I782 by Palatinate

Thursday 25th February 2016

INDIGO

3 FEATURES Indigo chats to international students about their experiences of lad culture 4 & 5 BOOKS Katie Harling-Challis talks to Trevs librarian Tim Fowler about music, ebooks and abstract art 6 V I S U A L A RTS Visual Arts takes a trip to the BALTIC Centre for its latest exhibition, Alice Theolbald and Atomik Architecture 7 FASHION How much would you spend on an item of clothing? Katie Shuff argues that sometimes, it’s better to spend more on less 8 & 9 STAGE COVER STORY: Stage recounts the highlights of Durham Drama Festival 1 0 FOOD & D RINK Ariadne Vu guides us through Fit February 11 TRAVEL Afraid of travelling alone? Dominic Waters explains why it’s the best thing you could do this summer 1 2 & 1 3 M U SIC Chirag Karia is left scratching his head at the NME Awards Tour 1 4 F I L M & TV Indigo runs through the Best Picture nominations at the Oscars this year 1 5 C R E A T I VE WRITING Budding poet Irini Picolou shares the inspiration behind her poem ‘Orchard’ PHOTOGRAPHY / ILLUSTRATION

Grace Tseng Jacqui Duan Faye Chua Samuel Kirkman Olivia Howcroft Dominic Waters Rachael Wright For your fix of everything arts and cultural, please visit: www.palatinate.org.uk www.facebook.com/palindigo Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @indigodurham

#readpalatinate

The story of this issue’s cover photo is one of complete improvisation. Armed with one camera, two Wilkos desk lamps and Best DDF Actor Joe McWilliam, we set out to represent the success of Durham Drama Festival as best we could. The people at the Assembly Rooms Theatre kindly lent us the space to conduct the photoshoot, and after being let in by some accommodating decorators leaving the building, we set up the equipment and began the shoot. I feel it’s only fair to use this editorial to thank Joe McWilliam for the hour he spent staring moodily into the distance while our photographer, Verity Rimmer, took photograph after photograph to try and satisfy our very specific demands. The resulting photograph is dramatic and very beautiful, and it’s all thanks to one ad-hoc morning and two very patient people. The cover, of course, is to complement Stage’s piece on the highlights of Durham Drama Festival. We hope that we’ve done it justice, and the Stage Editors have experienced first-hand the hard work and dedication of those working on the festival. We’re also featuring Film & TV’s look at the Best Picture Oscar nominees, with various writers applying their analytical skills to predict what the winner will be. Watch this space. Reading an interview about a college librarian might not be at the top of your list of things to do this week, but I promise that Tim Fowler provides nothing but entertainment in Books this issue. He’s been a DJ, a graphic designer and an abstract artist in his time, and you’d be lying if you said that cocktail of occupations doesn’t make for an interesting character. We’re reaching the last few weeks of term, and for all the final year students writing their dissertations, I feel your pain. I really do. I’m struggling to motivate myself for the final push, instead eating large amounts of chocolate and reading all the magazines and newspapers I can find around college. With the fantastic journalism in this edition, I won’t be stuck for procrastination material any time soon. Keep an eye out on our website for more brilliant content, too, including some striking articles from Books and regular previews and reviews from Stage. Hopefully, you’ll never run out of anything to read. Happy procrastinating! EF

INDIGO EDITORS Ellen Finch YC Chin (deputy) FEATURES EDITORS Isabelle Culkin Cristina Cusenza (deputy) BOOKS EDITORS Hannah Griffiths Ellie Scorah VISUAL ARTS EDITOR Jane Simpkiss FASHION EDITOR Sally Hargrave STAGE EDITORS Sofya Grebenkina Simon Fearn FOOD & DRINK EDITORS Charlotte Payne Ariadne Vu TRAVEL EDITOR Laura Glenister MUSIC EDITORS Jacqueline Duan Will Throp FILM & TV EDITORS Rory McInnes-Gibbons Hugo Camps-Harris (deputy) CREATIVE WRITING EDITOR Sarah Fletcher WRITERS Kate McIntosh | Katie Harling-Challis Olivia Howcroft | Katie Shuff Rory McInnes-Gibbons | Hugo Harris Vivek Khattar | Zoë Boothby Phoebe Kitchen | Alex Prescot Jessica Siddell | Simon Fearn Hannah Sanderson | Jessica Clarke Owen Sparkes | Izzy Mitchell Alexander Marshall |Tyler Rainford Ariadne Vu | Lucy Deacon Mallika Rana | Dominic Waters Chirag Karia | Jacqui Duan Will Throp | Irini Picolou Thank you to Deputy Photo Editor Verity Rimmer for the stunning cover photograph, and to Kenzo Ishida and Faye Chua for the back-page illustration.

Thursday 25th February 2016

FEATURES

Lad culture: only a British norm? International students share their experiences of lad culture Story by Kate McIntosh

ad culture’ is widely acknowledged, but often accepted as the norm by those of us who have spent most of our lives in the UK. Students who are new to Britain and are experiencing the phenomena for the first time have helped to shed light on why lad culture prevails. I asked six international students to share their views, and the responses were varied, with students citing a number of different reasons for the persistence of this sub-culture in our universities. According to the National Union of Students (NUS), heavy drinking at UK universities fuels lad culture. So how does British binge drinking compare with drinking cultures elsewhere? Teresa, who is from Italy, said “the strangest thing I’ve noticed here is the pre-drinks tradition... in Italy you go out and drink, drink, drink, or you have a house party and you drink, drink, drink, but my friends and I never really drink before going out. It might seem a stupid thing, but it’s true!”

It’s okay for the ‘lads’ to drool over the girls, but not vice versa According to Thomas, drinking in Hong Kong is only slightly different to Britain. “We drink a lot but we don’t drink so frequently,” he said. Victor highlighted the similarities between the UK and Sweden, where there is “the same sort of drinking culture.” The UK levels of binge drinking are some of the highest in the world, so these responses are perhaps surprising. I also asked the international students about sports and societies, how they help to create a pack mentality, and the significance of this as an aspect of lad culture. Una, an international student from Ireland, shared her experiences of lad culture at Durham. “Societies heighten lad culture,” she reported. “We have lad culture in Dublin but in societies here it’s all about the initiations, going out drinking, being in this pack together. I’ve never seen it like that before.” Victor expressed this sentiment too, and saw the situation as “men and boys collectively, in a group, taking up a lot of public space, being loud

and seeking attention.” Alice was able to compare this to university life in Italy, where there are “no such things as initiations for societies.” Sexism and misogyny were the most common issues raised by the students interviewed, and there were some contradictions in the responses. “I think same-sex schools have a lot to do with it, especially boarding schools,” suggested Victor. All Swedish schools are co-educational, and Victor says that this early divide between the sexes is an important factor in the persistence of lad culture. “I have an English friend who moved to Sweden, and one of the main reasons she decided to stay was that she found it much more equal in terms of gender,” he said. He is adamant that British lad culture is inherently ‘patriarchal’ and ‘misogynistic’. Una was also quick to point out the gender divide in Britain. She’s lived in Germany and France, as well as Ireland, and spoke about the divide in Ireland in similar terms to the UK: “In Germany there isn’t as much of a boundary between the sexes, but in Ireland there’s more of a distinction.” Thomas, the international student from Hong Kong, also spoke about sexist behaviour as part of Durham’s lad culture, but Teresa suggested that sexism wasn’t as prevalent. When asked if she had witnessed or experienced sexism on a night out, she explained “Never in these three months [since arriving in October], to be honest.”

They’re very selfconscious; they don’t want people to think that they care

One interviewee, who wanted to contribute anonymously, spoke about lad culture in terms of gender relations. “I’ve definitely encountered it in Durham; more so with the British ‘lads’ than the international ones,” he explained. “One example would be the constant mission to ‘pull’ (a new word to me) and the pride and honour associated with that the next morning. It kind of seems like it’s okay for the “lads” to drool all over the girls, but not vice

versa.” So, how does this differ from the expectations in France, where he has spent much of his time? “In France – at least in the environment I lived in – everything related to ‘pulling’ had a bit more emotion attached. It wasn’t just a quest to pull a girl, it was the quest to pull the girl that really genuinely interested you; no judgement attached. All in all, I guess I just don’t relate to this lad culture.”

Boys in England tend to be really proud of this masculinity they have

Alice shared the experiences of a Brazilian friend. “My friend was asked, “do you want to meet for coffee before our lecture?” by her friend who is male, and he started trying it on with her. When she told him she had a boyfriend, he replied “but you said you would get coffee with me.” He had assumed she wanted to go out with him.” Interestingly, there was also a lot of sympathy voiced for the people who get caught up in this behaviour. Victor believes that so-called ‘lads’ are “very self-conscious; they don’t want people to think that they care” and Una spoke about a perceived preoccupation with how the outside world views you; dressing down intentionally to convey apathy, for example. Alice said she was confused by how “boys in England tend to be really proud of this masculinity they have,” and explained that on occasion she was surprised that young men were not inclined to speak about how they felt. “Apparently it’s normal to not say what you’re thinking here, but for me it’s the opposite.” Victor wondered if lad culture was more a product of social pressures than anything else, suggesting that “they can’t be happy with that mentality.” This impression of things was common. Largely, Durham’s international students seem confused by the workings of lad culture; it is both a source of frustration and surprise. However, their experiences can at least help to remind British students that on an international scale, university lad culture is not an unchallenged norm. Photograph: Dean Hochman via Flickr

Thursday 25th February 2016

BOOKS

Tim, the DJ librarian Katie Harling-Challis talks to Tim Fowler about abstract art, Rory Bremner and the future of libraries

itting in the hexagonal bar of Trevelyan College, I’m talking with Tim Fowler, Trev’s Librarian, but not quite the librarian you would expect. As described in his Twitter bio, he’s a ‘Bearish librarian, maker of abstract art, writer of jokes for @rorybremner and doting father. Adorer of @mary1luv. Tweets can be jolly sweary. I like tea.’ And with job titles including Graphic Designer, Abstract artist, and DJ in his career history, Tim is certainly no ordinary librarian.

With job titles including Graphic Designer, Abstract artist, and DJ in his career history, Tim is certainly no ordinary librarian Starting in January 2003, this is the longest job Tim has had, so it’s safe to assume that he’s pretty happy here. But before 2003 he’d never been a librarian — instead, he was previously a full-time parent, and before that he was the Creative Direc-

tor for an Arts Festival in Northern Scotland. In the first freshers’ week, nine months into the job, he still remembers being ‘moderately terrified’ of being ‘found out’ for not knowing what he was doing in this new job. But he’s settled in well now, and big plans are ahead. While other college libraries may be cutting their library stock, Tim is planning the latest extension of Trevs Library. The college has grown, more study spaces are needed, and so the library must expand to accommodate it, and the library is just getting busier and busier. More flexible study spaces are being planned, retaining the two currently book-filled library rooms, while adding on an extra room built for a group study space. The architectural plans have been finalised, and now the fundraising begins, just in time for Trevelyan College’s 50th anniversary this year, although we can’t expect any actual building to begin until 2017 at the earliest. But Tim doesn’t spend all his time focused on Trev’s library — instead he’s been keeping up his ‘portfolio career’. A freelance graphic designer in the past, he still dips into his design work every year for the Trevelyan College Musical posters. He also contributes to the Trev’s party scene with his DJ skills, frequently filling the dance floor of Trev’s

Bar on many of the numerous bar nights. As Tim says, ‘Durham’s taste in music has always been atrocious’ — if you want to listen to anything that deviated from the mainstream that is. ‘I love music, I love finding new music to love. DJing is an opportunity to play music I love really loud and entertain people in the process. What’s not to like? I think I know what works for Trevs. Someone once paid me the slightly odd compliment that I was “like Klute, only good”’.

Someone once paid me the slightly odd compliment that I was “like Klute, only good” Tim also writes comedy sketches. Posting regularly on Twitter, the posts are less about library topics, and more about the jokes and puns of every day life. Tim loves to play with words, and comedy gives him that chance. ‘Twitter is great for honing your writing skills - fitting something into 140 characters that is topical, original, and funny is a fantastic discipline. It makes you think about every word; every

Thursday 25th February 2016

BOOKS

word has to justify its place and have a function. A good joke is much more than just a funny idea.’ Rory Bremner’s Election Report of May 2015 brought him his first TV credit. ‘Twitter’s been very good to me. I met my wonderful partner there and I got into comedy writing through it after I had a joke go viral. And now I write material for Rory Bremner, which I still find a slightly odd thing to say out loud.’

The book ain’t going anywhere For Tim, satire is incredibly important. The best jokes are those right on the edge of being in bad taste, where just before the audience laughs, they have this moment of thinking ‘I can’t believe you did that, but that is funny’. Satire becomes so important for pointing out things that aren’t right in society, and making you laugh at their ridiculousness.

But the list on Tim’s career history doesn’t stop there — he also holds the title of Abstract Artist. A few years back he even had his own exhibition in Trev’s Bar. Walking into the bar when the exhibition was on, he’d often do a double take and think, ‘whoa, there’s my subconscious’ hanging on the walls. For Tim, it’s all about the individual response: ‘Abstract art appeals to me because I feel there’s something very special about the way people react to it - it’s primarily an emotional reaction. I think the art happens in two places - one where I make the image, the other whenever someone sees it and reacts to it.’ Of course, this is Palatinate Books, and I am talking to a librarian, so I have to ask the question — do you have a favourite book? As all book lovers know, it’s never possible to have just one favourite book, but Tim did manage to choose one, of the many possibilities, that had stayed with him. What was the book? The Summer Book by Tove Jansson. Yes, she is the creator of the Moomins, but this is one of her adult books. Focussing on the relationship between a young girl and her granddaughter, Tim described this favourite of his as ‘funny and wise and moving’. Short, and only 172 pages, this thoughtful novella c o m e s highly recommend-

ed. ‘It’s one of those very special books that almost seems to be different every time you read it. On one level it’s very simple, on another as complex and all-encompassing as life itself. I’ve bought it as a gift many times’. We later got onto the topic of the future of libraries. Admitting that ebooks are ‘undoubtedly having an effect’ on the format of libraries, Tim is insistent that that doesn’t mean they are going to disappear. There will certainly always be a place for academic libraries, a place where very few people have only one book open at a time, and unless you go out and buy four or five Kindles, it isn’t possible to have more than one ebook open at once. ‘I think that the book is with us for a very long time’, Tim says, and you’ve just got to look at how we’ve shifted back to vinyl from digital as a format that everyone wants now. But there are changes happening, which is why Trevs is expanding the library in an attempt to match the needs of the present while trying to be ahead of the change. ‘I am proud that we as a college are building a bigger library, while others aren’t’. Trevs is widely considered to have the best library in Durham, and Tim is keeping up that reputation for the foreseeable future. A future in which, Tim decidedly states, ‘the book ain’t going anywhere’. Photographs: Grace Tseng, PH Partnership Architects, ‘Solar’ by Tim Fowler, Tim Fowler

Online... Catherine Braddock looks forward to the publication of the script of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, ‘the eighth Harry Potter book’: ‘This certainly seems to be the year of the Potterheads. The growing excitement over the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the frenzied ticket-buying for the sequel play in two parts and now the announcement of the release of the script of this play - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - in a book. The prospect of J. K. Rowling’s (and Harry’s) return to window displays and the necessity of finding another place on the bookshelf for the latest Potter instalment is thrilling for fans everywhere.’ Sarah Fletcher defends the status of poetry in the modern world: ‘Last week, I re-watched a Noel Fielding performance where he describes turning forty as turning into a “day old helium balloon; you’re not on the sky and not on the floor”. Everybody laughed, and I couldn’t help but imagine the same phrase with line breaks, perhaps in a poem with a generic title like “Ageing”.’ Thomas Barber replies to Sarah Fletcher’s article, deciding that poetry is in fact dead, but perhaps it should be: ‘What makes poetry out of Noel Fielding’s stand-up comedy, then, is the fact that it is also comedy. It can be both melancholic and not melancholic depending on what we choose to do with it. It is poetry because it is so completely given over to the interpretation of the other, because it is so completely open and ambiguous in how it allows us to read it, because it is so dead.’

Thursday 25th February 2016

VISUAL ARTS ‘It’s not who you are, its how you are’

Olivia Howcroft reviews the BALTIC Centre’s latest exhibition, Alice Theolbald and Atomik Architecture

lice Theobald’s first solo exhibition at the BALTIC Centre wants to intrigue and to unsettle you in a mysterious way. It questions the ideas of domesticity and routine, along with the poignant themes of estrangement and association. Atomik Architecture’s contribution is core to these themes. They are a young practice of architects and designers based in London, Almaty and Kazakhstan, who focus their energy on creating stimulating, intuitive and beautifully constructed designs. Their belief in the portrayal of human relationships throughout a lifetime, is a key feature in the ‘It’s not who you are, it’s how you are’ exhibition. Upon walking into the exhibition, you are taken through a series of wooden edifices, cushioned with white duvets, where the words ‘it’s not who you are, it’s how you are’ encircle you. These duvets are thick and pristine white, indicating the human desire to make where we reside more homely. Standing in the centre of the edifices, surrounded by these cloud-like duvets, creates a sense dreaminess and melancholic reverence, an atmosphere heightened by the accompanying music, composed by Theobald. A prominent theme in Theobald’s exhibition is the role of the house as a shield against problems that are potentially too painful to face, and this is portrayed through the materials used. The exhibition shows our attempts to cushion ourselves from the hard impact of reality, to cushion the confrontation between our own thoughts and those of the outside world. At the top of each of the structures of the exhibition, there are white washed glass panels with crude writing resembling what you’d expect to see on a white van. ‘Yes’ is the only word that can be made out, as everything else appears to be illeg-

ible scrawlings. I wonder if this is intentional, an indication of how the artist admonishes voyeurism or feels that some thoughts should remain unreadable. There is a sense of dereliction, of loneliness and lack of love, themes that are expressed strongly in the music that accompanies the work. Theobald’s musical score is the most striking component of the exhibition for me. The music comprises three main sections on a loop, coupled with confusing and seemingly random questions asked by the performers. The choral section has a simplistic melody, and is followed by an interlude of delicate piano melody, and a section where live performers ask questions.

Is the home too safe and familiar, to the point where it can become monotonous and choreographed? The latter section starts with a slow and solemn feel as the first questions appear to be merely ponderous contemplations, but these questions quickly intensify accompanied by unexpected twists, turns and intricacies in the music. The listener is bombarded with questions from someone whose mind is obviously racing: ‘What’s your position?’ ‘Sometimes I forget’, ‘where to go and how to be and how to hold myself,’ ‘with your own arms,’ ‘too heavy alone.’ These thoughts are personal and perplexing and are undoubtedly an effective way of engaging the viewer. Theobald’s composition is effective. The viewer is taken out of their comfort zone by the sudden changes in the mood and the subsequent relapses

back into the steady, predictable pattern of melody. The addition of minor chords highlights how we are at risk of being emotionally dependant on others, and being unnerved by the responses of those around us. Domesticity is a prominent theme in the exhibition; is the home too safe and familiar, to the point where it can become monotonous and choreographed? Theobald explores this question through the words uttered in the composition ‘I’m getting tired, I’m getting sick,’ ‘we need some limitations, some boundaries,’ and through the movements of the performer, chosen by Theobald, who walks along the centre of a stage in an unnatural daze; it is clear that his every movement has been choreographed. Theobald presents us with the idea that something once deemed creative can lose its individuality when it is taken up by the masses. The exhibition is short yet unmistakably thought provoking, asking questions about social and individual estrangement, alienation, exile, and homelessness in new and perturbing ways. The simplicity of Theobald’s portrayal of such a complex and vast array of ideas is impressive and makes the exhibition an accessible and enlightening experience. The exhibition runs until the 10th April 2016 Photograph by Jacqui Duan

@visualarts_palatinate

Thursday 25th February 2016

FASHION

Bags of money Katie Shuff ponders the perks of luxury fashion

nown more for her unremitting love of Manolo’s than her savvy business choices, Carrie Bradshaw once quipped the now iconic words, ‘I like my money where I can see it, hanging in my closet’. Whilst one may be forgiven for thinking that these were the words used by a selfconfessed shopaholic to justify her latest splurge, Bradshaw was in fact showing some major foresight. In a recent study conducted by the online bag platform Bag Hunter, a Hermès bag, one of fashion’s most sought after luxury items, proved to be a safer investment than either gold or the stock market. So, for those of you more economically minded, now might be the time to put down your copy of the Financial Times in favour of the latest issue of Vogue in the quest to make your fortune. This latest study compared the annual return of S&P 500, chosen to reflect the overall return characteristics of the stock market as a whole with gold, the most popular commodity for investors, and a Hermès Birkin bag, a collectable bag most of us can only dream of owning. Whilst over the thirty five year period from 1980 to 2015 the S&P 500 returned a nominal average of 11.66%, with gold only producing a 1.9% average annual return, the Birkin bag offered an average annual value increase of 14.2%. In other words, the Birkin bag has experienced a 500% value increase since it was first produced in the 1980s, after a chance meeting between Hermès chief executive, JeanLouis Dumas, and the ultimate fashion darling, Jane

bag only ever saw a steady increase in price. As the value of Hermès’s prized creation is set to double in the next ten years, now is the time to make like Carrie Bradshaw and start investing in your wardrobe. With such impressive stats as these, what is it about the Birkin bag that has all the fashion aficionados scrambling for their purses? More than just a classic design, the Hermès bag is the ultimate symbol of luxury fashion, and therefore status. With a never ending waiting list, Hermès prides itself on its elite clientele. Merely being able to afford the hefty price tag, which can vary from anywhere between £8,000 up to £100,000, is simply not enough. Only those who have had a long standing relationship with the brand will be

If money is simply no object, it pays to invest in staple pieces that will stand the test of time.

Birkin. Moreover, whereas the S&P 500 and gold were liable to fluctuations in the market, the value of the Birkin

dred pound pair of Louboutin shoes really make you walk a little taller? Or does luxury fashion simply represent society’s frivolous want? Whilst many of us may not be in a position to simply walk into Louis Vuitton and start spending money like it’s going out of fashion, there is something to be said for spending more on less. There is no question that an Alexander Wang T-shirt will hang better on your frame than Primark’s one pound offering, or that the quality of cotton will feel soft against your skin compared to the scratchiness of a cheaper purchase. So if money is simply no object, it pays to invest in staple pieces that will stand the test of time. If a Burberry trench is within your budget, its classic tailoring and perfect beige tone will always be an item to desire which will take you from season to season and generation to generation. Its use of gabardine fabric, known for its weatherproof and breathable qualities, will make it a safer bet than Zara’s polyblend version. And as for those Louboutin’s, the extra time taken to create its perfect shape will elongate your legs no-end, whilst its high-quality leather will last way beyond the end of the night. For those of us on a much scaled down budget, spending more on fewer higher priced items at Zara or Mango can be just as effective. Whilst the quality of material may not be at the top of ultimate luxury, it is infinitely better to buy one jumper from Zara which hangs that little bit better, boasts a better choice of colour and is potentially that little bit warmer than buying three jumpers from Primark which often have that unwanted bit of detailing. By investing more in your wardrobe, even if it doesn’t bring in the same revenue as a Birkin bag, the possibility of saving money in the long run is much greater. Whilst there is no harm in padding out your wardrobe with more purse friendly purchases, luxury fashion, whether on a budget scale or not, is less frivolous and more sustainable than the quick fashions churned out by H&M and co. At a time when fast fashion production is at its max, it pays both economically and ecologically to invest more in less.

Whilst many of us may not be in a position to simply walk into Louis Vuitton and start spending money like it’s going out of fashion, there’s something to be said for spending more on less

considered, and even then, buyers have little choice in the colour or size of bag that they receive. It is this constant imbalance between supply and demand which makes the Birkin bag a solid investment. Auction houses become popular sites for collectors and fans alike who swap, sell or buy this hot commodity. All this begs the question, is luxury fashion really worth it? Is a seventy pound plain white Alexander Wang V-neck T-Shirt justified, does a one thousand three hundred pound Burberry trench coat stand out against Zara’s latest offering and does a five hun-

Illustration: Faye Chua

Thursday 25th February 2016

STAGE

Thank you, DDF

Writers, actors, and audience members recount their favourite moments of Durham Drama Festival 2016 ments that towered above the rest of the festival. Simon Fearn, Stage Editor I was blown away by this year’s DDF. I only got to see one night but the three plays I saw were amazing. There wasn’t a weak performance. One thing I was particularly impressed by was the use of space. In both Your Grace and Mr Sparks, the audience were practically sitting on the stage but this did nothing to diminish the performance. Auditions was hilariously funny from start to finish whilst Your Grace did not let up on the suspense. My favourite, however, was Mr Sparks, which I’m sure English students will be studying in a few years’ time! Hannah Sanderson, audience member At the DDF I was particularly moved by One Small Step, a harrowing depiction of a young woman’s struggle with terminal cancer, shown through a series of meetings with her brother. Both the script and acting were hard to fault and the staging, though in the most part confined to a hospital bed, generated an impressive range of sentiments including the positively life-affirming, alongside the inevitable sadness that accompanies such a heavy theme. This play invited its audience to rediscover a sense of wonder and gratitude for life’s small pleasures – a message which will resonate long after the curtain closes. Jessica Clarke, reviewer

ore than anything, I think I’ll never really get over seeing the final night of a play you’ve written and having a moment where you remember all the hours spent wondering how to phrase a line, or where a scene should go, or how the play should end, and then that line or scene or ending, making someone laugh, or cry, or just working. Being able to see plays right from the very first idea to performance is hugely gratifying, and it’s amazing that DDF allows you to do that. Alex Prescot, writer, director

Being able to see plays right from the very first idea to performance is hugely gratifying One of the main highlights of DDF for me was watching the plays the Exec chose come to life. It was so wonderful to watch the words we had read be created before us a couple of months later. A particular highlight of this for me was the site-specific night. Using the variety of different acting spaces available in Durham was innovative, and it was beautiful to see some of the more intimate pieces really coming to life because of the venue they were placed in, notably Your Grace in the Horsfall Room. Jessica Siddell, DDF Exec Member

The highlight of this year’s DDF for me had to be the moment in Your Grace when the tensions that had been festering below the pristine surface of this period drama finally came out into the open. Eric (Owen Sparkes) was accused of rape and didn’t even understand why, with Imogen (Emilie Aspeling) adding that “of course he doesn’t.” It was an incredible piece of theatre. Close second is the Space Oddity scene in One Small Step, a play that I had a few problems with, but which contained mo-

As an actor, the Durham Drama Festival this year has been an amazing demonstration of how dedicated Durham is to theatre. It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to perform in some astonishing new writing, helping and being helped in discovering original narratives and characterisation with the support of an amazing exec team. A highlight of the festival was The Prince’s Quest. I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of musical theatre, but I found this performance to be a refreshing take and wellperformed by all on stage. Thank you DDF – a great introduction for this fresher! Owen Sparkes, actor Photographs: Samuel Kirkman

Thursday 25th February 2016

STAGE

Creating a Character

Create a backstory, build from stock gestures, and simply have confidence! Three actors and two directors share the secrets of their trade

o someone just starting out into acting my advice would be to relax. Try and relax! For anyone watching you to suspend their belief, and see you as something or someone that you are not, you need to be completely comfortable in your role. You need to make it look like saying and doing those things are the most natural things in the world, because obviously that’s how it is for your character. For me, that means going through lines out loud continually, until they begin to feel familiar in your mouth, so the rhythm sounds right in your head. Effectively make the transition from them to you as smooth and as well-travelled as possible. So when it comes to opening night, you’re waiting behind the curtain and feel like you may vomit quite suddenly and dramatically, you can comfort yourself in the knowledge that you are about to do something that you’ve done hundreds of times before, about to become someone whose words and gestures are so familiar to you. Give your character little habits that you do when you are playing them. It sounds stupid, but think about how they sit, how they walk, so that you can use that posture to remind yourself that you are, in fact, being someone else and not you. Sometimes it’s helpful to let yourself completely become that person, do those little things that they do differently to you, and just live out the scenes as they would. Get to the stage when you don’t even need to think about the next line, relax, remember to breathe and you will be just fine! Izzy Mitchell I think, especially having recently sat on an audition panel, that it’s important to remember auditions aren’t going to be perfect. It’s important to remember that directors may have a specific style in mind for a part too. If you’re redirected, don’t panic, just try your best to take on board what’s been said – it’s most likely you just interpreted it slightly different to how the director saw it. I like to try to get into the mindset of parts - each

scene in Punk Rock had a specific song before it, so I made a playlist of them on my phone and listened to it a lot before auditions and around the show. The foremost bit of advice would be to audition for anything and everything that interests you. Regardless of whether or not you think you have a good chance, every audition is a really valuable experience, and they can all be different. Don’t be afraid or upset by taking on or being offered smaller or different roles to what you auditioned for either,

my first DST role was a minor part in A Servant To

Subtlety and nuance should always be discarded in favour of energy and ‘gestus’ Two Masters and it was great to meet more experienced people in DST and just to get some performing experience. Alexander Marshall I think forming a backstory is crucial if you want to create a more nuanced and layered production not necessarily the classic ‘what did your character have for breakfast this morning?’, but asking yourself a few pertinent questions about what led your character to this point in their lives. Most plays are only a tiny snapshot into some

pivotal events. If you take a particularly emotional piece, the characters haven’t been operating on fullthrottle forever – there have been peaks and troughs in their relationships with each other which have all inexorably pushed them towards the emotional explosion that the audience witnesses. Personally, I always want my characters to feel as realistic as possible, so the first time I read a script I try to pick up on anything I share with a character, personalitywise. Even if you don’t like a character, trying to understand. Po s s e s s i n g knowledge of the context beforehand is useful. Get a grasp of the synopsis so you know where your character fits into the general play. Although often you won’t know the piece until you get there, researching the play and its parts can be a great advantage. In auditions for a musical, keep acting throughout the song. The first thing I say to my cast, at least when I’m doing a more nonnaturalistic piece of theatre, is that they have to completely discard any preconceptions they may have about how to play a character. It starts with an inversion of the norm. Movement and action lead to character and emotion, not the other way around. Subtlety and nuance should also be discarded in favour of energy and ‘gestus.’ I like to start the rehearsal processes with exercises in movement: how does your character walk? How do they move? Why do they move like that? You can then start to build up a repertoire of stock gestures for your character to adopt in order to convey certain moods. The actor, more than anything, must be confident in what they do and place a lot of trust in the director. This may sound crude, and of course it would be if you’re doing something like Chekhov (not to mention sickeningly wrong), but it’s pivotal to the success of my aesthetic to turn what we consider ‘character’ on its head. Tyler Rainford Illustration: Olivia Howcroft

Thursday 25th February 2016

FOOD & DRINK

Burn calories, not brain cells

Has Junk-free January failed? Palatinate Food & Drink presents the ultimate guide to Fit February Story by Ariadne Vu

unk-free January is over, but for some of us, the ‘new year, new me’ resolution hasn’t quite worked out. You might have become determined that ‘this year is the year I’m ditching all the doughnuts and snacking on celery and hummus,’ only to come back to Durham surrendering to those sugar-laden snacks and sweets to cope with summative stress. ‘I’m not sure where to start,’ you are sighing, hopelessly. But not to worry: it’s never too late to start a healthy lifestyle.

The 5:2 Diet

The hint is in the name: you eat normally for five days of the week and fast on the remaining two. This is easier to maintain than a day-to-day calorie restriction: too much self-restraint can lead to spontaneous over-indulgence. Why feel guilty about that extra slice of cake you have today when you are eating next to nothing tomorrow? Planning the two fasting days is really simple. They don’t have to be consecutive – so opt for days when you don’t have lectures or seminars or a sports training or some social commitment of the like. You are going to be eating less than half the amount of essential calories when you are fasting, so not getting out of the house that day is crucial, because fainting in public is probably going to be quite embarrassing. You may not be able to do work either since you can’t concentrate on anything with a growling stomach, but at least it’s going to be very relaxing, because your brain cannot think complicated thoughts.

Paleo & Pegan

Paleo is short for ‘Paleolithic’ – a pre-Stone Age period of human history. The rationale behind this diet is that because there is barely any difference between our physiology and genetic makeup and our ancestors’ a few thousand years ago, we should follow a diet that they once had. When choosing ingredients, think hunter-gath-

Meal of the Month

erer: meat, fish/seafood, fresh fruits and veggies – all basic and healthy. Just don’t add any salt to your cooking, since the pre-historic cavemen did not have access to such a modern invention. Also, no dairy and no grains (pasta, bread, rice, etc.) are allowed. Grains only came after the Agricultural Revolution and helped reducing food shortage as well as bringing about civilisation, which is evil. In case you are wondering what is ‘Pegan’ – it’s a child of Paleo and veganism. Yes, it is the best of both worlds – combining a ‘caveman’, meatdominated diet with a diet that forbids all animal products.

Raw (or Rawism)

If you think all diets are about declaring anything edible your worst enemy, perhaps you’ve not been too well-informed. Raw diet advocates are actually food lovers who want to enjoy food in the best state given to us by nature: uncooked and unprocessed. Eating raw doesn’t mean you can only eat fruits and vegetables. You can totally eat fish and meat and eggs and anything as long as you don’t put them on the stove top or in the oven or through any types of machinery process. The invention of fire has been over-glorified – in fact, applying heat to food breaks down its nutrients and makes food toxic. And by toxic I mean digestible – our body will therefore have to absorb more calories and energy to fuel our daily activities, for example, blood circulation. Sure, our ancestors might have benefited from cooked food to an extent (being able to reserve food and not starving to death in times of need; or less significantly, brain enlargement), but why would we need any of that? To embark on this journey, prepare a hefty money bag and get your hands on everything organic and most certainly alive, and get familiarised with your newest best friend – a high-speed blender. But hey, at least you save on electric bills and restaurant checks. Instead of going out, staying in chopping and blending food and cleaning up the leftover goop in the blender is much more time and cost efficient.

Fortnightly Food Myth by Lucy Deacon

@momentsonthelips Fancy being featured? Follow us on Instagram at @palatinatefood and use #palatinatefood. It could be your food in the next issue!

Myth: You should detox your body regularly with juice diets Fact: Your body is already doing this for you! In fact, there’s no substantial scientific evidence to support this and it can do more harm than good!

Mallika Rana supplies some easy vegan recipes to kick start your new lifestyle! Butternut Squash Risotto Feeds 2

Half a butternut squash A few cloves of garlic Dried Rosemary One onion ½ litre Vegetable Stock 150 g Risotto rice Olive oil Salt and pepper 1) Preheat oven at 200 °C 2) Peel and chop a butternut squash into large cubes. Place in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and season. Add in some garlic cloves and some rosemary. 3) Roast for around 30 mins until the pieces are soft and a little brown around the edges 4) Fry an onion in a large pan with oil until clear and soft, then stir in the rice 5) Add the stock a little at a time, covering and waiting for the liquid to be absorbed between additions 6) Fry pine nuts with a little salt in oil until brown. Be careful: they will go from brown to burnt very quickly 7) Finally, add the cooked squash to the risotto and top with the fried pine nuts.

Banana pancakes

Makes 10

Sunflower oil

240 g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 ripe banana, mashed 325 ml soya milk 1 tbsp sugar

1) Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl 2) In a jug, stir the mashed banana into the soya milk 3) Mix the banana milk into the dry ingredients to make a smooth batter 4) Heat the oil in a frying pan 5) Fry spoonfuls of the batter in the oil until brown on each- side 6) Serve with maple syrup and blueberries. Photographs: Meal Makeover Moms and Tasha on Flickr

Thursday 25th February 2016

TRAVEL

Going solo

Dominic Waters explains why travelling alone could be the best thing you do this summer

e’ve all been there: you see a great deal on flights and ask your friends if they want to go. But they say they can’t. Oh well, maybe next time, you say. But why not go by yourself? If you feel daunted by the prospect, I want give you some of my tips and convince you to take the plunge. It will be scary, there will be highs and lows, but it will be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. Our generation seem to be suffering a crisis of confidence. We’re so obsessed with sports, societies, committees – and getting a graduate job – that we have no time for ourselves, and when we do get down-time we don’t know how to be alone. Taking a trip to focus on you will make you feel liberated and comfortable. Now I’m not slating travelling with friends: I enjoy going away with my friends just as much as I do going solo, but they are two very different experiences, each with distinct benefits. The best thing about travelling with friends is exactly that – you’re with your friends. You become closer and have loads of fun. Likewise, the best thing about travelling alone is exactly that

– you are alone. Solo travelling is the ultimate self-indulgence. You can do what you want, when you want. Want to spend ages in a particular museum? Just want to go for a walk then sit with a coffee and people-watch? Or just want a lie-in? Go for it! Who’s going to tell you you can’t? And even when things go wrong, those mistakes are your own. If you spent an hour walking around b a c k streets to find a bakery that closed down a year ago, that’s your own mistake, and when you rescue it by finding something better its all the more rewarding. Choose a destination that’s right for you. Think about what you want out of the trip, if you want to party, eat all the food, soak in the atmosphere, shop. Most cities will have things for all types of people, but make sure you’re going to get something out of it. When it comes to accommodation I cannot recommend hostels enough. Hostels are cheap and sociable. You will meet other like-minded travellers, make friends and find people to eat and drink with. It’s like Fresher’s week: just go up to people and start a conversation, that’s how it works. Its worth spending a bit extra for a good hostel and be sure to check reviews. Research and planning are key. Book flights and hostels early, download an offline map, plan how to get to the hostel from the airport and have the address written down in the local language. Research what there is to do at your destination. I like to have a list of things I want to see or do by the end of the trip. You don’t have to go planning-crazy but having a vague idea of what you want to do will make you less likely to stay in the hostel during the day. Trust everyone and no one. You will meet many amazing people and you’ll have great fun together, but perhaps don’t trust them with your phone and passport. Make sure you have the local emergency services number to hand and generally keep your wits about you. No matter how adventurous you’re feeling, personal safety is key. Wherever you’re travelling to, try to learn some of the local language. Even if it’s just the basics, the locals will thank you. And if you muck

it up, who’s going to know? Pack a book to read: perfect for dining alone and if you have time to kill. If the weather’s nice I like to find a park in between sight seeing, read a chapter and people watch for a bit before moving on. Be spontaneous. It’s a journey into the unknown. You don’t know what’s going to happen or who you’re going to meet. Embrace that and take everything in your stride. Don’t be scared: your fears will disappear once you arrive. So next time you see a deal too good to miss, don’t pass it off because your friends can’t make it. Book it, go, and have the time of your life. You’ll thank yourself later. Photographs: Dominic Waters

The Best of Instagram Yosemite, taken by Imogen Misso

Hong Kong, taken by Ollie Jenkins

Instagram: @palatinatetravel Interested in writing for us? Email travel@palatinate.org.uk

Thursday 25th February 2016

MUSIC

Review: NME Awards Tour

The NME Awards Tour has long been seen as a significant milestone for the bands of the future. On this occasion, Chirag Karia is left scratching his head

he NME Awards Tour rolled into Newcastle’s o2 Academy this month, seeing the newly reformed Bloc Party return alongside Drenge, RATBOY and Grime MC Bugzy Malone. The 12-show UK Tour is a unique spectacle, known for putting on some great guitar bands and creating some truly remarkable moments for live music lovers. However, given NME’s indie-rock roots, those familiar with the annual showcase may have found this year’s eclectic line-up slightly bizarre. Grime MC Bugzy Malone kicked off the night with “Walk With Me” to a small, yet rowdy crowd. He tears through verses of “Watch Your Mouth” and “Bronson” with pure conviction, and even succeeds at an attempt of call and response – encouraging the young Geordie crowd to shout his native Manchester’s dialing code (which is 0161 for those of you who were wondering). Manny’s hype man further intensifies the already energetic set, whaling himself around the stage screaming “Wasteman” whilst gesturing aggressively. The Mancunian MC proved to be a competent opener with solid flow and some great chat – ending the set yelling, “Shout out to the mosh pit crew”! Jordan Cardy (AKA RATBOY) was up next.

Delivering a youthful dose of grungy indierock, the 19-year-old seemed to be the subject of star struck adoration among the teenage girls in the crowd. With a reputation for wreaking havoc, it was very clear at this point that the venue had divided into two, with the moshing youngsters at the bottom and the seated spectators at the top. Although dressed like a 90s era Nirvana tribute act, RATBOY did not disappoint, playing raucous tunes whilst maintaining a chaotic stage presence. The set ended on a riotous note, as crowd surfers were escorted out of the building to the sound of “Fake ID” bellowing through the speakers. Drenge, up next, were met with great enthusiasm as they moved seamlessly through their set with an air of mature confidence and passion. Opening with psych-grunge track “Never Awake” the duo kept the already buzzing crowd jumping. “You Can Do What You Want” and “Side-by-Side” retained the electric atmosphere, with the Sheffield-born Loveless boys closing the set with favourites from their selftitled debut. And so on to the headline act: Bloc Party kick off their set with “The Good News” from their fifth studio album, Hymns. However, it wasn’t until they followed this up with “Mer-

cury” from 2008’s Intimacy that the crowd truly got going. From flawless “Flux” to hellish “Helicopter”, Bloc Party’s delivery was both engaging and faultless. However, despite their nostalgic charm, there seemed to be something missing. Given the band’s recent hiatus and drastic new line-up, it is understandable why things just didn’t seem right. The set lacked bite and consistency, as the band flip-flopped between old and new material, the latter of which the crowd just didn’t seem interested in hearing. I suspect many die-hard Bloc Party fans left the venue with a growing sense of disappointment. With a history of breaking new artists into the indie-rock scene, the NME Awards Tour seems to have taken a different direction this year. The night was an obvious and desperate attempt by NME to remain relevant with today’s Facebook generation, whilst trying to retain their older following of indie-rock fans. It seems their new status as a giveaway magazine has lead to a change in direction for the once loved “New Music Express”, which unfortunately resulted in a strange line-up and awkward atmosphere on the night. Pity, really. Photograph: Rachael Wright

Thursday 25th February 2016

MUSIC

Spotlight: Clara 3000

Clara 3000 has it all; a killer sound and an effortlessly cool attitude to match. Music Editor Jacqui Duan explores why she is the next dj to watch

lara Deshayes, or perhaps better known under her stage-name Clara 3000, has a beautiful aesthetic. Having opened for the likes of Justice and played sets alongside Levon Vincent and Theo Parrish, Deshayes has already garnered herself much deserve attention as one of Paris’s most promising up-and-coming. With talk of her debut EP on the way, this twentyfive-year-old model-come-dj was recently named one of five female djs to watch by Dazed Digital, and rightly so. Deshayes’s style is unconventional at best. Her mixes, like a well-tailored pant suit, are versatile and reflect Deshayes’ experimental nature. Suitable for a house party, a gallery opening or even to liven the monotony of study, her preference for French minimalism and Berlin techno is evident of that infallible Parisian cool aesthetic that characterizes much of Deshayes’ work. Her recent remix of C.A.R’s ‘Idle Eyes’ has a rawness of beat that sends one into the clubs of Berlin, and her preference for songs with simplicity and texture over complicated high-speed rhythms lend her mixes an atmospheric ability to explore and evolve rather than simply demonstrate. But this is not to say that Deshayes

is limited in any such way. You only need to listen to her monthly mixes for France’s Rinse FM to find examples of her wide-ranging and innovative taste. From funk to heavy metal, disco to krautrock, there is no genre left un-touched with Deshayes, no record unturned. What sets Deshayes apart from other young djs, however, is her work with fashion. Having walked down the catwalk herself for French brands Jacquemus and Vetements, she now largely scores the performances. Her work for Vetement’s Spring/Summer 16 collection was a testimony to what she called in an interview with Purple Magazine “sound design”. The walk depicts eclectic pieces being showcased against a backdrop of classical music, which then swung into a more tribal jungle beat, before punching into a heavy metal track. The sudden changes in genre, though somewhat jarring if listened to on its own, were the perfect accompaniment to the bold, cutting-edge and distinctively contemporary

couture of Vetements. Widely sought after for parties by notable brands such as Hermes and Lacoste, this fashionable venture of Deshayes provides an interesting insight into the interaction between the visual and the musical. In a technological age where the music video is becoming more and more recognized as a means of expression, Deshayes gives us an insight into a relationship that may come to define the future of music and fashion. Deshayes is the best friend we wish we all had. Having recently played at London’s Ministry of Sound, it seems that Deshayes’ international reputation is only growing day-by-day. I am still waiting with baited breath for a release date of her rumoured EP, but when it does arrive, I know we can expect something weird, wild and wonderful.

Review: Massive Attack, Ritual Spirit EP Following a six-year absence, masters of Trip-Hop Massive Attack made a welcome return last month. Music Editor Will Throp reviews their new EP

t’s a question worth asking - can Massive Attack still cut it in 2016? The world has moved on after all – those heady 90’s days in which ‘Teardrop’ soundtracked a generation’s awkward awakening seem an aw-

fully long time ago. Happily, the duo put such fears to rest with their latest offering. ‘Ritual Spirit’ is Massive Attack at their purest, as the pair continue to expand their sonic horizons with a beautifully sculpted selection of tracks. Opening track ‘Dead Editors’ sets the tone. Massive Attack emerge from the haze of the past half-decade to the sound of a distant radar pulse, signalling the return of Messrs Marshall and Del Naja proper. It doesn’t take long for the song to settle into the group’s characteristic groove. Upon this propulsive foundation, the scene is set for the first guest act of the EP, Roots Manuva, to drive home the action. Roots is non-plussed as he detects the “flashing Light Years” that pass before him, his vocals paranoid and enigmatic at every turn. The track wouldn’t sound out of place on Jamie XX’s 2015 record ‘In Colour’ – adding weight to the notion that Massive Attack remain as relevant as ever.

The rest of the EP progresses as you might suspect. ‘Ritual Spirit’, the title track, opens to shimmering guitars and heart swelling drums, before giving way to a schizophrenic beat that shifts and skips around the ear. Azekel’s guest appearance sounds like Sampha’s on the SBTRKT track ‘Hold On’, all soulful and rich. ‘Voodoo in my Blood’ features Mercury Music Prize winners Young Fathers, and exhibits Massive Attack at their taut and controlled best. The EP’s closing track, ‘Take It There (feat. Tricky, 3D)’ brings things to a fitting conclusion. A natural bedfellow to Heligoland deep cut ‘Splitting the Atom’, the song nestles easily in amongst the best in the duo’s canon. Make no mistake. Massive Attack have returned in all their gloomy, despairing glory. Long live Trip-Hop. Photograph: Virgin / EMI

Thursday 25th February 2016

FILM & TV

The Hateful Eight?

#OscarsSoWhite may have dominated this year’s ceremony, but which of the eight Best Picture nominations will ride out the controversy and take the title? Brooklyn “I’d forgotten how bad things were in Ireland.” Jim Broadbent’s jovial priest mutters into his chin from the safe distance of Brooklyn. Ireland has a tragic history, commemorated in this year’s centenary of the Easter Uprising, and what better companion piece than this evocation of the emigrant experience? Sadly, across its history, Ireland has often been considered a country worth leaving. Unless, of course you are the British… Saoirse Ronan (The Grand Budapest Hotel) is spell binding as Wexford red head, Eilis, who crosses the Atlantic in search of pastures new. Leaving the Emerald isle, her heart is torn to shreds and caught in the crosshair of lovers both American and Irish. Kudos to Domnhall Gleeson who gives a less martial, more marital performance compared to his recent Star Wars turn. A lovely film, but surely too light for the panel’s taste. It is an interesting inclusion considering Carol’s omission. Rory McInnes-Gibbons.

Bridge of Spies This isn’t a film that will surprise you. The now legendary Tom Hanks/Stephen Spielberg partnership offers a very reliable mix of drama and intrigue that undoubtedly pushes all the Academy’s buttons. Nevertheless, this Cold War thriller lacks the degree of verve its subject matter permits. Part of the problem is Tom Hanks’ portrayal of lawyer James Donovan. He’s too – for the lack of a better word - ‘Tom-Hanksy’. In stark contrast, Britain’s Mark Rylance, in playing Rudolf Abel, the Soviet spy represented by Donovan, has the freedom to deliver an intimate character study. His mesmerizingly reserved performance, littered with shrewd one-liners and offbeat quirks, dominates proceedings. Being a bit too sanitized, a bit too neat, and with not enough Rylance, Bridge of Spies won’t offer much competition to more controversial titles such as Spotlight and The Big Short. Rylance really should be nabbing Best Supporting Actor but it looks like Stallone will beat him to it this year. Hugo Harris.

Mad Max: Fury Road Nominated for 10 awards, Mad Max: Fury Road is an explosive blend of fantasy, western, and high octane action that sets the bar high for future action releases. It is the truest vision of George Miller’s world so far, having hardly deviated from the outline written on an aeroplane in 1997. Covering themes of religious fanaticism, class, and feminism, it is certainly relevant today. Furiosa (Charlize Theron), the Five Wives and the gunslinging women of the Vuvalini stand as characters in their own right and not as female accessories to Tom Hardy’s starring role as Max. Its failure to snag the Producers Guild of America award or the Golden Globe for Best Picture is a significant blow to its chances of winning the Oscar. Based on the Academy’s recent record, a film as intense-

ly action-heavy as Mad Max is definitely an outside bet. However, with the Oscars so open, anything could happen if this film’s depth is recognised. Vivek Khattar.

The Martian Comedy? Drama? Who knows - the important thing is that The Martian, telling the tale of an astronaut stranded on Mars, is shortlisted for Best Picture. Its director, Ridley Scott, amassed a terrific ensemble cast: Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels to name a few. But make no mistake, this is Matt Damon’s film and he keeps the tone remarkably as the sols (days) his character (Mark Watney) spends on the red planet begin to take their toll. Disco tunes provide some hilariously on point musical cues, even if it’s still a mystery why Bowie’s ‘Life on Mars’ wasn’t used. The Martian is enjoyable, but in playing up the comedy it sacrifices dramatic heft. The film, adapted from the novel, is said to be very accurate scientifically, but the audience won’t necessarily feel that it has earned the breakthroughs Watney achieves. Not really in the running, but who cares when you have a film that combines ABBA and hydrazine combustion? Hugo Harris.

Room Room has received four nominations: Best Picture, Actress, Director and Adapted Screenplay. Brie Larson is almost certain to win for Best Actress – going into the BAFTAs, usually the best indication of how The Academy will vote, her odds of winning were listed at 1-4. Her failure to win would have been the biggest upset in the awards’ history. With her win there, an Oscar seems inevitable. It does, however, seem highly unlikely that Room will also be a contender for Picture or Director – both awards seem destined for Alejandro González Iñárritu and The Revenant, whose ambition and scope is far more to the Academy’s taste. Fifteen men have previously won an Oscar for adapting their own source material, but Emma Donoghue would be the first woman to earn this accolade should she be successful. Despite this, The Big Short, which won the BAFTA, is considered the favourite, with Carol in second place. Zoë Boothby.

The Revenant On February 28th Leonardo DiCaprio will land his first Oscar. Fact. The conditions the actor subjected himself shooting The Revenant (someone who returns from the dead) appear so extreme in this two and half hour epic that it is inconceivable the Academy will not acknowledge his grit. That

performance and The Revenant’s visceral fight scenes are huge positives. It is thus a shame that the weaknesses to Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ambitious window into the life of a 17th Century American frontiersman were very much selfinflicted in the editing suite. Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography of sun stricken, snow-capped peaks beggars belief, but Iñárritu depends upon it far too heavily. Moreover, given DiCaprio’s primary antagonist (a boisterous Tom Hardy) has little screen-time, The Revenant lacks the sense of momentum its thread-bare plot requires. For these reasons, it is better to put your money on a DiCaprio rather than a Best Picture win. Hugo Harris.

The Big Short The Big Short is nominated for five awards. These nominations are minor compared to other contenders, particularly The Revenant with twelve. Although The Big Short missed out on a Golden Globe for Best Picture to The Martian, it is firmly in contention for the coveted Best Picture Oscar due to its win at the Producers Guild of America awards. A reliable predictor of Best Picture wins in the past, they use the same voting system as the Academy. Spotlight is the frontrunner, winning the Screen Actor’s Guild award for Best Ensemble. Moreover, The Revenant won both Best Picture and Best Director at the Golden Globes. Nevertheless, The Big Short has a good chance to succeed on the night. The film does not deliver the same cinematic intensity as other contenders The Revenant, The Martian and Mad Max: Fury Road, but as a boardroom drama it doesn’t need to. However, given the controversy surrounding the Oscars this year, the Academy really could go in any direction. Phoebe Kitchen.

Spotlight The Bookies favourite. Set in 2001, we follow the Boston Globe’s investigation into child sex abuse within the Catholic Church. Director Tom McCarthy balances the voracious appetite of the journalist with the respect the church demands, taking on the style of a documentary rather than soapy sensationalism. Mark Ruffalo shows he is more than just gruff, leading Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams on their pursuit for truth through a malaise of church spin and troubled victims. The fate of Cardinal Law, removed from Boston to the safe haven of the Vatican, despite his pariah status within America, is a lesson that remains relevant with the recent news of the Catholic Church telling newly ordained bishops that they have no obligation to report sexual abuse. Watch Spotlight to understand the necessity of this action. Respectful yet compelling, Spotlight is a worthy winner. Despite its recent success, it remains an outside bet. Unless you’re a gambling man. Rory McInnes-Gibbons. Photographs: Wikimedia Commons

Thursday 25th February 2016

CREATIVE WRITING

Poetry focus: Irini Picolou

Budding poet Irini Picolou, a second year French and Spanish student from Collingwood, shares a poem and an insight into what inspires her

Note From The Poet

Orchard

Note From The Editor

After having studied ‘Rapture’ by Carol Ann Duffy for English Literature at A2, I decided to write a poem inspired by Duffy. The poem is about two lovers whose love provokes the jealousy and hatred of those surrounding them. In the sonnet, the abyss represents the depression and isolation of one of the lovers as they dream about being reunited with their partner, but the relationship has been temporarily paused due to the envy of others which has torn them apart. The fainting trees symbolise those who are failing to shatter the rekindled love of the two lovers, and the river which represents baptism, tells the reader that there is now a new beginning to the relationship. The communion is a symbol for marriage, and the two lovers decide to make this commitment in order to strengthen their relationship. In the end, the lovers kiss for real, officially having overcome what was originally trying to destroy their partnership.

The leaves stroke my face as I feel Your kiss, your kiss, I fumble with the lace of your love in the abyss.

This poem is interesting because, as Irini pointed out in her note, it is a sonnet. But it’s not a typical sonnet: it has fourteen lines, but the rhymes and metre are constantly shifting. It creates a feeling of anticipation in the reader. This mirrors the anticipation the speaker feels, waiting for the final kiss of the lover. The nature of the orchard and the forest change throughout the poem. It starts with “the leaves stroke my face“, characterising the leaves as an assumably positive force, heightening the love between the lovers. But this changes dramatically in the second stanza: the trees in the orchard start to die. The leaves fall into a river, who blesses the leaves as well as the lovers. The true nature of the trees becomes apparent in the third stanza: they are in battle to try to “destroy our amorous communion”. This changes how we read the title ‘Orchard’ and the earlier bit of the poem. It almost, in sonnet nature, acts as a volta (or a turn) in the middle of the poem. But the poem ends with positivity: the speaker crawls out of her abyss for the lover’s kiss. The repetition of “your kiss, your kiss” echoes second line of the poem, assuming all is well again.

The trunks turned pale and fainted With a loud bang on the ground. The river blessed their leaves And kissed our heads with its messy sound. The river concealed our aquatic reunion As the trees fell one by one, Losing their battle trying to destroy our amorous communion. I climbed out of the abyss just for Your kiss, your kiss.