Issue 1356

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Film counts down the definitive Top Ten list of the best horror films of all time

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REDBRICK

30th OCT 2009 ISSUE 1356 VOL 73

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1936

www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Guild redevelopment behind schedule

News

4

Follow up on the plight of first year Chelwood residents.

Music

20

With the advent of digital media has the art of Mixtaping been lost?

Sport

25

Georgina Killick grabs a cycle helmet and saddles up.

Part of Phase Two of the Guild redevelopment plan that has been completed to date Photo: Lucy Percival

Jack Davis Scott Steinberg PLANS to revolutionise part of the Guild are set to be delayed, as new developments reveal that the refurbishment is two months behind schedule due to budgeting problems.

The University approved the Guild's budget for the refurbishment in April this year, but this September cost predictions spiralled to £4.4 million, which would have exceeded the original budget by £400,000. The

Guild then had to scale down costs in order to ensure that plans came in within budget.

To address the issue, the Guild were forced to redesign certain aspects of the refurbishment, and after a new quote for various elements from the contractor, the proposed costs were lowered back to £3.9 million, within the original budget.

However, this issue has caused noticable delays to the Guild redevelopment. The next stage of the refurbishment, to relocate and renovate Joe's Bar, was proposed to be completed

by January 2010, but due to delays, the renovation may not even begin until this date.

It was also agreed this week that the entire project will be completed by mid-June, around two months behind schedule.

Despite the problems with delays in the redevelopment, Tom Guise (VPDR) said; 'The Guild building was seen by students as just the place where Joe's Bar is and where 'Fab took place, but it will become so much more.' He also added: 'At all stages of the project, the priority for the Guild has always

been its students. We believe that the decisions made are in the best interests of students and will enable us to deliver relevant services to our members.'

Currently, two out of the four stages of the redevelopment are complete. This has included the renovation of some of the toilet facilities, including those next to the Beorma Bar. Phase two has also seen the introduction of a new retail area with clothes store Zest, Spar and the student housing service SHAC.

2 News

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

On Campus Calendar Natalie Vincent Xplosion - Birmingham Lions v Loughborough Aces Saturday 7th November, 6pm, Bournbrook Pitch THE University of Birmingham's American football team are taking on Loughborough in the first match of the season.

At half-time there will be a firework display, cheerleading by the University squad, and the Dance Society will also perform.

George Galloway giving a lecture.

Monday 9th November, 5pm, Avon Room POLITICIAN, author, and previous Celebrity Big Brother contestant George Galloway is giving a talk on Isreal-Palestine troubles followed by a question and answer session.

Due to changes in University policy, people wishing to see the lecture have to purchase a ticket for £3 from Joes Bar or you can buy them on the door for £5.

Oxfam outreach swap it party Monday 9th November, upstairs room of the Bristol Pear, 8.30pm BRING old clothes that you haven't worn this century and swap them, or customise your own clothes for £1 entrance.

Residents Elections: open

Association nominations

RA NOMINATIONS are open for student halls from the 2nd to the 16th of November for positions of President, Treasurer, Sports Officer and several others.

Equal Pay Day Bone marrow on campus needed Edwina Moorhouse LAST Friday the Guild of Students hosted an Equal Pay Day, which is a nationwide campaign, led by the Fawcett Society, aimed at raising awareness of the widening pay gap between men and women.

The campaign was brought to the Guild by the Women's Association, who spent the week petitioning for amendments to the Equality Bill on campus and around halls as well as stopping to talk to students about the cause, filling petition forms and handing out fliers.

The week ended with a panel debate in the Guild Council Chambers, overseen by the Debating Society. The panel consisted of the NUS Women's Officer Olivia Bailey, POLSIS lecturer Dr Peter Kerr, Sue Welland as a representative from the University Careers Service, and Equality and Diversity

Picture of the week

Advisor for Students Jane Tope.

The debate focused on concerns including women in the workplace, maternity leave, the Government's role in the pay gap along with reflections on how the situation has both improved and worsened.

Dr. Kerr said: 'the pay gap was the tip of the iceberg for gender inequality.' He added that the State should be in part answerable, because their policy perpetuates the problem towards women.

Evidence has shown that women are still being paid on average 17.1 percent less than men. This is often due to discrimination, the motherhood penalty and an undervaluation of traditional women's work; which Olivia Bailey said was supported by the existing masculine culture.

For more information on Equal Pay visit www. fawcettsociety.org.uk

Helen Clough SESSIONS are being held throughout November across the University for students to learn about, and join, the bone marrow register.

Two successful sessions have already taken place and two more are scheduled for Monday, 23rd November at 6pm, in Shackleton Hall, and Thursday 26th November at 1pm in the Amos Room of the Guild.

Roshni Khanijau, a Marrow councillor, said 'the clinics are not a complicated process; you fill out a medical form, a trained councillor goes through it with you and answers all the questions that you might have in confidence.'

The Anthony Nolan Trust was set up over 30 years ago by a mother whose son, Anthony, died of Wiskott Aldrich

Black History Month Esther Johnson

Photo : Tom Flathers

syndrome, which is an extremely rare disease that could have been cured through a bone marrow transplant. She set up the first bone marrow register in the world which has since led to further registers, meaning that 11 million potential donors are now available worldwide and, through the Trust, over 5,800 adults and children have been given a new chance at life.

To read an extended article see redbrickonline.co.uk or go to www. anthonynolan.org.uk.

THIS year's Black History Month was marked by a series of events hosted by the University of Birmingham's African and Caribbean Society. The October month, which has long been dedicated to the commemoration of the cultural heritage, achievements and civic milestones made within the Afro-Caribbean community, has been heralded a success by all.

Vice-President of African and Caribbean Society, Clare Chiramba, stated that 'the society endeavored to coordinate events that would engage attendees in a dialogue about the ways the in which the Afro-Caribbean community can empower a new generation.'

The month's festivities concluded with 'Our History', an event which showcased local talents.

Highlights of the evening's events included hip-hop dance act CRC and a performance by singers Jason McDougal and Rochelle who ended the ceremony with their rendition of 'Summertime.' The night was punctuated with a rousing speech by event organizer Amma Men-

sah, who urged audience members to transcend the negative stereotypes that befall the community.

Hosted by the comedian Babatunde, the proceeds of the event went to a local charity group, OSCAR Birmingham-the Organisation for Sickle Cell Anaemia Relief and Thalassaemia Support. Addressing audience members, Project Manager of OSCAR Birmingham Sonia Lindsay stressed the importance of raising awareness of the disease, stating that '1 in 5 of ethnic minorities are likely to be recessive carriers of the sickle cell gene.' Lindsay also highlighted the need for blood donations from ethnic minorities to help combat the symptoms of sickle cell, which resonated with the audience members as 25 attendees signed up that evening to donate blood.

One audience member commented that the event had 'inspired a younger generation to continue in the legacy of those before us who had induced change.'

To find out more information about Sickle Cell Anaemia and Thalassaemia visit: www.oscarbimingham.org.uk

News

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Campus News

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Former CIA man discusses Obama and his use of the 'Predator Drone' Natalie Vincent FORMER CIA employee, prosecuting attorney and Professor of Law at William Mitchel College of Law, John Radsan, did two talks at the University of Birmingham last week.

The accomplished speaker visited the University after Steve Hewitt, lecturer from the American and Canadian Studies department, had invited him after doing a talk for John over the summer.

Firstly, John took part in a roundtable event with other speakers, debating the success of Obama's first 300 days in office.

Then he did his own talk discussing the United States use of the controversial technology known as the 'Predator Drone'.

The 'Predator Drone' is a plane that is flown to survey and kill suspected terrorists in foreign countries. However, what makes it unique is the fact that the plane is unmanned. This means that the person interpreting the information and deciding whether or not to bomb the suspected terrorist, is sat in an office thousands of miles away. This technology

has completely revolutionised warfare, and since the beginning of Obama's presidency, the use of it has sky rocketed.

The 'Predator' has made headlines all over the world by targetting suspected Al-Qaeda terrorists in places such as Pakistan and Yemen, however in some cases, civilians have also been injured and sometimes killed in the strikes.

Pakistan blasted US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, for using the Predator as a means of 'execution without trial'.

Other ethical issues have come under who decides to fire the missile. Radsan explained during his talk that the command comes from the unelected and undercover chief of the counter terrorism unit in the CIA, not the President or Congress, therefore stirring up issues of how democratic the use of this new instrument of destruction is.

The Human Rights Council's investigator for the UN warned the US of its use of the weapon, as it violates all sorts of international laws by bombing countries they are not at war with, such

is the case with Pakistan.

However, this new technology means that the US can take out suspected terrorists without risking their own citizens lives by not having to send in troops. It essentially means they can go to war without their army having to leave the country. It is also said to be more accurate as the US can survey them for as long as they feel necessary, which takes away the pressure to 'kill or be killed' as would be the case if they sent in troops.

Forty-three other countries are quickly developing their technology. China already has its own drone.

John, who was the Assistant General Counsel for the CIA for just over 2 and a half years, felt that students wanted to see the face of someone who worked for the bureaucracy and strip away some of the Hollywood glamour of just another branch of government.

He also felt that more students needed to get involved in politics to ensure that they were being truly represented and to keep politicians 'in line with what the public want'.

Former CIA employee John Radsan Photo: Ron Senior

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4 News

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Campus News

Guild Council: Student body chooses not to stand up against University's arms investments Tasim Zahid A MOTION calling to 'disarm Birmingham's investments' fell through in the first, and one of the largest attended, Guild Council meeting of the new academic session.

The motion had called for the 'Guild not to enter into contract with any arms company, when economically feasible, to support the disarm Birmingham campaign and to avoid direct and indirect investments in the arms trade and encourage the University to do the same.'

The motion also called for better awareness among students of the activities of the giant companies that they may work for in the foreseeable future, especially the ones which invest in the arms trade.

The motion fell through after Guild Councillors raised objections saying that the motion was trying to reduce the 'already squeezed job market of the graduates in the

A vote talking place at Guild Council. Photo: Steve Streafield present economic recession.'

Some Guild Councillors also raised objections over the motion, that had been brought by the University Ethical and Environment

Officer, alleging that it was beyond the remit of the Council as it had nothing to do with the student concerns and was a political issue.

The National Blood service motion has called

for promotion of blood donations while at the same time opposing the NBS suitability criteria which prohibits blood donations by homosexual men. The motion also calls for promoting the

policy of assessment used by the Anthony Nolan Trust. The motion was passed after a brief debate on the issue.

The equal access to Higher Education for asylum seekers motion was

passed unopposed. This means that the Guild will be promoting the 'Equal access to Higher Education campaign' for asylum seeker and refugee students, who the University currently charges international student fees, even as they are not allowed access to public funding or jobs. The Guild will be lobbying the University to amend their education policies with other universities such as the Edge Hill University, Leeds University, London Metropolitan and other such universities. The National Union of Students (NUS) has already passed such a motion in 2008.

Guild Council also elected members for the Disciplinary Committee, Student Groups Committee, Entertainment Committee, the Equality and Diversity Committee and the Election Committee.

For a write up of the postal strike emergency motion please check www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Local News

Council to cut Shoots of growth for Brum with plans for new city parks more jobs Jack Davis A BRAND new development, the Eastside City Park, is due to be completed and open to the public by 2012. Final approval is still needed for the £13 million project to continue, which is expected to be given next week by the City Council Cabinet.

The park, designed by architects Patel Taylor, will span eight acres, linking Park Street Gardens with Lawley Street Middleway, and will include water features and a public performance area.

At the same time, Millennium Point is planning to develop a 'science garden' to sit parallel to the park, at an estimated cost of £2.5 million.

Cabinet regeneration member Neville Summerfield said: 'Eastside City Park will support our standing as a global city, providing a

space for local people and visitors, around which high quality developments are already taking shape. The park will also act as a focus for the world-class attractions that are being developed

within Eastside, and will connect the city centre with neighbouring communities.'

It is also thought that the developments will attract up to £2.7 billion in private sector invest-

Projected image of the Eastside City Park

ments, leading to the possible creation of a much needed 12,000 jobs in Birmingham.

The park will be the first city centre park seen in Birmingham for 125 years.

Dave Rudge UNDER-fire Birmingham City Council leader, Mike Whitby, has revealed he is set to axe 800 jobs in a desperate bid by the local authority to reduce a staggering deficit of £2.2billion.

Speaking on the BBC Politics Show, Coun Whitby expressed his hope that the job losses can be achieved through 'natural wastage', that is deliberately leaving vacant positions empty, rather than by way of redundancies or sackings. However BCC Chief Executive, Stephen Hughes, later refused to rule out the possibility of compulsory redundancies.

He added: 'We will be looking at ways where we are probably not going to be filling job vacancies as they are made.'

Council debt has doubled over the last 5 years, but Whitby said that this

was vital to the mission of 'the largest local authority in the UK' and insisted that the arrears were 'serviceable'.

He was also keen to emphasize plans for a new £193m library would not be jeopardised by the Council's mounting debts.

The expected 800 job cuts are in addition to the 3,500 cuts already planned to take place over the next ten years as part of the BCC's Business Transformation Programme. The cuts have provoked much criticism from local Labour and trade union leaders.

It was also confirmed that the Council's top earners will not be made to take a pay cut unless forced to do so by law.

This last statement in particular will not go down well with an already anxious workforce, unsure if, and for how long, they will keep their jobs.

News

REDBRICK 1356 / 30th OCTOBER 2009

Local News

Groups lobby for film studio Helen Crane BIRMINGHAM could soon be playing host to an influx of Hollywood stars, should a new proposal of a film studio get the goahead.

Pinewood Shepperton plc, who have been the filming location for bigbudget films such as James Bond and The Dark Knight, have recently been denied council permission to expand their Iver Heath site in Buckinghamshire, due to concerns over the protected green belt land.

This has led to the former MG Rover site in Longbridge being advocated by film industry figureheads, pressure groups, and Birmingham MP's as an alternative home for the ÂŁ2million development. If approved, the plans would see 20 new sets being built on the site, most of them carbon copies of popular

filming locations such as New York and Paris. This would bring in some of film's most famous faces to the region on location, generating a huge increase in tourism. The construction of the studios would also create thousands of new jobs for Birmingham's skilled craftsmen during this time of economic hardship.

Edgbaston MP Gisela Stuart is a firm supporter of the plans to relocate Pinewood Studios. She said: 'It's the perfect site and infrastructure in terms of labour force, artistry and geography. They need 100 acres, we've got 400 and on a site in need of redevelopment. This is something Longbridge has been waiting for.'

Film experts have predicted that the Rover's Longbridge site could turn the area into 'the new Hollywood' if the proposal gets the new go ahead.

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Heroic fireman saves kittens and gets the 'purr'-fect reward Samina Amin A BIRMINGHAM firefighter who rescued a kitten during a callout last week has decided to adopt it after an emotional rescue.

Mike Jenkins, based at the Hay Mills fire station, received a call about a litter of kittens trapped in a garden in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham.

He said of the unusual operation: 'We dug around the area where we thought they were.

We found three but then we could hear another one crying.

Eventually we found her under a pile of wood, a ladder and then more wood. There was no way she would have been able to get herself out.'

Upon rescuing the kitten from a four-day entrapment, Jenkins named her Sparkle. After a brief look over by a vet, who found that she was fine although very weak, she was given the all-clear

and Mike decided to keep Sparkle as a replacement for his daughter's kitten who was killed just over a month ago.

The story was fea-

tured on the Birmingham Mail website, where one observer commented that 'fate' had brought them together and congratulated Mike on finding the

families newest addition.

Mike and Sparkle are both doing well and learning to live with one another.

Fireman Mike Jenkins and his adopted kitten Sparkle Photo: playboy

National News

Drop out levels exacerbated by Student Loans Company delay Rachel Moore UNIVERSITIES are claiming they are experiencing the highest levels of 'dropouts' within the first semester of a course in over a decade.

With David Lammy, the Universities Minister, ordering an inquiry into the crisis-ridden Student Loans Company this week, it has come to light that 88,000 students are still left waiting, many without explanation, to receive their Government loans and grants.

First year students have been worst hit by the delays this year: only 28 per cent of the 1,091,653 applications submitted have been processed.

Due to this many students are now unable to cover their accomodation and living costs and have been left with the only option of having to abandon their higher education ambitions or struggle on with financial help from family and friends.

The Student Loans Company, who are respon-

sible for managing student finance in the UK, released a statement blaming errors with their new electronic scanning equipment for the delays with processing and awarding claims for finance.

However, this rather bland and non-specific excuse has given little consolation to the thousands of students left struggling and desperate in an already poor economic climate.

Sian Gray, a secondyear English student, said: 'The Student Loans Company are yet to send me my loan. They haven't made contact with me and I have had to constantly ring them for updates.

With their disorganisation and the planned postal strikes accross the country, it won't be for at least another two weeks before my loan comes through, meaning I have had to increase my overdraft and live off my savings.' This story has been repeated numerous times by students across the country with a fellow student adding, 'I have had great difficulties in finding the

money to pay for my simple living costs, including food and toiletries, and have found myself selling personal possessions, including some of my course books to feed myself.'

The SLC has managed to pay some of these students provisional payments to cover their accomodation and immediate living costs but the percentage that they have managed to help does not

begin to compensate for the unprecedented failure of the company.

With a predicted date of loan payments being set for the beginning of November, it seems that many will find themselves continuing to struggle to get by for a few more weeks.

Any students that have been having issues should contact the ARC in the Guild

Money which students aren't receiving promptly due to delays from the Student Loans Company

Postal strikes hit Birmingham Edwina Moorhouse DESPITE the recent national strikes and ongoing talks, it is anticipated that the Royal Mail will announce more strikes across the UK this week, which will no doubt further affect students on a national scale.

In the past fortnight, workers have come together through their union to campaign for greater job security, modernisation and a wage increase, leading to general strikes including one on October 22nd which included 42,000 staff across the UK. According to the Birmingham Mail a further 120,000 workers are poised to start a fresh round of strikes this week, with little hope for the new negotiations taking place. It has been estimated that around 2 million letters and parcels will go undelivered during the strikes, and occurring so early in the academic year means that some students will encounter problems.

It has been widely reported that students have been frustrated due to several delays and setbacks to their loans that have already occured this academic year, and many are still waiting on final notifications from student finance agencies. It may only be a small minority of individuals waiting for this paperwork, but this makes it no less significant; it simply adds more hassle to an already stressful situation for many.

Furthermore, important paperwork such as bills and bank statements will also be prevented from arriving on time during the strikes, something that will cause frustration among all British households, not just with students.

Workers seem adamant that they will not cease in their picketing and strikes, but it can only be hoped that some kind of resolution will be found as soon as possible, allowing the local economy and everyday life to return to normal.

6 News/Comment

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Local News

Students join BAE protest Anna Robin THIS weekend the University of Birmingham's People and Planet Society held a demonstration at the NEC's careers fair.

Students were targeting the company BAE, who are Europe's largest arms' manufacturer.

The Serious Fraud Office are currently attempting to charge BAE for corruption in Tanzania, Czech Republic, South Africa and Romania.

The allegations include an accusation that BAE paid bribes to win contracts in nations in Africa and Eastern Europe.

The company are no stranger to dealing with the Serious Fraud Office, who previously investigated them for bribery in Saudi Arabia. It was an investigation that was dropped under dubious circumstances in 2006.

At the time the Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed that 'Our rela-

tionship with Saudi Arabia is vitally important for our country...that strategic interest comes first.'

The students, in an attempt to enlighten people about BAE's business practices and arms deals, held a 'die in' in front of the BAE stall.

This involved several students pretending to die, while others sat in front of the stall with signs on their backs that spelt out 'BAE: A CAREER IN KILLING'.

The students also sang a song outlining BAE's deals to the tune of 'Yesterday' by The Beatles. The song included references to BAE's decison to supply hawk aircrafts used for slaughter in East Timor.

This is not the first time that Birmingham students have protested against BAE and it is likely it will not be the last.

Areas of Birmingham being 'frozen out' by Government Samuel Lear A SURVEY has recently revealed that the poorest members of suburban communities feel 'frozen out and powerless' as a result of the British Government's policy to focus on investment in the inner-city areas.

In an article published in The Economist, the residents of Frankley, an estate to the south-west of Birmingham feel 'so far away from the power base' whilst also feeling the effects of being neglected by their local councils.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) released statistics suggesting that those of white ethnicity feel the least able to 'influence decisions' on both a local and national level, in comparison with other ethnic backgrounds.

These worries have provoked Ray Goodwin, who works for the local charity 'Birmingham Settlement, to conclude that dithering between

councils over the responsibility of Frankley will provide opportunities for the British National Party to exploit the more vulnerable, saying 'someone will come round and take your rubbish away, or mend your fence. The next time he knocks it's to ask you for your vote.'

The problems are not exclusively confined to

the suburban areas of Birmingham.

The Ladywood constituency, sees poverty continue to rise exponentially. The 'Campaign to End Child Poverty' revealed that just under thirty-thousand people are impoverished, which amounts to 81 per cent of the population; whilst 46 per cent of households remain com-

pletely unemployed.

'A growing minority of young people have given up,' said Gary Murrain-Meade of the Birmingham Victory Youth Centre. He then added 'They drift into a life on benefits or crime.

Successive governments have failed them.'

A housing estate in Birmingham Photo: Mike Roberts

Comment: In Depth

Comment: Media caricatures Rosa McMahon talks about the widening disparity between the rich and poor ROBIN Hood, by history's standards, sounds like a pretty decent guy. He saw injustice in society and tried to do something about it. Stealing from the rich and redistributing to the poor: a simple, yet genius idea which ensured him a reputation as a British legend. Yet, as always in history, there is an alternative narrative which says Mr Hood didn't even put a boot in Sherwood Forest; and, even worse, when stealing from the rich, he greedily kept the

media, there are continuing binaries which place people in categories, perhaps for ease, but mainly for simplicity.

Rich and poor is a binary which has certainly straddled time and space.

From Dickensian characters in fiction, to Marx’s utopian ideals, how much money you have in your pocket has always been a talking point. Yet I can’t help but feel that as time has passed, the binaries with which we were previously comfortable have

'It seems that throughout history, society and especially the media, there are continuing binaries which place people in categories' revenue for himself. A 'goody' and a 'baddy' morphed into one man some might say. But it seems that throughout history, society and especially the

deepened, become more and more superficial and misrepresenting of what is really there.

The recent ITV show 7 Days On The Breadline

certainly did this. Allow me to explain. Four celebrities replaced a member of a low income household, documented their experiences, and after a week, they left. Oh wow, how utterly pointless and unhelpful in the long run for one party, but what a great career boost for the other.

Polar opposites like these seem to take leading roles in all forms of entertainment in which we engage, and it seems we are living in a reality which resembles a pantomime. The rich, the poor, the beautiful, the ugly, the good, the bad, the talented, the untalented; all are adjectives which don't portray the regularity of individuals. Perhaps this is why The Sun sells so many copies, or why The X Factor's viewing figures increase year upon year; we can only identify with parts of the characters created. Susan Boyle's story to stardom – from being yet another product of a reality TV show, to sitting on Oprah's sofa – takes quite a twist on my thesis, yet somehow

proves my point in the very same motion. The UK and the States took the largest gasp of shock when the Scot auditioned, and continued to succeed. The voting public couldn't seem to get used to the idea of not having an unattainable beauty with one hell of a voice.

Yes, it is true, Susan is no Leona Lewis, but boy can she hit a note. And so the world went crazy for this new species who managed to pick and mix binaries which so many people had comfortably snuggled with for years.

Of course as with all labels, stereotypes, and clichés, there always has to be some truth within them. There is beauty, badness and talent everywhere we look. But believing the ways that they interact with each other is, quite frankly, as believable as a man on stage, in tights and a wig bellowing 'oh yes he is'.

Features

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Uncertain results Seb Mann investigates the widening gap in attainment between white and black university students LAST week Channel 4 aired a show called Race and Intelligence: Science's Last Taboo, which discussed the relationship between race and IQ. Despite, in no uncertain terms, rejecting the belief that race determines intelligence, they came under criticism for apparently giving a platform to those who hold racially unacceptable views. The day after this show was broad-

not set them up appropriately for their degree and as a result they find it hard to keep up. Allan Ssesanga, the Ethnic Minority Students' Officer for the University of Birmingham's Guild of Students, highlights that 'university is a challenging place, especially somewhere as large as the University of Birmingham.' He points to issues such as culture shock, subtle racism and

Does ethnicity affect results? Photo: Tom Young cast an article appeared in the Guardian with the headline: 'White students do better than their Asian and black peers.' It pointed to a recent study carried out by The Equality Challenge Unit, which shows a gap between the proportion of white students achieving a first or 2:1 at degree level and the proportion of black and Asian students achieving the same. According to the study, which analyses official data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 66.4 per cent of white students achieved at least a 2:1 in the academic year 200708, compared to only 37.7 per cent of black students and 48.8 per cent of Asian students. Put in simpler terms this means that last year, nearly 7 out of 10 white students attained a first or 2:1, whereas barely 4 out of 10 black students and 5 out of 10 Asian students achieved the same.

But what are the reasons for this attainment gap? A clear picture is hard to come by. Considering how many ethnic minority students are international students, perhaps language has a role to play. Having a less sophisticated grasp of English could easily inhibit one's learning experience and thereby affect a degree mark, even in a non-language based subject such as maths.

Being from another country might also mean that the level of education a certain individual has received pre-university has

religious misconceptions as factors affecting many ethnic minority students.

Coupled with a lack of awareness of the services available to them at this University, he argues that these factors 'unsurprisingly adversely affect the performance of students irrespective of how bright and intelligent they are.'

However, does this encompass the full extent of the problem?

An issue raised by both the Channel 4 show and the Guardian article is the matter of teaching, and how this has an effect on the attainment gap.

Citing Dr. Felix Maringe, a lecturer in education at the University of Southampton, the Guardian article asks if different cultural environments affect learning styles. Maringe argues that in order to address the issue of the attainment gap uni-

66.4% 7 out of 10 of white students achieved at least a 2:1 in 2008

37.7% 4 out of 10 of black students achieved at least a 2:1 in 2008

48.8%

5 out of 10 of asian students achieved at least a 2:1 in 2008

versities need to 'invest time in learning about

cultural learning styles of black and Asian students and increase staff recruitment from minority backgrounds.' It seems that your ethnic background influences the ways in which you learn, a theory which is supported by claims made by Prof. Rema Reynolds of Azusa Pacific University. She highlights something she calls the 'white middle-class eurocentric paradigm' and points out how it operates in the education system.

Despite being cloaked in academic jargon, it essentially means that our western systems of education are based around, and cater predominantly for, the success of the ethnic majority. Those outside this paradigm face a wholly different challenge in the education system.

Perhaps this is it then: the reason there is an attainment gap is because those who come from different cultural backgrounds are not suited to our western modes of teaching.

However, wouldn't many black and Asian domestic students culturally identify themselves as British, which should therefore negate this cultural disparity when it comes to learning? How do we fully account for the attainment gap then?

Perhaps what this comes down to is a lack of depth of information.

The reasons for the attainment gap discussed seem only to help us in our understanding of why international students underachieve, not why ethnic minority students on the whole perform worse than white students. But perhaps this is it. Perhaps the attainment gap is not really a gap between the performance of black, Asian and white students but disparity between the achievement of white students and their international counterparts.

The information we have is just misleading; it fails to make clear what proportion of ethnic minority students are international students.

Though mildly speculative, I think this interpretation has merit in it. It may not explain entirely the reasons for the attainment gap, but it does give us a level platform from which to approach the issue with a view to narrowing the gap. Now surely that's a good thing?

Comment: In Brief

7

Go veggie to save the planet?

Jen Waghorn WOULD you go veggie to save the planet? Lord Stern, a leading environmentalist, recently claimed in an interview with the Times that one of the key solutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions would be for everyone to switch to a vegetarian diet.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, these comments have sparked outrage, anger and frustration from leading figures in the meat industry, who claim that Lord Stern has no idea about the efforts already being made to reduce the industry's carbon footprint. Duncan Fuller, a

prominent member of English Beef and Lamb Executive, stated that better livestock feed and selective breeding – as well as a bio-fertilisation system – are just some of the ecofriendly schemes already being implemented by the livestock industry.

3% of the UK population are Vegetarian

Lord Stern predicts that 'people's attitudes will evolve until meat eating becomes unacceptable' in the current climate of environmental awareness. But how likely is this statement?

In an online survey by The Times, 62 per cent of

people said they wouldn't give up meat, even if it would save the planet.

It looks as though the majority of people agree with this. One Birmingham student said: 'It's people who suggest things like giving up meat for the environment that put the "mental" in "environmentalist"'. While most of us wouldn't go as far as this student, perhaps Lord Stern needs to look at the eco-friendly changes the meat industry is trying to make before making sweeping statements like these in the future.

Has Bonfire night gone too far?

Laura Powell Anna Reynolds LEWES' annual bonfire night has been at the centre of several controversies in recent years. With the burning of effigies of political figures, including John Prescott and Gordon Brown, the 5th of November seems to be the date where many people flock to Sussex to demonstrate their outrage towards the British Government. Alongside political leaders, the display encourages a strong sense of anti-Catholicism, with chants of 'no popery' and gypsy-related abuse. Last year BBC News reported crowds of over 50,000

people at the display, where 400 police officers were present, making 10 arrests for anti-social behaviour and 5 people were hospitalised during the event.

Of course, we are not saying that fireworks or political activism should be abandoned, but the Lewes Bonfire Committee seem to be taking the tradition a step too far; the two should not go hand in hand.

The event has become the largest annual policing operation in Sussex. This year is set to be no exception: parents are being advised to leave young children at home due to the volume of crowds heading to the display.

5 People hospitalised 10 Arrests made 400 Police officers It is a shame that a night often catering for all the family is being disrupted by a few polluting elements. By all means voice your political concerns but perhaps not over a bonfire. We should leave that to Guy Fawkes.

Is Birmingham the best campus in Britain?

Tom Lane I HAVE seen an 'inspirational video' about the University of Birmingham, in which former Vice-Chancellor Michael Sterling appears with a beaming smile and makes the bold assertion that 'Birmingham has the best campus in Britain.'

Although it made me wonder whether the cameraman was holding a gun, I must agree with Sterling in some way: I love our campus unerringly.

It is magnificent. On my first day as a fresher, the most comforting thing I saw was students reading books under the trees on University Square. I felt as though I'd been parachut-

ed straight into a film set.

I could imagine, decades ago, these students slamming their work down to get up and join an unruly and unwashed mob protesting outside the Aston Webb over civil rights or nuclear disarmament.

There is an atmosphere around the whole place that speaks of everything good about university.

But the best campus in Britain?

After all, this is an establishment that commissioned the building of Chamberlain Tower and the Strathcona building.

Birmingham doesn't offer Architecture courses, a fact I like to reflect upon every time I set foot inside the Muirhead Tower, an edifice so structurally

unsound that it was shut for the last three years.

Worse yet, perhaps, is the Ashley building, which is

Birmingham has the only on campus railway station in the UK like a Soviet depot – I often wonder who designed it and why they were so depressed at the time.

Birmingham may not be number one, but it won't be far off. So next time you have to walk half a mile between lectures, try to enjoy the scenery.

And if you can think of anything to start protesting about, please form an unruly mob.

8 Features

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Is homophobia gay?

Clocking Off

Caroline Mortimer investigates sexuality-related abuse

Laura Hewitt

ON hearing that Norwich council were to hold its first gay pride event, a local pensioner wrote to the council saying that 'Sodomites' were 'the downfall of every empire,' their 'perverse sexual practices' spread disease and that one day they will all burn in hell. Of course, this story reflects the views and teachings of another generation, and the Guild of Students LGBT officer Matt Ward says he believes 'there have been huge strides in the last ten years.' However, there is still a long way to go until such views are completely eradicated.

A large part of the problem is education and the values that have bled through society from a more religious era. But if we consider a 2007 report by the rights group Stonewall, 92 per cent of young people have suffered verbal abuse and 41 per cent have been physically assaulted. A 2008 report said that 66 per cent of LGBT people would expect to face 'barriers' to becoming an MP and one in five suffer bullying in the workplace. This shows that the problem has not gone away even if the majority of the population are perfectly accepting and tolerant. The problem cannot continue to simply be swept away as the behaviour of 'a few extremists' because there are more than you may think: an Observer survey last year found that a quarter would recriminalize homosexuality.

There has been debate in America recently after Barack Obama proposed a bill to revoke the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy from 1993. This states that gay men and women can serve in the US Army as long as they remain in the 'closet', but the President believes 'we should

What is your opinion of homosexuals? Photo: Lucy Percival vember 2003.

The problem with policies such as these is that they sweep the issue under the carpet and make homosexuality a taboo, or 'unmentionable'. It makes young people, already suffering from the identity crises of being a teenager, believe they cannot come out because they don't believe they will be accepted.

Another concern about teenagers coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is that people don't really know how to react. A friend of mine who is gay told me that people tend to treat him as if it is an 'overriding part of [his] personality' and that some straight men think they can't talk to him because they believe that that will automatically make him fall in love with them.

This is of course ridiculous; as a straight woman I have had many close male friends my entire life and have never been in love with any of them, so why should gay men be different? This view has bred the 'fear of the

'The fact that homosexual men are still banned from giving blood serves as a reminder of a lingering intolerance in society' not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country.' This military policy shows that many people believe that homosexuality is something to be 'tolerated' rather than accepted. It cannot be forgotten that Section 28, prohibiting 'promoting homosexuality as acceptable', was only repealed in England and Wales in No-

other' which affects how many people see homosexual people. They mark out sexuality as a concept that makes people different. It is a vicious cycle that many teenagers are afraid to come out in high school because so many develop an incorrect idea of what a gay person is during these years. If they had more experience of gay people they would

realise that their sexuality is irrelevant to their personality and their beliefs, which is what they should be judged on exclusively.

Jan Moir's recent article that raised such a furore about Stephen Gately's death highlighted

66%

of LGBT people expect to face 'barriers' to becoming an MP

how incorrect and frankly bizarre some of the views of the anti-gay movement are. Jan Moir probably thought that what she was saying sounded sensible, [in her head] but to conclude that 'happy civil partnerships are a myth' simply because one person dies (given that statistically 10 per cent of the population are gay and 100 per cent of the population will at some point in their lives die); it is likely that these two happenings will coincide) is particularly idiotic and shows the lunacy of the anti-gay movement's reasoning. The church (in particular Roman Catholic) denounces homosexual relationships due to several passages in the Bible, particularly a passage in the Book of Leviticus that says: 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination.'

However, it also prohibits getting tattoos, eating shellfish and wearing clothes with mixed fabrics. If modern society has abandoned these principles then why can't we accept people who do us no harm and are just the same as everyone else in every other respect?

If Obama gets Congress to pass through the bill it will be a major step forward in getting proper 'acceptance' over 'toler-

ance' of homosexuality.

There are many people from all walks of life who are not homophobic; for example, the Catholic Church may be fundamentally homophobic but the majority of Christians probably believe in the love and acceptance their religion is supposed to teach. If you look at examples like the Moir article, about which 22,000 people complained, it shows that progress is being made, however it is naive to assume we are already there now. In a way Moir's article was a good thing because it got people talking about these issues.

The fact that homosexual men are still banned from giving blood serves as a reminder of a lingering intolerance in society, as the myth of HIV/ AIDS being 'a gay plague' has trickled down from the 80s to the present

80

countries in the world still criminalise homosexuality

day. However, this is now changing: the ban is 'under review' and more and more countries are recognising civil partnerships.

On 2nd July 2009, India's high court made it the 127th country to decriminalise homosexuality between consenting adults.

Yet there are still over 80 countries where homosexuality is illegal (it is also illegal in Northern Cyprus but legal in the South) and seven countries where it is punishable by death.

We have made great progress in the world but we cannot continue to brush the issues of homosexuality and homophobia aside and hope they will magically disappear.

THIS column is about orgies.

That got your attention, didn't it? I bet there are very few people who, flicking through the paper, would not stop to read those words. Maybe they've stopped reading by now.

But they read the first line, and they'll probably read the headline, and the by-line, and the caption, and have a look at the picture…

People are shallow – and time-strapped. We can feature the best articles in the world in this newspaper, but if we don't make them conducive to being read then they're not going to be.

We've had fun in the last two weeks introducing ways to make the section more attractive, such as pull-quotes, graphics and statistics.

We've sexed it up – and it's looking hotter each week. Let us know if there's anything else that would do it for you.

This is my idea of linguistic tomfoolery, by the way – but I'm keeping with the theme because this column really is about orgies.

Not the liberal, high-society, consenting adults type, but rather the prevalence of messy and humiliating drinkfuelled, prank-structured, male-dominated student nights still taking place at universities.

It suddenly doesn't sound quite as appealing, does it?

A friend of mine recently started at a Russell Group university and attended a night out hosted by her halls: a 'Miss –' competition.

By all accounts, it was less a frivolous American-inspired beauty pageant than a 'who'sthe-biggest-slut' contest.

The winner was crowned based on her dancing (fair enough) ability to put her legs behind her head (more risqué), and her willingness to lapdance topless (oh dear).

Less successful contestants were subject to even worse tasks to win approval. A row of guys were positioned with one shot each – in their butt-cracks. Drinks of piss and pubic hair were consumed. Blindfolded, one girl had a penis thrust at her mouth – hilarious for the onlooking lads perhaps, but not when the words 'assault' or 'herpes' are

mentioned.

Is this a kill-joy view to take of a night of student debauchery? It may be an exaggeration to call it an orgy, but in my mind real orgies are morally cleaner. There is no upper hand of power in a situation of multiple adults in the privacy of their own home. Far more sordid and sinister is a scenario organised by a group of older and/or male students within their own peer group – a peer group at a particularly vulnerable time in their lives. In a new place, in a strange place, with new (and strange) people, everybody is wanting to fit in, make friends and be popular.

What girl wouldn’t jump at the chance to be the centre of attention, stave off calls to 'man up' and be the one talked about as 'sexy' or 'cool' (both words used to describe the winner, apparently) or 'brave' and a 'good drinker'?

I find it sad that such juvenile peer pressure does not always disappear at university level. My friend knows her own mind; she has a boyfriend, doesn't like extreme drinking and therefore chose not to take part - but she was made to feel boring and prudish.

Luckily I have never experienced anything like this at Birmingham.

But I have heard rumours of similar things, particularly in the field of 'banned' sports initiations. Students will always get drunk and let off steam, and such rituals may be difficult to prevent. But if we don't 'ban' them, they'll very easily become 'cool' – and out of hand.

I call on anyone reading this who has been in a similar situation to stick to their guns. University is about bucking the trend and being uncool for a change. If you don't want to drink someone else's piss, then 'man up' and don't drink it.

It's not rocket science.

And everyone knows that keeping your top on in public generally earns you more respect than taking it off.

Really, everybody, orgies are just far more sophisticated.

Features

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Will we remember them?

9

As Remembrance Day approaches, Martin Theaker reflects on the first memorial day without a veteran THE names Oscar Hughes, Edmund Jacks and Raymond Lodge won't mean much to many people.

Hundreds of people walk past them every day and barely notice their presence. You will find their names alongside the dozens of other members of this University who gave their lives in both world wars on the memorial in the Aston Webb building.

The death of Harry Patch in July, at 111 years of age, marked the passing of the last British soldier who fought in the trenches of Belgium and France.

This means, among other things, that this year's Remembrance Sunday will be the first in the 91-year old tradition of the ceremony not to be attended by an army veteran.

Given this, the question arises over how much purpose there is in commemorating an event if there are no survivors left to appreciate it. It also raises the point of why the First World War is so special anyway. We don't even acknowledge World War Two in quite the same way, and many more peo-

ple were killed in that conflict. Besides, the situation that caused the Great War

was certainly a great deal different to that which we live in today. Britain itself

Poppies in November Photo: Laura Rainsford

was a completely different place: the seat of a vast global empire and almost the world's leading power. The lessons of war have eventually been learnt and something like that probably won't happen again. We can't remember every single historical event that proved unpleasant, and now the last 'Tommy' to whom we owe a debt has passed on.

Therefore, shouldn't we, as a nation, stop looking backwards and simply forget the events of the past?

In answer, there is a much-quoted clichĂŠ by the Spanish philosopher George Santayana: 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' The First World War has become etched in the national consciousness as an avoidable slaughter, a fact intensified by the idea that the Second World War was easier to identify in the sense of a struggle against evil. If anything, this makes the sacrifices of all those millions that bit more potent.

As a generation, we won't know what it's like to go

through an experience where every house, street and factory knows someone who has been killed defending their country and it's important to ensure that a repeat isn't needed to remind us of how it feels. People in the future will not understand the gravity of what can really go wrong if they are not exposed to something as poignant as the twominute silence. The point of the ceremony is to understand the horrors of war by remembering the fallen. If we forget, we run the risk not only of the situation recurring but also assisting those who would abuse history for selfish

ably a rather blatant 'no', but it is precisely the fact that it is so obvious even after almost a century that shows the depth of feeling held for Remembrance Sunday. This isn't a cop-out; it's pretty much impossible to argue otherwise.

As long as wars continue we need to remind ourselves periodically of the worst experiences to ensure that the lessons stay learnt. There are still three known veterans left; as long as they are still alive, memorial services are certainly relevant.

The new challenge for the twenty-first century will be firstly to make sure

'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it' ends. To an extent, who won is not so important.

In the words of Mr. Patch himself: 'Let us remember our brethren who fell - on both sides of the line.'

The answer to the question of whether we should move on is prob-

that our generation continues the tradition and secondly to make sure that the national memory stays free from political abuse. In that way, maybe the sacrifice won't have been for nothing.

A strike a day keeps the post away Anna Reynolds and Laura Powell ask some serious questions about the current strikes 'DID you get your card?'

'What card?' Anybody who has had a birthday over the last few months has probably been on the receiving end of countless apologetic telephone calls.

But of course, the absence of birthday cards, parcels and other items sent using the Royal Mail is not the fault of the sender but the inconvenience associated with the postal strikes. With

duce spending and prevent the company falling into further debt. The Royal Mail's pension fund is now apparently at a deficit of ÂŁ10 billion.

Those in support of privatising the Government-owned business argue that this is an essential move to keep it profitable and of use to the tax payer. Over recent years the increasing use of electronic communication has lead to a drop in

'The question is whether the strikes are of absolute necessity in the eyes of the British public.' paid-for goods and sentimental birthday wishes at stake, it begs the question whether the action taken by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) is one of absolute necessity in the eyes of the British public.

The heavily documented strikes revolve around growing fears of significant job losses.

These have arisen from plans to modernise the Royal Mail in order to re-

the traditional methods of sending personal letters and paying bills via the post, which sparked original proposals for cutbacks.

Union workers have become increasingly outraged by the Royal Mail's employment of over 30,000 temporary workers, who they claim are merely helping to clear up the backlog of post caused by the strikes and the extra burden of the

Christmas rush. However, the Union sees this overrecruitment of untrained agency workers as going against the law, which states that it is a criminal offence for agencies to provide workers to do the job of employees who are out on strike. The Royal Mail maintains that they are within their rights, making it difficult to accuse them of any wrongdoing.

General opinion of the ongoing strikes has been one of increasing frustration amongst the general population. The major online retailer Amazon was forced to cancel their Royal Mail contract amongst fears that preChristmas orders would not arrive with customers.

Students are particularly annoyed at the disruption the strikes are causing.

English student Honesty Darkes ordered a printer from the internet auction site Ebay at the beginning of term and is still waiting for it to arrive. 'I emailed the suppliers asking if they could use an alternative delivery service.

However, this would have meant me paying an additional cost which I wasn't

prepared to do. I now wish I had!' Sales advisor and student Sophie Sturley, told us of recent cases where orders at a well known department store, have been severely delayed and money has been lost on Royal Mail recorded deliveries: 'I just hope this will all be over soon, I can’t deal with anymore customer complaints!'

This begs the question: is striking an effective form of protest?

While union workers on the picket line outside Royal Mail depots across the country feel that they

have been provoked to rebel in such a way, it would seem that the public are not fully behind them. The CWU stress the importance of a united voice and defend their actions by saying that they are not being listened to by the management.

Discussions between the Union leaders and Royal Mail leaders have so far not resolved any issues.

There also appears to be a discrepancy over the actual sales figures and turnover generated by Royal Mail. Others argue that by striking, the work-

ers are undermining the strength of the company as well as the surrounding business community, with a particular knock-on effect to small firms who provide services for the Royal Mail.

Although an unlikely possibility, there is still a chance that continued strikes will cause the public to turn away from the Royal Mail permanently.

This could result in the end of a company that has served the British public for 360 years.

A necessary evil? Postal strikes are affecting everyone Photo: Laura Rainsford

10 Film

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Opening Credits

Cracks

Alex Jacques spends some time with ex Bond girl Eva Green.

Alex Jacques Rosie Willmot A rather snobbish journalist peered down her rather unshapely nose at the Film Festival - 'So what on earth is a Birmingham University paper doing here?' Well, we'll tell you what. This isn't the usual cynical PR approved coverage; this is unique subjective coverage of the country's biggest film festival.

During the three weeks we amassed interviews with a huge selection of stars. Oscar winners George Clooney, Emma Thompson, Kevin Spacey and Ridley Scott all said hello. Indie types Jason Swarztman, Wes Anderson, Bill Murray, Jason Reitman, Eva Green, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga moodily nodded in our direction, and the bright young things of

the industry like Juno Temple, Carey Mulligan and Romloa Garai all enthused bright eyed at us.

We also observed the military organisation that is a PR team swarming about a red carpet, doing their best not to be seen, and trying to mouth 'wind it up' whilst thousands of fans scream at their heroes; and most amusingly of all, the fact the red carpet is held, rather poorly, in place with duct tape. Also, as if this isn't enough, Redbrick Online will soon be teeming with extra coverage, and we'll actually be recording a real heavy-weight podcast discussing the madness behind the scenes, and informing you what your favourite actors and directors are really like in person. We hope you enjoy the 53rd London Film Festival.

Up In The Air

'Sorry Sir, there's no ticket for you to view the film; if you'd like to proceed upstairs to the bar for the interviews.' What an odd sentence, being told you can't view a film at the London Film Festival. Surely that is the very point of the festival -you wouldn't amble down to Munich in October to be told 'there's no beer, fancy meeting the brewers?' The strangeness of this occurrence doesn't trouble me for too long; your mind gets distracted when a Bond girl walks in to the room.

Cracks is the tale of a boring school's glamor-

and that was great to explore as an actress'.

And the different nature of working with a female director for the first time?

'Jordan was great, always offering ideas; she had a real focus on characters compared to other directors I've worked with.'

At the helm of the film is a rather famous surname in terms of direction, yet it isn't who you'd expect: Jordan, Ridley's daughter, didn't seem too phased about the step-up, according to her dangerously famous father. 'I was on the set as producer for one day, just the one day, and I was almost

'At the end of the day she said 'time for you to go Dad' ous swimming teacher, who takes an interest in a new Spanish pupil. The girls at the school (a raft of young British acting talent including Juno Temple) take this rather badly, and the new girl suddenly disappears.

Was it a part Green enjoyed?

'Absolutely, there is a brash confidence about her [the character], yet also a naivety

like a dad on the first day of school, arching my neck and the like looking at nothing in particular', he smiles, glass of expensive champagne in hand.

'Of course she's done hundreds of sophisticated adverts, so there really wasn't a lot to tell her; she came across towards the end of the day and said 'probably time for you to go Dad', and that's a good

thing because once you start with directing, you're in the water on your own, you're covering everything from the script to shoelaces.'

Jordan Scott is reveling in the limelight of her debut feature and is wearing a smile a mile wide. Was it always this simple on set? 'Well in many ways directing is like being a conductor; you've got a million things to look after, yet the things are the most wonderful talented people'.

Someone chances a question about being in the shadow of her father,

which is met with a tilt of the head; it's apparent she's been asked that question frequently. 'It's not a question of a shadow, it's a massive bonus, there's nothing he hasn't encountered or hasn't seen, so he's just great to go to, there's no pressure.

He's always told me just to keep to my vision and to carry on, to plough through.' It is at this point Ridley comes over and informs us all of how proud he is of his daughter, and they wander into the screening.

Cracks is released on December 4th.

Glorious 39 Alex Jacques marvels at Britains new leading lady, Romola Garai.

'I start with the sound track, it's the most important part for me, and it changes from day to day'

Jason Reitman

'I once missed a flight and got a call saying 'you have eight hours or we're replacing you'

Anna Kendrick

'I heard that George played pranks, but he didn't look too amused at the cling-filmed toilet seat in his trailer'

Vera Farmiga

Director of Glorious 39 Stephen Poliakoff hasn't been a happy chap for a while. 'I was just very frustrated that you'd spend months on a feature, it would then receive great reviews in London, but no one would distribute it, and even if you had a hit no one in the bloody country would see it.' The strop with the British film industry has lasted a decade and forced a long exile into the barren wastes of television, but now with every toy dispatched from the pram, Poliakoff returns with a drama that reveals uncom-

fortable facts about the Conservative government of the late 30s.

The details – that factions of the party, including leader Neville Chamberlain, wanted to appease Hitler with a huge pay-off to leave old Blighty alone – aren't uninteresting, they do however belong more in a Simon Schama history-smug fest than a piece of cinematic entertainment.

In a quest to add cinematic value Poliakoff does two things: firstly, the basic narrative that the lead is the adopted daughter of a prominent

government minister (Nighy), who one day discovers a government recording in the barn; secondly, he turns it into a highbrow Midsomer Murders, and you'd be half expecting a heinous Iceland advert with the fat women, if it wasn't for a spellbinding turn from Romola Garai as protagonist Anne.

Without exaggeration, Garai is staggeringly good in a film laden with established talent, to her credit. At no point do you feel like you're watching an actor. It's a truly immersive performance, the sheer transparent horror as her character understands what the audience has known all along, is what the big screen is made for. 'It's not just about me, it was just a great privilege working

Towards the final half hour the film feels stretched, spoiling the great tension Poliakoff garners with wide shots of symbolic distance with Anne, minute, caught within the centre of them.

The screen plays a sequence of events, suffering from one set piece too many in the final edit.

The strength of the picture is its basis as a character drama; the cast deliver spirited performances, Hugh Boneville making the most of every second he is granted on screen, unlike David Tenant, in the film for three minutes, who overacts to the point of laughter (as a rebelling Scottish MP) and still had the nerve to dance around the red carpet like a five year old; the man's had enough

'Even if you had a hit no one in the country would see it' with everyone, you really have some extraordinary actors on screen.' A modest Garia shivers, clearly underestimating the temperature to short dress ratio.

limelight in the last three years without stealing someone else's. Without a doubt, Glorious 39 is the film that announces Romola Garai as a great British lead actress.

Film

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

The Road

11

Rosie Willmot wanders off the beaten track to talk to Viggo Mortensen and screeenwriter Joe Penhall

A Film premise doesn't get much bleaker than this. 'The Man' and 'The Boy' (both nameless throughout) struggle to survive in a world barely recognisable as planet Earth, ridden with death, disaster and misery.

Human company is shunned for fear of cannibalism, and real food is scarce, because nothing grows any more. Children are rare, having all been killed by disease, roaming gangs, or their own parents. Hopes of survival are just that - hopes, with no way of knowing for sure that tomorrow will not be your last day in the world that 'God has turned

his back on.' Reviews tell us that this is one of the most miserable yet hauntingly beautiful films you will see this decade, so go prepared to cry your eyes out.

The screenplay is based on Cormac Mcarthy's novel that consists mainly of 'The Man's' thoughts, but has been compiled and refined fantastically by screenwriter Joe Penhall, so that we hear what we need to hear, and nothing more.

Penhall, when discussing how he adapted the novel, says 'My usual bag of tricks like dialogue and plot weren't quite so relevant, it was all about the

environment and the landscape; I really enjoyed relying on these epic vistas without relying at all on character conversation.'

McCarthy's novels are popular worldwide (a recent adaption was 2007’s No Country for Old Men, directed by the Coen brothers), so it was important for Penhall to remain true to the original story.

'The Man' and 'The Boy' are heading for the coast, seeing it as an end to the bleak stretches of boundless, lifeless landscape.

What will they do when they get there? Well, they haven't worked that out yet, but that isn't the

Paper Heart

Love in the Time of Documentary- Rosie Willmot takes afternoon tea with actress Charlyne Yi and director Nick Jasenovec film to people? Is it a love story or a documentary?

CY- Well, when people ask what it is, I just tell them.

It's a mixture - a lot of the characters are fake, but the interviews we do with people are real.

Photo: Rosie Willmot How did you end up coming together for the film?

CY- We met through a mutual friend, and we made a couple of films, which we've never shown anyone and never got finished..

NJ- We shot a short film for Judd Apatow, which he producedCY- We did?

NJ- Yeah, we did. She had the same reaction to this yesterday.. Anyway, we made this short film, and Michael [Cera] was in that too, so we all knew each other already.

How do you describe the

How would you react to critics' comments that the film is transparent, when referring to how you merge the film's fictional and truthful elements?

CY- I think the purpose of trying to make it seem like it's jarring between fictional and documentary is to prevent people from thinking it's all real.

For the purpose of storytelling we wanted it to be fun, but it was interesting to do it as a documentary.

It would be interesting to be the focal point to fall in love first-hand though..

Do you think you did find out what love was, not just from a fictional perspective?

CY- I got lots of different

point of the story. As the title implies, the film is about the journey itself, and the stunted but hopeful growth of concepts like love, trust and loyalty, so vital to maintaining our human nature, but arguably forgotten in the world we live in today.

Indeed, the film provokes some disturbing questions about what you would do in this seemingly futile situation.

Would you find a quick and easy way out, as 'The Man's' wife does early in the film? Or would you fight to find salvation?

And even if you did, as 'The Woman' points out: 'How would you survive, and why?'

The two protagonists are played beautifully by Eastern Promises' Viggo Mortenson, and 11-yearold actor, Kodi SmitMcPhee. When asked how such a young actor could be protected from the hideous events of the film, Mortensen suggests that it is Smit-McPhee's natural ability as a child to look past the judgments that cloud the adult mind, and see only 'the good guys, and the bad guys.' He says 'Kodi was extraordinary - he would be joyful every day at work, like a kid, and he

Nick, why did you get someone else to play your character?

NJ- I'm not an actor, I'm just really bad. I acted once in a film, and it was a nice way to experience what the actors are going through, but I hated it.

What's next for you both?

NJ- I don't think we'll do something like this again; we created a lot more work for ourselves than if we'd just written a script.

CY- This was fun; and we met so many people. I'm not allowed to talk about my other stuff though.

'When I saw that little boy, I thought I'd died. He's an angel'; to which 'The Man' replies 'He is an angel.

He's a god.'

'The journey was difficult, but it had to be that way to earn what happens at the end, which I think is very uplifting.' about the world that was, only what I tell him or show him in picture books, so [the father-son dynamic] was really interesting to play. Adults have accumulated a lot of doubt, regrets and nostalgia, whereas kids are just there.' Because of this, 'The Boy' becomes the one bright hope not just of the film, but of the postapocalyptic world. 'The Old Man', whom the couple meet as they wander down a lonely lane, says

Photo: Rosie Willmot

Other characters that dip in and out of the narrative are brief, but fantastic. Garrett Dillahunt portrays a cold and vicious killer so articulately, that one remains on edge for his entire scene; and Molly Parker's sympathetic and motherly character comes as such a welcome relief from all the misery that many people left the cinema in floods of tears.

As Mortensen said, 'The journey was difficult, but it had to be that way to earn what happens at the end, which I think is very uplifting.'

This film is quite literally stunning, both in terms of cinematography, and in its emotional depth and range. If you see anything next year, make it The Road.

The Road is out on 8th of January 2010.

An Education

Some of Rosie Willmot's favourite quotes from the red-carpet premier of the star-studded British film in cinemas now

perspectives; I don't think there's necessarily one answer to what love is. .

What was the purpose of the paper puppets in the film?

CY- I used to use a lot of puppets in other work I've done; I like to see what I'm hearing, instead of hearing something that contradicts the image.

could just focus and deliver what his character required; the sorrow, the doubt, the fear. 'The Boy' doesn't know anything

whereas steady.

books

are

so

Emma Thompson RW- Who did you draw inspiration from to play the headmistress?

Nick Hornby RW- Did you work closely with Lynn Barber [the author of the autobiographical novel An Education is based on] when adapting her story?

NH- I talked to her about it and showed her the draft, but we didn't work that closely. We both knew it would have to change to become a film, and she was ok with that.

She was a valuable resource when it came to period detail though.

RW- Has script-writing taken over from fiction writing?

NH- For me? Oh, no. It's such a mad world, film;

ET- I drew my inspiration mostly from Hitler, which worked well, actually. It was great fun to play, because she's just so vile.

I really want to play a villain again now, maybe a Bond villain. God knows I'm not going to be a Bond girl.

Dominic Cooper RW- You seem to have based your career on British films, would you ever want to break away from that and move to Hollywood?

DC- Get me there quickly.

[Laughs] No, I've been very lucky with the films I've done, especially this one - you read the dialogue and you understand it immediately, and that is such a gift as an actor, because it comes along so

rarely. I'm happy to do anything of that... what's the word... ilk? Or is that an animal?

RW- That's an elk..

DC- Oh yes, so it is.

[Laughs again]

Carey Mulligan RW- What's it like to get your first major role?

CM- It didn't feel like a lead, I was part of an ensemble. I felt supported by an amazing cast and brilliant writing, and a director who I'd drop everything for to work with. I loved it, I had the best time.

RW- What made you decide to cut your hair?

CM- Oh, it wasn't my decision. I had it dyed peroxide for my part in Public Enemies, then it all died, so I had it cut off. It needed a fresh start, I think.

Read a review of An Education now, at redbrickonline.co.uk/film

12 Film

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

A Christmas Carol

Harry Brown

Izzy Sanders

Rob Watts

Director: Robert Zemickis Cast: Jim Carrey, Bob Hoskins Certificate: PG

Director: Daniel Barber Cast: Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer Certificate: 18

Whether it's via Michael Caine and the Muppets or Scrooge McDuck, many know this as the perfect story of redemption, and as one ready to be brought to a new generation of Christmas lovers.

A Christmas Carol is brought to you by Robert Zemeckis, the brains behind recent motion capture adaptations The Polar Express and Beowulf; films famous more for their technological accomplishments than the capabilities of their actors.

However, we finally have a motion capture movie with the emphasis on the acting.

Since Jim Carrey inhabits the role not only of Ebenezer Scrooge but also the three ghosts that haunt him, you might worry that the entire film will turn into a massive Eddie Murphy-style act-

Michael Caine has made a lot of films, and in Harry Brown he gives a performance that confirms his status as one of the greatest British actors ever. He plays an old man and exRoyal Marine who decides to seek revenge on his London estate for the brutal murder of his best and only friend Leonard.

Playing like a British Gran Torino or Falling Down, we watch as Harry slowly turns from a quiet chess-playing pensioner to an all-out vigilante taking down drug dealers and other nasty gang-folk through a series of violent and tense scenes.

First-time director Daniel Barber displays a deft hand behind the camera, particularly when establishing the tone of the film in the opening scene. Society has deteriorated and drugged-up

ing orgy. However, the many faces of Carrey are supported by a glowing cast of well-loved British actors, including the raucous Bob Hoskins and the unbeatable spirit of Gary Oldman.

The visuals are stunning, not just the excellent detailing on the character of Scrooge, but also the dizzying vistas over Victorian London. Despite the unavoidable moments of saccharine cliché (primarily involving cockney urchins), there were many genuinely frightening and unsettling scenes. The wistful (and inexplicably Irish) Ghost of Christmas

Past and the grimly silent and ever-present spectre of the Ghost of Christmas Future serve to balance the overall message of love and acceptance against a dark and gritty backdrop.

VERDICT A Christmas Carol is not just a story for Christmas.

If you watch it, ready for the joys of the season, sucking a mint humbug and planning your Christmas list, then this film will make you totally engaged with a big grin on your face.

youths in hoodies run amok, vandalising cars and messing around with guns. Harry turns and deals out punishment in a fashion reminiscent of the café scene in A History of Violence. There is no let up. Once Harry becomes a vigilante, death is always waiting around the corner.

The filth of the estate consists of a few familiar faces, including Jack O'Connell of Skins. Emily Mortimer appears as a concerned police officer who takes a vested interest in Harry and the case of his dear friend, but the character and subplot are so underdeveloped that it

is hard to really engage with them. However, when the film is about Harry, all flaws are forgotten as we identify and begin to urge him on, posing uneasy questions.

Tension reaches its climax in the final pub scene that guarantees hearts will be in mouths.

VERDICT Michael Caine is once again on top form in this powerful film that deals with the destruction of modern society under the veil of one man's mission to rid his home of the scum that has come to pollute it.

Silverscreen

Justified existence

Jennifer Brown revisits the 70s, and experiences the magic of Grease on the big screen

Neil Chanchlani examines the mastery of Jason Schwartzman

A QUESTION formed in my mind whilst sat in the uncomfortable auditorium: how many people my age have seen Grease at the cinema? The answer: not many, but there I was, sat watching the timeless musical on the big screen and feeling like it was the first time I had ever watched it. Grease first graced the screens in 1978 and is considered one of the best films of all time.

Although I doubt there is anyone that hasn't enjoyed the music and the dancing, Grease is about a group of seniors at Rydell High School and the events of their final year. Shown via a number of fun-filled songs, Grease mirrors teenage life in a way that no other musical does. Unlike certain other

This guy is weird. And not in the 'I'm funny, intelligent, but completely unconventional' kind of weird, moreso in the 'creepy-looking short guy with long hair, and rocking a Cindy Crawfordesque mole' kind of weird.

Oh yeah, and he could easily be mistaken for a stalker or sexual predator. Although he may be all of these things, first and foremost, he is one brilliant addition to the indie film-scene.

Jason Schwartzman has constantly proven himself worthy of an audience's attention, starring as the leading actor in prominent films such as Rushmore, I Heart Huckabees, and The Darjeeling Limited.

Although his specialty is 'that quirky guy', he is no

school-based musicals, Grease shows the more gritty side to teenage life: smoking, drinking and having sex, which we can't deny is what we really got up to.

The characters all bring something of their own to the film. Whilst watching John Travolta, I felt slightly overwhelmed as to how good-looking he was in his young days.

Olivia Newton-John brought a naïve sweetness to the film and Rizzo and Kenickie embodied all the rebelliousness that the film is about. The rest of the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies are there to make us laugh, and the people in the cinema laughed as though they'd never heard those jokes before. I could hear people singing along to all

the best songs and it just reminded me about how classic this film is.

We can see how timeless Grease is all around us. Most club nights feature the Grease Megamix, people want to dress as the characters for fancy dress and it is always being played on TV. Grease feels like the original teen musical. It's paved the way for the well-received High School Musical, which has a rather similar storyline, but with less snogging.

Everyone knows all the words to Hopelessly Devoted and You're The One That I Want, and my personal favourite moment is when Travolta reaches for that high note in Summer Lovin'.

stranger to an eclectic variety of roles. From playing a drug addict in Spun, to Louis XVI in Marie Antoinette, to the voice of Ash in his latest conquest The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Schwartzman brings diversity to a whole new level.

Having never been a stranger to outstanding director Wes Anderson, the two have been coupled together as director and actor on four of Anderson's eight movies; this dynamic duo always leaves the audience wanting more. Typical of his acting (and real life) style, in his 2007 box-office hit, The Darjeeling Limited, when asked by another character, 'What's wrong with you?', Schwartzman replies, 'Let me think about that. I'll tell you the

next time I see you.'

Although he may be hard to miss (standing at a height of only 5"6'), his presence never is.

Schwartzman has developed into a triple threat over the last few years, tapping into the media industry whole-heartedly as not only an actor, but a musician and television star as well. Having been former member of the band Phantom Planet, the band that devised The OC theme song California (don't worry, we'll forgive you for that one, Jason), Schwartzman has now gone solo with the release of his two albums: Nighttiming and Davy.

Schwartzman, we salute you.

Film

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Top Ten: Adaptations Mike Brownlee It is pretty easy to spot that in recent years Hollywood has become less original than it once was. Film execs are becoming more reliant on remakes, sequels and adaptations.

However, Hollywood has long depended on the world of literature for ideas to put on the big screen. So, let's count down the best.

A controversial inclusion?

I'm a big fan of the books and I think this is the only one they do justice to.

8) Fight Club It deserves to be in every Top Ten: Brad Pitt and Ed Norton are perfect as Chuck Palahnuik's characters; actually, make that character.

9) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

7 7) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Hunter S. Thompson's 'savage journey into the heart of the American dream' inspired some of Terry Gilliam's finest work as a director.

6) A Clockwork Orange

9

6 5) The Beach A dark, twisted book that was brought superbly to the big screen by Danny Boyle and Leonardo DiCaprio.

10) The Shawshank Redemption A terrific film based on a great book, but it wasn't the most faithful of adaptations. However, you could argue that that doesn't matter, and I'd agree with you.

century, adapted into a cult classic by Stanley Kubrick.

One of the most controversial books of the 20th

4) Atonement

4 A wealth of British talent turned Ian McEwan's novel into an unforgettable film.

2) The Lord of the Rings trilogy Literary fans are famously hard to please. Peter Jackson must have known he'd succeeded when 99.9 per cent of Tolkien fans praised his efforts in making this tremendous trilogy.

Oscar-laden, and deserv-

1

Alex Parker Winter is upon us, and winter means Awards Season. With the news this week that Hugh Jackman has declined to present the 2010 Oscars, the field is open to new talent. Who will it be?

The internet is hot with rumours that Ricky Gervais is next in line to don the tux and carry the gold envelopes, but personally I'd love to see the

a

In my opinion, this is the perfect example of how to adapt a well-loved classic novel into a film. Director Robert Mulligan brilliantly transferred the feel of Lee's novel onto the big screen, and Gregory Peck was the ideal casting choice for the iconic Atticus Finch.

3) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Film News

edly so. Ken Kesey's tragic novel was turned into one of the most powerful films of the 1970s whilst remaining largely loyal to the original text.

1) To Kill Mockingbird

13

return of Billy Crystal as host and return to the glory days of the Oscars.

Twilight is back (nearly) and it's time to declare your allegiance.

Head over to Facebook to choose whether you're with Team Edward or Team... that other guy who turns into a wolf or something.

Looking to the future it was confirmed this week that Ethan Cohen,

writer of the brilliant Tropic Thunder, is set to pen the script for Men In Black III, and rumours are rife that Will smith is ready to don the Ray Bans one more time as Agent Jay. Let's keep our fingers crossed that Tommy Lee Jones will also return, and pray that it will be an improvement on the disappointing MIB II. Something for the ladies: Tony Scott will be directing a film based on the success of the male stripping phenomenon The Chippendales; basically like 300 but with not as much killing and a lot more baby oil.

Something for the lads: Sin City 2 begins filming in 'the second half of 2010'; so after years of rumours and teasing from Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez, it looks like the project is finally happening.

14 Editorial

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

REDBRICK EDITORIAL

Please send all letters to letters@redbrickonline.co.uk. Letters/emails for publication must be marked 'for publication' and include your name and course title. Letters without these details will not be published. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Nick Petrie IT is only the first week of November and already I have heard that students are wandering into the Guild letting agent SHAC looking for houses. The SHAC's letting lists are not yet open and won't open until the 1st of December and there is a very good reason for this – there is no rush to get a house. It is often a very difficult message to communicate to first years – the fear of not getting a house is a strong one and yet totally unfounded – you could stride into any of the letting agents in Selly Oak today and rent a house beginning now. The panic is often onset by a few contributing factors; landlords setting up groups on Facebook for their houses, rumours circulating amongst first years that have the ability to grow out of control and the desire for a 'quality' house.

Editor Nick Petrie Deputy Editors Jessica Tarrant Nadine Baldwick Online Editor Pete Blakemore Treasurer Rosie Aggett Pictures Editor Thomas Walters Chief Photographer Tom Flathers t.flathers@redbrickonline.co.uk

Combine all of these and you are not far away from mass hysteria (well OK, maybe you are) but the students who look early have weaker positions.

There are more houses than students need in Selly Oak, on Pershore road and in Harbourne. As such we should be the negotiators, driving down rents, getting bills included and agreeing refurbishments and improvements to be made before moving in. Landlords need to rent 'their' house, you may choose any that your heart desires (again maybe a little hyperbole). The point being that by signing on a house in November – even December – you are wasting fantastic opportunities to play 'hard arse negotiator' and score you and your housemates a real deal. It is so frustrating to see students walk into a situation where they end up dealing with sub-standard houses paying stupidly high rents. Have you also thought that

News Editors Becky Shewell Ned Murray Natalie Vincent news@redbrickonline.co.uk

Music Editors Erica Vernon Alex Spencer music@redbrickonline.co.uk

Features Editors Laura Hewitt Jude Hill features@redbrickonline.co.uk

Arts & Culture Editors Jess Kim Sam Langtree Robert Gardham arts@redbrickonline.co.uk

Lifestyle Editors Jessica Geary Alex Beard lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk

Television Editors Natalie Timmins Matthew Williamson tv@redbrickonline.co.uk

Film Editors Alex Jacques Rosie Willmot film@redbrickonline.co.uk

Sport Editors Tom Clarke Ben Whitelaw Simon Hall sport@redbrickonline.co.uk

you should be thinking about crime and other such factors when looking for a house? It may influence you choice of road or location, whether in Selly Oak, on Pershore Road or in Harbourne. Crime as a whole is no more a problem than in other areas in other cities, yet certain types of crime (such as burglaries) are focused on Selly Oak because criminals know that students are bad at locking their doors and windows, and that they are likely to do quite well in a student house. A house of six tends to mean six iPods, six laptops, six mobiles – you get the picture.

The point is that you are better off waiting and if everyone waits then we are all better off because then we can dictate terms to the landlords.

Finally it should be remembered that the Guild has a lot of expertise in this area, advice can be sought from the ARC, from the SHAC and the Community

Crossword Editor Sephron Mansell Editorial Assistants Natasha Williams Jonathan Gilbert Anna Reynolds Victoria Shires Head Copy Editor Felix Rehren Copy Editors Kate Ashley Lisa Birchall James Cull Sian Evans Rebecca Gresley-Jones Rachael Hewison Josie Lacey Dani Rosen

n.baldwick@redbrickonline.co.uk

Warden scheme.

All contact information is available from the Guild website. You can also contact the Housing and Community Officer Ed Sparkes at vphc@guild.bham.ac.uk

Apologies & Clarifications

Apologies to Lesley Stewart who was incorrectly named as the 'Vale Manger' in an article last week. The Vale manager is Alison Mear and Lesley Stewart is General Manager for student accommodation.

Last week, we put William Hunter down as writer of the Top 40 albums entry for Lostprophets - Start Something. It was in fact the lovely Louisa Robinson.

Will claims 'he would never say those things about Lostprophets – they're rubbish...'

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Copyright (C) Redbrick 2009 Redbrick strives to uphold the NUJ Code of Conduct. The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error of fact in our pages, please write to the Editor. Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropriate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication.

To contact us: Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TU 0121 251 2462 editor@redbrickonline.co.uk www.redbrickonline.co.uk Advertising: Contact Aimee Fitzpatrick in Guild Marketing on 0121 251 2524 or a.fitzpatrick@guild. bham.ac.uk Redbrick is printed through www.quotemeprint.com: 08451 300667.

16 Arts & Culture

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Theatre

Dreams of Violence @ The REP Nicole Zandi DESPITE the extremity of the dysfunctional family, director Feehily keeps the audience recoiling in horror with this witty, touching and contemporary play. The story combines the collapse of the economy, the collapse of cheekbones and the collapse of family life with remarkable ease in a pool of Freudian melodrama.

The responsibility of dealing with an alcoholic mother, senile father, drug-addicted son and adulterous husband, with the backdrop of social revolution, rests uneasily on Hildy's shoulders. Interludes of psychologically disturbing dreams show her underlying bitterness, which not only characterises her; but also as the title suggests, is the premise of the whole play. The real drama locates itself ultimately in the subconscious desires of each of the characters, rendered in intimate scenes of personal monologues and brilliant dramatic scenes between characters.

Nonetheless, the play grips tight to its sense of

laugh-out-loud humour, as elevated scenes of comedy cure others of extreme sadness. The actors were able to transgress through these varying scenes with realistic believability.

The director effectively laid dialogue on top of each other, which extended the clashing atmosphere that the play attempted to create. The modest set, of a white semi-circular wall with an inbuilt cupboard,

worked well, as the actors wheeled on and dragged off props.

The dialogue was fantastic, with the actors giving a remarkable performance, albeit on a small stage. But it was this simplicity that really helped make the play so effective.

Photo courtesy of The REP

Pride & Prejudice @ The REP Becky White & Shakira IT is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride and Prejudice is perhaps the most famous of Austen's novels, with the most widely recognised opening lines.

The play used the stage effectively to create vast amounts of humour with chairs being used as portrait frames. The dining table was served by waiters with already attached plates, cups, and cutlery.

As the scenes progressed from the residence of the Bennett's, to Mr Bingley's, to Lady Catherine's and finally to Pemberley, additional chandeliers were descended to epitomise

the growth of wealth.

I loved the character of Mrs Bennett who was amusing; she was full of energy, hypocrisy, and slightly selfish tendencies with her preoccupation at the matchmaking of her daughters, but a great contrast to her husband's dry humour and dripping sarcasm.

Elizabeth Bennett was portrayed very well, a true likeness to Austen's novel.

She was confident with a hint of pride, and fearless in her scenes alongside Mr Darcy. Mr Darcy himself had the smouldering air, although it was somewhat dissipated by the fact many of his lines were mumbled and lost in the vast auditorium.

The second half of the play was considerably more engaging than the first half; being the opening night the actors/actresses took a short while to warm up and it wasn't until after the interval that I felt they really hit their stride. It was only Lydia, the annoying younger sister who was portrayed excellently for the entire duration. The actresses' use of mannerisms, facial expressions and nuances of character took the play from being a good one to a great one.

A solo violin was the continuing thread that linked the scenes together and added to the general ambiance of the play, it was also well incorporated into the frequent dance scenes.

I thoroughly enjoyed the play, it had a good dose of romance, humour and drama and is of course Austen's defence that not marriage, but a marriage of love is the only honourable profession for a woman of small fortune.

Elizabeth and Darcy shall be forever renewed in drama as the romantic ideal.

Photo courtesy of The Alexandra

Arty Debate The concept or the craft: Art as a pretentious idea, Art as aesthetic beauty?

Concept comes first Sian Grey IT'S 1917 and Duchamp presents a piece of conceptual art for an exhibition that claims to present all work submitted.

It is named 'Fountain' but in reality it is just a urinal and apparently is not art either. It is rejected from the exhibition and later lost. The urinal is now considered to be one of the most influential pieces of modern art of all time.

The argument for the validity that conceptual art is a notable art form is one that has been debated for decades. Damien Hirst, known for his suspended dead animals, has recently hung his paintings in the traditional Wallace Collection. He has been met with immeasurable abuse yet remains the wealthiest living artist.

JMW Turner was criticised for his radical new methods of painting but his name now reflects one of the most prestigious contemporary art competi-

tions in the world.

Conceptual art is a microcosm of society.

It demonstrates change, which is not always immediately liked. It displays not a final product, which is expected, but the process taken to

A piece of pretentious wank or genius?

Craft always wins get there. It is enigmatic and thus wrongly accused of being illogical. It questions what art is and acknowledges its flaws; it is insecure and unstable and it is this, which the modern audience cannot comprehend. With so much in today's world being under constant scrutiny, the idea of conceptualism may be critically panned but it is a necessary art form in that it documents and captures the moods and trends in society in a way far more effective yet subtle manner. Hirst's extravagant and expensive works are so, because in racking up a huge bill they actually are a critique on wealth rather then succumbing to it.

Conceptual art may not be conventional but it does probe the artist and the viewer's psyche and requires time and thought in order to be understood. It is this complexity that makes it genius, endearing and revolutionary.

Jess Kim 'ART' that is grounded in the concept behind it, and not on its aesthetic merits, is the ultimate manifestation of 'emperor's new clothes' syndrome in our society. You're told that you're faced with a behemoth of contemporary thinking, a signifier of the discourses that run through the intelligencia of our time. What you're looking at is a Pyrex bright red cube, reminiscent of the stool you saw in Ikea a few days ago. Huh? Pop Art, Abject Art,

the 'banality of the artifact', the YBA – the history of art is the history of the gaining and loss of creative skill and endeavour – the move away from the masterpiece and the shift to the controversial piece. Is the point of the Turner Prize anything more than an exercise in shock tactics one-upmanship? Did anyone, in the whole world, ever want to see the contents of Tracy Emin's bedroom? Oh it's so innovative - is it art if it we're viewing it in any context other than inside an art gallery? Such questions to plague our exis-

Is this really The Physical Impossibility Death? Or is it just a another dead shark in a glass tank?

tentially plagued minds.

Or not. No, no it's not art. It's just prosaic. This is no traditionalist rant or archaic defence of history paintings and the hierarchical genreing of the arts. Nor is it a naïve suggestion that we should mourn the loss of conventional mediums and form – Koons deserves his place in the books next to Falconet and thank God we do have the Turner Prize, or how would we ever get the middling masses to remember that art is still being produced and merits attention – whether that attention is admiration or confusion masked with pseudo-understanding of the 'concept behind the piece'. But is it too much to ask for some creative skill, some understanding of aesthetic, the intention to create something that inspires and pleases the weary eye instead of grossing out and confrontation? All I ask is for a piece that doesn't require a witty title displayed next to it to explain the 'artist's intention'.

With that I heave a sigh of despondency; my kingdom for a Titian.

Arts & Culture

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Comedy

Tim Minchin @ Symphony Hall Rebecca Gresley-Jones ENTERING the Symphony Hall stage, Tim Minchin's adoring crowd welcomed him as the newest and most exciting addition to the ever-growing collection of comedians in the

UK today. Kicking off the show with 'Who Needs A Band?', a song consisting of drums, bass, guitar and 'girly backing vocals' all done with his own voice.

Completed by his live lead vocals and distorted guitar style solo, the Birmingham audience got their first taste of Tim's hys-

terical new show, Ready For This?

Greeting the crowd, complete with eyeliner, back-combed hair and bare-feet, his quirky style of awkward stand-up perfectly compliments his musical genius. Tackling subjects such as semantics and how ice-cream men are likely to be paedophiles within the first few minutes, his material is a lot more adult than other successful new comedians such as Michael McIntyre, but this is no bad thing. His intelligence and wit shine through in his song lyrics, and the crowd at Saturday's gig laps up new additions to his repertoire of comedy songs such as 'Prejudice' and 'Bears Don’t Dig on Dancing'.

During the performance, long-time fans were treated to renditions of the well-loved songs 'Dark side' and 'Canvas Bags', the latter being an ironic take on a charity single, with Tim calling for us to save the environment with canvas bags when we shop. Add in an open shirt and wind machine, Tim left for the interval with the audience gagging for more.

How good is this? Photo: Rebecca Gresley-Jones

17

The Rocky Horror Picture Show @ The Hippodrome Rebecca Gresley-Jones WHAT do you do when you're standing in a lobby full of men dressed in women's lingerie, eightyyear-old women in maids' outfits and a man sporting a green lab coat and pink washing up gloves?

Run? If I was anywhere but the Hippodrome then yes, but as a Rocky Horror 'virgin' I hadn’t quite appreciated the cult following the play which has accumulated since it was first performed in 1973.

The only musical to fully embrace audience participation had the au-

ditorium on their feet and shouting out lines as we followed Brad and Janet (Mark Evans and Haley Flaherty respectively, both with excellent vocals) on their journey into the dubious world of Frank 'N' Furter, played

by Olivier Award winner David Bedella whose fine-tuned portrayal as a 'sweet transvestite' stole the show.

Another crowd pleaser was Ainsley Harriott, the guest narrator for 'time-warps' in Birmingham, Bromley and Woking. He brought his own quirkiness to the show, although at one point it became obvious that

some of the audience participation must have been staged – Ainsley: What further indignities were they to be subjected to?

Audience: 'Your cooking!'

Ainsley: 'Thank God for cous-cous,' (whips out a packet of his famous cous-cous). Nevertheless his witty nature and immense stage presence certainly impressed the audience.

Overall it was an amazing night, except for the bits where the band got a bit carried away and you couldn't hear the lyrics. But a word of advice – don't take young children, despite what the website says.

Photo Courtesy of The Hippodrome

Previews

Interview with Rich Fulcher Sam Langtree and Gary Jevons meet the Boosh Madman to discuss his new book - Tiny Acts Of Rebellion

Events both Orgasmic and Epic coming your way.

Langtree: How's it going?

Switch @ The Drum, Friday, 6th November, 7.30pm - A fresh new dance performance that promises to 'draw inspiration from ancient practices and their relevance to our lives now'. Tickets £9.

Fulcher: I Just got here; we've been doing different signings all over the country. What's your rival uni?

L: Umm… Loughborough, Warwick?

F: I haven't been there.

Jevons: Why did you write TAR and what was the inspiration?

F: Uh, my inspiration was me… Growing up I'd do all these weird things.

After the Book of Boosh I thought this is pretty cool and I thought what could I write a book about… Me! And I didn't want to write an autobiography because I haven't done enough stuff so I decided to write about all these little acts of rebellion I used to do when I was younger. And I decided that 50 were too little and 99 or 100 were too standard, so I went for 97.

J: Which act of rebellion is your most memorable?

F: The one where you get an open channel remote, go to a bar and change the

channel from the football to something else.

J: I've always been a big fan of your dance moves, especially the 'Crab Sandwich', have you got any more planned?

F: My favorite one, which I used in the Boosh live show, is 'Where were you last night?' Dancing can be extremely rebellious if you do it right especially at places where your not supposed to… Like at a funeral. But yeah, I'm always working on moves. You got to be original these days.

L: Do you have any tiny act of rebellion for students?

F: Say you have a function where you have to meet your lecturer and put on your game face. Use the 'Lazy Haddock.' Put lube on your hand and offer it out really limply to them when they go to shake it.

Just watch their reaction as they try to cover up their disgust.

L: Do you have any future plans with the Boosh world?

F: NO! [Laughs] There's a

lot on the table right now; the idea of a US tour, a fourth series and then there's the idea of a film.

It's something that's definitely being talked about.

L: Do you have a favorite character to play on the Mighty Boosh?

F: I liked Kodiak Jack just because I had a really big nose. I really liked that nose! I like characters where you're free to be creative, like Tommy Nookah, the cheese guy. It's very painful to play him cos I'm on my knees the entire time. The Ape of Death took a long time because of all the make-up.

feel the stress get to you.

Not necessarily pranks but things you can do to get back at 'the man'. Here's another thing: If you're writing an essay, to make sure the professor is properly reading it, throw in 'In the Battle of Hastings fuck you, the death toll was estimated...' something like that. Also if you're in the library and you leave a note in a book saying 'The treasure is located here,' libraries are always good places to commit acts of rebellion because they control our lives.

The Diary Of Anne Frank @ The Crescent, Saturday, 7th November - Saturday, 14th, 7.45 pm - The legendary wartime diary in play form. Tickets £11.50.

Bill Bailey @ Symphony Hall, Sunday, 8th November, 8.00pm - The mad comedian performs his most recent show Remarkable Guide to Orchestra.

Tickets £25.

Season's Greetings @ The Crescent, Sunday, 8th November, 8.00 pm - A musical comedy that promises a mixture of stand-up, satire and monologue. Tickets £10.

J: Did you ever work in an office? I get the impression you did at one point.

Dorian Gray @ The Hippodrome, Tuesday, 10th November - Saturday, 14th November, 8.00pm - Oscar Wilde's classic continues its current surge of popularity with a hyped performance at The Hippodrome. Tickets £14-35.

F: I used to be a paralegal for a while and it was like The Office Office. I would call people in to my office and talk with pencils shoved up my nose and totally act seriously.

Mrs Warren's Profession @ The REP, Tuesday, 10th November, 7.00 pm - A period drama that unearths the constrained morals and hypocrisy of Victorian society. Tickets £12.

L: Do you have any general lifestyle/ survival advice for students?

F: Always find ways to rebel, if you don't you'll

Winter Comedy Series @ The Drum, Friday, 6th November, 7.00pm - From “the most enterprising black comedy promoters in the country” (The Guardian) comes a night featuring comedians Curtis Walker and Ahmed Berhan. Tickets £12.

Rebel

The Planets @ Symphony Hall, Tuesday, 10th, November 7.30pm - A tremendous musical odyssey towards the infinite, written for a supersize orchestra and filled with sounds of jaw-dropping strangeness and beauty. Tickets £9.50-39.50.

18 Music

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th November 2009 What's On...

Spotlight On... Reunions

Music Diary

Head-to-head, no holds barred. Music Editors Erica Vernon (for) and Alex Spencer (against) debate the return of old bands.

BAND reunion: the hot word of recent years, especially just before festival lineup announcements.

Over the years, such happenings have turned from being an anomaly into becoming just another part of the music industry.

Granted, sometimes after a lackluster performance, the general consensus is that they shouldn't have bothered.

Or they are criticised for doing it just for the monetary benefits. But generally speaking, surely it can be a good thing?

When news breaks out of an anticipated reunion, it fires up immense joy in fans regardless of whether they are excited because they haven't seen the band in years, or never seen them live before. To them, the chance to hear beloved songs, performed live, amongst a crowd of fellow dedicated fans is a sure promise for a great show.

Although many reunions are just a chance for wallowing in nostalgia, some have inspired the band to produce new material. And depending on which band, and who you listen to, this can be a good thing. Despite the fear that badly received

REUNIONS are a depressing reminder of a simple fact - that the music industry only exists to create money. As someone who can't help but believe in pop music as a redemptive art form, this soullessness cuts me deeply.

Okay, perhaps I'm just bitter because I keep missing out on Pixies reunion shows, and I have to admit that a large part of my teenage years was spent praying for Carl 'n' Pete to get back together and reform the Libertines.

But if a band breaking up is an admission of creative death, that there's nothing left for them to do under this guise, then this rescucitation is just grave-robbing.

Digging up old bodies and making

If you're desperate to hear any of the albums our writers have so eloquently flattered, go to bit. ly/2Dq7WF for a Spotify playlist of a couple of top tracks from each album as the list unfolds.

28

Reveries

Aisling Marks From beginning to end this album is a myriad of excellence. Such prowess of the progressive death metal field is displayed

Alabama 3 O2 Academy

new material will stain the band's legacy, successes have been achieved.

Also, numerous bands like Dinosaur Jr, Pixies, Gang of Four and the Velvet Underground have reunited because they have now accumulated a wider fanbase than when they were active. One could look at it as giving a then under appreciated band a chance to garner some much deserved, albeit late, respect.

The Top 40 Best Albums of The 21st Century: #30 - 26

Opeth Ghost 2005

Friday 6th

in every song. Like many other progressive bands, this is in part a concept album. It documents a man's turmoil after murdering his own mother, the exception being the last track, which is a particular favourite of the frontman and writer, Mikael Akerfeldt. Despite the conceptual nature of this album, knowing the story is not essential to its enjoyment, each song dives between theatrical growls and beautiful gothic melodies. Every track is a progressive masterpiece in its own right and is undoubtedly one of the best albums to come out of the 21st century.

Clutch O2 Academy 2 1234s The Flapper The Cheek O2 Academy 3

Saturday 7th Airborne Toxic Event O2 Academy A Place To Bury Strangers The Flapper Lisa Mitchell O2 Academy 3 Photo: Erica Anne Vernon them dance for our enjoyment. It's just downright distasteful.

Even when I don't have problems with bands reforming on a moral level, it's inevitably odd.

The Pixies being back together makes sense: they were always a bit rough around the edges, running off conflict. Take Kraftwerk, however - their robo-perfection replaced by the middle-age spread.

Nevertheless, I still respect them; unlike others I could mention.

The inevitable truth of

30

Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend 2008

Deborah Bazeley VAMPIRE Weekend burst onto the scene in 2008 with their single A-Punk and subsequent debut album. What rocks them

27

Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion 2009

Sara Sherwood Released last year into the blogosphere on Christmas Day, Merriweather Post-Pavilion is the flawless album that makes everything else released

it is that these bands just aren't as good anymorenot (necessarily) because they're old but because they're so far removed from the initial creative drive. When's the last time a band got back together and made something new and satisfying?

Comebacks aren't entirely evil, (though they can be), they're just likely to offend the senses - whether aesthetic or moral. Want to make new music? Fine. But save it for the solo project. into this exclusive Top 40 club? First, lead singer Ezra Koenig regularly wears Ray-bans. Enough said. Secondly, their poppunk sound is refreshing, fun and extremely distinctive.

The album's tracks are varied, moving from the classic of Oxford Comma, to bongos in brilliantly named Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, to the strings in M47, artfully weaving poppunk throughout.

Due credit must go to Koenig for quality vocals, which range into falsetto in the most natural and melodic way. The best part is that their live shows do the album complete justice! in 2008 look deathly uninspiring and lacklustre.

Sharply imbedded between Beach Boys harmonies are Animal Collective's pretty lyrics, which on this album, clearly show a band evolving out of their experimental cocoon. It has a dizzying track list making it impossible to pick a best song; the album merely blends into an hour long orgasm of brilliance.

If none of that convinces you that this is one of the best albums of the last ten years then take a look at the cover art and I'm sure you'll be hypnotised into the Merriweather Post-Pavilion love club in no time.

Sunday 8th Frankmusik O2 Academy 2

Youves + Calories The Flapper The Specials Wolverhampton Civic

Tuesday 10th Seasick Steve O2 Academy New Beautiful South O2 Academy 2 Jay Retard O2 Academy 3 Muse NIA The Specials Wolverhampton Civic

Wednesday 11th Just Jack O2 Academy 2 The Drones Hare & Hounds

Backstreet Boys LG Arena

Thursday 15th

Jimmy Webb Town Hall

Beyonce NIA

Monday 9th

A Skylit Drive O2 Academy 3

Biffy Clyro O2 Academy 2 VV Brown O2 Academy 2

29

Mew & The Glass-Handed Kites 2005

Erica Anne Vernon THE album that fully cemented Mew in my mind as the best band on the planet. Every song flows seamlessly into one an-

26

Laura Marling Alas I Cannot Swim 2007

Toni-May Skidmore LAURA Marling's debut album is undoubtedly deserving of a position of remembrance within noted albums of the decade.

Shinedown Wolverhampton Wulfrun Edward II Hare & Hounds other - a 'concept album'.

For a first listen, it's important to experience the tracks in order. Circuitry Of The Wolf will forcefully crash you into the frightening and beautiful world of Mew. The band themselves attributes the cohesiveness of ATGHK down to it having been written in a relatively short period of time. But, make no mistake, every song can hold its own. Compare the melody of The Zookeeper's Boy with Apocalypso; they're simultaneously genius and yet individual. I defy you to hold back the tears by the time Jonas' voice cracks in Louise Louisa.

The album written and performed by the talented teenager, and produced

by Noah and the Whale's front man Charlie Fink, is beautifully composed. The tones of Laura's voice and the depth, intimacy and experience within the lyrics can invoke a whirlwind of emotions and feels like series of personal stories to be told. These wellconstructed lyrics accompanied with her skill on the guitar only go hand in hand. This album is well thought out, beautifully presented and can only amaze when you think of the age of the artist making it a stand out album, well worth a listen. Â

Music

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Album Reviews Where The Wild Things Are Karen O & The Kids

8

Alex Spencer SINGING children. It's a dangerous one; for every Another Brick in the Wall, there's a There's No-one Quite Like Grandma. At times, especially on the first listen, the children do threaten to derail this album. But come back and you quickly become accustomed to it.

The trick the album

pulls is to make sure there's enough goodness to keep you coming back.

Since Yeah Yeah Yeahs released Maps, the previously sex-shrieking Karen O has shown an increasingly softer side. And so it is that this album is a very cuddly, calm experience. Sometimes. There is definitely variety: Capsize has the best Pixies guitar since the Pixies; Worried Shoes is hauntingly beautiful enough to get away with the Linkin Park-esque 'every step I take is another mistake.'

With more listenings, the album starts to feel pleasantly familiar. While this can work against it, especially in later tracks, it's difficult to criticise a film soundtrack for being background music.

Especially when it's this wonderfully pretty.

Paramore brand new eyes

7 Rob Watts THIS is a fitting title for Paramore's third album.

After the many issues and near break-up of last year they appear to have regrouped and grown up.

Taking their influences and wearing them proudly on their sleeves, the album showcases a newer, more reflective band that is unafraid of change.

The opening track Careful and the first single

Ignorance pick up where 2007's Riot! left off with Hayley Williams again singing of relationships in tatters. What follows is a succession of more lyrically mature songs, with Playing God offering the first glimpse that the band perhaps embraced their faith as a way of surmounting obstacles.

After the soulful balladry of The Only Exception, which repeats itself a little too much, we see a band done with their demons and embracing the position their music has got them in. 'Things are looking up, oh finally!' and 'No one is as lucky as us' proclaims Miss Williams on Looking Up and Where The Lines Overlap.

With a slight change of direction, Paramore have created an album that will only see their luck continue to improve.

Metronomy Not Made For Love

5 Noel Byrne AFTER the fantastic album Nights Out last year, the hype and interest in Metronomy was huge; we all expected to wait a while before their next album release. However here we are with a brand new seven track EP seemingly out of nowhere.

The EP starts off with the title track; downbeat lyrics making for a quiet and reserved listen which

19

slips between mildly interesting to forgettable at times. The second track is the best on the EP, yet still doesn't demand any attention from the listener and just plods along.

The third original track, What Do I Do Now, carries a pulsing beat all the way through as the vocals are heavily manipulated by vocoders. The rest of the tracks are remixes of Not Made For Love and vary widely in quality and seem to be purely filler for this release.

Metronomy have gone in a more sensible and mature direction. Gone are the playful and squeaky synths of Radio Ladio and My Heart Rate Rapid for a more thoughtful (some might say pretentious) approach but they lose their all-important charm and catchy songs, which is what made them stand out in the first place.

Redbrick Meets... Zero 7 Henry Binns from Zero 7 tells Matthew Way all about genre-bending, the music industry, and organic shops in Cheddar You and Sam both started in a London recording studio working with bands like Pet Shop Boys. How was that?

It's very different now in studios. In those days it was like a public school boy mentality; you really didn't speak unless you were spoken to, and you had to make sure everything was right and working. We helped loads of bands - Scott Walker, Pet Shop Boys; I mean a lot of, like, electronic bands.

Your albums can be found in the dance section of record stores, but is that the genre you would categorise your music in? Or are you one of those bands that like to defy genres?

We're one of those bands that are just clueless.

This album [Yeah Ghost] has come out on iTunes as unclassifiable, which I am quite proud of. We never saw ourselves as a dance act. I'm into Joni Mitchell and stuff like that. It's just the way the music came out and they just shovel you in wherever they feel applicable, but I never really felt part of any scene that was thrown at us.

You are on vocals for the track Everything Up on the new album. How is it different from the production side?

Full of self loathing. I actually ended up on the last tour covering for José [Gonzalez] at the James Blunt gig, which was really scary. I sounded really sharp and shit, but I did it. With this album, we decided not to work with Sia or any of the singers we've previously worked with, and that put a lot of prob-

lems in front of us. One of those problems is that goals are unachievable because you're constantly relying on these collaborations, which we're very happy to rely on if they're there, but if they're not it's very frustrating. Sam was constantly trying to convince me to sing. I could see why because it would be job done. But that's how I'm on the record.

We ended up with one and thought 'that’s alright, put that on there'.

Martha Tilston collaborates on the new record.

Is she a talent we should be looking out for?

Undoubtedly. She absolutely kills me with her voice. A friend of mine's got an organic shop in Cheddar and he said listen to this girl because he's really into her. We went to see her in concert and I was really blown away. Her voice is so pure - I think she's developing still, but definitely one to look out for.

And then there's [Mtungwazi]…

Eska

Until Eska came along, we were slightly pissing in the wind. We just didn't feel like we had an accomplished piece of work yet, and Eska came in and she just went in there with a blow torch, and in 48 hours we had Mr McGee and Medicine Man. So it was brilliant, she's a great musician.

Is it an easy process to go from the studio to a live show?

It's important to push yourself live and to do things differently, and that's one of the fun

Photo: zero7.co.uk things about it. With us, it's always like the forging of two different metals, which is the band and electronics. That's quite a big ask, there's just a lot going on. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I really enjoy the kind of set up that we've got, and it's largely down to a man called Eddie Stevens, who's a fantastic keyboard player.

Is there a large outfit to the Zero 7 stage show?

There always is, I mean Sam and I would probably make some money out of this game if we decided to go out with a DX7 and some dry ice, but unfortunately it's going to be deeply deeply shit if we decide to do that. I can't figure out a way to make

this thing any smaller.

Your records can often be described as very mellow and relaxing. Is that a mood that's required to write the music?

I haven't listened to a lot of kind of edgy music.

I'm not sure how it ended up being the way it is, it's just what came out of us.

We were influenced, at the time of Simple Things, by bands like Portishead, Massive Attack and Air. And then the second album - we just fell into all the traps that everyone does on their second album. It somehow got even mellower. The third album was me moving to Glastonbury and feeling slightly liberated by it.

And with this one we're trying to change it all.

How has the music industry changed since the beginnings of Zero 7?

Simple Things is probably the last time anyone made any money. That was the year when you could actually sell some records.

And from then on it's sort of semi declined...

So does that require a real love of the music that you're making?

I can't think what else I would do.

Many times whilst making this album, I've thought, right, we're definitely out of the game, I'm going to have to start carpentry or something. But when I'm doing the live shows I remember that it's really important to us. I think people

should have to pay for music and I don't know quite how that's going to happen. I think it's good that big record companies are getting a kick in the teeth, but ultimately, there has to be some way where we could combat piracy.

We have been creating a top ten list of the best albums of this millennium.

What would be in your top ten?

Bloody hell. I think the Bon Iver record was pretty big. Sufjan Stevens has been big on the folk scene for us. A new contender for me would be a band called Animal Collective.

They went away and made an album and all the bells are ringing for me. That's one of my favourites.

20 Music/Lifestyle

Live Reviews This Beautiful Thief 29/10 @ O2 Academy 3 Jo Walters THIS little known Birmingham based band launched their new EP to an audience mostly made up of people prelashing for Vodbull and school kids allowed out late for half term. But, after two support acts, they had gone.

Their loss. Lead singer Ollie Armstrong was mostly in his own zone but if that's the place that lets him deliver unique, original, gut-wrenchingly honest vocals then who cares if he's clutching his head

and looking semi-possessed half the time. The band as a whole was tight, with an especially notable performance from drummer Tobias Pearce-Groves, and the new songs are the perfect sound development from previous EP Say Something and the 10 track demo The Earth Terminal Sessions.

One of the few truly original and talented bands I've seen in ages, they deserve to be big.

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Isis 10/09 @ The Asylum Aisling Marks POST-METAL titans Isis deliver a bewitching performance that any aesthete would appreciate. The Californian quintet turn up at the intimate venue with no pretences, no contrived entrances or interludes up their sleeves, just pure unadulterated goodness.

Hall of the Dead kickstarts the gig perfectly.

Soft ethereal growls interlaced with layers of overlapping harmonies sound like something from a dream; beautifully trippy. The gradual build up of pace and texture just to drop again to gentle languid rhythms

Tried and Tested: We're in glove Lauren Nuttall Lydia Gibson Our good friend and literary buff Virginia Woolf once said 'a lady is known by her gloves and shoes' and we here at Redbrick believe the woman makes a good point. As the leaves begin to fall and Vale fireworks have come and gone, it's time to don our gloves girls!

This week we're trialling the best the high street has to offer of this season's functional, yet fashionable, must-have.

First off the fingerless glove... Once associated with burglars and the homeless, today the fingerless glove represents, in our eyes at least, the best way to keep your hands both toasty and fashion forward – warding off the cold, whilst still allowing you to show off that brand new ring and latest nail colour. What's more, they're practical. Unlike regular gloves, these babies allow you to type, text, and hold onto that sticky toffee apple with ease. Accessorize (glove and knitwear Mecca) is currently selling them in all shapes and sizes. Our personal favourites being

the cable cut-off gloves complete with matching pom-poms.

For the perfect accompaniment to a cropped winter coat or to fight the freeze on the coolest of autumn mornings, look no further than Topshop's People Tree arm warmers.

Whilst the wool will be sure to keep you toasty, and the wide range of colours will match any ensemble, these gauntlets might not be the most practical.

As you juggle a stack of books and attempt to remove both woollies without incurring embarrassment, you may become somewhat stressed. But remember ladies, this is all in the name of fashion

– for which we are prepared to make a million sacrifices.

Caught on the hop?

No time to paint your nails? For the epitome of class why not head to Accessorize and invest in some lovely leather numbers. And yes we do mean invest – spend some time choosing the perfect pair, adorned with frills, buttons or jewels, and then flaunt them shamelessly. To keep in with the stud and tassel trend we recommend taking a little look at the Topshop website, where they have beautiful leather gloves for only £16. (We've got our eyes on the Deep V Kid Leather in jade.)

Eclectricity Festival 17/10 @ The Custard Factory John Connellan comes across amazingly live. There's something very primal about this gig; nothing is contrived and everything is delivered with perfect ingenuity. Slight technical faults luckily do not deter Isis from a solid performance.

Also played were Ghost Key, Stone To Wake A Serpent and the epic encore of Backlit and Celestial, the latter being the song everyone was waiting to hear.

With only four dates to their UK tour this year, we hope Isis will return soon to showcase more awesomeness.

DJs. Rammed dancefloors.

The Custard Factory. An irresistible combination for the electro junkie, which is why I couldn't resist forking out a hefty thirty quid for a ticket.

Despite a slow start, the night gradually transformed into a bustling rave with infectious performances from the likes of Chase and Status, Stanton Warriors and Utah Saints. Dub Stepper Rusko delivered a typically charismatic set and enjoyed perhaps the best reception of the night.

The line-up was lacking in good old fashioned, dance house DJs however,

which seemed to have been shunned in favour of the more breakbeat/drum and bass orientated artists. James Zabiela should have been the notable exception, but even with Space 2 warehouse and a teeming dancefloor all to himself, his tedious and rather limp set was about as charismatic as Louis Walsh soiling himself.

The night was a refreshing change from your standard Broad Street binge. Eclectricity continues to combine the electronic music scene's biggest names into what is becoming the Custard Factory's signature event.

Beauty: High street vs. high prices Elizabeth Jordan I think I would be right in saying that in most instances in life, you get what you pay for. No one would opt for a Primark pair of sunglasses when some vintage Dior's were on the table; if you can afford it, you drive nicer cars and live in nicer houses and wear amazing clothes. And why is this? The answer is obvious: all these expensive things are better made and last longer than their cheaper equivalents, and rightly so. But there is one very important exception – make-up.

Having mourned the premature departure of my Benefit 'Posie Tint' (selling on ASOS for £22.50) and finding myself without the funds for a replacement I trudged into Superdrug, resolved to settle for a shadow of its perfect poppy freshness, possibly in the form of a foul smelling compact or cakey off-pink blush.

So imagine my suprise when my eyes alighted on Posie Tint's more fun and compact little sister!

She has everything that her predessesor offered me – cute packaging, easy application, a clean scent

and most importantly, a better look on my skin.

The gel-like consistency of Poppy Tint is easier to apply and allows you to build colour gradually, unlike the severe stain that can occur with Posie Tint. All for the fantastic price of £4.88 from MEMEME Cosmetics. I'm sold. If you're after a more rouge colour in the style of Benetint, look no further than MEMEME's alternative Pussycat Cheek and Lip Tint (also a meagre £4.88).

Since then I've found almost every part of a woman's designer make up bag can be substituted for a much cheaper and if not equal, then superior quality product found on the high street.

Diorshow Mascara, pah... give me my Maxfactor Masterpiece anyday! As for eyeliner, my Bourgeois lasts years longer than my Clinique. For a cheaper alternative to other Benefit cosmetics take a look at the Soap & Glory range available at Boots – Sexy Mother Plucker and Arch de Triumph have more than a clever name.

Ladies, we have been sold a lie by the dragons behind the counters with the scarily made-up faces and bitchy expressions.

Shop around and I guarantee that you will be surprised by the range.

Maybe use all that money you'll be saving on some real designer sunglasses instead...

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Bonjourno to all you Lifestyle readers!

Hello again Lifestyle fans! Hope your week has been as amazing as ours (well Alex's... she has a decidedly more exciting life than... anyone, but she did wait 3 hours for the Nemisis at Alton Towers which was admittedly a 'highlight'). This Friday we proudly did our first podcast and what a podcast it was! We had so much fun generally bitching and chatting but sort of ended up forgetting the mic was there. Take a listen to it by going to iTunes and searching Redbrick - subscription is free so if it isn't enough of a joy listening to us at our weekly meetings, you can now listen to us (not to mention pause and rewind) whenever you like. Lucky things.

We have still managed to hold on to our half page and we didn't even have to provide our editor with sexual favours this week which was a result - perhaps he's starting to like us for our sparkling personalities. This week in Lifestyle we have everything from vampire trends to a debate on metrosexuals, diet pills to rebound advice along with some musing on high street make-up and a glovely tried and tested! Keep sending your articles in to lifestyle@ redbrickonline.co.uk!

Byyyeee (off to go back to Macclesfield)!

Lifestyle

Catwalk: Twilight Trends Rachael Pountley Why is it now that everyone seems to be jumping upon the vampire bandwagon? Since the publication of Dracula in 1897, vampires have always been the obvious villain in movies and have always made a popular Halloween costume choice.

However, being obsessed with vampires still surely made you an outcast for the rest of the year, and also quite possibly a bit of a nerd. But fear not, because since the release of the Twilight book series and the subsequent films, being a vampire is apparently now one of the coolest things to be on earth.

This most likely can be blamed on the everbeautiful Robert Pattinson and the whole romantic drama he seems to bring with him in the Twilight films. Now, in order to satisfy the demand for everything vampire, America has recently created television programmes such as The Vampire Diaries and the mega-hit True Blood. Even award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (of Juno fame) has noticed how hot vampires are right now and has just written the film Jennifer's Body about a sexy vampire cheerleader.

And if all that didn't prevent you from demanding more, you can now seek further vampire

thrills from products on the internet. These include the Twilight perfume in an attractive apple-shaped bottle, and the Twilight cosmetic line which consists of mascara, colour palettes and lip balm adorned with names like 'Just Bitten Staining Balm', and 'Femme Fatale', each categorized into a Twilight-themed group such as 'Volturi'. Yikes.

You don't have to be a total Twilight-head to get on board with the vampire obsession currently flowing around us. The vampire themed phase has even damned the high street, with Topshop showing positively vampire-like models in their windows, with pale skin, 'blood' stained t-shirts and ghoulish expressions.

They also have an item called a vampire print Jersey Blazer, which has in red, blood-like lettering 'vampire kiss' on the interior lining. Topshop aren't the only ones with clothing like this – H&M have a 'Vampire mouth Tee' which features a large design of, you guessed it, a vampire mouth, with blood dripping from a fang onto a monochromatic background. You'd assume that it wouldn't go further, but it seems that even the major fashion houses are taking a whimsical leap onto the bloodsucking vamp-wagon, with Stella McCartney showing tons of black lace

Fierce in her latest collection alongside Prada and Alexander McQueen's startling choice of make-up styles, with sharp red lipstick and powdered white faces.

So how long can we hope for this to continue for? When will the public demand for all things vampires shrivel to a halt? Considering there are several more Twilight books to be turned into films yet, it is fair to say that we have quite a while to moan but secretly enjoy it yet. So don't be too concerned if you haven't jumped on the vampire bandwagon just yet, I can guarantee that you will have plenty of time to do so in the upcoming weeks, months, oh hell, years to come!

I'M not going to lie, if I walked into a boy's room and he had more hair and beauty products than I do I would be very worried.

Not only would I feel extremely self conscious -nobody wants their boyfriend to look better than they do on a night out – but I would also feel a lot of pressure to look immaculate every time I saw him, as somehow with a metrosexual boyfriend I don’t think my old granny pants are really going to cut it. However I have no qualms when it comes to a bit of male grooming.

With the influx of beauty products aimed specifically at men, it's more socially acceptable than ever for boys to moisturise and straighten their hair, and as there’s so much media related pressure on girls to look good we should definitely expect the same for boys.

If we have to go through the pain of a Brazilian wax then why shouldn't they suffer a bit too?!

New Moon – 14 days to go! Swoon.

Christmas Markets – Mulled Wine, mince pies and an excuse to get all Christmassy. Birmingham's starts on the 12th of November.

Quiet nights in with friends – It's getting dark and cold, best to curl up in front of the TV with a bottle of wine and a giant slab of dairy milk. Bliss.

Mid-season sales – that dress you want for half the price, what could be better?!

Applausestore.com – Free tickets to watch your fave celebs? Yes, please.

Left-over Halloween chocolate – Good quality chocolate for a fraction of the price!

The return of Spooks – spy action and Richard Armitage all in one hour.

Finished Halloween hangovers – The only thing scary about that night has you. You went out looking like batgirl and came home looking like the joker.

Sequins – Don't get us wrong, we're all for the embellishment, but not if you actually intend to wear it more than once.

Jedward – The gruesome twosome are still on our screens, how long will they last?

Summer accessories – You wouldn't wear your woollens in summer now would you? Put the flipflops away, you're making me feel cold!

Derrina - Against: I'M not ashamed to declare this on a public level – I love it rough.

Now, this doesn’t mean I desire the male population to be reduced to Neanderthal slobs, but unhealthy man vanity couldn't be more of a turn off.

One of my best friends ticks all the boxes as a metrosexual; he regularly has his hair 'styled', has an impeccable eye for fashion, a face that gets gawped at on Oxford Street and has been openly chatted up by a sales assistant in American Apparel. However, I could never fancy such a man – and yes, he is 100 per cent heterosexual; firstly, we’re too close, but more importantly, I couldn't handle the fact he helps me decide what clothes to wear and looks so effortlessly good in skinny jeans. Men should put down the man bags, guyliner, straighteners and exfoliation kits and go back to pure, rugged

The walk back from lectures to Selly Oak on Wednesday afternoons – helloooooo Rugby Team!

Jess and Alex's podcast! – Our lovely Lifestyle ladies now have their very own podcast which you can download for free today! Just go to iTunes and search Redbrick or visit redbrickonline.co.uk and get listening!

Derrina Jebb and Lara Edwards investigate.

Lara - For:

Alexandra Cloney Alexandra Hobbs

Clothes Show Live – Packed full of style tips and an array of Hollyoaks cast members makes this an event not to miss out on. Get your tickets NOW.

Debate: Is a metrosexual male what women want?

According to my dad back in his day taking care of yourself meant having a daily shower and actually brushing your teeth and anything else was considered to be 'gay', but personally I find it hard to take any fashion advice from a man who once had a mullet... Times have changed and I think we should welcome boys who actually make an effort. David Beckham epitomises the concept of metrosexuality yet still has a huge male fan base, and let's be honest girls, no one would turn him down!

21

Smug friends who have already bought all their Christmas presents – So you've already had your presents for everyone, including the dog, all wrapped up in your cupboard since August. Don't rub it in my face.

Leather boot envy – I already have five pairs but yours look soooooo good! masculinity. I don't want my man to take longer getting ready than me or be borrowing my strawberry body butter, lip balm or hogging the straighteners. I want the natural package with no self-obsessed additions.

I'd go for Danny Dyer over Christiano Ronaldo, Daniel Craig over Zac Efron and deep voiced beefcakes over limp pretty boys any day. As scientific evidence proves, the natural pheromones of men push the buttons of the female race; time to leave the mirror and get focused on us. Boys, I'm not saying ditch the deodorant or gym membership, just put the waxing strips down, you're fit as you are.

Sam Langtree's broken (lube-induced) hand - after giving the Arts and Culture editor a bottle of lube to report on, he slipped whilst chasing his housemates with the lube. Sorry love.

Pub quiz nights – One round takes an hour? AND I can't find a seat. Good.

Rail replacement bus services – Travelling is long enough without having overcrowded, hot, sweaty, student-filled buses that takes three times as long as it would on the train.

Peaches Geldof - to anyone who saw her on ITV's 'Fearne and...' then you'll know what we're talking about- she comes across as your typical spoilt child - moody and obnoxious.

Website of the week: www.lookbook.nu - if you are ever feeling in a style rut this should be your first stop. Lookbook.nu is an exclusive archive of the world's fashion elite (you have to be invited and to be invited you have to be uber-chic) so get online and get inspired.

22 Lifestyle

An apple a day: No pain, all gain?

The Diet Pill

Vanessa Say No more schlepping to the gym; exerting, sweating and getting all too familiar with that burning sensation. Instead, simply take a pill and get the same results.

Naturally, there was media frenzy over such a claim; The Daily Mail (a somewhat questionably reliable source) praised the pill, hailing it a 'couch potato's dream', and a replacement for exercise; but is this too good to be true? Unfortunately for us, maybe a little...

Dr Vihang Narkar led a team of colleagues in a world-wide research project designed to ascertain whether certain orally administered chemicals could enhance or even trigger the benefits of exercise in mice.

Endurance exercise naturally stimulates chemical pathways that cause changes in muscle structure and function, among other bodily changes, which improve your ability to produce energy over a long period of time. There is the genetic switch responsible for activating the genes that inevitably produce these alterations. The genetic switch is called (for short) PPAR delta and is normally activated by exercise. A known chemical in the pathway to activating PPAR delta is AMPK. Narkar's study tested a drug given the catchy and memorable title of GW1516. This drug targets AMPK, and when paired with four weeks of exercise, increased mice running time by 68% and running distance by 70%.

Sure to catch your attention - this treatment also reduced body fat!

Of course this still provided the problem of actually having to participate in physical activity, putting the initially very interested couch potato right off. So, Narkar and his team tested another drug: AICAR, which increases the production of AMPK. This was found to improve endurance by 44% in... wait for it... nonexercising mice!

Important to note, before you attempt to rush to the shops and buy AICAR, is that this (currently unavailable) drug was tested only on mice.

Its affects on humans remain unknown, and it is impossible to know the long term effects of ingesting such chemicals.

Professor Frank Booth, who has years of experience in research on the effects of exercise, also expresses scepticism over claims of the findings, stating that the gains outlined in the study do not give a complete view.

The study did not, for example, test the effects the drugs had on the heart, blood pressure, diabetes, immune function - just a small portion of the physiologically untested changes in this study that would usually be observed with exercise. To add to that, it is highly unlikely any pill could mimic the psychological improvements exercise encompasses, such as an increase in self-confidence and optimism.

Making this drug available could potentially increase the physical inactivity of a population, by providing them with an 'alternative' to exercise. This could have catastrophic health implications; those taking the pill may skip the potentially wider range of benefits that actual exercise produces. Also, there is an obvious route to cheating in professional sports by athletes abusing this drug to enhance performance.

To weigh it all up: is a pill really an alternative to the real thing? The numerable and greatly varying benefits of exercise make it unlikely that any pill will ever be complex enough to completely simulate exercise in its entirety.

Finally, Sir Muir Gray (Chief Knowledge Officer of the NHS) consoles us with: 'Who needs a pill when there is a pavement outside?'.

(Hmm... personally I think I might just have preferred that pill.)

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Issue:

Swings and Rebound-abouts!

Joe McNamara We're half-way through the first term now, which for some readers may well mean you're looking back on the first half of a fast and furious fresher's semester. Sometimes even students need time out to reflect, as the rollercoaster ride of meeting hundreds of new friends, indulging in dozens of new experiences, relentlessly kissing your more attractive acquaintances and drinking your own body weight in alcohol can unbelievably leave you feeling a little alone. It's not a unique phenomenon for young couples to be torn apart by the pressures placed on them at university, and some of you may have learned that it's not necessarily the easiest place to handle a break-up.

Hopefully many of you have moved on, re-found yourselves as singletons and have rebounded your way into a ditzy carefree existence that will make you a blissfully ignorant student. There may be some however who have found that flying through Freshers at a million miles

Culture: Daniel Kelsey Cast your mind back to the 'happiest years of your life'. Consider the constraints of the school curriculum, the rules and regulations and the endless hours of being patronised by elders and teachers alike, to a time when the nearest you came to a night out was a few cheeky Bacardi Breezers at a family do

per hour has at times led you to crash into an unforgiving wall and left you crying for your mummy and wondering who you've become.

We all rebound in different ways and some admittedly can be more destructive than others. A common therapy is proving to yourself that you're still attractive and it's his/ her loss by flirting and kissing every night away with whomever you see fit. If this has been your response and you're now feeling a little regretful, you are not suddenly a whore; you're not really trying to fill the void your ex has left as some will persuade you to believe.

You're reacting a little more impulsively when it comes to the opposite sex and merely taking advantage of your new found freedom, and sometimes taking it a little far. It's really not that big a deal, but be mindful that you're not leading potential partners on when you have no intention of returning their interest.

If, however, the breakup has affected you more severely either due to a clingy ex, a completely uninterested one or sim-

ply a sense of utter disbelief, the excessive alcohol consumption will be the most lethal catalyst for the polarisation of emotions. One minute you're on a massive high, enjoying a bit of a messy tear-up, the next you've had a phone call from an unwanted caller and your mascara's dying your cheeks black with tears, or you're being restrained by your mates after attacking a wall. Everyone has a drunken tantrum, but to avoid it becoming a regular occurrence there are a few of things to consider.

Is regular contact with an ex really healthy for you in your hours of vulnerability? Has student life been truly worth leaving someone you loved and if not is there a chance of rebuilding bridges? Finally,

have you properly cleared the air with your ex partner, explained properly why the relationship had stopped working or listened to their reasons objectively as well?

Breaking up should be made easier by university but sometimes it really isn't. You're thrown into a world where you know nobody and everybody at the same time, and you're being asked to deal with a change in your life that you would usually do so with the support of your closest friends. You're allowed to be upset. Don't let the smiling faces around you make you feel that you always have to bottle it up. Uni is a great place to be single, but it can be a bad place to become single.

The Happiest Days of our Lives?

- good times. If the pubescent you could jump inside a TARDIS and see you today what would you make of yourself? There's no doubt that with more freedom, responsibility and opportunity people change, but are these changes for the best?

Firstly, in true teen drama clichĂŠ fashion, it's easy to get involved with the wrong crowd - it was me that just said that by the way and not your parents. The absence of

the much loved curfew means that as a student you can come in whenever you want, if you chose to come home at all that is. But someone once said that going out at uni is a self-fulfilling prophecy; people only go out to keep up with the crowd who are only going out because they feel they should. To an extent this makes a lot of sense, no one should feel pressured into drinking just because everyone else is. Remember to keep a hold of that work/play balance.

Money. Yes, we all know what it is: another symbol of our decadent lifestyle. I've heard from so many people their ecstasy of having a four figure bank balance only to be devastated to see the minus in front of it.

There's also a fair amount of 'socialising'.

Alongside the frivolity of Freshers it may be easy to become, well, easy; it's an opportunity to let your hair down in general, and to live your life regardless of the consequences.

On a more positive note, coming to university clearly isn't all downhill.

Living away from home is a great chance to see the 'real world', to be exposed to what life outside of cotton wool feels like. The temptation of carefree spending, for example,

can make you face up to the realities of caring for yourself. I speak from personal experience when I say I've learnt, with a little bit of help from Mummy, to take my finances more seriously.

Similarly, having the freedom to do what and who you want doesn't mean that we suddenly forget how to close our legs as soon as we come to uni. The freedom to be who we truly are, perhaps away from strict parents, can give us oodles of confidence to be happy with ourselves. Now, I was never discouraged to be who I am so I'd be lying if I said I'd escaped from a fascist upbringing, but a fresh start at university has helped me beyond measure.

At the end of the day, university is a learning curve. Making mistakes is inevitable, but the important thing is that we learn from them. And just because you spend too much, drink too much or have become a bit of a bicycle, doesn't make you a bad person. As a famous wizard once said 'We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are.'

Television

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th November 2009

23

Top Ten: TV Sitcoms

World of War...

Although a top ten might not seem sufficient for the overwhelming amount of sitcoms on our screens, Jemma Saunders tells us which ones made the final cut this week...

Simon Fairbanks explains what we should expect from the sequel to Band of Brothers...

10. My Family Although it's never been the same without the antics of eldest son Nick, there's still much amusement to be gained from the everyday life of a dysfunctional family. Good tea-time viewing, though perhaps we won’t be running out to buy the DVD. 9. Porridge It's hard not to warm to prison inmate Norman Fletcher, brilliantly played by the late Ronnie Barker.

This light-hearted view of life on the inside ran for three series in the 1970s and still dominates the schedule on comedy channels.

8. Father Ted Set on the fictional Craggy Island, Father Ted followed the tribulations of three Catholic priests and their mad tea lady, Mrs Doyle. Memorable moments include several priests getting lost in Ireland's biggest lingerie department and the drunken ravings of Father Jack Hackett.

7. Gavin & Stacey Filming has been completed for the third and final series, in which we will hopefully have a conclusion to whether Nessa really is going to marry Dave Coaches.

As for Gavin and Stacey, life in Barry is sure to present some challenges to the newlyweds.

6. Peep Show This sitcom, starring Mitchell and Webb, is unique as everything is seen from the main characters' points of view. The latest series recently aired on Channel 4, bringing laughter back to our Friday nights.

5. Only Fools and Horses A British classic, Del Boy's money-making schemes never quite went to plan, yet he still always dragged in his long-suffering younger brother Rodney. They became millionaires in the end though‌briefly. Lovely jubbly.

4. Friends Too obvious? Perhaps, but then again Friends continues to be replayed daily on E4, even five years after 'The Last One' aired. A catchy theme tune, characters we care about and a lot of laugh-out-loud moments make it fully deserving of a place in the Top 10. And look out for the re-release of a special box set for this year's 15th anniversary, as well as themed collections of each character's best moments.

3. Black Books Dylan Moran's role as grumpy bookshop owner Bernard is a perfect foil for Bill Bailey's hippy-esque Manny, who unexpectedly comes to work for him in the first episode and spends the next three series mediating between Bernard, eccentric friend Fran, and the unidentified creatures that snort around the shop floor...

2. Scrubs It's hard to imagine how a subsequent series will work without protagonist J.D. and his surreal thoughts, but the staff of Sacred Heart Hospital have made us laugh for nearly a decade. We all love Dr Cox's eternal sarcasm, but the Janitor and the Todd are underrated for the humour they add to the show. In-your-end-o!

1. Blackadder The first series wasn't fantastic, but the subsequent efforts more than make up for it. Whether the Elizabethan Edmund was courting Queenie, or his 1917 incarnation was plotting how best to avoid going over the top, the key to this comedy was the contrast between Blackadder's humour and the rather dim-witted Baldrick, whose 'cunning plans' seldom proved effective.

THE Pacific, the longawaited follow-up to Band of Brothers, is arriving on our screens in March 2010 - and it's about time.

Back in 2001 when Band of Brothers first aired, audiences were captivated around the world. Producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks delivered ten episodes of epic battles, gritty handheld camerawork and a truly vast cast of BritishAmerican talent. The boxset now sits proudly on DVD shelves across Selly Oak. Naturally a second series was asked for but how do you make a sequel to World War II? Well, Spielberg and Hanks found a way.

Whereas, Band of Brothers was based on the novel

by Stephen Ambrose, The Pacific will be informed by the memoirs of Marine Corps Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie. As such, you can once again guarantee that the mini-series will be historically and emotionally accurate.

The Pacific portrays a different side of World War II, namely the conflict in Japan. Therefore,

instead of the European battles fought by Easy Company in the original Band of Brothers, we will now be shown the Marine Corps fighting their way through Guadalcanal, Okinawa and the infamous Battle of Iwo Jima.

Spielberg and Hanks will largely be sticking to the formula of Band of Brothers. Once again, there will be just ten hour-long episodes, each hour crammed with action set-pieces and exploration of the seemingly endless cast of characters.

The cast was one of the greatest strengths of Band of Brothers, as nearly

TV Enemies: Jake Dean

every actor was unknown.

Each was chosen for their resemblance to their historical counterparts, as opposed to simply casting big-name actors. A similar approach has been taken with The Pacific. The biggest names on the list are Joseph Mazzello (the boy from Jurassic Park), James Badge Dale (Chase from Season Three of 24) and William Sadler (Shawshank Redemption). All great actors but not exactly A-listers. This makes the historicism so much more believable.

One thing does seem to have changed though: the budget. The Pacific

has cost $150 million with shooting taking place across Melbourne, Queensland and Victoria.

It is officially the most expensive series ever made in Australia and has created 4000 jobs within the industry. Also, from looking at the trailers, you can see where the money has gone. Instantly, it is apparent that the scale is bigger: the shots are incredibly cinematic, the battles are huge and money has been spent on everything from Saving Private Ryan beach landings to flamethrowers. Yes, flamethrowers.

And The Pacific is almost here. It has certainly not been a rushed sequel in an attempt to cash-in on Band of Brothers. The ten-month shoot wrapped in May 2008 and the score was finalised in April of this year. By the time it is shown on HBO, it would have been in development for over three years. Well, good things come to those who wait, and the wait is almost over.

In March 2010, we will be following Spielberg and Hanks into battle once more.

Even More Things I Hate About You

Jenny Brown reveals her hatred for the Hollyoaks villain...

Sara Sherwood talks about the TV version of the teen classic...

EVERYONE has a character on TV that they hate. Mine has to be Jake Dean. To sum Jake up: he married his dead wife's sister, tried to rape her and then tried to commit suicide and kill his son at the same time. Even in Hollyoaks this is fairly disturbing.

After all this, he is now walking freely around Chester, bemused as to why the other residents aren't all that interested in speaking to him.

Jake first arrived on the scene in 2002 with the rest of the Dean family, eventually marrying Becca Hayton before finding out that she had been having an affair with her former school pupil, the ohso-lovely Justin Burton.

This would seem to be the source of Jake's craziness as he went on to attack a pregnant Becca and beat up Justin. In a way, this could be understood.

However, he began to spiral out of control. He ran over the Valentines' mum, leaving her for dead, and was left with a two-year probation sentence. He then began his weird relationship with Nancy and, from then on, we could see that Jake was a sandwich or two short of a picnic.

DESPITE the film of the same name being an utterly flawless cult classic, starring the beautiful Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, television executives somewhere in TV-Land decided to make a series of the same name. Of course, fans of the movie collectively rolled their eyes and settled down to watch the first episode ready to verbally whip the slightest thing wrong with this abomination.

Unfortunately, we were wrong in our assumptions of wrongdoing because Ten Things I Hate About You is actually quite good. The basic premise of the show is the same as the movie, but elongated so as to fit into ten episodes to make a short season.

We have the two Stratford sisters as leading girls: there is conventional Bianca and strong-willed Kat Stratford who have just moved to a new town and horrifically have the ordeal of starting a new

He proposed to Nancy with Becca's engagement ring and then married her on Valentine's Day - the anniversary of his ex-wife's murder! For six years, his storylines were as dramatic as they could get and eventually he was sectioned and detained in a mental hospital. I, for one, was not sorry to see him leave.

The problem with Jake is how 'nice' he is.

On the surface, he appears too placid and wimpy to attempt any of the horrible things he actually does and then it's his annoying pleading that always somehow gets him off the hook.

I know life in Hollyoaks isn't realistic, but how Jake can now be free and trying it on with the first blonde that crosses his path is beyond me.

If the release of Jake Dean was inevitable, I would have preferred a hard-skinned Jake; one that had repressed all the bad memories and became a cold, cool, collected man. Instead, we've just been reunited with this sad guy who should be locked away for his misdeeds.

And perhaps his acting is due some welldeserved jail time as well.

school. Under the irongaze of their pregnancyfearing father, boy-crazy Bianca is not allowed to date until Kat does, something which eye-rolling Kat knows is never going to happen with the standard of potential dates at their high school. Then total girl-hero Kat meets the beautifully intense Patrick Verona who she sneers at, totally unbothered by his mysterious exterior. Bianca, in contrast to her sister, shows her desperation to be popular with the queen-bee Chastity and narcissistic boys, despite the lovely Cameron being quite clearly in love with her.

Ten Things I Hate About You may not be completely original seeing as it's based on the film, which is equally based on Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew (so it's unlikely you're not going to realise what happens in the season finale), but essentially, this show is brilliant lazy viewing.

So, instead of breaking out the DVD next time you need some inspirational love from Heath and Julia, watch the opening episode of this instead and I guarantee you'll be equally hooked.

24Television

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

The X Factor: Runners and Riders

Matthew Williamson puts his reputation on the line and predicts the top three on this year's most hotly-contested X Factor series ever…

FIRSTLY, an apology to all those who do not watch The X Factor as religiously as myself – I apologise for my persistence in talking about it week after week. But while 14 million of us are tuning in each weekend and the contestants dominate the front pages, it seems to be the TV show everyone wants to hear about.

This year's show has been one of the best ever and, with the excitement and drama of the live shows, the dodgy start of the controversial live audition stages seems long forgiven and forgotten. Whether it's the rise and fall of Danyl, the besieging of the contestants' house by devoted teenage fans, Cheryl

and Dannii's fashion war or John and Edward's quest for nationwide dominance, this year's programme has provided innumerable talking points. And we are only four weeks in. So here are my predictions for the final three weeks of this year's show. If my three tips get voted off in quick succession, feel free to have a laugh on my behalf; and if I get all three right, I will most likely be forced to say I told you so…

Stacey Solomon

Best performance so far: The Scientist – Coldplay As Louis Walsh says every week: 'Everywhere I go, people love Stacey.' And with her ditsy personality and likeable charm, it's not hard to see why. She has been a favourite from the audition stages, helped along by timely references to her young son, Zach. Stacey really seems to come into her own with slightly out of the ordinary song choices, excelling at covering both Coldplay and Keane. If she learns to move around the stage a bit more and keeps up the enthusiastic blabbering to Dermot after each performance, she's a definite for the final week. Note to the other contestants: copying Stacey's ditzy personality is a surefire way to annoy the public.

Shame this memo didn't

arrive on time for Rachel Adedeji…

Joe McElderry

Best performance so far: Don’t Stop Believing – Journey It takes a lot for Simon Cowell to label anyone as 'note perfect', but Newcastle's very own Joe certainly deserves that accolade. Yes, he does sometimes seem like he's from a stage school, but it's about time a boy won The X Factor (sorry Leon Jackson, but you were clearly an anomaly) and Joe's likeability certainly matches his talent. Managing everything that's thrown at him, from Boyzone songs to rock classics, Joe has proven he is most definitely judge Cheryl Cole's only

Best performance so far: She’s The One – Robbie Williams Danyl Johnson at one stage looked like the clear favourite in the over-25s, but his cocky attitude seems to have let him down in recent weeks. Enter Olly Murs.

Cheeky and likeable, Olly seems to be this year's dark horse, always escaping the bottom two and is a pioneer in the field of making dad-style dancing cool. He's even been compared to an early Robbie Williams.

Maybe it's time Simon stopped flogging deadhorse Danyl and put his support firmly behind Olly, who has most definitely connected with the public.

With a top three prediction all picked out, that leaves six contestants sure to depart within the coming weeks...

Best performance so far: Cry Me A River – Justin Timberlake Surely proof that boyish good looks only get you so far in life?

Lloyd is living on borrowed time with a series of dodgy song choices.

We can't help but feel it's too much, too young.

Jamie Archer

Best performance so far: Hurt – Christina Aguilera

Natalie Timmins previews a must-see new show for fans of historical drama... nation of witnesses for the prosecution, we see Garrow pave the way for the legal system of the 21st century. Never failing to disguise his arrogance and sense of destiny, this is perhaps a must-see for fans of the modern-day medical maverick House.

Outside of the court room, we see Garrow fall for the wife of a powerful MP and defender of equal rights, Lady Sarah Hill (Lyndsey Marshal), promising us that romantic element which will undoubtedly keep us hooked outside of the legal action. Buchan is joined by Alun Armstrong, playing Garrow's mentor and father figure John Southouse, who moves from teacher to student when his clients begin asking for Garrow to represent them. Also on set is Aidan McArdle, playing the disgruntled prosecutor Silvester, who sees Garrow as a rival and vows to beat his

Olly Murs

Lloyd Daniels

Drama in the court room On Sunday 8th November, the second part of the BBC's latest factually-based drama comes to our screens in the form of Garrow's Law, bringing us true cases from the 18th century Old Bailey.

Following in the historical footsteps of popular drama spin-off Casualty 1907 and His Mother's Son, Garrow’s Law is set in a time where political and social injustice are rife and the tales are as old as time. Based on real cases from the Georgian period, there promises to be no lack of drama, with cases ranging from rape to high treason to murder. We see the young barrister William Garrow (Andrew Buchan) become champion for the underdog in a time when defence counsels were dodged and defendants were guilty without being proven innocent. Pioneering the rigorous cross-exami-

hope this year.

cases by whatever means necessary.

Finally, we see Rupert Graves as the ambitious MP Sir Arthur Hill, who views Garrow as a threat to his personal and public life, and wants him brought down by any means necessary…

So it seems this new drama has it all: historical background, dramatic dosings of legal tension and a renowned and stellar cast. Order in the court room may be far from achievable in this new drama, with the four-part series seeming to promise historical, legal and dramatic tensions and making it essential Sunday night viewing.

While the second part airs this Sunday on BBC One, there's still time to catch up with the first episode, as usual, via the online BBC i-Player.

We hate to say it, but Louis Walsh may be right – sometimes this guy isn't far off what we could watch at The Soak's open-mic night.

Even rock week couldn't make Jamie that exciting.

Lucie Jones

Best performance so far: Sweet Child o’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses We reckon she's got a few more weeks left in her yet, but Lucie certainly isn't as strong as previous female winners Leona and Alexandra.

was bullying fan favourite Stacey Solomon.

Danyl Johnson

John and Edward

Best performance so far: And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going – Jennifer Hudson Forgetting the words to Don't Wanna Miss A Thing this week, and throwing one too many tantrums, cocky Danyl must surely be on borrowed time. Arrogant even when trying to act humbly, Danyl has even been labelled 'the most hated contestant of all time', not helped by reports in the press that he

Best performance so far: In a sick sort of way, Oops, I Did It Again – Britney Spears My opinion on these two has been up and down more times than a yo-yo. The joke must be over by now, right?

One performance below their self-set barometer of cringe-worthy entertainment and these two will most certainly be on the first flight back to Dublin.

Do you agree with this prediction, or do you think John and Edward really will go all the way?

Comment on this article and all the others at www.redbrickonline.co.uk and look out for our ‘Television Blog’, featuring an X Factor commentary after the show each week, as well as the latest TV news and previews…

Coming up...

Matthew Williamson and Natalie Timmins preview the next few weeks...

I'm A Celebrity...

Sunday 15th November sees the return of the King of the celebrity reality TV shows... yes, the one that relaunched the careers of both Kerry Katona and Christopher Biggins. While the list of Z-listers travelling Down Under are yet to be revealed at the time of going to press, rest assured that a month of gruelling bush-tucker trials and incamp arguments awaits.

The Doctor's back...

The same date also sees BBC One fight back with the airing of this year's second Doctor Who special - The Waters of Mars. This special brings us one step closer to David Tennant's departure as the Doctor at Christmas (watch out too for a festive return from Catherine Tate as Donna!).

The Doctor's song is ending and someone will be knocking four times...

Plastic Fantastic Wednesday 18th November finally sees the return of series five of Nip/Tuck to FX after the mid-season break. Having peeked ahead as far as the first few episodes of series six, it was definitely worth the wait. New surgeons and life-altering discoveries make this drip with dilemmas and dramas. And let's not forget, series six will see the scrubs hung up for good on Nip/Tuck, so relish in the unbelievable plots while they last.

Children In Need One of the most entertaining nights of TV of the year comes to our screens on Friday 20th November, so cancel all plans, get a takeaway and invest in some tissues - essential both for the tears of laughter during the comedy specials and the tears of sadness as we are all reminded of the real reasons for the event. Don't forget to donate and watch out for special coverage in next week's section...

Sport

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Birmingham hope cash incentive will inspire quick rise back up BUCS table

25

David Wheaton examines the pros and cons of 'Bucks for BUCS' UNIVERSITY of Birmingham Sport has set up a brand new initiative focused on rewarding all students at the University who win a BUCS medal in any of the 49 BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) recognised sports’ Leagues and Championships.

The scheme has been named 'Bucks for BUCS', it's aim being to award successful athletes a certain sum of money at the end of the 2009/10 season based on the number of BUCS points they contribute towards Birmingham's total.

For example, the cricket team take part in an indoor championship every year. If a gold medal were earned this year, the team would be awarded £300, which is recommended to be split into three seperate payments of £100 for outstanding individuals.

It appears that this initiative was conceived in order to prevent Birmingham slipping further down the BUCS points table, after their recent fall from 3rd to 4th, and to give players extra motivation to win. Other institutions within the University offer students prizes and scholarships to encourage them to do well, so surely sport should be doing the same?

On one hand, I would say that 'Bucks for BUCS' is a great opportunity for our excellent sportsmen and women to finally be rewarded financially for their hard work. Elizabeth Egan, the UB Sport Scholarship Manager, explained the thinking behind the scheme, 'As a top University for sport in the UK, our position in BUCS is of significant strategic impor-

Hannah Brooks was a BUCS medalist last year

Katie's Column

The VP Sport gives us her thoughts on the coming month

Photos courtesy of UB Sport Under the new initiative last year's Korfball BUCS champions would have earned a cash reward tance. It follows that if University of Birmingham Sport can reward our athletes for doing well, as a small token of appreciation for the many hours spent training or competing on behalf of the University, as well as the significant personal cost (travel, accommodation, equipment, etc) to compete, then we should do so.' The logic here is that it would give players that extra incentive to work harder and perform better year after year in search of a medal and subsequent cash.

Secondly, many students know, and are frustrated by, how expensive it is join a University team.

My flat mate was successful in his cricket trials and has now joined the first team. In order to become a member of the team he had to pay membership fees of £85 and buy the minimum kit package priced at £96.75 for the whole year. His reaction to the 'Bucks for BUCS' scheme was that he would outdo himself in order to earn back a part of what he paid to join the club. In this sense, the initiative has hit the right spot.

However, there are

potential problems with the system. The students I spoke to believe it is never a good idea to put too much emphasis on money in sport, especially not at this level. They are afraid that, although the amount of money distributed is not huge, it may start turning sport into a business at the University of Birmingham, much like has happened to so many professional sports.

One student who was lucky enough to excel in both swimming and rowing told me that if he had known about the scheme, the difference in the amount of money offered to each sport would have been taken into account when choosing which team to try-out for. The implication of this is that talented rowers or cyclists may choose another sport because the prize at the end is more appealing.

Another issue that has been flagged up in relation to the scheme has been the unfairness of the rewards. 'Bucks for BUCS' only offers these rewards to teams that take part in events that carry BUCS points. This means most novice, beginner and B race events organised by

BUCS do not carry BUCS points and therefore go unrewarded. Additionally, sports are given differing sums. For example, a golfer will receive £120 for victory whilst a footballer only £100.

The question has to be whether University of Birmingham Sport is placing more emphasis on certain sports than on others. Egan argued not, 'Our resources for performance sport are extremely modest and we would love to be in a position to reward all teams and players equally for a job well done. We have focused on individual sports because we can easily measure success.

Hopefully we will be able to find a sponsor in the near future who will allow us to expand this initiative.'

On another level, the scheme might provoke jealousy between members of certain teams.

Some players, for example, may find it unfair that their team-mate receives a financial reward when they, having also contributed to the winning of a trophy, do not.

Although the underlying idea behind the scheme is a genuine at-

tempt to reward good performance, I believe that whenever money is involved in sport, problems ensue. 'Bucks for BUCS' may prove a real success but, whilst the amounts of money offered are so little, is it enough to really entice players to try harder and join clubs? Will it improve Birmingham's position in the sports' rankings, or worsen it? On this point Egan did acknowledge that, 'Many of our competitor universities are investing more heavily in sport that we are.'

Some say that the desire to give their best in a game, or to try-out for a team, still relies on their passion for the sport itself, not a yearning for financial gain. Personally I hope passion will win out over the pound signs.

That's not to say though that the 'Bucks for BUCS' scheme will not provide the incentive that will trigger a Birmingham move back to third spot in the BUCS points table.

Want to have your say on 'Bucks for BUCS'?

Comment on this article at www.redbrickonline. co.uk or email sports@ redbrickonline.co.uk

I want to start by picking out some personal favourites of mine from the sport section over the past month. These include Ben Whitelaw's article on Scott Quinnell and last week's report on the cycling club written by Georgina Killick. Her witty, genuine and insightful approach to experiencing a new sport is exactly what we need to shift the 'elitist' and 'intimidating' perception of university sport.

Expanding on the taboo discussions of elitism and intimidation, no student should be made to feel inadequate or excluded. After the review of the Student Satisfaction Survey 2009 it is evident these stigmas still exist and I for one will not stand for it; they need to be tackled immediately.

Throughout the year progress will be made towards standardised trials for all clubs, whist equality, diversity and integrity will become an integral part of all club constitutions.

Due to how much UB Sport has shaped my university experience, and knowing the added value sport brings to each and every individual, I will not allow discrimination or exclusivity of any kind within any club or team.

The second sports forum of the term will be held Thursday 26th November in the Munrow.

Ideally I would like this meeting to be for all club captains from club development, Guild sport and intra-league teams. I'd also like sport RAs and a Medic Society representative to attend. However, any other student is able to attend so please email me at vps@guild.bham. ac.uk if you would like to come along.

Secondly, Ade Scriven (Club Development Officer) and I hold surgeries once a month (Thursdays 5-7pm) in the club development office. Any students can come and chat to us about all queries/ issues. The next session will be held after the next sports forum.

Lastly I'd like to touch upon the BUCS results for the last few weeks. Although we've had great performances, I can only ask that those teams who are yet to reach their potential to keep their heads high and come out fighting next week. Go Brum!

26 Sport

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

Tennis thrash De Monfort to demonstrate squad depth Men's Tennis

Birmingham's serving was impressive throughout

1st: Birmingham v De Monfort 10 - 0 James McKelvie BIRMINGHAM'S men's tennis team faced something of an unknown quantity in De Montfort on Wednesday afternoon at the Priory Tennis Club. However, this did not stop the home team cruising to a 10-0 win in this Midland Division 2 encounter in what could only be described as a demolition.

Having narrowly missed out on promotion last season, Birmingham's men faced a De Montfort team short of confidence having lost their opening two matches of the season. The home side on the other hand had won their opening two fixtures and quickly set about winning their third.

As the teams emerged, captain Jamie Bourne was sporting the same tennis shoes as those worn

by Maria Sharapova, for which he took a bit of stick off his Birmingham teammates. Despite the

Photo: Rob Senior

banter and double faulting the opening point of his and Sam Davies' doubles match, Bourne was not put off and the pair quickly found their rhythm to storm through the opening few games of this first to eight game match.

Their De Montfort counterparts, on the other hand, were struggling, in particular with their serves, and Bourne and Davies seemed to have little trouble in breaking them with their superior shot-making ability.

Bourne and Davies continued to punish the De Montfort players whose serving got no better as the match went on. The match was over quickly though as the Birmingham pair set the tone for the afternoon with a comfortable 8-0 victory.

Things were just as good for Birmingham on court two where club captain Matt Wilson and teammate Alex Henderson were making light work of their match. In Wilson's first service game he almost managed to achieve the perfect game by slamming home three aces, but was denied by the edge of the De Montfort player's outstretched racket as he was made to settle for an unreturnable serve to wrap up the game. Both players were performing well and it didn't take them long to put their opponents to the sword with

an easy 8-2 win.

Following a short interval, the tennis resumed with four singles matches.

Sam Davies and Matt Wilson played their matches outside and, despite having to contend with a bit of rain, managed to come through their best of three sets matches comfortably winning 6-0, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-0 respectively. In game five of his match, Wilson managed to go one better than in his doubles match by delivering a game of aces, the last of which on his second serve past De Montfort's beleaguered looking Mark Appleton.

Appleton must have thought that it was raining aces as well the drizzle that continued to fall.

Meanwhile on the indoor courts, Dan Schofield was making his team debut for Birmingham and, despite having his knee bandaged up from a football accident, he managed to come through 6-0, 6-1 against a decent Sam Mansell from De Montfort.

The other match was Birmingham's Jamie Bourne against De Montfort's number one David Christian-Woodruff. Woodruff was making a mess of his serve, with his weak second serve in particular being heavily punished.

Things went from bad to worse for the De Montfort player as he hit a return high and against the ceiling. It seemed as if noth-

ing could help him, and he became increasingly irritated as the match went on.

Bourne on the other hand was hitting well and finding the lines on a number of occasions. The Birmingham captain won the set 6-0 but the second began in more competitive fashion, with the first game going to deuce. It appeared as if the player from De Montfort was making a fight of it, but his serve again let him down and Bourne went on to win the game, the set and the match 6-0, 6-0.

Six wins out of six for Birmingham's men enabled them to wrap up an easy 10-0 win (a doubles win counting for one and a singles win counting for two points). Next up for the team are rivals Aston in the cup, a team Birmingham have already beaten once this season, triumphing 8-2. Birmingham's Simon Blatchford, who played in that victory but was absent on Wednesday, said that the whitewash against their Midlands rivals illustrated the Birmingham squad's ‘sheer strength in depth'.

Jamie Bourne also noted that he was 'impressed' with the win and the team's ability to maintain concentration. He added that he believed the 'squad had a good chance of gaining promotion'. You wouldn't bet against it.

Lacrosse team lose the game but not their dignity Men's Lacrosse 1st: Birmingham v Nottingham 1 - 16 Ben Whitelaw THE Men's Lacrosse 1st team may not have the title aspirations of their female counterparts but they still managed to produce a performance of grit and determination at the Metchley 3G pitch against Nottingham, on Wednesday afternoon.

Birmingham were at a disadvantage before the off, with influential players Steve Smith and Luke Denoraha missing from the team that had dismantled Staffordshire 32-1 two weeks earlier.

In stark contrast, Nottingham were able to call upon four England under 19 players in their sqaud of twelve.

With rain threatening overhead, the game began ominously for the home

side with Nottingham going 2-0 up within three minutes of the opening quarter. Nottingham shifted the ball quickly around the back of the Birmingham net, crisp passes opened up the Birmingham defence and first David Jordan and then Max Sandy were on hand to dispatch the ball into the net past Birmingham goalkeeper Dan Charles.

Such fluid attacking play was characterisitic of Nottingham in the opening 20 minutes as they ended the first quarter 7-0 up.

Unfortunately for the home side, the second quarter contained much of the same. Jordan plundered two further goals, and Nottingham captain Max Sandy got in on the act as well. The late arrival of the experienced Rick Wilson gave Birmingham another dimension and they managed a couple of shots on target but they were easily saved by Notts keeper Andy Hodgekiss. At half time, the score stood at 13-0 and with Birmingham in danger of being on the wrond end of a rout.

If the home side seemed to be suffering from stagefright in the first half, the second saw

them take centre stage.

Henry Badman made a great interception to stop an easy Notts goal before Jonny Belding dished out a superb hit to deny another scoring opportunity. The catalyst for the improved performance was the decision to move captain Seb Shead into defence and his organisation was crucial.

Riding on the crest of their impressive defensive rearguard performance, Birmingham were able to express themselves in their opponent's half.

James Lindsay was at the heart of the home side's attacking forays and came close to opening Birmingham's account; a burst of speed from behind the goal saw him leave Sandy behind but his drilled shot found the side netting.

The quarter finished with neither side having scored a goal in a tight 20 minute period and with the score still 13-0.

Birmingham continued to trouble their opponents in the final quarter.

Shead was again at the heart of everything as he reverted back to attack to try and break the impregnable Nottingham defensive line. That they al-

most did when Sam Jones forced Hodgekiss into a smart save. Bouyed by the possession, Birmingham twice carved open their opponents in the space of a minute; Shead used the space behind the goal well and zipped the ball into the path of Will Thompson. Both times though the ball slid past the right hand post. It seemed destined that Birmingham would not be rewarded for their hard work with a goal.

Until that is, a decent spell of possession saw the ball come to Tom Wragg fifteen yards from the Nottingham goal.

With few options around him and the clock ticking down, he unleashed a rasping shot that bounced past the Notts keeper and settled into the net.

Despite such a valiant performance, captain Shead was realistic with his praise. 'We are reasonably happy with that performance against a team that will likely go on to win the championships. I was very proud of the team,' continued Shead. 'Our aim is to win the Plate and with performances like that we have a chance.'

Birmingham were under constant pressure from the visitors Photo: Tom Flathers

Sport

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

27

Birmingham deny Durham despite deficiencies Men's Hockey 1st: Birmingham v Durham 2-2

Dave Rudge THE University of Birmingham Men's Hockey 1st XI came from behind twice to grab a hard-fought 2-2 draw against a strong Durham outfit. Strikes from Richard Gear-Evans and Pete Jackson earned their side a share of the spoils in a game that was exciting from start to finish.

Durham flew out of the blocks, creating several early openings and exerting pressure on their opponent's backline. On seven minutes, the ball sat up nicely for Durham forward Matt Dring inside the circle, but his well struck shot was deflected over the bar.

Birmingham looked fragile and on eleven minutes Durham took the lead when a penalty corner fell to John Osmond who powered in a shot, blocked by keeper Patrick Smith, but carried over the line through its sheer force.

Going behind seemed to spark Birmingham into life; a mazy run by England U18 international Ben Stoney brought the home dugout to its feet but his fizzed low shot went just wide.

The equaliser almost came on 15 minutes when Birmingham broke rapidly from a Durham corner.

W

Birmingham score their first goal on their way to a hard-earned draw The otherwise excellent Matthew Cox spurned a golden chance from 10 yards out when he struck his shot straight at Durham keeper Chris Kessie.

The home side upped their game around the 20 minute mark as they became much more settled in possession. The pressure gradually grew and on 29 minutes Birmingham restored parity through Gear-Evans.

Latching onto captain Nills LloydPenney's short corner, he slotted a controlled shot into the left hand corner of the net.

But the home side's celebrations were silenced just four minutes later when Durham's Tom Merchant broke from deep to find Will Murray inside the shooting circle. He shot across the keeper, Smith parried and the ball fell fortuitously to Dring who blasted the ball into an empty net. It was a night-

marish end to the half for Birmingham.

The visitors restarted brightly and were presented with clear-cut chances for Dring and Osmond, though neither could take their opportunities. Durham's manager implored his team to 'settle down', when maybe they should have kept up the tempo.

As a result, the home side rallied and a Lloyd-Penney penalty corner on 46 minutes teed up Gear-Evans who was denied by a superb fingertip save from keeper Kessie.

Set-pieces came to the home side's rescue again just two minutes later when a Pete Jackson freehit flew through a crowd of players and past the blindsided Kessie into the Durham goal to even the scores at 2-2. From this moment, it appeared that Birmingham would be the dominant force in the game as Durham were

pinned back in their half and looked rattled. But they rode the Birmingham storm and on 55 minutes Dring had a shot from point blank range turned brilliantly round the lefthand post. It was engrossing end-to-end stuff. The home side were pressing hard but were trying to be too intricate in working the ball through a solid Durham centre, Birmingham manager Martin Gilbody pleading with his players to get wide.

The home side had a glorious chance to win the game on 62 minutes.

Gear-Evans manoeuvred skillfully in the circle to make space for a shot.

He did everything right but his effort rattled the crossbar. A frantic melee ensued right in front of the Durham goal as the players desperately hacked at the ball. Vociferous appeals for a penalty were waved away by the refer-

ee much to Birmingham's fury. Moments later, Ben Stoney was presented with an open goal but he couldn't control his shot and it flicked wide off the toe-end of his stick.

Now it was Durham's turn to threaten. On 66 minutes, John Osmond's penalty corner picked out Hadley Smallthwaite who must have thought his crashing drive was destined for the goal until Smith acrobatically tipped it over. It was all Durham, and the north-east team almost pinched it in the dying moments when a direct ball found Dring unmarked 10 yards out. He had a great angle, steadied himself, there was a hushed pause, but he blasted his shot well wide when he really should have scored.

The game ended two a piece but Durham were definitely the happier of the teams when the whis-

=the===redbrick==crossword= Sephron Mansell

Redbrick 1357

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Sponsored by Waterstone's at the University of Birmingham The prize this week is the book The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Across

Down

1. North Yorkshire seaside town (11) 6. ____ the Elephant, American rock band (4) 7. Anxious, uneasy (5) 8. ____ Up, 2006 dance movie starring Jenna Dewan (4) 10. Italian sandwich (6) 11. Connection; link (5) 12. Sport played on horseback (4) 13. ____ Larsen. US comic-writer including Spiderman (4) 16. Take over, embezzle (5) 17. Diplomatic representatives of governments (6) 18. ____ Straits, British rock band led by Mark Knopfler (4) 19. Ash, under (5) 21. Repeated rhythmic phrase (4) 22. Intermittently, sporadically (11)

1. Curtis __________, author of 2009 novel American Wife (10) 2. ____ Davies, Jonathan Creek star (4) 3. Arm muscles (6) 4. ______ Spektor, American singer / songwriter (6) 5. ______ Girl, American drama starring Chase Crawford (6) 9. Affluence, fortune (10) 14. My Sister's ______, Jodi Picoult bestseller (6) 15. Seeping, trickling (6) 20. ____, English band with such hits as Parklife (4)

Photo: Tom Flathers tle sounded. The Birmingham players threw their sticks down in disgust, despite avoiding defeat.

Birmingham's captain Nills Lloyd-Penney was content at the result but not with his side's performance. 'We didn't perform to our best but it was a big plus not to lose the game and we extended our unbeaten run at home.'

When asked about the match officials, LloydPenney refused to be critical. 'I think both sides had decisions go against them but we don't have any complaints. A draw was probably a fair result.'

Durham performed slightly better on the day but a draw was the right result in a keenly contested match which could have gone either way. What Birmingham's performance may have lacked in style, was certainly made up for with grit, character, and determination.

Last issue's solutions:

middlemarch== a=e=e===i==e= nelson=ace=g= d=p==u==a=tom o=henry=r=o== l=i==s==d=r=e i=nape=mort=m n=i=o==o==e=p ==u=l=steel=l kim=e==i==l=o =n=amp=family =n==i===h=n=e ==acclimatise Think you've cracked it? Pop your completed crosswords (and bribes, naturally) in to the Redbrick office with your NAME, COURSE, YEAR and EMAIL ADDRESS for a chance to win The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne from the University's Waterstone's branch.

The deadline for the crossword is Tuesday 10th November 2009.

Last issue's winner was Amy Jones, 2nd year, Law with French.

We will send you an email to confirm a time to collect your prize.

28 Sport

REDBRICK 1357 / 6th NOVEMBER 2009

SPORT

27 Hockey The men's 1st team in action against Durham

26 Lacrosse Disappointment for the men against Nottingham

Women hold on for dramatic win Women's Hockey 1st: Birmingham v Durham 4-3 Jonathan Gilbert ON a Wednesday afternoon which signalled the bitter imminence of winter, the University of Birmingham's women's 1st XV hockey team twice came from behind to win a hard-fought game against the University of Durham's 1st XV at the Bournbrook pitches. The win sees the girls propelled to the top of the BUCS PricewaterhouseCoopers North Premier Division.

The clash between the league's two heavyweights started at a frantic pace. In the opening ten minutes Birmingham midfielder Sarah Page took the game by the scruff of the neck and had a shot well saved by opposition goalkeeper Harriet Tebbs. At the other end of the pitch, Durham attacker Gabby Foster slid her effort the wrong side of the left-hand post following some eye-catching build-up play in midfield.

As the half developed, Durham gradually gained the upper hand and the Birmingham coach, Phil Gooderham, became increasingly frustrated with his side. His defenders' continual inability to cope with the penetrative passes being aimed down the flanks by the Durham midfield would lead to the first goal of the game.

Emma O'Nein was played into the left channel, behind Birmingham's backline. Cutting into the D past three defenders, a

foul against her brought Durham their second short corner of the match. From the set play, the lively Foster deflected Harriet Moors' strike past hapless Birmingham goalkeeper, Josie Morris, to give Durham a 21st minute lead.

With the Northeast side continuing to dominate proceedings, the exasperated Birmingham coach pulled out his pitch plan and red marker in order to explain to the substitutes how to prevent the constant attacks down their right flank.

On the half hour, after another well-worked penalty corner, a straight strike by attacker Libby Sheriff gave Durham a two goal advantage which, with only five minutes remaining, the team would have expected to take into the half-time interval.

However, the goal only served to fire up an already riled Birmingham. After good interplay between Emily Atkinson and Holly Payne down the right, the latter's shot from the edge of the area was well saved. Seconds later, after a great piece of individual play, vicecaptain Ashley Caddick fired into the bottom left corner from just inside the D. With their lead cut to just one, Durham's players became uneasy.

In the last minute of the half the Birmingham onslaught continued and, after a scrappy few moments in the Durham D, the loose ball dropped to Elin Thomas who crashed her shot against the goal's backboard. Both coaches would now have to drastically rethink their team talks at the interval.

The players took to the pitch for the second half and it was Birmingham who came flying out of the traps. The outstanding Atkinson once again showed fantastic

Birmingham just had the edge over their counterparts on Wednesday afternoon close control, dribbling past four Durham defenders before forcing an acrobatic save from Tebbs in the opposition goal.

However, in the first effective illustration of what was to be Durham's most dangerous tactic after the break, their three-pronged forward line broke on the counterattack. On 43 minutes Moors carried the ball down the left; she then played Danni Dauber into the Birmingham D, who flicked the ball across goal for Foster to tap in and secure her brace.

Despite once again falling behind, Birmingham did not let their heads drop in what was an open and competitive match. Jenna Woolven re-

ceived the ball inside the opposition's 25 and shot past the Durham goalkeeper to even out the scores.

The final 15 minutes were played frenetically as Birmingham probed for the winner and Durham, content to sit back in their own half, looked to take opportunities on the break.

The winning goal of the match came from Birmingham midfielder Isobel Fullwood. After another impressive show of skill from Atkinson, she was fouled inside the Durham D. From the resulting penalty corner Fullwood pushed the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal to the delight of the Birmingham play-

ers, both on the pitch and in the dugout.

With only seven minutes remaining the last chance fell to Durham.

From a short corner, Flick Bambosi, whose terrierlike performance in the centre of midfield drew plaudits from even the home supporters, had a shot deflected into the Birmingham goal. However, with the ball striking the back of the net, and not the backboard, the umpire ruled out the equaliser Durham so desperately needed.

Home team captain Naomi Halladay conceded that Birmingham did not reach their full potential on the day: 'We didn't play to the best of our ability but we were really good

Photo: Lucy Percival in patches.' She was, however, keen to stress the importance of the win. 'It was a hard-fought victory and we're really pleased to have beaten Durham who are one of the best teams in the division.'

Birmingham leapfrog the visitors in the table to take top spot and have now taken maximum points from their four league fixtures played so far, including a 9-2 thrashing of the University of Manchester 1st XV on the opening day of the season. They will be hoping that this rich vein of form continues, and that there is no need for pitch plans or marker pens, in next week's game against the University of Edinburgh's 1st XV.

Redbrick Live Coverage Saturday 7th November - xpLosION Birmingham Lions versus Loughborough Aces If you can't get down to the Bournbrook pitch, you can follow all the action with our live coverage from 5.30pm at www.redbrickonline.co.uk and read the exclusive online report on Sunday Photo: Pete Blakemore

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