Indigo 813 by Palatinate

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EDITORIAL Thursday, 24 January 2019

www.palatinate.org.uk

MUSIC 3 We Got It From Here VISUAL ARTS 4 Exploring Bishop Auckland

TRAVEL

5 Istanbul: The city in two continents FOOD & DRINK 6 The stars of the college bars 7 Is Veganuary worth it? FEATURES 8 What’s in a name? A crash course in Durham history BOOKS 9 A new kind of entertainment FILM & TV 10 Bandersnatch: A look in the mirror 11 The Favourite: Review CREATIVE WRITING 12 Resolution STAGE 13 2018 Theatre: a year of innovation or stagnation? FASHION 14 & 15 Trends to watch in 2019 INTERVIEW 16 Batten about Town indigo interviews Made in Chelsea’s Eliza Batten

In the aura of the New Year and with the onus on starting afresh many of us are turning to the annual Spring clean as the first step on the road to becoming our best selves. Whether it’s the increasing popularity of ‘Tidying Up with Marie Kondo’ or the eternal mantra New Year new me, spring cleaning can seem like a right of passage in January. But hold on before jumping on the bandwagon. Whilst the clean space clean mind mantra is true, it’s also fact that unethical spring cleaning, or to use Kondo’s phrase, tidying up, can increase waste in landfill and the ocean. In one episode we see 150 bags of things that don’t ‘spark joy’ set aside for landfill, charity shops and giving away. This feeds into a ‘don’t like it, don’t keep it’ culture which in turn helps to bolster consumerism. When coupled with the 2 billion tonnes of garbage we produce per year in the UK this sparks more concern than joy. Oya Altinbas, an employee at the Sue Ryder charity shop in Camden said that each day the shop has been receiving thirty large bags of donations per day, which is unmanageable for the standard charity shop. I would know, I used to work in one. This isn’t isolated to Camden alone, as we are seeing a 5% increase in charity shop donations yearon-year. Whilst this may seem like a positive force for good, in actual fact most of the items in these donations cannot be sold, and end up in landfill. Charity shops want goods they can sell, not poor quality items. I’m not alone in this opinion as Alexandra Spring for The Guardian and Katie Grant for inews have already highlighted the significance of this issue. So, instead of following the KonMari method, maybe we should follow zerowaste moguls such as Lauren Singer (@trashisfortossers) and repurpose, recycle and reconsider impulse purchases once and for all.

INDIGO EDITORS Adele Cooke Carys Frost (deputy) FEATURES EDITORS Kleopatra Olympiou Imogen Usherwood (deputy)

CREATIVE WRITING EDITORS Rhiannon Morris Susie Bradley (deputy)

STAGE EDITORS Martha Wrench (deputy) VISUAL ARTS EDITORS Stella Botes Jo Chandler (deputy) BOOKS EDITORS Freya Neason Shauna Lewis FASHION EDITORS Anna Gibbs Ana Hamilton (deputy) Frankie Reffell (deputy) FOOD & DRINK EDITOR Piers Eaton TRAVEL EDITORS Abir Mishra Alex Bicknell Cummins (deputy) FILM & TV EDITORS Hugh Johnson Josh Sagoo (deputy) MUSIC EDITORS Fran Howard Tom Watling

www.facebook.com/palindigo Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @indigodurham Have a question, comment, or an idea for a story you’d like to write? Email indigo@palatinate.org.uk to get in touch.

MUSIC

Thursday, 24 January 2019

We Got It From Here

Music talks to the hosts of Palatinate’s new hip-hop podcast, Alfie and Fahad By Tom Watling music@palatinate.org.uk

oth hailing from London, Fahad Al-Amoudi and Alfie Leach have embarked upon a series of podcasts, discussing everything under the umbrella of hip-hop. The series, ‘We Got it From Here’, is the perfect concoction of knowledge and debate, agreement and disagreement, and their first episode aired on 19th January. I met up with them in the DSU last week, to ask them everything from their favourite artists to their opinions of trap. This is what they had to say:

we were on the way to visit her mum, and umm, she’s like ‘okay, you’re old enough to listen to hip-hop now, I want you to listen to Stan and tell me what you think’.” Alfie – “That’s like me saying the first song I listened to was ‘Dance with the Devil’ by Immortal Technique. Like, it’s that level of cringe.” Fahad – “Well, at 12-years old you’re just impressed that anyone can tell a story in that way and I think I was really fascinated by that. So, then, from then on, I just went off and dived into hip-hop. But I think the album that properly got me into hip-hop was Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (by Kendrick Lamar).

So, why did you guys decide to do this?

What was the album/song that got you into Hip Hop? Fahad – “‘Stan’ (by Eminem). Believe it or not. I was in the car with my guardian and

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What do you think about trap music then? Alfie – “We have different opinions.” Fahad – “I can’t listen to it.” Alfie – “Umm, hip-hop is just not one genre anymore, like to criticise it as bad hiphop is ridiculous.”

Alfie – “I thought it would be good starting a conversation with other people. A lot of the time, people don’t think that (hip hop)’s something I’d like to talk about, but there’s a surprising amount of people that do have an interest in hip-hop but don’t really know who else is into it. So, by doing a podcast, hopefully we will get people talking and asking, you know, what we think about this or that. It’s just a good way to start a conversation.” Fahad – “When we first talked about the idea of doing this, one of the first things you said is you want to have proper debates about big ideas within hip-hop, so I guess that ties into wanting to start a conversation.”

– (Fahad) “Yeah. Wait … who’s actually in my top three? … oh yeah, I got it … It’s very basic” – (Alfie) “I would say Anderson. Paak in mine... I’m still tryna guess yours … Outkast?” – (Fahad) “Well André 3000, yeah.” – (Alfie) “Yeah … Ah, I can’t think who’d be your third.” – (Fahad) “It’s (MF) DOOM.” – (Alfie) “Really. Oh, I’m disappointed. Who would my third be? … Ah god it’s not Kanye is it? It might actually be Kanye.” – (Fahad) “No, don’t you dare … Tell me it’s Lupe.” – (Alfie) “No. no. Again, I haven’t listened to enough of his stuff to put him in the top three … I think I may say Kweku Collins.”

What’s the plan for releases and stuff? Alfie – “Chicago this Friday, Soulquarians two weeks the Friday after.”

If you had to choose, what would you say are your favourite three artists? Fahad - “Can we guess each other’s? “Well, I know what yours is (to Alfie), it’s Q-Tip.” - (Alfie) “Yes, slash A Tribe Called Quest but okay.” - (Fahad) “Then, okay … De La Soul?” - (Alfie) “Nah. Just for me you’ve got the Spotify limitation there, so I haven’t listened to enough of their catalogue to put them in my top three.” - (Fahad) “Fair enough … You know my top three?” - (Alfie) “Mos Def?... Kendrick?”

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Fahad – “Top Ten after that, then two weeks from then on we’re doing a big sort of … basically we’re trying to create our ultimate label from the labels that exist at the moment. So, we’re going to put TDE, Dreamville and GOOD music, I think, together and we’re gonna try and create like a roster of five, like basketball style, and then pair them off, like Kendrick and Cole then SZA and Teyenna Taylor etcetera.” @wegotitfromhear Listen at: soundcloud.com/palatimusic Photographs: Treefort Music Fest, Ferran and Jose Nieto via Flickr.

Esperanza Spalding 12 Little Spells

The title track of Spalding’s 2018 album release demonstrates her immense vocal talent, accompanied by organ. What’s not to like?

Visual Arts Thursday, 24 January 2019

Exploring Bishop Auckland

A growing arts destination regenerating art in the North By Jo Chandler Deputy Visual Arts Editor visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

omething exciting is happening in Bishop Auckland... Where? You may not have heard of Bishop Auckland. Like much of the North East, it can feel like Bishop has been forgotten by our Londoncentric government. The town has long suffered from high unemployment and social deprivation. In a decade of cuts to public services and all-round general hard times, you probably wouldn’t expect it to have a thriving arts scene… However, in a surreal turn of events, a multi-millionaire investment fund manager has taken it upon himself to rejuvenate the town. His method: pump over £25 million into the arts.

images: google via creative commons

Auckland Castle is the home of the largest collection of Spanish art in the UK outside of London

The grand Auckland Castle, which was historically home to the Bishop of Durham, offers a stark contrast to the High Street of emptying shops which leads to it. Since 1756, this castle has housed a series of exquisite Spanish paintings – Zurbaran’s life-sized ‘Jacob and his Twelve Sons’. In

2001, the Church Commissioners decided to sell the Zurbarans to raise money, but Jonathan Ruffer – the multi-millionaire in question - came to their rescue, taking over the running of the castle in the process. Following this purchase in 2012, Ruffer created the Auckland Project ‘to use culture and heritage as a catalyst for regeneration of the town’. Since then, a flurry of developments have occured. Kynren, an open-air, olympic-opening-ceremony-style pageant telling the history of the North East, directed by Danny Boyle; A Gallery of Mining Art; POD, a hub for local creatives to come together, share ideas and develop businesses; a new watch tower; and the development of Auckland Castle into the home of the largest collection of Spanish art in the UK outside of London. If there is one place I would implore you to visit, it’s the Mining Art Gallery. Within a year of opening, the Mining Art Gallery has won the North-East Tourism Awards’ prize for the ‘region’s best Small Visitor Attraction’. It is easy for students to stay in a bubble of Durham-city life without engaging with the rest of the region: the shocking Trev’s Rugby Club minerstrike themed social in 2017 highlighted how disconnected we can be from the history which has shaped our town. Paintings by Norman Cornish and Tom McGuinness, alongside other less well known mining artists, offer an insight into the lives of miners, but also illustrate the resilience and character of northern communities.

The Auckland Project uses ‘culture and heritage as a catalyst for regeneration of the town’ It was these communities who fuelled the industrial revolution; who were depended on throughout the World Wars, and provided the energy on which the country we know today was built. Beautifully curated, the work on display at the gallery tells a powerful story. Some have been sceptical of Jonathan Ruffer’s plans for the town.

Are the arts really the best area to invest all this money? I don’t think so. Ruffer’s plans are long-sighted. Predictions suggest that the project could attract more than 190,000 visitors to Auckland Castle by 2020, and the project’s website claims it ‘hopes to boost the local economy by £20 million a year’

We can be so disconnected from the history which shapes our town We’ve seen the power of cultural investment in creating a new sense of pride in the North East before: look to Gateshead, which has attracted more investment to the area through a focus on the arts with the Sage, The Angel of the North and the Baltic. A similar flourishing is set to happen in Bishop Auckland, and it would be great if Durham students took this as an opportunity to economically contribute a little further afield than Durham centre, at the same time as becoming more engaged with the history of the North East. So, if you need an excuse for a day trip, Bishop Auckland is only a fifteenminute journey from Durham: hop on the number 6 bus, and go and see for yourself.

TRAVEL Thursday, 24 January 2019

Istanbul: The City in Two Continents By Avantika Chowdhry travel@palatinate.org.uk

magine all shades of pink smudged smoothly on a canvas of a lightsummer blue, blotched with a soft chiffon, to form the most perfect clouds on the Ombre sky. Below, the Bosporus, in all its grandeur, reflecting the brilliance of the sky. Against the sky and behind the Bosporus, the silhouette of a city that flaunts a story waiting to be understood, with houses, sprinkled lights around the city and scattered minarets of different heights looming over the streets. That only captures a fraction of the beauty I witnessed on that evening in Istanbul.

While Istanbul was fighting wars, the Hagia Sophia saw the wrath of those battles- it was reduced to ashes and resurrected to its original grace again and again. However, the most alluring feature of this monument was its unusual acceptance of differences that the human mind cannot fathom. In 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque, which saw the formation of the Republic of Turkey, a symbol of religion and Turkey’s rich culture. Entering a building abundant with such history was rather overwhelming for a child of the 90’s, who grew up experiencing the divides of mankind based entirely on identity.

Istanbul is a dichotomous being

Accounts of Kings, Conquerors, fallen Empires and a modern Turkey

Istanbul, an overcrowded city with a charming rhythm to its chaos, with thrill and colors down every winding alley. From the Bosporus Bridge, to the Hagia Sophia, everything in Istanbul had a tale- accounts of Kings, Conquerors, fallen Empires and of a modern Turkey.

As we entered the mosque, I reminded myself of the miracle that is this monument. I, a Hindu girl was standing in a mosque that was once a cathedral - it fascinated me. The charm of the atmosphere flowing in the air; upon leaving the Hagia Sophia, you’re thrown back into the world of racing trams advertising the biggest malls in Turkey.

I, a Hindu girl was standing in a mosque that was once a cathedral - it fascinated me

What better place to start exploring but the Hagia Sophia. This structural marvel, exhibiting the finest Byzantine architecture, has stood at the center of the world since 537 AD when it served as a Cathedral to the Ottoman Empire.

Wander further into the crowd and you’ll find yourself at the Grand Bazaar: a covered market with rows of shops that run for a mile. Clothes and fabrics of all colors, hand-woven carpets dating back to the early 1900s. My favourite, however, was the street of the spice merchants. Upon your approach, you smell first the crispness of biber and loose tea leaves that make the best Turkish çay. When I tired of the retail therapy, I retreated to the respite of a café, a shisha pipe in my hand and plate of succulent lamb kebabs and bulger in front of me. Istanbul had some of the best food I have ever tasted, with flavors near incomprehensible. Istanbul is a dichotomous being, the aroma of sweet rose water from fresh baklava being served in a family owned sweet shop sitting across from a Starbucks.

Istanbul is the perfect mixture of Western courage and Eastern sensitivity

As I do while traveling, I try to visit a city as ignorantly as possible to allow me to form my own opinions, but Istanbul was always painted out to be a place struggling with its connection to the West. Now, having visited it, I can say that Istanbul is the perfect mixture of Western courage and Eastern sensitivity. Susan Moody said that Istanbul is “the constant beating of the wave of the East against the rock of the West” and she was right.

y hs: Pixaba

Photograp

FOOD AND DRINK 6

Thursday, 24 January 2019

The stars of the college bars Food & Drink discuss which college bars have the best whisky, beer and gin, and what sets them apart from the pack By Piers Eaton Food & Drink Editor food@palatinate.org.uk

f you’re a drink ‘enthusiast’, but you’ve never done a full college bar crawl, you may wonder which college bar is the best place to get your drink of choice. Luckily, we’ve got you covered. Trev’s – Trev’s bar has a great selection of whiskey, with 27 available whiskys to choose from. They’ve got a wide range, with whiskys from Scotland, America, Ireland, Canada and even Japan. Their range of Scottish whiskys is their biggest strength, ranging anywhere from Talisker 10 to Laguluvin 16. Whilst the Laguluvin is not cheap, coming in at £3.20, there are plenty of quality single malt whiskys costing between £1.80-2.50. This is a perfect way to taste test that bottle of whisky you’ve been eyeing up in Tesco but you’re unsure about taking the plunge and buying.

On top of single malts, they’ve got some quality bourbons On top of single malts, they’ve got some quality bourbons, like Bulleit Bourbon and Maker’s Mark, which come in fairly cheap at £1.70 and £1.80, respectively.

Finally, the crown jewel of their collections, two Japanese whiskys. On offer they have Nikka from the Barrel, Nikka’s blended whisky, and their single malt, Miyagikyo, for around £3 each. This may sound expensive, but a bottle of Miyagikyo costs around £75, so Trev’s is a great way to give them a try. On top of a great selection, Trev’s bar has comfy couches to sit and relax on, and is one of the quieter bars so is perfect for enjoying a nice quiet whisky.

This is a perfect way to taste test that bottle of whisky you’ve been eyeing up in Tesco Collingwood – Collingwood’s bar, The Stag’s Head, has a good selection of beers on draught, ranging from cheap college bar favourites, like John Smith’s and Carlsberg (£1.60 each), to craft favourites, like Hop House 13 (£2.10) and Brewdog’s Punk IPA (£2.40), with lots in-between, such as Cobra or Doom Bar. Also, it’s rumoured that the Stag’s Head has the cheapest pint of Guinness in the U.K., and at £1.90 it is certainly the cheapest pint of Guinness I’ve ever had. Price, on top of selection, really makes Collingwood worth the visit. Surrounded by team pictures that cover the bar’s walls and vibrant atmosphere, Collingwood’s Stag’s Head is the perfect place to have a pint, or eight.

It’s rumoured that the Stag’s Head has the cheapest pint of Guinness in the U.K Hild Bede – Hild Bede’s bar, The Vern, is the best college bar if you love a gin and tonic. With over 2,000 combinations, and new gins coming in on a regular basis, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever get bored of their selections.

For £4, you get to choose from one of their 10 premium gins, one of 12 premium tonics, and one of 18 garnishes.

With over 2,000 combinations, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever get bored of their selections Although many college bars have respectable gin ranges (Collingwood, Cuth’s Brooks bar, etc.) what sets Hild Bede apart more than anything is their garnishes. They range from fresh fruit, to juniper berries to fizzy cherries. So if you want a classic G&T, a crafty one, or you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, they’ve got you covered. With their classic pub vibe, and great gin and tonic selection, Hild Bede’s Vern is GINcredible. Honourable mentions go out to Chad’s bar, which is the place to go if you’ve got the thrills for the pils, as their range of pilsners is great. Additionally, they tend to have at least one great craft beer on draught or cask, as well as their own college beer called Dougan’s Doe, brewed by Anarchy Brew Co. Photographs: Pixabay

FOOD AND DRINK 7

Thursday, 24 January 2019

Is Veganuary worth it? Kirsty Gledhill lauds Veganuary as the perfect NewYear’s resolution By Kirsty Gledhill food@palatinate.org.uk

t’s that time of year again where we feel pressured to come up with a New Year’s resolution, in an attempt to be better people. I’m going to suggest an idea to save you thinking of one yourself: Go vegan for a month. If you’ve never really thought about it before, veganism probably sounds extreme and unnecessary. But have you ever really looked into it enough to give it a chance?

Veganism probably sounds extreme and unnecessary I could tell you a bunch of reasons why you might want to go vegan, but I’d suggest doing some research of your own. I’d recommend the documentaries Dominion (for those with concerns about the ethics), Cowspiracy (for the environment), and What the Health (that one’s probably self-explanatory). We all know animals can feel pain. We all know that climate change is real (I’m assuming Donald Trump won’t be reading this). And we can all imagine that type- 2 diabetes and heart disease is not a desirable outcome.

Why not go vegan for a month? So, if you’re having doubts about paying for a product of process involving the death of living creatures, supporting an industry that produces more greenhouse gases than all transport across the world, or risking compromising your health and pos-

sibly shortening your lifetime for a slab of flesh, why not go vegan for a month? The Veganuary campaign is a fantastic way of doing this, and if you sign up on their website you’ll receive loads of resources and advice to help you with your month trial of veganism. Don’t worry that you’re reading this half way through January. It’s never too late to start (any month can be a vegan month), and it’s never been easier to be vegan.

It’s never too late to start If you’re a budding chef and love intricate meals, there are plenty of recipes out there, and I guarantee some whacky ingredients and flavours you won’t have heard of. But if you can’t be bothered with that, there are thousands of quick and easy vegan recipes out there too, and virtually all are cheaper than their meat counterparts. Nowadays there are so many meat and dairy substitutes available in the supermarkets that you can just whack in the oven in a matter of minutes. And don’t worry about missing out on those all important stomach-lining meals at the start of your socials. Durham has so many vegan options for eating out. Spags even has a vegan pizza. What a time to be alive, and what a time to be vegan.

What a time to be alive, and what a time to be vegan If it’s something that appeals to you, just try it for a month and see how it goes! At the very least you can save money on your weekly shop. Here’s a super tasty 20-minute recipe to get you started.

Easy vegan risotto Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 big/3 small leeks, chopped 400g (2 cups) arborio rice 1.5-2 vegan stock cubes mixed into 3 cups boiling water Method: Heat oil, leeks and garlic in a heavy base saucepan on a high heat for 4 mins, stirring fairly often. Add in the rice and stir it in. Prepare the vegetable stock and add it in. Stir well, put the lid on and cook for roughly 15 minutes, turning the heat down to medium once the water is boiling. If not cooked after 15 mins, add a little more water and check a few minutes later. Repeat this process until it’s cooked. Note: Feel free to add in/substitute virtually any vegetable for the leeks! As well, consider adding a rocket garnish and if you can find a vegan hard cheese, if makes a great addition. This recipe makes 4 portions. Photographs: Pixabay

FEATURES Thursday, 24 January 2019

What’s in a name? A crash course in Durham history By Jonny Tiplady features@palatinate.org.uk

product of two single-sex colleges merging in 1975, Venerable Bede for men, and St. Hilda’s for women. Bede, a monk of St. Paul’s monastery in Northumbria now buried in Durham Cathedral, wrote a lot about Hilda in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People. She was important in the English conversion to Christianity, also residing in Northumbria as a nun.

espite being in contact with people from a range of different colleges on a daily basis, not many people seem to know the origins of their institution’s name. So, I set out to uncover the history of our University and delve into stories of nomenclature.

John Snow was, funnily enough not named after the Channel 4 News Presenter or the King in the North The name Collingwood originates from Edward Collingwood, a famous mathematician, who was former Chair of the University Council. Grey College was founded in honour of Charles Grey, the Second Earl Grey (yes, that Earl Grey!), who was Prime Minister at the time of the University’s foundation. Thomas Hatfield was Prince-Bishop of Durham from 1345 until 1381 and hence earned his place as the College’s namesake. John Snow was, funnily enough, not named after the Channel 4 News Presenter or the King in the North, but a 19th century physician who trained in County Durham.

George Macauley Trevelyan was a 20th century social historian, and Chancellor of the University from 1950 until 1957 Durham’s newest college takes its name from Josephine Butler, a Victorian feminist protestor, also grand-niece of Earl Grey (of tea/Grey College fame). George Stephenson, a 19th century engineer born in Northumberland, was the inspiration for Stephenson College. It is theorised that he created the nickname ‘Geordies’ for those from the North East. George Macauley Trevelyan was a 20th century social historian, and

It is theorised that George Stephenson created the nickname ‘Geordies’ for those from the North East Chancellor of the University from 1950 until 1957. Like Trevelyan, Sir Peter Ustinov held this same title, but at the time of Ustinov College’s formation, which had previously been known as the Graduate Society since 1965. Ustinov’s seemingly vast career history involved acting, writing, film-making, comedy, journalism and was a TV and radio presenter. Castle, the oldest of all the colleges, was deemed the ‘foundation college’ with the intention of more institutions to follow. As such it was named the University College. William Van Mildert was a key figure in the foundation of the university, as Prince-Bishop of Durham at the time of its foundation. He funded the university with £2000 of his own funds every year from its opening until his death in 1936. There are numerous colleges whose names come with particularly religious meanings. St. Aidan’s’ namesake was an Irish monk from Lindisfarne who restored Christianity to Northumbria, while St. Chad helped bring Christianity to his kingdom of Mercia along with St. Bede. The college of St. Hild and St. Bede was the

St. John’s was formerly a theological college, named after John the Evangelist. St. Mary’s is named after the very same Mary who birthed Jesus. St. Cuthbert’s still retains the title of ‘Society’, originally intended to be a common room for students. Another monk of Lindisfarne, after his death, he became an important figure in the establishment of the ‘Palatinate of Durham’. The inhabitants of the Palatinate became known as the haliwerfolc, which translates as ‘people of the saint’. He was buried in Durham Cathedral, along with the Lindisfarne Gospels until the 16th century, when they were moved to London.

William Van Mildert funded the University with £2000 of his own money every year The origins of our colleges’ names seemingly fall into two categories: people who held some position of power, be that in relation to the university or not, and those whose religious influence stretched over the university to help shape what it is today. This is what our motto states: ‘Her foundations are upon the holy hills’. Illustration: Kleopatra Olympiou

BOOKS 9

Thursday, 24 January 2019

A new kind of entertainment

Books explores the growing popularity of spoken word poetry By Clara Knight books@palatinate.org.uk

ou don’t have to scratch far beneath the surface in Durham to find an event for an artistic outlet. But nowadays, open mic nights and artistic forums have expanded beyond acoustic performances into the world of the spoken word. Every year, students look for an artistic outlet and are perhaps, as I was, taken aback by the range available. It is difficult to pin down why the form is growing so rapidly, as there seem to be a myriad of contributing factors. The growing popularity of RnB and hip-hop is allowing for artists such as Daniel Caesar, Loyle Carner and Vince Staples to become increasingly mainstream. Some of these artists use spoken word in their music, whilst others started their careers as poets, allowing for an obvious connection to be drawn between the two forms. Music and poetry have always been inextricably linked, but it’s something about the raw emotion shown by these artists and the beauty of their lyricism which holds an obvious attraction. Karishma Sangtani, a secondyear English student, affirms this, saying a key reason she is drawn to poetry is because “writing poetry is often a means of introspection and leads me to articulate my thoughts in unexpectedly accurate ways.”w

contributors, people who once may have felt threatened by artistic contribution are now surrounded by people just like them. As a university, our primary strength is not the quality of our nightlife, it has to be said. But perhaps what Durham lacks in

Music and poetry have always been inextricably linked

Photographs: Daniel Vogel, Maddie Fisher, Alasdair Harris and Wikimedia Commons.

Of course, this growing popularity is not merely within the university. Professional spoken-word poets are becoming increasingly popular, such as Sophia Thakur, who has been on a UK tour and signed an international book deal.This leads to the new approach taken to marketing poetry. The stereotype of the white male poet has been (somewhat) dispelled, as the growing focus is on the accessibility of poetry, that it is a form grounded in the everyday. This allows for a wider circle of

clubs allows us to look for our entertainment elsewhere. There are a range of locations, from bars like Fabio’s to organisations like the Empty Shop, who dedicate energy to the promotion of local and university artists. The music in local clubs may leave little to be desired, but we certainly manage the mellow jazz vibe with ease, making it easy to find forms of entertainment

that don’t revolve around a remix of ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ and ‘Titanium’. Of course, the unending dedication of the Durham University Poetry Society should not be overlooked. With regular open mic nights and their recent ‘Four Letter Word’ slam event at Caedmon Hall, it is self-evident that Kym Deyn, the President, is devoted to the promotion of poetry in Durham and the North East. In fact, the Durham University Slam Team will be performing at this year’s Durham University Charity Fashion Show, a key example of how the growing popularity of spoken word poetry is being incorporated in new and unexpected ways. What does this mean for the future of poetry? Right now, it’s allowing for poets to perform all across the country. Karishma Sangtani headlined at a DiVerse event last year outside of Durham, and Fahad Al-Amoudi, captain of the Slam Team, has performed in Bristol and across the Northw East. But, in my opinion, a more crucial development should be the growing recognition that spoken word is a form to be taken seriously.

The stereotype of the white male poet has been somewhat dispelled

A key problem in the arts is people failing to recognise that such skills need to be commended, and by this I don’t mean that ‘online exposure’ counts as a reward. With spoken word growing evergreater, I hope this leads to a realisation, from both artists and facilitators that art deserves payment, just like any other job. For now, I think the most important thing that you can do to encourage this surge in creativity is support local artists by attending events, both within the university and the community as a whole.

Film and TV Thursday, 24 January 2019

Bandersnatch: A look in the mirror Hugh Johnson looks into the recent episode By Hugh Johnson Film & TV Editor

lack Mirror is a show that has been at the pinnacle of shocking television for a while. Creator, writer and director of the show, Charlie Brooker, commented that “most television shows exist to re-assure people. I wanted to do something different. I wanted to create a show that actively unsettled people because I felt like that was missing.” The typical format of the show is to take an aspect of technology and show us a dystopian future where development of this technology has led to terrible consequences. Take Nosedive for example. The world of social media is developed to show us shocking consequences of our obsession with Instagram and Facebook: a world in which where we live, who we socialise with and our self-worth is wholly dictated by social media platforms.

Brooker is doing here is involving us, as the viewer, into the episode.

We are the black mirror twist We are the black mirror twist. Brooker forces us to choose who will jump off a balcony, and later forces us to choose whether we bury the father’s body or chop him into pieces. And the character recognises our involvement.

Brooker removes our ability to be an impartial spectator Brooker removes our ability to be an impartial spectator. At the start, this seems like a fun gimmick, with simple choices like which cereal the character eats, or which song the character listens to. However, as the episode develops, we are forced to make more and more gruesome decisions. This is the significant difference: while the story is shocking and intriguing, the important aspect of what

The episode has some brilliant camerawork and an incising colour palette that gives the whole thing a retro feel. The LSD trip was a notable moment for me, with some brilliant cinematography and a really simple yet effective visual demonstration of a trip.

Will Poulter was exceptional Will Pulter was exceptional in the episode. He played a very quirky and interesting character with great depth that I would have loved to see explored more.

Bandersnatch actively breaks from this formula Bandersnatch actively breaks from this formula. It is the first episode to not take an aspect of technology and exaggerate it, but to go back in time. Retro video games are the focus of the episode, so in a sense, the technology has no terrifying consequences. However, Brooker builds on the concept of a ‘choose your own adventure’ video game by allowing us, as viewers, to affect the narrative.

cannot watch this episode feeling completely removed. We have a responsibility as the viewer that cannot be ignored, so cannot maintain the traditional distance one feels between being a ‘viewer’ and being involved. Brooker is teasing the fact that, as consumers, as viewers, our wish to be shocked, our want for gore and stomach-turning story lines could have grizzly consequences.

At one time he cries out for us to give him a sign, and we are forced to respond. Later, if you choose the option of making him cut his father’s body into pieces, he whispers ‘please no’.

By forcing us to choose between horrible story options, we cannot watch this episode feeling completely removed In a sense, I think that Brooker is highlighting the fact that visual entertainment is another aspect of technology that could lead to terrible consequences. By forcing us to choose between horrible story options, we

Although the ending to the episode leaves the whole piece with a slightly unfinished feel, I believe that Black Mirror should be praised for the concept and the dedication they put into the episode. My main critique is that it would have been more involving ig the stakes were higher. Bandersnatch has certainly got me craving more Black Mirror. Image via pixabay

Film and TV Thursday, 24 January 2019

The Favourite Review

Cordelia Patterson reviews the new comedy by Yorgos Lanthimos By Cordelia Patterson film@palatinate.org.uk Candlelit ballrooms, decadent bedchambers, marble flooring, gossiping 18th century politicians, wigs, THE Whigs, duck races, sex and cross-dressing. All shouts ‘England’ at its most hedonistic and ambitious. This is the setting for Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film, The Favourite, released in 2019, a comedy of royal manners and sexual politics. Not since Greenaway’s The Draughtsman’s Contract have the trappings and corruption of the Restoration era been most successfully blended on screen. In January 1711, the appointment of impoverished chambermaid Abigail Hill (Emma Stone) to be Keeper of the Privy Purse created a rivalry of epic proportion between Abigail and Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz), in the battle for the affections of Queen Anne which resulted in the expelling of Churchill from court, and the swift decline in the queen’s health. Cue the arrival of Stone’s character into this court of intrigue. A self-proclaimed lady now fallen on hard times, in the sardonic words of leader of the Tory ministry, Harley (Nicholas Hoult) she was ‘once a lady, now nothing’. The true fascination of the film is Abigail’s journey from a doe-eyed innocent to Machiavellian manipulator and, indeed, the Favourite. The film is Lanthimos’ first in which he is not credited as writer, yet similar to his first English-language film The Lobster, it is a crude script, bursting with quips and stichomythic language by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, which helps creates more than just a picturesque backdrop, and evokes a sense of the absurd similar to the Restoration incongruity of Greenaway’s 1994 film. Weisz and Stone expertly navigate this script, with their nimble performances proving that women in this world are more than just passive victims.

The costumes and camera work are the crowning jewels in this royal drama. Costume designer Sandy Powell has created a collection of monochrome dresses for the female characters with laser-cut details adding modernity to a set imbued with the decadence of the 17th century. Clothing created for male characters Masham (Joe Alwyn) and Harley present us with feminine courtiers who embellish

the female heroines as more calculated and cunning than the patriarchal world they inhabit.

The score is another aspect which makes The Favourite a success for Lanthimos’ first period film. The fragmented structure of the film is cemented with music from period composers such as Henry Purcell, and veers between baroque flamboyance and minimalism, reinforcing the pageants of decorum and sadism which appear to dominate the court.

Olivia Colman is a standout performance. Her portrayal of Queen Anne leaves the audience questioning the presence of human frailty in a world where characters masquerade politics as sex and women must navigate the hostile realm of male domination. The ridiculous childishness of Colman’s Queen presents a queen imprisoned by her own broken body, creating a devastating and bleak assessment of the human condition. Rachel Weisz’s portrayal as the Duchess of Marlborough, often wearing breeches and riding boots, reveals the attempts of the female characters to survive in this male territory, as she outmanoeuvres the men whore are mired in greed, wigs and makeup around her.

The film’s formal structure of eight parts creates a pace that ensures the audience is kept on their toes.

The sexual realm explored in The Favourite helps it verge on an LGBTQ drama, yet Lanthimos explores how Churchill and Hill use their sexuality as a calculated strategy to advance their positions in court through a liaison with their sovereign, instead of a vindication of a woman’s right to express her sexuality as she chooses.

It also highlights the fleeting nature of success at courting; how being ‘the favourite’ can be short-lived. Cinematographer Robbie Ryan frequently intersperses shots with wide-angle visions, helping to display the nightmarish state of the queen and the court around her, while the tracking shots add further grandiosity to the world.

The end credits of The Favourite list farcical characters including ‘Fastest Duck in the City’, ‘Nude Pomegranate Tory’ and ‘Wanking Man’, showing that this world, though aesthetically desirable, is sinking, like Queen Anne, deeper into confusion and corruption. Image via Pixabay

Creative Writing Thursday, 24 January 2019

Resolution “How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.” By Sidrah Zubair

By Liv Myrtle The Hand

On the first day, I will make breakfast in bed, spill the yolk and whites on my pillow, sleep in the protein and fat encrusted nightmares. The next day, I will call mummy five times but tell her ‘I miss you’ just once. Over the next few weeks, my emotional detachment from the idea of maternal anything will take over because me, a mother? It’s the saddest joke I’ve ever heard. I’ll give cigarettes a first chance, choke on the hazelnut smoke and never touch them again. In February, I will paint my nails black and envision a Beetlejuice aesthetic for my 50-year-old self. I won’t ever say “I’m upset” or “I think my feelings are all wheelie bins waiting to be filled with all the wrong rubbish”. I will ask God to forgive me for all my mistakes from 2005 to 2017; I’ll make the same ones in 2018 but break the circumference. From March, there will be no more writing about my father’s couldhavebeens. In my notebook, I will plan all future divorces meticulously, keeping the maximum at 3. Every night before bed, I will listen to all of Noor Jehan’s discography while wearing my mother’s saree and gold jewellery. In December, I will hold a mirror to my clogged shower drain and wish for the hair to grow back on my follicles again.

As the winter fog lifts I see a hand Reaching, Searching.

image” Min An via pexels license

It will go something like this

It is asking me to take it. Our fingers entwine and I am catapulted into the air Like a child pushed too high on a swing. A sharp intake of breath, Eyes screwed tight and then – And then sunlight. Blazing, shimmering skies, An infinity of radiance. And here I am. Why? Who knows? Only one thing’s certain: I can’t let go.

By Ellen Bao Awakening tomorrow I shall love less precariously with more anticipation and less anticipated futility. I shall run my fingers through the hair of the hurrying wind and feel the fibres of time and its timelessness. I shall pause before the free-flowing branches of a leafless ivy and recall its emerald dream commemorated on an old brick wall. I shall lie awake, my beloved while the soul of the crescent moon creeps in through the shutters. tomorrow I shall look age and infirmity in the face and love less precariously.

STAGE 13

Thursday, 24 January 2019

2018 Theatre: a year of innovation or stagnation? By Issy Flower

heatre in 2018 was a curious beast: a mixture of new writing, returning triumphs, regional tours and musical phenomena. The #MeToo movement was reflected in the prevalence of female writers and actresses, and debates about art and civil rights rubbed up against witty epithets and fart jokes. However, the standard remained uniformly high, offering performances and spectacles to saviour.

favourite was ‘Red’, in which Alfred Molina was entirely convincing and wholly present as Mark Rothko, a man consumed by passion for his work and fighting against his personal demons, and where human emotion and art were debated powerfully by playwright John Logan.

Musicals retain the ability to reflect modern-day One of the big hits of the year was ‘Company’. This genderbent reimagining of a Stephen Sondheim musical reflected the changing status of the single woman when presented with the horror of marriage alongside a barnstorming central performance from Rosalie Craig. Other well-received musicals included the UK version of ‘Hamilton’, which gained plaudits for capturing the spirit of the original production, and ‘Caroline or Change’, whose feisty combination of civil rights issues and powerful family drama secured it multiple five-star reviews. Another notable piece was fringe favourite ‘Six’. This was a particularly fresh piece, coming straight from the pens of a graduate team, which cast Henry VIII’s wives as divas in the style of Ariana Grande or Beyonce, incorporating the mixture of sassy confidence and heartfelt vulnerability that made those artists and this production so successful. If this year showed anything, it’s that musicals retain the ability to reflect modern-day concerns whilst conveying a powerful musical punch. Less-musical revivals that made waves this year included the exquisite ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’ at the National Theatre and the RSC’s ‘Tamburlaine’. However, my personal

Regional theatre also produced clever and diverting work, such as the underappreciated but rather charming ’84 Charing Cross Road’, a tale of love and friendship conveyed solely through letters. ‘The Watsons’ in particular was praised for its transformation of an Austen juvenile piece into a debate on drama, destiny and authorship, confirming the position of its writer Laura Wade (who also achieved renown this year with ‘Home, I’m Darling’) as one of the mainstays of the current theatre scene.

Regional theatre also produced clever and diverting work

The biggest successes of the year were undoubtedly original plays At one point the two characters ritualistically prepare the canvas by violently and joyously covering it with paint; this scene is indicative of the play as a whole, as one which encourages the audience to view art as something filled with passion and joy, whilst discussing its pitfalls and its inherent subjectivity.

However, the biggest successes of the year were undoubtedly original plays. ‘The Lehman Trilogy’ created a boxset-rivalling, immersive and perfectly produced exploration of the demise of a dynasty alongside the changing fortunes of capitalism. Elsewhere, ‘The Height of the Storm’ and ‘John’ provided dialogues on love, loss and loneliness from casts of both experienced theatrical icons and new players to the game. More radical productions included the Dorfman’s ‘Nine Nights’, which captured the tensions of the immigrant experience- living both within and outside a culture- whilst ‘A Very Very Dark Matter’ violently critiqued colonialism and oppression, losing none of Martin McDonagh’s wit and divisiveness whilst presenting unforgettable visuals such as Johnetta Eula’Mae Ackles trapped in a miniature cage. New writing in 2018 really did run the whole gamut of experience. Overall, theatre in 2018 reflected the best of the country’s efforts, in both acting, writing and directing. Let’s hope that 2019 can continue the same high standards. Image Google via Creative Commons

Fashion 14

Thursday, 24 January 2019

Our 2019 Top Trends to

From Logo-Mania to ‘California-dreamin Editors reveal the Fashion goings-on they forward to this coming

aximalism is finally back in full swing. I’ve been in a quandary for the past few years- intensely admiring minimalism whilst still glancing forlornly at the costume element of daily dressing. As much as the normcore and minimalism period was fun for its novelty, our British heritage holds too many exciting hues, theatre, and patterns to rid ourselves of the rich inspiration of times past. More is more again, and I am gleefully welcoming it back with open arms. With such bucket loads of history, creativity and variation out there, I want a new style persona every day. On Monday I might want to be a futuristic sea captain with a fondess for Chanel, on Tuesday a Fendi French Duke à la manière de Vince Noir. Add an increasingly heightened sense of environmental responsibility and awareness of the need for sustainability (usefully coinciding with popular Marie Kondo-esque major clear outs), re-selling and re-purposing items is no longer a pursuit on the edges- it’s back in the everyday. With recent, richly garbed film releases such as Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite - set in the early 1700s - helping us fall in love with both having seventeen rabbits as pets and Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell’s emphasis on the architecture of Stuart dress, the 1700s are now ever richer for the picking, design and style inspiration wise. Another cultural influence I predict will heavily decide the route the fashion industry travels in 2019 (and which will be a Tumblr gif favourite) is the highly anticipated Collette, directed by Wash Westmoreland and costumed by Andrea Flesch, particularly for Keira Knightley’s expansive, and at times androgynous early 20th century Parisian wardrobe. The anachronism of wearing Stuart inspired riding boots with a neon orange puffer jacket, or messaging on your Samsung whilst wearing a whimsical straw boater, is one of the most exciting fashion adventures, and I will continue to hail the joy of outrageous juxtaposition from the rooftops (or the top of Durham castle) if I must. I’m similarly anticipating the innovative new interpretations of the logo-mania trend to come, which again I feel taps into the idea of literally wearing history, and the message or imaginations which come with associating yourself with a distinct brand (a concept Burberry latched onto in 2018 with their brand-wide redesign). This trend, I feel, is also an effect of fashion beginning to be seen more of an art form on par with the watercolours which hang in esteemed galleries- this is their signature on their tailoring, their artist’s scribble in a bottom corner of a canvas. Except, of course, this is the fashion industry, so a very large scribble. Put simply, creating something new out of something old is the new, New. If you catch my (third-hand) drift. Neither is inspiration from nature going anywhere fast, an artist’s source of decorative ideas since the ancient world and before. As the intellectual and fashion begin to mix more and more, nothing is now safe from the clutches of design creatives in 2019. Ready yourself for the vibrance of the roaring twenties. Anna Gibbs, Fashion Editor

Photographs: Instagram (Clockwise from top left) @thefavouritemovie , @alexanderwangny , @calvinklein , @gucci, @gucci, @gucci Illustrations: Anna Gibbs @annagibbsillustration inspired by ‘The Favourite’

Fashion Thursday, 24 January 2019

o Watch:

ng’, the Indigo Fashion y’re each most looking year

By Anna Gibbs, Ana Hamilton, & Francesca Reffell Fashion Editor & Deputies

y the end of 2018 the 90s aesthetic continued to reign. Chunky trainers, oversized hoodies, and tiny specs of wild proportion. Notably Balenciaga’s triple S trainer, the styling of the Yeezy calabasas collection, and Vogue eyewear. For 2019 I am looking forward to the continuing diffusion of boundaries of gendered fashion in particular the designs of Matty Bovan and Harris Reed. I anticipate that the growing popularity of genderless clothing which will pave the way for more self-expressive clothing and the dissipation of trends. Down with the era of monotonous dressing according to dictated trends! Designers I personally look forward to following in 2019 are Off-White’s Virgil Abloh, Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, Alexander Wang and, Simon Jaquemus. Francesca Reffell, Deputy Fashion Editor 2019 welcomes in many colourful trends for Spring and Summer. The vibrant tie-dye patterns displayed in many of the fashion shows ignite a “California-dreaming” aura, that captures the refreshing fashion forward image that this year represents. Designers such as Calvin Klein, Prada, Victoria Beckham and Dior all incorporate an explosion of colour and vibrancy, which I am looking forward to seeing in streetwear and general trends throughout the year. Ana Hamilton, Deputy Fashion Editor

THE indigo INTERVIEW Thursday, 24 January 2019

Batten About Town indigo interviews Made in Chelsea’s Eliza Batten By Zue Wei Leong Interview Editor interview@palatinate.org.uk

Photography: Ben Stevens @benstevens05 for Morville Beachwear

ne would not expect Eliza Batten, the latest It-Girl on Britain’s much-loved reality TV series, Made in Chelsea, to be quite so casual and down-to-earth as she sits down with indigo to discuss her excitement to be part of the show. And yet, it is clear as she reveals her casting journey that she reacted just as any of us would, if we were invited into a world of dinner parties, luxurious getaways and masquerade balls.

“I would have regretted not giving it a go, so I went for it!” “When they got in touch with me to be part of their summer series, I hadn’t watched the show in years,” she says, “instead, I went travelling that summer and when I got back, I called up Fred [Ferrier] to hear about his experience on the show and finally decided I would have regretted not giving it a go, so I went for it!” When asked about how the role has impacted those around her, Eliza shares that Made in Chelsea is still an ‘alien world’ to both her parents, particularly her father: My dad hasn’t really watched it… He watches my clips; he doesn’t keep up with the show because he has never really been into reality TV, and he’s not going to start now!” She does sheepishly admit that her younger sister and her friends do encounter many questions from curious fans hoping to get an inside scoop on her or their favourite cast members. “It’s funny because a fair number of people ask me about Made in Chelsea – just not as much as they ask my friends,” she laughs.

“I have my fingers in many pies at the moment...” Eliza also jokes that filming the show is pretty much the same commitment as playing a DU sport, and she has only become more diligent with meeting her deadlines because there is so much time to work on the train down to London. “But I do have my fingers in many pies at the moment,

so I really want to find that balance between them this year,” she adds, when we later discuss our new year’s resolutions. Indeed, this year will be a busy one for Eliza. On top of her filming schedule, she will be walking once again in the university’s highly-anticipated annual charity fashion show. “It was my highlight of 2018, and I am so excited for it this year – it’s going to be bigger and better,” she gushes.

“I am going to be picky about the brands I work with and support because of what I know now about fast fashion” The event is shedding a light on sustainability in fashion, a cause that is close to her heart. Not only is she a huge fan of charity and second-hand shopping, she also runs a successful Depop account to sell her own pre-loved clothes. “Quality matters a lot to me. I always ask myself, ‘How long will I be able to wear it for?’” she says, before holding up her chic, second-hand sheepskin coat, exclaiming that it was ‘only £10 and great quality… an absolute bargain!’ She concludes that, “if I get brand deals in the future, as a result of doing the show, I know that I am going to be picky about the brands I want to work with and support because of what I know now about fast fashion”.

“People forget that I am a human with feelings” indigo predicts that brand deals will very much be in her future, as she quickly reached her first celebrity ‘milestone’ after her first episode on Made in Chelsea: online trolls. On how she handles the influx of comments and tweets on her and oftentimes, on her appearance, she comments that it is strange that “people forget that I am a human with feelings” but explains that she developed a thick skin during her stint as a full-time model during her gap year: “I found rejection hard when I was doing castings at 18 but now, I can laugh off the odd troll on Instagram – like, I do have a massive forehead!”

“I’m just a little weird and I don’t take myself too seriously” The 21-year-old also shares her ambitions of making documentaries, inspired by her ‘heart-breaking’ and ‘eye-opening’ encounters with villagers in Sri Lanka during a field trip. She is unsure if her TV presence will help or hinder her dream, but she makes it clear that for now, she just wants to have a good time at university and on Made in Chelsea: “I’m just a little weird and don’t take myself too seriously, and I hope that comes across in the next series”.