first in the way that it deals mainly in themes of relationships, break-ups and feelings of longing. Indeed, heartbreak is centre of attention again on lovesick indie ballads ‘Stranger Still’ and ‘How Long Will This Last?’. ‘You crept into my heart/ there must have been a side door / left unlocked’ sings Ogden on grappling with the resurface of an

ex-lover on ‘I Just Imagined You’. Gaining momentum late on, the brooding melodies of ‘Giving Up The Ghost’ are followed by the defiant ‘Lying Again’. Blossoms may not possess the commanding presence of Oasis or The Stone Roses but there’s

no denying they boast a genuine talent for crafting sleek indie-pop anthems. Closing track ‘Love Talk’ exudes all the melancholy wordsmithery of Morrissey in his prime: ‘I hate leaving the town that owns me / Tonight your mind will be love

talk’. Anyone expecting Blossoms to fall flat after their breakthrough success will be surprised by this record. The Stockport outfit prove their reputation as one of the most promising indie-pop bands around with a solid second album.

J. Cole KOD

Kavan Mankoo

. Cole has been in the game since he was a teenager, but It’s taken him a long time to become the powerful figure he is today in hip hop. His album 2014 Forest Hills Drive was one of the most well received albums of the year and went double platinum

in USA; this was only made even more impressive by the fact that there were no collaborations. His follow up was another impressive, beautifully introspective and political album 4 Your Eyez Only. An album consisting of mostly slower tracks with arguably less commercial appeal than his 2014 album but had a stronger

message to it regarding the African American community. The only promotion for KOD was a singular tweet only three days before the album dropped, but with Cole being as popular as he is, that is all he needed to stir up the excitement of all of his fans. On first listen the album feels familiar yet eerily strange. Familiar

in the sense that Cole is one of the most gifted technical/lyrical rappers of his generation, a fact well established in his earlier music. The album is strange in the sense of expectations. Most fans were expecting tunes that they could rap along with like in 2014 Forest Hills Drive. Instead Cole masterfully subverts the expectations and creates an introspective album with many challenging themes such as drug dependency and abuse, his relationship with his mother the influence of social media, infidelity, and his inner demons. The title of the album serves three meanings clarified by Cole on Twitter: Kids on Drugs; King Overdosed; Kill Our Demons. Interpreting these meanings however, is complete up to the listener. If there is one thing that Cole can do deftly, it’s his ability to craft an abundance of meanings into his songs, therefore this album will have different meanings to everyone who listens to it. Whilst ‘Photograph’ sounds a bit creepy, the themes of brought up of the influence of the social media on modern society are something we can all relate to. The lyrical structure of the song works very well and Cole’s flow is superb as usual, but the message can come off just as odd from some perspectives. ‘The Cut Off’ is a contentious track featuring an unknown artist, kiLL edward. It has been speculated

that kiLL edward is in fact Cole himself however, nothing of that has been confirmed. This song is a slow track about the people Cole has left behind. One thing very apparent in this track is the anger that Cole feels towards these people shown through lyrics such as “I can’t seem to fight this urge to make you feel pain”. The clear stand out of the album is the final track, ‘1985 (Intro to “The Fall Off”)’. This track on first impression is shocking. Cole disses the recent trend of hip hop artists such as Lil Pump and other ‘mumble rappers’. On further listens to the album it comes across as more of an advice track instead of a diss track - it’s Cole teaching the young rappers on the game works. This song is revered by many as their favourite and its publicity is only enhanced by the fact that Lil Pump made a reply video to this song. Controversy sells. All in all, J. Cole is back with a strong album that isn’t all it could have been. Whilst there are some weaker tracks on the album such as the aforementioned ‘Photograph’, for the most part Cole is back to his expert lyricism and has now cemented his place as one of the greats.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Florence Mooney

In Memorium:

The UK Singles Chart

Don Broco O2 Academy

on Broco made their eagerly anticipated return to Sheffield at a sold out O2 Academy. It was The Bedford-based boys’ second run of shows in the UK this year, with new album Technology released on 2 February. The band kicked off with ‘Pretty’ from the new album-. As soon as the lights went down, the mosh pit formed in the middle of the crowd to a respectable response. Even front man Rob exclaimed that it felt like the “proper start to their tour”, following the previous night where an incident regarding fecal matter led to the gig being pulled. The gig continued with five more big tunes from Technology, including fan favourite ‘Stay Ignorant’. Its particularly catchy riff, along with ‘Good Listener’ making its live

efore the NME single chart started in 1952, there was no music charts in the UK to record sales. The only way you would have known what was popular was through word of mouth and radio play. Following NME’s chart, various other publications such as the Record Collector, came up with their own charts, but these were all finally compiled in 1969 in the first official chart on the BBC. In the 66 years since Al Martino gained the first number one single with ‘Here in My Heart’, there have been many famous chart moments. From Queen hitting number one twice 15 years apart with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, to the infamous Blur vs Oasis battle of 1995, and Sex Pistol’s ‘Anarchy in the UK’ hitting number 1 despite being banned from BBC radio. However, these are all moments in history. They are snippets into a different world, defined by a completely different music industry than the one we know today. With technology, the way we listen to and consume music has changed rapidly since the millennium. Back when singles were bought physically, the charts represented the newest music everybody was listening to, as consumers would only buy the physical copy once and then move on to new music the next week. However, with the introduction of downloads in the early 00s, pirating music had never been easier. Tracks and even whole albums could be copied from the internet and downloaded to be listened to on MP3 players, meaning thousands of downloads were completely missed off the charts each week affecting the smaller bands in particular because their impact on the charts was hugely diminished. If downloads caused problems for the charts, it was nothing on what streaming has done in recent years. Streaming has altered the way we listen to music in a more extreme way than any other new music format has done so before. On a service such as Spotify,

debut, drew a positive reaction from the crowd. What followed was some vintage Broco, with ‘You Wanna Know’ getting everyone jumping. Then came more new tracks in the shape of ‘Porkies’ and ‘Something to Drink’ which saw the emergence of a gorgeous wall of death, which certainly enhanced the value for money. Crowd participation has always been a big part of any Broco show, and the last song before the encore is arguably the most iconic part: ‘Thug Workout’. In true tradition, as soon as the song was announced the pit formed once again, and the hardest of chaps found their way to the middle of the open space. Several push ups were done to the great applause of those around them, including the band themselves.

I’ll often scroll through new releases or daily mixes to find something to listen to. There is no investment made by listening to music this way and no way to rate how I enjoy one song on a playlist more than another. Playlists curated by streaming serves exaggerate this further, as millions of users will just be listening to the same songs over. This wouldn’t be such an issue if these statistics weren’t counting towards the charts, as they obstruct the ability for the charts to be able to provide an accurate representation of what is most popular amongst music fans. But this is just the start of the problem with the charts and streaming. Streaming’s biggest blow is that every play counts towards the chart. Each time you listen to the same song over, it counts towards the chart, meaning that whilst the same songs are being played they are being kept at the top of the chart. Take for example ‘Despacito’ last year: the track reigned supreme for much of the summer due to repeated streams. However, if the charts were rated against one buy, the people who were streaming the track over and over again would only count as one unit, as they would have bought the single just once. The problem here is that new music just isn’t able to break the charts in the same way anymore, killing off smaller bands and record labels chart appearances. Streaming has led to the charts being dominated by the same few songs for months at a time. Songs don’t fall out of the charts anymore, they linger for weeks on end, removing the possibility of turnover and the excitement of new appearances. Don’t get me wrong, I think streaming can be a hugely exciting medium to listen to new music on and it makes new discoveries easier than ever before. But this cannot retract from the fact streaming has completely destroyed the excitement of chart battles and the Sunday night chart show. You won’t find anything interesting happening on the charts anymore because they don’t represent the world of music. The chart has lost all excitement and with it, all relevance.

The gig came to a close with new songs ‘Come out to LA’ and ‘T-Shirt Song’ from the 18-song set list, with the crowd dutifully swinging their t-shirts around their heads to the song’s instructions. An ideal end to a superb performance from Don Broco and the crowd alike.

Friday 11 May 2018

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David Craig

@ForgePress

Hold on to your butts, the end is here. My time as an editor of Screen is drawing to a close and what a time it has been. It seems like only yesterday that my co-editor Joe Mackay introduced himself to me by sending a dubious photo of him at Tuesday Club at 3am. This issue, we’ve come full circle by collaborating on a feature about the best films to watch after your night goes west.

Screen press.screen@forgetoday.com

Screen Editor

Review Dan West

eady Player One is the latest in a long line of Spielberg blockbusters, this time coming from a book of the same name by Ernest Cline who also had a hand in the script along with Zak Penn. The last sentence contains the source of its greatest achievement and its biggest failure. Set in 2045 Ohio (definitely not Birmingham) in a world where a virtual reality world called the OASIS has taken over everyone’s life, allowing people to escape their run-down existence and become whoever they want to be. Steven Spielberg has created a visual masterpiece. He’s managed to make the virtual world, where the majority of the film takes place, have a

Review David Craig

he primary gimmick of A Quiet Place is, as the title suggests, that none of the characters can make noise lest they meet a nasty end in the jaws of a vicious pack of aliens that hunt using sound. Two years into life in a silent world, a family of four struggle to survive by living off the land with the daunting prospect of a baby on the way. While certainly a

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I count four reviews this issue, each more wonderful than the last! Thanks to Dan West and James Lofthouse for chipping in, be sure to soak up their words using your eye holes! I’d like to take this space to say a sincere thank you to everyone at Forge Press for making my time on committee thus far such a blast! I’ve made some great friends and some lovely memories, and I hope

there are many more to come in the next year! For now, I doth bid farewell to thy beloved Screen section. My child, I love you and I leave you in the gentle hands of incoming Screen editors Gethin Morgan and Izzy Cridland. They will take good care of you, I’m sure. Thanks for reading folks, goodbye forever.

Ready Player One look that works so perfectly. The big challenge with CGI worlds is always how to make it feel believable without going into the uncanny valley where everyone always looks a little creepy, and Ready Player One nails it. It has a fantastic art style that makes the world feel believable yet clearly a construct. With it being a computerised world the camera speeds around, the initial race being a highlight. It keeps the excitement high without ever getting draining or disorientating, particularly impressive considering how much is happening on-screen at some points. The real world is underdeveloped, but you quickly see why people love the OASIS and want to spend so much of their time there. The downside being that the sections set in the real world drag by in comparison. While the visuals really can’t be praised enough, they are sorely let

down by the bland, tedious and at times troubling story and characters. They are well acted, with Mark Rylance and Ben Mendelsohn being highlights as they often are, but the characters don’t inspire much sympathy as you spend so little time with them outside of the fantastical action sequences. When the film does occasionally slow down, it is unfortunately saddled with terrible dialogue riddled with generic lines and endless narration that explains every video game rule, pop culture reference and character reaction. Some of the pop culture references are pushed into your face with such force that it really takes you out of the plot. While certainly enjoyable in parts, with Spielberg making the most of his large budget, it’s a shame that Ready Player One is held back by grating dialogue and underdeveloped characters.

A Quiet Place tense viewing experience which is far more creative than the bog-standard Hollywood horror flick, A Quiet Place isn’t quite as revolutionary as some would have you believe. John Krasinski and Emily Blunt are great in the lead roles, embracing the challenge of having to perform their lines primarily through sign language. Their on-screen children are played by newcomers Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, both delivering serviceable performances. As far as child actors go they

Nothing like a relaxing bath to unwind after a long day of being quiet.

Movie DB

certainly aren’t bad, but nor are they particularly impressive. The real issue lies in how undeveloped their family dynamic is. Krasinski and Blunt have a seemingly perfect marriage and never argue despite the extremely stressful circumstances they find themselves in. A certain amount of fatherdaughter drama is attempted but fails to have the emotional impact necessary for such a plot to work. Without a huge amount of interest in the characters, the film becomes

more about the setpieces and scares of which there are many. While undoubtedly well shot and well choreographed, it’s a shame that the film’s central conceit ultimately ends up becoming a bit tedious. The long bouts of silence in A Quiet Place mean that the majority of the frights come from jump-scares where loud noises startle the viewer. In any other horror movie this would be criticised for being lazy, but here there is at least a plot justification for their prominence. Nonetheless,

by the end of the movie they do start wearing out their welcome. A Quiet Place is a very competently made film. It looks nice, it’s well acted for the most part and there are some genuine thrills to be had here and there. However, the lack of character depth and reliance on jump scares prevent it from reaching its full potential. It’s an interesting experiment and will surely kick Krasinski’s directing career into high gear, but it seems unlikely that it will stand the test of time.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

The most ambitious crossover event in cinema history? Nope, that title goes to [insert obscure crossover here]

Review

Movie DB

Avengers: Infinity War

Dat Guy Mackay

he 2nd of May marks ten years since Iron Man, with the first of Marvel’s nowinfamous post-credits scenes establishing what was to become known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU. Since then, it has grown into arguably the most ambitious crossover project in cinematic history. Over the past ten years, Marvel Studios have produced 20 films with a plethora of characters popping up all over the joint, and for the most part, it’s worked remarkably well. What’s particularly impressive is Marvel’s readiness to take risks on B and even C-list comic book

franchises and elevate them into mainstream consciousness. When Guardians of the Galaxy rocked up in 2014 they were relatively little known outside of cult status; fast-forward four years and they’re zipping around space with Spider-Man and Thor in tow. As Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk) asks inquisitively: ‘There’s a SpiderMan AND an Ant-Man?’ The general premise of this film is so ridiculous when viewed objectively, but that’s what makes it so much fun. The whole thing harks back to watching Saturday morning cartoons as a child, where it seems like anybody can pop up anywhere at anytime. It should be stupid but it isn’t. If the first Avengers film was a kid’s dream come true, then Avengers: Infinity War is a kid’s allout-fantasy brought to life.

Stylistically, the film is a mishmash of pretty much every film that’s come before, with the end result often a colourful mess. This lack of constant style doesn’t mean the film isn’t is well-designed and visually impressive though. Whether it’s the vast city of Wakanda or a desolate desert planet, it’s interesting to see the manner in which these worlds can intersect each other alongside their own distinct feels, aided by the soundtrack. It never fails to bring a smile to see Star Lord’s ship jam into frame alongside a blaring rock song, Wakanda’s Tribal African drumming, or the swelling Avengers orchestral theme. For the number of characters crammed in, nothing ever feels too forced or simply there for the sake of reference. Characters are paired

Review

up in a way that, while sometimes unconventional (Teenage Groot and Thor, anyone?), creates interesting dynamics throughout and often rectifies the power imbalance between characters. While the usual Marvel quips and one-liners fall flat here and there, the acting from the main cast holds up nicely, and goes a good way to adding to the believability of the film, if that was ever a concern. As for the antagonist, Thanos stands firmly as the best MCU villain to date, a nasty piece of work with a genuine complex motive that he believes in. His fresh gang of supervillain henchmen, the Black Order, take little introduction but excel as a varied bunch of bad motherfuckers, with abilities ranging from general thuggishness to full-

Sad Joaquin Phoenix is sad.

Movie DB

Infinity War is a kid’s all-outfantasy brought to life.

You Were Never Really Here

James Lofthouse

blown telekinesis keeping the fight scenes (and boy, oh boy are there a lot) varied throughout the film. Infinity War is not a perfect film. It’s a cheesy mashup of ten years of Marvel Properties. It has moments that feel jarring. Some fans will be disappointed, but that’s to be expected with so much hype. The film is damn good fun and will have fans eagerly awaiting the next installment.

ot to be confused with 2010’s I’m Still Here (which features a similarly bearded Joaquin Phoenix), Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here follows Phoenix as a former marineturned-hitman who discovers a dark political conspiracy during a retrieval operation. The synopsis might not sound the most gripping, though fans of Ramsay’s previous outing We Need to Talk About Kevin will naturally be tempted to give this film a go. Thankfully, there is a lot to enjoy (though that may not be the best word). You Were Never Really Here is beautiful in parts and shockingly violent in others. The dark and claustrophobic visuals tie in

perfectly with the music, composed by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. Running just shy of 90 minutes, the vast majority of the film seems to take place over a 24 period and there is (thankfully) very little in the way of plot exposition, making the events feel more natural. If there is a downside to the film, it is that instances where reality, flashback and fantasy come and go without indication or prior warning can be disorientating. A second watch is advisable. The publicity surrounding You Were Never Really Here drew comparisons to Taxi Driver and Drive. These are understandable links, but also something of an oversimplification. The film stands out, perhaps most of all, as a brilliant and harrowing exploration of trauma. There are hints towards

memories of abuse and family violence spread throughout, none of which are explained at any great length but serve to add to the tone. Unfortunately, the film’s release in the UK was limited mostly to a few independent cinemas, so most will have to wait to see Ramsay’s latest work.

You Were Never Really Here is beautiful in parts and shockingly violent in others.

Joe Mackay & David Craig Screen Editors

t’s first year of University. You’re on a night out. You all get inordinately sloshed at pre-drinks, then head off to a club (maybe Pop Tarts, probably Plug). When its first year of University. You’re on a night out. You all get inordinately sloshed at pre-drinks, the head off to a club (maybe Pop Tarts, probably Plug). When you return, you say your goodnights, and head off to bed. On occasion you all mill around the kitchen for a bit, but it’s a rare occasion that seldom lasts past 4am.

Friday 11 May 2018

Second year. You’re more accustomed to the way things are going. You’ve got your own house now and sometimes this results in going on a night out then fucking around in your aforementioned house when you get back in. This happens more regularly than in first year, but is still a rare sight. Third year now. Life is wearing you down. Nights out are still a lovely time, but you’ve come to truly value the friendships you’ve made. There is little greater pleasure than sitting around absolutely twisted with your mates. In first year the notion of sitting around blind drunk in somebody’s living room until the sun rises outside the window is an alien concept. By third year it’s the

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best part of the night, hanging around drinking (and definitely NOT smoking) with some music blaring, and the TV blinking in the background. Here at Forge Press Screen we are no strangers to the odd ritual known as “afters”, in fact I would go as far as to say we are experts. We have spent many a late night / early morning wasting the time away watching all manner of nonsense. This is not a list of necessarily the best films, but instead a list of tried and tested bona-fide afters gems. Get some friends together, pick up a four pack of cans from the offy, and bang one of these on for a guaranteed good / weird time. Thank us later.

Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE After a few too many vodkas at Bar One, I had an epiphany, also known as a sudden realisation of GREAT TRUTH: The Simpsons Movie might actually be one of my favourite comedy movies of all time. With a sharp script filled with memorable quotes, punchlines and satire it makes for perfect afters viewing material. Advanced warning. The part where Homer gets ripped apart by trees and slowly starts to melt could well fry your brain in certain circumstances.

STAR WARS EPISODE III : REVENGE OF THE SITH Hello there. Few could have imagined how the meteoric rise of the Star Wars meme would turn public opinion largely in favour of the previously hated prequel trilogy, but that’s the world we’re living in. Revenge of the Sith seems to be particularly crowd-pleasing, with an abundance of unintentionally funny lines and Ewan McGregor on top form. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll die. Death sticks optional.

SCOTT PILGRIM .VS. THE WORLD A constant fixture in the afters viewing schedule, Scott Pilgrim is a safe pair of hands to carry you into the early hours of the morning. Edgar Wright’s witty dialogue and frenetic scene transitions make it so you’ll hardly notice these two hours fly by, although the ridiculous plot and surreality of the world’s logic does become a bit of a mindfuck at four o’clock in the morning. Nonetheless, it’s a visual spectacle with a banging soundtrack to boot.

WALLACE AND GROMIT : CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT

HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE

KICK-ASS

Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a genuinely great film. It’s sharp, witty, and well animated; with a varied and interesting cast of characters. But the entire plot is actually so bizarre that you may find yourself frequently questioning your own sanity as to why you never thought this film was really weird in the first place. Plus the whole ordeal becomes very strange once it sinks in that you’re just watching plasticine.

The Harry Potter octalogy of films is beloved by millions of people worldwide, and nothing really captures the giddy magic of childhood like Chris Columbus’ first entry into the series. It’s hard to describe why this film is so good to watch at 5am. The special effects hold up well and the plot is fine, but there is some seriously clunky dialogue. Childhood memories in combination with late night drunkenness result in an absolute masterpiece.

TROLL 2

FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF

SHREK 2

Whilst many people hail Tommy Wiseau’s The Room as the worst movie of all time, true bad movie fans will know that this is undoubtedly not true. Troll 2 is so incompetent at times it physically hurts. Despite the name of the film, there aren’t any trolls present, or even mentioned in film’s 95 minute runtime. Instead the film features a family of shite actors on vacation in the town of Nilbog (which is Goblin spelt backwards), and the rest of the plot makes even less sense, with scenes that question the very nature of reality. Please just watch this film. It’s a trip and a half.

Ferris Bueller is the perfect 80s film. It rarely falls into the realms of stylistic neon kitsch, and instead just captures the reality of the era, with some stellar cinematography and a great soundtrack to boot. The signature fourth wall breaks have a knack of really drawing the viewer into the film, and it’s a great exploration into family, friendship, adventure, and generally getting away with being a jammy bastard. Also Matthew Broderick killed a man in his car, and the headteacher was outed as a nonce in real life. So there’s that.

Shrek 2 is the holy grail of afters films, if not the best film of all time. It’s revolutionary worldbuilding and incorporation of a variety of fairytale characters into town and city hierarchies predates the Marvel Cinematic Universe but does it oh-so-much better. The plot is gripping and clever, the jokes are genuinely laughout-loud hilarious, and why am I even still writing? Just go and watch Shrek 2, it’s a modern masterpiece. A millenial Citizen Kane, if you will.

This anarchic adaptation from Matthew Vaughn is packed full of quotable lines and energetic action sequences that should keep your attention even in the vaguest of moods. Nicolas Cage will make you cry, no context needed. Plus, watching Hit-Girl chop up gangsters to the tune of the Banana Splits never gets old. All in all, it’s a solid afters choice albeit not for the easily offended.

Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

Society Spotlight

This week...

Sustainability Committee What are involved in the strategies then?

The Sustainability Strategy that we’ve been working very hard on will be covering a number of critical areas: from consumption and production, to climate change and education. We have a number of students currently working on how we can formulate a particularly efficient strategy. So it will be implemented in September and will undergo a year-long trial after its launched.

Let’s start off with who you are and what your position is in Sustainability Committee? I’m Naomi and I’m the current chair.

the specialised areas are covered by the network societies. We have a whole range of causes that we’re committed to essentially, which is what makes it so great and valuable!

How long has the society been in existence for?

What are the network societies involved in?

The Committee was relaunched last year, about this time. So we’re the very first team involved in the Committee’s work.

We’ve formed a close partnership with the Vegetarian and Vegan Society, and obviously they advocate environmentalism and animal rights. Then we are involved with societies that promote the technology side of sustainability. And for us, we offer them support and fill the gaps, if there are any.

What exactly does the Committee do? Our mission is to be the connection between the Students’ Union and the student body. So obviously sustainability is a very broad topic, so we organise campaigns and events to promote sustainability related topics and to relay students’ views to the University. We also give support to our network societies for them to hold better events and campaigns.

What brought you personally to the Committee? I am a biology student, so I’m quite interested in the environmental conservation aspect of things. I’ve always felt that people who are involved in this kind of work tend to be quite isolated and we’re all trying to do quite difficult things, so I wanted to contribute in my own way. When I saw the promotion for the AGM last year I just thought, why not give it a shot and see what I can do?

What political, social, evironmental causes are Committee connected to?

or the

Sustainability is a very broad topic and we mostly focused on the environmental side of things this year. We don’t have a particular focus though, and one of our central aims is to promote the student voice. We don’t have a specialised area, because

It says on your webpage that the committee has been involved in a number of different campaigns, could you talk a little bit about the kinds of things that you’ve been invovled in? We had two main campaigns this year. The first one involved asking the University to adopt a universal sustainability strategy. The other one was to get sustainability related issues to be embedded within the curriculum. The sustainability strategy is really exciting because our University has never had a strategy of this kind before, but we’re taking an active and central role in establishing one. To give a little bit of context, last year, around Christmas, we got the green light to say that the University would adopt the strategy. In the past semester, we have been collecting views from the students on what should be addressed and feeding them back to the University, so at the next University Delivery Group, I will be presenting a ‘Students Manifesto’ to present the students views, and maybe push them to do something more within a specific area. The Sustainability Strategy will be launched next September.

Does the committee have any ties to any other societies? We have numerous societies we’re involved with but we also work with interest bodies like Green Pact, and the Grantham Centre. We also have very close contacts with the SU staff and officers. We distribute funding and we encourage cooperation and we cooperate with other societies ourselves. We’re heavily involved with other groups across the SU ultimately, that’s a large part of what we do.

Is it a particularly social society? So in terms of the structure of the committee, we have twelve positions at the moment. We are an umbrella committee and underneath it we have about 13 network societies. Our more social events are carried out more through the network societies.

So what kinds of events have you done with other societies? All sorts! For socials, we go to Interval, we chat in various places, and we’ve had Committee nights at Yellow Arch. For the students, we have fun events that we put on too. Our socials mostly just involve sitting down and talking to people.

What would you, personally, say is the best thing about Sustainability Committee? There’s are a lot! From my own experience, as the chair, I would say the best thing about the committee is that you have a real opportunity to make an impact. You also have the opportunity to implement things that you wouldn’t think were possible. For example, the Sustainability Strategy, people have never tried this kind of thing before at our University, ever. And I had people that questioned why I was doing it, but you have so much support, and my team works really hard, so it’s incredible what you can achieve and the entire process is so

rewarding.

Why do you think that sustainability is so important generally? So many reasons! For university, we come here to learn about skills that will probably help with our jobs. And it’s becoming clear that so many industries are acknowledging that sustainability is very important, in terms of what you can do, your

skills, and your products. So it’s very important for students to get skills relating to sustainability within their field. Also, as part of the University, you have the chance to modify your lifestyle and you have a great chance to learn about how to lead a sustainable lifestyle.

Forge Press

Wednesday 29 November 2017

So for this issue, I picked a theme for both Society Spotlight and Break that we all, on some level, feel sympathy for: environmentalism. If you haven’t already checked out the interview with Sustainability Committee, then do! I’d encourage you all to drop in to a session. Without an appreciation of nature, then, what is life at the end of the day! Well there are other things obviously, but the point is, nature

Break

Answer, Clue (number).

Environmentalism Crossword Puzzle!

Easy

4 5

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11 13

Dave

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deserves to be protected! This is my last issue as Break editor, so I sincerely hope you’ve all had a whale of a time! I’m sure my successor - Robin Wilde, however, will do an absolutely fantastic job and will exceed the standard I’ve set. So I hope you all enjoy the brilliant work to come!

Sudoku Puzzles

is great, and I think we can all acknowledge that. I mean, have you ever met someone that doesn’t passionately believe that David Attenborough is an absolute king? Personally, my parents always used to drag me on walks all over the country during our summer holidays, and I’m not sure I enjoyed it quite as much as I do now. But one things for sure, I bloody love it now! So as I say, nature is great and

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 Wowzas that’s HARD!

Dense forest in areas of tropical rainfall (10).

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DOWN:

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2. Endangered. 4. Ecosystem. 7. Biodiversity. 8. Fossilfuels. 9. NationalPark. 14. Fragmentation. 15. Exploit. 16. Deforestation. 17. Pollution. 19. Rainforest.

Down: ACROSS 1. A Breed of an animal (7).

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Forge Press

Friday 11 May 2018

Sport Thoughts

Everton have lost their way and need saving

Patrick Burke takes a reflective look at the season from a Toffee’s perspective, and it’s not very positive... Patrick Burke

t wasn’t supposed to be like this. Ronald Koeman’s Everton were the story of the summer transfer window: the financial backing of Farhad Moshiri paved a clear path back to English football’s elite for the nine-time top flight winners. But this campaign has been dismal. Everton’s record against the teams above them is pathetic: no wins, three draws and 11 losses, with just seven goals scored and 33 conceded. The club’s return to Europe proved a disaster – the worst group stage record by an English team since the Europa League’s incarnation in 2009. Championship outfits Birmingham and Wigan fared better during their campaigns. Few are blameless, but most responsible are Koeman and Director of Football Steve Walsh. They signed Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane and Davy Klaasen for north of £20 million each, as well as Sandro Ramirez and Wayne Rooney in early July, but unfortunately what followed the departure of star striker Romelu Lukaku was a shambolic seven weeks. The prolonged pursuit of Gylfi Sigurdsson added a touch of silky class, but created an overload of number 10s and did not plug the most significant gaps. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Rooney and Sandro netted just three goals in the opening seven matches between them but this, and the ostracised Oumar Niasse (more on him later), was now the extent of Everton’s striking options. The left-back situation was even more desperate. With only Leighton Baines a natural in that field, Cuco Martina, signed as cover at right-

Everton are well behind in their mission to break into the top four back, was the only alternative. Koeman and Walsh neglected these areas and failed to bring in suitable personnel. Across three transfer windows, the pair secured 15 permanent signings. Out of those, who has been a real success? Pickford certainly; probably only Idrissa Gueye on top of that. Keane and Ashley Williams have looked uncomfortable, Klaasen has played just six Premier League minutes since 24 September, Morgan Schneiderlin has borne the brunt of fan frustrations, and Sandro has been shipped out on loan. Good recruitment can propel any aspiring football club up the league, but the aforementioned duo squandered this massive opportunity. The complete lack of philosophy or style on the pitch left the board with no choice but to part with the Dutchman after losing 5-2 at home to Arsenal. Walsh was fortunate not to have suffered the same fate. Evertonians will back their team

Sam Allardyce’s style of football has failed to win over the hearts of Evertonians

to the hilt if they leave everything on the pitch. The cult status of Niasse is proof of that. He has his limitations, but his impeccable conduct when scandalously frozen out of the first team picture by Koeman earned him much respect. A player who will run through brick walls for the cause, one of the few satisfying moments of this term was his first league appearance as a substitute against Bournemouth: two well-taken finishes turned the contest on its head. Sam Allardyce’s appointment was never likely to bring exciting football. He has stabilised Everton’s position in the table, largely through home wins against teams below them, and

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Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun have added much needed balance, but the atmosphere is toxic. The supporters have a right to expect better. Everton mustered just one shot on target in their last home game against Newcastle, were cannon fodder for the likes of Spurs and Arsenal, and threw away an important match at Burnley through a negative set-up against hosts low on confidence after a winless run. Everton are well behind in their mission to break into the top four, and there is little evidence to indicate that Allardyce can take them to the next level. Retaining the manager’s services

for 2018/19 would not go down well. Things can turn very quickly in football. 12 months ago, no one could have predicted that the former England boss would be in the Goodison hot seat, so who knows what could happen in the next year. Life for Evertonians is rarely dull. After being thrown way off course by the reckless failings of Koeman and Walsh, a pivotal few months are in prospect in the bid to return the club to where they rightfully belong.

It’s the right time for Wenger to go - but who should replace him? Michael Ekman

he day which many Arsenal supporters had been longing for finally arrived: Arsene Wenger announced his departure from the Gunners at the end of the season after 22 years as manager of the club. There can be no doubting the man’s triumphs as Arsenal coach, but one cannot deny that the club has fallen behind, both against its domestic rivals and on the European stage. Given these past seasons, it’s easy to forget the impact Wenger had at Arsenal and on the entire English game. His attention to detail regarding the quality of nutrition and the club’s facilities was something that was previously unheard of and the resulting successes took the footballing world by storm. Winning three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and four Community Shields in his first seven full seasons in charge proved that his Arsenal side would be a force to reckon with. However, this was all several years ago, and whilst he has still managed to win three FA Cups and three Community Shields in these past four seasons, it has been a long time since they challenged for the Premier League title or were

able to put up a fight against some of Europe’s biggest teams. In more recent years, it’s clear that Arsenal have fallen behind most of their Premier League rivals. Ever since their last league title, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been taking turns raising that prestigious trophy. One could argue that the reason for this is that Arsenal have not had the same amount of cash influx as these other teams, and that Wenger has done a relatively good job given some of the average players he has had at his disposal. But for many supporters, that’s still not good enough. It has become almost a tradition for Arsenal to sell some of their best players to their league rivals or to other bigger European teams and it’s a real kick in the teeth when those players go on to achieve bigger successes. Additionally, many supporters have become frustrated when the team capitulates against some of the big European sides in the Champions League, as is seen with their 10-2 aggregate loss against Bayern Munich last season and their 3-1 loss at home against Monaco three years ago. It is understandable then that many fans rejoiced when they heard the news about his departure. There

is no doubt the environment around the club’s supporters had become nothing other than toxic, with an apparent split between those who wanted Wenger out and those that wanted him to stay. However, it seems almost clear that while there can be no denying Wenger’s fantastic impact on football and the success he has brought Arsenal, the club has reached a stage where it needs a new face with fresh ideas on how to take it to the next level and make them title challengers once again. That begs the question: what is next for Arsenal? The club has been linked with appointing former players Thierry Henry or Patrick Vieira, given they are well established icons and know the club’s values. However, what they really need is someone with experience and someone who knows how to make a winning team. Perhaps someone like Juventus’ Max Allegri or former Bayern and Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti. There can be no doubt that whomever the club appoints, they have a difficult task ahead of them and it will take time before Arsenal once again becomes a team to reckon with. Wenger’s fareful is long overdue for some fans

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Friday 11 May 2018

Forge Press

2017/18 sports awards The University of Sheffield’s Sports Committee hosted the annual Sports Awards night on Wednesday May 9. Celebrating the University’s very best athletes, clubs and successes, the night proved to be a perfect celebration for a wonderful and exciting crop of young athletes. In the weekly BUCS competitions, there was success across every sport, from netball to ultimate frisbee and athletics to rugby league, and a wealth of

inspiring stories. This, of course, culminated in the Black and Golds securing their sixth straight Varsity crown just weeks ago by a margin of 45-34 against Team Hallam. With 79 points up for grabs, the hearts of the city were captured yet again by the raucous atmosphere at EIS and Goodwin, the drama on Finals Day at Ponds Forge as well as the Men’s Football 1s’ dramatic two goals in injury time to clinch a 3-2 win at Hillsborough. That’s not to forget, either, the Women’s 1s’

display on Sheffield Wednesday’s home turf. It was their first Varsity win for over 20 years and embodied the drive and tenacity that the athletes at the University of Sheffield undoubtedly possess in abundance. Let’s take a look at the winners...

Volunteering and Community Outreach: Women’s Cricket This was awarded to Women’s Cricket who have shown exceptional drive to give back to the local community.

Social Sport: James Dexter This was awarded to Squash’s James Dexter after he showed exceptional dedication to the social sport programme.

Fundraising Initiative: Rowing

Society Sport: Sheffield Medics Women’s Football

This was awarded to Rowing. They have put the most work into raising money and awareness for charitable and essential awareness campaigns.

This was awarded to the society who has committed their year to a sporting activity, recognising the work societies do for the sporting community.

The University of Sheffield Coach of the Year: Brendan Warburton This was awarded to a coach involved within a Sport Sheffield club who has shown exceptional dedication and passion and was won by Boxing’s Brendan Warburton.

Club Sport Member of the Year: Annabel Fawcett The gong went to Hockey’s Annabel Fawcett after she demonstrated exceptional dedication to her club, the University and sport as a whole.

Photography by Suzie Cameron

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Friday 11 May 2018

by the SU sports committee Most Improved Club: Lifesaving This was awarded to the club that has shown clear improvements and changes in the way they’re run, organised or in their performances over the last year, showing clear development and foundationals for the club’s future.

Committment to Inclusions: Tennis This was awarded to Tennis who have been committed to being inclusive to all students, as well as encouraging new recruits.

Outstanding Sporting Achievement: Chloe Gregory This was awarded to the top athlete from Club Sport who has shown exceptional sporting ability, performance and dedication to University sport and higher. It was scooped by Netball’s Chloe Gregory for her contributions.

Outstanding Contribution to Sport: Millie Boddington Millie has held six different committee positions over the last three years, most notably holding four at once across three separate clubs. She has spent over 500 hours volunteering for two different clubs, coached U14s who were new to the sport, qualified 36 new coaches in Yorkshire and she has personally raised over £1,200 for eight different charities while gaining over £7,400 in government grants for her clubs. It’s the most prestigious individual award.

Outstanding Achievement in the Face of Adversity: Alexandra Paige-Fraser Awarded to an individual who, despite suffering a major setback in their sporting or personal life, has continued to show their commitment to their club and sport, showing the power sport has to overcome adversity and challenges in life. It went to Boxing’s Alexandra Paige-Fraser.

holly willis Fresher of the Year: Ella Barrett Awarded to a student in their first year of membership to the club, showing outstanding dedication, enthusiasm and passion throughout the year. Won by 200m and 400m sprinter Ella Barrett, who is coached by Jessica Ennis-Hill’s former mentor, Toni Minichiello.

Team of the Year: Men’s Rugby Union 1s This was awarded to the Men’s Rugby Union 1s. They won the Northern 1A league, only losing one game and finishing with a points difference of +195. They also won the BUCS Rugby Union Trophy and played their last four games in 13 days, winning all of them.

Club of the Year: Athletics and Cross Country This was awarded to Athletics and Cross Country. They raised 3.5 times more money for charity than any previous year, and ran a #RunandTalk session to raise issues surrounding mental health. They also hold sessions in local primary schools.

Special Recognition for Services to Sport: forge sport This was awarded to our very own Forge Sport team across Press, Radio and TV for their services and coverage to University sport.

You are amazing at giving back to the community and representing team Black and Gold with pride. Flo Brookes, SU Sports Officer Photography by Aimée Cooper

Friday 11 May 2018

www.facebook.com/ForgePress

Adam May

@ForgeSport

Head of Sport

Well, something called Varsity just happened, and the city belongs to the Black and Golds for a sixth straight year! What a competition it was and a brilliant display from Uni of. It was squeaky-bum time at one stage as Hallam looked to have staged a comeback, but congratulations to korfball, which is where the winning point came from. This is also, as I’m sure you’re aware, the final issue (*dries eyes*) of the year.

press.sport@forgetoday.com

Sport

It’s been a wonderful year of sport in Sheffield, and it’s culminated, in a way, by the success of the World Snooker Championships here in the city. We’re incredibly lucky to have this prestigious competition right on our doorsteps, and thank you to our reporters who helped cover the quarter-final and semi-final stages of this year’s event for our online platform. Sheffield United fell at the final hurdle in regards of the Championship playoffs, while Jos Luhukay has steadied a sinking ship and next year should be an interesting one at Hillsborough.

A DerHexer

Crucible classic as Williams claims third crown Tim Adams

itting naked in a post-match press conference wasn’t on Mark Williams’ Christmas wish list as the new snooker season appeared over the horizon, but as he walked past journalists bare on Monday night he probably wouldn’t have felt too bad. At the Snooker World Championship the Welshman produced some scarcely believable moments, becoming the oldest Crucible champion since Ray Reardon to claim the sport’s most coveted prize with an 18-16 win over John Higgins. At a combined age of 85, the pair have risen from anonymity since their last world titles; Higgins in 2011 and Williams in 2003. Higgins returned to grace last year in his world championship decider against Mark Selby but lost, while Williams decided that 2018 would be the chance to get back into the limelight after previously contemplating retirement. The feeling was that it would likely be Higgins’ title, given the extra rest on Saturday night and the

Thank you, again, for reading this section, and we hope you enjoyed the 20-page Varsity pull-out. Michael Ekman and Patrick Burke are part of the incoming 2018/19 contingent and helped put this issue together. Josh Taylor will be remaining with the Press team next year while Tim Adams is making the switch to radio, and Charlie Payne joins us as our new copy-editor. You’ll get to meet all the new guys properly in September! As always, take care and thanks for reading!

A brief reflection on life as an Owl or a Blade Opinion: Adam May

43-year-old Williams scooped his third World Snooker Championship Crown

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fact that he had the chance to equal the coveted record of five titles held by Ronnie O’Sullivan. Yet Williams had not read the script, pouncing on any mistakes to rocket into a 4-0 lead with the help of minstrels and wine gums from the crowd. Even early on Sunday there was the feeling that Higgins needed to respond and he did emphatically with a ton break, following that with two further three figure breaks to draw level at seven apiece. The importance of setting the benchmark high for the following day cannot be underestimated in the match-play format of snooker tournaments though, and the fact that Williams somehow snatched the last three frames proved dividends as the pair headed into Monday. By now the final had become one of those which people remember for a while but could forget, but by the beginning of the evening session it had turned into a Crucible classic. Momentum had first swung Williams’ way as the Welshman forged a 14-7 lead, winning the

first four frames in the afternoon session. He needed four frames for the title, while Higgins needed 11 to claim the crown. Was it over though? Not one bit. Both players were once labelled the ‘class of 92’ alongside O’Sullivan when they were first noticed with a cue as teenagers, all three deemed as supernatural snooker sensations. So it wasn’t surprising to see Higgins win eight of the next nine frames in response to the seven on the trot from Williams in an act of pure potting pilferage. Even when Williams missed the pink for the championship the Scot cleared up in a fashion of a four time champion. Yet it wasn’t enough as the Welshman finally edged over the line in the next frame to pick up the trophy. Last year he had watched the tournament in a caravan but this year the Crucible was his home from home.

s the final whistle blew on Sunday and the dust had settled, it seemed the perfect opportunity to reflect on the campaign. For Sheffield United, it appeared to be a season full of overachievements but also a sign of what’s needed to improve. Of course there are many improvements needed but noone, not even the most die-hard of Unitedites, would have expected Chris Wilder’s men to have been within touching distance of the play-offs with a handful of games remaining. While they ultimately fell at the final hurdle, it was a momentous effort.

Point gap between the Blades (10th) and Wednesday (15th)

They were ultimately made to pay for a lack of ruthlessness and an over-reliance on the star performers such as Leon Clarke. The goal contributions from the likes of Player of the Season John Fleck with just two strikes to his name were always going to cause problems sooner or later. Saying that, after the Blades stormed to the League One title the season before, they didn’t actually have to tweak much. Sure, the January signings of Ryan Leonard and Lee Evans, with Ricky

Holmes struggling to establish the same impact due to niggling injuries, proved a bonus. So too were the acquisitions of Clayton Donaldson and Richard Stearman, with the latter being a rock in defence. The two new wing-backs, Enda Stevens and George Baldock, made a seamless transition into Wilder’s title-winning formation. Whilst it looks like a lot of changes on the surface, the core of the team was very much the same. Although ‘keeper Jamal Blackman, the Chelsea loanee, added a newfound stature between the sticks. Over in S6, the season was a lot rockier. Carlos Carvalhal has evidently showed his class as a manager at Premier League Swansea after leaving the Owls on Boxing Day, but struggled to motivate a tired and stale team that had been defeated in the play-offs in successive seasons. Jos Luhukay was almost an unknown quantity when he was appointed but, in his defence, he’s appeared to steady the ship. They closed the gap on their Sheffield counterparts, although the 4-2 derby defeat at Hillsborough hurt more than anything. There’s promise there though, undoubtedly, and they will likely try to make better use of Lucas João and Atdhe Nuhiu who has been offered a contract extension next term. The release of Glenn Loovens, a stalwart skipper, and Ross Wallace at the end of the campaign may come as a surprise, and it will be interesting to see whether Fernando Forestieri hangs about after a season largely marred by injury. A message to both clubs: room for improvement.

Jos Luhukay has appeared to steady a sinking ship

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