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Month: November 2016

Review: Police Cops

Written by Jack Harrison on . Posted in Theatre.

The Pretendmen’s sell out Edinburgh Fringe show graced The Lowry for a single rain-sodden evening. An hour long show of madcap physical theatre transported the audience from Salford to even meaner inner-city streets, bypassing the Old Retired Police Cop Bar, and out into the wilds of Mexico on the hunt for an elusive cartel leader and drug baron, Hernandez.

The trio of actors, Nathan Parkinson, Zachary Hunt, and Tom Turner, all assume multiple roles throughout the show, changing in front of the audience in the wings on the stage, and losing a good few pints of sweat over the course of the hour. Their props and costumes may be minimal, the use of a two-fingered glove as a gun for example, however, they do not distract the audience. Instead, they showcase the sheer imagination that is at the heart of Police Cops.

Jimmy Johnson, played with an inordinate amount of energy by Hunt, starts as an innocent child playing catch with his brother, who offers to adopt Jimmy when their dad eventually dies, but is soon thrown headlong into the real world when his brother is shot, multiple times, in front of his eyes. “Be the best police cop ever… ever… ever…” are the last words Jimmy hears from his brother, and set him on a course to become the last name in law enforcement.

This perhaps is all that is needed to say about the plot; the show eschews any notion of a three-act structure, instead choosing to lampoon every possible trope and cliché of the crime-fighting genre. If you can imagine Starsky and Hutch crossed with Police Academy, with Naked Gun thrown into the mix, then you get a clearer picture of Police Cops. The latent homoerotic bromance between the new boy and the retired detective, Lieutenant Harrison, played with glee by Turner, is established within a matter of minutes of them meeting. The surprise villain should have been seen from a mile away, yet their unmasking is still as bizarre and hilarious as you could hope for, and the obligatory montage takes place, topless, on horseback, in the Texan sun, with all the barn-raising bonding imaginable.

The three actors start at a hundred percent and hardly let up throughout. They hurl themselves and each other around the stage in tightly synchronised choreography: leaping, twisting and vaulting to incorporate a range of gunfights and explosions. With the cast being so small, you would expect them to run into difficulties portraying such a wide variety of characters, both main and secondary, however they overcome this with aplomb. Wigs, dolls and even a dodgy accent are enough to convince the audience of their characters, a testament to the engaging nature of the show.

The Pretendmen are on a national tour until the end of 2016 — check out their Twitter and Facebook pages for dates and venues, and remember: “It’s not how good you become, it’s how good you’re going to became.”

Flats for evening wear: yes or no?

Written by Jennifer Knowles on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Since the Ancient Egyptian era, women have endured the torturous motions of the high heel. But the days of blistered toes, aching feet, and grazed knees seem to be drawing to a close.

An event caused uproar last year when it was reported that some women were banned from entering a Cannes Film Festival event for wearing flats instead of heels, as they were deemed ‘inappropriate’. Although heels give the illusion of longer, more slender legs, thus enhancing our figure, studies show they actually have a negative effect on your body. By pushing your lower back forward they cause the spine and hips to come out of alignment. At the same time, they increase the pressure on the balls of your feet by giving the illusion that you are walking on a ramp.

Victoria Beckham has officially hung up her heels and she was seen taking her final bow at her label’s 2016 show in New York wearing a pair of Adidas trainers. She told the Telegraph ‘I just can’t do heels anymore.’ At Milan Fashion Week’s Autumn/Winter 2016 shows, Giorgio Armani, Missoni and Tods were among some of the designers who sent their models down the catwalk wearing flats. The designers proved that flat shoes with your evening wear don’t mean you have to look boring!

Forget the day-to-day dolly shoe and focus on a shoe with the glamour of a heel but the comfort of a slipper, like the ASOS Lux Chain Detail Ballet Flats. These velvet beauties come with a pointed toe and straps lined with silvers chains that cross elegantly over the arch of your foot, all for £15. They’re perfect for wearing with a long dress or skirt for an evening party. If you’re all for the comfort of a flat but want the added height from your shoe, try a flatform: a clever invention you can wear with almost any evening outfit. These remove the uncomfortable factor of your foot being at an agonising angle but add the height of a heeled shoe — win win!

Flats with your evening wear are an ultimate yes from me: less pain, more comfort, and you can dance all night long!

The statement of status

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

It is a fact of life today that our lives revolve around social media: a sad but undeniable reality. I, for one, spend a lot of my spare time perusing ‘click-bait’ and reading stories starting ‘owner enters kitchen to find dog in fridge – you’ll never guess what happens next’ or ‘Cutest kid reads a book. This story will change your life forever’. I invariably fall for it and then, after watching a pointless six minute video to see nothing happen, I vow never to waste any more minutes of my life on such articles. This internal conversation occurs on a daily basis.

Yet I convince myself that reading Vogue articles — which make up the majority of my Facebook news-feed — is forgivable. Is it not a valuable lesson learnt to see what eyebrow shape Cara Delevingne ‘revolutionised’ or ‘who wore it best’ to the VMAs? Forever remaining impartial, this includes every female celebrity who attended but still, one of ninety outfit pictures may beat the rest and I must appraise, approve, judge and vow never to wear that custom made Valentino dress when I myself walk down the red carpet with Ryan Gosling on my arm.

I was initially shocked and somewhat offended when my father pointed out the satirical edge to Vogue articles. My response was something along the lines of: “Well of course they take themselves seriously,” with reference to the articles telling us which ten shades of Dior lipstick must be in our make-up bags this season or which coat under £1000 is essential in our wardrobes. I accompanied my defence with a roll of the eyes, perhaps even a dramatic exit for added effect, to hide the realisation seeping into my expression.

This isn’t to suggest that Vogue indefinitely relays stories designed to mock the devout fashion types who follow the magazine as if prophesy. I do not exclude myself from this category asI nearly chased the postman down the drive when he damaged my most recent edition through brutally ramming it through the letterbox. I calmed myself by thinking it’s not lack of respect to Vogue but just post in general. What my father meant was simply: take their statements with a pinch of salt.

So when we habitually follow that ‘click-bait’ to see what Rihanna or Karlie Kloss wore as a statement evening wear piece, which we must recreate for a fraction of the price — that still costs a month’s rent or requires compromising water or electricity for a few years — we know this is not a definitive instruction to stop exactly what we’re doing and head to Net-a-Porter. What perhaps psychologically stops us from assuming these articles are direct instruction to imminent bankruptcy is not insinuated from what designer items envelop these celebs but actually the context in which they wear them.

Chrissy Teigen made headlines this week with a large ‘censored’ sticker slapped across her nether regions, as she followed the trend of the all-too-revealing dress that caused inevitable mishap and a flashing frenzy. Whilst the price tag and designer label suggest economic status and the hundreds of photos suggest celebrity status, the context around wearing such a dress suggests another kind of status: luxury lifestyle. This is not a dress you would wear when travelling via the tube or magic bus to the red carpet. This dress is designed to be worn in a luxurious context, luxury travel to your destination, luxury circles who wouldn’t even question or contemplate the practicality of such an item – even the luxury of knowing the most revered fashion magazines will not report such a wardrobe mishap.

We mere mortals know all about wardrobe malfunctions from predictable outcomes to inappropriate decisions. After all, autumn might mean endless Mancunian rain but fake fur will still be worn in spite of geographical location and meteorological warning signs. So when Vogue pictures the radiant Hadid sisters sauntering around town in their pristine floor length coats or spotless thigh high suede boots, we know the photograph was not taken after a quick dash to the bus stop, long-jumping puddles or left-over takeaway boxes.

These women wear such outfits as a statement of luxury. Why worry about your ball gown collecting dirt when you’ll only walk a mere fifteen metres in it? Why raise concerns about a risque slit when no one will judge you within the confines of the event? It marks a luxury status that goes hand-in-hand with complacency, marking the distinct difference from those of us who plan our Friday night outfits around warm coats and suitable footwear whilst staring enviously at our iPhones, huddled next to the bus radiator and willing our faux fur to dry out before we catch a cold.

 

Couture dreaming

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

Couture fashion week exists on another plain to the other fashion seasons. Couture is season-less. The clientele is a small community of the wealthiest individuals, many of whom only want bespoke pieces, so that the influence of couture does not trickle down to high street in the way ready-to-wear does. Couture is a haze of fashion that very few get to see.

Fortunately, the internet exists, and images of couture fashion week can be broadcast across the globe — so at least from afar it can be admired. As the end of year festivities arise, and with the award season lingering in the opening months of 2017, couture makes another venture into the public eye.

So it is only fair to dance through a few of the most glorious, full, sheer, metallic, embroidered, structural, or whatever else gowns of couture.

Couture. Photo: elliotjames @Flickr

Ralph & Russo epitomise all the is luxurious in the world of couture. There is no playing it safe with their designs; they are a full celebration of the spectacular beauty of fashion and the female form. The waist was a central feature in all the Autumn/Winter 2016 looks, whether it was a pencil skirt, or a form fitting dress backed with a cape — every look followed the line of the body. A feminine colour palette made up of pastels, creams and pinks added to the ethereal glamour of their show. The designs Ralph & Russo create hark back to a bygone era of glamour that probably never existed, other than on the pages of magazines, an era we all wish we could have spent at least one evening in.

Alexander McQueen may be the reigning British fashion house of couture, but Giles Deacon is next in line to the throne. His designs are full of drama and texture; renaissance designs and art influence the statuesque designs.

The big houses still hold an huge influence in the couture world. Chanel asserted Cara and Kendall as real deal super models when they were cast as couture brides; it is a couture tradition that the final look should be a wedding gown. A couture is a spectacle on a new scale — Chanel have created casinos and paper-cut gardens in recent seasons.

This winter, were I given my chose of couture, I would be wearing Elie Saab’s art deco, royal blue, velvet gown, with a its belted waist, thigh high slit and swallow-esque broaches. Truthfully, I can think of no occasion upon which such a beautiful dress could be worn, but my lord, it is divine. Pure fashion ecstasy.

For us mere mortals couture may be a ridiculous extravagance we could never dream of owning, but I would hate to see it disappear. Couture is everything fashion can be, it is ludicrously expensive but ludicrously pretty. It managed to make it through the 2008 recession, so surely couture can continue to shine its majesty on fashion lovers around the world.

The evening wear staple: The leather skirt

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

The leather skirt is a slick update on the classic black skirt, making it the perfect choice for all of your evening engagements.  The leather skirt has become a much sought after item on the British high- street in recent years, prior to this it was probably more likely to be at home on a throwback photo of your mum in the eighties. However, now with a number of brands jumping on board the trend, the leather skirt is an enviable and irreplaceable item in many wardrobes.

From ASOS to Oasis and Tophsop, our favourite high-street brands have created countless skirts in different styles to suit all body types. The pencil leather skirt compliments those ladies with hourglass figures whilst a mini skirt is great for flashing those pins. Whilst these brands do create good quality leather skirts at affordable prices, they also cater for those who don’t want to splash their cash on one item and design skirts made of PU which give the same effect for a fraction of the price.

oasis-stores.com

The leather skirt is my go to item for evening wear, especially when it is a last minute outing that I haven’t had time to prep for. I bought my trusty leather skirt over three years ago from ASOS and it has been my faithful companion ever since. It is good quality leather and has only got better with age and wear.

Usually I team my miniskirt with strappy black heels and a crisp white shirt for a simple and classic evening wear look that you can wear again and again. The versatility of the skirt is enough to persuade even the most frugal to invest in good quality leather.

Not only is it ideal for evening wear, it is also perfect for daywear. It looks as fabulous with a pair of heels as it does with a jumper and a pair of boots. Look at this item as an investment that you will wear for years rather than a colossal waste of money that could have been better spent on food. Believe me, the perfect leather skirt will have a firm place in your wardrobe for many years to follow.

For the more adventurous, why not try a leather skirt in a metallic PU? Most high-street stores and online shopping sites will have some variation of the leather skirt and usually in some lust-worthy metallic shades.  A metallic skirt will be the statement piece of your outfit, so keep your top plain and simple, all attention should be on your beauty of a skirt. Gold, silver and rose gold skirts are stylish updates on your classic black leather. If you love a style and know it suits you, then obviously you must buy it in every colour available. Thankfully, it seems most brands create their pieces with this philosophy in mind.

topshop.com

The leather skirt is sophisticated but also exudes sexiness and is an edgy update on your boring black mini or pencil skirt. Banish them to the back of your wardrobe and invest in what will be your new evening wear staple. Whether you opt for the classic black or brave the metallic trend, the leather skirt will be the best purchase you have made all year. It is an investment after all.

Personalised packages: the perfect Christmas gift

Written by Lauren Valentine on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Many of us are left panic stricken at the thought of gift giving, not because we’re disorganised, but because we simply don’t know what to buy for people. Pinterest’s wealth of suggestions can leave us feeling like we’ve been dropped into the middle of Santa’s workshop itself, so I’ve collected a few of the best to ensure that you have your friends and family covered. Each gift is made up of a suitable ‘container’, filled with a variety of smaller presents that can be adapted to suit your budget.

The film fanatic:

A popcorn box is used for the container of this gift. These can be found online and bought in a variety of sizes. You could fill this with some flavoured popcorn kernels; pick n mix; a new DVD (or cinema tickets if there’s a film you know they’ll love); a bottle of Coke (which could be personalised); or a film strip of some photos of your favourite memories.

The beauty addict:

Can a beauty addict ever have too many make-up bags? They’re bound to love a brand new one filled with lipsticks, mini eyeshadows, nail varnishes, face masks, or mini bath bombs. Cotton wool balls are a good way to pad out the make-up bag and present the contents, as well as being useful for all things beauty.

The aspiring baker:

Depending on how many items you want to include, you could use a pretty mixing bowl or a fancy-shaped cake tin. A nice starting point would be to include a mini book of recipes, and to centre the rest on the ingredients needed. You could buy some of the icings, decorations, cookie cutters or tools so they can get started straight away. (Bonus: you’ll probably get to try some of their creations when they proudly present the product of your gift!)

The one who loves to travel:

Know someone who just can’t stay in one place? A wash bag can be the base of this gift, filled with travel essentials like a matching passport case, luggage tags, travel diary or maybe a selfie stick so they can document their journeys. If you’re a forward planner, you could even purchase train tickets for you both to visit a place you’ve never been to before.

The sentimental one:

This gift could require a little more time, but for the sentimental types, that is the greatest gift. A scrapbook filled with photos, quotes and tickets acts as a souvenir of your favourite times together. This could also be presented in a photo frame, and a nice way to complete it is to include a small note confirming a future event to look forward to: a cinema trip, an exhibition, a restaurant booking, even just a date that you’ll get together.

Assembling these gifts will really get you into the Christmas spirit, so prepare yourself a hot chocolate, put on some festive tunes, grab your cellophane, ribbons and bows — and get wrapping!

An outsider’s view of Manchester

Written by Barney Weston on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Having first met the Aussie Ryan whilst on a semester abroad in Zürich, and having learnt that he was quite the football fan, I concluded it would be criminal if I didn’t have him over to Manchester to see his team play. Either way, I was intrigued to observe my friend and get his outsider’s view of Manchester. Would he notice that strange Manchester walk? That accent? The music: Oasis and The Smiths? The football rivalry: City v. United?

Well, his first impression was of Wythenshawe, and that the weather wasn’t much good (although in not so kind words). Living around the corner from the Curry Mile, I was proud to introduce my friend to the city by pointing down that barrage of neon lights. Yet that pride turned to embarrassment when I saw that relatively unimpressed look on his face. Clearly not living up to the atmosphere of Sydney.

The next morning, we walked up the Curry Mile. Apparently, it was ‘overhyped’. (Although he admitted the cheesy garlic naan he sampled was good). Beyond that I showed him the Ali G (“who’s ‘Ali G’?” he asked) and took an obligatory selfie in front of Whitworth Hall. His impression of Manchester was improving by the second.

“Quite the student town,” he thought. Almost everyone he saw looked like a student. Manchester wasn’t what he had expected, and Ryan thought it seemed like a smaller suburb of Sydney. Could you compare Manchester to Sydney, his university city? Surprisingly enough, the comparison was entertained, but then rejected. “Sydney is completely different, as it’s not a student town like Manchester is.” It’s funny to hear Manchester, one of the country’s biggest cities, referred to as a ‘student town’.

With this in mind, we moved away from the universities, further up Oxford Road towards Archie’s for lunch. “The best food for sure”, but only because it reminded him of Sydney’s burgers. “What’s so good about them?” I ask. They copy America. They fit into this new craze and hype around burgers. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to show him Almost Famous — he would have loved it!

Being a History student, Ryan was treated to a lecture on Manchester’s history that lasted from the moment I saw him to the moment he left. Considering its Victorian history, Ryan thought the city itself felt very industrial, full of old decommissioned factories. He thought the Town Hall in Albert Square was very well preserved, and that it wasn’t until he saw the Memorial Hall that he knew about the amount of countries linked with Manchester thanks to its trading status.

I asked him something that provokes heated debates in my house every time it comes up — whether he had noticed a North-South divide. Ryan said that there was a difference, in the people. Manchester didn’t seem to have as much of a city culture as London or Sydney. Whereas in those cities it’s hectic, fast-paced, and moving, in Manchester, no-one seemed in a rush to go anywhere.

The Northern Quarter was Ryan’s favourite part of the city. It certainly had that Victorian vibe, yet also an alternative one. He hadn’t expected to find somewhere like that in Manchester. But when he was there, he found a little bit of expectation in regards to the music scene influence. “Everyone has the same sort of haircut because of a certain band from Manchester.” But when I mentioned the Happy Mondays and The Smiths, I was met with a “the what?” Clearly not the bands I was thinking of.

The Northern Quarter crowd was very different to what Ryan observed whilst on a classy night out in Spinningfields. It was distinctly different from the student town of Manchester that he’d come to know, classier and less student-y.

The National Football Museum was, apparently, better than the newly opened FIFA Museum in Zürich, and Ryan said that having only seen the first floor. He liked that it was free too. But what he did notice was our fixation on our 1966 World Cup victory. “You guys need to get rid of that World Cup. It was all those years ago. You need to move on.”

Ryan’s most intriguing observation though? The buses. “Why is it called Magic Bus? Is it magic or something?”

Take a break from social media over Christmas

Written by Ella Kashti on . Posted in Lifestyle.

I have been one of the worst of our generation when it comes to social media. Since my first Bebo account in 2005, I have spent over ten years far more concerned with what was going on online than what was going on in real life.

It is true that today, social media is crucial in the functioning of our world. Whether it is keeping you updated on if your next choir or lacrosse rehearsal is cancelled, or the President revealing his reaction to a recent global event — the world today would not cope without it.

So, this Christmas season I have decided to rid myself of the burden. I came to the realisation that it really doesn’t matter what other people are doing every single day. You probably haven’t seen them since Upper Sixth and you didn’t even like them that much then. It only leads to stress and worry. An old theory of mine was: “Even if you don’t look it’s still happening, so at least by checking you’re in the know” — but that is ludicrous, because as mentioned above: you know nothing.

You have seen your old boyfriend in a club photo and he has definitely kissed all seven girls surrounding him. You see those friends you really don’t speak to much anymore in a photo at the pub and they are bound to have spoken about their distaste for you. You see your best friends having a girls chill day, and you are hurt as to why you weren’t considered. But it is not real life. Those seven girls could be his sisters (unlikely, but possible), and no one at the pub even gave you a thought that day, and the girls chill day was arranged last minute when they knew you weren’t free anyway.

But it is not only about not seeing what other people are doing with their lives — it is just as much about others not seeing what you are doing with your life. Such anonymity is something alien to us, having grown up with so many having access to our every move. It is a bizarre thing when, immediately after Instagramming your presents, you sit there concerning yourself over whether others enjoyed and appreciated them, and not whether you enjoyed them yourself.

If you think about it, a lot of the time — without the internet connection so gracefully swooping round your head and sending lightsaber-ish beams through your house — I am clearly well educated on the topic — it is just you. You are sat there, there is a bunch of inanimate objects around you, and were your internet to fail whole-heartedly, you would suddenly feel very alone. And that is no way to be on Christmas.

I know there are benefits to social media, and I genuinely love the idea of people being able to share lovely, or beautiful, or life-changing moments with the world, if it makes them happy. But this Christmas, try putting your phone away. Time with your family is too precious to waste worrying about someone else’s. Your grandparents are not getting any younger and, before you know it, you may be spending Christmases with another family. Your experiences are not lessened and your presents are still as ace if they are not seen by others — if you are not comparing them to your friends’, they might even be better.

Fire in Manchester’s Chinatown

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

A huge fire broke out in the early hours of Friday morning in a building on Nicholas Street, lighting up Chinatown’s imperial arch.

The fire, inside a commercial building, started at around 02:15 GMT, according to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue.

Police later confirmed that two bodies were found on the first floor of the building.

Manchester Borough Manager Paul Etches speaking to the media at the scene said the deceased are believed to be homeless. Adding that the building is very unsafe and has been unoccupied and has been for some time.

Police have suggested it is possible the fire may have been started in the building for warmth. The building is known locally to often be inhabited by the homeless. However the police stress that the investigation into the incident has only just started.

Chief Inspector Gareth Parkin, said: “These are tragic circumstances and we working to identify the people who were found in the building.

“A joint investigation with GMFRS is in its early stages and we will be carrying out a number of enquiries to establish how this fire started.”

Councillor Paul Andrews, executive member for adult health and wellbeing for Manchester city council said in response to the news: “This is tragic and shocking news and our hearts go out to those affected by it.

“Our message to anyone who is sleeping rough is please come and access the help and support available. We will find you somewhere safe to stay.”

Amanda Croome, manager of Manchester’s Booth Centre, which offers advice and support for rough sleepers, speaking to the Manchester Evening News said she was stunned by the tragedy.

She told the MEN: “If it is confirmed that the people who were in the building were homeless it is completely awful. I hope that they find the families and are able to break the news to them in a sensitive way.

“Our thoughts are with those families of those people. Dealing with homelessness in the city has got to be a priority. We have all got to work together.

“It is not about attributing blame. The reasons for homelessness are complex. It is never just one problem and never just one solution. But there is just an urgent need to end homelessness in Manchester because more of these type of situations will occur.”

Rough sleeping has dominated headlines over the past few years, with the numbers of homeless increasing dramatically. The most recent official figures by council officials, counted 70 rough sleepers on one night. The reality is believed to be much worse.

Roads were closed around the area, as a fleet of fire engines were needed to tackle the blaze, causing traffic chaos throughout Friday morning.

Photo: Junaid Ali Bokhari

The fire has been brought under control, but a spokesperson from Greater Manchester fire and rescue service confirmed the building has “severe damage” although “no further fire damage to other buildings is expected”.

Bus services were severely affected, with both Stagecoach and First Manchester unable to serve Piccadilly Gardens, causing congestion for students attempting to get in from Fallowfield and Black Friday shoppers.

Portland street was closed between Charlotte Street and Princess Street, until around 10.30 Friday morning.

Phil Nelson, group manager of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, confirmed that the use of “two aerial appliances” were used to contain “the fire” and prevent the “spread to other buildings”.

Due to falling debris at the scene, the fire crew were forced to keep back from the severely damaged multi-storey commercial building.

The fire brigade said the blaze was contained by about 6am.

Greater Manchester Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

This article was updated at 15.53am after new developments.

Review: Ghosts

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Theatre.

Ghosts, Henrik Ibsen’s controversial play, reviled upon its first production in 1882, is not on the surface the most pertinent play for a 21st century audience; its major themes are religion, incest, euthanasia, and syphilis. Despite this, director Polly Findlay’s artistic brilliance brings Ghosts into an entirely new realm, that of the modern day.

When taking your seats in the cavernous yet intimate theatre space at HOME, star Niamh Cusack, who plays the play’s protagonist Helen Alving, is sitting on a sofa in the centre of the stage, eating a banana and peeling potatoes. It was clear from the first moment that this was going to be absorbing and emotional, and above all, character-driven, which is hardly surprising in an Ibsen play.

For a show filled with dialogue — raging, agonising, emotive — a remarkable amount goes unsaid.

This new rendering of the play by David Watson, from a literal translation by Charlotte Barslund, combines the weighty speeches of Ibsen with local British dialects, a lot of swearing from the almost comedic Engstrand (played with aplomb by William Travis, who garnered a lot of often raucous laughter), and dialogue littered with modern-day English, far from its origins in 19th century Danish. This dialogue carries every character — all the acting is superb, yet the script really does shine — rumbling along until the final scene of Act 1 and again until the play’s conclusion.

That the show is as provocative now as it was 130 years ago, and still somehow just as relevant, is testament to Findlay and Watson’s unrivalled creativity.

The intricate set resembled a TV studio, giving an eerie sense of being voyeurs of a usually secret and closed-in family life, and the use of sliding doors and artificial daylight and rain really emphasised the outside-looking-in feeling, largely coupled with heavy dramatic irony, as though commenting on a certain 21st century obsession with the lives of others.

However, the set immediately prepares the audience for a play full of unknowing and ambiguity — Findlay has created a space in which there are blindspots for every audience member, but this restricted view is art in action: shadows and lighting, sounds and echoes replace visible characters, giving the audience the sense of truly being in the presence of ‘Ghosts’, and perhaps suggesting that in the modern era there should be some things left unseen.

Findlay’s production harnesses this modernity in the way it breaks up the play’s two acts; an interval would have been detrimental to the play’s pace, so the sudden complete blackout in the theatre, accompanied by deafening rock-esque music and flashes of red light, overlayed with broken, wailing, aggressive poetry, worked well both in heightening the drama of the plot and presenting a moment to think and breathe.

This atmosphere is no doubt a product of the play’s intense focus on character: each player is so multi-layered, unpredictable, and unstable, and their relationships with one another are so mangled between past and present, truth and lies, that it is at times a challenge to keep up, which is surely the intention.

This succeeds thanks to the stellar acting — though it is undoubtedly Niamh Cusack who shines the brightest. She is so convincing as Helen, embodying her character’s emotions and motives so physically that at times it becomes hard to focus on anyone else. The final scenes of each act displayed this prowess — she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders and takes the audience along for the ride.

Overall, the play masterfully implicates the audience in moral and ethical messages, which was the intention of Ibsen back in the 1800s, but is clearly an overwhelming intention too of Findlay’s 21st century version — it’s hard to ignore the sense that these people could live on your road, and that we will never truly know what happens behind closed doors. It’s worth seeing for a multitude of reasons, chiefly for the supreme acting, set design, and thought-provoking modernised script, but don’t expect to come away without a disconcerting sense of foreboding.

UoM Feminist Collective puts on ground-breaking ‘BAME voices’ poetry night

Written by Yasmin Mannan on . Posted in News.

On Thursday 25th of November, The University of Manchester’s Feminist Collective put on the pioneering poetry night ‘BAME (Black and Minority Ethnic) voices’.

The night focussed on poetry dealing with issues which disproportionately affect the BAME community but everyone was welcome.

There was an impressive set-list of professional and amateur poets, including poets from The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, who presented spoken-word, prose, and verse pieces on topics such as police brutality, cultural identity, and Donald Trump.

Every piece that was read was met with a warm reception from the full room. The audience was made up primarily of students, including but not restricted to members of The University of Manchester’s  Creative Writing Society and ex-part time Students’ Union officers, as well as members of the Feminist Collective.

The organiser of the night and BAME officer of UOM Feminist Collective, Seevena Raghubeer, told The Mancunion: “I started ‘the Feminist Collective Presents’ to provide a platform for marginalised groups to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas on topics that disproportionately affect us.

“The first event, BAME voice, was even more important to do because of recent events that have left the BAME community worried and fearful for the future. It is a space for feeling safe, loved and most importantly, empowered in our own skin.”

The excellent reception and response to the empowering evening means that it will likely be repeated in the future.

Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Written by Shema Begum on . Posted in Film.

It has been five years since “Potterheads” have been able to see the Warner Brothers logo appear on screen, followed by John Williams’ iconic Hedwig’s theme. JK Rowling has brought the magic and adventure back into our lives once more with the latest instalment in the Potter-verse.  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the first of the five films planned in this spin-off series, which is set to feature some very familiar characters, including Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, who is to be played by Johnny Depp — a controversial choice considering recent events. Studios now more than ever seem to be opting for spin-offs, and the Harry Potter franchise certainly isn’t the first to be joining this trend. Rogue One, the Star Wars spin-off, comes out next month, and it doesn’t stop there. A young Han Solo film is underway, and this is rumoured to be followed by a Boba Fett film.

As exciting as it is for fans to see the expansion of these beloved worlds, scepticism always looms. Studios want greater financial control, and what guarantees them profits more than anything are spin-offs. An audience already exists, who will not only line up at cinemas to watch the film, but will go on to buy the DVDs, books and any other merchandise that is churned out of the film, no matter how bad it may be. Considering all eight Harry Potter films generated over $7 billion, it is a safe bet for Warner Brothers that Fantastic Beasts will go on to be another box office success. You cannot help but think such films are a gimmick of this money making scheme, and so inevitably you question whether it will be good at all. As entertaining Fantastic Beasts gets, it is another commercial endeavour for the studio.

Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne is the socially awkward, animal loving hero, Newt Scamander. The casting choice could not be more ideal. Redmayne offers a certain charm and quirk which makes Newt so loveable. The British wizard arrives in New York in 1926 with a suitcase full of intriguing but reckless creatures. After an incident at the bank, Newt loses his suitcase to No-Maj/Muggle Jacob (Dan Fogler). Fogler’s character has become an instant fan favourite who provides the more comical elements of the film. The ex-soldier who dreams to open up his own bakery is thrown into the mayhem of the magical world, after all animals escape from the suitcase. Jacob and Newt are joined by Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) a worker at MACUSA, the American equivalent of the Ministry of Magic; she lives with her telepathic sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) who forms a bond with Jacob.

The entertainment and fun of the wizarding world is reprised in Fantastic Beasts. David Yates returns to this prequel series, which helps to keep the consistency in the franchise, though arguably he is also in the best position to depict this new era of magic. The mythical creatures are enchanting, and as Newt goes on the hunt for them, the film matches the wondrous and exhilarating experiences of the Potter films. However, this is only a part of the storyline. Rowling has as expected focused on a more darker and dangerous matter. Mary Lou (Samantha Morton) and her adopted children, including Credence (Ezra Miller) proselytise anti-witchcraft messages across the city.  This gives way to what perhaps will be the underlying aspect of the series — a battle between witches and wizards and Muggles (X-Men anyone?).

The subplots don’t stop there. Jon Voight plays Henry Shaw, a character whose family seem to be very powerful and influential in the political realm. The issue, which arises here, is that with the inclusion of all these different aspects to the narrative, it just isn’t very cohesive. You don’t get to learn a lot about the different events happening. Similarly, with the introduction to so many characters you don’t get to know much about them either, this includes the protagonist Newt, and some of the characters are just underused. Though it is enjoyable to watch, the film doesn’t do a good enough job in building up to the climax, which includes a very surprising twist. It is merely satisfactory, and many gaps are left which cannot be justified on the basis that this is going to be a series. Fantastic Beasts essentially works to show what the series will entail, and so the film fails to connect and engage with you. Despite the flaws of the film, Fantastic Beasts has done enough for you to expect much more in the films to come, as some very interesting ideas have been introduced.

3.5/5

Thousands of students take to London streets to oppose TEF

Written by Julie Henri on . Posted in News.

On the 19th of November, police reports state approximately 6,000 students flocked to London to demonstrate against the proposed Higher Education and Research Bill. Among them were many students from the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.  “TEFinitely not”, “Degree without debt”,  and “Fight the Tories” were all recurring slogans at the march.

Naa Acquah, the General Secretary of the University of Manchester, told The Mancunion how students from the different universities of Manchester organised themselves to get a coach to London together, showing their determination to gather as many people as possible.

A petition, known as the TEF petition, has also been launched by the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union to convince the The Planning and Resources Committee (PRC), the university’s executive board not to opt into the TEF (Teaching Excellent Framework) before the decision, planned to be made on the 13th of Decemeber. The national deadline for universities to decide whether they will opt into TEF is the 26th of January. More than 400 people have signed the petition so far within 5 days and more signatures are expected.

If implemented, TEF would lead to the ‘best’ universities increasing their tuition fees and raising them each year in line with the inflation rate. Naa stated that “TEF doesn’t even measure quality teaching”, whereas the current government are promoting “student choice and excellent teaching” in the fact-sheet of the bill.

University staff were also walking alongside the students, denouncing measures they believe would neither improve the situation of the students, nor theirs. It is unlikely that staff will get paid more under TEF’s raised tuition fees. The bill seems to have united all those in academia against it. University of Manchester staff have reportedly been very supportive during the campaign against the bill.

At the moment, the bill is already halfway through the process of its passage. It has been read once in the House of Lords, and will be read one more time on the 6th of December. It still needs to go through several stages before being actually implemented, but some universities have already raised their tuition fees over £9,000 for the next academic year.

Naa hopes the University of Manchester “will stick their head above the parapet and go against the mould”.

A student life: treasurer of the cheese and wine society

Written by Stevie Grieves on . Posted in Features.

Before we start, Ollie Carr — treasurer of the University of Manchester Cheese and Wine Society — wants to get straight to the important issues: the Cheese and Wine society does provide vegan cheese.

“It’s expensive,” he laughs, “and no-one ever eats it!” For a society that really does what it says on the tin, you might think this dairy-centric crowd would not be the place for a vegan, but the emphasis of the group is really on getting as many people as they can involved — so soft drinks and even vegan cheese are on the menu!

Ollie’s commitment to making the society one for everyone is clear when he talks about the events they have already held this year. “The society has a really simple ethic — meet up in a room or a bar or a venue, maybe a room in the SU or a bar in central Manchester” to do what they do best: eat cheese and drink wine!

So what can we expect from the events, are they formal and into discussing the quality of last year’s Beaujolais, or are they more relaxed about it all?

“We’re not poncy, you can wear what you want, do what you want, speak to who you want, we just provide the cheese and wine! It’s completely a social thing… we’re not trying to educate you or enforce anything you, make you drink different things at different times, if you have any questions we’re happy to talk about the specifics of it, but it’s just a really chilled vibe!”

With this, it is no wonder that the events the society holds are extremely popular among the student body; the past two events have sold out in under five minutes.

“The tickets have gone absolutely flying, which from a treasurer’s perspective is maybe not good, because we could be selling more tickets and charging more, but that’s not the ethos of the society. We just aim to break even, and if we do make a small amount of profit, we put it all back into better, subsidised events, so then we can bring the prices down even lower.”

“We had our first event at the SU, it was the first event so we had it as a bring-your-own bottle event, I think it was only two or three pounds, and we provided the cheese! It was quite a small event, only about 40 or 50 people, which sold out immediately and went really well!”

The next event they held was a slightly bigger affair at the Liquor Store in Spinningfields, which again sold out and had in attendance near to 80 fans of cheese and wine.

I want to know if the same people tend to go the events or is it easy to meet new people each time, and Ollie laughs: “Sometimes you see familiar faces, there are some real cheese and winos who will probably be on the committee next year, who probably deserve the committee place more than me!”

But mostly it is always a different crowd. “I love watching the newbies come in, because you can tell they expect it to be really weird and elitist, with everybody wearing suits.” But then they see that “it’s much more chilled, especially at the start!” Just loads of students in “Fallowfield garms having cheese and wine… it’s interesting!”

I want to know how he got so involved, in what some might say, is a bit of a niche society.

“So I saw the stall in Fresher’s Week when I was in first year, I went to the events, and applied to be treasurer by the end of the year and luckily I got it!” He jokes that while the other society committee members are firmly there for the cheese, he is very into the wine side of life.

“I really like cheese but wine is actually my thing, there’s a sort of a joke in the committee that I’m the one that really fronts the wine.” Something that he assures, grinning, that you would definitely be able to tell if you went to one of their events.

With the success of the society taking on new heights, I wondered if they had their sights set on taking the society to an international level and planning a trip to sample wine and cheese abroad.

He laughs and says that although they have not formally considered it, it is a great idea and might (definitely) make its way onto his manifesto when he runs for President next year.

He admits there are some great artisanal Cheshire cheese makers around Manchester that could maybe lead to a more local trip, but in the mean time the emphasis firmly lies in having a good time and meeting lots of new people.

“Some people meet up and smoke weed; we meet up and eat cheese and drink wine!”

He promises he has not planned the tag line, but with upcoming elections for President of the society, Ollie looks set to become a real contender to be the Snoop Dogg of the cheese and wine world.

 

Course: Second year Law with Politics

From: St Albans

Best bit: “The glamour.”

Worst bit: “Administrative work and pretending to be an adult, filling in the forms, but it’s absolutely worth it as the society is what I love to do!”

And the million dollar question… favourite cheese?: “Gotta have a top three: Fresh goat’s cheese, so an Ardsallagh and then maybe a fundamental English cheese like a Wensleydale, and then I would have to go to France and have a Camembert.”

And what wine to finish your Camembert off with?: “To go with a Camembert it would be a red — obviously — and I think I’d go for a Merlot, from Bergerac.”

University of Manchester ranked among lowest for environmental sustainability

Written by Niamh Cashell on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester was ranked as a third class university in terms of its environmental sustainability in a recent league table published by People and Planet.

Universities are scored on a variety of issues relating to sustainability, including their commitment to reduce the institution’s carbon footprint, as well as the receipt of funding and investment from the fossil fuel industry. Also included are employment factors, such as whether universities pay staff the national living wage.

The University of Manchester was poorly ranked at 110 out of 150 universities, and whilst only 25 per cent of universities were on track to reduce their carbon emissions by the targeted 43 per cent from 2005 to 2020, we are among the worst.

In stark contrast to our low position, Manchester Metropolitan University ranked at an impressive third place in the league table. Manchester Metropolitan Vice-Chancellor MalcoLm Press in a statement described the university’s success as, “a wonderful affirmation of the hard work that goes into ensuring that we embed sustainability across everything we do at Manchester Metropolitan”.

Measures implemented by Manchester Metropolitan to increase environmental sustainability include LED lighting, self-cleaning glass, and University-wide recycling. After being scored 91st in the League in 2007, Manchester Metropolitan has worked hard to achieve a top three position for three consecutive years now.

In comparison, the University of Manchester scored particularly badly in its connections with the fossil fuel industry, receiving over £27 million worth of research funding from companies such as BP and Shell.

However, a spokesperson from the University of Manchester criticised the league table, stating “many of the findings in this league table are either out of date, incorrect or measure issues with questionable validity”. For example, Manchester’s environmental strategy reduced both gas and water consumption by 20 per cent from 2012 to 2015.

The spokesperson also highlighted that “Manchester is the only UK University to have social responsibility as a key goal in its strategic plan, of which environmental sustainability is a key part.” For example, the university has just launched its 10,000 Actions programme encouraging staff to develop their own personal sustainability plan, the largest programme of its kind in the UK.

All details of the university’s environmental strategies can be found on the website.

Trump settles lawsuit against Trump University

Written by Tom Patterson on . Posted in News.

The US President-elect, Donald Trump, has settled a lawsuit brought by students against Trump University for £25 million.

Trump U has faced widespread criticism for failing to deliver on promises to its students and actively encouraging aggressive marketing strategies. Staff were rewarded for hard-selling courses to even financially vulnerable adults. Ronald Schnackenberg, a former sales manager at the headquarters in New York, quit in May 2007 because he believed that “Trump University was engaging in misleading, fraudulent and dishonest conduct”.

It initially offered online classes but soon switched the focus to live seminars and events, which were purchased either on an individual basis or as part of larger package deals. However, according to an article in the New Yorker (2nd of June 2016), from when it started operating in 2005, the company was repeatedly warned by the Attorney General’s office that it was breaking the law by calling itself a university. Universities in New York State have to obtain a charter to be officially recognised.

As a sales manager, Schnackenberg received calls from students after they had taken the seminars and said that “in my experience, virtually all students who purchased a Trump University seminar were dissatisfied with the program they purchased”.

Trump had stated he would not settle “out of principle” and had previously criticised one of the judges as being automatically biased against him due to the judge’s Mexican heritage. His lawyers recently filed to postpone the trial date until after his inauguration, in order to give more time for a potential out-of-court settlement.

Having now backtracked on his earlier assertion to see the case to trial, Trump announced on Twitter; “I settled the Trump University lawsuit for a small fraction of the potential award because as President I have to focus on our country.” He later added; “The ONLY bad thing about winning the Presidency is that I did not have the time to go through a long but winning trial on Trump U. Too bad!”

Although the case did not make it to trial in the end, the shadow of the lawsuit will no doubt remain over Trump as his inauguration approaches.

32,000 sign petition in favour of proposition to charge cyclists road insurance

Written by Len Cotton on . Posted in News.

A petition created on change.org to pass legislation to charge cyclists road insurance and make them hold a legal cycling licence has received over 32,000 signatures. The petition was created by a faction of angry motorists who claimed to be ‘fed up’ of cyclists disobeying the rules of the road.

This comes after Theresa May has been pressurised to propose changes to try and increase road safety and awareness amongst cyclists after 21,287 bike-related accidents occurred in 2014 alone.

The proposal is being pushed by the group to be debated in Parliament as many drivers feel that they are being unfairly penalised in cycling-related accidents, when it is actually the cyclist who is at fault.

The petition’s creator, Owen McDermott stated, “If a cyclist throws him or herself into the back of a stationary motor vehicle, who’s to blame? Not the cyclist. The driver of the motor vehicle would have to pay their own excess to repair the damages”.

However, many students have come forward in opposition to this campaign, feeling that increasing the cost of cycling would be an act of unjust discrimination against those who cannot afford to drive. With the cheapest car insurance quotes often totalling approximately £800 per year, bus passes £200 and railcards £25 per year, cycling is the cheapest method of transport available to students and young people.

After Manchester council have spent the last two years refurbishing Oxford Road to accommodate for cyclists travelling from Fallowfield to the city centre, the proposal has aroused a large amount of controversy.

Second year History and Politics student, Beth, said: “By making people pay for licences and regulating cyclists more it would put me and probably many more people off cycling as they have chosen to cycling as a cheap and easy option of transport.”

If prices for cyclists’ road insurance and licenses are to be anything similar to that of cars, then bike-users could be looking at paying an extra £1,000 — almost ten times that of a good quality road bike.

What is more, the proposition to implement road insurance and license fees for cyclists poses another blow to an already declining green initiative in Britain. After the Department for Energy and Climate Change faced severe cut backs upon Theresa May becoming Prime Minister students at Manchester have been questioning how the petition’s content could threaten the reduction of CO2 emissions.

Indeed, Cyclingscheme.co.uk released the statistics that 44,000 tonnes of CO2 would be saved each week if all 5 mile commutes in England were made by bike. Furthermore, as cycling is a healthier alternative to driving or catching public transport, their research also found that £83m was saved annually by cycle commuters taking one day less off sick each year.

The government are yet to respond to the petition, but with its popularity increasing at a rapid rate, it could well be possible that extra charges for cyclists will be implemented in the future.

Preview: Interfaith Evening – ‘We Stand Together’

Written by Yasmin Mannan on . Posted in News.

On Wednesday 7th December, the Students’ Union, Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, and Faith Network 4 Manchester, as part of a wider community week, will be hosting ‘We Stand Together’ — an event to promote community cohesion and celebrate the diversity of faiths in Manchester.

Among the organisers of the event are Rabbi Warren Elf and award-winning novelist Qaisra Shahraz, who The Mancunion interviewed in March.

There will be talks by students of different faiths, prompting discussions of shared values and beliefs and promoting messages of peace and unity. An abundance and variety of wonderful food will also be provided.

Manchester is the second most diverse city in the UK, and an interfaith event is an important way to showcase the cohesion of different faiths within the city. In a particularly politically and culturally divisive climate, interfaith events remind us that we have much more in common than that which divides us.

‘We Stand Together’ will take place in the Council Chambers in the Students’ Union from 6pm–8pm on 7th of December. Everyone is welcome.

Teenagers stabbed outside Manchester college

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

Greater Manchester Police are appealing for information after two teenagers were stabbed outside Manchester college.

Police were called at around 11.10pm, Thursday 24 of November 2016, after it was reported that two teenagers had been stabbed on outside the college on Chorlton Street, North Manchester.

A 17 year-old boy was taken to hospital with a stab would to his chest and an 18 year-old was taken with stab wounds to his back. Both received treatment for their injuries and are now in stable conditions.

Eye-witnesses told the Manchester Evening News the violence broke out due to a ‘row over a girl’ during their morning break.

A 17 year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He is currently in police custody for questioning. Greater Manchester Police are continuing to appeal for any witnesses to come forward.

Lisa O’Loughlin, principal at Manchester College, said on the day: “An incident occurred this morning at our Shena Simon campus in which two of our students were injured.

Students reported that some of the campus remained in lockdown for about an hour after the attack.

Others were advised to stay in their lessons, before the campus was eventually closed for the rest of the day.

Greater Manchester Police have said they recovered a knife from the scene and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Chief Inspector Gareth Parkin, said: “We currently have two people with serious injuries in hospital so it is imperative that anyone with information comes forward and helps us with our investigation.

“We have recovered a knife from the scene, which will be forensically examined but we still need people to contact us with any information that they have.

“I’d like to reassure the community that we have a number of highly skilled officers working on this investigation and will continue to carry out extensive enquiries.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference number 757 of 24/11/16 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

This article was updated on the 25th of November at 14.20