ISSUE 1527

UoB Student Raises Money for Pakistan Floods

Redbrick

The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936

Guild Announces Boycott of Fossil Fuel Recruiters

Charlie O'Keeffe

News Editor

After taking a vote, the Birmingham Guild of Students decided to boycott oil, gas and mining industry recruitment. This was part of an ongoing student campaign arguing that the University must divest from the fossil fuel industry.

The vote was an All Student Vote, and the motion passed with 84% in favour of the boycott. As a result, the Guild will now stop allowing oil, gas and mining companies to attend events held in their venues. Furthermore, events affiliated with fossil fuel organisations will no longer be offered any endorsement from the Guild.

This action comes as part of the wider Fossil Free Careers campaign, happening across the UK, that is co-ordinated by the student campaigning charity People & Planet. This campaign demands that all UK universities end oil, gas and mining industry recruitment on university campuses. Fossil Free Careers has already seen 12 student unions pass similar motions. Additionally, 4 other universities have committed to ending all oil, gas and mining industry recruitment on campus.

Now that the Guild of Students has committed to boycott the fossil fuel industry, students from the Climate Justice Movement are shifting focus onto the University, demanding that it ends its funding of fossil fuels. Campaigners are hoping that this announcement from the Guild will draw attention to the University of Birmingham’s continued investment in the fossil fuel industry.

More than 60% of universities in the UK have divested from fossil fuels. For a decade, students have been asking the University of Birmingham to remove fossil fuel companies

from its investment portfolios.

Gwydion Elliott, from the University of Birmingham Climate Justice Movement said:

‘The SU motion we’ve passed is really important because it means students’ voices are being heard: they refuse to accept an industry that’s betting against their survival, and the survival of the planet. The University now needs to get with the program and recognise that it’s on the wrong side of history. They should be listening to the students that make up the University community.’

Redbrick spoke further to Gwydion and when asked why he felt this move was so important, he said: ‘This move is hugely important for two reasons: the fossil fuel industry is investing billions in projects which will see us blow past safe levels of warming, while pretending to be leaders in clean energy. Therefore, it is crucial that we withdraw our support from these groups, be it through investing or allowing them to recruit on campus. What's more, students and young people are often at the forefront of climate action and so this move from the Guild of Students will hopefully bring about change at the university level soon.’

When we asked him how he would respond to students who disagree with this move he said: ‘Students whose choices might be limited by this policy, if it's taken up by the university, might, understandably, be frustrated. For me, learning about the climate-killing actions of these companies takes them off the table for my career plans. It's basic mathematics that the oil we're planning on burning will put the world in danger. Hence, we need to bring that number down to 0 and these companies are doing everything they can to fight that and protect their profits. Students deserve better options. Until companies like BP and Shell get on the right side of history, our careers fairs should show us futures that we can be proud of by giving that

space to others.’

He gave an example of the kind of University affiliation which the campaign wants to put a stop to: ‘A recent example of the university's ties to fossil fuels is a BUCES careers networking dinner at which chemical engineering students were wooed by BP and Exxon. A quick look at the uni's careers connect web page reveals BP advertising graduate programmes, touting their commitment to "change energy for the better" while still investing twice as much in oil and gas than renewables.’

Gwydion described how in the campaign for this policy: ‘We were helped immensely by the fact that so many students support these policies and recognise oil companies for what they are. Most students might not take the time to vote for Guild motions, or hear about the vote at all, so we needed to get out in the rain and cold in order to raise awareness. Once we spoke to people though, there was a lot of support and enthusiasm. In fact, for every 'no' vote on the motion, more than 9 students voted 'yes'.

Redbrick reached out to the University and they said: ‘The University of Birmingham invests in companies that are committed to transitioning to a sustainable future and an associated lower carbon world in line with the Paris Agreement, enabling us to influence change.

'All investments are identified by the University’s socially-conscious, independent investment managers; they comply with the University’s Responsible Investment Policy, which excludes oil and mining companies where over 5% of their global revenues come from the largest pollutants.

'As a result of the responsible investment actions taken by the University, investment in fossil fuel related companies now represents only 0.22% of the University’s investments overall. This percentage will reduce

further as a result of investment fund changes the University is making over the coming months and compares to around 10% investment in fossil fuel related companies in 2018.

'The University of Birmingham is committed to sustainability, setting ambitious targets to achieve net zero carbon by 2045. We have joined many others in Declaring a Climate Emergency and have also signed up to the UN Race to Zero global campaign, which aims to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth.’

INSIDE: Agony Aunt: Auntie Anna assists with your problems

Sophie Utteridge

A Letter from the Digital Editors

role with me, it’s been great to have you editing with me and being there by my side through the journey!

How is it February already? It feels like it was just yesterday that we were having our big welcome meeting at the start of the year, and now we only have a few prints left of the year and soon we will be hunting for new committee members (and I’ll be leaving university, scary!).

I have been involved with Redbrick since my first year, writing articles for mostly Food&Drink, Comment, and Life&Style, and then in my second year, I was Food&Drink editor with Chloe Hyde and Sarah Cayless, which built my involvement with the paper.

Being a digital editor in my third year has been such an enjoyable experience for me. Getting to read all your different articles has definitely given me an insight into so many interesting topics and opinions. You’ve all been so kind to me too and as someone who sometimes suffers with low self-esteem, hearing your grateful comments to me always gives me a boost.

As most of you know, I spent the first four months in this role by myself over the summer, and whilst this was a challenge at times, it helped settle me into the editing routine and I quite liked having the responsibility! However, I do want to thank Dan for covering for me whenever I was on holiday over the summer and for always offering to help, you’ve been a great help to me! And most of all, I want to thank Teddy for stepping up to do this

Recently I won Highly Commended for Outstanding Contribution at the Student Publication Association regional awards, which I can’t thank Dan and the rest of committee enough for putting me forward (even after I told them not to!). It means a lot to me to have this award; I don’t put this effort into my role for recognition or awards, I just do it because that is who I am and I love giving my time to Redbrick.

Redbrick means so much to me. It has given me incredible experiences to develop my writing and editing skills for a career in journalism and has given me lovely friends. It has made me feel a part of a community and Redbrick will always have a huge place in my heart!

It’s sad thinking that there are only a few months left of the year, but I am excited to continue my journey into journalism and I will always be thankful for Redbrick for giving me this love and passion for journalism.

Cara x

Digital Editor

I am always surprised, if not slightly intimidated, by how fast time always flies. The first time I got involved with Redbrick was when the then Culture Editor, Sofia Salazar Studer, sent me off to a live radio show recording as

press. I remember running across Coventry in my fancy loafers to make it on time despite the train delays so vividly; yet this was already two years ago. Now, Sofia is Deputy Editor, and I have somehow earned a place in digital editing alongside CaraLouise, a wonderful mentor and partner. Being a digital editor, reading all these articles every other day, I have learned more about current affairs, sports, gaming and cultural releases than I ever took the time to before.

Joining the Redbrick committee was one of the final goals I set for myself during my degree, and somehow I can’t quite believe I barely have 5 months left of my time here before graduation (I am shaking in my boots). Writing for Redbrick, going to cultural events with my silly little notepad and asking silly little questions to industry professionals; then getting involved in the behind the scenes of this paper, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at university.

I am so glad I decided to run for this role that random day in October, and would really encourage anyone who is on the fence, or even remotely interested in a position in Rebdrick to just go for it!

It has been my great pleasure to be part of this team alongside the amazing writers and editors who work so hard to run this society, and I will always look back on these moments with Redbrick fondly.

Teddy x

Redbrick Editorial Team

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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.

Cara-Louise Scott

Digital Editor

Nouria Lambert de Rouvroit

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James Evenden

Interview With BUCU Vice President

Charlie O'Keeffe

News Editor

This semester the University Staff are taking large scale strike action, and will be on the picket line for 18 days. Redbrick reached out to the Birmingham University and College Union (BUCU) for an interview, and the Vice President responded. Redbrick: Do staff on short term contracts face pressure not to strike in order to better their chances for getting a job in the coming year?

Andrew Olson: ‘Depending on a precarious position that may not be renewed from one year to the next or one term to the next, even when the university’s need for teaching or administrative work is predictable and pretty constant puts people under pressure. If there is a fear of speaking up about anything happening at work— discrimination, unsafe working conditions, unfair allocation of work or high workloads, without even reaching the decision about striking—this would be very natural. A workforce that must comply with whatever happens at work because their livelihood depends on it might be one of the aims of maintaining high levels of precarious work (together with avoiding basic benefits that go with longer contracts), but this does not lead to a university that functions better for students. Students should know that universities have not always had current levels of short-term contracts. Spending on staff, as a percentage of total spending, is at or near record lows.’

Redbrick: A lot of students question whether the strikes are effective, I hear a number of them complaining that they are more negatively impacted than the University institutions especially given the number of strikes planned for the coming months, how would you put this complaint to rest?

Andrew Olson: ‘I’m afraid it isn’t possible to put that complaint to rest, but students have put their finger on the problem. Strikes happen when the university ignores a series of issues staff are raising: equality, workloads, precarity, pay and pen -

sions. Many of these have very direct impacts on students (staff workloads are an obvious example, but representation across gender and ethnicity is another). Students’ sense that strikes are ineffective is not surprising. Staff have been raising these issues since at least 2018, with no response. In fact, pay has continued to deteriorate, changes to pensions have been forced through over our objections, workloads remain at unsustainable levels and inequalities are a documented characteristic of university structure. The idea that strikes are created by staff is only possible if you think staff should never object to anything the university does. University staff do not like to strike. During a strike they do not get paid. They face hundreds or thousands of pounds of pay deductions for raising objections. Strikes are created when universities explicitly degrade conditions and then ignore staff when they object. The lack of response is why the strikes have needed to be escalated, increasing effects on students. In return, universities have not started serious negotiations. They have, instead, acted even more aggressively against staff (threatening to punitively deduct 50% of pay, indefinitely, for staff participating in strike action who may have missed as little as a single teaching session). Students are also right to notice that the way universities have responded means students are affected more than the institution. Universities keep the pay of strikers, so they have a monetary benefit from strikes. UCU has asked UoB to donate strikers’ pay to the student hardship fund. UoB has chosen not to do so. The lack of regard that the university has shown to both students and staff should inform students’ thinking about the strike.’

Redbrick: What can students do to support the strikes?

Andrew Olson: ‘The most important thing is to make their voices and dissatisfaction heard clearly and to show who they think is responsible. There are several avenues. You can write to the VC. The NUS, which

supports the strikes, has an example letter on their website. Students can write to their local MPs to complain. Students can ask the university to compensate them for damage to their education. Students can voice their support through the Guild (which has voted to support the strikes), they can come to support the pickets and they could organise their own actions to show support. Student’s families may be concerned about impacts on students’ education. Families can also contact local MPs and the VC to express concern and encourage a resolution. Students may not realise the influence they can have. A strong response from students and their community in support of staff would be a source of pressure that would be hard to ignore and could lead to a quicker resolution for everyone.’

University Station Redevelopment Faces More Delays

have not been addressed for a very long time, and is not just a reflection of the current climate. The huge pension reductions, for example, depend on a prediction that economic growth will, for the foreseeable future, be at a level that has never been reached in this century (including the great depression, both world wars and the financial crisis of 2008). Otherwise the cuts are not justified. The current climate does show, however, how widespread problems are, affecting a wide range of employed people, well into the professional grades. The NHS, for example, is subject to a similar lack of investment in staff and unsustainable workloads, and is coming out of a very intense period during COVID when staff, like university staff, kept services running. We stand with other sectors (rail, mail, nurses, ambulance drivers, teachers, barristers) who are taking actions for reasons related to ours. The cost of living has intensified the issues, but they are long-standing, reflecting growing inequality that could easily scar the world that students are entering. We do have a choice, however. We can accept that world without complaint, as it is imposed on us from above, or we can join together as staff, students, and a much wider group of people across the economy to say “NO” this is not the world we want. We can do better.’

Ben Oakden Gaming Editor

The redevelopment of the University of Birmingham’s dedicated railway station has faced yet another delay, with completion now scheduled for autumn 2023.

University Station, Britain’s only main line station to serve a university, is being fitted with a new station building, wider platforms and a new entrance area and approach. The development is planned to increase capacity from 500,000 passengers a year to 7 million.

The station’s redevelopment was originally announced in June 2019, with the main aim of the project being to increase passenger capacity ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The University was host to the Games’ Squash and Hockey events, as well as housing an Athlete Village on the Vale student accommodation.

Redbrick: Birmingham has a £58 billion budget surplus during a cost of living crisis that affects both students and staff. How does this relate to its attitude towards the treatment of its staff?

Andrew Olson: ‘The fact that students, postgraduate students (who are also often employees of the university) and precariously employed staff are facing a cost of living crisis and may be forced to rely on food banks is a very concerning aspect of the current context, and an unfortunate sign for our community. We can do better than that. Due to an accounting manoeuvre related to the pension fund there appears to be a deficit in the latest accounts, but this is because the university is taking a set-aside against a deficit in the pension fund that no longer exists. Once again, the real surplus is arguably in the range of £50 million pounds. The contrast between conditions for students and staff and the financial condition of the university is striking and informative.’

Redbrick: What lead to the choice to take such significant strike action this time and was there influence from the current political climate, with unprecedented strikes in areas like nursing, train drivers etc?

Andrew Olson: ‘The UCU action stems from issues that

A statement from the University reads: ‘We would like to assure you that we are doing everything we can to minimise the impact of the industrial action on you and your studies. We are disappointed that this further period of industrial action is taking place, while discussions regarding pay are ongoing between UCU and the national universities representative body UCEA (Universities and Colleges Employers Association). Since this is a national dispute, the University cannot act in isolation to influence the outcomes that UCU is seeking over pay and pensions. We do, however, recognise the impact of the increased cost of living on our staff and so, in addition to the nationally negotiated 3% pay increase, the University has also provided all academic and related staff with an exceptional, non-consolidated pay uplift of 2% for this year. This is in addition to increases in pensions contributions.'

Everyone in the University community would wish to see an end to this dispute through reasonable negotiation and resolution. While many students will not be affected, we recognise and understand the concerns of those students who may be impacted and we will continue to do everything we can to minimise any disruption – including keeping you informed throughout the period of the dispute.’

However, the development has been behind schedule, being delayed first until spring 2023, and now until autumn. Although the West Midlands Combined Authority was able to secure £54 million in funding, including around £12 million in government levelling-up funds, inflation has meant that Transport for West Midlands (TFWM) has struggled to keep up with construction costs.

Although the exterior of the station building is largely complete, the interior sections are yet to be finished. Along with inflationary pressure, TFWM has blamed supply network issues in sourcing the necessary internal cladding. Although trains have been operating as normal throughout the redevelopment, it has come as a frustration that the project will open up to 15 months behind the planned completion date.

“A strong response from students and their community in support of staff would be a source of pressure that would be hard to ignore"

“The development is planned to increase capacity from 500,000 pasengers a year to 7 million'"

Suella Braverman Plans to Cut Time International Students Allowed to Stay in the UK

Jacob Dawson

News Writer

In late January, the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, made a move which aims to significantly reduce the amount of time international students are allowed to live and work in the UK after graduation. The time they are allowed to stay will go from two years to six months.

ed in November 2022, coinciding with evidence being published which showed that net migration to the UK was at an all time high.

Braverman has defended her stance in Parliament, citing the fact that it is not in the UK’s economic interest to let students come to the UK to study what she suggests are poorly taught courses. She said: ‘I do think we do get to a point where we have to look at some of the courses that people are doing in this country, some of the institutions, they are not always very good quality,’.

The government’s change in policy is linked to broader Conservative changes to the UK’s immigration system. For example, the governments ‘point based immigration system’, which was introduced in 2020, allocates points to those looking to work, move or study in the UK based on several factors, for example, English proficiency, and having a PhD.

The student visa plan originat-

Current education secretary Gillian Keegan however, has argued differently at the education select committee by denying the suggestion that the Department of Education was considering restricting the numbers of international students coming to UK universities. As the government's plans for immigration evolve and continue it will become more clear whether the department of education will have to restrict the flow of international students.

The new policy has received significant backlash. The UK universities in the Russell Group have taken a hard stance against this policy, stating that ‘Proposals that limit or restrict that asset would be a mistake, damaging

local economies and contradicting the Government’s own International Education Strategy. It also sends the wrong signal about the UK on the global stage. Worse, it is free marketing for our competitors in Australia, Canada and the US.’

there are currently over 600,000 international students studying in UK universities, with over 140,000 of these coming from China. The economic effects of this policy could pose issues for universities which rely on funding from international students as the government may not be willing or able to fill the funding gap which could open if student visas

are cut. It has also been suggested that the policy could damage the UK economy more broadly. This is because, by cutting back the time graduates are allowed to stay in the UK, the government will create a situation where some university graduates will be unable to seek out work and put money back into the UK economy.

Most UK universities receive significant numbers of international students, from nations including China, India, Nigeria and the United States. A large part of funding for many UK universities comes from foreign students who are subject to higher fees than UK students. Save the Student estimates that, on average, foreign students pay between £34,200 and £203,676 for a threeyear non-medical degree.

A study in the UK showed that

Landlords Fined Over Uninhabitable Selly Oak Flat

Polly Watton

News Writer

Two people have been taken to court after renting out an uninhabitable flat located on Heeley Road in Selly Oak. When faced with a standing order issued by the Birmingham City Council and given time to bring their illegal letting to a halt, the defendants decided to ignore the warnings. As a result, they have been ordered to pay over £80,000 in fines and costs. The flat was, ‘insufficient in size,’ according to Cllr Martin Brooks, and Images taken by Birmingham City Council highlight the miniscule window in the apartment, letting in barely any light.

lived in accommodation that could be considered ‘unfit for habitation’ under the Homes Act of 2018. According to homelessness charity Shelter factors that make a home unfit for habitation include: ‘gas safety risks, unsafe electrics, fire safety issues, damp or lack of heating, rats, mice or other pests, structural or internal disrepair, unsanitary toilets, bathrooms, or kitchens.’

ting agent or that if dealing with the landlord directly you make sure they give you all the legally required information in advance of booking. The vast majority of landlords in Selly Oak fully comply with the legal requirements of letting their houses but, as with any sphere of business, there are always people willing to cut corners to make more than their fair share. The law is there to protect tenants from landlords like this, so if in doubt always ask for credentials.’

This was not an isolated incident, as there is evidence that this is part of a wider pattern of students dealing with unsuitable living conditions. A study from Stint, an app for student part time work, found that 83% of students have

This case not only relates to the problem of uninhabitable student accommodation, but also landlords behaving unlawfully. Stuart Hunter, General Manager of Selly Oak student letting agents ‘Broad Court’ commented on this specific case, and offered his advice for students looking to rent in Selly Oak: ‘This case is a warning to anyone looking to rent a house in Selly Oak to use a reputable let-

This specific case comes at a time when unlawful behaviour from landlords is being cracked down upon in Birmingham. A Selective Licensing Scheme is planned to commence on the 1st April 2023, and will improve standards of rented accommodation. Councillor Shabrana Hussain, Cabinet Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods for Birmingham City Council stated, ‘the aim of introducing the new scheme is to drive up standards across the private rented sector… ensuring that all the properties provide fit and proper accommodation.’ Bournbrook and Selly Park are part of the 25 wards in Birmingham that this scheme will encompass.

“The time they are allowed to stay will go from two years to six months"

“83% of students have lived in accommodation that could be considered unfit for habitation'"

“The UK universities in the Russell Group have taken a hard stance against this policy"

Ross Parmly

“They have been ordered to pay over £80,000'"

Matthew Hamilton

UoB Student Raises Money to Support People Affected by Pakistan Floods

Cara Louise-Scott

Digital Editor

Leya Iqbal, a second-year sociology and social policy student at University of Birmingham has raised £134,360.51 for the Pakistan floods appeal.

Leya and her family (Team H&K) raised this large amount of money for Jigsaw Charity.

Jigsaw is an independent nonprofit organisation, based in Birmingham, founded by a team of activists and professionals who are wanting to make a positive impact and contribution to the lives of those left less fortunate. Jigsaw was established in 2020 and is solely volunteermanaged and run.

Their mission is to inspire others around the world to come together to create life-changing solutions to those struggling as a result of war, disease, poverty and disaster across the world. They visit the most remote locations in the world to help those who are most in need.

Jigsaw Charity also aims to provide transparency to donors through showing them pictures and videos of what they havedone. They have built a school in Syria, and provided lifesaving aid in some of the world's poorest regions. Examples of some of their aid include: livelihood programmes, honey bee farming kits, hot meals, wheelchairs, home rehabilitation, food parcels etc.

The floods in Pakistan started in June 2022. The extremely heavy rainfall in the country has led to this catastrophe, leaving one-third of Pakistan underwater. More than 1700 people have died since the floods began; 640 of this figure were children.

33 million people have been affected, and 8 million people have been displaced. Nearly 15 million people in flood-affected areas are in need of emergency

Fire Breaks Out in Arcadian Bar

Joshua Herman News Editor

food assistance, with 9 million being pushed into poverty.

It all started in 2021 during Ramadan when Leya’s family launched their first appeal. They raised £55,000 in their first appeal and £45,000 in their winter 2021 appeal. Last year they raised £108,000 in their 2nd Ramadan appeal and £40,000 in their summer appeal 2022.

mountains with limited access to the city, making the journey even harder. Whilst they do have partners in Pakistan who help and he sometimes goes over with a team, Leya said that most of the time he goes by himself.

As they are all volunteers, the travel expenses are all paid for by themselves and do not come out of the donations.

For their Pakistan flood appeal they have distributed 200 mosquito nets, 1400 food parcels, 16000 hot meals, 100 tents, and 200 dish sets.

They then moved onto phase two of their project, which was the home rehabilitation programme. They have built 20 homes for the families who have lost theirs, as well as providing food parcels. £2,350 builds a house with a washroom and furniture. £30 provides a monthly food parcel to a family in need.

Staff at the Arcadian Bar on Hurst Street, Birmingham, quickly tackled a fire which broke out at the Italian restaurant at 11pm on Saturday 4th February. The sudden blaze was caused by a sparkler in a drink which escalated into a huge fire. Sprinklers were activated whilst staff worked to quickly put out the fire.

Video footage from TikTok shows diners fleeing from the scene whilst staff attempted to extinguish the fire by throwing water from ice buckets onto it. Emergency services were called to the scene and arrived at approximately 11pm. However, by the time they arrived, staff had already successfully stopped the fire. It is reported that there were no injuries, however, the huge blaze left customers terrified.

When asking Leya what her motivations were, she said: 'The Pakistan floods hit the poorest areas and they lost everything; we needed to be there for them. In sixth form, I knew I wanted to get involved in humanitarian work. When my parents asked what I wanted to do, I said I just wanted to work for a charity. Now my dream has come true. I want to make a difference and help those people in need.'

'As I’m Muslim, I feel it is my Islamic sense of duty to help those in need.'

Leya runs their Instagram page and her father, Yuser Iqbal who works full-time at Birmingham Airport whilst volunteering at Jigsaw Charity, travels to Pakistan to oversee and hand-deliver everyone’s donations for every appeal their family have done.

It can take around 15 hours to travel to Pakistan and another 15 on the road to get to destinations. He spends two weeks on average there. Some of the places are in

They have a partnership with a funeral director company; Al-Akhirah Muslim Funeral Directors in Birmingham who have helped them generate funds throughout all their appeals.

Two of their fundraising events for the Pakistan floods happened at the UoB Guild of Students. This was in collaboration with the Islamic Arts and Heritage society, of which Leya is a committee member. £2046.12 was raised by selling cakes, donuts, art pieces, candles, jewellery, teddy bears and henna.

Upon raising the money, they received media attention and multiple news outlets from the Pakistan Press Club who interviewed them regarding their motivation behind raising money for the flood victims.

They are incredibly passionate about helping those affected by poverty and disasters and have raised over £400,000 for Jigsaw Charity in under two years.

Leya, who has not been to Pakistan to help deliver the dona-

tions but wants to, recalls her father telling her about the reaction of one particular woman from Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir: ‘A woman started crying and said that the whole world had forgotten about them. They had no food and no aid for five years.’

‘It is upsetting to hear this and to see how many people are suffering, but it is also rewarding to see how we are helping.’

A West Midlands Fire Service spokesperson stated: 'We were called at 11pm to Caffe Di Milani on Hurst Street. We sent two crews. The fire was out on arrival - the staff had managed to put the fire out before we had got there.'

The Caffe Di Milano made an official Instagram post, addressing the fire: 'We would like to take this time to thank all the Milano staff, who were able to control and extinguish the fire before the services attended.'

'We hope you appreciate this is a difficult time for the business, team, and everyone involved in the incident. We ask that you please bear this in mind when sharing and commenting on such a sensitive situation.'

The restaurant has been closed until further notice. But the team at Caffe Di Milano have remarked that they will be back 'bigger and better'.

After raising £134,360.51 for the Pakistan floods, Leya and her family have launched their Pakistan Ramadan appeal to help those affected by the aftermath of floods and the economic crisis in Pakistan. The distribution will take place during Ramadan and will be hand- delivered by her father. They hope to provide food parcels, hot meals, water pumps, wheelchairs, rickshaws and honey bee farming kits to the destitute in Pakistan and are planning more fundraising events with the Islamic Arts and Heritage society at the university.

Check out their Instagram to learn more: @_teamhk

Visit their JustGiving page to donate to the Ramadan 2023 appeal: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ haziqah-and-khadeejah-3

“Nearly 15 million people in flood-affected areas are in need of emergency food assistance"

Adam Jaime

“After raising £134,360.51 for Pakistan floods, Leya and her family have launched their Pakistan Ramadan appeal to help those affected"

Leyla Iqbal

Leyla Iqbal

Oxford Lecturers Launch Lawsuit Over 'Uberisation' of Contracts

Benjamin Oakden Gaming Editor

Two lecturers employed by the University of Oxford have launched a lawsuit against the institution, arguing that the university doesn’t provide them with an acceptable level of job security. The two lecturers were employed on fixed-term contracts, which meant that they were legally not classified as official employees. Despite teaching at Oxford for over 15 years, the two were laid off in 2022.

ruling that required Uber drivers to be considered employees and gain full employment rights.

The academics, Alice Jolly and Rebecca Adams, argue that their teaching situation, which involved working on a zerohour contract with no pay for preparation work and no holiday pay, was in violation of their employment rights. The pair used the term ‘uberisation’ to refer to their situation, in reference to a landmark 2021

The issue of academic employment rights is linked to wider criticism of the so-called ‘gig-economy’. Critics of the gig economy argue that too much of the work-force is made up of temporary employees who receive no minimum hours of work, making it difficult for them to ensure a regular income. Zero-hour contracts remain legal under British law, with proponents arguing that they give workers a level of flexibility which would be impossible with regular contracts. However, people employed under zero-hour contracts still receive the protection of certain workers rights, such as holiday pay, meaning that Jolly and Adams may well have a case against the University of Oxford.

Although zero-hour contracts are often associated with ‘low-skilled work’, their employment in higher education is commonplace. One of the key reasons for the current University and College Union (UCU) strikes, which will take place over 18 days throughout February and March, is the

insecure contracts that academics are frequently being employed under. Although zero-hour contracts are legal, the UCU argue that such contracts do not reflect the highly skilled, work-intensive nature of the field.

Although they have not commented on this specific case, the University of Oxford maintain that ‘The University's main terms and conditions of employment apply equally to all staff.' It also said it would not comment on the individual case while it is pending.

EU Student Enrolment in UK Universities Halves

Nathan Farrington

News Writer

A recent report by Higher Education Student Statistics (HESA) has revealed that the number of EU students enrolling in UK universities has decreased by 53% since the country formally withdrew from the EU.

The same report also indicated that the number of teachers moving from EU higher education institutions to the UK had dropped by 1% for the second consecutive year.

UCAS has predicted that students from EU countries will continue to decrease each academic year, with EU students no longer being entitled to the benefits of the Erasmus+ scheme in the UK. Previously, students from EU countries were not required to pay tuition fees to study at UK universities. This was a reciprocal arrangement that meant UK students could study in EU member-states without paying tuition fees at these institutions.

EU students enrolling at UK universities post-Brexit are subject to the same fees as students from other non-UK countries, which can be as high as £38,000. These students must also apply for a visa where they have to prove that they would

have access to £1,023 per month to study in areas outside of London like the West Midlands.

Universities have themselves claimed that the increasing expenses caused by Brexit have rendered the country a less attractive destination for EU students. In 2019, leaders from 150 universities described Brexit as an 'academic, cultural and scientific setback' for higher education.

As recently as 2020/21, the University contained 1,445 EU students compared to only 1,060 a year later; a decline of more than a third in the space of one year.

Across the West Midlands, universities have suffered similar reductions in EU student enrolment. As of 2018, 5.6% of the entire student population in the West Midlands were from EU countries. Since Brexit, this figure is now 3.2%.

Universities UK International suggest that the dramatic decrease seen in these figures is a direct consequence of the decision to leave the EU and the government’s choice to make the UK a “non-associated third country” in Erasmus+.

for British citizens as Erasmus did. Instead, the scheme requires partner universities in Europe to waive fees for students.

Moreover, UK citizens must apply for a visa if they are studying for more than 90 days in an EU country, which is projected to further increase costs for those studying abroad.

This has led organisations, such as the National Union of Students, to condemn the decision to leave Erasmus because they say restricts the ability of students, especially those from less-privileged backgrounds, to study in Europe. The Erasmus scheme had

expanded its intake of students from the UK in the decade preceding the vote to leave the EU, with 30,000 Britons studying through the scheme in 2013/14. This was an increase of 115% from 2007, highlighting the popularity of the programme among British students.

The fall in EU-UK student exchange figures is not expected to return to pre-Brexit levels in the immediate future. The decision to end the UK’s involvement in the Erasmus scheme, as well as the increased costs induced by Brexit, can be considered as the primary factors behind the findings of HESA’s report.

The HESA’s report illustrates the comprehensive impact of Brexit on universities in the West Midlands alone. The University of Birmingham is one of many educational bodies in the region to have been directly impacted by the UK leaving the EU. 11% of all of its non-UK students in 2021/22 came from EU member states compared to 18% in 2014/15.

Critics have also argued that this decision has made the process of studying abroad less feasible for UK students. Since the Erasmus+ scheme was introduced in 1987, 200,000 students from the UK had benefitted from the initiative and studied across Europe.

After leaving the EU, the Erasmus programme has been replaced by another which provides British students with funds for studying abroad: the Turing scheme. The government claims that this initiative facilitates more academic opportunities abroad but it does not eliminate tuition fee costs

“Leaders from 150 universities described Brexit as an 'academic, cultural, and scientific setback'"

“The two lecturers were employed on fix-term contracts"

“The UCU argue that such contracts do not reflect the highly skilled, work-intensive nature of the field'"

Alexandre Lallemand

Ben Seymour

University of Birmingham Fails to Pay Postgraduates on Time

Joshua Herman News Editor

Whilst University staff continue to strike over disputes concerning pension funds and wages, Redbrick spoke to postgraduate students who are also facing similar problems because of the University of Birmingham’s failure to pay them on time for oncampus work.

their living costs whilst undergoing their PhD. Whilst working for the University of Birmingham, postgraduate students often find that they are not given enough hours to prepare for seminars and labs, and they therefore end up having to work overtime to ensure they are prepped to a quality standard.

One postgraduate told Redbrick that: ‘It’s very common for PhD students to be paid late after they start work, and you have a minority of those people who aren’t being paid at all. It’s something not a lot of people are aware of. If not given enough time to prep, we could end up working for free, otherwise you’ll have a seminar or a lab that is not as good as it should be, and not as good as students are paying for it to be as well.’

Alongside their studies, postgraduate researchers work oncampus, in labs, and assist with seminar prep to help them fund

Often work is carried out regardless of the fact that postgraduates have to start their contract before payment. Once again,

this is in order to maintain standards in labs and seminars.

Another postgraduate researcher told Redbrick about their experiences of chasing up payments. Whilst working with the School of Physics and Astronomy, a postgraduate found that they were owed 2 months of payment from the University of Birmingham. After sending them a complaint in response to this delay in payment, the University sent this postgraduate a £50 Amazon voucher.

This postgraduate also told Redbrick that during the 2019/2020 academic year, almost everyone in the School of Physics and Astronomy did not receive their first stipend payment, showing that this is an ongoing issue.

It is also reported that during this academic year in the School of Mathematics, a third of people received less money from their stipend than expected, and another third received more. It became

apparent that this was because there was a late announcement of the stipend uplift by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) as postgraduate researchers, along with the University College Union (UCU), demanded a change in the stipend.

A Univerity of Birmingham spokesperson told Redbrick that, 'There were teething issues when we migrated to our new self-service HR/Finance system, but we’ve put a lot of work into collectively ensuring postgraduate students are paid as swiftly as possible and over the last 12 months made improvements to processes to enable this. We do appreciate that problems can arise occasionally and students should let their manager know if there is a delay in receiving payment –we’ll do our best to resolve the issue as quickly as possible; it may be something as simple as a late timecard or inaccurate bank details.'

Footnotes x Redbrick: Foot-News Satire

Discaimer: These articles are all works of fiction

Redbrick Writers Strike Over Pay Disputes

Issue 1527 of Redbrick has been left in serious jeopardy after a series of section editors announced their intention to strike. The decision comes after the Redbrick committee announced a series of closures of unprofitable sections. The striking editors also point out that their annual pay of £0.00 is well below the UK minimum wage of £9.50 an hour.

Treasurer Nikhil Handa has pleaded with the strikers that paying editors would only cause inflationary pressure that would cause Redbrick membership fees to rise, a process known to economists as a ‘wage-price spiral.' However, Dan Hunt’s controversial comments that editors that face lay-offs should 'Get on their bikes and find another student newspaper' has done little to quell the anger of the strikers.

The Redbrick committee has faced criticism for its use of divide-and-conquer tactics by promising the more profitable sections, like News and Comment, that they would not be shut down for the foreseeable future. As such, those sections have continued to publish, with section editors facing chants of ‘scab’ from the striking editors as they entered the Redbrick office. In spite of the committee’s determination to

tackle the so-called ‘enemy within’, the strike has caused a serious shortage of articles for the remainder of the newspaper.

Alex Taylor TV Editor/Footnotes

President

University to Build KFC on Campus

The exciting new development plans to build a KFC in the centre of the Green Heart have been released. Funded by the University of Birmingham, the site will feature a state-of-the-art drive-through, alongside a statue of the Vice-Chancellor holding up a massive chicken.

Landlords Court Each Other to Expand Property Ownership this Valentine's Day

'Landlord-on-landlord courting' is the word from the streets of Selly this Valentine's Day, as property owners begin a feudal system of marriages in order to acquire more land. Landlord Terry, who has three husbands, has claimed a monopoly over Heeley Road and launched a war against Oakmans with the hopes of driving them out of his territory.

Gales and Circo have also announced an exclusive landlord

James Corden Kicked Out Joe's Bar

'Front Doors Don't Need Locks', says Landlord Through Window of Bugatti

When contacted for a statement a very senior member of the University faculty said, ‘We were bored of the tent so we tore down that valuable study space to make room for something worthwhile’.

When questioned regarding the financial hit of such an endeavour, the source added, ‘It was a tough choice between giving lecturers the money they deserve or building a massive KFC’.

Alongside this, it was further suggested by the senior member of faculty (as he got into his Rolls Royce with a ‘Vice 4 Life’ bumper sticker), that due to the University’s financial hardship the veterinary science department will be donating most of the produce to the franchise, so ‘you never know what you’re going to get!’

One Oakmans spokesperson complained about landlord Terry's antics, claiming: 'He's sending around fake contractors who steal laptops and freeze pipes.'

Terry chortled in response, saying, 'I can't be blamed if it's winter!'

Terry has been described as 'a sort of property manager Casanova.' Other landlords have taken his lead and have been sighted searching for and wooing potential landlord bachelors. One landlord was seen singing 'Make You Feel My Love' by Bob Dylan on Tiverton Road.

Another was seen handing out flyers that said 'I may seem like I own the place, but my door is always open', along with his phone number. Other such landlord chat-up lines have been reported.

This week, James Corden caused outrage after he verbally abused the staff members at Joe’s Bar, after he claimed he wanted a type of drink that Joe’s does not serve. Students in the bar at the time reported hearing Corden ask for ‘the beer I drank at Gavin and Stacey’s wedding’. Corden then proceeded to slam his fist down on the bar before launching into a rant about his role in the 2019 film Cats. The barman who was trying to serve Corden said that he was ‘talking about how he tried to be a method actor on the set and drink milk out of a bowl, and use a litterbox’. It is unclear whether Corden was inebriated at the time.

FootNews approached the bouncer who threw Corden out for comment. The bouncer said that Corden ‘offered him a job on the next Carpool Karaoke’. He also commented that Corden said his team were planning to book ‘Elvis’ hologram’ to be a part of the well-known series.

FootNews approached Elvis Presley’s estate for comment, but they declined to speak on the topic. The night of Corden’s appearance at Joe’s, a Brumfess was posted claiming to have spotted Corden passed out on Bristol Road.

Your local landlord has been quoted recently, claiming that front doors really don’t need locks to be safe. ‘If they’re coming in, they’re coming in anyway, and what am I going to do? Shell out to replace a broken window? May as well make it easier for everyone and let them take your stuff cordially.’

Speaking from the window of their new Bugatti, your local landlord told FootNews that of the trial 50 houses they refused to put locks on, all remaining 46 students suggested satisfaction with the new project.

One student said, ‘Hey, I’ve never been robbed, I can never forget my keys and I’ve saved 15p on the rent, I really can see no downside.’ When asked why they felt more inclined to innovate the landlording game in such a way, they pulled down their Dior sunglasses, took a drag on their cigar, and told us that they care.

And the landlord won’t stop there, in the next few years, they plan to refuse to fix leaks whilst simultaneously removing all showers; the problems really answer themselves. ‘Plugs don’t work? We’ve just saved you an electrocution bucko.’

Benjamin Oakden Gaming Editor

Joshua Herman News Editor

James Evenden Film Editor

Will Chapman Footnotes Head Writer

"massive chicken"

"'It's very common for PhD students to be paid late after they start work'"

Tim Gouw night to celebrate true love.

Can Sunak Win the Next Election?

Jacob Dawson analyses the electoral fate of

Labour

Dawson

Since the Conservatives were swept to power in 2019 with a 80 seat majority they have experienced setbacks, scandals, a pandemic and a recession which has seen Rishi Sunak become prime minister as well as expend all the political capital they gathered in 2019. After the dramatic exit of Liz Truss from Downing Street in October 2022, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has embarked on a mission to reunify the fractured Conservative party in preparation for 2024.

It is a common theme in electoral politics that divided parties and coalitions do not win elections. Sunak, in order to turn around the odds, will somehow need to reconcile all the internal Conservative party factions while also producing a manifes-

to strong enough to secure not only traditional Tory voters but also swing voters who make up the red wall seats which the Conservatives won in 2019. Mainstream political polling seems to suggest this to be the case, according to YouGov polling from the 30th of January, up to 70% of UK adults who were polled did not approve of the current government. This in turn has seen record high polling for Starmer’s Labour who earlier in 2020-2021 were trailing Johnson's Conservatives in the polls. This is nowhere to been seen now where the current voting intention polling by YouGov puts Labour at 45 points compared to the Tories 26.

To have any real chance of putting up a successful campaign in 2024, Sunak will have to work night and day to restore the trust of traditional Tory voters concentrated in the south of England. High inflation, strikes, the housing crisis and Brexit

the

Conservatives, and their rivals

in

failures are all issues which the Conservatives will have to handle. Traditional rural and older voters I would argue will continually lose faith in Sunak unless he can prove himself to be capable of handling the issues which the Conservatives were traditionally seen as strong on – especially Brexit which has also been floundering in the polls during the start of 2023. Going back to YouGov, up to 49% of Conservative voters think Brexit is currently going badly which arguably speaks volumes about the government's achievements when it comes to this policy.

Despite Starmer himself not arguably presenting a large challenge to the Conservative party due to his resoundingly low support among swing and Labour voters, it is very possible that he can still win. This is largely due to the relatively unified nature of the Labour party who currently do not suffer from internal party factionalism like the Tories do. This has been an issue for Labour in the past who have struggled to reconcile more leftwing elements of the party with the mainstream. If the Tories can

A Dysfunctional Government: Looking Ahead to 2023

seemingly reconcile the many different interests in the party only then can I realistically see a chance of Sunak putting a remotely coherent campaign together.

In order to have a chance at winning the 2024 general election, the Conservative party will need to regain the trust of core voters who care about issues that the Conservatives are traditionally seen as strong on including housing, the economy and law and order. If, within the next two years, the party cannot achieve this then I would argue that the Conservatives could suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of Labour and the Liberal Democrats in 2024 which will bring 13 years of Conservative rule to an end.

James Evenden looks ahead to 2023 and asks what we might expect from a government at odds with its people.

James Evenden Film Editor

When looking ahead to a new year, it can be easy to make reactionary statements about what it has in store for us. What I have to say might sound dramatic, and I wish this was not the case, but I believe 2023 is set to be worryingly more of the same national chaos that has become a normal part of life ever since the dawn of the new decade.

It seems the world has never fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and the upheaval it caused. The mayhem COVID-19 brought has never dissipated – in fact I’d say it has only gotten worse. In my opinion, 2022 was a year of political strife in the UK, including a winter of bitter discontent and exposures of our government’s blatant disregard for its citizens.

I am writing this less than ten days into 2023, and already, it seems to me that this year will bring more of the same.

It is very impressive that in under two weeks there have already been several moments that have shown the sheer gulf between the Conservative government and the people. As we fall headfirst into another year of Conservative power, I do not know where they can go from here. 2022 thoroughly exposed the Conservatives as, in my opinion, utterly inept and tone deaf in their public image. This

seems set to continue in 2023.

The winter of discontent continues, as the end of 2022 saw mass strikes from rail staff, postal workers, and nurses. This comes after a lack of pay increases across several sectors and disagreements over working conditions. The cost of living crisis continues to sweep the nation, and I do not think the Conservatives have any idea of how to combat it.

On January 8th 2023, a report was released detailing MP earnings. It revealed that since the end of 2019, Conservative members have earned £15.2 million out of the £17.1 million earned by MPs in total. Personally, I do not think this is particularly shocking information. It does not come as news to me that the Conservatives earn lots of money on the side, sadly it’s a part of politics. However, with the cost of living crisis continuing, and strikers demanding more pay, the gap in wealth has proved a stark reminder that 2023 will not see an end to the disparity we have become accustomed to.

I think the government is showing itself to be dysfunctional in times of national panic. As the crisis continues it doesn’t look like the strikes will end with a handshake and fake Tory smiles, and promises for a brighter future. The day after the MP earnings report, on January 9th, it was reported that the negotiations with the unions

were disappointing, with some saying it left union leaders’ ‘extremely angry’. In my opinion, there seems to be no end in sight for the trouble we find ourselves in, and if anything, 2023 is showing that our leaders are not up to the task of leading us.

It is easy to become overly negative in times like these. 2023 has, so far, proved to be a continuation of the troubles we were hoping to leave in 2022. In my opinion, we are living through some of the most difficult times in recent memory, and certainly our young lifetimes. I wish I had some good political news to impart, but I argue this good news is hard to come by in 2023’s short existence. All we can do is look to the future, and hope that politics in 2023 will see a renewal in the values we seek in our leaders.

Looking forward to 2023, it seems, in my opinion, that the UK government is looking to its competitors for answers, instead of the crisis currently unfolding at home. As Sunak proposes a mandatory study of maths until eighteen, it appears to me that the Tories are only concerned with our global image. British workers justifiably want answers for their poor treatment, and I think that the only way we can ever hope to make 2023 one to remember is to get behind them to make their voices louder, before 2023 becomes another year we might wish to forget.

Jacob

Comment Writer

Nick Kane / Unsplash

“Divided parties and coalitions do not win elections”

Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona/ Unsplash

Private Prisons Fuel Profit at the Expense of Offenders

Tatyana Goodwin argues that prison privatisation allows the government to offload the responsibility for vulnerable members of society

Tatyana Goodwin

Comment Writer

As of June 2022, there were 80,660 people incarcerated in England and Wales. This number is projected to grow to 98,700 by 2026, according to the House of Commons Library. This statistic is a cause for worry for Britain’s already overcrowded prison system which continually fails to meet targets on the health and well-being of inmates.

been exposed from the nefarious underworkings of His Majesty’s prisons. An independent enquiry in 2021 exposed gross negligence at HMP Bronzefield after a teenage girl was made to give birth alone in her cell in 2019, with her baby unable to be resuscitated by nurses and paramedics.

HMP Bronzefield is one of 14 contracted-out prisons in the UK and is privately owned by the security company Sodexo. Sodexo runs, in total, 4 prisons in the UK, with G4S Justice Services and Serco Custodial Services holding the other 9 contracts. The Conservative Party’s plan to create 10,000 more prison spaces, in an attempt to prevent overcrowding, likely indicates the emergence of more privately owned prisons in the UK.

The image of a Victorian prison is that of an overcrowded, disease-ridding hellscape; but with prison populations in the UK and Wales increasing 350% since 1900, this image is not a thing of the past but rather an ever-present reality in the prison system today. A recent House of Commons report revealed that 52% of prison establishments were overcrowded, with HMP Leeds at a 171% occupancy rate in 2022. Harrowing stories have

Privately contracted prisons follow a trend of sweeping privatisation in the public sector. In an already overcrowded system, the Conservative policy of privatisation is not only absurd, but an egregious push for profits over humanity in one of the least humane settings within a modern democracy. The admittance of the Conservative Secretary of Justice of continuing to adhere to a principle of punishment, rather than rehabilitation, is

music to the ears of privately contracted justice and custodial companies, who make billion pounds of revenue a year (Serco £4.4 billion in 2021, G4S £7.7

billion in 2019, and Sodexo £17.4 billion in 2021). ‘Prison must be about punishment of the criminal’, declared Brandon Lewis, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham in 2022.

ernment policy of rehabilitation rather than punishment appears to be unlikely under the Conservative government. With privatisation key on the Tory agenda, more private prisons with pointless innovation and consistent practical failings look to become commonplace. In one inspection of a Serco contracted prison in August 2018, the prison was described as ‘adequate if inconsistent’ yet commended for ‘innovative practice’. Laughably, the managing director of Serco praised the prison’s installation of a paid photo booth, said to improve prisoners’ mental health, whilst the prison was simultaneously criticised for long wait times for mental health treatment and assessment.

As the government cracks down on crime, the prison population is projected to only rise, with non-violent offenders facing lengthy prison terms. A gov-

Government policy to prevent overcrowding by investing in new prisons seems to be illthought-out, with serious implications for the protection and welfare of inmates. Following a model of rehabilitation may take pressure off the overcrowded system by preventing reoffending. Policies focused on rehabilitation have been successful in countries such as Sweden, which has seen its prison population drop dramatically from 5,722 to 4,500 in 5 years. Prisons in Sweden are closing their doorsan entirely different picture from the UK.

Should Labour Reform the Constitution?

Community-based sentencing for non-violent offenders would further alleviate pressure off the broken system, so this would be beneficial to implement. But these recommendations must go hand in hand with the return of privatised prisons back into the overseeing of the state. As long as companies profit off prison populations and the burden of funding prisons are released off taxpayers, there is little incentive for the government to place adequate funding into reforming public prisons. Offloading them to the private sector seems to be a convenient measure that prevents government accountability for consistent failings, whilst generating profit for private companies by stripping people of their civil liberties. Allowing this practice in a liberal democracy indicates how privatisation of the public sector directly prevents social progress and much-needed reform.

Jacob Dawson reviews Labours plans for constitutional reform, asking whether these issues will connect with voters

Jacob Dawson

Comment Writer

On the 5th of December 2022, former New Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote a report for Labour titled “Renewing our Democracy and Rebuilding our Economy”. This report contains some new propositions for the Labour executive to consider for policy in the next general election.

Some of the proposals in Brown’s new document include abolishing the House of Lords in favour of a democratic second chamber with roles like safeguarding the UK constitution, and redistributing centralised powers over education, infrastructure, transport and housing to local leaders. It also proposed granting further devolution powers to local English regions as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, who would

receive some foreign policy powers and constitutional guarantees of their self-governance.

Although Keir Starmer has not committed to every policy outlined in the report, he has in principle committed to some pretty radical devolution and constitutional changes, at least by his moderate standards.

Starmer has repeatedly slammed the government with sarcastic comments in Prime Minister's Questions about their lack of action on the cost of living, but has been rather reluctant to talk about the details of what Labour would do in the government’s position, except once in August 2022, when he discussed some policies to help combat rampant energy bills.

Despite this being hailed by many as a sign that Labour is preparing to enter government after the next election there are also many working people in the UK raising the question of what about the cost of living crisis?

Labour’s recent report does help combat this accusation to a small extent. The report contains several policy recommendations for the economy in chapters 5-7. These are mostly focused on driving innovation and spreading out government investment more equally throughout the UK.

Although it is clear that Labour is developing a strategy to deal with the economy and cost of living crisis, no radical measures to help the millions of struggling working-class fami-

lies have been adopted.

to large government spending and distribution of power to assist in tackling the cost of living crisis and they refused to move away from failed economic plans that plague Labour’s ability to make long lasting and progressive change for this country.

Moderate change which Labour and the Tories currently advocate will do little but trap us once again in an elitist two party system which is far detached from the views of the ordinary people who Labour believe they represent.

Labour have refused to back the unions in what could have been a united struggle to secure fair conditions for public sector workers. They refused to commit

Although Labour’s devolution and economic plans should be pursued, much more radicalism and an abandonment of elitism, neoliberalism and Labour executive dominance will be needed in order to truly address the cost of living crisis which plagues the people of this country.

“Fails to meet targets for health and wellbeing”

Hédi Benyounes / Unsplash

“Absurd [...] an egregious push for profits over humanity”

“Pretty radical devolution and constitutional changes”

Twitter/ @GordonBrown

“The prison population is projected to only rise”

How Can Birmingham Move on from the Commonwealth Games?

Nathan Farrington discusses how Birmingham should learn from the success of the Games to reivigorate the city

Nathan Farrington Comment Writer

The Commonwealth Games provided the city with a unique experience that will be remembered in all of its various aspects. Many university students will recall the transformation of campus for the hockey and squash events, as well as the colourful posters that were plastered over every available wall in the city. And who could forget the immense, mechanical bull unleashed in the Opening Ceremony? But it wasn’t only a sense of excitement that was generated by this event.

Recent reports have estimated that the Games supplied the UK economy with £870 million in revenue. Over half of this benefitted local businesses that witnessed unprecedented levels of popularity thanks to the high tourist numbers created by the event. Council planners, invigorated by this success, are attempting to find new ways to harness Birmingham’s commercial potential on a longterm basis.

I share the belief that Birmingham can boost its status as a major tourist destination. As of 2019, the city was only seventh on the list of most popular tourist areas in the UK.

To climb up this list, Birmingham can implement the lessons it learned from the 2022 Commonwealth Games to become more attractive to visitors and investors.

I propose two methods to do

this: strengthening the arts and cultural attractions of the city and utilising Birmingham’s symbolic features more prominently.

Birmingham’s tourist status depends on cultivating cultural spaces that make the city a desirable destination to visit. One building that should be at the heart of this initiative is the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

enter, substantial revenue isn’t directly generated by tickets to visit the site. A fully available and appealing attraction, however, can bring in local and international tourists to the heart of Birmingham where many private businesses depend on high customer numbers. It is the wider regional economy that benefits from a fully operational cultural centre in Birmingham’s busiest zone. Moving forward, the museum’s significance deserves higher prioritisation in the city.

The site is located in Victoria Square, the epicentre of activity in Birmingham. 2022 alone witnessed various temporary attractions around this square for events such as the Commonwealth Games, PoliNations, and the Christmas Market. With high visitor figures for each of these, the nearby Museum & Art Gallery failed to fully capitalise on this tourist opportunity.

During these events, the museum was only partially opened and information on the website now indicates that it will be closed for the remainder of 2023. For a museum in such a prominent location, the delays to its reopening are unnecessary and disable one of the city’s greatest tourist attractions from wider public access.

As the museum is free to

I accept that museums and art galleries are not for everyone, so the independent establishments found in Digbeth offer a suitable alternative for tourists visiting the city. During the Commonwealth Games, the area was close to the Smithfield site which hosted a family park and beach volleyball events. More investment is being pumped into this neighbourhood every year with the regeneration of former industrial sites creating vibrant destinations for a plethora of activities.

Anyone familiar with this area will also know that the road is perpetually blocked for repairs and the alleged installation of a tramway service. These delays have a serious economic impact on the area. First of all, it has blocked pathways making pedestrian accessibility less viable. For a tourist during the Games, these obstructions disincentivised many to visiting Digbeth when reaching it was such a challenge. Secondly, businesses in Digbeth are struggling to survive due to the constraints of construction that

have been prolonged by more than a year. Under more effective time frame management, the pressure on Digbeth’s independent businesses can be relieved.

Greater accessibility to Digbeth and a refined transport system from the city centre benefits all aforementioned parties. The regeneration of this area would continue to inspire independent enterprises developing attractive spaces available to the local community and tourists.

The Commonwealth Games also forced its organisers to be introspective and understand what features of Birmingham’s identity were most celebrated. This aspect of the event was handled exceptionally well, with the industrial, multicultural, and optimistic nature of Birmingham’s ethos exhibited in every aspect of the competition.

designed in the city that evoke the same sense of pride in these common identity traits Birmingham possesses. Embracing Birmingham’s industrial productivity, special areas dedicated to some of Birmingham’s biggest brands would see Cadbury’s, HP Foods, and Bird’s Custard develop commercial centres in the city. Museums celebrating worker’s’ contributions to the city, like Manchester’s People’s History Museum, would also be a relevant and popular addition. Whether you enjoy them or not, Birmingham also possesses two major brands in the form of Black Sabbath and Peaky Blinders. Both featured in the Games’ Closing Ceremony and the international recognition of these two phenomena has done a lot to put Birmingham firmly on the map. I still recall a hotel manager in Southern Spain claiming she had heard of the city because of the BBC programme. Music centres that celebrate Birmingham’s broad selection of artists as well as Peaky Blinder merchandising could prove invaluable in boosting visitor numbers in the long term.

The reason the mechanical bull attracted the popularity it did was that the structure became a signifier of the city’s industrial heritage. Equally, the bright posters of the game were a manifestation of the diversity of lifestyles and cultures that exist within the city.

More attractions could be

Should We Give Up on COP?

Gwydion

Gwydion Elliott Comment Editor

The upcoming COP conference, where world leaders and delegations gather to agree pledges on halting climate change, will be held this November. The host, this year, is Dubai, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of the world’s most prolific oilproducing nations according to the US International Trade Administration. The Climate Action Tracker describes the nation’s climate policies as “highly insufficient”. The conference, which should be directing its efforts towards rapidly phasing out fossil fuel use, is instead to be headed by the CEO of UAE’s oil company. This year’s conference looks to be full of that kind of paradox, but it’s the sort of problem that has

plagued the institution for years. We need a better solution.

As well as the “breathtaking conflict of interest”, as Oil Change International’s global policy manager put it, of this joint presidential role, several other employees at the oil company have been given positions at the conference, according to the Guardian. At this point, with the UAE committed to expanding fossil fuel production, it’s almost impossible to imagine COP28 achieving the one aim it ought to have – leaving fossil fuels in the ground. Meanwhile, the IPCC – which brings together the world's scientific expertise on climate change –predicts that emissions need to peak and start falling by 2025 at the latest, in order to have a chance at limiting warming to 1.5°C. Beyond this level, the impacts become more and

more dangerous. COPs have sometimes given encouraging outcomes – from the Paris Agreement to limit warming to as close to 1.5 degrees as possible, to last years’ commitments to fund reparations for ‘loss and damage’ caused by climate change in developing nations. That being said, no COP agreement has ever mentioned phasing out fossil fuels. In fact, representatives of the industry are always invited in droves, with the Glasgow summit committing only to a “phase-down” of coal, and a phase out of “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies. Further, the commitments and targets set at these summits have little guarantee of being fulfilled.

The stark and worrying contrast between the urgency to act, and the incremental pace at which the world is moving,

have led some to suggest giving up on COP, in favour of a new and less extravagant approach. The global stage on which COP sits is both a blessing and a curse, giving a platform both for climate activism and media attention, but also for fossil fuel companies and other polluters who wish to bolster their green credentials whilst expanding their damaging actions. It remains critical that we pay attention to COP28. The meagre progress we have made would be none at all without that pressure. There is hope, so long as we fight for it – we cannot expect COP to achieve much at all without that. It’s a depressing position to be in, to be babying the world leaders we rightly expect to protect us, but solving this crisis requires radical system change they rarely have the stomach for. As Greta Thunberg

The Commonwealth Games, as the organisers have stated, is the start of Birmingham’s ‘Golden Decade of Opportunity’, not its conclusion. Using the ideas I have set forward in this article, Birmingham can establish attractions that recognise the cultural features it already possesses while stimulating economic growth for the tourist sector.

put it, “the COPs are not really working, unless of course we use them as an opportunity to mobilise”. We can still use COPs to rally around, while acknowledging the increasing ridiculousness of the slow pace of change. While we’re at it, let’s call for a summit free from fossil-fuel influence and the bloated parade of greenwashing, where policymakers can be honest about the problems we’re facing, and get to work fixing them.

Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash

Elliott argues that COP summits do not progress the fight against climate change far enough

“The Games supplied the UK economy with £870 milion in revenue"

“The industrial, multicultural, and optimistic nature of Birmingham's ethos"

Cars Make Way, It's Public Transport's Time to Shine

Jacob Dawson Comment Writer

The UK has a long history of public transport which goes all the way back to the London Underground in 1863. Public transport has many benefits which in recent years have been overlooked, and so instead of pushing public transport aside, we should strive to make it a bigger part of our lives.

by combustion engines (in 2017 one fifth of the UK's emissions came from road transport), they take up significant amounts of road space and transform cities with massive highways which in turn makes cities all the less liveable and sustainable for people of all incomes.

Public transport has been further hampered by privatisation in the UK which originated under the Major government in the 1990s. Since privatisation began, ticket prices have risen on average by 48% in real terms while workers wages have been slashed, causing justifiable backlash by rail unions like the RMT. Privatisation of public transport and free fares are two things which do not go together; one cannot run a train service which is profit seeking while charging zero for fares.

Twitter businessmen say, we cannot simply innovate our way out of climate change by attempting to fundamentally fix one of its key drivers, cars.

the roads is universally free public transport for citizens, subsidised by the government and run by the local communities they operate within.

ly beneficial for those in society who do not or cannot own cars. Students and elderly people in particular benefit majorly from low cost public transport as it saves them having to throw away money on cars which sit dormant for most of the day while continuously sapping money.

Ever since the rise of cars in the 1960s, public transport has continued to be pushed to the side-lines as cities have been carved open to make room for the rapidly expanding amount of cars on our streets. Not only do cars contribute significantly to the climate crisis through emissions released

The predominant focus of both government and private businesses has been directed towards supposedly “innovative” transport solutions by business men like Elon Musk, or towards making cars climate friendly enough to offset their clearly negative effects. However, contrary to what

One consistently ignored solution to the issue of cars on

The Spanish civil war interestingly provides a key example of a successful free and universal public transport. During the anarchist workers’ revolution in Catalonia between 1936-1939, public transport was seized by the workers and made free for all citizens to use. Not only was this highly valued by workers during the civil war, it also brought together a community spirit and boosted production due to ease of getting to work.

Public transport is also high-

If free public transport becomes ingrained into communities, it will not only push cars off the street but it will also become a valuable and respected commodity, ensuring closer community bonds, lower carbon emissions, increased sustainability and ease of living for all those who use public transport regularly.

Female Media is Changing for the Better

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the inevitability of sitting at home and watching Bridget Jones's Diary for a fifth year in a row looms over me. Crying over a box of chocolates, probably gifted to me by my mother, I have often found comfort in watching cheesy rom-coms, relating to the women in themalbeit I won’t be chasing my Mr Darcy in the snow.

Enjoying female targeted media doesn’t make me a bad feminist, but it does make me aware of letting something like a rom-com serve as an instruction booklet on “how get a man”. Society places a magnifying glass on women, and female targeted media has the effect of implying to women, often in an infantilising way, how they should behave. The male love interest changing a female protagonist’s ‘workaholic ways’ is a common trope in romantic comedies but this leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. It dictates that romantic fulfillment is the epitome of womanhood and the pur-

suit of a career – through behaviours often considered desirable in men – will leave her as a pariah, socially unfulfilled and alone. In other stories of a neurotic and typically unfeminine women, we see the love interest declare his adoration “in spite of” these things., as if to say that these women are the exception, rather than a norm, and it takes an exceptional man to love her.

In a changing landscape where women are shifting their focus towards issues such as safety, gendered violence and discrimination, the continued targeting of such media to women seems infantilising. When women are mobilising to improve their safety and tackle institutionalised sexism, having a film declare unshaven armpits as ‘loveable’ seems grossly out

of touch. It reflects how female targeted media is so often written by men, and as such reflects what men see as women’s issues. When media has women at the helm, the ship is steered in an entirely different direction. A prime example is Promising Young Woman, directed by Emerald Fennel. The film utilises the overused trope of female trauma-led revenge with a lens on the realities of the female rage and the bonds of sisterhood. It has pioneered a new era of female targeted media, where the female rage is explored more closely as an emergent way of understanding femininity, rather than typically traditional norms such as homemaking and romantic relationships. This reflects a changing moral landscape for women, one which has contributed to the decline of traditional female targeted media such as agony aunts. Issues such as romantic relationships and homemaking, whilst still present in many women’s lives, are no longer the moral standard of femininity. When women can no longer trust the police to keep them

safe, asking Aunt Jemimah on how to provide the best postwork meal for their husband seems redundant and unfashionable. Personally, I no longer feel the need to ask for permission or help in ‘how to be a woman’, because I find that ‘womanly behaviour’ now evades strict definition. Countless women like me are now more concerned with real, less abstract issues, and increasingly more common are social media pages on gendered violence and issues of misogyny and sexism.

tangible progress. There needs to be a greater space for female directors, reflecting on more nuanced female-oriented issues. In addition, greater representation for women within minority groups must also be at the forefront of this change. Considering the recent Oscar nominations, and the lack of BAME directors in the best director category, it is clear that progress is still needed in this area.

Whilst the decline in female targeted media may mark an interesting new development in the structuring of social expectations of femininity, there are important factors that need to be considered for this to equate to

Tatyana Goodwin

Comment Writer

“Students and elderly people in particular benefit"

“Enjoying female targeted media does not make me a bad"

“Public transport has been further hampered by privatisation"

Young-Kyung Kim/ Unsplash

Tatyana Goodwin discusses how female media is changing, noting that more needs to be done for the genre to truly reflect female experiences and concerns

“We should strive to make it a bigger part of our lives"

Jacob Dawson argues for low cost public transport

Tyler Nix / Unsplash

“I find that 'womanly behaviour' now evades strict definition”

"Houston, We Have a Crossover": The Science Behind Cinema

Redbrick's Sci&Tech and Film Writers and Editors discuss their favourite films that incorporate scientific themes

Therefore, Fantastic Planet becomes a fantastic demonstration of the impact that humanity has on other species, and that to share the world we cannot rule it.

The science-fiction genre has always been one that provides acute critiques of modern society. Fantastic Planet (1973) is no exception to this as the French animated film directed by René Laloux uses scientific concepts to explore a commentary on the harms of anthropocentrism towards the ecosystem.

By having an advanced alien race, the Draags, rule over the descendants of humanity, the Oms, as if they were nothing more than insects, provides an insight into humanity’s own vanity and our superiority towards the

When I was younger, I was blind to the issues in Limitless (2011) because I was too busy getting lost in Bradley Cooper’s eyes, but after revisiting it again recently, its problematic nature was striking. The blatant misogyny was the first thing I noticedEddie, the failing author who turns to cognition-enhancing drugs (known as nootropics) to

‘trope’ meaning ‘turning’) is interesting, in that it appears to work the same for everyone despite little research having been done into the side effects and risks of the drug. In reality, this would definitely not be the case, with past examples like the Thalidomide disaster, given to pregnant women to prevent morning sickness but causing thousands of babies to be born with severe disabilities, demonstrating the importance of extensive research into bodily differences before distributing a drug. Limitless is entertaining enough, but sadly does not seem to care much for science.

time travel films can fall apart if examined too closely, the first Terminator film is a surprisingly coherent exploration of how a fixed timeline might work, and in particular, what time travel could look like in a world where technology rules over humanity, and how it might be used.

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival , released to cinemas in 2016 and based on the Ted Chiang novella Story of Your Life, follows Dr Louise Banks (Amy Adams) as she works towards deciphering an otherworldly language. Banks is paired with Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), a theoretical physicist who helps her to build trust and understanding between humans and the Heptapods, an alien race who have landed 12 spacecrafts

Contrasting the norms of the Alien-Invasion Sci-Fi focuses on the practicalities of communication, rather than actionpacked drama. The Heptapod language is entirely unlike our own, sounding like something you would hear at the deepest depths of the ocean and appearing in a series of circular inky symbols called logograms. Banks begins by working with simple language and grammar, a choice that Jessica Coon, Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics at McGill University and consultant , believes to be accurate to a real-life scenario. Speaking with Wired, Coon explains that “You have to really understand some of the smaller pieces of grammar before you work up to the big question, because there’s a lot of potential for misunderstanding.”

tackling of language and communication is grounded in realism, allowing for Villeneuve’s breathtaking visual spectacle to feel grand and fantastical, yet rooted in meaningful conversations surrounding who we are and how we understand one another.

The Terminator presents a dystopian future in which the AI network Skynet has taken over the world. When a Terminator is sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor before she can give birth to the future Resistance leader John Connor, the Resistance must send back a soldier, Kyle Reese, to protect her. As a relationship develops between Kyle and Sarah, we realise he was John Connor’s father all along, thus making his presence in the past necessary to ensure his birth.

One of the plethora of multiverse films that seem to be in our cinemas currently, Everything Everywhere All at Once takes a concept that we are all fairly aware of, but stands out for its creative and comedic use of the idea.

While there is much to be said about the representation of evil AI that controls the world, the undercurrent of an AI that literally tries to rewrite the past feels particularly threatening. Theoretical discussions of how time travel would work if it were real have debated whether the time traveller would be able to change the future and create an alternate timeline, or whether the timeline has always been fixed. The irony of Skynet’s plan is that the world exists in a fixed timeline when they believe it would create an alternate timeline; by sending back the Terminator, they inadvertently cause the event they tried to prevent. While the logic of many

A highly disputed and still totally unproven concept within science, the idea of the multiverse is that of the existence of other universes beyond our own, whether that be bubble universes created every time we make a choice, to regions of space within different planes from our own. However, the multiverse theory could explain some of the confusing scientific phenomena that we observe: for example, there is a many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics which would create branching timelines. Whatsmore, within Everything Everywhere All at Once, Jobu Tupaki (the villain) constantly changing weapon demonstrates a very real concept within quantum mechanics: that of superposition, the ability of a system to exist in multiple states at once.

Although the multiverse theory is very much unproven within science, it has also yet to be disproven, and could potentially explain some pretty strange phenomena that physicists observe. Everything Everywhere All at Once plays with these concepts in a more philosophical and metaphorical manner than is typical in franchises such as Marvel, demonstrating the diverse and groundbreaking implications that this concept could potentially have.

Josie Scott Taylor TV Editor

Limitless

Louis Wright Gaming Editor

Fantastic Planet

Jess Parker Film Editor

Emily Wallace Film Editor

The Terminator

Georgia Brooks Sci&Tech Editor

"The multiverse theory could explain some of the confusing scientific phenomena that we observe"

"The Terminator is a surprisingly coherent exploration of how a fixed timeline might work"

Facebook/@TheTerminatorMovie

Taylor Fulton-Ward Sci&Tech and Film Writer

Avatar: The Way of Water

With the Avatar sequel Avatar: The Way of Water hitting $2 billion at the box office, interest has turned to how the producers created their lifelike alien characters, including from that of U.K. scientific researchers.

Motion-capture suits, used in the Avatar films to capture the realistic movements of actors, link sensors on the suit to various cameras to accurately assess movements and subtle changes in body position. The intricate detail that this technology can capture has caught the attention of scientists based in London, England, and their collaborators further afield.

rary astrophysics to tell a story of wormholes, time travel, and fivedimensional universes, Interstellar’s extensive research team (led by physicist Kip Thorne) encourages the audience to imagine such environments to be real, even if their existence remains fiction. For instance, wormholes, allowing immediate travel across millions of light years, are the product of fastrotating large black holes, whose spin and size open a doorway between two areas in the universe.

question than Spike Jonze’s Her (2013).

One key detail that both Her and real life stress, when it comes to the nuances of human emotion, is that technology encountering them is likely to be a complicated issue. Professor of Artificial Intelligence Björn Schuller at Imperial College London says that the technology seen in Her already exists, emotional support robots are being used in care homes for example. Her ultimately attests that whilst these technologies are valuable for helping us understand ourselves, there is a definitive boundary between humans and AI that has to be kept separate.

Wakandan princess Shuri (Leticia Wright), the best development in science, however, would not be the implementation of further Wakandan technologies, but rather increased numbers of women and people of colour studying STEM.

Sophie Utteridge Print & Features Editor Back to the Future

travel. This is the effect where everyone’s time is relative to each other due to the curvature of space-time. Essentially, if you are able to carve space and time to bend to your will, you can travel laterally and vertically across the timeline. The only slight flaw in the theory is the physical capability of doing it.

Confused? Yeah, same here.

Two studies published by the researchers in Nature Medicine early this year report on how similar technology can be used to track disease progression in two rare genetic diseases. Friedreich’s ataxia, or FA, is caused by a specific change in the DNA of the affected individual, which results in progressive impairments in the movement, coordination, speech and eventually, heart disease. Similarly, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is also a genetic disease that results in continued worsening of movement and strength over time, leading to a shortened life expectancy. Research into drugs that can be used to treat FA and DMD is a long process as clinical assessment of patients is subjective and often varied.

The two ground-breaking studies report on their use of motion-capture suit technology to measure the disease progression of individuals with FA and DMD through the assessment of movement, coordination and strength. They measured Activities of Daily Life (ADL) to understand objectively how the disease is impacting the patients in their day-today movements and activities. The researchers found that use of the novel technology could accurately predict the disease trajectory of patients with FA and DMD and could be used to shorten the length of studies when testing out new drugs and treatments.

This innovative and forwardthinking technology in medicine could pave the way for many more advancements in a field traditionally difficult to study.

Helena De Costa Sci&Tech and Film Writer Interstellar

Christopher Nolan’s 2014 film Interstellar offers far more than visually-stunning CGI synonymous with other science-fiction productions. Applying contempo-

In theory, this could exist. However, the aim was not to prove the reality of Interstellar, but to open up the possibility for such places to exist to a widespread audience, demonstrating how extraordinary the universe is and presenting new avenues in the search for ET. For example, the habitability of ‘Miller’s planet’ in the film is unusual: there is no star. Heat and light are obtained instead from an accretion disk –ring of hot, bright gas spinning round supermassive black holes such as Interstellar’s ‘Gargantua’. Despite some artistic license, accretion disks have been photographed as largely resembling Interstellar’s spinning ring of fire. However, Interstellar is not entirely a blockbuster-tribute to astrophysical imagination, but to more earth-bound sciences too. In this way, the fantastical ideas indicate a moral undertone: if Interstellar is the dystopia, where is the utopia? The Mad Max-style wasteland on Earth suggests it is now. Consequently, Interstellar inspires us to celebrate the wonders of space and Earth in the same light, promoting its salvation before Interstellar truly becomes a reality.

Her tells us that these technologies are simply not fit to deal with the delicacy and unpredictability of human emotion. If Schuller is telling us that these technologies are not as sciencefiction as one might think, then we need to heed Her’s sentiment and acknowledge the impossible bar we are asking of AI to understand the innateness and potency of human love.

Leah Renz Sci&Tech Editor

Back to the Future remains one of my all-time favourite films – and an 80s classic. The concept of time travel fascinated me as a child. I would debate with my dad for hours if time travel would one day become a reality, or if it even should become a reality. Truly, the morals of time travel has become a staple dinner table conversation in my family. But could it actually happen?

Back to the Future may very well become possible – just not in the way we expect. We might not get a time travelling Delorean but who knows, perhaps we’ll get a Ford Fiesta at some point in the not-so-distant future.

Alex Taylor TV Editor The Martian

The Martian (2015), an adaptation of the novel by Andy Weir, features the Robinson-Crusoeesque survival story of Mark Watney (Matt Damon), as he struggles to survive after being abandoned on the arid landscape of Mars.

James Evenden Film Editor Her

As evolving technologies delve deeper into the realm of the uncanny, I think the most interesting implications this has are the ones on humans. What does AI companionship mean for humans? There are few films that ask this

Black

Panther: Wakanda Forever

Researchers have long studied the realities of time travel. Most have come to the conclusion that even if it did exist, any changes

Marvel’s chise is a visually stunning work of afrofuturism, brimming with fantastic technology. Whilst many sci-fi narratives imagine dystopi an futures, pitching man against machine or oppression via tech nology, Forever made more beautiful and empow ering through science.

One of the franchise’s signa ture technologies is maglev (mag netic levitation) which enables vehicles to float and zoom through the air. Though not quite at Wakandan efficiency, China pio neered their own intercity maglev trains using powerful electromag nets to float the trains over a guideway.

Opened in 2004, The Shanghai maglev is the world’s fastest highspeed commercial train, reaching speeds of 268 mph. The maglev trains’ lack of engine means that it releases no carbon emissions, making it a far greener alternative to fossil fuel travel. According to a 2015 article from The Green Industrial Revolution journal Maglev trains are “faster, quieter, and smoother than conventional systems”.

Seeing the technology of the fantastical Wakanda in real life, such as China’s high-speed mag lev train, is amazing. Inspired by the role model of

As Watney slowly learns to adapt to an alien landscape he, aided by vast quantities of human faeces, learns to cultivate his own food in order to survive. Whilst the science may occasionally seem too-far-fetched, Watney provides a believably messy beard, alongside a detailed log of his life, while surviving solely on potatoes dipped in ketchup. Despite Ridley Scott’s occasional, and light, manipulation of some basic scientific principles, his fellow

"The intricate detail that this technology can capture has caught the attention of scientists"

"Interstellar inspires us to celebrate the wonders of space and Earth"

"Back to the Future may very well become possible – just not in the way we expect"

Being a member of BurnFM since second year and having the opportunity to be involved in the society, its atmosphere, and community has been fantastic and made me much more social at university. Therefore, being able to use my skills in audio, video, and digital editing as the head of production for this year’s committee has felt like a way to give back to the society that has broadened my horizons after a lockdown filled first year.

Creating a variety of different stings by using a vast array of resources has been a definite highlight. Audacity (a free, opensource audio editing software) is incredibly simple to use. Combined with being creative with AI generated voices, our own voice overs, songs from YouTube, and pieces that we have composed, our production team has produced a fantastic and well received output.

has been a productive and rewarding experience, providing many chances to improve my editing skills and being an incredibly enjoyable experience.

Tom Richards

Deputy Head of Production

As someone really interested in music and sound, being part of the production team at Burn stood out to me because it sounded like a really exciting opportunity to be creative with others by making snippets of audio, or stings, for their shows or the station as a whole.

much Justin Bieber, but my suffering was worth it in the end as I was really happy with the finished package.

We have also begun development on a BurnFM Zine that we are looking forward to hopefully sharing more of soon. This will likely involve the different teams at the studio about their happenings, showing off the artwork from all of our shows, and hopefully securing interviews with people involved in radio.

As a production team we have also been involved in the editing of audio and video productions of the studio. Most recently this has included the annual charity Christmas single. This required editing and fixing the audio, creating a music video to go alongside it and syncing the two together. These opportunities are a fantastic way to step away from the creation of stings and produce something that is longer form. Overall running the production team at BurnFM this year

So far, the job as deputy head of production has been much more than just chopping together audio clips, even though Louis and I have definitely edited a lot of audio. I tried hard to apply my musical background to stings where the shows’ hosts have given us some freedom to experiment, and so a few of our stings actually feature some originally composed music. We’ve also edited and released a BurnFM Christmas rendition of ‘Mistletoe’ by Justin Bieber, which included the song and an accompanying music video. Never in my life have I been forced to listen to as

I’ve got a bit of past experience in radio working on a show called ‘Barry’s Lunch Club’ for BBC Radio 4, and so one thing that I would love to do is edit a radio play or some more longform content. However, the project that we’re currently working on which I’m personally really excited for is the BurnFM Zine featuring a variety of art and content from Burn members. I love the fact the platform that Burn offers to its members to show their passions and creativity, and we’re hoping that the Zine will show people how much freedom the society gives to make a show out of whatever interests or niche someone they have.

Louis Wright

Head

of Production

“We have also begun development of a BurnFM Zine”

“Never in my life have I been forced to listen to as much Justin Bieber”

“Creating a variety of different stings by using a vast array of resources has been a definite highlight”

“I'm personally really excited for...the BurnFM zine featuring a variety of art and content from Burn members”

Redbrick AGM 2023

Agony Aunt: Auntie Anna Assists

Auntie Anna is here to answer all your worries!

Anonymous Ask: Hi Anna, am I in the right to be annoyed at my boyfriend who only does nice things on Valentine's Day?

Hi Anonymous,

Let me start off by congratulating you darling on how brave you are to write in. This reminds me a lot of my second husband Ted. He was an absolute dreamboat, but was a right stingey bastard unless it was the holidays (despite earning six-figures). At the start, every day was like Valentine's Day, he'd often wake me up with a surprise package, and that is the way it should be. But then, things dried up, he started working away more and more and soon I began to worry he'd started giving his packages to younger women. Soon after, he disappeared under mysterious circumstances, leaving me immense wealth, but also unable to have the honest conversation I needed to have with him before it was too late. Communication is one of the most important parts of every relationship - don't let these things build up and make you resentful, when it could maybe be solved with one chat.

In a relationship, every day should be Valentine's Day, and you should have this conversation before he too risks disappearing under mysterious circumstances. Hope this helps!

Your Auntie Anna

xoxox

Anonymous Ask: Hi Anna, ever since I went to uni me and my sister don't get on. I hardly speak to her now and I don't know what to do. Is it my fault? Should I try and make more of an effort?

Hi Anonymous,

You are so brave for messaging in my love, and I hope I can help you any way I can. A relationship between siblings is so special, and only gets more important to maintain as time goes on. Sadly, my own sister, Sandra, is an absolute raging bitch, and we have not spoken since the trifle incident of 1994. Don't be like me and that daft cow Sandra, reach out whenever you think of her, even if it seems insignificant, everyone deserves to feel loved. University was just a pipe-dream when I was a little girl working in the mines, and it doesn't last forever, no matter how far away you feel now, strap on your headlamp, pick up your bag of coal, because there is light at the end of the tunnel. This distance is temporary, but your relationship is permanent, unlike coal, mining for diamonds is worth your time, and I'm sure your sister is a gem.

Ta ra, your Auntie Anna xoxox

Games That Mean Something To Me

Redbrick Gaming’s Writers explore the greatest games of their childhood and why they remain special to them

The Dog Island

Tom Green Gaming Writer

The Dog Island sees me drifting into reveries of the scratchy office chairs and boxy televisions of my 2000s childhood. The game begins by allowing a choice of dog breed to play as, and sends you out on a quest to retrieve a flower with healing properties for your sick sibling. And besides a few tableau vivant memories of desert villages and jungles, that’s all I remember.

Buzz! Junior: Robo Jam Dan Hunt

Editor-in-Chief

Strap in guys, it’s about to get wild.

Encapsulating the very best of mid-noughties absurdity and complete with grainy graphics and a jarringly shouty narrator, Buzz has caused countless arguments in the Hunt householdmainly because I’m so good at this game that I’m constantly and entirely unfairly accused of cheating.

Despite the inevitable failing of childhood memory to which most games have fallen victim, occasionally I am seized by flashes of The Dog Island, and it all comes flooding back. Like the one particularly infuriating level (that I never completed) involved traversing a sandstorm while being attacked by snakes- I never had the courage to let my character take a hit out of fear that the virtual dog would actually be hurt.

The game is simple. You pick up the Buzz remote, complete with the iconic big red button, design your robot and start playing a series of mini-games with your friends and family. What’s the story? There isn’t one. What’s the emotional arc? Eh? What’s the point? Who knows, but it’s completely brilliant.

The mini-games you play are

Somewhere, saved to my old Nintendo Wii is probably upwards of 20 save files with different characters all stuck at the edge of the desert or rainforest about to be beset by rattlesnakes and gorillas. It’s symbolic of a bygone time in my life where the most insurmountable challenge was guiding a cyber-dog through a cyberdesert.

randomly selected and incredibly varied. One minute you might be shooting rocks in space, the next you’re competitively farting in a diner (no, seriously). You might be flinging yourself across a planet with a large rotating arm, or you’ll be tapping to the beat of a singing octopus in a sewer. It’s whacky, it’s eclectic, it’s genius!

In our latest game I naturally won the game with over 70 cogs (because that’s apparently a viable point-scoring method). My sister still isn’t talking to me. Laurel, if you’re reading this: you can’t cheat at spot the difference. Grow up.

Jess Parker

Skyrim Film Editor

Developed by Bethesda Game Studios and released in 2011, Skyrim is the fifth instalment in the Elder Scrolls series and is an open-world fantasy game. Skyrim has been a favourite of mine ever since it was released, and it’s a game that I know I will always come back to. The game’s openworld nature allows for a different experience with each play, and the ever-unfolding range of main and side quests ensures that players will always have something to get stuck into.

Assassin’s Creed II

James Evenden Film Editor

A fact that I have tried to hide about myself is that I used to be a gaming trophy hunter. I know, I’m embarrassed too. Assassin’s Creed II was the game that kept me up at night climbing up buildings as Ezio, and of course, chasing those feathers. The game means a lot to me because it captures a specific time in my life when my YouTube recommendation was filled with videos of trophy guides and my Xbox 360 would often overheat in exhaustion.

Wii Party

Everyone knows about my eternal love of the ultimate gaming console: Nintendo Wii. Before, I’ve written about the cultural phenomenon of Just Dance and how it has become an integral part of my family’s New Year’s Eve traditions. This time, I am revitalising my Nintendo Wii series with another classic: the great Wii Party.

It is impossible to get bored of a game like Skyrim. Users can experience the game in whatever capacity they want to, whether that be combat-focused or plotdriven. The game’s visuals are phenomenal, and Skyrim’s soundtrack is incredibly nostalgic for me. When not locked in combat, players are treated to a cinematic orchestration that perfectly matches Skyrim’s impressive scenery and fantastical design.

Assassin’s Creed II is easily the best in the franchise, and the story is a big reason for this. Following Ezio, after his family is killed, we witness his transformation into a master assassin.

Wii Party is one of the best family Wii games around. Released in 2010, this game was instrumental in my family’s competitive instincts. Consisting of five four player games, dozens of two player games, and hundreds of minigames, there is something for everyone.

In particular, Board Game island has always inspired a white hot rage in me never seen before. If you happen to be playing with a CPU, all I can say is good luck. They may seem pretty useless at first, but be warned. They are ruthless when it comes to taking your pieces off the board one by one.

There are very few games that have successfully achieved the levels of deep world-building that Skyrim did, especially for when the game was released. The game poses unlimited possibilities for lovers of the open-world format and encourages total freedom in its players.

I have vivid memories of Assassin’s Creed II. It was one of the first games I played for myself, away from having to share a controller with my sister. It felt like a significant moment in my gaming journey, like a mature step into ancient Italy that I was taking on my own.

I quickly became addicted to Ezio’s journey, and it unlocked my obsessive desire to 100% the game and become a master assassin, all from the comfort of my living room. I miss Ezio. I can only assume he misses me too, as I accidentally threw him off a building, killing him and having to start the mission again.

The other game I became obsessed with in my youth was Mii of a Kind. Perhaps it is just my hyper-organisation talking, but there was something incredibly satisfying about sorting each Mii into their correct shirt colour whilst simultaneously trying to beat your sibling to the oh-socoveted “Wild Mii”. If my dear brother is reading this: don’t worry, at some point I’ll let you win.

There are countless more excellent things I could say about Wii Party, but that’s for another time. For now, it remains my favourite game of 2022 (and quite possibly all time) and I encourage everyone to release your inner child if you’re yearning for some nostalgic game play.

“The game means a lot to me because it captures a specific time in my life”

“Strap in guys, it’s about to get wild”

Unsplash/Ben Griffiths

Unsplash/Kamil S

Unsplash/Hello I’m Nik

Unsplash/Lorenzo Herrera

“I never had the courage to let my character take a hit out of fear that the virtual dog would actually be hurt”

“It is impossible to get bored of a game like Skyrim”

Sophie Utteridge Print & Features Editor

“Board Game island inspired a white hot rage in me”

“There is something for everyone”

“The game is simple”

Unsplash/Jesse Schoff

Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex

Isobel Radakovic Deputy Editor

When I think of games from my childhood, the first ones that come to mind are the Crash Bandicoot games, both on the PS2

Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins

Louis

and the PSP. Though some memories are hazy, I remember a feeling of awe at the concept of taking Crash Bandicoot, a bandicoot that I was convinced was a fox, on this journey through teleportation portals and mazes. I remember loving the collecting element of the game, the destructive Elemental masks both terrifying and invigorating me at the same time.

Out of all the video games I played as a child, nothing captured my attention quite like the Professor Layton series, with Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box being my particular favourite. You follow around the titular Professor Layton and his appren-

Everyone has their first video game, and for me that game is Super Mario Land 2: The 6 Golden Coins. Playing it on the Gameboy Advance makes for some of the fondest memories of my childhood. Whether that be on long car trips, only being able to progress whenever the street lights came through the car window, or under the covers in illicit late night gaming sessions, it was a game that I could not get enough of.

tice Luke as they solve a central mystery to the game, with the gameplay mainly focusing on solving a wide variety of puzzles. I remember getting hours of enjoyment sitting with my DS trying to solve particularly fiendish puzzles, debating whether I could bring myself to use one of my carefully saved up hint coins.

Alongside the puzzles, the

The game itself is also a blast. Learning from the missteps in the first Super Mario Land, the sequel truly feels like a fully fledged Mario experience shrunken down to the 4-bit handheld. With all the classic iconography of the franchise as well as the introduction of fan-favourite character Wario, it is a staple of the series and worth the investment if you are a longtime fan or just dabbling in the sea of games.

I have clear, fond memories of booting up my PS2 with my family and being allowed to take over the controller, something which 4-year-old me jumped at the chance to do. As a younger sister, I really enjoyed the introduction of the character Coco, Crash’s computer-expert sibling who helps to defeat the nefarious and eponymous Dr. Neo Cortex. While I don’t remember ever reaching the end of the game, I do remember the quality time spent with my family playing it.

games also contained plots that captivated my child self. Pandora’s Box centred around the mysterious Elysian Box, which supposedly kills anyone who opens it. Layton and Luke find themselves in the town of Folsense, which everyone claims has a vampire living in the old abandoned castle. The twists and reveals within this game still stick with me to this day, enhanced by the animated cutscenes for particularly important moments. The Professor Layton games all have minigames, and Pandora’s Box’s tea and hamster minigames provided lots of opportunities for me to waste time as a child too. Even now, I still find myself wanting to revisit these games and enjoy the nostalgia – and with any luck I won’t remember the answers to the puzzles and can have the joy of solving them all over again.

Like a first film or a first book, a first game is significant in forming what you love about the medium going forward. Therefore for introducing me to the medium and helping form my love for it, Super Mario Land 2: The 6 Golden Coins is a game that means something to me.

Halima Ahad

Nintendogs Culture Editor

Nintendogs is a game which means something to me because it was there for me for the majority of my childhood. The game is simple and can be played on the Nintendo DS which has access to a vast array of quality games, but my favourite has to be Nintendogs.

The game is a pet simulation in which you can adopt three dogs of your liking, name them and take care of them. There are many elements of the game which I found to be enticing and immersed me in the world of looking after dogs.

I’ll never forget the evening that, out of the blue, I got a call from my best friend. For him to contact me unplanned like that was unusual for him, and so I immediately worried that something had happened.

“Ben, I have some really bad news… it’s about my sister…” My stomach turned and my imagination started racing- was she okay?

One element of care which I enjoyed in the game was bathing the dogs- this was simple, interactive, and easy to do. Another aspect of the game which I enjoyed was walking. This involved drawing a route around the map presented on my DS and walking my dog around the streets as well as go to required places, such as the shops, to buy essentials for my dog.

“… she’s deleted my Animal Crossing save!” came the eventual reveal. After briefly scolding him for making me worry that something had happened to her, I came to realise just how traumatic of an event he had experienced. We pour so much of our lives into our Animal Crossing towns, with the design and set of villagers being unique to each player. It might seem strange to someone who isn’t into Animal Crossing, but having a save file deleted feels like a personal loss.

This game has been very nostalgic for me because it reminds me of my childhood and the days where I would be excited to come home and look after my dogs. As a young child, it especially made me feel grown up because I was responsible for the dogs I was looking after.

Luckily, I have never been unfortunate enough to deal with such heartbreak, with my town of Anetos being a constant in my life from the age of 11 right until I moved on to the sequel, New Horizons, in early 2020. My teenage years were spent fishing, catching bugs and decorating my virtual house- New Leaf always provided that relaxing escape, whether I spent it with my friends in-game or with the eclectic range of villagers that inhabited my town.

Benjamin Oakden Gaming Editor

Emily Wallace Film Editor

and Pandora’s Box

Wright Gaming Editor “It is a staple of the series”

“I have clear, fond memories of booting up my PS2 with my family”

“I still find myself wanting to revisit these games”

“This game has been very nostalgic for me”

“My teenage years were spent fishing, catching bugs and decorating my virtual house”

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

“The sequel truly feels like a fully fledged Mario experience”

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Twitter/@LaytonSeries

Twitter/@CrashBandicoot Twitter/@NintendoEurope Twitter/@NintendoAmerica Twitter/@NintendoAmerica

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Best Books of 2022: Culture Writers' Favourite Reads

Culture Writers recommend their favourite books from last year!

Halima Ahad Culture Editor

In summer 2022, I found myself looking to go on an adventure. The Summer I Turned Pretty fulfilled every one of my expectations. The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Isabel Conklin (nicknamed Belly) and her summer adventures at the Cousins Beach house with her two best friends, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, as well as her brother. The reason why I loved this book so much was because I felt as if I was immersed in the summer of the Cousins Beach house. This was achieved through Han’s incredible use of worldbuilding. As well as this, the characters were very relatable, especially Belly. The teenage angst and tension between the Fisher brothers and Belly showcases their love for one another perfectly and Han achieves this wonderfully throughout the trilogy. I think this is a book that everyone should read because it shows how one summer can change your life, especially in the midst of growing up and being a young adult.

Victoria Mas’

gothic

novel

The Mad Women’s Ball was translated from French by Frank Wynne in 2021, and later fell into my hands in 2022. Perusing my local book-shop, I stumbled upon this gem and was instantly intrigued.

Immersing her readers in nineteenth century Paris, Mas narrates the lives of women admitted to the notorious Salpetriere asylum. Once a year the Parisian elite is invited to gaze upon these patients at a grand ball; for the patients, this is a brief moment of hope.

Based on the historical mistreatment of patients, the story follows Eugenie, daughter of a bourgeois family, who is admitted to the hospital by her father. However, Eugenie knows that she is not mad - and she realises that many of her fellow patients aren’t either.

Deemed insane by intrusive doctors or uninterested husbands, this story considers the lives of women labelled disposable by society. Similar to the likes of Margaret Atwood and Pat Barker, this book poignantly considers feminine experience, injustice and bravery.

Victoria Mas provides a gripping plot in just 208 pages, ma-

king this an ideal book to help you get out of a reading rut. The eerily relevant themes and gothic undertones make for an atmospheric reading experience.

Isobel Radakovic Deputy Editor

Brandon Taylor’s debut novel, Real Life , follows a group of friends in a Midwest university town as they navigate life and love in their early twenties. We meet its protagonist, Wallace, at a time of struggle, as he reckons with his identity as a black, queer man in a small town. Over the course of a long weekend, tensions arise within the friendship group, as confrontations abound between them, and with his biochem degree colleagues, with underlying hostilities being exposed for the first time.

This book broke me a little bit, in the best way possible. Its raw and honest portrayal of Wallace feeling like an outsider in his long-standing friendships, his insecurities that no one else is aware of, yet are all-consuming for him, are portrayed so beautifully by Taylor. His writing powerfully depicts the anxious anticipation of life after graduation, something which I also feel deeply. The complexity of Wallace as a character, for all his flaws, felt so relatable, and it was a real privilege to witness him at a real turning point in his life.

Abbie Fitton Culture Writer

Home, friendship, and love are three of the simplest and most complex fundamentals to life, and yet they can often be forgotten in the grand tales of other stories published in the literary world. Through Charlie Mackesy’s adorably charming book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, we find a muchneeded centring of these human foundations.

Four friends, each of two or four legs, fluffy or smooth skin, tall or short, travel together in a search of ‘home’, but this ‘home’

the boy seeks takes shape not as a building but as something much more precious. We walk with these characters through Mackesy’s charming calligraphy and characterful cartoons, the artwork telling as much of a story as the words that accompany them. And as I read this book, a short creation I got through in under an hour, the pressures of leading an astounding life fell away. Mackesy reminds his readers, whether they are eight or eighty, of their value and worth regardless of any grand achievements they have or have not accomplished. With each snow trodden step, the endearing characters remind readers just how extraordinary they are, just by leading the most ordinary of lives. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone seeking some comfort. You are guaranteed a smile, a tear, and a chuckle over a loveable mole addicted to cake.

hope in life for him after all…

Ólafsdóttir and FitzGibbon have a strange but wonderful way of writing – this quality alone makes the book worth reading. I also like the deliberate choice not to name the recently war-torn country – this anonymity means it could be any country in the world, ensuring that the focus is not on geographical or political details of the war but instead on the people who have suffered from it. Jónas’s developing connection with a young woman and her traumatised son is also deeply moving. Overall, Hotel Silence is a complex exploration of suffering and hope.

Milly Haire Culture Writer

Set in Oxford in 1836, Babel

Content Warning: Suicide

One of my favourite reads of 2022 was Hotel Silence by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir (2018; translated from the Icelandic by Brian FitzGibbon). The novel follows Jónas Ebeneser, a middle-aged handyman who has lost all hope. He decides to commit suicide, and (not wanting his body to be found) heads to an unnamed country recovering from a recent war to do so, checking in to Hotel Silence. But Jónas finds that the locals desperately need his help with repairing the physical and

Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad

My Mom Died is an authentically compelling read which takes the shape of everything a memoir should be, a perfect balance of hilarity and heartbreak. McCurdy paints a candid picture of her life as she discusses the trauma which stems from her relationship with her mother. Just like its title, the memoir is especially sharp, detailing Jennette’s experiences with love and violence whilst navigating the realities of child acting.

(An Arcane History) is a riveting dark academia fantasy novel that explores the sinister side of the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation. Robin Swift, an orphan from Canton, is brought over to England as a child by the elusive and distant Professor Lovell, specially selected to eventually commence his studies at the Institution as one of their few but brilliant students. However, the brutal realities of what it takes to uphold such an institution are soon exposed, and all is not as it seems. A truly harrowing but utterly brilliant read, R.F. Kuang is devastatingly precise in her writing, crafting nuanced and complex characters that hail from a variety of backgrounds, producing a powerful interrogation of privilege, race, class, and gender. I loved this book for its boldness: Kuang is unafraid to confront the catastrophic consequences of colonialism in her writing, as well as the elitism of historic institutions, and the ways in which the two intersect. Additionally, the inclusion of her extensive research into etymology and using it to underpin the magical element of the plot is beautifully done.

George Culture Editor

The book is refreshingly honest and incredibly witty yet heartwrenching as we learn about her turbulent journey and encounters with untreated mental health issues. Her captivating dark humour feels both unsettling and comforting in the midst of this eye-opening account of generational trauma, the struggles of being in the spotlight, and the horrors of abuse. In what is a genuine display of the most uncomfortable parts of herself, Jennette McCurdy sincerely retells complex moments of her life making I’m Glad My Mom Died a perfectly shocking memoir.

I discovered The Little Village School by Gervase Phinn through a recommendation of a friend. This five part series explores the dramas and life stories of characters in the little village of Barton-In-The Dale, Yorkshire. The characters’ speech are beautifully crafted and the intricate descriptive detailsmakes the reading process effortless, fixating your imagination into the world of the little village school drama. As Phinn was once a teacher and school inspector himself, the characters and plot are very realistic, touching on smaller everyday problems to harder affairs of life. I would recommend this book to anyone who looks for a read that is relatable to everyday life but also light-hearted with humorous moments.

Halima Ahas/ Simon and Schuster

Charlotte

Nicole Haynes Culture Writer

Ilina Jha Culture Writer

Hannah Gadd Culture Writer

“Victoria Mas provides a gripping plot in just 208 pages...”

“Mackesy's charming calligraphy and characterful cartoons, the artwork telling as much of a story as the words that accompany them”

“The book is refreshingly honest and incredibly witty yet heartwrenching”

“Ólafsdóttir and FitzGibbon have a strange but wonderful way of writing”

Illina Jha/Benedict Grove Press

Charlotte George/ Hodder Paperbacks

Halima Ahad/Simon and Schuster

Isobel Radakovic/ Daunt Books

Milly Haire/Harper Collins

Musical Review: Girl From The North Country

Benjamin Oakden reviews Girl From The North Country and finds the production to use beautiful renditions of Bob Dylan’s songs

Benjamin Oakden

Gaming Editor

Girl From the North Country is a stunningly scored and produced musical let down by its confusing plot and overwhelming amount of side characters. The production, with its soundtrack taken entirely from Bob Dylan’s esteemed back catalogue, is a drama set within a guesthouse during the American Great Depression of the 1930s.

The soundtrack is filled with lovingly crafted renditions of Dylan’s songs, spanning almost the entirety of Dylan’s career from the 1960s to 2012. The production employs an excellent live band, with the beautiful fiddle in particular being a staple of the soundtrack. The version of ‘ Tight Connection to My Heart’, with the violin playing, the powerful singing and the swelling harmonies, was absolutely spell-binding. ‘Slow Train ’ and ‘ Idiot Wind’ both feature surprisingly emotional versions with clever tempo changes.

The set too is excellently set up, perfectly capturing the essence of a dingy, depressionera hotel. The props are incred -

ibly authentic, the smell of the characters’ food is allowed to waft through the theatre, although the decision to bring in a disco ball during one sequence was perhaps a little tacky.

I felt that the cast were also on-point, with them carrying much of the production’s drama while also being accomplished singers. Colin Connor plays the stress of guesthouse owner Nick Laine well, while Frances McNamee is excellent in portraying the mental problems of Elizabeth Laine, bringing the spirit of her character into her dancing and delivering a powerful ending monologue.

The main issue I had with ‘ Girl From the North Country ’ was its plot, which was incredibly convoluted with too many characters and side-plots. Trying to sum up the storyline for this review is an incredibly daunting task, but it essentially involves the various stresses of depression era America on the large cast. The main plot thread involves guesthouse owner Nick’s attempts to marry off his adopted daughter Marianne (Justina Kehinde) to the much older Mr. Perry (Teddy Kempner), and her alternative interest in boxer Joe Scott

(Joshua C Jackson). That’s to say nothing of the multitude of side-plots and romances that go unresolved. There’s just too many themes, too many spinning plates, and the average viewer has no chance of learning all of the character names, never mind the baffling interconnected plot threads.

The soundtrack too, despite the wonderful arrangements, feels sadly underutilised within the context of the plot. Too often Dylan’s complex, metaphorical lyrics feel completely unrelated to the actual events of the story outside of brief lines in the chorus. The version of ‘ Like a Rolling Stone ’ is sung to refer to loneliness, completely ignoring the lyrics referring to social class and homelessness. The character of Joe Scott is seemingly inspired by the lyrics to ‘ Hurricane ’ , but seems completely unrelated to the actual subject of the song, Jacques Levy, and the historical context around his arrest. The decision to set the story in the 1930s also separates the song from much of the historical context of Dylan’s writing. It ultimately feels like the Dylan songs, outside of a few brief references, are tacked on to an existing story in a desperate

Comedy Review: Tom Ward's Anthem

Ilina Jha

Writer

When I interviewed Tom Ward for the paper over a week ago, he promised that his show Anthem would be ‘[a] brisk stroll through new love, sex in your 30’s, house-shares, music, identity politics and green washing. Peppered with sound FX and the odd song.’ As I left the Glee Club on Wednesday night with cheeks still sore from laughing, I can safely say that Anthem delivered all this and more.

The first surprise of the night was when Tom was introduced before his support act (Danny Clives), almost immediately beginning with some audience interaction. His first choice – a 20-something-yearold Danny with a silver tooth and can of energy drink –quickly became a reference point throughout the show. Tom played the audience interaction perfectly and got humour out of everything, even from the lovely story of the couple who had their first date at one of his gigs

Editors' Picks: Events Coming up in March

attempt to give it a broader appeal.

Given the potential for a genuine Dylan musical, this sadly feels like a missed opportunity. This production is in many ways a technical marvel, with stunningly beautiful renditions of classic songs, great acting, and an authentically crafted set. But given its confusing story, unconvincing melodrama and underuse of Dylan’s lyrics, this production is a mixed-bag.

a year ago. Tom then began a joke survey of the audience, clipboard in hand, which had us roaring with laughter before the show had even properly begun – for Tom then brought on Danny Clives, returning afterwards to perform Anthem

when Tom turns to an unexpected (but very good!) Michael McIntyre impression.

The clever deployment of music throughout the show is what stands out as unique to Anthem . Tom used music and sounds as part of jokes on everything from disagreement with his girlfriend over what their couple ‘song’ should be, to his critique of greenwashing in McDonald’s and Shell’s adverts. Tom cleverly handles the worrying subjects of climate change and the end of the world, cracking jokes that help us feel a little less bleak –indeed, it is hard to feel down

Tom also handled well the difficult subject of identity politics. He made it clear to us that he’s a straight, white, cisgender man who tries to be a good LGBTQ ally and a good feminist. (Although he was in a relationship with a man over a decade ago, he feels it’s been too long ago to identify as bisexual; some may disagree, but this is Tom’s personal choice). His handling of the subject of feminism for humour mostly worked – there were a couple of times when I felt a joke didn’t land so well, but I could see what he was trying to do, and I felt assured that the jokes were all in good faith.

Tom’s audience interaction throughout the show was just how it should be: funny, with some good-humoured laughing at audience members, but without straying into cruelty. Audience participation was encouraged, but no one was more participatory than the silver-toothed Danny whom Tom had identified at the very beginning. Danny was invited

onstage for a segment that involved Tom asking him ridiculous questions and the two of them building a story together. Having such a segment in a comedy show is tricky – you have no idea how the audience member selected is going to respond and if they’re going to be good at helping to create humour – but Tom had made an excellent choice in Danny, and the whole section worked very well.

Overall, Anthem was a roaring success. I laughed lots and hard throughout the entire show – it simply was very, very funny. Anthem is Tom’s first UK tour show – and I am sure that it won’t be his last.

Culture

Halima

Shazia Mirza's Coconut Tour - The REP

The King and I - The Alexandra

Charlotte

Of Mice and Men - The REP

Daisy

“The clever deployment of music stands out...”

Press / Katy Carter

“Tom's audience interaction was just how it should be”

Press / Idil Sukan

Unsplash / Markus Spiske

Press / Ben Wooldridge

Albums of the Year 2022

Kendrick Lamar

Cameron Milner Music Critic

Arriving five years after the chart-smashing success of DAMN., Kendrick Lamar’s fifth studio album Mr Morale & The Big Steppers is the Compton rapper’s most personal record to date, as he invites the listener to follow him on his own journey through childhood trauma, grief, fame and infidelity. A deeply emotive and thematic album, Mr Morale positions Kendrick as a highly vulnerable figure whose lyrics at times read like diary entries, or confessions to a therapist. Songs like ‘Mother | Sober’ embody the deeply intimate feel of the record, as the stunningly evocative penultimate track recounts long-buried issues from Kendrick’s past in a storytelling masterpiece that slowly builds towards its climax. Featuring a haunting hook from Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, ‘Mother | Sober’ not only stands out as one of the best tracks on the record, but one of Kendrick’s best tracks ever.

The album’s 2-disc, 18 song tracklist presents a wide array of sounds and styles that range from the anthemic single ‘N95’, the percussive ‘United in Grief’, the brooding ‘Rich Spirit’ and the R&B style ‘Purple Hearts’. Crucially, the record makes these shifts whilst only very frequently dropping in quality. The record boats features from Baby Keem, Summer Walker, Sampha and Ghostface Killa amongst others, yet there is never any doubt of Kendrick’s position as the driving force behind each and every track.

The flaws that Kendrick lays bare on the LP have the effect of adding yet another level of nuance to this charismatic, versatile and unbelievably talented artist who has produced yet another fine addition to one of modern music’s finest discographies.

2020’s Notes on a Conditional Form and returning to sounds that fans may associate more with their earlier works: 80’s-like guitars, smooth brass arrangements, and ear-worm hooks.

‘About You’ became possibly the album’s most popular track when it gained notoriety on TikTok, specifically for the song’s bridge, sung by Carly Holt. The song acts as a musical continuation to ‘Robbers’, the sixth single from the band’s debut studio album The 1975, and furthers the moody nostalgia that the initial song provoked. Full of roomy reverb and distorted strings, provided by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ Warren Ellis, the track feels romantically gothic and a perfect sequel to one of The 1975’s most popular songs.

Being Funny In A Foreign Language feels like a return to what The 1975 do best, incorporating elements from their four previous albums that elevate their signature style. Backed by a sellout tour and TikTok virality, the album has managed to reach new audiences and revitalise an appreciation for the band that many fans had previously forgotten.

Taylor Swift - Midnights

gic 90’s pop and alternative influences, MUNA have created a unique and sparkling sound on this album. MUNA’s self-titled album is sheer pop perfection and was easily one of the most exciting pop releases last year.

Delving into themes of love, heartbreak, and self-growth, MUNA is a soundtrack for modern times packaged in constantly exciting sounds. Lead single ‘Silk Chiffon’ featuring Phoebe Bridgers is a euphoric exclamation of queer love and is a brilliantly bright opening track to welcome you into the album. MUNA take the shininess of this hyper-pop influence over to songs like ‘What I Want’, ‘No Idea’ and ‘Solid.’ MUNA also take their time with more subdued tracks such as ‘Kind of Girl.’ Led by a simple guitar pattern, the lyrics take you on a reflective tour of self-identity that will make you feel like you are in a movie. Quite simply, if you are looking for an album you can blast at full volume and dance around to, look no further. I could listen to it endlessly (and I have), and never get tired of it. What makes MUNA so special though, is that it is an excellently crafted pop album. It perfectly blends uplifting fun with introspection, alongside influences from 90s pop and hyper-pop to create what is easily one of the most exciting and intriguing pop albums of recent times.

Black Country New Road - Ants From Up There

Devin Birse Music Critic

Back in early 2020 when the Ian Curtis-esque frontman of Brixton’s latest group of brooding Post-Punks announced the group’s ambitions to be ‘the next Arcade Fire’ in an interview with 3voor12, it was taken as a joke. While Black Country, New Road’s at the time two singles had established them as a force to be reckoned with, musically they appeared the opposite of Arcade Fire. Their tense blend of free-jazz, postpunk, and post-rock appeared on the opposite end of the indie scale to Arcade Fire’s optimistic art rock.

Editors’ Songs of the month:

Bas Bevan

Easy Now - Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Emma Gardner Flowers - Miley Cyrus

Faith Parker

Holy Moly - Young Fathers

Vicky Wilson

Still Not Me - Gatlin

Upcoming Events:

Editors’ Pick:

Facebook@The 1975

Jess Parker Film Editor

The 1975’s Being Funny In A Foreign Language is the band’s fifth and most recent studio album. Released on 14 October 2022, the album consists of 11 songs and plays for just less than 45 minutes in its entirety.

Being Funny In A Foreign Language retains the band’s signature style of indie-pop, revolving most of its tracks around love and relationships. The album feels like a return to what The 1975 are best at, diverting from the trajectory of 2018’s A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships and

After releasing the rerecorded versions of Fearless and Red in 2021, Taylor Swift treated us to a brand new album in 2022, Midnights: a concept album inspired by the times when Swift is up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep (and any mega-fan will know that this is not unusual). Midnights is a showcase of Swift’s ability to produce fantastic songs in a vast range of styles, from the upbeat production of ‘Bejewelled’ and ‘Karma’ to the more sinister reputation-esque ‘Vigilante Shit.’ Swift sings about a whole multitude of topics on this album, such as her insecurities in ‘Anti-Hero,’ grief in ‘Bigger Than the Whole Sky’,’ fame in ‘You’re On Your Own Kid’, and, of course, reflections on romance in songs including ‘Midnight Rain’ and ‘Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve’. But no matter the song subject or production style, each track is a testament to Swift’s trademark confessional and vulnerable writing style, and it is this that makes the album shine. Swift has proven, yet again, her extraordinary ability as an artist. Despite some controversy over the issue of fatphobia in the music video for lead single ‘Anti-Hero,’ Midnights was still a huge success, and is certainly a 2022 standout album.

Ilina Jha Music Critic MUNA - MUNA

Sammy Andrews Music Critic

When MUNA was first released, I had it on repeat constantly, and it swiftly became the soundtrack to my 2022 summer. Blending hyper-pop with nostal-

Harry Styles - Harry’s House

Hannah Gadd Music Critic

Harry’s House is a space rich with tight harmonies, buoyant basslines and whirring guitars. The Grammy-nominated album demonstrates Harry Styles’ creative confidence in constructing a fun pop record. Across the 13 tracks, Styles floats between breezy folk, dreamy radio pop and 70s retro-rock tunes amounting to an easy-listening album. Diverse in its sonic, Harry’s House is Styles’ most experimental album as he invites us to explore domesticity in its flamboyance and mundanity. The album demonstrates his artistic versatility through the delicate ballads, ‘Little Freak’ and ‘Matilda’ to vivacious anthems, ‘Music for a Sushi Restaurant’ and ‘Daydreaming,’ whilst remaining an intimate bedroom soundtrack. Harry’s House is a showcase of poetic lyricism and refined vocals with Styles possessing polished musical conviction, seemingly more prominent on this third release of his. Bright with oversized acoustics and lively horns, the album is home to interestingly complex elements whilst embracing pop in its simplicity. Styles’ affinity for the modern pop space shines through this album, exhibited by conversational lyrics and light, airy tracks, establishing him as a seriously talented musician who rightfully dominates the charts.

Ultimately, Harry’s House is a quintessential, stadium-ready pop record marked by its creative and commercial success, and further defining Harry Styles as a superstar in the pop world.

Yet now that Ants From Up There has arrived, the comment instead appears near prophetic. From the swaggering Pulpinspired crooning of debut single ‘Chaos Space Marine’ to the retro-futurist art pop of ‘Good Will Hunting’ and the climatic kitchen sink drama meets orchestral postrock opus of the three-act final track ‘Basketball Shoes’, Ants From Up There is endlessly inventive yet deeply self-reflective. It is one of those immediate landmark albums among the likes of Pavement’s Slanted and Enchanted or The Strokes Is This It. An immediate synthesis of the various band members disparate influences into an endlessly relistenable piece of art.

The album is marred with a sense of loss though, with frontman Isaac Wood announcing his departure from the band a few days before the album’s release. While the band has already shown excellent new material, Ants From Up There serves as a testament to Wood’s brief but glorious tenure as a songwriter. The dark and brooding tales of their debut are now abandoned for a series of high-flying love ballads. Wood’s lyrics bear a glorious mix of melancholy and nostalgic sci-fi fantasy that melds into a voice that appears just as unique as it is brief.

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The album is imaginative, original and captivating, highlighting the band’s ability to craft a faultless mix of upbeat, singalong tracks like ‘Ode to NYC’, that could have come straight out of a movie soundtrack. Songs like ‘The Sulking Poet’, a homage to Dire Straits and Wham, as singer Tom Ogden pointed out, provide an uplifting moment on the album, which is juxtaposed with the title track ‘Ribbon Around the Bomb.’

Similarly, ‘Care For’ is the sort of wedding dance song that is reminiscent of a 70s disco tune, a crafty nod to the Bee Gees. The album is still populated by the band’s proclivity for jumping synth hooks and groovy basslines. The album also boasts more intimate moments, with the acoustic ballad ‘The Writer.’

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BlossomsRibbon Around The Bomb

Overall, the band’s fourth album is a flawless demonstration of the band’s innate talent and ability to craft an exciting indie album with a plethora of influences and musical hooks. It is easy to see how they are playing sold out venues, but could also be singing an acoustic number in your local pub on a Friday night.

Emma Gardner Music Editor Confidence Man - TILT

With the release of their innovative album back in May, Blossoms have shown their prowess for developing in their maturity as songwriters, fusing a melange of classic indie anthems with 70s-inspired ballads. The wellloved Stopfordians bring something new with this album, whilst their sincere songwriting has brought them a swathe of adoring fans along the way.

Faith Parker Music Editor

Nobody says party quite like Confidence Man. After the success of Confident Music For Confident People, Confidence Man’s second album firmly cements them as dance-pop icons. ‘Feels Like A Different Thing’ could have been released in the

Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers

90s, transporting the listener back to the dance floors of days past.

‘Toy Boy’ is cheeky and carefree, an ode to the frivolous nature of the music. Janet Planet (Grace Stephenson) sings ‘All my people, where you at?’, highlighting the communal spirit of Confidence Man. Listening to the album is an immersive experience and Confidence Man are calling you to join them. ‘Push It Up’ is a simpler, stripped back number on the album, but the electronic beats pulsing in the background are hypnotising. The highlight of the album is the single ‘Holiday’, which perfectly captures the essence of the band. The accompanying video is just as joyous, seeing the duo of Janet Planet and Sugar Bones take off on hot air balloons, with a backdrop of spectacular scenery. Confidence Man are just as much about the aesthetic, as they are the sound.

Whilst the album alone is a wild, liberating journey from start to finish, it is elevated live, alongside the dance routines, costume changes and bright lights. TILT is fresh, it’s empowering and it’ll keep you grooving all night long.

Jockstrap - I Love

You Jennifer B

Emma Barclay

Music Critic

2022 saw the release of Jockstrap’s debut album, I Love You Jennifer B. The musical duo, consisting of Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye, are instantly recognisable, but their surreal style never grates nor stays in one place. Ellery’s ethereal vocals and strings layered upon Skye’s electronic production fluctuates from the intensity of the dance-y, surreal ‘50/50’, to the sentimentality and stillness of ‘Glasgow’. At times, Jockstrap are overtly weird; but Skye’s accomplished production finds musicality everywhere in life, with dogs barking and repeated vowel sounds. Ellery has

gained acclaim through Black Country, New Road, and met Skye at Guildhall, a background evident in the intelligence and variety of their style. It is music made by music lovers. Ellery’s lyrics evoke everything: Madonna and Marie Antoinette, God and sex, grief and Glasgow. Standout tracks include ‘Concrete Over Water’, marking the album’s peak with a love song; after all, love is in the title, and here Jockstrap’s capacity for tenderness shines with a simple story about the giddiness of romance— ‘it’s you/ Maybe it’s you’. Thoughtful observations of love and modern life continue through ‘Debra;’ here, ‘grief is just love with nowhere to go,’ such pieces of wisdom layered upon an irresistibly fun electropop track. ‘Greatest Hits’ is a tribute to pop music, but Jockstrap are pop and then some. This track is the duo at their most ingenious, the dazzling highs and lows of the synth and layered harmonies being absolutely unforgettable. I Love You Jennifer B is an experience which rewards revisiting, with something in there for everybody.

Megan Thee Stallion - Traumazine

Hannah Joint Music Critic

Megan Thee Stallion’s second studio album Traumazine in its entirety, serves as a testament to her claim on the third track that she is ‘done bein’ nice’. The Houston born rapper’s distinguished voice maintains the excellence that she exhibited on her debut album Good News as she fires out ruthless disses and makes it clear that she is not to be played with, both in her personal life and in the rap sphere. Meg’s usual faultless flow and upbeat tempo are juxtaposed by certain lyrics which expose a vulnerability that the artist has not shown through her previous personas. In

her eleventh track, ‘Anxiety’, Megan Thee Stallion tackles her own emotions as the song mimics the form of a confessional style diary entry, reminding everyone that ‘Bad b*tches have bad days too’. She later launched a website of the same name which provides direct links to resources for mental health treatment for the Black community and LGBTQ+ people of colour, proving that her lyrics are not simply spoken bars, but they are heavy with meaning, and she has an unmatched appreciation for her fans. Delving into more serious topics on this album does not mean that it lacks the sexier, more playful lyrics that permeate the rest of her discography. Meg is a rapper who is renowned for her self-confident celebration of her body and her femininity and Traumazine is no different. The album’s penultimate single, Plan B, is a prime example of this as she encourages others to do the same, ‘Ladies, love yourself ‘cause this sh*t could get ugly’.

‘Flower of Blood’ and ‘Blurred View’, complete with moody guitar distortion from band member Buck Meek. A personal favourite is ‘Time Escaping’, with the band building a brilliantly crafted song from quirky, experimental instrumentation.This wonderful variety of musical styles extends to the lyrics. While some tracks are fresh takes on classic Americana themes, there seems to be no topic that Lenker doesn’t have a poetic take on, from light-hearted philosophical musings about the smallness of our existence (‘Spud Infinity’) to the biblical tale of Adam and Eve and the concept of original sin (‘Sparrow’). Excellent playing from the rest of the band provides the foundation for this fast array of lyrical styles, allowing Lenker’s seemingly boundless creativity to thrive. The sheer depth of the album’s songwriting, with countless metaphors to unpack and an eclectic mix of musical styles, makes Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You one of 2022’s essential albums.

Benjamin

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You is the culmination of Big Thief’s musical development. This double folk-rock album is an incredibly varied, playful and at times dazzling beautiful piece of work, a perfect representation of lead singer and songwriter Adrianne Lenker’s whimsical songwriting talent. There’s fun moments of light heartedness in the fun country sounds of ‘Red Moon’ and the delightfully silly ‘Spud Infinity’. There’s quieter more introspective moments in the acoustic ‘The Only Place’ and the tender ’12,000 lines’. There’s even more electronic-inspired songs such as

Bevan Music Editor

The Wombats returned at the start of 2022 with their fifth album Fix Yourself, Not The World, a record of 12 catchy and clever tracks that reach right across the musical landscape. Running through them is the signature lyricism of singer Matthew Murphy who uses random references and erratic, jovial enthusiasm to mask far more emotionally complex and sometimes dark feelings and topics. The album’s other calling card is the sheer breadth of its instrumentation and influences with big band horns, country guitar riffs, electro-dance synths and heavy saturated bass lines. This plethora of ingredients come

together to give each song big bold colours and immense upbeat energy.

The intricate, bouncy layers of opening track ‘Flip Me Upside Down’ push you straight into the bonkers world of the album and create an exhilarating introduction to the spirit of the record and The Wombats. ‘If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You’ is the closest track to some of band’s previous hits with lightning fast drums and a standout catchy chorus. This intensity is one of the album’s common sonic themes and something which The Wombats have captured in many of their songs. This is the case on ‘This Car Drives All by Itself’ which has a relentless pace that embodies the motion of the lyrics, and in the timeless rhythm of ‘People Don’t Change People, Time Does’.

The album overall radiates fun in every way, despite the lyrical juxtaposition which is best executed on ‘Everything I Love Is Going to Die’, surprisingly one of the record’s most euphoric tracks. This feeling is promoted by its dynamics which on tracks like ‘Wildfire’ create lively waves of sound, and on ‘Method to the Madness’ where the band unleash a explosion of musical passion following a delicate three minute build up.

Fix Yourself, Not the World is an extremely easy record to enjoy crammed with moments that make you smile, and its cryptic lyrics, fluctuating emotions and energies allow the listener to experience the album and its feelings in any way they want. It has a playfulness that stops you getting comfortable by bombarding you with a massive array of sounds and phrases, without it becoming too chaotic, making it as wild and exciting as the digital city on the cover.

Celebrating the life of: David Crosby

Emma Gardner Music Editor

On the 19th January, it was announced that rock and roll legend David Crosby had passed away, after a long illness. I remember finding out from my Dad, who sent me a link to the news story, leaving me feeling like I had just lost an old friend. When I was 16 years old, I was facing a really difficult time. The usual teenage pressures were getting the better of me - academics, teenage angst, bullying. I felt alone and often turned to music for comfort. I remember hearing David Crosby’s voice for the first time, on the ethereal Crosby, Stills & Nash track ‘Guinevere’, from their quintessential self-titled album. I remember listening to that song and album for the first time as a profound, other-worldly experience. When speaking to Rolling Stone Magazine, Crosby himself described it as “ a very unusual song, it’s in a very strange tuning with strange time signatures. It’s about three women that I loved.” Similarly, the CSNY classic ‘Our

House’ is a significant contribution to Crosby´s musical arsenal, summed up perfectly by Cashbox Magazine: “a jewellike ballad that spotlights the quartet’s vocal quality by nearly absenting rhythmic impetus.”

His voice and music are timeless, traversing the years from those who were there for the Laurel Canyon days, and those like myself in the age of streaming and vinyl revival, who have stumbled upon his music and entered a new realm. Crosby´s vocal harmonies sync effortlessly with the voices of Graham Nash and Stephen Stills, creating a faultless melange of dreamy, sentimental lyrics and bold acoustic guitar melodies, seen in other classic CSNY tracks like ´SuiteJudy Blue Eyes´ and ´Helplessly Hoping.´ The band formed in 1969, with the jamming sessions of Crosby and the recently unemployed Stills culminating at the seminal Woodstock festival of the same year, having only once previously performed live. They were joined by former Hollies bandmate Nash, and later by rock legend Neil Young, to ultimately form the supergroup that charac-

terised the Laurel Canyon sound of the 70s. It is perhaps lesser well known to those who are not avid Crosby fans, that he was a founding member of the prominent 60s rock band The Byrds. Crosby originally found fame honing his craft as a talented and prolific songwriter, penning hits such as ‘Éight Miles High.’ This was where Crosby really started to weave in his quintessential vocal harmonies to a different style of music, preferring to remain on the periphery, singing backing vocals to complement lead singer Roger McGuinn.

Despite the success of CSNY and The Byrds, Crosby showed musical flair throughout a distinguished, albeit late, solo career. He released his first solo album in 1971, If Only I Could Remember My Name, to much acclaim. Crosby also moonlighted as a session musician, providing his archetypal vocal harmonies to contemporaries like Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and Carole King. In the early 2000s, he continued to collaborate with rock legends like David Gilmour and Phil Collins in the 1990s. Yet it was Crosby’s albums in 2016 and

2017 that really proved his ability to continuously hone his craft and produce excellent songs, clearly developing in maturity as he went along. Crosby also worked on various side projects, such as the band CPR, with his son James.

Crosby’s life has undoubtedly not been free from controversy, with Graham Nash describing their relationship as “volatile.” He suffered long-term health complications, culminating in a liver transplant in 1994 and diabetes. His life was sadly often marred by substance abuse, coming to a head in 1985 when Crosby spent nine months in prison for drug possession charges, which was later followed by arrests for drunk driving. Yet, Crosby had integrity and vigour seen both in his musical career and outspoken nature. He was politically vocal throughout his long standing career, being a well known pacifist and opponent of U.S involvement in the Vietnam War. In more recent years, he was particularly vocal about his dislike of Donald Trump.

Tributes from various fellow musicians flooded in, with for-

mer bandmate Nash penning one that was particularly heartfelt: “David was fearless in life and in music. He leaves behind a tremendous void as far as sheer personality and talent in this world. He spoke his mind, his heart, and his passion through his beautiful music and leaves an incredible legacy. These are the things that matter most.”

He leaves behind his wife, Jan, and four children. Along with many others, Crosby’s music has been a glimmer of hope, positivity and beauty in the world when I could find none. I often felt that his music comforted me in some of the darkest times, almost as if he were sitting in the room with me, acoustic guitar in tow. The world would certainly be a lot darker without Crosby’s shining light. Yet, his exquisite, comforting harmonies will remain a consolation for many, forever.

Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

Gaming Editor

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“The album overall radiates fun in every way”

The Best Films of 2022

Redbrick Writers and Editors take a look back over their best films of 2022

Lula Izzard

Film Writer

Bodies Bodies Bodies

Bodies Bodies Bodies is a horror/comedy about a wealthy group of young adults in a mansion, who play a party game which quickly spirals violently out of control. I thought the film blended horror and comedy very effectively to create a unique and relevant satire of Gen Z culture, and watching it was a fun and chaotic experience. The film is filled with hyperbolic references to social media trends, internet jokes and pop-psychology phrases such as ‘toxic’ and ‘gaslighting’, and it explores and critiques the often shallowness of political commentary on social media, with a cynical outlook of how Gen Z engages with politics.

set.

Belfast is heart-wrenching, of course, looking back as it does on The Troubles and the violence that devastated the lives of so many – Branagh dedicates the film to ‘Those who stayed… Those who left…And all those who were lost’. But what one remembers this film for is the everyday life of Buddy and his family, which is (a lot of the time) very, very funny. Hill’s fantastic performance in the lead role is supported by his wonderfully perceptive grandmother (Judi Dench), his hardworking parents (Caitríona Balfe and Jamie Dornan), and his ill grandfather (Ciarán Hinds). Additionally, the choice to shoot Belfast in blackand-white works to excellent effect, as well as enhancing the historical nature of the film.

Cliché as it is to say, Belfast makes you both laugh and cry, and is, for me, a standout film of 2022.

The Menu

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Marcel the Shell with Shoes

On is easily one of the best films of this decade. A fictionalised documentary centering around the life of Marcel (Jenny Slate), a shell living with his grandmother in search of his long-lost family, the film provides one of the most grounded and human stories seen in cinema for a long time.

between Calum (Paul Mescal) and his daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio). Aftersun explores the idea that our parents are people too, with their own demons, that we might not even know about. Its mature approach to these themes, via its restrained dialogue and cinematography, captures a dynamic rarely explored with such grace and understanding.

Paul Mescal plays Calum as a quietly haunted man, trying to save face in front of Sophie. Mescal keeps his regret bubbling just below the surface, and his performance is arguably the most emotive of the year. Corio plays Sophie with equal poise, delivering her lines with a subtle knowingness as she begins to poke at the adult world around her, and what it means for her. Their chemistry is undeniable, with Wells pairing genuine heart with moments of genuine despair. Wells puts you in Sophie’s perspective, which keeps Calum’s signs of sadness suitably distant from us, as we try to understand what he is going through.

unable to imagine a life without each other – as friends or as enemies.

Colm and Pádraic, from feelings of frustration, disrupt the claustrophobia of the town, with Colm eager to do something. The urge to go insane is perhaps relatable, at least to me, in today’s world of intense surveillance. Though Colm and Pádraic are surveyed not by Instagram but by the ever-watching eyes of gossip-

The characters in the film are shown to be progressive in some aspects, while simultaneously pervaded by prejudices relating to social class and status, and display a superficial sense of care regarding mental illness, with characters dismissing each other’s struggles with mental health or reacting to others’ disclosures about mental health problems by centering the conversations around themselves. The satirization of Gen Z, social media and political commentary felt accurate without coming across as overly condescending to this generation, and offered a criticism of wealth and privilege which is relevant to people across all generations. I also thought the soundtrack, which included ‘Hot Girl (Bodies Bodies Bodies)’, an original song by Charli XCX, was fantastic and encapsulated the mood of the film perfectly, and I have had it on repeat since watching the film.

Ilina Jha

Belfast

Belfast, written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, is a film loosely inspired by Branagh’s childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Set in 1969, the story follows nine-year-old Buddy (Jude Hill), a charming young boy whose main concerns about homework, innocent questions about religion, and efforts to sit next to a girl he likes in school are set against the backdrop of the increasing violence of The Troubles. Buddy’s Protestant family,, who just want to live a normal life in harmony with their neighbours, Protestant and Catholic alike, soon find themselves endangered by this mind-

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Released to UK cinemas in November of 2022, Mark Mylod’s The Menu focuses on food-fanatic date Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) and his plus-one Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy), as they experience the menu of the acclaimed and eccentric Chef Slowick (Ralph Fiennes). Slowick’s menu begins, as you would imagine, with a lavishly extravagant welcome dish. However, his dishes slowly descend into a didactic presentation of theatrical vengeance that personally targets his purposefully selected guests.

The Menu considers a vast array of harder-hitting themes that are woven into Slowick’s magnum opus. Seth Reiss and Will Tracy’s screenplay touches on consumer culture and the superficiality that Slowick’s work draws.

Slowick and his guests love food for all the wrong reasons, and The Menu depicts his attempt at cleansing the craft of this sycophantic behaviour. Amongst a number of significant new horror releases this year, The Menu stands out for its unique concept, outstanding performances, and captivating cinematography. The film is beautiful, and when backed up by such an incredible cast, there can be no doubt that The Menu was one of the most exciting and unexpectedly brilliant cinematic releases of 2022.

Marcel, as a character, is incredibly well-written and seamlessly made a part of the world. The struggles he faces and his desire for companionship are all too real. Moreover, with the fantastic incorporation of stopmotion animation, it is easy to forget that Marcel is not a real actor. This level of blending live action and animation is something that many film studios can only try to reach.

In the modern age of entertainment centering around online influencers, parasocial relationships have become heavily prescient among younger audiences. This film is therefore incredibly pertinent in its discussion of the differences between a real community and an online audience. The film has a strong and well told message on the importance of having real people in your life to connect to rather than just those online.

Overall, between its expertly crafted narrative, engaging and easily loveable characters, and technically superb camerawork, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On finds itself being my favourite

Aftersun fundamentally changed the way I perceive my parents, and my own memories. It shattered me and announces Wells as a director with a uniquely lingering emotional power. 2022 saw many great releases, but Aftersun was the one that got under my skin and stayed there. Watch it, and then call your parents – trust me.

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ing shopkeepers, their disruption of the stable island is cathartic to a 21st-century audience.

Turning Red

Pixar’s Turning Red is a whimsical dive into growing up and growing into yourself, and in doing so, became a film that truly stuck with me in 2022.

The Banshees of Inisherin

Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin begins with a quiet, strolling reflection, taking time to dwell on the idyllic Irish countryside and seafront. Inisherin, a seamless ecosystem, is presented to us as though passing by from the window of a train. This peace does not last, however, as a stroll becomes a walk, becomes a run, becomes a manic fleeing as everything comes crashing down. Banshees is a sweetly absurd narrative with

The film follows Meilin Lee as she discovers she will turn into a giant red panda when experiencing any extreme emotion. What I tell anyone at this point is to overlook how bizarre this plot might seem for a Pixar film. At once a heart-warming story of a teenage girl’s self-discovery and at once a delve into generational burdens, Turning Red deals with intense topics face on and with a lightness of spirit. It is ultimately a celebration of all of the things that make someone who they are, as Meilin learns to embrace her growing identity.

This is all without mentioning one of the finest outputs from Pixar in recent years: the fictional boyband 4*Town. Think N-SYNC meets BTS. I promise you, their song ‘Nobody Like U’ will get stuck in your head. The joy that this boyband brings Mei and her friends, mixed with its vibrant animation and 90s pop culture references, finds Turning Red a burst of whimsy and unbridled fun.

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Aftersun

There was only one new release that caused me to sink into existential dread in 2022, and that was Charlotte Wells’ devastating directorial debut, Aftersun. The film is a flashback to a holiday

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some stellar performances that, despite being set in 1923, is poignantly relevant to now.

Things begin with a small, petty fight between drinking buddies Colm (Brendan Gleeson) and Pádraic (Colin Farrell), which soon escalates into a feud. Framed against the backdrop of the Irish Civil War, conflict is intrinsic to this world as bombs continually go off in the distance, punctuating the tiff between our leads. These explosions, as well as Siobhan’s (Kerry Condon) eventual leaving, prompt us to remember that there is a way out of Inisherin, yet Colm and Pádraic stay. They seem

Turning Red spoke to the teenage girl in me who dedicated her time to One Direction. In offering a beautiful and fun narrative of self-acceptance and growth, it became a firm favourite of 2022 for me, and I wish I could show it to my thirteen-year-old self.

Everything Everywhere All at Once

When a multiversal force is threatening to tear reality apart, the last person you would expect to save the world is Evelyn

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“The satirization of Gen Z, social media and political commentary felt accurate”

“Marcel, as a character, is incredibly wellwritten and seamlessly made a part of the world”

(Michelle Yeoh), a middle-aged Chinese immigrant who owns a laundromat, and has strained relationships both with her husband Waymond (Ke-Huy Quan) and daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu). Everything Everywhere All at Once, however, is hardly conventional. Facing all the different possibilities for how her life could have turned out, Evelyn embarks on a multiverse-hopping journey that is both brilliantly weird and beautifully emotional.

ticularly emotional scene, yet Everything Everywhere All at Once masters this balance. Out of all the films I saw released in 2022, none have stayed with me in the way Everything Everywhere All at Once has, and it will no doubt remain one of my favourites for years to come.

Izzy Radakovic Deputy Editor

Decision to Leave

widow, Song Seo-rae (Tang Wei), Chan-wook’s newest work portrays a beautifully raw tale of obsession, as Hae-joon struggles to reconcile his attachment to Seo-rae with his ever-present suspicion towards her involvement in her husband’s death. The dual deceptions that occur between the two leads is a fascinating sight to behold, and both performances contribute to the film’s success.

audience and filmmaker. With stunning visuals and a haunting soundtrack of violins, and the at-times crude combination of dark humour alongside a tension-filled murder investigation, Decision to Leave stands apart from its film counterparts in its sheer originality, and is easily one of the best films of 2022.

gles of the restaurant’s staff. The technique is a two-way street, making the drama of the characters feel incredibly hard-hitting and personal, while also making the rare moments of warmth far more memorable and touching.

Everything Everywhere All at Once is truly unlike any film I have ever seen before, and I doubt I will ever see one quite like it again. Underneath the layers of the bizarre, humorous universes we witness (the Ratatouille inspired world being my personal favourite), it is a film that has family at its very core, with its exploration of mother-daughter relationships being particularly poignant. This is made all the better by the stellar performances from the cast, making it no surprise that it picked up four acting nominations at this year’s Oscars. It is a rare feat for a film to make me unsure if the tears on my face are from laughter or from a par-

Park Chan-wook as a director knows no bounds, covering everything from 1930s Korea in The Handmaiden to 1970s West Germany in The Little Drummer Girl, and his latest foray, the neonoir drama Decision to Leave, has cemented him as one of the seminal directors of the 21st century. Following detective Jang Haejoon (Park Hae-il), who is investigating a possible murder in the mountains, and his subsequent entanglement with the deceased’s

At times, Decision to Leave makes for uncomfortable viewing, as scenes jump back and forth and questions remain unanswered for the audience, but this is precisely what makes it such an exceptional film. The constantly unsettling feeling that as an audience, we are witnessing something we shouldn’t but can’t look away, speaks to Chan-wook’s skill as a storyteller. His alterations of time and space create a unique visual spectacle, and the way in which he places Hae-joon inside the scenes he is investigating, blurring the lines between fiction and reality, adds a layer of intimacy between the investigator and his suspect, and between

Review: White Noise

Tom Green

Baumbach’s adaptation of White Noise could hardly have landed on screen at a more opportune moment. The source: DeLillo’s portrait of an America beset by modern pathologies, relentless stimuli, a malfunction and distortion of collective memory, and existential anxieties amid catastrophe. Uncanny – just replace ‘toxic airborne event’ with your modern crisis of choice.

White Noise (2022) sees Jack and Babette Gladney (Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig) in a cushy Ohio suburban life. Jack is a tenured professor of Hitler and studies at the local university, grappling with an intense fear of death. Part satire, part disaster movie, and part meditation on

Film Writer modernity, White Noise laudably wrangles with DeLillo’s prose. Baumbach’s fidelity to the novel is both an asset and a burden; rarely has Netflix funded a genuinely risky vision like this, although judging by the lack of enthusiasm for the film, they’re unlikely to again. The disorienting, skittering, stimulating screenplay reaches great heights, particularly in the second act as Jack listlessly wanders through survival shelters, assaulted by speeches from wannabe modern messiahs, conspiracy theories, static buzz, nagging questions, and a brush with death. Driver plays Gladney brilliantly, managing to bring a surprising tact to the aging academic, stalking and hunched over, making grand gestures in his unsettling lectures.

Boiling Point

Boiling Point is a tension-ridden drama that is one of the best British films I have watched in recent years. Starring Stephen Graham and Vinette Robinson, the film follows a group of chefs and waiters as they attempt to deal with the stresses of running a restaurant.

The most notable element of Boiling Point is its innovative style of filming, with it appearing to be filmed in a single shot. This technique adds to the drama of the film, making the viewer feel like they are dropped into the strug-

The plot of the film delivers on the problems encountered by head chef Andy Jones (Graham) and his team over a single dinner service. The film is riddled with enticing, interconnected conflict between the characters, from the challenges of Front of House manager Beth’s (Alice Feetham) excessive pandering and micromanagement, to the abusive and unsympathetic guests, and the challenges of Jones’ personal life. However, each character still feels sympathetic to the audience even at their most stressed through a combination of stellar writing and acting. It makes for a unique and intense drama that has more than earned its television sequel.

White Noise

Unfortunately, the purity of adaptation sometimes frustrates. There are moments in White Noise when the screenplay becomes jarring, which confirms a personal suspicion that DeLillo’s idiosyncratic approach to dialogue doesn’t work well in real-time; it’s hard to imagine any of the pinballing language games in the first act of the film occurring over breakfast. It’s difficult to decide whether the mad barrages of phrases and questions in the Gladney kitchen are bang-on, or just indicative of DeLillo’s overbearing obsession with language philosophy. Central to White Noise (the novel) is the idea that language constructs a reality that a screen adaptation may have been doomed from the beginning. Regardless, it reminds us that the volume of superfluous information we receive, distilled down into soundbites and clips, dislocates us from the flow of everyday life.

Baumbach retains DeLillo’s laser-focus on the family, described as ‘the cradle of misinformation’. Where better to examine the fear of death than the unit by which much of life is mediated? There are fascinating (albeit occasionally unbelievable) conversations between members of the Gladney family, who are often turned against each other in service of bad habits and secret rendezvous. Baumbach has not lost touch with his sentimental side and carries his ability to direct family dramas from Marriage Story (2019) over to this effort.

The film is also visually exquisite and manages to replicate DeLillo’s suburban landscape with remarkable tact. There’s the pastel-washed suburban Blacksmith, the dingy neonsplashed interiors of SIMUVAC bunkers, and rain-soaked, firespewing industrial Irony City, each providing a suitable reflection of the character’s mindscapes. Some of the set-pieces are inspired too, the splicing of Jack’s lecture on death with a train careering towards chemical tanks is an adept use of the medium.

number at the end, accompanied by choreography from supermarket workers and cast members. Commentary on the interplay between culture and consumerism, or a misjudged marketing gimmick? Either way, it falls flat. Ultimately, it’s doubtful whether a ‘pure’ DeLillo adaptation would work on screen. His work tends to rely on the novel form, and there has yet to be a successful translation to film. David Cronenberg gave Cosmopolis a try, as did Benoît Jacquot with The Body Artist titled Never Ever (2016). Perhaps a better approach to DeLillo would be to keep the core thesis but innovate the form for cinema. Regardless, Baumbach’s attempt is admirable, most notably for the huge risk he took by pursuing a fairly niche passion project.

Verdict:

Unfortunately, Baumbach falters on the tone of White Noise, which is markedly more jovial than the novel. While the source is considered satirical and often provokes laughter, there’s cynical pathos behind DeLillo’s prose. The film, on the other hand, contains elements of slapstick and Spielbergian blockbuster banalities that don’t gel with the source material’s message. Also bizarre is the LCD Soundsystem musical

White Noise both soars and crashes because of its loyalty to DeLillo’s novel. While formally brilliant, the faithful screenplay falters. Baumbach misses the mark tonally, creating a disjointed and alienating atmosphere, which could be clever meta-commentary but fails to impress regardless. After its catastrophic financial performance, we’re not likely to see a director take a commendable risk like this.

“[White Noise] contains elements of slapstick and Spielbergian banalities”

Tom Green finds both success and failure in Noah Baumbach’s

“Brilliantly weird and beautifully emotional”

Benjamin Oakden Gaming Editor

“The film is riddled with enticing interconnected conflict”

“Alterations of time and space create a unique visual spectacle”

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The Last Of Us and Adaptations

James Evenden praises The Last of Us as the pinnacle of video game TV adaptations

James Evenden Film Editor

As an avid fan of The Last of Us video game, I had no idea that the TV adaptation would emotionally affect me like the game did. Then, I watched the third episode and cried on the sofa. Episode three, featuring Nick Offerman as Frank, a known character in the game, presents one of the most beautiful and refreshing queer love stories I have seen in recent memory, and cemented The Last of Us as an adaptation that uses its form to not only enrich its source material, but arguably improve on it.

The Last of Us manages to set itself apart from the game in a few key areas. Its pilot episode stays true to what fans will know from the game. Joel (Pedro Pascal) has a daughter before the viral

outbreak of cordyceps, a fungal infection, and things do not go very well for her. But The Last of Us is not content with simply showing the flashpoints from the game. It uses the world to delve into character backstories that the game did not have time for. It spends time exploring Joel’s new life in Boston in quarantine, and gives room for characters to go about their daily lives. These sections do not hold much narrative purpose, but they are essential in building a world, a world that needs to feel as alive, if not more so, compared to the game because the audience is playing a less active role in it as a tv show. The Last of Us takes its time, and like any TV good adaptation uses its episodic nature to its full, providing almost miniature movies that build on each other, not rushing its story but having the confidence to slow down, where a game needs to be constantly moving forward.

the lack of player control. Normally, a video game has its players controlling the gameplay, but with TV the lack of audience participation needs to be accounted for. The show has to bring its audience into its world and make them feel a part of it without controlling the characters. You do this by giving the characters a sense of familiarity,

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them just far enough away from their source material to give something new, and provide a reason for existing in the first place.

and Frank (Murray Bartlett) maintains the themes of the show as a whole, and the source material. It takes a small moment from the game, Bill and Frank’s backstory, and expands its emotional capacity, whilst telling a story about finding hope and light in the darkness, a message that is key to The Last of Us.

Any good video game adaptation has to compensate for

whilst making sure to give them new layers that will be new to an unfamiliar audience. If the characters feel too similar, the audience who have played the game will feel like they know what is coming. The Last of Us adds new depth to its characters, with small new moments that take

The Last of Us, as mentioned, is a successful adaptation because of the changes it makes to the game that can only really be implemented in a visual format and not a video game one. Its slower pace gives its side characters their own moments, taking its emphasis away from Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to deliver rich world building. The prime example of this is episode three, the moment that really announces itself as an adaptation worth paying attention to. The majority of the episode takes the smart approach in taking its focus from Joel and Ellie. But, crucially, the backstory focusing on Bill

Review: Lockwood & Co

The Last of Us adaptation stays true to the core messages of the game, whilst finding new ways to tell them. It makes the most of its slower television pace to widen its scope whilst staying true to the intimate story of love that made the original game the masterpiece that it is. It takes a different focus to the game, and like any good adaptation shows us why we fell in love with the original in the first place.

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Emily Wallace praises Lockwood & Co as a fresh take on young adult fantasy

Emily Wallace

Based on the book series by Jonathan Stroud, Netflix’s Lockwood & Co introduces the audience to an England 50 years into a deadly ghost epidemic known as ‘The Problem’, but the only people capable of seeing (and thus fighting) these ghosts are children. Agencies of children are formed to spend their nights hunting these ghosts with rapiers and flares while they search for each ghost’s source to contain and destroy. The series follows Lucy Carlyle (Ruby Stokes) who, after an unfortunate encounter in her Northern hometown, moves to London and joins the Lockwood & Co agency, run by the charming but enigmatic Antony Lockwood (Cameron Chapman) and his friend George Karim (Ali Hadji-Heshmati). Away from the control of unhelpful adults, the group begins to take on a number of cases to varying degrees of success.

Lockwood & Co manages to avoid many of the typical YA fantasy show cliches. The worldbuilding is carefully considered – the audience is guided through the world without any clunky exposition, and the show takes time to examine the effects a long-term ghost epidemic would have on the world. This ranges from small details like rooms

having salt-sprinklers instead of water, and how it does not shy away from examining how children are exploited as workers within this universe, particularly alongside class issues. While technically being set in the present day, the lack of technological development since ‘The Problem’ means there is a retro feel to the show, with the absence of mobile phones and computers, and of course, an excellent 80s soundtrack to go along with it. The London setting also provides a refreshing change from the typical American setting of shows in this genre, and also creates a particularly spooky atmosphere that might not have been achieved elsewhere.

ability to hear ghosts. Lockwood puts on a charismatic front, but it is clear he is still haunted by his mysterious past, meanwhile the show avoids leaning too much into George as a comic relief character with his deadpan humour by also exploring his feelings of being left out as Lockwood and Lucy bond and take on much of the physical aspects of ghost-hunting while he is left to do the research. The relationships between all three of the leads are developed well and are centred as the driving force of the show through their found family dynamic. There is also a host of intriguing supporting characters, with a particular standout being Flo Bones (Hayley Konadu), a relic girl who finds and sells ghost sources on the black market and an old friend of Lockwood’s, who ends up helping them with a case.

series, reminding you that these characters are still teenagers with petty disagreements despite all their ghost-hunting antics. There are two main arcs to the show, with the first three episodes serving as an introduction to the world and following the plot of the first book in Stroud’s series, and the remaining five adapting the second. The second arc in particular begins to open up wider questions around the causes of ‘The Problem’ and the differing natures of ghosts and children’s psychic abilities to see or hear them, which sets up plenty to be explored should the show be renewed for another season.

The three central characters are all layered, with excellent performances given from the relatively unknown cast. We follow Lucy’s journey finding her place within Lockwood & Co after her traumatic experiences at a previous agency, while also grappling with her unusually strong psychic

Alongside compelling characters, Lockwood & Co also offers an engaging plot packed with mystery. The threat offered by ghosts that can kill with a touch means tensions are high in the dramatic action sequences, yet Lockwood & Co also considers the human side of ghosts, seeking to understand what their unfinished business is and whether they can help them. Their quest of researching and containing ghosts also sees them fall into competition with the corporate, wellfunded Fittes agency. The rivalry between the two agencies adds some lower-stakes drama to the

There is no shortage of YA fantasy shows currently available to stream, but Lockwood & Co stands out from the rest with its quick wit, intriguing mysteries and character-driven storylines. It provides plenty of suspense and action to keep you hooked, with-

out being too scary for its target teen audience, although there is much to be enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you’re looking for ominous ghosts, heart-warming friendships (not without plenty of bickering), or even just some really cool sword fights, Lockwood & Co has something for you.

Rating: 4.5/5

Film Editor

“Lockwood & Co manages to avoid many of the typical YA fantasy show cliches”

“The Last of Us takes its time, and uses its episodic nature to its full”

“Shows us why we fell in love with the original”

“Quick wit, intriguing mysteries and character-driven storylines”

Winter Comfort Shows

Redbrick's Writers recommend their favourite shows to watch this winter

Jess Parker

Film Editor

First airing on BBC Three in 2004 by the eponymous comedy troupe, The Mighty Boosh is a Brit-Com developed from the group’s radio and stage performances. The show follows Vince Noir (Noel Fielding) and Howard Moon (Julian Barratt), along with their shaman friend Naboo (Michael Fielding) and Bolo the gorilla (Dave Brown), as they go on a host of surreal adventures in the pursuit of fame and fortune.

Each series takes place in a different setting in the world of the Mighty Boosh. The first follows Howard and Vince as zookeepers, working for their eccentric boss Bob Fossil (Rich Fulcher) in his “Zooniverse”. The second sees the group living in a flatshare in Shoreditch, and the third follows the group running a second-hand shop called 'Nabootique'. Supported by an array of comedy and musical cameos in Saboo (Richard Ayoade), Dixon Bainbridge (Matt Berry), The Black Tubes (The Horrors), Gary Numan, Razorlight, and Roger Daltrey to name a few, The Mighty Boosh always keeps you wondering which famous face is next to show up living in a magical cupboard or hoovering the desert.

There are few shows comparable to The Mighty Boosh. From its New Wave soundtrack to Vince’s outlandish outfits, the show’s surreal humour and theatrical fantasy result in a unique viewing experience that only gets better with every rewatch.

I will be the first to admit that my pick is hardly the most original, or even that good if I’m being honest with myself. But that for me is the beauty of Friends. Everything, from the oversized apartments to the cushy lives of the friends themselves, is so silly and unrealistic that it makes for the perfect comfort TV.

Friends is the perfect show to put on, and turn your brain off to, in the best way. Packed to the brim with quotable moments, guest stars and some genuinely funny moments, Friends will provide a warm bubble to wrap yourself up in during the winter months. The jokes come at a steady, sitcom pace. Whilst not every joke will land, that to me is the point of the comfort show. One that I know is not the pinnacle of comedy but has enough charm up its sleeve to keep me coming back.

The cast’s undeniable chemistry and underappreciated comedic timing make the show work. It is an iconic piece of 90s nostalgia for a reason and has stayed in the cultural conversation because of how easy it is to watch. I have seen Friends so many times at this point, and when times are tough I know my friends are probably at Central Perk, all facing directly to the camera, spouting off one-liners, pausing in between

for the laugh track. It is dumb, and I love it anyway. Oh and also, Ross is the best friend, and I will die on this hill.

Lula Izzard TV Writer

When I first watched Fleabag, I binge-watched the entire show in two days, and since then, it has quickly become a go-to comfort show for me. Despite rewatching it probably over a hundred times, the jokes never stop making me laugh, and as the episodes are only 20 minutes long, it is an easy show to become immersed in whenever you need a distraction.

Caitlin McGraw

TV Writer

Long days in the library were made more bearable this winter due to the knowledge that I could come home and watch an episode (or three) of Superstore afterwards. This American sitcom follows the lives of minimum-wage employees at the fictional superstore, ‘Cloud 9’, where most of the show’s six seasons are set. It stars America Ferrera as ‘Amy’, a long-time employee stuck in her dead-end job, and explores her relationships with fellow Cloud 9 colleagues, who are portrayed by a talented ensemble cast.

The characters in Superstore share unique chemistry which guarantees perfectly timed gags and one-liners, as well as the development of meaningful friendships. Furthermore, the show’s use of the slow-burn romance trope is entertaining and often draws comparisons with Jim and Pam from The Office U.S., which is unsurprising as Superstore was created by a writer from the fan-favourite workplace sitcom.

Episodes are short and easy to watch, perfect for destressing during dark evenings when energy and focus levels are low. The laugh-out-loud, quirky comedy style paired with real-world sociopolitical themes of worker’s rights, identity inequalities, capitalism and immigration perfectly blend to produce a tongue-incheek commentary on the lives of retail workers, and a refreshing take on comedy.

Superstore’s location in Midwest America is so far removed from my everyday life that it provides dopamine and an opportunity for escapism, without feeling mindless or unrealistic which is arguably the show’s major appeal. Characters feel familiar and relatable, as they don’t look like they belong on a catwalk; instead, the diverse cast and socially relevant content paint Cloud 9 as a microcosm for American working-class experiences. Overall, Superstore provides addictive, entertaining and laugh-out-loud viewing with loveable characters and hilarious plotlines cementing this severely underrated show as a comforting favourite.

I think Fleabag is a great comfort show as it perfectly balances humour with moments of sadness, regret and loneliness, and Fleabag has an impeccable ability to laugh at herself in times of crisis. The use of the fourth wall, with Fleabag addressing her self-deprecating jokes directly to the audience and treating them as a friend, also make the show very comforting. I can relate to a few characters in the show in different ways, and the show’s antagonists feel hilariously accurate, serving as universal representations of people we have all encountered, and difficult situations we have all experienced.

I also enjoy watching the development and growth Fleabag experiences throughout the two seasons, both personally, and in her relationships with others. We see her move away from selfdestructive behaviour and begin to express and confront her fears and emotions, as well as engaging in honest and meaningful conversations with important people in her life.

swept up in the quirks of 'Stars Hollow'. Side characters in the town become deeply loveable, and the eclectic cast of characters that the show invites is only one facet of its undeniable charm. From the music to its countless classic movie references, and quick-witted humour, it is almost impossible not to fall in love with.

There is something in the warmth of Gilmore Girls that will get you hooked. Simply put, Gilmore Girls feels like a warm hug in a TV show, and is, in my opinion, the ultimate comfortshow.

I think that I have lost count of the number of times I have watched Gilmore Girls. If a show could be a warm cup of tea, a cosy jumper, and a scented candle all in one, that show would be Gilmore Girls for me. When it ends, I simply want to put it back on again.

Following the mother/daughter relationship of Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), the show takes you into the cosy corners of Stars Hollow and gently takes you through the characters’ lives. We see them grow up, fall in love and navigate the major life changes that come their way as Rory moves from high school to college.

You can embark on the will they, won’t they of Lorelai and Luke (Scott Patterson), whilst choosing if you are team Dean (Jared Padalecki), Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) or Logan (Matt Czuchry). Or you can simply get

On a cold winter night there’s often nothing better than lazing in front of the television, and The Royle Family is a sitcom made up of characters that do very little else. The Royle Family is an excellent representation of working-class family life, with many of its characters being so realised that they feel almost scarily like people you know in your personal life. The most iconic is the sarcastic and lazy father Jim Royle (Ricky Tomlinson), but the entire family dynamic feels genuine with the whole cast bouncing off each other well.

The programme is a very intimate comedy - being filmed on a single camera with no laugh track, the viewer is left feeling like a fly on the wall in a real family living room. Its style of comedy is an influential forerunner of The Office, doing away with traditional gags and drawing humour from the mundane, often bickering conversations held by the characters. Despite this focus on the mundane, there is an overarching plot centering around the wedding of Denise Royle to Dave Best, along with Denise’s later pregnancy. The plot, however, often develops between episodes and manifests in the conversations held between the characters, allowing the series to maintain its comfortingly slow pace. There are occasional moments of real emotional warmth within the series, and that combined with its hilarious dialogue and incredibly realistic characters, make this one of the best comedies for a winter evening.

Samantha Andrews

TV Writer

James Evenden

‘It’s All Over but the Crying’: Fallout Turns 25

Gaming Writer Devin Birse reflects on the history of the Fallout series on its 25th anniversary.

Devin Birse Gaming Writer

It feels odd playing Fallout 2 in 2023. Somehow even odder than Fallout 1 Fallout 1 is Fallout , earlier, scrappier, far more fitting of the term apocalyptic RPG than post-apocalyptic RPG with its legions of savage

nection. Like watching a comedy from the 60s and laughing at half the jokes.

But Fallout 2 feels weird. Like watching a film from the 60s and suddenly they start blaring Can and stripping. Like seeing a mutant strain of what you have been told about the era.

Fallout was a small affair, with a small team, a small budget, decent sales, and great reviews. The second is an entirely different beast, overblown with bizarre factions, complex side quests, mountains of cut content, and entire multi-hour story arcs resigned to optional areas, the endings of which can be determined entirely by whether or not you have a condom in your inventory.

Rather than being the tale of a lone, sheltered hero getting chewed up and spit back out by the wasteland that the franchise has become known for, Fallout

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2’s narrative is an epic of “the chosen one” taking down psychopathically jingoistic remnants of the United States government. It is a ludicrous tale, fully pushing past its predecessor’s political coda on man’s destructive urges into a rampaging parody of the American government, cinema, video games, and even Fallout itself. It is a game that simultaneously deconstructs and reconstructs all the tropes of the overloaded and obtuse CRPGs of the late 90s whilst also executing that same formula so well that it stands out as one of the best of its generation.

But Fallout 2 is not the Fallout I think most are familiar with. Its combat is slow and, in all honesty, lacking in real tactics. Its quest design is obtuse to the point that I highly recommend scouring old forums for one of the many biblesized game guides. It is a great contrast to what Fallout has become.

That is, of course, the pressing question. How do we go from the pseudointellectual top-down epics to first-person multiplayer survival games like Fallout 76? Many blame Bethesda entirely, if you ever go on old-school forums

like No Mutants Allowed, they will declare Fallout 3 an abomination and share details on the legendary Fallout Van Buren, the original Fallout 3 that Black Isle Studios were developing before they were shut down. But I do not hate Bethesda; it was through Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas that I was introduced to the franchise. I still have fond memories of getting up early before my parents awoke and booting up my dad’s PS3 to snipe mutants and raiders whilst listening to 50s hits like ‘It’s All Over but the Crying’ via the in-game radio.

by Obsidian Interactive, a studio made up of many of the original writers for the first two Fallout games.

Yet beyond New Vegas, I find contemporary Fallout hard to love. For as much as I enjoy the gorgeously rendered worlds and streamlined gameplay, the subtlety is gone. Vault suits are tacked on everywhere. The same Factions’ characters and plot lines reappear across every state of post-nuclear America. It feels less like each game is a further exploration of the post-apocalyptic world and more like taking an existing location and smothering it in a Fallout coat of paint.

I am even of the opinion that the Bethesda generation produced the franchise’s best work, Fallout New Vegas. A perfect RPG that truly delivers on what Fallout offers to explore. Not the end of the world but the way we use the signifiers and symbols of the world we lost to try and make sense of the new world we find ourselves in. This is in no small part thanks to it being developed

That is not to say the spirit of those old games is gone. While Fallout as a franchise feels dead in the water, its legacy lives on in a new generation of burgeoning CRPGs and adventure games. Games like Citizen Sleeper, Disco Elysium, and Norco with their focus on political and philosophical themes, complex worlds, and dense prosaic writing feel like torchbearers for the first two Fallout’s. Taking their wit, inventiveness and so much more and pushing them forward into the post-internet era.

An Expansive History of ‘OpenWorld’ Games

Gaming Editor Benjamin Oakden explores the open-world genre of games

Open-world video games have a dominant place in the industry. Companies are constantly striving for bigger, more expansive worlds, and franchises that had never previously utilised this style of gameplay have taken the plunge. Last year we saw FromSoftware’s hugely popular Souls series make the transition with the acclaimed Elden Ring, with historic franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog and Pokemon also adopting this gameplay style. There is no doubt that open-world games have the potential to be incredibly successful and fun, but how did they become what seems to be the default choice for making a new game? And is linearity really a bad thing?

Ever since the early days of the industry, pioneering video game developers have been trying to give more freedom of exploration to the player. The space-simulator Elite (1984) was a particular pioneer, featuring early 3D graphics and open-ended exploration. The Legend of Zelda (1986) brought that feeling of exploration to console gaming with its expen-

sive overworlds, although the game would lose its non-linearity towards the end, with players often having to go to one specific point in the map to progress in the game.

Although console gaming of the late 1980s to early 1990s was dominated by mostly linear platformers and RPGs, some innovative developers were still attempting to push non-linearity, such as the PC adventure game King’s Quest VI (1992). However, it is likely that Super Mario 64 (1996) can be considered a breakthrough in non-linear gaming, with its open-ended levels and the ability to gain some of the stars in differing orders. It represented a different strand of 3D gameplay than the competing Crash Bandicoot (1996), and inspired a wave of successors, such as BanjoKazooie (1998), Spyro the Dragon (1998), and Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001), the latter of which was notable for having the entire game take place through one interconnected world.

Outside of the platforming scene, Shenmue (1999) allowed players to explore and complete quests in an open-ended city, a game so expensive to produce that it contributed to Sega aban-

doning their own consoles and becoming a third-party developer. However, by far the biggest innovator in this style of gaming, has to be Grand Theft Auto III (2001). Being released right at the start of the sixth generation of consoles, Grand Theft Auto III can be considered a seminal title in video game history. Giving the player almost complete freedom to explore a vast 3D city, the game inspired massive controversy for its violence, but was also incredibly popular, becoming the best-selling game of the year. From then on, more and more games were inspired to follow in the open-world formula, from RPGs like the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series to shooters like STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl (2007). Even the Jak and Daxter series began using Grand Theft Auto inspired vehicle exploration. The seventh generation of consoles saw open-world games continue to flourish. Assassin’s Creed first saw release in 2007 and would go on to see over a dozen sequels. Its structure of placing a large amount of quests over the map and giving players a checklist would prove highly influential and, as it turns out, highly copyable. As well as the

incredibly high amount of Assassin’s Creed sequels, developer Ubisoft would also use this formula for its Far Cry and Tom Clancy series. Games like Saints Row (2006) and Watch Dogs (2014) became popular by iterating on the gameplay style of Grand Theft Auto. By the eighth generation, it was starting to feel like open-world games were falling into a bit of a repetitive slump, with them being considered the standard format for a new game.

Of course, the main reason that open-world games became so widespread is their popularity with players. The ability to freely explore a massive world is an incredibly appealing style of gameplay, so it is no surprise that it has become so popular. Games that fall into this formula, such as Horizon Zero Dawn (2017) and Spider-Man (2018) are some of the best selling games of the last generation, and received significant critical acclaim. However, the one thing that we should be careful of is treating linearity as being a bad thing. ‘Linear’ is occasionally used as a criticism against a game, but linear progression can have significant advantages. They allow games to be more streamlined and focused

on delivering fun ideas to the player without having to worry about spreading their gameplay over a large map.

As much as open-world games can become formulaic at times, there are still many developers pushing the boundaries of the format. Minecraft (2011) allowed players complete freedom in shaping a procedurally generated world, becoming the best-selling game of all time and remaining highly popular today. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) featured a highly advanced physics engine that allowed for creative combat and exploration, while Elden Ring (2022) featured beautiful world design whilst largely shunning traditional waypoints.

The dominance of open-world games is by no means a bad thingthe freedom and sense of scale they provide is no doubt an incredibly fun and appealing style of gameplay. Whilst some may be generic and formulaic, there are still countless developers that are pushing open-world gaming forward. As long as we as players reward innovation and are not afraid to embrace linear games too, the future of the industry should remain bright.

Benjamin Oakden Gaming Editor

“The first Fallout was a small affair”

“But I don’t hate Bethesda”

Super Smashing Memories

Gaming Editor Benjamin Oakden remembers playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl in his childhood

Benjamin Oakden

Gaming Editor

Video games had always been a massive hobby of mine, but it was not until I really dug my teeth into the Super Smash Bros series that I evolved into my current form- a fully-fledged gaming nerd. Whether that is a blessing or a curse, I am still not sure.

The reason for this is that Super Smash Bros is more than just a fighting game series. It is a labour of love, with series director

Masahiro Sakurai and his team packing in details from so many Nintendo franchises that these games feel like museums of gaming. The characters, stages, and music are all a carefully curated selection of the highlights of Nintendo’s history. Brawl even features a list of every single Nintendo game released up to that point. It was the perfect training for a future Redbrick gaming editor!

Brawl has to be my favourite of the Super Smash Bros series due to the incredible amount of

single-player content. The game features a fully-fledged single player campaign, complete with lovingly animated cutscenes that add to the magic of Nintendo characters crossing over. As much as I spent many frustrated afternoons trying to get through the horrors of The Great Maze, the mode captured my imagination and the boss fights were incredibly replayable.

Redbrick Gaming’s Februrary Picks

Complete with 544 trophies, 700 stickers, 143 music tracks, and 128 challenges, attempting to finish Brawl is a daunting task that, despite my childhood dreams, I have never managed to complete. As much as Brawl receives criticism for lacking the fast-paced, competitive gameplay of Melee, for a single-player experience, there are few, if any, better choices in the franchise.

As such, I have Brawl to thank for broadening my gaming horizons and introducing me to so many franchises I would come to

adore. I bought the game because it had Mario, Sonic and Pikachu on the cover, but it encouraged me to start playing The Legend of Zelda, Kirby, Fire Emblem and countless more. Solid Snake’s presence in the game even encouraged me to look into gaming on non-Nintendo systems, opening my eyes to a new world of gaming that I had not imagined. That is not to overlook Brawl’s actual merits as a fun, accessible fighting game in its own right, but for everything that I have taken from this title, Brawl definitely feels much greater than the sum of its parts.

Rule Introduction in Games

Gaming Editor Louis Wright explores the importance of rule introduction in the Super Mario series.

Louis Wright

Gaming Editor

Every game has its own set of rules that must be abided by. With board games, these rules are flexible: every house has their own unique rules for Monopoly. With video games however, these rules are controlled by the computer and are therefore rigid. The question this raises is how do you introduce a game’s rules and mechanics to a player?

neath. As the player now knows about jumping, when they attempt to hit the blocks here in the same way, they will likely land on the ‘Goomba’. This action teaches them the second most important mechanic of the game: jumping onto enemies defeats them.

From this incredibly short segment of gameplay, the player is immediately taught the main actions Mario can use as well as their main method of defeating enemies. By forcing the player into positions in gameplay where they have to utilise the mechan ics of the game that they may not necessarily know about, they are taught the extent of their abilities with out having their hand held by the game.

If a level has a unique gimmick, this will first be introduced to the player in a safe manner that does not result in punishment (losing a life) if the player fails the challenges the mechanic provides. This allows the player to experiment with, and learn, the mechanic before progressing through the level.

The mechanic is then expanded with some risks incorporated into it. This can include pits that the player can fall down if they fail, or enemies that must

tion and expands on it to provide more challenges and push the player.

This culminates in the final challenge of the level that utilises the levels main gimmick in, usually, an unexpected manner that the player has to adapt to based on what they know about it. Moreover, this section may add in other mechanics that the player has encountered across other levels as well as hazards. This makes for a complex challenge that is still fair to the player as they have

Super Mario Bros. is an example of a game that introduces its gameplay mechanics phenomenally. The game’s first level (World 1-1) introduces all of the elements the player needs to know without ever telling them what they are.

The first ‘? Block’ encountered is suspended high enough off of the ground that the player is encouraged to jump to reach it, therefore intuitively teaching them the game’s most integral mechanic. This is followed by having a row of ‘Brick Blocks’ and ‘? Blocks’ with the most common enemy, a ‘Goomba’, under-

This introduction of rules and mechan ics has been a part of the Mario franchise since this point, and has evolved and adapt ed to accommodate the increasingly complex level of the games.

Mario 3D World demon strates this incredibly well.

Many levels throughout the game utilise unique gimmicks and mechanics to keep the game distinct. However, this produces an increasing number of rules that must be explained to the player to ensure the level remains fair. The design of each level follows a similar structure that allows the player to learn and reinforce any new rules.

“How do you introduce a game’s rules and mechanics to a player?”

“It is a labour of love”

Book Review: Vegan Street Food

Caitlin McGraw reviews her new cookbook 'Vegan Street Food' by Saskia Sidey in her bid to try out new, healthy recipes moving into 2023.

Caitlin McGraw

Every January, I set a New Year’s resolution along the lines of trying new recipes and cooking more meals from scratch to ensure that cooking remains a fun hobby rather than a necessary task, with the added bonus of eating healthier following festive indulgence. One of my Christmas presents this year, a recipe book titled ‘Vegan Street Food’ by food writer Saskia Sidey, has already proved a hit and provided recipes to begin another year of expanding my palate and cooking capabilities.

and many more cuisines. ‘Vegan Street Food’ promises ‘50 Vegan recipes inspired by the world’s finest street foods’, including ambitious curries, burgers, steaks, side dishes and salad recipes consisting entirely of animalfree and plant-based ingredients. Whilst the style may be street food, the portions are anything but small. The recipes are perfect for group meals or batch cooking, alongside others working as quick snacks or salads. Moreoever, flipping through the pages, readers are greeted with colourful shots of each dish that highlight how vegan food can be beautiful, diverse and appetising to non-vegans like me.

well-seasoned, innovative and relatively simple to follow, ultimately producing a comforting winter dinner for the whole family. Sweet potato, aubergine, cauliflower, beans, and mushrooms appear throughout the recipes as core substitutes for meaty textures and flavours, providing organic and nutrient-filled approaches to cooking plantbased dishes. Appreciating the new ingredients, recipes, and flavours gained by eating vegan food can make changing diets and lifestyles easier, as can considering the environmental benefits associated with making compassionate food choices.

push the boundaries of which recipes I chose to recreate.

considered, and made cooking even more enjoyable in its easyto-follow instructions and concise ingredient lists. Even if you do not wish to make the jump to veganism, consider integrating a few vegan dishes and recipes into your mealtimes to enjoy the experience of cooking with unfamiliar ingredients and flavours, without the pressure of a new lifestyle.

The cookbook combines two of my favourite types of meals: street food and vegan / vegetarian dishes. It offers a fresh take on foods from India, Mexico, Italy

In the spirit of ‘Veganuary’, I first attempted the sweet potato and cauliflower curry, which included creamy coconut milk and ground turmeric to add a bright yellow kick to the dish. As far as curries go, this recipe was

Since receiving this cookbook, I have added banana pancakes, cauliflower nuggets and teriyaki courgettes to my repertoire, with the latter standing out as a favourite due to the texture and flavour of courgette fried and steamed in a way that I had never attempted before. Making the teriyaki marinade was also fun and more authentic than buying a premade sauce - it tasted delicious too! I am looking forward to attempting the sweet potato quesadillas and black bean meatballs next, with this recipe book providing versions of dishes that I have often avoided or deemed too complicated to replicate. The cookbook also came attached with two seasonings to be used in various dishes. These were great as they acted as a motivator to

Review: Barsana

‘Vegan Street Food’ is the first vegan cookbook that I have owned; it is a fantastic introduction to cooking fresh, free-frommeat recipes for recently converted vegans, or anyone who enjoys eating plant-based meals. The recipes are highly adaptable, and some ingredients can easily be switched to cheaper nonvegan alternatives to milks, sauces and cheeses, making it accessible to students on a budget and those with a variety of dietary requirements. Overall, it was a great gift that has introduced me to different ways of combining both unfamiliar and much-loved ingredients in ways I had never

Cara-Louise Scott reviews Indian restaurant Barsana, and praises the variety of vegan and vegetarian options on offer.

Cara-Louise Scott Digital Editor

Located down Harborne High Street, Barsana is a new Indian restaurant and takeaway, serving purely vegetarian and vegan food.

I visited Barsana unexpectedly just before Christmas when my friends and I went out to Harborne, with the intention of going somewhere else. However, much to our luck, the place we wanted was full and instead our gaze landed on Barsana, a restaruant we had never seen before. Given that two of my housemates are

vegan and I am vegetarian, this seemed like a good choice.

Upon entry, Barsana boasts rich, elegant decor with a white and grey interior, grey sofa seats and black leather seats, as well as chandeliers gracefully hanging from the ceiling. For the location, small size, and lower prices of the restaurant, we were not expecting the extensive beautiful interior.

As Barsana also does takeaways, the restaurant itself is quite small. We were lucky to be visiting mid-week so it was not busy and at one point, we were the only table in there. However, I would recommend booking in advance if you plan on visiting on a Friday or Saturday night, as I imagine it can get busy on the weekends.

The restaurant serves a delicious array of curries, IndoChinese food, street food, rice, breads, and even desserts. All of the options are vegetarian and a high majority of the options (I would say around 75%) are vegan.

The prices on the menu vary but all are affordable. The main course dishes range from £5-12,

with most costing between £7-10. Breads, rice and chips range from £3-5 depending on your choice.

I chose the ‘Veg Noodle’ which consisted of stir-fried noodles, a heap of vegetables and chilli and soy sauce. The vegeta-

ble noodles were flavourful from the soy sauce, with a slight spicy kick from the chilli. The noodles and vegetables mixed together created a heavenly flavour and texture.

The dish itself was quite small but I chose to have the ‘Tandoori Roti’ on the side which made the meal more filling. It came with massive pieces of roti in the basket and both were soft and had a slightly warm, oily dough feeling to them. If you have a curry, I would recommend pairing it with roti.

My friends tried two different curries and the chips; they all found the food to be mouthwateringly delicious and packed

with flavour. Most of the dishes were on the smaller side, however, so I would recommend getting a side to go with it.

The service was fairly quick and the waitress was friendly and attentive. The restaurant also has a large drinks menu, including ciders, beers, mocktails, soft drinks, and hot drinks, as well as a buy any two cocktails for £14.99 (not quite 2-4-1 but still cheaper than buying two cocktails separately).

From my experience of Barsana, it is one of the best Indian restaurants in the local area and I will certainly be visiting again before I finish uni. If you are looking for a new Indian restaurant to visit that is local but outside of the city centre, be sure to check out Barsana’s enticing menu of veggie Indian food.

"'Vegan Street Food’ promises '50 Vegan recipes inspired by the world’s finest street foods'"

"The cookbook also came attached with two seasonings to be used in various dishes"

Caitlin

McGraw

Food&Drink Writer

"The recipes are highly adaptable [...] making it accessible to students on a budget and those with a variety of dietary requirements"

"One of the best Indian restaurants in the local area"

"All of the options are vegetarian and a high majority of the options … are vegan"

Cara Louise-Scott

Cara Louise-Scott

"The restaurant serves a delicious range of curries"

Meal-Kits: Costly, or Cost Effective?

Polly Watton

Food&Drink Writer

Recent years have seen a rise in ‘meal-kit’ services such as HelloFresh, Gousto and AllPlants, especially during the pandemic, when recreating restaurant quality meals became a preferential past-time. In fact, the purchase of meal kits and grocery boxes in the UK increased by 114% between April 2020 and 2019. As society recovers from the pandemic and returns to normal life, finding time for cooking proves difficult and food waste feels inevitableespecially for students who find themselves swamped by deadlines and frequently tempted to get a takeaway or join friends for a post-lecture dinner out. Are these meal-kit services the way forward?

The first question we might ask is just how cost-effective are these services? The 2022 National Student Money Survey highlighted that the average monthly cost of groceries cost a student £116, spending £29 per week on a food shop. In comparison to Gousto, which provides a box for six meals (three meals for two people) for £29.99, and Hello Fresh which for the same amount of meals costs £28.49, the prices are not hugely different. However, it is also important to keep in mind that while there may be occasional leftovers, these services do not usually include breakfast, lunch, or snacks.

AllPlants is slightly different, as you can pick from breakfasts, lunches and desserts, along with your evening meals. Dinners roughly cost around £5.75 and serve two. So, compared to HelloFresh and Gousto, three meals for two people would be £17.25. This is significantly cheaper than the other two, although there is a minimum order spend of £25. Despite oneoff discounts, regularly using these services would not be cheaper than your average food shop. Nonetheless, if you do have enough money to purchase these services each week, what are the benefits of doing so?

The cost of these services are certainly not cheaper than pre-

planning your own meals, as just six dinners would cost roughly the same amount as an average student weekly food shop. However, during exam season, when conjuring up meal ideas, going food shopping, and standing in the kitchen cooking is not viable, perhaps the monetary costs can come second to the benefits for mindfulness. UoB student Amelia Bailey states, 'Gousto made cooking healthy hearty meals accessible to me while I was busy with exams during second year. During a time when we often feel as if there is no time to eat at all, Gousto made cooking a time to take a break and focus on feeding myself in a relaxing and tasty manner.' Furthermore, many of these services offer first time discounts: HelloFresh offers 60% off your first box, meaning six meals would cost you just £11.40.

Aside from ease, another one of the main benefits comes from how these services work to combat food waste. Cutting food waste is one of Gousto’s founding principles. According to Gousto, all of their ingredients are pre-measured so that 'none of it ends up in the bin'. Likewise, HelloFresh state: 'we waste 21% less food waste than traditional food retailers.' In fact, HelloFresh recently ran a survey of 2,000 adults that revealed the average Brit has £171 of uneaten food sitting in their kitchens. But are these companies the way to go in order to combat this food waste, or are there more cost-effective strategies?

Methods to reduce food waste without cashing out on these services are plentiful. There are countless tips out there, such as making soups with leftover vegetables, creating meal plans, and understanding that 'best before' dates are not the same as 'use by' dates. Freezing your food is also a great alternative to throwing it out and many packaged foods have freezing instructions. However, if you are looking to try something new and can afford the price tag, services like Gousto, Hello Fresh and AllPlants certainly offer a straightforward means of cooking healthy meals, whilst also having a positive impact on the environment.

HelloFresh: My Experience

Ashley Kabue reviews the Hello Fresh mealkit service, and praises its hassle-free and quick cooking experience - for a steep price.

Ashley Kabue

Food&Drink Editor

HelloFresh is one of the leading meal-kit subscription services in the country. It claims to have 'both delicious and nutritious meals' that can be cooked in 'around 30 minutes', and is popular with those on busy schedules as it cuts out the hassle of going to buy ingredients and thinking of what to cook during the working week. As a student on a tight budget, when my friend offered me a discount code that reduced the price of my first order from £38.99 to just £5, I couldn’t refuse! Here are my thoughts:

Ordering:

The website is easy to read and presents a wide variety of plans to suit different lifestyles and dietary preferences. With categories such as 'Healthy', 'Vegetarian', 'Rapid' and 'Family-Friendly', alongside premium options with luxury meats such as steak, it took a long time to make up my mind on a meal plan. After debating on appealing choices such as 'Rogan Josh Style Lamb and Lentil Curry' and 'Spiced Roasted Broccoli on Zhoug Couscous', I finally picked three options: 'Hoisin Beef and Mixed Veg Stir-Fry', 'Black Bean and Sweet Potato Harissa Stew', and 'Cajun Spiced Bass and Chive Dressing'. Each of my options provided three meals for two people, totalling a whopping 18 meals.

Delivery:

The delivery options are extremely flexible as they allow you to pick a specific time frame in which you will be home to receive the order –either in the day, or evenings. The packaging is largely paper and cardboard, and it was pleasing to see their commitment to reducing plastic waste. The

items are individually packaged, and then divided into two sections: the pantry items are kept separately from the items that require refrigeration, which are kept cool with an ice pack. I arrived home an hour after my box was delivered, but was pleased to find that my food was all still cold.

Cooking:

When it comes to cooking, each meal comes with a card that shows a labelled picture of the food item, and a detailed recipe with instructions on exactly how to cook the meal. This recipe card is extremely clear: it lets you know which ingredients you will need that are not included in the delivery - such as water and oilas well as which utensils you will need to cook the meal. The instructions leave no room for confusion as they instruct on exactly how to cut any vegetables, precise cooking times, and when to complete each task. They also include helpful cooking tips, such as rinsing noodles in cold water after they are cooked to avoid them sticking together - things that might be intuitive to natural cooks, but are easy to forget if you have less experience in the kitchen. Cooking with HelloFresh was extremely beginner friendly, easy to clean up and quick.

sauce, and mixed vegetables in thick noodles - simple, but hearty. The 'Black Bean and Sweet Potato Harissa Stew' was my favourite, as the soup was creamy and delicious. Finally, the 'Cajun Spiced Bass and Chive Dressing' was fresh and zesty. All recipes include ingredients such as ketjap manis, hoisin sauce, harissa sauce and cavolo nero that are not easy to source from the supermarket, and added an interesting twist to my usual cooking. I found that whilst the flavours were generally tasty, they occasionally lacked depth. Chopping up a few onions and adding chilli or smoked paprika will certainly elevate your experience. I found myself adding ingredients to every recipe, which was fine as I was experimenting, though doing this did increase the cooking time which defeated the point of the service in a way. They are decent meals, but if you are used to cooking for yourself, you might value the convenience of HelloFresh more than the quality of the food. Even so, the produce was all fresh and tasty, and my friend who had an issue with receiving an incorrect item stated that it was really quickly resolved.

General Thoughts:

Overall, I found the service to be extremely convenient - it eliminates the hassle of food shopping, the questioning of 'do I have all these ingredients, what should I do with them?', and is quick and hassle-free. However, at full price, my £38.99 box would have amounted to £3.59 per serving; whilst I believe this to be a fair price for those with full-time jobs, I think that on a student budget, you can create similar meals with ingredients from ALDI for much less!

Taste:

My 'Hoisin Beef and Mixed Veg Stir-Fry' included hoisin

Polly Watton evaluates mealkit services, asking whether their heavy price tag is worth the environmental and health benefits for the typical university student.

“Cooking with HelloFresh was beginner friendly, easy to clean up, and quick."

Ashley Kabue

Ashley Kabue

A Valentine's Day to Remember: Top Romantic Getaways for 2023

Lydia Don provides us with her top recommendations on where to spend a romantic few days this Valentine's season

Lydia Don

Travel Writer

This year, Valentine’s getaway destinations are playing cupid, enticing you to take in the beauty and intrigue of their respective towns and beaches, while at the same time deepening your relationship with your significant other. Whilst Paris and Venice continue to maintain their statuses as world capitals of romance year-on-year, many other destinations are waiting in line to capture the hearts of thousands of new visitors this Valentine’s Day. So whether you are celebrating by yourself or alongside somebody else, these following destinations will certainly catch your eye.

activities and relaxation. Packages designed specifically for couples are readily available and can be tailored to your preferences. Whether you revive your love of a past hobby or try something new, why not top off your holiday with some relaxation? Spa days in old country houses could be just the tranquility you need to unwind alongside your partner. Alternatively, the ‘Theatre by the Lake’ and Keswick Alhambra, an old cinema built in 1913, will allow you to experience some calm when watching a heart-warming classic or a newly anticipated film. And, if you can’t get enough of the outdoors, the stargazing opportunities will never fail to disappoint.

Amalfi Coast, Italy

up for more of an adventure, try out ‘Sentiero degli Dei’, or ‘The Path of the Gods’ - a hike ribboning the Amalfi Coast between the towns of Bomerano and Nocelle that will take you away from the hustle and bustle of the more touristy towns. Also on the Amalfi coast is Fiordo Di Furore, a secluded beach with mountains bordering either side.

Lake District, United Kingdom

A love potion of history, nature and adventure, the Lake District has it all. Situated in the north of England, this natural wonder gives couples opportunities for new experiences,

The charming spots along the Amalfi Coast will undoubtedly capture your heart. Strolling along its stunning beaches, sitting at a candlelit table for two at an authentic Italian restaurant, sunbathing on the pearl white beaches: what could be more perfect? The town of Amalfi was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 and is home to a variety of boutiques and cobbled streets. From here, you can venture to surrounding areas such as Conca del Marini, home to the world famous Emerald Grotto, or Positano, known widely for being especially romantic with its abundance of couples’ boat rides. If you are

Santorini, Greece

A poster-shot for romance, Santorini fulfils all of the criteria if you are searching for relaxation and culture. It is certainly worth the 4-hour flight to this unparalleled island. Surrounded by the cerulean Aegean Sea and consisting of its world famous blue and white houses, Santorini is a go-to Valentine’s destination for couples. Couples can expect history at the Akrotiri archaeological site, a Bronze Age settlement destroyed by the Theran volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC. This prehistoric

48 Hours In... Prague

town has come to be a popular tourist attraction, and certainly should not be overlooked if you and your partner wish to expand your knowledge of this stunning destination. Plus, the coastal village of Oia is a fantastic day out if you crave visit -

ing its mountain-top castle, maritime museum or independent book stores nestled away in the ancient buildings defining the quaint town. Santorini should be a serious consideration: there really is no other place like it.

Kathryn Dungey guides us through a fun-filled two day trip to Prague

ways to make the most of the city given that it has so many beautiful buildings to admire.

Feast for the senses

Continuing festivities

Deciding to start 2023 with a bang, my friends and I caught a plane to Prague for two nights. In total, our flights and Airbnb came to less than £150 so it is definitely doable on a budget! Upon arrival, we headed straight to the Old Square’s Christmas Market. One of the main reasons we chose Prague was because it is one of the few European cities with a Christmas market that remains lively even after Christmas. I found that the Old Square was the prettiest area there and we spent our time looking around its market stalls, stopping to try dumplings and hot dogs for lunch. After this, we decided to get to know the area a little better by taking a short wander around. This is one of the best

To celebrate our first night, we decided to treat ourselves to a meal in Restaurace U Prince, a restaurant in the Old Square. We had a view of the famous medieval Astronomical Clock which had little animated figurines that were put on a popular display every hour. We tried the local cuisine, enjoying beef goulash and duck. As we were in the centre of the Old Town, our meal was a little more expensive than when we ate slightly further away the fol -

lowing evening. Nevertheless, it was still less than £20 each for our meal and a cocktail. Once finished, we decided to visit the Sex Machines Museum out of curiosity. It ended up being a highlight of the trip and certainly generated a lot of laughs. The following day, we headed to Prague Castle and the views were definitely worth the walk up the hill. Inside the complex, we stopped to admire St. Vitus cathedral, one of the most stunning buildings in Prague with its intricate architecture and stained glass windows. Whilst you have to pay to see the whole of the Cathedral’s interior, we were able to enjoy the colourful reflections from the windows in the entryway of the Cathedral for free. By this point, we were quite hungry and so decided to return to the Old Town. Journeying across the famous Charles Bridge was an enjoyable experience and we marvelled at the musicians who were playing there.

The local cuisine

We began our final evening in Prague at Craft House, a small and cosy beer bar. The staff were super friendly and recommended drinks based on what we wanted to try or the flavours we preferred. We would have happily spent much

slightly cheaper meals compared to the night before. Seeing as we still had some space left, we knew we had to try Trdelník from a shop opposite the restaurant. We had seen these chimney-shaped desserts all around the city. With a taste very similar to a pretzel, trdelník is a pastry treat typically filled with chocolate spread and cream. They were super tasty but a little sweet and sickly!

A great trip for all

longer there if it hadn't been for our rumbling tummies so we moved on to the restaurant we had spotted earlier in the day. In Restaurace U Zlateho Stromu, we had similar but

We ended the night by enjoying the Old Square once more and having some festive group photos. We all felt that we had spent the perfect amount of time in Prague given its relatively small size. I would strongly recommend Prague to anyone wanting a short break in one of Europe’s prettiest cities. It is also budget-friendly, making it perfect for students too!

“This year, Valentine's getaway destinations are playing cupid”

“A love potion of history, nature and adventure, the Lake District has it all”

Unsplash/Tânia Mousinho

Kathryn Dungey

Travel Writer

“This is one of the best ways to make the most of the city...”

“St. Vitus cathedral, one of the most stunning buildings in Prague...”

One for the Bucket List: Ecuador

of Ecuador

Having spent approximately four months travelling around Ecuador in the summer of 2019, there is still so much more that I would love to do and see in this beautiful South American country. I feel as though I have only scratched the surface of what Ecuador has to offer, and this article will go through the incredible locations that I was lucky enough to visit.

Cayambe

Beginning in Ecuador’s stretch of the Andes mountains, I recommend spending some time in Cayambe, an agricultural city that lies below the snow-capped Cayambe volca -

no. This extinct glaciated volcano is both Ecuador’s thirdhighest peak and the Earth’s highest peak that directly intersects with the equator. If you can handle the altitude sickness, there is a range of climbing tours up Cayambe’s volcano, which stands at an elevation of 5790 metres above sea level. As well as the volcano, the city features its very own equator monument, La Bola de Guachalá, which allows visitors to cross the line between the northern and southern hemispheres! If you get the chance, make sure to try tortillas de tiesto, a traditional recipe for the Andean Kichwa people.

Otavolo Market

Around 30 kilometres from Cayambe lies Otavalo Market, one of the largest indigenous markets in Latin America. The Otavalo Market is located in the Imbabura province in the Otavalo district and is renowned for its wealth of crafts and clothes. The market is vibrant and bustling - the perfect day trip for those travelling around the country.

The Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands that travellers can fly into from Guayaquil. Keeping in mind the strict rules that travellers must adhere to for the

protection of the island’s delicate ecosystems, there is plenty to do for visitors on Santa Cruz Island. The Darwin Research Station in the town of Puerto Ayora rears tortoises from various subspecies. Here, visitors can see tortoises of all ages as they are bred in captivity before being introduced to the wild. The island is also home to the Highlands Tortoise Reserve, where visitors will find giant land tortoises roaming around freely, with opportunities to feed the tortoises and learn about their different shell types. It is also home to two lava tunnels that visitors can walk through. Santa Cruz Island also offers many guided snorkelling and scuba diving excursions off its coast.

42,000 square miles and frequently experiences tropical storms and sweltering heat. The Rainforest is bursting with life and is home to over 300 species of mammals, 350 species of reptile, and 800 species of fish. Visitors can take canoes down the river or trek through the hills, and most evenings they will be treated to an utterly unforgettable sunset.

Quito and Guayaquil

For South America’s fourth smallest country, Ecuador manages to really pack a punch with its stunning natural landscapes, must-visit cities, and vibrant culture. Although I only touched the surface of what Ecuador has to offer, hopefully, these suggestions are a good starting point for why Ecuador should definitely be one for the bucket list.

Amazon Rainforest

Returning to Ecuador’s mainland, Ecuador’s Amazon Rainforest, also known as the Oriente, is a hub of rich biodiversity. Ecuador’s Amazon Rainforest stretches over

I would also recommend spending time in both Quito, Ecuador’s capital city, and Guayaquil, Ecuador’s secondlargest city and the nation's busiest port. The city was founded in the 16th century on top of a ruined Inca city and is home to around 2.8 million Ecuadorians. Standing at an altitude of 2850m above sea level, Quito is known for its stunning architectural blend of European and Indigenous styles, as seen in the city’s well-preserved churches and city-centre structures. Guayaquil is a colourful city full of art galleries and cafes that feel incredibly welcoming and there always seems to be something going on down every street - it is a wonderful city to explore.

There are so many incredible places to visit in Ecuador.

Jess Parker gives her account of an exciting few months spent in the tropical country

Jess Parker

Film Editor

“This extinct glaciated volcano is both Ecuador's thirdhighest peak and the Earth's highest peak that directly intersects with the equator”

“Visitors will find giant land tortoises roaming around freely, with opportunities to feed the tortoises and learn about their different shell types”

Unsplash/Simon Berger

Unsplash/Kiyoshi

“Quito is known for its stunning architectural blend of European and Indigenous styles”

“The market is vibrant and bustling - the perfect day trip for those travelling around the country”

Unsplash/Reiseuhu.de

Fierce or Cruelty: Paris Fashion Week and Animal Abuse

Life&Style's Serena Murphy discusses the use of animal products in Paris Fashion Week, and whether outfits are ever truly cruelty free

Serena Murphy

Life&Style Writer

‘Nothing is as it appears to be in Schiaparelli’s Inferno Couture…’ promised the fashion house in the caption of a recent Instagram video featuring Kylie Jenner sporting their garment. This statement turned out to be true, but not for its intended reasons.

Kylie’s outfit, a fitted black dress with what appeared to be a lion’s decapitated head perched on one shoulder, worn to the Schiaparelli Haute Couture runway on 23 rd January, sparked waves of confusion and criticism, with many being initially appalled at what appeared to be a proud display of blatant animal cruelty.

Designed by Schiaparelli’s creative director Daniel Rosebury, Kylie’s dress was the teaser for a collection featuring fake snow leopard and wolf heads. Amid the media frenzy, a video compilation of Kylie’s look emerged on Schiaparelli’s Instagram, the caption stating in block capitals that ‘NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN MAKING THIS LOOK’.These claims failed to quell critics, with one user commenting that ‘Faux or not…You have an incredible platform to

make a change… instead you used it to glorify trophy hunting… How is THIS fashion?’.

Criticism was quickly intercepted by none other than Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She argued that ‘Kylie’s look celebrates lions’ beauty and may be a statement against trophy hunting, in which lion families are torn apart to satisfy human egotism.’

However, while I believe it is commendable to critique the collection for promotion of trophy hunting, both sides to this argument fail to see the disturbing reality that, in fact, Schiaparelli’s garments were not cruelty-free, and the lives of actual animals were taken in the production process. Despite their bold claim that no animals were harmed, Schiaparelli also noted that wool and silk were used to create the faux heads, both of which claim the lives of animals daily. Schiaparelli really did live up to their promise that ‘Nothing is as it appears…’.

So why did Schiaparelli claim their clothes to be cruelty free when they are not? And whyaren’t more people talking about it?

While many argue that sheep are not actually killed for their wool, in most cases, this is far from true. The wool industry is

ultimately a consumer industry like any other, driven by demand and profit. In the process of wool extraction, it is common for sheep to be castrated with no pain relief, beaten, and have their tails docked. They either die on the shearing floor from stress, exhaustion, or neglect , or are slaughtered when their wool is no longer profitable. Even if Schiaparelli were able to source wool from small farms and could ensure that these sheep had not been subject to such cruel practises, I believe that the use of human-made alternatives sends a more powerful message that realistic depictions of animals can be created without the need for any animal to be harmed.

Reality isn’t any brighter for silkworms. PETA, despite Newkirk’s support for Schiaparelli’s collection, has previously condemned silk production. To produce silk, the fibre that silkworms weave to make cocoons is extracted from them through a process of boiling the worms inside their cocoons, preventing their transformation into moths and killing them.

Around 3,000 silkworms die in the process of making one pound of silk, making the silk industry accountable for the killing of billions, if not trillions, per year. In the Pulse of the Fashion

Industry report 2017, silk was found to have the greatest cradle to gate impact on global warming, followed by wool, then leather. Indeed, it is easy to remove ourselves from the suffering of silkworms given that they cannot express pain in the same ways humans can. However, they are sentient beings capable of experiencing pain and fear.

lion’s life over a silkworm’s.

There is hope that society is beginning to acknowledge the cruelty of using animals for clothing. At New York Fashion week in September 2022, celebrities Ricky Gervais and Pink protested against the skinning of animals for fashion through a powerful video titled ‘Stolen For Fashion’, ironically organised by PETA, in which the actors played an alligator and rabbit with missing chunks of skin who confront people wearing alligator skin bags and rabbit fur coats. However, clearly, the fashion industry’s arbitrary justification for the use of wool and silk continues largely unchallenged.

Schiaparelli’s hypocrisy and misinformation regarding the ‘cruelty-free’ nature of their collection is not an isolated incident. I argue that it speaks of a systemic problem, both in the fashion industry and society. The reaction to the collection has demonstrated that, while it is socially inacceptable to showcase a real lion’s head on the runway, critics largely turn a blind eye to the use of materials such as wool and silk. When each is a sentient life, surely it is completely arbitrary to value a

I believe that the only way that Schiaparelli’s garments could be interpreted as a display of artistic licence is if they contained no animal derived materials or processes and lived up to their promise of being cruelty-free. While the skill and talent in creating such realistic faux taxidermy is commendable, any deeper meaning to the collection was overshadowed by its hypocrisy. I believe it is essential that we keep campaigning to prevent the use of animal products in the fashion industry, especially given the existence of human-made alternatives which have the power to save lives each day.

Baby Aire: Celebrity Baby Names and the Spectacle of it all

Julia Cawele discusses the celebrity tendency to name their child unusual names

Julia Cawele Life&Style Writer

The process of naming a new baby is one that has been apparent for centuries. New-born parents across the globe experience the anticipation, but also the pressure of labelling their little ones. A name that has a special meaning to them and their loved ones is the common vitality among most new parents when selecting a name.

Celebrity parents, however, seem to seek all that is not common. The baby-naming business is one of many which has been catapulted into the public domain with the rise of the internet, and with it, celebrity access. Notable public figures from Elon Musk to Kim K have chosen some unusual monikers for their kids which keeps the public fascinated.

Recently, the youngest of the Kardashian sisters; Kylie Jenner announced the name of her son after a long-anticipated one-year wait by fans. In true internet fashion, she dropped the name in an Instagram caption; “AIRE” along

with pictures of him. As expected, this, of course, sent the pop culture world ablaze as she trended on Twitter almost immediately after unveiling baby Aire’s official debut.

The name Aire isn’t a complete surprise considering her firstborn daughter’s name; “Stormi”. As there clearly is a weather theme. However, the internet’s reaction and public scepticism before his name was revealed could shed light on how the names form part of the celebrity’s public image.

The notion of celebrities always choosing usual baby

names seemingly became popularised by the nature of tabloid media. Sensational stories are favoured as they tend to capture audiences which leads to more sales. Thus, bizarre baby names have received greater coverage over time alongside the shift in the nature of celebrity culture. It has moved from primarily an exclusive, high-profile club of people with little knowledge of their personal lives, to an allaccess avenue afforded by social media. Furthermore, as consumers, we have become accustomed to knowing all the minor details of celebrities’ lives from baby name news to what they had for dinner last week. The shift has been shown to benefit stars as it maintains their prominence in the public eye which helps their business ventures as publicity of any kind proves valuable from a marketing standpoint.

Considering this, the marketability of a celebrity in the social media age can be understood to have increased in importance as consumer habits have accelerated. The variety of celebrities now

also consists of “influencers” (social media stars), heightening the competition to stay relevant. Therefore, resorting to elements of their personal lives such as baby names can be leveraged by stars to spark attention, whetherpositive or negative, and create conversation. Notable public figures such as Elon Musk for instance have appeared in the press multiple times for his children’s unusual names. For example, His son with musician Grimes born in 2020 was named “X AE A-12” which is said to mean artificial intelligence. This clearly reflects Elon Musk’s brand Tesla, known as an innovative tech company. Other known celebs for notorious baby naming include Kim Kardashian as she famously named her first daughter North back in 2013. These names graced many news outlets among others as spontaneity proves to have a hold over the public eye. As I conducted research for this article, a quote from a Daily Mail columnist, Anjula Mutanda, in

2013 could still ring true to the spectacle of unusual baby-naming, bringing us closer to the answer as to why it happens. “An unforgettable name supposedly equals an unforgettable person”. Thus, considering this perhaps celebrities want to create unique paths for their now-famous child as these names are often trademarked, helping them with any future business endeavors they may have one day.

"Celebrity parents, however, seem to seek all that is not common"

"They cannot express pain in the same way that humans can"

Omar Lopez / Unsplash

Female Empowerment Songs: Is 2023 the Year of Self-Love?

Life&Style writer Daisy Roberts reflects on Shakira and Miley Cyrus's new songs, and whether they are paving the way for a new kind of female empowerment

Daisy Roberts Life&Style Writer

Most people can say that they’ve listened to a breakup song in their lifetime. Whether or not you’ve actually experienced a breakup, feeling like somebody understands the roller coaster emotions of life can be comforting.

Already in 2023 there have been two big hits released by Miley Cyrus and Shakira about their respective exes. Rather than lamenting the loss of a partner, both songs show the agency the singers have gained post-relationship. This trend poses the question of whether we have entered an era of self-love and female empowerment.

This is certainly recognisable via young people. The rise of the TikTok hashtag, ‘physical and emotional self-care and self-love’, which has more than 52 billion views, may explain why Cyrus and Shakira’s tracks have been such instant hits, as more than ever, people can relate with their messages.

‘Flowers’ by Cyrus was released on January 12th 2023 by Columbia Records as part of her album, ‘Endless Summer Vacation’. The song already holds

no.1 on the Billboard Global 200 and has 217.1 million streams. Cyrus wrote ‘Flowers’ in response to her divorce with Australian actor Liam Hemsworth in 2020 and was described by Lea Velosos in Style Caster as the ‘ultimate self-love anthem of the year’.

tionship; instead, she says of Hemsworth that ‘I forgive every word you said’. This way, the song can be seen as focussing on her rather than her ex, showing how in 2023 we too can learn to move on and prioritise ourselves.

Though Shakira also entered 2023 with a new message for people to hear, it is certainly a different one to Cyrus’. In collaboration with the Argentinian producer and DJ, Bizarrap, Shakira mocked her ex, 35-yearold former centre-back for Barcelona, Gerard Piqué. The couple, who were with each other for more than a decade, separated last year. Piqué has since started a relationship with 23-year-old Clara Chía.

Shakira is lacking. This is because half of the criticisms that should be directed towards Piqué are actually directed towards his current girlfriend. This may be why Shakira was accused by some of internalised misogyny, as in places her song becomes a competition between her and Chía, rather than a meditation on her own growth post-relationship.

In this way we could see how 2023 might be the beginning of a new era of self-love, but that female empowerment may have a ways to go.

Like the teased trailer headline, ‘New Year, New Miley, New Single’, 2023 can be seen as the beginning of a new era of self-love and empowerment, with Cyrus’ single representing the current attention to physical and mental well-being.

Throughout the video, Cyrus can be seen dancing and working out, often in her underwear. Along with the repeated affirmation, ‘I can love me better’, she shows the freedom and empowerment that comes with letting go. Her song is not about th bitter aftermath of an ended rela-

The diss track, which Shakira called ‘a catharsis and a release’ for ‘women who rise up against those who make us feel insignificant’, showed Shakira in a place where she felt stronger post-relationship.

Despite their shared self-love mindset, Shakira and Cyrus’ songs are subtly different.

In the chorus, Shakira repeatedly says how she is ‘too good’ for Piqué, and, though it is undeniable that Shakira’s new track is brimming with self-love, when it comes to female empowerment, it could be argued that

In spite of where Shakira may be lacking in the female empowerment side, recently other female singers are certainly keeping up with Cyrus. This includes SZA’s track ‘Kill Bill’, Taylor Swift’s track ‘Anti-Hero’, and Lana Del Rey’s album ‘Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd’.

From this, maybe we can learn something from female singers to make 2023 the best year it could be. This means learning to focus on self-love and self-care in spite of what the year might bring, but also to help other women to be empowered along with us. With this, maybe 2023 really will become the era for self-love and female empowerment.

The Buccal Fat Removal 'Trend'

Jessica Parker discusses the body image trend cycle and celebrity transprency

Jessica Parker

Film Editor

TikTok’s ever-spiralling trend cycle has picked up a new naturally unattainable body image ideal in surgical buccal fat removal. So, what is buccal fat removal?

Surgeon Naveen Cavale of Battersea’s Real Clinic describes the procedure as “what it says on the tin. It involves removing part of the fat from the buccal fat pad - tissue that is located deep within the cheek”.

The ultimate aim of the procedure is a more defined and chiselled cheek, as seen recently on the likes of Chrissy Teigen, who publicly admitted to having had the procedure done to her 41 million Instagram followers on her story. Other high-profile figures speculated to have undergone buccal fat removal surgery include actress Lea Michele and supermodel Bella Hadid. The sudden craze for the surgery has sparked a range of mixed responses, asking trend-followers to consider whether it is worth going under the knife for what might be just another surgical fad.

Since TikTok broke onto the social media scene in 2017, trends

image ideals, with one user stating, “And just like that… the BBL was gone”. The actions of the Kardashians appear to be a current indicator of where the cycle is, as along with their rejection of their previous surgical exploits came the buccal fat removal trend: opposing fullness and aspiring for sharp features.

In December 2022, Lea Michele posted an Instagram selfie in which her cheekbones looked noticeably gaunter and more defined, sparking discourse about the possibility that she had had buccal fat removal. Michele has never commented on whether or not she has undergone the procedure. However, fans’ shocked reactions at Michele’s appearance sparked a tirade of TikTok videos examining her face, discussing what buccal fat removal is, and pointing the finger at other celebrities who may have had it. TikTok often has a similar response concerning the body-image trend cycle, as seen with many other surgical fixations like lip lifts and nose job side-profile checks. Conversations range from incredibly pro-plastics to the polar opposite, and consider how trends in body images can be very harmful. Yet, considerations of bodily

have been cycled through at a rapid pace. From cult makeup brands to clothing aesthetics, the trend cycle can take on many forms, and not all are harmless. What body types and physical features are sought after by the masses fluctuate, often following their own cycle that encourages unhealthy eating habits and surgical enhancements. Although selfcare and acceptance of body types have improved over recent years, it is hard not to see parallels today with harmful trends that have cycled through in the past.

Consider the ‘heroin chic’ look of the 1990s, a supermodelinfluenced trend that promoted a sickly and unwell appearance to fit in. Subsequently, the body image trend cycle encouraged disordered eating and troubling lifestyle changes to look the part. In 2016 the Kardashians, a reality TV family, increased popularity for the ‘hourglass’ figure. This brought a surge of popular surgical enhancements, including Brazilian buttlifts, hip injections, and lip filler. In 2022 the Kardashians appeared to have begun reversing many of their procedures, opting for a less full appearance. Fans took to Twitter to point out this shift in body

autonomy stay at the forefront of these discussions.

Although only publicly admitting to having had a nose job, Bella Hadid has become a poster child for buccal fat removal and plastic surgery trends. Speaking with Vogue in March 2022, Hadid opened up about undergoing her nose job at only 14, and the regret that went along with this decision, exemplifying how engrained and normalised chasing bodily ideas is for those in the public eye, even from such a young age. Hadid’s adult appearance is noticeably different from when she was younger, sparking many public debates about whether she has had more work done than she admits to. Speaking on the matter, Hadid said, “I have never used filler. Let’s just put an end to that. I have no issue with it, but it’s not for me.” Many believe Hadid had more procedures than she lets on, including buccal fat removal.

Although the stigmas surrounding plastic surgery are far from as damaging as they once were, it is hard to determine whether public figures should have to be completely transparent about their surgeries. On the one hand, that is their private business; however, if someone of

Hadid’s standing were to hide that they had cosmetic procedures, like buccal fat removal, this would enforce unattainable body-image standards harmful to impressionable audiences. With this slew of celebrities having possibly partaken in this trend, it is not a far stretch to imagine that this rejection of full appearances is due to continue. As trends ebb and flow, it is hard to anticipate the next surgical craze.

Joeyy Lee / Unsplash

"Both songs show the agency the singers have gained postrelationship"

Miley Cyrus / Instagram

Climate Questions: Should We Ressurect Extinct Species?

Amy Frith Sci&Tech Writer

The planet is currently experiencing what many scientists believe to be the sixth mass extinction, with an accelerated increase in species and biodiversity loss occurring due to issues of climate change and global warming. Many significant species such as the Tasmanian tiger and the dodo have already been lost, and a further 75% of Earth’s species are predicted to become extinct in the next 300 years if the

situation does not change. With this threat of extinction comes challenges with regards to the conservation strategies required to minimize such loss. The cur rent plan is to maintain biodi versity and protect current ly endangered species to prevent future extinc tions, but new sci ence techniques bring forward more controversial strategies. One such strategy is the idea of ‘resurrect ing’ extinct species. But is this even pos sible, and if so, is it worth considering or is it just too unrealis tic?

An example of such a project as described in Guardian, is the recent study by a US gene editing firm that is attempting to ‘de-extinct’ the iconic Mauritian dodo, more than 300 years after its human induced extinction. Gene editing tech niques allow scientists to find and reassemble key basecodes of the dodo genome, using and

modifying the genetic material of pigeon eggs to do so. Plans to deextinct Australian marsupials such as the Tasmanian tiger are timillion-dollar project aiming to use stem cells to create thylacine cells and an embryo, to be

Such novel experiments ficult, but also present an ethical dilemma

world, it would be amazing to be able to not only ‘de-extinct’ species lost, but also protect those still surviving, but in reality, time, monetary and ethical constraints make this a likely unrealistic goal. Furthermore, the resurrection of a past species does not guarantee its success and continued survival in today’s climate. It may be recreated only to become extinct almost immediately. Perhaps the money to fund these de-extinction projects could be better spent conserving the 75% of species that may soon become extinct, before it is too late.

concerning the use of animals for research purposes. Although, with the dodo project the use of an egg laying bird bypasses the need to implant material into a mammalian reproductive system and impregnate a donor, it may still be unnecessarily stressful for the experimental subject, with a likely low success rate.

Gene editing is also extremely expensive, with the dodo project requiring at least £121 million in funding to go ahead. In an ideal

UK Opens First Coal Mine in Three Decades

Gaming Editor Louis Wright condemns

Louis Wright

Coal mines and their related fossil fuels are emblematic of a by-gone age for Britain; a time when the working class were poor, cold and destitute, the air the people breathed was contaminated with countless pollutants, and the ruling class oppressed with their iron will. It is fitting, therefore, that in the modern age the British Government has made the decision to open the first coal mine since the 1990s.

The West Cumbria Mining Project, approved by the local council in 2020, has seen a string of controversy since its inception. The project was shut down in 2021 swiftly before the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, only to be re-approved by Michael Gove in December 2022. His decision, driven by the fact that

he is "satisfied that there is currently a UK and European market for the coal" and that in addition to it being used as a fuel source will also be used to manufacture steel.

Goverment for the "absolutely inde-

West Cumbria Mining Project

the carbon from elsewhere.

This decision has not been without backlash. Lord Deben, Chairman of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), described the project as “absolutely indefensible” and that in its approval the UK would no longer be a leading example on handling climate change.

Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), commented that the UK’s “Actions must align with the rhetoric”; criticising the UK that despite their conviction in holding other countries to improving their approach on climate change, they do not follow their own word.

Simon Stiell, Executive

The harm that the mine will do to the planet and the precedent its existence sets could cause irreparable damage. In 2021, worldwide emission of CO2 from coal was equivalent to 15 billion tonnes,

The controversy has culminated in Friends of the Earth filing a legal challenge against the government’s decision in the High Court. It is the hope of the group that the challenge and potential hearings will see the project scrapped.

Primarily the mine is utterly pointless for its intended purposes. While intended to be used to mine coal for the production of steel, offsetting the losses in not importing from Russia. However the only major steel production companies in the UK, British Steel and Tata, will not be using the coal due to high sulphur levels in the coal or being able to source

almost 3 billion more tonnes than from oil. With the opening of the new West Cumbria Mine this number is expected to increase as more coal is added to the global coal economy. Moreover, if the West Cumbria Mine sees success

it will likely result in the opening of more coal mines across the country, further exasperating the climate catastrophe.

The irony of a Conservative Government opening the first British coal mines in three decades to turn a profit, when it was the hand of Margaret Thatcher that closed the coal mines to destroy worker’s unions and turn a greater profit from importing coal, is not lost. In a world that is further and further ravaged by the damage of global warming from pollutants found in fuels like coal, opening a new coal mine despite promises to lower CO2 emissions is ludicrous at best and actively malevolent at worst.

Gaming Editor

Sci&Tech writer Amy Frith examines whether we should invest in new gene-editing technology to tackle our planet's "sixth mass extinction"

the

fensible" decision to approve the

Photo by McGill Library on Unsplash

"A further 75% of Earth's species are predicted to become extinct in the next 300 years"

"Gene-editing techniques allow scientists to find and reassemble key base-codes of the dodo genome"

"Perhaps the money to fund these projects could be better spent"

"Coal mines and their related fossil fuels are emblematic of a by-gone age for Britain"

"In 2021, worldwide emission of CO2 from coal was [...] 15 billion tonnes"

HS2: A Technology of Inequality?

Sci&Tech writer Jacob Dawson argues

North,

Jacob Dawson Sci&Tech Writer

HS2 is a rail project in the UK which aims to link major cities in the North and South of England together with a new high speed railway, cutting down travel time significantly. The project has been divided up into several different phases which aim to link London first to the midlands (Birmingham) and then linking Birmingham and London to cities in the north like Manchester (this would then include some new train lines in Yorkshire which are contingent on HS2 construction). HS2 and its backers cite many

benefits to the project. Besides contributing to the UK’s extensive rail network, advocates of the project cite the increase in jobs the project will bring as a result of contracting out work to smaller firms which benefits the economy of local areas affected by the project.

ject funds several Biodiversity projects. Nonetheless, various environmentalist groups and several MP’s have been outspoken in their opposition to the project; Stop HS2 are a group who oppose the project on the grounds that it has “No business case, No environmental case and No money to pay for it”. Several high ranking Tory MPs and backbenchers voiced their opposition to the project, their most notable leader being former MP for Chesham Cheryl Gillan who led opposition to the project for years.

and London there are already extensive rail connections which allow travel between the two cities in under three hours. What the North lacks is extensive high speed rail between major northern cities; HS2 is not the solution to this problem however as the vast majority of investment and development is between London and Birmingham.

To offset the damage done to the environment by HS2, the pro-

As the debate continues among mostly southern Tory MP’s, the perspective of northern England and its residents is being ignored. Between cities like Leeds

Bolstering transport links between the northern England economic centres like Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool is essential if the government seeks to follow through with its plans to “level up” the north of England. Instead of continuing on with privatisation and breaking promises of new rail stations in areas like Bradford it is essential for the government to delegate appropriate investment in green and sustainable public transport solutions to assist the economic growth of northern England.

Several northern MP’s and constituents have voiced frustrations about the lack of investment in the north and its rail system which has been lacking in quality since privatisation in the late 1990s. Former MP and current Labour candidate for Keighley and Ilkley John Grogan said the following about HS2 and the need for high speed rail in Yorkshire “The current plan for HS2 envisages a link from London to Birmingham and Manchester but no high speed rail to Yorkshire. This will put the county at a massive competitive disadvantage compared to the North West and Midlands particularly when it comes to attracting new investment. The original plans for

HS2 would mean a journey time of just 50 minutes from Leeds to Birmingham compared with 2 hours now. Equally important is a new high speed east west rail project over the Pennines which would energise the economic links between the great cities of the North . This is more important for the country as a whole than the Elizabeth line which has just been completed at vast expense in London and the South East . When it comes to getting high speed rail Yorkshire must not take no for an answer."

It is absolutely critical for the residents of the North of England to receive a new high speed train to slash down travel times and increase economic links between the northern population centres. HS2 in its current form only serves to reinforce the critics of this Tory government’s so called “levelling up” policy. We cannot continue nor justify this southern centric doctrine the prime minister and his allies hold so dear.

(Special thank you to former MP for Selby and Keighley and Ilkley John Grogan for provid-

Myth Bust: Carrots Give You Night Vision

Benjamin Oakden

Gaming Editor

Eating carrots has many benefits. They are a rich source of fibre, potassium and vitamin A and C, with evidence to suggest that they improve the immune system, cholesterol balance and gut health. One thing they do not do, however, is give you superpowers.

Many parents have used the classic line of ‘carrots help you to see in the dark’ to encourage picky eaters to consume more vegetables. I was definitely taken in by this ruse, with my younger self eating extra carrots in an

attempt to gain superhuman night vision. Safe to say, that did not quite work out. My five-year-old self was not entirely wasting his time however, as the myth is grounded in some science. The carotene that gives carrots their bright orange colour is converted to vitamin A by the body’s enzymes, with vitamin A being essential for good eye health. Vitamin A helps to clear the cornea, the clear covering of the eye that allows light to enter. More relevant to my dreams of night vision though, is that vitamin A is a component of rhodopsin, a protein that allows you to see in low-light conditions.

Vitamin A deficiency, which can

be common in developing countries, has been proven to lead to night blindness. That being said, while carrots do help to maintain eye health, they certainly do not cause a miraculous improvement in eyesight. The myth of night vision actually stems from a World War Two propaganda campaign, during which the British government popularised the idea that it was actually carrots that gave Royal Air Force pilots the ability to locate and attack German bombers during night raids. The British successes at tackling night raids actually stemmed from the newlydiscovered RADAR technology, which was introduced to the RAF

in 1939. In order to keep the technology secret from the enemy, Britain instead popularised the carrot myth.

The British government continued to push the myth throughout the war, as the German submarine raids against British food imports left the country with an increasing need to grow food at home. As such, the health benefits of carrots, including their apparent night vision, were advertised to encourage the ‘dig for victory’ campaign, in which families were encouraged to grow their own vegetables to lessen the demand for food imports.

There is no solid evidence that the Germans actually believed the

ruse, especially given the fact that they had also been attempting to develop RADAR technology throughout the 1930s. However, what cannot be denied is the farreaching effect the propaganda campaign had on the British people, given the fact that the eye health benefits of eating carrots is still widely known over 80 years later. The science backs up the health benefits of carrots - just do not expect them to give you night vision.

that despite claims of "levelling up" the

HS2 remains emblematic of a "southern centric doctrine"

In the first article of our Myth Bust feature, Sci&Tech writer Benjamin Oakden looks at the science of carrots and eye health

Artistic Impression of an HS2 train, courtesy of HS2 media gallery

"It is critical for the residents of the North to recieve a new high speed train"

"HS2 and its backers cite many benefits to the project"

Australian Open 2023: A New Queen and a Returning King

Takbir Rahman

Sport Editor

Melbourne, Australia - The Rod Laver Arena was the stage for yet another historic moment in tennis as Novak Djokovic claimed his 10th Australian Open title and returned to the top spot as the world No.1. In a stunning display of tennis mastery, Djokovic defeated Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas in a thrilling three-set final, 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5). This record-breaking victory takes Djokovic’s major count to an astonishing 22, equal with Rafael Nadal, cementing his place as an all-time great. At 35 years old, Djokovic’s remarkable run of form continues as he extends his winning streak to 27 matches and shows no signs of slowing down.

From the start, Djokovic was in complete control, stamping his authority with seven of the first nine points and quickly building a 3-1 lead. The world No.5’s precise shots and effortless movement around the court left Tsitsipas struggling to keep up.

Tsitsipas, however, was far from defeated. In the second set, the world No.4 began to find his rhythm and started to pose a real threat to Djokovic. With a mix of powerful winners and a newfound confidence, Tsitsipas broke

Djokovic’s serve and pushed the set to a tiebreak. But, as he has done so many times before, Djokovic rose to the challenge and showed his championshipwinning instincts, clinching the tiebreak and taking the set 7-6(4). The third set was just as intense, with both players exchanging breaks and pushing each other to their limits. With the pressure mounting, the match once again went to a tiebreak, and it was here that Djokovic truly shone. In the end, Djokovic emerged victorious, taking the tiebreak 7-5 and securing his 10th Australian Open title.

counting, the new world No.1 will be the player to beat in the upcoming tennis season.

In a match filled with twists and turns, Aryna Sabalenka became the new Australian Open champion, defeating Elena Rybakina in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The match was a display of pure power and resilience from both players, but it was Sabalenka who came out on top in the end, securing her first Grand Slam title. Throughout the tournament, Sabalenka had been in top form, dropping no sets en route to the final. In the semi-finals, she defeated Magda Linette with ease, setting the stage for her final showdown against Rybakina.

less pressure proved too much, taking a 4-3 lead. Sabalenka held her nerve and served for the title, and when Rybakina sent a forehand long on the fourth match point, Sabalenka fell to the ground in tears of joy.

Sabalenka’s triumph in Melbourne marks the end of a long journey filled with nearmisses and setbacks. She had been a semi-finalist at the last two US Opens and Wimbledon 2021, and many had begun to doubt whether she had the temperament to win a Grand Slam. But with this victory, she has silenced her critics and established herself as a major player in the women’s game.

This victory marks another remarkable milestone in Djokovic’s career and solidifies his status as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. With a total of 374 career titles and

The final was a match of contrasts, with Rybakina starting strongly, breaking Sabalenka’s serve early on to lead 2-1. Sabalenka, however, broke back and levelled the score at 4-4. But Rybakina managed to hold serve and take the first set. In the second set, Sabalenka had to save two break points in the opening game. But she showed her fighting spirit and broke Rybakina’s serve to lead 3-1. She went on to take the set 6-3, forcing a decider.

The third set was an intense battle, with Rybakina coming through a tough service game to lead 3-2. But Sabalenka’s relent-

Twitter/@AustralianOpen

Southampton Sack Nathan Jones After Just 95 Days in Charge

Dan Hunt Editor-in-Chief

It’s January 2022. Southampton’s CEO, Martin Semmens, announces the club has been acquired by Sport Republic. Southampton fans have every reason to feel optimistic. After several years of dwindling investment and slumping league positions, new owners marked a new era for the club. With Rasmus Ankersen, Brentford’s former Director of Football, running the football operations, Henrik Kraft running the business side, and

Twitter/@SouthamptonFC

Serbian billionaire Dragan Šolak bankrolling the project, Sport Republic promised increased investment and, crucially, direction for a club that had seemed to be drifting slowly towards the Championship every season.

Thirteen months on and toxicity has ensued. Southampton’s season thus far can be summarised in bleak numbers. Just 18 goals in 22 games. 15 defeats. 20th in the Premier League with 15 points. 4 points from safety, 2 managers sacked, and a one-way ticket to the Championship looking almost inevitable.

Sport Republic cannot be criticised for a lack of investment. With around £140 million spent on additions to the squad over the past twelve months, the focus has been on signing hot prospects and developing them into first team players.

Experienced players such as Oriol Romeu have made way for Manchester City’s academy stars including Romeo Lavia, Samuel Edozie and Gavin Bazunu. Southampton have a wealth of talent on their books, with players widely touted for international stardom in the years to come, but inexperience has cost the team dearly. Developing players inevitably make mistakes, and these individu-

al errors have conceded goals, squandered scoring opportunities and lost the team crucial points.

ure to implement a cohesive (and winning) playing style saw him sacked over the weekend just 95 days into a 3-and-a-half year deal.

More experienced players were signed in January, including 28 year-old striker Paul Onuachu, and they were hoped to help balance the young squad and give the team the best chance of picking up points and staying up, but so far such additions have failed to make a significant impact on the pitch.

The young players have not been helped by switching managers mid-season with different styles and set-ups. Ralph Hasenhuttl was sacked amid poor form and reports of problems with squad harmony. Nathan Jones was parachuted in off the back of two successful spells at Luton, but his erratic press comments and fail-

Jones’ final game in charge was a 2-1 home defeat against a Wolves team who played over 60 minutes with ten men. The first goal Southampton conceded was a comical own-goal by Jan Bednarek, caused in part by defensive chaos in the box, which is the perfect metaphor for Southampton’s season so far. Unforced errors resulting from previous unforced errors both on and off the pitch, and the club now finds itself in dire straits.

Now searching for their third manager of the season, it’s not over for Southampton... yet. The focus has to be on finding an experienced manager, who, potentially on a short term deal, can squeeze every ounce of potential out of this young squad and avoid the drop.

Nathan Jones’ appointment by Rasmus Ankersen was based on several metrics achieved at Luton. On paper, Jones was a good fit. In practice, his inexperience in topflight football has shown.

Mathematically, it’s possible for the team to avoid relegation. However, unlike other teams who

find themselves in the bottom half as a result of a simple dip in form, Southampton lack identity, confidence and, most worryingly, at times this season, fight. The challenge of the new manager is to fix the team’s pessimistic mentality, as well as tactically revamping a directionless squad. Southampton fans can find some solace in the fact there are still 16 games to turn the tide.

But with the atmosphere at St Mary’s becoming increasingly frustrated with Sport Republic’s approach, their new manager desperately needs to inspire a change in optimism both on and off the pitch.

“The match was a display of pure power and resilience from both players”

Dan Hunt, Redbrick’s Editor-in-Chief and resident Southampton fan, reflects on the Saints’ current predicament following a tough weekend

“This recordbreaking victory takes Djokovic’s major count to an astonishing 22”

“Sport Republic cannot be criticised for a lack of investment”

“Failure to implement a cohesive playing style saw him [Nathan Jones] sacked over the weekend”

Intercept 2023: Lions Prepare for the Biggest Event of Their Year

Joe Liddicot Sport Editor

One of the biggest events on UoB’s netball calendar takes place this week as Intercept rolls around on Wednesday (22nd February). The fixture is the annual BUCS super series event for netball, and will be an evening of netballing excellence and entertainment for all attendees.

In last year’s event, the Lions triumphed over Exeter with a comfortable 58-31 victory, and they’ll be hoping to do the same in 2023 to keep the crowds happy. However, the opponent for this year’s clash is still unknown just a week ahead of the match. What’s certain is that it will be either Hertfordshire University or The University of Manchester who travel to Birmingham for the fixture. The two sides face each other a week before Intercept, with the winner securing their place in the fixture.

Hertfordshire will be the favourites in the match, being the reigning BUCS champions, while Manchester are yet to win a game this season. In their last faceoff in November, UoB came out 71-24 winners over Manchester. Should

Hertfordshire triumph over Manchester, it will set up a mouthwatering rematch of last year’s BUCS Final. Unfortunately for the Lions, they lost that match by a mere three points, and will undoubtedly be seeking revenge should Herts Uni be their opponents on Wednesday.

high-class team renowned for developing young talent. Unfortunately, Rothwell won’t be playing in Intercept due to her commitments to the Mavericks, but the squad is more than capable regardless.

The match itself holds importance for the Lions’ season, it being the Quarter-Final of the BUCS competition. A win would secure a place in the Semi-Final and boost hopes of going one step further than last year to clinch the trophy. The squad certainly has the talent to win it all, with two of the players being members of Vitality Netball Super League teams: Kira Rothwell as part of Saracens Mavericks and captain Ruth Hughes for Severn Stars. Additionally, a lot of the squad play for Central Warriors U21, a

Aside from the match, which starts at 6PM, there are plenty of other forms of entertainment on offer, including a raffle, games for primary school children who are attending, and an appearance from UoB alumnus Ellie Rattu, a current England Roses player. The Birmingham Pussycats will be performing at half-time to keep the crowds happy while the netballers are off the court. No doubt their performance will be just as impressive and exhilarating as the netball on display. Entry to this festival of fun is free, so there’s no excuse not to sample the entertainment available.

over Manchester Met on the 25th of January. This isn’t ideal preparation ahead of the big match, though it may allow for extra rest and recuperation for the playersleaving them at full fitness for the key game. The Lions have lost just two games this season and look in formidable form. Both losses came at the hands of an impressive Loughborough team

who may await UoB at a later stage in the competition. But Birmingham won’t be concerned with Loughborough this weekend. Their focus will be trained entirely on putting on a show for the fans at Intercept, and moving on to the final four of BUCS Netball. Whatever the result, it’s sure to be a thrilling evening for everyone involved.

However, the Lions haven’t played since their 46-39 victory

Birmingham Finish Well at BUCS XC

Oscar Frost reports on BUAC’s Cross Country endeavours in South Wales

Earlier in February, the Birmingham University Athletics Club (BUAC) made the trip to Pembrey County Park in Wales to compete at the BUCS Cross Country championships. After a record-breaking year last time around, the pressure was on to produce similar excellence this time.

The stars of the show for BUAC were the women’s A squad for the long course. They finished with 17 points, which earned them a gold medal for the day. The long course is usually considered to be the more competitive of the two, meaning that this gold medal displayed the high level of talent across multiple Birmingham athletes. Amelia Quirk took home an individual silver medal. She has previously broken the 10km record for the club this season, and was just seconds behind Alex Millard, an established international runner for Loughborough.

ond place behind Loughborough. Despite trailing by eight points to their rivals in purple, they were 69 points ahead of Cambridge, the next highest scorers. Tomer Tarragano finished in fifth place, with the European under-20 champion Will Barnicoat also making the top 10 in the individual standings. The winner of the race was Mahamed Mahamed of Southampton Solent University, who completed the 10.5km course in 32:17.

men’s short race. Again, however, there was a sizeable gap separating them from the rest of the field. The quartet of Tyler Bilyard (5th), Jack Shapley (6th), Larry Ryan (8th), and Ed Blythman (9th) all made it into the top 10, showing the level of competition in this short course race.

It was a similar story for the women, who finished in second place in the short course team standings. Ellen Weir, Hannah Seager and Kate Willis both broke into the top ten, once again showing the competitive nature of BUCS Cross Country Championships.

The rivalry with Loughborough across the board was something to behold this year, and both clubs were certainly pushing the best out of each other. It is expected that both universities will consolidate over the coming year, and Birmingham will come back with a vengeance.

Overall, although the prize haul was smaller than last year, the club still managed to take home medals across the board. One gold and three silver medals in the team standings, plus there being at least three athletes in the top ten of every race, illustrates the strength in depth throughout

the club. Many of these athletes will return another year older and another year faster, setting up the club for even more success next year.

In the men’s long race, the Birmingham team finished in sec-

Michael Ward and David Stone also managed to finish in the top-10, meaning that the four points scorers for Birmingham were all within this threshold. The fact that this was still not enough to pip Loughborough to the gold medal speaks volumes about the standard of racing in this event. BUAC were also pipped to the post by Loughborough in the

Oscar Frost

Sport Editor

“The squad certainly has the talent to win it all”

“After a recordbreaking year last time around, the pressure was on to produce similar excellence”

“An evening of netballing excellence and entertainment”

“The stars of the show were the women’s A squad”

“The rivalry with Loughborough across the board was something to behold”

Elizabeth McGlynn

Transfer Window: Premier League Clubs Continue to Splash Cash

Sport Editor

Premier League clubs spent ground-breaking figures in the 2023 January transfer window, with the overall spending amounting to over £800m. Last month’s transfer period has once again asserted English dominance when it comes to breaking the bank for the world’s top talents. Not only do clubs now have the financial might to attract players, but the draw of playing in the Premier League seems to increase with every passing season.

again underlined the club’s ambitions. The most notable of these was the acquisition of the highly rated Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk for an eyewatering £88.8m, which was seen as a statement of intent from the Blues. The acquisition was made sweeter for the West-Londoners as they snatched him away from neighbours Arsenal, who looked destined to land the Ukrainian.

Off the back of a World Cup win, club-record signing Enzo Fernández joined the London side from Benfica. Chelsea will be counting on their new midfield general to shine in a way that signings of a similar price tag have failed to do in the Premier League.

Fernandez’s predecessors such as Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Jack Grealish (thus far) fell short of the quality their price tag would suggest they held. Fernandez will hope to build on his World Cup success and enter a stratosphere his fellow £100m signings seldom did.

Félix, Noni Madueke and Malo Gusto, further strengthening the team with young talent. This represents a major investment by the club’s owners and is a clear indication of their determination to succeed in the coming years. Pressure will be on Graham Potter to keep a gigantic squad of 42 first team players happy whilst moulding a starting XI which can challenge in the biggest competitions.

made some important additions to their squad, with Brendan Rodgers looking to shore up his defence. The arrival of giant Australia defender Harry Souttar and young Danish left-back Victor Kristiansen, along with loan signing Tetê, will give the Foxes the solidity they need at the back. Nottingham Forest’s transfer action was somewhat limited compared with their Summer free-for-all, but their focus was on experienced players who were deemed surplus to requirements at other clubs. This resulted in the signings of Danilo and Gustavo Scarpa from Palmeiras, Chris Wood from Newcastle, Felipe from Atlético Madrid, Keylor Navas on loan from Paris SaintGermain, and Jonjo Shelvey from Newcastle. Despite their impressive pedigrees, the immediate impact these new additions will have on the club remains to be seen.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were more active in the transfer market. They made six first-team signings in a bid to ensure their survival in the league. The key to their transfer window is undoubtedly Matheus Cunha, who was signed on loan from Atlético Madrid. Cunha is expected to bring much-needed goals to the club, and new head coach Julen Lopetegui has tried to address some of his squad’s issues by bringing in a goalkeeper, central defender, midfielders, and a striker.

No team epitomises the hegemony of English clubs as well as Chelsea. With a flurry of high-profile deals and eye-catching signings, Todd Boehly once

These two players are seen as key pieces of Chelsea’s strategy to rebuild the team with youth, and they are likely to play a big role in the club’s future endeavours.

In addition to these two big names, the club also added Benoît Badiashile, Andrey Santos, João

Elsewhere, Aston Villa had a much more modest transfer window, but it was still effective in addressing their needs. With a clear priority to bring in a leftback, Unai Emery made a smart move in acquiring Alex Moreno from Real Betis, while the arrival of Colombian teenager Jhon Durán is also a potentially shrewd signing in the long term.Fellow Midlands club Leicester City

Just 18 Seconds: Dane van Niekerk Dropped from South Africa Squad

Sophie Utteridge reports on the Women’s ICC T20 and a surprise omission from the South Africa

Sophie Utteridge

Print & Features Editor

The ICC T20 Women’s World Cup has gotten underway in South Africa but the hosts have already caused themselves trouble through the controversial dropping of their captain, Dane van Niekerk.

before the World Cup was due to start.

Van Niekerk, who has just recovered from injury, only returned to training in July last year having broken her ankle in a freak accident. The South African captain went through months of physical therapy after the nasty break before returning to the cricket field. However, after failing to reach the minimum requirements for a 2km run, Cricket South Africa (CSA) ultimately decided to drop van Niekerk days

The cricket world has erupted since the incident. Whilst there are some who agree with CSA’s decision, the majority are outraged at the way the situation was handled. Not only did van Niekerk fail the test by a mere eighteen seconds, many are arguing that a 2km test is a poor way to assess a cricketer’s fitness in the first place. It is not often, if ever, that a cricketer runs a straight 2km during a match. Cricket fitness is far more complex than general cardiovascular fitness and so failing a 2km run, by only eighteen seconds, seems an incredibly harsh reason to drop one of your best players.

Niekerk’s time was her personal best to date. Since her injury, CSA have put her through multiple fitness tests where she improved drastically in each. It would be one thing to drop her if she had not shown much progress, but having run a PB in her final test, she has a right to be “broken” as she later wrote on her Instagram.

van Niekerk, discussing how cricket fitness is far different to general fitness stereotypes.

Not only this, but van

Marizanne Kapp, one of South Africa’s best bowlers and also Dane van Niekerk’s wife, voiced that she felt more care needed to be taken when deciding fitness standards for athletes. “Athletes are different,” she said in a BBC interview. “If you gave me two months to make the requirement I could probably do it. But for athletes like Dane, who are not as naturally fit, it can be more difficult.” England’s Kate Cross agreed and voiced her support for

Perhaps far more worrying is the slow disintegration of order within CSA. This is not the first time South Africa have dropped a player on fitness grounds. Lizelle Lee, who was named ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year in January 2022, unexpectedly announced her retirement in the middle of South Africa’s tour of England in late July - days before the team were due to appear in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games. Later, Lee stated that failing a mandatory weight test was key in her decision to retire from international cricket and since then many have said that she clearly did not receive the support she needed from CSA. Lee, who has been incredibly open about her struggles with her weight, has admitted the situation was not healthy for her to stay in.

CSA have also made seemingly rash decisions about other senior players within the women’s set up, including taking away the central contract of former captain

Mignon du Preez when she decided to step away from the 50 over format. Trisha Chetty, one of South Africa’s leading wicket keepers, was also not selected for the current squad for reasons unknown. Personally, whilst fresh blood is always a bonus to keep squads rotating, the dropping of key players before major tournaments seems confusing at best, but self-destructive at worst. The decisions taken by CSA, and the way they handled them, have only left them more disadvantaged than before. Unsettling the entire team by the removal of their long-serving captain makes little sense and calls into question if the board itself needs a reshuffle rather than the squad. While bringing in new players can be incredibly beneficial to a team, experience is worth far more in major tournaments than being able to run a 2km in nine minutes and 30 seconds. Dane van Niekerk was on the ICC’s commentary panel before being purchased by Royal Challengers Bangalore, where I hope she thrives.

Takbir Rahman

“The draw of the Premier League seems to increase with every passing season”

squad

“Premier League clubs spent ground-breaking figures in the 2023 January transfer window”

“A 2km test is a poor way to assess a cricketer’s fitness”

“The immediate impact these new additions will have on the club remains to be seen”

“The hosts have already caused themselves trouble”

Twitter/ @ChelseaFC

“The cricket world has erupted since the incident”

Femke Bol: The Season to Surpass Rival Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Oscar Frost Sport Editor

The athletics world has been dominated by athletes from the United States in recent years. Noah Lyles’ emphatic win at the Olympics last year and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s 400 metre hurdles World Record are just two of many performances to come to mind. However, Femke Bol could be the best European Athlete coming into the 2023 outdoor season, and could even challenge the supremacy of McLaughlinLevrone.

Bol is certainly not a new kid on the block anymore, but she has been in the shadow of McLaughlin-Levrone in previous seasons. The two went toe-to-toe at the Olympics last year, but the spotlights were on the American athlete following her World Record performance. What onlookers failed to see was the fact that the Dutchwoman had broken the 51-second barrier for the first time. This shows that although McLaughlin-Levrone was in a class of her own on that day, Bol had fast times brewing on the largest stages.

This season so far has only proved that Femke Bol has upped

her game massively. As it is currently the indoor season, it is yet to be seen as to whether either athlete will primarily compete in the hurdles or flat 400 metre race this year. However, the indoor season can give a great indication of where the raw speed of each athlete will be for the rest of the season.

Twitter/ @worldathletics

Bol went above her usual distance, racing in the 500 metres. Blitzing the rest of the field, Bol ran an incredible 1:05.63 World Record. Although McLaughlinLevrone’s race should not be over-analysed, the rift in their performance was gaping. The fact that Bol went through the 400 metre mark in 51.32 seconds is also an indication that she is en route to having some fantastic flat speed this season.

been. Last season, MclaughlinLevrone did not run at all indoors, opening her season at the end of April at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

The Dutch and the American athletes both competed at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix earlier in February, but in very different events. McLaughlinLevrone competed earlier in the day in the 60 metres, running a reasonably sharp 7.33 second clocking. This was not enough for her to make the final in this event. However, her acceleration is not her strong point. This means that we should not read too much into this race, but rather see it as an indication that she wanted to see how she would fare in the shorter sprinting event.

This indication of the Dutch athlete’s speed came to fruition in Metz last week, as she broke the 50-second barrier indoors. Finishing with a mark of 49.96 seconds was incredibly impressive, and was the fastest indoor 400 metre performance since 2004. She then broke the Dutch record in the 200m, with a 22.97 second clocking. These races indicate she might be able to challenge the seemingly untouchable McLaughlin-Levrone this season in the 400 metre flat and hurdles races.

However, it is important to remember that the American does not need to be in her best shape until far later in the season. Although Bol’s performances have been impressive, it is uncommon for a professional athlete to be running as regularly as she has

This frequency of Bol’s competitions seems to be mirroring last season. She ran a total of 29 races last season, which was 19 more than her American counterpart. With the World Championships being held in Budapest in August, it is a long season for Bol to be running regularly in competition in February.

Regardless of the debate over who is going to be faster this season, the women’s 400 metres will be an eye-catching event this year. These two athletes are at the top of their game, and with them being in their early 20s, it is a rivalry that it set to last.

2023 Boxing: A Flat Start to the Year

Professional boxing has had a lacklustre start to 2023, Will Rogers reports

Will Rogers Sport Editor

2023 began as an exciting year within the world of professional boxing, with the potential for exciting fights, rising talents and considerable drama. However, despite the few big fights living up to expectation so far, there is no doubt that the limited appearances of the global stars has left fans wanting more.

lighter weight divisions. Yet outside of this, there’s been very little.

For fight fans it’s not necessarily the fights that have occurred that are causing unrest, it’s the lack of superstars with scheduled fights in the future. Of the top 30 pound-for-pound fighters according to BoxRec, only three of them have fights in the diary, and they’re not the ones that people long to see. Anthony Joshua is facing Jermaine Franklin in his long-awaited return, Joe Joyce moves to the brink of a world title fight against Zhilei Zhang, and Shakur Stevenson faces the relatively unknown Shuichiro Yoshino.

larger paydays, as they see novices earn large purses. Jake Paul and Tommy Fury are the pinnacle of the YouTube boxing world, as their fight in Saudi Arabia will rake in millions for the pair of them. The move to Diriyah, rather than the UK or USA, highlights the search for wealth.

put the fans first, so this fight seems likely this year, with Wembley hopefully, and most likely, to be the venue.

So far the UK has seen two excellent headliners, with Artur Beterbiev defending his light heavyweight titles against rising prospect Anthony Yarde. After eight brutal rounds, the CanadianRussian came out victorious, stopping the Londoner and cementing his place as a poundfor-pound star.

Liam Smith threw the punch of his career to stop Chris Eubank Jr, whilst in America Gervonta Davis showed his power in stopping Hector Luis Garcia. There have also been wins for Emanuel Navarrete and O’Shaquie Foster, showing the array of talent in the

Questions must be raised about why the lack of action is happening. Firstly, many, but certainly not all, had busy 2022s, as the boxing world welcomed back fight fans following the covid restrictions. The year ended on a strong note, with fights for Tyson Fury, Saul Alvarez and Naoya Inoue showing the star power that still exists within the sport.

Moreover, there is a desire for mega-fights to take place in the summer rather than in the colder months. This allows for the hiring of larger venues and stadiums and therefore more ticket sales. Yet Fury fought Derek Chisora at the Tottenham Stadium in December, so it can be done.

Highlighting the need for money, the rise of YouTube boxing has pushed boxers to seek the

Finally, many of the weight divisions have an established star, with few unification fights actually feasible. Inoue has established himself as the foremost fighter at bantamweight, Josh Taylor at super lightweight, Stephen Fulton at super bantamweight, the list goes on.

The two major fights that the global audience craves are Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk and Beterbiev versus Dmitrii Bivol. Fury and Usyk have been on a collision course ever since the Ukrainian defeated Anthony Joshua for the second time in August. Fury has dominated the division in recent years, and a victory over Usyk would cement his legacy as one of the greatest ever. Both of these fighters have often

On the other hand, Beterbiev and Bivol is the fight for the purists, as the two Eastern Europeans are not as glamorous and won’t bring in as much money as their heavier counterparts. Bivol came to prominence on a global scale after beating Saul Alvarez last year, whilst Beterbiev has racked up wins against some top talent. What’s promising is that this fight is also fairly likely to happen, given a place in history as an undisputed champion is at stake. It’s hard to criticise many fighters for the slow start to the year, but let’s hope the pace picks up and builds on an exciting 2022. With the right fights and results, this could become a year to remember.

Twitter/@Tommytntfury

“These two athletes are at the top of their game”

“Jake Paul and Tommy Fury are the pinnacle of YouTube boxing”

“the limited appearances of the global stars has left fans wanting more”

“With the right fights and results, this could become a year to remember”

“Bol is certainly not a new kid on the block anymore”

SPORT

Chiefs Defeat Eagles in Super Bowl Epic

Sport Writer Laurence Piper reviews the duel between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles in an epic Super Bowl

Laurence Piper Sport Writer

Everybody knows that the Super Bowl is probably the biggest sporting event that takes place each year. It is an event that has become so much more than just the game itself, from the adverts and the viewing parties to the celebration and, of course, the halftime show. No other championship game truly compares to the spectacle that is the culmination of the NFL Season, and this year’s Super Bowl lived up to the hype with an incredible half-time performance from the one and only Rihanna and a football game for the ages.

Super Bowl LVII was a heavyweight slugging match between two explosive offences and dynamic QBs. Both the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles traded blows throughout the entirety of this game, combining for a total of 73 points the most since Super Bowl LII in 2018 as well as 757 total yards. For the majority of the game, it seemed like neither team could be stopped from scoring as the notion of defence was relegated to merely an afterthought.

now his second Super Bowl Ring. Other notable offensive performances on the Chiefs were rookie RB Isiah Pacheco, who bruised the Eagles’ defence with his downhill aggressive run style for 76 yards and 1 TD, as well as TE Travis Kelce who reeled in 6 catches for 81 yards and a TD. WRs Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney also both scored a touchdown, and the Chiefs’ offensive line was dominant in their protection of Mahomes against the stacked Eagles’ D-line. Even though they fell ultimately short, I would be remiss not to talk about the stellar performances on the Eagles’ side of the ball. QB Jalen Hurts, aside from the fumble in the 2nd Quarter that was returned for a TD, put the team on his back in a game that, had the defence not underperformed, would have been close. He passed for 304 yards and 1 TD whilst rushing for 70 yards and a record 3 TDs in a statement game that cemented him as an elite NFL QB. On top of this WR DeVonta Smith had a 100-yard game whilst WR A.J. Brown went for 96 yards and a TD as his own O-line also had a good game keeping the Chiefs pass rushers at bay.

Mahomes and his comparatively underwhelming receiving corps. They gave up 6.4 yards per play and forced zero turnovers as they only managed to make the Chiefs punt twice. The credit for this must go to future Hall of Fame Coach Andy Reid who once again called a near-perfect offensive game as he made this dominant Eagles’ defence appear amateur. Great coaches put their teams in the best position to win the big games and that is exactly what happened on Sunday.

The stout Eagles’ defence I had so much confidence in prior to the game was carved up by QB Patrick Mahomes in a demonstration of why he is the successor to the great Tom Brady. He passed for 182 yards and ran for 44 yards whilst also throwing for 3 TDs, earning himself a well-deserved Super Bowl MVP title to go alongside his League MVP Trophy and

However, no Super Bowl would be complete without some controversy, and this year it came in the form of what was, at least in my opinion and that of many others, a horrendous defensive holding call in the last two minutes of the game. That penalty essentially ended the game, leaving the Eagles without a realistic opportunity to tie or take the lead in their last possession. For the millions of people who watched what will go down as one of the most entertaining Super Bowls in recent history, this was a terrible way to see the game end. I maintain that, had this flag not been called, the outcome of the game would have been very different, with the Eagles’ most likely being able to at least tie the game and take it to overtime, or perhaps even scoring the goahead TD to win.

In truth, though, the Eagles’ defence holds the bulk of the blame for the outcome, not that one bad call. Their pass rush failed to get any sacks despite coming into the game as one of the most prolific units of all time, whilst their secondary was torched by

Ultimately however, to the victor goes the spoils. The Chiefs’ players and their fans won’t care about the penalty in the final moments of the game and they won’t care that the Eagles defence didn’t show up on the day because, in the Super Bowl, there are no do-overs, and they now hold the Lombardi Trophy once again. Eagles’ fans will no doubt be heartbroken, but they can take consolation in the fact that they will be a contender once again in the 2023/24 season. Until then, the Chiefs will celebrate for a brief moment before they too turn their eyes to next season and the defence of their title as Mahomes and Reid will look to establish the first NFL Dynasty since Brady and Belichick. Final score 38-35 Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII.

“Great coaches put their teams in the best position to win the big games and that is exactly what happened on Sunday”

“Super Bowl LVII was a heavyweight slugging match between two explosive offences and dynamic QBs”