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EDITORIAL Thursday, 20 February 2020
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www.palatinate.org.uk/category/indigo/
FASHION 3 The red carpet and sustainability FILM & TV 4&5 Ain’t no mountain high enough FOOD 6 Cafédral: an ethical review INTERVIEW 7 Saving our sudents: speaking to Ben West FEATURES 8&9 From oddities and othering: a tale of two students
BOOKS
10 Licence in literature: 1920 - 2020 STAGE 11 Student theatre and mental health VISUAL ARTS 12 & 13 Exposure: Durham’s hidden arts scene CREATIVE WRITING 14 William Blake in 2020 MUSIC 15 The MUDS Manifesto TRAVEL 16 How to make any city an adventure 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 Logo: Chloe Wong Cathedral Artwork: Anna Gibbs Front Cover: Alice Healy
It’s often easy to roll our eyes at buzzwords. They become indicative of a topic which is being talked about over and over again at that moment in time. Regardless of our opinions on the subject and how much we like to talk about it, it’s easy to become desensitised to hearing the same jargon and often the same sentiments. I know I’ve been guilty of this. I’ve sometimes heard the word ‘sustainability’ or ‘mental health’ and the importance of talking about it, and zoned out. I know I believe in fighting against climate change and I know I communicate openly with my friends, so I often feel like those words don’t need to be heard by me. The fact that these are buzzwords though, and the fact that we’re hearing them so often these days, is because they need to be discussed: whether they’re hard to hear or not. By tuning out I’m missing out on new points I haven’t considered. Whether that be a new way to help the environment, or something I haven’t considered to look out for within my own or my friends’ mental health. Bearing that in mind, we’ve tried to show in this edition what Durham in particular has to say about sustainability and mental health. Film & TV interview the Durham student creator of a nature documentary film (P.4&5) and Stage discuss mental health within Durham Student Theatre (P. 11). Visual Arts also examine the hidden arts scene in the student-body, we often hear about music and theatre, but the artists at our university remain quietly in the background, creating powerful works which deserve our credit. Shauna Lewis
INDIGO EDITORS Shauna Lewis Hugo Millard (deputy) FEATURES EDITORS Kleopatra Olympiou Mary Bradshaw (deputy)
CREATIVE WRITING EDITORS Catriona Inglis Meadbh Ni Mhorain
STAGE EDITORS Harrison Newsham Isabel C. Davis VISUAL ARTS EDITORS Florie Moran BOOKS EDITORS Clara Knight Lotte Hall FASHION EDITORS Molly Goetzee FOOD & DRINK EDITORS Elle Woods-Marshall Imogen Higgins TRAVEL EDITORS Alex Bicknell-Cummins Gracie Linthwaite FILM & TV EDITORs Aadira Parakkat Madeleine Rosie Strom MUSIC EDITORS Matthew Prudham Katherine Pittalis INTERVIEW EDITORS Julia Merican Millicent Machell
FASHION 3
Thursday, 20 February 2020
The red carpet and sustainability Sustainability in fashion is an issue of extreme importance, but is it a choice for all? By Molly Goetzee Fashion Editor fashion@palatinate.org.uk
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ustainability has featured heavily in the fashion news of recent years. Critiques of fashion houses and fashion practices have been rife, with tags such as ‘Burnberry’ appearing after it was found the major fashion house burnt tonnes of old stock. This released catastrophic amounts of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. This was done- not just by Burberry- in an attempt to keep items from exclusive designers out of the realm of the every day. Burning stock that could not be sold instead of putting it on sale created an atmosphere of exclusivity. It maintained the brand’s ‘high end’ status by being able to be exclusively bought by the wealthy. Problematic in itself, this has been one of many issues highlighted in the fashion press of recent years. The 2020 Oscars saw the biggest push for sustainability in high end fashion on a public level. Jane Fonda, who, after buying her iconic red activism coat, declared that she is refusing to buy any more clothes. As a result, Fonda re-wore a 2014 gown to this year’s festivities: a red beaded Elie Saab couture dress. Elizabeth Banks re-wore a red Badgley Mishka dress from 2004, where she attended the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. Joaquim Phoenix has been wearing the same Stella McCartney suit for the entirety of the 2020 awards season, but men are often subject to less criticism over their clothing. I am unconvinced that a woman in this position would not be critiqued for wearing the same dress. At a very basic level, it would be much more obvious because high-end dresses are extravagant and wholly unique. This was not the only more sustainable red carpet choice: Margot Robbie and Lily Aldridge borrowed from fashion archives. However, this is a luxury only a slim woman of note can afford, as larger fashion houses do not design clothes on
diverse mannequins. Clothes for larger women at these events are custom made. The sustainable choices of reusing gowns seem to be the options of the elite. Lesser known stars cannot even unearth an older dress, especially if this is their first award season. It is even more problematic when a person is above the average couture model measurements, where many women find it difficult to be sponsored by major fashion houses in the first place, let alone rent a dress from them. This has been seen by models and actors such as Melissa McCarthy, Ashley Graham, Octavia Spencer and Leslie Jones. These women barely have dress choices, let alone the option of a sustainable dress or renting. Even more well-known female stars may only be allowed to wear a dress a few times since the tabloids are able to find the exact time and place they wore
the dress before, whilst Joaquin Phoenix practically goes unmentioned by wearing the same suit all season. Whilst I commend the efforts of stars such as Jane Fonda for creating a dialogue about sustainability on the catwalk, and for others for renting or borrowing gowns, it has to be said that the attitude of superiority espoused by some activists can be problematic. Sustainable choices are much easier for some, and where possible they absolutely should be made, but it is difficult to say there are the same options for everyone. With activist groups such as Red Carpet Green Dress encouraging more designers to use sustainably sourced fabrics and labour, it is impossible for women with less influence to make demands of a major fashion house who may refuse to dress them altogether. Image Credit: Greenpeace USA vis Flickr
FILM & TV 4
Thursday, 20 February 2020
Ain’t no mountain high enough Luca Pittalis on climate change and his Kilimajaro documentary By Madeleine Rosie Strom Film & TV co-Editor film@palatinate.org.uk
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uca Pittalis is a second year Hatfield student, who over the Summer of 2019, created a film focusing on the melting ice fields of Mount Kilimanjaro. His film Kilimanjaro: The White Mountain is unique. It is not pure scientific jargon which may isolate the viewer. The viewer is able to get a sense of his character and his passion for both film-making and discovering more about what can be done to help climate change. As an audience, we are absorbed into the scenery of Tanzania and the people who climb the mountain. We hear their stories and experience Luca’s own story of climbing the mountain. The struggles of climbing the mountain are apparent, yet Luca still maintains and captures the attention of the audience. It is clear that Luca has succeeded in his goal of creating a film which is both educational and inspiring. Paired with beautiful cinematagrophy and uplifing soundtracks, this documentary truly is an example of what is to come from Luca’s documentary career. A name to watch out for, Luca Pittalis is helping to revolutionise the way documentaries portray climate change and how anyone, no matter their age or experience, can get involved in making a difference.
We spoke to Luca about his inspiration for the film and the challenges he faced creating it.
What do documentaries mean to you? “I watched documentaries when I was young and I realised that this is what I wanted to do. I focused on this realm because, as the borders between the human and natural world keep colliding, it is becoming such an important area to present. I have always wanted to create natural history documentaries. Documentaries are a way of putting people into action and of communicating; I want to make people change their ways. The target audience can be anyone, as long as it reaches people, I will be happy.”
How has your time at Durham helped you in pursuing a career in film and media? “Durham have been really supportive when I pitched my idea about making a film in Tanzania, Hatfield College were able to help me get a scholarship from the Rotary Club which enabled me to climb Kilimanjaro and show the changing climate there. My involvement in Durham communication is mainly through Purple Radio, I think the broadcasting abilities I learnt there really helped me. As long as I am interviewing people, it does not matter if it is about climate change or not, it really aids me in my learning.
What inspired you to create your documentary and how did you start the process? “I got the inspiration for the
film when my biology lecturer was discussing the impact climate change has had on the gradients of plant vegetation up in the mountains. That really gave me my first aspect of research and when I was reading literature about the subject, I realised nothing in film had really discussed it. There is all this scientific literature about different elements of global warming , but no one has communicated it to the wider population. “
“...the borders between the human and natural world keep colliding” “Documentary enables the combination of the arts and sciences. Even though I have made around fifty films before, in terms of investigative journalism, this was all new to me. I went to the frontline to ask those people who had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to see how they had seen the shift.” “Of course some things did not go to plan, I had many drafts and I had tried to get in touch with David Attenborough, but he replied after the film had been truly finished so I was not able to get a quote from him in the film. Some producers had promised to help and then cancelled, but I was still able to produce my film - that was my main goal.” “It has had recognition from newspapers such as The Archer and I have been receiving feedback from other filmmakers which has been brilliant’.”
To do something like create a film in Tanzania over summer is in-
FILM & TV Thursday, 20 February 2020
credible - what was the experience like?
you. If you have a laptop or a phone, you can do anything you want with it.”
“Climbing that mountain range was brilliant, I asked 3 companions who had no knowledge of film to do it with me. We were struggling at times due to the air pressure so it was great to have people to help me carry the kit when filming at such an altitude and having the moral support’.”
What is the role of the documentary in terms of education about the planet ?
How do you think has technology helped the idea of film-making? “It has been easier than ever to start film-making. You can make a film on your phone - there is nothing to restrict
“I think it is good, people like Greta Thunberg have given us dramatic examples of what climate change does to the Earth. It is difficult though, not everyone fully understands the implications of climate change. It is so much more than global warming, it is about our food and species distribution. The role that documentaries will have in future will be really critical in presenting these other ideas. We need to spread these ideas, we see people
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responding and changing their ways about how we treat the environment. Hopefully the next generation will be taking onboard the ideas we are only coming up with now.”
So what is next on the agenda? “It is difficult to say as natural history film-making is so competitive, but this film is a stepping stone for me to make more. I have no plans to stop, I want to continue with the radio and practicing my skills.” To watch Luca’s documentary, simply type ‘Kilimanjaro: The White Mountain’ into Youtube. . Image credits: Katie Gray
FOOD AND DRINK 6
Thursday, 20 February 2020
Cafédral: an ethical review The owners of Cafédral on their environmental and ethical initiatives By Sophie Tice food@palatinate.org.uk
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ou may have thought it was only Flat White that suffered from a nearly perpetual state of busyness. This is understandable, given the line of hungry and increasingly irritated Brunch customers queueing outside on weekends, shifting on their feet and asking, “Is it worth it?”. I have not eaten there and cannot tell you. However, I can assure those yet-to-be peppermint hot chocolate addicts that, despite comparable popularity, at Cafédral you will not have to wait long.
matches in return for only a picture on the wall. The building of toilets helps with issues from diarrhoea to period-shaming. After my own experience of volunteering in Nepal and living in a host home, these issues became clear to me. A previous cycle of volunteers had organized the building of toilets at the local school, an attempt to improve the poor attendance of girls on their period. Such fear of
Besides, what a space to wait in. Tucked inside an old building near Palace Green, the decoration of this wittily-named cafe evokes a delightful combination of the Botanic Gardens, Mary Poppins and a vintage store. All is green, pink or patterned. Such a distinctively bohemian atmosphere is a result of the joint taste of its co-owners, Pam and Mark Goff: The former is a talented artist, some of the abstract paintings on the wall are of her creation, while the latter is a keen gardener and curator of the greenery growing around the room. I arrived and was immediately stunned by the bustle. However, I did not need to wait long. Mark and I weaved through the tables as if in a market, surrounded with an electric buzz of conversation and the whirling of the coffee machine, finally reaching a calm space. I was confused when Mark enthusiastically explained that he had to “show me their toilet” but it is the project that he and Pam are most proud of. Pam and Mark support a charity called Toilet Twinning. This project aims to develop sanitation, hygiene, education and locally-built infrastructure in rural areas internationally. Every £60 of customer donations builds a toilet, an amount which Cafédral
judgement is understandable given cultural attitudes towards menstruation, seen by some as a punishment of femininity. The simple building of a space in which women can manage their period is crucial to increasing gender equality in education and building a more inclusive world. Meanwhile, through the window opposite, I spotted the Salvation Army shelter. Its founders aimed to help the vulnerable by aiding their spiritual and physical
needs. Mark and Pam donate all leftover food from the cafe to the shelter. They were clearly proud as they related the anecdote of one homeless man who commented that they had “the best” scones in Durham. As a child, I found my grandmother’s denial of pudding to those who had not finished their meal cruel when I could smell her sweet apple crumble. Yet, the princip l e of ‘waste not want not’ needs a return to the high street. In 2019, BBC Watchdog contacted branches of High Street cafés to investigate their food waste. Of the 100 stores contacted, 53 throw leftover food away at the end of the day. With the door spaces often used as shelter for the homeless, such negation is indicative of a lack of effort and consideration. It is an ethical scandal, yet only a line in the history of big business’ prioritization of profit over people. As small business owners, Pam and Mark can enact their ethical principles. It can sometimes seem difficult to believe that we can bring about change in a world dominated by rich corporations. Yet, because we live in an interconnected global economy, each of us can make a difference through a lifetime of consumer choices. Along with their free=range eggs, the coffee at Cafédral is an ethical and sustainable option as it is certified by Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and the Soil Association. By choosing to order your latte from Cafédral. you are contributing to fairer wages for farmers, the safeguarding of diversity, and improvement of organic practices. Next time you’re debating which cafe to visit, google their sustainable and ethical practices. In the words of Tesco, “every little helps”. Illustration by Samantha Fulton
INTERVIEW 7
Thursday, 20 February 2020
Saving our students: speaking to Ben West Asking one of Britain’s youngest mental health campaigners what drives him By Millicent Machell Interview co-Editor interview@palatinate.org.uk
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ou may know Ben West from the iconic moment on the ITV leadership debate last year, when he asked Corbyn and Johnson what they would buy each other for Christmas. A power move, and one that got him trending on twitter at that. But the more you know Ben, the more seriously you take him.
“It seemed to open the door to this huge problem.” Ben West became a mental health campaigner in 2018 after his fifteen-yearold brother tragically took his own life;
‘Three or four years ago I didn’t even know what depression was. My brother took his own life and it seemed to open the door to this huge problem.’ It was at this point that Ben and his friends began Project Walk to Talk, a 200km walk planned to raise awareness and money for the Sam West foundation; ‘I realised how special the act of walking was. People seem to open up and on the walk I heard people telling their struggles to complete strangers. It was amazing.’ The walk smashed its fundraising goals and raised £15,000, receiving a letter from Theresa May. Since then, the foundation has grown hugely, raising roughly £120,000. Ben said that that question may have attracted a lot of criticism for being too frivolous, but had unexpected benefits for the campaign; ‘The Daily Mail did an article where they revealed who I was and The Sun did the same thing. It gave us really good traction for the petition.’ So what are Ben’s current goals? Well, he’s currently ‘completely focussed’ on getting half a million signatures for his petition to make mental health training compulsory for teachers.
‘Most people aren’t even aware that teachers have no compulsory mental health training at all. You wouldn’t willingly send your child to a school where no one knew what to do in an emergency, yet that’s effectively what’s happening here.’ He is also working alongside a research team to create a proposal for the government on how teachers should be trained regarding mental health.
“The first step is always reaching out.” Despite his inspiring work ethic and message, Ben’s parting comment was the most powerful. He urged anyone who is struggling with their mental health and happens upon this article to take his advice; ‘Please, talk to someone and share how you are feeling. It is one of the hardest things you can ever do, but it is so important to talk to someone. You can come up with a plan together, you can put measures in place and you can feel better. But the first step is always reaching out.’
Sign Ben’s petition at www.change.org/ saveourstudents
FEATURES 8
Thursday, 20 February 2020
From oddities and otherings: Thao Nguyen speaks to two students about
By Thao Nguyen features@palatinate.org.uk
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hat do these two studentsa Bangladeshi who’s spent 30 years abroad, working and researching, and an English mature student who had studied, worked and then decided to pursue a different academic route- have in common? Not too much, would be my initial answer. When I sought out these two people, I was trying to compare their thoughts on learning without borders. After my chats with them, I came to realise something entirely different: that it’s not just about seeing the good in welcoming migrant students, it’s also about how we see others, especially those different from us. Iqbal Ahmed left Bangladesh around 30 years ago to start his undergraduate studies in Louisiana, USA. His journey resonates with me personally – at 18, he had ‘literally cut off his life’ to start afresh in a new land. His journey carried him north from there to New York, and now he’s here at Durham University, doing his post-graduate research in International Development. His field work is based in his home country, but he’s writing his thesis here in the UK. When I asked him why that is, he said that he wanted to learn more about Bangladesh, but the academia on the matter in the UK is much more rigorous, so the combination he chose was ideal.
“At 18, he had ‘literally cut off his life’ to start afresh in a new land” For many international students, not just in Durham, but across the UK, US, Australia, this is an important motivation for leaving their own country for higher education. From English language skills to the wealth of knowledge available in this language for so many disciplines, par-
ticularly the social sciences, these are things which would not be available in many developing countries. Undeniably, a degree from one of the world’s best universities never fails to impress employers worldwide, but the education and experience is truly an ideal for many overseas students. Nevertheless, expectations and reality are never the same. Amy, my second interviewee, whose name I’ve changed per her request, had decided to quit her high-paying job to pursue a new undergraduate degree in History. She had just finished her year abroad in Australia and spoke of international friends who were stuck in a cycle of struggle with academic English, not having time to interact with native-speakers, and thereby not improving their English. She went on an equally impressive journey – from doing German in her first Bachelor’s degree to joining the corporate world, acquiring an MBA, and now a full-time undergraduate again. I told her that I found it impressive – not a lot of people would have the bravery to start all over again at that point in their lives. Amy smiled and said that somehow it worked out nicely for her – she had always wanted to emigrate to Australia, discovering the year abroad program available at Durham in her first year. To my query as to whether the student mobility and diversity was worth it, Amy exclaimed, “Of course, why would you not want to learn about all these different cul-
tures?” and perhaps she’s right, sometimes it’s just as simple as good-natured curiosity. “It hasn’t been easy, and it’s still not easy,” both Iqbal and Amy commented on taking the first step. That’s what it is, taking the first step, making the first move, starting a conversation. That’s what you have to do as an ‘other’, because you need to integrate yourself, rather than wait to be welcomed. In an increasingly cold climate against outsiders in destination countries, it’s more necessary than ever for international students to step out of their comfort zone. As for mature students, in a way it’s even
FEATURES
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Thursday, 20 February 2020
a tale of two students education, migration, and journeys other’s actions, came to change his approach to adapting to a different culture. He came to erase his own preconceptions before meeting people – ones that are made from the labels of their race, gender, nationality – to get to know them as whoever they may be. Consequently, he worried not about what they may think of him either. And that had been how he’d been finding himself better between the cultures through the years. As for the guy who drunkenly insulted him, Iqbal’s genuine question took him by surprise, through which he realised what he’d said. In an amusing twist of fate, they later became housemates.
more difficult to subvert norms because hardly anyone talks about this experience. Iqbal tells me that “it starts with [your own] thinking”. Everyone has expectations of things they’re yet to know, and sometimes these presumptions hinder our understanding of whatever, whoever, it is that we’re getting to know. In one of his freshman parties, someone who saw Iqbal said, “Get the boat man out of here”, to which Iqbal replied, “Excuse me, what did you mean by that?” He was not aware of the slur then, and in a strange way, that innocent lack of assumption regarding the
For Amy, overcoming hesitations and approaching another student is also not simple, albeit rewarding. “When I was in Australia, it was age rather than nationality that distinguished me,” and while native English-speaking students tend to come together, mature students are even more likely to seclude themselves, or be secluded. “But most students, once they got to know me, after making that initial contact, they often tell me that I’m just like every other student.” She, too, sneaks food up to the fourth floor of the Bill Bryson, is intrigued by rants on Durfess and fusses over deadlines. “I don’t see people as ‘oddities’,” Amy said. She’d rather get to know a person as who they are, what they enjoy and value, what their mindset is like.
When I set out asking other students what they thought of the phenomenon of student migration, I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to hear in response. My understanding used to be that students will be pro-mobility, because our world is so inter-connected, not just because of the Internet but also with the aid of intergovernmental organisations like the UN and their sustainable development goals. Because people like Bill Gates, like the Obamas, are constantly creating and promoting projects beyond borders to give people better chances in life. Because the quest for mobility is a universal one, isn’t it? My whole-hearted belief in the good of mobility has recently been challenged by the growing backlash against a more fluid world. Increasingly, within a community, we are more cautious of outsiders; wthem. Many of us stop seeing them as people; we see them as ‘immigrants’ – a word that, Amy recalled, Britons who’d emigrated to Australia won’t use to refer to themselves. It’s just another label like ‘othering’ and ‘oddity’.
“We attach labels to and typecast outsiders” It may be easy to adopt a pessimistic outlook, one that necessarily claims that humanity and empathy and tolerance are on the decline, that we are all selfish creatures who’d rather isolate than interact. But that would ultimately be against all that I’ve learnt from talking to these two different and yet similar students. Instead, from here on out I will strive to be more open-minded, to not try and gauge others without getting to know them, and to hope that they will do the same, too. Illustration by Heidi Januszewski
BOOKS 10
Thursday, 20 February 2020
Licence in literature: 1920 to 2020 Books explores the changing nature of fiction through novels published then and now By Natasha Ketel books@palatinate.org.uk
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he year 1920 was trapped in the thick of literary modernism: a period when novels were treated as impenetrable puzzles and writers aimed to ‘make it new’. At the time when T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf and James Joyce were publishing work, there was an undeniable narcissistic fascination with the workings of language and the uncertain limitations of literary form. This unrestrained desperation to experiment, and the writers’ obsession with human interiority led to the popularity of the stream-of-consciousness form, still evident in the work of some authors today. For example, the lullaby-like, tantalising prose that marks out Max Porter as one of our most astonishing contemporary writers is heavily reminiscent of Woolf’s experimentation with multiple voices, pushing the boundaries of the written word.
19th century, due to their sexual independence and ambitious work ethic. Yet they are still restricted by patriarchal oppression, reflecting the attitudes of the times.
Yet it has been acknowledged that novelists today may borrow aspects of modernist techniques, but imbue them with a contemporary edge, usually creating work with greater realism. Moreover, even though the extent to which the form and style of the novel has altered in the past 100 years can be debated, it is clear-cut that the content and themes have become far more diverse and accessible.
Turn to 100 years later and Ocean Vuong’s authentic depiction of male intimacy in On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, a coming-of-age novel dubbed by TIME magazine as a ‘Daring Tale of Queer Love and Pain’, reveals how the LGBTQ+ community is finally being acknowledged, respected and celebrated in literature. There is a monumental honesty underlying the sexual attraction between
During the year 1920 itself, D.H. Lawrence published his infamous novel Women in Love, earning him his reputation as one of the greatest breakers of taboos. The story follows the Brangwen sisters, Gudrun and Ursula, and focuses on their romantic relationships, careers and domestic lives. The polarisation of gender and repression of homosexuality in the novel are pivotal in displaying how far literature has progressed in terms of what is deemed acceptable by the reader. Lawrence’s women are educated, professional, political, strong and often violent- examples of the ‘New Woman’, a feminist ideal that emerged in the
These traditional attitudes towards gender, often seen in works of modernism, are further exposed through Lawrence’s inability to explicitly display homosexuality in Women in Love. The subtle inclusion of sexual tension between two men is most evident in the eroticised wrestling scene when Lawrence focuses on the ideas of flesh and penetration: ‘So the two men entwined and wrestled with each other, working nearer and nearer… He seemed to penetrate into Gerald’s more solid, more diffuse bulk, to interfuse his body through the body of the other. It was as if Birkin’s whole physical intelligence interpenetrated into Gerald’s body as if his fine sublimated energy entered into the flesh of the fuller man’.
Little Dog, the Vietnamese-American narrator, and Trevor, the man he meets whilst working during the summer. Little Dog’s sexual experience, heavily inspired by the diaries of the American artist and AIDS activist David Wojnarowic, allows him to appreciate the beauty of his body for the first time. This acknowledgement that he is worthy of the deep affection that he most genuinely desires would never have been permitted in Lawrence’s work, underlining the profundity of such progress. Even though both Women in Love and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous have similar aims to navigate honest human emotions and transgress boundaries in their exploration of sexuality, their differences exemplify how literature has become so much more tolerant and permissive in the last 100 years, as we would hope and expect.
Illustration by Isobel Warwick
STAGE Thursday, 20 February 2020
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Student theatre and mental health Sophie Tice discusses the impact of student theatre on mental health By Sophie Tice stage@palatinate.org.uk
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eter says “Stress is inherent in theatre.” He ‘stress laughs’ immediately after, in that particular brain-fizzled way that busy people have. As Peter explains, student shows are typically made in three weeks – or two, if you attend Cambridge, as another friend has informed me, from first rehearsal to performance. As director, the dreaded ‘logistics’ are constantly on his mind throughout the day: there is always another time-consuming chore to complete, task to delegate, cast member to convince not to drop out. The end-of-day drop at dinner, head on the table with an anguished moan, has been named the ‘Peter flop’.
stage and off stage when you’re laughing through the same stress-filled boat”. Growing up, Josh developed depression and anxiety disorder, making him panic and worry about his self-image far more than most. Yet, through the special shared experience of drama, he made close friends on whom he could rely, and developed the confidence to speak and joke with others with reduced or no anxiety. In theatre, Josh explains, mental health does not define you: “you feel like you can act as whoever you’re portraying on stage, and then be yourself in front of others off stage”.
What keeps him going, I ask? It sounds awful. “Chocolate!” he replies, a happier laugh this time. Plus, “the people”. Having a good team is crucial both for support and simply having fun; they are the ones that make it all worth it. As Peter describes, there has not been a single rehearsal when he has not at one point been bent over laughing. Most recently, when one cast member walked into the glass window instead through the door at the TLC – but don’t judge, we’ve all been there.
“Stress is inherent in theatre” Another friend echoes Peter’s sentiments. “Theatre is a very social activity, more than any other sport or hobby”, Josh explains, “You rely on others on
He still sometimes struggles at auditions, bound by anxiety about giving his absolute best impression. But, he continues to steadily grow in self-worth as people “recognise me for my strengths, rather than my flaws” – and of the first, I can confirm there are many. Most of all, Josh says, he “loved seeing audiences happy with his comedy or acting”. Such obvious external delight at his performance on stage, the result of his own work,
being and talent, encouraged him to realise his own delightful purpose in life: “to make people smile and laugh”. Such positive experience of theatre upon mental health is not limited to Durham. An All-Party enquiry of the relationship between arts, health and wellbeing concluded after two years of research in 2017 that theatre can help people live longer, lead better lives and aid recovery from illness, with 82% of people enjoying better wellbeing after engaging with the arts.
“82% of people enjoy better wellbeing” Moreover, it can help save money in health and social services: engagement with the music, theatre and art programmes explored showed an extraordinary average NHS saving of £216 per patient. The trio are often unfairly patronised in education as pointless side-projects to the futuristic, useful STEM giants. Consequently, despite the obvious link between supportive communities, a healthy sense of self-worth and strong mental health, theatre lacks the funding and serious consideration it deserves for the greater development of good wellbeing. The government should take note: in the poetic words of Grayson Perry, “Art, like science and religion, helps us make meaning from our lives, and to make meaning is to make us feel better”. Photograph: Rosie Dart
VISUAL ARTS 12
Thursday, 20 Febuary 2020
Exposure: Durham’s hidden arts scene Faye Saulsbury interviews the students demanding recognition for visual arts By Faye Saulsbury Deputy Editor-in-Chief visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk
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urham is a haven for thespians, apparent not only from the abundance of profile picture frames on my Facebook feed, but also from the success of events such as last week’s Durham Drama Festival. Music, too, gets its fair share of Facebook cover photos and well attended showcases. Fashion shows abound, and a quick look on Overheard reveals plenty of student photographers and graphic designers keen to get involved in Durham’s creative worlds. However, as a fresher last year, overwhelmed at the array of societies with which to get involved, I was struck by the apparent lack of visual arts interest. When the role of Visual Arts Editor at Palatinate opened up, I saw an opportunity to dig into the sometimes elusive world of student art here in Durham. I hoped to investigate both for myself and for others who, like me, were interested but didn’t know how to get involved. In the role I have learnt that the University houses a valuable and diverse Art Collection, including works by Andy Warhol and Guerrilla Girls. I’ve been to student-led art shows and discovered local artists exhibiting in the area. Most importantly, I’ve been able to meet like-minded students from across colleges and year groups who are interested in all aspects of art, from life drawing and set design to photography and exhibition curation.
As I move on from the position of Visual Arts Editor, it seems fitting that my final article is the one I needed when I was a fresher. I spoke to four student artists to find out what’s on offer, their proudest achievements, the challenges faced by student artists and art societies, and their hopes for the future of the Durham student art scene. While the students I spoke to had different personal interests and goals, there were common recurrent themes: art being limited due to lack of studio space; the difficulties of striking the balance between seriousness and inclusivity; the image of art as “niche” or “specialist”.
“Durham lacks working venues for art” The problem of a lack of studio space was noted by all of my interviewees. While drama students have professional standard venues, including The Assembly Rooms Theatre and the Mark Hillery Arts Centre (in Collingwood), lack of studio space limits artistic capacity to “crafts”, which require fewer materials. Triffie notes that this contributes to the perception of art as simply a hobby, something done for fun but not taken seriously. Cuth’s Art Society
uses a conference room in college, which is open to everyone for use whenever they like, but it is not a purposebuilt space and suffers from bad lighting. Alice describes the Undercroft in Hild Bede in a similar way. It is clear that Durham lacks working venues for art; most of the University Art Collection is in storage due to lack of display space, and student art societies struggle to find suitable locations for art sessions. However, Alice tells me the Principle of Hild Bede, Simon Forrest, is keen to support the arts. He has been working with Alice to make sure art studios are given serious consideration in the college’s extensive development plans. Hild Bede would be the first college to include such facilities, putting it in a unique position to advance the student arts scene in the future. While the “crafts” nature of art society sessions might be off-putting to students who have come from art foundation courses or fine arts backgrounds, Triffie
Amie Kirby heads up Trevelyan College Visual Arts Committee. Established 50 years ago, TCVAC is one of the oldest college art societies. Alice Lefrancq Frojd is the President of both Durham University Art Society (DUAS) and Hild Bede Art Society. Triffie Axworthy is on the exec of Durham University Art Society (DUAS), and runs their weekly drawing sessions. Sarah McAllister heads up Cuth’s Art Society, which hosts weekly sessions as well as trips to galleries and “sketching crawls”.
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Thursday, 20 Febuary 2020
and Sarah stress that they are essential to keeping sessions inclusive. Art in general, not just in Durham, suffers from being seen as niche, specialist, elite. As Amie puts it, “people believe “good” art needs to be realistic, that there is a method to creating art that needs to be taught.” Triffie agrees, and furthers the sentiment noting that viewers might be “intimidated” by art because they feel they cannot interpret it. Modern art, especially, has tended to focus more and more on viewer interpretation, requiring long, off-putting justifications at gallery entrances explaining meaning. Fun, informal sessions, such as the embroidery workshop run by Cuth’s Art Society, or the poster-making sessions Grey and Trevs held ahead of the student climate strike keep art accessible to all levels of ability, experience and interest. Furthering the Durham arts scene therefore depends on improving provisions for more “serious” artists, rather than getting rid of crafts altogether.
“DUAS life drawing sessions are always full” Furthermore, all the students I spoke to were keen to collaborate with other societies. They were convinced that this would help increase the reach of art to students who might not think art is for them. Last term, inspired by Durham EcoSoc and the student climate strike, DUAS hosted an exhibition, Drop the Veil: Art and the Climate Crisis. It was an opportunity to explore different ways of thinking about climate change, and our in-
dividual roles in it. I was (happily) surprised when Sarah told me that members of the public at the exhibition had asked if the work had been done by the “art students”; they “were shocked to find that [Durham] doesn’t offer that degree.” Sarah says, “this is a testament to the talent that we have at Durham”, but the University does not give this the recognition it deserves. Another collaboration that might broaden the artrelated activities on offer would be talks by artists or art historians. The University has an Art History postgraduate course; last term, Amie organised for Hazel Donkin, one of the lecturers, to give a talk about Dora Maar and Surrealism at Trevs. More events like these would engage students who are more interested in the academic aspect of art and art history. What I learnt from Amie, Alice, Triffie and Sarah is that there is abundant student interest in art here in Durham, but it is not supported by a cohesive community. While theatre and sport require collaboration and teamwork, the creation of art is often a solitary process. Alice tells me that the DUAS life drawing sessions are always full to capacity, but she wonders if the regulars know one another, as people tend to work in silence. The key to ensuring that any society survives beyond the three year degrees of a few dedicated
leaders is the formation of friendships and teams - a community which is inclusive to new members. Sarah says that gallery trips to Newcastle encourage conversation; Alice talks about establishing “mingling time” before the start of the session, as is done before the classes at Outstanding Art (where Ian Cowan, the owner, attempts to get attendees tipsy... it’s certainly one way to get everyone chatting!)
“The University does not give visual arts the recognition it deserves” It is a shame that to someone not in-the-know, Durham’s arts scene can seem hidden. The University does not give visual arts the recognition or support it needs and deserves. However, student art in Durham does exist. It bubbles away in conference rooms and empty lecture theatres, driven by enthusiastic and talented students like Amie, Alice, Triffie and Sarah. The fact that it is arguably still in its infant stages makes it all the more important to get involved now. Images: Alice Lefrancq Frojd; Amie Kirby
Creative Writing 14
Thursday, 20 February 2020
William Blake in 2020 Sasha Griffiths explores the work of William Blake and his relevancy 200 years later By Sasha Griffiths creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk
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t is easy to think of poets like William Blake as being outdated and estranged from the trials and tribulations of modern society. It is often asked whether, and how his poetry is still relevant today. But, beyond the differences in religion and rule, the topics he wrote on are not that far removed from our own concerns today.
“insights into our own lives in capitalist modernity” Blake’s most well-known collection – ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience’ - is, on the surface, a reflection on the journey from childhood to adulthood, the change from life in the country to life in the city, or more implicitly from the blissful ignorance of the Garden of Eden to the injustice and cruelty of the world after The Fall. Within ‘Songs of Innocence’ is the suggestion of ideals like free and open love, relationships without restriction, childhood without suppression, and a life without the misery of the industrial revolution. In contrast, the ‘Songs of Experience’ focus on the flip-side of these ideals, exploring the realities of living in a tainted world far removed from God, where suffering is rife and childhood is stunted. Some of Blake’s most famous poems comment on the problematic nature of life for many people in the city, and can offer valuable insights into our own lives in capitalist modernity. ‘London’, a well-known poem by Blake, brings to light the issues of poverty, illness, and hard labour; issues that still resonate today. Within the poem, Blake takes readers on a journey through the ‘chartered streets’ of London, bringing to
life the people of the city and their afflictions. As we walk alongside him, we are made aware of the cruelty of the city, where atrocities like ‘the hapless soldier’s sigh runs in blood down palace walls’ and the ‘youthful harlot’s curse blasts the new-born infant’s tear.’ Blake doesn’t mince his words when he points to these obvious injustices and this is something we could learn from today where much suffering goes unnoticed or ignored. Blake’s image of London is not too different from the London we see today, where homelessness is still a pressing issue and hate-crime is on the rise. We are most certainly not living with a picture-perfect London.
“We are not living with a picture perfect London” Another of Blake’s most famous poems is ‘The Schoolboy’ tells of a young boy’s experience of going to school. The boy declares that he would much rather be playing outside than spending ‘many an anxious hour’ with his head in books trapped indoors. Blake contrasts the ‘bird that is born for joy’ being forced to ‘sit in a cage and sing’; and allusion that doesn’t sound too dissimilar from the education system in our own society where younger and younger children are under increasing pressure to sit exams at an age where they should be playing stuck in the mud.
School shouldn’t be a detention centre, but a place of nurture where children can express themselves and feel the freedom of childhood. This poem makes the important point that self-expression is impossible in a cage-like environment, and although the cruel punishments of the teachers’ past may have disappeared, the restrictive and regulated way of teaching and learning continues to repress children’s excitement and energy. Blake’s collection not only focuses on these practical matters of society, but provides a comment on what it means to be human. In poems like ‘Divine Image’ he explores virtues and ‘the human form’ and thinks about the way we ought to treat those who are different from ourselves, something particularly poignant today. In others, like ‘A Poison Tree’, he thinks about anger and forgiveness and the fact that harbouring or repressing emotions can often be destructive to our relationships with others. Overall Blake’s poetry has a timeless feel which allows us to connect modern societies problems with the systemic issues that have plagued humanity for centuries. Blake’s poetry is universal and will be worth reading for centuries to come. Image by Angelbattle bros accessed via Flickr
MUSIC
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Thursday, 20 February 2020
The MUDS Manifesto Alfie Willis explores the brief history of the Musicians’ Union of Durham Students By Alfie Willis music@palatinate.org.uk
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elying the impression of an active function band scene in Durham is a slowly creeping trend of exploitation. At a growing number of events, musicians are expected to perform for measly wages, often late at night and outside of Durham. Even when pay is fair, they can face a lack of clarity from organisers concerning set times and secure instrumental storage, no transport from the venue at a reasonable time, and poor tech provision. The Musicians’ Union of Durham Students (MUDS) emerged from egregious issues regarding June Ball 2018. Musicians were outraged by the fact that JB 2018 was not only “pay-to-stay” but it was “pay-to-play”; there was no option for payment other than a small discount off an expensive ents ticket. Though due to JB’s financial difficulties they failed to escape an ents-only deal, MUDS successfully negotiated a better payment plan and were armed with promises of fair pay in future. Predictably, this confrontation of overambitious event organisers and impassioned musicians boiled over again when June Ball 2019 made an offer seen as paltry by student musicians. There was frequently aired dissatisfaction with the perceived implication that performing at JB was an honour in itself, though it remains unclear if any statement was ever made to that effect by a member of the JB committee. An open letter was quickly drawn up
by MUDS and soon reached over 350 signatories, forcing the JB exec to negotiate. Last year the committee told Palatinate that “in hindsight, we should have probably asked performers for a quote before making them an offer, to check whether we could afford to meet their expectations.” Having resorted to collective bargaining twice, many musicians realised that, without systemic change, exploitation likely would continue. At the end of 2018/19, MUDS was constituted as an independ-
ent society, separate from DSU and Music Durham. Its newly elected committee started drafting a manifesto outlining their expectations from event organisers. This week the manifesto was released. The President of MUDS, Matt Bartlett, summed up the manifesto as a ‘comprehensive guide for everything to do with booking musicians’. Although MUDS repeatedly stress that their manifesto consists of guidelines, not rules, Bartlett still emphasises plans ‘to try and get it ratified and stuck to by as many colleges as possible’. The cause of this apparent
contradiction is perhaps that they view their guidelines as minimum expected standards rather than proposing fair minimum wages, such as £200 per hour for a band or £50 per hour for a singer. To some this might sound like very generous pay, but Bartlett justifies MUDS’ recommendations: ‘If you take into account personal practice time alone it becomes a lot more than just a 1-hour set. Additionally, musicians invest significant amounts of money into lessons, instruments and tech that we probably never make back’. Other guidelines include the provision of a secure green room and stipulating that at charity events musicians may ‘receive their full fee or choose to donate any amount of it back to charity’. The manifesto even stretches to musicians’ behaviour, detailing that ‘Musicians should not be visibly intoxicated on stage’, for example. MUDS’ ultimate aim is ambitious: a total shift in organisers’ expectations and values. As their manifesto states, MUDS wants to ‘develop a culture where paying musicians is seen as a necessary overhead, just like hiring a venue’. Bartlett explains: ‘You’d be hard-pressed to find an external service (such as tech) that would compromise on pay.’ Though the response from event organisers remains to be seen, it’s clear that when June Ball 2020 rolls around, expectations from musicians will be high. Image credit: Alex Ashton
We’re listening to... Blossoms - Foolish Loving Spaces
Arlo Parks - “Eugene”
Tame Impala - The Slow Rush
On their third record, the Stockport powerhouse return to the 80s, with a fun and impassioned development of their lovelorn synth-pop.
Fresh from a stunning collaboration with Easy Life, Arlo Parks delves into a friend’s complicated feelings with a relaxed and unique. RnB touch.
Five years on from Currents, it’s all change for Kevin Parker. Psych is swapped for pop and synths now take the limelight. Expect an hour of infectious choruses.
TRAVEL 16
Thursday 20 February 2020
How to make any city an adventure Emerson shares his unexpected adventures in Dusseldorf Emerson Muhmoud travel@palatinate.org.uk
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y recent journey to Düsseldorf could have turned into a drab and disappointing long weekend away, if I had let it. Over the three days I spent there, I began to learn much about the beautiful city. Yet my first impressions were deceiving; after touching down at Dusseldorf airport, I started to fear that the city was like every other big city in existence. But anywhere in the world can be boring if you let it be.
I decided to use my time alone to allow myself to get lost, and I enjoyed exploring the city without any preconceived ideas. In the past I have relied on the structure and rigidity of the planned holiday, when you go somewhere that you’ve always dreamed of seeing and try to make the most of it by devising the most timeefficient schedule. Now I find it important to always leave a bit of time to explore without searching for specific landmarks.
My trip taught me that adventure and excitement are all about perception. The best holidays can happen anywhere in the world, even in your own city. Today, travel companies and the media want us to believe that a short plane journey and an all inclusive hotel is all you need for an adventure. However, holidays are only an adventure if you actively make them one.
The spontaneous nature of the trip meant that I had no choice but to go with the flow and look around with my own eyes. In fact, the only preparation I did was ask a friend who had been before for a list of recommendations, to which she replied with a lovely list of general areas to explore.
“Anywhere in the world can be boring if you let it be” Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous quote ‘It’s not the destination, it’s the journey’ is often pasted over idealised images of sunsets and mountains and shared on social media by bored office workers on their lunch break, secretly yearning for a trip to the Maldives or the French Alps. Yet this overused aphorism does actually contain an often overlooked truth. Many only think of the journey as the time they spent on the train or the plane, and the place they are going is the destination. But that logic won’t work for a proper adventure; the entire trip is the journey and the destination is arriving back home with a change in perspective.
ditional German architecture. As I strolled down the roads, I found many beer gardens and shops, and then I spotted what would be my best friend during this adventure: a tourism information post. Extremely popular in the days before google maps, these signs are relics which still exist in many cities, but are easily overlooked. I decided to throw my friends list away, and just use these signs to discover the city.
“Holidays are only an adventure if you actively make them one” Over the three days, the signs took me to the high streets, the Rhine, churches, a lovely park and an art museum. The art museum was a particular highlight as it had many artists I had never heard of and a magnificent glass object collection, which included glass from Ancient Egypt to the present day. Additionally, I came across a great deal of beautiful art and sculptures through my exploration. In the evening, I had the pleasure of showing my dad back all the marvellous independent restaurants I had been able to discover during the day. However, true heaven came when I stumbled upon a rustic bakery in a back road, where I treated myself to the most scrumptious strudel.
The main destination which caught my eye was Altstadt, the old town. I found out how to get there on the tram using google maps, but after that, the app was never opened again. As I stepped out of the train station, I was immediately met with cobblestone streets that were lined with tra-
Ditching my phone and following signs led me on a great adventure where I got to experience the city instead of just checking out the sites. I stumbled on many local cultural aspects which as a modern tourist I would have probably ignored. This system turned what would have probably been a forgettable trip into a fun holiday.