The Founder May 2023

Eurovision 2023 TikTok Edition

ANNA ARMELIN | CONTENT WRITER

The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is to be hosted by the UK this year… wooo! The event is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and features entries from primarily European countries. The event is renowned for its creative and elaborate performances, and having been held since 1956, has a large following.

Last year’s competition crowned Ukraine the winners, but as they are unable to host, the runners up (us!) are hosting. With the grand final taking place on Saturday 13th May at Liverpool Arena, there is much excitement in the UK.

Index

News....................................................................................2

Features................................................................................4

Opinion And Debate............................................................9

Lifestyle..............................................................................11

Arts: Arts and Culture........................................................12

Arts: Literary Reviews.......................................................14

Arts: Film...........................................................................19

Arts: Music.........................................................................21

Sports..................................................................................22

on p.21

Embracing the life you have: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig p. 14

The London Book Fair 2023 p7

Geoffrey Hinton, “Godfather of AI”, concerned about technology advancements p. 3

Source: Instagram @Eurivision.

The Coronation of Their Majesties, The King and Queen

MOSHIN QURESHI | CONTENT WRITER

Withthe coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla rapidly approaching, Britain and the Commonwealth have begun to prepare for this historic ceremony, in what will be a once-in-a-generation event. In London, rehearsals for the ceremony have taken place to ensure that on the 6th May, everything goes accordingly. Whilst this is the first coronation to take place in Britain in nearly 70 years, after the late Queen Elizabeth II’s own coronation ceremony back in 1953. This also marks the first British coronation to take place within this century.

Aligning with tradition, the Queen will be crowned alongside her husband, the King, albeit in a simpler form. The last time a queen consort was crowned was in 1937 when Queen Elizabeth, (later known as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) was crowned alongside her husband, King George VI, after the abdication of King Edward VIII the previous year. However, Queen Camilla will set precedence in becoming the first female consort to not have a canopy concealing the holy and sacred anointing process.

Some prominent royals to have leading roles include Their Royal Highnesses: Prince William, Princess Catherine, and Princess Anne. In what will be a momentous occasion, a new era for Britain, as King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to be crowned King and Queen of the United Kingdom.

The Founder Board 2022

- 2023

Editor in Chief/Deputy Editor

Ali Krausova/Chloe Boulton

editor@thefounder.co.uk/deputyeditor@thefounder.co.uk

Managing Editor Devesh Sood

managingeditor@thefounder.co.uk

Publishing & Creative Designer

Alisa Khodyryeva

designer@thefounder.co.uk

News Editor

Robyn Spink news@thefounder.co.uk

Features Editor

Daniel Pepin features@thefounder.co.uk

Opinon and Debate Editor

Joel Davies opinion@thefounder.co.uk

Lifestyle Editor

Molly Ainley lifestyle@thefounder.co.uk

Sports Editor

Iman Ahmed sportseditor@thefounder.co.uk

However, measures have taken place to scale down the much-anticipated event, from the length of the ceremony itself to the shortening of the procession route. Nevertheless, thousands are expected to arrive to the capital and line the route that will stretch from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. A full display of British pomp, pageantry and splendour is also expected to be exhibited across the nation throughout the coronation weekend.

Illustrator Tabitha Turner illustrator@thefounder.co.uk

Arts Editor Lily Birch arts@thefounder.co.uk

Literary Review Editor

Viktoria Praczko literaryreview@thefounder.co.uk

Music Editor

Anna Armelin music@thefounder.co.uk

Film Editor

Jethro Robathan film@thefounder.co.uk

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.

Source: Getty Images

Geoffrey Hinton, “Godfather of AI”, concerned about technology advancements

ROBYN SPINK | NEWS EDITOR

Geoffrey Hinton, an American computer scientist widely known as the “Godfather of Artificial Intelligence” has warned about the advancement of the technology. Hinton has highlighted the worries he has regarding the threat AI could pose to humanity, revealing “the idea that this stuff could actually get smarter than people – a few people believed that”, adding “but most people thought it was way off. And I thought it was way off”.

Nurses

Source: RNZ

Hinton has suggested he now regrets his work on the development of AI, citing the fact that soon chatbots could overtake the capacity of information that the human brain is capable of. In addition, “bad actors” who would use AI for “bad things” is another concern, with Hinton using Russian President Vladimir Putin as an example of someone potentially giving “robots the ability to create their own sub-goals”.

Hinton’s warnings echo those of other industry experts and come after his departure from Google, enabling him to speak freely about his concerns. Matt Clifford, the chairman of the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency, highlighted the “enormous upside” to AI, but raised the necessity that “the world invests heavily and urgently in AI safety and control”.

At the end of April 2023, over 1000 technology experts, such as Twitter Chief Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, signed a letter requesting a halt on the development of AI, stating that “AI systems with human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity”, with a key concern being that AI could consume information channels with misinformation, alongside replacing jobs.

set to strike again after rejecting government pay offer

NEVE WATSON | CONTENT WRITER

Nurses across England are set to relaunch strike action this week, demanding a fair offer for pay. This next wave of strikes comes following the rejection of the government’s Agenda for Change salary offer for nurses in England. The agenda proposed a lump sum payment for 2022-23 as well as a pay rise of up to 10.4% for 2023-24. The vote was narrow, with 54% voting against the offer and 46% in favour. Following the rejection, the Royal College for Nursing announced a new round-theclock strike lasting 48 hours, starting at 8pm on 30th April until 8pm on the 2nd May. The strikes will involve nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care, cancer care and other services. Without any further action from the government, it is likely strikes will continue until as late as the end of 2023.

Amidst the strike action, huge amounts of planning have been implemented to minimise disruption to patient care, however, with an already stretched NHS workforce, the healthcare system across England is under immense pressure. Saffron Cordery, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, claims it is “not sustainable going forward for the NHS to manage strike action”. To ensure safe car continues for those in life-threatening conditions, NHS staff will prioritise urgent care over some routine appointments, resulting in lower-risk patients experiencing longer waits for care during the strikes.

Source: Shutterstock

Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists 5th Edition

DANIEL PEPIN | FEATURES EDITOR

Every ten years the literary magazine

Granta releases a list of 20 novelists of the best young British writers under 40 working today. Introduced in 1983 in Granta’s seventh issue, the magazine announced the fifth edition in the 163rd issue. A panel of judges selected the list: Tash Aw, Rachel Cusk, Brian Dillon, Helen Oyeyemi and Granta’s editor, Sigrid Rausing. This decade’s winners are Graeme Armstrong, Jennifer Atkins, Sara Baume, Sarah Bernstein, Natasha Brown, Eleanor Catton, Eliza Clark, Tom Crewe, Lauren Aimee Curtis, Camilla Grudova, Isabella Hammad, Sophie Mackintosh, Anna Metcalfe, Thomas Morris, Derek Owusu, K Patrick, Yara Rodrigues Fowler, Saba Sams, Olivia Sudjic and Royal Holloway’s very own Eley Williams. Starting a streak of Royal Holloway winners as Eley follows Ben Markovits in the 2013 list.

As with any literary list, there is backlash. The notion of a list compiled by judges sits uneasy regarding literature. It is too subjective. Rausing admits this in her introduction and states that another panel could have been different. Does this really reflect the very best of young British writers or does it reflect the Judges’ favourites?

The New Statesman published an article decrying the lack of men on the list, lamenting the death of the “literary bloke”. This hysterical article raised the issue of the future of whether the list had lost its meaning because of a lack of masculine presence. There are 15 female winners and five males. The last decade showcased 12 women and eight men, the first time the female sex won out. A field becoming feminized and therefore less popular and respected is nothing new. Yara Rodrigues Fowler drew attention to this during a talk at Foyles day festival celebrating the list. Other articles have complained about the failing prestige of the award. The 1983 issue did have heavy hitters: Rushdie was featured as well as McEwan and Ishiguro.

However, the claim that this list features writers with little cultural footprint denies both their artistic merit and the power of social media. Authors such as Eliza Clark and Sophie Mackintosh, and Saba Sams practically run bookstagram. There is also the issue that the world was cheaper in the 80s. White men could afford to write three or four novels before they reached 40. That is not the case in 2023. Most of the winners this year all have full-time jobs unrelated to publishing and they write in their spare time – if they can find some.

One cannot help but think that these critics ought to redirect their efforts of complaint to the genuine glaring issue in the 2023 list: a lack of diversity. Out of twenty winners, the judges only produced two people of colour: Natasha Brown, author of Assembly, Foyles Fiction Book of the Year 2021 and Derek Owusu, author of That Reminds Me. Staggering. Granta even relaxed the entry requirements. Candidates no longer need a British passport. Rausing wanted to expand to all those who call Britain their home, but they still could not diversify beyond ten percent. Shockingly, this list is less diverse than the 1983 list which featured four writers of colour. The misguide backlash Granta’s list has faced is a perfect example of how the media so easily pushes diversity under the rug in favour of more digestible issues.

Source: Cover designed by Donal Stuart, courtesy of Granta Press release.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Last week we met our new Editor in Chief, Riley Moore, and our new Deputy Editor, Elena Chiujdea. As happy as I am to know The Founder will be in good hands next academic year, I am also nostalgic, knowing very well that the thing I enjoyed about my studies the most was working for The Founder my whole time at Royal Holloway.

I started writing for The Founder in my first year. I then wrote a feature called ‘Tuesday’s cooked dream’, focusing on the ugly side of being a university student throughout lockdown. The article was met with backlash and Daniel Pepin, our current Features Editor, was the only one who thought it was funny. It made sense I would hand him Features. Sometimes you choose to expose people and situations in order to write an article but if it is clever and well-intentioned, that byline will speak to you for a long time after. Now I focus less on Features and more on Music, and I am sure that is going to change again and grateful to Royal Holloway’s student media for giving students the option to try out different Journalism fields.

Watching what our past editorial team is up to now has been inspiring. It proves that Journalism is not dying out, there are many things you can do with it still. Sometimes I wonder if anyone has ever found the note I hid in my first-year room. I wrote: ‘One day I will be the best at what I do’. I am still working on it and will never stop, and that is how I know it might come true.

Certain people really stand out to me, Tabitha Turner and Robyn Spink, I think you are going to go very far. I am also thankful to our Managing Editor, Devesh Sood, who worked incredibly hard to keep us in print. To the Editorial Team of 2022/23, now there is the rest of our lives and there is nothing like the thrill of the ride.

Yours truly,

Ali Krausova Editor in Chief 2022/23

A New Way of Fixing Climate Change

ALICIA PRYOR | CONTENT WRITER

Global temperature has been predicted to rise to one point five degrees Celsius by 2050, and two to four degrees Celsius by 2100. In 2021, 136 countries pledged to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions during UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).

Although some countries are on their way to meeting their pledged targets, increasing greenhouse gas emissions have already created devastating climate change e�ects on Earth. Global temperatures have now risen to one point two degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, with extreme weather plaguing many parts of the world. Global powers need to act before climate change causes further, deadlier natural disasters. One of the solutions that is being explored is carbon dioxide removal (CDR) which aims to remove historic emissions from the atmosphere. While substantial amounts of greenhouse gases are still being emitted by major countries, the problem can be resolved through the removal of carbon dioxide in the air through various systems.

Although CDR is still in experimental stages, some of the proposed methods include: the restoration of trees and forests, direct air capture, biomass carbon removal and storage, carbon mineralization and oceanbased approaches.

Trees are incredibly effective at capturing CO2 through photosynthesis. Restorations of forests after wildfires, and urban reforestation would work in increasing the amount of CO2 being captured from the atmosphere. However, it is important to note that this should be done on ecologically appropriate land, and not to replace already established farmland with forests. Biomass carbon removal and storage uses natural plant biomasses in combination with energy production to produce electricity that captures CO2 without affecting food security or ecological life. Ocean-based approaches aim to use electrochemical methods such as ocean alkalinity enhancement (adding acidity into the ocean) to lock atmospheric CO2 into the ocean. Direct air capture uses machines to capture CO2 from the air and buries it deep into the ground. In 2017, the first plant that aims to capture CO2 on an industrial scale from the air was opened in Switzerland. The plant uses fans to push air into a filter that separates CO2, which is then transported to a nearby greenhouse through underground pipes to help grow vegetables. By deploying either natural and/ or technological methods, the ways of removing carbon dioxide in the air becomes viable according to the different needs of countries. Although CDR is a potentially revolutionary method in tackling climate change, it is important for governments and big corporations to still do their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to deploy additional methods such as increased investments in renewable energy. A combination of all these solutions is crucial in stopping further, dangerous rises in global temperature. The most important aspect is for critical actors to realise the necessity of stopping climate change, and to have the political will in taking action to do so.

The Skinny on the Ozempic

KATHERINA HOI | CONTENT WRITER

In the faraway dystopian land that is the New York subway, an Ozempic ad hangs in a bright yellow colour, offering the promise of weight loss with only one shot a week. If you have been online at all during 2023, you will know about Ozempic, the memes about it are difficult to avoid. While it was once a treatment for Diabetes 2, used to regulate blood sugar, it has now become a weight loss hero as it suppresses appetite and keeps the user fuller for longer. There have always been weight-loss pills and drugs, none of this is new, rather only the name for these drugs changes.

Dazed Beauty writer Zoe Huxford writes that in the 40s, it was an amphetamine called Benzedrine, which was originally used to keep soldiers fighting without feeling fatigued. After the war ended, the drug found itself a new soldier, housewives. In the 60s, the FDA approved Obetrol, which was amphetamine mixed salts which included methamphetamine. The FDA only realised meth was in fact bad a few years later when Obetrol’s side effects like psychosis and death came to light. This did not decrease sales. By 1970, the National Centre for Biotechnology Information reported that 5% of Americans were on a ‘rainbow dietpill’ aka an amphetamine that promised weight loss like never before. The problem is, it worked, and the weightloss drug empire just kept growing.

According to a 2023 YouGov survey, 1 in 10 Americans have tried weight loss pills.

Since last December, Ozempic prescriptions have increased by 64% and it is now a trending hashtag on TikTok with users proudly showing off their weight loss. But Matthew Schneier asks in his piece for The Cut, did we not get past all this? We, as a culture, were once praising the bigger body and together unmasking the monster of eating disorders in a Scooby Doo like manner. Aubrey Gorden, a fat activist, is quoted by The New York Times in stating that the continued support for Ozempic and other akin weight loss injectables boils down to “can we finally be rid of fat people?” The big deal about weightloss drugs and them trending, gaining cult status, is that it shows the superficiality of body positivity. How are we as a culture meant to recover from body and food issues if it is something that keeps coming back, being commercialised, and shown off in public subways? And if it becomes the norm, where will that leave us as a culture? For one, the issue that has already been seen to come from the Ozempic hype is that individuals with Diabetes 2 are unable to get their medication due to demand. And this is expected to only worsen as doctors report patients are coming in and, as quoted by Schneier, “begging for it, disappointed if they get [weight loss] pills instead”.

Source: Climeworks

Source: Ro

The London Book Fair 2023

DANIEL PEPIN | FEATURES EDITOR

For many, The London Book Fair signals the start of a new publishing year. Recognised throughout the literary world as one of, if not, the most important publishing events of the year. A mass gathering of publishers, imprints, authors, journalists, translators, editors, and anybody literarily inclined. 2023’s iteration was no exception. Hosted at the iconic Olympia London over three days, London Book Fair 2023 was a captivating and exhilarating celebration of all things literature. Upon entry, your eyes are pulled in one direction and then immediately pushed in another. Immediately to the right, the sleekly bound coffee table books of Rizzoli Publishing winking for your attention. The Big Five publishing houses dominated the Grand Hall, flanked on all sides by independent presses lining the walkways. HarperCollins puffed their chest with an impossibly large wall advertising R.F. Kuang’s new literary thriller Yellowface (releasing early May) while Simon and Schuster proudly unveiled their decadent selection of upcoming novels in chic pine shelves – including the much-anticipated Rouge by Mona Awad (September release date). The serene oasis of the Sharjah Book Authority exhibition cut through the chaos wrapped in minimalist whites and beiges. The dizzying height of the glass ceilings echoed the cacophonous roar of books being sold, bought, and discussed. Notable deals included Headline acquiring a biography of Max Verstappen by Mark Hughes, HarperCollins announced a historical novel and a fantasy title from R.F Kuang, and Faber confirmed to publish the first graphic novel adaptation of William Golding’s 1954 classic, Lord of the Flies, illustrated by Dutch artist Aimée de Jongh. The serene oasis of the Sharjah Book Authority exhibition cut through the chaos wrapped in minimalist whites and beiges.

Day One began with a keynote interview with HarperCollins CEO Brian Murray and David Roche, Chair of the LBF Advisory Board. The two discussed the merits and future of publishing in which Brian praised the cultural spirit of London asking, “what’s not to like about London publishing?” When commenting on the growing cost of books amidst the fallout of the relative sales boom during lockdown Murray admitted that “cost keeps [him] up at night.” These were humanising moments from an otherwise austere corporation figurehead. HarperCollins suffered a three-month labour strike over pay disputes from 10th November 2022 to 21st February 2023. Though the interview kept a safe distance from the strikes Roche managed to sneak a couple of questions in which resulted in Murray claiming a “great relationship with staff” that he hopes to maintain. Murray also praised his staff for “rising to occasion” during Covid. The other standout event of the Fair’s first day was the “Author of the Day” keynote. Colin Grant, author of I’m Black So You Don’t Have to Be interviewed Colson Whitehead, Pulitzer prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad, and The Nickel Boys. Whitehead exuded his trademark coolness and practicality while the two men discussed his new novel Crook Manifesto and Whitehead’s love of creating lives and then changing them completely. The talk was upbeat and humorous, Whitehead firing off an endearing chuckle whenever Grant made a jab at one of his books. Crook Manifesto is the sequel to Harlem Shuffle, a love letter to heist fiction and 1960’s Harlem.

Naturally, the subject of race came up and Whitehead addressed the issue without pretence asserting that “there’s a race line everywhere.” A big part of Harlem Shuffle revolves around black Harlem communities and the stigma of having a mixed ethnic background resulting in inter-community prejudice. When asked about this by Grant, Whitehead sagely and resignedly replied that “even if we all look alike, we find a way to categorise each other.” Overall, the talk was celebratory and insightful with Whitehead shining at its centre. Other highlights of day one included the announcement of the International Booker Prize shortlist. My personal favourite nominee: Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov, a novel about two enigmatic nostalgia addicts replicating history as a cure for dementia, remains in the running. Eve Baltasar’s Boulder and Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel are perhaps the favourites to win. Hannah Gomez of Kevin Anderson & Associates held a clarifying talk about Cultural accuracy editing and the difference between “harm” and “offence”. Unsurprisingly, the crowd consisted of mostly young writers. Day two revealed no signs of slowing the pace. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was the opening keynote speaker in conversation with Dan Conway, CEO of The Publishers Association.

Khan was ostensibly attending to promote his new book: Breathe, a “practical” approach to tackling climate change and eco-anxiety. Khan was very casual and adopted a salt-ofthe-earth persona throughout the interview – frequently filling space with cries of “buy my book!” He won sympathy from the audience when he opened up about his struggle with asthma due to London’s air pollution levels and how that inspired him to write Breathe. Khan’s views on climate change and its literature were confusing. He took time to emphasise the risks of air pollution but then claimed that climate change literature had “too much doom and gloom” for his tastes. His strangest comment that garnered some raised eyebrows and involuntary clenching was during his monologue about the intersection of anti-immigration and climate change when people flee climate change by emigrating to more hospitable climates. Khan remarked that “if you are antiimmigration then you must be anti-climate change.” Certainly, he meant it as a joke, but this comment did not sit well with the audience, generating little more than some awkward laughs. While there as an author, Khan could not quite escape his duties as Mayor during questions and many of them revolved around his plans for London. Khan answered pragmatically and, ever a patriot, quoted Churchill and threw in a saying of his own: “a good culture reflects a society, a great culture shapes one”. Of course, as with any relevant politician, Khan could not resist a jab at Johnson.

FEATURES 8

Also at the Main Stage, Sam Missingham gave a talk on indie presses as the creative heart of the industry with speakers from various presses including Jacaranda Books, a press specialising in BAME literature, and Chelsea Green Publishing which specialises in nature, gardening, and ecology literature. An important and realistic talk that praised the dedication and individuality of indie presses while not shying away from the intense difficulties of starting an independent press. I could not help but notice the disparity between Formy Books, a small Black-owned children’s book indie publisher business which still does not turn a profit and Canelo Books, a White-owned press whose managing director, Iain Millar, has experience in bigger presses and has been profitable for years. The talk blurred the lines and forced the audience to ponder what constitutes an indie press, whether that was the intention or not.

The 2023 London Book Fair does not disappoint. As I returned to Egham on the 17:34 train, ladened down with proof copies and business cards spilling out of my blazer pocket, I still felt the hum. That rippling hum of books. Of literature. Of creativity. It was like a headache one gets after being in the sun all day – dully painful but blissful in its warmth. It is still with me two weeks later. This absolute epicentre of the publishing world broiling with publishers striking deals, wandering minds, and ideas sparking into life were truly intoxicating. I urge anyone with literary inclinations to go next year.

Source: Photographed by Anna Zanetti, Midas PR. The Grand Hall

No Space for Britain?

JOEL DAVIES | OPINION AND DEBATE EDITOR

OnThursday 20th April 2023, the latest rocket developed by US-based company Space-X exploded after take-off. Luckily, the vessel was an unmanned venture, and it had been hinted by executives prior to the launch that they were not expecting a resounding success. The rocket was the largest that had ever been launched in Earth’s history, setting records despite its ultimate failure. Still, the explosion was a disappointment for the company and space enthusiasts alike as it had been promoted as a first test for a vehicle that would one day carry the first human missions to Mars. In our current global situation, it has been suggested that the funding of space exploration is a mismanagement of public finances when we have so many Earthly priorities. Space programs can be extremely expensive to operate, and even more expensive to set up in the first place. However, multiple regions of the world are powering ahead with their engineering efforts and space development hubs are emerging in the USA, China, Russia, and the European Union. Security motivations have frequently been the cause of this spike, coming to a head with the ‘spy balloon’ scandal between the USA and China in 2023. Countries around the world are beginning to recognise the potential for space-based warfare. Beyond these short-term views, it is clear to see that outer space is the next horizon for commerce. Space tourism is a nascent industry but is slowly making its first steps and is likely to explode in popularity in upcoming years. Jeff Bezos made headlines in 2021 for taking a short 10-minute trip into space, and following missions by the Blue Origin company raised over $50 million in ticket sales.

TikTok’s “Girl With the List” and making informed choices

HANA NABIZADA | CONTENT WRITER

Source: NASA

Space tourism, much like other tourism industries on the periphery of the world, has stunning potential. Similarly, space extraction is an industry to keep an eye on. Whether it be energy extraction (solar or otherwise) or mineral extraction from the countless asteroids that crowd our solar system, the profit potential of the space industry is unfathomable.

These motivations are core to the new resurgence in astronomical funding and as a result, we are left with one question – why isn’t the UK getting in on this?

The Brexit promise was that leaving the European Union would allow the UK to pursue its own path, regain sovereignty, and thrive as an independent, powerful nation. Yet, almost seven years after the original referendum, the UK seems poorer and more unstable than it has in living memory. Unfortunately for space enthusiasts, this has been reflected in funding for space programs too, with the UK Space Agency even having relatively small name recognition as compared to the famous NASA, or even the ESA. Post-Brexit, the UK had retracted from the ESA’s Galileo satellite program with the stated intention to develop their own, parallel, independent program, yet in the subsequent years, this replacement was scrapped and largely forgotten, along with the British public’s enthusiasm for space. It is undoubtable that the state’s capacity for large-scale funding is minimal and that funding a space program in the current atmosphere would be a political mistake. Despite this, it is a poor decision to make, and the UK will find itself missing out on the astronomical benefits of the space industry in the years to come.

Becausepregnancy and motherhood have long been a societal expectation the majority of women face globally, the reality of it seems to have been diluted to women. It has been popularly romanticised, taking away the opportunities and knowledge of preparing women for the less-than-ideal sides to it. However, a surprising new form of understanding some of the realities of pregnancy and motherhood has emerged: TikTok’s “Girl With The List”.

The “Girl With The List” is exactly what the title suggests. First going viral in February 2022, TikTok account @yuniquethoughts writes a list of pros and cons regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. There are over 300 cons listed and nowhere near as many pros. Whilst this may have initially (and perhaps continued to) been for the purpose of comedy, it has provided a vital and popular way of highlighting some of the risks involved with pregnancy and motherhood that may otherwise have not been made aware to women. This may in part be due to the romanticisation of pregnancy and motherhood, not being common knowledge and the knowledge not being made as readily available to women as they would wish.

Despite this, it has opened the discussion of women desiring to make informed medical choices, especially in relation to pregnancy and childbirth. Furthermore, “Girl With The List” deviates from the romanticisation and glamorisation of pregnancy and childbirth, allowing for a more realistic side of it to be shown, even if it is not as pleasant. Viral phrases in the comments section of TikTok such as “where’s the girl with the list?” show how making informed choices about pregnancy and childbirth has long been lacking. This is especially relevant given the current political climate, where women’s bodies are now points of control by the state and law (look no further than the overturning of Roe v Wade). This is not to say that healthcare professionals are deliberately shielding information from women. However, many women feel that school, health and/or patriarchal systems are to blame for the lack of opportunities in understanding the extent of their bodily choices, both good and bad. Articles and healthcare professionals do warn of sensationalising pregnancy and post-natal risks, and whilst this is definitely something to remember, opening up the conversation of informed choices and how to achieve this is incredibly important.

Source: The Atlantic

AND DEBATE 10

Guyana: Natural Leader or Nature Destroyer?

JETHRO ROBATHAN | FILM EDITOR

The May 2015 ExxonMobil discovery of plentiful oil reserves roughly 200 kilometers off the Guyanese coast has introduced a political, ethical, and environmental conundrum at the heart of contemporary policymaking. Can Guyana, a country renowned for its wild, tropical rainforests and rich biodiversity, simultaneously become a country at the forefront of the crude oil market?

Offshore oil exploration around Guyana is nothing new, with early ventures into striking crude gold dating back to the 1950s. Little in the way of success followed, with only a singular commercially viable location found amongst the 9 wells established between 1965 to 1970. The string of successive findings of hydrocarbon-rich reserves across the GuyanaSuriname basin has, however, suddenly placed Guyana as the newest potential member amongst the petrostates of the world. This is at a time when the European demand for new crude oil imports has rocketed following the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Stabroek Block was estimated to field approximately 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe), although this was a number mapped prior to the recent findings of two new oil deposits at the Sailfin-1 and Yarrow-1 wells in October 2022. To put this into perspective, Exxon project their offshore Guyanese rigs to be pumping out a potential 750,000 barrels of oil by 2025. This estimate has since been projected to hit upwards of 1 million barrels per day by the end of this decade if the planned production of new rigs is complete.

While the plentiful supply of oil allows European refineries to worry a little less following Russian sanctions, and hopefully benefit Guyana’s underdeveloped economy and infrastructure, there are wider concerns facing both the Guyanese government and the global energy market. Contrary to its reputation as one of the world’s foremost carbon sinks, Guyana now stands to be leading the charge against greener, sustainable economic models.

There also lies the implicit sociopolitical danger posed against the citizens of Georgetown and other coastal cities. To clarify, little in the way of economic uplifting or infrastructure development has been enforced, largely due to the noticeable lack of any regulatory Petroleum Commission being established in the three years since commercial oil production begun at Stabroek.

Exxon’s plans to produce 1 million barrels of crude oil per day carry a weighty environmental hammer: by 2030 Guyana would be amongst the highest oil producers in the world, transforming the lush, rainforest canopied carbon sink into the latest ‘carbon bomb’. This turnof-the-decade also marks climate experts forecasting the flooding of many Guyanese coastal towns, including the capital city Georgetown. The economic influx from oil exportation and projected environmental fallout comes immediately after the journal, Science, unveiled that Exxon scientists made disturbingly accurate predictions of global warming caused by burning fossil fuels back in the 1970s.

Compounding the imminent environmental fallout which the Starbroek block represents, Guyana’s Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo, confirmed intentions to monetize the nation’s largely untapped natural gas deposits in an interview with Reuters. While the economic boons of such fossil fuel reserves bodes well for the county’s financial future, there remains the larger threat of political instability which such injections of wealth inevitably bring. Beyond the social wellbeing of Guyana’s populace remains the well-documented ecological dangers of unsustainable energy sources. The lungs of our planet may soon fall victim to this latest cancerous growth that is our oil obsession.

Art: In all its forms

MOLLY AINLEY | LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Art. Paintings, poetry, plays, sculptures - the feeling of creating. I attended the affordable art fair in Battersea, London, a couple of months back and saw some wonderful, beautiful pieces of work which only inspire and invoke emotions beyond your imagination. I have always adored art, both creating and observing. My art skills are that of a toddler, and I know it is not always about the product but about the process. I believe that creating is one of the most powerful things you can do. Placing yourself in something designed by your mind is wonderful.

I believe when the routine 9-5 is enforced onto us, we forget we are grown in limiting boundaries, boxes you may say. “Everyone is a square”, well what if you tried to be a circle?

Cheesy, I know, but there are many benefits to creating and pushing against boundaries and lines. People would be amazed at the role art has in politics. Even at the fair, there were pieces which touched upon feminism in the most gracefully political manner I have ever seen. In a manner which makes me learn about feminism, embrace femininity, and be inspired to regain touch with my own.

Just to example some ways in which creating can be beneficial I comprised a little list:

1) I do not have the money for therapy, but I live in the 21st century and in a generation which has been, arguably, exposed to media and serious issues so quickly that we all have some complex, or issue, or reason for sadness. But art is a way to express that without the need to talk or the need to pay. Art can be free. Writing a poem in your notes, taking photos with your phone, creating colour from petals or natural sources and using it as paint are all ways that this form of therapy can be accessible.

2) Immortalisation. We are not going to live forever, and many who grieve or who are specialising in grief will speak about the legacy your loved ones have left behind and the way in which memories do not die. By creating you are immortalising yourself, in some manner. Saying you existed, proving you lived and making yourself a continuous moment in this world.

3) For yourself. We go to work to pay the bills. We write essays to attend due dates. We go out and make appearances. But art does not have to be for anyone else, I acknowledge my point before was to be remembered but both points are valid. You can create for yourself, and no one can tell you it is not beautiful as art is subjective.

Top Hair Care Methods of 2023

NAJYAH RAHMAN | CONTENT WRITER

Summer is just around the corner and the air is buzzing. We want to look, smell and feel good all summer round. Over the past few years, self-care has evolved in a variety of ways, with social media covering everything from skincare regimens to boosting our shower routines. Hair styling was a huge topic last year, so naturally, this year’s conversation is about hair care. Here is a list of top hair care methods and products, including a few with items you probably already have at home. Please keep in mind your hair type and do further research if you are unsure.

I truly do believe there is power in creation, and I would like to state the multiple forms of creation as a reminder you do not need to be Picasso:

Video creation, photography, poetry, story writing, textiles, recipes and food, dance, movement, music, lyrics, flower arranging, crochet, embroidery…

It is never-ending. Place yourself into something wholeheartedly and know the world is not a square.

If you suffer from excessive hair shedding and dullness, rice water is a godsend. The next time you soak a bowl of rice to cook later, do not throw that water away! Strain it into a new bowl or spray bottle and keep it in the fridge. Then you can either dunk your head in the bowl 20 minutes before your next shower or spray some onto your scalp whenever it needs a lift. Not only does this work miracles for keeping those hairs on your head but most people are fascinated by how fast their hair starts to grow (I can confirm this works like magic). Add this to your routine once or twice a week.

For dry and itchy scalps and also looking for hair growth and thickness, rosemary water is worth a try. Simply heat a pan of water and wait for it to boil, then throw in some fresh rosemary and let it simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Once strained and cooled you can massage or spray this into your scalp and preserve it in the fridge. For an extra boost add a few drops of Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Hair Growth Oil (starting from £7.29 on Amazon), a product with glowing reviews. Rosemary remedies are also recommended once or twice a week.

Another popular dandruff fix is The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution (£11.50 at Boots). Originally a skincare staple, after damaging many facial skin barriers last year, it seems a lot of people have not finished the huge bottle. A great alternative area to use these are our scalps, underarms, and really anywhere else. Skin influencers reject this, but body-care enthusiasts love it.

Hair oiling is a well-known remedy for deep conditioning, but what is less well-known is that different porosity levels require different oils. How to know your hair porosity? Drop combed hair that has fallen out into a glass of water. Your hair is low porosity if it floats. When hair sinks slowly, it has a normal porosity; when it sinks quickly, it has a high porosity. With that in mind, the best oils for lowporosity hair are jojoba, almond, avocado, and argan. For normal, you can try any oil depending on whether you lean towards higher or lower porosity, but the best ones to try are blackseed, grapeseed, neem or rosehip. For high, try castor, coconut, and olive oils.

Once again, please check that these remedies are suitable for you before trying them. Hope these help!

Source: 'Hag, Virago, Crone by Jess Quin, taken at the art fair.

Source: Tabitha Turner, Illustrator

& CULTURE 12

2023 MET Gala: Guests taking the theme seriously for once

LILY BIRCH | ARTS EDITOR

Thisyear's 2023 Met Gala came and went with as much opulence and prestige as previous years. This year's theme was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, and guests came out in full force to pay tribute to one of the most iconic designers of the century.

Karl Lagerfeld was a powerhouse of his industry; he took on struggling fashion houses, revitalised and reinvented their designs that remain as revolutionary now as they were at the time. He spent periods of time at Fendi and Chanel, going on to create his own fashion brand Karl Lagerfeld before his death. His life and portfolio left an enormous archive and an abundance of influences for other brands to incorporate into their own Lagerfeld-inspired pieces. As a result, the looks for the carpet this year were hugely on-theme, and gorgeous.

Many guests came in archived pieces from Lagerfeld’s era at Chanel, with co-chair of the event, Dua Lipa, arriving in a bold and daring fall-1992 Chanel bride corset gown, designed by Lagerfeld. Actress Nicole Kidman arrived on the carpet glowing in an archived Chanel gown that she herself had worn in her Chanel No. 5 advertisement in 2004, showcasing Lagerfeld's unmatched legacy in fashion.

Other guests walked the carpet wearing other fashion brands’ designs influenced by Lagerfeld’s signature styles. Jacquemus attended their first ever Met Gala, producing one of the best looks worn by a male that night. Jacquemus himself attended alongside singer Bad Bunny, who stunned in a white backless suit showcasing a long necklace with a ‘J’ peering through, and a white floral extended train. This look was inspired by Lagerfeld’s love of white and floral elegance; it showed off Jacquemus’ talent for couture and proved that they had earned their place at the Gala. Though this year’s Met Gala was an evening of celebration for the esteemed designer, it was not without controversy, caused by Lagerfeld’s history of fatphobia and racially offensive designs and photo-shoots. Many of the attendees were opposed to celebrating Lagerfeld, protesting through their fashion choices. Lagerfeld famously hated the colour pink, and was quoted ‘think pink but don’t wear it’; many celebrities as a result dressed in the most flamboyant pink they could. Actress Viola Davis walked the carpet wearing a vibrant feathered pink Valentino dress, and model Quannah Chasinghorse wore a pink Prabal Gurung gown, with Vex Latex opera gloves.

Despite some of the purposefully off theme gowns, this year produced arguably the most on-theme looks the Met Gala has seen in recent years, with attendees wanting to show their respects to a man that many of them knew personally, and to celebrate his impact on the fashion industry.

A Little Life - Harold Pinter Theatre Review

LILY BIRCH | ARTS EDITOR

Afterreading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara in 2022, I was intrigued to hear of a play adaptation coming to London. Yanagihara’s book is distressing and brutal, dealing with sexual assault and abuse, which left many wondering how they were going to tackle these scenes on stage. One of the first indications of a potentially very graphic play are the stickers that are handed out prior to the show meant for covering a phone camera. These stickers are to be placed over the camera for the entirety of the show and suggest a secretive but also explicit production.

The layout of the staging is that of a New York apartment; a working sink in the centre of the stage is surrounded by sofas and lamps, with a fully functioning kitchen onstage, releasing aromas of home-cooked meals throughout the play. This helps the play feel like an intimate glimpse into the lives of the characters, adding a layer of connection between them and the audience. Because the original novel is 720 pages long, there are aspects that are cut out for the sake of timing. But there are also adaptations made that, in my mind, improve the narrative and create lighter moments between extremely graphic and dark scenes. The inclusion of Anna not just as Jude’s social worker but as his inner conscience adds relief to the play and she is able to communicate to Jude in the ways the audience wants to.

Source: @alittlelifeplay on Instagram

Source: Tabitha Turner, Illustartor. illustrator@thefounder.co.uk

Whilst the majority of the play, much like the book, is spent dealing with heavy and harrowing content, the brief moments of happiness are elevated with the smell of food cooking on the stove, and cheerful music.

The commitment from the cast makes for a heart-breaking and truthful performance. They bare all on the stage to do justice to Yanagihara’s complex characters and their difficult relationships. James Norton (Jude), Luke Thompson (Willem), Omari Douglas (JB), and Zach Wyatt (Malcolm) are all perfect to play their likeable, yet realistic and flawed, characters in A Little Life. James Norton is excellent in communicating Jude’s pain and suffering, and does so with such vulnerability, it is one of the most successful aspects of the play; it allows the ideas from the original novel to become realised in a truly authentic way.

The choice to put this novel on stage was an interesting one, considering the graphic, sometimes disturbing content. It poses the question: what is the appeal of watching someone in so much pain, for three and a half hours? However, with such powerful content comes powerful realisations. This play is an intense and moving adaptation of a beautiful piece of literature and showcases the power that actors and theatres can have when it comes to creating art out of emotion.

A Little Life is playing at the Harold Pinter theatre until 18 June 2023.

Embracing the life you have: The Midnight Library by

ANNIKA SWANSBURY | CONTENT WRITER

Aswe come to the end of another academic year, many of us may be looking to make a new start. Whether that be a new job, a new place to live, or simply a new wardrobe to mark the changing seasons. This period of change can present itself as daunting, what if you make the wrong choice? What if that path you take is not the one you were supposed to? There are endless choices to make in life but picking the right one can often seem impossible in the moment.

Along her journey through the various lives the library has to offer, Nora comes to realise her choices not only impact her own life but the lives of those around her. When she chooses the life where she moved to Australia, a car crash kills the friend she moved there with. Or, in a life where she never teaches piano, a young boy she never taught ends up in a young offender’s institution. As the figurative librarian, Mrs. Elm says: ‘You can choose choices but not outcomes.’ Life is unpredictable, and the choices that Nora makes always result in something disappointing that she never could have foreseen.

Matt Haig

Source: TheLionsRoar.com

Matt Haig presents this question in The Midnight Library, by allowing his protagonist, Nora, to explore the various roads she could have taken had she made different choices in life. From an Olympic swimmer to a scientist in the Arctic to owning a countryside pub with her husband, Nora briefly lives hundreds of lives in an attempt to find the perfect one that brings her the most fulfilment. The Book of Regrets represents the place between life and death, known as the Midnight Library, shows Nora all her regrets and allows her to live versions of her life she did not get to have. However, each of these lives are cut short once she feels complete and utter disappointment, transporting her back to the Midnight Library to try again. Some lives last a matter of hours, others last years, yet all make an impact.

An Obscure Ovine Odyssey

HARRISON PITTS | CONTENT WRITER

Reading this book may eventually bring a sense of comfort to those who enter it questioning the life choices they have made so far, but after seeing Nora go through every possibility until the library burns to the ground and still chose the life she started with, they may come away with a different outlook. Perhaps we all need to think of our own Book of Regrets when our current circumstance is no longer satisfactory, and we look to find a new path to explore. I hope that The Midnight Library will hopefully show you how small choices can make reality all the more appealing. After all, if Nora can experience all these lives and still realise that ultimately it is the original choices she made in her root life that give her the greatest sense of fulfilment, then hopefully making one choice to kickstart your future will not seem as intimidating.

What would you do if a stranger with the power to ruin your life on a whim, tasks you with finding an animal that does not exist, with only a picture of a pasture, and a lighter to assist you?

Murakami’s A Wild Sheep Chase details a series of increasingly surreal events unfolding in the abnormally ordinary life of a nameless man. Beginning with his unfortunate divorce from a childhood sweetheart, our protagonist stumbles into the company of a woman with enchanted ears, the overseer of a right-wing political empire, a fossilised whale penis, a manic ovine professor, a missing friend known only as ‘the Rat’, and a chain-smoker in a homemade sheep outfit. Each are involved in a hunt for a sheep believed to be behind the running of the world entire. The characters each remain nameless throughout the novel (bar Kipper the cat), defined more by their purpose than their person as they each hunt for the unattainable, trying to find extraordinary meaning in mundane life.

Like most of Murakami’s work, A Wild Sheep Chase is as easy to read as it is difficult to understand. A torrent of uniquely imaginative metaphor and imagery works to artfully construct a novel that feels like reading someone else’s dream. In writing this review it feels like trying to remember one of my own, a scattered collection of narrative beats that are as perplexing as they are portentous. Closing the final page feels just like waking up and attempting to piece together whatever it was you have just experienced, knowing there is certainly something profound within its tangles if only you could get at it.

Being the third instalment in ‘The Trilogy of the Rat’ but unfortunately the only one still in print, perhaps the missing backstory would provide some integral context and unlock a portion of the arcane meaning within, but I very much doubt it. The novel is designed to keep you chasing, looking for something deeper, a neat meaning and purpose that would solve it all, and yet is always out of reach. Understanding this book is your own wild sheep chase, intriguing, exciting, and ultimately futile. Equal parts whimsical and morose, this tale can only be read nonliterally, plumbing through the depths of fairy-tale metaphor to make sense of it all.

I highly recommend surrendering yourself to the world of this story, allowing yourself to be guided through its strange and unconventional quirks. Part action thriller and part philosophical daydream, A Wild Sheep Chase is an excellent spring read.

Source: Unsplash

The Sorrows of Young Werther by

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe RILEY MOORE | CONTENT WRITER

It was Virginia Woolf who said, correctly, that Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was the last true polymath. German poet, playwright, novelist, and statesman, he spent his remaining time as a scientist, painter, and theatre director. His talents were widely discussed and recognized during his lifetime and even gained the attention of Napoleon Bonaparte. Indeed, in 1806 Napoleon invaded Germany, sacked Weimar, and ordered French troops to burst into Goethe’s house.

Napoleon’s fascination with Goethe, as Goethe was to learn in 1806 when they formally met at the Governor's Palace in Erfurt, was owed to his novella The Sorrows of Young Werther. Napoleon, in fact, had carried the book in his military library. Goethe was summoned to see the emperor and recorded the interaction: ‘The Emperor is seated at a large round table. He is eating breakfast…’ They had a brief exchange before Napoleon, ‘brought the conversation to Werther, which he must have studied in detail.’ Published in 1774, Werther is worth studying in detail. Though less than 150 pages, the novella is instantly unforgettable. It follows Werther, a young artistic man with unruly appetites, enthralled with Charlotte, an intelligent young woman who does not return his romantic invitations. Upset and lyrical, Werther ultimately reacts violently to his rejection and shoots himself in the head. The novel is intensely Romantic, with a capital R. Werther lives by the dictates of his impulses, and his behaviour tracks perfectly with the Humean idea that reason is not a blind, calculating machine, but a slave of the passions. In other words, Werther’s behaviour is controlled by his emotions, and reason operates as an after-effect to justify himself.

The biographical facts which surround Werther are as impressive as the story itself. Werther was written when Goethe was merely 24, and it was written in a spree of four weeks. Werther, therefore, is not a carefully meditated labyrinth of small clues. It is not Faust, in other words. It is straightforward: Werther desires a woman who does not desire him. But Werther’s simplicity is the appeal. As H.L. Mencken said of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, the story is not simply a work of fiction, but a scandal. Indeed, after Werther’s publication, Germany had an uptick in male suicide, and many corpses were discovered with Werther in the coat pocket.

Werther, however, is not an argument for selfharm. It is not an argument for anything. When reading it, one should abide by Nabokov’s instructions for being a good reader. Follow the curves and bends of the writer’s imagination, keep a dictionary nearby, and remember that fiction, no matter its strain to be so, is not real. In reality, Werther could not commit suicide because Werther does not exist. But the book stirs real thought and is elegantly written. If you have never read Goethe, Werther is the appropriate place to start. It could be read cover to cover in just two hours.

Source: Wikimedia

From paperback to Amazon Prime: The Allure of Daisy Jones & The Six

EMILIE WILLIAMS | CONTENT WRITER

‘This book is an attempt to piece together a clear portrait of how the renowned 1970s rock band Daisy Jones & The Six rose to fame – as well as what led to their abrupt and infamous split while on tour in Chicago on July 12, 1979.’

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & The Six, published in 2019, is a novel that has captured the hearts of readers worldwide, and its recent adaptation into an Amazon Prime TV series only adds to its allure. This rock and roll story set in the 1970s is a story of love, ambition, and music that is both captivating and immersive. ‘The Six’ is led by singer Billy Dunne alongside lead guitarist Graham Dunne, drummer Warren Rhodes, bassist Pete Loving, rhythm guitarist Eddie Loving, and keyboardist Karen Sirko. The characters, especially Daisy and Billy, are exceptionally well-developed and compelling. Daisy is a young, free-spirited singer-songwriter who, despite her talent, is struggling to be taken seriously in a male-dominated music industry. Billy is equally complex, battling sobriety and striving for artistic greatness. Their chemistry is palpable, and their love story is one for the ages. When the band joins up with Daisy Jones, they skyrocket into rock and roll success.

The story is told through an interview format, with each character reminiscing on their memories of the band 50 years after their breakup. I have never read a documentary-style fiction novel like this, and Reid’s writing style is unique and refreshing. The structure allows readers access to each character’s intimate perspective of the band, with their personalities and experiences being authentically portrayed. As such, Reid takes her readers on a journey through the ups and downs of the band’s rise to fame and subsequent disbanding.

The release of the Amazon Prime TV series has seen a surge in 70’s fashion and music, reaching a new generation of fans. The show omits many details from the book, such as the bassist Pete Loving and the original guitarist Chuck Williams. The interviews in the show also take place 20 years after the events, instead of the 50-year gap in the book. It also adds details that are not present in the book, such as Eddie and Camila’s relationship, Simone’s extensive backstory, and Teddy Price’s wholesome personality.

However, one of the most significant differences between the book and the TV show is how the story is told. While the book is entirely composed of interviews, the TV show combines those interviews with traditional narrative scenes, providing a more in-depth look into the characters’ lives and relationships. This added layer of depth enhances the story as you visually see events that are only alluded to in the book. Overall, the Amazon Prime adaptation is a faithful and captivating retelling of the novel. The casting is spot-on, and the music is nothing short of phenomenal. The series’ visual appeal captures the essence of the 1970s, from the fashion to the music scene, transporting viewers back in time.

If you are looking for a book to sit down and delve into, whether it is for summer, or a break from exam stress, make it Daisy Jones & The Six.

Source: @emiliewilliamss on Instagram

POETRY

Royal Holloway’s Poetry Society aims to promote the culture of poetry within the university, for both spoken word and poets who work on the page, of any department or skill level. Come along to one of our events or workshops! The poems below were submitted by members of the society. More information on Instagram: @rhpoetsoc, or contact us at poetry@royalholloway.su

Sixteen by Caroline

i can’t hold this all, it spills through my fingers, dripping dust, maybe it is sleep deprivation, maybe i am going insane. at sixteen all i wanted was escape, i wanted wind on my face wings in my bones arch my shoulder blades into mountain air

Söderlund

i kept having these dreams –on a racecourse, a staircase, a concrete street, i run, chased by something or other, but my limbs they stretch, something like syrup some ability has left me i cannot catch up, i pull through water and rope

i crumble, not sure whether i ran away from home or to the mountains not sure how to arch anymore, look at me child. we made it away turned the world alien, tore the ropes skinny are you proud?

LITERARY REVIEW 18

Reverence

By Maddy Pope

You leave the library and go outside to talk on the phone - you stand on a little ledge and gesture with your arms and smoke a cigarette and talk I imagine you stand under this window so that I can see you • this is how I feel closest to people

Laid out and labelled

Neat and far away from me

Palms towards the sky and your body is the prayer

You lie like a car crash and I watch like a man at the end of the road

I imagine I bend down and collect your bones - hold them in my arms and take them home with me I run you under cold water and you are clean in the way I want to be I carry you in armfuls to all my classes and everything is gentle for you

(With your bones in my arms) I have never loved you more.

Untitled

By Francis North

a woman walks into a mortuary says I would like to book my own funeral stares straight through the administrator’s grating gaze, into the leaves of a kind of afterlife while I am sinful and lost somewhere up north burning wings off paper cranes with a Polish lighter, the ones she folded whenever anxious and the bed becomes quicksand, a sinking warmth, sickly, unnaturally soft, I sink and I kiss and am kissed, feels like my mothers mouth, slick, wet, hot, though I’m sure it is January outside and cold, and I am so happy, so comfortable or comforted maybe, though I know I’m doing something wrong, I’m sure I’ve tricked someone, like a family taking me in in the middle of a winter storm, not knowing I killed their son, like the warden’s wife holding my hand in the chair

it is okay darling

you can kiss me now

and I climb on the roof, smoking a cigarette, it is snowing and raining elsewhere, more south, and she shakes an umbrella talks too slow, barely agreed to meet, she says

"even the strongest bridge crumbles under an unstable river"

Why this worked: a spoiler review of Succession’s Season 4 Episode 3

G.G. TOWNSEND | CONTENT WRITER

It’s right there in the title: Succession.

We have always known that HBO’s masterpiece tragicomedy would end with a power vacuum caused by the death of Logan Roy. The very first scene in the show told us as much: a sick man, waking up in a daze, urinating on the floor of a home he does not remember.

Logan’s health issues moved in and out of the foreground over the initial three seasons of the show. There were moments where he seemed to be slipping mentally: convinced in the Waystar investors’ meeting of a dead cat under his seat. There were other moments that he appeared to be at death’s door: his deathless walk on Josh Aaronson’s private island. But you would have been forgiven for thinking these were misdirects, with Logan seemingly in wellenough health to pull aggressive moves such as his sale of the company to Lukas Matsson, billionaire tech-genius, in the season three finale.

Just one episode before his death, Logan gave a rousing speech to the ATN newsroom staff, the energy of which could have convinced any viewer that he would still be alive and kicking beyond the show’s last episode.

But, in episode three of Succession’s fourth and final season, Logan died.

As I write this, the episode, deceptively titled ‘Connor’s Wedding’, has a 9.9 rating on IMDb, putting it on the same level as some of the most iconic episodes from series such as Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones. So why did this twist, if you can even call it that, work so well?

I suppose you could say it was the back-andforth nature of Logan’s health condition, and its Emmy-worthy portrayal by Brian Cox, that made his death so inexplicably surprising, despite its being forecast since the start of the show.

Cox brings a background in Shakespeare to Logan, the 76-year-old veteran actor having played Lear, Titus Andronicus, and directed Richard III. This comes as no surprise when hearing him recite Logan’s monologues with the same authority and sharpened impact as a Shakespearean monarch.

Cox’s performance carries enough weight that any viewer immediately understands, whether he is present or not, every scene in Succession is about Logan. This is why his death is so uncanny to watch: the shadow still looms large over subsequent episodes, but the body that casts it is gone.

This is the consensus of the characters too, which we see when the Roy children are having their last conversations with their dying father over the phone: both Roman and Siobhan are in denial because of how plainly impossible it seems, to them, that their father, brutal, invulnerable, convicted as he is, could ever ‘lose’.

Another triumph was the selfless and brilliant performances from the CulkinSnook-Strong trio, which almost had me forgetting that the Roys are not real people.

At the start of the episode, siblings are united against their father, but the urgency of his death obliterates any sense of pride or resentment. Their complete dedication to their characters is made more impressive by long takes and improvisation.

Mark Mylod, the episode’s director, said in the official HBO podcast: ‘The Camera had to be sadistic, really, it had to be unflinching and just keep looking at the pain. [...] They know their characters so well, they’re so committed to finding the moment – in this case it was very clear to everybody, specifically, what the raw emotional tone was.’

This ‘everybody’ includes Nicholas Britell, Succession’s composer. His classical/hip-hop fusion is as firmly stapled to the DNA of the show as the characters or locations, but it takes a backseat in this episode, and to great effect. We do not need high violins to tell us ‘be sad’, neither do we need a trumpeted fanfare to tell us his death is a good thing. A character as complex as Logan does not deserve so simple a score. His death plays over a prolonged, uncomfortable silence, as Britell knows that nothing can fill the void he leaves.

There is no singular reason why ‘Connor’s Wedding’ worked as well as it did: there are only countless hard-working people who are great at what they do. The writers’ misdirects and foreshadowing; the actors’ impenetrable performances; the iconic musical choices, Succession does it all.

With just a few episodes left, and with the series showing no signs of slowing down, it is time we consider whether Succession is worthy of a top spot on the list of the greatest television shows of all time. And if you could not tell already, I think it is.

Source: @succession on Instagram

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume. 3 (James Gunn): The film that I needed right now

DEVESH SOOD | MANAGING EDITOR

Thereis no way for me to be objective on this one.

Nine years ago, when I was 12 years old, Guardians of the Galaxy was released. The film that changed everything. The film that made me fall in love with cinema. A fresh, original space-opera that is as close as you will get to recapturing the magic of the classic action-adventure films like Star Wars or Indiana Jones. A film which had me cry-laughing in one moment, and then simply crying in the next. It may not have been entirely clear to me at the time, but that was the film I needed back then.

I know for a fact that Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume. 3 is the film I need now. It is not a kid’s film, it is not a family film, it is not a ‘fun evening at the cinema’ type of film, and it is certainly not just another MCU film. It is for us: the wide-eyed, oblivious kids who were in awe of that original film, the ones who fell in love with those characters and this world. The ones who left with promise and hope, much like the Guardians themselves were able to do. A lot can happen in a decade and Vol. 3 interrogates that idea from the outset. Gone are the stylized title cards and charming dance moves. In its place, a drunk man powerless to the feeling of emptiness, made bitter by the hand he has been dealt. There is an internal anger and pain which lies at the core of this film. A depression that cannot be fixed by friends and family, one that leaves its characters wilting away from the loveable goofballs from that first film, as they ask the question: ‘where is this all going?’

Gunn has referred to the first film as a story about the mother, the second as a story about the father and this final one as a story about the self. So far, the only complaint I have heard about this film is that it is unfairly grim. I would disagree, it is different, certainly, maybe even difficult. But not grim. The characters are not struggling with the battle on screen, they are battling with their own mental state. The journey these characters are on demands them to mature, to grow up, to do what they need to feel whole.

As a 21-year-old student, weeks away from finishing university, the question is always ‘what’s next?’. It is easy to feel lost, to feel empty without truly understanding why. Trying to find the direction I need to be heading in, and not necessarily one dictated by those around me. There is a vulnerability that is so unique to your twenties and this film is tailored towards that. There are plenty of sequels that claim to be ‘grownup’, using a darker colour grading and killing off every character. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a true grown-up sequel in the sense that it grows with its audience. The ending of this film is not necessarily a triumphant moment nor a grand sacrifice, but rather it allows characters to embrace their troubles and finally find a reason to try and heal.

In my eyes, Vol.3 is a masterpiece. Sure, if I were to look at it more analytically, I would be able to find cracks, but that messiness has always been a part of these films and is inherently a part of Gunn’s style. It manages to balance the genetic humour and heart of this franchise even in its gloomiest moments. A world where Gunn would never have the chance to create this film and close his trilogy is a far more depressing one. These films have meant a lot to me, and I cannot think of any better way to close this trilogy.

Source: @pussinboots, Instagram

Continued From The Front Page:

This year’s entry from the UK is singer-songwriter Mae Muller, aged 25, who will sing her track I Wrote a Song, whilst representing the country in the 67th contest. Muller has been writing music since the age of eight, and as a child she appeared in the music video for Grace Kelly by Mika. She will also be embarking on a UK tour this winter, heading to six venues in the UK and Ireland in November.

As for what fans can expect from her performance, she teased: ‘You can expect some sass! It's going to be fun and a big party.’

What is interesting to see this year, is how the competition is being streamed over social media platforms around the world. As of Thursday 11th, the content for the 2023 contest has already been viewed 1.5 billion times, which is the same as all last year’s views combined. But this streaming frenzy is not just centred on the big final.

It seems that contestants are now using social media to their advantage, in order to appeal to viewers months prior to the actual screening. In creating content with the aim of going viral and gaining recognition, singers are able to generate a fanbase like they have never been able to before in Eurovision history.

Eurovision have even gone as far as to partner with TikTok as their official entertainment partner for the second year running. James Stafford, one of the app’s UK bosses, says that the two work well together because they are both ‘about inclusion and creative expression’. He also goes further to explain how TikTok gets to know acts early on to prepare them for their social media ‘journey’.

Using TikTok as a form of advertising and promotion is something that most individuals and companies are taking to now. The nature of the algorithm allows for them to access our ever-scrolling generation without need for a follow. Artists can build a fan base by the success of a just few short videos. So, if it feels as though your For You Page is back-to-back Mae Muller and Co at the moment, it is no accident.

Ferrari Frustrations

IMAN AHMED | SPORTS EDITOR

Itis no secret that the Formula 1 team, Ferrari, have struggled for many years. When hopes are high, Ferrari performs otherwise. And just when we think this could be the season for success, Ferrari are only met with struggles.

Last year, Ferrari dominated the opening of the new season, yet failed to win the championship through their driver, Charles Leclerc. Expectations were high for this year, but Ferrari’s opening to the 2023 season was underwhelming to say the least, starting the season in Bahrain in positions fourth and ninetieth, respectively. This was followed by engine failures, grid penalties, and even being punted out of races.

It was only during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix hope was felt, when Leclerc finished third, and Carlos Sainz Jr. finished fifth, the best results of the season so far. Ferrari claimed they will not get carried away by such progress, and after Miami, they were right in doing so.

Whilst it was not the worst performance of the season, it certainly was not great. Leclerc finished seventh, and Sainz finished fifth after a fivesecond penalty. Both claimed they are struggling with this year’s car, which is tainting their advancements due it its lacking in consistency and pace, clarifying how such struggles have persisted since the beginning of the season. Such problems are not unique to this season either, as seen through their constant struggles last year that costed them the championship. Ferrari do seem to have the potential to win with their challenging car, as seen in Baku. But the world’s and even their own drivers’ confidence in them is lessening.

Perhaps Ferrari’s hopes have dampened through the realisation of their new competition beyond the typical Red Bull’s and Mercedes, who no one going into this season expected: Aston Martin. Their effortless rise to the front of the grid is credited to Fernando Alonso, who has been zooming through the season to the surprise of many. Securing a podium position in four out of five Grand Prix’s, and only missing the podium in Baku by seconds, the current oldest F1 driver is overshadowing the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari, and this streak does not seem to be going away any time soon.

In merely just five races, this F1 season has been full of twist and turns. And for Ferrari to even have a chance to finish in the top three, a lot of fuelling up is needed speedily.

Source: @scuderiaferrari on Instagram

Are Sporting Events the New Targets for Protest Groups?

ALANA STODDART | CONTENT WRITER

The month of April has seen several sporting events targeted by protests, receiving admiration from some and outrage from others.

The protest group Animal Rising took themselves onto the racecourse at the Grand National in April, and police arrested more than 100 individuals as a result. Some attempted to attach themselves to gates and fences using glue and locks, with the majority using ladders to overcome the barricades around the Aintree course and gain access to the race area. The group were aiming to stop the race, arguing that horse-racing is a form of animal exploitation. The action was not limited to inside the ground, with protesters gluing themselves to tarmac on the M57 to delay attendees and placardbearing individuals gathering outside the gates to the racecourse. A member of the protest group, Animal Rising, argued that while she accepts that those who participate in horseracing would say they love the animals, ‘the suffering experienced by them should shock us all’ (The Guardian).

When the delayed race did get under way, there was one horse, Hill Sixteen, that did not make it over the first fence and died at the course. The trainer of Hill Sixteen later hit out at the protesters, stating that the death of the horse was due to their actions.

“In my mind there’s no doubt about it,” said Thomson, continuing “it was the cause of the problems we had.” Animal Rising have disputed this strongly.

Further disruption came shortly after at a snooker match between Jack Lisowski and Noppon Saengkham at The Crucible in Sheffield. This time the culprits were Just Stop Oil protesters. One protester gained access to one snooker table, climbing on top of it and dousing it in bright orange powder, the group’s signature colour, while another unsuccessfully attempted to glue herself to another of the tables. Both individuals were arrested, with snooker players and commentators vocal in their disapproval of the eyecapturing stunt.

The London Marathon was one sporting event to be spared from major disruption, but it was not without drama. There were rumours flying that Just Stop Oil were looking to stage a protest at this event too, but fellow environmental group Extinction Rebellion urged them to rethink those plans and some members even volunteered to help the police in their stewarding of the race in order that it go ahead without disruption.

Protests are becoming more and more frequent as the months of 2023 roll by, but April was the first where sporting events have been targeted so specifically. Many spectators, passionate about their sports, expressed anger at their events being disrupted in these ways. Ultimately, though, they have been successful in gaining coverage. Such success in getting the conversation going begs the question: could the targeting of sporting events as sites of protest only become more and more frequent?

Source: Wikimedia