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Day: 6 September 2017

Summer 2017 Review: Westeros vs. The West Wing

Written by Will Baldwin-Pask on . Posted in Opinion.

It is that time of year again when Game of Thrones hands us back our lives. And I hope you’ll agree this was the weakest season to date. The fact that it moved everyone on from talking about that ‘Love Island’ tripe was the best thing about it.

In fact, the biggest show on TV was eclipsed by a darker, more turbulent drama series this summer: American politics in 2017.  Viewers have recently experienced levels of shock that HBO spend millions conjuring up.

Since mid-July, when the new Thrones season began, the level of White House theatrics has been as incomprehensible as the absurd distances everybody is somehow capable of travelling in Thrones at the moment. God knows what type of Lannister-style urination games Donald Trump plays with his daughter there now – eat your heart out Lewinsky.

In fact, I’d argue the great Game of Thrones, with all its fantastic, take-it-too-far drama, has finally been surpassed by the madness of our own reality. Here are just a few ways the West Wing has outstripped Westeros:

A Song of Ice and Fired

There have been a few occasions this season when the writers of Thrones spared a significant character, despite earning their reputation and arguably their popularity for being ruthless with killing off the main guys.

Between the first and last episodes meanwhile, Trump dramatically reshuffled his team to a staggering degree. Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was sacked at the end of July, whilst alt-right talisman and villainous chief strategist Steve Bannon was booted three weeks later.

The highlight of course was the four day stint of Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, whose rapid, heroic ascendance was robbed in a way that would make Prince Oberon envious. Sadly, Scaramucci’s introduction drove out fan-favourite Sean Spicer, whose hilarious blend of belligerence and ineptitude will be sorely missed.

In Thrones, a whole bunch of main characters avoided deaths that could have been brilliantly upsetting for audience members. The fact none of the seven major bloke characters died in ‘Beyond the Wall’ whilst battling the army of the dead was a tad ridiculous. How on earth Jaime Lannister survived confrontations with a dragon and the Mountain is beyond me.

Alas, it really felt like the writers were holding back on the protagonist mortality in a way they have not done previously. It used to be the case that no one was safe in the Game of Thrones script. Perhaps they need some advice from Mr Trump on the art of letting people go in outrageous fashion.

No, really, Winter is coming…

Some have speculated that Thrones offers a description of an unknown but devastating threat — the white walkers — reflecting the issue of climate change in our world. It seems Jon Snow, the less whiny Al Gore of the Game of Thrones world, is starting to turn the tide of opinion. This is great news.

Back on earth however, leaps backward are being made. Trump’s anti-environment policies have given portentous insight into the President’s neglect for a planet in need of dramatic, proactive attention. It’s a tragic coincidence that, on the same weekend the final episode aired, in which a captured wight is presented to Cersei Lannister to convince her of the threat they pose, a devastating natural disaster struck Texas and Louisiana.

Scientists are arguing that Hurricane Harvey has been exacerbated by global warming and see it as indicative of how climate change can worsen such events. Whilst Cersei seems willing to act on the terrifying reality she faces, Trump is unlikely to do anything over the next three years but deregulate business at the expense of the environment, roll back the EPA’s budget and follow through withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.

As Westeros prepares for the Great War, the last stand between living and dead, the real world looks on as the American President turns his back on our potential doom.

White Marchers and the Army of the Dead-wrong

The White Walkers only really appeared in the penultimate episode this season. A week before airing, America was dealing with its own troublesome whites, only these ones carried Confederate flags and lynching torches.

Like a Spike Lee film, racial tensions simmered in the summer heat, as white nationalists engaged with protesters resulting in one woman’s death. The ‘post-racial’ America that Barack Obama’s election supposedly gave birth to was conclusively chocked out by the current President’s refusal to condemn neo-Nazis.

Instead of raise an army of the dead, these walkers resurrected archaic, racist ideas that America was supposed to have outlived by now. Scary as the White Walkers are, the revived confidence of white supremacists in a nation led by a man who refers to them as “very fine people” is even more worrying.

As the Wall in Westeros finally succumbs, the Mexico border wall is prototyped, soon to cage in a country at war with itself over its demons of prejudice, brought back into discussion by the current Presidency.

“Fire, Fury … the likes of which this world has never seen before”

Dragons are cool, sure. But we in the 21st Century have something better. Nukes. And not just three, but many scattered across the world.

Danaerys’ used her dragons properly in this season, to lethal effect, and the moral navigating to get there was by no means brisk. With Trump however we have a man proud of his nuclear arsenal and the threat it poses, and a North Korean counterpart who seems crazy enough to want to pick an arms race with him.

The two have been egging each other on, teasing mass genocidal destruction like it was deciding who should knock-and-run. The rhetoric heats up, military activity rises and the problem shows no sign of going away.

At the end of the season as the White Walkers killed and claimed a full-grown dragon for themselves, ‘Thrones’ showed what could happen when the most destructive weapon in the land falls into the wrong hands. With Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un engaging in a game of big-boy battleships, it’s hard to deny humanity has somehow found itself in an even more fatally exciting predicament.

It was a shorter-than-usual seven weeks for the Game of Thrones audience but possibly the longest seven weeks ever for Donald Trump. As this Presidency produces mental moment after mental moment, everyone’s favourite TV show has struggled with a strained plot, overburdened with characters and stories, under-provided with source material from George RR Martin’s original narrative.

In the end, the summer was stolen by Trump, who distracted everyone with the stress he so easily piles on the world. Not even the bloodied magic of Game of Thrones could provide escape. The final season of what will go down as possibly the best TV show ever is due for 2019; hopefully by then it will return to its old standards, or there is no more Trump to compete with.

Or North Korea just go ahead and put us out of our misery.

St Helens 16-26 Wigan: The Warriors keep play-off hopes alive in derby victory

Written by Jamie McEvoy on . Posted in Sport.

After the disappointing defeat to Hull FC at Wembley the previous weekend, the Cherry and Whites confidently surged to a much needed victory against local rivals St Helens.

Two early tries from Oliver Gildart appeared to sucker punch Saints, who were fired up upon the debut of full-back Ben Barba.  Justin Holbrook’s side were consequently playing catch up for the full game, failing to ever draw level.

Debutant Barba was donning the badge of The Red V for the first time, after serving a 12 match suspension which had been carried over from his failed drug test in the Australian National Rugby League.  Despite marking his debut with a try in the 21st minute following a mazy run, he had a catastrophic opening to the match. His wayward pass was cut out by Joe Burgess who released Gildart, leading to the second of Wigan’s tries in the first five minutes.

Fan favourite Anthony Gelling went over to score early in the second half, but it was George Williams — making his 100th appearance for the Warriors — who dealt the knockout blow, touching down a minute later.  Williams finished the game with five conversions, and was responsible for over half of his team’s points in a game which was a must-win for the Lancashire side.

Skipper Sean O’Loughlin was fantastic, and Sam Tomkins carried on a rich vein of form, epitomised by an excellent last-ditch tackle on St Helens winger Regan Grace.

Wigan now stand one point behind fourth placed Wakefield Trinity, and two points behind Challenge Cup champions Hull FC.  Their hopes of play off qualification are much brighter than those of Saints, who are three points behind the last qualification spot, with Salford Red Devils and Huddersfield Giants breathing down their neck.  With a mere three games left to play in the Super 8s, things are looking desperate.

Saints’ next game is against Wakefield.  They would be doing both themselves and Wigan a massive favour by emerging victorious against the West Yorkshire side.  Wane’s side have the opportunity to avenge their cup final defeat, travelling to the KCOM Stadium a day later.  Whilst the Warriors can possibly afford to drop points in one of their remaining fixtures, Saints coach Holbrook is well aware that his team must win all three.

Man of the match: Sean O’Loughlin

The Wigan Warriors veteran once again proved why he is a club hero.  One of several players who were suffering from illness in the days leading up to the game, the Wigan captain was outstanding and typically ruthless.  He played for a straight 56 minutes before being subbed off, and then returned to instil calm in his side, keeping them on course for a vital and hard-fought triumph.

Reading & Leeds 2017

Written by Katie Shepherd on . Posted in Music.

I’ve heard a lot of people say that Reading and Leeds just “aren’t rock anymore”. Certainly, you could look over the names like Eminem, Glass Animals and Giggs high up on this years’ line up and struggle not to agree with them. I suppose that in comparison to the festival’s early years as Reading Rock Festival, it was certainly a more eclectic mix this August bank holiday.

And yet, I would argue that rock was profoundly abundant at Reading and Leeds this year.

Rock was in the moment Muse brought out Brian Johnson and performed AC/DC’s hit Back in Black, and it was in Eminem as he united what felt like almost all 90,000 festival goers in chanting “fuck Trump”.It was in the politically charged energy and anger that ignited almost every stage with declarations of love and acceptance and unity in the face of current social climates. It was everywhere. Hell, even the cheesy fries in Green Camp were oozing with rock.

Because seeing rock as a genre is, let’s face it, outdated. But that doesn’t mean rock itself is. And as the boundaries of genre have dissolved over the years, rock has evolved to encompass so much more than white men on electric guitars. It has always been more than that.

My weekend began at the main stage with Mallory Knox, whose latest album has seen the five-piece delve further into the depths of personal struggles and mental illness, but to come out more polished and certainly more at home on the main stage than ever before. The Cambridge boys were followed by Rat Boy, whose nineties vibes and exceptional energy left nobody doubting that he deserved his spot on that stage and on everyone’s playlists for a long time to come.

The main stage later hosted Two Door Cinema Club, who rather underwelmingly preceded Bastille, who in contrast, proved to have grown exceptionally since their performance on the same stage just two years prior. The band’s latest release Wild World stole the show with songs like Blame, Send Them Off! and Currents not only invigorating the crowd but providing particularly poignant moments lyrically.

It wasn’t just the music, however, but the concept running through the set that made Bastille a stand-out performance of the weekend, with their news-reporter and Theresa May look-alike glaring down at the crowd throughout, reminding us all of what it is we really are fighting against. It was barely subtle anti-right wing narrative delivered with vocals so silky and energy so joyfully contagious it could have convinced your tory nan to vote Labour.

One of the highlights of my weekend at Reading was actually a mid-afternoon set on the Radio 1 Extra stage, as San Francisco’s George Watsky made his Reading and Leeds debut. The rapper owned the tent and every one of us in it, commanding our energy with his flawless high-speed rapping, his witty and bitingly relevant lyrics and fresh talent. From the growling Woah Woah Woah to the bouncy Sloppy Seconds the crowd was captured, and the chants of “Watsky” that continued well after the set ended were a testament to his performance. An artist that is wholly deserving of any and all success that comes his way.

Whilst Kasabian were the Friday night headliners, I decided to wrap my day up with old favourites You Me At Six over on the NME stage. The band, who have been going on for thirteen years now, proved once again that they know exactly how to remain timeless, inspiring a gorgeous cocktail of vigorous enthusiasm and whole-hearted unity amongst a tent of strangers. Even when faced with technical difficulties, the band did not falter, instead leading the crowd in an acoustic rendition of Loverboy; “see, we don’t need power” Josh Franceschi said, and he was right. It was a beautiful moment.

The evening fell into a pool of moonlit partying and a magical, albeit occasionally concerning lack of restriction, before the sun dragged Saturday in. Along with its blue skies and hungover teens, Saturday came through with performances from The Pretty Reckless and PVRIS on the main stage – a band exactly where they are meant to be.

Loyle Carner was the highlight of the NME stage on Saturday, pulling in an impressive crowd for someone that released his first album just six months ago. This did not seem to phase him however, as he delivered a powerful performance that perfectly balanced between the catharsis of his lyrics and the exuberance of their execution.

Korn, too, gave an eager crowd a set to remember, but it was of course, headliner Eminem who truly ordered our excitement. I had, in truth, prepared myself to be disappointed by him. After all, how could anyone – Eminem or not – live up to that kind of hype? But, he actually did.

Now I don’t know if the sheer amount of wine I had consumed beforehand had anything to do with this, but I can only tell you that Eminem was the most fun I have had in a long while. His return to stage saw him on form, with a crowd-pleasing set-list dominated by Curtain Call and hits like Love the Way You Lie and Not Afraid, supported by his band D12 and female vocalist. There was something excitingly empowering, too, about his performance, not least in Mathers’ impressively unifying “Fuck Trump” chant. “I don’t want to cause any controversy so I won’t say no names…” he said archly, “but this motherfucker Donald Trump, I can’t stand him.”

Perhaps the only thing more magical than being a part of a crowd of thousands furiously yelling their hatred for the president, was being a part of a crowd of thousands singing Wonderwall with Manchester’s own Liam Gallagher on the Sunday night. The crowd were sold immediately, however, by Liam’s parka, retro sunglasses and appropriately rocky Rock N’ Roll Star as he commanded the crowd through a solid setlist that sewed the older Oasis tracks in with his latest solo work perfectly.

Sunday hosted another surprising highlight of the weekend, Halsey, who brought her sultry vocals, effortlessly sexy stage presence and powerful showmanship to the NME tent late that evening. From the haunting Gasoline to the drama of the more recent Heaven in Hiding, I was in awe of her talent; this woman is not wrong, she can put on a show. A show enough to rival the majority of performances across the weekend, and one you absolutely must see if you get the chance.

Closing the weekend for Reading, and the first night of the festival for Leeds, was Muse. They were captivating from the second they stepped on stage with latest single Dig Down. Entranced by the stage effects and bewitched by Matt Bellamy’s vocals, the crowd was theirs. The set was filled with unmissable moments, though none were as stunning as when the band brought out Brian Johnson with a brilliant performance of Back in Black. A winning pairing of Uprising and Knights of Cydonia provided a poetically apt and empoweringly defiant end to a weekend that proved music is, as it always has been, at the heart of a movement for all.

Imperial War Museum North invites student artists to join scratch event

Written by Amy Wei on . Posted in Arts, Theatre.

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) North is inviting artist submissions for a chance to participate in a scratch performance event titled ‘Responding to a Rebel,’ scheduled for 21 November.

Scratch performances use audience feedback to inform and develop a piece of theatre.

Each performance should be inspired by British modernist Wyndham Lewis. The museum’s current special exhibition about the artist and writer, Wyndham Lewis: Life, Art, War, will run until the end of 2017.

Lewis was the founder of Vorticism, Britain’s only avant-garde movement. 100 years ago, Lewis was hired as an official war artist for Britain and Canada in World War One. Upon his return, he painted his most recognisable work, A Battery Shelled (1919).

Lewis has been a contentious figure in literature, his writing including support for Adolf Hitler and derogatory descriptions of Jews and homosexuals.

IWM representative Angela Kirk explained in a written statement: “Lewis was a controversial figure, whose ideas, opinions and personality inspired, enticed and repelled in equal measure. When it came to his work, he chose to produce unpopular and even antagonistic critiques of society and his contemporaries.”

Scratch performances at the ‘Responding to a Rebel’ event should respond to any of the following themes: art and war, Lewis and Vorticism, self-image, or marginalised genius. They should work with minimal set and props, and total 10 minutes in length.

Kirk continued, “In the spirit of Wyndham Lewis, IWM North is looking for rebel creatives from all performance art-forms, including comedy, theatre, live art and music for an evening of work-in-progress performances and the chance to share new ideas with other artists and audience members.”

Anyone over the age of 18 is welcome to apply. Successful acts will be offered £50 towards materials and development, and free tickets to the exhibition Wyndham Lewis: Life, Art, War for research.
To apply, artists should email [email protected] with the following: a brief artist biography, a 150 word synopsis explaining your submission, up to 3 images of current or previous work, and up to 2 minutes of video footage.

The event, and the exhibition, mark the centenary of the IWM. Other special exhibitions featuring World War One artists are being held across the country at Imperial War Museums.