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Day: 23 December 2016

Review: An Evening of Puccini

Having never seen any Opera myself, I was wary of being inadequate to the task of reviewing The Opera Shack’s inaugural performance, ‘An Evening of Puccini’, their own version of the comic opera, ‘Gianni Schichhi’.

However, given their aim of taking Opera from its elite background and reintroducing it to a wider audience, I was apparently perfect for the job. Every barrier that had made opera so inaccessible to the average person had been broken down. Out were the posh, stuffy, regimented venues, the huge price tags, and the compulsory formal dress code; though funeral attire was advised, in keeping with the story.

Instead, they hosted the event at The Islington Mill, an excellent venue for a performance like this; an empty space, barely furnished, with metal beams conveniently placed to circle the performance area, giving the freedom to use the space as they desired. The seating situation was as relaxed as could be as we were told to sit on whatever we could find; sofas, stools, benches, and boxes, all contributing to the carefree attitude of the night.

The inaccessibility also often comes from the ubiquity of the Italian language in opera, and the sparsity of its knowledge in the majority of the British population. Therefore, we are forced to either look up the story beforehand, ruining the ending, or piece together our own version of events given what we can work out, which could go well for some but poorly for many.

Thankfully, this version of ‘Gianni Schichhi’ had none of these issues given their fantastic use of spoken word to fill in the gaps. But it was much more than this. Written especially for the performance by the narrator, evident from the topical Trump reference, the spoken word used was not just a means to an end, it added to the performance brilliantly, breaking the fourth wall and loosening up the audience

Using the informative narration, I know that the story of ‘Gianni Schichhi’ is a farcical tale, involving the will of a deceased man and many characters doing their utmost to profit. The performance itself was one of an outstanding ensemble, most evident when all came together in a chaotic scene, each singing about their right to the will as they darted around the stage emphatically.

Despite the language barrier, the actors evoked laughter throughout, showing how language barriers can be broken using the necessary operatic technique of being incredibly over the top in their expressions.

As well as the comedy, the story involved a classic love story between a rich man and a poor girl who ended up together, of course.

These two roles were played incredibly, with much of the crowd visibly moved by the voice of Lauretta as she sang of her love for Rinuccio. Her singing was an experience I’d never heard before, amazed that something so powerful and emotive could come from one person.

There was clearly a unanimous reaction from the crowd as they applauded with enthusiasm. Though I don’t know how many were already opera enthusiasts, I expect this performance has opened many minds to the opera. The Opera Shack are onto something special here and I would love to see more of this kind of thing in the future.

KCL lecturer calls LGBT+ campaigners the ‘Gaystapo’

A lecturer in mental health at King’s College London has reacted to the removal of a picture on campus of a former Archbishop of Canterbury by referring to LGBT+ students as the “Gaystapo”.

This wordplay, likening the campaigners to the Nazi secret police force, the Gestapo, has been widely condemned. The Nazis were responsible not only for killing 11 million people, but also for torturing and murdering tens of thousands of LGBT people in concentration camps.

Reacting to the university’s decision to remove the picture from its display, the lecturer, Dr Niall McCrae, co-wrote an article with Reverend Jules Gomes on the site Conservative Women, in which he compared LGBT+ campaigners to Nazis and called them “sanctimonious petty Napoleons”.

The picture in question formed part of the ‘wall of fame’, a series of pictures of notable alumni of the university, which included a display at the Strand campus featuring Lord Carey of Clifton, a former Archbishop of Canterbury. Lord Carey is known for his opposition to same-sex marriage, and for his endorsement of conversion therapy, a supposed ‘gay cure’ which aims to convert LGBT+ people to heterosexuality.

In the article, McCrae writes: “Carey is not homophobic, but his name has been tarnished by a ‘Gaystapo’ that refuses to acknowledge that a clergyman cares for all, while maintaining a traditional view of marriage.”

President of the Students’ Union at King’s College London, Ben Hunt, has led the campaign for the removal of Lord Carey’s picture for several years, and pledged to remove the portrait in his manifesto when running for LGBT+ Officer, calling Carey’s views “outdated, hurtful and offensive”.

Mr Hunt said in a statement: “When I was LGBT+ Officer I carried on a campaign that had been running at King’s for several years to make the window representation at Strand more representative of the King’s community.

“LGBT+ students over several years had been concerned with the portrayal of Lord Carey of Clifton as an alumni who should be celebrated due to his views expressed during the debate regarding gay marriage.

“A petition was signed asking for his removal by hundreds of students several years ago, as well as policy being passed through our democratic system endorsing the Union to take this stance.

“Motivated in part by this campaign, but also by a desire to ensure that the diversity of students and alumni at Kings was represented, I worked with the University on the digital display content which currently shows images about the past achievements of King’s, our present student and staff community and what mark King’s wishes to make in the future, in service of society.”

He adds: “To employ language like ‘gaystapo’ which has very negative connotations for LGBT+ groups, as well as for people of colour and the Jewish community, is hurtful and harmful and creates a tone of division which this project does not represent.

“The intention was never to create a climate of division in the King’s community, instead, to emphasise all of our strengths in accepting and supporting each other.”

ROAR, the King’s College London Students’ Union newspaper, ran with the headline: ‘Archbishop removed from wall five years after success of LGBT campaign’. However, King’s College London have denied claims that they removed the picture in light of this campaign, instead telling Buzzfeed News that the picture was to be replaced by a new digital display reflecting “research breakthroughs”, “student and staff successes”, and “our renowned alumni”, and not in response to accusations of homophobia.

In a statement, a King’s College London spokesperson said: “It was agreed that the current static displays, which are costly to maintain, or change, did not capture the diversity of our university community and that this should change”, adding that other portraits had been removed at the same time.

The Mancunion has approached King’s College London for further comment.

Review: Snowden

Oliver Stone may go down as the greatest historical documenter in cinema history. Most noted for his trilogies about the Vietnam War (Platoon, Born on the 4th of July, Heaven and Earth) and American Presidencies (JFK, Nixon, W.) respectively, Stone once again sets his sights on political controversy with his depiction of Edward Snowden’s incredible journey from soldier to whistleblower. A vital telling of a story that should be more widely recognised and understood, for the issues it tackles impact the very way we live our lives. Before viewing, one can predict Stone’s bias. A vocal defender of Julian Assange and Wikileaks, going so far as to visit him in the Ecuadorian embassy. Nevertheless, this is a thoroughly gripping film which flourishes with a fantastic performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead role.

Snowden begins where it ends, with a meeting between a couple of highly regarded journalists and a very nervous looking Edward Snowden, in a small hotel room in Hong Kong. There the optimal method to making the public aware of the NSA’s actions is debated, until a filmed interview is seen as the most desired option, alongside multiple online and printed articles. From here the story splits into three very different but equally engaging arcs.

The first of these details Snowden’s discovery and later use of multiple highly invasive government programs. This causes him to take increasingly drastic steps to protect his privacy such as taping his webcam in order to stop anyone unwanted from viewing. The second story arc centres around his turbulent relationship with girlfriend Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley) which increasingly suffers the deeper the involvement with the NSA becomes. Lastly, the aftermath of the documents being passed onto the journalists, the effect it has on Snowden personally and the world as a whole.

Despite the deeply complex issues being dealt with, Stone assumes absolutely no knowledge allowing the most unenlightened to follow. Even people familiar with Snowden’s story will be horrified at the sheer extend the US government could access your data as demonstrated in this movie. Your text messages and emails, your family photos on your personal hard-drive, even your turned off laptop’s webcam. Nothing is safe from the prying eyes of those with seemingly limitless power. The age old argument of ‘nothing to hide, nothing to fear’ is often raised by those unopposed to government surveillance, with Snowden himself arguing that it ‘is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say’.

Coming two years after the release of the exemplary documentary Citizenfour, this movie could never match the immense tension or edge of seat drama of its predecessor. It does however, provide an unfaltering glimpse into the personal sacrifices made for the perceived greater good. With a spattering of recognisable faces in minor roles such as Scott Eastwood and Nicholas Cage, Snowden demands to be seem, if only to form an opinion of one of the most influential men of the 21st century, for better or worse.

Review — Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Before sitting down in your local multiplex, it would be very easy to approach Rogue One with the view that this is just a cash grab by the executives at Disney. The fact that the film takes its starting point from a few lines in the opening title crawl of the original 1977 Star Wars adds to this sceptical mind-set. But any cynicism present is soon blasted away faster than a star-ship travelling through hyperspace, once the film presents its reason for existence. That the actions of the characters in this film will echo into the lives and shape the destiny of the saga’s heroes Luke, Leia and Han. The anthology film takes place directly before the events of A New Hope. Rogue One therefore effectively acts as a back story, adding unexpected clout to a film that precedes it by nearly 40 years. Knowing the end does not diminish the experience of watching the film, but instead the endeavours of our new heroes have an added pathos and appreciation, which is testament enough for the necessity of the film. Rogue One is the Star Wars film you did not know you needed.

Much of the success of the film lies in the introduction and development of this fresh group of characters. Our main protagonist is Jyn Erso, played by Felicity Jones with a steely ruggedness, who is also the daughter of an Imperial science officer. Jyn’s father is integral to the construction of the infamous Death Star. The Rebel Alliance uses this association to coax Jyn to help their cause against the looming tyrannical threat of the Empire. Joining Jyn on her rebellious adventure is Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor, a rebel spy who has acted questionably in the name of the Alliance. Cassian is symbolic of the morally grey texture of the movie, which is in stark contrast to the black and white characters of the past. In this way the film demystifies the idea of heroes, instead presenting these soldiers as damaged human beings, many of whom have made mistakes.

Another character of a similar vein, trying to right past wrongs, is defected Imperial pilot Bodhi Rook played by Riz Ahmed, who claims to have a message from Jyn’s father. Boasting a multicultural cast, seeing a hero like Bodhi in a blockbuster film that looks like myself, someone of Pakistani ethnicity, provides hope that Star Wars can be a template for organic diversity within Hollywood movies. Furthermore Rogue One includes one of Chinese cinema’s biggest stars and martial arts legend Donnie Yen. His character Chirrut is a blind swordsman devoted to the force, which fondly embraces the religious influence of Star Wars. Special mention must also go to K-2SO, an Imperial droid with a delightfully sardonic wit, who inevitably steals many moments.

Director Gareth Edwards’s nostalgic love for Star Wars seeps through every fame. He manages to pull off the impressive double act of allowing Rogue One to pave its own unique story beats whilst retaining the Star Wars look and aesthetic. There are enough call-backs (or call-forwards) and clever nods to keep the most die-hard fans pleased. After the jovial and celebratory tone of The Force Awakens, Rogue One is a much darker, more grown up and rough-edged picture that considers what it means to be at war. There are real stakes and peril, as characters are not protected by plot armour or the need to be present for upcoming sequels.

The film is as much inspired from the Star Wars canon as it is from cinematic representations of The Vietnam War. The epic climax is on par with the most stirring and pulse racing set pieces from any film in the series. The multi-layered third-act attempt to steal the Death Star plans, which takes place on the tropical planet Scarif, juggles a dizzying number of threads without ever losing focus on the movie’s central theme — that every sacrifice made by every single rebel is vital. Rogue One truly puts the war into Star Wars.

Almost immediately after leaving the cinema it became clear that Edwards and his team had done what even George Lucas had been unable to do, create a prequel to be proud of. Oh and with one scene alone, make Darth Vader a complete bad-ass once again. Rogue One remains a beautiful love letter to the mythology of Star Wars.

4.5/5