VOL. XXV, Issue 5, OTwo

THE FRESH PRINCESSES OF ALFONSO FILMS

Volume XXV, Issue 5 29th January, 2019

THAT’S SO SEOUL: TAKING HIGH FASHION TO THE STREETS ALUMNI CORNER: SCARS FROM THE FRONT LINE CHRISTMAS MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD

EOIN COLFER: On Making Magic

PLUS: ON A HEALTHY TRAIL IN DUBLIN TABLETOP GAMING: HOW BOARD GAMES STOPPED BEING BORING SORCHA NIC MHATHÚNA: COMMUNICATING WITH THE BEST OF THEM

OTWO VOL. XXV ISSUE 5 CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR Brían Donnelly

DEPUTY EDITOR Dylan O’Neill

ART & DESIGN EDITOR Fiachra Johnston

OTWO CO-EDITORS Clara Brannigan Tara Hanneffy

ARTS & LITERATURE EDITOR Heather Reynolds

GAMES EDITOR Ash Gomez

FILM & TV EDITOR Emma Kiely

MUSIC EDITOR Aoife Mawn FOOD & DRINK EDITOR Shivani Shukla

FASHION EDITOR Shane Cullen

ONLINE OTWO CO-EDITORS Adam Lawler Ash Gomez

CHIEF OF ILLUSTRATIONS Freya Williams

CHIEF OF PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Fagan

CONTRIBUTORS Hannah Ryan Murphy Sorcha Nic Mhathúna Sárán Fogarty Nathan Young Dayle Nolan Andy Prizeman-Nolan Rosemarie Gibbons Rachel Quinn Cormac Lehnen Adam Hilario Rebecca Sibley Ellen Duggan Katie Rowan Jess Viola Emma Reidy Summer Marsh Stephanie O’Connor SPECIAL THANKS Joanna O’Malley

LETTER FROM THE

CONTENTS Arts & Literature 5-7 Games 8-9 Film & TV 10-13 A Chat With...

14-16 Music 17-20 Food 21 Fashion 22-25 Travel 26 APERTURE 28

EDITORS

Hello all!

Welcome back to Issue 5! We hope everyone had a well-deserved break, and that the festive period made all your dreams come true. Clara didn’t get World Peace but Stacey Dooley won Strictly Come Dancing, which means Tara is happy. This month we might have jumped on the ‘New Year, New Me’ bandwagon, but as you can see above, we like to put our own twist on the traditional exercise regime. We’re available for personal trainer consultations any time from now. All jokes aside, we’re back with a bang for 2019! We have some fab content and some interesting interviews lined up this year, watch this space!

Kicking off this issue, Former University Observer Editor Sorcha Nic Mhathúna has written this month’s Alumni Corner, and it’s a wild ride of the most strategic name dropping you’ll ever see. Seriously, it’s brilliant, give it a read. In the Music section, there’s a review of the 1975’s gig in the 3Arena, and if your FOMO was bad then, it’ll be even worse now. Check out the rundown of albums to watch out for in 2019, it’ll surely make for an excellent playlist for the semester. (Oooh there’s a thought...Otwo playlist anyone?!)

Thinking of going to see Clint Eastwood’s new film The Mule? Well, we suggest you check out our Film Editor’s review first as she dishes the truth (and only the truth!), and then onto the Golden Globes nominations! Safe to say we’re all shook that A Star Is Born didn’t win more. Gaga was robbed; we’re not crying,you are. Check out who went away with awards and who missed out.

In Arts & Lit, there’s an article that looks at the kind of content that the internet spawns, and it’s interesting to read how ‘internet celebrities’ have been created in the last few years. Keeping it in the family, former Arts & Lit editor Dylan O’Neill returns to enlightens us on the best way to filter the plethora of cultural reviews, and finally, there’s the brilliantly named ‘How Do You Solve a Problem Like the Abbey?’

The Games section gives us a run down of the best games released in 2018, and outlines the reasons why board games aren’t going anywhere soon. Also this month, our Design Editor sits down to chat with renowned Irish author Eoin Colfer about his stage work, and the upcoming movie adaption of his famed children’s series, Artemis Fowl.

Our Fashion Editor is shaking things up this month, as his fashion shoot is centred around jewellery and statement pieces, showing us the ways that you can dress up clothes that you already have with some ‘on-point’ accessories. Do you love Anne Hathaway just as much as us? Well, check out the fashion flashback as well for a trip down Devil-WearsPrada-lane.

If you actually are on a healthy eating kick this new year, then look no further than our food section, where there’s a fantastic rundown of the best places to eat out if you’re trying to be good. Our Food Editor Shivani has also introduced a new series of articles that will explore the different global cuisines available to us in Dublin, so check this out if you’re feeling adventurous.

Last and not least of 2019.. Fatal Fourway, oh we have a treat for you. Our editors are discussing their worst, most hilarious, and embarrassing date stories. We hold nothing back. Sit back and relax and enjoy your flight...we mean Otwo magazine. Sorry, still in holiday mode, or should we say...flight mode. It would be more appropriate.

That’s all for now folks!

As always,

-Tara & Clara xoxo

Soapbox:

Mystic Mittens Aquarius January 20 - February 18

Happy Birthday, Aquarius!! (This one never, ever gets old.)

Pisces February 19 - March 20

New Year, New You? Hahahaha.

Stop kidding yourself hunny, enjoy your chocolate biscuits - life is too short.

Aries March 21 - April 19

It’s semester two Aries!! This is your time to shine!! And to start turning up to all your classes!! Too much excitement?

Taurus April 20 - May 20

Stop using “thank u, next” as a caption to cover the multitude of mishaps that occur in your life Taurus. That’s sooo 2018.

Gemini May 21 - June 20

In final year Gemini? Only 5 months until you’re unleashed into the adult world, and have to “figure your life out.” No pressure.

Cancer June 21 - July 22

Mystic Mittens just wants to let you know that nobody actually watches your Instagram stories.

We’re all guilty of the excessive tapping.

Leo July 23 - August 22

Whatever the results on SISWeb, we believe in you Leo. Exam results don’t determine your selfworth!

Virgo August 23 - September 22 Spotted in Dicey’s on Black Monday? Give it up, you’re too old for that carry on now.

Libra September 23 - October 22 Don’t let those graduate applications bring you down Libra, it will be all worth it in the end.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

Oh Scorpio, you’ve done it again.

Stop choosing “next day delivery” - you know it ain’t gonna happen.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

G’wan, be brave. Book that soulsearching summer trip.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 Spotted, Capricorn struggling to use Brightspace. Disappointed, but not surprised.

Dublin Bus Etiquette Hannah Ryan Murphy Ah, Dublin Bus. The only thing worse than the unreliability of the service itself are the people who don’t respect the unspoken code that is ‘bus etiquette’. It’s a tale as old as time, from kids blaring Cascada songs all the way into town, to people refusing to give up their seats which literally say “please give up this seat”. Today I’m going to talk about the worst offenders of bus etiquette that we know all too well, and unite us in our commuter fury. #Firstworldproblems.

Firstly, the ‘bag people’. You get on the 46a after a long, hard day at college, and after standing at the bus stop for a whole 7 minutes waiting on the bus to arrive, all you want to do is sit down, put on your earphones and stare out the window like you’re in a music video. Except your dreams are shattered when you find that the only seat left is taken up by shopping bags. It’s not like you can just go up and ask the person to move them, because then you look like the bad guy (or worse – they say no and you have to do the walk of shame back to where you were standing). It’s a nightmare!

Next, we have the eaters. From crisps to full blown takeaways, some people actually think it’s acceptable to eat every meal on buses, where everyone else trying to get through their hour long commute home has to sit in the aroma of food they cannot eat. Bus food either stinks or makes you hungry, and there’s nothing you can do except sit there and breathe through your mouth. Bus fares went up 10 cent last month, haven’t we been through enough?

And lastly, we have the devils incarnate: bus drivers who clearly see you huffing and puffing your way up the road trying to catch the bus, and drive on anyway. “Why?!” you internally scream. “I’m going to pay! You’re losing business!”

But when the bus driver catches your eye as he drives away, leaving you wheezing on the street in full view of everyone, there is no explanation other than bus drivers are miserable, stuck in their little boxes all day and this one clearly needed a laugh. A sad state of affairs for everyone involved, really.

And there you have it, Dublin Bus is where humanity and kindness goes to die. But, it does allow Northsiders like me to get to UCD (even when my leap card has no money on it, thanks to sound bus drivers), so I suppose it’s not all bad. Here’s the bottom line: respect bus etiquette people!

OTwo

Alumni Corner: Communicating with the best of them Sorcha Nic Mhathúna

“The best days of your life” is what I had been told going to college would be like. But in the summer of 2002, as second year in UCD loomed, I wondered how true this really was. I had joined societies but had been too shy to get involved. Most of my spare time in first year was spent hanging out in Trinity with school friends. In August, I started a part-time job in RTÉ. One night I got chatting to another ‘runner’ as we were called, Samantha Liberi (today a journalist with RTÉ). I recognised her surname from reading The University Observer. She encouraged me to get involved. I had no idea how much that conversation would change my life.

“Quinn school opens for business” was the headline on my first story. Soon I found myself writing more news and features. Fast-forward to September 2003, Padraic Halpin and I were appointed editors of O2. Padraic (now Reuters’ Chief Correspondent in Ireland) decided we should give rising stars Franz Ferdinand their first ever cover article.

Among the UO’s Student Media Awards haul that year was Travel Writer of the Year. That went to the now Minister Eoghan Murphy. Myself and Nathalie Márquez Courtney were the UO editor team for 2005/06, with designer Simon Larragy. It tickles me to see Mystic Mittens, which we introduced, is still going strong.

Trawling through those editions, there’s a rugby interview with a second year economics student named Rob Kearney and a student athlete called Derval O’Rourke. I signed up Bressie to write a band diary about The Blizzards. They signed a record deal that year. We revealed that all students would get semesterisation and plans for a swimming pool and a new student centre. NCAD students staged arty protests against a proposal to relocate to Belfield. There was anger over the closure of the Sports Bar, one of three pubs on campus.

UCD’s Campus Television Network was launched, the Freshers’ Ball was held on campus for the first time and there was also the first UCD Ball headlined by BellX1. The Quinn School’s QSoc emerged as UCD’s biggest society.

I left UCD with an extra degree, journalism. I went into the newspaper industry and, later, communications. Many of the skills I use today are ones I honed in the old Student Centre.

Joining the UO transformed my experience of college life. I would urge anyone who wants more from Belfield than lectures and the library to get involved. It’s never too late. If I hadn’t, my life now would be different. Most of my close friends today I met through the UO. I would never have met my husband Eoghan, a former rival from the College Tribune. My UCD days really were the best of my life, and led to many more.

What’s hot, what’s not

Hot

New Year Television - Here’s so much on the TV at the moment that you’re spoilt for choice (the Luther special). It’s only going to encourage the procrastination we said we’d cull in 2019, but hey, old habits die hard.

Superdrug in Jervis - Ok, it’s basically Boots, but the

novelty is too much for us. We thought it would be hard to replace Forever 21, but this might just do the trick.

January Motivation: - Although it is cliché, the ‘New Year, New Me’ January mantra can be really motivating.

Make those lifestyle changes, everyday is a chance for a new start!

Not

Brexit - PLEASE, will it EVER end??

Single Use Plastic - Ok, we’ve been on this rant before,

but watch your plastic consumption. Lidl have vowed to remove non-recyclable packing from all their fruit and veg, so get on this buzz!

Semester One Exam Results: - Eh, yeah. Enough said.

Just remember to look after yourselves and avoid Tesco wine, at all costs.

How do you solve a problem like The Abbey?

After an interesting month for the national theatre,Heather Reynolds explores the impact of the Abbey’s recent choices.

On 7th January, a letter was published, signed by over 300 individuals who work in theatre in Ireland. This letter, dubbed a letter of concern, was a public criticism of how the Abbey has been run since its leadership changed hands, and the direction the Abbey has taken since. As it is the national theatre, many feel that it has a duty to the Irish theatrical community to produce new and independent content, hire creators directly and add to the artistic economy in Dublin, as well as the rest of Ireland, through small tours of popular productions. While some commend

OTwo - Arts & Literature the new directors for their passion for bringing in new audiences and establishing proper tours to the rest of Ireland, the signatories feel let down by the new way things are being run, and not without due cause.

The Abbey has long been considered a vital stage for nurturing great Irish talent, with big names like Ruth Negga and Liam Neeson taking roles in the Abbey early on in their careers. However, as the new directors, Neil Murray and Graham McLaren, both have a fondness of co-productions, the roles the Abbey now offer are limited, with many coproducers bringing actors from their own theatre companies, or with the independent collaborator taking the lead on the casting, leading to lower pay.

The Abbey currently is holding more shows than ever, but is employing fewer actors than ever before. It is in no way easy to be an actor in Ireland, with a large pool of people looking for work, and a limited amount of productions on stage and screen. A traditionally major employer drastically cutting the amount of actors they directly hire only increases the pressure Irish actors already face, pushing even more overseas, and losing more incredibly talented people who would be nothing but a benefit to the theatre scene at home. The letter in question states that no actors will have been directly employed by the Abbey for 5½ months between September 8th 2018 and February 23rd of this year, an assertion that Murray and McLaren did not directly refute, instead stating that through both the Abbey and their coproducers, 78 actors will be employed during that time period without giving a breakdown of that figure.

Murray and McLaren originally addressed the claims made in the letter by alleging that they inherited a large deficit from the previous

directors, totalling around €1.4 million. They immediately rowed back on this claim as it was proven to be false within 24 hours of them coming forward with it. They, in fact, inherited a surplus from the previous directors.

At its essence, there is nothing wrong with the Abbey staging a few co-productions.

They can bring new life to a historic stage, bring new ideas and techniques, and also help independent and fledgling theatre companies find their wings. The issue the signatories take with the Abbey is the volume of co-productions in comparison to the amount of original work brought to the stage, and the impact that has had on the Abbey’s direct involvement, with not only cultivating talent but paying it as well.

The Abbey receives €7 million in government funding per annuum, as well as having a membership scheme and ticketing at only slightly below the going rate in Dublin. They are one of the few places that can afford to pay talent directly, and yet, in a time where the industry in Ireland is narrowing, they are hiring and paying fewer people.

As the national theatre, a government funded body which exists to foster, nurture and pay Irish talent, the Abbey is not doing its job.

It is outsourcing, it is finding other companies to do that work for them, and that is not okay.

The Abbey should be taking a lead on casting its productions, whether they be independent or a co-production. It should be taking a lead on making sure Irish talent and Irish stories are being told and represented, and not feeling shut out due to smaller companies making smaller casting calls. The Abbey desperately needs to cut down on co-productions and start directly hiring creators, or else it is going to lose out not only on a vast number of talented independent artists, but the trust of the Irish theatrical community.

5

OTwo - Arts & Literature

Poetry

Photo: Nicole Calver

Goodnight fair lady Sárán Fogarty

“Goodnight fair lady”, Those words I said to you, As the page closed on Our chapter, which began In the early morning dew, What have we become but Simply curiosities passing in the bright, Oh my darling the stars never blazed Like when I found you that fateful night.

When you left the cold came, And tore me limb from limb, Yet when we meet again someday, It’ll be with a smile and a chin chin.

When the sun rises in the west We will be lovers once more, As for all the rest, it belongs To a more historical lore, On that fateful sunset When love and hate collided, Part of me was vanquished The place where you resided.

Did the ancients have this problem, Of loves awful greatness?

Did King David brood on his throne Broken and Elated?

Now I have seen the future And see a mighty journey, And see the passions still to be pledged To the oceans and the sky, To the birds in their trees, To the sharks in their seas, And the pilgrim on their knees, Waiting for a miracle.

All shall be seen and all Shall be conquered, Yet now and then I’ll Look back and remember you Fondly, as more than a curiosity Simply as a friend.

Then you’ll look back to me, And say with the simplest of beauty, “Thank you good sir”.

Illustration: Feya Williams

6

The Internet’s guide to writing a critique: A Review With reviews often focusing on snappy one liners and takedowns rather than helping people find good content,Dylan O’Neil asks what are the reviews we can trust to point us in the right direction.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that wherever there this a manifestation of performance art, there is a malcontent, often bitter person with an opinion not far behind.

This has been true since the time of the Ancient Greeks, when a production of Oedipus Rex was described as “completely melodramatic and disconnected from reality,” in New Arts magazine, a popular zine at the time. Fast forward to modern day and the internet is oversaturated with comments on everything and anything: from the set design, to the casting of leading roles. Everyone has the ability to give their two cents on a play, musical, poem, film or art piece; so how do we drudge through the mess and find the diamond in the rough?

“The combination of lights and sounds really contributed to the ambience of the audiences’ overall experience,” is a line that just isn’t going to cut it in this age of “hot takes” and controversial opinions. No more do we want to hear about how the leading lady dug deep to reflect the emotional gravity of a single mother living in India during the time of British Empire; Scarlett Johansson’s IMDB page can’t take anymore internet traffic. Nowadays, it doesn’t matter what they wear, or the length of their monologues; it’s all about the meme potential.

If you want to truly understand what makes a memorable experience for the audience, you need to understand what memes originated from the piece and how often you see them on your timeline/newsfeed. Where you have a litany of naysayers pulling threads in the idea of an adult woman falling in love with a honey bee in the cult-classic Bee Movie (2007), it’s the review that highlights the legacy of “you

need to understand what memes originated from the piece and how often you see them on your timeline/newsfeed. Where you have a litany of naysayers pulling threads in the idea

Nowadays, it doesn’t matter what they wear, or the length of their monologues; it’s all about the meme potential. of an adult woman falling in love with a honey bee in the cult-classic Bee Movie (2007), it’s the review that highlights the legacy of “you like jazz?” that shows the reader the true value from a gem such as this one.

Just as a review can point us to quality material, so too can it help us avoid content that we would find tedious and boring. Take Black Panther (2018), for example. It may have grossed over $700 million at the US box office, and have earned 3 nominations for the Golden Globes, but what does the Hollywood Foreign Press know about films? It’s the critics who point out that the use of the outdated and cringeworthy “what are those?” meme really does a disservice to the entire film, that deserve your attention.

Now you’ll be equipped to select only the crème de la crème of reviews that mirror your opinion. But if the thought of deciding whether or not to attend a show or screening seems like it involves too much attention on your part, just watch CinemaWins/Sins for the entire plot and cultural relevance in a short 20-minute YouTube video.

OTwo - Arts & Literature Pictured: Burnie Burns, Founder of Roosterteeth Photo: Gage Skidmore

The highs and lows of webcontent

Nathan Young examines how anonymity and the niché nature of web-content affected its uses and defences.

Cyberspace has, from its inception, been a haven for counter-cultural content. A lot of it is simply too strange for the mainstream, but a significant portion is actively hostile to popular sensibilities. Somewhere between the anonymity, the lack of regulations, and the lack of geographical barriers, online communities could grow and flourish in ways subcultures never could before.

Print magazines appealing to niché interests, from queer erotica to white supremacy, had to advertise through classified sections of larger papers, and stickers on bus stops and phone booths, looking for readers who were prepared to pay for, and share their addresses with the creators of this content. Now any curious person could anonymously find such content for free, often times accidentally.

It may have seemed revolutionary to many in 2010 when Dan Savage founded the “It Gets Better” project, which aimed to give positive messages to LGBTQ youth via the internet, bypassing the traditional media and homophobia of their communities and family.

Despite how sound this is as an idea, what is missed by many is that such content had already existed for a long time. Susan’s Place, a forum and resource website for transgender people, had existed since 2005, Tumblr since 2007, and TrevorSpace since 2008, and these weren’t even close to the first online spaces for queer people.

Although there have been many new genres of media, such as vlogs and message boards, which don’t really have direct equivalences in traditional media, it’s the “let’s play” genre that confuses observers the most. Why one would play a video game is a simple enough concept, but why one would watch someone else play one is a different story. A whole plethora of online celebrities now exist, who have enormous audiences within the genre, sometimes with tens of millions of subscribers, yet other than their fans and other people who are “very-online”, they’re unheard of.

This is why when the story of anti-semitism in PewDiePie’s (Real name Felix Kjellberg) videos broke, most mainstream newspapers

had to start with an explanation as to what exactly it was that Kjellberg was famous for.

The controversy started when Kjellberg had two men hold up signs saying “Death to All Jews” as a joke. Whether or not such a thing should be seen as a “joke” is a question for another time, what matters here is that, at least as far as Kjellberg claimed, and many of his fans believed, it was just “a joke”. This sense of humour is clearly in direct contradiction to the comedic sensibility of the mainstream.

Programmes on television known for pushing boundaries and making offensive jokes such as South Park and Family Guy put far more effort into showing the context about which jokes of a racial nature are made and yet still often face criticism for being insensitive. Kjellberg didn’t seem to understand why he was being criticised. After all, he wasn’t actually encouraging genocide, it was ‘irony.’

The media environment which Kjellberg was used to operating in was that of the internet, and more specifically that of gamers and gamer culture. At least hypothetically in this world the ‘irony defence’ works. The basic assumption is nihilistic. Any person who tries to call out the racism and sexism are seen as a fool who doesn’t get the joke, and worthy of maximum derision. At least some of the participants in and consumers of this media were joking, presumably. It’s highly improbable that every single one of the hundreds of thousands of visitors to 4Chan are in fact dyedin-the-wool white supremacists.

The irony-screen did, however, create a smokescreen behind which people whose goals were antithetical to social progressives.

The Gamergate episode is the perfect encapsulation of this, but it’s not the only one, and this is where the members of online subcultures struggle to understand the mainstream. When large online communities share hateful ideas and content, and some members of said communities go on to act upon those ideas while the rest simply giggle, it’s easy to see why the mainstream might consider them at least somewhat complicit on the actions of the vicious few.

“Why one would play a video game is a simple enough concept, but why one would watch someone else play one is a different story.”

7

OTwo - Games

The

best games of

2019 Dayle Nolan

Photo: BagoGames

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Along with its usual multiplayer and zombie modes, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 released the new Blackout mode, a take on the popular Battle Royale genre. It was highly anticipated and welcomed upon release with many preferring it for its realistic approach to the battle royale premise. Its multiplayer mode saw the return of the ‘boots on the ground’ style which was last seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 in 2012, while the zombies aspect of the game brought a breath of fresh air to the genre with new maps Voyage of Despair and Blood of the Dead offering a challenging gameplay experience and a very innovative storyline. The Call of Duty franchise has been heavily criticised in the past five years but many believe that Black Ops 4 was a step in the right direction for the series, expanding upon pre-existing ideas to make them fresh while also adding a new mode and features for the community to enjoy.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was released in late 2018 to critical acclaim. Players can choose to play as the hero Alexios or the heroine Kassandra. The story is set in Ancient Greece, and centres around the Peloponnesian War in 431 BCE between Athens and Sparta. This addition to the Assassin’s Creed series was highly anticipated, as the series had grown stale until the release of Origins, and the future of the series depended on the success of Odyssey. A stunning open world, addictive plot, mesmerizing combat system and relatable characters ensured the future of the Assassin’s Creed series as players worldwide enjoyed the eleventh instalment. With its addition of a female lead character, Odyssey also expanded from its traditional male audience to a wider fanbase, welcoming the inclusion of women into its gaming community.

8

Spider-Man

Spider-Man was one of the most highly anticipated PS4-exclusive games of 2018 and certainly lived up to the hype. Marvel and gaming fans alike welcomed the game, with many citing its open world New York setting and thrilling storyline making it the best game of the year. Featuring many beloved SpiderMan characters such as Wilson Fisk, Doctor Octavius, and Norman Osborne, the game proved that Marvel knows no bounds as it is now spreading its empire to the media of video games. Spider-Man has raised the standards for future instalments in the series, setting the bar for comic book games in the process, as it proved that a brilliant story, realistic dialogue, and fluid game mechanics can allow a player to truly believe that they are the superhero of the story.

God of War

The eighth chronological instalment to the series by the same name, God of War follows the story of Kratos and his son Atreus as they journey to spread Kratos’ deceased wife’s ashes at the highest peak of the nine realms.

However, on their adventure they encounter many monsters from Norse mythology, which the player must battle to progress through the story. The game was praised for its relatable yet flawed characters, engaging combat system, and stunning graphics. Many praised the game for its use of an over-the-shoulder camera as opposed to the fixed camera previously used, giving the series a new dynamic perspective.

God of War was critically acclaimed by the gaming community and was hailed as the best game of the year by many media outlets, proving to be one of the most successful and best-selling PS4 games of all time with over five million copies sold.

Fallout 76

Released three years after the success of Fallout 4, Fallout 76 shifted its focus away from a story-dominant game to an online coop experience. It is the first game in the series to feature an online mode where players can play individually or in a group with up to three people in total. The game was acclaimed for the size of its world; set in Appalachia, a representation of West Virginia, the map is four times as large as the previous title. The story is progressed through robots and collectible holotapes as opposed to the series’ previous reliance on non-playable characters. Fallout 76 takes elements from previous Fallout games to morph them into something that is refreshing but familiar for the player. Fallout 76 proved that the franchise can evolve to an online platform while also maintaining its core elements, and has set the standards for the future of this renowned video game series.

Red Dead Redemption 2

The long-awaited sequel to Red Dead Redemption released in late 2018, almost missing out on its inclusion among the best games of the year. This western action game is set in 1899 and follows the story of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw dealing with the decline of western life. Players are allowed to customize their character and are thrust into many breathtaking scenarios, such as shootouts, hunting, and heists. The game was praised for its realistic digital world with stunning gameplay, an encapsulating storyline, and interesting dialogue. With over sixty hours of gameplay including side-quests, realistic non-playable characters, and a gripping narrative, Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most addictive games of all time. This title has set the standard for future open world games, and any other game of its kind pales in comparison to this thrilling western.

OTwo - Games

Photo: BagoGames

Tabletop gaming: how board games stopped being boring Noting a rising popularity for tabletop games, the new craze.

Ash Gomez investigates some possible causes for

The genre of tabletop games has experienced a shift in recent years, so much so that they compete with video games in certain realms.

Last year, Kickstarter’s largest campaign raised more than $6 million for a board game.

Kickstarter used to be an ideal place for indie game developers to receive donations for their projects, but these campaigns have fallen to the wayside. Many users have expressed frustration with Kickstarters for video games, as these projects are often pushed back for years and sometimes never completed at all.

Game development, especially when tackled by a small group of people, can experience

“The stigma surrounding RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons is lessening, and more people are willing to engage in high-strategy games over simple time killers.” many setbacks, and it is nearly impossible to predict how long certain elements of game development will take.

Tabletop games, on the other hand, are perfect for a platform like Kickstarter. When a campaign for a tabletop game begins, it is safe to assume that the developers have finalised most of the details about the basic mechanic and gameplay elements, which is the majority of the work in developing a tabletop game.

Often, tabletop games go to Kickstarter simply to cover the cost of printing, and the game can be in donators’ homes shortly after the goal is reached. This can act as a huge incentive for campaign backers to gravitate toward tabletop games over video games.

Moreover, the tabletop game options of

today are a far cry from the Scrabble of your youth. Gone are the days of playing a board game for hours even though the winner was made clear in the first ten minutes (looking at you, Monopoly). Many tabletop games have mastered their pacing to keep everyone entertained until the very end, which is no small feat in the today’s world, when departing from one’s phone can seem like a matter of life or death. Furthermore, it is not just board games that are found in the average household, but a variety of tabletop game titles. The stigma surrounding RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons is lessening, and more people are willing to engage in high-strategy games over simple time killers.

One possible explanation for this reinvestment in board games is, like the answer to most modern phenomena, the internet.

When a friend group plays a satisfying tabletop game, it is almost guaranteed that at least one player will add it to their Instagram story, or send a Snapchat of it to a friend, or message their group chat about it. Even though these games literally ground players to the table they are playing on, the internet spreads the word of a good game quickly.

Furthermore, it is easier to find interesting tabletop games thanks to the accessibility of the internet. Many people will turn to gaming YouTubers for recommendations, watching their favourite channels test out a tabletop game before they buy it. Or, if there is a specific kind of tabletop game you have a preference for, it is easy to search the internet for titles you would not be able to find at your local shop.

The growing popularity in tabletop games is a great development for our screen-reliant society, as we could always use more activities that encourage us to focus on enjoying each other’s company.

God Of War Review: Kratos, father of the year?

Andy Prizeman-Nolan Developer: Santa Monica Studio Platforms: PS4 Release Date: April 20th 2018 2018 Game Awards “Game of the Year” winner God of War provides a vastly different take on the character of Kratos.

While typically a brutal, efficient killer, God of War offers a more human side to him, as he and his son, Atreus, venture on a quest to find the highest point in all the realms to spread the ashes of Faye, Atreus’ mother. On their journey, Kratos is conflicted as he tries to protect Atreus from the life that comes with being a god, which he views as a life of betrayal and misery, even though Atreus will inevitably succumb to his powers anyway.

The story is wrought with questions of morality. Kratos serves as the voice of reason when it comes to Atreus, teaching him to defend himself while only killing those that are deemed necessary, despite the fact that Kratos himself would kill without consideration in the past. This lays the groundwork for a unique dynamic between the wise-but-troubled father and the vulnerable son.

“a unique dynamic between the wise-buttroubled father and the vulnerable son.”

Despite a number of people seeing God of War as just another hack and slash product of a bygone era, the narrative of a father trying to keep his son on the correct path without the child’s mother to support them is tremendously captivating, and the general theme of family is something that a lot of people could relate to, even though it is portrayed by gods.

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OTwo - Film & TV

The Mule Review: A tone-deaf dated male American fantasy Emma Kiely reviews the latest picture from Clint Eastwood that came out forty years too late.

Clint Eastwood is back again portraying Earl Stone, a horticulturist who after losing his business to the internet and ignoring his family to the point of resentment, is given an opportunity to make some cash by being a drug mule for a Mexican drug cartel. Earl embarks on a series of “runs”, oblivious to the fact that DEA agents played by Bradley Cooper and Michael Pena are hot on his trail.

This film, although entertaining and skilfully directed is painfully tone-deaf. There are some lines spoken by Eastwood that leaves room to skeptically wonder whether anyone looked over the film script before its release. It overkills the saga of an average American oldtimer who enjoys the simple things in life and looks down on the younger generation, using every opportunity to reprimand them on their dependency of the internet and their phones.

The film is so obviously written by an old man for old men.

The needlessly overstretched shots of women’s behinds shaking whilst dancing by a pool, a sex scene that you just know came out

of Clintwood’s own fantasy, and the somewhat normalisation of his sexism and racism makes this film so aggressively inappropriate for 2019. The film is seemingly a dream world of Eastwood and an outlet to live out his greatest fantasies. The dialogue is corny and unrealistic and, although Earl embarks on a journey, the development of his character is scarce.

Fortunately, Bradley Cooper’s performance is a strong, much-needed refreshment to polarise Eastwood’s narcissism. However, Eastwood hogs the screen and the talent of the secondary characters seem somewhat wasted.

Dianne Wiest plays his forgiving but neglected ex-wife and the potential chemistry that could have lifted the film is nowhere to be seen.

Although Eastwood is a Hollywood icon, The Mule is a desperate and failed attempt to make himself relevant in the modern age.

However, despite his old age, he retains a starlike In a nutshell: An interesting story that should have been released forty years ago.

2019: What’s coming to our television screens Emma Kiely gives us the guide to the most anticipated television returns in 2019.

2019 is set to be a stellar year for television.

Starting out we have the third season of True Detective, starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as an Arkansas detective investigating the death of a young boy and the disappearance of his younger sister. The first season starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey was one of the most well-praised TV series of the decade creating massive shoes for Ali to step into.

Also from HBO, Big Little Lies is due to return in early 2019 and is one of the most anticipated seasons released this year. With the first season ending in a dramatic turn of events resulting in the shocking death of Celeste Wright’s husband, the new season will be an exciting arrival.

HBO continues to reel in its viewership as Game of Thrones is back in April for its eighth and final season, with episodes estimated to be an hour and a half in length. The season will conclude the multiple storylines interweaved between several characters played by a much-loved and talented cast, having fans hopeful that their beloved series will receive a conclusive season on par with its seven prior seasons.

Just when we thought the excitement couldn’t continue, a year and a half after the release of its second season, the third season of Stranger Things has been given an Independence Day release date and will continue the narrative of the now-teens of Hawkings battling issues in both the real world and “The Upside Down”. The background will shift to the hot dry summer and see storylines

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of love, horror, sci-fi and coming-of-age intertwined.

Also on the list of returning television is The Crown, now starring Olivia Coleman as Queen Elizabeth II and Helena BonhamCarter as Princess Margaret. Cillian Murphy fans impatiently await the fifth season of Peaky Blinders. The second season of Killing Eve, fresh off Sandra Oh’s win at the Golden Globes for her performance in the first season is due to be released this year. 2019 is looking like a year full of nights in, sky recordings and renewals of Netflix subscriptions.

“We have the third season of True Detective, starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as an Arkansas detective investigating the death of a young boy and the disappearance of his younger sister. ”

OTwo - Film & TV

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again” - Greatest opening scenes in film Rachel Quinn outlines the opening scenes in films that entranced audiences in a matter of minutes.

We’ve all watched our fair share of amazing film scenes, but there is something about a great opening that captivates the audience in a film.

An entire film essentially revolves around the opening scene, but it takes a special blend of performance and direction to etch an opening scene into the minds of generations.

We all know director Wes Craven has a passion for those incredibly dark and brutal slasher films, but the introduction to Scream

“We all know director Wes Craven has a passion for those incredibly dark and brutal slasher films but the introduction to Scream was a game changer” (1996) was a game changer. It kept the audience alert and on their toes. By the end of the first scene, everyone is just left hungry for more. The first ever scene of the film, starts with actress Drew Barrymore, playing the character of Casey Becker, a cute blonde girl, home alone making some popcorn about to watch a scary movie. It was no accident that the writers of Scream use the already well known and striking Barrymore to make the audience feel comfortable and familiar with the scene. The introduction is simple but lays the foundation for how the masked killer taunts its victims.

Casey answers a phone call from a male voice which begins as a flirty conversation but turns deadly and taunting causing tensions to skyrocket. The killer reveals that he is watching Casey, causing her to flee her house. She is

chased outside her front yard by the masked killer, where she is stabbed to death. The epic conclusion to the opening scene really hits the audience when the camera pans to Casey’s parents walking through the front door. They immediately notice that something is awry when they enter the home and frantically search for Casey. The frantic pair walk back outside to call the police, looking up to find Casey’s mutilated body hanging from a tree.

The final clip of the scene is the sound of sheer screams from Casey’s mother as the audience is left shook but excited for the story to continue.

The iconic Hollywood actor Heath Ledger created a memorable opening scene for all us Batman fans in The Dark Knight (2008). The film begins with a group of masked clowns, smashing the window of a high-rise building in daylight, ready to operate on a mission. The camera quickly cuts to the streets of Gotham city and we see a figure holding a clown mask in hand, waiting to be picked up for the operation.

The audience is filled with anticipation, as we watch and wait for the expected villain; we’re eager for him to make his first appearance.

A bank heist ensues, each thug looking similar in appearance, with no sign of the Joker.

However, as the heist goes down, each clown turns against the other and kill their allies for a higher cut of the money taken. But where is the Joker?

A perfectly timed school bus drives into the wall of the city bank, in preparation to take the bags of cash. The remaining clown is shot dead and the bank manager is badly wounded on the marble floor, cussing at the remaining thug who loads the bags of money into the bus.

who loads the bags of money into the bus.

The most captivating moment of the scene arrives, as the thug casually removes his clown mask and reveals himself as the Joker with a confident smile and the look of a psychotic menace ready to take over Gotham. Within one scene, Ledger cements himself as a Joker for a new generation.

The beautifully engaging romance in Water For Elephants, between characters Jacob and Marlena had the audience reeling. However, the opening scene made us all feel incredibly nostalgic. The Circus Vargas’ owner encounters an elderly man who was lost from his nursing home. He introduces himself as Jacob Jankowski and tells Charlie that he had a career with the circus during 1944 and was present for the most infamous circus fire in Hartford. The audience can immediately depict that this man had an amazing history and a tale that would

“The iconic Hollywood actor Heath Ledger really created a memorable opening scene for all us Batman fans in The Dark Knight” recreate the way that we observe a circus. It is evident that the present-day Jacob had lost his identity along with Marlena.

It’s clear that the opening scenes in cinema really grip the audience to discover their interests and also their awareness for Hollywood and its creative opportunities.

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OTwo - Film & TV

Spotlight: Jordanne Jones - A hopeful face for young Irish actors Rosemarie Gibbons shines the spotlight on an eighteen-year-old Tallaght actress.

Despite the challenges facing them, young Irish creatives are having a moment; perhaps none more exciting than the new class of young Irish actors on the world stage. In 2018, household names like Saoirse Ronan, continue to make waves internationally, while rising stars, such as Barry Keoghan, are beginning to rightfully gain international acclaim in recent projects.

All having hailed originally from homegrown productions in Ireland and the UK, young Irish actors are now being considered routinely for bigger productions. One such promising young actor is 18-year-old Jordanne Jones.

Jones has many professional credits under her belt and a strong presence on the film festival circuit in Ireland. Despite her young age, Jones shows great maturity in both her acting and project choices. Her extensive roster includes plenty of unconventional or ‘difficult’ female characters.

Jordanne’s professional debut at age fourteen was in the feature, I Used to Live Here.

Her appearance garnered huge critical praise, and the Dublin Film Critics’ Breakthrough Award in 2015. Her television debut at came age fifteen, as a sex worker in the RTE 1916

drama Rebellion.

Jones caught the attention of the wider public in the popular viral video Heartbreak.

Heartbreak is a searing piece of social criticism of the forces in Irish society seemingly bigger than ourselves. Jones’ subdued appearance as ‘Youngone’ in the short film which showed a tender portrayal of the harsh realities the character faces. Her acting complements Emmet Kirwan’s spoken-word storytelling to reach an emotional climax that touched many across social media as a ‘realistic’ portrayal of modern life in Ireland for many women, failed by their relationships and the system at large.

Jordanne is no stranger to being involved in activism or speaking out on social issues.

She is the daughter of Senator Lynn Ruane, former Student Union President of Trinity and a prominent activist. Both Jordanne and her mother were involved in the campaign to repeal the eighth amendment.

While it is unclear is if Jones will follow her young Irish contemporaries’ paths all the way to Hollywood, her clear ambition and calibre of work suggest she would be more than capable.

Blast from the past: “The Wicker Man”, A cult classic British horror Rosemarie Gibbons recalls an unsettling but iconic piece of British horror cinema.

The 1973 British mystery horror The Wicker Man is perhaps the perfect horror film for people who do not typically enjoy the genre.

Considered a ‘folk horror’, The Wicker Man is a curious tale of an unsuspecting detective sent to find a missing teenage girl on the mysterious and picturesque island of Summerisle. The distinct lack of jump scares is a welcome reprieve for us more cowardly viewers, but the plot has plenty of stylish, gut-wrenching twists that will impress even the most jaded of horror fans.

The Wicker Man delivers truly stellar performances by a young Christopher Lee cast as the creepily charismatic Lord Summerisle, and Edward Woodward as the dogged but well-meaning Sergeant Howie. The sergeant is the moral defender in the film, only to be challenged at every corner in his quest. He is horrified to discover the island’s paganistic practises as a devout Christian, yet his disgust at the hedonistic rituals and off-beat beliefs of the islander turns out to be trivial to proceedings.

Howie discovers the locals to be deliberately hindering his investigation, with the cast of villagers delivering the kooky, homey presence of a Carry On film gone completely demented. Howie’s discovery of a rotten secret at the heart of the island’s annual May Day festival practices leads to the unravelling of his investigation and his state of reality.

The film seems both dystopian and

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Photo: Kamil Antosiewicz Monika Powalisz

familiar, with a consistent and overwhelming sense of uncanny throughout. Yet, for all its delectable strangeness and quaint setting, the film cleverly leads Howie and the viewer down the garden path together.The symbolic use of actual pagan traditions gives the film the otherworldly, spiritual overtones that elevate The Wicker Man from a straight detective mystery to something eerily unseating and

beautiful.

Horror is a genre that can heavily rely on the power of its score to aid its storytelling.

The film’s heavily folk-inspired, acoustic-driven score is made up of hypnotic melodies, used to complement some of the more surreal scenes.

It remains a well-aged stalworth of British cinema making it a perfect fit for its “cult classic” status.

OTwo - Film & TV

Award Season snubs - Justified or petty?

Emma Kiely ponders whether the recent Golden Globes snub against A Star is Born is justified and what other artists have been unjustly declined the famed gold statuettes.

Following the 76th Golden Globes a few weeks ago, Twitter exploded with outrage as, contrary to everyone’s expectation, A Star is Born did not take home every gong. Glenn Close beat out Lady Gaga for Best Actress in a Drama, Alfonso Cuarón won Best Director for his Netflix picture Roma, and Bohemian Rhapsody won both Best Drama Picture and gave Rami Malek his first win in the Best Actor in a Drama category for the Queen biopic.

Leaving A Star is Born with only one award; best song for Shallow. This surprise result had people vomiting their opinions on social media and branding the film’s loss as one of the biggest snubs in awards season history. It joins a long repertoire of artists, films and TV that have been given an icy shoulder by award shows.

A Star is Born won over the hearts of music and movie-lovers alike. The chemistry between Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, the soundtrack with its leading track drawing audiences into the film’s world before they had even seen it. Its incorporation of major social

this year for her performance in Vice and has fans hopeful that her thirteen years of agony of repeated loses will end.

In terms of television, the titans of the industry that one may think would be showering in awards, have in fact, walked home empty-handed each time. At the Emmys, actors such as Hugh Laurie for his highlypraised performance in the medical drama House never won and Amy Poehler’s mastery in comedy shows such as Parks and Rec and SNL earning her six nominations in total, never saw her a victory.

Back to film: Christopher Nolan is considered by fans and critics alike as one of the best directors and screenwriters and yet, has lost five times at the Oscars. At the end of the day, it is not gold statuettes that makes an actor, director or writer great. It is the depth they travel into to make their work meaningful, extraordinary and unforgettable.

Upon receiving the Cecil B. DeMille award

four years ago, Clooney summed up this point perfectly as he said “I have no idea what kind of hardware Robin Williams took home, but I

“In terms of television, the titans of the industry that one may think would be showering in awards, have in fact, walked home empty-handed each time.” sure remember ‘Carpe Diem’ and ‘Seize the day boys’”.

Rather than the award that they may or may not take home, it is the impact of their work on the audience and their unique contribution to the film industry, that renders them immortal in the eyes of film lovers.

“a rookie actress in her first film role losing to a highly decorated actress working for over forty years with thirteen prior nominations does not sound like the most bizarre thing in the world.” issues and heartbreaking ending that will have you replaying it repeatedly in your head for the following week. Yes, A Star is Born ticked all the boxes it needed and was on its way to have a clear sweep at the Golden Globes. In reality, not everyone liked the film. For what it was, a directorial debut by Cooper and Gaga’s first film role, expecting it to bring home major gongs is pushing it just a little. Her music following is one of the most loyal fanbases since The Beatles. She celebrates inclusivity, sexuality and being one’s self, creating a following that transcends all genders, countries and sexualities.

A major mistake everyone made is that they believed Gaga’s royal status in the music world would follow her into the film industry.

No, different players, different rules. You begin from the bottom. If you think about it without the names, a rookie actress in her first film role losing to a highly decorated actress working for over forty years with thirteen prior nominations does not sound like the most bizarre thing in the world. In terms of directing, watch the first ten minutes of Netflix’s Roma and Cuarón’s victory won’t seem like such a mystery, the film is one of the most aesthetically beautiful films in recent years.

Another major loss at the Globes this year was Amy Adams, nominated in both TV and film categories. Adams’ repeated losses at the Oscars have placed her in a similar position to that of Leonardo DiCaprio, with the internet campaigning for her to receive her well overdue Oscar after five nominations in just eight years. She is expected to receive her sixth

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All Photo Credits: Joanna O’Malley Photography

On

Making

Magic

Fiachra Johnston chats with author, Eoin Colfer about his literary inspirations, film adaptations and a potential new series.

Over twenty five novels, many of which the recipients of Irish writing awards, a screenplay, and a spell in the world of Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Eoin Colfer’s resumé is, like the topics of much of his work, steeped in fantasy and wonder. Yet, among the phrases that his novels have brought into popular culture in Ireland, “resting on your laurels” isn’t one of them. “At the moment I have two plays on tour, I have a musical opening in the States in December, and I’m trying to get a TV show off the ground”. With a non-stop schedule then, it was luck that I found myself in a lecture theatre back in October with a chance to speak to him before his evening talk with UCD’s Science Fiction & Fantasy Society.

Eoin is aware of the diversity of his upcoming work, as he never lets himself settle into any one thing for too long. “It’s not like, say Stephen King, where I’m going to write 500 pages of horror this year, and then next year do the same thing, it’s not the way I operate. I’m amazed I can write books at all!” Focusing on one style, be it young adult or otherwise, he again finds joy in variety. “I tend to write wherever I am at that point in my life, when I started writing for kids I was teaching kids, so that was my audience. I just kept doing that until I joined a drama group and then I started to write plays, because I was hanging around with actors. Then when I left teaching and I was travelling on tour, I was in New York a lot so I wrote two noir novels. I think ultimately you come back to what you love, and for me it was a kind of genre-bending exercise.”

Eoin evidently enjoys the task of combining elements from polar opposites. “It’s mostly creativity, but there certainly is this element of physics, where you say to yourself ‘I want to go into this genre and I want to bring this other thing that doesn’t belong to it and force it in there to see what happens’ and that’s what happened with Artemis.

Artemis is really a noir fantasy book, so I really wanted to mix in detective elements.” He is quick to highlight his inspirations in the art of genrebending: “I was greatly inspired by Douglas Adams because that’s what he did. He took Star Wars and said ‘well I’m gonna do Star Wars, but I’m gonna do Monty Python’s Star Wars.’ As a teenager I thought there were some kind of invisible rules to writing, but then you read Douglas and you read Terry Pratchett and you think ‘Yeah, that’s the way I want to go.’ So since then, whatever story pops into my head I try and twist around.”

When writing for theater, Eoin approaches the stage in a different light. “I think for plays you have to be a little bit less fantastical. Having said that one of my plays at the moment is about two seven year old girls who are both played by thirty-something actresses, and I didn’t know if it would be possible - because I’m a big skeptic myself when it comes to theatre - for two thirty-year old actresses to make you believe they were seven for an hour. But people are willing to have their disbelief suspended if the actor gives everything to it.” While nothing like Artemis will be on stage any time soon (he mentions a musical based on it was in the works for a time), he is amazed by the adaptations of his work by others. “I did a book called The Legend of Captain Crow’s Teeth and this children’s theatre in London did that, and they had a huge budget and it was the most amazing thing, and that was very gratifying, especially

since when you’re not involved with a production, you sort of just go along with it. I’m from Wexford and therefore a real pessimist, but it was absolutely wonderful, and when that happens it’s a real gift, that something you wrote twenty years ago is now coming back.”

The influence of Douglas Adams on Eoin’s work is a two way street, with Colfer having been directly involved in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series as the author of its sixth book after the passing of Adams. “This was one of those things where I don’t know if it was the

“A friend said it best to me.

He said ‘you remember that Hitchhikers books you wrote?

That is the best Star Trek book I’ve ever read.’ So I wrote a really nice Star Trek novel that unfortunately had Hitchhiker in the title.” right thing to do. I think the book itself is a good book, but I could have done any other series. It was just, as soon as I started writing I thought ‘What am I doing this for? I love Douglas Adams.’” With a grin, he jokes how “A friend said it best to me. He said ‘you remember that Hitchhikers books you wrote? That is the best Star Trek book I’ve ever read.’ So I wrote a really nice Star Trek novel that unfortunately had Hitchhiker in the title.” Eoin is still glad to have been given the chance, however. “I learned a lot from writing that book, my whole style of writing changed

“They say in writing classes to ‘strip everything back, strip everything back,’ but with Douglas it was use as many words to give as little information as possible, and if you can, at the end of your sentence, have said nothing, amazing.”

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OTwo - A Chat With...

because I reread all of Douglas’ books. They say in writing classes to ‘strip everything back, strip everything back,’ but with Douglas it was use as many words to give as little information as possible, and if you can, at the end of your sentence, have said nothing, amazing. I really like being able to do that now. It takes a while to get that point, I think if I had started to try and do that at nineteen, it would’ve been disastrous, so it took me until I was about forty-five to get there, but it’s been a nice journey.”

We delve into Eoin’s foray into cinema next, as after a rocky development cycle, a film adaptation of his award-winning young adult series Artemis Fowl was picked up by director Kenneth Branagh in 2015.

The first trailers were released in December of 2018, and as is always the case for film adaptations, fans will inevitably voice concerns on the changes made from the source material, but Eoin is excited to see his work taken in new directions. “People ask me about the Artemis Fowl film and if I’m worried people like Kenneth Branagh will change it, and I say you can’t give art to an artist and tell them ‘don’t interpret it.’ That’s mad, of course he’s going to change it, and the more the better. When he said he was going to cast Judi Dench [who plays the fairy Police Commander Julius Root and who narrates the new trailer] as a male tough-guy character, I thought it was perfect, I’m all for it. So anything is up for grabs, because that’s what art is all about.”

Should Artemis do well, Eoin is open to more adaptations of his work, suggesting Airman as one of his personal picks. “As long as they stay a little subversive. My only worry about turning things into other forms of art is that they lose the subversion on the way, the slyness of them. All my books, on face value, are a big roller coaster of an adventure, and they are, but there is always that tongue-and-cheek slyness underneath that I hope is not lost, and from what I’ve seen of the Artemis Fowl film, they’ve really kept that.”

While Artemis and his story have been wrapped up neatly, Eoin is far from finished with the world he has built over eleven years, as

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he has plans to work on more stories featuring Miles and Beckett, the younger twin siblings of the criminal mastermind. “When I left the world of Artemis Fowl, I said that I’m not going back for five years, because at that point I think I had thought about leprechauns so much I legally couldn’t do jury duty. But always in the back of my head I was thinking “Artemis is done, but you have these two little guys who could be very funny”.

In Colfer tradition, he has plans to create a new series,“I want the book to narratively be more straightforward. The Artemis books had many strands of adventures and flashbacks and time travel and inventions, so these have to be much simpler and much more gothic in temperment. I’m imagining it as the lovechild of Terry Pratchett, maybe early Neil Gaiman, and Douglas Adams, that almost formal narrative, but with with Buster Keaton type of humour. So we’ll see how it goes”. As to what the future holds after, that has yet to be decided. “I’ve nearly finished the first one, and I’m really enjoying it having been out of that theater for a long time. For a while I just didn’t want to write anymore books, and after this book, we’ll see, but I’m extremely fortunate in that I can actually pick my projects.”

“As a teenager I thought there were some kind of invisible rules to writing, but then you read Douglas and you read Terry Pratchett and you think ‘Yeah, that’s the way I want to go.”

OTwo - Music

ALBUM REVIEWS

gnash

Dermot Kennedy

we

Cormac Lehnen

Aoife Mawn

Singer-songwriter, Dermot Kennedy has been on the rise since his breakout track After Rain in 2016. Even before the release of his debut album, he gained traction from his compelling live performances at his sell-out gigs. Set to play Stateside at this year’s Coachella and featuring on BBC’s Sound of 2019 Longlist, we can expect to hear more of the upcoming artist.

However, his self-titled album falls into the same pit that much popinfluenced folk music fails to avoid – catchy yet predictable. Although the wistful, gravelly quality of his voice and the blend of guitar and stripped back piano instrumentals with hip-hop and R&B-influenced percussion initially adds intrigue to the album, it struggles to stand out in an already bloated genre, as the tracks tend to merge into the same formulaic sound. While Kennedy likens his music to that of his influences such as James Vincent McMorrow and Bon Iver, his primarily ballad-based sound which underpins the album doesn’t quite strike their adventurous originality or emotional arresting qualities, falling under the regrettably forgettable category.

Although the album may not necessarily push against the norm of its genre resulting in some songs sounding quite like other woodsyfolk/pop radio hits, his vocal ability is undeniably impressive and leaves listeners excited for his upcoming live performances where he excels.

If you were in secondary school when ‘i hate u, i love u’ came out, then you already know who gnash is. The American rapper/singer collaborated with Olivia O’Brien on the 2016 hit, and his debut album we retains much of the same melodic, soulful sound (and disdain for capital letters, it seems). gnash has a penchant for simple, chirpy lyrics, and while this can be cause for criticism, his chatty demeanour makes it endearing. The style of pop on display in we has a similar sound to early Ariana Grande, particularly on the second track ‘imagine if’. Relationships and mental health take centre stage in terms of theme. ‘t shirt,’ the albums current single has a radio friendly chorus featuring the angsty lyric “you broke my heart and all I got was this t shirt,” which we can expect to see splashed across plenty of Tumblr art pages in the coming months.

The conversational tone carries across the entire album, with the upbeat pop melodies laced with darker themes, such as the humourous and casual way he discusses his mental health in ‘insane’ and ‘dear insecurity.’ gnash is comfortable discussing these more difficult themes, and makes light of his situation with the soft, light melodies of his songs.

Just as the album comes to a close ‘i hate u, i love u’ brings us back to our angsty Leaving Cert selves, a fitting way to end an album that is made for those who are looking for someone to put into words the difficulties of being a teen.

This Month in… January Adam Hilario New Year’s resolutions are made with the intention of changing oneself, usually for the better. For country music legend Johnny Cash, this would seem like a positive turn in a life of troubles. But this story isn’t about Cash. Despite his outlaw persona and a music catalogue that implies a criminal past, Cash never served behind bars. Rather, the outlaw in this story is a fan of his, Merle Haggard, a man who would shape country music as we know it today.

The gist of what you need to know about Haggard’s childhood, to put it mildly, it sucked. He was sent to prison at age 11 at the behest of his mother and was in and out until sentenced to 15 years at the age of 20 at San Quentin in 1958. Johnny Cash played three New Year’s day shows at San Quentin in 1958, 1959 and 1960.

It was the 1959 show at which Merle Haggard first saw Johnny Cash

in concert. Immediately, he was enamoured by the attitude of the country star. He was cool, he gave the finger to the guards — Johnny was everything Merle wanted to be.

Everything the world outside of the country music scene knows about country music is in part due to Merle Haggard. Today, a lot of his music sounds standard but at the time, it was as revolutionary as Rock and Roll was to Rhythm and Blues. His signature Bakersfield sound contrasted a lot of the bells and whistles (not literally) found in the Nashville sound at the time, often stripping it down to a bass, drums, and an electric guitar. You’d be hard pressed to find a fiddle or a yodel anywhere (although he did dabble on occasion). Merle Haggard may not be a name you knew before today, but his influence on the genre is undeniable.

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OTwo - Music

Review: The 1975 has audiences wanting a second date with ‘online relationship’ tour Aoife Mawn

Matty Healy could easily be one of the most expressive frontmen in music today. Without even moving all that much (thanks to a builtin conveyor belt on stage), he had the entirety of the 3Arena on their feet earlier this month, for the second night of The 1975’s new tour, ‘A Brief Enquiry into Online Relationships’.

The band are gearing up to release another album this May, just six months after November’s aforementioned release. All this work does not seem to have worn them out, however, as they captured the attention of every person in the arena. Opening with the albums lead single ‘Give Yourself A Try’, we were immediately treated to the showstealing staging that would become one of the highlights of the night. It was this staging that most people were discussing afterwards both in person and on social media. The onstage treadmill, moving 3D sets and an interesting segment in which biting insults of the band were blasted on a fluorescent pink background, all made for some interesting talking points (plus a few pretty Instagrams).

Healy moved seamlessly through the 24 song set, meshing old fan favourites with newer album tracks, without ever losing the attention of his crowd. The energy only built as the show progressed, and in a few cheeky personal interactions with various fans, every person felt included; as if Healy were addressing them directly. If you hadn’t understood the hype before, you did now. Having recently completed a rehab stint in Barbados for a heroin addiction, Healy looks healthier than he has in years, no longer slugging from a bottle of wine and smoking cigarettes throughout his sets, now he is wearing floppy hats and

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attempting to do ‘the floss’ with the bands backing dancers.

Support acts No Rome and former OTwo interviewees Pale Waves warmed the crowd up, the latter certainly doing a better job. No Rome was also welcomed onstage during the

“Their light-hearted sound contrasted with the overarching theme of the night - that we are all slaves to modern technology, emphasised

by Healy stepping into the enormous set, and being on the screen of an iPhone.“ main set, managing to improve on his earlier, muffled performance. Heather Baron-Gracie of Pale Waves looked like any other ‘75 fan, and it was this that helped the group appeal to the fanbase at the gig, many of whom were more than familiar with the groups biggest hits ‘Eighteen’ and ‘Noises’. Many fans were left completely puzzled, however, by No Rome, who was barely audible in his frequent addresses to the crowd, but this can be put down to his newcomer status. The musicality of his set, however, was impeccable and sounded much like the direction The 1975 are now taking. If they began their career sounding like Pale Waves, they are progressing to the sound of No Rome, which gave fans a satisfying taster of what was to come in the show.

While Healy is certainly flamboyant and quirky, he is not much of a conversationalist.

He kept the chat in between songs brief, which allowed for the packed set filled with every fan favourite. Not many ballads or slow songs featured throughout the night, instead fans were kept jumping and dancing as the band raced through tracks ‘The Sound’, ‘UGH!’ and ‘Girls’. Their light-hearted sound contrasted with the overarching theme of the night that we are all slaves to modern technology, emphasised by Healy stepping into the enormous set, and being on the screen of an iPhone.

‘Love It if We Made It’ was a particular highlight, in which the confusing mix of happy dancing and subtle melancholy married perfectly. While fans sang along and chanted the lyrics back to Healy, the screens around the arena were lambasted with images of protest, unrest, war and the political problems facing our world at present. Everyone there was aware of this message, but the poppy soundtrack kept everyone moving. It was all slightly disconcerting, but ultimately beautiful;, a metaphor for our ever-changing, unruly society.

Closing with ‘Chocolate’, Healy asserted that the band would be back soon, due to their fast-approaching new album Notes on a Conditional Form. With many outlets lauding them as the saviours of rock and roll, the band takes one last jab at the press, declaring on screen ‘Rock and roll is dead’. The show ends with the word ‘Goodbye’ appearing on screen in the iPhone font, one last nod to the band’s complicated relationship with the ever increasing reliance on technology.

Gig guide Rebecca Sibley HOBO JOHNSON & THE LOVEMAKERS 28 JANUARY VICAR STREET

Hobo Johnson is a manic ball of anxious energy. He likes to perform barefoot and gives the impression of having never quite figured out what to do with his hands. More spoken-word than rap, his lyrics are equal parts humorous and self-deprecating and are full of weirdly charming voice-cracks. He and his band The Lovemakers rose to international fame last year with a one-take version of their tribute to unrequited love entitled Peach Scone, which amassed millions of views on Youtube. Catch Hobo Johnson and The Lovemakers at Vicar Street for an energetic performance from a band that is at its best in front of a live audience.

Tickets from €23.95 Check it out if you like: The Front Bottoms, La Dispute, Modern Baseball

PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING

Forgotten classics

Elza Soares - Woman at The End of the World Ellen Duggan

At 81 years old, Elza Soares is the unspoken Brazilian Queen Mother of samba. On stage, she reclines on a six-foot-high throne, surrounding her is a set decorated with black bin bags. At 13 years old, she won a Brazilian singing competition. She had been forced into marriage by her father for a year at this point and several months later, gave birth to her

“‘Her voice, always reed instrument-like, sings the laments of a woman’s experience. Her vocal chords seem frayed, tired and angry. With these same vocal chords she sings about lust, sex, racism, trans rights and prostitution.” first child. When the presenter asked her what world she came from, her baggy clothes not familiar to any world he resided in, she replied “the world of hunger”. This juxtaposition between these two worlds, one of hunger and one of triumph has not been lost throughout her success.

Her voice, always reed instrument-like, sings the laments of a woman’s experience. Her vocal chords seem frayed, tired and angry. With

these same vocal chords she sings about lust, sex, racism, trans rights and prostitution. While famous men in their old age are traditionally allowed to continue with their young behavior, their bodies relaxed and opinions loud, women traditionally are thought to take on a role of wisdom. The listener feels as though Soares is laughing at any notion of this.

In ‘The Woman at The End of the World’ (mulher do fim do mundo) released in 2016, she decided to collaborate with unlikely fans; Kiko Dinucci (from Metá Metá) and her bandmates in Passo Torto – Rodrigo Campos, Marcelo Cabral, Romulo Fróes, Felipe Roseno (who plays percussions with Ney Matogrosso) Celso Yes and Guilherme Kastrup. Their sound feels like less a “collaboration”, than an agitation; less of a sonic mixture and more the sound of irritation, ideas rubbing off each other, one old concept of a melody being pushed past itself, and the resulting friction being captured.

The album opens with ‘Coracao do mar’ (heart of the sea), an acapella track in which Soares sings a poem by Oswalde de Andrede.

It is almost a parody of a national anthem in which she sings his words concerning slavery and loss. The album’s highlight is its title track ‘Mulher do fim do Mundo’ (Woman at the End of the World) in which the Brazilian instrument, the cavaquinho, lays beneath her vocals, decorated with strings, pizzicato at times like Morse code. “Woman at the End of the World” she sings. “I am, I go on, singing till the end”.

31 JANUARY OLYMPIA THEATRE

“This is Apollo Control at 102 hours into the flight of Apollo 11”, a fuzzy voice announces at the beginning of Public Service Broadcasting’s song, Go!. It’s an anthemic, synthy instrumental piece built around archival recordings from the Mission Control room during the 1969 moon landing.

Eschewing vocals in favour of twentieth-century soundbites, each of Public Service Broadcasting’s songs tells true stories about progress, technology and tragedy in recent history. In live performances, footage from newsreels and documentaries on retro television sets accompanies the crew of multi-instrumentalists on stage, complementing the accounts of the space race, the voyage of the Titanic and British wartime propaganda. If you like music as uplifting as it is historically educational, check out Public Service Broadcasting at the Olympia Theatre this month.

Tickets from €31.50 Check it out if you like: Daft Punk, Lemon Jelly, Fujiya & Miyagi

CUB SPORT 14 FEBRUARY WHELANS As a band that celebrates love, queerness and inclusivity above all else, listening to an intimate set by Australian quartet Cub Sport is a great way to spend Valentine’s Night. Their haunting altpop ballads deal with young love, FOMO and the anxieties frontman Tim Nelson felt when coming out as gay in a country where gay marriage had not yet been legalised. Cub Sport, their self-titled latest album, dropped in January with leading singles Party Pill and Summer Lover showcasing the best of their angelic vocals and sultry baselines.

Tickets from €15.62 Check it out if you like: The 1975, San Cisco, Frank Ocean

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Five Artists...

Jessica Viola Wild Youth

Wild Youth are an Irish pop band who have already taken the country by storm for their single, ‘Can’t Move On’ reaching national success and over a million streams on Spotify.

With their memorable riffs and upbeat tempos, this band is a must hear for fans of Maroon 5.

Their newest EP, The Last Goodbye, is set to be released on January 25th. Wild Youth consist of the classic pop formula that is needed to reach success for 2019; talent, charisma and catchy lyrics.

Grace Carter

Whoever broke this girl’s heart is seriously going to regret it, as 2019 is going to be Grace Carter’s year. Her song ‘Silence’ was released in 2018 and has over 8 million listens on Spotify.

Carter is signed to the same label as Dua Lipa, but she adds a new dimension to the industry as she possesses a special storytelling ability that transcends past her music. With the raw talent and passion that this R&B artist has, she is nothing less of star quality.

Cautious Clay

With over 18 million Spotify streams for his song ‘Cold War’, Cautious Clay is one of the most promising hip hop artists to look forward to in 2019. His work has been featured on the show, Insecure and, he has over 8,500 monthly users on Spotify. His music is very similar to artists such as Kid Cudi and Miguel. Cautious Clay is an artist to look out for in 2019 because he adds a distinctive flair to his songs by focusing on his witty word play and understated beats.

Berhana

Berhana is an electronic-soul singer-songwriter who certainly is an artist to watch for 2019. This artist is best known for his song, ‘Grey Luh’ as it was featured on the hit television show Atlanta.

He also received 38 million streams on Spotify in 2018. Berhana combines the element of power from soul with electronic beats to create a style that is distinctly his own, which is why he will be on the rise in 2019.

King Princess

Emerging out of the indie-pop genre is quirky singer-songwriter, King Princess. Reaching over 6 million views on YouTube, she rose to fame with the song, ‘1950.’ Her music stands out as she refers openly about her homosexuality and confronts taboo subjects in her songs, like ‘Pussy is God.’ King Princess will definitely be on your radar in 2019, as she will be releasing a new album, is playing a set at Coachella and, is headlining her sold-out tour across America.

FIVE TO WATCH IN 2019 The 1975 - Notes on a Conditional Form

The 1975 are still touring for their album that was released in 2018, but a new album is in sight for 2019. The 1975 are an exciting band, as they are always developing their music while they progress through albums. There is always a sense of anticipation when it comes to their new releases, to see what new music techniques and social issues they will tackle next.

Backstreet Boys - DNA

For 2019, we’re taking it back to one of the biggest boy bands from the 90s. Their new album DNA is promising to stay true to their roots while also incorporating some new influences, that reflect each of the five members. The album is accompanied by a highly publicised world tour. Any fans of the 90s boyband or anyone just looking for a nostalgic listen in 2019 will be very happy with this release.

Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next

Ariana ended the year on a high with the release of the title track to her upcoming album. Along with this came a viral meme. With the media frenzy around her love life, Ariana encompasses all the drama into this song and the accompanying video, full to the brim with pop culture references that have excited the internet. With this introduction to her highly anticipated fifth album, it is sure to be one to watch out for in 2019.

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...Five Albums Katie Rowan

Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell

With talks of Del Rey dabbling in other genres on social media, this new album is highly anticipated. Stating that she was inspired by Sylvia Plath when writing the album, we know that we can still expect the poetic and sombre lyrics we know and love from Del Rey to be present. She released ‘hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me- but I have it’, a beautiful single from the album which offers the classic Del Rey sound.

Nina Nesbitt - The Sun Will Come Up, the Seasons Will Change

Possibly one of the most underrated artists in this list, Nesbitt’s album is definitely one to keep an eye out for. This will be Nesbitt’s 2nd album and seems to be taking a different approach than her previous effort. She released the single ‘Loyal to Me’ from the album last year, along with five other tracks. The song shows how Nesbitt has progressed since her first album in 2014 and the direction she is going with this album, with a more pop sound which suits her vocals perfectly.

OTwo - Food Photo: Akaka Poké

On a healthy trail in Dublin Summer Marsh explores Dublin’s finest healthy food options to help you keep up with New Year’s health resolution

One of the most critical components of the ‘New Year, New Me’ mindset is food. The phrase ‘abs are made in the kitchen’ rings true, but for those days where one feels the urge to prowl in town, here are some spots to treat oneself while still eating clean.

The first gem in the ‘Eat Clean Tour’ is the cosy restaurant Urban Picnic. Snuggled into the belly of St. George’s Street Arcade, Urban Picnic hosts a variety of classic dishes ranging from chicken wraps to creamy pasta. All their bread is made in-house, further adding to the restaurant’s wholesome nature. On a frosty day,

a heaping bowl of roasted vegetable soup is the best bargain, served with plenty of bread, all for €4. The place is cash only but absolutely worth this minor hassle.

Cornucopia is arguably one of the most creative wholefood restaurants in Ireland. This amazing place has a constantly rotating menu filled with vegan and gluten-free options, giving one plenty of room to indulge in healthy gluttony. Their main dishes range from lasagnas, quiches, cannellonis, and much more.

This vegetarian family restaurant prides itself on their quality ingredients and stellar service.

The perpetual queue is a testament to the quality of their food. Service is quick - simply hop in the line, order a main and pick two salads to accompany it. Cornucopia also offers a delightful breakfast menu and coffees as well as mouthwatering desserts such as vegan carrot-cake with coconut icing.

The newest addition to the ‘Eat Clean Tour’ lies just over the Ha’penny Bridge across from

The Grand Social. Akaka Poke provides a quirky change from the monotony of overpriced healthy restaurants. This Hawaiian goldmine lets you design your own poke bowl, often with a base of fish or chicken and packed with fresh veggies. The variety of the ingredients gives the customer a near limitless range of culinary freedom, yet recurring flavors are refreshing and spicy. Vegetarian and vegan options are available when the protein is substituted for tofu or avocado.

The glory of healthy eating lasts longer than the meal itself; you feel the effects of quality food even after the meal. These three restaurants, despite their different atmospheres, all have the high quality that health-conscious customers aim to consume, while diverting from mainstream salads and detox juices. A ‘New Year, New Me’ is possible when eating clean tastes so delicious.

Your guide to global cuisines: Korean food With increasing cultural diversity, Shivani Shukla explores the vast variety of food that those of us on student budgets can indulge in to get a real taste of different cultures right here in Dublin.

This time, the focus is on cuisine from the Far East: South Korea. South Korean food is one of the most flavourful cuisines on the globe.

Contrary to widespread perception, it is not limited simply to dumplings and kimchi; rather it offers a wide range of unique techniques and fermented preparations. The intensity of flavour in South Korean dishes comes from use of simple but sharp seasonings like scallions, dried seafood seasoning (jeotgal) and chili (gochugaru). The overpowering taste of spices is countered perfectly by the freshness of vegetables used as toppings and miso broth.

The most popular South Korean delicacy is probably kimchi, which is made from salted and fermented vegetables, most commonly napa cabbage and South Korean radishes. It is a staple accompaniment to all South Korean meals, and is that one thing every South Korean grandma makes at home for her grandchildren.

Some dishes to start your journey are bibimbap, which is a wholesome meal with rice, vegetables, and a fried egg to top off, and bulgogi dup-bap (marinated beef in a bowl of rice), a simply prepared meal with complex tastes. Vegetarians as well as meat-lovers are catered equally well by South Korean food.

Photo: Kimchi Hophouse

catered equally well by South Korean food.

A South Korean meal is incomplete without soju, so do remember to ask for a bottle of the sweet stuff.

Thanks to globalisation, we have plenty of South Korean food to go around in Dublin.

My personal favourite is Dublin’s oldest South Korean restaurant, Kimchi Hophouse on Parnell Street. Besides serving a mad range of delicious, affordable food, it also has a beer garden for a relaxed evening. Their soju cocktails are a must-have. Han Sung on Great Strand Street, primarily a grocery store, has a small restaurant tucked at the back, with the cheapest, delectable South Korean food in town. Brothers Dosirak on Capel Street is a puzzle to find but totally worth it, with salmon misoyaki and South Korean sushi roll on the other side of the adventure. The Hailan restaurant chain, present in Dundrum as well as Dame Street, is another destination for your South Korean food cravings.

For us gourmands with economic restrictions, cheap authentic South Korean food serves the purpose of alternate eating in the true spirit of a diverse college life.

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TIMELESS

Add a pop of colour to your wardrobe essentials this winter with a range of jewels and gems.

TREASURES Photographer: Alex Fagan Stylist: Shane Cullen Models: Julia Purcell Paula Martinez

OTwo - Fashion Winter can always be a challenging time trying to get the balance of keeping warm and feeling great just right. This issue in Otwo fashion, we’re showing how you can brighten up any winter woolly with a touch of colourful jewellery.

Whether it’s a statement piece necklace, a jewelled bracelet or an eye-catching ring, there’s something for everyone.

This issue was made possible with a helping hand from Dublin boutique Om Diva, who always have something to add a touch of glamour to your wardrobe.

- Shane Cullen, Fashion Editor

Jewellery kindly sponsored by: Om Diva, 27 Drury Street Dublin 2 omdivaboutique.com

OTwo - Fashion

Vegan Fashion Week: Ethically elegant Shivani Shukla

reviews the highly anticipated Vegan Fashion Week.

We, as consumers, make use of enormous quantities of resources. Fashion is one of our most conspicuous consumption, as beyond the basic level of comfort, it is also associated with notions of self-identity and social conformity. Trends are followed, some things become ‘in’, as they phase ‘out’ others. Such fast fashion has created an easily disposable form of consumption and instant gratification, wherein consumers are encouraged to gorge on whatever is ‘in’ and dispose of ‘out’ trends.

This disposable culture has a considerably large impact on the environment. The clothing industry alone is one of the biggest industries on the globe, using energy, water and generating waste on a colossal scale. The fashion industry needs to align with the notion of environmental sustainability and ethical production, and is indeed waking up to that, albeit slowly.

Emmanuelle Rienda, a French fashion stylist and animal rights activist, is producing and curating the first ever Vegan Fashion Week which will run from February 1- February 4. It will be held at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, which seems an appropriate location for this earthy event, with spectators to be seated amidst on-looking artificial animals. This novel fashion week is already the talk of fashionville and is being lauded for the initiative towards more accountable fashion.

There is also a flip side of commentary, but everyone is besought with curiosity. The line-

up includes avant-garde designers displaying their vegan fashion pieces, like Japanese team Comme des Garçon and actress/designer Rooney Mara, brands like Chanel and Stella McCartney, who are looking to experiment with more earthy materials. The Fashion Week will be serving vegan food and will have panel discussions on vegan fashion and its future prospects with growing sense of conscious of brands and consumers.

Vegan fashion implies that the materials for production of clothing are sourced without harming animals and completely originate from plant-based sources. Uses of natural

dyes, cruelty-free silk, faux fur and synthetic wool, even leathers made from apple and pineapple fibers are some practices in vegan fashion. Vegan fashion is defining a sense of ‘sustainable luxury’, and the Vegan Fashion Week is a perfect showcase for this. Rienda envisions an expansion of the event to all major fashion capitals in the near future.

While vegan fashion on the catwalk comes at a cost, every consumer can do their bit towards the environment through fashion choices by upscaling second-hand clothing and attending Swap Shops. An ethical fashion statement does not have to cost the earth.

London Fashion Week Mens: The future is fashion Emma O’Regan-Reidy reviews this season’s menswear spectacle.

Credit; Swamibu

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Social tensions and anxieties are fertile contexts for creativity. Brexit-torn Great Britain is a testament to this, resulting in the scintillating, innovative runway shows of 2019’s London Fashion Week (LFW): Menswear. The shows and street style demonstrated promising new designers and trends for the new year, as well as some that may take more time to get used to.

A stand-out show was Charles Jeffrey Loverboy’s newest collection “Darling Little Sillies.” The garments featured boasted inspiration from the original Peter Pan, influenced by the turn of the twentieth century.

The collection drew inspiration from London’s Victorian past in the form of tailored tartan, updating it through bright pops of colour and draped, asymmetrical cuts. Iridescent balloons and fallen chandeliers created an atmospheric after-party for the models to traipse through.

By fusing past and present, Loverboy created a playful time capsule of clothing.

This surrealist trend was taken a step further by Chinese designer Xander Zhou.

His runway collection featured male models carrying “babies”, a nod to the “pregnant” male models at his show last season. Speaking to the press about his LFW show this year, Zhou said that he wanted to explore both the

excitement and uncertainty of the future.

A number of Irish designers also shared some attention in the limelight last week for their collections’ debuts. Robyn Lynch, a Printed Textiles graduate of NCAD, incorporates her Irish roots into each stitch of her simple yet striking clothing. Lynch commented in an interview with Dazed that “from early on as a designer, I’ve used the RTÉ archives and I also look back at family photographs and study Irish photographers. All my research comes from the Irish people.” This is reflected in the chunky cable knit sweaters and boasts of green, white, orange which were highlighted at her most recent show in London. Her promising debut collection will make her one to watch in the near future as she continues to build a career in the UK. No fashion week would be complete without the clothing featured off the runways.

This LFW featured continuing trends of chunky footwear, fanny packs, and industrial clothing (think Carhartt WIP). Expect to see an extension of these 2018 trends into this upcoming autumn, albeit keep an eye out for classics with a twist as well, such as illuminated tartan and monochromatic twentieth-century inspired cuts. Excitement now builds for next month’s the LFW womenswear spectacle.

Naomi Campbell becomes the new face of Nars.

OTwo - Fashion

Clara Brannigan discusses the Campbell and Nars collaboration.

Naomi Campbell is the new face of Nars’ cosmetics Spring/Summer 2019 collection.

As exciting as it is, it’s interesting to ponder why this is only the supermodel’s second beauty campaign, collaborating with the same company?

Campbell an original supermodel, has reigned like a true queen over the last 30 years on runways and magazine covers. Francois Nars, the company’s founder has called Naomi “a living icon who brings such personality to the camera.” Their friendship since the early days of Campbell’s career makes this collaboration even more anticipated as they have both addressed their relationship to be “like family.”

The range called ‘Radiance Repowered’ is launching January 2019. The campaign will include a new, more inclusive shade range, a new Skin Deep Eye Palette and the Super Radiant Booster.

That’s not all, there are plans for her to represent the Orgasm campaign later in the year - Nars’ most iconic blush. This campaign is particularly exciting as Campbell passionately strives to make the beauty industry more inclusive. She told the brand in a Q&A, that when she first started in the fashion industry, she found it hard to “find colours that truly matched [her] skin tone”. This is a long-needed move for Nars, as other lines like Fenty Beauty steer the way and leave other brands to

shamefully play catch-up.

It has not gone unnoticed that this is Campbell’s second beauty campaign as many were under the impression that it was her first. Her only other beauty campaign was also with Nars in 2004, calling into question how

‘’ This is a long-needed move for Nar’s as other lines like Fenty Beauty steer the way and leave other brands to shamefully play catch up.’’ progressive the community is and how slow things have been to change. Campbell has been breaking barriers in the fashion industry internationally, when in 1988 she became the first black woman to appear on the cover of French Vogue, and then American Vogue in 1989. In 2017, Campbell told The Evening Standard “I’ve never done a beauty campaign for anyone”, she reportedly gave a look that said “make your own assumptions as to why.”

Although Campbell should have graced the headlines of many beauty campaigns by now, this launch is well deserved. As Campbell once said “to me, beauty is beauty. It doesn’t matter what colour the skin is.” A strong message to fit the name ‘Radiance Repowered.’

Fashion Flashback: Anne Hathaway

Stephanie O’Connor

Acting for almost two decades, Anne Hathaway has become the Hollywood ‘It Girl’. Many will have followed her ascent from The Princess Diaries to her rise and critical acclaim for The Devil Wears Prada.

This issue aims to follow her fashion trends through the decades.

Many know Hathaway for her elegant, classic and timeless style. Going as far back as 2001, Hathaway was known for her floaty dresses with a bold red lip. She never strayed far from the princess persona that landed her an epic role in The Princess Diaries in 2001. Whether she’s wowed fans in demure silks or flirted with pale pastels, Hathaway knows how to give fans exactly what they are looking for.

Fans will have witnessed Hathaway’s style revolution for her acclaimed role in The Devil Wears Prada. With the release of this film, Hathaway became more daring; embracing shorter hairstyles paired with tailored suits. Designers such as Prada and Versace soon began to be at Hathaway’s call, as they donned her in bright silks and dreamy chiffons. Hathaway became more playful with her fashion, with fans wondering

“ She never strayed far from the princess persona that landed her an epic role in The Princess Diaries in 2001. Whether she’s wowed fans in demure silks or flirted with pale pastels, Hathaway knows how to give fans exactly what they are looking for. whether The Devil Wears Prada was closer to home than Hathaway had ever imagined.

Although Hathaway has experimented with her style through the years, she has managed to pull off what others may call ‘too androgynous’. Her rise to stardom in Les Misérables not only won her Oscar nominations in the acting world but also in the fashion stakes. From pixie cuts to effortless ball gowns, Hathaway continues to evolve her style and keep fans excited. After all, the power of a pair of Chanel boots holds no bounds.

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OTwo - Travel

The art of the Irish Staycation Tara Hanneffy discusses some of the best places to holiday in Ireland.

Here’s the thing: I love going on holidays. Two week breaks, long weekends, overnight stops, it doesn’t matter, I adore them. But as a student with a parttime job, I don’t quite have the budget to finance my love of gallivanting. As much as I’d like to hop on a plane every few months, it doesn’t pan out like that for me. This desire to ‘get away’, combined with my small budget, means that my trusty travel companion (my boyfriend) and I always end up settling for wherever the train and some buses can take us. But long before I gained my independence and my own bank account, my family and I went on many fantastic trips, which instilled in me the belief that you don’t have to leave the country in order to

“Fun fact: I saw Graham Norton in Supervalu in Bantry. That’s literally my only brush with stardom.” have an amazing time. There are so many good times and experiences to be had in this country, without ever having to step foot on a plane.

When I was younger, family holidays were mostly spent in Cork and Kerry. Glenbeigh in Country Kerry is what I would describe as heaven on earth; a little village that’s on the road between Killarney and Cahersiveen, with access to a stunning beach that goes on for miles and miles. My family liked it so much that we went there twice (rare for us), and in a nice little twist of fate, it turns out that my boyfriend was actually holidaying two minutes up the road. We try to get down once a year now, just the two of us, and it’s an oasis of relaxation. Apart from chilling out, it’s a great spot to plant yourself if you’d like to see more of the Kingdom; we spent the day exploring Killarney, made the trip out to Valencia Island, and once he made me do the Coomasaharn walk, which if you’re the athletic type, you’ll probably love.

Needless to say, I’ll pass next time. Most recently, we visited Tralee, which is another holiday spot where the town centre is on your doorstep; always an advantage.

Cork people are famed for insisting that it’s the best county in Ireland, and to be honest, I’d be inclined to agree with them. The scenery is stunning, the people are nicer, and they’re just great spots to get away to. Crosshaven, a coastal village about an hour outside of Cork city, is the definition of ‘picture perfect’. Bantry, Glengarriff and Castletownbere are three friendly towns all on the same fishing coastline, containing pockets of pretty beaches. Fun fact: I saw Graham Norton in Supervalu in Bantry. That’s literally my only brush with stardom. I’ve recently returned from a brief trip to Waterford, a city which is brilliant example of the right way to showcase their rich Christian history, building a museum over local ruins.

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The West has been increasingly popular in the last few years, thanks to the marketing of the Wild Atlantic Way, and offers a variety of types of trips.

If it’s nightlife you’re looking for, you don’t need to look past Galway city; you get straight off the train or the bus and you’re in Eyre Square. Galway is what I’d call an ‘anti-city’; it seems hellbent on being a large town, which is why it’s such a lively spot. There’s a real sense of familiarity and friendliness. Through Galway you can also access the Aran Islands; and let’s be honest, it doesn’t get more Irish than that. In the late nineteenth century, J.M. Synge wrote of the Aran Islands that “every article on these islands has an almost personal character, which gives this simple life, where all art is unknown, something of the artistic beauty of medieval life.” Things have moved on a little since then, but there is still a sense that a quality of life now lost to us has been preserved here.

Westport is one of the cleanest places I’ve ever visited; there’s something incredibly serene and relaxing about it. If it’s outdoor pursuits you’re after, then Kilkee is the spot. Without a doubt my favourite Irish destination, it’s got everything; beaches, cliff walks so steep that they’re awe-inspiring, a vibrant town, and it’s a good base for exploring Clare.

Another family trip brought us to Enniscrone in Sligo, about which I only have two things to say: Enniscrone is possibly the windiest place on earth, and if you go there, make sure you’re blaring Sinéad O’Connor’s Faith and Courage album as you drive through Sligo. It’s an experience.

“Enniscrone is possibly the windiest place on earth, and if you go there, make sure you’re blaring Sinéad O’Connor’s Faith and Courage album as you drive through Sligo.”

In terms of the further flung corners of this island, Donegal is so beautiful and worth the drive. I once went on a fleeting overnight stay to Belfast city, and since it was Christmas time we were able to explore the markets. It’s a rich and vibrant city that offers something for everyone. The Titanic museum is fantastic, but if you want real, tangible history, Crumlin Road Gaol is eye-opening.

All this being said, the real secret to a good Irish ‘staycation’ is to get out the regional train and bus timetables and figure out the options available to you. As a student, your student card is an invaluable resource to avail of discounted fares up and down the country. The scenery and experiences are there, and waiting for you. In an age where air travel is cheaper than ever, it’s important to keep the money at home, and not to lose sight of what’s on your doorstep.

OTwo

Fatal Fourway Dreadful Dates

Dylan O’Neill – Deputy Editor: Some have described me as a “hopeless romantic”, my friends, my exes, the guys I’ve been on a first date with that then proceeded to ghost me. Here is the story of how my hopeless romanticism turned out to not only result in rose-tinted glasses, but full-on reality blinders. Please hold your “oh honey” until the end!

It was my first year of university, I was experiencing the first Xmas break, and had yet to acclimatize to the extended period away from all my new university friends. It started innocently as a funny comment on a photo with a guy I met at a society event. We got chatting and bonded over country upbringings and love of television (we both had a keen interest in How I Met Your Mother; go figure.) The conversation never seemed to end, and the emojis were generously thrown back and forth.

One day he asked if I wanted to hang out. I jumped at the opportunity to get the next train to the city. We met at St. Stephen’s Green, hugged awkwardly and went back to his to watch, you guessed it: How I Met Your Mother. All in all, it was a pretty great day. But all good things must come to an end and I had to leave to make my train home. I kissed him goodbye and got the train home.

An uncomfortable text message later and the reality of my “first college date” was that I had unfortunately misread his signals of affection.

Shivani Shukla - Food and Drink Editor: Contrary There we both were, about to jump to our heart’s content at the coolest place in town - Jump Zone (his brilliant idea!) - in red and blue socks amidst 3-feet-tall gremlins children. We were blissfully unaware of the parents’ questioning looks and were as gleeful as the little boy giggling at me.

I have to admit I was quite shaky at the thought of looking like an absolute clutter-head, tumbling around and probably slipping, falling, dying. How right I was! He, of course, was an absolute whizz on the trampolines.

I was having fun watching him have fun. Kids backflipping into the cube pit made me follow suit (more like fall into the pit). It was all good until it was time to get out and the unpredictable happened: I got stuck. The more I tried to push out of the pit, the deeper I went. It was funny for about 20 seconds. Just before I died of embarrassment in the foam quicksand, amidst jeers from the group of waiting preteens, he grabbed my hand and pulled me out. His smile dissolved my mortification. This episode was followed by slo-mo Macarena dance and space walk, all done bouncing. Thank you, Three-Caf, for being the best date.

Freya Williams – Chief of Illustrations:

Unfortunately, I have been on the receiving end of more than just one stand-out ‘god that’s awful’ date experiences. I’ve had it all, from going to McDonald’s for coffee (extremely depressing), to hearing about how my date can predict what will come up in exams using a crystal ball - he failed. But one of the worst dates of my life happened this summer, when I met a photographer from El Salvador in a café and we started talking. He was only in Ireland for a few days, but we chatted until the café closed and we were forced out, so we agreed to meet the next afternoon to have coffee again.

I got there slightly early and began to message my ever supportive female group chat with the situation, humble-bragging about this guy and sending screenshots of him into the chat (don’t act as though we don’t all do it). Forty minutes later and he still wasn’t there. An hour and a half passed by and he texted saying he was coming soon. The group chat messages were flooding in telling me I should leave, but I stayed and hung around. For. Four. Hours. My friends couldn’t understand why until I explained he was 6ft4… and haven’t we all made mistakes for a 6ft4? Eventually, he did show up in all his gargantuan glory but never apologised. My group chat was NOT impressed and neither was I.

Tara Hanneffy – Otwo Co-editor:

Before I begin, I’d just like to clarify that my boyfriend is a great guy, a true romantic, and he’s spent the last few years coming up with brilliant date ideas. He’s also an Astrophysics major. That’s an important detail. A few years ago, he had one of his unique ideas which he and I just didn’t see eye to eye on. It was a college holiday, and I was happily asleep after a day at work.

At about 3am, I was rudely awoken by my phone ringing and making an awful racket. In my sleepy daze, I picked it up and mumbled a confused “hello?”, to which he replied “well, are you looking at the moon?”. I was now even more perplexed than ever, and stumbled to the window and looked outside. Yep, there was a moon.

But to me, I’m afraid a moon is a moon, and at 3am, they’re not exactly at the forefront of my mind. He, on the other hand, was on the beach, watching some rare Supermoon or something, and decided to ring me because he thought I’d be outside watching it too, and that it would be nice to look at it together. The sentiment was lovely, but I value my sleep.

Needless to say, he hasn’t called me at 3am since.

Illustrations: Freya Williams & Shivani Shukla

27

APERTURE #5: “THE COLOUR OF MAGIC”

Camille Lombard

Killian Conyngham

Elizabeth Carroll

Conor Cosgrove

Want to be in future installments of APERTURE? Check our Facebook page for each issue’s theme Submit your photos to design@ universityobserver.ie

Shivani Shukla

Laura Kenny