The Founder - Volume 6, Issue 1

Sports Barclays Premier League: Joe Hart disects the season ahead Page 37

Features Ashley Coates reveals a host of lesser known facts about RHUL Page 35

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Volume 6 | Issue 1 Tuesday 20 September 2011 thefounder.co.uk

the independent student newspaper of royal holloway, university of london

Royal Holloway Classics cuts: Cui bono?

Jessica Phillipson News Editor

This summer, Royal Holloway announced hugely unpopular plans to make drastic cuts to the Department of Classics and Philosophy.

The proposed cuts would result in the reduction of the September 2012 intake for students studying BAs in Classical Studies and Ancient History and Joint Honours degrees from around 80 to just 40 per year, while the Classics degree will be completely abolished. In addition, the Philosophy staff will move to the Department of Politics and International Relations and one Research Professor will move to the English Department. Of the remaining eleven positions, six will

‘disappear’ by 2014 with the other five moving to the History Department.

The Classics Department responded, defending high salary costs due to the fact that nearly half of the staff are Professors.

They argued that this cost could be supplemented by increased income from sources such as postgraduate and overseas student fees, as well as research grants.

In addition, the department pointed out that applications in 2011 were up by 52.3% with the number of students receiving a conditional offer from Royal Holloway as their first choice up by 149.4%, somewhat negating the college’s reasoning that the Classics Department admits a high volume of students through Clearing and

Universities UK Annual Conference cut short by ACA

that students paying £9000 per year will not be attracted to the Classics Department.

This argument is supported by a letter to the university from Professors R.G. Osborne and Bruce Gibson, Chairman and Secretary of the Council of University Classics Departments, who suggest that: ‘The assumption that a £9000 fee will discourage students from studying arts subjects was being widely made when high fees were announced. Subsequently it has, however, become very clear that since arts degrees…translate into lucrative employment as readily as many science degrees…it is extremely unlikely that the shape of student demand is going to change significantly’. They also claimed that

SusuanaLove Photography

Continued on page 2 »

Department cuts and eventual closure to go ahead

Anti-Cuts alliance protest after white paper meeting is held without student presence.

Story, page 2 »

Comment & Debate

Arts

Music

Rebecca Nuthall looks at the future of education at school and in further education

Your pullout campus theatre calendar is centre fold. Auditions, show dates, it’s all there!

Bestival and Latitude: both reviewed as well as opportunities for RHUL pop acts

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

The Founder The Independent Student Newspaper of Royal Holloway, University of London Email: editor@thefounder.co.uk

thefounder.co.uk For the latest news, reviews, and everything Holloway, get online Follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

The Founder is on Twitter: twitter.com/rhulfounder ...and on Facebook: facebook.com/TheFounderNewspaper ...and online: thefounder.co.uk

tf editorial team Editor-in-Chief Jack Lenox Editors Ashley Coates & David Bowman

News Editor Jessica Phillipson Comment & Debate Vacant Features Editor Felicity (Fizz) King

Pictures Amy Taheri Julian Farmer Sport Editor Ben Hine

Film Editor Nathaniel Horne

Sub-Editors Elinor Gittins Emily Lees Julia Armfield

Arts Editor Julia Armfield

Art Director Tom Shore

Music Editor Harun Musho’d

Designed by Tom Shore & Jack Lenox

The Founder is the independent student newspaper of Royal Holloway, University of London. We distribute at least 4,000 free copies every fortnight during term time around campus and to popular student venues in and around Egham.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Editor-in-Chief or of The Founder Publications Ltd, especially of comment and opinion 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 this fortnight’s stories.

For advertising and sponsorship enquiries, please contact the Business Director: advertising@thefounder.co.uk Web www.thefounder.co.uk Email editor@thefounder.co.uk The Founder is published by The Founder Publications Ltd and printed by Mortons Print Ltd All copyright is the exclusive property of The Founder Publications Ltd No part of this publication is to be reproduced, stored on a retrieval system or submitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the publisher © The Founder Publications Ltd. 2011, Unit 6 St Saviours Wharf, 23 Mill Street, London SE1 2BE

RHUL Historian to feature in BBC1 series Collaboration with the National Trust also involves Holloway MA students

and 20th Century. The finished building will become what the National Trust have called an ‘immersive experience’, where visitors will be allowed to touch and interact with the house.

Dr. Whitelock is an expert on the series, working alongside architect Ashley Coates Dan Cruickshank and interior Editor designer Russell Sage. Her work on the series has involved a number Dr. Anna Whitelock, lecture in of students from the Department Early Modern History, is to appear of History’s MA Public History in a BBC ONE series presented by programme. One of the students To the Manor Born actress Pecommented: ‘Getting hands on exnelope Keith. The 4 part series – To perience on a high profile BBC One the Manor Reborn - follows the series has been a fantastic experirestoration of Avebury Manor in ence and more than I could have Wiltshire. hoped for when I enrolled for the The project is a collaboration MA. Through Anna’s work on the between the BBC and the National programme she has introduced us Trust with the aim of giving viewers to leading BBC producers and Naa window into five centuries of Brit- tional Trust curators who have been ish history. The 15th century manor really keen for us to be involved. I will have its interior fashioned into hope such contacts might open up the style of a particular era of its career opportunities to me – it is history: Tudor, Georgian, Victorian certainly now on my CV!’

Classics Department closure plans » Continued from front page

the department at Royal Holloway would ‘out-rank in size and quality the vast majority of departments in continental Europe, North America, and indeed anywhere’, and would thus attract the overseas students to supplement its salary costs.

At a meeting last month to discuss the downsizing of the department, senior History lecturer Graham Smith gave a speech saying that this is an entirely political move, not an economic one: ‘There is no economic crisis at the university…This is not about economics, it’s about politics’.

Further strengthening protests against the closure of the department from students and the academic world comes the result of the 2010-11 National Student Survey, where the Classics Department scored 90% for overall satisfaction, beating the overall score of 87% for the college as a whole.

The university itself denies it is completely closing the Classics department, arguing that the cuts are needed to sustain the degree. Royal Holloway issues the following statement: ‘We are currently consulting with staff on a number of proposals designed to secure the long term future of Classics at Royal Hollo-

Aidan Taylor way. We are not closing the Department of Classics. The proposal is to merge it with the Department of History. Alone, the department is not performing well enough – it had a budget deficit of £365,000 in 2010-11. We are proposing that stu-

dent numbers should be reduced, which will require fewer academic staff, but we will retain sufficient numbers so that the programmes remain attractive and sustainable.

However, we do plan to continue teaching degrees in Classical Stud-

ies and Ancient History, with teaching of the ancient languages as a central part of these programmes.

We welcome any alternate proposals that address the real challenges that the department faces and will consider these before the consulta-

tion closes in September.’

SURHUL President, Dan Cooper, is leading a ‘working group’ with other students to decide how best to protest the changes, hoping to find out who is on the college council to appeal to them individually.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

thefounder: An Introduction

How to contribute to the Founder Are you a budding newspaper/magazine journalist? Maybe you just like to write or are looking for something accessible to do at Royal Holloway that’ll bolster your CV. Here’s how and why you can utilise all that with the Founder: Tom Shore Editor 2010-11 The Founder is the Independent Newspaper of Royal Holloway, set up by a student in 2006 and run without influence or interference from both the Students Union and College ever since. Over the years we’ve covered a variety of major campus and national news stories, interviewed famous figures and alumni as well as becoming home to a number of award winning Royal Holloway writers. We’re also the first student newspaper in the UK to have their very own iPhone app.

Last year we published 12 full issues – far more than any other publication on campus – and so were able to publish far more of your articles in the process. This year we plan to produce even more quality content.

The paper edition is published every two weeks from the start of term.

While we aim to publish as much as possible on the website, it’s our best articles that make it into the paper.

If you’d like to see examples of articles written for a particular section and for ideas about style and content, you can download a pdf of all our past paper editions here.

Our deadline for the Freshers’ edition is midday on Wednesday 14th September.

Here’s how you can contribute to each section of the Founder:

News We look to publish anything centred around Royal Holloway, the local area or national news of interest to RHUL students. If you have an article, or have a scoop that you think we should be writing about, contact Jessica Phillipson, our news editor at newsdesk@thefounder. co.uk.

Throughout the year, Jess will be running a news team to whom she will distribute stories that need to be written up for each issue. This group of journalists will also be dispatched to events in person when necessary.

If you’d like to join the team, feel free to get into contact with her.

If penning your own article, aim for about 200-300 words.

Comment We’ve left our Comment & Debate section editor position open for applications during the first two weeks of term.

Comment is completely open to opinion pieces about any subject be it current affairs, politics or the threatened cuts to Royal Holloway’s Classics Department.

Aim for your article to be roughly 400 - 600 words in length. Articles between 600 - 900 words will need to be highly developed and, because of space issues, are unfortunately less likely to make it into the paper edition. Usually, articles should be sent to comment@thefounder. co.uk, however the best way to have your piece read for the coming issue is by sending it straight to Ashley and Dave at editor@thefounder. co.uk.

Alternatively if you’d like to apply for the position of section editor write to editor@thefounder. co.uk. We’re looking for someone well organised who can quickly quality check all the articles that are submitted to the section, lead the section with clever and witty comment as well as helping to push the board to improve the paper as a whole over the coming year.

Features This is our most diverse section.

Last year we published articles on

fashion, travel, and satirical accounts of the student experience as well as subjects such as transgender issues, the effect that modern innovation has on our lives and interviews with famous figures.

Some of our best content over the years has come from regular features such as ‘Dear Terry’ (RHUL’s favourite agony uncle) and last year’s critic of all things Holloway ‘Undergraduated’ by Nicholas Blazenby. If you’ve an idea and the first part of a regular feature send it to Fizz King our features editor at features@thefounder.co.uk.

Once more, we ideally look for articles roughly 400-600 words in length.

section has always been popular for contributors.

Clearly benefitting from the proximity of Staines’ Vue Cinema we look for reviews on all of the latest releases (with a star rating out of five), but we love to hear about those golden gems too. You can help to stoke their popularity.

In the past we’ve seen features such as ‘1001 films to see before you die’ and ‘Cult Corner’ grow up with the paper, and we’ve published a number of excellent feature and opinion pieces about the film industry now and in years gone by.

Reviews again should aim for 300-500 words, and features or opinion pieces anywhere up to 600.

Send them all to Nathaniel Horne at film@thefounder.co.uk.

Arts Your arts section is for review, feature and opinion writing on exhibitions, theatre and books as well as articles about the people involved in their creation.

Comment and features can be anywhere up to 600 words, and reviews should aim at about 200-300 words in length.

The arts at Royal Holloway have also been neglected a little by campus media in recent years. If you’ve been to see something on campus, whether that’s a theatre production or Photography Society’s annual exhibition, we want to hear about it – good or bad – and you can guarantee that those involved will too.

If you’re part of something that you’d like a bit of free publicity for on campus, why not send an article to Julia at arts@thefounder.co.uk?

Interviews and photo features have worked really well in past issues.

Photographers can also be provided on request.

Film As if we need to explain. The film

Music As well as album and live reviews, our Music section is a magnet for opinion pieces on the London scene and the state of the charts these days. It’s been a great place to find pointers about new artists to try, and the fact that music reviews don’t have to be very long means it’s a great opportunity for students to make sure that their favourite bands are well represented here.

Not to be forgotten, Royal Holloway has its own music scene too.

Love to Make Noise and Rock Soc have been really well reviewed in recent years as well as providing some great photo opportunities.

And if that isn’t your scene, the well respected Chamber Choir, bands and orchestras at Holloway are very seldom reviewed in either campus publication – a travesty that needs rectifying.

Album & gig reviews should be 100-300 words. Feature and comment pieces can again be anything up to 600 words and should all be sent to Harun at music@thefounder.co.uk.

Sports Royal Holloway has a number of widely renowned sports teams and at the Founder we do our best to give them a platform to publicise their successes. Match reports and news as well as season previews and publicity articles for events are all welcome. It doesn’t matter whether you’re part of the team in question or an audience member of Nobels Field midweek. We want it all.

There are also a number of up and coming sports photographers at Holloway in and out of the Photography Society itself. If you’ve some cracking mid-tackle photos of the Bears in action, why not send them through to us?

We’ve had season previews, features and comment written about national sport as well as events at Holloway, and it’s gone down a treat. Don’t feel restrained.

Match reports can be anything from 200-400 words. Features and comment articles should again aim for anything up to 600 words. New sports editor Ben Hine is waiting to receive them at sports@thefounder. co.uk.

Pictures Whether you’re new or returning to Holloway, you’ll no doubt have seen that there are quite a few great photo opportunities in and around campus. Every edition, we reserve the centre fold for our ‘Holloway View’ feature where we print photos of campus, the nearby area and images of student life. If you want to get your work published this is exactly where to go.

Why not join our flickr group, new this year, at http://flickr.com/ groups/thefounder. Or alternatively send it all to Amy and Julian at pictures@thefounder.co.uk.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

News Dramatic developments proposed Jessica Phillipson On Monday 15th August, an informal exhibition was held in the Sutherland House outlining proposals to reconfigure the home

of drama at RHUL. Currently, Sutherland House is a Georgian building that houses many drama productions in its studio theatre, which is part of a 1970s extension. The plans are to

demolish the extension and build a new studio theatre in its place.

More information and photos can be found at http://www.rhul. ac.uk/aboutus/ourcampus/newdevelopments.aspx.

ACA protests Universities UK meeting at Royal Holloway » Continued from front page David Bowman Editor

Tom Shore

On the 7th of September the Royal Holloway Anti-Cuts Alliance (RHACA) descended upon the Windsor building in protest, interrupting the Universities UK annual conference, which was attended by Vince Cable MP. The RHACA were protesting the government’s white paper entitled ‘Student’s at the Heart of the System’, which seeks to put education by both public and private sector providers on a ‘level playing field’.

This would effectively allow for the introduction of privatisation within

higher education.

The RHACA wrote on their blog: ‘After chanting, banner drops and being told they weren’t recognized by the organisers, activists were met by an embarrassed RHUL management. Discussions took place about the absence of students from decision making processes and a lack of consultation over major issues.’

This protest comes ahead of November’s planned ‘Defend Education, Fight Privatisation’ protest, organised by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts.

More information about the Royal Holloway anti-cuts movement can be found at: http://rhacc.wordpress.com/.

A Re-Judevinated St. Jude’s Road? danger posed by the cemetery pay and display car park which sits where the proposed green would Runnymede Borough Council is be. Vehicles leaving the car park considering a number of changes normally have to reverse onto the to St. Jude’s Road, the high street main road, making the area hazardin Englefield Green. The proposed ous for pedestrians and oncoming changes range from the subtle – vehicles. The new green that may ‘install a less intrusive wastepaper replace the car park could become container’ – to the extensive – an a venue for market stalls or a chilarts piece focal point and a ‘new dren’s play area. green for the Village’. The proposIf it goes ahead, Surrey County als also suggest the removal of the Council has agreed to bring forbus stop, bottle bank and the road ward the date for renewing street crossing outside the cemetery in or- lighting to Bond Street and St. der to make way for the new green. Jude’s Road to coincide with the reThe plans date back to 2008, newal project. The council is to rewhen the Englefield Green Resiplace all its street lighting columns dent’s Association prepared a over the next five years and plans to Village Plan that outlined the civic replace those on St. Jude’s and Bond and economic benefits in brighten- Street with new ‘character columns’. ing up the area. ‘The main road that The cost of the proposals - between passes through the village, St Jude’s £68,000 and £104,000, depending Road, is bounded by a series of on which ideas are implemented small shops and restaurants, mainly - means that most of the funding to the east side.....this entry to the will need to be found outside of village and associated shops would Runnymede Borough Council and benefit from investment to imSurrey County Council. prove and manage its appearance.’

The plans have been unpopular Another stimulus is the potential with shop-owners on the street

Ashley Coates

Englfield Green high street from the car park and recycling area. Image: Tom Shore who fear a reduction in customer numbers. Speaking to Staines News, Paul Cooper, owner of Smiths newsagents, expressed his issues with the plans: ‘I’m totally behind making the village look nice, but not at the cost of parking.

The only way people use our shops is when they can just pause and pop in - If you can’t stop then you won’t shop… The council say that it’s a safety issue with car reversing into the road, but in the 20 years I’ve been here I’ve never seen an

accident.’

St. Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, but is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot.

In the Roman Catholic Church he is the patron saint of desperate situations and lost causes.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Once again Rowers the fairytale of academia for all becomes less likely

at RoHo

Lake next year. The organisers got the chance to test rescheduling possibilities in the event of adverse With just one year to go until weather conditions, such as strong Britain hosts the 2012 Olympic cross-winds, which are a problem Games, last month Royal Holloway in multilane races as crews on the played host to elite junior rowers less sheltered part of the lake are at from across the globe. The rowers a disadvantage. FISA chairman and were competing in an international vice-president of the International regatta, which took place between Olympic Committee (IOC), Denis 3rd and 7th August and was held at Oswald, pointed out that ‘changnearby Eton Dorney Lake. Athletes ing the competition times is a good from forty-five national junior rehearsal for next year, because over squads were accommodated by one full week you can hardly expect Royal Holloway during the World conditions to be perfect every day.

Rowing Junior Championships, More or less every Olympics we’ve which was organised by the Interhad at least one day where we’ve national Rowing Federation (FISA). had to adjust the timetable. It’s a August’s regatta was seen as some- good exercise for us and for the thing of a trial run in preparation organising committee.’ for the Olympic rowing events Royal Holloway enjoys an estabscheduled to take place at Dorney lished connection with rowing.

Alissa Bevan

this year, with those from Royal Holloway all filled in a single day.

The process moved into increasing As the applicants for this academic complexity after the UCAS Track year will be the final students to website, where students can check dodge the widely adopted nine the status of their applications, thousand pound a year fees, many crashed as the system failed to cope predicted record numbers of apwith the sheer number of students plications and this indeed proved to attempting to use it. Although it be the case. UCAS reported a total was restored hours after crashing of 697,351 applicants, but with only followed by an apology by UCAS, 487,329 of them receiving a placethe computer error added to the ment, thousands of students are confusion of A-level results day left contemplating forced gap years, as students scrapped for the last paying nearly three times as much remaining university places. in tuition fees the following year or The universities minister, David even abandoning their hopes of a Willetts, spoke of the government’s university education altogether. aim to ‘open up other routes to a A-level results day saw the pass successful career’ and highlighted mark increase for the 29th year in the plans for ‘investing in new a row, with the number of students apprenticeship places’ to cater for achieving the coveted A*grade those who will be increasingly reaching almost 1 in 10; once again sidelined from university education an increase from the previous year. by the competitive nature of apThe results, however, were nothing plications or the rising fees. Some, short of the predicted outcome and however, such as the NUS president with the jump in university apLiam Burns, believe that the applications, statistically the average plications process itself is suffering student couldn’t be sure of a place from flaws in the transparency of at university even with a results the criteria used to determine sucpaper littered with A’s and A*’s. cessful applicants. Burns made clear Last year ministers attempted to his fears that the current system combat the ever increasing number could see ‘talented young people... of applications by funding 10,000 missing out on a university place extra places in English universities, because of poor guidance.’ He wela practice that will continue this comed the idea of UCAS reforming year, but is set to be scrapped by its current admissions system, es2012. However, the rise in applica- pecially towards ‘post-qualification tions comes at a difficult time for admissions’ (PQA) in the next few universities as they await the ability years. to charge £9,000 in tuition fees This year’s applicants have faced while facing a cut in funding for numerous obstacles, but with the teaching of £300m. It seems likely introduction of the £9,000 a year that these pressures will be passed tuition fees, UCAS reform, and the down to the universities admissions Education Secretary Michael Gove processes. promising further restriction of the With the record number of apA-level system to comply more with plications and A-Level results, an European methods, those about to increased strain on the clearing step into higher education in 2012 process was inevitable. There were can expect more changes to come.

46,925 places allocated in clearing

Christian Leppich

News

Medical Biochemistry graduate Helene Raynsford competed in the rowing events at the Beijing Paralympic Games, achieving a gold medal. Also, in the Beijing Olympic Games, psychology graduate Jessica Eddie was part of the GB women’s eight team, coming fifth, and former Economics student Rodrigo Ideus Forero made history by being the first Columbian rower to compete in an Olympic Games.

Chairman of the Organising Committee, Ben Hunt-Davis, said: ‘We are delighted that Royal Holloway, University of London was able to accommodate all of the teams during the Championships. It is a wonderful venue with all of the facilities we need in close proximity to Dorney Lake.’

SURHUL scrubs up well Jessica Phillipson Responding to feedback from students in 2010, the Student’s Union has undergone a major refurbishment this summer in time for the 2011-12 academic year.

The SU and the Project Team have restructured the interior of the SU building, with changes affecting Tommy’s Bar, reception areas, the main toilets and the administration areas. In addition, the upper floor now contains dedicated social space.

In a statement, the SU said that ‘the aim of the project throughout has been to help improve the overall student experience here at Royal Holloway’. The changes will utilise the space more effectively and lead to increased enjoyment for all.

Julian Farmer

&

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tf Comment

Comment Rebecca Nuthall

With mounting pressure on younger generations to excel academically, it is unsurprising that the number of student applications far outweighs the number of places at University. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 47% of people from the UK enter into University at ‘some stage in their life’. This percentage is marginally higher than some of its European counterparts.

However, the increasing interest to pursue a path into higher education can only mean one thing; fierce competition. More than ever before, students have to stand up to the mark and prove that they have the ‘edge’ to fit into a particular department within their chosen University. A higher percentage of people within the UK may boast a long list of impressive qualifications; but this only serves to diminish the availability of graduate jobs for university leavers. The intensity for competition amongst graduates is transparent in today’s job market.

More than three-quarters of employers require at least a 2:1 degree, rendering lower classifications even less desirable.

Is it possible that pressure to succeed and be the best has conformed students to fit into the same mould?

As it becomes increasingly difficult to add a bit of spark to cvs and personal statements, it begs the question as to whether the education system could be any different. Over the past couple of decades, the national curriculum for students aged from 11-16 has changed considerably. Learning a second language has gradually faded out of fashion.

Since the government decision allowing languages at GCSE level to become optional, learning a foreign language has dramatically declined in popularity. Alternatively, despite the technological growth within society and the steady religious decline, it is still compulsory to study R.E where I.T is an optional subject. I am not suggesting that we eradicate certain subjects from the syllabus, but it is clear that the bulk of what we learn in school is either forgotten or serves no practical purpose. For example, the last time I solved an algebraic equation I was fifteen. Although entirely relevant to a maths student, I have little use for it.

I’m no scientist, but what I do acknowledge is that our brains function in different ways. Individually, we lean towards different

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Debate

The Future of Education?

flickr/wstera2 strengths and weaknesses. An education should be no more or less than a reflection of our individual requirements. We don’t have to strive to be different from one another, because we are. History has proven that some students excel academically, whilst others achieve their merits through determination, perseverance and a resilient nature.

There are few subjects that cater for students who think more creatively than analytically. A student may be able to solve a rubrics cube in less than 40 seconds, but not string a grammatically well-written sentence together for their English language exam. Society is based upon varying levels of talents, skills and intelligence. This should be

embraced, and not squashed into a national curriculum.

Taking into consideration our many differences, why is there so much emphasis on students to follow a path into high education?

Why is the government promoting further education when there is a

shortage of university placements?

Surely, it would be more reasonable to determine a student’s aptitude and interests before resigning their fate to academic study. As is demonstrated by public figures such as Sir Richard Branson and Amstrad entrepreneur Lord Alan Sugar,

success is not always measured by the level of education you may have received. Education should equip students with the tools necessary to gain employment, fulfilment and exercise their unique strengths.

Comment is looking for a new editor!

If you have an opinion that matters, as well as a cure for ignoramia on campus, write to the editors at:

editor@thefounder.co.uk

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Comment Comment

Our Big, Black, tf Broken Society

Thought of a quip that’s worth more than a tweet?

Have you just read an article here that’s in need of some commendation or condemnation?

Ellis Goodson First we were encouraged to buy into David Cameron’s flagship ‘Big Society’ concept, supposedly giving power to local people and taking it away from the politicians. Now, we are told that urgent steps must be taken in order to mend our ‘broken society’. As usual, Mr. Cameron’s words are riddled with inconsistencies. Who in their right mind would want to empower a people who are purportedly beset by societal ills? I would go as far as to contend that Mr. Cameron may be a little out of his depth in these circumstances. “We know what’s gone wrong,” he boldly asserted in a rather matter-of-fact tone.

Except that, of course, we don’t. If our top sociologists are unable to reach a definitive conclusion, or even come to a general consensus on the matter, the suggestion that Mr. Cameron can seems a somewhat spurious claim. However down-to earth he presents himself as being, it’s difficult to get the past the fact that the only kind of ‘riot’ he has any firsthand experience of is the trashing of posh restaurants with George and Boris, his pals in the Bullingdon Club at Oxford.

Crucially though, the culprits in London weren’t the sort to apologise profusely to the proprietor and leave a blank cheque when their work was done.

But if Mr. Cameron is perhaps out of touch, his aloofness pales into insignificance when compared with that of David Starkey. Few would question his abilities as a scholar. Clearly, though, a thorough Tudor historian does not a contemporary sociologist make. His declaration on Newsnight that ‘the whites have become black’ stunned the nation. He has his defenders among the right-wing press but, with all due respect, his grossly uninformed argument would surely have been comprehensively quelled had he been in the company of more capable debaters than those present. Just in case he hadn’t lost to suggest that ‘black music’ effecall credibility by affirming the words of Enoch Powell, he went on tively equated to rap. It would seem

Do you have questions that even the hoards of chirpy SU Volunteers can’t answer?

Well, you’re in Luck!

By popular demand, the Founder will now be publishing your letters to the editor from next issue.

Get in touch: editor@thefounder.co.uk

that Jazz, Blues, Soul, Motown and the roots of most modern music

slipped his mind. Unless, of course, he feels that those genres glorify gun culture too.

Aside from the few buffoons who make a concerted effort to sound like Jamaicans, or are inspired by the BBC-concocted curiosity that is Rastamouse, most are simply subject to the phenomenon of naturally adopting traits over time from the dialects of the immigrants who surround them. As a mixedrace youth who sounds more like David Starkey than Dizzee Rascal, I bear testament to this. I have grown up in a community where the vast majority of people are white, and naturally enunciate as I do - not because I have an overwhelming desire to sound as wonderful as white people, but because that’s just how I learned to speak.

Although I was raised in a predominantly ethnically-white town in rural Hampshire, Andover is not free from the kind of ‘black culture’ Starkey describes. Many of my peers were not just experimenting with but already addicted to various drugs when they were barely pubescent, and I have even been asked to ‘look after’ people’s knives.

The local people that I have personally seen waste their lives away and jeopardised those of others have actually had little or no exposure to ‘black culture’ - unsurprisingly, encounters with Caribbean drug dealers in the countryside are

rather rare.

A clichéd argument this may be, but the two David’s have failed in their diagnosis of the country’s problems because however brilliant one’s mind may be, it is difficult to fully understand and come to terms with the issues at hand from the comfort of Westminster Palace or the intellectual ivory-tower detachment of Starkey’s manor house in Kent. The Prime Minister means well (I’m not convinced the same can be said for Starkey, who thrives on controversy), but the problems and their resolutions are not as simple as he is determined for them to be. There is no easy formula for creating or preventing criminal personalities, be it on the lower rungs or in the upper echelons of society. As a libertarian it pains me to admit it, but the only fully effective preventative measures are ‘authoritarian’ ones, such as improved and increased policing and other deterrents. If David Cameron had read Conservative hero Edmund Burke’s founding principles of conservatism more closely, he would know that humans are supposedly morally fallible and in need of restrictions as well as guidance.

But can we expect a self-proclaimed Thatcherite who heralds a ‘big society’ (remember the Baroness famously said that there is no such thing as society) to be unwavering and certain of his own convictions?

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

tf

Comment

French fries or chips? When appellation matters…

flickr/gavjof

Asma Ali Farah English has become the standard language for many forms of communications this‘globalisation’ of the English language means that the question is no longer whether we should learn English, but instead what English we should learn. How do we choose between American English and British English, the two main versions? Does it matter at all if we say that our apartment is flat?

Should we honor our neighbours?

In essence, should we call our fried potatoes French fries like the Americans or chips as the British prefer?

Chips!

Let us be so British and call them chips. After all, English originated from Britain; would it therefore not make sense to learn the language

from the creators? As a French student wrote on an online forum “people should learn British English. I am not learning Canadian French am I? I am learning French French”. The concern with learning a more recent version of a language is that it is subject to numerous modifications which make the original language seem ‘corrupted’.

Regarding English, some believe that Americans seem to have created “all sorts of new nouns and verbs and make words that shouldn’t be”.

The feature that most distinguishes American English from British English is the spelling. The endings –our; -ise; -re; -ogue; -amme and -que in British English respectively become –or; -ize; -er; -og, -am and -ck in American English. These modifications make American English words ‘look odd’ in the eyes of British students who argue that “there is no need to take letters

out”. Nevertheless, the differences do not limit themselves to spelling, they are also present in vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. Consequently, in light of this “drifting away” from the traditional form of English, would we not be justified in favouring British English?

…but French fries taste so much ‘bedder’ Those who believe that British English is ‘purer’ are mistaken. As claimed by some linguists, American English contains several archaic features which have been discarded in Britain. For instance, the Americans usually pronounce the sound /r/ with the tongue bent back slightly. This had been the normal way of saying the /r/ in England in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. However, British English lost

this sound after vowels. It should also be reminded that the suffixes -ise, -re and –our have been respectively been replaced with –ize, -er and –or in the seventeenth century

by Noah Webster in an attempt at eradicating French influence from the English language and creating a distinct American culture. Thus, it is wrong to tease American spelling as it appears to be more loyal to English than its British equivalent.

[the version] that is most suitable for your circumstances. If you plan to live in Britain, and think you will spend the majority of your time engaged with British culture (and British people) then learn British English. But if you will live in the United States, or will spend most of your time speaking with American people, then go for American English”. However, while each form of English is acceptable, using them both together is not. The key when I can have French learning English is to be consistent in its usage for the sake of clarfries with chips, ity. Consequently, if one writes right? Wrong. in American English, one should Despite the major differences that always and only use American Engexist between American English lish spelling and vice versa. and British English, it would be In sum, it does not matter incorrect to say that one is better whether one chooses French fries than the other. A British English or chips; they both have the same teacher declared that the argument origin and both are appreciated should be about which one is more worldwide. appropriate for one’s needs: “choose

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

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The Croydon Riots One writer reflects after the effects of this Summer’s riots come knocking in her home town.

Jane Edwards On August 6th 2011, a man was shot dead in Tottenham, London.

His death sparked riots in the surrounding area and as far afield as Croydon, South London and other major cities across England.

I (the writer) was brought up and went to school in Croydon my current home with my parents is roughly 3 miles away on a major route between Croydon and neighbouring Sutton. It was on August 9th that I found that something was afoot. I’d come through Croydon on my route home from work and found the town centre crawling with police. Those that know the area will know that this is not entirely unusual for Croydon but there was a particularly nasty atmosphere. I fought my own curiosity with thoughts of my own personal safety and got out of there as soon as I could. Sitting in my garden with my laptop that evening, my Facebook Newsfeed was alight with people commenting on potential unrest. The news hadn’t mentioned Croydon at all at that point, so I dismissed the posts as horrible rumours and prayed they were unfounded.

That was when I noticed that the sky was red. It was a truly astonishing and thoroughly horrifying experience. The woman on BBC News 24 cut her colleague short and went to images of a building I had walked past every single day of my high school career going up in flames.

Suddenly, the eyes of the world were on my humble, shitty little town. Politicians started using words like “robust policing” and “opportunistic criminality”. My question is this; why have they only noticed now? These people did not wake up on August 9th and think, “I fancy being an opportunistic thief today”. This has been a prob-

lem in certain areas of London as long as I can remember and a long time before that too. It shouldn’t have taken a riot for the government to realise that there is a problem in this city. I also firmly believe that Mark Duggan’s death had little or nothing to do with it. There is a lack of moral fibre amongst a very

That was when I noticed that the sky was red. It was a truly astonishing and thoroughly horrifying experience. small minority of people. If pushed for a reason, I’d say poverty and a lack of care from people in power.

These kids are getting a crowded smelly bus to their poorly funded and underachieving school while the man up the road with a dubious means of income has a nice TV and a Ferrari. Every time they turn on the television they see adverts for things they cannot afford. One of the things I love about this town is the determination of many people to better themselves to be able to attain these lovely things we see on our screens. However, working hard doesn’t occur to a very small minority who would rather go out and steal them while they can. This problem did not appear over night and it will not go away over night.

Frankly, I don’t know why everyone seems so shocked about what happened. Am I appalled? Absolutely.

Am I surprised? Not at all.

Above all, I’m proud of my town.

Signs are up declaring that over 400 people have already been charged at the time of writing. I visited Reeves Corner recently it’s as if the building had never been there. The sight brought a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat. It’s a scar on the face of Croydon, but it will heal.

Croydon will recover and have an even greater sense of pride in itself than ever before.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

tf

Comment

Holding out for a hero...

Beth Sedgwick As a student and a young person I decided to weigh in on the issue of our generation, and the problems we are facing.

It’s safe to say Britain is in a form of moral decline. The horrific violence and destruction witnessed across the country this summer proves in earnest the disarray the streets of England are in and displays the attitudes towards society of many modern, underprivileged young people. I myself a teenager am shocked at the behaviour, along with everyone else, that has even lead to tragic deaths, that my peers conducted; and yet I can’t help thinking that there is more to the story.

Whilst of course I don’t condone this appalling behaviour and blatant lack of respect and values, I think the government, also has some questions to answer. The Government’s inevitable conservative stance of “blame the parents” and “stricter moral codes” is undoubtedly true. Children and youths may need to be better instilled during socialization; however the government fail to recognise their own failings in this monstrosity. After all, like the age old legends of the heroic Robin Hood and the tyrannical Sheriff of Nottingham, the rot starts at the top.....

It’s fair to say that the Sheriff and Sir Guy, sorry Cameron and Clegg are not on good terms with us. The average student debt of £53,000 as quoted by The Guardian, come 2012 is an unspeakably terrifying prospect, particularly for the working class, already absorbed in the culture of instant gratification. The enormous debt is sure to decrease the levels attending, despite many lower and middle class students achieving and improving in education. There’s a feeling of oppression, the idea of working hard only to be shot by an arrow from the big shots in suits. The student riots turned violent last December due to the anger and hurt of those who felt their futures and those of them after had been taken away.

Claiming the current economic climate, the current government has cut funding for youth schemes by up to 30 %, making it impos-

flickr/andertoons sible for many schemes to survive.

Cameron’s effort to create a “big society” of collective values has further widened the class gap and limited the opportunities, creating hostility at politics from many of my age group.

However pessimistic my outlook, and my heart does truly go out to the families of all those killed, it was fantastic to see to see locals defending their homes and businesses from attack, and the spirit of Hood surely lies with them. And yet the police, whose job it should be to protect, were vastly outnumbered, supposedly cut by the government, escalating the violence on English

streets, leaving people uncared for, at the hands of those in charge.

The genius of the hero of Robin Hood was that he understood the plight of those less privileged, and sought to fight, protect and help their needs above the agenda of those in charge. Of course he never wanted violence or ever murder, only justice, and Hood and his merry men would most certainly not approve of the horrific disregard and hatred displayed by the rioters.

Yet Hood was a leader of principal and morality, something the leaders of this country, warped in the Murdoch scandal and the Liberal democrat betrayal of promises once

in power, seem to lack in the eyes of many from my generation. No one seems to fight for the man or fit the bill. Certainly not blinky fish man (you know who I meant admit it) Michael Gove on Newsnight, and I think all women will agree, the role of dashing hero is not befitting of Ed Milliband. Of course there is no one reason why the riots happened, or why innocent lives were lost, but the emotions of many my age have been bubbling under the surface, under a frustrating absence of coherent, empathic leadership.

However, I reiterate, this is not an article excusing the violence and looting, protests should try to be

conducted peacefully, and when the message of what we want is clearer.

It is just rich to talk about a lack of moral standards and responsibility when many in government so clearly lack some themselves. Integrity is a two-way thing, and listening, the key to constructive communication (as my mother constantly reminds me) is something the current government is notoriously bad at. This simple act might bring stability, and a sense of equality, that we are valued. That’s what Robin Hood did, and why he was such a hero, the principals of fairness; something I guess Britain today will have to keep searching for.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Film

EXTRA

Review:

Super 8

ard. The group altogether resemble almost every group of friends making the characters easy to empathise with and allow the script to really shine, which in places is With the death of his mother Joe quite hilarious. This film also takes Lamb is alienated by his grieving further the standard sci-fi movie father and throws himself whole group dynamic by adding in extra heartedly into his friendships. This depth using the death of Joe Lamb’s group of friends, headed by Charles mother and the heated relationship Kaznyk, embark upon an entry into between the two fathers of Joe and a film competition; their producAlice to throw the two together tion, using the eponymous Super into a budding relationship.

8 camera, follows a detective in The cinematography of the film the process of thwarting a zombie also adds to its greatness. Set in outbreak. They shoot their pivotal 1979 it reeks of nostalgia and the scene at a deserted railway station sets and costumes all add up to a in the dead of night and are witness gorgeous viewing experience. The to a train crash that will change camera work is also great and really their lives. This crash releases onto adds to the suspense and fear of the their town a government conspirmovie. If you don’t like jumpy movacy and an alien life form, which ies I wouldn’t recommend Super endangers the lives of their loved 8, but if you are like me, and love ones. the experience of screaming and The group dynamic that encom- jumping in your seat this is one for passes the six focal characters of you. Although others have said J.J. the plot really makes the film. The Abrams and Steven Spielberg make largely unknown talents of Joel too much of these cheap thrills, Courtney, who plays Joe Lamb, and I disagree and say that the great Riley Griffiths, who plays Charles script and acting do well to lull you Kaznyk, deliver the script believably in to a false sense of security and and play well off Elle Fanning, the the scares make it a more enjoyable female lead who plays Alice Dainmovie going experience.

Becky Mothersole

*****

The only downside to Super 8 has got to be the ending; although probably controversial to say it is obvious that the ending was the doing of Spielberg and it resembles

too much his coveted E.T. The ending really doesn’t go with the rest of the movie, it is too abrupt and with the sound fading out completely with a song that was devoid of any

relation to the film and the preceding events, the film ends on a rather astonishing sour note, however much the film had previously been enjoyed.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Film

EXTRA

Any good journalist knows that an interview needs to begin with a long preamble about how you met your subject: “I sipped the cup of coffee waiting for John to arrive. He glided into the room, as cool and as confident as I would have expected from the creator of such an impressive body of work…” I do hope you will excuse me if I use this horrendous journalistic cliché just to share the tale of how this interview ending up being written.

Interview: John Madden

Founder Co-Editor Ashley Coates talks to the Oscar award-winning director of Shakespeare in Love and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin about his work, including his latest film The Debt.

the dramatic form, as opposed to studio plays. I never directed studio material as I had just arrived on the cusp of the transition to film.

Inspector Morse in particular was a bizarre breeding ground for a whole generation of filmmakers. It wasn’t where I first met Antony Minghella “You know the answering machine but it was where I became a good was recording that whole conversafriend of his and Danny Boyle was tion?” also directing there at the time.”

“Yes?” “Well it was really irritating me.”

So it was like a sort of director’s “Ok…” trainee placement scheme?

“I got your brother to delete it.”

“WHAT?!?!?”

It was and it is still the case today to some extent but my film-making My darling mother unfortunately generation, pretty much all of them assumed that my conversation with came out of television drama, or the Oscar award-winning director the generation just ahead of me, of Shakespeare in Love was being which was Stephen Friars, Mike recorded by accident, so about half Apted. The twin pools that tended way through, she deleted the record- to feed the community were either ing. Fortunately the other half was television or commercials, the saved on my mobile so what follows Ridley Scotts and the Aaron Parkis an exploration of the way in which ers, all came through commercials John Madden’s career developed, into mainstream film-making and how he approaches his work and another group came through televiwhat we can expect from his latest sion drama/television film. feature, The Debt.

Jumping ahead, quite a few years, John gained a place at Sidney why do you think Shakespeare in Sussex College, Cambridge, reading Love became the success that it English Literature and he made full did? use of the university’s considerable resources for theatrical production.

It’s an astonishing script is the After three years John was running first and most succinct answer to an Oxbridge theatre company, taking that. It was a brilliant script but it shows abroad before embarking on was also a brilliant idea. It’s just an a career in film and television in the idea that had the germ of someUK – starting with crime drama. thing looking back on it extraordinarily exciting and accessible, “Yes that was a sort of hallowed strangely. Nobody thought the traditional in British television material was accessible to begin drama. I did some Sherlock Holmes with and actually although clearly films, these were interspersed with the hand of Tom Stoppard was the what you would call ‘single dramas’ most easily discernable and really which were one-off either adaptathe only discernable creative voice tions or original pieces. Inspector in the script it is true to say that Morse was a little bit later. There Mark Norman, the other credited was a significant thing about screenwriter, was the person who that time because it was when originally had the idea and Tom the drama output was making was originally given the assignthe transition from studio taped ment as a writing assignment, or a material, which often was televised re-writing assignment. It is sort of productions of stage plays to filmed extraordinary that the script landed material, in other words film as in his lap because it wasn’t thought Having arranged to speak with John some months in advance, I was ready with the landline to intercept and record our conversation. 30 minutes later I went downstairs after the interview and my mum says:

psychological thriller is what you would call it. It’s about three Mossad agents who are on a mission to identify and capture and bring back to Israel a suspected Nazi war criminal, this is in the mid sixties.

He is somebody that they suspect is hiding in East Berlin under an assumed name, in other words, behind the Iron Curtain. That is the inner part of the story but the story also concerns the same three agents 30 years later and the film what needs - I wasn’t in a rush to deals with the ramifications of that ask him to re-write things. It devel- original mission. That’s probably all oped into something that landed I can say! The thing that is unuon its feet, let’s put it that way but sual about is that the same three none of us knew at that point that it characters are played by two sets of would work in the way that it did. actors. The central character, who is a woman in her sixties, is played by Going back to what you were say- Helen Mirren. The two male agents ing earlier about whether it would are played by Tom Wilkinson and be of interest to people who didn’t Ciaran Hinds and the younger verhave similar tastes to you, how do sions of those are a girl called Jesyou separate yourself from – from sica Chastain who I am sure we will yourself? hear a lot about and Sam Worthington who we already do know a lot I think actually that is the only about and an excellent actor called thing you can work on creatively Marton Csokas. is if a piece speaks to you in some way then you find something about What was it like working with it which you wish to communicate Helen Mirren? and bring to life, that you wish to animate so that you can actually I know Helen very well because allow the piece to have the same we did a Prime Suspect together effect on other people as it had on so I go way back with her; I have you when you read it – or when worked with her pre-Queen and you thought about it in whatever post-Queen. She was an icon when form these things take. I tend to I worked with her first time round work very strongly with a writer really, she had a pretty extraordiand from a script, I think that’s the nary resume though significantly of key to finding a film that works – or course it is only really in the later bringing a film to life – you need part of her life that she has achieved to see it and feel it and realise it in the kind of recognition in film that script form in your head before you she always had in theatre and in start making it. I am not apologetic television in this country. It was about finding something powerful. only really with the Queen that she I thought, well it’s not my concern suddenly really leapt into internawith Shakespeare in Love to worry tional stardom. It’s very similar to about how big an audience it would Judi Dench who had played smaller find because if the company wanted supporting roles in film up until to make it and we could make it the point I worked with her on Mrs economically which, relatively Brown she didn’t really have a film speaking, in terms of the amount of career and was suspicious about money it later made, we made it ex- whether or not she had the talent! tremely economically, but it felt like Helen is extraordinary and she is a big film to me at the time – it was completely at the top of her game a big film but we didn’t realise that and is so confident and at the same at the time. I think that’s gone on to time relaxed, I think, about what be the only thing I’ve ever used – I she is doing and so on top of her think sometimes I’ve walked away technique and so instinctive that it from things I probably should have is a pretty extraordinary experience done both on stage and in film– just to work with her, she puts herself because I didn’t find the connection totally in your hands which is really with them. amazing, that you can have that sort of talent and be so free with it What is The Debt going to be and so generous with it. about?

The Debt is available to see at Vue That’s a thriller, I suppose a Staines from 30th September.

out, he was actually in a relationship with the studio that owned the project but given the fact that he was the author of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and other meta-fictional Shakespeare pieces he couldn’t be more ideal, it was a match made in heaven really. It was a stroke of luck for me that I had the beginning of a relationship with the studio that owned the picture, or that owned the property. It had been originally owned by Universal, which had had a stab at making the film six or seven years earlier.

Frankly the studio didn’t have an enormous appetite for it not because they felt it was esoteric but really because they couldn’t cast it.

It stumbled and fell and it was then put into turn-around and picked up

by Miramax. I am under no illusion that it came to a number of directors, many of whom I think shied away from it as I think they feared it would be viewed as in an in-joke, a sort of theatrical in-joke.

On paper, it must have seemed quite strange…

Not to me, I remember reading the script and thinking: ‘I can’t believe that somebody has been commissioned to write this, or allowed to write this’, as I had spent so much of my life at that point with Shakespeare, that was what I was teaching at Yale at the point, I had studied him, I had run a Shakespeare company, it seemed just a gloriously rich idea and rich script but I didn’t imagine when I read it that anybody who wasn’t like me, with similar tastes as me, would necessarily be that interested in it, except that it was extraordinarily funny and at that point, though not so strongly romantic, it was very emotional.

It was one of those luck ones.

Tom and I got on incredibly well, he is just a very willing and humble, ridiculously humble, collaborator that believed it was his job to give the director what he wants and

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Film

Review:

One Day Yazmin Vigus

***

Sitting in a darkened cinema about to watch tear jerker One Day, I found myself flanked by two very different types of people. The first wanted to know whether Anne Hatheway could do a Yorkshire accent and the second had been dragged to the pictures by their girlfriends. (And if you are wondering... the rumours are true. Hathaway certainly puts the dodge in dodgy accents!)

The plot follows Emma and Dexter, two graduates who begin a lifelong friendship the eve of their graduation. The film spans twenty years of love, drugs, marriage, divorce, success and tragedy as they each journey through the torrent of emotional confusion and trauma that is LIFE. The audience, meanwhile gag on their popcorn resisting the urge to yell at the screen ‘Realize you love each other already!’

Executed by ‘An Education’ director Lone Scherfig, the film copes with the complexity of time with fluidity and care. Transitions as the years progress are well integrated into the screen story, which is convincingly adapted by original author David Nicholls. Nicholls himself admitted in recent interviews the challenges of adapting his international best-seller onto the sliver-screen. ‘There was a list in my head as to why it couldn’t be a movie’ he exclaims, going on to describe concerns of budget, casting and the daunting time scale.

Don’t give us reasons to pick apart your creation David! Promoting movies doesn’t seem to be this guy’s forte. While the dialogue is witty, scene set-ups diligent and structure thoughtful, I could not escape the fact that this was an adaptation (but maybe it was Nicholls’ own doubts subconsciously leaking into my viewing pleasure). The ominous feeling that I was missing out on some fantastical rhapsody only the book would be able to disclose niggled at me like a fly at dinner time.

Maybe this was just my punishment for not reading the damn book!

Jim Sturgess gives a breakthrough performance as Dexter,

stealing the show from his Oscar nominated co-star. The former telly actor manages to make the protagonist both intolerable yet beautifully tragic. Hathaway was recently scrutinised by many critics in her portrayal of Emma, yet I believe her performance is subtle and giving. Accent smackcent I’m just surprised more people

didn’t comment on her Phoebe Buffay running style. Emma’s (non-running related) suffering although deep and painful remains constant and internal, while Dex is volatile and unstable, making his character both more physically and emotionally demanding. This key difference may have provided more opportunity for his character to

stand out on screen. Even if you are not an Anne-Fan, we can at least give credit where it‘s due, since the starlet was responsible for handpicking her virtually unknown Brit co-star for the part. May Sturgess have a long and bountiful career ahead of him!

Unlike similar Romance films One Day relates equally to men and

women, avoiding the usual clichés to the best of its ability. It presents the challenges of life, the fragility of time and the essence of lasting friendship... love. This film may or may not live up to the books unprecedented success but for me it was the perfect anecdote for a rainy Tuesday afternoon.

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

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Film

Review:

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Zlatina Nikolova

****

Although the summer season of blockbusters, crafted by Hollywood execs with the hope to attract audiences to cinemas during the summer holidays, has almost come to an end, there are still some films that claim to be a part of a more entertaining genre, less serious than the films which would be released in the next couple of months, comprising the so-called award season. One such film is Rise of the Planet of the Apes, directed

by Rupert Wyatt, which takes its place in a long line of films, looking into the theme of apes becoming the dominant species over humans, released through the years, starting with 1968’s Planet of the Apes, starring Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall.

Full of references to past films (Charlton Heston’s image pops up on several occasions and so does the image of the Statue of Liberty, reminding us of the ending of the original Planet of the Apes) and familiar lines, which somehow have made their way into the dialogue (“It’s a madhouse! A madhouse!”), Rise of the Planet of Apes aims to reveal to how apes came to be intellectually superior and consequently took over humans.

With the opening of the film, we are quickly given to understand who the oppressed are and how they are being treated by their oppressors as a group of apes is being chased in a forest, captured and then taken into a laboratory so that a new drug can be tested on them.

However, when the experiment is stopped, one of the doctors working on it - Will Rodman (James Franco) - discovers a baby ape, who

15

lost its mother, and finds himself in the peculiar situation of having to take care after him. The little one grows to be Caesar, an ape exhibiting intelligence higher than that of any other ape and an almost human consciousness.

It is very difficult not to sympathise with Caesar - a combination of Andy Serkis’s sophisticated performance and CGI technology (we should note here this is not the first time Serkis is portraying an ape - Kong in Peter Jackson’s King Kong, 2005) - and the rest of the apes, who unite against their mutual human capturers, who, by the way, are not represented by the best of their species - except Franco’s character, his father Charles (John Lithgow) and vet Caroline Aranha (Freida Pinto), the rest of the humans in the film are portrayed as cruel to animals such as Tom Felton’s Dodge Landon or David Oyelowo’s business-oriented character Steven Jacobs and even the Rodmans’ neighbours. However, the focus constantly gets shifted to other subplots such as the disease of Will’s father, including additional storylines and trying to make the whole story more complicated.

The film ends with a huge actionoriented scene, where apes and humans battle against each other, strongly contrasting the first more emotional half of the film, suggesting the change of mind Caesar undergoes.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes presents a plausible start for the events that take place in other films, relying on a more dramatic approach to appeal to its viewers. However, due to the several subplots, the film is fragmented in places and distracts the audience from its main message - that it was people who caused the beginning of the end of their superiority.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

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Film Review:

Cowboys and Aliens

Review:

The Inbetweeners Movie

***

and Neil (Blake Harrison) can get “knee deep in clunge”.

The strength of the TV series is that the writers and actors keep the Nathaniel Horne language and chemistry of the charFilm Editor acters convincing, as well as quite accurate to the generation they are A movie spin-off of a popular trying to represent. Whether it’s Jay sitcom is always a good bet for pro- boasting about his sexual prowess, ducers. A fan base is already estab- Simon and Will having to cope with lished and so the movie is bound to several awkward moments of failure generate a lot of money and laughs. or Neil being blissfully oblivious to The concept of The Inbetweeners the boys’ problems whilst trying to Movie – a group of school boys try get on with the holiday and have and get laid – has been employed a good time, there are several mofor many comedy films before, so it ments in the film that are not only is the task of director Ben Palmer to hilarious, but that audience memsee if The Inbetweeners can bring bers are bound to recognise from anything new to the table. their personal overseas experiences.

The short answer is no. However, As is the case with most film that doesn’t stop The Inbetweenadaptations of TV series, new charers Movie from being a concise, acters are thrown into the mix to funny and charming film. The plot make things a bit grander. Here we involves the titular Inbetweeners get four girls for the protagonists to (four lads who are ‘in between’ the match up with, a typical douchebag nerdy and popular realm in school) womaniser (who humiliates Simon’s as they journey to Malia for a ex, Carli, also in Malia) and a great holiday so that Simon (Joe Thomas) eccentric loner called Richard, who can get over his girlfriend, virgin should have got more screen-time.

Will (Simon Bird) can perhaps find The female characters are unfora girlfriend and Jay (James Buckley) tunately what let the film down.

***

he is brings down several aircraft, resulting in one alien-type creature roaming the wilderness and leaving a trail. The initial shock wears Jennifer Edwards off quite quickly, nobody seeming overtly surprised by the arrival Jon Favreau’s ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ of these creatures, and a quest to is unsurprisingly what it says on save the town-folk goes under-way the tin. Daniel Craig, stranger to toward the alien mother ship in the both sci-fi and western films, plays mountains. Although the story-line the protagonist alongside Star and action keeps us entertained for Just like in the television show, it’s Wars actor Harrison Ford in what the majority of the 2 hour film, the disappointing to watch something seems to be Bond & Indiana Jones genres are seemingly ‘shaken not filled with such enjoyable and genu- meets Alien vs. Predator. The film stirred’ and fail to merge together ine moments immediately followed opens to find an injured Craig (later as one might expect and instead the by moments of ‘that-just-wouldn’t- identified as Jake Lonergan) in the aliens, as expected, take the place happen’ stupidity, such as the scene wilderness, horseless and alone of the Indians in our stereotypical when the lads clumsily try and apart from a half buried picture of western movie. The alien creatures dance over to the other side of the a woman and a curious silver brace- themselves also lack inspiration room to talk to the girls (the dance- let which, given the title, suggests with the standard distorted human floor is empty, the house lights are some extraterrestrial interference. form with frog-like faces and an on) or when Will’s holiday crush Suddenly three desperadoes arrive extra set of arms that emerge slowly Alison (Laura Haddock) takes her on horseback, bounty hunters who from their chest. This being said, clothes off and allows him to feel have picked the wrong strong, silent whilst Craig plays the standard heher up, apparently because she pit- man. Within seconds they’re dead roic figure, Harrison flourishes in a ies his virgin-status. Fortunately the and Craig, who has yet to utter different role as our western villain. conscientious work of all the actors a word, acquires hat, gun and a Although it is (sadly) largely huin the film make up for this, and the horse, but still no identity. Stummourless, I did find comic release worst parts still manage to bring a bling upon a near-by town, both in some of the Cowboy vs. Alien smile to your face. audience and Craig encounter the shoot outs (which probably wasn’t The Inbetweeners Movie is as archetypal western sheriff, saloon what they were going for) as well as amusing and heart-warming a owner, preacher and a spoilt son some cringe-worthy dramatic onefilm as you could expect from the of a rich rancher. The plot moves liners such as “We won’t be able to makers of one of the most popular swiftly, with Craig being identified track it in the dark!” With so many sitcoms of the last few years. As as a renowned Jesse James-type of western scenes thrown in for good the summer ends and the more the wild west, knocked out by a measure, the film of course ends dramatic and gloomy movies start woman (Olivia Wilde) and arrested with Craig riding off on horse-back to fill the big screen, its well worth all in time for the arrival of spaceinto the wilderness at sunset. Hopetrying to catch at Staines if you craft destroying the town figures fully, that was the back of 007 in an want a film full of “sun, sea, booze, and capturing its members via American accent (although his atminge, fanny and sex and tits and long ropes like fishermen. It is here tempt was admittedly pretty good), booze and sex”.

Craig finds use for his bracelet as and a promising return to Bond.

17

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Film

Review:

Apollo 18

Samuel Gridley

plot exploits the paranoid era of the American late 70s to a rather obvious extent. We’ve got space missions, Soviets, lying governments ‘Found footage’ is a well-established and E.T.s to boot. One character trend since the ‘Blair Witch Project’ even rather clunkily refers to Waseminally defined the sub genre in tergate, just to hammer it home.

1999. Its ideal application is horror, It’s logical where Apollo 18 rests it adds realism to address the ever contemporarily in our post- 9/11 cynical and savvy audiences and environment, American conspiracy typically with horror, unknowns has had a substantial revitalisation are predominantly cast; there is no and the Internet has only propaworry of lack of exposure for stars gated this. We’ve all watched grainy and it allows full focus on the high- footage of ghosts, ghouls and little concept that is often involved. green men on YouTube.

Here we have Apollo 18, a found Apollo 18’s strengths lie in footage horror set in 1974 that its execution. Aesthetically, it claims to be exposing the covert is extremely convincing, utilismoon landing after the ‘official’ last ing some actual NASA stock and US moon launch, Apollo 17. The rendering the staged footage with

***

a heightened authenticity. This is partly aided by our familiarity with that grainy NASA footage, much of which is even projected in 4:3 aspect ratio, an attention to detail that the average thrill seeking teen isn’t too concerned about but nonetheless the detail remains, which is refreshing.

The performances are nicely understated if not subtle and despite how good they are, as often is the effect of the found footage form, emotion is hard to come by and overall the distance from our protagonists is far too great and empathy is hard to come by. This leaves the question that if there is no intimacy between the astronauts and us, how can we then care about

their fates? Unfortunately footage of families and brief male camaraderie are crow barred in to attempt to compensate for this but it simply does not work. Once you look beyond the aesthetic and technical achievements of ‘Apollo 18’, the plot is in fact extremely by the numbers and very familiar to even the most casual Sci-Fi or Horror viewer. It simply isn’t that scary, unable to really balance the conspiracy-fuelled mystery with the suspense of horror, and although as a rule less is more, the ‘shock’ reveals aren’t quite enough. Essentially whatever your own expectations or imagination paints in here, it will definitely be better than the actual frankly rather underwhelming pay-off.

‘Apollo 18’ is far from the cream of the crop when it comes to the found footage genre, never amounting to anything as disturbing as the ‘Blair Witch Project’ or ‘Cloverfield’.

In fact even the rather lacklustre ‘Paranormal Activity’ duo at least give more scares. “Apollo 18” is undeniably a timely piece, drawing its setting and concept from the culture of the conspiracy theory and the demand for ever-convincing realism in horror. However, despite it being rather well made and logically marketed, there is simply no heart or feeling here, and at a very slight eighty minutes it won’t waste your time too much. It will take even less time to forget the Apollo 18 experience.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Music

Amy Winehouse and P J Harvey: separated at birth?

Harun Musho’d Music Editor

Harun Musho’d Since the last issue, there has been the usual quiet summer in terms of album releases. Lil Wayne released Carter IV, his most successful album in the UK; Red Hot Chili Peppers and Hard-Fi both released underwhelming albums after long breaks; and anyone for Joe McElderry? But, the summer was not uneventful.

One of the saddest day of the year was surely 23 July. That day, a madman shot and bombed 85 people in Norway. The same day, Amy Winehouse was found dead in her Camden flat. I appreciate that the Norwegian deaths are the greater disaster, but this is a music section, so I am focussing on Amy. I saw her perform in early 2007at an NME award gig at the now-defunct London Astoria. By then, she had already begun the behaviours that were to lead to her sad demise (probably, the cause of death is still uncertain), but on that evening she was superb, funny and backed by the same band that helped her record Back to Black. I always felt that the album was overrated – it’s good, and it has three classic tracks, but there was a feeling that better yet to come, if she could clean up her act. But then, it was her behaviour that influenced her work, particularly ‘Rehab.’ She was never going to be a role-model that some fans’ parents wanted her to be, but who listens to role-models.

On 9 September, Amy’s separated-at-birth twin, P J Harvey won this year’s Mercury’s Prize. It was fitting that her albums of protest songs should win her a second Mercury Prize almost exactly ten years after she won her first – on September 11 2001. It’s been a while since I’ve been excited about the Mercury Prize, and this year, like last, I liked the urban commercial options best – but Tinie Tempah had no chance of winning. That said, most of the other albums – Katy B, Anna Calvi, Everything Everything and The English Riviera had something of interest. P J Harvey’s contribution on the award show, ‘Words that maketh murder’

The Founder Music Section If you have any thoughts about music, be they album or gig reviews, artist profiles or comment pieces, please send them to me at: music@thefounder.co.uk.

There are a few guidelines. The co-editor, and my predecessor as music editor, David Bowman, wisely said that no body of work is self contained and the ideal music journalist investigates how the artist is subject to the context

in which they create.

I would add, more prosaically, that any review should be either about an established, or heavily-hyped act, or one with connections to Royal Holloway.

Or it should be a positive review if you’re reviewing someone obscure. No one wants to read about a bad album by an unknown act.

Please limit reviews to 300 words and other articles to 600.

First London university music competition to launch in October

was an apt and bitter comment on the events in the intervening ten years.

Now that summer has gone, the number of new releases is set to escalate. By the time you read this, Kasabian will have followed up their brilliant, Mercury-prize nominated West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum with Velociraptor. Bjork was due to release her new album Biophilia this week, but it has now been delayed to early October. As well as CD and standard download

formats, there is also an interactive iPad app version (possibly the reason for the delay?). Also, October sees the release of Noel Gallagher’s first solo album and Tom Waits’ first new album proper since 2004.

Kate Bush, meanwhile, is defying her reclusive reputation by announcing a planned release for her second album this year. And then, of course, there will be the usual bundle of XFactor-related releases to clog up the charts – oh joy!

Royal Holloway only has two famous pop music alumni – KT Tunstall and Example, compared to Goldsmith’s haul which includes Blur, James Blake and Katy B (in fairness they do run a popular music degree which the latter two attended).

Now though, students in Royal Holloway, and other London universities, are being given the opportunity to take the main stage in the first University Music League competition to start in October.

The main prize offers contest winners an EP produced by producer Charlie Hugall, who has worked with pop groups Florence + The Machine, Kaiser Chiefs, and The Maccabees.

Organized by music management company Fatter Lane Ltd, the competition operates between student musicians in London and the higher-education institutions they represent.

Says Fatter Lane Productions founder Karel Severin: “Most talent scouts overlook universities but they are one of the most potent breeding grounds for creative in-

novation. Meanwhile, musicians studying at university have a hard time getting exposure between their academic and work schedules and receive little aid from music societies.”

The local rounds starting in October are to take place in the form of live music battles in various London music and university venues.

The chosen finalists will perform in front of thousands of spectators in April at a major London venue yet to be announced. Applicants have to perform original music. Eliminations will be determined through public voting. The application deadline is 5 October 2011. Students can apply via the Uni Music League website at www.unimusiccontest.com.

If you do apply, let The Founder (music@thefounder.co.uk) know when you are appearing and we’ll do our best to cover it.

19

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Music

EXTRA Festival Review:

Bestival mances, a comedy club and a science tent. Sunday night’s firework finale with aerial displays, following Bjork’s performance, concluded an Held against the picturesque landunforgettable weekend. scape of Robin Hill Country Park Bestival raised awareness of on the Isle of Wight, the Bestival music festival delivered an eclectic environmental issues, with ‘eco’ mix of artists and array of imagina- compost toilets, recycling points on tive activities, providing the record- all campsites and a “Green Team” to aid campers with recycling. Campbreaking 42,000 attendees with a ers were rewarded with free tea in memorable experience, embodied return for every bag of rubbish, in the fancy dress theme of “rock and free beer for empty cans. The stars, pop stars and divas”.

10:10 organisation, who campaign Acts ranged from major artists Pendulum, The Cure, Kelis, Katy B, for reductions in carbon emissions, Public Enemy and Bjork - to lesser provided free mobile phone charging powered by energy produced known performers - vocalist and through cycling. A solar-powered rapper Maverick Sabre, electro“bandstand” stage and a dance floor swing band The Correspondents lit by the kinetic energy generated and acoustic singer/songwriter from dancers further heightened Ben Howard. In addition to the medley of performers displayed on the issue of climate change.

Bestival may be one of the last over 20 stages, festival organiser, festivals of the summer, but not the and Radio One DJ, Rob Da Bank, least - it received the Best Major also provided a rich mixture of Festival award last year. For anyone alternative activities and displays: looking for a festival charged with yoga and meditation sessions in an almost tangible air of excitethe ‘Ambient Forest,’ a ‘Freesports Park’ complete with a halfpipe skate ment combined with an enormous ramp, a performance by the English range of entertainment, Bestival is for you.

National Ballet, burlesque perfor-

Rosie Turner

Festival Review:

Latitude no-one, were good too. On the minor stages, indie rockers The Bees were fun; blues-man C W StonekSince I last attended Latitude in ing took us back to 20s southern 2008, organisers have increased USA, and singer/songwriter - and attendances by 10,000 to 35,000. very pregnant - Thea Gilmore made It was a shame, therefore, that two disgusting but hilarious references of headlining acts were not more to childbirth in-between delivering established. Suede are a bona-fide a good set. headlining act, but Paolo NuThe biggest surprises were Adam tini? There were other scheduling Ant with a greatest hit set that was cock-ups. Putting Hurts on as the well received, and the Chicagopenultimate act on Sunday, resulted based Hypnotic Brass Ensemble in a half-empty field. Conversely, with an unlikely combination of James Blake was not assigned a hip-hop and brass band. My biggest stage until late and then it was one mistake was watching Eels headlinof the minor stages. It appeared that ing in the second arena, instead of the organisers had not realised that Suede. Dire! they had booked one of the hottest Latitude is more than just a music acts of the year. festival, but I mostly ignored that, There were plus points. Perforapart from the comedy tent. Hits mances by Paloma Faith, Wanda were Richard Herring, previewing Jackson and RHUL alumnus KT his widely-acclaimed Edinburgh was to watch RHUL Professor MoTunstall on the main stage were set, and Jon Richardson. tion’s first play. Sorry Prof, but if lively. And Hurts, despite playing to My one foray into the literature you are going to write a play about

Harun Musho’d

flickr/simononly the Iraq war then make your typical soldier-type working class, not middle class, and say something

that is specific about that war, not trot out general clichés about war.

20

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Campus Theatre: Autumn Calendar For all productions, join their groups on Facebook to find out about the latest news and confirmed audition dates/times/locations. There’s a good chance that audition venues will change, so check first.

Week 4

Week 5

That Face

Closer

Director Sophie Kisilevsky 2nd Year Drama and Theatre Studies

Director Natasha O’Neill 2nd Year Drama & Theatre Studies

Why did you choose this play?

I feel it has something for everyone. It’s hilarious one moment and tragic the next. It’s a contemporary play and one which I feel we can all relate to. It is ultimately a study of family dynamics, and covers a whole range of emotions we have all experienced at one point or another.

Why did you choose this play?

I have always loved the play Closer and have wanted to direct it for the past couple of years now.

Furthermore, I love plays that are actor-led and call for a lot of workshop style rehearsals and I feel that this text relies a lot upon the characters and the chemistry between the actors on stage.

What do you plan to do with it?

In the majority of productions, the character of Martha – the unstable, pill-popping mother figure – is seen as the central focus, however I have chosen to have Henry, her son, as the central character with the audience seeing through his eyes. Incorporating naturalism with physical theatre, we aim to create a performance in which Henry takes the audience on a journey whereby they judge the characters actions and discover for themselves why it all went wrong.

What do you plan to do with it?

I plan to completely strip the play down with very basic staging/ lighting and realistic costume; the actors themselves are going to bring this production to life. I want to work closely with the cast in order to bring the most raw and electric performances possible to the stage.

Student Workshop

Why is it the most exciting production to go and see this term?

Polly Stenham was only 19 when she wrote ‘That Face’, so I feel this makes the play all the more appropriate for a university audience. Given that Stenham was so young, it is also a shining example for all budding drama students of what can be achieved at such a young age.

How can students get involved?

Come and audition for an acting role, or if you are interested in backstage or technical stuff, we would also love to hear form you!

Just send an email to Sophie.Kisilevsky.2010@live.rhul.ac.uk Auditions: Thu 22nd Sept (Freshers’ Week), 6-10pm, Rehearsal Room A (in Sutherland House).

Re-calls: Fri 23rd Sept, 6-10pm, Rehearsal Room A. Shows: Thur 20th Oct – Sat 22nd (Wk4) in the Studio Theatre.

Drama Society

Why is it the most exciting production to go and see this term?

I feel Closer will completely strip away the trappings of theatre and offer an audience something real and moving and powerful. It’s a fantastic production about truth, lust and the illusion of romance.

How can students get involved?

Assistant stage managers, publicity, cast, and we’ll be looking for acoustic singers for our launch night.

Auditions: Sat 24th Sept. Recalls: Sun 25th. Times & location TBC. Show: Wed 26th – Fri 28th Oct (Wk5), Jane Holloway Hall.

Week 6 Grand Guignol Student Workshop Director Loz Street 3rd Year Drama and Theatre Studies

Why did you choose this play?

Because, whilst they’ve all been fantastic, I’m a little tired of the huge amount of doom and gloom plays we see in the Student Workshop. On the whole I’m a comic actress myself, and the talented comic actors within the drama department don’t really get much opportunity to shine. With this comedy horror, hopefully we’ll have you laughing with us the whole time, but there’s definitely an edge to it that means you won’t forget it in a hurry!

What do you plan to do with it?

I’ve always been so inspired by Kneehigh Theatre Company and most people at Holloway haven’t seen the small scale, playful, very Cornish, very clever Kneehigh that lives in Cornwall – they just know the big west-end productions. I want to introduce people to that style. If you’ve been to the Kneehigh Asylum, then you’ll know where my head is with this!

I want to create a real ensemble, and to push creative boundaries (not just controversial ones).

The play will, essentially, be put on as intended in the script – but who knows what could happen in rehearsal! I want to tell a story, I want you to enjoy yourself watching it, and I want people who don’t usually attend theatre to give it a go.

Why is it the most exciting production to go and see this term?

Well, because it will be completely bonkers and not like anything you’ve ever seen at Holloway! My production team is extremely talented – and getting bigger every week – and with them is really where the secret of this show lies. Never before have I rung up a friend and asked him to think about how we might go about building a ‘regeneration machine’ on zero budget, nor have I ever before received floppy severed arms in the post from my Godmother, who found it in a skip whilst walking the dog. It’s funny, it’s gore-y, it’s melodramatic, it’s horrific, it’s totally insane and I promise you’ll kill for a ticket! I also advise not wearing white if you would like to sit in a front seat.

How can students get involved?

To be involved in the cast or crew of Grand Guignol, you need to be a member of the Student Workshop. Other than that please just spread the word, attend the launch night when you see the posters for it and get involved by coming to see it!

Audition: Mon 26th Sept (Wk1) (4 male, 1 female, 1 non-gender specific).

Show: Thu 3rd - 5th Nov (Wk6).

Iolanthe

Savoy Opera Director Nick Littler 3rd Year Drama Why did you choose this play?

I originally chose Iolanthe because we felt that it would be good to put on something quite topical (obviously in as much as Victorian operetta can be topical!) that dealt with prevalent themes of government and law in a satirical way. The fact that it deals with a corrupt and ineffectual House of Lords, for instance - was very attractive to us.

We also realised that there is a view of Savoy as a rather old fashioned, stuffy society, and we felt that Iolanthe was the perfect play to bridge the gap between the old and the new. We love the play for its incredible music and its wonderful sense of humour.

peers in fairy wings and dressing gowns!

Basically, it’s not to be missed!

How can students get involved?

If you can sing and act, come and impress us at the auditions; we need a main cast of eleven, plus a big chorus. Later on we’ll need an orchestra. Apply to Gylfi Heimisson (MD) for that. And if you’re not so keen on performing, we’ll need a fair few backstage people. Charlotte Pearson’s our Stage Manager, and if you ask her nicely she might just let you be an ASM/DSM. If you have any queries go to our Facebook group (helpfully named ‘AUDITIONS for Autumn show IOLANTHE’), or send a message to Giles Lindon or me.

Men’s audition: Mon 26th Sept, 6:00 pm (Wk1). Women’s audition: Tues 27th, 6:00 pm.

Callbacks: Thurs 29th, 6:00 pm.

Show: 5th-7th Nov (Wk6-7)

Week 7 RENT M.T.S.

Co-Directors Cassie Bending 2nd Year English Lit. Emily Hubert 2nd Year English & Drama

What do you plan to do with it?

We intend to set the stage in traverse, with the audience on either side of Jane Holloway Hall, so as to give the impression that they are taking sides in the House of Lords. A few seats will be reserved for the Peers’ Chorus, who will jeer and shout (and of course, sing) at each other across the floor in typical Parliamentary fashion, and this will immerse the audience in the overblown world of Iolanthe.

Why did you choose this play?

We chose RENT because we wanted to bring its music and its message to the students of Royal Holloway. It’s an incredibly beautiful musical but it’s also an accessible one as it deals with very ordinary human emotions and relationships.

It’s also a lot of fun though.

Above all else its creator Jonathan Larson wanted RENT to be a celebration of life, not a few hours in which his audience worry about yesterday or tomorrow. We often forget to just enjoy the moment we’re in.

Why is it the most exciting production to go and see this term?

A battle of the sexes! Fairies making a mockery of the legal process! An all-singing, all-dancing House of Lords! Peris and

What do you plan to do with it?

Our approach will mainly be centered on character and storytelling. The Student’s Union main hall will be quite an intimate setting so the audience will be

21

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA able to join the characters on the journey. We do also have some sneaky ideas about how we’re going to play with the main hall space, but we’ll save those to surprise you all!

We hope to use dance more than in the original Broadway version of RENT, thanks to our awesome choreographer. We feel this is a medium of expression that can be exploited more in relation to character and it will keep the show moving.

Why is it the most exciting production to go and see this term?

Mainly because we guarantee it’ll be the production on campus that’ll make you laugh, cry, gasp in disbelief and cheer for your inner bohemian all at the same time. Even if you don’t like musicals, come and see RENT because after the first five minutes you wholly forget that people are singing to you rather than talking. RENT is quite operatic in this sense, as because nearly the whole thing is sung you notice it less, make sense?

How can students get involved?

Join the Facebook group (RHUL MTS presents RENT Autumn 2011), follow us on Twitter (@ RHULMTSRENT), get in contact with any of the production team or come along to our auditions!

Even if you’re only interested in backstage or tech work come along and have a chat. We’ll be around throughout Freshers’ week publicizing, at Freshers’ fayre as well as just chilling around campus (possibly with donuts or other sweet goods).

Auditions: Mon 26th and Tue 27th Sept (Wk1). Recalls: Wed 28th. Locations TBC. Show: Sat 12th – Tue 15th Nov (Sun 13th: matinee & evening shows) (Wk7-8), SU Main Hall.

Week 8 The Dumb Waiter

Student Workshop Director Alex Middleton 3rd Year Drama & Theatre Studies Why did you choose this play?

I chose the play because I found it hilariously surreal and thought it would be a fantastic piece to cause both confusion and comedy at the same time.

What do you plan to do with it?

I plan to really tackle the dreaded ‘Pinter Pause’ head on and focus on the timing and rhythms of the language within the text- working on both of these can give the laughter the absurdity the text deserves.

Why is it the most exciting production to go and see this term?

The venue provides the intimacy that is really necessary with a piece like this – you will get up close with the characters and really get to experience their situations first hand!

How can students get involved?

If you are a Drama & Theatre Studies student interested in being a shadow director then you can email me explaining why you would be good for the role. Details of when to send your emails will be posted soon.

For more info please email Alex.

Middleton.2009@live.rhul.ac.uk Auditions: Thu 6th October (Wk2), 6-10pm Rehearsal Room B. Recalls: Fri 7th October.

Show: Mon 14th – 16th November (Wk8).

A Matter of Life and Death Drama Society

Director Oli Gordon 3rd Year Drama and Theatre Studies Why did you choose this play?

I first saw the Powell and Pressburger’s film on a rainy afternoon a few years ago and remember thinking this would make a really good piece of theatre. I got ridiculously excited when I found out a stage adaptation had been made and got even more excited when I found out the adaptation had been made by Tom Morris and Emma Rice as a co-production between the National Theatre and Kneehigh. Set in the last days of the Second World War, the play makes an interesting discussion about the nature and effects of war but also at the heart of it all we have this beautiful love story between our heroes Peter and June. There’s something very timeless about it that I just fell in love with.

What do you plan to do with it?

Very much in the spirit of the adaptation itself, I want to work really close with the company we

assemble for this project. We’re staging it on the floor of the SU with the audience up close and almost in the action. We’re also using puppets, live music and a few other little surprises to bring the story to life.

Why is it the most exciting production to go and see this term?

A Matter of Life and Death promises to give you something different this term. Whether you’re a fan of the film or have never heard of it, this show will be full of romance, tragedy and a little bit of comedy too. There are also two alternative endings decided by the flip of a coin so even the cast won’t know what ending until the very last second.

How can students get involved?

There are loads of ways to get involved with this show. It’s a massive project and we have lots of opportunities to take part.

As well as a large number of performing roles we need people to get involved with everything from publicity to helping with costume or make-up to assistant stage managing. We are also having a small ensemble of musicians and singers in the show and will be looking for people to be part of that as well. Whatever you like doing and no matter how much experience you have there is a way for you to get involved with this show.

Auditions (TBC): Mon 26th & Tue 27th Sept (Wk1). Recalls: Wed 28th. Locations TBC. Show: Sat 19th – Tues 22nd Nov (Wk8-9) (Sun 20th: matinee & evening), SU Main Hall.

Week 11 Aladdin

RAG Panto Director Joseph Twilley 3rd Year History Why did you choose this play?

With the pantomime world as it is, there’s a really well-established selection to choose from! We chose Aladdin because it’s a real classic but also because there was great potential to develop a show that had a large number of named roles and a really important chorus, giving everyone who wants to a chance to be part of it. As with most pantomime versions of Aladdin, our production is set in China so we can’t wait to create a really visual show.

What do you plan to do with it?

Having been involved for the last two years, we want to build on the RAG Pantomime’s long line of success in putting on a really entertaining, funny show that simultaneously raises a huge amount of money for charity. As a production team we love the traditions of panto so there’ll definitely be lots of ‘He’s behind you!’, but at the same time the show will be bang up to date with topical references and music. This is a huge production: big musical numbers, slapstick scenes and excellent dialogue courtesy of writer Simon Sladen will really make it shine.

Director Joshua Ward 3rd Year Drama

Why is it the most exciting production to go and see this term?

Who can fail to laugh at a pantomime?! Even if you think you’ve seen it all before, this is Holloway’s very own panto so I assure you there will be something you’ll love; witty dialogue, brilliant live music, great dance routines, sparkling costumes and as much innuendo-laden comedy as you can handle! Plus this year we’re supporting Shooting Star Chase who provide hospice services to children with lifelimiting conditions, so as well as having a great night out you really will have helped those in need too.

To use the space to its full advantage I will be staging the play in the round. Since the play is so close to modern day issues and events, setting it right in a present day UN/NATO world seems both appropriate and exciting. This is a play that demands momentum and I think this, as well as a multimedia presence will help keep it slick.

How can students get involved?

The best thing about the RAG Panto is that everyone is welcome to join in onstage or behind the scenes. If you fancy being part of a team that has fun for the entire term and creates something magical, you can find us on Facebook by searching for ‘RAG PANTOMIME 2011: ALADDIN’ or we’ll be at the Fresher’s Fayre so come and chat to us there. We’d love to hear from anyone who is interested so if you want to get involved with marketing, acting, advertising, design, dancing or anything else get in touch. Plus you can follow Widow Twankey herself on twitter: @Twankey. It’s going to be the best!

Audition Dates: Tues 27th Sept (Wk1).

Show: Sun 4th – Tues 6th Dec (Wk11), SU Main Hall.

Also: Anthony & Cleopatra

Shakespeare Society

Through the ages few people have really pulled this play off. I read this of course as a challenge.

Of all the Shakespeares I think it’s my favourite; the characters are full of life, sass, irony, rage and humour and go through enormous emotional journeys as well as having some of the best lines Shakespeare ever penned.

It strikes me as a play incredibly relevant to this decade; an old empire’s trade routes under threat, political coalitions and backstabbing.

I think there are so many wonderful shows being put on this term, but of course I do think this show has something extra special for the audience. It’s so full of life, wonderful prose, believable and extraordinary characters and in terms of the visuals we’ll be indulging in stunning scenography, multimedia and costume, a sense of luxuriousness being so close to the play’s heart. It’s a wonderful story full of twists and heartache and laughter and I have a strong inkling that all involved are going to pull if off spectacularly.

One of the main initiatives of this play was as a base for a wide range of people working towards a wide range of professions to show the campus and world what they could do. As well as the large, strong, committed and talented cast we’re auditioning for, we also need costumers, lighting designers, riggers, we have a publicity and multimedia team headed by Iona Westlake and I’m sure she’d welcome more keen film students and graphic designers. Finally, there will be shadowing schemes open for those wanting to get immersed in producing, directing, stage managing and deputy stage managing. If you have a skill, we want you.

Auditions: Tue 27th (recalls: 28th), 6:30-10pm in Jane Holloway Hall (Wk1).

Show: Wed 23rd-26th Nov (Wk9)

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Music

Live Review:

Darren Criss

5th July

Tottenham Court Road, was much indicative of this latter claim to The Borderline, London fame would be to wildly understate the undead army of shrieking Julia Armfield thirteen-year-old fiends in Glee t-shirts who greeted my friends So admittedly, the Music section is and I as we rounded the corner and not one I have ever found myself almost immediately realised that routinely writing for; my audiowe had made a terrible mistake. proclivities, as a general rule, span- There is nothing, I have always ning little further than a passing been quite sure, that makes you feel investment in whiny Folk-Pop and quite so much a resident of Planet a deeply suspect thing for Kenny Earth as finding yourself amongst G, but suffice it to say that, having people who almost universally are spent what may well prove to have not, and if the yowling excitement been the most exuberantly disturb- and general loud use of internet ing afternoon of my life watching a slang was anything to go by, we had YouTube hipster and unfortunate crash-landed deep in the denizens Glee star singing songs about drag- of Planet Gleek. True to form, ons in a darkened room, I’m afraid however, and with many a side-eye that our musical editor will simply at any nauseating adolescent who have to take what I throw at him looked even vaguely likely to start and like it. a singalong, we somehow managed Darren Criss, for those of you to find what felt like the only other with the enviable ability to actually over-twenties in the queue and switch off your laptops and go see spent most of the not inconsiderwhat’s happening outside, is the able waiting period passing a hipstar of and musical brain behind flask back and forth, cursing God the smash hit YouTube fan-creation and longing to be elsewhere. It’s not A Very Potter Musical and its that I exactly hate all fourteen-yearsequel, as well as being an actor, olds; I do at least half accept that I singer-songwriter, recording artist used to be one; but where fourteenand, fortunately or unfortunately, year-old fangirls in homemade depending on your point of view, t-shirts are concerned, I personally the guy who sang Teenage Dream feel that my venom is justified. in a blazer on Glee. To say that the As a friend of mine once yelled at waiting crowd we encountered, a crowd of shrieking tweenagers on rocking up to the Borderline in waiting around outside a theatre for

Benedict Cumberbatch: “IT’S NOT GOING TO MAKE HIM LOVE YOU.”. I’m just saying.

Of course, the problem with this kind of high horse is that it’s only so easy to keep a seat when, on actually coming into contact with the reason for all this queuing, you immediately reverted back six years and started crying hysterically like a black and white montage of a Beatles tour. I may be exaggerating slightly here, but only a little bit.

That’s the scary thing.

With a California drawl and a winningly dorky audience rapport, Criss emerged onto the tiny Borderline stage to a chorus of screams roughly calculated to startle every dog in the Greater London area and launched immediately into an energetic medley both of acoustic covers and self-penned songs.

Rocketing through the charmingly boyband-ish I Still Think and the rather more John Mayer-esque Stutter, he played in a cheerfully ruthless way on fan expectations, referring knowingly to his tendency both to forget lyrics and sweat a lot in concerts. (The fourteen-year-olds screamed. My friends and I fanned ourselves. No judgement was passed.) With his trademark tone of deep sincerity, Criss has always managed to make his nerdy charm somehow irresistible, even with the strangest of song choices. A short

keyboard set including When You Wish Upon A Star, Human and, yes, a sexy slow rendition of Teenage Dream somehow managed to be appealing, rather than sick-making, even when he informed us, in a manner a little too suggestive of the soul’s awakening, that yes, we were his Teenage Dream. At one point, he sang The Coolest Girl, Hermione Granger’s big solo from A Very Potter Sequel, and I can only admit that my friends and I were to be found at the back, holding hands like we were attending a séance and declaring to one another in choked tones that “he totally wrote this song about me”. Even now, the cynical hag inside me is shaking her head in disgust, but the truth is the truth, however unfortunate it may be, and frankly, so what if I held up my phone like a lighter during Part of Your World ? There have been worse crimes.

During an hour-long set and encore, as well as a much-applauded cameo from A Very Potter Musical’s Voldemort, Joe Walker, we were treated to a frenzied selection of Disney Songs, Glee Standards and Harry Potter Power Numbers, which descended into full-audience singalong more than once. Performing, throughout, with a look of gratifying pleasure in doing so, Criss displayed both an easy showmanship and a technical

competency that was truly delightful to watch, at one point using the cramped and tiny layout of the Borderline club itself to invoke the kind of living room intimacy of a friendly jam session and inviting us all to join in. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure you’ve even lived if you’ve yet to find yourself in a roomful of hysterical losers screaming about going back to spells and enchantments, potions and friends / to Gryffindor/ Ravenclaw/ Hufflepuff / SLYTHERIN!, but then again, that might just be me.

Emerging into the light as sweaty shadows of our former selves, it took my friends and I some minutes to regain our twenty-something composure and stop looking at the various fourteen-year-olds now crying hysterically on one another’s shoulders with empathy. We got there eventually, of course, and an hour or so later were to be found in the pub, noting smugly that we were probably the only members of the afternoon’s audience with legal ID, but still, traces of hysteria remained. Like I say, there is nothing that makes you feel quite so much a resident of Planet Earth as finding yourself amongst people who almost universally are not, but the problem is that if you stay mixed up with these people for too long, you may start forgetting you’re from Planet Earth at all.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Music/Arts

Album review:

Bombay Bicycle Club,

A Different Kind of Fix fan base?

Reaction was split upon the release of the first single, ‘Shuffle,’ Upon hearing Bombay Bicycle a track that, er, shuffles along and Club’s decision on their second urges your feet to do the same. But electric album (third album proper any rock band that has the talent to when considering 2010’s spritely draw critical comparisons with the acoustic album ‘Flaws’) to concen- LCD Soundsystem’s sublime ‘Sound trate on a more dance-orientated Of Silver’ LP is not putting a foot sound, eye-brows were raised. wrong in my book.

Could a band that had, on its debut On A Different Kind of Fix, I Had the Blues but I Shook Them Bombay Bicycle Club manages to Loose, crafted such effortless indie- maintain that quality. In Jack Steadrock album that roared with an man they not only have a genius energy, really change their sound so songwriter but also a charismatic drastically and still appeal to their front man, whose voice quivers like

Ian Curtis singing through a fan (which is not as bad as it sounds).

The band have managed to reinvent themselves without the aid of Timbaland or changing gender like Lady Gaga, and have produced a flawless pop album. Which is hardly surprising given the seamless transition the band made from electric and acoustic in the first two albums, leading me to believe that on their next album we will receive the world’s first black metal album you can dance to.

So, it could be argued that Bombay Bicycle Club are the next

Album review:

Theatre Review:

Matt La Faci

Radiohead. What was wrong with the old Radiohead I hear you ask?

Yann Tiersen, Rock Dust Lane

of Ages

nir) and the set bleeds off the stage and around the audience.

With a soundtrack of classics Fresh in from Broadway, yet anlike ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, ‘The other jukebox musical has arrived Final Countdown’ and ‘Every Rose in London this summer. After a Has Its Thorn’, a laser and light viewing at New York’s Brooks Atshow ten times the SU, five uses of kinson Theatre in 2009, I predicted confetti canons, a resurrection, a this rock would soon stop rolling lovey-dovey happy ending, a Gerand the West End would be spared man who’s as camp as Christmas, an import. How wrong I was. Now head banging and jazz hands, there playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre, surely must be something to please Rock Of Ages is already shooting for everyone in there somewhere. the big screen with a cast including the music community there is no Tom Cruise and Catherine Zetadenying the talent this Parisian Jones. possesses; as both a musician and So, what did they do right? Well, a composer. When listening to the this show is exactly what it claims album there is a dominant use of to be, so you really can’t hold progressive effects and experimen- much against it. Judging this book tal sounds, at some points vergby its cover, photos of X-Factor’s ing on classic “Progressive Rock”.

Shayne Ward and TV twit Justin Tracks that stood out in particular Lee Collins in ridiculous 80’s wigs, were “Palestine” and “Dark Stuff ” one arrives expecting a shamewhich were reminiscent of early lessly cheesy, predictably-written Radiohead with rarely used guitar musical into which someone has sounds in today’s day and age. shoe-horned as many classic rock This artist should be recommend- songs as they could get the rights ed to those interested in bands such to. It is just that. But, it’s also great as; Mogwai, Grizzly Bear, Oceansize fun, uplifting, well performed and and Anthony & The Johnsons, as hilarious. Even JLC is alright. There well as being likened to composers are a few fun novelties in there too: such as John Murphy, Phillip Glass, drinks service in your seat all the And, even if you’re still refusing Erik Satie and Michael Nyman. way through the performance, each to think that you could possibly Suggested picture audience member is given a lighter like this musical; whether because to wave (and take home as a souve- it’s below you or “musicals are for

Calum Roy

Oscar Hassan The new album from the French musician and composer has been highly anticipated in the progressive scene of modern music. It possesses an eerie quality throughout the entire album from the opening track “Amy” to the final (rather controversially named) track “Fuck Me”. With all of the tracks being separated and at least 4 minutes long; there is an epic and individuality to every song on this album with each song having a sound that could easily be likened to modern film scores. But throughout the album Tiersen remains tightly rigged to his French folk roots.

Although Yann Tiersen is not a name widely spread throughout

Did you hear ‘King Of Limbs’?

“There is nowhere you can look to avoid accusations of leering, and that’s just what the director was going for.”

gays”, then I site one further draw.

Take this both as an advert and a warning, guys. Don’t take your girlfriend. Don’t take your Mum. Or your sister. Or your nan. Or any woman who you want to respect you or ‘be intimate’ with you ever again. Ready? The chorus girls spend most of the show in only lingerie. Saying they were flashing their lacy panties would be a lie, because there’s no skirt there to start with. There is nowhere you can look to avoid accusations of leering, and that’s just what the director was going for. So, sit back and enjoy watching them as long as there’s nobody watching you from the next seat. And for those of you who aren’t likely to be buying a “Hooray for Boobies” t-shirt from the foyer on your way out: Shayne Ward also prances around in snug Y-fronts.

Go. Rock. Then take your Dad for his birthday as an excuse to go again.

Oh, and, by the way, if you were looking for a serious appraisal of the show: Cast & Performance - Good, Band - Awesome, Set - Cool, Lighting - Great, Legroom - Bad, Direction - Suitably Melodramatic , Choreography -Aptly Raunchy, Audience Reception - Enthusiastic.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Arts

Theatre Review:

One Man, Two Guvnors National Theatre London Julia Armfield Arts Editor As a general rule, I don’t tend to question the National Theatre.

Yes, so it has admittedly thrown me the odd curveball in its time and no, I do not recall such duds as The Revenger’s Tragedy and Earthquakes In London (it was an ecological misery-memoir featuring Coldplay and dancing robots, kids) with anything but a note of deep betrayal, but all the same, the National Theatre is still the place where I have witnessed such gems as Frankenstein, Philistines, Burnt

By The Sun, Hamlet and After The Dance, and honestly, I’m usually happy just to take whatever it gives me. Even so, I did approach Nick Hytner’s new attempt to recue James Corden from a strangely self-inflicted spiral of woeful sketch shows and lesbian vampires with a note of caution, keeping in mind both that actors who keep too long to the screen can lose their capacity for theatre and that that lesbian vampire movie really was the worst.

I absolutely and completely should not have worried.

Based on Goldoni’s 1746 work, A Servant of Two Masters, One Man Two Guvnors takes the Technicolor tone of a 1960s Carry On, following the tangled affairs of a gloriously barmy array of characters, all set against a Brighton postcard of a backdrop and accompanied by a live Skiffle group whose pre-curtain performance alone sets an immediate Pantomime tone. Rachel Crabbe (Jemima Rooper; deserving of deep respect for agreeing to that haircut) is in disguise, dressed up as her dead twin brother, the gay gangster Rosco, in order to exact money out of small-time crook Charlie Clench (Fred Ridgeway) by claiming to want to marry his daughter Pauline (Claire Lams). Meanwhile, Rachel’s public school fiancé Stanley Stubbers (Oliver Chris; clearly having more fun than anyone deserves to be paid for) is, unbeknownst to her, in hiding in the very same town, after killing her brother in a fistfight. Add to the mix Corden as clownish cockney Francis who accidentally manages to get himself engaged as servant to both lovers

Image: Johan Persson simultaneously, and the grounds for two hours’ worth of increasingly hysterical misunderstanding are set.

The jokes come in glorious onslaughts of cheese, satire and silliness and every character is a slimlydrawn yet pitch-perfect fountain of comedy. Of particular note is Chris, whose entire performance is a masterclass in full-bodied silliness, speaking with a Bertie Wooster drawl and peppering everything with offhand references to boarding school gang rape and unctuous expressions that smack of pure inbreeding (“Yummy!” he notes, on seeing two other characters kiss).

Similarly excellent is Daniel Rigby, who finally earns my forgiveness for winning a BAFTA when I had no idea who he was by turning in what may be one of the finest comic

performances I have seen all year as Pauline’s theatrical lover Alan, whose real name, as a point of fact, turns out to be Orlando. “This is a new age, angry young men are running the theatre and they’re writing plays about men called Alan!”. Theatrical self-awareness is a particular delight throughout this production, flowing both from Alan’s endlessly anticlimactic posturing (““she is pure, innocent, unspoiled by education, like a new bucket”) and a frequently pantomime-like recognition of the audience’s presence.

“I can tell he’s an actor,” Stanley mutters of Alan at one point “He stands side-on, as if there were an audience just there…”.

Pantomime is perhaps the key word here, for the entire production is very clearly and effectively

constructed around a pantomime frame and indeed, audience participation is woven into the essential plotline of the play itself, with several instances of audience members being dragged up onto the stage and incorporated into the narrative. Each character, in turn, joins the Skiffle band in little skits between scene changes (Corden plays the Xylophone, Chris plays the horns, Rigby takes his shirt off and plays his chest), evoking endearingly nostalgic ideas of the Music Hall, just as the jokes recall the oddly off-colour innocence of the best Carry On movies. A scene at the very centre of the play, involving Corden attempting to serve both Guvnors lunch at the same time in two separate rooms is pure unadulterated farce and is

helped along in comedic spades by a geriatric waiter with Parkinson’s and a pacemaker, whose Lurch-like presence and tendency to fall down the stairs reduced the audience, on my viewing, to levels of hysteria previously unheard of.

An overriding tone of barely controlled chaos pervades the entire production, leading to moments of particular hilarity when a body double for Corden appears to accidentally give the game away during a chase scene. That said, this sense of near-hysteria is not always staged and indeed, I have seldom seen a worse cast for corpsing. Chief offender amongst them is Chris, whose seeming inability to keep a straight face more or less becomes a joke in itself as the audience waits with bated breath for the next moment of barely controlled giggling. A particularly memorable exchange, when Stanley attempts to come up with a fake name for himself and manages nothing more than to look at a dustbin and then a pub sign and introduce himself as Dustin Pubsign, was a particular corpsing moment on my viewing and whilst in different circumstances, in a different play, such behaviour might seem irritatingly unprofessional, here it is simply all in the spirit of the production.

As for Corden, I must admit, I have seldom seen a more joyous example of an actor so clearly back where he belongs. Taking the central position as title character and chief communicator with the audience, Corden seems to fill the stage with the kind of slightly grubby good-humour that it is difficult not to be charmed by. He plays out both fast-paced dialogue and physical comedy with total ease and seems to have particular fun with his audience exchanges which, whilst we must assume them to be at least partially scripted, he carries off with the natural charm and humour of an MC attempting to preside over a show in which everything is going wrong.

One Man Two Guvnors is a refreshing delight of a production, taking a distinctly British pantomime frame to a very old play and producing a charmingly anarchic result. Suffice it to say, I will go right on with my no-questions policy with the National Theatre, and long may productions like this prove me right.

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EXTRA

Arts

The ‘Celebrity’ Theatre

Adam Carver Many RHUL students choose to take advantage of some of the excellent offers available to students to watch West End shows. With London’s theatres offering day seats and student tickets for between £5 -£30, it’s definitely something that’s both worthwhile and affordable. I myself have been somewhat overindulgent with these offers this summer (much to the detriment of my bank balance). It strikes me that, despite there being a huge amount of talent on display in some genuinely brilliant shows, London’s West End can also offer a great deal of mediocrity, particularly in the form of C-list celebrities being cast in leading roles purely to sell tickets.

After much anticipation and some excellent marketing and hype from its producers Shrek: The Musical opened at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in June. Yes, I know what you’re thinking ‘Shrek?!

They’ve made a musical of Shrek?

Why?’ but in all honestly, it is genuinely a highly entertaining show with, for the most part, a great score. ‘Starring’ (I use that term in the loosest possible sense) are theatre regular Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Nigel Harman (yes, Dennis Rickman from Eastenders) as Lord Farquad, media jack-of-all-trades Richard Blackwood as Donkey and B.G.T.’s very own Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona. I had mixed feelings when I entered the theatre.

Having watched clips of the West End production online and heard (played on repeat whilst dancing round my living room) the Original Broadway Cast recording of the show I wasn’t holding out a great deal of hope for the UK’s offerings.

I was, on the whole, correct.

Nigel Harman, performing the entire show on his knees, steals the show (it’s a shame it wasn’t Farquad: The Musical – I’ll copyright that idea before any hideous sequels appear). As for the other ‘leads’,

they are, ultimately, a let-down. It is not that they cannot sing or dance (with the exception of Richard Blackwood whose numbers as Donkey have all mysteriously been cut to ‘save time’) but that all three are, at best, mediocre. Their lacklustre performances are exposed even more so by the energy, strength and pure talent that exudes from the 20 strong chorus, each of whom deserved a leading role in their own right (most of all Holden’s understudy Alice Fearn, whose vocal and acting abilities wiped the floor with Holden’s respective offerings).

The review from The Times said that ‘Amanda Holden really has got Talent’ (a hilariously original and witty pun) but if this is the case, she failed to demonstrate it to me.

Don’t get me wrong, the show, as a whole, is brilliant. It’s witty, touching and well delivered. The music is fresh and exciting and visually it’s exquisite. Its theatricality is undoubtedly one of its greatest strengths. But it is a sad and sorry

situation when members of the chorus and understudies far, far, FAR outshine their leading actors.

The clue’s in the name; they are supposed to lead the show, not be carried along by an elaborate production and talented supporting cast.

In July, I was fortunate enough to be in the audience for Lend Me a Tenor; a new musical based on Ken Ludwig’s play of the same name.

Hailed by the press as a show that ‘deserve[d] to run and run…’ it was elegant, hilarious and genuinely one of the best nights at the theatre I have had in a long time and thoroughly deserved that accolade. This production was filled with some of the finest talent London’s West End has to offer yet sadly, it closed less than two months into its run.

A new play or musical doesn’t seem to stand a chance when faced with the ‘big star’ attractions that Shrek claims to offer. The past few months have seen several brilliant new plays and musicals close because audiences are drawn to flashy advertis-

ing and big names (big money).

What is so bitterly frustrating about this is that nine times out of ten, the ‘Star performer’ falls far short of their non-celebrity counterparts.

It shouldn’t be a situation where I actively seek/hope to watch an understudy’s performance.

So, see this article as a plea from me; if you decide to go and see a West End show (which you definitely should!) please at least consider going to something new, something that perhaps isn’t a huge name yet and isn’t starring so-and-so from Hollyoaks, The X Factor or The Only Way is Essex. I honestly believe that you will be in for a substantially better theatrical experience. If not, then I guess we’ll have to accept that we’re doomed to see such wonders as Jodie Marsh playing Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady or Justin Lee Collins in Rock of Ages (that one’s actually happening…) for the foreseeable future!

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EXTRA

Arts Theatre Review:

The Tempest Theatre Royal Haymarket Nicholas Hyder The Tempest, supposedly Shakespeare’s final play, is considered by some to be an elegiac farewell to the theatre, and in this new production at the Haymarket, Trevor Nunn brings this to the forefront. The play is notably one slow, drawnout goodbye to the island, magic and the stage under his direction.

Crowds drawn in by the big-name stars from two of Britain’s most successful series, Harry Potter or Only Fools and Horses, may find this trying, and the near three hour interpretation does lack vivacity, but what this version misses in spark it makes up for in emotion.

The well-known plot revolves around Prospero, a sorcerer, using his powers to shipwreck his treacherous brother Antonio on the island. Ferdinand, a crew-member’s son, is found by Prospero and his daughter Miranda, and he and she fall in love. Caliban, a semi-human slave of Prospero, vows revenge on his master with the aid of two jesters, ultimately to no avail. And Antonio’s crew tries to find a way around the island despite mutinous crew-members and tricks from Ariel, Prospero’s servant sprite.

Nunn balances this with mixed success, with some scenes fantastical, others outstaying their welcome.

The play rests on the character of Prospero, and Ralph Fiennes does not disappoint. Following on from a string of villainous roles in film, Fiennes plays this gently, convincing us that he is simultaneously a worthy duke of Milan, a powerful sorcerer and a loving father to Miranda, ensuring we feel nothing but empathy for him throughout.

Without him, some of the longer sequences may have noticeably dragged, but every moment with him on stage is engrossing; an early speech in which he tells his story is riveting thanks almost wholly to his impassioned delivery and when he discards his books it feels like an old friend saying goodbye.

Elisabeth Hopper brings warmth to Miranda, with youthful charm and an honest sense of wonder; never have the words “Oh brave new world!” sounded more sincere, and both she and Fiennes and she and Michael Benz (Ferdinand)

have a fantastic rapport. Ariel is played by Tom Byam Shaw as both an excitable child and an age-old sprite, often charming, sometimes irritating, with what should be short flights of fancy over-extended. Nicholas Lyndhurst and Clive Wood, as Trinculo and Stephano, are after Fiennes the stand-outs, bringing a wit to the roles of Shakespearean clowns that endear them to the audience despite their actions. And the spectacle of the tempest or Ariel’s magic is enough to perk up the production during its occasional lulls.

However, there are failings with the production, despite the best efforts of a superb cast and down to Nunn, who doesn’t seem to have complete faith in the play. For example, the over-reliance on spectacle wears thin. Whilst the initial tempest is punchy and involving, the near-5-minute wedding of Juno, the third or fourth sequence of its kind in the play, is practically a bad musical number, adding nothing and detracting from the genuinely engrossing human drama. Also, despite Nunn’s religiously thorough reading of the text (something that

frequently slows down the play), he misses the darkness implicit and makes it ultimately too sympathetic. Caliban, who can be read as either devilish villain or the true victim of the piece, is sidelined as a somewhat two-dimensional character; when Prospero says “on whose nature nurture cannot stick” Nunn expects us simply to accept that and move on. And with Prospero both gentle yet powerful, there’s no real tension – we know early on he will be safe and forgive all involved, something that makes the first half slightly pedestrian and the ending

reunion rather tame instead of a deserving denouement.

However, it is above all a moving evening at the theatre. Whilst if Nunn had been less self-indulgent it would have been a much more powerful show, it remains an engaging production, with much of this due to Fiennes and Hopper.

When Fiennes takes to the stage for what may be the final words of the bard, the time we have spent in his company is repaid in spades by his heartfelt delivery, and the final mood of the piece is one of warmth, connection and sincerity.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Arts Theatre Reviews:

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival Katy Hale If you can fall and injure your foot so badly that it requires a hospital trip, and yet still profess to have had a good time, you know a festival is getting it right. Of course, Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a whole needs little reviewing (its reputation as a world-class event precedes it), but of the individual shows there is a lot more to be said.

I have a theory that bad comedy is far easier to do (and consequently more common) than bad theatre, and as such I limited my theatregoing at this year’s Fringe to drama, and more specifically to new work; either my theory is correct, or I just got lucky, because I didn’t see a single ‘bad’ show.

I Hope My Heart Goes First, devised and performed by young people’s performance company Junction 25, spoke with the combined voices of everybody involved. The show, comprised of the performers’ individual responses to ideas associated with the heart, merged the abstract (sibling love, love songs, romantic love in its many forms) with a more scientific approach. As such, the emotions uncovered were as intimate as they were wide-ranging, and were explored with such a natural precision that it almost felt unplanned. Well devised, well performed and well enjoyed, I was unable to fault the production; while I appreciate that this kind of theatre isn’t for everyone, it definitely is for me, and the show made a fantastic start to the festival that I felt would be difficult to match.

And it was. The second show I saw was a free performance: New Room Theatre’s Are You Happy Now? After my parents’ bad experiences of free events at last year’s Fringe, I had been thoroughly warned off them – but being of a slightly contrary nature, I went along anyway. And I have to say that, although I wasn’t exactly blown away, I was pleasantly surprised. Set in the waiting room of a station, the play explored

only issue with the play was that it felt very much like a piece written by a young playwright, and like pieces I have seen by other young playwrights and so somehow felt a little less original than it might otherwise have been. But I still certainly enjoyed it.

Also incredibly enjoyable was the popular Shakespeare for Breakfast, which rewrote Shakespeare’s Macbeth to set it in a high-school, complete with goth-witches, sock-puppets, a cheerleading Lady Macbeth, and Lady Gaga dance routines – all served with a cup of tea and a croissant. What more could a person want? Except for comic references to Shakespeare (much appreciated by a geek like myself) and to popular culture, both of which were doled out in abundance as the actors romped the audience through the play. By the end, the bullies were beaten, the goths accepted into the fold, and the audience in fits of laughter.

Although vying for my top choice (with I Hope My Heart Goes First and What It Feels Like), Shakespeare for Breakfast undoubtedly gets bonus points for being the only one able to immortalise the line: ‘Is this a croissant that I see before me?’

My final show of the festival came to my attention after fate bumped flickr/perofix me into one of the cast members, a fellow Holloway English student. a reaction to a show); yes, the show Best Friend Drowned in a Swimthe increasingly claustrophobic Encompass Productions’ What did contain the odd swear-word, ming Pool. Written by twentyrelationships of four men (played It Feels Like was like a surreal but if theatre is to be representative year-old Irish actress and writer

by Mark Jeary and Mark Booth). and unsettling dream; it is clear of how many people speak, surely Eva O’Connor and performed by The intimate venue and simplistic that somebody has a tight grip on it ought to be licensed to use the Sunday’s Child, the show explored set certainly added to the sense of the reigns, but the show keeps us occasional f-word. (I also wonder the lives of four young people folpressure that Jeary and Booth carasking who, and why. This was a lowing the event of the title, along ried off so well – although I was less why, since the two middle-aged production that definitely didn’t with the reactions of Henry (the convinced by some of the direction; theatre-goers outside my cubicle shy away from asking big questhe play opened with a long period seemed disdainful of the absence of now-deceased eponymous ‘best tions. Even more than the writing, friend’) to the mundane rebuilding the acting was superb; not only of mime and stillness that failed to a happy ending, they didn’t spend grab the audience’s attention. How- their time at a comedy instead – but of their lives. The work done by this were the principals all fantastically life is full of mysteries.) Personally piece of writing, perfectly blending convincing, but the ensemble of ever, despite my reservations that I enjoyed the performance (f-words the magnified trivialities of everythe climactic ending was unnecesmysterious ‘aspects’ (dressed all in day teenage life with the trauma sarily catastrophic and added noth- and all), and while it probably the black and faceless) was pulled off least impressive thing I saw at the of losing a friend, was echoed and ing to the plot, it was a generally with incredible ingenuity, adding to amplified by the actors’ frantically well-written piece. I definitely felt it festival, it was fifth out of a very the unearthly feel of the piece. I left high-ranking five. energetic portrayals of their chardidn’t deserve some of the critithe theatre feeling both awed and Similarly lacking in a cheery acters, so that sitting in the audicism I afterwards heard from my uneasy, and with a definite appetite ending (although with no sign of ence was like watching the frenzied for more. Encompass is definitely a fellow audience-members (ladies’ whirling of a Catherine wheel. My toilets are excellent places to gauge my middle-aged ladies) was My group to watch.

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Societiesinthefounder

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Musical Theatre Adam Carver, President more information! Then in term two we stage two shows. One full scale musical (last year it was Spring Awakening, this year who knows!) and Variations a show specifically for all the Freshers! Then in Summer Term we take a break from the stress of revision and exams and Hello! To those of you returning, bring you the MTS Summer Cabawelcome back and to those of you ret – the biggest show on campus! newly arriving, welcome! This year Last Year we welcomed back star of is going to be something incredible the West End’s Phantom of the Opfor MTS! RHUL’s Musical Theatre era and MTS Alumni Will Barratt Society is one of the largest and to perform and this year we’re hopmost active societies on campus. ing to get something just as good!

We work all year round to stage In addition to that we hold workfull scale performances, concerts, shops throughout the year with showcases, workshops, theatre trips industry professionals, previous and of course many, many, many years have seen the society working socials! with the cast of The Lion King and Here’s a whirlwind through the Mamma Mia. Of course we can’t up-and-coming year for MTS. This forget the obligatory excuses to term sees the return of A Night party! We run pub-crawls, movieat the Theatre - a cross-campus nights, launch-nights, London theashowcase in which all of the pertre trips and club trips throughout forming arts societies get together the year. and showcase what they’re about.

Have a brilliant year. It’s going Next comes our main show; for this to fly by. Work hard, party hard term RENT by Jonathan Larson. and love it! GET INVOLVED. Join Auditions are in the first week of MTS – it’ll be the best thing you do term so keep your eyes peeled for all year.

Insanity Radio David Lamb, Assistant Station Manager Insanity Radio is Egham and Royal Holloway’s community station.

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, Insanity brings you music, chat, sport, debate, news and more. It’s there to help you wake up for lectures, or to prepare for a night out. Insanity is the place to go to for the latest news inside campus and out, helping to keep you up to date. We’ll be holding events throughout the year with live bands and DJs, plus a chance to see the union taken over Insanity style. And if it’s just music you’re wanting, Insanity’s presenters will be bringing you everything: the latest chart, old classics, new and upcoming bands, plus specialist shows from classical to metal. All you have to do is tune in at www. insanityradio.com or 1287 AM, and you’ll find your radio station waiting for you.

But what if you want to get involved?

Insanity is looking for people with a love of radio to show the world what they can do. Perhaps you think you’ll be a great breakfast presenter, or have the jazz know-how to stun the airwaves each week. You can get involved in events and shape union nights, or work with local business in marketing. If tech is your expertise, then the studio is the perfect place to show it. Production can shape the style of the station and reporters can help spread the news around campus. There’s a lot to do, and we want you onboard. Application forms are available on the website, and we’ll be around all Freshers week, so drop by and ask us anything you want.

Tune in and find out.

Love to Make Noise Sel Bulut, President Love To Make Noise is an alternative music and arts collective based at Royal Holloway. We’ve been going since 2008 and have put on gigs, house shows and clubnights at the uni, and have hosted a tent at the annual Summer Ball for the past two years. We’ve also printed photography and art zines, pressed CDs featuring live recordings from our shows and made posters and t-shirts. We celebrate creativity in the often lifeless Egham.

We’re a group of friends bound by cheap wine, loud music, bad dance moves and sheer boredom.

We want to show that every so often this small town in Surrey can

explode. Anyone can contribute so long as they have colour to spread - bands, DJs, illustrators, writers, photographers, designers, thinkers, smart dressers…

Love To Make Noise is for anyone into twisting and shouting and stomping and shaking, and for anyone that knows RHUL has the potential to come alive. It’s an outlet for inventive music and good times.

Our actions are regular. Check out the Love To Make Noise group on Facebook for regular updates, or follow us on Tumblr. www.lovetomakenoise.tumblr. co.uk

Christians Together Nathan Nasrallah, President Christians Together (CT) is made up of 3 groups; UCCF Christian Union, Regenerate, and Christians in Sport. All 3 groups aim to serve campus, love students and create a great environment for both Christians and non-Christians to cultivate friendships and explore faith. They run a variety of different meetings and events, allowing students to find the community and culture they feel most at home in (check out all their facebook pages at http://www.facebook.com/ChristiansTogetherRHUL)!!!

During Freshers Week, each group will be running various, exciting events to help the settling in process. Everyone is welcome, so feel free to come along and bring a friend… free food is also included!

Christians in Sport: • Royal Holloway Olympics, Tuesday 20th at 2:30pm at Founder’s Field.

Regenerate: • Welcome Party, Thurs¬day 22nd at 7.30pm (location MX034, contact: Emma on 07871545847) • Club Mission, Wednesday 21st and Friday 23rd at the Union (Con-

tact: Emma on 07871545847) UCCF: • Lunch Bars from 12pm-1pm Monday 19th- Friday 23rd (location tbc, contact: Andy Rich on 07975990601) • Launch Meeting on Monday 19th (meeting outside the Windsor building at 6:45pm, contact: Andy Rich 07975990601) There are loads of things to get involved in throughout the year too!

Christians in Sport meet every Wednesday morning (on match day) to eat, pray together and study God’s word over a breakfast feast of mostly bacon, so that God’s grace is fresh on their minds before they play.

Regenerate meet weekly as church-linked cell groups with the main meetings every few weeks where all the cells come together for worship and teaching.

UCCF meet every Monday for a great time of fellowship, worship and a guest speaker. The aim of the weekly meetings is to equip and encourage one another to go out and live and speak for Jesus.

Each of these communities also host outreach events to bless students on campus. Here are some of the exciting events coming up this year: Dial a Donut (UCCF) - stomachs filled and spiritual questions answered.

Club Mission and The Tent (Regenerate) - a chance to interact with and bless the students on SU nights and market days.

Keep a look out for us and come and get some free food and a chat!

By joining us, students can expect to grow in their relationship with God, making awesome friends along the way and also ensure that their experience at university is as fun and fruitful as possible. With the different groups and events that take place in Freshers’ week and throughout the year, there’s something for everyone and you’re sure to find like-minded individuals.

We also really encourage you to get stuck into a local church-there’s a huge variety; come and see us at the Freshers Fayre for more info!

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Amnesty Society Beth Walker, President If you would like to use your time at Royal Holloway to do something special, worthwhile and rewarding, Amnesty Society is the perfect choice for you. As students, we are in a fantastic position to stand up and do something for the state of human rights across the world. By being part of our group, you will not only have a fantastic experience, but will genuinely make a difference.

Amnesty at Royal Holloway is a student branch affiliated to global human rights organization Amnesty International. There are over 100 Amnesty student groups in universities across the UK. Grass roots activism plays a big role in the work of Amnesty International and student activism continues to play a crucial part in helping AI to raise awareness and funds. We aim to promote and protect the principles established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In practice this can mean anything from writing letters to prisoners of conscience, protesting and campaigning for governments to uphold the values of the Declaration, to organising petitions and fundraising.

It’s not all serious though. Our group has a strong social element.

We are a friendly and encompass-

ing society and want to see as many new members get involved as possible. This is going to be a very exciting year for us. Following on from the success of our Secret Policeman’s Ball fundraiser last year, we are planning a vibrant mix of music, comedy, poetry and exhibition events. Amnesty International has a long standing reputation for being a creative and dynamic organisation, with strong links with the arts and popular culture and our society will reflect this.

As a member you are free to be as actively involved in all this as you choose. We rely on the contributions of our members to make Amnesty a success and are always open to suggestions. Being part of an Amnesty student group opens up lots of doors for you. Not only are employers impressed by it, you will have the opportunity to attend events at the Human Rights Action Centre in London and even meet and speak to inspiring campaigners, writers, film makers and activists. The possibilities with Amnesty are endless.

Being a part of our society will add a unique and gratifying element to your student experience.

We can’t wait to welcome you to the group.

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Societiesinthefounder Debate Soc. Laura Grima, Media and Communications Officer Coming to university is an exciting (and somewhat scary) experience, but a great way of meeting new people, getting involved and discussing your favourite topics is to join Royal Holloway’s Debating Society! We hold debates on a vast variety of subjects, from politics and world issues to Harry Potter! It doesn’t matter whether you’ve never participated in a debate before or if you’re a seasoned professional in the world of debating; we’ll teach you everything you need to know so that you’ll be battling it out with your fellow debators in no time.

Learning the art of debating is a skill that can be highly advantageous in many aspects. Your public speaking will no doubt improve, a particular benefit for those who have to do presentations as part of their course. Similarly, your critical thinking will develop; not only will you be considering both sides of the argument, but you’ll be able to discover nuances and angles within your argument that others may not have been able to reveal. Presenting an argument in a logical and coherent manner will become second nature to you- essential especially for those studying essay-based subjects!

You’ll then be able to take these new skills and utilise them not only in your course, but also at the regular Inter-Varsity (I.V.) debates held at other universities. These trips away with Debating Soc. will test your debating prowess, and they’re also a lot of fun, giving you a chance to explore and get away from campus for a day or two! And for on-campus extras, we are also planning to get in some great guest speakers this year for some particularly thought-provoking debates.

The social and welcoming atmosphere of our society doesn’t end when a debating session does.

With your newfound Debating Soc. friends, you’ll be keen to come to our regular socials, which often extend beyond just going to the local; for example, our summer social was a paintballing trip! It’s incredible how the verbal tactics used in a debate can even be transferred into a paintballing match!

If the aforementioned sounds appealing, feel free to have a look at our Facebook page (Royal Holloway Debating Society 2011-12), and for regular updates, follow us on Twitter (@RHULDebatingSoc).

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the Freshers’ Fayre!

MACS Cara Tyndall, Publicity and Social Secretary

Drama Society

Honest to goodness adventure is hard to find these days. If you are one of those people who seek it, love the outdoors and are not adverse to the heights which you shall find yourself climbing to, Miranda Blazeby, Secretary Royal Holloway’s Mountaineering and Climbing Society (MACS) The Royal Holloway Drama Society members’ hard work is recognised is the place for you! Last year’s is one of the most active, buzzing and rewarded. On top of all this, endeavours included trips to Wales, and exciting societies on campus. we boast one of the most talented Devon, the Peak District and more, With seven productions a year, and popular improvised comedy ending the year brilliantly with a including the Unscene new writing groups you’ll ever see, the Holloway summer trip to the South of France. festival, an open air Quad perforPlayers, who perform regularly in Nothing compares to the satisfacmance and our very own Edina selection of venues on campus tion of reaching the top of a crag, burgh Fringe Festival production, and beyond! Drama Society is exhausted, and looking out to the there is no end of opportunities one of the most inspiring societies countryside below to see the world to gain experience as performers, on campus that aims to provide from a far greater view than previdesigners, directors, producers, ample dramatic opportunities for ously explored. stage managers and many more! all members regardless of chosen No experience is required to join But this isn’t all! We also organise degree course or experience. To MACS. Whether you have climbed workshops, theatre trips, sensation- make the most out of your time before or it is simply something you al socials and the annual RHOscars at university, make sure you join have always wanted to try, come ceremony where our industrious Drama Soc! join us! Our first social will take

place on Wednesday, September 21st at 8pm in Crosslands Bar in Founders Building. Even if you miss the first social, we are creatures of habit and will continue to hold most of our gatherings in Crosslands on Wednesday evenings after our day of climbing, or you can contact us on our facebook group (just search ‘MACS’). Starting Wednesday the 28th, we will be climbing weekly at one of the various climbing walls around our area.

There will also be five weekend trips scattered throughout the year.

Details will be provided at the first social.

If you love the outdoors and find yourself excited by the thought of climbing, there is no reason why you should not find your way to us.

Within our club, you will find a vast range of ages, interests, and study subjects all brought together by the

Electra-Orestes The Classical Society Director David Bullen MA Research (Drama and Theatre) Why have you chosen this play?

The story of siblings Electra and Orestes is one of the oldest and most significant in literature. All of the surviving Greek tragedians produced a version - we’re following in that tradition with our own adaptation.

What are you going to do with it?

It’s a challenge to use Jane Holloway Hall effectively but with our piece tailor written for the space, we’re going to create an immersive piece that plunges you into the siblings’ fraught and frantic world, featuring live music, aspects of performance art and the influences of such theatre companies as Forced Entertainment.

Why is it the most exciting show on campus?

The devising element of the show.

We have a script but during the rehearsal process we’re going to workshop it with the actors to generate new material and reach a final performance. We’re also composing a lot of new music for the show.

How can students get involved?

We’re looking for 15 versatile and open-minded performers - singing is a bonus but not necessary for all the characters. In addition, if you play an instrument and want to perform in the show, come along to the auditions or get in touch. We’re also interested in hearing from anyone who wants to get involved backstage.

We’ll also be running a Shadow scheme that gives students a chance to follow one of the production team around in their duties and help put the show together.

Auditions: Tue 27th & 28th Sept (Wk1), recalls: 28th also.

Show: 16th-19th Nov (Wk8) love of the climb. There is no excuse. Find us and we’ll begin. Uni is about the friendships you make, the challenges you undertake, and the discovery of new experiences— MACS can offer you that and more.

Fresher or not, it does not matter.

If you have the urge to climb, to try something new, or to hone your skills, join MACS. You won’t regret it.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

EXTRA

Holloway View Please send in any photographs you’ve taken, and we’ll try to print one or two in each edition.

You can email your images to pictures@thefounder.co.uk Include “Holloway View” in the subject line and send them in the highest quality possible.

Also, please include a few lines telling us a little bit about the photo and where you took it.

Love struck...

Studying for that exam in Bedford library, running for a lecture in the Windsor building, grabbing a coffee in Café Jules or sipping a cocktail in Medicine...love can strike at anytime at Royal Holloway. Email lovestruck@thefounder.co.uk and tell me a little bit about the gorgeous girl or super-hot guy who you just can’t stop thinking about since your chance encounter about campus.

Let me play cupid and help you find your true love...or crush!

To the girl I met in Egham mid-Fresher’s week outside the bank. You asked me what my spirit animal was, told me yours was either a seahorse or a cabbage and then ran head-first into the ATM. I can’t say that I wasn’t intrigued.

MY SPIRIT ANIMAL’S A DONKEY ;-) Sexy guy in the glasses giving a seemingly unofficial guided tour to Freshers round the back of Butler. I’m not new here, but a guided tour is always appreciated when it comes from a real professional.

DARK-HAIRED THIRD YEAR WITH A TASTE FOR ADVENTURE To whoever it was passed out in the Gowar second floor bathroom Wednesday night. There is still a spray tan body print of you in a foetal position in the bath.

I’m not asking questions, I just want it cleaned up.

GOWAR GIRL WHO WANTS A BATH You were the girl buying Cherry Lambrini in the college shop around closing time. I was the guy who lent you change. Your appalling taste in alcohol not withstanding, I’d love to meet for a drink if you fancied it?

TALL GUY IN THE BLACK

CARDIGAN MULLING OVER A YORKIE PURCHASE To the girl I met at the SU last night who told me I reminded her of a short white version of the fat one from Kenan and Kel. I’d be more offended, but you kind of reminded me of Lizzie Maguire and consequently, I think you’re more or less entitled to say what you like. Meet for an orange soda?

SHORT WHITE KENAN The sexy black girl in the blue scarf sitting on the other side of Crosslands this Thursday. I was trying to give you the eye but I think I might be out of practice.

Want to meet up so I can give it another go at close range?

TALL GUY IN THE PIXIES T-SHIRT To the couple having loud and apparently world-moving sex in the room next to me every damn night this week.

Sure, it’s all so exciting two weeks in. Just you wait until reading week.

TUKE GUY WHO JUST WANTS TO SLEEP

lovestruck@thefounder.co.uk

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Novel epilepsy treatment could reduce risk of birth defects Researchers at Royal Holloway have developed a new biochemical approach to identifying epilepsy treatments which not only offer stronger seizure protection but could also provide safer treatment for pregnant women.

The research, published in the Journal Disease, Models and Mechanisms, was carried out by Dr Robin Williams from the Centre of Biomedical Sciences at the College, in collaboration with Professor Matthew Walker from the Institute of Neurology, University College London

Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition in humans and current treatments for pregnant women carry a higher chance of major birth defects, including heart problems and neural tube defects such as spina bifida. The current drugs available also have the problem of not controlling the condition in 20-30% of sufferers.

Dr Williams says: “The identification of a new family of highly potent anti-epilepsy drugs is an important breakthrough and may provide effective treatments for millions of people

Maths graduate scoops top award A Maths graduate at Royal Holloway, University of London has been awarded a prestigious academic honour placing him among the top mathematical achievers in the country.

Jonathan Grant, who graduated

world-wide who continue to have uncontrolled seizures.

“This could also help transform the lives of pregnant epileptic women who can continue controlling their seizures with a reduced risk of any defects to their unborn babies.”

The National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction (NC3Rs) has supported Dr Williams in developing this new approach by using cells from soil-dwelling amoeba called Dictyostelium. Dr Williams explains: “Our research has shown that simple chemicals, such as the epilepsy

aging 95% in his first year, 94% in his second year and 95% in his final year, which also earned him the College’s Martin Holloway prize for academic and intellectual distinction.

“It’s great to receive these awards,” Jonathan said. “At school I wasn’t a with a first class degree this summer, natural at Maths and I have always had received the Institute of Mathematics to work hard at it so it’s nice to get an and its Applications (IMA) award in rec- award. At university you go back to ognition of his high achievements. basics and learn the whole theory of Jonathan consistently scored top maths, which worked for me. It just grades throughout his course, averclicked for me and I could see how

treatment valproic acid, have many common effects in species ranging from Dictyostellium right up to homo sapiens. This has enabled the identification of new treatments showing stronger biochemical effects, giving rise to stronger seizure protection.”

The Wellcome Trust also provided funding for the project but financial support is currently being sought to develop these compounds towards clinical trials.

everything worked.”

Jonathan decided to study Maths at Royal Holloway| as he felt it would offer him good job prospects, with the subject opening up careers in physical and natural sciences and increasingly in the Social Sciences, Economics, Management, IT and elsewhere.

Jonathan said: “I really enjoyed my course and would recommend maths to anyone thinking about studying it.”

Arora Hotels fund Dragon’s Den style student awards Students at Royal Holloway, University of London will get the chance to bid for funding to support innovative business ideas in an annual entrepreneurial competition funded by Arora Hotels.

The luxury hotelier has pledged to support the Arora Awards for Enterprise and Arora’s Den, a competition similar to the popular BBC TV show Dragon’s Den, for the next 10 years.

Representatives from Arora Hotels and Royal Holloway attended an official ceremony on Monday during which Surinder Arora, founder and CEO of Arora Hotels, and the Principal, Professor Paul Layzell signed the official agreement for the new awards scheme.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Arora said: “I’m delighted to strengthen my relationship with the student entrepreneurs of Royal Holloway, a university for which I have had great respect during our twenty year association.”

Professor Layzell added: “This establishment of the Arora awards builds another bridge between Royal Holloway and successful business, working together to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

The new Arora Awards for Enterprise and Arora’s Den competition will be run by Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs|, a student-led society that encourages and supports student entrepreneurship, and the College’s careers service.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Features

Thoughts of an Ex-Fresher Felicity King Features Editor So I’m no longer a Fresher. That’s depressing. But there is a silver lining in the fact I can now adopt an all-knowing attitude towards University; I can patronise the young with my brilliant advice and experience. Being that I am currently undergoing a mid-university crisis, I am going to do just that, don’t be too disheartened with my smug wisdom Freshers, I’m only doing this because I’m secretly insanely jealous and want to be you.

I’m guessing that you Freshers have all turned up at university with lots of stuff and are starting to settle in. Advice number one, put all those pans and plates back in the suitcase. You’ll cook once or twice in the first month when you don’t have any friends and are trying to pretend you’re not spending your evenings alone, but after September you’ll be living off Dominos, trust me. Secondly, put back all the clothes and replace half of them with different pairs of highly indecent pyjamas. You will get up at a reasonable time and get dressed for the first month or so when you actually think you’re at university to work and gain valuable life experience, but by the end of September, at around the time you’re pans start to get very dusty, you’ll take to lounging around in your nightwear all day. You’ll even reach that glorious moment where you spend all day in one pair of Pyjamas, have a shower and then get into a different, clean pair of pyjamas. It is in this moment that you’ll realise you’re pretty much failing at life, but never mind, that’s university.

I should probably say stuff like: Go to your lectures. You probably should go to your lectures too, because that is the reason you’re paying thousands of pounds, and considering you’ve chosen to study it voluntarily for the next three years you should probably find your subject at least vaguely interesting.

Also, university lectures and seminars are far more stimulating than anything you endured at school. Go to your lectures and do your work, there will be no smarmy patronising school teacher to give you a detention if you don’t but you’ll be a bit of an idiot and I personally will judge you.

Don’t worry about not making any friends. Everybody worries

flickr/ Chimpr about not making any friends and yet the one thing you can be sure of, if you put together a group of similarly aged people all worried about not making friends is that you’ll all make friends. I mean that is just obvious. Freshers are all mutually desperate to make friends, so just talk to everybody and don’t stop making an effort once you’ve got one or two potentials under your belt. A lot of the time the only thing you have in common with the people you meet in the first week is a hysterical desire to not be alone forever. Though that will glue you together for a few drunken parties, it won’t fuel a three year long friendship so keep looking for people- especially on your course

or in societies you’ve joined- who you have more in common with.

This of course leads me to my basic, boring, bog standard advice of join a society. It’s basic maths, the more people you come in contact with, the more likely you are to find somebody you like. Or hopefully some people you like, friends are the people you rely on at university. When you’re sad, homesick, stressed, confused, lost, starving, hungover, they’ll be there, bless ‘em.

Money is of course one of the biggest worries; the only real way of over-coming this stress is to just accept you’re never going to have any; you’re going to be cripplingly poor, and just live in your overdraft all of the time. There is no

point calculating amazing financial strategies which mean you never go into your overdraft, if the amazing financial strategy basically involves you never eating. Yes, if you never ate you probably wouldn’t come out of university in much debt, but you also probably wouldn’t come out of university at all. You’d be in the ground. Dead. Which isn’t desirable. Obviously being at university it is not a good time to indulge in Harrods Shopping trips, but unfortunately food is kind of a necessity.

Saying that I managed to survive off a bowl of soup and lots of vodka to help with the hunger pains in my first year, I did also go home a lot though, where I kept myself alive with a ten meals a day policy.

Finally Freshers, enjoy yourselves. You’re only Freshers for a year and it goes quickly, trust me.

You’ll be wandering along blearly eyed, a little hungry and with an essay under your arm, on the way to the Lecture theatre, when all of a sudden somebody will come along and say: ‘sorry you’re not a Fresher anymore’ and then you’ll have to be a more sophisticated and grown up second year, and live in a house not in halls and actually do a bit more work and stop being such a disgrace to humanity. We all know how fast time can fly, so don’t regret not making the most of your first year, or your second year, or your last. Go forth and have fun, Fresher or not!

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Features

Uni: Realistically Jamie Birkett So you’ve taken your gap year around the hostels of Peru or you’ve been interailing through to Tuscany enjoying the Ponte Vecchio at sunset with a bottle of mellow chianti wine as buskers sing ‘O Solo Mio’ (the one from the Cornetto ad). You might have had a ‘Summer of Love’; 1969 reborn in 2011 at sixteen different festivals before turning your mind one day before university begins to the first chapter of the first book on the reading list.

Whatever you’ve been up to this summer, somewhere in the past few months you’ve finally found yourself- right? Somewhere in the heady mix of drugs, drink and partners, who may or may not call you when they get back to their alma mater countries, you’ve found the real you, the die cast for the next twenty

or so years of ‘young adulthood’.

Well probably not- if first year’s taught me anything it’s that the cliché of finding out who you are certainly hasn’t clicked in post A-levels or even post year out - if you had one - in fact I’m pretty sure it doesn’t exist in a solid form at all. At the end of a fantastic and lightning quick first year it’s still all a bit hazy, but a few experiences have stuck: Firstly, who you meet in Freshers week and what you get up to isn’t necessarily going to be the blueprint of your friends and behaviour for life, or even for subsequent weeks. That’s not to say they’re not important- my own version of this was the notorious ‘Strawpedo Five’, the first word not denoting the kind of person your mum is scared to have living next door because they’re on a police list, but in fact relating to the method of guzzling

down any appropriate bottled beverage with a straw, (our beverage tending to be, to our discredit, normally WKD). This behaviour is in full evidence throughout the SU during Freshers week so look out for it and join it with it. Bear in mind however, and even the other 4 members of ‘Strawpedos’ agree with this, that such indulgences are a bit of a Freshers gimmick and best reserved for the first few weeks only.

Secondly, Royal Holloway is going to get eerily quiet on the weekends. Remember all those friends at school who thought you were going to a University near Her Majesty’s Prison on the Holloway Road, London when you told them you were studying here? Well they were wrong about that but they were right in their subsequent comments about the small size and occasional quietness of the campus. This is perhaps due to the large Home

flickr/ thinredjellies Counties contingent of the college, meaning that a large majority of us might be just a swift hour’s train away from mum’s home cooked Sunday roast and a chance to ask Dad for another tenner towards those inevitable sports club subs which come thick and fast through the autumn term.

Thirdly, contact time with your teachers at university is a whole new ball game. If you’re an arts student it’s minimal, and the burden is on us instead to put in those extra hours at the desk in reading and writing, rather than in sneaking off for another pint of at Crosslands.

Sadly it looks like if you want the full value of your three thousand plus per annum education (soon to be tripled) it’s going to have to be in the form of a long Spotify playlist, six cups of tea and six hours of background reading and writing a week- good luck to us! In fact, the third, untaught term of university is even more bizarre and, permit me a minor rant here, but surely a bit of a scam. Really? A third term of the first year just to study for exams with not a single lecture to colour

the timetable? I mean students are good at procrastination but that’s a whole new level.

Despite this it is a good thing that the spoon feeding of school is gone and one of the most satisfying features of university life is finding like-minded friends who are as deeply passionate about their subjects as you are and therefore allowing you to battle out the subject of the week together with caffeine fuelled vigour. Ultimately, squeeze everything you can into your first year (and subsequent ones too), from study groups, clubs and societies through to howling late night guitar and whisky sessions- which Founder’s security are still having nightmares about I am sure. Follow this advice and you’re first year will look like it’s going to top even that time you swam out to the actual place where ‘The Beach’ was filmed in Thailand, absolutely trashed off buckets of fluorescent cocktails and urinated all over the locals’ volleyball net whilst a procession of paper lanterns lit up your arc of glorious pee in the tropical air.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Features

New Year’s resolutions: take two Claire Garland Here we are again at the start of a new academic year. Whether you are a Fresher or a Returner, September brings out the brighteyed, bushy-tailed eager student in all of us.

For me September has all the overtones of the New Year. No matter how old we get, at the start of September we ambitiously lay out all our plans for the year ahead in the same manner that we make endless resolutions in January, resolutions which we promise ourselves we will stick to… this time. This is the year that we will get that elusive first in our coursework essay, wow our fellow students with our performance in the MTS production, or lead the football team to glory.

In September we are full of these kinds of hopes, determined that this is going to be the year we make them happen.

Some of these September resolutions can be as simple as being more organised. “I will meet my essay deadline, I will remember to read ahead for my seminar, I will pay my bills on time,” you get the picture. September is the time when we head to our local WH Smiths to kit ourselves out with shiny, new, colour co-ordinating stationary, complete with 2011-12 diary to enter in all those important dates, deadlines and social events.

But let’s face it; three weeks in are we actually going to be able to find that diary from under the pile of clothes on are bedroom floor? Most of us will be struggling in vain to find anything resembling a writing implement that we can take with us to our lectures by this point.

For others September brings the resolution that this year they will take a more active part in campus life. Many of us will eagerly try out at every sporting club and society available during the first week of term, only to return home battered and bruised from over-doing it in the ultimate Frisbee session, straining a muscle attempting to “cheer” or kidding ourselves that we don’t have two left feet in a samba class.

Maybe this year you will be attempting to spend your student loan more wisely. Saying that, you know that with a big night out coming up a pair of to-die-for-heels are just so much more important than eating three proper meals a day. You can quite happily survive on stale cornflakes and slightly-off

flickr/ eflon milk, you cannot, however, live without those gorgeous shoes in your wardrobe!

Some of us may be repeating the mantra of ‘less drink, more studying’ quietly to ourselves as we pass Medicine or the SU for the first

time this term. Well, that resolution will be out the window long before we get to the Christmas Blowout.

Whatever these resolutions are, they remind us that September is a fresh start and this fills us with hope for the year ahead. Despite

our full awareness that in a months time all our well-laid plans and good intentions will have fallen by the wayside, there’s just something about September that makes us want to try anyway. What have you got to lose? After all, this could be

the year that you make the netball team, secure the lead role in the latest drama production or even get your first article published in ‘The Founder’. And even if you don’t, well, there’s always next September.

35

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Features

Did you know... ?

Ashley Coates Editor There is a tunnel connecting Founder’s East with the Boiler Room (next to the International Building). The tunnels were made so that workers could move between the Boiler Room and Founder’s without being seen by the female students. Today they are used to carry cables under the campus.

Marylyn Monroe lived at Parkside House in Englefield Green during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl.

In the Guardian University Guide 2012, Royal Holloway is ranked 5th for Physics, 12th for History, 13th Classics, 16th for Drama and dance, 32nd for English, 45th for Economics, 54th for Computer Sciences and IT and 60th for Business and management studies. Overall, Royal Holloway was ranked 35th, up from 41st.

In the Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown casts cryptographer Sophie Neveu as having studied at Royal Holloway’s renowned Information Security Group. There are a number of references to Royal Holloway in the book, including: “Your English is superb.”

“Thank you. I studied at the Royal Holloway.”

“So, then, that explains it.” Teabing hobbled lower through the shadows.

Part of the Royal Holloway campus is being used as the Rowing and Canoe Sprint Village for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Emily Wilding Davison, the suffragette who threw herself in front of the King’s horse at the 1913 Epsom Derby, attended Royal Holloway until 1893. She was forced to leave the college as her mother could no longer afford the fees.

Royal Holloway has a central London property at Bedford Square, Gower Street. It is used for postgraduate activities and teaching.

Last year, RAG (Raise and Give) raised £41,243.81.

There are 1,252 members of staff at RHUL and roughly 8,900 students.

Royal Holloway’s college motto esse quam videri is Latin for to be rather than to seem (to be) and is the motto for a large number of schools, families and fraternities. It is the state motto of North Carolina.

6 months after the 2010 English graduates left Royal Holloway, 19.80% were in further study, 56.35% were in some form of work, 5.58% had moved onto to part time work and study, 6.09% were unemployed, 7.11% were not contactable when the Higher Education Statistics Agency collect this data and 5.08% described themselves as ‘other’.

Royal Holloway College was opened in 1886 by Queen Victoria.

Royal Holloway began as an all girls college. The first male postgraduates were accepted in 1945 and male undergraduates arrived after 1965.

Founder’s building was built between 1874 and 1881 and cost £600,000, roughly £29,000,000 in today’s money.

Royal Holloway has presented honorary degrees to Bill Bryson, Simon Schama and Ian McEwan. It has presented honorary fellowships to Kate Adie, Joan Bakewell and Lady Heseltine.

The Magna Carta was sealed in nearby Runnymede, hence ‘Historic’ Egham.

Insanity Radio derives its name from Holloway Sanatorium, a nearby former mental institute funded by Thomas Holloway. The Sanatorium was designed by William Henry Crossland who also designed Founder’s Building. After the building fell into disrepair in the 1990s, the RHUL college council considered using the site for student accommodation but the costs of redevelopment were considered prohibitive. Today Holloway Sanatorium is a gated residential complex known as Virginia Park.

Founder’s Building has been used as a location in several films and TV series, including Basic Instinct 2, Midsomer Murders, Trinity and Antiques Roadshow.

A few things that new and returning students alike might not know about Royal Holloway.

Royal Holloway merged with Bedford New College in 1985, mainly as a result of financial pressures. An inauguration ceremony was held by Elizabeth II in the College Chapel.

In 1852, Englefield Green was the site of the last fatal duel in England.

In the 2009/10 financial year Royal Holloway received an income of £132.1m. The university spent £126.2m. HEFCE provided £41.3m to the university’s income and tuition fees and education contracts provided £48.4m. £72.5m was spent on staff.

Royal Holloway’s alumni include singer Katie Tunstall, broadcaster Lenny Henry, Richmal Crompton (author of the Just William books), actor Mark Strong (Lord Blackwood, Sherlock Holmes, Lord Godfrey, Robin Hood) and actor Jeremy Northam.

The Chairman of the Council of Royal Holloway, Robert Andrew Burns, was British Ambassador to Israel between 1992 and 1995.

Insanity Radio has won a number of Student Radio Awards including Silver Best Marketing and Promotions in 2008, Silver Best Male Presenter in 2006 and Silver Best Student Radio Station in 2005 and 2004.

Principal Paul Layzell is also Chair of the examinations board AQA and was formerly Vice Chancellor at the University of Sussex.

Insanity Radio started broadcasting in 1998. At that time the station had a Restricted Service License which only permitted broadcast for 28 days at a time, twice a year.

In 2006, Royal Holloway released an estimated 14,131 tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to a Carbon Trust report. The estimate is roughly equivalent to 7,000 return The Students’ Union has a projected flights to New York, or roughly the total income of £930,339 for the same as the average yearly emis2011/12 academic year. sions of 4,500 motorists.

Thomas Holloway’s wife Jane proposed the idea of creating an all girls college following Thomas’ public debate as to ‘How to best spend a million pounds or more’.

Thomas Holloway’s former home in Sunninghill (near Ascot) has since been home to John Lennon (and Yoko Ono) as well as Ringo Starr and the President of the UAE. The Royal Holloway Picture Gallery is currently touring the United States. In the early nineties, 3 paintings by Turner, Gainsborough and Constable were sold for £21m to generate funds for the maintenance of Founder’s and the rest of the collection. The collection is currently valued at around £16.6m Nearby Virginia Water Lake is an artificial stretch of water. It has been used as a location for the Harry Potter films and in 2005 was the site for the British record capture of pike, weighing at 58lbs, 5oz.

Our local MP is Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond MP.

Nearby Windsor Great Park is 5000 acres of pristine landscaped gardens, owned and operated by the Crown Estate. The park contains both Guard’s Polo Club and the Royal Lodge (official residence of Royal Holloway was ranked 88th in Prince Andrew). Between Windsor the 2010-11 Times Higher EducaCastle and the Royal Lodge there tion World University Rankings. is also a spectacular deer park.

Nearby Wentworth Club is home to Guards Polo Club is widely considthe BMW PGA Championship. The ered to be the most prestigious polo Wentworth Estate is home to Bruce club in the UK, and the one associForsyth. ated most closely with the Royal family. The club has as its patron, At the last census, Egham town had HM Queen Elizabeth and, as it’s a population of 5724.

President, HM Prince Philip. They have several fixtures starting from In 2009/10, 20% of Royal Hollo1st May. You can join the Club as a way’s students came from outside playing member for a £17,000 enof the EU. Out of a total tuition fee trance fee, plus £5,450/year (figures income of £48,373,000, fees from from 2009). Non-playing members UK and EU students contributed join for substantially less, but there £21,882,000 and overseas students is a long waiting list. contributed £22,096,000.

There are two Royal Holloway gradThe Founder was created in 2006 by uates in Parliament. Norman Baker student Jack Lenox.

MP is a Liberal Democrat and Minister for Transport. Gregory Barker Last year, a brothel was found in is a Conservative MP. An interview Egham. with Norman Baker can be found on the Founder website.

Founder’s Building is a Grade I listed building based on the Chateau Chambord in the Loire Valley.

Crosslands is named after the architect, William Crossland.

36

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Features

Making Connections: Networking for Students

tended my first ever networking meeting and I’ve got to admit it was a revelation...a brilliant rather Networking is all the rage in the epiphanic one to tell the truth! business world, but could this modFor those unfamiliar with the ern day meet and greet be a useful term, ‘networking’ is about esnew tool for students in search of tablishing professional contacts career advice, support and even capable of providing guidance, that elusive graduate job? support and even a career boost.

I admit it; I’ve been living in deMany believe that the ability to nial for the past two years unable to network is a great asset, particubring myself to terms with the fact larly for businesspeople who need that I will soon be exiting the world to promote their venture as well as of full time education and leavfind new clients, investors and adviing behind my ‘studenthood’. But sors. Networking is now becoming thankfully, about to enter my third so popular that specific events are and final year at Royal Holloway, organised to facilitate the process the penny has finally dropped; I’ll and, like me, an increasing numbe graduating next year and I need ber of students are starting to get to start laying down the foundainvolved. tions for life post-uni, however Admittedly, walking into a room daunting that may seem. full of strangers, palms sticky with It was with this in mind that, sweat I did, albeit briefly, question during the summer break, I atmy decision to attend. Would I be

Nikki Samuels

overlooked as an inexperienced student? What about awkward silences? How should I strike up conversation? Hell, what if no one wants to talk to me?

Apprehensive to say the least, I persisted and eventually plucked up the courage to talk to, as it happened, a seasoned web developer.

Thankfully conversation flowed easily as we each exchanged details about ourselves, why we were there and what we hoped to gain from the meeting. It soon transpired that Mr. Web Developer had worked in recruitment and so our discussion turned to careers and CVs, giving me a fantastic insight into improving my employability.

During the course of the evening, with confidence increasing exponentially, I spoke with people from a multitude of professions; from a physiotherapist to a psychologist

and even, I kid you not, an entrepreneurial sailor. As such, the event offered a great way to explore different employment options; perfect for someone like me who doesn’t yet have a clearly defined career path.

After an hour of mingling, the session drew to a close and as I shook hands for the final time, with a Matt Lucas-esque ecommerce expert, I reflected on what had been an enlightening evening.

With the recession lingering on and reports suggesting that up to 60% of jobs are not even advertised, networking offers a window into the hidden jobs market, significantly improving ones chances of finding employment. As a continuous process, not necessarily confined to organised events, networking is also accessible to everyone. Becoming a member of business social media

sites such as LinkedIn enables contacts to be established from the comfort of one’s sofa, whilst RHUL’s Careers Advice Office can recommend useful potential connections.

For those wishing to attend structured functions, the imaginatively named findnetworkingevents. com lists events across the country, whilst organisations such as Business Biscotti and the Federation of Small Businesses run numerous regional meetings which can be attended for a small fee.

Heading into my final year the need to find a job is certainly at the forefront of my mind, but following my experience I certainly plan to network as much as I can before the year is out. With my new found confidence and some supportive contacts, leaving “studenthood” behind may not be quite so daunting after all.

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Sport ....

The Founder Sport sports@thefounder.co.uk thefounder.co.uk/sports Editor: Ben Hine

The Barclays Premier League 2011/2012: Let battle commence!

Joseph Hart After a summer of gossip, multi million pound moves, player tantrums and pre-season hopes, the Premier League is back with a bang!

For some the post-season has been a chance to savour that last drop of celebratory champagne. Sadly for many it has also proved an unwelcome period of reflecting on what might have been, as tears of pain and anguish are wiped away from yet another year of bitter disappointment. But for each and every one of us the start of a new season brings a mixture of excitement and nerves that has everyone feeling this could be their club’s year.

This season is shaping up to be full of hard-fought battles and at the very top there will be a three way fight for the title. Manchester City must now feel they have the chance to emerge from the shadow of bitter rivals Manchester United.

After a summer of serious investment, Manchester United have seen an injection of youth into their ranks, whilst Manchester City have continued to spend big on proven quality, in the hopes of challenging at the top. For many these two are favourites for the title, but Chelsea will no doubt have something to say about that, as they begin life under Andre Villas-Boas. This young, talented but relatively inexperienced manager has promised new ideas, a new philosophy and fresh blood.

But still the old heads remain at Chelsea, and Villas-Boas must attempt to find the elusive balance between experience and youth. The clashes between these sides will be key in determining who will come out on top, so keep an eye out for them, as you can be sure there will be fireworks!

A mad dash for fourth place and the final Champions League spot will see a resurgent Liverpool look to continue their impressive form from the second half of last season. Tottenham are no doubt disappointed at missing out on the Champions League, having

On the Grape-Hine Ben Hine Sports Editor Hello! And welcome to the sports section of The Founder!

I am your new Sports Editor and I want articles...seriously... give me articles! I want to hear everything that is going on around campus to do with sports. Anyone can email me at sports@thefounder.co.uk with submissions, so whether you want to nominate a club member to write consistent reports or whether it’s a random piece now and then, it’s all welcome in my inbox!

This year is guaranteed to be an incredible year for RHUL Sport with Sport England allocating £85,486 in National Lottery funding to the college to urge students to give sport another go. The new RHULSPORT-Beactive project is among 40 other projects being backed by Sport England’s £10 million Active Universities fund.

This will hopefully provide part of the legacy of mass sport

impressed in the competition last year. They will view this season as a golden opportunity to rejoin the ranks of Europe’s elite. And let’s

not forget Arsenal, written off by many having lost important players during the summer. Their fortunes will rely heavily on whether or not

37

the replacements can make a big enough impact. For these three sides Champion’s League qualification is a must, but the losers of this tussle may have to be consoled with Europa League qualification. However, improving teams such as Stoke City could yet cause a surprise come the end of the season, finishing in and around the European places.

And what of the Premier League’s new boys and the battle for survival? Swansea City, Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers have all come up from the championship.

All three will need to adapt quickly to a premier calibre of opposition.

Along with the likes of Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic the new boys can expect a tough year fighting for points and ultimately survival. But no team should feel safe from the dreaded drop. Teams

participation left by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Royal Holloway has a vibrant and varied sports scene, with 35 students’ sports clubs, with high quality on- and off-campus facilities providing a great atmosphere in which to excel. The SU and the sports centre work together to provide settings in which to thrive in all aspects of sports life, with the RAG team eager to get teams on board to raise money for charity, and the SU management always throwing unforgettable Come in your Kit nights!

I look forward to hearing from all of you about what is going on with your club, and The Founder also welcomes articles about sports events outside of the university (reviews of major sporting events etc). So... get writing, and hear from you soon!

such as Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United will want to climb the table having survived in the league before, but they could just as easily be sucked back into the relegation scrap.

This season has shaped up to be one of the most exciting instalments for some time. Three teams now hold legitimate title ambitions, as local rivalries intensify with the stakes higher than ever before.

There will be clubs desperately trying to escape mid-table mediocrity and clubs embroiled in the yearly relegation dogfight. All of this before we can even begin to speculate what impact the transfers, mind games, refereeing blunders or managerial sackings might have.

What is for certain is that this is going to be one hell of a season. Blink and you’ll miss it. And you will not want to do that.

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The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Sport ....

tf

Squash Ben Hine, Club Chairman The RHUL Squash club is looking to continue in incredible form this year, as the club has experienced a meteoric rise within the college over the past 4 years and there are no signs of slowing. Last year saw an incredible season unfold for all teams, with a ULU Cup Runner’s Up place, 2nd positions in 3 leagues, and a BUCS Runner’s Up place for the Ladies’ team. As well as amazing team results, the club was shortlisted for club of the year and won RAG club of the year; as well as contributing to all aspects of club life, including great volunteering projects and, as always, the club’s infamous social scene.

This year represents a rebirth for the club, as a fresh new committee is looking to revitalise all areas of the club and improve upon the successes of past years. Charlie Bruinvels, President, is as keen as he is skilled with the racket, and will provide a great figurehead (covered in an incredible curly afro) and promises to steer the club to new heights. Backed up by his entourage of ladies: Sarah Feehan, Vice President, Laura Goswell, Treasurer, and Laura Grima, Secretary, the committee is sure to give the club innovative direction. Callum Chaplin and Johnny Chapman (RAG Secretary and Social Secretary) will provide a dynamic duo to ensure

that the club is well known socially and for its charity contributions, with hopes to defend our position as best RAG club. Ben Hine remains in the committee after 2 years as Club Chairman, to provide experience and a wealth of knowledge for the committee should they require it.

A key part in ensuring the success of this great club is YOU! Whether fresher or veteran Hollowegian, we need you to come along and have a go at squash no matter how experienced you are.

We need fresh blood to come and help us defend and improve on our titles, league places and win rates, but also to come and help us defend our reputation as the most fun club.

If you are interested in a club that offers everything, then squash is the one for you. Here’s the snag though.

Our courts are currently being refurbished, and won’t be ready until around the 19th. So at the moment, we have nowhere you a taster or try outs, BUT don’t let that stop you coming along to Freshers Fayre and hearing firsthand what squash club is all about. We will also be running socials and other fun activities to keep you occupied until we can get you on court.

Hopefully we’ll see you at Freshers Fayre, you won’t regret it!

MMA & BJJ

Lacrosse

Krishna Mooroogen, President

Jenny Ransom

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) utilises techniques from a number of both striking and grappling martial arts such as Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, Judo and more in order to form the most efficient and effective fighting style; allowing oneself to prepare for any type of assailant.

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu focuses on highly technical ground techniques based on leverage that allow a smaller, weaker opponent to overcome a larger, stronger attacker through the use of joint-locks, chokes and strangulations in order to force a submission.

Brought to fame in the early 1990’s; when Royce Gracie, a slim ‘weak’ fighter from Brazil, defeated three opponents of various fighting styles in a single night to become the world’s first Ultimate Fighter, MMA can trace its’ roots to Ancient Greek Pankration, the infamous no-holds barred Vale Tudo competitions from Brazil, Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do and more recently, the UFC. At RHUL MMA & BJJ, you will learn and improve on all three main segments of fighting: Stand-up striking and clinching, takedowns/ takedown defence and ground fighting. You will grow to adapt your new skills for both competition and self-defence against both stronger opponents and multiple

Sail and Board Ellie Mawbey The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to make new friends, take yourself out of your comfort zone and try something new. So why not try sailing? It’s fantastic fun and great exercise, and we hope to get lots more members this year to sail our one and two man boats. We’ve been working really hard over the past few months to revamp Sail and Board and have moved to Kingsmead Sailing Club near Datchet. This has substantially lowered the cost of sailing each

week and has increased the opportunities available to our members.

Whether you’ve never sailed before or are an experienced water-lover, we’ve got everything to support you in improving your skills. Members have the opportunity to cruise each week, participate in RYA run courses and now team race against another university! We will be running socials throughout the year so we can all get to know each other better on land!

It costs just £30 for the whole

year, which includes membership to Sail and Board and Kingsmead Sailing Club as well as transport there and back each week. Buoyancy aids can be borrowed from Kingsmead free of charge and we do have some spare wetsuits if required. We sail every Wednesday afternoon but there is no commitment to attend every one, just let us know which weeks you want to attend.

We are running taster days on Wednesday 28th September and

attackers. You will improve your strength and stamina irrespective of your size and skill level. You will learn in a fun, friendly yet challenging environment from our leading coaches – former national Muay Thai champion and MMA fighter, Lloyd Heaven. Brazillian Jiu Jitsu champions from the BJJ School/ Escola de Jiu Jitsu training under Master Leao Teixeira who himself trained with the Gracie’s.

There are three two-hour classes per week; our Wednesday class focuses on bringing all aspects of your training together, whilst the Friday and Sunday classes are striking and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu based respectively. Seminars are available throughout the year as well as opportunities to compete on a national level. Regular Socials are held joint with the RHUL Thai Boxing Society creating our own fighting community. MMA is suitable for anyone regardless of experience or fitness; aside from the physical aspect RHUL MMA/BJJ inspires confidence in all.

The emergence of no-holds barred and Mixed Martial Arts competitions around the world have proven that a wide range of techniques must be acquired in order to become a successful fighter.

Join us in training in the world’s fastest growing sport.

So, you want to be a fighter?

“Lacrosse what’s that? Isn’t it like hockey but with baskets on the end of stick?’ is the general response of many a young fresher on being roped into joining.

Fear not the un-knowledgeable many of us too fell into that category. At least 90 % of our players hadn’t the foggiest what it was had never held a stick let alone could catch the ball. Lacrosse is perfect for those wanting to start something new, pick up a sport or just get involved. The club is friendly and inviting and you can make lots of chums. We have a women’s team, a men’s team and a mixed team (for those who prefer a bit of play with the opposite sex) although you can take part both.

We like to win (obviously) and are pretty competitive yet, on signing up you don’t have to worry about “OMG will I make the team, what if I’m not good enough?” we have no A team B team malarkey, everyone that signs up plays for the team and everyone gets played on the field. But hey forget the playing side of lacrosse it’s the socials you want to be at. The Happy Man is our regular drinking house and every week guaranteed we will have something going on for the club, whether it be some messy chunderfilled themed bar crawl through Egham or a nice “civilised” club dinner it’s definite there will be something for you. Coming to the socials really helps to meet more people and lets you make some chums from outside or your corridor (helpful if their all bit on the strange side).

Sooooooooo…….. If you want to get involved, which you do: come Saturday 1st October at 1pm. Sign down to the Sports Hall on Thursup at the Freshers’ Fayre, join the day 22nd and Friday 23rd for the Facebook group or email sailandFreshers’ Fair to sign up or just chat board.rhul@gmail.com. Bring your to one of our lovely members. Even friends along and try sailing for better if you want to actually give free. Remember you must have stu- it a go come down, to Nobels Field dent activities insurance to attend (next to the sports centre) between taster days (buy at the fayre or from 12 and 2pm on Thursday 22nd and the student activities office).

Friday 23rd for the taster sessions.

Go on, try sailing and I’m sure And finally next Wednesday 23rd you’ll be hooked!

8pm – Happy Man, first social of the year, drinks, chat and onto the SU (Ibiza Foam Party) BE THERE !

39

The Founder | Tuesday 20 September 2011

Women’s Football Krissie Glover Last year saw unprecedented success with women’s football winning the coveted team of the year trophy.

The firsts won their BUCs league, finished runners up in the cup and runners up in ULU Premier.

It was also the beginning of a new era for the club as it successfully established a second team. The second team was introduced to give more women the opportunity to play sport and prepare freshers on the periphery of the firsts for their coming years at Holloway. This was a resounding triumph with the club boasting their largest numbers of members to date and the seconds finished in an impressive 3rd place.

However, Women’s Football is not just about playing the beautiful game! We have weekly socials and our new social secretary, Ellie Bryans, is already planning more memorable nights. Past themes have included the Incredibles,

Smurfs and Social Mis-Fits with most girls getting involved and joining in the fun. So if you see a group of blue girls raving until the early hours at the SU, it’s probably us. We also hold several socials that don’t include alcohol including movie and x-factor nights at some of the girl’s houses and regular trips to the cinema or Nandos.

We welcome all and we will never turn you away regardless of your standard. If you want to play competitively or just come to training to get fit, come to socials and have a laugh our club is for you!

Pop down to ‘trials’ on Sunday 25th September 10 till 12. If you cant make that come down to training on Monday (5-7pm) or Friday (6:45-8:45pm). If you are interested have a look at our website, join our facebook group or ask one of our committee at Fresher’s Fair!

Freshers’ Week Haikus David Bowman Anoosheh Dastbaz Angelo Frangeskou Joseph Rayment & Julia Armfield Chunder in my bed Why am I so badly bruised?

Must be freshers week It’s the Fresher’s Fayre I join all societies My inbox is full Cunts everywhere I thought Ali G lived here Where am I? Roho.

Picture Gallery...

I don’t give a flying fuck Where are the VKs? Jeremy Kyle, Come Dine With Me and Coach Trip So this is freedom

Oh, Ring of Fire The King’s Cup has puke in it Now down it, fresher Too many VKs Vomit in cereal bowls Breakfast is ready Let’s go to Liquid We get a VIP booth I wake up in liquid I’ve a squeaky bed I take a ladyfriend back ‘Eyyyyy’ from the neighbours I wake up too sore Bereft of my free condoms Shame I forgot them The only real proof Of me eyeballing vodka Is my new blindness Emma Watson’s fame And Emma Watson’s talent.

Disproportionate.

If you’ve got a Haiku or two on the goings on at RHUL, send it in!

SU Corner

Where your pretend politicians are satirised like real ones

Welcome from Your VPLS Your Students’ Union Vice President of Liberation and Solidarity Salutations comrades! Let me be the first to welcome you on behalf of the Executive Central Committee of the Students Union of Royal Holloway to the first term of the year.

I’m writing to counter the vicious accusations levelled against members of the Secretariat that the budget of the Union was discussed and ratified by only a small elite number of the Politburo. Let me reassure the proletariat readers of The Founder that these are simply vicious lies being propagated by proLayzellian dissidents seeking to

further their bourgeois fascistic agenda.

For those of you that were not of the 40 members of the politburo that were in attendance at the Annual General Meeting I should inform you that Fmr President Pearson rebutted comrade Cobb’s suggestion that it was unfair to expect members to remain at the meeting until after 1 A.M as is of course the time honoured SU tradition! It is clear from the official live blog which stopped at midnight (made available by the benevolence of the Secretariat) that this was not the case despite malicious rumours from so called ‘witnesses’ at the meeting claiming that in fact it was called to a close at around 2 A.M. Despite this NOT being the case, if it was it would surely show the heroic commitment by the members of the politburo to bettering the interests of the proletariat in their absent name.

It is no secret that the Students Union is running at a deficit but readers should be

assured that this is a healthy thing and that members of your beloved politburo fought tooth and nail on your behalf to oppose all cuts that were attempted to be forced on us by the so called ‘professional’ capitalists who review the budget.

Members who are alarmed that 0.5% of the student population can make decisions regarding our finances can be reassured that the financial credentials of our members are second to none with the department of management sitting proudly at 60th place in the Guardian University Guide proving the fine business acumen of our unelected decision makers.

Next time there is to be a general meeting the Secretariat urges you not to worry yourselves with the terribly complicated dealings of the politburo that would surely go straight over your heads and for your own benefit to remain at home and rely on your beloved leaders to make the right decisions on your behalf.

Meet his colleagues next issue

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