Chameleon Magazine by Sara Torres Vinagre

chameleon JUNE 2016

CULTURE | POETRY | ART | SHORT STORIES

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear reader, I hope you enjoy this magazine as much as I enjoyed creating it. A few months ago, Chameleon was nothing but an idea on a piece of paper and now here we are, launching its very first edition. There are artists out there that you never heard of and you should. There are curiosities about our surrounding environmentthat need to be explored. There’s a whole world out there wainting for us to find it. And that’s my aim: to bring you the things you probably never heard of, or you have but haven’t explored much. We are all a bit “chameleons” sometimes. We change, we adapt, but we don’t really stop to ask why. Let’s start stopping and enjoying the litle things. I hope this is the first of many editions. Much love for all of you, Sara

THE ART OF STANDING STILL

ife modelling is not so much of an unspoken gig anymore. A lot of people do it, for different reasons, and most of them consider it a wonderful experience. But there are some misconceptions about the whole “getting naked in front of a group of strangers” subject. From all of the people (that aren’t, never were, probably never will be, life models) that I spoke to, two statements would always come up: “I would never do it” or, the so popular “Anyone can do it”. To be completely truthful, I used to be one of these people. I honestly thought it was a way of making easy money and that, on certain circumstances, I would be able to do it too. I came to find out, that I obviously couldn’t. I think standing completely still, naked, in front of a group of people I’ve never met, and hearing comments about my body parts, probably not the good ones, wouldn’t be something I would happily or easily do. And this brings me to this article. My aim is to talk to those who dedicate their lives to this art and find out why and how they do it. Is life modelling a gig anyone can do or is there some undiscovered art about posing naked and letting others perceive you? The truth is, a lot of people do ‘art nude’ as a part-time job or a hobby and others dedicate their lives to it.

Ian Leake, a fine art photographer, said to The Guardian: “For some models it’s a rite of passage into adulthood and control of their lives; others do it for the money; and a few do it because they love creating art.” Louisa Holman is 58 years old and has been a life model for the North Warwickshire and Hinckley College for six years. She described her experience as “easy and relaxing” but explained it took her sometime to adapt to it. “At first I was like ‘Oh no, I have got to be naked!” “It wasn’t easy. The first month I sat thinking ‘What am I doing?’ but then as time went on it became easy, quite relaxing.” On the insight of the job duties, qualifications aren’t really necessary and universities pay good amounts of money for the job. But sitting or even standing still for three quarters of an hour to an hour is not everyone’s cup of tea. Self-confidence and lots of concentration are also essential. Colleges and universities don’t need their life models to have top body shapes. If anything, they’re more interested in bodies that have a unique shape or people that have a unique look. Nude modelling has absolutely nothing to do with ‘glamour’ modelling, despite what many might think. What employers do look for is people that are comfortable with nudity and discomfort, individuals that will strike a pose when they’re asked to.

“It’s quite a liberating thing to do. I don’t think I could have done it when I was younger. “When you’re older you just don’t care and you accept yourself a bit more”, Louisa said. Life modelling is not about creating inhibitions, but instead losing them. Many models have found themselves having a lot more confidence about their bodies after starting posing nude. The job also creates an opportunity for them to understand more about the art world and about how they are perceived by others. Having dozen of different drawing of the same person can say a lot about not only them, but about the students. Louisa explained: “When you’re in the art world, you’re there to observe, to learn. “They are not looking at me. I’m like a piece of furniture.” Photography is another area that sometimes requires nude models Many photographers do nudity shoots and they require professional models that feel comfortable about the job. The requirements are almost the same as posing for a group of students but the models are asked, at times, to pose in a group. If you thought posing naked was hard, imagine posing naked with a bunch of other naked people. Flame, a figure model, said to The Guardian: “I’m naturally a quiet person, and can get quite shy around new people, so to have the balls to go into

“ When you’re in the art world you’re there to observe, to learn. “They’re not looking at me. I’m like a piece of furniture.” a group shoot, drop my robe and work nude in front of a room of people with cameras - it’s a real challenge and I have had to learn to literally wrench the confidence out of me.” The job requires a little bit extra confidence, but the models are posing for professionals that will make sure they feel comfortable and will deal with the shoot in the most respectful way. Students can sometimes get nervous and giggle when they see a naked lady posing in front of them. You don’t get that in professional shoots. Both areas of the job have no academic requirements and there’s no preparation needed before hand. What they do require though, is a strong sense of professionalism and a strong personality. When asked for advice on how to become a life model, Louisa Holman said: “ I am happy the way I am. “You need to love yourself for who you are. Not for what others say of you.”

- LONG STORY SHORT THE REFLECTIVE GIRL

She was now finally free. Free from all of those freaks, those hallucinating creatures that she had to share 10 years of her life with. Women knocking their heads on the walls repeatedly; boys touching themselves to the sound of some weird classical music; the filth of the one-bed compartments she had to sleep in. It was all over. No more being told what to do. She never considered herself to be crazy. She had done some pretty messed up things, but she was always conscious of it. It was rage, not madness. When they sentenced her to a mental asylum she was petrified. Her hands were trembling. Her teeth were biting her soft thin lips and her blonde hair sweating as if she was in a sauna. Prison seemed like a much better option at the time. “But thinking through this, who wants to spend the rest of their days rotting in a cell?” The crazy house didn’t seem so bad, after all. It was time to forget everything and start again. Catherine was “released” on September 12, 2014. Where to go was yet a mystery. The problem with spending too many years away is that you not only lose your freedom, but you lose people too. And she lost both of her parents tragically. They died in a car accident no long after she was admitted to St. Lucas. The wind was cold. She couldn’t feel her face anymore. The leaves flew in strange patterns and the streets seemed empty. Most people couldn’t be bothered to come outside with that weather. The beige mansion started appearing in a distance. The place where a little girl once lived an amazing childhood filled with the most expensive toys and exquisite parties. When Catherine was nine-years-old, she loved to play with her dolls: rearrange their clothes; putting make-up on them; and even giving them new haircuts. She thought the hair would eventually grow back so she didn’t mind when their appearance was a little damaged by her lack of experience in the hairdressing area. On her mother’s birthday, her daddy bought the most beautiful mirror to surprise his lovely wife. It was tall, so tall that she couldn’t see its top

when she came closer and it had golden edges, worked in some sort of antique design. It was hypnotising. Little Cat loved sitting in front of it in the afternoons after school while playing with her dolls. “That haircut is horrible. You should get rid of her.” She jumped. The voice sounds like a young girl. She looked at the mirror and the only things she saw was her own reflection. Minutes pass and then it happened: the girl on the mirror spoke again before Catherine could say a word. “So?” “Who are you?” “A friend. We could be best friends if you like.” “Oh, okay. I’m playing with the dolls at the moment.” And so she carried on. The girl on the mirror would give her tips on how to style their hair and in return, Catherine would ask her questions. They had a lot in common but this “glass girl”, as Cat would call her, was way braver. She told her to rebel against her parents when they’d make her eat all her dinner or go to bed early. One day, after the little one came home crying because some girl was mean to her in school, the girl in the reflection told her to get revenge. Catherine hurt the other girl some much the next day, the poor kid went home full of bruises. Five years had passed and the advice became worse and worse. With straight Fails at all subjects, teenage Cat was one of the most violent female students Sandhill High-School had ever seen. No one would mess with her; in fact no one wanted to be nowhere near her. She was alone, friendless, and full with thoughts. 13th June, 2004 was the day her life changed. She snapped, she had enough of her life, of all the people that didn’t like her, of the girl in the mirror and, mostly, of her own mind. She nicked the 10mm her dad had hidden in his bedroom and started walking. Fast. Faster. She ran. The trees and the people were flashes coming past her. She was there. While her beautiful green eyes

drowned in water she take the first shot. And many others followed. The targets weren’t clear but she knew a few fell down. Some minutes later, she stopped. The panic took over her. Everything seemed so unreal. So she sat down, closed her eyes and prayed it all away. The police came and took her in. After carefully analysing the murderer, the specialists conclude she was mentally incapable. “She made me do it. It was all her idea.” she repeated in her helplessness. That’s when they realised this was a case of split personality. Ten years of severe treatment that included medication, regular interviews and mental exercises had cured her. As the house came closer and closer, she felt ready. “There is no girl in the mirror. I made her up. She doesn’t exist anymore.” It was up for sale and a lovely couple was availing it. After almost begging to come in, the state agent finally decided to let her have a look. “I lived here when I was a child. It brings me so many memories” must have done it. Everything looked intact: like the years haven’t passed, like no tragedy had hit. She ran upstairs holding on to the wooden handrail. For a moment, she was 14 again. And, finally, there it was. The mirror stood magnificent, although it looked smaller now. After taking a deep breath it was time. She sat in front of it with an angry stare, waiting for something to happen. Minutes have passed. Many thoughts came and went but nothing more than that happened. It had been more than an hour. “Maybe I should go now.” As she got up she took one last glance and expressed a sad smile as if to finally say goodbye. And that’s when, for a split second, the girl in the mirror smiled back.

P R O F I L E 8

A L E X R A T H B O N E 9

- profile Alex Rathbone is a 20-year-old journalism student at the North Warwickshire and Hinckley College. But the written word isn’t his only talent: with his spare time, Alex dedicates his life to photography, music and art. You left school at 16 and started college at 18. What happened in those two years? I was working full time, I leapt straight out of school and into the lovely world of work. I got my first job when I was 12 after school and weekends, I just decided to increase the hours. I stacked timber for a few timber yards in the beginning, then I went on to be a labourer on a building site. Neither of them required any skill, which was good because I lacked any qualifications other than a few GCSE’s. Was the work experience valuable in any way? It was very valuable as a life lesson, nothing gives you discipline and direction like hard manual labour from sunrise to sunset believe me. When you’re working over 60 hours a week, with only your Sundays off, you realise there’s far easier ways to make a living out there if you chase them. How did you find your experience at the NWHC? It’s been very strange coming back to education, I had completely forgotten how it works! It was nice to be around people that want to give you opportunities and help, when you get stuck in a dead end job there’s many chances to get out.

But music really was my first love, I don’t think anything beats the feeling of making a song. When I left school, I actually turned my bedroom into a DIY music studio. I think the act of sleeping is secondary to me really, it’s more about how many instruments I can cram in there before I can’t move anymore. What inspires you to create your songs? I think for me it has always been my love for stories, and how they can make you feel as though you were in that situation yourself. In a song I can write about anything I want, be it complete fantasy or harsh reality, and paint a mental picture for anyone listening. I can write about my dreams and my aspirations, and I know people will take in what I am saying and relate it to their own life goals. I can also write about how I feel, and I know people will remember the times they felt the same. I suppose I’m just a story writer that only bothers to pen the first few minutes! But in songs I like that every word and line counts, I’d run out of words if I tried to write myself a novel. Are you thinking about following your studies at University? Why? Unfortunately I can’t, whether I like it or not. I wasn’t born the most financially secure by a long shot, so I have to go back to work and support my family. I don’t think anyone would turn down the adventure that I’m sure university would be, but it’s out of reach for me and for many others. Whether we choose to admit it or not, a lot of people are being left out in the cold in this country. Apprenticeships are advertised to be our savior, but they only appeal if you can survive bringing in £100 a week. When I was 16, that was impossible I had to get a man’s wage or I would have nothing. I wouldn’t even be at college without working all those hours to get myself a car to get there.

I haven’t exactly had the most faith in education over the years, but I found the experience to be very positive.

And I’m far from the worst off. There are a vast number of families out there where getting a decent education is impossible to strive for, regardless of how hard they try. What sort of fair country is that?

You make music, make guitars, paint and take pictures. Which one do you enjoy doing the most?

About photography: What do you like photographing the most: portraits, street photography, nude photography?

Well I suppose it depends on what mood I’m in really. Sometimes I just want to get hands on with something, so if you leave me with a block of wood and a few tools I will happily carve you out a guitar body in a few hours. Then again, I might be feeling all artsy so a canvas and a paintbrush are all I need.

Is nude photography an option? I’m in the wrong line of work for sure. I’m fortunate that I live in an area where we have a good balance between urban and nature, so really there’s plenty to photograph with a simple walk around the block.

I think photographing nature is the most fun, you’ll never find any subject that can convey a more powerful message than the Earth itself. There are so many colours to play with, and so many amazing shots that you’d never find anywhere else. I think, despite being colour blind, painting has given me a great appreciation of all the small tones that make up a picture. So when it comes to taking a photograph, I can appreciate all the beauty that a simple picture in the forest can bring.

person by any stretch of the imagination. I beat myself up about my lack of friends sometimes, but then when I’m busy I just want to lock myself away and paint or whatever! It’s just who I am, I don’t think consider it a bad thing anymore. What are your plans for the future? The problem with packing my days with so many different things, is that I can’t answer that question! I will probably save as much money as I can from working for a few years then, if I haven’t lost my mind, I will splash out and try and do something great. I’d do love to work in music and film, I always wanted to double as a musician and an actor. Which is obviously a popular dream by many in a better position to achieve it than me.

‘I love this picture the most because of the amount of colours, and there is so much going on in just one image. Usually I try and focus on one specific subject, but in this case there was so many. It was fantastic.’

You never know, stranger things have happened. But if it doesn’t work, I just want to make enough money to keep my family stable and help the people around me achieve their goals.

Do you believe hard work pays off?

Hard work does pay off without a doubt, but I think it’s important you step back and breathe from time to time. Hard workers open themselves up to becoming the work horses You certainly do keep yourself very busy.Do without appreciation, and you don’t want to do you enjoy going out a lot? Why? that.

I don’t go out at all! I’ve never had anyone to go out with, what with working all the time since I was young. I suppose I was always too tired to go out, so I just got deep into my various hobbies to cope. But I like it, I’m not an immensely social

A lot of people work hard, but they then become a pack mule for everyone else’s problems.

-POETRY One You taught me how To destroy the world around me I followed your heart blindly, Thinking that For one second We could be made from the same light But the world didn’t stop for me Or for you, if that matters, It stopped for those who didn’t follow It stopped for the kind ones And I’ll forever mourn the ones that didn’t make it The chance to change is no longer here It’s too late for you And me Too late to stop the cloud that Grows inside my head He has me and soon He will have all of you too -Sara Torres

Your hard work should be that you’re lifting everyone up from above, not trying to hold them up from below.

G A L L E R Y Pictures by Sara Torres

- opinion Why is no one taking periods seriously (still)? by Sara Torres As part of the female population and a huge sufferer from PMS symptoms myself, I often wonder when is the rest of the world going to start giving us, women, credit and believing the this whole “being on your period thing” is not only another of our many feminine traits but that it can also mess up our mental health? A few months ago, my red days (as I like to call them) started getting worse. Right before the floods came in, I couldn’t even bare to listen to anyone speak. I still can’t. I thought I was the only one that wanted to rip someone’s face apart just because of a little joke they made. But, as it turns out, I am not the only one. (Scary, right?) I’m casually going to list some of the physical and psychological PMS symptoms us, female beings, have to deal with EVERY MONTH. Let’s see: we have pain and discomfort in your abdomen, headaches, backache, muscle and joint pain, breast pain, trouble sleeping, nausea and weight gain (I bet some of us go mental about this last one). A lot, right? Wrong. These were just the physical symptoms. About the psychological: we have mood swings, feeling upset or emotional (specially me), feeling irritable or angry (definitely me), crying (totally not me ah), difficulty concentrating, confusion and forgetfulness, clumsiness, restlessness, tiredness among others. Now this is a lot of thing to deal with in three days. Sure, we don’t experience all of those symptoms at once but we do have some of them.

The way our hormones affect our mental health should be something we, as a society, pay attention and spend money on. Is it normal that one day I want to shave all my hair of and get loads of tattoos, but the next day I realize that it was only my hormones? Is it normal that I shout at my boyfriend because he ate one of my cookies? I don’t think it is. Shouldn’t we be helping each other? It’s comforting to know that this help already started. Well, some of it, at least. Not long ago, a company decided that women should take a leave on their job when on their period. This is because some women have horrible pains and experience some of the problems listed above. This decision caused a lot of controversy, dividing the public. Should or should not women take a break from their jobs every month when their period pains become too much? Let me tell you: yes, they should. I wish we could live in a society where it was okay for me to just call in at work and say, “I can barely stand up with this pain I’m not coming in.” But, unfortunately, we don’t, yet. I think we have lived enough with all of the “Oh, she is just on that time of the month”. I think it’s time people start taking this seriously and start trying to find way they can help us deal with this dreadful days we go through every month.At the end of the day, we are not an inferior sex just because our hormones affect our mental health. It would just be nice if it was taken seriously.

Whatever happened to

Exploring the changes photography had to face during the years as an art and how they affected it.

PHOTOGRAPHY 18

Photography is undoubtedly an amazing art. An art that allows us to capture important moments not only in our personal lives but also in history. Some pictures became a wordless description of iconic moments throughout time: the sailor kissing a woman in Times Square, the man falling from the World Trade Centre on 9/11 or Marilyn Monroe’s dress lifting up when she was posing over a New York subway grate back in 1954. These are very few examples of famous photographs that everyone knows. Many spent long years perfecting their art, becoming the very best at it. Henri Cartier Bersson, Robert Cappa, Eugene Smith are only a few that engraved their names onto the world of photography. But, just like everything else, this form of expression has changed with the years. Film turned into digital, mobile phones were given quality lenses, and social media platforms like Instagram started to emerge. A catching picture can now be made in an instant: there’s no need to spend hours on end editing it anymore. But the important question is: are all of these changes killing or renewing the art of photography? The truth is, being a photographer is becoming a choice for all of us. We all have the latest phones; therefore we can all take good pictures. (I mean, those Instagram filters, hey?) In case you didn’t know, there’s actually a competition for the best iPhone picture. It’s called the iPhone Photography Awards and it gives prizes for the best photo taken with either an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Cool, right? I am guilty of this myself. There were

countless times when I took a picture of a field, stuck a filter to it, and thought: “Man, I’m good.” But I’m not. I don’t know the first thing about photography. Good composition, lightning, colours, are essential elements for a good photograph that I have no idea how to put together (at all). And just like me, there are many others. People that use this technology to capture every moment in their existence: from the food they’re about to eat or the clothes they just bought to their siblings wedding or the Christmas family photo. Antonio Olmos, a 50-year-old award winning photographer, said in an interview to The Guardian: ”Photographers are getting destroyed by the rise of iPhones. The photographers who used to make £1,000 for a weekend taking wedding pictures are the ones facing the squeeze. Increasingly we don’t need photographers – we can do just as well ourselves.” However, it is also true that phones and digital cameras give us the power of the ‘instant’. If something worthy is happening we can quickly reach our pockets and take a picture of it. It doesn’t mean that we won’t need a professional on the important bits. Margarida Siva, a Portuguese photography student, explained: “I think that is awesome to take my phone out my pocket and take some photos from situations that won’t happen again, and share with the rest of the world. “I don’t always carry my camera with me... so if I didn’t had a phone with a camera, I could miss a great photo of a great moment.” Now, as for Instagram: is it making all of 19

settings to achieve the work that they want, whereas phones automatically adjust settings. “I think it has definitely influenced the art of photography, many influential photographers post their work regularly on Instagram.” We are living in a technological world, “Many so this kind of mobile applications will influential photographers evolve even more. post their work Although most pictures now are taken regularly on Instagram.” with phones and not professional cameras, the editing apps available to the public allow us to process a picture with one click, giving it that final us pseudo-photographers or is it professional finish. actually helping the masters advertising The art of photography will never die. their work? Technology actually helped it grow and It is a tricky question. interest more people. And, anyway, many In one hand, it can be said that of us still prefer the old methods of non-photographers who only took processing pictures. pictures of their daily life, started to pay more attention to the world around them When asked if she preferred digital or while exploring the art of photography. It film cameras, Margarida responded: can also be said that apps like Instagram “ I always had a special affection for the helped blurring the line between amateur film cameras – because you don’t get the result right after the click, and you keep and professional photographers; those waiting to see the result so you create a who never studied photography and those who dedicated their lives to it. The whole expectation around that. bottom line is: just because we are given “Also, you can hardly recreate their effects and colours.” the tools to make art, we don’t But now that we can all access to the necessarily become artists. means necessary for taking a ‘darn’ On the other hand, Instagram can help professional photographers’ work reach good photograph maybe we don’t need professionals photographers as much. millions of people. It can make their Why bother paying large amounts of career progress or, even, start. Sophie Burgess, a photography student money for someone to take pictures of a wedding when we can do it ourselves? at the North Warwickshire and Hinckley Allan Payne, a graduate film student from College, said: “I think it is a good way of getting more people to see your work the Bournemouth University, explains: “Photography is not ending, technology and to express art, however I think it ruins the art of photography slightly due only helped it expand. to images mainly being taken on phones. “It’s not the art that is dying, it’s the profession.” “Photographers should manually adjust 20

-POETRY -

HELL The other day I went bed, afraid Of dying young and so soon I thought about heaven and hell The constellations and the Moon How great can I be to escape The world changes so rapidily And I just want you to wait Soon I realised My worries were illusions made As you whispered in my ear Even God as young Died in a man’s grave There’s no hell Oh No heaven Not a great prize for the common ones For the instincts that led us through I finally saw the meaning As I was lying next to you How cruel would it be to separate Evil from Good? “As cruel as it would be separating me from you -Sara Torres 21

-THE FESTIVAL guide-

BoomTown Fair (Winchester: 11-14 Aug 2016 Price: £170.00)

Download Festival (Donington Park, Derby: 10-12 Jun 2016 Price: £180 minimun)

Boomtown is a mix of noncommercialised events full of theatre, dance, and fantasy. The festival is seen as a town with nine districts where people live in peace and brotherhood for four days. This year, the headliners are: Madness, Damian Marley, Fat Freddy’s Drop. You’ll be able to see many, many more artists.

Download is the most popular festival for hard rock and heavy metal lovers with the best headline of all times. Three days full with the best music from the 70’s to the names of the new generation. Headliners: Rammstein, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden

Solfest (Cumbria: 26th-28th August Price: £89)

Glastonbury Festival (Pilton, Somerset: 22-26 Jun 2016 Price: £228)

One of the few festivals that offer a kid’s play area, Solfest is a family festival that shares the anti-corporate ideals. It claims to be a festival for each and all with many different music acts. The headliners for this year are: Dreadzone, China Shop Bull, Fitty Gomash, among many others.

One of the UK’s oldest festivals, Glastonbury offers the best collection of the hottest artists in the world of music. They also offer amasing foot stalls, secret acts and circus and theatre shows. Headliners: Muse, Adele, Coldplay. 23

NOS ALIVE ‘16 (7-9th June - Lisbon, Portugal Price: €119 for the weekend or £56 per day) One of the best European festivals of the year, this music and arts festivals offers some of the best alternative artists of this time. The event proved that doesn’t need to rely on an name, changing recently from Optimus Alive to NOS ALIVE. Headliners: Radiohead, Arcade Fire, The Chemical Brothers, Pixies.

Reading & Leeds (28 - 30 August 2015, Reading & Leeds, UK)

Primavera Sound (28 - 30 may 2015, Barcelona, Spain) Sprouted out from its indie influences, Primavera Sound offers a powerful and mixed line-up. Headliners: The Black Keys, alt-J, The Strokes

Isle of Wight (11 - 14 June 2015, Isle of Wight, UK) Isle of Wight festival continues to impress with its fantastic line-up and its love for art. The event includes comedy, cabaret, poetry, talks, quizzes and even a fairground Headliners:Fleetwood Mac, blur, The Prodigy

Reading and Leeds have become sort of a ritual for Brtish festival lovers. Proclaiming themselves as a rock festival, the event has recently started to bring in more alternative genres as we can tell from the headline. Headliners: Metallica, Mumford & Sons, The Libertines.

- LONG STORY SHORT leaves She woke up in the middle of a field. The air was cold as ice; the wind blew softly on her pale face. She didn’t remember much from the night before, but there was one image that she couldn’t get out of her head: leaves. They were everywhere. It was such an organised chaos trying to hide a body of someone you once loved, a body of so many memories, so many moments. A body that wasn’t of use anymore. At least not to The Group. Saturday autumn mornings were always Laura’s favourite. Walking in the park at 7am, when it was busy, but not so busy that you would instantly regret getting out of the house. The old couples walking their dogs, the mailman passing by, the leaves of so many shades of orange, brown and yellow fascinated her. What could be better than reading your favourite novel while watching this magical world passing you by? The 26th of October 2013 was the only exception of the rule. Wandering around contemplating everything didn’t make sense anymore. Not after what they made her do the night before. Her dark eyes, full of regret and tears were hardly opened to face the reality of the situation. She couldn’t even look at the leaves anymore. The ones that brought her so much joy and curiosity were now a constant reminder of what is gone. The phone rings. She doesn’t want to answer. Not yet. “The task is complete.” She texts back. The phone rings again, and a third time after that. Maybe now is the right time to talk. “Why did you leave him there?” “I couldn’t possibly carry a body by myself in the middle of the night.” “You should have asked for help. The police have already considered you a suspect.” “They have no proof against me. Relax.” “They better not or the next body being discovered in a filthy pile of leaves will be yours.”

Flowers - Review “Flowers” was one of the best surprises of 2016. Will Sharpe’s sitcom perfectly brought together darkness and comedy resulting in an amazing masterpiece. The story is set in no specific time or place. All the viewer knows is that the story’s family lives in a big rural house, in what seems to the countryside. The Channel 4’s comedy starts with Maurice (Julian Barratt’s), a depressed children’s book writer, trying to hang himself. A bit sad, right? But then the rope brakes and he falls to the ground. Still sad, but a little bit funny. When he goes back in the house we get to meet his dysfunctional family. Deborah, his wife, played by Olivia Colman is a neurotic, constantly trying to find happiness amongst chaos. They have two twenty something very weird kids that don’t get along and are always fighting with each other, and Shaun who is a Japanese illustrator working for Maurice. In fact, Shaun (played by Will Sharpe) is the character that brings life to the

sitcom. He does whatever he can to make his boss happy, being more of a servant than anything else. Always joyful and enthusiastic, Shaun struggles with the English language and gives splendid back massages. The story evolves with the characters mostly trying to communicate with each other and express their feelings, while hiding secrets too: Will Maurice ever admit he tried to end his life? Maybe. But he always seems to hide it as much as he can. Other famous actors are introduced as the series evolves such as Georgina Campbell and Angus Wright. The series’ six episodes managed to bring some originality into British television. Just like Mr Flowers’ books, the series was also a short tale of strange creatures trying to deal with their feelings and making peace with themselves. A must watch.

THE GOODS OF PERMONACE POETRY by Sara Torres

P oetry is an art hard to master. Either you’re born with the soul of a

The Last Word and Glastonbury) also seem to be the place to find them. poet or you’re not. This art allows youth to discuss Writing poems can be challenging but openly about performing them in front of a crowd issues in a safe environment. takes the game to a whole new level. It also boosts the performers Performance poetry (also known as confidence and has positive effects “spoken word”) has been becoming on t more popular in this day and age. For those who may not know exactly their mental health (and on ours!). what this entails, it’s simple: artists Robert Garnham, a performer, said on go on stage and give voice to their an interview to The Guardian: “The poems. experience of going on the stage and I have never heard of it before myself performing has seemingly validated until last year at the Boomtown Fair. the person I am.” There was a stage designated for the The spoken word is also used by spoken word and lots of young poets some organisations (The Spoken performed. I had never seen nothing Word like it before: people my age were Education Programme) to raise children’s confidence and actually talking self-expression. about experiences, If you want to feelings, check out some problems.It was artists a simple an Google search mind-opening will do it. Some experience of the most Many more artists popular ones are making their are: Kate way through this Tempest, path through George the Poet social and Jess Green. platforms such as YouTube and SoundCloud. Festivals (like 27

Visit our online version at chameleonmagazine.net For any queries or to get your work published please contact us magazinechameleon@gmail.com