The Founder - Volume 6, Issue 4

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Volume 6 | Issue 4 Thursday 24 November 2011 thefounder.co.uk

the independent student newspaper of royal holloway, university of london

Olympic flame to pass through Egham Rosie Pentreath The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) recently announced the route of the Olympic Flame prior to the London 2012 games. 8,000 participants will take part in a 70-day relay across 8,000 miles of the United Kingdom. It is estimated that the torch will pass within 10 miles of 95% of the population.

For those of us still in-andaround Royal Holloway between the 10th and 17th of July the heat of the flame will be felt even closer.

Egham has been chosen as one of 1,018 locations on the torch-bearers’ route. Diverse landmarks have been selected for their prominence, uniqueness or yet-to-be-discovered beauty. Of course, Egham is an irrefutable choice, being the home of one of the most beautiful university campuses in England; but it is the historical significance of the town that puts it on the map. It is one of the main towns of Runnymede Borough where the 1215 Magna Carta was signed, forming the very basis of our democracy.

The journey of the Olympic Flame begins in Olympia, Greece, where the London 2012 torch will be lit. It will enter the UK on 18th May and begin its journey with the first car-

The Olympic Stadium in London. Flickr/ Frans Zwart rier in Lands End, Cornwall. The idea for a torch relay, based on an ancient-Greek myth, was conceived by the founder of the International Olympic Committee, Pierre de Coubertin. He believed in a symbol with the power to “pursue its way

through ages, increasing friendly understanding between nations, for the good of humanity always more enthusiastic, more courageous and more pure.” Although the flame is not travelling across the globe as it has in the past, its passage through

the United Kingdom this summer, and de Coubertin’s message remains appropriate. Over the past year we have seen areas of the population violently react to current social and economic hardships, resulting in injury and conflict within Britain.

Such a positive event as the torchrelay will bring thousands of people together in celebration.

Royal Holloway itself has a particularly important role in the 2012 games as an official Olympic Village.

Events have already been held to celebrate the upcoming Games, including the special lecture, given by fivetime Paralympian Sir Philip Craven MBE, celebrating the Paralympic movement. In 2010 the Creative Campus Initiative was set up as a consortium of thirteen Higher Education Institutions in the South East delivering a dynamic programme of cultural events leading up to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

The countdown to the London 2012 Olympics continues. Along with Egham, 10 other towns in Surrey were selected for the final leg of the route. The journey of the Olympic Flame will end in Guildford before it enters London for the commencement of the games.

The announcement of the torch route has generated much excitement, prompting the organisation of community parties and livemusic events throughout the country. Denise Saliagopoulos of Surrey County Council said: “The fact the torch relay will visit so many Surrey towns and villages over three days next summer is a thrilling prospect ... I hope as many people as possible turn out to celebrate.”

Arts

Music

Film

Julia Armfield reviews Sweeney Todd at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Oscar Hassan reviews Coldplay’s latest studio album Mylo Xlyoto.

Zlatina Nikolova talks you through this years cinematic Winter warmers.

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

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

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Jessica Phillipson News Editor

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

News Editor Jessica Phillipson Comment Editor Toby Fuller Features Editor Felicity (Fizz) King Film Editor Nathaniel Horne Arts Editor Julia Armfield

Pictures Amy Taheri Joshua Staines Sport Editor Ben Hine Sub-Editors Mariella de Souza Tarli Morgan

Alleged SU assault case continues

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.

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Following the story in the previous edition of The Founder, it has been confirmed that an arrest has been made following a serious allegation of assault.

Surrey Police released the following statement: “[we are] investigating an allegation of serious sexual assault on a 19-year-old woman on the evening of Friday, 21 October.

Following the initial allegation Surrey Police detectives secured several scenes, a residential address in Victoria Street, Englefield Green and an area of the Students’ Union at the Royal Holloway College in Egham.

Officers are carrying out a thorough and extensive investigation into the alleged incident, including speaking

to witnesses and conducting forensic examinations of both scenes. A 25-year-old man from Englefield Green was arrested on Saturday, 22 October on suspicion of serious sexual assault and has since been released on police bail until January 23 2012 while the investigation continues.”

The university commented: “The Students’ Union is supporting Surrey Police with their investigation and is committed to ensuring the safety of all students and staff ” and is keen to reassure students of their safety on campus.

Police urge anyone with any information to call Surrey Police on the new 101 non-emergency number, quoting the reference: RM/11/6146, or call Crimestoppers on: 0800 555 111.

The long Djalili drops in at Royal Holloway Waitrose is over Music Editor Harun Musho’d

© The Founder Publications Ltd. 2011, Unit 6 St Saviours Wharf, 23 Mill Street, London SE1 2BE

Michael Burnip Award winning comedian, Omid Djalili, who has also appeared in Gladiator, The Mummy, and Notting Hill, diverted his tour bus via Royal Holloway to engage with the students in an intimate ‘In The Spotlight’ question and answer session.

Djalili, currently touring his stand up show, met members of The Student Workshop in the drama department’s Studio Theatre to share some of his knowledge and anecdotes from the entertainment industry. The Student Workshop, a society founded and operated by drama students, who stage their work throughout university term time, were able to indulge in the wise words, jokes and industry se-

crets of the experienced performer.

Grace Holiday, the society’s Social Secretary, proudly announced before the session: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome Omid Djalili and his colleagues to The Student Workshop and Royal Holloway.” Djalili also brought with him his tour and production managers, Andrew Jobbins and Shaun Weager. This opened up the session to the broad interests of the students, allowing them to not only learn how it is to be a performer but also everything that goes on behind the scenes.

Djalili said how he enjoyed passing on his experience to budding performers: “their fresh energy reminds me of how I started out and where I began.” He also, acknowledged the importance of experienced industry experts offering

Ashley Coates their time to those beginning their Editor careers.

This is not the first time the society has had the privilege of a star in the drama department; last year, stage and screen actor Timothy West graced the Studio Theatre with his presence. Furthermore, in previous years, students have had the privilege to listen to industry legends such as Kevin Spacey and Alan Rickman. Third year drama student and president of The Student Workshop, Adam Penny remarked that : “‘In The Spotlight’ is a brilliant initiative that students at this stage in their career truly appreciate and (they can)gain huge inspiration from the speakers we have managed to attract.”

Delayed plans for the construction of a Waitrose store are to go ahead in Egham. The original scheme, to build a 36,000sq-ft Waitrose and 80-room Travelodge, was stalled last year when local businesses became concerned that the complex would restrict parking and access for deliveries. The new Waitrose will be built behind Egham High Street on what is currently Church Road car park.

The revised plans include a new 24hour secure underground car park that allows delivery access to the High Street and parking for up to 180 vehicles.

The £35 million development is being managed by Albermarle Investment Solutions. The firm owns

6 residential and 18 retail properties in Egham, including the buildings housing Café Nero, Subway, Specsavers, and Ladbrokes. Purchased in 2007, the properties provide a £615,000/year rental income for Albermarle.

The presence of a Waitrose has long been considered the mark of a good Surrey town. Egham’s neighbouring towns, Sunningdale, Windsor and Staines, have all had Waitrose supermarkets for many years.

The opening of a Waitrose in Egham is widely considered by many to be a much-needed improvement that should bring shoppers into the town and provide another 200 jobs in the area. The site will be leased to Waitrose for 20 years and Travelodge for 25 years. Construction should begin in February.

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

News

No Stalingrad for Marxists More drug Ashley Coates Editor Students supporting the creation of a Royal Holloway Marxist Society have been told that their application for ratification with the Students’ Union has been turned down. The Student Activities Committee assessed the application last Thursday and concluded that the longevity of the society was questionable, the society’s aims and activities would overlap with other societies, and that ratification might restrict the group as it would be bound by the Students’ Union Constitution.

The Marxist Society has clashed with the SU a number of times during this term. The group has 48 members in its Facebook group including the SU President, Daniel Cooper. It collected 100 signatures last year in support of ratification but it has been criticised by the Students’ Union for ‘disregarding rules and authority’ and subjecting SU staff to ‘rude and abusive comments’ during this term. The Marxist Society’s principal organiser Malcolm Adams believes the Students’ Union has been deliberately seeking to bully the society out of ratification for ‘political reasons’.

The SAC, which has received 20 applications for new societies this year, says it was concerned that the Marxist Society might be exclusionary, stressing that societies should be ‘inclusionary and open to all’.

Contrastingly, the process by which the SAC chooses which societies receive ratification is described by the Students’ Union as ‘closed business’.

Neither the minutes nor a breakdown of the societies that were or were not ratified are accessible but there are widespread rumours that a Royal Holloway Anarchist Society was discussed.

Malcolm Adams has made a personal statement, saying: ‘we are unashamedly a political society. This is not unprecedented - until last year there existed a Conservative Future society - as is typical for almost all student unions across the country.

There are other political societies on campus, including People and Planet and Amnesty International. Being a political society is no more exclusionary than being any other society which organises people with common interests…given the context of harassment that we have faced from the Vice President of Student Activities, I am personally not surprised by this but am nevertheless annoyed.’

Conflict began during Freshers’

Week, when the Marxist Society set up a stall and distributed literature outside the SU Main Building. After the event Malcolm received an email where Jake Wells, Vice President (Student Activities) appeared to be denying the society ratification before his application went to the SAC: ‘…I have decided to not take your proposal forward to the Student Activities Committee and cannot further this ratification attempt. The manner in which you conducted yourself on Thursday and Friday throughout Freshers’ Fayre is not how I would expect or believe a potential society should respond to the Sabbatical Officer who oversees them, and this disregard for the rules and authority is not something which is (and never will be) welcome within our clubs and societies…’

Malcolm has described Jake Wells’ attitude towards the society as a ‘violation of democracy on the part of the VPSA as under the constitution he does not have the power to do this and it goes against procedure.’

Malcolm says he received mixed messages from the Students’ Union regarding the use of tables and leaflets but that he complied with the SU’s demands. Jake Wells has disagreed, restating that Freshers’ Fayre is organised for ratified student societies: ‘As we clearly communicated to them, we did not have a problem with them collecting signatures elsewhere on campus, it was simply by doing so right outside of Freshers’ Fayre that was completely against Students’ Union policy…the request for them to move away from the building and take down their stall was ignored. I was also subject to some fairly aggressive and nasty personal verbal abuse on more than one occasion when making this request and explaining the rationale behind it.’ Malcolm denies there was any verbal abuse.

The ratification of societies at

Royal Holloway requires at least 20 signatures from current college cardholders. The Students’ Union says the assessment of the Marxist Society’s application was delayed until last week due to the timing of elections, affecting the voting restrictions of SAC meetings, as well as the need to go through the other 20 applications presented to the Students’ Union since the beginning of term. The VPSA has stressed that the ‘Marxist Society was not treated any differently than any other society looking for ratification.’

A few weeks after Freshers’ Fayre the society was again being considered for ratification but a new stumbling block appeared in the form of the November 9th protests. The Marxist Society was told via email that it could not attend the 9th November marches under the banner of the RHUL Marxist Society: ‘...I’ve been informed that you guys are planning to go to the National Demo on November 9th as the RHUL Marxist Society. Just thought I’d email you and let you know that if you were to take such action it would seriously harm your ratification attempt, and would be fraudulent seeing as there is no RHUL Marxist Society. I therefore strongly suggest that you reconsider your plans and do not promote yourselves as the RHUL Marxist Society anywhere until you are actually ratified.’

Malcolm regarded this restriction as ‘political bias’: ‘There is nothing in the constitution which states that what we are doing is “fraudulent” and indeed there have been numerous societies unaffiliated with the Student’s Union that have identified themselves as being societies based at Royal Holloway. This was again a clear example of political bias against us in the Students’ Union and an attempt at preventing students from exercising the right to organise and discuss the sorts of issues and perspectives that we aim to discuss.’

The Marxist Society has been organising educational discussions based around Marxist theory. Their discussions have so far been based on classic Marxist-Leninist texts such as Lenin’s “Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism” and Marx’s “Wages, Prices and Profit”.

They hope to start campaigning, particularly over Israeli-Palestinian issues and austerity measures in the UK, as well as organising film nights and speakers. Their next meeting will be on 23rd November, where the group will be discussing the issue of cuts and the economic crisis.

related arrests in Runnymede Christian Leppich Police have continued their crackdown on drug related crime in the Runnymede area after making six arrests and seizing stolen property and suspected Class A drugs. In the early hours of November 4th, the officers from the Neighbourhood Support Team made their arrests.

The warrants were obtained after the discovery of four suspected cannabis factories in the Runnymede area last month.

The locations; Station Road and School Lane in Egham; Elmbank Avenue in Englefield Green and Frithwald Road in Chertsey saw the police sequester property that included mobile phones and an undisclosed sum of cash, as well as the suspected drugs.

Officers carried out four arrests in Englefield Green, arresting three men and one woman. Two of the men, aged 39 and 47, as well the 38-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of the possession of Class A and B drugs with intent to supply but were released on police bail until December 19. The other suspect arrested in Englefield Green, a 41-year-old male, who was

arrested on the same charge; suspicion of possessing and intending to supply Class A and B drugs, was released on bail until December 16.

Furthermore, police also arrested a 35-year-old man in Egham in connection with possessing Class A drugs and a 32year-old man from Chertsey on suspicion of the possession of controlled drugs. Both men were released on bail until December 20.

Sergeant Stuart Dalladay claimed that he was “very pleased (with the) significant number of arrests and seizure of suspected drugs.”

Although he claimed that Surrey Police was in the process of ‘robust action’ against the possession and supply of drugs it cannot be ignored that they are becoming a recurring issue in the local community. The Founder previously reported on a series of drug-related raids and the arrest of one man believed to have been growing numerous cannabis plants in his back garden. After his subsequent arrest, Surrey Police claimed that it was confident that there was not a drug problem in the Runnymede area. However, after the most recent events this claim is surely thrown into doubt.

The investigation continues.

Back gate debate continues Jessica Phillipson There have been new developments in the ongoing back gate saga. Residents in Egham have written to the Mayor of Runnymede calling for support for action to be taken to tackle noisy, disruptive behaviour, caused, they claim, by Royal Holloway students.

The latest demand came after residents of Lynwood Avenue found that their car wing mirrors were vandalised in the early hours of Sunday 23rd October. Although the back gate is closed by 00:45hrs on Sunday morning, students are the prime suspects.

Wendy Holmes, Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator for Lynwood Avenue, wrote to Councillor David

Parr requesting that the metal gate at the back of campus, which has been in operation since 1970 and provides access to Spring Rise and Lynwood Avenue, be permanently closed. The gate provides access for both staff and students during the day and is currently closed by 00:45hrs on Friday and Saturday nights whilst 23:15hrs all other evenings. These times were revised and reduced in the 2006-7 academic year and since then noise complaints have dramatically decreased. However, residents remain disatisfied and the issue was one again raised in a recent community meeting.

The university maintains that there is no solid proof that the noise or recent acts of vandalism have been caused by Royal Holloway students.

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GM Watch 3

GM With a Vengeance

The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

Debate Student workers have rights too

rights on key issues are. This way you can make sure that, at the very least, your boss isn’t treating you illegally. These will generally be about your wages, your contractAs a result of several decades of also passed which would extend the to tell a joke about Mexicans that David Bowman type, the amount of hours you work attacks on education funding in the LGBT society to having a welfare she said would in fact be offensive Editor arm to support students that would until being (very wisely) stopped by UK, where there are now no living and other rights e.g. health and safety. The Students’ Union is rungrants, no free education, ever be run by the VPEdWelfare and a member of the executive comAs far as general meetings go this lessening public funding and enor- ning an awareness raising campaign following this a motion was passed mittee. one was actually pretty interesting. that would support the 30th of mous tuition fees, a lot of students, – keep an eye out for our ‘your One member came up to the rights at work’ posters.

The two most notable motions on probably including yourself, are November education strikes. front and told the meeting that a It’s also worth joining a union, the agenda condemned the Dale forced to enter the labour market If you’re reading this as somenumber of Israeli and Palestinian even if your workplace isn’t that Farm evictions and supported the and get a job. one that has never attended a GM students were upset at how lightly bad and even if you do really get on two-state solution to the IsraeliIn recent years the number of it’s important to remember that the matter was being taken. with your boss. Obviously, not all Palestinian conflict. The meeting young people at work has increased what seems like a totally absurdity And there lies the root of the bosses are ruthless, calculating robbegan with procedural motions dramatically.

The rise in the numout and around campus is often problem. Regardless of how imporbers.

Some are perfectly pleasant being brought up that would have ber of working students has been something that the SU will take tant the issue is the general meeting human beings. But their position these taken off the agenda on the particularly sharp – between 1996 upon themselves to address. So this has yet to prove that it is a mature as a manager means that when it basis that the issues were “none and 2006, the number of students brings us to the Israeli-Palestinian and responsible enough forum to comes to the crunch, cutting that of our business” and that the role in full-time education who supconflict and a motion that would discuss one of the most contentious corner on health and safety, upping ported themselves through paid of the SU should be to “support give the SU a stance supporting a issues around. Most of the students your hours, cutting your wages or work grew by 50%.

Employment for and advise students”. The counter two-state solution to the problem. in that room despite being intelsacking you altogether will come argument was that the SU “is a Literally everyone I have spoken to ligent and proactive have very little young workers is heavily concenbefore what is good and right for trated in industries and sectors political body in its own right”. The since the meeting has responded understanding of what is a serious Dale Farm motion was successwhere staff turnover is high, wages you. Most people earn a living to this motion with either laughter and complex issue and to discuss fully taken off the agenda meaning or eye rolling on the basis that the this in a forum where each speaker are low and conditions are – to put by hiring themselves out to an employer who pays them a wage. that it couldn’t be passed but the it mildly – not great. According to SU has no right to be concerning is (quite rightly) only allowed one If you work for a wage, you’re a Israel-Palestinian motion was kept themselves with issues that have a Trade Union Congress (TUC) minute to speak means that the isworker. You could be a plumber, on; but more on that later. It’s also very little impact upon its students. sue cannot be discussed coherently study, young workers account for a bar worker, a trapeze artiste or a important to note that Rhubarb TV A quick scan of the constitution nearly 40% of the entire workforce as one would expect in a forum teacher, but you’re still a worker. was streaming the event and that of the hospitality sector (hotels and will however find a point that alsuch as that provided by the DebatTrade unions around the world apparently more than 100 people lows the SU to ‘carry out campaign- ing Society. Whilst I’m sure that the restaurants). This includes nearly have led inspiring campaigns that were watching providing non250,000 working students. ing activities’ and ‘seek to influence proposers of the motion have reattendees with the option to watch public opinion’, the question here is searched and understood the issues Throughout my time as a student have helped young workers stand up to some of the most exploitative the soap opera that is the GM from simply what is it that we want from to a decent extent it makes no sense I worked (long hours) for Supercorporations on the planet. In New the comfort of their homes. drug in Egham.

During my time our SU? Much of the discussion to then have the rest of the room Zealand they ran a ‘Supersize My The evening proceeded with there, we had our wages cut by that evening revolved around what vote on it. The fact that a number Pay’ campaign. In 2005/6, the Unite 120-second sabbatical where the 25%, our tea break time was sliced the role of the SU is rather than of warnings were issue by the chair union in New Zealand ran a camelected sabbatical officers let us in half as well as the amount of peace in the Middle East. (even one to Dan himself) and one paign aimed at organising young know what they’ve been up to. holidays we were entitled to.

This is Ethics and environment officer, member had to have his mic cut to workers working for high-street VPSA Jake Wells updated us on a fairly common experience, parEd Resek said the motion was stop him from talking during the fast-food and coffee chains such as the Uni Music League, which we’ve “outside the remit of the SU and ticularly for young people in work. meeting further undermines any McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC and been covering here in The Founder, was inherently wrong” whilst the Because many bar workers are notion that the general meeting is Starbucks. The “Supersize My Pay” VPComCam Sarah Honeycombe part-time or student workers, we proposer Dan Cooper argued that the appropriate forum for this type campaign saw the first strikes of spoke about ending the contract the traditionally students’ unions have of discussion. sometimes let management mess Starbucks workers anywhere in the SU has with MSL to maintain its us around because we won’t be in played an important role in interThe new motion was passed world, and eventually succeeded in website, VPEdWelfare Katie Blow the job too long or we’re only doing national politics which is a point regardless and has been tabled for winning significant wage increases spoke about getting bean bags in it to earn spare cash.

It should not that I don’t have space to go into discussion at a later date by the infor workers across a variety of Rialto and how she cried during be that way; all workers – full-time here but Dan’s sabbatical blog on troduction of a procedural motion workplace – including the abolition The Dark Knight and President and part -time, student or not – are the SURHUL website (being aside within a procedural motion within of the youth-rates of the minimum Dan Cooper spoke about his conentitled to decent wages and a safe from Sarah’s the only blog that is a motion, inception style. wage. The campaign showed that tinued political activism and setting being updated) makes a number workplace.

If you have an opinion on when workers see trade unions as up a working group looking into I believe the situation for young of interesting points on the subject anything that happened in that tools for helping them fight for conthe high food prices on campus. people in work is scandalous.

I and is well worth a read. meeting then I would urge you to crete change in the workplace and Following this there was a numthink the only way to change it A motion was presented to rehold your nose and enter the SU for society – rather than as providers of ber of motions that sailed through is for us as young workers to get move the mention of the two-state the next general meeting as none services – big victories are possible. without objection including uporganised and fight back.

Many of solution and instead simply supof you have a right to complain SURHUL is running a campaign dates to the constitution, mandatthe basic rights we take for granted port a peaceful solution effectively about anything that happens at around your rights at work and ing a constitutional proofread and in this country were won because taking all of the meat out of the this university if you don’t take the how you can get organised if your a motion that would put faith and working-class people, organised in motion. time participate in the democratic boss is treating you badly – get in LGBT societies under the care of trade unions, fought for them.

Whilst the steering desk went process. touch president@su.rhul.ac.uk ! the VPSA if there was no one to That means it’s always worth over the proposed changes one sabrun them one year. A motion was knowing exactly what your legal batical officer proceeded to begin

Dan Cooper SU President

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

tf

Comment

Cuts? SURHUL says no Sarah Honeycombe SU VPComCam If you’ve wandered across campus recently, chances are that you’ll have seen a poster proclaiming “Cuts? SURHUL says No,” been verbally encouraged to attend a lobby of College Council or have been asked to join the November 9th National Demo. You may have found your Facebook notifications flooded with invites to Education Assemblies, sub-committee meetings or alternative nights out.

It’s equally feasible that you’ve been wondering why. Why does SURHUL bother?

The world of education is about to change. Dramatically. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the only change we’re about to see is the tripling of fees, as the media coverage of the November 9th March and the weeks leading up to it seemed wholeheartedly focused on telling the country that future students just didn’t want to pay more money so, they were planning to get a bit arsey in London.

No, come 2012 the university system will be unrecognisable and incomprehensible to everyone who has already arrived at the university of their choice. A series of announcements, culminating in the Government’s White Paper, laughably entitled, ‘Students at the Heart of the System,’ has radically changed Higher Education; you will no longer be a ‘student,’ but a ‘consumer’ and a degree is a commodity to be bought and sold. Academic standing and student experience will be relegated to the bottom of a list of demands, behind value for money.

A series of small defeats have taken us from free education to fees, to “top-up” fees and now to this - a situation if not soon reversed, will see the average student entering into £27,000 worth of debt for their tuition fees alone. At a time where the cost of living is ever-increasing, it is simply naive to suggest that this won’t put off talented young people from applying to university.

Equally, cuts in funding to universities are being made on account of the economic crisis, apparently. It strikes me as rather odd that the new fees regime will actually re-

Royal Holloway and the £2.8 million utility bill Next year the government is to start extracting annual financial penalties from non-energy intensive institutions for excessive carbon emissions at £12 per tonne of carbon. Royal Holloway acknowledges that work needs to be done to reduce our carbon footprint.

The College released 13,716 tonnes of carbon in 2010/11 which is an improvement from previous year’s, but this is still about the same as the emissions produced by 7,000 return flights to New York or the average yearly emissions of 4,500 motorists.

From April Royal Holloway is likely to end up being charged between £150,000 and £200,000 a year in emissions charges through the Carbon Reduction Commitment legislation. This does not make Royal Holloway particularly exceptional amongst higher education institutions but if the university does not drastically reduce the amount of energy it consumes, a combination of rising energy bills and emissions penalties will make this a problem the College cannot afford to ignore.

The cost of energy in the UK has been a prominent issue in the news over the last year and Royal Holloway is not exempt from the rising prices of gas and electricity. In the 2005/6 financial year, Royal Holloway spent £1.8 million on energy,

four years later, the college spent £2.8 million. The college’s total income in 2009/10 was £132 million. In that year the college could have provided 80 students with a free Lotus Elise for roughly the same cost as providing itself with energy. Continuing the provocative comparisons, we could have turned off the College’s gas and electricity supply and I could have eaten roughly 200,000 Lindt Lindor truffles every day of the 2009/10 financial year. Speaking to me last week, RHUL’s Energy and Sustainability Manager, Anna Kosteletos explained: ‘We are really commited to reducing our carbon emissions.

We reduced our electricity consumption last year by 200 carbon tonnes but our electricity bill actually increased. Gas consumption has remained roughly the same but overall our costs are going up despite the reductions that we have been making.’ One of the college’s providers, Southern Electric says that the cost of wholesale gas has gone up by 40% and electricity by 23%. Next year the university could be paying about £3.6 million – or £360 for every student and member of staff (assuming 8500 students and 1500 members of staff). More interestingly, that’s 173 tonnes of Lindor chocolates, enough to fill most of the Navy’s new air defence destroyer, the HMS Daring.

One challenge faced by the College is the need to improve facilities

to enhance the student experience whilst simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. The Carbon Management Plan outlines how this may be achieved in conjunction with the possible growth of the estate outlined in the Masterplan. In order to meet all of these requirements and its emissions targets, existing buildings would need to become 8% more efficient every year from now until 2020 and the new buildings would have to be 60% more efficient than the average estate building is today ( 97.43 kg CO2/m2 or the D band (yellow) on the Energy Efficiency Certificates).

‘We have managed that with the extension to the Moore Building’, says Anna Kosteletos. ‘It is has solar panels on the roof and an air source heat pump.’

The college has already made considerable progress towards reducing its emissions ‘We took out the steam heating in 2008/9, that was quite a big project. We did an energy efficiency lighting project last year in most of the academic buildings and most of our halls have PIR sensors. We have put gas, electricity and water meters in every building. If you can’t monitor what you are using and measure it properly you don’t know where to make the necessary changes.’

Anna works in a particularly warm part of Founder’s where the central heating and hot water system enters the building. ‘I’m in

here wearing open-toed sandles but if I go outside I will be freezing. In the summer there is no air-flow, it’s boiling in summer, about 33˚C. With Founder’s heating it is an ongoing problem. It is trying to balance an old building and having massive heating requirements in different areas. Another problem with Founder’s is it is Grade I listed so we can’t change much of the fabric of the building. We have looked into double glazing but the cost would be enormous.’

To bring RHUL in line with HEFCE’s plans for a 48% reduction in emissions by 2020, the college has established a Carbon Management Plan that outlines the required changes needed to achieve this goal. The college will have to reduce its emissions by 1097 tonnes/year to keep in line with HEFCE’s targets. Anna believes this is only possible if students and staff incorporate a green ethos into their everyday lives. ‘We can reduce gas and electricity by a certain amount but it is really about becoming a sustainable community. I could put all the solar panels on the buildings that I wanted but if people left everything on then it wouldn’t make a difference. It is when individual people start to really think about it that actual changes will happen.’

For more information about Royal Holloway’s sustainability plans and how you can help visit: www.rhul. ac.uk/sustainability.

quire the new generation of young people to borrow more money from the cash-strapped government, than ever before. In the short term, surely this is counter- productive?

Suggestions that the coalition government are making less economically founded policies over ideologically based ones, are becoming more and more frequent.

Spending cuts will hit the humanities first and they will hit them hard. Departments will have the entirety of their funding cut as big

business enters the sector - something our university has already allowed, with publishing giants Pearson validating a Royal Holloway degree from 2012. These private providers will be able to undercut our institutions and consequently undermine Higher Education as we know it.

And that is why we marched.

That is why SURHUL has an education campaign. It is why there are forums and debates and flyers. It is why we booked coaches and it is

why we will be taking part in the next day of action on 23rd November.

Education as we know it is disappearing, but it’s not gone yet. Before long, the damage done to education will be irreversible. I have a degree and I am proud of it so by sitting back and letting the opportunities we were given, to even get this far, be taken away from the next generation of students is unthinkable.

Education is a gift and we should protect it, whether it means sitting

in meetings, or walking on marches. One of the main arguments for not going was the aftermath of last year’s demo. I am surprised we saw anyone on the streets of London on the 9th, as the population of the entire country were drip fed a diet of stories about how violence was inevitable. “Just look at last year,” public opinion appeared to scream, “It’ll be Millbank all over again!”

Except it wasn’t. This year, we sent a message but it has yet to be received.

Ashley Coates Editor

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

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Comment

Is Big Brother The case for Iraq: A watching you? response to Mr. Galloway Rebecca Nuthall According to George Orwell’s dystopian depiction of future Britain, government surveillance and spying tactics were predicted to become salient features of the twentyfirst century. Although the government claims that the recent surge in CCTV cameras are a deterrent to potential acts of criminality, it is interesting to note that there is a statistical lack of effectiveness when dealing with actual crime. Therefore, it is pertinent to question whether these cameras have had a positive impact on British society.

Is an increase in CCTV cameras the way forward for policing? The Home Office certainly seems to think so. Its spending on cameras has swelled in recent years. CCTV is now the “biggest drain on the Home office”, accounting for three quarters of their crime prevention budget.

Given the massive cash injections into these surveillance initiatives, how effective are CCTV cameras in detecting and resolving crime?

The Freedom of Information Act released figures that highlighted a ‘71% fall in the number of crimes in which CCTV was involved in the Metropolitan area.’ A separate Met Office report revealed that for every 1000 cameras in London, less than 1 crime is solved per year.

With over 4 million cameras in the United Kingdom, of which 2 million are focused on London, the government trend towards further surveillance raises cause for concern amongst certain officials. Lib Dem David Howorth recognizes that “there is now a growing amount of evidence to suggest that the impact of CCTV on crime is minimal.” At the same time, Alexander Deane, director of the campaign Big Brother Watch asserts that “it’s right to say that the experiment with CCTV has failed.’”

With this in mind, it is shocking that Britain continues to have more cameras per head than any other country in the entire world. However, the government’s pervasive measures don’t stop there. Oxford City Council recently announced

its plans to fit all of its 652 taxis with at least 1 CCTV camera to record conversations between passengers. Perhaps the fact that we get caught on camera at an estimated 300 times a day has not yet sounded alarm bells, but this new measure

‘‘

‘‘

Toby Fuller Comment and Debate Editor

Royal Holloway has a history of hosting talks and debates lead by reputable and respected politicians and public intellectuals. It is a shame that Wednesday’s performance from Mr. Galloway could not be one of them. Mr. Galloway managed to grace us with his usual insipid rhetorical babble of the illegalities of the Iraq War and military intervention in the Middle East.

He even managed to squeeze in the odd Bush and Blair joke after every other point. I would hate to call Mr. Galloway cheap in his humour; perto record private conversations is haps ‘inexpensive’ would be more surely a wake-up call. This particu- polite. Yet the inconsistencies and lar council plan has been accused fatal flaws of his premise show that of a “staggering invasion of privacy, despite the monotony of the ‘Bush being done with no evidence, no IQ’ jokes, he is the one who should consultation and a total disregard be embarrassed by the sheer fatuity of some of his comments. for civil liberties.” One spokesOf course, the dominating subject woman responded, stating “Oxford City Council considers that so long of the talk was the NATO intervention in Iraq. Mr. Galloway continas clear notices are provided in ued the well-rehearsed spiel of how vehicles which inform passengers that video and audio recording may British and American troops had subjected the Iraqi people to over be taking place, the risk of intrusion is acceptable compared to a decade of death and devastation public safety benefits. In any event, and that our only – and I emphathe level of privacy reasonably to sise Mr. Galloway’s comment of be expected in a licensed vehicle is ‘only’ – cause for intervention was far lower than that expected in the following up the lies regarding the privacy of one’s home or own car.” country’s possession of weapons of When did it become permissible for mass destruction. officials to decide which personal Mr. Galloway naturally played intrusions are acceptable? This on the supposedly non-existent measure encroaches upon civil lib- weapons. The degree to which Huserties and demonstrates a complete sein hid or destroyed his weapons disregard for privacy. and more importantly his producIt is possible that the trend totion facilities is still contested in the wards a ‘snooping’, surveillance so- post-war political arena. However, ciety is a reflection of the advanced where Mr. Galloway’s argument technological world we inhabit. falls is his premise that this was the After all, Facebook is just one of ‘only’ reason produced in order to many examples that people are be- legitimise British involvement in coming more seemingly interested the region. in the intricacies of each other’s Prior to the liberation of Iraq, lives. However, when it comes to Saddam Hussein had established policing, it is arguably best left to what Kanan Makiya has described more conventional methods that as ‘The Republic of Fear’. Through do not spill over into our private his construction of military, party, lives. Instead of massive funding police and militia security forces, into more CCTV cameras, perhaps Hussein executed systematic surthe government could afford better veillance, torture and execution of street lighting or neighbourhood the population he enslaved. To gain crime prevention initiatives. some idea of the horror of this re-

CCTV is now the “biggest drain on the Home office”, accounting for three quarters of their crime prevention budget.

’’

[T]he inconsistencies and fatal flaws of his premise show that despite the monotony of the ‘Bush IQ’ jokes, he is the one who should be embarrassed by the sheer fatuity of some of his comments.

gime, one simply has to read the reports and accounts of the atrocities committed against the Iraqi people.

Read of those who had cigarette butts extinguished on their eyeballs, those who received electric shocks to their genitals, those who had their faces mutilated in order to show who had dissented against the government and those who where gang-raped by the Hussein family’s henchmen.

Mr. Galloway is quite right in stating that since NATO’s involvement in Iraq, numerous innocent civilians have died. Yet such is the horror of war. What we cannot allow, is for the anti-war movement to hijack the names of the innocent dead in order to push their own political agenda.

After the talk I was asked to briefly interview Mr. Galloway for The Founder. Fortunately I can report that Mr. Galloway and I did not swap contact details and most certainly will not be meeting again voluntarily. Yet what was revealing about this short discussion with him was his view that the deaths sustained during the conflict where in no way recompensed by the fact that Iraq is now a democratic and increasingly stable country. What is now the semi-autonomous nation of Kurdistan can be seen to be prospering under the new-found freedom from the acts of genocide that have passed along with Hussein, as are many other parts of the liberated Iraq. The only troublesome areas left are, surprisingly enough, those which border our

’’

other enemies, Syria and Iran, both of which Mr. Galloway would be happy for us to crawl into bed with in exactly the same way Blair did with Gaddafi.

This leads us to one of Mr. Galloway’s most bizarre and ludicrous suggestions. During our informal chat I rebutted his criticism of NATO’s assistance of the rebel forces in Libya on purely financial grounds.

I asked whether or not he felt that human life was of a greater value than money, to which he replied ‘No’. I pressed further and asked whether or not that the fact that the people Syria, Bahrain, Yemen and countless others are being tyrannically oppressed, tortured and killed in criticising their respective governments, provides Britain with a moral duty to intervene and stop this constant flouting of international law and human rights codes.

Again, Mr. Galloway’s response was ‘No’.

Unfortunately I am physically unable to fully justify these conflicts in a mere few hundred words. Yet I hope that it has become quite clear, that the anti-war movement finds itself guilty of hypocrisy to such a degree that for the west to intervene and liberate nations where its people are calling for peace, liberty and democracy, we are the cruel and heartless aggressors. Yet those tyrannical despots of the Middle East and indeed other areas of the world should remain free to commit the ultimate crimes against humanity, to strip people of their autonomy, their liberty and even their lives.

EXTRA

Natalie Haly looks forward to the Imperial War Museum’s upcoming Don McCullin exhibition

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Film

Films to see this Winter With Christmas time coming up, Zlatina Nikolova looks ahead to see which films we can expect to see on our screens.

Arthur Christmas

The releases of George Clooney’s Ides of March, a political drama, and The Adventures of Tintin, a family film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson, mark the start of the very competitive holiday season. Films not only bid for audience’s attention but also for a place amongst the upcoming awards nominations. So, it is therefore worth having a look at what is to come in terms of film and prepare oneself for some successful (or less successful) cinematic experiences and collaborations.

Opens 11 November 2011

Directed by Sarah Smith with characters voiced by James McAvoy (Arthur), Jim Broadbent (Santa), Imelda Stanton (Mrs. Santa), Bill Nighy and Hugh Laurie, the film not only presents the entire Christmas family but also reveals the answer to the mystery of how presents are delivered by Father Christmas every year. Well, let me tell you something: it turns out to be a rather complicated operation.

However, when one child is forgotten and doesn’t get her present, it is up to the most inexperienced member of the family to do that – Arthur.

Hopefully, this film will kindle the Christmas spirit earlier than expected.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Opens 16 December 2011

Two years ago on Boxing Day there came out a new adaptation of the adventures of the famous detective as seen through the eyes of director Guy Ritchie. Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson gave us a more contemporary/slightly steampunk version of Conan Doyle’s characters, which happened to appeal to audiences.

Well, guess what – they are back.

This time Holmes and Watson are joined by actress Noomi Rapace as Sim (Ramis starred in the original Swedish adaptations of the Millenium trilogy), a fortune-teller, in their battle against Professor Moriarty, Holmes’s rather well-known nemesis, played by Jared Harris.

Who knows? Maybe it will be as successful as its first part and might set the foundations for a third film, turning it into one of many actionadventure trilogies.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Opens 26 December 2011

Talking about films that came out on Boxing Day and the Swedish adaptations of Stieg Larsson’s international best-seller trilogy, we cannot fail to mention the Hollywood/American version of the first book.

David Fincher, who has given us Hugo films like Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and, ary and Tim Burton’s Dark ShadAss and Let Me In and will see her execs have come to the conclusion ows). That is one impressive backin the upcoming Dark Shadows). there aren’t enough of them for the most recently, The Social Network, ground to start with. The film tells The rest of the eccentric characters big screen. The first of two films to now brings out his take on Lisbeth Salander’s story. Having auditioned the story of Hugo, an orphan living the film introduces are played by be released about Marilyn is My in 1900s Paris, who comes across Ben Kingsely, Sacha Baron Cohen, Week with Marilyn, where Michelle some of the most popular young a peculiar piece of machinery and Jude Law, Christopher Lee and Williams is taking up the challenge actresses around (including Kristen Stewart, Keira Knightley, Emma tries to unravel its secret. What Helen McCrory. to portray the legendary actress. is more interesting is that part Oh, did I add it is to be in 3D? The film, directed by Simon Curtis, Watson and Ellen Page), the director cast Rooney Mara (The Social of Brian Selznick’s inspiration to deals with the period Monroe include machinery in the story was spent in England while filming The Network) as the punk investigator.

Joining her will be Daniel Craig, Opens 2 December 2011 drawn from Georges Méliès and his Prince and the Showgirl, acting Stellan Skarsgard, Robing Wright collection of wind-up figures, also opposite Lawrence Olivier, who is and Christopher Plummer in what Based on the book by Brian known as automata. Maybe that played by Kenneth Brannagh after Selznick The Invention of Hugo is part of Scorcese’s inspiration to Opens 25 November 2011 Ralph Fiennes left to direct and star would hopefully be different from the previous interpretation of LarsCabret, directed by Martin Scorcese make the film, as well. in Coriolanus. (yes, a children’s film directed by The film stars Asa Butterfield as Now, there are several films about The film also features Dame Judi son’s story.

Martin Scorcese) and produced by Hugo and Chloe Moretz as Isathe Hollywood icon made for TV Dench, Derek Jacobi and Emma Johnny Depp’s company Infinitum belle, a girl Hugo meets (you might (Norma Jean and Marilyn, 1996, Watson, who is done with her Nihil (also producing The Rum Di- remember her from films like Kick- Blonde, 2001) but suddenly studio Hermione-stage.

Hugo

My Week with Marilyn

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

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Film Review:

Melancholia

sues with depression by constantly asking her if she is happy. Her sister Claire (the always excellent Charlotte Gainsbourg), clearly the more balanced and composed of the two, does her best to ensure proceedings run smoothly, but as the evening progresses Justine’s psychological Split into two parts Melancholia is the new film from the ever divisive state begins to worsen. When she Danish art house provocateur Lars becomes aware of a new planet in the sky, Melancholia, all roads lead Von Trier. Melancholia is clearly a companion piece to Von Trier’s pre- to, well....melancholia.

Cinematographically, Melanvious film, Antichrist, with which cholia bares the typical Von Trier it shares not only several themes but also a similar stylistic approach. hallmarks of free flowing, hand held camera work with which he The opening scene, in which we witness the end of the world, again has become synonymous ever since he abandoned the precision of his utilises the distinctive super slow motion of the Sony Phantom cam- early works noting “nobody can ever truly master framings”. But era so beautifully employed in the here he takes things perhaps a step Antichrist prologue.

At an undisclosed country manor too far, the movement is so abrupt it creates an aesthetic that is beyond hotel we are introduced to Justine, realism. The digital shakes complayed by Kirsten Dunst. It is the bined with zooms and jump cuts day of her wedding and everyone around her is determined that she’s take you almost out of the drama itself and into some kind of Godgoing to appreciate the effort they dard inspired realm in which we have gone to. Several guests allude become conscious of the technique, to Justine’s evidently long-term is-

Andrew Black

****

laying bare the device. Although fine acting both in lead and support is present here, the ensemble at this point feels rather wasted. The whole dysfunctional affair feels heavily influenced by fellow Dane Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen. But whilst that was an inspired experiment in Dogme liberation, here we are subjected to pure tedium, occasionally interrupted by moments in which Von Trier allows his brilliant eye for intimate observation to surface.

These moments, though, are far too transient to sustain such mess.

Part two is more of a balanced character study in which Von Trier allows performance to shine.

Justine has, at this stage, lapsed into near catatonic depression, handled exquisitely by Dunst, who brings a measured poise that reveals an ability few felt she possessed. Claire is now fully aware of the danger the planet Melancholia poses and becomes obsessed by its trajectory.

Justine does little to help matters as she tells Claire, ‘the world is evil, we shouldn’t grieve for it’. Here we are

reminded of the resounding theme at the centre of Antichrist: the belief that the world is evil (‘nature is Satan’s church’). The film then takes on a more sedate but equally sombre tone as Justine becomes more physically functional the closer the planet gets. Mercifully Von Trier peppers the gloom with some exquisite moments of interaction between Claire and Justine and some inspired Pre-Raphaelite reproductions. One such moment features a naked Dunst bathed in the moonlight reflected from Melancholia.

In the final moments, as the planet bears down on the Earth, the film takes on a beautiful stillness that, combined with the powerlessness of the characters, evokes a metaphysical gut check. Von Trier’s position is clearly aligned with existentialist thinkers Nietzsche (Nihilism) and especially Sartre (existence precedes essence), the end of everything comes (as it does to Justine) as something of a relief! It is only in these closing moments, in

the face of impending annihilation that Justine is shown as completely comfortable with the world around her as she becomes the pillar of strength and voice of reason. It is at this juncture that Melancholia as a work is also at its strongest. The weight and significance of the moment is very moving.

Overall Melancholia is not one of Von Trier’s masterpieces but as usual it is a daring and ambitious work from Von Trier. Despite a lacklustre first hour a very strong part two transforms the film into a fully realised, cinematic meditation on the nature of depression. In the end, as Melancholia collides with the earth, bringing about the end of all things. We are left with plenty of resonant imagery and a substantial amount of food for thought (how does one accept the end of all things?). It stands as yet another inspired and thoughtful piece, albeit intellectually unenlightening.

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Arts

Theatre Review:

performance is magnetic as well as humorous – never has throwing up in a dustbin been funnier nor has “cancer of the thumb” – and the addition of pathos – from admitting mediocrity and moaning about his position in society to resenting society of the sixties. There are some superb scenes, the standout being a magnificent battle of wits between him and his put-upon secretary Shirley, whose pregnancy is certainly far from the only reason she wants to get away from him. Here, Karen Gillen proves to theatrical audiences what we fans of Doctor Who have known for the last two close to him, Douglas Hodge is us care.

Osborne’s script, which Nicholas Hyder years – she can really act. nothing less than astonishing. At suggests that Maitland is already a Act Two is something of an times painfully funny, at others, creature of the past, does go some unravelling of the character and heartbreaking and it’s hard to imag- way to creating a character for ine that you’ll see a better perforwhom we can care for, despite it all. Hodge tackles this with aplomb.

Alone on the phone for the first mance on a West End stage right Act One introduces us to Maitnow. While the whole cast is on top land’s hilarious and horrible charac- ten or fifteen minutes, he has form (the star draw being Karen ter. At times he is grossly unpleas- a phenomenal and captivating monologue, displaying a frankly Gillen’s revelatory stage debut) and ant – within the first ten minutes astonishing verbal dexterity. When In the tiny Donmar Warehouse off the staging vivid, this show really he flicks elastic bands at his coaction as normal resumes, we the corner of Covent Garden, this belongs to Douglas Hodge. workers, flirts with and insults his revival of John Osborne’s “InadmisWhether belittling his lawyer female colleagues in equal measure witness the weaker side to Maitland’s character and through some sible Evidence” boasts what may colleagues, his female secretaries and ignores all legal tasks needbrilliant staging choices (perhaps very well be the performance of the or the legal system, Hodge treads ing to be undertaken – however,t the best being that Maitland’s three year. Playing the main role of Bill a line between demonstrating whilst it could be easy to find this Maitland, a self-destructive lawyer the reprehensible actions of the figure repellent, Maitland is imbued female divorce clients are all played by the same actress, feeling like a intent on pushing away everyone character and then actually making with a great deal of charisma. His

Inadmissable Evidence

The Donmar Warehouse

nightmarish extension of Maitland’s psyche) suddenly he becomes all too vulnerable. Here, once again, his self-destructive qualities are at the forefront; in one scene- actually almost painful to watch- for nearly ten minutes, he delivers a powerful monologue of hatred towards his daughter, who sits silently and endures, in a scene that manages to be both cringe-worthy and heartbreakingly poignant. The staging, too, is perfect for this play, which cleverly employs the concept of a cluttered desk to represent a cluttered mind The tiny, barely 250seat Donmar is the perfect theatre, too, for this play, adding to the claustrophobia and discomfort of an extended glance into Maitland’s somewhat distorted mind.

Barely offstage for two- and- ahalf hours, with some monologues lasting well over ten minutes, Douglas Hodge is the reason to go see this. Despite a universally fantastic cast and superb staging, this play entirely rests on the strength of its leading man and with this superb stage actor at the top of his game (have I mentioned how terrific he is yet?), this production thrives.

Campus Theatre Review:

Closer Adrian Veidt

Jane Holloway Drama Soc ‘Closer’ follows the lives of Dan, Larry, Alice and Anna; four Londoners who fall in and out of love with each other more times than thought humanly possible. The play focuses on relationships and everything that comes with them: love, sex, betrayal, heartbreak, reconciliation, divorce, and ultimately, death.

Director Natasha O’Neill takes Jane Holloway Hall and transforms it into Anna’s photography studio, with strangers’ faces adorning the walls around the stage, creating the perfect atmosphere which continues throughout the performance and accentuated by Adam Carver’s original composition, interlacing beautifully between scenes.

‘Closer’ is definitely an actor-

driven play. Having a cast of four may at first glance seem a difficult task to pull off, but with such powerful duologues from excellent scripting, it makes Patrick Marber’s play a true pleasure to watch. To make the relationships between characters convincing, good chemistry is needed between actors, something of which each of these actors possessed in bucketfuls. The chemistry in the opening exchange between Alice (Rebecca Harrod) and Dan (Dom Fryer) and the first meeting of Larry (Louis Hall) and Alice was, in my opinion, perfect and the sexual tension created in both scenes was almost unbearable.

With regards to the acting, it was definitely the best I have seen on campus, by far. Louis Hall playing a perfect Larry, newcomer Rebecca Harrod portraying the fragile yet stoney-faced Alice beautifully, then there was Dom Fryer playing the insecure Dan, with a hint of arrogance which perfectly encapsulates the character, and finally Jessica Dives playing the mature and strong-willed Anna, with refreshing

light-heartedness. With a cast of four there really is no room for error, of which there was hardly any.

Perhaps, the one criticism lay with some of the performance’s momentum. . Some of the focus (and with it a little spark) was lost in the middle of scenes, -they did

occasionally feel like they were dragging a bit, however, each scene was always picked up at the end to finish on a high, leaving the audience wanting more. The minimal set only increased the focus on the actors, who did exceptionally well considering the pressure that

was riding on every one of their shoulders.

Now when I think of ‘Closer’ I can finally take Jude Law and Natalie Portman out of my mind and replace it with the way it should be, the way Patrick Marber would have wanted his play to be remembered.

East africa food crisis appEal Famine, drought, and conflict have left millions of people in East Africa in desperate need of food, water, and vital healthcare.

In the last few months, tens of thousands of Somalis have died.

Thanks to our neutrality and years of experience in East Africa, the Red Cross is able to get aid to some of the areas that are most difficult to reach.

Nearly 250,000 people in south central Somalia still face imminent starvation, and mortality levels, especially for children, remain extremely high.

Please give what you can today. Help us save lives.

Text

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redcross.org.uk/eastafrica

to donate £10*

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Please send to: British Red Cross, East Africa Food Crisis Appeal, Ref 92026, FREEPOST NAT21787, Paisley, PA1 1BR I enclose a cheque, made payable to British Red Cross

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We like to keep supporters in touch with our work. If you do not wish to receive further communication from the British Red Cross or agencies working on our behalf, please write to: British Red Cross, Freepost RLSA-UXSH-AUUG, 44 Moorfields, London, EC2Y 9AL or email mailenquiries@redcross.org.uk

* Your text donation will cost £10 plus your network’s standard rate. The appeal will receive 86-100% of your donation depending on your provider. To opt out of receiving further messages from British Red Cross, text BRC STOP to 70600 (standard rate text). For full terms and conditions, visit redcross.org.uk/mobile. British Red Cross might contact you occasionally with updates or appeals The East Africa Food Crisis Appeal will cover numerous countries including those currently affected and those potentially affected in the future. In the unlikely event that we raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help us prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters either overseas or here in the UK. For more information visit redcross.org.uk.The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738).

The British Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

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Arts

Theatre Review:

Sweeney Todd Julia Armfield Arts Editor

The Chichester Festival Theatre Just to put things into a brief kind of perspective here, I’m the girl who once wore a t-shirt saying “Michael Ball is the Dharma Initiative”.

Admittedly, it was a t-shirt which I had made myself for some kind of ghastly themed evening, the exact point of which I forget, but nevertheless, the point still stands. As far as Michael Ball goes, I’m biased. He will forever be my Marius, my Joe Gillis and, yes, my Edna Turnblad and honestly, the fact that he is now playing the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in the Chichester production of Sweeney Todd (soon to be transferred to the Adelphi in London, just FYI) should have been reason enough for me to drag that t-shirt out again and have a party. But anyway. Being as this is an arts review and not some blogspot on a niche website, let’s leave all that aside for the moment and be serious.

Sweeney Todd is, to me, undoubtedly one of Sondheim’s finest and most technically ambitious musicals. Retelling the infamous story of the Penny Dreadful murderer who slit the throats of victims with a straight razor before letting his neighbour Mrs Lovett make meat pies of their remains, the musical lends both pathos and scope to a thrillingly gruesome urban legend, turning Todd himself into a kind of tragic hero, seeking to avenge the rape of his wife by the corrupt Judge Turpin, who has adopted and now plans to marry Todd’s longlost daughter Joanna.

Directed by Jonathan Kent, this new production holds back nothing in terms of spectacle. Classically set in a steaming, nightmare London of rotating scaffolding, staircases and polluted air, in this version, we are rather curiously transported out of the story’s recognised Victorian period and set, instead, in a kind of thinly painted 1940s which I am actually not convinced quite works.

“There’s no place like London,” as

Anthony and Todd intone, yet the act of pulling away from the dank and violent Victorian colour, so synonymous with this story, rather mutes the significance of London altogether, creating instead an unfamiliar metropolis which, whilst menacing in its own way, lacks authenticity.

This unsettling dissonance and thinness of tone is, unfortunately, one that pervades much of this production, with its discordant stylistic flourishes and oddly-

pitched performances makes for a rather confusing ride. The musical direction is, at times, aggravatingly patchy, with several of the piece’s great showstoppers, such as “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” and “A Little Priest”, slowed down until their dramatic momentum is almost entirely ruined. This is not to say, by any means, that the musical side of this production is all bad. Lucy May Barker is an affecting and lovely-voiced Joanna and Luke Brady is a similarly clear and

shown to be capable of in the past.

Staunton, meanwhile, though less renowned as a singer, is a comic delight in numbers like “By The Sea”, imbuing every line with the earthy, bawdy wit of the madam-like Mrs Lovett that she has so convincingly created.

Less impressive, however, are Peter Polycarpou and John Bowe as the Beadle and the Judge, the weakness of whose voices fatally let down several of the musical’s most beautiful numbers. I will never forgive anyone involved for the mess that was the usually transporting “Pretty Women”, especially since the perfect modulation of Ball’s part was quite masked by bad singing from other quarters. Similarly, in this vein, the usually beautiful “Nothing’s Going To Harm You” was massacred by James McConville as, quite frankly, the weakest Tobias I have ever seen, who paid no heed at all to the sentimental phrasing of the song and seemed, instead, almost afraid to let any line last too long.

This is, I realise, all looking rather more negative than it needs to and I should perhaps point out that my reaction has more than likely been coloured both by heightened expectation and the fact that I have already seen and enjoyed Sweeney Todd just too many times and in too many incarnations. And just to clarify, I am by no means saying that this production is worse than the Tim Burton movie. Because let’s be honest here, kids, nothing could be worse than the Tim Burton movie. Certainly, this production provides many moments both affecting and effective. The doomladen tone is well-created and punctuated by many finely-phrased moments of excellent comedy of emotive singer as Anthony, despite which are only made more unsettling by comparison. Ball and a couple of awkward fumblings of Staunton are an electrifying double his lines. Meanwhile, Michael Ball act, let down only by some curious and Imelda Staunton are a hugely directorial choices and an occasionenjoyable team as Sweeney Todd ally less than stellar supporting and Mrs Lovett and indeed, their duets are several of the production’s cast - one can only hope that, by the time this production reaches main highlights. Ball himself is, as London next year, some of these ever, in stunningly good voice – flaws with have been dealt with. the heartfelt fury and lyricism of After all, my Michael Ball t-shirt “My Friends” and “No Place Like will need another outing and there’s London” a particular joy – though no getting around that. the role necessarily allows for less soaring release than his voice has

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

EXTRA

Arts

Review:

How to Blue Man Group become Parisian in one hour Lauren McManus

eye contact made between audience and man, created a sense of separation. I cannot say that the discomfort I felt was a brave decision of the Blue Man Group, as at times I felt inclined to leave. However, the suspense I felt compelled my attention towards the outcome of each of the surreal situations I found myself in. The thrill encouraged my spirit to watch and discover the Blue Man understanding.

Entertainment from alienation?

This shrewd approach to the Articulate aloud, without saying a play’s enactment ensured that the word? The beguiling Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton and Chris Wink entire audience’s attention was captured; the silence occasionally broact as the gormless yet enthralling ken by the unrefined use of heavy Blue Man Group in their callously rock music. The juxtaposition of humorous performance, following their journey from estrangement to the hush and focus of the Blue Man activity against the outrage of comeminence. position reflected the performances The idea of variation in theatre entirety. is distinctively a Brechtian style of On the other hand, this inclusion performance and this scheme was credibly conveyed by the Blue Man’s of music, simply named ‘The Rock routine. The men adopted utilitar- Instruction Manual’, was, in fact, an incredibly comedic fraction of ian costumes, maintained expressionless faces and created their own the show. The ingenious inspiration of this component of the show salute. The characters were free was developed from well known from stereotypical labelling and games such as The Complex Rock somewhat equal to the audience.

Tour and How to Be a MegaStar Indeed, there were periods where the disaffection, suggested through Tours 2.0, in which the audience the blank faces and intensity of the could relate and interact with.

Kayleigh O’Connor

Universal Studios,

Orlando, Florida

neys, taking a taxi and of course, sex – he is after all, French! The rest of us aren’t spared either. With some crowd participation he makes fun of his international audience and our cultural differences. As is to be expected, we Brits come in for some stick and the Americans even more so; and you will find yourself nodding in agreement. By the end of it you will have an insight into the Parisian psyche and you will have learned how to act like a true (tongue-in-cheek) Parisian yourself.

After the performance, Olivier mingles with the departing crowd, happily chatting to individuals, interested to know their nationality and their views, before duly bidding them bonne nuit; a rather pleasing sending-off gesture.

The show runs at the Theatre de la Main d’Or, a charming little venue (with uncomfortable seats) in the 11th District. Stepping into the main foyer is like taking a step into the United Nations as everyone around, converses in different languages awaiting the start of the show. Perhaps surprisingly the French are represented, albeit in the minority and I’m not sure if they know exactly what they are letting themselves in for. However, they laugh with gusto and just as loudly as everyone else enjoying the spirit and humour of the show.

So if you also like a laugh, like to enjoy yourself and want to ‘graduate with Honours’ there is nowhere else you should go. ‘How To Become Parisian In One Hour’ offers up something fresh and exciting.

Olivier Giraud delivers the on-stage humour with both charisma and panache, ensuring a vastly entertaining show; a show that will keep a smile on your face long after you have left the theatre. An exceptional and rather special discovery, I loved every minute of it and even went back for seconds!

Having very recently returned from my PRA in Paris, working for a full year as a marketing intern for a large multi-national telecommunications company, I thought I’d let you in on a little secret. It could be described as an invaluable survival tool for those of you who have just started your PRA in Paris and those already thinking of it for next year.

It involves a one-hour tutorial, but a tutorial the like of which you will never have experienced before, a lecturer (I use the term loosely) you have only ever wished for and possibly best of all, no work to submit. You’re even guaranteed an ‘Honours’ if you pay attention!

The Blue Men had the audience Sounds too good to be true? Well, doing ‘the basic head bob,’ ‘the one it all becomes possible through arm fist pump’, ‘the up and down the ingeniousness of a Monsieur jumping motion,’ ‘the two arm Olivier Giraud and his one-man up-ward thrust and yell’ and finally show, ‘How To Become Parisian In the unflattering ‘behind the head One Hour’. leg stretch’! This kind of humour, Written and performed by although in many ways, idiotic and Olivier, “le French Arrogance, a dense, meant that the audiences’ comedy show” is performed in involvement could embrace the English, an exceedingly bold and entertainment factor of the perfor- daring concept by a Frenchman in mance. the heart of Paris! The format is All credit to the Blue Men for simple yet brilliant and will change creating an atmosphere reflective your experience of those challengof the emotion they had felt before ing moments when the undisguised their revelation of freedom and Parisian ‘attitude’ is aimed directly individuality which they possess at YOU! today.

The show is a bit risqué in parts In comparison to Brecht, of without being in any way offensive whom is similar to the Blue Men and you will laugh out loud as through estrangement, solely aimed Olivier explains and pokes fun at to provoke the audience as a theatre various Parisian characteristics in practitioner, the Blue Men focused a hilarious but good natured way. on science, technology, innocence Presenting the entire extravaganza and self consciousness, in one cap- rather rakishly, Olivier pulls some sule of pursuit, giving more depth of the funniest facial expressions I to the ideas that were portrayed. have ever seen and has an impuThe distinct lack of advertising dent left eyebrow that has a mind of and absence of context behind this its own. Dressed entirely in black show creates an immense form of and with just an armchair on stage excitement making the audience for a prop, he acts out real-life situawait the final performance with ations including shopping, eating real anticipation. http://www.oliviergiraud.com/UK/ out, night-clubbing, metro jour-

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

EXTRA

Arts

Don McCullin - Shaped By War

the opportunity to go and see the exhibition, and was instantly struck by the raw openness of McCullin’s pictures. The deep, rich, black and Don McCullin is probably one of the most renowned photographers white images are piercing, portraying not only human activity but real of our time, having ventured into the heart of warzones since the ear- human emotion. This quality is prely 1970s and captured iconic scenes sent in all of the images on display, from Vietnam, Cambodia, Lebanon mapping McCullin’s journey from teenage photographer of 1930s and Iraq, to name but as few. If North London gangs, through his you don’t recognise his name, you have almost certainly unknowingly iconic war images, before emerging into his landscape work of recent viewed one of his photographs in newspapers like The Sunday Times years. or The Independent over the years.

McCullin’s 1958 breakthrough In tribute to McCullin, the new picture, “The Guv’nors of Seven exhibition to open at the Imperial Sisters” is one of the first pictures War Museum explores how captur- to greet you as you enter. The image is far from subtle, portraying a ing images which have helped romanticised image of adolescent shape the public’s understanding gang members, staged around the of modern conflicts has in turn, shaped the life of this distinguished frame of a building in an almost boyband fashion. These early imphotojournalist. Last week I took

Natalie Haly

ages of friends and neighbours carry the distinctive markings of McCullin’s work, yet it is not until you venture further into the exhibition that you realise these early years were simply an idealistic prelude. Certainly, by the 1960s McCullin had abandoned any desire for staged images. What you get instead is cold, hard reality. You journey from Cyprus in 1964, to Vietnam in ‘65, continuing onto Bangladesh, Cambodia and Lebanon in the 1970s. The images seem to reach out, instilling feelings of pain, anguish, death and protest, but you also get the more subtle feelings of solidarity and unity. Indeed, the images are capable of providing a meaning to the devastating scenes captured in a way words would fail.

As you travel into the 1980s, the

scenery begins to shift; you get a sense of McCullin’s fatigue with war, and you begin to witness the disintegration of his personal and professional lives. Ironically, it was McCullin’s success which dictated his downfall; in 1982 he was refused entry into the Falklands due to his prominent profile. After that, he was dealt another blow when he was axed from The Sunday Times in ‘83, a decision which effectively halted his career as a war photojournalist. What follows in the remaining section of the exhibit is McCullin’s life post-war, and this section does convey a sense of freedom and release. These later photographs contrast starkly with the earlier works; whilst losing none of their piercing quality, these newer photographs capture landscapes devoid of human activity, portray-

ing a reflective feeling of escape and calm.

In essence, Shaped by War does not contain posed, smiling photographs; but an open, honest representation of the scenes McCullin has witnessed throughout his life.

This photojournalist has spent his entire career trying to capture the voices of the people; he has never shied from shooting harrowing photographs or depicting the darker sides of human nature. It is these characteristics that make McCullin’s work, and this exhibition, so important; it is a reminder to us all of the far-reaching impact and cost of warfare to all those involved, whether in front or behind the camera.

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

EXTRA

Music Album review:

Oscar Hassan

Live review:

Revival Tour Coldplay Mylo Xyloto Cardiff

Mylo Xyloto is the fifth studio album released by University of London old-boys Coldplay. It’s the band’s fifth album to debut at number one in the United Kingdom. As a whole, it shows a new musical direction for the band.

Front man Chris Martin stated it was a ‘stripped down’ sound this is certainly reflected in the song ‘Us Against the World’. The band recorded it in a vacant church in north London with legendary producer Brian Eno. It is a concept album based on a ‘love story with a happy ending’. Behind this concept Martin’s lyrics are influenced by old school American graffiti and the ‘White Rose Movement’ as well as the TV show The Wire!

The music is backed by Eno’s synths and as ever Chris Martin’s piano playing is melodic and catchy throughout (particularly ‘Paradise’ and ‘Every Teardrop is a Waterfall’).

One of the only ways to describe the sound of the album is ‘large’ when listening to it one can hear there is a lot going on behind the basic sounds of the instruments an example of this being the inclusion of a choir in their new single ‘Paradise’. The guitar sound is heavier in this album in comparison to their previous albums specifically ‘Don’t Let It Break Your Heart’. The album contains three ambient instrumental fillers at less than a minute a piece. There is also an unusual to be the third single). The album is collaboration with Rhianna on the certainly different to their previous track ‘Princess of China’ (rumoured work but doesn’t compare favour-

member of the audience is even invited on-stage to sing alongside him. Ragan took song requests from the audience. Andriano played both older Alkaline Trio songs alongside newer solo material from his recently released EP, “In The Emergency Room.” Lastly, and most popularly, Brian Fallon picked up his guitar to deliver more The Revival Tour 2011 descended acoustic Gaslight Anthem songs, as on Cardiff for a night of acoustic well as songs from Fallon’s newer music, performed by musicians band, The Horrible Crowes. The from arguably some of America’s others rejoined Fallon on stage for a best contemporary punk bands. performance of Gaslight Anthem’s Described as an ‘acoustic col“Great Expectations” that left the laborative event”, the Revival Tour crowd shouting for more. brings together organiser Chuck What makes the Revival Tour so Ragan (Hot Water music) with popular is its individuality; Ragan Dave Hause (The Loved Ones), Dan stated, “There are always going to Andriano (Alkaline Trio) and Brian be surprises ...that’s the thing about Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem) to the Revival Tour, though we do perform music stripped back to an rehearse and have some ideas of acoustic-folk sound. our collaborations, you never really The Revival Tour succeeds in know what’s going to happen.” This combining punk-rock songs with outlook, coupled with the unique folk elements. The show started relationship the Revival Tour culwith everyone performing songs tivates between the musicians and together primarily from The their audience, is undoubtedly the Gaslight Anthem’s repertoire, with cause for the show’s growing popubacking from fiddle player John larity and continuing expansion. It Gaunt and bass player Joe Ginswas refreshing to experience a show berg. Dave Hause then performed that involved the musicians stepwell-loved songs such as “C’Mon ping outside their comfort zones Kid” and “Pray for Tucson”, never and re-inventing their music so failing to involve the crowd in unforgettably. his performance – at one point a

Rosie Turner

Students Union 16 October

ably to the grand ‘fanfare’ sound of Viva La Vida.

Top Five Favourite Albums Harun Musho’d I want to introduce a new column in the music section that anyone can contribute to. It’s simple - list your five favourite albums and say in 50 words or less why you like each one. Then to cap it off, tell us a bit about yourself in another 50 words. For example, here’s mine: 1. Wish You Were Here (1975)

by Pink Floyd – At eighteen, I was on a sailing cruise. Another crew

5

member lent me his walkman (in 1985!) with this album to see me through my spell as watchman on the nightshift. The ambient feel was a perfect accompaniment to the calm Irish Sea. It’s been my favourite album ever since.

2. Songs for the Deaf (2002) by Queens of the Stone Age. I heard ‘No One Knows’ on Later with Jools Holland and was blown away by it. The album didn’t disappoint with its experimental melodic hard rock sound, and it kept me going

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through many a gym session before I discovered MP3 players. Not a duff track on it.

3. From a Basement on the Hill (2004) by Elliott Smith. Released after Smith’s still unexplained and controversial death by stab wounds to the chest earlier that year. I came across a track, ‘Memory Lane’ on Uncut Magazine’s best of year compilation CD. Generally regarded as one of Smith’s minor works, it remains my favourite album of his, despite stiff competition.

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4. Frank’s Wild Years (1987) by Tom Waits. Waits is my favourite musician (see album review in last issue). This is the last album of the trilogy that introduced me to Waits, and resonates the most because I saw the accompanying tour in 1987.

Includes the original ‘Way down in the Hole,’ the theme song to The Wire.

5. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (2009) By Kasabian. I first listened to this riffy electro-rock album as it was on the 2009 Mercury

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1

Prize shortlist. I had previously heard bits and pieces and saw them at Glastonbury and had never been particularly impressed by them, but this album changed my mind. It should have won the Prize.

Send your ‘Favourite albums’ articles to me at music@the founder. co.uk, the best ones will be published. You don’t have to restrict yourself to rock, pop or urban music, other genres will add variety.

I would also welcome Five Favourite Songs or Gigs articles too.

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

EXTRA

Music

Opera - not just for snobs?

Harun Musho’d Music Editor The founding organisers of Opera Holloway are on a mission to sell opera as art form not just for the elite, but for everyone. Difficult and not helped by the fact that two of the founding members have job titles like musical director (Lewis Gaston) or artistic director (Chris Moon-Little), whilst the third’s job title is in French (Laurie O’Brien – ‘Repetiteur’).

Opera Holloway is an independent organisation run snce 2009 by students of Royal Holloway but, like this newspaper, not affilitated to either the university or the Student Union (“too much hassle” says Chris). Next month OH is staging its second full opera, Hänsel and Gretel , in the Windsor Auditorium, following on from the success of their first opera, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, staged in the

same venue in June. Hansel and Gretel tells the famous Brothers Grimm tale of two young siblings who get lost in the woods, ‘rescued’ by a wicked witch and lured into her gingerbread home. The opera is intended as the first of a season of fairy tale operas, continuing with Massenet’s Cinderella in June 2012.

Chris translated the libretto (that’s posh for “the words”) into English himself, as “it’s important for new opera goers to understand what’s going on.” In fact, Chris explained that ‘translation’ is not entirely accurate, as he updates the libretto to make it more contemporary – so in Figaro one singer sang a line about burning her bra, not in the original Beaumarchais play, I fancy. Nor do I think it likely that Beaumarchais featured references to Austin Powers or Rambo, as Chris did. In any case, it was a sucessful strategy, one critic saying that the libretto “would make Da Ponte chuckle in his grave” (having

forgotten to ask Chris and Lewis, I had to look that up – Lorenzo Da Ponte wrote the original librettos to most of Mozart’s operas).

OH are doing a pretty decent job of making opera more accessible. As well as the updating and translating librettos, OH also have other tricks for improving accessibility - ticket prices are a fraction of what you would normally expect to pay for what is reckoned to be very professional staging; giving and performing at concert recitals; and leading several opera workshops at schools.

OH also offer opportunities for performers. Opera singers usually do not start performing until they are in their thirties, so one of the aims of OH is to work with inexperienced singers and train them to be able to perform full operas at a much earlier age. This also has the advantage of younger singers being able to play characters that are much closer to their own

ages than is usual for opera. OK, so the singers playing Hänsel and Gretel (Elspeth Marrow and Hilary Cronin) are still going to be a little old for their parts but the gap wil be less than in previous productions of this piece. Moreover, schoolchildren, from the Marist School in Ascot (a suspiciously posh public school sounding name, but in fact a Catholic girls school), will form part of the cast of this production, in the chorus.

In June, OH was awarded the Waitrose Music Matters grant and hopes to set up an after school club with the funds. Earlier in the year, Sir Alec Reed awarded OH the top prize in the RHUL Entrepreneurs Competition, enabling Opera Holloway to establish itself as a sustainable business enterprise.

Having previously raised around £2000 for the charity Brainwave, OH decided to target their fundraising activities elsewhere with Hänsel and Gretel. Performances

will be raising money for international charity Save the Children, with the performance on Saturday 10 December being a dedicated charity gala.

Oh, and the ‘Repetiteur’ is the person who coaches singers and plays the piano during rehearsals.

Opera Holloway are staging Hänsel and Gretel by Englebert Humperdinck (not the 60s pop singer, but the 19th century opera composer!), and libretto by Chris Moon-Little, in the Windsor Auditorium at 7.30pm on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 December. The opera is directed by Chris and musically directed by Lewis Gaston. Tickets are free for Royal Holloway students on the door. For others, ticket prices are £13 (adults), £9 (concessions) and £5 (children) available from OperaHolloway – email: operaholloway@gmail.com, or phone 07792 240698. Opera Holloway also have a website: www. operaholloway.co.uk.

‘Stephen Sondheim: A Musical Tribute’ Richard Robbins Join Royal Holloway’s orchestral players and soloists on Saturday 26th November at 730pm in the Windsor building for extracts from some of Sondheim’s greatest shows such as ‘Sweeney Todd’, ‘Sunday in the Park with George’, ‘Company’ and ‘A Little Night Music’.

When I mention the name Stephen Sondheim to some people I often receive quizzical looks or a terse ‘He’s dead isn’t he?’ as a reply.

However, if you mention certain songs or shows such as Sweeney Todd people’s expressions change to one of acknowledgement and familiarity. It seems that many, especially here in Britain, forget the man who composed most of musical theatres classic songs such as Send in the Clowns and Being Alive.

The Stephen Sondheim evening that myself and the music department are planning is designed to introduce those who aren’t aware of the diversity of Sondheim’s oeuvre and to those who already know, love and cherish it.

As a director the material is a

complete gift as it is so rich in possibilities and interpretations. From an actor’s point of view, each piece is like a one act play; perpetuating the character narrative and story as well as having very memorable yet idiosyncratic tunes. I stressed to them from the outset that I wanted them to approach from their own unique perspective, to remove the

temptation to perform the piece as others have in the past, the intention being to make the songs familial, yet fresh. The actors have been working with the remarkable talent of Sophie Talbot (3rd year Drama) whose direction is witty, assured and thoughtful.

What is remarkable about Sondheim’s oeuvre is its range in styles.

have been quick and efficient in the way they have gone from style to style and having such variety will keep the audience guessing about what is coming next.

Despite the differences in style there remains a distinct Sondheim sound. His verbal dexterity and wit are second to none and his themes are intelligent and darkly subversive.

Perhaps Sondheim has not been as commercially successful as Andrew Lloyd Webber but that has played to his advantage; he is the critics’ choice and has maintained his artistic credibility and in the process has become an international treasure.

For one night only, please come and support a really unusual, quirky and enjoyable evening.

A rare addition to the music Department’s concert diary and the His musical Company is a case in college - tickets will go quickly! point; every piece is in different Tickets are free to students, £11 style from the Andrews Sisters (You for adults £9 for senior citizens and could drive a person Crazy) to an £5 staff. extraordinary torch song (Being Alive). Each piece requires a sepaCast includes: Maria Listra, Julia rate approach and as conductor and Weatherly (now studying at Trinity musician this means a continual College of Music), Natalie Woodalertness to the stylistic idiosyncra- ward, Joshua Ward, Karl Mercer sies of every piece. The orchestra and many others.

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

EXTRA

Music

Live review:

The Specials are playing Camden Barfly on 9 December).

The Specials came on stage after a photographic montage sequence of events since they split up in 1981, starting with Maggie Thatcher and ending with David Cameron, accompanied by the theme tune to 70s TV series the Pretenders (rubbish thriller series with Roger On 3 November, you may have wondered what happened to all the Moore and Tony Curtis, but with bald fat middle-aged bouncers that the best theme tune ever) and lots of booing from the crowd. Boos normally obstruct your entry into London nightclubs. Mystery solved, turned to cheers as rhythm master Lynval Golding, lead vocalist Terry they were re-living their rude-boy Hall and co launched their set youth at The Specials gig in Ally Pally. When I turned up, I looked at with ‘Gangsters” and ran through the sea of pork-pie hats, Fred Perry a greatest hits set for the next hour and a half including “A Message to Polo shirts, braces, tight bleached you Rudy,” Too Much too Young,” jeans and Doctor Martens, and “Rat Race,” “Do Nothing,” and thought, oh shit, this is going to Ghost Town.” Golding and Hall make an evening with the Pogues paid tributes to the BBC, who first look like a night at the opera. As it turned out, however, Ally Pally was broadcast at Ally Pally 75 years probably the safest place to be that previously, and Amy Winehouse, dedicating ‘Concrete Jungle’ to night. her memory, and also performing The support act, Stone Foundation, wearing their sixties northern ‘Monkey Man.’ A great gig. Shame that main soul influences on their sleeve, (and also referencing Beatles, Tony songwriter Jerry Dammers hasn’t Christie and Dexys Misnight Run- rejoined, but the rest of the band ners) were surprisingly good (they were in fine form.

Harun Musho’d

Alexandra Palace 3 November

Mariella de Souza

Live review:

Barbican

London Jazz Festival

13 November

Sunday afternoon was spent tapping my feet in the stalls of the London Barbican to the tantalising performance of ‘Louis Armstrong, Charlie Chaplin and the Birth of Jazz.’ It has been hailed by the Jazz Times as “a one-in-a-lifetime not-be-missed event” following its rich array of Armstrong’s raw jazz sounds and combined Chaplinesque feature film.

On stage, behind the musicians, Dan Pritzker’s latest silent film ‘Louis’ was projected on to a giant screen whilst in the foreground, a swinging and vivacious jazz ensemble tooted out pieces from renowned jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. His scores made the film come alive at the hands of renowned musicians including the trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, saxophonist Wes Anderson and drummer Herlin Riley.

Pritzker’s black and white film captivated the audience throughout the performance. With the help of

a musically narrative accompaniment, the story tells us of Armstrong’s childhood, whilst living in the red light district of New Orleans, at the turn of the 20th century. The young and charismatic Anthony Coleman was the perfect choice to portray Armstrong, as he brings a mischievous wit to the role and does well in relating the musi-

cal passion of the icon.

As the story develops, Louis strikes up an unlikely friendship with the beautiful Grace (played

by Shanti Lowry) - an enchanting mulatto prostitute struggling to look after herself and her young baby. Her story centres around her complex relationship with the villainous Governor Perry, father to

her child and played by actor Jackie Earle Haley, of whose devilishly humorous performance elicited many laughs.

Many have acknowledged Pritzker’s talent for weaving together several contentious sociological issues in his works and as further testament to this ability, in this particular production Pritzkter’s

sensitivity towards topics of racial inequalities, female subservience and dire poverty allows him to produce several creatively cathartic moments.

Overall, it was an absolute charm to watch. The continuous flow of well-devised, creole-influenced pieces -composed mostly by Marsalis – were entertaining interpretations of Armstrong’s own works, which provided a familiar tone to most of the jazz-lovers present.

The skill and energy of the musicians maintained an unfaltering momentum and served as a superb accompaniment to Pritzker’s work.

This well-synced music and cinema mixture allowed the audience to follow the film without any difficulty.

During the encore, the young Coleman was spotted in the crowd and subject to raucous applause.

I managed to squeeze my way through the crowds to congratulate him for his excellent performance, which made the evening an even more memorable experience.

This show was a perfect contemporary fusion of jazz and cinema.

Its excellent jazz music and zany cinematography made it a highly original creation.

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

Students advised to stay safe Support and Advisory Services, College Security and the Students’ Union Advice and Support team are keen to regularly remind students about their personal safety and reducing risk, especially when it comes to getting home safely after a day on campus.

The Runnymede area of Surrey does have a very low record of reported crime compared to national averages but we would still stress to students to exercise caution wherever they are.

Our recent Safe and Secure Day held in the SU was a great success and a huge

number of students came along to get advice on personal safety and crime prevention and we now plan to make this an annual event.

We recommend that you use the SU SSHH! bus home in the evening, and remind you not to walk home alone and that you stick to well-lit main roads and not be tempted to take short cuts - in particular through the cemetery in Englefield Green which has limited lighting at night. We’re delighted that the SSHH! bus service has recently been extended to run from

personal safety alarms and Alcotops to all students, which can be picked up at any time from Founder’s West 170. If you have safety concerns you the earlier time of 8.00pm and thank can speak to them on 01784 443394 / the SU for their support with this.

443955 or by emailing SupportAndAdIt is also recommended that stuvisory@rhul.ac.uk dents read the advice booklets If you see anyone behaving suspiavailable on campus – from all of the ciously please contact Surrey Police teams mentioned above – and our on 101 (non-emergency) or 999 (in an general personal safety tips which can emergency). We would also ask you be found onlineatwww.rhul.ac.uk/ to keep the College Security number forstudents/support/personalsafety.

(01784 443063) programmed in your aspx and on the Facebook pagesRHUL mobile and let them know if you ever Campus Watch and Royal Holloway see anything unusual on campus.

Beat (Surrey Police).

Support and Advisory Services are pleased to be able to offer free

Music masterclass hits the note with students Students from the Music Department at Royal Holloway, University of London were treated to a special masterclass by award winning musician and College alumna Helen Reid.

Helen, who graduated in 2000 with a BA in Music and German, returned to the College yesterday (9 November) to hold the special session, offering oneto-one piano tuition to the second year students and providing advice on how they can progress as musicians.

The session also enabled the students to quiz Helen on her career.

Helen first came to public attention when she appeared on BBC2 in the

National Keyboard Finals of the BBC Young Musician competition in 1998.

She has since given recitals throughout the UK and all over Europe.

Speaking after the session, TheresaJoy Manese said: “It’s great that Helen has come back to hold this session.

I don’t think she has done anything like this at the College before. She has been helping us with our recital pieces. It’s been really great.”

Helen explained that she wanted to return to the College to help the students just as others helped her during her time at the College. She said: “It is always nice to return somewhere you

have connections and particularly as I had such a great time at Royal Holloway I really wanted to find out how the students were getting on. It was particularly enjoyable as Eric Levi my Performance Tutor while I was an undergraduate here was in the audience - it was a really interesting experience to then be the Performance Tutor in this context!“ Following the masterclass, Helen performed a special Alumni Concert featuring recitals of Debussy, Faure, Bach and Brahms, which was open to the local community as well as staff and students.

Sporting STARS dazzle at awards night

The College’s elite student athletes came together for the annual STARS awards evening to celebrate current and past successes and mark Royal

Holloway’s role in the London 2012 Games.

Since the introduction of the Student Talented Athlete Recognition

Scheme (STARS) in 1996, Royal Holloway has developed a strong tradition of supporting elite athletes during their time studying at the College. The Beijing Olympics saw six students/ alumni form Royal Holloway competing for their respective countries, two of whom medalled.

In celebration of this sporting success and in recognition of Royal Holloway’s role as one of only two London 2012 Satellite Villages at next year’s 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where we will host the world’s elite rowers and sprint canoeists on campus, a special Olympic display was unveiled.

The display features a collection of framed, signed GB kits of our alumni sporting champions complete with their photograph and description of their sporting achievements. The dis-

play includes Olympic rower Rodrigo Ideus, Paralympic dressage rider Sophie Chrisiansen and Olympic canoeist Anna Hemmings.

Mark Hyndman, Sports Development Executive, said: “I am delighted to see the frames displayed in the Windsor building especially since I have had the opportunity of work with all of the alumni who have donated kit.

They are all truly inspirational people who are a credit to the College. The display will hopefully inspire STARS students to reach their full potential and one day their kit could be displayed at the College. Further, with the Olympics only a matter of months away and the College being one of just three Olympic Villages, we hope the display will start to generate an Olympic buzz around campus.”

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The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

Features

The reality of reality TV ter. It’s the modern day equivalent Felicity King of going to watch criminals being Features Editor hung at the gallows. Human beings, insecure and self-loathing as A little part of me died the other we are, like nothing more than to night; it was the last episode in this watch other people screw up their series of ‘The Only Way Is Essex’. lives even more then they have, I’m aware that in admitting I watch and pass judgement on them from that programme I’ve probably afar. Going on‘Big Brother’ is the lost the respect of half of you and 21st century’s more technological formed a lifelong bond with the equivalent to sticking your head other half; however it has to be said. in the stocks- the only difference ‘The Only Way Is Essex’, ’Made in being that the people in Big Brother Chelsea’, ‘I’m a celebrity get me out are better dressed than their of here’, they’re all equally brilliant. medieval counterparts and tend to There is nothing I like more than have had boob jobs. Just as throwwatching people just like me, (albeit a bit more orange,a lot richer and/ or eating kangaroo ears), failing at life in exactly the same way I do. It’s really quite invigorating.

I’s hard to pinpoint what exactly the appeal of these programmes is.

The majority of the people on them are unbearably smug and arrogant, the kind of people I’d ‘accidently’ want to, you know, publicly humiliate and destroy, not the kind I’d ing rotten tomatoes at a criminal choose to be my friend. The people distracted our ancestors from their on these shows are hardly likeable own sad, poverty-stricken lives, so role models, most of the time they does watching wannabe celebrities are unlikeable un-role models, mess up their relationships distract however that is the joy of it- they’re all of us from our own problems. I all just as silly as we are. Unlike say that like it’s a bad thing, it’s not; films, where we have to watch Dan- at least it doesn’t have to be. iel Radcliffe effortlessly saving the But of course we must remember world from ruin, with reality TV that distractions are just that, diswe are presented with entertaintractions, they don’t actually solve ment which we can actually relate anything. If the crowds who flocked too. Harry Potter films are, in fact, to mock the criminal in the stocks grossly unfair. They make us feel stopped throwing fruit at him and terribly inadequate because we are actually started eating it, they probnot out there fighting Voldermort, ably wouldn’t have been so hungry when really,Voldermort never even and miserable in the first place. existed, so we couldn’t be as heroic Similarly if we all stopped chanas Daniel Radcliffe, even if we tried. nelling our emotions and opinThankfully, in TOWIE, there’ss at ions into a meaningless television last a challenge to overcome that’s programme then we might actually actually within my reach- there is have enough left over to sort out every possibility that I too, can over our own lives.

–fake- tan my armpits.

This is the potential problem with Let’s be honest, life doesn’t happrogrammes like TOWIE, I know it pen like it does in the films. At last, makes me sound like a clichéd life thanks to reality TV, we can watch coach off ‘Glee’ or something, but real people acting realistically; the more time you spend watching relationships don’t sort themselves other people live, the more you’ll out after a suitable 68 minutes of forget to do it yourself. Again, sadly, tension and nobody gets to have I offer myself up as an example of sex with Natalie Portman. The what you can become. Not only appeal of reality TV is purely an do I cry more for girls on TOWIE indulgent one- it makes us feel bet- than I do for myself, I also turn

‘‘

down going to thepub in order to watch it. Now okay, before you all cast aside this article, declaring no more to read the words of a girl who clearly has no life, I only did this once. It was the finale of TOWIE, I was very, very tired and the pub was a very long and very wet walk away. I can promise you now reader, that if I ever reach the horrifically low point of actually turning down drunken nights out purely in order to watch other people have drunken nights out, I will tear the television from my wall with my own two hands and give it

Mass producing individuality Lydia Mahon In a few months time the 02 arena will host the 32nd BRIT Awards.

Many of us will tune in and bear witness to a parade of young, kooky, oh-so-unique musicians; the recently reaped crop of Croydon’s Brit School. Paul Stokes from Q Magazine sums it up pretty well: “it’s not the rock ‘n’ roll way of doing things”.

The Brit School in Selhurst, South London was founded in 1991 and in the last 20 years has played midwife to, in short, the contents of Radio 1’s Chart Show. The institute has mechanically churned out such names as Amy Winehouse, Adele, Jessie J, Leona Lewis, Katie Melua, The Feeling, Athlete, Katy B and most recently, Rizzle Kicks.

The alumni of the Brit School certainly have an advantage when breaking into the music industry.

Terms such as ‘favouritism’ and ‘special treatment’ may be thrown about but perhaps we should place more concern on the future of the British music scene than on disguising our repressed jealousy (after all, whimsical dreams of ‘popstardom’ are never forgotten) as we feign mock outrage at how brutally unfair it all is.

The Brit school is one of many performing arts and music academy schools across the country, but what gives the Brit school its edge is that it boasts being the only free performing arts and technology school in Britain. I suppose we have something to thank founder Sir George Martin for – if music academies insist on swelling the industry with bland mainstream produce, at least it’s not all unbearably privileged upper-middle class mainstream produce.

Paul Stokes reckons, “The Brit School is more geared up to producing the kind of success that will result in a mainstream and therefore quite loud success. That’s rather than, say, if you’re a band that are struggling away in your basement.

You don’t shoot straight to being signed and being on the telly, you have to work and play lots of gigs.”

Stokes remembers an older time, a better time. He makes a good point. When did being in the music industry stop being the lucky break, driving minis into swimming pools,

’’

Let’s be honest, life doesn’t happen like it does in the films. At last, thanks to reality TV, we can watch real people acting realistically; relationships don’t sort themselves out after a suitable 68 minutes of tension and nobody gets to have sex with Natalie Portman.

away to some homeless man on the street, before taking up yoga, quitting my degree and working for a donkey sanctuary- on that you have my word.

As a form of light-hearted fun, there is nothing wrong with a little trashy TV decadence. The problems only arise when we become too obsessed, when the lines between fantasy and reality blur, when we spend so much time in their world that we forgot about our own. Despite consisting of real people; with no dragons or Natalie Portmans in them whatsoever, programmes like TOWIE are still not really real at all- as in they are not real to you.

We all have a different sense of reality; but yours belongs in Egham sadly, not in Essex- unless that’s where you come from. Throw metaphorical tomatoes at the contestants on the ‘X Factor’, as they stand in the stocks of the British media and sing to us out of tune, nobody can deny it is fun, and unlike the criminals of medieval times they did choose to do it. Just don’t forget, we aren’t perfect either, and pointing out the flaws and failures in other people unfortunately won’t hide your own- and neither will fake tan for that matter.

sniffing coke in hotel rooms, licking whisky out of underage girls’ navels and not turning up to your own gigs? ‘The dream’ these days is to graduate from a music academy, receive a swift leg up into a music career, record 2.5 albums, be a clean and inspirational role model for youths from inner city estates and successfully launch a range of perfume/make-up/clothing.

There will always be sheep that stray from the flock, however. Amy Winehouse graduated from Brit School but didn’t tread this path.

In fact, she was pretty rock ‘n’ roll.

She was so damn ‘cool’ in fact that she joins the ranks and stands in line forever beside Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Brian Jones as the latest member of the 27 Club.

The Arctic Monkeys even took a swing at the pop music production line at the 2008 Brit awards. Front man Alex Turner rolled onstage to receive the award for Best British Group, flippantly thanking The Brit School“...of course, which I graduated from”. Of course, none of the Arctic Monkeys have ever attended Brit School. They opted for organic beginnings by handing out free demos to fans and playing gigs in Sheffield city centre.

Unfortunately, (putting Jessie J and her rubbish class mates aside) often good music is like its counterpart, manufactured goods designed for niche market consumption. The Manchester record label Factory Records gave birth to Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays and the creative impulse behind these musicians lay with Tony Curtis and Martin Hannett, men hell bent on shaping a music scene to put their nightclub The Hacienda on the map.

Organic originality is dead and it’s frustrating. In a post-modern, eclectic culture, anything goes and we are numb to the remarkable.

Each time Topshop mass produces a vintage item, the irony is simply too much to bear. Everything around us is a pastiche.

But rather than getting caught in a spiral of despair about the state of our redundant British culture, we should stop being so selfish and think of the future and of our children: If it’s hard now, how the hell are they ever supposed to be ‘cool’ or even different?

20

The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

Features

Consumerism…

An Not such a modern Englishman phenomenon after all Abroad Claire Garland

I’ve recently been working on one (of many) essays on a historical topic that is surprisingly close to something we’re all very familiar with- consumerism. I’ve been sitting at my laptop reading various sources thinking to myself how daft some of these ‘oldeworlde’ consumers were for spending all their money on bits and bobs just because somebody told them it was fashionable, when I realised how familiar the mistake sounded. Aren’t we all a little bit guilty of mindlessly buying stuff because we’re told we just have to have it?

We’re constantly bombarded with adverts on the TV, internet and in magazines, telling us we simply must buy whatever it is that the great advertising companies are currently trying to sell. You need a faster car (although with a maximum speed limit of seventy in England I’m pretty sure that my one litre Micra will suffice thank you); you need a mobile phone that takes pictures, lets you update Facebook wherever you are, sings, dances and speaks three different languages; you need a face cream that will make you look ten years younger and a deodorant that will help you find you love (or at least a one night stand according to the ‘Lynx Effect.’) Other advertising ploys involve the assumption that Coca Cola will make you so happy that you’ll walk down the street singing and random strangers will sing along too, KFC will make your Friday night in seem less pathetic and Emporio Armani boxershorts will make you look like David Beckham in your undies. Oh, and let’s not forget the iPhone, your social life will simply fall off the radar if you don’t have one. However ridiculous this all sounds, we’ve all fallen for it at some point.

With this sudden epiphany I’ve realised that actually, despite the time gap of several hundred years, us consumers of today aren’t that different from those consumers of old. I know I’m not only speaking for myself when I guiltily think of all the money I’ve wasted on

A tale of (not told with) efficiency, precision and punctuality

If they followed this English ‘everyone in before Midnight’ malarkey, there’d be no one there. The Next week marks one month since word on the street was that the club my arrival in Leipzig and yet some- didn’t get busy until two, and everything would wind down about five. how time has just disappeared.

Don’t ask me how they do it. We Obviously taking in so many new headed up at about one in the end sights and sounds does make the time fly by, and I’m far more aware and when I hit that three-o’clockI-really-should-hit-the-hay-now of being ahead of England than I walland consequently bailed, there thought I would, but there’s one other interesting factor that I must were hundreds of them still hitting the dancefloor as hard as ever. also take into account.

I was part of the last wave of I’m referring – believe it or not Assistants to arrive in Germany as – to the temporal black hole set up Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg’s

by Deutsche Bahn (the national schools were the last to start again railway company) as well as other after Summer and to get the numregional companies. Of the twenty bers for the introduction course, or so trains that I’ve taken so far, us Saxons were scheduled in with only one has not been late, delayed them. en route or cancelled. I repeat, Administrative genius… up to ONE. My first one. There’s peaking the point where Saxon schools went early and then there’s just this mess. back in mid-August. So, followSo next time you hear any sentence ing a punishinglyintensive week of involving the words ‘German’ and merely sitting in on a few classes, ‘efficiency’, please immediately disFlickr/ macwagen repeatedly introducing myself and regard it if the context is anything answering the odd question, I’ve to do with public transport. we swallow the spiel. Is buying all rubbish that I’ve used just once or got two weeks off. Not that I’m In Leipzig however, the trams twice, grown bored of and discard- this stuff actually ever going to complaining mind, but for a counremain ever faithful, and it’s here make us happy, or is it just going to that I’ve finally begun to socialiseed under my bed or thrown to the try famed for punctuality… make us skint? Maybe we should back of my wardrobe. Why are we The last observation to be made though first I had to get my head be spending more time with the all so obsessed with buying all this this time round is that the scariest around the fact that having met people in our lives that put a smile only one other Felix in my entire junk? Why do we think that these situation (stranded trains notwithitems are somehow going to save us on our faces and make us feel good lif, I was now living with one… standing) is not the stern bureaufrom being single, getting older, or about ourselves rather than filling suffice to say we respect each other’s cratic offices, (though somewhere our rooms with endless stuff, half of parents’ taste in names. spending a Friday night at home? in the German countryside, I am which we don’t actually need.

Isn’t it all just a bit materialistic? convinced, is an enormous wareAnother language assistant who So my fellow consumers, it seems lives in Leipzig has some friends Whether it’s clothes, shoes, make house containing nothing but up, technology, cars or food, we all that this issue isn’t one restricted to from university who are here on red tape)but the bakery. You find seem to be obsessed with buying it our own dear 21st Century. Appar- their years abroad studying and so yourself faced with three million ently they’ve been doing it for ages, we all went on a university night and usually, it has a specific brand types of bread and an expectant which as far as I can see means attached. We are literally consumshopkeeper… You just have to out. The club was pretty good, the that the advertising companies are ing what the advertisers throw at drinks not too expensive but it was take a guess. Practically every day onto a winner. With spending pat- the German stamina that really us, even if we don’t realise it. involves some sort of dough-based Don’t get me wrong, I’m not quite terns this old I don’t think we’ll be lucky dip. A bit like Revels… just stood out. Now before you all get changing our habits anytime soon. the wrong idea about my attempts ready to stop my Monday mornmore carbs. ing coffee stop-off at Starbucks just That reminds me, I must remember to integrate myself into German I’m off to visit some friends for yet and I won’t be getting rid of my to buy some more of that L’Oreal my holidaysso, until next time. And society, I am referring merely to shampoo- it’s going to make my uber-fast laptop or miracle condon’t worry, I’m an Englishman, of how late they begin and finish their hair look like Cheryl Cole’s- really. cealer anytime soon, but shouldn’t course I’m taking shorts. nights out, not their prowess in any Happy Shopping! we maybe think a bit more before other areas of recreational life.

Felix Clutson

Sport ....

The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

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

21

Women’s Rugby: In Hinesight Holloway dominate in their first match of the season Ben Hine Sports Editor

Lizzie Marshall On Wednesday 26th October the Royal Holloway Women’s Rugby Bears made their way to Egham RFC ground, in Engelfield Green, to play their first match of the season. Having pulled together a full team plus subs, after some pre-season injuries, the Holloway girls arrived to a twelve-man Brunel team and agreed to play twelve-a-side.

This gave some nervous Freshers the opportunity to watch the old girls in action and after watching brand new player Alicia Moses (11) score a try, they were all eager to get on the pitch. Another try was

scored by Holloway in the first half,

by Lisa Krauss (6), also new to the team. Despite some fierce competition from the strong Brunel team, the opponents had not scored by the half-time whistle and had lost one player to injury.

Half-time saw some substitutions to allow all the Freshers who hadn’t yet played to take to the pitch.

After what looked like a comeback

by Brunel the Holloway girls were able to score another try, thanks to Marissa Lowe (12), our new STARS player. This time the try was converted by Jo Dawkes (9) who was playing as Captain, for the first time. Only minutes later another Brunel girl was injured and as they

no longer had enough players to legally play, full-time was called with the final score at Holloway 17-0 Brunel.

Special recognition went to our ‘Forward of the Match’ new player Nikki Matthews (4), who showed huge strength and determination throughout the game, our ‘Back of the Match’, Alicia Moses (11), whose quick break gave Holloway their first try of the season, and last but not least, Natalie Kahn (5) was bequeathed with the title of ‘Man of the Match’ as he showed how she wouldn’t be taken down easily.

Women’s Rugby Bears are off to a fine start!

Men’s Rugby: RHUL 1st 28 – 3 Portsmouth 2nd Euan Strachan In gloomy, overcast conditions, the Holloway Rangers were dominant throughout the game, scoring 4 tries and only leaking one penalty. It was definitely a day for the forwards with tries from Will Clark Guy Hennings and Anthony Kent. Without injured fly half Dom Matthews, the Rangers drafted in Ben Bayley for kicking duties with

two successful conversions. James Isaacs took over the duties scoring a penalty after Bayley had to retire from the game injured. At scrum and line-out time, the forwards asserted their authority. James Lynch was heroic at the line-out, catching almost everything, as well as gobbling up opposition throws with ease. With all the momentum of the Rangers, big hits were flying in with solid defending right the way through the match. The backs put

in a solid performance but were not needed with the forwards bossing the majority of the game. One of Portsmouth’s only chances was held up on the line yet thwarted by Will Clark and Andrew Bullmore during the second half. With the Rangers sitting at the top of the table with 4 wins from 4, they have a welldeserved week off. However, it is not party time yet with sterner tests awaiting them.

Squash Army marching on Ben Hine Most of the RHUL BUCS Squash teams are sitting mid-table at the moment with the Men’s 1sts at 3/6 and the Women’s 1sts at 4/7. The Men’s 2nds have slipped slightly to 8/9 but they look to strengthen this position in their upcoming matches. Whilst no fixture/results

data is currently available on the ULU Sport website, the Men’s 1st ULU team have been holding their own in the Premier league despite losing a lot of talent at the end of last season; after their win against UCL 2nds, this victory is a huge feather in their cap, of which they should be very proud.

As well as fixtures, RHUL Bears Squash Club have been formulating

ambitious charity plans for the end of term, thanks to RAG Secretary Callum Chaplin, whilst partaking in some epic nights out, thanks to the Social ‘Secretary’ Johnny Chapman. Altogether, squash is providing an awesome and varied experience for all its members and we’re always looking for more to join. So, for more info find us on Facebook at ‘RHUL Bears Squash’.

Hello again! So RHUL Sport is now in full swing, with most sports’ seasons having kicked off in the last month. Royal Holloway’s ranking in the BUCS points table 2011-12 as of today (08.11.11) is #46, with points from Lacrosse, Fencing, Rugby Union, Volleyball, Basketball and Squash, constituting a decent percentage of the current 233 points. This table consists of over 150 university teams so RHUL is really pushing forward with sport this year by breaking into the top 50. Let’s see if we can keep climbing!

I am always looking for more sports contributions to The

Founder; it’ is a great way to promote your sport and to get new members interested- not to mention helping satisfy the ‘media criteria’ set out by the SU, in order to earn the ‘Club of the Year’ title! So please, if anyone from your club would like to write a piece about the goings on around campus, to do with your sport or simply to write about other sporting events (a match you’ve been to, the Olympic countdown etc.) then feel free!

That’s all for now folks, enjoy the section!

RHUL Sail and Board Club Emily Franklin For all the sailors out there, we know how much of an escape getting out on the water can be. You don’t have to be an able-bodied seaman to enjoy the thrills of being in the fresh air; have the freedom to harness the wind, or to control where you go. A Wednesday afternoon away from books and lectures, where you can forget about anything but the wind, the water and your boat is what we offer the students at Royal Holloway. Unfortunately not everybody can control what happens to them.

Everyday people get diagnosed with cancer; an aggressive and belligerent disease which can ruin lives, not only for the poorly person but for everyone who loves them too.

Sail 4 Cancer is RHUL’s Sail and Board chosen charity this year; a charity which provides escapism for those who need it most. Sail 4 Cancer provides a break for those families or individuals affected

or recently bereaved, be it a day, a short break or a holiday. If you want to get involved with the Sailing Club email us at sailandboard@ su.rhul.ac.uk and come along to our meetings, alternatively any charity donations can be made to www. sail4cancer.org.

22

The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

Sports

Love struck...

American Football Josh Staines Founder Photographer RHUL American football had a great start to the season the Sunday of the 6th with a victory of 30-0 over Westminster University.

Disappointingly they lost 19-0 on

Sunday 13th, which, to be honest can simply be attributed to the (albeit superstitious) unlucky date. Imperial were good, but not unbeatable. Holloway conceded three touch downs but managed to foil two of the finishing kicks which followed them. And good news for the fixture, which will happen next

weekend again at home, against Surrey, who lost a shocking 51-0 to Brunel last weekend. Surrey, who so far have had two consecutive losses, are being managed by Holloway’s previous coach. So come down, bring a few beers and support the RHUL Bears.

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 guy I hooked up with last week who kept repeating things about losing one’s virginity on 11/11/11 being reason enough to make a wish. I have no desire to keep using your underpants as a wishing well. Please stop calling.

GIRL LOOKING FORWARD TO 12/12/12 You were the preppily handsome guy kicking up a stink in Bedford Library about all the books on Tudor economics having been taken out and what were you going to do this weekend without them?

I don’t know how dull your weekends usually are but I’d love to pop round and give you some other options.

DARK-HAIRED HISTORY GIRL Tall blonde guy eating noodles in the Hub and waxing lyrical about Chamber Choir to a collection of boredlooking people on the same table. From what I could hear, you’re a total drag, but my standards are low and at least you weren’t talking about drama soc. Drinks?

BORED CHEMISTRY GIRL WITH LONG HAIR

were using strawberry bootlaces to tie your brogues.

Herbal tea and cheroots some time?

GUY WITH NO FASHION IDENTITY To the short black guy who whacked into me whilst dancing to Steps at the union, then proceeded to make amends by teaching me the routine to 5, 6, 7, 8. Be my rodeo romeo, my cowboy god from head to toe.

WANNA MAKE YOU MINE BETTER GET IN LINE Girl with the panda rucksack who kept shouting things in Medicine about having an endangered species on her back. I was the guy who told you you could have something far less in danger of extinction on your back if you only let me buy you a drink.

I’m not sure that joke quite went over, but you didn’t slap me, which I’m taking as a good sign.

NON-ENDANGERED SPECIES

You were the pretty girl in the white fedora buying biros in the college store and using them to keep your bun in place. I don’t usually go for such obvious hipsters but there was something rather charming about the way you

lovestruck@thefounder.co.uk

23

The Founder | Thursday 24 November 2011

LiesRound Bagpiping fact into news, with Jamie Lee

Caption Competition

Students’ Union Tea Party leads to widespread anger amongst the local Answers to editor@thefounder.co.uk community.

flickr/thealmightyprophetgitboy

“I’m moving.” “I’m furious and disgusted at RHUL and its students.” These are just a few of the responses from local residents following SURHUL’s much talkedabout community liason tea party.

It seems that one student took the Students’ Union’s message of coming together with local residents in a spirit of openness and friendship to mean that the event would be an Alice in Wonderland-themed orgy.

When asked why he had turned up with only a teapot and a top hat the gentleman in question replied: “I’m the mad hatter. Let me take you to Wonderland.” The SU’s VPIO was quick to update her blog: “Whilst RHUL accepts and legitimises the right of all individuals to a sexual

preference of their choosing, there are appropriate forums for this. The community liason tea party is not one of them.” Margaret Gainsborough, of the Englefield Green Residents’ Association has written to The Founder saying: “This event has confirmed everything we already know to be true about students. Not only do they park their cars in the local area, they are also massive sexual deviants…I am not surprised at all that this student tried to turn the tea party into an orgy.” Since the tea party, Spring Rise has seen the number of Neighbourhood Watch stickers increase tenfold and residents of Elmbank Avenue have firebombed several student properties in protest.

Italian and Greek departments forced to leave college The RHUL Italian and Greek departments have been forced to leave the university and operate independently without any fiscal aid from college itself. This surprise move comes after the two departments

refused to implement the austerity measures requested by the college in order to reduce their deficits and refused to allow inspectors from college management to oversee the department’s treasuries.

The Italian department has been no stranger to controversy after accusations made that the department regularly indulges in bunga bunga parties, an accusation which the department adamantly denies.

SURHUL secures peace in Middle East Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu met last week with the Students’ Union VPLS to finalise a treaty that is being described as ‘the only viable proposal so far to secure a lasting peace in the Middle East.’

This follows the motion passed at the last general meeting supporting

a peaceful solution to the PalestineIsrael conflict that suggested that ‘everybody love everybody.’ Netanyahu spoke highly of the SU’s dealing of the problem saying that ‘without SURHUL’s intervention it is unlikely that a peaceful solution could have been found.’

The VPLS encourages students to attend the next general meeting where a motion is on the agenda that if passed will have the SU submit a proposal to the IMF that is expected to resolve the euro-zone crisis.

Classics cuts to subsidise School of Management iPads The School of Management has announced that all its current students are to each be given an iPad 2 to celebrate the department’s placing at 60th in the 2012 Guardian University Guide. The funding for this is believed to have come from cuts to the

Classics department which has been unable to generate the fiscal surplus enjoyed by the School of Management. Proposals have been submitted to the College Council to replace the few remaining Classics core texts in the library with copies of

Steve Jobs autobiography and DVD copies of Wall Street. In a statement issued via Twitter Professor Layzell reminded staff that ‘departments exist to fund other departments’.

SU Corner Your Students’ Union Vice President of Inclusion and Outreach

Ok, it’s 4 in the morning and I am barely able to type! I have been typing all day and my fingers have gone all squishy!

Speaking of my fingers, a big thanks to all that took part in Holloway Hygiene Day (woooooaaahhh), I must have cleaned my hands about a thousand times! I would also like to say a big thank you to all our budding Lenins by taking part in Catch-a-Fascist Week. I think we found about 30 fascists buying evil sushi from the Bedford Library and another 10 on their way to so-called ‘Investment’ Society.

Good job guys!

Right guys, you will all want to know what I have been doing recently so here it is. I have been so busy liasing with college, I wouldn’t expect you to understand what that might actually mean but I can assure you it is, well, I can’t actually tell you, it’s highly classified.

Basically, think West Wing times a gazilian and you won’t even be close to what my life is like right now!

Our Community Liason Tea Party was a great success apart from one small incident which I shall not comment on. The one thing I can say with absolute certainty is that there was no arrest.

Next week, it’s Occupy Café Jules. Do you want to pay £2.80 for a hoison duck or hot Mexican bean wrap? SURHUL says no!

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