Issue 5

Inside Culture: 15

Pink Floyd at 45 Music: 17

Everything that happened We Are 11 At The and would happen Whitworth Theatre: 24 Art: 27

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15th October 2018 / Issue 5

WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Ker-ching!

Exclusive: Uni staff credit card expenses revealed Nicole Wootton-Cane Head News Editor Staff have spent over £4 million on official University of Manchester credit and purchasing cards so far this year, The Mancunion has learned.

Data revealed by a Freedom of Information request (FOI) made

by The Mancunion shows staff used these cards to pay for expenses such as clothing, entertainment, and private childcare.

Students shared concerns about what they described as “frustrating but unsurprising” costs. The University responded calling all approved transactions “proportionate and for legitimate business purposes.”

One payment of £120 was made to a private nanny agency in London, whilst another showed nearly £4,500 being sent to a Hong Kong private members sports and social club. Collectively, £1,425 has been spent on LEGO since January, with one purchase alone at £576. Other purchases include nearly £200 at tailor Moss Bros, and £1,882 at The Crystal Maze, Manchester.

In New York City, employees spent over £5,000 over two visits to an expensive steak house. Other payments were spent on leisure such as Netflix and Spotify subscriptions, £60 on Cath Kidston online, and £375 on meal replacement drink Huel.

Hotel bills featured prominently, with UoM staff racking up a bill of over £69,000 in The Cumberland Hotel, and £60,000 in the Melia White House Hotel, London, between January and late September this year.

The data also appeared to show £1,838 in payments to the Conservative Party during this time. The university attributed these

costs to “Entry to/advertising at party conferences” — no payments to other political parties were evident.

Second-year Law with Politics student Becca Windsor De Taboada said: “That makes me furious. Honestly, as students we fork out a lot of money for the university, and seeing it go to things like this makes my blood boil.

“I had the opportunity to listen to Nancy Rothwell speak to the law faculty and reps last year, where she mentioned the efforts they were taking to avoid cutting pensions and come to a diplomatic agreement with the UCU. The fact that so much money is being wasted when staff are actively having their pensions and pay cut shows a lack of perspective.

“The University is a place for academic research and education.

It is not an excuse to spend £5,000 on steak.”

A University spokesperson said: “All approved claims at the University are proportionate and for legitimate business purposes which include travel, conferences, teaching, and research. For instance, the claims highlighted by The Mancunion for LEGO were used to buy materials for outreach activities for young people.”

The private nanny agency was described as “Support for staff with caring responsibilities to enable them to attend a laboratory meeting on an exceptional basis”, and the transaction at Hong Kong Football Club as “Conferencing venue hire for an alumni reception.”

The LEGO purchases were attributed to “Robotics research/ outreach activities”, and Moss Bros was used for “Formal attire for university event.” Payments at The Crystal Maze were for “Teambuilding activities”. £2,350 has been spent at a variety of wine merchants since January, a cost which the University told us went towards “Gifts for

visiting speakers/wine glass hire for events.”

Second-year, English Literature and American Studies student Liv Stringer told us: “This makes me feel extremely angry, especially since as an English student I’m paying £9,000 for nine hours of teaching a week, and we have to spend hundreds of pounds a year on buying our own books.”

The University also included purchasing card guidance notes with the FOI, which tells staff to avoid “payments for goods /services through PayPal.” Despite this, over 500 purchases have been made through PayPal since January, calling into question the scrutiny purchases are put under. The university defended the transactions, stating: “Paypal can be used as a payment platform, for instance where the purchase method being offered only has ‘use Paypal’ as a payment option.”

The findings at a time when UCU lecturers are balloting on whether to strike over pay. The ballot, which closes on October 19th, comes after lengthy strikes by UCU members last academic year over a pensions dispute. Some students questioned the university’s priorities, especially regarding their willingness to spend on entertainment, dining and leisure, whilst arguably neglecting staff’s wages.

The University said there are currently 243 active Purchasing cards and 289 active Corporate Credit Cards. They confirmed that no action had been taken over the purchases made: “No procurement card or corporate credit card holder has been reprimanded over the use of their card.

“Established processes exist to ensure that all transactions are bona fide and as per University regulations.”

Burnham announces new uni Mancunian congestion Universities target ‘superstar’ zone charge debated professors in bid to boost rankings mental health services Page 3 Page 2

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ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Patrick Hackett appointed as new Registrar, Secretary, and Chief Operating Officer

Inside Issue 5

Photo: The University of Manchester

Hackett, who previously worked as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, has been criticised by The Liverpool Echo for his spending habits Nicole Wootton-Cane Head News Editor

The rise and fall of #MeToo Opinion, Page 10

The Women’s Theatre Society Societies, Page 12

T he Un ive rs ity of M anche ste r h ave app o i nte d Pat r ick H acke t t as t he i r new Reg i st rar, S e c re t ar y, and Ch ie f O p e rat i ng Of f ice r.

H acke t t , who prev iou s ly worke d as D e puty Vice C hance l lor at t he Un ive rs ity of L ive r p o ol , was among st af f c r it ic i s e d du r i ng t he UCU st r i ke s l ast ye ar for u n ne ce s s ar y sp e nd i ng wh i l st t rave l l i ng .

The Liverpool E cho re p or te d t h at L ive r p o ol Un ive rs ity bos s e s cou ld h ave s ave d £ 1 1 3,000 i f t hey’d t rave l le d st and ard cla s s on pl ane s and t rai n s ove r ju st u nde r t h re e ye ars.

H acke t t h i m s e l f was c r it ic i s e d for sp e nd i ng £ 765. 59 on one n ig ht at t he 4 S e as on s Hote l i n Syd ney l ast O c to b e r.

A Un ive rs ity sp oke sp e rs on told T he M anc u n ion : “ T he Unive rs ity i s ple as e d to h ave Pat r ick as it s Reg i st rar, S ec re t ar y, and Ch ie f O p e rat i ng O f f ice r.

“H i s ex p e r ie nce and re cord of succe s s w it h u n ive rs it ie s m ake s h i m an out st and i ng app o i nt me nt for M anche ste r.”

H acke t t worke d at t he Un ive rs ity of L ive r p o ol f rom 2 005 -

Andy Burnham announces new mental health services for Manchester universities The mayor of Greater Manchester unveiled new plans to tackle growing mental health problems in Manchester’s universities Lucinda Obank Deputy News Editor

Scientist imprisoned during Apartheid gives Fanaroff Lecture

Science, Page 8 Contact us Editor-in-Chief: Ethan Davies editor@mancunion.com Deputy Editor: Amy Wei deputyed@mancunion.com Online Editor: Jeremy Bijl online@mancunion.com Design Editor: Kizzy Bray design@mancunion.com

News Editor: Nicole Wootton-Cane Deputy Editors: Sam Honey and Shivani Kaura news@mancunion.com Science & Technology Editor: Jacklin Kwan science@mancunion.com Investigations Editor: Felix Hanif-Banks investigations@mancunion.com

20 18 , f irst ly a s D irector of Facilit ie s Ma nagement , t hen a s CO O, a nd f ina lly a s D eputy Vice-C ha ncellor.

He ha s a ls o held s enior leaders hip p osit ions at The Univers ity of Reading a nd Roya l Holloway, Univers ity of L ondon.

P re sident a nd Vice-C ha ncellor P rofe ss or Da me Na ncy Rot hwell sa id t hat Hacket t had “a rea l p a ss ion for universit ie s” a nd “a t rack record of succe s s.”

C om ment ing on his app o int ment on t he univers it ie s St a f f net web s ite, Pat rick sa id: “I a m delighted to b e j o ining The University of Ma nche ster. I have a lready dis covered a st rong s ens e of ident ity a nd a m bit ion in t hos e colleague s I have met .” “ There is a p owerf ul com m it ment to world cla ss re s ea rch, t he highe st q ua lity st udent ex p erience a nd to s o cia l, econom ic a nd cult ura l imp act at Ma nche ster a nd I a m lo oking forwa rd to j o ining t he tea m a nd cont ribut ing to achiev ing our v is ion to b e a leading glo b a l inst it ut ion.”

Pat rick Hacket t j o ined t he University m a nagement on 1st O cto b er.

L ast we e k , M ayor of G re ate r M anche ste r A ndy Bu r n h am a nnou nce d a new me nt al he alt h s e r v ice to b e i mple me nte d at u n ive rs it ie s ac ros s M anche ste r. T he s e r v ice ai m s to m ake it e as ie r for st ude nt s to acce s s he lp, regard le s s of whe re t hey live and work .

T he an nou nce me nt reve ale d t h at G Ps w i l l ove rs e e stude nt s t h roug hout t he i r u n ive rs ity care e r and u n ive rs ity stude nt G P p as sp or t s w i l l b e d i st r i bute d to g u ide t h i s.

T h i s e f for t to com b at me nt al he alt h come s fol low i ng find i ng s t h at m any st ude nt s ac ros s t he cou nt r y st r ug g le to acce s s ade q u ate me nt al he alt h su pp or t .

T he me asu re s w i l l b e p ar t of G re ate r M anche ste r ’s v i s ion of a ‘2 1 stce nt u r y N H S’ s e t out by Bu r n h am as p ar t of t he new pu bl ic s e r v ice mo de l w it h i n t he c ity.

In h i s an nou nce me nt sp e e ch , Bu r n h am s aid : ‘ We h ave a huge st ude nt p opu l at ion – more t h an any ot he r c ity i n t he U K - and we ne e d to do more to su pp or t t he m , ” he w i l l s ay.

T he t ran s it ion to u n ive rs ity can b e a toug h t i me, w it h m any you ng p e ople l iv i ng away f rom home, fam i ly, and f r ie nd s for t he f i rst t i me. We al s o k now t h at arou nd one i n f ive 16 to 24 -ye ar- old s ex p e r ie nce de pre s s ion or an x ie ty. D e spite t h i s, Features Editor: Liv Clarke features@mancunion.com Opinion Editor: Sophie Marriott Deputy Editor: Cachella Smith opinion@mancunion.com Societies Editor: Chloe Hatton societies@mancunion.com Music Editor: Olivia White Deputy Editor: Jake Oliver music@mancunion.com

st udent s a re p o orly s erved when it come s to ment a l hea lt h prov is ion’.

D ue to university t imet a ble s a nd wa it ing list s m a ny st udent s a re forced to ret urn home, drop out or move across hea lt hca re t rust b ounda rie s b e fore t hey’re of fered t reat ment .

Key feat ure s of t he s cheme include a n integrated single hub for a ll st udent s, a St udent S creening To ol to ensure st udent issue s a re ident if ied a nd t rusted a s s e ss or st at us gra nted to avo id rep eated a s s e ss ment s.

There a re a ls o pla ns to publis h dat a on wa it ing t ime s for children a nd young p eople’s ment a l hea lt h, m a king G reater Ma nche ster t he f irst place in t he count ry to do s o. S e ss ions m ay a ls o t a ke t he form of Sky p e, Fuze a nd ot her sim ila r site s to dis cus s issue s.

Burnha m com mented in t he pla ns, st at ing: “It w ill a llow us to f ully underst a nd t he b a s eline we a re working f rom a nd how fa r we need to go to deliver on e f f icient a nd e f fect ive children a nd young p eople’s ment a l hea lt h s erv ice s across G reater Ma nche ster.

“For t he f irst t ime, devolut ion ha s ena bled us to work toget her a s a whole system _ f rom our s cho ols to our universit ie s – to build a conurb at ion where our children a nd young p eople a re supp orted to achieve t heir f ull p otent ia l.”

Film Editor: Tobias Soar Deputy Editor: Aisha Al-Janabi film@mancunion.com

Food & Drink Editor: Catrin Stewart foodanddrink@mancunion.com

Fashion and Beauty Editor: Ella Searle fashion@mancunion.com

Arts Editor: Bella Jewell arts@mancunion.com

Books Editor: Gurnaik Johal books@mancunion.com Games Editor: Jeremy Bijl games@mancunion.com

Theatre Editor: Anuli Changa theatre@mancunion.com Lifestyle Editor: Sophia Ashby lifestyle@mancunion.com Sport Editor: James Gill

Deputy Editor: Sam Honey sports@mancunion.com Chief Sub-editor: Alex Cresswell Sub-editors: Rona McCann, Mia Gair, Jacob Thompson, Georgia Hickey Design Editors: Alex Singhal, Izzy Oldman, Josie Fowler, Liv Clarke.

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Letters & Complaints: complaints@mancunion.com Legal: legal@mancunion.com Advertising: Paul Parkes paul.parkes@manchester.ac.uk Phone: 0161 275 2942

News

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

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UoM launches new ‘Creative Manchester Project’ The Mancunion takes a look at The University’s new initiative to become a world-leader in the Arts and establish their place in the business world Photo: David Dixon @Geograph

New ‘cities’ development to create 10,000 new jobs Georgia Wiltshire News Reporter An historic £360 million contract establishing new ‘cities’ for hi-tech businesses will bring 10,000 new jobs to the Greater Manchester and Cheshire area.

Two giants of the development and finance world, ‘Bruntwood and Legal’ and ‘General Capital’ have joined forces to form ‘Bruntwood SciTech’. Through this merger, millions of pounds will be invested into the science and technology sector of the Manchester region.

A number of expansions are planned to take place on existing developments such as Circle Park, already home to luxurious student accommodation, as well as projects in Manchester Science Park and a number of other UK locations.

The project is set to be the largest

investment made in Europe this year in the science and technology sector and has the goal of creating 20,000 jobs with at least 50% of these being located in Manchester and Cheshire.

Speaking to Manchester Evening News , ‘Bruntwood’ CEO Chris Oglesby said: “Our focus is on creating thriving cities — breathing life into places where knowledge-based business can start and scale, driving growth for the UK economy.”

His new business partner, Nigel Wilson, chief executive of ‘Legal and General’, added: “Science and technology will be key to revitalising the UK economy and driving job creation. We need to keep investing to support the development of our UK regional cities.”

‘Bruntwood SciTech’ have articulated their plans to quintuple its property portfolio from 1.3 million square foot to 6.2 million, boosting the value to £1.8 billion within 10 years.

Georgia Wiltshire News Reporter The University of Manchester has announced the official launch of a new project named Creative Manchester . It was announced on the fourth of October and promises an investment of £3.3 million into the creative industry.

The event, held at Whitworth Hall, featured a variety of creative individuals and presentations. There was a range of speakers, from significant artists in Manchester to students. The guests gathered to witness multiple performances of poetry, speech, and even Klezmer Ensemble.

The University is aiming to be the leading academic institution in the creative industry sector, both locally and globally. It intends to do so by increasing support and conversations surrounding the importance of the industry. The project recognises the role of Arts and Humanities and will also focus on implementing them in the business world.

There are plans to give help in employability, as well as offer placement opportunities, in order to encourage students to expand their

creativity and to build a career from it.

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “Our investment in new research, new posts, and new courses will take our work across the creative and cultural sectors to a new level of significance and impact.”

One of the main goals of Creative Manchester is to help graduates by connecting their creative minds with employers. When a student studying English Literature with Creative Writing was asked to comment on the recent launch, she said: “It’s a great thing because there needs to be more focus on [it] and more resources for all of the creative arts.”

Another student on the same course talked about the role of the Arts and added: “it’s an area that is too often thought of as a hobby and it is often neglected in academic spheres. Anything that provides academic opportunities for the creative arts should be encouraged.”

The project has also set up their own website, www.creative.manchester.ac.uk. To find more information on their objectives and how to get involved, visit the website.

Congestion zone in Manchester city centre up for debate

Photo: David Ingham @WikiCommons

In order to improve air quality in Greater Manchester, cars, HGVs, buses and taxis could soon be charged to enter the city centre Shivani Kaura Deputy News Editor Last week, council leaders met to discuss the urgent impact pollution is having on the public. Guidelines imposed by the government state that all councils must show a draft clean air plan, eradicating nitrogen oxide associated with diesel emissions, to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by December 31st of this year.

It was reported earlier this year that over 1,000 premature deaths have been linked to bad environmental conditions, which could potentially reach legal levels by 2021, spurring an urgent meeting by council bosses.

Speaking to Manchester Evening News , Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City

Council and previous leader of the campaign for congestion charge, said: “If you’ve got something costing 1,000 premature deaths a year in Manchester, you’ve got to do something about it. I don’t think it’s not an option.

“Clearly dirty air is a killer, but also poverty is a killer and the older cars tend to be driven by people on lower incomes who need that car to be able to work.

“Whatever we bring in needs to ensure the people at the bottom end of the chart don’t have to pay for it, either a scrappage scheme or an exemption scheme for people on low incomes – probably a combination of both.”

“There are some difficult questions to address and quite a lot of hard and serious discussions to have over the next few months.

“The intention is to begin a public discussion in the next few weeks,” he added.

“Really, that’s to have a conversation with the public saying ‘this is what the problem is’, but even then, we’re not going to jump to any conclusions.”

Greater Manchester has recently considered a targeted scrappage scheme to improve air quality. Scrappage schemes are focused on getting rid of any diesel cars by sending them to scrap yards in exchange for cash. Although, many have argued that this method is ineffective and costly.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, previously promised to not introduce congestion charges, although failed to vow against introducing a tax on bus and HGV contractors to improve pollution.

Last year, Burnham stated to Manchester Evening News , that: “[my] commitment is

I will try everything else first. If it ever is to happen here, you are talking a long way down the line and even if it did I would go to restricting buses and HGVs. “I’m not going to implement that charge on car users. I want to make this really clear — there will never be any charge on individual motorists.”

A spokesman for the mayor has suggested that Burnham will oppose any charges made to individual motorists.

Following this discussion amongst council bosses, Greater Manchester’s clean air plan has the chance to gain funding from the government, hoping for a direct investment into public transport around the city. However, when this will happen is yet unconfirmed.

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ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Politicians have “moral obligation” to prevent no-deal Brexit, says Russell Group chair

Sir Anton Muscatelli has attacked politicians over the uncertainty of an EU exit Sam Honey Deputy News Editor Sir Anton Muscatelli has delivered a stark warning over ongoing negotiations with the EU, claiming that a no-deal Brexit would be “unhinged self-sabotage”.

The University of Glasgow Vice-Chancellor claimed that ‘all logic’ pointed towards keeping the UK in a single market after departure from the EU in March 2019. Muscatelli himself is one of the country’s leading economists, and has a track record in the field of political economy.

He further stressed that there would be dire consequences across the entire economy should the UK exit the European Union without a formal customs or trade agreement with the 27 other member states.

“There has been no comparable experience of a member of a regional trade association or free-trade area crashing out of that area without agreement”, said the 56-year old, speaking at a Brexit summit organised by Glasgow City Council.

His remarks came at a time where the possible implications of a no-deal Brexit are looming over universities, with UCU chief Sally Hunt intervening last month to argue that it was the greatest current threat to higher education.

Ongoing negotiations have cast serious doubt over the future of EU-funded research projects at British institutions, and the government’s hand was recently forced, as they agreed to finance EU schemes for UK Universities until 2020.

The effect of the loss of freedom of movement on foreign students studying in Britain is fast becoming another dilemma, with the future of the Erasmus+ scheme far from assured.

Amid the uncertainty for students and academics unlike, UCU is set to announce the results of a membership vote on

whether or not to support a second referendum, in the coming days. Universities UK has also been working closely with a number of UK institutions and the government to prepare for a range of exit scenarios.

Despite the potentially serious consequences for higher education, Muscatelli also stressed the universality of the problem, suggesting that a poorly-handled exit could set ‘’our economy and our society back for generations.’’

This is certainly the case in Manchester, where in addition to the repercussions for the three universities, a no-deal Brexit has been described as possibly bringing ‘chaos’ to the city. A damning report from Manchester city council raised concerns over knock-on effects in areas from housing to the environment and warned that local businesses were not prepared to stockpile resources.

With tensions increasing between local and national branches of government, Muscatelli has given a hard-hitting message of indictment to key figures in Westminster, claiming that ‘’any politician refusing to try – who won’t even attempt to soften the pain of Brexit by making the case for single market membership, which all logic tells them is the right thing to do – is guilty of a serious dereliction of duty.’’

The intervention of arguably the most prominent figure in British higher education is sure to spark debate over the apparent necessity for crucial agreements on university matters, regardless of whether or not a second referendum is to be held.

Meanwhile, universities are continuing their own informal planning for post-EU life, with Imperial College London and the Technical University of Munich announcing last week a unique ‘dual-nationality’ plan, in which they will jointly appoint staff, in the hope that this will keep access to research grants.

Photo: Ilovetheeu @ Wikimedia Commons

Universities target ‘superstar’ professors in bid to boost research rankings Big-name professors are being recruited in a ‘transfer-market’ like system, according to new research on the impact of government research rankings Photo: Marco Antonio Torres @ Flickr

Sam Honey Deputy News Editor U n ive r s i t i e s i n t h e U K a re re c r u i t i n g e l i t e p ro fe s s o r s w i t h t h e l u re o f h i g h e r p ay i n o rd e r t o s c a l e re s e a rc h l e a g u e t a b l e s , i t h a s b e e n fo u n d .

A p a p e r p re s e n t e d t o t h e E c o n o m i c P o l i c y P a n e l i n Vi e n n a m a d e t h e c l a i m s i n re fe re n ce t o t h e G ove r n m e n t ’s Re s e a rc h E xce l l e n ce F ra m e wo rk ( R E F ) , a n i m p a c t e va l u a t i o n p ro g ra m m e t h a t attempts to assess the accountability o f p u b l i c i nve s t m e n t i n re s e a rc h , a n d c a n a l s o b e u s e d t o m a ke f u n d i n g re c o m m e n d a t i o n s .

T h e p a p e r wa s a u t h o re d by t h re e e c o n o m i s t s b a s e d a t t h e U n ive r s i t y o f N o t t i n g h a m , wh o a i m e d t o d e m o n s t ra t e h ow t h e p ro g ra m m e h a d l e d t o a s ke w i n g i n u n ive r s i t y re c r u i t m e n t .

Led by Jo h n G a t h e rgo o d , the i nve s t i g a t i o n fo c u s e d o n t h e va r i a t i o n o f 1 6 , 3 0 0 p ro fe s s o r s ’ s a l a r i e s a c ro s s a t h re e -ye a r p e r i o d , s t a r t i n g i n 2 0 1 3 .

F i n d i n g s s u g ge s t e d t h a t a n i n c re a s e i n ave ra ge re s e a rc h q u a l i t y, m e a s u re d

by G PA , co r re l a t e d w i t h p ay r i s e s fo r i n s t i t u t i o n’s most p re s t i g i o u s and p ro l i f i c p ro fe s s o r s . T h e p a p e r c l a i m e d t h a t s e n i o r p ro fe s s o r s we re a b l e t o e a r n u p t o s e ve n t i m e s t h e a m o u n t o f c o u n t e r p a r t s wh o we re n e w t o t h e j o b, o n t h e n a t i o n a l ly- a g re e d s a l a r y minimum.

T h i s k i n d o f a c t iv i t y h a s b e e n l i ke n e d t o t h e re c r u i t m e n t o f e x p e n s ive fo o t b a l l e r s i n t h e P re m i e r L e a g u e , a s i n s t i t u t i o n s w i t h h i g h e r b u d ge t s a re i n c re a s i n g ly b e co m i n g a b l e t o poach academic staff at the top of t h e i r f i e l d s , w i t h l u c ra t ive c o n t ra c t o f fe r s . G a t h e rgo o d a n d h i s co l l e a g u e s

f u r t h e r a rg u e d t h a t s u c h a m a rke t h a s b e e n f a c i l i t a t e d by t h e a b i l i t y t o t ra n s fe r t h e u n ive r s i t y a f f i l i a t i o n o f re s e a rc h , c re a t i n g a ‘ t ra n s fe r- m a rke t ’ l i ke s t r u c t u re o f h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n re c r u i t m e n t .

T h e R E F f ra m e wo rk i t s e l f f u n c t i o n s s t ro n g ly o n a re p u t a t i o n - b a s i s a n d i t s u s e fo r f u n d i n g re c o m m e n d a t i o n s h a s b e e n s e e n t o d r ive i n s t i t u t i o n s t o h e a d h u n t i n o rd e r t o s e c u re t h e h o s t i n g o f wo rl d - c l a s s re s e a rc h p ro j e c t s and academics.

T h i s wa s re f l e c t e d in the U n ive r s i t y of Nottingham t r i o’s co n c l u s i o n s - t h a t a p p e a re d t o s h ow t h a t d e p a r t m e n t s w i t h t h e m o s t u n e q u a l l e ve l s o f p ay we re o f t e n t h o s e t h a t p e r fo r m e d t h e b e s t i n t h e R E F ’s assessment.

The re p o r t ra i s e s concern ove r t h e a p p a re n t i n t ro d u c t i o n o f e co n o m i c a l ly- m o t iva t e d competition

i n t h e U K u n ive r s i t y s ys t e m , s ay i n g t h a t , “ W h i l s t i n d iv i d u a l U K a c a d e m i c s a n d a d m i n i s t ra t o r s w i l l n o d o u b t f i n d t h e s e re s u l t s o f m u c h i n t e re s t , t h e y wa r ra n t w i d e r a t t e n t i o n , a s t h e y c o n t a i n i m p o r t a n t l e s s o n s o n t h e e f fe c t s o f l i b e ra l i s i n g p ay a n d i n t ro d u c i n g c o m p e t i t i o n fo r re s o u rc e s i n a l a rge ly p u b l i c ly f u n d e d s ys t e m . ” This adds to a l o n g- r u n n i n g d e b a t e ove r t h e m a rke t i s a t i o n o f higher education, with i n c re a s i n g c o n c e r n s t h a t s t u d e n t s a re b e i n g re l e g a t e d t o c o n s u m e r s t a t u s , a s o t h e r i s s u e s , s u c h a s re s e a rc h f i n a n c i n g , a re p r i o r i t i s e d . I n d e e d , t h e c o n c e p t o f ‘s u p e r s t a r ’ p ro fe s s o r s a p p e a r s t o s u g ge s t a s u b s t a n t i a l i n t e re s t i n s c a l i n g re s e a rc h t a b l e s a n d b o o s t i n g a c a d e m i c re p u t a t i o n s i n t h e ra p i d ly- g row i n g p o o l o f c o m p e t i t ive U K u n ive r s i t i e s .

News

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

5

Is Lendlease’s lease up? Call for contractor company to be suspended from council contracts Construction contractor, Lendlease, have been caught using the same type of cladding found in Grenfell Tower in their Manchester developments Sam Brougham News Reporter

schemes.

After the events that unfolded at Grenfell have left many people still without homes, the Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader, John Leech, pleaded to the council to acknowledge just how detrimental it could be to Manchester if the cladding remained in use.

Residents of Vallea Court and CYpress Place are now being asked to pay £3 million for the replacement of cladding by the freeholder firm Pemberstone Ltd. A spokesperson for Lendlease said: “Shepherd’s Construction were responsible for the design and build of Vallea Court and Cyprus Place, and the current owner of the building is Pemberstone Ltd.” This has left residents to resort to crowdsource funds to raise money for legal advice.

John Leech said, “under absolutely no circumstances” should Lendlease be considered for a Council Contract ever again

John Leech, Lib Dem MP, has recently slammed contractor Lendlease for the use of cladding similarly found on Grenfell Tower in Manchester redevelopments.

The recent redevelopment of the Green Quarter in Manchester, just north of the city centre, has been found to be using cladding that failed fire safety checks in July 2017.

In 2015, Lendlease sold the properties and area onto the investment firm Pemberstone as a freehold. However, documents from Lendlease to flat owners at the time of purchase state that: “We [Lendlease] will undertake, at our expense, to complete any accepted defect that has arisen as a result of either faulty materials or defective workmanship.”

The two tower blocks that used the cladding, Vallea Court and Cypress Place, comprises of 345 flats, many of which were obtained by residents through ‘Help to Buy’

Photo: Robert Cutts@Wikimedia Commons

until they pay the £3 million cladding bill.

Despite this, they still have major contracts within Manchester city centre, such as the development of the area around the gay village, and are in the running for the £330

million redevelopments of the city’s town hall.

The council is expecting to decide to whom the contract for the town hall restoration will go to later this year.

“Manchester Council is dangerously close to completely ripping the heart out of one of our city’s most iconic and beloved areas.”

Only recently, the demolition a 19thcentury building on Thomas Street has begun, after being at hazard of collapse for numerous weeks. This has sparked a heated topic once again among the Northern Quarter community, which is quick to accuse local authorities of neglect.

Resident David Redford-Crowe, took to twitter to express his concerns: “Most of

‘the historic fabric of the Northern Quarter’ has been bulldozed away. You will hardly recognise the area.” He added: “They [the council] are convinced that buildings within the NQ pose a danger to life and limb and risk imminent collapse.”

The local residents and wider Manchester community urge the Council to protect the heritage of buildings in Manchester, but days after social media uproar there is still yet to be a response from Manchester Council.

Historic buildings in the Northern Quarter ‘under threat’ Manchester City Council has been accused of ignoring the necessary restoration of culturally significant buildings to make way for luxury apartments Photo: Stephen Richards @ Creative Commons

Sam Brougham News Reporter Historic buildings on Soap Street, in the Northern Quarter, are set to be knocked down to make way for glass towers and blocks of flats.

Many of the historic buildings require urgent repairs to ensure they stay standing and maintain the cultural reputation of the city centre.

Streets in the Northern Quarter have

featured in popular series such as Peaky Blinders and Sherlock Holmes, as well as blockbuster films like Captain America.

The Liberal Democrats in the local area claim that Manchester Council is deliberately ignoring concerns about the deterioration of historic buildings and are even going against advice from statutory bodies like Historic England.

Liberal Democrat Councillor, Richard Kilpatrick, said: “It is just another part of their social cleansing plan which has been going on for years.”

6 News

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

The Clink Charity opens new café in Manchester A fine dining restaurant run by ex-prisoners, has opened its doors in Manchester city centre Esmee Samsworth News Reporter The Clink Café, a café ran almost entirely by former prison inmates opened its doors to the public in May this year.

The Clink Charity, founded in 2009 in partnership with Her Royal Majesty’s Prison Service, aims to give inmates formal training in catering as well as running a professional restaurant and kitchen in order to help them find employment upon release.

The first café, set up in the grounds of HMP High Down in Surrey was quickly followed by three more in prison campuses in Brixton, Cardiff and, the first in the North of England, Styal.

These restaurants, located within the grounds of prisons, offer the public a fine dining experience whilst supporting the work of an innovative rehabilitation scheme.

The programme has also proven to be highly successful with reports that the chances of former inmates who have completed the scheme re-offending have dropped by 41%.

The chief executive of The Clink Charity, Chris Moore, said in a statement that he and the rest of those working at the charity were “delighted” with these findings.

Moore added: “The Clink offers more than just training, we provide a five-step integrated programme for our trainees that consist of not only the recruitment and training while they are in prison but also support, employment,

Photo: Chevanon Photography @ Pexels

and mentoring upon release.

“All five elements are key to the reduction in reoffending as it is providing the graduates with the assistance they need to readjust back into society.” The opening of The Clink Café in Manchester is a clear way of achieving this aspect of their mission.

The Clink Café in Manchester is The Clink Charity’s first site that isn’t based inside prison grounds; instead it finds it’s home at Canada House, a grade II listed building in the city centre.

As well as offering jobs and prospects to ex-inmates who have completed the scheme, The Clink Charity has partnered with Centrepoint, a charity that aims to provide housing and opportunities to young homeless

Josh Sandiford News Reporter

Photo: UniLad

UniLad on the brink after going into administration

Buyers are being sought for UniLad – one of Facebook’s biggest names – after it went into administration.

The website’s parent company Bentley Harrison is said to have debts of more than £6m, although some reports put the figure at closer to £10m.

The Manchester-based business has 39 million likes on Facebook and was named by NewsWhip as the fourth biggest publisher on the social media giant in August. It publishes viral content and it’s widely shared posts are aimed primarily at students.

The platform reportedly owes its ousted founder, Alex Partridge, £5m. According to The Drum, Lad Bible has bought Partridge’s debt and is now the site’s largest creditor.

Lad Bible is another Manchester-based publisher with around 33 million followers and is arguably UniLad’s biggest rival.

people in the UK to prevent young people from potentially becoming first-time offenders.

This opportunity is often one of the first that these former inmates and vulnerable young adults have had to gain work experience in a place that values them.

General manager, Jenny Thomas, has spoken highly of the staff at The Clink Café, “We see their confidence grow massively […] It gives them a realistic view of what it’s like to be in the workplace.

“We want to make sure they’ve got the competency to work within a normal kitchen or cafe and to be able to do the job properly.”

Partridge launched UniLad in 2010 when he was a student at Oxford Brookes University. He argued last year that he was “cut out” of the business after giving Liam Harrington and Sam Bentley, the current owners, a 66% stake in the company.

It has previously been reported at the time by Business Insider that the legal battle, which Patridge won, could “force the sale of the site.”

As a result of the company’s woes around 200 jobs are at risk but administrators at the accountancy firm Leonard Curtis are looking for a buyer.

Joint administators Andrew Poxon and Andrew Duncan said in a statement: “The business has substantial social media presence – including 60 million followers, one billion weekly reach, and four billion monthly video views across nine channels.

“The joint administrators are seeking offers for the business in order to preserve jobs and maximise the return to creditors.”

Crystal Maze Manchester introduce student discount Crystal Maze Live Experience Manchester is offering students 10% off Charlotte Bayliss News Reporter ‘The Crystal Maze Experience’, Manchester, has introduced a new student discount scheme. The award-winning attraction, based on the hit 90’s show is offering a 10% discount for students.

The attraction is run by a dedicated ‘Maze Master’ who leads you through four time zones while you attempt to win crystals. The number of crystals you obtain equals the amount of time you and your team receive in the Crystal Dome. This is where you attempt to gain tokens to get on the leader board. The four time zones include; Aztec, Medieval, Industrial, and

Futuristic.

Each time zone challenges different skills be it physical, mental, skill or mystery — your team captain then nominates a member of your group to partake in these.

The original price of the attraction ranges between £31.50-£52.50 depending on the popularity of the slot you are booking and the number of people in your party. The discount runs from Sunday to Friday and only includes selected shows. All booking must be completed online, prior to the date and guests must have a valid Student ID photo card.

Located near the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, off Lower Byrom street, the attraction is easily accessible.

Photo: The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience

Investigations 7

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Clap-gate: what do you think?

Felix Hanif-Banks takes a holistic view of ‘clapgate’ and makes an argument for the policy’s existence, encouraging students to engage more wth senate Felix Hanif-Banks Investigations Editor Following worldwide media uproar surrounding the SU’s recent decision to promote BSL applause at their events rather than traditional clapping, students haven’t been afraid to add their collective voices to the discussion on what it’s only right to call ‘Clapgate’.

Today’s feverish media climate means any story that could potentially cause outrage certainly will and likely done so with copious amounts of misinformation flying around social media. The SU’s recent clapping scandal is no different; Twitter, Good Morning Britain, and Fallowfield Students’ Group (FSG) alike were packed full of hot takes and ‘one-upmanship’ seeing who could add the edgiest response to the conversation. Most of the discussion generated by the issue could certainly be described as ‘general outrage’, people were incredibly ready to criticise the new policy and substantive discussion was few and far between — as one might expect.

A poll on FSG asking for people’s thoughts on the matter saw the most popular answer: ‘What is the world coming to,’ indicative of the attitudes taken on what is largely seen as a trivial policy. A grand total of 235 people pledged their support to the clapping-induced downfall of society, with the more traditional ‘support’ and ‘oppose’ options garnering less impressive

figures of 15 and 51, respectively. Honourable mentions go to the 21-strong anarchist faction of ‘Abolish the SU’ and the equally hilarious ‘what about blind people’. While I’m sure visually impaired members of the student community will remain strong at SU events, only time will tell.

Performative consideration for members of the disabled community, presumably for comedic effect, raises a very interesting question within this discussion — despite this not being their intention.

Whilst support for blind students here is undoubtedly just rhetoric, the forgotten demographic within this entire issue is those who actually suffer from disabilities. An idea such as the clapping ‘ban’ was entirely brushed off by students, and a whole host of other commenters, across the country as ludicrous without voices of those suffering from sensory-related disabilities ever really entering public discourse. As many of those who are affected by these disabilities would rarely show signs of it, there exists very limited visibility and therefore very little empathy as people struggle to understand the challenges faced by someone with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or other such conditions.

A further survey found that overwhelmingly, students felt the policy wouldn’t be beneficial to those with sensoryrelated disabilities. 71% of respondents held this view, which indicates either a lack of relevant information on the side of students

or a very misinformed policy decision from the SU. Sam Hyatt, a student suffering from ASD, stated that “despite whatever backlash, it’s a policy that will help me and a lot of other people in my position.” Over 1% of people in the UK are affected by ASD in some way, and while not all cases result in sensory issues, it presents a significant challenge for many. “When people aren’t familiar with something obviously they won’t completely understand it, and it seems like that’s what we have here,” Hyatt added.

Multiple survey respondents posed a question along the lines of ‘Why aren’t affected students consulted before these policies are put forward?’ In light of Hyatt’s comments, it would appear that the SU is consulting the right people on this matter but that the student population’s backlash is one from a position of ignorance. There exists such a strong push-back against most calls for inclusivity and accessibility from a wide range of people that measures implemented to support those with disabilities, especially those that are less visible, will always create huge controversy.

The assumed heavy-handedness of the policy created a lot of issues for many of those who complained, and the SU was quick to release a subsequent press release clarifying their decision. However, despite the statement revealing that those caught putting two hands together on uni property won’t be shown the wall, student

opposition remained strong. The survey revealed that only 30% of respondents were more in favour of the policy after reading the press release, with 50% having their opinion unchanged and the rest even more opposed.

An important aspect of Clapgate is remembering how these decisions are actually made. The political processes of the Students’ Union are supposed to act as a democratic means for students to have their voices heard and affect legitimate change across the university. The decision to ‘ban’ clapping, however, was made by some 20 people at the most recent Senate. Other motions included campaigning for greater QTIPOC (Queer, Trans, and Intersex People of Colour) inclusion and advocacy, and issues surrounding Islamophobia, Black History Month, and LGBT History Month.

The Senate deals with a wide range of significant topics which have incredibly tangible consequences for large portions of the student body, and yet attendance and engagement remain uninspiringly low.

Students appear unphased by university politics, either feeling it doesn’t adequately serve them or simply having no knowledge of the various Elections and meetings and opportunities to be heard.

Many spaces exist for students to have a significant voice and to put their wills and visions into action. However, most of the campus carries on with disregard, until the time comes to get 50 likes on FSG.

Investigations needs you!

To function in its most effective form, Investigations requires an array of perspectives, ideas, and of course people.

We’re looking for exciting writers who are keen to be at the forefront of student reporting, offering fresh takes on existing issues and new leads for us to follow.

No major writing experience is required, The Mancunion is an inclusive and nurturing environment where you’ll learn exactly the skills you need to flourish as a student journalist. All we ask of our contributors is to create

quality print and online content, which is achievable and a lot less intimidating than it may appear.

If you are at all interested or have any questions surrounding the Investigations section, don’t hesitate to get in touch; we’re open to all manner of ideas, suggestions and criticisms. We hold regular, incredibly casual meetings at 5.15pm every Monday in The Hive, on the First Floor of the SU, or message Felix Hanif-Banks on Facebook to find out more.

8 Science & Tech

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

12 years to prevent climate change catastrophe Leading climate scientists and government figureheads from across the globe have met in South Korea this week to scrutinise a 15-page report advising policymakers on global increases in temperature Tom Allen Contributor Leading climate scientists and government

figureheads from across the globe have met in South Korea this week to scrutinise a 15-page report advising policymakers on global increases in temperature.

The report, produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), summarises the scientific and socioeconomic challenges faced in keeping the post-industrialisation global temperature increase below 1.5°C as outlined in the 2016 Paris Agreement.

Established 30 years ago on behalf of the United Nations, the IPCC’s directive is to provide clear and unbiased scientific information regarding current and future climate projections. As well as providing potential pathways, which could be used to reduce the current levels of global warming. Scientists from 195 member states provide voluntary contributions to the IPCC, which doesn’t carry out its own research, but instead acts as a vast peer-review system of already published scientific data.

Since 1880, average global surface temperatures have risen by 0.85°C as a result of anthropogenic activities. Thermal expansion of seawater and melting polar ice caps have contributed to rising sea levels, a growing concern for low-lying island nations. Should current levels of global warming persist, it is expected that the Maldives will be entirely uninhabitable by 2100.

Unless “unprecedented changes” are made to our current rates and methods of consumption, the planet is set to exceed the 1.5°C target as soon as 2030 according to data published in the report. Falling well within the lifespan of many people alive today, the finding would necessitate a 45% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 in order to halt the rate of warming to below 1.5°C. Carbon capture techniques, which result in effective ‘negative emissions’, are set to become a growing avenue of consideration in climate research. Bio-energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) uses energy

Scientist imprisoned during Apartheid gives Fanaroff Lecture This year’s main speaker at the inaugural Fanaroff Lecture was Dr Rob Adam, the Project Director of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) in South Africa and former antiApartheid activist Antri Theodorou Contributor This year’s main speaker at the inaugural Fanaroff Lecture was Dr Rob Adam, the Project Director of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) in South Africa and former anti-Apartheid activist.

The event took place in the Imperial War Museum North and was co-organised with the University of Manchester. The Fanaroff lecture was hosted to highlight the importance of science communication in policy making, a suitable topic for this year’s keynote speaker. Dr Rob Adam, introduced by Dr Bernie Fanaroff, spoke at length about his childhood, imprisonment during Apartheid, and involvement in science projects over the years.

Dr Bernie Fanaroff is a recipient of the Order of Mapungubwe, South Africa’s highest honour for the critical role he played in the country’s scientific and political development. Through his extensive involvement with the SKA project, Dr Fanaroff contributed largely to South Africa’s international stature as an international research destination.

SKA is a multi-radio telescope project that will begin construction in 2019. Aptly named, its total collecting area will be one square kilometre, and it is projected to be 50 times more sensitive than any current radio astronomy instrument. The SKA’s headquarters are located not far from here, at our very own Jodrell Bank Observatory.

Before passing the stage on to the main speaker, Fanaroff reminded his audience — which consisted mainly of academics of various scientific disciplines — of their duty to keep the public informed. After all, who better to communicate science to the wider public than the scientists themselves?

The mood undeniably shifted during Dr Adam’s speech, with Dr Fanaroff’s humorous and

optimistic remarks about the future contrasting to Adam’s sober descriptions of life during Apartheid.

As a member of the African National Congress, he was sentenced for 10 years in prison in 1981.

Nevertheless, imprisonment did not stop Adam in his pursuit for knowledge — he revealed to us that he wanted to continue his studies in chemistry, but was not allowed to have a chemistry book in prison.

Therefore, theoretical physics was the next best thing. He recalled how his first lecture in quantum mechanics was “through bullet-proof glass, in bullet-points.” When describing the day he was released, Dr Rob Adam uttered the phrase that carried the most gravity out of everything said that night: “I hadn’t seen the stars in nearly nine years.”

“Resilience born of deprivation confers immense power.”

Dr Adam went on to list various projects he has since participated in after his release. In each case, he was responsible for outlining the team’s objectives, and any obstacles they had to overcome.

Scientists often had to convince governments to trust and invest in their vision. In this case, Dr Adam suggested making powerful people see that “scientific thinking is applicable in other areas.”

This is was discussed as another point that in the Q&A session thoroughly, in which Dr Fanaroff suggested that we need to “help governments see the digital skills out of astronomy.” In his concluding remarks, Dr Rob Adam shared with us some of the lessons he had learned from successes and failures, including “Don’t skimp on prototype. Separate research and development from construction; Have more than one strong champion, have a lot of political allies; Understand your market. Don’t confuse your current with potential market; Understand your limitations.”

The wisdom these men shared with us resonated deeply, as I believe that science communication is becoming ever more important in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

produced from the combustion of biomass to fuel the injection of atmospheric greenhouse gases into geological structures. Although CO2 is released in the burning of biomass, there is no net-output, as roughly the same amount is absorbed from the atmosphere during its growth. Although frequently mentioned as a potential pathway to stay within the Paris Agreement target, BECCS is still largely theoretical and is yet to be instated on any industrial scale.

According to a 2018 YouGov poll, only a mere 6% of Britons felt that protecting the environment was one of the most important two issues facing the country today. Whilst more immediate concerns such as immigration found themselves topping the list, elsewhere in the world, climate concerns are beginning to take centre stage. In countries that lie closer to sea level, climate change and rising sea levels are of a much greater concern. With places such as Vietnam seeing nearly half of the population commonly listing it as their main concern for the country. This is unsurprising as the majority of the country’s rice is grown along the Mekong Delta region where sea level rise and an increase in salt water concentration is hampering crop growth. If no changes are made by 2050, up to 1 million people may face critical food shortages.

The IPCC suffered a drastic blow last year following the decision by US president Donald Trump to withdraw all funding contributions made to the convention, which previously accounted for a staggering two-fifths of their total income. Trump also severed ties with the Paris Agreement, stating that the rationale of their policy was not conducive with his ‘America First’ pledge and would have a negative impact on the US economy. In 2016, the USA was the second highest emitter of fossil fuels in the world.

The report will be the main source of discussion at the Katowice Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Poland later this year.

Members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) will be looking to analyse and implement the findings in line with the Paris Agreement.

Photo: Lefrancq @ Wikimediacommons

Introducing the MEDC

The Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD) will be the new home of University of Manchester engineering students from four different Schools Rona McCann Sub-editor The University has set out its ambitious vision for the new Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD) project.

It’s investment in world-class research, teaching, and learning will provide modern facilities in a “bespoke environment” as well as spaces for both staff and students that will allow them to lead the way in the use of innovative technology and working practices.

Another aim of the MECD is to preserve Manchester’s identity of being a home of pioneers, led by discovery. The new, vibrant, and consolidated engineering hub will reflect the pride Manchester has in its rich academic and civic heritage. It will be a welcoming environment for the community and be a destination where “revolutionary science is visible to all.”

Funding for the project is part of the first phase of the University of Manchester’s £1 billion ten-year ‘Campus Masterplan’. The build of the MECD will eat up a £300 million chunk of the investment and will be the new learning home of 7000 engineering students.

This moves their studies from the University’s North Campus located on Sackville Street to the Main Campus on Oxford Road, allowing them to join students belonging to most other courses.

The MECD will be great in size (76,000 square metres, to be exact) to allow room for four Schools, two research institutes, the Faculty Offices, study lounges and a range of centrally-timetabled teaching spaces. To put that into perspective, it will have floor space of eleven football pitches, stretched across eight floors.

Naturally, a detailed project timeline has been set out. The build is scheduled to take six years, but designing began as early as

2014. Initial construction commenced in late 2016, and by mid-2018 the first MECD core had reached full height. The skilled workers behind the MECD over this time has entered the thousands. At peak construction periods the project will employ a workforce of a 1000.

Many of whom are Manchester locals being trained by the University itself through its Works Programme.

When the MECD is complete it will be open to students at a location besides the Manchester Aquatics Centre, on the site bounded by Grosvenor Street, Upper Brook Street, and Booth Street East. Housed in the site will be the Schools of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, of Materials and of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering.

Also to be introduced to the campus will be The Dalton Nuclear Institute, supporting nuclear professionals with expertise, training and facilities. The International Centre for Advanced Materials (ICAM) will allow students to be on the very same premises as leading fundamental and applied research aiding the oil and gas industry. Project completion is due during 2021, after which the existing engineering campus, including sites such as North Campus’ Sackville Street Building, will be decommissioned as a teaching facility.

The University has invited anyone to be involved in this historic build and significant contribution to the world’s engineering research infrastructure. Listed on the University’s website is a call to “share your memories of your time studying engineering or working on the North Campus on (its) heritage boards,” to be displayed along the walls of the MECD, and an ask for people to share their ideas of what they would like to more generally see in the building upon its opening.

Features 9

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feminists can wear Pink: an interview with Scarlett Curtis Liv Clarke attends the Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and other lies) discussion at the Lowry Theatre and asks Scarlett Curtis what she thinks about feminism Liv Clarke Features Editor There’s a certain irony in attending an event about feminism on Wednesday 3rd October. That date is widely known as Mean Girls Day and to quote the film, “on Wednesdays, we wear pink”.

Indeed, Scarlett Curtis, a writer and women’s activist, is an advocate of pink with her signature dyed hair and eye-catching clothes; even the title of her newly released book features this traditionally feminine colour.

Scarlett is setting out to disprove some lies about feminism; including the misconception that ‘feminists don’t wear pink’, by filling her wardrobe with every shade possible. On the eve of the book launch, Scarlett and four other contributors held a discussion panel at the Lowry Theatre at Salford Quays. Prior to the book’s release, I also had the opportunity to ask Scarlett about her relationship with feminism.

Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and other lies) features essays

Photo: The Mancunion

written by numerous women about what feminism means to them and has been curated by Scarlett, who has written a few contributions herself. The aim of the book is to break down some of the stereotypes associated with the movement, and to make it more accessible. “[The book] is not at all academic and doesn’t tell you how to be a feminist,” she tells me, “instead it’s a collection of personal stories from women talking about why they are a feminist and how that looks in their own lives… my hope is that it might give a lot of young women (and men) an easy and open entry point into this movement.”

By curating a series of pieces from different women, Scarlett has enabled various aspects of feminism to be explored. Feminism is not one size fits all; for some people it’s little changes that can make a difference, for others it’s tackling larger issues such as the gender pay gap. For Scarlett, feminism is about empowering all women, “I think to me feminism means ending all kind of prejudice that women can be victim to, including discrimination based on race, sexuality, disability or identity. It’s a movement that connects women across the world and that’s why I love it!”. All facets of woman-hood are touched upon in the book; entrepreneur Sharmadean Reid writes about her experience of co-parenting, while actor Amy Trigg praises the empowering effects of improvised acting. Each essay brings a new viewpoint on the subject.

However, millions of women and girls are affected by gender inequality worldwide and most of their stories go unheard, so how does a book like this help the wider movement? This is something Scarlett has acknowledged, “I think the issues I worry most about are FGM, child marriage, sexual violence and girls in education,” she says. “[FGM] is something that one of our contributors Nimco Ali is fighting for every single day”. Furthermore, all the royalties of the book are going to Girl Up, a movement created by the United Nations Foundation, which aims to help young women across the world to promote gender equality.

At the Lowry event, Scarlett discussed the book alongside the aforementioned Reid and Trigg, as well as activist and stand-up comedian Grace Campbell, and comedian Deborah Francis-White. Coincidentally, the talk took place inside the Quays Theatre, which

“my hope is that [this book] might give a lot of young women (and men) an easy and open entry point into this movement” happens to be very pink. Each of them read out their own essays from the book, bringing the writing alive with emotion and afterwards comparing their experiences with each other.

The audience were predominantly women and the atmosphere was friendly and inviting; in the second half of the talk people were encouraged to share their own personal experiences with feminism. A lot of the topics were not easy for the women to share, yet they felt comfortable in doing so and the tone of the evening continued to be one of positivity. The collaborative aspect of the book reflects how feminism can bring women together by providing a safe space for them to share their stories.

As Scarlett tells me, being involved with the movement can also be incredibly healing, “I actually think that activism and feminism can be an incredible tool for self-help… getting involved with activism is how I found the majority of my best friends and whenever I’m feeling anxious or depressed I know it will give me a sense of confidence and purpose”.

Feminism is a huge movement and it can be difficult to know where to begin if you want to get involved, however you can approach it from any angle that you feel comfortable with, according to Scarlett. “I would recommend getting involved with an organisation or charity that you love. Bloody Good Period and Red Box Project both offer incredible ways for people to join the fight against period poverty and Help Refugees always needs volunteers and are genuinely saving the world! You could also think about starting a feminist club at school or a feminist book club!”.

You more information about Feminists Don’t Wear Pink on Scarlett’s Website.

Inside the lives of international students Studying in Manchester may seem like the norm for most students, but for international students it presents new opportunities and challenges Martha Davis Contributor B e i n g a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t c a n b e h a rd a t t i m e s . I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o b e s o fa r away f ro m t h e p e o p l e yo u k n ow a n d l ove , a n d o f t e n s o re m ove d f ro m t h e h o m e co m fo r t s a n d f a m i l i a r i t i e s o f yo u r ow n c o u n t r y t h a t yo u o n ce t o o k fo r g ra n t e d . Fo r s o m e s t u d e n t s , e ve n t h e l a n g u a ge t h e y a re n ow e x p e c t e d t o u s e w i t h o u t h e s i t a t i o n i s va s t ly d i f fe re n t f ro m t h e i r m o t h e r t o n g u e . O n t o p o f a l l t h e s e c h a l l e n ge s , s t u d e n t s n e e d t o n e go t i a t e t h e m i n e f i e l d o f e x p e c t e d n o r m s a n d p ra c t i ce s o f a n e w c u l t u re .

H owe ve r, t h e p o s i t ive s o f m ov i n g a b ro a d a re s i gn i f i c a n t , s u c h a s e n d l e s s o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o e m b ra c e a n e w way o f l iv i n g , c h a l l e n g i n g yo u r s e l f i n ways yo u n e ve r i m a g i n e d , a n d e ve n e x p re s s i n g yo u r s e l f i n a l a n g u a ge t h a t i s n o t yo u r ow n .

L a s t ye a r, I s p e n t a ye a r a b ro a d l iv i n g i n Lyo n , F ra n c e a n d t h e n i n L e i p z i g , G e r m a ny. My e x p e r i e n c e m a d e m e re f l e c t u p o n wh a t i t wa s l i ke t o b e , fo r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n my l i fe , c o n s i d e re d a s t h e fo re i g n ‘o t h e r ’ . I t wa s e xc i t i n g , i n s p i r i n g , a n d c h a l l e n g i n g a l l a t t h e s a m e t i m e . I p ro m i s e d mys e l f t h a t a f t e r re t u r n i n g f ro m my ye a r a b ro a d I wo u l d t r y t o e n g a ge w i t h i n t e rn a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s m o re h e re i n M a n c h e s t e r, t o l e a r n a b o u t t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e s , a n d s e e h ow t h e y fe e l a b o u t their new home.

Fo r D i e go, a f i n a l ye a r s t u d e n t f ro m S p a i n wh o s t u d i e s G e n e t i c s a n d F re n c h , h i s f i r s t i m p re s s i o n o f

“The amount of societies and activities linked with the university is great. You would never see that in France”

M a n c h e s t e r wa s “ a b i t s h o c k i n g . ” H e e x p l a i n s t h a t “ i t wa s d i f fe re n t f ro m e ve r y t h i n g I k n e w f ro m S p a i n , t h e s o c i a l n o r m s a n d t h e way p e o p l e d re s s h e re i s wh a t I n o t i ce d t h e m o s t . ” H owe ve r, h e s ays t h a t t h e d i f fe re n ce s h e e n c o u n t e re d we re n’ t n e ce s s a r i ly n e g a t ive : “ I l ove d h ow p e o p l e fe e l f re e t o d re s s a s t h e y wa n t ove r h e re . A nyo n e c a n b e t h e m s e lve s . ” To m , a n E ra s m u s s t u d e n t f ro m t h e U n ive r s i t y o f L e i p z i g , wa s a l s o p l e a s a n t ly s u r p r i s e d b y p e o p l e ’s b e h av i o u r, s ay i n g t h a t “ B r i t i s h p e o p l e a re m u c h m o re p o l i t e t h a n p e o p l e b a c k h o m e ” . B e n o i t , h av i n g o n ly a r r ive d i n M a n c h e s t e r f ro m P a r i s t wo we e k s a go, a d m i t s t h a t h e wa s u n f a m i l i a r w i t h B r i t i s h c u l t u re b e fo re h e c a m e h e re : “ I d o n’ t k n ow t h a t m u c h [ a b o u t t h e c u l t u re ] ye t o t h e r t h a n [ t h e f a c t ] B r i t i s h p e o p l e d r i n k a l o t ” . I t s e e m s t h a t t h e a c t iv i t i e s o f F re s h e r s ’ We e k m a d e a m a rk o n h i m .

T h a n k f u l ly, F re s h e r s d i d l e ave B e n o i t w i t h m o re t h a n a n awa re n e s s o f B r i t i s h d r i n k i n g c u l t u re . H e s ays h e wa s i m p re s s e d , a n d a t t i m e s ove r wh e l m e d , b y t h e e ve n t s p u t o n b y t h e U n ive r s i t y a n d t h e s i z e a n d s c a l e o f t h e s o c i e t i e s h e re : “ T h e a m o u n t o f s o c i e t i e s a n d a c t iv i t i e s l i n ke d w i t h t h e u n ive r s i t y i s g re a t . Yo u wo u l d n e ve r s e e t h a t i n F ra n ce . ” A l l t h re e s t u d e n t s s ay h ow we l co m e t h e y h ave b e e n m a d e t o fe e l b y t h e We l co m e M e e t i n g s o rg a n i s e d a n d b y t h e p e o p l e o n c a m p u s we a r i n g ‘A s k M e ’ b a d ge s . T h e y h ave a l s o a l l h a d s u cce s s i n m e e t i n g p e o p l e i n l e c t u re s , “ I t ’s s o e a s y t o ge t t o k n ow p e o p l e .

Yo u j u s t s i t n e x t t o t h e m a n d s t a r t t a l k i n g ! ” To m s ays h a p p i ly.

H owe ve r i t i s wo r t h n o t i n g t h a t t h e e x t e n t t o wh i c h To m , D i e go, a n d B e n o i t h ave i n t e g ra t e d w i t h o t h e r B r i t i s h s t u d e n t s i s l a rge ly h e l p e d b y t h e i r f l u e n c y i n E n g l i s h . T h e y a l l s p e a k n e a r p e r fe c t E n g l i s h , wh i c h l e d m e t o a s k t h e m a l l wh e t h e r t h e y b e l i e ve t h a t t h e i r e x p e r i e n ce wo u l d b e d i f fe re n t i f t h i s we re n o t t h e case.

A l l t h re e s t u d e n t s s a i d i n i t i a l ly t h a t t h e y h a d fe l t s o m e wh a t i n h i b i t e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t E n g l i s h wa s n o t t h e i r f i r s t l a n g u a ge : “ I wa s u n a b l e t o m a ke my s t a t e m e n t i n a way I wa s co m fo r t a b l e w i t h” , D i e go t e l l s m e ,

Photo: Stokpic @ Pixabay

wh i l e To m a l s o f i n d s i t a c h a l l e n ge : “ I s t r u g g l e vo i c i n g a l l I h ave t o s ay. ” A s i t u a t i o n wh i c h c a n , a t t i m e s , b e b o t h f r u s t ra t i n g a n d i s o l a t i n g .

H owe ve r, a l l s p e a k p o s i t ive ly a b o u t wh a t t h e c h a l l e n ge o f e x p re s s i n g t h e m s e lve s i n a n o t h e r l a n g u a ge o n a d a i ly b a s i s h a s b ro u g h t t h e m . D i e go s ays h e fe e l s “ t o t a l ly i n t e g ra t e d ” w i t h B r i t i s h a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s , a n d i s a b l e t o fo r m m e a n i n g f u l f r i e n d s h i p s t h a t h e c o u l d n o t h ave w i t h o u t s p e a k i n g E n g l i s h . W h i l e B e n o i t s ays t h a t a l t h o u g h i t i s “ j u s t t h e b e g i n n i n g ” o f h i s ye a r h e re i n M a n c h e s t e r, h e h a s a l re a dy re a l i s e d a d re a m o f h i s — o f l iv i n g i n a n E n g l i s h s p e a k i n g c o u n t r y a n d s u r v iv i n g u s i n g h i s E n g l i s h s k i l l s .

I f t h e re i s a ny t h i n g we c a n t a ke f ro m t h e i n t e rn a t i o n a l s t u d e n t e x p e r i e n c e , i t i s To m’s a t t i t u d e : h e “ [wa n t s ] t o b e c o u ra ge o u s b e c a u s e a t h o m e yo u o f t e n a re n o t c o u ra ge o u s ” . F ro m s p e n d i n g t i m e w i t h B e n o i t , D i e go a n d To m , i t i s c l e a r t o s e e t h a t t h e y a p p ro a c h t h e i r s t u d i e s a n d l ive s h e re a t M a n c h e s t e r w i t h a c e rt a i n e n e rg y a n d t e n a c i t y t h a t i s c o m m e n d a b l e .

M ay b e wh o e ve r we a re a n d wh e re ve r we c o m e f ro m , we s h o u l d t a ke s o m e t i m e o u t t o b e c o u ra ge o u s a n d e x p l o re a l l M a n c h e s t e r h a s t o o f fe r w i t h f re s h e ye s . We n e ve r k n ow wh e re t h e a b i l i t y t o s t e p o u t s i d e o u r e s t a b l i s h e d s o c i a l n e t wo rk s a n d p a t t e r n s o f l iv i n g m ay t a ke u s .

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

10 Opinion

Bachelors and Spinsters: Is there a way to un-gender language?

Jay Darcy looks at how the language used to describe single men and women highlight the gendered attitudes towards promiscuity.

Jay Darcy Contributor English is a language that does not actively give words a grammatical gender, as is the case with German and Spanish. Bestowing a gender upon a bridge seems strange to us, but if we look more closely at the semantics of the nouns and adjectives we use to describe men and women, we will quickly realise that our words show, at least, a gender bias. It also must be noted that, unsurprisingly, the gendering of words does not favour women.

“Perhaps it is time we invent nicer words for women who are unmarried or promiscuous (or both).”

For instance, the appealing label of “bachelor” compared to the degrading “spinster”; the charming “womanizer” to the cautionary “maneater”; the jocular “player” to the derogatory expletives to describe a woman who “gets around”. It is telling that the slang words we use for a promiscuous woman are frequently not even allowed to be printed in ‘upstanding’

publications. What is perhaps most noteworthy is that there is not a negative word for a single man. Perhaps it is time we invent nicer words for women who are unmarried or promiscuous (or both).

However, there are linguists who warn that words merely reflect and convey pre-existing attitudes and opinions. In school, I would hear boys congratulate each other on their “body count” whilst degrading girls for “sleeping around”. If we were, for instance, to invent a positive word for a promiscuous woman, say “love-leaper”, this word would gradually go through a process of what is called “semantic derogation”. This means that the meaning would begin to reflect the pre-existing societal attitudes towards a promiscuous woman, so “love-leaper” would be no different, in terms of semantics and connotations, to the three negative words beginning with “sl-” that come to mind when thinking of a promiscuous woman.

However, the word “bachelorette” to describe a single woman does not have the negative connotations of the outdated word “spinster,” but perhaps that is exactly why — the semantics of the word “spinster” are themselves outdated. Perhaps, in a society where it is normal for women to be career-focused and postpone serious relationships, a single woman is no longer looked upon like a failure. It is telling though that the positive word for a single woman (bachelorette) is simply a feminine

version of the positive word for a single man (bachelor).It almost seems that for a single

a word’s connotations are neither positive nor negative when they are genderless only.

Photo: fukapon @ Flickr

woman who serial dates to be humanised, she must first be masculinised. If you have seen the TV show ‘The Bachelorette,’ a spin-off of ‘The Bachelor,’ you will know that the contest sees a woman become a Hugh Hefner character of sorts, in which she dates and dismisses her play bunnies until she finds the perfect man. In other words, she is behaving “like a man”. The most common word we use for a single woman today, though, is exactly that — “single”. Perhaps

Maybe before we police language, we should ask ourselves why words have the meanings that they do, and why words are gendered.

Those differences could be because of gender, and our attitudes to gender. It is through this acknowledgement that we realise that the problem is not the language itself; rather it lies with the attitudes of those who create and speak the language.

Animal testing is cruel and ineffective – it needs to stop on campus Holly James Contributor Activists from the pressure group ‘Animal Justice Project’ have recently come to Manchester as part of their ‘Lifeline’ campaign, a new endeavour focusing on bringing attention to various issues of animal exploitation, including animal testing.

The campaign, which has seen the group visit several other major university cities, is targeting campuses around the country to raise awareness of the fact that this is where over 50% of the animal testing performed in the UK is conducted.

This is especially important for the University of Manchester, which in 2016 was responsible for 174,120 experiments conducted on animals — the fourth highest out of any UK university.

Having been a student at the University of Manchester for over two years and vegan for several more, the fact that a practice I fundamentally disagreed with happened on the campus that I attended and with the fees that I paid was something I had, perhaps surprisingly, never really considered.

However, having spoken to the activists of the Lifeline campaign, this was something they had heard from students across the country.

Most students would presumably be appalled if they knew that animals such as mice, guinea pigs, fish, pigs, sheep, and even rabbits, were being experimented on in the very same buildings UP TO YOU.

in which they learn.

With typical experiments ranging from anything to starving and force-feeding animals to the forced ingestion of toxic products, resulting in great pain and immense suffering, it is unsurprising that universities stay so quiet about it.However, animals are not test tubes, they are not machines and most importantly they are not playthings — they are sentient beings who feel pain and suffering, who think and feel, and who experience emotions in their own right.

Anyone seeking to excuse this research as essential to the treatment of life threatening diseases might consider that, as the ‘Lifeline’ campaign points out, a vast amount of experiments performed on animals is curiosity-driven rather than essential. Even where research is focused on deadly illnesses, as much 95% of the drugs that appear effective in animals fail to work on humans, an appalling failure rate for perhaps the most prominent form of medical research worldwide.

Not only is this speciesist and cruel, it’s clearly ineffective and its continued appeal can clearly be attributed to its comparatively low cost. However, given the substantial rise in fees universities cannot continue to use this as an excuse. There are a wide range of generally under-discussed alternatives that have the potential to replace

animal use in experiments, ranging from the use of cell cultures and human tissues to volunteer studies and computer models, all of which must be considered as replacements.

The information brought to light by the Animal Justice Project raises a multitude of questions about both the ethics and validity of animal testing which are especially relevant to universities as institutions that stand for innovation and pro-

PART TIME OFFICERS

gress — arguably setting the example for the scientific community.

Now must be the time that universities rethink their stance on animal testing and actively choose to drive their resources in to new, innovative and ethical forms of research and call an end to antiquated, ineffective and cruel practices of animal testing on campus.

Photo: Lucija T. @Wikimedia Commons

STAND UNTIL: 5PM ON 12TH OCT VOTE: 19TH-25THOCTOBER MANCHESTER STUDENTS UNION.COM/ELECTIONS

Opinion 11

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

The rise and fall of #MeToo Hollywood and U.S. politics are undoubtedly intertwined. Despite the #MeToo movement, both are still bound by a mistreatment of women.

Photo: RandomUserGuy1738 @ WikimediaCommons

Becca Windsor Contributor Hollywood and U.S. politics are undoubtedly intertwined, and as seemingly innocuous as this relationship usually appears to be, there is a more insidious link between the two — their consistent and perpetual mistreatment of women. When the accusations of sexual violence against Harvey Weinstein became public, they created a reaction amongst the U.S. female demos. Despite being strained, this battle cry was growing and with it, came a demand for respect, recognition, and understanding. Combined, this birthed #MeToo. The #MeToo movement arguably created one of the largest political movements in modern global, politics. The mistreatment of what is consistently the largest minority, began a much-needed shift in the global perception of the way women are treated.

Nevertheless, during Brett Kavanaugh’s hearing on the 6th of October, the efforts and hopes of millions of women around the world crumbled as he was confirmed on a ‘vote’ of 50-48. Hope was completely shattered.This wasn’t a vote; this was a thinly veiled farce — an opportunity for the true essence of U.S. politics to rear its ugly head and remind all Americans that “due process” is nothing but a buzzphrase. That as seemingly credible, white, and successful as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford was, she was a woman, and lost that

fight the moment she was conceived. If people thought times had changed since the ‘Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas hearing’, they were wrong.

It is not as if there is little evidence against Kavanaugh. Dr. Ford is currently one of three accusers who have bought claims against Kavanaugh, and on the 1st of October, Chad Ludington, a Yale classmate of Kavanaugh’s, accused him of making a “blatant mischaracterisation” of his drinking habits during the hearing. Funnily enough, had Kavanaugh’s nomination failed to go through, it would have most likely been because Ludington, his white, male, Yale-educated classmate, accused him of committing perjury, not because he had been accused of sexual assault by three different women.

That is the running narrative throughout. Hollywood and U.S. politics are both boys’ clubs — the frat boy’s opportunity to continue his antics after graduation, un-abetted and unhindered by the morality of laypeople. Yet, it beggars belief that Hollywood somehow has a marginally better system for holding perpetrators of sexual violence to account than its own government. Weinstein was arrested, and Kavanaugh will never be. The President of the United States and the man who took Anthony Kennedy’s seat in the United States Supreme Court are being held to a lower moral standard than the likes of Roman Polanski.Now, more than ever, is the time to try and fight for change. For Americans, voting Democrat on the 6th of November is a mild shift in the right direction. However, after the Kavanaugh vote, it brings little solace.

The Democrats are as partisan as the Republicans; though they sided with Dr. Ford during the hearing, they spent their allotted time grandstanding and attacking the opposition. For the Republicans, Dr. Ford was an obstacle, at best. For the Democrats, she was a pawn — there was no desire for the truth. Dr. Ford’s #MeToo moment was quashed by the two opposing sides — either trying to make her sound more credible or trying to destroy her credibility.

Her humanity sacrificed.

It is hard not to feel discouraged. As they watch Kavanaugh finally being forced through the nomination process to take his seat in the Supreme Court, women across America and the world find themselves not only thinking of how they felt when Trump was nominated, but how they felt in the aftermath of their own #MeToo moments. Until women are given a chance to represent themselves, we will continue to watch and weep, in silence.

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Are Cultural Modules an essential part of a Language Degree?

Lauren Valentine Contributor Cultural modules are obligatory for students undertaking degrees in foreign languages, unless learned as part of the University of Manchester’s Language Experience for All Programme (LEAP). These could include, but are not limited to, courses on the history, literature, cinema and identity of the country or countries where the studied language is spoken. This is the case in almost all universities, and most language students will admit to having complained at some point during their degree about having to undertake this type of module.The question is, are cultural modules a vital part of the learning of foreign languages?

Arguably the most important concern for language students is the highly anticipated year abroad. Those who are solely interested in learning grammar and vocabulary may well be able to converse with native speakers, but these interactions will lack the profound understanding brought about by knowing about what brings the country to life.

There’s a reason that students from the same country tend to group together during their time abroad: they have things in common and understand each other not just in terms of language. The relationships we do manage to form with natives would be rendered all the more difficult if we were merely aware of their language and completely ignorant of their habits, traditions and identity.

Perhaps a more important consideration is the possibility of getting ourselves into trouble abroad. Learning a language should go hand in hand with developing awareness of pragmatics and the politeness codes in any given culture. The thumbs up, for example, which would be a perfectly adequate way to express agreement in most cultures, can be offensive in the Middle East and even parts of Greece.

Viewing a language as a system of words and gram-

Lauren Valentine contends that modules on culture and history are an essential part of any language degree for enabling a deeer understanding of a country. matical rules dehumanises it, detaching it from those who bring it to life. It is also invaluable to be able to avoid embarrassing slip-ups when spending time abroad, such as making a joke about the French grèves (strikes) during a car journey with a stranger. The resulting silence taught me that this topic is not considered comedic material…

Moreover, there is the excuse of “ but this isn’t relevant to my career goals”. Admittedly, I have pondered this idea too, having always considered teaching or translation. The reality is, however, that a teacher is not only responsible for imparting their knowledge of various tenses or setting vocabulary tests, but also sparking the pupils desire to engage with the speakers of a given language.

Cultural awareness is essential in translation in order to differentiate the shades of meaning that lie within certain words. A tortilla to a Mexican is a thin layer of unleavened bread, whereas to a Spaniard it is an omelette made from potatoes and egg. Being conscious of these nuances is crucial in order to translate accurately and convey the correct meaning to the target language.

Personally, I struggle to understand where the desire to learn any language stems from if there is a complete lack of interest in the identity of its speakers.

It is widely accepted that language and culture are inextricably linked, and that a valuable part of forming relationships with people from another country is being able to experience a different way of life that opens the mind and renders us more tolerant to diversity.

Of course, this is not to say that we should be able to recite the most famous poems written in a certain language, nor name the previous ten Prime Ministers, but having a good awareness of touchy subjects and social etiquette can be a huge aid.

Photo:Photo: GDJ @ Pixabay

12 Societies

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

In conversation with: The Women’s Theatre Society

Photo: :StarGlade @ Pixabay

Ellie Martin talks to co-founder Hana Jafar about the all-female theatre group Ellie Martin Contributor Despite being a very new society, the Women’s Theatre Society is already making waves on campus, with some really astonishing performances that are providing a powerful medium for women to articulate their experiences and share these with each other and the audience through performance. I invited co-founder Hana Jafar to talk about how the society came about and what it means to her,to which she replied: “We decided to start it after I watched my friend and society co-founder, Eleanor, acting in a performance, and realised that I felt like I could never do what she did. Acting in a hijab, covered up, and conscious of my physical presence under the male gaze would feel restricting and stifling. I realised that other women, even those that did not wear the hijab, felt like this too, and that we needed a safe, accessible, and inclusive space for these women to engage in theatre.”The need for female only spaces is so often felt across many disciplines, theatre certainly not being excluded from this. There was clearly a need for this kind of society on campus as, once formed, the society brought in a lot of interest, from women of all backgrounds across campus. When asked about what the society is really doing for its members, Jafar replied; “We’re not just giving women a space to engage in theatre. We’re making that space completely judgement free, by ensuring that our committee members are consistently sensitive, aware, and grounded by the values that govern our society. Women who work with us often have little to no experience in theatre, and feel intimidated by other performance societies. We also pride ourselves on being inclusive, and have hosted events and performances with disabled performers, performers with autism, and performers with sensory impairments. We also make sure to put on social impact theatre addressing issues like gendered violence and Islamophobia.”

I saw the society’s production of The Vagina Monologues last year and was absolutely stunned by the talent of the performers, but also buy their honesty. Whether they were comedy pieces or more serious, they were delivered with such astonishing candidness, and I felt like I could relate to every single woman on the stage. For me, it was an extremely empowering experience. This event was unique in that all the members were performing pieces they had written themselves, inspired by the classic play by Ensler. I asked Jafar how the idea for this inspirational performance came about: “We actually wanted to put on Ensler’s Vagina Monologues as it was, and one or two of the shorter pieces were from the original, but so many performers came forward with original material, and each one was raw, personal, and deeply moving in its own way. We did a group reading, then rehearsed a few times, and the rest is history.” It was a truly awe inspiring performance,

each performer had her own story to tell and each was one that stirred the audience into appreciation for that women’s story, and unified the whole room in solidarity for those struggles and difficulties all women face.

Working within the group must be an incredibly liberating experience, and must be extremely empowering as a performer. Jafar commented, “it’s incredible. The performers often get very emotional. I have to admit, I’ve cried watching women come to life on stage. It’s breathtaking”.

With regards to the coming year, the society have a lot of interesting projects in the pipeline.

Building upon their success last year, they have a wider variety of events coming up.“We’re very excited about ‘Uncovered: Monologues by Muslim Women’. It’s a performance for Islamophobia Awareness Month, inspired by The Vagina Monologues and The Hijabi Monologues, which first premiered at the Bush Theatre in London.

This one will also be entirely original, and the entire cast will be comprised of Muslim women Photo: Women's Theatre Society from different backgrounds, with different stories to tell. That’s on the 5th November. We also have an introduction to theatre workshop and film screening coming up.”I for one am extremely excited to see this performance and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys we do, and we do it by creating impactful all-female productions, theatre, and even to those who don’t. I was curious as to how the sofrom lighting and tech to acting and directing, giving women safe ciety chooses what they perform, to which Jafar responded: “We try and inclusive spaces to perform, and empowering female theato put on a diverse array of shows, but it’s important to us that our tre-makers, campaigners, and thinkers.” work makes an impact. If we find something we like, or something “I hope the society grows in its membership so that more women is suggested to us, and we don’t need a license to perform it, then we have access to what we do. We are definitely hoping to collaborate will attempt to put it on.” Jafar added “we are currently working on with other groups. I’m aware of one in Birmingham and outreach projects including formulating a theatre workshop in colone in Bristol, but I don’t know of any student groups. I’m particulaboration with a stammering support group for women, partnering larly inspired by individuals like Evie Manning, and we may take with schools where theatre programmes have been cut, and hosting part in events like the Women of the World festival in Bradford. I a theatre workshop with Manchester Cares, a charity working to have big dreams for the society, but for now, we’re trying to make an end loneliness among young professionals and older neighbours. impact one workshop and one performance at a time.”Seeing one We are also partnered with women’s charities like Manchester Rape of their performances is an absolute must, so make sure you keep Crisis, for whom we raised over £600 at the Vagina Monologues last your eyes peeled for news of upcoming shows and go and support year.”I asked what the committee’s hopes for the future of the socithese amazing women who are creating such an important space, ety were, and whether more shows with bigger casts would be in performer or spectator, for the women on campus. Or better still, the pipeline if the numbers were to continue to increase: “Size and get involved! Any woman can perform with the society, so if this frequency only matter if we continue to make impactful theatre sounds like something you’d want to be a part of you can contact with women. I hope that the society’s ethos never changes. Making the group through their Facebook page for information about theatre accessible and inclusive to all women is at the heart of what rehearsals.

The Public Speaking Society takes the stage Want to improve your public speaking skills outside group presentations? Why not join UoM’s public speaking society!

Photo: Public Speaking Society

Juliette Flach Contributor Public speaking’. Those two words can cause varying reactions — anxiety for some and excitement for others. Through workshops, opportunities, and feedback, the University of Manchester Public Speaking Society (in partnership with Teach First) aims to help students of any ability to master the skills of public speaking. Our goal is getting you ready to take on the world one presentation, pitch, or interview at a time. We try to tailor our friendly weekly sessions to suit both the terrified and the talented. Why not come next week to see for yourself?

At this point I bet you’ve got a whole load of questions, so I’ll try to give you some answers.

You might find yourself thinking “how can you teach public speaking?” Well, because you ask, I have a secret for you. There is no secret formula. There is no one set way to do public speaking, so the point of the society is to help you develop your own voice. We will offer techniques and exercises to help you find your inner communication style. The whole UoM Public Speaking community come together to support each person to develop in both their communication ability and their confidence.

We find that some new to the society might wonder how long it takes to become a public speaker, but in reality, there is no fixed time frame. For those who are complete beginners, you can sense real progress on a week to week basis; learning through observing others, taking part in practical workshops, and taking the floor. However, it is important to note that although we offer opportunities to practice your skills,

we will never force people into doing anything they do not want to do. So, for some, that means they may spend the first few weeks sitting and watching others, and that is completely fine. As people grow in confidence they may choose to participate more, and the more you put in, the more you can get out of each session. However, the most exciting thing is that the journey never ends. No public speaker is perfect, so even those who have been delivering speeches to hundreds of people for years will admit they can still learn and develop.

We have such a variety of people from subjects across the board at the University of Manchester come along to join our society. The society went for a meal together after last Tuesday’s session and I (an International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response Student) was sitting next to a Maths student, whilst sharing a mango lassi with an English student, and comparing curries with a History and Arabic student. These are all people I would classify as friends, but they are also all people that I definitely would not have met had it not been for the Public Speaking Society.

After each session we unwind and relax together over a drink in the Student Union Bar. Whether people have a beer or an orange juice in hand, conversations flow and friendships are made.

If this isn’t enough, we also go to events and for social evenings out together. As a result, it is now a running joke to say “see you next week” because in reality, it won’t be anywhere near that long.

If you’re interested in giving public speaking a go, we meet every Tuesday from 6 -7.30pm in Room 2.220, University Place. So, whether you want to develop your public speaking skills for a specific course presentation or just want to develop a skill that will be beneficial for life, come along! Check out our Facebook Page for more information.

MONDAY 15TH FRIDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2018

Bringing you Manchester food and drink brands plus international stars for a food and drink festival at your Students' Union.

Pop-up restaurants, beer tasting, gourment cheese sampling, chef demos and cocktail masterclasses.

MANCHESTERSTUDENTSUNION.COM

FOR LGBTQIA AND PEOPLE OF COLOUR

EVERY MONTH AT YOUR STUDENTS' UNION

Meet students with shared interests and talk about issues you may experience.

BHM SPECIAL EVENT 17th October Room 1.4, 5:00pm

There will be coffee/tea/juice and biscuits!

SEMESTER 1 DATES Room 2.2, 4pm - 5:30pm 12th November 10th December 14th January

MANCHESTERSTUDENTSUNION.COM

Inside Culture

Floyd at Tehran Taboo: Sabrina 45: 17 20 Review: 23

ETHAWH Review: 24

We are 11: 25

True #VegOut: 27 Vintage: 26

CULTURE

THE

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ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music

Festival review: Neighbourhood 2018 Olivia White reviews two live bands from Neighbourhood Festival 2018.

Photo: The Mancunion

Neighbourhood Festival returned to the streets of Manchester on the 6th October, displaying some of the industry’s most successful and talented artists. For just £30, fans could travel to Manchester’s most loved venues and see what this eclectic festival had to offer. After quite literally running from venue to venue, I settled on the two performances that affirmed the notion that Manchester really is the musical hotspot of the north.

The Howl & The Hum Olivia White

9/10

Let me introduce you to the first of these two performances, the compelling and peculiar, ‘The Howl & The Hum’.

The Howl & The Hum present to you an alternate, dystopian universe which — despite brimming with fantastical animals, personified weather, and hellbent murderers — is saturated in a certain kind of charm, albeit of the twisted variety. The Howl & The Hum drag you down a rabbit hole of pompous characters, cruel protagonists, all with an immersive backdrop of echoing riffs and harrowing drum beats that leave you reeling with perspiration by the end. Frontman, Sam Griffiths, is an eccentric fusion of all that he preaches, granting him the perfect commanding presence as he leads his guitar-based disco through their fables.

‘Murder’ is a consistent crowd-pleaser as it begins with a charging tempo that gradual-

Temples Olivia White

ly builds behind Griffiths, eerily placed notes. Reminiscing of waiting at bus stops in pyjamas and purchasing Tesco value lager always results in murder am I right? Well, Sam is certainly convincing as the song entails a story of heartbreak, frustration, and regret that sends a shiver down your spine.

The band have indulged in a year of remarkable success; triggered by relentless hard work and support from Tom Robinson’s BBC6 radio show, along with the wider BBC platform, they are certainly doing well for themselves.

TH&TH won’t always be that impressive group of lads that you can catch down at your local.

It has already begun. Make sure you’re part of it. The new year will be a very exciting time for this astounding York born quartet.

Oh, and boys, you really need to release Sweet Fading Silver.

9/10

Now, onto Temples. Sorcery, mythology, and nostalgia enclosed around this stylish 4-piece as they took to the stage of the O2 Ritz as one of the festival’s headliners.

With medieval, middle-eastern influence fusing with psychedelic synth beats and pounding riffs, Temples present themselves as a godly figuration. Presenting similar themes and artwork to the likes of Rainbow and Dio, Temples are a refreshing twist of a more niche style of rock.

Make no mistake though, despite their lack of mainstream appeal, Temples have a very loyal cult.

‘Move with the Season’, ‘Keep in

the Dark’ and of course, ‘Shelter Song’ helped to frame the perfect, distinctively kaleidoscopic soundscape that the strange quartet so effortlessly build up to.

Such an explosive array of experimentation and cohesive musical creation made for a show that captured all 5 of your senses.

In the middle of the O2 Ritz, I found myself plunged into a weird, psychoactive reality that left me with an overwhelming realisation — after 20 long months, Temples are finally back playing Manchester.

An intensely magical experience that left the audience enraptured in a trance.

Big Society Lily Martin looks at BIG SOCIETY, newcomers to the indie-rock scene If you’re looking for an edgy newcomer emerging from the depths of the underground indie-rock scene, look no further than Big Society, whose debut single ‘17’ was released this week. A product of the Royal Northern College of Music, these four very talented musicians radiate potential, not just by creating new sounds in an oversaturated market, but for bringing music back to an art form.

‘Marine Club Party’ and ‘Summertime’ are proof that these guys know what they’re doing. Big Society’s desire to release the very best of what they have to offer the scene is symptomatic of those who recognise that first impressions in the industry are essential, and that releasing new tracks is a carefully planned exercise that is not to be taken lightly.

The carefully structured vocals of the new single feel natural, almost euphoric; their sound drags the best of later work by The Beatles into the 21st century in a unsettlingly familiar but totally unique manner, with driven yet subtle guitar riffs and an unmistakable maturity. ‘17’ is a sultry and deceptively catchy tune that carries lead singer William’s vocals within carefully mastered harmonies, feeling controlled and yet decidedly provoking. When playing live, the foursome frequently overshadow the headline acts they support with their engaging stage presence and obvious love for the crowd.

Having recently played Manchester’s own Neighbourhood Festival, their new track can be found on Spotify’s ‘The Rock List’ amongst chart-toppers Wolf Alice and Nothing But Thieves. Keep your eyes peeled on their social media for support slots in the next few weeks, and hopefully for a headline tour in the near future. They’re well worth the watch.

Hot Right Now Photo: Isla Den, Indigo League Photo: (flames ) XoMEoX @ Flickr

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music

Record Reappraisal: Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of The Moon, 45 Years on kit delamain revisits one of the world’s most loved albums, 45 years after its release 45 years ago, a beam of white light barrelled into the prism of the psychedelic rock scene, and what emerged was the dizzying masterpiece that was The Dark Side of The Moon . Since then, it has been one of only 9 albums to sell over 40 million copies, it has spent 17 years in the Billboard 200 chart, and as we all know, has received sixteen platinum awards from the Floyd-obsessed New Zealand.

The title itself has no lunar connection but is instead an elusion to the fragile mental state brought on by many of the issues discussed in the album; the capitalist money machine , the mundane descent into madness, and the ticking clock of life. The concept is in part dedicated to former Floyd bandmate, Syd Barrett, who left after the dizzying rise to fame brought him a severe mental breakdown; but frankly, these discussions are best left for the scholars, pretentious music-snobs and, weird hippie-type grandpas you find at festivals.

Sadly, for our generation, the Floyd have been reduced to over-used. Posters, unimaginative tattoos, and contests over how many of their songs you can name. In fact, it would appear the world has somewhat fallen out of love with this kind of,

17

Photo: Album artwork @ Flickr

you-don’t-have-to-be-tripping-balls-but-it-helps genre of music. Why, unless under the effects of some other-worldly narcotics would you sit and spend hours listening to one album?

The Dark Side of The Moon isn’t supposed to be split up and analysed; it is a 43-minute journey to be started, then left as a soundtrack to whatever you can do in 43 minutes.

The lyrics and melody follow beautifully from one song to another, your mood will pitch and toss as the band intended, and when ‘Money’ comes on, you will find yourself quietly humming the bassline, no matter how hard you try not to.

Once you try this distinctly ‘Floydian’ style of music consumption, you can then come to appreciate the significance of this album, in contrast to the stop-start style of listening today. You don’t have to know everything about David Gilmour’s guitar playing, or the meaning of ‘Breathe’ to be a fan of Pink Floyd, you just have to sit, listen and enjoy the ‘trip’.

Georgia Davidson speaks to Bad Sounds

IN CONVERSATION

The first time I saw Bad Sounds play a full set was this summer, amongst the intoxicating heat and thriving energy of The Community Festival at Finsbury Park.

From the second brothers, Ewan and Callum Merrett stepped on stage it was as if a party popper had exploded; a full spectrum of sound, light and colour enveloping the stage and sun-struck crowd. Their band has to be credited for their astonishing talent as they ripped through each track with stunning skill and flare, backing up improvised tempo changes almost effortlessly. I was impressed by their elegantly defined and yet cryptically DIY styling; a firm festival favourite and an ultimate staple in my summer playlist.

This particular set captured the essence of just one of many energised performances, having toured with the likes of the rap-rock riot that is RAT BOY prior to their 2018 album release Get Better . As I settled down to discuss the album with vocalist Ewan Merrett, I commented that I was excited and intrigued by the array of tracks that had been selected from their huge catalogue of tried and tested sound samples.

He explained “it was important to us to Photo: Press shot @ Beth Squire have a theme that ran through the album, rather than rushing into getting 11 songs together” and it is clearly apparent from the way that it is constructed with this sense of careful consideration. The album seems to perform a highly patterned battle of attempting to become “better” providing a commentary on a hopeful and ever so slightly satirical view on the mantras, processes and battles of mental and physical health. Ewan particularly highlights that a lot of their favourite tracks had an emphasis on self-healing: “the tracks had this self-help idea so it came from that originally, in one of our earliest tracks ‘Avalanche’ we had the get better line and it just felt right to make that the title, that song really means a lot to us.”

Another clarification for the title can be found in an early demo which also held the same title and provided the influences for the album in the forms of hip-hop and Motown. In a conversation about the track ‘Wages’, I noted that the Motown

style trumpet sampling really evoked a strong reaction in the crowd, suggesting “the library of soul hits and samples” that they had created and collated were massively important to the atmosphere created at their gigs and in festival environments. Ewan commented that the Community Festival gig had been “a really fun show” adding that “Motown has this feel good sound [with] the Marbelletes and Marvin Gaye being important influences. However, a lot of what we do is based in hip-hop sampled from this 60s era of music so I suppose our album reflects two different perspectives and their resonance to time and place”.

I began to wonder about the way in which they write and who takes the lead in the ways of songwriting and vocal side of their performance and it seemed that the process of creating tracks had really developed for them both. Ewan explained that a lot of the initial “hip-hop aesthetic” and enthusiasm for sampling came from himself with Callum’s comfort being in creating the lyrical content. In creating the album though, there was an effort to “switch up and change roles” with an emphasis on not having a specific formulaic route. He laughs “if we ever tried to do that it would just come out boring I think. We don’t write anything in the exact same way or mindset so no two tracks are the same”.

One thing that does not appear on their album quite so presently is collaborations with other artists. I was interested in discussing this and quick to highlight one of my personal favourite tracks ‘Milk it’ which featured haunting and unusual vocals from Ardyn alongside a synthy beat. Ewan explained “we intended to do more collaborations but this album naturally went quite personal. We’re working on projects with other artists right now but we’re mainly focusing on the tour”.

Bad Sounds’ debut album Get Better is on sale now and you can catch their tour in Manchester on 28th October at Gorilla!

Tickets available on their website.

bad sounds

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ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music “For 12 Weeks

The City Is Ours” -

The Warehouse Project Photo: Achmad Soerio Hutomo @ Flickr

Alex Coupe discusses The Warehouse Project, one of Manchester’s most famous nightlife attractions

Ever since the days of the ‘Rave Revolution’ back in the late 80s, Manchester has existed as a centrepiece in the UK’s illustrious history of electronic music. Spearheaded by the Haçienda, the underground electronic and dance scene rode a wave of huge success into the 90s. However, as a new millennium dawned, and the venues that had birthed club culture began to disappear, the scene and those who populated it yearned for a new place to dance away their troubles. Enter, ‘The Warehouse Project’.

The brainchild of Manchester natives Sacha Lord-Marchionne and Sam Kandel, The Warehouse Project (WHP) was opened in the autumn of 2006 at the Boddington Brewery, Strangeways. During its first (and only year) in the iconic Warehouse, for which it is named, WHP immediately put Manchester back at the heart of the underground and urban music scene. With live sets from the likes of Public Enemy, Pendulum, Soulwax, and Jeff Mills, WHP didn’t start small, but — during its first three month season — exemplified the broad variety which has since become a crucial characteristic of its success.

The year after its debut, WHP arrived in Store Street. Inhabiting an unused air raid shelter below Piccadilly Station, the event seemed to have found its spiritual home. The red brick walls and unique arches provided a setting that has since become a distinctive and world-renowned fortress for music of the highest standard. If any venue was to recreate the ‘Madchester’ era for a millennial generation, it was this.

Over the course of its time in Store Street, WHP has become famed for its diverse musical lineups in terms of genre, and its willingness to place huge international acts amongst up-and-coming grassroots talent. However, as this years season rolled around, it was announced that revellers would have to bid a fond and final farewell to the infamous venue as developments to the Piccadilly area were to cause a ‘natural conclusion’ to WHP’s time there.

This isn’t the first time that the event has stepped away from Store Street (having spent time at the Victoria Warehouse in Trafford between 2012 and 2013), but this year will be conclusive — “there will be no return.” Organisers are looking to give the iconic venue a fitting send-off, and this season’s line-up is characteristically impressive and wide-ranging.

With nights curated by the likes of Annie Mac, Four Tet, and Denis Sulta, all of whom are longstanding members of the WHP stronghold, coupled with appearances from pioneers of hip-hop and dance music, notably Pusha T and Underworld, musical variety remains prevalent as ever. New for this years ‘Farewell Store Street’ programme, in collaboration with Manchester International Festival, is a string of special events at the immense Mayfield Depot headlined

by Bonobo, Bicep, Fever Ray, and Manchester MC, Bugzy Malone.

Perhaps this is where we will see WHP resettle in the future?

All we do know is this season promises, yet again, to stand alone as one of the most unique and exciting events in live music.

The Warehouse Project has been instrumental in maintaining Manchester’s prevalence as a cultural powerhouse for 12 years now. With this season looking as impressive as ever, movement away from Store Street offers a world of opportunity and with relative silence on the matter of relocation from organisers, who knows what the future holds for the legendary event. For these 12 weeks, however, the city really is theirs.

On that note, why not venture to WHP’s event ‘Rush Hour’ this Saturday? Beginning at 14:00 and lasting till 2:00 am, WHP are hosting a whopping lineup playing the likes of Hunee, Antal, and Moodymann, not to mention live performances from Kuniyuki x Sauce81 and Jordan GCZ. For more information and tickets, visit their website.

Album Review:

Chris-Christine Christine & The Queens Christine & the Queens Urussa Malik

9/10

Christine & The Queens’ new album Chris is a stunner. Embracing her androgynously beautiful looks to new heights, Christine embodies an aesthetic, which combined with her music, is surreally good.

She also claims to be “playing around with the male gaze” as outlined in a Guardian interview, thus creating a cheeky, brazen dynamic.

There seems to be no escaping Christine’s music without mentioning her theatrical aesthetic which permeates every single one of her music videos. It is hardly style over substance, however, with Christine appearing to embrace a new-found confidence in all aspects of this record.

‘Girlfriend’, the second track on the album, sounds like a classic from the first note and is overtly laced with innuendo before reaching a simple, yet incredibly catchy, chorus. I am in awe of how she manipulates her words so well so as to become an auditory beauty. In the video, a whole masculine entity is embodied with the flex-

Photo: Steven Pisano @ Flickr Photo (crown): Clker-Free-Vector-Images

ing of her arms. Her shoulders and hips move in unison with a group of male dancers, echoing Christine’s blurring of gender binaries. Yet again, she infuses the dramatic element when the lighting goes haywire and she gives a performance to match.

‘Doesn’t Matter’ is a dance sequence embellished with an aggression between Christine and a boy. A struggle ensues and the dance ceases to be comical it degenerates to the point that Christine is strewn over the floor, having exhausted herself of… herself? Purposefully, the lyrics don’t seem to follow the beat of the song. The chorus is extravagantly existential: “It doesn’t matter does it? […]

If I believe in God, and if God exists”.

“Uh, I soliloquise” seems a meta-reference whereby her audience are suddenly privy to her inner thoughts, but can they be? Regardless, she ends the song with the damning “It doesn’t matter, does it?”.

‘5 dollars’ is a croon of a tune whilst

the video starkly focuses on her muscles and scratches – she seems to mock metrosexuality by revealing its softer, theatrical side. The real tease is when the clothes are put on – the whole routine of dressing up and absolutely feeling yourself and my god, I would feel it too if I was her.

‘Goya soda’ has a hymn-like background melody fused with funk for its introduction – the chime adds a hallucinatory feel to the song with the chorus flitting between French and English lyrics. If anything, it sounds more like Urdu to me by the time the chorus arrives. A whole French verse follows, adding to the psychedelic fleeting that the entire song is harbouring. The piano solo at the end captures this radical fluidity very well/ Christine & The Queens will be touring Europe soon so do make yourself familiar with the album first. You don’t want to pass out in public when you hear them for the first time.

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Games

Review: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

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An epic is harnessing style and substance – the series continues to make strides forward and a return to Olympian heights, writes Danny Jones The first thing that must be said about this game is “boy, is it pretty”. Whilst Assassin’s Creed has always had style and above average graphics, this time around the folks at Ubisoft have outdone themselves, with amazingly conceived environments, beautiful colour palettes, and increased levels of fidelity — right down to individual beard hairs. I guess I’m a sucker for the little things. I used photo mode in a game for the first time ever and I’ve probably spent more time getting the perfect shot than I have on most coursePhoto: BagoGames @ Flickr work.

The setting itself is arguably one of the best the series has seen. The backdrop of Ancient Greece with its deep historical heritage and roots in mythology, make it the perfect staging ground for Assassin’s Creed to play with. The 3, gives you recommendations on what level you historical, mythological, and cultural refer- should be before taking on its bounteous offerences, past and present, range from cultured ings. Of course, I didn’t heed their warnings and considered, all the way to the almost co- and often found out the hard way that I was medic in its very meta, self-aware, intertex- vastly too basic to take on my statistically superior foes. I raged several times as they tuality.

The story itself is up there with the best of continued to pummel me, having to start back the series. Of course, true to form, the mod- at the conservative autosaves that made me feel ern-day parts still feel tenuous and tertiary like I was playing Dark Souls. I loved every but either one of the protagonists’ journeys minute of it.

An aspect that has been carried over from Oryou choose, Alexios or Kassandra, knit cleverly together with very little difference in igins is the loot system; although the influence dialogue and, crucially, both enjoy the same from games like Destiny in its various levelled weaponry and armour remains fairly evident, it thrilling plot.

In terms of gameplay, I still had some teeth- is still extremely satisfying every time you ing pains as I acclimatised to the new combat complete a ruin or a cave and come out with system that came with the RPG-style of Ori- better and better gear.

Gear can be further upgraded with the adgins. Nevertheless, the game has some gorgeous and downright gory fight animations and adds dition of engravings, adding effects to weapinterest through detailed ability systems for ons and armour; once you’ve discovered these effects through questing, bartering or simply both ranged and melee attacks.

There have been a few key changes in naval levelling up, you can then apply them to all combat that make it a more detailed and indi- your future gear. This deeper level of customividual experience — as well as being able to sation allowed me to both pander to, and parpersonalise the perks and appearance of your tially overcome my inner diva, as you can eiship, you can now also recruit and assign lieu- ther simply equip whatever has the best stats, tenants to man your ships, bringing more op- or spend time improving your more aesthetically tions for customisation. Many have said that pleasing items and slay in style.

After the last installment, Ubisoft promthis feels like the ‘spiritual successor to Black Flag’, where sailing was first introduced ised to take a break from the annual release through the pirate theme, and so it should be — policy that seemed to contribute towards the series’ recent decline pre-Origins. However, it is entitled Odyssey after all.

The bread and butter of this game, howev- they have since gone back on that promise with er, comes in how the series has begun to take this latest release and perhaps this explains strides towards becoming a fully-fledged RPG, the cherry-picking of some elements from the and here it does an exceptional job. The lev- best RPG on market – there are certainly unelling system, for instance, is, in all its dertones of the aforementioned Witcher in the facets, one of the most palpable, challenging depth and scale, even pinching that wailing and enjoyable examples I can recall in recent noise from every time you complete a quest. memory. Odyssey, in the style of The Witcher But what’s wrong with that? All great works take inspiration from those around them — it’s

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Danny Jones

what makes them and this game in particular as great as it is.Having said that, it doesn’t seem as though they have missed that extra year too much – in fact, it is more than likely that production on Odyssey and Origins began around the same time, meaning that beyond similarity there is also sustained level of quality, with the feedback from the previous game allowing for a quick turnaround in improvements. Whilst there are negatives to be found here, perhaps arising from the pressure of a fall release, they only somewhat take away from an otherwise excellent game that adds to the continuing revitalisation of the series.

There are inconsistencies even in aspects of the game that I have thoroughly enjoyed with the performances being one of the best examples. Whilst I was surprised at how compelling I found my chosen character, Alexios — with many on the internet arguing that Kassandra’s dialogue is even more impressive, in fact — his comparison with the likes of Ezio, is often tempered by those around him and whether their performances are up to scratch.

Take Markos for instance, your right-hand man and partner in crime (though his exploits more accurately force you into that role), whilst he is entirely likeable and plays a key part in your backstory, he reminds me of Niko’s cousin, Roman, in GTA IV – almost cartoony in his persistent comic relief, to the level that it becomes annoying from time to time. More generally, the surrounding characters that you encounter are a series of peaks and troughs and whilst these NPCs look better than ever, many scenes hinge entirely on whether the voice acting is good or bad.

However, as I said, these are mainly minor qualms and they don’t even come close to sabotaging this game in the way that previous titles have. I have to admit, for a person who held this series as, arguably, his favourite of all time, during its heyday, I’ve been waiting a long time for Assassin’s Creed to get back on track. But Odyssey does more than that: in following on from Origins and the reinvention of the game’s central mechanics, by adding several layers of depth to the varying types of gameplay, and choosing one the most interesting and abundant periods in history to construct is parkour-filled playground, this game has rekindled my love for this amazing series and given me hope that it will continue in its return to former, one could say, Athenian glory.

Read the full article online, at: www.mancunion.com.

8.5/10

Man City, Man United to compete in ePremier League Manchester clubs set to compete in the first iteration of the official Premier League esports championship — the ePL, writes Jeremy Bijl E-sports is a growing global phenomenon.

With an estimated global revenue of $905.6 million and a fanbase around the 380 million mark, the burgeoning discipline has now ascended to one of the globe’s other major franchises: the Premier League.

The official ePremier League (ePL), which is making its debut in January 2019, has been well supported by Premier League clubs, with all 20 of them to compete in the competition’s inaugural year.

Amongst these, of course, are Manchester giants Manchester United and Manchester City.

Manchester City, in particular, will be hoping to add to their glittering year with another trophy having recruited former FIFA world cham-

pion Kai ‘Deto’ Wallin.

The competition is still in its infancy. As such, the fledgling enterprise will comprise of three stages: online qualifiers, club playoffs, and a grand final, rather than taking on the traditional league format that the grass-based players adhere to.

The first stage will be used to narrow the pool down to a total of 320 players. Of these players, 16 from each club will then face off to ascertain two representatives for the final.

Each club will enter two players - one on the Xbox One, and one on Playstation 4 - for the final, which will take place over two days at the end of March. Although it is unclear precisely how the final will work, the ePL webpage states that “matches will take place over two legs in

a group-stage format on both PlayStation and Xbox to determine an overall champion”.

The Premier League has been quick to praise the initiative, with Richard Masters, the Premier League’s Managing Director, saying, “millions of fans play FIFA and this new eSports competition will provide our clubs with an exciting opportunity to engage with them.”

However, this growing trend has not always been met positively. In September, a match between Swiss clubs FC Basel and Young Boys saw console controllers thrown onto the pitch in a protest against football eSports, whilst news that eSports could one day be in the Olympics was met with widespread public derision.

Nonetheless, negotiations with Olympics eSports continues, and the ePL provides another marker for the growth in popularity of eSports.

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ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Film

A Star Is Born

Emotional, funny, and featuring a killer soundtrack, A Star Is Born will surely go down as one of 2018’s greatest films

Alfie Clark Contributor

Camera illustration: SVG Silh

Animations tend to be seen to create a fantasy world, one in which characters have four fingers and a myriad of powers.

Tehran Taboo, however, is far from this.

Appropriately named, we get a tense insight into double lives being led not by choice, but by necessity.

Directed by Ali Soozandeh, Tehran Taboo is set against the bustling backdrop of the Iranian capital; the background noise of cars and the consistent bustle of a metropolitan city, see that there is not a moment of silence in the film. This restlessness is heightened by the animation technique used — known as ‘rotoscoping’ this sees animation placed over motion pictures. This constant motion on screen gives the audience no room to settle or relax, ensuring an appropriate level of tension is maintained whilst we follow four different stories. The film’s eventual climax at the end had me sat on the edge of my seat with my head in my hands.

Tehran Taboo does well to highlight the intricacies of life in ways that cannot be achieved through other forms of media like news — at present, our dominant insight into the Middle East. In a film, the audience is in the characters’ shoes, and for 90-something minutes is given a view of their every day.

The relationship between men and wom-

4.5/5

of the supporting cast. Sam Elliott as Jackson’s older brother and manager convincingly conveys love and awe for his sibling, along with some slight resentment of his success and concern for his drinking habits. Additionally, Andrew Dice Clay does a great job as Ally’s supportive father, providing some of the film’s funniest lines. With regards to the soundtrack, the music created by these two characters is fantastic, with “Shallow” in particular being a track that is sure to become a hit outside of the film.

This film is told in two distinct halves, and whilst I felt that the first half was the fresher, more enjoyable and memorable of the two, the second half of this film is still strong. I would argue that the first half belongs to Gaga, and the second to Cooper, who presents his best acting material yet. Presenting Jackson’s struggle with alcoholism and tinnitus with heartbreaking intensity, in scenes that are sure to make some viewers sob.

However, there was one out-of-character moment for

en is certainly imbalanced; there are more scenes depicting bribery than there are of men and women having accepted, public conversations. We are shown one character, Sara, successfully get a Photo: HOME job, however, she needs a signature of permission from her husband, which is he less than happy to discuss — she is merely needed to carry his child.

The powerlessness of women within the structure of society is shown, however Ali Soozandeh succeeds in portraying them as strong and independent.

We are introduced to a mother, called Pari, who earns her living performing sexual favours and manages to move into a new house, loaned by one of her customers. Pari is the same woman who was denied a divorce from her imprisoned drug addict husband and cannot get work because of regulations and is forced to care for her mute son, alone. Aside from a scene depicting him throwing water bombs — actually flavoured condoms — from a balcony, we see no resemblance of a childhood for this boy.

Although the causes of these problems are due to societal and political issues, this is not the centre of the film.

The focus is not on wider society, nor

Jackson, in which he drunkenly insults Ally repeatedly, that I do not feel was addressed as much as it should have been, ultimately leaving me to feel that the scene stood out as inconsistent with the rest of his arc.

When I first saw posters for this film, I assumed it was just going to be another cheesy romantic musical, but it’s so much more than that.

It is not just the story of love and the rise to stardom, rather it presents the ever-changing nature of fame and success and the damage that this can do to relationships and family. It deals with troubling issues in a respectful and maturity, lightened up with charisma from the characters that will keep you invested for its entire 135 minute run time. I have no doubt that this film will be a significant player when the Oscars come around again, and this is more than deserved.

A Star is Born was released on 3rd October 2018 and is currently playing at the Odeon Great Northern, Showcase Cinema and Cineworld Cinema-Didsbury.

Reviews.

Photo: Chad J. McNeeley @ wikimedia commons

Emotional, funny, and featuring a killer soundtrack, A Star is Born will surely go down as one of 2018’s greatest films.

Bradley Cooper proves himself as a true renaissance man; directing, producing, co-writing, and starring in this musical drama. A remake of the 1937 film of the same name, A Star is Born tells the story of Ally (played to perfection by Lady Gaga), a singer-songwriter who is discovered by famed musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper). It follows the two as Jackson helps propel her to stardom, whilst a passionate romance blooms between them.

The chemistry between the them is the highlight of the film, creating one of the most believable film romances I’ve seen in years. This is largely achieved through deft screenplay, with comedic and awkward scenes, particularly in the first half — making the characters feel human and relatable, despite their star-power both within and outside of the film.

In terms of performances, I also feel it wrong to ignore the contribution of much

the politics but on how these individuals navigate their lives, which makes the film less intimidating and more emotive to watch. I would like to highlight, however, that this film is not a documentary and whilst it has been criticised for the outdated nature of some of the events, surely a level of creative freedom is allowed within the realms of storytelling, much like it would be for a film set in Manchester, for example.

This film is poignant and when it ended I had to sit still for a moment before re-entering my reality again. Watch it to hear the beauty of Persian and be immersed in gripping stories of these taboos.

Tehran Taboo

An animation, Tehran Taboo is an immersive film of untold stories set in Tehran

Aisha Al-Janabi Deputy Film Editor

4/5

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Film

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Netflix returns us to the golden Church era of romcoms Georgie 4/5 Set It Up When hearing the phrase ‘rom-com’, the over-saturated, sickly sweet and tediously predictable offerings of the last decade are the quickest to spring to mind.

Movies such as Good Luck Chuck (2007) are prime examples of the way in which the genre has departed from the more thoughtful films of the classic rom-com era in favour of crude humour and formulaic plots. The genre has earned a reputation of being trashy as the magic of classic films such as When Harry met Sally or Notting Hill seems to have been forgotten.

Amy Schumer shagging John Cena (Trainwreck) can hardly be compared to Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in that diner scene. This reputation, however, is something that Netflix seems to be attempting to dismantle with its recent movie Set It Up. It is true that these classic films are at times problematic, and the crass overdone rom-coms that saturate the market today are tired. In a world where romance seems confined to swipPhoto: Netflix ing left and right, the perfectly timed Instagram post or a well-crafted Snapchat response, perhaps what we need is a little old fashioned romance. The industry currently overridden by money guzzling giants such as Marvel is lacking a bit of heart and soul.

Enter Netflix’s Set It Up. Set it Up, directed by Claire Scanlon and forefronted by power duo Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell provides the perfect antidote to both superhero fatigue and obscenity overload, reviving the rom-com genre in a way that is both superbly entertaining and progressively modern.

It tells the warm-hearted story of two frenetic PA’s who, in a bid for freedom, attempt to set their tyrannical bosses up. In a meet cute that doesn’t necessarily usurp a bookshop in Portobello Road but certainly stands up to it, Deutch and Powell’s chemistry

sparks straight out of the screen. Their easy banter and seamless rapport propels the movie, ensuring that it doesn’t lean back on the crude humour of many modern romantic comedies. Set It Up, as with many of the golden era rom-coms, will surely become part of rom-com history (see that pizza scene).

What truly makes Set It Up great, however, is the way that it modernises the old style rom-com. While the classics stand the test of time, there is no doubt that they are frequently archaic in the way they present gender dynamics. Relationships are often unbalanced (eg. Pretty Woman, You’ve Got Mail) with gender stereotypes rampant.

What Set It Up does so successfully is to present an entertaining love story while also highlighting important issues without ever seeming forced.

Through the character of Kirsten, we get a self made woman who at first seems overbearing but is revealed to be caring and supportive, inviting discussion of the struggles of being a career woman. We even get a redemptive character arc in the hyper-masculine Rick who finally taps into his emotions. This kind of successful representation of varying gender dynamics on screen is extremely valuable, and yet the film never loses sight of its goal – to entertain.

Netflix is certainly attempting to inject some heart back into the romantic comedy genre, taking the classic template and modernising it and in doing so reminding us of why we always loved rom-coms so much. Its other offerings such as To All The Boys I Loved Before show that this trend shows no signs of stopping and while films such as The Kissing Booth don’t sit quite so well, it seems romantic comedies are on the up. Besides, the path of true love never did run smooth.

Review:

‘New can be scary’ the new female Doctor The bbc successfully introduces Jodie Whittaker as the next regeneration of Doctor Who

Madeleine Pede Contributor

4/5

It’s taken 55 years and 12 doctors, but the day has finally arrived — the Doctor has regenerated as a woman!

Since Peter Capaldi stepped aside at the end of last year, there has been a lot of build-up to the first episode of the new series. As a result, a lot of pressure has been placed on Jodie Whittaker as she undertakes the role of the first female Doctor — as soon as the episode began, I found myself really rooting for her.

Whilst the gender of our Time Lord is completely irrelevant in terms of the show’s premise, this is undeniably a moment for Whittaker that will impact the trajectory of her career. More significantly, this is a moment that has the potential to challenge and impact the representation of gender diversity in British television for the better.

Ultimately, this episode was required to strike an important balance. It needed to self-consciously acknowledge that the Doctor is a woman but simultaneously needed to make sure that this didn’t

Photo: Gage Skidmore @ wikimedia commons

steal focus to the point of diluting the overall spirit of the iconic series. To do this would result in a patronising portrayal that would make us all, especially women, just want to switch off.

The episode is framed by new series regular, Ryan Sinclair’s YouTube video in which he is talking of “the greatest woman [he] ever met.” At this point, I immediately settled down to be shown a predictable celebration of our new female Doctor. When we return to Ryan’s video at the end of the episode, he reveals he is talking about his grandmother (whose eventual tragic bravery in the episode further exemplifies its positive representation of women). This approach certainly struck the balance that was so essential in successfully introducing the female doctor.

While the doctor’s existential identity crisis is evident in every regeneration, this one functioned as a humorous nod to the public’s overreaction to Whittaker’s casting back in 2017; even the Doctor’s subconscious initially re-

fuses to reconcile itself with womanhood!

This makes the later declaration of “I know exactly who I am, I’m the Doctor” an even louder rallying cry that attests to the power of women. Initially, Whittaker’s performance was reminiscent of David Tennant’s portrayal, but this soon settled into a very distinct character that is distinctly funny, charming, and one of a kind.

Overall, this episode was a great introduction to our new Doctor. To make no reference to the Doctor’s new gender would be thoughtless and ultimately counter-productive but to acknowledge this too much would have been irritating and condescending. Thankfully, the BBC came good and gently poked fun of the storm that surrounded this historic television moment in a way that celebrated the appointment of our new Doctor. A Doctor who indirectly attempts to comfort those still struggling with this gender transition by acknowledging herself that “new can be scary.”

Join the Students’ Union, the University, and student societies in celebrating Black History Month this year! We’ve got everything from educational talks to art shows, a dinner, a club night, and more. All year long, but this month especially, we want everyone to celebrate Black culture and achievements, and to get educated about Black history. We will also offer safe spaces for students to discuss the issues they face as ethnic minorities in education. find out what’s on this month at:

MANCHESTERSTUDENTSUNION.COM or download our app

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Books

‘Sabrina’

by Nick Drnaso Photo: OpenClipart-Vectors / 27439 images @ Pixabay

e Ab

bott

Hope Abbott reads the graphic novel that explores the nastier side of conspiracies Are you the kind of person who stays up to 3am watching conspiracy theories videos? If, like me, you are, you’ll love Sabrina by Nick Drnaso. As the first graphic novel ever to make it onto the Man Booker Prize long list, Sabrina explores the nastier side of conspiracies. Government agencies are accused of creating tragedies and grieving families are dismissed as actors. Sound familiar?

A little too familiar. In the opening pages, we’re told that “this book is a work of fiction [...] any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental”. You’ll only find references to specific dates if you pay close attention, but there is no doubt about when this story is taking place.

The novel is full of hysterical radio hosts, good men with guns, and online trolls with a scary amount of access to information. It’s hard to believe that this story didn’t actually happen and saddening to know that very similar stories do. Be prepared to feel uncomfortable, be prepared to be upset. On every page, you’ll see empty rooms, a lack of landmarks and the repeated use of small panels stripped of dialogue.

Sabrina is set a normal town in a normal state, full of normal people. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing boring about the novel. The simple style hammers home that this story could be happening anywhere in America. Even the drama of suicide and murder is rendered simple, un-gory and undramatic. Drnaso strips the story bare to great effects.

By showing us the minutiae of the everyday, Drnaso brings readers close to the characters.

We watch every small movement throughout their day, we watch as they pace, talking on the phone, how they turn to check nobody’s watching their screen. We are invisible bystanders watching their lives slowly crumble.

So much is left out in the novel. Somehow, I could actually hear the characters’ murmuring voices, even when their conversations were only represented with blank lines.

We stand metres away from the speakers, unable to hear the full story, made to fill in the gaps.

Normally I’d see this kind of minimalism as a negative thing, but having to figure out exactly what’s being said and what’s going on is half the fun.

It’s not all doom and gloom in the novel, there are some lighter moments. One image comes to mind: one of the main characters draped in a Snuggie. Some of the more feel-good stories in the novel made me internally cringe. You know the type, “a DOG takes the bus to see his best friend!” We see articles like them every day.

Yet Drnaso’s art style renders them as ordinary and blank as an empty bedroom, a suburban street, or a dead body.

Reading Sabrina, there was a constant uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. I had a creeping realisation that this was not going to end well for anybody. Drnaso is a chronicler of out times: there are stories of violence against women, smear campaigns against a family, men’s mental health issues and the way that the media casually shifts from one violent atrocity to another.

We are forced to come to terms with seeing almost identical stories more and more in real life.

Rather than a steep crescendo at the end, you start to dread that (Groundhog Day style) you’re going to be forced to relive the story again; to see more people get hurt, stalked and killed. The cycle of news moving cooly onto the next tragedy.

I was expecting clichés, but Sabrina shows America in a way we don’t normally see. The humdrum of the characters’ daily lives couldn’t have been told through film, or even prose. Drnaso’s bare art style brings real issues to the fore; set against the backdrop of simple Americana. It’s never predictable, despite the odd “The cat’s gone missing” moment. Sabrina is a truly excellent slow-burn that manages to touch on almost every current issue being discussed in the US today; it’s well worth your time.

Last Sunday, the Manchester Literature Festival welcomed Graham Norton to the Royal Northern College of Music to discuss his latest book, A Keeper.

In 2015, Norton said, that “me appearing at a literary festival must be one of the signs of the apocalypse”. The sold out show and vocal Mancunian audience seemed to prove otherwise.

Personable and sharply funny throughout, Norton covered a breadth of topics. After years of hosting The Graham Norton Show, it was strange to watch Norton sit in the interviewee seat. Although, quite quickly, the interviewer became the interviewee.

Norton noted that writing a debut at 50 isn’t exactly normal.

But he had always wanted to write a novel and published Holding in 2016, to great acclaim. Winning the Irish Independent Popular Fiction Award helped rid him of fears of literary failure. To Norton though, the highest accolade the novel received was that his mother, who has dementia, enjoyed it so much that she forgot he wrote it.

His follow up novel, A Keeper, which is not a sequel, similarly draws upon rural Ireland and its myths and mysteries. It is clear that Norton is deeply inspired by his home country and its people and stories. His wry humour and facetiousness seems to take on a new form in his enigmatic and mysterious rural Ireland.

The novel follows the return of Elizabeth Keane to her childhood village after her mother’s death.

She encounters a series of questions about her origins and her paternity.

Norton creates an additional narrative about Elizabeth’s mother, Wikimedia Commons rett @ Eve en i m Da o: ot Ph

Pho to: H op

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Reviews.

Patricia, set 40 years earlier, when she is grieving her own mother’s death. Patricia, urged on by a friend, responds to an ad in the Lonely Hearts section of the Farmer’s Journal and meets a lonely farmer. Norton mentioned how shocked he was to discover that the Farmer’s Journal still bands together sporadic farmer communities in rural Ireland to this day.

In both of Norton’s novels, there is a yearning for identity, with many outsider characters fighting for a sense of belonging. Norton, who grew up as part of the 3% protestant population in Ireland, talked about how he felt alienated as a child. Nevertheless, Norton talked fondly about Ireland — he lives there for six months each year. He was especially optimistic about Ireland’s recent social progress, and talked passionately about Repeal the 8th and marriage legislation.

When the talk was over, the audience were eager to ask questions. Norton was happy to spill the beans on how Robert De Niro’s appearance on his chat show was so tedious that it had to be cut. He talked about a strong bond he forged with Dolly Parton when he visited Dollyworld at the time of 9/11. Norton also harked back to his Mother Theresa Edinburgh skit, which kick-started his career and got him a role on Father Ted.After 90 minutes of charisma, celebrity gossip and anecdotal indulgence, Graham Norton left the stage to resounding applause and doting heckles. His new novel, A Keeper, is out now on hardback.

Daisy Lester shares her thoughts on the chat show host’s appearance at the Manchester Literature Festival, discussing his new book, The Keeper

An Evening with Graham Norton

24 Theatre Review:

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

National Theatre’s ‘Macbeth’ Jess Johnstone reviews the National Theatre’s touring version of Macbeth

Photo: The Lowry

The National Theatre’s touring company hit The Lowry this week with their bold production of ‘Macbeth’. Following a sold out run at The National Theatre.

Rufus Norris’ visually impressive creation has visited theatres across the UK and Ireland, complete with a whole new cast, and perhaps proving to be a version of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy that favours style over substance.

Rae Smith, the creator the ‘War Horse’ set, has designed once again a breath-taking set which as usual, doesn’t disappoint.

We’re instantly drawn into the world of Norris’ ‘Macbeth’ as the witches appeared from a seemingly hidden alcove in the drawbridge-like set piece that dominated the entirety of centre stage. The dark and almost shadow-like witches flittered wildly across the stage before ascending up three poles with ease and assuming a rather impressive acrobatic position, all before the famous opening lines of the play.

Michael Nardone’s Macbeth and Kirsty Besterman’s Lady Macbeth provided an interesting dynamic in their portrayal of the power-driven relationship. However, neither manages to quite stand up to the overwhelming scale of the set they are working with.

On multiple occasions their characters seem dwarfed by the enormity of the set, making some of the most poignant moments of the play

Review:

lack intensity and drive – especially in the well-known dagger monologue.

Despite this, one of the stand out scenes for me was the banquet when Macbeth is confronted by the ghost of his deceased best friend Banquo (Patrick Robinson). Nardone’s portrayal of a man who truly believes what he sees, leaping around the stage in pure fear as Robinson’s Banquo ominously strides across the space, created a very moving scene and was essential in the audience having any connection with the character.

Another touching moment in the production was the scene after Lady Macbeth’s suicide, most ‘Macbeth’ productions only allude to her death when she throws herself from a rooftop. However, in Norris’s reimagining we see the set spin to reveal a far bloodier death – Besterman is slumped again a wall covered in blood. Nardone’s reaction to this is perfectly timed as he goes over and embraces the body of his dead wife, creating a real moment of tenderness, and showing just how broken Macbeth has become.

Overall the production contained a few poignant moments but the masterful set design overshadows all. The first half lacked pace and although it picked up in the second act it just wasn’t enough and I left the theatre feeling disappointed in what I hoped would have been a stellar performance given the reputation of the National Theatre.

‘Everything that happened and would happen’ Editor-in-chief Ethan Davies reviews ‘ETHAWH’, which charts the course of European history over the past 120 years and is like nothing you’ve ever seen before

‘Everything that happened and would happen’ (ETHAWH) is a live music, performance, and large-scale multimedia installation by German composer and artist Heiner Goebbels. The performance spans 120 years of European history within a vast shifting landscape animated by 17 performers and live musicians.

It must be said that ‘ETHAWH’ is genuinely like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Performed at the Mayfield, a former Royal Mail depot and railway station, the space is a vast array of red brick walls, Photo: Press Shot uneven sloped floors, and eerie archways that are no longer humming large soulless boxes to illustrate the with commuters or parcels. emptiness of war. In between each of these This adds to the brilliance of the work. performances come readings and narration The very fact you’re so aware of the histoabout the work, detailing human accounts ry of the building you’re sat in, increases from war, political scandal, and media the meaning and power of the performance. frenzies. The beauty of these narrations There is a focus on colonialism, World War lies in how detached the reader is from the One, and even current international news personal story; each anecdote is read as events, such as the Brett Kavanaugh scanif it were the classified football results. dal. The effect of highlighting themes such Every ‘i’ is dotted and ‘t’ is crossed, as loss, confusion, and futility, in a but when these are telling us about the building which was built on the mundane, is impromptu ceasefires which occurred in the chilling.

French trenches to boost soldier morale, it This of course is enabled by the superb feels as if none of it mattered in the long work of the 17 performers. Each one demonrun. strates sublime body control, as they put With ‘ETHAWH’ being the work of the canvases together, moved enormous props composer Heiner Goebbels, the score and such as boulders around, and jostled with

soundtrack are effortlessly unsettling. Each transition scene between narration is set to industrial sounds which are fully immersive and build to a crescendo of noise and confusion. This is how the performance finishes, with the final scene left unfinished. It feels satisfying, however, that such a confusing piece of work leaves you confused. Life doesn’t give final answers. We are here for a bit, then we’re not. The universe is indifferent to suffering.

It sounds miserable, but I assure you it isn’t. It’s a mesmeric performance which exudes brilliance at every turn. I remarked on leaving Mayfield that I could watch ‘ETHAWH’ 17 times and draw 17 wholly different conclusions. My summaries above were contrasted by another audience member who felt the message of the performance was “everything happens for a reason... but often the reason doesn’t make any sense.”

‘Everything that happened and would happen’ is a must-see and must-see-again. It is running at the Mayfield until the 21st October, and is a “pre-factory” event for the Manchester International Festival before it takes over The Factory, a new events space built on the site of the Old Granada Studios. ETHAWH is on until the 21st October.

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Arts va l

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ATM18

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chal polit lenging i ics i d n mod entity ernBr itain

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Photo : Eva

errets en more relevant in the context of Brexit.

Through work which includes sculpture, performance, zine-making and photography, these artists push their response to identity pol-

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itics beyond the East/West conflict to ask to what extent is one implicated in a discussion about race? Or indeed, to what extent should an artist acknowledge their parents’ country when they create work?

These questions gesture towards our assumptions about heritage which can never be ‘solved’ or ’discovered’. Nothing is straightforward, nor should it be, because to celebrate these differences, ‘straightforward’ cannot encompass the marginal, secondary, curving and undulating ideas of identity which make up our artistic landscape.

Despite the obvious difficulty regarding offence and representation that naturally arises out of certain identity politics, what seems to be at the core of this festival is the importance of access to art. Making it a free festival reiterates Hundal’s concluding statement that ‘everyone matters.’

‘ATM18’ is therefore a convenient acronym for the festival; meaning ‘at the moment’, it emphasizes the contemporaneity of the festival’s central themes. ‘Who do you think you are?’ and ‘where are you really from?’ are the kinds of questions which construct Asian-British identity, but what this festival demonstrates so clearly is how varied the response to those questions can be.

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of the festival venues is HOME cinema in the heart of Manchester, a statement of belonging which a Triennial Fes ti Asi is ever

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As the largest of its kind in Europe, and with venues scattered around Manchester, this festival offers a unique opportunity to explore the cultural hallmarks of the city whilst engaging with a whole variety of artworks based on the central theme of Asia.

Established in 2004, the Asia Triennial has become a platform for new voices in the arts, especially British-Asian artists who are often under-represented and set apart from the mainstream art-scene.

The Triennial kicked off with a panel discussion led by the Director of New Art Exchange in Nottingham, Skinder Hundal between Fa and Fon Watkins, Thaiborn fashion students, Stanley Chow, a Manchester-based illustrator, and writer, performer and former police-woman Anjum Malik. Together, they introduced their practice and interrogated the questions ‘who do you think you are?’ and ‘where are you really from?’ which stressed the ever-present conflict between individual and group identity.

What seemed to resonate with each panellist was how little the emphasis of those questions had changed, and how certain prejudices about the diasporic community exist long after first generation Asians emigrated to Britain. Crucial, then, is the link between identity and sense of place; how identities can aberrate when a person relocates to a new community. Perhaps it is significant that one

of identity ons ti es

Artefact of the week: Smithfield Market

We Are 11: Stanley Grove Primary Academy Alice Barron Eaves takes us around the Whitworth Art Gallery’s curious new exhibition, curated by 11-year-olds Curated by 11-year olds from Stanley Grove Primary Academy, the Whitworth Art Gallery’s new exhibition explores what it means to be an 11-year-old living in Manchester today. I was slightly surprised to hear the stress of SAT exams was their main concern, claiming that “life’s getting more serious”.

It was interesting to see that adult issues affect children in modern society.

They were also worried about fitting in on their move to high school in September and being “babies again” in the playground. As they approach adolescence and leave childhood they have coined the phases “tweenager” and “mid-kid” to describe their liminal phase and they’ve decided to reflect this through their artwork.

Being a curator was a big responsibility as the children had to consider many things about the artwork that had never crossed my mind. They were very keen to use an embroidered

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Photo: David Dixon @ Creative Commons

Observed by Theo Bennett

Photo: Alice Barron Eaves

casket created by an 11-yearold called Hannah Smith in the 1640s. The team at the Whitworth were unsure about this initially, as the casket had been on exhibition a lot and were worried about light damage. The children, however, felt all their creativity from the project stemmed from the casket and it was important to their exhibition. As a result, the casket is on display, but with an umbrella on top of it to ensure the light doesn’t affect it.

The children told me the best bit of their exhibition was the modern-day response to the casket consisting of micro bits and flashing lights. In my opinion, however, the best bit of the exhibition was the self-portraits of the children that are blown up and printed on the glass wall of the gallery. This was a surprise to them and caused quite a stir as they all jumped about pointing themselves out to me.

What was also interesting about the exhibition was the personal

responses each of the children made to their chosen artwork through drawings.

I was told by the gallery staff that this is the first time at the Whitworth that artwork is displayed alongside drawn responses, rather than a piece of text, as they felt this better expressed how the 11-year olds felt. The gallery has also tailored the opening of the exhibition to the children by having a slushie machine instead of wine for the opening night.

To round off the interview I asked the children how much they enjoyed doing this project at the Whitworth and was pleased to hear it was “the best experience of primary school” for many of them. It was great to hear that Stanley Grove is encouraging 27 other primary schools to get involved with the We Are 11 project and make their own caskets, hoping for around 9000 in total to demonstrate their personal responses to being a young person in Manchester.

On any given stroll through Manchester’s bustling city centre, it takes no stretch of the imagination to conceive that Manchester has been a thriving centre of commerce for a very long time. Whilst the majority of the hundreds of retailers occupying space in the city have only been there for a couple of decades, they belong to a long tradition of buying and selling that dates back the early days of the Industrial Revolution.

In a short space of time, Manchester vastly grew in size and economic output, becoming one of Britain’s most preeminent cities, a position it has held to this day.

Slightly hidden away amongst the domineering structures of the Arndale Centre, The Printworks, and countless retail outlets, evidence of this heritage remains.

You can read more about the market online at www.Mancunion.com.

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Fashion & Beauty

Ella Searle speaks to the UK’s BIGGEST ONLINE VINTAGE RETAILER

Talking to True Vintage

Tr ue Vi nta ge is th e U K’s le adi ng onli ne vin tage re tai ler f oun ded by R ory We stb roo k.

De sp ite an in cre dib ly com pe tit ive b uyan d s ell -ma rke t, and a 90s st yle re viva l to uc hing ev ery cor ner of th e fa shi on in dus try , T rue Vin ta ge h ave ma nag ed t o st and out and ca tal yse on this boom ing ma rke t.

Thi s is dow n to th eir ca ref ull y c ura ted pr odu ct, mad e up of s ome of th e m ost de sir ed bra nds on t he vint ag e c irc uit.

T rue Vi nta ge’ s s ucc ess is ev ide nt f rom the ir 1 62, 000 st ron g Ins tagr am fo llowe rs, as wel l as r eco gni tion fr om bi g i ndu str y n ame s s uch as Vo gue and Tom my H ilfi ger . W ith a lan dma rk pop -up in Ur ban Ou tfi tte rs in Manc hes ter la st we ek, I we nt dow n to me et G uy W estb ro ok to lea rn buz z aro und mo re abo ut the bu zz her e t hey ’ve Tr ue Vin tag e, w wher what ’s ne xt. co me fro m a nd wha t’s op-up wa s The Tru e Vi nta ge p opup w as likes we ll sto cke d w ith the li kes of Fil a, Bur Burber Po lo Spo rt, Fi la, ber ry, Hil fi ger. Y et Tr ue an d Tom my Hi lfi Yet been Vi nta ge has n’t al way s b een as es tab lis hed as i t is t oda y.

Ra the r, t he br and s tar ted fr om mo re humb le beg in nin gs.

Gu y t ell s m e “T ru e Vi nta ge was st art ed by m y brot her , Ror y, 4 yea rs ago , a t P ort smo uth Un ive rsi ty, ju st as a w ay of ea rni ng m one y. H e re ali sed th ere wa s a dem an d fo r vint age cl oth ing , as it gi ves p eop le a ch an ce to b e differ ent.

He st ar ted th at up ju st as a per son al pro ject re all y.”

Wha t is so gre at abo ut T rue Vi nta ge i s tha t th ey w hol ly un der sta nd the ir cus tom er.

It ma ke s s ens e w hen I le arn th at t he co mpan y is s till ra n b y a v ery cl ose c irc le of f rie nds w ho beg an pa cki ng or der s i n R ory ’s u niv ers ity ho use , an d wh o sh are the sa me lov e fo r f ash ion .

“I was the n the 2nd per son to st art w ork ing w ith hi m,” G uy to ld me. “I wo uld tr ave l d own to P ort smou th fro m Guildf ord wh ere I had b een d oin g va rio us fa shio n int er nsh ips wh ich wer e al l a bi t all ov er th e p lac e, and th en Ror y w as ju st l ike ‘co me d own and wo rk wi th me! ’ S o I h elp ed hi m w hi lst he wa s s ti ll at un i, an d t hen i t j ust g ot bi gge r a nd big ger un til we mo ved b ack up to Lo nd on and we ’ve gr own so th at we’ re up to ni ne pe opl e n ow. I t’s a gr eat t eam as we ’ve a ll got di ffe ren t s kil ls and t ale nts

Photo (clothes): OpenClipart-Vectors (coat hanger): Clker-Free-Vector-Images @ Pixabay

arn ing so we ’ve al l b een le arni ng has as we go a lon g and h as a nd be en goi ng we ll so far an d exci is jus t rea lly e xci tin g!”

Y et it ’s cl ear th at th at th e c los e-k nit bu nch h aven ’t re mai ned i n th eir c omf ort zo ne, and ha ve grea tly ex pan ded fro m bein g just a un i br and t rad ing t hro ugh In sta gra m, g ai ning an ar ray of am azi ng ach iev eme nts un der th eir bel t. “Pr oba bly th e bi gges t pr oje ct w e ha ve do ne wo uld be T omm y Hil fig er at Lo ndon Fa shi on Week wh ich was las t ye ar, the sa me y ear with Gig i Ha did ’s co lle cti on. We wer e at t he Ca mde n Ro und hou se s elli ng vi nta ge Tom my. He ev en bou ght st uff off us hi mse lf! We’ ve do ne loa ds mor e p roj ect s w ith To mmy Hi lfi ger li ke the ev ent wi th L ewis Ham ilt on wh ere he rel eas ed h is co ll ecti on at the O xf ord S tre et s tor e, th ey’ ve bee n re all y g rea t.”

The s toc k eve n imp res sed in dus try ex per ts — T rue Vi nta ge ha ve w rit e-u ps in Vo gue an d h as bee n r eco gni sed by th e b ran ds the mse lve s: “We ha d a he ad de sig n t eam fr om Ad ida s c ome ov er, wh o sa id we hav e th e bes t co lle cti on of vin tage Adi das t hey ’ve se en – e ven be tte r t han th eir ow n o ffi cia l ar chi ves ! T hey re all y w ante d to b uy stu ff of f us bu t we ha d to say no , we wa nt to keep t hat !”

Aft er suc h a s ucc ess ful ye ar, it’ s in ter est ing to h ear w hat T rue V int age ha ve nex t u p t heir s leev e.

Gu y s har es wit h me tha t th ey d efin ite ly w ant m ore co lla bor ati ons wi th br and s.

Fu rth erm ore , he a dds t hat “i t’s nic e wh en y ou h ave po p-u p eve nt s lik e th ese so we can go ou t an d me et pe op le to sp eak t o t he peo ple wh o bu y fr om y our b ran d, t hat ’s th e on ly d rawb ack of o nli ne as it s m ore an onym ou s. A nd th ere for e we are l ook ing f or mo re p op-u ps and e ven ts. We al so w ou ld l ove to do som e mo re co nsu lti ng w or k wi th bra nds as we al l r eal ly lov e f ash ion an d cl oth es, you can see re cen tly o n th e hi gh s tre et th at e very th ing i s ta kin g a vi nta ge re vi val, so I thi nk th at w e hav e a l ot t o of fer.

We mi ght ev en loo k t o d esi gn now s!” ou r o wn stu ff, who k nows !” fo r the W ha tev er in s tor e for i t’s te am at Tru e V inta ge , it ’s wt h wo n’t ap par ent th eir gro wth soo n. be st unt ed any ti me soon .

Read the full article online.

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Mancunion fashion player of the week Naomi Campbell Photo: Georges Biard @Wikimedia Commons

Jack Sedgwick highlights one of fashion’s biggest icons It is s ome tim es sai d tha t t hos e wh o h ave be en in the f iel d t he lo nge st h ave the most to offe r, a nd th at c ou ld c ert ainl y b e ar gue d to be tr ue for ve ter an sup erm ode l Naom i Ca mpb ell . He r ye ars of c atw alk sho ws an d p ubl ic ex po sure ha ve g ive n he r co nfi den ce an d in flu enc e wit h whi ch sh e ha s d one e xtr aor di nary th ings .

Pa rti cul arl y n otew ort hy thi s ye ar we re her ru nwa y s how in su ppo rt of #Ti mes Up, a nd t he t angi bl e ap pre cia tio n she go t fro m GQ M ag azin e in Se pte mbe r, w hen she was aw arde d Fa shi on Ico n o f t he Yea r.

Th e afo rem ent ion ed cat wal k sho w wa s n ot hos ted by Mi ss Cam pbe ll fo r the f irs t tim e thi s yea r— sh e is a re cur rin g f eat ure of t he sh ow, b ut th is y ear ’s pr odu cti on st ood o ut be cau se of t he to ne an d th e pol iti cal clim ate . Th is ye ar ca lle d “ Ra ce To Equ ali ty” , the sh ow on th e i llu str iou s F re nch Ri vie ra bec am e a not her ba ttl eg roun d fo r t he d eb ate ove r t he tre atm ent of wo men . I t w as ass oci ate d w ith th e # Tim e’s Up mov eme nt, wh ich wa s la unc hed ea rli er in the ye ar in a r esp ons e to a lle gat ion s an d ev ide nce o f se xual mis con duc t in th e en ter tai nme nt i ndu str y.

M iss Ca mpb ell kn ew the wo rld wo uld be wa tch ing , an d so t ook the oppo rt unit y fo r her icon ic c atw alk a cti vis m.

The s how w as su cce ssf ul fo r thi s ob vio us re ason , as wel l as t he di ver sit y of t he m ode ls, bot h et hni cal ly a nd i n te rms of d iff ere nt st and ard s of b eau ty. W inn ie Ha rlo w, a mod el a ff lict ed wit h v iti lig o — wh ere da rk s kin doe s no t f ully co ver th e bo dy — fe atu red pro min ent ly am ong st in dus try m ai nsta ys li ke Be lla H adid . It wa s a lso a si te of c ult ura l ex pres sio n, w ith n on we ste rn- cen tri c dr ess a ppe ari ng in m ult ipl e ca ses. Mis s Cam pbe ll he rse lf to ok t o the cat wal k in tw o di ffe ren t ou tfi ts, one bei ng a Dol ce an d G abb ana pai ri ng o f a n e leg ant bl ack cor set wit h a f ren eti c, s tre et ar t i nsp ire d s kir t t hat en ve lope d he r l owe r h alf .

Sh e h as und oub ted ly sha ped th e i ndu str y t his ye ar, an d GQ ’s re ogn iti on is wel l d ese rve d.

Food & Drink 27

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Black History Month: Food and Cultural Identity Black History Month: Two Manchester residents talk about the cultural significance of food in creating community & emotionally connecting to their heritages

Photo: silverchild24 @ Flickr

October is Black History Month, celebrating the diverse BME (Black & Ethnic Minority) communities, cultures, and identities as well as remembering historic and current systemic struggles of the community. As a student of colonial history, I wanted to do my part in raising awareness about the importance of Black History Month, as well as make it relevant to the importance of food in cultural identity.

When you think of British identity, you tend to think of cups of tea, complaining about the weather, and fish and chips, so inadvertently, we already associate certain food and drink with the country we live in.

To find out how important food was in maintaining cultural connections and community between BME individuals, I talked to Yetti Tabai of Yetti’s Kitchen in Eccles, and Manchester student Cara Thompson.

Yetti comes from a London and Nigerian background, while Cara grew up in Nottingham and has a Jamaican heritage.When talking about what food

means to them in terms of maintaining a connection to their respective backgrounds and the importance of diversity in the UK, both recognised the importance of traditional recipes and foods — such as salt fish, peppered snails, okra, and plantain — as well as the continuing struggle for diversity in Britain’s shops.

Cara said she hasn’t had the opportunity to visit Jamaica yet, so her father’s traditional cooking — which can take hours to prepare because “a Jamaican cook has to pour a lot of love into their food to get those amazing flavours to come through” — is her way of emotionally connecting to her heritage.

Cara also highlighted the appropriation of Jamaican cooking styles: Jamie Oliver’s ‘jerk rice’ — which is unachievable because the jerk cooking process involves dry-rubbing or marinating meat in herbs and spices, and didn’t even include the traditional herbs and spices to be classed as jerk — is offensive to her community, who put so much heart into their food.

Similarly, Yetti recalled her childhood in East Barnet, where the “predominantly middle-class environment” made finding African foods impossible, meaning “integrating was a struggle”. However, Manchester’s diversity was “a sigh of relief” as Yetti could now find okra and plantain among the bananas in Tesco and ASDA. The struggles that the black community face, from racial bias in employment to overt acts of violence and brutality, are deeply ingrained within British history and society. But if there is one thing I have learned from writing this article, it is that food is the perfect gateway for beginning discussions on diversity within British communities, institutions, and for bringing together people of all backgrounds.

Britain would be stagnant without the vibrant global economy of food cultures, so we should all do our very best to celebrate, experience, and most importantly, protect them.

#VegOutTogether Laura Swain writes the about advantages of cooking and eating fresh, healthy produce together with the help of Manchester’s Veg Box People.

If you live in self-catered accommodation it is likely you were one of the lucky flats to receive the surprise delivery of a ‘veg box’ during the second week of term. Over 8,000 boxes were carefully packed and delivered

by Manchester-based Veg Box People in partnership with Res Life, as part of the exciting project #vegouttogether.

The scheme looked to promote not only healthy eating and the use of seasonal produce, but also to encourage students to recuperate following the overwhelming chaos of Welcome Week, as well as to provide students a chance to show off their culinary skills to their new flatmates.

It was time to recover from the weeklong Freshers hangover and make use of the many kitchen utensils brought as an eager first year-to-be! The arrival of organic, locally-sourced veggies was a nice change to the free Domino’s pizzas most of us indulged in during Freshers Week. And what better way to bond than over food? A competitive element was added to the project, with flats encouraged to use their photography skills to show-off their masterpieces (and disasters) on Instagram using the caption #veggouttogether. This was done in the hope of being rewarded the prize of a weekly veg bag: a chance to further their cooking adventures and allow vegging out together to become a regular event. It was clear through some of the

arty shots and inventive presentation (carefully crafted star shaped carrots, wacky vegetable animals…) that some individuals were taking the competition very seriously, considering their chances at winning the next season of MasterChef and choosing to stray from the recipe cards supplied. For those that took part in the challenge, the experience of cooking together allowed them to get to know their flatmates better: providing the opportunity to share favourite recipes and well-loved family dishes, whilst also perhaps exposing the Gordon Ramsay of the flat.

Student Brigitta Darko’s flat produced a range of culinary creations from a gigantic Yorkshire pudding and cauliflower cheese to paneer tikka masala and nikujaga in recognition of Manchester’s internationalism. When asked about the project, she said that she loved participating: “in this culinary expedition, we learned more about ourselves, each other, and the world.” Evidently #vegouttogether was a success!

For recipe inspiration and food pictures galore check out the hashtag #vegouttogether on Instagram. Bring out your own inner chef and get your five-aday by signing up to Veg Box People’s weekly student bag, available to collect conveniently on campus. To find out more, head to their website.

Photo: Laura Swain

Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture Photo (vegetable drawings): Clker-Free-Vector-Images, OpenClipart-Vectors

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ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Capitalising on spiritual Vulnerability

Lifestyle 29

Sophia Ashby looks at the ethical implications of selling products with a spiritual value Sophia Ashby Lifestyle Editor As with everything, spirituality is not immune from fashion trends. This year, there has been a sharp increase in the selling of books, films, and wearable items centred around witchcraft. But what are the ethical implications of capitalising on pagan-centred religions?

The fashion industry is capitalising on modern youth’s estrangement from conventional systems of faith to turn a profit. In the UK, fewer than 10% of 16-29 year olds consider themselves Christian, and only 6% view themselves as Muslim. This means that more than ever, young people are experiencing a sense of spiritual disengagement.

However, there is a counter rise to this trend. In Britain, the number of people who identify with pagan orientated religions is estimated at as much as 200,000. For many, pagan-oriented faiths are increasingly attractive because of their associations with nature and pacifism. Following the social trend of veganism, and a greater awareness of climate change, this appears to be an appropriate spiritual direction.

The fashion industry has noticed these spiritual trends, and are appropriating pagan spirituality for profit. From a quick glance, it is easy to see these spiritual influences on our high streets. Urban Outfitters sells everything from spell books to Rose Quartz lamps. To turn a profit by aestheticizing people’s faith feels uncomfortable, especially as it contradicts the core beliefs of these spiritual sects. The use of

Photo: JJ Harrison @ Wikimedia Commons

plastic in many of these products ignores pagan beliefs of respecting nature.

The fashion industry also uses massive quantities of water; 2,700 litres are used to create a single t-shirt. That is the equivalent of three years drinking water. There are obvious contradictions in where the fashion industry sells consumers items associated with pagan religions, but exploits the nature paganism tries to protect in doing so.

It seems that making a profit by aestheticizing religious sects is the new ‘in’. Not only does this create imbedded contradictions in the fashion industry, but leads to a misunderstanding of these religions as illegitimate or a fad. Spirituality is personal and powerful, and the fashion industry should not use it as a way of making money. A combination of people’s private struggles with faith and the vulnerability of pagan based religions due to mass cultural misunderstanding has led to the increase in occult-themed fashion. As young adults, what we lack in spiritual conviction is being replaced with consumerism.

Lean In: a satire

A satire to expose the kind of advice being given to young and ambitious women Meryl Shamberg Contributor

Photo: Karen Arnold @ publicdomainpictures.net

People so often ask me, “Meryl, you’re so hardworking and successful, all at the same time as having a thriving social life, a satisfying sex life and being incredibly beautiful… how do you do it?” I usually don’t have the time to answer all these people, instead having to utter a humble little laugh and an air kiss before rushing off to a meeting, so I’d like to direct all my admirers to this article.

As I’m in my final year at university, I’ve got my eyes firmly fixed on the prize of a top grad job for when I’ve finished my degree, followed by being Director-General of the BBC by the age of 35 and retirement at 55 to pursue philanthropic endeavours (I’ve pencilled in age 65 for my gap year). So, sit tight, whip your MacBook Pro out, and get some notes down because this #girlboss is about to drop more pearls of wisdom than your professor in the first lecture you’ve turned up to in 10 weeks.

Get yourself a beta boyfriend. Naturally, we all love an alpha — the handsome, muscular rugby boy who’s always the life and soul of any party and shows you who’s boss — but you must resist. If you’re not the boss in your personal life, how on earth are you going to practice being the boss in the boardroom? Seek out the quieter, sensitive boy in your seminar or the friend of a friend at pre-drinks who gives you lingering, shy looks from across the room: these are the kind of boys who will not make great demands of your time and attention. If you want comforting affection without the commitment and the perfect blank canvas to practise your management strategies on, then he’s your man.

Dress to impress. This is one of my most cunning techniques. If you’re trying to impress your seminar leader, you need to be in your finest smart casual: we’re talking paper bag trousers, sparkling white Stan Smiths, and a boyfriend blazer. On the flip side, you

do not have enough time for socialising if you want to bag yourself that top grad job.

This means you need to make it appear as though you’re a popular cool-girl, without having to put the time in on Saturday nights or puffing away on a perfectly rolled cigarette outside the library come exam time.

You know the drill: get searching away on Depop for those vintage sports brands like your first class degree depends on it.

Spread yourself thin. When you’re earning a £30k salary within two years of graduating, you aren’t going to care about a couple of years of sleep deprivation and a £500 stationery-induced overdraft. However, having Lacrosse Captain of the 1st team, 1st Cello of Symphony Orchestra, and Diversity Officer of English Literature Society on your Curriculum Vitae is most certainly going to matter. So, sign up to as much as you can as possible. If you’re a first year, get in there now — if you’re a second year, sharpen your elbows and push those twelve-year-olds out of the way when it comes to applying for committee positions.

Get on the lecturers’ good sides. You need to be the person speaking the absolute most in every seminar. If there’s an awkward silence while your fellow course-mates frantically google a question, you want to be at the level where your seminar leader turns to you with a devoted look and thanks you, after you once again save the day. Make sure you have them calling out your name as much as possible in lectures, seminars — whenever.

Get your endorphin fix. Somehow, you need to be getting a healthy dose of hormones without wasting time on any unhealthy, unproductive habits. Whether it’s with your beta boyfriend or on the treadmill, make sure you have a trusty, reliable source where you can pound out the stress and reap the rewards. Two times a week should keep said treadmill, and you, happy.

So there you have it. I’ve been surprisingly generous — but don’t worry, I’m not afraid of the competition.

Photo: Clker-Free-Vector-Images @ Pixabay

If you ask me: We don’t talk about friendships enough In the new lifestyle column, Ciska Howarth looks at how we value our friendships In the first few weeks, it starts off great and they are completely filled in on your new life. But slowly you start forgetting to reply to messages.

Before you know it, your daily catch ups become weekly, then monthly. Suddenly, your best friend is someone you only speak to once in a while.

This situation is uncomfortable, confusing, and all too familiar.

I have moved around a lot in my life, so friendships changing was something I have had to come to terms with. Sadly, this means I have lost people who I thought would be lifelong friends. In reality, the only thing we had in common was seeing each other every day. Over the years, I’ve had difficult messages from friends saying that our relationship had changed. That, or the friendship had become one sided or even that we weren’t friends at all any more.

Looking back, I was unprepared for the effect that not seeing each other all the time would have on my friendships. Maintaining them requires a certain level of effort. The friendships I have maintained despite all the moving around have been the ones where we never pressure each other to speak every day. But, when we do make time for each other, it’s real quality time.

It takes practice, commitment and acceptance that some friendships just aren’t meant for life.

But, the ones that do last will see you through the worst and the best of times.

30 Sport

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

England’s first One Day International against Sri Lanka abandoned after heavy rain

Johnny Bairstow and Jason Roy fell early on in the start of the Autumn tour James Gill Head Sport Editor E ngland’s first cr icke t match since their 4-1 Te st s e rie s win again st I nd ia wa s ab andoned afte r 15 ove rs due to heavy ra in .

The one-day intern ation a l, pl aye d in the town of Da mbulla, was called off mid-a fternoon due to a s o dden outfield .

S ri L an ka won the tos s a nd opted to f ield but the E ngland team lo oke d eager to get started. I n the 15 overs th at were playe d E ngl a nd man aged to re ach a s core of 92-2. Joh n ny B a i rstow and Jas on Roy were the op eners a nd ma naged 25 and 24 , re spectively, be fore getting caught out.

The first wicket ca me a s a delivery from fa stme diu m b owler Nuwa n P radeep, it was edged by B a i rstow and comfor ta bly caught b eh ind the stumps.

F ive b alls later Roy completely misjudged a ba l l from Akila Dan anj aya to get caught at mid-off.

Third and fou rth at the cre a s e were Joe Root a nd E oi n Morgan who picke d up run s qu ickly, reach ing 2 5 a nd 14 re sp ective ly

be fore the ga me wa s cal le d of f.

Ta lk ing to B B C S p or t a bout the m atch Morgan s a id “ It h a s be e n a l it t le bit fr u strating but t he re is ple nty of e ne rg y in t he ca mp, we’ re exc ite d ab out be ing he re a nd get t i ng into the s e r ie s. Th is h as h a lte d th at e ne rg y a bit but we’ re hoping to ge t a fu ll ga me in for t he s e cond m atch , e spe c i al ly with the re s e r ve d ay. O n ly time will te ll if we’ve h ad e noug h pre pa ration but we ce rta in ly will be fre s h. ” The s econd ODI will als o ta ke place in Da m bu l l a, i n the ce ntre of Sri L a n ka, on Satu rd ay, with a re s e r ve d ay on Su nd ay in ca s e rai n be come s a n is sue aga i n .

A fte r the five -m atch s e rie s of ODI ’s conclude s on Oc tobe r 23rd the re i s a one -off T 20 ga me on t he 2 7 th followe d by a t h re e m atch Te st s e rie s to f i n i s h the ye a r. I n Ja nu a r y 2 019 the E ng lis h te a m w i l l beg in a 3-month tou r of t he We st I nd ie s with a s im i l ar for m at to th is tou r of S r i L a n ka . Th is time, howeve r, th re e T 20 ga me s wi l l b e fe atu re d in ste ad of ju st one.

Tour de France trophy stolen

Geraint Thomas has issued a plea for the thieves who stole his Tour de France trophy to return it James Gill Head Sport Editor G eraint Thomas h a s i ssued a plea for the t hieve s who stole h is Tour de France trophy to retu rn it. The Cou pe O mn isp orts, given to t he win ner of the most pre stigiou s race in cycl ing, was taken from a display at The Cycle Show in Birmingh am .

We st Midla nd s Pol ice are cu r re ntly i nve stigating the situation .

The trophy wa s taken after be ing “momentarily le ft unattended” du r ing a clean ing proce du re fol low ing the conclu sion of the event. Thom a s’ te a m, Team Sky, loa ne d t he trophy to the ir spon s ors P in arello to t a ke to the show at Bi rmingh am’s NEC from S e ptember 28th-30t h .

A spoke spers on for We st Mid lands Police sa id th at “p olice we re contacted on 2nd Oc tobe r to rep ort the the f t of a t rophy from the Nation a l Ex hi bition C e ntre, Bi rmingh am, s ome time between 6: 30 and 7:30 on 2 9t h S eptember.”

Spe a k ing a bout t he is sue, Thom a s s a id : “ It i s inc re d ibly u n for tu nate th at th is h a s h appe ned . It goe s without s aying t h at the trophy is of pre t ty lim ite d va lue to whoeve r took it a nd hope f u l ly [they] will h ave the go o d g race to re tu r n it. A trophy is importa nt, but cle arly wh at m atte rs most a re t he a m a z ing me mor ie s f rom th is inc re d ible su mme r, a nd no-one ca n eve r t ake thos e away. ” T hom a s won Te am Sky’s s ixth Tou r de Fra nce in s eve n ye ars e a rlie r th is ye a r. T he C ou pe Om n isports was on d isplay next to fe l low te a m m ate C h ris Froome’s Giro d’ Ita lia trophy f rom M ay a nd h is 20 17 Vue lt a de Espa n a trophy.

T he m a n ag ing d irec tor of P in a re llo, R ich ard He m ing ton , s a id “ we are obviou s ly deva state d a bout th is. We acce pt f u l l re spon s ibility a nd h ave pe rs on a lly apolog is e d to G e ra int. Obviou s ly we al l hope th at the trophy can be re cove re d . ” He h a s s ince be e n told th at he will be g iven a re plica of the trophy next ye a r if the or ig in a l is not re cove re d .

Photo: riuXphoto.events @ Flickr

Conor McGregor loses to Khabib Nurmagomedov in an event marred by post-fight violence UFC 229 was the subject of a mass brawl after Khabib Nurmagomedov beat Conor McGregor in Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena James Gill Head Sport Editor UFC 2 2 9 was t he su bje c t of a m as s brawl af te r K h abib Nu r m agome dov b e at Conor McG regor i n L as Vega s’ T-Mo bi le A re n a. T he Ru s s i an won i n t he fou r t h round t h roug h su bm i s s ion b e fore ju mpi ng ove r t he cage and d iv i ng toward s McG regor ’s te am w it h h i s e ntou rage s o on fol low i ng .

Dan a W h ite, UFC pre s ide nt , s aid : “Pol ice of f icers we re ge t t i ng pu nche d , s e c u r ity g uys we re ge t t i ng pu nche d . I ac t u al ly t h i n k p ol ice and s e c u r ity d id a n i nc re d i ble jo b. K h abi b ju mp e d ove r t he cage l i ke one of t hos e p arkou r g uys. W h at are you ex p e c te d to do?”

W h i le t he brawl out s ide t he cage to ok pl ace, two of K h abi b’s te am cl i m b e d i n and st ar te d at t ack ing McG regor. T he f i rst came f rom t he f ront and s hor t ly af te r anot he r sucke r pu nche d h i m f rom b e h i nd . B r it is h b oxe r Tony B e l lew s aid t h at t he re i s “not a ch ance i n the world he de s e r ve s to b e at t acke d by two me n ! O ne in f ront and one f rom b e h i nd !

“B ot h b are k nuck le af te r he’s ju st b e e n f ig ht i ng for 2 0 m i nute s any way. It ’s a d i sg race. T he coward ju mpi ng t he cage i s a d i sg race. UFC h ave to de al w it h t h i s.”

Accord i ng to W h ite, Nu r m agome dov’s f ig ht p ay ment h as b e e n w it h he ld u nt i l f u r t he r not ice wh i le t he Nevada S t ate Com m i s s ion , who or ig i n al ly s anc t ione d t he f ig ht , i nve st igate t he eve nt s.

T h re e me m b e rs of Nu r m agome dov’s te am were ar re ste d as a re su lt of t he i r p ost- m atch ac t ion s but were l ate r re le as e d . W h ite s aid t h at McG regor h ad re f u s e d to

pre s s a ny cha rge s.

O nce t he brawls were broken up each f ighter wa s indiv idua lly e s corted away surrounded by a m a ss of s ecurity gua rds a nd p olice of f icers. McG regor went f irst a nd lo oked a m a zed at what had happ ened, b ot h during t he f ight a nd a f ter. Nurm agomedov le f t s econd but not b e fore dem a nding his b elt f rom White.

“I know if we put t he b elt on him in t he o ct agon t here’ ll b e t hings t hrow n,” White sa id. “I j ust sa id let ’s t ry a nd get him out of here.” It t urned out t hat t he Irish fa ns would t hrow t hings rega rdle ss of whet her t he b elt wa s ha nded over or not a nd Nurm agomedov wa s b om b a rded w it h o bj ect s a s he le f t t he a rena .

The victory for the Russian means he is now unbeaten in 2 7 MMA f ight s, t he longe st ongo ing unde feated st rea k in UFC ; it is not yet clea r, however, for how long he w ill b e susp ended. “He is go ing to get susp ended s o m ay b e you give him four to s ix mont hs,” s a id White. “If Nevada put s a susp ension on him everyone w ill put a susp ens ion on him . We a re not go ing to go a round t he at hlet ic com m is sion in t his count ry to put on a f ight .

When a sked whet her he w ill keep t he b elt White sa id “ he a b s olutely keep s his t it le. They’re t a lking a b out keeping his purs e. I do not t hink t hat should happ en.

You should not b e a ble to keep his whole purs e. I t hink t hey should t a ke £ 2 50,0 0 0 f rom him .”

Nurm agomedov’s fat her, Ab dulm a nap, a nnounced t hat he w ill punis h his s on more s everely t ha n whatever t he UFC give s out : “I wa rned him . For me, dis cipline come s f irst . You do whatever you wa nt in t he O ct agon, ( but ) out side, t his is t he b order of civ ilia ns, where t here a re children, women, st ra ngers.”

Mo Farah wins his first marathon in Chicago setting a new European record Mo Farah has wins first marathon in third attempt James Gill Head Sport Editor In on ly h i s t h i rd at te mpt , G re at B r it ai n’s Mo Fara h h as won h i s f i rst m arat hon i n Ch icago. T he fou r- t ime Oly mpic gold me d al l i st prev iou s ly comp e te d i n L ondon i n 2 014 f i n i s h i ng e ig ht h , and agai n i n L ondon t h i s April whe re he f i n i s he d t h i rd , s e t t i ng a new B r it i s h re cord of 2 hou rs, 6 m i nute s and 2 1 s e cond s i n t he pro ce s s.

T h i s t i me Farah’s clo ck stopp e d at 2 hou rs, 5 m i nute s and 1 1 s e cond s s h av i ng a m as s ive 70 s e cond s of f his prev iou s at te mpt . He b e came t he f i rst B r it i s h at h le te to w i n t he eve nt s i nce Pau l Evan s i n 1996.

A f te r re t i r i ng f rom t he t rack i n Aug u st 2 017 to fo c us on ro ad rac i ng , Farah won h i s re cord f i f t h- succe s sive ‘G re at Nor t h Ru n’ l ast mont h — t h i s succe s s i n Ch icago f u r t he r s ol id i f ie s h i m as a force to b e re ckone d w it h.

Tal k i ng ab out t he race Farah s aid : “ T he cond it ions we re n’ t g re at and eve r yone was t h i n k i ng ab out cond it ion s rat he r t h an t i me, but toward s t he e nd we picke d it u p. I fe lt go o d toward s t he e nd of t he race. At t he b eg i n n i ng I fe lt a bit s lug g i s h but ove ral l I’ m very h appy w it h it . ” In t he we t cond it ion s Farah lo oke d st rong for much of t he race, t houg h he was n’ t alone i n t h i s d i spl ay of for m ; it was n’ t u nt i l t he f i n al h al f- m i le t h at he b ega n

dist a ncing him s elf f rom Mosinet G eremew. A st rong runner in his ow n right , G eremew b eca me t he f irst p ers on to w in tw ice at t he ‘Ya ngzhou J i a n z h e n Photo: Brian Minkoff - London Pixels @ Wikimedia Commons Internat iona l Ha lf Ma rat hon’ w it h b ack-to -b ack w ins in 20 15 a nd 20 16, s et t ing t he fa ste st ever ha lf m a rat hon t ime in a C hine s e race.

The 26-yea r-old had to s et t le for s econd place in Illino is t hough a s Fa ra h cros s ed t he line 13 s econds clea r of t he E t hiopia n. Fa ra h’s w in mea ns t hat he receive s t he m a nt le of v ictor f rom his former t ra ining p a rt ner G a len Rupp, w it h whom he comp eted in t hree Oly mpics.

E ls ewhere in C hicago Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, won t he women’s race w it h a t ime of 2 hours, 18 m inute s a nd 35 s econds, a nd Ma nuela S cha r won t he women’s wheelcha ir race in 1 hour, 4 1 m inute s a nd 3 8 s econds.

Six-t ime Pa ra ly mpic gold meda list Dav id Weir had to s et t le for t hird in t he men’s wheelcha ir race s a s America n Da niel Rom a nchuk to ok home t he v ictory w it h a t ime of 1 hour, 31 m inute s a nd 34 s econds.

ISSUE 5 / 15th October 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Sport 31

Hamilton has eyes on the prize after victory at Suzuka The Mercedes driver is edging ever-closer to a fifth F1 Championship Sam Honey Deputy News Editor Mercede s d river L ewis H a m ilton is clos ing in on hi s fi fth F1 Ch ampion s h ip c rown a fte r a com for ta ble victory at the Jap ane s e Gra nd P rix — fin is h ing a lmost 1 3 s e cond s ahead of team m ate Va lte rri B otta s.

The E nglish man s ec u re d h is s ixth win in s eve n , and wa s i n cru is e control for much of the race. T h is was i n tha n ks p artly to S e ba stie n Ve tte l’s collis ion w it h Ma x Verstapp en , a con s e q ue nce of the G e rm a n’s ove rzea lou s attempt to move from e ig hth to fou rth in t he sta ndi ngs.

At the sp oon corne r, Ve tte l we nt spin n ing off t he track after attempting to s lip in s ide of Ve rstappe n , and a fter a f ru strating wa it, re -e nte re d the track in 19t h posit ion . The Ferrari d rive r h ad a lre ady be e n s lapp e d w ith a five-s econd p en a lty for m is j udg ing bra k ing at the ch icane. The 31-ye a r old re cove re d impre s s ive ly, however, to fin ish the race in s ixth place.

Ve rstapp en , meanwh ile, ta rge te d B otta s a s he attempted to crack the dom in a nce of Me rce de s, but ult i mately fell ju st ove r a s e cond s hor t of the F i n n .

De spite th is, a th ird-st ra ig ht pod iu m fin is h in Japa n was welcomed. With the D utch m a n h aving a ls o cla s he d w it h Ki mi Räikkönen on t rack , conce rn linge re d ove r t he condit ion of h is car going into the fin a l few laps.

Aside f rom the p o d iu m fin is he s, Re d Bu ll’s Dan ie l Ricci a rdo’s clever u s e of the ch ica ne for ove r ta k ing s aw hi m s ecu re fou rth place, a su bsta ntia l improve me nt on hi s 19th place grid st a rt. Me a nwh ile, the top fin is he r

Photo: Jen_ross83 @ Flickr

b e h i nd t he top s i x of Me rce de s, Re d Bu l l , and Fe r rari d r ive rs, was Rac i ng Po i nt Force Ind i a’s S e rg io Pe re z , his col le ag ue, E ste b an O con , two pl ace s b e h i nd i n n i nt h .

T he race was a d i s app o i nt me nt for Nico Hü l ke n b e rg , Kev i n M ag nu s s e n , and Ch arle s L e cle rc, a ll of whom fai le d to s e e t he che q ue re d f l ag af te r col l i s ions.

W h i le a comp e t it ive race f u r t he r dow n t he ran k i ngs, it was pl ai n- s ai l i ng for H am i lton , who w rapp e d u p his 5 0t h Me rce de s w i n w it h a l ig ht s- to - f l ag v ic tor y. T he af te r m at h of t he B e lg i an G rand P r i x , i n wh ich H am i lton s aw h i s le ad i n t he st and i ng s c ut to ju st 17 p o i nt s, w it h a s e r iou s t it le ch al le nge a re al p os s i bi l ity, s e e m s a d i st ant me mor y.

A f te r h i s n i nt h v ic tor y t h i s s e as on , t he 3 3 -ye ar old h a s now exte nde d h i s le ad ove r r ival Ve t te l to a m am moth 67 p o i nt s, h av i ng i nc re as e d h i s advant age by 5 0 in t he l ast fou r conte st s ; a f u r t he r e ig ht ove r Ve t te l and

Ha m ilton w ill have won a not her cha mpions hip. This ca n b e done in Aust in on O cto b er 21st , if he f inishe s top a nd Vet tel ra nks lower t ha n s econd.

It is a b een a favourite t rack for Ha m ilton s ince it s int ro duct ion to t he F 1 ca lenda r in 20 12, w it h t he Brit f inishing in p ole p os it ion in t he la st four yea rs.

The p os sibility t hat Mercede s could w rap up a f if t h cons ecut ive cha mpionship, w it h t hree race s rem a ining, m a rks t he dif ferent cla s s t hat Ha m ilton a nd B ot t a s’ tea m sit in. D e spite his dom ina nce, Ha m ilton ha s urged t he media to p ay more re sp ect to Vet tel, who he says ha s come under to o much crit icis m .

D e spite t his, Ha m ilton w ill surely b e yea rning to get on t he grid in Texa s, w it h t he knowledge t hat his f if t h F 1 v ictory w ill t a ke him a b ove Vet tel, to j o int-s econd in t he a ll-t ime list .

On the Loan: Ashton United 2-1 Leamington FC The guys at On The Loan are back with a brand new episode, this time at National League North side Ashton United Photo: On The Loan

Will Caspari Contributor O n the L oan is not j u st a bout g iving you a m atch re port , but a rev iew of the whole expe rie nce from di ffe rent teams in the North-We st. It ta ke s the we a lt hy world of footb all and as ks, ca n it be e nj oye d on a stude nt budget? Th is week we he ad to the Nation a l L e ag ue North, and Ashton Unite d vs L e a m ing ton FC .

It’s imp ortant to g ive a bit of context, to wh at we be l ieve is the be st divis ion in E ng lis h footba ll. T he ‘Nation al L eague Nort h’ is the s ixth tie r in the foot b al l pyra m id. Nine teams in the d ivis ion a re in the g re ate r Ma nche ster area, and it boa sts s ome big-n a me club s.

Ma ny of the s e h ave ende d u p whe re they a re due to a combi nation of mis-m a n age me nt, bad owne rs h ip, and the fact the league its e lf is s o compe titive a nd toug h to get out of. Stockp ort Cou nty for exa mple, we re be at i ng Ma nche ster City in the ch a mpion s h ip a s re ce ntly as 1999. Oh how the for tu ne s of the two clu bs, 10 m i le s apa rt , h ave ch anged in the 20 ye a rs s ince.

O n Satu rd ay we we re at re ce ntly promote d As hton United, with 189 others. T he Robin s got off to the worst

p os s i ble st ar t , Gh an ai an for ward A h me d O b e ng he aded i n a f i rst m i nute op e ne r for t he v i s itors. As hton we re u n-ph as e d , howeve r, and on t he 1 8 t h m i nute, fol low i ng a fai lu re by L e am i ng ton to conv i nc i ng ly cle ar M at t Regan’s c ros s, t he b al l fe l l to B rad ley Jacks on , who f i n i s he d e mph at ical ly f rom t he top of t he are a. “ Top bi n s or no bi n s”, was t he c r y f rom A lex T h rowe r, and he was not d i s app o i nte d .

T he s e cond h al f we nt by at a s lowe r p ace, and u nt il stopp age t i me t he most exc it i ng eve nt of note wa s As hton st r i ke r M at ty Ch adw ick b e i ng b o oke d for a d ive i n L e am i ng ton’s are a. As hton we re k no ck i ng on t he do or howeve r and as t he v i s itors s at b ack , app are nt ly h appy to s e t t le for a p o i nt , t hey we re m ade to p ay. A 92 nd m i nute go al mout h s c ram ble me ant t he b al l eve nt u al ly fe l l to su b st it ute M ar t i n , al low i ng h i m to s e al 3 p o i nt s for As hton , mov i ng t he m u p to 14 t h pl ace. 5 p o i nt s of f t he pl ayof fs, 5 p o i nt s of f re legat ion , a f it t i ng sy m b ol for ou r love for t he d iv i s ion .

A lt houg h we d rove to t he f i xt u re, As hton Un ited i s not toug h to ge t to by pu bl ic t ran sp or t . A 1 0 m i nute t rai n f rom M anche ste r Vic tor i a w i l l t ake you to As hton Unde r-Ly ne, f rom wh ich one can t rave l 2 0 m i nute s by

bus or by fo ot to t he ground.

A conce s sion t icket wa s £8 , which we did feel wa s a t ad steep, but t he s e club s have got to st ay a live s omehow a nd Ashton a re clea rly st ruggling to bring in t he punters.

This could b e due to t he ext reme dens ity of club s in t he a rea . £3. 50 got us a pie a nd chip s, f rom one of t he most impre ss ively sto cked fo o d st a nds we’ve s een on our t ravels. The £ 2 progra m me gave excellent b ackground on t he opp onent s, a nd s o w it h a bit of p et rol money it ca me to a £16. 50 day out . This is not b ad at a ll, t hough given t he very rea s ona ble £12. 30 we p a id la st week for Ma nche ster United Women’s, it ’ ll b e intere st ing to keep a league t a ble, s o to sp ea k, of t he cost s of such days out .

Nevert hele ss we undoubtedly got va lue for money.

A s core, it would have to b e a 9. 3/10. The ground wa s lovely, even if it is in need of s ome m aj or TLC . The t icket wa s more t ha n one should ex p ect , but t he st a nda rd rem a ined high a nd a la st m inute w inner autom at ica lly adds (1) to a ny s core.

O n t he L o a n ca n a ls o b e found on Inst agra m , @ont helo a n for more fo ot b a ll ex p erience s b ot h in t he UK a nd a bro ad.

José Mourinho at Manchester United: The impossible mission?

Photo: Mr.Drax @ Wikimedia Commons

The two-time Champions League winner has never been one for compromising his methods - but is time running out for the Mourinho style of play?

Sam Honey Deputy Sports Editor In a man agerial ca re e r th at h a s spa n ne d 18 ye ars, Jos é Mou rin ho h as ea rne d a re putation for q u ick- f i x s olution s — he h as won a m aj or trophy in h is first s e as on at every clu b since 2003. The s e include both the U E FA C up a nd Ch ampion s L e ag ue title s in succe s s ive s e a s on s at Porto, back-to-back le ag ue title s in h is ope n ing two yea rs at Chels ea, and Eu rope a n triu mph with I nte r Mi l an i n 2 010 — h av ing taste d S e r ie A succe s s the ye a r be fore.

S uch succe ss h as ofte n be e n fac ilitate d by an expa n sive budget and control ove r tra n s fe rs, an understanding of revolution a r y tac tica l me tho d s, a nd t he freedom for the ‘ Spe c ia l One’ to imple me nt hi s w ide-ranging ph ilos ophy ac ros s a clu b. At C hel s e a for example, h is 200 4-20 0 6 s ide wa s de fine d by h i s de fe nsively-minded, cou nte r-attack ing style of foot b al l — a n approach th at su rvive d at the clu b long beyond h i s i nit i a l dep artu re in S epte m be r 20 07.

The f lip side of the Por tug ue s e’s me thod s we re a s e rie s of ru n-in s with ind ividu a l playe rs, c r itic is m for negative style s of play, a nd con s iste nt cla s he s w it h s e nior man agement. It’s by no me a n s a reve lation t h at Mouri n ho h as never su rvive d more th a n 3 ye a rs in one j ob — and a recu rrent ca s e of th ird s e a s on synd rome threaten s to strike aga in at M a nche ste r Un ite d .

It was the afore me ntione d appe a l of a rapid turna rou nd th at first a le r te d the Re d Dev i l s’ ma nagement to the 5 5 -ye a r old back in 20 16. A f te r i nconsistent progre ss u nde r L ou is Va n Ga a l, Un ite d h ad looked to make an appointme nt th at wou ld re tu rn the m to the very top of E ng lis h a nd Eu rope a n footba ll.

In a s omewh at ele me nta ry first s e a s on , Mou r i n ho

ach ieve d h i s go al of ge t t i ng t he s ide b ack i nto t he Ch ampion s L e ag ue. Con s e q ue nt ly, howeve r, t he fai lure to e f fe c t ive ly co - m an age D ome st ic and Eu rop ea n comp e t it ion le d to a 6t h pl ace f i n i s h i n t he le ag ue — d i s app o i nt i ng whe n comp are d to su m me r sp e nd i ng of ne arly £ 1 5 0 m i l l ion .

D e spite a UCL sp ot , and re c r u it i ng for me r Che l s ea col le ag ue s Ne m anja M at ic and Rome lu Lu kaku, Mou r i n ho agai n fai le d to as s e r t h i s i n f lue nce i n 2 0 171 8 . Un ite d racke d u p an i mpre s s ive 8 1 p o i nt s, only d amp e ne d by M anche ste r City’s re cord- bre ak i ng camp aig n . It was t he fai lu re i n ot he r comp e t it ion s t hat dom i n ate d t he s e as on’s legacy – an FA Cu p f i n al de feat to r ival s Che l s e a, and an e arly ex it to S ev i l l a i n Eu rope.

Mou r i n ho came u nde r i nte n s e s c r ut i ny af te r t he 2 nd leg home de fe at , v i l i f ie d for a n aï ve and u nc re at ive game, s aw h i s s m as h and g rab t ac t ics u s e d agai n st h i m .

S uch t ac t ical con f u s ion h as b e come an al ar m i ng t he me of Mou r i n ho’s re ig n at Old Traf ford and his ty pical de fe n s ive s ol id ity h as b e e n je op ard i s e d by u nce r t ai nty ove r h i s b e st b ack fou r. Comp ou nd t h i s w it h h i s at te mpt s to l ay out a f l at 4 -3 -3 wh ich h as i s ol ate d the e f fe c t of ce r t ai n pl aye rs such as Pau l Pog b a, c re at i ng not ice ably su b -p ar p e r for m ance s for t he pl aye r, and it is not lo ok i ng go o d for t he m an age r.

T he re al s o re m ai n s an e ndu r i ng q ue st ion regard ing Mou r i n ho’s style of pl ay — h as it s i mply lost it s i mp act i n t he deve lopi ng game? S u re ly t he r i s e of t he w i ngsb ack and cou nte r-at t ack i ng fo ot b al l ac ros s t he P re m ier L e ag ue m ake s d ig g i ng i n for p o i nt s a le s s e f fe c t ive me t ho d . Wit h t he l i ke s of L ive r p o ol , M anche ste r City, and A rs e n al al l i nje c t i ng p ace i nto t he i r for ward l i ne s, s ome wou ld s ay, t he b e st way to appro ach game s i s a p os it ive, at t ack i ng style, w it h e mph as i s on a h ig h-pre s s.

Pe p G u ard iol a h as s how n t he v i r t ue of t h i s but it is

vehement ly a nt i-Mourinho.

Aside f rom q ue st ions of fo ot b a lling philos ophy, Mourinho is f urt her unlikely to b e com fort a ble at a club t hat ha s a f igure of inf luence a s great a s E d Wo o dwa rd.

United’s t ra ns fer st rategy is q ue st iona ble, to s ay t he lea st – t he side fa iled to recruit a much-needed cent reha lf t his sum mer a nd t he addit ion of F red ca me in cent ra l m idf ield, a n a rea t hat wa s by no mea ns a priority.

This errat ic us e of t he m a rket is grounded in issue s of club st ruct ure a nd t hat , a lt hough not Mourinho’s fault direct ly, mea ns he ca nnot exercis e t he cont rol he feels he needs over his tea m’s recruit ment p olicy.

Sm a ll-s ca le cla s he s a re a ls o causing Mourinho is sue s, his re sist a nce to developing yout h t a lent is out of place at a club which ha s a st rong t radit ion in t he f ield – Ma rcus Ra shford’s t reat ment under t he Port ugue s e ha s b een st rongly at t acked in t he fa nb a s e. The legacy of Sir Alex is a ls o imp ort a nt , a 20 -yea r plus t radit ion of dom ina nt , at t acking ga meplay ha s le f t a n ex p ect at ion a mong supp orters t hat f ut ure Red D ev ils side s w ill follow t he s a me p at tern – such a s sumpt ions a re dif f icult to dis lo dge.

The e s s ence of t he pro blem is not Mourinho, but rat her t he im mens e dif f iculty of bridging t he gap b etween ex p ect at ion for achievement a nd t he cont roversy of his met ho ds. His t act ica l consistency ha s rem a ined one of his de f ining feat ure s, his a bility to achieve re sult s rem a in int act a s ever. C om ment a ry which sugge st s he ha s lost his touch a s a m a nager is inaccurate – he s imply ca nnot have his condit ions for succe s s f ulf illed at United. He is faced by a n overb ea ring C hie f E xecut ive a nd a dem a nd for a fo ot b a lling cult ure he do e s not appreciate a nd ha s never us ed at a ny of his 7 club s. This is Mourinho’s imp oss ible m iss ion.

Inside Sport: Tour de France trophy thief Mo wins first marathon Hamilton victory at Suzuka