EDITORIAL indigo@palatinate.org.uk
A triggering Valentine’s Day Indigo Editor Honor Douglas reflects on this edition’s theme, Valentine’s Day
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ast week was Durham Drama Festival. After watching and reviewing a number of stellar productions, I realised just how many things that students write about required a trigger warning. To name a few: voyeurism, grief, war, sexually explicit content. Yet, in real life many people do not get offered a warning before being faced with potentially triggering content. Instead, we must face everything that comes our way as it comes. An upcoming somewhat triggering day is the often-dreaded Valentine’s Day. For some, a day to celebrate love. For most, a day of loneliness and one that I certainly hope passes by quickly. Social media is soon to be filled with performative posts, teddy bears will again suddenly become an acceptable gift for middle aged people, and the colour red will have its moment once more. The day seems to be so fuelled by how much money loved ones have spent on worthless, conventional gifts that have been given a romantic spin instead of celebrating love. Walking around Durham City it seems impossible to escape the day that shall not be named. Offers in restaurants, – the salsa dancing offer in 19Twenty Bar & Grill has been haunting my dreams – themed society socials, and just to top it all off this fortnight’s edition of Indigo has Valentine’s Day at its centre. However, Indigo’s articles this edition provide an alternative outlook on the widely dreaded annual day. At the core of all of these articles is love – they champion the idea that all love should be celebrated, not just the romantic kind. Readers have the opportunity to hear about contributors’ love of material things such as art, books and films, as well as a love for locations. The love that these contributors have for various aspects of their life, not just for a romantic counterpart, truly proves that Richard Curtis is right with his soppy claim that ‘love actually is all around.’ Love cannot be simply an annual thing that can only be shared on one specific day in February, but instead can be embraced all the time – despite what the booming Valentine’s Day industry may want you
Artwork of the week by Izzie Currie
CONTENT
TEAM
CONTACT
Food and Drink (Page 3), Film and TV (Pages 4 & 5), Features (Page 6), Books (Page 7), Travel (Page 8), Interview (Page 9), Visual Arts (Page 10), Creative Writing (Page 11), Stage (Page 12), Music (Page 13), Style (Pages 14 & 15)
Honor Douglas, Samuel Lopes, Nicole Wu, Nia Kile, Emerson Shams, Charlotte Grimwade, Grace Marshall, Isobel Tighe, Miriam Mitchell, Imogen Marchant, Gracie Linthwaite, Holly Downes, Stephanie Ormond, Lara Maomar, Josie Lockwood Christian Bland, Cameron Beech, Millie Stott, Ella Al-Khalil Coyle, Ben Smart, Saniya Saraf, Katya Davisson, Annabelle Bulag, Grace Jessop and Anna Johns
www.palatinate.org.uk
Indigo logo: Adeline Zhao Cover image: Adeline Zhao Closing image: Adeline Zhao
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to believe. These interests can be appreciated by the individual, on Valentine’s Day and throughout the year, without the need for a special someone to love them with. They can be loved independently of Valentine’s Day. A guilty pleasure of mine is watching TikTok videos, and a recent quote on there that stuck with me this Valentine’s Day is that ‘independence is often mistaken for believing that you don’t feel lonely anymore’. It should also be said that independence and loneliness is not a feature that is unique to single people. This Valentine’s Day, independence and love in general should be celebrated, not just romantic love. After the separation that Covid-19 caused, hug your loved ones (in every capacity of the word) this Valentine’s Day, and do as Indigo suggests appreciate the love you have for things around you, as well as people.
Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Illustration credits (from left): Adeline Zhao, Izzie Currie
FOOD AND DRINK food@palatinate.org.uk
Morsels of love Food and Drink editor Emerson Shams shares his easy to make chocolate bites
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anna spread the love? These easy to make chocolate bites are the best gift to make for that special someone, your family or all your friends! And easy to customise as well! You can throw virtually anything in these for a nice filling!
Makes approx. 14-20 morsels (dependening on how big it’s cut) Ingredients:
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2 Milk chocolate bars 2 White chocolate bars Liquid red food colouring
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Microwave/heat safe bowl Spatula
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Oreo thins Caramel Pink chocolate pieces
Materials: Pot (optional) Tupperware tray (freezer safe)
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Parchment paper Freezer Knife
Method: . Start with the milk chocolate and melt it down in the bowl. Either slowly melt in the microwave by putting it in at 5-10 second intervals and slowly stirring until liquid. OR heat a safe bowl on top of a pot with water. Boil the water and let the steam melt the chocolate, stirring until all melted. . Prepare the tupperware with the parchment paper completely covering it (including up the edges). . Once melted, pour into tupperware.
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. Put oreos in a bag and crumble them. Add into the melted milk chocolate, but do not stir. . Place in the freezer for 30 min. . Melt caramel according to the package. . Take hardened chocolate out of the freezer. . Pour a layer of caramel on top.
. Repeat step 1 with the white or pink chocolate. If using white chocolate, melt half into one bowl. Take a small amount of red food colouring on a toothpick or fork and spread it around to make a marbled red food colouring sparingly. In the other bowl, add the other melted chocolate and add food colouring and mix until the mixture is a shade of pink of your preference. Then pour the two into the tupperware and softly mix until marbled to your desire.
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. Pick up the tupperware and softly bang against thehard surface to evenly spread the chocolate and get rid of air bubbles.
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. Place in the freezer for 6 hours.
Image credit: Emerson Shams (photographs), Adeline Zhao (illustration)
Note:White chocolate was not used in the one pictured. It fell on the floor. Don’t drop it on the floor. I melted down little pink chocolate dots instead, They were initially supposed to be used like hundred and thousands!
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FILM & TV film@palatinate.org.uk
Friends-to-lovers: the trope of a pandemic
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Phoebe Rogers explores this trope in light of a trend of pandemic couplings
an men and women ever be just friends? Ross and Rachel, Harry and Sally, Ron and Hermione all suggest otherwise. Nora Ephron’s romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally proposed this question in 1989, and it has since been a source of debate for psychologists. “Whether it necessarily translates to a sexual relationship is another story”, Dr Dana Dorfman argues, “but I think it would be very difficult for it not to at least be a consideration.” From Ted and Robin in How I Met Your Mother to Nick and Jess in New Girl, we have become invested in the fictional friendships which develop into love, raising the question of why the slowburning romance plot is so compelling. In the wake of the pandemic, as many of our new emotional attachments have been formed with old acquaintances, it has become glaringly apparent that the friends-turned-lovers trope has transcended our screens. Out of twelve million viewers, a study found
that Friends was the most binge-watched series in 2018, despite airing over two decades ago. Its longevity is arguably sustained by the enduring relationship of Monica and Chandler that, whilst originally written to last a couple of episodes, has transformed into one of the most renowned marriages in television history. In turn, novels which narrate the euphoric revealing of concealed desires are regularly adapted into films, as the union of lovers is rendered with cinematic spectacle. Namely, David Nicholl’s One Day follows graduates Emma and Dexter for twenty years on the 15th of July, and its circularity instils the hope that the pair will finally recognise their inseparability. The film is a “persuasive and endearing account of close friendship”, as Harry Ritchie writes, depicting both “resentment and sometimes yearning.” Similarly protracted, Harry and Sally take twelve years and three months to confess their emotions. In Cecelia Ahern’s Love, Rosie, only after tolerating separate partners, living in separate continents, 4
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and embarking on different career paths, do the childhood companions come together in a final scene of epiphanic passion.
The prolific portrayal of this storyline has inspired pandemic couples The prolific portrayal of this storyline has inspired pandemic couples, rising from the romantically barren wasteland of the Covid-19 era. University students have spent the past two years gathering in small bubbles, sitting at tables in clubs, and partying in pantries. The mythical 70% statistic in Durham, if not already validated by the collegiate system and idyllic scenery, now seems even more probable. A second-year student explained that “being locked in together in households of fifteen meant that everyone became friends far quicker.” Living on the same corridor as her partner, she explained that the restrictions “sped up a process that might have happened anyway.” Although she disagreed with Harry’s assertion that “men and women can never be friends”, the student acknowledged that “relationships that come out of a friendship can be particularly special.” Regardless of whether they have crossed the platonic boundary, the bonds that have developed in the past year at university have been undoubtedly strengthened by the unique pandemic climate. As government measures are now being
lifted, our anticipation for new social experiences is paralleled by television duos who are constantly tilting on the precipice of love. From Jim and Pam in The Office to Lorelai and Luke in Gilmore Girls, their painful missed opportunities and coy interactions captivate the audience. Despite dramas presenting to us the intensity of physical lust, it is the comedy genre which produces the greatest relationships, as their compatible personalities and playful interactions ignite our compulsion to click ‘next episode’.
Whilst not all friends become lovers, the entertainment industry builds a convincing case Whilst not all friends become lovers, the entertainment industry builds a convincing case. The most coveted relationships in film and television are often those which don’t begin romantically and are enshrouded by a gloss of serendipity as a result. With the easing of Covid restrictions, we are no longer distanced from others by masks and zoom calls, and so we can experience the same relief as the couples whose long-awaited unions burn bright on screen. As we watch Harry lyrically declare his love for Sally in the celebratory lights of New York, we are also left yearning to “have what she’s having” this Valentine’s Day.
Image credit (from left): Rosie Bromiley, Verity Laycock
FILM & TV film@palatinate.org.uk
The Nicholas Sparks effect Lydia Bennett analyses the influence of Sparks' films on our perception of romance
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ith Valentine’s Day around the corner, conversations about the romance classic The Notebook are never far from people’s lips. The award-winning book-turned-movie and the plethora of other screen adaptions by American author Nicholas Sparks are undoubtedly classics in the romantic genre, and usually top the list for must-watch films of the Valentine’s weekend. If you didn’t know them as Nicholas Sparks movies already, titles such as The Longest Ride, Safe Haven, Dear John and The Last Song make up just a sample of the movies that make Sparks such a powerful figure in the world of romance.
Are these movies healthy for our view of relationships? These movies are always my go-to for a fix of romance and most importantly, they top the list for the times I need to get the tear-ducts working again. Every time I watch one, I find myself wanting to catch a plane to North Carolina, hire a house by the beach and wait for a local heartthrob to whisk me off my feet. Sparks never fails to get us all ‘loving love’ by the end of the two hours we commit to his storytelling and he’s certainly good as making us want more. However, I can’t help feeling a little guilty each time I watch, in the knowledge that these movies are shaping my perceptions of love and romance, and often not for the better. I am, of course, aware that these movies are completely fictitious, but that doesn’t stop me from falling for the image that is being fed to me on screen. I think it’s about time to see what Nicholas Sparks is actually encouraging us to believe about love and romance through his movies – are these movies healthy for our view of relationships or simply setting a bad example? First and foremost, it’s important to acknowledge the fact that unfortunately, many
of these love stories promote some rather toxic relationship traits throughout their narratives. Let’s be clear about this though, it’s not simply the showing of toxic traits on screen that is the problem for me (in fact showing these things can be vitally important for deconstructing an unrealistic, unattainable image of love), it’s the portrayal of these traits as fairy-tale depictions of what love should be. We need look no further than Amanda in The Best of Me who cheats on her husband in order to rekindle the spark she once had with her high school sweetheart, Dawson. It seems to me that the film frames cheating as acceptable for the sake of ‘following
one’s heart’ without facing the consequences or dealing with the damage of unfaithfulness. Another example sees Noah and Allie in The Notebook depicted as the only correct fit for one another. Although there is a period of separation between the two, Noah and Allie eventually reconcile in the belief that they are made for each other, eventually being shown in their old age together. This can of course be the case for some people, but the suggestion that there is ‘the one’ for everyone, depicted so often throughout Sparks’ movies, severely undermines reality. In fact, I think it’s pretty unrealistic to expect the universe to supply one romantic partner who will make all your dreams come true, and this mentality can be pretty damaging if implemented into real life. A final observation I’ve made of the impact Nicholas Sparks’ movies have on our
perception of romance, is their incessant need to cast only beautiful people in these stories, as if romance is only for conventionally attractive people. Once again, I am fully aware that these are Hollywood productions and beauty sells. I know that, but some of the most attractive people (by conventional standards might I add) in the world have played protagonists in Nicholas Sparks movies – does that mean normal people aren’t entitled to romance? I find it really hard to empathise with the stories on screen when the protagonists look perfect all the time, and crucially, I think these movies only exaggerate our dissatisfaction at the normal world we live in, absent of Hollywood celebrities with staggering good looks (in my opinion anyway). As Shakespeare once wrote, "the course of true love never did run smooth" and to be honest I have to conclude by saying that hat Nicholas Sparks’ does a good job of showing that romance isn’t completely plain sailing. Whilst these movies may have some questionable aspects to their narrative (which I admit I have dwelled upon considerably in this article), they don’t suggest that love comes easily and without trials . Ultimately, Nicholas Sparks transports us to a place of idealism and escapism in these love stories which I think the romance genre really does have a space for. There are positives to providing us with escapism and idealised romance but ultimately, we must be wary that these stories are simply that, stories. They are fictional accounts of romance and love that purposefully avoid the reality of relationships for the purpose of entertaining audiences. Although we still love you Nicholas, we’ll just have to watch The Notebook without expecting our lives to look exactly the same as Allie and Noah’s, or Luke and Sophia’s or Dawson and Amanda’s. Having said that, I’d better start booking my flights to North Carolina…
Image credit (from left): Verity Laycock, Rosie Bromiley Thursday, 10 February 2022
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FEATURES features@palatinate.org.uk
The importance of celebrating different kinds of love Olivia Bothamley-Dakin explores what Valentine’s Day should really be about
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versized teddy bears with giant red hearts stapled to their bodies. Overpriced set menus. A queue of disgruntled-looking men outside of Clintons. Oh no, it’s that time of year again! It’s Valentine’s Day. It’s ironic that a holiday designed to celebrate one of the most enjoyable emotions instead brings dread to couples and singletons alike. It’s not all red roses and heart-shaped chocolates. Valentine’s Day can exacerbate loneliness, reignite past relationship trauma, and cause way too much unnecessary worry and spending. The consumer world has taken advantage of the celebration of love, and the meaning of the holiday has been lost. Whilst giving or receiving flowers, cards and chocolates is sweet, it’s the thought behind those actions that really counts. Valentine’s Day should purely be about that crazy little thing called love. In fact, Valentine’s Day was once meant for the singles amongst us. A day intended for people to express interest in potential suitors has since been monopolised by romantic couples.
philautia: self-love. Sick of not receiving a card from a valentine? Write yourself a love letter. So, you’re single? Own it. We tend to associate being single as something entirely out of our control, but that isn’t necessarily true. We voluntarily make choices to remain single. You chose to not have something toxic, something boring, something less than what you truly want. Instead, you chose yourself. Self-love is the key to loving others better and the secret to living your best life. Love yourself first this Valentine’s Day, and you never know what next year will bring.
Celebrate and champion the love that you do have
ably never will be your current crush.) Platonic love is underrated. Your friends, family, your neighbour’s cat, whoever or whatever you love — celebrate it. We have healthy relationships with so many people, so why is Valentine’s Day all about celebrating the relationship between you and your one true love? Relationships with friends and family also provide us with love, comfort, and security. Forget valentines — celebrate with your galentines. Even if you’re dating someone this year and it looks promising, try making your friends your valentines. A year ago, we couldn’t even see our friends. This year, take advantage of the fact you can.
So, whether you have a significant other or not, this is the year to proudly proclaim that Valentine’s Day should not be exclusive to romantic couples. Visit your parents and cook them a meal. Facetime your friends. Take your dog for a long walk. Volunteer in a homeless shelter. Or indulge in a relaxing bubble bath by yourself. Branch out from the cliché romantic dinners and overdone gestures. Once you do, I promise you’ll dread Valentine’s Day a lot less. In writing this article, that introductory scene from Love Actually — the Christmas movie we all love-to-hate and hate-to-love — has played on a loop rent-free in my head. Yet we should embrace Richard Curtis’ cliché but genius words this Valentine’s Day. Let’s recognise that love is actually all around.
Let’s recognise that love is actually all around
Now, if you’re left single on Valentine’s Day, you’re stereotyped as a pathetic failure who eats way too much Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and quotes Bridget Jones like the bible. This needs to change; it is about time we reclaim Valentine’s Day for everyone. Somewhere, there is someone who loves you and who you love back. Spend Valentine’s Day with them. (I stress this isn’t, and prob-
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From experience, restaurants on V-Day are not just filled with gushy couples, or men sweating nervously about the correct time to go down on one knee. You’ll also find tables of friends standing in solidarity amongst the sea of googly-eyed lovers. If you are single, don’t sit there being a Valentine’s Day scrooge. Celebrate and champion the love that you do have. Even if all of your friends last minute cosy up with their significant others, catch a date, or drag a traffic warden from the street so they aren’t without a partner, you can still celebrate love with no one around you. After all, the ancient Greeks celebrated eight types of love. One, and arguably the most important, was Illustrations: Anna Kuptsova
BOOKS books@palatinate.org.uk
Frivolity, femininity and fresh perspective Katerina Panayiotou on the gender dynamics of romance and the effects of ‘BookTok’
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urrently consigned to the side-lines of the literary world, romance is seen as feminine and thus superficial, of little value beyond light (and unintelligent) entertainment. But what has caused the genre to earn such a reputation, and should this be reversed? To understand romance’s association with femininity, we must first look back to previous cultural connotations of the novel form itself. When the novel began to rise in popularity during the nineteenth century, it wasn’t considered a prestigious art form as it is now. Instead, novels were perceived as somewhat trivial, and warned as morally dubious for women (a large part of the readership) to consume. At this time, many novels were classed as romances – however in this sense a ‘romance’ was known as a short story with a shallow plot and some fantastical elements. From the outset we see the relationship between romance and the novel, even in its earliest forms, being linked to femininity.
Prevailing cultural differences between men and women have not helped the romance novel break into the mainstream
Historically, female experiences of love, sex and relationships have both been out of their own control, but also mostly taboo to discuss, especially in a male-dominated world. Much of the romance genre features female protagonists, and male love interests engaging with deeper emotional engagement, both of which are alien to the tenets of masculinity. Much of the narrative experiences of the protagonists are so far removed from the male perspective that romance has struggled to gain a significant foothold in academic discussion. Even in literary greats concerned with romance, such as Jane Austen’s Emma, much of the analysis of love and matchmaking is explored through the lens of other themes. This analysis still bears merit, but often times exploration of romance in of itself is neglected because of it’s presentation through womanhood. Most recently, the female readership and engagement with romance has evolved through the advent of social media – female majority online spaces devoted to the discussion of romance literature (previously Tumblr, and more recently TikTok) have created a supportive and thriving community of discussion and creativity surrounding the genre. The TikTok community specifically (known as BookTok) has spawned several authors, made successful either through self-publishing or traditional book deals – in the last year, publishers have been using the community as their latest hunting-ground. These online communities have always been
Image credit: (from bottom left to right): Amanda Vick, Brigitte Tohm via Unsplash
isolated from the publishing world, but both authors and readers are gaining a foothold in current literary discourse.
The key issue with romance’s lack of social prestige is that a male perspective often fails to identity with it Associations of femininity means that the whole genre has been perceived as ‘less than’. However romance literature is perceived societally, from a detached perspective, it’s worth is not damaged – the genre is generally accessible in that there is a variety of stories, settings and characters that many could identify with, and a predominant female audience should not be the reason to delegitimise an art form. Although a wider appeal to a male audience would allow for the genre to gain mainstream recognition, these female-led online communities are refreshing and light-hearted safe spaces for discussion, and are quickly gaining the respect they deserve. The overall community surrounding romance literature currently is self-validating – although to wider discussion, the romance genre is still perceived as feminine and somewhat unworthy, it doesn’t really matter. So-called ‘chick lit’ cannot be condemned to a female ineptitude if it inspires such creativity, interest, and worthy analytical discussion. Thursday, 10 February 2022 7
TRAVEL travel@palatinate.org.uk
A love letter to Venice Goya Verity captures her undenying love for the Italian city
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art of my soul will always be running wild in one of the countless canals of Venice. A year on since my visit, I still find myself waxing lyrical about the magic and beauty of La Serenissima, the city of bridges. A city-state situated between East and West, Muslim and Christian, Rome and Constantinople, Venice was a nation of immense power - the glittering and unfathomable ‘eldest daughter’ of the Byzantine Empire. While she lost her power in the 16th century, the city is still remarkably alluring, with more than 20 million tourists visiting the city every year. I began to understand the magic of Venice when I allowed myself to become lost in folly and amazement in the maze of her nameless alleys. One dark alley opened to face the dazzling Doge’s Palace of the 12th century, and the Venetian Gothic architecture snatched my soul into the lofty heights of Saint Marc’s bell tower. The lion of St Mark has now become the symbol of Venice, and majestic flags with the golden lion flap in the saline breeze of the Adriatic. San Marco is the only piazza in the city, and now also in my heart (the other squares are called campi). Strolling through the sunny streets, I realised I too had fallen under Venice’s spell. I meandered along the city’s main artery, the Grand Canal, taking in the beautiful Rialto Bridge and Ponte dell’ Accademia. On foot I crossed beautiful bridges bending over water - I felt like time itself had stopped. Merry from Aperol spritz, we then visited the Peggy Gugenheim Museum. Here we were entranced
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by the abstract shapes of Picasso and the vibrant strokes of Pollock. Being the weekend of carnival, the locals were adorned with costumes with similar bursts of colour and elaborate masks which make this annual celebration so famous. In 1162 the Republic won military glory against their enemy, Patriarch of Aquileia. But it was clear that this year, the city had won my heart.
The city had won my heart The afternoon continued with a giro in gondola – a typical ride in a gondola where the gliding spirits of masked Venetian figures breathed through the canals as the water rippled under the bridges. The gondola passed under il ponte dei sospiri (the Bridge of Sighs), which connects the Doge’s palace to the prison where prisoners would savour their last glimpse of Venice before entering their cells. This shadowy part provoked an abundance of contrasting emotions, and unsurprisingly, I had a shock when I was greeted by a Venetian masked figure. I was struck too by the absolute silence which reigns over Venice and its canals as we twisted and turned every corner. The complete tranquillity and stillness were only broken by the slowmoving muffled current of the water; it was mildly disturbing and entrancing in equal measure. I am jealous of all Venetians: artisans, gondoliers, everyday people, who live in this eternal city and experience its unique presence and history with every ripple. Yet while this water is the city’s strength, it is also its kryptonite. More than 650 cruise ships visit the city every year. Quite possibly, we are loving Venice to death. While Venice may not last, its influence will. The trip completely changed the direction and rhythm of my life. Every time I look down at my Murano glass ring, a souvenir from my short but special trip, I feel so close to a place so far away. If I ever go missing, perhaps you will find me staring into Venice’s murky waters trying to decode the city’s eternal mysteries.
Image credit: Goya Verity
INTERVIEW indigo.interview@palatinate.org.uk
Inside PalatiDates: Durham’s matchmakers Arjun Seth discusses university romances with Katie, an organiser of PalatiDates
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s Valentine’s Day approaches and the pressure to find an allimportant date grows, I spoke to Katie, one of the organisers of PalatiDates – Durham University’s very own blind-dating scheme. According to Katie, PalatiDates was created, “simply as a way for students in Durham to meet each other. It’s low pressure, anybody can sign up and it is quite an exciting thing to read about and see in the newspaper. It really is just for some fun and for students to feel like they can meet others without really putting themselves out there.” Katie hasn’t always been a part of the matchmaking scheme though. Beginning as a Palatinate Editorial Board member, she eventually warmed to the idea so much that she became its leading organiser. Considering recent years, we turn our attention to the world of ‘lockdown dating’. Regarding how virtual dates were perceived, she candidly states: “we didn’t get a lot of positive feedback! It was never going to be as good as in-person. You can’t really gauge a feeling of the date and it seemed much more like a formal meeting. It was always awkward between participants to see who would join the Zoom call first! However, I’m sure it was exciting to meet a new person during lockdown, albeit just through the screen.” We then reflect on the increased awkwardness for participants, with families within earshot in many cases. “We have heard some horror stories about family members walking in when a date is taking place! It is certainly not an ideal situation. However even during lockdown, I still felt that PalatiDates was a great way for people to connect and meet, even just to make friends outside their households! We had a lot of engagement.”
“The most romantic thing about Durham is when it snows” I then ask her what the most awkward, and certainly memorable moments from PalatiDates have been, for which she seems spoiled for choice. “Gosh there have been several ones. Someone recently said that the participant reminded them of their dad. There was another case where two people went on a date and he was Facebook friends with her mum! We also set up two people who had lived together during first year and were keen to keep it platonic. That was certainly an awkward moment! One that sticks is when we set up a 19-year-old with a 28-yearold postgrad. There was a weird dynamic and they wanted very different things – with him wanting to settle down and her not being on board with that!” It does seem that Katie is Durham’s very own Cupid, pairing students Illustration: Victoria Cheng
together simply based on their responses to a form. She is clear however, that a crucial factor determining compatibility is a shared taste in food. So, we turn to that crucial question: what would they order for the table? “I recently set up two people simply because they both answered with garlic bread and seemed to be on the same wavelength. There are of course loads of different questions and we do look at people’s interest and hobbies trying to envisage how they would get along. We always get people who are clear that they have big turn-offs, so we avoid putting them toghether.”
A year later, a PalatiDates couple are still together Of course this leads me to ask about the most popular spot for couples in town: “Spags – I think it is cheap, cheerful and quite a romantic setting that feels very intimate when you are there. Or Riverview, many people do opt for a coffee over there, however Spags certainly leads the way. “The most romantic thing about Durham is when it snows. You always see so many couples walking round hand-in-hand to keep warm. They do enjoy going sledging together or grabbing a coffee when it’s chilly outside.” We then move on to discuss that infamous 70% figure – the claim that 70% of couples who leave Durham go on to get married. Supporting the commonly held belief that university is the natural place to meet someone. “At university, you certainly do have the same interests. You do have a lot of time to go out, do things together and get to know each other. Many people end up moving to the big cities such as London together and starting a life there. It is a good place to meet someone but there is always that awkward conversation about life after university and the prospect of everyone naturally ending up living apart. There should not be any pressure to find someone here though, it could happen in the workplace, later on in life or frankly anywhere! However, if you do meet in Durham, I have heard wonderful stories about student couples getting married in town. A friend’s aunt got married in the castle and she and her husband do therefore visit annually.” Katie tells me that a year later, a PalatiDates couple are still together. “We had a very successful date between two girls who are still dating. I’m not sure whether I can fully attribute that to PalatiDates but they are still together! One couple did last a few more dates after their introduction, but that did eventually fizzle out. I accidentally did try to set them up again through the scheme! “Because of the lockdown, it did seem like a mechanism for people to just make friends and gain another contact; however, I do hope in the future that more people will find love through PalatiDates.”
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VISUAL ARTS visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk
Valentine’s Day: painted across the ages For this special occasion Visual Arts contributors contemplate love’s meaning in art
‘The Kiss’ (Edvard Munch): Margo McDonald
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hat is the essence of love? Questions as subjective as this tend to pose interesting debates, and since we are nearing Valentine’s Day, I have decided to come up with a personal answer with the help of one specific artist. Edvard Munch, who you most likely know from his anguish-filled masterpiece, ‘The Scream’, proclaimed in his manifesto he would paint “living people who breathe and feel and suffer and love”. In other words, he vowed to never beat around the bush when it came to discussing romance, having himself dealt with numerous tumultuous relationships.
Physical touch whether it be mere embrace or in this painting’s case, a passionate kiss. This is all foregrounded in his lesserknown canvas piece ‘The Kiss’ from 1897 to perfectly mirror what I believe is the essence of love: physical touch whether it be mere embrace or in this painting’s case, a passionate kiss. Expressionism, the movement Munch foreshadowed usually dealt with dark, existential themes. As such, his artworks rarely displayed the uplifting emotions that stand out here: ‘The Kiss’ points towards how the shared kiss has brought out feelings of belonging and togetherness for the couple. And it is not only the subject matter that underlines this: all of the 10
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formal characteristics of the painting turn towards the theme of love’s intensity. The predominantly mauve, red, and purple colour palette, and the ‘abstract conjoined form’ of the couple are all representative of the euphoria brought by this passionate embrace; the euphoria brought by losing yourself in another’s arms, and feeling the world around you stopping for a brief minute.
‘Moroccan Couple’ (Adam Styka): Erin Waks
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What is striking to me is how, by looking at each other, the rest of the world seems to fade into the background for these lovers. It is as though nothing else matters; they are transfixed upon one another. I think it is this which makes the painting so beautiful. It demonstrates the love we all desire, the way we all want to be looked at and held.
‘Primavera’ (Sandro Botticelli): Cameron Beech
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rench-Polish painter Adam Styka produced many 19th Century-style depictions of Moroccan couples, all employing a similar colour palette and and style. While criticisms can easily be made of this work – it displays an Orientalist gaze, particularly evident in the depiction of the scantily-clad female body – yet it still captures the closeness and intimacy of this couple. The woman’s breasts are uncovered, and her accessories are extravagant, yet we cannot help but be drawn in by her eyes and smile. The brightness of her facial expression encapsulates feelings of safety, desire and, above all, love. Similarly, her lover looks upon her with affection and kindness, and there is a confidence in his pose. The couple are at peace together, feeling comfortable with one another. Their bodies almost melt together, into one, through the wavy and indefinite fabrics of their dress.
andro Botticelli’s Renaissance masterpiece ‘Primavera’ captures the essence of Valentine’s through the pastiche of figures from different ancient myths who embody love and longing in their fables. It captures what I believe Valentine’s represents through Botticelli’s depiction of various forms of love, not just the romantic type, which modern society tends to celebrate as the only present discourse of adoration. For instance Botticelli’s depiction of Venus alludes to her pregnancy, encapsulating her maternal love for Aeneas, displayed specifically within Virgil’s ‘The Aeneid’.
Encapsulates love’s timeless and universal nature Furthermore, Cupid is pictured above Venus, blindfolded and pointing arrows at the three graces, representative of the renaissance ideals of feminine virtue. Their interlinked hands and identical elegant drapery signals the unification of these three graces, suggestive of their mutual compatibility. Cupid’s blind aiming at the graces can therefore be read as the display of feminine virtue as what renaissance women should aspire to, in order to attain a fulfilling marriage. It is Botticelli’s employment of this mythology which encapsulates love’s timeless and universal nature.
Illustration: Victoria Cheng Image: Wikimedia Commons
CREATIVE WRITING creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk
From the heart Michelle Leung and Leo Li show us what it can feel like to let love in, and let it go. red thread
was never one to believe in myths but then one day I saw red thread around two slender wrists – on one end it was yours
the stars aligned; my heart rate inclined for no gods can deny – this bond will form in all the worlds and pass the test of time warm, gentle hands to unclench my fists and icy heart, you thawed I found myself the best of gifts – how could one ask for more? all knots untangled; struggles unravelled as waves return to shore spirit loved by your gaze the symphony, ablaze – to us, forevermore! two souls collide, for always entwined my heart alight – divine! red thread around our slender wrists – the other end was mine By Michelle Leung
Overture
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t’s the death of a season.
Spring gallops into the graveyard exuberantly. A winding cobbled road sends sparse visitors to tombstones of their beloved. One after another, mourners stop mourning – their dead have buried themselves. Decidedly, they leave, in search of new lives. They drift down the same winding cobbled road, now carpeted with justwithered blossoms. I watch them as they go – they’re breezing away like coastal winds, saline and tepid. Reminding me of last Winter, when I still had
the innocence to love you. It was a gusty, choleric love. An innate inoculation of immaculate infatuation. You had – you still have – the staring, starry eyes of a constellation; your eyelashes, they still scintillate in the night; you hair still listlessly waving, glossheathered like raven feathers; you still glare like solar flare, a blinding radiance that suffocates. If memory fails me then your impression still beautifies my world like the turbulent starlight painted by Van Gogh. I made you the only star in my microcosmos; if you were to cross into another bubble Universe, you would bring alongside all the light from my Universe. Loving you makes me feel so small, so small, so small. It makes my brain go erratic. It makes me see all the empty darkness I don’t know exists. It makes me not want to be myself. It makes me no longer myself, but what is that in the first place anyway. And one night, I plunged myself into the marshy shadows of the Moon. The forested pavements bent in wondrous, wicked ways which continued to bedazzle me. I was lost – deliberately lost – on the roads I’d navigated so well before. Anyhow, I began running, soaring, frenzying like a wild, reinless black mane. I felt the winds I was creating were stealing away my pearly tears; they thrusted against my burning cheeks vehemently, stinging like a thousand hornet. And I stopped at the bridge, cried the city a river. A distant red light was blinking at me – I could no longer tell if it was from another lonely night-hawk like me, or dawn’s twilight. Morning eventually broke – sounds of shattered glass and tumbling rocks. I returned to my bed, feeling my blanket, like tentacles of nightmare, wrapped firmly around me, sinking me into another depthless slumber. I slumbered like the dead. I died that day. Another I sprang to life. I have many more lives than a cat. I guess this sort of death – what Lizzy Bowen unromantically, but heart-wrenchingly, calls the death of the heart – is necessary. At least that’s what all the dead are telling me, here in this graveyard by the sea. And finally the moment has come in which I shall bury you. I bury you, not because you have died, but because you continue to live, in
Image credit (from left to right): Ella Al-khalil Coyle, Verity Laycock
a world I know which won’t ever collide with mine. I bury you, so that I regain all the freedom I’ve disposed to love you. I bury you, you don’t drop a tear for neither of us, whereas I let my tears flaunt their prideful sorrows against Spring’s lavish decay. Neither of us have died; both of us have died. You know, I once was love-inebriated enough to compose love-songs for you like an illschooled bard for his Muses. Canto after canto were torturous words which lashed my crazed flesh with lasso-whips spiked with poisonous ivies. But one day – the day after I daydreamed on the bridge – I put a halt to the frenetic yet fruitless wanderings of the pen. I let the ink dry like the blood and sweat I had poured. It realised I was no longer writing for you. I wrote to pity my depleting pride. Loving you – or anyone – is a sport, an entertainment to my drying soul. It is a game of self-torment, so tragically similar to nostalgia. It is a child’s imaginations of his impossible adventures, a Quixotic exploit which is ultimately futile. And I know it all along. So I must let my songs die. Or else they’ll haunt me like Faustian incantations. Or I’ll further obsess myself over a fathomless dream. For once I understand why I feel sorry for Jay Gatsby so darn much – I see myself in him, decked in a fool’s-gold, off-tune jazz, loving the ideal of love almost more than Daisy. Dusk is setting on the cracked stonewalls; its sediments pile like dust on the tomb I erectfor you. I wish you well on the other side of this mock-paradise we live in, painfully beautiful, perhaps a little bit like you. I set off, home-bound, East to nowhere. A cowardly, nearly forlorn hope for a new self throbs within me. It might bring me nowhere, but it’s still hope. Still I couldn’t get this love-song – not written by me, and whose name I just can’t recall – out of my head. The last note of the song is a ringing echo; haloed and wavering. It’ll remain my bittersweet whistle which might just last another evening, before it truly dies away.
By Leo Li
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STAGE stage@palatinate.org.uk
A little love by giving back DST Outreach Officer Flo Lunnon writes about the work of her team over the year
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omething that has been increasingly challenging for me to accept is the lack of attention towards arts as an essential subject in school curriculums. I have often found that studying an art in school is synonymous with the impending ideology that it is a ‘cop-out’ of a ‘real subject’ and that ‘it will never help you further down the line.’ I study Liberal Arts at Durham University, and I find that the very presence of the name ‘art’ when correlated to a degree title invites the follow up question ‘what will you intend to do with that degree?’ I know Liberal Arts specifically is not necessarily isolated in this, but I too frequently find that the context that surrounds this question is one of disdain, as if I am wasting my time. In October 2020, Rishi Sunack went as far to say that those with careers in ‘the arts’ should retrain, in order to try and find employment during a pandemic. With times so challenging for any career, a public defamation of an already-struggling ‘arts’ world and the professions within it deteriorates its necessity within the school curriculum cataclysmically. Thus, institutions for education are left with alreadyconsidered ‘cop-out’ subjects now diminished further by their lack of career prosperity later down the line.
Every Thursday, Durham volunteers set off for Parkside to host drama workshops that centre around the texts that are being studied in English. Therefore, I was thrilled to hear that Parkside Academy were looking for student volunteers to run a drama program. Since the beginning of 12
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Michaelmas, Parkside has marvellously hosted a plethora of Durham Students who have been attending a purposefully set up ‘drama club’ after school. As drama does not take place within their curriculum and they have no specific teachers for it, the school made an active effort to try and incorporate drama as an opportunity for the students. In fact, it was so popular amongst the Parkside students, that their had to be auditions held for the club itself. Every Thursday, Durham volunteers set off for Parkside to host drama workshops that centre around the texts that are being studied in English. For example, last term the Year 8 cohort were learning about the text of ‘The Christmas Carol’ during their lessons, and then bringing the text to life by inhabiting the characters and exploring their inner mentalities during drama club. The arts offer so much potential for enrichment, development and exploration and it was rewarding project to run to reinforce the positives of seemingly ‘cop-out’ subjects. It also brought so much joy to all parties to be sharing and exchanging creative ideas once more after the drought of personal interactions that covid enforced. To culminate both the Parkside students and the Durham volunteer’s efforts from their drama workshops, we were thrilled to welcome the Year 8s to the Assembly Rooms Theatre of the 15th of December. Here, the students were taken on a tour backstage and tried their hand at the theatre tech by practising the comms microphones that were scattered around the auditorium to communicate with one another. After a trip up the trapdoor, the stage was set with Christmas trees and projected falling snow to welcome in the parents into the frosty world of ‘The Christmas Carol’. Backstage, once it was ensured that all involved were clean from the hand-print mural they made in the theatre workshop, the Parkside students got into costumes from the Assembly Rooms store. The participation of the students requesting ‘briefcases, bowler hats, moustaches!’ helped to set the excitement as
they prepared to perform some short excerpts from ‘The Christmas Carol’ in front of their audience. The showcase went down tremendously, and it was so special to be watching students who had gone from no theatre experience, to students who were confident and excited to be performing on a stage in a mini-show. This term, we are currently working on ‘The Crucible’ with Parkside’s Year 9 cohort and hoping to create a similar trajectory of an Assembly Rooms visit towards the end of term too. I believe it so important for these experiences to be as accessible as possible, but its also too easy a tendency to forget the privilege that we have as Durham University. With sometimes 100 shows happening a year, Durham Student Theatre helps to bring together creatives on projects that exist on such an immense scale like the annual DULOG Gala performance, or the bi-annual Shakespeare Tour to the US. I am at once so grateful for the incredibly opportunities that I have open to me within a community where I have found so many likeminded people, but also humbled by the Year 8s that dashed so excitedly around a theatre for an afternoon.
I am at once so grateful for the incredibly opportunities that I have open to me within a community where I have found so many likeminded people, but also humbled by the year eights that dashed so excitedly around a theatre for an afternoon. Although I still shudder to think of the real world beckoning me threateningly, I do believe that the more I am asked ‘what will you intend to do with that degree?’ the more tempted I am to respond with: ‘share my creativity, make people feel joy through an activity that brings me unrivalled happiness and to always preach how the arts saved me, and how it’s a fundamental necessity that exists in schools all around.’ Image credit : Kyle Head via Unsplash
MUSIC music@palatinate.org.uk
Loving Yourself this Valentine’s Join Music Editor Annabelle Bulag and these LGBTQ+ artists on a self-love journey
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ven in the dark and damp cavern that is the English winter,
Valentine’s Day serves as an occasion where literal hearteyes light up the cloudy days. The being said, it is still an arbitrarily commercial occasion with strawberries and candy-pink hearts polluting Tesco shelves as far as the eye can see. It is easy to forget, amongst intense declamations of romantic love that there are other kinds of love out there: for your friends, for your family and for yourself. Hence, dear reader, as a gift from me to you this LGBTq+ history month, I have compiled these songs of self-love from artists flying the flag(s). So sit back, relax and let the music wash over you as we all charge ahead with our own journeys to self-love. 1. Holland - I’m Not Afraid As South Korea’s first openly gay idol, Holland is a burgeoning voice discovering his own sound and place upon the stage. I’m Not Afraid is a track shimmering with layers of vibrant synth overlaying a morose disco beat. The song’s lyrical content is simple, with only two verses and a repeated emphasis on the words: “I’m not, not afraid anymore.” The conviction in which Holland declaims this last phrase that drives the song from stagnancy. Repeating the negating term highlights the
uncertainty that underlies even the most confident. Finding your own self-confidence can be a shaky road and it is normal to doubt it along the way, 2. Sawayama Love Me 4 Me From Japanese-British artist Sawayama’s eponymous debut album, this crackling tribute to retro hip hop leaves traces of Janet Jackson with strong Noughties’ flavours on the aural palate. The song serves as a powerful anthem of womanhood and the need to subvert expectations: “I’ve gotta do right, be nice, smile just like a lady.” Indeed, who hasn’t felt pressure to act in a certain way to be seen as porcelain perfect? It can carry a heavy toll on the mind. But it is the realisation that “If you can’t love yourself, how are you going to love anybody else?” that really cinches the message of Love Me 4 Me; we have to have love for ourself in order to pass it on. 3. Raveena - Stronger Raw and vulnerable, Raveena’s R&B offering of Stronger is part letter of contempt, part letter of self-actualisation. Hailing from the great borough of Queens, New York, Raveena is a bisexual Indian-American artist with a sweet, feather-light falsetto that gently lifts the ear. Stronger, however, plays out in a lower register, lending a deeper tone and gravitas to her pensive lyrics.
Image credits (right to left): alicia_mb via freepik, CDD20 via pixabay
Holy as a sunrise / Clear as water / I was so naive to think a man could be stronger than me.
colour the narrative of doing exactly what it says on the tin - Lettin Go!.
Over a trembling synth pad, Raveena’s lyrics seek desperately for a clarity of mind from the embers of a relationship in which her self-value was desperately depleted. This results in a profoundly candid relaying of Raveena’s internal relationship with self and strength, coming to realise her own value and the beginnings of loving oneself. Love, even for one’s self, is about learning and this song reflects upon this lesson perfectly. 4. Janelle Monáe - Lettin Go!
5. Blonde ft. Bryn Christopher Me, Myself & I Me, Myself & I is an eruption of high energy deep-house featuring bouncing baselines laced with piano-based melodies. Bryn Chrisopher’s confidently belted vocals soar above Blonde’s vibrant instrumental, amalgamating together into an absolute stormer of a club banger. Me, Myself & I is the perfect tune to spin when you’re feeling the need for a bit of an injection of saccharine confidence. The lyrics proclaim the freedom you’ll discover once you reach a point of selfacceptance. Indeed, dear reader, you “only need me, myself and I to have a good time.” Scan the code below for more suggestions.
A danceable 70s banger from the early Noughties’ that effortlessly combines soul, pop and R&B with disco - Lettin Go! is a testimony to the sheer artistry of Janelle Monáe. Monáe, a Kansas native, is open about the intersectionality of her identity as both a pansexual and Black woman. And in Lettin Go!, she paints with lavish, loose strokes, the picture of someone completely relinquishing any restraints they once felt, both mentally and physically. Her soulful yet animated vocals
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STYLE style@palatinate.org.uk
The power of lingerie...
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Erin Waks explores her relationship with lingerie
reated during the late 19th Century, and developed through the first half of the 20th Century, lingerie had three primary functions: to mould one’s body shape, to ensure personal hygiene, and to guarantee modesty. Since then, we have seen a change in the purpose of such garments. Indeed, they can still be used to create desired silhouettes, and to maintain cleanliness, yet we have seen a new purpose arise as of late. Lingerie, previously used to allow women to conform to expectations and norms, can now be considered a form of expression, liberation, and selfconfidence.
Wearing something lovely for your benefit alone is the perfect embodiment of self-love When living in Paris last year, I felt as though it was the perfect time to put this theory into practice. I attempted to follow the age-old cliché that french women, known for being effortlessly stylish, confident, and put-together, always wear matching underwear, regardless of the occasion. So, I took myself on a shopping trip to source a plethora of gorgeous pieces, ranging in terms of colour and style. I vowed to wear only matching sets of lingerie every single day and observe the results. I can certainly vouch for the fact that wearing lingerie every day changes your perspective on their purpose. Suddenly, I felt as though I had this sexy secret no-one else knew. It gave me a sense of power, confidence in my own skin, and feeling as though I had put myself first. I felt coordinated, stylish, and powerful, despite the fact that no-one else had any clue. Wearing lingerie can be intimidating, expensive and, to some, frankly bizarre, especially if done
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on a daily basis. Why don such beautiful items underneath your clothes, where no-one can see them? Why not prioritise comfort over aesthetics?
There is something about feeling put together beneath your external layer, a secret that only you keep But it is exactly the hidden beauty of such items which forms their appeal. Wearing something lovely for your benefit alone is the perfect embodiment of self-love: you’re putting yourself in matching, exquisite items for your pleasure, and yours alone. It’s unnecessary, and that’s what makes it all the more powerful. You’re doing it just for you. I would posit that, if you find lingerie uncomfortable, you just haven’t found the right kind yet. Swap bras for bralettes, and awkwardly shaped underwear for briefs or a hipster-style piece, to maximise comfort and, thus, confidence.
the positive meaning of the term, if you will!). Treat yourself, find something that works for you, and open your mind to the possibility that effortless style can come from within – or, at least, from underneath your clothes. It’s no shock that lingerie can boost confidence in the bedroom, but wearing something that makes you feel good can help support selfesteem in your day-to-day life. There is something about feeling put-together beneath your external layer, a secret that only you keep, that makes you feel like you can conquer the world. Confidence does truly come from within, but why not help it along with a little extra help?
I can cecrtainly vouch that wearing lingerie everyday changes your perspective, which is probably on purpose Whilst I am in no way suggesting that lingerie will solve all your problems, it might just be the first step you need towards building an approach to your body and your style that puts yourself at the forefront of your life. This Valentine’s Day, try something new: change your view of lingerie to something positive, empowering, and self-centred (in
Illustration: Rosie Bromiley Image credit: 7089643 / 9689 images via pixabay
STYLE style@palatinate.org.uk
The fountain of youth Style Editor Grace Jessop discusses the rise of ‘baby Botox’
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nti-aging skincare advice was traditionally cordoned off for those in their 30s and beyond, but new trends are seeing people in their teenage years reaching for methods to prevent their skin becoming wrinkled. Wearing SPF everyday and avoiding smoking are the easiest ways to retain a smooth complexion, and, if you’re in the market for skincare tips: this is the way to go if you’re in your early twenties. However, it seems due to the pressure to look smoother, younger and more polished has led to an interest in preventing wrinkles, particularly on the face, altogether. The guaranteed way to banish wrinkles with instant gratification:
had been propelled by social media sites such as TikTok, recommend starting to get ‘baby Botox’ from the age of 25. The idea is to prevent, not eradicate, wrinkles already created by a life of tears, laughter and sun. With this rise in popularity across age groups comes a rise in people offering the treatment, and as it’s such an unregulated industry there are salons in which people wield this potentially scarring poison, reading for injection after just a few days training. Those who are injecting Botox should be a medical practitioner and on a register to prove they currently meet set standards in
Despite a rise in more age-inclusive practices such as advertising, the face that never ages, especially a woman’s face, is a powerful one Botox. Botox injections contain a toxin called onobotulinumtoxin A, that temporarily prevent muscles from moving, preventing and reducing wrinkles on the skin. The toxin is produced by the microbe that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning. Indeed, since Botox treatments first became available, they have faithfully been aimed at those aged 50 and beyond. But now, thanks to advances in medical technology, the rise of ‘baby Botox’ is turning the heads of skincare junkies. Some aestheticians, in a movement which
to improve her chances of winning others approval, making her more successful in her career, her social life and beyond.
It’s such an unregulated industry; there are salons in which people wield this potentially scarring poison, ready for injection after just a few days training And so, despite the ominous undertones of the 25 year old woman who injects poison into her skin to remain pretty, if it actively helps her in the society she didn’t create, who are we to hold this against her?
training, skill and insurance. Are there other reasons to be scared? Absolutely. The fear of ageing is almost a human universal, and science has now given us the tools to achieve an extended youth, past its usual expiration date. Despite a rise in more age-inclusive practices such as advertising, the face that never ages, especially a woman’s face, is a powerful one. If she retains her youth, and in turn her beauty, she retains a currency that has been statistically proven
Image credit: Mika Baumeister via Unsplash
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