Volume 72 Issue 5
Thursday 12th February 4th Week
oxfordstudent.com
Castle Mill accommodation saved • Proposal to remove part of graduate building is rejected LAURA WHETHERLY NEWS EDITOR
The University’s Congregation has voted against a proposal to remove the top floor of Castle Mill accomodation. Following over two and a half hours of discussion at a meeting held on 10th February at the Sheldonian Theatre, members of the Congregation, made up of senior academic and administrative staff, voted against the proposal: 210 in favour and 536 against. The proposal to remove the top floor of the Castle Mill buildings came following an Environmental Impact Report published last year. Those opposing noted the potential cost of carrying it out – estimated by the University to be £30 million – and the effect on the graduate students who currently live in Castle Mill. Supporters of the proposal noted the negative effect of the Castle Mill PHOTO/ OUSU
Continued on page 5 »
Exposed: Corpus Christi’s “homophobic” drinking society
• Corpus JCR condemns members of The Abbotts who removed LGBTQ flags from walls • ‘Secret’ drinking society avoids apologising for incident, leading to OUSU disapproval OXSTU NEWS TEAM
Corpus Christi JCR has reacted with outrage after members of an all-male, black-tie drinking society tore down LGBTQ pride flags from the JCR wall and placed them in a fridge on Saturday evening. The Abbotts, a previously ‘secret’ drinking society consisting mostly of former
public school boys, has been accused of “offensive” and “unacceptable” behaviour after removing the flags, following an evening of alcohol-fuelled initiations for new members. Individual members of the society have removed rainbow flags from the JCR wall on at least one previous occasion. A motion to condemn the individuals involved passed with overwhelming support in Sunday evening’s JCR
meeting. The JCR also allocated £75 for the purchase of new rainbow flags, and earmarked one third of this year’s £3,000 charities budget for LGBTQ-related charities. The JCR motion described the club’s actions as “an unacceptable way to tell us to get back in the closet”. The Oxford Student understands that only privately educated males with rightwing political views are traditionally invited into The Abbotts, though this rule
is not always strictly maintained. The society is informally led by students who have already graduated from Oxford, but routinely return in order to initiate new members at alcohol-fuelled, black-tie events. At least one of the club’s graduate leaders is currently employed in a high-status business position. The Abbotts has avoided making a public apology to the JCR, and also declined to apologise when approached for
Profile, p.13
Features, p.19
Erik Feig talks modern Hollywood and story-telling
Francis Delaney is set to cycle from Oxford to France
comment by The Oxford Student. Corpus Christi Equal Opportunities Officer Jem Jones condemned the Club’s actions as “unacceptable”. “Corpus is committed to making its JCR an inclusive one. Corpus JCR is a place where absolutely everybody should feel comfortable, welcome and safe. This ethos is not up for debate. The events of Saturday night have been condemned by Continued on page 3 »
EDITORIAL
2 Editorial
12th February 2015
Student victory We were pleased this week to see congregation vote against an expensive and unnecessary plan to remove the top floor of Castle Mill. The amount of money it would have cost, and the reduction in available graduate housing would have had a disastrous impact on the University, both for the institution and the student community. Yet what was most heartening to see was the unification of parts of the student body against such measures. When we come together, we can make a real difference. Despite all the disagreements which people have, and the varying circumstances we might find ourselves in, it can still be possible to present a united front and show the rest of the world what it means to be an Oxford student. This is the most positive aspect of our other front-page story. Though The Abbotts represent an antiquated part of Oxford which has no place in a modern university, the response to their actions really shows that the majority of people here are prepared to speak out against prejudice. This is why it is important that our Student Union represents the views of students, rather than prevailing with neutrality. It can often seem out of touch, but as the official voice of the student population to both the university and the wider world it is indispensable in the fight for student rights. We do not have to agree with everything which OUSU does, and indeed several JCRs this week chose
to oppose their stance on Marine Le Pen. Affiliation does not in itself always imply agreement. However, the work of sabbatical officers this week on the Castle Mill decision shows how, when students unite behind it, OUSU can be a force for good.
Register to vote! For the European elections last year colleges automatically registered all of its accomodated students. Changes to the voter registration system have come into effect however, and could have a devastating effect upon the student vote. Our report on page 6 reveals that only one third of Oxford students have registered to vote as the 20th April deadline approaches. While a top-secret OxStu document is being circulated that may or may not feature OUSU President Louis Trup as the sun-baby from the Teletubbies, his sterling work as ‘Reg 2 Vote’ on Tinder is attempting to tackle the less than reassuring fact that so few of us have registered to vote. OUSU have been doing their best to address this, producing a video as well as the Tinder profile. They’re not the only ones. Politicians from all sides have been urging young people to get involved, and there was even a National Registration Day. So why is the turnout so low? We as students ought to be one of the most involved sections of the electorate. Many of us will remember still being at school when, following the last general election, the vote was taken to increase tuition fees. At the
time, we knew it was going to affect us, and yet we were powerless, most of us being too young to vote. Now is the time for us to decide who we want in charge of the issues which we care about most. Young people are in danger of being shut out of this election. It will undoubtedly be a close one, so there is every reason to vote.
This week, OxStu sucks... Your blood! Our OXII section has taken a decidely Nosferatic turn, as we feature a review of vampires on screen (OXII page 6), while an interview with Twilight producer Erik Feig lifts the lid on how he convinced Stephanie Meyer to give him control of the series (page 13). Even vampire inspired fan-fiction is not beyond our notice as Comment takes a look at the kinky community in the wake of the release of 50 Shades of Grey this Saturday (page 9). Even our own OxStu office wasn’t safe from the vampiric onslaught this week judging by the staggering amounts of Vampire Weekend bursting forth from all corners.
If you want to get involved, or have any comments or questions, email editor@ oxfordstudent.com
News 3
12th February 2015
JCRs criticise OUSU for “political” Marine Le Pen stance • Motions passed criticising OUSU Council’s decision to condemn Le Pen’s invitation to the Union LUKE MINTZ NEWS EDITOR
OUSU has come under fire for its support of last Thursday’s Marine Le Pen protest, with some students accusing the student union of adopting an “overly political stance” and attempting to stifle “free debate”. Motions passed in Pembroke and Exeter JCRs on Sunday evening criticised the decision of OUSU Council to condemn Marine Le Pen’s appearance at the Oxford Union. The visit of the Front National leader to Oxford attracted a large protest last Thursday, led by student activists as well as affiliates of the group Unite Against Fascism. The motion passed in Exeter College’s JCR meeting stated that “OUSU should be party politically neutral”. The motion went on to describe OUSU’s decision to condemn Le Pen’s Oxford visit as a “party political standpoint” that “should not be in the remit of OUSU, regardless of the popularity and validity of the party political views protested against”. A similar motion was approved by Pembroke JCR, criticising the allegedly “abusive and inflammatory language deployed at the demonstration,” and noting that “numerous members of the college were forcibly prevented” from entering the talk. The Pembroke motion, proposed by Ryan Tang, a fresher and active member of the Union, went on to state: “By endorsing the student demonstration, [OUSU] has failed to protect the welfare and rights of Oxford students. “This JCR believes that extremism and intolerance of all stripes is best countered by free debate and discussion, and not through abusive and disruptive protests.” OUSU BME Officer Nikhil Ven-
katesh defended OUSU’s actions: “In a democratic system, there will always be some decisions some members disagree with, but the beauty of OUSU is that anyone from any common room can get involved and change it.” Venkatesh, responsible for bringing the motion to condemn Le Pen to OUSU, continued: “I don’t apologise for my motion, or for my participation in the protest. I feel it’s important to point out that the motion was not a motion of ‘no platform’ (indeed, an amendment to make it no platform failed). “[The motion] had two clear aims: to show that OUSU stands against bigotry, in solidarity with those who Marine Le Pen victimises and scapegoats; and to remind the Oxford Union that their decisions on who they invite have consequences, sometimes very damaging ones, for the wider student body.” The Corpus Christi PPE student added that “those who supported [the OUSU motion] ranged from revolutionary socialists to paid-up members of [Oxford University Conservative Association]”. Exeter History student Peter Fage, responsible for proposing the JCR’s criticism of OUSU, disagreed, describing the student union’s actions as “outrageous”. “Condemning ‘the views of the Front National’ is overtly partypolitical, irrespective of whether or not you agree with them or their validity. Imagine doing the same to the ‘views of the Conservative Party’ simply because some of the views present may be uncomfortable.” Fage added: “Free speech at this university must be preserved. [Exeter JCR’s motion] sends a stern message to OUSU.” Last Thursday’s student protest outside the Union attracted national
PHOTO/Nasim Asl
publicity, with demonstrators blocking the Union gates for a number of hours. Audience members within the chamber were prevented from leaving “for their own safety”, after
protesters reportedly entered the Union grounds. Le Pen’s Front National has faced numerous accusations of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in
recent years. Le Pen attained the third highest number of votes in the 2012 French Presidential election, with nearly 18 per cent of the popular vote.
Corpus Christi JCR condemns members of The Abbotts drinking society • Removal of LGBTQ flags by members of drinking society leads to outrage in the JCR as well as OUSU OXSTU NEWS TEAM
» Continued from front page
PHOTO/Driek
the rest of the JCR and the actions taken in in the JCR meeting on Sunday are indicative of the overwhelming majority of the JCR’s stance on the matter.” Jones continued: “I don’t care if it was meant as a joke, I don’t care if it wasn’t meant to cause offence: it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our JCR.” A similar sentiment was shared by OUSU LGBTQ Officer Jenny Walker, who described the club’s actions as “highly offensive”. “For a student society or group to tear down pride flags is not incredibly childish,” Walker commented, “it is also highly offensive and demonstrates a clear insensitivity
to the identities and values of other students.” Walker continued: “The reaction of the JCR members in support of LGBTQ identifying students is, however, a heartening sign that the vast majority of students at Oxford will not tolerate such behaviour in their University.” The issue of LGBTQ pride flags has prompted controversy around the University in recent weeks, with numerous Brasenose College students displaying pride flags in their windows to protest the College’s refusal to fly the flag during LGBTQ History Month. In Michaelmas 2013, Pembroke College rugby club was forced to apologise after sending an email to its members entitled ‘Free Pussy’, in which participants were encouraged to “pick” a female fresher of their choice at an annual crew date.
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12th February 2015
Continued confusion over Queen’s fire scare
• College promises to up security measures after suspected arson attempt leaves students concerned BERTRAM BEOR-ROBERTS Deputy News Editor
Students at Queen’s College continue to express concern over the suspected arson attempt that occurred during the latter half of 3rd week. Emails were sent to all undergraduates by Dr Linda Irving-Bell, the College’s Home Bursar, detailing changes to security that have now been implemented. Residents are banned from inviting guests into St Aldate’s House, the 90-bedroom complex on Speedwell Street, and all the cookers have been removed. Irving-Bell adds that police have been involved, as well as the University’s security service. The College promised to install code and card locks on the entrance to the building, and to place CCTV cameras next to all entrances and exists. Students are now under constant surveillance, as Dean Chris O’Callaghan noted: “The images from the CCTV will now be visible to the Lodge and will allow us to see if anyone is bringing other people into the building. They will operate 24 hours a day.” An urgent email on 5th February told the chilling details of how meat had been left in the bottom of ovens, apparently stolen from various freezers in the building, which was then drenched in oil and left at full-heat. Queen’s student Sarah Davies noted the strange lack of developments following such an incident: “It was a bit scary to hear about it at first, but a lot of people
Cuntry Living rejects unusual members PHOTO/Simon Q
seem to think it could have been an accident.” Other students have taken a more light-hearted approach to the event. Many saw the concerns over the bike store being left open as irrelevant, saying that this was a perennial issue
that the College simply had not noticed before now. Davies added that: “A lot of students have been joking about it,” and others have attributed the incident the name the “Bike-gate-gate” scandal,” and to Dr. Irving-Bell “Linda Irving Bicycle-Bell.”
Another student added that "we all reacted by using puns to cover up our worry and shock about what is obviously a really serious situation". Neither Queen’s College nor Queen’s JCR have responded to our request for comment.
• Graduates relieved at ruling but Save Port Meadow supporters accuse University of exaggerating costs » Continued from front page development on the “exceptional ancient landscape” of the local area, particularly in Port Meadow. Matthew Sherrington, of the Save Port Meadow Campaign, commented: “It is clear the University administration is scaring everyone with inflated figures of costs – and whipping staff to vote in what is not a secret ballot – which misses the point completely. This is not about costs, it is not about housing and it is not about the students. “The University through its cornercutting actions has caused permanent damage to Oxford’s protected heritage and this has now been fully documented in the Environmental Impact Assessment. So this is now about governance and corporate accountability. Nowhere else could you walk away from causing damage to something that is not yours – in this case heritage landscapes held by the people in common - because you didn’t like the price tag.” Nicky Moeran, also of the Save Port Meadow Campaign, added: “OUSU's concern is the possible short-term loss of less than 40 rooms out of a stock of 14,000. Our concern is the long-term damage Oxford University has done to a site
Oxford Jailbreak winners make it to Dubai This year’s RAG Jailbreak has been won by Team GMT, who travelled over 5,500 kilometres to Dubai without spending any money. Students Max Hayward, George Crummack, and Thomas Rheinberg (of St Peter’s, St Catherine’s, and Worcester colleges respectively) narrowly beat runners up Balloon Squad, who also travelled to Dubai. On Facebook, Hayward described the final day of the competition as beginning with a “relaxed start” until the members realised another Jailbreak team was in Dubai. The team relied on public transport to get a 4 kilometre edge over their competitors. Alex Segar, another participant whose team made it to Marrakech, Morrocco, described it as "a weekend I won't be forgetting any time soon".The event has so far raised over £25,000 for RAG’s various charities.
Campaigners unhappy with University's decision to save Castle Mill LAURA WHETHERLY News Editor
News 5
that has been celebrated through history and is famous the world over.” A statment on behalf of the campaign, released following the decision, added: "This has been a massive planning fiasco, and everyone knows it. In spite of the vote, the tone of the debate shows the University is pretty ashamed of itself and rightly so". Speakers during the meeting included Reverend Professor Dairmaid MacCulloch, who proposed the motion, and Louis Trup, OUSU President. Comments made included: “These buildings could have graced an East German city before unification” and “a Scotsman finds it difficult to spend £30 million on anything, far less on undoing something we’ve only just done.” Prior to the meeting, a protest in defense of Castle Mill was held outside of the Sheldonian, with protesters holding signs saying “We love Castle Mill” and “We love graduate students”. Alongside representatives of OUSU, Oxford University Labour Club and Mansfield JCR were both present to show their support for the campaign. Prior to the protest, Anna Bradshaw, OUSU VP for Women, commented: “We care about this a lot, because students matter. University should be about education and re-
search – hurting Castle Mill will push those both back. The kinds of students most affected are the most vulnerable, and it’s our duty to look after them – those students who are disabled, parents or graduates.” One anonymous graduate student added: ““Trying to find accommodation in Oxford can be a nightmare, and I am so glad that Castle
Mill caters to this need. There’s also an amazing community here – people from all walks of life call this place home. There is a strong sense of community and stability here, and I think that this is true for the families at Castle Mill.” At the time of writing, a postal vote could still be called, which would possibly amend the decision.
PHOTO/Daniel Cunniffe
Students reacted with amusement when former UKIP politician Godfrey Bloom joined Oxford’s feminist Facebook group Cuntry Living this week. Bloom, known for voicing a range of controversial opinions and quitting UKIP after concluding that it was “too politically correct”, quickly commented on posts on the group, and told student publication Versa he “looked forward to annoying [Cuntry Living users] at every opportunity”. Bloom was soon removed by moderator Alice Nutting, however, after telling a user she was “an extremely silly young lady”. Spiked and Spectator journalist Brendan O’Neill, well known within the student community for labelling Oxford’s feminists “The Stepford Sisters”, also attempted to join the feminist group this week, but was turned down by moderators. Last year, Vice journalist Clive Martin was removed from Cuntry Living after posting screenshots of student conversations to his Twitter account.
Merton mourns death of Churchill biographer Merton College has expressed “great sadness” at the death of alumnus Sir Martin Gilbert, a former History fellow who went on to work as Winston Churchill’s official biographer. Gilbert died last week, aged 78, after battling cancer. In 1988, he completed an 8-volume series chronicling Churchill’s life in addition to producing over eighty books, including acclaimed studies of the Holocaust, Appeasement, and the Indian Raj. Gilbert also served on the Chilcot Inquiry panel into the 2003 Iraq War. He began his work on Churchill while at Oxford in 1962. Referencing the knight’s historical work on the Holocaust, The Holocaust Educational Trust tweeted: “Very sad to hear of the passing of Sir Martin Gilbert, leading Holocaust historian and our great friend. Our thoughts are with his family.”
6 News
12th February 2015
Fewer than 50% of students at Inaugural OUSU student awards celebrates achievement • Mind Your Head, Oxford Student Minds and JSoc among winners Oxford registered to vote MEGAN ERWIN News Reporter
66% of Oxford students are still yet to register to vote as the 20 April deadline for registration before the General Election looms closer. The change to individual voter registration, described by the Cabinet Office as the “biggest change to voter registration in a generation”, means that students are no longer automatically added to the register by their colleges in their capacity as ‘heads of households’. While the new policy was reportedly intended to “give people more control and ownership over the process and increase the accuracy of the register”, it has caused voter registration rates in Oxford to fall dramatically. Registration in some wards of Oxford has fallen by up to 60%. Although it is not possible to determine what proportion of these people are students, with wards such as Carfax being comprised of 76% student voters and Holywell with 93%, it is likely that this is largely explainable by students failing to register. Figures collected by OUSU show that the current average percentage of registered students across Oxford colleges is 44%. However, this varies widely between colleges, with 65% being the highest proportion of registered students at Wolfson College, while the lowest is just 13% at Green
Templeton College. The fall in the number of student’s registering to vote has attracted national concern, with the ‘Bite the Ballot’ campaign describing the situation as a ‘crisis’. In a recent article for The Independent, Labour leader Ed Miliband described the low student registration rates as “a disaster for our democracy”. According to the Labour party, one million people – often students, people living in rented homes and ethnic minorities – have disappeared from the Electoral Register because of government reforms in the last 12 months. OUSU has been at the forefront of trying to encourage student registration, launching a ‘Register to Vote’ campaign. Ruth Meredith, VP for Charities and Community, made voter registration the topic of her speech at the OUSU 2015 Student Awards, claiming: “If we aren’t registered, and we don’t vote, then we become a part of the problem, because the problem is silence.” National Registration Day on Thursday also saw many colleges attempting to increase registration with varied initiatives. Corpus Christi, where currently only 36% of students are registered, organised a ‘DemocraTea’ in the JCR where Krispy Kreme Donuts were provided as incentive to register.
ALEXANDER HILL News Reporter
Over 150 students gathered at Oxford Town Hall last week to congratulate the nominees and winners of OUSU’s new awards. Louis Trup, OUSU President, said: “When I ran to be OUSU President, I ran with the intention of engaging and supporting students in ways OUSU hadn't done before. I think that the student awards, which recognised the successes of student societies and other extra-curricular endeavours did just that. “This was the first year this has been done and I hope the awards will continue for years to come, and will act as a springboard for OUSU better supporting student activities.” Eight categories were judged, with awards given to Society of the Year, Student Innovation of the Year and
Creative Piece of the Year among others. The Outstanding Individual Contribution to Oxford Life award was won by student Marie Tidbull for her work spearheading the ‘Let’s get Disability on the List!’ campaign and, more recently, being the driving force behind the Oxford Wadham Graduate Scholarship for Disabled Students. Marie said: “It was an honour to receive this award; a culmination of working together with great friends with great ideas. To them I am very grateful. It really is the very special and thoughtful environment and people of Wadham which has enabled these initiatives to thrive.” Warden of Wadham College Ken Macdonald commented: “Wadham is very proud of Marie. She has raised our awareness of disability discrimination and contributed so much to our community. From campaigns to
PHOTO/secretlondon123
seminars to the creation of a Graduate Scholarship for Disabled Students - she has been a whirlwind. Everyone here is in her debt.” Winner of the Cultural Society of the Year award was Oxford Jewish Society. Mikey Beder, Jewish Society President, commented: “We were thrilled to accept an award commending Oxford JSoc’s many achievements in the recent and distant past. “I speak on behalf of former committees as well as my own when I say how delighted we are to have been acknowledged for our efforts throughout the course of the academic year in providing a diverse programme for Oxford students. “We had the privilege of attending a fabulous evening made all the more special when to our surprise we walked away with a coveted award.” For a full list of categories and winners, see the OUSU website.
PHOTO/Phillip Babcock
Trials to find Ebola vaccine halted as infection rates show major fall
• Latest information from World Health Organisation indicates number of cases too low to justify continuation of trials SCOTT HARKER News Reporter
An Oxford-lead clinical trial testing a new Ebola treatment has been stopped following a dramatic fall in the number of new cases of the disease. The latest information from the World Health Organisation shows that there were only four new cases of Ebola in Liberia in the week ending 25th January. Due to the low number of new cases, Chimerix, the pharmaceutical company who were running the trials, judged that it would be unlikely that enough patients would be enrolled onto the trial scheme of anti-viral treatment brincidofovir to yield a satisfactory result. University professor Ian Hornby, leader of the trials, said: “The past weeks have brought the extremely positive news that Ebola infections are falling
PHOTO/UNMEER
across West Africa, including in Liberia where our trial of brincidofovir was based. We’re delighted that infections are falling, but fewer patients makes it more difficult to carry out the robust scientific studies needed to ensure a new treatment will be safe and effective.” The trials, which were led by the University of Oxford and funded by the Wellcome Trust were being undertaken at Médicins Sans Frontières’ Ebola management centre in Monrovia, Liberia. Trials of the experimental drug brincidofovir had been running at the centre since early January. Dr Stephen Kennedy of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation said: “With the current stride towards zero case in Liberia, there are now fewer cases to test therapeutic agents. There are now efforts in place to decommis-
sion many of the existing Ebola treatment units. Therefore, the ability to assess the potential of a therapeutic agent among positive cases remains a significant challenge. Accordingly, the scientific community will move on without any clear evidence regarding the role of brincidofovir in the management of Ebola.” The trials of brincidofovir were part of a £3.2million project that aims to establish clinical trials at existing Ebola treatment centres. Patients could volunteer to receive a two-week course of the drug. The money was put forward by the Wellcome Trust, a biomedical research charity committed to improving health across the globe. Although this particular trial has ended, the project will continue to support the testing of other possible treatments for the Ebola virus.
News 7
12th February 2015
New College seizes student fridges
• PeelMount chief denies decision is a “product recall”
Access events explode around Oxford • Numerous colleges welcome prospective students SAMANTHA LISLE NEWS REPORTER
PHOTO/BLACK ROCK QUARRY
CONOR HAMILTON DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR
STAFF
New College has removed 150 fridges from the college after overheating and leaking problems. After coming into contact with the leaked refrigerant, some New College students claim to have displayed symptoms of mild ammonia poisoning, including rapid skin irritation and mild chemical burns. In an email to students, New College said that fridge supplier PeelMount had accepted there was an “endemic fault” in the batch and that the “only option” was to “remove them from college”. Students were given four days notice to empty and turn off their fridges before they were removed. New College apologised to students for “the inconvenience the intrusions and loss of your fridge will inevitably cause”, but insisted that “the decision to remove the entire batch of fridges was not taken lightly” and “was a safety precaution”. The College has not yet provided Editors Deputy Editors Creative Director Online Editor Broadcast Editor News Editors Comment Editors Features Editors Fashion Editors Arts and Lit Editors Music Editors
replacements as they want “independently verified assurances” that a “like-for-like replacement won’t have exactly the same fault”. In an email to students, Home Bursar Caroline Thomas noted that “getting the company to admit there was a problem was initially a bit of a struggle”. Tim Wallis, a New College firstyear, said: “Obviously the lack of a fridge has affected me, and I’m not best pleased that it’s been left unresolved for nearly a week. It has been known for quite some time that the fridges were, at best, dysfunctional. Even when they were supposedly working the majority of them either failed to cool anything to much below room temperature, or froze everything and pumped out heat like a radiator in the process.” He added that he thought “college had the right idea, but they could have performed better” in dealing with the situation. Richard Eagleton, Group Marketing Director for the parent company of PeelMount apologised Alys Key and Sachin Croker Nasim Asl, Asya Likhtman, Rupert Tottman, Alice Troy-Donovan and Sid Venkataramakrishnan Thomas Barnett Ed Roberts Nasim Asl Luke Mintz and Laura Whetherly Richard Higson and Hugh McHale Maughan Marcus Li and William Shaw Augustine Cerf and Demie Kim Alice Jaffe and Stephanie Kelley Kate Bickerton and Henry Holmes
Throughout Oxford University, access teams have been busily welcoming a new year’s worth of potential future undergraduates. Numerous colleges have been running access events and tours for secondary school students wishing to get a glimpse of what studying at Oxford is like. JCR Access and Admissions officer for Oriel, Emma Williams described a typical secondary school visit: ‘On the average school visit, we eat lunch in Hall, have a College tour and then an open ended student Q&A.” She went on to explain: “I really enjoy hosting access visits to Oriel and think they are a great way to shed light on what Oriel and Oxford is really like.” However Sophie Corke, a first year Law student who runs access tours in Hertford College, expressed her view that access visits presented a danger of portraying a rose-tinted view of Oxford, when in fact “in lots of ways Oxford is a bit weird, has particular hoops to jump through, and I think there should be openness about ways the
for the inconvenience caused to New College students from this “really unfortunate event”. He stressed it was not a “product recall”, because while “the product has failed,” PeelMount “haven’t identified an endemic fault yet”. It will be “a few weeks” before replacements come of the new fridges but Eagleton added that they are “trying to expedite that”. Eagleton said that he couldn’t give assurances it wouldn’t happen again, but “I can give you the same assurance we give everybody. We buy reputable products from reputable people. We pride ourselves on getting it right”. Robert Harris, a second-year New College student, said: “It might just be an attempt by New College to go back to its roots; to remind everyone that we are actually a very old College, and that electric fridges would not have been available when we were founded. “It’s a pretty cold move in my opinion.” New College was unavalible for comment.
Laura Hartley and Srishti Nirula Amelia Brown and Harriet Fry David Barker and Alexandra Vryzakis Philip Babcock, Yuki Numata Philip Babcock Bertram Beor-Roberts, Matthew Coulter and Conor Hamilton Deputy Comment Editors Kate Plummer and Kathryn Welsh Felicity Blackburn Deputy Features Editor Ella Harding and Charlotte Lanning Deputy Fashion Editors Eleanor Trend Deputy Arts Editor Alex Bragg and Naomi Southwell Deputy Music Editors Thomas Bannatyne and Robert Selth Deputy Screen Editors Deputy Stage Editors Anthony Maskell and Charanpreet Khaira Screen Editors Stage Editors Sport Editors Deputy Online Editors Deputy Broadcast Editor Deputy News Editors
university should improve as well as presenting the unified shiny front of saying Oxford is all wonderful.” Despite this danger, Corke echoed Williams in valuing the way in which access visits provide an opportunity to correct false impressions of Oxford: “I guess there’s always going to be particular ideas of what Oxford is like that are in lots of ways not like the reality … like no, we don’t wear robes ALL the time. Just on special occasions ... or in some colleges every night at dinner ... So those perceptions are hard to tackle because in many ways they’re true.” Alys Key, who recently showed an access group from Visit University (an organisation which gives international students a chance to visit top universities) around The Oxford Student offices, described one instance in which a student appeared to have misconceptions of the University: “When taking questions, one of them asked if they would find true love. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen here is the “wall of shame/fame” which charted who had got with each other at socials.”
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Your student union is the first in the
Your student union got the University (and 4 colleges!) to accredit to the Living Wage
UK to run Sexual Consent Workshops for all undergrad freshers
Your student union won 200k for student It innovation projects
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Your student union won
ÂŁ150m in
matched graduate scholarships
What do you want us to do next? Email: president@ousu.ox.ac.uk
Your student union negotiated a 10% discount on bus passes for students
12th February 2015
Comment 9
COMMENT
CARTOON/ Harriet Bourhill
BDSM shouldn't hide in the Oxford shade W hether or not you’ve read 50 Shades of Grey, you probably know the story – a rich young Adonis, abused as a child, is driven to re-enact that violence. He finds an outlet, and a method of control, through BDSM. There are a lot of arguments, by people wiser than me, both for and against the novels, and I’m not interesting in joining that debate. I only want to give a representation of the kinky community in Oxford – my community. I’m a humanities student at Oriel. When I’m not mid-essay-crisis, I’m usually rowing. I was brought up in a middle-class family, as stable and stereotypical as they come. I have an excellent relationship with both of my parents, I suffered no childhood trauma – I don’t even remember ever being spanked- and I like to think that I’m fairly well-adjusted. And when I was five, as kids do, I developed a schoolyard crush. One day, he walked over with a skipping rope and asked if I wanted to play. “Sure”, I said, sticking my wrists out, “tie me up”. It’s become commonly accepted, in the LGBTQ community (and increasingly, in pop culture) that children often know very early on who they are as a person.
It’s only later in life that the ‘social norms’ and inequalities of the world encourage them to disguise, or even disown, the truths that they knew as a child. I’ve found the same to be true in kink. I’ve ‘come out’ to most of my friends, and I’m usually met with some reaction like this: “Oh, but you’re so normal!” Yes, yes I am. So are most kinky people. Yes, there are people in the lifestyle who have suffered traumas; there are people who have suffered abuse; there are people with every disorder imaginable. What many people don’t realise is that statistically, those numbers are on par with the ‘vanilla’ population. Beyond that, we are all as diverse and unique as the ‘vanillas’. Not all submissives are shy and bookish; most dominants are not CEOs. In fact, not all kinky people even have sex- because that is not what BDSM is necessarily about. There are two main facets to BDSM – Domination/Submission, and Sadism/ Masochism. The first is psychological; the second, physiological. D/S is a power exchange – one person serves, the other receives service. Sadomasochism is an exchange of physical sensation. The two aspects often overlap, but not necessarily. And, as with many things, they exist
along a spectrum. Likewise, levels of involvement vary. Some people exist in 24/7 power exchange relationships, which can be a form of consensual servitude – others want to be on top in bed. Some like rough sex, others play until the bottom is bloody and fainting. Some ‘bottom’ types genuinely enjoy the sensation of pain; some like feeling useful, and making coffee and supper for their significant other. Some ‘tops’ want
Not all submissives are shy and bookish; most dominants are not CEOs
the stress release of violence, some enjoy the feeling of encouraging their partner's personal growth and development. The most important thing is that every relationship is unique to the individuals involved. 50 Shades sets out the expectation that every kinky relationship adheres to a plan: both D/S and S/M, a contract, sex. I, on behalf of my community, would like to disagree. Within Oxfordshire, and even within the University, there is any number of kinky students. I know
this, because we have socials about once a month. There are people in collared D/S relationships. There are partners who switch – they take turns being the top and the bottom. There are those who have contractual relationships, and those who are single but have a number of play partners that they meet casually with, for a bit of stress relief. Some people have more sex than Mr Grey himself, and some, like me, have decided not to have sex until marriage. We all make different choices- the only common thread is that we learned, often very young, that society considers us to be ‘weird’. That boy on the playground didn’t understand. In school, my friends appreciated the fact that I would always volunteer to do the washing up, or make tea, but I knew I couldn’t tell them that I wanted to be held down when I was kissed. I was 18 before I found the ‘scene’, the community of kinky people, where I could talk about these things without people suggesting that maybe I needed therapy. 18, before I learned that it was okay to ask for these things – and that there were people who enjoyed the other side, not out of malicious intent but from the same fate of personality. That’s when I discovered consent, and
O.C.
Oriel College what it means to this lifestyle. When I enter a relationship – of any level – my partner and I negotiate everything. It’s not a business meeting: it’s usually pretty casual, and flirty. The key is honesty. I say exactly what I’m looking for, what I want, what I am agreeing to – and so do they. We’re honest with each other and with ourselves. That honesty allows each person to make the choices best for themselves. It allows us to be ourselves: as normal and typical as any other person. With the imminent release of 50 Shades of Grey, BDSM has come out of the shadows. For some of us, that’s a bit terrifying. We expect two things – that some people will judge us, and that some people will want to join us. If the former, we ask only that you first compare our lifestyle to yours. I guarantee that there will be someone who lives just as you do – only, perhaps, with different motivations. If the latter – we want to welcome you, but please remember that our community, like any other, has guidelines. Ours centre around consent and communication. And if anyone has any questions, do come find us – we’re usually sat at the back of a pub, talking about essays we haven’t written yet.
10 Comment
I
YES
have every right to not let a stranger into my home. I have every right to hang up on a cold caller. I have every right to block someone on social media. In none of these situations am I denying someone the right to free speech. No-platforming is a phenomenon everyone performs freely and frequently, yet it gets pushed to the forefront of our attention again and again. Ironically, those that are noplatformed often find public forums in which to air their grievances and fully utilise their free speech, often gaining them significantly more attention than if they had been permitted to speak in the first place. The possible negative side effects of no-platforming have nothing to do with the denial of free speech. Just look at Brendan O’Neill, a stilted, second-rate conservative commentator thrust into the limelight after being no-platformed as part of the Oxford Students for Life debate on ‘abortion culture.’ Without the no-platforming outcry, the debate would probably have passed by most people. Yet, the decision made to no-platform the debate was made by a private institution, and was not a public denial of free speech. No platforming is often characterised as censorship imposed by amorphous, radical-left groups with little tolerance for views other than their own. This is simply not the case: no-platforming is a bottom-up, not top-down phenomenon. Just as I can decide who to invite into my home, so can a private institution decide whose voice they want to give a platform to. There is no obligation to let anyone and everyone speak in a private institution. It is a democratic imperative
HANNAH BARKER
Lincoln College
T
he fact that a party’s election campaign is dependent on the amount of money its donors are willing to fork out is, by all means, concerning. Yet in the run-up to this year’s general election, Labour’s relative lack of funds could be the party’s saving grace. With predictions that the Conservatives will outspend Labour three to one, Miliband’s team has been forced to change tactics – for the better. The party recently announced that it will be rising above Cameron’s tactics of ‘falsehood and smear’, and rejecting any form of negative campaigning. No Labour election poster will feature the face of the Prime Minister. Whether motivated by the sheer cost of creating and placing billboards, or by the fear that pitting Miliband against Cameron will do Labour no favours, the party’s decision certainly comes off as an attempt to raise the tone of the debate. The Conservatives have asked donors to dig deep in their pockets in order to pay for hundreds of poster sites in high streets across the country. Billboards, some featuring the Labour leadership, will soon be a familiar sight. Meanwhile, Douglas Alexander, Labour’s campaign chief, has announced
12th February 2015
KATHRYN WELSH
JACK MYERS
Oriel College
that members are able to express their views in this way. Whilst democracy, by its very nature, is a bottom-up form of government, the right to free speech is passed down by public political institutions. According to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, “This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.” This specifically does not include the right to have those opinions accepted, validated, or welcomed by any person or private institution. It is precisely because of our free speech that we can disagree with, argue with, and protest against someone. The ability to no-platform in the private sphere is a bottom-up democratic good. Regardless of whether or not no -platforming is the right thing to do in a given situation, our ability to decide on a case-by-case basis to noplatform is a free and private decision. The flip side to the right to hold and impart your own opinions – the right to reject any opinions you do not agree with – is just as vitally important, and this is the spirit behind. Not, as myriad voices are scrambling to tell us, censorship. Voltaire famously did not actually say, “I do not agree with what you say sir, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. Anyone has the right to say what they want. No one has to listen. Private institutions have no obligation to provide a venue for hateful and divisive views to be spread. Free speech is not threatened when we exercise our right to not listen to what we do not want to hear.
St John’s College
IS NOPLATFORMING CONSISTENT WITH FREE SPEECH?
PHOTO/Andrew Gainer
I
t’d be stupid to suggest that free speech is absolute. We accept there are restrictions to our right to free speech when, for example, we criminalise graffiti or perjury. What we are saying when we criminalise these actions is that you can’t vandalise property that you do not own, vandalise your own property; you can’t pervert the court with flippant speech, speak flippantly elsewhere. In other words, the law has no power over the concept of free speech, but on its application. When it comes to free speech, the law limits perversions of the platform, it controls the use of platforms. So the state already no-platforms. This is a good thing. Without restriction, without a sense of what it would be meaningless or wrong to say, there would be no reason for asserting a right to free speech. We don’t take these restrictions lightly however; we require that restrictions suffer the trials of democracy, the intellectual rigour of both houses before they are enshrined in law. However the situation we have here in Oxford is ever so slightly different. The question is whether individuals with private interests who decide to no-platform technically legal behaviour are acting in accordance to the right to free speech or not; if not, should we tolerate this vigilantism. No-platformers often say something along the lines of: ‘The right to speak freely does not oblige anyone to provide you with a platform.’ The problem is that without a platform, and its implicit audience, your right to free speech is reduced merely to the ability to talk to yourself. No surveillance force could possibly have the scope and resources to police every problematic thought every individual expressed in private, precisely because thoughts expressed in private have such limited scope and impact. What we care about is the expression of thoughts to a
NO
considerable audience – i.e. via a platform – because the platform is the application of the right to free speech, in so doing endowing speech with power and influence. Since free speech is entirely dependent on the use of a platform, noplatforming is fundamentally a violation of free speech. It is disingenuous to pose no-platforming as an expression of free speech; it’s viciously circular to argue that free speech can be used to deny free speech. Platforming is about access to information, and whether we should allow others to access information in certain ways. Since there is a reluctance to extend the principle of no-platforming beyond specific circumstances, and an acceptance that often speakers have an arsenal of platforms to hand anyway, it seems that either no-platforming is irrelevant and reiterates existing legislation to a far lesser degree, or it is relevant but only insofar as it is symbolic. This is not about reasoning with those that want to platform problematic speakers, but an expression of solidarity with those who don’t. The standoff between the right to free speech and the ability to no-platform comes down to whether one conceives of democracy as liberty or equality. The right to free speech is better understood as a right to speak freely, construed first and foremost to protect the speaker, not the audience. It suggests that there is a competition of truths, hence the protection of the speaker must trump the sensitivities of the audience. Conversely, no-platformers see the ability to speak freely as too easily perverted, specifically in a way that threatens minority groups. The only way I can see of reconciling both sides is to accept that someone is always going to be no-platformed, and its your job to make sure that someone is not you.
Petty squabbling won’t win an election “we’ll focus our campaign on issues, not personalities”. Miliband and his team are ahead of schedule in their attempt to talk face-to-face with four million voters before election day. Their doorstop campaigning scheme is being organised via social media – part of their “go online to get offline” strategy. Douglas, who claimed “the worst thing a politician can hear on the doorstep…is that all politicians are the same” has launched a hands-on campaign intended to show the public exactly what Labour stands for. The result is that Labour seems ready to talk serious politics, while the Conservatives just look desperate. Even the party’s own members have branded recent billboards tasteless and unnecessarily personal. Cameron’s unwillingness to take part in the TV debate has not done him any favours, and this focus on negative campaigning makes the Prime Minister look even more intent on avoiding the spotlight. Everyone knows that the opinion polls are on his side – but this will be in his favour anyway. By abusing Miliband’s unpopularity, he comes off as a bully that won’t back down. Even more importantly, Cameron’s campaign misjudges the public. The
British people don’t want an American-style election. Choosing a leader to represent Britain is not the only issue at stake. People want to feel personally connected to politics; to understand what it can do for them; to vote not only for a prime minister, but also for an MP who will affect change in their local area. Smear campaigns just alienate people, undoing the work of local councils and MPs who are fighting to make politics more accessible to a greater proportion of the general public. They reinforce the view that politics is a dirty business and propagate the stereotype of politicians as corrupt, untrustworthy figures who are more interested in their own public schoolboy squabbles than in engaging the public. The use of negative campaigning shows a lack of interest in the needs and interests of the voters; it underestimates them. While it might be amusing to look at a picture of Miliband in an unfortunate pose, most people want to know what each party is actually doing. Splashing out on billboards featuring photos of the opposition shows an unwillingness to deal with the real issues at hand and doesn’t bring the public any closer to rooting for you. Of
course, all politics is about the opposition to some extent. Miliband wouldn’t have a leg to stand on regarding the NHS if no-one had revealed the mess the Conservatives were making of it. But most of the people who are going to go out and vote want to know who they’re voting for, not against. Whatever we think of Miliband’s
policies, at least he intends to tell us them. Ditching the expensive billboards and speaking to the people will make Labour look like a party of real politicians, rather than petty schoolboys intent only on one-upmanship. Labour is prepared for a serious debate about what is best for the country; the Conservatives just want to call names.
PHOTO/net_efekt
12th February 2015
This is not about free speech I
am a defender of free speech. Being able to express your opinion – especially your dissent – is important for social progress. There was a time when democracy and equality were the radical ideas of the day and, had free speech not prevailed, we would be living in a very different world. Admittedly, some ideas are dodgy, idiosyncratic or downright wrong. But we must defend the expression of such ideas not only for consistency in principle, but also so we may engage these ideas in rational debate to highlight their weaknesses. Besides, who are we to make a judgment on which ideas are more right than others? Many
ideas can be justified in one way or another, depending on personal value systems. Hence, I used to be a staunch defender of Marine Le Pen’s right to give a talk at the Oxford Union, even though I strongly disagreed with her anti-immigrant rhetoric. However, after a long conversation with a friend, I finally changed my mind. My friend is a commited activist who was outside the Union, protesting against the talk and preventing people from attending it. For her, this was not about free speech. It was about giving a talk at the Oxford Union, one of the most prestigious institutions in the world
PHOTO/Blandine Le Cain
JAMES GADEA
Mansfield College
F
ew people have become such international pariahs in recent years as President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Putin’s method of rule involves an iron grip on the country’s future. He has gained control of the Russian bear, and is now its undoubted master. And that course means he is on path towards a clash with the international community as well as many of his own citizens. Why has President Putin taken it upon himself to annex Crimea, to support Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, and to fund and support Russian nationalists in Eastern Ukraine?
tigious. They do not understand why we invite whom we do and what we are trying to achieve. The press will not focus on questions students may have after Marine Le Pen’s speech, but rather the simple fact that she spoke at the Union. Marine Le Pen had not been invited to a debate with opposition. In a debate, there would have been focus on the exchange of ideas. Instead, the limelight was clearly on Le Pen herself. Perception is reality. Even though intentions were good, people might still perceive it as Marine Le Pen being
Does Marine Le Pen deserve this endorsement? endorsement. I pointed out to my friend that Oxford University is an educational institution and that it does not, and should not play politics. The Union should be the guardian of free speech, and was not created as a place for prominent people to make their mark and secure stamps of approval. I also told her that if people had problems with Marine Le Pen’s views, this would be a very good opportunity to voice their disagreements with her (and demand she addresses them). If she fails to do so satisfactorily, it will reveal how little substance her views actually have. And my friend again brought me back to reality. It does not matter what I think, nor what most Oxonians think. Most people outside Oxford do not know anything about the Union except that it is very pres-
endorsed by the Oxford Union. It may seem cynical to suggest that endorsement from a well-known institution can affect people’s opinion, yet this bears some truth. People, unfortunately, sometimes rely on symbolic cues to make decisions. It is this symbolism that scares my friend as it inadvertently validates Marine Le Pen’s views, in a climate of Islamophobia following the Charlie Hebdo attacks. This may produce blind followers who may compromise the safety of minority groups and exacerbate racial tensions within society. It was a desire to protect the vulnerable which ultimately drove the protests - the protesters did not want to attack free speech per se. Did Marine Le Pen deserve the endorsement that speaking at the Union accords her? Last week, the OxStu included an article arguing
THOMAS MUELLER
Pembroke College she did, because Marine Le Pen is now the “most popular politician in a major European power” and “a major figure in European politics”. I find this baffling – she is not yet a head of state and it is still too early to tell if the spike in her approval ratings is merely due to temporary backlash following the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Even if she were elected as France’s president, would this position alone justify this prestigious endorsement? If so, the Union might as well invite Robert Mugabe, Kim Jong Un and Bashar al-Assad. The Union needs to be selective on who it endorses and being a “major popular politician” does not cut it as an adequate criterion for me. Speakers should share our values, including a commitment to liberty, equality, democracy, and justice. I am still a defender of free speech, but I now appreciate that free speech must be taken in context. I still think Marine Le Pen should be invited to give talks and should be encouraged to participate in debate, but the Oxford Union is not the best place. There were some protesters, particularly those who chanted “Death to fascists”, who clearly took the opportunity to attack free speech outright. This I cannot support. Though, if anything, the presence of protests is a healthy sign that freedom of expression is being upheld in the university. For protesters too have a right to express their discomfort with Le Pen. And if we condemn the protesters for ‘suppressing free speech’, are we any better than the protesters themselves?
Now is the time to act against Putin
its non-interventionist policies. After years of counter-insurgency, America is war-weary. No more war means a better America. According to this theory, Putin has taken advantage of the absence of American military power. America still has the world’s supreme armed force, but is not willing to use it. Realising Obama would not get involved, Putin has decided to seize the day by seizing Crimea. This theory is deficient in many ways. First, it places the onus on the American administration. If we take this line, the ball essen-
If we do nothing, we risk losing our own moral compass One argument floating around the foreign policy community goes a little bit like this. President Obama has decided on a back-seat approach for US foreign policy. This backseat approach has meant not getting involved in Syria, waiting until very late to take action against ISIS, and avoiding serious involvement in Nigeria against Boko Haram. The policy is one that President Obama has made with sincere and earnest interests in mind. After the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Obama administration has played up
where countless great people have been invited to speak. This was different from speaking at a university lecture hall, or on a TV talk show, or at a political rally. This was no ordinary speaking opportunity. History and tradition has attached much symbolic meaning to giving a talk at the Union. When speaking there, you are more than just a speaker, but someone following in the footsteps of Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. It is a very public endorsement. It is also a very misunderstood
Comment 11
tially lies in the American court, and US involvement in the international community dictates the actions of others. This is not the case: America is not the only country with agency. We need to take a more nuanced approach to the Putin problem. Russia under Putin is attempting to regain its status on the world stage and restore the ‘glory’ of the former Soviet Union. The Putin method takes a strong-armed approach to achieving these ends. The restoration of Russia’s place in the world is integral to Putin’s
politics; he will pursue this aim with or without American engagement in foreign affairs. The United States restraint has merely amplified Putin’s ability to make huge, brash actions in pursuit of his aim to recapture superpower status. Ukraine itself has a part here, of course. Weakly governed and lacking in military resources, it cannot effectively deter Russia from invading. In the last decade, Putin has taken extensive measures to bring the Russian military up to date and improve its organisation – Ukraine is in little position to resist. In addition, Ukraine is split between pro-West and pro-Russian factions, which has given Russia ’social capital’ to use in their capture of Crimea; divisions within Ukraine provide an easy pretext for Russian intervention. So how do you put Putin back in his place? The answer is the same as with any playground bully. Get the other kids together and confront him. Diplomatically and, if need be, with force. NATO must send weapons and troops to Ukraine to defend the country’s sovereignty from future incursions by the Russians. If need be, NATO troops should be prepared to fight for Eastern Ukraine and Crimea. The international community right now does not care enough about the
PHOTO/Global Panorama
Ukraine situation. It is far away and involves a bit-player in the world economy. The international system, and the market, can survive without Ukraine, people assume. Yet we need to stand up for Ukraine. If we do nothing, we risk losing our own moral compass. Ukraine has asked us for our assistance. Ukraine has outstretched their hand for help against foreign invaders. They are far from Western Europe
and the United States. But that does not give us the right to dismiss their struggle as one of some fantasy land far away. They are our neighbours and they are in need. It’s time for the playground bully to be put in his place. It’s time for us to unite. To drive out reckless ambition. To stand up for our friends. We hear the distant call for help. Will we walk by and forget Ukraine in its hour of need? Or will we answer that call?
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12th February 2015
MUSIC
Music 3
From Canada to Oxford, they Alvvays impress
HENRY HOLMES
t’s one of the coldest days of the year so far in Oxford, and I’m shivering as I climb the steps of the O2 Academy with Alvvays’ tour manager, Al. Inside, I find Molly Rankin, the band’s guitarist and singer, and Alec O’Hanley, lead guitarist and activator of drum machines, in loose, summery clothes. The depths of the Oxford winter are clearly nothing compared to the plummeting temperatures of their home city of Toronto. Rankin offers me a bottle of water and smiles as I unwrap my layers upon layers. She seems to embody the band’s music perfectly. She’s incredibly friendly and cheerful, but there’s also a slightly melancholy and very clever edge to her as well. Compared to his bandmate, O’Hanley is less extroverted and chipper but as the interview goes on it becomes clear how well they work together, and his Canadian drawl and attitude reflects the self-awareness and concealed grit of the music. Despite their general critical acclaim and position on various best of 2014 lists – ‘Archie, Marry Me’ was a fairly popular pick amongst some music blogs as the best song of 2014 – they’re not without their criticism, as nothing is in our post-internet age; something that O’Hanley acknowledges. “I think as a pop band, as a guitar pop band, you’re automatically at a structural disadvantage in some critical venues, which is
interactions between art and business nowadays. “I guess you do have to be creative, I don’t know if we’ve necessarily figured out how to, I don’t know if anyone’s figured out how to do it right now, but I think it’s cool that people are finding new ways of sharing music and finding ways of making work, ‘cause it certainly doesn’t with like 90 per cent of artists” While Rankin is largely optimistic, O’Hanley takes a more sceptical eye to it, particularly crowdfunding. “It is a direct link with the people who want to see your record and feel like they have a stake in it: theoretically it’s a good thing. I don’t know about the whole Amanda Palmer thing, part of that seems a bit gimmicky and exploitative and a bit of a shtick so… using it in that manner kind of repels us a little bit.” Alvvays seem about as authentic a band as they come. They’re a bunch of friends making great music inspired by whomever they like, right in the middle of one of the most fertile music scenes around today, and I’ve never laughed more in an interview. After we officially finish, O’Hanley offers me a beer and we chat for a bit longer about drum machines, Cowley Road and student journalism. Then, as they trek off in search of a cheap dinner, I’m left with a distinctly Canadian warmth in my heart, and an overwhelming desire to move to Toronto.
I
fine; that’s just the climate in 2015, I think. I dunno, we’ve been bowled over and overwhelmed by fans, and don’t really try to pay too much heed to critics - you never know what they ate for breakfast that morning.” Rankin also seems to follow that golden rule of ‘don’t read the comments’, saying “We’ve been pretty lucky, we haven’t had any really rotten reviews, like not too many, although we kind of just stopped reading pretty much everything. Yeah, there are a few trolls living under the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn that kind of pick on us, but apart from that it’s been cool for a while.” They have a lot to say about Toronto and its music scene, which is flourishing at the moment. It’s somewhat the centre of Candian music nowadays, and O’Hanley in particular sings its praises. “It’s the best scene in Canada probably right now, I would say. It’s not as romanticised as Montreal, for instance, but it’s also not as cliquey as in Montreal, you know. It’s more diverse and there are less barriers; we can go on tour with Hardcore bands called Fucked Up and nobody really bats an eye and we hop off and play with soft pop rockers Real Estate the next week – no one’s too precious about genre.” One of the most obvious things about the band is how immersed they are in the music, partially helped through the Toronto scene. Rankin has a lot to rec-
ommend. “There’s a band called Team Anger that are really cool in Toronto, Graze, a band that we toured with called Absolutely Free.” Their range of influences is massive, from obscure British post-punk to old fashioned surf pop (“we’re as big a Beach Boys fans as anyone”). Rankin’s usual joy at the world grows even more when I mention their contrasting poppy melodies and dark lyrics. “Who do I love? I love Stephen Merritt from the Magnetic Fields; he’s
it’s funny when people mention aesthetic. It’s not a huge part of what we think about by any means we’re really just trying to… I was gonna say stay afloat.” Halfway through the interview Kerri MacLellan, the keyboardist in the band, wanders into the room and swiftly leaves again when she sees I’m here. “She’s shy,” says Rankin, with a tone in her voice that develops from being the more outgoing of a pair of long-term friends.
“As a guitar pop band, you’re automatically at a structural disadvantage” a genius. I don’ t know, I love Belle and Sebastian, anything with thoughtful lyrics, it’s always been important to me.” The surf pop influence came up when we talked about the band’s imagery, which, in their music videos especially, seems focused around water, and it’s where their background really shows through. “It’s what separates Canada,” Rankin says, “coastal regions versus like plains and farm, and that’s very much part of our identity: growing up near bodies of water and it being, y’know, immensely shitty due to altitude and the water – it just gets so much colder.” It’s all these things that add up to their specific breed of secretly dark pop, although a lot of it seems to be almost subconscious, as she continues, “Yeah,
“Kerri and I went all through like primary to grade 12 together then she went to art school and I went to um, theatre university and then I moved to the island that [Alec] lived on and we were all shivering in wintertime. Then, again, we thought it was time to leave our respective cities so we moved at the same time and then the following summer, we were in South by South West and she was supposed to come on vacation and ended up playing keys with us and that sounds really stupid like ‘that’s just how it happens’ but it really is.” They acknowledge the dire state the music industry is in at the moment, and I ask them about their thoughts on it, especially the shifting nature of the
Wadham College
PHOTO/GAVIN KEEN
12th February 2015
4 Music
An intimate voyage to a Romantic musical realm F
PHOTO/MASTERSTROKE
ollowing the success of their first concert last term, St Peter’s College Chamber Orchestra returned to give a concert of Debussy, Mahler, and Vaughan Williams. The program posed many challenges for a chamber orchestra consisting of only seventeen players, as this repertoire is usually played by a symphony orchestra consisting of around ninety musicians. The ensemble’s ambitious conductor, John Warner, emphasises the importance of choosing a program that is “both challenging and rewarding for the players yet appealing to the audience.” In this respect, Warner curated the perfect program – the works were all inspired by poetry, yet they show complementary nationalistic interpretations of late Romantic ideals. The ensemble’s sensitive performance demonstrated their obvious identification with the repertoire, while the large audience that filled St Peter’s College Chapel proves that the right programme draws a sizable crowd. The ensemble clearly values the enjoyment of playing music together. As explained by violin soloist Anny Chen, “everyone is here because they want to be here, because they love the music,” which in her opinion differs to the atmosphere of orchestras at London music colleges, where some people attend purely out of obligation. Although the ensemble’s spiritual home is St Peter’s College, the members come from all over the university. A total of fifteen colleges are represented with a mix of un-
dergraduate and postgraduate students from a variety of different subject areas. The concert opened with Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, and the audience were instantly transported to the hazy heat of the French riverbank depicted in Mallarmé’s poem courtesy of Daniel Shao’s sensuous flute solo. The subsequent wind and horn solos perfectly matched the quality of tone and sentiment set by Shao. However, the dynamic range of the piece could have been explored in more depth. Players tended to be concerned with projecting their individual lines rather than creating moments of real pianissimo, which would have transformed this otherwise beautiful performance into the realm of the sublime. Mahler’s Fourth Symphony formed the centre of the program, and its shorter length and lighter scoring (compared to some of his other symphonies) lends it well to chamber performances. Highlights of the first movement included lyrical string themes from the cellos and Ben Horton’s fantastic horn solos – his rich tone perfectly suited the Mahlerian sound world. The second movement featured a large variety of textures and all members of the ensemble fully exploited the chance to play with characterful articulation. An admirable sense of poise was maintained throughout the third movement. Yet the strings could have afforded more sentimentality in their sweeping melodies, so as to please those of us who enjoy listening to Mahler played
Alt-J left us hungering for more than just the pine
W
hen the lights drop on London’s O2 Arena, there’s a beat of shouts in the darkness, until a familiar pulsing note cuts through the air, accompanied with red flashing lights. It’s intense and the suspense hangs in the air as ‘Hunger of the Pine’ heralds the arrival of Alt-J. It’s a well-pitched opening, the longing in the song is much more visceral live. It’s the opening to a polished, sophisticated show that leaves the audience under no doubt as to the talents of the band. Alt-J’s music is better live. The thudding bass and delicate vocal harmonies soar through the air. The synths are harsher, the cacophony of keyboards and jangling synthetic percussion creating a much more immersive experience of the music. They are technically brilliant playing live, the harmonies of ‘Something Good’ rendered perfectly and with more punch. Midway through ‘Fitzpleasure’, a dirty romp of a song, the crowd seems to move as if the beat were their collective heartbeat. They don’t need to gild the lily: the lovely melody of ‘Warm Foothills’ flutters, freed, through the arena, while ‘Every Other Freckle’ gets a
filthy kick to it, feeling like the kind of song that could devour you alive. It’s a testament to the quality of the gig that the greenlit ditzy euphoria of ‘Dissolve Me’ is almost a low point. They’ve also got a phenomenal presence. ‘Tessellate’ cues a sea of triangle hand symbols in the air, moving in some quasi-circadian rhythm to the syncopated beat, while it barely takes a second of Joe holding his hand in the air during ‘Matilda’ to get a chorus line of copycats. Midway through
the gig I realise what it is that the four black clad men in a line, rarely moving, remind me of: Kraftwerk, in their heyday. And it’s a similar effect they have on the crowd: they barely have to move from their instruments to have the hands of the audience in the air, singing their hearts out. Even aside from the considerable stage presence, they come across as likeable – Joe steps forward at one point, smiling at the crowd like a kid on Christmas, a gesture I can only
describe as charming, while Gus is constantly thanking the crowd from behind his keyboard. This is a band comfortable in their own skins, able to command an audience. But moving on from the solid live performance, what really marks out this gig is its transcendence. When I saw Alt-J live in 2013, I made a similar claim, but nothing compares to this. From the moment they take the stage, the crowd is plunged into a surround-sound experience of the
PHOTO/ LUCY CLARKE
CHARLOTTE PARR
Jesus College
by musicians who wear their hearts on their sleeves. Helena Moore’s soprano solo in the fourth movement provided a glorious culmination to the work, and the generous acoustic of the chapel enabled her silvery tone to soar above the orchestra. Warner gracefully handled the movement’s potentially awkward transitional sections, and expertly led the ensemble to the work’s understated close. In an interesting subversion of programming conventions, the concert ended with Vaughan William’s The Lark Ascending. The creative decision paid off as Chen’s sensational violin playing was the undoubted highlight of the evening. Her exceptional interpretation of one of the nation’s best-loved classical works defied comparison with even the generation’s finest violinists. The audience was captivated by her sophisticated explorations of the violin’s different registers, which created a magical aura in the chapel. There was no need for Chen to forcefully project her volume during the performance, as her ethereal tone inspired sophisticated and supportive playing from the accompanying ensemble. After such a successful concert, it will be interesting to see how the ensemble develops in the future. No doubt Warner will mastermind suitably ambitious projects in the coming terms. It would be a joy for audiences if Moore and Chen, both students at London music colleges, were to return to Oxford for subsequent appearances.
LUCY CLARKE
Regent’s Park College music: the performance of ‘Intro’ from An Awesome Wave could be a moment of religious conversion, judging by the response it garners. The flashing lights and simple staging add to the assault of the music upon your consciousness, ‘The Ballad of John Hurt’ seems to be resonating in some deep cranial niche, and I find myself wondering why on earth it wasn’t a single. ‘Breezeblocks’, the final song of the night, is predictably well-received, the heartfelt cry of ‘please don’t go, I love you so’ both lyric and plea from a crowd desperate for the night not to end. And as Gus and Joe stand in twin spotlights during ‘Interlude 1: The Ripe and Ruin’, it’s not hard to imagine the voices of the crowd as supplicants, arms aloft to some holy melody. And when the lights come up over the crowd in ‘Every Other Freckle’, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was some kind of religious experience. Sure, it’s not the most innovative of performances, but Alt-J do what they’re best at - creating an immersive atmosphere of music that allows you to realise just how good a band they are.
Music 5
12th February 2015
Week 5, still alive OxStu’s 5th Week Playlist
Teenage Girl Cherry Glazerr Burger Records
Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badou) Janelle Monáe Bad Boy
Try Me Out Sometime BRONCHO Dine Along Records
Reptile Nine Inch Nails Interscope Records
Old Dylan returns in Shadows in the Night After the pedal steel guitar has whined its way from a bygone era, Bob Dylan’s gravelly voice cuts into the song like a jagged knife: ‘I’m a Fool To Want You’ opens Shadows in the Night, his thirtysixth studio album, and it is the closest that the singer comes to crooning. When Columbia Records announced that Dylan would be recording an album made up entirely of Frank Sinatra covers, fans tentatively held their breath. It seemed a mismatch of artists typical of late Dylan. Luckily for us, it paid off. Dylan takes well-known Sinatra ballads (‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘The Night We Called It a Day’) and Dylanises them. He is respectful of the original songs by staying true to their melodies – a respect that he does not have for his own work. But a song such as ‘Full Moon’ and ‘Empty Arms’, with its chugging rhythm section, sounds so characteristically Dylan that it could easily have come from Tempest, his spectacular previous album. Most of the songs were written in the first half of the twentieth century, but take on new character in Dylan’s hands. He does away with the sweeping
PHOTO/ XAVIER BADOSA
string sections and vast instrumentation of Sinatra records, putting his five-piece touring band in its place. Coarse tones replace Sinatra’s smooth crooning. A muted trumpet occasionally wafts its way into the musical texture – a polite nod to Sinatra’s big band instrumentation. Sinatra records are wellpolished and expertly executed, while Dylan only took three hours on each song in the studio. Shadows in the Night differs from Tempest in that the songs are more
nostalgic, romantic and even brooding. Most of them adopt a first-person direct address, making it difficult to avoid viewing Dylan’s selection of ballads as autobiographical. On the album’s single, ‘Stay With Me’, Dylan sings, “I grow cold, I grow weary and I know I have sinned.” The reflective tone of such songs feels well-aged. Perhaps that is Dylan’s reason for giving the only promotional interview for Shadows in the Night to the American Association of Retired Persons.
JACOB WISEMAN
Lincoln College
However, this interview feels tonguein-cheek: Dylan has achieved something new and, in its own way, fresh. He combines old songs with an aged style unfamiliar to them. With an irony that I feel Dylan appreciates, he has done something new. His sound is old - pedal steel string and bowed double bass that hark back to a pre-Dylan era, yet he uses this seasoned sound to rework the wellworn pages of the American Songbook. The product is an original combination of two different old sounds: Dylan’s musical shadow cast on the American Songbook’s night. In this Dylan has succeeded where so many of his contemporaries have failed: note Eric Clapton’s album Clapton, in which covers of songs from his childhood were as dull as his album title, or Rod Stewart’s five slashes at jazz standards in The Great American Songbook I-V. Shadows in the Night is a genuine reworking that is more than a product of nostalgia. This album is not the riproaring Dylan of Tempest, but it retains its own mood and style that feels simultaneously old, new and distinctly Dylan.
VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR Two Weeks
Naomi Southwell
The video for ‘Two Weeks’ opens with FKA Twigs centre of frame, the sensual lyrics of the track awash with sumptuous, hazy, burnt gold light. This sounds understated, except that Twigs is placed in a Grecian palace sitting atop a throne. She is magnified in comparison to her backing dancers (smaller versions of herself dressed in gold). In the past, FKA Twigs was a backing dancer for the likes of Jessie J and Kylie Minogue. Now, she carries out this lead role in full fruition in her own music video of the single from her album LP1. The video is directed by Nabil Elderkin, who has worked with the likes of Foals, Alt J, and Kanye West. FKA Twigs frequently co-directs or directs her own videos - a fact that often gets overlooked. With questions routinely posed about female artists’ agency in their own music videos, especially ones with sensual or overtly sexual content, there is no doubt of Twigs’ prominent role in ‘Two Weeks’. The extended panning out shot of Twigs atop a throne gently gesturing to the rolling beats of ‘Two Weeks’ and gazing hypnotically at her former backing dancer self.
One
Kiss and Not Tell
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan are an Asian-Canadian queer art punk collective who describe their music as noh-wave. Their videos are as beautifully intersectional as you’d hope. There are videos with much higher budgets and ambitions, but ‘One’ is outstanding in its simplicity. Interpsersed with shots of the band playing the song (one of the highlights of the exceptional album Uzu) is essentially the greatest feminist dance party you’ve ever seen. The video is full of basically the coolest women you’ve ever seen. They have great clothes, they have weird makeup and it’s all to the incredible soundtrack of bizarre Chinese operainspired art-punk. There’s a massive range of whomever you’d like, and they’re all just so much cooler than you (sorry). In the best middle finger to cisheteropatriarchy you could imagine, the video has fat women, trans women, Asian women and any others you could possibly ask for dancing like a badass and not giving a fuck. Take me to Toronto.
The only way to describe the comeback video from La Roux is ‘80s-style phone sex with a twist of pop art’. The video for ‘Kiss and Not Tell’ features the lead singer, Elly Jackson, charming her way through a series of callers of all types, through a variety of phones. Playing the persona of a sex line operator, the video shows Elly dancing seductively against a backdrop of a metal fence, cheekily winking at the viewer through a TV screen. Mouths are open, lips are bitten, and eyebrows are raised. Yet the reason I love this video is not because Elly is sexy. It’s for its attitude towards female sexuality. She isn’t objectified; her work is not portrayed as dirty or seedy. It is clear that she is in full control of her sexuality (and the sexuality of others in the video). The video also highlights the acceptability of women seeking their own pleasure and the changing attitudes towards doing so publically. The video and the song combined are a compelling and inspiring fuck you to the patriarchy and a celebration of female sexuality.
Henry Holmes
Kate Bickerton
Close To Me
Lucy Clarke The Cure are famous for having some pretty ‘out there’ music videos. Tim Pope, the genius behind the Spider Man in ‘Lullaby’ – I didn’t sleep for weeks after that – and the springheeled joy of ‘Friday I’m In Love’ was at his best in the video ‘Close to Me’. The year was 1985. Robert Smith’s hair had its own field of gravity, the miners’ strike had ended, and The Cure were playing their instruments in a wardrobe on the edge of a cliff. In fact, one of them’s playing a comb - apparently producing the trademark plinking riff. Perhaps the best moment comes when the wardrobe falls off the cliff and the music continues unhurried. A saxophone then plays the soundtrack to the apparent watery end of the band, who nobly continue to play their instruments/combs as brine fills the wardrobe. It’s upbeat in the most macabre way, and it’s brilliant: it’s bizarre, full of the disregard for anything sensible that characterises The Cure’s videos, and absolutely in tune with the dizzy sighs and synth riffs of the song. Also, who wouldn’t want to watch five goths fall off a cliff in a wardrobe?
6 Screen
SCREEN
Out of the coffin and into the screen I
t is two years now since the Twilight franchise gave its last feeble kick and then disintegrated into a pile of ash. The glittering vampire is dead. Long live the traditional vampire. Most of us breathed a collective sigh of relief when Breaking Dawn – Part II finally died out in cinemas. At last it was over. Give it a little time, and the whole awful thing could be forgotten. Serious horror fiction fans, who had spent most of the previous five years developing ever more creative ways to pour scorn and contempt on Stephanie Meyer’s version of the vampire myth, declared themselves more than ready for the cinematic world to move on. It has therefore provoked more than a little consternation that this doesn’t seem to be happening yet. Where have all the scary vampires gone? Has the celebrity-worshipping banality of Twilight succeeded where a long line of heroic, damnation-defying vampire hunters failed? Has it laid the traditional vampire to rest? The answer is yes, but only for now. It is important to consider why the Twilight phenomenon happened in the first place. To be sure, the aforementioned “serious horror fiction fans,” despite their occasional snobbery, were entirely
correct. Edward Cullen and his fellow sparkly vampires could not have been more anodyne or less interesting, and the same can be said of the films they starred in. But Twilight was not just some kind of embarrassing aberration. It happened for a deep-seated cultural reason, and understanding that reason is also the key to understanding why it will not endure. It may seem like the authoritative, frightening figure of the old-fashioned vampire has been killed off, and to be sure, we haven’t seen him in a long time now. But we shouldn’t worry. Human nature and the nature of Western culture both dictate that he, or she, will be striding back onto our movie screens sooner or later. This is because of the symbolism inherent in the vampire myth. It is commonplace of psycho-cultural criticism that the most popular movie monsters are all personifications of real human fears. Thus werewolves symbolise the inner animal that lurks within us all, zombies personify our fear of the slow but unstoppable advance of death and decay, and so on. Under this rubric, vampires are a symbol for human sexuality. It is no coincidence that the foundation of the modern vampire myth, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, emerged from Victorian
England. It gives us a personification of sexuality – a creature of the night, transmitted by blood, driven by hunger for tender flesh – that we are unambiguously expected to fear and reject. As brought to the screen in F. W. Murnau’s 1922 masterpiece Nosferatu, the Count is a hideous, creeping, unwholesome monster. The trajectory of vampire films since then (and film has overwhelmingly been the medium in which the vampire has
tive, romantic, stylish vampires that first appeared in Anne Rice’s novel Interview with the Vampire and then swiftly crossed over into the movies. The personifications of sexuality were following the road set out for them by the sexual revolution, and it was a road that led them inexorably away from actual horror. Come the ‘90s, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer gave us Angel and Spike, both of whom were attractive, admirable figures who had romantic relationships with the heroine
Where have all the scary vampires gone? Has the celebrity-worshipping banality of Twilight succeeded where a long line of heroic, damnation-defying vampire hunters failed? evolved) has followed a course that tacks remarkably close to the course of changing Western attitudes to sexuality. The Hammer films of the ‘50s, emerging from a Britain locked in an austere, pseudo-Victorian values system, were unappealing monsters just like Nosferatu. Then from the ‘70s onwards, a new breed of vampire began to emerge: the sensi-
of the series. Come the 21st century, and we have True Blood, which imagines a world where vampires have “come out of the coffin” to live openly alongside us – in parallel with 21st century openness about sexuality. Seen in this context, Twilight is a function of the way a great many teenagers understand sexuality in the age of
12th February 2015
PHOTO/Flickr/Il Fatto Quotidiano
ROBERT SELTH
University College the internet: it is demystified, taken for granted, almost routine. This is a complex phenomenon with both positive and unhealthy elements to it, and here is not the place to offer value judgements on attitudes to sexuality in contemporary teenage culture. It is enough to recognise that this is why Edward Cullen is so profoundly unexciting. He cannot be scary or threatening, because the thing he represents is not thought by his target audience to be scary or threatening. He is a vampire for his age, just as Dracula was. But it won’t last. The teenagers of the Twilight generation are growing up now, and they are discovering that sexuality as experienced by adults is not only serious, complex, and potent, it is also mysterious - it is something we are striving to understand. The vampire as an abominable monster is definitely not something we should wish upon our culture again, for it would indicate a resurgence of some very unhealthy sexual attitudes. But the vampire as a figure in darkness, a powerful and commanding being who inspires respect and demands to be taken seriously, will always be with us. Give the movies another ten years or so to catch up. Sooner or later, the oldfashioned vampire will be brooding on our screens once more.
12th February 2015
Foxcatcher lets its brilliant actors down
F
oxcatcher, a depiction of the troubled relationship between millionaire John DuPont (portrayed by Steve Carell) and Olympic winners Dave and Mark Schultz (Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum respectively) has been doing the rounds recently, being critically lauded as a perfect depiction of DuPont’s near-obsessive involvement in wrestling. It has been seen through a multitude of thematic lenses, ranging from classist interpretations through to homoerotic assumptions regarding DuPont’s opinion of Mark Schultz. While all of these ideas are relatively justified, the difficulty in Foxcatcher lies in the fact that it never really settles on any one interpretation. Coming out of the film and attempting to understand the specific vision of director Bennett Miller, one is left mildly bemused and a bit startled. That is not to say that the film does not contain a number of fantastic directorial flourishes. The relationship
between Dave and Mark Schultz as the two wrestling brothers is understatedly accomplished – one training scene at the beginning of the movie allows the pair’s physicality to say more than a dozen pages of dialogue. The cinematography and coloration of the titular Foxcatcher ranch that DuPont owns is beautifully shown – an isolated canopy of bleak coloration and gloomy pine trees. The film is never cheery, and it is Ruffalo’s Dave Schultz that comes closest to giving a magnetic and warm presence to the screen, and his familial relationship in its nuclear capacity stands at odds with the unusual upbringing of DuPont, who at one stage had a friend hired for him by his mother. Channing Tatum as Mark Schultz gives us a quiet Tatum performance, perfectly physical and mechanical, though never staggeringly eye-catching; it is essentially functional in its approach, perhaps as intended.
Time must be spent on Carell’s performance as DuPont, hailed as a magnificent physical transformation that granted an Oscar nod a couple of weeks ago. Indeed Carrell succeeds in bringing an alienating, almost inhuman touch to DuPont, his posture in particular being marked and distinct. But it is a shame Miller does not take this further, and Carell is often forced to remain fixed to a number of similar and repeated mannerisms rather than embrace the supposedly more frenetic moods that DuPont was famous for. The issue with Foxcatcher is that it seems to want to embellish the narrative with a kaleidoscope of different interpretations. The audience are privy to discussions of DuPont’s maternal relationship, his upbringing and, most distinctly, his fraternal and near-paternal envy of the Schultz brothers. If placed in the right context, DuPont’s story could be comparable with that of Psycho’s Norman
Screen 7
ALEXANDER WOOD Wadham College Bates, with an antagonist utterly dominated by his mother (played here by a briefly scene-stealing Vanessa Redgrave) and suffering the mental consequences of such. However, no single element became the overriding thematic trend for the film it would have been a far more convincing piece of cinema, but ends up being distinctly unresolved. The best of the interpretations seems to be the fraternal envy of DuPont and his hatred of the closeness of the Schultz brothers. Mark Ruffalo’s warm touches make him the character most appealing to the audience, but by presenting this relationship in such a glowing light Miller gives himself further baggage to deal with. In the end Foxcatcher is a thrilling and draining ride, but one that leaves the audiences unsure of the implication of their ending. One final word of advice – if you do not know the true story behind the film, do not read up on it before watching.
COUNTDOWN TOP THREE AUSTRAILIAN INDIE FILMS THAT NOBODY HAS SEEN
PHOTO/Flickr/Steve Arnold
A
ustralia has one of the most fertile independent film industries in the world, but not even Australians go to see most of what it produces, and they almost never make it to Britain. Here are the top three that are well worth seeking out. Lantana Adapted from his own play by the still-undervalued playwright Andrew Bovell, Lantana shows us the disintegrating relationships of four couples, their lives connected in ways that only gradually come to the surface. Unfathomably painful. Beautiful Kate Sexual initiation opens up a black pit of moral ambiguity, and has far-reaching consequences for teenagers in a small outback town. A troubled father-son relationship complicates the picture. Beautiful Kate is rich with gorgeous cinematography and carries an immense emotional load. Wake in Fright Despite being hailed as a masterpiece upon its release in 1971, all copies of Wake in Fright were thought to be lost – until one turned up in a storeroom, about to be burned as scrap, a decade ago. A civilised Sydney man spends one weekend stuck in a brutal outback town. This isn’t a horror film, but it is more confronting and more deeply frightening than almost anything that goes by that name.
3 2 1
PHOTO/Fair Hill
M
LAURA HARTLEY
Christ Church
ade in Chelsea. London’s answer to The Hills and the ‘classier’ version of The Only Way is Essex. We were all taken in by the glitz and the glam of London’s ‘elite’ when the show first debuted back in 2011, but the question is, why are we still watching it? The show is infamous for its ridiculously long awkward silences that make it glaringly obvious that the show is scripted and that the cast are terrible at acting. But we still come back for more. Essentially, MIC follows the lives of an affluent bunch of young 20 somethings who seem to lay idle for most of the day, talking about relationships and bitching about each other. Most of them met at school (the likes of Harrow, Eton, Radley, Downe House etc.) and it’s very much of a case of everyone knows everyone. The general vibe of the show has slipped into the realm of we’re-doing-absolutely-nothingbut-at-least-we-look-pretty-doing-it, but given that heartthrobs Spencer Matthews and Jamie Laing are heirs to the Eton Rock Hotel and McVitie’s respectively, I guess these guys don’t need jobs. This is the sort of show that adver-
tises the name of each and every bar or restaurant at the bottom of the screen with each scene change, but as each new season has aired, this feature seems to have become more and more obnoxious. They also seem to have forgotten that there are other places to hang out in London that aren’t Bluebird in Mayfair. What’s worse is that numerous tour companies have taken advantage of this and for a mere £20 you can even go on a Made in Chel-
plenty of that from the rest of the cast anyway. Victoria’s only friend on the show, Mark Francis, is equally useless but a thousand times funnier so I’ll forgive his continued presence. He’s the sort of guy who, when asked what sort of book he’d be, replies “Well, I’d probably be the Bible”. Modest, as ever. There was even the spin-off, MIC: NYC, where the gang headed off to New York for a season in which ab-
MADE IN CHELSEA sea Walking Tour around London’s SW3. Bargain. Another company is advertising a tour that begins in Sloane Square and ends up in, you guessed it, Bluebird. There are numerous completely unnecessary characters that aren’t part of the core friendship group on the show, and are hated by everyone. They seem to be quite obnoxious and yet are still on screen each week. Why hasn’t Victoria hit the road yet? She serves no purpose except to bitch about everyone and everything - but we get
solutely nothing changed. Series 7 was the first series of Made in Chelsea to average over 1 million viewers for each episode whereas spin-off MIC: NYC had a series average of over one million viewers, which just goes to show that MIC is heading downhill. What is frustrating is that, this show was actually good at one point. It’s even won a BAFTA. Gone are the days of the Caggie and Spencer drama when the show was still vaguely based on reality (even if it had been filmed for the sixth time that afternoon). Now,
everyone’s dated everyone, everyone’s cheated on everyone and everyone’s broken up with everyone. The cast of MIC is possibly the most incestuous bunch of friends that television has ever seen and there’s no sign of them stopping anytime soon. I’m not going to pretend like I still don’t love the show, but I kind of hate myself for it. I know that it’s all complete and utter rubbish and yet I still find myself tuning in to E4 on Monday nights to catch the latest episode. Not only that but I follow the more interesting characters on Instagram anwd Twitter because my weekly one hour fix just isn’t enough. This needs to stop. It’s all just one big PR stunt and we need to stop buying into it. Imperial students see MIC characters walking around South Kensington all the time. If you live in London, you probably know someone that knows someone that knows a member of the cast. These people don’t lead lives that are nearly as extraordinary as television makes them out to be so we should stop treating them like celebrities and accept that they are actually normal people who just happen to have a lot of money.
8 Arts & Lit
ARTS & LIT
The inimitable voice of Rebecca Mead R
ebecca Mead’s versatility when writing about culture and contemporary literature is unmatched. Having written extensively about literature in multiple publications, she also published a book of her own in 2014 called The Road to Middlemarch, an elegant blend of memoir and literary criticism about George Eliot’s famous novel. Her accomplishments in the field of journalism and criticism are all too easy to envy: after graduating from University College, Oxford with a degree in English Language and Literature in 1988, she moved to the United States and began climbing up the ladder at the eminent weekly magazine The New Yorker. For those who don’t know of the States-based magazine or are maybe wondering why they should care, it publishes fiction and poetry alongside pieces covering culture, news, and politics. It’s iconic, exclusive, relentlessly first-rate, and its list of contributors in the past century studded with stars: Vladimir Nabokov, Haruki Murakami, Kurt Vonnegut, Sylvia Plath, Zadie Smith, Woody Allen, Leonard Cohen, Tina Fey, Milan Kundera, J.D. Salinger, and John Updike – to name just a few. “There is no British equivalent to The New Yorker,” Rebecca Mead sagely notes. The Oxford Student interviewed Mead about her life, writing, and what it’s like to work at such a renowned publication.
“There is a great satisfaction in the artistry of it.”
“It’s an amazing place to work,” she says right off the bat. “When I went to the New Yorker I had something like the feeling I got when I first went to Oxford: this place is full of really smart people who are interested in really interesting things.” The idea that The New Yorker is as much a nerd-fest as an undergraduate-infested lecture hall is nothing short of revelatory. It makes such an unattainable, illustrious career feel just a little bit closer for budding journalists and writers in Oxford. Today, Mead is hailed not just as a prolific critic and journalist, but also as one of the foremost profile writers of this generation, responsible for The New Yorker’s portraits of Lena Dunham, Slavoj Zizek, Mary Beard, and many more. Her talent for the singular, razor-sharp, witty sentence is astounding: in a profile of author Jennifer Weiner – who writes “chick-lit” novels and vehemently derides more “serious” authors who have devalued her clichéridden work – Mead writes with an acidic and incisive touch: “It seems possible that a forthcoming Weiner novel will include a female writer of literary fiction quite possibly slender
and severely attractive—who will say something dismissive about chick lit, and who will wind up garotted with a pair of Spanx.” Zing! The complex dimensions of Weiner as a literary figure are compactly packed into one dense yet lexically tiny verbal punch. When thinking of The New Yorker’s esteemed reputation and seven-million person readership, it’s difficult not to appreciate the skill in sentences like that, which are peppered throughout the body of her work. At once sharp-witted and funny, Rebecca Mead, just like The New Yorker, is never mean – she’s just smart. When asked when writing for her is difficult, she says simply: “I know some writers are tortured by the writing process, but I’m not one of them. There is little that makes me happier than sitting down at my computer when I’m ready to write a piece, and figuring out the best words to put together. There is a great satisfaction in the artistry of it.” And artistry indeed it is. When talking about her adolescence, she talks of the importance of reading. “Books,” she writes, “gave us a way to shape ourselves … I sought to identify myself with the kind of intelligence I found in Middlemarch.” So, when Mead was accepted into Oxford to study English, she emphasises she “had a very strong sense that it was a transformative event”. She describes having mixed feelings about her time in Oxford. “I remember thinking sometimes that it seemed as if the biggest thing I was learning at Oxford was how to read a lot of great works of literature very quickly.” But she also found it hugely rewarding: “Once I got to Oxford,” she says, “I felt such a relief to be among other people who cared about books and ideas, to be somewhere where having an intellectual life was cool.” And what does Mead consider the most important quality for a writer? “For the mind of a writer, the most important thing is curiosity – which may be a native trait, but can also be developed. For the craft of a writer, the most important thing is to read.” She adds: “It takes a tremendous amount of determination.” Her published work spans genres – from biography, autobiography, literary criticism, journalism – but never straight fiction. When discussing this, Mead alludes to a quote by George Eliot, who said that she never wanted to write fiction due to fear of mediocrity. “I would hate to get to the end of my life never having tried,” says Mead, ‘so maybe I should risk mediocrity.” And does she have any more projects on the horizon? “Having spent so much time thinking about the 19th century,” she writes, “I am happily back at The New Yorker, catching up on what’s happening in the 21st.”
12th February 2015
STEPHANIE KELLEY AND LIV CONSTABLE-MAXWELL
Regent’s Park & St. Anne’s College
12th February 2015
Arts & Lit 9
RUSKIN PROFILE: Angeli Bhose
PHOTO/MEGAN MARY THOMAS
ANGELI BHOSE
Angeli Bhose, second-year Fine Artist explores the role of art in technology, the real world, and the relevance of art in today’s world.
PHOTO/TEREZA CERVENOVA
Samantha Shannon: The Mime Order
L
ast Thursday, Oxford welcomed back one of its own. In the sunlit Sheldonian, publishing wunderkind Samantha Shannon took the stage in conversation with Andy Serkis and his Imaginarium Studios co-founder Jonathan Cavendish to discuss her highly anticipated second novel, The Mime Order, and what lies ahead for the recently-optioned Bone Season film. The Mime Order is the eagerly-awaited sequel to The Bone Season, a bestselling debut written while Shannon was an undergraduate at St. Anne’s. Her entrance to the publishing world garnered incredible attention when, at 21, she signed a six-figure deal with Bloomsbury, publisher of Harry Potter. Set in 2059, The Bone Season describes an alternate England, where a new regime in 1859 led to a unique fusion of futuristic technology with Victorianism. Add one plucky heroine, Paige Mahoney, an otherworldly race called the Rephaim, and an underground syndicate of clairvoyant criminals (“voyants”) and a phenomenon is born. Shannon’s book deal covers a seven-part series, and as she discussed on Thursday, she already has the end in sight. She doesn’t claim to have planned every last detail – “the fun of writing a book is in seeing where
it goes,” she says – but her confidence leaves one with the distinct impression that this popular series is in capable hands. In person, Shannon demonstrates her talent for worldbuilding in her quick, thoughtful answers. It’s clear that she knows her creation inside and out, from its international politics to its cinema culture. Her enthusiasm for literary homage is also evident – she mentions Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist as her two primary inspirations, along with references to everything from the Brontës to Old and Middle English dream poetry. She’s also incredibly willing to discuss her creative process. Now that the second book is published, she’s made substantial progress with the third, and is also tinkering with bits of the fourth as well. Shannon’s vision, Cavendish says, is what drew Imaginarium Studios’ interest. The independent studio, founded by veterans Cavendish and Serkis (known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and the recent Planet of the Apes franchise), acquired the rights to The Bone Season in 2012, beating bids from Hollywood studios eager to nab the next dystopian blockbuster.
YASHWINA CARTER
Merton College
A draft of the script has already been completed by a notable screenwriter (who, according to Cavendish, cannot yet be named) and has Shannon’s full approval. Once the draft is perfected, Serkis and Cavendish anticipate beginning production at the end of 2016. The duo especially looks forward to crafting the visuals. They also considered potential casting: Shannon hopes for Benedict Cumberbatch to play her favorite character, Jaxon Hall (a grownup ‘Artful Dodger’ type, leading Paige’s small but powerful gang of voyants), but remains unsure whom she would want for the leading role. The ease with which Shannon goes from discussing the novel to the film only confirms the clarity of her plan for this saga. And she is dedicated – like her co-panellists, she went above and beyond to give this talk, flying in from South America. Shannon temporarily checked herself out of the hospital, and gave the entire talk with the IV bandage still on her hand. She may assert that she’s not much like her strong, tough creation, but there’s more of Shannon in Paige than she lets on. With this much dedication and this much vision, Samantha Shannon is definitely an author to keep an eye on.
What role do new technologies play in art? I think of scientists and artists running concurrently in that we’re both incredibly invested in the development of new technologies. I’m not sure the scientists would agree with me on this, as what they are doing is in many ways a lot more useful. They develop the technologies, test them, and try to make them practical for human use in some form. Artists take them and play with them. But what we do feels useful too, to me at least. We also test them out, but to see how technological advancements are affecting our everyday lives. How communication, relationships, ideas and our experience of reality changes as the megastructures of capitalism grind out further innovations. Ed Atkins and Kate Cooper are examples of artists working like this – exploring how digital avatars shape our experience of ‘being online’ and how we deal with a world where are bodily experiences are disembodied and virtual a lot of the time. I’m interested in these ideas in my own work, and very lucky to have staff at the Ruskin who are just as excited by rapid advances in the digital realm as I am, as well as being enthusiastic in helping us explore the possibilities. Why are have so many artists adopted the trashy and rejected the sublime? We are living in a time of extraordinarily fast changes and developments. The internet has been available to us for the last 25 years, and smart phones for around the last ten. I can’t think of such a big change in how we relate to information and to each other since the advent of the telegram. Because of this, I see us as becoming obsessed with the materiality of our conditions. Artists often love the trashy because it gives us access to what has trickled through layers and layers of cultural digestion to reveal how we’re affected by what’s going on around us and how threads of the same images and ideas run through many structures
we live within. Think of the widespread use of iPhone emojis in the real world – in Primark’s S/S 15 range, for example. We don’t want to see or strive for what’s perfect and elite and up there – we want to play with what’s going on down here. Why is art relevant to those who aren’t studying it? The ideas being explored in art now are broadly relevant, by definition, because contemporary art is rooted in contemporary culture. This can often be a somewhat elitist and exclusionary view of what contemporary culture is and expressed in esoteric language, but there’s so much of value to be gained from engaging with art that it would be a huge shame to dismiss such a broad endeavour as inaccessible. Art can give us a break from the verbal, allow us to process experiences and provoke questions in an unfamiliar and unsettling way. Artists can function like filtering machines, to pour in the mess of ideas and experiences floating round, and squeeze out a disseminated, subverted version. I’m showing some work in the Dolphin Gallery, St. John’s, 11th March 7–9pm and 12–13th March from 11am–3pm (8th week). angelibhose.com
PHOTO/ PHILLIP BABCOCK
10 Fashion
12th February 2015
12th February 2015
Fashion 11
ANNIE HALL
Photographer: Phillip Babcock | Models: Fania Weatherby & Oliver Johnston-Watt | Concept & Styling: Augustine Cerf & Demie Kim
12 Fashion
FASHION
‘Fashion victim’ or ‘ensembly challenged’?
12th February 2015
GEORGIE BERRIMAN
St John’s College
W
aking up in the morning is a slog. But enter stage right: the powers of the imagination. Waking up in the morning is made considerably more enjoyable by pretending to be in a movie. Enter stage left: David Bowie performing your very own soundtrack. It’s technically just your alarm, just like your yellow tartan skirt is technically just a skirt – but, really, it’s so much more than that. Okay, so being Cher in the 21st century may require mild delusions but, really, in the right outfit, you can be whoever the hell you wanna be. Take it from me. The Nineties. Every ‘wavey’ guy or gal’s wardrobe is in one way or another desperately striving to emulate the fashion film icons born out of this decade. The ‘90s waved goodbye to the ‘80s sharp shoulders and baggy work trousers, welcoming in a new and more provocative fashion era. The ‘90s was the decade of halter neck tops, platform shoes, metallic clothing, dress shorts, tartan skirts, drainpipe jeans and crop tops. There’s a lot to be learnt from the movies of this decade. The most influential fashion icons that took to the silver screen during the nineties were, quite clearly, Cher Horowitz, Andie, Janet and… Cher Horowitz. Of course, the most iconic fashion film of the 1990s showcases the revival
PHOTO /Shawn Bradford
of the women’s preppy fashion of the mid-late 1960s. But we all know fashion just goes round and round in circles. Cher and Dionne from Clueless have our generation’s party girls’ dream wardrobe. Lets face it, every outfit is incredible. Their yoga pants, halter neck tops, boob tube tops, mini dresses, pleated skirts and scrunchies all make daily appearances on Facebook clothes pages like ‘Sassy garms’ and ‘Wavey garms.’ Girls sit at their laptops fiercely trying to outbid other sassy bitches for the latest blue metallic crop top. Yeah, I know because I’ve been
there – guilty as charged. The early 1990s saw a new subculture of fashion: grunge. The ‘grunge’ look was characterized by denim buttondowned shirts, tartan skirts, bike shorts, hats and converse shoes. Bridget Foster totally nails this look as Janet in the 1992 film Singles. Her laid-back style is the perfect sartorial marriage of Pearl Jam and Nirvana. It’s glorious and effortlessly cool. Janet’s rather less provocative clothing screams comfort and freedom. Although this look would almost definitely leave Cher saying, ‘Uh, as
PHOTO /Bob Jagendorf
if!’, the alternative to the ‘try-hard’ approach does emanate sex appeal in its own way. Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink is another cult fashion icon spawned by the ‘90s. Playing Andie Walsh, a working-class high school student, Molly perfectly encapsulates the hippie fashion that arose again in the ‘90s. The floral maxi dresses, lace blouses and turtleneck shirts look relatively outdated today, you might say. But, hold your horses: pastel colors and loose-fitting clothing are crawling out of charity shops and hopping onto the
Costumes of the silver screen T
PHOTO / Chris Choy, Mirjam Frank
he visual impact of a film is key to its success, and costumes are essential in making the picture both beautiful and believable. They are especially important to period films, where they can immediately set the scene: just think of the corseted dresses, doublets and garters in Shakespeare in Love and Elizabeth: the Golden Age. Costumes are also central to films set as recently as the twentieth century. 60s fashion is entertainingly depicted in Hairspray (“Hey mama, welcome to the 60s…”) and is used to show the differences between traditional, conservative Amber and outgoing, forthright Tracey. The Great Gatsby raises the iconic 20s style to new heights, and the bodices in Anna Karenina, set in the 19th century, were inspired by the fifties, with the costumes of Princess Betsy Tsverskoy even referencing geisha wear. Period costumes not only have to resemble those worn at the time, but also to reflect the characters’ distinct personalities, aspirations and ambitions. In The Other Boleyn Girl, the choice of the ubiquitous ‘French’ hood worn
by the Boleyn sisters, which is more revealing as opposed to the English Gable hood worn by Queen Katherine of Aragon and her ladies, whilst a historical misconception, suggests the opposition between the two ‘sides’ at court and highlights the ‘modernity’ of the Boleyn girls. Fashion was also important to the identity of certain characters, most obviously when designers or models are featured in films such as Coco Before Chanel, but also others such as Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was depicted in The
mainstream clothes racks of Topshop and Urban Outfitters. Although Molly may seem ‘ensembly challenged,’ (as Cher would put it), her legacy as the ‘pretty in pink’ girl lives on. You know you desperately want to wear Andie’s dress to every single ball. We all do. Sure, most of us missed the ‘90s – we were too busy being born, learning to walk, being dressed by our parents and all that jazz. But it’s not too late: the 90s is back (at least in terms of fashion). So dig out those cult films, hit up the Cowley vintage shops and channel your inner Cher. It’s never too late.
ARIANE LAURENT-SMITH
Brasenose College
accurate, and the practicality of the costume is always an important factor. Yet iconic outfits such as Queen Victoria’s wedding dress, which still survives intact and is featured on paintings of the monarch, are important visual aids to her narrative and should therefore be replicated truthfully (as was the case in The Young Victoria). The importance of costume design is widely recognised at awards shows, including the Oscars. Previous Oscar winners include films as varied as Memoirs of a Geisha, Anna Karenina
The role of costume designers is often taken for granted Duchess. Costume also helps actors to get into their given characters through the physical restrictions imposed on them by their garments, such as corsets or military uniforms. Historical accuracy is not necessarily the goal of the costume designers, and indeed it arguably should not be. The difficulties of finding the correct materials are greatly multiplied if the designer endeavours to be completely
and Gladiator. This year the nominees include Inherent Vice and Mr. Turner, perhaps a slightly surprising contender, but also fantasy films with historically inspired costumes such as Maleficent and Into the Woods. Nevertheless, the role of costume designers is often taken for granted, despite their significant contribution not only to the visual images of the film but also to our understanding of the characters.
Fashion 13
12th February 2015
BOP COSTUMES: WES ANDERSON
Rick Owens: fashion meets film
For a film-themed bop, dress up
RILEY QUINN
Wolfson College
Music videos are a unique cinematographic space, which has finally given a platform to outlandish menswear.
as the lovable on-screen duo Sam Shakusky and Suzy Bishop from Anderson’s 2012 production Moonrise Kingdom. For Sam: a scout uniform, fur cap, yellow handkerchief, and glasses. For Suzy: a pink dress, white collar, knee-high socks, and saddle shoes (a beret, basket, and binoculars are also highly recommended). Fantastic Mr. Fox is another fun option for couple costumes (yellow dress, tweed suit, and fox masks). And for a larger group, you can never go wrong with The Royal Tenanbaums.
PHOTO / Victor Soto
I
n The Interview, James Franco’s oafish Dave Skylark explains to his best friend/producer Aron Rapoport (Seth Rogen) that he cannot use his CIA-issued equipment to infiltrate North Korea because “Kim Jong-Un is a superfan! He knows I take fashion risks!” Throughout the film, Skylark can be spotted sporting a near-floral Gucci bag (the CIA-issued number was dismissed as “phugly with a capital phug”), an eggplant coloured suit, a tie-arch bordering on Romanesque. Fashion and film have long gone hand in hand – often, the two exist in a kind of chicken and egg relationship. Recall the brief, unfortunate excitement for full-length leather jackets that followed The Matrix? Recall the planck-length lapels and sharp three-piece worn by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Inception? Between this stylish chicken and egg, though, there is an apparent absence of “edgy” (as it is widely termed) menswear in the fashion of films. Rick Owens (and a number of other notable brands including Supreme) got their start in LA in 1994. His angular leather jackets, swishy jersey trousers, and the brownish-grey hue of “dust” -a colour he more or less invented - are instantly recognizable in the personal wardrobes of many Hollywood names. For a look that has captured the imaginations (and wallets) of fashion risk takers the world over, it seems unusual that it is absent film. “Okay, maybe he’s just not well known enough?” Between 1994 and 2007, Owens’ cult brand percolated at the avant-garde of fashion, turning heads and raising eyebrows in small areas of London, Paris, and New York. But, around 2007, something changed. Owens crossed over into something resembling the mainstream. A few years later, shoe collaborations with
Adidas put his unique aesthetic somewhere within the theoretical reach of the mass market. Where, apart from on street style blogs and celebrity backsides, do these clothes show up? They show up on Young Thug, A$AP Rocky, and 2-Chainz. They also show up on Kanye West now, to be fair, but as Yeezy was coming up, he famously bumped Ralph Lauren Teddy Bear jumpers before getting his Boris Bijan Saberi on. A$AP, however, dressed aggressively edgy while he was still in his mixtape era – pre-celebrity, or at least in its very earliest stages. In the mixtape that shot him to fame, the song Purple Swag contains the lyric “only thing bigger than my go is my mirror/ money get taller, clothes get weirder.” Only rappers – who purpose-build themselves to grab all your attention – have managed to combine couture and film. Music videos, then, are a unique cinematographic space in giving a platform to outlandish menswear. This is not the whole story though – Rick Owens famously revealed, recently, that his favourite article of clothing is a flannel shirt of little particular distinction - not a black leather skirt, or a t-shirt twice the length of his body. These outlandish clothes are not just created for everyday wear, in other words, but rather they are meant to be seen - in 1994, getting dressed (for men) finally became a work of art in itself. Rappers demand your attention, so they gild the aesthetic lily. A cinema costume, though, is not meant to demand attention – it is meant to be a smaller part of a larger character. In other words, no good costume designer would create an outfit of all-Rick-everything, unless it was supposed to be a part of the character. Still… who doesn’t want to see Ryan Gosling or Leo in ‘dust’?
LouLou’s return to Oxford Town Hall
PHOTO / instagram @reesewitherspoon
INSTAWORTHY Reese Witherspoon has been nominated for an Oscar this year for her performance as American memoirist Cheryl Strayed in Wild. Her girl-nextdoor, down-to-earth personality is reflected in her colourful Instagram, an eclectic mix of red carpet photos, motivational quotes, and snapshots of her personal life. Follow the actress as she documents her life leading up to the 87th Academy Awards, premiering on 22nd February 2015.
V
intage fairs are truly experiences in themselves. The relaxed bazaar-style atmosphere, the eclectic assortment of decades and styles, the ‘most ridiculous item for sale’ treasure hunt with your friends — everything about them is so more fun and sociable than your average retail therapy. It has a special distinction from store shopping for me: the piles of outrageous jumpers, patterns and prints, textures and colours all competing for space and attention — what’s more, an abundance of fashion history. With the sheer amount of products available, everyone can find something they like; it’s an experience I would absolutely recommend to vintage virgins. And hey, even if you later suffer buyer’s regret, at least you won’t have paid a fortune for your failed fashion foray. Actually, stall owners observed a footfall recently from previous fairs here in Oxford; it seems as if we’re all feeling the pinch, as some of us were purely browsing for inspiration. So, what was on offer? Well, one thing’s for sure – all tastes were catered to. Stalls seemed to be revelling in ‘80s styles, although the ‘60s and ‘70s are still going strong, with plenty of denim appearing beside piecrust collars and
busy abstract prints. This is partially due to a change in the availability of older pieces, which are becoming scarcer and require more resourcefulness to find. One stall owner told me: “It is a real shame because they are a thousand times the quality.” It all comes down to the changing social ethos over time. Many people advocate vintage for its recycling aspect, for giving a piece of clothing a new lease of life; unfortunately, however, synthetic pieces are not assured to have as long a life expectancy as other materials. Still, almost every item on sale was excellently preserved. The great advantage of this fair was that it fell in one of the coldest months, whereas the other two are held in much warmer times of the year. This led to a larger proportion of winter wear being out on show, including thicker shirts (specifically of the indie, lumberjack variety) and more knitwear in general. One lady was even bringing out home-knit crochet cardigans that were so bright they made your eyes hurt. But the overall impression I left with was the wonderful variety of clothing: traders told me that when it comes to vintage in Oxford, the more
unique, the better. This edition of Loulou’s Vintage Fair was marked by their expansion into the domain of household wares. Although these stalls maybe weren’t ideal for the student demographic, either in budget or lifestyle, they really added some visual variety to the goods on show. From collectible binoculars and oldschool toys to pinup girl prints, they
BEVERLEY NOBLE
Somerville College were a goldmine for finding birthday presents or a little something to bring some old-world charm to your own space. I really enjoyed this vintage fair – and I hope you did too (and if you missed out, they’ll be back!). Here’s hoping that by the next time Loulou’s in town we’ve all won the lottery, robbed a bank, or struck gold. Love you Loulou!
PHOTOS / Polyvore
PHOTO /In pastel
14 Stage
STAGE
12th February 2015
PHOTO/ Jan Versweyveld
Drama school, rehearsals and what’s next for Phoebe Fox I
f you haven’t heard of Phoebe Fox already, you are guaranteed to be hearing a lot about her soon. Gracing our cinema screens this year, Phoebe Fox will be starring in The Woman in Black: Angel of Death, the sequel to the adaptation of Wilkie Collins’ novel, featuring Daniel Radcliffe. On the stage side of things, Phoebe has played Lear’s Cordelia at the Almeida opposite Jonathan Pryce, and has worked at both the Royal Court Theatre and the National Theatre in London. Her performances at these venues were rewarded with a nomination for the 2011 Evening Standard Theatre Award for ‘Outstanding Newcomer’. Having only graduated from drama school one year previous to this, it was certainly not a bad way to start. With such an impressive resume at only 28, I ask her how it all began. “My parents are actors, so I suppose that desire was always there.” Always around theatres from a young age, the stage clearly has an infectious quality to it for Phoebe: “Spending your childhood back stage at a theatre
is a very magical way to grow up, so it’s no wonder that I was inspired to join in!” For the budding students out there hoping to go on to drama school following Oxford University, she tells me that the difficulty of getting through the audition process is most definitely worth the wait. She attended the renowned RADA in London, however it was no easy ride getting in. “It took me 3 years to get into any drama school. I think that perseverance, and the fact that I was a little older, a little more confident, were key to my finally getting in. I was literally living my childhood dream once I got there, and I think it’s that that saw me through what was at times a very trying 3 years.” Despite the wait, on finishing drama school she went straight into work. Alongside perseverance, she adds that her general advice for young actors in the profession is “try not to take anything personally.” Easier said than done perhaps, in an industry where one is guaranteed to experience plenty of rejection, but the important
thing is to keep going even when things seem difficult. Phoebe has worked across a variety of media, including television, film and theatre. Though it all comes under the same bracket of acting, Phoebe points out that “there are quite a few differences between them”, and each demand and give different things for an actor. “The
“I love rehearsals, mucking around before it all gets very serious. That and the dressing up” most notable difference is the size of your performance,” she tells me. “You can ham it up on stage, on camera you cannot! I enjoy all three, but you can’t beat the exhilaration of playing to a live audience.” She is soon to be enjoying that thrill again, as she is set to start working on the Young Vic’s production of A
View From a Bridge. It is actually a role that she has played before, in 2014, lending different challenges to the characterisation of the part. “I am looking forward to it, whilst at the same time fearing it. I’ve never returned to a job before. Hopefully I still remember my lines!” Though she loves the performing, Phoebe confesses that her favourite part of the theatre profession is actually the rehearsals, learning the part and getting to know the other actors she is working with. “I love rehearsals,” she says, “mucking around before it all gets very serious. That and the dressing up,” she adds. I ask her more about the rehearsal process and any particular techniques she has for getting into character. Phoebe’s technique is to focus on the specific facts and details of each character she is playing. “I tend to make lists of everything said about my character, what they say about themselves, and what they say about other people. I make sure I know all the basic facts about them and fills in any gaps myself of things that might
AMELIA BROWN Jesus College be important/relevant.” This way she can create a fully rounded character on stage, based on the personality traits of the character and also how the character is perceived by those around them. In a period piece where she might not be so familiar with the immediate context of the time that the play is set, she says that “I make sure I do research about the time, as it may inform how you end up playing the character.” All casting considerations aside, I ask her if she has any dream roles that she would love to play at some point in her career. It’s a difficult question given the plethora available: “I don’t really know,” she admits, “but I’d enjoy a crack at Sally Bowles.” The aspiring actress character created by Isherwood would certainly be a fun addition to her repertoire. Whatever Phoebe Fox will be doing next, I am certainly looking forward to it. Phoebe Fox will be playing Catherine in A View From a Bridge at the Wyndham Theatre from 10th February to 11th April 2015.
Stage 15
12th February 2015
Previewing Noises Off
PHOTO/Noises Off Publicity
“T
hat’s farce, that’s the theatre, that’s life” – a distinction spoken perhaps a bit too soon in such a play as Noises Off. Michael Frayn’s intricate, monumental piece of farce performs the very ins and outs of putting on a performance, going behind the scenes of an increasingly chaotic dress rehearsal for the somewhat trashy farce, Nothing On, descending into the uproar of its live shows. Revisiting the same action each act, the play gets more and more riotous each time, spiralling out of the control of its irascible director. The line between onstage and off, the split between being “out there” and “up here”, is raucously unravelled before our eyes, muddling audience and cast, real character and performed role, until you don’t quite know where the sardines are really meant to be... Watching the play in rehearsal
added yet another layer to this double-farce, intensifying the already confusing mix of characters, the criss-crossing ‘on-stage’ and ‘offstage’ romances, but most amusingly having two directors in the room, both interjecting and commenting on the action until you really didn’t know where the play ended and the actual rehearsal began. However, the director, Helena Jackson, seems fully in control, despite the potential competition. Inspired to put on the show after having seen a production in Cambridge (soon to be outdone) and a desire to take her love of meta-theatre to the absolute extreme, Jackson has put her previous experience as a stage manager to good use, exploring the farcical proportions of seeing a performance from behind, playing upon the self-indulgences of actors, problematic props, and the increas-
LUCY OLIVER Worcester College ingly tense interactions of production team and cast as the show edges closer to opening. The comic chemistry of the cast is immediately felt, the show appearing already quite slick and packed full with the energy this farce-within-a-farce demands, which seems pretty incredible in light of the other commitments of many of the cast members to several different shows simultaneously. This comic ease is arguably due to Jackson’s interesting pre-rehearsal exercise, making the cast do two weeks of improvisation together as if they were putting on the show’s internal play Nothing On and the effects really do show, culminating in a highly tight-knit cast with a confident sense of comic timing from such an ingrained understanding of what they are performing and the very process of performing it. The show also promises to make good use of the space in the Oxford Playhouse, involving multiple levels as well as a revolving set to emphasise the switching between front and back stage. Following on from the sell-out production of West Side Story at the Oxford Playhouse is set to be no mean feat, yet if any play looks up to the challenge it’s the Milk and Two Sugars take on Noises Off. This show promises hilarity for anyone who has ever been in a play, been backstage, or even just watched one. Jackson insists it will be “the funniest show you will ever see” – and I just might believe her. Noises Off is playing at the Oxford Playhouse from 18th-21st February.
ARTS FEST T
his term brings a wealth of art and theatre to our doors in the form of three arts festival, TSAF (Turl Street Arts Festival), Somerville Arts Festival, and Keble Arts Festival. Coming up first is TSAF with its programme just officially released, which takes place in 5th week. The festival is a combined effort between the three colleges based on Turl Street, Lincoln, Exeter and Jesus, who put aside college rivalries for the week for the sake of the arts. Offering a huge variety of events spanning across the week, you would be hard pressed not to find something of interest to you. From a theatrical point of view, the festival is putting on several rehearsed readings. These include a rehearsed reading of the iconic The Vagina Monologues, raising money for charities working against sexual violence, and a rehearsed reading of Nick Payne’s Constellations. The President of the festival, Florence Read, is also the author of Twin Primes, a new play that will be being staged that week as part of the New Writing Festival. All this and the Greek play Sparagmos means you will certainly not be short of theatre this week! Outside the sphere of strict theatre, Lincoln Bar will be hosting an acoustic open mic night for all those musicians out there, whilst the Missing Bean will play host to a poetry and spoken word open mic night. Live jazz will be combined with drawing and designing the cover of the TSAF
“Cuppers part two”: New Writing Festival
T
he annual New Writing Festival is back and will be held at the BT this 5th week. Consisting of four different hourlong shows written by students, the festival will be judged at the end of the week by none other than Olivier award winning playwright Lucy Kirkwood. Earlier this term OUDS President Florence Brady called the festival “Cuppers part two” as participants display a variety of experience. “It’s nice to have support from the producers,” says first-time director Mischa Andreski, “they sit in on our rehearsals and help make sure we’re heading in the right direction.” With more people auditioning for parts than last year and plays chosen from over 30 submissions, the festival is looking to be better than ever before. Each director is working with a new play and each one deals with a very different subject matter. Lads, written by Mallika Sood, traces the relationship of a gay couple, Seb and Leo, and their competition to successfully get a ‘straight-date’. Societal pressures on men in relationships is explored through a humorous script. I sat in on a scene between Leo (Shrai Popat) and Hannah (Joanna Con-
PHOTO/The Author Publicity
nolly), a potential date. Though still in an early stage of rehearsal, the chemistry and banter between the two characters was compelling to watch. The clip was not particularly physical but included an entertaining script and a pair of very natural actors. The characters sound well developed too. ‘Lads’ would usually be expected to be straight so, as director Mischa Andreski says, “it’s nice to have non-typical characters in this play”.
The second preview I saw was for A Sense of Falling, written by Adam Leonard. Set in rural Wales near a train station, this play uses a much darker tone to discuss post-traumatic stress disorder and the effect it has on relationships. It is a highly emotional piece that contains hardto-watch scenes and uncomfortable characters. Chatting to the director Sarah Wright, I was impressed by the amount of character work the cast had done. They had fully ex-
plored the motivations and backstories through extended pieces of improvisation which meant they had come to really understand the characters they were playing. This was very clear in the short scenes I saw which conveyed a depth of emotion and I look forward to seeing how the rest of the play shapes up. It is a much more physical piece and the short snippets I saw were highly engaging to watch. A man has just found out he will be going into space for four years. His goodbyes and the reactions of his family are shown in Take Off. Written by Lamorna Ash and directed by Adam Leonard, the play focuses on the future of those left behind – namely, the astronaut’s girlfriend and his brother and sister. The play is based around the real Mars One programme which aims to send ordinary people to live on Mars in the next few years. Already there is some very strong acting in this play, which exhibits its funny moments very well. The script includes impressive imagery and I look forward to seeing how the production will be staged as I’m told there will be moments when it looks like a planetarium. The last preview I saw was for
magazine one evening, and a mass Valentine’s themed welfare tea will be sure to cure those 5th week blues. For those interested in debate and discussion, TSAF is putting on several debates and talks over its duration. Amongst these will be a discussion on female sexuality in art, as well as the political nature of art particularly in relation to satire. A talk entitled ‘How to be Beyonce’ (something that we all dream about achieving), about the cultural importance of pop music, could not help but catch my eye. The week is all packed full of musical events, including the collaborative evensong between the three colleges, an organ recital and acapella. For the more cinematic amongst you, the Torch Song Trilogy will be presented in an LGBTQ film screening. The week will culminate in a cut and stick workshop to put together a magazine of work created during the festival, and even boasts an after party to end in style. From life drawing, to live music, to clothes customisation workshops, the festival seems to offer something for everyone. It looks set to be a promising start to the run of arts week that we have ahead of us. Keble is also happening in 5th week, whilst Somerville takes place in 7th week, ending in an art exhibition for which it is currently accepting submissions. They will also be putting on the opera, Coronation of Poppea in the chapel, featuring cast members from the recently successful production of Dido and Aeneus.
HARRIET FRY Somerville College Twin Primes by Florence Read. This play differs from the other three because there is no central plotline. It is made up of eleven shorter pieces that all comment on masculinity and explore different relationship scenarios. The exact order of the scenes is not fixed so the actors will have to improvise which scene they go into. All the props and costumes will be onstage with them so they don’t go offstage for the whole of the production. This will be no mean feat for the two actors to pull off; equally impressive is the range of characters that they will portray at just a moment’s notice. I’m excited to see how the improvised element of the play adds to the message and plotline as a whole. Director Kate Bussert has chosen two women to play two men in these shorter plays so it will be interesting to see how the two actors carry off their roles. From what I have seen already this looks like one not to miss. The New Writing Festival is on at the Burton-Taylor Studio during 5th week. There will also be a rehearsed reading of Tim Crouch’s The Author as part of the festival at 9pm on Thursday 12th February.
12th February 2015
PROFILE
Profile 13
PHOTO/ROGER ASKEW
Erik Feig tells us his Hollywood life story I f there’s one thing I learned about Erik Feig from speaking with him, it is that he is a truly great storyteller. Feig is a film producer and executive, currently acting as president of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, and has a hugely impressive list of credits to his name, including: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the Twilight franchise, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Now You See Me, and the Oscar-winnging The Hurt Locker. It’s difficult to see what could link such a varied list of films, but he explains immediately that he believes what lead him to work in the film industry was a simple “love of stories” – he is “finding and trying to make stories”. Even when I later ask about modern changes in Hollywood and the directions the industry may take, he explains that no matter how the industry is altered, “there’s something really, really thrilling about having an original idea that just connects”. Of course this is easier said than done, as I’m sure the multitudes of aspiring filmmakers in his audience would have thought, but Feig wants to demystify this idea, and insists that a good film is so often “just an idea, just an original concept, just a good story well told”. And so, rather appropriately, Feig proceeds to tell the story of his life, which I quickly discover has been a collection of brilliantly funny and raw
anecdotes. The tale of his post-college move to Hollywood, with nothing but the dream of beginning some sort of career in film and the plan to “stay on [his] best friend’s ex-girlfriend’s futon”, is itself reminiscent of a classic Hollywood comedy. “I remained on that futon for 3 months… until she kicked me out for reading her journal, which was mostly just complaining about me”, he recalls. Feig also tells a story that ends with the lesson, “Do not check your messages while peeing at a urinal. It’s never ever worth it, especially when there’s bad phone reception.” I’m in fits of laughter as he describes the moment he realised he had “peed all over the inside of [his] jacket” before going into what was at the time the most important meeting of his career. Although he remembers swearing at the time, “Oh my god I am never telling anyone that story”, he shares it with great humour, warmth and an enviable lightness of heart. This overwhelmingly positive attitude has without a doubt played a huge part in Feig’s success. He describes his tumultuous rise through the industry, with film ideas sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars, only to fall through at one of countless hurdles; “more movies don’t happen than do happen”, he explains. Despite this, however, he insists that “talent, ambition, perseverance is
always rewarded, no matter what, in [this] industry or in any other industry. Ultimately, that’s what the industry wants, new blood and new ideas.” There is a feeling of youthfulness in Feig’s attitude, which is not surprising considering so many of his movies centre around the lives of teenagers. “Adolescence is like wet asphalt; whatever happens to you then shapes you”, he explains, and speaks fondly of that time in one’s life when every girl feels like the one – “I have a lot of love for that world.”
"Adolescence is like wet asphalt; whatever happens to you then shapes you" It was the presence of these powerful yet naive feelings that attracted him to the story of Twilight; it was the “Romeo and Juliet aspect… Their love saves the day.” Feig picked out Twilight as a sure success back when the book had only sold 4000 copies. Originally, author Stephanie Meyer was offered a deal with Paramount Pictures which she declined due to the many changes they had made – they wanted scary vampires with fangs. Feig describes how he personally con-
vinced her to let him make the movies when she had given up and decided that nobody understood her story. He showed her that he understood using the technique he had learned at his first job in Hollywood as a reader. This consisted in reading through four or five scripts a day, summarising each in one and a half pages, with a page of his own comments, and marking whichever ones he thought were worth considering. Feig summed up the Twilight story in a way that made it clear to Meyer that he understood. He also promises that he added the following line to their special contract, entitled The Stephanie Meyer Bill of Rights: “No actor portraying a vampire in twilight will have canine incisors longer than the average human being.” Of course, films aimed at teenagers are never going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but Feig seems to feel that as long as a film has an audience, it is worth making. I ask him about pressures to make films that will make the most money over those which he truly wants to create. “There definitely is a lot of pressure for that,” he admits, “but I think the pressure is kind of universal to everyone. For me, it’s so hard to make a movie, and you spend so much time on it and so much effort on it, that I want to make a movie that people will see. “I can’t think of the last bad movie that
ASYA LIKHTMAN New College was enormously successful, so I think that everything has got to be good at what it is, you know. It has to be its finest version of it. I remember I had a philosophy professor who always said, ‘let wood be wood’, and I always think about it whatever movie I’m making... We’re really trying everything we can do to make it the most it it could be. And so I would never, ever not think about the audience.” As we speak about the power of film and literature in general, Feig tells me how he is “always struck by just how potent myth is, how potent narrative is.” He illustrates this with another of his own stories about a recent trip to his daughter’s 5th grade production: “They did a musical version of Achilles’ heel. Classic, right? But I was watching, and there’s a point where, I think it was one of the Fates that said to Achilles, you know, ‘grand Achilles, everyone will be singing of your fate for thousands and thousands of years’. And it was one of those things where I thought, you know what, they were right… My daughter in Los Angeles in her 5th grade class did a musical comedy called Achilles heel; if that doesn’t show the power of an enduring story I don’t know what does.” I guess he is right, there probably aren’t many things that show us the power of the story, but I feel like talking to Erik Feig is probably one of them.
nominate now! While at Oxford have you experienced Excellent teaching? Have you had a tutor, lecturer, supervisor or a member of support staff who has made a difference and inspired you?
OUTSTANDING SUPERVISOR Nominations Open until:
Wednesday 8th of March
TO NOMINATE go to: teachingawards.ousu.org
make your Voice COUNT!
12th February 2015
OXSTUFF
OxStuff 15
COME DINE WITH ME: PEMBROKE FOOD AND DRINK 7/10
Despite concerns over a deluge of mushrooms, Executive Chef Kevin Dudley served up a strong menu for Pembroke's Halfway Hall. Although the mushroom starter was a bit too small to really enjoy, the sirloin steak main course was impressive (the field mushrooms here were, if mildly gratuitous, a good call). Dessert was thankfully mushroom-free – a delicious sticky toffee pudding and ginger ice-cream. Thanks, Kevin.
ATMOSPHERE 8/10
and culturally questionable ‘themed’ formals were brought flooding back after a term and a half of informal meals. A generally good buzz.
PRICE 6/10
At around £26, Halfway Hall was rather dear for what was really just good Formal food. Deducting the cost of a Formal from the full-price meal leaves you with £21 for (at least) hypothetically unlimited refills of Cava, white, and red wine. To get this much out of it would require some pretty swift drinking, though.
WOW FACTOR
Between the games of chocolate-passing-by-mouth and general merriment, Halfway Hall brought back heady memories of being a Fresher. Halcyon memories of the rush for bread rolls, too many fruit-cups to bear counting,
It’s quite hard to be wowed by a Hall I’ve been in for the last year and a half. It’s pretty, certainly: the stained glass and the portraits are always nice to see.
The Crucible 17th-19th Feb Sheldonian Theatre
Macbeth 18th Feb Regent's Park College
Countdown Valentine's Day 14th Feb 10pm Warehouse
Oxford Left Review Launch 12th Feb, 6pm Albion Beatnik Bookshop
6/10
Not much to say here – aside from the provision of wine and black tie, this could have been a regular Formal.
CONVERSATION AND COMEDY 10/10
Truly brilliant. Between the nostalgia of a year and half of Oxford life, an excellent grace read by Mark Schunemann, and Oliver Katzinski’s hilarious compering, the air positively crackled with life. Bravo, Pembroke year of ’16 –it’s been a pleasure so far, and I look forward to another year and a half with you.
TOTAL SCORE PEMBROKE 37/50
FOR PHOTO/Giles Moss
Ruskin Drawing Sale 14th-15th Feb Ruskin Art School
Peter Tatchell: Beyond Equality 18th Feb Somerville College
PICK OF THE WEEK Meet the Poet: Alice Oswald 13th Feb, 5:30pm Keble College
A Night with Skin Deep 18th Feb, 9:30pm Cellar
Positive Minds: Meet the Professionals 17th Feb, 6pm St John's College
A Choral Scholar Spectacular 12th Feb, 8:30pm Christ Church
Alexander Darby, New College
Anti-Violence Valentine's Day 14th Feb, 1:30-6pm Christ Church
Islam, Politics and the West 17th Feb, 7pm Somerville College
16 OxStuff
12th February 2015
CLITERARY THEORY PHOTO/Flickr user Piers Nye PHOTO/RobertWalmsley
As last week’s HackDaq established, Alys Key’s BNOC status is now fully cemented. It seems that rival editor Rob Walmsley is keen to absorb some renown of his own - rumour has it that the Cherwell Blind Date fairies have worked their magic, and Rob’s bagged himself an outing with our very own queen of OxStu Towers. Who can blame him? She does, after all, hold all the keys. Whether or not he holds the one to heart is yet to be seen, though we’re sure he’d settle for unlocking her Twitter account. As the big ‘V’ day approaches, will Rob be victorious in stealing away Alys’s heart?
ROB WALMSLEY
LUKE BARRATT The nickname ‘Cool Hand Luke’ has long been universally applied to Barratt for his undeniable resemblance to the Hollywood heartthrob Paul Newman. Sadly, after an anonymous tip revealed him to be a massive global warming fan (not-so-cool, Luke), Barratt shall have to be known as ‘Carbon Footprint Luke’ or, even more damning, ‘Luke Warm’. The Cherwell editor-in-chief was sighted placing his own (spare?!) papers in the general waste bin, not the recycling one, before leaving a door open (twice!), much to the chagrin of the environment-conscious around him. Like those papers, his flattering epithet will have to be dispensed with (only we’ll make sure it surfaces again, recycled in a future satirical column, and doesn’t get buried in a landfill somewhere).
PHOTO/Luke Barratt
ANITA LAY Match Cummentator
I
t has been a week since I got Tinder. Downloading the app was a drunken decision, which I made whilst lying on a friend’s bed at 2.30 in the morning, following a somewhat disappointing Thursday night trip to Camera (this trip was also, as you might guess, a drunken decision). At first it was a thrill to feel that power of discarding or approving someone with a mere movement of my finger. I quickly developed some criteria. Anyone whose main picture featured a gun or a baby, whose only pictures were of cars, or who had any photos taken in Purple Turtle was an instant swipe-left. Equally, I was happy to give a ‘yes’ to anyone who appeared to be a trainee pilot, looked like they might be rich, or was a sexy DPhil student with designer stubble. The messages were usually along the same lines. I couldn’t really be bothered to reply to anyone who just wrote “Hi, how are you?” – why should I supply all the chat myself ? Then there were the messages which were more along the lines of “I want to bend you over and fuck you silly”. These left me more baffled than anything. Does that approach ever work? There were, however, those who tried a little harder to have an actual conversation. Eventually it got to the point where I was being asked to go out for a drink, then another, and then another. This, dear readers, is the story of my three Tinder dates. Date number one: Jack. My first match. He has strong chat, nice hair, and is in the same year as me. Perfect, right? Only, as it turns out, there is such a thing as too close for comfort. Once we had agreed on a place and time for our rendezvous, I was naturally keen to know more about him. I’m sure I needn’t tell you quite how easy it is to find a Tinder acquaintance on Facebook, and once I had done so I discovered we had a mutual friend. I thought it would be amusing to mention to said friend that I was going on a Tinder date
with Jack, but sadly their response was this: “oh my god I will personally rip his cock off – he has a girlfriend”. So date number one never became a date, but we’ll count it anyway and move on to date number two: Simon. On his profile, Simon is very up-front about the fact that he has... interesting tastes. His main picture involves a blindfold which he is holding in one hand and a piece of leather between his teeth. Impulsively I swiped right (“for the lolz” I tell my horrified friends) and then found myself in a witty and highly intellectual conversation. I agreed to meet him for a coffee, thinking this a relatively safe introduction to my potential Christian Grey. As I was waiting, a rather pudgy man in his 30s wearing a cheap suit sat opposite me. I was about to tell him I was waiting for someone else when he smiled and I saw the resemblance. Simon’s Tinder pictures were extremely flattering, all black and white, and, I would guess, about 5 years out of date. This was not how I imagined my venture into BDSM would begin. I stayed for about half an hour, chatting politely, but made my excuses when he leant in and asked if I had ever tried anal beads. So onto date three: Fred. He seems nice enough, studies French, and has pictures of himself swimming in Thailand which show off his particularly nice shoulders. At this point, I have to admit I’m just after someone who is normal, reasonably attractive, and not in a relationship. We met at a pub, somewhere with plenty of seats where he bought me a glass of wine. We shared a leather sofa and a bowl of chips. He complimented my dress and I told him I liked his eyes. It was a very straightforward occasion, leading very smoothly from first drink to second, to “do you fancy watching an episode of The Last Leg in my room?”, all the way to me realising at the point of climax that I couldn’t actually remember his name. A Tinder success story if ever there was one.
ONE TO WATCH
PHOTO/MASTERSTROKE
JOHN WARNER
I
n case you didn’t realise, there’s a lot of work that goes into creating any production for the stage, but for one involving live music, the workload is near doubled. There are many people involved in this side of productions who, though not necessarily seen by the public, deserve just as much credit. John Warner, a second year musician from St Peter’s College, is without question one of these people. He is well known in the Oxford music scene (known as a BNIM, I am told) and is rumoured to be fast on the road to becoming a fully-fledged BNOC. After being musical director of last year’s production of Into the Woods, he went on to MD Assassins at the Keble O’Reilly theatre last term, as well as Dido and Aeneas this term. Working with RicNic Productions, he acted as MD for West Side Story in 2012 and producer for South Pacific, both at the Pegasus Theatre. Evidently these shows don’t take up enough of John’s time: he also conducts the Oxford University Wind Orchestra (OUWO) and St Peter’s Chamber Orchstra. We hear he has an unparalleled love of Wagner, and we’re not surprised. There’s just one letter separating their names and they both love music… Possibly the most impressive thing about John, however, is that he is the boyfriend of BNOC of OxStu past, Jessica Sinyor. Having all shared many hours, days, and nights in the office with Jess, we can only congratulate John on his outstanding choice of mate. It is currently unclear whether his love of the Wagner or OxStu editors is greater, but we’re hoping that reading this will tip the balance. It is clear that John is a man of great determination and talent. To give a final example of this: John once walked from Camera to Radley in the early hours of the morning. If that doesn’t make him one to watch, it’s difficult to imagine something that would.
OxStuff 17
12th February 2015
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PHOTO/Rosie Shennan
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or the vast majority, the arrival of February brings about an overwhelming feeling of dread and anxiety. It is not a mid-winter fear, or a sense of hopelessness associated with your Oscar-nom disillusionment, but rather the uncomfortable existence of the ‘holiday’ (for want of a better word) Valentine’s Day. Although this will be the first Valentine’s I’ve had alone for some time, my angst and hatred of the day is not the bitter product of crushing singledom – I’ve despised the day for years. I just don’t understand the need for people to take red paper, add on some shiny lopsided hearts and present it to the ‘love of their life’ as though it is the Holy Grail. During relationships, I made my disdain of the holiday particularly clear – this did, however, make for a pretty awkward exchange between an ex and myself when I revealed my feelings whilst he, unbeknownst to me, was clutching a card behind his back. The card was signed “Guess who?”. Obviously, I was well aware of “who”’s identity. Call it my blatant pessimism, but I just don’t understand the appeal of a card like that. I’m not the sort of girl who flourishes in a relationship where gifts are poured on me, and if there’s anything worse than undeserved attention, it’s unnecessary and over the top attention. If I’m ‘with’ someone, I know that they want to be with me. I don’t need them to prove it, and likewise, I don’t expect to have to prove the veracity of my affection because Clintons Cards told me to do so. The typical Valentine’s Day gifts are, in themselves, repulsive. White teddy bears everywhere will give a mass sigh of relief once the week is over – no longer will they be presented to partners who fake smiles of thanks (let’s be real, no one wants one of those), and no longer will the sanctity of chocolate be desecrated
with the unnecessary addition of ‘luxury’ ingredients and an obscene price tag. Give me plain Dairy Milk any day of the year, and you will score infinitely more brownie points. It’s embarrassingly cheesy enough to rake through couple gifts at any time, but February truly reveals the extraordinary belief that two people in a relationship must be one and the same person. I don’t want a matching apron, or hand towel. It’s an excessive commodity, and I just have better things to spend my money and time on.
ed in someone, what do you do? You wouldn’t be prepared to drop the big L-word to that post-grad you’ve been admiring from afar in the Bodleian any other day of the year, yet somehow Valentine’s Day makes people feel that that is not just a fantastic idea but also a very important one. If you’ve been messaging someone on Tinder, do you have to wish them a Happy Valentine’s? Do you have to anonymously pidge them an engagement ring? What about that Fresher you got with at the last bop – does Valentine’s Day make you now ‘official’? Even when you’re more exclusive with someone, Valentine’s Day can be tricky. You guys aren’t there yet, but ignoring the day itself feels forced and uncomfortable. Alternatively, getting them a gift can be seen as too keen – the white teddy bear clutching the “I love you” heart will definitely make them run for the hills, away from the ridiculous culture that February 14th brings about. “What’s the social protocol for this?” asked one of my friends this time last year, as he tried to work out if him and the girl he’d seen a couple of times were at present-giving status. That’s the trouble – the social protocol is unknown and illogical; commercial protocol is predictable but unrealistic. Woe betide any of you stuck in the Oxford time zone – making plans for Saturday of fourth may have been an easy way for you to organise your life, but once the date is realised, someone is definitely going to get the wrong idea about where you guys are at. Unless that was the intention all along, in which case, fair play to you. Me? I’ll be spending this Valentine’s Day the way I would spend any other day of my life – procrastinating and in the college bar. Don’t worry – next week, when I pass the rows of dead roses drooping in the porter’s lodge, I’ll check my own empty pidge and feel incredibly satisfied.
I don’t have to prove the veracity of my affection because Clintons Cards told me to do so The most ridiculous thing about the ‘holiday’ is the way in which massive companies fall for it, again and again. Take a stroll through your local ASDA – I can guarantee an aisle smothered in cards, gifts, hearts and that overused and misunderstood phrase, “love”. It’s a tunnel of despair, as middle aged husbands are flummoxed by what’s on offer, and grab the nearest cards and tack. If you’re married, surely you must know your partner well enough to personalise their gift a little bit – rather than get a gift that you could have given to anyone that you have, or will, love, is it not better to use your love to choose the gift? It’s somewhat sad to see so many people that just have no idea. Valentine’s Day is supposed to reveal the love that people have for you – thoughtless spending just doesn’t feel the same. TV breaks are punctuated with sensual adverts crying for you to buy their chocolate, their wine, their flowers – love shouldn’t be able to be bought like that. If you believe otherwise, I pity you. Aside from the awkwardness of empty gifts for the ‘loved-up’, Valentine’s Day serves little other purpose than to make the masses uncomfortable and displaced. If you’re interest-
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ACROSS 1) Mark 1 Malt, displayed with a flourish (10) 5) Perched, I consumed food to satisfy my hunger (7) 6) Commonly recurring theme, devoid of origin, is no fun at all to hang out with (4) 8) Three out of four belonging to us (3) 9) See 11 Down 10) Preferred area for Marine Le Pen, entirely nonsensical things somehow related to a southern Asian nation (8) 13) Beginning of her strong romantic feelings heartlessly torn asunder by bishop providing sanctuary (7) 15) At the beginning, slow reptiles going backwards walk at a steady pace (5) 16) Methods, counted by Shakespeare, convince half of us from beginning to end (4) 17) Military brass initially created squad of large stingers without any leadership (6) DOWN 1) More than one arts degree in short time produces low grumbling sounds (7) 2) 5/7ths of plow pullers pretend to be something they’re not (5) 3) Watch as back-wards containers go up and down (3-4) 4) Two castles hidden in the bottom of Westeros are mistakes (6) 7) When in Rome, following quiet with loud is a great tool for producing profound and complex phrases (10) 11, 9) Smash patriarchy before some bloke becomes political leader (5, 8)) 12) A sound thing to do in return for redemption (5) 13) Aaaah! How? Says ‘who’?! (4) 14) Search around for a source of nourishment (4)7. Flip end of page upside-down for a short representation of a distinctively English sound (5) 8. Item of cutlery, part of a pair favoured by beginner pianists (9) 11. Kind of food, e.g. Haggis, eases feelings of discomfort, if well cooked (8) 12. Devoted supporters used to be able to keep cool (4) 13. Never before seen by the feminine French: an insubstantial work of prose (7) 15. Heads of the orthodox Jewish community often support extended versions of this bside (4) 16. A wee drink of whisky around the start of evening is a convincing imitation of a real night-time experience that doesn’t require you to get out of bed (5)
Last week’s solution PP
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For registration details, contact ithappenshere@ousu.org
Anti-Violence Valentine’s 14th February 2015, 1:30pm to 6:00pm, Christ Church
An afternoon of events breaking the silence: sexual violence happens here, but here can be where we come together to end it.
1.:30pm Panel Our society fails survivors of sexual violence – how do we change this? With speakers from Women Against Rape, the White Ribbon Campaign, Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC), and the NUS Women’s Officer Susuana Antubam.
3:00pm Workshops Take your pick of a range of exciting workshops: »» Youth Council of the End Domestic Violence Global Foundation »» Code4Rights – a women-only coding workshop towards creating a ‘First Response’ app »» WomCam hands-on art session »» OUSU Sexual Consent Workshop
»» Good Lad Workshop – a men-only session thinking about what men can do to combat lad culture
4:30pm Keynote Performance; Staceyann Chin Incredible writer, poet, performer and activist Staceyann Chin will be delivering the keynote address, as part of her UK tour.
ithappenshereoxford.wordpress.com
12th February 2015
FEATURES
Features 19
PHOTO/TEAM FRAMBO
Francis Delaney: One Man, One Goal
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rancis Delaney does not let his disability get in his way. In May this year, he will take on the audacious task of cycling from his hometown in Oxfordshire to The Arc de Triomphe in Paris in just under six days. The expedition will consist of cycling over 220 miles over the Cotswolds and crossing the English Channel. He has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth, a condition which causes paralysis to muscle groups in the body. Delaney, aged 39, has difficulties in his speech, moving his left arm and right leg, and his right foot is completely paralysed. Despite this, he remains extremely positive about life. Two years ago, he participated in a mile-long swimming challenge to raise money for his charity. Unbeknownst to many gownies, Delaney is already a local celebrity, with appearances in the Oxford Mail and BBC News. As a child, Delaney did not attend a specialist school, but an ordinary
state school near Barton. “I like it, because I am just a normal person. I feel like I live in a normal person. I like to be independent and don’t need any help.” Delaney will be cycling on his Pashley Tri-1 cycle during the six days. The expedition will begin in Oxford, with Delaney travelling to Reading, where he will have to confront a steep slope. His team will then cycle to Crawley, Guildford, and to Newhaven, where he will take a ferry across the Channel to finish off the second leg of his journey. The six-day voyage will finish in Paris the day before he turns forty. Delaney does not yet know what he will be doing when he arrives in the City of Lights, though his crew has hinted that a few surprises are to be revealed to celebrate his extraordinary achievement and birthday. He says he is excited, if somewhat nervous of the scale of this impressive expedition. He currently follows a strict training regime in preparation for this inspi-
rational trip, on top of his normal day job at Homebase. On Saturday mornings, he goes to the leisure centre at ten, trains in the pool until eleven o’clock, and returns to work by half past twelve. “The hardest bit is trying to balance the gym and the swimming. I do need a rest, because I work every weekend. I have to balance everything that I do. I’m managing though.” Delaney currently has a record of cycling thirteen miles per hour on flat gradient.
"I feel like I am an able-bodied person in a disabled body." Yellow Submarine, the charity Delaney is affiliated with, offers support to people living with disabilities and autism. It also runs a café situated in Park End Street (opposite Park End) that offers “great coffees.” Yellow Submarine also organises club
nights and various social events for people with disabilities. “It builds my confidence up as well. I am feeding off them, and they are feeding off me. I have seen a difference in myself.” This sense of mutual support encourages otherwise isolated individuals to join in creatively building a community together. Merton tutorial fellow, Dr Rhiannon Ash, who is currently working with Delaney on the ‘Tour de Frambo’ committee, mentioned the noticeable change she has seen in him, “Francis has been chairing the meetings and since we have started, it is fair to say that he has grown into the role of chairman. He is now telling us what to do much more confidently. He ought to stand for parliament!” “The more people that get behind Francis, the better. What we are hoping is that people would support the cause. I have started to think of all the things I just do everyday – going up the stairs, getting on my bike, or even lecturing at the faculty to a large
MARCUS LI Magdalen College group of people – without necessarily being grateful before for the fact that I can do them.” Currently, the team has raised over £1000. They hope to raise a target sum of £3000 to further invest in the Yellow Submarine charity to help others suffering from the same condition. Delaney is an inspiration to all, and gives us his own motto to share with our readers: “Live life to the max. Don’t hold back; have a goal and work towards it. I have got a goal this year; it’s a massive goal, and people think I won’t do it or can’t do it; there are some who have backed me all the way. I will do it. I did something similar last year, and I will definitely make it. I feel like I am an able-bodied person in a disabled body.” To find out more about Francis Delaney’s expedition, visit http://tourdeframbo.com/tag/francis-delaney/ where you can also make a donation to show your support.
20 Features
12th February 2015
Rustication: restart the clock
GEORGE JL St Edmund;’s Hall
R
ustication in the past was invariably a form of punishment. Today, the meaning has crept past purely disciplinary boundaries. Official statutes still have it as punitive measure, but colloquially it refers to any period of suspension from College, University or both. Suspension talk now tends to focus more on addressing our ever-present welfare and medical issues, rather than keeping us in line. The University describes what it calls ‘suspension of status’ (SOS, perhaps?) as “a measure which ‘stops the clock’ for all elements of your degree, including residence, fees and terms for which a particular status may be held”. When Oxford gets too much, suspension of status offers some much needed time out. Reasons for this vary from case to case (e.g. chronic illness, eating disorders, depression, overwhelming stress). Accordingly, terms of suspensions are flexible. Suspended students are typically expected to return after a specified period of time, having fulfilled conditions such as medical approval or completion of additional collections. ‘Rustication’ is certainly anachronistic, but anachronisms are hardly a cause for concern. So, what’s the issue with suspension? In two words, college system. As “autonomous self-governing corporations”, colleges largely set their own rules. Usually these are guided by central University policy, but on the matter of suspension there is none. Undergraduate and graduate policies on ‘Learning and Teaching’ explicitly pass it off as a college matter, in which problems arise - namely, inadequate provision of support, and dramatic differences between colleges. How does it work? Who does it? Why? If you can work that out from the inadequate information you’re provided with, you then have the ‘college lottery’ to play. Will yours guide you out gently, or follow you with a boot? Someone already in a position where temporarily leaving has become an option doesn’t need any of this uncertainty. Differences can be anything from
PHOTO/ Public Domain
questionable to outright distressing, and it is in these cases that the clocks need to be kicked forward to 2015. We cannot allow the quirks of our collegiate system to have a severe and quantifiable impact on the wellbeing of those struggling the most. It’s unacceptable and dangerous to present students possibly at risk of serious harm with further issues of institutional design. Versa has highlighted two of the more shocking suspension cases. The examples given are outrageous, and a case-inpoint of the variation problem. One interviewee reported being forced off college premises without warning, and
another suggested most of their time out was spent dealing with the aftermath of the suspension itself. Their experiences reflect archaic attitudes to mental health, victim blaming and underhand practices serving college, not student, interests, sounding more like witch-hunting than welfare support. To paraphrase, the students were problems, not people. Some progress has been made: OUSU successfully lobbied for our right to access University facilities, including libraries and the Counselling Service around this time last year. A promising start, but we have some way to go. Accordingly, we’re doing something about it - we being
Welfare Crisis. www.welfarecrisis.tumblr.com serves as an online rustication repository, featuring essential information, support, student profiles, useful advice and commentary from veterans of the process. Intended as a living document, the more contributors we have, the more effective the resource will become. No longer will there be no easily accessible information on suspension - the University might not provide adequate support, but we will. Through building an archive of experiences and precedents, we hope to give suspension a human face and make the journey easier for our successors.
Distant Voice – California dreamin’
W
hat sort of place do you imagine California to be? Golden beaches, palm trees, movie stars walking along Hollywood Boulevard… and perhaps, if you listen to Katy Perry, a place where perfectly tanned girls stroll around in “Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top”. It’s not completely wrong, but every time I tell people that I’m from California and they respond with some variation of this stereotype, I can’t help but roll my eyes. Yes, California does have some amazing beaches complete with hot surfers, but that’s only in one very specific part of the state. California in its entirety is endlessly vast, and offers so much more. For example, take the Bay Area, the greater metropolitan area around San Francisco. It’s still fantastic weather – unless you’re actually in
San Francisco, in which case it’s foggy all the time – but you won’t find many surfers or sandy beaches here. Instead, the area prides itself on the world-class vineyards in Napa Valley, the cutting-edge technology born in Silicon Valley, one of the best public transportation systems in the country, and its brilliant sports teams. (San Francisco Giants, anyone?) Going further north towards the border of Oregon, you’ll discover a rich expanse of coastal forests. Redwood National Park is particularly famous for being home to the tallest trees on earth: redwood sequoias. The forests extend inland and back south along the Sierra Nevada, where you’ll find the gorgeous Yosemite National Park with its rocky rivers and waterfalls. It’s a great place for camping and hiking, as well as rock
climbing: the El Capitan of Yosemite is the world’s largest granite monolith and is renowned as the mecca of rock climbing. The Sierra Nevada also boasts numerous ski resorts such as the everpopular Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain. I know what you’re thinking: wait, it snows in California? Yes, it does – and it’s surprisingly good quality snow too. Just ask the skiers and snowboarders from all over the United States that flock to the slopes of California every winter. If the combination of beaches and snow isn’t already enough, barely 200 kilometers south of the mountains you’ll also discover the desert region. You may have heard of the Mojave Desert; it’s home to Death Valley, which despite its macabre name is actually quite a fascinating place.
From salt flats to red cliffs, it has every possible variety of desert scenery you can think of. It is also where the lowest point of elevation in North America can be found, at 86 metres below sea level. Then, of course, there’s the Central Valley, which is the awkward bit in the middle of the state that’s not quite Northern or Southern California and is thus often forgotten about. It really doesn’t deserve to be, though, because it’s easily the most important part of the state. Not only is it where the capital city of Sacramento is located, it’s also one of the top agricultural lands in the United States. In fact, it’s where one quarter of the entire country’s food is produced. From lush forests to snowy peaks, from barren deserts to rich farmland, there’s really nothing the state can’t
The University needs to install a solid welfare and suspensions policy so that colleges can follow suit consistently. We should be safe in the knowledge that any student will be treated equally. We’re looking for contributors, and invite anyone with welfare interest or experience of rustication to get in touch via welfarecrisis@gmail.com or our Contact page. We already we have OUSU interest, Essay Crisis blessing and dialogue opening up with the various welfare groups in Oxford. Hopefully soon the University will be interested in addressing its own problems too.
YUKI NUMATA
St Edmund’s Hall offer. Every Californian is aware of this fact, and that’s why we all find ourselves a bit irked whenever people ask us, “Do you miss the beaches?” No, we don’t, because there were never any beaches where we came from – unless, of course, the Californian in question actually is from the Los Angeles area. If you’re still looking for the golden sand, palm trees, movie stars and “California Gurls,” Los Angeles is where you’ll find them. We’re delighted, of course, that we have such a wonderful place in our state – we enjoy visiting seaside resorts just as much as you do – but next time you meet someone from California, it might be worth a try to ask about the mountains, the deserts, or the vineyards instead of the sunny beaches. You’ll spare many of us an eye-roll, and we’ll love you for that!
Features 21
12th February 2015
A guide to RAG blind dates F
Lincoln College
WILLIAM SHAW
want to be left alone... DO make a good first impression – Keep any looks of disappointment at bay, and definitely don’t tell them your friends filled your form in as a joke. And get their name right – sounds basic, but it’s easily forgotten. DON’T overdo it on the stash – We get it, you love hockey and you want everyone to know it. But it will seem so much cooler if you just casually slip it into the conversation later on. And if you row, it’s probably best not to mention it at all. DON’T slag off their college – You won’t be the first to point out that LMH is ‘practically up north’ or that Christ Church is a little on the posh side. Chances are, they’re quite fond of their college, so try to hold off laughing about it. Even if it does look like a lasagne (cough *Keble* cough). DON’T Tinder at the table – Even the RAG dragon gets it wrong sometimes, so embrace the fact you might not meet Mr/Ms Right on Blind Date. Surreptitious swiping when you think your date isn’t looking is just rude. DON’T talk about work – If you really don’t have anything more interesting to talk about than your latest library stint, the RAG dragon probably can’t help you. No-one likes to be grilled over their latest essay or course modules on a date. And if they’re a finalist, for God’s sake don’t ask the ‘what do you want to do after you graduate’ question if you plan on leaving the date unscathed. PHOTO/ OldBank Hotel
PHOTO/Santhy Balachandran
inding a partner is much less effort than getting a Blue or a First, and with the RAG Blind Date you don’t even have to pluck up the courage to ask someone out. Even if you’re already happily loved up, it’s a great chance to make friends with people from other colleges. We’ve put together some dos and don’ts to ensure your date runs smoothly. DO consider placing a charitable bribe – This year, RAG is accepting extra donations to help nudge Cupid in the right direction. If you’ve got your eye on someone special, or have always wanted to date a Blue/a BNOC/someone from a certain college or subject, let your charity rep know. Think of it as a generous donation rather than buying your date – and may the odds be ever in your favour. DO take advantage of the Blind Date deals – Your form will get you some great deals at local cafes and restaurants, including Bill’s, Loch Fyne and the Slug and Lettuce. So even if you don’t find true love, you’ll at least get some cheap food out of it. Sounds like a win-win to me. DO rope in a friend – By filling in a form as a duo, you’re guaranteed to wave goodbye to awkwardness – or at least to have someone to share it with. Set a few ground rules before you go: agree which ‘hilarious’ stories are shareable and which are better saved for the second date/deathbed. Plan a signal in case you need to escape – or
Oxford etiquette
CATHERINE EDWARDS
THOUGHT FOR FOOD
M
y feelings towards Quod have always been ones of unshakeable ambivalence. Previous experiences include a cheese soufflé that melts your heart, a chickpea tagine Heinz could have canned better, a peaceful jazz-imbued afternoon tea in the garden courtyard, and a busy, crowded dinner, shouting across the table at my grandma. It has always been a restaurant to visit with family, and last week I did exactly that, to very positive results.
We rocked up at 2pm – perfect Quod time. A two-thirds empty restaurant made for pleasant conversation volume and an attentive and friendly waitress. On both sides of our table were tourists: on our right were a pair of men getting steadily drunker as the afternoon wore on, and on our left was a middle-aged couple enthusiastically making out (Yes. In Quod. How scandalous). We both chose the hake, which impressed. It was served as a whole
fish, daintily and effectively cooked in butter with light seasoning, and accompanied by kale and new potatoes. I usually think of new potatoes as a bland waste of calories, but these were excellently delivered. We also shared the celeriac gratin, which was light (though cheesy) and made for a perfect side order. I’m a huge fan of sticky toffee pudding, so the banana and date variety on offer for pudding was a must. To my delight, when it came it was adorned
with brûléed bananas – most impressive. Quod is the perfect restaurant to take your parents to. It’s big enough to retain some anonymity, but somehow manages to never quite eradicate intimacy entirely. Dinner can be noisy, but it’s bustling in a good kind of way, not an overwhelming one. Although the menu could do with a revamp soon, the food was fresh and reliably tasty. It is sure to remain a popular destination for anyone visiting or living in Oxford.
Corpus Christi College
L
ectures are, in their own way, a perfect encapsulation of the experience of studying at Oxford. Specifically, they embody the academic entropy of the super-intense, highlyinvolved, sanity-destroying eight-week term. A lecture in first week will typically be lively, engaging and packed to gunnels with eager students. But as the term goes on, audiences begin to dwindle, with sizes going from football crowds to church congregations to book club meetings to, eventually, a group so small as to resemble the attendees of an open mic night at a Hartlepool-based Methodist Church youth group. Similarly, much as one’s own essays become an exercise in barrel-scraping around sixth week, the content of many lecture series often starts to feel stale, as lecturers desperately attempt to find something new to say about the image of the city in the works of Charles Dickens or the principle of comparative advantage in international trade - topics too well-worn even to be donated to Oxfam. Or else, lecturers realise they have too much to cover in the time they have remaining, and so lectures become an avalanche of pontification on such ludicrously complex topics as Quantitative Easing and How It Helps (short answer: no-one knows and it doesn’t, really) or just what the hell is going on in Finnegans Wake and whether it makes any sense (short answer: no-one knows and it doesn’t, really). So, what is proper behaviour in a lecture? Obviously, one’s phone must be switched off. This is elementary stuff, and yet every day some fascinating insight into historical determinism is drowned out by the asinine pinging of a personal communications device. Cut it out. Beyond that, it’s really quite straightforward: keep quiet, respect the personal space of those around you, allow people to look at your notes if they missed something, and if you do feel at all drowsy, please try not to drool all over my copy of The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money. But if you have brought your own copy, by all means fell free. Lord knows, we could all do with a rest.
22 Sport
OUAFC Cuppers Final Dates set The dates for OUAFC Cuppers Competitions have been set. On February 28th, Iffley Road will host the MCR final at 11am. Semi-finals between Lincoln and Mansfield Road and Christ Church and Balliol will be played in the next few weeks. The JCR Cuppers Final will take place at Iffley Road on March 13th at 2pm. Pembroke have secured a place by defeating New 2-1, whilst absolute scenes at Jowett Walk on Saturday saw plucky Balliol triumph over the might of LMH, coming from 2 goals down to win 3-2 in extra time. A brace from the JCR league’s very own Carlton Cole, Harry Rimmer, and a 40 yard screamer from goalkeeper/ man-crush of the Balliol JCR Jamie Farmer saw the underdogs to a famous victory.
Oxford Amateur Boxing success in University Championships OUABC’s Claudia Havpranek was named British Universities National Novice Champion at the BUCS Boxing Championships this past weekend held at Northumbria University. Three female boxers from OUABC, who unfortunately missed out on the recent Town vs. Gown event to focus on preparation, all emerged victorious from their respective bouts. Both Mariya Lazarova and Lucy Harris are both through to the BUCS finals in Sheffield on the 20th of February.
Badminton Men’s 1sts finish 2nd in BUCS Premier South OUBaC Men’s 1sts finished 2nd in the BUCS Premier South this week - seven points behind leaders Bath 1sts. They are seeded 3rd/4th for the Championship.The Men’s 2nds are facing a relegation battle with Derby 1sts and Nottingham 3rds in the BUCS Midlands 2B league. Although only one team is uaually relegated from the league, 5th place may also go down if if additional team needs to be relegated from Midlands 1A. The Women’s 1sts look to stay put in Midlands 1A league.
The OxStu sports team wants you! Want to see your club feature on our new University sports side-bar? We would love to hear from you. Please send in your brief team reports and news updates to oxstu.sport@gmail. com or get in touch with one of our esteemed editors David and Alex at david.barker@some.ox.ac.uk and alexandra.vryzakis@st-hildas.ox.ac.uk.
12th February 2015
Chris Hollins: Alumnus and BBC personality
• Before winning Strictly in 2009, Hollins gained a blue in cricket during his time at Keble College ALEXANDRA VRYZAKIS SPORTS EDITOR
We caught up with journalist, presenter and sportsman Chris Hollins this week to talk about everything from his time at Keble College to his impressive career in journalism. Chris earned a Blue in cricket while at Oxford, and went on to work for Sky Sports, the BBC,and GMTV. He currently presents Watchdog and Cash in the Attic. What are your fondest memories of your time at Keble? I had a great time at Keble College. I fell in love with the controversial architecture of Keble, and there is something special about the Oxford collegiate system, in that you feel that you truly belong at your college. I just remember feeling immediately that I was at home and that this was my place. It was also very convenient for me to be so close to the University Parks. Did you feel that university sport played a big role in your life at Oxford? Sport has played an enormous part in my life in general, and I’ve always been quite good at it. Football was a bit of a bonus for me at Oxford, since I went there to play cricket. I’d played quite a high standard of football at Durham, and then before I knew it I was starting to play Blues football. It was great fun; we had a good team, playing two games a week. We played matches at Iffley Road, a pretty historic ground what with Roger Bannister, so it was quite special. This was rounded off with a Varsity match at Craven Cottage where we won 5-0, which I think is one of the highest winning margins in history. I was struggling with an injury during the run up to the game but it was a great day and everything we touched seemed to turn to gold, as they say. We thrashed Cambridge as well, which is always nice! Did you feel that Oxford influenced your choice of career, that is to say your decision to go into journalism? That’s a very good question. The best thing for me, having gone to Oxford, was that having gone to a different university for three years, you never really have much time to think about what you’re going to end up doing. My year at Oxford afterwards was great because it allowed me to do everything I wanted, and to my full potential. I got interested in the media when I did a couple of interviews for Radio Oxford as head of the cricket team. When I left Oxford, I pursued a football career with Charlton Athletic which didn’t really come off. I also had a couple of offers to play profession cricket, and I continued to trial for various football clubs for a few months before admitting I was going to have
PHOTO/UKTV
to get a sensible job. So, I went to an accountancy interview and also one for Skysports, and ended up working there, much to my mother’s disgust. She’s still not over it yet! Do you feel it is harder for aspiring journalists to move into the world of media in this day and age? The world of journalism is getting wider and wider in my opinion. An example of this - I wanted to be a television sports reporter. If you’d said that forty years ago you’d have had a choice between either the BBC or ITV. If you wanted to get into the world of media the first two years you made coffee, then the next two years you made tea, and you eventually did your apprenticeship and got your opportunity. Now though, there are so many television channels and radio stations that it’s probably easier to get a start and get a taste of it, but it’s likely tougher to get a career out of it. People write to me about getting a career in journalism, telling me that they have written for their school and university papers, that they have done some radio freelancing and yet they can’t get a position at the BBC. I just think, my God! I didn’t do any of that, before there were more opportunities available because there was less competition in a sense. The way that media is consumed is drastically changing, with on-demand content becoming the norm. Do you feel that conventional news programmes such as BBC Breakfast have a future? I hope for my colleagues that there’s still a future! It’s true; the way that we consume our news has indeed changed. Twenty years ago you waited for the six o’clock news to come round, then the eight o’clock and then the ten o’clock! If you wanted anything else, you were struggling. Now we have 24hour news, and newspapers have
been hit particularly hard. Where they were able to report on sports by saying what happened, the modern consumer doesn’t want that, because he or she saw it, or has already read about it somewhere else. What the newspaper has to do is be more editorial in terms of analysing a match, they need to provide a critique of the style of play, of the game overall. There is much more speculation involved nowadays. Breakfast news has the youngest average age audience, and yet the average age of a Breakfast viewer is
“There is a future for Breakfast news, but like everything else, it must adapt” about 55. So what you have to work out is how many people are actually watching television. It’s a much older they’re spoon-fed because that’s what they’ve been brought up on. Younger generations watch television when they want to watch it. They record things on Sky and download things from the Internet. There is a future for Breakfast news, but like everything else, it must adapt. You have covered many high-profile sporting events in your career. Which did you enjoy the most? Probably the World Cup in Japan in 2002, because it was such a fantastic cultural experience. It was great to see Japanese and South Korean football fans watch European supporters for the first time. They were singing, dancing and chanting for their team, so they were watched like a spectator sport. There were cultural differences on display. The World Cup in Germany in 2006 was similar, in that it was a great cultural trip for me. We went to vineyards and spas, and I really enjoyed immersing myself. That’s
the thing about World Cups; football fans are going out there as families, it’s not just about the football. There was a similar thing going on in Brazil last summer. Moving on to cricket: do you feel that England have a chance in this year’s World Cup? The fact that they’re there gives them a chance! They always have a chance of winning since there are so many good players in the team. One-day cricket does make it a bit more of a lottery, since they’re a good test team. If this were a test competition, the team would have a good chance because that’s what England knows. One-day cricket has been left behind by England, and we’ve left it very late in terms of finding the right formula, with the captaincy and the batting order for example. But I feel that we may just have a chance. What was more important: Blue in cricket or that Strictly win? I was wondering whether I’d make it through a whole interview without mentioning Strictly. Playing cricket and dancing are very different experiences in many ways. I’ve never played cricket in front of twelve million people, but I didn’t have a spray tan when I went out and played cricket. My cricket coach and teammates certainly didn’t look anything like my dance partner Ola Jordan! However, there are lots of similarities in terms of having to train hard and doing things that you don’t particularly want to do, like fielding and having to learn your steps. But what was more important? Neither! I highly recommend dancing to anybody who laughs at it on telly, just give it a go! I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have played cricket at Lords, to have played football at Wembley and to have danced at the Blackpool Tower. They’re all up there in terms of life experiences.
Sport 23
12th February 2015
The Oxford Union chamber played host to nine bouts featuring boxers from different clubs across the country. » Continued from back page Mace, the most experienced boxer at OUABC, having taken part in over 50 bouts and having been boxing for over ten years, showed his experience in the ensuing three rounds. Vale dominated the opening minute or so, with Mace looking to use his fitness to find an opening later on. This showed towards the end of round two, as a sure-footed and confident Mace began to take control. After a good few replies from Vale, resulting in Mace’s mouth guard being launched to the floor, Mace rallied and saw out the remainder of the match, taking a deserved victory on a split decision. Two wins and two losses for Oxford. The fifth bout featured Oxford’s Alastair Kerr against a very muscular Joseph Ducker of Shepshed ABC. Kerr, a PhD student from St Cross lost his first and only bout in December and looked to improve against Ducker. Ducker started things off dominantly, overpowering Kerr in attack and defending equally well, giving Kerr little opportunity to fight back. Ducker’s huge and elaborately tattooed arms kept working away at Kerr’s defence, and
PHOTO/PHILIP BABCOCK
he sustained the onslaught well into the second round. Kerr was able to find his feet towards the end of the second and a quick few flurries followed to the delight of the crowd. The final round was much closer, with Kerr rallying for some huge hits, yet it wasn’t enough for the judges, as Ducker reasserted control and saw out the matchup in style. The final four bouts featured two
Heckles of “Merton are shit” and “Where even is Merton?” rained down
non-Oxford ties, one OUABC vs. club bout and finally an electric inter-college bout to round things off. First of the Oxfordfree ties came in the form of S. Ahmadi of Golden Ring ABC against H. Mermmood of Eastside Birmingham, both with some support in the crowd. The quality of the bout was very high and there was a searing pace between jabs and hooks and replies from each boxer. Ahmadi was able to take the match in the first of the two non-Oxford
PHOTO/PHILIP BABCOCK
bouts, which was followed later by a 75 kilo blood-filled affair between Charlie Quinn, again from Golden Ring ABC and Josh Adwale of Slough ABC. Quinn took a heavy blow to the nose, which resulted in blood dripping for the majority of the fight which was stopped repeatedly whilst the referee cleaned him up. Despite what looked to be a highly technical and well fought match from Adwale, Quinn was awarded the victory by the judges to the confusion of some rowdy fans in the gallery. The final match featuring an Oxford boxer and a boxer from another club came in the form of Oxford’s Andros Wong who faced Nasser Balayo of Oxford Academy ABC. Balayo started off strongly with some nice footwork and technical skills, but some clumsy mistakes allowed Wong to reply immediately and quickly get into the fight. Round two saw Wong showing some fantastic technique, but Balayo was able to land some heavy blows to Wong’s head in reply. Some stumbling from Wong caused the referee to stop the fight on a technical knockout handing Balayo the win. Wong looked technically convincing throughout the match but Balayo seemed to outmuscle him towards its conclusion. The final bout of the night came in the form of the much-anticipated inter-college bout as two second year OUABC members, Charles Hardstaff of Merton and Mark Hamblin of St Catherine’s, took centre stage. Being positioned in the gallery, I found myself in-between some passionate Catz fans, keen to have their presence known. Heckles of “Merton are shit” and “Where even is Merton?” rained down upon the ring below as the two combatants gloved up. Despite having the huge pressure of representing
their respective colleges and being club mates, the match started off with some serious aggression from both sides and both appeared to be unfazed by the militant ‘college bashing’. Hamblin, who had previously trained at a boxing club in Derby managed to assert control fairly early on in the match, landing some heavy blows to Hardstaff. Despite some good defensive work and offensive responses to the Hamblin onslaught, Hardstaff was unable to really get into the bout and Catz were awarded the victory. All in all, the night was an entertaining one and a lot of respect must be given to the organisers for putting on a fantastic show. Both Harley Mace and Matt McFahn competed valiantly to give Oxford its two wins and battling performances from the other OUABC’s boxers meant that the club could leave the Union on a high. The departing crowd was more than satisfied with the show that had been put on before them, many of them fired up and rowdy and ready to make their way to Park End.
Town vs Gown 2015 breakdown (Victor = bold)
Oxford vs challengers Isra Hale vs. Emma Hanelman (Emeralds ABC) James Kerr vs. Jason Shields (Milton Keynes Academy ABC) Matt McFahn vs. Jarrad Smith (Shepshed ABC) Harley Vace vs. Myles Vale (Eastside Birmingham ABC) Alastair Kerr vs. Joseph Ducker (Shepshed ABC) Andros Wong vs. Nasser Balayo (Oxford Academy ABC) Oxford 2 - 4 challengers
Inter-club bouts S. Ahmadi (Golden Ring) vs. H.Mehmood (Eastside Birmingham) Charlie Quinn (Golden Ring) vs. Josh Adwale (Slough)
Inter-college bout PHOTO/PHILIP BABCOCK
Charles Hardstaff (Merton) vs. Mark Hamblin (St. Catherine’s)
INTERVIEW
Chris Hollins, BBC personality and sports journalist
Page 22
SPORT
BOXING
Extended Town vs. Gown 2015 results and report
Page 23
Town vs Gown: Can boxing become a top Oxford sport?
• Oxford finished 2-4 against challengers from all over the country in an event that also featured an inter-college bout • Matt McFahn and Harley Mace were Oxford's only victors on the night but the club will leave on a high after a stellar event DAVID BARKER SPORTS EDITOR
Boxing at Oxford was put on show for a sellout crowd last week as the Union hosted an exhilarating edition of the annual Town vs Gown event. Featuring a total of nine bouts, Oxford’s Amateur Boxing Club was pitted against a number of challengers from clubs across the country in an event that also included a thrilling inter-college finale. Notably, the lineup featured just one women’s matchup, as three of the club’s members were due to make appearances in the BUCS championships later in the week and chose to sit out and focus on their upcoming championship bouts. All three were able to achieve victory resulting in one title and two semifinal victories. OUABC President Niall Moon hopes that boxing “will become one of the University’s top three sports”, alongside rowing and rugby, and having spent a night in the company of Oxford’s boxing fans, these hopes certainly do not seem unreachable. A plethora of expensive DSLRs adorned the chamber, live commentary from an Oxford radio station was being broadcast where the world’s most eminent figures are usually interviewed, and the gallery was packed full of boxing fans. All that was missing was
The night was an entertaining one and a lot of respect must be given to the organisers
Michael Buffer introducing the evening with a “Let’s get ready to rumble!” For lack of a better sportshack cliché, the atmosphere in the Union was indeed electric. After a generous wait, featuring some in the crowd hedging their bets on the upcoming bouts using the universal currency of beer, as well as a disastrous, potentially career-ending appearance by myself in front of the Cherwell team’s camera, things got underway. First up was OUABC Vice President Isra Hale, who, aside from featuring in the event itself, was
PHOTO/PHILIP BABCOCK
• Pictured: Oxford University's Matt McFahn before being declared the victor of his match against Jarrad Smith of Shepshed ABC last week. crucial in its organisation. Before Hale had even donned the blue gloves, the crowd was blasting out deafening chants in her support, setting the tone for the whole evening. Hale, appearing in her third bout for the club, hoped to bounce back from a defeat in her last match and kick things off with a victory for Oxford. Hale came up against an experienced opponent in Emma Hanelman of Emeralds ABC, who was featuring in her seventh career bout. This did not faze the fourth year medic from St Anne’s, who began with a spirited defence against a fast-starting Hanelman. Oxford cries from the crowd seemed to lift Hale to stabilize towards the end of the first round and she started the second round with two huge blows to Hanelman who was forced against the ropes on a number of occasions. Hanelman replied well in the third round and seemed to have the legs to assert control over the bout. Despite a fantastic effort from Hale, and to the despair of the almost completely partisan crowd, Hanelmen was awarded the victory in the first bout of the night. Coming up next was the club’s
captain, James Kerr, in a rematch against Jason Shields of Milton Keynes Academy ABC. Kerr lost against Shields in December of last year and was no doubt keen to make amends for their last meeting. Described by one passionate Oxford supporter as ‘”bloody amazing”, Kerr started off explosively against Shields, controlling the first two rounds and making a good start to the third. Shields, however, was
clever in his handling of Kerr, choosing to wait for Kerr to tire before launching an assault in the remainder of the third. Kerr faltered and was given a standing eight count as his legs began to wobble. Ultimately, Shields made it two wins against Kerr who will be disappointed to have let things slip away having had such a positive start. One of the evening’s biggest
PHOTO/PHILIP BABCOCK
• Club Captain James Kerr fell to Jason Shields of Milton Keynes
bouts came next, as Matt McFahn, weighing in at 64kg, took on Jarrad Smith from Shepshed ABC. McFahn, having gained a great deal of experience at his home club Macclesfield ABC made a fantastic start to his bout. McFahn made great use of his jab, employing quick one-twos with his left and right gloves time and time again. Smith, however, did not allow McFahn to assert complete control and showed his class in the middle of the second round. The third round was a completely different story, and McFahn had his tiring opponent on the back foot for the remainder. A unanimous decision by the judges gave McFahn the victory and Oxford’s first of the night to the delight of the crowd. Despite the quality and excitement of the previous bout, I was shocked to hear from one anonymous fresher, that what was coming up next would be even better. Harley Mace, a universally acclaimed ‘legend’ of the club and weighing in at 68kg, was pitted against Myles Vale from Eastside Birmingham. Continued inside on page 23 »