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Day: 8 March 2016

Homophobic Facebook post leads Sheffield University to expel student

Written by Emily Hulme on . Posted in News.

A mature student at the University of Sheffield has been expelled from the institution after posting homophobic content on his Facebook page.

Masters student and father of four Felix Ngole quoted a verse of the bible that states that homosexuality is an “abomination”. The 38-year-old also publicly announced his support for Kim Davis, an American County Clerk from Kentucky who was jailed for purposefully declining licences for same-sex marriages.

These posts provoked the university to invite Ngloe to a ‘fitness to practice’ hearing: a university committee that regulates teaching to be in accordance with the professional body. The committee decided that the student should be removed from the course, demanding his student card be handed in. The committee said the posts were offensive to certain individuals and Mr Ngloe’s views were “not deemed appropriate of someone entering the social work profession.”

According to The Independent,  Mr Ngloe’s rejected the university’s decision, stating that he was being discriminated against. He was quoted as saying: “My beliefs about marriage and sexual ethics reflect mainstream, biblical understanding, shared by millions around the world.” The student has appealed against the university’s decision to remove him, saying: “I wonder whether the university would have taken any action if a Muslim student who believes in Sharia law, with its teaching about women and homosexuality, had made moderate comments on his Facebook page. I don’t think so.”

Mr Ngloe also claims the university were vague in explaining the reasons for his dismissal at first, with their only explanation being that his behaviour involved breaching social work guidelines on “personal conduct” and “bringing the profession into disrepute.” He disputes the university’s decision, arguing: “I am not against people who are in same-sex relationships, that is their choice, but I am a Christian and if asked for my views I should be free to express that. I didn’t intimidate anyone and I didn’t treat them in a discriminatory manner.”

The Christian Legal Centre, a group that supports court cases where Christians have purportedly been discriminated against for their views, have publicly supported Mr Ngloes. The Chief Executive, Andrea Williams, announced: “Sadly, this is yet another case of Christians being ‘neutered’ in the public arena, and of censorship of their views.”

LGBT* news site Queerty felt the story unnerved them, stating: “There’s something icky about derailing someone’s career based on a Facebook post. It’s a little too 1984 for our tastes.”

Sheffield University will not comment on the issue as a result of the ongoing appeal.

Bollywood versus Indian independent cinema

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Film.

Bollywood is not as superficial as it seems..

The Indian film industry is the biggest film industry in the world, producing over 1,000 films a year and selling up to 6 billion tickets annually. Bollywood is based in Mumbai and although the name relates to Hollywood, Bollywood films contain characteristics which are far from the typical Western blockbuster. With a length of over three hours and featuring at least five song and dance sequences, they are a feast for the eyes and ears. Big stars, elaborate costumes, and scenes in exotic locations transport viewers into a world of aspiration and glamour, far from the mundane everyday life.

Initially only viewed by an impressively big Asian audience or by NRIs (Non-Residential Indians), the marketing machine behind those films has made them more popular in the West in recent years. As a result, the films have become shorter and generally try to appeal more to a Western audience, losing their original charm and authenticity. Furthermore, Western audiences might get a wrong impression of what life in India is really like. Bollywood portrays a very selective amount of Indian people who are mostly privileged upper middle class and Hindu despite India being a country with a big wealth disparity and a melting pot of languages, ethnicities and religions.

As someone who has only seen a handful of popular Bollywood films; I was surprised to learn that Indian cinema has a very fascinating and old heritage. Therefore, Bollywood films should not be dismissed as light entertainment unless one is aware of the symbolism and origin of this particular film industry. Originally based on traditional theatre, the first silent feature films were produced in the 1910s in India. Early films mostly thematised mythological and traditional tales. The amount of special effects and storytelling devices used in those early films were impressive for that time period especially.

Even the most superficial Bollywood films contain dance sequences which are based on and are a mix of traditional Indian worship dances from South Indian and Punjabi folk dances. On top of that, the films often subtly or openly re-tell Indian mythology, especially tales from Ramayana and Mahabharata, the most important religious epics. Despite their perceived superficiality and many flaws, Bollywood films entertain the masses and their influence on culture should not be dismissed. Especially because the stories and heritage of those films that move billions of people often go deeper than most people anticipate. But it should not be forgotten that Bollywood mainly wants to most of all, entertain.

Still from Chauthi Koot, a Punjabi independent film screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Photo: The Film Café

… But Indian independent films portray the real India

When I was at a party, a lot of people were discussing Indian cinema. Having seen the improvement of Indian cinema in the last five years, I asked everyone, “So, do you guys know about Indian cinema?” I received a lot of answers, a lot of hand movements, head movements, and an insane amount of reference to the drivel of Bollywood films. Those films which feature mindless screenplays, a really powerful male actor, a really pretty female actor, a happy ending, and box office money generated by people starved of happiness in their life who crave escapism.

These films reach the West because of the backing of big distribution companies and because of the craving of the NRI community to relive the Indian experience. Before commencing further, one more fact: India has 14 official regional languages, it has 9 film industries of different languages, and Bollywood is the third largest of the industries in terms of a total number of films. Moreover, the most expensive films are not a Hindi films but Tamil ones: 2.0, and Baahubali: The Conclusion.

When I say Indian cinema has improved over the years, I refer to the acceptance of Indian independent films into the biggest film festivals around the world. In the last 5 years, major film festivals like Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, Toronto, and BFI London have not only screened, but also honoured films  such as Dhanak, Court, Killa, Massan, Miss Lovely, Gangs of Wasseypur, The Lunchbox, Patang, Chauthi Koot, Liar’s Dice, and many more.

These films, unlike the quintessential Bollywood films, talk about the India that miles away from Mumbai or New Delhi. They have the earthiness of the working class, and these films are filmed at real locations. They reject the popular dance and fight sequences. These films are more real and they ask questions to the audience about India’s social structure. The audiences do not only get informed but they also leave the cinema with something to think about in their mindless affairs of life.

Foreign manners for you journey planners

Written by Louisa Hall on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Stepping off a plane into a new and unfamiliar paradise can be the best feeling in the world. It’s already paid for, the journey went without a hitch, and the exciting plans are sprawled out in front of you. “Now I can relax” you optimistically think to yourself, glazing over the fact that trying not to offend the locals is a minefield.

Photo: Nick Holliday @Flickr

We’re monitored before we even utter our first stumbling phrasebook words in a foreign land. Although in England, we are by no means forthcoming in our friendliness towards others, it is actually rude and considered “too intimate” to smile at strangers in Russia. Moreover, in Vietnam a friendly or jokey crossing of the fingers would have quite the opposite effect; far from a good luck symbol, they say it resembles a “feature” of the female body (now WHAT could that be..?) And, it is therefore the equivalent of flipping the bird. So watch out, Lotto, you’re not going to sell many tickets with that obscenity! Of all things, an unexpected sneeze is-snot okay in Japan, and would warrant a glare of disgust rather than an (admittedly half-hearted) “bless-you”.

Photo: E shaughn @Flickr

Even when you’ve finally found someone to chat to or something to do, you’re still not out of hot water. In Germany, standing with your hands in your pockets whilst talking to someone is very rude, as is chewing gum during a conversation in Italy. Tipping is considered an insult in Japan, and would therefore not be met with the gratitude that you may have expected. Alas, forget everything your mother told you! Burping after a meal in China is encouraged and is the sign of a good meal. Meanwhile, in The Netherlands you are expected to sit in the front seat of a taxi; the driver is your chum, not your chauffeur.

Photo: Anthony White @Flickr

*Deep breath*. Kissing is a whole other kettle of fish: two in Spain and Italy; three in The Netherlands; one for someone the same age in Belgium, or three for an elder; and between one and four in France depending on the region (…maybe avoid here). The Flemish don’t make contact, the Spanish touch cheeks with a kissing noise, and Italians make no noise…

The Germans just shake hands.

Understanding the social norms of every country is worthy of a degree, and a few slip-ups are guaranteed. But what better practice is there than being British? With our over-using of the word “sorry”, compulsive need to queue for everything, and extensive range of context-dependent laughs, if you can survive the English public, then you can survive anywhere.

Live: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Written by Matthew Staite on . Posted in Music.

Manchester Gorilla

15th February 2016

7/10

Read that name over again, one more time. If that isn’t one of the best names for a band that you’ve ever read, I don’t know what is. Thankfully, alongside their tongue twisting name King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is also a brilliant live music force. In the genre of psychedelic rock, the band have a prolific record release rate, having released two albums a year—including the excellent Quarters! And Paper Mache Dream Balloon which was released in 2015. In what feels like a dangerous accusation to make, a lot of their songs do sound the same. But then again, this is not a bad thing; their frequently 10 minute long tracks filled with hook-filled guitar loops and jazzy breakdowns are infectious as hell.

Playing to packed out venue, Gorilla, on a Monday night, it seemed like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have certainly captured the hearts of many Mancunian music fans, too. The set was raucous (to say the least) from start to finish. Unrelenting psychedelic tracks like ‘I’m in Your Mind’ and the correspondingly named song, ‘I’m Not in Your Mind’, provided the sonic backdrop to near-continual stage invasions that saw teenagers invade the stage before launching themselves into the crowd throughout the entire gig. Strangely enough, security didn’t seem to mind—letting the debauchery continue. Without a moments pause, the band launched straight off from those tracks into the equally intense ‘Cellophane’.

And that’s exactly how it continued: relentless. I hate to say it, but a lot of the set did sound the same. Normally this would be a bad thing, but strangely with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, it wasn’t. The band members were simply such brilliant musicians, that you couldn’t help but be engrossed. The drummer and bassist kept the rhythm section going like clockwork, whilst the utterly brilliant psychedelic mess continued on top. At times, it would verge onto heavy metal territory when vocalist Stu Mackenzie would utter a scream, but then he got out a flute. A flute. Whether he just had his flute left over from his schoolboy days and didn’t want it to go to waste, I will never know—but somehow it worked!

I couldn’t bring myself to stay for a 10 minute psychedelic blast of an encore, but I didn’t feel that I needed to. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard had proved their point.

Review: The Forest

Written by Joe Hunt on . Posted in Film.

The Forest built what could be an interesting premise, something which we rarely see these days in horror films—unfortunately, it chooses to take this interesting premise of a gentle woodland stroll and then leaves it there to die.

When Sarah (Natalie Dormer) goes in search for her twin sister Jess (also played by Natalie Dormer) who disappeared from her teaching job in Japan, many fear the worst as she was last seen walking into Aokigahara, a real place in Japan that is also known as the suicide forest. Based on a genuinely haunting place, this film had the potential to create something truly unnerving—and also possibly quite beautiful, but it instead relies on tired old tropes which it adheres to without much enthusiasm or success.

It seems like quite an easily workable premise: being lost in the woods alone, surrounded by the hanging bodies of tortured souls. This is something which should at least be a little scary, but somehow it isn’t. And that’s the main issue with this film, it simply isn’t scary at all. In fact, it’s quite boring. There is no sense of suspense throughout the film, with only a few jump scares offered as what we’ve come to accept as the traditional substitute for any substance in most modern day horrors; however, in the advent of snapchat filters, even these have lost any bite they once had.

To her credit, Natalie Dormer does her best in this film. She gives a genuinely believable performance, and somehow manages to whittle two characters out of a film that honestly, barely gives her enough material for one. In fact, this is another premise that the film could have worked better with—you barely see the twin sister Jess at any point in this movie, which is a shame because as I say, it seems that Natalie Dormer could really pull off the dual role. It’s not exactly Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers, they chose to dress one twin like an Amanda Seyfried character and the other as Wednesday Adams in order to distinguish them apart, but it was an aspect of the film that I enjoyed watching.

You can’t say the same for Dormer’s co-star Nick Antosca who plays Aiden, a fellow American who acts as Sarah’s companion through the forest and does absolutely nothing in this role; answering the age old question: “if a character gets lost in a forest and there’s no audience to care what happens to them, will it make an impact in any way at all?” to which the answer is apparently no. The rest of the characters in this film consist almost solely of Japanese stereotypes (sushi chefs, school girls and so forth).

The whole film is just a disappointment. Mainly because it contained elements which could have made a good horror film, which recently, the film industry has been lacking; with a few exceptions in the last few years. A good actor, an interesting setting and the directing do not seem too bad. If you excuse the occasional moment where the camera pans around the character whilst they desperately search for something or someone, then the film isn’t too bad look-wise. But while it appears to be trying to enlist the art of spectral Japanese horror, it falls back on lacklustre and formulaic American horror. The makers of this film were messing with forces they clearly did not understand.

In short the film’s tagline to not “stray from the path” does not ring true at all. In fact, if you were to ever visit Aokigahara forest, I would recommend going off the path; the surrounding area looks like a beautiful and relaxing space. The scariest thing that’s going to happen is someone stumbling into your tent while you’re asleep. But don’t worry, after that, nothing really happens.

2/5

Classic Review: Pather Panchali

Written by Mritunjay Sharma on . Posted in Film.

It’s like taking a tour of an art gallery and then getting mesmerised by the brilliant paintings, and when the tour ends, you can’t decide which painting you liked the most, leading you back to the first room to take the tour again.

On a first viewing, Pather Panchali can be seen as a film which sells poverty to the west, but on a deeper level, it is just a simple story of an extended family. It’s a story of aspirations and hopes of different characters, whether it be the father, Harihar who works as a priest but wants to be a playwright or a poet and earn a decent income to provide comfort to the family; the mother, Sarabjaya who wants Harihar to make some money so that the neighbours stop taunting her and the family, so that one day, she can walk in the village with her head held high; the old lady, Indir, who tries hard to be a part of the family despite living in the same place and wanting to hear something good from Sarabjaya; the kids Durga and Apu, who want to follow the sound of the train they hear every evening and see what it looks like—though both children keep teasing each other all the time. Yet, they still want to enjoy the simplest things of life together—be it the chutney that Durga makes, sharing the fruits that Durga steal from the neighbour’s place, running wildly in the fields, following the sweet vendor, or theatrical performance.

Moreover, in this film, we can also see three different generations of women portraying three different ways of life. Durga the child is fearless, she is a free spirit, and she is not bothered about anyone. Though she is loved by her parents, she is treated inferior to Apu, but then her love for Apu never diminishes which is evident throughout the film as she is protective over him.

Sarabjaya, the mother is worried not just about the state of the family but also the way neighbours and the others in the village treat them because of their financial situation. She tries to live with some dignity and she feels aghast when Durga is accused of stealing as it impacts her pride. Indir, the old lady lives alone but she is still self-sufficient and self-respecting and she shows that when she is taunted by Sarabjaya, she leaves the house and takes refuge at another relative’s house. She leaves the house permanently to show Sarabjaya that she is not going to take the tantrums.

The film also takes on the different kinds of death, the death of the old lady which only impacts Durga because of her closeness, and then the death of Durga which affects the whole family—including Apu, which can be seen in the end when Apu drinks the milk himself and combs his hair himself. This death leads the family to migrate to a distant place in the end.

The beauty of this film is enhanced by the beautiful shots of the countryside, along with the unstoppable nature that takes place around the village. These shots are complemented by the sitar music played by Ravi Shankar. A lot of people can say that the film is slow, which is true, but that is how life takes place in a village. And at the end of the day, it is the portrayal of life which director Satyajit Ray tried to mimic, and he succeeded.

HOME Pick of the Week: King Jack

Written by Jake Sanders on . Posted in Film.

King Jack—the story of a bullied delinquent learning some big life lessons after his young cousin comes to visit—is a solid addition to the coming-of-age genre, but it isn’t exactly groundbreaking. At its best, King Jack recalls the work of David Gordon Green (excluding his forays into stoner comedies), with naturalistic dialogue and dreamy cinematography that work together to ground viewers in the summertime melancholy of its protagonist’s headspace. It’s difficult to talk about King Jack without referring to other film directors because Felix Thompson (making his feature debut) wears his influences entirely on his sleeve. Besides Gordon-Green, anyone familiar with the work of Jeff Nichols—or even our very own Shane Meadows—will find King Jack to be more than a little derivative.

But derivative does not always mean bad, and King Jack is ultimately, a very charming—if slight—film. This is largely due to the fantastic leading performance from Charlie Plummer, whose depiction of adolescent malaise is note-perfect, with exactly the right blend of insecurity, vulnerability and awkwardness that only ever seems false when the script lets him down.

The script is the film’s weakness; tending to veer off into clichés and jarring tonal shifts. Its early scenes are the strongest, they focus on how Jack deals with the humiliation and cruelty of his everyday life. A third act decision to examine the cyclical nature of violence and bullying has the potential to be interesting, and the intensity of the brutality is appropriately difficult to watch. But it unfortunately lacks the gut-wrenching and emotional impact of a film like This Is England, because any sense of character development is only given to Jack’s tormentor, too late into the film.

It would be easy to criticise King Jack for being naïve in its presentation of poverty—or for not fully exploring some of the darker themes at its centre, but optimism is an important for coming-of-age stories. Though the film is checkered with troubling moments, it’s clear that Thompson is more interested in examining the healing powers of companionship and the importance of responsibility than forcing the audience to endure 90 minutes of unrelenting emotional distress.

Though King Jack is undoubtedly a flawed film, audiences should find plenty to enjoy in its sincere and tender approach to familiar subject matter. Thompson’s decision to draw so heavily from the canon of small town dramas could be read as a lack of confidence from a first-time director, but there’s enough good stuff in King Jack that a second film from the director could be something worth anticipating.

3/5

Albert’s Schloss

Written by Felix Sanders on . Posted in Food & Drink.

The Schloss is opposite the Great Northern Warehouse on Peter Street, in what can be referred to as downtown Manchester. I’d seen the place, at a distance, a couple of times and watched crowds of people outside, doormen with Kangol-esque hats dipped over one eye, young professionals with jawlines in blue suits and dresses toying with notions of modesty. Before I knew anything about the place, I felt drawn to it.

When you talk about places to go out at night, to eat or drink, certain adjectives specific to the nature of the outing crop up. You hear ‘studenty’ a lot, as in, “it’s pretty good, quite cheap, really studenty”. The ‘after-work’ descriptive is how I would begin to talk about Albert’s Schloss.

I very rarely think about what to wear when I go to review a place however in this circumstance, I specifically chose a shirt; a nice shirt, white, second-hand Paul Smith. I don’t know why I felt the need to conform to the idea I had of the kind of clientèle the Schloss entertains, I just knew I wanted to arrive in a shirt.

The way diners interact with the greeters and maître d’hôtels is fascinating. You know you’re judged and classified the moment they set eyes on you. The shirt in question pulled a wonderful wool over the eyes of the woman who showed us to our table. There was something egotistically comforting about feeling that, because a single item of clothing, I belonged in the sleek yet gemütlich atmosphere of the two million-pound brainchild of what has been humbly dubbed Mission Mars Ltd.

Mission Mars Ltd. is a combination of two restaurant/bar groups. One half being the owners of Trof, The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and The Albert Hall. The other, Inventive Leisure plc, the owner and operator of Revolution Vodka.

So these two titans in Mancunian hospitality pooled their resources, with the aid of a £2 million Growth Capital Loan from Santander Corporate & Commercial, and set about transforming a beautiful Grade-II listed building into a beautiful beer hall and cook haus.

My dining companion, a guitarist from the post-punk group ‘Weird Will’, and I were shown to are window table at 7:30 on a Wednesday night. The whole place was full. In a what must be 150-plus seat venue this is saying something.

Our waiter was lovely, and I’m not often overly complimentary of waiters—but this one deserves a special accolade as, towards the later part of our meal he came over with two very golden, very free beers. They had been poured by accident and he was wondering if we wanted them: “You are probably my soundest table,” he shrugged. Win.

The beer game at Albert’s Schloss is serious. There are eleven umlaut-infested tap beers, from various Czech and German breweries and myriad of different bottled options. We opted for Pilsner Urquell and Dortmunder Vier; at £5.00 and £4.60 respectively, it’s not a cheap pint, but remember that about two of those five pounds goes towards the atmosphere.

As for the food. Don’t go to Albert’s Schloss for the food. If you do find yourself eating there you won’t suffer too badly but still, it’s like Austro-German pub food. The chicken liver paté (£6.50) had the unsettling consistency of whipped cream, but the house baked bread it came with was good. To give credit where it’s due, my house smoked wurst (£5.00) was deliciously moreish but the pickled cabbage it came with had a dust-like impact on my mouth, and the kraut was not a great deal better.

For mains I stayed traditional with a chicken schnitzel (£9.50) which was overwhelmingly average and my partner chose fish frites (£12.00). A sincerely ridiculous name for battered hake with chips. He seemed happy enough though.

Go to Albert’s Schloss. The atmosphere is incredible. I’ve heard great things about their Friday and Saturday nights with live bands, roving saxophonists, and spinning wax. So go, eat before you go, but go nonetheless.

27 Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR
Price £££
Food 2/5
Drinks 5/5
Service 4/5
Atmosphere 5/5
Value 3/5

TV Binge: American Crime Story

Written by Tristan Goldsmid on . Posted in Film.

22 years after O. J. Simpson’s charge with the double murder of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and friend
Ronald Goldman, FX revives the “trial of the century” in this 10-part recreation with an excellent cast, featuring Cuba Gooding Jr. as O. J. Simpson, and John Travolta and David Schwimmer as Simpson’s
defence lawyers.

Occurring two years before the trial and forming the backdrop to the case, the 1992 Los Angeles riots thrust the issues of police brutality and racism into the spotlight. The rioters took to the streets for six days, immediately after the acquittal of the four police officers from the LAPD who were charged with the violent arrest and beating of Rodney King. Feelings of injustice and mistrust in the police engulfed the African-American community and explains why the opinions were so divided when American football star O. J. Simpson was charged with murder.

This complex backdrop is cleverly woven into the opening episodes of the American Crime Story’s first season, which doesn’t shy away from tackling racism head-on. The programme opens with footage from the riots, the infamous footage of Rodney King’s arrest, and in-backroom scenes where members of Simpson’s defence utilise and manipulate racial tensions by selecting a jury made up of mainly African-Americans. The show handles these issues superbly, and is best evidenced by the conflict within the characters themselves. Simpson, for instance, first refused to play the “race card” by appealing to the African-American community, believing that his celebrity status is enough to convince people of his innocence.

This celebrity status is explored in the second episode, depicting the famous Bronco car chase; which, cleverly cut between real footage and cheering spectators, whilst Simpson is pursued by police. Celebrity culture arguably plays a more prominent role in society today, and thus the portrayal of Simpson’s special treatment in the media raises some intriguing questions about how we treat celebrities. But not all the references to celebrity culture work—the inside jokes and references to the Kardashian name in particular—stemming from Robert Kardashian’s backstory, felt like cheap and unnecessary nods to today’s well-known reality TV stars.

Despite this, American Crime Story is an incredibly clever and exciting recreation, giving a factually based insight into one of the most controversial and dividing trails in history. What makes watching the case as a recreation particularly fascinating is how many of these racial issues such as police treatment of African-Americans remains the same 21 years later. In recent years the number of high profile acts of police misconduct has been increasing. As a result, whether or not you agree with the verdict, the recreation of the O. J. trail gives audiences an opportunity to be reminded of race’s prominence once again in contemporary society, as well as its role in recent history.

Live: Lucy Rose, supporting City and Colour

Written by Paul Norris on . Posted in Music.

Live: Lucy Rose (supporting City and Colour)

20th February 2016

Albert Hall

7/10

Following the release of Lucy Rose’s second album Work it Out last summer, her profile has seen a steady increase with a more refined and energetic sound that perhaps counteracts her diminutive persona. However, therein lays her appeal—distinctively inoffensive yet extremely catchy and relaxed records. What says the most about her increasing popularity is the fact that the Albert Hall was already full for her support set; people were not just hanging around at the bar waiting for Dallas Green.

The set began with a solo performance of ‘Into The Wild’ from the latest album. A charmingly affectionate opener which highlighted her capability to captivate a crowd without a full band. Yet, it was not until the full band joined Rose that the set really got going. The band added an element of dynamism to the sound that can became somewhat repetitive with just an acoustic guitar. The band complemented the gracefulness of the songs and didn’t drown out the relaxed vocal style of Rose. Such could be heard on ‘Middle Of The Bed’ from Rose’s first album, an endearing yet somewhat groovy number that  still sounds good four years after its release. The same could very much be said about ‘Lines’, which, despite being a remarkably peaceful song, still managed a progressive nature and an urge for foot-tapping.

At this point, the set became rather repetitive if not slightly forgettable. This was the biggest obstacle for Rose, her unique chilled out style could become slightly limiting. Yet, the most memorable part of the set soon followed with Dallas Green joining Rose on stage for a rendition of ‘She’ll Move’ and it was hard to not get the impression that Rose couldn’t really believe what was happening. However, the combination with Dallas Green actually highlighted her similarities with the City and Colour star—an endearing and folky nature. In fact, Lucy Rose now sells her own range of tea to accompany her album. Quaint, yet bearing a tendency to pass you by.

Manchester scientists discuss the possibility of alien life

Written by Alina Shrourou on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

A 60-minute conversation between staff from the University of Manchester—including Dr David Kirby (Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine); Professor Matthew Cobb and Dr Sheena Cruikshank (Faculty of Life Sciences); Professor Danielle George (Engineering); Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan (Materials); and science fiction writer and physicist Alastair Reynolds—has been uploaded onto YouTube as a 4-part episode discussing the possibility of alien life.

The aim of this discussion was for public engagement of an interesting and speculative subject that science has not yet been able to provide a definitive conclusion for. The videos demonstrate that not one perspective can answer such a question, and thus requires evidence and opinion from a number of expertise. The topics discussed included the practicalities of alien communication and contact, the origin of life, and possible alien life forms.

At the start of the discussion, all experts agreed that simple alien life is possible, but intelligent life form is unlikely. Spoiler: Sadly these opinions don’t change by the end of the discussion, but it’s a fun and interesting watch nonetheless, with good science conversation and some friendly ‘battle-of-the-sciences’ banter.

This is particularly obvious between materials expert Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan and biologist Professor Matthew Cobb. For example, Dr Vijayaraghavan states, “We don’t understand 90 per cent of the universe and the 10 per cent we think we understand we kind of understand a little bit—so how can we know how aliens would communicate with us? They probably have [found us], they’re probably walking amongst us”, to which Prof. Matthew Cobb replies, “What’s the probability of probably? Probably very tiny.”

Dr Vijayaraghavan then questions Professor Cobb in part 2 of the programme, when Cobb states that, “The joining of two cells that produced our eukaryotic cells only happened once in 3.5 billion years.” Vijayaraghavan responds by asking, “How can you be so sure that it only happened once in one location?”

From mentions of space graffiti to alien taxonomy, the discussion was entertaining, informative, and easy to understand for a general public audience. Dr Sheena Cruickshank, Academic Lead for Public Engagement with Research, commented on her involvement in the show, saying, “I very much enjoyed making this—it was fascinating to research the topic and discuss with scientists from such diverse backgrounds as we all had different views and ideas.”

Professor Matthew Cobb, who led the show, spoke to The Mancunion about the importance of science communication and public engagement efforts like this. He said: “I think that scientists—and academics in general—have a responsibility to explain their work to the general public. Directly or indirectly, the public pay for our work, so they have a right to know.

“Equally importantly, if we care about our subject, if we think it is important or interesting, then surely we should want to explain it to as many people as possible.

“The world is changing in remarkable and alarming ways, and new technology is enabling us to manipulate the natural world with an unprecedented degree of accuracy.” He continues, saying: “I think deciding how to respond to climate change and threats to biodiversity will require us all to be able to understand what is at stake—the potential advantages and the potential risks. In various areas of science we are at the threshold of some astonishing discoveries.

“For example, physicists have realised that they do not know what 85 per cent of the universe is made of, while biologists have been able to reconstruct humanity’s astonishing evolutionary history, making discoveries that that would have been dismissed as science fiction only a decade ago. At these two very different scales, science is about to change how we view our place in the universe, what it is to be human, and indeed the very nature of reality. Everyone should know about this stuff!”

The link to the discussion on YouTube can be found here.

The experts have recorded a second programme answering the question: ‘Will the machines rule the world?’

My Style Diary

Written by Sarah Kilcourse on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

University is an environment where there are no rules or limitations about what you wear. We have the opportunity to be as creative or as lazy as we like on a daily basis, so here is a run down of my outfits for the week.

Monday

As an English Literature student, I only have nine contact hours a week (I can hear you groaning). Annoyingly, this year, six of those are consecutive on a Monday, 12pm – 6pm, making Monday the day that I put the most effort into what I wear, because I see the most people—how shallow, I know! This week I went for a polo neck jumper and some patterned trousers, warm and comfortable for cold lecture theatres.

Photo: The Mancunion

Tuesday

My Tuesday starts at 10am and although it’s not horrifically early, it does impact upon how much effort I can be bothered to put in. So, jeans and a jumper it is, keeping it casual. However, I was going to see my boyfriend in the evening, so I didn’t want to be too scruffy.

Photo: The Mancunion

Wednesday

Luckily I have a nice mid-week break on Wednesday, which I spent with my boyfriend visiting some art galleries, meaning I actually made an effort to look nice. I even brought out the lipstick!

Photo: The Mancunion

Thursday

I had a full library day planned, so it was pure comfort, a big loose t-shirt dress, with an even bigger jumper and my comfiest shoes. I find the library can be impossibly cold, so my scarf also doubled up as a blanket.

Photo: The Mancunion

Friday

The majority of my clothes were in the wash and I was absolutely freezing, so a big pink jumper finished off my week. In the evening I went to see Husbands and Sons at the Royal Exchange (which I thoroughly recommend), so I changed into a black jumpsuit/culottes creation.

Photo: The Mancunion

Strobe your way to spring skin

Written by Talia Lee-Skudder on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

With spring fast approaching, it’s time to say goodbye to the caked-on face of foundation to conceal winter’s red nose and embrace the dewy, glowy, fresh face to transition into the warmer months. If you found yourself panicking over the lengthy process of achieving a killer contour during the Christmas period then spring just might be the season for you. Thanks to the technique of strobing, the spring makeup regime is faster, with a lighter coverage and luscious luminosity accentuating your features. This look leaves you feeling fresh with a glow that would put Kendall to shame.

So, what is strobing? Strobing is basically just a fancy term for highlighting. Instead of using the thick and heavy cream-based products that are used for highlighting when you contour, with strobing the products are lighter and contain lots of shimmer. The trick of the trade is to only apply the highlighter in the places that catch the light: the cheekbones, the top of your brows, below the brow bone, down the bridge of your nose, the corners of your eyes and finally above the cupid’s bow. Unlike contouring, where you try to desperately locate your seemingly non-existent cheekbones, strobing isn’t about changing the look of your face, it is about enhancing the fabulous facial features you have already. Beware of getting too slap-happy with the highlighter though, because you can run the risk of going from glowy to greasy with a misapplication.

Every skin tone suits a different shade of highlighter. For girls with fair to medium skin, champagne and slightly pink tones are best for achieving the dewy and shimmering look. Whilst for those who have an olive to dark skin tone, golden and terracotta based highlighters will create the look. Benefit cosmetics do a great range of highlighters that suit all different skin tones. High-Beam (£19.50) is a gorgeous pink champagne-toned highlighter, while Sun-Beam (£19.50) is a golden cream-based luminator that is perfect for people with a darker skin tone or for those who are still rocking their summer tan. Another favourite from Benefit is the glitzy, shimmer highlighter stick Watt’s up (£24.50) that is fabulous applied either before or after foundation. For those of you who prefer a powder, then Topshop does two different powders in their range: Chameleon highlighter in Mother of Pearl (£12.50) and Highlighter in Horizon (£10.00). However, the most sought after highlighter product on the market is the Mary-Lou Manizer from The Balm cosmetics. This gorgeous product is priced at £17.50 and will transform your face, leaving you with an enviable fresh-faced glow.

To achieve the ultimate natural spring beauty look, pair your chosen highlighter with a light wear foundation, bronzer, lashings of mascara and a pink-toned lippie. Strobing will reinvigorate your makeup routine and leave you wondering how you ever coped without it. Some lasting advice: embrace your newfound makeup look, go out and shine bright like a diamond.

All that glitters…

Written by Sophie Soar on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

… is gold. Another LFW has flown by, with the trends set in place for Autumn/Winter 2016. Designers showcased their finest cuts, colours and materials across the five days; but while thousands of outfits were shown, the buyers, journalists and dedicated followers were interested in one thing: what works, what sells and what the wearer wants.

As a self-confessed magpie, my weakness is glitter, jewels and sparkling sequins. The details mesmerise and designers are no fools to their enchanting quality. Like an entrancing rash across the catwalks, designers from Burberry to Erdem caught the infection.

SIBLING provided an athletic knitwear interpretation, using glitter wool in hooded tops alongside shimmering accessories from earmuffs to helmets. Alternatively, David Koma’s bedazzling was less subtle than that of SIBLING, revealing a netted top with a jewelled chest. This chainmail resemblance further extended into the skirts of dresses, complemented with sheer material; strength and delicacy combined into one.

However, this season, all eyes were on Sarah Burton’s return to London with Alexander McQueen’s dazzling new collection. The show started with flowing dresses that scatter butterflies across the body and hard-edged tailoring styled with body chains. The latter looks developed into sheer material with intricate detailing of jewels sparsely covering the body. The dresses seem barely there, until the shimmer of jewels showcase Burton’s brilliance.

The trend reached overseas, too: Dolce and Gabbana’s grand finale at MFW displayed the label’s elegant decadence as the models sauntered down the catwalk in glittering silver, baby-and hot- pink dresses; the collars brandished the designers’ iconic jewellery, with a gentle netting at the base of the neck.

Undoubtedly, my personal favourite would be Eudon Choi’s silver boots, with striking merlot red suede down the heel counter. Metallic footwear extended across many of the runway shows and as a result has firmly placed their shining foot in the door: this is a trend to stay.

International Alcohol Etiquette: Breaking down the barriers of communication

Written by Aj Mal on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Learning a new language can be time consuming, and communicating with the locals when travelling is often difficult to master. For this reason, we have constructed a brief international guide to the most essential phrases you will need to get served anywhere on the planet!

 

First: How to order a beer.

To enjoy a pint in Germany, ask for “Ein Bier, bitte!” The French request is, “Une bière, s’il vous plait”, whilst Italians stylishly utter “Una birra, per favore!”

In Spanish, “Una cerveza por favor” will get you a beer. However, if you’re up for the challenge, it’s recommended that you take the time to learn some of the many regional adjustments.

For example, in Catalan: “Una cervesa, si us plau!” And in the Basque region of Bilbao and San Sebastián, you will need to ask for a “Garagardo bat, mesedez!”

For a cold one in Sweden, “En öl, tack”. In Prague, “Pivo, Prosim”.

In China, you can only try to pronounce “Ching gay woh ee bay pee joh!”

And for Beers in Brazil and Portugal, try “Uma cerveja, por favor!”

 

To say cheers, running through the following phrases should eventually see you stumble upon the right words:

Poland and Russia:”Nazdrovya”
Sweden: “Skol”
Germany: “Prost”
Spain: “Salud”
Italy: “Salute”
France: “à votre santé”.

 

Whilst commonly known as simply just beer, or similar words such as “Bier” (Germany), “Biere” (France), or “Birra” (Italy), more unusual names include:

“Cerveza” in Spain, but “Garagardoa” in the Basque region. “Cervesa” in Catalonia, and “Cervexa” in Galicia. “Una Pinta” can also be requested.

“Une Mousse” or “Une binouze” in France. “Bironga” in Mexico and “Pi Jiu” in Mandarin. In Eastern Europe, the Baltics and Russia, it is called “Pivo” or “Piva”, and in Scandinavia, ask for an “öl.”

Enjoy!

An Evening of Beer and Tapas

Written by Aj Mal on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Taking place in Spinningfields’ sophisticated Spanish venue, the recently opened authentic restaurant Iberica held a Beer and Tapas evening, which allowed an escape from an icy February eve, and immersion into the world and flavours of renowned Spanish beer master Casimiro Mahou.

The evening kicked off with an introduction to the history and development of artisan Spanish beer in the atmospheric upstairs dining area of Iberica, which contrasts with the expansive and lively bar area.

Three gourmet Beers where enjoyed, each inspired by Casimiro Mahou, a pioneer who dreamed of creating outstanding beer in wine-dominated Spain. These beers are currently unique to Iberica, and not available anywhere else, which is a pity given their lush, palate-pleasing flavours.

The golden foamy wheat beer, Marcenado, had a malty honeyed flavour. We were advised on a method to enjoy the intense flavours and scents. This involved swirling the beer with your hand over the glass, in order to allow scents to build, and then inhaling. This, however, has left me now unable to drink without automatically cupping, swirling, and sniffing my drinks—not to be attempted with hot coffee!

Recommended accompanying tapas avoided the confusion in selecting the right combinations when faced with a huge menu full of choice and variety.

Shunning the ever popular and well known tapas dishes, we were instead treated to Iberica’s signature Serrano ham croquettes, with a delicate moreish flavour that complemented the beer perfectly.

The Maravillas lager was described as representing the entrepreneurial spirit of Casimiro Mahou, and had a stronger, more citrus flavour, with a hint of caramel.

This was accompanied by the fantastic asparagus, manchego, and onion confit on a rich truffle oil toast. This was a stark contrast to many of the tapas dishes we have come to know, and had a strong and multi-layered flavour that would make it the perfect accompaniment to any beer. Definitely one I would like to try again, and plates were rapidly cleared.

The final beer of the evening was the vibrant red coloured Jacometrezo. Dedicated to originality, it certainly achieved this with its sweet yet spicy flavour and rich beige foam.

The beers were all served with specific glasses suited to allow full experience of their rich flavours, and were all served at their ideal temperatures.  A warm beer is perhaps a good beer, and we were warned that beers which you are advised to drink only at very cold temperatures are so in order to disguise poor quality!

Not wanting to finish there and with our appetites stirred, Iberica’s bar menu was perused for more tasty treats.

Served in the high ceilinged and wildly decorated bar area, the punchy flavour of Padron peppers, and the lingering, garlic aroma of fried chorizo lollipops in pear alioli, were washed down with the best Sangria I have ever tasted, made with cucumber and mint, and one of four varieties available.

This relative newcomer to the city is already massively popular in London as a venue for top end, authentic, and high quality Spanish food, and it was a rare treat to enjoy such a varied feast of food and drink. Delicately crafted food and drinks, rich with complex flavours, left everyone wanting more.

The Pilcrow Pub

Written by Evie Horsell on . Posted in Arts.

On a crisp and sunny Friday morning in Manchester I found myself in the heart of Castlefield surrounded by industrial Victorian warehouses. In one of these sites is Joe Hartley’s workshop, now serving as the heart and development centre for the exciting community-spirited project, The Pilcrow Pub.

In this dusty, dynamic and creative workspace are the team behind the project that is soon to be built in NOMA, behind Manchester Victoria. The aim for this venture, as the brains behind the idea Ben Young explains, is to create a pub, therefore a social welcoming space, which has been supported by the best of Manchester craftsmen. In turn this site will also house multiple workshops specialising in true craft skills, such as workshops in wood and ceramics, skills that have been eclipsed by technology for the youth of Manchester.

Photo: The Pilcrow Pub

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So why a pub? As Ben enthusiastically addresses, for him and his team it is the first original social network; the pub is the heart of a neighbourhood. By creating a pub there is the hope to create a community, a hope to create a welcoming, earthy, and completely inclusive space.

These ideas are already evident in the pub accents that have been created in previous workshops, from bar taps that have all been individually sculpted, to the bar cornices that have been fashioned to form the shape of a pilcrow, a paragraph sign. There is no control over who will design the space; the pub is constantly in transition depending on new creative activities and involvement.

So what can this pub do for us students? Aside from the obvious fact that it serves alcohol! Building the actual pub starts in a couple of weeks and once constructed the workshops will be open to anyone, with any level of skills. So if you’re hoping to learn a new skill aside from your degree or wanting to revisit a previous one, this pub is the place. The team are sure to make anyone feel welcome and confident in your abilities; I was only there for ten minutes before I started creating my own journal using traditional techniques and fabulous local materials, such as paper from G. F. Smith.

Photo: The Pilcrow Pub

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am sure that this community-spirited, wholesome, and visionary drinking hole will be a much welcome addition to Manchester’s famed drinking scene.

Thanks go to Ben Young, Project Leader, Joe Hartley, Head Maker, and to the other helpers and crafters for making me feel so welcome.

To find out more about this designer boozer, or to become part of the 600 volunteering team visit: thepilcrowpub.com

How to: Wear Colour

Written by Perisha Kudhail on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Colour is what makes the fashion world go round. Anna Wintour swears by colour and, in this world of sophistication, we might be being a bit too reliant on the convenience of black. I am not condemning the significance that black plays in all of our outfit choices, but it might be time to put a splash of colour back into our outfits, ready for the spring.

There are so many creative ways to make the most out of colour and so, even if you have never really been a fan, here are a few tips to brighten up your outfit.

You don’t have to ditch the black

Just because colour season is here, don’t feel pressurised to ditch the black. Wearing the right accessories is a great way to add a colourful zing. Try a black base with a block-coloured shoe (red is always a favourite), then team this up with a matching clutch and lipstick.

The bigger the better

For those of you who are more accustomed to colour, spring is the best time to experiment with shades that suit you. For the spring, colourful prints are a fantastic way to put that edge back into your closet. Be careful not to overload and clash two opposing prints; the bigger one pattern is, the more wow it’ll have.

The colour is underneath

By using a coloured base with a block colour on top, you are adding colour in a very subtle but stylish way. From coloured socks with black shoes, to a coloured vest top underneath a cardigan, there’s always a way to add a ping to your outfit.

Keep within the same palette

As a general rule for wearing a variety of colour, it’s always best to stick to the same palette. If you are wearing pastel pink, you could tastefully pair it with a dark pink item. With this simple rule, you can compose an outfit that will help you pull off colour with ease.

Don’t be scared to experiment

Not all palettes are for everyone; you need to experiment with different tones and colours to find out what suits you. Different skin tones pull off different colours in different ways. Darker skins tones tend to pull off warmer tones beautifully and paler skin tones pull off royal colours really well. Of course, you’ll never know if you don’t try…

7 of the very best in budget beauty

Written by Rebecca Thomas on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Homemade Foodie Lip Balm

Anyone with an experimental streak and a passion for natural ingredients is able to capitalise on this sneaky trick. You can allegedly make tinted lip balm using one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, mixed with any one of the following crushed ingredients: one raspberry, three blackberries, three cherries, or the juice from three pomegranate seeds. Mix well, strain, and play around with quantities to find the perfect recipe. If you can master the best ratio for you, then you have discovered a lifetime of chemical-free, dirt-cheap lip care. Life is balmy.

False Eyelashes: Swapping the Falsies for Baby Powder

This trick is best approached with caution, but does work; baby powder used between mascara coats makes eyelashes look thicker. The method is to curl eyelashes as usual, apply one coat of mascara, and then, taking a cotton wool bud dipped in baby powder, coat lashes until they look ashy grey. Add another coat of mascara to finish off.

Vaseline Perfume Setter

The tub of miracles has a lesser known use alongside its many moisturising purposes. Applying a dab of Vaseline to skin prior to spraying perfume on the site helps to lock the scent in and make it last much longer.

Nivea Men Post Shave Balm: as Good as a High End Primer

YouTube beauty mogul Nikkietutorials introduced the online populace to this trick after running out of her own moisturiser and using the next best thing in her boyfriend’s bathroom cabinet. She used Nivea Men Post Shave Balm under her makeup and was impressed by how unaltered it looked ten hours later. Use it like a normal primer and wait for it to go slightly tacky before applying makeup—I can testify that it lives up to the hype. Beauty bloggers claim the high amount of Glycerine it contains is what makes it so effective. The best news is that it costs less than a fiver and smells delish.

Starbucks Napkins

This is a great tip for managing oily skin—Starbucks napkins function well as alternatives to blotting paper. The freebie napkins have developed such a cult following for their blotting paper qualities, that they even have their own page on MakeupAlley.

Steam Facial

This beauty hack costs virtually nothing and feels like a deep pamper session. Remove all makeup, bring a few cups of water to the boil, and leave in a bowl. Drape a towel over your head so you look like a Dementor and then steam for ten minutes with your eyes closed, finishing the treatment with another cleanse and moisturise .

Argan Oil Foundation

Argan oil or, alternatively, coconut oil, can be bought online for very little expense and has many beauty enhancing properties. It can be used as deep treatments and is the current trend for making super glowy foundation. A drop can be added to any oil-based foundation and it will make the skin glow—this is best for people with dry skin but powder can be applied to the T-zone so that the glow is in the correct places.

Review: Endgame

Written by Georgia Peyser on . Posted in Theatre.

A classically British beach scene—with children playing and pensioners lounging in deck chairs—lifts up and reveals a harsh industrial box that appeared to be at the bottom of a dark cavernous pit. This is the setting for HOME and Citizens Theatre’s production of End Game by Samuel Beckett.

Endgame is centred around the demanding and wheelchair-bound Hamm (David Nielson) and his begrudging carer Clov (Chris Gascoyne), as they go through the motions of living in a post­-apocalyptic wasteland, watching their food slowly dwindle, and waiting to die.

Nielson and Gascoyne, both of Coronation Street fame, play well off of each other. With their bickering exchanges being highlights of the play, along with their use of physical comedy, they really elevated the lighter moments in Beckett’s often morbid script.

Other moments of light relief came from the humorous appearances of Hamm’s parents, Nagg and Nell, played wonderfully by Peter Kelly and Barbara Rafferty respectively. They reminisce about their past travels, whilst being reduced to living in dustbins. Their sweet and loving relationship provide a nice contrast to that of Hamm and Clov’s.

Clov’s use of physical motifs was effective in bringing the audience a sense of the repetition and mundanity of their lives in the short time we spent with the characters. Gascoyne gave a strong performance as Clov, bringing vulnerability to a character that could have easily been interpreted as simply bitter. This really helped the audience to understand why Clov hadn’t left the unpleasant Hamm, or just killed him off as he requested. Some of the most moving parts of the play were when Clov treated Nagg and Nell’s bins with such a tenderness that we saw the characters longing for love and family.

Where I felt the play fell short was in some of Hamm’s longer speeches, where it was sometimes unclear what was supposed to be an aside and what the other characters were aware of. This made these moments the least engaging, which is unfortunate, as they contained some of the more profound ideas in the play. Also, the fleeting moments in the dialogue where Hamm is affectionate towards Clov didn’t really hit home, making the conclusion of the play less moving than it had the potential to be.

That being said, the excellent use of a ticking clock in the encroaching darkness made it a poignant ending all the same, and perhaps Nielson and Gascoyne’s Coronation Street following will introduce a new audience to Beckett’s work.