Issue11

WWW.MANCUNION.COM

5th DECEMBER 2016 / ISSUE 11 FREE

Manchester Labour Students in disarray Following the publication of ‘Manchester Labour Students move left’ to unofficial Momentum blog The Clarion, yet more divisions begin to reveal themselves within Manchester Labour Students

Jennifer Sterne Editor-in-chief Three self-proclaimed Manchester Labour Students (MLS) activists have written an article for The Clarion, an unofficial magazine by Momentum activists, in which they outline how they used their “left caucus as a battering ram to open up an insular Labour club”, to ensure MLS moved to the left over the past year.

In recent committee elections the left of MLS won a clear majority on the new committee, and the authors of the article argue that their intention is to recount “lessons on left wing organising and the conduct of the ‘moderate’ wing of the party”.

The articles states that over the past year socialists have successfully positioned themselves in Manchester Labour Students, which they claim before had been “a notoriously Blairite grouping”, acting as “the organised right wing of Manchester Students’ Union”, and “a hotbed of party careerists with Blairite politics, and little internal democracy”.

The authors claim that from September 2015, after the election of Jeremy Corbyn and a huge influx of new members, MLS denied members’ meetings, using the Oldham West and Royton by-election campaign as their reasoning.

This is dismissed by the article which argues that instead “the MLS establishment were

uninterested in building a big or active group as that would force them to work with socialists and threaten their backwards ways of operating”.

An anonymous former MLS committee member, responding to the article, stated that “the allegations in the article are unfounded and without merit.”

They added that “if people find the idea of campaigning to get Corbyn into Downing Street appalling, they are in the wrong party, and a reality check is needed if these people think that taking over a student Labour club is going to lead to the advancement of Socialism.”

As reported last year it was due to the perceived lack of organising meetings for new members the MLS that the splinter group ‘Labour Left Students for Corbyn’ (LLS) was set up.

LLS caused controversy last year when they announced plans to divide the society into two distinct groups, to encourage more left wing members to be active in MLS. The occurrence of these events was the cause of much division throughout the last academic year, often turning bitter on Facebook and resulting in claims that senior MLS members were labelled ‘Blairite scum’.

It is claimed by the article that the second meeting conducted by ‘Labour Left Students for Corbyn’ was attended by a number of the “MLS right wingers who tried to disrupt

it through disingenuous claims that they had been bullied”.

According to the three ‘Manchester Labour Students activists’, they have succeeded in ensuring “MLS has changed from a club which was essentially run by two people and only organised campaigns around election door knocking, to one with a high level of engagement and a democratic political culture”.

Last year’s Campaign’s Officer on the MLS Committee, Marley Bennett, has however expressed his disappointment at the article, co-written by people he describes as “comrades in Manchester Labour Students”.

Bennett admits that “the atmosphere in MLS meetings this past 18 months has been appalling. Political differences have been polarised, procedural complaints have been weaponised, and bullying has been targeted — and consistently ignored by some. The recent article only proves this.”

He also alleges that the architect of Manchester Labour Left Students for Corbyn, who is given praise within the article, “has serious allegations to answer”.

Despite the assertions by the authors of the article, Bennett says that claims about bullying were not disingenuous, alleging that under their influence there was a rise in “brazen misogyny”. He claims women were consistently shouted at while chairing meetings while men were met with “uncritical silence despite them conducting meetings in exactly the same way.”

Bennett adds there was often “a complete disregard for others’ mental health”, which was “characteristic of a larger personal

campaign against one of our most prominent members”.

Responding to the allegations that MLS used the campaign in Oldham West and Royton by-election as an excuse to not hold meetings, Bennett said: “After the sad death of Michael Meacher, the MP for Oldham West and Royton, I believe it was right to prioritise campaigning in that constituency to ensure that UKIP did not gain another seat in Parliament.

“We were right to put not just MLS but our uni work on hold for weeks, as we had done the previous year when, after bringing literal tanks to Greater Manchester, UKIP lost in Heywood and Middleton were a mere six hundred votes from winning on our doorstep. It’s disappointing that some current and former members of MLS’s committee don’t see or remember this.”

According to Bennett, new people have simply left the meetings or felt it necessary to step back due to the at m o s p h e r e , and he admits that, while he has spent many hours campaigning for MLS, if last year had been his first year he wouldn’t have bothered.

Photos: UK Labour Party, Junaid Ali Bokhari

Referendum on NUS disaffiliation petition//Review of NUS North West Regional Activists Network: Page 2

Free Education Protest

P4

Misrepresenting the Syrian conflict

P11

Fashion Competition

P17

News

2

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Highlights P8

Features: Student noise problem

P10

Petition for a referendum on NUS membership at Manchester goes live

Elrica Degirmen Reporter

Across the country, many university Students’ Unions are voting on whether to remain affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS).

The issue of students’ disillusionment in the NUS gained force when President of the NUS Malia Bouattia generated scandal over her comments regarding Jewish students, which prompted backlash from many students across the country and led to calls that it was failing to represent the whole student body. Some disaffiliations have already occurred at universities in Newcastle and Hull.

At the University of Manchester, students currently do not have the opportunity to vote on whether their students’ union should remain affiliated. However at the first senate meeting of the academic year the Students’ Union debated whether to offer a referendum on membership of the NUS, this was not passed.

Despite this, Samim Sadid has started a petition on the Students’ Union website calling for a referendum on NUS membership. Speaking to The Mancunion , Sadid has said: “The referendum provides an opportunity and democratic exercise for students to express concerns they may have

about the NUS. A growing number of students do not feel the NUS is representing their interests effectively. They want change and feel the NUS are not providing that change.”

If the referendum is allowed to take place, it would allow the debate that has happened at other universities to take place at the University of Manchester. Referendums have also been held at Cambridge, which voted to stay by a five per cent margin, and Oxford where 57 per cent voted to stay.

Sadid went on to say: “This referendum, therefore, empowers students to campaign and pitch their arguments for remaining or leaving the NUS, and, deciding which direction they want their students’ union to follow.”

In statement to The Mancunion Naa Acquah, General Secretary of the Students’ Union said: “As a democratic institution, we are delighted that students come up with a range of ideas that have the ability to trigger referendums on a variety of issues. Within our structures we also hold a referendum on NUS every 3 years which would have been next academic year.

“With regards to the recent proposal to hold a referendum, our current view is that at a time when Higher Education is under attack, we foresee that being a part of the wider Student movement will be invaluable.”

Photo: UOM Students’ Union

Review: NUS North West Regional Activists Network

Opinion : Stop pretending Fidel Castro was a hero

P12

Music: Review: The Cure

Lily Sheehan reports on the first ever NUS North West Regional Activists Network meeting The National Union of Students (NUS) hosted a regional conference at the University of Manchester Students’ Union, covering a wide range of issues.

The first ever NUS North West Regional Activists Network meeting took place on Friday the 2nd of December. Headed by NUS President Malia Bouattia, the conference focused on student activism, ranging from the controversial Teaching Excellence Framework to the current mental health crisis in higher education. She acknowledged that most of the issues students face today are a direct result of “managers and vice-chancellors rationalising the system…[in a] race to the bottom”.

It was argued that in the current economic climate, education has become “a commodity”, and that in the post-Brexit political atmosphere, BAME students are subject to increased discrimination and international students face both a rise in fees and uncertainty about the length of their stay in the UK. By working together and pooling our resources, Bouattia argued, students can help each other to overcome the problems.

Bouattia spoke of the necessity of the regional network, speaking of the need to “close the gap” between the NUS and the activists they represent.

Attendees were invited to share their personal criticisms of their universities or Student’s Unions, with other students or NUS officers providing potential solutions.

The Manchester Students’ Union played host to students from across the North West, from

P24 Visit Our Website www.mancunion.com The Mancunion @TheMancunion

Arts: A guide to art over the Christmas break

Editor-in-chief: Jennifer Sterne editor@mancunion.com Deputy Editor-in-chief: Elise Gallagher deputyed@mancunion.com Postal address: University of Manchester Students’ Union, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR Phone: 0161 275 2989 Subeditors: Gemma Sowerby, Jane Simmons, Hannah Foy, Christopher Tchen, Lauren Bramley, Adriana Elgueta, Lauren Pizzey, Stevie Grieves sub@mancunion.com

Manchester to Central Lancashire to Derby. Of particular notability was Siôn Davies, a University of Manchester student who is on the NUS National Executive Council and the only Conservative ever to hold such a position.

In the current political climate, he is expecting a ‘Tory takeover’ of the NUS. Whilst the NUS remains (for now) a very left-wing organisation, only time will tell if it will be subject to the same political turmoil as the country in which it exists.

One talk, led by NUS Disabled Students’ Officer James Elliot, was entitled ‘Minds versus Markets Mental Health and Education Funding.’ It focused on the oft-repeated sentiment that higher education in Britain has been subject to a ‘marketisation’ in recent years, and how this has affected students’ mental well-being in particular.

A study by the NUS last year discovered that 78 per cent of students surveyed had experienced some form of mental health difficulty at university, with a worrying 33 per cent reporting suicidal thoughts.

Whilst the most common cause of distress was workload (67 per cent of students), nearly half were deeply worried about finances — hardly surprising given that UK student debt increased from £15 billion in 2005 to £54 billion in 2014.

Elliot encouraged attendees to force their universities to do more than simply “raise awareness”. He expressed a desperate need for highquality counselling services, institutional mental health policies and systemic change to reduce the

financial burden on students.

Led by Manchester Students’ Union Diversity Officer Ilyas Nagdee, the ‘Decolonising Our Education - Tackling the Attainment Gap’ session provided insight into how the British higher education system remains problematic for BAME students.

Brought up at the session was the issue that many minority students are made to feel “different” or “inferior” within their academic institutions — one Muslim student complained of an academic advisor who made Islamophobic jokes in front of her. It was highlighted how this can lead to feelings of isolation and lower confidence. Additionally, another attendee raised the issue of Eurocentric curriculum’s, citing the example of a Psychology student she knew.

Although this student had received excellent results at A-Level, she struggled to finish her undergraduate degree. She felt her degree was “hard to relate to” and was confused as to why non-white psychologists were never mentioned. Although many universities (such as Manchester) have worked to create units that involve the non-Western world and minority groups, it was argued that it was time for them to be part of the standard curriculum.

The sheer range of issues explored at this inaugural Regional Activists Network meeting shows there is still a lot of work to be done, but it was clear that the delegates and students in attendance were keen to make progress.

Editorial Adviser: Charlie Spargo

lifestyle@mancunion.com

Head News Editor: Yasmin Mannan Deputy News Editor: Len Cotton Science Editor: Georgie Hines news@mancunion.com science@mancunion.com

Head Music Editor: Joe Casson Deputy Music Editor: Katie Shepherd music@mancunion.com

Head Features Editor: Jacob Nicholas Deputy Features Editor: Emma Shanks features@mancunion.com Head Opinion Editor: Tristan Parsons Deputy Opinion Editor: Marina Iskander opinion@mancunion.com Head Fashion Editor: Sarah Kilcourse Deputy Fashion Editors: Sophie Soar and Talia Lee Skudder fashion@mancunion.com Head Food & Drink Editor: Felix Sanders foodanddrink@mancunion.com Head Film Editor: Eliza Slawther Deputy Film Editor: Shema Begum film@mancunion.com Head Lifestyle Editor: Rachel Adams Deputy Lifestyle Editor: Araddhna Patel

Photo: NUS

Head Sport Editor: Harry Newton Deputy Sport Editor: Alex Whitcomb University Sport Editor: Ben Ryan sport@mancunion.com Books Editor: Roma Havers books@mancunion.com Games Editor: Stephen Lewis games@mancunion.com Theatre Editor: Brogen Campbell theatre@mancunion.com Arts Editor: Laura Joyce arts@mancunion.com Head Online Editor Rebecca Carr Deputy Online Editor: Holly Smith online@mancunion.com Photographers: Junaid Ali Bokhari Copyright belongs to the photographers. If you wish to reproduce them contact them

The Mancunion is the official student newspaper of the University of Manchester., established in 1969 with a readership of around 20,000. It is printed weekly for 20 editions and is distributed across campus and the city.

All writers are volunteers and new contributors are always welcome. No previous experience is necessary, just a passion for student media and a good story. You can get involved by turning up to a meeting, the times of which are listed on the Mancunion website’s Join page.

We gladly accept contributors from outside the University of Manchester.

The Mancunion is part of the Manchester Media Group, along with Fuse FM and Fuse TV. This body encompasses all of the Union’s official media outlets, and organises training, outside speakers, and social events for Manchester students interested in student media.

If you have any comments, questions, complaints, or would like to contribute, please e-mail the Editorin-chief or Deputy Editor-in-chief.

News 3

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Working class students win protection against class appropriation Students at St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford appoint Class Liberation Officer to prevent discrimination towards working class students

Photo: Urban Outfitters

Len Cotton Deputy News Editor Students at St Hilda’s College, Oxford have won a battle to win protection from discrimination against their working-class status. The students reported that they had received unsavoury comments regarding their Primark clothing.

The college has now voted to appoint a ‘class liberation officer’ in order to prevent students from low-income backgrounds being referred to as ‘chavs’. One student stated: “Insults such as ‘chav’, chav-themed social nights and questions such as ‘why are you wearing Primark?’ can make poor students feel upset and worthless.”

Students at Manchester have faced similar

criticism as the scruffy-look ‘Fallowfield Style’ has been deemed offensive to poorer students, and even the homeless. First year English student Louise grew up in a working class family in London and feels that richer students in Fallowfield ‘dressing down’ can be seen as insulting. She told The Mancunion : “My family have always struggled with money. We were lucky if we could pay the bills at the end of every month. Seeing students purposely dress down to try and look ‘edgy’ or ‘cool’ seems a bit disrespectful to people who actually can’t afford expensive clothes.”

Indeed, other students have expressed anger towards the fact that the Fallowfield dress code of baggy trousers and loose jumpers could be viewed as patronising to the homeless

community in Manchester. Second year History student, George, said: “When you see students dressing in old, scruffy sports gear and then you find out that they went to a private school in London it seems a bit like they’re taking advantage of their wealth. Poverty and homelessness is a huge problem in Manchester so why are some students trying to pretend that they’re poorer than they are? It all just seems a bit thoughtless.”

However, the Students’ Union are taking action to tackle class appropriation. Just this year, the student Senate voted to appoint a part-time Working Class Officer to ensure that those studying at Manchester who come from a less well-off background are having their grievances represented. This comes at an

especially important time when earlier this year that government announced that they would be cutting maintenance grants, a key source of income for students from poorer backgrounds.

In fact, despite some working class students stating their annoyance at Fallowfield’s fashion sense; others feel it is being given unnecessary attention over other, more important issues.

Biochemistry student Harriet reinforced this idea when she commented: “I grew up in a working class part of Birmingham and have seen that there are much bigger problems than some rich kids wearing old Adidas trackies. I do think the university should be doing more to make sure that people like me have enough support on our courses and private lives to have as good a time as students with richer parents.”

Photo: Andy Boenau@Flickr

49% of female students are victims of sexual assault It has recently been reported in The Tab that 49 per cent of females have been sexually assaulted during their time as a student in higher education

Shivani Kaura News Contributor It has recently been reported in Babe that 49 per cent of female students have been sexually assaulted.

Babe’s Consent and Sexual Assault survey revealed that 51 per cent of those were assaulted while at university.

The survey revealed that many knew their attacker, with 78 per cent saying that it was either a close friend or boyfriend and 67 per cent stating that it was someone they knew.

One girl, interviewed by Babe depicted her experience as “disturbing”, stating: “It happened just after the end of my first year of uni. I was assaulted after a night out by another close friend while I was drunk and asleep. He was sober and he thought I’d ‘wake up and enjoy it’ – needless to say, I didn’t.”

27 per cent of those who stated their assault took place at university said that these events occurred

during their first year, with 23 per cent reporting that the assault took place during Freshers Week.

The University of Manchester had particularly high results with a 17 per cent of students saying they had been raped and 35 per cent saying they had been sexually assaulted.

One anonymous respondent to The Tab claimed she “never reported it to the university or the police”, something which she regrets after being told that it would not affect her degree but she felt that there was “no support and nowhere [she] could turn to talk about what had happened”.

When questioned about how they combat these issues a University of Manchester spokesman stated: “This is a self-selecting survey where an unknown number of participants filled in an online form, so the findings should be treated with caution. However the University does treat any instances of harassment extremely seriously and we recommend to students that such allegations be reported to the police for in-

vestigation in the first instance.We also offer extensive support to students in the form of pastoral support, including counselling services provided in-house.

Through the ‘We Get It’ campaign, run alongside the Students’ Union, we have instituted a zero-tolerance approach and an initiative of spreading awareness throughout the University community.”

The Guardian recently reported that research conducted by professionals stated that 70 per cent of British women have “taken steps in their everyday lives to guard against harassment. Women have been told to defend themselves: wear rings with daggers, carry rape alarms, and use anti-rohypnol nail varnish every time they visit a bar or go out to a nightclub.”

Manchester’s Reclaim the Night, hosted by the Manchester Students’ Union, sees thousands of women amplifying their voices and taking to the streets to ‘say ‘NO’ to sexual violence against women.

This event has become a platform for women to stand up to those that think sexual harassment is ac-

ceptable, attempting to educate others about street harassment, rape culture, and victim blaming and aims to make the University of Manchester a more safe and open environment.

Last year saw the protest’s greatest turnout, with over 3,500 students marching against sexual and street harassment. Despite this, the aforementioned figures would suggest that sexual harassment remains an issue in university life.

Photo: University of Manchester Students’ Union

4

News

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Free education protesters occupy University of Warwick building Georgie Hines Science News Editor

Photo: bobaliciouslondon@Flickr

Members of Warwick For Free Education (WFFE) have taken over a University of Warwick building, The Slate, a new £5.3 million conference centre, in protest against the university’s involvement with the new Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and poor working standards, which WFFE describes as “the disastrous direction in which higher education is being pushed, and our own institution’s complicity in that agenda”.

A statement from the protesting group reads: “We are at a truly pivotal moment for higher education. This government is set to usher in the full marketisation of the sector, with devastating consequences for both students and staff.

“Student debt is set to rise, academics will be pushed to breaking point, and private companies will be given a free pass to take over and profit from public universities driven to collapse.

“As tuition fees go up, students don’t even have enough space to study or to sit in lectures. As management salaries continue to surge, hourly-paid teachers are struggling to survive.

“As Warwick prioritises corporate conference space, they fail to provide enough housing for students year upon year.”

As part of their protest, Warwick for Free Education made three demands.

The first is: “The University must opt out of the Teaching Excellence Framework”, owing to the university agreeing to the TEF policy despite opposition from both student and staff votes.

The second demand reads: “The University must agree to Warwick Anti-Casualisation’s 6 demands for fair teaching conditions,” reacting to the university’s ‘notoriously’ bad working standards.

Earlier in November, The Guardian

revealed that 68.1 per cent of academics at Warwick were working on ‘insecure’ contracts. Warwick Anti-Casualisation group call for hourly-paid lecturers to be made full-time staff and for equal pay rates across departments.

The third, that “the University must scrap the protest injunction and apologise for their handling of the events of 3 December, 2014,” refers to violence against student protests at a sit-in for free education and the following response from the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Nigel Thrift, that the group called a ‘smear campaign’.

West Midlands police were called to the university two years ago and claims of excessive force, including the threat of tasers and use of tear gas to subdue the crowds, have since been made.

One final year Warwick student, not involved in the protest, spoke to The Mancunion: “The fact that Warwick has invested in The Slate building when the campus does not have sufficient study space, teaching space, or even accommodation for its growing student population is outrageous.

“The university continues to accept more and more students while making little attempt to keep up with the demands on facilities — seminars are held in offices, students cannot get seats in the library, first years are put up in hotel rooms.

“With tuition fees set to rise again, and 68 per cent of staff struggling on precarious contracts, it is simply unacceptable that Warwick continues to pour money into outside business ventures to the detriment of its staff and students.”

This reflects the growing hostility towards the university from all areas of the student population, and echoes WFFE’s statement: “This is the product of years of students being treated as consumers and universities being run as businesses, the impact of which is

felt very strongly here at Warwick.

“As we sit in this cutting edge facility purpose-built for external companies and businesses, students and staff are experiencing a drastic deterioration of learning, working and living conditions.”

A spokesperson for the University of Warwick Press Office has responded: “We are aware of the occupation by around half a dozen people and we are monitoring the situation.”

The University of Warwick’s Students’ Union have released this statement: “The Students’ Union has been made aware of an occupation of ‘The Slate’, Warwick’s new £5.3million conference building, by Warwick For Free Education. Our primary concern is for the welfare of those students involved, and Sabbatical Officers will remain in dialogue with both the University and those in occupation to ensure this.

“The students’ demands — that the University opt out of the government’s proposed ‘Teaching Excellence Framework’, agree to the “6 Demands for fairer teaching conditions” among casualised staff and abolish the protest injunction — are all supported by democratic mandate and SU policy.

“Furthermore, it is clear from recent events such as the Extraordinary Meeting of Warwick’s Senate and the NUS National Demo that students and staff are not being listened to. As outlined in the occupiers’ statement, the traditional democratic channels open to staff and students have now been exhausted. It is also important to note that this building has been purpose-built to support corporate conferences and is not used for teaching and learning, thus causing minimal disruption to students’ everyday lives.”

At the time of print, this was still a developing story.

Men more likely to suffer from academic ‘imposter syndrome’ than women Photo: timothy.actwell@Flickr

A recent study by the University of Houston shows that male academics are more likely to suffer from work-related anxiety, depression, and ‘Imposter Syndrome’ than their female counterparts.

Tom Patterson News Contributor

Times Higher Education recently ran an article about ImposterSyndrome and anxiety among academics. They cited a recent study from the University of Houston which found that male academics were more likely to suffer from work-related anxiety and so called ‘Imposter-Syndrome’ than their female colleagues.

Imposter syndrome is when a person feels unable to cope with the position in which they’ve found themselves, like they shouldn’t be there, and are afraid of being exposed as a fraud. The study didn’t have a very large sample size — it involved sixteen academics across a range of levels of responsibility — but it could indicate a larger trend.

Through a series of interviews, academics were asked about the trigger factors that bring about feelings of Imposter Syndrome, leading to stress and anxiety in the workplace and the kinds of coping mechanisms that they employ. The main cause of these negative feelings was having their expertise questioned by either students or colleagues. Female academics were generally found

to adopt a more open approach and rely on techniques such as social support to understand and deal with feelings of Imposter Syndrome. On the other hand, male academics were much more likely to use avoidance tactics and instead cope through “alcohol or other substance abuse, working harder or just not addressing their imposter thoughts.”

The study concluded that given the reluctance among men to use active coping mechanisms, they were more likely to suffer as a result of these unresolved feelings. Participants in the study suggested that academics could deal with these negative feelings better if universities offered mentoring and discussion groups to normalise the feelings and clarify the means by which academic performance is evaluated.

Today, there is more awareness and understanding of men’s health issues than in previous decades. Campaigns such as the Movember Foundation are making a big difference by both raising money and opening up discussion. The Foundation raised £6.8 million in 2015 in the UK alone, which goes towards research and support for both physical and mental health. Also around

Manchester city centre you are likely to come across a number of CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) posters, which is another major organisation helping to deal with mental health issues among men.

At the University of Manchester, Izzy Gurbuz is the Wellbeing Officer on the Executive Team. There are general wellbeing, advice, and counselling services based at the university. But there are also less formal sounding options as well. Over the summer, Izzy helped students to set up the Open Mind Network which is a student society centring around mental health and well-being.

She said that it’s “another avenue that people might feel more comfortable with, to be able to go to for peer to peer discussions.”

The Open Mind Network was involved in events on World Mental Health Day and they’re very keen on raising awareness. Co-founder Sakib Moghal was quoted in the Mancunion back in October saying: “Our two goals are to support those students dealing with mental health issues and to educate all students on keeping a healthy and happy lifestyle.”

News 5

ISSUE 11 / 5TH DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Newcastle to give special dispensation for distressing topics The University of Newcastle has suggested that students should gain extra time on exam papers which deal with potentially ‘triggering’ topic.

Shivani Kaura News Contributor The University of Newcastle has recently considered offering students extra time, exam re-sits, and deadline extensions for work involving ‘sensitive topics’ as this may have an impact on students’ final grades. It will include material taken from any subject, across any field, which includes violence, rape, misogyny, and racism.

‘Trigger warnings’ are already issued by many of the UK’s top universities such as LSE and Edinburgh, much like many universities in the US. They give the opportunity for students to know beforehand the topic of lectures and read-

ings they may feel uncomfortable with and have established a safe environment for students to attend discussions.

Academics, such as Dennis Haynes, Director of campaign group Academics for Academic Freedom and education professor at Derby University, has criticised this academic proposition and has referred to it as “bureaucratic mollycoddling” as reported by The Sunday Times.

Students at University College London studying the module Archaeologies of Modern Conflict have also been given permission to leave lecture theatres if a topic they are focusing on is deemed ‘disturbing’ or ‘traumatic’ such as the Holocaust or the atomic bomb-

ing of Hiroshima.

Sociology lecturer Pam Lowe at Aston University, Birmingham, recently wrote for the New Statesman suggesting that it was “important for staff to assist and support students while teaching and learning sensitive issues, but we should not be sanitising the curriculum for them.”

It is not yet clear what constitutes a ‘sensitive topic’. Universities in the US takes a very different approach to the matter, with many leading academics at top US universities suggesting that labelling work as difficult should be taken with a pinch of salt, as dealing with these issues is something the student chose to do when considering their subject.

Photo: Boxed at the University of Manchester

Boxed : the student-run charity project for the homeless Araddhna Patel News Contributor Boxed UoM is a new charity project that aims to help address the problem of homelessness in Manchester by donating essentials and other gifts to the ever-growing number of people sleeping rough in this city.

Ross Collington and Georgina Bullen, the students behind this innovative project at the University of Manchester, started up this charity as a way of giving back to the local homeless community this Christmas.

Each shoebox should contain around seven items from a list provided by the students, including: toiletries, non-perishable food, and clothing items (which must be of a sellable nature if second-hand). The aim is to spend between £7 and £10 on each box if possible.

They realise that packaging

Photo: dcjohn@Flickr

boxes may take some time, so individual items are welcome as well as any cash donations via the Boxed UoM Go Fund Me page. As of the 30th November, £310 of the £350 goal has been raised.

Boxed have teamed up with a few local charities, including Barnabus and Mustard Tree, who will be responsible for distributing the donations made. Barnabus, a Christian homeless charity, aims to deliver their boxes at their Christmas Dinner on December 6. Mustard Tree, an organisation aiming to combat poverty and prevent homelessness, will be open for donations until December 15.

Boxed have also teamed up with The Closet in aid of the local mental health charity Manchester Mind. Their shop on Oxford Road, between the University of Manchester Students’ Union and Academy 1, is accepting donations too. This will spread aware-

ness of the mental health issues that are partially responsible for Manchester’s homelessness.

To promote the project, Boxed took to the Students’ Union on November 28 from 9am onwards, selling Krispy Kreme donuts and vegan food items to get students involved.

There is a collection box in the Owens Park reception in Fallowfield, which is open until December 15. The Go Fund Me page online is also open for donations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Ross told The Mancunion: “We know as students how tight money can be towards the end of the semester. But anything you can give, be it a box, item, or some money, will help us make a difference this Christmas.”

For more information, please visit the Boxed UoM Facebook page.

City AM Newspaper criticised for auctioning internship for £650

As debates about the problem of unpaid internships continue, one work experience position has gone on offer at a cost, stirring concerns about inclusivity.

Yasmin Mannan News Editor

City AM , a business newspaper, has come under fire for auctioning a one-week internship at its London headquarters for £650.

In the advert for their internship, City AM state: “City AM are delighted to offer a one-week internship on their dynamic news desk perfect for a budding journalist. This is a great opportunity to work with the City’s leading newspaper and see how it works from start to finish. From the editor’s desk to going to print, experience just what is takes to bring a newspaper to life each day.”

Although the money raised in the auction is for the charity ‘Maggie’s Cancer Centres’, the newspaper has come under fire for not recognising the

inequality of opportunity which the auction perpertuates, as richer students will more likely to afford the internship rather than their less advantaged counterparts.

Graduate Fog, the careers advice website, does not find the charity destination of the money enough to excuse City AM ’s actions. On their website, they state: “As journalism is one of the most competitive industries for UK graduates to break into, and experience is hard to get, it is safe to say that the person who does this internship will be more likely to secure a paid job in future than a person who can’t afford to do it.

“In our opinion, the fact that a few hundred quid will go to charity does not justify that. Internships should never be for sale, or presented as a prize. It is unfair and inappropriate.”

Moreover, The Guardian has reported that many people have taken to Twitter to express their feelings, with one person tweeting that it is “a strange way to make money”.

In an exchange of tweets with Graduate Fog, City AM ’s audience development manager, Tim Miller, pointed out that it’s a oneoff charity initiative, and that “we offer internships at no cost”.

Graduate Fog tweeted back that “CV-boosting experience is simply an inappropriate prize in 2016. CityAM should find something else to auction for the money which isn’t at the expense of whoever gets pushed back in the queue for paid jobs, when this person gets pushed forward.”

Photo: Gary Thomson@Flickr

6

Science

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Female scientists sign Jodrell Bank blocks home development plans letter against hate Following Trump’s victory in the US election, nearly 9,000 women have signed an open letter against the “hateful rhetoric that was given a voice” against science and hate Georgie Hines Science & Technology Editor

A group of women in STEM have written an open letter against Trump and the “anti-science sentiment” he brought to the United States during the 2016 election cycle.

The President-elect notoriously claimed that climate change was a concept fabricated by China and promised to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement during his campaign. The agreement is part of a global action plan to limit the increase in global warming to 2°C, and only became effective on the 2nd of November this year.

The letter states: “Science is foundational in a progressive society, fuels innovation, and touches the lives of every person on this planet. We fear that the scientific progress and momentum in tackling our biggest challenges, including staving off the worst impacts of climate change, will be severely hindered under this next U.S. administration. Our planet cannot afford to lose any time.”

The letter also mentions discrimination targeting against “minority groups, women, LGBTQIA, immigrants, and people with dis-

abilities. Many of us feel personally threatened by this divisive and destructive rhetoric and have turned to each other for understanding, strength and a path forward.”

Dr Kelly Ramirez, at the Netherlands Insitute of Ecology and an author of the letter, has said that herself and her co-authors felt this letter was needed due to the “fear that the scientific progress and momentum in tackling our biggest challenges, including staving off the worst impacts of climate change, [would] come to an abrupt stop” following Trump’s victorious campaign.

Dr Franciska De Vries, from the Soil and Ecosystem Ecology Lab at the University of Manchester, is also part of the group that initiated the plan and spoke to BBC News following the letter’s publication.

With an initial estimated outreach of 500 female scientists, Dr De Vries hopes that this “global network” of scientists can support each other in research and inspire young women to embark on careers in science.

“It’s empowering for people to read that letter and to see the huge amount of signatures and support” and to know by sharing “these feelings with a network — we have a voice.”

“We see this as the start of something bigger.”

Fears of increased signal pollution from new homes behind ruling against 120-home development

Georgie Hines Science & Technology Editor

A proposed new housing development near Jodrell Bank Observatory, in Cheshire, has been blocked on the basis that new electronic appliances in the area would increase signal pollution and affect the observatory’s ability to receive radio signals.

The site is 1.95 miles from the observatory, which was established in 1945 by Sir Bernard Lovell and is featured frequently on TV shows, such as Stargazing Live, with presenters such as Brian Cox. Sajid Javid, Communities and Local Government Secretary, has agreed with the public enquiry’s opinion that, “as an established world class facility, [Jodrell Bank] should be afforded reasonable protection”.

A statement from Mr Javid’s team, states: “The secretary of state… considers that this proposal could damage the world-class work being carried out by the observatory. In his view, the harm to the efficiency of the radio telescope carries substantial weight against the proposal.”

Furthermore, “the protection of Jodrell Bank as a facility of international importance transcends the housing land supply circumstances

of the case” and “the reasonable protection of Jodrell Bank Observatory is a matter of global significance.”

Scientists have argued that a new development would take signal pollution in the area to above 10 per cent, with a public enquiry concluding that, “the harm to the efficiency of the Radio Telescope carries substantial weight against the proposal.”

This is not the first time the proposal has been rejected as Cheshire East Council also rebuffed the development last year.

Ainsley Arnold, Councillor of Cheshire East, added: “Jodrell Bank observatory is a vital asset to this borough, the nation and the international scientific community. The protective zone around the telescope has been in place since 1973 and we are very pleased that its importance has been recognised and reinforced.

“As a council, we are doing everything possible to meet the housing needs of our area.

However, this was simply the wrong development in the wrong place. It is very good to see that the long-term protection of vital scientific work has prevailed over the short-term high demand in housing supply.

“This further underlines the importance of the ongoing collaboration between the council and Manchester University over operations at the site.”

Photo: Mike Peel@Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Bath chemistry academic leads Christmas Lectures

Professor Saiful Islam will present ‘Supercharged: Fuelling the Future’ at the 80th anniversary of Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

Georgie Hines Science & Technology Editor

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the annual televised Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. Professor Saiful Islam, from the Department of Chemistry at Bath University, will be presenting the BBC lectures this year, with a focus on energy.

He says that “people take energy for granted. It is all around us from the moment we are born and we assume it will be with us for all time. I’m excited that our celebration of energy offers a wonderful opportunity to explain how current cutting-edge research on clean energy technologies is founded on the Royal Institution’s rich heritage of discovery by greats such as Michael Faraday.

“I’m also looking forward to recreating some memorable moments from previous lectures with the help of some very special guests.”

Whilst some elements of the show will remain a surprise, we do know the opening scene to the lecture. Moments after it begins, the theatre will be plunged into darkness, being lit by a single candle.

Professor Islam said: “One thing about energy is that it cannot be created or destroyed, only changed from one form to another. So the candle is a nice example of chemical energy leading to light and heat energy.”

The University of Bath lecturer is following in the steps of some particularly famous and prestigious names, who have also presented at the Christmas Lectures. Since their conception in 1825

by Michael Farraday, scientists Richard Dawkins, David Attenborough, and Carl Sagan have presented.

Representing the University of Manchester have been Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell, who spoke in 1998, and Professor Danielle George, who presented ‘Sparks will fly: How to Hack your Home’ just two years ago.

Speaking on his appointment, Prof Islam has said: “I feel very

Photo: Paul Wilkinson

privileged, very honoured, and partly terrified to follow in their footsteps. Hopefully my nervous energy will carry me through.”

He also hopes that his year at the Christmas Lectures can inspire like Carl Sagan did him during his talk in 1997: “I don’t know if I’m a role model, but I’d be very happy if I did encourage younger generations from diverse backgrounds to stay in science... I’m a firm believer that if you want good science and innovation, you must exploit the talents of all, regardless of gender, race and background,” he says.

“Science can be tricky and hard, but there are rewards. I want children to understand that the pursuit of science is the proper way to unravel the mysteries of the world around us and that it is full of beauty and exciting discovery.”

Cassian Harrison, from BBC Four, said: “The Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution are a much loved part of the BBC’s Christmas schedule and how better to celebrate their anniversary than with this very special series of lectures from Saiful Islam exploring the extraordinary world of energy.

“With classic moments from the past 80 years and some very special guests, as well as a look ahead at cutting edge research, these lectures promise to be a real treat.”

The 2016 Christmas Lectures will be streamed live from the Royal Institution’s theatre on 10th, 13th and 15th December 2016 on BBC Four.

Global 7

ISSUE 11 / 5TH DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Anxious In theThenews this week... important and interesting stories from the wider world this week.

Stories by: Len Cotton, Rosa Simonet and Lily Sheehan.

Trump to give up business US Donald Trump recently announced to reporters that he intends to give up his business career upon his presidential inauguration. He stated that in order to fully focus all his attention on his role as President elect he will leave his business interests ‘in total’. This comes as a shocking announcement with Trump’s entitre persona having been built on his abilities as a business man. Trump stated, “While I am not mandated to do this under the law, I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses. Hence, legal documents are being crafted which take me completely out of business operations. The Presidency is a far more important task!”

Mark Carney threatens Brexit ‘transition deal’

UK Mark Carney has said that once the UK have triggered Article 50 he may have to draw up a ‘transition deal’ to limit the negative economic impact this may have on the EU. This new position of Carneyacts in allignment with Theresa May who has previously stated how she wished to avoid a ‘cliff edge’ departure’ from the EU. Leave Voters have expressed outrage at the fact that this announcement appears to be placing another obstacle to the UK’s departure from the EU. Carney has denied these claims, rebutting that he is merely trying to establish a safety net for the global economy in order to prevent a repeat of the 2007/8 financial crisis.

Farewell Andrew Sachs (1930 – 2016) UK British Actor Andrew Sachs’ has died following a four-year battle with dementia. He was best known for his performance as the lovable, yet dim-witted servant Manuel in Fawlty Towers. His role in the comedy classic was a defining point in his long career as an actor, catapulting him into the public eye. Sachs continued to have success as both an on-screen and voice actor, most notably in coronation street and the BBC adaptation of HG Wells’s History of Mr. Polly. Sachs’ was brought into the public eye again in 2008, being the victim of prank calls from Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. Fellow actors and comedians continue to pay tribute to the star.

Cheryl’s got the pregnant factor

UK Rumours of Cheryl Cole’s pregnancy with One Direction’s Liam Payne have been confirmed after she stepped out in a tight dress revealing the bump. Whist no official statement has come from hte couple, the pregnancy-like bump was undeniable. The couple looked happy and reporters claimed Cheryl was ‘glowing’ as she posed for photographers in a green bodycon dress and long blak coat. Cheryl fans have expressed their congratulations at the news, especially in light of the rocky relationships cheryl experienced with footballer Ashley Cole and Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini. Both fans and the public are now eagerly awaiting official confirmation.

Egyptians turn to Facebook for medicine

International After their government devalued their pound earlier this year, the Egyptian people have suffered a shortage of medicines. To combat this, a team of doctors, pharmacists and activists have launched ‘The Facebook Pharmacy.’

Law professor and activist Sameh Samir, who is an administrator of the Facebook group, said: “People are dying...even wealthy people can’t afford the medicines they need.” The group, which has 5,200 members after just two weeks, involves users either posting pictures of the medications they need or their prescriptions, or listing the medicines they can donate.

goat finds refuge in ‘quacking’ costume

US A sixth-month-old goat named Polly has discovered a unique way to cope with anxiety. Polly was born blind and has dealth with severe anxiety as a consequence. Leanne Lauricella took Polly into goat refuge centre ‘Goats of Anarchy’ to try and help improve her condition. After much experimentation Leanne odddly discovered that the best way to nurse Polly was to dress her in a duck costume purchased from Marshall’s. Leanne described hwo the costume provided immediate improvement for Polly, claiming “She fell asleep! like she had a blanket. It was lights out!”. Polly and her goat colleagues have received much attention surrounding this bizarre affair, gaining international instgram fame as an unlikely, yet heartwarming, consequence. #duckgoatsliveson

Lone thief steals over a million pounds UK A man, captured on CCTV, is seen taking a 5-gallon pot filled with gold from the back of the truck in broad daylight. The man, still unidentified, used a 20-second window while the vehicle was unattended to quickly grab the pot. He was later seen having to stop for breath and rest with the loot still in hand. Police say it is unlikely the suspect was aware of the contents of the pot, which explains his less than impressive getaway.

The suspect is know believed to be hiding in Florida.

In Science this week...

UK Scandal recently arose after the most recent Bake Off’s runner up, Andrew Smyth, was told by Prince Harry that he should have won. Harry stated that he would ‘have words’ with Mary Berry over her and Paul Hollywood’s decision to crown Candice as the ultimate bake-off queen. Committed-Andrew fans have come out in support of Prince Harry’s statement, even going as far as suggesting that Mary Berry had gone rogue, crowning Candice as an attempt to sabotage the show. This comes as a second-part installment to the scandalous news earler this year that bake-offf would be moving from the BBC to Channel Four. Neither Mary nor Paul have commented on Prince Harry’s statement, although bake-off enthusiasts are waiting with baited breath for any further developments on the affair.

Conspiracy Chaos US No evidence or victim testimony, yet thousands believe a paedophilia ring involving high positioned members of Democratic Party is operating from a Washington Pizzeria. The owner of Comic ping pong, James Alefantis, has been the victim of pranksters targeting notable democrat supporters in the run-up to the election. 4chan, a message board popular with the extremist white nationalist alt-right, began posting such speculation using the hashtag Pizzagate# that continued until late November. Alefantis and staff at the pizzeria have received threats as well as accounting protesters on the premisses. Rumours of a coverup continue to circulate following Reddit deleting a Pizzagate thread, the page now reads ‘we don’t want witchhunts on our site.

Breitbart #DumpKelloggs The alt-right news site Breitbart has encouraged its readers to boycott Kellogg’s after the cereal company removed its adverts from their website. A spokeswoman for the Kellogg Company blamed “media-buying partners” for the adverts and said Breitbart wasn’t “aligned with our values.” The news site, responsible for such articles as Would You Rather Your Child Had Feminism or Cancer? and Young Muslims in the West are a Ticking Time Bomb, described the move as “bigotry” and a “disgraceful act of cowardice.” Editor-in-Chief Alexander Marlow urged Breitbart’s alleged 45 million readers to stop buying Kellogg’s products in response.

Science by: Georgie Hines

GM mosquitos to tackle disease in Florida

US

After a recent vote, Florida has agreed to field test genetically modified (GM) male mosquitoes. The mosquitoes carry a gene that kill off their offspring early, so the hope is that the GM males will mate with native females to pass on this gene. As a result, the mosquito population – who are the carriers of dangerous diseases such as Zika and dengue fever – will dramatically decline. A previous trial in Brazil has shown the initiative to be successful with reports of reduced cases of dengue fever by over 90 per cent.

Trump to scrap NASA climate change research

‘Rogue-berry’ sabotaging bake-off?

US The recent president-elect has declared a “crack-down on politicised science”, which includes stripping the funding for NASA’s Earth Science division. This will include an elimination of all climate change research, at a time when we need it most. NASA’s satellite network currently provides a wealth of information and evidence for climate change, which Trump recent admitted had “some connectivity” with humanities actions. Any cut to NASA’s Earth Science department funding and resources would be a “major setback, if not devastating,” says senior scientist Kevin Trenberth.

‘Resetting’ proteins in blood may slow aging process US Californian researchers are launching a highly experimental and radical trial in the next 6 months, looking at blood proteins and aging. Volunteers will have their blood passed through a machine to reset their protein levels to that of ‘young blood’, because scientists believe that high levels of certain proteins may affect the maintenance of healthy body tissues, and therefore contribute to the appearance of aging. This is following promising results in a study on mice. However, some remain unconvinced in what they claim is a “neverending story” in the search for eternal youth.

Reusable German coffee cups to combat landfill problems Germany A new scheme from the German Freiburg University aims to reduce the waste from disposable coffee cups. Roughly 2.8 billion disposable cups are dumped in German landfill every year, but the ‘Friburg Cup’ aims to combat this issue. The cups are dishwasher proof plastic, and will be available at any cafes and bakeries that have signed up, for only one euro.

After purchase you can reuse the cups hundreds of times or return them, unlike normal paper cups which only last for around 15 minutes and come with environmentally damaging plastic lids.

8

Feature

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Austere approach to student noise problem is not working As part of Community Week at The University of Manchester, Deputy Features Editor Emma Shanks looks at what is being done to tackle negative neighbourly relationships in the biggest student areas

N

oisy neighbours, spoilt streets, wakeful weekends. What else springs to mind when you picture the cherished student areas of Manchester? There’s certainly no secret in telling that us students like to live by David Guetta’s famed motto, ‘Work hard, play hard’, but not, it would seem, without causing severe disturbance to others. So, this Community Week, we wonder what’s being done to deal with the problem of student noise.

With a population of over 85,000 students, coming largely from The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Salford, the sheer size of the demographic is only to be expected. But in the areas of Fallowfield and Withington, where this remains at its densest, there’s just no getting away from it. These late-night parties, which leave behind messy mornings of mayhem, are beginning to take their toll on our relationship with the local community — we must look to the measures being taken to

“Noise nuisance is still a prevalent issue in our student community”

ease the tension between students and residents.

There is certainly no coincidence in the consistently sharp rocket of noise complaints received by authorities each year, as the summer comes to an end and term time comes back around.

The Greater Manchester Police Fallowfield, Withington, Levenshulme & Burnage Facebook page, deeming it necessary to create their own hashtag to address the problem, posted on the 21st of October: “#NoiseNuisance is still a prevalent issue in our student community.”

Last year almost 400 properties were visited by university, police and council staff who reminded students to be mindful of their neighbours. Since the start of this academic year alone, another 64 of-

Photo: Iris Chase @Flickr

ficial warnings have been issued to residents over complaints and five more student houses have fallen victim to noise abatement notices. If breached, these could end up leading to noise-making equipment being taken, exclusion from university, or even prosecution.

64 official warnings have been issued to residents over complaints this semester And yet, while it is clear that firm action is being taken to confront the concern, many members of the local area remain tormented by such anti-social behaviour, which continues to have a harmful impact on their day-to-day lives.

Councillor Nigel Murphy, Manchester City Council’s executive member for neighbourhoods, says: “We understand high spirits are often in abundance during the academic year but I would like students to remember they are part of a wider community — and as such should respect their neighbours”.

“Inconsiderate noise, especially late at night, can be extremely distressing for residents — which is why we take the problem seriously, working alongside the police and the city’s universities to tackle the issue.”

Though however sad to say, the sense of feeling safe in one’s own area is not a claim that is being made by many local residents living in Fallowfield and Withington at the present time.

Thus, it is not surprising that they have, over the years, been calling for various different programs to put a stop to the persistent problem. First up was the ‘student levy’, in which it was suggested that an annual £5 paid per student could fund a £400,000 night patrol to tackle rowdy parties, crime and litter.

Then came the suggestion of a ‘citizenship test’, taken by those wishing to rent property in the area,

which proposed a series of questions and situations around the topic of life within the community. However, fortunately for us, these were both rejected by the universities, who insist that they are taking matters into their own hands.

This promise came about in the form of a new trial night-time response scheme, in which bosses at The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University hired two private security guards to patrol the most affected student areas of the city. From Saturday September 17th until Saturday November 5th, the scheme employed two wardens, who made the rounds on crucial dates of the student calendar, including Freshers’ Week and Halloween. In an effort to clamp down on noisy nuisance and discourage boisterous behaviour, they were instructed to pay particular attention to the list of top ten roads for rowdy parties, released by council officers in June 2015, including Egerton, Granville, and Amherst.

A spokesperson for the universities explains that the purpose of this new program was “to provide initial responses and early intervention to evidence noise and other anti-social behaviour. This complemented the residents’ complaints phone helpline (recorded messaging service) operated by Manchester Student Homes on behalf of the two universities.”

He added that they remain “committed to ensur-

“I would like students to remember they are part of a wider community ” ing harmonious relationships between students and the community, working with partners and through residents’ forums to ensure noise complaints and anti-social behaviour are kept to a minimum. We undertake intensive work to educate our students and take action to prevent incidents from taking place”.

But what exactly is it that constitutes, for these residents, such considered disorderly conduct?

Without a doubt, those out-of-control house parties of 200 or more people spilling out onto the streets and plaguing the peace of the community do exist and do wreak havoc for all those living in the surrounding areas. But does this then mean that those wanting to politely play some inoffensive music after dark on the weekend must live in

“The letting agent sent us a letter saying we could face eviction if it continued” the shadow of these selfishly set examples?

We chatted with English Literature student, Eliza Slawther, who has had some bad experiences with neighbours this year in Fallowfield.

“We’ve never had any parties but the boys I live with have quite loud speakers and they sometimes play music during the day. One time they banged on the wall so we turned it down. We’ve bumped into them a few times and they’ve told us that they have work, so asked that we not play music.”

In a genuine attempt at negotiation, she recounts her neighbours’ harsh response: “We were planning a birthday party for one of the boys and told them, so they’d be aware. They said that if we went ahead with the party they’d immediately phone the police. They complained to the council and the university, and our letting agent sent us a letter saying we could face eviction if it continued.”

When asked how Eliza felt this had affected her relationship with them, she replied, “we initially felt angry and wanted to be even louder just to annoy them but realised that would never solve the problem, so now I think everyone in my house just feels quite resentful.”

Feature 9

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM When asked how Eliza felt this had affected her relationship with them, she replied, “we initially felt angry and wanted to be even louder just to annoy them but realised that would never solve the problem, so now I think everyone in my house just feels quite resentful.”

All she asks for is “some cooperation in terms of coming to a compromise, e.g. allowing noise to go on later Friday or Saturday nights as long as neighbours have a few days’ notice. I do feel bad for people who have to get up early for work but it’s also annoying living in a house where you can’t even listen to music without getting complaints.”

It seems then, perhaps, that those few unruly cases, which do require the necessary reaction of brutal force that they come up against, end up branding all students with a regrettably ruined reputation and are therefore driving the wedge between university and the local community even further.

The spokesperson for The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University admits: “The majority of students live respectfully in the community and continue to bring many positive benefits” and that it is merely “a minority that can cause noise complaints.” Such as is the case with Eliza, we can see a rapidly growing issue worsening to the point that, even for the well-behaved students, neighbourly relations are destined to fall flat from the word go.

There is certainly an argument to be made that the strict sanctions in place merely serve to aggravate the hostility. Instead of improving local community rapport with the university on arrival, it is all too often the case that students are just warned to keep quiet or face prosecution. What happened to prevention being better

than cure?

For Saffa Mir, this year’s Community Officer at The University of Manchester, whose key role is to act as a go-between in bringing students and the local community closer together, this is central to solving the problem: “There’s a lot of emphasis around the aftermath of what to do with students that act with this behaviour, but I’m trying to focus on the positives.”

“The reasons these tensions exist are because you’ve not created that relationship with your neighbour and your community, so they’re less likely to like you. Fundamentally, I’m not saying don’t have a party, I’m totally against saying that — enjoy yourself, that’s why you’re here at university — but let’s create those relationships!”

“I’m not saying don’t have a party, I’m totally against saying that — enjoy yourself, that’s why you’re here!”

Last year, the police and council workers spent the best part of Freshers’ Week visiting students in the worst affected areas of Fallowfield and Withington, warning them to respect their neighbours or face the consequences. However, the fact of the matter is that even though

this is important, little is being done elsewhere, in anticipation of such scenarios, to promote mere friendly exchange between the two parties.

It is for this reason that Community Week, running from Monday 5th December till Friday 9th December, has been set up to help overcome the negative misperceptions that some residents have about students living within the community. The array of events on offer, including mass clean-ups, a ‘Hidden Gems’ tour of the city and an interfaith evening, seek to integrate the student and local resident populations by giving them both the chance to work on a range of community-led projects together.

“My biggest thing was that a lot of students volunteer and a lot of local community members volunteer but not together, and a lot of students don’t volunteer for the community in which they live (not to say that one volunteering is better than any other). So, we’ve got things like cleaning the park — residents can complain about students making litter or whatever but if they’re sat there with you cleaning it up, you can’t really complain about them because they’re with you.”

Aside from Community Week, Saffa has plenty more lined up to keep her busy in the coming term. She’s been coordinating a collaboration with the Fallowfield Community Guardians to gain an insight into understanding the situation from an alternative perspective of those most affected. In addition to this, she’s been hard at work on another pre-emptive strategy for when students first move into new houses in the local area.

“The plan in second semester, ready to roll out for Welcome Week the next academic year, is to get the university to send out resources to houses encouraging you to get to

know your neighbour — something as simple as a postcard with ‘hello’ on it — you don’t even need to speak to your neighbour, you just post it straight through their letterbox.”

Rather humbly, she adds: “I don’t think I can change the world with this one week but every little helps

“I don’t think I can change the world with this one week, but every little helps ” and hopefully it can become a long term thing!”

By reaching out to students more, and encouraging the creation of cordial neighbourly relationships within the local community, before any troublesome situations might arise, we can move closer to establishing a communally cohesive neighbourhood: an environment that would be mutually beneficial for everyone involved.

Most students are, after all, good neighbours and it’s a real shame that a small minority are there to cause all the problems. Nevertheless, we hope that Saffa and her team will harness the power to change this, and at last set in motion a shift towards a caring community, so that we can all finally get a good night’s sleep — if that’s what you’re looking for.

Photo: Siddhu Sundaram

Photo: Paul Sableman @Flickr

A student life: chair of the Polo society

Photo: Jade Fox

Stevie Grieves Features Contributor From the days of just four members and spaghetti socials to winning national trophies, the Polo society have come a long way, and Jade Fox, the chair, has overseen the group go from strength to strength.

When I meet Jade, I get the impression straight away that she certainly bucks the trend for the usual ‘lazy student’ stereotype, as instead of spending her free time bingeing on Netflix like the most of us, she is busy running around taking part in not one, but six societies. Her main dedication being to the Polo society, of which she is chair for the second year running.

I asked her to tell me a bit about how she was involved in the Polo society.

“Well I used to do a different degree for half a year, so I started back then in 2014 — it wasn’t really much of a society back then, it was just a few people playing polo and if you have four people you can call it a society! And so they were all leaving and they had this little stand at the freshers stall and they gave five pound taster sessions, and I thought okay I’ll try it, and once you’ve gone once you get addicted!”

She continues: “And so they left us to it, and everyone who had gotten a really good taste for it started making it into a society and then we kind of just appointed roles as we went a long, so I was secretary and then this last year I became chairperson.”

I want to know, as I expect a lot of people do, exactly what’s involved in Polo society, and what they actually do. Jane responds equally enthusiastically and is clear she really wants to place emphasis on how fun the sport actually is.

“We have this amazing coach, who sells horses to Argentinian polo teams, he also trains Liverpool Polo Club as well. We have half the lesson as chilled out just doing your own individual thing and then the second half you play chuckers, which is what the game is called, and they’re usually around seven minutes long.”

“It’s all aimed towards the big competitions, and we have two of them a year and they’re with SUPA (Schools and Universities’ Polo Association) so there are two big ones and other smaller ones around, there’s also the Chrisite Cup which we’ve started doing — which we won last year which is pretty good! So it’s good to be able to get involved in that kind of thing as polo society is now a lot bigger.”

Winning trophies and practicing every week is not all that they do, as Jane assures me that “we have more socials now!” She laughs, before admitting that before the society developed, the socials used to be a more humble affair.

“Because there used to be so few of us, it used to be ‘let’s make spaghetti and go round to someone’s house’ but now we go out for meals or do something silly… Oh we did something really interesting recently actually…”

To read the rest of our interview with Jade, and all our other features, head to www.mancunion.com

Opinion

10

Get in touch Facebook: /mancunionop Twitter: @MancunionOP Email: opinion@mancunion.com

Have an opinion?

Come to our meetings: Monday 5:15pm, first floor of the Students’ Union

Alan Sugar: you’re fired Cameron Broome Contributor Over the years, watching the BBC’s The Apprentice on a Wednesday (then Thursday) evening at 9pm became like a ritual for a lot of the nation: the arguments, tantrums and fallings out. Alan Sugar’s ‘banter’ in the boardroom, talking about the latest episode the following day with friends at school, family, or work colleagues.

However, the show has run out of steam. Not only is it laughable to suggest the tasks are somehow representative of real-life business situations but the show is also no longer that entertaining. This year’s crop of candidates are (respectfully) a fairly average bunch. There are no big characters: no one to strongly love or hate. And none of them have particularly shone out business-wise either. Hence, now is the perfect time for the BBC to axe The Apprentice.

One serious limitation to the show’s formatting is the way success is defined. More or less every week, the team that ‘wins’ is the one that makes the most profit over a day or so. However, one team may have achieved a much higher customer satisfaction. Thus, they may have been more likely to make a higher profit over the medium to long term from repeat sales and good reputation. Luck may have also played a role in a team’s victory.

Customers may have just so happened to be in a good mood on that particular day and thus been more willing to part with their cash. Alternatively, factors such as weather and traffic may have indirectly affected sales.

“One serious limitation is the show’s definition of success” Of course, assessing the impact of these external factors is difficult given that economies are complex with their webs of internal and external feedback loops.

But that doesn’t mean to say that the potential impact of these factors should be overlooked. Over the long-term, the extent of the impact of luck and external factors would diminish, allowing you to better assess whether or not a product or service is a topseller. Yet these factors can hugely affect sales figures over a day or two. The Apprentice defines success merely in terms of shortterm profit, regardless of the sustainability of the business model.

This is an excerpt. To read the full piece, head to www.mancunion.com

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Stop pretending Fidel Castro was a hero The ignorance of Castro’s Human Rights record demonstated by many in the west threatens international relations with Cuba

Romy Biscoe Opinion Writer The death of Fidel Castro — the revolutionary politician who ruled Cuba for more than 40 years — was always going to be momentous for both Cubans and on the grandest of geopolitical stages. It exposed the differing feelings towards the Castro dynasty, as well as drawing attention to the evolving relationship between Cuba and the United States, and the extent to which this is going to change over the coming years.

Reactions from political leaders were deliberately vague, often with airs of respectability — what we might expect. Barack Obama’s statement was reserved, with a focus on the future of Cuba, and the shared values of the “bonds of family, culture, commerce”. The Guardian rightfully observed that this statement was “carefully calibrating”: neither overtly condemning Castro’s rule, nor supporting him. This stands in great contrast to President-elect Donald Trump’s official statement. He vehemently denounced Castro as a “brutal dictator” and said his legacy is one of “firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.”

Alarmingly, however, this event highlighted the inability of certain groups and people to separate the romantic notions of revolutionary politics with Castro’s tyrannical, oppressive, and damaging practices and policies. Both Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, and the Black Lives Matter movement have failed to address the extent of Castro’s oppressive policies, onset by his overthrow of Fulgencio Batista’s government in 1959.

When it was announced last December that diplomacy between the U.S. and Cuba would be reopened, Carlos Eire, a histori-

Photo: Cuban Press @ Wikimedia

an at Yale, commented in The Washington Post that, “as an 8-year old […] I watched televised executions, and was terrified by the incessant pressure to agree with a bearded dictator’s ideals”. To have to witness this, let alone as a young child, is not something to excuse. It highlights the brutality of Castro’s regime, and his complete and unwavering lack of tolerance towards anyone who might oppose him.

Eire went on to say: “I began to feel as if some monstrous force was trying to steal my mind and soul through incessant indoctrination,” drawing attention to the lengths to which the Castro regime held domination over the Cuban people.

William Doino Jr argues on First Things that the regime’s crimes need to be recognised for diplomatic relations to resume.

He also argues that at the time of the overthrow of Batista, many believed Castro to be a ‘genuine social reformer’. It seems that the Black Lives Matter movement also believe this to be true.

In their article “Lessons from Fidel: Black Lives Matter and the Transition of

El Comandante” published following his death, they state: “Although no leader is without their flaws, we must push back against the rhetoric of the right and come to the defense of El Comandante.” To describe the character and conduct of Castro as “flaws”, to reduce them to mere imperfections, is absurd. Furthermore, to try to rally defence for him is disrespectful to those who fell victim to his oppressive and violent practices. More generally, it is worrying that their focus is on Castro as a figure of inspiration, rather than a tyrannical dictator.

All governments, not that Castro’s regime can properly be described as a democratic government, have successes and failures. Discrimination, exiling, and mass execution cannot be deemed mere failings.

As has been argued recently, it seems as though people are trying to reconstruct and revise history by overlooking the atrocities of the Castro regime purely for the romantics and idealism of the revolution. It seems as though certain news

channels and publications chose to focalise the length and “iconic” nature of his rule, rather than the atrocities committed under his watch, often by himself.

These atrocities include the mass execution of his political opponents, often with the carelessness of a firing squad, as well as “dismantling” the Catholic Church and condemning homosexuals as “a deviation incompatible with the revolution.” Black Lives Matter said in their statement that we should strive for “a vision of freedom and the peace that only comes with justice”. This raises the question of where the justice is in marginalisation and oppression.

Pink News reported on how Castro’s regime specifically targeted homosexuals. It says “many received false telegrams telling them they had been called for military service and should appear at a chosen location — where they would then be rounded into trains, trucks and buses and sent to camps with little food or water.” This barbarism cannot be ignored or forgotten.

Black Lives Matter rounded their article off by stating that they summon Castro’s leadership in their recommitment to “the struggle for universal freedom”. This notion of equality and freedom does not seem to connect to Castro’s regime. I’d like to know how Castro’s dictatorship can inspire us to strive for “universal freedom”, given his horrendous human rights adherence record.

How can oppression, violence, and discrimination possibly be overlooked when it is so blatant? How can other aspects of his dictatorship, such as the length of his rule and its “inspirational” nature, be reported above his tyranny? It fails to give a voice to those who suffered under his watch, and brings unease to future international relations with Cuba.

Blairites should not be so self-assured After Tony Blair hints at a return to British politics, contributor Sam Glover outlines the key constituents that Labour need to win over if they are to be electorally successful

How is it that the Blairites and their American equivalents can lose so repeatedly but remain able to convince people that they know anything at all about winning? David lost to Ed, Kendall to Corbyn, Remain to Leave, and now Clinton to Trump; and yet, for whatever reason, there is still a ludicrous consensus that these people are who we ought to be looking to for electoral success. And when someone like Corbyn comes along, gets hundreds of thousands of people excited about politics, and makes the hard-left versus the Blairites look like Man City versus the University of Manchester’s Men’s team, the response of the centrists is to put their fingers in their ears, and scream and shout about all that Corbyn is doing wrong.

That’s not to say that Corbyn doesn’t have faults — he does. And he’s probably going to lose the next General Election. But this fact just makes the Blairites’ claims to electability even more ridiculous. If they can’t beat the man who called Hamas a group for “peace” and “social justice”, why would they be able to beat Lynton Crosby’s PR Machine at CCHQ? If Corbyn’s team are analogous to Man City, then there isn’t a team on earth that can be compared to the ruthless efficiency of the Conservative Party.

When you ask a Blairite about the legacy of the Third Way politicians they revere, they’ll have a well-memorised list of some of New Labour’s achievements.

They’ll rightly tell you that Blair’s governments introduced the minimum wage

and tax credits, brought employment to their highest rates ever, and hired tens of thousands more doctors and nurses. But what do they leave out? They leave out that these were the people whose incompetence brought you Brexit. These were the people who ignored the concerns of the working class and paved the way for the rise of UKIP. These were the people who started an immoral and devastating war in Iraq. These were the people who tarnished Labour’s reputation on matters of the economy.

“The left hate him. The right hate him. The poor hate him. The rich hate him. Maybe he’ll be able to snag some liberals who think Tim Farron is a bit of a drip.”

So, when Tony Blair says he’s going to make a return to UK politics, I’m not sure why he’s surprised that people aren’t very enthusiastic about the prospect. Who are the constituency he thinks he will appeal to? The left hate him. The right hate him.

The poor hate him. The rich hate him.

Maybe he’ll be able to snag a few liberals who think Tim Farron is a bit of a drip. If Corbyn’s selectorate isn’t enough to win an election, Blair’s disaffected liberals and social democratic policy nerds certainly

Photo: US Department of State @Flickr

aren’t either. Even if the impossible happened and Blair did unseat Jeremy Corbyn, he wouldn’t win an election, because the most successful Labour politician of all time is now very mediocre at playing politics.

In a great Channel Four news segment during the first Labour leadership election, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg and Labour MP Jess Phillips spent the day together talking about politics between themselves and with Rees-Mogg’s constituents. Phillips said that as much as Corbyn harks back to the 1970s, the Blairites have the same yearning for 1997. And it’s neither. As John Oliver would say, “come on, it’s (current year)!”

If Tony Blair’s miserable cohort want to have a shot at taking over the party after a Corbyn abdication—which could well be twenty years from now—they need to understand the three groups of people that Labour need to persuade to vote for them. Firstly, we need to win the people who voted Leave and are unhappy with the pace of change in this country. The liberal dismissal of barmy Brexiteers is doing the cause no favours, and makes us liable to lose votes to UKIP, especially with its new leader who is well-placed to pick up

disaffected working-class ex-Labour voters. Secondly, we need to win the moderates who liked New Labour to begin with, but converted to either Cameron or Clegg and are probably planning on voting Tory at the next election. Thirdly, we need to retain the people who likely voted Green in the last election and have joined after Corbyn’s victory: people who mostly like the European Union and think that we ought to be taking our fair share of refugees.

If this seems like a Herculean task, and that’s because it is. To simultaneously appeal to social liberals, social conservatives, economic leftists, and soft-neoliberals will be difficult. It might even be impossible. But if the Blairites want to win, this is the fusion they must focus on.

Opinion Videos The self-assurance of Third Way, establishment politicians is often argued to be a reason for the rise of Trump. Head to www.mancunion.com to view The Mancunion’s first opinion video, in collaboration with Fuse TV: “Why did Trump win the Election”, featuring two of our Opinion Writers, Ryan Khurana and Elliott Mills.

Opinion11

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

The French election will be pivotal for Europe’s future

The political progress of Europe in the post-war era is being threatened by the rightwards movement of French politics This weekend saw Francois Fillon reign triumphant over his opponent, Alain Juppé, in their race for the top seat of France’s Republican (centreright) party. There is a mystery surrounding this radical dark horse that has clearly enticed voters, but should his victory and the changing tide of French politics fill the progressives among us with hope or despair?

Having entered politics at the age of 27 as a staunch Gaullist, Fillon became the National Assembly’s youngest minister. His path to the top may have been very slow but it seems he has never forgotten his strong Gaullist conservative and nationalist views. Described by his critics as a “dangerous right-winger”, Fillon is undoubtedly more radical than the candidates he has just beaten in the primaries. Openly voicing his admiration for Margaret Thatcher is a very bold tactic for the potential President of a typically socialist country in which Thatcherites are few and far between.

He is known for his traditional, Catholic values on abortion, gay marriage and women’s rights, which critics fear are contrary to a progressive Western society. Most importantly, as a radical right-winger, Fillon is known for his Euroscepticism: he voted against the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 that brought in the Euro to France. With the term ‘Frexit’ starting to be thrown around by the French media, this weekend’s victory for Fillon could be a turning point for French and European politics.

Polls suggest that due to the current turmoil of the French Left, Fillon is likely to face Marine Le Pen’s far right party, the National Front, in a twohorse election. Although polls suggest that she

James Blower Contributor

would finish a reassuringly distant second behind Fillon, these methods of political indicators have been proved as majorly flawed on two occasions in recent months. Whichever way the election looks like it could go, this political situation should send shudders down the spines of European Union supporters.

“With the term ‘Frexit’ being thrown around, Fillon’s victory could be a turning point for French and European politics” A victory for either the Republicans or the National Front could be bad news for the EU. Fillon sees it as overly regulatory, bureaucratic, and unaccountable. But, whilst he views may be wellfounded, the institution is unlikely to change. A victory for him could see a ‘Frexit’ movement gain momentum which would in turn bolster support for nationalist movements elsewhere in Europe.

Fillon, upon election, could use the timely Brexit negotiations to his own benefit. If, however, Le Pen wins in May and calls a referendum in which France vote to leave the EU, it could spell au revoir to the EU all together.

We are heading into an era of protectionist politics. The terrorist attacks that have shaken France in the last couple of years as well as the huge influx

Photo:Conseil d’Etat @Wikimedia Commons

of migrants into Europe has led to countries turning their backs on the EU and the idea of working collectively more generally. It is clear that during these times of panic, voters have felt comforted by the protectionist rhetoric of speakers like Le Pen and Nigel Farage in their promises to solve the country’s issues by closing borders and reinforcing national identity.

“During times of panic, voters are comforted by the protectionist rhetoric of speakers like Le Pen and Farage” Have we not learned our lesson from history?

The 1920s and 1930s saw a proliferation of far right parties in Europe, all with nationalist discourse not that dissimilar to that of UKIP and the National Front. Not only did this period end in a catastrophic, devastating World War, it also caused a global recession as protectionism obstructed the notion of

working collectively to repair the damage inflicted

by WWI. This is not to say that Le Pen and Farage can be equated to the fascist dictators of this period, but bear in mind that Winston Churchill was regarded as eccentric for warning of the dangers that Adolf Hitler posed during his rise to power.

It would be naïve to pretend that the significant growth of far right parties all over the continent since the Brexit campaign began will not have adverse effects somewhere down the line.

In terms of ideology, is the European Union not a symbol of how the world should want to be? Despite its less-than perfect functioning in practice, should we not be striving to work collectively for a greater good, with uninhibited trade, shared information and decision making? The end of WWII saw the formation of bodies such as the EU and NATO which encompass this goal. It seems that right wing nationalist movements are undoing the progress that has been made, and in doing so are taking a step back in time.

Fillon’s victory last weekend means that France’s era of radical right-wing government has already begun. Whichever way the French presidential election goes next spring, it is certain to be a pivotal moment in European politics.

The misrepresentation of the Syrian conflict

Opinion Writer Ryan Khurana discusses the damage caused by the misinformation and over-simplification that surrounds the ongoing conflict in Syria As the world focuses on the global refugee crisis, which has sent countless souls into Europe and safe areas of the Middle East, there seems to be a neglect of the cause of the crisis, and an unrealistic reporting of what needs to be done. The war in Syria and the catastrophe in Iraq caused by so-called ISIS are ongoing conflicts that will keep the refugee crisis going indefinitely unless they are resolved.

Considering that many western nations feel an obligation to help those fleeing conflict, a compelling case can be made for us to have a similar obligation to help them return home and rebuild their countries. This line of thinking, however, has been harmed by gross misrepresentations of the conflict in much of the western media, and by different humanitarian groups who seem to be more concerned with their own funding and image than providing sustainable development. The horrors of the conflict have been reported so viscerally that many have become numb to the pain that is ongoing. Much of this reporting has been little more than fabricated porno-violence, which has prevented a more diplomatic assessment what is happening on the ground.

“The war in Syria and the catastrophe in Iraq are ongoing conflicts that will keep the refugee crisis going indefinitely” In 2011, even before the war began, there was a horrible misreading of the situation by western onlookers. A culture had grown where liberalism was not only what we deemed ideal for ourselves, but something that needed to be exported throughout the globe — including to our enemies in order to make them our allies — by force if necessary.

The failures of Iraq and Afghanistan had made people lose their stomach for the force aspect, but the underlying trend remained present. This is why the Obama administration, under then-Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, pursued a pro-Arab Spring policy, regardless of whether the nations were our allies or not. Whereas the Bush administration had the

Photo: Mustafa Khayat @Flickr

mentality of a missionary, going to enemy nations and “correcting” their errors, the Obama administration found the US to have been on the “wrong side of history,” believing that the championing of liberalism was inevitable. Sadly, in countries like Libya, Obama used bombs and supplied weaponry to rebel groups to support this vision.

In Syria, however, the failure was even worse.

Considering that Assad was from the Alawite sect, a small minority that was feverishly hated by the countries large Sunni population, a smooth transition was unlikely. His father had continued a policy of fighting homegrown Islamism, ruthlessly persecuting the Muslim Brotherhood, an extremist Sunni political outfit. All intelligence indicated that if revolution were to occur, the regime would fight tooth and nail to avoid the expected genocide of their sect.

Despite this, the Obama administration showed vocal support for the rebels, even drawing his line in the sand about intervention. The war began with rebels expecting western support, but were wholly and mercilessly slaughtered without it. Their void was then filled with likes of Al-Qaeda and far more horrifying outfits. The estimates since then have

been that over 500,000 people have been killed and over seven million displaced, though the numbers are likely considerably lower.

“Newspapers have been caught using photos of children who had died in Clinton’s Libya bombing campaigns as efforts to malign the Assad regime” And this is where the current problem with the conflict occurs. Every week, reports occur of a hospital being bombed by the Russian-backed Assad regime, often without a name or exact location. By the logic of this, Syria would have had more hospitals per square kilometre than most western countries. Newspapers have been caught using photos of children who had died in Clinton’s Libya bombing campaigns as efforts to malign the Assad regime.

International aid organisations, such as the UN, have been inflating death tolls in order to receive more attention and funding. The problem with this culture of overstating the conflict and making black and white portraits of an evil regime fighting honest rebels, is that its such an obvious oversimplification that people notice it’s wrong. It continues a trend from an established elite in recent years to talk down to the common man, as if lacking a Ph.D makes you an imbecile. The more this persists, the more backlash will come up, and that is worrying.

In Europe, far-left groups, such as Stop the War coalition, have increasingly blamed western powers for the conflict, while not offering any solutions of their own. The Labour leader himself seems more pro-Russian the more he speaks about the conflict, and the constant hate campaign against the Russians is driving droves into Putin’s arms. Oversimplification is being repudiated by oversimplification in the opposite direction. Nobody is willing to acknowledge the complex realities of a Civil War driven by ethnic, historical, and geopolitical tensions.

The Assad regime, while unbearably brutal, at least has a clear vision of stability, though I am by no means a fan of the man. The moderate rebels who were once the hallmark of a future Syria, have now died or fled due to lack of early aid by western supporters. The Russians, while equally brutal and indiscriminate, are being consistent in their actions and allegiances. The current crop of rebels backed

by Saudi Arabia and Turkey are Islamist extremists who pose, in my opinion, a greater threat than Assad could ever dream to be. Finally, the Western world, with its internal problems and lack of consideration for these complexities, has had a scattershot and piecemeal policy guided more by intent than history.

There are two options to go from here: either we allow the conflict to continue and not intervene, in which case Syria will one day fracture into smaller states which might once again go to war, or we take decisive action and come out clearly in favour of a certain policy, helping to guide the future of Syria in accordance with the vision of a certain allied group on the ground. The chances of such a coherent policy are sadly slim.

Music

12

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Live Album

Feature

Live: The Cure

29th November at Manchester Arena

The seminal goth band promised a marathon set and fan-favourite song selections. In a muddy and disappointingly abrupt show, The Cure delivered neither, writes Joe Casson Joe Casson Head Music Editor

4/10

The Cure’s shows are big. They’re big because they play in the UK so rarely these days: this is their proper show outside of London since 2004.

They’re big because they’ve become known for marathon shows that often last over three hours, weaving from big hits to deep-cut album tracks to long-neglected B-Sides. And they’re big because The Cure are all about big emotions: their songs are either giddy and glistening or oceanically bleak, with few falling in between.

It is this reputation that The Cure have found themselves packaged with that makes this show so disappointing. After the strong opener, the bristling, psychedelic ‘Shake Dog Shake’, the band devote most of the main set to eclectic pop songs from the mid-1980s. With a few exceptions — the perfect pop of ‘Just Like Heaven’ and the chilling ‘Sinking’ — these songs are neither their best-loved hits or fan-oriented deep cuts. Instead, they tread a faintly unsatisfying middle ground.

Part of The Cure’s charm is their disposition for wild mood swings, hurtling from glee to despair at the drop of a hat, yet we see few hints of the music that earned the band’s reputation for pioneering the gothic rock genre until the penultimate song, ‘One Hundred Years’ from 1982’s pitch-black Pornography.

The poor sound doesn’t help matters. The Cure

Photos Paul Padshewscky @flickr

are experienced arena performers — this incarnation of the rotating-line-up has toured extensively in recent years — but they are undermined by muddy mixing, which smothers many of the songs. The expert guitar work of Reeves Gabrels, who cut his teeth working with David Bowie, is almost impossible to pick out of the mix.

Additionally, Robert Smith’s vocals are clearly under strain tonight. Despite usually attracting praise for retaining his vocal capabilities after a forty-year career, tonight Smith struggles to raise his voice above a weary cry. That would work well enough for many of The Cure’s more atmospheric cuts, but they’re in short supply tonight, leaving

him vocally unprepared for ‘Primary’s punk yelp or the vocal acrobatics of ‘Why Can’t I Be You?’ After a faintly unsatisfactory main set, my hopes became pinned on the encores — this is where The Cure usually excel, with numerous encores delving deep into their back catalogue and lasting longer than most bands’ entire set. But something feels wrong from the outset: they leave the stage after a single song — a gloriously dense and disorienting performance of ‘A Forest’ — and it’s the same story for the next encore. The final encore picks things up a little, playing some of their biggest hits, but by the time Smith apologetically claims “we’ll be back” as he leaves, it is all rather deflating.

It feels strange to complain about a two-hour show and three encores, but The Cure consistently promise more than this and at Manchester Arena they failed to deliver. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt: considering the content of their other shows, it seems unlikely The Cure would purposefully rip off a fanbase they’ve cultivated over forty years, and coming to the end of the band’s longest tour for decades it is understandable that Smith would need rest. But that doesn’t change the fact that this was a disappointing show: for a band known for marathon shows and fan-pleasing song selections, this offered neither.

Live

Student Spotlight Album

Live: White Lies

Student Spotlight: House of Flying Daggers For our first feature on what our students are getting up to, Harrison Kersey covers a student-run dancehall night

White Lies play a divine set at the Albert Hall, but their bombast and lack of nuance leaves Ben Lomax looking for a higher power 25th November at Albert Hall

Ben Lomax Contributor

Harrison Kersey Hip-Hop Correspondent

6.5/10

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Molly Hankinson

Our spotlight this week falls on House of Flying Daggers, a dancehall night run by a crew of Manchester students hailing from south London. Having climbed the ranks of student promo companies in quick time, HoFD have gone from throwing packed out parties at Fallowfield’s famous Koh Tao, through less student-focused venues like South nightclub and Mint Lounge, to even getting a supporting slot on David Rodigan’s Ram Jam at Warehouse Project.

To find out more about this student success story, The Mancunion spoke to founding member Jacob about what to expect from a Flying Daggers event.

“Our nights propound a vibe which celebrates the dancehall and bashment genres, and their

evolution in the UK scene, from dancehall through to jungle and now the more contemporary genres of funky and grime. To reflect this, our nights tend to begin with dancehall and end in darker grime & funky vibes.”

There is a good chance you will have seen Flying Daggers promotional material, whether on campus or decorating a wall near you. The distinctive artworks draw inspiration from East Asian tradition, which underlies part of the Flying Daggers philosophy: “To us, daggering is a martial art. The kind of tekkers exhibited on the dance floor of a good DJ is comparable to the physical power and technical skill of martial artists.”

Having staged nights not just

in Manchester but also in their native south London at Brixton’s Phonox, as well as in Leeds, it is clear that the HoFD crew are doing something right. Their next party is scheduled for Thursday the 8th of December at Rusholme’s Antwerp Mansion, with Boiler Room graduate Champion and Manchester legend Chimpo set to bless the decks, as well as the Flying Daggers resident DJs. For any London heads in the mood for some festive daggering, they are also returning to Phonox on the 27th of December.

If you are looking to switch up your night out from Manchester’s ubiquitous house, techno and tech-house to something with a bit more flavour, do yourself a favour and enter the House of Flying Daggers.

By the time White Lies take to the stage, The Albert Hall is bursting at the seams with 2500 hungry fans packed into a sold-out show. Launching into ‘Take It Out On Me’, lead single from latest album Friends, they waste no time blowing more than just the proverbial ‘bloody doors’ off of the venue.

Sounding huge and with a light show bombastic enough to set off a seizure in someone a kilometer away, the atmosphere is like that of a scaled down arena show.

A few songs in, you can count the number of people still sitting on both hands. The stained-glass windows and organ behind the stage make a suitable setting for what certainly feels like a mass religious experience. Minus the speaking in tongues, White Lies have a faith healer-like ability to whip up an audience, with tracks from 2009 debut To Lose My Life… noticeably receiving the best reactions. The building positively erupts for fan favourites such as ‘To Lose My Life’ and ‘Death’; the reaction to the latter likely to make any building inspector shudder at the thought of it taking place in what is, a grade II listed building.

As the show progresses though, there is a sense that White Lies have played all their cards. Anthem after anthem with variable reactions from the audience starts to dull the experience. As massive as they sound, without enough contrast, parts of the set fade into one another. There is an obvious

appeal to playing the songs with the most energy, but without the change of pace, without quieter moments, the highs just don’t consistently feel so high. There is a lack of danger, for the most part you know what is coming and it is the moments when they deviate from this rigid formula that really shine through. ‘The Price Of Love’ is a welcome change of pace and sees front-man Harry McVeigh actually come across as dark and subdued. It may not be the biggest singalong of the set but it is one of the most captivating points and it elevates the impact of what follows it.

While it is impressive how big just four musicians can sound, with the exception of drummer Jack Lawrence-Brown, they rarely seem to get as lost in the performance as their audience. With a talent for writing such mammoth tunes as they do and provoking such a reaction out of an audience, it is a shame to see some of their contemporaries graduating to playing arenas without them. In another world, one which they aren’t let down by such a one-dimensional back catalogue and aren’t as afraid to take risks, it would be easy to see them playing to twenty thousand people rather than two and a half. Overall an hour and a half spent with White Lies is undoubtedly an enjoyable experience, but one can’t help thinking of the gig it could have been.

Music13

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

the

Feature

David Mancuso: The New Yorker who taught the world how to party

Remembering David Mancuso, founder of the legendary ‘by invitation only’ loft parties that transformed New York’s club scene in the early 70s Robert Firth Contributor When David Mancuso died in November, he was hailed by disco pioneer Nicky Siano as “the father of all dances.”

It all began with a ‘by invitation only’ party Mancuso held on Valentine’s Day 1970, in the loft space of his apartment at 647 Broadway.

The Loft, as his parties became known, reinvented clubbing in New York City in the early 1970s. At the outset fortnightly, as the parties grew in popularity, Mancuso started to host them weekly, drawing people back with his eclectic music selection and the uninhabited atmosphere. “I wanted it to be private, because the loft was also where I slept, where I dreamt, everything,” said Mancuso of the ‘by invitation only’ format.

Mancuso shunned making selections by genre and played everything from country to progressive rock, as well as popular disco hits. This versatility is encapsulated in a story about Mancuso once playing ‘America’ from West Side Story at sunrise, towards the end of one of his mammoth sets. He also eschewed mixing, usually playing songs in their entirety.

After he played the virtually unheard of ‘Soul Makossa’ by Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango at one of his loft parties, it

became the first song ever to break into Billboard 100 without prior radio play. Mancuso showed labels and musicians they could bypass radio and go straight to DJs and the party goers they played to for recognition.

Subsequently, he helped found the New York Record Pool, as a direct way for artists and labels to issue music to DJs.

“People just want to have a good time. They want to feel safe and have a good time.

That’s always rule number one for a place: to be safe.”

Dancing was central to Mancuso’s parties at The Loft. For him, the dancers should become part of the performance and the DJ’s role was to facilitate this. In Tim Lawrence’s Life And Death On the New York Dance Floor, 1980-1983, Louis Lee Jr. describes the variety of animated dancing that took place: “You could find people doing tap dancing, you saw people doing ballet, you would see gymnas-

tics, you would see early aerobics.”

The freedom of the dancing was enabled by the safe atmosphere that Mancuso created at The Loft. Many of the guests, who Mancuso handpicked, were gay, or black or both and the ‘by invitation only’ loft parties were one of the few places they could gather and dance in safety. As Mancuso explains, “People just want to have a good time. They want to feel safe and have a good time. That’s always rule number one for a place: to be safe.”

Amongst the black, gay attendees were the young future, house and disco pioneers Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan. The success of The Loft parties, particularly Mancuso’s ability to keep them within the law by not selling food or drinks, inspired these DJs and the clubs they would play at in the 1980s such as Paradise Garage.

Mancuso’s ‘by invitation only’ parties continued till his death, with events in London and Tokyo, in addition to New York. The philosophy never changed. “It’s more of a personal thing” he said in a rare 2004 interview.

“To support a lifestyle and to share moments with my friends through music. What connects the clubs and everything else together is the music.”

Photo: c.e. delohery @flickr

Album

The Weeknd: Starboy

25th November via XO and Republic

Despite some indications that Abel Tesfaye can supply the poetry and melodies he offered so effortlessly in previous work, he appears to have bitten off more than he can chew this time around William Bain Contributor Performing under the pseudonym of ‘The Weeknd’, Canadian R&B singer Abel Tesfaye shot into modern pop superstardom with last year’s Beauty Behind the Madness. Tesfaye’s mix of down-tempo, smooth soul and digitally altered hip-hop beats alongside sexualised and drug-inspired lyrics brought commercial success and gave the 26 year-old a somewhat unique position in the modern pop scene.

Fast-forward a year to late 2016 and Tesfaye has looked to take advantage of his newfound pop-prince status through Starboy. There are certainly promising moments within Tesfaye’s latest album, often propelled by outsider’s contributions. The influence of Daft Punk in titular lead single ‘Starboy’ adds a much-needed slick edge.

Indeed, the French electro-duo’s presence on the album’s second single and album closer ‘I Feel It Coming’ provides one of the album’s highlights and forces the Canadian singer to embrace a smoother persona which is more akin to Thriller-era Michael Jackson. This is an influence Tesfaye seemingly aims to channel in this album, and it comes across better on this song than elsewhere on Starboy.

Guest performers and producers are crammed into the album in an attempt to increase creativity and interest to the album, totaling eighteen songs and lasting sixty-eight minutes. Lana Del Rey

6/10 assists another one of Starboy’s more original and most interesting moments, performing as the love-interest character in ‘Stargirl Interlude’. Tesfaye has often spoke of Del Rey’s impact on his work, and this interlude - placed mid-way through the occasionally sluggish album - allows both artists to play up to the theatrics which they have often been praised for.

Another shining light is offered in the form of fourth track ‘Reminder’, which offers, incidentally, an actual reminder that Tesfaye has the ability to channel the inner-personality he so often intends to show. Throughout Starboy, there are many indications that 26year old can supply the poetry and melodies he found so succinctly in his past work.

However, it is frequently difficult to overlook the realisation that perhaps Tesfaye has attempted too much on this album: much of Starboy feels reused and lacking in new ideas. ‘Six Feet Under’, which features Future, feels like a cheaper version of the duo’s previous collaboration on ‘Low Life’ and follows the Kendrick Lamarfeaturing ‘Sidewalks’.

Lamar’s contribution to this track feels appropriately unenthusiastic; coming at the album’s midpoint, where Starboy begins to feel like it has given up on breaking new ground. Only a final flurry of encour-

Photo: Album Artwork

aging songs in the form of ‘Die For You’ and ‘I Feel It Coming’ deliver a fresh element to the album’s second half.

Starboy will undoubtedly prove a commercial success, powered by its namesake lead single and the promise of smooth R&B from one of the decade’s most popular artists. Yet, despite its occasional bright sparks, the disfigured and stumbling filler prevalent within Starboy may leave fans and critics feeling that The Weeknd still has yet to perfect his true identity as a songwriter.

Album

Peter Doherty: Hamburg Demonstrations

Released 2nd December via BMG

Peter Doherty returns with a second solo album. Once again, it’s just alright, writes Calum Pinder Calum Pinder Music Critic The Libertines released their sophomore self-titled album in 2004.

Following the unarguably fantastic Up The Bracket, it was the last truly great album frontman Peter Doherty would release. Since then, there have been three Babyshambles albums, one solo album and last year’s Libertines comeback album. None of them have come close to reaching the soaring heights of the first two albums.

And yet, I find out that Doherty is releasing a new album and once again I convince myself that this is the one: that this is the album where Doherty reproduces that frantic beautiful chaos we all know he is capable of and reclaims his title as brit-punk royalty. And, once again, I am disappointed.

Taking its name from the series of German protests, Hamburg Demonstrations is a misleading title for Doherty’s sophomore solo release.

The album is less a fierce riot and more a collection of unguided ideas.

One look at the tracklist and it’s clear that Doherty isn’t inciting any revolutions: songs with names like ‘A Spy in the House of Love’ and ‘I Don’t Love Anyone (But You’re Not Just Anyone)’ will induce a sink-

5/10 ing feeling in any Doherty fan’s stomach. The former track relies on tempo changes to provide any song development, while the latter is a slow ballad that’s about as tiresome and banal as it gets.

That’s not to say that Hamburg Demonstrations is a bad album.

Doherty has incorporated a wider range of instruments into Hamburg Demonstrations, which results in a more wholesome and warm sound than previous solo effort Grace/Wastelands. Many songs have the erratic structures and unpredictable melodies which are so quintessentially Doherty.

Certain tracks stand out. ‘Down for the Outing’ is a poetic ode to British disillusionment. ‘Flags From the Old Regime’, a dedication to Amy Winehouse, allows some of Doherty’s old lyricism to shine through.

However, the overall product is lacking in energy and this album is one we’ve heard too many times for it to feel original.

Maybe it was the influence of Carl Barat and Mick Jones that made The Libertines so great. Perhaps it was a fresh faced attitude to music and a lack pressure to build on hype. Or, maybe, it was the drugs.

Photo: Album Artwork

For whatever reason, since The Libertines came out it’s been an endless cycle of anticipation and disappointment for Doherty fans. Hamburg Demonstrations in no way breaks this cold of ‘just okay’ albums.

Anyway, there’s always next time.

Music

14

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Record Reappraisal

Record Reappraisal: Belle & Sebastian - If You’re Feeling Sinister

Released 1996 via Jeepster

Twenty years on, head music editor Joe Casson revisits the Glaswegian indie darlings’ high watermark, a singular work of delicate loneliness and wry observation that demands your devotion Joe Casson Head Music Editor Belle & Sebastian’s beloved second album opens with the hushed line ‘make a new cult every day’. For a while, this seemed to be exactly what Belle & Sebastian were doing. Their debut Tigermilk appeared out of nowhere, and was released in such limited numbers that significantly more people had heard of the record than had actually listened to it. The band’s publicity-shy image bolstered this air of quiet mystery: putting friends on their evocative artwork, the band avoided the press and mostly communicated with their fans via sleeve notes.

“At its best, it really is charming: a perfectlysequenced collection of homespun bedroom folk songs, positioned at the nexus where Dylan meets The Smiths meets The Velvet Underground.“ So it comes as no surprise that their next release, If You’re Feeling Sinister, arrived almost fully-formed as a cult classic. Even today, with its gestation illuminated by everything from Pitchfork documentaries to charming blog posts, the album feels completely unselfconscious, as if were created with nobody in mind but auterish songwriter Stuart Murdoch himself. Rendered effectively houseridden for extended periods of time by chronic fatigue syndrome, Murdoch was led to write from the perspective of a shy outsider observing an unfamiliar world: see the yearning to “feel the city air run past your body” in ‘The Stars of Track and Field’, and the film-noir reimagining of a late-night walk home in ‘Like Dylan in the Movies’.

In reference to his songwriting, The AV Club described Murdoch as “a less bitchy Morrissey, peppering his clever lyrics with ironic barbs”. They’re half-right, capturing the playfulness of lines like

Photo: Album Artwork

“you could either be successful or be us”, or the sharp commentary about intergenerational divides in ‘Me and the Major’. But what this comment misses is just how genuine much of the lyricism is, as if it were destined to be etched into listeners’ journals. The title track takes some witty swipes at the church, yes, but it comes from a position of weariness and frustration at an institution which promises salvation but can’t even get Murdoch out of bed in the morning.

Two decades on, the recording quality hasn’t aged too well – these were the days before you could record an excellent-sounding album from your bedroom. If You’re Feeling Sinister was recorded in five days on a tight budget, and it shows; by Murdoch’s own admis-

sion, the album resembles his “strongest, yet worst-recorded, collection of songs”. At times, the album can veer towards the thin and insubstantial: folksy pop for daydreaming but little else, with Murdoch’s lyrics occasionally failing to stand out as they should.

But it was all there in Murdoch’s head, and his constant revisionism led him to release a live recording of the album in 2005 and perform it in full for a 20th anniversary show at the Royal Albert Hall in June. Aided by a larger and more experienced live band, Murdoch could finally realise the album he had envisioned years earlier, played expansively but without losing any of its delicacy or unassuming charm.

And, at its best, it really is charming: a perfectly-sequenced collection of homespun bedroom folk songs, positioned at the nexus where Dylan meets The Smiths meets The Velvet Underground.

The album ebbs and flows through the brash rock and roll of ‘Me and the Major’, the hushed piano balladry of ‘Fox in the Snow’ and the morbid pulse of the title track. It’s rarely flashy, but perfectly complements Murdoch’s songwriting.

Belle & Sebastian would never quite reach the peaks of If You’re Feeling Sinister again – the next few years would see the band’s commercial stature rise but their acclaim dip, as the band experimented with democratising the songwriting process, slipping further away from Murdoch’s singular vision. Then, with 2003’s Dear Catastrophe Waitress, they tried something completely different and immersed themselves in glam and seventies pop, becoming a much brighter and more assertive band than the one Murdoch daydreamed about in his Glasgow bedroom. Perhaps that was inevitable – it seems impossible to separate Murdoch’s early songwriting from his stilted life at the time – but nothing since has fostered as much devotion as this record.

Twenty years on, If You’re Feeling Sinister remains the most singular articulation of Stuart Murdoch’s lonesome vision: a feather-light and empathetic record to cherish and obsess over.

Live

Live: Sampha

23rd November at Academy 2

At his first headline show in Manchester, Sampha shows he’s as comfortable in the spotlight as in the shadows ahead of his debut album’s release, writes Harrison Kersey Harrison Kersey Contributor

7.5/10

If the name Sampha rings any bells for you, it is likely due to his otherworldly guest spots on SBTRKTs eponymous 2011 debut. His smoky, tentative performances on standout tracks like ‘Something Goes Right’ and ‘Hold On’ dripped emotion and showed off a serious vocal range. Since then, Sampha has been elusive; despite his obvious star quality he has only released a six-track EP as a lead artist, otherwise sticking to features and remixes for the likes of Drake, Solange Knowles and Frank Ocean. The cover of 2013’s Dual captures this ephemeral presence — with his face in shadow, Sampha comes across as uncertain as his voice.

However, in February the man in the shadows stepped into the spotlight with the release of his debut full-length, Process. In support of the album he announced three pre-release UK shows, and after some lastminute haggling this reviewer bagged a ticket. Support was provided

by Kelsey Lu, a singer and cellist from New York who has collaborated with Dev Hynes of Blood Orange. Not your typical warm-up act, Lu gave a sparse but powerful performance; alone on stage with minimal lighting effects, her rich voice captivated about half the crowd. Sadly, those who had come just for the main event were not so drawn in, with a pre-gig buzz of conversation audible throughout her set.

Top 5: Songs to mourn 2016

1. ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’ by David Bowie Although ‘Lazarus’ could have

“2016 is gonna be MY year”, you said on January 1st, and chaos descended thenceforth.

Rebekah Shaw sends off the darklest of years

been the obvious choice here, this bittersweet anthem has the air of celebratory farewell to it.

2016 heralded the end of Bowie’s lifetime, but not his legacy as an influential and important musician.

Support done, and after a solid half hour of setup, the time came for Sampha to take the stage. Big and broad, he didn’t look like the guy singing about his emotions on ‘Hesitant Oath’. Flanked by four musicians, including a wardrobe-changed Kelsey Lu on cello and backing vocals, he greeted the audience with a big grin and a few words of thanks before opening with a tune from the new album. Complex arrangements immediately apparent, each person on stage seemed to be playing some kind of percussion as well as their instrument. The man himself held things down on two keyboards and a drum pad, without missing a note of his stunning vocals. As the show wound on through new material punctuated with a few SBTRKT tunes (sadly just from 2013 release Wonder Where We Land), the moments which stood out most were the transitions; the shift from quiet to loud on lead Process single ‘Timmy’s Prayer’ was phenomenal, as the song moved from a low-key, woozy synth line to a climactic outburst of emotion.

Another memorable track was second single ‘Blood On Me’, a frenetic meltdown made more unnerving in live rendition. A few songs did feel a little directionless, with angsty atmospherics leading nowhere, but the consistently on-point vocal interplay between Sampha and 2. ‘False Hope’ by Laura Marling If you are feeling bitter and

3. ‘Losing Grip’ by Avril Lavigne Perfect teenage angst from

Photo: Harrison Kersey

Lu often made this forgiveable. The fact that much of the material had not been heard before also gave a sense of anticipation to the whole show, with the crowd waiting for either a new sound or a throwback tune like ‘Hold On’, neither of which ever really came. This said, there is nothing wrong with the sound of the new album; if anything its consistency should be its strength as Sampha fleshes out his sound.

Based on this performance, when Process drops on the 3rd of February, I would recommend you check it out.

4. ‘Clockwatching’ by Stornoway “Time drags on”, Brian Briggs

mournful, Marling is your per-

a 16-year-old Avril to trans-

sings, and 2016 certainly did.

fect companion. Pulsing guitar

port you back to those days

This manic brass extravaganza

adds an urgency to this rockier version of her usual folk style, yet she still retains her heartwrenching lyrical style.

when you felt like the whole world was against you. Sing along to this without a care that it’s 2016 and sk8er rock is no longer acceptable.

5. ‘Exit Music (For a Film)’ by Radiohead Featured in an ending scene in the new series of Black Mirror and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. Sad,

could have been the inside of

powerful and poignant — we’re

my brain whilst watching the

ending this year lower than

referendum results rolling in live

we began it, but with plenty to

on TV.

reflect upon for the future.

Games 15

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Most Anticipated — 2017

Stephen Lewis Games Editor

Alec Wilby Games Contributor

Connor McBride Games Contributor

Ghost Recon: Wildlands

Photo: BagoGames@Flickr

Persona 5 The Persona series first appeared on my radar this last summer when I tried out Persona 4 Golden on a friend’s PS Vita and I was immediately hooked. Seeing a copy of the original PS2 version I spent the next few months slowly playing through the entire game and reaching the ‘true’ ending. The unique mix of dungeon crawling and social simulator, with the amazing music the series is known for, made for a singular experience that I can’t wait to try again with a fresh cast and new setting.

Persona 5 has been in development for a long time, and was originally meant to release in Europe on February 14th 2017, but has now been pushed back to April 4th (it has already been out in Japan for several months!). This delay will be worth it however, since so many good games have come out this year that there’s still a lot to play through. Come on Atlus, you can do it, just stop teasing us with English gameplay and scattered hints, we want the game already!

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

2016’s The Division was something I hadn’t really heard of until about a month before it came out but I picked it up on release day and (with a two-month hiatus) I’m still playing it now. It might be buggy, toxic and not really the game Ubisoft said it would be, but I still love it because it features some of the best co-op we’ve had in years. Coming next year though is Ghost Recon: Wildlands - the next title in Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy revival. Open world 4 player co-op with the freedom to do missions how you please? Don’t tempt me Ubisoft. With the upward trend in quality of the Tom Clancy games (Rainbow Six: Siege and The Division have both been great), I have high hopes for Ghost Recon: Wildlands. Follow it up with a new Splinter Cell please Ubisoft? Please?

Honourable Mentions: Mass Effect: Andromeda SNES Classic (Speculation)

Making my ‘Most anticipated’ list for the second year in a row (I was incredibly optimistic with regards to the release date last year.) is South Park: The Fractured But Whole, the follow up to the incredibly good South Park: The Stick Of Truth.

With a great story, fun gameplay and an on-point art style that felt like you were playing an episode of the TV show; The Stick of Truth shocked the world by being a licensed video game that was actually good. And considering Trey Parker and Matt Stone seem to be the sort of people who would burn the studio to the ground before releasing something subpar, I am fully confident that its sequel will be just as good. If you can’t abide South Park, then move along, for the rest of us it’ll be a hilarious but surprisingly well formed adventure, hopefully.

Honourable Mentions: Nintendo Switch Yooka-Laylee David Edwards Games Contributor

The Spread of Virtual Reality Photo: BagoGames@Flickr

Not since the release of the PlayStation 2 or Microsoft’s first Xbox has the world seen the dawn of a new age for gaming, but could virtual reality change that? I sure hope so. VR offers up the chance to realise every gamer’s dream of being totally immersed within their favourite game. Up until now this has just been a pipe dream, but with the seemingly unstoppable spread of VR means it’s becoming more and more affordable. PlayStation 4 have released their own virtual reality headset and Xbox one partnering up with Oculus Rift the future of VR looks brighter than ever. Could 2017 be the year that VR makes the jump from being an expensive gimmick to becoming a staple part of every gaming set up?

Could we be about to enter a dystopian future pulled straight from an episode of black mirror? VR is certainly one to watch in the year to come.

Honourable Mentions: Crash Bandicoot Remastered Red Dead Redemption 2

Honourable Mentions: Red Dead Redemption 2 Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

Review

Final Fantasy XV

What fans and newcomers can expect based on 22 hours of gameplay

Stephen Lewis Games Editor

About a year ago, in last December’s ‘most anticipated feature’, I wrote that Final Fantasy XV was my most anticipated game of 2016, and after a near ten-year wait, it finally arrived last week. Before I get into the review, however, I should state that at the time of writing this, I am yet to fully beat the game; I am well into the story and am in the final few chapters, but have not reached the journey’s conclusion. What I intend to focus on here however, is whether the game is true to its opening statement: ‘A Final Fantasy for fans and first-timers’.

That message is shown proudly every time you boot up the game, right before you get to the main menu, and Square Enix have made a push to get Final Fantasy back into the upper tiers of gaming success. After the somewhat disappointing XIII Trilogy and the original version of Final Fantasy XIV Online — before being remade as the excellent ‘A Realm Reborn’ — it is not unfair to say that the franchise was starting to buckle under its own weight.

But now Final Fantasy XV is out there, you can see it on most buses going up and down Oxford Road, and how does it stack up? In-keeping with the idea of a game for ‘fan and first-timers’ I shall take two approaches: on one hand a review of the game for those entirely new to the series, alongside how the choices and changes might be seen to a long-time fan of the series. I myself have play a few entries before this, namely I, VI, VII, X, XIII, XIII-2 and XIV (Realm Reborn).

For those unfamiliar, Final Fantasy has largely been known as a turn-based JRPG set in either large worlds that showcase either a traditional fantasy setting — castles, wizards, crystals,

etc — or a more futuristic aesthetic — steampunk, factories, guns, motor transport, etc. XV is none of these.

Instead it has tried to buck the trend and place itself as ‘a fantasy based on reality’, but what does that mean beside seeing American Express logos in shop windows and an in-game mention of Vivienne Westwood? XV is intended to be grounded in a world that could feel real, but with little dashes of magic of wonder thrown in: you could be driving your car, the Regalia, down the highway, stop off in a town, eat at a restaurant, go do some fishing and then camp one night. The next morning you might then go off in search of an astral giant that powers a city with the energy from a fallen meteor, come face-to-face with a storm god, or just ride around the countryside on a Chocobo — the big yellow birds.

For those familiar to the series this is a welcome change, and sits nicely alongside previous entries whilst offering something fresh. Whilst not identical in premise, it reminds me a bit of how the Dark Knight films tried to make a more grounded setting for Batman.

The story centres around the journey of Noctis and his three friends, Ignis, Promto and Gladiolus, as they are sent out by Noctis’s father, King Regis, to meet Luna for Noctis’s wedding. As is common in these games however, the trip takes a turn for the worse and turns into a much larger narrative, dealing with large and personal themes, ranging from a war between nations and the threat of the world ending, to how Noctis and his friends relate to one another, and individual moments like Ignis cooking dinner whilst you camp, Promto wanting to run a photo-

Photo: BagoGames@Flickr

op, or Gladio taking you out for training.

Despite it being easy to discuss the larger arcs of the story, these intimate moments between friends are better experienced for yourself, and Square Enix have acknowledged this, by having Promto take photos throughout your journey that you can save to an in-game album of 150 images total. These photos are individual to each player, so no two games will have the same exact album.

From what I have played of the story so far, it has reminded me at time of the narratives of VI and X more than any others, but still retains enough of its own identity to stand by its own merits.

However, I would strongly recommend that before playing you watch the Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV anime — it’s short and free on the official YouTube channel — as well as perhaps seeing the film Kingsglaive, which runs parallel to the opening of the game. Whilst not required, it certainly gives you a much better sense of who is who and what is going on in this world, as when the story begins, the four main characters have

already known each other for years and it can feel a little like you’re jumping into a story that started a little before you got here.

In stark contrast to most other games in the series, combat is now fully in real time, and is somewhat similar to that of Kingdom Hearts but with a more fleshed-out system: Disclaimer: I have not played any Kingdom Hearts games, this is based off what I have seen and been told by those who have.

Whilst some die-hard fans may be a little unsure of this at first, the system works very well, apart from a camera that can’t always keep up. The system is very simple to learn, but becomes deeper the more you get into it. Perhaps the only let down is the use of magic, which has been cut back to three basic elements — Fire, Ice and Lightning — and are essentially very flashy grenades that can be buffed to give added effects such as poisoning enemies, or healing your character. I could go further into the combat system, but then we’d be here for quite a while…

A final point that I only discovered whilst playing the other night is how players should react to the pacing of the game, which towards the end can get a little odd. In a reversal of XIII’s structure, the world here begins very open, and once you get to a certain point in the story it begins to shove you down more of a corridor. At this point you can start moving through the chapters at quite a clip, but then reach a place where you will be slowed down a lot, which can be a bit jarring as you are still locked on the path. The only place where I became concerned about this was when I was fighting through enemies around my level, before facing a boss that was many levels higher, and so was essentially impossible to defeat. This was the point however where I found out that from save points —there was one right before the boss — you can travel back to ‘the past’ and continue your journey in the open world from earlier, and ALL your levels and experience carry over, which was not made entirely clear. It does feel a bit odd however that to progress the story you may have to jump between the actual chapters, and the open world of the first half of the game, but you could always avoid this by just levelling up your character more than you should a little early on.

I wish I could talk more about Final Fantasy XV but then I’d be here for days trying to unravel every single element.

Basically, the game is amazing but not perfect, yet the flaws are so small they fade in the background. As a jumpingoff point, XV is a great place to be introduced to the series, and is also rewarding for fans. It took ten years, but it was worth the wait.

Fashion & Beauty

16

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Fashion & Beauty 17

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

It’s the festive season! That can only mean one thing: fun fashion all round! To celebrate the coming Christmas period and add a little warmth to your winter wardrobe, we’re dedicating our last edition of this year to fun fashion

Monochrome wardrobe: add excitement to your outfit

Kitty Mitchell Turner gives a run through of tips and tricks from a rainbow haired officienado

Holly James reveals how to stay warm while still looking fabulous this winter

Make your bright hair dreams come true If hair was a game then I’ve completed all the levels. I have been every colour under the sun and gone through most hair styles from alopecia-inflicted baldness to waist length locks. For the past couple of years though, since my hair has come back, I’ve stuck to rainbow colours, and I am not alone.

Kylie Jenner, Zayn Malick and Rita Ora are just a few of those jumping on the bright-haired band wagon. But without the celebrity hairdressers or green wigs costing thousands of dollars, it is only too easy to end up with patchy, streaky, strawlike tresses. So, if you’re thinking about braving the bright, here are some tips I have learnt from personal experience (good and bad) to help you on your way.

5. Phone a friend:

Ask someone who dyes their hair (preferably bright colours) and is happy to rinse your head over the bath. It is a really fun activity and my go-to friend Martha is great at getting the spots at the back of my head and helping blend my colours.

6. Maintenance:

To really maximise vibrancy and minimise damage and fading my recommendations are not popular.

Heat should be avoided, so let your hair dry naturally and avoid styling with heat. Showering contributes massively so only wash your hair once or twice a week on a cold setting. This isn’t fun in the winter months, so make dry shampoo your new best friend and get used to quick showers, at least you’ll save money on water bills!

7. Fade:

1. Bleaching basics:

As I have mentioned before your hair will fade quickly.

I dye my hair every six weeks or so. I start by bleaching my roots then rinsing and drying my hair before dying it all over. I’m currently sporting four colours in my hair (so close to being that McFly song) which can get a bit pricey, so love every brilliant shade your hair turns. On a side note, pastel colours tend to wash out after about a week, so go for a brighter shade that fades to pastel over time to minimise effort.

First things first, to get the right colour bleaching is unavoidable. For optimum impact you want to lift your colour to white blonde or ash. The best way to do this is to use powder bleach mixed with peroxide and NOT a blonde box hair dye.

I use 9 per cent cream peroxide and blue powdered bleach, but Jerome Russell B Blonde cream bleach and bleach packets are equally effective and can be bought in supermarkets or chemists. The important thing is to leave it on for at least an hour. I should mention here that it burns, and will possibly leave your scalp rather tender and flaky, but being something that we also use to clean toilets, that’s no surprise. Whole head bleaching is not for the faint hearted, which is why the first time I bleached my hair I got my hairdresser to do it, so don’t hesitate to go to a professional if you’re nervous.

8. Damage control:

All this bleaching and dying will have quite an impact on your poor head. To help keep it healthy invest in a colour shampoo and conditioner. If you are currently using Head and Shoulders or any other dandruff shampoo, bin it. It will strip your colour and natural oils leaving it dry and faded. The only time I have found it useful was removing colour when I accidentally dyed my hair black aged 13. While you’re at it, you should avoid chlorinated water too as it will sap the moisture and most of the colour from your lovely locks. Instead, invest in a serum like Moroccan Oil which rehydrates your hair and leaves it soft. It may be pricy, but it is SO worth it.

2. If at first you don’t succeed..:

If you don’t get your desired base colour i.e. it ends up yellow, streaky or with brassy tones PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE DO NOT BLEACH IT AGAIN. It won’t fix it and will leave you with cheese strings on your head that will snap off a la Georgia in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. If this does happen, which it shouldn’t if you have followed the instructions correctly, opt for a toner or use a purple shampoo to remove the brassy tones. Here I should also say that if you think covering the orange tinge with your bright green dye will work, it won’t. It always rears its ugly head sooner or later.

3. Cost:

Vibrant hair requires an investment of both time and money. A professional job costs anywhere between £90-£150 and takes around 4 hours. Even doing it at home can take up to 6+ hours and can cost a bomb with dye(s), toner, bleach, peroxide, gloves, tint brushes etc. Bright dyes also cost more than your classic box dye from boots, and the upkeep is more demanding (but more on that later). So before you give your heart to rainbow hair, consider the impact on your diary and wallet.

4. Brands to love and hate:

Every vibrant hair dye states their dyes are semi-permanent. The reason for this is that the more unnatural the colour, the more it fades. This said some stick more than others. I for one steer clear of Crazy Colour and Bleach London because they fade so quickly, whereas Manic Panic and Shwarpzkopf Live tend to fade with a nasty grey tinge after the first wash. My personal favourites are Directions, Pravana and Special Effects, as they last longer and are cruelty free.

Moschino mania Photo: fervent-adepte-de-la-mode @Flickr

Tarun Daryanani examines the iconic Italian fashion house, whose DNA truly shows the fun and exciting side of fashion Since Jeremy Scott took control of Moschino’s creative direction, he decided to reinvent the brand’s aesthetic whilst paying homage to the quirky, free nature of its heritage. Summer and Winter collections possessed creative foundations based on famous cartoon characters and the Barbie doll; pink roller skates paired with micro mini dresses infested with the Barbie logo enhanced the wacky motif of the Italian fashion house. Models even strutted down the runway with platinum blonde curls, imitating the perfect doll that would make every girl feel nostalgic. Teddy bear backpacks and shearling coats (channelling the fur of a grizzly bear) made every individual hunger for an ironically funny (and fashionable) Moschino piece. The brand injects sex appeal into every wardrobe, with staples of leather corsets and skin-baring dresses, whilst it also stands

as a ubiquitous fashion house within the luxury brand portfolio.

Not many brands can create such a vision in the modern day that would appeal to such an array of celebrities and influential individuals — the Kardashians and even Michelle Obama are fans of the house.

One of the brand’s signature techniques is the play on words, their recent collection replaced “smoking kills” with “fashion kills”, displaying the envelope-pushing, head-turning signature of the brand.

Bags and dresses imitating cigarette packets are also in sync with these humorous connotations. What could be more appealing than addressing the dangers of smoking through glamorous couture? Collections also comprised of dresses that were “literally” on fire, explicitly playing with the metaphor that fashion is “hot”.

With curve hugging dresses and embellished red carpet gowns, the brand seems to be a fashion playroom for every rich kid out there. Most recently, the Spring/Summer ‘17 collection paid homage to the paper doll. Old fashioned 50s style gowns were covered with paper inserts at the corsage and shoulder, as if parts of the dress could be detached like the garments on a paper doll. The brand is a dream for the creative rebellion. Paper doll dresses hunger every woman to imitate a vamped, sexed up persona: a hybrid between Marilyn Monroe and Bridget Bardot.

Putting aside the cigarette packets and burning dresses, it is safe to say that fashion has a main mission to entertain and allow people to creatively enjoy. Whether you risk standing out of the crowd is your choice. Will you?

9. The less glamorous side:

Having bright hair is incredible, I get so many compliments, can coordinate it with my multi-coloured wardrobe and don’t get me started on how cool it looks in plaits. But this all comes at a price. Forget just dying your Photo: mancunion.com hair; your bathtub, towels, nails, sweat, t shirts, pillowcases and virtually anything else your hair comes into contact with will end up the same colour. So while some damage control is possible, just embrace it. Everything I own is pink anyway so the excess dye just adds to the fun!

10. Changing colours:

If you decide that bright hair isn’t for you, or you just want a different shade, the best thing to do is ride it out. Wait until it has faded as much as possible and whatever you do DON’T bleach over it. If you want to go back to a more natural colour bear in mind the aftermath of the bleach means it may fade faster than on a natural base, and if your bright colour was red, orange or anything else with brassy tones they may need toning out before you dye over it.

So go forth and dye my friends, though it is tough at times, it is a sacrifice one should willingly make.

Gucci Love

Photo: gucci.com

Jai Joshi documents the historic reinvention — under the helm of creative director Alessandro Michele — of the Italian super brand that is Gucci Alessandro Michele was appointed the creative director of Gucci in January 2015. From the beginning the fashion world became obsessed with Gucci. Alessandro stepped in and he completely reinvented the Italian Super Brand — in a revolutionary way.

The moment the Fall 2015 Collection dropped, the rest was history. Gucci went from a luxury Italian super brand to swiftly becoming the ultimate, recognizable powerhouse that is Gucci. From Alessandro Michele’s use of

fabrics, to his individual cuts and distinguishable designs; the regal bows to his use of regal colours within menswear and womenswear collections, he truly delivered as a creative director.

Gucci was miraculously transformed, finding its place within the fashion industry becoming one of the world’s hottest super brands that received the fashion limelight for years to come. Sales sky rocketed, no surprise there.

Alessandro Michele’s later collections were playful. Incorporating symbols, from heavy spring floral prints on silk to detailed embroidery of exotic animals such as snakes, tigers, peacocks and bears. The success of Gucci lies in it being identifiable, the collections were cohesive and the history of the house was presented in a new perspective, yet still respectfully maintained on a contemporary and cool level.

Perhaps other creative directors at luxury super brands should take note that sometimes, the world of fashion requires a new injection of ideas. Especially within the world of cut-throat fashion in order to survive within the heavily crowded marketplace. That an outsider’s perspective is sometimes best. Even if it does involve risk. The daring to be different is what is required.

Admirable and astonishing, regal and rebellious is the new Gucci. Perhaps we should take a note from his books. As he states in an interview for British Vogue with Fashion Editor At Large Hamish Bowles, “I think we need to dream”. In fact, I completely agree. We as a society should creatively dream and attempt to pursue them to reach a level of happiness or even enlightenment — all thanks to a bit of Gucci.

As the festive season draws ever closer, the yearly challenge that faces the monochrome wardrobe does too: how do you bring festive fun to your outfit when your wardrobe has managed to look like it is Halloween for the last 5 years running? With the days drawing in and getting colder, the task seems even more difficult when just getting out of bed feels like a challenge. We all know that our favourite pair of black skinny jeans are not going anywhere, so how do you bring some effortless sparkle to your wardrobe without compromising your all-black aesthetic?

Footwear is key to staying warm and looking chic through the winter, but splashing out on a new pair of shoes is an expensive luxury that many students just cannot afford. The next best answer? Socks. Bold statement socks are big news this season, from high end to high street fashion, the old rules have gone out the window. Pair up your sparkly socks with open toe strappy heels for a party look, or wear your trainers with some statement ankle socks to bridge the gap when wearing ankle grazing or cropped trousers. Not only will your outfit look on trend, adding socks will help you fight the cold and stay warm. The top pick: use Topshop’s 3 for £8 deal to grab a variety to get you through the season, with choices from nude pink sparkles to mustard stripe welt socks.

It is not just socks you can layer this season; countless bloggers have been layering tights under their jeans for a stylish answer to keeping the cold out. Kylie Jenner’s Instagram post last week showed us that fishnets are definitely the best way to work this trend as the iconic tights are sure to draw attention to your outfit. This is best worn with the waistband of the tights visible above the jeans if you’re wearing something cropped, or showing through ripped or frayed denim on the leg.

Go for oversized fishnets paired with heels or chunky platforms for a night out or statement look (try ASOS oversized fishnets, £6 in a variety of colours). For a more practical daytime solution to sporting this trend, layer oversized fishnets with low denier tights or opt for a standard fishnet to keep the heat in. If fishnets just are not your thing, the next best solution is a pair of woolly tights under boyfriend jeans, or layering plain tights with statement socks for really cold days.

From knees and toes to head and shoulders, hats and scarves are your best bet to really keep the cold out and create a bold look this winter.

Beanie hats and oversized scarves are bang on trend and perfect for those days where leaving your duvet and venturing out for your 9am lecture seems like it is just never going to happen. Both Zara and Primark have a great range of oversized scarves this year, and check out ASOS for a good variety of beanie hats to choose from. For tips on how to style them, seek inspiration from bloggers who live in particularly cold countries, they know best.

Pretty in print

Our student loans are dwindling fast, and the coming festive party season will undoubtedly drain our make-up resources at an alarming rate. Not to worry — the Fashion and Beauty team is here to help!

We’ve teamed up with Manchester’s Soap & Glory Glambassador to ensure that one lucky person can stock up their make-up bags this Christmas without spending a penny.

For the chance to win a Soap & Glory makeup kit, containing lipstick, blusher, mascara, an eyebrow kit and more, take a picture with The Mancunion Fashion and Beauty pages and tag us on Instagram @mancunionfashionandbeauty Closing date: 12th December 2016 Merry Christmas!

Photo: prettypoun.centreblog.net.

tones, a style favoured by the Jenner sisters. Olivier Rousteing, the creative genius behind the current Balmain aesthetic, fully embraces stripes as a pattern that can be fun but also sexy. His glass beads embroidered mini dress in multicolour is a testament to this, embracing the fun side of fashion.

Animal print Animal print is a favourite on the high-street and with high-end designers alike. Like stripes, animal print is timeless but fun. Whether you opt for leopard, tiger or zebra, these prints can be easily incorporated into your everyday style. Choosing to wear animal print does not have to scream Scary Spice, it can be as subtle or as eccentric as you want. The cheetah print trousers and matching bra might not be a winner for you but take inspiration from Mel B’s fun look and wear a print jacket with your standard black skinnies. This season, both Zara and Topshop have embraced the cheetah print trend and have created lust worthy animal print inspired pieces. I am currently coveting Topshop’s pointed cheetah print boots which are sure to jazz up even the most boring outfit.

Pop Art Look to Moschino for the famous pop art print. From smoking lips to capsule print knitted dresses, Moschino is the ultimate designer for fun fashion pieces. Pop art pieces have had a firm place in fashion for years and it is a print that has been recycled time and time again. As a child in the early noughties, I remember my mum wearing Andy Warhol inspired pieces covered with the famous image of the bombshell Marilyn Monroe. Perhaps one of her more eccentric outfit choices, but nevertheless a great look that has done a full cycle and is now, once again, a hot fashion trend. If smoking lips are not for you, then why not opt for the subtler nautical theme which was a hit on Tommy Hilfiger’s latest runway show.

Transform your style and incorporate these prints into your everyday outfit choices, experiment with fashion and update your classic look. Fashion is a fun way to express yourself, so take advantage of the fabulous prints on offer on the high street.

Deputy Fashion and Beauty editor Talia Lee-Skudder reveals what prints you should be incorporating into your everyday look Stepping away from the classic all black look can be daunting, it is classic, sophisticated and of course hides multitude of sins. Unfortunately it can become boring. Fashion is about having fun and experimenting with what you wear, so step away from your black skinnies and v-neck tee and incorporate some patterns and prints into your everyday look. From the classic Breton stripe to more eclectic geometric patterns, there are plenty of prints that you can rock to give your style a fun update.

The classic stripe For those of you who are pattern shy and a full checked suit a la Tory Burch is too much to swallow, then start off with patterns that are more easily integrated into your everday look. Stripes are always in fashion, start with the timeless striped tee to test the water before experimenting further with this pattern. Vertical stripes are hugely flattering, whether they are on a dress or a pair of trousers this pattern will create the illusion of being super slim by elongating your body. For high-end fashion inspiration, look to Balmain whose collection includes a number of mini dresses with thick vertical stripes in muted

It’s competition time!

Photo: balmain.com

When pop art met fashion Following the recent opening of ‘Artist Rooms: Andy Warhol’ at The Whitworth Art Gallery, Deputy Fashion and Beauty Editor Sophie Soar ruminates upon Andy Warhol’s influence in fashion since the sixties The Whitworth Art Gallery is currently exhibiting ‘Artist Rooms: Andy Warhol’, displaying some of the pop artist’s life works. Whilst the exhibition showcases his signature print style, the Whitworth also closely examines the recurring theme of mortality in his work. Warhol came to be fascinated by life and death after he was pronounced dead (albeit momentarily) when the Feminist writer Valeria Solanas shot him in the stomach for losing her manuscript in 1968.

Alongside the Campbell’s Soup cans that brought the artist fame, another Warhol classic, immediately recognisable as the artist’s, is the print based on the publicity photograph of Marilyn Monroe. This image is continuously recreated and splashed across t-shirts, as you will find should you ever visit Camden Market in London: the home of tacky t-shirts. Having died in 1962, Monroe demonstrates a further inherent theme of Warhol’s work in addition to that of mortality: celebrity culture.

Warhol started his art career as an illustrator for fashion magazines, working for the likes of Harper’s Bazaar, and soon became integrated within the fashion circles and celebrity culture. However it was not until after his Campbell’s Soup can prints took off in the late 1960s that Warhol’s work really established his perception of pop art, which began the previous decade. He fast became immensely popular within celebrity culture and it was not long until he became its reigning monarch. His folPhoto: oddsock @Flickr

lowers and friends would frequent his New York studio ‘The Factory’, which showcased experimental art, film and music, such as live shows by the Velvet Underground.

In the 1970s, celebrity life revolved around Warhol and his studio, but they also leant their time to the infamous waterhole that was Studio 54. Warhol and his celebrity posse breezed past the crowds queuing for a taste of the limelight. As if entrance to the world’s most elite club did not already confirm Warhol’s celebrity status, he also founded Interview magazine: a publication still in print today. Regularly featuring the works of fashion greats, from Karl Lagerfeld to Yves Saint Laurent, the magazine firmly established his status and significance.

Whilst he fast became a revered artist, Warhol frequently circulated in and amongst the big names in fashion, such as his close friendship with Diane Von Furstenberg. He established a strong look and brand name for himself, with the iconic mop of white blonde hair and rimmed glasses. However he also provided the ultimate fashionable accessory; a staple of celebrity status in the sixties and seventies was to own your portrait painted by Warhol.

During the sixties and seventies, he was the life and soul of the artist, fashion and celebrity scene. Warhol continuously inspired fashion during his lifetime, even from the most unexpected sources; Campbell’s Soup adopted Warhol’s print to create a dress sold by the food company.

Since Warhol’s (second) death in 1987, he has by no means diminished in status or significance upon the art and fashion world. To name a few examples: Versace for Spring/Summer 1991 show dressed Linda Evangelista in a jewel-encrusted dress brandishing the Monroe print; Prada in their Spring/Summer 2013 used Warhol’s poppy flower print; Raf Simons for Dior Autumn/Winter 2013 featured some of Warhol’s earliest sketches from the fifties.

Jeremy Scott perhaps uses Warhol’s work in closest reference, basing every one of his collections on consumerist culture and advertising campaigns.

Hungertv.com label him ‘the modern day Andy Warhol’.

It is clear to see that Warhol’s influence still remains and will do so for the foreseeable future. His work in pop art not only inspired the generation of artists and designers in his time but those that have followed too, hailing him a king worthy of his indisputable status.

‘Artist Rooms: Andy Warhol’ exhibition will be running from 19th November 2016 to 16th April 2017 at The Whitworth Art Gallery. Free Entry.

Photo: clairity @Flickr

Film

18

Review

Review: Paterson Adam Driver stars in Jim Jarmusch’s latest film about a bus driving poet living in Paterson, New Jersey. Life and all its delicacies do not go amiss.

Photo: TheFilmStage

Alasdair Bayman Film Critic Jim Jarmusch is like a really bad bus service, you wait ages for one then two suddenly come along at the same time. With his love for Iggy Pop and The Stooges in Gimme Danger, it is his fictional film Paterson that once again reinstates Jarmusch as not only an imperative voice in American indie cinema but also as one of modern cinema’s defining auteurs. Although this statement appears at first glance grandiose, it is not given for flamboyancy but instead validity of the gentleness inherent in Paterson.

Paterson (Adam Driver) is a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey. He wakes up at 6:15am most days, gazes with love at his caring partner Laura (Goldshifteh Farahani), eats of a small bowl of Cheerios, and then sets off for work with a blue metallic steel lunch box. After a day at work, Paterson walks his English bulldog Marvin down to the local bar. Neon lights brighten up this place. Behind the bar, the charismatic Doc (Barry Shabaka Henley) pours Paterson and pint of beer. Yet, behind the veneer of this everyday routine man, something artistic rests.

‘Life isn’t dramatic, always’ Jarmusch recently stated in an interview with The Guardian. The simplicity of the plot is not a reflection of the piercing beauty which is found — its ease only serves to reinstate it. In his spare time, Paterson writes expressive poetry.

The work which he creates is eloquent, poignant and captures the splendour of the seemingly mundane. In the instance of a box of Ohio Blue Match Sticks, Paterson functions it as an allegory for love and passion.

Focusing upon much discussed William Carlos Williams — whose poetry is referenced constantly — his predominant focus on the commonality of life is entwined with Paterson. Do we define him as a bus driver who is a poet, or a poet who is a bus driver? He is apprehensive to openly acknowledge his creative flair, but it is distinct that something remarkable hides behind the blue jacket and the understated appearance of Driver. Chiefly, it is not inconceivable to state that Paterson is indeed a poet who is a bus driver.

Paterson’s job does not bore him. Overhearing conversations between labourers, teenage kids, and two young boys, their words light up the face of Paterson. Even when the bus breaks down unexpectedly, the man is composed and self-assuring to his passengers.

As the travellers ask constantly whether the bus will explode into a fireball, he calmly rejects their claim. However, one can be appreciative of the fact that this is thankfully not that sort of film to which stupidity and negligence orientate.

The experience of being a bus driver produces a reflective influence upon his poetry. A delicate visual representation of Paterson’s poetry is found both in voice-over of Driver reading his character’s work and imagined on screen in a soft eggshell white. The slow deliverance of the poetry, to which is created in the moment of its delivery, is part of the creative process to Paterson. With time, clarity arises and so does an assurance in his pronunciation of his beautiful poetry.

Behind the unfussy performance of Driver lies an attentive direction from Jarmusch and his crew. Medium longshots of the bus place us, the viewer, onto street level observing Driver — who gained a bus license just for this role. In an age of Cinematic Universes and the ghastly Transformer films, there is something graceful in the simplicity of Paterson. Like a favourite song, book, or blanket, Paterson will be revisited and consumed over and over again. Poetical in both a literal and abstract sense.

5/5

ISSUE 11/ 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Editor’s note: 2016 in Film

Eliza Slawther Head Film Editor 2016 has been a disastrous and depressing year for many, and the unpredictable turbulence of world events has caused much divide and debate in the media. Luckily we are here in the comfort of the film section, where such issues can be brushed aside while we get cosy with a warm blanket, some popcorn and appreciate all the great film and television that 2016 has gifted us — this is with the exception of Black Mirror Series 3, which was essentially the film section’s version of Brexit.

My personal favourite film this year was the modern western Hell or High Water — something about it was intoxicatingly beautiful and profound, and has stuck with me. I was seduced by the cinematography and characterisations, and feel that it has been forgotten by many critics for the likes of Arrival and Captain America.

Notable mentions go to Under the Shadow, a beautiful Iranian horror, as well as Nocturnal Animals, High-Rise and Everybody Wants Some!!.

We have also had a great year for documentaries, with Adam Curtis’ HyperNormalization taking

Photo: Film 44

centre stage — a dark insight into the corrupt world around us (perhaps even the film section has not been spared from the trauma of 2016 after all). Louis Theroux’s My Scientology Movie was yet another longawaited documentary film that certainly lived up to standards.

Some of the section’s contributors have picked out their specific favourite moments in film and television this year, with Jake Sanders favouring the part in American Honey where “they sing along to Choices

by E-40”, and Rosa Simonet having chosen “Any time when the camera lingers on Daisy Domergue in The Hateful Eight, particularly in the first hour of the film, or just Jason Leigh in The

Hateful Eight in general”.

Sadly for contributor Luke Bull, no 2016 film or television show lived up to the legacy of Seinfeld. Understandable.

Diversity in television has been another highlight of the year, with The Night Of and Atlanta standing out for their originality and showing a move away from whitewashed sitcoms of the past.

Planet Earth II is also back on our screens, with David Attenborough providing some stability and joy in our ever-changing world.

I would finally like to thank the contributors who have all gone the extra mile this semester and made the section so consistently full of good content, as well as Deputy Editor Shema who has not only edited the section but also written many

excellent articles. We have had a range of diverse articles, from reviews of lesserknown and international new-releases, coverage of the Jewish Film Festival, Q&As with directors and reappraisals of old classics.

This year has also seen the creation of the Mancunion Film Review Show, hosted

by Alasdair Bayman and Jake Sanders. The show has provided a new platform for all things film, and hosted many guest speakers, most of whom also write for the section.

Here’s to a great new year, we will be back on the 30th of January with the next print issue but will still be posting articles and reviews online over the coming weeks so make sure to keep an eye out for those.

Review

Review: The Innocents

The Innocents explores the harrowing effects of rape on a group of Polish nuns after World War Two Danielle Kosky Film Critic The Innocents is a beautifully tragic drama which borrows its idea from the true story of a group of Polish nuns who were repeatedly raped by Soviet soldiers immediately after World War Two ended.

The story is quietly powerful, exposing the shocking and unexpected effect of rape on an uncommon group of people. Highly acclaimed French director Anne Fontaine explores different themes and shares the uplifting nature of unbreakable female unity but also their consequent betrayal.

Although the film has been received positively by critics, so far garnering 95 per cent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes (based on 80 reviews), it is by no means Fontaine’s first successful movie, having also directed the transatlantically popular Adoration, Gemma Bovery and Coco before Chanel amongst many other accomplished French films. Working alongside her is cinematographer Caroline Champetier who does a wonderful job of highlighting the nuns’ intense distress following their attack.

What makes it worse for them is that on top of suffering from PTSD they are terrified of being condemned to hell for being touched, something that they perceive as being a sin. When we discover that, the rapes feels all the more tragic and heart breaking as you feel their heightened shame. Champetier manages to skilfully communicate their distress through stillness and muted colours which puts the focus solely on their emotions, thus contrastingly transferring the scene from a quiet atmosphere to one of disquiet.

Fontaine carries out an in depth analysis of the different characters which frequently conflicts with their sense of morality. This is certainly true in the case of the nuns to varying effects, and also, to a certain extent, Samuel, who is Jewish, who early on in the film expresses hatred towards the Polish (they had shunned the Jewish before and during the war) however he later on aids the nuns, helping to deliver some of their children.

The main starring actress is Lou de Laâge, who does an outstanding job of taking on the role of Mathilde, a medical student who helps the nuns. Her presence on screen is magnetic and compel-

ling, as her powerful yet timid vibe gives her a lovely edge that is complimented by the other actors. Vincent Macaigne had me feeling very conflicted with his portrayal of Samuel, Mathilde’s co-worker and lover. Whilst he was charming and provided an element of much needed humour and lightness to the otherwise heavy plot, he also was annoyingly self-deprecating and lacked compassion and tact during a time when it was needed the most.

However, I feel this did make him more human and when sharing screen time with Lou de Laâge, he forces her character to reveal the vulnerable and tender side to her that she is reluctant to show.

The Innocents is a tragic film that will genuinely give you goosebumps and make you feel some intense emotions (I confess I cried twice throughout the film) that is solidified by wonderful acting and cinematography. Really worth a watch.

4/5

Photo: Photo: Aeroplan Film

Film 19

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Review: Allied

Romantic thriller Allied is the epitome of Hollywood classic James Gill Film Contributor With his latest cinematic effort, director Robert Zemeckis is finally returning to reality after a brief and disappointing stint with animated works such as Beowulf. Reminiscent of the golden-age, Allied is a visually stunning and nostalgic take on how life used to be. With a straightforward yet complex narrative, accompanied with a beautiful score by Alan Silvestri (Forrest Gump, Cast Away), you will be left longing for a time you’ve never known.

We open to fabulous shot of Max Vatan (Brad Pitt), Air Force Commander, slowly descending by parachute into the Moroccan desert. After travelling to Casablanca he meets French Resistance fighter Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard) and the two must engage in a faux marriage in order to carry out an assassination on a high ranking Nazi Ambassador. In a nod to the iconic 1941 film of the same name, the faux love of Casablanca soon becomes true love and the upon completing the mission and escaping the country they settle down in London and have a child, Anna.

Aside from the nightly bombings, life is simpler in London with organising house parties appearing to be the largest cause of stress. The family live an

idyllic life in an idyllic world, thanks to the incredible cinematography. This is cut short however when Vatan is informed of new intelligence suggesting her wife is in fact a German spy.

It’s laughable at first yet the claims are founded with damning evidence and what follows is the tragic collapse of his trust as he awaits the results of the investigation. Later that night as Vatan washes his face an earlier scene from Casablanca is replayed, where Beauséjour explains how creating real emotion when undercover has kept her alive so long. With Vatan slowly losing his mind as he tries to work out whether his life is all a lie, he decides to take matters into his own hands ultimately heading for France for answers.

Perhaps overly romanticised at times, including a raunchy scene during a sandstorm, the spectacle of it all seems to just work. Zemeckis’s passion for integrating the latest technological advances helps create a highly exaggerated world, one which the films it imitates dream to be. Cotillard and Pitt’s embodiment of vintage hollywood match this wonderfully.

In a seemingly hopeless world ravaged by war, life is lived to the fullest and love is true. Zemeckis shows us the beauty in the detail and although this movie isn’t perfect, it implants a renewed sense of admiration for the sacrifices made by those before us.

Photo: GK Films

Maxim Gorky’s play The Lower Depths has spread its influence greatly within the world of film, and will certainly get your heart racing

There is seldom a text whose characters and locations have the ability to exist for over 100 years.

The Lower Depths is a play written by Maxim Gorky around 1902. It was a depiction of the lower classes of Russia, and it is supposed to be inspired by real people and events that happened during Gorky’s life.

Anton Chekhov — a famous playwright himself — wrote in a letter to Gorky “I have read your play. It is new and unmistakably fine. The second act is very good; it is the best, the strongest, and when I was reading it, especially the end, I almost danced with

Photo: India Pictures

Winter Films Films to get you through this winter

Photo: @Flickr rachosaur

Shema Begum Deputy Film Editor

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon tattoo achieved critical acclaim. Rooney Mara in particular gained recognition for her role of computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander. David Fincher’s psychological thriller takes you to the snowbound country that is Sweden, where a 40-year-old disappearance case awaits. It’s intense, gripping and will certainly make you feel the winter

The Lower Depths remains relevant in film joy. The tone is gloomy, oppressive; the audience, unaccustomed to such subjects, will walk out of the theatre, and you may well say good bye to your reputation as an optimist, in any case.”

Moreover three eminently distinct and adroit film makers, Jean Renoir (French), Chetan Anand (Indian) and Akira Kurosawa (Japanese) also presented their own version of such societies in their respective times and culture. Renoir made Les Bas-fonds in 1936, it was a satirical take on the lives of different people living in slums. The central idea of the film like that of the play is that, despite the immense pessimism and inhumane environment

Fea-

5. Edward Scissorhands Tim Burton’s modern fairy-tale with Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder became an instant hit. Brilliantly stylised, as the juxtaposition between the gothic mansion where isolated Edward resides, and the pastel coloured town gives the film this unusual but quirky effect. Though this is the least winter-y film in this list, the use of snow is undoubtedly iconic.

4/5

Feature

Mritunjay Sharma Film Critic

Top 5

of the characters, there is a presence of the rudimentary presence of emotions. The film won the prestigious Prix LouisDelluc in 1937.

Chetan Anand made Neecha Nagar in 1946, this film was similar only in the idea of the presence of upper and lower class societies. The screenplay of the film is different as in this film there is a confrontation of the two societies, and also the uprising of the lower society to fight the evil of the rich and privileged.

Neecha Nagar can also be seen as a film of protest as 1946 was the time when India was fighting British empire for the freedom and self rule. Neecha Nagar won Grand Prix du Festival International du Film at the 1946 Cannes film festival.

Finally comes the film of Akira Kurosawa, Donzoko, made in 1956 and was based on the Edo period, this was the period when Tokyo was becoming a large urban setting which gave rise to the distribution of people into different classes. Donzoko

was not changed much from the original play and was adapted the same way play was written.

The reason that this play and these three films need to be discussed is because even after 100 years many would argue that the ghettoisation of people is still taking place, and it is happening in places like New York, London, Tokyo, Beijing, Delhi. Be it the Calais jungles, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, we have left a huge number of people behind. We think that we have created a civilised society but we have only created a situation where on one side we have a secure society and on the other hand a society where everyday new rebellion is happening and being crushed everyday.

It is a sad fact that even today we have more than a billion people who do not have adequate housing facilities. We live in times where The Lower Depths still exist, it is just we have come high up and become myopic enough to not acknowledge the existence of such depths.

3. Encounters at the End of the World Werner Herzog’s documentary looks into the lives of scientists who work at the McMurdo research base in Antarctica. The various interviews not only give an insight into the projects being worked on, but also the human psyche. Herzog’s narration is very conversational and engaging, as he explains the film isn’t about “fluffy penguins.” He further captures the breath-taking surroundings and even some aquatic life. The film shows what a winter wonderland truly is. You can find the full film on YouTube.

2. A Simple Plan Three men stumble across a plane that has crashed, where they find millions of dollars in cash. The film follows the individuals after they decide to keep the money with the simple plan to hide it. From here the consequences of their actions begin to unravel, and the moral implications are explored. All of this is set against the backdrop of Minnesota in the winter.

A Simple Plan provides a disturbing twist on the American dream, and the frozen wastelands mirror the protagonists’ outlook on life.

1. The Shining I usually refrain from watching horror films but this is a must on everyone’s watch list. Stanley Kubrick manages to make the ordinary seem so frightening with the meticulous care taken in crafting this film. A secluded hotel during a long Colorado winter drives caretaker Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) to insanity and he’s out to kill. Though it has grown on audiences throughout the years, The Shining is so deeply embedded in pop culture. The iconic scenes and phrases are replicated in a variety of films and TV shows. This classic is ideal for thrill seekers during these short winter days.

Photo: Scott Rudin Productions

Books

20

ISSUE 11/ 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Feature: No end to Anthony Burgess Elliottt Mills Books Contributor Here in Manchester we are lucky to have such a rich cultural heritage. Of course this is what people from every area might profess outwardly with pride, whether they believe it or not. In this instance though, the case can be made more sincerely, and in my view the author, composer, Joycean scholar and all-round man of letters Anthony Burgess is an important part of Manchester’s heritage. And yet, when many think of Manchester’s artistic output in the second half of the twentieth century, they call to mind an anti-immigration officer named Morrissey who in 2015 tried to write a book but couldn’t, and a somewhat lazy caricature called Liam Gallagher who, sadly, never learned to write at all.

This is not a unique phenomenon. Towns and cities across the UK have often disowned, disregarded or forgotten their writers.

Throughout my years at secondary school in Abingdon, not a whisper could be heard of the pioneering modernist novelist Dorothy Richardson, who was born there. I did once try to knock a plaque into the wall of her birthplace, but the current owners of the house were less than pleased, only getting angrier still when I told them they were living at an historic point of genesis for modern literary narrative as we know it. They simply told me it was because of this kind of thing that everyone in Abingdon hates the public school.

Less in ignorance and more out of ideological opposition, Eastwood in Nottinghamshire has at times had an uneasy relationship with their most famous exponent D.H. Lawrence. The town now has a D.H. Lawrence birthplace museum, but perhaps this act in some respects forms him into something of a prodigal son. It should be of no surprise that Burgess in 1988, somewhat in the spirit of fellowship, writes Flame Into Being: Life and Work of D.H. Lawrence.

“An anti-immigration officer named Morrissey who in 2015 tried to write a book but couldn’t.”

Anthony Burgess was published in 2005.

Andrew Biswell has above all two main things in common with author in question. The first is his initials, and the second is an insatiable interest in Anthony Burgess. John Anthony Burgess Wilson created the writer Anthony Burgess.

The former was then something inside of John Wilson, some studied part of his character that he projected and enlarged through the latter.

In this way, the writer we know as Anthony Burgess was his own first critic and disciple.

I asked Andrew about the state of Burgess’ reputation and he informed me his readership is increasing. This, he told me, is above all the case abroad where new translations of his work have seen new audiences grow; it is in fact one of the Anthony Burgess Foundation’s main goals to get his work back into print in new editions. Outside of the novel, there are additional ways in which

“John Anthony Burgess Wilson created the writer Anthony Burgess.”

“What we can do is read Burgess’ work.

He has over thirty novels, almost all of which are not A Clockwork Orange.”

Photo: Ian Simpson@flickr

Burgess’ work may extend to wider audiences, and Andrew suggests that the theatre may play a role in this as there are several play scripts in the Foundation archive which have never been performed but could be taken on in the future.

Andrew pointed out that although Burgess was in a self-imposed, Joycean exile for much of his life, in old age he did eventually express an interest to come back to Manchester, but only to

Photo: MIke McNally@Flickr

die. He did not return to be buried in Manchester, but curiously enough his death mask can now be found at the Anthony Burgess Foundation. On observing the death mask I fancied it projected a duality of meaning. There is the feeling of the grand myth, the self-creation and lofty posturing of a man who generated a literary statue of himself in life and in death. Then the meekness of the smile on his face, however boldly committed to stone, at once undercuts that grandness with a more childlike air. Burgess himself had it that ‘pride and humility conjoin in the writers life’.

They do so too in his death, it seems.

In 2012 The University of Manchester unveiled a plaque in Burgess’ honour, which was the first monument to Burgess in the UK. To redress this imbalance is not to vandalise properties with home-made plaques; I learnt that the hard way.

Instead, what we can do is read Burgess’ work. He has over thirty novels, almost all of which are not A Clockwork Orange.

Photo: MMU Library Services@Flickr

“There is the feeling of the grand myth, the self-creation and lofty posturing of a man who generated a literary statue of himself in life and in death.”

I visited the Anthony Burgess Foundation recently and spoke to its current director Andrew Biswell, who is also a central Burgess scholar, and whose book The Real Life of

Book Recommendation of the week

The Outrun by Amy Liptrot “This is a breathtaking first book — a memoir about addictive illness, inner turbulence, and the land and seascapes of the furtherst-flung Orkney islands, through which Liptrot threads the stories of her family and the islands (their myths, histories, inhabitants, and weather) as well as herself. It’s a brave and often beautiful book about remoteness and connection, damage and hope, and about learning to swim in the wildness.”

Recommended by Dr Rachel Clements, Lecturer in Drama, Theatre and Performance and NTQ Book Reviews Editor

AVAILABLE FROM 01/12/2016 ( ALL OFFERS ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY )

Food & Drink

22

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Watch Out, Meat Allergies About Last week, I made the long overdue trip down to London to meet my brother and catch up on all the non-exciting things that work and university have been throwing at us. We sat in his favourite café, sipped on coffee, and caught up on all these non-exciting things. Our chat however, swiftly moved onto our favourite topic, food. Normally this centres on where we want to go for dinner, what we have recently been cooking, and at this time of year what meat we want for Christmas dinner. But, this time instead, he casually brought into discussion a podcast he has recently listened to which surrounded the topic of ‘becoming allergic to meat’. I instantly scoffed at the idea. What?! This couldn’t be a thing, a thing legitimate enough to be discussed on an academic podcast.

I hesitated, then asked him to go on. What I heard next was something probably up there with one of the most devastating things I have ever heard. It is, in fact, possible to become al-

lergic to meat, affecting people in Europe, Asia, America and Africa, as well as, incredibly, 800 people around Sydney’s Northern beaches in Australia. Dr. Erin McGintee reported to CBS News about 200 cases of this type of red meat allergy among people on New York’s Long Island.

How? I hear you ask, just as I did. This is where it gets even more shocking. A link has been found between tick bites and new found meat allergies. Usually, tick bites are not harmful to humans; they cause an inconvenience but can be treated by cleansing with certain ointments.

However, the Lone Star tick, which is widespread, has been seen to trigger in some cases an anaphylactic reaction. The Lone Star tick carries a sugar called an alpha-gal, which is also found in red meat. When the tick bites a person it transfers this alpha-gal into the blood stream.

This person’s antibodies fight this intrusion and the next time this person eats red meat, an allergic reaction occurs.

Miriam MIzzi Contributor

Sydney allergy specialist Sheryl van Nunen, who first formally identified the link in 2009 explains that her patients who have become allergic to meat this way, experienced hardened swelling and a large red rash rather than the usual reaction of a small red itchy bump.

They went on to experience an allergic reaction similar to that experienced by people allergic to peanuts. These symptoms are caused by too many antibodies attacking the allergen, in this case the alpha-gal. After that, each time meat is consumed, the allergen binds to the antibodies and causes the cells to release massive amounts

‘‘A link has been found between tick bites and new found meat allergies’’ Photo: Eseraygun @Flickr

of histamine and other chemicals to try to protect the individual. These chemicals can cause symptoms that can range from mild to severe.

Despite there being some evidence that certain meats such as poultry, and seafood may still be consumed safely, many suffers restrict themselves to vegetarian diets to remain entirely safe. Jana Pearce who has experienced two life-threatening events told The Guardian of her difficulties: “The hardest thing is all your social life is interrupted — you can’t go out to dinner for fear of the cross-contamination. It sort of spoils the whole experience of dining out,” she said. “You have to eat very clean and you have to learn to cook again, which is the hard part.”

Much is still unknown about this bizarre occurrence, such as why some people result in becoming allergic to meat after being bitten by these ticks, and others do not. All I know is, it sounds like a nightmare.

An Alternative Christmas Market Charlie Spargo & Lily Carden Contributors

La Cuisine Provençale If your cheeks are stinging from the cold, what would you choose to eat in order to get you warm and full — a German Bratwurst? Not likely.

Seen as perhaps the more grown-up part of the markets, the King Street section, with its vaguely French theme, has always been one of my favourites. To make it better, it’s also ever-soPhotos: ChicagoAddick @Flickr

any other lunchtime-offering the Christmas Markets have to shame.

I choose their Mustard Chicken every time I go. Cooked in cream and dijon mustard, the perfectly-cooked chicken is bursting with herby, French umami flavour, and at £6 for a regular, you get your carton piled high with meat for the money you spend.

Each dish also comes with a free choice of garlic potatoes or fluffy spiced rice. The potatoes — piping hot and powerfully flavoured with garlic, French herbs, and spices — are in my opinion the better accompaniment to their meat dishes.

They also cater to most, if not all, dietary habits and choices.

Their vegetarian main is garlic mushrooms, cooked slowly in a smooth garlic and parsley sauce which is fragrant and satisfying on a cold winter’s day, and all at £5 per regular serving. If gluten’s your problem, they also have many options for that — the mushrooms, Provençal chicken, and garlic potatoes are all gluten free.

If you ever feel like the German part of the Markets has got a little bit too much, get yourself to the calmer part on King Street.

But, you’ll have to be quite quick, even when I visited early on a weekday afternoon they had run out of the tartiflette that they had on offer. Perhaps while you’re visiting, you could also treat yourself to a “special” mulled wine, made extra-specially French with a shot of brandy, from the outlet just down the street.

slightly less popular: a blessing you’ll understand if you’ve ever been caught up in the hordes of increasingly desperate shoppers at the markets on a Saturday afternoon nearing Christmas.

Halfway down, in pride of place among King Street’s classy outlets, is my favourite food stall at the Christmas Markets — La Cuisine Provençaleone. Serving traditional food of Provence, France this is the kind of food that hits the spot for me in the midst of the chaos of the markets.

The servers are friendly and generous, each plate handed over the counter of steaming hotplates full of meat, mushrooms and potatoes with a polite “Merci”. It is their food, however, that puts

Photo: Charlie Spargo

Dormouse Chocolates Are you sick of the crowds in Albert Square? Do you want to get a unique present for your friends and family? If so, try the Makers Market in Spinningfields (just below Albert Square) for locally made food and gifts. They’re there Thursdays to Sundays until the 18th of December and you can buy everything from a double pompom beanie to a miniature house on a piece of driftwood via some amazing chocolate.

Dormouse Chocolates are made in Chorlton and create bean to bar chocolates in unique flavours as well as divine single origin bars. My favourite is their milk chocolate and feuilletine bar, think the smoothest milk chocolate with ultra fine professional grade cornflakes folded into it. It reminds me of a grown up rice crispy cake. The bars cost £4 each or 3 for £10 from one of their stalls.

As a Christmas treat the company are selling a limited edition Stollen bar, which a dark Madagascan chocolate ground with roasted almonds and studded with cherries. A delicious riff on the classic and once it’s gone, it’s gone!

-Don’t miss Dormouse Chocolates and other delights at the Spinningfields Markers Market. The chocolate stall will be there on 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th and 18th December, while the market itself is there Thursday though Sunday. If you miss the market, check out their website http://dormousechocolates.co.uk.

Food & Drink 23

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Shoryu Felix Sanders Food and Drink Editor

Desk was palpable. It seemed amazing, ramen

as I sat there hungry and food-less. The whole

Say one is willing to ignore both the service

had finally arrived in Manchester, that ineffable

meal was a bit of a joke, this is the typical chain

and cost and judge the place by the content

alchemy of broth and noodles.. When I finally

insidiousness I would expect from somewhere

of its bowl. They seem very proud of how rich

got a table on a calm Wednesday evening, I was

like Wagamama. I had so much faith in Shoryu,

their broth is, but I just don’t think it anything

presented with one of the more abhorrent dis-

people queued for three hours for those bowls,

to be proud of. It is like sipping a rich sauce, it is

plays of service I have ever witnessed. If you

poor them.

overindulgent, brash and unrefined. The noo-

want to see what a front house team can really

On Wednesday there was a screening of the film Akira at a bar called in the Northern Quarter called Texture. It was part of an ongoing film night called Screened, where a group of people put on events to showcase films they love. Akira is a seminal piece of animation, based on an incredible six-part Manga by Katsuhiro Otomo.

do, go in at 10:15 on a Wednesday night. Admit-

I’m angry because ramen is my favourite food

fuss over how you would like your noodles

tedly, it is a nasty time to arrive, the kitchen was

in the world, I’ve had bowls from the motherland,

cooked. The egg was probably the best element.

evidently in full clean down the waiters and

from Fukouka AKA Tonkotsu City AKA home of

So congratulations, they have mastered the soft

waitresses were sweeping and refilling sesame

the ramen stadium, a floor of a shopping mall

boiled egg, they don’t bother to season it though.

oil dispensers. It is a ramen bar, therefore it

dedicated to tonkotsu broth. Shoryu is suppos-

The pork slices was average at best, tasting like

has an open kitchen, so I got to watch the chefs

edly based on the tonkotsu style of ramen from

they could have come out of a packet, or having

sneezing, eating their dinner and dropping

Hakata, a ward of the City of Fukuoka. I failed to

fallen from of a Subway sandwich, been left on

chopsticks on the floor.

see the comparison, despite the Shoryu website

the pavement for a day, then picked up and eat-

insisting their broth is curated by an executive

en. Or, as Marina O’Loughlin said in 2012: “The

chef who is from there, this broth may well have

chashu pork in the tonkotsu has a greyish, cheap

come from concentrate.

roast dinner quality.”

The event was an example of people appreciating a culture different from their own, wanting no more than to share it with the world, and of British people appreciating something brilliantly Japanese, that only Japan could do justice to.

In 1976 Japan Centre Food Hall came to London. They arrived with the mission statement of being ‘passionate about delivering a rich variety of quality Japanese goods to shoppers in the UK and beyond’. Japan Centre would go on to start Shoryu, a chain of ramen restaurants, and somewhere between 1976 and 2016, something went wrong.

The excitement around the Mancunion Food

dles were distinctly OK, with seemingly to much

There were six beers on the menu, they had run out of all except one Japanese craft beer made from sweet potatoes that cost £6.50 for 330ml bottle, it tasted fine. And to be honest, £40

The price is a huge factor in the taste of the

It is comforting to see they have maintained a

for two bowls of ramen and a two beers is day-

meal. The average cost of a bowl of ramen in Ja-

certain level of consistency, not wanting to up-

light robbery, I left there feeling embarrassed

pan is about £5.00 and at Shoryu you’re paying

set customers by making their food taste any

and hollow, like I’d just been mugged. I think it

easily double, if not more. I suppose you have

better. And beware the floating bits of rubber

was a sign that we shouldn’t have drunk the beer

to make allowances for importing Japanese in-

masquerading as scallops and squid in the sea-

in the first place, our waitress brought them over

gredients, but at the same time, Shoryu has eight

food broth... BEWAARRREEE.

with bottle caps still in place. We ordered a sea-

outlets? Surely they can drive some costs down

food ramen and their signature ganso tonkotsu

with wholesale purchases. I think it unfair that

ramen, when our bowls arrived they were both

they profit from customers ignorant of the dis-

ganso tonkotsu. I was glad to see the extra bowl

crepancy between good, serious ramen and the

not going to waste, I got to watch a waiter sit

Shoryu variety. It is a joke: boycott Shoryu, go to

down just in front of me and have his dinner,

Siam Smiles if you want noodles in broth.

1 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 1RG

Cookie Cutter Perfect Biscuits Lily Carden Contributor Makes 12-24 depending on cutter size (one box worth plus a few for you) Prep time: 15 minutes + 30 minute chill Cook time” 10-12 minutes Ingredients 150g soft butter 100g muscovado sugar 1 large egg 250g plain flour 1tsp baking powder 1tsp vanilla extract or paste optional 1tbsp cocoa powder or ½tsp ground ginger

Are you looking for cheap yet thoughtful Christmas presents for your friends?

Look no further, here’s your solution.

These cookies look great and all you need to do is get together the ingredients (which I’d wager you already have) and buy a pretty tin from a pound shop or Home Sense.

If you really can’t get a tin then stack half a dozen or so up on a cellophane sheet and tie with a pretty ribbon. These

cookies taste great and can be personalised to taste with cocoa powder — or ground ginger for a festive spin.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and stir until incorporated. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix to form a dough.

Wrap the dough in cling film and leave in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile line trays with greaseproof paper.

Liberally flour your work surface and rolling pin before rolling the chilled dough to 1cm thick. Cut into your preferred shape (stars are great, as are bells and gingerbread men but if all else fails just use the rim of a clean glass).

Lay the cut biscuits on the prepared trays (they don’t really spread so you don’t need to leave big gaps). Repeat until you run out of trays/dough and cook in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool before packing into the tin and presenting to your friends.

@gorgeousgateaux Photo: Lily Carden

Arts

24

ISSUE 11 / 05th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editor’s Picks

A guide to art over the Christmas break Laura Joyce gives the breakdown to what’s on nationwide this Christmas

Photo: Ramberto Cumagun @ Flickr

We all know the feeling; first semester is coming to a close, a serious lack of motivation, and the promise to catch up on all those missed lectures over the Christmas break. Who are you kidding?

You’re not fooling anyone. We’re all going to get home, moan at our parents for decorating the tree without us, don our gay apparel and forget we’re even students.

After spending the last dregs of our student loans and our minimum wages we’ll be desperate to get out of the house without spending a penny. Well, this is your lucky day; because we have the top exhibitions from across the UK this December all planned out for you. So no matter where you lay your hat, you’ll have a free day out on the cards.

London

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Graphic Art House of MinaLima Closes 4th February 2017 With the recent release of J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Harry Potter’s magical world has left us mere muggles pining for more magic in our everyday lives. Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, the designers behind the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie artwork, are showcasing their magical designs for free! And could they have more perfect wizarding names, please?

You’ll find yourself surrounded by props and artworks like the Marauder’s Map, a Hogwarts acceptance letter, and even Hogwarts express tickets (please let them be legit). Located on Greek Street, just round the corner from the Prince Edward Theatre, I cannot think of a better way to spend a few free hours in the capital.

Liverpool

Sprung a Leak by Cécile B. Evans Tate Liverpool

Closes 19th March 2017 A popular concept in the modern world is that of Artificial Intelligence, and this innovative exhibition certainly doesn’t shy away from what appears to be computer science’s next logical step.

With the growing popularity of shows like Humans and Westworld, the exhibition takes a hard look at the increasing influence that modern technology has on our thoughts and our feelings.

The piace consists of a play between two humanoid robots and a robot dog, and is set in a very possible near-future world. Programmed by researchers and PhD students from the University of Liverpool’s Department of Computer Science, this is set to be a must-see in Liverpool.

Newcastle

MONICA BONVICINI: her hand around the room BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art Closes 26th February 2017 Monica Bonvicini brings an exciting exhibition to Newcastle in “her hand around the room”.

The Italian-born artist is known for exploring the relationships between architecture, control, gender, space, surveillance, and power. Paying particular attention to individual identity and how we, as humans create our own sense of self, the exhibition ranges from the close and intimate right up the architecturally vast.

This piece will also include various artworks from throughout Bonvicini’s outstanding career, with some works being specially commissioned for this particular exhibition.

Birmingham

Made at Mac: The Art of Computer Games and Animation mac, Birmingham Closes 8th January 2017

We so often recommend the works of the professionals, but this is an exciting display of the works of amateurs. Mac, Birmingham offers art classes to children and adults alike, and will be showcasing their work over the festive period.

The artworks are designed based on the stimulus of animation – particularly the animation used in computer games. Who knows? You might just spot the next best comic-book artist.

Edinburgh

Wildlife Photographer of the Year National Museum of Scotland Closes 19th February 2017 On loan from the Natural History Museum in London, this display of 100 of the top photographs of wildlife in their natural environments is set to inspire all who visit. With over 42,000 entries from 96 countries, this competition is truly prestigious.

No doubt then that the final images will be aweinspiring.

Cardiff

Artes Mundi 7 National Museum Cardiff Closes 26th February 2017 Artes Mundi 7 is an exciting display of the final six artists in line for a chance to win the Artes Mundi contemporary art prize.

Karen MacKinnon, Artes Mundi’s Director and Curator: “Artes Mundi 7 brings together the work of six outstanding international artists. Through their work they examine important global issues such as migration, technology, ecological issues, capitalism and global politics. These artists question what it means to be human in our world and in our time.

Whether their works explore the current situation in Angola, fictional future cities, the politics of food production or migration from Syria to Beirut; there

is humour, surrealism and provocation. But what connects this diverse exhibition is relevance and urgency, as they comment on and question the spirit of our age.”

Bristol

Daphne Wright: Emotional Archaeology Arnolfini Closes 31st December 2016 Based in Bristol, artist Daphne Wright focuses on the suburban and the domestic realm to explore complex social issues and our understanding of society. Her work appears to focus on the everyday and to put it under the spotlight so that we can see reality’s true nature.

The exhibition includes major sculptural works alongside films, prints, and drawings, allowing visitors to connect emotionally with all aspects of the exhibition.

Leeds

Everyday Objects The Gallery at Munro House Closes 21st January 2017 Designer Jason Taylor re-imagines the uses of everyday objects and infuses the mundane with obscurity. Some of his creations are functional, others are not, and some are just crazy constructions that seem to make very little sense in our world.

Some of his reinventions include matchsticks, cheese-graters, and biro pens. This exhibition is set to be both bizarre and spectacular.

So when you’re lying in bed wondering why you spent so much money on all those mulled wines last night, just remember; free arts exhibitions have always got your back.

Review

Review: Strange and Familiar: Britain as Revealed by International Photographers Manchester Art Gallery displays a fascinating insight into international views of British life Isabel Oldman Contributor Having finished a summer stint at London’s Barbican, the Martin Parr curated exhibition Strange and Familiar has arrived at Manchester Art Gallery, bringing with it a collection of over 250 photographs documenting the lives of every day Britons from the 1930s to the present day. What makes this depiction the British Isles so special is that it is captured through the eyes of exclusively international photographers.

As a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University, it is notable that Parr includes no photographs depicting Mancunians, yet this makes the collection no less significant as its voyeuristic perspective mirrors how international fascination with the social, political, and cultural dynamic of the British people is still relevant today, especially

in the wake of Brexit.

Much of the exhibition conveys quintessential British scenes: Londoners waiting for bright red buses, lollypop ladies, and young people of the 1960’s. However, many of of these photographs present a somewhat gloomy picture of life in the UK. For example, Axel Hütte’s photographs focus upon lonely and desolate council estates, devoid of human life and shot in black and white.

Some of the most striking photos in the exhibition come from the more contemporary photographers, such as Hans Eijkelboom. The gallery includes a room with a projection of his images, giving a taster of his collection People of the Twenty-First Century, which chronicles some 20 years-worth of ‘photo-notes’ and demonstrates the similarities in the way people dress — challenging the idea of individuality in the modern age.

Close to the end of the exhibition, Parr has also

included three photos from New Yorker Bruce Gilden’s Face. Gilden attempts to capture his subjects as unflatteringly as possible, taking closeup facial shots illuminated with harsh light. These photos are the most caricatured of them all and presents grotesque, and arguably cruel, renderings of his subjects complete with scars, veins, pimples, warts and all.

Overall, I felt that the varying perspectives and styles shone through, giving an insightful, quaint, surreal, and often moving slice of British life. The exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in a Britain’s social history.

Strange and Familiar: Britain as Revealed by International Photographers, Manchester Art Gallery Friday 25 November 2016–Monday 29 May 2017

Photo: Isabel Oldman

Theatre 25

ISSUE 11/ 5TH DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Billy Elliot The Musical This toe-tapping smash hit musical will have you crying and laughing and everything in-between

Brogen Campbell Theatre Editor The multi-award winning, smash hit musical, Billy Elliot comes to the Palace Theatre. The musical about a young boy who just wants to dance, against the backdrop of the 1985 miners’ strike, takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster.

Set in a northern mining town, where the strikes have made money scarce and class divides stronger. This is the political climate surrounding the musical which prevents a happy-go-lucky narrative, instead offering a real depth to the characters and their situations.

By chance, Billy Elliot attends Mrs Wilkinson’s (Annette McLaughlin) ballet class after boxing training. It is here where Billy discovers his love for dance. The dance sequences are beautiful. Particularly the dance duet between Billy and an older version of himself (Luke Cinque-White), both technically and visually spectacular, as Billy soars above the stage. The musical has numerous visually spectacular numbers, including the ballet class interlaced with fighting between Police Officers and strikers.

You can’t help but be overwhelmed by the talent you see on stage, particularly as half the cast are children. On the night I saw Lewis Smallman play Billy Elliot, but this role is shared by 3 other boys, making 4 Billy Elliots in total. Smallman was a sensation and left

the audience wanting to jump to their feet in applause after every dance number. No doubt the rest of the boys will be equally as impressive. The children shone in their roles, not least Billy’s ‘cross-dressing’ best friend Michael.

The musical raises some interesting and complex issues. The heavy working class and masculine-environment, means Billy Elliot isn’t supported in his dance dreams, but instead is banned from attending more classes. These emotionally driven scenes between Billy and his dad (Martin Wals h), illustrates the danger of penning yourself into a box and the importance of being an individual. Mr Elliot eventually realises the importance of supporting Billy’s dream and takes him to the Royal Ballet Company audience in London.

The strike is one of the main themes running throughout the musical. Both Billy’s dad and brother are on strike along with the majority of the town. Those who aren’t are ‘scabs’ and shunned from society. The numerous references to Margaret Thatcher and a full scale dedicated song ‘Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher ‘ means you are constantly reminded of how communities were ripped apart during the 1980s. It is sometimes easy to forget, but this musical fully reminds you of the importance of community. This is an important reminder, particularly as we now see our second

conservative female prime minister, Thersea May, come into power.

The strong sense of community was perfectly encapsulated as the community came together to fund Billy Elliot’s audience costs. Countless sacrifices were made to help Billy achieve his dreams. One of the most emotional moments in the musical is when the strike is broken, as the audience know the devastating effects of this, whilst the characters can only assume. I certainly had to wipe away my tears at a number of moments throughout the show and I wasn’t alone.

However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

Infact, the audience are sent into fits of laughter throughout, mainly because of the near constant, but still surprise of the children swearing . This show really does have it all. It thoroughly deserved its standing ovation.

You take away the notion that everyone is different and you should take pride in being an individual, demonstrated in ‘Express Yourself’. Whilst also appreciating that you can’t achieve your dreams alone, but are part of a community and that is what makes you strong, highlighted in ‘Once we were kings’.

The entire production was phenomenal, from the northern accents to the tutus galore.

This is certainly not one to miss. Billy Elliot the musical is being performed at Palace Theatre till the 28th January. Remember to take some tissues with you.

Photo: Palace Theatre

Review

Review: When Both Sides Surrender Matt Wynne Reviewer ‘When Both Sides Surrender’ bravely dramatises the 2011 England riots, which began after the fateful shooting of Mark Duggan by Metropolitan Police officers in North London. It led to people taking to the streets as an opportunity to vent their frustration against the failings of government through civil disturbances. This pitted angry youth against unprepared police in a complex battle for the control of narrative, order and virtues.

The play represents just that, a standoff between two supposedly opposing factions and a struggle between law & order vs anarchy, good vs evil. It makes you question and rethink even things such as what is considered right and wrong.

It is a story of tragedy, power and morality. It consists of a gang of boisterous, hungry youths in the midst of the Salford riots, in search for retribution and respect amongst chaos. Also there is a unit of police officers, held to be self-proclaimed guardians of the peace but this is not so clear cut, made so by them each having their own views on how to resolve the ongoing unrest.

What makes the performance so extraordinarily unique and incredible is the use of Shakespearean language and themes throughout, which manages to provide a whole new scope of meaning and interpretation of who rioted and why? It chimes with Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film adaptation of Romeo + Juliet, being that it mesmerisingly blends Elizabethan style acting with the tribulations and surreality of modern life in England. The conviction of the senior police officer and the way he described the fate of Salford’s streets like it was the last days of Rome shows the levels of thought and ingenuity that went into the play.

The cast consisted of upcoming and established Northern actors. You could feel the energy and emotion come through from each and every performer as tears were seen being stubbornly wiped away from faces on the front row and in certain scenes you honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!

The play should make anyone rethink why the civil unrest in Manchester & Salford happened, why was it brushed under the carpet so easily when we were made out to feel so unalike? My biggest disappointment regarding ‘When Both Sides Surrender’ is that I only got to see it on its last night. A truly striking performance that led me on a long walk into the freezing cold night afterwards thinking about what I had just witnessed.

Bravo Manchester.

Love’s Labour’s Lost & Much Ado

Royal Shakespeare Company perform both Love’s Labour’s Lost and it’s supposed sequel Much Ado. Jenny reviews Love’s Labour’s Lost, whilst Jenny Sterne & Brogen Campbell Mancunion Editor & Theatre Editor Love’s Labour’s Lost was an outstanding adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy, capturing the wit and intricate ways in which words are twisted and played with, which the play is so famous for, wonderfully.

Despite the complexities of the plays references and clever wordplay, the play never felt inaccessible, credit for which should go to the cast. The acting wonderfully captured the various levels of tone the play goes through from slapstick humour to indepth explorations of what it means to be in love, and how language expresses it.

Other than the exploitation of the power words, the plays main plot line, for those not familiar with it, follows the the forsaking of earthly pleasures in order to concentrate the mind on studying. Students will probably find the dilemmas of the plot resonant, as the main characters struggle to

balance their desire to study with other seemingly more powerful desires.

The set design which had been built to mimic an Edwardian English manor house in the midst of summer seemed to have a character all to itself. The movement of set, with the inner rooms of the manor house sliding backwards as the scenes of the princesses party of women locked outside the house appeared on the stage, heightened the sense of the two worlds of earthly pleasures and study colliding.

Nigel Hess’ score dominated much of the play, largely to great success.

The music of the play was integral to many of the scenes and helped to set the shifting tones of the play; however it felt that at times the musical segments were expanded beyond necessity.

Much Ado About Nothing The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) team up with Chichester Festival theatre to put on one of Shakespeare’s

most beloved comedies. It has all the recipes for success: villains, romance, fake deaths, misunderstandings and much more.

Despite there being two love stories, one couple really still the limelight.

That is of course, Benedict and Beatrice, who are both equally quick witted and far too stubborn to admit their love. This results in a comic plan by the other characters to fool them into thinking the other has declared their love, thus allowing them to declare their love face to face without pride getting in the way.

Edward Bennet as Benedick and Lisa Dillion as Beatrice are sublime in their roles. Their characters have real emotional depth , which has you rooting for their love to work out.

Bennet really has a flair for comedy, as left the audience in fits of laughter, especially when he is hiding (without success) behind the Christmas tree.

The drama revolves around the love between Claudio and Hero. These two are the targets of a villainous

plan to prevent their marriage by the treacherous Don John. This leads to the shaming of Hero, who is an innocent party, yet this is overlooked due to Don John’s claims. This is a particularly poignant scene, as resonates with the unfortunately common notion that female voices are overlooked in favour of males.

Much Ado About Nothing was a sensation, if only for the fact it leaves the audience in such a merry mood.

Much Ado is being performed in junction with Love’s Labour’s Lost.

The plays can be enjoyed separately or together as share the same cast.

Love’s Labour’s Lost is set pre-war and Much Ado About Nothing or Love’s Labour’s Won follows after, set post-war. Love’s Labour’s Won is a supposed missing sequel that Shakespeare wrote. The theory is that the title was changed to Much Ado About Nothing, and the soldiers returning home are the same ones who left to fight in Love’s Labour’s Lost.

Photo: Opera House

26

Lifestyle Deck the How to cope with anxiety at university halls with budget holly ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

If you suffer with anxiety at university, you’re not alone and there are so many services that can help you to manage it whilst completing your studies

Eliza Slawther Lifestyle Contributor

Shannon Winterbone Senior Lifestyle Contributor

Photo: Sergé @Flickr

It’s 8am and my alarm goes off. I have had ten minutes sleep all night. Anxiety has taken such a strong hold of my life that on this particular morning I’ll stand in the shower barely being able to breathe. I’ll have no choice but to skip university, crawl back into bed, and try to calm down. Every time sleep nears, my body responds with a huge surge of adrenaline, my palms are clammy, and my heart is pounding.

My boyfriend is fast asleep next to me and has been all night — a part of me feels so bitterly jealous that he will wake up well-rested and hasn’t spent the last 9 hours staring at the ceiling worrying about everything in the entire world.

One of the most difficult aspects of explaining what it’s like to live with anxiety to those who have never experienced it is the way it manifests itself so physically. It’s not just the butterflies that everyone experiences when they’re nervous, it’s not just the coldsweats that we’ve all had before an important interview. It feels like a full-on near-death experience. When I have a panic attack, or even a half-panic attack, it is physically painful.

Sometimes it feels like crushing chest pains and a complete inability to breathe, sometimes it feels like I’m floating out of the room.

Sometimes my vision goes completely blurry, sometimes I get a migraine, I almost always feel completely unable to sit still.

Christmas is finally just around the corner and, even if you’re a typical Scrooge, you can’t escape the general festivities of Manchester. Santa is on top of our Town Hall and the Christmas markets have begun so just before the countdown to exams begins — sorry for mentioning it — here are some ideas for ways in which you can spruce up your halls or house for less money than you might expect.

The tree Over the past few weeks, Sainsbury’s has been getting more and more into the Christmas spirit, with mince pies having been stocked in the first week of November. However, it wasn’t until just recently that they brought in the abundance of little trees that mark the beginning of Fallowfield’s Christmas season. Christmas trees are going for a budget price of £10 and along with that you can get a 24 pack of baubles for £4. If you’re feeling extra creative, dust the tree lightly in icing sugar or desiccated coconut to make it look like it came straight out of Narnia.

The decorations Of course baubles aren’t enough, we need more! First things first, get down to Home Bargains and get a 6m string of fairy lights for £3.99, perfect length for the tree. For your room or for hanging around the TV in the living room, try Primark’s ‘Snowflake’ fairy lights for £2.50. These can also be strung around the headboard on your bed or wrapped around curtain poles for a festive glow. Poundland is where you want to head for tinsel, because it’s just £1 of course, but also for the fact that they do Disney’s Frozen tinsel, and it’s pink!

Extra festive cheer When it gets to Christmas every brand seems to release a scent with the word ‘spiced’ in the name which makes it’s so easy to find a cheap way to get your home smelling great.

You can pick up 25 ‘Spiced Cinnamon’ tea lights from Primark for £1 or if you want something a little stronger, Febreze have released their ‘Spiced Apple’ spray which you can find for £3 in Sainsbury’s or Tesco.

Hopefully some of these things have given you a little inspiration for how to decorate your home at university for the Christmas season! For extra decorations and ideas, try your luck in Home Sense, which is entirely devoted to You’ve all seen and know them well; John Christmas at the moment, or the home section of TK Maxx Lewis’ ‘The Long Wait’, ‘The Journey’, ‘Monty where you’re guaranteed to find a bargain hidden gem for a the Penguin’, and ‘The Man on the Moon’, budget friendly price. or Sainsbury’s ‘Christmas is for Sharing’ and ‘Mog’s Christmas Calamity’. Even the Cristina Yang’s amongst us can’t help but shed a tear or ten when watching the young boy — who even eats his peas! — finally give presents to his parents after a long and very impatient wait, or when the German soldier finds the chocolate bar in his pocket. But why exactly are these adverts so effective?

Firstly, notice how the adverts make you feel excited for Christmas. They don’t focus on trying to sell their products to their viewers, but more on the emotion and message behind the advert. Certain adverts genuinely remind you of what it feels like to be a little kid at Christmas time, and others just warm the cockles of your heart. The themes of each Photo: goodfeeling @Flickr advert focus on what really matters, especially

In many ways, though, I only have myself to blame. I hope to offer some advice to anyone who may be in the same boat, advice that I didn’t take myself. Firstly, see a doctor as soon as possible. If possible, see multiple doctors. I saw one doctor and found that he wasn’t very helpful at all, and so decided to stop seeking medical help altogether. This was my first mistake: I thought that I knew better than him and that I’d be able to cope on my own. See a doctor as early on as possible, and work with them until you are truly better.

The next step you should take, a step which I never did, is informing the University of your problems. They are here to help, and can offer you academic support such as extensions on essay deadlines and will be far more understanding if you can’t make it to seminars and lectures than if you simply don’t turn up. I always thought it felt too much like cheating, I didn’t want to have an unfair advantage over my classmates. However, it’s not an ‘unfair’ advantage at all if you’re genuinely struggling.

Speak to your academic advisor or another member of staff that you trust, no matter how awkward or embarrassed you might feel.

Finally, make use of the support that is around you and be truthful both with yourself and the people who are there to help. The University offers its own counselling service, and it’s often easy to get an appointment within a couple of weeks of requesting one. I used this service a couple of times before completely disregarding it, as at the time I felt that my problems were

not due to underlying causes as the counsellor had suggested. I felt a defiance, and a sense that nobody out there would understand what I was going through, especially not a stranger in a clinical room. Not only this but I lied about various things: my lifestyle habits, my personal relationships, how well I was coping with the stress of University. Perhaps if I’d been truthful at the early stages then the whole thing could have been nipped in the bud, rather than escalating to the extent that it has now.

Although this may all seem like a hugely pessimistic view of what it’s like to live with anxiety and panic disorders, I just want to provide an honest account of what can happen if such things are ignored. It’s so important to get help, and there is so much help out there but you have to be proactive and seek it out. Some of the services on offer, like the University Counselling Service, Moodjuice, and No Panic, were extremely helpful for me and I’d strongly recommend looking into them if you are struggling with anxiety or other mental health problems.

Photo: Hamza Butt @Flickr

Why are Christmas adverts so effective?

Everyone loves Christmas adverts and can’t wait to watch them when they air on TV. Here’s Araddhna Patel on the potential reasons behind their success

Photo: thmmrth @Flickr

during Christmas time, such as sharing, family, and spreading joy. By using these techniques, companies like John Lewis are reigniting the hype around Christmas — not literally, though, as we wouldn’t want the snow to melt.

Another reason why Christmas adverts are so successful is the music. I’ll admit, I’d never heard ‘The Power of Love’ by Gabrielle Aplin until John Lewis’ infamous snowman-travelsfar-and-wide-to-find-perfect-gift-for-girlfriend advert first aired. The music is used with the hopes that the song will stick in your head, which it always does. I went so far as to look for the song online and download it, finding some interesting facts along the way. How many people know that Gabrielle Aplin only covered this song, and that it was originally performed

by Frankie Goes To Hollywood? Even Ellie Goulding’s Your Song is a cover version of Elton John’s. In any case, viewers are able to connect with the advert by watching it and

listening to it.

Finally, we have to consider how much money is spent on each advert. John Lewis in particular spends an awfully large amount of money and time on their adverts. It took nine months for Monty the penguin to be animated to perfection, and approximately £7 million to do it. In total, The Independent suggested an estimated £5.6 billion would be spent on marketing around Christmas this year, and that figure will probably rise annually. With so much being spent, it’s no wonder these adverts are so successful.

The twists and turns that the emotional journey that is watching a Christmas advert takes you on truly does get you enthusiastic about Christmas. I guess it’s true what they say, even if I do paraphrase a little: ‘Tis the season to sob relentlessly at Christmas adverts on the telly. Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Lifestyle

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

27

Happy holidays: where to get away this winter

Dashing through the snow? Here are some top travel tips to ensure you have the happiest holidays Gemma Sowerby Lifestyle Contributor Advent is finally here: the mulled wine candle is out, you’re eating mince pies by the dozen, and it is finally acceptable to play Bublé’s Christmas album 24/7. December is great, but it is hard to get super excited about another Christmas in rainy Manchester. A Christmas break usually means being free of lectures and reading for a few weeks, but have you thought about taking a real break?

You might be dreaming of a white Christmas or somewhere a bit more exotic than the Arndale to do your shopping. The options are endless, but if you need some inspiration, here’s a round up of the top places to get away this winter — all on a student budget!

Christmas markets We’ve all heard of the incredible German markets of Stuttgart and Cologne, but Germany isn’t your only choice for a glug of gluhwein and a nice dose of Christmas cuteness. There are much cheaper and much less touristy options available; loads of low-cost airlines fly to Prague; you can get the Eurostar to Lille or Bruges for as little as £29; the famous sprawling markets in Riga in Latvia are really popular with locals and full of Christmas cheer — at half the usual prices.

Wherever you’re thinking of heading you can also check out last-minute deals if you’re tightening the purse-strings!

Top tip: Passport theft is rife in big crowds, and some Scrooges will be out to steal them and

Photo: martin55 @Flickr

more, even at the Christmas markets. Check out the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) #PassportAware campaign for information on safeguarding yourself against this type of crime abroad.

Winter sports We’d all love to be able to afford a trip to Verbier this winter, but sadly most students don’t quite have the bank balance for that. Skiing isn’t totally off the cards though: Eastern Europe is much cheaper and has some secret gems where the slopes will not disappoint. Bulgaria, for example, has all the most wonderful ski resorts that you’ve never heard of, and while there won’t be any Made in Chelsea stars in the bars, there cer-

Festive season shopping got you frazzled?

Megan Byrne Senior Lifestyle Contributor As the first long semester of university begins to wind down and deadlines become a thing of the past, lots of us are beginning to think about Christmas shopping. For many, there are lots of things we’d rather be doing than dragging ourselves around the shops on a cold winter evening. However, by using these simple tips and tricks you can eliminate the unnecessary stress of gift buying and find the perfect presents for all your loved ones without breaking a sweat.

Take advantage of online shopping Getting your act together early enough and making full use of the boundless opportunities to order pretty much anything online means you can sort out all your Christmas shopping from the comfort of your very own duvet nest. Throw in a hot chocolate and Netflix and you’ve got yourself a relatively stress-free shopping experience. Plus there is the added advantage of deals which are harder to find on the high street — with lots of online retailers continuing their Black Friday offers well past the actual day. Many sites also offer free or minimal delivery charges which means you can avoid battling your way onto the 142 laden with bags.

NotOnTheHighStreet offers a range of gifts with a difference that are sure to have your relatives oohing and ahhing when the big day arrives.

Get organised with a high tech shopping list Scribbling your gift ideas down on the back of an old envelope just doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to take the stress out of a shopping trip. Handy apps such as Trello which is available for free on the App Store allows you to organise your shopping lists and categorise by person or shop in order to make your trip quicker and easier. There is the added satisfaction of being able to tick of each item as you buy it and get one step closer to that celebratory post-shopping trip to the pub.

Have fun! It is Christmas, after all…

Manchester is one of the easiest places to get that festive feeling as the city is taken over each year by the famous Christmas Markets which are running this year from the 10th November to the 20th December. The numerous stalls are overflowing with cute and unique gifts for anyone you could think of, whilst the twinkling lights and seasonal attractions make it a fun place to visit with friends. The added bonus of alcoholic hot chocolates, and delicious, traditional street food are sure to make it easier to part with the cash you’ll be spending on presents.

tainly is an affordable après-ski scene, as well as reasonably-priced accommodation, equipment, and lessons if you need some practice.

Top tip: Winter sports are not, however, without their risks — make sure you take your EHIC card and comprehensive travel insurance before your trip, in case of a medical emergency. In 2015, FCO research revealed that almost a third of winter sports lovers travelled without appropriate travel insurance, with some incurring huge costs as a result. (Better to be #SkiSafe than sorry.)

City break A mainstay of the student-friendly travelling roster is the European city break — you can’t go

wrong in Edinburgh for Hogmanay, the world-famous new year festival with events all over the city: it is sure to be an NYE to remember.

Alternatively, why not spend New Year’s Eve on the continent? With a new Eurostar route and low-cost flights from all over the UK, it is easier than ever to visit Amsterdam! You can sample the Dutch delights in one of Europe’s biggest party cities — with impromptu street parties, thousands of bars and clubs that just don’t shut, and an impressive fireworks display illuminating the whole city, Amsterdam is the place to be this NYE. The markets will still be open too for your last dose of Christmas spirit and there are hostels galore for low-cost living.

It is important to stay #TravelAware in such a touristy city — read the FCO’s travel advice for guidance on your time away and make sure you take out comprehensive travel insurance.

Cosy cottage If you’re really short on cash, or just don’t fancy going far this Christmas, why not cosy up to a log fire in a cottage or cabin in the countryside, right here in the UK. Browse sites like Airbnb and Holiday Lettings for reasonably priced homes from home, from the Lake District, to Scotland, all the way down to the south coast, and get set to snuggle up with family or friends. The more the merrier — and cheaper! — but make sure you do your research before choosing a place to stay, as you don’t want to end up in a village with no pub!

Whatever your destination, the FCO are there to help if you get into trouble — follow them on Facebook and Twitter @FCOtravel for the latest foreign travel advice. Happy holidays!

Retail staff, no need to be frosty!

Improve your Christmas by taking a positive approach to your role

Lauren Valentine Lifestyle Contributor

Tap ‘working retail Christmas’ into any search engine and you’ll be hit by an avalanche of pessimism, from ‘the struggles of working in retail over Christmas’, to extreme statements such as ‘retail ruins Christmas’. Having worked in retail for three and a half years, I feel I’d be in a good position to write a novel on the bleak aspects of the job. I’m also guilty of being a glass-halfempty kind of person, even extending to the glass of Bucks Fizz on Christmas Day. I’ve counted each hour between clocking out on Christmas Eve and clocking in on Boxing Day, before realising that it wasn’t actually the job that was putting a damper on Christmas — it was my mind-set.

It seems that a preconceived disapproval is developing between retail workers and customers, to the point that workers now expect every customer to be rude, and customers anticipate unsatisfactory service.

This is damaging to both staff and shoppers, and it’s time to snap out of the negative cycle in order to make the festive period a more pleasant experience for everybody concerned. Let’s focus on some of the positive aspects that can be drawn from working in retail over Christmas…

Working in retail means that we generally get the first peek of incoming Christmas products and a head start on festive fashion.

I don’t know about anybody else, but there’s something about rearranging the gift sets and laying out fluffy pyjamas that makes me feel like I’m part of a Christmas film. As much as we all claim to hate the loop of Christmas

music that repeats itself indefinitely, it is nice to be able, if not encouraged, to feel festive whilst at work. There aren’t many jobs where you can plan your New Year’s Eve outfit whilst fulfilling your role, whether you’re taking inspiration in the fitting rooms or tidying up the shop floor.

Speaking of planning outfits, you’ll definitely need a good one for that staff Christmas party. Due to the number of staff employed by large companies, we are guaranteed a great night out for the staff Christmas do, something that can’t always be promised in other jobs. Most companies also offer great staff discount on their clothing and products, allowing us to justify that new pair of shoes.

The Boxing Day sales may mean an early start and a day of arguing about the fact that you do not decide the price tags, but they do provide us with some stories to tell.

Anybody would be lying by claiming there’s

nothing amusing about watching customers argue over that bargain of a coat that you know has been lurking in the warehouse since summer 2011.

There’s also a chance to improve your CV by taking on retail work over Christmas. It takes resilience, confidence, organisation, and excellent interpersonal skills to work in such a fast-paced environment at their most crucial time of the year, which allows you to gain those often-mentioned transferrable skills. This experience will be invaluable for future applications and interviews.

I can fully appreciate how tiring it is to work in retail over Christmas, but the long shifts and difficult situations can be made a little easier by carrying a positive outlook.

Also, when the snow starts to melt and the sales come to an end, you can breathe a sigh of relief and await an excellent pay slip to reflect all of your hard work and extra hours.

Suddenly, it all seems worthwhile.

Photo: skynoir @Flickr

SECM.Manc.Full.pdf

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

1

23/11/2016

14:36

S

P

O

R

T

Sport 29

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

SPOTY: Rio 2016 athletes dominate shortlist 14 of the 16 nominees for the BBC award competed at this year’s Olympic or Paralympic games Alex Whitcomb Sport Editor After another spectacular year of British sport, the BBC have finally announced their nominees for the Sports Personality of the Year Award. Unsurprisingly, after becoming the first country to ever improve on home games, most of those on the list competed in Brazil over the summer.

The bookies’ favourite to win — a record third title — is Andy Murray. Murray won Wimbledon for the second time in July, and followed this up by retaining his Olympic gold medal and then becoming Britain’s first ever ATP world number one.

Triathlete Alistair Brownlee and distance runner Mo Farah are also fancied as favourites by the bookmakers.

Manchester-based cyclists Laura and Jason Kenny have also been nominated, and both will be hoping to be the third cyclist in six years to win the award. Jason equalled the British record for career gold medals, and Laura became Britain’s most decorated British female Olympian.

The only two nominees not to have competed in Brazil over the summer are the footballers Gareth Bale and Jamie Vardy, for their efforts in Euro 2016 and the Premier League respectively.

The three Paralympians on the list — the same number as in 2012 — are Sophie Christiansen, Kadeena Cox and Dame Sarah Storey, the latter of whom became Britain’s most successful female Paralympian this year.

An impromptu (and thoroughly unscientific) straw poll of the Mancunion Sport team showed Murray to be the clear favourite, with Jamie Vardy a distant second. Though if anything, the

British public have proved with their choices for the names arctic research vessels, among other things, that they must never be underestimated in their ability to defy all expectations with a free vote.

This year’s shortlist also shows the contrast between British sport now, compared with twenty years ago.

In 1997 — also the year in which lottery funding was extended to professional sport — the winner was Greg Rusedski, whose highlight of the year was finishing as runner up at the US Open. It is not unreasonable to suggest that this would not even have qualified him for the shortlist this year.

This year, the sporting success proved so great that the BBC had to enlarge the number of nominees to 16, and even this did not allow for the full extent of British sporting success.

One notable omission is Team Sky’s Chris Froome, who managed to win the yellow jersey of the Tour de France for a third time and a bronze medal in the Olympics. Currently, only four men have ever won le Tour (legitimately) more times than Froome, and he is rightly considered to have become a great of the sport. His omission shows how tough it was for the judges to narrow down the list to only 16.

This year’s judges came from a variety of sectors of media and sport. The panel included up of previous nominees for the award, representatives from BBC Sport and BBC 5Live, and the Chief Executive of UK Sport.

This mixed panel selection process has been used since 2012, after the previous year’s award was criticised for having an all-male shortlist. The 2011 Sport Personality shortlist was selected by 27 newspapers and magazines sending in a shortlist of ten nominees, and the final list being drawn from these

lists. It came under scrutiny when it transpired that men’s magazines Nuts and Zoo contributed to the shortlist, drawing more attention to the omission of any female athletes — especially given that both magazines selected allmale lists.

Since then, the nominations have been generally mixed as well as the BBC would have hoped, this year having ten men and six women on the list.

The ceremony also moves from venue to venue every year, and this year will return to the Genting Arena at Birmingham’s NEC on December 18th.

Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan will be presenting the awards in front of over 15,000 people and it is hoped over ten million people will watch on television.

Full list of nominees: Nicola Adams (Boxing)

Andy Murray (Tennis)

Gareth Bale (Football)

Adam Peaty (Swimming)

Alistair Brownlee (Triathlon)

Kate Richardson-Walsh (Hockey)

Sophie Christensen (Equestrian)

Nick Skelton (Equestrian)

Kadeena Cox (Athletics/Cycling)

Sarah Storey (Cycling)

Mo Farah (Athlete)

Jamie Vardy (Football)

Jason Kenny (Cycling)

Max Whitlock (Gymanstics)

Laura Kenny (Cycling)

Danny Willett (Golf)

Photo: Andy Miah@flickr

Australians and the changing face of British sport British elite sport has been transformed, helped in no small part by Australian coaches Guy Williams Sport Reporter This weekend’s rugby action saw England against Australia. There is something iconic about this fixture, across all sports. You may not be a cricket fan but you will know about the Ashes.

It is a rivalry that taps into the primal part of our soul. Beating the French, it is true, comes close to matching the nexus of feeling conjured up by a win over Australia. But it is still not quite the same thing. The fact is that England has many things in common with France: centuries of shared history, a love of literature, a richly multicultural society.

A common climate. Such a long relationship has caused areas of expertise to emerge among the two nations, respected and accepted. England knows that France has the superior cuisine (a French word, of course). France knows that England tries very hard with food.

The relationship is sometimes antagonistic, but what relationship isn’t?

England has no such relationship with Australia. Beyond a common language and a love of tea, there is nothing.

A void. Returning to sport, it is easy to see that the two countries are opposites. Their styles are not compatible.

In cricket, England have tended to favour conservatism and endurance.

England produce grafters and accu-

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

mulators: your Geoffrey Boycotts and Michael Athertons. Occasionally there have been mavericks. Denis Compton was one; Ian Botham was another. But these players have always been treated with faint suspicion, as having arisen in spite of the system not because of it.

Meanwhile, Australia favours dashing, charismatic players. Don Bradman was the epitome of this style, the so-called ‘Australian way’. More recently, the likes of Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Shane Warne have crushed England’s grafters with unrelenting aggression.

The difference is starker in rugby. The World Cup final of 1991 demonstrated this. The team that took England to the final that year was built on forward domination orchestrated by the likes of Brian Moore and Jason Leonard. The team that took Australia to that final relied on the twinkling feet of Michael Lynagh and David Campese. Australia won this clash of ideologies.

In the build-up to the game on Saturday, the England coach, knowing his history, tapped into this ideology by raising concerns over Australia’s scrummaging technique: “Australia have issues with their scrum, some technical issues. I am not going to sort it out for them.” For his part, the Australian coach retorted: “Maybe we are naive, idealistic, but we want the Wallabies to be loved because of the way we play footy”. England pinpoint areas up front, while Australia are concerned with ideals, with the way they play. This

is standard stuff: grafters against the stylists. So far, so familiar. But it is worthwhile considering who exactly the coaches in question are. The England coach is Eddie Jones, an Australian, and former club teammate of Michael Cheika, also an Australian, and Jones’ opposite number. How has this turn of events come about?

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

English sports fans of the 2000s have been fed a diet of ‘us’ against ‘them’ of the type mentioned earlier. But change is afoot. The Australian team famously conquered by Jonny Wilkinson’s right boot in 2003 was in fact coached by none other than Eddie Jones. England’s rugby league side is coached by an Australian, Wayne Bennett. The cricket team has witnessed a similar phenomenon. The Ashes-winning side of 2015

was coached by Trevor Bayliss, a New South Welshman and former (temporary) coach of Australia. Meanwhile, the former supremo of British Cycling was Shane Sutton, another Australian. Not since the heyday of Kylie have Australian tones so dominated the airwaves in this country.

This is not a complaint — far from it.

England’s cricketers, their latest annihilation at India’s hands notwithstanding, have started playing with flair and aggression, more like Botham than Boycott. In a quirk of fate, Eddie Jones has overseen England rugby’s longest winning streak since 2002/3. He himself was a victim in that sequence of English victory. The style of play he has instilled in the class of 2016 is dynamic and intelligent: the definition of ‘heads up’ rugby. Jones has added an attacking element to England’s traditional forward dominance and the results are there for all to see. Whisper it quietly, but England seem to be mastering the ‘Australian way’. Scary.

It seems that the line between ‘us’ and ‘them’ has blurred. Ideologies have been shattered. English sport is reaping the benefits of an Australian-led regeneration.

As the dust settles, it appears that there has been some sort of revolution.

See, I told you we had more in common with France.

30

Sport Sport

ISSUE 11 / 5thNOVEMBER DECEMBER2016 2016 ISSUE 10 / 28th WWW.MANCUNION.COM WWW.MANCUNION.COM

S

P

O

R

T

Why Michael Carrick must play every week Jose Mourinho picking Michael Carrick more regularly could help Manchester United climb the table Dane Massey Sport Reporter

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Manchester United’s 4-1 victory over West Ham United last Wednesday night meant that Jose Mourinho’s side progressed to the semifinals of the EFL Cup. Manchester United will play Hull City over two legs for a place in the final against Southampton or Liverpool.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring, which put the Swede into double figures for the season. West Ham levelled ten minutes before the break when former Manchester United youth product Ashley Fletcher, made the most of a goalkeeping rare goalkeeping error from David De Gea. In the second half, a brace from Anthony Marital put United 3-1 up before Ibrahimovic scored again to round off an impressive performance from the home side.

It was a fantastic team display from the Red Devils, defensively sound and abundant in attack.

They also looked more solid in midfield, and the key reason for this was the return of Michael Carrick, who sat out the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Sunday due to a minor injury.

This season, Carrick has been a key player for United. When he has played, United have won eight

games out of nine, compared to just 4 wins out of 13 without him. Carrick is a calming influence on the team — he is the perfect midfield anchorman for any team.

Just a few weeks ago, former Spurs player and manager Tim Sherwood praised the impact of Carrick. “Michael should be the first name on the team sheet; he is the replica of a Sergio Busquets or Xabi Alonso,” Sherwood said.

Sherwood was correct, Carrick is as good as any defensive midfielder at the role he plays, and Manchester United’s statistics prove this. It is not the first time everybody has realised Carrick’s staggering influence on the Manchester United team either. In the 2012/13 season, Carrick played 36 out of 38 league games as United won the league title by 11 points. Two seasons later, United won six consecutive league games twice in the same campaign. These imperious streaks of form coincided with Carrick’s return to the team on both occasions.

Over the last three seasons, Carrick has been plagued with injury problems which have severely limited his game time, but there is no doubt that when he is fully fit he should be starting week in week out for Jose Mourinho’s team. Mourinho should realise the impact of a top class defensive midfielder.

When he managed Chelsea in his

first spell, he had Claude Makelele.

While in charge of Inter Milan, he coached Esteban Cambiasso, who was an ever-present in the Nerazzurri’s 2010 treble winning campaign in 2009/10.

After winning titles in Italy, Mourinho moved onto Spain with Real Madrid, where he established Xabi Alonso as his primary defensive midfielder. At Manchester United, he must do the same with Carrick as he did with Makelele, Cambiasso and Xabi Alonso at his previous clubs. Carrick may be 35 years of age, but he is showing the ability to carry on playing at the top level.

Naturally, defensive midfielders can play until they are older than players in other positions as they do less running. Carrick does not have to run a lot anyway, he is a man who plays like he has eyes on the back of his head. Carrick’s positional sense is outstanding, and he has the ability to pick out any pass. Such unique abilities to read the game masterfully is crucial in bringing the best out in players such as Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Carrick has been the most underrated player in England over the past decade, he consistently provides the platform for forward thinking players to influence proceedings. So far this season, Mourinho has experimented with

Marouane Fellaini, Morgan Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera at the base of his midfield, but neither of these players can match the qualities and distinctive talent Carrick possesses.

Paul Scholes, Carrick’s former Manchester United and England team-mate regularly speaks of Carrick’s high importance to the team.

When speaking after Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat to Fenebache in the UEFA Europa League last month, Scholes said, “whenever he [Carrick] has played they’ve looked a different team.” He also hailed Carrick’s impact on Pogba’s game, “he’s helped Pogba, a bit of experience”.

Astonishingly, Carrick only has 34 caps for England and has not played for his country since March 2015. This however, is England’s loss and Manchester United’s gain as it will perhaps help him to prolong his career at club level.

Mourinho will certainly hope that this is the case. When he is fully fit, Carrick makes a huge difference to the way Manchester United play, as he has showed over the course of the season so far. If the Portuguese boss wants to be successful at his new club, he must make Carrick a key component of his team.

Why do the Irons keep getting hammered?

West Ham are struggling for form in the Barclay’s Premiere League, Cameron Broome assesses where it is all going wrong

Ben Ryan University Sport Editor

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Nobody likes fickle football fans; it’s easy to sit there and call for your manager to be sacked when things aren’t going well. However, in order to enjoy the good times with a football club, disappointments must be endured too. And West Ham fans have certainly had their fair share of ups and downs over the years.

But why exactly have they been so underwhelming this season?

To a large extent, West Ham’s summer recruitment has been to blame. The board were very transparent in their desire to sign a marquee-style striker. In a Sky Sports News interview, Sullivan specifically said “We need a 20-goal-aseason striker and that will cost us £25m or £30m. That is where the bulk of the money goes”.

And things got off to an exciting start with a reported £40m bid for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette. The club were also linked to Marseille’s Michy Batshuayi as well as AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca.

It was all looking so promising; the fans were brimming with excitement.

Eventually, West Ham had had to settle

for Swansea winger-cum-striker Andre Ayew. Undoubtedly, he’s a technically gifted played. West Ham broke their transfer record fee in signing him (reported fee of £20m). But it wasn’t exactly the marquee signing the club hoped for, nor was getting injured in his first game exactly ideal.

West Ham’s other summer signings have been poor. In his few cameo appearances, striker Jonathan Calleri has looked massively off the pace. Signing Borussia Mönchengladbach captain Håvard Nordtveit on a free looked a steal but he has failed to settle in the Premier League, again looking off the pace.

Slaven Billic was keen to link back up with Gökhan Töre. But the winger’s poor work rate landed him a bad first impression with fans, who value effort levels immensely (hence their idolisation of Mark Noble).

World-cup winner Álvaro Arbeloa has made just two appearances this season (with no detailed explanation given for his absence). With Sam Byram injured, West Ham have had been forced to play

top goal scorer Michail Antonio as a make shift right-wing back.

Then there’s the new London stadium (a.k.a. the Olympic Stadium). On paper, this was a brilliant move for the club.

Money matters in football and it’s foolish to think otherwise. Acquiring such an iconic stadium has massively added value to the club’s global brand, as indicated by the recently reported interest from investors in Qatar.

But in footballing terms, the move has been a total disaster. The board keep telling fans that they are no further away from the pitch than at Wembley. While this may be true, spectators still feel quite a distance away from the players.

The pitch itself is also larger than Upton Park was, encouraging expansive football; this can be exploited by away teams who like to play counter-attacking football.

Architecturally, the stadium just doesn’t suit football. This was the cause of the reported violence at the Chelsea home game (without wanting to make excuses for actions of individuals). Be-

cause the stadium was designed for athletics, no sections were initially designated explicitly for home and away fans.

This meant that at half time, fans would go for some refreshments (more often than not a pint) and would be stood in the queue with opposition fans.

While this relaxed atmosphere might work with sports like rugby, football is just not ready for that transition (and may never be). In addition, the noise in the stadium seems to go “up and out”, meaning you can’t hear fans singing at the opposite end of the stadium.

Upton Park was romantic, atmospheric and intense. Away teams used to dread away days at West Ham; now they lick their lips with excitement. London Stadium just doesn’t have that “sense of place”. Of course, this may be crafted over time as new memories are forged.

But the early signs are that the London Stadium is emblematic of the commercialization of football which fans loathe.

Finally, it is worth talking about David Sullivan and David Gold’s striker recruitment. Just listing some names of their

signings over the years speaks for itself. Wellington Paulista. Malden Petric.

Marco Borriello. Emmanuel Emenike.

Freddie Piquionne. John Carew. Victor Obinna. It honestly feels at times like we’ve based our recruitment on scouting reports from Jack Sullivan’s FIFA escapades (David Sullivan’s son). The truth is that West Ham have lacked a top striker ever since the forced retirement of Dean Ashton due to injury.

Despite the recent positive performance at Old Trafford, West Ham fans will still be worried, and the constant speculation about Dimitri Payet’s future isn’t exactly helpful. But Billic is likeable, experienced and well-respected. He retains the full backing of the board and (importantly) the fans. In addition, we have one of the league’s top goal scorers in Michail Antonio. Left-back Aaron Cresswell is also in top form as indicated by his recent England call up. But unless Billic turns things round quickly, he might be the latest manage to be thrown off the premier league managerial merry-go-round.

S

P

O

R

T

Sport 31

ISSUE 11 / 5th DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

EURO

WATCH

EuroWatch: Primera Liga Josh Jenkins looks at the Portugeuse League this week Teams to watch: Sporting Lisbon and FC Porto Players to watch: Sebastian Coates and Bas Dost Manager to watch: Jorge Jesus Game of the season so far: Vitoria de Guimaraes 3-3 Sporting Lisbon The 83rd Primera Liga season sees Benfica in pole position to win a fourth consecutive league crown. This year their only realistic challengers appear to be rapidly improving city rivals Sporting Lisbon, the 14-year hold that the big three have had on the league title appears to be continuing.

The Primera Liga has always been a league with startling disparities between the top three and the rest. This can be seen by just looking at stadium capacities — Benfica’s Stadium of Light holds more than 64,000 people, whereas Tondela and Nacional have stadiums fitting for just 5,000 people.

Managerial changings is also associated with the league. Since May 2016,

fourteen out of the sixteen teams have changed manager — it makes the Premier League look like a safe-haven for managers.

In recent times, Sporting Lisbon have been unable to keep up with the big two; their grip was simply too firm for Sporting who were left in the wayside. But times are changing.

It all started it the summer of 2015. In a bitter story that dominated the news in Portugal, they prised away manager Jorge Jesus from arch-city-rivals Benfica. A man who played a big role in the success of Benfica was a big coup for the green team of Lisbon, and they have not looked back since.

After finishing second last season, the momentum has continued and they find themselves once again having a realistic chance of being title contenders again this year.

They have also been very respectable in the Champions League this year. In a group with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, they have put in good performances and will be a challenge for any team in the Europa League come the New Year.

Photo: Steve Gardner @Flickr

Sporting really excite though when you look through their playing squad.

Filled with many recognisable names such as Sebastian Coates, Joel Campbell, Bryan Ruiz, Bas Dost, and William Carvalho; their squad contains players with a point to prove and they definitely have the quality to succeed at this level.

Coates in particular looks a player reborn. Following an unsuccessful time in England with both Liverpool and Sunderland, his great reading of the game, along with ability to help Sporting build attacks from the back as been integral to the teams’ good form so far this year.

Dutch striker Bas Dost was an incredible coup not just for Sporting, but the Primera Liga as a whole; a man who, when in the right frame of mind, could not stop scoring in both Holland and Germany. If Jorge Jesus finds the right formula for him then he will easily score 20-plus goals this term.

The future is looking very bright for Sporting Lisbon, and with an exciting playing squad to match a talented manager, who knows what success lies ahead for them during the rest of the year?

However, one team where the good times are most certainly a distant memory is FC Porto. A team stuttering on the field and with sanctions from the UEFA Financial Fair Play committee looming, these are the worst times in many years for the north Portuguese club.

Until 2014 Porto were the country’s dominant side. Winning nine league titles in a twelve-year period as well as a Champions League triumph. Their transfer policy was also hugely successful — sign young players on the cheap, then slap a hefty transfer clause on them and sell them for a huge amount of profit. Porto were the club that could do no wrong.

But a return of the good times seems a long way off in the present day. Their league form is stuttering with a winless November and they have only scored one goal in the process. They are a team devoid of ideas and lack a creative touch.

Their form in European competition isn’t much better. In a seemingly straightforward group with Leicester, Brugge and Copenhagen, they are struggling in qualification, and need to avoid

defeat in their final group game to finish in second place.

Off the field the picture is even gloomier for Porto. In October the club announced a record loss of €58.4 million, with over €75 million spent on salaries in 2015/16, a figure that was only €40 million three years ago.

The mismanagement of the club’s finances can be seen no clearer than the signing of Iker Casillas — the highest-paid player in the club’s history and a man who also holds no sell-on value, is a signing that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Look throughout the rest of the squad and the picture is pretty much the same — expensive flops.

The club’s financial plan for the coming year announced that a figure of €116 million must be generated via player sales in order to prevent UEFA sanctions.

The FC Porto squad that we see today will almost be entirely unrecognisable in twelve months’ time. Times are looking very dark indeed.

The Best Is Yet To Come With the ending of the autumn internationals, Toby Webb evaluates the current position of the England men’s rugby team

Eddie Jones’ England went into the autumn series with a perfect record of nine out of nine wins.

I predicted that they would emerge from the series with that perfect record still intact. While at the time of writing they are yet to play Australia, I predict they will have won the game; England’s XV is nearly back to full strength, with the likes of George Kruis back in the fray.

Following this set of games, a significant consideration is whether England have continued on their rapid upward trajectory of progress. Through the Six Nations and the Australia tour, England displayed a blistering rate of improvement: they were electric, playing an expansive, exciting style of rugby not witnessed under the previous regime.

However, in this series, England have honed this style. With excitement comes petulance; instead, this series England have looked to play with a level of maturity and calmness, while maintaining the style exhibited over the course of this year.

A crucial point in the series occurred at the very beginning, within the first ten minutes of the match against South Africa. England found themselves 6-0 down as a result of over-excitement, giving away several unnecessary penalties, ultimately, playing immature rugby.

While previous England sides might have wilted, gone chasing the game and subsequently being picked off, Jones’ side took a deep breath, dusted

themselves off and took hold of the game. Securing a breakdown penalty, England acquired good field position and executed a crisp backs move to score.

This was a demonstration of maturity, cool minds in the face of adversity. From here, England looked the only winners, eventually coming out 37-21 victors. Defensively, England had many things to work on following the game: South Africa accumulated 21 points, both of their tries arising from disorganisation and lapses in concentration.

While England have started to illustrate a winning maturity, disorganisation and concentration in defense have arisen as a problem. Although the result against Fiji was never in doubt, Fiji scored 3 tries in a ten minute stint before half-time. A defensive stupor of this magnitude, against such lowly opposition, enrages a coach like Eddie Jones; one who strives for meticulous perfection in every aspect of the game. The 58-15 final result was deceptive. This was a disappointing game in terms of performance.

The match against Argentina took on a whole new meaning with Elliot Daly’s early red card. This was a perfect opportunity for England to practice how the team would react to this type of scenario in more significant circumstances, a crucial Six Nations or knock-out World Cup game for example.

This was a further illustration of maturity.

England put many hours of tactical training into practice, adopting a reserved game plan that fo-

cused on minimal concession and the accumulation of points: the forwards were magnificent in the way they ground out valuable penalties for the team. Dylan Hartley, along with Owen Farrell, demonstrated their leadership qualities: Jones’ decision to give Hartley the captaincy has been truly vindicated this year.

This was also the best defensive performance of the series, England conceding only 14 points to an Argentina side that were quick and creative. While the South Africa victory was timely (England had not beaten them in ten years), this was by far the most satisfying, a performance as good in defence as in attack.

Injuries to England starters have forced Jones’ hand during this series, notable absentees including Mario Itoje, Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell. It has led to the imposition of the likes of Daly and Semesa Rokoduguni; Daly’s ability to play a number of positions could be incredibly useful for England down the stretch.

Moreover, the strength in depth of the English talent pool has also been illustrated during this series. The ability to bring on the quality of Nathan Hughes, Henry Slade and Kyle Sinckler is a luxury for Jones, enabling the team to dominate the latter stages of games.

Jones is looking for sustainable improvement, not quick-fixes. He is slowly creating a team that

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

has a solid, dependable and flexible style, in which players can be fitted in and out of. The initial part of this year saw the implantation of a deadly attacking style; the autumn has seen the development of game maturity. Eddie Jones has remained calm and focussed throughout: he thinks England still have a lot to improve on, especially defensively.

The 2017 Six Nations, is the next hurdle, away matches against Wales and Ireland standing as formidable examinations. Despite being 2nd in the world, this team is undoubtedly still a work in progress. In my eyes, they are on the cusp of being exceptional.

S

P

O

R

FREE/ISSUE 11/5th DECEMBER 2016

T

Photo: Agencia de Noticias ANDES @Flickr

Tragedy for Brazilian football

After the tragic plane crash, which saw the Brazilian Football Club Chapecoense lose most of their players, we take a look at the team who were on track to win the biggest cup in their history Jennifer Sterne Sport Reporter On Monday the 28th of November tragedy struck the Brazilian football Club Chapecoense, when they lost almost all of their players after their plane crashed in Colombia. Only six of the 77 people on board survived the crash into the mountainside just a few miles from the runway.

Three players from the team survived, with 19 of the first team team and their coaching staff losing their lives.

The team were on their way to Medellin to play Atlético Nacional in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, which would have been the biggest match in the club’s history. Authorities have stated that the evidence is suggesting the crash was due to the plane running out of fuel as it attempted to land.

The team’s fans and family are in mourning after the tragedy.

The following players lose their lives:

Marcos Danilo Padilha: Goalkeeper.

Danilo was crucial in the club’s success in the Copa Sudamericana, saving a last-minute shot in the semi-final.

Dener Assunção Braz: Left-back.

Gained attention in the country after

the success with with Ituano FC in 2014, in the São Paulo championship.

Mateus Lucena dos Santos (Mateus Caramelo): Left-back. Signed by the club last year, had a history of playing for lots of other Brazilian Clubs.

Guilherme Gimenez de Souza: Rightback. At the age of 21 he was one of the youngest players.

Marcelo Augusto Mathias da Silva: Defender. Joined the club this year, had previously played for Flamengo.

Willian Thiego de Jesus (Theigo): Defender. Reported that he was negotiating with Santos, after joining Chapecoense last year.

Filipe José Machado: Defender.

Signed earlier this year.

Josimar Rosado da Silva Tavares: Defensive midfielder. Joined the team last year after playing for Palmeiras and Internacional. He had also played for for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Watan.

José Gildeixon Clemente de Paiva (Gil): Defensive midfielder. Signed last year, played for the Brazilian clubs Vitória and Ponte Preta.

Sérgio Manoel Barbosa Santos: Defensive midfielder. Was signed by the club this year, after playing for many smaller Brazilian clubs.

Matheus Bitencourt da Silva (Matheus Biteco): Defensive midfielder. Joined the club this year, after starting with

31

Grêmio and his career in 2013.

Cléber Santana Loureiro: Midfielder.

Had played for some of the biggest teams in Brazil. He was one of the most experienced players.

Arthur Brasiliano Maia: Midfielder.

Been playing football since childhood, and joined the team this year.

Bruno Rangel: Striker. With a total of 81 goals, he was the top scorer for the Club.

Tiaguinho: Striker. In a video that has now gone viral, we see the team telling him he’s going to become a dad, only a few days before the tragedy.

Ananias Eloi Castro Monteiro: Striker.

Was signed by the club last year, and has played for a few of the countries biggest teams.

Everton Kempes dos Santos Gonçalves: Striker. Has played in the past for lots of smaller Brazilian clubs.

Ailton Cesar Junior Alves da Silva (Canela): Striker. Only joined the club this year, after playing for many smaller teams.

Lucas Gomes da Silva: Striker. Joined Chapecoense last year.

Only three of the team survived:

Jakson Ragnar Follmann: Goalkeeper.

Has had to have a leg amputated and could also lose the other foot.

Alan Luciano Ruschel: Left-back. Re-

ceived spinal surgery and is described as being in a critical but stable condition.

Helio Hermito Zampier Neto (Neto): Defender. Has severe injuries to his skull, thorax and lungs.

Sports journalism was also a heavy victim in the tragedy, with twenty Brazilian journalists who were following the team losing their lives in the crash.

The journalists that lost their lives in the crash were:

Renan Agnolin: A radio and TV reporter Victorino Chermont: Reporter for Fox Sports Brazil Rodrigo Santana Goncalves: Cameraman for Fox Sports Brazil Paulo Julio Clement: Sports presenter at Fox Sports Douglas Dorneles: Sports journalist at Chapeco Radio Laion Espindula: Reporter at Globoesporte.com Ari Junior: Globo TV Guilherme Laars: Globo TV Guilherme Marques: Globo TV Djalma Neto: RBS TV Giovane Klein: Reporter for local TV station RBS Lilacio Junior: Outside broadcast co-

30

ordinator for Fox Sports Brazil Gelson Galiotto: Sports journalist at Chapeco’s Super Conda radio Edson Ebeliny: Sports journalist at Chapeco’s Super Conda radio.

Andre Podiacki: Diario Catarinense newspaper Mario Sergio Paiva: formerly a commentator for Fox Sports Bruno Silva: Technician RBS TV Fernando Schardong: Sports journalist at Chapeco radio Devair Paschoalon: Fox Sports Brazil Only one reporter survived the crash, Rafael Henzel, now in a stable condition after having surgery for his injuries.

Out of respect the team, Atlético Nacional asked for Chapecoense to be awarded the Copa Sudamericana title and many Brazilian clubs have offered players to the team for free in order to prevent them being relegated.

A motion has also been proposed to the Brazilian FA to request that the team is immune from relegation for the next three years.

FIFA have asked all players wear black armbands in remembrance, and a minutes silence will precede every match played this weekend in their memory.

29