The Edge: Endings & Legacies (Autumn '22)

Who actually won the battle of Britpop?

Editor’s Note

There’s something strange about pitching the idea of Endings & Legacies as the first magazine a new committee does together. Yet, in a way, it fits perfectly as well. While this magazine may be a symbol of the end of things, an old committee stepping down to make way for a new one, it also represents an ongoing legacy for The Edge. It’s fitting that the start of the 2022-2023 committee would release their first magazine about legacies when this is also the beginning of their Edge legacy. Although, it also brings about the closure of my time as the Editor with The Edge, as I am ready to step down and hand over to someone new. No easy decision to stepdown after being involved with The Edge for over three years; I have had very little involvement with this final magazine and it’s reassuring that it’s gone smoother than anything I have ever released. Endings and Legacies is a testament to the brilliance of this new committee, its amazing Deputy Editor, Amy Scott-Munden (who compiled and double-checked all the articles in my absence), a design refresh from the brilliant Jiahao Liu, and of course our amazing writers.

To kick off Endings and Legacies, Callum Joynes questions whether legacy artists can still make an impact in today’s music landscape (p.6), or we have Amy Scott-Muden asking whether it was Blur or Oasis who won the battle for Britpop (p.10). Yet, this magazine has battles

of different kinds, reflecting on the legacy of Tom Parker’s final tour with The Wanted and his tragic passing (p.32), a credit to the industry he performed in and someone pop music remembers fondly. In fact, this magazine is steeped in the endings and legacies of music and live as Rihanna Saglani hopes for another One Direction tour one day (p.41), while another article ponders whether popgroups can ever successfully reunite (p.38). Where something ends, a legacy certainly begins. Sometimes though, those endings are heartbreaking, stirring, and certainly even inspiring. In a macabre fashion, Sussanna Robertson-Sheath gives a deep dive into art history’s preoccupation with death (p.24), reflecting on the likes of the Bayeux Tapestry, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey,and even meditating on as recent as the death of Queen Elizabeth II. There’s even the fears and uncertainty of West End closures (p.21) and what it means for the theatre industry after such a trying period as Covid.

In fact, this magazine is filled to the brim with exciting articles that our writers should be incredibly proud of. I for one, certainly am. It’s an amazing magazine, one that I hope you love just as much as we do. So of course, happy reading, and don’t get too teary-eyed along the way.

This is Sam Pegg, Editor of The Edge, writing my final Editor’s note!

Editor Sam Pegg editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

Deputy Editor Amy Scott-Munden deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

Records Editor Callum Joynes records@theedgesusu.co.uk

Classic Culture Editor Susanna Robertson-Sheath culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

Film Editor Ashish Dwivedi film@theedgesusu.co.uk

Film Editor Laura Carpenter film@theedgesusu.co.uk

Live Editor Rhianna Saglani live@theedgesusu.co.uk

Fundraising, Events and Publicity Officer Ellie Griffiths publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk

Live/Records Public Relation Officer Grace Delve relations@theedgesusu.co.uk

Culture/Film Public Relation Officer Khairah Boukhatem culturefilm-pr@theedgesusu.co.uk

Head of Design Jiahao Liu Du design@theedgesusu.co.uk

Online Manager Byron Lewis manager@theedgesusu.co.uk

3 Editor’s Note 12 The Beatles’ Enduring Legacy

5 The Newsbox 10 Oasis vs. Blur - Who actually won the battle of Britpop?

6 “Don’t Shut Me Down”: Can ‘Legacy’ Artists Still Make an Impact with New Music?

14 Nepotism: A Catalyst For an Easier Legacy?

16 Do Reboots, Sequels and Spin Offs Effect the Legacies of the Originals?

21 What Do West End Closures Mean for the Future of Theatre?

24 Art Depicting Death: the Legacy of Succession Captured in a Century of Art

28 Saddest TV Finales

32 Tom Parker’s Final Tour with The Wanted

35 Most Memorable Mid-show Stops

38 “We’re Getting the Band Back Together”: How Can Pop Groups Reunite Successfully?

41 You and Me, We Got a Whole Lot of History: Is a One Direction Reunion Tour a possibility?

DEPUTY EDITOR The Wombats - Is This What It Feels Like To Feel Like This - 18/11/22 Alternative pop band, The Wombats, will be releasing a follow-up to January’s Fix Yourself, Not The World. The trio are well-versed in creating catchy choruses, nostalgic pop melodies, and clever lyrics, so this is set to be a great record from our favourite indie boys!

RECORDS EDITOR Sam Ryder - There’s Nothing But Space, Man! - 18/11/22 Following his smash hit ‘SPACE MAN’ leading the UK to their highest performing Eurovision entry since 1998, Sam Ryder’s debut album promises upbeat pop alongside strong influences from rock and dance. Alongside his relentlessly joyful energy on tour in the upcoming months, they will likely be the perfect mix to send those winter blues away.

FILM EDITOR The Menu; dir. Mark Mylod - 18/11/22 Making molecular gastronomy as the leitmotif, Mark Mylod returns to his favourite sub-genre of black comedy with The Menu — and supported by an eclectic cast, including Ralph Fiennes and Hong Chau — and while we trust Mylod’s aesthetics and approach towards genre, we eagerly anticipate what his celebrity chef cooks for his customary guests, and how food begins to kill.

CULTURE EDITOR Elizabeth: A Celebration in Photographs of Elizabeth II’s Life & Reign by Jennie Bond - 24/11/22 This book is an updated edition of one that was originally published in July 2020. I didn’t buy the original so I am looking forward to when this one arrives as it is full of gorgeous photos celebrating the long life & reign of the late Queen. Almost a tour of British history, this book feels like it will be a complete collection of the last 70 years.

LIVE EDITOR The Vamps - Greatest Hits Arena Tour With ten years of music making and world wide touring under their belt, the Vamps undertake the ultimate Ten Year Anniversary Celebration in touring the UK. I’m seeing them in Brighton and cannot wait to hear all my favourite songs! You don’t wanna miss one of the biggest bands of our generation celebrating ten years of their career!

Microsoft vs Sony: COD and Activision Woes in Acquisition

Ever since Microsoft’s announcement that they would be acquiring Activision Blizzard to become the third-largest gaming company in the world, the acquisition’s sailing has been anything but smooth. With involvements of European and UK courts, many people and news outlets have speculated that the deal has come under great scrutiny and potentially may be blocked from going ahead. Large amounts of this pressure has come from Sony, who believe the deal would be unfair and hurt their consumers, largely concerning the COD games and their proposed Xbox exclusivity. It was recently reported that shares of Activision Blizzard were sold despite the proposed deal, and many speculate this is a warning sign that Microsoft’s newest acquisition may go ahead.

News in Brief:

Lewis Capaldi announces his sophomore album, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, which is set to be released on May 19th, 2023.

Silent Hill 2 remake confirmed as Konami resurrects the deceased franchise after years of public fanfare.

Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam releases to a lukewarm reception, but could it still be enough to win audiences to a dying DC franchise?

The Sims 4 goes free to play after EA announces The Sims 5 is in early development with multiplayer features.

Taylor Swift confirms a UK arena ahead of the release of her album, Midnights, that released on Oct 21st.

Callum Joynes

ABBA and Adele (for five weeks consecutively) have surpassed that so far this decade. What is immediately obvious is how all but Dave, Rodrigo, and Styles have been releasing music for well over a decade now, with most well over the 20-year mark now. Going back a little further to 2019, Rod Stewart and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s You’re In My Heart sold a remarkable 71k units in its second week to beat highly anticipated new albums from Harry Styles and Stormzy to the top spot.

While it is abundantly clear now that new music from ‘legacy’ artists can absolutely be successful, of course, it doesn’t have to be. While music is a business, many older artists have reached the point where they can have full creative control without any label restraints they may have had in the past. Tom Jones’ surprisingly innovative Surrounded By Time sees the pop prowess lean into experimental art rock, featuring a myriad of covers from a lesserknown 1970s Bob Dylan cut, a traditional Bible song, and a more recent release in the form of American folk supremo Todd Snider’s wonderfully witty Talking Reality Television Blues. It was a modest sales success in comparison to his predecessors, but it garnered him mass critical acclaim that is also often missing from legacy artists’ music that can’t quite live up to the classics.

It is also an option too for older artists to never release new music: Queen + Adam Lambert have now been touring for over a decade with only hints from Brian May of new material released, while System of a Down has been on many tours without any new album since 2005’s Hypnotize. After all, while new music from the bands and musicians of yesteryear can be exciting and clearly can still be commercially viable, sometimes we admittedly do just want them to shut up and play the hits!

Pic: Peter Hutchins flickr

Oasis vs. BlurWho actually won the battle of Britpop?

Amy Scott-Muden

“Y

ou won Blur. Enjoy the money, I hope it makes you very happy. Dear Lord, what a sad little life, Blur.” - Liam Gallagher.

With the majority of us being born in the early 2000s, the biggest cultural war of the 90s is only a mere tale, whispered from the lips of historians and middle-aged trenchcoat-wearing weirdos you find hanging around HMV, but back in the day it was big news; Who would win the battle of Britpop?

Let me transport you back to August of 1995, a year that I can only presume was dominated by the bucket hat, bootcut jeans, and either having a Liam Gallagher haircut or rocking athleisure like Damon Albarn. Their respective Britpop bands were going head to head in a chart war after Blur moved their single Country House to be released on the very same date as Oasis’ Roll With It. How provocative of you Damon! The North-South divide had never been so cruelly exposed, as rough and gritty Northerners cheered on for Oasis, whilst posh hipster Southerners swore allegiance to Blur.

It has to be said that both Country House and Roll With It are fantastic tunes, but also very different. Country House has a cheeky Britpop tone, whereas Roll With It is a bit more

Rock’n’Roll, which almost begs the question as to whether these two bands should have been pitted against each other anyway. Regardless, Blur won the battle after selling 274,000 copies, with Oasis selling 216,000. Blur bassist Alex James famously sported some Oasis merch in a display of triumph at the band’s 1995 performance on Top Of The Pops, marking them the kings of Britpop. But how long did this legacy last? So maybe Blur won the battle, but did they win the war? After 27 years, I think it’s high time we update those history books and see how well the bands have kept up their legacy.

The answer is no. Immediately Oasis’ (What’s The Story) Morning Glory outsold Blur’s The Great Escape, and let’s be honest, almost 30 years later, the former album is still one of the best examples of British music ever, with hits like Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova, and Don’t Look Back In Anger. It’s a given that these songs will appear on the playlist at every uni house party, whereas Song 2, although great, just isn’t as popular with the students of today! Sorry, Blur! Up until 2009, there wasn’t much news coming from either side. Super cool guitarist Graham Coxon left Blur after a growing dejection with the band, and they all went their separate ways. Both Graham and Damon kept up the legacy of musical geniuses,

with Damon focusing on the mega-famous band, Gorillaz. On the other side of the pond, Alex James was making cheese, and drummer Dave Rowntree became a Labour party councilor, kind of undermining the coolness of the band but what can you do, eh?

With Noel and Liam still bickering throughout the noughties, the band finally reached their end after Liam’s laryngitis meant the headliners couldn’t perform at V Festival in 2009. This resulted in an almighty argument which led to Noel writing on Oasis’ website, “It is with some sadness and great relief...I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.” What a sad day for music, and if you’re in the mood to get even sadder, you should watch Snow Patrol fill in for the band at V Festival, as they cover Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova with a mournful perversion that the era of Oasis had died. For me, their break-up very much sums up the legacy they’ve left behind of fraternal fighting, anger, and aggression. As someone who has only really ever known Oasis as a divided band, the fighting is always a subconscious part of the listening experience.

Funnily enough, Blur reformed in 2009, playing a special concert in Hyde Park and

a string of festivals. They also released the album The Magic Whip in 2015. The band is currently on hiatus again, but it seems a few odd reunion appearances could be likely as they are all seemingly still besties!

Without Noel, Oasis alumni Liam, Gem Archer, Andy Bell, and Chris Sharrock carried on making music under the name Beady Eye. You’ve probably heard of the band, but unless you’re a superfan, you’re unlikely to recall any of their songs. Similarly, you’ve definitely heard of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, but naming one of their songs? Nah, too hard. Tbf, Liam Gallagher has gone on to have a successful solo career, and if we were going to crown any of Oasis or Blur as being the most successful in the last decade, it would definitely be Liam!

It is absolutely fair to say that both Oasis and Blur were the front runners of the Britpop movement, and have found themselves on very similar and successful paths since, but almost 30 years on, it seems Oasis has the edge. Despite the breakup, the Mancunian band has always been a staple of British culture and has influenced a new wave of indie rock bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Catfish and the Bottlemen. Although Blur has given us many major tunes, it’s a testament to Oasis’ legacy that they have stayed relevant for so many years!

Left: Ever Gonzalez flickr Right: Altitude Film

The Beatles’ Enduring Legacy

Saglani

Beatlemania /bi:t( )l’meini /

e e

noun noun: Beatlemania

- extreme enthusiasm for the Beatles pop group, as manifested in the frenzied behaviour of their fans in the 1960s.

“the band took to spending weeks on end in the studio as a way of escaping from the mayhem of Beatlemania”

But I’d like to extend that definition. Beatlemania: extreme adoration for the Beatles pop group as manifested in songwriting inspiration from their songs, many artists standing on their shoulders to carve their own narratives from the moment the group was created to the present day. The Beatles are undoubtedly the most iconic group of people to create music. I said, what I said. And I truly believe this because I don’t know any other artists that have the sweeping, diverse impact on modernday music as they have. There is not a single artist’s music that I listen to that doesn’t cite the Beatles as a musical inspiration to them.

But why? Why does this Scouse group of men who created music 60 years ago have this firm grasp of the music industry? A simple answer: timeless classic, after classic songs.

The more wordy answer? Well, the Beatles boast an incredibly widely diverse catalogue of music, ranging from pop, to pop-rock, to psychedelic, to ballads, to rock and beyond. Every single artist of the modern age can see their voice and sound reflected in that of either The Beatles’ or the individual music of the four men, as well as the Plastic Ono Band and Wings. Artists have then taken these tracks, albums, and ideas and fused them with their own creativity to create completely original sounding and uniquely individual music. The Beatles’ legacy lives through the music industry because of this diversity.

But why else is the Beatles’ legacy so strong? I think that it’s because they were some of the first artists to create and experience fandom culture. Girls and guys alike who would do anything for these

Rhianna

men, complete trusting fans, everyone on their side, and then turning against them when it all came crumbling - the proof that artists have the power to hold people in their hands entirely, control them, and be just as vulnerable to attack and criticism and hate.

The Beatles were also just a band that did just get on. Like yes, they fell apart regularly and drama seemed to follow them wherever they appeared. But, at the core of it all, they were just best friends from a city up north, who went through the same trials and tribulations as any other group of friends - except this was heightened because all eyes were on them.

I think at the end of the day though, people that don’t know all this know the Beatles ultimately because of the hits. Not everyone needs to know the minutia of Beatlemania to know that the Beatles have altered the music

scene forever. Yesterday is the most covered song in history and has some of the most plays on streaming services of all time. Let It Be is a song that’s sung and celebrated everywhere for its meaning. Here Comes the Sun appears to be in every. single. Instagram story about summer, or the sun, or the sunset/sunrise.

It’s not a coincidence that these songs are hits in the modern age. It is living proof that The Beatles’ legacy is timeless and a classic and truly can never be erased.

Pic: Entertales

NEPOTISM

NEPOTISM

A Catalyst For an Easier Legacy?

Rhianna Saglani

Picture this: a young Indian girl brought up on Bollywood films and Indian TV and music. She sees the same faces and voices over and over again in almost everything she watches or hears.

But she doesn’t think anything of it. As she grows up, she looks at Western culture and sees a lot more faces (maybe less diversity, but that’s a different issue). She gets older and looks into the names behind her favourite Bollywood icons and her favourite Hollywood ones. The surnames repeat in Bollywood over and over again; some actors who once played kids play the grandparents or the side characters, but their own kids off screen are their kids onscreen too. But then she looks at Hollywood, and it’s much less common that a child and their parent are in the same industry.

This vision of Hollywood vs Bollywood was not only dry for me but for many other young brown/desi girls like me. We didn’t realise what was going on until we were exposed to the complete opposite. The root of this wasn’t just talent running in every single family we saw on screen. It was nepotism.

I was introduced to the word as a very young teenager by my uncle, who loves to use big words and then teach us what those big words mean when we look completely confuzzled. It confused me at the time because why wouldn’t someone use the resources around them to help them get where

they want? Why was it so frowned upon?

Upon evaluation and research, just by existing in the spheres that I do, I realised two things: Firstly, it wasn’t just a case of the odd parent helping their kid in the industry every so often. It was the richest family in India (for the purposes of this article, I am just going to address India - I don’t have enough information to weigh in anywhere else). Most families will adopt the ‘I scratch your back, you scratch my back’ theology; ‘Oh, you own this huge production company and want me to be your son’s agent? Sure.’ ‘Oh, hey, um, funny request… Do you know how you directed that film I was in 25 years ago? Well, I heard you’re casting for new dad-daughter roles for a for-sure blockbuster hit, and my daughter is desperate to get into the industry.’ These aren’t just standalone incidents in Bollywood/ Indian cinema, it’s everyday commonplace. In answer to the titular question, yes, it’s the catalyst, but for a faster legacy … rather than an easier one. Why isn’t it easy? Well, it boils down to my second realisation. Often, these families don’t even WANT to be in the industry. It’s so common that members of families with famous industrial-facing relatives feel pressured in the shadow of these big characters or are just simply forced into the industry for fame, money, and an easy way to continue the legacy of one actor - passing it onto their child. This leads to huge problems in the mental health and enjoyment of these young actors, forcing them into a life they either didn’t

choose, were blackmailed into choosing, or forced into the shadow of someone else. It’s not an easy legacy to uphold - to be unhappy in what should be the happiest job in the world.

It’s no secret to many people that the Bollywood industry is corrupted and full of backhand dealings and wrongdoings, and a huge factor behind this is plain nepotism. Across all levels of the industry, it is so common. It is not an easy legacy, and it is horrible for those budding artists that work so hard for roles or positions that aren’t offered to them because daddy and mummy’s

money pays more than talent. It’s a sad reality behind a very happy mirage. I love Bollywood, don’t get me wrong, I was raised on the big dance numbers and the incredibly complicated storylines, but there is a sad truth behind it all. Yes, there’s a discussion about it now, yes there’s less now, and it’s becoming apparent that more people need to be offered the chance, but it isn’t fair on those who don’t want to be doing these things. I think it’s an important topic, and I’ve only touched the surface. I want to do more research, and I recommend looking into it!

Do Reboots, Sequels and Spin Offs Effect the Legacies of the Originals?

Megan Eynon-Daly & Rhianna Saglani

With several different examples at our fingertips, the idea of a reboot, sequel, or spin-off in media is far from an alien concept. New interpretations of old ideas can ensure that iconic franchises in modern pop culture can be far more representative of the world around us today. However, the risk lies in the implementation of nostalgic elements catering to the memories of the original audiences or the alternative danger of alienating those who loved the franchises the first time round.

Monster High Has Been Through It All: Monster High, a much-beloved doll-line, turned webisode series, turned television movie franchise, that gripped adolescents in the early to mid-2010s. In terms of reboots, sequels and spin-offs, this series has truly been through it all, and it’s a miracle that fans have remained faithful to the series for over a decade.

After the launch of the doll line and webisodes in 2010, the first considerable change to the franchise was the introduction of computer-animated direct-to-video films. The change from 2D to CGI was embraced by fans as the films provided new canon material in a lengthier format, the webisodes were around four minutes long each, whereas the films ranged between 45 to 75 minutes. Fans really enjoyed all the new content they were being given digitally that coincided with the release of new character dolls or different versions of those they already knew and loved. The addition of feature-length films helped to boost the franchise to a new level, playing a huge part in it becoming a billion-dollar franchise after its first three years. From 2010-2015, Monster High was at its best, in terms of creativity, fan support and engagement, media productions, and most importantly, sales. It is unsurprising that the Monster High fandom remains loyal and proud of this series to this day, with many fans finding great comfort in the message that the line has; that it is ok to embrace your own ‘freaky flaws’.

2013 saw the spin-off franchise Ever After High makes its way into the toy and

webisode industry, with Mattel capitalising on the digital age and successful premise of Monster High, but instead focusing on the children of famous fairy tale characters. Although this series was less popular than its predecessor, it was undoubtedly successful, even having a few series specials picked up by Netflix. The series however saw a decline in popularity following the release of Disney’s Descendants in 2015 (a franchise with an almost identical premise), which inadvertently (or not) caused the cancellation of Ever After High in 2016.

By 2016 Monster High sales had fallen, and Mattel decided that the best way to keep the franchise afloat was to reboot it. The reboot of the franchise was, to put it bluntly, a failure. The story as fans knew it was changed, and a new fictional universe forced out the loved one that had been built on for six years. I do not think the change in animation style was detrimental to the franchise, as the art style was good and very different from anything in the media at the time, however, changing the origin stories of Monster High and its characters, even writing some of them out of existence, was a very poor decision from Mattel, and it cost them greatly. After facing anger and backlash from fans who were saddened by the drastic changes in characters, not to mention

the lack of diversity, creativity, and quality is put into each new line of dolls, Mattel announced in 2018 that the franchise was being discontinued. This, however, was not the last time we’d be seeing Monster High as, in 2020, Mattel relaunched the franchise with doll releases from cult favourite horror films, followed by the announcement of an animated TV series and live-action movie musical set to be released in 2022. I feel that Mattel is directing this reboot to a much greater standard than the previous one, as they have balanced the franchise appeal between new and old fans very well. They have done this through the release of reproductions of the original wave of dolls, along with new Haute Couture versions for collectors to marvel over.

There has been a trailer released for the movie musical (and a leak of the entire movie on Facebook), set to debut on Paramount + in October 2022, and its release has come with mixed reviews. I will be the first to admit that the trailer does not give me high hopes for continuing the stories I grew up loving, with major changes being made to beloved characters Draculaura, Clawdeen Wolf, and Lagoona Blue. I think the movie will appeal to new fans of the franchise, but it does seem to have brought out a dark side in a fandom once very much united. But

Pic: Gustavohdh The Movie DB

Boy Meets World remains a timeless classic. Disney definitely did other reboots well, Raven’s Home was a show I genuinely enjoyed because it carried the same tone and Disney-based target audience as the old show - they had been on the same network so it wasn’t hard to recapture that old magic. The 1987 movie Adventures in Babysitting, remade by Disney in 2016 and starring Sabrina Carpenter, was another fun reboot because the attempts to update the older film weren’t cringey or annoyingly obvious - it was just a modern-day take on a well-loved show. The next show, Fuller House, on Netflix, was another remake of a classic 90’s show, but this was way better. Netflix as a platform already allowed this show to thrive in a way Girl Meets World never could, handling much more mature themes with much more freedom in the nostalgia it chose to explore. I personally feel as though the show was made for that original audience, allowing them to revisit those old storylines and characters with their children and say “look we grew up on this”, but this version works in the 21st century, with love triangles, and modern-day romance trouble, and phones and technology. It’s no longer that “boring old show mum watches”, it’s a show kids in the modern day can love, and their parents can sit with them and love the old characters. The premise is almost identical but in a way that doesn’t feel forced, it’s natural

and funny. Yes, it has elements of the modern 2010s’ cringe but it is not a family show without just a bit of that. This show doesn’t even need to worry about tarnishing the reputation of its predecessor because it just flows so nicely from it, without copying it, trying too hard to be as successful as it, and also being able to stand alone from the parent show enough for the classic old show nostalgia and legacy to be strong. It is just a really good little spin-off.

I think the crux of the impact a spin-off or sequel has on its original depends on the time between shows, and how they utilise, or rely upon, nostalgia throughout the show. A show like Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin has only just come out, a mere five years after the original Pretty Little Liars wrapped up, but it doesn’t rely on nostalgia. Instead, it ties the two shows together as if they are related but not intrinsically linked. They are not looking for old jump scares or plot points; they are just taking a pre-loved universe and making something new out of it. This is also the case when it comes to mashup or sequel shows such as Bunk’d (a spin-off from Disney’s Jessie), Sam and Cat (a successor to both Victorious and iCarly), and Suite Life on Deck (the sequel show to the Suite Life of Zack and Cody). Taking old characters and ideas and making new plots and scenes, whilst adjusting their direction to different audiences, or audiences who want more of the same pre-loved universe.

Pic: Jeff Franklin Productions, Miller Boyyet Productions & Warner Horizon Television

What Do West End Closures Mean for the Future of Theatre?

Rhianna Saglani

Itis no secret to any of us that the government’s handling of the pandemic came close to ruining the theatre industry as we know it. Not prioritising the performers led to shows across the country being constantly unsure of when they could start back up. What were the rules for closing a whole performance? It forced many casts and crews to function in a limited capacity, cutting numbers and scenes. You may remember the “Fatima” advert - the industry felt like it had been betrayed by its government.

The most outspoken production in the West End about these issues has been Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, which closed earlier this year. It was the subject of the most scrutiny and difficulty during the pandemic, as it was the only show in the district to open its doors for the first time during the pandemic. Lloyd Webber battled for more rights for his show as they struggled to open, forcing them to flip between opening and closing constantly,

Left: Ashkan unsplash Right: Edwin Hooper unsplash

leading to an incredibly premature closing. This raises the question: has the pandemic foreshadowed the beginning of the end of the theatre industry in London?

In my opinion, no, but the future of theatre is transforming. I think it’s very easy to look at all the big, high-budget shows closing around us and think...”is this the end?” However, realistically, it really is only a handful of shows closing. We notice them more because they are the big names we have inherited from Broadway that only came to the West End around COVID time, and ones that have lived in big, iconic theatres. For example, the run of Dear Evan Hansen ends in October 2022, but the pandemic has meant it ran for a lot less time than it should have. It came first in 2019, ran for roughly 6 months, and then returns in October 2021 only for it to close a year later. This was definitely a shock to fans, but it isn’t out of the ordinary that shows inherited from New York don’t last as long as shows born in Britain. Take another example, in this case, Be More Chill. The show, and its huge fandom, followed from the US, but only for a summer-long run last year after only being able to play for an extremely limited time before the pandemic started. This doesn’t mean that the future of musical theatre is dying, instead, it is simply the legacy of the new wave of Broadway shows that aren’t having the same impact in the UK. Many of the older shows that started in the UK have continued to prevail here, and I

do not see an ending coming - the most iconic being The Mousetrap, celebrating it’s 70th year in theatre. Many others, including ones that started on Broadway, continue to thrive here which highlights that those shows that came to the UK well before the pandemic were able to thrive through it and come back better. Even Hamilton, which debuted here in 2017, has been able to continue thriving despite its status as an “import” from the US. I think that all these huge West End shows closing can be pinned down to the impact of COVID on their longevity. The pandemic did not allow them to thrive in the same way shows that had been around longer having thrived. However, now, we are moving into a post-COVID era. One that allows for ingenuity and novelty within theatre and that’s why big West End closures have not doomed the future of theatres. This ‘new wave’ of theatre welcomes a new generation of kids and youth to push through, create their own art and showcase it independently. Institutions like the National Youth Theatre and National Youth Music Theatre push young people to elevate their talent and encourage them to look beyond the big lights of the West End. I have loved watching my close friends push their way through the industry, and it’s so refreshing to have a theatre at my fingertips, instead of feeling removed from something that feels so unattainable. This truly is the future of theatre, whether the big lights of West End theatres shine forever or not.

Art Depicting Death: the Legacy of Succession Captured in a Century of Art

Susanna Robertson-Sheath

The famous proverb is that “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life” which, amongst much else, suggests a certain rhythm to the nature of things. Its meaning, in the simplest sense is that real-world events are often inspired by creative works, intentionally or otherwise. Access to multitudes of archives and forums at a moment’s notice thanks to the internet has meant that this philosophy has, at times, crossed into the world of memes and conspiracy theories. How many times have the Simpsons predicted major world events?

Today, however, rather than art imitating life, I am far more interested in art depicting death. Specifically, the passing of England’s, and later the UK’s, monarchs. Now, art depicting death is by no means reserved for royalty, instead being something of a trend in the Victorian era even prior to the end of the Prince Consort’s life. Nevertheless, due to the hereditary nature of monarchy, these depictions carry a weight unto themselves. Summed up in one word, they represent succession. Whilst that might seem obvious, over the millennia this representation has been literal, symbolic, contemporary, and reflective.

Regardless of your own feelings about the British monarchy, you cannot have missed the news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second passed away aged 96. In the days following, countless media outlets reported on the events as the ‘end of an era’, the dawn

of a new period, and the death of the modern Elizabethan age. This article was originally sparked by the prompt ‘Best Art About Death’, which I posted in the first place. Despite the late Queen’s age, I was not expecting this news (the Queen Mother had lived to 101 and Duke of Edinburgh to 99), and I had chosen to write about The Execution of Lady Jane Grey (1833) by Paul Delaroche. The death of Elizabeth II made me think though. Why had the palace chosen that picture for her death announcement? What influenced other official social media pages, such as BBC News, Vogue, and Costa Coffee, to post the photographs that they did? Then, thinking back to the scene of Lady Jane Grey, which other British monarchs have had their deathbeds’ depicted and why?

For the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, simple photographs were released with others on social media choosing to mark the occasions by sharing their own artwork and collages. I do not recall seeing any scenes of their last moments, and if there were, they likely would not have been received as respectful gestures. The idea actually seems rather morbid but throughout history, this has not been the case.

1.The Bayeux Tapestry: The Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidered cloth from the 11th century, consists of 58 scenes across almost 70 meters. As with other medieval tapestries, it tells a story, starting with the death of Edward the Confessor, and the questions regarding his rightful heir and ending with the death

Pic: Blokebob TMDB

of Harold Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon King of the English. Arguably the most famous scene of the tapestry, Harold himself is difficult to identify. The traditional view is that he is the figure struck by an arrow in his eye however recent historians have disputed this, suggesting that he was, in fact, struck by a lance instead. Common medieval imagery reflecting the idea of King Harold as a traitor is embroidered throughout, thereby making William the Conqueror’s rightful claim to the English throne the ongoing thread throughout the tapestry. A story of succession in the literal sense; of how the Normans conquered England.

2. King Edward VI and the Pope: The monarch actually on his deathbed in this painting, Henry VIII, does not get namechecked in the title despite his place as one of Britain’s most famous monarchs today. The titular King Edward VI is the least famous of all five Tudor monarchs. Nonetheless, this c.1575 piece is believed to have been commissioned to commemorate the Edwardian religious settlement, as Elizabeth I successfully reestablished the Church of England with her own brand of Anglicanism. Although that would seem to have the intention of acknowledging Elizabeth as the successor to her brother, both literally as monarch and religiously as head of the church, the scene itself is rather more on the nose with its depiction of the death of Henry VIII. He is literally pointing toward his longed-for son and heir who himself is surrounded by members of his council, including the soon-to-be Protector Somerset, Edward Seymour. Edward VI sat on the throne above the titular Pope who is quashed by ‘the worde of the Lord’ in English. A scene of how the Edwardian era was to succeed the reign of Henry VIII literally to the right with the regency council, and symbolically with the further suppression of the Roman Catholic faith within England. The depiction of these elements by the unknown Elizabethan artist undeniably suggests that the country would see this continued.

3. The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche: Considering the title of this article and the painting itself, it is rather

Pic: Bayeuxmuseum

Pic: National Portrait Gallery, London

Pic: National Gallery de Londres, 1834)

clear as to what the Execution of Lady Jane Grey depicts. It is what I had originally chosen to write about and what came to mind when I thought about the best art about death. Although not entirely historically accurate, this Paul Delaroche piece was completed in 1833, and captures the tragedy of events. A young girl, roughly 17 years old, blindfolded and led to the block, upon which she would meet her end. Her uncertain outstretched hand is the focal point of the painting, whilst the darkened background displays two grieving ladies-inwaiting, as one cannot bear to watch. In reality, the ‘Nine Days’ Queen’ was executed in the open air on Tower Green, but the indoor setting of the painting amplifies the drama of the story as Jane’s white clothes become more intensely juxtaposed, and their purity at this point in the events is more prominent. Unlike the Bayeux Tapestry and Edward VI and the Pope, the painting allows for the primary focus to remain on one event. Reflective upon the tragedy as a singular event rather than in relation to the monarchs before and after. In this way, it is very human, sympathetic, and personal in its depiction of Lady Jane Grey’s imminent death.

4. Queen Victoria On Her Deathbed by Sir Hubert von Herkomer: Recent, topical, news aside, Queen Victoria is the British monarch most associated with death. On the wave of nineteenth-century trends surrounding the afterlife, some of which she helped to popularise, the Queen was not known as the ‘Widow at Windsor’ for nothing. For almost 40 years she mourned the death of her beloved consort, Prince Albert, through, amongst other things, art depicting him in life and death. However, here it is the death of Victoria herself expressed through a simple watercolor painting. The whites of the tulle and flowers create a ghostly aura around the monarch. Nothing appears to be solid. The Queen is intangible, not as being a divine imperial being, but instead as a fragile and pale body lying on a bed of lilies. Bursting with their own symbolism, lilies most commonly represent purity, innocence and rebirth. It was the death of one era and the

birth of another. From Victorian to Edwardian much could have been imagined of the future, literally in the painting as photographs and illustrations highlighted the line of succession and cultural iconography, however, this piece, as with the Execution of Lady Jane Grey, opted to linger on the moment. Drawing the mind to the passing of the Queen as an event singular as something to remember and reflect upon. Art depicting death offers us a chance to reflect upon aspects of the individuals that have passed. Whatever your thoughts on the institution and monarchs personally, the death of a King or Queen is a historical event. The elements highlighted are fascinating and especially interesting to consider following the recent death of Elizabeth II. The examples I have discussed here are by no means the only ones although, given the historical significance of the deaths, it is a wonder why some have been depicted but not others. Certainly, there is room for more literal, symbolic, contemporary, and reflective pieces in keeping with the almost thousand-year tradition.

Pic: Royal Collection Trust rtc

Saddest

TV Finales )

Amy Scott-Munden Ellie Griffiths Susanna R. Sheath

Endings are often sad as events come to a close. TV finales are frequently huge media events in their own right with people coming together to watch the last few moments of our favourite characters on screen. Here are the TV finales we at the Edge believe are the saddest; be prepared for tears!

1. Fleabag: Fleabag is Phoebe WallerBridge’s gift to the sad, lonely, and horny population! The 2016 comedy show centres around the titular character, Fleabag, as she navigates the difficulty of grief, love, and family relations. Throughout the show, we realise all Fleabag wants is to be loved, and her fourth wall-breaking honest and witty comedy makes this the ultimate comfort show!

The second series takes a turn when the Hot Priest arrives, played by Andrew Scott, who Fleabag very quickly falls in love with. He is smart, funny, and connects with Fleabag more than any other character. The devastating ending scene takes place at a bus stop after the Priest chooses to remain a man of God. Fleabag confesses to the Priest “I love you”, he replies “It’ll pass.”, and in doing so, simultaneously punches every viewer in the stomach. There is nothing more painful than a love story without a happy ending. The viewer plays an important role in Fleabag, acting as the character’s confidant when she gives us hilarious looks and quips, but as she walks away with one last smile to the camera, we do not follow her. This

Feeling by Alabama Shakes’ plays, and we hear the lyrics “And it feels so nice to know I’m gonna be alright.” Although sad, the ending signifies the character walking away from the judgement and constant viewer she feels in her life (think of the Margaret Atwood quote ‘You are your own voyeur’), but we know she’ll be alright, although we certainly aren’t alright without Fleabag in our lives, but I guess ‘It’ll pass’.

2. Friends: If there is one show, whose script runs rent-free in our brains, it is Friends. Full of iconic quotes delivered by a humorous and down-to-earth cast, the show ruled the nineties and noughties, which provided feelgood entertainment for an entire decade. Like all good things, however, the show eventually came to an end in 2004, doing so in an all-encompassing emotional fashion.

Out of all the shows I have ever shared a deep affection for - and believe me, there is a lot to be spoken of in that regard - no other ending has had such an impact as the finale of Friends. Being three years old at the time its conclusion was first aired, it is impossible for me to have lived through the show as millions did during its prime. Yet, the final sequence in which Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica and Phoebe set down their keys, and the camera pans out to show the empty apartment one final time, always sticks with me.

Whilst most shows begin to lose their charm and appeal after a few seasons, Friends increasingly bloomed into a

BKGD: Warner Bros FGND: Two Brothers Pictures

global phenomenon, with the demand still healthy after an impressive ten seasons - with new and old fans alike still living with its legacy on the brain. That simply goes to show how much emotional weight the show holds on anyone watching it for the first, third, or fortieth time, irrespective of the generation you are watching it in - an ending to forever top all endings.

3. Blackadder: Frequently brought up when discussing the greatest British comedies of all time, Blackadder always had an edge to it as the ensemble cast would use historical settings to their comedic advantage. British humour is known for its sarcastic, satirical and self-deprecating nature and disastrous endings have never been too uncommon but, in most cases, the protagonist’s misery was the punchline. Blackadder has some perfect examples of this. From Lord Flashheart running off with Blackadder’s fiancé, Bob - aka Kate - to Baldrick, as an MP, spending 400,000 on a giant turnip. Point is, Blackadder, played by Rowan Atkinson, was no stranger to a sticky end.

‘Goodbyeee’, the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth, however, is by no means an example of the British habit of making light of failure. The only word to describe this finale is poignant. Many TV finales can be sad but only a few are truly moving. Despite the off-the-wall humour and antics of the cast, Blackadder Goes Forth was

really quite grounded in reality. With perfect examples of British wit, this enhanced the satire of what was a rather recent setting. Unlike Tudor England or Georgian Britain, the people of the 1980s had faced the horrors of both world wars or knew someone who had first-hand. While the series does not dwell on it too much, it is entrenched within the setting.

The core cast remains in the trenches for the entire series with scenes in Melchett’s office and other locations here and there. During this time, throughout all the schemes, they are waiting to receive orders. Once received in the final episode, the humour does not immediately grind to a halt and there are a few more failed attempts to get them out of it. However, as the episode progresses and the jokes continue, there is a shift. George is the epitome of this. Played by Hugh Laurie, the bubbly, keen and rather air-headed character lightly brings up the fact that of the friends he signed up with, he’s the last one left. No joke there despite George’s jovial delivery. Not included in the director’s original cunning plan, the episode’s closing image is that of the core cast going over the top with their wartorn trench fading into a poppy field, in reference to what has become the symbol of remembrance following the Great War. In this case, using the historical setting to their advantage in embracing the tragic events that had occurred just over 70 years before the broadcast.

Left & Right: BBC

BKGD: Yvette de Wit unsplash FGND: Alfonso Scarpa unsplash

Most Memorable Mid-show Stops

Rhianna Saglani

Ifeel like the post-COVID era has been full of accidents and injuries at gigs while people try and regain the spirit of the pre-COVID live scene. Not to say that these incidents weren’t happening before, but it seems as though the TikTok for you page is full of “omg look! This artist’s stopped because someone fainted in the crowd. Look at this artist doing the absolute most!” when really in a post Travis Scott Gate era, they’re just doing the bare minimum.

I’m gonna talk about some of my favourite moments where an artist has had to stop a show that I’ve been at for whatever reason leaving a lasting impact on fans, or an unprecedented moment in a show (again that I was at) that left a pretty cool or funny legacy.

My first comes from my favourite concert ever, and this memorable moment is probably a huge reason why it holds such a special place for me. I saw New Hope Club on their acoustic fanfest showcase tour in May this year. It was an opportunity for them to show fans the music they’d been working on in the sort of small settings where they knew the faces and names, and it just felt like a big family singalong. They sang mostly unreleased music, but before singing the song that put them on the map (kinda?)- Know Me Too Well, Blake asked “are you all ready for a singalong?”. Then, completely unprovoked, George started singing if you’re happy and you know it, causing all of us to clap, and the boys to just laugh that this was so stupid.

Then, bouncing off that energy, Blake went back and started singing the alphabet. All 500 of us in the crowd then sang the rest of the alphabet, and the boys were just so bemused that this had taken off. They knew these people and knew that we’d do exactly this. I think that a safe space for them really allowed them to just relax and calm down. Plus it made a great memory for us. Next comes quite a touching moment actually from seeing 5SOS in Birmingham this year. Anyone that knows them will know that they absolutely have hearts of gold. It was a classic moment of someone unfortunately not being hydrated enough and fainting in the audience at a point where Michael was just talking about their new body of work, the general sort of stalling conversation so that the rest of the band could hydrate while their spotlights weren’t on. However, Michael and Ashton, at the back on drums, noticed a fan passing out and completely smoothly and without many of us noticing, immediately got the other boys to call for help, and they just continued talking, joking around, and being classic 5SOS while the incident was dealt with. They didn’t stop what they were doing to bring attention to the fan, it was dealt with really smoothly and quickly and with very little disruption to the show, despite more stalling time than normal. It was quite touching and also allowed us to enjoy the show more, we weren’t worried about the person, we were laughing at all the goods they were saying,

Ashton wasn’t even meant to be talking but he wouldn’t shut up to the point they had to put a spotlight on him, which made many people laugh. I’d like to see these incidents dealt with like this from now, much more subtly. My final moment comes from the last gig I went to - JP Saxe. He played his first headline show in the UK this year and I got to be there! He hadn’t prepared a setlist in as many words, he just played whatever he wanted to in whatever order, and it was really nice intimate show at the Heaven Nightclub. The memorable moment in question comes towards the end, where he does the usual encore thing but without actually leaving the stage. He first asked what we wanted to hear, and essentially created a mashup with the barrage of requests we threw at him, completely off the cuff, and we were left in complete awe of the fact he was able to so seamlessly switch between songs. However, what happened next is something I don’t think anyone else noticed. He asked for one final

and my group of friends and quickly recalled the moment when we told him in meet and greet that his song Love v Logic had meant a lot to us and helped us through hard times. Then, despite that song not being requested, he said he knows how much this song means to people and he started singing it. We like to think that was especially for us, and seeing as though we were right in front, it’s likely. It’s a moment that blows my mind because even if he hadn’t remembered that moment in meet and greet, he knew that we’d have gone away not having heard it and felt slightly like something was missing. I really appreciated that!

Those were a few memorable moments from concerts in the past, and I really hope the gigs I have lined up now provide these same moments and the same memories, and also that you may be remembered some moments like that in gigs you’ve been to.

Left to Right: New Hope Club, 5SOS 5 Seconds of Summer Facebook, JP WB

Groups Reunite

world. Though this trend appears to have always been rife within pop groups, to the extent that it is tricky to find one who has not ever reunited in some form...

Moreso in recent years than ever, it is apparent that nostalgia is the king of entertainment. From movie reboots to some of the year’s biggest music hits sampling beloved classics, it goes without saying that the past remains somewhat of a comfort to people in this post-pandemic

For my money, the 5, 6, 7, 8 stars Steps have had the most intriguing comeback success of them all with their return in 2017. It is perhaps surprising that originally they were only together for a mere four years, although in that period they amassed two #1 singles alongside a further twelve top 10 hits. While they did first reunite in 2012 for the patchy Christmas album Light Up the World, it was their monster return five years later that returned them to mainstream success. Scared of the Dark marked the group’s first non-Christmas release in sixteen years and saw them drop their slightly “children’s party” sound for a more mature, yet still cheesy, disco-infused vibe. As a result, the subsequent album Tears on the Dancefloor debuted in the UK charts at #2, only kept off the top spot by Ed Sheeran’s pop behemoth Divide. 2020’s follow-up What the Future Holds made clear that Steps’ triumphant comeback wasn’t just a one-off fluke either, also debuting at #2, as did the deluxe ‘Part 2’ edition a year later. That being said, Steps cleverly tapped into the nostalgia market this year with the release of their third greatest hits album

in the form of the Platinum Collection earlier this year. It managed to avoid yet another #2 peak, instead hitting the top spot, and has allowed them to join an elite (and somewhat mismatched) club with Stereophonics and The Rolling Stones as the only groups to hit #1 with a new album in three consecutive decades.

While Steps proved that there is a market for ‘nostalgia’ acts to release new music, it does somewhat seem to be an exception to the rule. The Wanted, N-Dubz, and notably JLS all saw diminishing returns with their 2021 comebacks. Despite selling out many of their ‘Beat Again’ tour, dated comeback single Eternal Love only managed to reach #71 in the UK. In fact, a drill single by rappers Switch and J9 managed to peak a little higher at #57 after confusion following it mistakenly being posted on JLS’ streaming pages - awkward! That being said, 2.0 reached a respectable peak of #4 with decent sales and is a fun collection of pop bangers that perfectly balances the line between tapping to the past and utilising current sounds.

It is somewhat of an art for a returning pop group to provide their audience music that still sounds somewhat like their old hits, yet still making it exciting for new fans and more importantly, themselves. The worst example of

this balance being completely fumbled is this year’s much-hyped return of pop-rap trio N-Dubz. While you might be thinking “did anyone ask for that?” Clearly, they did! Their upcoming UK tour quickly sold out, and with rap faring far better now in the UK charts than in their heyday, how did they lose such a willing crowd? Lead single Charmer from their upcoming album is a 101 of what not to do in a comeback. It already sounds dated, but not in the late 2000s way that would be cool now, but it just reeks of 2017-era J-Hus and Not3s. It sounded great at the time, but it lives in an awkward space where it is too recent to be cool, yet not old enough to be nostalgic yet. While it debuted high on the streaming charts, steam was lost quickly, and charted at #32 in the UK charts before dropping out of the top 100 after a mere four weeks. Perhaps they can make up for this with future releases, after all, the group’s lovable troublemaker Dappy has had top 40 hits outside N-Dubz as recently as 2019, so it’s certainly not out of the question. The big factor for a comeback being successful or not is, for me, whether or not that success can last for more than a year or so. While it’s all well and good for the likes of JLS and N-Dubz to sell out their big comeback tours, I fear that future tours would lead to

diminishing returns without the wellreceived new music to back it up. Supergroup McBusted (McFly and Busted, get it?) played a second UK tour with no new music in 2016 to half-empty arenas; but Busted alone have enjoyed strong sales on both new-album supporting tours since their own comeback in 2016, and McFly’s comeback album Young Dumb Thrills peaked at No2, and they have been able to continue selling out arenas both at home and abroad since 2019- as well as what is now becoming the annual tradition of the “One Night Only” reunion show at the O2.

Of course, it would not be right to investigate this question without taking a look at by far the most successful of the lot: Take That. Their 2006 comeback, even without star member Robbie Williams, has seen them scale arguably higher heights than their original 90s run, and has seen them consistently sell out arena tour after arena tour. But what has set them out from their contemporaries, namely the likes of Blue or Westlife? I think it’s almost criminal how underestimated Gary Barlow’s brain is in this regard, he’s clearly a very clever guy. He had the smart idea to have their music grow with their audience. Compare Take That’s 2006 #1 comeback single Patience to Westlife’s Hello My Love from 2019. While both sound as if they were made for the BBC Radio 2 playlist, Patience still sounds fresh sixteen years later and has a bit of a rockier edge that sets them apart from the likes of 90s hits Magic or A Million Love Songs. Meanwhile, Westlife’s comeback single

for the album Spectrum wouldn’t feel out of place at all on an early album of theirs, and the only attempts to bring it somewhat up to date result in cringe-inducing lines like “Sometimes I wonder am I enough? / ‘Cause you could have someone without a belly or a temper.” While it is by no means a bad song and had a decent run in the UK charts peaking at #12, it fails to achieve any sort of timelessness quality that would propel them to another decade of mainstream attention, As it is, 2021’s follow-up album Wild Dreams saw them fail to achieve the elusive UK top spot - a rare feat for them up to this point.

It appears the best way for a returning pop group to score further success beyond their nostalgia-fuelled comeback is to capture the attention of a further crowd, perhaps those who had been too young or not aware of the group the first time around. However, is it so bad that groups like JLS and N-Dubz can only capture their audience’s attention once more for a brief period of time? Perhaps not, nostalgia is fickle. While I don’t think they could stage a second UK comeback tour successfully anytime soon, their time will surely come back around again in a few years with more fans eager to relive the sounds of their youth. After all, many 70s & 80s bands now make a career out of this. However, like the Slades and Kajagoogoos of this world, they’ll most likely have to settle for playing local throwback festivals or 500-capacity venues rather than the arena spectacles that seem dominated by those with an evergrowing appeal.

Reunion Tour a possibility?

Rhianna Saglani

In August 2015 when One Direction was announced to go on hiatus indefinitely, it is not an exaggeration to say that millions of hearts were broken. I, for one, rejoiced in the news that the band that had defined all the lives of teenage friends and really drove me crazy as a result, was finally going to be over. While that view has changed over the years, and I do enjoy some of their music, solo, and band, and do wonder what a reunion tour would look like, I really don’t think it’s possible.

The first obvious reason why is some of the things that have been said and done this year to shatter the illusion. Firstly, and most importantly - the infamous recent Liam Payne / Logan Paul podcast. Liam spent the vast majority of the podcast being explicitly horrible about the way Zayn was brought up and his role in the band as a whole. He also massively hyped himself up as being ‘Simon Cowell’s vision for the band’, discrediting the roles of the others. He also said he’s been the most successful solo out of the other members when even just a mere glance in Harry’s direction could suggest otherwise. He’s also just been shrouded in a scandal over the past few years, causing unrest within the fandom and much contempt towards it. This proves my first reason why it’s unlikely - there

is just such division and unrest within the fandom that a reunion wouldn’t be smooth.

Secondly, the solo careers. Both Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan have two solo albums to their name each, Zayn and Harry have three each, with Liam having only 2019’s LP1 to his. Their solo careers are fusing so independent of the lives in the band that forming these new personalities they have and their individuality is just going to be so difficult to shoehorn into their old One Direction archetypes and it’s a big ask to put four or five polar opposite men on tour together when they’re much happier touring solo. And if the small bits of hope fans have been hanging on to mean anything, then Louis taking “1/5 of 1D” out of his Twitter bio, makes this fantasy much more of just a fantasy. However, there’s some hope for it. I think maybe it would look incredibly different to One Direction, it would be a big Harry/Louis/ Zayn/Niall/Liam tour with band and solo music and the shows wouldn’t look like they used to. It really depends on what the vision of a tour would look like, what fans wanted, and what was possible that would determine the direction (no pun intended) of a reunion. It’s not a lost cause, that’s for sure! But I think with each passing day, it is looking unlikely that the band will get back together. Maybe a couple of sold-out nights at Wembley to celebrate each other and their history on the ten-year anniversary of the hiatus? But I seriously doubt a full tour. But please, boys if you could prove me wrong - I’d really love that.

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