Issue19

WWW.MANCUNION.COM

20th MARCH 2017 / ISSUE 19 FREE

Students continue fight for divestment MLS Co-Chair opposes ahead of Finance Committee decision

decision to back BDS

Yasmin Mannan Head News Editor At their open meeting on Thursday 16th March, Manchester Labour Students, who boast the largest membership of a student Labour club in the country, voted to support the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement.

This news follows the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union endorsing the BDS movement in December.

“I have tried exceptionally hard to be an MLS Co-Chair that engages with Jewish students and takes their concerns and ideas seriously. Last night, I cannot say that Manchester Labour Students lived up to that ideal”

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Photo: Callum Tyler

Zach Deakin

The BDS movement was founded in 2005 and aims to put economic pressure on the Israeli government in order to draw attention to Israel’s controversial policies towards Palestine. The BDS movement state on Continued on page five...

Burnham pledges to help keep graduates in Manchester Alex Whitcomb Sports Editor Andy Burnham announced on Wednesday at the launch of his manifesto that if elected as Greater Manchester mayor he will implement a “Graduate Retention Plan” as part of his housing policy. The MP for Leigh has promised to provide cheaper housing and start-up opportunities for graduates from Greater Manchester universities.

Mr Burnham stressed that “young people are at the heart of this manifesto”, and while the policy is not outlined in the manifesto itself, he did

announce it in his speech.

In an interview after the event for The Mancunion and Fuse TV, he said: “We want to retain more of the people in the city who study here […] it’s been the case in the past, on graduation, some people may have tried to stay and then eventually drift away because maybe they can’t find the job that works for them.”

Specifically the policy will offer more rentto-own housing and subsidised start-up spaces within the city, and Mr Burnham hopes this will encourage more graduates to choose to stay in Manchester.

The announcement was made at the Burnham

campaign’s manifesto launch at the Sharp Project in Newton Heath.

Along with announcing the retention plan, the manifesto also praised the Reclaim the Night movement, and Mr Burnham promised to include the Greater Manchester universities in the effort to preserve Manchester’s place as “the Silicon Valley of Europe”.

The event included a 45 minute speech by Mr Burnham, and an introduction from the founder of the Sharp Project and former Creative Director of the 2002 Commonwealth Games Susan Woodward OBE. The Sharp Project in Newton Heath, where the

event took place, Photo: Matt Wynne The manifesto is the first to be announced by any of the mayoral candidates, with much of its content being crowd-sourced. Titled “Our Manifesto for Greater Manchester”, each page includes quotes from different Greater Manchester residents — six of whom were invited to speak before the main speech.

Interview: Andy Burnham MP / Page 9: We sat down with the Labour candidate to ask how his administration will impact students and graduates in Manchester

33,062 no-shows for NHS appointments

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Student elections and ongoing contradictions

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Continued on page two...

Review: Pitbull — Climate Change

Photo: Matt Wynne

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News

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Continued from page one...

Photo: Matt Wynne

Highlights P5

News : Holi curfew placed on female students

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Features: Protesting: What’s the point?

Titled “Our Manifesto for Greater Manchester”, each page includes quotes from different Greater Manchester residents — six of whom were invited to speak before the main speech.

Along with policies aimed at young people, Mr Burnham also focused on his planned reforms to health and social care. The Greater Manchester Mayor will be the first “Metro Mayor” to have health policy devolved to it, and he made it a central plank of his speech.

At one point, he produced a rota for a migrant care worker working for a private care company, given to the team during the consultation for the manifesto. It showed a weekend rota that began at 07:30 and ended at 00:20

the next day, with 48 house visits, one of which only lasted two minutes, with the next working day starting at 03:20. Mr Burnham added: “If that doesn’t bring a sense of utter despair to us all then really I don’t know what should.”

Conservative candidate and Trafford Council Leader Sean Anstee is the next to announce his fully policy platform, on Monday the 20th of March, and the mayoral election will take place on the 4th of May. Jane Brophy of the Liberal Democrats, Shneur Odze of UKIP and Will Patterson of the Green Party are also standing for Mayor.

All the information on the election can be found at the GM Elects website.

The deadline for registering to vote is April 13th.

Students continue fight for divestment ahead of Finance Committee decision

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Photo: Callum Tyler

Film: Manchester Film Festival

Lizzy Haughton Reporter The university’s newly formed People and Planet society have taken a number of actions in support of the UK’s rapidly growing fossil fuel divestment movement since September, including holding protests ahead of the Finance Committee meetings, persistently emailing the Board of Governors, and meeting with the President of the

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Editorial Adviser: Charlie Spargo

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Food and Drink: Posh Chicken Nuggets

university, Dame Nancy Rothwell, to ask her opinions on the movement.

As yet, they have had no commitment to their request for full divestment, other than remarks that they will “review the issue in the coming months”.

On Wednesday the students staged their biggest protest yet, which consisted of a march around the main campus, decorating the Whitworth gates with biodegradable orange balloons (the colour of the divestment movement)

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 Chief Sub-Editor: Gemma Sowerby Sub-Editors: Jane Simmons, Hannah Foy, Lauren Bramley, Adriana Elgueta, Lauren Pizzey, Stevie Grieves, Izzy Oldman sub@mancunion.com

Head News Editor: Yasmin Mannan Deputy News Editor: Rosa Simonet & Lily Sheehan Science Editor: Georgie Hines news@mancunion.com science@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 Editors: Lily Carden & Miriam Mizzi foodanddrink@mancunion.com Head Film Editor: Eliza Slawther Deputy Film Editor: Shema Begum film@mancunion.com

and speeches given in support.

Speakers included Seb Leaper, one of the campaign’s student leaders, and Dave Durant, one of the leaders of the movement at King’s College London. Kings committed to full divestment by 2022 last week, following six months of action and culminating in a 14-day hunger strike from one of their PhD students.

Sorcha Floyd, the Campaigns and Citizenship Exec Officer at the University of Manchester Students’ Union said: “One of the main reasons to hold the protest was to get the word out, to educate our students about what divestment is and why it’s so important, and we definitely achieved that today.”

British universities currently have £5.2 billion invested in fossil fuel companies. Over a quarter of UK universities have made commitments to divest from fossil fuels, including Glasgow, SOAS, Edinburgh, and Manchester Metropolitan. Most recently, the University of Bristol made a commitment to partially divest by 2018.

One of the campaigners, Callum Tyler, said after the protest: “We know the Board of Governors have the issue of Divestment on their agenda, and although we hope that they will make the right decision given our efforts, this protest has only strengthened our campaign, and I hope they all know that we will not stop until we get full divestment.”

Head Lifestyle Editor: Rachel Adams Deputy Lifestyle Editor: Araddhna Patel lifestyle@mancunion.com Head Music Editor: Joe Casson Deputy Music Editor: Katie Shepherd music@mancunion.com Head Sport Editor: Harry Newton Deputy Sport Editor: Alex Whitcomb University Sport Editor: Ben Ryan sports@mancunion.com Books Editor: Roma Havers books@mancunion.com Theatre Editor: Brogen Campbell theatre@mancunion.com

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.

Head Online Editor Rebecca Carr Deputy Online Editor: Holly Smith online@mancunion.com

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.

Copyright belongs to the photographers. If you wish to reproduce them contact them

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

Arts Editor: Laura Joyce arts@mancunion.com

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Brexit and IndyRef2 leaves the future of EU students in Scotland unclear Leaving the EU could put huge financial pressure on Scotland to continue providing free education to non-UK EU students after Brexit

Photo: First Minister of Scotland @Flickr

Tabitha Hanks News Reporter There is much dispute over the effect Brexit will have on Scottish universities. Scottish universities will be able to raise tuition fees for non-UK EU students, which could increase income, and provide more tuition-free places for Scottish students.

In a speech at the SNP conference in October 2016, the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney said tuitions fees would not be introduced for current students in Scottish education and those applying for entry to the 2017/18 academic year. Scottish Parliament may face a cost of up to £60 million as Brexit is planned to take place before current non-UK EU students have completed their degree courses.

Swinney has not guaranteed non-UK EU students will qualify for visas that enable them to stay for their entire degree. It remains unclear if this will change as Brexit negotiations progress and whether future EU students will have the option to study free of charge in Scotland.

Abolition of tuition fees for Scottish students, under EU regulation,

was extended to non-UK EU students under European anti-discrimination laws. Students from the rest of the UK were exempt from this as they are within a single state; English, Welsh and Irish students pay £9000 to attend Scottish universities.

In order to provide tuition-free education to Scottish and EU students, the number of free places was capped. The Scottish Funding Council funds 125,000 places across Scottish universities.

Increasing numbers of European students are filling places at Scottish universities, enticed by free tuition at some of the world’s best institutions. The number of EU students in Scottish Higher Education has almost doubled since the 2006-7 academic year to 13,312 in 201415. This leaves fewer spaces for Scottish students and increasing competition between applicants.

Almost 20 per cent of Scottish students did not receive an offer from a Scottish university in 2014. Overall rates of offers to Scottish students were the lowest among nationalities applying with only 54 per cent of their applications being accepted.

In a speech early last week Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, outlined her proposal for a second referendum to be held on Scottish Independence before Brexit finalises, between 2018 and spring 2019. Westminster Parliament’s timeline for Brexit shows it due to being at the end of this month and complete in March 2019.

A day later Sturgeon issued a statement contradicting this decision, claiming a Scottish referendum may have to take place after March 2019. This was possibly in response to Theresa May’s public rejection of a referendum before Brexit talks finish.

Recent polls from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (SSAS) show 72 per cent of 16-24-year-olds in favour of remaining part of the UK. In the 2014 referendum, the nationwide results were a 55:45 split in against independence, indicating a reluctance to leave the EU. May claimed that Scotland will leave the EU “no matter what” in parliament late last week. As the Prime Minister and First Minister continue to discuss and debate Brexit and a second referendum, the future of Scottish and European students in the UK remains unclear.

33,062 no-shows for NHS appointments

Eliza Slawther Head Film Editor

In a Freedom of Information request made by The Mancunion, Central Manchester University Hospitals have revealed that the number of ‘Did Not Attends’ (DNAs) for the months of December 2016, January 2017 and February 2017 was 33,062 people.

10,230 of these were first DNAs, and 22,832 were reviews.

This data does not include those who cancel or reschedule appointments, but simply those who fail to turn up on the day. According to the government website, one in every ten outpatient appointments is missed each year. This is despite text message reminders being sent to patients, which have shown to decrease the number of missed appointments.

According to the NHS website, each missed hospital outpatient appointment in the year 2012/13 cost on average £108. Whilst this figure is a few years old, and the cost will most likely have risen, it can be used as a rough estimate when calculating how much has been lost to missed appointments in three months in Central Manchester University Hospitals alone. At 33,062 missed appointments, the lowest estimate of cost is in excess of £3,570,696.

Whilst some practises choose to discharge patients who fail to attend appointments on multiple occasions, there is no current fine for missed appointments, although the Health Secretary Jeremy

Hunt has admitted that the government would favour such charges, but that they would be difficult to impose.

In an article published on the NHS website, Beverley Bryant, Director of Digital Transformation at NHS Digital, states: “It’s important that people realise that not turning up to appointments can have a big impact on the care and treatment we are able to give other patients. It wastes Doctors’ and Nurses’ time too, which costs taxpayers money.

“Patient care is always at the top of our agenda.

That‘s why we are doing everything we can to make our service match with people’s lifestyles and the technology they use, to give more people easy access to the services they need. We hope the public will do their bit too by making sure they attend or cancel appointments in good time. That way, everybody benefits.”

In a anonymous survey conducted by The Mancunion, 20.6 per cent of respondents admitted that they had failed to turn up to an NHS appointment without prior cancellation — this is higher than the NHS figure of 10 per cent.

When asked for an approximation of how much each missed appointment costs the NHS, the figures varied from under £10 to over £1,000, with most answers falling between £20 and £70. One respondent replied “hopefully not too much or i feel bad [sic]”.

Of those who had failed to turn up to appointments, 47 per cent answered that they had simply forgotten about their appointment. 19 per cent felt too unwell to attend, and 14 per cent could no

longer attend and did not know how to officially cancel their appointment. Other answers included poor mental health and problems with the booking system. One respondent explained that they “officially missed four” after getting a same-day appointment. They claimed to have been “sent to the wrong floor” four times before receiving text messages informing them that they had missed their appointment on four separate occasions.

100 per cent of people surveyed by The Mancunion thought that text message reminders for appointments were a good idea, although some people thought that they needed improvements to other aspects of the booking system.

“Yes text reminders work... but also flexible booking which allows people to arrange appointments that are practical and convenient — so they are more likely to attend” was one reply, and another respondent explained that whilst text reminders are good, they “don’t necessarily have enough informtion [sic] in them for you to get to the appointment”.

Two respondents critiqued reminders through the post as being costly and too slow.

According to the government website, text message reminders of appointments have been proven to reduce the number of DNAs, but there is “no evidence for what the reminder message should say”.

One trial proved that informing patients of the cost of missed appointments did have a positive impact on their likelihood to turn up to the appointment.

Photo: proimos @Flickr

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News

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Oxford Uniersity to offer summer school for white working-class boys

Photo: hadoc @Flickr

Shivani Kaura Senior News Reporter Oxford University has launched a campaign to offer summer schools exclusively to white British working class boys. Theresa May drew attention to the issue claiming these boys were “less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university”.

The Sutton Trust, a scheme offering opportunities to minority groups in the UK, provides those from less fortunate backgrounds the chance to visit and experience life at Oxford University.

The Sutton Trust released figures, as printed in The Telegraph, state: “White British boys who are eligible for free school meals achieve the lowest GCSE grades of any major ethnic group, with only a quarter (24 per cent) gaining at least five A* to C grades including English and

Maths.”

With a third (32 per cent) of British white females progressing onto higher education, white British boys have become the lowest-performing ethnic group. The figures also revealed only 45 per cent of white British students progress onto university.

The statistics were published following claims that whilst other universities showed an increase in state school attendees, Oxford University saw a drop in accepting admissions from working class students.

Professor Les Edbon, administrator of Fair Access to Higher Education, issued a statement: “It is crucial that universities keep looking for new and innovative ways to work with the most under-represented groups in higher education to make sure that everyone with the talent to progress at university has an equal chance to do so, whatever their background.”

Oxford University has offered summer schools targeted at BME teenagers for the past 17 years and has the intention of working with more under-represented groups, not only boosting admissions to the university but also helping unprivileged students recognise their potential.

Dr Samina Khan, Oxford University’s director of undergraduate admissions and outreach, “hopes that we can help students realise their potential and encourage high-achieving students from white British socio-economically disadvantaged areas to aim for top universities such as Oxford”.

The summer schools will offer students a week to learn about law, ancient history, medical sciences and computer science, developing their knowledge learned at A-Level and encouraging them to explore what Oxford University and higher education have to offer.

Malala Yousafzai wins conditional Oxford PPE offer

Sanny Rahman News Reporter

Photo: southbankcentre @Flickr

Malala Yousafzai, global girls’ education campaigner has received a conditional offer, of AAA, to study PPE at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford from 2017.

Yousafzai confirmed her plans at the Association of School and College Lecturers annual conference earlier this month: “I have applied to study PPE so for the next three years I will be studying that. But other than that I want to stay focussed on my Malala Fund work.”

Her charity has invested in schools in Lebanon and Jordan refugee camps, who are at risk for early marriage, and enrolled more girls in remote areas in Pakistani secondary schools. It has also invested in an establishment of information technology and life skills for girls in Nairobi’s slums.

Malala rose to prominence writing a blog and giving speeches at her father’s school detailing and campaigning for education under Taliban rule. The New York Times brought her international recognition and unfortunately a murder attempt on the 9th October 2012.

Since then she has campaigned for education and won numerous prestigious awards, including the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, the Mother Teresa Award and the youngest laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize. Moreover, she has founded a charity, ‘Malala’s Fund’, written a book, and a film has been written about her endeavours.

Malala gained 6A*s and 4A’s in August 2015 in her GCSE’s and sat A-Levels in History, Maths, Religious Studies and Geography at Edgbaston High School in Birmingham.

She went through the rigorous Oxford process and was invited to the college

in December for an interview. She remarked afterwards: “It was the hardest interview of my life. I just get scared when I think of the interview.”

Yousafzai had also applied to the London School of Economics (LSE), Durham and Warwick universities. The entry requirement to study PPE at Oxford is three As, making this a favourable destination, whereas the other institutions all require an A* and two As. On several occasions, she has expressed interest in returning to politics in Pakistan, and specifically as the Prime Minister.

Oxford’s PPE degree has produced heads of states globally, with alumni featuring presidents, politicians and international heads of states including the late Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto.

Preview: Sex Week, what’s happening on campus?

Sex Week 2017 is here from Monday 20th - Friday 24th March. The Students’ Union will be hosting a variety of events, organised by student-led group Sexpression, to help engage students in sex education and empowerment.

Monday 20th March Painful Periods: What is Endometriosis? 5-6pm, Room 2 Sex-Themed Pub Quiz 6pm, Union Bar If the title alone doesn’t entice you, then maybe the £50 bar tab up for grabs will!

Tuesday 21st March LGBT + Issues in Healthcare 6-7pm, Room 8 Action for Trans Health and the LGBT Foundation discuss LGBT +

issues in healthcare, barriers to access and best practice for healthcare professionals. Certificates provided!

Sexual Pleasure Workshop 6-7:30pm, Room 2 What is sexual pleasure? Following the success of the past 2 years, Ali Hanbury from the Proud Trust is back! Note: Self-Defining Women only.

Wednesday 22nd March Biphoria Stall 12-4pm, Students’ Union Foyer Sexpression STD Testing Stall 1-5pm, Students’ Union Foyer Living with HIV 5pm, Room 2 Hear from a volunteer from George House Trust about their experience living with HIV. Certificates provided

Friday 24th March Sex Work During Austerity 12:30 -2pm, Academy 3 Our panel event included speakers from Ugly Mugs (a national organisation seeking greater access to justice for sex workers), English Collective of Prostitutes (self-help organisation of sex workers campaigning for decriminalisation of prostitution, worker rights and safety), a representative from the Sex Workers Open University and John Goldring, Liz Cain and Adam Westall (academics from Manchester Metropolitan University, authors of ‘An Exploratory study of the growth of online male sex work in Manchester)’.

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Manchester Labour Students back BDS Yasmin Mannan Head News Editor

continued from page one...

their website: “We, representatives of Palestinian civil society, call upon international civil society organizations and people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era.”

However, despite the result of the vote on Thursday, the decision to back BDS is by no means supported by all members of Manchester Labour Students. An anonymous Jewish member of Manchester Labour Students told The Mancunion: “As a Jewish student in MLS, I’m extremely disappointed that MLS voted to support BDS. I could not even attend the meeting because this topic is so anxiety-inducing and I no longer feel comfortable at Manchester Labour Students meetings where members support policies like BDS.” She continued by stating: “BDS demonises the Jews and Israelis who believe in Israel’s right to exist and encourages a boycott of them. 92% of Jews with myself included believe that Israel as a country is part of their Jewish identity and we feel connected to it

as the world’s only Jewish state.”

She further stated that the fact “BDS questions Israel’s legitimacy when no other country is delegitimised” is “blatant anti-Semitism”.

She ended by saying: “I don’t agree with the occupation but BDS cuts all ties to Israel, isolating the country and therefore isolating the Jews who believe in Israel’s right to exist. Manchester Labour Students should be standing up for Jewish students like they do for any other minority group, but MLS’s support for BDS does exactly the opposite.”

The Co-Chair of Manchester Labour Students, Zak Deakin, who spoke to The Mancunion stressing that he does not speak on behalf of the society, gave this statement: “At all our events, we operate a safe space policy so that any racist, sexist, ableist, homophobic or transphobic language or behaviour is taken very seriously.

“Fortunately, I have never known any such things to have happened at any MLS events. That does not necessarily mean however, that we always create the most welcoming environment for all Labour members to come together and discuss our values.

“Once again, we have seen the concerns of Jewish students sidelined in pursuit of a certain political agenda. I have tried exceptionally hard to be an MLS Co-Chair that engages with Jewish students and takes their concerns and ideas seriously. Last night, I cannot

say that Manchester Labour Students lived up to that ideal.”

The BAME officer of Manchester Labour students told The Mancunion: “I am extremely proud that MLS decided to support BDS. BDS is about liberation; it is a campaign that calls for the end of the oppression of the Palestinian people through the non-violent means of boycotts, divestment, and sanctions on the state of Israel’ “I know that many people with different opinions about BDS ultimately want peace in the region, but peace cannot be had until basic, fundamental rights are afforded to the Palestinian people, and the Labour movement knows that oppressive powers have never handed us our rights on a silver platter”.

“With regards to MLS, I am also extremely proud of the manner in which the debate was conducted; in BAME caucus, a Jewish student proposed that safeguarding measures be taken for the debate, and as BAME officer, I ensured that a Safeguarding officer was elected, and the debate was conducted in a safe, respectful manner.”

They further highlighted how BDS was relevant for university students, as university fees are used to ‘fund weapons research’.

Labour Friends of Israel and Labour Friends of Palestine are yet to comment.

Academics’ Holi curfew placed on female students plea for protection of EU citizens’ rights Ollie Potter Senior News Reporter The heads of 35 Oxford colleges have issued a plea to the government, warning that foreign European Union citizens must have their right to stay in the UK guaranteed after Brexit.

In a letter to The Times, they stated that institutions like Oxford will experience “enormous damage” if valuable academic staff decide to leave, and that the impact on academia would have “reverberations across the UK”.

The letter, which also received the signature of Oxford Vice Chancellor Louise Richardson, disputes the government’s current stance on EU citizen rights as insufficient.

It states that “our EU colleagues are not reassured by the government. Some are worried, some are desperate, and some are already making plans to leave”.

The fear of uncertainty is the overriding theme of the letter, which also added that “others do not know, however longstanding their work and residence, whether their children will be able to remain in the UK”.

The plea on March 13th came before a key Commons vote on the House of Lords’ amendment to the Article 50 bill, following the government’s two defeats in the Lords.

The Lords objected to the government not guaranteeing EU citizen rights, and not promising Parliament the right to vote on whatever exit deal is reached with

the EU in the future.

The letter hopes to put pressure on a handful of Tory MPs contemplating backing the amendment. An unnamed proEU MP told The Times they were persuaded by Theresa May’s white paper that EU citizen rights were a key priority.

Manchester History lecturer Dr Christian Goeschel said that “the government’s refusal to guarantee the rights of EU citizens in Britain is very frustrating, mean-spirited and counter-productive”.

Sharing a common viewpoint to the Oxford academics, he said that “without the tens of thousands of highly qualified EU nationals, the British university system will undoubtedly decline”.

He condemned the British government’s “use of the EU citizens in the UK as bargaining chips”, and deplored “the forces of xenophobia, parochialism and isolationism” that are “dominating the political discourse” in the UK. An anonymous Manchester Politics student said: “It’s a great idea that Oxford is lobbying the government to protect the rights of EU citizens. The University of Manchester should also consider this approach as well.”

A fifth of UK academics are from the EU, whilst over 22,800 EU citizens are currently working in Russell Group universities. A University and College Union survey found that three-quarters of EU academics were “more likely to consider leaving” following the Brexit vote.

Photo: pamnami @Flickr

Rosa Simonet Deputy News Editor Earlier this week, The Guardian reported on a curfew placed on female students in Delhi during the celebration of Holi.

Holi, an iconic Hindu festival (also known as the ‘festival of colour’ or ‘festival of love’), is well known for the practice. The spraying of colours on crowds of people dressed in white has been taken up across the world.

The spring festival, however, was offlimits to two women’s dormitories at the University of Delhi.

A memo released by Delhi University International Student House for Women, cited by The Guardian and The Independent, stated: “Residents and female guests will not be allowed to leave or enter the premises from 9 PM on March 12 till 6 PM on March 13. No late night permission will be granted on March 12 and those desirous of playing Holi should go outside the residential block within the hostel premises.”

The statement claimed the restriction would be in “the interests of the residents”. Women celebrating have previously complained about the inappropriate touching and examples of sexual assault that are commonplace amidst the large crowds.

Sabika Abbas Naqvi, the president of Delhi’s student hostels union expressed to The Guardian: “The idea of consent

does not exist during Holi.” Nevertheless, Naqvi, as well as students across the region, spoke out against the removal of women from the public sphere. In a report by The Washington Post, political science graduate Utsa Sarmin said, “the city will become safe not by having fewer women in public spaces after dark, but by having more women. When will they get it?”

The curfew during the internationallycelebrated festival reached news across the world. However, curfews as early as 6.30pm have been placed on many female students across India for the last few years.

The curfews which prevent many young women from enhancing their student experience are claimed to be saving them from sexual assault. However, in an article by Prachi Dupta in Cosmopolitan, she says these curfews “perpetuates a ‘blame the victim’ mentality in a society where incidents of sexual assault are on the rise”.

Many have asked who the curfews really benefit, particularly, as reported by PRI, the curfews are “so strict that some wardens don’t even let women inside even if the women are a few minutes late... which arguably puts her at risk of being attacked.”

Student-led female empowerment groups Pinjra Tod and Break the Cage have vocalised their opposition to the discriminatory curfews, staging protests,

late-night marches and signature campaigns. These groups formed, as reported in PRI, after the “prominent Jamia Millia university here in New Delhi announced last month that it would no longer allow its women residents to stay out till 10pm twice a month anymore.”

These groups, alongside the Delhi Commission of Women, claimed the curfews were an example of gender discrimination present across universities in Delhi.

Alongside an open letter raising their concerns, the partnership launched an online petition and Facebook page in protest of the restrictions, reaching nearly 1,500 signatures.

So far, the campaigns have seen little success in changing the curfews, despite having now gained worldwide attention.

India’s minister for women sparked outrage on International Women’s Day after saying female students need curfews to protect them from their own “hormonal outbursts”.

As Agence France Presse reported, Manekha Gandhi said: “You can make it [the curfew] six, seven or eight, that depends on college to college but it really is for your own safety”.

In solidarity with women living in a rape culture, the University of Manchester, alongside many education institutions across the world, host the march and celebration Reclaim The Night.

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Science

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Smear test ‘not needed for lesbian women’?

LGBT+ groups have said that gay women are being told that they do not need mandatory cervical screenings

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Aliya Ismangil Senior Science & Technology Reporter

A survey of lesbian and transgender women in the North-West, carried out by the University of Salford, revealed that 37 per cent were told that they did not require a cervical screening due to their sexual orientation.

This is despite cervical cancer charities and research stating that all women eligible, regardless of sexual orientation should go for regular screenings. This misinformation has led to around half of eligible lesbian and bisexual women having never been screened.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust told the BBC: “As HPV can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact in the genital area, gay women are equally at risk of contracting HPV and experiencing abnormal cervical changes and, thus, should always attend when invited for cervical screening.”

LGBT charities have expressed that this is not the only problem that the LGBT community face in healthcare. 36 per cent of lesbi-

an and bisexual women say that their GP has assumed they were heterosexual, according to a survey.

A woman is eligible for cervical screenings when she reaches the age of 25, when a test should be done every 3 years until 65, and where tests are done every 5 years. The smear test checks for abnormal cells in the cervix. Most of the time these cells will not lead to cancer, but in some cases they will be removed to prevent them developing in this way.

At the moment, smear tests are only offered to women above the age of 25, as research shows that women under this age are more likely to have abnormal cells that are harmless and will return to normality on their own. However, stories of young deaths due to cervical cancers, such as that of 19-year-old Sophie Jones in 2014, have lead to petitions to lower the age that women are offered the test.

First year Psychology student Courtney Levy thinks the age women are eligible for cervical screening should be lowered, saying “maybe not recommending the test for young people, but if a woman has come into contact, either directly through a partner, or through someone who came into direct contact with HPV, then

Controversy:

animal testing This week, Senior Science & Technology Reporter, Serena Holloway, tackles the ongoing debate on animal testing in pharmaceutical development The use of animals in science can be traced back as far as the Ancient Greeks. Since then, huge advancements in science and medicine have been made — something that many scientists argue wouldn’t have been possible without animal testing. As a neuroscientist, I agree.

Despite this, the morality of animal testing has been debated since the 17th century, and in more recent years, animal rights groups have placed the practice under severe criticism, with convincing arguments. But if so many people are unhappy about it, why does scientific research continue to use animal testing on such a large-scale?

A significant amount of the knowledge we have today on the human body’s anatomy and functions can be traced back to animal research. It is a vital part of understanding what happens in a whole, living body. A lot of research can be conducted on cells grown in a laboratory, or on organ and tissue donations, and for most experiments, this is the case. However, certain areas of research are only truly successful when studying a complete, living organism. A prime example of one such organism is the giant squid, from which the basics of the human nervous system were learnt.

But why should humans use animals in this way simply to advance their scientific knowledge?

Well, the knowledge gained from animal research forms a vital foundation in understanding human disease. Many animals experience diseases also found in humans; dogs suffer with cancer, diabetes ,and cataracts; rabbits experience atherosclerosis (hardened arteries) and birth defects such as spina bifida.

In using these animals as models of human disease, researchers can explore potential treatments for these conditions. Animal research has enabled us to invent treatments for cancer, eradicate smallpox, and polio, and to produce antibiotics for infections and insulin for diabetics.

There is no doubt that animal testing has improved human medicine. Yet because of this, animal rights activists argue that animals are tested upon selfishly for human benefit, but animal testing does not just benefit humans alone. Animal research has helped produced vaccines for rabies, tetanus, parvo virus, and a multitude of other illnesses in cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals. It can be argued that animal research has improved the health of all living species.

Within pharmaceutical companies, animal testing is viewed as

the ‘gold standard’ when investigating the safety of potential new drugs in humans. Asthma, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, and angina are all currently treated by drugs that have successfully passed safety tests conducted in animals.

Paracetamol, the ‘go-to’ painkiller, for example, was tested on cats, dogs, hamsters, mice, pigs, primates, rabbits, rats, and zebrafish during its development.

But is this form of extensive testing necessary?

Activists argue there are many alternatives that can replace animal testing all together. For example, computer models are now being used to replicate aspects of the human body by conducting virtual experiments based on scientific data. The alternative use of stem cells has also increased — albeit with its own ethical issues — and innovative devices using human cells called ‘organs-onchips’ are now being used instead of animal organs.

Scientists are greatly encouraged to ‘replace’ animal testing with these alternatives wherever possible in their experiments, as part of a set of principles known as the Three R’s: Reduction (use the minimum number of animals), Refinement (reduce their suffering) and Replacement (use alternatives). In fact, British law dictates that animal testing should only be used if a suitable alternative does not exist.

In my opinion, total elimination of animal testing would halt both medical and scientific progress. The advancements made in these areas so far would not have been made without the use of animal research. As long as the Three R’s are continually and effectively employed by scientists worldwide, I believe that the morality of animal testing in science cannot be questioned, especially when producing so many benefits to all species.

Photo:s Pixabay

she should be able to request and receive cervical screening to rule out transmission.”

Jess Kirby, a senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, has said that lowering the age that the smear test is offered will cause more worry than needed. The increased likelihood of harmless but abnormal cells in younger women could result in unnecessary further treatment that can have severe side effects.

Instead, Cancer Research UK feel there are other ways the screening programme could be improved. Research has shown that testing HPV is more likely to prevent cervical cancer than current smear tests. Although HPV testing is now used as a secondary test, Cancer Research UK argue that using it as the initial test would be more beneficial.

The NHS and Cancer Research UK emphasise that, regardless of your age, if you experience any of these symptoms: abnormal bleeding, pain or abnormal discharge, you should talk to your doctor.

The LGBT society has been contacted for a statement but did not respond by our print deadline.

Become a master of memory within weeks A new memorising technique has revealed that we may all have the capability to become a ‘genius’ Katie Holmes Science & Technology Reporter

As students, every semester we meticulously memorise indefinitely long lists of essential vocabulary, only to forget it all within days of completing our exams. Unfortunately there seems to be no way of getting around this problem — until now.

The ‘method of loci’ is a strategy of improving memory, where we imagine ourselves walking a familiar route. By associating an item to be memorised with a specific location of that route, we can more easily recall the item in our memory. Scientists led by Dr Martin Dresler at Radbound University has shown that this method could allow us all to develop superior memories, in as little as six weeks.

Scientists recently conducted a study focusing on ‘memory athletes’. These are individuals that are seemingly gifted anomalies of nature, that are capable of feats such as memorising a sequence of 550 digits within five minutes. A group of memory athletes that currently place within the top 50 in the world for memory sport rankings were closely analysed in memory tests.

Supplementary neuroimaging technology known as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) provided an insight into the inner workings of their seemingly incredible minds. The same studies were repeated on control participants with no history of memory training. Dresler’s group compared performance in memory tests between the two groups and fMRI images of all brains at rest and in action.

Unsurprisingly, when challenged to memorise 72 words from a list, the athletes achieved an average of 70 words, whilst control participants reached an average of just 40. Imaging showed that these differences seemed to be related to differences in brain connectivity between the two groups.

Superior memory performance appears to correlate to increased brain connectivity between components of structures within the brain. After these initial findings a group of the control participants studied the ‘method of loci’ strategy over a period of six weeks, for just 30 minutes every day. The aim was to identify whether mnemonic strategies can enhance memory.

Staggering results indicated that after training, the control participants achieved roughly the same results in the memory test as the accomplished memory athletes. Furthermore, in a fourmonth follow up test the group had retained their superior memory skills. fMRI imaging demonstrated that increased brain connectivity was identified in the control participants, mirroring the results initially identified in memory athletes. These findings support evidence that memory athletes do not possess any unusual anatomical features in their brains that set them apart from the common individual. Their talent is actually a result of hours of training, with a key focus on mnemonic strategies, which result in increased brain connectivity.

Specifically focusing on the ‘method of loci’ therefore seems to be the answer to effortlessly, extensive memory. Naïve individuals as us could be capable of developing a superior memory using this strategy. With eight weeks until exam period begins, that leaves us with plenty of time to train…

Global 7

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

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

Stories by: Chloe Hatton and Macarena Martín Martínez

Iceland’s

Azure Window President would ban pineapple collapses into pizza the sea Iceland Malta Malta’s famous landmark, Azure Window rock arch, has collapsed into the sea after heavy storms. A study in 2013 said that while erosion was inevitable, the structure was not in imminent danger of collapsing.

The popular limestone arch on Gozo Island was featured on the first episode of the HBO series Game of Thrones and in several films, and it was also the place where all the tourists took photos and videos jumping off the arch into the sea, which actually favours the movement of rocks. The Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the news was “heartbreaking”

Iceland’s President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson let us know where he stands in the debate around pineapple on pizza.

After answering questions from students at a secondary school in North Iceland, one pupil brave enough to raise the pineapple issue, asked Johannesson what he thought about pineapple as a pizza ingredient. The president held nothing back expressing his hate for the topping. He also said if he had the power to pass laws, he’d ban it across the land. The social networks became crazy, so the president had to say it was only a joke in spite of his dislike for this pairing.

Pink tap water in Canada Canada A Canadian town office has apologised after a water treatment plant turned the water supply pink. There was no public health risk, but complaints were more about being kept in the dark; residents said they were annoyed they were not told why the water was fluorescent pink until the situation was over. The mayor said it was the unfortunate side-effect of a common water-treatment chemical, potassium permanganate. The chemical is commonly used to remove iron and hydrogen sulphide from water, and the town office said it got into the reservoir when a valve malfunctioned during “normal line flushing and filter backwashing”.

Meet the river with the legal status of a person New Zealand New Zealand’s Whanganui River has been granted the same legal rights as a person, after calls from the Maori people to protect it, after a century of trying to get their relationship with it acknowledged by the government. The settlement includes a financial restitution of $80 million. It is hoped that this money will be used to restore New Zealand’s longest navigable river to ‘its life-giving essence’, Marama Fox, a leader of the party, told CNN. This is thought to be one of the first times that such an action has taken place.

Six year old gives up birthday to help the homeless USA Armani Crews, a six-yearold girl from Chicago, decided to give up her own birthday party so that she could give the homeless the food that she would have had at her party. When warned that she wouldn’t get any presents, she responded by saying that that would be okay, as long as others could eat. Friends and family started to donate to make her wish come true, and the family prepared both food and care packages to help provide for the approximately one hundred and twenty five people queued up outside her door. The family now plan to make this food drive an annual tradition.

In Science this week...

New drug for breast cancer patients

UK A new drug, which is currently only given to very rare forms of breast cancer, could be used to treat one in five breast cancer patients. Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute found that around 8,000 more patients may actually respond positively to the drug, rather than the limited number that are receiving it at present. This is because thousands of more common forms for the cancer may be more biologically than previously thought. At present, the therapy is only available as part of clinical trials but will hopefully reach market in the future.

Gene therapy technique ‘cures’ boy of sickle cell anaemia France A teenage boy with the inheritable condition, sickle cell anaemia, has been successfully cured of his disease as a result of gene editing techniques. A French research team used bone marrow stem cells from the patient and edited genes so they would allow his faulty genes to perform correctly when the stem cells were put back into his body. The treatment has successfully cured the boy of this painful disease, which is very common and affects roughly 3.2 million people worldwide. This is the first time gene therapy has been used to help such a common disease, rather rarer genetic disorders.

A very charitable donation USA Five large bags of marijuana have been found at the bottom of a cooler donated to the charity Goodwill in Washington. Store employees happened across the stash one morning whilst sorting through donations and quickly called the police. It is legal to possess marijuana if you are over twenty one in Washington, but this stash was over sixty times the legal limit. The police have tried to trace it back to the original owner, but although many people have claimed it on social media, there has not yet been anybody that was willing to go to the station to claim it.

Loose moose causes mayhem

USA A moose has found a great source of amusement in galloping down a slope at Breckenridge ski resort in Colorado, much to the surprise of Cheri Luther and her friend Amy, who were snowboarding at the time. She kept snowboarding whilst it ran along beside her, and said in a Facebook post that she didn’t stop, scared that it was chasing her. A resort representative has said that nobody was hurt, and a wildlife expert has suggested that it was probably just trying to get away and that incidents like these are not uncommon.

Photo: wonderlandforever@Flickr

Louis Tomlinson arrested for ‘attacking paparazzi’ UK One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson has been arrested after getting caught in a fight with paparazzi as he arrived at Los Angeles International Airport with his girlfriend Eleanor Calder. The singer asked the paparazzi to stop filming him as he waited to collect his luggage, but the paparazzi did not, so the altercation began. Miss Calder was also involved in an argument with onlookers who began filming the incident. However, he was the only one taken to LA police station. He was ordered to pay $20,000 bail, but he was released without having to pay it.

Ship ploughs into ‘pristine’ coral reef Indonesia The captain of a cruise ship that crashed into a coral reef that was said to be in perfect condition could be facing criminal charges. The reef at Raja Amput destroyed almost 140,000 square feet of reef, and it is thought to be almost impossible to restore it to its former glory. Noble Caledonia, the company that ran the cruises, has issued an apology for the incident, and as promised to start a fund to help towards the repair of the reef, but as of yet has offered no explanation for the crash.

Statue of Liberty plunged into darkness

USA The Statue of Liberty’s lights were out the day before International Women’s Day. It is extremely strange for the lights to go down on the landmark; this is why some believed that the incident is linked to the Women’s march as if Lady Liberty was on strike too. Some of the campaigners therefore claimed the event as an anti-Trump protester, thanking her for “standing with the resistance”. But the National Parks Service has said the outage was simply due to construction work on a new emergency backup generator. This coincided with the Day Without Women, in which women planned mass strikes in their workplaces to demonstrate the positive impact they have on the economy and business around the world.

Science by: Megan Harvey

Intel buy out self-driving car company Worldwide Multi-national technology company Intel have bought Mobileye, a driving assistant software maker, for $15.3 billion, making it the biggest ever acquisition of an Israeli tech company.

Mobileye make artificially intelligent chips and cameras for cars and trucks, including the self-driving. The buy-out comes less than a year after a man was killed in a self-driving Tesla car, when it failed to recognise a truck parked in front of it, as well as more deaths in recent months.

Vitamin B protection from air pollution Worldwide A small-scale human trial suggests that B vitamins may offer some protection against the impacts of air pollution. B vitamins such as B12, B6 and folic acid can be found in a variety of meats and vegetables. Groups that took four weeks of vitamin B supplementation had a 28-76 per cent lower damage to their genes as a result of exposure to fine air pollutants. These initial results arrive at a time where air pollution is becoming an issue all around the world. With the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, issuing a “red alert” health warning for people living in London earlier this year.

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Feature

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Protesting: What’s the point?

Miranda Bunnis takes a look at at how far protest can go to affect change in today’s society

Photo: William Bunnis

“It’s just a selfie opportunity for some”

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n the last year, the world has seen a revolutionary outburst of demonstrations unleashed across the planet, as thousands have taken to the streets to march in solidarity for an abundance of causes taken from the frontpage news.

With the ‘power of the people’ culture in full swing world-wide, there have been marches ranging from Trump activists to triumphant independent women. One time protesters are coming out of their shell to march in a show of solidarity and whilst this is undoubtedly a positive show of strength, people are beginning to wonder whether any real progress is being made. What happens once the glittering façade of united people, signs and shouting come to an end?

Whether it be Snapchats of glammed up girl gangs dancing down the street in outlandish outfits, the social media campaigns of high-profile ‘it’ girls, from Suki Waterhouse or Vanessa Hudgens, promoting their efforts on-line, or circulated images of the South London clique holding up signs reading ‘pussy power’, you cannot help but wonder what real benefits these marches are producing. Is it that they merely serve, as many people believe, to satisfy a short-term pick-me-up by making individuals feel like they are contributing to the resolve of damaging societal issues?

Alternatively, there are those who attend in the hope that these changes will happen overnight.

Anyone who attends a march, against for example the Trump Muslim ban or gender inequality, and expects to see change as of the very next day, maybe doesn’t appreciate the otherwise effective ambitions that can be achieved.

Despite instances, such as the original women’s march on Versailles, which involved women taking direct and physical action to force the king to listen to the peoples’ demands, the women’s marches of today remain almost entirely symbolic.

Although there is real desire to gain the attention of high-powered people and force them to listen to our requirements, it is unlikely to take immediate effect at either 10 Downing Street or The White House. Instead, a public organised exhibition will have to do for now, in the hope of being heard by such figures of power from the other side of their protective walls.

There is currently a wide diversity of protests

happening around the U.K. In February, for example, masked animal rights activists at London Fashion Week played the sound of highpitched rabbit screams being skinned alive right down Regents Street. In another case, one of London’s most prestigious nightclubs Fabric has successfully been granted a new license, following the #saveourculture campaign that was plastered across social media platforms. Next up were the anti-Trump rallies uniting millions across the globe, as thousands flocked to protest the president’s imminent visit to London, and most recently the ‘Reclaim The Night’ march against sexual violence, which saw thousands take to the street across the U.K. But what happens after these protests?

“I worry about this often”, Sara Khan admitted, a part-time BME (black and minority ethnic) officer, a treasurer of the feminist collective and a BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) activist, who has witnessed and helped organise plenty of rallies and events within the societies. “It’s hard not to be concerned when you want so badly to make a difference, but ultimately I do believe that change will come, slowly but surely, even if I’m not around to see it. You have to believe that, and keep reaffirming that belief.”

However, for Lauren McCourt, one of the organisers with Manchester Student SUTR, (Stand Up to Racism) this does not seem to be such an issue. “We don’t worry about what happens next because there are so many of us that have been doing this for such a long time. We’re going to carry on organising meetings and demonstrating and campaigning out on the streets.” In fact, McCourt sees the new faces at the demonstrations as a positive. “These protests were overwhelmingly made up of people who had never been to a single demonstration before in their life, which has actually given us a lot of confidence.”

Khan spoke about the lack of people attending the events in comparison to the social media levels of interest and the one-time protesters. “Often, people don’t actually show up to these rallies and protest even though they say they will, leaving just a handful of dedicated activists. You often see the same faces at a lot of events, the new ones appear once and then you don’t see them again.”

The inflow of the selfie at marches is another feature that demonstrators have been embracing,

“Protests are about making noise” broadcasting images across social media channels to show their followers where they are and what they are doing. Khan spoke of individuals that attend the protests for the wrong reasons. “It’s just a selfie opportunity for some people, I’ve seen people take photos with placards and not even take part in the rest of the protest!” Khan believes that the reasons why one-time protesters attend marches, who have had no previous involvement with any politics varies: “A lot of people are cynical, or don’t have enough time possibly because of socio-economic pressures. It frustrates me, but I can understand it.”

“There will obviously be people at these demonstrations and in these organisations whose politics I disagree with in some way”, McCourt continued. “There will inevitably be people who disagree with my politics but what’s important is that we’re coming together to fight racism, especially in our current political climate.”

Despite all this, it is not just people going to protests for the Insta-worthy selfies that are going for the wrong reasons, and Khan believes for many it is not a malicious act and is in fact more unconscious. “A lot of people think that something is magically going to change after a protest, I think that’s the issue. They’re angry and they’ll express it this one time, but they aren’t willing to acknowledge that there needs to be a sustained proactive, not reactive approach to things.”

Ijeoma Oluo, a US writer and ‘internet yeller’ who has had her work on feminism and social injustice featured in The Guardian, posted an interesting interpretation on the promotion of peaceful protests for the Trump Muslim ban on her blog. As women promoted the non-violence of the marches, she questioned how they define violence? “Millions of white women can freely walk down the street without fear, high-fiving cops who wouldn’t hesitate to pepper spray black and brown faces begging for nothing less than their lives.”

Meanwhile, Khan spoke of how she has changed her own personal approach to more of an educational one, particularly focusing on representation and empowerment of marginalised people: “I find many people from marginalised backgrounds are already conscious of these things and that things don’t change overnight. Historically, the most oppressed folk are often the most vocal,

working class women, trans-people of colour and women of colour.”

Although there appears to be a negative perception about the wrong people with the wrong values attending these marches, Khan assured me that these aren’t the only people and it is not just about numbers. “The small numbers shouldn’t be too disheartening, it is generally done step-by-step, you attract one or two people at a time and build your movement gradually. Sometimes momentum does diminish, but usually the process is two steps forward and only one step back.”

There has been a backlash about protests being described as angry exhibitions of misdirection, with no successful achievement, but Khan disagrees. “Protests are about making noise, of course protests don’t achieve anything alone and there needs to be a coordinated, sustained effort to make a change.” The more people who understand the need for protesting and the reasons behind it, the more benefits will be achieved. “Petitions, discussions, personal lobbying all work together with protests”, not protests alone.

“Protests are a great way of getting people together and sending a message but we know that there is much more that needs to be done”, Lauren McCourt discussed. “I think most of us in these groups see protests as only the beginning.

They’re a great way of pulling new people into the movement.”

Without a focus and a clear target to be achieved, these high profile and heart-warming spectacles can become an ineffective feel good charade, benefiting only the participants by making them feel like they have somehow helped fix a complex issue overnight.

So it is those protests and societies with a sure goal of what they set out to do which have success in making a noise and getting noticed by slowly making change.

There may always be the self-absorbed individual who attends a march once, to get that ‘selfie’ and reach their targeted 100 likes, and we cannot ignore the colour and gender segregation that is still present in the marches, yet those at the core of protesting still have faith.

“Protests are still important”, Khan concluded “but people’s social consciousness needs to change if we want them to be proactive”.

Feature 9

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Interview: Andy Burnham MP After announcing his manifesto for Greater Manchester Mayor, Josh Jenkins and Alex Whitcomb sat down with the Labour candidate to ask how his administration will impact students and graduates in Manchester

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abour mayoral hopeful Andy Burnham has made various ambitious promises during his campaign to become Greater Manchester Mayor, in both the party’s selection process and the campaign proper.

In what is probably the most important UK election this year, much is at stake, including the first ever devolved Health powers to a city in this country.

The Burnham manifesto is light on promises explicitly aimed at university students — an understandable move at first glance, given that most students are not permanent residents and not registered to vote in Manchester — however his announcement speech contained a number of policies that will directly impact university students and graduates.

We took the opportunity to ask the bookies’ favourite for Metro mayor to explain how these will work.

The first is the graduate retention plan, a major part of housing policy — not specifically mentioned in the manifesto — but a promise from the speech that will be the most eye-catching for graduates.

“We want to retain more of the people in the city who study here. You know, we’re really lucky that so many people come from all over the UK to study in Manchester, indeed the world, and that brings a kind of talent and vibrancy to Manchester, but it’s been the case in the past that on graduation, some people may have tried to stay and then eventually drift away because maybe they can’t find the job that works for them.

“And the specifics that we will offer will be more access to rent-to-own housing, so give people a route to the housing ladder, or, even, start-up

“The first thing we’ve got to do is make sure there’s visible policing in communities like Fallowfield.”

space in places like this [the Sharp Project].

“So we’re really serious we need a graduate retention plan for the city, which would be good for us but good for you too.”

At this point, Josh — admitting that he himself did not vote in the 2015 election — asked what Burnham thought of alienation generally among young voters.

“Yeah it is [a shame] and I could see why you say that. You know, because I don’t think that political parties have been prioritising people in your age group, and I think its really damaging to the economy, but also to democracy and society if you adopt this kind of short-term approach where you just say ‘oh we’re just promising things to people who might vote for us’. You’ve got to do the right thing, if you do the right thing you should get the reward of doing the right thing.

“I’ve seen how the kind of cynical thinking that you get down there sometimes, and I’m not surprised why you felt as you did at that last election.”

Page nine of the manifesto contained a mention for the Reclaim the Night movement, which has a major presence in Manchester student activism.

We asked what would be built upon to improve student safety in Fallowfield.

“Well we specifically mentioned [Reclaim the Night] because it’s a brilliant initiative, and you know we wanted to congratulate everybody who’d been a part of it. The first thing we’ve got to do is make sure there’s visible policing in communities like Fallowfield. You know, I think the front line of policing has suffered under government cuts, we need to stop that, and make sure there are police officers still out visible in the community.”

Burnham also revealed his own personal connection with the area and its problems.

“More broadly, in that community, I know Fallowfield quite well because my brother was a student and lived in Furness road actually, when I was in my twenties and he was studying there.

And he got broken into on a regular basis, and indeed was held up at gunpoint once.”

Poor housing, also a major gripe of student life, was something the prospective mayor also highlighted as something that he will attempt to improve with the new powers.

“A simple message [for private landlords]: respect people here, or get out of Greater Manchester. That is going to be a pretty simple message, and we’re going to bring in a voluntary

Photo : Matt Wynne

“A simple message for landlords: respect people here, or get out of Greater Manchester.” regulation scheme where we ask the good landlords to sign up to the standards we expect, and those that don’t will make themselves very obvious to us, and we will go after and try and compulsory purchase those who won’t play by the rules.”

We decided that the final question of the last of many interviews for the Leigh MP would be the question that Matt — our camera operator and a born-and-bred Warrington fan — was dying to ask.

What was his prediction in the upcoming Leigh vs Warrington Super League match?

“Well it comes at an interesting time. I’m going to wind him [Matt] up, the camera’s going to start shaking with anger in a minute here! So we’re the new kids on the Super League block, [Warrington] are the power in the land, but, you know, Leigh are in better form actually going into the game. So I think you could see a pretty major upset. We’ve beaten St. Helens already, so we’re coming after the blue and yellows there tomorrow night!”

In the end it was the Leigh MP who will be the happier, as his team beat the Wire 22 points to 8. If his campaign goes nearly as well as the Centurions’ start to the season, then expectations will be high for his administration’s efforts to improve Manchester for its students and graduates.

Photo: Pete Birkinshaw @Flickr

Opinion

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Have an opinion?

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

A new traditionalism in political debate Tristan Parsons Head Opinion Editor Student Union elections, Reclaim the Night, BDS. It is a challenge to escape politics on a student campus. That is, it is hard to escape politics as we know it.

Outrage at problems of the world and a desire to change them is part and parcel of the development of the adolescent mind.

But how should we apply our efforts?

In the face of what some have supposed to be the beginnings of a new totalitarianism, many have escalated their efforts in calling all to arms, with particular regards to Donald Trump’s electoral success. In doing so, and in support for such actions, they have created grand, romantic images of unity, solidarity, and all the rest.

External, mass protest is not a necessity of that youthful revolutionary spirit. Whilst throughout history these powerful shows of public resistance have achieved immense progress, we might argue that taking part in one makes the least sense of all the possible avenues for politics. For many people, attending an anti-Donald Trump rally will have been their first political action. Of all the scales of politics, why pick the very top, where the web of complexities is the widest?

There is a certain comfort to be found in mass-protest. There is no necessity to articulate individual motives, there are usually pre-arranged speakers to attempt to fill the voids of thought, and then there is the easilymemorable headline facts and quotes that drew in the crowds in the first place.

For all the significance of these major political debates, how many of us can truly articulate ourselves? How many times will we hear “he’s sexist” or “she’s a racist”, “he’s transphobic” or any other platitude as a reason for not engaging in debate? This University’s Safe Space policy is peaceful compared to the language censorship, no-platforming, and violent protest seen on U.S. campuses in the name of keeping those whom you disagree with at a suitable distance.

When we approach the world and the political debate that engaging with it entails, we ought to start with what we (think we) know best: ourselves. That rage of the adolescent brain should be channelled from the picket line to the page, where, rather than chant in unison, one can better understand one’s past, present, and future.

This is an excerpt. To read Tristan’s full article, head to www.mancunion.com

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Newfound popularity for President Bush America needs a real opposition to Donald Trump, not the plastic exterior of President George W. Bush’s resurgence in popularity, argues Opinion Writer Jack Greeney

The popularity of former US President George W. Bush appears to be recovering.

After publishing a book of his paintings of military veterans, which quickly became a bestseller, Bush appeared as a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in early March.

The president and host DeGeneres discussed incredibly lighthearted and jovial topics: Bush’s amusing, photographed struggles to put on a rain poncho; his widely reported friendship with former First Lady Michelle Obama; and even wider popular culture, featuring a demonstration of the ‘dabbing’ dance move.

The TV appearance ignited online discussion about Bush like wildfire, with many drawing contrasts between this new fresh and friendly elder statesmanlike figure to the outwardly fierce and ruthlessly contrary current US President Donald Trump. “Dear George W. Bush, Please come back”, wrote one Twitter user. Others appear to agree.

“Bush may be responsible for the deaths of a million Iraqis, but at least he wore a tie, was polite, and respected his office” Upon closer inspection this contrast does not appear to be so clear. Liberals who would support a Bush presidency but disparage Trump most likely come from a very particular and rather unconscious standpoint on politics: that is, politics not as a means of improving people’s lives, but as a venue to signal one’s own social and moral superiority.

This standpoint values the image of political respect, civility and good nature, however shallow, above almost all else — including policy and actions. Bush and Trump vary greatly in presidential

rhetoric: Bush spoke out against Islamophobia at a speech in a Mosque after 9/11, while Trump brashly demonises Muslims worldwide as possible terrorist threats to America. However, in presidential actions, the two presidents show a largely similar treatment of these same people: from Bush and his murderous Iraq War, and from Trump and his discriminatory travel bans.

At this point, the American centrist position on the matter appears to be that: yes, Bush may be responsible for the deaths of a million Iraqis, but at least he usually wore a tie, was polite, and respected the solemnity of the office that allowed him to do so. In reality, however, there is no value to this hollow projection of respect for the office of the US presidency if its power is utilised in such a fashion which seriously harms millions upon millions of people.

What is more, as much as it caters to news reports and a positive public impression, there is no worth to be found in this outward guise of honest service, decorum, and good nature, if the actions of this very same person are completely the opposite: warmongering, oil-thirsty, and murderous.

In what nightmare of a future must we reside in today if President Bush is now a beloved public figure? He is the man who, along with Tony Blair, manipulated media to draw public support for the Iraq War, paving the way for the post-truth politics of Brexit and Trump himself. He is the man who used 9/11 as a mandate to deport millions of people from America’s borders in order to rally a country behind an anti-immigrant Republican Party. He is the man who pretended to search for WMDs in the Oval Office as a gag for the Correspondent’s Dinner. To come to the conclusion that Bush was in any way a more

Photo: Dhwani1989 @ Flickr

morally sound and respectable president than Trump is currently, one must ignore a mountain of corpses Bush left behind.

Bush brutalised the very same people Trump is brutalising today. The civil war he created still kills hundreds on a weekly basis. He may smile and laugh on TV with celebrities, he may appear friendly and warm-hearted, but judge him by his actions and not his projected personality and one will arrive at an entirely different conclusion.

“Trump is continuing Bush’s legacy with his Islamophobic actions, he’s just more open and outspoken.”

Trump is continuing Bush’s legacy with his Islamophobic actions against Muslims today, it only appears differently because of how open and outspoken he is on the issue. Trump may be the first president to shout about it himself, but as the victims of decades of US foreign policy will tell you, this treatment of Muslims is no radical change. It is merely another rung upwards.

In order to truly resist the Trump presidency today, liberals must judge politi-

cians not on their words but their actions.

Value judgements based on surface image and rhetoric will only lead to further collusion with those such as Bush who lay out dangerous frameworks for future presidents like Trump to take advantage of.

This is a particularly difficult task to accomplish in a two-party state, where the only truly viable party other than Republicans are the Democrats: who have in recent decades favoured the ‘third way’ positions Clintons and Obama.

The rightwards shift of the Democrats to the centre not only allows Republicans to move even further rightwards themselves, but also no longer wins Democrats elections: as demonstrated well by Hillary Clinton last year. Instead, a real opposition is needed.

Support for left wing policies of tolerance and acceptance continues to grow in America today as the ideological dichotomy widens, leaving fewer and fewer in the middle ground. These people need to be engaged and represented.

There can be no real bipartisan effort to oppose Trump. For any kind of success to come about as a result of the end of the Trump administration, whether in eight years, four years or sooner, Bush and people of his kind must be shunned, rejected, and opposed as vehemently as Trump himself.

A culture of objectification, not rape

We must be more accurate about the threats that women face if we are to tackle misogynistic behaviour, argues Opinion Writer Francis Edge In a recent article, Catherine argues that the 2014 United States Department of Justice study — which reveals that, on average, one in 164 college women aged 18-24 reported experiencing rape or sexual assault between 1995 and 2013 — does not cast substantial doubt on the view that we live in a rape culture.

Unfortunately, when challenged on their assertion that we live in a rape culture, many of today’s feminists reply that their challengers base their arguments on “misunderstandings” with regards to, firstly, consent, and secondly, rape culture.

Firstly, on the notion of consent. My definition on the nature of consent is synonymous to the definition provided by the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Centre which states that “consent is when someone agrees, gives permission, or says “yes” to sexual activity with other persons. Consent is always freely given and all people in a sexual situation must feel that they are able to say “yes” or “no” or stop the sexual activity at any point”. Therefore, if someone’s removal of consent is ignored or they have been incapable of giving consent — through black out intoxication for example — then this is rape. This is something that both Snow and I echo.

However, though the following argument is not explicitly found in Snow’s article, there is room for disagreement when consent is taken away after the sexual act. I struggle to find how the word consent can apply to the past unless one uses the past tense: consented. Therefore, if you consented to something, does the removal of consent later outweigh the fact

that one had previously consented to an act in the past?

Furthermore, the Mary Koss study I referenced in my previous article showed that 40 per cent of women who said they were raped consented to sexual intercourse with their rapist at another time. Both Catherine and I agree that a woman’s choice to have sex with her rapist is a consented act. However, the willingness to have sexual intercourse with someone who has previously violated them is questionable.

The second alleged “misunderstanding” is that of what constitutes rape culture.

The word rape is quite brutally clear, whereas culture is a far softer term: the attitudes and behaviour characteristics of a particular social group. Therefore, a ‘rape culture’ must be a culture in which non-consented sexual penetration is a prevailing attitude and behavioural characteristic of this particular social group.

“‘Slut shaming’ of women is not evidence of rape culture, rather, a culture of sexual objectification.”

The definition of rape culture that Snow abides by is used to argue that rape culture is “embodied every time someone shouts a lewd remark to a woman walking down the street,” and, amongst other

Photo: Elise Gallagher

things, exemplified by “memes bearing the slogan “it’s not rape if…”.”

Arguing that rape being the subject of jokes is evidence for a culture of rape is logically equivalent to arguing if someone jokes about how they could murder someone does that mean we live in a murder culture?

Furthermore, to debunk another example cited by Snow, idiotic misogynistic males shouting at women on the street and “slut shaming” of women is not evidence of a culture that normalises rape but, rather, a culture of sexual objectification. Sex is not only a fascinating subject but everyone is a sexual object to someone. The behaviour of some men on the street and in the home is disgraceful, but this behaviour is an example of our culture of sexual objectification.

It is clear that a disclaimer is necessary.

This is not a dismissal that rape occurs and this is not a condoning of the disgraceful behaviour of which that Snow and many other women have been victims. It is not accurate to say that this disgusting side of our sexual objectifying culture is evidence of a culture that sees rape as permissible and in an epidemic.

Thus, I agree with Catherine that there “is an insidious thread securely woven into

the fabric of our society”, but this thread takes the form of a culture of sexual objectification, not rape.

Of course, Catherine’s story of being sexually approached by two men by which — I am disgraced as a man as well as a 21st Century western adult — is an anecdotal and severely regrettable example of a culture of sexual objectification, not rape.

Therefore, I was not denying the existence of misogynistic attitudes that stem from this cultural objectification, and I agree with Catherine that there is a need to tackle this for change. I am no more “peddling a misogynistic agenda” as Catherine Snow is peddling anti-male agenda. Both claims are equally as absurd.

What I often find in these arguments is that we agree on a surprising number of issues and work towards the same goals, but words do matter here.

In order to seriously fight rape and the misogynistic elements of our culture of objectivity, we must make an honest outline of what actually is rape and what is not. This is a distinction that, once made, will be our greatest weapon in fighting rape on our streets and in our homes. A fight that both myself, Snow and all good willing civilians are devoted to.

Opinion 11

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Eliza Slawther Head Film Editor

This article is sponsored by...

Why write what you really think when you can be paid to write what you are told to?

“Our journalists, whose business is to fib” — from A Castaway, Augusta Davies Webster, 1870 It is a stereotype that is evidentially over a hundred years old. Journalists are notorious for being the exact opposite of what they are meant to be. If the news is truth, then why are those who report it continually brandished as slanderous liars?

Well, we aren’t helping ourselves. Political journalism is one thing — in politics, everyone has their own agenda and opinion, and everyone will interpret facts as they please. Although to the general public, some journalists may come across as utterly repugnant people (and some of them probably are), having opinions doesn’t really equate to lying.

What I find to be a very modern, recent problem in journalism is ‘sponsored’ journalism. It is essentially a new form of marketing, where an individual is paid by a company to promote their product or service while making it seem like they are actually just writing an investigative or informative piece.

“Journalists and student media come across as unreliable and sketchy.”

My problem is not necessarily with advertising — I think that companies have every right to advertise their product — it is with the pretence that all views and opinions belong to the writer, when actually the writer is just being paid to use their position in the media to market various items and services. Imagine if film and music critics stopped giving honest reviews, and instead gave the highest ratings to the production companies and artists

who paid them the most. It would render true opinion completely invalid.

On multiple occasions, I’ve received emails from companies who offer money for the publication to publish their articles — always described as “professional, high-quality content” — in reality just promoting their own website or product.

They use words such as “collaborate”, “well-paid” and “exciting opportunity”, as though they can’t even admit to the editors of the paper that they are actually just looking for cheaper and better alternatives to advertising. If their writing is so “high-quality”, then why pay for it to appear in a student paper? Not only this, but the marketing companies are extremely pushy, often emailing several times following up on their offers. I can see how tempting it would be to earn some quick cash by publishing their sponsored pieces, but it is a case of journalistic integrity and quality. Attending free events or receiving samples or products in return for an honest opinion is one thing, but being outright paid to publicise them is another.

There has also been a noticeable increase in this type of ‘journalism’ on a particular online studentbased publication. The format of the article is usually as follows; a catchy, click-bait headline which promises some form of experience-based piece — usually seemingly unrelated to the product — which then leads onto constant references to said product, shrouded in (unconvincing) rhetoric which suggests that the product is actually great.

Sometimes these articles have only a short, vague description, promise or question (e.g. that they’ll find out what job would best suit you after graduating) followed by a link to a completely different website that is usually only vaguely linked to the original article title.

It is frustrating at best, and makes journalists and student media come across as unreliable and sketchy. The advertising is not even that well-

Photo: beis1 @ Flickr

“Next time I see a How-To article about hosting a party, it would be nice if it was not just sponsored by a music production brand.” hidden; if you are going to shamelessly promote Deliveroo in your method-journalism piece about an unrelated experience, at least make sure that you actually talk about stuff other than ordering from Deliveroo.

This being said, advertising and the press do go hand in hand. Especially in the modern world, where people are far less willing to pay for a newspaper or magazine when they can access it free online, it is more difficult than ever to make a living through writing for or running a media outlet. Ads are completely necessary, but it is dangerous for them to become entwined and indistinguishable from the written content of the publication.

If a clothing brand wishes to advertise in the

form of their own advert and pay for that space in the paper or online, that is fine. The fashion writers still have their own agency and opinions, their own choice and — presumably — the desire to communicate their true feelings with the reader.

If the two are merged, then the reader has essentially gained nothing from the experience except being lied to. If anything it is lazy on the journalists’ part, and they may as well pack up and move into a career in marketing instead.

Perhaps it is my own fault for falling for the click-bait and for actually reading the car-crash television equivalents of the article world, but next time I see a How-To article about hosting a party, it would be nice if it was not just sponsored by a music production brand.

It would be nice to read something actually informative, or funny, and not just a “sponsored

by Spotify”. It is not that I think the brands being advertised are bad or that their services are not good, it is just too fine a line to tread.

If journalists want to stop being known as fibbers, then we need to stop accepting money in return for opinions which are not our own.

Student elections and ongoing contradictions

Opinion Writer Elliott Mills illustrates how continued low voter turnout in Students’ Union elections is widening the gap between students and those representing them

amanda wood @Flickr

I planned to write an article where you think it’s about one thing, but it turns out to be satirising something else. It was going to start off being about how it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find Haribo Super Mix in the shops these days, and then be about something else, because obviously I’m not that bothered about the first issue. I don’t even eat Haribo Super Mix. Unfortunately, I could not think about what the initial Haribo issue would end up satirising. So it would have just been about Haribo.

“Nothing seems to change. This is why I didn’t vote and why only 16 per cent of students did.”

I am going to write instead about the student elections, but the problem of the unsolved Haribo article has not left my mind. On the contrary, I find that part of me is still fixating on it. The point is that I don’t care about Super Mix at all, yet, this has already become an origin from which proceeds my obsession on the unsolvable nature of an

increasingly confusing issue.

The obsession heightened such that, although it is still true to say that I essentially do not care about Haribo, it must be said that I simultaneously care about it a great deal. These two positions are antagonistic and damaging, but nevertheless exist together. An unhappy state of play this contradictory double-bind has turned out to be.

Well anyway, you probably have noticed that the student executive elections have once again come and gone. Signs were hanging up everywhere you turned. Walk to a lecture and someone would stop you to talk about improving students’ experiences of education. Go to the toilet and, from a poster on the cubicle door, urgently benevolent eyes would stare into yours. Whilst you are attending to the most basic welfare concern, the half-smiling face of the potential student representative tells you how they understand your concerns and care about your welfare. If they really did, you think, then they wouldn’t be trying to score political points when you are at your most defenceless.

All of this seems superfluous, each year nothing seems to change. This is why I didn’t vote and why only 16 per cent of students did. So, are the student executives who were elected really representing the student body? At this stage, I don’t much care;

nothing ever changes so it doesn’t really matter.

It seems as though young, predominantly middle class people with a good liberal education, many of whom are from London and the South East of England, are feeling politically disenfranchised.

The representatives don’t seem to care about us, or, rather, it seems there is a cycle of mutually informing lack of care between the two parties.

The politically disenfranchised have more important things to contend with, like working out why on earth everyone voted wrong, leading to Brexit and Trump. The matter of student elections therefore takes a back seat. Yet I feel the need to go on, for something about it rankles, something unknown or undecidable.

It has been a long time coming and, having arrived at this point of rupture, we should be able to understand that all of the signs were there. The repetitious nature of identical campaigns failing to engage potential voters could only lead to a separation between the students and those who represent them.

Given this rupture between those who influence decisions and the people that these decisions may affect, you have to think about why it is that these executives are allowed control. Yes, sure, I initially made the point that nothing ever changes, but, on the other hand, what about all those obtrusive changes? I don’t even read the Daily Star, but I am angry that the Student Union Senate banned the paper from the campus. Could the representatives not have done better to direct this decision in the Union and represent my opinion? Yes, sure, I initially made the point that they don’t represent me because I didn’t vote, but I still think they ought to.

So, to recap: there are some elections that are not going to change anything. So no one ever votes.

The student representatives then don’t seem to represent the students. This creates a rupture between the political body and the disengaged majority. We then end up not caring and imagine that they too must not care because of the gulf between us. We then wonder how it is that university life is run without the will of the people.

“We then wonder how it is that university life is run without the will of the people.”

From this, we begin to care a little. As I said, we begin to think about the unfairness of the operation.

More than just think about it, though, we think about it angrily. We fixate, even. The increasingly difficult, unsolved issues surrounding this unfair process proliferates. Some might contend that, with violent and severe change, the whole system needs a shake-up.

Does this mean that we should lash out against the system in all situations like this? I cannot confirm nor deny. Does one’s indignation at the state of play validate bursting the ball so that there is no more play of which there might even be a state? Possibly, possibly not. Perhaps submitting this complex interplay to a yes or no framework does not do the matter justice.

But what a damaging, unhappy and confusing state it is that we now find ourselves ineluctably within.

Music

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Album Album

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Feature

Released 17th March via Mr. 305 inc.

Pitbull: Climate Change Climate Change leaves Ben Lomax wishing it really was just a hoax made up by the Chinese

Ben Lomax Contributor It’s perhaps unsurprising that the so-called “Mr Worldwide” would take such a keen interest in the state of the planet, and believe it or not this isn’t his first foray into terrestrial climate science. His seventh studio album, released back in 2012, was titled Global Warming, reportedly because like the phenomenon, he’s “been around a while but all of a sudden people are starting to pay attention”.

This time around, Pitbull says it’s because “I feel like every time we put out an album we change the climate in the music business”, though I’d also propose that, much like actual climate change, it’s a man-made disaster.

Pitbull is a man of many suits and few ties: a businessman first, entertainer second and musician somewhere further along the line. He’s back, now on his tenth studio album and still a true master of the arts of rhyming a word with itself and taking an entire verse to say nothing at all.

There’s little point making note of how the album opens as it really is just a collection of songs with seemingly no rhyme or reason to its ordering. Second track ‘Bad Man’ features overall bad person Robin Thicke, and honestly the less said about this song the better, save for the fact I very genuinely never want to have to hear it again.

‘Greenlight’, surprisingly, is a show-stealer and is “yours truly, Mr. WW” at his best, it’s actually a pretty slick, fun piece of club pop complete with squealing saxophones and a dangerously funky bassline. LunchMoney Lewis and Flo Rida give solidly entertaining performances, it’s well produced, and in a world that now possesses a Chainsmokers-Coldplay collaboration it’s far from the worst thing out there. To be honest though, it’s mostly downhill from here on.

Songs like ‘Freedom’ are exactly the kind of messes Pitbull has built up a reputation for, inane verses over big beats, sandwiched between a butchered version of the hook from an existing song. This time it’s the turn of the Rolling Stones’ ‘I’m Free’ to be picked out by farmer Pit, taken out back and shot in the head. While, in fairness, ‘We Are Strong’

2.5/10 Thicke and producer Dr. Luke. It does however include an appearance from Leona Lewis, who in doing so plays an absolute blinder in the competition between former X-factor contestants to reach career low-points.

“While I never expected much insightful introspection from the man who holds the record for the most songs appearing in the Fast and Furious franchise, the truth is this album is just unbearable”

Photo: album artwork

pulls off this same formula considerably better in the form of a thumping 80s revival club banger, ‘Freedom’ is a nice reminder of the kind of audio atrocity he’s capable of.

If Akon was once “trying to find the words to describe this girl without being disrespectful”, on ‘Educate Ya’ Pitbull clearly makes no such attempt.

In what one only assume is a thought-provoking take on linguistic barriers in America, Pit claims to be fluent in both English and Spanish in ‘Messin’ Around’ but spends the entirety of the album

seeming trying to disprove the former. Along with ‘Options’ this song is also notable for taking an astonishing eight people to write, further implying that eight separate people thought either of these were acceptable creations to release upon the world.

The track listing notably lacks a feature from frequent collaborator Chris Brown, with the album’s apparent quota for guests with more-than-questionable histories regarding how they treat women instead filled by R. Kelly, the aforementioned

The album closes with ‘Can’t Have’, a forgettable but surprisingly listenable affair considering what’s come before it, and despite our man Pit’s best attempts (especially at the 1:01 mark) he fails to murder it. It’s one of the handful of songs that couldn’t have been written before 2010 and herein lies the most glaring problem with Climate Change: half of it plays like a Now That’s What I Call Music compilation from a particularly dry month in 2007. Times have changed: Justin Bieber is releasing actual bangers and Katy Perry’s taking on the big issues with her new brand of ‘purposeful pop’, leaving poor Pit in their dust.

Call me a cynic, but while I never expected much in the way of challenging social critique or insightful introspection from the man who holds the record for the most songs appearing in the Fast and Furious franchise, the inconvenient truth is that too much of this album is just unbearable. It’s fair enough that some music’s best listened to loud and under the influence, but there’s little point if you need to be catatonic to enjoy it.

Album Album

Real Estate: In Mind

Released 17th March via Domino Records

Finetuning their sound, Real Estate have delivered a poignant and succinct album that expertly blends sunny guitars with contemplative lyricism

Jack Ashworth Contributor It’s been three years since New Jersey natives Real Estate released their critically acclaimed third album Atlas — an ode to the anxieties of modern living, nostalgic sentimentality and a wistful yearning to belong that endeared them to audiences as one of the most refreshing voices in contemporary indie music .

Fast forward to 2017 and the five-piece ensemble are back with their latest offering of deliciously melodic dream-pop, In Mind. Sonically, the album is very much in keeping with the woozy reverie of its predecessor, with frontman Martin Courtney’s vocals maintaining the same clarity and pathos that has become an instantly recognisable facet of their work. Paired with their characteristic simple melodies and chiming guitars, audiences unfamiliar with the band’s work could be forgiven for seeing this new collection of songs as the logical successor of its forerunner.

Lyrically, the content of the album strays — albeit minimally — from Atlas. Recalling the dusky hue of

8/10 twilight, songs like ‘After the Moon’ have a heightened poignancy, recalling the kind of retrospectivity that only comes with the ascent of night-time.

This is evident on lead single ‘Darling’ where the singer bemoans the absence of a loved one - ‘The night surrenders swiftly/ The moon retreats from site/ The darkness that surrounds me/ The sun cuts like a knife’.

On ‘Stained Glass’, the second promotional single to be released in the run up to In Mind’s wider release, Courtney muses ‘The nights are longer now/ And the days are slowing down/ Looking up at stained glass sky/ And the only color is white’ using the night sky to metaphorize feelings of isolation and introspectivity.

Central to the lyrical content of In Mind — much in keeping with Real Estate’s earlier catalogue — is the duality and oscillation of the concepts of time and space, vocalising that oh-too-familiar feeling of how time can create a dissonance between people and place, and erode feelings of ‘home’ and belonging

— evident on ‘Stained Glass’ when the band contemplates ‘there’s no place I would rather be right now/ I’d love never to leave but I just don’t know how’.

‘There will always be a trace/ of this place in me’ Courtney laments on ‘Same Sun’, although the ‘place’ being sung about has irrevocably changed, causing our narrator to question the parameters of time itself when he sings — ‘When does one thing end/ And the next begin?’.

Sentimental, nostalgic and heart-wrenching, In Mind is a clear and concise development of a formula that has stood Real Estate in good stead and will surely have the same emotional effectiveness as their earlier work. Whilst not offering anything radically different to what has gone before it, the ablum remains a refreshing and engaging addition to contempary indie music that is impossible to ignore.

Bridging the divide between place and time, the album is sure to resonate with audiences who feel a loss when confronted with the contradictions of

Photo: album artwork

belonging to a place, when that place can sometimes change beyond our recognition in the blink of an eye. Beautiful in its nuance and succinctness, In Mind is an excellent piece of craftmanship that, regardless of the erosive nature of temporality, will pack a metaphorical punch for years to come.

Music13

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Live 24th April at Albert Hall

Live: Laura Marling

The Albert Hall witnesses a heart-breakingly soulful performance from folk darling Laura Marling, as she proudly shows off material from her new album Semper Femina Rebekah Shaw Contributor Just two short days after the release of her new album Semper Femina, Laura Marling steps on a stage littered in greenery and floral arrangements in Manchester’s Albert Hall. Eagerly anticipated, this show quickly sold out, and it is clear to see the passion held for Marling’s music new and old from both the audience and the artist. Marling’s musical style has certainly varied over her career, as her set boasts the clear influence of genres ranging from folk and americana to rock and soul.

Marling spends the first half of her performance methodically working through Semper Femina probably a good idea seeing as most of the audience would not have even heard it in full many times beforehand.

The singer herself stumbled over new track ‘Always This Way’, giggling along with the band but encouraged to continue by audience support.

First single ‘Soothing’ is even bigger and better live, boasting rich harmonies, whilst ‘Wild Fire’ is moulded into a more soulful, guitar-rich version of its recording, omitting the sin-

8.5/10 gle’s signature snapping drum.

‘Nothing Not Nearly’ particularly stands out with growling electric guitar, and Marling’s accompanying snarl cements the bitter irony that “nothing matters more than love”.

Whilst 2015’s Short Movie doesn’t get much of a look-in, Marling opts for material from her older works A Creature I Don’t Know and I Speak Because I Can, proving popular choices, particularly in the case of ‘Sophia’ from the former album. A slow and methodical ballad to begin with, the song builds up into a country-esque hoedown that soon has the audience whistling and dancing along.

For the most part, the set is supported by a full five-piece band, adding exciting depth to songs that could have been stripped back, such as ‘Don’t Pass Me By’. The heavier drums may have not fit as well as the sputtering recorded version on Semper Femina, but they certainly intensified the song. Marling and her band have clearly bonded over the short space of rehearsal and the tour so far, as she intro-

duces each of them with a fond smile, challenging them to come up with a “fact of the day” whilst on tour.

Marling introduces a solo acoustic section with a mischievous “it’s just you and me now”, and proceeds to wow an already enamoured audience with her stunning vocal performances. Old favourite ‘Made By Maid’ and newer ‘Nouel’ are gentle songs, backed only by Marling’s deftly picked guitar and the hush of the audience.

Marling does not end her shows with an encore, as most other bands in large venues do, and instead deliberately dedicates her final song ‘Rambling Man’ — a song never off her setlist — as what she would use as an encore song. Honestly, this feels refreshing for a cynical someone (myself) who gets quite tired of the saga of a band walking off and on stage just to get an ego boost. The audience also appear respectful of this decision, as Marling has clearly given her all in this soulful set, and demonstrated that she’s not yet ready to put down the guitar.

Photo: Marco Zielske @flickr

Holi is the Hindu festival of colours and is celebrated around the world from India to Platt Fields Park. Signifying the triumph of good over evil and the return of spring, Holi can be honoured by giving thanks for the harvest, by meeting with friends, mending broken relationships, and throwing paint at each other. In honour of the festival of colours, here are your top 5 rainbow records!

Charlotte Ridout Contributor 5. ‘Violet Hill’ – Coldplay Violet Hill was Coldplay’s first attempt at writing a protest song. Chris Martin said that the lines “carnival of idiots” and “a fox became God” alluded to Fox News. I’m sure that if ‘Violet Hill’ were released in 2017, a certain president would have a lot to tweet about on the matter.

Photo: Paul Hudson @flickr

Album

The Shins: Heartworms

Released 10th March via Columbia

The Shins’ latest record is a welcome return for their dearest fans, but others will find another record to add to the backend of a summer Spotify playlist Christian Hurry Contributor “This is fun.” That’s what I thought when first listening to The Shins’ latest record.

A quick browse of the internet will probably tell you the same. But, what does fun mean in the context of music? After some thought I realised that what fun means here is busy production, catchy melodies and a cool, steady rhythm. Heartworms will be an endearing return for The Shins’ biggest fans but a forgettable, if pleasant, one for the more casual listener.

The album starts strong with lead single ‘Name For You’, a summery song with a bouncing bassline. Band leader (and effectively the only member) James Mercer can no doubt write a decent and catchy song. This is confirmed by the next two tracks, ‘Painting a Hole’ and ‘Cherry Hearts’.

The latter could easily have been taken from Animal Collective’s last record, with an uncomplicated and easily-enjoyable song structure that they often lack. Flowing into one another, the album starts with a good pace and mixture of sounds.

4. ‘How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful’ – Florence and the Machine The eponymous track from the long awaited third studio album from Florence Welch is by no means my favourite, but it’s difficult to not appreciate the lush orchestral arrangement that surges and recedes like waves in the ocean. However, it was not the blue of the sea that inspired Welch, but the blue of the endless Californian sky.

3. ‘Green Garden’ – Laura Mvula If ever a song could be described as “floral”, this is it. Laura Mvula puts her beautiful, understated vocals to a track that sounds like a summer’s day in the park as she urges you to take off your shoes and walk on the green velvet.

6/10 However, after these songs, the production seems to dampen the album’s initially-bright mood. It’s unusual for me to fault an album on its use of dense instrumentation, but there are right and wrong ways to use it. Reverb added to most tracks turns dense instrumentation into a muddy, lifeless distraction. It’s disappointing, as there are some really nice guitar phrases and interesting synth pads, but it’s all lost into a pool of echo and reverb. A fun album is much less fun when you have to work to listen to it.

All this is countered by measured guitar, bass, drums and song writing. James Mercer’s voice rises above the muddied production on every song: an impressive, bittersweet tenor, it’s his sharp delivery that really makes you follow the album start to finish. Beach Boy-style multitracked harmonies complement choruses, and drums emphasise certain lyrics like punctuation.

The lyrics are also worth emphasising.

Top 5: Colourful songs for Holi

Photo: album artwork

Though in 44 minutes Mercer doesn’t unpack anything too deep, he does have a knack for succinctly describing a detailed scene. Simple phrases with the right delivery, “I just can’t get her out my bed”, really give something for the listener to sing along to.

The album is at its best when settling to deliver formulaic pop-rock. The guitars are good. The bass is good. The drums are good. Listening to ‘Half a Million’ you

would be forgiven for thinking you’re listening to The Strokes. But tracks like ‘The Fear’ and ‘Heartworms’ lack the strong melody needed to keep your head above the heavy production.

It’s a shame to hear such good songwriting affected by production. Perhaps had Mercer decided to use an external producer, rather than do it all himself, this album would have had the cleaner crisp sound needed to bring these songs to form.

2. ‘Golden Brown’ – The Stranglers Three years ago, I would have written that this song is what autumn would sound like if you transposed it into E minor and played it on a harpsichord.

As it turns out, the song is about heroin, which is far less romantic… but it’s still a good song for waltzing to.

1. ‘Redbone’ – Childish Gambino The word “redbone” is a term used in the southern United States to describe someone of a mixed-race background, and is also the name given to hounds with a reddish coat. The song ‘Redbone’ is absolutely dripping with soul and groovy slap bass taking you all the way back to the ‘70s. Alright, it’s not about the colour red, but I love this song and so should you.

Music

14

Record Reappraisal Album

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Record Reappraisal: John Lennon — Plastic Ono Band

Released December 1970 via Apple Records

Nick Jeyarajah looks back on John Lennon’s solo debut, a painful and raw record that establishes a new identity for the former Beatle Nick Jeyarajah Contributor

Photo: album artwork

These striking vocal experiments draw from the primal therapy sessions that he and Yoko had undertaken during 1970 that encouraged patients to re-engage with episodes of childhood trauma through unrestrained screams of hysteria. The effect is powerful: the relaying of Lennon’s deepest insecurities delivered in a language of pain, reflecting feelings truly beyond articulation. Indeed, throughout the album one cannot escape the wearying search for

solace of a man whose demons were not soothed by artistic expression or pop superstardom, Yoko Ono, or heroin addiction.

No longer constrained by the Beatle identity or the melodic emphasis of McCartney’s songwriting, Plastic Ono Band, in some areas, represents a musical regression to the rock ’n’ roll, Teddy Boy confrontation of Lennon’s teenage years. ‘I Found Out’ and ‘Well Well Well’ use heavy distortion on thrashed gui-

tars, whilst throughout the album Lennon’s vocals are drenched in 50s-style echo, mimicking early Elvis records or even Gene Vincent’s ‘Be-Bop-A-Lula.’ Indeed, such rawness anticipates the lo-fi trend later adopted by Patti Smith and Iggy Pop, later to be mythologised by the punk movement.

Alongside the agony and insecurity, however, there is also warmth. Characterised by the tremolo of a welcoming guitar lick, ‘Hold On’ is a reassuring ex-

hale between traumas, while ‘Isolation’ lowers the stakes — ‘just a boy and a little girl/trying to change the whole wide world’ — and attempts to make sense of fear.

‘Love,’ too, offers a sense of peace; however, one cannot escape the sense that even in this supposed expression of bliss, Lennon remains anxious. The tune is peppered with unexpected minor chords that suggest a vulnerability that perfectly demonstrates the dichotomy of John Lennon: a man capable of swinging from the utopianism of ‘All You Need is Love’ and ‘Imagine’ to the indignities of rage and domestic abuse.

Phil Spector’s co-production with Lennon and Ono is respectful: gone is the studio trickery and alchemic experimentation of the Beatles’ psychedelic years and Spector’s own ‘Wall of Sound’ staple does not encroach on the content. Rather, the simplicity of the production perfectly matches the sobriety of the music and lyrics.

Though a few familiar Beatle-era names are involved, with Klaus Voorman, — designer of the Revolver cover — Billy Preston, and Ringo each contributing, Plastic Ono Band was a project designed to be a loose association of artists in defiance of the rigidity of the Beatles, and it is this vehicle of emancipation that allows Lennon to express with the clarity that he does on this album.

With issues ranging from class — ‘Working Class Hero’ — to existential reflections — ‘God’ — and most prominently the self, Plastic Ono Band is a trip inside the chaotic mind of a cultural titan of the 20th century. Though characterised by its confessional overtone, its rawness does not detract from its melodic quality and overall accessibility. Rounded off by the faux-conclusion of ‘God,’ Lennon renounces all, delivering the almost-contrived ‘I don’t believe in Beatles,’ before once and for all laying to rest the rollercoaster of the 60s: ‘I was the Walrus, but now I’m John; and now, dear friends, we’ll just have to carry on.

The dream is over.’

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Released in late 1970, John Lennon’s debut solo album Plastic Ono Band closes the chapter of the 1960s, the Beatles, and the John Lennon the world thought it knew. Chronologically sandwiched between the Beatles’ break-up and the release of the seminal Imagine, Plastic Ono Band appears dwarfed in the popular imagination by Lennon’s other artistic achievements, if not simply by the iconography of John & Yoko’s War Is Over project that so characterised this period. To neglect this album, however, is to neglect a uniquely gripping and at times heart-wrenching record.

Confessional, raw, angry, yet painfully vulnerable, Plastic Ono Band portrays a tortuously honest John Lennon.

Though he revealed clues of his emotional condition through the facade of cheeky-charming Beatledom in records such as ‘Help!’ and ‘Don’t Bother Me’, Lennon’s psychological turmoil more often expressed itself in psychedelic escapism and carefully sculpted lyrics during the Beatles’ later years.

Indeed, few fans are aware of Lennon’s various neuroses, which ranged from severe substance addiction to Oedipal fantasies. An excruciatingly personal and cathartic recording, Plastic Ono Band is the most direct invitation into the tumultuous landscape of Lennon’s mind that he recorded before his untimely death in 1980.

Introduced by an ominous bell chime, the album’s opener ‘Mother’ addresses Lennon’s childhood abandonment by his parents and his mother’s tragic death while he was still a schoolboy.

Stark and often carried by the exposed canter of Ringo Starr’s drumbeat, the direct nature of Lennon’s expression — ‘Mother, you had me/but I never had you’ — establishes an agonising vulnerability that persists throughout the album. Elongated, simple, major chords that ring from a piano suggest catharsis and world-weariness in equal measure.

As in the muscular rocker, ‘Well Well Well,’ Lennon’s rasping vocal descends into wrenching, guttural screams during the song’s climax.

his ‘coming out’ of sorts in a blog post back in 2012. It’s an exploration of duality over the characteristically thinking

Photo: album artwork

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Fashion & Beauty

16

The KonMarie As summer approaches, it’s high time we start considering the contents of our wardrobe — what do we fit into, what do we want to fit into and what summer clothes we can bring up from home.

Clearing out your wardrobe for the summer months is often a rather depressing ordeal. It can invoke feelings of guilt regarding expensive items you never wear but also a deflated (or maybe motivated) attitude upon discovering some summer clothes are a bit more snug than they should be. So this year, why not try something new: the KonMarie method.

You may or may not have heard of Marie Kondo’s bestselling book The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up. Considering it has sold over one million copies and is a New York Times number one bestseller, I thought this was common knowledge… But apparently not, my housemates informed me between laughing at my excitement over a book about tidying. However there is a reason Marie Kondo’s book is a best seller. It has helped thousands of people create and maintain an orderly home through one big tidy up. Therefore inspired by KonMarie, I have designed a step-by-step guide to de-cluttering your wardrobe, including some additional insight from yours truly.

Step One: Gather absolutely every item of clothing you own (I appreciate this may not necessarily be possible if you only have some of your clothes at university). This includes shoes, coats, anything piled up on the back of your chair and in your laundry basket.

For this to work you need to have EVERYTHING in one big pile in the middle of your room, on your bed or in the lounge if there isn’t enough space.

Step Two: Turn your mountain into molehills. Split your clothes into the following categories: Tops, bottoms, jackets and coats, dresses, socks/underwear, bags, accessories, swimwear, event-specific clothing (such as work uniform or gym kit) and shoes.

Step Three: Go through each pile in order, starting with tops. Pick up each item in term and ask yourself ‘does this spark joy?’ Marie’s method does not focus on the negatives, such as asking questions like ‘what should I throw away?’ Instead, she encourages you to reflect on each item. The important thing is not to get caught up with sentimental value or to think ‘I can’t get rid of this, it was so expen-

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

As summer approaches, our winter wardrobes take a step back, so Kitty Mitchell Turner provides a step-by-step guide to clear up your closet with KonMarie

sive’. If it was an item you wore and loved for a long time but you don’t feel the same way anymore, thank it for its use then toss it out. The objective is to end this grand clean with a wardrobe full of clothes that fill you with joy. It’s hard at first but you really have to be ruthless; if you have any doubt about whether or not you should keep an item, get rid of it. If it truly sparked joy you wouldn’t have to think twice. I like to embrace my mum’s own tidying motto here: ‘When in doubt, throw it out!’

Step Four: Repeat this activity with every single item in each one of your categories. As it takes a while to get into the swing of things, it may be necessary to repeat the process to ensure you’re only keeping the items that truly spark joy.

Step Five: Now it is time to go through your ‘get rid of’ pile. Again you want to break this huge pile down into smaller piles: bin, donate, sell, gift. If anything is broken, ruined, stained or just doesn’t look as though it is worth donating, bin it. Then immediately throw the bin bag in the main bin to stop you from making more clutter. Next, look at what would benefit from being given to charity or maybe even sold on Depop or Ebay. Bag or box this pile up (it will probably be your biggest) and take it to the charity shop ASAP, much like the bin bags. Finally, think about any items that friends/family have taken a shine to. If you have a dress your sister always wanted or maybe a jumper your flatmate pined after, why not give it to them as a random act of kindness. It will make their day as well as yours!

Step Six: Now it’s time to return all the items you have decided to keep back to their rightful place. Marie advises that you fold as much as you can and hang anything that needs it. This isn’t always possible, so work with whatever your accommodation or landlord provides.

First, let’s fold. When it comes to folding, all items should be folded so they can stand horizontally (this is very hard to explain, so please refer to the book or YouTube videos on how to do this properly.)

Step Seven: When it comes to hanging, Marie instructs you should hang your clothes so that they ‘rise to the right’. This means starting with your longest and heaviest items on the left hand side and getting up to your crop tops or smaller t-shirts on the right hand side. Apparently organising your clothes in this way makes you feel lighter

(although I’m not entirely sold on this, truth be told). She also advises you order by colour where possible, which I was much more enthusiastic about as it leaves your wardrobe looking like a work of art.

So there we have it! It may take you a while to get into the swing of it, and you certainly need to dedicate half a day to the method, but I promise that you will feel happy, productive, organised and refreshed after doing so. I certainly did!

Photo: raisindetre@flickr

Choosing what to wear for you graduation or summer ball is a daunting task, but as shops start to receive there occasion wear we offer a few tips for Spring Summer 17. By Fashion and Beauty Editor Sarah Kilcourse

Photo: monicavinader.com

or minimalist, the aim is to elongate the neck and probably start a conversation, mainly about how heavy they are I imagine.

The big fear for occasion wear is how to survive a day in heels when it’s warm and your feet invariably swell. Fortunately, for the more sensible among us, the fashion lords have been kind to you this year because kitten heels are in fashion. These are not awful, mother of the bride monstrosities, no no, this year fashions number one shoe is undeniably Dior’s J’adior kitten heel. If Dior says its okay, we know its okay.

Just remember, the biggest problem with these kind of occasion wear occasions is that you will be photographed. In the social media age the camera is unavoidable, so if 17 people are going to upload a picture in the same outfit onto the internet, I hope my tips help you to find a good one.

Photo: dior.com

Photo: thereformation.com

high fashion moment still, the high street has a range of styles avail able whether you want to channel Cher Horowitz or Yves Saint Laurent, you’ll be able to find something for under £100.

Much as I may mock florals, they come around every year, as Miranda Priestly told us all, and every year we lap them up. This season however, ditsy, delicate florals take centre stage. Ruffles and cold-shoulder details give a romantic feel, while fluted sleeves can leave you singing the age of aquarius all night long as you live your boho hippy dream.

If you’re thinking of colour blocking this summer there are two options I would suggest (not at the same time though) pink or yellow.

Both were the defining colours of the SS17 runway shows, fashion bloggers and influencers alike have embraced fuchsia, blush, canary yellow, lemon, and mustard. This years Golden Globes offered a schooling in how everyone suits a shade of yellow. You may not believe it but it’s true.

Accessories wise, this is the year of the earring. Big, bold, statement earrings, the kind that have an eighties Dynasty feel to them are all the rage. Graduation caps do limit hairstyle possibilities, so statement earrings may give your outfit the lift it needs. Whether they are bejewelled

Going crazy for gingham

Gingham is back on the high street in a big way and this SS17 is the revival of the primary school-inspired pattern, writes Deputy Fashion and Beauty Editor Talia Lee-Skudder Gingham is the perfect print as the warmer days and longer evenings draw nearer. Keep it simple with a gingham mini dress or go all out and dress yourself head to toe in the print; there are certainly enough options available. Whilst black gingham can take you from a BBQ to a bar, for a laid back summery style why not opt for a red or royal blue ensemble?

Or for some Audrey Hepburn inspired styling, wear your black gingham cigarette trousers with a black sleeveless polo neck to nail that chic 50s aesthetic.

Although wearing the print may overwhelm you with nostalgia for the summer days of childhood, this season gingham is the trend to invest in with what’s left of your vastly diminishing (likely diminished) student loan. Rock the gingham trend, look forward to long summer days in the sun, and forget about your looming deadlines…

Photo: zara.com

It’s time to dress fancy

Second semester is flying by and Easter is fast approaching — meaning summer balls and graduation are peeking over the horizon. Fashion follows a peculiarly old fashioned time scale, perhaps a sensible one, that is, shops will start to stock the majority of there spring/summer occasion wear from late March in preparation for summer balls, weddings, race days, graduations, christenings, etc, etc. So, if you’re fashion savvy, now is a good time to start looking, plus in the midst of deadlines — procrastination gold.

Let one shopping lover give a few tips to help you through the trials and tribulations of choosing your perfect outfit.

Notice — outfit. Not dress. One of the perks of 2017 is that it is widely accepted that you can wear whatever the hell you like, a spring wedding no longer dictates a floral dress. Midi skirts and wide legged pants are both fabulous options if you’re after an outfit with more wearability, team with a crop top, bodysuit or to really fashion any outfit up a plain white shirt. It may sound simple but with the array of ginghams and flowers it’ll be a powerful move. Suits are having a

Fashion & Beauty 17

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Photo: stories.com

Lighter spring coats As spring begins to rear its sunny head, it’s time to ditch the fur and opt for a lighter option.

Eliza Slawther tells us how Spring is approaching, which (rationally) would suggest that the weather might actually begin to warm up. Whether this optimistic vision for the future will actually become a reality or not in Manchester, only time will tell. For now, let’s embrace the occasional slightly brighter days and consider the fashion changes that can be made to accommodate a warmer climate.

Lightweight macs: Trench coats or macs are a great way to avoid overheating on warmer days whilst still looking professional and put-together. While thicker, waterproof versions will be useful in light showers, the crepe alternatives are perfect for days with blue skies, especially if you live in a crowded city and don’t want to get too sweaty while walking around.

They can be paired with trainers or heels, looking polished and elegant either way. Another use for this style of coat is for job interviews — they don’t look overly fancy or distracting but are more tasteful than turning up in a puffer.

My two picks are:

Whilst gingham has never completely disappeared off the high street, this season has seen all the major brands including Zara and Topshop embrace the folksy print and have give it an updated twist. For this season’s take on the pattern, ruffles and unconventional cuts are taking centre stage. Taking a browse on Zara’s website reveals nearly fifty different gingham pieces. From the ruffled blouse to a full gingham suit for men, this trend is dominating the high street. Taking inspiration from the big designer names of fashion week, the high street has yet again proved to be in the know with what’s hot in the fashion industry at the moment. The fashion weeks on both sides of the Atlantic showcased the print with designers such as Creatures of Comfort, Peter Pilotto and House of Holland all incorporating the print into their collections. House of Holland’s motto for gingham seems to be ‘the more ruffles the better’, whilst Peter Pilotto combined blue, red and green in a gingham mini dress.

Photo: topshop.com

Can florals ever be cool?

While it is commonly accepted that florals will rear their head every spring, Sophie Walsh asks ‘what are you supposed to do with them if you’re a grunge loving Fallowfield chick?’

Photo: Asos.com

‘Florals, for Spring, ground breaking’. These dry words, uttered by the sassy Miranda Priestley in The Devil Wears Prada are more than just a sarcastic quip — they make a valid point.

We spend the long winter months in a plethora of heavy knitwear and velvet. However, the novelty of turtlenecks soon wears thin, wool has gone bobbly and we are bored of that same coat. So, by mid-February we see a daffodil and deem it appropriate to whack out the shades, shorts (side note: why is there always one guy on campus wearing shorts all year round, like the weather could be blizzerding and he’s there in cargos) and of course, florals.

Florals. The very word conjures up images of Regency era Jane Austen-esque ladies taking tea (and Cath Kidston table cloths). As much as I would revel in floor length floral gowns and ribboned bonnets, could be a dash too edgy for a night at Antwerp.

Today, most tend to play it safe the majority of the year with neutral tones and geometric patterns. However, Spring rocks up and without fail the shops look like Chelsea flower show; florals everywhere you turn and we panic buy in a bid to ‘girly up’ our wardrobes. Suddenly it’s cool to look like Elizabeth Bennet again?

Men’s clothing shops give the odd nod to Spring with floral shirts here and there but overall, it seems to be largely restricted to female shops. An accident? Of course not. Since classical times and beyond women have been associated with nature, Spring itself being about fertility and birth. Therefore, we can look upon this as reinforcement of gender stereotypes.

However, despite these connotations, floral does not have to be twee and submissive.

Spring is about renewal (God knows I for one have enough black in my wardrobe to renew with colour), make a statement. You can do floral and still look icy cool. Look to Urban Outfitters for example, for inspiration. This season they offer the typical pastel hued floral tea dresses, mid length button downs 90’s style and full length numbers.

However, they distort these stereotypically feminine pieces by styling them out with oversized leather jackets, Doc Martins, trainers, chains, and layered t-shirts. The bottom line is that floral is about how you style it and how you choose to wear it as an individual.

Photo: topshop.com

Denim jackets: A classic staple which most people will already own, the denim jacket is perfect for layering over absolutely anything. From floral dresses to trousers and a top, they’re completely androgynous and can be worn during the day and out to pubs or clubs at night. Just avoid wearing them in the rain and all will be fine.

I’d suggest wandering round vintage and charity shops as the first port of call for a denim jacket, although some ‘vintage’ shops are extremely overpriced when it comes to such things. ASOS Marketplace is another great place to check, and failing that Urban Outfitters usually has a good selection (although you’d best be willing to take out a small mortgage).

With denim jackets it’s best to shop around a bit, and make sure to always try them on if possible to avoid buying one too oversized or too small — especially as vintage sizes differ so much from modern day ones.

Here’s a example of a good quality, vintage denim jacket from ASOS Marketplace — at £35 it’s not exactly cheap, but is around the standard price. Plus, denim jackets are so timeless that they’ll last in your Photo: marketplace.asos.com wardrobe for a lifetime.

Photo: urbanoutiitters.com

Film

18

Feature

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Manchester Film Festival The Mancunion covers MANIFF 2017

Josephine Doe Coming to Manchester Film Festival for its UK premier, Josephine Doe is the tale of one girl’s battle with grief after her father’s death.

Whilst Claire attempts to deal with this dramatic change in her life she meets Josephine, a much needed ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark world. It seems suspicious however that her arrival is always at the exact moment she is needed and if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

The black-and-white cinematic style is an intriguing directorial decision by Ryan Michael, one that gives the film individuality whilst also acting as a vital detail of the narrative. Following her father’s death, Claire’s life begins to blur the boundaries between real life and imagination, no longer being able to distinguish whether the people around her actually existed. Opting to shoot this way allows the grey areas in her reality to be emphasised, giving the audience the opportunity to see the world through her eyes.

Furthermore, the use of black-And-white changes the focal point of a film, shifting the interest to the story and the substance. What is within the frame moves to the forefront of the viewer’s mind as there are far less distractions in the form of colour. To create striking or evocative imagery for this particular style, one must master the art of lighting. Where in the frame the light should hit, and perhaps more importantly where it shouldn’t. Every frame in a truly great black-

James Gill’s thoughts on the film’s UK premier at MANIFF 2017 and-white picture should be a well-composed thing of beauty, for example Casablanca or more recently the Coen Brothers’ The Man Who Wasn’t There. Josephine Doe does not reach the same heights, that is definite. But for an indie film with a relatively unknown cast and crew it is a marvellous effort.

In terms of quality there is a disparity between the best and worst scenes. When the film excels, it does so commandingly of which a perfect instance of this is the ending. At the climax, Claire’s sister Angie approaches her in an attempt to rekindle some form of a relationship, an attempt to lead her away from her grief induced mental health issues. Claire is then faced with a difficult decision: try to mend her family ties and leave Josephine behind, or abandon her sister to live in the realm of fantasy. The presentation of her decision was both deft in its implementation and emotionally fraught rising far above everything prior.

Another scene which should have equally stood out is the moment Claire is told that Josephine isn’t real. From the steady build-up of anticipation to that moment the expectation was of an uncompromising and harrowing reveal. An explosion of emotion as Claire’s life begins to slowly collapse around her. Instead she simply brushed the news off, as if it was but another small issue to add to her pile. This is an area where the film falls short. Too often the scenes

James Gill reports on the world premier of Warren Malone’s tale set in London On day two of Manchester Film Festival it was an honour to witness the world premier of Across the River. A remarkable achievement in filmmaking given the micro budget the crew had, it goes to show that millions of pounds isn’t a requirement for making a heartwarming movie packing an emotional punch.

The story begins when Emma and Ryan bump into each other on the side of the River Thames. Emma, a highly regarded lawyer and

Photo: Penguins with Freckles

Public Intimacy Public Intimacy is a film that inspects the nature of love and its boundaries. It is a Portuguese language independent film made on a shoestring budget; the film was conceptualised and made in 5 months. The film was produced by the director and actors together. The film is narrated in four parts, with every part inspecting love of its own kind, and is an excellent example of resilience needed to make cinema.

The first part explores the love between an interracial gay couple. The second part is about the love between a man

with the biggest impact on paper didn’t materialise on the screen.

Had Josephine Doe managed to maintain that same high standard seen in the final 10 minutes the resulting film would have been a masterpiece. Nevertheless Michael’s work is worthy of high praise and is a fantastic addition to the line up at the festival this year.

Photo: ByrdHouse Films

Across The River

Ryan, is seen on a tiny stretch of beach making sand art. Director Warren Malone is quick to convey the stark differences between the two, while also illustrating the tangible chemistry that is present. On paper they shouldn’t possibly work yet we learn of a long passed relationship, ended when Ryan left one day without a trace. Their feelings of love, hate, anger, inadequacy, happiness and the lack of fullfilment are explored during the film. A process that would normally take weeks if not months is condensed into the single day the film takes place. This is due to a tube strike in London and Emma, desperately trying to get home for her daughter’s birthday which she missed through work, reluctantly enlists the help of Ryan as her travel guide.

Enough time has passed for Emma to find someone else, get married and have two kids but still her feelings towards Ryan remain. The thoughts of what used to be almost lead her into temptation, however each time she realises what she would lose.

This is where Across the River sets itself apart from more fantastical romance films. Emma and Ryan don’t just get together and screw the consequences. You don’t spend years creating a life to just throw it away for an old romance after just one day. It’s this grounding that makes the film more accessible. Love isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, sometimes it’s regret and sorrow too.

A surprising fact to learn is that aside from the general story arc and a select few lines the entire dialogue was improvised. This is a brave decision that gives both positive and negative results. For instance the chemistry between the two characters feels human, through the laughs they share and the arguments that attempt to ruin the encounter. The process becomes more natural, allowing the cast to make the roles their own. That said it does present the very real issue of pacing. There is alternation between a sense of urgency and a need to relax and enjoy the present without any explanation as to why each is used at any given moment. Unfortunately a large number of viewers will be turned off by this, which really is a shame as the premise has lots of potential.

Across the River delves into the idea of their love as the elephant in the room. An unspeakable bond they share regardless of how much time has passed. The elephant in the room for this film is that the substance just isn’t quite there to hold the audience for the whole duration. Complete improvisation is interesting as a concept but it requires perfect execution to create a truly great film, Malone falls short of great but his first feature length film is certainly a respectable effort.

Mritunjay Sharma reviews Public Intimacy and Railment, both shown at the Manchester Film Festival 2017 and a prostitute, in this part the struggle and aspirations of a woman are also shown. The third part is about a transsexual teacher falling in love with a student and the final part and arguably the most explosive part of the film is about the love of a woman with a ghost, and love amongst blood siblings. All the four parts are open ended and in each part the audience is left to think and ask questions themselves.

During the Q&A with the Director Lucian Canton, she revealed that she wanted to make a film where the

imagination of the audience can be stirred, since the kind of love explored in the film is not very welcome in her society, as well as a lot of others. She also hesitated to answer a lot of questions from audience as she wanted everyone else to have their own interpretation of every part rather than having only her interpretation of the story.

The film can be next seen at 33rd Chicago Latino Film Festival and Victoria Film Festival, British Columbia.

Railment Railment is an animated experimental film directed by Shunsaku Hayashi. The film is based on a continuous journey of a figure in a train. The idea of a man travelling in a metro train seems really ordinary, but the art of a film is making ordinary into extraordinary. The director has achieved that by not only exploring the dimensions of time and space, but also presenting an image of daily life of people travelling around the metro trains. These people do not have a face, colour or gender, they are just a crowd and nothing else. Such a representation of human life is a testament to the fact that we are nothing but a number in the population of billions.

The film will be next shown at 19th Mecal Pro at Barcelona, 12th Athens Animfest, 55th Ann Arbor Film Fest, Michigan and 29th Filmfest Dresden.

Photo: Suzana Rebelov

Film 19

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Elle

Review Feature

Paul Verhoeven completes his quasi-female trilogy of sex, violence and independence, but does Isabelle Huppert’s Oscar-nominated performance get dragged down in the seething violence?

Alasdair Bayman Film Critic

Paul Verhoeven is a figure well-versed in satire, graphic content and the allure of the human body. Viewing his filmography, one cannot ignore such provocative ‘eroticsploitation’ pieces like Showgirl and Basic Instinct, the former which has recently been reappraised by critics and even Verhoeven himself. Akin to these films, Elle centres itself on female independence and success in a male-dominated world. This time around, Isabelle Huppert is Michèle, a video game executive who is violently raped in her own home and who openly seeks out her rapist. As per usual with the Dutch director, his work is not without its shocking violence, nudity and social commentary. Business as usual for Verhoeven.

Lulling you into a Hitchcockian state of uncertainty, Elle opens with a Bernard Herrmann-esque score and a suspenseful title page — that is until the screaming starts.

Leaving you no time for consideration, the film uses this opening rape as a headon confrontation of the subject matter. As Huppert’s Michèle slowly gathers herself after this horrific incident, she does not cry or rush to phone to call someone. Huppert is still and proceeds to collect the smashed dishes and other items which have been destroyed as an impact of her rape. Such items and a brush on Michèle’s face are the only signs of damage we see. Sitting in the bath, a fluffy blood-stained bath bubble floats over her genitalia. With a swiftness, she wipes it away as its disappears into the water. There are no indications of depression, melancholia, or bewilderment. Her rape does not prevent her from returning to normality and a ‘post-feminine heroine’ — as Huppert herself suggested — is refreshing to see on

screen. Revisiting the rape throughout the film, Verhoeven and Director of Photography Stéphane Fontaine alter their camera angles constantly. These perspectives give clarity to Michèle and her reflection even drifts into a gruesome surrealism.

Working in a highly masculine environment in the video game industry, Michèle is fully aware that blood and highly sexualized characters sell with audiences. The game that she is working on focuses itself on a medieval setting where a petite princess is attacked and implied in a phallic fashion by a monstrous orc. Differing from Philippe Djian’s novel where Michèle is a writer, the script allows is a point of reference to shift for into an overt masculine criticism. Further, the industry works as a sub-plot element which questions whether one of her male coworkers could indeed by the rapist. It is not only this business that is placed under the microscope: Michèle’s past conveys another strand of media satire, working in tangent with the exploration of class in contemporary France.

After informing her friends of her rape, a bottle of champagne is brought over the restaurant table. “Maybe wait a few minutes before popping that,” one of her companions states. Gaining a sense of black humour from this dialogue in social nicety situations

is probably the best example one can give.

Strangely, it works in places and both the director and actress in their recent press junkets have admitted they ‘‘didn’t even talk about irony, we just invented scenes and found ourselves laughing all the time.’’

On the surface, the provocateur nature of Verhoeven could override the performance of Isabelle Huppert and its satirical edge.

Instead, what the director serves up is a thoughtful work on what it really means to be female in contemporary France.

Verhoeven originally wanted his work in the English language but after numerous rejections, he went back to the drawing board and relearnt French just to shoot the film.

Clearly an agitator of violence and sex, but the commitment and conscientious thought of Verhoeven are there for all to see. Raised by the performance of Huppert, the film is not for everyone and its shocking value is enough to put off the sternest of cinephiles.

Still, its arguments and central performances will captivatingly linger long in the memory.

The film’s themes are difficult to deal with at times and placing it in a ranking rating does not reflect the true discussion at hand. Still based on Huppert alone, one cannot look past its imposing stature.

4/5

Photo: SBS Productions

Preview

Woman with Gloria Steinem Shema Begum Deputy Film Editor Gloria Steinem became known as the leader and spokeswoman of the feminist movement in the 1960s. Her social and political activism spans decades, from writing books on the empowerment of women to delivering speeches, her most recent appearance being at the Women’s March in Washington D.C earlier this year. Steinem’s programme provides an authentic insight into the many different ways in which women are affected by issues today globally. This ranges from rape to child marriage. The Emmy-nominated documentary series depicts the harsh reality of those telling their stories, whilst advocating viewers to get involved and help prevent such atrocities.

Episode six looks into the topic of assault in the US military. Many women join the military with the hopes to serve their country, carry on family traditions, and build a successful career.

However, too many seem to be losing this opportunity due to the acts of their male colleagues, and the more than incompetent military justice system.

The women in this episode recount their harrowing experiences of being sexually assaulted and raped. The documentary looks into how their lives have been affected since, with all three

A must-watch feminist documentary series women speaking of how they attempted suicide as a result, and are suffering from depression and PTSD. It would be assumed that the military would have an effective regime in place to prosecute the offended to prevent such actions, and encourage more women to come forward.

It is in fact revealed that there are many issues with the system, as military personnel speak of the measures in place.

The just over 20 minute episode does enough to effectively educate viewers on the background of this subject.

Episode seven explores the world of women who have been placed in prison for minor drug offences, the particular focus being on how it has affected their role as mothers, as the majority of the women incarcerated either enter the prison facility pregnant and/or leaving their children behind. Despite

the offences committed, the first-hand accounts enable viewers to empathise with the women for the little role they now play in their children’s lives.The documentary also looks into the impact of the children, and the psychological effects of being separated from their mothers. This creates an ongoing cycle of incarceration, as such these children are seven times more likely to end up in prison. Additionally, the faults of the prison system are also highlighted. Many pregnant women receive poor treatment, even after they have given birth.

This series captures the struggles faced by women across the world, and how the rights of women are not being fully realised. Woman with Gloria Steinem is shown on VICELAND, which can be found on Sky channel 153 and on NOWTV.

Photo: Delirio Films

Photo: Legendary Entertainment Photo: txcouncil @Flickr

Kong: Skull Island Fit for a King?

Photo: Legendary Entertainment

Andrew Wong Film Contributor Kong: Skull Island is the second film in the now official MonsterVerse, following 2014’s Godzilla. Kong: Skull Island is directed by Jordan Charles Vogt-Roberts and stars Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John C. Reilly, and John Goodman. King Kong is such an iconic character that you have certain expectations, you want to see Kong wreck havoc and get into visually pleasing fights with other monsters, whilst also making him a sympathetic character. Luckily Kong: Skull Island has these elements throughout the film, which will guarantee you an entertaining time. In comparison to Godzilla, a major complaint of the film was the lack of screen time given to Godzilla, however, with Kong: Skull Island they make sure Kong is apparent throughout which is satisfying to see.

The film is set in 1973 where newly launched satellites lead a corporation called Monarch to discover an uncharted island to be as legendary and cursed as the Bermuda Triangle. Led by John Goodman, he convinces the government to finance an expedition to the island along with some military escorts who are led by Samuel L. Jackson, an anti-war photographer played by Brie Larson and a former British SAS tracker portrayed by Tom Hiddleston. From the trailers and monster movie logic alone, things quickly take a turn for the worst as soon as they appear on the island. This film wastes no time in throwing you into the action, due to the fact that as our protagonists start dropping bombs to map out the island it is to the displeasure of a certain 100-foottall ape. From there Kong: Skull Island kicks it into high gear, with it being an adrenaline fuelled montage of warfare and destruction which many King Kong fans have been waiting to see for a long time.

The rest of the action sequences fail to disappoint and provide you with a sense of satisfaction by showing off Kong with his power and design with a confidence, which makes him feel more terrifying when on screen.

Cinematographer Larry Fong aesthetically borrows heavily from Apocalypse Now, which certainly works in the film’s favour as it generates a more interesting scenario having our recently war hardened soldiers, straight after Vietnam, thrown into another environment that they were not prepared for. Bringing us to an issue in the film. That being the main cast of characters, stated before, do a fine job as the film’s main characters but it’s the supporting characters that appear more interesting and fleshed out. However, John C. Reilly’s character, a stranded WW2 pilot, steals the entire show. His knowledge of the island, the people and Kong himself, allows him to provide the necessary exposition that’s needed to carry the film along. In addition, he also brings the humour in the film, which surprisingly intertwines itself naturally in the film and is gladly welcomed.

Ultimately, Kong: Skull Island sets out to be a monster movie filled with action and destruction that King Kong audiences haven’t seen from Kong before, its hard to imagine that they could’ve done better — especially as they manage to set up upcoming films in this universe of monster with hints to classic Toho monsters. Some purists may have issues with this interpretation and the aesthetic may be very different, it ends up creating the same feeling that made King Kong such an icon in the first place.

3.5/5

Books

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Review

Review: Lincoln in the Bardo

Gurnaik Johal Books Contributor

When I first found out short story writer George Saunders, who’s famous for creating futuristic dystopias, had written a ghost story about Abraham Lincoln I was wary. Crossovers like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came to mind; I wasn’t sure if Saunders’ almost sci-fi style would translate into historical fiction. But, I shouldn’t have doubted him, Lincoln in the Bardo, his first novel, has cemented his place as one of the 21st century’s greatest writers. He’s been praised by the likes of Jonathan Franzen, Zadie Smith, Junot Díaz and Lorrie Moore and this highly anticipated novel certainly lives up to the hype.

The story takes place in a cemetery over one night in 1862 where Abraham Lincoln visited the crypt of his dead child, Willie. Saunders takes this emotionally charged situation and renders it sincere and realistic through the experimental way in which the novel is written (almost entirely in dialogue). At first glance, the book looks weird, there’s tonnes of empty space on the page and it looks more like a play-script than a novel.

And, it gets weirder. The novel is narrated by ghosts/spirits stuck in the Bardo (a sort of Buddhist version of Purgatory). Saunders’ knack for voice is incredible, each character is believable, sympathetic and hilarious. He accurately portrays anyone from gay aristocrats, opium addicts, slave owners, prostitutes and the President of the United States.

With these characters Saunders creates an eclectic cacophony of voices each with their own compelling story to tell.

Reading the book, you get lost in the reality of the many lives of its dead characters. It’s a feat that a lesser writer would make tacky but Saunders delivers

beautifully. While at first, you may find the strange telling of the story confusing, by the end of the 300 or so pages, you can’t imagine it being written any other way.

As you can see, it’s very hard to pin the novel down into one category. Is it historical fiction? Kind of, but not really.

Saunders (despite having clearly done a ridiculous amount of research) has a playful approach to historical reality. Is it a tragedy? Well yes it is sad, but also laugh out loud hilarious. This mix of tragedy and comedy is effective throughout all his stories and works brilliantly in the novel.

Is it political? Despite being about a US President, it’s not particularly a political novel, Saunders’ universal observations on what it is to be human and how to face death are a lot more important. The impossibility to stick the novel into one genre is testament to Saunders’ range as a writer — he’s a master of tone, as comfortable writing about the tragic death of a young child as he is making 19th century dick jokes.

It must be said that many people don’t respond to Saunders’ more experimental

writing style and Lincoln in the Bardo could seem to them a tiresome read. For those looking for lots of twists and turns in a narrative, this might not be the novel for you, Saunders creates an immersive world but not necessarily a page-turning plot.

There is definitely a life-affirming quality to his writing, and despite often being satirical and darkly comic, he always seems to end on a genuine note of positivity. I think this is something that’s often missing in literary fiction mainly because it’s something extremely hard to pull off without seeming sappy or cliché.

Yet through his powerful tragicomic writing, Saunders manages to create a genuine emotional connection with readers and this is especially true in Lincoln in the Bardo.

The novel is unlike anything I’d ever read before and the experimental style is effective. I’d definitely recommend getting a copy, and if you’re looking for a quick introduction to his writing check out his short stories — many of them are available for free online.

Poet of the Week Seevana Raghubeer Recipe for disaster (DO NOT try) If you wish to be exotic, Let me tell you the recipe for sweet success Take a multitude of colonialism As much as you have and probably more than you can carry Scatter it all over your family’s history Spoon feed your babies and children and teenagers, A history that dictates brown folk to be enemy of the state Take care not to miss a single generation, lest they be forgotten Slip in words like dangerous, recessive, uneducated Label the men terrorists, shopkeepers, taxi drivers Pour the women into mainstream media as enticing, provocative and something new to try Bury this deep into your core, your ancestry and knead it into society so you can fight every day to prove your worth Grab fistfuls of micro aggressions about your hair, your skin, your size and stir in self-esteem that took years to build Spread lies that racism is not real and women of colour are not marginalised Sprinkle with gold and serve with a smile This recipe usually takes years to prepare and will never ever be finished.

Photo: Pesky Librarians@Flickr

Review

An Evening with Beth Underdown Thomas Lee reviews the book launch of Beth Underdown's new novel The Witchfinder's Sister

The example of Manchester’s own Beth Underdown should bring hope to any aspiring authors who face the forbidding prospect of moving back in with their parents while they craft their first literary masterpiece. This is exactly what she did, giving up a “proper job with a business card” at Phaidon Press in London to pursue her writing ambitions, eventually receiving an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester and writing The Witchfinder’s Sister, a literary historical thriller which sets out to re-examine the witchhunts of the 1640s from a modern, revisionist, unabashedly feminist perspective.

Beth Underdown was in Waterstones, Deansgate, on Friday the 10th of March to celebrate the book’s launch, drawing a crowd sufficient to fully cram the second-floor function room of Waterstones, the largest bookshop in the North of England. Hosted by Kate Feld, the Associate Lecturer in Journalism at Salford University, the event felt like a homecoming: Underdown claimed that half the audience was made up of personal friends, and even took a question from her next-door neighbour. There were, however, still enough strangers for the unflappable staff of Waterstones to sell out of copies of her book within minutes of them going

on sale.

In Underdown’s own deprecatory words, the book “has some good sentences”. She read from the first chapter, showcasing her comfortably uncomplicated prose, which was intentionally old-fashioned without straying into tawdry Renaissance Fayre territory. Underdown based her narrative style on the everyday correspondence and ‘commonplace books’ of 17th-century women, and smatters the page with metaphors that fit like a cavalier’s glove: “the devil can enter a person in such a manner that he can be deftly taken out again, like a stone from a plum”.

The book follows the puritanical crusade of Matthew Hopkins, England’s self-styled ‘Witchfinder General’, who was tried for the murders of at least three hundred women between 1644 and 1646, hanging more women than any other witch-hunters in the previous 160 years. Underdown is well-placed to write about Hopkins – her great uncle David Underdown was one of the foremost historians of the period that Beth is writing about – but she gave the very clear impression that this is not a book about Hopkins, but rather the people around him.

“This could very easily have been a book about one man,” Underdown said. “But it isn’t. There

will always be men like Hopkins, but he’s not the interesting part, because what actually affects history is the way that people react to men like him.”

This is, perhaps, the main reason why Underdown chose to make Hopkins’ fictional sister into the main narrative character. The novel is, in her own words, “a book about standing up to insidious misogyny”.

Her interest clearly lies in exploring how women could navigate and respond to a world where they were persecuted for small indiscretions or deviations from the norm, including the ‘imperfect responses’ of women like her protagonist. She explained during her talk that the women accused of witchcraft in the 1640s were victims of profiling — they were overwhelmingly widows, some of whom were trying to remarry, often living on the charity of the parish, many having lost a child at war or at sea.

Others were suspected of witchcraft just because they were literate, or infertile. The English Civil War had led to increased female emancipation: many women had been running their husband’s households while they were away at war. Others marched on to parliament to protest that the war was interfering with their jobs, because “not enough babies were being born.” The character

of Alice Hopkins fits this profile exactly: she is an educated, pregnant woman returning to the provincial town of Manningtree from cosmopolitan London after the death of her husband. Perhaps the witchfinding craze was a backlash against this kind of empowerment?

Underdown’s book seems remarkably apropos in the current political climate, but she claimed that she didn’t set out with an agenda — despite eerie cosmic coincidences such as her stay in a hotel in Manningtree on the night of the US Elections, where the ghostly finger of Matthew Hopkins turned on the TV at four in the morning to reveal the victory of Donald Trump.

When asked if she’ll write any more books in this genre (her response, “probably by accident”), she hinted at her next project, a pacey late-Victorian whodunit. I spoke with her after the signing, and asked what she thought – in her capacity as a lecturer at the University of Manchester — about recent suggestions that Manchester is the new writing capital of the UK. “It made me smile,” she replied. “I would love to think so. It can only ever be good to live somewhere affordable. You can’t assume that you’ll make a living from writing.”

Her advice to young writers? “Try to treat it like a job. Sit down and do it, for fixed hours every day, if you can. Don’t expect a thunderbolt to hit.”

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Leek and Parsley Roast Chicken

Lily Carden Food & Drink Co-Editor

Oven at 200˚ Serves 6-8 Takes 2 hours to make

cavity along with a few stalks of parsley. Generously season the bird.

Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

Ingredients

As the chicken begins to cook, slice the potatoes into rounds a centimetre thick and the leeks 4 centimetres in length (having topped and tailed them, don’t forget to wash the leeks to get rid of any soil).

15g parsley (or dill) 75g soft butter (microwave for 10 seconds at a time if needed until soft) Whole chicken, weighing about 2kg 1 lemon 500g new potatoes 4-5 leeks 4tbsp vermouth

Impress your housemates with this one pan roast and turn the leftovers into risotto

Bring the chicken out of the oven and scatter around the potatoes and leeks.

Pour in the vermouth and stock.

Return to oven and reduce temperature to 180˚. Cook for a further hour.

Remove from the oven and check that it’s cooked through (not pink, clear juices. If you want to get technical then an internal temperature of 70˚ is required).

400ml chicken stock 4tbsp crème fraîche

Wash and roughly chop the parsley.

Set half aside and mix the other half with the butter.

Place the chicken (take out any giblets first) in a very large roasting tin — the leeks and potatoes will go around it — and carefully lift up the skin on the breasts. Place half the butter under the skin and push it as far down the breasts and legs as possible. Smear the rest of the butter on top of the skin.

Squeeze the lemon over the chicken before chucking the halves into the

Place the chicken on a plate to rest whilst you prepare the sauce. Either surround the chicken with the leeks and potatoes or place them in a separate bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.

If your roasting tray can go on the hob then leave the liquid in it, otherwise transfer to a pan. Add the crème fraîche and whisk over a low heat until incorporated (mine split it can easily be whisked back together) and bubble until the sauce has reduced to about half the amount.

Get everything together to serve and tuck in!

Photo: Lily Carden

Risotto Made From Last Night’s Roast Cooking time: 1 hour

Miriam Mizzi Food & Drink Co-Editor

Ingredients 3 tbsp olive oil 2 banana shallots chopped 1 clove of garlic diced 300g Arborio rice 150ml of dry white wine 1.5 litres of chicken stock made from bones of the roast 300g of cooked roast chicken (see above for recipe) 150g of frozen peas Parmesan Sea salt Black pepper Photo: Miriam Mizzi

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the chopped shallots. Fry for 5 minutes or until the shallots are becoming soft and see-through. Add the diced garlic and fry for a further 1 minute.

Add the Arborio risotto rice and stir until the rice is covered in oil and begins to turn slightly seethrough.

Add the wine and ensure it cooks off.

Add a splash of stock and stir the risotto mix until it has absorbed all of the liquid. Continue by repeating this action until almost all of the stock has been used and the rice is softened.

Add the chicken, peas and remaining splash of stock and stir thoroughly until the peas are cooked and the chicken is hot through.

Remove the pan from the heat and grate in the desired amount of parmesan.

Serve and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Food & Drink

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Proove

Photo: Miriam Mizzi

When I heard a new wood-fired pizza restaurant was opening in West Didsbury, I gathered two of my fellow pizza-loving friends and set about testing whether the chefs at Proove could compete with the already outstanding pizzerias such as Rudy’s and Ply that are so well known in Manchester. Heading to West Didsbury is always a pleasure, the small but bustling high street is full of foodie ventures, most that live up to their fashionable fronts.

As we walked past some of my favourite places to eat, I hoped Proove wouldn’t disappoint.

On entry, the smell of building work still lingered in an unobtrusive way, the wire lamp shades captured the mellow glow of the

“Pizza made from the best Italian 00 grade Caputo flour and proved for 20 hours” brand new lightbulbs, and the long wooden tables looked ideal for large groups. What stood out the most though, was the huge pizza oven, decorated with the restaurant’s name, and surrounding by two attentive chefs. We were directed towards the back of the restaurant and were happy that we had full view of the pizzamaking. The menu states all of Proove’s pizza is made from the best Italian 00 grade Caputo flour and proved for 20 hours — I was almost sure we were in for a treat. As we deliberated, my stillveggie self took note that there was plenty of inventive options that don’t include meat, however, veering away from the likes of prosciutto, roast ham, and fennel salami made my stomach unhappily ache.

Luckily my friends, feeling supportive, decided to share some vegetarian starters with me. We went for the classic order of garlic bread, and a sharing platter named ‘Le Verdure’. Our garlic bread arrived quickly, and we tucked in messily with our hands, tearing at the rosemary and olive oil topped bread. Whilst we were indulging, our waiter brought over a starter we unfortunately hadn’t ordered, so we had to wait a fair while for our sharing platter to arrive — it would have been nice to pair the garlic bread with the antipasti. When the antipasti arrived, we soon forgot the slight order mix-up, and layered slices of bread with the buffalo mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and grilled aubergine. Our only slight qualm was we would have liked a few extra slices of bread and then the plate could have been perfectly balanced.

Satisfied with our starters, we readily anticipated what we hoped to be the stars of the show, the pizzas. As we sipped on our staple Italian drink — lemon San Pellegrino — we noticed the friendly Italian manager bustling around ensuring all the customers were happy and enjoying their meals. We could tell the staff were eager to get things right, which made us feel slightly on edge at points

Miriam Mizzi Food & Drink Co-Editor

but, which was good to see. I’m sure with a few more weeks of operation, they will settle in and run Proove to high standard.

Simultaneously, our pizzas arrived and were placed in front of us in all their glory. The Calzone’s size took our breath away and my friend immediately began cutting away at the dome of dough, she later suggested she largely enjoyed her choice, her only slight observation being, there could have been tomato sauce inside the Calzone for extra flavour. My second friend delved into her San Daniele pizza and I could see the toppings of parmesan, rocket and prosciutto combined to make a marriage on top of the rest of the dedicatedly assembled ingredients. Despite, being called boring for my choice of a margarita pizza with extra cheese and an addition of chilli, sometimes less is more. In this instance, I certainly felt this was the case. I could taste each and every fresh ingredient in its own right and this resulted in a thoroughly enjoyable and flavoursome experience. The crust stood out as the best part of the pizza by far, its light but filling texture was perfect to sweep up any leftover leaks from the centre of the pizza. In regards to the centre, it was extremely sloppy. Fortunately, I don’t mind the mess and consistency associated with a pizza like this, but I do know some who prefer a firmer middle.

Once our plates were cleared, I thought about whether I’d recommend Proove to some of my eager-to-get-advice friends, and I decided I would. I don’t think I’d force and push them to go like I have with Rudy’s in Ancoats, but it’s a local, satisfying alternative.

160 Burton Road, West Didsbury, M20 1LH

Chocolate and peanut butter malt loaf Following on from last week’s easy bread recipe, here is a slightly more advanced bread: chocolate and peanut butter malt loaf, a tasty addition to any breakfast, lecture or revision marathon.

Ingredients 120 g unsalted butter 1/2 tbsp dark brown soft sugar 2 tbsp malt extract (Holland & Barrett sell it in jars) 1 tbsp treacle 225 g strong white flour 4 g salt 7 g fast action dried yeast (usually 1 sachet) 70 g dark chocolate 70 g crunchy peanut butter (I’ve found that Meridian works best although it does make the dough quite sticky so be prepared) 70 g raisins about 500 ml water 1 tsp honey A shower cap or cling film is also needed to cover the bowl while the dough rises

Method Boil the water, pour into a jug and put a tablespoon in the jug to heat up - heating the spoon makes the treacle and malt extract much easier to work with.

When hot, use the tablespoon to add your malt extract to a small saucepan, rinsing in the hot water before using again for the treacle. Add your butter and sugar and put the pan on a low heat, stirring until the ingredients are mixed before removing from the heat to cool and pour away all but 125 ml of water from your jug (so that it will cool quicker).

tin, or about 12 hours. I usually make the dough in an evening and bake it the following afternoon.

Pre-heat the oven to 190ºC, remove the shower cap and loosely cover the tin with foil so the top doesn’t burn. Bake on the middle shelf for around half an hour. After 30 minutes, check the bread is baked by piercing the middle of the malt loaf

Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and put the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl. Cut the chocolate into small cubes (about 1/4in segments) and add to the mixing bowl along with the raisins. Start mixing, whether you’re using an electric or hand mixer, or a wooden spoon, and then add the peanut butter in small amounts mixing as you go. Add your sugar mixture, followed by 125 ml of warm water (40ºC or less, otherwise your yeast might die) and mix thoroughly.

Lightly flour a board and tip your dough out onto it and knead it by pushing it away with your palm and folding it over on itself for a few minutes until it is reasonably easy to shape into a log roughly the length of your loaf tin. Your dough might be quite sticky due so this can be quite a messy process. If need be, scrape the dough off your fingers and the board with a butter knife or thin spatula and add it back to the main mass periodically.

When you have formed your log, grease your tin with a small amount of butter and transfer the dough into the tin. Cover loosely with a shower cap (in case the dough rises a lot) and leave to prove until the dough has risen to the top of the

Photo: Alec Wilby

Alec Wilby Contributor

with a skewer, if it doesn’t come out clean put it in for another 5 minutes. To finish, microwave the honey in a small dish on the lowest setting for (literally) a few seconds before brushing over the top of the loaf. Leave to cool and enjoy for breakfast with butter (or more peanut butter).

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Fazenda Review Mia Davis Contributor

Photo: Fazenda

I’ll be the first to admit that I am by no means a die-hard meat eater. I’m not someone who refuses to eat a meal unless there is a pile of meat, so a Brazilian restaurant ‘with continuous service of 7 cuts’ didn’t initially tickle my fancy. How wrong I was. The opulent setting of Fazenda, in the heart of Spinningfields was perfect for a Sunday lunch with a twist.

The opulent setting of Fazenda, in the heart of Spinningfields is perfect for a Sunday lunch with a twist

It is by no means your standard restaurant to pop into after a busy couple of hours in town — booking is essential. There was only one free table for the two hours we were there. Immediate table-service and an explanation of how the system worked was very helpful. Every diner has their own green and red card, to signal to the waiter if you would like more food or not. You start off by visiting the fanciest salad bar I’ve ever come across. Numerous vegetarian side dishes, salads, a traditional Brazilian bean and meat stew ‘Feijoada’, continental cheeses and cold meats, as well as some slightly out-of-place sushi all graced an elegant bar at the back of the restaurant. It feels odd to describe it as an ‘all-you-can-eat buffet’ as it is all very measured and restrained. Part of that is probably because it is nothing compared to the main event.

Once re-seated, attention begins to fall on the ‘Passadores’ or meat chefs crossing the restaurant, skewers of incredible meat in hand. They approach your table, offer what they have, and you will inevitably say yes. They cut you a piece, while you salivate in anticipation. All of the meats are cooked medium-rare, but you are more than welcome to ask for more or less cooking as you wish, although I’d suggest you

just dive in! With such an extensive menu, the only way to break it down is to look at the meats individually. First to arrive was the ‘signature cut’ of beef: Picanha. This cut is the cap of the rump and is just how they describe it, juicy and full of flavour. The incredible taste of barbeque on the outer edges is so delicious and a perfect juxtaposition to the tender centre. Just as you get into the first piece of meat, the next Passadore walks past and offers you something else that you just can’t refuse. This time it was the ‘Frango’; extremely tender chicken thighs with deliciously crisp skin. Although the taste was wonderful, it didn’t have the wow factor to go with the novelty of the restaurant.

Next came ‘LinguiÇa’ — little Brazilian sausages. Like the chicken, they were delicious, extremely meaty, and hit the spot. At this point, with a plate piled high from the salad bar and passing skewers, you are liable not to fancy the next one that passes by. Temptation will prevail. ‘Bife de Presunto’, which is gammon (with optional pineapple) arrived. I had been looking forward to this ever since seeing it on the menu, but I must say that it was slightly underwhelming. It was incredibly succulent but it didn’t match up to the other meats

flavour-wise. Same problem with the ‘Tritip’, or sirloin. It was, dare I say, slightly bland. The great thing about a place like Fazenda is that if you don’t love one of the cuts, you’re not stuck with it.

Another cut of beef arrived, ‘Alcatra’, rump.

Like the ‘Picanha’ it had an excellent barbecued outer layer and was tender inside. As I said, I’m not the biggest fan of meat, especially not when it’s overly rare. One cut it was essentially blue, which wasn’t to my taste, so I simply asked for it to be cooked more. Also on the menu: ’Barriga de porc’ (belly pork) served with honey and cinnamon. It had an unusual flavour, and was completely different to everything else on the menu. Christmas was my first thought and by no means a bad one, and the meat was delicious. The ‘Cordeiro’, the only cut of lamb, was simply seasoned with salt and pepper and a brushing of mint sauce.

This lamb was an unexpected highlight to the meal.

Without doubt, Fazenda is incredible. Accompanied by a glass of rosé, the setting was wonderful, and definitely something different. At £20.50 for lunch and £31 for dinner, it doesn’t really appeal to a student budget, but the food is worth it.

Posh Chicken Nuggets

Lily Carden Food & Drink Co-Editor

Oven at 180˚C Can be scaled easily but these quantities are for 4 or 5 servings Can be frozen Time: 2 hours 30 minutes + marinating Ingredients 3 chicken breasts 2 pots plain yogurt Salt and pepper Butter for cooking For the Breadcrumbs Panko or regular breadcrumbs handful fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 lemon, zest only 20g parmesan, grated Salt and pepper When I was little we would go to a particular restaurant in France for my birthday and I could order whatever I wanted. Being fussy, this took the form of chicken nuggets, chips and fresh pasta. All handmade by the chef. Now that I’m grown and not so picky, these are still some of my favourite things. This recipe is for posh chicken nuggets with a lemon and parsley crumb but if you want to leave them out then that’s not a problem. Having these in the freezer mean I can get my fast food hangover fix without having to leave the house and I know exactly what’s in them.

Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Coat the chicken in the yogurt and season with salt and pepper before leaving covered in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

This step is not strictly necessary but will help to stop the chicken from drying out.

Make the breadcrumbs by mixing together the crumbs, parsley, lemon zest, parmesan, and seasoning. I recommend pulsing everything together in a food processor to achieve a fine crumb but be aware this will turn it green — adding the diced parsley afterwards will avoid this.

Heat the oven to 180˚C. Remove the pieces of chicken from the yogurt and coat in the breadcrumb mixture — if you have lots of leftover breadcrumbs then double dip the chicken by coating in another layer of yogurt and then re-rolling in breadcrumbs.

Heat some butter in a frying pan and add the chicken pieces in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden. Transfer the lightly fried chicken pieces to a baking tray. Repeat the process with the rest of the chicken. It is advisable to clean the pan between each batch to stop the butter from browning too much and turning the chicken a burnt colour.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

To freeze, cool the chicken nuggets and then place them spread out on a tray in the freezer for an hour, before transferring them to ziplock bags. Eat within 3 months. To cook from frozen simply bake for 15 minutes, checking they are piping hot throughout.

Photo: Lily Carden

Arts

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ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Art in the Northern Quarter Liv Clarke explores the creative world of Manchester’s Northern Quarter

Photo: ReflectedSerendipity @Flickr

selling work in Manchester, from well-established commercial artists to students who are just getting started. One of Manchester’s hidden art gems is Nexus Art Café, a not-for-profit Christian-run café which provides an exhibition space for up and coming artists.

One such display was ‘Slices’, a selection of works by Jaimie Kirk, a student at Manchester School of Art. His psychedelic mixed media pieces even reflect aspects of the urban art found in the Northern Quarter with their layers of graffiti. Nexus is also home to Salford Zine Library, a cosy room filled with hundreds of handmade Zines, ranging from hand-drawn cartoons to typed short-stories.

If you make the climb to the 3rd floor of Affleck’s you’ll discover several stalls run by independent artists, as well as Affleck’s Creative Space. The Fox Fairy features works by a variety of artists, encompassing different media but with the similar theme of nature and fairy tales. Detailed monochrome landscape prints by Kendel Nicholson sit alongside exquisite items of jewellery handmade by Kate Conaghan. The stall features work by its owner, Elizabeth, whose intricate illustrations contain hidden characters from wellknown fairy tales.

Just around the corner from the Fox Fairy is SWALK Creative, a collective of artists with different drawing styles. Dave Draws produces complex yet playful maps of Manchester and surrounding areas, which are printed onto mugs, cushions and tote bags. Nicola Fernandes creates beautiful and inspirational watercolours which have a sense of humour, her work covers cute pet portraits to hilarious Donald Trump pin cushions. Leonnie Spencer’s mesmerising line drawings capture characters from Disney and pop culture.

The Creative Space is an area where anyone can turn up and make stuff or just admire the weird and wonderful things created by others. Currently residing there is a teddy bear-turned-time capsule, stuffed with notes from passers-by, one of which read ‘Groovier times are ahead’, a phrase which perfectly encapsulates the creative energy of the Northern Quarter.

Photo: Aero Pixels @Flickr

Stepping into the Northern Quarter is like walking into a parallel universe; its treasure trove of independent shops, cafes and bars couldn’t be further away from the mundane normality of the Arndale and Piccadilly Gardens. Creativity oozes from every building, be it in the form of impressive wall murals or small quotes carved into the pavement. It’s the place to go if you’re creatively inclined: venture to Fred Aldous’ for art supplies, pick up some unique second-hand books from Affleck’s or resurrect an old trend with clothes from Cow. But the Northern Quarter isn’t just for part-time crafters, it’s home to artists who are producing and

Editor’s Picks

A Summer of Art in Manchester

Many galleries across the city have released details of their upcoming exhibitions and it looks exciting Laura Joyce Arts Editor With Easter fast approaching, and the end of this semester in sight, it won’t be long before the dawning of a long, hot summer. Granted, sun is unlikely in this rain-burdened city, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to look forward to in Manchester over the summer months. Of all the upcoming art works that has been announced across Manchester, there are three that are particularly exciting.

MIF17: True Faith at Manchester Art Gallery 30 June–3 September 2017

Lead exhibition of Manchester’s International Festival 2017, True Faith is a collection of works by some of the world’s most notable artists. The exhibition surrounds the ongoing relevance of the Manchester based bands New Order and Joy Division by displaying a plethora of art inspired by their work.

Curated by Matthew Higgs and Jon Savage with archivist Johan Kugelberg, True Faith is centred on four decades’ worth of extraordinary contemporary works from contemporary artists such as Julian Schnabel, Jeremy Deller, Liam Gillick, Mark Leckey, Martin Boyce and Slater B Bradley, all directly inspired by the two groups.

Also featuring Peter Saville’s seminal cover designs, plus performance films, music videos and posters from the likes of John Baldessari, Barbara Kruger, Lawrence Weiner, Jonathan Demme, Robert Longo and Kathryn Bigelow, True Faith provides a unique perspective on these two most iconic and influential Manchester bands.

IRIS at The Lowry, 26 May - 16 July 2017

For a limited time only, audiences at The Lowry Photo: Creative Tourist

will have the opportunity to experience an unusual and innovative art installation. The venue’s Lyric Theatre will be taken over by a visually stunning feast of light, sound, colour and technology from UK artists Marshmallow Laser Feast.

This unique digital art installation will only be available before select theatre performances.

Created using the latest in robotic and laser technology, IRIS promises to be an experience unlike anything we’ve previously encountered.

No End to Enderby at The Whitworth Art Gallery 30 June – 17 September 2017

To mark the 100th birthday of Manchester-born Anthony Burgess this year, artist Stephen Sutcliffe and theatre director Graham Eatough collaborate to explore the writer’s series of Enderby novels in a new film, No End to Enderby.

This ambitious commission draws together Graham Eatough’s ongoing exploration of theatricality in the creation of meaning in contemporary culture with Stephen Sutcliffe’s interest in British literary and popular culture of the 1960s and 70s and his preoccupation with the selfdoubt of the artist.

A summer of new Game of Thrones and amazing new art? We are spoiled.

Photo: The Lowry

Theatre 25

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Bat Out of Hell: The Musical

Brogen Campbell Theatre Editor In recent years, a number of musicals have emerged based on the work of musicians: American Idiot, Viva Forever!, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical to name a few. The most recent jukebox musical, Bat Out of Hell is based on the songs by mega star Meat Loaf. The Bat Out of Hell album is one of the best selling albums of all time, reaching sales of over 43 million copies worldwide.

This Rock ‘n’ Roll musical has taken over 40 years to be constructed; going through countless drafts until it was finally ready for its premier performance at the Palace Theatre. World renowned producer/ songwriter Jim Steinman is behind the music and lyrics for this show and Meat Loaf’s album.

The story revolves around the beautifully innocent Raven (Christina Bennington) and rebellious leader Strat’s (Andrew Polec) forbidden love. Strat is part of a gang known as ‘the lost’, a group of young people with mutations which mean they typically stop ageing after their 18th birthday.

This does lead to a particular scene reminiscent of twilight where Raven asks Strat how long he’s been 18. The premise does seem rather far-fetched, but then again it is set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world.

However, Raven and Strat’s isn’t the only love story that exists. You have young Tink (Aran MacRae), frozen before he has fully matured, who’s unrequited love for Strats, results in an act of ultimate betrayal. However, it was hard to find any sympathy for a character that came across as whiny as he did and honestly I wasn’t surprised that Strat wasn’t interested. The other two groups of lovers are Raven’s parents, the tyrant and Chief of Police Falco (Rob Fowler) and Sloane (Sharon Sexton). The most touching love segments were between two members of the wasted youth, Zahara (Danielle Steers) and Jagwire (Dom Hartley-Harris).

Review

Jagwire is clearly infatuated with Zahara, but she seemingly remains too hurt by Strat’s rejection to ever love again. The rebellious leader has certainly had a number of admirers, which is hardly surprising as he spends the majority of the show parading around bare chested.

Andrew Polec carries the show on his young shoulders and he really does excel in the role. Polec bares no resemblance to Meat Loaf physically being blond and supporting a six pack. Yet they share the same immense energy which they are able to bring to a performance. Polec had an almost deranged look in his eyes throughout, but this perfectly fit the dystopian world that surrounded him. Polic’s intensity never seemed to wane. This young star certainly delivers a stellar UK debut performance.

The musical was highly comical, although I’m not sure if this was entirely intentional all the time. One of the funniest and awkward moments occurred during Falco and Sloane’s duet of “Paradise By The Dashboard Light”. Raven’s parents attempt to relight the fire of their relationship, much to the embarrassment of their daughter who is still present in the room. The couple eventually start to strip to their underwear — beware of bringing your judgemental grandparents — which isn’t that shocking when you consider that the entire cast are pretty scantily dressed throughout. Fed-up Raven decides to interrupt by pushing the car they are dancing around into the orchestral pit. One of the many creative and impressive ways the set is used to push the boundaries of theatre.

If you aren’t a huge fan of Meat Loaf you may feel slightly feel out of touch with the musical. I would definitely recommend having a listen before you go. However, there are a number of times when the cast seem to out-sing even the legend himself, notably, the standout, soulful vocals of Danielle Steers, especially during “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” and “Dead Ringer for Love”. During both these

One of the West End’s biggest hits starts its premiere run in Manchester

Like many, I have been a huge fan of the film Grease since I was young. The addictive songs, the fabulous costumes, the iconic characters — what’s not to love? So, when I heard that Grease: The Musical was to make its premiere run at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, I was more than just a little excited.

I did have one reservation beforehand however, and that was the casting of Danny (Tom Parker) and Rizzo (Louisa Lytton). I knew little of their background, just that one was a former member of The Wanted and the other a soap actress, and I hoped that their appearances weren’t a feeble attempt to use ‘household’ names as a way to push ticket sales.

Unfortunately, this did turn out to be the case.

Compared to flawless performance of Danielle Hope as Sandy – her rendition of ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’ was nothing less than magical — Parker and Lytton failed to shine.

Parker seemed uncomfortable in contrast to his fellow T-Birds, and whilst his voice did well in the lower-pitched ‘Grease Lightning’ and other group numbers, he struggled to find himself when paired with Hope’s pitch-perfect voice. Off to a shaky start, Parker’s confidence did grow throughout the performance, and by the beginning of the flawlessly choreographed school dance scene he had started to become the charming and mischievous Danny the audience craved.

Lytton, however, fared far worse as she struggled with her conviction of the dark and edgy Rizzo. Her solos, ‘Look at Me, I’m Sandra

Photo: Palace Theatre

Review

Grease: The Musical

Georgie Hines Reviewer

songs Steers received spontaneous applause from the audience. Naturally the show couldn’t end on any number except with “I Would Do Anything for Love”. The show received a standing ovation before it had even finished.

That said, the musical wasn’t perfect — I still can’t work out how the lost gang managed to escape from prison undetected — but this didn’t detract from the overall show; The staging was incredible, Motorbikes galore, Fire, an admittedly strange addition of confetti symbolising blood, they even threw in a few very realistic torture scenes.

Everything was created to transport you into this dystopian world, were the wasted youth rebelled against the tyrant Falco.

The musical certainly challenged conventional musical theatre; pushing through the visual image of theatre. Projected on screens and on the set buildings were close-up views of what was happening inside the Falco residence. This visual effect gave the ‘Big Brother’ you-are-always-beingwatched-impression. However, I felt this was one of the few times where the musical fell down. The camera-person obscured the actors on stage in their pursuit to get the closet angel. I felt the effect wasn’t worth this obstruction: if had I wanted to watch a screen I would have simply watched a film.

The image projection created a barrier from the action that wasn’t necessary.

Bat Out of Hell certainly delivers a visual feast for the eyes from the set design to the dance routines and it never held on back vocal performances either. This musical definitely pushes the boundaries of musical theatre and mostly delivers.

This new musical will undoubtedly go on to be performed for years, maybe even going on to revive fellow rock musical, We Will Rock You. Bat Out of Hell The Musical is being performed at the Palace Theatre till the 29th April.

Dee’ and ‘There Are Worse Things I Could Do’ were particularly awkward as her lack of theatre training against the immaculate supporting cast became obvious.

Although the show got off to a slow start, Doody (Ryan Heenan) thrust the show into high Rock ‘n’ Roll gear with his spectacular performance of ‘Those Magic Changes’. The surprise hit of the night made me want to jump on stage and fan-girl with the rest of the cast (except I wouldn’t be acting).

Credit must also be given to the marvellous Darren Day, who stole the limelight every time he graced the stage. His appearances were infrequent at most, a reason that I am not a fan of the Teen Idol/Vince character in any run of this production, but my, did he make a noise when he finally arrived. ‘Beauty School Dropout’ was an assault on the senses, and I couldn’t have loved it more. Nothing screams the 50s more than sequins, over-the-top outfits, and a smooth pop tune for the ladies.

Honourable mentions must also go to the comical Rodger (Oliver Jacobson), and incredible Pink Ladies, Rhiannon Chesterman (Frenchy), and Marty (Lauren Atkins), and Jan (Rosanna Harris), who carried their struggling main counterparts through the show.

Ultimately, even the faultless set, music, and choreography were eclipsed by Parker and Lytton’s painstakingly obvious inexperience on the stage. Despite the sheer talent of the insatiable Danielle Hope and supporting cast, next time I get a craving for Grease, I’ll probably just watch the film at home.

Grease: The Musical is being performed at the Palace theatre till the 25th of March.

City of Glass

Hi-tech stage adaptation of the Paul Auster novella combines detective drama with postmodern mania to impressively confusing effect Joe Casson Reviewer The first I heard of Duncan Macmillan and 59 Productions’ stage adaptation of Paul Auster’s acclaimed short story City of Glass was as I was being shepherded into a virtual-reality exhibit in the foyer of HOME a few weeks ago. In the excellent preview feature, titled My Name is Peter Stillman, you are placed in the body of someone you are not, being spoken to by a ghostly reflection in the window that mirrors your every move, yet is not yourself nor the character you inhabit in this world.

It is both unsettling and alluring, much like the play it previews. Its impression of shifting identities and realities was apt preparation for the main feature.

Playing with identity and reality is City of Glass’ bread-and-butter. Let me demonstrate: answering a wrong number in the middle of the night, depressed crime-fiction writer Daniel Quinn (played by Mark Edel-Hunt and Chris New, alternating intermittently) assumes his mistaken identity of Paul Auster (the detective, not the author) to pursue the case of Peter Stillman, who fears his deranged father (of the same name, and played by the same actor) is going to murder him after returning from prison.

Intending to follow him from the train station, Quinn identifies two figures who perfectly resemble Stillman Sr. and must choose which one to follow. In his investigation, he meets Paul Auster (the author of the story, not the detective) and also assumes the identities of both the protagonist of his detective novels and a fictional creation of Stillman Sr. As he delves deeper in the case, Quinn loses track of his identity and the truth of his reality.

It’s dense, then, and more than a little confusing.

Yet this postmodern meta-theatrical framework contains a more traditional detective story at its heart that somewhat grounds it, and is structured so as to gradually acclimatise us to its unorthodox narrative. The play takes the uncertainty and intrigue inherent to the detective genre and, step by step, takes it further; it is only a little after the halfway mark that we jump into the deep end when Quinn’s perception of reality spirals out of control after hitting a brick wall with the case. Who knew

detective fiction was such a compelling gateway drug to postmodern meta-theatre?

A special mention must be given to 59 Productions’ innovative use of lighting and staging. Though the stage stays physically static, it is transformed by shifting (and occasionally three-dimensional) projections of animated backgrounds, which seamlessly transport us from Quinn’s drab apartment to Stillman Jr.’s lavish walls of artwork to the bustle of Grand Central Station. This sense that we are in an environment that is at once both the same and different perfectly reflects the play’s central pillar of uncertainty.

The play’s ambitious rethinking of roles and identity means the cast’s acting chops should be stretched to the limit: every actor takes on a number of roles, and it’s striking that at the end of the play only five actors come up to bow. Jack Tarlton, who plays both generations of Peter Stillman (Stillmen?), is particularly impressive, capturing the father’s mania and his son’s deep psychological trauma.

In the latter role, he moves like a marionette and speaks in a patchwork of timbres, accents and vernaculars, bringing a character who was locked in a dark room and deprived of language for nine years as a child to disturbing life.

City of Glass is clearly a difficult text to adapt to stage, and for the most part Macmillan pulls it off.

The use of a narrator who recounts in detail what the characters are thinking and doing is probably a necessary inclusion for making sense of the confusing plot, and ensures the play is faithful to the source material. However, it also has a tendency to undermine the role of the cast somewhat, and they occasionally come across like puppets of the plot rather than characters in themselves. This may well be the point, as it is certainly in the story’s spirit, but it can make the action feel distant at times.

City of Glass is not an easy play to watch by any means: it is dense and convoluted, and at no point does this web of identities and misinformation come into focus. Nonetheless, it is a tremendously impressive production both in the range of its actors, its hi-tech and seamless stagecraft and its ability to make (relative) sense of Auster’s postmodern masterpiece.

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Lifestyle

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Horoscopes, week Job interviews: How to get hired commencing 20th Battled your way through the endless paperwork and found yourself facing a terrifying job interview soon? Relax and read our top tips for nailing the interview March

Emily Dadswell Lifestyle Contributor

Aries, March 21st – April 19th As mercury enters your charts communication zone, now is the time to speak your mind. You have the tools to realise your ambitions so do not be shy of taking risks.

Taurus, April 20th – May 20th You may find yourself surrounded by people this week. Take pleasure from their company, interact earnestly and you will build secure foundations for friendship.

Gemini, May 21st – June 20th Friendships and close bonds may feel strained this week as your ruler, Mercury, brings about a short spell of conflict. Do not make assumptions about those closest to you.

Cancer, June 21st – July 22nd Your work life comes into sharp focus this week. Ensure you feel comfortable in your work and career plans will be met with greater success.

Leo, July 23rd – August 22nd Your intuition is strong. Have confidence in your judgements, especially in social situations.

Virgo, August 23rd – September 22nd This week you may feel that your best efforts are coming to nothing.

Stamina is key, as the fruits of your labours may not at first be obvious.

Libra, September 23rd – October 22nd Your routine and work life are in perfect synergy. Your execution of tasks that often seem tiresome will be significantly better, you may even find yourself enjoying them.

Scorpio, October 23rd – November 21st As Mercury enters the area of your chart that rules creativity and self expression a more artistic phase begins. You are also better in touch with your inner child, do not be afraid to experiment and play.

Sagittarius, November 22nd – December 21st Family ties take centre stage. Find the time to spend with close relatives, you may find a new appreciation for those relationships.

Capricorn, December 22nd – January 21st With organisation and discipline there is still time to reach what you need. Do not let self-doubt hold you back.

Aquarius, January 20th – February 18th Actions and words must be carefully considered this week, so as not to cause regrettable situations later on. A stimulating conversation may be turned into a profitable opportunity later in the week.

Pisces, February 19th – March 20th Mercury leaves your sign early in the week, allowing space for misunderstandings to dissipate. Your emotional intuition could bring you closer to new people, but the first move is yours to make.

Sophie Manley Lifestyle Contributor

Photo: world_relief_spokane@Flickr

It’s that time of year again.

Summer, placement years, and graduations are looming, you’ve spent hours in CV surgeries and written cover letter after cover letter, and finally you have reached the next stage of the application process! Hurrah!

Well done! You feel a moment of sweet relief before you realise that this means that you have an interview. Yes. A real life, face to face, palm-sweating, voice-quivering interview. Well take a deep breath and keep reading, for I have compiled an interviewee’s guide to success.

Research, Remember, Relate Research your employer until you’re confident enough to tell a friend in detail about what they do and how they do it. Find specific points of interest; maybe a paper published, a manifesto

or a project that you know you will remember, then relate it to you: either to something you’ve previously done or why it has really piqued your interest.

Look smart, feel comfortable, smell good No personal hygiene issues please. Always be on the side of too smart and make sure you’re dressed in a style that suits your employer. This is more important than you realise, first impressions count. Don’t be the person that wears brown shoes to an office where everyone wears black shoes. You will not get hired. This is a true story.

Write an ‘Elevator Pitch’ This is a 20 or 30 second excerpt (the length of an elevator ride, hence the name) which describes you, your skills and abilities, how these relate to the

job you’re applying for, and why they should hire you. It should roll off the tip of your tongue and sound natural in a conversation, or in response to a general question asking about you.

Make it clear, concise, engaging, and relevant. Also, it might be a good idea to memorise it; that way you won’t forget any key details when you’re nervous and tongue-tied in an interview.

Be the best version of yourself Before you walk through the door, your interviewer will have an image in her or his head about what they’re looking for in a new potential employee. Let’s call this image a unicorn (because they’re a magical and perfect being that doesn’t actually exist). Over time, their image of what they want will change and evolve, and your job is to make that image you. Be the person who is perfect for the job; prove to the person interviewing you that they need you working for them, by telling them exactly what you will bring to the table and why you’re so valuable.

Don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet (in a modest and endearing way, like a trumpet serenade or something).

Make them like you I have no doubt that you’re a well-mannered, friendly and likable person (probably), but it doesn’t hurt to work extra hard to make sure that you give a really good impression of yourself.

People generally feel like they’ve had a successful and enjoyable conversation with someone if

they themselves have talked the most throughout. This interview is about you, but remember to ask lots of questions and create a dynamic and active two-way conversation. Engage with them personally and find common ground in order to make the conversation flow better. Secondly, people like to feel in charge. Make yourself physically smaller than your interviewer, that way they feel completely in control and thus better about themselves, leaving them with a good feeling after the conversation. Also, if your interviewer asks you how you would act in a certain situation, don’t be afraid to ask them what the deeper meaning behind this conversational role play is. Ask them what they are really trying to discover about you, this will open up the conversation and also make it less likely that you’ll give a ‘wrong answer’.

Don’t be disheartened If you’re not right for the job, the chances are the job wasn’t right for you either. If you are not what they are looking for, don’t take it personally. You have no idea what the unicorn in their head looked like. Make sure you’re only applying to jobs you really want, as your passion and enthusiasm will shine through you in the interview. One more thing, allow each rejection to become a learning curve. Either you learn how to do the next interview better, or you learn that actually that job wasn’t right for you in the first place. Good luck!

An ode to the Megabus

With Easter looming, you might be busy trying to plan your trip home. Rather than spending a fortune on the train, why not take the beloved Megabus?

Katy Teasdale Lifestyle Contributor

For years I swore by Virgin Trains. It’s comfortable, it’s safe, and it’s easy. However, when the financial times get tough, the train becomes less appealing. You shouldn’t have to book months in advance to get an affordable journey home, and you don’t have to either! It has its ups and downs, but the Megabus is the transportation of the future.

1) There’s free Wi-Fi — and it’s easier to get a plug Albeit, neither are guaranteed. However, when the free Wi-Fi is working and you’ve snatched the window seat with the plug socket, the rest of the journey will be pure bliss. Unless you’re forking out for first class, you have to pay for Wi-Fi on Virgin Trains. The Megabus truly cares more about your needs.

2) It’s dirt cheap For the same price as cheesy chips and curry you can get on a coach to London. Not only that, but changing your reservation is miles easier and cheaper than it is with the trains.

3) The Megabus is funny At best, you’ll have a normal, calm, and pleasant coach journey. At worst you’ll have some great stories.

How many times has somebody changed a baby on your lap without asking on Virgin Trains?

4) You can work on the way The low price comes with a long journey time, but this is just part of the magic. Five hours to London is more than enough time to sneak some work in. You have more time to be productive, whereas the train is too quick to get some substantial work down.

5) It’s character building I’m sure that if Lord of The Rings was set in contemporary 2017 England, Frodo and Samwise would have taken the Megabus to Mordor. The reason? It’s an adventure that tests the boundaries of friendship. You have to be patient and calm at times. The skills you learn from the Megabus will be truly applicable to real life situations.

6) It’s an adventure It’s like a school trip gone wild. People from all walks of life get the Megabus: students, the elderly, people who believe they’re magicians. You never really know what you’re going to get — you may even find love.

Photo: simmysphotos @Flickr

Lifestyle

ISSUE 19 / 20th MARCH 2017 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

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The best UK destinations for the Easter break

Jack Greeney takes a look at some of the greatest places to visit a little closer to home over the Easter break period, so get planning your trips now!

Clitheroe For a visit to somewhere off the well and truly beaten trail, why not have a look around Clitheroe, a small town in the Ribble Valley. Just 35 miles northwest of Manchester, Clitheroe is easily accessible by regular train services from Manchester Victoria. The town is well-known for its 12th century Norman keep: Clitheroe Castle. Whalley Abbey also finds its home in Clitheroe, with beautiful grounds, gardens and ruins. On top of this, the town is the most popular base for those wishing to walk among the trees in the lovely Forest of Bowland, which features some of the loveliest walking routes in the north west.

Liverpool The maritime city of Liverpool, under an hour’s train ride west of Manchester, makes for a great day trip this Easter. Whilst The Beatles Story museum attempts to encapsulate the home of The Beatles, there’s more to Liverpool than that alone. The Walker Art Gallery displays a great range of European paintings and sculptures, whilst the Victoria Gallery and Tate Liverpool are also must-visits.

For history enthusiasts the World Museum is large and extensive, and the unusual Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is another sight worth seeing. Of course, there’s always the football, too: and with Anfield and Goodison Park, Liverpool is rarely shy of it.

Photo: Jack Greeney

The Lake District By the time students run free from university for Easter at the start of April, Spring will have sprung: hopefully, anyway. For a more outdoors experience to finally get out and about after months of the Winter weather, the Lake District is a great area sitting just waiting to be explored. The Windermere train station is around an hour and a half’s journey north from Manchester and from there the mountainous Cumbrian region is ready to be delved into. There are wonderful gleaming lakes, the very same ones which inspired the writings of Wordsworth, and a range of pikes and fells to hike and admire the view.

Photo: Jack Greeney

Photo: Jack Greeney

South-West For something a little different, catch a Megabus down to the south-west of England and spend a few days in some great southern cities. Bristol, straddling the river Avon, is a cultural hub. The harbour’s old warehouses now contain restaurants, shops, and The Arnolfini contemporary art gallery. Two other places of interest are then only a train ride away. Cardiff features a wonderful bay area, the National Museum of Wales, and the wonderfully striking Senedd building. Meanwhile, Bath displays the famous Royal Crescent, the Grade 1 listed Bath Abbey: and of course, the Roman Baths from which the town was named.

York Only an hour and fifteen minutes by train from Manchester, the historic walled city of York is a must-visit for those living in the north of England. York Minster, the city’s enormous 13th century Gothic cathedral, has impressive medieval stained glass and bell towers. The York Museum Gardens feature Roman ruins and a medieval abbey, and the City Walls form a walkway on both sides of the River Ouse. Another top attraction is the Jórvík Viking Centre: a time capsule Viking village and museum from the city’s era of Scandinavian rule. The old town streets of The Shambles are lined with timber framed buildings and touristy shops.

Photo: Jack Greeney

Feminist reflections on International Women’s Day A reflection on 2017’s International Women’s Day, what it means for feminism, and how it can help us reflect on the fight for gender equality

Alice Richardson Lifestyle Contributor

The celebrations and demonstrations of International Women’s Day swept the world last Wednesday the 8th of March, with countries across the globe hosting events to both commemorate the achievements of women and to rally together in demand of gender equality. The tradition of International Women’s Day has been observed for over a century now, a century tracing huge progression in women’s social status and expansion of rights.

Whilst such achievements have made vast improvements for gender equality, the fight remains far from over.

With the call for gender equality still a pressing matter, it becomes crucial to ensure that any demand and movement for women’s rights remains deeply invested in unity with a strong consideration of intersectionality. The dedication of a day to women, or indeed a day invested in the rights of any single identity category, may run the risk of a potential exclusion or failure to account for all the diversities such a category contains. Women come in a multitude of colours, shapes, sizes, beliefs, fashions, and attitudes. The struggle of one individual’s experience of their gender may be entirely different to that of another’s from a different social or cultural background. In order for gender equality to prosper, these differences and varying manifestations of oppression must be acknowledged and utilised.

A criticism so often levelled at the second wave feminists cites the movement as exclusionary, particularly to transgender women. With so many political demonstrations for women’s rights becoming expressed through language that reduce women to their biology and genitals, many forget the implication this may have for transgender women. Similarly the expression and call

Photo: stephanridgway @Flickr

for female liberation has so often been one articulated from a position of white privilege, with the struggles of women of colour comparatively underrepresented. To achieve equality in a world of such diversity, it becomes crucial therefore that feminism refuses to become synonymous with white, cisgender, middle-class, able-

bodied women. In acknowledging the intersectional pathways of oppression and the multiple ways a woman manifests herself, we can establish a much stronger unity for demanding gender equality.

In light of the recent presidential elections, the past year has seen a burst of activism, with women uniting to march in protest against Donald Trump’s anti-abortion policies, misogynistic comments and attempts to naturalise language inciting sexual exploitation of women as “locker room talk.” The fact that such attitudes threatening women’s equality and rights not only remain painfully prevalent but are also regurgitated by arguably the most powerful man on the planet is more than a cause for concern. In a time of such political change and implicit threat to women’s rights, control over their bodies, and equal social status, the fight for women’s rights is one which calls for solidarity. In ensuring solidarity and a movement of inclusivity, incorporating the multiple and varying struggles of different women, such unity may be the key to achieving wide reaching effects and interrogating the social systems, currently marginalising and suppressing so many.

The celebration of International Women’s Day becomes crucially invested in a resistance of controlled and subjugated bodies, as we resist a system that has downtrodden and dictated women’s position for centuries. So whilst International Women’s Day remains an immensely important day and a time of celebration, we must remember that not only is our struggle for equality still ongoing, but it is necessary to keep the category of ‘women’ broad and inclusive to enable us to demand our right to live, do, and express our gender without restriction.

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U:SAY

Applications Open Ever wanted to see more behind the scenes of the BBC Sport, and have your voice heard? You can sign up to be part of their pool What Hollywood is to film lovers, the sports studio is to sport fanatics. BBC Sport opened up their doors to University of Manchester students a couple of months ago, to have a look around the studios, where shows like Match of the Day are filmed, and go back stage to where output is controlled and producers swear. Now they want more people to join.

University Students were given the chance to play with the BBC’s brand new virtual reality toys too. Some set the mode on the goggles to send them to the top of the Empire State building, whereas other entered the virtual reality mode of University students not being in crippling debt.

This was part of BBC Sport’s U:SAY programme. They are bringing in anybody from 18-25 years old to talk about every sport, from curling to naked mud wrestling. They are looking for anybody with an interest in sport, to join a group of 18-25 year olds and have their brains picked, in exchange for access like no other.

The next session will be on Wednesday 5th April, 1pm, at Media City, where the team will get students together to talk about sports they love. It’s a bit like being at the pub, but instead of a gin and tonic (yeah, I know), it’s a glass of fancy lemonade and cookies… all on

the Beeb.

Fuse FM’s Josh Jenkins went to the last event: “We’d walked around the ground floor, past TV presenters and reporters, having a look at all the backstage stuff. It surprises you just how much work actually goes into producing each show or piece of content.”

Ross Taylor, Head of Audiences at BBC Sport and Radio 5 live, had this to say on why they’re doing the event: “At the BBC, audiences are at the heart of everything we do. Our Universities: Sport & Youth (U:SAY) programme provides us with the platform to speak to students directly and for them to tell us what they really think about what we do. This feedback is invaluable and helps to inform what we at BBC Sport create, produce and deliver across our platforms.

“The U:SAY sessions are designed to be interactive and experiential, so that by the end of each one we have a better understanding of the audience – and they have a better understanding of what we do too.

“I hope you’ll join us for a future event!”

To register interest for any future events, visit the Mancunion Sport website. Events are planned to run throughout the rest of the year.

24-hour run: running around the clock for CRY The mighty challenge of a 24-hour run was taken on by the University of Manchester Athletics and Cross country club (UMACCC); all in the name of charity!

Hannah Brown Sport Reporter The event proved a resounding success as an impressive £452.77 was raised to fund the lifechanging work of CRY (Cardiac risk in the Young). With a devastating figure of 12 young people per week dying of undiagnosed, yet preventable sudden cardiac death in the UK, CRY are dedicated to developing heart screening programmes to identify those at risk, and funding research into understanding the causes of these tragic deaths. As young athletes are particularly at risk due to the potential for exercise to act as a trigger for sudden death in individuals with an underlying cardiac abnormality, UMACCC felt this commendable cause was very relevant to the club!

The original plan was for club volunteers to run consecutively for 30 minute time slots on a treadmill located outside the SU. With this plan requiring a last minute adaptation as a result of being supplied with a very basic and hazardous treadmill, the treadmill run was replaced with numerous, more scenic laps of the Alan Gilbert Learning commons and library.

Helped by an unusual appearance of the sun, spirits were high as the running got underway and members engaged with the public, informing them of the transformative work of CRY, whilst collecting kind donations from passers-by. Despite

several speaker mishaps experienced throughout the day, the enthusiasm and dedication of our volunteers retained attraction to the stand. This was confirmed by the generous continual flow of pennies and pounds making their way into the collection buckets; very much appreciated!

With the anchor leg of the run commencing at 9:30pm on the 1st March, club members gathered in the Union bar to support our final runner display a mammoth effort in bringing the

Photo: Hannah Brown

event to a close. This preceded heading back to the home turf of Fallowfield to celebrate a successful 24 hours with yet another fabulous AU social, accompanied by some welldeserved Revs 2-4-1 cocktails.

A massive thank you to everyone who donated to this worthy cause. Our JustGiving page is still open for donations; please help us to further exceed our original £100 target!

Finally, thank you to all of our members for their combined efforts in organising and taking part in the run, despite some very unsocial time slots. Next on the agenda is the Great Manchester 10k, where UMACCC hope to continue this success in raising money to fund the admirable work of CRY. If you are interested in screening for cardiac complications, CRY holds free screening clinics for young people between the ages of 14 and 35 at a number of locations around the UK. The test is painless and non-invasive, and involves having an Electrocardiogram (ECG) to study the electrical conduction pathways in the heart, and identify any potential cardiac abnormalities. CRY urge anyone within the age range to be screened, with elite athletes being particularly encouraged.

You can sign up to these events online at c-r-y.org.uk/, or alternatively if places are fully booked, a screening interest form can be completed to allow you to be notified by email when a screening in your area becomes available.

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In other News: Football Crazy

Jack Greeney rounds up the more unusual football news of the week that may have passed most viewers by 50 Year Old Footballer Scores

the Leverkusen club’s Twitter account joking of his disappointment. German wonderkid Haverts has played 20 matches for the senior side from the North RhineWestphalia area this season, and made his Champions League debut in the first leg of the tie.

Japanese footballer Kazuyoshi Miura became the oldest ever goalscorer in professional football last week, at the age of 50 years and 14 days. The Yokohama FC forward scored the only goal in a 1-0 defeat of Thespa Kusatsu. J-League veteran Miura, who previously scored 55 goals for his national team, joined his hometown club in 2008. In scoring the goal, “Kazu” beat Sir Stanley Matthew’s record for oldest goalscorer in a competitive match, which had stood since 1965. Miura was “glad to contribute”.

U.C. Palermo Unites with Formula 1 Team

Convicted Murderer Bruno Finds New Club Brazilian goalkeeper and convicted murderer Bruno Fernandes has found a new club. The footballer was convicted of killing his partner Eliza Samudio and feeding her remains to dogs in 2010. Shortly after leaving prison, having served a partial sentence and still pending further appeal, the 32-year old signed a two year deal with second-tier team Boa Esporte. Outraged with the decision, many fans have protested outside the stadium, and three sponsors have ended partnerships with the club.

PSG Pen Futile Complaint Letter

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly written a letter of complaint to UEFA headquarters following their 6-1 Nou Camp ca-

Photo: Hugo Perez Marson @Flickr

pitulation versus Barcelona. The dossier listed ten decisions the French side felt that referee Deniz Aytekin had gotten wrong to an extent which affected the match result, including controversial penalties won by Neymar and Suárez. What PSG intends to come about as a result of such a letter is rather unclear: they undoubtedly remain knocked out of the competition.

Wonderkid Misses Champions League for Exams 17-year old Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz missed last Wednesday’s away game to Atlético Madrid to sit ‘important exams at school’. There is no doubt that the teenager would rather have been available to play football over attending school, with

The worlds of football and Formula 1 collided last week after Palermo striker Ilija Nestorovski appeared in a bizarre YouTube video promising to dedicate his next goal to the Force India racing team. Why? Common ground on the colour pink. The F1 team has made radical design changes this year to present a new car in an entirely new colour: which just so happens to be the same pink as the famous rosanero colours of Palermo. “What a fantastic colour!” says Nestorovski. I, personally, am not so sure.

Tyrone Mings Three letters were enough for Bournemouth footballer Tyrone Mings. The young defender is currently banned for five matches after an appearing to stamp Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimović’s head. During United’s following domestic match however, this time against Chelsea, Reds defender Marcos Rojo avoided FA disciplinary after a stamp on Eden Hazard.

The irony was certainly not lost to Mings: ‘Lol’, he tweeted, and left it at that. Guilty or not, at least he has a sense of humour.

The Good, the Bad, and the Irrelevant Who are the best and the worst of football pundits?

George Green Sport Reporter Over the last decade there has been a gradual increase in the criticism of professional football punditry. There is undoubtedly a much higher demand for top level analysis from each match, but are the viewers getting this? We took a look at some of the best and worst pundits television has to offer.

A recent documentary on Sky — ‘Gary Neville: The Pundit’ — showed how much hard work and dedication the exUtd full back puts in to delivering exceptional analysis of games, key moments and individual players. The same goes for Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher; Neville and Carragher were once bitter rivals, but now they come together brilliantly on Monday Night Football (MNF).

The MNF cast have arguably revolutionised punditry: they watch as many games as possible to draw out the most interesting talking points from the week’s features. We asked thirty football fans who they believed to be the best pundits on television, twenty-seven said either Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher or Thierry Henry — all working for Sky. One of the best features is that they answer questions that the public have put forward on Twitter.

However, Sky’s Soccer Saturday is not quite the perfect example of sufficient punditry; it’s more like some middle-aged blokes sat round a table shouting at a match. That isn’t for television — they could do that at the pub. Each week Paul Merson puts forward his predictions for the upcoming Premier League fixtures. More often than not he gets them horrifically wrong.

Although he endured a long playing career, Merson still shouldn’t get paid to make such horrendous predictions. He should stick to being a pundit and spend more time thinking about presenting logical viewpoints.

Graeme Souness was a serious player in his day and does, for the most part, come up with some very good suggestions. But at times you can’t help be feel that his views are now outdated. A few weeks ago he said that Manchester City should sign Franz Beckenbauer. Stoke should sign Pele, Everton should sign Diego Maradona and Accrington Stanley should sign Johan Cruyff. To be honest Graeme, Pep Guardiola will probably not pick up the phone anytime soon and persuade the 71-year-old retired German footballing hero to sign a five-year deal. Comments like this may have been acceptable a few years back, but now the punditry bar has been set too high for irrelevance like this.

Michael Owen has been torn to shreds on social media for some of his stupid viewpoints. He once came out with the statement, “When they [Manchester City] don’t score, they hardly ever win.” If you haven’t looked at this article, you probably haven’t read it. Come on Michael, have you ever heard of team winning that hasn’t scored? More recently the former Ballon d’Or winner said: “To stay in the game, you have to stay in game.”

It’s actually a miracle that BT Sport, the television channel he works for, don’t pick him up on making such idiotic remarks.

Robbie Savage is a pundit we all love to hate.

It’s virtually impossible to watch or listen to a match that doesn’t have his input. He sits there with that absurd quiff looking like an

overgrown cockatoo, and says things just to create controversy which sometimes detracts from the proper analysis of the match which he should be discussing.

People claim that “he has good charisma” and yes he does, but dolphins have good charisma — it doesn’t mean that we want to hear their views on a football match.

Savage spent the majority of his career at Leicester City (when they were bad) and Derby County, not exactly an advert of the most prestigious football teams this country has to offer. Savage proclaiming himself an ‘expert’ is a bit like someone suggesting that they’re the leader of the Green Party for speaking to a hedge.

Match of the Day has been gracing our screens for over fifty years now. Gary Lineker is

brilliant at what he does, asking the best questions about the matches in the hope of receiving some good answers: everyone likes Lineker. It’s his colleagues who let the crisp-loving presenter down. Danny Murphy, arguably the most boring man to ever have existed in the world, definitely puts a lot of effort into his analysis, but the way he presents it is so mundane. Instead of counting sheep to get to sleep, listen to Danny Murphy talking about a 0-0 draw between Stoke and Hull.

It’s obvious that punditry does have its faults. It brings a lot of good for the sport on the whole, but pundits should make sure what they are saying is relevant and meaningful in order to avoid mass criticism, especially from the exceptional pundits in The Mancunion office.

Photos: BBC and Wikimedia Commons

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Six Nations: Lions Watch

by Toby Webb This summer, the British and Irish Lions will travel to New Zealand for a five week tour in June and July, a ten match tour including a three match series with the No.1 ranked team in international rugby.

Working on a 12-year cycle, the last Lions tour to NZ was in 2005, in which they lost the three match series 3-0: the Lions only victorious tour to NZ was in 1971.

Despite this bad omen, the Lions come off the back of a victorious tour to Australia in 2013. This year’s 6 Nations was the last competitive international rugby for the players from the home nations, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, to stake their claim for squad, or even starting, places.

Warren Gatland will be the head coach for the summer tour, having fulfilled the role in 2013. His experience in bringing players from different nations together to form a winning side will be crucial.

In 2013, with Wales the dominant team in the 6 Nations, the Lions squad was largely made up of Welsh players.

However, given England have won back-to-back 6 Nations titles, the squad is likely to be dominated by English players.

Assuming there are no major injuries, here are my predictions.

With the forwards, there are positions with real strength indepth and positions deficient in quality options; Gatland must consider his starters, as well as who can make an impact off the bench.

At loose-head, despite being injured for most of the 6 Nations tournament, I expect Mako Vunipola to start, pipping his England teammate Joe Marler and Ireland’s Cian Healy, who will likely make the squad, to the jersey.

Moving on, no hookers have made a real statement this year. One would assume Dylan Hartley, England’s captain, will get the nod considering his experience, however, his England teammate Jamie George has arguably been playing better when coming on as a sub.

The Hartley-George combination provides a good change of style and should be incorporated into the Lions.

Unless blighted by injury, it appears Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong is set to secure the tight-

head position, with Scotland’s WP Nel providing solid backup assuming he recovers from injury.

There is some real quality in the Second Row. Alun Wyn Jones, a Lions veteran and the likely candidate for captaincy, has proven quality and is a certain starter. England’s Joe Launchberry and Courtney Lawes have been immense this tournament, the shining lights in often average performances; Maro Itoje, although playing flanker under Eddie Jones, usually plays here too.

Also staking a claim is Jonny Gray, who has been fantastic in an upstart Scotland team. I expect these five to all make the squad. While I would love to see Itoje start, I think Gatland will look to experience, with Launchberry playing alongside Jones. Itoje offers real impact off the bench.

There is strong competition in the back row. At No.8, Billy Vunipola has arguably been the most improved player since Jones became England coach: his blend of dynamism and power will be important against a fierce NZ side. Assuming full fitness, he will start, with Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip his backup.

There is less certainty in the flanker positions.

At blind-side, CJ Stander has been Ireland’s exceptional player in the tournament, yet, Sam Warburton has looked rejuvenated without the burden of the Welsh captaincy duties.

While Warburton has Lions experience, I would like to see Gatland use both against NZ. Wales’s Justin Tipuric and Ireland’s Sean O’Brien will contest the open-side position, with Gatland likely to favor the familiar Tipuric.

Moving on to the backs, it will be intriguing to see how much precedence Gatland gives to national partnerships, the chemistry between certain individuals.

At scrum-half, Ireland’s Connor Murray, England’s Ben Youngs and Scotland’s Greg Laidlaw are viable options, with Wales’s Rhys Webb a dark horse after good performances in the tournament. While I expect Murray to start, Youngs will be crucial to providing impetus off the bench.

Although he is injury-prone, Ireland’s Jonny Sexton will se-

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by Guy Williams cure the fly-half position, linking up with teammate Murray.

Wales’s Dan Biggar will likely secure the back-up role, while England’s Owen Farrell can also fill the role if needed.

Farrell will be the starting inside centre. Along with Vunipola, he has improved massively under Jones. While his kicking, both points and place, has always been exceptional, he has added incredible nuance and poise to his attacking play; he was instrumental in England’s rout of Scotland.

However, if Gatland intends to stick by his ‘Warrenball’ philosophy, Ireland’s Robbie Henshaw will play 12. However, given his quality, Farrell has to start.

At outside centre, there is competition between the Welsh household name Jonathan Davies, a Lions starter in 2013, and England’s Jonathan Joseph: Joseph’s performance against Scotland (scoring 3 tries) will likely give him the edge.

I expect Wales’s George North, back in form, and England’s Anthony Watson to start on the wings. North was talismanic for the Lions in 2013: his try in the first test was immense. Watson, a classic speed merchant, provides the perfect accompaniment to North’s power.

Moreover, it seems destined that Scotland’s Stuart Hogg will start at full back. He has been the diamond in an electric Scottish backline in this year’s tournament. However, concerns over his defensive capabilities, as well as his ability under the highball, will mean Ireland’s Rob Kearney and England’s Mike Brown are necessary inclusions in the squad.

Finally, as a veteran of the 2009 and 2013 Lions’ tours, Alun Wyn Jones will surely be named tour captain.

The Lions’ tour of New Zealand will be a fantastic spectacle, especially given the strong English contingent likely to occupy starting positions.

Eddie Jones, with designs of taking England to the top of the world rankings, will be intrigued to see how the English contingent plays against NZ. Yet, despite the quality the Lions will take on tour, I expect New Zealand to win the series 2-1.

The Six Nations competition had come into this year’s edition at something of a crossroads.

While the fans and many of the players still regarded it as the premier rugby tournament in the world, there had been some consternation from ex-players and higher-ups that the quality of rugby on show was unsatisfactory compared to the southern hemisphere’s equivalent tournament, the Rugby Championship (TRC) which features New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and South Africa.

In the aftermath of Rugby World Cup 2015, one of the Argentine coaches, whose team reached the semi-finals (no Six Nations team managed this), stated plainly what many had already suspected: that his country would not have progressed so far in the tournament if they had joined the Six Nations in 2007 rather than the Rugby Championship in 2012.

The latter competition, he said, had prepared his team better for the cauldron of international rugby. The facts support this assessment of TRC: there are more tries, more line breaks, fewer scrums and less kicking in open play.

This means that the ball is ‘live’ more and players are consequently fitter and stronger in the southern hemisphere.

There are a couple of provisos to this comparison.

Firstly, the weather. It is much easier to run and pass when the sun is out and the wind is at your back; less so when the rain is horizontal and the wind is gale force. Since the Six Nations is played in February-March, it is often at the mercy of the elements and if the elements don’t play ball neither can the players.

The second proviso concerns nothing less than the definition of rugby itself.

Your average Australian or New Zealand fan will cherish the running and the passing; your average Welshman or Englishman will yearn for the ‘contest’,

the thump of the tackle and the scrum.

This is perhaps an oversimplification. Most European fans also want their teams to run and score tries, but since our teams are not very good at that, we pretend that rugby is not all about tries.

With these thoughts in mind, the administrators attempted to spice up this year’s Six Nations by adding bonus points to reward those teams who score four tries in a game. It is hard to judge the effect that this has had on teams.

Certainly, it has not triggered an evolutionary attacking style. In any case, the question of style brings us on to the state of the home nation sides and France (there is not much to be said about Italy).

Without a doubt, the shining light of this year’s edition has been the maturation of Scotland.

Irrespective of their recent drubbing by England, by beating both Wales and Ireland, Scotland have shown that they can thrive. Not only have they added a cutting edge to their attack, they have also sharpened their defence. The Gray brothers, Zander Fagerson and Finn Russell are a young crop around which to build.

France, meanwhile, have also developed albeit at a slower pace to Scotland.

It seems that they are attempting to rediscover the attacking potential that causes rugby dads to tear up when they think of French sides of yesteryear.

They have started to offload in the tackle far more and have shown a willingness to cast the ball wide in attack. At times, they have been guilty of forcing the pace, but if they do manage to master their high-speed game, that can only be good for the tournament.

Wales have been a bitter disappointment.

Where Scotland and France have shown a willingness to evolve their game, Wales remain stuck in their ways.

They have managed to beat Ireland and they may

still beat France, but their tactics and selection reflect outdated thinking.

Wales have debuted only three players since the World Cup in 2015.

This is the lowest number of new caps from the major nations. By comparison, New Zealand have handed debuts to 11 players, and England 12. Wales have attempted to broaden their power game by adding runners, but they too frequently fall back on an attritional style which wins them few matches and even fewer admirers.

Ireland have enjoyed a stellar season. They have beaten the Big Three of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. Consequently, their sub-par Six Nations has surprised many. The 9/10 axis of Murray and Sexton is arguably the best in Europe, though, and this tournament is likely to be just a blip.

This brings us, finally, to England.

England have evolved quickly and decisively. Their back line is one of the best in the world; their forwards are usually excellent but never poor; and their coach is a tactical magician.

But the key to England’s resurgence has been their strength in depth. No other team, bar possibly New Zealand, can boast such a strong bench. When all these elements are combined with a ferocious work ethic, it is easy to see why Sir Clive Woodward, England’s World Cup winning coach of 2003, has declared this team to be a “special group of players”.

It remains to be seen whether the improvements made by several Six Nations teams will result in a successful Lions tour in the summer. New Zealand is the hardest place to tour, but success breeds confidence and this year’s tournament has been a resounding success.

Are New Zealand concerned? They should be.

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Seven UoM students receive national call-ups

Photo: Annie Abu

Seven University of Manchester students make it into the illustrious group of elite athletes Jack Greeney Sport Reporter This year, seven University of Manchester students have been chosen to represent their country at the 2017 Home Nations Finals university tournament in April. The competition, hosted in Edinburgh from the 10th to the 13th, will feature three sports — hockey, football, and rugby sevens — and some of the most talented student sportsmen and women from around the UK. The students selected were as follows: Politics and Modern History student Tom Lush was selected for the men’s hockey team; Civil and Structural Engineering student Ed Hunt was selected for the hockey team; Biomedical Sci-

ence student Rowan Poots was selected for the hockey team; Dentistry student Megan Clarkson was selected for the football team; Sociology student Charlie Reed was selected for the rugby team; History student Asher Silverman was selected for the football team; and Geography student Ellen Lockhart was selected for the hockey team.

After receiving the news, the selected players were revealed at a photoshoot at the Armitage Centre on Monday 13th March. The opportunity to represent their university and their country in their sport is not one these students will forget anytime soon. These national call-ups present a unique opportunity to the students: a flavour of international sports representation to those who have never experienced it before.

These are athletes who have fought for their

chance. Rigorous trials in February, first at regional and then national level in Manchester, Leeds and Hartpury, ensured only the finest performers made the team. The University of Manchester has performed extremely well in seeing seven students make the grade, who make up almost 10% of the entire squad: the second highest of any university represented in the competition.

This year’s Home Nations Event will be the first tournament of its kind after an eight year hiatus. On the competition’s return, the English team will be looking to make their mark. The English team is made up of a total of 36 men’s and women’s hockey players, 32 men’s and women’s football players, and 24 men’s and women’s rugby players, all of whom will be raring to go come the turn of the new month.

James Plowright, the national team manager overseeing the head coaches, said the aim of the tournament was to allow those who have “proven their sporting ability and commitment” to “excel in their respective sport” at the highest level within university level. All in all it’s looking like an exciting tournament in the making, with some talented players having made the squad. The Mancunion wishes the very best of luck to all those involved.

The Home Nations Event is run by the English Universities Programme. For more information, or further updates as the tournament progresses, follow the English University Sport Twitter @EngUniSport, or visit the English University Sports page on the BUCS website.