ISSUE 1528

Redbrick

The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936

Plans Discussed to Demolish Snobs Nightclub

The future of Birmingham nightclub Snobs has been put in doubt following a recent public meeting to discuss the future of the Ringway centre, where Snobs is based.

As Dudley News report, the news came after the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) attended the meeting held on the 28th February. The Commercial Estates Group (CEG) have launched a planning application to replace it with ‘three giant buildings with around 1,750 flats, a spa, cinema, gym and nightclub’, as Dudley News reports. Mary Keating, who founded Brutiful Birmingham, attended a meeting on Tuesday. She commented ‘We grow up with buildings, we live our lives with buildings, they're part of the way we understand ourselves and the memories we have with our friends, our family, and everything else in the world’. Keating also spoke about the disturbance the proposed plans would cause, claiming that it would cause ‘up to 14 years of disruptions’.

BirminghamMail spoke to CEG representative Nick Jones. Speaking on Snobs' potential future, Jones responded ‘They're a tenant. And the lease is coming to an end. We've had various discussions around whether they should be able to come back in or not, but then this will be a construction site for a number of years. So for them to continue trading would be to find a new location.’ The Ringway centre, located along the Smallbrook Queensway first opened in 1962.

Architect John Christophers at Zero Carbon House, a housing firm which aims to advocate for sustainable development in cities, said that the developments would have ‘marginal economic benefits’ for Birmingham. He went on to say that: ‘In the planning application submitted, there's an economic statement

which appears to suggest that the economic viability of the scheme is so marginal it justifies 0% of affordable housing, in contrast to the 35% which has already been mentioned as the as the city's housing policy. I think that speaks for itself.’

There have been conflicting reactions from the community in response to the proposed plans. Robert Kornreich, aged 80, who previously worked as a sociology teacher, said he was "disturbed" by the plans. He commented ‘The way in which the council is not really controlling and enabling the public - they're not even controlling themselves, let alone the public - I mean, it's really quite shocking the dereliction of duty.’ Conversely, Jack Hansen, a 34 year old heritage consultant, said who is interested in the projects is key. Hansen said that ‘I think the building has a lot of interest but I'm quite interested in to whom it's interesting too. It obviously needs a lot of improvements, and I think the alternative scheme shows that there's a viable option.’

Rebrick’s Print and Features Editor Sophie Utteridge commented that ‘it was the first club I went to as a fresher so it would be quite upsetting to see it go if it did’. An anonymous student, who grew up in Birmingham, commented that ‘I personally am sad because its location was so perfect and convenient opposite the train station and didn’t include a trek to Broad Street or Digbeth so hope it doesn’t move too far away…And if they move to an area more dense with clubs it’s prices would probably have to go up and that’s not the charm that Snobs has.’

According to the Snobs website, they describe themselves as a ‘Brummie institution’ and ‘one of the most loved nightclubs in Birmingham’. Snobs have declinded to comment on the matter.

James Evenden Film Editor

Eleanor Bergin

Aaron Paul/Unsplash

Being Treasurer for Redbrick is certainly not an experience I imagine myself forgetting in a few years’ time. That may be because I’ll still be in contact with the people I met in the society, or because I’ll be using some of the skills that I’ve gained on my journey with Redbrick, but in all honesty I think it’ll be a mixture of both. This is why I have enjoyed my time with Redbrick so much – I’ve been able to do enjoyable work with people that I enjoy being around.

Granted, upon first sight, the role of Treasurer may not seem like the most glamourous position in the world. And I’ll be real: it isn’t. It’s a lot of emails, a lot of data and a lot of paperwork. But who said that a position had to be glamorous in order for it to be engaging? I've learned to tame my inbox, wrangling both email ghosts and over-communicators alike. The data analysis I’ve been able to do has also been very interesting: every month I receive a breakdown of our website performance from Google Analytics so I can figure out exactly why Redbrick is the most fantastic student publication in the country and how we can continue to be so (please note that this claim has not been verified but I expect it’s true given my own experience with the very hard-working peo-

ple who are part of this society). Regarding the paperwork: regrettably and perhaps unsurprisingly, it is simply paperwork and there isn't much more to say about it. You just deal with it, nothings perfect.

But as I said, the work that I’ve been doing has only been half of what being Treasurer has meant to me. The other half is in the people I’ve met. If you’re the Treasurer of Redbrick, you are also part of the committee of Redbrick, and if you are a part of the committee of Redbrick, you’re a part of a tight-knit group of lovely people who get to discover how challenging it may be at times to work with the Guild, whilst still going along for the ride of this extremely fulfilling journey.

It’s not just the committee who I’ve loved getting to know over the past year, but the editors, the other media societies and, of course, the readers. Without you the society would not have any money for me to pretend to know what I’m doing with, so thank you and I hope you keep the paper thriving for years to come!

website-related for Redbrick and will sadly miss all things Redbrick next year. When I joined Redbrick almost a year ago, I knew very little about the paper and the people that ran it, but over the past year I’ve gotten to know both very well which I’m extremely grateful for. While at times the role has been frustrating for me and everyone, especially when the website goes down (which I’m almost always responsible for), it has been extremely fulfilling seeing the changes I’ve implemented published for all to see and to help shape the future of Redbrick and its digital presence. Much has changed on the website since I have taken over, changes both visible and behind the scenes, but there is much more to do and there are a few things I’ve been working on that I hope to be able to share with you in the coming weeks. It’s also been great seeing all the different articles published in both print and online, and I want to show my appreciation for all the writers and the work they do as they are the ones that make the website the great place that it is.

I’ll still be around next year and I’m excited to see the direction the new committee takes Redbrick, but the rest of this year’s committee won’t be, and I want to thank all of you so much and I wish you all the best in the next part of your lives!

Editor-in-Chief

Dan Hunt editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

Deputy Editors

Isobel Radakovic

Sofia Salazar Studer deputy@redbrickonline.co.uk

Print&Features Editors

Eleanor Bergin

Sophie Utteridge print@redbrickonline.co.uk

Digital Editors

Cara-Louise Scott

Nouria Lambert de Rouvroit digital@redbrickonline.co.uk

Lead Developer

Kirk Mellors developer@redbrickonline.co.uk

Marketing Secretary

Nikhil Handa marketing@redbrickonline.co.uk

Social Secretary

Kylie Clarke social@redbrickonline.co.uk

The end of the academic year is fast approaching and so is the end of my time as Redbrick’s lead developer. I’ve had an amazing time doing everything

News Editors

Anna-Marie Fischer

Kitty Grant

Joshua Herman

Charlie O'Keeffe

Oliver Shaw news@redbrickonline.co.uk

Comment Editors

Weronika Białek

Eva Cahill

Gwydion Elliott

James Konn comment@redbrickonline.co.uk

Culture Editors

Halima Ahad

Charlotte George

Daisy Griffin culture@redbrickonline.co.uk

Music Editors

Bas Bevan

Emma Gardner

Faith Parker

Vicky Wilson music@redbrickonline.co.uk

I want to especially thank Dan for putting up with my constant questions about random things (especially during those first few weeks) and to Cara, whose patience always amazes me when the website stops working! I also want to thank the rest of the committee for being the amazing people that you all are!

A Letter from the Treasurer and Lead Developer Redbrick Editorial Team

Film Editors

James Evenden

Jess Parker

Emily Wallace film@redbrickonline.co.uk

TV Editors

Erin Perry

Josie Scott-Taylor

Alex Taylor tv@redbrickonline.co.uk

Gaming Editors

Benjamin Oakden

Louis Wright gaming@redbrickonline.co.uk

Food&Drink Editors

Rachel Judt

Ashley Kabue

Sophie Skrimshire food@redbrickonline.co.uk

Travel Editors

Jessica Haines

Soria Nicholson travel@redbrickonline.co.uk

Life&Style Editors

Ashannay Davis

Sophie Handler

Ella Taylor lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk

Sci&Tech Editors

Georgia Brooks

Leah Renz tech@redbrickonline.co.uk

Sport Editors

Oscar Frost

Joe Liddicot

Takbir Rahman

William Rogers sport@redbrickonline.co.uk

Editorial Assistants

Jennifer Lewis

Kathryn Dungey

Ilina Jha

Tara Bange

Sarah Tyrer

James Evenden

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Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TT 0121 251 2462 editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error or fact in our pages, please write to the editor. Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropritate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication.

Nikhil Handa Digital Editor

Kirk Mellors Lead Developer

Dan Hunt

James Evenden

Dan Hunt

Students Highlight Social Inequality Within UoB Mental Health Support

Charlie O'Keeffe News Editor

Content Warning: Mentions of suicide.

Some students have highlighted the social inequality which exists within the mental health support offered by the University of Birmingham. They have made the point that where some can afford access to private mental health care, others are reliant on the NHS and the free support that is offered by the University.

The University Wellbeing Service provides free counselling. However, those who feel more comfortable with face-toface sessions face a 'limited capacity' to support this, so may deal with longer wait times. The maximum time a student could delay an academic deadline, without diagnostic or other evidence, is just 5 days.

is present not just in University Wellbeing Services but across the country. The Royal College of Psychiatrists have said that people may be facing a 'hidden wait time' for starting treatment since there is no official data recording how long people wait between their initial referral and actually beginning treatment. This issue with access has meant that many mental health patients have been turning to A&E for help, since they feel they have been left with no other option.

The University Wellbeing Service says it will provide only ‘up to 5 sessions,' of therapy concentrating on 'the issues that are causing you the most distress’. The University does say that for more ‘complex issues’ it is possible that you would ‘be referred to speak with a Counsellor from either Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, our partnership provider, Randstad, or UBHeard for either ongoing sessions or signposting to the most appropriate service.’ I spoke to a student about their experience seeking University support for their own multi-factor mental health struggle, and they said that when they sought support: 'At this point I was dealing with some heavy PTSD and OCD (I still do but it was at its worst then) as a result of getting severe Post-Covid symptoms. I was being bullied by my flat -

mates about the fact that I hated them having massive parties and going to massive events and coming back with Covid symptoms. I ended up getting some sort of fresher’s flu because of them and I lost all my remaining mobility and had to move home.'

They described how whilst they were experiencing these issues, the University's 'mental health provisions took months to access and then I was only given like 4 sessions and referred onto a charity which took months to access (and then I was only offered like 6 sessions).'

These issues connect to academic work through the university's Reasonable Adjustment Plan (RAP) system.

The top of the list of recommended medical evidence to include in a RAP application for mental health issues is a 'diagnosis', something that in the context of the long waittimes can be challenging to gain access to.

I spoke to a student about his experience trying to get a diagnosis and he explained how challenging this was. When he first went to a GP, years ago, he said: ‘She said she couldn’t help me because I wasn’t suicidal, and that she had other patients in worse situations’. He specified that ‘At no point was I able to access diagnostic services, counselling, CBT or

NHS care.’ It was only through going through private healthcare that he was able to receive an Autism diagnosis. Once he accessed private healthcare, the process took just ‘2 months’. He and his family have had to fundraise for this private care since. He said it ‘seemed like the only way I would be able to access any help at university through DSA’. He said that for his issues that he doesn’t yet have a diagnosis for, the university are ‘less helpful.’

The university also asks that students ‘Please note that some GPs charge for writing evidence letters and you will be liable to pay this fee.' This means that there can be a financial cost to seeking university support. Furthermore, the British Medical association states that, due to being ‘inundated with work’, doctors may be reluctant to provide an evidence letter. An American study found that mental health issues like depression and anxiety, especially when co-occurring, are associated with poorer academic performance.

Redbrick reached out to the University for comment but they did not respond.

Cost of Living Crisis sees 92% of Students Worried about Finances

Rianna Mistry

News Writer

According to a recent poll conducted by the Office of National Statistics, 92% of students are worried about their finances in the face of the recent cost of living crisisstats show significant numbers regarding the number of students taking out loans, with some even considering the possibility of withdrawing from higher education as a result.

described as ‘the forgotten group’. Maintenance loans do not sufficiently support student spending, seeing many students look to their families for support. Unfortunately, those from poorer backgrounds are unable to receive this support, even forcing some to skip meals in order to save money.

finances, almost half (49%) of students feel they have financial difficulties, with a third (33%) saying these were minor and 16% saying they had major financial difficulties as a result of the cost of living crisis.

In response to this, experts have revealed tips to try and support students through this difficult time. Careers experts at RateMyPlacement have shared tips such as budgeting, talking to your university and prioritising your mental health. Generating new sources of income and saving money through student discounts were also suggestions made by experts.

Primarily due to the increase in energy prices, the UK has recently been in the midst of a cost of living crisis, with the student community being

The Office of National Statistics have supported these claims by publishing statistics regarding the relationships between students and the financial crisis. While 92% of students are worried about their

The issue of long wait times

"The University Wellbeing Service provides free counselling"

Korng Sok/Unsplash

"...many students look to their families for support"

"...almost half (49%) of students feel they have financial difficulties"

Ibrahim Rifath/ Unsplash

Plant Based Universities helps make Uni-veg-sities

Jacob Dawson News Writer

Plant-Based Universities (PBU) is a student-led organisation operating out of over forty UK universities with the sole aim of making catering in universities 100% plant-based to reduce university contributions to the climate crisis. The group has seen success in recent times with their biggest wins taking place at the University of Cambridge, where activists led a vote to enter talks

with the catering team to remove all animal products in their menus. This followed a landmark vote at the University of Stirling where students voted for their student union to transition to 100% plant based catering by 2025.

The organisation follows a simple three-step campaign plan in order to achieve their aims. This includes ‘Research and Engaging with the Student Population, Engaging with University and Student Union Internal Democratic Processes and Direct Action-based on

necessity.’

Despite work by the organisation to hold healthy debates with students on both sides of the issue, PBU has been subjected to criticism. In some cases, activists at the University of Stirling had notes pinned to the doors of their private accommodation saying ‘Dear Vegans, please stop forcing veganism on the uni’.

successful in universities up and down the UK, with some notable wins in Cambridge and an upcoming vote at the Guild of Students at the University of Birmingham.

PBU accept the need for nonviolent direct action in their attempt to solve one of the major issues which they argue drives climate change and the ecocide. This works in tandem with PBU’s focus on education and student democracy. Like other climate movements this often involves talking to students on the street about their agenda and building a strong grassroots support which is then used in student union votes to promote their agenda. This strategy has so far been

With the climate crisis escalating day by day, Plant Based Universities is highlighting what they see as one of the main drivers of the climate crisis while aiming to tackle it in a way which has democratic processes and healthy debate at its heart. Despite criticism from students, arguing that Plant Based Universities are restricting students' choice to have meat on campus, they acknowledge that they are in fact not pursuing an outright ban of animal products on university campuses. With veganism, vegetarianism and allergy-friendly food needs all on the rise in the UK, movements towards providing more low-cost, plant-based options are being welcomed, with YouGov polling highlights that, as of January 2023, up to 25% of the population would consider themselves as vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian or flexitarian. At the University of Birmingham small steps have already been taken to provide more vegan and vegetarian options on campus, oat milk will now be the default option at one campus outlet.

By pursuing a vegan and vegetarian agenda on campuses up and down the country, Plant Based Universities are contributing to a growing student movement concerned with pioneering sustainability and radical climate action through means of collective action. gradual student democracy.

YouGov and Quizlet Survey Students on Exam Pressures and Mental Health

Cara-Louise Scott Digital Editor

New research by Quizlet and YouGov shows that parents remarkably underestimate the ‘extent of the pressure’ that exams are putting on their children.

health, Dr Amir Khan, has partnered with Quizlet to provide the educational tools, resources, and top tips to help parents support their children as they near exam season.

Quizlet is the world’s biggest global learning platform and is used by over 300,000 university students and 70,000 teachers in the UK. Their survey with YouGov found a disconnect between parents and students with exams and student mental health.

The YouGov survey asked 2,076 students and adults about their concerns for students’ mental health while studying. YouGov asked parents if exams had a negative effect on students’ mental health and only 40% of parents thought they did. This is a stark contrast to the 89% of students who said that exams had a negative impact on their mental health.

to their friends to cope with stress, 30% would speak to their romantic partner and then 28% would talk to their parents.

them recognise signs of stress and anxiety as well as provide them with practical help to alleviate stress and aid revision.’ Though, with parents not always being around, university students studying/living away from home, and the fact many students do not feel comfortable talking to their parents, this isn’t an easy situation to

fix.

Even so, Dr Amir notes some top tips that parents can help with, such as looking out for signs of stress and being open to talk about nerves, providing the right resources to help them learn, having good sleep, encouraging exercise and downtime.

The recent survey reveals a ‘serious disparity’ between the opinions of parents and students regarding how much exams impact mental health. In light of this, and in advance of University Mental Health Day on Thursday 9th March, TV and NHS doctor and advocate for student mental

A similar YouGov survey found that 60% of 18–24-year-old students have felt a level of stress or anxiety that has interfered with their day-to-day life. 44% of the same age category say they do not feel comfortable talking to friends or family about their mental health. However, 47% would talk

Dr Amir said: ‘The YouGov survey reveals a concerning gap of awareness in parents and carers of how exam choices are affecting the mental health of their children. There are all sorts of pressures on young people today, especially post-Covid when some students have lost practice or are even sitting important exams for the first time. Parents can help

“Parents remarkably understimate the 'extent of the pressure' that exams are putting on their children"

“Plant based universties has been subjected to criticism and even verbal abuse"

“47% would talk to their friends to cope with stress 30% would speak to their romantic partner and then 28% would talk to their parents"

Tim Gouw/Unsplash

“YouGov polling highlights that as of january 2023 up to 25% of the population would consider themselves vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian or flexitarian"

Anna Pelzer/ Unsplash

UoB Study finds Moderate Alcohol Intoxication Does Not Affect Recollection of Sexual Assault

Cara-Louise Scott Digital Editor

Content Warning: Reference to Serious Sexual Assault

A study conducted by the University of Birmingham has found that women are able to recall the events of sexual assault and rape with accuracy even if they are intoxicated.

The findings were published in Frontiers in Psychology –Forensic and Legal Psychology and are a step towards challenging ‘courtroom perceptions of women being unreliable as witnesses in cases where they were intoxicated at the time an assault took place.’

Statistics by Rape Crisis found that only 1 in 100 rapes recorded by police in 2021 resulted in a charge that same year despite the fact that in a 12-month period ending in September 2020, 70,633 rapes were recorded by the police.

The study demonstrated that women who had drunk alcohol up to the legal limit for driving were able to give details of an assault in a hypothetical scenario, including ‘details of activities to which they had, and had not, consented.’

Acute alcohol intoxication has

a significant impact on criminal proceedings, with up to 80% of victims reported to have been alcohol intoxicated when their attack occurred. Professor Heather Flowe, who is part of the University’s School of Psychology, and led the research, said: ‘We know that sexual assault frequently coincides with alcohol intoxication. This means that, during trials, victims’ and witnesses’ accounts will often be contested, which is one of the reasons why so few cases lead to conviction for defendants and this needs to change.’

given an alcoholic drink, while the other half were given tonic water. But within each group, some women were told they would be consuming alcohol, but got given tonic water, and some were told they’d be drinking tonic water, but received vodka.

After drinking, the women worked through a written and audio presented account of an encounter between themselves and a man. They were asked to imagine how they believe they’d think and feel if the incident had happened to them. The women were then asked to make decisions about whether to continue the encounter with the man and if they made the decision to end the encounter, they were presented with a screen which informed them of a hypothetical rape taking place at the end of the evening.

In the experiment, even from drinking tonic water, the women showed a heightened awareness of their surroundings and who they were interacting with.

non-consensual sexual activities.

Most significantly, the researchers found no evidence to suggest that if a woman participated in consensual sex, while intoxicated, ‘she might later remember it as non-consensual’.

The study involved researchers working with 90 women who had to take part in a hypothetical scenario under one of four conditions; around half the group were

A week later, women were asked to complete a questionnaire asking them to answer questions about that evening’s events. It was discovered that women who consumed alcohol during the experiment were just as accurate in remembering consensual and

Laura Stevens, co-author of the paper, said: ‘This research challenges a key myth about victim’s memories regarding rape and sexual assault, which is often used to dismiss the victim’s account.’

26% of Male Students Think Their University Does ‘Too Much’ To Tackle Misogyny

Daisy Roberts News Writer

Content Warning: Mentions of Misogyny and Sexual Assault

According to a new Savanta survey of 1,600 university students aged 18-25, 26% of male students think their university does ‘too much’ to tackle misogyny. The survey, commissioned by Sophia Smith Galer, journalist and author of ‘Losing It’, revealed shocking figures which, according to Smith Galer, comes down to a lack of sex education for adolescents from primary school up to university.

Named by Smith Galer as a ‘lost generation’, university students, she believes, are showing the effects of a failed sex education system. 52% of current university students claim they had no regular conversations with their parents about sex growing up. It is thought that the lack of a successful sex education system to rely

upon, has left, university students severely lacking in education and healthy sexual experiences.

The survey shows that 45% of university-aged men and 31% of university-aged women felt confident labelling the ‘nubis’ on a diagram of the female reproductive system, a statistic that is shocking given the fact that the ‘nubis’ does not exist.

It is thought that Universities are also failing to give their students the education they need. One effect of this can be seen in the lack of support services made known to university students. Despite being more likely to fall victim to sexual harassment, it was revealed that only 52% of female students versus 70% of male students knew how to report it.

Sarah Champion, a British Labour MP who had a big influence in the introduction of mandatory sex education in 2017, weighed in on these findings. Champion said how the figures ‘paint a clear picture of the shock-

ing gaps in children and young people’s knowledge about sex, relationships and their own bodies’. Champion said that the fundamentals of sex education should be taught ‘long before’ students reach university, and that this failure is actually putting students ‘at risk’.

cation.

To investigate further, Redbrick spoke to Emmanuelle Cuccolo, a teacher of 15 years and a second year student studying for a Masters in Research in Sexuality and Gender Studies.

According to Cuccolo, sex education which, ‘teaches you how to be human’, is not being properly addressed by the University of Birmingham.

healthy conversations that UoB is not actively trying to have.

This ‘risk’ is certainly evident in some of the experiences reported by Smith Galer. Around 40% of students reported feeling pressured into their first experience of penetrative sex, and 34% of female students believed that their sexual partner did not fully understand what ‘consent’ meant. These two statistics alone show the danger that some students are in as a consequence of a lack of sex edu-

When asked by Redbrick whether she thought UoB does enough to tackle misogyny, Cuccolo’s instant response was a definitive ‘no’. Cuccolo elaborated saying, ‘They [UoB] don’t take any opportunity to actively engage students in a conversation’.

This, in Cuccolo’s opinion, included the University’s ‘on paper’ attempts to reach out to students with their ‘Not On’ campaign, a campaign launched in 2015 to raise awareness about sexual harassment.

‘Misogyny comes out of ignorance’, said Cuccolo, something which can only be improved by

Cuccolo also brought attention to the disparity between international and home students. Having run 2-hour consent workshops out of her own initiative in the Spring and Autumn of the last academic year, Cuccolo saw this division first-hand. She said how she noticed that the majority of students attending the workshops were international students who claimed they had ‘never received any sex education in their life’.

Cuccolo said how international students at university, as well as groups like the LGBTQ+ community, are all being left out of the limited sex education available to students.

Redbrick reached out to the University of Birmingham for comment, however, they have not responded.

“This failure is actually putting students 'at risk'"

“This means that during trials, victims' and witnesses' accounts will often be contested"

“Women who consumed alcohol during the experiment were just as accurate in remembering consensual and non-consensual sexual activities"

Kevin Kelly/ Unsplash

Train Stations Support Samaritans Small Talk Saves Lives Campaign

Cara-Louise Scott Digital Editor

Content Warning: Reference to Suicide

Three major train stations in the West Midlands supported Samaritans’ new Small Talk Saves Lives campaign. Banbury station, Stafford station and Birmingham New Street station all had volunteers at their stations from February to March to show passengers how small talk could save someone’s life.

Recent research from Samaritans has revealed that 50% of people in the West Midlands ‘wouldn’t feel confident approaching and speaking to someone they don’t know if they were concerned about them in public.’

However, the research did give some ideas about starting a conversation. 37% of people in the West Midlands thought that the best way to start a conversation with a stranger would be to give them a smile. 29% said they would say ‘Excuse me’, 36% said

they’d make eye contact, 20% would make a comment about the weather, and 17% would ask a question.

The Chief Executive Officer of Samaritans, Julie Bentley, said: ‘We know first-hand how lifechanging that conversation could be. There is no evidence to suggest that you will make the situation worse.’

Network Rail and Samaritans were both around at events across the country this March to speak to passengers about the new campaign, to highlight the importance of conversation and provide myth busting leaflets to make people more confident in speaking to people who might need help.

Recently appearing on TV screens, Samaritans launched a campaign film in partnership with Network Rail, British Transport Police and the wider rail industry. The video shows people that just a little small talk, like asking ‘where can I get a coffee?’, can be the thing it takes to stop someone’s suicidal thoughts and save their life.

Samaritans is a charity that provides emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, particularly those at risk of suicide. Small Talk Saves Lives launched in 2017 but has recently had more awareness due to the new video. Their aim is to raise awareness within railway stations and other public settings about how we need to trust our instincts and start a small conversation if we think someone might need help. This specific campaign ran from the 21st of February to the 12th of March 2023.

Network Rail’s Central route head of stations and customer relations, Steven Ireland, said: ‘We’re really proud to be working alongside Samaritans volunteers to empower our passengers to look out for one another and have the confidence to strike up a conversation if someone needs support.' He encouraged people who were travelling at the time of the campaign to 'please stop and have a chat with our volunteers.’

If you or someone you know needs to speak to Samaritans, you can call them on 116 123. They

are also available through their website.

Young Men Shout Abuse at Vigil for Brianna Ghey

Charlie O'Keeffe News Editor

Content Warning: Homophobia, Transphobia and Reference to Murder

On the 17th of February, hundreds of people gathered on Hurst Street next to the Birmingham Hippodrome to hold a vigil for Brianna Ghey. However, a group of young men came to the vigil to shout abuse at those gathered in Birmingham’s gay village to mourn the death of the transgen-

der child.

On the 11th of February, Brianna Ghey was found in a village park in Cheshire stabbed to death. She was just 16-years-old. A 15-year-old boy and girl have been charged with her murder. There were vigils held for her across the country.

BirminghamLive were shown footage of the abuse shouted at the vigil but chose not to publish the video. At the vigil, the young men shouted slurs, and said ‘f*** LGBT rights.’ Mourners in the crowd responded, ‘no one’s telling you to be here’, and someone else shouted ‘calm down please’.

Additionally, an interview conducted at the scene by I Am

Birmingham after the vigil had concluded was interrupted by men shouting ‘f*** LGBT f*** you all.’ Eva Echo, who was being interviewed said, ‘And that's exactly why we need to come together’.

The vast majority at the vigil, though, were there in support of Brianna Ghey’s family and the transgender community. Speakers from the trans community in Birmingham gave speeches. One transgender teen described feeling ‘terrified’, and how he has been ‘sexually harassed’ and had rocks thrown at him.

The crowd held candles and brought flowers to pay their respects. They carried signs which

read ‘Brum Against Hate’ and ‘Say her name’. They also shouted 'we love you!' when the trans teenager took the microphone. Meanwhile donations on a GoFundMe crowdfunding page for Brianna’s family have surpassed £100,000.

Brianna Ghey’s family issued a statement about their memory of her which reads: ‘Brianna was a much-loved daughter, granddaughter, and baby sister. She was a larger-than-life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her. Brianna was beautiful, witty and hilarious. Brianna was strong, fearless and one of a kind.’

Top UK Universities Ban Chat-GPT

Joshua Herman

News Editor

Top universities across the UK have announced a ban on the use of Chat-GPT, an AI program. This comes after universities fear students will use the AI software to write up assessments. Since Chat-GPT entered the picture in November, 8 of the 24 Russell Group universities have officially announced a ban on the program, including Oxbridge, Manchester, Bristol, and Edinburgh.

Unlike other AI software, Chat-GPT's output is very precise, providing sophisticated language, length, and quick answers. Because of this, universities have had to hasten to update their plagiarism policies and detection softwares.

iNews discusses the reach of

Chat-GPT, with it being able to reproduce the academic essay with great effect. It is reported that Chat-GPT can ‘wax lyrical about the Odyssey, compare postmodernism and modernism, and assess the relative benefits of interactions between genes.’

A University of Oxford spokesperson told iNews that: ‘Students have been informed that until further notice we will not permit the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT in their assessed work.’

A University of Cambridge spokesperson told iNews that: ‘Students must be the authors of their own work. Content produced by AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, does not represent the student’s own original work so would be considered a form of academic misconduct to be dealt with under the university’s disciplinary

procedures.’

With exam season approaching, universities continue to review exam and plagiarism policies. A further 28 universities other than Russel Groups have also reviewed their policies. The University of Northumbria, Northampton, and Essex told iNews that they were reviewing existing policies to deal with ‘emerging technologies’. Glasgow Caledonian University has further told academic staff ‘...what to look out for when marking assessments in order to help identify work that has not been written by a student’.

However, other universities across the UK have discussed ways in which they are going to embrace Chat-GPT. Staff at the University of Glasgow are keen to explore ‘how students can be

advised to use large language models responsibly in their coursework’.

University College London has also updated its website to give guidance to students on how to use Chat-GPT to help them write bibliographies, acknowledgements, and references. They said: ‘We believe these tools are potentially transformative as well as disruptive,’ the Russell Group university said on its website. ‘We will support you in using them effectively, ethically and transparently.’

A University of Birmingham spokesperson told Redbrick about the University’s stance on ChatGPT: ‘The use of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT to attempt to gain an unfair advantage in assessment would be considered

unacceptable under our Code of Practice on Academic Integrity and Student Conduct Regulations. We have also updated our guidance for students to be clear about this.’

Tyler Franta/ Unsplash

Jonny Gios/Unsplash

Zach Lucero/ Unsplash

Footnotes x Redbrick: Foot-News Satire

Disclaimer: These articles are all works of fiction.

Sophie Utteridge

Print and Features Editor

Due to Noise Complaints in the Library, Martial Law has been Declared

This week, the University of Birmingham library was locked down after a murderous altercation between two first year sports science students and a final year law student over noise complaints.

In the wake of the incident, Head Librarian, Paige Turner, declared martial law immediately arming her fellow librarians to protect the silent sanctum that is the university library. Birmingham’s Vice Chancellor voiced his support for Ms Turner’s decision and sent in the Guild of Students Community Wardens as reserves for the librarian army.

When contacted for comment, Ms Turner passionately declared her hatred of all noise, stating that the library will remain under martial law for the foreseeable future.

In addition, she announced that any student making noise above five decibels will be immediately ‘silenced’.

First year students have gathered to resist Ms Turner’s ‘unjustified attack on first year rights’ and are currently amassed at Muirhead Tower.

In reply, third year students have announced plans to utilise the Arts Building as a Dissertation Refuge Centre. Second year students have declined comment.

Ms Turner continues to insist the library remains open but warns that ‘greater plans are ahead’ for those continuing to resist.

James Evenden

Film Editor

Murihead Tower to be Covered in Concrete to Make it 'Less Ugly'

This week it was announced that Murihead tower is to be covered in concrete to cover what the Vice-Chancellor called ‘fucking ugliness’, in his speech announcing the plan.

The plan comes after a meme was posted to Brumfess commenting on the building’s ‘general disgustingness’ and concrete exterior that reportedly makes the anonymous Brumfess poster ‘want to claw my eyes out’. It is understood by FootNews that nobody has clawed their eyes out simply by looking at the building.

Plans to cover the building have been complicated in recent days with the release of an interview held with the supposed supplier of the concrete. The builder, who goes by Bob, in the interview said that ‘We thought the job would be easy, but when we saw the building in person and understood the scale of its hideousness, we quickly realised that we do not make concrete thick enough to cover such an ugly structure’. The Vice-Chancellor has not commented on Bob’s interview, and

the status of the Vice-Chancellor’s plans are currently unknown.

Will Chapman

Footnotes

Writer

Students Only Manage to Commit 3 of the 7 Deadly Sins on a Night Out, Must Try Harder

Returning from a night out this Saturday, a local group of students were horrified to learn that they had only managed to commit 3 of the 7 deadly sins on their night out.

Stumbling in at 3am, they went to update their stats for the night. ‘We’ve got the cleaning rota, the shag chart and the “transgressions against his holy word” tally. And we’re seriously lacking on some of them.’

Having managed envy when the last VK was bought right in front of them, and gluttony when they got a Dixy chicken on the way back home, the group was horrified to learn they couldn’t update either the shag chart or the lust tally. Rushing to bed, they managed to get in at the buzzer with a cheap sloth tally, but fear it’s simply not good enough.

‘In first year we could go 7 for 7 all night, every night. But now, god I think we’re getting old. Only Jane manages all 7 still.’

When asked for a comment, Jane simply said ‘I don’t intend to lose.’ Her housemates informed her there was no element of competition in the transgressions tally; this only made her more determined to win. They’ll endeavour to do themselves proud next time.

to each elevator having Bluetooth speakers installed, alongside being stocked with a selection of Ferrero Rocher (yes, including the white chocolate ones).

The reception of the plans have been reportedly mixed.

Aquatic Studies student Rusty Houseboat commented saying ‘I think it’s about time campus was more accessible for the ViceChancellor’. While, at the other end of the spectrum it’s not just the lift’s buttons that are being pushed, as Guild President Joe Biden (no relation) condemns the plans. Stating how despite him and the Vice-Chancellor have had their ‘ups and downs’, he believes this is ‘wrong on so many levels!’

Benjamin Oakden Gaming Editor Doomsday Clock-Hand Added to Old Joe

The University of Birmingham’s famous Old Joe clock tower has received a makeover with the addition of a doomsday hand. The doomsday clock, a symbol that measures the likelihood of a global catastrophe, was added due to rising concerns over the Climate Crisis, the RussianUkraine War, and the Guild removing the ability to buy external memberships.

Doc Martens in the building.

Across the building, the wooden floor is beginning to peel, whilst indents from the shoes are carving into the floor.

The largest area of damage is the Mason Lounge, which has been worn down by the heavy rubber soled shoe. One Arts student shared their views with us that ‘If you put arts students together in one building, you have to expect this to happen, it’s a failure on the University’s part to not foresee this.’ The University has declined to comment.

It is currently uncertain if the Arts Building will be making a move to carpeted floor to soften the impact of these heavy shoes. Alongside the damage to the floor, noise complaints from the squeaking of the shoes has also sparked a discussion on the future for Doc Martens in the Arts Building all together. The Library is considering an outright ban due to their quiet area policy.

Writer Battle Reenactment Society Begins Nuclear Arms Race

It seems only yesterday that UoB’s battle re-enactors emerged, bleary-eyed, from the Selly Oak trenches and extended a tentative hand of friendship to one another as Old Joe struck 11.

The Bristol Road masses were united in one thought and one thought only that day: ‘Never Again’. It comes as much surprise, then, that leaked documents attest to an increased military presence at Metchley Lane sports pitches and covert manoeuvring of a mysterious glowing package across its fields.

Alex Taylor Footnotes President

Vice-Chancellor Installs Private Lift in Every Campus Building

This week, the ViceChancellor of the University of Birmingham announced plans to install a private elevator for himself in every building on campus. When he was pushed for a statement regarding the steps he has taken to avoid taking steps, he said ‘I want to make sure campus is as accessible as possible for me’.

Alongside this, it has since been reported that a full-time team of lift operators will be employed, receiving a fair salary alongside a guaranteed future retirement income. This financial blow is worsened reportedly due

The doomsday hand project, which is only the 15th time Old Joe has been renovated this month, has been praised by a great number of international leaders. United Nations SecretaryGeneral António Guterres commented that ‘this step is yet another shining example of the University of Birmingham’s student body taking decisive action to better our world. There has already been countless Brumfess posts that have been a real influence on UN policy and this latest move will surely have an even greater impact’. Sources close to the Kremlin doubt the ability of Vladmir Putin to carry on his invasion after the unveiling, with him reported to have said ‘all those Westerners adding the Ukraine flag to their Twitter accounts was difficult enough, but this has tipped things over the edge’ Fears too have been raised over Old Joe’s reputation for irregular timekeeping. Critics warn that should the doomsday hand become five minutes fast like the rest of the clocktower tends to, it could cause a mass global panic over an impending apocalypse.

Floor of Arts Building to be Replaced After Permanent Damage by Doc Martens

Plans have recently been unveiled for a new floor to be fitted in the Arts Building. This follows from the permanent damage done to the floor from an excessive amount of students wearing

Joshua Herman News Editor

Student Runs Away with Guild Society Grant to Fund Fishing Holiday in Nantucket

‘I fancied a holiday’, says Chair of the Fishing Rod Society, who, after requesting a grant of £2,000 to fund a society ball with Marine Biology society, took the funds and ran off to the island of Nantucket.

Fred, who has now been revealed to be the sole member of the Fishing Rod society despite fabricating AGM documents, is now in hiding. The ViceChancellor has bought and dispatched a fleet of type-42 destroyers to find him, telling Foot-News that, ‘I’ve been struggling to figure out a way to spend student tuition fees, and I’ve always wanted my own naval force.’

Reports from Nantucket claim that Fred boomed the fishing economy. ‘He’s a hero’, said one Nantucketer.

A Guild spokesperson told Foot-News, ‘This is unprecedented. This is anarchy.’

Rumours that he has returned to Birmingham have circulated as his tinder profile has been sited 1 mile from Selly Oak.

'You can never trust a man who is holding a fish on every one of his tinder pictures’, said one student.

Rising intersectional tension within the society is sure to reach breaking point soon as tremors of fear shake the entire re-enactment community. When asked about the impact of potential nuclear armament, Peter “cannon fodder” Daniels could only shake his head and solemnly reflect, ‘I thought the transition to AK-47s was too much but the shift to nuclear bombs… I fear for my countrymen’.

A rough few weeks and many sleepless nights are to follow for those affected by the geopolitical war games of battle re-enactment society. Our thoughts and prayers lie with those young families sure to be trapped in the inevitable crossfire of another unnecessary war.

Samantha Andrews News Writer

Matthew Vernalls Footnotes

Dan Hunt

Johannes Daleng/Unsplash

NOAA/Unsplash

Syd Wachs/Unsplash

Is the Internet Ruining Love?

Rianna Mistry

Comment Writer

The internet and social media place a strong burden on all couples, from those new to relationships to those who have been in the same one for years. We are now living in an age where we do not necessarily look to the movies for the expectations we have for our relationships, but instead we turn to the unavoidable and never-ending scrolling through TikTok and Instagram.

As well as the expectations we hold, the way we meet people is changing, with dating apps encouraging superficiality rather than meaningful connection due to their focus on appearance as opposed to personality.

This begs the question: Do the internet and social media have a positive or negative impact on our perception of love and relationships?

Dating Apps: Although it has been announced that more people will meet their partner online than offline by 2035 if current trends continue, studies have also shown that couples who meet on dating apps are 6 times more likely to get divorced within the first three years of marriage than those who meet

organically.

I believe that dating apps encourage a certain type of culture – they favour the goodlooking, the athletically fit and the photogenic. With dating apps, your pictures are everything. A split decision is made that can change everything. You can either meet the love of your life or accidentally swipe left on someone you may have formed an amazing connection with, if you had favoured their personality over their looks.

In this regard, the internet does not necessarily ruin our perception of love but can stunt the growth of a relationship before it has even begun.

TikTok: TikTok causes an unavoidable spiral down a certain path – TikToks about relationship expectations lead us to spiral down the rabbit hole of wanting more than what is reasonable.

While I do believe TikTok can perpetuate a sense of selfworth, making people realise what they truly deserve in a relationship, there is a fine line between this and a mild form of indoctrination. There seems to be an idea that if a certain relationship expectation becomes trendy, people feel the need to

jump on the bandwagon in order to ensure they have a ‘healthy’ relationship when in reality they are being told what they want.

Tik Tok trends can also be harmful to relationships as they are used for purposes of engagement and entertainment, often misleading viewers and creating expectations that are unreasonable, for example, relationship tests. ‘Red flags’ and ‘the ick’ are also phrases that have become popular on Tik Tok, once again having both positive and negative impacts. For instance, they can be ways to identify factors that can lead to

Social media - Instagram:

Consumerism and social media come hand in hand when it comes to the discussion of the impact of the internet on love and relationships. When we see something on someone else's instagram page, we want it as well, whether this be flowers, holidays or dates.

I think that social media sets false expectations , with people only posting when things are going well, causing those that follow them to feel somewhat inadequate.

Thinking less cynically, however, social media can be a form of expressing affection towards your partner. Studies have shown that 48% of 18- to 29-year-old social media users say social media is important for them in showing how much they care about their partner. In an age of developing technology, social media has become a significant part in not only creating expectations, but also expressing love.

unhealthy relationships, but this can be taken too far as people can pick up on small, seemingly insignificant, factors that lead to the premature ending of a relationship.

We are constantly surrounded by what others are receiving, causing us to often feel like there is something missing. This, however, is not necessarily the case. We are wired to only post the good on Instragram - the peak points in our life, our greatest achievements, only when we are looking our best. This creates a toxic culture that makes people believe their relationships are not good enough, when in reality, we don’t know what goes on behind closed doors.

While the damaging effects of social media on our perception of love and relationships often dominates the narrative, we are often quick to jump to the assumption that the internet is the cause of the problem, rather than just highlighting a problem that was already there. The internet and social media can perpetuate unrealistic expectations, but I believe we can embrace these platforms as a tool to express affection, understand self worth and have fun in a relationship!

I Expected Better: Labour on Asylum Seekers and Refugees

James Konn argues Labour needs to adopt a more progressive approach towards those arriving on the small boats

any liberal compassionate individual.

Rightfully so, a lot of attention has been paid to the Government’s immigration policy including their latest announcement of yet another new bill to tackle illegal immigration. What has somewhat slipped under the radar is Labour’s response to the policy which I think should concern

During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), the leaders clashed on immigration with Sir Keir Starmer taking the position that this bill won’t work with Rishi Sunak painting Sir Keir Starmer as someone who wouldn’t want the bill to work. There are very legitimate questions on how functional the bill would be, but this was not a tactic from Labour that I wanted. As I watched this week's edition of PMQs, I was angry and saddened as I saw both political leaders focus solely on how we can remove migrants with no reference or reflection on why they have come to the UK in the first place.

I knew this would be the attitude of the Conservatives, but with Labour I expected better. Labour, it appears, has fallen on the

Conservatives side of the argument, stating that it is imperative to stop the small boats and all the immigration that arises from them. They are both correct that we must find a way of ending the small boats. Not due to the large numbers of individuals crossing them but due to the dangerous travel they are undertaking. Both parties seem to believe we should just abandon them, prevent them from coming here and leave it to other countries to deal with the refugees and asylum seekers.

Yet, this is wrong. The reason we have so many individuals arriving here on small boats is that they have no other choice.

There is no method to claim asylum in the UK, without being in the UK and unless you are one of the few to be entitled to a resettlement, there is no legal way to arrive in the UK as an asylum seeker/ refugee. This means that Labour should be discussing how we should implement new safe legal routes to the UK to both create a safer journey for those choosing to come to the UK, without using people smugglers, and to better accommodate and integrate refugees into this great country.

I want Labour to be true to its roots, to be a progressive party that focuses on the humanity of everyone. Whether that means those struggling to pay their bills, those needing social

care or those who need to seek asylum elsewhere. Labour needs to adopt this rhetoric again for the sake of the asylum seekers and refugees that need compassion. They need to see there is a government in waiting that will take a different approach, a government that understands them and their needs. They need to see that there are those in parliament that are advocating for them, that there are people who have their backs. What I see now is a party that won't use the same language as the government, but broadly agrees with their aims. There are legitimate concerns about the capacity to deal with the number of asylum seekers that are arriving here which needs to be addressed. What is key is how we address them. Let’s reduce the number of small boat crossings by improving access to the UK asylum system. Let’s improve our capacity for processing asylum applications. Let’s understand why people are coming here and stay in touch with our humanity.

Rianna Mistry discusses the harms and the potential benefits of the internet on our perception of love

“Dating apps... privilege the beautiful, the athletically fit and the photogenic”

“Labour... has fallen on the Conservative side of the argument”

Michael Fenton / Unsplash

“Never forget they are human just like us”

James Konn

Comment Editor

Julie Ricard / Unsplash

The NHS Backlog: A Consequence of Misconception

The NHS backlog is perhaps one of the most definitive products of misconception in modern British history.

Often perceived as a collection of harrowing statistics such as the seven million patients on waiting-lists or the sixteen thousand patients in critical condition waiting more than twelve hours for treatment every day, the backlog is thought of as an inherently numerical problem. Many of us understand it to be the product of too many patients and too little medical professionals, too little funding and not enough of it actually being properly used for investment.

arrival through taxes such as home nursing, home help services (such as midwifery), and specialist hospital care. Since its inception, though, the NHS has expanded in scope and services, becoming increasingly interwoven with the welfare state, and has thus come to the point of crisis we see today.

The 2006 NHS Act attempted to make a considerable and meaningful step forward in managing the health service’s expanded role, but such amendments have not really worked. Despite the Act establishing an extensive hierarchy of management through the creation of new regional management bodies such as Strategic Health Authorities and NHS Trusts, the backlog has only become worse.

add a clause to the original phrasing: changing it from ‘a comprehensive health service’ to a ‘comprehensive and comprehensible health service’. Secondly, it is important to make a rational comprehension of the NHS from this added clause. For me, this is perceiving the health service as a living, breathing human being.

To get what I mean, one must

Whilst this observation and approach is not inherently wrong, the nature of and solution to the NHS backlog is considerably more nuanced. Having worked for the NHS over the summer, I have gathered some insights that may prove beneficial in how we can better perceive the backlog and what can be done to fix it. However, in order to do this properly, it is first necessary to explain the real nature of the NHS.

Ever since its genesis in 1946, the NHS was centred upon being ‘a comprehensive health service designed to secure improvement in…physical and mental health…[and] the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness’. It was a large project, nationalising almost all medical institutions and providing a range of services free upon

The reason for this is not down to government incompetence per se. Rather, it is because the NHS has now become so incredibly broad in its scope, function, and complimentary use with the welfare state that the original conception of the NHS as a ‘comprehensive health service…[that improves] the health of [people]…and [prevents, diagnoses, and treats] illness’, no longer works sufficiently, becoming more of a vague moral imperative than anything else. This moral imperative, far from being a pragmatic guiding principle in any way, has paralysed the efficacy of the changes made by the 2006 Act and diluted the boldest of government interventions into long-term inconsequence.

For the backlog to ever be properly solved, how the NHS is conceived must be redrawn in consideration of its modern day usage. From my own time working for the NHS, I have come to formulate a new conception that I believe is worth, at the very least, ruminating over. It has two parts. Firstly, it is necessary to

visualise human anatomy: there is a skeleton; a collection of muscles, ligaments, and tendons; as well as a variety of organs. For a human body to be operational it needs adequate blood supply as well as a substantial caloric intake coupled with a variety of nutrients. Every one of these are attributable to the functioning of any NHS institution - whether that be hospital, surgical hub, diagnostic centre, or GP surgery. Consider the everyday functions of the skeleton, muscles, organs, and blood: the skeleton provides structure to the body and houses the internal organs, the muscles enable movement, the organs give the body a purpose, and blood keeps the organs alive. All four are entirely related, and can be confidently applied to the proper, long-term operation and maintenance of any NHS institution.

The skeleton actualises through the building itself, needing to be the right size to accommodate patients, as well being structurally well-maintained.

The muscles realise through points of accessibility (such as ramps, lifts, stairs, and automatic doors), means of traversing the hospital (like porters and wheelchair), and ambulance stations for emergency and category 2 calls (reflective of fasttwitch and slow-twitch muscle fibres respectively). Organs reflect the patients themselves who transform a large building with fancy technology and wellpolished floors into an institution of treatment. Blood takes the form of medical professionals – nurses, doctors, clinical educators, consultants, registrars, GPs – who are fundamental in keeping the organs alive. But of course, whilst these four ensure a body is operational, they do not guarantee that a human being is in fact ‘healthy’.

For someone to be healthy they also require a steady and adequate flow of calories coupled with a hearty variety of macronutrients. Calories are the equivalent to government funding, which like a calorie, can take multiple forms whether that is the wages of the medical professionals or investment into medical equipment. Macronutrients are relatable to forms of treatment (such as chemotherapy), surgical tools, medical instruments, medical imagery technology (such as MRI machines or X-Rays), biochemistry and medicinal research. Micronutrients take the shape of administrative staff, computerised equipment (such as the NHS Spine or EPR), housekeepers, cleaners, and delivery drivers.

Should government intervention be predicated by this kind of parameter, I firmly believe that not only will the backlog dissipate but all the problems plaguing the NHS at present, and in the future, will go along with them. By conceptualising the

NHS as a human being, interventions made by government can be more effectively localised and have a considerably greater long-term impact, than being overgeneralised and somewhat negligible. Moreover, by actually making the NHS a comprehensible entity like a human body, underlying faults that would be otherwise missed can be swiftly diagnosed and treated. But this structure does not need to be isolated to Westminster, it can be readily applied across the whole UK, with each Trust and Special Health Authorities given the responsibility and powers of ensuring their ‘region’ reflects a healthy human being with healthy bones, well-trained muscles, adequate blood supply, healthy caloric intake, and a good variety of nutrients (that are both macro and micro in nature).

Ultimately, then, if the NHS backlog is to ever be solved, how the NHS is understood by the state must first modernise. The sheer scope that the NHS has come to take on means that it is not enough for governments to predicate their intervention upon a moral imperative, it is fundamental they orientate it upon a pragmatic and comprehensible parameter. My suggestion for this parameter is focussed on ensuring the NHS becomes, metaphorically-speaking, a healthy human being.

Brexit: Another Tiring Culture War

Gwydion Elliott states their support for rejoining the European Union

Touting his new ‘Windsor Framework’, a post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, which lets UK goods pass freely over the Irish sea, only facing EU checks and customs where they’re destined for the Republic, Rishi Sunak called Northern Ireland’s position 'unbelievably special'. His reason? The 'privileged access, not just to the UK home market, which is enormous, but also the European Union single market'. Essentially, Northern Ireland is 'special' because it gets to freely trade with the EU,

as well as the rest of the UK. International companies will be 'queuing up to invest' becauseNorthern Ireland has held on to the exact rights and privileges that the rest of the UK once had, until it threw them away while pursuing Brexit.

It's a moment of irony that reveals how divorced from reality policy around Brexit has become. We have landed in a position where few if any politicians would openly support reversing Brexit, despite the benefits of such a move being clear, and the benefits of Brexit murky as ever. The issue is a battleground to wage a culture war rather than a sensible debate on economic policy.

The political world is increasingly out-of-step with the public on this issue – polling by The Independent shows that nearly two thirds of Britons support a second referendum, with less than a quarter opposing it.

But terrified of being branded elitist by the media and facing an attack from the loud-mouthed far right, Labour continues to insist Brexit was a sacred decision and is an absolutely done deal.

Of course, there might be something humiliating about suffering through the years long exit only to return, but its far less embarrassing than the fact that a campaign of lies, and xenophobia took such a grip of Britain that it voted to leave behind the cooperative EU and go on to pursue a politics of racism towards refugees, transphobia, and punishing classism in the form of rising bills and costs.

We’ve seen the far right within the EU too, but it’s hard to argue that our campaign of “taking back control” has nothing to do with the political project of the Tories today. Hopefully someday soon our politics can return to the realm of reality and we can put behind the tribalism of the late 20-teens, and see things for how they actually are. Our politics should be solving real people’s issues, with real solutions for all of us.

Thomas Barry

Comment Writer

Thomas Barry advocates that viewing the NHS as a human being, and thus, treating it accordingly, will allow it to thrive

“Seven million patients on waiting lists”

“Percieving the health service as a living, breathing human being”

“Reveals how divorced from reality policy around Brexit has become.”

Gwydion Elliott

Comment Editor

Olga Kononenko / Unsplash

The Problem with Uni Drinking Culture

James Evenden shares his experiences of navigating drinking culture at university

James Evenden

Growing up, I always assumed that the seemingly irremovable tenet of British culture, the heavy consumption of alcohol, would soon enough come into my life. Coming to university was a huge step up that I was expecting but, I was not nearly as prepared for it as I thought I was.

Before coming to university, my main experiences with drinking ranged from trying and failing to get served at sixteen, to carrying a tray of Apple Sourz through my local Wetherspoons with a smug look on my face as I attempted to look mature in front of my friends.

University has fundamentally changed my relationship with alcohol. Whilst I like to think that as a tired and stressed third year I have a healthier relationship with it, I know that my first two years of university were not the same. I think this is a problem that needs to be addressed. University drinking culture too often creates an expectation that is both unhealthy for those who

do drink, and unfair to those who would rather abstain.

I was not an inexperienced drinker before university, as evidenced by my Sourz tray, but in the first few weeks of university it became clear I drank less alcohol than my flatmates and those I was surrounded by. This never became an issue, but looking back I am saddened by my attempts to drink too much in an effort to meet some stupid standard of enjoyment that I did not understand at the time is actually a myth.

We are thrust into living with strangers so quickly that it makes drinking seem like the best way to relax socially and get to know each other. What can happen too often in place of this, is an implicit competition between people to see who can drink the most, and be branded with the title of ‘most fun’. The correlation between drinking and being fun to be around is a highly toxic concept that perpetuates the drinking culture early on at university.

Naturally, I wanted to be seen as fun, and wanted to compensate for my natural awkwardness around new people. Whilst

I cannot claim to have been a party animal in the first few weeks, with COVID slowing things down, I did drink too much because I wanted to do what everyone else was doing. I know I was trying to compensate for something I thought I lacked at the time, and it took me a while to realise that if I did not want to drink I did not have to. In the face of my tenth game of ring of fire, there seemed no other alternative.

University drinking culture is real, and I think our generation’s reliance on escapism through social media and drinking has prevented us from developing real communication skills. We rely on this easy way to avoid the awkwardness of getting to know people. As I began to find my friends, people that I know very well now, my relationship with alcohol began to improve.

However, this has not stopped drinking routines being drilled into me over the years. The idea that I have to pre-drink before I go clubbing or otherwise I won’t enjoy myself has become natural to me, and for many others. The fact that some-

times I find myself wanting to go out and get drunk to forget my problems or make myself artificially happy is a habit I still find myself fulfilling. The more comfortable I became the less I felt the need to do this, but nevertheless perhaps like most students I have had some rough

Is AI a Threat to the Arts?

‘What did the ChatGPT say after changing the lightbulb in the dark? Now that’s what I call illuminating!’ This piece of comedic genius was written by none other than ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot. Launched in November 2022 ChatGPT was developed by Open AI, an American non-profit artificial intelligence laboratory. From joke writing, to content creation to customer service, ChatGPT has, in its own words, ‘taken the world by storm’ impressing users with its ability to generate human-like texts in response to almost any prompt.

Wanting to experience this for myself, I decided to put ChatGPT to the test. I tasked it with writing an opinion piece about the dangers of ChatGPT. Rather worryingly, the article it produced claimed that ‘the worst possible outcome of human employment of ChatGPT would be if it caused widespread unemployment and social upheaval, leading to societal collapse’. This dystopian picture was not quite the answer I was looking for on a drab Tuesday evening after a long day at the library. However, there have been increasing concerns about the

impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on future employability. Indeed, ChatGPT is only one of the generative AI tools released recently joining image generators such as Midjourney and DALL-E, and the video generator Synthesia. With the funding for the arts increasingly on the back burner, does the advancement of these new more efficient AI generative technologies spell the end for creative roles such as writers, illustrators, scriptwriters, and journalists?

At its core, artificial intelligence aims to replicate or simulate human intelligence in machines. To do so, generative tools such as ChatGPT scour enormous databases, forming connections and observing patterns between different data points to come to conclusions. These creative AI’s work in a similar manner to your own brain, drawing connections between different sensory experiences and knowledge to come to conclusions that make up a creative piece. For example, when deciding an effective punchline for a joke, you draw from an understanding of the conventions of humour and combine it with your personal experience so that when you eventually deliver that dinner party zinger it would be a task not to laugh. Thankfully, as ChatGPT’s lightbulb joke illus-

trates, it seems that the likes of Ayoade and Acaster are far from under threat.

In addition, since these AI tools are drawing from existing data sets with inbuilt biases, artificial intelligence has been found to reproduce harmful biases in their outputs. A Guardian Investigation recently found that many AI algorithms have a clear gender bias. These AI tools are supposed to limit harmful, violent, or pornographic content. In doing so, the AI tagged many photos of women in everyday situations as sexually suggestive and rated more pictures of women as racy or sexually suggestive compared with pictures of men. It appears then that although impressive, many of the creative outputs of these generative tools fall victim to the biases ingrained in the data set that they are drawing from.

Sunday hangovers that do feel far worse compared to the mild fun that alcohol gave me the night before.

My third year has seen a drop off in club nights, replaced by pub trips that allow me to talk to my friends and enjoy their company. I am lucky that I have a network of people that I do not feel I have to drink with to be at ease in their presence. However, for those who do struggle with social anxiety, which I do at times, drinking is the most accessible and easy way to combat this.

I think it is necessary that we slow down and put down the bottle to simply let ourselves live in the moment at university, not to escape with alcohol. My experience at university has forever altered the way I see alcohol, and my perception of drinking has shifted over my three years here. It has shown me that I do not need alcohol to feel like I belong at a party, and has made me appreciate the times that I do not drink at all.

Thus, if we were to paint a picture of AI as a competing candidate in the arts sectors, we don’t have too much to be wor-

ried about. What does the image of a sexist, adult-child still coming to grips with the basic conventions of humour really have on, for example, some of the greatest scriptwriters of our day. Despite this, there is little doubt that with increasing investment and innovation, AI will resolve these teething issues: one day AI might be able to efficiently churn out creative content that could rival that of our present writers, artists, and comedians. Thankfully, in my opinion, all does not appear lost quite yet. If you have thrown your hardearned Bachelor of Arts degree in the bin, now might be the time to retrieve it… Ultimately, there is a larger, more powerful point to be made here about why we value creative works. Indeed, the art sector is so uniquely valuable in part because of art’s ability to convey experience and outlooks. Scriptwriters, album cover designers, poets and comedians all convey their uniquely different perspectives of the world in their work. In turn, we digest and enjoy these creative outputs because they enrich us with a

fresh perspective of the world. The fundamental point that I am making should not be particularly controversial. We enjoy the arts, in part, because of what they tell us about how other people think and how they experience life. Indeed, Adichie’s Americanah would have a fraction of the meaning without the book’s ability to convey Adicie’s own experiences living as an African American in the United States. Kusama’s Infinity Rooms would lose much of their effect without an understanding of how they represent her traumatic early childhood. Whilst more efficient, AI generative tools such as chatbots and image generators will never truly be able to fulfil the function of conveying raw, individual experiences. No doubt, as limited funding applies increasing pressure on the UK’s art sectors purse strings, creative industries will start to look for efficiency alongside values such as individuality. However, as this approaches, an important choice must be made here: whether we accept these machine imitations of creativity in aid of efficiency, or whether we choose to value the arts and creativity in virtue of their ability to represent lived human experience across society.

Film Editor

Eva Cahill disscusses the potential for technology to harm an already devalued industry, arguing for the importance of human-made art

“Many AI algorithms have a clear gender bias”

James Konn Comment Editor

John Arano / Unsplash

“I wanted to do what everyone else was doing”

“All does not appear lost quite yet”

Roald Dahl's Work Should Not Be Censored

Joshua Brooks argues against Penguin's reworking of the classic books to remove 'offensive' passages

Joshua Brooks Comment Writer

Once, while watching an episode of QI ; host Stephen Fry posed a question to the panellists: ‘Have you read 1984 ?’. The resounding answer was ‘yes’ – followed by the infamous claxon. The panellists (at least some) had answered wrong. Research has shown that 25% of people who claim to have read Orwell’s classic have not actually read it. At first, I found this hard to believe, but gradually it has become more apparent. This was especially evident in the recent publication of Roald Dahl's children's books, where it seemed clear that the editors either hadn't read 1984 or had failed to grasp its meaning.

The thought police have been at it. Puffin Books, along with the Dahl estate, have announced they will be republishing the children’s books of Roald Dahl, but with one important difference. The new books contain hundreds of alterations to remove ‘offensive’ language. Words such as ‘fat’, ‘ugly’ and ‘crazy’ have all been removed. In The Witches , a section describing the witches as ‘bald’, will now feature a caveat emphasising that there are many reasons for female baldness, and that it is okay to be a bald woman. Following backlash, it was announced that both censored and uncensored versions of the texts will be available to offer readers a choice.

Censorship of this sort can be exceptionally dangerous.

Historically, art and literature have been viewed as extremely powerful – capable of sparking intellectual thought, aiding in the pursuit of ethics and truth, and liberating citizens from oppressive regimes. Consequently, oppressive regimes, such as the Soviets and Mao’s China, have attempted to censor art, imprison and even execute writers in order to quash any influence they might have over the populace. Orwell’s 1984 (which was banned in many countries) serves as a striking example of how language can be politically weaponised by oppressive regimes to control or limit thought. Additionally, Salman Rushdie's 1988 book The Satanic Verses is still banned in many countries, and a fatwa demanding his death remains in effect; last year he was attacked and stabbed 10 times – for writing a book.

Allowing any ideology the control of language, especially within works of literature, is dangerous. Control of language can impede the ability to challenge an ideology and render any discussion difficult or even impossible. When certain words are deemed contrary to an ideology's views and are banned, we find ourselves in a situation where we are unable to challenge the beliefs effectively –dogma ensues. We become pow-

erless victims in the face of the power wielding manipulators. Such circumstances cannot be tolerated in a free society.

You may ask: 'why is the Roald Dahl example specifically dangerous?'. Seemingly, we cannot claim that Puffin Books are at all comparable to Mao – this is not a dangerous case. Unfortunately, this response fails to grasp the core issue at hand.

We must be clear: censorship of art/literature/history is never allowed under any circumstances – it should be vehemently opposed. While it may not pose any direct danger, we cannot permit anyone to begin modifying art. By allowing Puffin books to alter Dahl’s work, we are setting a precedent: it is okay to censor art. What they must consider is how this weapon could be utilised in the hands of those with opposing views. This is not a matter of partisanship –we should all agree this is not an activity we engage in as a free society.

an additional problem: subjectivity. Who is to determine what language is offensive? We should acknowledge that offensive language will always be used – it cannot all be banned. Children using 'enormous' instead of 'fat' to bully others appears irrelevant in practice. Language constantly evolves, words go in and out of fashion and perceptions of offensiveness also fluctuate. This never-ending cycle of censorship is highly impractical – engagement in education of offensive language appears to be a much more pragmatic use of time.

I agree with Salman Rushdie that Dahl was certainly ‘no saint’. Some of his work and views may well be offensive –censorship is not the solution. We have other options: We can continue to read the book as it is presented – but discuss the issues. We could omit offensive passages. Or we could read something else

Another option is to skip over the ‘bad’ language in the books. If you don't want your child to be exposed to certain words, that is your right – do not read it – again, no need for censorship.

What about the nature of the changes made? Augustus Gloop, once described as ‘enormously fat’, has now been revised to ‘enormous’. I struggle to see the difference here – ‘enormous’ could even be considered more offensive than ‘fat’. Therein lies

Instead of resorting to censorship, we should opt for option 1 – directly confront and discuss problematic ideas and themes in works of literature. Roald Dahl’s writing is fantastic; the marvellously descriptive passages are amazing for a young mind to engage with – they allow a child’s imagination to run wild. Censorship is not only naïve, but also opposes intellectual freedom by erasing ideas or words that one disagrees with. It is crucial to engage in open debate and educate children on why certain things are objectionable – not just avoid broaching the topic altogether.

If you wish to avoid Roald Dahl altogether, you have the freedom not to read his books. You may have this freedom –but, importantly, he has the freedom of expression to include what he wants in his books. There are loads of other children’s authors out there – you have other options. We do not paint over the nudity in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel –his works are an expression of himself. In the same way, Dahl is expressing himself – his art is a representation of his thoughts and ideas. Artists should maintain a posthumous right to this personal work.

Cycling Must be More Acessible

Cycling is both better for the environment and for our health, and if we all cycled to the supermarket or to our local place of work, not only would that benefit our bodies and minds, but it would also benefit the planet.

However, despite the many benefits of cycling, I would argue that many people in the UK are currently discouraged from swapping their car or bus journeys to bike journeys as the infrastructure in cities makes many inexperienced cyclists feel unsafe, since there are not enough cycle paths, and those that do exist are often not wide or safe enough.

A great benefit of cycling is that it doesn’t release any greenhouse gases, which is obviously much more environmentally friendly than cars, with an average petrol car in the UK produc-

ing 180g of CO2 per kilometre. However, not only does cycling not produce any greenhouse gases, it also reduces noise pollution, which not only creates a quieter environment for us humans, but it also stops the negative effects that noise pollution can have on animals, such as causing certain species of birds to have less offspring.

The growth of cycling would also minimise congestion and car production. Currently in the UK most British households have at least one car, with close to 30 million people owning two. If more people cycled to work and for short trips, such as grocery shopping, people would be less inclined to invest in cars, and perhaps car shared ownership would become more popular, as people would not need to use their cars every day.

In terms of health benefits, cycling is great for the heart, as it is known to strengthen heart muscles and lower resting pulse. Furthermore, a Danish study found that regular cycling pro-

tected people from heart disease. Cycling also helps the lungs, since it is an aerobic activity, but also because people who cycle are exposed to two to three times less pollution than car commuters.

Additionally, cycling is known to have mental health benefits, as aerobic activity reduces anxiety and cycling is believed to help combat stress.

Despite the many clear benefits, most of which are already known by the majority of the British population, not that many people seem to use cycling as their preferred method of getting to work, school or the supermarket. Cycling makes up only 1% of all traffic mileage and about 14% of people cycle more than once a week. On top of that, it is estimated that 66% of people don’t cycle much, if ever.

Although disappointing, I would say that these statistics are not surprising, since cycling in the UK is not the most accessible mode of transport.

It is true that over the last

couple of years cycling paths in the UK have grown and improved; however, I would argue that most cities still don’t have the cycling-based infrastructure for people to feel safe and comfortable cycling daily.

I have lived in many cities in my lifetime, and although in some areas, such as certain districts of Birmingham, there are many wide cycling path, in other smaller cities I have found that cycling paths are squashed on to narrow roads, with the cycling path being so small it seems that the cyclists only have a curbworth of space.

Alternatively, sometimes cycling paths are simply merged with pedestrian paths, which can be dangerous if the path is not wide enough to accommodate both groups of people.

Many people living in the UK agree, as 60% of people believe that their area is not equipped sufficiently well enough for cyclists, and would welcome the addition of more cycle paths and routes.

A survey conducted by Carwow has found that 97% of people could walk their short car journeys if they chose. According to figures from the Office of National Statistics, 49% of the population in England and Wales travel less than 5 km to work, which would only take about 15 minutes to cycle.

I would argue that these people who know that they could make their short journeys healthier and more environmentally friendly, as well as cheaper, would choose to do so if cycling was more accessible and safe in the UK. However, the only way this can happen, is if the government decides to change the infrastructure of cities to accommodate cyclers and actively push the UK population to choose to cycle over commuting by car or even by public transport when they can make it by bike.

“The thought police have been at it”

“We are setting a precedent: it is okay to censor art”

Weronika Bialek Comment Editor

Nick Fewings / Unsplash

"Get'cha Head In The Game": Sport Film Favourites

Redbrick Sport and Film writers and editors come together to share their favourite sports films

Joey. Pesci walks a difficult tightrope in Raging Bull, and delivers a restrained performance, unlike his others under Scorsese’s commanding eye. Scorsese captures Jake’s vengefulness with a voyeuristic quality, never getting too close outside of the ring. He keeps his viewer away from Jake, only to thrust them into his perspective during the intense boxing sequences. These scenes are helmed with a viscousness that captures the visceral nature of the sport I have seen in few other films. Scorsese makes the ring feel like a cage and traps his audience inside it, unable to escape Jake’s unrelenting fury.

perseverance, and the help of fate. Similar narratives are common in animated projects like Naruto and Avatar the Last Airbender which are two powerhouses of the anime/animation world; it is no criticism to be mentioned alongside these projects.

Eddie The Eagle

Released to cinemas in 2016, Dexter Fletcher's Eddie the Eagle follows the true story of Eddie Edwards (Taran Egerton), an underdog skier who dreams of representing Great Britain’s SkiJumping team in the 1988 Olympics in Calgary.

Edwards captured hearts worldwide for his positive attitude and genuine love for his sport, becoming the first British ski jumper since 1928 to make the Games. Although Edwards finished last in both the 70m and 90m events, his commitment and perseverance brought him huge media attention and global admiration.

Eddie the Eagle hosts an incredibly talented cast in Eddie, Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman), and Warren Sharp (Christopher Walken). Through featuring such beloved stars at the film’s helm, Eddie the Eagle is able to draw audiences in even further to the media spectacle that was Eddie Edwards.

Although taking a few liberties with its factual storytelling, Eddie the Eagle retains the charm of Edwards’ success through Egerton’s endearing performance and Fletcher’s feel-good directorial style, presenting a biographical sports feature that introduces Eddie the Eagle to a new generation of cinema-goers.

James Evenden

Raging Bull

Martin Scorsese’s boxing classic Raging Bull (1908) is one of those films that stays with you long after the final punch has been thrown. A haunting character study of Jake LaMotta’s (Robert De Niro) life and anger issues, this sports film offers more than your simple race-to-victory narrative. Jake is bubbling with rage and regret, and De Niro plays both sides of Jake - the anger and the sadness - with equal care and attention, aided by an impressive physical transformation.

Often overlooked next to him is Joe Pesci, playing his brother

Raging Bull’s use of black and white, and namely the shadows this creates, enhances this grittiness. It lends a raw feel to the film that refuses to glamorise the sport of boxing or the consequences of Jake’s anger on his family. Raging Bull is Scorsese and De Niro’s partnership at its most potent and is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of the boxing genre.

Takbir Rahman Sport Editor

Kung Fu Panda (2008) tells the story of Po (voiced by Jack Black), a dopey Panda who rises to become the fiercest warrior in ancient China. The trilogy focuses less on competitive sports and more on the use of martial arts and inspiring morals to save China. The story begins with Po, who is afraid of living a life of monotony like his adopted Goose father (James Hong), and dreams of a more fulfilling life. Luckily for him, a prophecy projects him to be the next 'Dragon Warrior’. While he is initially very far out of his depth, through hard work, patience, and self-reflection, Po becomes the ultimate warrior in the land.

The perfectly written characters of Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) deserve special mention. Their endearing designs and the clear Yoda influence on Master Shifu make them memorable. Master Oogway's quote, "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, but Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present," beautifully captures the importance of staying in the moment. The message is simple: life is too short to dwell on the past or worry about the future.

Kung Fu Panda is the best sports film because it combines martial arts, inspiring morals, humour, and grounded themes. Anyone who suffers from imposter syndrome or at times feels inadequate can resonate with Po. From a cinematic perspective, the consistently hilarious humour from Jack Black fits perfectly with complex antagonists and steady character progression across the board. Overall, Kung Fu Panda makes for a joyful and easy watching experience.

Bella ShepherdEvans Sport and Film Writer

Marvellous

When first contemplating the greatest sports films of all time, images of sporting excellence spring to mind - stories following top athletes in their quest for gold medals, greatness, and victory. Of course, these winning elements make for powerful film plots. But for me, Marvellous (2014) encompasses the true essence of sport, and football in particular: the community upheld through clubs and spectators alike.

Perhaps one of the lesser known films on this list, Marvellous follows the true life story of Neil ‘Nello’ Baldwin (Toby Jones). A lifelong Stoke City fan, Neil disregards what others perceive as impediments, as we follow him through his many career ventures, which eventually lead to him landing the role of kit man for his boyhood club under manager Lou Macari. Starting off his career as a circus clown, we see Neil thrive in his circumstances, from being on the referees' boat in the Oxford v Cambridge boat race, to befriending the Archbishop of Canterbury. A keen football fan himself, he set up the Neil Baldwin football club at Keele University, a pretty ordinary feat in itself until Neil befriended and assigned Gary Lineker as president.

During his time at Stoke City,

Nello became a legendary figure among both fans and players, with Macari attributing the success of the 91/92 season in part to Nello's presence and influence on team morale. Neil puts his life experiences down to ‘I just asked,' the tenacity of which is a persistent theme throughout the film.

Featuring cameos from some of football’s most recognisable faces, including Gary Lineker and retired top flight referee Uriah Rennie, director Julian Farino manages to perfectly capture the deep-rooted relationship between fan and club. Both an uplifting and profoundly moving watch, Marvellous is, for me, one of the greatest sports films of all time.

Benjamin Oakden

Gaming Editor

I Believe In Miracles

I have been waiting a long time for a chance to spread Nottingham Forest propaganda to the pages of Redbrick, but I Believe in Miracles (2015) is an excellent documentary accessible to all sports lovers. It charts the remarkable story of Forest’s rise from a middling Championship club to Champions of England, and, even more incredibly, double Champions League winners, within the span of less than five years.

million player who scored the winner in Forest’s first European Cup final, to John Robertson, widely considered to be the best player in Forest’s history. The interviews are filled with goodhumoured stories that provide an alarming contrast to the modern game, with centre-back Kenny Burns being encouraged to hack down opposing strikers, and Forest players often enjoying a pre-match meal of steak and chips washed down with a pint of beer. The most notable absentee from the documentary is Forest’s late managerial pairing of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor. The team’s successes wouldn’t have been possible without the legendary duo, but the interviews, along with brilliant archival footage, perfectly captures the mad genius behind Forest’s incredible successes. Clough in particular is shown to ooze charisma, and tales of his charming wit and daring management style leave you feeling like you know the great man personally by the end of the film. Director Jonny Owen did an excellent job of bringing to life one of football’s greatest ever stories. Complete with a funky 1970s soundtrack and beautifully restored match footage, I Believe in Miracles is a thrilling and inspirational documentary. The triumph is enough to give goosebumps to any Forest fan, but this exciting underdog story is so well told that it can be enjoyed regardless of the team you support.

The documentary features enlightening interviews with all the surviving ‘Miracle Men’. From Viv Anderson, the Nottingham-born Right-Back who became the first black player to be capped by England, to Trevor Francis, the first ever £1

Frost Sport Editor

Oscar

The Blind Side

The Blind Side is a 2009 film that is based on the true story of Michael Oher, played by Quintin Aaron. Oher, a homeless black teen, is taken in by Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock. This heartwarming tale shows how sports films can be a vehicle to highlight wider societal issues, and it tugs at the heartstrings the whole way through.

Oher’s size and protective instinct mean that he is a fantastic offensive lineman, which leads to him being drafted into the NFL. He also works with a tutor in order to make sure that he fulfills the ‘student’ half of the studentathlete role.

It is true that the film has received backlash for using a white-saviour narrative; however, the film also highlights important issues around homelessness and

Jess Parker

Film Editor

Kung Fu Panda

Po becoming The Dragon Warrior shows that success is not based on aesthetics or family background, but on work ethic,

Film Editor

"Clough in particular is shown to ooze charisma, and tales of his charming wit and daring management style leave you feeling like you know the great man personally"

"Director Julian Farino manages to perfectly capture the deep-rooted relationship between fan and club"

@KungFuPandaUK on Facebook

@theblindside on Facebook

@EddieTheEagleMovie on Facebook

"Scorsese captures Jake's vengefulness with a voyeuristic quality, never getting too close outside of the ring"

institutional racism. The main lesson of the film is to not give up when times are tough, as pushing through adversity can lead to things getting better.

From an entertainment standpoint, it is a fantastic watch that is an emotional rollercoaster throughout. Bullock is fantastic throughout the film, and she earned an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role as a result.

Overall, The Blind Side is a classic film that is always entertaining to watch. Although it may not be the most nuanced in terms of scripting or plot, it has the potential to hit you right in the feels, as well as having a feelgood ending.

Fast Girls

In spite of its lesser-known status, Regan Hall’s Fast Girls (2012) is indisputably in contention to be one of the greatest sports films of all time. It is the first Track and Field film that made me yearn to become an athlete. It teaches us that you can be great regardless of circumstances. The protagonist, Shanaia Andrews (Lenora Crichlow), has had an arduous upbringing. She is completely unknown in the Track and Field realm, coached by an ageing coach now on the outskirts of the sport. Her perseverance in training results in her overcoming other renowned runners - namely Lisa Temple (Lily James) - at a regional track meet and earning a place in the UK Track and Field

"Picture the scene: you're the captain of East High Wildcats basketball team, but you've also received a callback for the school musical that will undoubtedly damage your reputation. What on earth will you choose? "

basketball career, all stand out to me as iconic moments from the franchise. Whilst referring to High School Musical (2006) as a ‘sport film’ may seem like a stretch, basketball undeniably lies at its heart.

skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), who became infamous after her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) orchestrated an attack on fellow US figure skater Nancy Kerrigan. The film is told in a mockumentary format, as Tonya and those around her reflect back across her life, from her childhood and upbringing under her abusive, chain-smoking mother – an Oscar-winning performance from Alison Janney –through to her rise and dramatic fall in the figure-skating world. This format is an inspired choice, effectively showcasing the vastly contradictory views each person holds of the situation, allowing both for humour and a wider reflection on what the real truth of the situation is.

One thing I, Tonya highlights about sport is how much the world of competitive sports works beyond just physical skill. Though Tonya was a talented skater, she initially struggled in competitions due to her ‘redneck’ background; it wasn’t enough to have the talent, she was expected to look and act the part of a typical, feminine skater. It also shows the effect of reputation in sport, as we see how the controversy surrounding Tonya affects her performance and ultimately results in her being banned from the sport altogether. No matter how much you believe and sympathise with Tonya’s version of the story, you cannot help but share in her joy landing the triple axel in competition, only to feel her pain as skating is taken away from her. I, Tonya is a fascinating watch, no matter your familiarity with figure skating or Tonya Harding’s case, and manages to explore a darker side to

was kicked off of a team that, in all honesty, she was only on thanks to her father’s donations.

While training with her new team the ‘Hot Doggers’ - I know - Kayla convinces Will to teach her his own move ‘Cloud 9’, which a previous attempt at had caused him to hang up his snowboarding boots. He initially refuses, but this is a Disney romance, so he quickly gives in and agrees to teach Kayla the move in the hope that a successful landing in the competition would give her

Ray continually hears a voice whispering encouragement and urging him to continue building the baseball field despite constant problems arising. This leads to perhaps the most famous line, and one that has become iconic in popular culture, as the source of Ray’s determination: “If you build it, he will come.”

Not only is Field of Dreams a heartwarming story, it also brings back nostalgic memories of some of the best baseball players of the 20th Century. A true celebration of achievement and talent, the film inspires budding baseballers and reveals the potential that lies within all of us. It praises the importance of family, legacy, and joy. In a world that seems to be crumbling around us, this film never fails to make me smile.

Sam Hastings

The Big Lebowski

the advantage over her ex-teammates.

While you can probably guess where the story concludes, I think that, in spite of its predictability, it’s a great film. The snowboarding sequences are pretty epic and the climax of the story - the ‘Fire and Ice’ competition - is genuinely thrilling to watch, especially when Kayla begins the highly anticipated Cloud 9 move. For a child whose interest in winter sports began with ‘Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games,’ this film was perfect.

National team.

The rivalry between Lisa and Shanaia is troubling to watch at first. Both athletes come from opposing upbringings but both suffer from hardship. Lisa fears rejection from her father, and Shanaia lives on a council estate. They are both selected to run in the 4x100m relay team in the World Championships, yet lack synergy. Their hostility towards one another results in devastating consequences for the team. When neither medal in their individual events, they come to the realisation that the only way they will triumph is by cooperating. The notion of teamwork and unity comes to the fore, despite the sport being known by many as primarily an individual one. The film teaches us key themes of acceptance and hope, and I would recommend it to all.

Eleanor Bergin

High School Musical

The High School Musical trilogy (2006-2008) remains a nostalgia-fueled staple of my childhood. The catchy and memorable tunes, Gabriella’s (Vanessa Hudgens) melodrama, Sharpay’s (Ashley Tisdale) extravagance and of course Troy Bolton’s (Zac Efrons) excruciating struggle of choosing between his music and

Picture the scene: you’re the captain of East High Wildcats basketball team, but you’ve also received a callback for the school musical that will undoubtedly damage your reputation. What on earth will you choose? This conflict defines the key obstacle in the plot that leads to Troy’s downfall after he becomes completely defocused on the championship game, resulting in his eventual redemption arc as he leads the team to victory.

The music in the franchise naturally elevates the tension of the match. ‘Get’cha Head in the Game’ combines musical excellence, choreographed basketball, and encapsulates the core conflict of the franchise in one line – 'Why am I feeling so wrong? My head’s in the game but my heart’s in the song' – a motif that stays with the viewer throughout the trilogy. This number highlights the Wildcats’ motivation to focus on the game and what’s at stake, accompanied by impeccable footwork, dribbling, and passing.

My appreciation for the franchise wouldn’t be complete without an honourable mention of baseball’s role in the cinematic masterpiece that is High School Musical 2. ‘I Don’t Dance’ is not only, in my opinion, the best dance-number out of all of the films, incorporating sheer athletic skill choreographed to a catchy beat, but also leaves the audience with an inspiring message: 'You don’t know what you can truly achieve until you try’.

the world of sports in a lighthearted tone, without also downplaying the severity of the subject matter.

Sophie Utteridge Print&Features

Field of Dreams

As an avid cricket fan, I will admit that Field of Dreams (1989) is a very rogue choice for my greatest sports film of all time. I have spent a lifetime arguing that cricket is not just English baseball, and yet, I absolutely love Field of Dreams

The Big Lebowski (1998) is not quite a conventional sports film - the Coen brothers are seldom filmmakers to conform to the expectations of genre – but nor is bowling a conventional sport. Though I myself love to go bowling, the sport is rarely the focus for me; I’m there to chat with friends, eat a pizza or drink nine cocktails. The Big Lebowski is similarly preoccupied with everything but the sport. The bowling alley makes a great scene location not because of the presence of the sport, but the ‘athletes’ participating: a sordid array of sleazy, unfit, eccentric men each with bowling at around fourth or fifth on their list of priorities.

Cloud 9

I am of the admittedly unpopular opinion that 2014’s snowboarding romantic-drama film Cloud 9 is the most underrated Disney Channel film ever. Strong words, I know, but this film had 11-year-old me in a chokehold. It has an abundance of cheesy tropes, from a spoilt daddy’s girl destined for redemption on the slopes to a moody ex-snowboarder whose traumatic past put an end to his promising career, and a highly contrived situation that forces this unlikely pair into working together and falling in love.

In all seriousness, Cloud 9 offers a window into the challenges competitive sports can create, as well as the highs success can bring. The central story revolves around Will Cloud (Luke Benward) training Kayla Morgan (Dove Cameron) to compete in the upcoming ‘Fire and Ice’ snowboarding competition after she

"As an avid cricket fan, I will admit that Field of Dreams is a very rogue choice for my greatest sports film of all time"

Starring Kevin Costner, Field of Dreams follows the story of a farmer who builds a baseball pitch in his cornfield that attracts the ghosts of famous baseball players. Despite risking bankruptcy, Kevin Costner’s character Ray Kinsella is driven by his dreams of achieving something great before his time is up, fearing that he will end up like his father who passed on unfulfilled. Throughout the film,

Though many of these characters stand out in their own way, none are so memorable and fully realized as our protagonist, Jeff ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges). The Dude entirely embodies the appeal of bowling, demonstrating the sport’s versatility by dressing as he likes while playing, drinking an impressive amount of highly calorific cocktails between rolls, and entirely refusing to care about the game’s results. Throughout the course of the film, we the audience entirely adopt The Dude’s demeanour, becoming as relaxed as him, only allowing the story’s conflict to mildly frustrate us but leave intact our calm as we take on Jeff’s almost ambient presence in the world.

The Dude’s infectious quasireligious philosophy of enjoying life with minimal effort is precisely why this film is incapable of meeting the genre’s demand of a big, high-stakes bowling match at the end; if the dude wins he’ll crack a smile and order a drink to celebrate, and if he loses he will sigh momentarily, before cracking the same smile and ordering that very same cocktail to commiserate.

I, Tonya

I, Tonya (2017) is a biopic about the life of American figure

David Brooks

Sport and Film Writer

Print&Features Editor

Emily Wallace Film Editor

"In all seriousness, Cloud 9 offers a window into the challenges competitive sports can create, as well as the highs success can bring"

Erin Perry

TV Editor

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"It is the first track and field film that made me yearn to become an athlete"

Editor

Sport and Film Writer

"The bowling alley makes a great scene location not because of the sport, but the 'athletes' present"

Auntie Anna Returns!

Dear Auntie Anna, I need help – I cannot decide what to wear for the Guild Awards. My housemate wants to buy the same dress as me. How do I tell her I look better in it?

Hiya Love,

Thank you for coming to me with this, you’re so bloody brave darling. Well, I for one remember when Christmas 1989 when that tart Sandra came to me parents gaff in the same red jumpsuit that I was wearing. When I tell you I flipped, dear, I bloody flipped. She had come with her new boyfriend Graham Maradona (no relation to Diego I heard but he always did score between the sheets), who by the way was definitely out of her league. Anyway, Sandra had the same jumpsuit as me and it did nothing for her frame. She looked like Peter Kay without the sex appeal. She sat down for tea and I sat next to her. I looked great in the jumpsuit and Graham was staring at my breasts whilst he was eating his beef hotpot. I didn’t want to tell that bitch Sandra that her boyfriend was checking me out because I looked great in the jumpsuit and she looked like a pork joint in string. To cut a long story short I ended up getting off with him whilst washing up and Sandra left in a huff.

If I were you, I would talk to your housemate about how you are feeling, and maybe even come to a compromise, so you don’t end up doing what I did and getting with your sister’s hunky boyfriend. He was a dynamite shag but he stole my Morris Minor and I had to get the bus home.

Ta-ra, Auntie Anna xoxox

Hi Anna, I need help – my friend has started cheating on her current boyfriend with her ex. What should I do?

Hiya Pet,

Thanks for the question. This reminds me of my first affair, when I spent the Spring of 1982 shagging the local butcher, Terry. It started off when I went into his shop and asked for a leg of lamb to cook for me parent’s tea in the evening. When I asked him for one, Terry said that he had another

leg that I might like. For three months I would meet him behind the butchers. He was a great bloke, even if his toupee he wore looked like a dead rat. The best thing about it was the free pork chops I’d pinch afterwards –didn’t have to buy me own lunch for ages.

I was seeing another man at the time, my boyfriend Rickie. He would always ask me why there was a chicken defrosting in the kitchen, and how I was paying for all of the meat from Terry’s shop. I just told him that me and Terry had an arrangement. Rickie didn’t seem to think twice – he was too busy watching Corrie to notice.

One day, Rickie came into the shop and caught me and Terry coming out of the storeroom. I tried to play it off, but Rickie lunged at Terry. Next thing I knew, Rickie tripped on a chicken leg and broke his arm. We broke up soon after, and Terry closed down his shop.

I think you need to tell your friend that what they are doing is wrong – otherwise you might end up with food poisoning after eating too many pork chops to save buying your own lunch.

Ta-ra love, Auntie Anna

xoxox

Anna! I’m bricking it. I haven’t started my diss yet and it’s due in a month. Do I email my supervisor or should I just get on with it and pretend everything is fine?

Hiya Love, Thanks for your message, darling. You’re so brave to come to me about this, and you’ve absobloody-lutely done the right thing.

This reminds me a lot of a situation I had back when I was working nights at the “Oh My Cod” chippy in Rotherham, back in the early eight–…2000s. Those Friday nights were always a blast: frying the chips, heating up the mushy peas, and sometimes even turning the sausages (if you know what I mean).

One night the place was packed like spam in a tin. My boss, Mrs Slack, asked me to rustle up some gravy for the chips, but I was too busy canoodling with my future-first-husband-tobe, and completely forgot. Then

one of the regulars, Our-Ted came in and ordered his usual: Pukka Pie with chips and extra gravy, but we were fresh out of that lovely runny brown stuff! In that situation, telling the truth to Mrs Slack saved the day, as although she was annoyed, her help was blinking class, and Our-Ted got his chips and gravy just how he liked them: piping hot and soggy! Talk to your supervisor, my love. You’re not the first person to forget the gravy, and you won’t be the last. I’m sure they’ll be glad to help.

Best of luck with the diss, sweetheart, and I hope you find your next sausage to turn soon!

Ta-ra pet, Auntie Anna xoxox

Dear Auntie Anna – I need your help. My housemate wants to try out for the cricket team but I have seen him play and he is not very good. How do I tell him he should avoid it?

Hiya Love,

This reminds me of the time when I wanted to learn tennis, because my bitch sister Sandra wanted to learn too, and I wanted to be better than her. She was going out with a tennis player at the time and he was proper fit, but that didn't stop him from showing me his tennis balls behind the club.

Anyway, my first tennis instructor was called Richard, and he had great racket, if you know what I mean. I started training with him and the sexual tension was as a clear as day. I quickly ended up playing tennis every day for a few months, and partaking in other vigurous exercise. I became quite good at tennis, but I could only play when Richard was there. He had a moustache as thick as the day is long and had a nice Morris Minor we used to neck off in between games.

I had to break things off with Richard after I got so good at tennis that I beat both him and that cow Sandra at once. She got really angry and Richard tried to console her before I smashed the racket over his head and ran away. I broke the windows of his Morris Minor with my racket, and that was the end of my tennis career.

I think, pet, you should offer

Guild Awards!

We are pleased to announce that Redbrick is going to the Guild Awards!

We have been nominated for: Ian King Society of the Year Award Members' Choice Award

to practice cricket with him, and maybe he will get better, otherwise he might begin a passionate affair with his cricket coach and end up vandalising a beige Morris Minor.

Ta-ra pet, Auntie Anna xoxox

Auntie Anna – I need your help. I think my housemate is stealing food from me. What should I do?

Hiya Pet,

Thanks for the question! This reminds me of the time I was scouted for a pickpocketing ring when I was popping down the shops to get my second carton of ciggies for the week. His name was Fagin (he had the same ginger beard that the character did) and he walked with a limp. He picked me because of my dynamite body that works well to attract men outside the corner shop, the place where it happened.

I took to pickpocketing quite quickly because I’m a natural flirt, who can make conversation with just about anyone apart from that daft cow Sandra. Anyway, I used to start off my batting me eyes at the men who were coming out of the shop. They thought I was just any other girl. But they didn’t know bloody Auntie Anna. Keeping eye contact was the best way to hold their attention, whilst I went into their pockets, reaching around for anything big for me to grab, if you know what I mean. I would never take loads, so they wouldn’t know they had been nicked.

I quicky rose through the ranks of the syndicate until I was tipped to overthrow Fagin. My plan was to trick Fagin into pickpocketing Sandra who knew it would happen, so he would be caught in the act. But that cow Sandra messed it up and Fagin got away with her entire purse.

To cut a long story short, Fagin found out about my coup and I had to flee the gang. I think you need to tell your housemate that stealing your food is not ok, otherwise you might end up having to go into witness-protection to escape a gang of angry pick pocketers led by a ginger man with a limp .

Ta-ra, Auntie Anna xoxox

Dear Auntie Anna, I need your help. I am worried about losing contact with my friends over the holidays. How do I keep in touch with them?

Hiya Darling,

Thanks for the question. This reminds me of when I kept in touch with my internet boyfriend, Brendan Hollywood. My daughter Katherine, who by the way needs to do something new to her hair, got me an internet computer for a birthday. I started getting involved with racy Skype romps, which quicky led me to Brendan. His face would freeze all the time, but that didn’t matter because he had a smooth voice like Terry Wogan. We would meet every week after my Pilates class. I did think it was weird when he asked for my bank details, but I didn’t think too much of it because after Pilates I was looking to let off some steam.

After our romp finished, Brendan Hollywood would always say that he was busy working on his latest movie for him to come and see me in person. I couldn’t believe I was having passionate romps with a movie star, and when I told my daft cow of a sister Sandra she got really jealous, which is always a bonus.

The last time I saw Brendan was quite strange, because he said he had to leave Hollywood and quit the business. The last thing he said to me was asking me to send him some money for his journey, which I was happy to do even if it seemed strange to send him £10,000 for a short trip. I never saw Brendan again, I can only assumed the plane crashed. I think you should make a point of saying to your friends about keeping in touch over the holidays. Maybe arrange some Zoom calls so you can all keep in touch. I’m sure they are feeling the same way, and would want to keep in touch with you as well because you seem like a lovey person, petal. And remember, friendship goes two ways!

Ta-ra, Auntie Anna xoxox

Never fear, Auntie Anna is here! From university balls, unfaithful girl- friends, and last minute dissertations, she's got you covered!

Redbrick Celebrates: International Women's Day

From role models to family members, Redbrick Writers come together to celebrate the important women in their lives

Cara-Louise Scott

Digital Editor

Cheryl Scott

The woman that has inspired me most in my life is my mum, Cheryl. I know this is the case for many people, but I wanted to highlight how lucky I feel to have been brought up by my loving, funny mum, and specifically in the last three years, she has been there for me through the worst times of my life. Three years ago, my family went through a rough time to say the least, and even with everything that was going on, my mum was the strongest woman every day, keeping us going and being there to make us smile. She loves with her whole heart and is the kindest person to her friends, helping them through tough parts of their lives too. She will drop everything to be there for someone. It’s just who she is.

is one cause I particularly admire.

Let Girl’s Learn is a charity I learned of a few years ago, established by Michelle Obama alongside education activist Malala Yousafzai. It is one of the many human rights causes Michelle has advocated for but stands out to me as a global initiative I would like to get involved with as an aspiring social advocate. Her devotion to helping others but staying true to herself and reminding others they are capable of the same and even more, is why she is my inspiration.

Caitlin McGraw Redbrick Writer

Leah Williamson

assment and court battles in the public spotlight, Megan Thee Stallion has remained strong and inspiring. She testified at the trial of the man who shot her in 2020 and received some form of justice when he was convicted, yet the bullying and accusations she has faced signal wider problems in the court of public opinion and maledominated rap industry. Tracks on her 2022 album Traumazine, like ‘Anxiety’, channelled complex emotions from her difficult experiences and allowed Megan to reclaim her story

Disney, she underwent many different phases of her music career as she navigated through her twenties, facing misogynistic backlash constantly. Although some of the aspects of her more ‘scandalous’ phases were not completely positive, such as drug promotion, Miley has consistently spoken out about her mistakes and how she has learnt from them; she has always been candid, honest, and true to herself, something that has stuck with me. It now seems as if she has entered a more peaceful era of her life and is thriving in her thirties. She is promoting female empowerment, and producing and performing inspiring music, as she has always done so well.

Ilina Jha Redbrick Writer

my mother today.

James Evenden Film Editor

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh's victory as Best Actress at the Oscars for her starring role in the amazing Everything Everywhere All At Once is not just a landmark achievement for acting, but for portrayals of Asian women in cinema too.

If she wasn’t already amazing enough, in October she completed the London Marathon for a second time (crazy, I know) and nearly dropped out half way through because she was feeling really rough. However, unsurprisingly, she persisted and completed it. We found out the next day after a test that she had run 26.2 miles with Covid! Even more crazy!

I admire her hugely, she has given me the strength to be who I am today, and I will always be grateful to have her in my life. Every day.

Michelle Obama

A change maker, leader, and pioneer are just a few ways to describe former First Lady of The United States, Michelle Obama. Her work as an advocate for many social issues over the years has inspired me to be more intentional about what I can do make a difference despite how small I may feel in the face of many pervading social issues across the globe. Her continuous effort to champion access to education for girls who are denied the right to go to school in countries today,

Admittedly, all 23 players from the England women’s national football team’s European Championshipwinning squad are inspirational, as winning the home tournament in 2022 was a group achieve ment. However, it is captain Leah Williamson who I find particularly inspiring for her performances and actions, both on and off the pitch.

Not only did she lead the Lionesses to their first major tournament title, but she did it as a young player with only six World Cup minutes and three months as team captain under her belt.

Yet none of this seemed to phase Williamson, whose passion and leadership led the Lionesses unbeaten across six matches to become champions of Europe. She also sported a rainbow captain’s armband throughout the tournament to show support for LGBTQ+ rights and has continued to have a positive off-pitch impact. She teamed up with Arsenal teammate Lotte Wubben-Moy to secure equal gender access to sports in school PE lessons and cement the legacy of the Euros by providing future opportunities for girls around the country.

Megan Thee Stallion

Following two years of physical suffering, online har-

Megan’s transparency and honesty about grief, processing pain and maintaining strength encapsulate an empowering and admirable woman.

Polly Watton Redbrick Writer

Miley Cyrus

After the successful release of her recent single, ‘Flowers,’ Miley Cyrus is being branded as ‘empowering,’ ‘confident’ and ‘inspirational.’ Miley has always encapsulated these characteristics for me, and has been my role model since the first episode of Hannah Montana I ever persuaded my mum to put on the TV. Since leaving

My mother inspires me in so many ways. Despite having to give up work due to chronic illness many years ago, she hasn’t let that hold her back from living the life she wants. Be it completing a garden design course, attending literary classes, chairing our local Arts Society, volunteering as a parent helper at a primary school, and – most challenging of all – raising three children, my mother is certainly a busy lady.

Yeoh’s performance should be celebrated as one that is filled with genuine heart and struggle that elevates her beyond stereotypical depictions of Asian women that have been persistent for too long. Yeoh has had an amazing year, and her recent first win for an Asian actress at the SAGs has cemented her reputation as an influential figure at the forefront of a hopeful renaissance in Asian representation. As James Hong got up at the SAGs and celebrated the progress that Asians have made in their box-office earnings, it is hard to refute that Michelle Yeoh’s gripping performance has been a big reason for that.

Dan Hunt

Jacinda Ardern

Earlier this year New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, resigned her post and left Premier House for the last time. She was New Zealand’s third female Prime Minister, the youngest female head of government in the world when she entered office, and also the second elected head of government to give birth while in office.

I know it has not been easy juggling all of this, but she has been a fantastic, hardworking mother, never failing to support me and my siblings academically and personally. Plus in a world in which so many parents still unthinkingly impose gender stereotypes on their children, my mother’s resistance to such stereotypes – such as buying my brother the fairy dress he wanted – inspires me. It may be cheesy to say, but I wouldn’t be who I am without

Her five-and-a-half years as Prime Minister were defined by the Christchurch Mosque Shootings, and the COVID-19 pandemic, but she will be remembered for her compassionate leadership, which drew praise from around the world. When faced with impossible and heartbreaking challenges, her calm, measured and empathetic approach aided New Zealand through the toughest of times. She may have just quit the most powerful job in New Zealand, but aged just 42, the world truly is her oyster.

“In October she completed the London Marathon for the second time”

Julia Cawele

Redbrick Writer

Amanda Hutchinson

“Megan Thee Stallion has remained strong and inspiring”

Twitter/International Women's Day

“She hasn't let that hold her back from living the life she wants”

“She was New Zealand's third female Prime Minister”

Editor-in-Chief

Personal Responsibility?

Sophie Utteridge

There is a lot to say about taking personal responsibility for climate change.

For many, changing habits to environmentally conscious behaviours is a fairly difficult step. It can be difficult to know where to start, especially when the state of the world’s climate emergency is so dire. But as always, the motto for many climate activists has been fairly encouraging on this matter. Little changes, no matter their size, will always make some kind of difference. From switching to reusable coffee mugs to using tote bags for your shopping, these kinds of changes at least start to make some inroads into the climate disaster we find ourselves in today. However, whilst switching to sustainable habits is all well and good, it must be said that

Maxim Nägele

With the meteoric rise of Fridays For Future protests across the world sparked by Greta Thunberg’s school strikes in 2018, many were hopeful that climate awareness and actual ecological protection would reach not just the population but also national governments and corporations. These strikes initially caused controversies and media attention as many children disobeyed their parents/ schools by skipping school to protest. But the media attention and the radicality of the protesters decreased from time to time with key figures of the movement becoming mere “regulars” on discussion panels and podcasts. While Fridays for Future did increase overall awareness about responsibility and sustainability, it failed to realise its goals towards climate neutrality or bring impactful political and economic change. While the participatory aspect of individual responsibility across society is an important step towards reducing Co2-emissions and achieving wide-scale sustainability, I believe that only systemic change towards post-capitalist alternatives of society can effectively minimise the damage that humans are doing to our environment.

Just Stop Oil is a newly founded British activist group

change is needed on a far wider scale than the everyday person. Coffee cups and tote bags can only go so far when governments and companies across the globe are pumping millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. At this point, many people feel like giving up on taking personal responsibility. After all, what is the point of not buying a plastic bottle when millions are being made anyway?

movement.

To this extent, the impact of celebrities and influencers needs to be further scrutinised. In recent years, we have heard multiple stories of celebrities hopping on flights lasting mere minutes to save half an hour. Kylie Jenner is perhaps the most prominent of these when she made headlines for her seventeen minute flight that resulted in a ton of carbon dioxide emissions. The same trip, if taken by car, would have taken only forty minutes with a fraction of the emissions.

The answer is simple to me: keep trying. Every conscious effort you make to avoid unsustainable products might inspire another to do the same. We can never know the extent of the impact we have on other people. For all you know, your decision to use a cute coffee cup is the reason for someone else buying the exact same thing. Your influence, no matter how small, could be the beginning of a huge

Celebrities such as Jenner must be held accountable for actions like these. Whilst all lifestyles are different, celebrities have more responsibility than most to make conscious choices to mitigate their environmental impact. Their influence has far more reach than the average person, and their fame places their decisions and behaviours on a pedestal. If people like Kylie Jenner can just hop on a seventeen minute flight without any consequence, what is to stop people like you and me to simply stop recycling? A ‘one rule for them, one rule for us’ society will be detrimental in the fight against climate change.

Moreover, the resources available to celebrities to make a much larger contribution to environmental protection cannot be ignored. Kylie Jenner alone could make huge steps to ensure her cosmetics company is carbon-zero, ethical, and green. The influence she has to not only remodel her company into a completely environmentally friendly corporation but also to refuse partnering with any brand that does not reflect these values is beyond measure. Yet, Jenner has already proved she has little regard for the climate and so we take one step closer to climate disaster.

Personal responsibility is nothing to shy away from. Every one of us has potential to mitigate and even stop climate damage completely. From installing solar panels to buying second hand, from avoiding single-use plastics to using reusable tote bags, everyone has the power to positively impact the planet. It is up to you the extent to which you help.

protesting the licensing and use of fossil fuels as the main source of environmental pollution. They received massive media attention and wide-scale criticism through controversial forms of boycott like throwing soup at paintings, blocking highways, or tying themselves to goalposts at football matches. Many see their public disruptions as too extreme, useless, or damaging to the wrong people and overlook the existential issues that these protests are shedding light on. As I believe that only systemic change that overcomes the exploitation of resources and labour can lastingly create protection for our environment, I do support the confrontations and boycotts that Just Stop Oil challenges the UK government with. The lack of support from the public and the shift of attention away from the actual problem currently makes this protest movement as unsuccessful as Fridays for Future.

Looking at theories of social movement research helps us understand what kind of approach both of these movements take and why they are (not) successful. In his book

“Envisioning Real Utopias” (2010) political scientist Erik Olin Wright defines three approaches or “routes” towards social change. The “symbiotic” route emphasises compromisedriven social change that happens within the limits and rules of the current state to improve the status quo without replacing it. While Fridays for Future started as a more controversial and disruptive movement, I would argue that it ended up on this compromise – and reformbased route that works within the realm of capitalist society. The symbiotic route that Fridays for Future is taking can effectively improve the status quo towards climate justice by reaching a wide-range consensus on ecological protection, but its acceptance of the capitalist system makes it a protest movement that I believe can never reach climate neutrality.

In stark contrast to this concept, the “ruptural” route is aiming for a systematic transition by disrupting and opposing the status quo. Just Stop Oil, although not fully revolutionary in their goals, represents this ruptural path by choosing disruptive measures to oppose the UK government and capitalist corporations. While this ruptural approach towards social and systemic change approaches anti-capitalist ideas of reasonable and sustainable consumption, their disruptive and controversial measures to gain public

attention are not able to reach widescale agreement in a society and culture which is highly influenced and persuaded by capitalism. Although both protest movements have valuable and effective approaches towards a greener future, they have inherent problems hindering the full realisation of their political goals.

The “interstitial” route is the final concept of social change introduced by Wright and has the potential of overcoming these challenges. The Interstitial path towards social change works through grass-root mobilisation and other egalitarian ways to work around the boundaries of the dominating state or class to ultimately create and enforce an alternative status quo. It opposes the boundaries and rules of the current system

A Green Revolution?

not through active disruption but through the internalisation of alternative ideals and ways of living. If organisations like Just Stop Oil would advocate their ideas of systemic change and capitalist critique through interstitial forms of organising grass-root change and internalising alternative attitudes towards consumption, we could slowly overcome capitalist ideals of mass production, consumer fetishism, and class separation hindering the realisation of a much needed ecological revolution.

Print & Features Editor Dmytro Tolokonoiv / Unsplash

“Change is needed on a far wider scale than the everyday person”

“Your influence [...] could be the beginning of a huge movement”

“Fridays for Future [...] failed to realise its goals”

“It opposes the boundaries and rules of the current system”

“It can be difficult to know where to start”

Hannah Dalgiesh Comment Writer

Eight years on from the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, it seems that we are no closer to competently assuaging the devastating effects of climate change. Climate change has undoubtedly become a climate crisis. From extreme bushfire deaths in Australia to the necessity of a Flood Alleviation Scheme in my home town of York, there is no denying the threat we are facing across the globe. The climate technologies that

we have are vital in reducing our carbon emissions and the leaps made by scientists internationally cannot be understated. However, when so much progress is yet to be made, how far can technology really be the answer to climate change?

As a child I watched the council build flood barriers around York town centre every year. Friends at school lost their homes to the floods and local businesses would close for months at a time. It was, and remains, a stark reminder that the effects of global warming which sometimes feel so far away, are in fact a reality for many within the UK.

The North-East is home to Teesside Net Zero, the UK’s first carbon capture technological base. This technology uses the emissions from industrial processes, capturing the carbon and purifying it with giant air filters or alternatively storing it in the ground, in this case under the North Sea. Although this is an undeniably important process, it is estimated that carbon capture

concept of sustainable development which is a strategy widely adopted by the United Nations which looks to continue economic growth and progress while simultaneously minimising damage to our natural environment specifically in relation to the developing world (Africa and South America). I will argue that neoliberal capitalism and sustainable development/ growth are two concepts which cannot be reconciled, therefore we need a complete overhaul of our economic system to prevent the loss of our natural environment.

Climate Tech?

costs more than three times the cost of wind power. For this there is simply not enough government funding. Alternatively, if we are to try to use more renewable energy sources, there can be no overlooking the problem of the British climate itself. There are very few days in the year in Britain when I feel assured solar power could ever be a reliable resource and despite fierce winds along the coastline, and in many parts of the North of England, funding and the actual construction of renewable technologies is not easy to come by. Additionally, I believe that domestic solar panels create an energy divide in an already economically-divided Britain: when wealthy, middle – and upper –class households can afford solar panels which offer power at a cheaper cost in the long-term, it forces working-class and poorer households to continue paying extortionate energy rates because we cannot afford the initial bulk cost of solar technology installation. If the government wants to offer this as a long-term domestic solution, massive funding has to be introduced.

keep their crops healthy amongst rising temperatures and loss of land due to wildfires and flooding, mass irrigation and hydroponics are increasingly necessary. Irrigation, however, is difficult in hot countries with an existing water supply, especially those that are prone to severe drought. Hydroponics, the science of growing crops in water or mineral solution without soil, is incredibly expensive.

Climate change since the 1970s has increasingly become more and more important as global emissions rapidly rise which threatens to doom our natural environment. In 1972 a movement emerged on the global level through a paper titled “Limits to Growth” . This paper argued that we cannot continue to recklessly pursue economic growth at the cost of our planet, this in turn started to inspire the first generation of thinkers who argued for more responsible economic growth.

This is the origin of the

Since the creation of a capitalist ideology in the book “The wealth of nations” by Adam Smith, the main focus of our economic policy has been profit. Despite capitalism undergoing many variations including Keynesianism, Neoliberalism and industrial capitalism, the core focus of these variations is to drive up profits for the business owners. This has made growing sustainably impossible under a capitalist system, when the sole focus of business owners is profit, they will always seek out methods to lower costs and cut corners in order to get ahead in technological

Looking abroad, the technology required for crop demand as the global population rockets goes well beyond the current availability. As farmers try to

developments.

The best examples to illustrate this are energy and transnational corporations – one of the main ways to slash energy costs and climate emissions is to switch our energy usage from coal, gas and oil to more environmentally friendly sources like nuclear power and renewables (wind power and solar power being the most popular). However, through significant lobbying, greenwashing, lying and scheming, international energy companies have managed to convince major global governments that a gradual transition using ‘greener’ natural gas will allow us to ‘sustainably’ transition off fossil fuels.

This illusion gets thrown off quickly when profits start flowing into the executive boards’ pockets, as we saw this year with record profits for companies like BP and Shell. This in turn has led to these companies immediately rolling back climate targets once they see they are not profitable. These practices if they continue to be overlooked on the international, national and regional levels will eventually drive our planet and society to extinction. In order to advance our standard of living

Arguably the solution posed most frequently is the one I view to be most dangerous: nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion is a process which relies on the reaction caused when hydrogen atoms are heated and release neutron energy. This neutron energy is used to heat water and power other industrial processes as a form of – supposedly – renewable energy. The danger lies therein: this complicated and seemingly impenetrable scientific practice uses nuclear energy, which is nothing short of catastrophic when it fails. From radiation damage to nuclear waste, this is a climate technology which I find terrifying and I can only hope that international leaders do not choose this as their one major solution.

sustainably I would argue we need to reevaluate our relationship with both our natural environment and what we seek out of our work and economy.

Moving forwards, I believe the focus has to be on immediate, safe and reliable practices rather than huge technology because the international discrepancies on finance, funding, and weather do not facilitate a one-size-fits-all solution. From different access, different climates, resources and even individual pathogens within certain ecosystems, large-scale technology is, [in my opinion] not the answer. Since the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992, the UN has encouraged western countries in particular to share their climate technologies, but there is a significant disadvantage which stubbornly remains for most poorer countries. As I see it, climate technologies continue to widen the international economic divide. The arguments in favour of them are not convincing enough to disregard the damaging cost and waste they overwhelmingly produce and, three months into 2023, time is running out to find a reliable long-term strategy. Ultimately, investing in these technologies is a dangerous gamble. By the time advanced climate technology is widely available and in operation, it will likely be too late.

repeating this cyclical process I would argue by allowing workers democracy in industry (both public and private) we would vastly reduce the exploitative and competitive nature present in a neoliberal market economy, this in turn could see the implementation of a planned economy where goods, services and labour can be distributed fairly and equally without the need to increase our exploitation of vulnerable natural environments like the amazon rainforest or the oceans.

Firstly, our natural world is not something that solely exists for human exploitation. Unrestricted market capitalism is leading to what Marxist philosophers like Karl Marx refer to as a crisis of overproduction. Because of the competitive nature of capitalism, companies will always seek to outproduce and undercut their rivals which in turn requires expansion into new markets as well as the extraction of more raw materials to fuel production. This is highlighted well in Kohei Saito’s book “Marx in the Anthropocene”. Instead of

The benefits of a planned economy do not stop there, not only would it shift the focus away from a continual drive for profit which is killing our planet, but simultaneously bring sustainable decision making closer to both workers and consumers by giving them more control over what is being produced and distributed. Therefore, rather than overproducing and wasting precious natural resources at our planet's expense, a shift away from neoliberal economic practices would provide our communities a chance to drive for sustainability and sustainable economic growth in harmony with our planet rather than at its expense.

Jacob Dawson

Comment Writer

NASA / Unsplash

“Domestic solar panels create an energy divide”

“Nuclear energy [is] catastrophic when it fails”

“These practices [...] will eventually drive our planet and society to extinction”

“Irrigation and hydroponics are increasingly necessary”

Theatre Review: Medea

Zainab Rao Culture Writer

In Dominic Cooke’s Medea is a thrilling and stand-out piece of drama. Even if you’re unaware of the Euripides’ original Greek tragedy, this is still a treat to watch.

Cooke and adapter Robinson

Jeffers use different sources on Medea’s backstory to explain her character to the modern audience. This is established relatively quickly, making the play a lot more accessible for those not from a classical background. This was done seamlessly and showcased the production team’s dedicated research.

For those unfamiliar with the Greek myth, here is some context: Jason first meets Medea in her homeland, Colchis, during his quest to obtain the golden fleece. The goddess Aphrodite casts a spell on Medea, so that she’ll use her own witchcraft to help Jason achieve this goal. Because of her, Jason manages to overcome various trials set by Medea’s father, Aeetes, King of Colchis. Knowing she has betrayed her father, Medea flees with Jason and his Argonauts, only to be pursued by her brother and her father’s army. To create a distraction, she murders her brother and chops him up, scattering him into the sea. Whilst these

events are certainly dramatic, Medea the play does not actually feature these events. However, Medea and Jason’s past haunt the present stage.

The play itself is set various years later, where Medea and Jason are now in the land of Corinth, with two sons of their own. The audience is introduced to a miserable Medea, who is devastated that Jason is leaving her for King Creon’s young daughter, Creusa. Jason argues that since he married Medea using her foreign rituals, their marriage does not count. Upon hearing Medea curse Jason and Creusa’s marriage, King Creon exiles Medea and her children from Corinth. This play details how Medea copes with this news and the schemes she employs in response.

The set was brilliant. Whilst the stage space was relatively small, this played in favour in capturing Medea’s vulnerability. Audience seating faced all four sides of the stage, which only added to a sense of claustrophobia. When the audience first enters the theatre space, we’re greeted with a table and chairs already set up in the minimal space available. This creates a sense of familial domesticity which is destroyed almost immediately upon the plays start. This, alongside the music and electrifying lighting choice created a shared thrill

amongst audience members – personally, it gave me goosebumps.

It goes without saying that the acting in this play was phenomenal. Sophie Okonedo as Medea gave a bone chilling performance, one with range and nuance. She balanced a devastated jilted lover, a vengeful woman scorned and a morally conflicted mother all at once and all particularly well. Okonedo also managed to subtly inject humour into moments of intensity, showcasing her range and talent. Watching Okonedo’s performance was a spellbinding experience.

Ben Daniels performance was also spectacular. Daniels had the task of performing four characters in 90 minutes – Jason, Creon, Aegeus and Tutor. Due to his skill, Daniels managed to distinctly characterise each man, to the point where you would be forgiven for forgetting that these roles were acted by the same person. Throughout the play, Daniel’s circled the stage in an almost predatory fashion, whilst Okonedo

worked her magic in the centre. This was not at all distracting but increased the intensity of each scene and served as an excellent way for Daniels to transition into different roles. The campier reinvention of Aegeus’ character was a particular delight and for that I can only applaud to Cooke for this unique interpretation. This approach alleviated the tensions of the earlier scenes, allowing the audience to breathe for a moment.

Whilst I enjoyed the deviation from the original source material, I do have one minor critique. The use of metaphor and lyrical language at times felt distracting from the rest of the scene. Whilst Jeffers additions to the text maintained a similar poetic voice to Euripides, there were moments where this language felt overwhelming to register. This made it tricky to sometimes follow what the characters were trying to convey. As wonderful as the writing was, I felt that this could have been toned down, as it made me suspect that these lines were included to pad out the run time.

Despite this, Medea was an enchanting performance. The amount of time, research and passion put into this production was clearly reflected in the quality of this show. It runs until 22nd April 2023 and I encourage anyone who can, to see this wonderful adaptations for themselves.

World Poetry Day: Legions With Flags by Vyacheslav Konoval

Culture Writer Nataliia Chubenko reviews an extract from Legions With Flags by Vyacheslav Konoval to celebrate World Poetry Day

Nataliia Chubenko Culture Writer

In every flower corner of the world long live the warriors of the sun, with the power of truth, they lift the granite, skilled soldiers, weapons are no fun

Most people might think that war would be the worst time to turn to poetry. They might say that with rocket shells hitting your home and homes of your beloved ones, Russian army destroying the cities and with all the horror happening on the frontline, poetry would be the last thing on anyone’s mind.

However, Ukrainian poetry proves wrong. In these dark times, our poetry uses the mighty power of words to share stories of what we are witnessing and feeling to remind the world that while for some people, news about war might just be something they can scroll past, for us, all the tears, blood, pain and loss are reality.

For us, poetry is a necessity. Actually, Ukrainian poetry has always been tightly connected with politics. Numerous Ukrainian writers whose works were of foundational importance for both modern Ukrainian language and culture have also been political activists, fighting for Ukrainian freedom. For example, perhaps, the most famous Ukrainian writer who influenced the nation and culture greatly, Taras Shevchenko, is also famous for being a member of the Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius, a clandestine group oriented at the liberation of the political and social system of the Russian Empire.

Another example, of when our poetry was intertwined with politics is the Executed Renaissance (Mykola Khvylovy, Valeria Pidmohylny, Mykola Kulish, Mykhailo Semenko et al.), Ukrainian poets of the 1920s-1930s who were persecuted or shot in the times of the Great Terror because of how their works spoke a lot about independence, rebellion and freedom for Ukraine, which the Soviet Regime did not approve.

As you can see, the history of Ukrainian poetry was often influenced or related to politics. Most often, for tragic reasons, unfortunately. Nowadays, our poetry is yet again connected to the political situation in the country and the war that Russian Federation has started. War, especially an ongoing one, is a very difficult topic to speak or write about as usually literary works are a reflection of some events but it is difficult to reflect on something that still has not ended. On the contrary, more tragedies and terrorist attacks from Russian army keep happening every day.

However, our poets are learning and discovering more and more of creative poignant ways to speak to the world about what we are going through. One of the most famous examples of it can be Words for War, an anthology of Ukrainian poetry since the start of the war in 2014.

It is also evident how since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, so much more of the modern Ukrainian poets started writing a lot more in Ukrainian, language that Russia has always been trying to erase all the way throughout history. Our modern poetry is rediscovering the beauty of Ukrainian language yet again as well as learning just how much language can unite people.

Unlike the form of a novel where to express the main message or a feeling, a writer would need a developed plot line, poetry is the absence of straight lines or, at least, it can be one. A poet can find a way of words to share all their feelings without needing a plot, nor even a rhyme sometimes. Poetry can be anything and the diversity and versatility of it makes it the perfect writing form

for Ukrainians to express feelings at the moment.

So, despite the dark times all around us, our poetry thrives, develops and grows like seeds through the cement. The cement will break and fall apart, destroyed by the beauty and power of nature as nothing can stop the seeds from growing. And when they will bloom, we will all smile at the kind of flowers they will turn out to be:

Sunflowers.

Culture Writer Zainab Rao reviews West End production Medea and finds the perfomance to be a thrilling and stand-out piece of drama.

“...the diversity and versatility of it makes it the perfect writing form"

“So,despite the dark times all around us, our poetry thrives, develops and grows like seeds through the cement”

“It goes without saying that the acting...was phenomenal"

Zainab Rao

History of Art: The Non-Patronizing Understanding of Modern Art

History of Art Society Member Anwen Hails discusses how she personally understands complex artworks with seemingly endless possibilities.

Anwen Hails History of Art Society Member

“I could have done that!” is a comment that populates modern art exhibitions in the twenty-first century. It is a statement that I often find hard to refute when staring at a blank canvas or seemingly random object placed upon a plinth, despite the fact I have studied History of Art for over 2 years. I find myself often repeating the infuriatingly vague phrase “but you didn’t” because while I don’t deny the fact you could have turned a urinal upside down and signed it (Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917) Duchamp did it first. As I have been told many times, with rolling eyes, this explanation explains nothing to those who haven’t studied art. Therefore, I set myself to task to explain in more eloquent terms how you can go about understanding artworks like Duchamp’s Fountain when they appear meaningless. I shall not pretend that my short article can in anyway deduce every modern artwork ever produced, for I don’t believe I could even cover that in my dissertation. Rather I intend to shed light on how I personally approach/understand artworks with seemingly endless possibilities and mean-

ings when they look like Tony from down the road could have created them.

creation then why is it one of the most famous artworks in the world? He was the first to physically interact with the canvas in this way, the first to create nonrepresentational artwork of this kind with this technique. He had the first original idea which is why it is so famous and esteemed. No one had thought of approaching art like this before.

Context

Personal Reaction

Originality

Often artworks are so esteemed because they are the first of their kind, for example Jackson Pollock’s artwork Number 1 (Lavender Mist) (1950). Pollock is credited with creating the art movement called Abstract Expressionism, which is the category this artwork falls under. There’s no denying the artwork appears simple in creation, with drizzled multicoloured paint splattered over the canvas randomly, but if it is so simple in

A second approach to understanding artworks without obvious meaning is understanding the context. Many artworks’ context is what makes them so poignant, most artworks do no juts exist without meaning attached, they reflect the movements and time periods they were created in. For example, Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup (1968) can be understood as reflecting the consumerism culture of 1960s America. The artwork is a screen print, meaning it can be printed many times over, reflecting mass production of products that was happening at the time. It also reflects consumerism through its use of bright, bold colours that would have been used in advertising. All of this and the fact it is a branded product shows Warhol’s commentary on consumerism at the time.

The final, and arguably most simple approach to looking at these types of works of art is to just ask yourself how you feel about them. Art does not have definitive meanings and often the subject of art history itself, is scholars own personal feelings and emotions towards particular works of art. How you feel and respond to artworks is a perfectly justified way of applying meaning, an artwork makes you feel sad, then why? Why do you feel like that? What is it in the artwork that creates these emotions? How do you relate to the artwork? These are all questions that help us to connect and understand artworks when they have no definitive explanation.

Hopefully this article has explained some of the ways to understand modern art without sounding to pretentious. The main take away is that art is all about interpretation, how you view art is unique to you, hence why artworks often have so many possible explanations. If you are interested in the concept of being able to understand modern art further, I would suggest Susie Hodge’s book Why Your Five Year Old Could Not Have Done That, which answers it’s very own title.

Author Spotlight: Stephanie Garber

Nicole Haynes Culture Writer

Studying English Literature has introduced me to a wealth of “literary” texts, but sometimes I just want to curl up on the sofa with a book and escape into another world. Recently, one author has stood out to me as the queen of fantasy romance and subversive world building: the increasingly popular, Stephanie Garber.

Her immersive and extensive world building is a stand out feature of her works that only becomes more expansive with

each book she writes. Currently, her five novels take place within the same universe, allowing for deeper exploration of her fantastical world in each book.

With this year’s upcoming release of A Curse For True Love, the finale to her Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy, I wanted to celebrate this author’s impact on the fantasy genre.

Caraval Series

Garber’s debut series introduced readers into the magical world of Caraval. The three books that make up this series, Caraval, Legendary and Finale, follow two sisters who flee their domineering father and escape into the world of Caraval.

Caraval is an enchanting game created by the mysterious Legend with his group of travelling performers. The trilogy follows the sisters as they meet various performers and encounter increasingly magical places.

These books are magical. The narrative is fairly well paced, especially in the final book, and interesting elements are introduced regularly enough to keep a reader engaged. Admittedly, occasional sentences or phrases can feel a bit awkward or comically juvenile, but this honestly just add

s to the playful reading experience.

The romance and twists in the narrative make these books compulsively readable. Personally, I think you can notice Garber improving as an author with each book. The first two books follow each sister’s perspective in turn, whereas Finale combines the two perspectives creating a spirited dual-narrative.

Finale is definitely my favourite book in the series, perhaps because it delves away from the game-play formula of the first two books and instead looks at the wider impact of the characters actions and relationships.

Narratively it feels most similar to Once Upon A Broken Heart - my favourite book by Garber.

Once Upon A Broken Heart Series

Once Upon A Broken Heart is the book that made me fall in love with Garber as an author. This novel can cure any reading slump due to its fast-paced narrative, intriguing characters and whimsical world building.

Our protagonist, Evangeline Fox, grew up believing in magic and the mythical immortal fates. When she finds herself in trouble, she turns to the infamous Prince

of Hearts to make a deal and save her destiny. However, the Prince of Hearts has some tricks up his sleeve, and this is where our story begins.

My favourite read of the year so far, this book brought me back to my childhood love of books and fantasy. Garber’s magical world combines fairytales, danger, romance and fantastic storytelling.

I was beyond invested in these characters - so much so that I immediately bought the sequel, The Ballad of Never After upon finishing the first book. The sequel picks up where Once Upon A Broken Heart ends, providing even more twists and turns for readers to enjoy.

Albeit embarrassingly, upon finishing the sequel, I needed to take a few days to emotionally recover from the series. From the extraordinary character arcs to the remarkable world-building, this series is pure escapism. Garber has mastered her craft here and I cannot wait for the final instalment.

The highly anticipated final book in the series, A Curse For True Love, is released in the UK in November 2023 - I certaintly cannot wait for this.

“...shed light on how I personally approach/ understand artworks with seemingly endless possibilities..."

“Art does not have definitive meanings and often...is scholars own personal meanings"

“Her immensive and extensive world building is a stand out feature of her works "

Greg Rakozy/Unsplash

Steve Johnson/Unsplash

Sammy Andrews

Music Critic

The anticipation that has built surrounding a new Paramore album has built an entire mythology surrounding their return to music, and This is Why is nothing short of a confirmation of this mythological status. This is Why sees Paramore at some of their best, blending their past roots with new influences, and spanning some of their most vulnerable themes yet. In their search to navigate the modern world, Paramore reckon with, embrace, and confront the messiness of it all.

The title track ‘This is Why’ opens the album and propels you into the swirling examination of the human mind that the album takes you through. The catchiness of its hook sees influences drawn from the likes of Talking Heads and Bloc Party, ensuring it will get stuck in your head. Meanwhile, lyrically, it introduces a central theme of the album: paranoia and self-isolation. In this haze of disillusionment with the world, we are then taken over to ‘The News’ – a brasher and louder exclamation of fear at the state of the world that leads into ‘C’est Comme Ca’s’ wry and brutally relatable open-

Luke Cookson

Music Critic

Hitting the stage of the Birmingham O2 Institute for the eighth leg of their Lobes tour, American pop-rock trio We Are Scientists energised the crowds with an exceptional performance. With a setlist that showcased the best of their latest album whilst satisfying the audience with classic fan-favourites, We Are Scientists once again proved their musical prowess, over two decades after first performing. Looking youthful as ever, lead vocalist Keith Murry and bassist Chris Cain kicked off the gig with a high-octane performance of ‘Lucky Just to Be Here.’ This track really highlights the unwavering vocal virility of Murry, who seemingly ages in reverse.

ing line ‘in a single year

I’ve aged one hundred.’

find ‘the future and the past connected.’

Editors’ Songs of the month:

The Music Editors choose their Song of the Month:

moments with ‘Big Man, Little Dignity’ and ‘Liar’ and then propelled forwards with the insanely strong two track run of ‘You First’ and ‘Figure 8.’ ‘You First’ finds swirling guitar effects circling around your head and then pulling out to isolate Williams’ vocals before once again pushing into a punk infused chorus that could have fit comfortably on Brand New Eyes. And just when you think they have reached their peak on the album, ‘Figure 8’ continues this swirling punk infused confrontational energy.

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This is quintessentially a postcovid album, and Paramore have delivered a deeply relatable and necessary interrogation of the human condition in a post covid world.

Moving from wider concerns at the state of the world, Paramore also balance the internal and personal in This is Why. ‘Running Out of Time’ sees Williams confront her own flaws, backed by infectiously groovy guitar riffs from Taylor York. Similarly, ‘Crave’ is a deep dive into nostalgia and the inclination to romanticise life, ultimately seeking to

The album searches for connections and reconsiders them, constantly constructing and destroying what it lays down, only to rebuild it stronger the next time. We are taken into melodic and atmospheric and honest

Connecting the past and the present, with the constant push and pull of the modern world, This is Why sees Paramore reaching new heights. Between the grooviness of York’s guitars, the push of Farro’s drums and William’s simultaneously vulnerable and confrontational vocals This is Why continuously offers something new to the listener, whilst feeling warmly familiar and relatable. ‘Thick Skull’ in its melodic building to a euphoric burst at its end could not close the album better, lingering on the line ‘a thick skull never did nothing for me, same lesson again?’

Rating: 10/10

Album Review: ParamoreThis Is Why Live Review: We Are Scientists

between tracks Murray and Cain began their iconic stand-up routine typical of their live performances. Introducing the next track, ‘Contact High,’ Murry joked ‘I’d hate to objectify the audience, but you all look wonderful’ which unsurprisingly regressed into a comedic bit about the senses with Cain commenting that ‘the stink of the audience’ calls him to action. Following ‘Contact High’ the lead single from their 2022 album Huffy, We Are Scientists dynamised the crowd with their number one track, ‘Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt,’ a song which layers a catchy electronic guitar riff with a pacy bassline and powerful vocals. Cain continued to entertain the crowd as he jokingly asked, ‘Is it anyone’s first time in Birmingham?’, ‘Anyone having a holiday in Birmingham?’. In response to the audience’s laughter, he asserted that he thinks it’s a lovely place for a getaway, joking that on their night off they’d waited outside Walkabout for half an hour before realising everything closes at midnight here. The energy in the crowd spiked again as the band launched into their older hits ‘Nice Guys’ and ‘Buckle’, which featured an insane guitar solo utilising some striking wah-wah pedal action.

Murray seamlessly transitioned into ‘Inaction’, a spunky hit which injected the audience with a nostalgic shot. Murray and Cain continued to intersperse the set with witty off-the-cusp humour, repeatedly joking about the Institute’s ‘infamous’ haunted nature. There’s a rumour in America recounted by mothers every Tuesday at noon that the Birmingham institute is haunted Murray joked and dedicated the next song to ‘all the ghouls and demons present.’ Crowds were enthralled by the punchy guitar riff of their classic hit ‘Great Escape,’ a track that holds a permanent place on the setlist. You know a riff is iconic when the audience chants every note. After exiting the stage, to unanimous calls for an encore, We Are Scientists returned to conclude the set with a generous four more songs. They ended on a high with their funky new single ‘Less From You’ before thanking the audience for their continued support.

Ultimately, We Are Scientists yet again delivered on an incredibly fun show with a varied setlist that satisfied older fans whilst providing a fiery debut for Lobes. Their constant enthusiasm and charisma make for a fantastic night. The chemistry between Murry and Cain continues to radiate through their live performances, bouncing off each other and the crowd with unparalleled wit. It is abundantly clear that the pair adore what they do, and the energy they create is utterly infectious.

Editors’ Pick:

Black Honey: O2 Academy 2, 26th March 2023

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Jessie Ware: That! Feels Good!, 28th April 2023

Having warmed up the audience, the band then launched into an anthemic rendition of one of their older tracks, ‘No Wait at Five Leaves’, from their 2018 album Megaplex, my personal favourite. In the downtime

Though I hadn’t fully listened to Lobes before the show, the track ‘Settled Accounts,’ stood out with its hypnotic rising and falling synth scales, and the electronic dance style beat in ‘Turn it Up’ highlighted the bands evolution from its post-punk origins. Holding a long note as he sang the concluding lyric ‘sh*t’,

“The album encapsulates vocalist Damon Albarn’s critiques of the modern world”

“...‘This Is Why’... propels you into the swirling examination of the human mind that the album takes you through.”

@Paramore on Facebook

“...This track really highlights the unwavering vocal virility of Murry, who seemingly ages in reverse.”

“...The chemistry between Murry and Cain continues to radiate through their live performances...”

@We Are Scientists on Facebook

“The chemistry between Murry and Cain continues to radiate through their live performaces...”

Single Review: Arlo ParksImpurities

Nicole Haynes

Music Critic

Virtual Arlo Parks’ latest single ‘Impurities’ whimsically embodies community, friendship, loveand acceptance. The second single from her upcoming album The Soft Machine, ‘Impurities’ explores self-love and healing in true Parks style. Her soft vocals and intimate lyrics are matched by an alt-pop instrumental. Parks reflected that the song is about ‘being around people who make you feel like your inner ugliness and failures andmistakes don’t matter, who lift you up and make you laugh, who make you feel good and clean.’

Her lyrics feel deeply personal, describing a romantic connection between two people.

methodic backing track, ‘Impurities’ feels like a song derived from inner healing. Parks commemorates her community for loving her despite her flaws, but there’s also a strong sense of self acceptance in the track too. She sings that she ‘radiates like a star, a star, a star’, illuminating those around her. The dreamy image matches the song’s soft sound.

environment; it feels like a love song to her community.

Reminiscent of other tracks like ‘Eugene’ and ‘Black Dog’, this track expresses love simply but authentically, exemplified by the line, ‘the look you threw me then was so intense that it was physical’.

Rocking a gentle sound and

The track feels like a natural narrative progression from previous tracks on her debut album, Collapsed in Sunbeams. With a growth mindset and optimistic outlook, the track is evocative of Parks’ increasing maturity and confidence as an artist.

Parks suggests that she ‘wanted to convey this atmospheric oscillation between solitude and companionship – I wanted to show how being around your people really does feel like coming home.’ Vocally Parks sounds hushed and tranquil, reiterating this comfortable

Fans look forward to hearing this gentle sound on her upcoming record. The recurring image of softness in her recent releases, including ‘Weightless’ and ‘Softly’, suggests that sensitivity and self-acceptance will be important themes in Parks’ next album.

Album Review: Gorillaz - Cracker Island

Jess Parker

Film Edior

Virtual reality band Gorillaz released Cracker Island, their eighth studio album, on 24 February 2023. The album introduces a host of thoughtfully produced tracks that feature a range of high-profile collaborators: including Stevie Nicks, Tame Impala, and De La Soul. The album encapsulates vocalist Damon Albarn’s critiques of the modern world, embodying a cult aesthetic in their cartoon music videos and featuring lyrics that feel anxiously poignant.

1998 by Damon Albarn of Blur and artist Jamie Hewlett. Working with producer Greg Kurstin, Cracker Island is inspired by the group’s relocation to California’s Silver Lake and digs into recognisable musical tropes and features that Gorillaz fans have come to expect from the band. Although perhaps many of the album’s songs may feel predictable and to be expected from the band’s repertoire, Gorillaz have used their signature style to produce a new album that acts as a form of social commentary. The album’s titular track ‘Cracker Island’, featuring bassist and producer Thundercat, feels reminiscent of the band’s comeback album Humanz (2017). The track’s electronic-funk influence, much like Humanz, feels adequately geared towards the age of the internet and modern music consumption, amalgamating many of the band’s past sounds to form a second single that captures the album’s essence flawlessly.

Cracker Island’s lead single, ‘New Gold’, took the internet by storm by collaborating with beloved artist Tame Impala and Gorillaz heavyweight Bootie Brown. The track blends the old and the new, reminiscent of previous tracks featuring Bootie Brown that have gone down as some of Gorillaz’s best: ‘Clint Eastwood’ (2001) and ‘Dirty Harry’ (2005). Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker provides a catchy hook that’s psychfunk feel modernises Gorillaz’s signature sound.

singing of modern anxieties: Machine assisted, I disappear”. Cracker Island (Deluxe) features ‘Silent Running [2D Piano Version]’, an acoustic take on the song that’s simplicity places emphasis on Albarn’s reflective lyrics and Adeleye Omotayo’s richly emotive tone.

Cracker Island is a strong entry amongst Gorillaz’s already critically-acclaimed discography, introducing a level of emotional depth and a range of new sounds for the group that feel at home in the 2020s. Albarn’s self-aware

lyricisms consider the state of the creative industry today and enlist various influential artists to collaborate with his message, making the most of the practicalities of the band’s Californian relocation.

Rating: 8/10

Gorillaz are a virtual band made up of avatars, including Murdoc, Noodle, 2-D and Russel Hobbs. The English band was formed in

On ‘Silent Running’, Albarn digs into a crooning style that has found a recent resurgence in the likes of the Arctic Monkey, Matt Maltese, and The Magic Gang,

“The album encapsulates vocalist Damon Albarn’s critiques of the modern world”

“Her lyrics feel deeply personal”

“Parks commemorates her community for loving her despite her flaws”

“Gorillaz have used their signature style to produce a new album that

acts as a form of social commentary”

“Cracker Island’s lead single, ‘New Gold’, took the internet by storm”

“The recurring image of softness in her recent releases... suggests that sensitivity and self-acceptance will be important themes in Parks’ next album”

@arloparks on Facebook

Austin Butler: A Vocal Approach to Method Acting

James Evenden comments on Austin Butler’s continued use of his Elvis voice

James Evenden

Film Editor

I do not think I have gone more than a couple of days without seeing Austin Butler on my phone as he makes the rounds for awards season following his starmaking turn as Elvis. Butler is older than the likes of Chalamet, Pugh or Zendaya, but it feels like his career has really begun following his Golden Globe winning and Oscar nominated performance. Whilst I am glad that there is seemingly a new name to add to the growing repertoire of the next budding generation of talent, Butler has already set his foot in the treacherous waters of method acting, with his continued use of his Elvis voice long after filming. The use of the voice has added a unique piece to the conversation that has long engulfed the profession: method acting and how far some will take it for their craft.

To me, the main reason that people have taken issue with it and made fun of him is because the use of the Elvis voice comes across as pandering in the middle of awards season. I can see the relevance of this argument, but do think it has gone too far. We all know that the race for the Oscar is a long and hard one, paved with countless media stops

as they try to win the hearts of the people and the voters. The awards season run is all about creating an angle that sets you apart from the other nominees. This year, sympathy seems to be the name of the game. Brendan Fraser has played into the long-lost actor storyline, and Ke Huy Quan has done the same. This is all an accepted part of the race, and I do not judge either of these talented actors for playing the game they need to play. The internet has fallen over themselves to throw praise on these two, myself included. Give the people a storyline, and the battle is half won.

effective angle, using the sweetheart country-boy aesthetic to seem as down-to-earth as possible. The use of the voice is assumedly part of the same thinking, and whilst I have no idea whether it is genuine or an affectation, I think the viral reaction has been far too extreme in the context of method acting and the Oscars race.

Austin Butler has created his own angle for the awards season. He has positioned himself as a shy kid whose deceased mother did everything to bring him out of his shell. To be fair to him, it is an

First of all, I argue that Butler is playing the same game that every front-runner plays, much like Fraser and Quan, he is just simply using different tactics. Whilst I admit the use of the voice is distracting, it is hardly the most offensive thing an actor has done in the name of method acting. Some of our finest performers of the current generation, Christian Bale and Daniel Day-Lewis notably, have reportedly gone to further extremes. The difference is that they are both known private figures who do not let their method acting bleed over into the celebrity side of acting. Both Bale and Day-Lewis come from a generation that used different methods to promote their films around Oscar season. All they had to do was the basic interview. Now, actors like Butler, thrust into the Tik-Tok generation of young people who have the loudest voices online, have to use more viral methods of promoting themselves and keeping their names out there.

Review: Cocaine Bear

All of this means actors like Butler have to employ unique methods of method acting to grab the attention of the generation that arguably matters most: gen-z. Butler’s voice is just enough to make him stand out in the public sphere without coming across as too annoying for him to become dislikeable. Method acting is built around the sensational and the extreme, but if you put that extreme into the realm of our generation, it generates the buzz and hype necessary to sustain an awards season push.

compared to those like Colin Farrell who have kind of faded into the background of the race despite also winning a Golden Globe. If Butler is questioned on it, he can lean back into his shy and sweet country-bumpkin persona that has given him great success along the road to that coveted Oscar. The voice is a distraction, but if you are busy looking at him and not the other nominees, then he is doing something right. I cannot decide on who I think will win that Best Actor trophy, but if it is Butler, I think that the smooth tones of the King of Rock and Roll will have played a large part in his victory.

Austin Butler’s use of the Elvis voice is, in my opinion, one of the smartest things he could have done leading up to the Oscars. It keeps him relevant

Alice Weltermann finds Cocaine Bear to be fun but forgettable

Alice Weltermann

Writer

Elizabeth Banks’ Cocaine

Bear is a Class A film that will leave you saying, ‘That’s cinema, baby!’.

Its premise is simple. The ‘Cocaine’ half of its title comes about when conspicuous bags of cocaine are dropped from a crashing plane for a local gang to find, headed by boss Syd White (Ray Liotta). But before they can find it, the ‘Bear’ half gets into the stash, becomes addicted, and goes on a killing spree: a slasher of coincidence ensues.

Loosely based on a true story, the film’s inspiration became

something of an urban myth, dubbed ‘Pablo Escobear’. The film’s real-life counterpart, though, unfortunately died within 20 minutes of taking the cocaine. Cocaine Bear breathes 90 minutes into a story that only takes 2 minutes to tell, fleshing it out into a ridiculous spectacle. Indeed, it is ridiculous by nature, and that is what makes it worth watching. But as well as that, Cocaine Bear questions the wider impact of drug trafficking on innocent animals and children, positioning its true villain not as the ‘Escobear’ but as the greedy humans surrounding her.

a violent punch. The decision to follow a Goonies-like plot for the core family trio, though, does not really fit in with the film’s wider aesthetic. This story, led by Dee Dee (Brooklyn Prince) and Henry (Christian Convery), sparks the film’s action when Dee Dee’s mother Sari (Keri Russell) goes in search of the children, one of whom has been kidnapped by the Bear. This plot, however, is at its best when pushed to the side. It is quickly overshadowed by more memorable figures; Margot Martindale as Ranger Liz and Isaiah Whitlock Jr. as Detective Bob offer expert performances that perfectly complement the inherent absurdity of this film.

lence well, only clashing with its random moments of attempted sincerity in which both jokes and the message become a little cringeworthy.

able insanity is framed as an appropriate reaction to the confused, patriarchal world around them. Similarly, it is not Cocaine Bear’s fault that she finds White’s cocaine, nor that humans constantly stumble along her path. More than anything, she is a victim, able to violently reclaim her turf (by being a bear). So, Cocaine Bear the girl-boss also escapes punishment, instead living out a long and happy cocaine-filled life.

VERDICT:

Cocaine Bear indulges in a mid-80s nostalgia, reminiscent of Stranger Things, which serves it well. Drawing on 1980s thrillers, the film’s fast pace and kitschy narrative pack both a comedic and

Amongst some questionable acting from other cast members, seasoned actors Martindale and Liotta steal the show, fighting for memorability only with a 10-minute scene involving an ambulance (perhaps a perfect scene). This scene and others have already been likened to the works of Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Spider-Man) for having the same unseriousness- Cocaine Bear has a great time doing what it is doing, successfully remaining in on its own joke for most of the film. Most of the film’s humour lands, although its script by Jimmy Warden is mediocre, with most comedy ensuing from visual silliness. This humour underpins the film’s vio-

But there is still a message to be found: everything goes wrong because humans have invaded a natural space. So, humans become the true villains of Cocaine Bear, who herself becomes a sanctified girl-boss as a single mother defending her turf. The fact that she is a female bear interestingly places her in the ‘good for her’ universe that can be seen floating around on Twitter, made up of characters such as Gone Girl’s Amy (Rosamund Pike) and Midsommars’ Dani (Florence Pugh). These women transgress and break laws but are not necessarily condemned for it- in fact, they are idolised for it. Their argu-

Cocaine Bear is inoffensive, providing some solid entertainment. It is a film you can have fun with and then forget about. Although the film (even just in its title) is begging to be talked about and made into a meme, it does not have any specific impact, nor is it saying anything especially memorable or unique. Perhaps, in her girl-boss fit for a zoo, Banks is calling for more women to start viciously murdering, or at the very least, she wants us to start doing cocaine.

“The awards season is all about creating an angle that sets you apart from the other nominees”

“Butler’s voice is just enough to make him stand out in the public sphere without coming across as too annoying”

Film

“Cocaine Bear has a great time doing what it’s doing, successfully remaining in on its own joke”

“[Cocaine Bear] becomes a sanctified girlboss as a single mother defending her turf”

Review: Magic Mike’s Last Dance

Marco Rolandelli finds Magic Mike’s Last Dance a fun time despite its flaws

Marco Rolandelli Film Writer

Just over 10 years after multinominated and Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh introduced us to the sweaty, pheromone-emitting, dance-tastic journey of Mike (Channing Tatum) in the male-entertainment industry, Soderbergh has returned to complete the trilogy and put on a show for us one last time. Tatum, with his abundant charm, has finally been matched in screen presence by casting Salma Hayek as his co-lead. With these two in front of the camera and Soderbergh behind, a clearly flawed film such as this still deserves to be watched to have a good time.

accepted passion and career as a creator and salesman of sustainable furniture has been derailed by COVID-19, forcing him to take on new lines of work, including bartending at Maxandra’s (Salma Hayek) house party. This piece of exposition is the first instance of the somewhat unnecessary use of narration throughout proceedings. Using such a heavy footed plot device in a film about how dance can be used as a medium of expression and communication could be perceived as detrimental. However, the content of the narration is still beneficial, and this device allows for the high-tempo pacing of the film to get to what most people seek from a Magic Mike experience.

this performance that she is convinced his magic would be best utilised as a replacement for the current director of the long-standing, high-brow play in the theatre she owns. The ‘modernised’ version of the show is, however, thrown into jeopardy when Hayek’s character’s estranged husband discovers the alterations to the play. Similar to XXL, this creates a set piece teasing the audience with a possible showstopping, heart-racing ‘last dance’ in the finale.

The film immediately informs us that during the eight year hiatus, Mike’s more widely socially

Needing to take Maxandra’s mind off of her possibly pending divorce, a colleague suggests that acquiring Mike’s services would do the trick. Fans of the trilogy would be pleasantly rewarded, knowing that this colleague is aware of the ex-male entertainer’s past since she was graced by a botched performance at her sorority party in the original film. This fan service somewhat sweetens the bitter disappointment of only getting to spend one brief scene with the original ‘Kings of Tampa’ on a zoom call with very few basic lines. If you were also dreaming of seeing Mathew McConoughey on stage ‘sticking it’ to the crowd one last time then sadly those dreams are unceremoniously shattered with no mention of the eccentric entrepreneur at all. The retired dancer is thankfully convinced within the first 10 minutes of the film to share his gifts ‘one last time’ (heard that one before). The lucky billionaire’s world is what can only be described as rocked so hard by

Loosely woven into the somewhat bizarre story are commentaries on how art should be nonjudgemental. Its goal is to provoke and enlighten but also entertain in any way. All forms of art which do so should be appreciated, this film included. The most centralised theme (although that is not saying much) focuses on the empowerment of women. This is centred on inspiring women to indulge and demand their desires, breaking free from the historical and contemporary shackles of believing pursuing and obtaining all passions is not possible. On top of this, nothing is sexier than consent. These themes are only grazed upon, but each viewer can adopt and project these ideas to whatever level they see fit when experiencing the main spectacle of fluid movement and charisma.

The dialogue is hit or miss, probably leaning towards miss. Taking a cynical point of view

would mean the dialogue is unintentionally funny. Nevertheless, the optimists will gladly argue that these clunky innuendos and cheap jokes are intentional and fitting to the satirical and not afraid to laugh at themselves tone that this film provides. This optimism is reinforced when the movie is seemingly hijacked by Soderbergh’s love of heists, having the dancers carry out a heistlike mission with similar shooting and editing to the filmmaker’s widely beloved Ocean’s franchise. This sequence is one of multiple which are also genuinely funny with some equally laughterinducing conversations. Tatum should be greatly credited as making the most of any opportunity to elevate the comedy in the film, cementing himself as one of the best comedic actors we have at the moment.

Other than the two leads and Maxandra’s daughter Zadie, played by the debut actor Jemelia George, the acting performances felt slightly unnatural. Tatum and Hayek’s chemistry builds throughout with an obvious and believable connection forming which is a crucial foundation of the movie. However, the development of most character relationships seemed an afterthought, combining to cause emotional payoffs to feel cheap and undeserving at times.

That being said, as eluded to previously, these elements are only the supporting roles, complementing the lead, which of course is the electric, raunchy, chin-onthe-floor dances. Although by Magic Mike standards this film has dialled it down, with less nudity and a smaller quantity of top-tier dance numbers, there are still examples of why this film belongs to one of the best modern

dance franchises. Deserving of the Magic Mike hall of fame is the ‘dancin’ in the rain’ performance which affirms the idea that dancing really can be as fluid as water, whilst also relaying that when life gives you rain, make it into your slippery dance canvas of passion. There are no sex scenes in the film but this definitely resembles something much sexier than most sex scenes out there, truly conveying how impressive, communicative and darn right sexy dance can be.

VERDICT:

This film is clearly the 3rd best in the trilogy, which is undoubtedly a shame. However, if you are looking to have an uncommitted good time with your friends, possibly after a few cocktails (or mocktails!), then this film is a worthy accomplice. Let’s hope that we get to see Salma Hayek having the time of her life on screen again in the near future and that this is not the last time we are spoiled with Tatum’s magnificent talent.

The Lord of the Rings: Warner Bros Announce New Films in the Works

Jess Parker discusses the possibility of a new The Lord of the Rings franchise

Embracer Group owns most of the rights to Tolkien’s literary universe and has not announced the value of the lucrative deal. With The Lord of the Rings already having such a successful trilogy, fans of Tolkien must ask what the point of a new series of movies is.

This new deal appears to be keeping Jackson’s franchise in mind as they move forward with production, with Jackson stating to Variety that Warner Bros and Embracer Group have kept Jackson and his collaborators ‘in the loop every step of the way’.

Chief Executive at Embracer Freemode, spoke on the company’s reverence of Jackson’s work, stating: ‘We understand how cherished these works are and working together with our partners at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros Pictures, we plan to honour the past, look to the future, and adhere to the strongest level of quality and production values.’

Warner Bros has announced that a new franchise of The Lord of the Rings movies is in the works, 20 years after Peter Jackson’s cult-classic trilogy was released. Chief Executive David Zaslav discussed the deal that was brokered with Swedish gaming giant Embracer Group, stating that the company aimed to release ‘multiple’ films based on the works of author JRR Tolkien.

The new The Lord of the Rings movies will be developed with New Line Cinema, who also produced Jackson’s original trilogy between 2001 and 2003.

Jackson’s trilogy has become a fantasy classic, grossing $3 billion worldwide. The series’ third instalment, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, swept the board at the 2004 Oscars, winning 11 awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Lee Guinchard,

However, fans are well within their rights to feel cautious towards this new proposition. Amazon Prime’s original series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, received mixed reviews in its attempt to revitalise

Tolkien’s world, with Luke Holland of The Guardian noting that ‘whether you’re a Tolkien obsessive or the sort of dabbler who doesn’t give an Ent’s conker what a Silmarillion is, it’s not hard to see why reactions to The Rings of Power have been… mixed’. Amazon currently owns the Television rights to The Lord of the Rings, spending more than $450 million on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Although many grew to love Amazon Prime’s series, living up to Jackson’s beloved and critically-acclaimed trilogy is evidently a mean feat.

Fans of Tolkien’s work must ask: why would Warner Bros work on more of The Lord of the Rings movies when the franchise already has such an incredibly well-regarded trilogy of adaptations? Although Tolkien’s fictional world spans farther than Jackson’s trilogy could touch on, it feels as though the production giant is simply favouring a safe option in the popular franchise

over venturing into something perhaps more original. The idea that Warner Bros is planning an MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) style franchise feels optimistic at best. Considering the cult following that Jackson’s trilogy has already amassed, it feels as though Warner Bros may be setting itself up for incredibly high fan expectations, much like Amazon did with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which may be challenging to live up to in a world oversaturated with a range of high-fantasy franchises.

“Nothing is sexier than consent”

“Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh introduced us to the sweaty, pheromoneemitting, dancetastic journey of Mike”

Jess Parker

Film Editor

“Fans are well within their rights to feel cautious”

Review: You - Season Four (Part One)

Jess Parker

Film Editor

The first part of fan-favourite Netflix Original You’s fourth season dropped to the streaming platform on 9 February 2023, prompting a vast range of responses from viewers about the new instalment. The series has received mixed reviews, prompting conversations concerning the show's longevity.

The first three series of You ran fairly formulaically, following Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) as he obsesses over a host of different unsuspecting young women. Beginning the first series by stalking New Yorker Beck (Elizabeth Lail), Joe’s passion erupts in a violent outburst that means he must assume a new life. Joe moves on to LA-local Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti) in series two and three, eventually settling into family life with a young son. As his attention predictably sways from Love, his now wife, the two reach an emotional climax that results in Love’s death, prompting Joe to assume a new life in England as University professor Jonathan Moore.

the Oxford Circle: a group of friends representing the capital’s most elite. As a mysterious serial killer looks to take them down, Joe strays from his traditional prey of attractive young women to the elusive murderer. The series takes on the formula of a murder mystery, inspiring book-lover Joe to pull his eyes away from his possible new love interest Kate (Charlotte Ritchie) and focus on the task at hand. The series peaks as the group take a short break from the university to stay in a remote country house together, narrowing the murder-mystery frame deeper into the genre’s tropes. Series Four’s cast evidently worked very hard to bring the series’ slightly shaky premise to life. You is trying to find its feet in its transition away from its predictable stalker narratives, and this new group are certainly a breath of fresh air from the intense Americanisms of the previous three seasons. Charlotte Ritchie is probably the strongest of the bunch and does her best to fill the immense void that remains in Love Quinn’s absence, however difficult that may be. Fans do not appear to have taken to her performance as kindly as they did with Pedretti’s; however, if her

fanbase from Ghosts UK is anything to judge by, this hopefully will have calmed down in the show’s second part.

less.

As previously stated, Love Quinn’s absence is immensely felt after Series Three’s shocking ending. Love Quinn was a fan favourite whose emotional depth and witty intelligence lent well as a balanced opposition to Joe’s vivid fantasies and obsessions. Many fans speculated that Love would return to the show and that series three’s ending was intended to fool Joe and audiences into a false sense of security. However, the eventuality of Love returning feels ever more unlikely as part one progresses, with many losing hope in seeing Love alive on our screens again.

attempt to alter its repetitive formula, You feels as though it has run out of steam with all that Joe Goldberg has to offer. Even though Netflix will most likely continue to churn out new series of the show for as long as it retains an audience, viewers can probably expect a decline in the show’s quality and depth. Perhaps part two will salvage what part one has shakily set up for itself; however, it does not feel like You has much more to give.

Rating:

The location is critical to Series Four, and the show’s Britishisms are not handled too thoughtfully. From the caricatured portrayals of English accents to Joe’s 6-hour walk to work, it feels as though You’s production team have not met a single English person in their lives, let alone consulted them. A single click on Google Maps would have solved some of the show’s most straightforward blunders, making You’s production feel rushed, sloppy, and care-

Season Four (Part One) seems incredibly confused as to where it stands on its use of the recently popularised ‘eat the rich' trope. Although Joe feels that he is above his newly acquired peers, he continuously works to impress them and keep them present in his day-to-day life, seemingly assimilating farther into their tight-knit group throughout the series. His motives are unclear, as he seems to despise them as equally as he wants to be them.

Season Four is predominantly set in London, revolving around Twitter/@NetflixUK

Hidden Gems: Andor

Sadly, it feels as though You is nearing the end of the line. Although it has made a bold

Gwydion Elliott explains how Andor has breathed new life into Star Wars with its immersive storylines and interesting characters

Gwydion Elliott

Comment Editor

‘You might as well wear a sign that says, ‘I promise to disappoint you’’, says Eedy Karn (Arabella Fig) to her son. She’s admonishing him for slouching defeatedly at the breakfast table, but she’s also summing up how I’d started to feel about anything with the name Star Wars. It’s felt something like that for a long time – the fandom’s attitude towards almost any new release has usually been negative. There’s certainly some nostalgia for the originals and gatekeeping at work, but truthfully not many Star Wars stories have given us all that much reason to be impressed, or to be excited that the franchise is evolving. Most notably, the huge let-down of The Rise of Skywalker at the hands of J. J. Abrams left a bitter taste – the film seemed determined to do nothing new and instead re-hashed countless tired tropes. And so, as Andor ramped up to release I could scarcely muster any enthusiasm – I knew it wouldn’t be for me.

Little did I know that this show would totally reframe what I thought Star Wars could do and leave me more excited to be in its universe than at any time since my childhood. Star Wars can and

should have better stories for its younger audience, but for a slightly more mature crowd Andor is that revelation – expanding and breathing new life into the Star Wars galaxy. Let me explain how.

destiny driven Jedi, or evil cackling Sith. This gives the characters, and each of their personal motivations and the political interplay between them, much more time to shine than in many Star Wars stories, revealing a galaxy that is more nuanced and immersive. As a nice example, we get to see the authoritarian and passionately imperial Syril Karn (Karl Soller) come home from his job as a security enforcer to be admonished and humiliated by his mother, who I mentioned earlier. His struggle for legitimacy and power is deepened, because Andor took the time to let us get to know him in a way scarcely seen before in the franchise.

equipment to listening to the slow trickle of rain in a mossy forest. We’re there, boots on the ground with the characters. I don’t think Star Wars has given that opportunity much before.

These are a couple of the things that I think make Andor exciting for the future of Star Wars media, but I don’t want to get too carried away and forget to express how entertaining the show is. The show has some fantastically suspenseful action, and really knows how to set up these sequences for maximum pay-off. It’s full of fascinating characters and too many gripping performances to name. The show has quite rightly received a lot of critical acclaim, but deserves more attention and popularity from a wider audience as a suspenseful and thoughtful sci-fi drama with appeal to Star Wars veterans and newbies alike.

The show follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a thief on the industrial planet Ferrix who is thrown into the shady inception of the Rebel Alliance, the force that in the original trilogy comes headto-head with the oppressive Galactic Empire. A key facet of the show is that Cassian, along with every other character, is actually a normal person. Some are important, such as the senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) or Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), the ambitious lieutenant of the Imperial Security Bureau. But none are force-wielding,

Recent Star Wars shows have used something called “the volume” in filming. Essentially, this is a huge, curved screen onto which scenery can be projected. As opposed to a green screen, it means that the lighting of the scene will fall on the characters accurately – particularly important when, as in The Mandalorian, your protagonist is dressed head to toe in shiny chrome armour. Andor, on the other hand, makes much more use of real sets and locations. It might sound slightly unusual, but there’s a deeper interaction between the characters and their sci-fi world that only shooting on-location can provide, from rattling a broken piece of

Jess Parker reviews Part One of the latest season of You, finding it confused, rushed and nearing its end, despite its attempts to do something new

“Little did I know that this show would totally reframe what I thought Star Wars could do”

“Series Four's cast evidently worked very hard to bring the series' slightly shaky premise to life”

“It's full of fascinating characters and too many gripping performances to name”

Review: Drive to SurviveSeason Five

Oscar Frost reviews Drive

Oscar Frost Sport Editor

The fifth iteration of Netflix’s Formula 1 docuseries Drive to Survive follows the drama, intrigue and fast-paced action of the 2022 season. The theme of this season seemed to be a split between the villains and heroes of the F1 circuit, with drivers and team principles put under the microscope in a more invasive way than ever before.

The series certainly did a great job of creating an exciting storyline from a drivers’ championship that was settled very early in the season. Max Verstappen’s dominance in 2022 contrasted with his historic battle with Lewis Hamilton in 2021, which prompted Drive to Survive to follow the constructors’ championship instead. This led to a heightened focus on team principles, with Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto having much more airtime than before. The hilarity of Guenther Steiner also returned as the Haas team principal cemented his status as a fan-favourite.

The change in character undergone by Zak Brown of McLaren was an interesting addition to the series, as he had previously been a reasonably benign personality in

to Survive Season Five,

finding it an enjoyable watch despite its lack breadth

the paddock. However, this year he was painted as a strong opposition to Red Bull’s breach of the cost cap. The producers could have shown more clearly why Brown took such issue with Red Bull on this issue as McLaren were far adrift in the constructors’ championship, but I did enjoy seeing the battle of wills between him and Christian Horner of Red Bull.

A similar shift came in Binotto, as he was portrayed as a weaker player in the paddock in previous seasons. This may have been symptomatic of the fact that Ferrari were the closest to challenging Red Bull’s supremacy in 2022. The strengthening of Binotto’s character galvanised the Horner against the world narrative, deepening the plot between the team principles.

The increased importance put on the team principles did add an extra dimension to the series, which made the series very entertaining. Whilst the drivers are shown to have some respect for one another on the whole, the war of the team principles was eye-catching and reflective of the fact that the drivers are not always the most important individuals in Formula 1.

On the drivers’ side, a character shift in McLaren came in

Lando Norris, who was portrayed as an immature and playful driver in previous seasons. Norris’ partnership with the class clown figure of Daniel Ricciardo was initially shown to be a comedy duo that would add hilarity to a serious group of drivers. However, in season five, Norris appeared far more serious. His criticism of the McLaren car and its underperformance was expected, but he also seemed glad to see the back of his Australian teammate. It will certainly be interesting to see how he will be shown to interact with his new teammate, Oscar Piastri, next season.

battle between Alpine and McLaren that appears to continue into next year.

No series can be perfect, but there are some events that are not covered in Drive to Survive that have been criticised by fans. Most significant of these was the lack of attention given to the requirement of Sebastian Vettel, a four time world champion and an icon of the sport. This omission was made all the more questionable as the series concludes with a tribute to Ricciardo. It is true that Ricciardo played a far larger role as a personality in the series, but purist fans were disappointed by the fact that Vettel was not given the same treatment.

Twitter/@Netflix

Another part of the season that fans expected to be a part of the series was the Brazilian Grand Prix. The race seemed to offer everything that would be necessary for an incredible Drive to Survive episode. Mercedes’

to Survive was entertaining, but not groundbreaking. It does appeal to the new Formula 1 fan, but it seems that more experienced fans are becoming less interested in the show due to the fact that it misses key moments in the season. I did enjoy watching it, and I will be tuning in again for next year’s edition, but I also believe that it is nearly time for it to change its formula in order to avoid becoming repetitive.

On the subject of Piastri, it is no surprise that his controversial signing to McLaren took up a large amount of screen-time. This worked to reinforce the image of Brown being a colder and more clinical figure, as he poached the driver from the Alpine team. This controversy was welcome content for Netflix, as it helped frame the

George Russell won his first race in F1, Verstappen and Sergio Perez fell out, and Hass clinched their first ever pole position in qualifying. This could reflect an issue with the series basing each episode around a team or a few drivers, as this was certainly exciting enough to base an episode around.

Overall, Season Five of Drive

Farewell to Happy Valley

Erin Perry reflects on the the final series of Happy Valley

Erin Perry TV Editor

Happy Valley left our screens after a highly anticipated blistering finale in February. Its final series trended on Twitter each week as every new episode gave viewers endless questions about just where the show would go next. Millions tuned in every Sunday night, boosting ratings so high that even when up against ITV’s tell-all interview with Prince Harry, Happy Valley comfortably won the battle. Even news segments on the Monday breakfast shows would discuss the previous night’s episode, sometimes spoiling the actionthank you BBC Breakfast for that one.

But just what caused this national obsession? Is Happy Valley a phenomenon in itself? Or is it a product of the British public’s love for crime drama, following recent successes such as Line of Duty or Broadchurch and other shows that have caught the national imagination over the last decade?

Personally - because I could never definitively say - I believe it is down to two main factors: the powerhouse acting of the main cast and their characters and Sally

Wainwright’s expert writing which fuse together to create TV gold.

ates a fully-realised woman who viewers both love and relate to. If the BAFTA does not have Sarah Lancashire already written on it then something has gone seriously wrong.

Twitter/@F1

Rating:

Firstly, the greatest praise has to go to the incomparable Sarah Lancashire and her performance as Catherine Cawood. Catherine, for all her struggles, never gives in. You know as a viewer that if someone needs help Catherine will get to them, even if she complains about it on the way there. You also know that if someone is up to no good then she will again be the one to sort them out, and you know that she will win. The strength that Lancashire brings to the character is what reaches out through the screen and paired with brilliant comic timing at even the darkest moments, cre-

Twitter/@BBCOne

Of course, any writing about Happy Valley has to mention the arch-villain of the series, the terrifyingly creepy Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton). James Norton’s performance as Tommy is frighteningly good, and each confrontation between him and Catherine in their tug-of-war over Ryan (Rhys Connah) sends a shiver down the spine. In fact, he may have performed his role slightly too well because even when watching him as a vicar solving crime in the comparatively wholesome Granchester, I

am always waiting for him to turn evil.

reflective of the ones seen in everyday life. The quiet moments Catherine and Clare share in the kitchen or in the garden ground the show in reality, reminding viewers that a family sits at the heart of the craziness that surrounds them.

Writer and creator of Happy Valley Sally Wainwright knows how to write good TV, as demonstrated through her other works Gentleman Jack and Last Tango in Halifax, to name a couple. In Happy Valley , the world she writes about is brought to life so vividly through her ability to construct characters who can feel as real as people walking down the street or sitting in the park. Family is at the heart of the show, and in particular, the relationships between Catherine and her sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) and Catherine and Ryan compel audiences so much because they are

There are many great quality TV dramas available, all with their own character dynamics and great mysteries for viewers to solve. And that is great, but, personally, I do not think anything can quite capture the magic of a BBC Sunday night drama. Maybe the collective viewing experience enhances the excitement around shows like Happy Valley and pulls viewers further in than binge-able boxsets. Maybe not. Either way, while it is sad that Catherine Cawood has driven off into the sunset, or actually the Himalayas, Happy Valley has finished on a high and its three series will go down as one of the greats in British TV.

Rating:

“The war of the team principles was eyecatching”

“The strength that Lancashire brings to the character is what reaches out through the screen”

“The quiet moments [...] ground the show in reality, reminding viewers that a family sits [its] heart”

Review: Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Gaming Writer Ash Cole reviews Like a Dragon: Ishin! citing it as an ‘all-time great’

Ash Cole Gaming Writer

Introduction

Available outside of Japan for the first time since its original 2014 release, Like a Dragon: Ishin! arrives worldwide with a new coat of paint and an eclectic cast of familiar faces from the long-running Yakuza series. Despite some imperfections, Ishin presents an enthralling story of the last days of Japan’s Edo period, with all the bombastic action and soulful flourish expected of a historical Yakuza spinoff.

Story Ishin’s story takes place in 1867, following real-life historical figure Sakamoto Ryoma’s journey to find his father’s killer and clear his name. His quest finds him joining the Shinsengumi, the elite police force of the era, under the guise of wandering samurai Saito Hajime. Ishin’s story is compelling from start to finish, full of great character moments and exciting twists. The original Ishin marked a turning point for developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio as a much more focused story than its messier predecessor, Yakuza 5 (2012), so it is great to see the plot intact.

This historical epic is largely told through lively and well-ani-

mated cutscenes, with characters using the voices and likenesses of popular Yakuza characters. Most players with even a tangential awareness of the series will recognise this game’s hero as the stoic Kazuma Kiryu, and Shinsengumi officer Okita Soji as franchise mainstay Goro Majima. This remake recasts many roles to utilise characters from more recent games in the series, including Yakuza 0 (2015)’s popular trio of lieutenants. Not every substitution is a winner, though.

Characters like Yakuza 5’s Shigeki Baba have been ousted in favour of newer, more recognisable faces, yet totally forgettable examples like Yu Morinaga remain.

ed for landing pot-shots on distant foes. I used this style the least, although blasting particularly deplorable enemies point-blank is highly satisfying. Wild Dancer style enables dual wielding of both weapons in an agile frenzy, trading raw power for speed. Finally, Brawler style discards armaments and allows the player to take on opponents with fisticuffs. Brawler cannot block blades or bullets, so players will rely on well-timed parries to flex on their foes. Style switching is very context-dependent compared to RGG Studios’ prior outing Lost Judgment, in which stances flow into one another seamlessly to extend flashy combos. I personally prefer the latter, although Ishin’s combat is still rewarding in its strategic challenge.

Another Life, in which Ryoma must run a farm and go fishing to engage in Cooking Mama (2006)like food preparation, then sell these resources on to pay off a debt. It’s a very engaging process that even I, who has never enjoyed life simulators like Stardew Valley (2016), found myself returning to frequently.

Other Comments

about Kyo that doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Verdict

Twitter/@SEGA

Ishin has plenty of stories to tell away from the critical path, in typical Yakuza fashion. Substories are in abundance and tell a variety of hilarious, bizarre and touching tales. When roaming the streets of Kyo (the game’s fictional recreation of 19th Century Kyoto), Ryoma can go from sniffing out a mochi thief, to finding a cherry blossom tree to lay to rest a family’s beloved dog, without missing a beat. Ishin inherits the main series’ ability to artfully toe the line between dead serious and goofy, a quality that also serves it well in gameplay.

Gameplay

Primarily, Ishin’s gameplay revolves around its combat, wherein Ryoma swaps between four fighting styles on the fly. The most typical is Swordsman, a powerful and deliberate stance that rewards patient defence in one-on-one battles. The Gunman style, in which Ryoma trades his samurai steel for rounds of lead, is a little more situational, best suit-

Combat is augmented by Trooper Cards, a plethora of equipable perks that impart beneficial effects, ranging from stat boosts to anime-esque superpowers like energy blasts or time-stopping. These abilities up the ante and keep combat fresh throughout the game’s 30 to 50-hour run-time, and serve as almost necessary perks for completing the game’s challenging dungeons, which can be explored to earn experience and materials to upgrade equipment.

An oft-overlooked aspect of RGG Studio’s works is the soundtrack, and Ishin is among their best. Effortlessly mixing traditional Japanese instruments with hard rock (and in one instance, trap) music makes every battle, minigame and cutscene come alive. Whilst most tracks are directly carried over from the original release, this version provides even more blood-pumping remixes of fan favourites from the mainline games that newcomers will love, and veterans will love even more.

In terms of performance, runs at a mostly consistent 60 frames per second on PlayStation 5, albeit with some mild stut ter and visual quirks when transitioning cutscene to gameplay, and vice versa. RGG Studio has not quite mastered Unreal Engine on their first outing with it, which begs the question of why they opted to use it rather than their proprietary Dragon Engine, which has yet to show its age.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! more than delivers as a highly anticipated localisation, and as one of SEGA’s all-time greats. Minor nitpicks hold the game back everso-slightly, but its tense narrative, high-quality side content, surprisingly strategic combat and stylish presentation make it an experience to hold the player’s attention for a long time, and one that I highly recommend.

Again, Ishin provides impressive variety in gameplay off the main path, in the form of myriad minigames. Karaoke returns, with a reimagining of meme-worthy hit ‘Baka Mitai’ in a traditional style befitting the game’s setting. Other activities include noodlecooking, Buyo dancing, and betting on chicken races (yes, you read that correctly). There is an extensive ‘sub-game’ called

Red Dead Redeemed

The Yakuza franchise has a unique talent for cramming as much content as possible into an overworld small enough to easily traverse on foot. Kyo is a wellrealised setting also, alive with sounds of chatter and street music, and roaming couriers sprinting around. However, it doesn’t quite match up with the iconic Kamurocho, nor Ijincho, the sprawling city featured in other recent titles. Maybe it’s the excess of empty streets between districts, or the lack of fast travel points, but there is certainly something

TV Editor Alex Taylor explores the lasting glory of Red Dead Redemption

Alex Taylor

TV Editor

Red Dead Redemption II (2018), the sequel to its 2010 predecessor, is unrivalled in its ability to evoke a powerful and deeply emotive response from the player. This epic western redefines what can be achieved through storydriven, open-world games, in a way that no other release has for years prior or since its release. The setting of the game doesn’t provide an ambiguous representation of spaghetti-western America, but a comprehensive and diverse portrayal of the relationship between urban and rural life in the

latter-half of the nineteenth-century; with a little suspension of disbelief sprinkled in. It presents a nutritious marriage between the

America that cinema tells us existed, and the reality of socialinjustice, Native-American oppression, and the regression of social freedom experienced during the period.

Twitter/@RockstarGames

The game is beautiful, wild and pensive, boasting a detailed ecosystem, an array of animals, plants and trees, that provide a deeply immersive experience for the player, all supported by its sublime cinematography. The storyline varies from the jovial to the melancholic to the distinctly tragic and guides the player on an emotional journey through the magnificent wilderness and industrial municipality. The level of detail and depth that the developers have imbued the world with is

almost unnecessary (your horse’s gonads shrink in the cold). This level of thought goes hand in hand with the side-missions, of which are interwoven in a way that continues the protagonist’s storyline regardless of the order you play them in. The main protagonist of Arthur Morgan, the thirty-something gruff classic cowboy, is provided with a depth, variety, and character development that far exceeds most cinema of today.

This distinct lack of filler is reminiscent of the game’s overall thought out and ‘un-rushed’ nature, which continues into the game’s original soundtrack and scores. The original songs, one of which has been since covered by Willie Nelson, not only transports the player into nineteenth-century western America, but also into every western movie, TV programme, and country song the player has ever experienced. No rating, review, commentary or critique could ever do the beauty of this game justice- its characters, story, and setting are all imbued with an unrivalled depth that leave the player simultaneously satisfied, heartbroken, and wanting more.

“Ishin presents an enthralling story”

“Ishin’s gameplay revolves around its combat”

Twitter/@SEGA

“The game is beautiful, wild and pensive”

Gaming, Violence and Empathy

Gaming Writer Rosie Carron explains the mythologised link between video games and violence

Rosie Carron Gaming Writer

Content Warning: Contains mentions of mass shootings, American gun control debates, and descriptions of violence.

As someone who enjoys playing video games, plenty of which include violence, it is easy to attribute the claim that video games cause violence to crotchety old men shaking their fists at the youth of today. I am not a violent person. Therefore, video games cannot contribute to violent behaviour. But is there some truth to the claim that video games cause violence?

Professional opinion on the topic is divided. Organisations such as the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) claim that violence in media desensitises young people and contributes to violent behaviour as children learn by observing and mimicking behaviour. Similarly, research by the American Psychological Association ‘demonstrates a consistent relation between violent video game use and increases in aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognitions and aggressive affect, and decreases prosocial behaviour, empathy and sensitivity to aggression’.

video games’ to ‘the long-term consequences of crime and actual violent behaviour’. As Keza MacDonald asserts in an article for The Guardian, ‘video games have been a part of popular culture for at least 50 years […] and violent video games have existed in some form since Space Invaders, though they’ve gotten more visually realistic over time. If video games were in some way dangerous – if they significantly affected our behaviour, our emotional responses – you would expect to have seen widespread, cross-cultural changes in how we act’. However, violent crime has actually decreased since 1996.

Redbrick Gaming’s March Picks

However, recent studies suggest otherwise. Psychologists Dr. Patrick and Charlotte Markey argue that while some children may become more aggressive as a result of playing violent video games, most do not, and those who do are affected by pre-existing psychological factors. Dr. Mark Coulson concurs that while ‘exposure to repeated violence may have short-term effects’, there is ‘no evidence linking

Claiming that acts of realworld violence are due to video games takes away from the real issues underlying violent crime;

for instance, the lack of gun-control in America, hate speech, and bigotry. MacDonald points out that ‘after the El Paso shooting in 2019, Walmart removed violent video game displays from its stores – but continued to sell actual guns’, and networks like Fox News are ‘happy to point out that the perpetrator of a mass shooting played video games, while remaining oddly quiet on the racist ideas that show up in these shooter’s manifestos’. Are video games a convenient scapegoat?

This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t criticise violent media. However, this shouldn’t be restricted to video games. Is Call of Duty more violent than the average Quentin Tarantino movie? Video games are critiqued more heavily for their violent content because the player is not a passive observer but an active participant. Games convey their messages not only through their narratives but through gameplay. Many games reward violence; after taking down a boss or mowing down a wave of enemies we anticipate loot or story progression.

tional impact or make a point.

The Last of Us Part II (2020) gained media attention for its harrowing scenes of violence. The takedowns are not slick and satisfying, but brutal and drawn out. Enemies are not obstacles to be quickly taken out but human beings who struggle and die messily. The excessive violence is not pointlessly gratuitous but relates to the central theme of the game – the destructive cycle of violence and revenge.

Not all video games rely on combat to tell their stories. Undertale (2015) offers a ‘pacifist run’ in which, rather than fighting the monsters, the player befriends them, subverting expectations. In the Life is Strange series, the player progresses the story not by fighting enemies but rather by talking to characters and uncovering clues around the central mystery. Far from encouraging violence, video games can be a tool of empathy. Indie title Spiritfarer (2020) rewards compassion rather than violence. The player character, Stella, is entrusted with transporting spirits to the afterlife, caring for their needs, listening to their stories, and completing quests so that they can make peace with their death and move on.

We should certainly look critically at games in which the player character takes out hundreds of faceless enemies while still being considered the hero (Uncharted’s quip-ready Nathan Drake probably has a higher body count than the most prolific serial killer). However, many games use violence effectively to leverage emo-

We should continue to think critically about the media and question how it impacts real life. However, blaming video games for violent behaviour ultimately detracts from the real causes. Furthermore, video games are an incredibly diverse medium. Some may glamourise violence in a way that is problematic, but games can also be thought-provoking, emotional, and, let’s face it, fun.

“Professional opinion on the topic is divided”

“However, violent crime has actually decreased since 1996”

“Games use violence effectively to leverage emotional impact”

“Video games are critiqued more heavily”

Haney

Budget Baskets: Shopping Halal in Selly

Halima Ahad, featuring a chicken stir fry and biryani, talks us through her Budget Basket guide to shopping halal in Selly Oak for an affordable price

Halima Ahad

Culture

Editor

If you are struggling to find budget meals in the supermarkets then fear not! I will be talking you through my halal budget basket for supermarkets found in the heart of Selly Oak, Tesco and Aldi, and explaining the recipes you can cook up (with the addition of some cupboard staples). The first dish is chicken stir fry noodles and the second dish is chicken biryani. Here’s what you’ll need:

From your cupboard:

Vegetable oil

Rice

Garam masala

Ginger Garlic

Chilli powder

Butter

Coriander leaves

These are the essential staples which you’ll likely have already in your cupboard or fridge. They can be stored easily without any hassle.

Aldi: Chopped tomatoes (£0.50)

Garlic puree (£0.69)

Ginger puree (£0.69)

Pack of onions (£1.39)

Pack of potatoes (£1.99)

Yoghurt (£0.79)

With affordable prices and easy to access routes from student accommodation, it can be hard to go wrong when shopping at Aldi!

Tesco (with a Clubcard!):

Stir fry noodles (3 packs for £2.61)

2 packs of sweet chilli and teriyaki sauce (£4.60)

Fresh stir fry chicken (£4.34)

Fresh whole chicken (£6.75)

The first recipe you can cook up with this budget basket is a chicken noodle stir fry. The recipe serves six so if you are stuck in finding a recipe that will suit all of your housemates needs then this is the one! You can substitute chicken for a vegetarian alternative if needs be such as tofu or extra vegetables used in the recipe. The dish is also perfect for leftovers as it can be heated up easily, they can be stored in the fridge from the day they were made and can last up until one week after cooking the dish.

Method

1.) Heat up some oil in a wok

2.) Stir fry the chicken for 10 minutes. Once it has changed colour, add grated ginger and garlic in on a medium heat for a couple of minutes.

3.) Add chopped onion and stir fr this for a minute or so

4.) Add chopped peppers, stir fry this for 2 minutes.

minutes and serve!

Next up is a chicken biriyani! For this you would need to buy a whole chicken from the halal counter at Tesco. This recipe requires a couple more ingredients than the stir fry, but with a serving size of 6-8 it makes for a highly cost effective dish for cooking halal on a budget. You can store the biryani for up to one week after cooking, which means you can also heat it up for leftovers or other dinners throughout the week.

My method for chicken biryani is very straightforward and is inspired by a recipe by Nisha Katona’s. As a one pot recipe, this is a super easy dish with very little hassle.

Method:

1.) In a large pan, heat up the oil and add in the garam masala.

2.) Add the tomatoes and stir them around until they separate

chicken and stir it into the yoghurt masala mixture.

7.) Cover and occasionally stir until the chicken is cooked

8.Add in the potatoes and fold them in lightly.

9.) Add a quarter of the rice into the pan and make sure it is mixed well into the masala.

10.) Gradually add in the remainder of the rice.

11.) Add a knob of butter to the rice.

12.) To serve, push the rice to the side to reach the masala at the bottom. Take the masala, chicken and rice and sprinkle with coriander.

Biryani mix (£0.70)

Make sure to grab yourself a Clubcard when shopping at Tesco to make for some easy bargains!

5.) Stir everything properly and cover this on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until your veg is cooked.

6. ) Add noodles and stir

7.) Stir in your sweet chilli and teriyaki sauce, cook for a few

3.) Add in the ginger and garlic puree and stir until both pastes have mixed well with the tomatoes.

4.) Sprinkle in the biryani mix followed by the fried onions

5.) Spoon in the yoghurt and mix until the masala becomes yellow

6.) Add in the chopped fresh

Recipe: Abbey Crunch

Cara-Louise Scott reminisces on the nostalgia surrounding the discontinued Abbey Crunch biscuits, and shares her family recipe

Digital Editor

Abbey Crunch was a biscuit brand by McVitie’s that are no longer available to buy and instead morphed into what we know today as Hobnobs. The recipe below was my Nan’s, who,

as my mum tells me, she started making these because McVitiies stopped making the Abbey Crunch biscuits that my Grandad and mum loved. My Nan created this recipe herself and then it got passed onto my mum, still in its original form on a recipe card. When my beautiful Nan passed away three years ago, my mum started making these delicious biscuits more regularly, especially over the lockdown to hand out to people, and I have now come to love these tasty treats too.

These biscuits are unlike any other; they are soft, buttery and melt-in your mouth, and if cooked just right, they have a soft crunch to them that makes them even more delightful. These biscuits are moreish. Unless you pass them onto others, you’ll probably end up wanting to devour them all in one sitting!

My mum makes these biscuits bigger than my Nan did and adds extra oats in; even when recipes are passed down in the family, family members will add their

own uniqueness to them but I think they still have the same warm oaty taste and the base of a good beloved family recipe.

Makes 24

Ingredients

112g Rolled Oats

140g Butter

140g Caster Sugar

140g Self Raising Flour

15ml Milk

10ml Golden Syrup

1tsp Baking Soda

Method

1.) Cream the butter and sugar together.

2.) Mix in the milk, baking soda and syrup.

3.) Stir in the flour and oats, making sure you mix well.

4.) Roll the mixture into around 24 small balls. Place these onto a greased baking tray.

5.) Bake for 25 mins on ‘Fan 130’ setting, until golden brown. Enjoy!

Overall, this budget basket is very cost effective and easy to cook with. Assuming some cupboard staples, this basket comes in at £25.05 which is just £1.79 per meal! Easily adaptable, if you’d prefer to cook without meat you can easily substitute out the halal chicken for suitable alternatives such as tofu or extra vegetables. I hope you enjoy and found something useful from this halal budget basket - happy cooking!

Cara-Louise Scott

"Assuming some cupboard staples, this basket comes in at £25.05 which is just £1.79 per meal!"

Unsplash / Jennifer Pallian

Unsplash / Elena Leya

Recipe: Vegan Tofu Butter Chicken

Anna-Marie Fischer shares her delicious, high-protein tofu curry recipe

Anna-Marie Fischer News Editor

A delicious and rich, vegan curry made with store cupboard spices and firm tofu. This is a really easy, classic plant-based weeknight meal which is also high in protein. The recipe serves two, but you can double it and store in the fridge for meal-prep.

Unlike other butter tofu curry recipes, this recipe coats the tofu in seasoning to create a truly flavorful dish and bakes it in the oven, as opposed to traditionally frying it. I also only combine the tofu and the sauce at the end to ensure the tofu stays crispy.

I usually serve this with white basmati rice, but you can also just have it with naan.

Serves 2

Ingredients: For the curry: 40g / 3 tablespoons of dairy-free butter

1 Onion

2 Garlic cloves

A thumb-sized piece of ginger

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp garlic granules

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

3 tsp ground turmeric

3 Tbsp tomato purée

400 ml tomato passata

5 Tbsps coconut or oat cream

Salt and black pepper

For the tofu: 450g Firm Tofu

4 Tbsp cornflour

3 Tbsp soy sauce (light or dark, up to you)

1 Tbsp garam masala

1 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp garlic granules

To serve: Basmati rice

Naan

Method:

1.) Preheat the oven to 180C (Fan-assisted oven) / 200C.

2.)Drain your tofu and lightly press dry with paper towel

3.)Rip your 450g of tofu into bite-sized chunks, you want the edges to be jagged to increase the surface area which allows it to get crispier and absorb more of the flavors.

4.)Add the tofu chunks into a bowl or container and add the cornflour. Shake until the chunks are well dusted. Add the seasonings, soy sauce and shake again.

5.) Move the tofu onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes, checking periodically until the tofu has significantly browned and crisped. Once the tofu is cooked, remove it from the oven but do not add it to the curry.

6.) Cook your rice or naan in the meantime.

7.) As the tofu and rice/naan is cooking, start on the curry. Melt 1 tablespoon of dairy-free butter onto a frying pan on a moderatelow heat.

8.) Finely chop the garlic, ginger, and onion and add to frying pan. Allow to cook in the butter for

3-4 minutes until lightly golden.

9.) Add the tomato purée and allow to cook for another 2 minutes.

liquid.

10.) Then add in the tomato passata, the remaining tbsp of dairyfree butter, seasonings and stir well. Finally add in 4 tbsps of coconut/oat cream. Allow this to cook for 5-8 minutes to let the flavours develop.

11.) Serve with your rice (or naan), tofu and add curry sauce on top to desired amount. Swirl in the leftover coconut/oat cream on top for colour/extra creaminess.

Tips: The sauce and tofu are only combined last when serving, to ensure the tofu stays crispy and doesn’t soak up too much of the

The exact measurements are not super important here but just a rough guide as to how I make it. Feel free to adjust to your own taste. You can use salted or unsalted butter, just be sure to adjust the salt levels accordingly.

Coating your tofu with cornstarch first will help achieve that crunchy coating. You can also use potato starch, regular flour, or even glutenfree flour instead of cornstarch, but the cornstarch crisps up the best.

Studying Abroad: US Meal Plans

Oscar Frost shares his experience dining on the University of Connecticut's meal plans

Oscar Frost

Sports Editor

Coming to the US, I thought that the food would be similar to the meal plan here at UoB - I was wrong. At the University of Connecticut, where I am on my year abroad, the meal plan means that all food is catered for. It is essentially an all-youcan-eat buffet, for as long as the dining halls are open. This was definitely a shock to the system after the freedom of cooking for myself all of last year in Selly Oak.

are often left untouched when they are put next to the deep fried options.Something that shocked me coming to the US was that the meal times are different to the UK. In particular, the dinner service ends at 7:30PM, which means an early dinner is completely normalised.

early risers.

Overall, the meal plans at the University of Connecticut are varied and convenient, with a wide variety of food available at multiple dining halls on campus. The standard of the food is reasonably high for such bulk-prepared meals, and it is rare that there is not a tasty dish to tuck into. It may have its drawbacks, but I will certainly miss aspects of it when I am back to fending for myself, especially the washing up.

On the whole, the food itself is reasonably good. The selection is varied, and the fact that there are numerous dining halls within walking distance means that there is always something to eat. There are numerous dishes that I have never tried before

that have given me ideas for what to cook when I return to a selfcatered house next year. One of these is ‘General Tso’s Chicken,’ where fried chicken is coated with a sauce made from soy sauce, hoisin, sesame and other herbs. While not being the healthiest choice, it is a fan favourite that is sure to create a queue out of the door whenever it is available. It is very easy, however, to slip into an unhealthy diet when there is so much food on offer. The fact that ice cream and pizza are available at every meal other than breakfast, means that unadventurous eating habits are not challenged at all. That being said, there is also fruit always on offer, and there are always veggies on offer with the main courses. It is a strange mix where healthier options are always there, but they

This can make eating times awkward, especially when sports team practice goes on later than the dining halls are open. There are a couple of dining halls that are open until 10:30PM. for ‘late night’, but there the selection is limited to a few basic options. These late night hours are not

available on Fridays and Saturdays, meaning a takeaway is sometimes the only option if you miss the dinner slot. Spending money on a takeaway when all meals are included can seem wasteful, but it definitely feels like a well-deserved treat after a week’s work.

As well as the dinner times being different, the breakfast times are reasonably early, with most dining halls opening at 7AM. UConn students generally get up earlier than UoB students, probably because of the lack of Circo Mondays in their system, but this does drive the meal times earlier for those

Anna-Marie Fischer

"This is a really easy, classic plant-based weeknight meal which is also high in protein."

"The recipe serves two, but you can double it and store in the fridge for meal-prep."

"There are numerous dishes that I have never tried before that have given me ideas for what to cook when I return to a self-catered house next year."

"Overall, the meal plans at the University of Connecticut are varied and convenient, with a wide variety of food available at multiple dining halls on campus.”

"Coming to the US, I thought that the food would be similar to the meal plan here at UOB - I was wrong."

Unsplash / Jaco Pretorius

Oscar Frost

Unsplash/ Pratiksha Mohanty

Three-Day Guide to Lisbon (On a Budget!)

Jana Steinbach-Hunt and William Staniforth give us their advice on how to spend three days in the capital city of Portugal whilst sticking to a budget

One drizzly November afternoon, on our weekly search on Skyscanner, we came across flights to the sunny city of Lisbon. From meandering through the hilly city to gorging your way through pastéis de natas, this is our guide on how to visit Lisbon in three days on a budget.

Manchester. We managed to fit everything into a backpack, therefore avoiding an extra £20 per person each way to put luggage in the hold. The return flights cost us £75 each, and, with the cost of our accommodation being £17 per night, it meant that we only spent £143 each on travel and accommodation costs!

The spectacular view from the plane showed us an array of colourful tiled buildings, terracotta roofs and old trams. From the airport, the city centre was a €1.65 metro ride away, and from there, we were only a seven-minute walk away from our apartment (albeit up one of Lisbon's many famous hills). Located in the Bairro Alto district, famous for its exciting and exuberant nightlife, our apartment also boasted a formidable view of the coastal capital city of Lisbon.

Day 1

the Alfama district. Standing on the hill, the area boasts some of the best views of Lisbon and we went to Castelo St. Jorge to catch golden hour. Then, we wandered around the rest of the district where we caught the rest of the sunset at Miradoura de Santa Luzia terrace, accompanied by the soft voice and guitar of a street performer. In the evening, we met up with a Portuguese friend who took us to the suburbs. Here, we ate a Francesinha, a glutinous dinner of bread, meat, and fried egg. Great hangover food but left much to be desired!

going to an abandoned warehouse in Marvila. This was truly the most eclectic place we have been to! It was 23:00 on a Wednesday night yet there was an open book shop, a dance competition in another room, and multiple bars.

Day 2

Travel & Accommodation costs

If you are a Birmingham student looking for flights on a budget, travelling from Birmingham airport is the way to go! Not only does it serve a range of destinations with cheap budget airlines, it also reduces the overall cost of travel by eliminating coach or train journeys to London or

In the morning, we embarked on a free tour around the downtown area, exploring the districts Baixa and Chiado. This was a fun way to learn about the city and gain our bearings. We saw famous sights like the Santa Justa lift, and were told that in the 18th century, King José abandoned his kingdom and went to live in a tent after succumbing to paranoia. Although the tour is titled free, it is encouraged to give the guides a tip for their time and knowledge.

After eating our packed lunches, we made our way to

We followed the night by

Everyone who has been to or heard of Lisbon says you must go to Sintra, a town in the greater region of Lisbon that heralds fairy-tale palaces and enchanting gardens and is only a 45 minute, €5.80 return trip away. We did an hour's walk to the castle, avoiding the costly bus and the persistent tuk-tuk drivers. Here, we paid €14 for entry into the Palacio Pena. Although this was definitely one of the pricier things we did, it was 100% worth it. We succumbed to the thrill of a tuk tuk drive on the way down, paying €5 each instead of the extortionate €40 in peak season.

In the evening we went to the Time Out Market. Although it had a lively ambience, the food was overpriced. We would suggest going for just a drink or a pudding (the doughnuts were to die for!). We ended the evening in a bar in Bairro Alto, drinking and playing cards.

Day 3

On our last full day, we travelled out to the Belém district: a laid back area on the river Tagus. Here, we explored the

Belém Tower, which only cost us €3 to enter and looks over the river and onto the 25th of April bridge (reminiscent of the golden gate bridge in San Francisco). We carried on our exploration of Belem by going to see the elaborate architecture of Jeronimos Monastry, costing us €5.

In the afternoon we ate at the popular seafood restaurant Ramirios. This was more on the expensive side, however, as we had such good recommendations before we came to Lisbon, we could not miss it! This was followed by a trip to Monsanto Park, three times the size of Central Park in New York!

Conclusion

We fell in love with Lisbon: the laid-back Portuguese culture combined with going offpeak created the perfect chilled, but fun, city break. Going at the start of the year was perfect - not only because it is more budget-friendly, but the moderate temperature created ideal conditions to explore the city. Three days was the perfect amount of time to explore the city and with everything included, it cost us £300 each.

Jana Steinbach-Hunt and William Stanisforth Travel Writers

“The spectacular view from the plane showed us an array of colourful tiled buildings, terracotta roofs and old trams”

“We wandered around the rest of the district, where we caught the rest of the sunset at Miradoura de Santa Uzia terrace, accompanied by the soft voice and guitar of a street performer”

Jana Steinbach-Hunt

Unsplash/Aayush Gupta

“Everyone who has been to Lisbon says you must go to Sintra, a town... that heralds fairy-tale palaces and enchanting gardens”

The Uniqueness of Semana Santa

Jessica Haines recounts the religious tradition that is celebrated in Spain every Easter

Jessica Haines Travel Editor

In comparison with Easter traditions in the UK, where typically the Easter Bunny hides chocolate eggs in the garden for children to find, the serious nature of the religious festival in Spain is in stark contrast. First of all, there is no Easter Bunny or chocolate eggs. Instead, Spaniards typically get involved in processions during the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, known as Semana Santa.

Andalusian cities of Seville and Granada, are organised by different hermandades (religious brotherhoods) and consist of large pasos (floats) adorned with precious metals, stones, and materials that each depict a scene of the Easter story in the Catholic faith. These impressive statues are carried by around 30-50 costaleros that are underneath it, and are accompanied by candlelighters and nazarenos who walk in a slow procession in front of and behind the float. They dress in pointy, hooded robes and carry long candles or crosses. A marching band will also follow each float, so it is very easy to know when a procession is near you!

Huelva their whole lives) asked me if I wanted to see the floats in one of the churches, while we were on our way back from a group meeting. Inside this tiny church were about 6 to 8 floats and the vast majority depicted the Virgin Mary crying. I was thinking to myself that each float must have cost thousands of euros to create and maintain, highlighting how important this celebration is to Spaniards, and how deeply ingrained in religion their traditions are.

one week a year, this tradition is prepared all year round, with practices for the costaleros happening during the night which, of course, makes sense considering each float weighs around 600kg (one time my friends and I saw one of these practices happening while coming home from a night out!).

In terms of Easter food, the most popular is torrijas, a sweet snack consisting of white bread soaked in milk that is then fried and coated with sugar and cinnamon, similar to French toast. Another traditional sweet treat is the Mona de Pascuas, a sweet brioche cake representing the end of Lent and usually topped with a boiled egg.

will probably have its own processions as well).

These processions, that are most impressive in the

As I lived in Spain last year during my Year Abroad, I was able to witness a few processions for myself – one even happened right outside my flat, so I very quickly went outside to see what was going on. Instantly, I was blown away by the seriousness of the celebration and the grandeur of each float. I was taken back to a moment that happened a few weeks before, when two girls from one of my classes (who were Spanish and had lived in

Despite only happening for

Generally, as Semana Santa is such an important tradition in Spain that is known all over the world for its uniqueness, it is a very busy time for tourism, meaning that some hotels book out several months in advance, particularly in Seville. Therefore, if you want to go and see this unique sight for yourself but do not want to pay extortionate prices for accommodation, I would recommend staying in a nearby town and travelling to a larger city for the day (of course, the nearby town

Top Two Cities to Solo Travel

Pippa Kline takes us on a journey through her top two European destinations to be a solo traveller

After covid cancelled my post A-level interrailing trip, last July I decided I wanted to fulfil my planned summer of city sightseeing and nights out all over Europe. In the spur of the moment, I decided to solo travel, since I enjoy intense planning and spending time by myself anyway. One of my favourite aspects of solo travelling is that it is as social as you want. Some days I would be

completely in my own company and others I would spend with people I had just met. With that in mind, here are my favourite places I solo travelled.

Prague

My first experience of solo travelling was in Prague. This was the city I was most excited to visit due to its dramatic, gothic architecture, sprawling squares, and riverside walks. My hostel was just outside of the Old Town, so if you do not mind walking, I would definitely recommend Hostel Elf. The plant-covered roof terrace provided long social tables and 90p bottles of beer and is where I met people from all over Europe (I liked that it did not feel like a brits abroad hostel).

I joined a bar crawl one night where we explored underground cave-like bars and this was another nice way to meet people. While my phone service failed a lot of the time in the city, Prague is so easy to navigate that soon enough I could find my way from one side back to my favourite restaurants. Every corner I turned offered a new garden or artistic restaurant I might have overlooked had my google maps been working, making Prague (and cities in general) a great

place for solo travelling as you do not need to have much of a plan. I came across sights I wanted to see by wandering around somewhat aimlessly. My days involved walking

me about a lake a half an hour's tram ride from the city in the natural park Divoká Šárka where many locals swim. I spent a sunlit day lying on grassy banks reading and having a Lidl picnic, interspersed with dips in the lake. It was a nice change being outside of the city’s tourist bubble, yet being somewhere I still felt safe.

Budapest

along cobblestone streets lined with shops selling glass jewellery and chimney cakes, admiring the statues along Charles Bridge, and strolling to Petrin Gardens where the tower offers views of the terracotta-coloured city roofs. As well as bucket list tourist sights, Prague is full of small-scale galleries where I learnt about Czech culture through artists such as Andy Warhol and Alphonse Mucha. My favourite part of Prague was something I would not have discovered unless I had been travelling by myself and speaking to new people. Swedish girls in my hostel told

Whilst different to Prague, Budapest provided another enjoyable solo travelling experience. As it was the last stop on my trip, I was late booking accommodation and consequently ended up at a party hostel. This became perhaps my favourite stop. I had booked a female dorm as it was the cheapest at the time, and this was the easiest way I had made friends on my trip previously. The Hive Party Hostel lived up to its reputation, with a clublike bar that stayed open until 6 am in a courtyard in the centre of all the rooms. There were lots to do directly surrounding the hostel; a nearby alleyway was lined with little restaurants and lively bars decked with fairy lights, then turned into a daytime market where I bought jewellery and

vintage Hungarian stamps. Staying in a party hostel meant more organised events, with the highlight being a nighttime river cruise with drinks alongside the beautiful parliament building lit up in golden-yellow tones. The Ruin Bar or Simple Kert is also unmissable in Budapest. A former factory turned nightlife spot, the club simultaneously feels like a crumbling Italian villa and graffitied skate park. Its two stories are filled with disco balls, plants, and bathtubs to lounge in. Szechenyi, the thermal bath was another highlight. I visited the attraction with friends from my hostel and we spent the day resting on sunloungers and soaking in the steaming blue water. I was sad to leave Budapest, feeling I had only just begun to explore it. It is somewhere I am eager to visit again.

Europe is a great place to start

Since European cities offer so much and are so pedestrianised, they are the ideal start to solo travelling, offering a balance of cultured daytime trekking and post-sunset liveliness. I never found myself short of things to do in Prague and Budapest, and enjoyed the freedom that solo travelling offered.

Pippa Kline

Travel Writer

“One of my favourite aspects of solo travelling is that it is a social as you want”

“Torrijas [is] a sweet snack consisting of white bread soaked in milk that is then fried and coated with sugar and cinnamon”

“Despite only happening for one week a year, this tradition is prepared all year round”

Jessica Haines

Soria Nicholson

“Semana Santa is such an important tradition in Spain”

Life&Style's Serena Murphy discusses the rise of 'balletcore' fashion and its implications on femininity

Serena Murphy Life&Style Writer

Balletcore takes inspiration from the feminine silhouettes and muted colour palettes commonly associated with the style of activewear worn by ‘off-duty’ ballet dancers. It uses soft fabrics, such as silk and tulle, to create silhouettes distinguishable for their tight fitting, leotard-like corset tops, and delicate tutu-esque skirts. These looks are often finished with a pair of white tights and pastel pink leg warmers. The look is characterised by its layering of different colours and fabrics to create a delicate, but maximalist, effect. The aesthetic has taken social media by storm, and ‘#Balletcore’ currently has over 400 million views on TikTok.

Designers have always taken inspiration from the delicate silhouettes and sweet pastel colours of ballet. The balletcore aesthetic danced the high fashion runway in recent years, with Miu Miu’s signature ballet flats, and Molly Goddard’s tutu-esque tulle dresses. Recently, brands such as Skims, which blurs the line between activewear and casualwear, have brought this aesthetic to a wider audience.

Urban Outfitters have recently further broadened the audience

with the release of their ‘Balletcore’ line, new for 2023, which takes direct inspiration from the social media trend. It is no surprise that more attention is being paid to the aesthetic quality of activewear, given that two years in a pandemic wearing pyjamas every day raised our standards on comfort. When it comes to clothing, it seems that, now more than ever, we are demanding both comfort and style, and are less willing to compromise one for the other. Balletcore enables us to achieve both.

Hyper-feminine fashion trends have always been present in some iteration. Doll-like, delicate frills and pastel colours were popularised by celebrities like Courtney Love in the 1990s, mixed with a grunge aesthetic.

Problematic ‘Lolita’ fashion trends emerged on social media platforms such as Tumblr in the 2010s, which often linked the aesthetic to a certain type of body: white, and thin. Recently, however, hyper-feminine fashion has become more inclusive, and a way for many people to actively reclaim their femininity. Recent reclamation of the ‘bimbo’ aesthetic has been popularised on TikTok by the likes of self-identifying ‘bimbo’ Chrissy Chlapecka, who wears loud, colourful prints and statement pieces, such as 90s inspired Juicy Couture tracksuit sets. ‘Bimbo’ was a term previously popularised in the Incel community, which presented conventionally attractive, hyper-feminine women as unintelligent, but has since been reclaimed by many people desiring to embrace their femininity and challenge its association with unintelligence. Perhaps Balletcore can be seen as an offshoot of this desire to reclaim hyper-femininity that has been prevalent on social media in recent years. This time, however, it ditches the hot pink velour for pastel pink silk.

Picture this: It’s a Saturday morning in the noughties. You are dressed in pink- pink leotard, pink tights, pink leg warmers, pint tutu- frolicking around a youth centre or church hall dreaming of

being a professional ballet dancer when you grow up. Now you’re grown up. And maybe you’re not a professional ballet dancer, but, thanks to the new ‘balletcore’ trend, which aims to capture an ‘off-duty’ ballet dancer look, you can still enjoy

on TikTok and is heavily linked to #Nostalgiacore. Videos under these hashtags often take the form of a series of grainy images of fields and 2000s style children’s play areas, to the sound of birds chirping. The comment sections are filled with young adults reminiscing about growing up in the 2000s. The release of live action adaptations of both ‘Barbie’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’, set to premier this year, reflect the demand for nostalgic media. Given the context of 2020 as the first pandemic year, and the cost-of-living crisis in 2023, the rise in nostalgic fashion trends is not surprising, and is perhaps a welcome form of escape for many.

the delicate pastel aesthetic. However, what is distinct about Balletcore is its nostalgic element. For many, it provides a way to heal their inner child, who was perhaps mocked for their feminine outfits as they entered their teen years. Recent years have seen a rise in nostalgic fashion trends, one of the most popular being the 2020 ‘Kidcore’ aesthetic, characterised by bright colours and the iconic 90s style graphic t-shirtand-baggy-jeans combo. #Kidcore has 1.7 billion views

Ultimately, whether balletcore has emerged as a way to feminise activewear, a way to embrace femininity, or whether it is a welcome escape into childhood in difficult times, its comfort, uniqueness, and inclusivity certainly make it a trend that, hopefully, will stay a while.

The Rise of 'Balletcore': An Embrace of Femininity or an Escape Into Childhood? Awards Season Fashion Roundup

Life&Style's Adrienne Bailey gives a round up of the most memorable fashion moments of this years award season

night’s custom Valentino dress was no exception.

February 27th - March 4th was a busy week for the fashion world; the Fall/Winter 2023 runway shows are beginning to wrap up, and awards season is in full swing. It felt like every time I opened up an app, there was something new to see and talk about.

I am indecisive at the best of times, but the task of picking favourites becomes very difficult when there is so much to choose from. So, with all the authority of simply being a social media user and by attempting to embody the mindset of a seasoned critic, I have curated a round-up of my top fashion moments from last week. A highlight reel, if you will, for your reading pleasure.

Zendaya at the SAG Awards: When I woke up on Tuesday morning, my twitter timeline was flooded with pictures of Zendaya at the 29th Annual SAG Awards. And for good reason. I have been a little bit obsessed with Zendaya’s partnership with stylist Law Roach since their 2015 Vivienne Westwood Oscar’s moment. It seems like every time she graces a red carpet I think ‘now, this one is my new favourite’, and Monday

Candyfloss pink and embroidered with 190 handmade roses, this ultra-feminine dress is the product of 1230 hours of work. Accessorised with a Bulgari necklace and cuff, this look felt fresh amongst the noticeable lack of jewellery we have seen on the red carpet recently. The soft pink make-up contrasted with a bold, spiky lash added to the 60’s glamour vibe; old Hollywood meets new Hollywood. It is rare that I really love styling that calls back to the Golden Age of Cinema, but Law Roach managed to take the tried and true and made it new.

The Coats at Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry: In almost direct visual opposition to Harris Reed’s Nina Ricci, Daniel Roseberry presented Schiaparelli’s first Ready-ToWear runway show at Paris Fashion Week for the Fall/Winter 2023 season.

Despite aiming for a wearable capsule wardrobe, Roseberry managed to put several signatory Schiaparelli stamps on the collection, which is titled ‘Now and Forever’. The tailoring is tight, and no detail went unnoticed; even the buttons were made to

look like gilded body parts, or are marked by the iconic keyhole motif.

For me, the standouts from this

chokehold on Tumblr back in the day.

The short film feels nostalgic, on account of the 1950’s soundtrack and quintessentiallyGucci film camera quality of the video. But what I liked most was the moment between A$AP Rocky and Elliot Page. It was soft and tender, and especially important given the current media climate of rampant transphobia.

collection were the patterned coats, which were made using stencils designed exclusively by Roseberry. They look cosy, fun and impossibly chic. I love them, and I cannot wait to see how this trend might translate via street-style in the colder months.

New Gucci Guilty campaign:

This week, Gucci unveiled a new campaign for the Gucci Guilty fragrances staring A$AP Rocky, Julia Garner and Elliot Page. Filmed by Glen Luchford, it appears to be inspired by the 2003 film ‘The Dreamers’, which had a

After a social media storm following Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade’s calling out of transphobia within the Black community, it is particularly salient that a moment like this featured an influential figure from the rap scene. As well as being a visual treat, this campaign subtly challenges transphobia, homophobia and hyper-masculinity in just 1 minute and 14 seconds. I’m not saying this is ground-breaking, a marketing trend is a marketing trend at the end of the day, but it is a small win for positive representation across several intersections.

Adrienne Bailey

Life&Style Writer

"Designers have always taken insparation from the delicate silhouettes and sweet pastel colours of ballet"

"Hyper-feminine fashion has become more inclusive, and a way for many people to reclaim their femininity" @Zendaya / Instagram

"It felt like everytime I opened up an app, there was something new to see and talk about"

Merve Sehirli Nasir / Unsplash

The Expectations of Motherhood: Exploring 'Mum-Shaming'

Print&Features Editor Eleanor Bergin discusses the contributions of social media to the rise of 'mum-shaming'

Eleanor Bergin

Print&Features Editor

Although the feminist movement remains as relevant and as vital as ever when it comes to striving against archaic ideals designed for women to follow, the idealisation of motherhood still seems to pervade societal expectations. Can a woman ever truly fulfil the role of what society hails as the ‘perfect mother’, residing by her newborn child’s side all hours of the day and cherishing every moment together? This debate has come to light

a car seat when bringing her child home for the first time, whilst Stacey Solomon’s decision to treat herself to a manicure after giving birth was labelled ‘impractical’. Back in February, Rebel Wilson also received backlash after partying a week after her daughter was born. Of course, these aren’t merely isolated incidents and this judgement is experienced by mothers everywhere who are made to feel guilty about the time they have to themselves. However, having such a strong social media presence tends to invite unwarranted criticism, making mum shaming all the more common.

During a period when ideas of feminist progress, choice and empowerment are more rife than ever before, surely promoting the rhetoric that taking time for oneself equates to guilt and humiliation as a mother is a step further backwards.

With the rise of social media,

health problems at some time during pregnancy or after their child’s birth, according to the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). Creating a community of openness and honest vulnerability, rather than one of hostility and competitiveness, is crucial when it comes to tackling the hurdles of motherhood. Placing shame upon women who can’t live up to the perceived perfection of others only serves to exacerbate stress and mental health problems further.

once again after public figures such as Molly-Mae, Stacey Solomon and Rebel Wilson have all come under fire recently with fans questioning their parenting techniques and exposing their actions which have been deemed as irresponsible or careless, otherwise known as ‘mum shaming’. For instance, Molly-Mae received a large amount of criticism on Instagram after not using

The unrealistic societal expectations of motherhood seem to suggest that by stepping into the role of a mother, there is also an element of sacrifice that is required with it. Yet in reaction to the criticism against her, Rebel Wilson made her stance on the topic crystal clear: "Just because you become a mother, doesn’t mean that you lose your identity as a person". Speaking out against the rigid perfectionism ingrained into the mindsets of new mothers highlights the importance of retaining one’s sense of self and individuality, rather than simply accepting one’s only defining quality as being a ‘mother’.

childrens’ lives have become optimised for obtaining more likes and followers, with many influencers wishing to highlight the struggles of motherhood, or alternatively idealise it. For some, motherhood has simply become an Instagram-filtered phenomenon, setting an unattainable standard for new mothers-to-be. It may come as a surprise that in the UK, half of all mothers experience mental

So, what exactly encapsulates the vision of the ideal mother in 2023? Is it the modern woman who juggles her work-life balance perfectly or is it a romanticised image of a devoted, selfsacrificing mother? Prescribed ideas of motherhood seem like an utterly obsolete idea in this day in age, yet as we have already seen this year, women continue to be torn down for even the smallest and most trivial of actions, such as simply getting her nails done. Sexist, hateful comments can only perpetuate insecurities and feelings of guilt further for mothers who are simply trying their best in the face of a scary, new challenge.

London Fashion Week Diversity Scandal

Print&Features Editor Sophie Utteridge explores the lack of body diversity in the recent London Fashion Week

Sophie Utteridge

Print&Features Editor

Content Warning: Mentions of eating disorders

Last month, London Fashion Week made headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Despite the body positive movement that has been prominent in the last few years, 2023’s London Fashion Week (LFW) revealed once more that thin models remain the “beauty standard” in the eyes of the world’s most notable fashion brands. This is a topic that has been discussed almost relentlessly. Conversations around mental health, eating disorders, and diversity have swirled around the fashion industry in an endless cycle. It seems whenever progress is starting to be made, someone else will revert back to old patterns, triggering a complete regression in any positive growth.

This topic is difficult enough to comment on as it is. Personally, I find discussing the bodies and body types of other people

unethical at best. However, it cannot be ignored that the spotlight on fashion designers and models leads to comment no matter what. Since LFW ended, there have been many prominent figures in the fashion industry expressing concern for the models walking

year’s LFW, sparking fury as fashion once again seemed to close its doors.

the runway. Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic at The New York Times, tweeted her reaction to the “extreme skinniness of many of the models in Jason Wu’s show”. She expressed her shock and severe worry for the health of the models. Later, this descended into a fiery debate around the lack of diverse body types seen at this

I have never taken much notice of LFW before. Highfashion is not something I am terribly interested in. But even I could not ignore the stories of many models, spectators, and workers in the industry who have witnessed some horrific scenes. Equally as frightening is the effect LFW has on others. The event is watched by thousands of people of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds. Seeing someone who looks like yourself on one of the biggest stages in the world is truly an inspiring experience. People look up to their role models, aspire to be like them, and are driven by the prospect of success. When LFW seemingly has regressed us to the age where beauty is standardised, what effect is that going to have on the rest of the world?

Celebrating all body types is valid. A naturally lean person has every right to be celebrated as a naturally curvy person. The worry is when thin becomes scarily thin. When young people are greeted with unsustainable lifestyles, the

danger is they attempt to replicate. Negative body image and decreasing self-esteem is a very real and current issue. Social media has caused these to become even more widespread. Events like LFW should be promoting confidence in all bodies. Designers should be using the platform to feature diversity at its finest. Fashion, in any shape and form, should not be exclusive.

Fashion weeks around the world should learn from London’s mistakes. Perhaps this will be the final push needed for the industry to become a friendlier place for all.

“Having such a strong social media presence tends to invite unwarrented criticism"

"With the rise of social media, childrens' lives have become optimised for obtaining more likes and followers"

"Seeing someone who looks like yourself on one of the biggest stages in the world is truly an inspring experience

Yogendra Singh / Unsplash

Jonathan Borba / Unsplash

"Thin models remain the "beauty standard" in the eyes of the world's most notable fashion brands"

UK Rewilding Efforts: Disappointing

Three new sites of highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) off the coast of the UK have just been designated for top environmental protection. The waters at Allonby Bay, Dolphin Head and North East of Farnes Deep will now be under the strictest protection, with fishing, mining and other harmful activities completely prohibited. This will hopefully represent an improvement in the protection of UK biodiversity, and aid in the fulfillment of the aim to ‘rewild’ the natural environment.

Rewilding refers to the process of restoring an area to its original, uncultivated state by reversing damaging anthropogenic threats through protection, and even the reintroduction of wild animal species. Such occurred in Kent in 2022, as part of the Wilder Blean project, with the keystone species bison reintroduced 12,000 years after their last presence in the area. This controversial method aimed to use the species as ‘engineers’ to return the landscape its undisturbed state and therefore improve biodiversity and ecosystem functions of the area, and it is off to a successful start.

The rewilding attempt HPMA designation creates is less immediate and drastic, but should allow diverse and rare species - such as

the squat lobster and the whitebeaked dolphin at North East of Farnes Deep, to thrive and maintain steady populations that could otherwise be threatened by overexploitation. This should enable important species interactions to be maintained, and marine habitats to recover from any prior damage. Although this is a step forward for UK conservation efforts, many scientists and organisations have expressed disappointment towards the approach, with charity The Wildlife Trust “dismayed” that only three of a potential five sites have been given protection status in this rewilding effort. This belief was also reflected by a spokesperson for the Marine Conservation Society, who faulted the lack of ambition of such projects, which only represent “baby steps” in the battle to save UK seas from the many pressures they face. The UK joins a key global effort aiming protect 30% of global seas by 2030, with over 100 countries agreeing at the UN biodiversity summit towards such a target, but currently only approximately 8% of global marine protection has occurred. Although 38% of seas surrounding the British Isles are marine reserves by designation, exploita-

tion and damage still occurs at many of these sites, undermining the success of such projects on paper.

While this recent rewilding and protection designation is undoubtedly a positive, it represents only a small part of the solution to such an increasingly complicated problem. Nonetheless, even “baby steps” are better than none in the fight to protect and save our seas. Any marine protection is an improvement, and hopefully, with continued advocacy and awareness, there is more to come.

Climate Questions: Is Solar Engineering the Way Forward?

Solar

Georgia Brooks Sci&Tech Editor

Solar Geoengineering refers to a currently largely theoretical approach to mitigating the effects of climate change, by artificially changing the climate systems of the earth and reflecting some incoming solar radiation back into space. It is an example of an approach to climate change that treats the symptoms of the problem rather than the root cause (i.e. greenhouse gas emissions) and is highly disputed and uncertain, but some believe that these kinds of radical measures are necessary.

How does Solar Geoengineering Work?

There are two main approaches to solar geoengineering currently being investigated: Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) and Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB). SAI involves injecting aerosols (tiny reflective particles) into the upper atmos-

phere, which mimics the cooling effect that can occur when major volcanic eruptions take place, as the particles reflect radiation back into space. However, this would not only have effects on global temperatures, but also on other climatic phenomena such as precipitation patterns.

MCB proposes spraying large amounts of particles such as sea salt aerosols into lower lying marine clouds. In theory, this creates brighter clouds as condensation occurs around the aerosols, also reflecting radiation and cooling the atmosphere.

What are the prospects?

Currently, very little practical research has been carried out to investigate solar geoengineering. The investigations that have taken place so far have generally involved computer modelling and current observations, but they do clearly show an overall reduction in atmospheric temperatures. To be able to reach the goal of limiting global temperature rise prom-

ised in the Paris Agreement, some consider that this could be the only means.

could discourage solutions to or a decrease in our current emissions rates, creating an attitude of using symptomatic treatments for the problem, rather than changing harmful habits.

There are also huge uncertainties associated with solar geoengineering - apart from analysing volcanic eruptions of the past, we really have no idea how methods such as these could affect weather patterns and circulation, and the effects will be global, making it incredibly hard to carry out any sort of tests or experiments in this area.

of use is to go ahead.

So, is solar geoengineering the way forward?

And the problems?

Solar geoengineering is generally a pretty unpopular approach, and for good reason. First and foremost, as mentioned above, solar geoengineering does not address the root problems that are causing climate change: greenhouse gas emissions and a global culture of overconsumption. As such, it doesn’t solve any of the other associated problems, such as ocean acidification, and also

This ties into the complicated geopolitical reality of methods such as solar geoengineering: because the atmosphere is global, the effects, for better or for worse, of using aerosols in this way would also be global. But additionally, for an approach like this to work, it would likely require the cooperation of at least the majority of the earth’s countries, something that current models do not reflect, but is important to consider. Rigorous governance is undoubtedly required if any sort

It seems obvious that the risks of solar geoengineering hugely outweigh the potential benefits, particularly as any sort of comprehensive research would be so hard to carry out that the real effects of this method are likely to remain very uncertain. While some climate scientists argue that research should be carried out, as we currently do not know what the potential of solar geoengineering could be and it is important to establish this, this approach really misses the real problem that we are facing. Undoubtedly a symptomatic approach such as this could provide the possibility to slow global warming, at least temporarily, but it will also certainly create many more issues, without really addressing the root of the climate crisis.

Engineering can reduce global temperatures, but Sci&Tech Editor Georgia Brooks argues that the risks outweigh the benefits.

“Although 38% of seas surrounding the British Isles are marine reserves, exploitation and damage still occurs”

With only three of five potential marine sites to be rewilded, Sci&Tech Writer Amy Frith praises these 'baby steps', but urges for greater action.

Amy Frith Sci&Tech Writer

Photo by Chris Curry on Unsplash

“Solar geoengineering does not address the root problems of climate change”

Feeling Sleepy? This Might Be Why

Taylor Fulton-Ward Sci&Tech Writer

I don’t know about you... but as soon as that time of year arrives when there’s a nasty chill in the air and it’s getting dark as I leave Uni, all I want to do is curl up in my bed and go to sleep. But is this me being lazy... or do we actually need this sleep in the winter?

A recent study by researchers in Germany demonstrated that there may actually be a link between the darker months of winter and the need for more sleep.

To do this, they analysed a group of 188 patients across the year to understand if length of sleep naturally changed with the seasons. These patients had been diagnosed with sleep-related con-

ditions, such as insomnia, depression, or sleep-related breathing disorders, and underwent a sleep study, known as a polysomnography, for three consecutive nights several times over the year. Patients were excluded if they took any sleep-altering drugs, any technical failure with the measurements, and if they had skipped the first REM-stage of sleep.

Interestingly, they found that the total time asleep of patients was around 60 minutes longer in winter than summer, however this did not reach statistical significance. Alternatively, the length of REM sleep was significantly longer in winter than spring of around 30 minutes, suggesting that we do in fact sleep longer in winter!

Despite the study being conducted in patients with sleep disorders, they hypothesised that a

similar pattern would be observed in a larger population of healthy people. And if that’s the case, then the findings apply to the wider population and we can all start going to bed earlier in winter!

The authors suggest that the increased sleep observed in winter is due to the greater production of melatonin, a hormone that tells our body when to sleep. The brain directs this hormone to be produced by the pineal gland when it gets dark, which, with the longer hours of darkness in winter suggests a higher production of melatonin.

This variation of sleep with the seasons is seen in other common conditions, for example in seasonal affective disorder (SAD), otherwise known as ‘winter depression’. Many people struggle with SAD, and it often crops up as the days get shorter and

darker for longer. Strangely enough... for me personally, it makes me want to sleep more. One of the common therapies for SAD is light therapy – essentially lengthening the day artificially with a bright light to trick your brain into thinking its lighter outside! If you, or you know someone who, may be struggling with SAD more information and therapies can be found on the NHS website.

Infectious disease, for example those affecting the respiratory system, are also known to vary with the seasons. These differ by pathogen and time of year, but a good example is the peak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) observed in December to March (in the Northern Hemisphere). In fact, the spread of the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is also suggested to differ with the sea-

sons, with halting of the pathogenic spread in warmer months, and a heightened spread in the colder months.

Epidemiological studies to understand disease at a population level are the key for understanding seasonality in common conditions. It is likely future research implementing these techniques will predict even more processes and diseases that change with the seasons.

But for now, whilst it’s still dark and cold outside... go enjoy an extra hour of sleep!

Climate Questions: Should Animals be Kept in Zoos?

Comment Editor Weronika Bialek and damges surrounding animal captivity.

Most people have been to a zoo at least once in their lives and the conversations surrounding the ethics of zoos have been around for as long as zoos have. The way animals are kept in zoos has changed a lot since their rise in the 18th century, but are modern zoos ethical and should we keep supporting the industry by visiting them?

Should we support the existence of zoos?

The main argument for keeping animals in zoos is that zoos save endangered species and take care of animals which wouldn’t survive in the wild, such as injured animals. Some species that have been saved from extinction by

animals, which means that the animal will eventually be released back into the wild, allowing it to live a happy and fulfilled life which may have been cut short if not for the help of a zoo.

Another argument in support of zoos is that they educate the public and create empathy towards animals which may encourage people to do more volunteering and scientific work which will help animals in the future. Many veterinary and zoology careers have begun in zoos, as children get to finally see creatures which had previously only existed to them in books and cartoons.

Lastly, it can be said that even though there are bad zoos which don’t provide enough freedom and comfort for their animals, there are also good zoos which give their animals a good life. Organisations such as BIAZA team up with zoos to provide conservation, education and research, and so looking for zoos which are BIAZA accredited can be a good option when wanting to visit more ethical zoos.

But do the positive impacts outweigh the potential damage?

zoos include the Arabian Oryx, the Eastern Bongo and Golden Lion Tamarin. Zoos also allow for the rehabilitation of injured or ill

Despite some accomplishments in the saving of endangered species, according to PETA, most animals in zoos aren’t endangered and aren’t being prepared for release into natural habitats. Moreover, animals which are captive-bred cannot be released back into the wild. A 2015 study pub- ades ago, it cannot be ignored that which try their best to give their

animals a happy life is clearly aever, maybe in the future we will be able to move away from With the growth of virtualing with animals and learning about them through simulations is becoming increasingly likely, and with the advancements in tracking technology and medicine, taking care of animals in their natural habitats rather than in enclosures is becoming a more accessible and

Weronika Bialek

Comment Editor

Sci&Tech Writer Taylor Fulton-Ward reports on new studies suggesting that humans need more sleep in winter.

“Zoos save endangered species [like...] the Golden Lion Tamarin [depicted]”

NBA Playoffs: Who will lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy come June?

Our Sport Editors preview the upcoming NBA Playoffs, making predictions on which team they think will go all the way and win the Championship

Will Rogers Whilst many NBA fans are looking at the new kids on the block, as we head towards the end of the season we should be looking at the established teams to continue their push for dynastical status. The Golden State Warriors, the defending champions, have fallen away this year, with one of the worst away records in the league, meaning that it is the Milwaukee Bucks that we should be looking at to go and claim the championship.

The main reason the Bucks should be the favourite is their star player, two-time MVP and former finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak led the Bucks to the title in 2021, the franchise’s first since the 1971 team led by legends Oscar Robertson and Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem AbdulJabbar), and his supporting cast of Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are still capable of winning another ring.

against the Atlanta Hawks or Kevin Durant-less Brooklyn Nets seems relatively straight forward, with the Cleveland Cavaliers potentially posing a threat in the conference semi-finals.

Yet the Bucks are the hottest team in the NBA and have the best road record. As questions rise about the state of the other teams, the Bucks keep ploughing on towards the one seed. If they do make the finals is there anyone in the west that can stop them? The Denver Nuggets have had a great season and the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings are great stories, but no one really thinks they can get past the Bucks. The Phoenix Suns could be scary if they get hot, but an unreliable Kevin Durant, ageing Chris Paul and injured Devin Booker present more questions than guarantees.

Twitter/@Bucks

Despite taking the helm in the wake of former head coach Udoka’s suspension by the Celtics. Coach Joe Mazzulla may have taken over during turbulent times, however it is evident that he has made the best of an uneasy situation. With a 18-4 record in October and November, Mazzulla was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month. Coach Mazzulla’s ability to steady the ship is paramount to the Celtics’ success and a collaborative atmosphere has thrived under the head coach.

ented young core, experienced coaching staff, deep bench, defensive prowess and a winning culture, the Celtics have a bright future ahead. While nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, the Celtics have the potential to be a dominant force in the league for years to come.

Giannis has averaged 31 points and 12 rebounds per game on 54% shooting, with no player in the league averaging more. Of the other stars to lead their team to the title, the likes of Stephen Curry, Lebron James and Kawhi Leonard have struggled for consistent minutes this season, leaving their teams fighting to make the play-in tournament. Other stars, such as Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic and MVP favourite Nikola Jokic play for franchises that have too many questions about where they’ll be in the postseason.

The Bucks have had a steady season, once again led by Mike Budenholzer, with Holiday and Brook Lopez playing almost every game. Lopez is averaging the third most blocks in the league this year and with Middleton coming back they’re only going to get stronger.

The NBA is as open this year as it has been in recent times, but the experience and championship pedigree of the Bucks stands them in good stead. If Giannis and his supporting cast get hot, it won’t be another fifty years before Milwaukee has a championship team.

Takbir Rahman The Boston Celtics are a historic franchise in the NBA, with a total of 17 championships under their belt. The team has a rich history, with legendary players such as Bill Russell, Larry Bird, and Paul Pierce. Despite not winning a championship since 2008, the Celtics have remained a competitive team in the league.

With 16 games to go, Celtics are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks as the bookies’ favourites to win the NBA Championship. Boston has an impressive 13-9 record in the last 22 games, which places them 2.5 games behind the Bucks.

The Boston Celtics are known for their defensive prowess, and this will be a key factor in their championship run. The team has a number of excellent defenders, including Marcus Smart, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who is known for his ability to guard multiple positions. The Celtics also have a strong team defensive system, which has been effective in limiting opponents’ scoring opportunities. In the playoffs, defence becomes even more important, and the Celtics have the personnel to shut down some of the league’s top scorers.

Twitter/@Celtics

Joe Liddicot As the other two are going for Eastern teams, I’m here to represent the Western Conference. On the whole, the West isn’t as deep as it once was, with many teams stuck in the purgatory of mediocrity. 8 teams in the conference are within three games of the .500 mark. Injuries, age, bad fits and, in some cases, a lack of talent has plagued the West this season. This has led to the Nuggets leading the standings by a five game margin and looking destined for the one seed. The Kings and the Grizzlies have both exceeded expectations and are having stellar regular seasons, but are surely too young and too inexperienced to go all the way.

40% from three means he must be covered tightly from outside the arc, which drags out the big-man from the paint and allows cutters to find easy baskets inside. His utterly insane passing ability and vision means those cutters will very rarely be missed. Jokic’s 7-foot frame means he can see the court in a way that others can’t, and it opens passing lanes that even the best playmaking guards can’t hit.

The Bucks have the strongest record in the entire NBA. We have seen in recent seasons that this is not a guarantee for a deep playoff run, but with the limited depth of the Eastern Conference, they should be able to make the conference finals with minimal effort. A first round match-up

One of the main reasons why the Boston Celtics will be a championship contender in 2023 is due to their talented young core. The Celtics have one of the most talented young duos in the league: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. These players have already shown great potential, with both Tatum and Brown being named to the All-Star team this season.

The Boston Celtics have a winning culture that has been established over decades. The team has a tradition of excellence and a commitment to winning. This culture is instilled in the players from the moment they join the team. The Celtics have a history of success, and the current players are driven to add to that legacy. This winning mentality will be crucial in the playoffs, where mental toughness and resilience are essential. The Boston Celtics have all the ingredients to be a championship team in 2023. With a tal-

Yes, the Nuggets don’t necessarily have a winning pedigree either, but this core did make the Conference Finals in 2020, only to be defeated by the eventual champions that year. Granted, the role players in that team were especially strong: Jerami Grant has gone on to show himself to be a talented scorer - he averaged 22 PPG in Detroit the season afterand Paul Millsap, though old, was a gritty and tough veteran who contributed to winning. They, and several others from that 19-20 team, have now moved on and the team has re-structured.

What matters, though, is the continuing presence of the Nuggets’ core. And when I say ‘core’, I mean a 7-foot, doughy Serbian man called Nikola. The two-time MVP is having another immense season, currently sitting atop the MVP ladder. That he’s averaging fewer points per game this season is not a concern for Denver, rather, it is indicative of increased support around him and a reduced reliance on his scoring output. The Joker is averaging a triple double and looks as unstoppable as ever in 2022-23. There may be concern about how his defence will hold in the playoffs, but it won’t be enough to play him off the court and his offensive merits should outweigh his defensive frailties in the postseason.

What makes Jokic so difficult to scheme for is his vast offensive arsenal, there are so few chinks in his armour that guarding him is nigh-on impossible. Shooting

From inside the arc he shoots 67% percent and has a 70% true shooting percentage, 12% above league average, showing that he can score from anywhere on the floor. His ability to be the ball handler or the screener in a pick and roll also makes him a nightmare for defenders, meaning any playoff opponents will have to scheme perfectly if they want to slow him down.

Musing about Jokic is not to disrespect the rest of the rotation. Jamal Murray is a key second option in the Nuggets offence. His long awaited return from an ACL injury that saw him miss an entire year has reinvigorated the Nuggets and provided much needed scoring, playmaking and athleticism. Michael Porter Jr. is another man who’s missed extensive time due to injury, and the return of the long wing has also brought offensive value to the team. His length provides a tough matchup for any opponent, and the 24 year-old’s health will be crucial for Denver down the stretch. Aaron Gordon provides yet more offense to the team, shooting a career high in 3-point percentage while maintaining his impressive athleticism that makes him a dangerous cutter when Jokic or Murray have the ball. His verticality means he can occasionally make big plays around the rim defensively, however his overall defensive game is sub-par and does not cover for Jokic’s weaknesses.

The Nuggets are an impressive offensive force, but their defense is a concern. Jokic has the highest Defensive Box Plus/ Minus score on the team this season by quite some way, despite being an obviously flawed defensive player. Kentavious CaldwellPope is a solid 3&D player but is in no way capable of carrying the team on that side of the floor. The hope will be that Denver’s offense can blow teams out the water and the defense can keep them afloat. Whatever happens, they will be an exciting and intriguing team to watch come playoff time and, as the one seed with the potential MVP on their roster, should be considered among the favourites to lift the Larry O’Brien.

“The experience and championship pedigree of the Bucks stands them in good stead”

“The Greek Freak led the Bucks to the title in 2021”

“The Celtics have one of the most talented young duos in the league”

“When I say ‘core’, I mean a 7-foot, doughy Serbian man called Nikola”

“The hope will be that Denver’s offense can blow teams out the water”

BUCS Indoor Athletics: Birmingham Take Home Medals from Sheffield

Oscar Frost Sport Editor

The athletics club travelled up to Sheffield to compete in the BUCS indoor athletics championships, where there were 14 individual medals won by BUAC. The club ended up in second place overall, finishing just eight points behind Loughborough in the men’s category.

A fantastic addition to the club was Didi Okoh, who is the first ambulant athlete to compete for the university. She also took home the most medals for the club, with

golds in the long jump and 60m, as well as a silver in the shot put. A fantastic weekend for Okoh, and a real boost to the Birmingham points tally.

800m, Emily Marmion-Williams ran a storming personal best of 2:08.72 in the semi-finals, before finishing in third position in the final.

Instagram/@ UBsportathletic

Also taking home a gold medal was Harry Fisher, who won the 800m with a 1:56.42 clocking in a very tactical race. Fisher was frustrated with his performance in the final of the British Championships earlier this year, but he bounced back in style with this BUCS win. Archie Parkinson finished soon after, making it a Birmingham 1-2 in the 800m. His middle distance teammate Tyler Bilyard also took home gold in the 1500m, which was very impressive given that he is coming off of a very successful crosscountry season. He finished with a time of 3:55.64. In the women’s

Elsa Palmer took home a 3000m gold medal, with Saskia Millard also taking home a bronze medal for the Birmingham team. Palmer clocked in at 9:24.23, with Millard coming in less than ten seconds later. Both were in action at BUCS cross-country, meaning that they should have more to give as they transition more into their season on the track.

Josh Woods was able to retain his BUCS title in the triple jump, as he jumped a massive 14.93 metres in the qualifying rounds, before 14.87 metres in the final. Joshua Knox jumped a personal best of 14.31 metres, which was enough for fifth place in a tough field. Also in the jumps, Kimani Jack cleared 2.10 metres to tie his personal best and take home a silver medal in the high jump. Previous track captain Cameron

Bailey returned to the BUCS championships with a point to prove. Last year, he ran the 200m and failed to make the final after some unlucky lane draws. This year, however, he came back as a reinvented 400m runner. This change in events evidently paid off, as he ran an imperious 47.60 second personal best on the way to winning the gold medal. This was somewhat of a revenge arc for Bailey, as he looks to establish himself as one of the highest performing 400m athletes in the country.

women’s squad of Diani DacresWalker, Maddy Whapples, Molly Swingler, Ella Jeffries, Orla Brennan, Zoe Austridge and Izzy Skelton crossed the line in first place. However, the joy quickly turned to anguish, as they were disqualified for exchanging positions before the takeover. This was a very tight call to make for the race officials, but ultimately it meant that the women were stripped of their gold medal.

The final individual medalist was international student Angel Diaz, who finished second in the 60m hurdles. His 7.89 second clocking was a personal best, and meant that he beat Tom Wilcock, the previous BUCS outdoor champion over 110 metre hurdles.

The final event of the weekend is always the relay, and this year there was drama to boot. The

After the disqualification of the women, the men had a point to prove. The squad of Darian Moore, Jamie Worman, Fionn Leaney, Bailey and Diaz crossed the line in an agonising fourth place. However, their anguish in fact turned to joy as Sheffield were disqualified for a lane infringement, securing a bronze medal for the UoB contingent. Although it did not necessarily make up for the heartbreak in the women’s race, it was certainly a silver lining for the squad.

Overall, the BUCS indoor championships were a roaring success. Their second place finish in both the men’s and women’s categories made it the most successful indoor championships to date for the club, and they show no signs of slowing down before the outdoor championships later in the Spring.

Sports Club Report: Men’s Cricket

Joe Liddicot reports on UoB Men’s Cricket’s preparations for the summer

Joe Liddicot Sport Editor

With temperatures below 0, swirling winds, and snow falling this March, you’d be forgiven if cricket wasn’t a sport at the forefront of your mind. However, for UoB’s cricketers, the hard work continues in spite of the inclement weather.

While the pinnacle of the season happens during the summer term, the team has little time to relax during Winter. Much like in other Summer sports like athletics, cricket’s Winter schedule consists of indoor competitions. Unfortunately, this year’s indoor season was short and underwhelming. The 1st team did not progress out of the first round, meaning their campaign was cut short. However, the tournamentwhich consisted of seven ‘six a side’ indoor games over two days at Edgbaston - provided useful practice and experience. As well as a reality check that the team must do more if it wishes to make a success of its season. The team came third in that tournament, not shameful by any means, but disappointing for a squad that

expected to be challenging for the win.

Moving on from the dingy Winter months and into brighter, longer days, the squad will put the indoor season behind them and focus forward to Summer.

Preparations are already well underway, with training at Edgbaston every Wednesday and on campus on Mondays. Saturday morning fitness sessions ensure that the team will be in peak condition come competition time, while also guaranteeing some sore legs on the dancefloor come Saturday night.

The BUCS season starts at the

There are 4 men’s teams com-

will travel back home on Saturdays to play for their club sides, which helps them to find a rhythm quickly and be on top form as the season progresses. Crippling fatigue isn’t as big of a concern in cricket as it is in other sports and thus, the more cricket, the better - to an extent. Those fitness sessions happening now will become increasingly crucial as more and more games are played.

be in full swing, it seems a world away from now. But it will be upon the cricketers in a flash. Months of physical, technical and mental preparation comes down to a spell of less than a month. But they will be ready.

end of April, but the teams will be playing outdoor cricket before then thanks to ‘Cricket Week’ a couple of weeks beforehand. That week, taking place over the Easter holidays, consists of 3 to 4 games for each team to prepare them for the season. Some positive results and performances during that time will inspire confidence and settle any lingering doubts still lurking from Winter.

peting in the outdoor cricket season. Conveniently in Midlands Division 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. This year, there is hope that the 2nd team (pictured) can achieve promotion from Division 2, as they look especially strong. Their season kicks off at home to Nottingham Trent 2s on the 26th April.

The season is short and sharp, with just 6 games per league campaign meaning a fast start is necessary for any chance of success. Match days can be long, a trip to an away ground followed by a 50-over game is a full-day ordeal, but a taste of victory makes it all worthwhile. Luckily for the club, there are no arduous journeys halfway across the country, the fixture list doesn’t take UoB further than Oxford, Nottingham or Shropshire.

Many of the first team players

The first team start their season with a visit from Nottingham 1s, before travelling to Oxford Brookes a week later. Back to back home games against Loughborough (2s and 3s) in midMay precede the season finale against Leicester 1s away from home on the 24th May. By that point the sun should be shining every day and exam season will

The first team knows that a poor indoor season does not foreshadow struggles in the outdoor campaign. There is nothing that can replicate the conditions of cricket played outside on grass, in potentially suboptimal conditions for batters or bowlers. They want to put right what happened in Winter and come into Summer looking like an intimidating force. As the days get warmer, hopefully so will UoB’s cricketers, shedding their Winter of disappointment. And as the days get longer, hopefully so will their innings’.

“Months of physical, technical and mental preparation comes down to a spell of less than a month”

“This year’s indoor season was short and underwhelming”

“There is hope that the 2nd team can achieve promotion from Division 2”

“Kimani Jack cleared 2.10 metres to tie his personal best”

“After the disqualification of the women, the men had a point to prove”

“The club ended up in second place overall, finishing just eight points behind Loughborough in the men’s category”

James Bennett

Wolves a Different Team Under Lopetegui

Dan Hunt analyses how Spanish manager, Julen Lopetegui, has been able to transform Wolves’ fortunes in the 2022/23 Premier League season

Dan Hunt

When Julen Lopetegui came to Wolves in November last year, the club were in dire straits. His predecessor Bruno Lage had failed to turn around the club’s poor run of form that had originally dipped towards the end of the previous season, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the table with just 10 points after 15 games.

The appointment was seen as a big coup for Wolves, with Lopetegui’s successful spell at Sevilla cementing him as one of Europe’s most respected managers, with an attractive style of football that garnered Champions League qualification three years on the trot.

Since his arrival, the Spaniard has slowly galvanised the team, dragging them up the table with 5 wins and 2 draws in his first 11 Premier League games. This is in spite of a tricky run of fixtures, with wins against Liverpool and Spurs, holding high-flying Fulham to a draw and coming

from behind to beat Southampton with 10 men. The implementation of his trademark high pressing style has been gradual and not always easy, but the team at Molineux now is unrecognisable from the one that looked sluggish and directionless at the start of the campaign.

Lopetegui’s managerial career has been fraught with variable results, controversy and challenges. During his playing career, he played as a goalkeeper in Spain’s first and second tiers, earning spells at Real Madrid and Barcelona, but these were mainly spent on the bench. On the international stage, his career amounted to just a single cap for Spain in 1994.

Nonetheless, he returned to the international fold as a coach, working through the ranks and managing the Spain U19s, U20s, and U21s between 2010 and 2014, winning the U19 and U21 European Championships in 2012 and 2013 respectively. This led to a trophyless 18-month spell at Porto, before returning to manage Spain’s senior team in the sum-

mer of 2016.

Under his management, Spain comfortably qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but he was sacked just days before the opening game after it was announced that he had agreed to take charge of Real Madrid following the tournament. Lopetegui famously described the ordeal as ‘the saddest day of his life’ in his first press conference at the Bernabéu.

club at a difficult moment, with Cristiano Ronaldo having left in the summer and the club failing to sign a viable replacement. His successor, Santiago Solari, was also sacked before the end of the season.

Following several months spent licking his wounds, Lopetegui’s redemption took place when he returned to La Liga with Sevilla in June 2019, where he won the Europa League in 2020. Despite three successive fourth-placed finishes, he was sacked amid a poor start to the season in October, freeing him up to take the Wolves job the following month.

tried to tempt him to Molineux in 2016 when they were still in the Championship.

So far, he’s done what’s been required of him. He’s pulled them away from the relegation zone and reinvigorated a hugely talented squad that was lacking in confidence and conviction. Save for an unexpected decline in fortunes in the final stretch of the season, Wolves look poised to stay in the league and consolidate themselves further next season.

With the hangover of this controversy still weighing him down, Lopetegui had a poor start to his tenure at Los Blancos, with his first game being a 4-2 defeat to local rivals Atletico in the Madrid derby. He was sacked after just 14 games in charge – the final nail in the coffin being a 5-1 defeat to Barcelona. Despite his poor record at Real, he joined the

Since his appointment, Wolves have become a different beast both on and off the pitch. The upturn of results and rise to 4 points clear from the relegation zone has led to a greater feeling of stability around the club. His calm and classy press demeanour has seen him praise other managers and even buy pizza for reporters. It’s been well documented that Wolves have admired Lopetegui for some time, having originally

Wolves’ appointment of Lopetegui was undoubtedly risky: an experienced but inconsistent manager yet to be tested in the Premier League, but nonetheless, it worked. Who can say what Wolves can achieve next season, with a full pre-season and more opportunity to mould the team in his image behind him. Though what is certain is the fact that Wolves’ Lopetegui is miles away from the Lopetegui who joined Real Madrid under such a dark cloud, and fans can realistically start dreaming of success in years to come.

John Motson: Tribute to the Voice of a Football Generation

Takbir Rahman pays tribute to the late John Motson OBE, an integral voice of the modern game and a huge loss to English football

made viewers feel like they were right there in the stadium.

John Motson, the legendary football commentator, passed away on February 23rd, 2023. Hewas 77 years old. Motson was a beloved figure in the world of football, known for his distinctive voice, encyclopaedic knowledge of the game, and ability to capture the drama and excitement of a match.

Motson began his career as a journalist, working for the Barnet Press and then the BBC. He made his debut as a commentator on Match of the Day in 1971 and quickly became one of the most recognisable voices in football. Over the course of his career, he covered 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, 29 Fa Cup Finals and over 200 England games.

Motson’s commentary was marked by his passion for the game and his ability to convey that passion to viewers. He was a master of the art of commentary, able to capture the drama and excitement of a match with his words. He had a knack for spotting the key moments in a game and describing them in a way that

Most notably, Motson came to prominence as he peered over the gantry, illustrating Ronnie Radford’s strike which helped Hereford to knock top-flight Newcastle out of the FA Cup. The huge upset was fitting for the country’s oldest football competition and Motson provided the perfect commentary for the occasion. Hereford vs Newcastle was just the beginning of Motson’s illustrious career but nevertheless this occasion was a prelude for greater heights.

Motson’s commentary was

often sprinkled with interesting facts and anecdotes about the teams, players, and stadiums he covered.

One of Motson’s most memorable moments as a commentator came during the 2004 game between Germany and England in Munich. England ran out 1-5 victors as 14.6 million football fans tuned in to watch the Three Lions dispatch of international rivals Germany. As he did throughout his career, Motson’s commentary was infectious, speaking on behalf of all England fans when he exasperated, “this is getting better and better”.

Fittingly, Motson’s ascendency continued at an incredible pace. As generations passed, more and more football fans became accustomed to the commentator’s sparkling analysis. John Motson became synonymous with the game; his voice will be forever missed as long as a ball is kicked in this country.

ball never waned. For Motson, beauty was football and football truly was the most beautiful game.

The great commentator’s impact on football fans cannot be overstated. He was a fixture in the lives of millions of football fans, and his commentary helped to shape the way people experienced the game. The voice of football will be sorely missed.

Motson was there when Mateo Materazzi was the recipient of the infamous headbutt from Zinedine Zidane. Truly, the commentator cemented himself into football folklore. Although Zidane’s career ended in “disgrace” (in the words of Motson himself), the beautiful game will never forget the voice behind the drama.

There are very little similarities between football now and when John Motson began his commentating career, however Motson seldom lost touch with his vintage passion of the sport. The love he harboured for foot-

In the wake of Motson’s death, tributes have poured in from across the world. Fans have shared their memories of his commentary, and players and managers have spoken of the impact he had on the game. The outpouring of love and respect for Motson is a testament to the profound impact he had on football and the people who love it.

Motson was an iconic football commentator whose unique voice, extensive knowledge, and love for the game made him a cherished figure in the football world. His passing is a great loss to football and to everyone who admired him. May he rest in peace.

Editor-in-Chief

Takbir Rahman

Sport Editor

“Motson’s commentary was infectious”

“The team at Molineux now is unrecognisable”

WSL: Chelsea Beat United in a Top of the Table Clash at Kingsmeadow

Chelsea defeat title rivals United in the WSL, Bella Shepherd-Evans reports

Bella ShepherdEvans Sport writer

This past weekend (12th March) saw Marc Skinner’s Manchester United side travel to Kingsmeadow for a top of the table clash. Despite Chelsea having a game in hand, a win for United would have put them a comfortable three points clear. United have been clinging on to the number one spot since the Christmas break, and boast a squad brimming with the talent and confidence to challenge the very best this season.

During his time at the club, Skinner has laid the foundations and blueprints to make a WSL winning side, yet the clash with defending champions Chelsea was set to be their greatest test yet. United’s inexperience in challenging for titles shone through as Chelsea showed their guile to win.

Reeling from the Conti Cup Final loss the weekend prior, Emma Hayes’ squad came out strong, although it was United who dominated possession in the opening minutes of the game. The Reds held a high line, marking

Twitter/@ChelseaFCW

their territory within Chelsea’s half. This attacking strategy would be their downfall however, with a sublime long ball from Lauren James playing onto a run from Kerr. A nicely placed chip over Mary Earpes put the blues 1-0 up in the 22nd minute. Kerr’s ability to break past the back line would unnerve any side, as United scrambled to maintain the pressure they pursued before conceding.

again, no penalty was given.

In spite of two controversial calls from referee Cheryl Foster denying the visitors of two potential penalties, the Reds managed to completely dominate the main phases of play, forcing Chelsea to rely heavily on the counterattack. Nonetheless, United came out of the game with 63% possession and yet nothing to show for it, aside from a few futile attempts. The partnership of Leah Galton and Ella Toone that Skinner has relied upon in previous games seemed to lack the energy and decisiveness to counter the defensive efforts of Chelsea’s Buchanan and Millie Bright.

A run from Nikita Parris on the right side almost saw her into the box unchallenged, until Blues left back Buchanan came in for a challenge, taking Parris down inside the box. The Reds were screaming from the sidelines for a penalty call, from which nothing came. This was also to be the fate for United’s Batlle, who came up against Jess Carter in a hefty aerial challenge, seeing Batlle thrown to the floor in the process. Once

In a game of high stakes, having two controversial calls go in favour of the home side spelled frustration for Skinner, calling them ‘stone wall decisions’ in his eyes. He added the importance of investing in officials and officiating technology in the women’s game - with the presence of VAR, Manchester United could have seen a very different result. Regardless, Chelsea looked reinvigorated following an underwhelming performance against Arsenal the week prior and now climb to the top of the table, with high ambitions for their fourth WSL title in a row.

Women’s IPL: A Step Forward for Cricket

Sophie Utteridge discusses the exciting potential of the new WIPL tournament

Sophie Utteridge

After years of waiting, the inaugural season of the Women’s Indian Premier League (WPL) has finally hit our screens and has been a game changer for the female players around the world.

The Men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) has always been the highest regarded T20 tournament in the world, showcasing the globe’s best cricketers in a feisty and aggressive tournament. It was the IPL that really capitalised on the T20 game and attracted the stars of the cricket world to India almost instantly. Whilst the IPL has often been the source of tension for many national teams, especially when players make themselves unavailable for selection in order to play the tournament, it cannot be denied that the IPL was the contest that put cricket on the map. Money, fame, and glory is what India promises - and they have certainly delivered on that.

But for the women’s game, the IPL has long avoided implementing a women’s tournament. Other nations around the globe have been running their own T20 tournaments for many years now, with Australia’s Women’s Big Bash

holding the crown for the most competitive tournament. England’s The Hundred has also launched women’s cricket in England to new heights, especially with the materialisation of joint franchises between the men and the women. However, it remains to be said that, although both of these tournaments have provided plenty of opportunities for female cricketers, they remain the only two contests worth playing in for many of the world’s best female cricketers. When the men have the choice of playing anywhere from the West Indies to Australia (and are paid handsomely for it), it puts a bitter taste in the mouths of female cricketers who want to, and should be able to, do the same.

England’s finest spinners and currently No.1 T20 and ODI bowler in the world, has expressed her excitement to play in the WPL. “I think it’s really exciting,” she said in an interview with Sky Sports. “I’m really looking forward to getting going with the UP Warriorz.” She maintained that England would still be her priority despite the hefty paycheck she will receive from UP Warriorz, voicing her dreams of winning a major trophy with England.

Regardless of the slightly delayed arrival of the contest, the WPL so far has not disappointed. A multi-million dollar auction plus a twenty-two match tournament has already proven that the WPL should be taken very seriously. The contest will follow a similar format to the WBBL, where each team will play each other twice and the first place team will then proceed directly to the final, leaving second and third place to battle it out for the second space. Although there may not be as many teams currently, the organisers have planned for two extra teams to join the contest in 2026, allowing the WPL time to settle and grow.

Personally, considering the success of the IPL, I do not see how the WPL could fail. For me,

it will become an integral part of the franchise calendar and attract the world’s stars incredibly easily. The first season has already seen a huge US$572m investment across five teams, with much more to come. The hunger for this tournament has been around for

Twitter/@Sophecc19

years, my only hope is that it proves to be as lucrative and exciting as it has promised to be. Catch the WPL on Sky Sports cricket this March!

Sophie Eccelstone, one of

Print & Features Editor

“Skinner has laid the foundations to make a WSL winning side”

“It was the IPL that really capitalised on the T20 game and attracted the stars of the world to India”

Gary Lineker Returns to Match of the Day

Oscar Frost discusses the situation regarding Gary Lineker and his negotiations with the BBC

Oscar Frost Sport Editor

Football fans across the UK were shocked to see that Gary Lineker was taken off air last weekend (11th March) for his comments about the government’s new asylum policies.

Lineker has since removed the tweet in question; however, his reply to Suella Braverman’s “enough is enough” video is still available. “Good heavens, this is beyond awful,” stated the pundit. That tweet has reached 16m viewers, illustrating the reach of Lineker’s social media presence as a result of the controversy.

The BBC then released a statement that noted Lineker’s stepping back from his presenting role on popular show Match of the Day. Essentially, Lineker was accused of breaking the BBC guidelines for social media activity.

evening. Host-less and pundit-less, the BBC had an impossible task on their hands to fill the boots of Lineker, Shearer and Wright.

Alternative hosts Mark Chapman and Alex Scott also stood in solidarity with Lineker, publicly refusing to present the show in his absence. Former Football Focus presenter Dan Walker also said in a tweet “not sure I’d fancy [MOTD] this weekend. What a mess!”

The solidarity from other members of the media also stretched to commentators. Steve Wilson, Conor McNamara, Robyn Cowan and Steven Wyeth also relinquished their roles on the show, further reducing the content available to the BBC.

The uncertainty surrounding who would present the show led to comedians like Munya Chawawa posting satire videos. Chawawa impersonated Braverman, poking jokes at her handling of the asylum policies.

When the regular time slot for the show finally came around, it did not have its usual format. With a complete absence of pundits, Match of the Day was reduced to just showing the highlights from the games played that day.

senter’s opening quip will be come Saturday night. He has developed a penchant for witty satirical one-liners and this ordeal presents a golden opportunity to poke some fun at himself, or his employers. There will certainly be an elephant in the room that needs addressing, albeit comically, on the first show back.

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The reaction from fellow pundits was one of solidarity, with his co-hosts of the show making public the fact that they would not present the show without Lineker.

Ian Wright spoke out in support of Lineker by tweeting that “Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.” This tweet alone also has reached 39.1 million users, far surpassing Wright’s 2.2 million follower count.

The increased exposure for these pundits in support of the issue sent a powerful message to the BBC. Alan Shearer also refused to present, with Micah Richards showing his support in spite of not being set to appear on Match of the Day that

As a fan, I believe that this highlighted the fact that the pundits are integral to the essence of Match of the Day as an entertaining way to wrap up the football action from the day. This was not an uncommon opinion, as Lineker has since been reinstated in his post. The Director-General of the BBC, Tim Davie, issued a statement last Monday stating that “The BBC has a commitment to impartiality.” He also attributed the Lineker debacle to “grey areas” in their social media guidance introduced in 2020.

In this statement, Davie also announced that there would be an independent review into the social media guidance. He went on to say that this review would occur “shortly,” but that the current social media guidance would remain in place until the review is completed.

In response to the statement by Davie, Lineker commented “I support this review and look forward to getting back on air.” We look forward to having him back. Viewers are already predicting what the pre-

From an entertainment perspective, this ordeal has highlighted the importance of the pundits to the sports media industry. The fact that figures like Lineker and Wright are becoming more associated with their punditry than their illustrious careers on the pitch is telling. Lineker is a staple of British television, and the backlash against his ban spoke volumes about how the review into the BBC social media guidelines is overdue. In such a fast changing sphere, this guidance must be pliable by nature in order to prevent more cases like this one.

Despite the turmoil experienced by Lineker, his recent tweets suggest that he still remains loyal to the BBC. “I’m delighted that we have navigated a way through this,” Lineker wrote, followed by “I cannot wait to get back in the MOTD chair on Saturday.” It seems that Lineker is ready to put this behind him and the BBC, which is music to the ears of football fans across the country.

Instagram/ @ UBSportAthletic

“He has developed a penchant for witty satirical one-liners and this ordeal presents a golden opportunity to poke some fun at himself”

“The reaction from fellow pundits was one of solidarity”