Day: 5 March 2013
Live: The Darkness
2nd March 2013
02 Manchester Apollo
7/10
When I was 12, I used to take my CD Walkman into the garden and listen to The Darkness’ debut album whilst I jumped on the trampoline. Now, this wasn’t as carefree and cool as it obviously sounds – not only was jumping in time with the beat a continually failed ambition, but I had to hold the CD player flat as I bounced so the songs didn’t skip. Whilst all my friends were saving to see the Trousersnake perform his Justified tour, I was scrimping for The Darkness posters and a Discman with ‘anti-skip’.
It’s been ten years since the release of the quadruple platinum selling Permission to Land brought semi-parodying 70s rock to the Brit Awards. 2003 was a time when Justin Hawkins reached the height of his bacchanalian excess, spending £150,000 on one night’s coke and flying around gigs in an enormous pair of knockers that he referred to as his “boob chariot”.
The original line up regrouped to record their third studio album Hot Cakes last year, bizarrely, bringing about a stint as main support on Lady Gaga’s stadium world tour. The band look exactly as they did a decade ago – a svelte front man shows no sign of the 5 stone he supposedly gained when off the road, and brother and guitarist Dan Hawkins still looks as dreamy as I remember (in a Carol King in flares kind of way). The only notable change to the troupe is that Justin has had their Suffolk home town of Lowestoft emblazoned in giant letters across his stomach, and is now sporting a nineteenth-century waxed moustache. Rock and roll.
As the band launch into Hot Cakes’ disappointing opening track ‘Every Inch of You’ the wonderfully varied audience begin to display their inevitable rock signs in approval their return to touring. I ‘ironically’ throw up my horns in concordance, yet am hopeful that further underwhelming tracks from the album such as ‘Keep Me Hangin’ On’ and ‘Living Each Day Blind’ haven’t made the set list.
Luckily, my rock prayers are answered and dud tracks from both, One Way Ticket to Hell… And Back (which is all of them) and Hot Cakes are pared down to a minimum. Although, in an impossible feat, the unexpected Radiohead cover from the latest release sees ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’ somehow become comparable to ‘Barracuda’ by Heart. This, likely to upset any joyless being, is a fine example of what an early-noughties Britain embraced about the band: performances of incredible musicianship with a distinct lack of bombastic seriousness.
Justin Hawkins hasn’t lost his implausible falsetto either, managing the anthemic “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” and “Love is Only a Feeling” with ease and melodic finesse. As I yelp through my Year 8 favourite ‘Giving Up’ screeching, “no I won’t apologise I’d inject into my eyes, if there was nowhere else to stick my skag!” I realise quite how marvellously ridiculous the whole affair really is. A headstand, staring contest, and piggy-back through the crowd, round off what has been an exhausting wonder to behold, but I feel like I’ve satisfied the 12 year old trampolinist in me. Finally.
Spring Trends
Congratulations! You’ve officially survived the winter. Although this year’s winter was surprisingly mild, the season generally drains the average man of his will to live. Standing outside the Student Union at 4am, after an intense essay writing session as the snow billows about you, waiting for the 142 puts you in such a state that you are quite unlikely to care about what you’re wearing the following day. As we have now lived to see March, the month where spring officially begins we must dress accordingly lest the winter gods punish us with more dreary weather. Below are this year’s spring trends.
themanswardrobe.com
Camouflage
Camouflage returned to prominence in the last quarters of 2012. Like most menswear trends this one found its foul origins in womenswear. As you might have already gleaned, I am not a fan. Camouflage is something you expect to see on a 6-10 year old going through an Action Man phase, not an 18-24 year old pegged to be among the nation’s brightest. As reasonable and rational men we must band together in defiance of this plague on all good taste and sense. The fashion world may attempt to sway you with descriptions like retro-chic and effortlessly cool but the devil is a liar. They are not your friends. What good is a trend that has no staying power? If you must do it, go for the least obvious camo you can find and pray it works for you.
ohlalamag.com
Stripes
Spring is undoubtedly the stripiest time of the year. Every year some version of the stripe finds its way to prominence on the high street. This year for perhaps the first time in history vertical and horizontal stripes seem to be on trend at the same time! At least Tommy Hilfiger thinks so. His spring ‘Bon Voyage’ campaign is so full of nautical inspired wonders that I haven’t had the gumption to visit the Tommy Hilfiger website lest I lose the greater part of my student loan in the pursuit of the preppy, fun and effortlessly cool.
fashionbashon.com
Bright Colours
As the temperature rises into the double digits, there is no need to stick with the dreary and dull brown, grey and black. We must embrace the more optimistic lemon zest, nectarine and dusk blue. It is my guess that the fruitier the colour sounds the more on trend it is. Embrace your inner “rah rah” “gap yah” boy and pick up a pair of poppy-red trousers, or embrace your inner hippy and purchase a tie-dye t-shirt. It is wise to note that these things are often best done with a smidgen of moderation, but apart from this there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be your brightest, dandiest self this spring. Everyone else is.
entreelifestyle.com
New Balance Trainers
It is quite rare that we get to see a practical trend such as this. Fashion often forgets that most people do not like to be walking pieces of art. The New Balance sneaker is the perfect mix between practicality and style. It grows increasingly popular among the student population and soon those who do not have a pair will find themselves in the minority. New Balance trainers are the new Toms. It’s about time you joined the movement.
urbanindustry.com
No Socks
I know that this seems a little bizarre as feet that sweat into shoes smell worse than feet that sweat into socks. Moreover, the thought of your feet in shoes without socks probably fills you with dread. But never fear, for there is a way to beat the no sock trend that has been displayed at all the fashion weeks from New York to Milan. It’s simple. Invisible socks are made by most high street retailers and true to their name they provide the indispensable barrier between your feet and your shoes without alerting the outside world of their presence.
Top 5: Style renovations
1. Victoria Beckham
Remember Victoria in hot pants and push-up bras when touring the world as Posh Spice back in the ’90s? Now, Beckham is nothing but sophisticated in her tight, just-below-the-knee-length dresses and nine-inch heels. She really has reinvented herself from Spice Girl WAG to universal A-list fashionista.
Harpersbazaar.com
2. Marc Jacobs
Ex-overweight, long-haired, heroin addict, I think it’s safe to say that Marc Jacobs has definitely taken a turn for the better. Since his second stunt of rehab in 2007, Marc has buffed up, cut his hair and continued to showcase fabulous and innovative garments for us to gaze at on the catwalk.
last.fm
3. Lana Del Rey
If you went to New York music show The Variety Box in 2009, you would have seen blonde-haired Lizzie Grant with her strong voice but shy persona. After a failed album, a name change and rumours of plastic surgery, Grant transformed herself into the woman we now know as Lana Del Rey – current hot US songstress.
last.fm
4. Madonna
The Queen of reinvention. In 1984 she was pictured sporting the grunge look: ripped tights, studded accessories and exposed midriff. Since then, she has experimented with numerous profiles: disco diva, dominatrix, hippy chick; but no matter what look she opts for, she has always kept nice and toned.
shinystyle.com
5. Kate Middleton
Before the Royal Wedding, Kate was plain and dressed for a woman that could have been twice her age. But a year after she became Duchess, Kate has transformed into an international style icon. With her elegant dresses, princess charm and her style being documented on the internet daily, Kate is now a fashion figure for women all over the world.
Playing Catch Up
As a rule, there are only two things I hope never to have to share with other people: bespoke clothing, and my browser history. Between Pitti Uomo and the ‘Big Four’ Fashion weeks, I feel safe in breaking this cardinal rule by divulging that my Chrome history is, in fact, now filled with search results for bespoke clothing.
With every new year, the gentle rustling of well-kept beards and Harris Tweed begins to emanate from the fringes of the male fashion world. The ensuing parade of menswear makes the Six Nations February’s second most manly endeavour. Moreover, the annual spate of fashion shows represents a coagulation of a year’s hard work on the part of over 200 designers, millions of dollars spent, and Tumblr-fodder for the next six months.
Happily, to save yourselves the Sisyphean task of catching up on everything you have missed, I have compiled this handy roundup of all the events of the past two months.
highsnobriety.com
Pitti Uomo is Still Awesome
Combining some great presentations with sweet, sweet street style, the Florence-based trade show kicked off the year in terrific form. The presentations included some classic offerings from Boglioli, Isaia, and special guest Kenzo. Attendees were even treated to a rare display from Japanese techwear producers, White Mountaineering. The show marked a departure from the brand’s habitual Japan-based presentations that occur at completely random times of the year.
thetodayexperience.com
Four Big Fashion Weeks
If Pitti Uomo is the Jamie Farr character in the M*A*S*H unit of fashion shows, then the ‘Big Four’ definitely represent Col. Potter: you take them seriously. Much like the nature of completely irrelevant 1980s television references, London, New York, Paris, and Milan turned up some classic shows this year. One particularly prominent (read: mental) highlight was Berluti’s winter-wonderland, inter-species display at Le Musée Nationale d’Histoire Naturelle.
gentlemensgazette.com
The Year of Street Style
More a prediction than a summation of facts: I think it’s safe to assume we will see street style continue to develop alongside social networking. The first few months of 2013 have offered up some real gems both in male and female style. With a growing web-based audience, it’s really interesting to see how completely candid moments are becoming as sartorially informed as any catwalk. It isn’t as if street style is anything new, but it is pleasing to see street etiquette continue to materialise as a standalone creative endeavour.
2013 promises to be a great year for male style; if fashion season is anything to go by it is going to be a cavalcade of great sunglasses and strong dogtooth. For now, things are returning to normality: The Fashion weeks were a success, street style’s game was up, and God Wooster is still a total mensch. If you’re interested, GQ is running a really interesting article about him right now; it should be on my history…
Actually, I’ll find it.
Loving and Loathing Spring 2013
Loving- Jewel Colours
After what feels like an extremely long winter, I’m happy to be putting my coats/fur/boots away in preparation for spring. Bright colours recently dominated the catwalks at Fashion Week, with designers such as Burberry and Gucci really embracing the trend. Nothing encapsulates Spring 2013 better than jewel colours; think along the lines of azure blue, bright pinks and turquoise and you’re on the right track to a brighter spring wardrobe.
vogue.com
Loathing- Leather
After losing count of the amount of wet-look leggings I’ve encountered on nights out in the last couple of years, I can safely say I’m tired of leather. Clearly the likes of Derek Lam and Proenza Shouler disagree on this matter, as luxe-leather was a prominent trend in their collections. However, there is nothing worse than having an item of clothing cling to your skin in the approaching warm weather. Dump the grunge and embrace the sheer, floaty materials that are beginning to infiltrate the high street this spring.
Craving and Saving: Red Carpet accessories
Craving- Mawi Emerald gemstone earrings (Available at Harrods) £289.
harrods.com
When assessing the contenders of this year’s red carpet style awards, as much attention will be paid to the accessories that compliment a dress, as to the dress itself. The Mawi jewellery brand launched in 2002, and is prized for its eclectic pieces that offer a vintage edge. These earrings balance contemporariness and timelessness with the tassle design and the rose gold respectively. The emerald gemstone gives them a regal feel and makes them the perfect craving item to achieve that red carpet style.
Saving- Triumphal Blue Earrings Swarovski £99
shopstyle.com
Swarovski are a great brand for providing the ultimate dress jewellery pieces, without the hefty price tags. These chandelier earrings offer a gorgeous pop of colour with the turquoise acrylic glass, and the floral motif design is enough to bring red carpet glamour to any outfit.
Ch-Ch-Changes
The weather in Manchester now is confusing to say the least. If you’re anything like me and have given up on weather apps to avoid the horrid realisation that your iPhone is most likely taunting you with the idea of sun then here’s what you need. I’ve broken down my three key pieces to help you transition your wardrobe whilst the weather attempts to settle on something.
First off is my new obsession: brogues. I bought a brown pair last week and they are quite simply the best things ever. For a classic look, perfect for any smart to smart-casual affair, they’ve been glued to my feet like a pair a ruby slippers. Prices can range from as little as £38 (though they are less likely to be leather) to hundreds of pounds. I’d highly recommend a pair.
Photo: ASOS.com
Next on my hit list are Oxford shirts. I know, another classic that you may think is boring but they’re such versatile pieces. Even browsing ASOS now whilst writing I have to restrain myself from clicking the illicit “add to basket”. Buttoned down with a t-shirt underneath, or buttoned up with a tie, without a tie, sleeves up, sleeves down, it’s the Swiss Army knife of shirts. To cap it off there’s an entire plethora of colours available. For this period though I’d pick light blues, pale greens and if you’re brave enough some faded yellows. It’s not quite summer yet but these brighten up your day now and are also great for the few days of sun allocated to the Northwest.
Photo: Zara.com
Finally something that’s a little less safe. Officially known as a foulard, (effectively a scarf made of a very lightweight fabric) I think this is a great piece to see you through the Manchester seasons. For those who like to keep the breeze away, this will certainly help. For those who want an edge to their outfit, it will help too. An infinite choice of patterns will add some texture to your look, or some plainer versions if you want to keep it natural. With numerous ways to wear it too, whether layered with a coat, or simply just with a t-shirt. As an example I’ve picked out this one from Zara that will be a great to see you through Manchester’s beastliest days.
Spring Forward: SS13
Sex in the Sixties
The 1960s has to be my absolute favourite style decade: unrivalled for ease and effortlessness, it gave the world Bardot and taught us how to wear black. So, I’m delighted that the SS13 catwalks had a sexy ‘60s spring in their step. Bouffants are back, but in an understated wearable way that’s not going to leave people thinking you’ve grown a second head. As are feline flicks of jet black eyeliner and monochrome madness.
It’s also bringing back the long left-out polo-neck. Yes, they were done to death in the early noughties, (just watch Love Actually if you don’t believe me, the film is pretty much a roll-neck revolution: there’s one in every scene) but the ‘60s inspired polo-neck is something different all together. Snug around the neck, and almost everywhere else, they’re sexy (yes I’m still talking about polo-necks) especially when worn with arguably the chicest item of the season: the black leather mini, tell me I’m wrong?
Moving downstairs, trousers are cropped, tight and straight which means we can all stay snugly zipped into our skinnies guilt free for a few more months! If in need of style inspiration look no further than Alexa Chung, a true ‘60s siren for our times. Here she is at J.W. Anderson’s LFW show rocking a grown-up 1960s look and somehow simultaneously managing to triumph with one of spring’s trickiest trends, All White, without looking washed out. Just look at that artful contrast of textures: this is why we love her.
Photo: Tumblr @carissimacara
Bikers vs. Bombers
The presence of the bomber jacket on the SS13 catwalks was a controlled explosion: skillfully detonated with just a dash of danger. They were indeed everywhere and in myriad form, whether picking up the leather trend in matte black or temptingly embellished with spring’s inevitable florals woken up with an unexpected 3D twist. There was some competition however from its more streamlined cousin: the biker jacket, which reinvented itself in unusual fabrics and colours. So, if you’re going to go biker, why not break away from black? It’s been done and done and unless you’re Kate Moss it’s a tad yawn-some. Instead shake things up a little with some spring shades and playful textures. Both jackets are a fantastic way to weather the unpredictable British seasons, but which will you choose? Cara Delevingne loves her a bit of both: she’s been spotted in silk bombers, Letterman jackets galore and, of course, her staple textured black biker.
Photo: stylespot.com
Pencil this in your SS13 diary…
The pencil skirt is something of a daunting garment. Hollywood would have us accessorise it with a Marilyn-worthy wiggle and the world of work has deceived us into believing that under no circumstances may it be worn with flats, but the pencil skirt is actually far more wearable than you might think. Although not so handy when running for the bus (they do inhibit your stride somewhat), a black pencil skirt is simple chic at its best. It has versatility in abundance: whether thrown under a big jumper on a grey and drizzly Manchester morning for comfort that looks as cool as it is cosy or worn with a crop top and a playful flash of midriff (à la Rihanna) for a more subtly sexy alternative to the tried and tested crop top and denim shorts on a night out. This unexpected wearability can only be good news considering the pencil skirt slunk down almost every SS13 runway, and, from what I’ve seen of the AW13/14 catwalks, they’ve carved (or should I say curved) themselves a niche that they’re reluctant to let go of.
Fashion Week Roundup
Although Spring/Summer 2013 may now be upon us (even if Manchester’s bizarre microclimate tells us otherwise), complacency in fashion is never an option. With Paris fashion week having just ended, one must begin looking forward to the next Autumn/Winter collections so as not to fall behind (as if). So what will we be coveting, and hopefully wearing, come Fresher’s Week 2013?
In London, Burbery Prorsum, known for influencing trends year after year, debuted sharp ensembles embellished with animal prints and stripes; with the classic trench appearing in wet-look and even in transparent rubber (sexy yet classy, always a favourite). Roksanda Illinic wowed the front row in London with a daring palette of various colours (a rarity at A/W shows), hinting that, this autumn, pastels and mint green will be brightening up our wardrobes. For the less adventurous, luckily a key colour to invest in this year will be grey, which proved a hit in New York at shows such as Caroline Herrerra and Vera Wang.
Jason Wu Show. Photo: www.fashion-style.becomegorgeous.com
Fur, not surprisingly, was everywhere in New York with Mink and Fox fur making a massive appearance throughout the week (Jason Wu was a personal favourite). And if like me you’re somewhat adverse to wearing animals, faux fur versions will no doubt come our way. With high street chains such as Topshop being given prominence at London Fashion Week and a H&M show in Paris, fashion has never been more accessible – making the impact of the major fashion weeks relevant to buyers of all budgets. And, if the well-received Topshop Unique show is anything to go by, what we have access to is fun fashion in the form of pink shearling coats and pleated skirts.
Balenciaga Show. Photo: balenciaga.com
A standout look at many Paris shows was sophisticated monochrome, most notably at the Viktor & Rolf and the Balenciaga shows. With simplicity in terms of colours, this means the onus is on smart, structured shapes next season to complete the look. In Milan, the effect of Chanel’s amazing December show in Scotland was rife, with D&G, Moschino and Alberta Ferretti all professing a penchant for tartan. So for those of you without a clan tartan, you can just fake a little highland heritage next season (I won’t tell, promise).
Photo: Moschino.com
Great news for all you leather lovers out there, your beloved material will still be making waves next season, but you may have to branch out from black – candy colours may seem out-there, but Prada does know best. So whilst I have only skimmed the surface of the numerous trends making waves in the fashion world, you now have no excuse to feign ignorance when everyone’s wearing tartan and you’re still in khaki. No excuse.
Deadline day diet
My approach to essays is hardly one that I’d shout from the rooftops: vaguely become aware of a looming deadline, chill; realise said looming deadline is in fact this week, chill with a slight hint of guilt; deadline is no longer looming and is in fact tomorrow, eat.
‘Night before’ essay writing is mine, and I’m sure many others’, forte. There are the people who post statuses claiming not to have started an essay, whilst they are actually sitting in front of a perfectly planned 2000 words. Then there are those of us who truly have not begun. Whether you spend your last precious hours in the comfort of your flat or in the learning commons amongst fellow disorganised souls, food remains a necessity.
Whilst my undying love for McVitie’s chocolate digestives will never fade, it’s come to my attention (rather depressingly) that these half coated, circular delights are pretty bad for me. Especially at three in the morning. So what should we be snacking on instead when desperate times call for desperate measures?
Why not try sugar free jelly, a surprisingly satisfying sweet treat? Or berries? Unfortunately, buying them fresh you mean you will probably rack up a total rivalling the price of a Parklife ticket. Head to the frozen aisle instead (making sure to avoid eye contact with Ben and Jerry) and pick up a pack of Sainsbury’s Basics Berry Mix to store in your freezer.
The classic carrot and houmous pairing is another tast and healthy snack. Crunchy foods are also said to help the stress subside by ridding you of jaw tension, so take that Plato.
If the aforementioned options aren’t taking your fancy, there is always homemade popcorn. Stock up on brown paper bags (Amazon) and some kernels (good old Sainsbury’s); microwave until the popping stops and you’re reading to face a long gruelling night.
So, while I’m cursing myself the night before a deadline yet again, at least I can nibble without completely ruling out hopes of a summer bikini body.
Mum’s the word
Mums, where would we be without them? Lifestyle editors Dana and Beth share their views.
Beth:
It’s only been since I’ve flown the nest and moved myself 100 miles away from my mum for nine months of the year, that I’ve realised the value of her presence in my life. Until I came to university, I had never been subjected to any domestic chores whatsoever. I had never used a vacuum cleaner or a washing machine in my whole, entire life. The most complex meal I had ever cooked was cheese on toast, and the furthest I’d ever taken a ‘financial plan’ was to budget myself £20 for a night out.
Suddenly, I was thrown into what all condescending adults like to call ‘the real world’- a daily grind of feeding myself without burning any of the food or causing a fire, running frantically around Sainsbury’s trying to find every Basics product in stock, and ensuring that I set around fourteen alarms every morning so I get out of bed and make it to lectures on time. Without having my mum on the other end of the phone, I think I may well have managed to throw myself under the 142 before Christmas.
I recently endeavoured to cook a Sunday roast for myself and two flat mates. It has to be said that I emerged from the ordeal highly stressed, sweaty and with a new found hatred of Yorkshire Puddings (who knew that they took so long to rise?) I called my mum to vent my frustrations and realised that this is what she does every Sunday.
I have come to a similar conclusion about many of the ‘real world’ events I have experienced over the last few months. It has made me realise that I take the little things that my mum does for granted. They have left a big ‘Mum-shaped’ hole in my life since I’ve moved away.
This Mother’s Day, I will be showing true appreciation to my mum for everything she does, big and small. I encourage you, fellow students, to do the same because it’s the one day of the year that can really show a bit of love and gratitude to the women that gave us life. And then we can go straight back to being argumentative, stroppy young adults for the remaining 364 days, of course.
Dana:
I am 20 years old. My mum is 40 years old. By the time she was my age she had left education, got a full time job, met my dad, moved in with him and given birth to her first baby (me). Fast forward two decades later and here I am, single, childless, studying at university and still wondering how on earth the dress I have been ironing for about an hour has managed to become more creased than when I started.
When I first came to university in September 2011, I was under the illusion that it would all be one big party. I never imagined quite how much I would miss my family and my faraway hometown of Plymouth. Despite meeting my lovely now-housemates, it took a whole lot of crying down the phone before I truly began to enjoy myself. Even then, I was often counting down the days until I would be met with a great big mummy cuddle at the train station.
The truth is that I was (and still am) a baby – just quite a big one. If it was still socially acceptable for me to hold my mum’s hand in public, I probably would. I always have and always will be a mummy’s girl. So, like Beth, I have realised just how much we students have our mums to thank for this Mother’s Day.
My mum has been behind every single one of my achievements – from learning how to walk, read and write, to passing my A-Levels and getting into university. She played Barbies with me when I was four. She told me that it was all going to be okay when I was dumped for the first time aged 16. She put me to bed when I was 17 and too drunk to stand. She waved me off in Manchester when I was 18 and she will be here again to see me graduate next year.
We may joke about the cleaning, the cooking and the ironing, but it is the words of encouragement, the instilling of confidence and the unconditional love and support of our mums that have led us to where we are today. And they will lead us to where we are tomorrow, too.
60 second interview… Jason Manford
Students at a charity comedy event were shocked when a ‘surprise headliner’ turned out to be none other than Jason Manford. After a 20 minute set, The Mancunion managed to catch up with the funny man himself in an exclusive interview.
Jason, when did you decide that stand-up comedy was the career path for you?
I was thinking about this today actually, funnily enough. I’ve basically been doing this my whole life: I started when I was sixteen and didn’t get paid for a while [laughs], but I always knew that I wanted to be an entertainer. Stand-up became the one thing I was really good at, you know; it’s sort of like singing or dancing, you just discover it.
So you have no formal training in the field?
No, I went to university and did media courses, but you can’t really teach stand-up. It’s a natural sort of talent really; you can’t tell someone how to make others laugh.
That’s true! So what kind of crowd do you like to perform for the most?
[Pauses to think] Well, obviously big shows are good because the people who are there already like you! You don’t even have to convince them that you’re funny. Playing at places like the o2 [arena] and at the Royal Variety Show are very exciting; people have travelled from all over the country to see you, it’s a big honour. But when I have the time, it is always good to perform in front of smaller crowds and do charity appearances like this.
Do you do a lot of work for charities?
I try to do as best as I can with charities. If I agreed to do every charity gig I was asked to do, I could probably do one every night, so it becomes tricky deciding which charities to perform for. I often agree to perform for children’s charities, such as this one [Jason performed at a fundraising event in aid of After Adoption] because it’s a cause close to my heart, having children myself.
Finally, any exciting plans for this year ahead?
Quite a few: I go back on tour in May, through until January, which I’m really looking forward to. I also have a couple of pilot sitcoms out – the gates are really opening for me in TV, and I’m hoping that one of those will take off.
Jason supported the children’s charity After Adoption, raising money to provide support for families involved in the adoption process. If you would like to find out more information about the charity or donate, visit www.afteradoption.org.uk.
The awkwardness of dating
When it comes to dating I am your typical British girl. The thought of going on a date grips me with an insurmountable fear. Thus I only went on my first ‘proper’ date aged 19, with a guy who I had been ‘seeing’ (but not ‘dating’) for a couple of weeks.
After revealing my dating virginity to said guy, he insisted that we go out for dinner. I immediately panicked about what we were going to talk about and how I was supposed to behave. How on earth was I going to manage to hide my insanity and control my unattractive habits of snorting and cackling?
The truth is though, that dating doesn’t have to be all that scary. Try to ignore the pressure of the ‘date’ label and concentrate on using it as an opportunity to really get to know the person. My first ‘date’ with a previous boyfriend was spent sitting outside on the grass, just talking for ages. There was none of the ‘who pays for what?’ palaver and there was no need to put on a front.
Contrary to the classic first date of dinner and a movie, I see nothing wrong with a casual cup of tea (not coffee, don’t risk the bad coffee breath). There is the opportunity for tea to turn into lunch and you can take things from there. Ultimately, the most important thing to keep in mind when dating is to be you. Yes – the real snorting, cackling you, with your own opinions and all of your insanity. If the date is subsequently a terrible train wreck, then not to worry; there are plenty more hotties (and potential ‘dates’) lurking around various corners of campus.
Courgette falafel
I really went off courgette fritters when my Dad had a phase when he made courgette and sweet-corn ones all the time; we had an allotment and courgettes were our most successful crop so something had to be done with them. However, this recipe put them right back up there. These crisp yet filling (falafel-esque) courgette balls covered in creamy tomato-y sauce ranks in my top curry recipes- meat included. Make no mistake: this dish is a centre piece, not a veg accompaniment. Rice, naan and a fresh salad will complement its luxurious sauce nicely. I make double the amount of courgette and the original amount of sauce. I give the recipe in the original quantities. If you find you have too much you can enjoy it with something else the next day when it’s even better!
Balls
3 tablespoons chopped onion
Oil
500g grated courgette
1 green chilli finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons parseley or fresh coriander
45g gram (chickpea) flour (Sainsbury sells it)
Sauce
2 onions chopped so add on the onions in the balls and do them together
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Cayenne to taste at least ½ teaspoon
2 teaspoons ground coriander
A tin of tomatoes
150ml double cream
½ teaspoon garam marsala
Salt
-Grate the courgettes and put them in a colander with ½ teaspoon salt and let them drain for 30 mins. Then squeeze out as much water as you can, saving the water for the sauce.
-Fry up the onions, taking out the amount for the balls once soft but keep frying the ones for the sauce until they have a bit of colour. Then add the turmeric, cumin cayenne and coriander followed by the tomatoes and 250 mls of courgette juice. Simmer for 15 mins. Add cream and garam masala then season with salt.
-For the balls; mix the courgette with the ginger, chilli, coriander and gram flour and season. Make into little balls and fry until brown all over. Add to the sauce and simmer for 5 mins or so to finish cooking.
Simon Rogan comes to Manchester
Manchester is incredibly lucky to be attracting a chef of the calibre of Rogan – he is one of a group of chefs who is currently working to revive and redefine modern British food. At L’Enclume, his 2 Michelin star flagship restaurant in Cumbria, Rogan has combined a strong sense of place and connection to his environment with beautiful presentation and inventive flavours. A meal there is guaranteed to include many ingredients and herbs you have never heard of, combined in such a way that each component is allowed to shine. His food is so much more than the sum of its parts, and is made more special by its beautiful Cumbrian location, surrounded by his farms which supply the restaurant with interesting and rare produce. It has become something of a foodie pilgrimage destination, and people are willing to travel vast distances to eat there.
Rogan has already branched out to other parts of England, and in London opened a two year ‘pop-up’ called Roganic. I ate there last September, and was blown away by the amazing succession of tiny, perfectly-formed courses. The food was incredible, and the staff seemed almost like members of the cult of Rogan, they were so passionate about what they were serving and the ethos behind the meal. Nevertheless, they were willing to admit that for the full experience you needed to go to Cumbria and eat at L’Enclume. As brilliant as it was, Roganic was never going to be more than a spin-off, a reflection of Rogan’s talent but without the other elements that are so central to the experience of his food.
So what does this mean for Manchester? Rogan is opening two restaurants in the Midland Hotel, which has recently had a £400k makeover. The French will have 50 covers and is likely to be similar to Roganic, keeping true to the style of food at L’Enclume with many tiny and beautifully formed courses. Despite the name, it will serve exclusively British and local produce in a distinctively modern British style, and shows an exciting new direction in the Manchester food scene. I have written before questioning if Manchester is really an appropriate setting for Michelin-standard fussiness, but the French will certainly be a step in that direction, and is sure to be excellent.
The other restaurant will be a 150-seater that will be serving more casual, and not exclusively British, food. This will certainly be more affordable, but one wonders if Rogan’s style will translate, or if this will be more of a hotel restaurant capitalising on his celebrity. As of the 12th March Manchester will have two restaurants run by one of the best chefs in the country, and time will tell if Rogan will succeed in recreating the brilliance of his flagship restaurant, or if some part of the magic gets lost in translation.
Review: ‘To The Wonder’
Terrence Malik has a reputation amongst actors for paying almost more attention to the landscape around them than to their own performances, and his keen eye for the beauty of nature is certainly apparent in To The Wonder. The film is stunningly shot, showing the splendour in even the most mundane suburban and industrial landscapes. However in places the film does begin to take on the quality of a particularly beautiful perfume advert, as the camera follows the actors dancing across fields to softly spoken voice overs addressing the nature of their love.
The story follows an American who, whilst on a trip to France, falls in love with a European woman and brings her and her daughter back to the US where the relationship begins to strain. Ben Affleck’s quiet and steady presence contrasts well with the sensual and lithe energy of Olga Kurylenko as his lover, and the performance of her young daughter stands out as Malik manages to capture her youthful exuberance with a rare sense of honesty. Javier Bardem’s role as the priest searching for reaffirmation of his faith helps give the story definition, although the intertwining storylines occasionally felt overly subtle. Nonetheless To The Wonder is a beautiful and thought-provoking study on the possibilities and fragilities of love.
The casting vote: an interview with Nina Gold
Awards season may be over but we’re all still talking about who won what. Yet one role in the filmmaking process that deserves a lot more recognition at the award ceremonies is that of the Casting Director. Sophie James talks to one of the best, Emmy-winning casting director Nina Gold – whose work includes The King’s Speech, The Iron Lady, Nowhere Boy and Les Misérables – about the growing importance of the casting director, making Colin Firth King of England, and Eddie Redmayne’s amazing voice!
I was blown away by Les Misérables, which you cast. How difficult was it to find actors who could sing? Or did you have actors lining up at your door?
We really did have actors lining up at the door – everyone wanted to be in it, including big movie stars who wanted to show that they had the musical skills. In any other circumstances, movie stars would never audition, but with musicals they have to, and everyone did, and it was fascinating. It became instantly obvious that some people have a natural affinity for the medium and are very at home telling the story through music and song, and we were lucky enough to get our first choice for every part, and that is incredibly unusual.
Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Marius was a highlight of the film for me. There must have been plenty of actors after that role. What made you think of him?
I’ve seen all his work and think he is an absolutely brilliant actor, and had the romantic quality for Marius. I’ve cast him in other stuff and then, when he sent a clip of himself singing ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’ that he made with his iPhone and it turned out he could sing it, it was obvious it had to be him.
In his acceptance speech at the 2012 BAFTA’s for The King’s Speech, which you cast, Tom Hooper suggested the role of casting director deserved official recognition by having its own award category. Do you think the role of the casting director has grown in importance in recent years?
In the old days of filmmaking there wasn’t a casting director – I’m not sure who did it, but no one is credited on early Hollywood films. It is a big and difficult job and getting it right is essential to making a good film, and also very collaborative – the relationship between the director and casting director is key. I really think we should get awards…but then, I would!
Films like Les Mis and The Kings Speech must have been interesting from a casting perspective – do you prefer films that present new challenges?
It’s never easy, I have to confess. Les Misérables was fantastic fun to cast because of the singing. I had only ever done one thing that involved singing before, Topsy-Turvy by Mike Leigh, and that was also absolutely wonderful.
What is the extent of the casting director’s role – where does it begin and end?
It begins with the script, sometimes long before there is any money raised to make the film and sometimes ends with the last piece of casting, and sometimes lasts as long as giving one’s opinion during the edit, in the cases where I have a very close and long lasting relationship with the director.
Does it require a different approach when casting real life roles such as George VI, John Lennon in Nowhere Boy or Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady? Does it add more pressure to get it right?
I suppose it does – especially when they are still alive! You do need to make a decent stab at making them a bit similar to the real person. Though it can be quite a lot to do with capturing the essence rather than a lookalike approach. In fact, Colin Firth looks nothing like the real Bertie and is much taller and was older than he was supposed to be, but in the end, he was so brilliant that one doesn’t even think about that, and he certainly made the role his own.
You cast Australian actress Mia Wasikowska as Jane Eyre and Irish/German actor Michael Fassbender as Mr Rochester in Cary Fukanaga’s 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre. What are your thoughts on foreign actors playing English roles?
I think if they are really good, then it’s fine and one needs to have an open mind and remember that the world is a lot smaller than it used to be. But they really do have to be good, and the fear of a Dick Van Dyke moment in film is always very frightening.
What else do you have coming up for 2013?
The Counselor by Ridley Scott and written by Cormac McCarthy, which is a very dark and wonderful film. A Long Way Down – directed by a great French director, Pascal Chaumeuil, from a Nick Hornby novel. World’s End, directed by Edgar Wright and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost again. Rush, directed by Ron Howard, about James Hunt and Nikki Lauder, I thought I wouldn’t be particularly interested in it but it is brilliant, even for someone with as little interest in formula one as me. And Don Hemingway, a very black comedy about an ex-con’s return to life outside prison, starring Jude Law in a complete transformation from his normal self.
And a few random questions….
If they remade Gone With the Wind, who would you like to see play Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara?
Hmmm – I guess it would have to be George Clooney wouldn’t it? How about Jennifer Lawrence? But maybe they aren’t the right age for each other. I’m very relieved that I don’t have to find the solution to that problem today!
Who could be the next Bond?
Idris Elba? That would be good.
Is there a literary or historical figure that you would like to see on the screen and who would you cast to play them?
At the moment I am casting a television project about the Vatican and am trying to cast the Pope which is particularly interesting at this moment.
I’m sorry but…There are few ‘worse things I could do’ than watch Grease
It’s the cheesiness of Grease I can’t bare. The entire hour and fifty minutes is thickly coated with an overwhelming stench of cliché and stereotypes. What’s worse is Grease has found the perfect balance of not being so cheesy that it becomes absurdly funny, but cheesy enough to be frustrating and annoying! To add to this, its quick dialogue becomes pretentious from its poor attempts at paying homage to the golden age of music from the ’50s, while representing the earlier half of the ’70s.
Grease certainly earns its name, but more with regards to its attempts at innuendo. Constant attempts to capture the sexual curiosity of the young teenage characters is cringe worthy, especially when these kids are supposed to be 16, and yet some of them look old enough to be the parents of 16 year olds! It makes me shudder to see middle-aged looking men giggling about brushing past some boobs or talking about willies.
As a musical, Grease really doesn’t have the prestige of other musicals like Moulin Rouge! and Singin’ in the Rain. It was based upon a Broadway musical which was subject to mediocre reviews, and this 1978 film is no different; not surprising with the half arsed attempt at a Western style “riding into the sunset” ending!
Preview: ‘Oblivion’
This April Oblivion will hit cinema-screens across the UK. Director Joseph Kosinski has assembled an A-list cast including Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman in an attempt to win over sceptics of this genre, much like he did with the largely successful TRON: Legacy.
Oblivion is based on a Graphic Novel written by Kosinski himself and is set on a dystopian planet Earth. Cruise plays a former marine by the name of Jack Harper, one of the last drone repairman left on earth. The planet has been left on its knees by an Alien race, simply known as Scavs, following an invasion some 50 years previous. In a perhaps all too familiar post-apocalyptic nuance Harper is part of an operation to extract the remaining resources from earth. He lives in an airborne town and life is predictably tough for those who have stayed behind on the gruelling mission. The real ‘Hollywood-element’ of the film rears its familiar head when, in the closing stages of his mission Harper is inclined to save a pilot from a crashed spacecraft. By saving his new lady-friend, Harper triggers a chain of events that turn this post-apocalyptic nightmare upside down. He begins to question everything he has been told regarding how the war started with the Scavs and why things had turned out so badly for the humans.
Oblivion feels a bit like Total Recall and looks like the video-game Fallout 3 – a tasty combination. And with a calibre of cast to rival its main mid-Spring competitor Iron Man 3, Oblivion should attract audiences of all ages and fans from a variety of genres. Once we get into its gritty side, Oblivion looks like it will show both a political and fantastical edge that blockbusters have been guilty of lacking in recent years. If Kosinski can pull all the factors of the storyline together, then Oblivion will be an early contender for the surprise-package of 2013. Daft Punk will add some gloss to the movie by making a return alongside Kosinski for the soundtrack and Olga Kurylenko and Andrea Riseborough round off an impressive cast.
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