The Founder
VOL. X, ISSUE VII | MARCH 2019 |
@RHULFOUNDER
Two Female Footballers From Royal Holloway Score a Trip to Barcelona Thanks to Santander SINDHOORAA SATHEESH
From Royal Holloway Women’s Football Club (RHWFC) two players have embarked on a trip of a lifetime to Barcelona’s legendary Camp Nou Stadium as part of Santander’s UK initiative which supports and aids talent in both their professional and sporting lives. Alissa Chohan, third team captain aged 20 and Niamh Emma Mullan, first team captain aged 21, from RHWFC were selected to go to Barcelona and take part in a series of events tours and training with many other female footballers from other UK universities. Organised by Santander Universities, the programme
is designed to help build management skills and critical thinking for female talent, both through wider leadership and sporting activity. The activities began with a panel event on women’s leadership with contributions from many notable speakers including; Maria Teixidor, Board Director and Company Secretary of Barcelona FC; Laura Ràfols, FC Barcelona; Matias Rodriguez Inciarte, Vice-Chairman Banco Santander & President of Santander Universities; and Susan Allen, Head of Retail and Business Banking, Santander UK, ...
Continued on p. 2
Photo via Royal Holloway Website
Index News..................................................................................1 Opinion And Debate..........................................................6 Features..............................................................................8 Lifestyle............................................................................10 Arts: Arts And Culture......................................................12 Arts: Literary Reviews......................................................16 Arts: Film..........................................................................20 Arts: Music........................................................................23 Sports................................................................................25
Facebook.com/HarbenLets Twitter.com/HarbenLets
Meet the Sabbs p. 8
The Re-Review p. 13
Meet VP Sport p. 26
2 NEWS
THE FOUNDER March 2019
A Note From The Editor
CASSANDRA LAU EDITOR IN CHIEF 2018/2019 It has been a busy month with Students’ Union campaigns and elections, the college’s academic restructuring plan, debates surrounding Brexit, general coursework deadlines, and the stress of booking graduation tickets through Tempest. We are extremely proud of our Deputy Sports Editor, Jack Wright, in his recent performance on Fight Night, and our Sports
Continued on from front page [...] with the session moderated by Manroop Khela, Head of Transformation & CEO’s Office, Santander UK. Alissa and Niamh had the opportunity to benefit from a unique training session with Chapi Ferrer, professional football coach and ex player of Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona. In addition this this, in celebration of Santander’s sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League, Alissa and Niamh got the exclusive chance to watch Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique and their Barcelona team mates play
Editor, Frankie Christou, who live tweeted on @rhulfounder throughout the event. Christou will also be live tweeting on 27 March 2019 at Varsity, so be sure to follow us on the day! The Varsity schedule can be found in this month’s Sports section. Last week, the National Storytelling Week Competition results were released. A huge thank you to Dr. Prue Bussey-Chamberlain, Dr. Doug Cowie, and Professor Dan Rebellato for their time, expertise and feedback, and to all those who have kindly in the club’s vital round 16 tie against Olympique Lyonnais. Niamh Mullan, a third-year management student at Royal Holloway said; “It’s such an incredible opportunity, I feel very honoured to be able have this experience. I’m looking forward to seeing how diversity is important not only in sport but in a business environment.”. Alissa, a second-year history student at Royal Holloway followed by adding; “This is an amazing opportunity to meet likeminded people to develop participation in women’s football, to develop our skills being trained by professional coaches and being able to attend a champions league men’s match witnessing the greats at the highest level.”.
shared your creative pieces with us! We have received pieces from a range of departments which just shows how creativity flourishes and stretches across every corner of Royal Holloway. Admittedly, the organisation of the competition took longer than expected, and I apologise. However, I am extremely happy with the results and hope that the future editors of The Founder and The Orbital continue this collaboration. Without further ado, congratulations to Hannah Bean, Graciela Mae Chico, Ellen Clarke, Leila Dickinson, Sophie Hinteregger, Helena Keeble, and Lau for your outstanding pieces. Go to http://www.thefounder. co.uk if you would like to check out their stories. Our next issue will be for May as most students will be away for Easter break. Good luck to those who have upcoming deadlines and examinations!
Matt Hutnell, Director, Santander Universities also said: “We are thrilled to offer this opportunity to top female football talent from across the UK to help develop their leadership skills, both within and outside a sporting context. We are committed to supporting higher education and we know that those selected for this programme are equally committed to their sport, investing hours into training and are an inspiration to their peers both on and off the pitch. We hope the trip will motivate and support female talent with their career ambitions – whether in the world of sport, finance or beyond.”
The Founder Board 2018 - 2019 Editor in Chief Cassandra Lau Managing Editor Zahra Hussein Designer Helena Keeble Online Content Editor Tom Conlon Cartoonist Jack Waters News Editor Iffah Ahmed Deputy News Editor Sindhooraa Satheesh Opinon and Debate Editor Nicholas Ross
Arts & Culture Editor Molly Williams Film Editor Graciela Mae Chico Music Editor Charlie Catmull
Lifestyle Editor Kyrie Roxby
Literary Review Editor Rachel Farguson
Features Editor Cassandra Lau
Sports Editor Frankie Christou
Arts Editor Mimi Markham
Deputy Sports Editor Jack Wright
The Founder is the independent student newspaper of Royal Holloway, University of London. This means we are not affiliated to the student union or the college. We pride ourselves on our investigative journalism and aim to keep our readers up to date with news on and off campus. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Editor, particularly of opinion and debate pieces. Every effort has been made to contact the holders of copyright for any material used in this issue, and to ensure the accuracy of its stories. To book ad space in The Founder, contact our managing editor at managingeditor@thefounder.co.uk. THE FOUNDER is printed in Cambridge by Iliffe Print
NEWS 3
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Academic Restructure Open Meeting
what is the actual point of this restructure?” In response, all the members explained that they have already made clear the reasons why. Several students were upset by an eye-roll from one of the staff members.
Emily Wilding Davison Building CASSANDRA LAU
On 1 March 2019 at 12 noon, the Academic Restructure Open Meeting was held at Medicine. The event was recorded and live tweeted by The Founder. Dr. David Ashton, Deputy Principal (Operations) presented all attendees with an ‘Academic Restructure Briefing’ which glossed over internal and external factors of the change, and the arrangements of the new academic structure. The presentation was on the whole received positively as it was well explained by Dr. Ashton. Afterwards, the host, Jack O’Neill, VP Education from the Students’ Union, opened the floor up to student questions concerning the academic restructure. The second-half of the meeting was met with less positivity, as a lot of tension was builtup between the students and staff members. “An open meeting is supposed to be open, but there was nothing open about that. The college have clearly made up their minds and weren’t planning on taking our concerns into
consideration. They were there as a formality; and we were there so they could tell us what will happen, and retort all else,” commented a student attendee. Overall, it seems as though the college will be carrying out the academic restructure regardless of student opinion. Understandably, there has been a lot of research and expertise put into this plan to ensure that students of Royal Holloway will be happy with the end-product. However, some believe that there is an unwillingness to take on student concerns, and make alterations where they see necessary. Questions that caught our attention include: Why is the restructure happening?” Dr. Aston assured that “it will bring better opportunities intellectually, socially and academically”, it will also “bring consistency and greater transparency”, concluding that “there is an overwhelming case for change.” Not completely convinced, another student asked towards the end of the meeting, “what exactly prompted the decision […]
What would happen to the personal ‘bespoke’ support? Given that a large number of students across departments will now have to share one Helpdesk? In response, Dr. Ashton explained that the new academic structure would “recreate the nurturing and caring environment on a larger scale.” Is the college planning to review current student services such as DDS, Welfare, Career, to support the new structure? Robert Hall, Director of Academic Services stated that a review of career services has already taken place with a new head of library services and new staff in DDS services having already been appointed. In the case that the new academic structure hits a few rough patches, a student asked whether the college have any back-up plans, or would students have to deal with the issues until resolved in the following academic year? Dr. Ashton comments that the team “will make sure” that issues do not arise, and if they do, the team will respond with agility.
New Student Accommodation Plans Approved By Council: Has Egham Turned Into A Royal Holloway Campus? CASSANDRA LAU
Developers have shared their plans to build a series of student units on Egham High Street. Last month, their plan was approved 14 against 1 by councillors from the Runnymede Borough Council’s planning committee. So far, it has been decided that current buildings from 40 to 44a, near Strodes College Lane ,will be demolished, and two new buildings would take its place. The most upto-date revised design of the three-leveled accommodation will be “mews” styled. The previous design was dismissed as it exceeded height and scale requirements from the area. This development will require Strode’s College Lane to be widened; in place of a bridge, there will be two separate blocks with an overall height of 10.1 to 13.3 metres. Besides a communal area for students on the ground floor, there will be retail space available too. This desire for additional student accommodations was prompted by Royal Holloway, University of London’s plan to increase its number of students. Donald Considine, agent of the applicant, claims that the development will be the “solution” to traditional homes being left on the rental market. He also argues that, “The site has remained derelict and empty for a number of years and the application would bring life back to the area.” Meanwhile, locals are concerned that Egham was “turning … into a campus for Royal Holloway.” Chris Fisher from Egham Residents’ Association also said that locals felt anxious because there is an
“absence of a Local Plan for the conservation of the town centre area” and that they felt that as a Conservation area, greater protection is needed for Egham town centre. Fisher says, “The residents’ association does not object to student accommodation on a moderate scale” as it adds to the lively and spirited atmosphere of the town centre but the sheer number of units for students rather residents are creating much “grievance” on the locals’ end. However, as the space is currently unkept and neglected, and the new design of the two buildings match the general aesthetic of Egham, it appears that the development would have more long-term positives than negatives. Royal Holloway University of London claims that they are not involved with plans to increase student accommodation in Egham, and that they are “committed to meeting the needs of [their] students via developments on [...] campus and current [they] have no plans to bring forward planning applications for any significant new building work off campus.” They released statement also states that “[t]he development which Runnymede Borough Council has approved to be built on 40 - 44a Egham High Street is a private development and has no connection to Royal Holloway, University of London. The developer has chosen to build accommodation which they believe may be of interest to our students but they have not consulted the university at any stage in the planning process.”
4 NEWS
THE FOUNDER March 2019
New UK-Wide Study Reveals University Students’ Perspectives on Mental Health and Support Services IFFAH AHMED
Academics at Royal Holloway, University of London recently carried out a study exploring how university students view the National Health Services (NHS), peer-to-peer mental health support and services currently available in the UK. Dr Eilidh Cage from the Department of Psychology led the study and investigates the results of a national online survey of 367 UK university students. The study examined and inspected
their experiences with NHS mental health services, as well as their attitudes towards peer support. The survey’s results highlight that since being at university, over 55.9% of students had access to support for their mental health and the most commonly acknowledged from of support and help came from GP consultations (40.4%). More than 58% of those who had been in contact with the NHS mental health services suggested that improvements could
be made. The principal area for improvement that was identified included patient waiting times. One participant explained that “after a suicide attempt it took me six months to get an NHS psychiatric appointment.”. Besides from the NHS services, the survey also examined views on peer support which was available at university. 53.2% of students recognised and said that support was available to their university, yet concerns around confidentiality, whether peers would be
skilled enough to support others and trust where some facts identified as issues that would stop them from accessing the help of peer support. Thus, this research portrays that addressing the current issues with the NHS mental health services and enabling appropriate peer support services at university are indeed a significant focus for policy development especially for student mental health support. Speaking about the research, Dr Cage from Royal Holloway stated; “Student
mental health is an issue of growing concern, and so it is important that we look into the support that is available and how effective it is.”. “The results of our survey shows that there is more that needs to be done to ensure that students are able to access the support they need. This is not only an opportunity for policy makers to rework the NHS services available, but for universities to take note and put student mental health support high on the agenda.”.
NEWS 5
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Study Finds That The IMF Reforms Weaken The State IFFAH AHMED
It has been found through a new study that lending conditions have been inflicted upon by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) where in developing nations they undermine “state capacity” thus in turn averting and preventing state bureaucrats and professionals from solidifying vital policies in national security, health and education. Dr Thomas Stubbs, Lecturer in International Relations at Royal Holloway, University of London alongside researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, Glasgow and Bocconi, analysed the IMF’s loan documents to understand and assess the relationship between IMFmandated policy reforms the administrative and bureaucratic quality in developing countries. It has been noted that the team has collected over 4.500 loan related IMF documents to classify and recognise policy conditions imposed on 131 borrowing countries between 1985 and 2014.
Following this, it was found that public bureaucracies and administrations become weaker after the stage where they need to implement ‘structural reforms’ that are aimed towards the privatisation of state-owned enterprises and targeting of the public sector. Dr Stubbs, speaking of their research said: “IMFmandated policies need to be carefully designed so as not to undermine local institutions. The IMF should phase out its structural reforms and focus on its core mandate of helping countries stabilise their economies, as proposed by its founding father John Maynard Keynes.”. From the University of Glasgow, Dr Bernhard Reinsberg also said: “Much of the previous research on the socioeconomic impact of IMF programs has focused on economic growth, but neglected how such programs transform state institutions. This is surprising given what we know today about able states as necessary conditions for economic development.”.
Speaker of the House Talks with Royal Holloway Students
John Bercow with Parliamentary Studies module students and Dr Nick Allen. IFFAH AHMED
The Rt Hon, John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons recently attended Royal Holloway, University of London to give a private talk to members of the School of Politics and International Relations and Philosophy. Mr Bercow visit was in acknowledgement and recognition of Royal Holloway being selected as one of 24 universities to offer
the Parliamentary Studies, starting in September 2019. He engaged and talked with students concerning the responsibility of the Speaker when facilitating parliamentary debates, his vital role in inspiring and encouraging diversity in parliament and his outreach external work in schools and universities. He also discussed the physical height of his predecessors of which there
had only been three previous Speakers in the history of parliament. Students engaged in the talk and discussed many different thought-provoking questions including topics and issues covering sexism and bullying in parliament, dirty political tricks, Brexit and Trump and the impact on Buckingham constituents of having the Speaker as their MP.
Zakariya Al-Jaber: The 6-year-old martyr of Medina ZAHRA HUSSEIN
In early February, Zakariya Al-Jaber was ravenously beheaded in front of his mother. Zakariya was killed near a coffee shop by a taxi driver with a piece of broken glass, despite the
intervention of an officer. The mother was said to have collapsed due to the trauma. Zakariya and his mother were supposed to be visiting the shrine of Prophet Mohammad in Medina. The sectarian crime enveloped when the taxi driver learnt that they were
Shia (a Muslim minority). Shias in Saudi Arabia account for approximately a quarter of the population and have been targeted by the government. Many Saudi Shias are in prisons or on the death toll. The Saudi Shia community were outraged
by yet another targetted hate crime. The community attended the mourning cermony to send their condolences to Al-Jaber's family. There has yet to be a formal investigation into the matter; however, Saudi sources proclaim the taxi driver had psychological
problems. While the family awaits justice, the London community organised a vigil in memory of Zakariya on 16 February. Many attended, and the event was broadcasted by various TV channels including Al-Safeer TV and Imam Hussein TV.
6 OPINION AND DEBATE
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Why Are We Still ‘No sympathy Expected to Cover for a terrorist.’ Body Art for Job Interviews in 2019? NORA KALCHEVA
In March, the BBC published an interview with tattoo artist Kayleigh Peach, the article entitled ‘I tattooed my face so I couldn't get a normal job’. The post struck me as concerning since it appears to show that prospective employees for ‘normal’ quotidian jobs are selected based on appearance. Statistics show that one in five people in the United Kingdom have at least one visible tattoo, implying the redundancy of discriminating against individuals whose bodies are adorned with ink. Though tattoos are no longer associated exclusively with counterculture and freak shows, the stigma around them persists in the arena of employment. It is now a global-scale practice in the marketplace for companies to bestow the impression that they welcome employees from many different backgrounds, and that recruitment decisions are based solely on candidates’ professional experience, enthusiasm and aptitude. I spoke to several friends of mine who have tattoos which are not easily concealable. They share experiences of having been discriminated against. Joanna Giou is a retail manager for a high-end brand. She was recently interviewed for a position in a different
company and the feedback she received was appalling, despite her three years of experience and excellent HR recommendations. The person handling her interview pointed at Giou’s arm and wrist tattoos, then shamelessly waved her finger from side to side in an unapproving gesture, while making tutting noises. Finally, she unapologetically stated that since the decision would be based purely on her impression of the candidate and her thuggish ‘skin accessories’, Giou would not be offered a position. Occurrences such as these are not uncommon. Personal prejudice rooted in sociallyconstructed stereotypes is frequently substantiated by companies’ established dress codes and appearance policies. Such attitudes toward body art need to be re-evaluated and eventually abolished from the global marketplace. Since tattooing grew out of its underground practices and rebellious stages twenty-five years ago, it has developed into a universal industry loved by people in every social sphere. Tattoos are not only aesthetically pleasing but serve other personal purposes. Some bereaved people get memorial pieces as symbols for their lost loved ones. Other people get tattoos when they have overcome health problems such as amputees and breast cancer survivors. People
frequently resort to body art to cover up wounds and scar tissue – it is part of a healing process, turning something painful into something beautiful. Therefore, employers’ discrimination of people with body art, including asking employees to cover up visible tattoos, is as insensitive as requiring the concealment of scars because they affect the sensibilities of company policies and customers. Mastectomy tattoos, for instance, cover a significant portion of the upper torso and are difficult to cover. Asking a person to conceal their ink in order to comply with the employer’s image or turning down job candidates based on tattoos, is discriminative and immoral. As employers cannot know the reasons behind someone’s body art, they cannot be biased against them. For reasons described, pointing out tattoos as undesirable for an interviewee’s image can result in awakening previous mental traumas which the art piece has helped them through hitherto. Employers should not hide behind company image policies. Tattooed people should not be reprimanded in work environments. And soon, given the growth of the tattoo industry and the popularity of body art, employers will not be able to afford eliminating all job candidates with body art.
Karrada Bombing ZAHRA HUSSEIN
In February, the British Jihadi Bride, Shamima Begum, went viral in the media. Begum pleaded to return to the UK with her new-born son. However, her UK citizenship was revoked by the Home Office. Begum has shown few signs of remorse and regret. She is steadfast in her attachment to the terror group who murdered thousands of Iraqi and Syrian civilians and militants. The nineteenyear-old remains adamant in supporting her terrorist husband, who is a convicted criminal and maintains her love for him. The Jihadi Bride displays her moral distortion to the media, saying the Manchester bombing was justified. Despite showing few signs of remorse, many have shown sympathy for the terrorist, who was not ‘fazed’ by severed heads in bins, an unnatural human reaction even for militant men. Begum does not deserve the media attention, and there should be no sympathy for a terrorist. Daesh was made up of illegal criminals, many of whom are from Turkey, Russia, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. These terrorists are not Iraqi or Syrian by heritage or
nationality yet have come to Iraq and Syria to spread their radical behaviour, to rape and murder innocent civilians. Condolences must be sent to the real victims, the Iraqis and Syrians, not to people who chose to be in an illegal terrorist organisation. Iraq and Syria have suffered much under the unlawful Caliphate of Daesh. In July 2018, the Syrian city of as-Suwayda gained 200 martyrs, including women and children. In the suburbs of Damascus, the intrusion upon the shrine of Sayeda Zaynab during February 2016 lead to a death toll of 83. In Iraq, one of the worst terrorist acts happened in Karrada, Baghdad where 340 people were brutally killed in an attack. Iraq, since the eradication of Daesh, has sentenced many men and women involved in the terror group to life imprisonment or execution. The list of the crimes of Daesh are endless, and too many lives were lost. Begum should have a trial in Syria, where she committed her crime. As Syria sees its final days under the control of Daesh, justice for Syrians will only be expected.
THE FOUNDER March 2019
OPINION AND DEBATE 7
Should We Boycott On Royal Holloway the Music of a Students’ Union Elections Dead Paedophile? NICHOLAS ROSS
The release of a documentary entitled “Leaving Neverland: Michael Jackson and Me” has caused widespread media debates about whether two men are telling the truth when they claim that the late Michael Jackson sexuallyabused them. Wade Robson and James Safechuck spent a lot of time as children with Jackson in private, as did others including Macaulay Culkin. The documentary explores Michael Jackson’s unconventional relationship with young children, in a standardised situation whereby parents left their children alone with the King of Pop supposedly for sleepovers, watching movies and other harmless activities. Although the evidence put forward against Jackson is too limited to deem a guilty verdict beyond reasonable doubt, it is unlikely that Robson and Safechuck should both begin to testify against him as adults after having had children, and after having spent their lives defending the man. Robson and Safechuck independently talk about experiences of disgust and rage when hypothetical thoughts hit them about their own infants being abused by Jackson, despite complicated feelings toward their own relationships with Jackson. One has to wonder whether it is likely two parents would be willing to lie about such a thing for some personal, monetary gain. Furthermore, if one does assume Jackson to be guilty an important question arises. Should we boycott Jackson’s songs, since these are the artistic creations of a paedophile who produced
them in a time when he was abusing his position of power in order to sexually-exploit young children? The theme of art versus the artist has become topical due to the increasing number of celebrities subjected to allegations of various kinds, corresponding to the rise of the #MeToo Movement. In 2018 Kevin Spacey faced allegations of abuse. The question was then whether K-Pax and American Beauty ought no longer to be watched. If one is to believe Robson, Safechuck, and/ or other self-proclaimed victims of Jackson’s abuse, there initially feels something sinister about the prospect of enjoying that paedophile’s music. But nothing is to be gained by refusing to listen to Jackson’s songs. The idea for boycotting the music is a futile attempt at deluding ourselves justice is being served. One must face the fact, Jackson is dead and buried. The only good that can come of the case is in application to related cases henceforth, in raising awareness about the psychology of child abuse, and making people question decisions about trusting people with their children who may be groomers. If the musician were morally-benighted, it does not necessarily damage the quality of his/ her music in any way. The relationship between talent and kindness needs a lot of explaining before Michael Jackson anthems are rid of their dance-inducing effects.
Royal Holloway SU Logo NICHOLAS ROSS
Royal Holloway’s 2019 SU Elections for Sabbatical and part-time roles came to an end last week, when their results were revealed. Unfortunately, it is difficult to consider the process a system of meritocracy with the capacity for facilitating the success of the best candidates, those most likely to fulfil their roles next year well. Last year, I was aware of a candidate (whose identity I will not disclose) in a Society election attempting to bribe his way to victory. If that seems an unfair method for persuading a given electorate, with some interference from a shady friend of mine, people were convinced to take their bribes then vote for alternatives. That the briber failed in his mission after the sabotage demonstrates the efficacy of dodgy means by which university elections may be manipulated. Shady undertakings aside, this year the unlikely procurement of multiple roles for one candidate was
granted by his entertaining the student population with behemoth, self-parodying portraits pasted around the campus. I am convinced of my cause-and-effect hypothesis because before the results were released, a significant number of people responded to photographs of these portraits on the ‘Overheard at Royal Holloway’ page on Facebook, stating the candidate had won their votes due to his publicity stunt. I watched one of the better elements of the election in its Candidate Question Time. But candidates’ answers were rife with repetition, fillers, platitudes and lazy arguments such as appeals to the qualification of incumbency. These components of answers suggest the event does not necessarily allow voters to differentiate between candidates fairly, based on the main topics with which individual candidates are concerned. The questions were welldesigned but sometimes required candidates to repeat manifesto points, rendering some answers superfluous.
The candidates whose manifestos had already answered such questions had the advantage of not being surprised yet were nudged into repetition. On some occasions it appeared as if they said what was expected of them for the sake of providing an answer. A couple of weeks after the Candidate Question Time, Royal Holloway SU (@SURHUL) tweeted, ‘If we hit 26% (2620 votes) turnout come results night, we'll crash the price of VKs and Hooch down to a pound between midnight and 1am’. How strange that the candidates were questioned about alcohol and said things against such marketing strategies. Charlie Mills mentioned that drinking responsibility becomes an issue when, at Toast, ‘it’s nice and cheap for everyone.’ Mills has a point. The reduction in price of alcohol invariably increases demand and consumption. Lucy Simpson suggested the SU ‘increase their [nonalcoholic drinks’] ability to be accessed at the VK bar, [so] you can also buy things like J20s, lemonades, cokes.’ No doubt the price penetration of VKs and Hooch did not involve soft drinks occupying the spaces where VKs once stood. This demonstrates the SU has not paid serious attention to issues raised by questions in the Candidate Question Time. One of the obvious problems for elections such as these is questioning whether the process is simply a popularity contest in which candidates rely on their many loyal friends for votes. I certainly voted for a friend of mine. Had I thought he was an inferior candidate, I still would have voted for him.
8 FEATURES
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Interview: Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers for 2019/20 CASSANDRA LAU
A huge congratulations to those who have been elected Sabbatical Officers
in Royal Holloway Students’ Union for 2019/20. The past week has been extremely exhausting for those involved in the campaign
Jack O'Neill | President I think it was phenomenal this year. Last year was difficult due to the snow which meant there was very few students on campus. This year, all the candidates did a fantastic job - and I’m a sucker for campaign videos so I loved seeing the variety this year What are your overall thoughts on the campaign process and/or experience?
Having been VP Education this academic year, what have you learnt that you'd like to take into your new
process for the SU elections. It is incredible to see the enthusiasm and effort put in by all candidates in spite of the wind and rain. With great pleasure, The
Founder had the opportunity to steal a few minutes away from the busy new Sabbs for a quick interview. Let’s see their responses to some
important questions on the campaigning process and plans for the approaching year.
role? Being VP Ed this year has given me a great set of experience that I’m looking forward to building on next year. Every Sabb, whether returning or leaving, always reflects on what could be improved and I’m glad I had the front row seat for this. I also think that some really exciting projects have begun this year, and I’m looking forward to handing them over and seeing them develop further.
strengthen the relationship between the college and the SU? This year I believe I’ve had a good working relationship with members of College. Certain tasks need us to engage and support on proposals that need a steer so they fully benefit students, and in other cases we need to be full lobbying force (see lecture capture) and I think that’s an important balance.
are most looking forward to implementing? I think they’re all important and that’s why they were there. I think that the implementation, and putting my spin on, the democracy Review is the most important however. It’s going to be a huge year for the SU and how we interact with students - the impact of this work on my Manifesto will have a knock on effect on everything, including manifestos in years to come!
How
do
you
plan
to
Lucy Simpson | VP Welfare & Diversity
What are your overall thoughts on the campaign process and/or experience? The campaign process is simultaneously brutal, intense and amazing. I felt very uncomfortable putting my face up everywhere online and on campus and having to talk to strangers about myself. It’s a very weird thing to do. However,
I loved meeting all of the other candidates and making new friends, everyone was so supportive of one another, despite the competition. I can honestly say that it was fantastic seeing everyone’s drive and passion and I feel incredibly humbled to have stood by them. The moment I will remember and cherish from the campaign will be the moment right before the results were announced, when we all stood together holding each other’s hands, a moment of pure love and support despite the nerves and stress that we all felt in that moment. Campaigning was hard and exhausting, but I have learned a lot and will remember this experience
for the rest of my life. How will you ensure that the wellbeing of all students remains a priority during the academic restructure in the upcoming year? I am not entirely sure how the academic restructure will change departments, in terms of their welfare policies, at this point in time. It will be interesting to see what they come up with and I think that it’s a great opportunity for different departments to learn from each other and adopt the most effective policies. I am keen to ensure that aspects of welfare such as extensions, remain accessible to all and are delivered on time, despite the suggested changes to administration.
What is the one point from your manifesto that you I also want to push for better representation of minority groups in academic departments, whether this is by new hires, or increased training and openness. The restructure provides us with a unique opportunity to update many outdated policies and put welfare at the heart of learning. But I also believe that for the time being it will be somewhat chaotic, and we must all be prepared to deal with whatever comes our way. What is the one point from your manifesto that you are most looking forward to implementing? That’s honestly an impossible question to answer because I truly value all of my points. I really like the idea for a feedback
system because I believe that it will create long standing change, by allowing not just my voice to be heard by student support, but every student voice to be heard. I truly believe that will make a huge difference to everyone. Additionally, I think the nutrition campaign will be interesting, in part because it will be more visible. I hope to see significant change to catering outlets, through improved nutrition, and increased information regarding food being served. Both aspects will hopefully improve people’s mental and physical wellbeing and improve the ease of staying healthy on the go. However, all the other points have significant value and I can’t wait to get started on them all.
FEATURES 9
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Sophia Bolton | VP Societies & Media
What are your overall thoughts on the campaign process and/or experience?
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed the entire experience. It has been stressful but thanks to a lot of advance planning it wasn’t too difficult to stay on top of. It was a pleasure getting to know the other candidates and I know I’ve truly made some friends for life. There were some fantastic and innovative campaign ideas and videos which I know will go down
in RHSU election history! I knew the minute that I saw the candidate shortlist that the SU would be in safe hands regardless of who won and all the candidates should all be commended for how well they have handled this stressful period. How do you plan to increase student involvement in societies and media outlets? Why is this important?
Kate Roberts | VP Education
What are your overall thoughts on the campaign process and/or experience? The whole process and experience has been incredible, standing against such wonderful candidates has been a real privilege and I’ve absolutely loved getting to know them
all. If you ever have the opportunity to campaign, I would highly encourage you to, you put yourself out there in a way that reveals the best of you and the best of those around you. The support has been hugely humbling and I am so thankful for those around me who gave me the encouragement and motivation to go for it and put my heart into something I’m really passionate about. Each candidate has made a lasting impression on RHSU and their determination and manifesto points will continue to be taken forward and provide a better experience for students over the next year. I am so glad I took the chance to take this
opportunity and I’m really excited for what the next year will bring! With the academic restructure taking place next year, what do you have planned to help new and current students transition? The academic restructure has been at the forefront of conversations at Royal Holloway for the last year as it will create a large impact when implemented over the summer. My main goal is to ensure this transition is transparent, student focused and flexible, meaning that the restructure is continually re-evaluated and improved to ensure the best educational
Dominic Brown | VP Sport
What are your overall thoughts on the campaign
process and/or experience? I love the campaigning process, sure it’s stressful and time consuming (especially when you’re trying to work) but it’s amazing to talk to students about their issues and trying to have fun on campus during the voting period. It’s great to see all the candidates on campus strutting their stuff and campaigning in different ways. It was great fun!
Having been VP Sport for a year already, how will your approach this year differ? Why? My approach will be different next year. After knowing the role for a year I will have a better understanding of the best way to get things done. I will also be aware of the different events throughout the year and how much time I need to dedicate towards them. I
I want the SU to recognise that the joining fees, kit, trips and other costs of student groups can be prohibitively expensive for some students. In order to make Student Groups accessible to all, I will create a fund to support those students who wouldn't otherwise be able to participate. I believe this is the most important point on my manifesto and hope that this will increase student involvement in societies and media outlets.
What is the one point from your manifesto that you are most looking forward to implementing? Other than the Student Accessibility Fund, I am most looking forward to helping to plan Varsity for 2020. Thanks to my experience organising A Night at the Theatre 2018, I know that we can truly make this Varsity a bigger and even better event, which is inclusive of as many societies and media outlets as possible.
experience for students. Student voices in these critical conversations over the next few months are essential, and transparent communication from both the college and SU is required to ensure all students get the most benefit from this change possible. The restructure has the potential to bring huge improvements and students must be at the heart of how it is implemented.
provided with accompanying digital material to their lectures is essential for ensuring equal access to education and creating the best environment for students to achieve in their studies. I truly believe a cultural shift in how the college and academic staff view these issues compared to the student body is required to produce real tangible change and so I will be working hard to lobby the college for greater student involvement on key decisions and conversations. Students should be at the heart of how this university functions and I will aim to work with Lucy, VP Welfare and Diversity, to create the best accessible education possible to ensure this.
What is the one point from your manifesto that you are most looking forward to implementing? I am hugely excited to continue to lobby for lecture capture, whilst strides have been made this year there is still so much more we can do! Ensuring every student is
want to continue being ever present down at the sports centre on a Wednesday whilst trying to Increase recognition for off-campus clubs. What is the one point from your manifesto that you are most looking forward to implementing? 100% the manifesto point I look forward to implementing the most is my first one and arguably the most important - encouraging groups to introduce a welfare
secretary. Mental health is so important and anything we can do to better support students that are apart of student groups then we should do it. Members need to know there is someone, with the relevant knowledge, to talk to and potentially signpost them to the correct services. We have improved so much with our mental health work this year, such as with Holly and Willows mental health training, so I would love to take it to the next step
10 LIFESTYLE
My Experience with Uni Counselling ANONYMOUS
Put plainly, mental health issues suck. Depression is one of the most annoying and inconvenient thing to have going on in your head. For the longest time, you won’t even realise it’s sneaking up into your mind, making a little demon nest for itself. I only noticed that I was experiencing signs of depression long into having it – and it took a friend having to speak up and say something was going on, for me to realise how different I’d been for a while. Once those signs and symptoms started negatively impacting my life in serious ways, I knew I needed to do something. When you start feeling like you’re not in control of things going on in your life anymore, you know something needs to change. That’s when I turned up at the university counselling service, demanding to see someone (not crying at all…) and I was luckily let in to see a counsellor straight away, after an incredibly brief form I had to fill out and sign describing symptoms - which didn’t feel too different to those online personality tests you always waste your time on. I have been to a therapy session once before, during the summer, which felt purely indulgent as it had been booked during a bad day and happened on a fine one, but the next appointment didn’t. Five minutes into talking about whatever I ended up saying - I honestly can’t remember - I was having a full-blown panic attack. Luckily, my first panic attack happened in front of a professional, and she was able to talk me out of it with a few extremely
difficult breathing exercises. From that experience, and very little sense of shame to begin with, I felt able to open up and talk to that counsellor without feeling judged or pitied for it like usual. I’ve been a few times now to see the same counsellor and have felt genuine improvement. I don’t know whether it’s due to that, getting my sleeping schedule off of being completely nocturnal, or realising I had a problem and actually trying to do something about it, or something else entirely, but while I still have my numb moments among all the others, there are good ones also. While that’s the part I can recommend, I have to critique the only real solution she presented as a counsellor: antidepressants. Being told that you should consider medication is honestly quite scary. You start blaming yourself for letting it get this far, blaming yourself for letting it affect you this way, blaming yourself for getting it at all. There’s a lot of selfloathing that goes along with depression. The annoying thing is depression isn’t something you can immediately diagnose and then find some instant cure to make it go away. Realising that was probably the worst thing about it. So, for any of those who already know or are starting to realise that something similar could be happening to you, please just be proactive. It helps so much more than you think it even would. It’ll still suck sometimes, and you’ll still occasionally feel just as terrible until hopefully you can either get out of it or live with it in a better way.
THE FOUNDER March 2019
7 Tips to Combat Climate Change
Air Pollution
transportation other countries and need to be flown over – big nono! Think of the emissions We’ve all seen in the news over the past few weeks 2. Reduce electricity before you buy that cheap the school walkout protests and gas use: Turning off jumper from eBay in China. regarding climate change. lights and heating when not With the Students’ Union in use may seem small but Long-term, things that as lobbying the college to divest on a larger scale, we can students are not easy to from fossil fuels, what can really make a difference. It’s achieve but worth noting we do day to day? Climate shocking how many people for future reference: is something that obviously forget to turn off lights and Energy efficient has a huge effect on our day leave heating on when out 5. cars-an electric or hybrid to day lives; with the Beast of the house. vehicles: goes without from the East and the hottest summer on record last year, 3. Find alternative saying, though I appreciate we really can’t be ignoring modes of transportation: it if you don’t want to be this any longer. Here are If you’re lucky enough to confused with an Uber some easy short and long- have a car, car sharing to and everywhere you go. term lifestyle adaptations from campus for commuting Fly less: if you do fly, you could adopt in response students will help cut back 6. to our impending planetary on emissions. Alongside make sure you offset your doom. walking, cycling or using emissions; lots of airlines public transport more often make this easy for you to do at checkout if not head Short-term: as an alternative. to carbonfootprint.com for 1. Food: Meat and 4. Say no to more information. dairy production produces a consumerism: yes, you’ve shockingly large amount of guessed, we’re going on a 7. Grow your own: carbon dioxide and methane. single use plastic rant. It’s reduce the emissions caused Consider cutting back in so much easier to avoid by how far your food has order to offset this. Also, unnecessary plastic these travelled. Honestly not as buying locally manufactured days. Through reusable hard as it sounds – my basil products is key in reducing water bottles, coffee cups, plant is nearly as tall as me. carbon dioxide released purchasing loose fruit and I’m aware that these things veg and refusing straws are obvious but it’s always 1kg of meat Produces kg CO2 you really cut back on good to drive home some key the emissions released points. Be the change that Beef 34.6 in the creation of plastic. you want to see and others Lamb 17.4 Reducing ocean pollution at will follow, don’t preach the same time is of course without making personal Pork 6.35 a bonus! Alongside this, changes first. Tiny changes purchasing products from go a long way. Chicken 4.57 SOPHIA BOLTON
through methods.
LIFESTYLE 11
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Careless Spending
And What You Can Do To Avoid It
Photo via Pexels PIPPA ROTH-BIESTER
Over the last 8 years, students have reported a decreased likelihood to follow a budget, pay credit card bills, save and invest, and review bills and credit history. Apparently, we are getting more confident and less competent when it comes to managing personal finance. As students, we want to enjoy ourselves but we do have a limited budget, as do most people. However, most of us are relatively new to the situation. One of the best ways to ensure that your budgeting is efficient is to have a proper student bank account, this allows you, as a student, to have a place to keep a track of your spending. Upon deciding which bank to follow, take note of the availability of
ATMs, bank services, size of overdraft, and student gifts offered. And make sure to find the account (and bank) that suits you best. If you receive your maintenance loans or other loans at the beginning of each term, it can seem like a lot of money at first, but learning how to make it last for both the academic year and your holidays can be quite a stretch. It’s often a good idea to work out some kind of a budget based on the money you have coming in and out regularly. Make sure that your income is either more than or equal to your outgoing expenses, on a weekly or monthly basis. This money should primarily be used to pay for essentials such as food and rent, and only to be used for luxuries afterwards. A common problem
faced by a significant chunk of most students is spending more than you’re earning or getting through your weekly income. This is often through excess spending on nights out, socials, or other types of entertainment. There are many ways to fix this if it’s starting to become a problem for you! If necessary, finding a parttime job could be a reasonable option. Depending on your timetable, getting a part-time job may benefit you both financially and can help your CV if you feel like you don’t have enough on there. Make sure you put your studies first, and do not feel to need to compromise them. Speak to an adviser. Royal Holloway has many financial advisers around campus, these people will be able to help you with budgeting based on your personal income and how you live life as a student.
By providing alternatives to save money, as well as assisting in other ways, you will most likely be able to save huge amounts of money by popping in and visiting them. If you don’t want to go and see them in person, the Royal Holloway website has many pages and links that you can read and gain advice from. More importantly, create a budget plan. A simple way to do this is to write down all your expenses from one or two months ago and use this as a point of reference. [(Total Budget - Total of Spent Money)/ Months left before next installment] It is also worth categorising your expenditure: placing quotas on how much you can spend on e.g. groceries. There are also various financial planning and budgeting
apps available to help automate this process. Make sure you include everything or else you’ll only be lying to yourself! Following this, you can calculate the remainder, which can be used for luxuries and entertainment. Lastly, it’ll help you significantly, if you haven’t already, to open a savings account. On top of your student account, the savings account will allow for you to save money every month, so that once you graduate you won’t be entirely out of pocket. Plus, if every month you’re able to save around £40 to £50, it’ll be some decent funding if you do end up overspending. It is key as a student to ensure that you’re saving and spending responsibly. Do your best to save your overdraft for emergencies, as we really don’t want to be getting into more debt than we already have!
12 ARTS & CULTURE
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Caught Red-Handed: An Improvised Heist
The Holloway Players bowing at their deserved applause MOLLY WILLIAMS
The Holloway Players’ latest improvised show, ‘Caught Red-Handed’, is a triumph of spontaneous drama. Produced by Sophie Whitlam, the show took place in Medicine for two performances on Sunday 10th March, with the evening show accenting stories of friendship, love, and disproportionately sized piranhas. With the prompt of a heist at the heart of each performance, the brilliantly talented cast were tasked with retrieving a highstake object from a location decided by the audience, unknown to the performers until showtime. The object? The heart of the universe. The Location? A Space Zoo. In this epic escapade
through space and the fourth dimension, the Holloway Players delivered a show of Shakespearean magnitudes. Sword fights, star-crossed lovers and dynamic rap battles catapulted the audience through an emotional whirlwind like no other. Holloway Players Representative, Callum Pardoe, takes the part of cartoonish convict as he tucks us under his wing in a telling of the greatest heist the universe has ever seen. Captain McGregor (Fraser Chave) and his trustworthy companion, Marcel (Sam Zelaya) seek vengeance on the Space Zoo. What stands in the way? Captain Metal Fire (Sean Simmons-Barry), and his loyal employee with an enthusiasm for safety, Sally (Maddy Biggs). A heist team
is formed of intergalactic misfits, including excitable Space Ranger, Carolina (Louise Moore), heavysmoker and rap-genius, Terry (Mo Bangura), and a socially anxious bird-alien called Aaa (Aaron Barrow), in the hope of stealing the heart of the universe. With musical support from Ned Sanders and Keenan Ngo, the show was vibrant and creative in its methods of rising action. The cast take to the setting of space like small excited ducklings to water. Special mention goes to Maddy Biggs for her song ‘I feel Safe with You’, which had a member of the audience behind me in tears. The search for love, amidst the chaos of the space quest, was the true mission all along. Sam Zelaya’s song, ‘Marcel Needs More’ was another standout
performance, adding layers and depth of character that pulled on the heartstrings of the audience. Louise Moore’s sword-yielding abilities shone through, in her captivating fight scenes with Fraser Chave and Sean Simmons-Barry. Other special mentions to Mo Bangura for his quickwitted rapping, and Aaron Barrow for his phenomenal character development – from socially anxious birdalien to interstellar hero. Sean Simmons-Barry portrayed the textured villain of Lord Metal Fire with exceptional magnitude. A highlight was the slow clapping towards the end, directed towards the successful heist group. Sean’s chaotic-evil performance was balanced by his character’s unwitting
yearning for companionship. Fraser Chave’s portrayal of the Space Captain was inimitable. His wonderful portrayal of the disproportionatelysized piranha, alongside an audience member, was hilarious. The seamlessness of the show can be attributed to the wonderful relationships within the Holloway Players Group. Whilst their shows always promise to leave the audience in stitches, ‘Caught Red-Handed’ was a multifaceted journey of friendship, performed with a multitude of comedic relief and exquisitely timed jokes. Not only did the heist team steal the heart of the universe – they stole the hearts of the audience. This was an unforgettable performance.
THE FOUNDER March 2019
ARTS & CULTURE 13
‘The Babylonian Marriage Market’ returns to the Picture Gallery
Diego Cusano: Fantasy Researcher
The Babylonian Marriage Market painting MIMI MARKHAM
Edwin Long’s masterpiece ‘The Babylonian Marriage Market’ has returned to the Picture Gallery after six months of conservation work. The 1875 painting forms part of the Picture Gallery’s collection of contemporary Victorian art, alongside William Frith’s ‘The Railway Station’ and John Everett Millais’ ‘The Princes in the Tower’. The painting takes its inspiration from Herodotus, a fifth-century BC Greek historian who recorded the customs and traditions he witnessed during his time in Babylon. One custom was the auction of young women for marriage. According to Herodotus, the auctioneer would begin with the most attractive women who would fetch the highest prices; the surplus money would then be used as dowries for the less attractive brides. In the late nineteenthcentury, archaeologists were uncovering Mesopotamia. The British Museum allowed Long to see the artefacts and so ‘The Babylonian Marriage Market’ includes a huge amount of historical detail compared to preceding
artworks. In 1882, Thomas Holloway purchased the painting at an unprecedented price for an artist who was still alive. ‘The Babylonian Marriage Market’ may be considered a peculiar choice for a Victorian women’s college. There is evidence that Thomas Holloway purchased paintings for the Picture Gallery based on his personal interest and taste. For example, his collections include newspaper cuttings of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated expedition to the Northwest Passage. This story inspired Edwin Landseer’s ‘Man Proposes, God Disposes’, or the iconic haunted polar bear painting that is covered with a Union Jack every exam season. Edwin Long’s masterpiece may have sparked Holloway’s interest in the same way. Another interpretation is that Thomas Holloway purchased the painting to spark conversation about women’s changing roles during the nineteenthcentury. The opening of Royal Holloway College was part of a pioneering period of women’s higher education, opening the
doors for women to enter new roles and careers. In the same year he bought the painting, the 1882 Married Women’s Property Act was passed, giving married women legal ownership of their property. Previously, a woman’s money and possessions would become her husband’s property upon marriage. Holloway may have chosen this painting to invite early students to think about the new options available to them, including marital and career choices. Regardless of which theory is closest to Thomas Holloway’s actual purchasing decisions, ‘The Babylonian Marriage Market’ combines historical detail and debates that are still thoughtprovoking today. The painting is striking and difficult to miss even in the clustered Picture Gallery. The Picture Gallery is open between 10am-3pm on Wednesdays during the autumn and spring terms. Every week at 2pm there is a short talk by a student volunteer about one of the pictures in the collection, lasting five to ten minutes. Be sure to see ‘The Babylonian Marriage Market’ before the gallery closes for exams!
Diego Cusano Artwork SVILENA IOTKOVSKA
Diego Cusano, Italian illustration artist and selftitled ‘Fantasy Researcher’, produces art that challenges the way we view everyday objects and offers a creative perspective on ordinary life. Cusano rejects the title of an artist. In an interview with Kanbini, he says ‘Nowadays, anyone can be an artist. No, I’m more of a “fantasy researcher”: every day I get up and look for an object and think of how to represent it in my own way, outside of reality and its constraints. Everything is a question mark, I don’t want to be living a routine.’ As seen in his artwork, Cusano uses a variety of different real-life objects and materials, adding them onto his sketches and drawings in order to render his work more interesting and unique. Cusano shares new illustrations daily on his Instagram profile (@ diego_cusano) and he has 1,340 posts that show the
various materials he employs in his art. Some of these materials and objects include pencil shavings, food, coffee, fruits, vegetables, male contraception, insects and tools, amongst many others. On his Facebook profile, Cusano explains that he found the inspiration for his work once he began looking at things in a different way and he writes: ‘Objects change their native function, through the graphic, to a new, different, unpredictable function. I always try to “reinvent” myself.’ Diego Cusano’s illustrations invite their audience to look at what may seem to be dull, lifeless, everyday objects in a completely brand-new way. His entertaining and original artwork achieves exactly what it sets out to do. On his social media platforms, Cusano states his only aim: ‘I would like to give smiles, when people look at my works’.
14 ARTS & CULTURE Waitress: “Biblically Good”
THE FOUNDER March 2019
White as Alabaster? Not quite. CHLOE HOWARD
Image of the stage set RACHEL FARGUSON
Having been listening to the Waitress soundtrack and watching performance clips for a good few months now, I was more than a little bit excited to finally get to see the show live. When our upper circle matinee tickets were upgraded to stalls tickets I was more excited still, but I am certain that this show would be as phenomenal from the back row as it would be from the front. This show is more an experience than merely a performance: a strong smell of cinnamon fills the entire theatre and pie stands can be found in the lobby for an unconventional, but very apt, interval snack. Katherine McPhee is a phenomenal Jenna, giving a performance that is powerful but never over-acted. Her vocals were pitch-perfect throughout despite drastic changes in emotional tone between songs, as is required by the plot. Marisha Wallace and Laura Baldwin were equally impressive
as Becky and Dawn, and their respective solo performances in ‘I Didn’t Plan It’ and ‘When He Sees Me’ served to enhance the understanding of their characters. David Hunter’s Dr Pomatter is endearing, and Jack McBrayer’s Ogie is wonderfully overstated, which, for this character, is very much a compliment. The set is totally dynamic in a way that I don’t think I have ever seen before. The exterior scenery visible through the windows of Joe’s Pie Diner appears almost as a onepoint perspective drawing. This perspective combined with the ever-changing sky that appears as a backdrop provides place to the diner, where many interior sets feel as though the three visible walls of the room exist in some kind of spatial vacuum. The impressive live band is stationed inside Joe’s Pie Diner, and so appears to exist both within and outside of the world of the story. Location changes are mostly visible,
with furniture and set pieces moving on and off the stage on their tracks, creating a (paradoxically) more believable movement between spaces. In watching performance clips before viewing the show live, YouTube commenters often spoke highly of the use of the ensemble, which is indeed incredibly impressive. The choreography is seamless, but still appears entirely natural. The ensemble and the perpetually moving set work in tandem, giving the illusion of a set that responds to the actors. Technical features such as lighting and sound were flawless, allowing McPhee’s Jenna to push against the fourth wall but never quite break it. She comes out of the action, but it is clear that in these instances she is lost in herself rather than actually divulging her feelings to the audience. All in all, Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre is, as Dr Pomatter says of Jenna’s pies, “biblically good.”
When images of antiquity are called to mind there is usually a bit of a pattern: the Parthenon in Athens, the Roman colosseum, gladiators and wooden horses. Another common image may be those of eerily lifelike marble statues, carved so intimately that the fabric seems to catch the wind and the muscles seem to tense. Despite the detail of these statues, and the various forms that they take, there is one key similarity: they are startlingly monochromatic. But they were not always meant to be. A recent article in The New Yorker has explored the history behind these statues, noting that many of them were originally painted in vivid colours. They wore brightly coloured clothes, they had brown, green and blue eyes and, reflective of the environment in which they lived, varied skin tones. The alt right has often tried to invoke classical symbols, like the white marble statutes, as symbols of their own agenda while also promoting antiquity as the beginning of ‘an unblemished lineage of white Western culture’. But, of course, these statues are not white, just as the people they depict would have (in all likeliness) not been white. The Roman Empire itself expanded across not just Europe, but also parts of Africa and into the northern hemisphere. As a result, the empire was vastly diverse, with a focus on origin (usually simplified into Roman and other) rather than skin colour.
This hasn’t stopped modern misinterpretations however, with the most recent perhaps being the controversy surround the casting of two black actors to play the roles of Zeus and Achilles in the BBC series ‘Troy: Fall of a City’ last year. In the online backlash, rightwing supporters claimed that Achilles should have been depicted in an Aryan manner. Even if Achilles ever really existed, the fact that he would have had blonde hair, blue eyes and pale skin would have been more than unlikely given his heritage from Phthia in mainland Greece. In like of such miseducation around antiquity, the discovery of the lost colour of these marble statues demonstrates how history can have a funny way of getting the last laugh. However, this links to a wider issue in both culture and history, where the white is assumed to be the default. Admittedly this issue is better than it once was, but a default whitewashing of history is not good enough. This is even evident in religion – if you type Jesus Christ into google images, the majority of results depict a white, blue eyed, western man. This seems odd, again, considering that Jesus was born in Judea – which forms the southern part of modern-day Palestine. As with Achilles, Christ came from a country where the default was not white or blue eyed, and such features would have been again unlikely. So why do we constantly imagine these characters in this way?
THE FOUNDER March 2019
ARTS & CULTURE 15
Does Liam Scarlett’s ballet do Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein justice?
Photograph by Bill Cooper CASSANDRA LAU
From 5 March to 23 March 2019, the Royal Opera House (ROH) is presenting Liam Scarlett’s first fulllength ballet, Frankenstein to Lowell Liebermann’s score. This is a remarkably crafted production! Though Scarlett has been criticised for meddling with Mary Shelley’s plot, the selection of scenes chosen made it easier for audience members who have not read the novel to understand key events. The absence of some parts of the novel gave way for greater character development amongst the main characters: Victor Frankenstein, Elizabeth
Lavenza, the Creature, and Henry Clerval, respectively played by Tristan Dyer, Sarah Lamb, Ryoichi Hirano, and Luca Acri. In an interview with Debra Craine from the ROH, Scarlett said, “I like to tell a good story”. Having produced two critically acclaimed nonnarrative ballets – Asphodel Meadows and The Age of Anxiety – Frankenstein was definitely going to be his biggest challenge. Upon choreographing Frankenstein, Craine states that he wanted to keep with the tradition of The Royal Ballet, “especially in its focus on narrative and in its appreciation of the
ballet’s historical Russian roots.” Scarlett admits that “classical ballet is incredibly difficult to choreograph” but he “didn’t want to reinvent Swan Lake.” Not only did he succeed in producing a a full-length classical ballet, but he created a classic which I hope to see on stage more commonly in the future. Scarlett revels in his challenge to tell well-known and beloved gothic tale – via a series of mirroring and interweaving of timelines on stage, he was able to narrate events taking place between 1775 and 1788 smoothly. Scarlett’s Creature is emotionally childlike but intellectually ambitious. His urge to learn is seen through
the choreographed mirroring of dance sequences. This is apparent throughout Act II as the Creature begins to learn alongside William Frankenstein in the shadows; this mirroring of body movements reaches its climax in their pas de deux when William is left alone blindfolded. Until the very end, the Creature maintains his childlike desires for Victor’s parental affection: the murder of Elizabeth and Henry are depicted as an act of jealousy rather than revenge. His plea for love is answered with our sympathy as the audience gasped wideeyed at the final sight of the Creature cradling Victor’s dead body centre-stage.
Designer, John MacFarlane, Lighting Designer David Finn, and Staging Designer, Ricardo Cervera all did a fantastic job manipulating space and lighting to create a range of ominous illusions. For instance, in Act II, while William plays outside the Frankenstein Manor, the Creature’s looming presence is depicted in the shadow upon the Manor’s frontage. It contributes to the choreography as the elegant and airy dance between William and Justine is then juxtaposed with the Creature’s ungraceful attempts to mimic their movements in the shadows.
16 LITERARY REVIEW
THE FOUNDER March 2019
GCSE Texts Re-Review I’m the King of the Castle
CASSANDRA LAU
An extraordinarily eerie and psychological novel which I am glad to have read. Looking back, I am surprised that it was assigned to a class of young teenagers, considering the dark nature of the novel’s motifs. The study of this novel was certainly one of the main reasons why I decided to pursue A-Level English Literature: the process of dissecting, analysing and understanding a literary piece was incredibly gratifying. Amongst all the different aspects of I’m the King of the Castle, I was particularly intrigued by the relationship between the two children, Charles Kingshaw and Edmund Hooper. Hooper’s
childlike mannerisms juxtapose both his own sociopathic tendencies and Kingshaw’s emotional vulnerability and search for independence. The novel attempts to address many things, including the potential severity of bullying and its consequences. How could one child drive another to kill himself? The final scene was most terrifying and poignant. The ability of a child to consciously drown himself to death as a final act of control over his life; the ability of another to smile without remorse, knowing he has caused such pain in another individual. I would highly recommend this novel to those who have not already read it.
A Christmas Carol
SASHA SMITH
I have never been a fan of A Christmas Carol. I believe this originally stems from having to see a different version of it every Christmas, including one starring a terrifying animated Jim Carrey and one starring the muppets and, for some reason, Michael Caine. Repeat viewings aside, A Christmas Carol is the book I studied for my GCSE English Literature exam. Studying this book for a whole year felt the same as seeing a Christmas shop open year-round; there is an ebb and flow of enthusiasm for the book as the months progress, and by the time the exam rolls around in June, you want to hear anything but the word Christmas. Another leading factor in my
disliking this book is the length of the sentences. Apparently Charles Dickens wasn’t actually paid by the word, but his novels do still include some ridiculously lengthy lines. I have a vivid memory of my English teacher’s fond love of making socially anxious students read out loud (as he was too incompetent to do his own job…) and how I almost passed out from a combination of anxiety and having to read a sentence which was over a page long. This childhood bombardment and high school trauma has ultimately turned a novel that I’m sure is loved by many into something that I am just incapable of taking anything profound from.
LITERARY REVIEW 17
THE FOUNDER March 2019
An Inspector Calls
RACHEL FARGUSON
An Inspector Calls is, by far, my favourite text studied at GCSE. This opinion is, of course, based mostly on the plot twist. In comparison to most texts at this level, Priestley’s play is unconventional in structure, and is drastically more interesting for it. In establishing a connection between Eva Smith and each member of the Birling family, the play successfully illuminates multiple levels of social injustice that find their cross-section in a working-class Victorian woman. Arthur fires Eva for taking part in strike action, highlighting issues of workers’ rights; Sheila has Eva fired from a second job due to jealousy, revealing the
self-assigned superiority of the upper-class; Gerald reveals the false promises that he made to Eva (or Daisy Renton) when she was his mistress, illuminating his own misogyny; Sybil’s refusal to allow the women’s charity to help Eva and her shifting of the blame to the father of Eva’s unborn baby (who she does not know is her own son) shows a tendency of the Victorian upper-class to prioritise their own, whether this refers to their family or to their peers. A text that deals with so many big ideas in not so many pages and still preserves its mystery and intrigue is as impressive to me now, as I write a dissertation on detective fiction, as it was to me at GCSE. I would certainly recommend this short read.
I'm the King of the Castle
OLLIE MINISTER
On the surface, this a book that deals with some very hard-hitting issues: the death of a parent, child abuse, and *spoilers* suicide. While by no means is this novel the greatest example of representing these issues, it is still one of a few books I recall that has elicited such a strong emotional response from me. This is not to say that I was enamoured with the book when studying it for my GCSEs, and there were certainly periods of time in which I would have said I hated the book. Now, though, I would say that this was likely an overreaction to the
emotional nature of the book, which lead to me confuse hatred for certain characters, such as Mrs Kingshaw, for a hatred of the book itself. In fact, I would go so far as to say that a book which can make you hate characters must be at least somewhat well crafted. Overall, I am of the opinion that whilst this is not a perfect book (Susan Hill has an ability to make a 200-page book seem much longer than it is) it is something I believe could be worth a revisit for people who studied it, as they may have a new perspective on it this time around.
18 LITERARY REVIEW
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Writers at the Centre of the Contemporary Literary Scene KATIE PHILIPPOU
Looking for something fresh to read? Here is a short guide
to contemporary writers who are sure to keep the fantastic reads coming:
Lisa Halliday
Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney is new onto the Irish literary scene. She was named the Sunday Times Young Writer of the
Year in 2017 and has only just started. Rooney’s first novel Conversations with Friends (2017) is perfectly pitched for our readers, because it details the struggles and relationships of two university students and has been described as ‘Salinger for the Snapchat generation’. Her second novel Normal People (2018) was longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize and won Irish Novel of the Year. Her career has quickly gained momentum and she is capturing the attention of many.
Kyle Minor Author Kyle Minor Author of In the Devil’s Territory (2008) and Praying Drunk (2014), Minor is the author to go to for short fiction. Although dark, his latest collection Praying Drunk is powerful. According to the New York Times it is ‘less a collection than an extended prayer, wrenched from the heart and wrought in the language of pain’. It will be exciting to see what future collections will bring.
Lisa Halliday’s debut novel Asymmetry (2018) has been described as ‘a literary phenomenon’ by the New York Times. It begins with a story of a love affair which develops against a backdrop of world events. It then moves on to a new narrator with a different relationship to the world. According to the Guardian ‘this is a debut
asking a dizzying number of questions, many to thrilling effect’. Asymmetry’s amazing reception has announced the arrival of a cutting-edge writer.
Ali Smith is a versatile and gripping author who is demanding the attention of readers with her experimental style and forthright attitude. In an interview with the Guardian, she asserted that ‘fiction is one of our ways of telling the truth’ which is vital to keep in mind in a world where the line between truth and falsehood is so blurred. She was the winner of the 2015 Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction with her novel How to Be Both (2014) and
four of her novels have been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. These achievements are merely snapshots of her successful career to date, but I suspect there are more to come. Autumn (2016) and Winter (2017) are the first two books to be published in a series of four. Fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Spring (2019) and Summer (publication year to be announced).
Ali Smith
David Mitchell Cloud Atlas (2012) is one of Mitchell’s seven published novels and is simply one of those must-read contemporary novels. He is an author with great longevity, evidenced by his participation in a project called Future Library Project. His contribution is his eighth novel From Me Flows What You Call Time, which will be published in the year 2114. The Future Library Project was started in Norway by Katie Paterson. A forest in Norway is to supply the paper
for an anthology of books which will be published in a century. One writer each year will write a book to contribute. David Mitchell is among three other writers so far to contribute to the project (other writers include Margaret Atwood and Sjón).
THE FOUNDER March 2019
LITERARY REVIEW 19
Matt Haigh in Shoreditch Gabriel Garcia
Marquez: Nobel Prize for Literature 1982
JOSHUA RICE
Audience members defeating a world recording during Matt Haigh's event in Shoreditch, London HELENA KEEBLE
On 7 March, Matt Haig began touring his new novel Notes on a Nervous Planet. Matt Haig is now renowned for his advocacy for mental health, publishing novels such as Reasons to Stay Alive and The Truth Pixie as well as tweeting daily on the subject on mental health and the surrounding stigma. In Shoreditch Town Hall, Haig hosted the event solo, discussing social stigmas and his personal experience with mental health. The event also saw the crowd of attendees break the World Record for the largest mass of people clutching their heads, mimicking the image commonly used in representing people suffering with depression in articles, or, as Haig called it, “Headclutchoritis.” Haig began the evening by talking about his fear of public speaking, more specifically glossophobia: “I get nervous about events.” The audience was both amused and surprised to learn that, according to a public survey, glossophobia is the second most common phobia, even above the fear of death. The first result was the fear of losing a loved one. The sheer volume
of people frightened by public speaking is startling considering that we must face a form of it almost every day, whether it be talking to customers, presenting at a meeting, or discussing topics with your class. It seems fair to say, then, that “all our mental health is very much connected to the world around us.” While talking about his novels, Haig revealed that he’s often asked if Reasons to Stay Alive was hard to write. He said that, although it took ten years to write, “It wasn’t really. I was scared to write it… but once I started it just flooded out of me.” Of his depression and mental illness Haig said that, just like thousands of people, “I had no clue how I got into the mess I was in”, confirming that mental illness can affect anyone, regardless of their privilege or lifestyle. Haig pondered over the ongoing social stigma surrounding mental health. He highlighted the fact that the media portrays celebrities as “admitting” their mental health issues, yet we don’t “admit” that we have a chronic disease or that we have cancer: “We don’t define ourselves with a bad back like with do with
a bad mind.” As an example, Haig showed an appalling article titled “A Nation Hooked on Happy Pills”, indicating the negative perception society has of pills as a valid source of help for mental illnesses when we would not question the validity of antibiotics to treat bodily illnesses. It is articles like these that prevent the full understanding of mental health. However, Haig’s novel highlights that “happiness is not part of the economy”, and whether this is perceived positively or not, particularly by the media as well as influencers on social media, it is true. Haig was particularly passionate about the negative effect that Piers Morgan’s social media presence has on the understanding of mental health. Haig joked, however, much to the amusement of the audience, that his own mental health was blessed when Piers Morgan blocked him on Twitter. In response to Piers Morgan’s claim that we should not talk about mental health anymore, Haig accurately stated that “Four out of four people have mental health,” and, as such, we must not close this conversation.
Upon his death in 2014, Gabriel Garcia Marquez was declared to be ‘the greatest Colombian who ever lived’ by then president of Columbia, Juan Manuel Santos. A central pillar of the Latin American renaissance of the 1960s, Marquez enjoyed several decades of literary fame. Marquez became renowned for going beyond surrealist literature, which transports the reader to another world, to build upon the foundations of the genre that would come to be called magic realism. Magic realism keeps us within our world but adds magic or fantastic elements which are woven into the narrative in a way that downplays their extraordinary nature. Magic realism is often associated with Latin America, with the writings of Borges and Allende, and the artist Frida Kahlo. Following this, it has developed into a genre which is frequently used to express the views of authors or artists on the margins of the dominant culture, most notably in the English language by Salman Rushdie. Gabriel Garcia Marquez used magic realism to make sense of the world he found himself growing up in, where newly formed Latin American states were developing at an unbelievable speed, where cultures of the new world and the old world collided to create new identities, and where the cultures of ancient and untouched empires grappled with the Catholicism of Europe. Marquez’s magnum
opus is the 1967 novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. It is a piece of magic realism that explores the events that surround the Buendia family through several generations. It follows their attempt to establish a new town, Macondo, in the rainforests of Columbia, but their inability to escape from the ghosts of their previous lives. The town is the epicentre of fantastic and mysterious happenings including a plague of insomnia, the wondrous inventions of the gypsies who bring new technologies to the town, and the massacre of the striking workers of the town’s banana plantation. Many of these events mirror aspects of Columbian history. The banana plantation massacre explores the fragility of the truth. Jose Arcadio Segundo, the only survivor of the event, reports back to the townspeople what has occurred, but they refuse to believe such a malicious act could have been carried out under their noses. Therefore, the massacre was forgotten to history and the persecutors go unpunished. If I am honest, the book is like nothing I have read before. It has been said it is worth learning Spanish in order to read this work in its original form. The stunning complexity of the interwoven narratives makes the book special, and the surprise ending is enough to warrant a complete rereading. But the real beauty of Gabriel Garcia Marquez is found in his ability to make miracles appear believable, and the believable to appear miraculous.
20 ARTS: FILM Captain Marvel - Review LUKE HETHERINGTON
A common criticism lobbied against Marvel’s Cinematic Universe is the homogenised style filmmaker’s employ under producer Kevin Feige's employment. With Captain Marvel, directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson , Mississippi Grind) sadly prove that the franchise formula does not allow much elbow room for a personal stamp. Cinematographer Ben Davis returns for his fourth MCU film, so if it weren’t for the sheer volume of MCU films - around three each year - he would be the official eyes of the franchise. However, for Fleck and Boden, not much of their quietly-depressing gambling addiction film, Mississippi Grind, carry over in terms of character depth and examination. Bridging the gap between the cliffhanger of Infinity War and the follow-up Endgame, Captain Marvel finally introduces the title character (Brie Larson) as an amnesiac space warrior fighting a dubious war against shape-shifting Skrulls, led by Ben Mendelson's sardonic Talos. The narrative hinges on exposition and inevitable plot developments, leaving the viewer waiting for certain beats to occur until Captain Marvel discovers her identity and herself. The thematic throughline of discovering herself is underpinned by the notion of a female being told to emotionally control herself by a male mentor figure, without beating audiences on the head. Some may argue that blockbusters do not need to address topical problems, but the pan-Africanism themes of Black Panther and subtle feminism of Captain Marvel prove that Marvel can manage to engage maturely with issues without sacrificing narrative. Internet trolls will likely still find small elements of the film to exaggerate into
being detrimental to the film because the internet is a horrible place and you can not win. Larson brings a certain energy to an otherwise straightforwardly stoic role, delivering one-liners without it being tonally jarring, while also being a strong presence in action sequences. She is often upstaged by Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (returning for the ninth time), not by his acting ability, but by the seamless CGI de-ageing technology that has become so prevalent in recent years and the screentime it now allows; it looks like someone plucked him right out of 1998 before he could wisely agree to be in both The Phantom Menace and Deep Blue Sea in the same year. Generally speaking, the performances are solid, but at times it feels like Annette Benning could have been better utilised. That said, the small amount we get is always welcome. The problem with the film is not as tangible as a horrendous performance or ridiculous plot points, it is mostly just the toothlessly familiar approach we’ve become accustomed to over the course of twentyone films of spectacle and smashing. The CGI becomes a tad flashy and distracting near the end, but aside from that Captain Marvel only falls down on the occupational hazard of being an origin story in a franchise full of them. Going forward, Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel should make for a powerful lead in future films, but for now, she’ll have to settle for a comfortably bland debut that goes down easily, but could do with a tad more experimentation and risk. It is toast with a dab of butter when it could be so much more.
THE FOUNDER March 2019
And the Oscar goes to...
Winners at the Academy Awards ERIN LEONARD
This month, the Academy hosted the biggest night of the year in cinema, and for the first time since 1989, the entire ceremony ran without a host. Surprisingly, the night ran smoothly and the biggest divergence from the schedule was Glenn Close not getting her long-anticipated win for Best Actress. Admittedly the pacing of the night was thrown off somewhat, and the traditional format will remain the favoured, but it was no Rob Lowe incident. The Dolby Centre once again served host to all of Hollywood’s biggest names, for a night of glitz, glamour, and great company. The biggest surprise of the night in everybody’s minds was the win of Olivia Colman for Best Actress in ‘The Favourite’. While we, across the pond, knew how deserving she was, the entirety of California had their bets placed on what seven-time nominee Glenn Close was going to say in her acceptance speech, with the winner herself included. The other big three – Rami Malek, Regina King, and Mahershala Ali – were all the chosen picks in the bookies. Best Picture was the centre of discussion with Roma and Green Book fighting it out as the two favourites, and the win of Peter Farrelly’s film closed the night but certainly hasn’t
closed the discussion with Spike Lee failing to hide his dissatisfaction at the movie which he compared to 1990’s Best Picture ‘Driving Miss Daisy’. Netflix was the talk of the town, winning with not only Roma but also with Period. End of Sentence. The ascension of the products of streaming sites to the big leagues has been a major feature of discussion, with people talking in depth on the issue. Independent films are ever-rising in the world of cinema, and a big budget is no longer a necessity to make a successful, Academy-endorsed production. The shift from the big studio productions of the past is ever more visible! It feels as though the public opinion is finally being regarded with some sense of value in the critique and commendation of films, and if The Academy wants to keep the attention of the world, they need to make a tradition of short-listing films with large fanbases. Among the performances of the night, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s duet was the standout. Bette Midler made a special appearance to sing ‘The Place Where Lost Things Go’ from the Mary Poppins Returns soundtrack, and the presence of a Hollywood legend grounded the ceremony on a night that felt as though it pandered to a newer, wider
audience. With views of the ceremony having plummeted over the past few years, it appears that a fresh format did its job, with viewing figures rising 11% from last year’s record low. The highbrow nature of the Oscars has meant a decline in viewers over the past few years, and yet this year – perhaps down to the box-office successes that received nominations – they made it back onto the map. A notable highlight was Spike Lee’s win for Best Adapted Screenplay, the first non-honorary award he’s received from the Academy. His speech was well-received, and the political message it carried was refreshing to hear. The presentation of the award by his good friend Samuel L. Jackson made the moment all the more special to watch. The biggest success of the night belonged to Roma with Alfonso Cuaron taking Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Foreign Film and to see the man whose first English-speaking big break was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on the Academy’s stage for the fifth time. It’s amazing to see such a diverse cohort of winners taking the stage. Despite the changes, it still feels familiar to be watching the ceremony, curled up in bed with a bowl of popcorn and your ballot in your lap. The atmosphere that the Oscars creates doesn’t change, no matter how the Academy tries out new styles with each year. The feeling when your favourite’s name is called never gets old and it’s amazing to see the night unfold – there is something intrinsically social about it, this one night of the year brings the film-loving community together more than any other.
THE FOUNDER March 2019
ARTS: FILM 21
New Year, New Waves: Varda at 90
Photograph of Varda GRACIELA MAE CHICO
Trailblazing women being hidden or written out of history is nothing new, the same story unfolds in the world of filmmaking. One of the most vital movements in cinematic history, the French New Wave lauds the likes of Jean-Luc Godard and Francis Truffaut as their leading pioneers. While it is undeniable that the two auteurs have both shaped contemporary filmmaking, their names have often overshadowed their female counterparts. One of these names, however,
has seemingly been resurging in popularity. Often proclaimed ‘the grandmother of the French New Wave’ (despite being a mere two years older than the ‘father’, JeanLuc Godard), Agnès Varda is finally getting the recognition she deserves. While the ‘grandmother’ label springs from her debut feature Le Pointe Courte (1955) being labelled the forerunner of the Nouvelle Vague, Varda is perhaps most known for her 1962 film Cleo from 5 to 7. Like her unique charm, her films’ have a
distinct experimental style that captivates viewers like no other. Having said several times that she does not want to be reduced to the ‘female filmmaker’ label, Varda has invented a cinema of her own; one which beautifully harmonises creativity and empathy in her subjects. Her 2017 collaboration with artist and photographer JR, Faces Places (Visages Villages), was welcomed with wide critical praise including an Academy Award Best Feature Documentary nomination to accompany her honorary Academy Award statuette. Since the film’s release, Varda’s ‘rediscovery’ flung her into a new level celebrity of status. Perhaps this can be credited to the internet buzz that generated from the lifesize cutouts of Varda that JR took along with him during awards season; the likes of Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, and Greta Gerwig taking selfies with the cutouts - Gerwig even posed with the popular ‘Agnès Varda’ shirt produced by Girls on Tops (a brand which calls itself ‘a t-shirt celebration of female voices in film’). There was even the ‘The
Internet Is Obsessed with Gucci-wearing 89-YearOld Oscar Nominee Agnès Varda’ headline by People Magazine. While Agnès Varda’s open embrace to social media and new technologies plays a part in her newfound popularity (her Instagram @agnes.varda is definitely going to be one of your new favourite accounts), it is still her wondrous storytelling that is to credit for her new generation of fans. Just last month, Varda premiered her filmography's swansong during the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival. Varda by Agnès (‘ Varda par Agnès ’) is an encapsulation of the artist’s extensive life and career. During her In Conversation talk at BFI Southbank last summer, Varda mentioned that the film will present viewers the same career insight provided by the talks she has given all around the globe. Based on reviews, not only does the film provide a review of her filmography, it exudes an immeasurable amount of charm and joy that is truly unique to her storytelling. Varda consistently and ingeniously blurs reality
and fantasy like no other. Whether it be the daytime, primary-coloured horror about a husband’s fall into an affair in Happiness (Le Bonheur, 1965) or Varda’s autobiographical essay film about her 80th birthday in The Beaches of Agnès (2008), her filmography certainly deserves its recent expansion in viewership. While her work’s resurgence goes hand in hand with the shifting landscape of the film industry, particularly the push for more female directors, Varda is a filmmaker who has been campaigning and fighting for her feminist beliefs way back when it wasn’t ‘fashionable’. Although Varda is stepping away from the camera, with an entirely new generation of fans, her cinema’s legacy is here to stay. London’s The Prince Charles Cinema is currently having a retrospective on A gnès Varda - it finishes with a screening of Faces Places on June 3, 2019. Details for the ‘Varda by Agnès ’ UK release date are yet to be confirmed.
22 ARTS: FILM
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Can You Ever Forgive Me ? – Review
Film poster AMAL ABDI
One of the most glaring snubs for this year’s best picture nominees at the Oscars was the brilliant Can You Ever Forgive Me? directed by Marielle Heller. Starring Melissa McCarthy, the film tells the story of Lee Israel, a real-life writer and literary forger and is based on her 2008 memoir of the same title. The film begins with McCarthy’s character as she struggles to make ends meet
as a proofreader. Snippy, curt and often day drinking, Lee is initially presented as an unlikable anti-hero. Yet we quickly learn that she was a once successful biographer - even appearing on the New York Times bestseller list. Now older and ruder, Israel’s contemporaries have fallen from great authors to millennial graduates on their first jobs. Can You Ever Forgive Me? depicts the literary community as one which is fickle and regards fame
to the highest degree. While Tom Clancy receives a $3 million book deal, Lee struggles to get $10,000 from any publisher to publish her biography on Fanny Brice. She struggles to pay her rent or medicine to care for her ageing cat. She can only get her agent on the phone by impersonating Nora Ephron (in the closing credits it is revealed that Nora Ephron did actually send Lee a ceaseand-desist for doing this). But Lee remains unapologetically prickly, while her agent tells
her “You can be an asshole when you’re famous. But as an unknown, you can’t be such a bitch”. Through a series of fateful events, Lee finds herself impersonating famous literary figures and selling fake private letters. Shut out of the artistic upper class, Lee acutely embodies the voices of literary icons who the community deem as great. Through her imitations, Lee gets the taste of fame, she takes pride in her work and defends her actions evening remaking “I’m a better Dorothy Parker than Dorothy Parker.” Lee enjoys lucrative rewards from these forgeries as well as well as an ego boost and new relationships. One of the beautiful things about the film is the friendship between Lee and her accomplice Jack Hock (Richard E. Grant). Grant’s character formidable but fragile. Being gay, HIV positive and homeless, he remains defiant and proud. Being set in the early 1990s, the AIDs crisis looms over the film and is central to the friendship at its heart. In introducing Jack to her criminal dealing Lee asks “Can you keep a secret?”,
he replies “Who would I tell? All my friends are dead.” This relationship between a gay man and a gay woman is created through desperation and loneliness, yet they share a real bond. Both Lee and Jack exist in a space of in-betweens as queer characters. Both Lee and Jack exist in the wrong time, being older, queer and completely unsuccessful. Yet they are able to beautifully able to create a community through criminality, creating a platonic love story for two people who have been rejected from society. Can You Ever Forgive Me? is incredibly sympathetic and loving to its characters. It shows real respect for them. It cannot be understated how rare it is to see a film about two gay and failing characters in their 50s and is directed by a woman. It is incredibly unfortunate that Marielle Heller was not considered for a best director nomination at this year’s Oscars, but alas we have this wonderful film to enjoy for all eternity.
THE FOUNDER March 2019
ARTS: MUSIC 23
Tom Rosenthal Gig - Review
Image of Tom Rosenthal EMILY KELLY
Last night I went to Tom Rosenthal’s first ever live performance. He performed in St Pancras Old Church, a fitting venue for his soft vocals accompanied by Jon Willoughby playing the guitar and Madeline Ashman on the cello. The atmosphere in the church was unlike anything I have experienced despite being to two other church gigs, as it was his first show, the church was jam packed full of his most loyal fans who listened intently to the beautiful acoustic set. Having listened to Tom for many years, I was intrigued as to what a man with 5 albums and over 100 songs, would pick for the set list. Tom’s Cat Steven’s inspired back catalogue covers a wide variety of genres, covering songs to sleep to, Christmas songs, and even a song about pasta. But his folk-like, acoustic sound is individual in nature. He writes about the every day, the little feelings and the big ones, his family, food and all manner of things. I was pleasantly surprised, he structured his performance into three sections, beginning with ‘Don’t you know how busy
and Important I am’ and ‘Run for those Hills babe’. The middle section was what was surprising. As a bit of fun, he began with an unexpected rendition of ‘Bootylicious’ by Destiny’s Child and moved through ‘Little Big Mistakes’ which got the audience chanting in unison ‘You were the quickest sperm’. The last section went through his most well known songs from ‘Watermelon’, to ‘Take Your Guess’ and ‘Fenn’ including an encore ending with a song comprised of solely him and his piano. The acoustics of the building allowed for his out of this world lyricism to echo around the space and resonate amongst the people that they mean the most to. The softness of the piano, the slow, soothing strings paired with Tom’s lead vocals and Jon and Madeline’s soft harmonies left for a memorable and intimate evening. There are many words that could describe Tom Rosenthal’s performance but to me, it was nothing short of beautiful. I spoke to Jon and Madeline about what it has been like to play with Tom
on both his recordings and his first live show. They were aware of the importance of Tom having his first live show and the nervous feelings that come with it; ‘I think it has really shocked him as well, just like the turnout and everything, you know, he has realised he can do this.’ (Madeline) Jon, who is close to both Tom and his musical process said: ‘I’ve known tom for years and I play on quite a few of the recordings and we have done a lot of writing together over the years.’ And their relationship on stage made it clear how much the whole experience meant to them. When I spoke to Tom after the show, he was extremely high-spirited and was keen to meet as many people as possible. I asked him a couple of questions at the end of our meeting about his first time experience as a performer: What was it like performing live for the first time? ‘A real blur. And it felt like it took a long time. I felt like I was out there for my whole life basically.’ It was a packed set. ‘Yeah there was a lot in it, a lot of songs and it felt long. And it is quite long, it’s like a football match’ Better than a football match. ‘But yeah it felt like a blur. Yeah definitely pleasurable but very blurry’ What was it like playing in a church? ‘Soundcheck was really difficult because when people aren’t there, the sound swirls around. So people need to be there, so it sounded so much better. In soundcheck I was like oh Christ I can’t hear it, I can’t hear who should be up or down, it was very confusing. When it came to it, church – good.’
Bad People; Good Music Image of Michael Jackson BEN JACQUIN
In light of new allegations against Michael Jackson, and the accompanying documentary Leaving Neverland, I watched an interview with Louis Theroux on Good Morning Britain, where he was asked “Can you still listen to Jackson’s music without it turning your stomach?”, to which he replied, “Hmm, I’ll give it a year”. This has prompted the argument; can we still comfortably listen to music made by people who are morally bad? The entertainment industry has always had a horrible history of vile people garnering success from their talents, however we still allow them radio airplay. R Kelly has recently had a wave of horrific allegations made against him, with evidence that can subvert the typical Shaggy defense, “it wasn’t me”, however when Spotify attempted to remove his music from their platform it was met with outrage from high profile artists, prompting Spotify to continue streaming his music. However, on the other hand, should we discount the work of songwriters who worked hard to give us the songs that were merely performed by the artists in question, not written? Should songwriter Rod
Temperton have Thriller and Rock With You taken off the airwaves, because Jackson performed them, when he could have had no knowledge of Jackson’s perversions? There’s no doubt that bad people can make good music, but the knowledge of the past of particular artists can alter the experience of their music significantly. Finding an emotional resonance with an artist whose morals do not align with your own is almost impossible. If we assume that music is written by artists based on lived experience then it makes for uncomfortable hearing when listening to artists such as Kelly. However, the real problem comes when fans hold artists to an intangible moral standard which is unattainable for human beings in general. Musicians are not messianic figures, despite John Lennon’s statement that the Beatles are bigger than Jesus in 1966, however fans will always begin to look to them for moral guidance in their own lives. If we hold musicians to that high a moral standard, then no artists will pass the test. Artists who have committed horrific crimes need to be punished, however it still proves difficult for fans who felt so attached to their music, prior to allegations coming out, leaving us in a moral debate with ourselves leaving us with the question; are we supporters of these criminals if we listen to their music? Of course, however, this is much more than music. The victims of such crimes at the hands of entertainers need peace in their lives, and justice for what may have happened to them. Their stories come first, and we should not silence them.
24 ARTS: MUSIC
THE FOUNDER March 2019
British Bands Conquering BTS Sells Out the U.S. at SXSW
Stadiums for
Upcoming Tour
Photo credit Louise Mason CHARLIE CATMULL
Breaking the U.S.A is a task some artists never manage to crack, a feat that seemingly can only be achieved by bands that reach astronomical levels of fame, usually down to the antics of front men, and, a celebrity status conjured up from their off stage actions as much as their on stage ones. The two recent bands that spring to mind when thinking of this is Artic Monkeys and lately The 1975, two bands who have been suggested to have captured the zeitgeist of the respective decades of their emergence to the forefront of popular music. Aside from these two colossal names, British bands can struggle to find a footing in the states, a pop cultural producing juggernaut which has such a secure sense of self, which, much like its borders, can try to erect walls around the music it holds dear. Letting music out, yet letting nothing else in. But once a year an event
in music capital of the world, Austin, Texas tries to change this – SXSW (South By South West)– a week long party showcasing the latest in popular culture, technology and a sprawling festival which allows British bands supported by the likes of the BBC, British Music Embassy and Arts Council England to try and find a new audience across the pond. Here is a short list of some bands currently playing that really ought to gain everyone’s attention: Squid – Brighton come London based “punkfunkers”, this band played SXSW with the help of the International Showcase fund from Arts Council England, they make fast, energetic psych influenced tracks and are for any fans of Foals, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard or Parquet Courts. They’re sure to be huge. Sports Team – A band that emerged from playing house party gigs whilst the members studied together
in Oxford, this group bring back a brit-pop gleam, with Damon Alburn of Blur style storytelling and a heap of wit to their lyrics. Their new EP ‘Keep Walking’ has just been released. FONTAINES D.C. – A band currently taking SXSW by storm and turning a lot of American heads, these Irish punk rockers, tackle subjects of class and cultural divisions along with their hard to ignore stage presence. Their debut album ‘Dogrel’ comes out next month. The Comet is Coming – a three-piece jazz-comepsychedelic fusion of hedonistic instrumental tracks and cosmic imagery, this group gained a lot of attention when their debut album was nominated for the mercury prize in 2016. But their back with another trippy LP ‘Trust In The Life Force Of The Deep Mystery’ and are bringing the galactic party to SXSW. Check out all of the goings on at the event over at SXSW. COM and Diymag.com
BTS Performing SARAH-LISA HENNING
While still on their ‘Love Yourself’ world tour, BTS has already announced and sold out their 2019 ‘Love Yourself: Speak Yourself’ Stadium Tour. Legendary Stadiums include London’s Wembley Stadium. This feat puts BTS alongside superstars such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Queen, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, and Taylor Swift. In just under 6 years BTS have gone from handing out free tickets on the streets to selling out the most prestigious world stages. Their international ascend began with the announcement of their ‘Live Trilogy Episode III: The Wings Tour’ in early 2017. With their carefully crafted album concepts, BTS is able to draw in the masses by addressing social and mental issues through their songs. The group has since
graced several American award shows, talk shows, broke various music records, all while maintaining their image as a Korean boy group performing Korean songs. Speaking in terms of musical rankings, the group has surpassed music giants such as One Direction. Their achievements pile up on a monthly basis at incredible speed, making you wonder for how much longer the group can keep up. All the while they have ensured to keep their fan base, ARMY, close and remind them to take care of themselves. On September 24, 2018, BTS attended the United Nations 73rd General Assembly to launch their ‘Love Myself’ campaign, and talk about the importance of selfacceptance. BTS announced the release for their next album, ‘Map of the Soul: Persona’, for April 12, 2019.
SPORTS 25
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Holloway Triumph at Fight Night.
Image of Wright v. Khan match
FRANKIE CHRISTOU
On Wednesday and Friday evenings, the SU floors are regularly covered in an array of VK flavors, empty cups and confetti after a typical University night out. However, Thursday 14 March witnessed a slightly different residue – blood, sweat and tears. The usual night club venue was transformed into a fighting arena, as all of Royal Holloway’s fighting clubs participated in what turned out to be an action packed night. Kris Noel-Tagoe opened the show and set the atmosphere for the rest of what was to come. He was matched up against Kayo Bharucha from Queen Mary’s University. Kris proved to be the better striker of the two, landing countless punches that dazed his opponent in the
opening round. However, in Thai Boxing, hands are second to kicks. Kayo managed to score points by landing numerous kicks to the body, and the upper thigh which slowed the pace of Kris in the last two rounds. Kayo’s hand was raised in the end, but Kris’ effort was echoed by the standing ovation he received from the crowd. The second fight was just as explosive as the first. Making his fighting debut, Joao Ricardo Teixeira had the confidence to take on a more experienced fighter, Salim Yunus also representing Queen Mary’s. Joao started the fight on the front foot, knocking his opponent to the ground on three occasions in the opening two rounds. His inexperience showed in the final round, as fatigue showed as he dropped his
guard, giving Salim an open target to strike at. Joao’s efforts in opening two rounds however, granted him victory giving Holloway their first victory of the night. The Founder was lucky enough to catch up with Joao after his debut in the ring. “I thought it went good, because it was my first fight I did not know what to expect.” He explained. “I thought I had lost because of that third round but after I spoke to the coach, and the President they explained that the first two rounds were my best rounds despite me losing the third. “There was a point when I got a lot of clean punches in and I thought I could have got that final knock down but when the tiredness kicked in its hard to keep the same tempo. “I have learnt that I definitely enjoy training more
so than fighting. I learnt that I also need to have my guard up more, he managed to get a lot of shots to the head, a lot of hooks. “From here on, it’s just getting back to training and getting my guard up more while also striking harder.” The next fight witnessed two Royal Holloway fighters, Toby Jackson and Liam Fletcher, which was won by the later by a second round KO. Jack Wright then went onto make his debut in the ring, facing Shah Khan from Queen Mary’s. Despite Jack proving his technical capability, Shah’s body kicks gave him the edge in the bout. The evening was rounded off by a boxing bout between Henry Andrews and Hasnan Javid, both from Royal Holloway. Hasnan used
his reach to his advantage, keeping Henry at bay and picking off his shots. Henry recovered, landing two major blows, which came as a surprise to Hasnan. However, Hasnan quickly recovered and was declared the winner by TKO late into the second round. A huge mention goes out to the other fighters who participated in what turned out to be a really eventful evening. The night was a success from the off, with many novice fighters gaining some invaluable ring experience and others being able to show off their skills. A huge thank you must be given out to the SU for hosting the event as well as Ana Iamandi (Thai Boxing President) and Stephen Mallet (MMA) who organized the event. We will see you all again next year!
26 SPORTS
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Meet Dominic Brown - Your VP Sport for 2019/2020
Image on Dominic Brown FRANKIE CHRISTOU
Congratulations on being re-elected! How did you find the campaigning process this year? Thank you! It really is a massive relief and weight off of my shoulders. But most of all it is truly an honor and privilege to be trusted once more, and to represent students again. I have loved being VP Sport so much and have grown a lot personally so I look forward to doing what I love for even longer! A lot of people have asked me if the whole process was easier this year, I can certainly say that it wasn’t, if anything it was harder. I think there is a lot more pressure if you are already in the role, you also have to try and balance important work life around planning for the campaign which can become extremely tiring and take over your life. However, despite the stress of it all, I love going out and talking to students as well as being able to show my passion and run an energetic and fun campaign. Luckily it paid off and I was successful!
Reflecting on your first year as VP Sport, what has been your greatest achievement so far? It might sound futile, but I believe mine, and Megan Beddoes’s (Sports club coordinator) presence down at the sports centre on a Wednesday afternoon during fixtures. I say futile because it is a very simple thing to do, however it means that we are able to have frequent conversations with committees and members, cut out any issues, be on hand to deal with match day dramas and physically watch the teams we support day in and day out. I believe clubs feel supported, recognized and valued by this small change, which ultimately is what all groups strive for. Of course we try our best to support groups that compete off campus, however we have more work to do on this One of your main manifesto points is to include a welfare officer into all student groups, how do you hope to achieve this and how will it benefit
sport at Royal Holloway? Over the summer term I will have time to pitch and plan this. By looking at groups who have already implemented a similar role, I will be able to work out what works and what doesn’t. This is not something I would want to force every group to do, as it may not be applicable or needed by everyone. Although, I do think it is something clubs and societies would want to pick up. If all goes to plan then I would like to see roles be created and added to constitutions where members could be co-opted into the role and be provided with training & support at the beginning of the year, to compliment the mental health training that was provided this year. Sport and active lifestyle can be a stressful time, if you are having issues to do with your activity or even day to day life, then it would be comforting to know there is someone you can go to, which would relieve stress and halve the issue, guiding them to professional services if deemed necessary. What are your other main aims for the upcoming year? There are many changes happening in the Students’ Union that I want to be a part of such as the democracy review, this has been a big piece of work this year and will come to fruition next year. There are some things the will effect clubs & societies so I want to ensure I am there to have input and oversee the changes. Furthermore, I will look to carry out my manifesto with particular aims to streamline the long and draining forms committees have to fill out as well as reviewing the student opportunities membership that every member has to purchase before joining a group.
Having a degree in film, will you be looking to collaborate with student media outlets like our self, the Orbital and Rhubarb TV to enhance coverage of sport at Royal Holloway?
With Varsity just round the corner, what are you doing to ensure that we come back stronger this year? The groups have been working extremely hard this year, not only during fixtures but in trainings as well. Compared to other years, I have noticed a significant difference when it comes to Varsity. There is much more of a focus on it, rather than being just an event that happens at the end of the season. I have heard and spoken to students who seem to have inherited the Varsity culture and the rivalry with Surrey which is fantastic to see, it aids in making the event more intense and of a higher quality for competitors and spectators.. The more people that travel to Surrey the better!
I love seeing all the fantastic things the media outlets do, I have worked with all three in a variety of different ways on a variety of different events. Of course, because of my degree, I have a keen interest with Rhubarb, and they helped to film the varsity promotion video which went down extremely well. I have noticed the push to highlight active lifestyle from each of the media outlets this year, but of course would always like to see progression. Including the media outlets on fixture days would be my next progression! Finally, with this being your final year as VP Sport what What have you learnt from legacy will you be looking to the three other candidates leave behind? that run against you? Being in this role is In my opinion, I believe extremely hard, you can the VP Sport role had the never please everyone and strongest set of candidates it’s foolish to think you can. out of all the roles and As much as I always strove each of the 3 other people to do the best thing and work running for the role brought my hardest for every single something extremely special group… it is not always to their campaign. Jacks possible. I would love people kind hearted nature and to appreciate the hard work knowledge was amazing and passion I have put into to see and was always the role of VP Sports. I want there to support other to improve the experience of candidates when needed. Royal Holloway Sport and Josh’s dedication to the hope to step up my game for campaign was unbelievable the remainder of my time here considering he is an off- to ensure that happens. Not campus master’s student – many students know what the he did incredibly well. Gwen sabbatical role truly entails, brought energy and passion it is tiring and stressful, but I and brought up important love it, and wouldn’t change it issues which need tackling. for the world at the moment. I have learnt from them all and they were all amazing people, they have kept me on my toes and are making me be the best version of me I can be possibly be in this role.
SPORTS 27
THE FOUNDER March 2019
Getting To Know Our Clubs
Photo via Royal Holloway Website JACK WRIGHT
Over the past two weeks, as a result of campaigning for the position of VP Sport in the student elections, I’ve been able to engage with Royal Holloway sports clubs in new and exciting ways. I was able to visit 20 sports clubs on campus, ranging from Archery to Ultimate Frisbee, in order to meet
members, chat a little about their experience with the Student’s Union, and get an idea of the sort of changes that they would like to see in future years on campus. Engaging with clubs in this manner has allowed me a greater insight into some of the aspects of sporting life that I previously neglected, and I hope to share some of these with you.
The number of sporting opportunities offered at our university is really quite staggering. We have a fantastic mixture of activities, including some that venture beyond our campus walls, such as Mountaineering and Climbing’s regular trips to White Spider Climbing. On-campus, I was made more aware of sessions run by our strength and conditioning coach, and
other Royal Holloway Sport staff. Every Thursday at 4pm, a half-an-hour Rest and Recovery session is run in Jane Holloway Hall. A variety of other events, such as a Sleep and Recovery seminar, regularly run. You can keep up to date on Instagram @ rhul_strength. Every week there is also a wide range of live sport worth attending. I was fortunate enough to watch our American Football team beat Cambridge in a playoff match and advance to the Southern Cup semi-final. I also saw our Women’s Rugby team perform excellently against Sussex, with fellow VP Sport candidate Gwen Richards captaining her side with incredible enthusiasm, despite an injury. The same can be said for fellow candidates Dominic Brown and Josh Bibby, who each showed great enthusiasm, and particular courtesy when inviting me to speak at Men’s Football and Lacrosse respectively.
Check out the Varsity Schedule Below:
The campaigning process revealed to me, above all else, just how many students are involved in sport at Royal Holloway. A ‘Live Statistics’ page operated by the Student’s Union, wherein the total number and percentage of voters from our clubs and societies across campus was visible, demonstrated this clearly, as student groups raced to reach 100 percent of voters to win £100. Rounders club, whom I was lucky enough to speak during campaigning, saw all 25 of their members vote in order to secure the prize, closely followed by Women’s Rugby. I would highly encourage you to make the effort to engage with sport here at Royal Holloway – don’t wait for a campaign like me! We have a wide array of clubs, regular live sport, and engaging and intuitive fitness sessions and seminars. Make the most of these opportunities and maybe even try something new.
Competition Time! As a local business that has provided accommodation for students at Royal Holloway since 2013 with almost 1,500 students having stayed in accommodation built by Danehurst, we wish to ensure that our schemes are planned so that they focus around the living experience of residents. We have plenty of ideas! But to help us along further, and for a chance to win a £100 Nando’s Gift Card, we’d like you to tell us the best and worst aspects about your current student accommodation. Whether you rent a house or flat, or live in purpose built accommodation, tell us how you enjoy hanging out in the common room, the free wi-fi, or about the sandwich toaster you can’t live without. We’d also like to know the least liked aspects about your present accommodation ... noisy neighbours, lack of hot water, or having to clean up after others! Enter on Twitter or Instagram before 1st May using #danehurstegham and we’ll select two winners at random, one for the best and one for the worst accommodation experience. Each winner will be notified by DM on 15th May. We really look forward to reading your suggestions and good luck from all of us at Danehurst.
www.danehurst.com