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The Independent Student Newspaper of Royal Holloway, University of London

Volume 7 | Issue 7

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Student blinded working at SU Peter Hammond News Editor and Thomas Seal Editor-in-Chief

Online anger amongst staff silenced by ‘Social Networking Sites Guidance’

A female RHUL student has allegedly been blinded in her left eye while working at the SU bar.

The specific details remain uncertain surrounding the incident, but it seems that the victim was not wearing correct Personal Protection Equipment, exposing them to a caustic and harmful product - supposedly bleach.

However, the ‘faulty bottle’ containing the product was also blamed for the accident. These both fall under the remit of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, though it is currently impossible to say whether this was infringed.

Many students were angered following The Founder’s investigation of the conditions faced by the bar staff of SURHUL back in September (Volume 7, Issue 1), and at the subsequent General Meeting of the Students’ Union, a motion was passed (without opposition) which urged the promotions of standards for workers at the SU. But over four months on, it would appear that little has changed. Amidst the allegations of the female staff member’s injury, it may be concluded that the complaints raised in September have been largely ignored.

This most recent occurrence prompted an outburst on various social networks by numerous members of SU staff, many blaming inadequate

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Photo: James Harrison

News

Comment

Advice

Music

Huge cocaine bust

A Queer Turn of Events

Fullfrontle got dumped

Police seized almost a million pounds’ worth of the Class A drug in Staines and Egham.

TOBY FULLER notes that well-intentioned activism can repel as often as it engages.

He’s back, but he’s too upset to answer your questions.

Album reviews, EP reviews, gig reviews, and more!

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The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

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

THEFOUNDER.co.uk EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Thomas Seal Managing Editors Toby Fuller, Scott Wilson, Peter Hammond and Richard Cunningham News Editor Peter Hammond Deputy Florentyna Dalloz

Arts Editor Scott Wilson Deputy Rose Walker

Comment & Debate Editor Toby Fuller Deputy Dominic Pini

Sport Editor Theo Chiles

Features Editor Felicity King Film Editor Zlatina Nikolova Music Editor Katie Osmon

Pictures Editor Amy Taheri Subeditor Alexandra Ioannou Lead Designer Thomas Seal

This edition designed by Thomas Seal Film section designed by Zlatina Nikolova

The Founder is the independent student newspaper of Royal Holloway, University of London. We distribute at least 2,000 free copies almost every fortnight during term time around campus and to popular student venues in and around Egham.

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training for the incident. Others cite unsatisfactory wages as a peripheral but continuing concern.

These are private forums, held between work colleagues for private discussion. Soon after these virtual discussions, however, an e-mail was sent to all members of bar staff reminding them of the ‘Social Networking Sites Guidance for Employees’.

This appendix to SURHUL’s ‘IT Facilities: Acceptable Use Policy’ presents some startling and seemingly hypocritical conditions.

One clause states: ‘An individual is free to talk about the Students’ Union.

However instances where the Students’ Union is brought into disrepute may constitute misconduct or gross misconduct under the Disciplinary & Appeals Policy and Procedure.’

This appears to suggest that one is free to say what they want regarding the Students’ Union, as long as it is nothing the SU perceives as bad. In this instance, it referred to the discussions taking place on private forums, which cannot be seen by the general public. Thus, the ‘Social Networking Sites Guidance for Employees’ has no legitimate application for this situa-

tion.

A further noteworthy point is that many of the employees claim they were not made aware of this document when they first started work, nor had it been brought to their attention during employment. The apparent coincidence of the SU referencing at this particular time has made it resemble no more than a gag order.

One employee stated that, following the sending of the email, Personal Protection Equipment was far more readily available and visible on the premises. If an incident as serious as this one (and all it entailed) was required for a greater awareness of PPE to be encouraged

by SU management, then the implications are dire for the state of Health and Safety at the Students’ Union.

This will likely lend considerable momentum to VPComCam Jamie Green who, as an ex-staff member himself, has been building an internal SU campaign for workers’ rights.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the interviewees are not necessarily shared by The Founder. All information pertaining to working conditions was provided by accounts from anonymous employees of the Royal Holloway Students’ Union.

SU staff member on Facebook: ‘This is fucking unacceptable. They are taking the piss, and in court wouldn't have a leg to stand on. This is a disgrace.’

Suspected £880,000 worth of cocaine seized in Egham and Staines Thomas Seal Editor-in-Chief

Seven people have been charged with conspiracy to supply a Class A Drug after a police raid in Egham and Staines on Thursday 7 February resulted in eight simultaneous arrests.

What officers believe is 21 kilos of cocaine, along with related paraphernalia, was found at the property on Wraysbury Road in Staines, and a kilo more was also found at the Egham business premise, totalling at an estimated street value of £880,000.

A 54-year-old man and 60-year-old woman from Staines, a 28-year-old man from Basingstoke, a 52-yearold man and 25-year-old man from Hayes, a 34-year-old man from Egham, a 37-year-old man from West Drayton and a 43-year-old man from Surbiton were all taken into custody, according to Surrey Police Neighbourhood Inspector Roger Nield.

Three of those arrested, Leigh Pole of Staines, and Simon and Tony

Woodcock of Hayes and Basingstoke on the 28 January, which Surrey Po- a case of mistaken identity after drug was not charged but released on bail, respectively, are also being charged lice labelled an ‘isolated incident’ but dealing. and is due to return to Guildford Powith possession of ammunition for which was accused by some of being A 60-year-old woman from Staines lice Station on Friday 8 March. a firearm without a certificate. David Walton of Surbiton has also been flickr/m.a.r.c. charged with money laundering.

The accused appeared before magistrates on Saturday 9 February, and will remain in custody to appear at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday 28 February.

In the case of possession of such a huge quantity (more than 5 kilos) of cocaine with intent to supply, ‘sentences of 20 years+ may be appropriate depending on the offender's role’, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Clay said: ‘This operational activity is part of Surrey Police’s continued crackdown on organised crime and has resulted in a significant quantity of suspected Class A drugs being prevented from entering the streets of Surrey.’

There is no evidence to suggest this is linked to the attack on a RHUL student household in Nightingale Shott

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

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News

In Rod We Trust Popular support building for inanimate carbon rod ballot in tense lead-up to NUS elections.

let’s not be left behind’. This sample possesses a surprising amount of unilateral support, further evidencing the Rod’s popularity.

In an age of protest, One of the most popular choices the Rod’s manifesto for the upcoming National Union argues that ‘from not of Students’ (NUS) presidency is attacking student protestInanimate Carbon Rod. Seen as a ers; to not refusing to breath of fresh air by many, the Rod’s support the 2010 chances are high for the conference protests when stustarting in April. dents needed it Perhaps the Rod’s winning manimost; to not festo point is that of ‘all out inclusion’, telling meaning representation for inanimate objects as well as ‘meatbags’ (as detailed by the Rod’s manifesto).

The ultimate form of impartiality possessed by the Rod is its inability to express any form of emotion, the dispelling former presidents’ governdisdain for one or more political ment that it ideologies. was fine to cut The Inanimate Carbon Rod’s bursaries, it has manifesto details a number of consistently put its proposals, which if elected, the Rod status as an Inanimate would aim to enact. Reading it, Carbon Rod above the the utilisation of Student Unions temptation to sell out and countrywide as bomb factories shamelessly promote itself ’. (together with workers and trade This alignment with the viewpoint unions), has spoken sense to many of the modern student is certainly a students. One student of the London vote-winner, and evidentially it has School of Economics, who wishes followed up these stances of inaction. not to be named, stated ‘I don’t unAn online poll conducted by The derstand why we don’t have a bomb. Founder displayed unanimous supIt seems like everyone else does, so port among those asked,

Peter Hammond News Editor

Benedict XVI first Pope to resign in 600 years Peter Hammond News Editor

with 100% of respondents stating that they would vote Rod within a week of its posting. It presents the scent of change for the NUS, and all those involved. Leaving with the words; ‘Everyone deserves to have a personal relationship with their National President. Let’s carbon date’, many may be looking forward to an inanimate future.

flickr/Catholic Church

Copyright: 20th Century Fox

Holloway gets a bit more Royal

The leader of the Catholic Church announced on 11 February that he was stepping down from his role. Having assumed the mantle in 2005, Pope Benedict has sparked controversy across the globe for his staunch traditional viewpoint.

The last Pope to make the decision to step down was Gregory XII in 1415, whilst the Church was embroiled in an internal schism. On this occasion however, confusion is surrounding the decision. It emerged that the Pope has been using a pacemaker device for some years, but the Vatican has denied the relevance of this in the final decision.

The reason behind the move is the overall deterioration of the Pope’s health. He was quoted as saying ‘I’m

too frail to go on’, as he was advised by his doctors to restrict his travelling due to poor health.

He will officially end his time as Pope on 28 February, with his last public appearance a day prior. He has been identified as the Pope who made most effort to cross religious divide, but also presided over the difficult period of abuse allegations within the Catholic Church. He attempted to promote the accessibility of the Church, launching a Twitter account in eight languages.

With a list of potential candidates of varied backgrounds being circulated, the Vatican has stated that there will be a new Pope by Easter. The issues facing that individual are sure to be of equal or greater tumultuousness. flickr/benmurray

Queen awards prestigious Regius professorship to Music Department

Florentyna Dalloz Deputy News Editor The Queen has awarded Royal Holloway's Department of Music with a prestigious Regius Professorship. The award came as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations this January. Only two Regius Professorships have been awarded in the past century. It was announced in October that the professorships would feature in the Queen's January awards to mark the Diamond Jubilee.

Royal Holloway is now one of only twelve universities who have been awarded the highly sought after Professorship. The Department of Music is able to assign the title of Regius Professor to their chosen professor. The award is given as recognition for an exceptionally high

quality of teaching and research. A panel of eminent academics advised Ministers on who they believed should receive the award, which was then given by the Queen.

The principle of Royal Holloway Professor Paul Layzell commented on the award: "This is an incredible achievement and I am delighted that our outstanding research and teaching has been given world-class recognition by the Queen, ministers and leading academics. It is an honour that our Department of Music richly deserves and reflects the talents of the entire staff."

The head of the music department Julian Johnson also commented, "It is a great honour to have the title of Regius Professor bestowed upon the department and wonderful to hear that the quality of our teaching and research has been recognised in this way."

HM The Queen and Price Philip at the Trooping of the Colour 2011

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

4

News Hollowegians don’t bonk their housemates A studentbeans survey has shown that an unlikely-sounding 0% of Royal Holloway students living in rented accommodation will have sex with their housemates, tying last place with Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen), the University of Leicester and RHUL’s sometime rival, Brunel. No doubt plenty of Hollowegians can no doubt attest to the contrary, but apparently they didn’t take this survey.

On the other hand, the students most openly friendly with their housemates are to be found at the University of Wolverhampton, with a huge 38.9% of students confessing to sleeping with their roomies. Second and third are the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, and the LSE. And coming in just outside the top three, as if to prove Surrey isn’t quite sexless, is the University of Surrey with 30.6%.

Serial scammer suspect spotted in Egham

SURHUL Society, Media and RAG Award Winners FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR Thomas McDonald (Film) Olly Blackburn (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)) Sophia Palmstedt (Students In Free Enterprise/Enactus (SIFE)) Simon Lindley (Musical Theatre Society (MTS)) Jolene Yen Chong (Humans vs. Zombies (HvZ)) CRESTS Pauline Heinrichs (Debating), Katy Donnelly (LGBT), Jess Dives (MTS) Brianna Middleton MacPherson (Dance), Hannah Chui (Dance) Huw Richards (New Lyell (Dept. of Earth Sciences)), Claire West (Philosophy) Ciaran Gilbride (New Lyell), Sonja Väisänen (Politics and International Relations (PIR)) Sam Matthews (HvZ), Rachel Hartzell (Gospel Choir) Katherine Mckenzie (Gospel Choir), Kirstie Ralph (Absolute Harmony) Emily Hubert (Drama), Alex Payne (Classical) Jordan Arthur (Ballroom & Latin Dancesport) Skills & Employability Cup 1st - PIR, 2nd - Film Festival RAG Event of the Year Ballroom & Latin Dancesport "Strictly Come Holloway" RAG Society of the Year New Lyell Outstanding contribution to RAG Angus Wyatt Community Shield Dance Best New Society Film Festival Most Improved Society MTS Best Event Dance “Get Down @ RHUL” VPSA Cup Amabeer Singh

flickr/fantail media Egham is the latest target for a group of conmen who have been tricking Milton Keynes residents with a parcel delivery scam. Police have now issued a warning to alert homeowners to the hoax.

Parcels are delivered to residences with the label displaying an address but an unknown name. The recipient is asked to sign for the parcel. Shortly afterwards, a person claims the parcel was intended for someone else and collects it. However, the homeowner is then targeted with paperwork demanding payment for the contents of the parcel, provided the victim signed for it.

Surrey Police Neighbourhood Inspector Roger Nield reports that one of the scammers is described as being a ‘woman of mixed race in her 20s, of large build, with around 5’5”, with red hair’, another being ‘a black man in his mid-30s, bald, stout and wearing

a beige jacket.’

Subsequent to police warnings about the hoax in Milton Keynes, an Egham Neighbourhood Watch committee member reported her husband Alan was a victim of a very similar identity fraud, although the scam appears to have been executed in the wrong order.

An ‘Ipod Nano worth £169, which Alan had not ordered, was delivered to the address from K & co. When this company was contacted, they were already aware of a probably identity fraud, before saying ‘someone would probably come to the door saying that a package had been wrongly delivered.’

His wife added: ‘The worry is that it could harm my husband’s credit. We’re not happy bunnies. I think it is worth letting people know about this. As it was the address details that were used it could happen to anyone.’

Society of the Year PIR INSANITY RADIO Best Male Jack Glanville, ‘Jack Attacks the Airwaves’ Best Female Ellie Overthrow Jones, ‘Overthrow the Radio’ Best Newcomer(s) Liv Mulligan & Charlie Pullan, ‘Mufasa & Linda’ Best Entertainment Programme Lottie Mayor & Andy Edmeads - ‘Lottie & Andy’ Best Speech Programme Jack Gregson, David Wright & Sam Rees-Williams, ‘ScreenGeeks UK’ Best Specialist Music Programme Kate Villevoye, ‘The Groove’ Outstanding Contribution Shammy Ninja-Penguin

THE ORBITAL News Writer of the Year Harry Angers Arts Writer of the Year Thomas McDonald Features Writer of the Year Stephen Wiggins Lifestyle Writer of the Year Gyan Gurung Sports and Societies Writer of the Year Ben Spring Comment Writer of the Year Imogen Tyreman Outstanding Contribution Jack Gordon

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

5

News | In Brief Got an anonymous tip?

editor@thefounder.co.uk

If you have information about something and think people need to know about it, contact The Founder at either:

newsdesk@thefounder.co.uk

or

News in brief by Thomas Seal

Petition calls on college Ex-Staines students sue to keep back gate open Savile estate and BBC In light of the number of recent attacks on students in the Egham area, Hollowegians are campaigning to have the back gate of campus left open at night, or a swipe-card system introduced, in order that they might avoid the steep, dark mile’s walk up the A30 late at night.

The gate currently closes at 11:15pm during the week and 12:45am on Friday and Saturday nights, but the pe-

tition, which can be read and signed at ‘change.org’, says this isn’t good enough.

The petition currently has over 80 signatories, but will likely need more to effectively persuade campus management, who keep the gates closed late at night to avoid causing tensions with Egham residents due to noise complaints.

RHUL alumnus plays Osama Bin Laden RHUL Drama graduate (Class of 2004) Ricky Sekhon, 29, plays the world’s most infamous terrorist in the Hollywood blockbuster currently on screens, ‘Zero Dark Thirty’.

Reported in the Staines Informer, Sekhon did not know the extent of his role in the film, and lost 25 pounds and learnt basic Arabic during the weeks before shooting, though his appearance in the film is very brief. Speaking about the experience, he said: ‘My diet and exercise regime affected my mood quite

a bit, but all of the reading I was doing was a good distraction. I picked through all of the literature...to try to build a coherent account and character of the man I was playing.’

He described the role as ‘eyeopening’.

In news surely reassuring to current drama students at Holloway, he added: ‘I had some fantastic lecturers on my drama course and made a very good set of friends who are all now working successfully in the industry.’

Magna Carta Centre scrapped Runnymede Borough Council’s corporate management committee cancelled all plans to build a £8m visitor centre on Runnymede meadow on 31 January.

The centre was originally conceived to mark the 800th anniversary of the signing of the famous charter, which King John was forced to sign on the fields (visible from Kingswood Halls), limiting his monarchical powers and

ushering in a new epoch of governance.

Campaigners are reportedly ‘delighted’ at the decision, who felt the project would be environmentally irresponsible and a threat to the ‘integrity of Runnymede Common’. An alternative, smaller-scale monument is now under consideration by the council.

Several ex-students of Duncroft Approved School for Girls in Staines are suing both the Jimmy Savile Estate and the BBC for being complicit in covering up a series of incidents ranging from ‘inappropriate behaviour’ to ‘serious sexual abuse’.

The TV and radio presenter, who died in October 2011, was said to have ‘free reign’ at the all-girls school in the 1970s. These claims now join a total of 214 criminal offences across

28 police forces, which are reported to include 34 rapes and 126 indecent acts on children as young as eight.

His £4m estate has been frozen by NatWest.

The ex-students are part of a group of 31 alleged sex abuse victims of Savile, who have obtained a writ from the High Court through Manchesterbased legal firm Pannone on Wednesday 13 February, pursuing a series civil claims for compensation.

THE FOUNDER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: Deadline: nominations for SURHUL Elections 25th February Next submissions deadline for The Founder 27th February Library Fines Day (Fines go to charity) 1st March ‘Rope’, presented by Drama Soc. 2nd-5th March

SURHUL Elections Week Campaigning 4th-8th March (avoid Windsor and Bedford!)

Exec. Committee Candidates’ Question Time 4th March 7pm SU Main Hall Sabb, Trustee, Media and RAG Question Time: 5th March 7pm SU Main Hall Voting 6th-8th March Results 9th March 6:30pm in Medicine

If you’d like The Founder to advertise or cover your event, just contact the Editor at editor@thefounder.co.uk.

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

6

News

News

College News

Happy 10th Birthday to Community Action!

On Thursday 14 February, Royal Holloway’s Community Action celebrated 10 years of service to the local community, clocking up an amazing 50,000 hours of student volunteering since 2002.

There are currently over 2,000 registered volunteers and over 170 Community Partner organisations regularly joining forces to enhance life in the local community.

At the anniversary reception attended by the Mayor of Runnymede, some of the many students, staff, and partners who have been involved with Community Action over the years gathered in the Picture Gallery where

Vice - Principal Bob O’Keefe thanked everyone and spoke about the many milestones achieved in the last ten years.

These highlights included students being presented with Higher Education Volunteering Awards in 2004, 2007 and 2008 for student-led voluntary ESOL and ICT projects with young refugees and asylum seekers; the launch of the Big Spring Clean initiative in 2007 where the local community was invited to submit project requests for teams of volunteers to respond to; the national Student Volunteering Week which has been celebrated by hosting a Community Partners Lunch, during which

18 prestigious Volunteering England Gold Awards have been presented by the Mayor of Runnymede to students who show leadership, dedication, and achievement through their volunteering.

Phil Simcock, Community Action Volunteer Manager said: “It is fantastic to celebrate our success over the last ten years. We have worked hard to establish good practice and develop strong connections with the local community.

“This could not have been achieved without the dedication and commitment shown by our student volunteers who have worked tirelessly and with

great enthusiasm to make a real difference. Here’s to the next decade!”

Community Action’s 10 Year anniversary celebrations were scheduled to coincide with this year’s Student Volunteering Week. As part of this, The Inspire Project enhanced a local estate in Englefield Green by making hanging baskets and potted plants to be displayed at the front of houses.

In addition, Royal Holloway’s Alumni Fund supported an art installation community project which will be brought together and displayed in the Windsor Building to commemorate 10 years of action in the community.

SSHH! Bus Service Update As you will be aware, Royal Holloway and the SU were recently pleased to announce that the SSHH bus service now runs on extended hours, as a trial in response to feedback from students.

The service is now available every day of the week from 6.00pm from the top of Medicine Hill and will take you to the train station or home if you live within a three mile radius of campus. All for the bargain price of £1.00 – or cheaper still with a £20 annual pass. This exten-

sion is in addition to the current service running every day which finishes only when everyone (including student staff) has been taken home from the latest closing venue. The College has been pleased to financially support this extension of hours and are grateful to the SU and student staff who have worked to secure the increased service.

Why do we encourage students to use the SSHH bus at night to get home? Firstly we see

it as the safest way to get home. The area remains one of the safest in the country and crime is fortunately rare, but using the bus minimises risk to yourself even further by making sure you avoid dark, unlit roads or short cuts. In addition it is the quiet way to get home - students making their way home at night should be respectful to the local community and not cause a disturbance and that’s why SSHH means Silent Students, Happy Homes after all!

Do you have opinions on...

Charging for and availability of PARKING? Our levels of POLLUTION? PEDESTRIANISING parts of campus?

Tell us about them in the Travel and Transport Survey!

4th – 8th March Look out for more information in the Catering Outlets and on eCampus. flickr/cdsessums

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

7

Editorial Comment

Gay Marriage: A Queer Turn of Events Resident devil’s advcoate Toby Fuller cautions some of those fighting for equality at RHUL not to turn so quickly on those who might help them On the 5th of February the streets of Soho were suspended in a febrile tension. Finally, accompanied by the sound of glugging Sancerre, it was broken by the news of the passing of the second reading of the government’s gay marriage bill. Hurrah for equality and a doff of the hat to liberty – all seemed well in the sceptered isle. Alas, not two weeks since the vote, those who had purported to fight against bigotry and oppression began to demonstrate an ignorant bellicosity of their own.

Last week a group of our fellow Hollowegians planned to photograph same-sex couples in a mock-marriage scenario in the college chapel.

The objective was to then turn these photographs into Valentines cards that could be sent to The Right Honourable Philip Hammond MP to remind him of his constituents’ feelings toward his rejection of the gay marriage bill. It was indeed an entertaining idea, not entirely void of any symbolic significance, though certainly not the most profound of political statements.

However, the students’ request for

permission to photograph within the chapel itself was denied. It was reported that one of the reasons for not allowing access was due to the differing opinions within the Christian denominations regarding the sanctity of gay marriage; essentially, some do not believe the institution of marriage should be applicable to homosexual couples. To avoid ‘politicising’ a religious space, it was decided that it would be best not to use the chapel itself but the outside area of the entrance.

Of course, to any sane and rational member of our tolerant society, the chaplaincy’s decision was entirely correct. The Marriage Bill itself proposes an exemption for any religious institution that finds its doctrine incompatible with homosexual marriages. And yet the reaction of many at Royal Holloway was one of outrage and disgust; how dare somebody differ from us in their conception of unity between two individuals.

Comments were twisted, words corrupted and the chaplaincy were immediately labelled homophobes and bigots. Naturally, the first wave

of attack came in the form of the Photos: Shahi Ghani digitalized tirade on social media.

Once shielded behind the screen of their insipid online personas and all rationality cast out of mind, calls for the resignation of chaplaincy staff began to ring throughout the twittersphere.

In the past few months I have spent a significant amount of my time hunched over pints in the corner of pubs, attempting to persuade certain friends and acquaintances that the granting homosexual couples to marry would not impinge upon religious rights and liberties.

On this rare occasion, I concede that I may have been mistaken.

Regardless of the tolerance that has been shown toward sexual minorities, many have been ideologically blinded in assuming that equality negates diversity. Despite being granted the right to marry, many have embarked upon a relentless charge against all those who hold contrary views and beliefs. In the struggle for equality, the fervour of an extreme few now seeks to warp and manipulate the institutions of others for their own ends.

When I spoke and wrote of gay marriage in the past, I did so supporting legislation based upon the freedom and equality of the individual. However, I did not consent to my socially constructed and forcibly categorised sexual identity to be pinned upon the banner of any facAmnesty Soc’s ‘RHUL for Gay Marriage’ event, in Founder’s Chapel tion that seeks to erode and antagoand North Quad. Above: Anna Mikelsone and Hannah Russell, left: nise the religious rights of others.

Hilary Summers and Laura Hutchinson, below: the activists gathered.

These attacks on religious institutions also appear to expose the disturbingly neurotic desire for some sexual minorities to conform to established social orders; the need to exist within a pseudo-heterosexual monogamous relationship, masochistically delighting in the stagnation of bourgeois domesticity. Those of us who once enjoyed an existence on the fringes of society, challenging conventional conceptions of sexuality, have now been forcibly assimilated into perceived social expectations and mores. Nothing repels me more.

Some within the gay community have turned their back on the principles on which they have established their social acceptance, betraying the tolerance that has treated us so well.

Upon that night in Soho I proudly bore witness to one of the last battles to be fought in the field of civil rights. Yet as with all acts of liberation, one always risks resembling the tyranny that one so eagerly sought to overthrow.

& Why the next Pope is crucial for us all 8

Comment

Dominic Pini Deputy C&D Editor In recent years, it has been very ‘trendy’ for newspapers to pillory and ridicule religion. While I feel that it is important to question our spiritual leaders, it seems that in a post 9/11 world, much of this antipathy has been directed towards Islam.

To me, the cause for concern is much more virulent and immediate than any alleged ‘threat’ of ‘Islamisation’.

It has enjoyed a privileged position for over one and a half millennia, and now, I think it is time to clean the lenses of our stained-glassed spectacles and view Catholicism for what it really is; an out-dated device for oppression and repression in dire need of appropriation for today’s society. It is not irreparable, yet.

‘Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus’ This haunting quotation is the mantra for many Catholics, and literally translates as ‘outside the church there is no salvation.’ It is this dogmatic view that worries me, one that has permeated throughout the Catholic Church from generation to generation. Thomas More may be a name unfamiliar to you; he is the Catholic patron saint of politicians and statesmen, and yet in the 16th Century, he was responsible for the immolation of many so-called ‘heretics’ who had the temerity to read the Bible in English. Galileo was sentenced to life imprisonment in the 17th Century due to his equally malignant teachings on heliocentrism that apparently contradicted the Bible, and therefore must be wrong: a sentence which was later reduced to living the rest of his life under house-arrest. In the 19th Century, the colonial slave trade was a highly contentious issue, having been supported for many centuries by the Catholic Church.

Papacy is a big deal. I never thought I’d write those words, but the more I researched this article,

the more I have come to see how crucial the leader of a religion with an estimated 1.4 billion adherents is.

As, I am sure, many of you are aware; Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation due to ill-health last week, making him the first Pontiff to resign in nearly 600 years; and only the third ever. With such a large, devoted following, it is axiomatic that this decision has the possibility to change the world, and therefore its importance isn’t just limited to Catholics. It’s important for all of us.

In the early 20th Century, the most ‘radical’ agenda was the women’s suffrage movement, one that Pope Pius XI allegedly condemned as ‘undermining the divinely founded obedience of the wife to her husband and a false deflection from her true and sole role as mother and homemaker’.

A heart-warming sentiment there.

During Hitler’s rise to power in the mid 20th Century, the Catholic Church was the first to sign a treaty with the Nazis trading a Catholicbacked campaign in exchange for Catholic control of the German schools’ system.

The Vatican has since apologised for many of these transgressions.

However, it has been the Church’s usual defence, when criticised, to dust these deviations from morality under the carpet by saying that these historical events did not just occur within the Church, but were prevalent in all aspects of society, at the time. To me, it seems the Pope, as a spiritual successor to St Peter, ought to have known the difference between what one presumes is the unchanging morality of God, and the relative deviations that occur in different epochs and cultures. But I may well be wrong.

The Catholic Church has been at the centre of a number of highly contentious issues in more recent years too; with questions on homosexuality, the on-going treatment of women, abortion, and the sexual abuse by priests being among some that were raised. The 1980s and early 1990s saw an exponential increase in AIDs cases within Sub-Saharan

Africa, home to 15% of the world’s Catholic population. Pope John Paul II attracted criticism for his position on artificial birth control, including, and most notably: condoms. This one person, who taught that the wearing of condoms is equivalent to murder, and could in fact increase the spread of AIDs, I believe, is surely responsible for the prolonged duration of the AIDs pandemic.

One tends to underestimate the influence that the Pope has, and it is for this reason that he gets away with saying such self–evident codswallop.

It is only recently that the church has

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

Debate rescinded this view in exchange for a programme encouraging “ABC” – Abstinence, Being faithful, and Correct use of Condoms, but again, we return to the notion that if the church can change the views that it claims are divine, how infallible is it?

Not very.

The Pope has responded to these ‘slip-ups’ very badly. After one particular spate of cases concerning sexual abuse (rape) by priests in 2003, a document was sent out to every bishop in the world, which included such phrases as ‘So that these matters be pursued in a most secre-

flickr/T-Oh! & Matt

Does what you just read make you mad?

Release your indignation in a 400-1000 word article!

(Upcoming deadline is 27th February) All submissions to

comment@thefounder.co.uk

tive way, everyone is to be restrained by a perpetual silence under penalty of excommunication.’ One of the co-signatories of this bonkers document was soon-to-be Pope, Joseph Ratzinger. Lamentably, this is not the only example of Catholics betraying trust to avoid scandal.

It is my view that the next Pope should read through the history books. He would see the ‘defining moments’ where mankind progressed intellectually. For instance, the Enlightenment, which was met by the Church with vitriolic hostility, was clearly a step in the right direction of development. Many of the world’s religions at the time were wrong to try and impede, or halt this movement, including the world’s largest, Catholicism. Upon looking at these history books, it would soon become clear that on a worryingly large number of these defining moments, the Vatican or Pope, has voiced trenchant disagreement, and has since been caught on the ‘ugly’ side of history, where it has been forced to apologise and admit being wrong. One cannot help but cringe with embarrassment when one sees scientific advances and then remembers that in the 16th Century, their discoverers would have been arrested, or worse, killed for their inquiry.

I would never say that the Catholic Church is some theatre of immorality, nor did I single out any of the thousands of reasonable, kind individuals whose faith helps them get through this often hard world.

I would however, dare to hope that some day, the Church sees reason, welcomes it, and appoints a forwardthinking man or woman who will modernise the Church, while still maintaining some of the less disturbing traditions. In this way, the vilification of the Vatican, and individuals within the Church, can stop. I dare to hope that the next Pope isn’t another backwards-gazing old male chauvinist with views that would make even the staunchest of BNP supporters raise an eyebrow. That is just me daring to hope. Amen.

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

9

UKIP: bigotry’s smiling face?

Andrew Dolan So to the sound of applause civilisation treads one step further into the abyss and with each step the cheers ring louder. Well, not quite, but there was an undeniable feeling watching Nigel Farage’s most recent appearance on Question Time that, in their overenthusiasm for the UKIP leader’s disingenuous rhetoric, the audience were welcoming the would-be deliverer of their own demise with open, even affectionate arms. Compulsive viewing at best, repulsive at worst.

Farage and UKIP, the ‘non-racist’ party, are undoubtedly a testament

to the times. For only in the midst of one of capitalism’s more developed crises can such parasitical politics flourish so effectively, and perhaps only in noble Britain, where a spade is never quite a spade, so self-deceptively.

For every action there is a reaction and the Farages and Burchills of this world have no doubt been emboldened by these hard times and the contraction of social norms that has followed. The boundaries between politics and hate are becoming increasingly blurred, redrawn even. It

is not enough for the poor to lack in food, warmth and security, they must also, we are told, be deficient in spirit, enterprise, and ultimately, moral character. Even worse is reserved for immigrants and an assortment of underrepresented minorities.

If such political discrimination is the stick with which to divide and beat down the have-nots then nationalism, the great negation of social progress, is most certainly the carrot with which the far right in Britain has attempted to soften the blow and generate support. When it

flickr/European Parliament

comes to vacuous nationalist sentiment, UKIP is its purveyor extraordinaire. Nationalism, exclusionary by definition xenophobic by extension, is once again, in the afterglow of the London Olympics, proving its suitability for such a purpose.

UKIP’s recent success — tempting as many as fifteen per cent of voters according to one recent opinion poll — however, is primarily a consequence of its role as the quintessential ‘protest vote’ for a disgruntled Middle England. And herein lies the problem. The politics of hate momentarily aside, UKIP, like many of its vulture brethren skulking in the political periphery, has opportunistically, yet efficiently concentrated on a small, select group of issues that really do matter and resonate extensively with the discontented public. British military intervention, the democratic deficit that runs to the heart of the European Union, and the moral bankruptcy of the political classes are, among many others, questions that should be central to mainstream political discussion but so often are not, or at best are woefully mishandled.

As Farage’s performance on Question Time underscored, UKIP, operating from the relative safety of the political margins, has out-manoeuvred the cumbersome dominant political parties and constructed a near-monopoly on public discontent surrounding this political neglect and malpractice. Being the outsider, it seems, has its benefits. UKIP’s support is not only growing but also expanding beyond its middle-class stronghold.

UKIP of course, is not the answer to these or any of the problems that plague our state and society. Unsurprisingly for such a reactionary creature, UKIP’s engagement with the above hardly progresses past cheap rhetoric and even cheaper political analysis. A perusal of UKIP’s manifesto reveals their tonic to be little more than a perverted reversion to the ‘good old days’ of the British Empire, complete with a partially reconstituted Commonwealth, a bloated military, and the re-institutionalisation of Victorian attitudes to taxation, poverty, and wider social relations.

Still, despite such incompetence and inconsistencies—most comically, plans to expand workfare, this from the party of laissez-faire capitalism—danger undoubtedly lurks, for if UKIP’s intentions are not coherently challenged and its true vision exposed by those in the spotlight claiming to represent a leftist or liberal political tradition, and so far they have not, then this collection of bigots is in danger not only of further expropriating public discontent but translating it into serious political capital.

We must remember and we must remind others that UKIP is nothing more than the semi-respectable face of hatred, the party of xenophobia, homophobia and just about every other phobia that feeds off challenges to a conception of Britain and a vision for its future that is corrosive, hateful, and ultimately, archaic.

UKIP, a party that draws so much from the past, should play no part in our future.

politicians shouldn’t be allowed to just Selective hearing Why cherrypick the human rights they want Samuel Clements

tions time this coalition, and most importantly the Conservative Party, is going to be in need of something So the House of Commons has to save its reputation given the mess voted overwhelmingly in favour of of the country at the moment. That legalising gay marriage. But why reputation could be saved by this one have Conservative MPs been so momentous decision. quick and so loud in attacking it?

So we know, possibly, why it has Surely denying rights to certain been passed. But why has it taken groups on the grounds of sexual so long?

Surely marriage is a right? orientation amounts to some form We watch the withholding of rights of discrimination. Public opinion, at to African-Americans in 1960’s least amongst the younger generaAmerica with condescension and tions has been strongly in favour of judgement.

Why do politicians fight legalisation. It’s clear that in a genera-

progression when the basic idea is the same? Freedom is not freedom if it’s selectively passed around.

“Freedom is not freedom if it’s selectively passed around.”

Yet those leading ignore this. The concession of Civil Partnership may

have given some legal weight, but this does not amount to equality. I wonder whether in 30-40 years time society will look back and judge us on this.

The clear bigotry of Phillip Hammond’s now-infamous comparison between gay marriage and incest illustrates how Jurassic these opinions seem. I can understand how traditionalism has a certain attraction, but they are trampling over the rights of minority groups. If Asians, Eastern Europeans or women were being ig-

nored there would be uproar, yet gay marriage has been largely subdued in the mass media.

Why is it that blatant bigotry amongst politicians is allowed? It seems that the political ramifications of legalising gay marriage could play out in the Tories favour in the future, but it brings into question why age old homophobia remains acceptable.

While the Conservative party is not the only one guilty of propagating these views, it has been the most prominent. Why is bigotry tolerated?

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

10

Features

I remember first coming across the book ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.’ I cried I was so confused. I was in year six at the time, and had spent the last few weeks studying space, thank you very much, and Mrs Masters had told us all, very distinctly, that no life forms could exist on either Mars or Venus, so just you remember that, children, because it might just come up in your exam.

I knew boys were different to me and all; they couldn’t plait hair, always pinched me in assembly and had Power Rangers, instead of Polly Pockets on their lunch boxes, but they weren’t aliens, surely? So what was this book talking about? It couldn’t be lying. I was eleven years old for god’s sake, as far as I was aware the only person that ever lied was me. Confused and upset I returned home from school. My entire belief in the concept of humanity shattered.

It wasn’t until a few years later, when we studied metaphors, that I finally understood the book’s title.

Until I was about thirteen I just lived with a secret terror that we were, in fact, aliens from other planets and my brother wasn’t even my brother at all but a Martian who’d stolen my surname and always put soap on my toothbrush.

The next question I faced, then, was whether this whole ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus’ thing was true. We are certainly brought up to believe it. From the moment we’re born girls are given a pair of rose-coloured spectacles and boys are given a pair of blue, football shaped spectacles and it’s through these we’re told to forever view the world. Men are from Mars, we’re told, and Mars is a planet filled with beer, goal posts, video games and a thousand centuries’ worth of washing up. Meanwhile, across the universe, is Venus, and on Venus women float around in pink clouds riding unicorns, eating Activia yogurts, having pillow fights, plaiting their pony’s hair and trying on shoes.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think me and this Venus place would get on very well, actually, I’ve always fancied riding a unicorn. However, I’m just one woman. The book isn’t called ‘Men are from Mars and Felicity is from Venus’. It’s generalising all men and women and it’s about time we

be to comprehend, men and women were never on different planets.

We’re all down here, on Earth, together. My dad’s in the kitchen right now getting dinner for god’s sake.

He’s humming the soundtrack to ‘The Animals of Farthing Wood’ and I would definitely not be able to hear him if he was on Mars. I mean, I’ve never been that good at Physics but I’m pretty sure it’s a given that once you’re on a different planet you’re basically out of ear shot. Whatever people say I’m telling you now that your gender never needs to define what you like or what you choose to do. It’s totally fine if you’re a girl who loves fashion. It’s totally fine if you’re a boy who loves fashion. Anybody can love football (though I personally can’t understand why anybody would) and there is definitely no law that means women can’t play video games. It certainly isn’t innate inside that second X chromosome of ours, and while we're on that neither is not being able to park cars or always crying at ‘The Notebook’.

realised how restrictive and even harmful these stereotypes are.

These versions of masculinity and femininity really do belong on different planets, because there isn’t any room for them here on Earth.

Earth isn’t full of men and women, it’s full of human beings who cover a huge personality spectrum and cannot be generalised or summed up by the equipment they’ve got going on downstairs. It seems silly that we deprive ourselves and our children of 50% of the world’s pleasures, gifts and enjoyments just because we insist on gendering everything. Why must it be football or ballet? Why can’t it be both? All that twirling around on your tip toes in big puffy dresses, I mean, it can only help on the pitch.

I’m going to be controversial here, I’m afraid. Sorry, John Gray, but you're wrong. This whole, ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus’ thing? Yeah, it’s a lie. Hard as it may

“These versions of masculinity and femininity really do belong on different planets, because there isn’t any room for them here on Earth.”

A recent report in the Huffington Post only proves my point (in a far more effective way and using actual scientific research, so really, to be honest, stop reading this and go and read that instead). No one can dispute the real physical differences between men and women; however, what we can dispute is just how much we can gender characteristics, traits or interests. According to this recent psychological study, it is almost always impossible to discern whether somebody is male or female simply by looking at their character traits. We might like to assume men are more assertive or women more compassionate, but simply looking at the characteristics of an individual gives us no accurate indication of their gender. We are all of us, many things. Why must we define ourselves so completely based

on whether or not we stand up when we pee? If it really came down to it, I mean, I even tried it once, at a festival, I could stand up to pee as well.

If you don’t believe me, I will prove it and trust me it isn’t something you want to witness.

Men and women aren’t different species; they’re two ends of the same spectrum. Gender shouldn’t be polarised, it’s not a multiple choice question with only two answers it’s a gradual scale, with male on one end and female on the other. There aren’t light-years of space and stars, scary comets or aliens with seventeen eyeballs floating around in-between them. Gender is a line, we all fall somewhere on that line and wherever we are on it is absolutely fine and absolutely normal. The truth is ‘Men are from Earth and, oh wait, Women are from Earth too, that’s a bit awkward’. However, I do appreciate that doesn’t make for quite such a good book title.

Next deadline

Felicity King asks: what’s in a chromosome anyway?

The next deadline is midnight Wednesday 27th February

X marks the spot

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

11

Features My guess is that you’ve seen more photographs of the Taj Mahal than you can count on both hands and feet. So why do people travel halfway around the world to visit a building that they can most likely see with their eyes shut? I was thinking the exact same thing when I got the 5am wake-up call from the receptionist at my hotel - ‘wake up, wake up, time to see the Taj!’ All I wanted to do was crawl under the covers in my comfy air-conditioned room, but no, instead I climbed on a minibus (if you can even call it that, it was more like a shed with wheels) and then a rickshaw, which I can assure you at 5am was not pleasant. (In case you are unaware, a rickshaw ride includes numerous near death experiences and an uncomfortable proximity to

wandering cows.)

As if I thought this was bad enough, I then had to get past the street vendors, which felt like I was taking on a full-blown rugby team!

Make eye contact with just one of them and you may as well wave your white flag right there and then! No, I did not want a Taj Mahal snow globe or miniature model, but hats off to anyone who manages to avoid purchasing one of these delightful souvenirs.

By the time I’d reached the gates of the Taj Mahal, feeling rather smug about surviving the street vendors, I then had to go through the laborious task of what was basically an outdoors version of airport security.

This mission was made considerably more exciting having seen a monkey

ride past on a motorbike, although the time being way before 7am it was still all a little more than I could handle.

When I finally made it inside the outer gates I was hungry, tired and hot, so not in the best of moods. And I still hadn’t seen this bloody building! Tentatively walking around the corner and through the archway I got my first peek at the Taj Mahal and although I am slightly ashamed to admit it, my eyes teared up.

Now I’m not normally a girl who cries at just anything, let alone a 400year old building, but there is something about this lump of marble that has the ability to take your breath away. At first, its outline resembled a ghost on the horizon but as time went on the sun began to rise, cast-

IS THE TAJ MAHAL

by Maddie Barber

flickr/Birger Hoppe

ing a golden glow onto the dome of the Taj. This made it seem more majestic than I think any photographer could ever capture.

After going through the routine touristy activities, including queuing to sit on Diana’s bench and planking in front of the Taj (yes, that happened), I made my way up to the main building. A little concerned when I was approached by two young men who asked me to cover my feet with what looked like plastic bags, I obliged (I’d seen Slumdog Millionaire and was not prepared to give up my shoes any time soon).

Standing at the base of the Taj Mahal looking up, there is no description to do its size justice, except maybe that I now know what an ant feels like outside Founder’s build-

ing. You would think that decoration on a building that size would lose its detail, but the intricate designs engraved on the entrance are like nothing I’ve ever seen - so complex and elaborate, but also so delicate they look like they belong on your gran’s glassware.

I had been completely transformed from a grumpy fed up traveler to an inspired and elated explorer - and the reason for this? Simply one glance at this marble phenomenon that goes by the name of the Taj Mahal. So if you ever find yourself wondering, is it really worth the air miles when I can just Google it? The answer is yes, it is totally worth the trip, and I can guarantee you won’t regret it.

If you’re lucky, you might even see a monkey riding a motorbike…

WORTH THE TRIP?

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

12

Features

Who run the world? grounding. She encourages women to be powerful, independent, driven and smart in the lyrics of ‘Run the World (Girls)’, whilst the music video is a virtually unrelated combinaBeyoncé has been teetering on the tion of overtly sexual dancing and edge of being heralded as the face clothing which leaves nothing to the of contemporary feminism for her imagination. belief in female empowerment and In her latest controversies, Beyoncé inspiring music, but after her recent is criticised for her ‘pornographic’ underwear shoot for GQ and proSuper Bowl show, and happily poses vocative performance at the Super in her underwear in GQ, laying Bowl, she has been in the firing line down her dignity and any trace of of disenchanted feminists worldwide. feminist values to enhance her career You only have to Google ‘Beyoncé’ and earn money. In the accompanyand ‘feminism’ to uncover a mine of ing interview for GQ, however, she angry and disappointed blog posts seems horrified that ‘men [have] the about Beyoncé’s hypocrisy, and it has power to define value. They define

Rosanna Harkin

what's sexy. And men define what's feminine. It's ridiculous.’ It isn’t exactly a flawless message.

I feel in the minority of feminists that fully embraces Beyoncé. It is sad to me that her hugely positive influence is being trashed because of some kind of invented feminist law forbidding women to embrace their sexiness. Yes, Beyoncé does contradict herself, but I think we can let her off; most of us do.

I’m not sure when the intangible ‘Rule-Book of Feminism’ was written and came to be accepted with its commandments and criticism, but it seems to me that little progress is going to be made with such an exclu-

sive approach, and such condemning backlash.

The history books are estranged, the speeches judgmental and intimidating, and the way that proud feminists are sidestepped and ostracised does nothing to encourage support.

Before Beyoncé I wanted nothing to do with feminism; it was embarrassing.

She shows women of all ages that one can be both financially and emotionally independent, successful, sexy and feminine. This is the new feminism. There are huge numbers of young women who embrace the values of feminism but are alienated by its austerity: women who are un-

sure and inquisitive, feeling their way through the middle ground. Beyoncé is one of those women. She does not so much claim to be the face of feminism as admit to her uncertainty: ‘I think I am feminist in a way. It’s not something I consciously decided I was going to be […] I love being a woman and I love being a friend to other women.’

Who are we to denounce Beyoncé, when the other women competing as influential role-models are Paris Hilton, Cheryl Cole, and Rihanna? If you ask me, what feminism needs is a bit of encouragement and solidarity.

flickr/asterix611

Beyoncé performing in Central Park, New York, in 2011. But do her lyrics promote female empowerment or do they unintentially reinforce existing power structures?

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

13

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The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

Holloway Sunset |

Holloway

p i c t u r e s @ t h e f o

‘The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire’ | Thomas Seal

Showcasing the best scenery a Holloway lifestyle. If you’ve tak of recently, send it in with a comm the prize of a page

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

y View

o u n d e r. c o . u k

and moments of the Royal ken a shot that you’re proud mentary and the best will get print to itself!

Midnight in Paris | Efat Hameed

| Josie Tutty

15

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

16

Advice No-one knows quite how old he is, but it is rumoured he’s been at Holloway since it was only for women. ...which, at least, explains why he came here...

Uncle Fullfrontle

Y

our faithful Uncle Fullfrontle has his very own, first time exclusive entry. I pose myself a question in inward contemplation, a self posed query to which the only answer is found deep within the burnt out husk that is my heart.

Can it be? That your very own prophet of the promised land has lost his way? Uncle Fullfrontle, whomsoever that enigma of love, that agent d'amour, that pontifex of passion is, has been dumped.

Over the cries of the thousand strong harem crying on behalf of my sorrow, I come to an important epiphany. My recently found solo-status is a balancing of the universe and no mistake. The SU has been woefully ignored by the lacklustre nature of the freshmen and women of this University.

An extra-mural activity of high esteem on campus. It seems that this year's fresh are the offspring of the unhappy coupling of a dead hermit and discarded wanking sock. My good friend, the owner of the faithful off-license off campus, the quartermaster of quench, has imparted his woes upon me, as ever the strong shoulder to cry on.

'The fresh are shit,' he moans, 'and the end of Lash loving life, is upon us', 'save us' he goes on. You you can lead these anti-social ducks to water, but you can’t force them to see off a dozen VKs in quick succession he goes on to say.

I am here to tell you faithful friends of the bottle:L there is a storm coming and I will lead the charge. The SU better batten down its hatches and hold its VKs close because Uncle Fullfrontle is coming to town.

Where we come together and partake in the higher education of Lash.

Dear Uncle Fullfrontle, My boyfriend and I are going through relationship problems. I feel I can't trust him when he goes out drinking and he just doesn't give me enough attention to make me feel special.

How do I talk to him without causing issues in an already rocky period of our relationship?

Stephanie, Founders

D

eal with it Stephanie. This is Uncle Fullfrontle's week.

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

17

Arts

Playhouse Creatures

Becky Tabb reviews the Drama Society’s latest offering

“

Playhouse creatures they called you: like you were animals”, this line taken from April De Angelis' play ‘Playhouse Creatures’, summarises not only what her play was about, but even our own fascination with the people we call 'celebrities'. When I walked into Jane Holloway Hall on opening night, I had no idea what to expect, but from the moment doors opened I was intrigued. Aside from the lack of tankard brimming with mead; the atmosphere that director Elizabeth Nicholson and crew had created was enough to make me feel transported back into the restoration period.

The plot centres around - arguably - the first famous female actress Nell Gwyn, and the troop of women who acted alongside her. What starts as an innocent, even charmingly comic play, soon becomes darker when the plight of the actress becomes clear.

Despite being set in 1663 and exploring the first women actresses on the stage, the play is also a mirror image to our own time where the quandary of each character is relatable even now.

Mrs Betterton - who was the first woman to play several of Shakespeare’s leading ladies - was portrayed by the fantastic Hannah Cartwright. Despite this character being aged several years older than the rest, no handy make-up and talcum powder was required to reflect this; such was the acting of Cartwright that at several points throughout the play I had assumed she was older than even me! Yet her demise was the rise of the younger starlets of the period.

Gabriella Moran and Bethan Sullivan excellently play two of these rising stars-Mrs Farley and Mrs Marshall.

Both women explore the narrow line between roles of actress and Courtesan that plagued the first women actresses. Moran as Mrs Far-

ley starts of as an insufferable classist, but when she falls pregnant and is last seen begging to the audience, you cannot help but feel sympathy for her. And Sullivan as Mrs Marshall, the posh girl with the language of the sailor, had a brave role: at one point, she walked onto stage with (pretend) faeces in her hair, and later she attempts to perform an on-stage abortion with great skill.

These three women were contrasted by two very different but stand out performances. Garen Abel-Unokan, who portrayed Doll Common, was fantastic. Her comic timing was second to none, and her dry sense of humour was favoured by the whole audience.

“The actresses were faultless” Then there was Nell Gwyn-who is the core of this play as we see her meteoric rise to fame. Played by the faultless Sophie Mullender, who captured not only Gwyn’s coarse upbringing and bawdy life but also her comic timing-she brought the play to life with her jokes, her jigs and her naivety.

The actresses were faultless and massive congratulations to Nicholson and her crew for finding five fantastic female leads. Despite a few personal discrepancies over costume choice and lighting, it truly was a marvellous play: To me they were more than just playhouse creatures.

Directors and producers...

Send us your show posters!

We will devote as much space as possible to advertising campus shows, so why not take advantage of the free publicity?

E-mail them to

arts@thefounder.co.uk

Please recycle this newspaper when you’re finished!

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

18

Arts

THE CAT-OLOGUE

Catherine Kay remembers Salman Rushdie’s timeless 1981 novel, Midnight’s Children

I

ndia: a country as beautiful as it is heart-breaking. It plays host to some of the world’s richest business élite as well as some of the world’s poorest people. It has been attacked, colonised, used and abused, because everyone wants a piece of this mystical, mesmerising country.

India recently hit the headlines because of the violent attacks on women in Delhi. Worryingly, these are the continuation of a trend rather than isolated incidents. Despite, and because of the recent horrific events, Indian women are bravely protesting

and campaigning for change. Could it be that a renewed sense of equality is the faint silver lining of the very dark cloud that hangs over India?

It seemed a poignant time to look at one of the greatest novels to be written about India. The novel is set on the turn of India’s independence, but, as the novel’s protagonist, Saleem, discovers, the road to freedom is a long and challenging one.

Even were it not for the fascinating socio-historical narrative this book offers, it would be worth reading purely to be audience to Rushdie’s

inimitable storytelling. His words are utterly hypnotic. Somehow, his narrator’s voice is down-to-earth, whilst setting in motion sentences that do with words what origami does with paper.

“Rushdie’s words are utterly hypnotic” Without throwing out spoilers,

‘Midnight’s Children’ is a marvel. It unravels at a pace that at one moment urges you to slow down and take in every detail of the scene, and at another, carries you along, highspeed, with the emotional currents of its story.

Despite its intricate and troubled history, India retains a certain fervour that is expressed in the swirling colours and irrepressible spirit of this complex yet captivating country.

Rushdie’s work of art deserves a hallowed place on our bookshelves and in our hearts. Much time has elapsed

since the events which set in motion Saleem’s story, and India has grown, blossomed and faced more different problems. Yet, the emerging first pages of the book show that India has an immense capacity for change.

The book also shows us that it is both the individual and the wider community that matter. Let us hope, that, person by person, little by little, India sees positive changes in gender equality and a more equal distribution of finances, whilst remaining that colourful, indescribable vitality that can only be described as Indian.

flickr/sofiabudapest

Bryony Lavery’s Frozen Review

“Navigating the arctic frozen sea that is the criminal brain.”

Olivia Soutter

I arrived at the Boilerhouse Theatre to see ‘Frozen’ thoroughly unprepared for the night ahead, knowing only that the play is about the workings of the criminal mind. Little did I know that I would be hit with some of the best acting I have ever encountered.

Bryony Lavery’s play follows the story of Ralph, a serial killer, and Nancy, the mother of one of his victims. They are linked by Doctor Agnetha, a psychoanalyst who is searching for the reason behind such

killings by interviewing murderers such as Ralph, whilst also coming to terms with the recent death of her research partner and friend.

A truly psychological play, ‘Frozen’ proved emotionally provocative, with many audience members shedding a tear. The monochrome set and clever use of projection and recorded voices created a sparse staging which offset the intense monologues of all three characters flawlessly. Liam Blain’s brave directorial choices – such as beginning the second act outside before the audience re-entered the theatre; chilly but effective – definitely paid off, with smooth scene transitions and excellent use of space

and lighting.

The true stars of the night, however, were the actors. Brad St. Leger as Ralph completely embodied his character to the point of seeming much older, perfecting his use of body language to create the persona of a true mentally scarred criminal.

Frankie Abbley as Doctor Agnetha moved seamlessly from scene to scene with thrilling dark undertones to her business-like exterior. Rachel Burnham embraced her first lead role at Royal Holloway, with the aplomb of a true actress, portraying Nancy with finesse and the raw emotion of a mother who has lost her child; a performance that moved

many to tears. I must also applaud Ed Silipo on his performance as the Guard; despite the fact that he didn’t speak a word he still managed to prompt a few laughs in a play that

was anything but comic.

All in all, ‘Frozen’ was a moving and captivating performance that was well worth seeing. Congratulations to all involved.

Student Workshop, Boilerhouse February 6th-8th 2013, directed by Liam Blain

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

19

Arts

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

20

Music

Biffy Clyro, Opposites Album Review New album keeps Scotch rockers Biffy Clyro radio friendly, says Sean Littlejohn It’s been just over three years since Biffy Clyro released their mainstream breakthrough ‘Only Revolution’, which saw them shortlisted for the 2010 Mercury Prize at the expense of their experimental, pseudo-prog roots, by instead opting for a more radio-friendly sound. So much so that X-Factor winner Matt Cardle released a cover of their single ‘Many of Horror’ (released as ‘When We Collide’). And now comes their much-anticipated sixth studio album ‘Opposites’, and the question on people’s lips is whether they’ll stick with their ‘Top 40’ formula or whether they’ll take a step back and offer up something a bit different.

Well, on balance ‘Opposites’ is pretty much along the same lines as its predecessor, lacing its more risky songs with easy-to-listen-to radio

fodder like the two current sing-along hits ‘Stingin’ Belle’ and ‘Black Chandelier’. But the hidden gems, the songs that will go unnoticed when the ‘Greatest Hits’ era comes knocking, are the ones that are really worth the time to listen to. Opening track ‘Different People’ is a slow starter that erupts into life with one of their catchiest riffs to date, and the raw aggressive energy of ‘Modern Magic Formula’ is more reminiscent of ‘Puzzles’-era Biffy; it’s a nice throwback for old-school fans.

‘Opposites’ is pretty much along the same lines as its predecessor ‘Opposites’ is billed as a two-disc

‘double album’ featuring (as the title suggests) two collections of songs with contrasting moods. ‘The Sand at the Core of our Bones’ has a more sombre lyrical tone, more retrospective and melancholy, while ‘The Land at the End of our Toes’ is more hopeful, more upbeat, and in general more positive. But the option to purchase this as a ‘single edition’ – one disc featuring a mixture of songs from both discs, appears to defeat the purpose of this, and seems an incentive for people to pay substantially more for the deluxe edition and the full experience as intended.

But overlooking this minor gripe, ‘Opposites’ - while lacking the invigorating energy of their earlier material - is a thoroughly enjoyable listen and easily approachable to both old and new fans alike.

The Joy Formidable, Wolf’s Law Review have returned with a much louder and heavier record than its predecessor and are not afraid to hide it: riffs become more aggressive; orchestras he Joy Formidable’s debut are added to their choruses; vocals album ‘The Big Roar’, released alter between tender melodies and back in 2011, was a record grandiose stadium would-be-anpacked with dreamy rock-pop tunes thems. but that still had that little edge ‘This Ladder is Ours’ is an audaembedded in it – possibly because of cious reminder of the band’s comeRitzy Bryan’s badass attitude (a girl back and their hunger to climb, strive with a guitar, yes!). The Welsh trio and improve. ‘Little Blimp’ comes

Sara Hussein

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close to Matt Bellamy’s falsetto vocals in the chorus, whilst ‘Silent Treatment’ is stripped from its turbulent and agitated surrounding tracks with a soft bare music structure. It gives ‘Wolf ’s Law’ a pleasant break before picking up the pace again for the remaining five tracks.

There are times, however, that the album seems to slack in its content.

Some tracks are spoiled by little particularities that are easily picked

up. If it wasn’t for the irritable ‘mawmaw’ vocal effects (that sounds like an ensemble of drunken cats), the song, funnily called ‘Maw Maw Song’, would be a great track. With trembling quasi-metal effects, guitars here take the spotlight and closely resemble Muse’s guitar style. ‘The Hurdle’ has a predictable vocal structure in its opening and one could be easily prompted to press fast-forward.

‘The Turnaround’ is probably the

most soppy and emotional ballad on the album. The ensemble of strings and extra percussion really dramatise the track, albeit unnecessarily.

Perhaps not as dreamy as the first, ‘Wolf ’s Law’ is a pleasant album to listen to. The record has been fermenting for a while and it deserves its appraisal. However, it needs a few spins before you really start to appreciate what The Joy Formidable have done and accomplished.

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

21

Music

Delphic, Collections Review Katie Osmon Music Editor

It’s been three long years since Delphic’s debut album ‘Alcolyte’ was released. For two of those years, the band has been working on ‘Collections’. The wait for the most part simply wasn’t worth it.

Though sadly seriously underrated

in terms of industry awards recognition back in 2010, the band’s debut was a skilfully executed and exciting take on an increasingly oversubscribed genre. Their follow-up fails to be either innovative or seamless.

Indeed ‘Collections’ feels clumsy and

BANKING ON JACOB

Jacob Banks, The Monologue Josh Dedman EP Review

M

r Jacob Banks is much like many of us; he’s young, working hard for his engineering degree and struggling with love and loss…bar one key difference: This guy’s powerful vocals and earthy guitar style has turned heads, got him linking with Plan B, secured him a MOBO UnSung award, and set him up for a tour of the country.

The brummie in the suave jacket and bow tie succeeds in bringing the soulful skills crafted by his idols Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Marvin Gaye in the 1970s, into the context of today – no mere task! With ‘Kids on the Corner’ acting as the lead single heading up his debut EP ‘The Monologue’, he draws his inspiration from the dramas of the London riots of 2011, and with ‘Raining Day’ he extends this to the inner city turmoil he experienced growing up in Bir-

mingham.

The commanding piano thumping, which opens up the EP with ‘Worthy’, sets the pace and style for much of the following seven tracks. Though all offering their own tale, ‘YOLO’ is a track that stands alone for me (and for many other reviewers) in its poignant lyrics, soaring vocals and heavy beat. Speaking explicitly and honestly of the battles his community have experienced in embracing the few opportunities they’re given, he shows insight beyond his years.

This EP manages to balance the energy of social angst with a few concealed love ballads, notably ‘Dear Simone’. If Jacob was trying to recreate that 70's Motown, ‘let's-makebabies-but-not-without-sending-amessage’ sound, then that's exactly what he’s achieved! Definitely one to watch with his debut album due out later this year.

Want to advertise your band’s gig to 6,000 students?

Or write a review of a show you’ve just seen?

Get in touch at :

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ill-at-ease.

‘Changes’, for example, starts with a simple piano and subsequently turns into some kind of malformed, bass-ridden disaster, all ricocheting off an awkwardly placed drummachine. And then if that wasn’t enough, they see an opening for a synthesiser and chuck that in as well. Honestly, if a gospel choir had pitched in, I wouldn’t have been entirely surprised! Then there’s the composition for ‘Tears Before Bedtime’, which includes a woman’s voice on a telephone coupled with a piano; I don’t understand why. I’m sure that someone, somewhere, will say “it’s

artistic”. Fair enough: I put it to you that it’s a desperate album-filler at best. Not content with electro pop, Delphic test out a few other genres; hip-hop infiltrates the track ‘Exotic’ as a completely out-of-place rap coupled with a synthetic beat box. ‘Atlas’ represents 6-minutes of my life that I will never get back; a track that has all the effect of a lullaby until a series of lacklustre dubstep breakdowns temporarily revives it.

Not all the album is dire; there are certainly a few good tracks. ‘Memeo’ in particular is a brilliant easygoing electro-infused track that will hopefully bring the band massive

commercial success. The lead single ‘Baiya’ is also pretty catchy, but the issue with this album is that these tracks stand out against a backdrop of a musical wasteland.

‘Collections’ couldn’t be a less appropriate title since there is simply nothing collective or cohesive about this album. The band appears creatively bankrupt – perhaps excessive touring is to blame? Whatever the reason, taking out so much time has proved a massive mistake for the trio; electro pop has moved on and left Delphic far behind. If you used to like Delphic, give Everything Everything’s album ‘Arc’ a listen.

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

22

Music

Most of the Boys

Sasha Siem at the Royal Opera House

Is music the food of love? CH Richards feels queasy...

I

n life, some you win; some you lose. Royal Holloway was founded in Egham; ‘nuff said.

But some people out there don’t seem to inhabit the calorie-counting, penny-pinching, delayed-train world of mortals like us. They plop, fullyformed, from the womb; ready to shimmy their perfect hair and tight buns in our adoringly asymmetrical faces. Sasha Siem is a hallucination in a ball dress. She walks onto the stage to a percussion of popping eyes and rolling tongues. Casual lechery aside Siem is also a musician of considerable pedigree.

Having learnt her trade in the rarified circles of Cambridge and Harvard, the nine songs (sorry, ‘mini-operas’) making up ‘Most Of The Boys’ represent a fluid mixture of dance, song, and highly innovative composition. Siem’s music reflects

her classical strings background but with a twist - a bit of con legno here, mad pizzicato there. One tremolo is even created with the judicious application of a chopstick. Pre-rehearsal chow mein? One can only wonder.

Lyrics are equally inventive; the “Kissing is for the cowardly/ Who know no other way/ To kill what they can’t commit to” – easy to relate to for a jaded old sod like me. Some are deliciously filthy; listen to “Kind Man’s Kiss” and you’ll never look at a rotisserie chicken the same way. The staging was also first class; effortless dancing from Siem and her fourpiece accompaniment complimented the starkly downlit Linbury Studio Theatre. My only gripe wasn’t so much with her silky vocal chords – she has a fine, well-trained singing voice with a touching frailty – but more with its unnecessarily con-

1 February

servative application at times. In a couple of songs she risked a little more bite, a little more raw power, and the results were striking. But for much of the performance she relied on the same breathy, unremarkable tone. The music, lyrics and staging set an exceptionally high standard that her vocal abilities perhaps can’t quite presently match, but Siem is certainly one to watch for the future.

And watch people will. Is it really awful misogyny to need to fall in love with the singer to fall in love with their music? Music is terribly bound up with love, after all. There’s many a girl in fair England been treated to the dubious benefit of a CH Richards’ mixtape. But this navel-gazing aside, ‘Most of the Boys’ was a thoroughly enjoyable concert by a supremely talented cast.

Ninunina.com

flickr/dumbledad

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

23

Film

Frankenweenie on DVD and Blu-Ray

Zlatina Nikolova Film Editor

Based on Tim Burton’s original short film from 1984, the feature-length version of Frankenweenie released at the BFI festival in 2012 further elaborates on the modern-day retelling of Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’.

The film returns Burton to the techniques of stop-motion animation, carrying on his tradition initiated in his work by short films like Vincent and continued with the features The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. However, this time the expressive features of Burton’s characters and world are rendered even more distinctive through the 3D literally pulling audiences into the black and white atmosphere of the film.

At this stage of the awards’ season Frankenweenie has scored a series of wins. It has already been awarded the “Best Animated Film of 2012” awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York

Film Critics Circle and the Boston Society of Film Critics. Although its nomination for a Golden Globe was not successful, its other nominations include “Best Animated Feature Film” by the Academy and “Animated Film” at the BAFTAs. The film tells the story of Victor, who lives in the sleepy suburban town of New Holland, reminiscent of the background for some of Burton’s previous films most notably Edward Scissorhands. He is quite lonely, his only friend being his dog Sparky.

However, after his father’s attempt to integrate Victor among his peers, the boy loses Sparky in a heart-breaking moment. After a period of depression, Victor is inspired by his science teacher Mr Rsykruski to attempt to bring his best friend back. What follows are the ominous attempts of the rest of the children of the town to discover Victor’s secret, bringing havoc to New Holland. Although the plot of the film seems fairly straightforward, the characters are well-developed and the interactions between them are sincere and touching. As

BAFTAs 2013 Florentyna Dalloz

LIST OF WINNERS Best Film: Argo Director: Ben Affleck (Argo) Leading Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) Leading Actress: Emmanuelle Riva (Amour) Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables) Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino(Django Unchained) Adapted Screenplay: David O Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) Film Not in the English Language: Amour Original Music: Skyfall (Thomas Newman) Cinematography: Life Of Pi (Claudio Miranda) Outstanding British Film: Skyfall Animated Film: Brave Editing: Argo (William Goldenberg) Costume Design: Anna Karenina (Jacqueline Durran) Make-up and Hair: Les Misérables (Lisa Westcott) Sound: Les Misérables Short Animation: The Making Of Longbird Short Film: Swimmer Bafta Fellowship: Sir Alan Parker Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema: Tessa Ross Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: Bart Layton, Dimitri Doganis (The Imposter) Documentary: Searching For Sugar Man Production Design: Les Misérables (Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson) Special Visual Effects: Life Of Pi THE EE Rising Star Award (voted for by the public): Juno Temple

is usual for a Tim Burton film, the characters are eccentric (and slightly disturbing at times) but lovable.

The release of the DVD, 3D BluRay and 2D Blu-Ray versions of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie allows for a repeated viewing of the stop-motion movie of the year. The film is being released on a number of formats and includes a number of extras, providing insight into the world the filmmakers created for the characters of Frankenweenie.

The 3D and 2D Blu-Ray editions both include the short film that is partially shown in the feature under the title “All-New Feature Original Short: ‘Captain Sparky vs. The Flying Saucers’”.

Furthermore, among the extras of the two Blu-ray editions are “Min-

iatures in Motion: Brining Frankenweenie to Life”, the “Frankenweenie Touring Exhibit”, the “Original Live-Action Frankenweenie Short” (this is the original 1984 Tim Burton short film) and Plain White T’s music video of “Pet Sematary” from the original soundtrack. All of these give the audience the opportunity to learn more about the making of the film and observe the detailed artistry

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards were as eventful as ever when held at London’s Royal Opera House on Sunday the 10th of February. Surprisingly, the most memorable entertainment failed to come from the Hollywood stars, but rather from the quintessentially British, and all round loud mouth Stephen Fry, who definitely did not hold anything back.

It wasn’t that Stephen Fry’s jokes were consistently risqué, although his comment ‘I don’t know where I have had such fun, certainly not without the aid of a water-soluble lubricant’ really was an unforgettable ending to a generally smooth running night. The problem was that some of his jokes were just plain strange, for example, at one point Fry referred to ‘Life of Pee’ rather than ‘Life of Pi’, which isn’t even very funny? The director of ‘Life of Pi’ Ang Lee attempted to smile and laugh along but it appeared as though he didn’t quite understand the joke either.

There was some disappointed for Lincoln as it was nominated for ten awards, which was more than any other film, and yet only walked away with one. That one however, was Leading Actor and Daniel Day-Lewis seemed quite overwhelmed when he was announced as the winner.

Thankfully, he didn’t let his emotions get the better of him and he successfully delivered an appropriate yet still amusing acceptance speech.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Anne Hathaway. Yes, she was understandably very excited at winning Best Supporting Actress, but all that emotion led her to praise the cast and crew of Les Misérables as the “goodest-hearted group of loves whose talent knocked me sideways”, and she then went on to refer to Victor Hugo as a “honey”, despite the fact that he died 128 years ago and probably does not care that she was Fantine.

Overall, Les Misérables had a fairly successful night: it won four of the nine awards that it was nominated for, but missed out on the all-important Best Film to Argo, which despite Stephen Fry’s suspicions is not a film about Ryan Gosling. Argo was nominated for seven BAFTAs and was the winner of three, so it was generally a very successful night for them. The evening was especially successful for Argo’s Ben Affleck who picked up the award for Best Director. My bet, and probably the bet of most other viewers was on Quentin Tarantino for this award, and in fairness Affleck did look genuinely surprised when he was announced as the winner. (Well, he is an actor - Ed.) Surprisingly The Hobbit, which was nominated for three awards, went home empty handed. I was

Release date February 25th of the character puppets.

In addition, Frankenweenie features the voices of the likes of Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Charlie Tahan, Martin Landau, Winona Ryder and Conchata Ferrel. As per usual Danny Elfman composes the original score to the movie, marking yet another film in the long-standing collaboration between the composer and Tim Burton.

©Disney certainly relieved to see that Skyfall didn’t go the same way, instead it received two awards: Outstanding British Film and Original Soundtrack.

Skyfall’s director Sam Mendes gave a fantastic speech in which he said: “I want to thank Ian Fleming for inventing this character. Here’s to the next fifty years.”

Thankfully he restrained himself from branding Fleming a “honey” but instead insisted upon how brilliant Daniel Craig is, and no one can argue with that.

Like I said, the awards were certainly eventful, and although Stephen Fry’s humour may have angered a few people, it is safe to say that they would never have been as entertaining without him. Here’s to next year.

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

24

Film

Film News

...from Film Editor, Zlatina Nikolova

The Fate of Star Wars

After Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, it is now confirmed that we’ll be seeing a series of Star Wars-themed films. First of all, JJ Abrams has confirmed that he is set to direct the next installment in the famous sci-fi series, Star Wars VII. Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed they are planning to release three consecutive films over the period of six years, starting in 2015. Meanwhile, Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness is set to arrive in cinemas later this year.

Apart from that, Iger has also announced that there will be a number of films focusing on lesser-known characters from the saga. This means that soon we can see a Yoda movie, a Han Solo movie, and a whole series of character-based films.

On a different note, Stuart Freeborn, the makeup and special effects artist behind Yoda and Chewbacca, passed at the age of 98.

Except the Star Wars films he has worked on Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and 2001: A Space Odyssey among many others.

flickr/Blogging Dagger

The Berlinale At the currently-running Berlinale festival there are a number of interesting films to see. Among these are two WCF-funded films: Emil Baigazin’s Harmony Lessons and Jose Luis Valle’s Workers.

Baigazin’s film is the first Kazakh film to screen at a Berlinale festival. Meanwhile, the WCF, or World Cinema Fund, was founded in 2004 in order to support production and distribution of films and documentaries from Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caucasian.

Other films screening at the festival are Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster and Gus Van Sant’s Promised Land. The Grandmaster stars Ziyi Zhang (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2000, House of Flying Daggers, 2004, Memoirs of a Geisha, 2005) and Tony Leung (In the Mood for Love, 2000, Hero, 2002) and focuses on the experiences of the martial-arts master Ip Man. Promised Land, on the other hand, tells the story of a salesman (Matt Damon), who arrives at a small town, whose natural resources his company wants to exploit. Damon has also co-written the film, alongside John Krasinski and Dave Eggers.

flickr/Gage Skidmore

Matt Smith, also known as the Twelfth Doctor, is set to star in Ryan Gosling’s new film How to Catch a Monster. Alongside Smith, the film features Christina Hendricks and Eva Mendez.

They will also be joined by Saorsie Ronan. The plot focuses on Henricks’ struggles as a single mother, whose son is pulled into a fantasy underwater world.

flickr/gdcgraphics

The Doctor stars in Ryan Gosling’s new film

Ryan Gosling and Matt Smith. This page is now indistinguishable from tumblr...if only one could print gifs.

The Founder | Wednesday 20 February 2013

25

Film

‘Yippee Ki Yay Mister Falcon’ Film Censorship Thomas Hardesty

A

www.joblo.com/newsimages

images1.fanpop.com

Ellen Page to The Newtown Shooting in Film make her debut There have been a series of shootouts and massacres in the during the past 2012 and as a result, the film industry behind camera America was faced with the decision to tone down the releases of its Since she has been working as an actress for a while now, Ellen Page has decided to turn to directing. The actress is best known for her roles in Juno, Inception, Hard Candy, Whip It and also recently featured in Woody Allen’s To Rome with Love. The film’s screenplay has been scripted by Julia Hart and will star Anna Faris.

more violent films. However, it was the shootout at a school in Newtown, Connecticut where 28 people, most of them children, died, that started talks about gun control and the influence of violence in media.

These are the arguments Jonathan Bucari’s proposal for a film about these events has faced. Although it seems a bit too soon to make a movie about the tragedy, Bucari has insisted that his film will concentrate on the story of a 13-year-old boy, Benjamin, and his family’s growing anxiety towards him. According to the filmmakers, the film is going to be entitled ‘Illness’ and any potential to be made will be the basis for a foundation to aid children with mental illnesses and their families.

s the release date to A Good Day to Die Hard (or Die Hard 5 as it’s more commonly known) approaches, the British Board of Film Classification have announced that Bruce Willis’ fifth outing as John McClane will receive a 12a age certificate. For some, this is no more than your average film news, but for others, this will be throwing more salt into the wounds for fans of the original.

In today’s film industry, the general consensus for big-budget films seems that they have to be 12A, otherwise they risk alienating the more active movie going audiences.

While there have been notable exceptions to this (Django Unchained), more and more films are following this pattern. Going back to 1988, the 18 rated Die Hard hit the screens with a budget of $28 million and made over $140 million.

As the series has grown in popularity, the budget has risen and the age certificate has fallen, which also applies to The Terminator franchise. While this is good for studios, it has meant that what made the original films so good, has become diluted as studios monitor each and every scene to ensure the 12a rating. That is not to say that blood and violence don’t make a good film, however the constant pandering towards the certificate comes at the cost of making a decent film as the filmmaker’s creative ideas are pushed aside.

Take Die Hard 4, released as 12a and then released as a 15 on DVD with the violence, language and humour that they hoped would please

fans. On the surface, this sounds like a good idea, however, these additions were poorly added in after filming and the result was disappointing. Yet despite the dodgy cuts around the action to mask the scenes of violence, the film was still a success. The scale was larger, the action was more over-the-top and McClane took on a fighter jet with his bare hands…

Suffice to say the series has changed but is it for the best? What made the original one of the best action films to date was the sense of claustrophobia as our hero is trapped in a building while trying to save hostages from the brilliant Alan Rickman and his henchmen. The action was tense and exciting while all contained within a single building, which meant that McClane was always in constant danger.

Now the ante is up and the trailer for the latest instalment promises big action set-pieces around Moscow, with witty banter between McClane and his son. What’s wrong with that you may cry? Nothing, but the series’ development can be an example of bigger isn’t always better.

Despite some issues, the third Die Hard managed to successfully balance large action sequences with interesting characters, such as the great inclusion of the unlikely pairing of Willis and Samuel L. Jackson.

The chemistry between the two was great and gave the momentum to the film, which the latest hopes to achieve by introducing McClane’s son into the fray. Time will tell as we wait to see what the director of Max Payne can do…

“In today’s film industry, the general consensus for big-budget films seems that they have to be 12A, otherwise they risk alienating the more active moviegoing audiences.

Sport

OBITUARY

Frank Keating Sports Writer Theo Chiles Sports Editor

L

ast month the sports writer Frank Keating died aged 75; Keating wrote for a number of different newspapers and magazines but will be most fondly remembered for his legacy at the Guardian.

With the fierce rivalries, simmering animosities and long-held grudges that have existed between hacks on Fleet Street for as long as anyone can remember, sometimes, it seems, it takes the death of a well loved and well respected journalist to allow anyone to see eye to eye about anything. For once, all the newspapers were in agreement: the death of Frank Keating was a great loss to the world of sports writing.

Frank Keating was born in rural Hereford-

shire to parents Brian and Monica Keating. He was sent to boarding school near Hereford (where, the story goes, he listened to local sports reports with a radio underneath his pillow). His career path itself mirrored most journalists starting out in the middle of the twentieth century. Beginning locally, Keating began work as a local reporter on the Stroud News, before serving at the Hereford Times; it was there that he first submitted a match report to the Manchester Guardian. A rejection slip only served to fuel his desire to one day write for "the writers' newspaper", although he would first work in Guilford, Bristol, southern Rhodesia and exotic Slough before he

would realise that dream.

In 1963 he was finally offered the opportunity to work at the Guardian, taking the position of sub-editor at £5 a week. It was there that his career flourished. Over the next 50 years he would work for ITV, the Times, the Spectator, the New Statesman, Oldie and Punch.

Keating's great skill, it would seem, was that he could turn his focus to almost any sport and produce a sublime article filled with both understanding and idiosyncrasies. In the same way that legendary commentator Barry Davies would be found describing such a vast array of sporting events that one suspected he surely must been out of his depth from time to have time, Keating covered an absolute litany of different sports; a quick glance at his column reveals pieces on athletics, cricket, horse racing, the football league, boxing, international football, rugby, the Olympics and betting, all from just the last year. Keating's high standards never seem to have dipped, however, never betraying a lack of knowledge, only a profound understanding of how different sports worked.

Keating was a starry-eyed enthusiast, the amateur who was happier watching the game than he was playing it, to whom sport was comprised of heroes and villains. The great villains of Keating's life were the South African authorities of the 1980s; he took great pleasure in seeing his visa blocked when he supposed to travel with the 1980s Lions tour, reserving no small amount of opprobrium for the racial views held by his would-be hosts.

To describe the reverence in which Keating held his great sporting heroes would take too long and could fill a dozen newspaper columns, but suffice it to say that he reserved some of his best prose for those occasions when he was afforded the opportunity to write about them.

Of Tom Graveney, Keating's great cricketing idol, he wrote: “The

Photo: The Guardian

batsmanship of Our Tom, was of the orchard rather than the forest, blossom susceptible to frost but breathing in the sunshine. Taking enjoyment as it came, he gave enjoyment which still warms the winters of memory. Still the hero.”

“Keating was a starry-eyed enthusiast to whom sport was comprised of heroes and villains” Perhaps the last word should go to someone who knew him personally, however; John Samuel, former Guardian sports editor and longtime colleague of Keating wrote: “Few have written with such sympathy, able to laugh with them [sports people], not at them, at the same time minting fresh, inventive phraseology.” He created a new language for the nation's sporting press. He was unique, and beloved by contemporaries, who saw his writing skills and awards as a guiding path for their own.

Keating was survived by his wife Jane and children Paddy and Tess.

Sport Nigeria prevent upset in AFCON final Verde. Nigeria pulled off a shock of their own by beating the clear favourites Ivory Coast 2-1. They then recorded a very comfortable 4-1 victory over Mali. The minnows of The African Cup of Nations drew Burkina Faso were ready to write histo a close last Sunday as Nigeria tory as they took a penalty shootout triumphed over Burkina Faso by for them to advance to their first ever a goal to nil in Johannesburg. The AFCON final as they bettered their two teams had already met just a best performance ever, a fourth place few weeks ago in the group stages, finish achieved on home soil in 1998.

Burkina Faso denying Nigeria three Those looking for an upset on points with a goal from Alain Traoré Sunday night in Johannesburg deep into injury time as the match were ultimately left disappointed as ended 1-1. Undeniably the surprise package of the tournament, Burkina Nigeria won the AFCON by a single fantastic goal from Sunday Mba. Faso, went on to demolish Ethiopia The first clear-cut opportunity of the by four goals to nil before topping match fell to Nigeria as Ambrose the group on goal difference after missed a great chance from 12 yards a stalemate with Zambia. Nigeria finished second in their group thanks after a questionable free kick that resulted from what looked like a blato a 2-0 victory over Ethiopia, who languished bottom of the group with tant dive from Ideye Brown. Burkina Faso didn’t seem to settle for the first just one point.

15 minutes, and Nigeria started as Burkina Faso got the only goal in their quarter-final tie against Togo in the brighter of the two sides. The the 105th minute, setting up a semi- underdogs had to wait until the 24th final with Ghana who had triumphed minute for their first chance, but by a two-goal margin against Cape Bance’s effort flew over the bar after a

Nathan Russell

good first touch.

Ideye Brown was outnumbered by two defenders and couldn’t get his shot away a few minutes later in what was a poor performance by his standards. As long as it remained 0-0, Burkina Faso always had a chance but Nigeria had scored first in all of their games thus far in the tournament, and the final was no different. 24-year-old Sunday Mba, who plays for Warri Wolves in Nigeria, controlled a deflected ball before lifting it over the opposing defender and volleying it into the bottom right hand corner to give his country a one-goal advantage. Burkina Faso still remained a threat, with Bance firing over the top again before the break but the score remained 1-0 at the interval.

Bance was undoubtedly the focal point of the Burkina Faso attack, but he couldn’t find a teammate in a promising move some five minutes into the second half. Nigeria looked more defensive as the half went on but that didn’t stop them having key

chances, such as a counter attack that led to Musa losing his footing as the game looked like it should’ve been killed off. As the game wore on it proceeded to become much more open and this was highlighted when Sanou forced a superb save from the Nigerian keeper in what was undoubtedly Burkina Faso’s best chance of the game.

Having already played through two gruelling periods of extra time in previous rounds, Burkina Faso seemed to run out of steam, but there was always a chance as long as the deficit remained at 1. Ideye Brown wasted another chance to kill the game off, as he couldn’t sort his feet out when a pinpoint ball was fizzed across the box in his direction.

The unlikely finalists had a couple of chances to pump the ball into the box in the closing minutes but couldn’t find that spark of inspiration that would lead to the equaliser; after 90 minutes a Nigeria squad with six players based in the domestic league became AFCON winners for the

third time.

Nothing should be taken away from a Burkina Faso team who defied expectations to reach the final and were a constant threat to opposition defences, but ultimately ran out of momentum at the final hurdle.

Meanwhile there were celebrations throughout the night for the victorious Super Eagles, who started the tournament slowly but finished with a flurry; with a talented young squad they now have a chance to dominate football in the continent for years to come, perhaps displacing the Ivory Coast Nigeria as perennial AFCON favourites. Nigeria deserved their success on the night, but Burkina Faso never stopped fighting and with a little more energy and luck they could have won the trophy for the first time in their country’s history.

Nonetheless, Les Étalons can reflect on a tournament that will have surpassed any of their expectations and will live long in their memory.

flickr/GovernmentZA

AFCON 2013 was the 29th African Cup of Nations, though this year saw it take a new level of popularity and prominence in the international press. Photo: The closing ceremony.

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