Issue 1367

It's spin season

The General Election's only months away but why should we vote?

REDBRICK

Features investigates, p9

26th FEBRUARY 2010 ISSUE 1367 VOL 73

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1936

www.redbrickonline.co.uk

News

5

Explosive story on Selly Oak Sainsbury's bomb scare

Features 10 Volunteering special on impressive individuals

Music

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This week's Spotlight on... Los Campesinos!

Arts

18

Arts twist and shout about new Beatles exhibition Smiles all round for the women's hockey firsts as they book their place in the BUCS final with an impressive win over Bristol. Turn to page 26 for Redbrick sports special away day report Photo: Tom Flathers

Bolting to Birmingham Jack Davis THE Jamaican track and field team have signed a deal to bring their team to the University of Birmingham for the run up to the 2012 Olympic games.

This comes only recently after the American track and field athletic team signed an identical deal to bring their athletics team to Birmingham for the 2012 Olmpics.

The Jamaican team is expected to number around 60 strong including officials.

The athletic team won eleven medals at the Beijing games in 2008, six of them gold.

The athletic team for the USA will also be bringing their

sizeable team of 160 over to reside in the city and make use of various Birmingham sporting vacilities in the run up to the games.

According to Birmingham City Council, the two deals which were signed last year are worth a combined ÂŁ15 million to the city.

Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby said: 'We were first out of the blocks with the USA team. These [Jamaicans] are the fastest athletes in the world. It underpins Birmingham's credibility as the UK's sporting city.'

It also means that Birmingham will be a temporary home to some of the worlds fastest men, including Tyson

Gay of the USA. With the deal with Jamaica confirmed, the world's fastest man Usain Bolt, world record holder for the 100 and 200 metre sprints since 2008, will be residing and training at the University of Birmingham immediately before the 2012 games.

Zena Wooldridge, the University of Birmingham's Director of Sport commented: 'There's already a real buzz at the University and I think this deal offers a great opportunity of a real connection between Birmingham and the Olympic Games.

Initially this has been driven

by Birmingham City Council and the contacts they have built up over many years through host-

ing major sporting events. In this particular case I think the University was a very strong and obvious partner in terms of the range of facilities that we have on what is a beautiful, leafy, green campus.'

The news that the world's fastest man will be training on the University's ground has also sparked much interest amoungst the students of the University.

Joe Durrant, Treasurer of the University Athletics and Cross Country Club said: 'It will be an inspiration to know that I will be training on the same track as Usain Bolt in 2012.'

Film

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A lonely Film writer explores the top ten imaginary friends Birmingham’s Premier Private Hire Company

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2 News

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Calendar

Speaker airs views on Israel

Friday 26th February

Rosa McMahon

Gilbert & Sullivan present The Mikado, 7.30pm in the Chaplaincy, email gns@guild.bham.ac.uk for info/tickets (£5)

Micaela Winter

LGBTQ Homophobia is Gay barcrawl, tickets are £6 inc.

Entry and transport from the Guild. For details, see: http://bit.ly/d9lq0C Jazz & Blues society – Antonio Feula gig, from 9pm in Joe's, £3 for non-members, see http://bit.ly/9oBria Intervol Cake Sale raising funds for Bulgaria. 11am-3pm, outside Spar in the Guild. Raffle tickets will also be sold for the cause; first prize is a £10 Topshop voucher.

Monday 1st March Carnival RAG present 'Carnage believes in magic', tickets £6 available from Joe's/Halls/online – www.carnivalrag.com Birmingham JSOC presents Adam Bloom, winner of the Polygram Video Punters Comedy Award, and Time Out Best Stand-up. Bar One – Vale Village 9pm Wednesday 3rd March Question Time with the University Vice-Chancellor and Guild President, 6-7.30pm in Council Chambers with free food. See: http://bit.ly/9lZol1 for details Infinity: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht. 3rd, 4th, 5th March in the Amos Room

LAST Monday, the Jewish Society invited prominent South African Journalist and acquaintance of Nelson Mandela, Benjamin Pogrund, to speak at the University.

Within the talk, entitled 'Is Israel an Apartheid State?' Pogrund aired his beliefs concerning the current situation in Israel.

Having worked as a journalist in South Africa for 26 years, and having witnessed first hand the apartheid there, his sole purpose was to highlight the 'fundamental differences' between the situation in Israel now and that of South Africa in the past.

He stated that: 'Anyone who says Israel is an apartheid state has either forgotten what an apartheid state was, doesn't know Israel, or isn't telling the truth.'

Pogrund used many examples in order to highlight his views concerning the differences between

the two countries, such as identity documentation, university education, votes and violence.

Interestingly Pogrund was not entirely in praise of the State of Israel, saying 'none of this means Israel is a perfect society.'

He was however critical of the way in which some people have 'portrayed Israel as uniquely evil'.

He spoke in depth about the 'Green Line' and the West Bank, saying he believes that the West Bank is an 'occupation', and advocates a 'Two State Solution' for the Middle East.

Pogrund also spoke eloquently about his experiences in apartheid South Africa, highlighting the differences between these and the present state of Israel and Palestine.

Through questions at the end, it became further apparent that for Pogrund, the word 'apartheid' is misused and, through its common use in relation to the current situation in Israel, it will lose its true meaning.

Football fun for Haiti Ben Rider ON Saturday afternoon over 140 students took part in a six-a-side football competition, raising funds to send to the Haiti relief programme.

The tournament, which took place on the Bournbrook all-weather pitches, raised more than £500.

18 teams entered into the contest and each side was allowed a maximum of nine players. Despite trophies only being awarded to the top three sides, Roberto Chan of Rooster Rovers FC insisted that: 'No one goes away empty handed! This is a great way of raising money for Haiti and hopefully we can help make a difference.'

Organisers of the tournament, Tom Kaminski and Kayode Omojola, were both pleased with the turnout: 'All the team spaces got taken up within two weeks. We were surprised at how keen everyone was – it's just fantastic when you have an idea and then make it happen.'

According to Adam Day, manager of Shotgun We Win, the standard of football throughout the afternoon was consistently high: 'It's impressive, some of these lads can really play football.'

The tournament final was floodlit and the two teams took to the pitch for a frosty 7.15pm kick off. The finalists Rho-G-H played in Blue, whilst opponents Shotgun We Win sported a pastel green.

The sides battled hard with neither breaking formation. However, the tournament's top goal scorer Nicholas Edge broke the deadlock for Shotgun We Win, with Ian Gibb contributing to the score board in the dying minutes. The final score was 2-0, a tentative victory for Shotgun We Win. The Haiti Football tournament has been just one of a number of student-led events that have raised money for the Haiti relief effort. Other recent fundraisers include band and open mic nights, and the sale of collaborative artistic anthologies.

Picture of the week

Ice-skating on the Vale lake Photo: Emily Smith

Send your photos to pow@redbrickonline.co.uk

4 News

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Supreme Court Judge honoured by Holdsworth Catrin Shi

BIRMINGHAM Law students and staff had the privilege of attending a lecture given by the Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court last week.

Lord Hope of Craighead, President of the Holdsworth Society for the academic year 2009-10, gave a lecture on the controversial issue: 'Should the judge speak out?' at the annual Holdsworth Presidential Address on Thursday.

Lord Hope spoke of the difficulties surrounding the traditional judicial role, and how even the slightest slip of the tongue can leave judges open to scorn, ridicule or even removal from office: 'Judges are human beings, not robots,' he explained.

'A fair-minded, informed observer is almost a creature of fiction, and therefore is constantly scrutinized.'

The lecture went on to discuss the controversial issue of the 'Guide to Judicial Conduct' and judges' difficulties concerning the media, which often leads to them increasingly seen as 'too

left-wing, too liberal or too soft.'

'Silence is not the cardinal overriding virtue,' argued Lord Hope.

'Reticence rather than absolute silence is what the judicial office requires.'

Lord Hope is the first justice of the UK Supreme Court and the 8th Scottish judge to be appointed as Holdsworth President in

UNIVERSITY scientists have teamed up with Russian space scientists to develop space travel through gaming technology.

Professor Bob Stone of the University has been at the forefront of the developments, which hope to apply computer simulation technology to robots exploring Mars.

The Birmingham team will be working closely with Russian space experts Valentin Shukshunov (of the International Higher Education Academy of Sciences) and Peter Pavnilov (of the Moscow State Institution of Electronics and Mathematics), and is hoping to use the region's expertise in computer simulations to assist their own work.

Professor Stone is optimistic about the use of gaming technology in space robots. He said: 'My students have been involved in the simulation of space robots – they have finished a series of projects using gaming technology using

extend right into society, and affect the everyday lives of the nation.

When questioned over his new appointment in the Holdsworth Society, Lord Hope said it was an 'honour' to have been asked to take up the role.

'It is a very real privilege to follow in the footsteps of my fellow Scottish justices as well as highly distinguished members of

the legal profession,' he said.

As President of the Holdsworth Society, Lord Hope has two duties: to give, as he has already done so, a lecture at the annual Holdsworth Presidential Address, and to participate as a member of the judging panel of the Camm Cup, where four students are to take a point of law and present

it to the panel – called 'mooting' – in an attempt to win the worthy title of 'Master/Mistress of Moot'.

This year's winner was second year student Harriet Drury.

The Lord's new role may be a small one, but arguably holds great importance.

The Presidential Address has been a feature of the Holdsworth Society's event calendar since the 1930s, and has been given by a distinguished member of the legal profession every year without exception.

Joe Hewton, chairman of the Holdsworth Society, said it was an 'honour' to have Lord Hope speaking at the Address.

'It is a credit to both the Society and the School of Law to be able to attract such eminent members of the legal profession,' he said.

'It is a real privilege to hear such an insightful speech from someone you have read about in so many textbooks.

'It's great to be in the presence of such a distinguished figure and find that they are a really genuine, down-to-earth person.'

Lord Hope with Birmingham Law students Photo: Sam Lewis

Uni scientists in space race Jennifer Anderson

the 82 years the society has been running.

The UK Supreme Court was established in October 2009, in order to achieve complete separation between the UK's senior judges and the Upper House of Parliament, and so increase transparency between Parliament and the courts.

The decisions made by the Supreme Court

a roving robot which can trundle over the surface of Mars.'

He went on to explain how, due to the massive time delay between Earth and Mars, the robots cannot be driven as you would drive a remote control car in your back garden. Rather, a sort of 3D representation is required.

'For example you would look at the surface of Mars from a birds-eye view and you would indicate where you want it to go and plan its path safely so that it avoids all the big obstacles.'

The aim of these technologies, and projects like Aurora, is to collect as much data and information as possible to prepare for human exploration of Mars and guarantee a safe return to Earth afterwards.

Stone added: 'It's very much a collaboration between industry and academia and the University of Birmingham is world leading, particularly in using games technology for simulation.'

Lorry's message: Protecting People, Reducing Risk Edwina Moorhouse ON the morning of Sunday 21st February, the University was disrupted by a road accident next to the Guild, in which a lorry collided with a pedestrian bridge.

The accident has caused severe inconvenience to traffic on campus as the lorry is currently unable to be moved for fear of structural damage, and has remained under the bridge for several days.

The scene has been sectioned off with metal fencing, preventing students from walking the direct route down the road towards the South gate, or crossing the bridge from Mermaid Square to the Physics buildings.

This unfortunate incident took place at approximately 7.30am whilst the lorry was in the process of making a delivery to the University.

The top of the lorry made impact with the pedestrian bridge because the vehicle exceeded height restrictions which are displayed on the bridge. Reports state that

no police or emergency services were called to the scene, and the driver was not injured in the collision.

To make matters worse, the lorry carries the message: 'Protecting People, Reducing Risk.'

A Facebook group has also been created in honour of the lorry, which has gained almost 1,500 members in less than a week.

Drivers normally take

alternative back routes to avoid overcrowded or vehicle height restricted areas. The bridge has been temporarily closed off because the extent of the architectural damage caused to its structure is unclear. It is thought the foundations could be permanently damaged because of the lorry's impact.

Speaking on the incident, Richard Brough, University Maintenance

Officer, explained that the lorry could not be moved until the structural engineers' report is complete and the necessary insurance enquiries have been made by the University.

Asked whether the University would now place more warning signs about the bridge following the incident, Mr Brough replied that they would 'consider it.'

Crashed lorry causes risk and irony Photo: Syeda Shah

News

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Suspect bag causes bomb scare in Selly Oak Sainsbury's Jemima Forrester THE Sainsbury's supermarket in Selly Oak was evacuated last Thursday after a suspicious package was discovered by store workers.

On the morning of 18th February, a blue holdall sports bag was

left near the entrance of the busy supermarket on Chapel Lane.

The abandoned bag raised alarm among staff and shoppers, who worried that it might be an explosive.

Sainsbury's employees immediately alerted the police and the store was cleared of customers

and staff at 10.30am.

As a precautionary measure police also stopped traffic and closed a busy section of Bristol Road while they investigated the scare.

A spokesman for West Midlands police later confirmed that the package was in fact harmless and the supermarket and the

Sainsbury's in Selly Oak. Photo: Lucy Percival

Student lashes out at lecturer Edwina Moorhouse A STUDENT of James Watt College in Scotland has been ordered to pay ÂŁ200 pounds in compensation after punching his lecturer in the head on a night out in Glasgow.

The 23 year-old music business student, William Allan, lost his temper in Burger King towards the end of the evening in November and police were subsequently called to the scene.

His lecturer, Mr Rodrick McKenna, of the higher education college in Greencock, had said that Mr Allan could stay at his house following the evening out but subsequently changed his mind, prompting Mr Allan to lash out.

Following a hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Mr Allan admitted to assaulting and injuring Mr McKenna, and agreed to pay the compensation at ÂŁ20 per month as instructed by Sheriff Alfred Vannet.

In Mr Allan's defence, his legal representative, Nicholas Nimmo said his

client 'was effectively stranded in Glasgow and after searching for a train on which to get home he decided to go to Burger King to get something to eat.

'He then saw the complainer and he lost his temper but there was an element of provocation.'

Meanwhile, prosecutor Claire White described Mr McKenna's consequent trip to hospital where he was told 'that he may have suffered a ruptured ear drum.'

Although admitted to hospital, Mr McKenna is said to have sustained no lasting injuries as a result of the attack.

A prominent figure in the music indistry, Mr McKenna is hailed as the man who discovered the Stone Roses when he spotted them in 1988 whilst working as an A&R man.

In recognition of their friendship, singer Ian Brown is now a patron of the Centre of Music and Performing Arts within James Watt College.

road were re-opened less than an hour later.

Birmingham student Sharmaine Reilly, 20, who works in the centre of Birmingham, was caught in the traffic created by the road closure.

She said: 'I was stuck in my car for 45 minutes when the Bristol road was closed and I was very late for work. I had no idea what was going on.'

Store manager David Wilson, said: 'The staff reacted appropriately in the situation,' and that Sainsbury's policy is always to 'notify the police of any suspicious or potentially threatening articles.'

He also praised the police for responding quickly to the situation in order to secure the safety of the customers and the staff.

Bristol road's Tesco Express was evacuated on Wednesday afternoon after a car's bonnet caught fire when refuelling in the adjacent Esso petrol station. Firefighters arrived soon after the billows of smoke caught the attention of both staff and customers to quickly deal with the situation.

5

Unis must help the over-50s

time students aged 40 and above since 1997-98.

The study shows that adult learning is increasing, and says: 'Building upon and supporting this growth of interest could be a crucial future activity for universities.'

The Chief Executive of Universities UK, Nicola Dandridge, stated: 'To ignore the contribution that older people can make to our society and economy is short sighted'.

She comments that the view that citizens over the age of 65 no longer have anything worthwhile to contribute to society is old-fashioned.

Due to people living longer there is a rise in the amount that they can contribute to society.

Dandridge sees universities as having 'a significant part to play in harnessing that contribution'.

Universities Secretary Lord Mandelson has said that higher education opportunities need to be expanded at a recent conference in Nottingham, and that part-time or two year degrees are a viable option.

Jennifer Anderson ACCORDING to a UK universities study, universities should be doing more to cater for the over-50s and should set up centres of education in areas that have a high proportion of retired people. This is due to the UK's ageing population which, according to the study, 'offers higher education institutions a serious challenge'.

Various types of course have been suggested including ageing healthily, human rights and how to move from full-time to self-employment.

The study, entitled 'Active Ageing and Universities: Engaging Older Learners', proposes that universities should help older people to prepare for 'the probable two decades' after retirement.

The proportion of people aged 65 and over in the UK has experienced a rise from 13 per cent in 1971 to 16 per cent in 2008. With this has come an increase of over 50 per cent in the number of first year undergraduate and postgraduate part-

A third of students don't recognise Gordon Brown Nadia Tavana A THIRD of students in England and Scotland do not know who Gordon Brown is, a recent poll has discovered.

The poll, which surveyed around 1,500 students, was carried out by student accommodation provider Unite.

The same amount of students were unable to identify David Cameron.

One in eight students confessed that they had no interest whatsoever in politics.

However, the National Union of Students (NUS) disagrees with the findings.

Wes Streeting, NUS president, said: 'there is a wealth of evidence to show that students care about politics and realise its impact upon their lives such as fees and housing, particularly when it comes to those who seek to charge them more for less.

'Last year, research by Opinion Panel showed that a political party's position on tuition fees would affect how 79 per cent of students would

vote in a general election.

This is hardly indicative of an apathetic and outof-touch student population.'

The poll also indicates that students have become disillusioned with parties and their policies. Two thirds of those questioned believe that the state of higher education has not

improved during the twelve year rule of the Labour party.

When asked who would be a better candidate than those who are currently standing, Joanna Lumley and Sir Alan Sugar were named.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Shane Spiers, managing director of Unite,

said: 'We are home to almost 40,000 students and believe it's important for our residents to feel they can influence issues that matter most to them.'

The Labour party has refused to comment on the results of the poll.

1 in 3 students were unable to recognise Gordon Brown. Photo: Kimberley Faria

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

&

Features

Comment

Cold winds, cold hearts?

The Winter Olympics: a chilly narrative. James Reevell argues that it's not only the Candadian temperature that's negative IN the midst of coverage about the tragic death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian luger, at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver a disturbing sub-plot has emerged. In a staggering display of callous selfishness, certain parts of the British media are suggesting that Canada's failings can only be a good thing for London 2012. While

of the wall at a 100 miles an hour?', 'Yeah, but wait until you see that guy hit the 1500 metres finishing ribbon at 8 miles an hour!

I could barely watch‌' However distasteful coverage of the Olympics has been, I would suggest that it is not an exception in our outlook as a society.

We appear to be becoming a people whose sole solace

the prospect of unemployment looming large, but whatever happened to the concept of the plucky Brit? I for one know that the odds are against me when I graduate, yet I assume that I will be the one who slips through the net and end up with my dream job, professional monkey trainer and chocolate taster since you asked.

Does a climate of negativity mean the road to ruin? Photo: Stephan Geyer having a chuckle at a Canadian unable to light a torch is light-heartedly acceptable, is 'at-least-noone-died-at-our-Olympics' really the right message to send? Despite the obvious fact that the Winter Olympics is vastly more dangerous than its summer counterpart. Listening to certain parts of the media, one would presume that running the 1500 metres is actually more dangerous than falling down 1500 metres at four times the force of gravity. You can imagine people the length of the country discussing, with a haunted look in their eyes, the sequence of events in two years time: 'hey, remember that Georgian athlete hitting the side

in life comes from hoping that whatever comes next can only be better than what preceded it.

Look at Cameron's election campaign, built not around policies but

This culture of negativity can undoubtedly be traced to the culture of risk aversion that has increasingly become part of both our work and leisure environments. Although

'Is 'at-least-no-one-diedat-our-Olympics' really the right message to send?' around being the antiBrown, essentially posh, and English. Admittedly, the prospects don't look too bright right now, especially for students with

health and safety was undoubtedly necessary when it was introduced, and still remains so, it's the application of it, rather than the concept that

7

I find troubling. As a nation our first instinct is to look for the worst that can happen, and crucially the worst that can happen to us, not others. Employers live in fear of health and safety, not because they may maim somebody for life, but because they may sue them. This problem is endemic in our institutions with students recognising it. Mark Winchester, a 2nd year Medical student, says 'I do think there is negativity in medicine. We are often told how to avoid being sued, and I think this fear sometimes gets more weight than it deserves.' If medicine is worried about being punished because of the society in which it exists, then something is seriously wrong.

Returning to politics we are now brought up in a culture of fear. Governments espouse an outlook of wariness, encouraging us to look upon those around us with suspicion and fear as if they could destroy us at any second.

Now we no longer talk to strangers on a train; we cower from them and through our own fears spoil any chance of a beneficial experience. Cameron's Conservatives make perpetual references to 'Broken Britain', which is strange since they feel it is healthy enough to afford vast expenses and tolerate the perpetuation of a ruling class of politicians who were in power when Britain supposedly broke.

This culture of negativity is destroying our ability to empathise, and this undoubtedly harms us as humans. When we no longer mourn death but see an opportunity, something is very wrong.

This lack of compassion is clearly the wrong way round. Our thoughts of an Olympian dying should be of horror and sorrow for him and for his family, not relief that our lives will somehow be better in the year 2012 by our own twisted selfestimation. We should not forget that a society which is built on misery will probably make us all miserable in the end.

Clocking off Comment & Features Editorial Our two new Comment & Features editors Seb Mann and Rosa McMahon introduce themselves

BONJOUR, hola, shalom!

Phew, awkward hellos over. We're your new comment and features editors: Rosa and Seb. Neither of us had met each other before, and now we are spending hours upon hours together taking the rowdy office banter, and learning how this wonderful paper is produced in a week. A week!

Already branded the 'shortest features editors yet' we, you'll be pleased to know, fail to add to the aggregate height of the Redbrick editorial team as we step into Laura's shoes.

And don't worry; Jude is still here doing about 80 per cent of the work at the same time as showing us the ropes.

We thought a joint editorial would be a good way to introduce ourselves. But neither of us really knows what we're doing and so far it's just been us debating where exactly a comma goes.

We've been told that this column is about ranting and that as features editors we now have a license to be brash, self-indulgent and a little bit egotistical. So it's probably only fair that we tell you a little bit about ourselves. See it as a warning, so next time you see our names at the top of this column you'll know whether to read on, or find an old copy of Redbrick, read Laura's clocking off, and cry at how much you miss the old days.

It's time to adopt a third person perspective. Rosa is a fan of tea but not of the word 'lol' and believes that great things come in small packages. So short, nonacronym using, tea lovers are welcomed. Seb

hates poor grammar, a hatred which will be even more strongly voiced now he's an editor. (He also now hopes that no one will find any grammatical errors in this piece, but he admits that it will probably happen.) And while Rosa thinks Marx had a point, Seb has a virulent distaste for people who let their opinions follow trends.

How's that for egotistical?

Probably more interesting, or at least less self-centred, are our plans for the section.

We like pictures, especially ones that have been taken by someone we know. We also think that students and their experiences should be of central importance to a student newspaper (obviously) and where better than a features section to highlight this? For these reasons we will be looking for more lengthy investigative pieces and student responses to current affairs. So don't hold back if you think you have something to say.

This week we have some brilliant articles including the introduction to and first installment of our student politics project: a commentary on the issues surrounding the lead-up to the election.

Anyway, that's enough from us. We hope this is sufficient to give you at least some faith in us. However, we're aware it probably doesn't...

Jude's writing this next week. We promise.

Comment and Features section meetings are held every Tuesday at 5, downstairs in the Guild.

8 Comment & Features H2NO

Phillip Hughes spends 48 hours without running water AT first I thought my friend was joking. I'd just landed at Dublin airport, only to find out that one of the wettest countries in Europe was in the middle of a drought – in early February. The story behind the shortage was so comical it was more suited to Private Eye than the Irish Times. Apparently, one of Ireland's biggest insurance firms had advised its customers that taps should be left trickling during the cold snap 'as moving water will not freeze' (14/1/2010), and

noying yes, but bearable.

However, the whole experience made me realise how much I (and probably most of us) take running water for granted; with a turn of the tap we have clean, safe water for washing, cleaning and cooking. It's something so basic we often don't appreciate how much it affects our day-to-day lives, and it got me thinking; could I live for two days completely without water?

I woke up on the morning of the first day, and immediately I began to

Could we live without running water? Photo: Tom Young because most people in Ireland aren't metered for their water, they happily obliged. Combined with leaking pipes, this meant that millions of Irish people had their supplies disrupted or cut off completely. By the time I arrived, a month after the peak of the crisis, a low pressure supply had been restored so that the shower was able to provide the slimmest trickle of water, and so that we could fill a saucepan with water after only five minutes. An-

realise how often I would typically use the taps. To start with, I couldn't have a morning shower – disgusting enough in itself.

Then onto breakfast, and I was about to fill the kettle before stopping myself – no tea or coffee for two days, how was I going to get any work done?

Although, in the long run it was probably for the best that I was limiting my drinks, as I couldn't flush the toilet. This was going to be a very long two days…

In the end, I have to admit I did bend the rules and buy some bottled water so I could brush my teeth – though I was committed to sticking with the experiment, going for two days without cleaning my toothbrush was one step too far.

For the most part though, I did stick to my water abstinence; for dinner I ignored the usual healthy fare of pasta or rice with vegetables and went instead for chips and beans (the sacrifices I make for you, readers!), and at the end I quite happily left all my dishes and utensils in the sink with no intention of washing up. I am a student after all, and some parts of the experiment definitely came easier than others.

By the end of the second day I was definitely looking forward to the end; laundry was piling up, my caffeine levels were dangerously low, and I felt even dirtier than the stack of washing-up in the sink.

Fortunately, my experiment was only short term and I could throw in the towel whenever I wanted, but for many others around the world the issue of access to water is a far more serious matter.

The UK-based charity Wateraid stated in its most recent report that globally, one in eight people do not have access to clean drinking water, and up to 2.5 billion do not have access to sanitation – 40 per cent of the world's population. In my expereinced opinion, we should all try a weekend without water and put ourselves in their shoes.

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

In Brief

A reader stereotype?

Seb Mann I READ The Guardian. If I find my dad flicking through a paper it's usually The Telegraph. And the gentleman who fixed my oven the other day, yes, he had with him a copy of The Sun. I doubt many will deny that national newspapers are often attached to social stereotypes. This, for the most part, is probably grounded in truth: I'm a student; my dad's a Tory; and the gentleman who fixed my oven – he doesn't have a degree. But there's a reason why stereotypes have a bad reputation…

The Sun has the largest readership of any UK

daily newspaper with an estimated 7.8 million readers. It also, and probably as a result, has the worst reputation of any UK daily newspaper, causing many to dismiss much of its readership as cattle.

7.8 million the number of people who read The Sun every day Something that uses a topless woman and a mediocre pun as a medium for news surely can't be construed as intelligent and professional, can it?

I'm not sure it's really as bad as it sounds though. I find it difficult

to criticise a newspaper that can retail at little more than the cost of the paper it's printed on and still make substantial profit. There's definitely an element of intelligence in that. And in terms of the at times poor quality of writing, you still get your news and, let's be honest, it's probably more digestible than India Knight – if a little bit more crass.

What's more, and as abhorrent as any gesture towards elitism is, The Sun is said to pluck its writers straight from Oxbridge and while (of course) this is no absolute guarantee of intelligence I think this, most of all, should make us wary of labelling it with such a vicious stereotype.

The aide who cried bully Ben Whitelaw THIS week it has emerged that the National Bullying Helpline has received numerous calls from the Prime Minister's office about instances of bullying towards government staff at Downing Street.

The allegations signify a wider trend of people using bullying as a flashlight after any kind of heated personal confrontation. Increasingly, it seems to be that what would have been classed as a frank and open discussion in the past is now prompting people to claim they have been bullied.

It should certainly not be the case that staff within Downing Street need to cry like a small child to call attention to themselves after a ticking off from the PM. If they, as powerful individuals, feel it necessary to do so, then British society has seemingly become mollycoddled, prepared to cry 'bully' and wait for psychologists to run to their rescue.

The reality is that if individuals are robust, adaptable characters who can take criticism and respond accordingly, bullying should never come into the equation. It is only when individuals are seen as dependent,

cotton-wool wrapped wetnellies that require constant checking as to their emotional stability that bullying becomes prevalent.

Meg Franklin, a third year Political Science student, said: 'There is no doubt that we live in a society in which bullying has become a fashionable term, something that societal do-gooders obsess upon so as to legitimise the increasingly used "woe is me" mentality'.

We all know what happened to the boy who cried wolf. There is a pervasive sense that those that cry 'bully' could go the same way if this alarming trend continues.

vout Dilshad customers, as they greeted the waiters almost as old friends.

Overall the meal was superb, the service was brilliant and I would recommend Dilshad to anybody looking to have a romantic meal, a curry with your parents or even use their takeout service.

The biggest indictment

to Dilshad's quality and my housemate's greed is that upon arriving back home after lectures the following afternoon, I found the remnants of the Makhani on a plate on my housemates lap. He then proclaimed that it was the best thing he had ever eaten. Before this he had hated all curries.

Featured Review: Dilshad Restaurant Jude Hill sings the praises of a scrumptious local eatery SELLY Oak: fried food, scattered promotional leaflets and broken glass.

This is the typical view taken by most people towards the lovely area where most of us live as students. As it is described on one website as 'one of the s*****iest and ugliest fings', one would not tend to think of it as an area capable of producing a restaurant with five star dining, in much the same way that you would not expect the author of the above comment to produce a spelling mistake free sentence. However, there is an award-winning restaurant sat on our doorstep.

I was lucky enough to be invited to Dilshad restaurant in order to review my experience there. I undertook this with a certain feeling of trepidation having experienced other establish-

ments in Birmingham.

However, upon walking in, I saw that the lighting was not blinding, the décor was pleasant and most notable of all the clients were not all students. This in itself is an indictment to the quality of the food and service at Dilshad; I cannot imagine that many of the establishments around the area would attract people from outside the student fraternity simply with the offer of cheap food and average service.

Sitting down at our table my girlfriend and I were brought papadoms, which were lightly spiced and came with a choice of fruity and refreshing sauces. Needless to say they did not last long, with them gone before we had ordered.

As a starter I ordered Chicken Pakora, which are

pieces of chicken fried in a spiced sauce. My girlfriend chose the student favourite starter at any Indian restaurant, the Onion Bhaji. Both were the finest examples of either that we have had in a long time.

We then moved on to the main course, where I ordered the Champa Koli Bahar and Rosey ordered the Makhani. Rosey's came with a rich almond-infused sauce, which turned out to be very filling, so much so that we asked for a doggy bag for later. The Champa Koli Bahar was an odd choice from me, as I tend to stick with my Kormas and Tikka Massallas, as I am not very adventurous. However, I was not disappointed: if anything, I am now a convert. The flavours were perfectly mixed in a dish, which from the menu could have gone totally the other way

if cooked differently. Both portions were very generous and offered incredible value for money. We also had the Channa Paneer side dish. It was like nothing I had tasted before, and will now certainly become a constant companion to my Indian food.

After a meal as rich and filling as that, we did not want a thick filling dessert, so we had the mango icecream, which turned out to be perfect. It did not have the slightly watered down taste of a sorbet, but still managed to have a light refreshing taste.

The service throughout the meal was exceptional, and throughout the evening we were topped up with drinks and met with nothing but friendly smiles from all of the staff. Even some of the customers who came in seem to have been de-

Fine dining right on your leaflet-littered door step Photo: Lucy Percival

Comment & Features

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Investigation: Student Politics

9

The features team introduces their coverage of the pre-election furore, in the coming weeks this will include pieces on each of the three main parties Edward Paton-Williams THE general election is now only months away and, though it could fall as late as 3rd June, unofficial sources point to the beginning of May as a likely date.

This election will be significant for all of us students, albeit in different ways. Many undergraduates have never been eligible to vote before and even for those students who have voted previously, it is the first election in over a decade that has provided a strong possibility of change.

In fact this year's election could be the first to produce a hung parliament since 1974, an indication of how close the voting will be and how important it is for all of us to cast a vote.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats look set to lose around 120 seats between them, with the Conservatives gaining a similar number. The smaller parties seem likely to increase their share of the vote, notably UKIP who will profit from the Conservatives' ambiguous stance on Europe, which fails to satisfy the more ardent Eurosceptics amongst their supporters. David Cameron could come to rue these lost votes given that all indications point to the Conservatives missing a majority by as few as two seats.

In an age of growing disillusionment with politics, the general public may be asking themselves if there is any tangible difference between the two leading parties. Labour have seen their ratings drop by around ten points since Brown took charge, with the public

no doubt unimpressed by a leader who has repeatedly been forced to backtrack on policy and who, despite promises of transparency, has struggled to be entirely clear at times (comments about a zero per cent rise in spending spring to mind). Brown's perceived faults as Prime Minister have no doubt been compounded by an economy that was overseen by him for a decade, imploding spectacularly at the end of 2007.

On the other hand many voters remain unconvinced by David Cameron's slick presentation and promises of a 'nicer' Conservative Party; believing him to be a wolf in sheep's clothing with political beliefs 'dreamt up on the playing fields of Eton.' Indeed the recent Conservative promotional poster featuring a picture of Cameron airbrushed, looking more like cherub

than man, did nothing to undermine the argument that Cameron is all spin and no substance.

However, certain facts are indisputable. Having scored major victories in his swift and decisive punishment of the Conservative MPs involved in the expenses scandal, and having highlighted his brutal clarity by emphasising the necessity of spending cuts if the economy is to be watertight once more, Cameron will walk into the election confidently.

These observations are minutiae in the scheme of things and everyone should be aware of the importance of well-informed political decisions. Do not rely absolutely on media; look at party policies, find out which party stands for the ideals that you yourself value – but remember we have been fooled before…

A new voting system Andrew Peck

Do students really care?

Jennifer Barlow ARE students involved in politics, and does their voice count?

Contrary to popular belief, students do care about politics. However, they are becoming disillusioned with party politics and finding different ways to participate.

Facebook facilitates this need: it highlights the voice of the younger generation. The 'I bet I can find a million people that don't want David Cameron as our PM' Facebook group has amassed a staggering

140,000 members.

The internet, and in particular social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook provide the means to participate in politics, whether you want to voice your opinion in a status, or go further and organise a protest. The University of Birmingham managed to rally 500 students against increased top-up fees in less than 48 hours. As a political tool the internet should not be underestimated.

Whilst this might be a tool to voice our opinion about politics, the only way to truly change politics is to vote, and no issue is closer to the hearts

of students than increased top-up fees. The NUS have released a list of candidates from all constituencies who are against increased top-up fees on their website.

There is a rise in the number of young parliamentary candidates for the upcoming election.

One example is Chuka Umunna, a 31-year-old lawyer who many have called the next Obama. However, even he agrees that young people are not disengaged from politics; we are just disengaged from the way that politics happens.

This considered, attempts by politicians to engage with the youth,

such as Webcameron, have been a disaster. Perhaps students need to accept that they cannot relate to politicians: can you imagine seeing pictures of David Cameron stumbling out of Gatecrasher at 3am? This would hardly increase voter confidence!

There are many ways that students and young people can become informed about politics and the election, such as 'Vote Virgin', which answers many common questions such as how to register to vote, and how your vote is counted. So, there is no reason not to get involved!

GORDON Brown recently announced Labour's plan to reform the UK's voting system by introducing the Alternative Vote (AV), potentially bringing an end to centuries of a First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system. Sounds great – it's true that something needs to be done about the worryingly undemocratic current system, but is this the answer? More importantly, what is the Alternative Vote, and is it really the panacea for a broken political system?

Simply put: constituencies will remain the same. However, that's where the simplicity ends. The voter, rather than putting an 'X' next to their preferred candidate, rank the candidates in order of preference from 1-6. If the 'winner' does not win by a majority of votes cast by voters' first preferences of candidate, then the second preferences are added into the mix. This goes on with the remaining preferences until a clear majority is achieved. Understand?

No, I didn't either.

A system that hard to follow must be good,

right? Well, no. Only people in areas with hotly contested seats will see any real difference which means that, for four-fifths of the electorate, votes are still barely worth the paper their marked on.

Furthermore, on applying the effects to the 2005 election, it becomes clear that AV is less proportionate than FPTP. Assuming that another system of voting, the Alternative Member System (whereby the number of MPs a party gets depends solely on the number of votes cast), is the most proportional, by comparison AV looks like an attempt by Labour to claw extra votes – hurting the Conservatives electorally, instead of an earnestly attempting reform.

The Alternative Vote, therefore, is potentially a number of things. From a Government that's had 13 years to carry out this sort of reform, is it just far too little, far too late?

Or more cynically is it a feeble attempt by the Labour Government to gerrymander the voting system in order to win more seats from fewer votes at the same time as attempting to brand themselves a party of democratic change?

10 Comment & Features

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Celebrating student volunteers How successful has the Guild's volunteering week been? Stephanie Harvey talks us through the successes THE Student Volunteering week which ran from 22nd-29th of February is nearly over and it's time to assess the value of volunteering within the community: how it positively

contributes to the experience of being a student, whilst enhancing career opportunities, networking and research prospects in a range of potentially limitless areas. The University of Birmingham has a fantastic and longestablished network of external volunteering opportunities and a wide variety of student-led projects run by the Guild of Students. In Semester one 2,020 students were registered as volunteers, who gave 12,562 hours of volunteering for dif-

ferent projects. With over 30,000 students, the University has no shortage of potential volunteers, and with over 300 different volunteering opportunities available for stu-

dents, there is something suitable for any field of interest. Medical research even reveals the existence of health benefits to volunteering, which include an improvement in the adverse symptoms of insomnia and a strengthened immune system – making it worthwhile for your general sense of well being too.

It's now generally accepted that employers favour graduates with a wealth of skills developed and demonstrated through their participa-

tion in various university extra-curricular activities.

From societal to volunteer work, the skills gained by these activities, required by so many employers, are both fundamental yet easily neglected abilities – for example good organisational, interpersonal and managing skills.

Among 200 of the UK's leading businesses, 73 per cent of employers would employ a candidate with volunteering experience over one without. The volunteers themselves are aware of the value it is giving them as 94 per cent believe it can add to skills – and 94 per cent of volunteers who had volunteered to learn new skills had either benefitted by getting their first full-time job, improving salary or being promoted within their existing job.

Volunteering is also an excellent networking opportunity that could lead you into your ideal career.

An interesting report

by Volunteering England revealed that students at higher ranking universities had higher rates of volunteering than those of lower ranking universities. Volunteering rates are highest among those from minority groups, in particular ethnic minority groups, students with disabilities (22 per cent of students with a disability volunteer) and those with caring responsibilities.

Also somewhat surprisingly, degrees such as Medicine and Dentistry reported the highest rates of volunteering with linguistics and creative arts subjects below average –

Philippa Treharne-Jones What projects are you currently volunteering for?

Excite, Kids Adventure, Birmingham Menelic, Haiti Relief, Oxfam Outreach, People and Planet and other one off events.

How have you managed to fit volunteering in around your other commitments and studies?

I study English Literature which has notoriously little contact time. As it's such a low contact degree it's great to get out and be meeting people. But for more intense degrees many projects meet up in the evening or on the weekend and holidays – the project 'Medics Sans Frontiers' is specifically for medics.

What has been the most memorable moment of your volunteering experience?

At the beginning of the year Excite, due to financial difficulties and lack of volunteers, looked as if it would have to shut down as a project. It really was an all or nothing moment, and for a last push we went to the Volunteering Fresher's Fair – to my amazement and relief 250 people signed up on one day!

I felt so inspired that so many students wanted to volunteer and saved Excite. And I have volunteered and continue to do so because every time I take away memories and feelings that can't be created anywhere else.

Do we need more volunteers?

Yes. Go to the Guild and get involved. They have all the information, training and support you need to get started. Otherwise, get in touch with someone you know who is already volunteering and ask them how to get involved in their project.

Meegan Walker How have you managed to fit volunteering in around your other commitments and studies?

I am flexible with my volunteering so will take on different projects at different times. I would recommend students do that if they do not know when they will always be free – most of the projects do not obligate you to turn up every week.

At University, everyone understands you have a degree and other responsibilities on the go, and the committee members are students themselves, so you are in a very supportive environment.

What projects are you currently volunteering for?

The Saturday Morning Play Scheme (SMPS) at University. The children can be troubled but are very special. I also help at an elderly drop in centre back at home. Young people ofthis may reflect that those studying directly peopleorientated subjects are more likely to want to work with people or may have more opportunity to volunteer through their studies. Overall the students that are most active in extra-curricular activities are most likely to volunteer.

Positions as a Student Rep, RA, Guild Councillor, non Sabbatical Officer and work for a society can all qualify as volunteering hours. There are also student-led projects such as Helping Hands, who provide teachers with invaluable support in some of the most underfunded classrooms with children with severe intellectual disabilities. Departmentbased projects, such as Teddy bear hospital for Medical students, offers the opportunity for one-to-one consultations with children in order to increase confidence for students, whilst reducing childhood anxiety about hospitals and doctors.

Achievements for volunteering are celebrated by completing volunteering timesheets, which are rewarded by certificates, prizes and attending events such as the Guild Awards in March.

James Sheen, on the committee for Kids Adventure, highlighted the difficult situation many projects face, saying: 'in

ten think of volunteering with older people as unexciting – but it is unbelievably rewarding. They have so much life experience and wisdom they willingly share. There is also a lot they haven't been able to experience – like technology, or travel – some of them have barely left their home town! It is rewarding and educational for both sides.

What has been the most memorable moment of your volunteering experience?

I have many! For example I was helping on a weekend youth project for boys between 11-15yrs old. One of the boys – he was 11 – was really unresponsive – he smoked cigarettes whenever he could and refused to participate. He came from a troubled background, but one thing he could do were these great graffiti designs. When we realised he was actually quite order to function as a project, we need to raise £20,000 this year'. As a small group with added pressures of studies, such a responsibility could easily become overwhelming.

However, through dedication and growing numbers

talented at this, we told him so and asked him to design a logo for some tshirts for the boys to take away from the weekend.

From that point he began to open up and become friendly – simply because he had been given a little encouragement and confirmation in his ability.

He felt worthy and useful, and at the end of the weekend he told us he would give up smoking and wanted to continue designing.

dren changes lives, ours as well as theirs.'

Although volunteering is about, to an extent, investing in ourselves whilst also helping others, the true impact of volunteering goes far deeper, and it is about creating a

Happy helpers. Photo: Rupert Weterings of volunteers, it is possible to ensure that these projects can continue doing what they do. But what is volunteering ultimately for? An article published in Volunteering England Magazine quotes Rose Martin, a student at the University of Birmingham who volunteers with Kids Adventure: 'In my volunteering experience I have met many children who come from desperately corrosive backgrounds, some of whom have behaved very abusively towards others, and all of whom have taught me a great deal about love and care. Knowing them has cemented my sense that positively nurturing chil-

better world for our children. VPSAD Emma Packham added, 'Volunteering is fast becoming an essential part of the student experience; not only is it fun, but it allows students to give something back to the community. It also allows them to develop their skills and really stand out from the crowd.'

To get involved in volunteering through a supportive and practical environment head to the Student Development counter in the basement of the Guild where the volunteering assistants will be happy to answer your questions and find you a suitable opportunity.

Editorial

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

11

REDBRICK EDITORIAL

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

Does bullying go unnoticed among students?

Ned Murray If you do not read the news or do not care, over the course of this week the press have been embroiled in accusations made by the Chief Executive of the National Bullying Helpline regarding the behaviour of staff in the Prime Minister's office. Rather than delving into this topic, I would like, instead, to look at the state of bullying at our University and whether our experiences are blighted by unacceptable levels of bullying.

The University defines bullying as, 'Unwanted, offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.

Typically, bullying is one person against another or a group of people against an individual. Bullying can also occur in less obvious scenarios and outside of traditional power relationships, e.g. a member of staff may be bullied by a student or a manager by a member of staff.'

Like any written constitution, or set of rules, this statement covers a broad range of issues in a vague way.

This definition includes actions resulting from behaviour that is 'intimidating' to that which that might 'injure.'

One would like to think that the motives behind humiliation and insulting behaviour are wrong, though the motive might be different in the case of acting in an intimidating way.

People in positions of power at the University might, in some circumstances, act in a way that is deemed intimidating. We might be intimidated by a lecturer who criticises the argument used in one of our essays, or being a new member of a University society where other students already

have established friendships or cliques.

I do not wish to suggest that intimidation is acceptable, but rather that less attention is focused on bullying during the student university experience. For many societies a set of norms have been constructed that might be perceived as unacceptable by the standards of the University's anti-bullying policy. In University sports clubs, one of which I am an active member, is what we call 'banter' often a cover-up for what the University recognises as bullying? These are competitive environments where every person is trying to be the best they possibly can. Just as the matchwinner is lauded for their brilliant performance, the player that lets in a goal, misses a tackle or drops a catch is sometimes, if only infrequently, derided for his or her's mistake.

Many of us are not members of sports teams, but might still subject others, or be subjected to, bullying behaviour by the University's standards. Though it might never be as severe as physical violence, falling out with a mate may bring about unacceptable levels of behaviour.

Most of us have had the Government's zero-tolerance approach to bullying taught to us from an early age. So why might we act in a way that might intimidate others? Perhaps it is the freedom to do as we please for the first time or maybe we sometimes forget the importance of respecting other people's perspectives. One of the few things I remember from primary school is the Golden rule, that is, 'do to others what you would like to be done to you.'

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YOUR

Guild Referendum 2010

VOIC

E, YO

UR CH

Vote in the Referendum from 15th - 19th March The Guild of Students is currently reviewing its democratic decision making structures for the first time in nearly 90 years. The aim of the review is to make the Guild more relevant to students by ensuring that they can easily and effectively influence the decisions that are made in the Guild.

Through market research, and consultation with students, we have developed a proposed model for how students can engage in the decision making processes of the Guild. The proposed model is designed to ensure that YOU can raise any issue that YOU may have in relation to life as a student at the University of Birmingham with the

Guild in a safe and effective way, and that YOUR issue is acted upon.

The proposed model is outlined below.

Its now up to YOU. For this model to be accepted we need YOU to vote ‘YES’ to the proposed model in the upcoming Referendum.

OICE

!

The Referendum will be held from 15th-19th March 2010 alongside the Guild Officer Elections. All Voting is online. To vote, you need to log into the my.bham portal and click on the voting link to go straight to the e-voting page.

For more details, please visit: www.guildofstudents.com

The proposed model for decision making in the Guild: Open Forums

Guild Council

There will be Open Forums in the new model which any student will be able to attend and raise issues as well as question Officers.

Policy can reach Guild Council for decision through;

Open Forums will be chaired by the relevant Guild Officer. Students can raise problems and suggestions in an informal manner at the most appropriate forum without doing anything before the meeting. Any issue raised will be actioned by the relevant officer where possible or referred onto Guild Council if it is too big an issue to be decided on at the forum. This will be the responsibility of the Officer chairing the meeting.

Any contentious issues can be voted upon in the forum to determine a steer for future action. The forums can also be used to question Officers about what they are doing/will be doing. There will be five forums covering the topics of the Guild, Welfare, the University and Education, Sports and Student Groups. Forums will occur monthly.

Steering Group A student will be able, at any time, to email the new Steering Group. The Steering Group will determine whether an issue can be dealt with simply by an Officer on the student’s behalf or if it needs to go to an Open Forum for discussion along with other relevant issues. If neither of those solutions is appropriate it may be presented at the Guild Council meeting. The Steering Group will be made up of Guild Officers.

There will be a set of criteria agreed

by Guild Council outlining how decisions are made in regards to where student issues are sent within the model. These criteria will be used by the Steering Group to make a decision. The Steering Group will present a report to Guild Council at each meeting outlining motions not accepted by the Group, and reasons for the rejection. Guild Council can then hold the Steering Group to account if they feel that the criteria weren’t followed.

1) An issue raised in an open meeting that affects the student body as a whole, or a decision of a political nature would be given a recommendation by the meeting and passed up to Guild Council via the Steering Group.

2) A student or Officer contacts the Steering Group with an issue to determine the best decision making body for that issue, and may submit it to Guild Council.

The meeting will be chaired by an Independent Chair and Vice Chair both elected via cross campus ballot (at the same time as the Officer elections). There will be 80 Guild Councillors elected from the following constituencies: • Academic Representatives – 1 from each School (27) • Society Representatives – 2 from each Mini-Forum excluding the liberation forum (20) • Association Representatives – 1 from each Guild Association (8)

• Residence Association Representatives – 1 from each Residence (13) • Cross Campus positions open to any student – 12 positions, of which 2 must be first year and 2 must be Postgraduate.

Guild Council will be an open meeting where any Guild member may attend and speak. Guild Council can hold Officers to account and make decisions on Guild Policy via voting on motions that are submitted.

Some decisions may be deemed too big to be voted on at Guild Council and instead be sent to Referendum.

Guild Council meetings will take place once each term, but may be called more frequently than this by the President of the Guild if deems necessary.

These committees will become Sub-Committees of the Sabbatical Officer Group and can implement non-political issues or send political issues to Guild Council. Where there are currently members of these committees elected through Guild Council, this will still occur. All other committees will be disbanded and issues in these areas dealt with in open forums.

Referendum There will be the ability to hold Referenda each academic year.

Guild Council will have the ultimate decision in which policies get voted on at Referendum. Ideally there would be no more than 5 issues put before the student body.

Current Sub-Committees of Guild Council Some of the current Sub-Committees of Guild Council will still exist.

These are: • • • •

Residents’ Executive Equality & Diversity Committee Elections Committee Student Group Committee

REFERENDUM

This diagram shows the many different ways a student could raise an issue in the proposed new democratic structures.

Referendum Motion

STEERING GROUP

Motions

Proposed Motions

GUILD COUNCIL

GUILD OFFICER GROUP Issues to be resolved

OPEN FORUMS Guild

University & Education

Welfare

Sports

Student Groups

Issues & Information Enquiries

STUDENTS

This model is designed to make it easier for YOU to let the Guild know how we can make life better for you as a student at Birmingham. It affects every student, so you need to have your voice heard by voting in the Referendum from 15th-19th March 2010.

For more information, please visit www.guildofstudents.com, or email democracy@guild.bham.ac.uk.

Music

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Album Reviews HIM Screamworks

6 Ross Whittenham I LIKE HIM – stop sniggering – for all the wrong reasons. They are cheesier than fondue, clichéd, and if the music business was a meritocracy, they probably wouldn't exist.

They have songs with titles like Disarm Me (With Your Loneliness) and lyrics like “dancing with tags on our toes”. Their appeal Gold Motel Gold Motel EP

9 Jessica Blackburn GOLD Motel is the new solo project by Greta Salpeter, fresh from The Hush Sound. This is similar in charm but more concentrated and the influence of her bandmates is obviously gone.

Occasionally dismissed as eye-candy by critics, it's nice to see that Salpeter can carry off a solo effort with relative ease. Despite initial misgivings, the EP is not over-produced as I'd ex-

seems to be less about the music and more about the image. So what? I've seen you people with your “Jedward”. Is there really any difference?

Well, yes, there is.

HIM are not just gimmickry, they also have talent.

Their skilful combination of pop song structures, pseudo-metal melodies and lyrics on sex, death and moodiness should not go unrecognised.

Screamworks is yet another addition to the monumental HIM backcatalogue, a pile of albums which all sound very similar. But hell, if the fans aren't complaining, then why should they try and change it? This is a band that took the five minutes of fame Bam Margera pushed their way and turned it into a career. I say applaud them. pected, but just a little rough around the edges, which enhances her voice and draws attention to the lyrics and piano.

The songs have the strong narrative we're used to from the Hushies but there's an extra whimsical tone to the songs, especially Who Will I Be Tonight.

Perfect in My Mind could have been a Hush Sound song but it's better for the simplicity brought by just the one singer.

Make Me Stay is lyrically bittersweet, juxtaposed with the light-hearted, upbeat guitars. It's all very reminiscent of Goodbye Blues, the band's last album. Old-timey entwined with indie, but minus the jarring sensation of her co-singer Bob Morris.

Her debut album is expected out later this year and, providing it doesn't depart too much from the style she's established here, it should do well.

Shy Child Liquid Love

9 William Hunter HONESTLY, I was expected disappointment from this album. The Brooklyn two-piece's last album contained one addictive song, the rest just slightly above average. However, straight from the first track, I was strongly engaged. The amount of time and effort that appears to have been put into this record seems to be far more than their debut.

Six Magics Behind the Sorrow

7 Edwina Moorhouse FOR over a decade, these Chilean power metallers have produced work that has been largely ignored by the more mainstream metal audience. Despite touring with the likes of Nightwish, the band has never truly broken through.

Their latest album has the potential to change that. This album progresses in an unorthodox fashion, both resisting the common metal temp-

Having not released any material for the last two years it's perhaps not surprising that Shy Child are back with such a strong record. They still pull on a synth-pop influence, but this time round, there seems to be a clear progression, and each track has a distinct, personal feel.

The title track opens, and sets the mood for the album. The attitude of the music seems toned down, and a more relaxed feel is adopted. However as you slowly move through the album, a more upbeat and active melody develops, especially on tracks such as ESP Strange Emotion.

Rounding up with Dark Destiny seems nearperfect. The track is an exceptional parting shot, bringing it to the mellow close that permeates throughout this album.

Candle Thieves Sunshine & Other Misfortunes

tation to go over the top, while retaining its symphonic roots. It displays an impressive balance of hard rhythm with a lighter, uplifting vibe.

Far from sounding middle-of-the-road, however, it instead manifests itself as a constantly fresh entity that twists and turns in often surprising ways. The music is accessible yet intelligent in its construction. Nothing on this album is done unnecessarily. The guitar solos, though expansive at times, suit the musical arrangement with expert precision.

Each and every song on this album is brilliantly timed, neither so short as to leave ideas unexplored, nor so long as to become tedious. For anyone looking for an alternative, interesting progression in a genre sometimes undermined by excessive zeal, this album comes highly recommended.

Animal Collective Fall Be Kind EP

Versus: Music Awards: Are they evil?

MUSIC award shows incorporate everything I hate and some things I love about the music industry into one big event.

Stick that many egos into one area and something is bound to happen: I love the smouldering wreck of disaster. The shows are worth watching just for the backlash as someone steps out of line (see Kanye West and his hilarious interruption of Taylor Swift) or as another person's dreams are crushed and you can just see the cracks forming in their botox-filled face.

Celebrities are like egotistical vultures and I love the aghast blog updates afterwards – thanks Kanye. I love the constant one-upmanship and attempts to make the entire night about themselves.

Recently I've loved the speculation about Lady Gaga and how outlandish

she can go (at the Grammy's her outfit was so tight that her crotch appeared to be eating it).

Honestly, the main reason why I've taken an interest lately is due to Pink's near-naked acrobatics on stage, which is all I want from life.

Music award shows are overabundant and you can find at least one for every genre of music, but the sense of disaster permeates all of them.

There's just more chance of a brawl at a Kerrang! award show than the Brits, unfortunately.

Ultimately, no one really cares about the awards (spoiler: the predictions are almost always correct and the underdog rarely wins) because we're all too focused on what is going wrong. So yeah, music awards are evil, blah blah blah. But God are they entertaining.

Jessica Blackburn celebrates the oft-naff tradition, while prosecutor of the people Charlie Bailey brings the noise against music awards.

Photo: MTV

2 Anluan Hennigan THIS pair of Jarvis Cocker lookalikes market themselves as a guilty pleasure for deep thinkers and a riposte to a rock scene which is devoid of personality. It is ironic, then, that they have produced a debut LP which is as gormless as it is shallow.

They set out their stall early. The opener's refrain of 'We're all going to die' juxtaposed with

13

nursery-school keyboards and Scott McEwan's gratingly twee vocals sets pop music back to the last millennium within its four minute duration.

The band then proceeds to take this musical and lyrical template and beat you round the head with it for the next eleven tracks. The same inane loops of guitar, keyboard and glockenspiel are regurgitated over and over again in slightly different guises.

McEwan ceases his talk of death only to make profound statements such as "I sometimes dream of sharks and bears". To promote this album, the duo has been performing a series of gigs in people's living rooms. On the evidence of this desperate album, you have to question whether they were invited to do so. Avoid at all costs.

THE Baltimore trio come back strong with another exceptional offering. More reflective than 2009's Merriweather Post Pavilion, with softly intoned vocals and instrumental soundscapes, this is still essential listening.

Tracks are longer, allowing songwriter Avey Tare all the time in the world to build to massive sonic crescendos, most notably on opener Graze, which climaxes in an ef-

fortlessly exuberant flute solo. It all comes together like a more refined Fuck Buttons record, with On A Highway demonstrating some fantastically fuzzy synth. This is what Animal Collective do best, taking a subject like getting stoned on a tour bus and turning it into something magical.

What Would I Want?

Sky maintains the status quo of elemental themes, while Avey implores you to “stop daydreaming dude”. This is where Animal Collective are most criticised. As one of the music industry's great put-downs said: “Okay, we get it. You got stoned in the woods once”.

The blogger who cut that gem deserves credit, because mostly because it's true. But, sensitive though the accusation of the influence of narcotics may be, no-one else makes better music with them, or about them.

A GATHERING of the great and the good of the music industry, united in common praise of a few select individuals who have exemplified the recording arts. Rubbish.

Awards ceremonies are nothing more than a collective pat on the back for surviving another year, as labels desperately shed the load of interesting acts and look to those that will bring commercial if not critical success. The Brit Awards are a case in point: squarely aimed at the mainstream, with no acknowledgement of the independent scenes that contain the most exciting, genuine music.

This 'institution' is just an excuse to parade the latest in a long line of corporate whores whose only ambition in life and music is to shift enough units and sell out stadiums. Consider some past winners of the coveted 'Breakthrough' award: Blue, Will Young, Busted,

The Fratellis... This accolade is meaningless. It exists as a signifier to the British public of who you will buy next year. Even in the case of The Arctic Monkeys' 2006 win, it triggered a growth in their fan base that was unsustainable (hence the poor performance, three years later, of their most recent offering, Humbug). Perhaps the only redeeming feature of awards ceremonies is the potential for disaster: see Jarvis Cocker's 1996 stage invasion of Michael 'Pop Christ' Jackson's Earth Song.

But aside from the chance of spontaneous public displays of humiliation, what else do awards ceremonies have to offer the world? In a word: nothing. They glorify the mundane, manufactured pap forced down our ears through that most insidious medium: daytime radio. Is it any wonder that the music industry is in need of major reform?

9 William Franklin

14 Music

Alex Spencer talks about a subject very dear to his heart...

LOS Campesinos! were the first band I ever wrote about for Redbrick, back when my cheeks were rosier and I still believed in Santa. I gave their album Hold On Now, Youngster... an 8. A couple of years and a couple of hundred listens to the album later: this is a public apology.

LC! are the nearest I've come to recapturing that silly, dizzy, unapologetic 15-year-old music lover as a grown-up(ish).

They are the kind of band that instantly attract me to any human being bearing their mark. Wear the t-shirt in a club and I will kiss you; cite them as a favourite on Facebook and you've got yourself a stalker. (Just a tip, ladies.)

On a good day, I love them more than certain members of my family...

Sorry. Who are this band? What do they sound like? Why should you listen to them? Respectively: a glockenspiel-wielding Cardiff-based eight-piece.

Like what emo promised, and failed, to be. And for infinite reasons.

The dense, intelligent, funny lyrics: the average LC! song crams in an entire Smiths album of literate wit and harsh emotional truth. The sound: bounc-

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Spotlight On....

Los Campesinos!

Photo: www.myspace.com/loscampesinos ing between pop-friendly, set-up of the average inprimary-colour punk and die dullness. They're the avant-garde noise. kind of band I might cry The band stand for over if they ever split up. everything good in music They're not a band I today; a sensitive, anti- can ever imagine running misogynist force diametri- out of things to say. They cally opposed to the 'four have too much to say, sweaty boys with guitars' which is why in the space

of two short years they've released three records' worth of fascinating ideas and pulled a Radioheadesque change of sound.

Their debut, the aforementioned Hold On Now, Youngster... set up everything you need to know

about Los Campesinos!: a whirlwind of energy, emotion, and quotable, shoutable lyrics, wearing its influences on its sleeve while sounding completely fresh.

It's easy to look back, and down, now on the first album. Sophomore effort, is-it-an-EP-is-it-analbum We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, added a further dimension to the band and is the best thing they've done: moodier, with noise levels upped, and a greater emphasis on experimentation.

Their newest album, Romance Is Boring, completes the arc that Beautiful/Doomed set up. The songs are harder-edged, noisier, with accompanying lo-fi fuzz and concept-album names. First release The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future suggested they'd go further into properly-emo territory, but the album stands as their most mature – and most mopey – work.

And I'm already looking forward to the next, surely not too far away.

I can't see them running out of ideas. And I don't see me ever running out of things to say about them.

And that's just the kind of band they are: about being a music fan and about reading and writing.

What's On...

Music Diary Friday 26th Reamonn O2 Academy 3

Saturday 27th The Soft Pack O2 Academy 3 Twisted Wheel Kasbah, Coventry

Sunday 28th Futures O2 Academy 3 Landmarks The Varsity, Wolverhampton

Monday 1st Field Music O2 Academy 2 Los Campesinos!

The Rainbow

Tuesday 18th Blood Red Shoes O2 Academy 3 Fionn Regan The Rainbow

Wednesday Local Natives O2 Academy 3

Thursday Angie Stone O2 Academy

WATHAWT Singles Eva Hibbs Mumford & Sons The Cave

Live Reviews Chapel Club 13/02 @ The Flapper Matthew Way 'HAPPY Valentine's'. Lewis Bowman, the lead singer of Chapel Club, had an aura of doom in his voice.

Echoing guitars with powerful riffs gave their music a sense of nostalgia that could sit well alongside Joy Division, and contemporary counterparts Editors.

The band's demeanour was something to admire, as both guitarists thrashed about the stage to the intensity of Surfacing and O Maybe I, complete with a moody bass player and quietly spirited drummer. Their sound was refreshing, not conventional indie nor tedious

rock, which gave them a little diversity from other emerging artists. Chapel Club have charisma that doesn't require them to flaunt or be boisterous, seemingly strong enough to take them to bigger stages and more enthusiastic crowds.

Bowman's lyrics and delivery reflect an 80s misery that has the potential to connect with fans, propelling them to a higher level in the process.

Dark and brooding music is something we Brits often embrace and excel at, so with that in mind, the future looks promising for Chapel Club.

Europe 19/02 @ The O2 Academy John Asquith FOLLOWING a mediocre start from support Diamond Head, Europe delivered one of the finest hard rock performances that I have witnessed in quite some time.

Having seen them before, I had very high expectations of the band.

These expectations were totally shattered from the opening Last Look at Eden, the title track from their latest album. With inclusions such as Cherokee, Rock the Night and an amazingly sincere rendition of Carrie bolstering no fewer than five tracks from the new album, the setlist was filled with something from every era of the band's history.

Every member of the band gave a flawless performance, with

special mention going to John Norum's powerful guitar work. The crowd ranged hugely in age but all showed lots of enthusiasm, encouraged by the charismatic frontman Joey Tempest, on a few occasions engaging audience members in conversation.

It really is difficult to find any negative points in the show. The only improvements would be personal song preference, but with such a solid back-catalogue, there will always be something that doesn't make it onto the setlist. The final song of the evening was of course the anthemic 1986 hit The Final Countdown, bringing to a close an evening of some of the best hard rock money can buy.

IS it better than Little Lion Man? No. But I still like it.

Mumford and Sons have a way with momentum and atmosphere. You won't really realise you are listening to the song until the second half. It's like you're tapping your foot, and the tapping just gets faster and harder. Play it loud, or even better, see it live. The band admit themselves, 'We basically consider the album like an advert for our live gigs.'

Anluan Hennigan Wild Beasts We Still Got The Taste Dancing On Our Tongues HAYDEN Thorpe's glassshattering falsetto often divides opinion, but this mythical take from the sublime Two Dancers exhibits his voice at its finest. The usual vocal gymnastics are present, but they are condensed into captivating whirling melodies. Combine this with precise rhythms and shimmering guitars and you have a song which exudes class. The song suffers when taken out of the album context but you'll struggle to hear a better single this week.

Elio Di Muccio Goldhawks Where In The World 'I can't get no satisfaction!' No, really. This single is so... oh, what's the word? Bad. It's stale and monotone.

It can't even serve as a source of negativity to aim your anger at to release all the pressure and stress of our dull little lives. It would be like insulting a little teddy bear that doesn't respond...

You must resort to violence. Ever tried burning a CD before?

Matthew Way Twin Atlantic Lightspeed THE new release from the rock/ powerpop Scotsmen Twin Atlantic. The single, taken from their mini-album Vivarium, has a chorus that is both infectious and elevating, and will easily please anyone who enjoys a bit of expressive pop rock.

Currently in a heavily scheduled tour of Europe and the US, it is likely that this band are going to gain a following for this year, and are probably already sitting in a 'ones to watch' list for 2010. The single follows a familiar formula, but is one that seemingly works for numerous other artists, so why not for this one too?

16 Travel

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

I'm a very re luctan twitte t twee r craz ter, in e, but travel fact I for th news loathe I do e pur once a the d e pose lv e into w e e of go k A swim, a run and a ride across the world. Dan Martin may be jus the se Today od a of t I fou t to see w weets hat I nd a Vietnam can dr tweet : As c crazy but Ed Gordon thinks he's an inspiration too a g up. lo t it I have se to led 'H n't see Avatar along n a s Bay, I A y 'v vatar – ou can e just A FOUR month swim. Four swim from Nova Scotia, really physical yes I been b get'. N everyw k ow, months of swimming. Canada to Brest, France he pounding your u n s o y – bu here I t from w I should Swimming, for fourth then intends to hop on his body day after could got m but t h e scre see w e thin months. This is what Dan bike and dust off Europe, day.' en grab here t king; r Pompe h s I've e is c e ii, from tweete ntly w Martin, a teacher from as you do. The cycling As soon as r was e disc visiting one tr seen u comin Peterborough, will face as will take him from Brest, his feet touch ip on s N s epal I ed the the Lo seen f know Google g from and he hopes to circumnavi- through to Russian Siberia solid ground, he ndon E ar mor y o it u s treet can se ye and e landm somet gate the globe via swim- where he can trek across will then start view o e Evere I don't arks t hing? f s t d h from a Is th ming, cycling and run- the Bering Straits at the running across is, or ere a d an they actu oubt some plane, else I p if a e ning. Iron man, eat your the 2nd largest ll o f y e p waste rence le claim have, b trusty d a betwee interne to hav heart out, this guy is diacountry in the n seein ut does this t to lo lot of time e w o 'Aside from burnu g ld count mond. world – somet and mo ok at be bre a h s n p in a e ic t g a y s h c t omeon taking and ex on my ures in Mr Martin is adopting Canada – until e else perienc tually exper in its own t stead. ing loins, he will iencing own w actuall r in than y the same rules that swimhe finally a D g it? I v e o ls wh n't ay, jus ou do y hike en I c hope t ? I do d up t t as lo get me wro mers use to cross the makes it back see sig o here u ld n n h g, seein 't thin ok ere on have u hts – also face dangers English Channel; trunks, into Nova k I'm g Evere sed th foot d ing down on air, fo the lin w r s e o o o L t t ng in c e. Perh ondon , bike, they h from goggles, hat and goose Scotia to la has it E aps I ave a the rig from storms, s merit the air bigger should lephant, Cam iming yes. I grease– for the chafing, complete ht to claim s, but el fu draw it cross on 'se don't you know. Aside his maraif now; lo – but eventu lly condone it off respon eing Ev sharks and t a h o ll y s e k y our 't e from burning loins, he thon triathe to 'H in r c s e g h s o o a t m t ' ic eone is hings e of w ave yo to see Pompeii on will also face dangers lon. u been going t ays to G o b o t o e barnacles' o Halo gle St fore I from storms, sharks and What's reet do have to draw ng Bay 'm too ?' is n es not old' lis barnacles...He will be folit all in aid James ot, 'No give yo t. And Buntin pe, bu u lowed by a trail-boat that coldest part of the year. of? Closure on an the ju g t I've stified s een Av will digitally map his loca- Dangers here include early mid-life crisis? e s atar'. tion every night, so in the polar bears, wolves and Maybe, but the official across the morning, he can return the weather; he said story is charity. Martin world. Suddenly this and start it all again, '[Cycling] will be a real has raised about £80,000 monumentally brave chal- life of the swimming up to 8 hours a battle against the ele- so far, but this is still only lenge shows itself for traveller. day in three section ments, whereas the swim- half of the cost of the trip. what it truly is; an inspiraIf you feel like this bursts. ming will be a mental In total, he hopes to raise tional journey that will crazy, crazy man deserves google 'The Dan After this 5,000km struggle and the running £1,000,000 for orphanag- change more than just the your student beans, just Martin Foundation'.

Marathon Triathalon

Travel news bites Alex Cloney

Woman returns from the dead

A Columbian woman was pronounced dead after suffering from a heart attack only for a worker at the funeral parlour to notice her moving and breathing.

She was sent back to hospital and is now fine. It is thought that she suffers from Lazarus syndrome which causes your breathing and heart rate to drop drastically before returning to normal.

Mammoth fines for speedy student

A student from Dubai has accumulated over £61,000 in traffic fines after committing 400 separate offences.

He eluded identification for two years but now the man has been caught, his car seized and his licence revoked.

Ancient illness, incest & deformity

Results from DNA tests and CT scans on mummies have revealed that Tutankhamun died from a broken leg and malaria. More interestingly, scientists believe that his parents were brother and sister and that – as a result – he suffered from birth deformities such as club foot and a cleft palate.

Mekong River Troubles

It is rumoured the 48-hour slow boats that run between Laos and Thailand on the Mekong have been suspended due to low water levels between Huay Xai and Pakbeng. Though still unconfirmed a suspension like this will severly affect Laos tourism.

Plane Stupid

Two British plane spotters have been arrested in Delhi, India on the charges of intercepting communications.

They were carrying an air traffic control scanner, a laptop, binoculars and cameras but raised suspicion after asking a hotel for a room overlooking the runway.

Violent tourists in Oz face drug tests

The Australian Hotel Association has called for random drug tests on tourists arrested for anti social behaviour. The association has put forward AU $10,000 to have the police extend their random drug testing program to include venues and the surrounding areas.

Born in the USA

A recent US immigration official announced if you were born whilst Bruce Springsteen's 'Born in the USA' was playing on four international radio stations you can legitmately claim US citizenship.

Photo: Alex Cloney. For more photos from the Redbrick travel gallery log on to redbrickonline.

The brighter side of bankruptcy Steph Kleynhans eyes up travelling an economically crippled Europe The huge financial problems Greece has been having is not an uncommon trend throughout the world at the moment.

Despite the EU stepping in to avoid a devastating affect across Eurozone, Greece's economy has hit rock bottom; perfect for a holiday.

Greece's citizens are now among the poorest in Europe and the EU has been forced into acting to help Greece relieve its fiscal problems before they are dragged down with it.

The financial problems the country is facing have forced them to withdraw from the Euro and revert-

back to using the Drachma; an exchange rate than can only favour those who wish to escape to the sun on the cheap.

Similar scenes of economic crisis in Latvia, Hungary and Iceland in the past two years have meant the creation of tourist havens. Hungary was hit hard in November 2009 and fearful of a domino effect across Eastern Europe harsh budget cuts were enforced.

Latvia experienced such hardships that they even auctioned off Soviet Union relics such as the early warning radar base Skrunda-1 in February.

Iceland's banking problems were well documented and as of December 2008 the currency, the Icelandic Króna, trades at less than half its value of December 2007. The prices in Iceland have taken a huge fall, meaning tourism has hugely increased; skyscanner.net recorded an increase of 400 per cent on flights to and from Iceland in the month of October 2008 and the cost of living in Iceland became around 56 per cent cheaper virtually overnight. Latvia saw an increase in tourism of 8 per cent increase recorded just in the first half of

2008 and in 2009/10 Hungary fell dramatically on the Global Cost of Living Rankings.

Greece is looking likely to follow in terms of a fall in cost of living so renting that villa by the sea or drinking your way through a bottle of ouzo on the beach will be that little easier on your pocket. A rise in tourism will not only mean a higher standard for holiday makers as Greece adapts to accommodate more and more tourists each year, but your visit will inevitably help a faltering economy. A guilt-free trip all round.

Arts & Culture

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Theatre: From Shakespeare to a Beckham inspired drama

King Lear @ The Courtyard Theatre Jessica Reynolds King Lear is regarded by some academics as Shakespeare's most extreme and magnificent tragedy.

Its dark and depressing insights into the human condition place its protagonist Lear onto the tragic pedestal with Hamlet.

Greg Hicks' performance of King Lear excellently chartered the King's descent from his position of power and respect to weakness, to ultimately the evocation of pity and the audiences' tears at the death of his truest daughter Cordelia in the play's final scene.

A striking aspect of the production was its sophisticated yet simplistic set design. Unusually this production also experimented heavily with sound and lighting effects to aid the narrative.

The creative use of eerie howling winds, the derelict appearance of the set and the snow-covered opening stage mirrored the overtly tragic aspects of this play. As Lear descended into the realms of insanity, the set itself, representative of his kingdom and his mental stability physically crumbled away. In the pivotal

storm scene where we witness the emergence of Lear's manic interiority large wooden pieces of the backdrop crashed to the stage floor. This shocking affect was unexpected and dramatic; rain beat down on a shaking Lear with a spotlight illuminating this tragic figure amongst a stage of darkness.

The production emphasises the universality of familial relationships.

Whilst the opening scenes displayed a sense of archaic decadence normally associated with Shakespeare productions this production seamlessly incorporated modern im-

ages such as the hospital ward. For me one of the most moving scenes was when a nurse pushed out a hospital-gowned Lear on a wheel chair. This image of human deterioration showed the production's ability to make Shakespeare's texts resonate with a contemporary audience.

With the new 'A night less ordinary' scheme run by the Arts Council free tickets are available on Tuesday nights for many of the company's acclaimed performances.

So jump on the train and watch some of the best of British theatre for free.

Greg Hicks in rehearsal. Photo Courtesy: RSC

17

Cling To Me Like Ivy @ The REP Samantha Clarke

Rivka, like any woman, wants the perfect wedding.

The 21-year-old daughter of an Orthodox rabbi is getting married to David, a son of another rabbi. With only two weeks to go, she has the perfect dress – and the perfect wig. However, when doubt is cast on her wig everything starts to unravel.

Samantha Ellis' inspiration to write Cling To Me Like Ivy was from a throwaway remark by Victoria Beckham in 2004, which sparked a complete crisis within the Orthodox Jewish community about the wigs worn by Jewish women.

The play was extremely enjoyable, and takes the audience through a whirlwind of emotions from laughter and enjoyment to sadness and compassion.

All performances were extremely strong, but particular mention has to go to Amanda Boxer, who played Malka. With her lack of sympathy, her sarcastic wit and sharp tongue, she put the other characters in their place and ensured numerous comedy moments. The

Photo Courtesy: The REP play is Emily Holt's theatrical debut, and her performance as Rivka set the bar high for her future career in theatre. Holt skillfully managed to keep the audience engrossed as they followed her journey through the values and laws of femininity in certain Jewish communities.

The music of the play certainly added to the drama and struggles of Rivka's difficult choices.

Although only set in a minimal amount of loca-

tions, the stage was cleverly designed by Ruari Murchison, combining a kitchen, with a tree-house in threatened woodland, and the transition between the two was carried out memorably.

Cling To Me Like Ivy is definitely one to watch, if you want to experience a gripping performance, through the diverse and controversial Jewish laws, executed quite faultlessly by a talented cast.

Dancing at Lughnasa @ The REP

Ballet:

A look at the Tony award-winning acclaimed play...

BRB's Evening of Dance @ Symphony Hall

Sian Evans

Aaron Wright

When a play has three Tony awards, an Olivier award along with massive success in the West End and on Broadway, everyone in the audience had that certain expectation that the Rep Theatre Company were going to show us something special.

They did not disappoint.

The play itself was fantastic; throwing us into rural 1930s Ireland and the typical experience of a poverty-stricken household, Friel's words led us through the highs and the lows of the Mundy family. A five female-strong family, one with Michael (a seven year child out of wedlock), dealing with the flittering return of his father and the family's elder brother, Father Jack, who was suffering from the effects of malaria after time as a missionary in Uganda.

The narrative structure focussed upon a man's retelling of his experience as a seven year old, in the summer of 1936. As the other characters directed their interaction with Michael towards an empty space, with the adult actor on stage providing the responses, the distance was effortlessly shown between the boy he was

and the man he had now become as an effect of his memories.

The five female actresses were outstanding, each fully in tune with their character and all juxtaposing the happiness to be brought by a wireless with the tragic reality of Irish rural life.

Each with their own role to play within the household, fitting to their characteristics, the chemistry between the actresses was spot on; balancing the

Photo Courtesy: The REP

unity experienced often by the typical Irish music coming from the wireless to the divisions of ability, choice of suitor and overall attitude to life.

The set deserves a mention too; perfectly fitting for the action, the grass banks, garden and homely kitchen, part covered by derelict roofing with smoking chimney included, provided the necessary atmosphere of a homely, Irish experience.

It's pretty unfair to have me reviewing the innocuous Alan Titchmarsh's role as compere of Saturday's Evening of Music and Dance with the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Alan and I are from disparate worlds; I'm not his target audience; he's really not trying to appeal to me, and no one forced me to attend. But I did attend and it'd be nice to think that, five years on from

Photo Courtesy: Town Hall

his retirement from the world of gardening, the guy could get through a two hour hosting gig without a relentless torrent of half-arsed botanical puns.

At other moments our quaint MC was practically ravenous with lust, jokily bragging of his privileged, close up vantage point of the scantily clad female dancers; perhaps to be expected of a red blooded male forced to spend a considerable stint in the company of a certain Miss

Dimmock and her dangling mammarys, but still a tad tasteless considering all the other 'talents' he might have drawn attention to.

If cultural institutions like the Birmingham Royal Ballet are really as committed to bringing in new audiences as they say they are then perhaps an edgier choice of host might serve them well.

Overlooking this, Saturday's well curated programme of immediate tidbits would have been a great introduction to the ballet for the interested novice: with danced excerpts ranging from Tchaikovsky's beautiful Sleeping Beauty to Malcolm Arnold's energetic Highland Fling paired with choice musical interludes such as Sibelius's Finlandia and Richard Addinsell's Rachmaninov-esque Warsaw Concerto.

The 'grand finale' in particular saw an ineffable show of physical ability retaining all the poise and grace you'd expect from one of the world's leading ballet companies.

Things bode well for Birmingham Royal Ballet's 20th Anniversary celebrations later in the year.

18 Arts & Culture

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Photography:

Mad Day Out @ Three White Walls Chloe Hayward The Three White Walls Gallery at the Mailbox is showing for a limited time rare portraits of The Beatles at the height of their fame, which have until now escaped the light of day. Tom Murray shot these previously unseen pictures of The Beatles one sunny summer afternoon in London '68.

The band were famous for retracting from public limelight, which led to the press reusing out of date photos of the band from their early career with modish haircuts and identically tailored suits. A lot had changed for the band since the early sixties and as an act

of defiance, The Beatles set about creating new photographs showing off their unkempt hair and individual personas. The Mad Day Out shoot, taken on a mere two rolls of film, remained forgotten in an envelope for an astonishing thirty years before being unveiled to the public. Their antics range from balancing off concrete buildings in mock rivalry by Old Street Underground to the band hiding amongst a garden filled with hollyhocks.

Perhaps most hauntingly, the collection includes a picture of a seemingly 'dead' John Lennon, his band members gathered around the body with concern. Murray describes how the boys were con-

Can you spot John?

stantly performing and playing up to the camera, making him constantly seek moments when the boys weren't paying attention.

The collection of 23 photos eventually ends in Paul's St Johns Wood house, showing a calmer side to the icon as the light fades into night.

Paul and Ringo pose with Paul's dog, Martha, after whom the famous song is named. Each portrait is accompanied by a description of the circumstances surrounding the image, which lead you through the escapades of the day. The pandemonium that surrounded the band meant that each shot had to be taken within the space of half an hour before the four were spotted by screaming fans.

The collection is now regarded as one of the most revealing sets of pictures of the band; Murray captures a pensive John, a playful Paul, nonchalant Ringo and calm George, each image showing why the 'Fantastic Four' became one of the biggest pop groups of the twentieth century.

The exhibition makes this question more difficult; just who is your favourite Beatle?

Music:

Steve Reich's Drumming @ Town Hall Bekah Cork As soon as Colin Currie, Synergy Vocals and the rest of his colourfullyshirted group came on stage, I knew this was not going to be a concert like the others the Birmingham International Concert Series has held this season at the Town Hall and Symphony Hall. The flamboyantly-coloured shirts for one were refreshingly unique and their programme of hypnotic percussion music mesmerised the audience in a way that a Beethoven Symphony never could.

The programme started with Steve Reich's Clapping Music which essentially was five minutes of two men clapping a rhythm, with one part that moves around by one beat in each repeat creating a wave of sound that leaves the audience thoroughly impressed and feeling sorry for their painful clapping hands.

The rest of the programme used various percussion instruments, voices, a synthesised organ and even a piccolo.

Most impressive was the Drumming which consists of four sections, each running straight into the next using different combinations of instru-

An artistic inspiration or...

An over-hyped media product?

Zoe Stanton

Sian Gray

I AM shamelessly addicted to Lady Gaga. A hybrid of music, fashion, theatrics and technology, her fearless and unapologetic attack against the drone of generic pop is refreshing. If she can't be named a true artist, no pop musician can.

Her entire persona, from her performances on stage to her defining haute couture style, makes her an unforgettable woman who has unequivocally established herself as a style icon.

Living the best moments of Madonna's career in what seems like five minutes and coming back for more is why so many of us can't get enough.

Projecting herself in a fiercely competitive industry, Gaga shines where others fade. She may not always look 'magazine' beautiful, but her image isn't designed to look pretty. Instead, she is a daring spirit whose outfits reach far beyond expressing sexuality and move into the realm of awe-inspiring.

Her fashion statements have unique personalities of their own with their Warhol-inspired take on colour, unique concepts

a whole was very enjoyable. The atmosphere was tantric, and most refreshing was that the event was not just attended by a stereotypical 'classical music crowd'. It was interesting to see both young and old enjoying Steve Reich's minimalist music pushing the barriers of music as we traditionally know it.

The Colin Currie group and Synergy Vocals are all very talented and are definitely worth going to see in whatever they take on next.

Photo Courtesy: Town Hall

Previews

The Art of Gaga and mesmerizing shapes.

It's a wonderful gift to the pop world to have such an individualist shaking things up, whose singing abilities and level of involvement in producing her own music are also very impressive. Just as Brian Warner's creation of Marilyn Manson was extreme and iconic in 90's rock, Stefani Germanotta's Gaga is eclectic, mysterious and provocative in modern pop. This powerful persona is the main strength which distinguishes her from other pop stars, and it shows in her majestic ability to pull off musical, visual and performance art without breaking stride.

ments and voices. The whole piece was strangely hypnotic and it took a great deal of effort to stay awake. The music could easily send you into a sleepy trance, listening to the repeating cells that only change subtly through the whole work which lasted around an hour, but depending on the number of repeats the ensemble wished to play it could have lasted up to 90 minutes!

Steve Reich's performance and the concert as

If prancing about in a sparkly leotard, singing over-produced songs constitutes as art then yes, Gaga is indeed the first Lady of the art world, the Tracey Emin of musical controversy.

Except that leotards and a record deal are not Art, they are standardized money making machines, and so is the Lady herself.

I am fully aware of the fact that she is controversial, but so was Britney when she decided to chop all her hair off and go bald , or Eminem when he thought a chainsaw was a good prop to have on stage. Let us not for-

get Madonna who decided to slip into a latex outfit and shamelessly flirt with Justin Timberlake. None of these publicity stunts count as any form or type of art. Sorry Gaga, but a few daring and jazzy outfits and certain ladette or lady complex just does not cut it.

As much as her fans would like to deem her original, the fact of the matter remains that before Gaga there was Madonna and before Madonna there was Bowie, both of which were fully clad in shocking make-up and provocative attire.

In addition to this let us not forget that Gaga herself has admitted that her very name is taken from Queen's 'Radio Gaga'; perhaps she is just trying to recreate a certain Mercury-inspired look.

There is nothing more to Gaga than a great production team, and whilst you could argue that behind a great piece of fine art is an even better artist, at least to some extent there is some social commentary or a message behind it. Gaga, apart from promoting disco stick loving, speaks of nothing but generic pop and media hype.

A cultural assult on all senses....

The Hairy Bikers' Big Night Out @ Symphony Hall, Friday 26th February, 8.00pm – After a successful tour and stints on Celebrity Mastermind and The Weakest Link, the Hairy Bikers are back and bringing to Birmingham food, chats and laughs. Tickets £19.50.

Jimmy Carr: Rapier Wit @ Symphony Hall, Saturday 27th February, 8.00pm – Clever, quick-witted, intelligent, not to mention sarcastic, rude and brilliantly cruel, this is Carr at his best. If you're going to see only one comedy show this year, make it this one. Tickets £22.50.

Hot Flush! @ The Alexandra, Tuesday 2nd March, 7.30pm – Starring Lesley Joseph (of Birds of a Feather fame), Hot Flush! explores the lives and relationships of four women and one man. Described as the 'Ultimate Girls Night Out'. Tickets £21.

Stephen Lynch @ The Alexandra, Thursday 4th March, 7.00pm – The Tony Award winning comedian, musician and actor is not one to miss. Tickets £23.50.

Pasion de Beauna Vista @ The Alexandra, Friday 5th March 7.30pm – The night promises to be filled with Cuban delights. From sensational salsa to fiery rhythms, dancers to passionate singers, this night promises to deliver all things Cuban.

Tickets £23.

Scoring a Century @ The Crescent, Friday 5th March, 7.30pm – This is a world premiere of aspiring young actors performing in a dazzling montage of mini opera and theatre. The narrative follows the Jeddermanns as they begrudgingly develop but never age through an entire century. The large cast explore momentous political and social change. Tickets £12.

Opening Credits

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Film

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Film of the Week

Sam Jansen casts his scathing eye over James McAvoy's latest offering, The Last Station, and is pleasantly surprised

Alex Jacques Rosie Willmot Ever felt that huge knot of despair well up inside you, like your life consists (and has done for some time) of perpetually feeling like you're in that bit of Titanic when they're on top of the last chunk of the ship, about to sink, get sucked under and probably drown or die of cold? No? Just me then.

Seriously though, the Titanic disaster is probably a strong metaphor for the third year, but it's definitely taking its toll on us this side of reading week.

Alex, for example, is currently mid-dissertation and reminiscent of Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off; catatonic, sombre, uncommunicative and a little bit psychotic, but nevertheless completely adorable.

I'm acting a bit like Lisa in Girl, Interrupted: no one seems to be coming anywhere near me right now.

Thank God for our family

of superb writers, is all we have to say. PostBAFTAs, we're in serious thank-you speech mode, and really, they've just been superb for the whole of this year, and this week is no exception.

Simon Fairbanks, in what is becoming a regular thing of his, gives the low-down on what's going on in the world of Film, while Matt Davis comments more thoroughly on last Sunday's BAFTA ceremony. Sam Jansen reviews The Last Station just across the page, and Genevieve Taylor is less enthralled by Solomon Kane. Rob Watts gives us a glowing Silverscreen on Marilyn Monroe's Some Like It Hot, and Mike Brownlee collects together a great big gang of imaginary friends for your perusal in this week's Top Ten. Read on and enjoy, and if you see any third years sitting and staring wildly into the middle distance, it's best to just avoid them.

Director:Michael Hoffman Starring: Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, James McAvoy Certificate: 15 'EVERYTHING that I know, I know only because I love', writes Tolstoy in War and Peace. Whilst this could just be a man excusing through high intellect his social irresponsibility in fathering thirteen children, the concept of love fusing together all people and ideas is one that permeates this powerful biopic of the man and his radical normative movement (the nineteenth-century Russian equivalent of Dude-ism, so it would seem).

The Last Station chronicles the final days of the literary great, Lev Tolstoy (Plummer), whose will is the subject of a raging battle between his beloved friend and his wife.

The former, Chertkov, wants Tolstoy to leave the copyrights for his works to the Russian people, in keeping with the teachings of the Tolstoyan movement, whilst Countess Sofia (Mirren) simply wants to ensure her family is provided for. Chertkov sends young Valentin (McAvoy), a keen Tolstoyan disciple, to act as secretary to the writer and to keep a record of everything the 'dangerous' wife says. His loyalty to the cause is

Film News

Solomon Kane

Simon Fairbanks

Genevieve Taylor

AWARD Season continues with the BAFTAs being held last Sunday. The Hurt Locker swept the awards, picking up Best Film and Best Director, whilst contender Avatar had to settle for the technical awards. Meanwhile, Redbrick's best film of 2009, Up, won Best Animation.

In money-grabbing mimicry of Harry Potter 7, Summit Entertainment has decided to split Twilight: Breaking Dawn into two movies to cope with the 'complex' plot of the final book. More JacAbs. More R-Pattz.

Teenage girls are fainting sporadically across the globe.

More unnecessary Vin Diesel sequels are heading our way with confirmation of a third Riddick film and a fifth Fast and Furious film, ingeniously titled Fast Five.

Disney has renamed its next film Rapunzel to Tangled. Due out in November, the studio has shifted back to 3-D again but promises to remain loyal to Disney's fairy tale roots.

Trainspotting novelist Irvine Welsh is directing a gritty British comedy

Director: Michael J. Bassett Starring: James Purefoy, Laura Baranik, Geoff Bell Certificate: 15

called The Magnificent Eleven. It will be a modern-day spoof of The Magnificent Seven, trading the Wild West for a football pitch, starring Sean Bean, Dougray Scott and Robert Vaughn.

Speaking of the West, Tarantino's next film is going to be a spaghetti Western.

However, instead of the usual Texas backdrop, he plans to set the action in slavery times and call it a 'Southern.'

Laeta Kalogridis, executive producer of Avatar, is working on an adaptation of Japanese cyberpunk manga, Ghost in the Shell. The Avatar gang have also been busy meeting up with Marc Webb, director of the next Spider-Man film, to brief him about their 3-D motion capture technology.

Bill Nighy is voicing heroic mouse Reepicheep in the third Narnia film, Scream 4 starts shooting in May and the latest Toy Story 3 trailer has hit YouTube. The toys are back in town.

Robert E. Howard was the father of the Swords and Sorcery epic. His first creation to storm our screens was Conan, in the form of The Governator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, but now a new, more British hero enters the fray: Solomon Kane. A highborn Puritan warrior, Kane evolves throughout the film, from evil plunderer to heroic saviour, all the while evading the devil's quest for his soul through religion and passivity.

Solomon's moral journey is portrayed well, if with a slightly haphazard and comic accent, by James Purefoy. The actor lends a solemn restraint to the role which is refreshing in a genre which encourages overacting. Helping in this are some of the many fine Brits in supporting roles.

Amongst the cream of the crop are Pete Postle– thwaite as the caring, religious family man who takes Solomon in, and Mackenzie Crook in a dis-

tinctly creepy role as a priest with shockingly confused morals. In fact, in a screenplay so full of clichés, the gravity of the acting talent saves the film from slipping into humorous B-movie territory.

Solomon Kane is a film with many faults; some of the religious imagery is a little too cringe-worthy and there are plot holes abound, distinctly in the scene where our 'hero' leaves an elderly woman alone in the middle of an apparently secluded forest to

tested, however, as he becomes closer to the Countess, and learns more about life and love with the help of the precocious Masha.

The attention to detail with regards to setting is very impressive: from the abundance of birch trees, to the rugs on the walls, right down to taking tea with jam, this film acts as an education in Russian culture and etiquette. The quirky openness of Russian conversation also provides a few comedic moments.

Tolstoy's throwaway remark about being born on a particular sofa – a sofa promptly vacated by Valentin – certainly brings back a few memories of my time in Moscow…

If this isn't enough to warrant your full engagement, the acting performances are equally worthy of awe. Plummer is adept in his role as the aging man burdened with the mantle of greatness, whilst Mirren gets in touch with her Russian roots as the desperate wife flung from one raw emotion to the next – her Oscar nomination is well deserved. McAvoy copes

well with the naïve and starstruck nature of Valentin, although his constant nervous sneezing does become a little tiresome after a while.

If there is one flaw in The Last Station, it is the unfortunate lack of screen-time given over to the exploration of Tolstoy the man, as opposed to Tolstoy the God. Plummer's first scenes, in which he is swathed in white, depict Tolstoy as a Christ-like figure, but after this there seems to be a conscious effort to mention the religious element of the Tolstoyan movement as much as possible without actually having to deal with the issue. Several allusions to a showdown between the Church and Tolstoy evaporate away without payoff – a braver approach may have allowed this film's star to rise a little higher.

presumably die of loneliness and/or starvation.

However, beautiful cinematography and a surprisingly believable lead lift Solomon Kane to an entertaining and occasionally emotional actionfest. Gorgeous Czech landscapes and perennial gothic snowfall subdue the film's more flamboyant elements. While the fight scenes are gritty and often fantastic, and the effects are impressive for so small a budget.

The movie is to some extent restrained by its origin tale foundation.

There seems a constant and palpably forced strain to centre the protagonist throughout the film. While Solomon is the titular character the intrinsic linking can be almost ridiculous. However, there is hope that future instalments will expand from this centric origin basis.

Solomon Kane may not be brilliant and can lean towards the silliness of some genre stereotypes but it's refreshing and entertaining enough to leave you wanting more, if only of Purefoy's steamy sword-wielding.

VERDICT The Last Station is an enjoyable yet imperfect film, although stellar performances make up for the timidity of the storyline.

20 Film

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

BAFTAs 2010

Silverscreen

Matt Davis

Rob Watts

BAFTA audiences were dazzled by the glamour as those employed within the cinematic sphere were awarded for their brilliant feats of the past twelve months. An audience boasting a wide variety of talent took their seats for an evening of celebration as the competition commenced for illustrious prizes. The only blemish to an otherwise perfect evening was the performance of host Jonathan Ross, his disastrous oneliners causing the audience to flinch. $200 million, fifteen years and a collection of wrinkles bore the only result for Cameron with his creation of production Avatar. Cameron will be disappointed walking away unaccredited for his mind-blowing cinematic accomplishments, although he did receive praise for the picture design and special effects.

To add salt to the wounds, Cameron's ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow swept away any whisper of Avatar's grandeur and grabbed the assortment of film awards available.

Bigelow's motion picture

THERE has been much change within cinema in the last fifty years, but one thing that has remained is the audience's need for a good laugh. Combining sharp comic dialogue, crossdressing, and gangsters, Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot stands as a classic Hollywood comedy.

With a cast led by the pitch-perfect Jack Lemmon (hilarious) and Tony Curtis (suave), the story follows two broke jazz musicians as they flee a mob of gangsters after witnessing the St. Valentine's Day massacre.

As a means of escape they dress up and join an allfemale band on their way to Florida where they meet and fall for the band's singer Sugar Kane, played by the beautiful, iconic Marilyn Monroe.

Monroe is on top form as the funny yet forlorn heroine of the piece, pouting and acting innocent as 'Josephine' attempts to seduce her while acting as the Cary Grant-esque Shell Oil Jr. It is the way in which Wilder jumps quickly from one gag to another with such aplomb

The Hurt Locker was singled out and took best film, director, screenplay and a multitude of other awards. A slap in the face like this will certainly demoralise Cameron, though it should be noted that Titanic, a movie that won 12 Oscars, also went unrewarded in the 1998 BAFTAs. Straying from the cinematic skirmishes between Bigelow and Cameron, Britain was compensated for years of decorative snubbing.

Colin Firth has finally shaken off his romantic stereotype as he won his first BAFTA for best actor in A Single Man, beating the likes of Jeff Bridges and George Clooney. The

actor coolly contained his ecstasy, and aiming his appreciation towards Tom Ford, he declared himself 'a little more worldly, better groomed, more fragrant, and more nominated than one has ever been before.' Welsh beauty Carey Mulligan won best leading actress in An Education for her portrayal of a 1960s schoolgirl, another British performance securing a trophy.

A number of films went largely unrewarded.

Inglourious Basterds, South Africa's District 9 and The Lovely Bones all lost out to Kathryn Bigelow as she stormed to victory with her American war thriller.

that makes this film stand out – watch the comic tension build as our seducer changes speedily but realises just in time that he still has his earrings on.

From images of bulging men's calves in high heels to 'Daphne' and her love interest Osgood's tango, the pace of the film never slows and the funny jokes and visual humour just keep coming. Wilder brings plenty of variety to the film, drawing on his earlier works such as the brilliant noir Double Indemnity for the introduction of mob boss 'Spats' Colombo, which adds a great deal of menace to an otherwise riotous cross-dressing come-

dy. The film also takes full advantage of being shot in black and white as our heroes transform gender, and the joke that they are clearly men never fails to raise a smile, whatever predicament comes their way.

Curtis and Lemmon hold their own against Monroe who is as enchanting as ever, but come Sugar's defining moment, all eyes will be on her performance of I Wanna Be Loved By You. Mixing plenty of comedy and film styles, Some Like It Hot will always be a benchmark for future filmmakers and, to misquote the last line of the film, 'it's perfect'.

Top Ten: Imaginary friends Mike Brownlee tracks the best cinematic figments of the popular imagination LOOKING back, I wish I had an imaginary friend when I was a wee lad. According to most psychiatrists it would've been unsurprising, even common, for me to have one since I'm an only child. But alas, my feeble young mind was not so creative and so off I went to make real friends. Imaginary friends in films always make for interesting characters, so let's count down the best...

10

10. Tony – The Shining

9

Tony is the deeper-voiced alter ego of little Danny in The Shining who possesses him to write REDRUM on the mirror in his mother's lipstick – creepy stuff.

9. Bogus – Bogus Certainly the most childfriendly entry on our list.

8

7

8. Eric Cantona Looking for Eric

–

5. Half the cast of A Beautiful Mind

2. Frank – Donnie Darko

Let's face it, who wouldn't want Eric Cantona as an imaginary friend? It would be brilliant, so long as he doesn't scissor-kick you in the face...

Princeton genius John Nash (Russell Crowe) spends so much time looking at maths textbooks that he starts to imagine room-mates, CIA agents and little girls – remember maths students: all work and no play...

Picture your imaginary friend being a dead guy in a menacing rabbit costume who tells you that the world is about to end – and that's why Frank is no 2.

7. Ivan – The Machinist Insomniac and bag of bones Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) meets mysterious co-worker Ivan who turns out to be a manifestation of his troubled mind.

6. Elvis Presley – True Romance Here's an Elvis we can all appreciate – a psycho (played by Val Kilmer) who tells you to kill people, shoot them and put them down like dogs.

6

4. Harvey – Harvey The first of two giant bunnies to appear on our list; my friend back home named his son after this film – that's how good it is. Enough said.

3. Drop Dead Fred – Drop Dead Fred Grown-up Phoebe Cates is re-visited by her mischievous childhood imaginary friend Drop Dead Fred (Rick Mayall).

5

3

1. Tyler Durden – Fight Club Edward Norton meets everything he wishes he was in Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). Turns out they're one and the same. 'All the ways you wish you could be, that's me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.' Fantastic.

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1

Lifestyle

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010 Hello from Lifestyle lovelies Jess and Alex This week, after receiving some TLC at home, both of us are feeling ready and raring to give you the best of Lifestyle – (absolutely NOTHING to do with Alex chain-drinking coffees...at all...).

We think this is our best issue yet, covering all the bases from health to fashion, with a bit of feminism thrown in... just a regular week in the life of a Lifestyle Editor. Seeing as we are conveniently on the subject of feminism, Bloke de Brum has been under fire of late for his cheeky antics, so this week he has shown us his softer side. Has he found the one?

Highlight of the week: that blummin' lorry! Protecting People my arse – are you protecting me when I have to walk around someone's horrific mistake when it's snowing... I could slip.

But it lightened up our dreary February days at Uni to see that someone else is indeed failing, but instead of a degree, just in life. Poor driver.

On a slightly more fashion related subject, it's the time us fashionistas lust after – London Fashion Week. So look out for new, fresh talent to drool over. The St Martin's show showcases the best of new designers.

Byeeee (off to get Alex another coffee).

Catwalk: From rough to buff in five minutes Fierce Danielle Taylor It is a mathematical certainty that the day you get ready for lectures in five minutes flat is the day you will run straight into the person you're dying to impress.

You'll feel obliged to stop for a spot of small talk, but inside all you can think is: my face hasn't been this bare since I came out of the womb, I have last night's dinner down my top and-horror of horrors! – I appear to be wearing socks with my ballet flats.

As a species, we seem to lack the evolutionary survival skills necessary to prevent social mortification. Charles Darwin I am not; nevertheless, I put forward the theory that if we are to stand a fighting chance of surviving the day, we want to be putting our best face forward and looking sharp every time we step outside our front door.

I can just envisage you all collectively spluttering into your copies of Redbrick. You don't have hours to spend primping and preening each morning: you have a life! Commitments! A biological need for a lie-in! However, let me assure you that when it comes to looking pulled together, small, painless changes can add up to a head-swivelling difference.

Even getting up 15 minutes earlier than usual

London Fashion Week – yes fashionistas, it's that time of year again when London shows us her true beautiful colours in the form of all things couture.

Marina and the Diamonds – a new musical darling has erupted onto the music scene, with a body to envy and style to boot, Marina is set to continue sparkling.

Take Me Out – an amazing alternative to Fab on a saturday, or watch on catch-up to ease that hangover.

Poor Rian, we'll take you out love! (If we ever find the elusive Fernando's?)

The lorry that got stuck under the Guild bridge – this incident gave many of us a good old giggle this week, even more so because the lorry held the slogan ' Protecting People. Reducing Risk' on it. Priceless comedy.

See, even Eva needs an extra ten minutes! can give you a head start on the rest of the pack.

Whether your mane needs taming, or you have to hunt around for a pair of ladder-free tights, you'll have time to attend to details that can often be overlooked in the mad rush to get out the door.

Eschewing battered Converses for soft, leather boots; or a University of Birmingham hoodie for a fine-knit, bat-wing cardigan creates a powerful psychological shift that can transform your whole day. Ditto for accessories.

Me? I have a predilection for painted nails paired with an assortment of oversized rings, but, really, it's all down to personal taste: I say if a sequinned beret feels good, do it.

Of course, whatever you wear needs to be contextappropriate; nevertheless, as long as your chosen

Health: Is vegetarian in vogue?

To the disdain of many chefs, most notably Gordon Ramsey, it seems that vegetarianism is becoming more popular amongst students. With rising food prices and increased time constraints, students are taking to vegetarian options. With meat becoming increasingly expensive and, sometimes, taking hours to cook, a vegetable stir fry looks ever more tempting after a full day of lectures.

Speaking as a vegetarian myself, I find my meals very easy and spend no more than half an hour in the kitchen at a time. In comparison to the people I live with, they seem to spend hours defrosting and preparing meat dishes, which I simply don't have time for! It is also important when it comes to meat dishes that the food is cooked thoroughly, and many students lack the knowledge of how to cook meat properly. This could result in illness, and wasted food which students don't have the money to pay for.

Vegetarian recipes, on the other hand, are extremely

easy to cook, very rarely need defrosting and are less likely to cause problems if under cooked.

With the recurring message of 'get your five a day' spreading throughout the media, it is no wonder that students feel the need to increase their intake of fruit and veg. This means that vegetarian alternatives seem healthier, as well as cheaper. Many magazines promote the benefits of fruit and vegetables in making women look more youthful. It is said that antioxidants, found in many fruits and vegetables are age defying and make women appear more youthful. With increasing pressure to be young and healthy, it is no surprise that women in particular are turning to vegetarian dishes to enhance their appearance.

Luckily many firms and restaurants are latching on to the increasing amount of vegetarianism, and there are many alternatives available. One of the main brands associated with vegetarian eating is Quorn. I find Quorn dishes very tasty and ful-

21

items give you a lift, and distinguishes you from the masses, you're surely sitting on fashion gold.

Naturally, we mustn't forget about make up – every girl's secret weapon!

The very thought of going au natural makes me want to lie down in a cool, dark room, so warpaint is my lifeline. In the day ahead who knows who you'll encounter or what situations may arise? That's why I keep an emergency make up stash in my handbag at all times. Obsessive?

Maybe. But prepared? Absolutely.

And the next time you're roaming the wasteland of Selly Oak, hounded by the mating calls of appreciative builders, and you run into that special someone, I promise you'll feel more victor than victim of the natural selection process.

Julia Whiting finds out

filling along with being extremely quick and easy to cook. There is a variety of different recipes from vegetarian sausage rolls to curry dishes and kievs, which reduces the restriction of vegetarian food.

It also appears that new

Famous vegetarian Leona Lewis makes going veggie look scrumptious

alternatives are hitting UK stores such as Tofu, Falafel and even vegetarian Sushi. Whilst living on the Vale in my first year, I began to notice that Costcutter was selling the famous Linda McCartney brand of frozen vegetarian dishes. This highlights the increased demand for alternative food amongst Birmingham students.

The Quorn brand recently launched an advert, which was clearly targeted at the younger population. It featured a girl who was frustrated that her parents had also started eating Quorn and she said to her younger brother in rage 'touch my food, feel my fork!'. This advert presents the argument that I am trying to make, that young people/ students are more health conscious and aware of the different alternatives out there. It shows how students want to break the stereotype of takeaways and other unhealthy foods. Tesco Express had better be prepared for the new wave of veg-loving students!

Cheryl Cole – is in Fierce this week for being single and fabulous! Sod that cheating cad Ashley, because he's not worth it, (excuse the pun).

Amy Williams – well done love! One of the most dangerous winter sports, 'The Skeleton', was conquered

by Brit Amy, girl power at its most ferocious.

Colin Firth – another sexy Brit that has done us proud, winning a Bafta for his role in A Single Man. Well done old boy!

Volunteering Week – great opportunities to work for a good cause, looks great on your CV and makes you feel good. Why not?

Secret Diary of a Call Girl – if you love your programmes with a little bit of raunch dressed (or undressed) in the most stunning underwear, this show is a lust-see. Thursday's at 10pm, ITV2.

Finished Contrived fashion sense – After trawling through blog after blog of pensive, over-styled, achingly cool fashionistas, we have decided that there is a major difference between 'real style' and 'look what I found in Topshop this week'. Wisely said by our deputy Editor Jess Tarrant.

John Terry's England Captaincy – sorry Johnny boy, it would seem that monogamy would have probably been a good idea here.

Cheating hubby's – Vernon Kay, Ashley Cole, Tiger Woods, John Terry – what is wrong with them all?

They have beautiful, intelligent wives and yet they just can't seem to control their trouser snakes/love sticks/ pocket rockets/meat and two veg (we could go on).

Deadlines and the snow – we are putting these two together as combined, they are making our lives hell.

Both of you can sod off now.

'Tell her' – this is a destructive game created by a Facebook group which involves telling a girl exactly what you think of her on a night out. So if a guy said, 'that girls arse looks big in that dress' and his friend says 'tell her' he must then do so. What a lovely game this is.

Queueing to get into the library – you're already heading for Purgatory. Why do you have to wait in a queue?

Uggs – can you please just stop wearing them? Yes they're comfy but so are gorgeous Topshop boots that don't make you look like you've got cankles/ a camel has crawled onto your feet.

Website of the Week: most-curious.blogspot.com.

Here's another blog darling for you to fawn over and be bitterly jealous of all in the name of beautiful fashion and even more beautiful writing.

Be prepared to love her and envy her in equal measure

22 Lifestyle

Bloke de Brum

Has Jack finally met the one?

The last few weeks have been less than productive on the 'finding the girl of my dreams' front, which to be honest is no different than any other week, but in hindsight my approach is worth reviewing. I'll set a few things straight.

Firstly, I'll admit I do go out and look to pull a girl and sometimes take her back. It doesn't make or break my night, but I suspect everyone has had a few nights at Uni where they've felt a bit insecure and a tad lonely, and fuelled by alcohol have just wanted to share the night with someone. I'm sure some girls share this perspective. This is the reality of some nights out and

without us. Awkwardly I asked if she wanted a drink, but the offer was declined. When we got up to leave I was questioning which action to use to bid her farewell. Did I go for the standoffish 'Well see you soon then' and no hug, the slightly awkward hug or even better the kiss goodnight? In the end I went for the hug but halfway through thought I might as well go in for the kiss and got rejected. She took it well though and didn't get offended, rather, she smiled sheepishly and proceeded to ask for my number.

Arriving back at my house, one of my mates asked me why I had such a huge smile on my face.

'She replied with five words; '9pm. The Pear. I'm yours'.' does not mean I endorse any form of sexual harassment or have no respect for women.

After unsuccessfully attempting to get to know the girl I really liked, regrettably sleeping with an old flame and getting so plastered on my last night out that I couldn't stand up, things were heading in the wrong direction for my quest to find someone I actually cared for.

I was out in the Pear with a mate last Tuesday for a few pints with some of his girl mates. Again, I was quite drunk, but actually managed to have an intelligible conversation with one girl. It turned out she's from a town about half an hour away from where I live, so it sparked the standard conversation of 'do you know him?' and 'do you go out there?' Talking to her felt so natural and she was so pretty with such amazingly wide blue eyes with a cute face. Plus she was funny; for me the most attractive quality in a girl is someone who can make me laugh, which she was doing all night.

After talking for a good hour or so on our own, we found that all our friends had parted ways

I didn't have the heart to jinx this, so didn't respond. After all this time, I think I liked this girl more than any other I'd ever met.

The next day I was out in the Bullring doing some shopping. When I got back to my house later on that day I received a text from her claiming she had seen me in the Bullring that day. I was excited and got that butterfly feeling in my stomach when that special someone's name comes up on your phone. After engaging in some friendly (although tediously playit-cool) texting for a couple of hours I asked her if she'd like a drink later on that week. She replied with five words: '9pm.

The Pear. I'm yours'. My mind was racing and my heart was pumping, I really liked this girl and questions about what to wear and the potential of this girl started playing on my mind. When the eagerly anticipated Saturday night finally came around I was nervous, excited, restless and feeling all of the vast array of emotions ahead of a first date with the possible girl of your dreams.

REDBRICK 1367 / 27th FEBRUARY 2010

Issue:

New Feminism – and you don't have to burn your bra to believe in it Charlotte Crowley IN a recent seminar, my tutor asked us if we thought feminism was still relevant for the way we live today. She explained that 'in her day' the feminist voice could be heard loud and clear, whether it was in terms of arguing for equal pay in the workplace, or in education, or just for the right for society to be generally more of a level playing field.

These days, the voice of women seems to have been quelled a little. Is it because we have achieved the equality campaigned for by previous generations? Well, kind of. I mean, universities now have pretty much equal

statistics in terms of the girl/boy ratio (in fact Birmingham University is slightly over dominated by girls 56/44 – good news for the guys) and plenty of us girls will go on to graduate and enjoy good careers. Later in life we will probably have the choice, (what a privilege), to work or to become a stay-at-home family woman. We are, apparently, the generation of women who 'have it all.' Have we become complacent?

Because there's more to the meaning of 'sexual equality' than just some statistics about the working world, realistically there is still a lot of difference socially in the ways it is 'acceptable' for boys and girls to act; something that is hard to imagine

will ever change. It's a cliché, but girls will always be slandered for acts boys are praised for; the most obvious example of this is promiscuity. In freshers, a guy who has a one night stand on the first night of arriving has immediately established himself as 'having game', and gained some serious man points.

A girl who does that? Ooh. I'm afraid you're going to have to spend the rest of the term, at least, in complete celibacy in order to lose the tag of 'resident slag' you immediately gained.

The whole point of the feminist movement originally was the right to act and be treated the same as our male counterparts, and this has not been achieved. I won't

hold my breath for change though; at the end of the day these are standards we've all been brought up to believe, and I remain satisfied in the knowledge that no guys could put up with the general hassles and pain that girls do.

(Waxing, childbirth... not a nice idea, is it?)

In my opinion, being a feminist doesn't have to mean hating men, burning your bras and refusing to make an effort to look nice so as to not be sexually objectified. It just means believing there should be the same set of rights and rules for both sexes, and that a girl shouldn't have to be so worried about the perception of her behaviour, when a guy wouldn't think twice about it.

Culture: Alexander the Great Sarah Musgrove LIFESTYLE blogs worldwide are rocking with the news that has devastated the fashion industry. Lee Alexander McQueen was found dead in his luxury London flat on 11th February, the eve of his beloved mother Joyce's funeral. It is believed the prestigious designer took his own life, yet whilst no confirmations have been made, the fact remains clear that this is the loss of someone who can only be described as a true British fashion icon.

Alexander McQueen became head designer of Givenchy in 1996, before breaking free to lead his own label – and lead he did, as this man is one who has created some of the most controversial and boundary free fash-

ion moments in history.

One of his first prominent collections came in the form of 'Highland Rape' – a show that used bloodstained models in tattered tartan to shoot him to the top of designers-to-watch lists worldwide.

Following this controversial display, McQueen remained consistent in churning out his headturning and innovative demonstrations. Shortly after Kate Moss' cocaine scandal, we saw an eerie ghost-Kate hologram revolving above the catwalk, and editors were left literally open-jawed as a model and her white dress were attacked by mechanical car-factory paint sprays in the finale of one show.

Other shockers included his aptly named 'Bumster' trousers (Hipsters taken a revealing step too far), whatever-the-weather runways (a river, a blizzard

– you name it, the models endured it), and his very first collection fresh out of Central St. Martins (graduating with 'Jack the Ripper Stalking his Victims'), which was bought in its entirety by soon to be close friend and Vogue stylist Isabella Blow.

McQueen was a pioneer for breaking out of the fashion box. After accusations of misogyny, he was quoted as saying that 'everything [he's] done was for the purpose of making women look stronger, not naive.' His collections have featured double amputee, Aimee Mullins, who wore a pair of intricately carved wooden prosthetics under his summer dresses, and a show where the mirrored-box centre piece fell apart to reveal a nude plus-sized model in a still life arrangement. He renounced fashion stereotypes before the anti size

zero debate was a whisper on anyone's lips.

Yet underneath the conroversy and shock tactics, McQueen was known for beautiful, well-crafted tailoring, that made the leap from clothing to couture culture. His fashion was always impeccably finished, and, once off the catwalk, wearable – for those who couldn't afford his collections, there came the slightly more affordable and younger diffusion line, McQ. The news of his death has produced hundreds of messages of mourning in equal measure from fellow designers, fashion editors, and celebrity fans and friends. These alone are monument to a designer who will be sorely missed, and who, amongst very few, truly deserved the title 'genius'.

Television

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Top Ten: MTV shows Amber Alexander 1 – The Hills THE ultimate 'reality' TV show The Hills has provided us with enough drama to last a lifetime, or at least until Heidi's next nose job. We have laughed at Spencer's scheming and cringed over Audrina's attempts to win back Justin.

With filming for season six underway, who knows what will happen next.

2 – Made Compelling and often hilarious, Made gave the 'uncool' kids at school a chance to stand up to their peers and their parents and show them exactly what they're made of.

Tomboys became beauty queens, runts became wrestlers and nerds became rappers, all with the help of a mercenary Made coach.

waits anxiously as the daughters emerge from a car one by one, with his choice appearing last.

7 – Sixteen and Pregnant As the title suggests Sixteen and Pregnant takes a peek into the lives of young American moms-tobe who are forced to deal with schoolwork, pregnancy and unruly boyfriends. The idea wasn't particularly original but the show was definitely worth a watch. The majority of the young families were endearing and their blunt friends and family provided many moments of humour.

8 – Flavor of Love Trash TV doesn't get much better than this, with twenty women competing for the heart of Public Enemy's Flavor Flav. Even if you can convince yourself that the contestants enjoyed sticking their tongues in Flavor's toothless mouth, you can't quite get over the sheer ridiculousness of the whole thing. The girls were crazy and Flavor is just... well, gross.

Yet they must have been doing something right because the show enjoyed high ratings and instigated a host of similarly tasteless spin-offs.

3 – My Super Sweet Sixteen Oh the tears, the tantrums, the trauma! Who knew organising a birthday party could be so stressful?

6 – Date my Mom In 2004 MTV had a stroke of comedy genius with this light-hearted dating show, in which a young man picks a potential love interest after going on three separate dates with three mums. The dates were varied, with some mums completely failing to promote their daughters and other mums impressing a bit too much. At the end of each episode the guy

Joe McGrath IT seems that television is becoming less and less about variety and risktaking and more to do with identifying tried and tested formulas and re-releasing them with increasingly insignificant differences.

This week, yet another addition has been made to the comedy panel show genre. Apparently, the British public's thirst for news – and culture-based jokes is not quenched by the likes of Mock the Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats, QI, Nevermind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News For You... blah, blah, blah.

So, the newest programme to be hauled onto our screens is The Bubble.

Hosted by David Mitchell, The Bubble sees three comedy personalities placed in a house with no contact to the outside world, for four days. They then have to correctly identify the real news stories from a selection of fake ones.

Now, my first impression, when I heard of this project, was of quiet dread. Fearful that the programme may descend

9 – A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila We should all be ashamed of ourselves for having watched this tacky dating show, in which a group of guys and girls competed for the affections of bisexual TV personality Tila Tequila. With all the mud wrestling, nudity and sexual tension, this wasn't one to watch with the parents.

10 – Living on the Edge MTV tried and failed to recreate the drama and success of Laguna Beach with the British reality TV show Living on the Edge, which followed a group of affluent teenagers living in Cheshire. The cast were whiney, annoying and didn't do anything worthy of being showcased on television. The show's saving grace however was charismatic ladies' man Stephen Beard, who later earned the role of Archie Carpenter in Hollyoaks.

into the dreary depths of banal reality TV nonsense, I approached the BBC's new vehicle with scepticism. Thankfully, no Big Brother-esque footage, from inside the house, was broadcast (save one amusingly abrupt clip).

However, this did not alleviate the more pressing problems with the show.

Firstly, it was not that funny. This may sound like a rather simple problem. However, in a programme sold primarily on its comedic output, a lack of abundance in the funny department proves to be a rather noticeable issue.

Frank Skinner and Victoria Coren yielded

Desperate times Charlotte Lytton

4 – Punk'd Ashton Kutcher's celebrity prank show was simply brilliant. He made Ashley Simpson cry, Kate Beckinsale fear for her life and led Zack Braff to almost hitting a kid, all in the name of entertainment.

5 – Laguna Beach Laguna Beach was the original fly-on-the-wall, only semi-scripted teen drama, which brought the likes of Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad to our screens for the very first time. The show promised drama and it didn't disappoint, with the Californian teenagers often forgetting about the cameras.

Jason cheated on all his girlfriends, Kristin made a ton of enemies and Jessica complained... a lot.

Bursting The Bubble

WHEN Desperate Housewives hit our screens back in 2004, everyone instantly fell in love with its salacious suburban storylines and wonderfully glamorous cast.

Early seasons saw every award from Emmys to Golden Globes rolling in, but its critical acclaim has dwindled as the series have gone on. With the ratings also taking a hit, where did our favourite drama go wrong?

The fifth series is largely blamed for the show's diminishing success. Fast forwarding five years into the future, Edie returned to Wisteria Lane an honest woman, Susan and Mike had split up and Gaby had spawned two children.

With such a huge chunk of the housewives' lives completely overlooked, it seems that viewers have found it hard to adjust to the Fairview of the future.

Gone are the gripping storylines, brilliantly comical moments and pure sex appeal, and in their place are predictable plots that range from boring to ridiculous.

The latest series is now in full swing, and it seems that the writers have resorted to bringing back characters from the past to try and emulate its former glory.

So far, we've seen the

return of hot gardener John Rowland, Susan's (no longer) goody-two-shoes daughter Julie and audacious ex husband Karl.

And we're only on the fifth episode!

Forty-something mother of four Lynette is pregnant with twins while husband Tom has decided enrolled as a mature student, Julie has become an adulterous med-school drop-out and victim of assault, while squeaky clean Bree is having an affair with her best friend's ex.

Confused yet?

Of course it wouldn't be Wisteria Lane without a character shrouded in mystery, and Angie is taking that role in series six.

The Bolens have been in Fairview for five minutes, yet already son Danny has been accused of assault, dad Nick has been having an affair and Angie has revealed ominous scars from an explosion covering her back.

Desperate Housewives still makes good viewing, it's just sad that the show has become such a far cry from the glory days of early seasons.

It seems as though the writers are quickly exhausting every potential dramatic storyline known to man, which makes me wonder how much life the programme has left in it.

In the end, one is left to wonder how much more hysteria Wysteria Lane can take.

little in the way of fresh humour, whereas David Mitchell spent most of the half hour slot looking surprised that he was even hosting one of these dull affairs whilst leaning on tired jokes about his conservative awkwardness.

It should be noted that The Bubble's debut was not entirely unsuccessful. American comedian and panel show regular, Reginald D. Hunter, was charmingly entertaining and the source of the majority of the laughter.

However, even with the occasional moments of hilarity, it became distinctly apparent that cautious measures had been

23

taken to stick to familiar ground.

Hat Trick Productions have used the blueprints they originally applied to Have I Got News For You in an attempt to create a fresh-faced approach to the same concept.

What actually happened, though, is that the contestants struggled to effectively satirise current affairs they knew nothing about.

It is not that The Bubble is terribly bad; it is rather that we have seen it all before. And with Simon Amstell leaving Nevermind the Buzzcocks and Frankie Boyle leaving Mock the Week, it is left to 'comedians' like Andy Parsons, a man so consistently unfunny, to remind us all of the growing mediocrity in television's comedy roster.

The most inspirational future that The Bubble can look forward to is of Dave showing continual reruns several years after the original air date, where the already flimsy jokes are eroded by increasing cultural irrelevance. Good luck.

Box bites Simon Fairbanks THE wait ended last Friday as the nation finally discovered that it was Stacey who killed Archie in Eastenders. Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey, only found out that she was the murderer twenty minutes before the start of the live show. The 25th anniversary episode was watched by 16.6 million viewers whilst the followup show on BBC3 was watched by 4.3 million – a new record.

In reality TV news, Darius was crowned winner of Popstar to Operastar last Friday, beating rival Bernie Nolan. Expect a second series next year.

Furthermore, Andrew Lloyd-Webber is back with a new show titled Over The Rainbow. This year he is looking for a Dorothy for his production of The Wizard of Oz. The show will again be hosted by Graham Norton and Charlotte Church has joined the judging panel. It will be hitting your screens in spring.

This spring will also see the return of Doctor Who, now in its fifth series since the re-launch and starring Matt Smith as the recently-regenerated eleventh Doctor. The latest trailers are steadily gaining hits on YouTube, with clips of Smith running around in Tennant's clothes, firing guns and battling Daleks. New com-

panion Amy Pond appears to be a police officer, whilst more classic villains are returning including the Silurians.

Deal or No Deal witnessed its first ever proposal on air with contestant Eddie Moore promising to pop the question to his girlfriend if the banker offered him enough money. The episode will air in the next few weeks.

The Skins cameo catalogue continues, with Will Young appearing on the show this week as a school Educational Officer. Check it out on iPlayer.

And Gleeks everywhere can rejoice as the soundtrack from their favourite TV show has topped the UK album chart. Don't stop believin'.

24 Sport

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Culver shines as Sheffield beckons for men's squash Men's Squash 1st: Birmingham v Leeds Met 4–1 Ben Whitelaw

IT didn't do quite as smoothly as planned but the men's squash still managed to progress comfortably to the semifinal of the BUCS Championships after dispatching Leeds Met 4-1 at the Munrow Sports Centre on Wednesday afternoon.

The team's captain Simon Culver noted before the match how, although the Yorkshire side would be their toughest opposition this year, he expected a repeat of last's weeks 5-0 drubbing of Surrey.

Although that was not to be the case, the team can revel in making the finals, to be held in Sheffield on the 13th-14th March.

Birmingham were led off in fine style as Olly Dixon won a mismatched battle against Joel Shields.

At six foot plus, the Leeds Met number five loomed

over his opposite number and would have looked more at home on the rugby field. But, what Dixon lacked in stature, he made up for in pace and quickness of mind.

In the opening game, the Birmingham player optimised the drop shot and lob to disorientate the somewhat cumbersome Shields and open up an early lead. The headband wearing Dixon maintained a vice-like grip on proceedings and allowed his opponent only two points, which were greeted by ironic cheers by the other Leeds Met players, as he secured an 11-2 victory.

The second game proceeded in much the same way and, by the time Dixon, fashionably sporting colour coordinated shoes and racket, opened up a six point lead in the third, he was able to produce a crowdpleasing shot through the legs without any threat to the scoreline.

In the end, it was a comfortable 3-0 win and first blood to Birmingham.

Nick Hornby followed suit with a comfortable 11-5, 11-8, 11-4 victory over Lois Doherty. The Birmingham number four looked to dominate the T throughout his encounter and covered the court excellently with his eagleesque wingspan.

Brave Brum can't fend off relegation

Birmingham's Olly Dixon on the attack

Photo: Ben Whitelaw Doherty didn't help his own cause with a series of silly mistakes, particularly in the opening game, which provided his opponent with a chance to execute his shots, one in particular sticking in the memory, a fabulous angled drive from left to right to wrongfoot Doherty.

Although he came away with the win, Hornby will admit it was not a cavalier performance; he chastised himself throughout for not hitting with the ball and for trying to guess at shots. That aside, the victory put Birmingham two nil up and in control of the match.

Culver was next up as he had the chance to seal the tie with a victory against Leeds Met's Ben Molyneux. Having played against his opponent in

Men's Fencing 1st: Birmingham v Nottingham 102 – 134 Tom Clarke

Photo: Tom Clarke

AS the clock ticked past 8pm at the Munrow Sport Centre on Wednesday night, time was upon the University of Birmingham's Men's fencing 1sts to stay in the northern premier league. Defeat to Nottingham in the relegation play-off sealed the home sides fate and saw them drop out of the top tier. This season has been tough on the Birmingham boys. Over the summer they lost around six key team members and after their fate was sealed captain Tom Parkin commented on the effect of

junior squash tournaments many years ago, the match took on a little more impetus but the Birmingham number two was not overawed. He battled hard throughout and won five points on the spin as he came back from 6-3 down in the opener to win 12-10.

The same pattern emerged in the second as Culver, part of the BUCS Championship winning team of last year, once again demonstrated speed and a deftness of touch, none more so than on game point. By this point, a demoralised Molyneaux had had enough and his low spirits meant Culver won the final game to love. With victory assured, Ali Mutch had little trouble contending with John Slater, whom he dispatched in three games.

Mutch, the Birmingham number one, barely broke sweat as he deceived his opponent with a series of devastating cross courts and sublime drop shots, one of which left Slater scrambling and bemused.

In the final game, Mutch showed the repertoire of his armoury, producing a perfect kill and a equally impressive boast in consecutive points to make it 5-2. It was not long before Slater, tired and with his footwork becoming lazy, succumbed to defeat with little more than a whimper, the finals scores being 11-7, 11-4, 11-4. The only aberration on a strong Birmingham performance was the defeat of Lee James by James Barlow and subsequent injury concerns for the Birmingham player.

After nervously touching

his knee in the warm up, James struggled in the last two games, allowing the Leeds Met number three, sporting a fetching pink bandana, to come from two nil down to take the match 3-2.

After the match Culver was happy with the performance, despite it not turning out as he envisaged. 'It's the first test we have had in recent weeks.

We had to push ourselves and it could have gone either way. We've lost three first teamers from last year and not had anybody new come in so it's good that we have still managed to qualify for the latter stages.'

Birmingham now play Manchester in the semifinals in Sheffield and will look to get revenge after losing to the number one seeds last term.

squad depletion, 'I don't want it to sound like an easy excuse but it hit us hard'. Parkin was however keen to point out how impressed he has been with the performances of his side this year, 'Over the season people have exceeded themselves so I can't complain about the team this year, results certainly have not been for a lack of trying. Everyone has put a lot of effort in.'

This effort and commitment was on display right from the opening match of the evening played using the Sabre.

Birmingham's Luke Frostick led the charge for the home side giving them an early lead in his bout against his Nottingham counterpart Patrick Hewings but that lead vanished and with four bouts remaining in the contest the visitors lead 25-18.

Frostick was supported ably by Parkin and Laurence Reid but the hosts could only nibble away at the Nottingham lead and some inconsistent play

meant they seemed destined to fall short in this match. Indeed despite the best efforts of the Birmingham trio, Nottingham drew first blood and lead 45-28.

Foil was the weapon chosen for the second match and the opening bout between Brum's Charlie Price and Will Jennings was one of the most interesting contests of the night. Blow after counter blow was landed until Price gave the home side a 5-4 lead with only seconds left on the clock.

Parkin and Matt Fitzsimons continued where Price had left off and with four bouts down the hosts led 20-17. Then came the turning point in the match. The bout between Price and Nottingham's Mike Greenwood saw the visiting fencer level the match at 23-23 and the hosts never regained their lead. Despite the best efforts of Fitzsimons, Price and Parkin, Birmingham seemed powerless to prevent the visitors increas-

ing their stranglehold on the game as they won the match 44-34.

The final contest of the night involved the épée and again it was the home side who began strongest.

Some impressive blows from Parkin, Fitzsimons and Michael Baillie gave the hosts a 15-11 lead after three bouts but once more the contest change within a single bout. Some aggressive attacking from Nottingham's Will Jennings saw the lead change hands and Nottingham closed out the match and in turn the contest sealing the épée match 45-40 and the tie overall, 134-102.

Nottingham's success owed much to their ability to keep the hosts at bay once they had the lead and Birmingham always looked like they had too much to do. Relegation is what the home side must now contemplate but Parkin was quick to dispell any negativity by stating with assurance, 'We'll be straight back up next year.'

Sport

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010 Birmingham will grace the home of cricket on the 13th March

25

Lord's awaits for Brum's cricketers Mesh Johal talks to the cricket club captains about recent success CRICKET at the University of Birmingham is on somewhat of a high at the moment, with both the men's and women's teams qualifying for the BUCS National Indoor six-a-side final at Lord's. Both sides produced vastly improved performances compared to last season's displays, which saw Birmingham fail to progress beyond the regional round.

To get to the home of cricket, the men's first VI produced a series of convincing wins at the regional and semi-final stages. Playing at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham overcame a tough opening game against Aberystwyth University.

Chasing 114 to win, Brum crept to victory with five balls to spare.

In the following match against UEA, Birmingham powered their way to an impressive 159-3 off 12 overs. The bowlers then skittled their opposition out for a mere 48 runs, to win the game by 111 runs.

Birmingham's ability to score runs heavily and dismiss opponents for relatively cheap totals was a running theme in the semi final, with comprehensive victories occurring over Kent and East London University.

On the matter of reaching Lord's, club cap-

tain Joe Pipkin said, 'After not qualifying past the regional stages in the last three years, it's a great achievement to reach the Lord's final. With the exception of the opening game against Aberystwyth, we were fairly comfortable in all the games.

We had a solid squad of six players and all batters and bowlers contributed when needed.'

A change in mindset and commitment could be seen as a reason for the men's success this year.

This point was reiterated

by Pipkin. 'The six-a-side competition was never valued that highly by Birmingham before. However, the chance to play a bit of competitive cricket over the winter has been a really good stimulant for the team. It's good for us to get a bit of recognition from the University. The only shame is that only six players can play.'

With the majority of last season's squad returning this summer, Pipkin will be hoping that the early off-season success can continue through to the Lord's final and the new season.

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the women's first VI also secured a Lord's final berth with comprehensive victories over both

Sheffield Hallam and Nottingham University in the regional stages. In both games, the team produced huge totals of 153 and 162 respectively. Led by captain and opening batsmen Rachel Millward, the tournament success was a first for the University.

club to be happy. In an invitational Northern University Indoor Competition, Birmingham swept aside York and Warwick Universities in the pool stages, before beating the University of Manchester in the final.

In a faster and more

'We know if we perform on the day, we can beat anyone' Rachel Millward

On the matter Millward said, 'The BUCS competition was a great team effort and it's a fantastic achievement to reach Lord's. There was a massive improvement compared to last season's tournament, and I think it's a testament to the hard work of the players.'

On their chances of winning the competition, Millward seemed fairly confident. She said, 'We know that there are some good teams and the cricket will be that of a high standard. However, we are confident in our own ability and we know if we perform on the day, we can beat anyone.'

The success in the BUCS tournament is not the only reason for the

frenetic version of the game, indoor cricket requires a decent core cricketing ability from all six players. With this in mind, Millward was keen to stress the great all round team performances that occurred in both competitions.

With evident signs of success on the field, the women's cricket club has started to grow significantly off it, Millward was positive about the future of the club: 'The women's game has really grown over the last few years at the University. We have a record 35 members this year and this ever increasing pool of players is really helping us strive for our best year ever.'

'We have a great mix

of players; from novices to county representatives,' she continued. 'We have weekly coaching, fitness training as well as great socials. As captain, I think it's important to emphasise that this club is for people of any standard.'

With the club also entering a national eight-aside Indoor League over the off-season, Millward is hoping to promote the sport to as many people as possible, whilst also

improving the cricketing experience for her current crop of players. Tied in with Pipkin's hope of gaining stronger links with Warwickshire CCC, the future looks very bright for both men's and women's cricket at the University of Birmingham.

The women's 1st VI will be looking for victory at the home of cricket on the 20th February, whilst the men's 1st VI travel to Lord's a few weeks later on the 13th March.

A Birmingham batsman launches an assault at Edgbaston

Equestrian second team succumb to Welsh rivals THE Birmingham equestrian second team were forced to fight hard for a home win in the second of their league matches against universities from Keele and Aberystwyth on Wednesday.

The Birmingham team, consisting of Jess Baron, Harri Binnington, Lizzie Crowley and captain Polly Bryan, kept their cool throughout a muddy morning to lead the dressage phase. But as the pressure mounted, fences began to fall for all teams in the showjumping, with Birmingham finally dropping to an agonizingly close second, in a nailbit-

ing finish.

Unlike other equestrian competitions, the BUCS league concentrates on a rider's ability to ride an unfamiliar horse to a high standard, in both dressage and showjumping, with each team member riding a different horse.

They then compete directly against those members of opposing teams who have been allocated the same horse, with overall team penalties determining the result. With each rider only allowed seven minutes of warm-up time before being judged, it really is a test of skill and all round riding ability.

The Birmingham women demonstrated their dressage expertise with four superb tests; Bryan, Baron and Binnigngton all leading on their horses.

But it was clear straight away that the closeness of the marks meant a win was not guaranteed, and as the sun finally came out on the showjumping course, every competitor was giving their all, hoping for a high style mark from judge Jane Carruthers, as well as that elusive clear round.

With so much depending on the relationship between rider and horse, the couple of fences that

fell for Birmingham were just enough to put them behind Aberystwyth in the overall placings. It reflected the unpredictability of any equestrian competition.

However, Birmingham still had a chance of obtaining an unlikely victory. Binnington stole the individual top spot, with excellent performances in both disciplines, whilst Bryan finished in individual sixth.

'Although we are obviously disappointed that we didn't retain our team lead from this morning, I am so pleased with my individual performance,'

Binnington commented following the results.

'Dressage isn't usually my strong point, but today was obviously my day.'

Having won the first competition of the league back in December, Birmingham now stand level on points with Aberystwyth and, with their final and deciding league match at Keele in just two weeks, tension is already increasing ahead of the big clash.

Jess Baron explained its significance: 'Although we all did do well today, the pressure is really on for the Keele match; we need a win, to get us

through to the regionals.'

Once all the matches have been completed, the top team qualifies for the regional finals, held in April at Warwickshire College, and will have a foot in the door for the nationals.

Following a triumphant win at Warwick last week, Birmingham's equestrian first team now stand top of their league by a single point and are vying for a place in their regional finals. With the final matches approaching fast, the next few weeks will prove to be crucial for both teams.

By Polly Bryan

26 Sport

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Away day special:

Brilliant Brooks and Bray put Brum into BUCS final Photos: Tom Flathers

Bristol could not deal with the threat of Birmingham's attacks Women's Hockey 1sts: Birmingham v Bristol 6–2 James Phillips BIRMINGHAM'S brilliance shone through as a late flurry of goals for the women's hockey first team sealed their passage into the BUCS Championship final where they will take on the University of Durham in two weeks time. Two goals each from Alys Brooks and Sophie Bray as well as one apiece for Sarah Page and Ashlie Caddick proved more than enough to defeat a resilient Bristol side.

Coach Phil Gooderham was optimistic ahead of the game as he stated, 'We have the talent to win but we must make sure to deliver on the day.' His Bristol counterpart, Charlie Secombe was also in good spirits, 'I'm quietly confident, the girls have prepared well and we have our strongest squad available for the first time this season. All I ask is for 100% effort'. The match got underway at the University of the West of England which was the supposedly neutral venue for

both the men's and women's hockey semi-finals.

Obviously this gave Bristol an advantage in terms of support and they had a group of fans cheering them on throughout the match.

However, Birmingham were not intimidated and managed to take the lead after eight minutes in an extremely tense first half.

Shortly after Caddick had tested Bristol keeper Claire Pargeter for the first time, Brooks tapped in her first after a great run and shot from Bray which split the Bristol defence. The

first half remained fairly equal, with both teams attacking well. Bristol won several short corners but their best effort from Els Mansell was blocked by the midlander's Josie Morris. Page impressed throughout the half defending from the opposition's star player Charlotte Craddock as well as making several good runs, and it was her who made the scoreline 2-0 after 25 minutes. A fantastic driving run from left to right took her into the shooting circle and she shot across Pargeter into the bottom

left corner. Craddock and Georgie Twigg played well for the opposition however and were perhaps unfortunate not to pull one back for their team before half time.

Birmingham were the happier of the two at the break, although Gooderham was cautious in his comments. 'We've done what we needed to, but it wasn't quite flowing.

There's a lot of pressure on these girls, we're always favourites and sometimes they feel the pressure. We're by far the better team but upsets can

happen.' The second half got underway and almost immediately (the reason for the coach's caution became apparent.) Dilly Newton put away a Twigg short corner( less than a minute after the restart.) At this point it was possible to feel the tension in the air, as both team's knew it was all or nothing. (The Bristol fans were in full voice but the Brum substitutes did their best to cheer on their team-mates.) The players responded well and piled the pressure on the Bristol defence, a goal mouth scramble ending

with Brooks having a shot cleared off the line.

As Brum continued to pile forward, Bray restored the two goal advantage with 43 minutes on the clock. Heavy rain began to fall and Bristol were looking desperate. Captain Naomi Halladay defended firmly when Erin Ruxton ran into the shooting circle and a combination of defenders, goalkeeper and the woodwork kept Bristol out after a short corner.

Birmingham pushed on and, with only seven minutes to play, made it 4-1 as Bray set up Brooks after a good run by Abby Webb.

Bray claimed her second straight after to make it 5-1 and Brum thought they had buried the game.

Bristol thought differently and replied through Tania Hayes but Caddick sealed the win before full-time.

After the game Brum captain Halladay was pleased to be just one match away from glory, 'We handled the pressure well and now we're looking forward to the final.'

Gooderham seemed more relieved than ecstatic: 'I'm dead proud but I wish they wouldn't give me so many heart attacks on the way.'

He cited the girls' intensity as the chief reason for the late goals and the victory. The final in Sheffield pits Birmingham against northern opposition Durham, who they beat 4-3 at home and drew 2-2 away with in the league earlier in the season.

Sport

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

Silky squash sail into semi finals in style Women's Squash 1sts: Birmingham v UWIC 3–1 Tom Fuller THE women's squash team delivered an overall convincing display at the Priory Club on Wednesday against a strong University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC) quartet. The tie was made up of four singles matches, each the best of five games.

Birmingham's Nicki Howell opened proceedings against UWIC's Angharad Llewelyn on one court while Katie Quarterman battled Emma Lane on the one adjacent. Howell began comfortably, out-maneuvering Llewelyn, with numerous drop shots and wall-to-wall plays to wrap up a first game 11 – 5. She then powered through the second game, winning by a similar scoreline: 11 – 6.

The third game proved closer, as both players controlled the points but Howell stepped up her game in the final few points, forcing two errors and claiming the match 11 – 8 in the third.

Meanwhile, Katie Quarterman had another easy encounter against Emma Lane. Quarterman, a powerful left hander, struck formidable drive volleys from the centre of the court and overpowered Lane in the longer rallies. The 2 – 0 lead

W

was sealed by the score line 11 – 7, 11 – 4, 11 – 5 and Birmingham were in the ascendancy. However, Hannah Carey suffered a loss to Natalie Pritchard in an error-strewn encounter. The first game was settled in under ten minutes as Pritchard took the lead early: 5 – 11. Carey could not regain her composure and slumped to a 1 – 11 defeat in the second game, as Pritchard looked to set UWIC on the road back into the tie.

Carey battled early on in the third game, striking the ball far more cleanly than previously, however Pritchard was not to be denied and the match was won 11 – 7 in the final set.

UWIC had clawed their way back into contention and the deficit was reduced to 2 – 1.

The deciding rubber, between Jenny Tamblyn of Birmingham and Gemma Davies of UWIC, saw the two number one seeds go head-to-head. The first game went to the wire but Tamblyn's acrobatics around the court helped her to take the game with a magical piece of defence in which a backspin three walled combination winner sealed it: 13 – 11.

Tamblyn then marched through the second game, claiming it 11 – 3. Davies fought hard in the final game, fighting back from 5 – 0 down to 5 – 5 but Tamblyn held her concentration and managed to gain the upper hand climbing to match ball at 10 – 7.

A twenty five shot rally ensued on match point, which was finally won on a Davies error into the tin and Tamblyn celebrated a hard-fought Birmingham victory.

Brum seal place in cup final Women's Football

Photo: Lucy Percival

2nds: Birmingham v Wolverhampton 2–0 Edward Conlon TWO second half goals secured a place in the final of the Knockout Cup for the University of Birmingham Women's football 2nd team at the expense of local rivals Wolverhampton.

In a game largely dominated by the hosts, clear-cut chances were few and far between, but neither side was prepared to shirk a tackle in their pursuit for victory.

As the first half progressed, Birmingham passed the ball nicely and looked particularly dangerous from the right wing, with Katie Boon crossing the ball well and causing numerous problems for the visitors. However, a mixture of dogged Wolverhampton defending and a lack of anticipation in the penalty box from the home strikers ensured that the game remained goalless.

The away side slowly eased themselves into the game but it was Birmingham who continued to look more threatening.

A great run from Boon found midfielder Rachel Dyson on the edge of the area but her side-footed shot narrowly went wide of the post.

The hosts pushed on and won a free kick 20 yards out on the brink

The Birmingham girls battled hard throughout and got their just rewards of half time. As the ball dropped kindly in the area, Annabelle Fitzgerald was unlucky to see her shot rise agonisingly over the bar.

Despite a lack of first half goals, Birmingham had created good chances and their endeavor was soon to be rewarded.

Only minutes after the restart Belinda Martin's well-placed shot from the left hand side of the penalty area wrong footed the away keeper and found the far corner of the goal.

Instead of withering under pressure Wolves looked to fight back but

the hosts were defending solidly, with left back, Nicky Brazil putting in a strong performance.

As Birmingham searched for a second they were guilty of wasting good build up play and failing to use space on the right of midfield.

Their strikers were unable to take advantage of any real opportunities and were left frustrated.

However, with 20 minutes to go Birmingham edged closer to victory as a decent shot from Michelle Cook was clumsily spilled by Wolverhampton's keeper. The ball

=the===redbrick==crossword= Sephron Mansell

Redbrick 1367

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27

Sponsored by Waterstone's at the University of Birmingham The prize this week is a copy of Sebastian Barry's award winning novel The Secret Scripture

Across

Down

1. David ___________, 1850 Dickens novel (11) 5. ____Boyard, gameshow presented by Leslie Grantham (4) 7. Devastates, destroys (5) 9. Struggle, fight (7) 13. Highest mountain in Japan (4) 14. Adorable, pleasant (4) 15. Alarmed, afraid (7) 18. Short story teaching a moral lesson (5) 19. Jealousy, malice (4) 20. Seizes, assumes (11)

1. The __________Tales, 14th century stories by Chaucer (10) 2. Swollen, inflated (5) 3. Explode, burst (5) 4. _____, Italian poet, whose works include the Divine Comedy (5) 6. Small dog traditionally used to hunt game (7) 8. The __________, British duo starring Annie Lennox (10) 10. Isolate, segregate (7) 11. Stringed musical instrument (4) 12. ____, Science-fiction novel by Frank Herbert (4) 15. Former french monetary unit (5) 16._____, central character from The Chronicles of Narnia (5) 17. Church chamber or vault (5)

fell straight into the path of Fitzgerald who gladly slotted in from 6 yards.

Further strong defending ensured that the two goal advantage never really looked under threat, as the hosts saw out the remainder of the game with relative ease.

Birmingham now march on into the final of the cup on 24th March and will face the winners of Coventry and Lincoln.

A 'do or die' title decider next week against Lincoln could set an exciting background for the cup final if Coventry can be overcome.

Last issue's solutions:

earthquake=== n=u=e====q==d t=m=n=r=ruple robinson=i==t e=a=a=o==p==e p==g==flapper r==e=====e==i everest==d==o n==m==o=s=i=r e==i=fantasia using=d=e=l=t r==a====e=e=e ===legislated Think you've cracked it? Pop your completed crosswords (and bribes, naturally) in to the Redbrick office with your NAME, COURSE, YEAR and EMAIL ADDRESS for a chance to win Sebastian Barry's The Secret Scripture from the University's Waterstone's branch.

The deadline for the crossword is Tuesday 2nd March.

Unfortunately, there were no correct entries for last issue's crossword and so the prize for last week will become part of a bumper prize for the last issue of term.

28 Sport

REDBRICK 1367 / 26th FEBRUARY 2010

SPORT

25 Cricket Interview with the University cricket club captains Photos: Lucy Percival

26 Hockey special Women defeat Bristol to reach BUCS final

Southampton defenders can only look on as Birmingham score yet another goal

Southampton slayed by Barber's Birmingham Women's Netball 1st: Birmingham v Southampton 40 – 35 Dave Rudge THE netball first team booked their place in the BUCS Cup semi-final with a 40-35 win over Southampton at the Munrow Centre on Wednesday evening. 24 goals from stand-out performer Haley Taylor and 16 from Lucy Fisher gave them a

deserved victory over a very spirited opposition.

The South coast side were very vocal during the warm up, but their early confidence was tempered by two goals from Taylor inside the first minute. Tit-for-tat scoring ensued. Goals for Southampton's towering shooter Tessa Beaumont and teammate Amanda Hicking levelled things up at three all, before Taylor notched up four consecutive goals for 7-3.

Goalscorer Fisher had a dismal first quarter, hitting the rim on numerous occasions. But she finally got off the mark on twelve minutes, with a little help from the rim and was on target again seconds later to make it 10-5. Taylor scored her ninth goal of

the quarter for 11-5, capping a sensational 15 minutes, but Hicking reduced it to 11-6 on the buzzer.

The second quarter began with Southampton's skilful wing-attack, Liz Tinley, feeding in Hicking for 11-7. But goals by Taylor and a rejuvenated Fisher increased the home side's advantage to 177. Two needless fouls by Birmingham centre Kate Roberts presented Beaumont with two simple chances which she duly tucked away for 17-9.

Then some superb service from Tinley enabled Beaumont and Hicking to narrow the scores to 19-15.

The home side upped the tempo, with Taylor scoring from range to make it 20-15 on 25 minutes. Moments later,

Fisher needed two bites of the cherry to score and subsequent goals for her and Taylor gave the hosts a 22-16 half-time lead.

Southampton started the third quarter brightly with Beaumont and Hicking keeping things tight at 25-21. Taylor restored Birmingham's five point lead and on 37 minutes, in the move of the game, Roberts and Fisher pulled the Southampton defence apart with some sublime passing before teeing up an unmarked Taylor for an easy finish.

The score stood at 28-20.

Throughout, home skipper Olivia Barber showed real tenacity and was driving her team on.

Fisher and Taylor popped up again with a flurry of goals to give Birming-

ham a 33-24 lead at the end of the third quarter.

With fifteen minutes left, Birmingham were in control but they didn't take their foot off the pedal. Fisher executed a lovely turn before giving it to Taylor, who, rolling her marker, put it away, cool as you like for 34-25.

Frustration then got the better of Southampton centre Hannah Edwards who flung an arm at Kate Roberts after a clash on the half-way line. Edwards was rightly sin-binned, but in her defence, it was a reflex more than anything and Roberts had been fouling her persistently throughout the game.

Birmingham's forward line increased the lead to 40-29 and with five minutes left, they

looked out of sight.

But Southampton kept fighting and Beaumont scored three in a row to set up a dramatic finish.

Hickings and Beaumont pulled it back to 35-40, before the clock eventually put an end to a very determined fight-back.

Birmingham captain Olivia Barber is confident her side can win the cup 'because Loughborough's second team, who won our league, are our toughest competitors and we've already beaten them this season.' Despite the win and confidence for future success Barber warned her players against complacency: 'I think we thought, 'we've won the game' and switched off. We can't let it slide like that in future.'