Issue 7 by The Mancunion

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MANCHESTER’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

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6th NOVEMBER 2017 / ISSUE 7

All students? 1.5 per cent turnout in exec officer role referendum

Photo: Vita Student @Flickr

Many students were unaware the vote was happening and were also confused by the options Kirstie O’Mahony & Cameron Broome Editor-in-Chief & Head News Editor

Update of staff strikes

Sexual assault: in Hollywood and beyond

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The All Student Vote to choose new Executive Officer positions for the 2018/19 academic year, which closed on the 30th of October, had an incredibly low voter turnout of an estimated 1.5 per cent. The motion to have the ‘preferendum’ was passed in the Students’ Union Senate on the 28th of September. Whilst the number of voters that participated has met quoracy by Students’ Union bylaws, the motion included a clause that at least 3000 votes would be required for the result to be considered valid. The options were to keep the same positions, introduce a postgraduate officer, introduce an international officer, or introduce both. However, the advertisements for the vote were not explicit in saying that the role of Campaigns officer would be if option four was chosen, and also that a new post of Liberation and Access officer would be created in some of the options..

Low turnout can be attributed to many factors, one being that the vote was run at the same time as part-time officer elections and NUS delegate elections, both of which were described as “very successful” by General Secretary Alex Tayler. The elected national NUS Conference Delegates for 2017/2018 are Teddy Jinxiu Ouyang, Sara Heddi, Shereen Patel, Lawrence Rosenberg, Shamima Khonat, Saqib Mahmood, Sarah-Jane ‘Sully’ Smyth, Hafsa Rifal, Hammad Allana and Emma Atkins. Lawrence Rosenberg, a third year student one of the successful elected NUS delegates for 2017/2018, told the The Mancunion that he didn’t vote in the referendum. Lawrence said: “I didn’t even know there was an election, it wasn’t publicised nor even when I voted for NUS did I find the easy system to understand.” The History and Politics student added that the options presented to students in the All Student Vote “just weren’t clear at all.” When asked for his thoughts on the All Student Vote by The Mancunion , third-

year Geography student, Iwan Williams, replied: “Which vote?” and that he had “no idea what you are talking about.” Iwan’s comment was echoed by thirdyear History student, Benedict Wright, who told The Mancunion : “I didn’t even know the SU were holding a referendum” and it appears that many students were unaware that the vote was taking place. Rather than reopen the All Student Vote or discard the result (which has not yet been announced), Alex Tayler told The Mancunion that the result “will be included in discussions within the Students’ Union Trustee board” where “a preferred result will be selected.” This will then be “submitted to the Annual Members Meeting in December for final approval.” All students are eligible to attend this meeting and voice their opinion, and the General Secretary encouraged all students to do so. He told The Mancunion that restructuring the Exec officer roles is still a good thing to do, regardless of the referendum turnout: “We’d be mad to miss this opportunity to reform and to represent our students as best we can.”

‘Night Owl’ scheme receives widespread criticism Cameron Broome News Editor

Meet man Health behindday Worldthe Mental the mansion

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The ‘Night Owl’ safety scheme proposed by the Students’ Union has come under fire this week, with many students in the Fallowfield area raising concerns about how efficient it would be and how it would safeguard the volunteers. On the 31st of October, The Mancunion reported that the scheme would be launched in early 2018, following an initial period of consultation. The Students’ Union Communities

Officer, Jack Houghton, said: “The union’s [‘Night Owl’] plan will provide self-defence training, bystander training, first aid training and advice training to ensure the safety of students. We will also be setting up an office to support students whilst on a night out. For example, to track volunteer locations and to maintain contact with police and security services during patrols. “Between now and December I will be putting on consultation sessions with students so as to gain an idea of what people want the scheme to look like and

whether they agree with the Students’ Union’s plan.” petition titled “Greater Manchester Police & Andy Burnham: help us to make Fallowfield safe for students!” was signed by over 8,000 students and an investigation by The Mancunion suggested that students increasingly rely on Facebook for anecdotal advice about staying safe in South Manchester, the ‘Night Owl’ scheme is part of the Students’ Union’s response to make the streets feel safer for students. Continued on page 2...

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University of Manchester professor in ‘sexist’ twitter row As well as tweeting about waking up next to a Students’ Union Women Officer, it appears the professor has been ‘liking’ other controversial content on Twitter Cameron Broome Head News Editor

Highlights

Photo: James Shuttleworth

Cameron Broome Head News Editor

Games p.14 Assassin’s Creed

Food and Drink p.23 Lemon and Halloumi Courgetti

Continued from page 1... The proposed ‘Night Owl’ scheme was heavily criticised by some Manchester students. Jack Joscelyne, a Law student at the University of Manchester Law, said: “so instead of police patrols we’re going to have vigilante students roaming about stopping crime?” This was in comment on Facebook and was liked by 52 people, suggesting it resonated with many others. A Pharmacy student at the University of Manchester, Adam Jameson, said: “what difference is self defence going to make when you’re up against a group of blokes with machetes?” Manchester University Philosophy student, Joe Martin, went as far as to say that the proposed ‘Night Owl’ scheme was “almost offensive to anyone that’s been assaulted, threatened, stabbed or mugged”, with another student adding that the ‘Night Owl’ scheme “really feels to me like it’s being organised by individuals who haven’t been on the receiving end of the situation that they’re trying to resolve.” Despite the criticism of the proposal, there were some students who felt the scheme would be beneficial. University of Manchester Chemistry student, Oliver Backhouse, responded to the criticism and said: “You’re all complaining that this is not going to solve the problem and that we need more police officers — but if you have half a brain...you’ll know that’s never gonna happen. What is wrong with volunteers trying to do their bit? Even if they make one person feel less vulnerable then it’s a success.” Others students also had more nuanced views, with Rhianna Shaw, a Law with Criminology student at the University of Manchester, suggesting that “perhaps instead of using student volunteers use police volunteers, Police Specials have

Lifestyle p.26

The second-coming of steam

Editor-in-Chief: Kirstie O’Mahony editor@mancunion.com Deputy Editor: Tristan Parsons deputyed@mancunion.com Head News Editor: Cameron Broome Deputy News Editor: Rosa Simonet Deputy News Editor: Amy Wei E: news@mancunion.com Science & Technology Editor: Kieran O’Brien E: science@mancunion.com Features Head Editor: Catherine Bray Deputy Editor: Raine Beckford E: features@mancunion.com Head Opinion Editor: Sam Glover

the same powers as regular officers and wear a similar uniform. They will also have better training. This is probably more of a deterrent than two students walking around in hi vis.” In response to criticism and fears that students were to become substitutes for police in South Manchester, Jack Houghton said: “You are correct that increasing police numbers would help deal with the problem and is why Manchester Students’ Union is determined to fight for an increased police presence in student areas. However, it is important to remember that police numbers are at historically low levels. “The result has meant that Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have had to reduce police numbers everywhere in the city. As much as I would love to see the Government increase police funding for the UK, we must be proactive and assume the funding situation is not going to improve anytime soon.” Jack added that the ‘Night Owl’ scheme “has worked really well at other Universities” and that it is “not supposed to be reactive and therefore will avoid putting themselves in direct danger.” He said that “volunteers are trained in first-defence for a last resort only “and that the scheme “is not the only answer”, citing how the Students’ Union are “working on a safety app which has a discussion board for students to warn each other of crime reports, a map to plot the location of these crimes and all information on current student safety schemes. “ He also added that the Students’ Union are “looking into hiring a Student Safety Officer at Manchester Student Union to focus on improving current schemes and setting up new ones and pointed out that “56,000 street lights [are] being replaced with LED bulbs in Manchester and we are fighting for new street lights on certain streets, alleyways and parks.” Statistics issued by the Home Office

Deputy Opinion Editor: Jacklin Kwan E: opinion@mancunion.com @MancunionOp Head Film Editor: Eloise Wright Deputy Film Editor: Jamie McEvoy E: film@mancunion.com @MancunionFilm Fashion Head Editor: Talia Lee-Skudder Deputy Editors: Amy Nguyen and Sophie Alexandra-Walsh E: fashion@mancunion.com @MancunionFash Head Music Editor: Hannah Brierley Deputy Music Editor: Yasmin Duggal E: music@mancunion.com @MancunionMusic Books Editor: Ayesha Hussain E: books@mancunion.com

on the 19th of October covering the 12-month period from July 2016 to June 2017 suggested that crime increased by 31 per cent in Greater Manchester in the last year. In the region of Greater Manchester, violence against a person was indicated to have increased by 46 per cent over the 12-month period, sexual offences increased by 31 per cent, burglary increased by 14 per cent and robbery was suggested to have increased by 53 per cent. In the summer of 2017, the Home Office asked Police and Crime Commissioners and Police Chiefs to assess the levels of strain and resilience of all 43 police forces across the country. It was suggested that extra £440m is required for 2018/19 and £845m in 2019/20 to combat rising crime and protest the public. Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Beverley Hughes said: “These figures show that while pressures on the police are increasing, resources remain under great strain. I have spoken out time and again about the need for more funding for our police and it’s clear that this pressure is felt across the country. “Recorded crime is on the rise in Greater Manchester, with an overall increase of 31 per cent in the last year. Our police are committed to protecting the public, but the funding we receive is simply not enough given the increase in serious and complex crimes such as sexual and violent crime and the terrorist threat we face. I hope the Government will respond to these new figures and create a new settlement for policing.” Given the polarised debate the proposed ‘Night Owl’ scheme has caused, Jack said: “I urge people interested in influencing how this scheme works to attend the Night Owl consultation session on 28th November”, adding that it is “really important to the Students’ Union that all your opinions are heard.”

@MancunionBooks Games Editor: Jeremy Bijl E: games@mancunion.com Food & Drink Head Editor: Anokhi Shah Deputy Editor: Daisy Tolcher E: foodanddrink@mancunion.com Arts Editor: Cicely Ryder-Belson E: arts@mancunion.com

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University of Manchester professor has been accused of sexism after tweeting about waking up next to the University of Cambridge’s Students’ Union Women’s Officer. The tweet has since been deleted but screenshots show that it was sent at 7:30PM on the 25th of October to Lola Olufemi by Robin Marshall, University of Manchester Professor of Physics and Biology. It read: “Imagine what it must feel like to wake up in the morning and realise you are @CUSUWO [Lola Olufemi] OR worse waking up to realise you’re lying next to her.” Lola Olufemi has recently led a call for the University of Cambridge English Literature department to “decolonise” its curriculum by introducing more non-white male authors and authors from the Global South to its reading lists. The tweet caused a backlash on Twitter, with one user calling the professor “a sexist arse.” In addition to the tweet sent out on the 25th of October, the professor has sent out other controversial tweets including one which read: “If you do not like facts and you are PC, LGBTIDK, vegan,flat earthist or whatever do not read this thread. Nor am I interested in yr thinks” followed by a threat

in which he said “... please shut the fuck up. You really piss me off ”, attacking “parents of Ch.” When asked for comment, the University of Manchester said “the academic in question has since made a full and unreserved public apology for the inappropriate comments and any offence caused.” He also also liked several controversial tweets, one of which read, “White men see: something beautiful to cherish & protect. Muslim men see: something to hate, violate, & desecrate. Stand by our men.” alongside a photo of a male and female on a bike. Some more controversial tweets that the Professor has liked include one which read: “ Has anyone ever seen Jews in Europe marching in the streets, demanding to force Jewish law? England wake up you have a serious problem” and another that said “The war against the Nazis was over in just a few years. We were smarter then.” A University spokesman said: “The University of Manchester would like to make it clear that we have a zero tolerance approach to any form of bullying and harassment. “We are aware of this issue and, after looking into it, found the comments were made by a former member of staff who holds Professor Emeritus status.” Photo: Mike Turner @ Flickr

Hundreds march in protest of Balfour ‘celebrations’

As hundreds march along Oxford Road in protest, the BDS campaign have described the Balfour 100 event as “a mockery of the suffering of Palestinian people” Hana Jafar Senior News Reporter

Photo: Majid Ahmed @FacebookFacebook

An event celebrating the centenary of the Balfour Declaration brought hundreds of students and activists to the streets. Many people expressed their outrage at the University of Manchester for hosting the Balfour 100 event, a commemoration of a century since former British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour announced support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. The BDS campaign termed this event “a mockery of the suffering of Palestinian people” and “greatly disrespectful” in an open letter to Vice Chancellor Dame Nancy Rothwell, urging the University to disallow the event from taking place on campus. The University’s statement in response claimed that they did not endorse or have any connections to the event, and that they allowed third parties to hire their premises provided they complied with their Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech. The University’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech states that: “ The University has a duty to ensure, wherever practical, that such thoughts and expressions do not go beyond the articulation of points of view and do not constitute incitement to riot, insurrection, racial hatred, religious hatred, sexual harassment or other activities ( beyond the right of peaceful protest) which are likely to cause a breach of the peace or public disorder or otherwise to be unlawful.” Activists from various pro Palestine groups had initially planned to protest the event outside Whitworth Hall. However, one day before the event, they were informed that the event had been relocated to a venue in Deansgate. This did not stop the 300 protesters from across the UK

from marching down Oxford Road past Whitworth Hall to the new location, chanting and waving f lags and banners. Organisers of the protest stated that “although this is a great victory for our campaign, the university itself did not cancel it and was from the beginning happy to host this celebration having had communications with the Israeli embassy [sic].” “ There has been increasing conditions imposed on Palestinian student activists and the University’s connections and investments in the Israeli arms trade remain to this day.” Protesters were seen on Oxford road waving Palestinian f lags, and holding up banners, the largest of which read ‘Shame on MCR University Complicit in Israeli War Crimes’. Palestinian music could also be heard playing loudly, along with drumming and chants of “Viva Viva Palestina” and “Hey, Ho, occupation’s got to go”. Some protesters were seen holding up coffin shaped boxes, while others had fake blood painted on their faces and clothes depicting the suffering of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. Police vans and police personnel as well as University security personnel were seen attempting to regulate the march, but protesters refused to cooperate with their attempts at control. As the march began, police officers on foot attempted to divert and contain the crowd, but they continued to march, eventually obstructing most of Oxford Road where people could be seen waving, cheering and honking from cars. The march included two speeches, one given by a former schoolteacher who had lost students to bombings in Palestine. One attendee described it as a “peaceful protest”, adding that “it was big, visible, and impactful.” “It’s significant for us to protest it because it’s a symbol of Britain’s direct role in Palestine’s current situation, and our government and university’s ongoing complicity in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.[sic]” she added. At event venue, protesters gathered and obstructed the main entrance, forcing Israeli ambassador to the UK Mark Regev to enter the event via a side entrance. They began to chant “shame on you” and “your tickets are covered in Palestinian blood”. It was later reported that attendees heard the chanting, and some were delayed from entering the building due to the protest. The event, however, continued, with protesters remaining outside until after it had ended, despite police and security personnel attempting to convince them to leave. In a tweet from North West Friends of Israel, it was discovered in a two minute video clip, that Regev gave a speech about the protest, calling the peaceful protesters “extremists”. “If you are demonstrating against the Balfour declaration,

you’re basically saying that Balfour was wrong and that the Jewish people have no right to a National Home.” Regev said. He added: “It’s not about settlements. It’s not even about the future establishment of Jerusalem in peace. They are exposing themselves for being extremists.. You don’t want reconciliation with Israel, you don’t want peace. You believe Israel has no right to exist” One of the main organisers of the event were the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign (BDS). Activist and part time BME officer Sara Khan said: “ The BDS movement, modelled in part on the successful campaign against apartheid South Africa, is a call from 170 Palestinian civil society organisations to boycott, divest and sanction the Israeli government, and all Israeli companies and institutions that are complicit in the violence, oppression, and military occupation faced by the Palestinian people.” In December 2016, the democratically elected senate of the Students’ Union, passed a motion in support of BDS, despite Jewish students expressing concerns over their safety. The BDS campaign at the University claims to be against all forms of discrimination, and demands that the university complies with its socially-responsible investment policy, which states that it will end any links or contracts with companies and institutions that are complicit in human rights abuses or have ties with the arms trade. Another student attendee at the protest spoke to The Mancunion , saying: “I think it sent a very clear message to the university, and to all other institutions complicit in Israeli war crimes - the students and the people of Manchester stand with Palestine, stand against apartheid, and stand for human rights, and we will be heard.” In a recent article for The Mancunion , L awrence Rosenberg, Associate Director of the Pinker Centre and the former President of Manchester University Jewish Society (JSoc), argued that people shouldn’t protest the celebration of an attempt to end Jewish persecution. “ The Israeli-Palestinian conf lict is a tragedy. Palestinians have undoubtedly suffered. Israelis have also suffered. But to end this conf lict, both sides must learn to live with one another — and understand each other’s narratives. It is futile to look back at the past — or even try to reverse history. “But this isn’t going to happen by protesting a private ceremony. The only way to peace is for both sides to recognise the other side’s existence; for both sides to sit down together, and to see how we can finally end suffering for all.”

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Self-harm among teenage girls rising dramatically Amy Wei Deputy News Editor among girls. It could reflect better awareness or recording of self-harm in primary care. “But it could also be a result of increasing stress and higher levels of psychological problems in young people. There is some evidence indicating that common mental health disorders are becoming more common within this age group.” Self-harm rise teenage girls Image: British Medical Journal Dr Morgan added: “We know that 1 in 10 adolescents will have self-harmed at some time before they’re aged 20, and we also know that self-harm is the strongest risk factor for subsequent suicide — which is the second most frequently reported cause of death among young people globally. However, because of the hidden nature of selfharm, it’s very difficult to know the full extent of the problem.” Morgan and Kapur’s research also revealed the lack of recognition of self-harm in deprived areas of the UK. Referrals within 12 months of self-harm were 23 per cent less likely for young patients registered at the most socially deprived practices, even though incidences were considerably higher in these localities. Adolescents who harmed themselves in the study were approximately nine times more likely to die unnaturally during follow-up. Risks of suicide and fatal alcohol and drug poisoning increased notably.

Image: Mari @ Flickr

Image: Fuse TV

Alex Whitcomb Head of News, Fuse FM The University of Manchester have announced that there have been enough voluntary redundancies to avoid compulsory redundancies in three faculties. Vice Chancellor and President, Dame Nancy Rothwell, used her weekly statement to staff to confirm that the “Voluntary Severance (VS) Scheme” had received enough responses to ensure that no members staff will be forced to take redundancies. The news will affect academic staff in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, and the Alliance Manchester Business School. The University had previously said that 140 posts were at risk of forced redundancy.

Photo: Manos Bourdakis @ Wikimedia Commons

Tommy Robinson book launch moved to “secret location”

After a series of complaints and campaigns, Bowlers Exhibition Centre will no longer be hosting Tommy Robinson’s book launch

Manchester to host postgraduate study fair The postgraduate fair is open to all University students and graduates but is ideally placed for Manchester students given it is taking place in the city Cameron Broome Head News Editor A postgraduate study fair will take place in Manchester on the 15th of November at the Manchester Central Convention Centre. Representatives from over 90 institutions will be at the fair to talk to students about Masters, PhD, and further training opportunities for September 2018. Now in its 22nd year, the fair is open to any students or graduates from any University, regardless of their year and degree subject. Tammy Goldfeld, Head of the Careers Service, said: “The Postgraduate Study Fair is an exciting event for students who are thinking about undertaking a Masters, PhD, or another postgraduate qualification. Rather than visiting lots of websites, you can meet with representatives from universities in the UK, Australia, and the USA in one day. “There is no need to attend the whole event; drop in for as much or as little time as you like. There will be interesting talks as well on funding, loans and choosing the right degree. While postgraduate study is not a pre-requisite for all jobs, it can certainly help students develop knowledge and useful skills.” George Flesher, a second year American Studies

student at the University of Manchester, told The Mancunion: “I’d say that I’m really interested to see what my options are regarding postgraduate study abroad. For me, any information on postgraduate study is really useful because I feel like it isn’t very well advertised. “It’s assumed that people only even think of postgraduate study in their third year. So, for someone like me who has been considering academia for a while now, it should provide a good insight even at this early stage.” James Shuttleworth, a third-year Geography student at the University of Manchester, commented that the “information sessions about funding further studies should be really useful in getting the best financial plan for the future.” Spanning from 11am to 3:30pm, entry at the fair is free and there will be a free bus running from the University of Manchester campus, Dover Street. Some of the advisory bodies that will be at the fair include FindAMasters.com, FindAPhD.com, PostGraduateStudentships, the US-UK Fulbright Commission, Study Options, and The Australian Trade Commission. Students can speak to representatives about questions they may have such on topics such as funding, entry requirements and applications, and study abroad opportunities.

University to avoid 140 compulsory redundancies

“Very steep rise” in incidences of self-harm among teenagers in the UK has been found by University of Manchester researchers University of Manchester researchers have found a 68 per cent increase in self-harm among teenage girls between 2011 and 2014. The study also found that fewer than 1 in 4 reports of teenage self-harm were for male patients, and that teenagers in deprived areas were significantly less likely to be referred to specialist services than teenagers living in more affluent areas. Intentional self-injury or self-poisoning is recognised as the strongest risk factor for subsequent suicide. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for 20-34 year-olds in England and Wales. Dr Cathy Morgan and Professor Nav Kapur, Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health at the University of Manchester, led the research which was published by the British Medical Journal. They analysed data from 16,912 patients at 674 general practices. Reports of self-harm in teenage girls rose from 45.9 per 10,000 in 2011 to 77.0 per 10,000 in 2014 — a 68 per cent increase. Male teenage self-harm was only reported in 12.3 per 10,000 boys. Professor Kapur commented that “probably the most striking result of the whole study was this apparent very steep rise in self-harm in girls aged between 13 and 16. It was around a 70% increase that we saw. “We can’t really explain this possible rapid increase

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Dame Nancy Rothwell, Photo: EuroScience Open Forum Dame Rothwell’s statement says: “it will not be necessary to introduce a compulsory redundancy process in these areas and staff are no longer ‘at risk’ of redundancy.” “All staff in these areas and the trade unions have been informed of this position.” The Vice-Chancellor also used the message to update staff on various initiatives the University is involved in — including the Russell Group, and praised the announcement by UNESCO that Manchester was announced as a Global City of Literature. “It was wonderful to learn that Manchester has joined the UNESCO global network of cities of literature, in a process led by colleagues in SALC and partners across the city.”

New curation platform to help students organise work

Successful campaigns have prevented former English Defence League (EDL) leader, Tommy Robison, from launching his book at Bowlers exhibition centre in Trafford. Students and local activists, including Campaigns and Citizenship officer Deej Malik-Johnson, circulated petitions and letters in an effort to stop the event. Deej said it was “disappointing” that a venue such as Bowlers, where people “from all backgrounds go to enjoy themselves” would host such an event, especially during Islamophobia Awareness Month. Deej criticises Tommy Robinson, stating he is both “racist and divisive”. He said “the EDL and far right organisations gain currency from dividing people”. They make their audiences feel “intimidated”, and merely offer a solution “based on xenophobia”.

“This is how fascism happens” said Deej. The now “secret venue” which, according to theticketsuperstore website, will be released seven days prior to the event, is believed to be in Castlefield. Deej and local activists organised a protest for Friday 3rd November, the original date of the book launch. The protest will start in St Peter’s Square and will move to Castlefield Arena. “This demo is to send the message that no matter where it is Manchester students will oppose fascism and racism and that those who would divide us aren’t welcome in Manchester.” Deej and fellow exec Sara Heddi (Students’ Union Women’s Officer) and Saqib Mahmood (Students’ Union Wellbeing Officer) have been organising a range of events for Islamaphobia Awareness Month. Tommy Robinson has been contacted for comment but has yet to reply.

Digital 16-25 railcard now available Students can have their 16-26 Railcard on their mobile device, as well as the paper and plastic cards which can be bought online or at their local station

Wakelet hope that students will no longer have to have “dozens of tabs open at a time” which they argue can make research “quite messy and disorganised” Cameron Broome Head News Editor A Manchester-based start up company have launched a new tool to help students organise revision and research. Wakelet, the content curation platform based in Spinningfields in Central Manchester, have created a feature which allows students to turn groups of links into a singular interactive collection which can either be kept private or public. The platform allows students to create a profile where they can organise their content into collections called “wakes”, and content include podcasts of lectures, revision notes, YouTube videos, academic papers or newspaper articles. Misbah Gedal, Head of Marketing of Wakelet, said: “We all remember what it was like trying to revise back in uni — dozens of open tabs, your exam is around the corner, and everyone else seems to know exactly what they are doing! By using Wakelet to organise their research, students will feel less overwhelmed and should have a much easier time revising!” James Shuttleworth, a third year Geography student at the University of Manchester, told The Mancunion: “While I’ve been working on my dissertation and coursework essays, I use multiple different sources be that academic papers, newspaper articles, book extracts — basically, a lot of different content. “I often need flick between different sources during writing or

revision and so I end up having several different tabs open at once which can get quite confusing. Wakelet is really useful as I could organise all my content in one place.” James’ comments were echoed by Mark Brown, a third-year medicine student at the University of Manchester, who said: “I spend way too much time searching for resources and then when I loose them its so frustrating, especially when I can’t remember the name of a website. “Wakelet is useful because when you save a link it also saves a picture and that makes it easier to recognise. Its nice to have one link that I can use to share my resources and also separating links based on which project I am working on at the time is super convenient.” Misbah Gedal indicated that these comments were not rare and said: “The feedback that we’ve had from students so far is that Wakelet’s really helping them make sense of the units they are studying. There’s so much useful content on the internet, but there’s a lot of it! Our platform gives students the chance to save the best content into collections so that they know where to look later.” “We’re really excited to help students realise the power of content curation”, said Misbah, adding that Wakelet “have plenty more features in the works!” The curation platform is free to use and Wakelet insist the platform “will always be completely free to use.”

Image: Gavin Lynn @ Flickr

Rosa Simonet News Editor

The news comes after the Manchester branch of the University and College Union (UCU) voted 86.7 per cent in favour of strike action against the redundancies, which took place month. UCU member staff have also been “working to contract” while not on strike, in protest at proposed cuts to academic staff.

Image: CDC/ Amanda Mills, Public Health Image Library @ Free Stock Photos

Image: Mikey @ Flickr

Cameron Broome Head News Editor Students can now purchase digital versions of the 16-25 railcard, news which is timely, as many will have travelled back home last week via trains following ‘reading week’. The digital cards can be bought online at the same price as the existing paper of plastic cards, downloaded to the railcard smartphone app and used immediately. Jyoti Bird, Director at National Rail, said: “National Rail and the train companies are making it quicker and easier for passengers to save 1/3 on fares, thanks to the launch of the digital 16-25 and Network Railcards. Railcards enable customers to explore more of Great Britain for fun, in an ultra-convenient and cost-effective way.” “The introduction of digital Railcards is the latest example of train companies working together using technology to make rail travel easier. The money customers save through travel, and additional Railcard benefits, means the more they have to spend in the places they go, allowing customers to enjoy more of the things they love, whilst also supporting local businesses and communities.” Matt Wynne, a Social Sciences student at the University of Manchester, expressed concern over the “risk of smartphones cutting out over long journeys.” Rail companies have said that “if a phone runs out of battery or gets lost, the card can be swapped to another mobile device.” Despite this, Matt Wynne said” “I’d wish they concentrated their efforts [on] bringing the Network Railcard to the rest of the country if I’m quite honest with you. “I’m having to get the same amount of proof for a 16-25 Railcard as a Mature Student as I do for Council Tax Exemption and other benefits — far too bureaucratic, especially as it costs £30 and Mature Students usually have a lot of commitments aside university.” Both 16-25 Railcard and Network Railcards can be purchased digitally, and it has been estimated that over four million existing Railcard customers save around £150 on average each year on train trips thanks to the cards, equating to almost £600 million a year in total.

Science

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Atmospheric CO2 reaches record highs Kieran O’Brien explains how CO2 levels have not been this high for over three million years. Kieran O’Brien Science & Technology Editor Last year saw a record-breaking surge in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels in the earth’s atmosphere, increasing 50 per cent higher than the last ten-year average, according to a report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Researchers say that this increase has pushed atmospheric CO 2 to levels not seen for 800,000 years, and the last time the earth experienced similar levels was three to five million years ago, which back then caused global average temperatures to be two to three degrees warmer than today, with sea-levels about 20 metres higher due to the melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. Speaking to BBC News, chief of WMO’s global atmosphere watch programme, Dr. Oksana Tarasova, said “Geologicalwise, it is like an injection of a huge amount of heat... The changes will not take 10,000 years, like they used to take before; they will happen fast. We don’t have the knowledge of the system in this state; that is a bit worrisome!” Although CO 2 emissions from human activity have slowed down over recent years, Dr Tarasova says that it is the cumulative effect of CO 2 that is problematic, as once releases into the atmosphere it can stay aloft and active for centuries. Further to this, the WMO report says that such a rapid surge in CO 2 levels can “initiate unpredictable changes in the climate system... leading to severe ecological and economic disruptions”. Scientists also warn that the global temperature targets set out by the Paris climate change agreement are largely unattainable. The historic agreement, approved by 195 countries in 2015, has suffered a major setback this year after US President Donald Trump announced in June this year that the US will pull out of the agreement by 2020. This is of particular concern as the USA is the world’s second-largest emitter of CO 2 levels, with China coming out on top. On top of this, UN Environment released a report on 31st October which highlighted the gap between the goals of the Paris agreement and each countries’ actual commitments could lead to the global average temperature to exceed three degrees celcius, well above the two degrees maximum target. Speaking to the Guardian, Prof Dave Reay, professor of carbon management at the University of Edinburgh, said: “This should set alarm bells ringing in the corridors of power.

We know that, as climate change intensifies, the ability of the land and oceans to mop up our carbon emissions will weaken. There’s still time to steer these emissions down and so keep some control, but if we wait too long humankind will become a passenger on a one-way street to dangerous climate change.” The report also predicts that 2017 will be another recordbreaking year for levels of methane in the atmosphere. Although researchers say this methane is not from human activity, it is nevertheless a powerful greenhouse gas and the causes for its increase are still unknown.

Speaking to BBC News, Prof Euan Nisbet from the Royal Holloway University of London said: “The rapid increase in methane since 2007, especially in 2014, 2015, and 2016, is different. This was not expected in the Paris agreement. Methane growth is strongest in the tropics and sub-tropics... We do not understand why methane is rising. It may be a climate change feedback. It is very worrying.” The WMO report has been releases a week ahead of UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany, where negotiators aim to advance and clarify the targets set out by the Paris agreement.

Manchester science news this week...

The important and interesting stories from the rest of the city this week.

Robots: the hopes and perils of the future Jacklin Kwan looks at the latest developments and future prospects for robotics at the Manchester Science Festival

Photo: Darkostojanovic @ Pixabay

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Flipping amazing: whales and dolphins have “human-like” cultures

Kieran O’Brien Science and Technology Editor

Researchers at the University of Manchester, in collaboration with the University of British Columbia, Canada, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Stanford University, United States, have recently published a major new study in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, which shows that whales and dolphins (Cetaceans) live in tight-knit social groups. They also have complex relationships, talk to each other, and even have regional dialects. Whilst Cetaceans have long been known to be intelligent creatures due to their large brains, it is the first such study to compile a large data set comparing their brain sizes with social behaviours. Over 90 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises were studied to find evidence that complex social traits, such as cooperation behaviours found in many primate and human cultures, are linked to the brain sizes of Cetaceans. Amongst the many cultural and social traits found with the species, the most sophisticated found were the ability to work together for mutual benefit, teaching how

Science

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Photo: Wikimedia Commons

to hunt, ‘talking’ to each other, looking after youngsters that aren’t their own, working with other species, and social play. Another striking and perhaps most human-like trait was also that Cetaceans are capable of ‘name’ recognition, evidenced by some species having specific vocal calls for each specific creature in their social group. Speaking about the research, Dr Susanne Shultz, an evolutionary biologist at Manchester’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, said: “As humans,

our ability to socially interact and cultivate relationships has allowed us to colonise almost every ecosystem and environment on the planet. We know whales and dolphins also have exceptionally large and anatomically sophisticated brains and, therefore, have created a similar marinebased culture. “That means the apparent co-evolution of brains, social structures, and behavioural richness of marine mammals provides a unique and striking parallel to the large

brains and hyper-sociality of humans and other primates on land. Unfortunately, they won’t ever mimic our great metropolises and technologies because they didn’t evolve opposable thumbs.” The researchers used the data set to test the social brain hypothesis (SBH) and cultural brain hypothesis (CBH), which are evolutionary theories that argue large brains are an evolutionary response to complex and information-rich social environments. However, these theories were originally developed to explain large brains in primates and land mammals, and so this is the first time such a large study to test the SBH and CBH theories has been applied to intelligent marine animals. Dr Michael Muthukrishna, Assistant Professor of Economic Psychology at LSE, also said about the study: “This research isn’t just about looking at the intelligence of whales and dolphins, it also has important anthropological ramifications as well. In order to move toward a more general theory of human behaviour, we need to understand what makes humans so different from other animals. And to do this, we need a control group. Compared to primates, cetaceans are a more ‘alien’ control group.”

Photo: Jacklin Kwan@The Mancunion

Jacklin Kwan Science and Technology Reporter Looking back on the Manchester Science Festival that took place between the 19th and 29th of October, the city’s science enthusiasts were given special insight into the past, present, and future of robotics. The Mancunion spoke with Professor Barry Lennox, a researcher in the development of robotic systems for nuclear decommissioning, and sent a correspondent to view the live streaming of the BBC’s new programme ‘Tomorrow’s World, Today’, hosted at the Museum of Science and Technology. In his interview, Prof. Lennox, from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Manchester, provided us with an overview of his work. Prof Lennox currently works on creating and developing robotic systems that help to decommission nuclear facilities, a field of work that can prove occupationally and environmentally hazardous, and which involves the “transport, storage, and processing nuclear materials”. The clean-up of the UK’s “large nuclear legacy” — mostly established during the Cold War as part of the arms race and whose cleanup will extend well into the 22nd century — is

a “time-consuming and expensive process which is safe but slow” with extensive safety protocols that protect workers from prolonged radiation exposure. However, with the increasing accessibility of high-quality electronics, researchers from all over the world have begun to innovate safe, alternative solutions. Prof Lennox described “submersible exploratory robots”. Able to navigate through 500mm access ports equipped with radars and radiation sensors, these robots allow scientist to not only create a 3D map of the facilities they were exploring but also overlay the maps with corresponding radiation readings, essentially pinpointing sources of contamination for their operators. Furthermore, downloading this data onto a computer then allows operators to “interact with the 3D-environments using virtual reality goggles” that help them understand how to better decommission facilities with minimum time and cost, all without stepping foot into the facility themselves. Many of the “off-the-shelf technologies” that are utilised heavily in nuclear decommissioning, from Arduinos, to cameras and virtual reality systems typically used in gaming, have decreased in their costs, meaning that the robots used in

these operations are able to be “small and sacrificial” — easily disposable after coming into contact with hazardous materials. Prof Lennox expresses hope for these robots to considerably “optimise current decommissioning processes to be [as] safe and fast” as possible, hopefully making the UK’s nuclear legacy less difficult a challenge. In that same vein, robotics was also the main topic of the ‘Tomorrow’s World Live’ event hosted in the Museum of Science and Industry. People were invited to a live streaming of a panel discussion where experts were invited to speak about the consequences of robotics in our future. The event was part of a BBC series which tackled some of the most prevalent and important issues that scientific innovations aim to solve. The panel included researchers working in the development of robotic systems as well as professors specialising in the ethics and philosophy of robots. The audience members were given a brief look into how robots, defined loosely as systems able to sense and act upon their physical environment, advanced our understanding of how real-life biological structures work. For example, modelling robotic companion

animals — robot pets — develops our understanding of mammalian brains and our ability to mimic emotional systems in algorithms, and programming many smaller robots can let us understand how group behaviours manifest in swarms of insects or birds. The guests also discussed how, as robots become integrated into our lives, the independence of our own bodies from robots may one day blur as nanoparticles are already being used to administer medication and robotic prosthetics are becoming more sophisticated. With this, panellists discussed the social and philosophical implications of robots. Though many agreed that artificial intelligence still lacks flexibility currently, they briefly debated the consequences of a human-like robot on our definition of what it means to be authentically human, conscious, or sentient. Despite deep ethical considerations, the panel had a generally optimistic outlook for the future: that our society has the ability to regulate the options and opportunities that we create for ourselves in our use of robots, and though we may be forced to re-examine what kind of lives we want to live, we were very much in control of the future.

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The Creative Space

Keeping it Cozy: An Interview with Paul Famutimi Two weeks after launching ‘Cozyvert’, Raine Beckford chats to Paul ‘Cozy P’ Famutimi about why dressing down is the new dressing up Raine Beckford Deputy Features Editor Nowadays, it’s said that you shouldn’t find a job, you should create one. Paul Famutimi has done just that. I sat down with the budding designer to find out more. Famutimi, a third year civil engineering student hailing from East London, is all smiles despite the early hour. The idea, he says, has been a long time in the making. He tells me “It’s been a while since I wanted to go into fashion but I felt like everyone was going into it at the same time. My mums always said I’ve always been the type of person that wanted to dress well and do my own thing, so it makes sense”. Cozyvert, a brand aimed at ‘cozy introverts’ has gone from strength to strength in the last 12 months. Of it, he tells me “originally I started off as a trainer resell business. It was exclusive things like Jordans or Supreme. Stuff that you would have to queue up for. That was just to build capital because I didn’t know that I wanted to do clothing straight away, it was a way for me to ease myself in. The more I got into the reselling business the more I found out about fashion and people like Virgil Abloh, Samuel Ross. These are people that I think have broken new ground in fashion and they’ve done that through originality and authenticity but I felt like anyone could do that if they put in enough work ”. Once he’d decided that design was what he wanted to concentrate on, he set to work. He says “around February/March this year I started to do sketches and drawings then I finally decided okay I want to make it a clothing brand, I want to represent a certain lifestyle. I wanted to represent a divergent culture through clothing. Most of the time you can tell what kind of person somebody is by what they’re wearing so I wanted to use the idea of

expressing yourself through your clothing”. “I got a job in June, I was working every day in summer but I started to meet up with models and photographers and managed to get some shoots done then I launched the Instagram page. The more I met people and the more they reacted to the designs, the more confidence I got and the more momentum I built. In August I started printing and the printing was tedious because normally you’d send your designs to somebody else but my aunty has a graphic design business so I was literally on the ground doing it myself. The more time you put into something like this the more you want to finish it, and obviously, business is not easy, running anything is not easy, starting anything is not easy - you need consistency. I can’t lie, there were dry patches in summer where I was like flat broke and I was like shit. If this doesn’t pop it’s gonna be a letdown”. Instead of launching a website straight away, Famutimi decided to hold a pop up to display his collection. Whilst innovative, the pop up proved challenging from the get go. He says “it was like everything that could’ve gone wrong, went wrong. We had a car crash on the way there, it rained heavily the entire day, the posters wouldn’t stick up, the venue changed three days before and it confused people, they couldn’t find the place and they got lost in the northern quarter. The turnout was still good but it could’ve been better”. However, he takes it all in his stride. “The vibes were good! People came in off the street, they liked the concept, they liked the introspective parts. For instance, one of my jumpers is based around the idea of ‘fresh off the boat’. It used to be a derogatory term for an immigrant who couldn’t speak English well but now it’s just like fresh. Well-dressed.” Riding the success of the first pop up, he’s already looking ahead. When asked what’s next he

tells me “pop up version two. I’m doing a denim collection, I’m doing embroidery, I’m doing t shirts. I’m aiming for February because exams will have just finished, we’re going into the new semester, everyone is a bit more chilled so I want to capture that. I want to shoot an ad campaign as well. Hopefully there’ll be a launch party in London too. We’re trying to show up everywhere and London is my hometown but I feel like Manchester is key for the second one because this is where it all started. This is where I met all my friends and got my inspiration”. It hasn’t all been plain sailing though. Whilst optimistic he notes “I’ve been doing it on my own, most people who start something like

this do it in twos or threes so they can pool resources but I’ve mostly been on my own. It’s like a curse and a blessing at the same time. Sometimes I feel like I have to be everywhere at once. The grind has been the best part because it’s not easy but it’s rewarding. It can be painful but you really feel like you have something to prove.” The official website www.cozyvert.co.uk launches November 10th. But for now, readers looking to find out more can follow the brand on Instagram at cozyvert020 or email Paul directly at czvrt@outlook.com

Rupert Rixon, founder and CEO of Perspective Pictures, talks to Tilly Gambarotto about why students should be focussing on gaining practical work experience and life skills One would think that after skateboarding 3,000 miles across America, from Los Angeles to New York in two months, Rupert Rixon might have decided to take it easy for a while. One might even assume that having recorded the whole journey to produce an epic feature-length documentary about the experience, Rupert might have been ready to look for a ‘real’ job. Instead, two years later at age 22, Rupert is settling in to his role as the founder and CEO of Perspective Pictures, a creative video production company with a client base worth bragging about, including Google, HSBC, the Labour Party and UFC. Naturally, The Mancunion wanted to know just how a budding video maker might have established his own business at an age where most of us are still struggling to operate a washing machine. Projects, Rupert says, are the key to learning practical hands-on skills that employers value; “Come up with a project, work on it, and complete it. Make stuff. Start a company, run an event, whatever it is.” The young entrepreneur can’t emphasize enough the importance of practical, hands-on skills that employers crave, the skills acquired by completing internships or work experience as opposed to the theoretical approaches encouraged at university. In looking at his journey to CEO, it is hard to ignore this advice. It was the preparation and planning needed for the trip across America, Rupert claims,

with the added responsibility of “bringing on sponsors, sending out pitches, organising the whole thing, and leading a team” that equipped him with the confidence to start his own company. University students investing unthinkable amounts of time and money into achieving a degree with the aim of making themselves more employable might find the news that Rupert chose not to pursue further education a bittersweet revelation. For Rupert, however, “the experience of university, and what you make of it, is far more valuable than the degree on its own”. Students should take the time to get a flavour for various working environments and to assess the ways in which their skills could fit into a particular business. “I work hard and try to surround myself with the right people” he answers, when asked about the differences between himself and his peers growing up; evidently, grades are not the only indicators of those who will go on to thrive in the competitive world of work. For students who would like to quite literally follow in the illustrious footsteps of Mr Rixon, Perspective Pictures offers regular internship positions, a venture which Rupert believes to be “great for bringing new energy and ideas to the company and finding potential new team members”. It is important for businesses, he believes, to offer these opportunities to young people, provided they pay the minimum of expenses. From an employer’s perspective, the business owner has some words of wisdom for those who

Ellie Tivey Contributor The filming of Hilda has been nothing short of intense for all involved, made clear if only by the fact that my interviews this week consisted of FaceTiming lead actress, Megan Purvis, during her coffee break, and catching director Rishi Pelham in his one half hour break of the day. It’s been a process of “5am workshops [and] sleepless nights in car parks.” As Purvis says, it’s been hard work, but it’s a complete “passion project, and really, really worth it”.

of ‘5am workshops [and] sleepless nights in car parks.’ ”

Rupert Rixon, founder of Perspective Pictures Tilly Gambarotto Contributor

‘Hilda’ with Rishi Pelham and Megan Purvis

“It’s been a proce ss

Photo: Paul Famutimi

Photo: Photo: Rupert Rixon (middle) talks to students at Red Academy, photo provided by Perspective Pictures

might find themselves in his interview room; “When it comes to hiring, for me I base it almost entirely on personality and a variety of good work. Rather than just having education credits on their CV, being able to see that they have achieved things and gained experience is really appealing.” As for his own career, Rupert has found the confines of Britain to be too restrictive for his big ambitions, and intends to expand Perspective Pictures and open an office in New York. In the meantime,

young admirers will no doubt dream of their own illustrious career paths, dotted with the trip of a lifetime abroad and reaching an unlikely height in their early twenties. Who knows? To take Rupert’s advice might just be the first step to seeing this dream become a reality. Perspective Pictures’ website and information about upcoming internship opportunities can be found at www.perspectivepicturesfilms.com.

WRITE FOR US The Mancunion Features Contributors Team 2017/18 Email: features@mancunion.com Meeting time: Mondays 6pm

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Hilda, directed by Manchester alumni Rishi Pelham and Michael Honnah, follows the life of a young girl growing up in modern-day poverty in West London. She turns to music and dance in an effort to find herself and, as Pelham articulated, “she can’t afford a workshop, so her workshop is London.” Purvis names some societal issues addressed within the film such as, “the state of our social care system, the effects of Brexit, casual racism”, but, as she pointed out, these are not the main focus of the film. “ This is life, this is real”, she says. It’s a realistic exploration of how these things affect the everyday life of Hilda herself. Having known and admired them both from my links to the University of Manchester Drama society, I was keen Photo: Rishi Pelham and Megan Purvis to ask Purvis what it was like working under Pelham and Honnah, and how they functioned as a creative team. “What’s great about both of them”, she replied, “is how much they trust each other, they work so well together as a unit.” “Rishi is intense, passionate, he knows what this film can do and he’s not going to stop short of doing that, and Michael just brings the most incredible energy to the set.” She describes their shared passion as “infectious” and their dedication as admirable, “I have to keep reminding them that they need to eat and sleep!” When asked about their experiences filming so far, Pelham emphasized the stark contrasts

between filming in Manchester compared to London. “People in Manchester are way more supportive”, he tells me. In London, “councils and boroughs are way harsher to independent filmmaking. There [are] so many barriers put in place.” “There needs to be more that’s done for independent films and creatives”, he says, “that’s one of the reasons we’re making the film, to highlight the amount of talent going unchecked with cuts to the arts and the BFI etc.” But Hilda has responded to these difficulties with an unabashed determination and devotion to this project. Or, as Pelham describes it, “exceedingly ambitious, this is a small budget film that won’t look like a small budget film.” Pelham and Honnah have taken on help from the University of Manchester by the way of extras, lighting engineers — even lecturers have helped them source locations and find their feet as creators. When I asked Pelham what was the university’s most important contribution to the film, he did not hesitate to answer: “the people I met there and what we achieved outside of the course. The course being more literary pushed us to do more independently”, which is experience proving invaluable now. One person he referenced specifically was Dr David Butler, “as a professor and mentor and friend to be very honest, we wouldn’t be able to make this film without the support he has given.” Both Pelham and Purvis emphasised throughout that this film is not being made just for the sake of making a film, both of them believe strongly in telling Hilda’s story. As Purvis said, “we don’t glorify anything, we don’t make things more dramatic than they really are, we’re just showing today’s society and its effects for what it is.” According to Pelham, “the main thing I want to do with this film is garner as much awareness as possible to a story I know is true.” Filming finished on the 30th of December with editing to be completed in January and March. Come next Spring/ Summer, however, Hilda will be out and circulating at as many film festivals as Pelham and Honnah can get their hands on. If the passion of Pelham and Purvis is anything to go by, this film is set to be outstanding, so everyone keep an eye out.

Written a book, started a band or have an upcoming gallery opening? If you’d like to be featured next month in the creative space, send a summary of your work to:

features@mancunion.com

A Student Life

‘The Dealer App’ Photo: Benjamin Mouquet

Ruth Squires talks to Benjamin Mouquet, the University of Manchester graduate helping build a better community with ‘The Dealer App’, which donates money to homeless of Manchester whilst giving it’s customers great deals for dining out in the city Ruth Squires Contributor Homelessness is a prevalent issue in our city which immediately surrounds us when we leave the house. There’s plenty of people and organisations in Manchester that are trying to tackle this though. The Dealer App is a platform on which you are able to get discounts of up to 50 per cent off in restaurants and bars in Manchester whilst being able to give back to homelessness charities in the process. We spoke to one of its creators, University of Manchester student Benjamin Mouquet. Ben told us a little about how it all began, explaining “The Dealer was started because discounting was broken. It simply wasn’t working for restaurants. We wanted to create an online portal for restaurant owners to manage their promotions easily and effectively.” With The Dealer App, restaurant

“We’re saving people

as much money as we can in the hope that they then return some of these savings back to charities fighting homelessness.

”

owners are now able to adjust promotions in real time, giving them greater freedom to target specific days of the week, or even specific times of the day. Just under a hundred restaurants in Manchester have already signed up, and a further three hundred are on board from around the country. Ben was keen to stress that the high quality of the restaurants taking part, “we only feature premium restaurants like this year’s winner at the Manchester Food and Drink awards, Bundobust. The aim is to deliver quality discounts from quality restaurants.” Alongside offering great deals for Manchester’s foodies and a versatile new platform for the city’s restaurateurs, the team behind the app also aim for it to give something back to the local community. “At the time that we had the idea, the guys who started it were volunteering at a homeless shelter called the Porch and would often talk about ways that more local businesses could support homeless charities in a climate of government cuts. “They came up with the concept of using deals to do good. We’re saving people as much money as we can, in the hope that they then return some of these savings back to charities

fighting homelessness.” Ben first got involved with the project after graduating from The University of Manchester. Though he initially looked at going into finance, having known one of the co-founders from having worked at Red Bull together, he was offered the opportunity to do good for students and to give back to the community in the process. As with any venture of this type, the team has faced its challenges, “we are a small team working against some pretty big hitters with a concept that people aren’t familiar with. Getting the exposure, we need to really make a difference is probably our biggest challenge.” Their aim with The Dealer App is to “make giving to homelessness a regular part of [our] weekly lives.” And, as Ben noted, the benefits of even small donations are tangible: “If you take a look at what the Mustard Tree — our partner charity in Manchester — can do with just ten pounds for example. For every £10 that is donated, they are able to provide £160 worth of food to families and individuals our food club.” With mental health issues rife among homeless people, it’s also noteworthy that even a meagre ten pounds can help tackle this too; providing support for one person suffering from a mental health condition for two weeks. The immediate goal of the company is simple: expansion. They aim to move to other cities as soon as possible. That said, their ambitions are not just geographical — they also aim to move into other industries as well, “especially in the online sector such as online retail, cinemas, and things like that.” This app is definitely something worth getting behind and it’s certainly inspiring to see University of Manchester students go on to do something that’s going to have an impact and build a better community. You can learn more about The Dealer App on the website: https://thedealerapp.co.uk/ or download the app right now on android or IOS.

Opinion

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Calling all opinionated people! Do you have an opinion you want to share with the Manchester student community? The Mancunion is looking for regular contributors for its weekly paper edition and for its day-to-day updates on its website! From thought-provoking insights into contemporary feminism to rants about movies, we want hear what you have to say. Simply come to our weekly opinion section meetings on Monday in the Student Union, or message our two editors: Sam Glover and Jacklin Kwan about your interest in writing. Great for your CV, and a platform for your ideas, we at the Mancunion will be waiting for your contributions!

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Taking the power back: why we need to renationalise private sectors Last month, news broke that an academy trust running schools across Yorkshire and Humber requested to cease management of all its institutions. Wakefield City Academies Trust stated that the decision to pull out of its 21 schools was made on the basis that it “does not have the capacity” to make required improvements to its institutions. This comes in the wake of other reports which have questioned the effectiveness of academy trusts more generally to responsibly handle their finances, to properly run their schools, and to effect the positive results they claim to create. The academies — though run as not-forprofit trusts — operate as independent, rather than council-run, businesses. Are these, therefore, simply the latest in a long line of examples documenting the failure of privatisation? These reports should not be surprising; privatisation has failed the public across the UK. In 2006, economists at UBS bank claimed that train travel in the UK was the most expensive in the world. Since then, prices have not ceased going up; with each new year comes a new rise in rail fares. In 1995, a single from London to Manchester was £50. In 2013, the average price was £154 — a 208 per cent increase, over triple the rate of inflation. Peak fares are unregulated by the Department for Transport, meaning that rail companies get the say in setting them. Because of this, commuters often face the brunt of the increases. As a postgraduate student from South London, many of my friends now have full-time jobs and have to commute to the city’s centre. While earning only graduate salaries, ridiculous fare prices

leave many of them spending between a quarter to a third of their income on travel alone, even with a 16-25 railcard. This is even more dangerous in the midst of a housing crisis with rent prices soaring and the likelihood of getting on the housing ladder dismally low. Nor can the service be said to justify these price increases — at the beginning of this year, there was speculation that Southern Rail could be temporarily renationalised after the abysmal service it subjected its passengers to in 2017 with almost a third of services running late. Nor can the water sector boast any better success. The Thatcher government intended to diversify share ownership and boost efficiency through privatisation; however, most British water shares are owned by a handful of international investors. Prices have also gone up by as much as 40 per cent in the last 30 years, explaining how water companies have been able to afford the billions of pounds given to shareholders in dividends despite their outstanding debt. The energy sector demonstrates a largely similar scenario. Instead of market competition leading to competitive prices and better service, the Big Six energy providers have established hegemony over the sector. People are forced to pay extortionate prices or, worse, are forced to go cold in the winter because they simply cannot afford the bills. This begs the question: is it morally permissible to run essential services for profit in the first place? These are not luxury commodities but the most basic resources and services that people need to live. Is it any wonder, then that in such an

Basic commodities and services are increasing in price and not quality – it’s time to take back control. Contibutor Holly James

Photo: Jorvik @ Wikimedia Commons

economic climate with extortionate prices for even the most basic services, that the rates of homelessness are rising so rapidly, that people are struggling to pay bills and afford basic amenities? To run these services for profit is at best unwise and at worst clearly exploitative, putting the most vulnerable among us in a position where they literally cannot afford to live. However, it does not have to be this way. In 2013, Hamburg, Germany voted in favour of nationalising their gas, electricity, and heating grid. The aim of doing this was to ensure that the service was being run in the public interest rather than for the purpose of making a profit. Prices were planned to drop and any profits made would be returned to the

city as opposed to lining the pockets of CEOs and shareholders. As of today, the city is still in the process of finalising the transition, but all signs point to positive change. Perhaps one of the most controversial elements of Labour’s election manifesto was their decision to do just this: take essential services out of the hands of private businesses and put them back in the rightful hands of the people. If we are to have a country that is indeed ‘For the Many, not the Few’ then we must seriously address the ills privatisation is inflicting on the British public, and work towards reclaiming our water, energy, rail, and various other sectors through renationalisation.

Opinion 11

ISSUE 7 / 6th NOVEMBER 2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Will December’s election call an end to the Catalan chaos? Catalonia’s referendum doesn’t bode well for either sides of the independence movement, says Contributor Madeleine Coffey Catalonia’s fight for independence has catapulted Spain into its most devastating political crisis for half a century. Not only does an election present a chance to make real Madrid’s nightmare of handing over a clear victory to the independence movement and legitimising the chaotic Spanishsplit, it’s also a superficial and short-term fix. The earthquake has happened, and papering over the cracks will not work. Catalonia is an autonomous region of north-east Spain consisting of four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Terragona. With its own language and distinct culture, Catalonia accounts for 16% of Spain’s population (7.5m people) and 19% of the national GDP, making it one of Spain’s wealthiest regions. Calls for independence became more clamorous in certain circles following the global economic downturn as Catalans felt disproportionately impacted by cuts and economic hardship across Spain. On 9 June 2017, the Catalan government announced their intention to hold an independence referendum on the 1st of October 2017. Put plainly, this referendum was illegal and unconstitutional: while Spain’s democratic constitution, as approved by 90% of Catalan voters, provides extensive autonomy to the devolved regions, it strongly affirms “the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation”. Nevertheless, the referendum was a reality and Spain had to decide on its strategy. With a majority vote in favour of independence at a 43% turnout, the Catalonian parliament declared independence on the 27th of October. This was swiftly followed by the triggering of Article 155 by the central Spanish government, dismissing Catalonia’s secessionist government and calling a regional election on the 21st of December. With the ex-president of Catalonia, Puigdemont,

currently seeking refuge in Brussels and the Spanish Prime Minister, Rajoy, dealing with the consequences of the world witnessing his thuggish Guardia Civil dragging elderly voters by their hair from polling stations, it is clear neither side is free of blame. A mere ‘declaration’ of independence does not constitute true independence, it never has, never will. Democracies depend upon the sanctity of the rule of law, not to mention common courtesy and dialogue. The separatists of Catalan simply ignored this. Division in the region reflected this – while some took their chances at voting, others boycotted and protested in favour of a united Spain. King Felipe criticised the referendum for “erod[ing] the harmony and co-existence within Catalan society itself, managing, unfortunately, to divide it”. However the true nature of this “harmony and co-existence” remains debatable. For centuries, Catalonian language and culture has been downtrodden by Spanish rule. It wasn’t until the death of the Spanish dictator, Fransisco Franco, in 1975 that a cultural-resurgence and the calls for Catalonian independence begun. This underlying tug-of-war has been apparent for years and it is the responsibility of the central government in Madrid to ensure that the system of devolving powers gives just the right amount of autonomy if it is serious about keeping Spain united. In an increasingly globalised world, the emotional pull of nationalism and proindependence movements is irresistible – a heady-brew. The desire to put the brakes on, and assert one’s own identity is a natural reaction to a world that feels increasingly out of one’s control. However, if we have learnt anything from Brexit, it is that a ‘look before you leap’ policy is highly advisable.

Photo: Flickr @ Hal Ingberg

Photo: ThisParticularGreg @ Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Zff2012 @ Wikimedia Commons

to pursue a case of sexual harassment at work, or rape at university face even more of a challenge. Speaking out about sexual assault can mean more than simply the shame or embarrassment many feel about their experiences. For many men and women, it can mean losing (often their only chance of) a job, losing friends, losing time and money by going to court, and eventually often losing your case and not being believed, with the rate of convictions in the UK falling despite

the number of reported rapes going up. In the wake of this scandal, it is important that authorities consider new ways to support all those who make allegations of sexual assault and rape; too many like Weinstein get away with it for far too long because victims are afraid to risk their careers. The Weinstein scandal has helped bring this issue to light, but we still have a long way to go before us ordinary people can consider sexual assault an issue that is taken seriously enough, or is believed often enough.

In the end , no one will be able to curb the desire for true self-determination if that is what Catalonia really wants, and neither should they. In my view, Spain should have employed a more dignified and ultimately more effective tactic. As nerve-wracking as it may have been, Spain should have forced itself to simply look away while those who wanted to vote did, steadfastly maintaining their moral standing. In the days after the vote, a heartfelt acknowledgement, not of Catalonian independence, but of the urgent need for dialogue may well have spoken to those on both sides of the argument who, ever since, have been protesting together, wearing white, and pleading for civility. Spain, it seems, could not hold its nerve. Rather than entering rational and peaceful dialogue with Catalonia, Rajoy denied the most basic democratic right of all: the right to vote, or as the Catalonian slogan puts it, “the right to decide”. Its appallingly violent sabotage of the peaceful act of voting, and its equally self-degrading attempts to brand what we all witnessed as ‘fake news’ – where have

we heard that before – has been hard to watch. They have managed to bulldoze any notion that consensus may be achieved. In trying so hard to adhere to the constitution, Spain has rendered it meaningless to so many. Where before there existed shared values and much common ground, there is now a hardening of attitudes. Trust itself has been attacked, like so many optimistic voters. For these reasons, it is the Spanish government that bears the greatest responsibility for this chaos, and a snap-election nor the imposition of direct rule will magically correct these wrongdoings. Much could go wrong before December 21st, as the cat-and-mouse game between Madrid and Catalonia’s independence movement enters a new chapter. Ultimately, only once the Spanish government addresses the pervasive social and economic grievances impacting Catalonia can the unity of Spain be saved. But for now, this seems a distant ambition.

The current application for British citizenship sees prospective citizens studying to answer exam questions that read more like novelty Christmas cracker factoids than a test of cultural understanding Contributer Tilly Gambarotto

More must be done to empower all survivors of sexual assault, not just the ones in Hollywood. Contributor Nicole Wootton-Cane millions of people who experience sexual assault in their lifetime. A-listers voicing their experiences and refusing to keep quiet any longer has certainly helped to get people listening; but what does this mean for us ordinary folk? The issue is sexual assault is all about power. Many celebrities who have made accusations are speaking of an assault that is decades old, made at the beginning of their careers when a mogul such as Weinstein would have had huge influence over their future. But now, things are different. They have millions of dollars in the bank and a name that gets by by itself, they are older and more confident; Weinstein no longer holds the power over them that he once did, and so they are more able to talk freely. In no way do I suggest that many of these women have not been through decades of psychological trauma and distress, nor do I imply in any way that speaking up about their sexual assault has been easy, or easier than it would be for a woman in an office making allegations against her boss. What I do mean to say is that the power imbalances for these women now are very different. They have captured the world’s attention, and nearly all those who accept the reality and seriousness of sexual assault support them. They often have the money to be able to go through with a court case or a lost job. Their experiences are important and valid and can lead the way, but they are only the ugly tip of the gross sexual assault iceberg. The reception they have received is not realistic for the majority of men and women who remain out of view, under the water line. Those victims wanting

Photo: Núria @ Wikimedia Commons

How British are you? Take the test

What the Weinstein scandal means for everyday victims On October 5th 2017, an article was published in the New York Times documenting allegations of sexual assault made against the prominent Hollywood director Harvey Weinstein. In the weeks following, dozens more women have come forward accusing Weinstein of rape and sexual harassment including Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow. More recently, the scandal has encouraged more men and women in Hollywood to come forward with their own stories of sexual harassment, most notably Anthony Rapp’s allegations against actor Kevin Spacey, showing that this is not just a problem for women. Netflix has been quick to announce that the next season of Spacey’s hit show ‘House of Cards’ will be the last, and the Academy voted “well in excess of the required two-thirds majority” to expel Weinstein from the board. So is sexual assault finally beginning to be taken seriously? Unfortunately, sexual assault is not something exclusive to Hollywood. A study by the Telegraph in 2015 showed that one third of female students in the UK have experienced inappropriate touching or groping whilst at university, and a BBC study carried out in light of the Weinstein scandal showed that a half of women and a fifth of men in the UK have been sexually harassed at work or a place of study. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult it must be to have your story of sexual assault printed and broadcast across the world, and the Hollywood elite that are speaking up should be applauded for doing so. We must remember, however, that they represent a very small proportion of the

Photo: Flickr @ Luciano Castillo

For how many years did the Romans stay in Britain? When did people learn how to make bronze? What was the population of the UK in 1901? One could be forgiven for thinking that they had accidentally stumbled across the question list for a Saturday night pub quiz. Regrettably, these are in fact the first three questions presented in an online ‘Life in the United Kingdom’ test, intended to help those applying for citizenship practice for the real exam. To achieve the elusive status of a ‘British citizen’, 24 multiple choice questions of this nature must be answered in 45 minutes with a minimum pass mark of 18. In light of the Brexit referendum, the number of EU nationals sitting the exam has tripled in the last year in the midst of fears they will be asked to leave the UK. According to the Manchester Evening News, 60 per cent of applicants from Greater Manchester failed the test in 2016. Nationwide, approximately one in three was unsuccessful.

Luckily, the Home Office has come to the rescue with a handbook for new residents, covering topics from British history spanning the past 6,000 years, to notable sports personalities, and the British Constitution with the aim of preparing new residents to sit the exam and successfully assimilate into life in Britain. One of two things is happening here: either my British friends and family have been holding secret meetings to extensively discuss law, culture, and UK-related trivia facts without my knowledge, or the test is, troublingly, far removed from the true experience of ‘life in the UK’. One need only read the ‘music’ section of the handbook to realise that the test’s authors are of a somewhat more elevated educational standing than the vast majority of ‘normal’ British residents. Indeed, where would we be without our knowledge of the life and work of the classical musician Henry Purcell, or our ability to discuss the paintings of the pre-Raphaelites?

Needless to say, there are many British citizens who would not be capable of passing the exam. Since the handbook does little to recreate the level of general knowledge of British people, even less can be said of its success in promoting an understanding of British culture. Sure, the book covers essential elements of law, including the prohibition of forced marriages, equality between men and women, and the illegality of domestic violence, which might have calmed the nerves of those concerned about new residents coming from outside the Western world.

“Needless

to say, there are many British citizens who would not be capable of passing the exam...’’ Other questions posed in the practice tests, however, paint a rather embarrassing picture of the values we hold dear as British people: “What time do British pubs open?”, “What are the main ingredients of a mince pie?”, etc. For such a question to hold the potential to deny citizenship to a prospective resident, some of whom have lived in the UK for decades, paid taxes, and raised families here is frankly insulting. These questions also suggest an

inherent incompatibility between British culture and the culture of residents whose religions or lifestyles would not require them to ever encounter a pub or Christmas dessert. As it stands, the application process for citizenship needs serious revision. The exam makes no allowances for those who might not have the financial means to apply and acts as more of a glorified memory test than a reflection of one’s contribution to society and understanding of what it means to live in Britain. For those who pass, several hundred pounds more is needed to take a language test, regardless of how long they might have been employed in an English-speaking job. I would not want to suggest that the application process for citizenship should be effortless. After all, it is valuable for new citizens to have acknowledged their awareness of British culture, and if learning these social norms and laws requires studying a book, this would simply show their commitment to becoming part of a new national community. The questions, however, should be ones that could be easily answered by existing British citizens, questions to which the answers should be instinctive rather than learned and would benefit those foreign residents who have already acclimatised to British life, perhaps in the form of a situational judgement test. Until then, the required preparation for the ‘Life in the UK’ exam will simply produce a strange group of foreign, English-speaking, slightly poorer British citizens who would make a killer quiz team.

Music

ISSUE 7 / 6th NOVEMBER2017 WWW.MANCHETSERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Music Contributor, Elizabeth Gibson reviews Gabrielle Aplin in the unique space of Manchester Cathedral

The Pro

A bit of crazyness from the 90s for you.

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8/10

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Katy Per

An indie fan’s dream, it had to make the list.

Obviously.

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rabbit hole, or Narnia you go in, there’s always something you find…and Andy is Aslan” Sarah interjects and laughs. “I wanted to create the kind of place I used to enjoy when I was in my teens” Andy calls to mind when he started delving into the clubbing world, that places were becoming identical, and pristine so much so that they felt like hospitals. “I wanted to create something that was living with you, and partying with you.” There’s nothing fake about the Mansion either if there’s a bit of plaster that’s not on the wall, it hasn’t been taken off for aesthetic effect. It has probably fallen off due to the bass, and they’ve cleaned it up after. However, there are a lot of guesses to how safe a place can be that just doesn’t look right. But it is this reason that Andy and his team go above and beyond what is expected of him in terms of health and safety and such things because he knows people will question him for it. “But it’s exactly how I want it to look, which is ‘just not right’, but it’s real.” The pair goes into why they think that it has been so well received in Manchester and that the overall conclusion is because Antwerp Mansion, feels ‘naughty’. It feels like you’re doing something wrong, when in fact you know you’re not going to get in trouble for it. Antwerp, have huge and exciting plans. They’re not decreasing their capacity, they’re growing their audience on a UK wide scale, and who knows where after that. Safe to say they’re doing something right here. I’m excited to see what new strange, eccentric venues we start to see creeping up on us.

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We all know the place, and if you don’t you’re missing out. I was lucky enough to have a chat with the guy who brought it to life 8 years ago, Andy Mansion, as well as the brain behind the huge success that is ‘Motherfunkers’: Sarah Florence.We talked about how these two are now endeavouring to find more unusual places to bring the Antwerp experience. Andy first explains that he loves trialling out new ideas for events at Antwerp, he’s worked with people that have an idea but often not enough resources to test it out. “If it doesn’t do well, then we both lose, but if it does do well, then we both win”. But the reason that there is such a range of musical genres within the venue is so that there is “something to suit absolutely everyone’s tastes, whatever your style I can pretty much guarantee you will find it somewhere on at Antwerp Mansion.” However, as the Mansion becomes ever more popular, Andy and Sarah describe that it feels like a right step in the natural progression to start extending to other places and cities in the UK. “The calendar at the Mansion is so busy, there’s only really only enough space for one night a month for most nights” he explains, and that if they were to do any more than this, people would probably rake it for granted. That’s not what it is about. “you should always keep setting new

challenges for yourself, never get lazy, and expect people to turn up just because you have a name somewhere else.” Andy and Sarah have recently trialled this out by spreading Motherfunkers’s wings in Old Crown Court in Bristol. Sarah describes that the venue was an old Victorian courthouse, complete with two huge courtrooms as well as real prison cells! “The DJ’s actually played behind bars!” Laughed Sarah. However, this is just the first of many, as there are many other cities that they want to hit next, such as Glasgow, Newcastle, and even places like Sheffield. Sarah illustrates that a big part of the reason that people enjoy Motherfunkers is due to the experience they have at Antwerp Mansion, so it is important to stay as “true to that experience as possible, it’s about finding the right level of absurdity and kookiness in these new venues.” But as we can all imagine, it’s hard to find venues that match such a quota. “a lot of people I’ve found who own clubs, tend to own more than one and they’re all the same, and that just doesn’t interest me at all.” Andy then goes on to explain the inspiration behind Antwerp Mansion. He recalls a venue he went to years ago, that split onto two levels. When you went upstairs there was a huge section that was cut out so you could see the DJ, the people and what was happening below. He remembers thinking “what is this place?!” It was this exact feeling that he wanted to re-create for Antwerp. “It almost feels like a

Do the twist.

Meet the man behind Antwerp Mansion Hannah Brierley Music Editor

L ee L e w i

Morning After finds dvsn surmising the internet-era romance of 2017, and all the insecurity, deceit and deep emotional growth that comes with it. The record beautifully explores the damages caused between budding couples when one becomes consumed in the rush of the night, taking no time to think about the lasting consequences of tomorrow. In the world of dvsn, the protagonist doesn’t have to do much to bring trouble to his whereabouts — with newfound fame comes newfound problems (B.I.G. & Diddy, 1997). The highest highs of the album are found when the pair venture out of their comfort zones: the opener brings a sharper tone to their usual softness, whilst the title track provides a bounce with Latin American and Caribbean influences that work well in today’s mainstream soundscape. Aside from a brief lull, the album represents the emotions of the masses of fans as per R’n’B manifesto in a modern age. In this year’s strong catalogue of albums, dvsn make a good claim to the throne.

Photo: Jack Greeney

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were better than I was ready for/ Tonight I’m making up for it all”. A retrospective Daley is still able to make you sympathise with his immorality, due to the effortless command of his prince-esque falsetto. This self-awareness of his own shortcomings coupled with the sharp production on all tracks clearly highlights the deft nature of Daley’s persona and how readily he and nineteen85 are able to combine. A clear statement for why they need no features to bring out their greatest attributes. Early highs and the hits ‘Don’t Choose’ and ‘Think About Me’ bring consuming music. More mellow tracks such as ‘Body Smile’ and the outro, ‘Conversations in a Diner’, are packed with a slower pleasure and pain, showing impressive ability to be expressive both expansively and intimately. Though at times the duo do show signs of weaknesses when they mismatch. For example, the adjacent tracks ‘Mood’ and ‘P.O.V’ can be tedious when a sample fails to harmonise well with a falsetto, even though separately the production and vocals remain on point.

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Back when Ellie was mellow and fairy-like, she brought us this banger.

‘Morning After’ finds dvsn surmising the internet-era romance of 2017, and all the insecurity, deceit and deep emotional growth that comes with it, writes Music Contributor, Kavrinda Huggings

The second full-length release from Toronto-native duo dvsn — for clarity, ‘division’ — sees the act pick up exactly where the 2016 debut SEPT 5TH left off. Entitled Morning After, enigmatic singer Daniel Daley reaffirms the identity of the group over the tight production of nineteen85 — the musical architect of the pair. Needless to say, the album is set in the reflective mood of the morning after the night before, of which we’ve all experienced our fair share. The project opens with a cinematic feeling on ‘Run Away’, nineteen85 effortlessly juxtaposing Daley’s soothing voice against a harsh bass-heavy backdrop. He is then just as quickly able to reverse the sound when the singer gives Smooth Criminal-inspired runs over gentle strings. The partnership takes no time to boast their strong match-up and the record’s motif is set immediately, with Daley assuming the position of the anti-hero, bellowing “Run away, I’m no good for you”. The track fades. Even without features, the OVO trademark is heavy-laden within the music; the album’s protagonist cries over personal wrongdoings and the following rectifications, the only way he knows how: “You

Live Review: Gabrielle Aplin

7/10

Album review: dvsn - Morning After Kavrinda Huggings Music Contributor

by Deputy Music Editor, Yasmin Duggal

E l l ie G o

tour. Regardless, the music they produced was highly energetic — there can be no criticism of their involvement in that aspect. All in all, The Pigeon Detectives put on a great show, as they are often known to do. This anniversary tour is certainly not a case of the band holding on to the past too firmly; rather it’s a brilliant opportunity to see live performances of the greatest songs the band has ever produced. Despite any inconsistencies — in setlist or band — that aim is certainly lived up to. Wait For Me was worth the wait once again.

Firestart

jumped off a huge stage amp and dived into the crowd during the very first song, something I’ve honestly never seen before. An incredibly lively atmosphere was provoked instantaneously. The opening kept going strong. ‘I Found Out’ next, pounded guitar chords jostling around the crowd. Matt, in true frontman style, was jumping about, wildly swinging around his microphone in enormous arcs and catching it again with impressive accuracy. From there the next group of songs were slightly less enthusiastically received by the crowd, some lesser-known album tracks and B-sides. Matt kept the crowd going with some hilarious chatter between songs, however, and once they were out of the way it was back to the hits for a storming second half of the show. The indie rockers thrashed out 18 songs, each intensely short and sharp, at a furious pace. ‘Take Her Back’ and ‘Wait For Me’ were particular highlights, and the encore ending on ‘I’m Not Sorry’ was a lung-busting blast too. Frontman Matt certainly kept the energy levels high and the crowd excitable, although the other band members seemed to lack the same outward enthusiasm, remaining fairly static throughout, perhaps an effect of the show being the first of the

Live Review Elizabeth Gibson Music Contributor

E x p lo s i o

Thursday the 19th of October, Manchester Academy The Pigeon Detectives came to town on Thursday, kicking off their ‘Wait For Me 10th Anniversary Tour’ at Manchester Academy. This particular album is one whose release decennial surely warrants celebration above any other from the band: Wait For Me is The Pigeon Detective’s most well-loved record and went Platinum in the UK. From as soon as it was announced the tour was sold as an authentic recreation of the album, all other songs barred, just the favourites: an exciting enough prospect for any fan. There was only one support act before the headline event, a setup becoming increasingly rare for rock bands playing the Academy. Little Comets played a great set which I’m sure would have warmed up the crowd, were there any crowd present at the time. It’s clear the vast majority of ticket holders were there for The Pigeon Detectives and The Pigeon Detectives alone. And why not? After a proper rock band stage entrance — drums first, bass, guitar, then after some extension, singer — the Leeds five-piece wasted no time in ramping up the energy of the show, opening with pacey fan favourite ‘Romantic Type’. Singer Matt Bowman, in particular, came out all guns blazing and had already ripped his shirt off,

Top 5 Bonfire Songs

Live review: The Pigeon Detectives

Music Contributor, Jack Greeney reviews the first show of the Leeds band’s ‘Wait For Me’ tenth anniversary tour

Live Review

Music 13

ISSUE 7 / 6th NOVEMBER 2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Thursday 19th October, Manchester Cathedral I last reviewed Gabrielle Aplin a couple of years ago at The Deaf Institute. Back then she was clearly nervous but succeeded in making the small, intimate space her own. I was therefore very interested to see how she would manage such a large and impressive venue as Manchester Cathedral. The building was packed as the support act, Sonny, took to the stage with his guitar. Laid-back and folksy, he complemented Gabrielle very nicely and her fans loved him. With a sound akin to Ed Sheeran but the soulful voice of Sam Smith, Sonny gave us a healthy balance of original songs and covers, with his rendition of Sam Sparro’s ‘Black and Gold’ being a highlight. Aplin’s band arrived and began to play, building gradually up to her entrance

so that when she hopped sweetly onto stage, it was as dramatic as if there had been fireworks. The bouncy ‘Sweet Nothing’ made for a good opener, and she followed it with a handful of upbeat, rocky numbers. The band then left and Gabrielle did what she does best - perform alone and acoustically, showcasing her prowess on guitar and piano and her pure and versatile voice. Her version of ‘The Power of Love’, made famous in a John Lewis Christmas ad, was as powerful as ever. Her classic ‘Salvation’ – used in many a sad TV montage – was quietly awe-inspiring. As Gabrielle said, that song in particular being played in a cathedral was really something special. We were also treated to some of her new EP, Avalon. These tracks have their own sound, fusing her signature gentle melodies with electronic and dance in-

fluences. ‘Say Nothing’ was striking, and the echo effects within the song worked perfectly within the space of the cathedral. Aplin’s penultimate performance was a gorgeous acoustic version of the originally heavily-produced ‘Stay’. It was spellbinding and would have been a great finale. However, she seemed to feel obliged to end on her big hit, ‘Home’. It was fine, but I would have rather the evening had come to a close with ‘Stay’ or another lesser-known gem. This gig could not have been more different to the last time I saw Gabrielle. Tonight, she was confident and comfortable and held the audience in the palm of her hand. It is interesting to watch her venture into new styles of music and I hope she continues to grow and shine.

7/10

Editor Hannah Brierley reLive Review: The Hoosiers Music views the 10th Anniversary Tour Wednesaday 25th October, Manchester Academy 3 When I think of The Hoosiers, my mind casts back to a simpler time. Upon listening to The Trick to Life for the very first time in my friend’s bedroom, the first album she had ever bought and from then on we put the album on our iPod mini’s and slowly burned away at our brains by listening to it non-stop on repeat. 10 very short years later, and they announce their albums anniversary tour. The band walks out onto the stage, looking like they’d taken inspiration from the Wiggles. One dressed completely headto-toe in red, green, blue and yellow. But honestly, I’m not too sure what I expected otherwise from them. The indie-pop band started the night with colossal, and ultimate shout-the-words-inyour-car song, ‘Worried About Ray’. The audience who had such a broad range of ages in the crowd all sung along, similar to me

with the fact that the words were all burned into their minds too. The band promptly jumped back into playing the second track of their album ‘Worst Case Scenario’. Infectious pop melodies reverberated through the room, leaving no choice except to dance along. The tempo was quickly contrasted and slowed to ‘Run Rabbit Run’ a slightly hypnotic and strange sounding tune upon finishing. The Hoosiers started talking about how even though this was their birthday, they wanted to give us the present instead. The present being playing The Trick to Life from start to finish. The drummer also interjected and asked how many people had been to see them before and whether they were telling the truth or not, an overwhelming amount of people had said they had. To read the rest of this review, head to mancunion.com/music

Live Review: Metallica Saturday 28th October, Manchester Arena There’s only one place in Manchester that could host Metallica and do it justice for all. And that is the Arena. Because Metallica don’t offer gigs, they offer battlegrounds. Violent performances for thirsty crowds, with only one rule: leave no witness disappointed. The 36-year-old metal pioneers bring a ten-album career, including fresh cuts from last year’s Hardwired…to Self-Destruct, to the North of England for one of only a handful of UK dates. A combination of the band’s exclusivity and legacy means the 21,000 capacity venue is packed with the most die-hard of fans. For many it is their first time, for many others, it’s another ‘best night ever’ courtesy of their all-time favourite ever artist. In traditional Metallica uniform – black t-shirt, white skin, a look of impenetrable adoration – the hoards swarm around a stage centred in the room like some hellish plinth. The band finally take to it as the iconic final shoot-out scene from ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ fittingly plays, and the Arena is transformed into a war zone. Opening track ‘Hard Wired’ sets the lethal tone for the rest of the night, with Kirk Hammett unleashing an abattoir of solos and James Hetfield’s drill sergeant bark having lost none of its ferocity with age. The four horsemen-turned-musicians play glaring out across the globe in different directions, backs to each other and balls to the crowd as they follow up with ‘Atlas, Rise!’. Overhead, there’s chaos. Spotlights incarcerate the band, flashing through the colour spectrum as if some spaceship battle scene from the ‘70s were going on as they blast through their classic 1983 hit ‘Seek and Destroy’. Back on stage, every member exhibits the virtuosity they have always been lauded for. Regardless of his cringey dad persona, drummer Lars Ulrich shows off enough shell-blast snare action and machine-gun rhythms to send tremors through the toe bones. On bass, the hairy man-spider Robert Trujillo gives a superb rendition of the instrumental improv track ‘(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth’ as a tribute to original bassist, the deceased Cliff Burton. But there are some sloppy moments. On ‘The Day That Never Comes’, the serrated edges are blunted when Ulrich’s bass pedal work and the opposing guitar lines fall over each other, breaking their usually strict ranks. They go all Blue Man Group at one point, introducing a full-band drumming interlude to ‘Now That We’re Dead’, but some timing errors cause it to become crossfire. Overall the stunt feels a bit contrived, but at least Metallica are trying something new after all these years.

William Baldwin Pask Music Contributor

In spite of their legend status, the band has had to deal with accusations since the ‘90s of being sell-outs, caring more about profit than music. With tickets costing well over £100, it’s hard not to sympathise with their detractors. That said, you really are getting the crème de la crème of concert spectacle. The pyrotechnics are jaw-dropping — fireworks and flamethrowers spouting through the stage floor pass inches from the band members, making Apocalypse Now look like a walk through Platt Fields Park. During ‘Moth to Flame’, a load of tiny LED drones appear to weave and loop around each other in ballet style — it’s the most remarkable thing this reviewer has ever seen at a gig. For a group with a history of perpetuating anti-oppression and anti-establishment themes in their music, Metallica — or, as the Mancs say, Meh-tally-cer — indulge the crowd in what can only be described as sheer mind control.

Photo: 20 minutos @ Wikimedia Commons

A dozen box-shaped screens surround the stage, gliding up and down like hypnotist watches. Hetfield’s voice is often drowned out as the audience scream the lyrics that have spent decades implanted in their heads and hearts. There’s a sense that these people would literally do anything for their metalling heroes. Before ‘Now That We’re Dead’, when the singer promises his fans they “can live forever, but first, you must die”, you can see the fear in the security guys’ eyes as they realise they might actually have a mass suicide on their hands.

Rewind This week in music history How can you tell if a singer’s at your door? They can’t find the key and don’t know when to come in! 6th November 1975 - The Sex Pistols made their live debut at St Martin’s School of Art in central London.

7th November 1943 - Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell was born.

8th November 1952 - The first ever UK pop chart was published by the New Musical Express, after staff asked 53 record shops to divulge their sales returns.

9th November 1966 - John Lennon met Yoko Ono for the first time when he visited her art exhibition ‘Unfinished Paintings and Objects’ at the Indica Gallery in London.

10th November 1990 - Vanilla Ice started a 16-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with To The Extreme.

11th November 1986 - Pink Floyd issued a press statement stating that they intended to continue using the name without Roger Waters and were recording their next album. 12th November 2002 - The city of Atlanta declared this day as ‘TLC Day’ to remember Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes who was killed in a car crash on 26th April 2002, aged 30. There’s a healthy balance of new and old songs in the setlist. They sandwich classic ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ between the newer ‘ManUNKind’ and ‘Halo On Fire’ and all three rage equally, Hammett firing off guitar lines with sniper accuracy. The band even take the time to give a cute nod to their current location, performing short covers of ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ and ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ as on-screen neon bees float above. The crowd, of course, lose their shit. But it’s when the hits come later that the room truly surrenders themselves to these four yank fifty-somethings. ‘Creeping Death’ opens up the floor for primordial moshing. ‘Sad But True’ sees a thousand fists smack the sticky air. The inevitable highlight is ‘One’, a song that even the most cynical Metallica-hater will concede is one of the most sublime metal compositions of all time, unable to resist headbanging along to Hetfield’s optimism: “Darkness imprisoning me / All that I see, absolute horror / I cannot live, I cannot die / Trapped in myself, body my holding cell”. The inexorable ‘Master of Puppets’ brings initial proceedings to a close, before the group return with an encore of ‘Spit Out the Bone’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’, and, finally, ‘Enter Sandman’. Although they end with their least accomplished but most commercial song, it’s hard to imagine where else in the set it could come as the exhausted crowd spend their last gasps of air belting out the chorus. The band leave an Arena full of Metallica fans with stiff necks, sore throats, and years-in-the-waiting smiles. It’s been a long war, and at last, it is over. And in the end, everybody won.

8/10

Music

Live Review: Joey Bada$$

There’s something intrinsically hip-hop about a rapper wearing a bright orange sweatshirt, cargo pants and military boots, holding a glass of white wine whilst rapping a nursery rhyme, writes Music Contributor, Kavrinda Huggings Kavrinda Huggings Music Contributor Thursday 26th October, Albert Hall Upon entrance to the archaic Manchester Albert Hall, the collective murmur of excitement coupled well with the thudding background-music — hitting like a wall of sound. From the paisley printed US-Flag draped down the front wall, it was clear the Joey Bada$$ was to bring the turmoil of his homeland to the industrial North-West of England, to the swarms of Manchester’s hip-hop subculture — donned in bucket hats, expensive brands and rapper’s-merch. US support artist Sampa the Great blared out her ‘Boom-Bap’ anthems but lacked the stage presence to captivate the audience the same way the warmup DJ was able to. ‘Bodak Yellow’ and ‘Bad and Boujee’ fuelled the growing fire for the headline act to play with. The militant Joey emerged from backstage to perform with the DJ, his deep voice effortlessly carrying over the backing track: “Rockabye, rockabye, rockabye baby/shotta boy, shotta boy, shotta go crazy!” he shouted, erupting the crowd into a frenzy. There’s something intrinsically hip-hop about a rapper wearing a bright orange ‘NYC SANITATION’ sweatshirt, cargo pants and military boots, holding a glass of white wine whilst rapping a nursery rhyme. It showed exactly what Joey Bada$$ is — hip-hop. From the political message, the high energy music to the ‘don’t give a s***’ attitude. The opening few tracks were high octane and the volatility rose, Joey gave no signs of slowing. From above, he looked messianic; the audience chanting “Joey, Joey, Joey” in between songs. It was a testament to the sincerity in his music and delivery — something lacking in mod-

ern rap. After a few scripted interactions followed a brief intermission, after which the performance hit new heights. On return, the show mellowed as he played older cuts, unfamiliar to the hypebeasts. Tracks such as ‘95 to Infinity’, ‘Paper Trail$’, and ‘No. 99’ got some of the older fans excited — it’s noteworthy that ‘old’ in this environment was 20 plus. Joey then led a brief emotional tribute to his old mentor and founder of his rap collective, Capital Steez, who took his life back in 2012. Much to my own disappointment, the setlist didn’t include ‘#LongLiveSteelo’, perhaps his most personal track — but then it wouldn’t have fit with the night’s theme. “F*** DONALD TRUMP!” Joey exclaimed before he took the show into the stratosphere. For ‘What’s My Name’, ‘Jozif Badmon’ carefully brought women forward out of concern for their safety. He called for the “biggest moshpits” you’ve ever seen. Mid-song: “Can someone do a backflip?”. Someone did. Joey took his top off in heat, sipped some wine and continued. Being in the midst of this ruckus was like being in the eye of a hurricane that Joey had total control over. The heat, the sweat, the aches — nothing mattered as he was able to urge you to fight through these pains for his music and all it stands for. Continuing the ascension, he commanded that the crowd memorise a new hook “When I pull up, pull up, pull up, pull up.”. Out came the videographer. He let down his braids and lost himself whilst steam cannons blitzed the frenzy on the floor. The final track approached, ‘Devastated’, the bonafide hit from this year’s ALL AMERIKKAN BADA$$. It opened, his entourage came onstage, his earplugs came out, and his wine was thrown everywhere.

“I used to feel so devastated/But now we on our way to greatness!”, he yelled. One step, and into the crowd he jumped. As the lights came on, it was evident that no encore was needed from the energy of the last hour or so. Despite my disposition, Joey may have revived the dying cringe of a moshpit as he put on the greatest performance I’ve witnessed in a long time. oey Bada$$ had asserted that his name is uttered in the same hushed tones as fellow rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and J. Cole. From ambience to crowd command, he had it all. The only critique to be made would be the growing social media attitude surrounding live gigs — but that’s another story.

Photo: Purple PR

Jessie Ware’s third album promises a new and exciting era for the singer, but Music Contributor, Charlie Maudsley asks is she able to deliver what she has done so easily in the past? has loyally served in past albums through ‘Stay Awake, Wait For Me,’ the album’s third track. Supported by a magnificently soothing saxophone melody, Ware asks her lover to stay the night in a passionate display of affection and desire. Finally, although in a form dissimilar from her previous albums, the singer delivers the zing that her fans have been longing for. Of course, with every album release, Jessie Ware never fails to deliver a list of quality songs that become staple records of her career. However, Glasshouse’s list of stand-out tracks seems to be damningly short in comparison to previous releases, which leaves listeners with a feeling of disappointment that overshadows the success of the album’s highlights.

Guernsey-born DJ and SoundCloud veteran, Alex Crossan, otherwise known as Mura Masa, headlined one of the biggest sets the Warehouse Project has seen all season on the 21st October. That Saturday it was the turn of Anchor Point, Mura Masa’s own label to take control of the line up and create its own unique blend of grime, trap, soul and electro beats. One masterful track followed another and throughout the night the atmosphere within Warehouse Project could only have been compared to the main stage at Glastonbury festival. The 6-hour event did contain some rather confusing names. The combination of the gentle, yet hypnotic vocals of Bonzai was to be followed by 67, a rap and hiphop group who call themselves the ‘rawest crew in UK rap.’ This is in itself questionable, and yet it didn’t feel mismatched at all. In fact, the mix of genres just hyped the crowd even further (though the introduction of 67 did make it harder for people to move or breathe). Nao, one of the artists on Crossan’s own label, withdrew from the event at the last minute due to an illness, leaving Bonzai as the most stand out performance apart from Mura Masa himself. Her mellow tunes, powerful lungs, and mesmerising movements saw her control the crowd in a way I’ve only ever seen replicated by Beyonce. Her dance and electronic tones seen in her hit song ‘I Feel Alright’ were only matched by her own dancing skills. Her energetic, enigmatic energy was such that she seemed to rally the crowd more so than the next performers, 67. She came on throughout Mura Masa’s own set also due to her influence on his tracks ‘What If I Go’ and ‘Nuggets’ and was met each time with a bigger, louder, more

rib-crushing surge from the crowd. If anything, she was the stand out performer from the evening for sure. 67 were next, with their mysteriously masked lead and their grime and hip-hop rhythms they created a stark contrast to what had come before and what would succeed them. It was during their set that I experienced the most mosh-pits, but I found that if you just held yourself tight and bounced you’d come out the other side pretty much unscathed. However, I would say these were my least favourite of the night. The transitions between each act did take about 25 minutes each time, and this caused more and more irritation throughout the crowd and the introduction of 67 wasn’t announced clearly so no one was sure that they’d actually started their set until they’d been on stage for about half an hour… This poor organisation can be said to be the only flaw of the night and can be said to be down to Mura Masa’s use of live instruments which within themselves needed more sound checking. It just did feel weird for a steel drum to be tested and then lead into the hip-hop rhythms of 67 without any other announcement or starting signal. However, they served their purpose to hype up the crowd and the 25 minutes in between the end of their set and the start of Mura Masa’s felt like an age, with the crowd rallying more and more, so much so that two girls next to me starting physically kicking and punching each other so that one could conquer and stand in front! However, this push only surged further when the clock struck 2am. Everywhere but the main room of WHP became dead as every eager fan tried to shove their way to the front. The genre of Mura Masa itself was not one which would have initially sparked ideas of mosh pits and fighting and yet the desire to get as close to him as possible kicked in and caused a surge of aggression from every per-

The new Assassin’s Creed looks great, but is it just a pretty face?

Jeremy Bijl Games Editor

6/10

fter two years in development — an unusually long time for a Ubisoft game — Assassin’s Creed made its inevitable return to our screens with Origins. It’s clear where Ubisoft Montreal have spent much of this time: the world design. And I’ll grant them this, it is a truly beautiful game. From the pastel desert-scapes of Siwa to the thrumming metropolis of Alexandria, the setting of Origins is a sight to behold. There are very few games which compel you to explore just by looking great, but this is one. Even the aggressive white isometrics of the animus have been replaced with a much more attractive and satisfying royal blue and gold colour scheme.

Scratch below the surface, however, and the way that the world has been brought to life is just a bit odd. Ubisoft seems to have attempted to emulate something resembling Grand Theft Auto V’s Los Santos in populating Origins with a number of wacky and irreverent NPCs who send you on often bizarre side quests. However, what makes Los Santos so brilliant is the fact that it is a living, breathing critique of celebrity culture, capitalism and advertising. Origins, without this contemporary contextual grounding, flounders in its humour. I heard jokes about linen, hieroglyphs and farming, puns, and some truly terrible sexual innuendos. It just didn’t really land, and often had me cringing. Origins favourite source of wit, however, is alcohol. Yes, the populace of Egypt are drinkers, and oh how they love you to know it. After just three or four hours, I had already completed multiple side quests that involved drinking, moving drunk people, rescuing people who had passed out and generally getting into all sorts of quirky situations as a result. It’s not that there isn’t amusement to be had in this area, but in Origins, it feels desperate and attention seeking. This tone is not entirely consistent, often jarringly so. Having just saved a villager from a hyena after a drunken night out, I was immediately faced with a quest called ‘a family reunited’ which involved retrieving

the dead body of a father to return to the mass grave of his family. This scene was not helped by the terrible voice acting that perpetuates the entire game, where the incident is described with a level of wooden neutrality that makes even Mass Effect: Andromeda look masterfully done. It seems odd to talk about side quests before the main quest, but in some ways it’s fitting as you are constantly made to do side quests in order to level up (Origins features an RPG style levelling system), which means lots of grinding in order to progress through the game. I can see why Ubisoft made this decision; it encourages exploration and adds some structure to the sprawling and intimidatingly large world, but it often slows the pacing to a crawl and makes the overarching narrative feel stilted. Additionally, the perils of under-leveling are many, making it almost impossible to circumnavigate the grind. Most irritatingly, you cannot assassinate an enemy until you match their level, so sneak attacking them alerts the whole camp, whilst higher level enemies can absolutely wreck you. As a level plucky level 10 assassin, I fancied my odds against a group of level 13 vultures. My confidence was misplaced.

son in there. I’m not ashamed to say I, myself was included in this when a 6ft 4in lad tried to stand right in front of me and I not-so-politely moved myself around him. ‘Messy Love’ was the first of Mura Masa’s tunes to fill the packed room and the scream was like nothing I’ve ever heard. The chanting was such that on my leaving later that evening (early that morning) I had fully lost my hearing in one ear- a side effect that lasted a good couple of days. Mura Masa finished his set with his most famous song ‘Love$ick’ which detonated across the room and had all of us screaming at the top of our lungs and swaying out bodies like we were possessed. Mura Masa’s steel-drums, classic drums and synthesiser vibes are miles away from the auto-tuned vibes of other electronic dance music that is circulating the dance scene at the moment. Having seen him in 2016 at Glastonbury music festival, his performance at WHP can only be said to show him to have gotten even bigger and even better. New collaborations with people such as NAO, A$AP Rocky, Charlie XCX and Desiigner show Mura Masa to not only be mastering the music industry with his mix of beats and genres, but also shows his industry intelligence. The creation of his own record label Anchor Point, and some could claim his own niche, at just the age of 21 sees him to be in a strong position to take over the music scene itself. If anything, Saturday showed that Mura Masa is a force to be reckoned with- he sounds great both on the bus and on the dance floor… Just don’t go if you value your hearing!

9/10

Photo:UbisoftMontreal

Onto the main story, though. Working your way through the hierarchical pyramid of villains (the members of the spectre-esque ‘order of ancients’) that constitute the bulk of the main story is a monotonous affair and the attempt to weave the contrived structure of this into the main narrative is an often ill-fated affair that punches large gaps into the decent story that is sparsely spread in between. It’s a pity, as the central story, when stripped of all the ‘kill boss’ missions, is an admirable attempt to weave a story of love and revenge into historically inspired events based on the politics of the day. Whilst the dialogue and voice acting detracted from this somewhat, there is some value to be had here, even though it is buried deeper than my copy of Unity.

As you might imagine, combat and/or sneaking are the key methods of achieving anything in Assassin’s Creed. The combat is arguably one of the strongest aspects of the game. It takes a little getting used to, and the lock system can be a little haphazard, but it requires a good balance of patience, timing and finesse to master. The weapon variety adds to this, meaning you can take on your enemies in a number of ways.

Photo:UbisoftMontreal

You can circle your enemies before jabbing them with a pike from a safe distance, hit them with a flurry of scimitars, attack them from range with arrows, or get up close and brutal with a mace. Whilst I eventually found the strongest weapon was the best, a number of different scenarios sprung up that required me to vary up my approach, which kept things fresh - for a while, at least. The sneaking was also strong. Whilst lacking the nuance of leading competitors such as Metal Gear or The Last of Us, protagonist Beyak felt quick and assured, and it was actually pretty enjoyable to assassinate my way through a number of forts and camps. The levelling system always kept it sufficiently challenging, too, which I suppose is the (one) upside of all the grinding the game requires of you. However, the satisfying combat, like the graphics, again provides a gloss over a flawed underbelly. Assassin’s Creed: Origins is often a repetitive grind, and no matter how pretty it looks or how competent the combat is, immersion is constantly eroded by the game’s structure: a seemingly constant cycle of doing side quests to kill bosses in order to do more side quests to kill more bosses. Origins is a sports car with the engine of an Astra. On the surface, it looks great and handles well enough, but, under the hood, the ludonarrative mechanics are so dated and contrived that I’m not sure Origins lives up to its premium price tag.

Review

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Danny Jones Contributor

intratextuality more than ever, doing a good job of linking you back to The Stick of Truth at points too. On the one hand, this level of detail threatens to alienate audiences that don’t watch the show, but I think that the level of hysterics and absurdity in the humour that drives the game is so out there, I feel most players will resonate with the comedy regardless.

6/10

Live review: Anchor PointMusic Contributor, Megan Matthews reviews Warehouse Project’s latest installment, featuring Mura Masa and Bonzai WHP Saturday 21st October, Store Street

Assassin’s Creed: Origins

Photo:UbisoftMontreal

Album Review: Jessie Ware - Glasshouse fect of the first, the sultry Spanish-flavoured song offers a new dimension to the London-born girl that fans may not have experienced before. Ware also offers a Spanish-translated version of the song as a stand-alone track, aptly naming it ‘Egoísta’ as she shows off both her vocal and bilingual abilities. Nevertheless, Glasshouse leaves us feeling bitterly underwhelmed with few tracks delivering the spark that has seemed so easy for Ware to kindle in the past. Perhaps Glasshouse’s lack of flair is best captured in the album’s most recent single ‘Alone.’ Needless to say, Jessie contributes stellar vocals to the track, yet this still doesn’t save it from the flavourless production and predictable delivery, which is regrettably apparent throughout a lot of the album. Having said this, fans still have the chance to enjoy the vivacity that Jessie

Review Album

9/10

Charlie Maudsley - Music Contributor

Jessie Ware’s return to pop music has been, although long-awaited, somewhat understated. The 33-year-old singer’s third album Glasshouse is Ware’s first album since giving birth, and so naturally fans speculated as to how the songstress’ music would evolve after her journey into motherhood. Although the album contains hints of the style and flair that Ware is celebrated for, Glasshouse seems to miss the oomph of previous works in Devotion and Tough Love. Glasshouse does have its stand-out moments, most notably with the lead single ‘Midnight’ which packs that well-needed punch with powerful vocals to kick-start the beginning of a seemingly spectacular return for the singer. Although the album’s second single ‘Selfish Love’ doesn’t achieve the ef-

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Photo:Ubisoft

Having played the first South Park game, The Stick of Truth, sporadically over summer 2014, I had high expectations for the sequel. As an avid South Park fan, I tried to be as objective as possible, but believe me: it was no easy task, as this is truly a game built for the fans. The premise of the sequel is essentially a spoof of modern superhero movie franchises. A key difference from the off is how this game embeds itself into an already established narrative within the show; the equally inappropriately titled ‘Coon and Friends’ plot, which has been the focus for a number of episodes already. The result is that from the beginning right through to the end, this game feels like you’re featuring in your own episode — or rather series — long story-arc. Moreover, nearly everything you interact with in the world is some kind of reference to the show. These in-jokes can be found in nearly every drawer you open whilst innocently looking for loot, in the daft songs heard on the radios and the images dotted around the town, and it’s genuinely hilarious. I laughed hard at points when the intention was probably only to make you titter, but the world is so full of these Easter eggs that, if you’re a fan, you’re bound to find a wealth of humour outside of the story itself. This is not to say that the original game didn’t do this too, but this iteration just seems to relish the opportunity for

“the game feels like you’re featuring in your own episode” If there is one thing to say about this game, it is that the story itself is the main attraction. Whilst the first game hit comedic notes just as strongly, both Trey Parker and Matt Stone (the creators of both the show and the game) confessed that the video game was something they had only learned to make in the final stages of The Stick of Truth. In short, the jokes got them past the finish line. Something similar can be said for the sequel too — for me, the highlight was by far the nonsensical plot you find yourself acting out. This time, however, it didn’t feel like the mechanics were being propped up by the humour, as it was evident in the first game that there was room for improvement when it came to the heavily formulaic and repetitive combat system and limited variety in questing. To put it to you shortly: they certainly have improved. Huge strides have been taken to improve the combat; things are a lot more complex and tactical, with the RPG roots of the game being souped-up to take it beyond a simple turnbased system. There are even special abilities that only your character possesses, which al-

low for you to temporarily override an enemy’s turn — and in true South Park fashion, this is made possible by you farting. There are many aspects involved in the combat, but the most innovative feature is the playing grid that the turn-taking format is situated on. Not only does this involve advancing across the board to reach a target, but there are many other things to consider as you navigate the grid. Whether it is positioning yourself in the right proximity to carry out a range attack, or finding the perfect spot to collapse the most enemies possible with a multi-targeted move; avoiding certain squares on the grid to dodge telegraphed attacks, or simply figuring out that the objective is not always to attack the opponent at all; the combat system offers a lot of depth and serious thought. One of the best examples came in a not-so-orthodox boss fight with ‘Towelie’, and I’ll say nothing more than it was one of the funniest and simultaneously challenging moments of the game. The boss fights are certainly the stars of the show, as they simultaneously put the comedy and best parts of gameplay on show. Despite praise for the combat as a central aspect of the game — and believe me, there is a lot of combat! — there are issues with repetitiveness carried over from the first game. Although these fight sequences are leaps ahead of what they once were, there are still problems with limited numbers of moves (4 if you include your accrued special ability) and the same goes for most enemies. The game does encourage you to combat this however, with a more advanced class system. Not only are there several archetypes to choose from, but as the game progresses you can acquire more than one as Cartman begrudgingly grants them to you, due to your “puppy dog eyes” and out of sympathy in the telling your

A love letter to South Park fans that doesn’t disappoint.

7.5/10

ever-evolving, yet comically never really changing superhero backstory. Repetition hinders a good portion of the game in truth, giving you a feeling of RPG grind with very few rewards that truly alter the game. The running joke made out of your insane power to fart is one the main culprits for this, as you acquire new fart-related powers that help you overcome obstacles or solve puzzles. After a while these puzzles become very tiresome and mainly evolve to the point of using them all at once, merely having to figure out in which order.

“there are issues with repetetiveness carried over from the first game” Another issue I found personally was that the mini-game aspects that take up a good portion of your time. It’s not that they are particularly difficult (aside from the one involving toilets, trust me; hand cramp is a genuine concern), but more so that their frequency when interacting with the environment is a bit excessive. Regardless, these issues are not so problematic that it takes away from the game as a whole; it is a genuinely memorable game — if not simply because of how ridiculously funny it is. With multiplayer existing almost as a must-have in many games these days, it’s good to see a game still delivering on a detailed single-player experience, and one that is so different to anything else you’ll find right now. With enough run-time and replay value, it certainly warrants the purchase.

Fashion & Beauty

ISSUE 7 / 6th NOVEMBER 2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

‘Garms for Grafting’ - an afternoon with Topman and Chris Hughes

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Gucci Goes Fur Free

Esmee Samsworth weighs in on Gucci’s recent announcement that they will no longer be using fur in their clothes

Deputy Fashion and Beauty Editor Amy Nguyen talks all things Topman, Love Island and fashion with Chris Hughes The nation’s favourite Love Islander and Topman Brand Ambassador has released a shoppable capsule collection of TOPMAN AW17 essential pieces to ref lect Chris’ own personal style. His ‘Garms for Grafting’ comprises of handpicked items ideal for “grafting in the club, bantering with the lads, or staying in with your son who may or may not be an inanimate toy doll.” The range features those infamous skinny jeans, a snug shearling aviator coat, caps and hats, and much more, – all at a very affordable high street price. We caught up with Chris and quizzed him on some of our

in fact to the point I couldn’t move in them, they had little to no sleeves, it was just too much and not the right look. If you had to pick a fashion icon, living or dead, who would it be and why? People ask me this question a lot and I’m never 100 per cent certain on who to pick. I think if men can pull off a suit, they can look good in anything, take Daniel Craig and David Beckham for example. I’m a firm believer, if you’re smart and well groomed, the clothes will follow. If you could pick one item of clothing to take to a desert (love) island, what would it be and why? It would have to be a pair of boxers or my undies. I need that support to hold it all up! I feel very uncomfortable when I don’t have anything on and it’s all free f lowing, do you know what I mean!

“Treat a girl how she should be treated, take her out, spoil her. ” Following on from this, which item of clothing did you wear most in the love island house? The white jeans. These have actually sold out in Topman now. It was the first time they were left in stores and collection during the Autumn/Winter season as they usually take them out by this stage of the year! Absolutely the white jeans went off and are great with a tan, which is harder to maintain now in the UK. (We feel you Chris)

Photo Credit: Amy Nguyen

burning questions. Tell us more about your Garms for Grafting Edit with Topman. This capsule edit is really about focusing on clothing you’re comfortable in. Whether it’s for occasions or being out and about on weekends, its pieces that are really wearable. Obviously, it’s about taking things, like I’ve done with this collection, and making it your own to create your own personal style or using the Topman complimentary services to find what suits you.

Obviously grooming is as equally as important as the right wardrobe choices, do you have a grooming routine that you stick to or do you steal Olivia’s products? Absolutely. Every four days I give my beard a little trim on level four, run it over and keep it tidy. I have my haircut once a week, it just makes me feel better and fresher. On top of the standard washing routine, sometimes apply bit of make up when necessary. I like using the matte stuff you put on before makeup. (That’s primer Chris!) As the father and baby daddy of Cash Hughes, do you have any preference in how you style him? It’s funny you should say that as I’ve got a new outfit waiting

for him when I get home this weekend. A new hat and a matching bib for the boy. He sits on the sofa watching TV with us every night.

“ I think if men can pull off

a suit, they can look good in anything ” Your L’Eau de Chris ‘Don’t bottle it up’ campaign to promote mental health awareness and anxiety is such an admirable collaboration with mental health charity CALM and will resonate with lots of our readers. What would you say to those suffering with anxiety issues and bottling up their emotions? You’ve got to remain strong and know that you can and will get through it. Be brave enough to speak to your loved ones, friends and family and don’t bottle it up. It’s important to know there’s always someone at the end of the phone that want to help you overcome your current state which is why charities like CALM are so great as you never have to go it alone. And finally, you’ve obviously found love so do you have any parting words of wisdom and pieces of advice to our University of Manchester student readers looking for short flings and the real thing? **Que that infamous cheeky grin** Well, if you’re looking for a short f ling, you can go about it in just any way you want, if you bed someone you’ve done alright. But if you’re looking for long term, treat a girl how she should be treated, take her out, spoil her and don’t go all in too quickly f lying off the handle and frightening them. Be chilled, and if it’s meant to be it’s meant to be. It is clear from our time with Chris that his ‘Hashtag Looks, Hashtag Game, Hashtag personality, Hashtag everything’ statement made during the hit TV show this summer is most certainly true, and he wasn’t just bantering. We can’t wait to hear his platinum rap album with lyricist genius and partner in crime Kem and see what he has in store next You can shop the ‘Garms for Grafting’ edit and enjoy the stores personal shopping service at Topman, intu Trafford Centre, Manchester, M17 8AA.

What’s your favourite piece from the edit? I would have to say currently my favourite pieces are the jackets, especially as we are going into Autumn. I’m a huge fan of bomber jackets, and the Topman Dark Green Puffer Jacket (RRP£65) is perfect to chuck on with jeans and is proper snuggly. What’s your favourite kind of style on a guy? (You’re not allowed to say Kem) I’m a big fan of long line tee’s, they are my go to item. Topman have even designed a long line T called the ‘Chris’ which is coming out later this Autumn which is pretty perfect. Pop those on with my signature skinnies and we’re good to go.

“There is absolutely nothing better than class on a girl.” What’s your favourite kind of style on a girl? There is absolutely nothing better than class on a girl. Classy clothing, with long knee high boots and jeans really do it for me. Olivia seems to pull it off extremely well. What is your biggest fashion faux pas to date? Unfortunately, there was a phase in my life where I used to wear T-shirts that were ridiculously, shockingly tight. So tight

Photo Credit: Amy Nguyen

Photo Credit: gucci@instagram

At the Kering Talk at the London College of Fashion Marco Bizzarri, the CEO and president of Gucci announced that as of 2018, the Italian fashion house will go fur-free, banning the use of coyote, mink, fox, racoon, rabbit, and other species bred or caught for the purpose of fur. Not only that, but they will auction off their remaining stocks and items of fur, the proceeds of which will be donated to animal rights organisations, LAV, and Humane Society International. It should be noted that Gucci is not the first major fashion house to go fur-free however, in 1994 Calvin Klein banned fur after talking with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Other brands including Armani, Stella McCartney, and Ralph Lauren have all forbidden the use of fur in their products. Hopefully, then, Bizzarri’s decision will please animal rights activists who have been protesting the use of fur for fashion and the practise of fur farms for years. Indeed, in September this year activists drenched in fake blood demonstrated at several shows at London Fashion Week including Burberry and Versus Versace. Animal Rights Activists also launched a three-day demonstration outside of the British Fashion Council’s residence signalling a far more organised resistance against the use of fur in fashion. In a speech at the Humane Society of the United States, Bizarre said, “Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values… we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals.” Also adding that he hoped that this would inspire other leading luxury brands to do the same.

However, Bizzarri’s reasons for ceasing using fur are not entirely ethically motivated. In a conversation with Business of Fashion (BOF) before his Kering Talk, Bizzarri commented that the use of fur in fashion is simply “a little bit out-dated” and no longer innovative or modern. Instead, Bizzarri and his creative director, Alessandro Michele, have decided to investigate faux-fur, wool, and cutting-edge new fabric innovations further; “The alternatives are luxurious.” Gucci is a luxury brand, and you can be assured that this decision was one that was made carefully and with consideration. If Bizzarri and Michele believe as they have stated that they do, that “there is no need”, then you can be pretty certain that there isn’t. Bizzarri emphasised that this was the decision was made possible by Michele, who joined Gucci in 2015, stating, “I wanted to find someone who shared a belief in the importance of the same values.” This coming together of ideas and vision is be welcomed — Gucci is one of the most recognisable brands in luxury fashion and it is important that the people in charge of it share the same ideals and hopes for the future as their customers. Millennials make up over 50 per cent of Gucci’s sales, and as research has shown, they are more ethically and environmentally conscious than previous generations. By going fur-free, Gucci is adapting to the changing desires of its consumer base and showing its creative and innovative drive. As Bizzarri pointed out, “creativity can jump in many different directions instead of using furs” and Gucci is one of the most well-known fashion houses in the world. Hopefully, they’ll be able to lead the way for other fashion houses to do the same.

Weinstein’s last pillar

Following allegations of sexual assault by countless actresses in the film industry, the future looks bleak for Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Maddie Rodbert discusses the repercussions this will have for the fashion industry Unless you have been living under a rather large rock, you will recognise the name Harvey Weinstein that has dominated media reports in recent weeks. Weinstein is a big shot Hollywood film producer (Lord of the Rings, The King’s Speech, Pulp Fiction) who has recently come under fire for a long list of sexual assault claims from multiple women in various areas of the media. Weinstein’s success rests on quite a few pillars, in particular using the fashion industry to support him as well as launch his soon-to-beex wife’s brand, Marchesa. Whilst the red carpet is frequently dominated by Marchesa outfits, Weinstein has also produced shows like Project Runway and has worked closely with Anna Wintour on various charity projects. But after the massive backlash against him, how has the fashion industry responded? And what will happen to the brand he helped create? As of now, the answer seems pretty clear. Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor in chief and director of publisher Condé Nast, made an official statement to Style only a week after the news broke in the New York Times: “Behaviour like this is appalling and unacceptable. I feel horrible about what these women have experienced and admire their bravery in coming forward…we all have a part to play in creating safe environments where everybody can be free to work without fear.” Top fashion designer Tom Ford has also stood against Weinstein, despite the fact that it was Weinstein who produced Ford’s biographical film: “What Harvey has done is shocking, indefensible and disturbing on many levels.” Models Cara Delevigne and Heidi Klum have both claimed they have been abused by him on various occasions, as well as Italian model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez who was the first to come forward with evidence against the producer.

However, the fashion industry has not been a united front. In a televised interview with the Daily Mail, Donna Karan claimed it is “how women are dressing” and “what they’re asking” by presenting themselves in a certain way that is the source of the problem. This statement drew a huge amount of backlash, to which she has responded that the quotes were taken out of context and hopes no one believes she thinks sexual harassment is excusable in any context, however it is still the source of much controversy. However, the question remains: what will happen to Marchesa without his backing? Georgina Chapman is the co-founder of the brand, which produces high-end dresses and outfits to celebrities, particularly for high-status events. Soon after the brand first launched over a decade ago, the New York Times published an article noting that Marchesa had “a short walk to the red carpet” in 2005, which was around the time Weinstein and Chapman began to date. Gossip claims that Weinstein showed his support for the brand by coercing the celebrities he worked with to wear the brand at events, which has since been proven true by those who wore the designs. It doesn’t seem surprising, considering many of the actresses that wore the brand have also made claims against Weinstein, including the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Gwyneth Paltrow. Despite Chapman announcing her split from Weinstein, the likelihood is people will not want to associate with the brand at all because of the connotations that come with it. The jewellery brand Helzberg has already backed out of a brand deal, while an anonymous retailer has predicted many stores will stop stocking Marchesa. Weinstein’s success was key to bridging the gap between the pillars of fashion and film, so it is unclear how well the brand will do now since the fall of his last pillar in the fashion industry.

Photo Credit: thomashawk@flickr

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Film

Review

Feature

In appreciation of a magazine and an art form

“We live in a box of space and time. Movies are windows in its walls. They allow us to enter other minds, not simply in the sense of identifying with the characters, although that is an important part of it, but by seeing the world as another person sees it.” — Roger E bert Since 1896 with the Lumière Brothers’ Arrival of a Train, films have been at the forefront of culture. An art form that transports us from our own lives, so we can see things from another’s perspective. In any artistic domain, be it painting, or sculpting, or filmmaking, the greatest artists take risks. They dare to do what no one else thought possible. The possibilities limited only by the imagination. Film criticism has been bred from this, and has become art form in its own right. The role of the critic is to inform the uninformed, to paint a picture specifically tailored for their readers. Some critics, such as André Bazin and Roger E bert, wrote with such f lair and eloquence of prose that often they created something greater than that which they were commentating on. Most great critics reside in newspapers, but are marooned in their publication, surrounded by those whose interest lays elsewhere. Film magazines developed and become a hotbed for aspiring critics wanting to rub shoulders with the best, to glean what they could to progress. In recent years though the love for cinema seems to have all but died from those

Review

Jigsaw

To be a critic: David Jenkins James Gill Film Critic

Film 19

ISSUE 6 / 23rd October 2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Jigsaw Monica Brich @ KSDB FM

magazines, with each page attempting to advertise rather than enlighten. Few remain that hold such passion from cover to cover, Bazin’s Cahiers du Cinéma and Little White Lies stand out as the most distinguished. The latter, founded in 2005, takes the cinematic ideology one step further. Rather than simply each piece being a work of art, the entire magazine is an accumulation of reviews, interviews and illustrations. I recently spoke to the editor, David Jenkins, about his process as a critic and his involvement with the magazine. “ The biggest thing we learned, to give a magazine some sense of cohesion, is to create a colour palate and style sheet before you do anything, and make sure you ask all contributors to abide strictly by those rules.” By doing this each edition is a vision shared, different pieces seamlessly blend with each other, contrasted with the disjointed and confused layout of alternatives. 71 issues in the process, as with writing criticism, is a matter of refining. “My technique for critiquing has evolved over the years to become more intuitive. As with anything creative, it’s a case of repeating a formula until you’re so familiar — maybe even bored — with that formula, that you feel naturally impelled to switch it up and do your own thing. I wouldn’t say I was much of an aesthete. And to be honest, I very rarely talk about acting and performance. “I don’t really know what ‘a good performance’ is, as for me, everything is relative to the film. I guess, in its simplest form, I’m trying to ask what the film is

Jamie McEvoy Deputy Film Editor

Photo: HOME Mcr

trying to accomplish, or trying to say — its purpose — and then attempting to deduce how successful it is on those terms. How clear or how unique is it as a piece of pure expression.” Each edition holds one film as its focus, Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name is the latest, with the underpinning themes and tonality affecting the layout and style completely. Every page from front to back contains discussion about the best, and sometimes worst, the world of film has to offer. Although, the reviewer isn’t always right, and they occasionally hate a future classic. Roger E bert detested Lynch’s Blue Velvet, and David Jenkins loathed Tarantino’s Death Proof. “When I saw Death Proof by Quentin Tarantino in Cannes in 2007, I loathed it with an almost freakish intensity. I would rant at people about it (dark days). In the magazine, we even ran two reviews — one pro and one con, mine. Then, ahead of Django: Unchained, I decided to rewatch the entire Tarantino canon as deep research, and discovered that Death Proof

was, in fact, his best and most radical film. I ended up writing an appreciation of it for Little White Lies, in which I acknowledged my U-turn. But this is a rare occurrence, as if you’ve seen a film that you hate, the impulse to want to return to it is often weak.” The intention, regardless of opinion, is to explore film in an unconventional way, giving the reader a pleasure they can’t find anywhere else. While major releases naturally get minor screen time the priority is, and always has, and always will be, for the unorthodox and the independent. There is nothing novel in reiterating the same rhetoric as a hundred more, but shining a light on the otherwise tenebrous is a righteous cause. Little White Lies is to film as the charming owner of a warm, independent bookshop is to books, a soothing calm in a world so chaotic. It strays away from the scandals, the revelations, the rumours and the lies, both little and white, to connect, to transport, and to share that mutual, unceasing love for movies.

After 2004’s Saw — a commendably inventive and gripping horror/thriller directed by James Wan — six sequels were released in as many years. The scenario of a group of sinners forced to repent to avoid gruesome deaths was rehashed time and time again, leaving the concept completely exhausted. 2010’s Saw: The Final Chapter brought 3D into the fray in an attempt to introduce some fresh allure into the franchise. Yet, despite James Cameron’s insistence that three dimensional film is the future of cinema, it surprised very few when for the sixth time the sequel failed to live up to its original predecessor. There was a glimmer of hope when Jigsaw was announced. Seven years had passed since the last movie in the series, and although admittedly having very low expectations, I could not help but think that Lionsgate would have spent this intermission to find the right directorial and writing team to try and evoke the same success which the original Saw oozed with. Sadly, this was not the case. The plot remains a carbon copy of its preceding films — several strangers wake up to find themselves trapped in some kind of twisted game. In order to survive the sadistic trials they have been thrust into, the victims must pay some form of sacrifice — usually a loss of a limb or killing a fellow hostage — and confess their crimes. The host of their grisly contest is hosted by John Kramer, AKA the Jigsaw Killer — a figure who has been presumed dead for ten years. After corpses are found with his signature — a jigsaw puzzle piece — detectives Halloran and Keith Hunt begin to fear that the psychopath has returned from the grave, and a race against time ensues for the pair to

The eighth instalment in the Saw series throws audiences into an agonising game of boredom and predictability track down Kramer before he strikes again. James Wan’s 2004 film held its cards very close to its chest. Saw’s shocking finale presented a surprising and satisfying twist, whilst the characters were sympathetic and developed despite the lack of exposition. On the other end of the spectrum, Jigsaw’s plot is unbelievably predictable and its characters are increasingly dislikeable, not aided by hammy acting throughout from its cast. The void left by Danny Glover’s protagonist is still looming large 13 years down the line, with Callum Keith Rennie and Matt Passmore failing to provide worthy foils of Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw. The one admirable trait which the Spierig Brothers’ sequel possesses is its evident desire to respect and pay homage to the original. However, much akin to Ridley Scott’s gargantuan disappointment Alien: Covenant earlier this year, throughout the film ‘homage’ slips into blatant recycling — the ending especially. The mischievously sinister ‘Hello Zepp’ track which has become the theme of the franchise returns once again, but has somewhat lost its potency since the ending of James Wan’s opening act of the series. Fans of the series won’t be too disappointed, with just enough throw-back material to induce fond nostalgia in certain scenes, yet there is nothing compelling enough or new to entertain casual Saw or horror aficionados. Even the gory and gruesome deaths have been toned down to some extent, yet the film’s blood-spattered climax will satisfy audiences expecting the morbidly macabre. Jigsaw shows good intent, but woeful execution. Saw is most definitely a game we no longer want to play. 1/5

Review Review

Thor - Ragnarok Tom Hunter Film Critic There’s a certain safety in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When you buy your ticket, you know you’ll be rewarded with top-notch special effects, thrilling action sequences, and, more often than not, characters that you’ve grown to love over the last decade or so (don’t worry Ant-Man, I liked you). It’s consistent to say the least but this can often be a double-edged sword: if you don’t like the formula, there’s rarely anything new to tempt you back into the project. It’s not boring by any means, but there is method in the mundanity. This decade-long endeavour reaches its climax next year with Infinity War — Part One so why on earth would anyone do anything to rock this, the sturdiest of boats? Ask director Taika Waititi because that’s exactly what he’s done. People often refer back to 2008’s Iron Man when questioning the quality of any new Marvel instalment. It’s focused, funny, and widely regarded as setting the highest of bars to which all future superhero movies should reach for. It’s a great pleasure to announce that, nine years later, Thor: Ragnarok has finally surpassed it. Visually stunning? Check. Brilliant new characters? Check. Funny as f***? Check. What more could you want? Cast your minds back to a pre-Guardians of the Galaxy world. It’s 2013 and Thor: The Dark World has come out. It’s bleak, predictable and entirely forgettable. Ragnarok, for all the doom it promises,

Director Taika Waititi’s foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe gives the Asgardian God of Thunder a new lease of life

couldn’t be more different. Having Waititi direct might have something to do with that, though the success of Guardians and it’s childish glee can’t be overlooked. The aforementioned new characters are an absolute triumph. Jeff G old blum’s Grand Master is delightfully colourful and camp, while Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie brings some lovable alcoholism to the table. However, Waititi obviously wasn’t content with letting his cast have all the fun (he is an actor too, after all), and so we have Korg. Made of (perishable) rocks, with a knife-wielding insect sidekick and a

Photo: Jorge Figueroa @ Flickr

Kiwi accent to boot, Waititi claims all the best lines for himself and nails every single one. Even the comedy itself feels new. It’s absurd, it’s vulgar, it’s effortless and would normally be out of place in a blockbuster action feature, yet with Ragnarok it feels right at home. It’s such a rare sight to see action and comedy have such a perfect romance on screen where neither seems to neglect or outshine the other, preferring to complement each other in a glorious symbiotic relationship. Frankly, you’ll wish the film was longer.

But, with every Marvel film there’s a weak link, and so often that link comes with the antagonist. Cate Blanchett is Hela, G oddess of Death. She’s fine. She serves her purpose of giving the film a plot, but once again her grievances and motivations give nothing complex or interesting to get your teeth stuck in to, nor do they ask any particularly stirring questions for our heroes to grapple with. Business as usual. It’s a shame though, as Chris Hemsworth gives Thor a well-deserved breath of new life. The tried and tested pomposity of the previous films is replaced by a charming, cocky, buffoonery that’s infectious. Couple this with the return of Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk and the second act becomes a wonderfully silly buddy comedy. If only they had an equally entertaining adversary. The comedy can come with a cost. The tone of weightier scenes can be snuffed out with a sudden one-liner, and key deaths don’t ever feel quite as heavy as they should. With the imminent threat of Asgard’s destruction ever-looming, would it kill them to look solemn once in a while? But all in all, these are small grievances for a film that’s dared to be different and, well, deranged. This could easily have been another set-up stepping stone towards Infinity War but by defying this it’s cemented itself as one of the Marvel greats. You’ll be watching this for years to come. Though you might leave asking whether Doctor Strange really needed to appear? Food for Thort. (Sorry).

4.5/5

Breathe

Photo: HOME Mcr

Andy Serkis’ debut film is a charming and uplifting real life tale Lucas Hill-Paul Film Critic Andy Serkis is renowned for his acting in films such as The Lord of the Rings and King Kong, but he takes a step back with Breathe. His first directorial effort, it is starkly contrasted with the performance capture-heavy films he has previously been involved with. Regardless, this is a very impressive debut and shows Serkis has plenty more to offer. Serkis delves into polio for second time after his role as Ian Dury in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. Now behind the camera, he tells the incredible true story of the man who sparked a change in the way the disabled were treated, from prisoners to the free. Andrew Garfield plays that man, Robin, an ever-jolly 28 year old who seemingly has it all; a beautiful wife in Diana (Claire Foy), a child on the way, a

Photo: HOME Mcr

great job in the thriving African tea business and a large social circle. His life is turned upside down when, whilst working in Kenya, he contracts polio, a disease all but wiped out in the Western World two years prior with the widespread use of Jonas Salk’s remarkable vaccine. Polio, for those unaware, paralyses the body from the neck down, with sufferers unable to breathe without apparatus. Garfield channels an entire body’s acting through just his head in a marvellous portrayal with Robin’s real life wife noting that he “even had the twinkle in his eye.” The first act takes us on a breakneck journey, introducing us to Robin and every character and event that will influence the remaining running time of the film. This furious pace inhibits the emotional connection with Robin’s suffering, the scenes showing his depression and wishing for

Call Me By Your Name Armie Hammer stars in a beautiful adaptation of André Aciman’s novel which celebrates and meditates on homosexuality Lucas Hill-Paul Film Critic Noah Baumbach’s latest picture, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), differentiates itself from most of the past year’s films, in the best way possible. Each of the Meyerowitz kids are introduced by vignettes, giving us the feeling of an assemblage of short stories that are connected, especially with the bracketed “New and Selected”. It is the story of a dysfunctional Jewish family in New York, portrayed by a refreshingly talented cast including the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson and Elizabeth Marvel to name a few. The script is full of quickfire Jewish New-Yorker wit reminiscent of Woody Allen classics such as Annie Hall or Crimes & Misdemeanours, as are the apartments we see, full of books and art. The Stories emanate from the “only artist in the family”, Harold Meyerowitz, as he puts it himself. His three children, Danny, Jean and Matt, all have very different relationships with each other and especially their father. Constantly working on his sculpture and aspiring for appropriate recognition led to the displacement of time and care that should have been spent on his kids. As a result, they all share a bizarre mixture of respect and hatred towards him — but equally have become extremely self-critical of themselves. Danny — played Adam Sandler in an uncharacteristic role — is the eldest, and it’s by focussing on his sense of failure in the Meyerowitz clan that we begin. We’re introduced to him and his daughter as he tries to find a parking space in the East Village, a notoriously stressful experience. Through a lot of commotion and a song on the radio, the pair radiate a comfortable, sarcastically-fuelled relationship. Upon arrival, we meet the others and get a taste of what’s to come. It is a relief to discover Dustin Hoffman’s performance is not embarrassing or forgettable like Meet the Fockers (2004). Something that built Harold’s character in the film was his repeating of the same anecdote to each of his children, each time differently, each death initially after he receives the disease should tug at the heartstrings but if it wasn’t for Garfield’s performance, it would have fallen entirely flat. Thankfully the pace slows to a cantor from here on in. Diana, refusing to let her husband die locked away from the world, decides to break him out, much to the fury of the doctor who shouts “he’ll be dead in two weeks!” With the effort of a merry band of friends Robin moves to an idyllic country house where he can enjoy the peace of the country, except for the ever-present wheeze of his respirator. All the while the risk of suffocating is mere minutes away, shown when their yappy dog knocks the plug from the socket. Robin tries to shout for help but without air in his lungs nothing comes out. He can hear Diana in the next room with their son saying playfully ‘Where’s Daddy?’ while he suffocates unbeknownst to her. When she finally enters the room and sees, horrified, an unconscious Robin, she plugs the ventilator back in and after a nervous few seconds he springs back to life. Garfield is sublime in this scene, the increasing desperation in his eyes with every moment that passes is haunting. Now settled in the country, Robin decides he wants to travel freely, not tied to an extension cord,

time searching for a specific reaction, and each time failing to get the reaction he wanted. He has expectations of how people should treat him and when those expectations are not met, Hoffman knows how to conjure up just the right amount of self-entitlement and passive-aggressiveness. One of the best scenes of the movie occurs at the MoMA, where Harold’s friend L.J. has a new art collection on display. Arriving with Danny, apparently the only two in tuxedos, they are declined entry to the private showing as they are “not on the list” – Harold’s embarrassment starts here. Thankfully L.J. happens to walk by, greats them with a warm embrace and begins introducing him to New York’s social elite. It is clear that Harold can’t help but wonder why his friend and equal has his art exposed in prestigious galleries, but his own art has only gained a small degree of success, most of it still in the garage at home. The night goes on, Harold keeps getting ignored or cut off, and soon he must leave. The script is fluid in its reflection of authentic human behaviour. An example of this is the day Matt — brilliantly played by Ben Stiller — and his father, go to lunch. The dialogue goes back and forth without stopping for breath which the camera mirrors with a singular tracking shot. Matt wants to sell his father’s house and art, his life’s work. Both get increasingly flustered and amidst all the distractions never actually order any food. Elizabeth Marvel as Jean gives one of the most vibrant and unusual performances of the film, playing her awkward, deadpan but sensitive character to perfection. Her talent and role left me wanting a longer segment devoted to her, but the way it is is fitting to her part, as Jean is more of a wallflower, content with being on the sidelines. The Meyerowitz Stories take you on a drawnout emotional ride that is quite tiring, and it works. Baumbach hits the perfect balance of comedy and tragedy, proving his directorial and screenwriting talents. This is a film about the family you are given and the long-lasting effects of the quality of the relationships one has within that family. It’s about your life’s work, and ultimately how much we let that define our self-worth. 4/5 and here lies the point of massive historical significance. An entrepreneurial friend designs and builds what is essentially a wheel chair featuring a mobile, battery powered respiratory unit. This contraption allows Robin to live a free life; to go where he wants to go. There is a heartwarming scene where Robin, Diana, their adult son and friends travel to Spain. The respirator’s electrics become fried whilst driving down a rural country road and they have to take turns hand operating a smaller respirator while the original maker flies over to fix it. During the wait a mass of locals come and by the time he arrives there is music playing, people dancing and an all round jolly time. Not one of them was scared of Robin’s appearance, if anything they liked him more. Before the invention of the mobile wheelchair, people with disabilities were locked away in hospitals with an ‘out of sight, out of mind approach’. Polio will never allow you to live a normal life, but because of Robin Cavendish and his determined wife Diana, sufferers could live a happy one. Serkis captures the magic and charm of Robin’s extraordinary life — a life he well and truly lived. 3/5

Books

ISSUE 7/ 6th NOVEMBER2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

News

Review

An evening with Hollie McNish & Jackie Hagan Poetry double bill as rising stars Hollie McNish and Jackie Hagan perform at Manchester Literature Festival Laura Swain Books Reporter The evening of Thursday the 19th October was particularly wet and cold, but spirits were not dampened as people arrived with eager anticipation for an evening of poetry with Hollie McNish and Jackie Hagan at Manchester’s Central Library. Decorated with fairy lights, the library’s performance space provided an intimate setting for the sold-out Manchester Literature Festival event. To begin the evening, host Naomi Frisby (The Writes of Woman) informed the audience of the layout of the event, before introducing Jackie Hagan’s colourful set. The poet, playwright and comedian, instantly put the audience at ease and set the tone for the evening as she took what remained in the bottle of wine her and McNish had been given and urged the audience to pass it around and take “a swig”. This communal act had a similar effect that performance poetry does in uniting the room in a shared experience, beginning what will be a night of informality and laughter. Hagan introduced her first poem of the evening by describing her encounter with an old woman called Edna she met in hospital when having her leg amputated in 2013, who looked “like a threadbare tennis ball with eyes”. Hagan’s comical, yet meaningful advice poem, You Can’t See Through Another Man’s Eyelids, captured what she has learnt so far on her journey and touches on how her amputation caused her to gain perspective on life. Initially embarrassed about her prosthetic leg, Hagan now actively embraces it, calling it her “glorified stick” and adorning it in glitter and lights. In her chatty Liverpudlian accent, Hagan also explored ideas surrounding class and poverty, approaching the subject from what she believes is an “uncommon” view, and took her ten years of writing to write about. Her fierce use of humour teamed with passionate insight about working-class life is portrayed in her brilliant delivery of her poem: I am Not Daniel Blake, a new poem from her solo show This is Not a Safe Space which she will be performing at Manchester’s Contact Theatre later this month. The set ended with the audience in hysterics as Hagan performed “stump puppetry”, taking a marker pen and drawing eyes on her stump. For her finale, she then downed a glass of wine from her prophetic leg, winning Mancunian approval. Jackie Hagan’s set seemed like a hard act to follow, but as the host, Naomi, admitted as she introduced Hollie McNish, she cannot think of any poet better able to follow, other than Hollie. McNish’s debut collection McNish’s debut collection Nobody Told Me was the winner of the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry 2016 and its honest discussion of motherhood is perhaps why many of the audience were present. However, McNish on this evening instead read from her new collection Plum. Plum, the first of McNish’s works to be published by Picador, merges her recent writings and

Manchester named UNESCO City of Literature Manchester now part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities network

memories with poetry she wrote as a teenagerconflating the past and the present in a candid look at life and the discoveries that are made as one grows up. Like Hagan, McNish was instantly likeable, addressing the audience like a close friend with a casual “Hiya”. A poem on hand jobs fittingly called Yanking begins McNish’s set, based on growing up aged 14 and dedicated to a friend who, McNish joked, gave a hand job that resulted in a trip to hospital. Compelling honesty of personal experiences and memories from childhood to attempted adulthood, accompanied by a natural humour are what allows the works to be highly accessible. The audience is not alienated by the personal content of the poems in the collection but instead invited to relate and celebrate the ups and downs that occur as we discover ourselves and the ways of the world. The pressure to fit social norms is a theme that runs through many of the poems. McNish’s performance of Beautiful was particularly powerful and left the audience in silent contemplation. In the poem, McNish questions ”what they mean by beautiful” as her friends discuss and compare themselves to “The beauty of Victoria Beckham”, struggling to accept their own natural body, and embrace the unmaterialistic beauty that McNish believes exists in the world. McNish’s then performs Aspiration — a poem fuelled by her recognition that watching Grand Designs and witnessing people being told they were brave for paying for a barn conversion was making her feel like a “total f-ing failure”. McNish may not “write in order to be funny”, but one cannot help but laugh frequently throughout the reading of the collection. At the end of the evening, the rush to the merchandise stand indicated the effect the poets had upon the audience. The evening seemed too short with the audience left wanting to hear more from the two poets, who luckily stay to chat and sign books. There was a very short Q&A where Naomi directed a couple of questionsat Hagan and McNish. The main question that was asked was: “Is it important for you to have humour in your work?,” to which Hollie replied “I like laughing” and “I don’t write in order to be funny”, and Hagan commented on how “life is hard enough”. Another question asked was about the role and importance of social consciousness in their work to which Hagan replied that her work was “an extension of her personality” and stated “I want to change the world” whilst being sat at home and not just through poetry. The truly powerful performance poetry of Hollie McNish and Jackie Hagan is made accessible through the friendly relationship they form with the audience. Sharing their brutally honest personal views and sometimes embarrassing or uncomfortable experiences, both address social issues, whilst encouraging that life should be celebrated.

Photo: Steve Parkinson@Flickr Ayesha Hussain Books Editor Manchester has been successful in its bid to become part of UNESCO’s worldwide Creative Cities network as a UNESCO City of Literature. Our city, will join Dublin, Baghdad, Barcelona and Reykjavik, and many others in the global network of 28 cities. The bid was endorsed by the Royal Society of Literature and the English Association.

“If ever, there is a place that is the city of the future, it’s Manchester” It was successfully coordinated by many people from The University of Manchester, including Dr Jerome De Groot, Senior Lecturer in Renaissance Literature, Chair of Manchester Literature Festival; Manchester Metropolitan University, including Carol Anne Duffy DBE, Professor of Contemporary Poetry; Manchester Literature Festival, Manchester City Council, and a powerhouse of artists, writers and publishers. Manchester has a colourful and thriving literary scene, being the home to three historical libraries: The Portico, John Rylands and Chetham’s libraries.

It is home to prolific publishers Carnacet and Comma Press, and authors such as Burgess and Gaskell. The city also has an unmatched live literature scene, with numerous spoken word initiatives being pursued, book launches, author talks, and festivals such as The Manchester Literature Festival, where we extend invitations to numerous critically acclaimed authors, year upon year. The creative writing community and our two outstanding schools: The University of Manchester’s Centre for New Writing and the MMU’s Manchester Writing School have contributed immeasurably to keeping the buzz of literary creativity alive. Following the appointment of the new Manchester City of Literature status, plans to promote collaboration within the local and global literary community have been drawn up. The bid’s committee have proposed plans for a new writer’s hub and outreach initiatives to support writing. Jeanette Winterson, Professor of Creative Writing at the Centre for New Writing says: “Manchester has always transformed things… it has energy that nowhere else in the British Isles has and it brings that to its creativity…If ever there is a place that is the city of the future, it’s Manchester. This is a city that’s got heritage, it’s got the past, but also the future — why would you want to live anywhere else when you could live in this exciting present. This is the right city, at the right time (to be) a UNESCO heritage city” Manchester is a thriving hub of innovative writing and creativity, and this new status will only serve to strengthen this already, very radically rich culture.

Preview

Louder Than Words Festival 2017 Next weekend Louder than Words returns for the fifth time, to celebrate the essential relationship between Writing and Music; “celebrating words: oral, written, and published”. The festival boasts a diverse lineup with something for anyone with a love for music, with a lens drawn upon the way in which words complement it. The festival draws important music personalities to Manchester, promotes the craft of music-writing, conducts interviews and Q&As and has had audiences watching the likes of Brix Smith-Start to Steve Ignorant. This year, the weekend begins with Jah Wobble of Public Image Limited in conversation with uber-Mod, Paul ‘Smiler’ Anderson, before the party gathers in the bar to enjoy a can or two of Photo: Louder Than Words Festival Revolutions Brewing Co.’s Louder Than Words Ale!

Saturday’s highlights include Rat Scabies talking about life in The Damned, Steve Ignorant of Crass, Horace Panter (The Specials), original punk Jordan, Pete Wylie of The Mighty Wah! and Celeste Bell talking about her late mother, X-Ray Spex’ Poly Styrene. On Sunday, Paul Hanley will be talking about the The Fall, Miles Hunt of The Wonderstuff will be visiting, Mickey Bradley of the Undertones will be in conversation, and Robert Forster talking about life in 80s sensations The Go-Betweens. Across the weekend there are panels talking about everything from the club scene and the vinyl revival to black female voices in Manchester music. Louder Than Words also celebrates future voices, with a continuing focus on the role of education in

Ayesha Hussain Books Editor music and journalism, welcoming back the Slam Poetry workshop team and involving students as volunteers and panellists. The Wilko Johnson Writing Award will make a welcome return, celebrating young music writers under 25. The festival is co-curated by Jill Adam and John Robb. Time: 10-12th November 2017 Place: The Principal Hotel, Oxford Road, Manchester, M60 7HA Tickets: Tickets are available on http:// louderthanwordsfest.com/tickets/ :available as weekend passes, day passes, or event tickets, ranging from £7 for an event to £65 for a pass to the whole three-day weekend (£59 early bird)

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Food & Drink

ISSUE 7/ 6th November2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Food & Drink 23

ISSUE 6 / 23rd OCTOBER 2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Lemon and Halloumi Courgetti

At My Table: Nigella Lawson in Conversation

Contributor: Sam Pigott

Contributer: Cicely Ryder-Belson As part of the annual Manchester Literature Festival, Nigella Lawson was joined by author and close friend Jeanette Winterson for an intimate discussion musing over the acts of cooking, eating and writing. Set amidst the decadent concert hall in the Royal Northern College of Music, there was a stark contrast between the two intimately placed armchairs that took centre stage — as if we were being given a small glimpse of someone’s living room. The staging set the tone for the evening, as there was a voyeuristic indulgence in getting to eavesdrop on a conversation between two old friends — the format often slipping into anecdotal moments and memories. Though Nigella has become iconic in the food world as the ‘Domestic Goddess’, renowned author Jeanette Winterson (‘Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit’) created a seemingly unlikely pairing. However, Winterson has been a long-standing advocate for organic food and slow eating, and even opened her own deli Verde & Co in 2006. The dynamics between the two created a relaxed and informal atmosphere, one which seemed to echo the tone which Nigella creates in her books. She spoke of how her recipe books were less of a manual to be followed, and more of a collection of stories. Here you could see where Winterson came in, as she focused the talk around the narratives behind Nigella’s love of cooking and eating. Nigella was humble yet insistent that she did not count herself as a chef, perhaps not even a cook, but an eater. She emphasised that where chefs focused on rules, schedules and mastering food, as a home cook it was about exploring, sharing, and har-

Photo: Chris Bull

monising with food. Cooking taking a cathartic form. Her new book, At My Table, puts this articulation right at the centre of the recipes, each underpinned by the details and experiences which lay behind their conception. It evidences how food becomes a medium of expression, one which can be loaded with memories or emotion: “Our lives are formed by memories, and the focus of mine is

the food I’ve cooked and the people I’ve cooked for, the people who have sat at my table, as well as the other tables I’ve eaten on, from the blue formica of my childhood, to the mottled zinc that is the nexus of my life now.” It was refreshing to have a discussion of food which embraced the act of eating — even advocating the liberal use of butter and salt! For discourses around food are so often now focused around restriction, or clean eating, or going gluten free, and here we saw a shift back to the basics. Nigella herself was as delectable as ever, and just as Nigella-ery — the only adjective appropriate — as she is on television. She the masters the ultimate art of seduction in merely talking about a sticky toffee pudding. As the talk came to a close, there was something poignant about the fact that, while watching the discussion, the woman next to me carefully unwrapped a tightly tin-foiled cheese sandwich. For there is something unmistakably effective about homemade food – even be it the humble cheese sandwich. It was these human touches in food which the talk revelled in throughout the evening. Nigella’s recipes are often defined by a simplicity and accessibility, which resonated with the discussion itself. For despite lacking a structure and even a clear intent, the talk between these two was remarkably charming in its sincerity. I found I couldn’t quite articulate what they had talked about for an hour, but I left feeling nourished - and enthused about what to have for dinner. For more coverage of the Manchester Literature Festival, visit The Mancunion website.

Embrace Turmeric – the Queen of spices

Review: DosaXpress

Ingredients: Two handfuls of new potatoes One bunch of fresh lemon thyme Salt and pepper Two tbsp sunflower oil One large red onion One tbsp each of red wine vinegar and light brown sugar One large red chilli Two cloves garlic One large lemon 200ml chicken stock 500g courgetti 200g halloumi One tbsp plain flour One tbsp each of dried oregano and dried thyme One handful fresh flat leaf parsley Method: Preheat oven to 190C. Chop the new potatoes in half and add to a roasting dish with the fresh thyme and a pinch each of salt and pepper and the oil. Roast these for approximately 40 minutes or until crisp, turning every fifteen minutes.

Chop the onion and add to a pan on a gentle heat with the sugar and vinegar. Cook these on a low heat until the onions have become to caramelise, approximately 15 minutes. Add to the pan the garlic and the chilli, both finely diced, and cook for five minutes. Zest and then juice the lemon and add half of each of these to the pan, along with the chicken stock. Bring the heat to the boil and then reduce to simmer. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes, or until the chicken stock has reduced by half. After five minutes of simmering add the courgetti to the pan to begin to cook. Cut the halloumi into slices approximately 1cm thick. In a separate bowl mix together the oregano, thyme and pinch of salt and pepper with the flour. Add the halloumi to this and mix until coated. Heat a griddle pan, or if not available just a frying pan, and add a dash of oil. Fry the halloumi over a medium

heat until the coating begins to go golden brown, approximately five minutes. To finish, remove the courgetti pan from the heat and then finely chop and add the fresh parsley. Next add the cooked potatoes and the halloumi and finish with seasoning to taste, along with the remaining lemon juice and zest.

Meet Fred from First Dates and try some exciting new food concepts Editor: Anokhi Shah Between the 7th and 25th of November, some of the most innovative new food concepts are coming to Spinningfields and YOU have the chance to try them! The mission — to impress a panel of the UK’s top food and beverage investors and secure a life-changing investment. Basically the Dragons Den of the restaurant world. Each new dining concept needs DINERS to put these restaurants to the test, this is where YOU come in. Over the time period, there will be a range of restaurant ventures to choose from, from street food to fine dining. Some that sound delightful include Naked Dough — raw cookie dough, Greedy Khao — Thai vegan food, Trap Kitchen — authen-

Photo: Sam Pigott Photo: Electric Ray

Review: The Bay Horse Tavern

Review: Tibetan Kitchen, Chorlton

Contributor: Jamie Mcevoy Editor: Anokhi Shah As a nation we love food with a bit of bite. It was over 200 years ago an Indian migrant opened Britain’s first curry house, 200 years later the Curry has been ranked the nations favourite takeaway. The most popular curries come from North India — for example, the famous chicken tikka masala and butter chicken. South Indian cuisine is fairly new to the British palate. South Indian food is far lighter, healthier, and much more suitable to vegetarians and vegans. Overall it is perhaps the hottest of all Indian food. Meals are centred on rice or rice based dishes. The rice is often in the form of idli (steamed cakes from rice batter) or dosas (pancakes made from a batter of rice flour) and they are dunked in sambaar (a soup like lentil dish tempered with whole spices and chillies) or rasam (a hot-sour soup like lentil dish). A host of tasty coconut based chutneys accompany these dishes to add some bold flavours and cut the sharpness of the sambar with an edge of creaminess. Made from scratch with so much love by my mum, dosa has always been a favourite of mine. Hence when I heard a dosa restaurant existed around the corner, my reaction was both excitement combined with a preparation for disappointment. Gathering my house on a windy Monday night we set out to DosaXpress to cure the weekend blues. I couldn’t wait to introduce them to the magical world of the dosa, with endless choices of fillings I knew there would be something for everybody. Lured in by a flashing neon open sign, DosaXpress is easily spotted down the dimly lit backstreets of Withington. We were quickly seated in a takeaway-esque style restaurant and I was happy to see four out of the nine tables full on a Monday evening, hopefully a good sign. The interior certainly needs some work however I fully believed the food would compensate for DosaXpress’ lack of décor. My face after opening the sticky menu should have been captured, my smile was radiating the room… 46 types of dosa were on offer….46!!! Masala dosa, paneer dosa, ghee chilli coriander dosa, coconut dosa, cheese dosa, madras dosa, chicken dosa and even egg dosa! Despite the huge selection, I was worried some

of the combinations were slightly ambitious and opted for a traditional masala dosa (dosa filled with a potato masala) priced at only £3.99! As you can see I definitely got my money’s worth, the monstrous dosa was filled to brim with tasty potato masala and came with three tasty chutneys and sambar, it was certainly satisfying and a treat for the eyes as well as the bank balance. I don’t think it is fair to comment on the presentation when paying £3.99, it was simple and did the job. Can I say it was the best dosa I have ever had, but it is certainly tasty and worth a try for a dosa virgin. The DosaXpress menu is endless, featuring a range of Indian starters from Chaat to Samosas and if I have failed in selling the dosa, the menu also includes a whopping range of veg and non veg curries. I would say DosaXpress caters ‘for the many not the few’, it compromises high quality dosas in order to also produce chicken tikka masala and noodles. A key flaw in the restaurant. However in terms of price I really cannot complain, DosaXpress would be a perfect hangover lunch when you are watching the pennies and need a fresher, tastier alternative to spoons.

Contributor: Joe Taylor

Editor: Anokhi Shah Dare I say it, as students we often neglect our own health, focusing more on appearances than our precious internal system. We tend to be creatures of habit, quickly reaching for a painkiller or a glug of night nurse no matter our ailments. We are young, we lead a lifestyle we enjoy and embrace, but our bodies can pay for it at a later date. All I am suggesting is a slight tweak, an incorporation of the yellow chalky power into our day to day routine. Unlike joining a gym or cutting out red meat, including turmeric into your diet plays no havoc with the day-to-day. Adopting this sunny spice into your lives takes little effort and will make your insides beam with happiness. Sprinkle it on your eggs, add a teaspoon to soup, blend into a smoothie, mix with hot milk and honey, toss with roasted vegetables or make a turmeric tea. Traditionally used in curries for colour, its flavour is mild and unobtrusive so it

“Curcumin has also shown some promise in treating depression” can easily be added to a variety of meals/ drinks. Turmeric, or Haldi as known in Ayurveda (Indian herbal medicine), has been used for centuries for its bolstering of the immune sys-

tem, promotion of digestion and the circulatory system and its support of the brain and nervous system. Tumeric contains curcumin which is a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. As a natural anti-inflammatory compound, it helps the body fight foreign invaders and has a role in repairing damage. It is believed that low-level inflammation plays a major role in every chronic western disease such as heart disease and cancer. Hence anything that can help fight the inflammation is important in preventing and even treating these diseases. Anti-oxidants are beneficial because they prevent our bodies from aging and many diseases. Curcumin is a potent anti-oxidant and it also boosts the activity of the body’s own anti-oxidant enzymes, a win-win scenario. Curcumin has also shown some promise in treating depression. There is evidence that it can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. On a whole turmeric seems a pretty magical spice. However, it is important to note the amount of curcumin in turmeric can vary and a lot of the studies conducted use turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin alone. Regardless it is a welcome addition to the diet and can be bought in any health food store or you can take a trip down Curry Mile. Turmeric powder should be stored in a cool dark place for up to a year. Be careful as it can easily stain clothing. Thank me in 2040.

Located on Thomas Street in the heart of the Northern Quarter, The Bay Horse Pub has reopened under the direction of the owners of Liar’s Club, Crazy Pedro’s and NQ neighbours, Cane and Grain. Renamed The Bay Horse Tavern, despite the new ownership, it has retained the traditional charm which its predecessor possessed, whilst offering a higher quality experience for its wine and diners. Good, trendy pubs are in short supply in the Northern Quarter. Despite the vast array of bars and cafes which the area holds, traditional pubs which are student friendly are sparse. However, owners Ross Mackenzie, Jobe Ferguson and Lyndon Higginson have seemingly taken the first step towards rectifying this, with their new establishment. The Mancunion was offered the opportunity to attend a press-evening at the pub, to try out the new menu and drinks menus.

“Despite the new ownership, it has retained the traditional charm” Dimly lit and cosy, The Bay Horse Tavern boasts a perfect blend of Northern Quarter ‘edge’ and Mancunian traditional-style pub.

tic American soul food, and Cheese Wheel — pasta immersed in a large wheel of Grana Padano. All you have to do to get involved is book a table. There’s such a huge variety of options I’m sure there will be a restaurant that makes you salivate at the thought! Profits go to charity and there is a student discount applied at all the restaurants. Additionally, the restaurants have soft launch nights where food all night will be half price! Great deals to be had a chance to hang out with Fred from first dates… what could be better? Book your place on the Electric Ray Million Pound Menu website.

A great selection of lagers and ales are available bottled and on draft, whilst the wine selection is not to be sniffed at either. The food menu is perfect for both snacking and full-blown dining, with a great selection of small plates and sides ranging from £3-6, as well as a rotisserie section which is great for sharing. The duck heart served with blackberry purée is a particularly pleasant succulent surprise, and the ox’s cheek on toast is another fantastic starter. For those looking for a heartier portion, the suckling pig is delicious, and there is a fine selection of sandwiches to choose from, ranging from £6-10. The fish finger sarnie is an unlikely standout, whereas vegetarians can enjoy a delicious halloumi and avocado sandwich. Pastry-lovers will also be impressed by the assemblage of pies available, including a particularly tasty cheese and onion pie. The atmosphere and price of The Bay Horse Tavern will be very appealing to students and young professionals, whilst it still retains enough traditional-style charm to attract older pub-goers as well. Recommendations: Duck heart with blackberry purée (£5) Wild mushrooms, goats cheese, toast (£5) Fish finger & tartar sauce sandwich (£7) Rotisserie pork, toffee apple & caramelised onion sandwich (£10) Suckling pig (£12)

I have never been to Tibet, nor do I really know anything about Tibetan culture, aside from the quintessentials: Sherpas, the Dalai Lama, Free Tibet. Tibetan Kitchen in Chorlton is a small joint set-up by owners Sonny and Jane that opened its restaurant doors back in 2014, having spent nearly 8 years as a small “yak van” touring markets and festivals selling Momo, a traditional Tibetan steamed dumpling, to the hungry populace. They found that little was known about the Tibetan dish and so on they went shouting, “Momo!” and warming the insides of famished wanderers—I know because I had heard the distant call each year at End of The Road, and each year I listened for it once more. The inside of the restaurant is small, unpretentious and errs on the fast food side to dining, with a hotplate of pre-cooked curries and a couple of big rice cookers slightly further back. Everything in Tibetan Kitchen is reasonably priced, to the point where you wonder whether they actually make any money, or if it’s just an exercise in kindness—having been given “free Momo for you!” almost every time I ordered at the festival by a smiling Sonny, it really wouldn’t be out of the realms of possibility. I ordered a selection of vegetarian curries (£6.50 for three) along with white rice: Ngo Khatsa (spinach and chickpea), butternut squash and paneer, and a dahl, before adding on three vegetable Momo for good measure.

small tables and a few benches arranged so that you face other diners. We had some complimentary Chai tea while we waited, whetting our appetites before the Momo arrived with Sonny’s “addictive” chilli sauce. This was a sauce well known to me, having sought it out to warm up on cold Dorset evenings. Aside from working as a protective barrier against any pretentiousness that may be floating in the ether, the chilli sauce is partially crunchy, almost like a thick oil that is an oh so wonderful companion to the soft chewy outer flesh of a Momo, and a compliment to the flavour of either the vegetables or beef inside. Soon after we were served our curries: they were big portions served on a single white plate, very simple, very homely. The spinach and chickpea curry was cosy and full of flavour with a lovely texture due to the chickpeas adding a satisfying soft crunch. The dahl and the butternut squash curries were also tasty, and added variety to a plate that might have been slightly plain had I just got a single curry portion, and my dining companions admitted to preferring the vegetable dishes to their meat ones—a success for the fight against global warming, hurrah! We left happy and full, and with some change jangling round in our pockets. Tibetan Kitchen, I thank you.

“Everything in Tibetan Kitchen is reasonably priced to the point where you wonder if they actually make any money”

Photo: Anokhi Shah

Photo: Wikimedia Commons Photo: The Bay Horse Tavern

My dining companions ordered a similar selection, swapping the paneer dish for Phing Sha, a Tibetan Beef and Potato Stew. Although you order at the hotplate, they bring the food over to you in two sittings: Momo first, followed by the curries. We made our way a seating area consisting of just three

Photo: Joe Taylor

Arts

Review

Feature

Wise Words from the Whitworth: Paul Smith

Preview: The Return of Memory

The Whitworth welcomes renowned British designer Paul Smith for an exclusive insight into his early formative career, and now global brand

As part of HOME’s ‘A Revolution Betrayed?’ programme, The Return of Memory is a contemporary examination of the Russian Revolution’s legacy

has grown to produce an annual turnover exceeding £192 million. “Do Things That Are Right, Not That Are Easy” Ever the innovative businessman, Smith Quietly confident and surprisingly humble, removed his best selling stripe motif from all not the words most expect to describe a pillar products three years ago. This bold and risky of British design or the man behind an intermove is one he felt was necessary to ensure the nationally renowned brand whose career has brand would be known for more than just its spanned the best part of five decades — but Sir stripe motif, and would, as a result, continue to Paul Smith defies expectations. be relevant to a wide range of customers — not Specialising in an inventive use of craftsjust one generation. manship and cutting-edge design to combine The stripe isn’t gone for forever though, as tradition and modernity, the designer spoke Smith is currently in the process of reintroto a select audience about his own ventures ducing a new stripe combination, in colours in business, and discussed the ways young derived from a Frank Auerbach painting at the individuals can stand out in the fast-paced, Tate Britain. tech-centred workplace: “Find Inspiration In Everything” “Follow What Is Happening But Do When asked how he cultivates Your Own Thing” and maintains a strong brand You might know of Paul identity across a diverse Smith through his hot-pink range of products, Smith shop walls in LA — a regresponds “I don’t look at ular on Instagram which it like that. I just follow has made the store the my instincts. I want to be most photographed sure we are always doing building in California something different and — even more popular new, that we are keeping than the Hollywood ‘Paul Smith’ interesting”. sign. His eclectic inspiration Melrose Avenue has ranges from high art to the over 20,000 shops, so everyday. Matisse collages, how did Paul Smith go about Photo: Liton Ali @ Wikimedia interiors magazines, and even catching the public’s attention? Commons merely the colours of the season — By making a big statement. Smith its all the same to Smith: a starting point; says that, in business, it is essential that “I don’t want to go the obvious route”. you “make your point of difference clear”. In “The job changes you, you never change the our commercially driven world, the only way job” to beat the competition is by making yourself “Whatever the job, you can always learn unique. something”, Smith stresses. In a variety of anConsequentially, each one of his stores feaecdotes, he describes how cycling taught him tures unusual design quirks you just will not to “never give up” and to “dig deep when you’re find anywhere else, something which Smith feeling tired”, and discusses how photography feels adds to the experience – whether that be taught him not just to look, but to “see”. a wall mosaic made of 2,600 dominoes or a Smith goes on to advocate “being childlike, stained-glass window made from photographnot childish. Staying inquisitive. Being interestic slides on a lightbox. ed and interesting”, and always remembering “You Can’t Do It Without Doing It” to “follow your instinct”. Universally, most people struggle with the Smith also emphasises the importance of idea of balancing time between the work that politeness in his continued run of success. The pays the bills, and the projects they’re passionself-proclaimed ‘King of Bad Jokes’ said “Ask, ate about which simply don’t — at least initially. don’t tell” — people respond to conversation Monday to Thursday, Smith worked on jobs and dialogue. Manners cost you nothing, but as a freelance stylist for Face Magazine, a phoin the age of non-verbal communication methtographer, and as a textile designer for mills in ods, it can be the smile, the please/thank you Yorkshire — spending the weekends on his own and general respectfulness that will win you brand. the job. Smith says this period was influential in his His words, though not devoid of clichés, were brand’s development because it helped better spoke with sincerity and honesty, and we could his understanding of the industry. Over time, all do a lot worse than that to listen to Paul his weekend passion project grew in success. Smith’s advice: “effort is free of charge [and] The first ‘Paul Smith’ store opened in 1970, in nothing worthwhile happens overnight”. the 12ft by 12 ft backroom of the tailor he was working for at the time. Now that tiny start-up Pascale Chalmers-Arnold Arts Writer

Klaudia Jedyka Arts Writer Renowned for exploding garden sheds, dissecting Turner paintings, and steamrolling candlesticks: Cornelia Parker returns to the Whitworth Art Gallery, challenging perceptions through the medium of the mundane. In her 2016 installation, Verso, which runs until the 5th of November 2017, Parker explores the backs of hand sewn button cards, which make up part of the Manchester Museum’s extensive collection. As an honorary Professor at the University of Manchester, Parker has utilised this role to gain access to objects which, otherwise, would lie behind glass screens, remaining static in their existence. In 2015, Cornelia Parker opened the Whitworth Art Gallery with a major solo exhibition, containing both old work, such as the famous Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View (1991), and newly commissioned installations, such as ‘War Room’; a powerful display made up of Remembrance Day poppy cut outs. It was her opening firework show, however, a ‘meteor shower’ named ‘Blakean Abstract’, that highlighted the stretch of her influence into the archives of Manchester. Collaborating with University of Manchester scientist and Nobel Prize Winner Kostya Novoselov — whose work on graphene with Andre Geim gained global recognition — Parker coordinated the abstraction of graphite from a piece held in the Whitworth collection by William Blake, to launch a meteor display of huge proportions, channelling the omnipotence of Blake’s ‘The Ancient of Days’. Once again, Parker’s access to the Manchester Museum archives provides her with the subject of her photographs, which form ‘Verso’. Lined up with meticulous precision, one notes an intriguing juxtaposition between the loose trajectory of thread, and the militaristic order of the framing of the exhibit. It is this insightful composition which adds to the power of Parker’s message. Beyond the outward facing and identical artifice of an object — in this case, mass produced buttons — is where one finds the honest disorganisation of creation, which Parker calls ‘found drawings’. Parker claims to be fascinated with the “logic, unconscious” process of their production, which represents “an imprint… something unique to the person” who created it. Indeed, when looking closely at the individual photographs, one may find images reflective of human faces, or familiar shapes. Parker’s fascination with the backs of objects originates in her 1998 show, where Parker displayed the backs of Turner Canvases which, she noted, “looked like Rothko paintings”. The exploration of an object’s behind continued in 2016, when she exhibited her expansive hand-stitched ‘Magna Carta (An Embroidery)’ at the Whitworth Art Gallery. She displayed the piece, which had been hand crafted by 200 participants ranging from Prisoners

Photo: Klaudia Jedyka

to Baronesses, above a mirror, so to reveal the underbelly of this seemingly polished celebration of the Magna Carta’s 800th Anniversary. “Given that we spend a third of our life asleep,” Parker claims “it is fascinating to explore this unconscious” which makes up a significant aspect of the human experience. However, this form of art is often the subject of vibrant debate, posing the question as to whether reclaiming found objects can truly represent art. Surely Parker’s thoughtful re-composition of these objects does lend them new, symbolic significance, which wasn’t immediately associated with the piece before her consideration and adaptation? With the chance to speak to Parker herself, she commented that, despite the abstract appearance of the photographs, they are rather “an accurate representation of something that’s there,” that should be viewed “in the same way that one listens to a piece of music.” Her art is a route to “extending [one’s] visual vocabulary.” According to the interim Director of the Whitworth, Dr Nick Merriman, the gallery “is again showing that it has the ambition to work with internationally regarded contemporary artists” by entering this debate through exhibiting Parker’s works. While often criticised, some of the most renowned and respected artists utilised the everyday, found object to create their work. Picasso, often considered the most significant artist of the 20th Century, made use of found objects such as newspapers and matchboxes, incorporating them into his revolutionary cubist collages. In this way, Cornelia Parker’s exhibition, ‘Verso’, continues a deeply entrenched artistic tradition, used by the greats of both the past and the present. Cornelia Parker’s ‘Verso’ is on from 16 June 5 November 2017

Art Exhibition raises hundreds of pounds for MASH Eleanor Forrest Arts Writer

Photo: Eleanor Forrest

Theatre 25

ISSUE 7 / 6th NOVEMBER 2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Manchester Action on Street Health, more commonly known as MASH, held a successful exhibition in order to raise money and awareness for their cause which provides safe space for Manchester’s sex workers. Set-up in 1991 to provide sexual health consultation, in the past year MASH has supported 713 women across Manchester. The exhibition showcased the talent of these women, with many people arriving at the drop in centre specifically to support MASH. As you entered the exhibition room, you’re eyes were met with an abundance of colour. Lining the walls were pieces that included expressive poetry and intricate images that evoked themes of tumult and beauty. Amongst this was a number of impressive pieces of photography by Shari Denson, who had previously photographed the likes of Elbow. However it was her

images of Crosby Beach, Liverpool that were strikingly emotive. Whilst incorporating Anthony Gormley’s Another Place sculptures, Denson rendered what initially seemed to be a vacant and bleak landscape with emotive expressions of freedom and tranquillity. Accompanying this imagery was a poignant passage by Denson stating that “As Humans we are all quite similar, yet depending on external forces appear so different” The art on display were all available for purchase with all proceeds going to MASH. In an effort to further raise money the illusive artist that is Mancsy donated a bold and powerful piece. It depicted Emmeline Pankhurst with her quote ‘I WOULD RATHER BE A REBEL THAN A SLAVE’ arched above her in a style reminiscent of Russian artist, Alexander Rodchenko. With the contrast of red, white and black the piece communicated a proud display of invincibility and defiance. Mancsy’s donation was offered as the prize in the

exhibition’s raffle which MASH drop-in volunteer, Anna Hicks, won. She said “I’m beaming from ear to ear”. Intricate handmade jewellery and a book of honest and original poetry were also showcased, highlighting the reflective and creative power that has been able to develop due to the space provided by MASH. For many of these women art has provided an escape. Chief Executive Cate Allison and Pete Whitley, a Session Worker who focuses on picture framing and art, discussed how the concentration required to create art transports a person from where they are now to a “different space”, continuing to state how, “by holding an exhibition it gives women a real sense of who they are.” The economic situation of today has had a devastating effect on a number of sex workers including forcing the return of some women to the streets. This is an excerpt. Head to mancunion.com to read the full article.

Duckie

Will Vincent reviews Le Gateau Chocolat’s family friendly retelling of The Ugly Duckling Will Vincent Reviewer They say that children are true critics. If a show excites them, you’ll hear the giggles of glee and hushed whispers to their friends. However, if something bores them, they’ll have no apprehension in letting you know exactly what they think. Sitting in Space One at Contact Theatre, I wasn’t surprised by the large amount of young audience members. What I was surprised with, however, was how I was swept along with their genuine laughter and excitement as I was taken on a whimsical, compelling journey about acceptance. Duckie is a retelling of Han Christian Anderson’s The Ugly Duckling where we follow ‘Duckie’ exploring an animal circus to find a place to belong. Le Gateau Chocolat zips around the stage performing a variety of larger-than-life animals, thrilling the audience with childish antics, and heartily singing Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun.’ Le Gateau Chocolat’s amazing stage presence effortlessly engages with every audience member, young and old. This was complimented with some lovely pantomime-style interactivity, such as silly chants and throwing balls of paper to imaginary circus seals. Le Gateau Chocolat’s abundant energy was successful in bringing to life many exciting and exotic characters, from the muscular lion to the flamboyant flamingos. It was a particularly impressive feat that the only words spoken are by the disembodied narrative voice or through Le Gateau Chocolat’s beautiful songs, articulating character emotions and plot superbly. Duckie is a wonderfully fleshed-

out character. The outgoing duckling’s obliviousness to his seemingly odd behaviour only adds to the charm exuded in every scene. Le Gateau Chocolat seems to have a personal investment in the character, making the overarching theme of acceptance feel authentic. The meticulous choices for staging and lighting were also outstanding. The play opens to a dark, gloomy scene, where Le Gateau Chocolat trudges on in rags, pushing a dingy trolley. She then opens a book from her trolley, from which light pours out of and illuminates the glittery face above. With a magical mood set, Duckie emerges, throwing away the rags covering the stage to unveil suit-cases and lights to which Le Gateau Chocolat performs around. A hulahoop ring serves as a viewpoint, chaptercheckpoint, and singing space, while an illuminated circular stage gives some interesting levels and helps to create some exciting characters, like casting a shadow for a friendly mouse. Ultimately, the message is simple — it is fine to be different. I commend Le Gateau Chocolat for teaching children such an important message, especially as it paved the way to challenge discrimination in all its forms. There were a couple of shortcomings. Timing was a little off in places, and there was a slight danger of the plot becoming repetitive, with some songs seeming out-ofplace in the narrative. Despite this, I will end by referring to the show’s tagline: “ Duckie is a show for the entire family, children and the young at heart.” Le Gateau Chocolat’s brilliant performance, innovative use of set, and heart-warming story brought out the child in me, one that was thoroughly entertained by the phenomenal spectacle presented.

This Is Not A Safe Space Jade Fox reviews Jackie Hagan’s ‘amputee comedy’ — part of Contact’s Flying Solo Festival 2017 Jade Fox Reviewer With the tagline “Benefit cuts are hitting disabled people the hardest” it is hard to know what kind of performance to expect. It turns out it’s comedy. Comedy with purpose. The Flying Solo festival intends to “celebrate radical solo performance”. The content of Jackie’s work was certainly radical; she immediately addressed taboos which she rightly pointed out are only discussed via Benefits Street. She befriended the audience from the very first joke. There was a lengthy opening discussion containing lots of

rhythm in the subject matter meant that listening to her was modern day poetry. Poetry because of its beauty and modern day because of its topic. Benefits fraud became something that made a bit of sense and NHS cuts seemed even crueller. She knows how to shine a light where it hurts. Her BSL interpreter became her comedy duo partner. Many moments of hilarity came from the simple translation of bellend into sign language. It also highlighted the need for more disabled access in theatres. One of the things Jackie was correct in noting was the eagerness of theatres to get disabled people into the audience yet

Review

Hedda Gabler

This modern Hedda Gabler was sparse, shocking, and posed many questions about power Charlie Spargo Reviewer and former Editor-in-Chief

and maddened she feels — brought on by Hedda’s privilege and her regret at where she’s ended up. She’s quietly vindictive, calmly weaving chaos Ibsen’s classic, Hedda Gabler — a play about and disquiet, playing people off one another chaos, power, and freedom — came to the Lowry — but never fully acknowledging the ultimate Theatre in a modern adaptation by Patrick Marber, consequences of her actions. in association with the National Theatre. The play had a great, dark humour to it, making The play centres around the titular Hedda, a the audience laugh soon after it makes them gasp. headstrong and wild woman who has just returned Many of the most poignant and most important from her honeymoon — six long months alone lines stay with you for being amusing too. “My with her academic and single-minded husband, calling is to bore myself to death!” Hedda cries, as Tesman, whom she can hardly stand. She is the her husband arrives — “And here is my assistant”. centrepiece as the actions of the supporting cast Watts was backed up by a strong supporting cast whirl and spiral rapidly around her. Her desire for — including the brilliant but fragile Lovborg, played control and freedom sets in motion events that by Richard Pyros, manipulative Brack, played by she ultimately loses total control of. Adam Best, and busybody Aunt Juliana, The staging of this production, portrayed by Christine Kavanagh. directed by Tony Award-winning However, the production was Ivo van Hove, is the first thing let down somewhat by Annabel you notice. The stage is vast — Bates’s Thea. An important and, amazingly, the sound of character in the play, Hedda is the actors’ voices still carries threatened by Thea and acts to with absolute clarity. We see a ruin her happiness. However, large room, in which the whole her portrayal was a little play is set — the new, expensive stunted, disappearing among home of Hedda and Tesman. the powerful characters around It is barren, yet simultaneously her. oppressive. Photo: Brinkhoff/MögenMuch of the play came across burg Altogether, the staging is brilliant — as lacking in emotion. Perhaps this and I take my hat off to the set designer. was intentional — showing how Hedda’s The cast seem to flee to the edges of it — as if to search for meaning is futile, that nobody really hide. Every single part of the sparsely laid-out cares about her discontent, even to offset the space plays its part. On top of this, harsh and emotional instability of its main character. angular lighting casts long, dark shadows across However, there were tragic and charged moments the stage, often showing one character looming that just seemed to fall a bit flat. In particular, over another. I never really believed the occasional rages of Hedda, performed compellingly by Lizzy Tesman. Watts, moves about the stage tormentedly; body Hedda Gabler was compelling, shocking, and twisting and contorting even in some of the more leaves many questions unanswered. It runs at The relaxed scenes. It gives a sense of how trapped Lowry Theatre until Saturday.

Photo: Virginia Saul disclaimers but this was needed to create an open conversational environment. Some of the most profound moments were when Jackie was simply talking to the audience in a lightly structured, naturally comedic way. She felt like a real person because of course she is. It is easy for television and even theatre to turn working class life into easy voyeurism. However, Jackie worked as a middle man. Her audience were prepped and ready to laugh during the vignettes of her interviews with “proper skint disabled people” — this is laughing with and not at — meaning our reception was respectful. We were also prepped for something else. The serious stuff. Jackie didn’t seek to make disabled people seem helpless, nor did she ask for sympathy. She just said it how it was. Her spoken word pieces caused the audience to cheer in support. Her masterful grasp on creating

most are doing very little to get them on to the stage. In the Q and A following the show Jackie claimed her work’s title changed from Jumble Soul because she “realised this wasn’t a fluffy show. It was amputee comedy — hard sell”. It may indeed be difficult to get people through the door but once they’re there they’ll be pleasantly surprised. There is moment after moment of importance. One of the hardest hitting parts was the reclaiming of the PIP form. A form whose very design turns people from humans into boxes to tick or leave blank. Jackie’s version of a PIP form was beautiful — her re-jigging of the questions turned it from an inhuman measure of value to a human one. Upon leaving the theatre ‘Jackie’s PIP form’ was given to us and reading it only solidified the message we had been lucky to receive in the hour gone by.

Lifestyle

ISSUE 7 / 6th NOVEMBER 2017 WWW.MANCESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

How to find your student home with just a tap on an app

Photo: IDuke @Wikipedia

Vera Simmons-Law reveals howthe ‘Bubble Student’ app eased her housing nightmares Vicki Greenwood Student Advisor When it comes to finding a new student home, the process is inevitably daunting. My first experience trying to find a house for six was messy and involved a lot of scrambling around by all of us. With my first experience being quite stressful, I really wanted to make the process of finding a house for third year, as smooth as possible. I came across ‘Bubble Student’ through an advert on Facebook surprisingly and am very glad that I clicked on it. ‘Bubble Student’ is an app that can be used on your iPhone or Android to quickly and easily find student properties near you all whilst sharing it with the other people in your future home. When searching through properties, you are able to see which of them have also been liked by your friends. After the search process, you can share them in a group chat with you future housemates and discuss which ones are best. Additionally, after a let is decided, you can use the app to communicate with the letting agency or landlord to bring up any

Travel story: a day in Brooklyn

Lifestyle Editor Sophia Macpherson goes on an adventure in the trendiest part of The Big Apple Sophia Macpherson Lifestyle Editor New York City is said to be one of the most bustling places in the world. Staying in Midtown, I initially felt that I hadn’t really experienced the atmosphere I was expecting from New York. On my second day in the city, I decided to venture across Brooklyn Bridge into unknown territory. Having known basically nothing about this area except what I watched off of Gossip Girl — not a very good guide, as it turns out — I was taken aback by how at home I felt walking these streets. I started off my day at Brooklyn Bridge and made my way over to Williamsburg. With only one day in Brooklyn, I was surprised by how much I was able to do and how well my day went.

maintenance issues whilst residing in the property. I found the process the complete opposite of my precious experience and extremely useful when some of my friends were not all at the same place at once. Booking viewings meant literally just tapping your screen a few times and meant I didn’t have to designate too much time away from university work or my social life to organise it. What really impressed me was that the app was invented by fellow students who had seen how tumultuous the process of finding a student house was. The simplicity of the app really shows that the founders understood the difficulties student face in this process and chose to help the student community. The app can be used in over 20 U.K. cities including Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol and Birmingham. To make things even more interesting, ‘Bubble Student’ currently have a competition offering a year of free rent! The only condition is that you find your new house using the app. For those frightened of the prospect of house searching, this app is the answer to your problems.

Matt Wynne Lifestyle contributor I’m sat in the cramped steam room at Moss Side Leisure Centre. This is where I come a few times a week to relax, to literally let off some steam. 20-30 minutes at a time, with a couple of splashes of Olbas oil on my chest, I come out every time feeling like a new man, good for the mind, soul, and conscience. It helps improve my breathing, clears my nasal passage and the hydrating qualities have reduced the severity of rosacea a facial condition that has haunted me since my teenage years. I also suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) too when the short winter days come round and it helps knock that for six too. Let’s be honest — steam rooms haven’t come from a Christmas special episode of Dragon’s Den. They have been with us as long as we have had civilisation, albeit in different forms across the world. It is a bathing ritual that has been historically practised from Turkey to Russia, Iceland, and even by Native Americans. The steam room really found its place in the world during the height of the great Roman Empire. Ancient Roman baths served many community and social functions within Roman society. Everyone in Rome used Roman public baths, regardless of their socioeconomic status. The Turkish Steam Bath, or Hammam, serves as a social gathering place and ritual cleansing site, as well as an architectural structure. It is a cultural fusion of community, design and the art of relaxation. In a Turkish bath, one relaxes in a warm room and moves to a hotter room, before they conclude the ritual with a splash of cold water. There are five million inhabitants and over three million saunas and steam rooms in Finland - an average of one per household For Finnish people the sauna is a place to relax with friends and family, and a place for physical and mental relaxation as well. Finns think of saunas not as a luxury, but as a necessity. A sit in the Finnish steam room, involves the room being typically warmed to 80–110 °C. Water is thrown on the hot stones topping the ‘kiuas’ - a special stove used to warm up the sauna. This produces great amounts of wet steam, known as löyly, increasing the moisture and the heat within the sauna. Only the word

‘löyly’ is used for this particular type of steam in its original sense it signifies ‘ spirit, breath, and soul’. Steam rooms in my eyes need to be compulsory in every neighbourhood in the country, they provide untold health benefits and a place to socialise and meet new people. When you’re in there - everything goes out the window, all your prejudices and inner bitterness you have built up throughout the day. It’s like flushing your mind clean in my humblest opinion. An incredible type of social psychology is that there are no hierarchies I always feel when I’m in a steam room, a form of egalitarianism plays out every time — unlike the vanity show that is the contemporary gym showroom. They could provide an incredible untold form of community ethos in the places we live and work. I’m convinced more talk about politics goes on in Manchester’s leisure centre steam rooms than in our blessed Town Hall. In Britain today, social isolation and the extent of mental health issues mean solutions need to be sought that go beyond prescribing antidepressants, smoking pot, or turning to the drink as a way of blanking it all out. What good an investment of private and public funding on a programme of public, ease of access steam rooms could achieve! Preventing and possibly curing illnesses across the board. Yes, I know we have steam rooms in private gyms and selected public swimming baths across the region, but they are tiny and few and far between and the ones that do exist outprice many. It is nearly impossible to imagine at present as we are in an age of austerity, where in England in 2017 we are lucky if we’ve still got a library going rather than dreaming of public steam baths that would form an integrated part of a given community. I’m not going to lie. It would take a massive cultural shift. How would it be policed? Can we be trusted in England? Would women feel safe in them alone? My dream is one way of breaking the monotony of life and alleviating the dark days and terrible weather we endure on this island for most of the year. I don’t think you’ll get too many disagreeing with me. All it takes is a little hot water, some copper piping, and a strong political will. A dream; so be it. Bring on the second coming of steam.

The case for the second coming of steam in Britain Photo: Alexandre W @Flickr

Photo: Waldir @Wikimedia Commons

9.00am: Start the day off at the top of Brooklyn Bridge, which is certain to please the eye — and the camera. The closest subway station is Fulton Street. You can either walk across the bridge or hire a bike from Citi Bike who has sharing stations dotted all over the place — there are three near the station. Having reached the other side of the bridge, you can either keep your bike for the day or be a bit lazier and put it back and take the subway — as I did. 9.30am: I headed over towards the water to ‘Jane’s Carousel’, a restored 1922 children’s ride that offers all the creepiness that you imagine it would, as well as spectacular views of the bridge, river and Manhattan Island! After wandering more into town, my desire for coffee grew and I searched up the nearest coffee shop which happened to be ‘Almondine Bakery’. This is the one thing I had not planned out for the day and turned out to be one of my highlights - the coffee and croissants were delicious. After wandering more into town, my desire for coffee grew and I searched up the nearest coffee shop which happened to be ‘Almondine Bakery’. This is the one thing I had not planned out for the day and turned out to be one of my highlights. The coffee and croissants were delicious. 9.45-10.45am: Before heading to the Brooklyn Museum, I decided to pit stop at a vintage shop that many of my friends had raved about — ‘Beacon’s Closet’.

Because of my innate yearning to shop, I had no choice but to go. This vintage shop was everything I could’ve hoped for, selling loads of designer clothes/shoes/everything from previous seasons. Clark Street to Bergen Street on the 2 to Flatbush Avenue 11am: By the time I reached Brooklyn Museum, it had just opened and unfortunately, I was not the only one who had the brilliant idea of coming at opening time. The wait was long but that is pretty much inevitable at any museum in New York. I’m not sure if this was just because I came on the first day of the week for the museum — the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays — or if this is a usual thing. Nonetheless, the queue is well worth it! The museum is impressive in every sense. The collection boasts 4,000 items in the Egyptian collection. The highlight for me was the centre in the museum which was completely devoted to feminist art. On the first Saturday of every month, tickets are free between 5pm and 11pm. Normally, they are $16 for adults and $10 for students. Recommended time spent in the museum would be around 2 hours. Closest station: Eastern Parkway (take the 2 or 3) 1.30pm: Lunch at Glady’s. Around 7 minutes walk from the museum, this Caribbean eatery almost makes you believe you are on an island. Make

sure to order the Rum Punch, the jerk chicken, goat curry, and spicy slaw if you are particularly hungry. 2.00pm: Make your way back to Prospect Park and spend a few hours here. It truly is an amazing park — it topped Central Park for me. There are lots of things going out at every corner — yoga lessons, weird guitar-playing people, and football games. My favourite part was the ridiculous amount of puppies I saw. If you’re feeling fidgety, walk over to the Botanical Gardens — although, it is said to be really it’s best in spring. 4.00pm: At this point, I headed over to Williamsburg for more vintage shopping. The best places I found were Malin Landaeus, Awoke, Amarcord, About Glamour, Antoinette, and The L Train in Williamsburg and continued along towards Bushwick Avenue for more shops like Friends and Fox and Fawn. 7.30pm: All that shopping had me tired and so I was ready for a rest and another meal. Heading back towards Williamsburg Bridge, I went to St. Anselm for a well-deserved steak. This place is tiny and easy to miss but has a lot of character and atmosphere. The hanger steak was amazing and just what I needed. 9.00pm: Enjoy an obscure beer at Spuyten Duyvil as a nightcap then head home.

LOYALTY CARD AVAILABLE FROM YOUR UNION SHOP MANCHESTERSTUDENTSUNION.COM/BIKOSTREET

Record-breaking Agüero seals City’s European qualification Manchester City qualified for the Champions League Round of 16 with two games to spare after a 4-2 win in Naples

Photo: joshjdss @wikimedia commons

Sam Cooper Sports Editor

The hosts started the brighter in this encounter and City endured a difficult opening 20-minutes, a stark contrast to the Etihad fixture two weeks prior where City dominated the opening stages. Shortly after the 20-minute mark, Napoli were ahead. A wonderfully orchestrated passing move between Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens allowed the former time to sidefoot the ball past Ederson and into the City net. Guardiola’s side meanwhile had to use less than familiar methods in finding their goals. Unable to replicate the attacking, passing moves of Napoli, Manchester City found their way back into the game through the head of central defender Nicolás Otamendi.

Kevin De Bruyne collected a short corner before firing a ball across to the back post. The Argentine defender rose highest to head the ball past a diving Pepe Reina who did manage to get fingertips on it but could not keep it out. In a mirror image to the first game, it was City who ended the half brighter. Looking to go ahead, John Stones cannoned a header off the bar which left Pep Guardiola with his head in his hands. The sides went in at half-time level but it was not long after the restart that City got their second goal. Stones again rose to meet a Leroy Sané cross but this time his header hit the underside of the bar. The ball bounced directly downwards and then out of the goal but the goal line technology deemed the ball to have crossed the line and City took the lead for the first time in the game. With the same stubbornness that City have shown throughout this season, Napoli refused to switch styles and contin-

ued with a high tempo, high press attacking game. This pressure on City’s backline eventually bore fruit as Sané was clumsy with a challenge on Raúl Albiol inside the penalty box. Referee Felix Brych showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot and awarded Napoli’s third penalty of their two previous Champions League games. Jorginho calmly slotted the ball in to tie the game. A point would have been a good result for City in truth and it was looking more likely that the hosts would find a winner, a fingertip save denied from Ederson denied José Callejón a certain goal, however with the pace of Sané, Sergio Agüero and Raheem Sterling in the team, City are always a danger on the counter. Fernandinho released Sané who put the afterburners on and accelerated past the Napoli defenders. Albiol managed to get a foot to the ball but unfortunately for the Spaniard, it fell to the feet of Agüero. The

Argentine took the ball into the box before powering it low into the right-hand corner of the net. The goal put City ahead once more and excelled Agüero to the top of the goal-scoring charts for his club. His tally of 178 sees him one ahead of Eric Brook, an outside left who played for City in the 1920s. With Napoli pushing forward to find an equaliser, they were left short at the back. De Bruyne had time and space to pick out Sterling who scored his tenth goal of the season in injury time. The game finished 4-2 to the visitors as City sealed their qualification to the next round. After the game, the record-breaker Agüero said “This moment is once in a lifetime. I am happy because the team helped support me with the City fans and the staff. We must keep going in the same way, every game, playing the same way.”

Who’s your favourite football team? Take our survey to find the university’s favourite club. Visit: @MANCUNION_SPORT on Twitter or https://goo.gl/forms/EUQKjqEU74IsAeza2

Sport

Sport 31

ISSUE 7 / 6th NOVEMBER 2017 WWW.MANCHESTERMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Three points despite a lacklustre United performance

Olympic and World Champions set to descend on Manchester for the Track Cycling World Cup

Another tragic own goal by Svilar helped the Red Devils to victory

Olympic Champions headline a 30-strong British team of riders for round two of the elite international event

Photo: edwin.11 @flickr

James Gill Sports Reporter

Photo: Photo: Ungry Young ManSWPix @flickr

Amy Quach Sports Reporter Following the launch of the Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup last week in Pruszkow, Poland, Manchester is set to host the second round at the UK National Cycling Centre this weekend. From Friday the 10th to Sunday the 12th of November, the biggest names from around the globe will race a full schedule of both sprint and endurance events over the course of six sessions. In addition to the races seen on the Olympic stage, athletes will also compete in the Individual Pursuit, Time Trials, Scratch Race, and Points Race. The first time Manchester has hosted a round of the World Cup since 2013, the event will see a broad range of both experienced riders and talented youngsters making their world cup debut. British athletes will be representing the Great British Cycling Team, in addition to British Cycling’s Team Breeze and the 100% Me team. The 2013 World Cup in Manchester, held one year following the highly successful London Olympics, saw a number of Britain’s Rio medallists take to the track. Whilst riders included athletes who had conquered at London 2012 — L aura Kenny, Ed Clancy, Joanna Rowsell Shand —, others were rising stars who moved through the world ranks over the course of the Olympic cycle — Elinor Barker, Katie Archibald. It is therefore expected that Manchester will see some of our future Tokyo 2020 champions rise to the occasion this weekend. Fresh from her European Championship wins in Berlin last month, Olympic and World champion Katie Archibald will be looking for more success in the women’s endurance events. Taking European double gold in the omnium and individual pursuit, she was joined by Emily Kay, Manon Lloyd, and fellow Olympic Champion Elinor Barker to win silver in the Team Pursuit. Barker also teamed up with up and coming nineteen-year-old Ellie Dickinson — of Team

Breeze — to triumph in the Madison. All will be competing in Manchester this coming weekend. Olympic Champions Ed Clancy and Steven Burke will lead a strong Great Britain representation in the men’s endurance events, hoping to build on their achievements in Rio last summer. Following a disappointing European Championships in October, the men’s endurance team will be hoping to improve their performance in front of a home crowd. In the men’s sprint events, Olympic Champions Callum Skinner — of 100% me — and Phil Hindes will lead a group of five British riders and Olympic bronze medallist Katy Marchant will be joined by rising star Sophie Capewell to f ly the f lag for women’s sprinting. Also heading down to Manchester’s velodrome is G ermany’s double Olympic Champion Kristina Vogel. The nine-time ICU World Champion sprinter will be a force to be reckoned with on the track having dominated the sprint events at major international meets over the past few years. Stiff competition will come in the form of Russian World Champion team sprinters Daria Shmeleva and Anastasia Voinova, as well as 2016 Olympic Keirin Champion Elis Ligtlee. World Madison Champions Lotte Kopecky and Jolien D’Hoore from Belgium will also be racing this coming weekend. Experienced Kiwi Edward Dawkins will lead New Zealand as an Olympic silver medallist and three-time World Champion, whilst Ligtlee and five-time World Championship winner Theo Bos headline the team from the Netherlands. Also amongst the star-studded line-up is recently crowned European Champion and current World Champion Benjamin Thomas — the Frenchman will contest the men’s endurance events. Tickets are available online at www.trackworldcup.co.uk/tickets via Ticketmaster. With prices starting at £15 for adults and £10 for concessions, this is a sporting event not to be missed. Get yours today before they sell out!

Win two free tickets to

We are very excited to invite you to our next WIM networking event on the 15th November! Women in Media — The Botanist will be an opportunity for you to meet and network with some of the industry’s leading women over drinks at The Botanist in MediaCity UK, in the heart of the north’s media hub. Guests will be able to mix with some of the city’s greatest talent, whose careers span a range of industries including PR, broadcast journalism and television production, with two special keynote speakers as well. Whilst most of the women you’ll be networking with are yet to be announced, (keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page), we can conﬁrm that opening the night will be none other than Katie Thistleton, Presenter at BBC Children’s!

Email editor@mancunion.com with your full name and university/company to secure your name on the guest list!

Friday night’s session! British Cycling have given the Mancunion Sport team two free tickets to the Friday night session of the Cycling World Cup. To be in with a chance of winning visit @MANCUNION_SPORT on Twitter

@WomenInMediaCon

@womeninmediacon

Manchester United will be looking to continue their 100 per cent record in Europe although it took an unfortunate goalkeeping error for the red devils to win in Portugal. Jose Mourinho names a massively changed side from the one that beat Tottenham at the weekend, showing that he is slightly favouring the game against Chelsea coming up. De Gea starts in goal with Blind, Smalling, Bailly and Darmian in a back four. McTominay gets his first start in the Champion’s League next to Matic in defensive midfield. Martial, Lingard and Mata sit just in front, with Mourinho curiously starting Lingard centrally rather than his prefered wing, and Lukaku hoping to end his run of games without a goal. United fans will be hoping for more of an attacking style of play with that being the main criticism levelled against the club. The opening few minutes pass relatively tamely until a long ball by Blind sent Lingard through with just the keeper to beat. Unfortunately, he started his run a fraction of a second too early.

With ten minutes gone Benfica do look the brighter team, and Lukaku looks isolated and disconnected from the rest of the team. Eric Bailly awfully sliced the ball while defending and gave away a great chance to attack; it almost came to fruition with an attempted overhead kick. Martial once again steps up, hoping to get his team in front. He drives the ball low and left but the 18-year-old Svilar saved it. Redemption, both for the unjust call at the other end and for the goal he conceded in the last game. It was a poor penalty by Martial, lacking the pace needed to beat the keeper if he did dive the right way. That save seems to have spurred Benfica on. Bailly makes yet another mistake in clearing the ball — he looks nervous on the ball. Goncalves, the 20-year-old who came into the side through an injury in training for another player, cuts inside and fires a beauty of a shot. Against another keeper that would surely have gone in, a wonderful save. Lingard has limped off the pitch. The challenge that caused the injury looked fairly innocuous but he looks in a lot of pain, holding his hip. Mkhitaryan goes out to warm up just in case. Another penalty call as Mata gets shunted off the ball; the referee has been consistent as he didn’t give the one earlier, but both

realistically were fouls. At least no manager can complain about decisions going the other way. A second yellow card gets shown this time for Eric Bailly for stopping a counterattack, taking Grimaldo out completely. Benfica seem to have United figured out. By playing down one wing and switching the ball to the other, it drags the fullbacks out of position. If they then play the ball into the middle, large gaps can be found. The quality isn’t there to take advantage of this but other clubs, maybe Chelsea at the weekend, could see this and dismantle United. The only player for United who is making a positive contribution is Anthony Martial. When he gets the ball he dances through two or three players trying to single-handedly create something. Elsewhere there are sloppy passes and shameful clearances; Benfica are outplaying United. Scott McTominay gets shoulder barged from both sides and stays down injured, but that doesn’t stop the United attack. Matic decides to take a strike from distance as he finds himself in a little pocket of space, and drills the ball hard and low. It hits the post but rebounds onto the back of the diving Svilar and into the back of the net. For those that can remember all the way back to 2004, the goal was almost exactly the same as the one Wayne Rooney scored against Switzerland, as it rebounded onto keeper Jorg Stiel’s head into the goal. You have to feel bad for Svilar, after the awful mistake last game and saving a penalty here this happens. Don’t let these mistakes fool you though — he looks assured and will undoubtedly rise to be one of the top keepers in Europe. United score when they don’t look the better team at all just before the halftime break. McTominay gingerly gets to his feet — looked like a winding more than anything else. At halftime, Mkhitaryan comes on for Lingard. Either the little knock or the yellow card caused Mourinho to not risk him in the second half. Benfica continue their rigidity in defence, even without the ball they look assured. They are helped by Lukaku being incredibly poor so far this game. As a lone striker he has to hold up the ball and wait for the run of Lingard or Martial. Instead his first touch has been awful, losing the ball immediately almost every time. The attack there-

fore has to develop with Lingard or Martial, skipping Lukaku out. Goncalves forces another fantastic save by De Gea; the youngster has had the two best shots of the game so far. This is only his fourth senior start of his career, with the future looking bright. Bailly, having the worst game I have ever seen him play, sends Jimenez one on one with De Gea with an awful, awful pass. He beats the keeper but the ball strikes the post. On the replay you can see Smalling gets the slightest touch on the ball to stop the goal. At least one centre back is aware. United makes the second substitute of the game with Juan Mata coming off for Ander Herrara — more of a defensive change for Mourinho. In my opinion, Lukaku should come off for Rashford, but that is never going to happen. The third substitute will obviously be Martial for Rashford. Mourinho seems to keep Lukaku on regardless of form, but in this match United can’t form an attack because of his shoddiness. Salvio gets a yellow card for pulling back Mkhitaryan as the Armenian drives through the Benfica team. Lukaku and Martial were open to his left but he was unable to reach them. Another penalty! Lukaku passes the ball down the wing to Marcus Rashford who does as Martial did in the first half, dancing through two or three players before being taken down. Will he get a goal on his birthday? Or will Lukaku end his drought? Mourinho points his finger and chooses the taker but who will it be? Lukaku steps up, Herrera whispers in his ear, Lukaku leaves, Blind whispers in Herrera’s ear, Herrera leaves, and now just Blind remains. His 24th start in the Champion’s league, 14 for Ajax, he steps up and sends Svilar the wrong way. Maybe that was an intricate routine. After that penalty, United finally get into their stride. Lukaku especially looks like he has a point to prove. Perhaps if he played like this from the outset the game would have been put to bed long ago. The three minutes additional time pass without incident and the full-time whistle blows. Benfica should feel hard done by here, playing better for large amounts of the game. Two great saves by De Gea and a generally solid defence kept them out.

University of Manchester wins outstanding contribution to sport accolade The university was given the title by the Manchester Sport Awards

Sam Cooper Sports Editor In the second annual Manchester Sport Awards, the University of Manchester picked up the award for outstanding contribution to sport. The recognition comes after a strong sporting year for the University of Manchester which saw the university raise tens of thousands of pounds for good causes as well as the opening of new sports pitches. With almost 2,500 students and staff in attendance, the Great Manchester Run was a particular high point for the university. The runners aimed to raise money for scholarships as well as contributing to charities such as the Big Change which targets ending homelessness in Manchester. As well as participating in the Great Manchester Run, the university was commended on its projects at both the Armitage Centre as well as the Belle Vue Sports Village. The project made Manchester the first university in the country to have six all-weather pitches on one site. The award ceremony on the 28th was attended by Head of Sport Vicky Ackerley who accepted the accolade on behalf of the university. “This is a great honour and a fabulous recognition of the brilliant students and staff who put so much into our sporting life at the University. I’d also like to pay tribute to my fabulous team who work tirelessly to make sport accessible for all. We passionately believe that Sport has enormous benefits to everyone and everyone’s physical and mental health. It really can transform lives.”

Photo: Joshua Poh @flickr

6th NOVEMBER 2017 / ISSUE 7 FREE

Photo: Dave Thompson/Route One Photography (Provided by the LTA)

Lawn Tennis Association aims to get more Manchester students playing tennis

UoM wins sport award

Sports Editor Sam Cooper spoke to the LTA Regional Tennis Education Officer, Laura Lattimore, on their hopes of getting more students involved with the sport. Sam Cooper Sports Editor Sports Editor Sam Cooper spoke to the LTA Regional Tennis Education Officer, Laura Lattimore, on their hopes of getting more students involved. Just two miles away from the student hub of Fallowfield sits Alexandra Park tennis courts. The venue recently celebrated its 1000th registered user and the landmark recognises an increasing interest in tennis from the Manchester community. As well as targeting the Manchester community, the Lawn Tennis Association is looking to attract more students to the game and Laura Lattimore explains what is on offer. “Currently within Manchester, we’ve got great opportunities that students from the universities can access. Fallowfield Tennis Club are doing a really good job of providing access for students. There’s over 100 students currently signed up at the club. They’ve made sure that they are outwardly facing to students. “So it’s easy access, they’ve got access gates. You can book online. You don’t have to pay a club or a hut. It’s very much about the student experience. They’ve also made upgrades in their clubhouse with pool tables, social events, and things like that. Currently that is an offer that is really good for the students. “It may be that tennis is viewed as quite a technically difficult sport to play and maybe a club is just that step too far for someone who is just starting in tennis so a park site is one of the areas that we want to encourage students to go to because it’s a great introduction.” The association has made a particular case of making the booking process as

easy as possible with the introduction of online booking systems. “It’s how life is now. We want everything at a touch of a button and we can pay for it easy. If somebody knows how they can book a court straightaway and we’ve made the user’s journey as simple as possible so it’s just one click onto a website. They’re booked onto a court, they know how to access the court when they’re down there. It just means we’re making the reputation of tennis as easier to access as a sport.” One of the particular areas for improvement that has been targeted is the number of covered courts. Just 5 percent of the city’s courts are covered which can make it impossible to play during the winter months. “If it’s raining, that’s one of the barriers to people playing. The courts are slippy. We want to make sure as a governing body, we’re investing in as many facilities as we can to make sure we can have them open all year round. Tennis is viewed as a summer sport, we know that it isn’t because we’re tennis people and we like to play all the time. “If you’re new to tennis, your first experience will probably be when Wimbledon is on. Covers for us a as sport are quite crucial because we want to make sure it’s an all year round accessible sport.” The increase of covered courts is part of the Transforming British Tennis Together initiative where the LTA is investing £125 million pounds to double number of covered and floodlit courts over the next 10 years to get more people playing all-year round. A further £125 million could also be available through matched funding from local councils and community networks with a shared vision for grow-

ing the game. “For each Transforming British Tennis Together Fund bid, we’ll provide up to 50 percent of the necessary funding, around half of which will come in the form of a grant and the remaining half as an interest free loan. For example, if your total funding requirements for all the venues involved is £500k we will fund up to £250k with £125k as a grant and £125k as an interest free loan.” This initiative also brings about job opportunities for students as well as playing ones. “With development of the sites that are hopefully coming up, another impact on students is we need people to man these sites and work on these sites. Obviously we’re hoping that this will be a process happening in the next few years. We hope that Manchester will be developing quite quickly so there will be massive opportunities for students to become involved in our workforce. “Within the education part we do provide opportunities to gain work and qualifications. Tennis is a profitable business to be in once you get to the level where you can coach out there on your own there are some great opportunities. “We hope that this project will make it more accessible for students but we hope we’re providing some employment opportunities as well while they are in the city.” The LTA is calling on tennis clubs, parks, local government, volunteers, coaches and businesses across Manchester and the North West to come together and register their interest in bidding for the funds to transform their local tennis courts. For more information visit lta.org.uk

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Photo: Joshua Poh @flickr

Track Cycling World Cup

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Photo: SWPix

Record-breaking Agüero

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Photo: joshjdss @ wikimedia commons