EDITORIAL indigo@palatinate.org.uk
Let’s talk about... perfectionism Indigo Editor Cerys Edwards considers Durham’s culture of perfection
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never know how to start these editorials – or any piece of writing for that matter. I’ll ruminate for hours, searching for that perfect phrasing; that witty, sincere, astute and honest anecdote or enviable scoop. “I’m just not in the writing mood today,” I’ll concede when such divine inspiration (inevitably) fails to appear, instead vowing to return tomorrow when a perfectly formed sentence will (obviously) flow effortlessly from my pen. I’ve never described myself as a perfectionist (my room is a mess, I’m incapable of planning anything more than a week in advance, and I still haven’t cleaned the dirty stack of plates lingering in the corner of my room since freshers’ week – don’t ask), and yet my approach to writing fixates on exactly that: attaining the unattainable. It’s an attitude which can be applied to university life more widely. Particularly at Durham, there is a pressure – an expectation, almost – to have it all figured out. A flawless academic record, raucous social life, avid involvement in multiple extracurricular activities, and a graduate job at J.P. Morgan already secured – all while staying fit and healthy. Oh, and with a good number of hours of sleep to match. Sound familiar? The mere pretence that all of this is feasible is itself exhausting, let alone damaging when reality (surprise!) fails to measure up. After all, so many of the best parts of university have been the imperfect, messy moments: sitting at dinner with housemates talking about everything and nothing at the same time, going for that procrastination pint/coffee despite the mounting to do list, or exploring this often overlooked city. Not productive, CV-enhancing activities, but ones I’ll remember long after graduation. A reset is evidently required. It’s not often one finds inspiration on Level 3 of the Billy B on a Tuesday afternoon but last week I found myself intrigued by the boy next to me’s laptop sticker. “The perfect balance is found in still waters.” Adorning his laptop, notebook and phone case, it’s clearly an impactful message for him and
Artwork of the week
CONTENT
TEAM
CONTACT
Style (page 3), Books (page 4 and 5), Visual Arts (page 6), Travel (page 7), Food and Drink (pages 8 and 9), Music (page 10), Stage (page 11), Film and TV (pages 12 and 13), Features (page 14), Interview (page 15) and Creative Writing (page 16)
Cerys Edwards, Honor Douglas, Adeline Zhao, Isobel Tighe, Miriam Mitchell, Imi Marchant, Samuel Lopez, Katya Davisson, Annabelle Bulag, Ben Smart, Jodie Sale, Charlotte Grimwade, Grace Marshall, Millie Stott, Ella Al-Khalil Coyle, Nicole Wu, Christian Bland, Gracie Linthwaite, Holly Downes, Grace Jessop, Anna Johns, Nia Kile, Josie Lockwood, Emerson Shams, Stephanie Ormond and Abigail Brierley
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Indigo logo: Adeline Zhao Cover image: Emerson Shams
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while I don’t fully understand its meaning (a quick Google search has failed me), it seems that balance, rather than perfection, is a more sensible target to aim for. If you hadn’t already noticed, this edition of Indigo is Christmas themed and there’s a feast of festive content for you to enjoy. However, as it’s only November, there’s still lots of material for those of you opposed to premature festivities: on page 15 Interview discusses trans awareness month while Stage takes us behind the scenes of Hamilton’s West End run on page 11. If you’re still on a comedown after the highs of Lumiere this weekend, be sure to check out page 6 where Visual Arts editor Nicole Wu chats to Helen Marriage, one of the directors. It goes without saying that Christmas and New Year celebrations intensify our sense of perfection, an occurrence discussed on page 12 by Joseph Elston in relation to seasonal film and TV. As is argued here, these depictions warp our sense of reality, projecting an idealised and starry fiction: perfect presents, trees, family, and versions of ourselves. This year I’m trying to ignore such semantics – after all, balance is found in still, not sparkling, water.
Thursday, 25 November 2021
by Jessica Rushton
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Image credits (from left): Adeline Zhao; Jessica Rushton
STYLE style@palatinate.org.uk
Why the Scandis do it better Style Editor Anna Johns explains her love for Stockholm and Copenhagen street style
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’ve always thought that Scandinavian fashion was the perfect blend of effortless style and practicality. Outfits are memorable yet straightforward, minimalist yet unique. Whether opting for a muted, dark, light or bright colour palette, looks always seem put together and elegant despite any juxtaposition between textures and styles. And Scandi influencers such as Matilda Djerf and Jeanette Madsen show off these kinds of looks to their thousands of Instagram followers. Although it’s easy to draw parallels between Scandi style and the minimalist looks we see in Paris, the Scandinavians don’t confine themselves to black and white. It can’t be denied that many outfits are centred around dark or light neutral colours, especially in Sweden. However, outfits have also been snapped that mix brighter hues in with darker pieces, or opt to create a vibrant, monochrome outfit – perhaps to counteract how early it tends to get dark!
The perfect blend of effortless style... outfits are memorable yet straightforward, minimalist yet unique When the fashion world talks about ‘Scandinavian style’, it’s usually referring mainly to Sweden and Denmark, as opposed to the other countries that make up Scandinavia. However, it seems redundant to completely group these countries together and ignore the nuances and subtle differences between Stockholm and Copenhagen street styles. While both have a clean-cut silhouette, the Danes experiment more with bright colours and edgy prints. On the other hand, Swedish style is more muted and elegant, favouring pieces and colours that aren’t quite as loud. The cold northern countries require their inhabitants to be mindful of the climate whilst picking their outfits, meaning layering is an intrinsic part. Layering opens the door to playing extensively with colour when crafting an outfit - either by mixing different coloured pieces or adding a pop of colour to an otherwise darker outfit. What’s more, layering also allows for playing with silhouettes. This is perhaps why Scandinavian fashion is known for Illustration: Verity Laycock
its use of contrast. Sporty and chic, masculine and feminine, smart and casual. These contrasts work because their wearers know how to match textures, colours, and structure without seeming like the look is clunky or has just been chucked together haphazardly. A look that’s been snapped over and over in Copenhagen is an oversized, more typically ‘masculine’ blazer layered over a more feminine slip or maxi dress – most likely on top of tights and a turtleneck for some added warmth! Dressing for the cold also means coats can make or break a look – whether it’s a funky coloured wool coat or an elegant leather aviator jacket. Practicality doesn’t just apply to the weather. Scandinavian countries have a huge cycling culture – in Denmark alone, 9 out of 10 people own a bike. This means outfits need to be functional for cycling in, meaning Scandis lean more towards a chunky trainer than a high heel, and value comfort and cosiness in their
clothing pieces. The minimal look also reveals an emphasis on sustainability within fashion. The idea is to buy less but focus your clothes shopping on basics that can be mixed and matched to create hundreds of outfits. There is also less of a throwaway culture. Instead, people invest in high-quality items that will last them season in season out, especially pieces that could be worn every day, like bags, coats, and jackets.
Whether through texture, cut or colour, giving its own flair of individuality to the classic Scandi sillouhette Copenhagen-based brand Ganni showcases this perfectly. It describes itself as ‘Scandi 2.0’, selling staple, high-quality pieces such as longline puffers, chunky cardigans, and knitted dresses that can be worn every which way without getting tired. The brand lends its own twist to the pieces, whether through texture, cut, or colour, giving its own flair of individuality to the classic Scandi silhouette. There are two fashion weeks across the Scandinavian countries – Stockholm Fashion Week and, the biggest event, Copenhagen Fashion Week. The runway looks were emblematic of what’s worn on the street – neutral outfits experimented with layering different textures, bright looks remained put together by using monochrome pieces and complementary colours, and menswear silhouettes weren’t confined to male-presenting models. But the looks weren’t the only important things. The philosophy of sustainability, present in so much of Scandinavian street style, was at the heart of Copenhagen Fashion Week. The fashion week has a points system that judges brands’ sustainability, considering the whole picture rather than trusting brands who claim to be sustainable based on one aspect of their production line. Cecilie Thorsmark, the CEO of CFW, told Vogue, “fashion weeks need to take action in driving a sustainable transition within the fashion industry and not only be a platform for showcasing collections.” Thursday, 25 November 2021
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BOOKS books@palatinate.org.uk
A christmas carol Ellen Olley examines how the ancient myths of winter persist throughout literature
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t is Christmas Eve. The wind batters the walls, frost creeps up the windows, and a sliver of icy air snakes under the front door. However, the family, gathered around the hearth, do not notice. Though their bodies are sore and eyes half-shut, their cheeks glow and they lean forward in their seats. The tales are about to begin. Where I come from, we speak of Black Shuck, the omen of death that haunts the fenland walkways, or the Lantern Men, whose ghostly lamps lure naïve travellers into the mire. But all over the country, in homes of all weary men, we meet and tell ghost stories. Oral storytelling is as old as language. Long before we had the written word, we would pass stories by word of mouth, bards travelling from place to place to spread legends, to create culture. We leant into the rhythms of poetry to help us remember the words: in England we used Germanic ballads, like Beowulf, in Greece it was the hexameter of the Iliad, and poetry became stories. Poetry became the everyman’s music. It brings the sounds and the rhythms without demanding inaccessible instruments. The lines blurred between song and poem. Voices became both rhythm and tune through verse. We still see this manifest in nursery rhymes and folk songs, which can be read as well as sung. Music, poetry, and story naturally became interwoven in the collective consciousness. This shared culture of poetry and story began to become lost, however, as communities were torn asunder as people moved to the cities. Our shared histories of places like the Fenlands of my childhood were threatened. Our culture seemed doomed to dusty history books, taken forever from the life of the hearth and the tavern. However, winter
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remained. Long dark nights in times before the electric light restricted the work of the common man. Having nowhere else to go, we returned to our hearths, even as we were hundreds of miles from where they once were. And, thus, the traditions endured, even as the world around them seemed to change. Ghost stories and Christmas are tied together in our culture. Christmas in its December form came from the Pagan Winter Solstice festival, the time where the veil between life and death thinned. Even after the bringing of Christianity to England, we retained our delight in the morbid and macabre at Christmastime: the stories of Black Shuck, Grey Ladies and giants come as much as part of our culture as Christ. Only the Protectorate could take this away, and indeed even then not for long.
Poetry became the everyman’s music, the lines blurring between song and poem The Victorian commercialisation of Christmas has a lot to answer for, but one thing to
be said in its defence. It was a time just as poetry was being returned to the everyman. Wordsworth and Coleridge had returned the ballad to the words of the people and Blake was beginning to be recognised, paving the way for the working-class poet. Enter Charles Dickens, the man who would resurrect the Christmas ghost story in the mainstream and reunite our oral storytelling culture with the literary canon.
Thus, the traditions endured, even as the world around them seemed to change A Christmas Carol is now the iconic image of Christmas- the rejection of wealth, the repentance of sin and the return to faith. However, it also brings its Christian message home with the Pagan ghost stories of old. It is written in a conversational tone, clearly intended to be read aloud around a hearth, and structured into ‘staves’, the verses of song which the travelling bards sung so long ago. Through this novella, Dickens gifted to us the return of a true English Christmas in all its elements and spoken once more by weary bodies over the open fire. The influence of A Christmas Carol is still felt today. Dickens’ hand can be seen in turkey dinners, charity fundraisers and large gatherings. However, it is most clear, and in its most honest form when we tell our stories. Storytelling is at the heart of Christmas. Be it ghost stories, the retellings of the nativity, or family stories, we create and preserve the culture of our community, and of ourselves.
Image credit (from top): Aaron Burden via Unsplash, Mariah Krafft via Unsplash
BOOKS books@palatinate.org.uk
Is reading a ‘wintery’ activity? Film and TV Editor Charlotte Grimwade gives some of her favourite winter reads
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espite being an advocate for reading outside under a tree in the warmer summer months, it’s undeniable that there’s something quite wonderful about bundling up in a blanket with a mug of hot tea and a good book. Films like Dead Poets Society show the joys of reading literature in the winter months, creating an idealised depiction of what is generally quite a gloomy season. There are two distinct categories of books that are perfect to read during winter: heartwarming reads that capture the festive spirit or dark stories that embrace the harsh reality of winter’s inherent dreariness. The first group of books is perfectly embodied by Nancy Mitford’s 1932 novel Christmas Pudding. This funny comedy of errors is a great light-hearted festive read that can easily be enjoyed over an afternoon. Set in the Cotswolds, the book follows struggling writer Paul Fotheringay attempt to write a more ‘serious’ biography about Lady Maria Bobbin following the success of his unintentionally hilarious debut novel. Over Christmas he stays with the Bobbin’s and meets a variety of equally curious and amusing characters. Though Christmas Pudding is very much a book of its time, if you’re a fan of the setting and themes of shows like Downton Abbey, this novel should be an ideal form of light entertainment for the festive period.
There are two categories of books that are perfect to read during winter: heart-warming reads that capture the festive spirit or dark stories that embrace the harsh reality of winter’s inherent dreariness In my opinion, nothing quite beats the satisfaction of a good Agatha Christie mystery. Whether you prefer Hercule Poirot or Miss
Marple, Christie’s books are the perfect length to read in one sitting and without fail promise intrigue, murder and a cathartic ‘whodunnit’ ending. Hercule Poirot’s Christmas is the perfect read if you want to simultaneously enjoy a classic murder mystery whilst also getting into the Christmas spirit. Sitting down to a classic Christie novel is always rewarding and this story doesn’t fail to disappoint. Without spoiling too much of the mystery, this story follows Poirot investigation into the murder of Simon Lee whilst he stays with a friend over Christmas. Once you finish this short story, there’s also the additional joy of the 1994 David Suchet television adaptation if you need another form of light entertainment for a cold winter afternoon. Originally published in 1869, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is the ideal comforting Christmas read with iconic quotes like “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents”. Little Women also has a number of great film adaptations to its name, including the 1994 version (my personal favourite) starring Winona Ryder as Jo, as well as the more recent 2019 version directed by Greta Gerwig. Despite its plot spanning across the different seasons, the themes raised in Little Women, including family, sisterhood and friendship, seem particularly pertinent around the festive season. On the opposite end of the spectrum of winter reads, there is something surprisingly eerie about reading more traditionally terrifying books like Stephen King’s The Shining or Iain Bank’s The Wasp Factory during these bleaker months. Take the latter novel – I first read Bank’s disturbing masterpiece during my school Christmas holidays back in 2018 and was left considerably shaken and horrified. Set in an isolated house on the north-east coast of Scotland, this novel isn’t for the faint hearted but there is something surprisingly satisfying about
Image credit (from top): Penguin, Penguin, Virago, AltumCode via Unsplash
reading it from the comfort of your own bedroom or a cosy café. Another chilling book that is equally entertaining to read during the winter is The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. Set in a decrepit old manor house in late 1940s rural Warwickshire, this environment hopefully poses a stark contrast to a cosy winter reading nook. Following the creepy hauntings experienced by the Ayres family, the book promises everything you’d want from a great modern gothic tale. The festive season seems to be the perfect time to get back in to reading, especially if you find it hard to make time to read for pleasure in term-time. Whether you want a story that will comfort you, or one that will chill you to the bone, I hope some of the recommendations above demonstrate the joy of reading during one of our bleaker seasons.
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VISUAL ARTS visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk
Meet the mind behind Lumiere Visual Arts Editor Nicole Wu speaks with Artichoke CEO, Helen Marriage
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umiere once again has imprinted Durham onto the UK’s cultural map of contemporary art inspiration. It may be entering its 12th year, but somehow every festival has proved more spectacular, innovative, and wide-reaching than the last. Just before this year’s exhibition started, I spoke with Helen Marriage, Director and co-founder of Artichoke, the arts production company behind Lumiere. Together we discussed the festival’s connection to County Durham, why this year’s event strived to be more accessible than ever before and how the pandemic has affected our relationship with art. Q. What’s your favourite thing about working with light? What prompted you to begin Lumiere? A. At Artichoke, we produce large events and public displays. In 1999, I did a few light pieces in Salisbury and thought how extraordinary it was. There’s this tradition of big light festivals in Europe but not really here in the UK.
It’s almost like having invented Christmas I have deep roots back to Durham and when I came up, I thought it would be a perfect place to make it happen. 2009 marked the first Lumiere festival and subsequently the council has commissioned it every two years. It’s become a real tradition in the North East – it’s almost like hav-
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ic barriers to enjoyment, so you’ll get a real mixture of people coming and that’s part of the deliberate way in which we work. Q. Do you have any personal favourites from this year’s programme? A. There are so many things that are wonderful! There’s a huge emphasis on community participation and what people are capable of if you give them some inspiration, an artist, and an opportunity.
ing invented Christmas. Q. What’s your favourite part about Lumiere? A. The place and the people. The challenge for artists is always making work in a town that’s almost too small for the size of the festival, but the architectural and landscape opportunities are so incredible they’re always inspired to do work. The enthusiasm of the city and the people that come is so fantastic. In the streets I’m now hearing people talking to each other and their kids about it. For a contemporary art festival, it’s really unusual, to see it embedding itself into peoples’ consciousness. Q. What prompted you to introduce the ‘Marks in the Landscape’ project and broaden the festival to outside of the city for the first time? A. We’ve always wanted to explore outside the main city as the Durham landscape is so varied and amazing, so it’s a brilliant opportunity. Also, it’s slightly in response to Covid-19, to provide things for the people who might not want to come right into the city centre. It’s a way of spreading the benefits of the festival out.
Q. How has it been setting up ‘Marks in the Landscape’? A. It’s quite complicated, I came up over the summer and drove around a thousand miles looking for sites that were appropriate to make it work. We settled on these 6 locations. It’s a really interesting challenge because in the city centre, in terms of infrastructure, we’re doing thirty things that you can mass power with electricity, heavy plant equipment, so really one production department can serve all thirty things. Whereas when you’re out in the county, each one needs its own centre of production. Q. How was the process of working through the pandemic, has it changed how you work now? A. It’s interesting as most art organisations have a transactional relationship with the public, they’ll sell you a ticket, so a lot of the business model is still predicated on a relationship where money changes hands. The essential nature of our business model hasn’t changed and we’re offering this extraordinary format to people for free. We don’t believe in creating econom-
We don’t believe in creating economic barriers to enjoyment Some of the international programmes coming in are incredible. There’s a remarkable piece in St Oswald’s church and a company called Novak which has constructed a big climate change installation running along the river which is really beautiful and incredibly moving. The poetry commissions too, we were testing today, and you could see everyone stopping to have a look. Q. What advice would you give for budding student artists looking to experiment with abstract mediums like light and sound? A. There’s so much to learn from people doing work here at the moment. We’ve had many students at Durham subsequently come to work or interview with us and we’ve helped find places for them in the events industry. Lots of visual arts people have created things through our BRILLIANT programme and gone on to do other really exciting things. An artist isn’t just someone who paints and draws, but someone who sees the world differently and tries to make it real!
Image credit: Thomas Tomlinson
TRAVEL travel@palatinate.org.uk
UK Christmas market favourites Two contributors recommend their favourite Christmas markets for the festive season
BRISTOL
Olivia Hargood
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he most popular city of the Southwest knows how to bring a Christmas atmosphere with its annual Germanstyle Christmas market. Located in the comforting heart of Bristol’s shopping district, it is bursting with more than forty local business stalls selling an array of products that I can guarantee will appeal to all visitors.
It is bursting with more than forty local business stalls The Bristol Christmas market is one of the key events of the year for the city, with many people making the journey across Somerset and the rest of the UK to visit. Stopping by in the evening is a must to properly experience this event, however it does get extremely busy as any renowned Christmas market would. I have spent many of my evenings wandering through my local market’s twinkling lights and pines that decorate the wooden stalls after a day out shopping. The market is the perfect place to find a unique gift due to the wide array of handcrafted products and local delicacies, such as homemade Christmas decorations and baked goods.
The market is the perfect place to find a unique gift If you fancy immersing yourself within the atmosphere, there is a Jäger Barn with a tremendous bar and infinite food stalls providing German delicacies such as Bratwurst. A new addition to the market this year are the Igloo Pods which provide cozy spaces you can book to enjoy the delights of the busy market sheltered from the public. And let us not forget about the entertainment. Local musicians and acts flock from around Bristol and its surrounding areas to put on a night of fun for all visitors. The market stays open for food and drink until 10pm, so there is always opportunity to make it into a fun night out! You can experience the best of the Southwest and Germany all in one place – what is not to love?
Image credit: Gracie Linthwaite
NOTTINGHAM Gracie Linthwaite
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smaller alternative to Birmingham’s infamous German Christmas market, Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland is the largest free Christmas event in the East Midlands. Situated in the heart of the city beside the picturesque Council House, over 70 traditional Bavarian-style stalls attract Christmas shoppers who are not only looking for the perfect stocking filler, but also want to sample a range of culinary delights from Nottinghamshire to the Black Forest; here homemade cheese and chutneys can be washed down with a warming cup of traditional German glühwein. The market this year has expanded to also include stalls selling plants, jewellery, perfume, artwork made from recycled materials and fair—trade produce; you would struggle to not find a gift for even your fussiest relative!
Yet the stalls are not the only attraction the event has to offer, for with the heady smell of cinnamon and nutmeg filling the air, the dazzling lights of the Ferris wheel entice the more adventurous visitors to take a ride and enjoy the views over the city. From here you will also get to see the large ice rink at the centre of the event, providing the perfect opportunity to people watch as skaters whizz round — or in my case, stumble over immediately after stepping onto the ice!
HARROGATE Gracie Linthwaite
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he North Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate has well and truly got into the festive spirit this year, offering not one but three different Christmas
Markets. At the Christmas Fayre across the town centre, fill up on traditional European delights such as German gingerbread, bratwurst, stollen, schnitzels, roasted nuts and candied fruits. Nothing beats walking around a Christmas market and trying free samples of all the delicious offerings!
Fill up on traditional European delights For those who prefer an indoor shopping experience to escape the rainy Yorkshire weather, Crimple Hall is hosting a Christmas Market Weekend, featuring a large selection of local food and craft stalls. The festive animal farm, wreath display and live music will create a unique yuletide atmosphere to transform the chaos of Christmas shopping into an unforgettable festive experience.
A magical setting If you’re looking for something smaller and more romantic, try Harrogate’s final offering, the Artisan Christmas market, situated in the beautiful Valley Gardens. Local traders and producers will be selling exclusive festive arts and crafts, as well as clothing, jewellery, and homeware. With the possibility of snow this year, there couldn’t be a more magical setting to soak up the Christmas spirit.
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FOOD AND DRINK food@palatinate.org.uk
I’m dreaming of a classic Christmas meal Durham students present a ‘modern take’ on the classic Christmas meal Brussels sprouts & roast chestnuts
By Steph Ormond Having had a strong aversion to brussels sprouts as a child, one year my mum appeared to crack the code using one simple trick: adding chestnuts. So maybe, this Christmas, the following recipe could help those afraid of the small green vegetable. -Pierce the chestnut shells before putting them in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for around 10-15 minutes. -Remove them from the oven and let them cool, then remove the shells. -For the brussels sprouts, boil them until soft and in a separate pan, sweat some shallots with butter. -Once the shallots look soft, add the chestnuts in with some masala wine, salt, and pepper - season to taste. - Finally, let it reduce to a stock, add the sprouts and mix.
Mushroom wellington
By Anna Trask While many great nut roasts and veggie/vegan alternatives for Christmas dinner can be found in mainstream supermarkets, there is something to be said for making your own showstopper. After all, it is likely you will be needing to amaze your non-veggie guests. For me, nothing beats a homemade wellington and Bosh! (@bosh.tv on Instagram) have two of the best recipes I have tried: a ‘beef’ wellington made using vegan burgers and a layer of mushrooms, or a portobello mushroom wellington with a nut roast layer. Both of these options will have the rest of the guests wanting to try a bit of your creation. Oh, and don’t forget a glorious (vegan!) gravy (shop-bought or homemade) to drizzle over the pastry!
Traditional yule log
By Holly Downes The famous Christmas Yule log – one of my father’s many specialties. Resembling the traditional Yule log burnt on Christmas Eve, this delectable dessert is one that satisfies the taste buds like no other. After one-too-many roast potatoes and pigs in blankets, the bitterness of the dark chocolate with the sweetness of the fresh cream is the perfect finale to Christmas dinner. Sprinkled with your topping of choice (I encourage crushed pistachios and icing sugar), with a final placement of a holly leaf, this dessert is the epitome of festivity – one I cannot wait to indulge in when the festive season begins.
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Sage and onion stuffing By Josie Lockwood My mum’s sage and onion stuffing is my ultimate Christmas comfort food. One of my most poignant childhood memories is watching her cook, the kitchen filled with the aroma of sweet, cooked onions and fresh sage straight from the flowerbed. The ingredients simmer on a low heat for as long as you can tolerate, lavished with melted butter. The glossy, golden mixture gets melded together with the crumbs from day-old bread, and popped into the oven once indulged with a few extra slabs of butter and a sprinkling of sea salt. This sumptuous dish has everyone coming back for seconds each time.
Mulled wine By Charlotte Grimwade
Mulled wine is, in my opinion, a staple of the festive period. Ideal for any outdoor winter market or cosy gatherings with friends and family, this warming drink captures the season. Creating the perfect batch of mulled wine requires time and patience – how else are you meant to let the warming flavours of cinnamon, star anise, cloves and orange zest fully infuse? Heat red wine, caster sugar, your spices and plenty of fresh citrus zest on a low heat for ten minutes before leaving this wonderful concoction to cool and infuse for half an hour. Then simply reheat (without boiling) before serving. Adding a dash of sloe gin is another option if you want to treat yourself this Christmas!
Illustration: Anna Kuptsova
FOOD AND DRINK food@palatinate.org.uk
Tastes of Christmas around the world Several contributors share how culture defines their holiday eating habits Germany
By Gabriel Ferrante My mum hails from the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg and so we always did a German-style Christmas. It started late into the evening of the 24th with a midnight mass (ironically it started at 8pm), followed by calling family and then the grand event: the meal. The courses began at midnight typically with two courses, the fish and the ham. The fish would consist of trout, prawns, and smoked salmon bought fresh from the supermarket, a whipped cream made with horseradish and lingonberry preserve would be prepared and all eaten with nice fresh crusty bread. The main part of the meal was the Rollschinken and Kartoffelsalat, and when we got older a nice bottle of ice-cold Erdinger Weißbier. Rollschinken is a special smoked ham hock that would be bought from our local butchers, boiled and baked in tinfoil until it was so tender and juicy that it fell apart when merely touched with a knife. We always had my mum’s famous German potato salad, using freshly boiled potatoes, peeled whilst piping hot, cut up and combined with chopped lettuce, red onion, spiced vinegar and some vegetable stock with various seasonings to make a rich and gorgeous salad. Christmas eve was always a time of good food.
Lebanon
By Emma Ghanem You can’t have aLebanese Christmas dinner without feeling absolutely stuffed before the main course! The star of the show is always the stuffed baby lamb, Kharoof Mahshi. This is a whole baby lamb roasted for hours and stuffed with flavourful spiced rice garnished with nuts, raisins, pistachios, and spices. However, first, you need to tackle the starters. We eat a traditional mezze that
Portugal
By Andreia Tavares Semedo
Growing up, the Christmas season has always been my favourite time of year from the traditions, to the time spent with family, and especially the food. Coming from a typical Catholic lusophone household, the ultimate Christmas staple was always Bacalhau da Consoada. Custom states that meat cannot be eaten on the day before Christmas so my traditional family opted to cook meals with fish as the staple protein instead. Bacalhau da Consoada consists of salted codfish (as Portugal is the largest consumer of cod worldwide - 20% of all cod produced globally is eaten in the nation - it is unsurprising to see Bacalhau as a Christmas staple), boiled or sautéed potatoes, boiled eggs, chickpeas, and cabbage all drizzled over with olive oil. A simple meal that initially grew out of necessity during the winter months where codfish was preserved better than meats, as well as the religious implications of eating meat on Christmas eve, it has since stayed an important part of Portuguese Christmas.
Illustration: Adeline Zhao (images) and Anna Kuptsova (border)
typically includes Batata Harra (spiced potatoes), Ta b b o u l e h salad,various p a s t r i e s and Kibbeh a minced meat and bulgur pie. If you have any space left, you’ll typically have some homemade yule log and traditional Halawat El-Jibn, which are sweet cheese rolls sprinkled with honey and pistachio.
Philippines
By Isabel Bartolome The Philippines is famous for its incredible nationwide enthusiasm for Christmas, with countdowns commencing from September, heightened by an abundance of festive decorations immediately pervading the streets. Yet, the most anticipated event occurs not on the 25th, but on Christmas eve. Nochebuena is a feast that acts as a precursor to the midnight Christmas festivities, consisting of well-loved Filipino dishes such as Lumpia (spring rolls), Pinoy-style spaghetti, Pancit (rice noodles), Crispy Pata and Lechon (pork leg and a whole roasted pig), all with ceaseless servings of jasmine rice. Oftentimes, this may be served in a ‘boodle-fight’ style in which the food is laid out traditionally on banana leaves and eaten with bare hands. To conclude the feast, popular desserts include Leche Flan, Ube Halaya (purple yam jam) and an assortment of rice cakes such as Puto and Kutsinta. Celebrating Nochebuena as a first-generation immigrant helps affirm my cultural identity and passion for Filipino food and culture, despite being thousands of miles away.
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MUSIC music@palatinate.org.uk
‘Tis the soundtrack of the season Indigo Music contributors share what they’ll be listening to this festive season
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hree of our wonderful Indigo Music contributors share their favourite unorthodox Christmas albums and tell us a little bit about why they should be added to our playlists this Christmas season.
template at a quieter moment over the next couple of months.
Phoebe Bridgers: If we Make it Through December, reviewed by Adam Hogg.
The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album has been a staple in my home throughout my entire life. Since a young age, I was always a fan of music from the ‘50s to ‘70s and this was definitely reflected at Christmas time. My parents chalk it down to too much time spent with my grandma, but nonetheless, nothing makes me think of Christmas more than Sinantra, King Cole and the Beach Boys. Their songs are always spectacular and they really come together to make the perfect christmas album. It gives off the vibes of a choir, yet with the fun pop twist that was commonplace in the ‘60s. The headline song ‘Little Saint Nick’ is a family favourite as well as it is so upbeat and fun, especially for the kids to dance to (I remember being one of them). But, my favourite song on the album has to be ‘We Three Kings of Orient Are’. It’s my favourite hymnal Christmas song, and the beach boys’ version is perfect with their immaculate harmonies. Furthermore, I just love how the album includes a message from the Beach Boys wishing their listeners a Merry Christmas. Whenever I need a great Christmas album, I always grab The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album. An oldie, but definitely a goodie.
Whilst it would be futile to argue for Phoebe Bridgers’ place among our widely known Christmas artists, her covers EP If We Make It Through December has a special place on my Christmas playlist. The 4-track release from last year highlights the spirited, blissful ignorance toward a wide range of issues people face, those which don’t just get put on pause for the holiday season. Beginning with a cover of Merle Haggard’s ‘If We Make It Through December’, themes of unemployment are explored in lyrics such as “And my little girl don’t understand/Why we can’t afford no Christmas here”.
...of course, you can have fun over the holiday period, but be aware of your privilege
Editor’s Picks
Next comes my personal highlight of the album, a rendition of ‘Silent Night’, with a ‘7 O’clock News’ reel laid over the vocals, featuring Fiona Apple and Matt Berninger, the latter as the news reader. Here, Bridgers draws important attention to the persisting fight for abortion rights in America. The closer ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ closes the EP with a hopeful reminder that, of course, you can have fun over the holiday period, but to be aware of your own privilege. This isn’t an album I’d recommend sound-tracking your family Christmas dinner with, but one to con-
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Beach Boys: The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album, reviewed by Emerson Shams.
other, stands the down-to-earth everyman, who thinks it’s just a bit of fun. How to consolidate such a divide? I present to you Christmas reggae! I found this album whilst looking for something slightly different to listen to at work at Christmas, and it might just be the album we all needed; even the most radicalised of critics will find it hard to dislike it. It ncludes some classics featuring Jacob Miller’s Jamaican touch as well as some original numbers. The songs often start off recognisably, and slowly get lost in a swamp of reverb added by DJ Ray I, echoes of an “irie Christmas and a dancehall new year” periodically reminding you of how you got here. The lyrics are a rich vein of entertainment: you can guess by the album cover what they want for Christmas, what they’re decking the halls with, and what they’re replacing the tree with. ‘Tis the season to be irie!
Jacob Miller & Ray I: Natty Christmas, reviewed by Benedict Gardner. Christmas songs can be divisive things. You
only need to ask a few people doing their December shopping to find out the true polarisation at play here. On one hand you have the cultured highbrows, unwilling to sell out to the capitalists’ festive theme tune. On the
DUOS 19:00, 27th November @ Elvet Methodist
Durham Dynamics 19:30, 1st December @ St Oswald’s
DUCS 19:30, 8th December @ Elvet Methodist
DUOS explores the music of Russia with a concert featuring Tchaikovsky, Khachaturian and Arutiunian!
Join Durham Dynamics for their annual Christmas concert featuring The Beatles and Ariana Grande!
Join DUCS for their first concert under their exciting new conductor featuring Rutter, Britten and Vaughan-Williams!
Thursday, 25 November 2021
Images (left to right): Jasmine Wong, Ed Botwright, Cameron Stewart via Unsplash, Georgie Proctor
STAGE stage@palatinate.org.uk
In the room where it happened... DST President, Lamesha Ruddock, tells us about her experience over the summer as an assistant stage manager for Hamilton: The Musical on the West End
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hat exactly was your internship over summer/what did it involve?
Over summer, I did a stage management internship for Hamilton West End. It involved all stage management roles; admin, cleaning down of props, making sure the props and furniture were in order (for example the iconic Skylar bench). It also involved making props including many Reynolds Pamphlets. I also got to go to rehearsals and work plots which incorporated setting, moving and connecting props and furniture. I also got to work, DSM, and call a show. I was able to go up automations and see how the revolve moves. It was a bit of everything really. I also did historical context sessions, saw how dramaturgy works and how important it is to contextualize the history of a show. We talked about it a lot because a lot of the show is problematic. For example, if you look at the Jefferson song where Sally, who is a slave, is mentioned.; it is quite jovial, upbeat, and doesn’t really address the realities of slavery. So, we had sessions and talks to discuss the history behind this and address the issues. We sing these songs about people and say we love them, however problematic they were. Who are some of the best people you met and worked with?
It also made me see how much is going on in the wings way more than you realise, as there are such quick changes. For example, stage management would use candle carts to bring candles on and off in the background, as the process is long and stage management dependent. the slickness of this seems automated when it’s actually just a stage manager pushing it on. [She laughs]. When you get the calls in your ears “palate queue number 3 standing by” and then a reply “standing by”, and when you do it it’s an electric feeling. Feeling like you’re on stage, even when you’re not. Feeling like you’re helping the production and ;really feeling part of it. Did anything shock or surprise you? People think with stage management that there’s always a props table. But you find in professional shows that there’s no space for one; so you find that props are hidden in nooks and crannies all over the set—just in random spots. Because of Covid, there were multiple sets of props as you couldn’t use the same props on consecutive days. So we did lots of printing; love letters, and so many Reynolds Pamphlets. It was kind of overwhelming how much stuff there was and how we had to really look after it. Also, It shocked me just how small the stage is. It feels like it’s bigger because the performers put on such a big show. I was also surpised at how consistent all the performers were. I didn’t hear one bad note the whole time I was there.
Everyone was so nice. I spent so much time with the Covid-19 officer because I had to support him a lot in building stuff and making sure there was enough PPE around the theatre. So I really liked Sam. But then the Company Manager and the Stage Manager really took me under their wing and gave me the opportunities to do what I wanted. They knew I studied history at university so they pushed me to lead disscussions in front of the cast. It was so nice that they took my interest and talents on board so that I had the best experience. Everyone on the stage management team was so nice. We had lots of birthdays whilst I was doing my internship so we’d have party hats, matching shirts and Nando’s, which was cute.
Getting the opportunity to work on a professional show and see first-hand how the job works in a real-life setting. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to see the show progress from rehearsals to live performance. You feel like you’re part of the show and that you’ve made a difference in bring ing the show to life. Yeah, that was my highlight and an it is an experience you just can’t replicate.
What did it show you about stage managing, something which often in Durham we don’t give a lot of focus to?
Would you give any advice to student creatives at Durham, from what you have learnt?
I think it showed me just how crucial stage management is to pulling off any production. The Stage Manager is the voice of reason—a voice in your ear. A stage manager is this ‘God’—I don’t know how to explain it—where they can speak to everyone through the comms. They’ve got to have a calm voice and presence, and make sure they know what they’re doing. I really want to emulate that in Durham productions where we can pull things off in a slick manner and not in a last-minute rush— mistakes happening, everyone crying backstage – we really need a stage manager just to root everyone and reassure us that we are going to pull this show off.
The advice I’d give is just be nice to people. The industry is just so competitive and the way you’re going to stand out and be more memorable and get called back for jobs and have people want to work with you is just to be nice. You’re more likely to be put forward for work because you 're an easy person to work with. Also, its key to just have fun in the experience. There’s no point doing it and not enjoying what you’re’ doing. Just enjoy your creativity, and letting it come into action, and hopefully things will fall into place. Being creative is arguably unstable, but the journey is worth it.
Image credit: R.D. Smith via Unsplash
What would you say was the overall highlight of the experience?
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FILM & TV film@palatinate.org.uk
Christmas onscreen versus reality Joseph Elston explores how we’re affected by depictions of Christmas in film and TV
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ell folks, it’s mid-November and we’re going into Christmas phase one. Greggs is selling mince pies, KFC now has gravy flavoured mayonnaise, Costa is putting something even weirder than usual in your latte. Christmas celebrators are planning how to pitch their Christmas lists, non-Christmas celebrators are wearily explaining their indifference, all whilst Christmas organisers are quaking in their boots as they calculate the logistics of the approaching yuletide festivities. Soon enough, Christmas is going to be on TV and the Christmas aesthetic will be pasted onto everything. Christmas radio, Christmas specials, Christmas series, Christmas everything. There’ll be Christmas adverts, companies of all kinds bombarding us with a parade of happy families with laughing children and money to spend on things that they definitely need (and you need too). But that’s just the small fry, the heavyweight companies will be practically upstaging the actual TV with their competition to have the longest, saddest and most lavish Christmas advert.
If you can think of a concept for a Christmas movie, it’s probably already been done
making. Low-budget CGI movies, no-effort TV movies, weird scenes that scared you to death as a kid, shockingly overplayed cliches, annoying characters, cringeworthy dialogue, all manner of rubbishness in abundance.
Christmas onscreen is filled with wistful aspirations Through all this media, the idea of Christmas is hammered into your head for the best part of a month. What does it tell us? Christmas originated as a Christian religious celebration, but it’s snowballed into this massive common festival and absorbed many other traditions into itself. It’s colossal, complex, and varied, shaping a period of the year around itself. When you get right down to it, Christmas is really a celebration of what we have: our wealth of material possessions and the wealth in love. By nature, Christmas is a holiday that is truly not celebrated equally. Indeed, it often leaves us stung by our own poverty or shocked by our extreme excess. Christmas onscreen is filled with wistful aspirations. Sometimes it embodies our hope for wealth and fun during the festive period and we find ourselves wishing that we could have these idealised things. Sometimes it is about
realising that love is the most important thing, but this too is something that many people are unfairly deprived of. The virtuous Christmas message of contentment with your lot, a staple onscreen, can be the worst of all. It can be a mask for our pride. We may forget that even contentment can be an aspirational luxury, for some of us are embroiled in misfortune and hardship even at Christmas. It is good to celebrate for a time. It is good fun to let Christmas onscreen take you away to an imaginary world, but you must just remember that it is dangerous to view reality through the aspirational lens it forces to your eye. For those of you who resist the aspirational aspect here is an opposite risk: cynicism. Christmas media is in many ways a cynical affair; it can’t really be denied. All that can really be said is this: don’t let it discourage you, it’s worth enjoying Christmas onscreen. Just as those Christmas pounds we pile on drive us to turn back to our health come January, so can these fluffy fantasies turn our eyes back to reality with new insight once they leave us.
If you simply can’t wait for all that fun, you’ll find that TV channels dedicated entirely to Christmas movies have been airing for a while now. There’s more than enough material for them to justify their existence, they’ve been making Christmas movies for over 100 years (take a look, they did a silent movie adaptation of A Christmas Carol in 1910). If you can think of a concept for a Christmas movie, it’s probably already been done. These channels are good background TV to do the ironing to and they’re excellent for tactical recording, but they’re also a crash course in truly terrible movie
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Thursday, 25 November 2021
Image credit (from left)t: Emerson Shams, Verity Laycock
FILM & TV film@palatinate.org.uk
IndigoHow: the perfect Christmas film Visual Arts Editor, Nicole Wu, provides the flawless recipe for a Christmas classic
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o you have what it takes to make the perfect, cheesy Christmas film? There is a very specific art to creating a timeless film that fills your audience’s heart with delight and merriment, while also providing excruciatingly cringe-worthy moments. As long as you include the following ingredients, you can be assured that your film will be a box-office hit and staple in family traditions for years to come – maybe just avoid reading any reviews. 1. Choose an uninspiring protagonist. This will really make or break your cheesy Christmas film. You’re looking for someone who has no real personality besides being sad and down on their luck. Their grievances need to be relatable but innocuous, good examples include: a well-admired teacher who spends every daydreaming of their music career or a baker who has become fed up with making mince pies during the run-up to Christmas. Absolutely steer clear of providing them with real-world problems, this is supposed to be a feel-good time filler, and no one wants to think about current affairs after Christmas dinner.
Your protagonist needs to absolutely despise Christmas at the beginning of the film 2. “I hate Christmas”. Your protagonist needs to absolutely despise Christmas at the beginning of the film. With despise meaning visible pain, lashing out at characters that try to convince them otherwise, kicking down snowmen and walking aggressively straight through carol singers in the street. Whether they suffered a hard breakup during the Christmas holidays or were mercilessly teased for a particularly bad Christmas jumper – they need to be on par with the Grinch. 3. An overly eager and excitable love interest. To redeem the dull protagonist, their love interest is some poor, caring soul with a very big heart who stumbles into our protagonist’s life and tells them about all the joy available at Christmas. They excit-
edly force the protagonist to make gingerbread houses and go ice-skating in the centre of town. While they laugh sweetly as the protagonist fails at every turn, the audience need to be given happy musical tunes and close-ups on long gazing stares. 4. An awkward scene of the love interest singing a classic Christmas song alone until the protagonist and the crowd join in. A requirement for any cheesy Christmas film is for one of the scenes to include a musical rendition of a classic song. Has to be started, completely acapella, and sustained for much longer than is comfortable for anyone before the other characters cave in and provide a chorus. It’s even better if the protagonist has already expressed a huge dislike for the song but begrudgingly pretends not to enjoy the experience.
It must be extravagant and extremely endearing 5. Unrealistically huge romantic gesture. Just as the film reaches its climax and it seems that the couple everyone is rooting for will never work out, pull out the moment that the audi-
Image credit (from top): Verity Laycock, Emerson Shams
ence will fantasise about for decades to come. Have your protagonist desperately ice skate across a frozen river, organise a Christmas themed flash mob, attempt to fly a DIY version of Santa’s sleigh through Heathrow airport. The ideas really are endless, but it must be extravagant, excessive and extremely endearing. Let your protagonist prove their worth in a wonderfully public and superficial fashion. 6. Final make-out scene. The very last shot of the film is required to be a make-out scene between the loved-up couple, either outside in the falling snow or in front of a Christmas tree, or both. This needs to be a prolonged kiss that turns the viewers’ initial ‘aw’ moment into embarrassment. While the couple are kissing, there should be shots of their friends and family standing nearby hugging and smiling happily at the lovers. Bonus points if you let the camera slowly pan out from the couple, turning to the sky to film snow falling directly onto the camera.
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FEATURES features@palatinate.org.uk
Flying home for Christmas Hannah Voss considers what Christmas back home in Texas means to her
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ast December, the week before Christmas, I bundled myself into the car with my mom and we drove south to the coast of Texas to train our binoculars on the elusive Whooping Crane. The Whooping Crane, w h i c h winters in Texas thanks to our mild weather, is the tallest North American bird, at around a meter and a half tall. In 1941, there were only 21 cranes in the wild; thanks to conservation efforts in the interim, there are now over 800. My mom and I were lucky enough to see four. My feet at this point were so itchy. The trip was a consolation prize, as I’d had to defer my PhD from October to January – consigning yet more months of my fleeting twenties to a purposeless Covid-19 wasteland of pottering around my hometown. I’d never felt like I belonged in San Antonio, but the pandemic had sent me back there from my hiding place in London. On my return, the American border agent had checked my passport and said, “Welcome home, ma’am.” I choked back tears and walked on through the endless grey hallways of the airport: was this home? I spent the nine months in Texas walking my dogs and helping my
until I wore down my grandmother’s traditionally stoic façade. As I packed my bags to come to Durham, she protested, “You’re leaving too soon!” and I finally realised she’d liked having me around. T w o days before New Year’s Eve, I threw myself onto the airplane with promises to come back in May, to see my brother graduate from university and a close friend get married. As soon as I arrived in the UK, the entire country went into its third lockdown, and I weathered the next four months alone in a flat in Durham, doubting my ability to research, to write, to be. Is everyone feeling this way? I wondered. I took a lot of walks. I felt so homesick I thought I would puke. Travel restrictions meant I couldn’t go home in May, like I’d planned. My parents FaceTimed me so I could see my brother awarded his degree. My friend had an uneven number of bridesmaids, and I still owe her maid of honour money for the gifts we bought her as a group. My mom had to mail me my summer clothes – a swimsuit, one pair of shorts, a sundress I wore every day in July. My childhood dog
While I was doing my masters at Durham and then working in London, I spent two Christmases in a row at my boyfriend’s parents’ in Oxford. His family is so welcoming, but I felt like an alien. They didn’t have Christmas films playing perpetually on the TV (it isn’t the holidays without a terrifying 1950s Claymation Rudolph teaming up with broken toys and an elf who wants to be a dentist to save Christmas). My boyfriend and his brothers opened their presents randomly throughout the day, instead of all in one go, first thing Christmas morning. They didn’t have tamales on Christmas Eve. They didn’t have any dogs to sneak under the tree and chew away corners of wrapping paper. I never thought my family even had Christmas traditions until I wasn’t doing them. I vowed to never spend another
Christmas away from home – hell or high water. This year I’m flying home for Christmas, amidst both hell and high water, going back to America for the first time since I left for my PhD. I’m trading the Edinburgh Christmas markets and cosy British winter evenings for brown grass, poinsettias, and our redneck Christmas light display. When the border agent takes my passport and tells me in a thick Southern accent, “welcome home, ma’am”, I know I’ll burst into tears. Not because San Antonio isn’t home, but because I learned last year, whiling away my twenties doing ‘nothing’ (I thought, anyway), that it is. I have something in common with the Whooping Crane: I too am a migratory bird who winters in Texas.
I too am a migratory bird who winters in Texas parents with projects around the house. I sat six feet away from my grandparents on their back porch 14
Thursday, 25 November 2021
died a few weeks ago, and I saw him for the last time through my laptop screen. Image credit (from top): Victoria Cheng and Rosie Bromiley
INTERVIEW indigo.interview@palatinate.org.uk
“Often I feel I have to hide my Transness” Food and Drink Editor, Emerson Shams, discusses Durham’s Trans community
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ovember gives host to Transgender Awareness Week (13th-19th November) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (20th November). These events are about showing awareness of trans lives and remembering those who have passed away due to violence against their identities. So, I reached out to Morgan ‘Mal’ Lee (they/he) [first picture], President of Durham’s LGBT+ Association, and Benjamin Southwick (he/they) [second picture], Interim President of Students with Disabilities to talk to them about their experiences at Durham.
M: Coming to understand myself: who I am and what I want in life. Also, letting myself do things for me instead of trying to please others. Q. What is being a trans student at Durham like? B: Generally speaking, it is okay if you don’t talk about your transness. However, most students and staff alike are unaware of what constitutes transphobia. As a result, I have had to read papers and books with transphobic language, slurs, and TERF ideology. I have spoken to some members of my department about this and feel that we should issue content warnings, but this is not enough. Staff need training in trans issues and awareness so that their students feel safe and supported in their learning environment. I should not have to worry whether a lecturer may be transphobic and mark down my work for talking about trans issues or nuanced and modern approaches to gender.
I often have to compromise my comfort in favour of my safety
Q. What are the importance of Transgender Awareness week and Trans day of remembrance? B: For everyone, it is important to remember the transgender people who have died due to cis-normative violence. Without those like Marsha P. Johnson, there would not be the efforts towards having the same rights for people in civil partnerships as those who are married, both straight, gay, and any in-between. Trans people who have died fighting for our rights should have a memorialisation. Trans Day of Remembrance does this and creates space for all LGBTQ+ and other communities to remember those people. M: Cis people need to understand that awareness alone isn’t enough. Being an ally during Trans Awareness Week and beyond requires more than passively taking in trans content and sharing a cute infographic on social media. It requires action. Q. What’s the best thing about being a Trans person?
and have been using them correctly. However, if I were to start HRT, I don’t think I’d be able to play anymore. B: Many sports feel transphobic to me, whether that be the lack of consideration for trans people, or the culture surrounding certain sports. Also, as a disabled person, I feel that many sports would not allow for my attendance to be sporadic as a result of my disability. However, I know that the wheelchair basketball team would be happy to have me if my academic commitments didn’t clash with their sessions. Q. What support does the LGBT+ and Trans Associations offer to trans students? M: I’ll admit I’m a little biased as the president of the LGBT+ association. In my opinion, the most important thing that these associations offer trans students is community. While we work hard to produce resources – like the trans guide I’m currently working on – I am most proud of the way we bring people together.
M: I’m always scared: every time I make a decision, I have to account for how I might be perceived and my safety based on that. I often have to compromise my comfort in favour of my safety. For example, the classic bathroom struggle. The women’s is the safest bet for me but can feel like a defeat, and I get weird looks whichever one I use so there’s no winning. If the university could stop being so stubbornly against gender-neutral bathrooms that’d be great. I’m not closeted in my department – I am open if asked – but I don’t tend to disclose for fear of compromising my safety or making people uncomfortable. Especially in my department, I worry that I would be treated differently or even actively discriminated against and that it will affect my chances of success both in academics and in my future career. Often I feel I have to hide my transness. Q. Do you feel there are any opportunities you are unable to partake in due to your transness? M: Sports is something I worry about participating in as a non-binary person. I currently play for a women’s team because I played with girls growing up, but that can be invalidating and often dysphoric. Thankfully, I play with a great bunch of girls who haven’t treated me any differently since learning my pronouns
Image credits: first column - Ellie Lee; third column - Benjamin Southwick via LinkedIn
Q. If there was a piece of media that you feel is a good starting ground for allowing people to understand the history or modern lives of trans people, what would it be and why? M: The podcast ‘Adventures in Time and Gender’ is great - it’s made by and features trans creatives, and it nicely balances history with insights into current experiences. It also provides variety from the books and documentaries that cis people are frequently recommended. You can listen to it and learn more
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Creative Writing creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk
It’s begining to look a lot like... Rachel Shemwell Rostron, Molly Knox, Sarah Henderson and Eden Cain each explore the changing of the seasons and upcoming holiday rituals Next year I will 1. Next year I will know where things are again / Drink more water, no less than the recommended 8 cups 2. Next year I will call gran more often so she can tell me how she warms herself with generous bowls of porridge / Start yoga, take up jogging – go for sunrise runs in comfy yet somehow stylish running shoes 3. Next year I will try porridge again, piled in hills of sugar. I never liked porridge but hers is unbeatable, or so I have heard / Order less takeaways – learn to cook. Eat healthier in general 4. Next year I will make my voice my own again, break from the tightness of a heartbeat and the long growls of my lungs / Go to bed earlier, do not use phone before bed – wake up fresh 5. Next year I will learn to count the stiches in my knitting, taking notes from my aunt who is not an aunt / Start a diary, create mantras to myself which are read aloud daily in the mirror, by a broken lampshade 6. Next year I will be. Next year will be. / Buy new lamp. Buy diary
Eve Carols and slow breaths Bounce up from the cobblestones. They settle with the Silent fall of snow. Every sash window is a Cross-stitched forest scene: Green and golden intertwined. Feline dreams mingle With soft evening aromas. Pass me a paw and we shall Break the wishbone. Fingers sticky from hot nectarines, Anticipation on our lips. In the eye of a spiced wine whirlpool, Glassy like a snow globe heart, I stare deep and think of you. Sarah Henderson
Boy of Frost With November comes the nipping at the tip of fingers, harp pinches at the end of a nose. Winter Has Begun Now My feet crunched as I walked today, the first sign that the frost had settled. It He grins in the patterns scratched onto glass panes. reminded me of the sound of your footsteps, those boots you’d wear that clacked against each and every stone; so loud and obnoxious that you’d have to pretend not to notice the Oh sprite, paint the autumn auburn, heads that rose as you passed by. You’d slip in those heels if you wore them now, I’d offer dance light into the pavements to lend you mine – the fur lined Timberlands you always said you liked. The first frost of and I will admire its shimmer winter bites at my hands, seeping through the holes in my gloves left exposed. She is bitter under early morning sun. and gentle, nibbling at my ears and the end of my nose. Winter has begun now, and everything that comes with it; the promise of warm fires and hot chocolates; the big coat from In the soft fog rolling in off the river the back of my wardrobe and my three-year-old hat; an abundance of fluffy socks I wear to or the darkness creeping in earlier by the the library as deadlines pile up. I hung my old fairy lights in my dorm room today, the ones day. In the smell of burning logs, and stars studyou told me to bring from home and I thought of the last Christmas we’d shared, when we ded into the sky, argued over how best to decorate the tree. I hadn’t realized what a burden it would be to Winter’s personification lingers hang the baubles in exactly the way I wanted. There’s a pile of Christmas cards in my bedside drawer, the same from a collection you bought me, but I can never remember when to Jack and his frost colour the grass white send them. I will slip and laugh over the icy traps he The bells will chime December soon, the month of goodbyes – goodbye summer, lays. goodbye year, goodbye you. The first fall of snow will bring laughter with it, the humor is Oh bring the freeze before the thaw already in the air – it’ll be there at the Christmas markets and in the stockings hung over Give me the heavy darkness of new Dethe fireplaces and the Christmas service they hold in the Chapel. You would love the sing- cember, ing. They’re performing that one from Elf, the one that always makes you cry at the end. I Change a season before my eyes. want to fill my free time with those Christmas movies, but you own all the classics – they’re Remind me of how fleeting months are as on that shelf at home, collecting dust in the back of my room. I can clean it up when I get I age, back, I can hang the tinsel around the banister in the way that reminds you of the way your and boy of frost, I will grandparents did it, and hang the wreath up on the door, so everyone knows that we know lay down in the snow; that the Holiday Season has begun. I’ll remember to pack those Timberlands, or maybe I’ll An angel on your frozen ground. buy you a pair instead. I just hope I make it back before the final frost melts. Molly Knox
Rachel Shemwell Rostron 16
Thursday, 11 November 2021
Eden Cain Image Credits: Rosie Bromiley