The Edge - Issue 4 (March 2021)

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EDITORIAL

ISSUE 4

WORLD BOOK DAY MARCH

EDITOR

Morgan McMillan

editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

DEPUTY EDITOR

Maddie Lock

deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

NEWS EDITOR

Sam Pegg

news@theedgesusu.co.uk

RECORDS EDITOR

Alice Fortt

records@theedgesusu.co.uk

DIGITAL CULTURE EDITOR

Harry Geeves

culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

CLASSIC CULTURE EDITOR

Elizabeth Sorrell

culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

FILM EDITOR

Theo Smith

film@theedgesusu.co.uk

FILM SUB-EDITOR

Lucy Maggs

film@theedgesusu.co.uk

LIVE EDITOR

Jo Lisney

live@theedgesusu.co.uk

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

Kiera Gormley

liverecords-pr@theedgesusu.co.uk

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

Becky Davies

culturefilm-pr@theedgesusu.co.uk

ONLINE MANAGER

Menno Kramer

manager@theedgesusu.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN

Rahul Sonegra

design@theedgesusu.co.uk

FEP OFFICER

Georgie Holmes

publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk

FEP OFFICER

Charlotte Brennan events@susu.org

RECORDS/LIVE EXECUTIVE

Katie Evans

CULTURE EXECUTIVE

Emily Dennis 01

World book day brings about fond memories for most; dressing up as a pumpkin pretending to be the carriage from Cinderella or dressing as Harry Potter unironically as World Book Day is the only day it is deemed as ‘cool’. It sparks memories of primary school fun and as university students who do not want to grow up we thought why not do a magazine dedicated to one of the most epic days of the year!

In this magazine you will see our writers discuss the way cinema has transformed our favourite Shakespearean classics (p. 17) into absolutely fantastic films (I’m looking at you She’s The Man). Or read as our writers answer the ageold question of What Makes a Good Book? (p. 20) Literature has transformed the world around us and as more books are being adapted into television shows, our writers suggest what book should be next on the list of television shows (p. 19) we are dying to watch. Literature is felt in all areas of entertainment and the direct impact it’s felt on music is also a vocal point across the magazine.

We have also launched a new series in this magazine which sees our writers create their ultimate band using only fictional characters (p. 21 ). Or you can jump along to our Ultimate Karaoke Playlist (p. 36) and prepare yourself for April 12th when we can finally get back to our one and only love - Karaoke.

This magazine also features an exclusive interview with Heather Baron-Gracie from Pale Waves (p. 23) – in which they delve into the behind the scenes process of creating their most recent album Who I Am. If you want to know Pale Waves a little better and have a new appropriation for Who I Am then this interview is not to be missed.

The Edge has a lot coming up in the upcoming months from workshops to social events so be sure to check us out on social media! We have just launched Saucy Saturdays to keep you occupied each Saturday, whether that be through a podcast, magazine, social or a workshop – we will have your Saturdays covered.

We hope you enjoy the magazine as much as we have enjoyed creating it – have a happy World Book Day and we can’t wait to see all your funky costumes to celebrate.

Morgan McMillan, Editor

Image courtesy of freepik.

EDITORIAL

CONTENTS 01 02

EDITORIAL

04 05 07

THE ORIGINS OF WORLD BOOK DAY NOSTALGIC NEWS GEORGE MICHAEL: THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND THE BIGGEST TRANSFORMATIONS: PANIC! AT THE DISCO CELEBRATING OUR FAVOURITE 80S MUSIC ICONS A PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN: THE FEMALE REVENGE GENRE STEPHEN KING: FROM BOOK TO SCREEN HIDDEN GEM: THE SOUND AND THE FURY

08 09 11 12 13 15

CONTENTS

16

MY FAVOURITE STORY ALBUM: KING KRULE’S THE OOZ LITERATURES IMPACT ON MUSIC

17

SHAKESPEAREAN FILM ADAPTATIONS

19

BOOKS INTO TV: OUR ADAPTATION WISHLIST

20

WHAT MAKES A GOOD BOOK?

21

THE ULTIMATE WORLD BOOK DAY BAND

22

WORLD BOOK DAY COMEDIANS

23

AN INTERVIEW WITH HEATHER BARON-GRACIE FROM PALE WAVES STRANGE MOVIE ENDINGS

25 27

ARTISTIC DEPICTIONS OF FICTIONAL CHARACTERS

28 29 31 32 33 34 36 37

TABLE MANNERS: JESSIE WARE’S COOKERY PODCAST GOES DOWN A TREAT MY FIRST ART GALLERY: THE TATE MODERN THE EDGE’S FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD BOOKS WHY WE SHOULD GET A MAX PAYNE 4 TRACKS - THE TRAIN SET GAME: RELAXING CHILDHOOD SANDBOX THE LIVESTREAM DEBATE OUR ULTIMATE KARAOKE SONGS LISTINGS

Follow Us! /theedgesusu @theedgesusu @theedgesusu Cover image courtesy of Cheek Press

02

NEWS

THE NEWS BOX NEWS

IN BRIEF Another Superman reboot in the works at Warner Bros. with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot producing.

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl set to receive remakes while a new open-world spin-off Pokemon game is set to release in 2022.

Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak set to release a collaborative album named Silk Sonic.

Hasbro’s Mr Potato Head set to lose the ‘Mr’ in favour of a more inclusive gender-neutral rebrand.

Daft Punk draws their career to a close after 28 years of being together.

Disney Plus Adds Content Warning to The Muppet Show SAM PEGG

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THE EDGE’S ENTERTAINMENT PICKS EDITOR LAST CHANCE U: BASKETBALL (10/03/2021)

The successful docuseries Last Chance U is finally releasing a series dedicated to the hardwood, Basketball. The series will follow East Los Angeles College Huskies (ELAC) in their chase to an unprecedented California state basketball championship.

RECORDS EDITOR LANA DEL REY - CHEMTRAILS OVER THE COUNTRY CLUB (19/03/2021)

Friday the 19th of March brings one of my most anticipated albums of the year; Lana’s airy, indie-pop record, Chemtrails over the Country Club. Following the success that was Norman Fucking Rockwell!, to say that I have high expectations for this record is an understatement!

FILM EDITOR MINARI, dir. Lee Isaac Chung (19/03/2021)

A wonderful yet personal drama filled with hope about a Korean family who move to rural America during the 1980s. Featuring two stellar performances from Steven Yeun and Han Ye-ri as the parents Jacob and Monica respectively alongside a stand out role by Alan Kim as their son David,

CULTURE EDITOR THE SOULD OF A WOMAN by Isabel Allende (02/03/2021)

The Soul of a Woman is the latest book by adored Chilean writer, Isabel Allende. Latin American feminist movements are at a pivotal point right now and causing a ripple across the globe.

Allende explores single motherhood, sexuality, and feminism.

LIVE EDITOR ZARA LARSSON - YOUTUBE (08/03/2021)

There is no doubt that Zara Larsson is up there with the likes of Dua Lipa, Sigrid and Mabel. However, she is treating us to a FREE concert for International Women’s Day on 8th March, 6pm GMT. The most exciting thing is that she is streaming live from an IKEA

Disney Plus has added a content warning to the first eighteen episodes of The Muppet Show, citing “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures”. The show which started streaming on February 19th, originally aired without the aforementioned content warning, but Disney made the decision to keep the content on its streaming service in an effort “to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversations to create a more inclusive future together”. While the show’s presence on the streaming service still leans it towards a more “entertainment” angle, the acknowledgement of its harmful content and its depictions are a step in the right direction in helping parents consider whether it’s something they really want their children watching and then learning from. While The Muppet Show has held a great place in many people’s hearts, it’s hard to deny its outdated and harmful stereotypes.

NEWS

The Origins of World Book Day For years now, World Book Day has been a staple of many people’s childhoods. It’s been a day dedicated in the year with inspiring new generations of people to get out there and read something new, something exciting, even something simple - all just for the pleasure of simply reading. Schools across the country gear up to encourage children to dress as their favourite book characters (I unabashedly dressed up in a killer Mad Hatter costume once, as well as being Mr Twit who was mistaken for Hagrid on multiple occasions), and it breathes life into the worlds that inhabit books and cements the fact that stories are much more than something we read. In fact, books are a cultural phenomenon, one of the oldest forms of entertainment, and in a world that gears towards a digital age, we can always rely on that one day of the year, World Book Day, to encourage us to put down our phones, gaming consoles, and TVs and get lost in the magic of the words on the page and our fruitful imagination. Yet, this begs a question: what is the origin of World Book Day? Created by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in April 1995, the first World Book Day took place in the UK and Ireland in 1997, aimed at the goal of “encourag[ing] young people to discover the pleasure of reading.”

As founder Baroness Gail Rebuck states, reading is “fun, relevant, accessible, exciting, and has the power to transform lives,” and along with the pleasure of reading, there’s always been a huge educational bonus to reading as well. As stated on the World Book Day website, “reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational background or their income.”

By reading books (even for as little as ten minutes a day), a child can become equipped with the tools necessary to secure themselves a better future, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds; encouraging a lifestyle that sees the world as filled with endless possibilities and a whole lot of magic. In a sense, books broaden intellectual horizons as well

as inspiring something undeniable in children, and it’s not hard to see why World Book Stay has become a staple of childhood in Britain for all it encourages.

What’s more, World Book Day is much more than a day that is simply devoted to adults telling children that they should probably read a book for a bit.

Instead, it’s grown into nothing short of a sensation, that sees the magic of books leaping from their pages and coming into the real world. Even if you aren’t a fan of reading, dressing up as your favourite character is something many remember fondly, and it’s a great way that children are introduced to the fun of books even without reading them. I hadn’t ever read a book in my own time till a girl came into school dressed as an uncanny Agatha Trunchbull from Matilda, inspiring me to venture into the book and see what all the fuss was about.

Plus, World Book Day isn’t about making authors rich, instead, using the platform to encourage new selections of great books sold at a reasonable price of £1, or even going as far as they did in my school, to give every child a free book of their choice.

In the process over the years, World Book Day has been about possibilities and fun, a fact that books capture in themselves, and something that never lessens. It’s a truly special day, a day many of us remember fondly as our childhood. As a campaign to encourage children to read, it’s a day many of us eagerly anticipated (especially book worms like myself).

SAM PEGG

04

NEWS

NOSTALGIC NEWS 15 YEARS AGO

70 YEARS AGO

Morgan McMIllan

Louise Chase

She’s The Man was released

The greatest movie of all time was released 15 years ago! She’s The Man merges football with Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night and somehow makes Shakespeare even better. Viola (Amanda Bynes) lived out my childhood fantasy of having a twin brother so I can pretend to be him and play for the boy’s football team because girls are just as talented as boys. She’s The Man may have never won an Oscar like it deserved but it won a Teen’s Choice Award which we all know is the equivalent in the world of those under 16.

It was my gay awakening especially watching Olivia (Laura Ramsey) fall for Sebastian who is really Viola dressed as Sebastian which by the way looked nothing like Sebastian. For those who have never watched the movie just think Mean Girls, Clueless with a dash of Premier League Football and that is She’s The Man.

C.S. Lewis’s Prince Caspian was released

Released in 1951, Prince Caspian was published in the UK 70 years ago. Telling the story of the four Pevensie children who had returned to Narnia a year later after their previous adventure, it seems shocking to discover how the mystical land they found in the back of a wardrobe had changed completely. Over 1300 years since Edmund, Peter, Lucy and Susan last stepped foot in the mystical land, the stakes are entirely different as a completely changed world is there to welcome them back.

The novel was the second of C.S Lewis’ series The Chronicles of Narnia but is chronologically set after novels later in the series such as The Magician’s Nephew. After the successful 2005 adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian would also be adapted into a film in 2008, starring Ben Barnes as the titular Prince, as well as other adaptations into radio plays and more. It’s a pivotal book in a series which has now become one of the codifiers of children’s fantasy, and still one of my favourites in the franchise.

30 YEARS AGO

Terry Pratchett’s Reaper Man was released Sam Pegg

There is probably a no more iconic character in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series than that of Death himself.

Sometimes sassy, a complete cynic and one who always manages to garner a laugh at his appearance in any of the Discworld novels, it wasn’t until Reaper Man that the meaning of life, and by extension, death truly began to become explored. Following Death and the countdown to his own demise, Death decides to go on his first holiday, leaving those dying left to be undead and a whole lot of other chaos in the process. From reality-bending supreme beings, Death falling in love, backwards werewolves (I couldn’t even begin to describe that one), and even the subverting of fate; Pratchett creates a humanising tale in one of the unlikeliest of characters, taking readers on a journey that only made his figure of death oddly more loveable. It’s another hilarious book in another hilarious series, easily one of my favourites and offering us one of the best characters in fantasy to date. If you ever need the perfect Pratchett book to start with, Reaper Man may just be the right one for you.

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Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures & Puffin Books

NEWS

NOSTALGIC NEWS 5 YEARS AGO

15 YEARS AGO

Louise Chase

Sam Pegg

Batman Vs Superman was released

It almost seemed that Spring 2016 was the year of the Superhero vs Superhero movie. Released around the same time as Captain America: Civil War, Batman Vs Superman saw Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel meet with Ben Affleck’s caped crusader.

Directed by Zack Synder, the film was the second in the DCEU and highly anticipated ... although the payoff wasn’t as beloved as the hype made fans had believed. With twists meant to shock the audience falling flat and now lampooned across pop-culture, and bizarre moments like Bruce’s dream sequence never being explained, Batman Vs Superman was layered and convoluted, likely down to executive meddling and restrictions on Synder’s vision for the film.

The headline DCEU film also saw the introduction of Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman; while BvS was almost a universally hated film by both critics and fans alike, Wonder Woman’s introduction particularly her role in the final climactic battle was highly praised.

V for Vendetta was released

Based on the British Graphic novel written by Alan Moore. the film adaptation was headed by the Wachowski Sisters (the same duo who directed the Matrix trilogy). Telling the story of V and Evey, the film depicts a Nineteen-Eighty-Four inspired nation caught in the hands of a powerful dictator that seeks to suppress freedom and individuality.

In a world that sees homosexuality, religion (other than Christianity), and anything comprised as ‘the other’ as an act against the goverment; V decides overthrow those in power on November 5th, drawing inspiration from the Gun Powerder Plot of Guy Fawkes as he seeks to undo those who did him wrong. It’s a film filled with social and political critique, smartly written in its exploration of a dystopian future that’s not all that different from the world around us. It’s filled with violent action sequences, smart dialogue, and a narrative stuffed to brim with symbolism that makes V for Vendetta cement itself as not only one of the greatest graphicnovel adaptations of all time, but of always being my favourite film as well.

40 YEARS AGO

Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine was released Emily Dennis

Roald Dahl’s classic tale of a young boy and a terrible grandmother, George’s Marvellous Medicine, has reached its Ruby celebration. A well-deserved achievement for a book that is a jewel itself. George’s parents leave him in the company of his grandmother while they run some errands, however, and unfortunately for George, his grandmother is a horrible person. George tries his best to be kind, but his grandmother is having none of it, so he begins his fabulous and slightly revolting concoctions in the hope that he can make her nicer. Instead, George accidentally makes an un-replicable growing potion and even manages to enlarge a chicken. His later potions fail to fulfil the same promise, and he ends up shrinking his grandmother so small that she disappears forever. Like many of Dahl’s stories, there is imagination, fantasy, and an easy takeaway lesson - sometimes it’s okay to give people a taste of their own medicine. As well as great synergy between the title and its tale, George’s Marvellous Medicine is able to capture your wildest thoughts without even needing to open the front cover. Spattering with colourful and exciting images, this book continues to inspire all that even glance upon it, teaching children and adults that anything is possible.

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures & DC Vertigo

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RECORDS

George Michael: The Man, The Myth, The Legend As one of Britain’s most prolific artists of the 80s with Wham! and an incredible artist in his solo career, George Michael has had some cracking tunes. From hits such as ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ to ‘Careless Whisper’ to ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me’, Michael had penned some of Britain’s most beloved songs to date. Even up until his untimely death on Christmas day in 2016, he was a living legend.

However, the harassment that the star underwent by tabloid papers in the late 90s is astonishing.

Following his arrest for soliciting sex in April 1998, The Sun published the now infamous article ‘Zip Me Up Before You Go-Go’ on their front page. He was outed globally by the press and became the subject of mockery. He was right to be worried; if he had come out before this, his career definitely would have suffered with the stigma surrounding the LGBT+ community that dominated the 80s and 90s (no thanks to Thatcher and Reagan). Although the press took away his opportunity to come out in his own time, he embraced his sexuality and became a prominent voice for the gay community.

Michael even fronted a documentary about HIV in 1998 to get the conversation around AIDs and HIV going on!

really makes this video a masterpiece and twofingered salute to the press is that the lyrics of the song themselves reference his arrest, and he blends samples of the exact radio reports of his detention into the music! Owning his sexuality and being unapologetically himself only made the public love him all the more, much to the conservative press’ chagrin.

George Michael showed the world that he was completely unafraid of what others thought of him.

He created powerful art that means so much to the LGBT+ community, and is sorely missed now nearly 7 years after his passing. He was unapologetically himself, a hero of the community, and a legend in his own right.

JO LISNEY

Using his platform to highlight the prejudices that gay men faced, Michael quickly situated himself as a proud, out gay man in the public eye. For instance, he satirised his 1998 arrest with his video for ‘Outside’, commenting on the injustices that many faced for their sexuality. As the first song following his release after his arrest, Michael made sure that the world knew he was proud of his sexuality.

Embracing his arrest made a statement to the press - you cannot tear him down. The music video sees Michael pose as a LA police officer performing a dance in a public toilet styled out as a disco, akin to ‘cruising’ spots of the eighties, wherein LGBT+ men often couldn’t meet each other otherwise. We then see two officers arrest two men, having previously engaged in sexual acts with one another; the tone shifts, and we see the officers share an embrace through the lens of a surveillance camera. What

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Image courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment UK LTD

RECORDS

The Biggest Transformations of the Decade:

PANIC! AT THE DISCO Starting out their days as an emo/pop-punk band from Nevada, Panic! at the Disco soon found fame with their debut studio album A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (2005). The album still holds up as one of the most exciting debuts of the era, holding its place as a fan favourite album amongst their discography; it showcased a style that felt so unique to the music scene at the time.

A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out feels like a story album, and with its release it brought the lyricism and narrative of Panic!’s musical stylings that have now become iconic throughout their earlier discography, with the following records Pretty. Odd. (2008) and Vices and Virtues (2011). With Fever came one of the most famous Panic! songs of all time, the quirky fast-paced ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’. Vices and Virtues, a personal favourite of mine, gives off a real steampunk witchy vibe with the minimised band and short studio time arguably fuelling the true emotion of the record. With a magical atmosphere in tow, the album offered songs such as ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’, demonstrating the band’s wackier side, and the beautiful ‘Sarah Smiles’, an ode to lead singer Brendon Urie’s wife.

After a reasonable un-official hiatus, in the band 2012 they came back with a new style and updated overall atmosphere. Their fourth studio album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! (2013) opened up a new world for Panic!, highlighting the incredible talent of frontman Brendon Urie as they experimented with electronic synths and reverbed vocals. With a new lease of life, albums began to speed up as the band moved into a different era; one that took pop, dance and classical influences, creating a revamped Panic which brought the band closer to the interests of listeners across the globe.

Their latest two albums, Death of a Bachelor (2015) and Pray For the Wicked (2017), were both met with open arms by fans, even those who perhaps missed

the original Panic!. Tracks such as ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘High Hopes’ graced our airwaves and racked the band up some genuine mainstream credibility, something that many alternative bands have struggled to find.

It’s not only musical style and influence that’s changed for Panic’ there’s been a clear shake-up of band members since the original line-up in the early 2000s, with all but Brendon Urie remaining from the band’s early days. From guitarist Ryan Ross leaving under a cloud way back in 2009 and drummer Spencer Smith parting ways with the band due to difficult personal troubles, all the way to bassist Dallon Weekes leaving the band quite recently in 2017 to focus on : IDKHOW, the band has become one that really only portrays the stylistic tendencies and choices of Urie himself. It’s pretty impressive that they’re still a band, and especially one that is ever-growing in popularity and slowly but surely edging itself into the global mainstream.

It’s really incredible when you can look back at a band and see their progression as one which is both personal and musical. Whilst they’ve come across some bumps in the road, seeing one of the original 00s emo bands become a true success story is something that can’t be beaten. From the days of A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out all the way to their latest album Pray for the Wicked, Panic! at the Disco have truly transformed themselves over the past decade into one of the biggest acts of the noughties.

KATIE EVANS

Image courtesy of Warner Brothers Music

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Image courtesy of Gazette / Sony Music Entertainment / Warner Records

RECORDS

Celebrating Our Favourite 80s Music Icons ELTON JOHN Elton John is undoubtedly one of Britain’s beloved performers and with a career that spans over 4 decades, it’s not hard to see why.

The 80s in particular were an incredible decade for him. It saw hits such as ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues’, the re-release of ‘Candle in the Wind’ and the re-release of ‘Your Song’ come to life, yet it is the anthemic ‘I’m Still Standing’ that really showed people what he was made of. With his amazing skills, John was able to make this single go platinum in the UK and gold in the US! As a lively performer, John pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable at the time. From flashy costumes to being an icon for the LGBT+ community, he was never afraid to be himself. He was comfortable talking about his sexuality to the media and advocating for LGBT+ people in a society that was overtly homophobic. When the AIDs pandemic came around in the 80s, John was at the forefront.

He wore his red ribbon with pride and refused to back down as he stood with his fellow LGBT+ members - loud and proud!

JO LISNEY

JOAN JETT Joan Jett is one of the greatest icons of the 1980s. The main reason she’s so important to music history is the pioneering role she had in bringing women to the male-dominated world of rock music. As a big fan of female rock bands, I’m extremely thankful for Joan Jett encouraging others to follow suit. Of course, it has to be added that the fact Lita Ford quit The Runaways was due to the other’s, “always giggling about other girls” and never discussing boys – what could be more rock n roll? Finally, her song titles have to be given a spotlight, as she deserves an award for her creativity with these. Some of her iconic ‘80s titles include ‘If Ya Want My Luv’, ‘Tossin & Turnin’, ‘Coney Island Whitefish’, and one of the best, ‘Oh Woe is Me’. If you aren’t familiar with her music already, be sure to give Joan Jett a listen, it’ll change your life.

MADDIE LOCK

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PRINCE The icon, the legend, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. There is no way to describe the impact Prince’s work had on the world of music; his music was futuristic, experimental, and pure genius, making him arguably one of the most successful artists to emerge in the eighties. Prince has a unique power of telling a story just through the power of music alone; this is evident in the final 5 minutes of ‘Purple Rain’ which barely have any lyrics but is arguably the most powerful and poetic aspect of the track.

It wasn’t just the eccentric guitar and masterful combinations of funk, soul, and jazz throughout his music, but his own vast vocal range and flamboyant personality which made Prince not only an iconic musician of the eighties but one of the greatest musicians of all time.

MORGAN MCMILLAN

RECORDS

GUNS N’ ROSES American hard-rockers Guns N’ Roses embody the rock and roll vibe of the 1980s music scene, rightly holding their place as one of the music icons of the era.

After forming in Los Angeles in 1985, the band soon rose to fame after their debut studio album Appetite for Destruction (1987) reached number one in the charts just a year after its release. It boasted tracks such as the heavy ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ and the fast-paced, catchy ‘Paradise City’, amongst many more.

Although Guns N’ Roses reached notability on a global scale due to their musical influence upon the world of rock, inspiring modern bands from the likes of Fall Out Boy to Nickelback, they only gained one number-one single; the ever-so-popular track ‘Sweet Child ‘O Mine’. ‘It’s a classic, one that everyone knows and (basically) everyone loves.

Whilst the band have gone through their fair share of drama and controversy, Guns N’ Roses have recently been touring again, appearing at the likes of festivals such as the UK’s Reading & Leeds Festival in 2010 and Download Festival in 2018, reminding us of their impact in the music world some 40 years after first hitting the scene.

KATIE EVANS

ROBERT SMITH AND THE CURE The Cure is one of the defining goth-rock bands of the eighties, and obviously the whole group is massively talented, but a lot of their legendary longevity and iconic status has come from the goth God himself, Robert Smith. Known for his distinguishable voice, melancholy guitar style and goth look, he’s easily one of the biggest 80s icons not just of the alternative scene, but of the decade of music as a whole.

Always sporting his trademark pale skin, smeared red lipstick, heavy eyeliner and birds nest black hair, Robert Smith became THE face of the goth subculture in the early eighties. Not only was he the lead singer for legendary rock band The Cure (a personal favourite), but he was also the lead guitarist for equally iconic alternative band Siouxsie and the Banshees for a couple years. You could pretty much say Smith had a part in nearly every iconic goth-rock moment of the eighties, and his style, musicianship and stage persona are still influencing big bands today.

The Cure became one of the first alternative bands to get successful airplay in the eighties, at a time when alt-rock was still struggling to break into the mainstream. They helped redefine what we think of as popular rock, with their existential despairing lyrics, heady bass lines and guitar, and of course Smith’s signature soft vocal style with the occasional wail thrown in for good measure. Not to mention, The Cure are still rocking today just as good as they were 40 years ago, and are constantly shifting, evolving and growing as a band without disregarding their goth roots. Their impact is still keenly felt, and with the help of Robert Smith’s mythic stage persona they’re easily one of the most iconic acts of the eighties, and Smith himself one of the most iconic faces of the era.

ALICE FORTT

Image courtesy of freepik / NME / Universal Music

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FILM

A Promising Young Woman: The Female Revenge GenreE The female revenge genre has had a revamp over recent years. Strong representations of femininity in cinema have shifted from the ‘final girl’ trope of 80s horror to the contemporary female-fronted dramas and thrillers that offer numerous award nominations for those in the lead roles on an increasingly international scale. The upcoming black comedy thriller Promising Young Woman aims to reignite the genre on an exciting scale, bringing back the muchloved patriarchal exploration with a modern-day spin.

When slasher films were on the rise, it was the female protagonist who drew the audience in, maintaining their interest through their charisma and impact.

Characters such as Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in Halloween (1978), Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) in the Scream (1996-) franchise and Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) became embodiments of the ‘strong woman’.

The final girl became an expected convention in horror films and, although these were sometimes less feminist and more stereotypical, the tenacious female protagonist grew into an important part of the cinema landscape that follows through to this day.

Although it became clear that films took a more feminist approach in the early 2000s, there grew an ever clearer lack of female directors working on female-fronted films. Directors such as Quentin Tarantino used the popularity of ‘leading ladies’ to form the inspiration for his, now infamous, film series which comprises of two films - Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004). With Uma Thurman at the reigns, the film draws upon the female revenge genre that we see today, using violence to create a powerful woman whose vengeful rampage earned her multiple nominations for the role.

In more recent years, the revenge genre has crossed even more boundaries, inspiring films on a global scale such as Paul Verhoeven’s French

thriller Elle (2016). The film explores the impact of sexual harassment upon the life of its victim and received a mass of critical acclaim from the moment it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

Films such as Elle are integral in the development of the genre, exploring real-life social issues through a platform that is loved and enjoyed by many. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) was another critical success, earning lead actress Frances McDormand an Academy Award for Best Actress at the 90th awards ceremony.

The female revenge genre opens up the potential for more female characters and therefore more female actors and directors gaining critical acclaim for their work. Whilst female directors are still being snubbed on an industry-wide scale, there is hope for the increasing number of female filmmakers through the reignition of the genre in recent years; think back to the success of films such as Jennifer’s Body (2009) written

by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama!

Emerald Fennell’s upcoming film debut Promising Young Woman sets up to be a strong start for female-fronted films being released in 2021. The film, which is set to be released just next month in the UK, follows the story of Cassie (Carey Mulligan) whose life is changed suddenly, leading to an inspired moment of vengeance which follows her throughout the film’s narrative. Mulligan is set to be a brilliant lead, with critics already praising the film’s portrayal of female confidence and independence.

The fact that the film is actually directed by a female filmmaker makes this an even more exciting upcoming release that promises to liken itself to the revenge genre in a unique and impactful way. With its recent release, Promising Young Woman is a film definitely worth watching, if you’re missing some female empowerment!

KATIE EVANS

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Image courtesy of FOCUS FEATURES

FILM

Stephen King:

From Book to Screen DAISY GAZZARD With at least 82 books and 86 film adaptations to his name, Stephen King has a very impressive repertoire of films based on his equally impressive collection of novels. King is one of my favourite authors and it’s clear to me why they are so successful as films. There are stories within every genre, from psychological thrillers like Misery to emotional dramas like The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption. This already creates a rich ground for a variety of production companies specialising in all genres, not just horror, to want to make films based on his books. In addition, some readers think his novels can take some time to start as most build tension before exploding into drama and horror quite far into the story. For some, this is too slow and so watching a film adaptation would be the better option. There’s usually less set-up and more horror, starting much quicker than the books so viewers can just get into the epic storylines without waiting around. With the cult following King has, it’s also possible to make more money from film by remastering them, remaking them and producing many sequels. A great example is Children of the Corn, a short story that was first published in an issue of men’s magazine Penthouse before being added to his 1978 collection Night Shift. Consisting around 50 pages long, it now has at least two direct adaptations from 1984 and 2009, as well as numerous sequels and prequels to date.

According to IMDB, the original 1984 version made a whopping $14,568,989 gross worldwide. Stephen King sells.

Famous directors have made successful adaptations too, with The Shining arguably the

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures

most famous of them all. Directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring acclaimed actors like Jack Nicholson, this 1980 classic about a hotel caretaker who slowly spirals into madness is still discussed within circles. T-shirts, pin badges, phone cases, every merchandise opportunity you can imagine is available with key iconic moments blazoned on them. Despite King openly disliking this version, saying some of the character and story was lost, it still has a cult following that suggests how fans are more enraptured by the plot and not necessarily the name. My favourite novel is also, ironically, my favourite of his adaptations: his 1987 novel Misery.

It’s story, about novelist Paul Sheldon who’s rescued and subsequently nursed back to health by his supposed “number one fan” Annie Wilkes after a car accident, is fast paced and a genuinely nightmarish tale about psychotic obsession. The 1991 film, starring James Caan and Kathy Bates in the main roles, is almost as good as its source material with the latter deservedly winning Best Actress at the Academy Awards that year. Directed by Rob Reiner, it translates really well as a psychological horror graphics aren’t really needed so it hasn’t really aged, unlike some gory horrors. The prosthetics and effects are still creepy and gross despite how much technology has improved and progressed in 30 years. I still wince at THAT scene now and I’ve seen it three times.

Stephen King’s oeuvre is a varied body of work with fans loving his timeless stories, either having read the books or preferring to watch the film instead.

His imagination continues to be an inspiration for TV shows and films alike, and it’s easy to see why.

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FILM

HIDDEN GEM: THE SOUND AND THE FURY James Franco is a name typically associated with his many versatile performances in Hollywood throughout his seasoned career, one which has been active for around thirty years since Franco found his start in Freaks and Geeks in the 1990s.

Much less is known about Franco’s foray into directing and producing films, with only The Disaster Artist (2017), the film about the making of Tommy Wiseau’s terrible yet hilarious The Room, becoming popular, whilst Franco’s other work as director remains buried in obscurity. And whilst none of his work as a director can be called perfect, they are all fascinating in their own ways, mainly being based upon classical literature from the 1920s.

Franco took a particular liking to the Southern Gothic genre of writing, choosing to direct three films based on books from the sub-genre - starting with an adaptation of Willian Faulkner’s excellent.

As I Lay Dying, then adapting Cormac McCarthy’s challenging Child of God and ending his trilogy on one of the greatest books of all time - Faulkner’s towering, puzzling The Sound and the Fury. With all three of these books being challenging reads, Franco’s choice to adapt them became especially impressive with him seemingly undertaking an impossible task each time. It’s worth stating once more - none of the three adaptations are perfect, but each one requires a certain approach from Franco as a director in trying to communicate the texts in a way that takes what makes the books so special and translates that into a cinematic image.

With The Sound and the Fury in particular, Franco has the task of telling a story that, in its written form, is told by four different characters outside of chronological order and by unreliable narrators, leaving the reader to piece the puzzle together from overlapping events and more subtle suggestions for the most part. Franco’s experimental approach to directing such a story is what makes his adaptation so interesting, as he decides to direct each section of the film as a “chapter”, siding with one character at a time and manipulating the camera and the editing to match with their perspective.

13 Image courtesy of New Films International

For example, with the mentally disabled character Benjy (who, in the book, constantly shifts between flashbacks, scattered thoughts and actual events occurring in the narrative), Franco very carefully cuts between POV shots and beautiful tracking shots whilst editing between the fragments of Benjy’s life, and with the far harsher character of Jason, Franco sticks to stagnant shots, wide and detached, to represent the lonely, angry world that Jason occupies.

Some stumbles are present, though, as some of the low-budget issues become glaringly obvious, and do hinder the tone of the film at times. Franco casting himself as the mentally disabled Benjy is also pretty jarring, even though he does a good job in the role. It’s a shame, as the performances are mostly very strong, but not all of it fully clicks.

Franco’s ambition as a director still deserves far more recognition than it has received, though - he appears to be able to direct the impossible, with some consistency, and The Sound and the Fury is one of the best films to show how he is able to translate literary puzzles into cinematic ones.

REECE BECKETT

WORLD BOOK DAY

Image Courtesy of MGM Distribution Co / NBCUniversal / Warner Bros / 20th Television / Universal Pictures

WORLD BOOK DAY

My Favourite Story Album: King Krule’s The OOZ With his debut album, 6 Feet Beneath The Moon, released when he was just nineteen, King Krule instantly proved himself as a newcomer to watch.

With his unique blending of jazz, punk rock and hip hop, the singer/songwriter quickly gained a lot of traction, which he followed up by a more hip hop influenced second album, under his real name Archy Marshall, called A New Place 2 Drown.

Together, these two albums built anticipation for what would come next, and after a two year silence, Krule released his most polarising project - The OOZ. Taking the sound he became famous for - punk rock with light jazz backing interspersed - and flipping it in the opposite direction, this time opting for a trip hop/jazz/post-punk mix, The OOZ tells three stories at once, all revolving around loneliness. Hopping between these three storylines throughout, Krule speaks of a deep sea diver, an astronaut drifting alone through space and a frequently mentioned “bloodsucker”/vampire.

Using these three interchanging stories as a jumping point for the overall theme of loneliness, which Krule experienced as he became famous after the release of his first project, finding himself dropped into a new world of touring and meeting thousands of people but never staying anywhere long enough to know them, the album relies on a slow, almost meandering sound, filled with Portishead style drumming, gentle bass playing and, of course, Krule’s trademark deep voice throughout.

Dragging the audience into the murky universe of The OOZ is ‘Biscuit Town’, the album’s opener.

Krule sings about being a noirish detective stuck in a town where nothing quite works, discussing a discomfort within his life as a whole, setting up the emotions that will be explored throughout the

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rest of the record, on the absolutely incredible track ‘Cadet Limbo’, or the wonderfully angry ‘Vidual’.

The album’s hour-long runtime allows the music to completely take over, as the world presented

by Krule becomes progressively larger, but the characters only become more alone, stuck in the centre of a meaningless world.

Thankfully, the versatility of the music ensures that the meandering style never becomes uninteresting, as the album transitions between huge, angry punk, lonely ballads and even some Spanish spoken-word interludes, with this constant shifting in emotion becoming overwhelming. The OOZ is a beautiful, chaotic and sprawling album that maintains a sense of organised chaos thanks to the intricacy of the sounds and the carefully handled story that is subtly used throughout. It’s also an intensely depressing album, one that touches on a harsh feeling of isolation, of self-disgust and self-hatred, whilst containing some of the most dreamy and beautiful sounds imaginable.

Thankfully, Krule seems in a better place after becoming a father, and his third album under the Krule name, Man Alive!, reflects this, presenting a gentle, melancholic view of the world whilst running with the mantra of “You’re not alone” on the song ‘Alone, Omen 3’ and expressing his love for his family on the final track, ‘Please Complete Thee’. It seems that, whilst all three of his albums link together in their own overarching story - one that sees Krule transition from disgraced teenager to a man accepting his place in the world, and using music to spur himself on - The OOZ was really the moment when Krule made use of storytelling to produce one of the most intense album experiences of the last few decades.

REECE BECKETT

Image courtesy of XL RECORDINGS / Smashing Pumpkins

WORLD BOOK DAY

LITERATURE’S IMPACT ON MUSIC MORGAN MCMILLAN Literature has had a tremendous impact on music from inspiring band names, concept albums that tell their own stories to songs heavily referencing books themselves. The power of literature is felt in many aspects of music. Music itself is arguably a story, being told through instrumentation and lyricism rather than written down on a page.

Classic books such as 1984 by George Orwell, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick’s and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley have inspired amazing songs throughout the decades in many different genres of music. The Smashing Pumpkins used Brave New World in their song ‘Soma’, directly referencing a fictional hallucinogen of the same name that numbs any sort of discomfort, anxiety or stress. In the song, The Smashing Pumpkins yearn for a numbness from the unbearable pressure of life, speaking of using the drug as an escape, just as one uses literature to escape from reality. The Smashing Pumpkins are not the only band to be inspired by the drug’s capabilities; deadmau5 and The Strokes have songs titled ‘Soma’ as well.

in adding a new dimension to the music we all enjoy.

My own personal favourite song that is based upon a book comes from Jimmy Eat World’s ‘Goodbye Sky Harbor’ which was inspired by A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving. The book is about a complex friendship and faith, whilst simultaneously questioning 20th century America and the American dream.

Just like the book, ‘Goodbye Sky Harbor’ has many dimensions. The track lasts 16 minutes and 11 seconds and is quite repetitive, however this is reflective of Irving’s writing style and the lack of lyrics featured on the track brings a new layer to the story ,and fits perfectly for the final few chapters of the book.

As mentioned previously, many musicians have derived their stage names from literary references.

A famous example is My Chemical Romance, whose name was taken from Irvine Welsh’s book Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance. Additionally, Twenty One Pilots was inspired by the 21 pilots that died in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, and Of Mice & Men, The Velvet Underground, and The Doors are all band names inspired by popular literature, as derived from John Steinbeck, Michael Leigh and William Blake respectively.

Children’s books have also inspired tracks, with the likes of Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ ‘Yertle the Turtle’, which is quite literally a funky version of the Dr Seuss Literature has had a huge impact on our daily lives, but tale of the same name. It’s great fun it also plays a major role in the music and a laugh, showing the different we listen to. Though, only a few have dimensions of literature’s impact on been mentioned throughout this music. Even popular musicians such as article many other artists such as Kate Bush and Taylor Swift have been David Bowie, Elton John, Metallica inspired by literature with their songs and more have used the books that ‘Wuthering Heights’ (from the Austen have an impact on them to inspire book of the same name), ‘Love Story’ the music they create. Literature’s (Romeo and Juliet), and ‘Wonderland’ impact on music stretches far (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland). beyond what was mentioned in this As you can see from these examples, piece, and it is arguably one of the literature has an impact across nearly key influences on all genres of music, showing its power popular music today.

16 WORLD BOOK DAY PLAYLIST

WORLD BOOK DAY

Shakespearean Film Adaptations Ran, dir. Akira Kurosawa (1985)

Akira Kurosawa was labelled the “pictorial Shakespeare” by Steven Spielberg, a worthy title for a legendary director who has made two Shakespeare adaptations: Throne of Blood (Macbeth) and the staggering Ran. The latter is the director’s opus, adapting King Lear into a samurai epic. Instead of Lear’s three daughters, Ran uses three sons for the King’s heirs who turn to war against each other. The result is a mesmerising film that is brimming with eye-popping colours and imagery (even though Kurosawa was partially blind when making it) and one of the all-time great battle scenes. Using the image rather than the written word, Kurosawa both compliments and elevates Shakespeare’s work, as well as the entire cinematic medium. It is not a direct adaptation, but it was never intended to be one at all originally.

Ran is all the better for this, carving its own weighty themes from the story and creating an experience that lodges in the brain long after seeing it. Going deeper and more pessimistic than the Bard ever did, Kurosawa made a worthy piece of art.

JACOB HANDO

Romeo + Juliet, dir. Baz Luhrmann (1996)

As an English student – one that actually likes Shakespeare – I’m always wary of adaptations, especially those which portray the absolute classics in completely new settings. Of all the ones I’ve seen, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet, definitely comes out on top (It’s not just because of Leonardo DiCaprio, I promise). Besides the rich colouring, beautiful costumes and amazing soundtrack, my favourite thing about this modernisation is the seamless incorporation of 16th- century language into contemporary Verona Beach in America. It gives the play an obvious rejuvenating revival, but without losing the beauty and depth of the original verse. Although we’ll obviously never know, the unique angles and snappy shots in the cinematography by Donald M. McAlpine fit the frantic and desperate nature of the original plot in ways which Shakespeare himself would approve.

KATIE BYNG-HALL

She’s the Man, dir. Andy Fickman (2006) As a sucker for a romantic comedy, one of my all-time favourite films is She’s the Man, starring Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum. A spin on the Shakespearean classic Twelfth Night, it follows Viola Hastings (Bynes) as she impersonates her brother, Sebastian, at his school in order to play for the football team after the girls’ school cut their programme. Along the way she meets Duke (Tatum), who she falls in love with and Olivia who has fallen in love with who she thinks is Sebastian but is actually Viola. The characters’ names are all taken from the original tale with the plot following a similar but modernised story. It is a brilliant take on how this archetypal love story may be relevant in today’s world. Perhaps not worthy of much critical acclaim, but this is a feel good, classic rom-com, perfect for a lockdown evening to cheer you up and get lost in.

OTTILIE YOUNG

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Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures / 20th Century Fox / Toho

10 Things I Hate About You, dir. Gil Junger (1999)

WORLD BOOK DAY

Based on Shakespeare’s earliest play, The Taming of the Shrew, Gil Junger’s 10 Things I Hate About You is a classic 90s flick and cult hit. It garnered a huge following because of its young leads with fresh-faced Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, witty dialogue akin to its original source material, and peak 90s fashion (wedged sandals are an interesting look). Sure, it’s not an overly accurate adaptation, but that might be a good thing. The original text is arguably pretty sexist, and although this adaptation definitely isn’t on the feminist side, at least we get Larisa Oleynik punching a self-obsessed sexist which is a bonus. 10 Things I Hate About You definitely shifts the Shakespeare’s comedy to make it more appealing to a modern day audience, but what is great about this adaptation is how it isn’t afraid to keep the wit, raunchiness and sex of the original text in it. Shakespeare is renowned for being ridiculously bawdy with regular sex jokes and innuendos, and the high school setting of 10 Things I Hate About You fits perfectly with the bard’s tone.

Likewise, the soundtrack featuring covers of Cheap Trick and Nick Lowe is great and definitely slaps hard.

ALICE FORTT

The Lion King, dir. Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff (1994) Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, and excluding the modern-day adaptations, there is one which everyone knows and loves.

The 1994 animated classic The Lion King introduces and retells Hamlet as a children’s tale. Mufasa’s ghostly vision to get Simba to “Remember who you are” heavily invokes Hamlet’s father calling for revenge among other elements. Of course, being a Disney production, it’s not entirely a retelling of the tragedy. Key themes of revenge are dialled down for a more childfriendly environment, and small plot points like Hamlet’s murderous uncle marrying the widowed Queen and Ophelia’s suicide are removed. In its place are hilarious beats like Timone during the luau - which I honestly think are a worthwhile trade. The Lion King is one of the most beloved Disney animated films, and still one of my favourites from my childhood. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s best plays ... surely that cannot be a coincidence.

LOUISE CHASE

Warm Bodies, dir. Jonathan Levine (2013) What can be better than a zom rom-com (zombie romantic comedy), that incorporates the brilliant storytelling of Shakespeare? Jonathan Levine’s Warm Bodies, based on Isaac Marion’s original novel of the same name, uses the template of Shakespeare’s classic illustrious tragedy Romeo and Juliet to form a paranormal love story that draws you into its sweet narrative. The film is an exciting spin on the existing zombie genre, offering an interesting and heartbreaking insight into an unusual bond that is formed between a zombie, known as R (Nicholas Holt), and the human Julie (Teresa Palmer) who he grows to love. Whilst the Shakespearean influence is not too obvious, although the main characters are called R(omeo) and Julie(t), you’re captivated by the social issues that the two face as they battle between love and reality. Warm Bodies redefines the zombie film, adding a heartfelt element that showcases the true importance of love in storytelling that likens to the work of Shakespeare himself.

KATIE EVANS

Image courtesy of Touchstone Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Summit Entertainment

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WORLD BOOK DAY

BOOKS INTO TV: OUR ADAPTATION WISHLIST

SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT

A talking, suit-wearing skeleton who wields a revolver and drives a Bentley whilst uncovering the mysteries of a hidden fantasy world (and can also throw fireballs from his hands), Skulduggery Pleasant is a book character simply destined for the screen. The titular character of Derek Landy’s popular series, the wise-cracking detective would make for an ideal television presence whilst the books’ dark but dry tone, inventive magical aspects and stunning array of characters could provide the resources for the next great series. Alongside Skulduggery there is Valkyrie Cain, a young girl who starts training and honing her elemental skills under his wing. Making for a compelling audience surrogate, Valkyrie’s dangerous journey in the books takes numerous twists and rug-pulls, and the longer runtime that a television show can offer would remedy the depth and intimacy needed to make her story work. It has been a while since there has been a new fantasy world and the Dublin-based location of Skulduggery’s detective work opens the possibilities for a European Gotham equivalent, filled with unique lore and potentially jaw-dropping action scenes. A television series would be pleasant indeed.

JACOB HANDO

THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS We’ve all seen how the world of fairytales, myths, fantasy makes for great TV, but there’s something inherently more unique about the world in The Book of Lost Things that teems with potential and adaptable material. It follows the story of David who leaves his world of war-torn Britain in search for his deceased mother in a fantasy world filled with childhood myths and stories which collide in unique and memorable ways. From a morbidly obese Snow White accompanied by the Seven Dwarves who actually tried to poison her, to a psychotic huntress fusing children’s heads to animal’s bodies; the world Connolly creates is meant to be uncanny as it explores the stories we knew as children before warping them into something unrecognisable to the adult eye. It’s a book filled with stark imagery, poignantly hilarious moments and packed with potential visual pop, that in the hands of the right production company (*cough* HBO *cough*), The Book of Lost Things could quite easily become one of the most unique adaptations to hit small screens.

SAM PEGG

THE AXEMAN’S JAZZ The Axeman’s Jazz by Ray Celestin is set in 1919 New Orleans. Based on real events, it follows the Axeman, a serial killer who’s one request is that everyone plays or listen to jazz, or else they risk being the next victim. Although it was set to be turned into a Channel 4 television show back in 2015, nothing really came of this, which has left fans like myself dreaming of a TV adaptation even more. It’s a great piece of literature, full of murders, mystery, clues and jazz – what more could you ask of a whodunit-style show?

Let’s not forget the wonderful setting of New Orleans, the home of jazz, which would make for a stunning backdrop to watch these crimes unfold. Let’s just hope The Axeman’s Jazz finally gets the television adaptation that it deserves, so that fans like myself can see their imaginations of this crime-thriller materialised.

MADDIE LOCK

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Image courtesy of Washington Square Press / Pan Books / Harper Collins Press

WORLD BOOK DAY

What Makes A Good Book?

SAM PEGG What makes a good book? Is it all about the narrative? The characters? The escapism/realism?

Could it even be about how stellar that front cover looks? Well, it’s probably not a singular thing but all those qualities (yes, even the front cover) turned into one piece of work, designed to take the reader on a journey. In fact, if we were to boil great books down to one thing, they’re all about a journey in some way or another. Sometimes it’s literal journeys, characters making their way across great plains like that in The Lord of the Rings. Sometimes these journeys are more metaphorical, shrouded in insights meant to inspire something in the reader like in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Sometimes narratives don’t even look recognisably like a journey, instead being about character growth and reflection. However, whatever great book we read, there’s always a progression, a feeling of starting somewhere and ending somewhere (unless it’s Finnegans Wake, because you can start that book anywhere and still not have a clue what’s happening).

Fantasy thrives off this sense of journeying, almost turning it into a cliché when we find yet another set of characters who have travelled great lands to get somewhere and complete a goal. The most famous example of this will always be The Lord of the Rings, but it maintains its status as legendary because there’s much more than just a literal journey happening. What we also have is a progression of friendship, watching as Frodo seeks to save his friends by removing the seductive will of The Ring from their presence or as Gimli and Legolas set aside their differences and form one of the greatest bromances ever. Progression and by extension, journeying, happens through a connection of its characters, giving readers something much more than narrative that starts at point A and ends in point B.

Image courtesy of. freepik

Yet, sometimes these journeys aren’t easily recognisable. Smart dystopias thrive off trapping characters in a journeyless existence, offering false chances of escape and hounding the repetitive and often meaningless existence of their worlds.

Both Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four utilise this claustrophobic feeling, and while its characters never free themselves from the society around them, what builds is an interaction with the reader to take them on a journey instead. By the cyclic nature of their novels, forcing us to end in the same position we begin in, it often helps elucidate the criticisms the authors are trying to unveil as they force us uncomfortably close to a society that has more similarities with the one we live in than we’re often aware of.

There are other forms of journeying though, all accomplishing something different. In Harry Potter, the journey until the final novel is about the progression of time and the fleshing of a world that readers begin to learn something in. In crime novels, it’s often the piecing of the clues to find the killer, offering readers hints of who it may be as we tirelessly guess before the narrative reaches its grand unveiling. Even books that are sometimes simplistic in their journeys, can create something magical by infusing it with a huge backdrop of humour or fleshing it to become something that feels real (Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels anyone?).

The simple fact is, that whatever good book we’re reading, you can usually spot some sort of journey, whether narratively or within yourself. All this means then is the answer to the question ‘what makes a good book’ is the journey it’s willing to take you on.

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WORLD BOOK DAY

THE ULTIMATE WORLD BOOK DAY BAND

A Rhythm in Time

The best thing about World Book Day is that we get to celebrate characters that walked out of the imagination and onto paper, forever! So in keeping with the theme of imagination - I thought about who would make up my dream book band called A Rhythm in Time.

From all the literature I’ve read (and that is a lot - I am an English Literature student after all!), the criteria was simple: • Likely to be musically inclined • Must be an energetic character • A range of literature genres • Poetic in some way to me So, without further ado...

Lead Singer - Gus Waters, The Fault in Our Stars

Gus is one of the most poetic characters to have come out of a young adult fiction book. I mean, who would have thought that carrying around an unlit cigarette could mean so much? He would be the lyricist of the group too, but work closely to make sure that the balance on their LP has enough energy-filled hits and slow tunes you can dance too.

wizardry skills and shred so hard using his magic.

He’d deserve a solo moment in those fist-pumping songs because, with his magic, he’d quite literally put a spell on and bewitch us all.

Rhythm Guitar - Dracula, Dracula

He is ancient and foreign... something that would add an extra level of flavour to their sound. No doubt, he’d be the multi-instrumentalist of the group and key to kicking off the writing process. Dracula had seen it all and would make the coolest rhythmic patterns that are funky fresh.

Bass Guitar - Dorian Gray, The Picture of Dorian Gray

A bassist is often the prettiest member of the band and Dorian fits the bill perfectly. As a seducer in the book, there is no doubt that he would have learned an instrument or two to attract both men and women. Plus, he is immortal so he had a lot of time to hone in on the bass and create complex tabs to rock the house off with the other members of a Rhythm in Time.

Piano - Mad Hatter, Alice’s Adventures Drums - Fred Weasley, The Harry in Wonderland Ok, Mad Hatter is a bit of a wild card. He is really Potter series weird and random but that means he would bring Fred is without a doubt the most fun Weasley child from the large family. Of course, this would be prior to his death and to be honest... he is also my favourite twin out of him and George. Anyway, he fits the basic criteria I set but also he would bring some of the products from his shop to make any show the band performs electrifying!

Lead Guitar - Harry Potter, The Harry Potter series As someone who did not know the existence of magic until his 11th birthday, Harry would have the option to play the guitar normally.

However, he’d take it up a notch with his

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some funky melodies into the band and would be the one to get the others to break generic conventions.

He will forever be the experimental one.

Now you have seen my picks, what would yours be?

JO LISNEY

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures / Rank Films Distributors / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / 20th Century Fox / UNSPLASH

WORLD BOOK DAY

World Book Day Comedians John Mulaney

More than once, US comedian John Mulaney has roasted the fact his college major was English Literature. Not limited to the fact he spent $120,000 US Dollars to (not!) read books, and all culminating in Mulaney turning up to his graduation bewildered and hungover. The usual student experience, really.

In his special Kid Gorgeous, he splits his chaotic tales of “studying” spaced out with random facts such as the realisation his degree cost more than the cost of the US Civil War. For a list of books that he never read. It is simply just relatable comedy, regardless of whether you stopped studying literature at GCSE, A level or are still reading into why Emily Dickinson is a lesbian.

The sketches are side-splittingly funny, even when the reality of spending a horde of money on a degree that might be worth that much. It leans into the value of degrees while also playing fun at the fact that, yes he was a chaotic student once.

(But just because John Mulaney was able to be this successful without doing his reading doesn’t mean you can get out of finishing the Iliad for your seminar).

LOUISE CHASE

Russell Howard

Love him or hate him, Russell Howard does have a way with making stories come to life. He is pretty good at impressions and with that in mind, his sketch about the English accent being voted ‘the sexiest accent in the world’ is very imaginative. He argues that isn’t true as there are many regional dialects and the West Country accent does not deserve to be considered sexy. As someone who hails from that side, he knew what he was talking about. How you may ask? By reading E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey with the West Country twang.

I have friends and family from the West Country and it was a strange thing for me to think about. When thinking about their accent... yeah, that is definitely not a voice I’d want to read me erotic literature too either. Although he does over-exaggerate the way he speaks (since he has lost the accent), he definitely proved it is not a sexy accent!

JO LISNEY

22 Image courtesy of Netflix / Live Nation

LIVE

An Interview with Heather Baron-Gracie from Pale Waves: Manchester four-piece, Pale Waves, are a blend of pop, punk, indie and rock. On the release day of their second album, Who Am I, I got the chance to virtually ‘sit down’ with lead singer Heather BaronGracie to discuss her creative process with this album, and how it has impacted her journey of growth and confidence. The tracks on the record reflect this journey beautifully, and I was lucky enough to hear the insight behind this.

Are you finding it difficult not being able to see the fans’ reactions through playing it live?

Yeah, that really does suck; not being able to go on tour right away and connecting with the fans, and seeing them in person. But I get to see them over the internet, the way of living right now- through a compuwter screen.

How are you celebrating today, are you doing anything special for the album release?

So you wrote this album alone, without the rest of the band?

How are you feeling now that the album is out?

Yeah, there are some amazing guitar riffs, on tracks like ‘Fall to Pieces’. Do you normally start with these riffs and build on them, or start with lyrics?

It’s so tough, because it’s like, what can you do?!

You can’t really have a party, whereas normally I’d invite people round and we’d have a big ass party, but can’t do that. So I don’t know what I’m gonna do!

It’s strange really. I feel like it has existed and been out, in my mind, for a year and a half because I’ve been working on it for so long. That’s what’s strange as an artist; you’re working on something for so long, but no one is aware of it, and then it gets to the release day and it’s new for people. I wish that I could re-live that! But it’s so exciting, and it means a lot seeing the fans’ reactions. I think they really adore the album which is amazing. So much hard work has gone into this album, so I’m really glad that it’s out there.

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Well, Hugo and Charlie never wrote anything ever; it was only ever me and Ciara that wrote our previous music together. With this album, Ciara came in for a few moments and added some special sprinkles to the tracks, but overall I did write the majority of it.

That’s why it’s a bit more alternative and like a bit of the 90s/2000s; a lot of guitars basically!

It varies. I don’t really stick to a set structure when it comes to music, I know that some writers like to look at it kind of mathematically, but for me, it’s basically whatever comes first. Sometimes I can be really inspired by one certain line that I wrote, and then that’ll formulate the whole entire song. Or I can be really inspired by just picking up my acoustic and playing chords. For example, ‘Odd Ones Out’ started out with the guitar strumming pattern that you hear, and then it was actually Kelsie, my girlfriend, who encouraged me to write a song to it. I’m awful for writing so many things but getting bored and moving on; someone needs to lock me in a room and force me to finish songs! Anyway, so that song nearly got thrown out the window, but Kelsie has great taste and made me follow through with it. And then, ‘Fall to Pieces’ for example, was created because I had the line, “I love your mouth but hate what comes out of it sometimes”, and that formulated the whole song. So it really differs for each individual track.

Image courtesy of Cheek Press

LIVE

Would you describe the tracks as individual projects, or is there a connection t h r o u g h o u t the album?

I think there’s definitely a running theme because they were written very close together in a matter of a few months. So what connected them was the headspace that I was in, which was constant throughout the entire record. It wasn’t like the record was spread out in a two-year period, it was literally like three months.

There are parts of the album that feel very raw and personal; how do you find listening back to yourself in those vulnerable moments, like with ‘Who Am I’?

I think I feel sad for me back then, not that I want to throw a pity party. I’m not that type of person, I hate people feeling sorry for me! I look back and I think about how I don’t want to go there again. Obviously, I’ve had incidents around this time period where I’ve been feeling really depressed and empty, but I’ve managed to pick myself up a lot faster than I did a year and a half ago. It comes down to working out what triggers that and then staying away from that kind of thing - I don’t really drink a lot of alcohol now.

I’ll have a few drinks here and there, but I try and stay away from toxic things that trigger me to spiral down. ‘Who Am I’ inspires me more to continue to try and live a positive life and look after myself.

You’ve spoken about using alcohol to cope whilst performing; was it more nerves of actually performing or more from being on stage?

I think it just became a habit - like I couldn’t step on stage without having at least a sip of tequila. It was then a vicious cycle once I got into that pattern. At the start of Pale Waves, we all went on stage sober for a very long time, but then as the shows got bigger and more people came to the shows, we did begin to rely on alcohol in ways. And it’s so accessible

being an artist! You walk into a dressing room, especially at a festival, and there’s literally bottles everywhere, basically saying ‘drink me’! But it’s not healthy to do that. It’s gonna be really interesting when we do go back on tour again because I can’t allow myself to fall into that similar pattern. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that I’m gonna go cold stone sober, I will still have drinks now and again, but I hope to balance it a lot better, and not feel like I have to drink just because I’m going on stage. I have to kind of re-wire my brain. I think it’s a confidence thing as well; going on stage to thousands of people isn’t the most natural thing!

Back then when we were touring so much, I didn’t really like myself, so I feel like I needed that fake confidence that came from alcohol. Hopefully, now that I’ve worked on myself, and accepted that when we do play shows, I will see various pictures of myself that I won’t always. It’s hard to look good on stage when you’re trying to sing these really high pop songs!

I feel like your confidence does really show through this album, especially in ‘You Don’t Own Me’. How did you develop into the mindset for that song?

Well, the song originated from a poem that Kelsie had written, which is now the second verse. I read the poem and felt really inspired, and was knew it had to be a song, as it would be so empowering for women, so I took inspiration from that and created a song around it. The thinking process and strength that came behind it was just purely from being a woman in this world and going through sexism pretty much every day, especially in the music industry. So I’ve had years of that frustration and anger building up, which allowed me to write this song. I can’t wait to play it live because I think it’ll be the best moment in the set.

Read full interview on www.theedgesusu.co.uk

KIERA GORMLEY 24

FILM

STRANGE MOVIE ENDINGS Needless to say, film endings are important; whether it be the perfect scene that ties the narrative together or even something unexpected, that end shot has the potential to retroactively warp all your opinions of what you saw before.

Sometimes this is good, and sometimes that ending is just so bizarre that it barely fits with the rest of the film. Regardless, there have been many film endings that have left audiences puzzled or surprised.

Here is what some of our writers think fits the bill!

Planet of the Apes dir. Tim Burton (2001)

Movie endings don’t really get any comically weirder than the end of Tim Burton’s 2001 dystopic sciencefiction film, Planet of the Apes. The director’s take on the well-known and often adapted Pierre Boulle novel of the same name, it’s a strange film by itself; first off, it’s led by leading man Mark Wahlberg, with his *ahem* questionable acting skills (may I remind you of his difficult performance in M. Night Shyamalan’s legendarily terrible flick, The Happening), it has Tim Roth having clearly way too much fun playing a psychotic war-obsessed ape general, and the makeup for the apes is frankly terrifying. You just try and look at Helena Bonham Carter’s face covered in ape-prosthetics without feeling a huge sense of unease and discomfort.

in all his evil-eyed scrutiny. Leo recoils in horror, and is quickly swarmed by a group of police officers and reporters, all apes, and the credits roll.

I understand, or at least I think, that this ending is supposed to be horrific, a warning to humans against the fragility of their reign. But instead, it just comes across as confusing and almost comical. Even Tim Roth and Helena Bonham-Carter themselves said they had no clue what was happening at the end of the film; apparently, Burton left it deliberately ambiguous to leave room for a potential sequel that never came to be. The ridiculousness of the giant ape statue, paired with the creepy makeup of the ape-actors, just makes for a strange, odd ending, rather than the terrifying one I’m sure Burton intended. If anything, it’ll give you a good laugh rather than satisfaction as the pinnacle of a strange plot, and a weird film overall.

ALICE FORTT

But it’s the ending that is truly the cherry on top for the weirdness of this movie. Spoilers ahead, but long story short, Leo (Wahlberg) escapes this ape-earth alternate reality to return to his own earth where humanity still rules in peaceful bliss (not before kissing ape-Bonham-Carter, of course), crashlanding in present day Washington D.C. But, much to his horror, he looks up, and what does he see?

It’s the Lincoln Memorial, but instead of the Abe we all know and love, General Thade (Roth’s psychotic character) sits atop the throne, gazing down at Leo

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Image courtesy of UNSPLASH / 20th Century Fox

FILM

Grease dir. Randal Kleiser and Patricia Birch (1978)

Over the years Grease has been met with a lot of warranted criticism, especially regarding the role of Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) who effectively changes her entire identity to be with Danny (John Travolta) and that car scene. However, it has also been widely accepted that the music and dancing is insanely addictive and uplifting. So uplifting however, that the ending literally takes flight?

Split dir. M. Night Shyamalan (2016)

As a big M. Night Shyamalan fan, Split was one of my must-see films of 2016. Shyamalan is known for his plot twists, think the ending of The Sixth Sense (1999), but it was his psychological horror Split which brought a brilliantly strange movie ending to our screens, shocking us with a revelation that linked the film into the work of the Unbreakable (now) trilogy.

The film follows a man with dissociative identity disorder, slowly introducing us to his 24 different personalities which range from a young boy named Hedwig and a woman named Patricia. The film is unbelievably intense, and as you are drawn into the world of the three captured teenagers, you begin to learn more about what really lurks in the underground facility.

Sandy gets into Danny’s car with him in the driving seat for the final scene of the film. The end shot of the pair flying into the sky and Sandy waving to her classmates below who are absolutely unfazed by what they have just witnessed is a bizarre ending which is still talked about. Sure, there are fans who have maybe investigated too deeply; some even argue that Sandy was dead all along, something Jim Jacobs - creator of the storyline, characters and lyrics of the 1971 musical Grease - vehemently denies. It is hard to deny regardless that this ending feels incredibly out of the blue.

Of course the most reasonable argument to make is that this ending is simply a metaphor; now that they’re a couple, they are seen riding into the sunset. Many recognise this for the exaggerated and cheesy ending it intends to be (after all, Grease is not know for its grit). Nevertheless, it still makes lists as one of the most abrupt movie endings.

LUCY MAGGS

It’s not until the final scene that you learn the truth to the film’s narrative, as Casey (Anna Taylor-Joy) begins to hold a conversation with an off-screen man who is soon revealed to the audience to be the one and only David Dunn (Bruce Willis) from the original Unbreakable (2000) instalment. He then reveals the overarching involvement of Mr Glass (Samuel L. Jackson), leaving the audience on tenterhooks as the film suggests a third part to the series - later known to us as Glass (2019).

KATIE EVANS

Image courtesy of UNSPLASH / Paramount Pictures / Universal Pictures

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CULTURE

Artistic Depictions Of Fictional Characters

Seeing our most beloved fictional characters illustrated on the page or canvas is no surprise to us. Quentin Blake, Aubrey Beardsley, and George Cruikshank are among the most well-known illustrators in Britain, depicting beloved stories such as Oliver Twist, Salomé, and more contemporary children’s favourites like Matilda. Stretching even further back, most of us are familiar with classical paintings of Ophelia and the Lady of Shalott.

Nymphs, heroes, and deities from Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology are classics as well.

But since we no longer live in a world where artistic creation is strictly reserved for the wealthiest among us, anyone with a DeviantArt account can take the image of fictional characters into their own hands.

Social media has democratised the representation of the characters we know and love. Much like the effect of fanfiction, the audience now has the opportunity to push back against the original author and their descriptions of their characters. This is especially evident when we consider casting in film, even more so when the actor does not fit the audience’s perception of the character.

Hopefully, this is the first and last time I write about this but the discourses surrounding Harry Potter were perfectly reflective of how we respond to the depiction of literary characters. We all remember Emma Watson’s role as Hermione Granger for all eight films in the franchise. When Harry Potter and The Cursed Child reached

the West End, some... Potterheads... were outraged at the casting of Noma Dumezweni as Hermione, as apparently, she is written as a white character in the books. As a response, many clarified that even in the books, there doesn’t seem to be any specific mention of her skin colour, only a reference to her “frizzy hair”, and one instance where she turned “white with fear”, so throughout seven books, she isn’t really coded as any particular ethnicity.

However, this whole controversy revealed two things: 1) people’s perception of a fictional character was subverted which caused great upset (without much justification) and 2) casting and artistic depiction betrays our bias’s blind spots when we imagine our favourite characters.

Our access to art has skyrocketed since the 19th century too. Having access to the internet means that many of us have seen famous paintings without having to visit the museums they are kept in. We have more to read and analyse than we can fathom.

An endless supply of film and television is at our fingertips or a cheap subscription. In my mind, this means we can become more familiar with the tropes that we now call into question: the goblin bankers with big noses with a fixation for gold, the submissive Asian woman who turns out to be duplicitous, the Eastern European people found to be corrupt (yes, all these are in Harry Potter).

On the flip side, our ability to share our work with a large audience without having to hire venues and spend an obscene amount on materials (digital art) means that the audience can now have their own say regarding the appearance of their favourite fictional characters. Genderbending, the adding of animalistic features (wings, horns, etc.), and hyper realistic illustrations of cartoons are all very well-known examples of how the audience express their own newfound ability to contribute to the perceived appearance of literary characters. This may seem like a frivolous hobby or a teenager who spends too much time alone in their room getting carried away in an alternate universe, but this newfound power has the potential to subvert the way we view representation on the internet. This would mean that more so than ever, the presentation of fictional characters are not all down to the author or illustrator.

ELIZABETH SORRELL 27

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

CULTURE

Table Manners: Jessie Ware’s Cookery Podcast Goes Down A Treat

Many people will know Jessie Ware as a BRITnominated artist, whose hits include ‘Say You Love Me’ and ‘Wildest Moments’. Her fourth album, What’s Your Pleasure?, was released to critical acclaim and reached number 3 in the album charts last year - it even made the top 10 on Rolling Stone’s Best Albums of 2020 list.

However, Ware’s career accomplishments do not end there, as in 2017 she launched a podcast called Table Manners alongside her mother Lennie. The premise is simple, yet brilliant: the two invite a famous face over for dinner and cook them a hearty meal. Over the years, they’ve had all kinds of guests, from Sadiq Kahn to Dolly Parton, from Nigella Lawson to David Schwimmer. Each episode of this podcast is different, but all are equally entertaining.

The intimacy of the relaxed dinner party setting means you get to hear your favourite celebrities open up about topics they never ordinarily would in interviews. For example, Liam Payne opened up about his experience of fatherhood and his co-parenting relationship with ex-girlfriend Cheryl, while James Bay discussed his time working in Sainsbury’s as a teenager when all he really wanted was a job in the local record shop, owned by the parents of his girlfriend Lucy, who he has been with ever since. These podcasts are also great for any occasion; Alan Carr’s episode left me laughing out loud in the gym with his stories of meeting Celine Dion courtesy of his best mate Adele while dressed head-to-toe in her merchandise, and Charlotte Tilbury’s stories of a childhood in Ibiza made those long Unilink bus journeys go a lot more quickly.

friends, particularly as several of these guests are people Jessie has met or worked with throughout her career. However, it isn’t just the chat that has made this podcast a success. The food they make sounds delicious, and often goes down a storm with their guests, such as Lennie’s key lime pie that Cheryl couldn’t get enough of. This led to the publication of Table Manners: The Cookbook last year, which contains recipes divided into different effort levels, accompanied by some baking, special occasion meals and recipes influenced by their Jewish heritage. They were due to take the podcast on tour to celebrate the book’s publication back in March 2020, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you’re looking for a podcast that combines food, laughter, and your favourite celebrities, look no further: Table Manners is the one for you!

BECKY DAVIES

Jessie and Lennie’s family banter puts their guests at ease immediately, and there’s something really comforting - especially at the moment - about feeling like you’re round the table with them. The guest format doesn’t feel like a gimmick, it simply feels like listening to a conversation between Image courtesy of Gareth Hubbard on Unsplash / Table Manners with Jessie Ware

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CULTURE

MY FIRST ART GALLERY: THE TATE MODERN For all lovers of art, the Tate Modern in London is a staple go-to when you’re looking to get your creative fix, be filled with inspiration, and have a fun day out. This is my first art gallery visit I can recall, and it’s one I’m sure I will never forget. Being from a small seaside town, trips to London were always exciting when I was growing up, as I’m sure it is for many others living outside the capital. From the train journey up there, the packed lunches, and even bringing along a sketchbook to draw our favourite paintings/exhibits, the Tate always made for great family days out.

My first experience of The Tate was The Unilever Series: Carsten Höller: Test Site exhibition.

Otherwise known as ‘the slide exhibit’, as I often tell people, who then wonder why the Tate had slides as art (which I myself question). According to Höller, slides are an artform from both the perspective of watching people slide and being inside experiencing the thrill of sliding yourself. As described on the Tate’s website, the “visual spectacle” of watching, and “the state of simultaneous delight and anxiety as you descend” for those sliding. As a six year old, this goal was certainly achieved, as I remember quickly running up and down the four or five flights of stairs to go down the slides again.

The exhibition was placed in the Turbine Hall, the space by the entrance which often features a regularly changing art display/visual spectacle. It ran from October 2006 to April 2007, and it was labelled a ‘test site’ as Höller had hopes of slides being introduced to cities such as London as a

permanent feature. This was to add a daily dose of delight to city-dweller’s lives, and a larger dream that regular sliding may change people’s perceptions of the world. Although at present I’m unaware of any cities adopting Höller’s dream, maybe this is something we can look to in the future – as a recent member of the no-longer-a-teen club, I can certainly vouch for this in adult life.

Aside from Höller’s exciting slide installation, the Tate Modern has offered up a range of wonderful and diverse exhibitions throughout the years. Just last year, they had the Nam June Park exhibition (October 2019 to February 2020), which focussed on Paik’s experimental and innovative work with media and technology. It was described as a “riot of sights and sounds” by the Tate, and a personal favourite aspect of the exhibition was the chance to see yourself in the art – you could see an outline of yourself in thermal colours on a television.

From its amazing location, on the bank of the Thames and just up from Shakespeare’s Globe, to its creative and inspiring displays, the Tate Modern is the perfect gallery to visit for anyone seeking a wide range of exhibitions. As students, we can also get the Student Art Pass, which means you can enjoy both the free exhibitions (the majority are at the Tate) and the paid one’s for a lot cheaper.

Whether you live in London and want to get your creativity flowing, or you’re from outside the capital and want an art-filled day out, the Tate Modern is the place to go.

MADDIE LOCK

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Image courtesy of Steve Johnson / UNSPLASH

CULTURE

THE EDGE’S FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD BOOKS THE PERCY JACKSON SERIES BY RICK RIORDAN

Before the frankly horrible film adaptation nearly a decade ago, there was a little book series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Released between 2005 and 2009, this five-novel series takes a spin on Greek Mythology with a modern twist. It’s fun and engaging and with the same surname as a certain Daughter of Athena, it only took a few chapters for me to begin falling in love with Camp-Half Blood. And the best childhood books are the ones you can re-read as a teenager, then as an adult, over and over again, picking things out each time. Every reread is a treat of details layered in by Riordan’s own expertise in mythology. It got a whole new generation invested - myself included! (I’m not saying I picked up archery because of Cabin Seven’s Hunters of Artemis but it’s a good possibility.)

LOUISE CHASE

HARRY POTTER SERIES BY J.K. ROWLING

It may be mainstream, but the Harry Potter series have to be my favourite childhood books. In fact, my times spent reading and watching them are probably some of my most valued moments growing up, as well as dressing up as Hermione at every opportunity, of course. To me, they were magical in both their content and the imagination they inspired; to be honest, they still are. Selecting a favourite is like picking a favourite child. The twists and turns of Prisoner of Azkaban keep me on my toes every time and I love the high-drama of Goblet of Fire, but Deathly Hallows has to be my top pick. I have such a connection to the series that both reading and watching its final part really tugs on the heartstrings. Even though I’ve grown up a lot since my mum first read the books to me, they never get old.

KATE BYNG-HALL

MATILDA BY ROALD DAHL

Arguably the author most synonymous with childhood, Roald Dahl had a huge influence on my love for reading, and no book had a greater impact than the first one I read - Matilda. Picking this book at the ripe ol’ age of eleven (I know, I was a late bloomer), Dahl’s world of childhood precociousness turning into supernatural gifts was a book that packed unequal amounts of heart while telling a funny, magical story along the way. Characters like Mrs Trunchball, Miss Honey, and Harry Wormwood, all thrust into a world filled with the childhood antics and pranks of Matilda herself, paved the way into a memorable experience that exemplified everything great about reading. Truly a masterpiece of Dahl’s craft, it’s a book I’ll remember fondly as one of my favourites - even to this day!

SAM PEGG

THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH BY NORMAN E. JUSTER Never have I read a book that has pulled me in as much as The Phantom Tollbooth did. I was obsessed with it when I was younger; I would read it, get to the final page, and immediately flick back to the front to start reading it again. I adored the characters, the dialogue, the plot, but what enraptured me the most was the world of it all.

The story is just massively clever. Everything is based around puns and wordplay, with an overarching theme on the importance of education. The two rivalling factions, for instance, are Maths and English. At one point, Milo accidentally ‘jumps to conclusions’, literally ending up on an island called Conclusions. I still flick back through it every now and again, because honestly even after I’ve read this story hundreds of times, it never gets old.

ALICE FORTT

Image courtesy of...

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CULTURE

Why We Should Get A Max Payne 4 The Max Payne franchise began in 2001 with Max Payne, a sequel in 2003, and a third installment in 2012. It would not be too far a stretch to call the first game one of the most influential third-person shooters ever - fluid controls, fun gameplay and the game’s use of a slow-motion mode called ‘bullet time’ was near-revolutionary for 2001.

The games focus on the titular Max Payne, a former New York police officer hellbent on vengeance for the death of his wife and child. All three games are punchy and violent third-person shooters. The first two are relatively distinct to the third - developed

by Remedy Entertainment, and featuring a cold and dark New York City as a background to Max weeding out a criminal conspiracy in his quest for revenge. Remedy has gone on to create Control, considered to be one of the best games of 2019 and a game whose roots you can see in Max Payne.

The third game, developed by Rockstar Games, sees Max escape New York to take a new job in Brazil, and deal with the destruction he seems to bring about wherever he goes.

Max Payne’s gameplay has always managed to be excellent. There is a reason why people still play the first one today. Every game’s tight controls and breakneck pace demand split-second reactions and accurate aim above all else. Every level, if played well, feels like a John Wick film.

The third especially has excellent gun audio and realistic enemy reactions, mixed with Rockstar’s excellent animations. The broad story of revenge in the games betrays the series’ deep plots and interesting characters. Revenge for a dead family may be somewhat cliché, but the story that revolves around Max is always interesting. Perhaps to escape the staleness expected in a long-running series, Max Payne 3 drastically innovates itself; a new country with Max as the outsider changes the entire dynamic of the story. His investment is more moral,

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less vengeful, giving space more to humanise Max rather than focus his lust for revenge.

What is perhaps most interesting in this trilogy is that each game differed subtly with its given developer.

Remedy’s Max Payne games are dark, depressing, and a little off-kilter. One mob boss is obsessed with a comic book character, Max breaks the fourth wall rather spectacularly, and one level finds him gunning his way around a funhouse. Rockstar’s Max Payne game is seedy and more realistic, but there is an edge of snark, and it develops Max as a person far more than the first two. As far as film comparisons go, some have described the first two as Hong Kong action thrillers, and the third as a Michael Mann film.

I think Max Payne deserves a fourth game, whether it focuses on him or someone else. Better yet, the developer change shows that the game can survive Rockstar selling it off to someone else as capable as them. Such an action feels like a necessity given Rockstar has not even given the series the side-eye since 2012, and have not even touched a linear game since. Max Payne represents two declining trends in gaming, third-person shooters and shorter linear experiences, which in my mind leaves a perfect Max Payne-shaped hole in the gaming industry. Here is hoping for Max Payne 4 before Grand Theft Auto VI.

CONOR O’HANLON

Image Courtesy of Rockstar StudiosImage courtesy of...

CULTURE

Tracks - The Train Set Game: Relaxing Childhood Sandbox JOSH LE LONG In between popping skulls in Cyberpunk 2077 and dismembering demons in DOOM, everyone needs a bit of downtime. Cue Tracks - the Trainset Game, an indie gem developed by Whoop Group which never fails to transport me back to the floor of my lounge at three years old. A real hidden gem, the current player base for this indie game sits around 25 people and has only peaked at 81 since its release.

The game idea is as simple as they get. Take the wooden train set that everyone had as a child, and put it into a game. If that hasn’t persuaded you to at least look at this already, you might want to get yourself to a shoe shop to buy yourself a soul. You jump into the game: vast whiteness, a single train track, and then you start building, just like you would back when you were a child. There’s nothing that Tracks expects of you, there are no goals and to be frank, there isn’t even really a game in the traditional sense. The game feel is immense, and the entire experience is carried on the back of that feel. The soft classical music that plays in the background, the adorable assets, houses, parks, trees, farmland, animals, lights, shops... they all work toward melting all of the stress that has built up from modern life and turning it into the wholesome village of Plappington, population 250, most of which are sheep.

That’s not all though, because I have been withholding the juiciest piece of Tracks’ puzzle, and that is once you’ve finished your magnum opus, or if

Image courtesy of Excalibur Publishing

you just want to explore the little world you’ve built bit by bit, you can jump in the wooden train and roll around exploring your environment. You can set the speed of the train, deciding which way to go at intersections, picking up passengers from stations, and most importantly, blowing the whistle.

Every sunny picnic is ruined by wasps though, and as such, I’ll go over the minor gripes I have with the game. Firstly, and most devastatingly, the save function is finicky. Occasionally I’ll be finished for the day, have created a cute city, full of town area, residential and little parks, and I’ll come back to it the next time I have a bad day, and that bad day will be made considerably worse by the fact that I’ve lost almost everything from the previous session. It could just be me, but an important note nonetheless. And although the game is very chill, I can see it getting very repetitive and tedious for some people. Again, there aren’t any goals in Tracks, so if you go into it expecting a game, you’ll probably be disappointed. Don’t expect much other than a nicely put together, wooden train sandbox and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

I could go over some of the other cool little features in the game like being able to change the weather, customise the train, tint colours, change skyboxes, and the myriad of cool plop-able aspects that breath more soul into the game, but I think it’s nice to keep this one short and concise. Need some stress relief?

Want to relive your childhood? Go check out Tracks.

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LIVE

In Criticism of Livestreams

2020 has certainly been the year where live acts have taken to foregrounding their online presence with streamed gigs over YouTube and Twitch... but I don’t necessarily see this as a good thing. For most of the year the news has been inundated with reports of live music venues struggling to remain open when forced to close during lockdown from big, well-known locations to the indie. In November, a list of 30 independent music venues across the UK that were in risk of closure was released, including The 1865 here in Southampton.

Just think for a moment how many people are at serious risk of losing their jobs if these venues close, how many small bands won’t get an opportunity to get their foot in the industry. We might not see the effects of them right away, but five, ten, twenty years down the line we might. And this does not even go into comedy, or theatre, or other acts which might rent out the spaces.

Nothing can take away the feeling of actually being at an in-person gig; the deafening cheers of the crowd when the act begins to play a fan favourite piece, the tens or hundreds or thousands or people united for five minutes of joy. It takes away a human element that makes gigs what they are. There is something special about being in the room than rewatching a limited perspective of a recording.

Livestreams may be more accessible for those unable to attend in-person events, but the snowball effect of cancelling and closing these locations hasn’t entirely been thought through. We must defend the arts, and livestreaming charity fundraisers are not a long-term solution that benefits everyone in the long run.

LOUISE CHASE

The Livestream Debate In Defence of Livestreams

I must concede that livestreams are no substitute for concerts. The cultural relevance, visceral experience and downright appeal of the latter will endure long after recent technology is washed away and iterated upon. After the pandemic, it’s probably realistic to assume that we’ll be seeing a highly renewed interest in live music. Livestreams are certainly not a replacement for this.

That being said, the music industry must adapt. With many venues heartbreakingly on their last legs and many are out of work alike, something has to fill this spot. Livestreams are a worthy substitute until those involved can return to making a living on the road. Buying a digital ticket and sitting around the TV with family/friends and a few drinks to enjoy your favourite artist play an empty venue... well, it could be a much worse experience. In fact, having digested plenty of concert clips online over the years, it’s clear that live music being beamed into homes can be instrumental (sorry) for those who can’t travel or afford to see certain acts. I could never see Rush play an American stadium, but YouTube features a lifetime of Geddy, Alex and Neil on stage. To be able to consume and learn from performances in this way is truly a 21st-century honour, and giving fans and musicians the opportunity to see an artist play from their home -- wherever they are -- is valuable.

We also owe it to engage in the current livestream landscape, at least a little. Music and its industry gives us an awful lot; if this is the way it has to be for now, then it’s the way it has to be for now. We should embrace it.

HARRY GEEVES

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Our Ultimate

LIVE

Whether you are a regular or one-timer at your local karaoke night, our writers make their case for the best songs to sing your heart out to. Grab your mic or hairbrush and prepare yourselves for some classic tunes!

Anastacia - ‘Left Outside Alone’

A rock power ballad is always a go-to karaoke classic and Anastacia’s ‘Left Outside Alone’ brings the fire you need to sing those sorrows away. I personally have never been left outside alone but the minute I am given that microphone, I was left outside in the rain in complete despair with everyone in the crowd wronged me and this is my revenge. The reason I believe this is the best karaoke track of all time is due to the power and aggressiveness of the music, there is high notes, low notes, screamy notes and talk-like lyrics making it a track that (hopefully) won’t hurt the ears of those around you. It’s an anthem that everyone knows but is not quite sure how they know the lyrics. It is the backing track to every emotional shower concert, and I am impatiently waiting till Stag’s Karaoke is back and I can perform for a crowd who definitely never ask for it.

MORGAN MCMILLAN

Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers ‘Islands in the Stream’

Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ ‘Islands in the Stream’ is the best karaoke song out there, not only because of a certain ICONIC Gavin and Stacy moment but also because it’s just a damn good tune! It’s one of those songs that just builds and builds as you sing it, with the opening line being the best example of this; we start slow, with ‘baby when I met you there was peace unknown, I set out to get you with..’ and suddenly Rogers just goes HARD with the PASSION behind ‘.. fine-toothed comb! I was soft inside, there was something going on’, of course, followed by the iconic double guitar strum that is the signature sound of the song.

Not to mention, of course, Queen Dolly is on this track. Anyone who doesn’t want to sing along to a Dolly Parton track as soon as they hear it needs to reevaluate their life choices. ‘Islands in the Stream’ is the perfect karaoke duet, because no matter if you’re Kenny or Dolly, you’re going to have a great time singing it either way! It’s one of those tracks that you just have to give your 100% too. Every rendition of it isn’t just a sing-along; it’s a performance.

ALICE FORTT

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Karaoke Songs

LIVE

Bonnie Tyler - ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’

I have no musical talent whatsoever, but when ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ comes on you better expect to hear me singing at the top of my lungs to the incredible Bonnie Tyler tune. The most important part of karaoke is that everyone around you appreciates the song as much as you do, and you can truly guarantee that’ll be the case with this classic. The slow build of momentum to the *necessary* air drumming as the beat kicks in proves the worthiness of this tune, and if you don’t usually pick it as your karaoke song - why not?

Most people will probably think of the moment in Glee when this ballad is bashed out, but if you’ve ever seen the quirky Channel 4 sitcom Lovesick then you’ll realise why this is one of my go-to Karaoke songs.

Just search up the scene and you’ll understand. It really is one you can belt out to your heart’s content, and you definitely don’t need to be reading the lyrics when performing, so you can put all your heart and soul into it and give a stellar performance for the crowd watching.

KATIE EVANS

Spice Girls - ‘Wannabe’

This is the ultimate girl group song and you will never escape the feel goodness of the song if you are British.

Whether performing on stage or in your bedroom with your pals at a slumber party - you undoubtedly know all the words to this hit. Channel your inner Sporty, Scary, Posh, Ginger and Baby Spice as you sing about girl power and making sure that no relationship comes between you and your friends.

Of course, dressing up as them and then performing is the icing on the cake! However, you will impress us with your skills by rapping the ‘here’s the story from A to Z...’ part perfectly. Oh, and show us your boss dance moves too as you sing as this is your moment to shine. Sing loud and proud; you’ll raise the roof off the place!

JO LISNEY

Taylor Swift - ‘Shake It Off’

What should a Karaoke be? Nostalgic... Have a character... Be instantly recognisable... Be an absolute BANGER!? Well my friends, if you’ve said yes to all those statements then without a doubt you should be singing Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’. The song that headed the revolutionary (no that’s not an exaggeration) 1989, Swift’s pop-anthem is packed full of indefatigable energy that just has everyone up and dancing as well as singing along. It’s an absolute blast and has the power to reduce even the straightest of white men into rapturous energy as they sing about their “ex-man” who “brought his new girlfriend” and how they’re just going to “shake it off”. Plus that iconic rap towards the end is what the song builds up to, giving you one true moment to pull it off in style before you become richer than a stripper on a pole, watching the money rain down as everyone offers you metaphorical contracts because your drunk mind has you convinced you killed it better than Swift could.

SAM PEGG

Image courtesy of freepik.

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EDITORIAL

LISTINGS LIVE MUSIC 4 March – ARLO PARKS @ bandsintown.com 4 March – LATE BLOOMER @ Facebook 4 March – ODIE @ bandsintown.com 4 March – SOUL CLAP @ Twitch 4 March – DRUNKEN LOGIC @ Twitch 4 March – SNAILMATE @Twitch 4 March – JUSTIN MARTIN @ Twitch 4 March – DIONYSOS @ Dice 5 March – PRETTYMUCH @ momentohouse.com 8 March – ZARA LARSSON @ YouTube 13 March – BTS @ musicares.com 13 March – HAIM @ musicares.com 13 March – H.E.R. @ musicares.com 13 March – JHENE AIKO @ musicares.com 28 March – WONHO @ livexlive.com 28 March – THE CHARLTANS@ universe.com

THEATRE 8 March – THE REUNION X GIRL POWER @ thespie.com Until 13 March – REDEMPTION ROOM @ Eventbrite Until 14 March – THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE @ stream.theatre Until 26 March – THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE @ YouTube Until 26 March – AMA Theatre Co Live Online Aladdin @ YouTube Until 31 March – THE MERMAID’S TONGUE @ themermaidstongue.com Until 15 April – GOOD GRIEF @ atgtickets.com 25 April – LETS ZEP @ Eventbrite Until 30 November – UNCLE VANYA @ timeout.com Until 31 December – LOCKED DOWN @ Morpheus-show.co.uk

COMEDY 4 March – THE BOO’S COMEDY NIGHT WITH TEX ILYAS @ ticketsource.co.uk 6 March – ED BYRNE: JUST THE TONIC @ universe.com 11 March – NAOMI & JACK’S COMEDY NIGHT IN @ naomihouse.org.uk 12 March – GUINEA PIG COMEDY CLUB @ Dice 13 March – DRUNK WOMEN SOLVING CRIME @ Dice 25 March – LIVE AT THE STAND COMEDY CLUB @ YouTube 26 March – PLUGGED IN & WIRED FESTIVAL @ southsidefringe.org

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