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Year: 2016

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

Live: The Front Bottoms

Written by Joe Casson on . Posted in Music.

22nd November at O2 Ritz

6/10

I missed the Front Bottoms at Academy 2 in February, something I have been sore about since: no matter though, because only a few months later the folk-punk four-piece have returned to Manchester, this time headlining the larger Ritz. From the outset, it is easy to see why they came back: it is not often you see that romanticised rock & roll image of arms in the air and strangers hugging, and it is even rarer to see such a scene a matter of seconds into the show.

The band opens with the punchy ‘Skeleton’ from 2013’s Talon of the Hawk. One of their catchier, more memorable songs, it is a fine choice, and captures the band’s ‘getting-stoned-and-crying-on-a-skateboard’ appeal. They continue by playing a lot of songs really fast, bolstering their teen angst credentials with lyrics like “I’m scared I’m gonna die as lonely as I feel” and “would you kick me in the face please, it’ll make whatever I say sound like poetry”. These relatably juvenile sentiments are reflected in the domestic scene on stage, decorated with lamps, sofas and a small television, bringing to mind a small-town small world where every emotional hurdle feels like the end of the world.

It is potent stuff, and despite the propensity of the Ritz to overwhelm bands of The Front Bottoms’ stature, Brian Sella and co. do it justice: the songs are bold, loud and clear, and the venue is packed with devout fans shaking the floor while howling every line back at the band. The Front Bottoms have clearly built a strong rapport with fans through extensive touring: Sella is confident joking around, responding sharply to the surprise appearance of a toilet roll tossed onto the stage (“if you hit me in the head, we’ll play ten more songs”).

It is just a shame that, despite their endearing presence, the Front Bottoms are let down by their choice of songs. Much of the set is pulled from last year’s disappointing Back On Top, which completed a move away from needly acoustic guitars and horns for a heavier, generic pop-punk sound. The songs sound better live than on record, but there’s little of the eclecticism which made cuts like ‘Maps’ and ‘Swimming Pool’ so charming. Save for the all-too-rare plinking of cheap keyboards or blaring trumpets signifying older cuts, the new material is dominated by straightforward drumming and swaggering riffs. It is also a shame the bubble machines and inflatable mascots associated with the band’s live show are absent.

This may be unfair: my dissatisfaction with the material clearly placed me in the minority, and it is hard to argue with the crowd’s rapturous response. It is testament to the band’s performing chops that they created an exciting performance and enjoyable atmosphere even from what I would consider to be a fairly uninspired setlist. Fair play to them – it is just an odd feeling to see a crowd lose it for songs I would receive as nothing more than a fine opportunity for a loo break.

Live: Tom Misch

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

Much has been made of Tom Misch, the young Londoner who cross breeds infectious blues guitar riffs with hip-hop rhythms to create the soothing Afro-chill-sound mastered on last year’s album Beat Tape 2. His sixth form good looks alone should be enough to warrant a ticket to his first Manchester live show at Gorilla. There is however an underlying ‘niceness’ to Misch’s music comparable to someone like Ed Sheeran – not that this is anything to spit at the floor about, but there is an almost hazardous level of underage girls in attendance tonight and one cannot help but worry that Misch could end up playing it somewhat safe if he so chooses.

As he does on the album, Misch opens with the guitar-gasm hair-raiser ‘The Journey’, but unlike on the record a violinist messes incongruously with a loop pedal whilst the singer pulls all sorts of faces through his sphincter-gripping solo. The jazzier surprise of it sets the standard for the night and thankfully, Tom keeps his feet firmly in the blues elements of his music throughout.

Following up with the mellow funk of ‘Colours of Freedom’ and ‘Wake Up This Day’, one thing is made clear — Misch adores his guitar. The tone on his Strat is as clean as his note-hitting, his moments of flourish feeling as good for the audience as they do his flashing fingers. At times it seems he has less confidence in his actual voice than that of his instrument, especially on softies like ‘Sunshine’, but when you can rip a blues scale apart like this guy it matters not. Any fears of a somewhat safe set are dispersed without further notice and Misch continues to trump himself solo after sweet solo.

The success of tonight lies with Misch’s faith in organic instrumentation. The small Gorilla staging is as tight as the band inhabiting it; every musician takes at least one cue to improvise seamlessly, providing the crowd with a fireworks display of soulful sounds and mouth-gaping moments. At times it’s jazzier than Jools Holland’s wet dream and at no point does the band seem to struggle. If anything, the worst chord of the night is the cacophony of screams that invariably meet the singer’s grins and winks between songs. But he has earned this level of arousal has young Tom. In dressing his bedroom production in a roots-ier outfit Misch has smashed his live task and made his poppy Sunday-afternoon-chill songs glow with all sorts of new colours.

The singer pulls a string of features to give us even more talent to chew on. The featherweight lilting of Carmody compliments his East London crooning gorgeously in one instance. Meanwhile the presence of Zac Abel for the pair’s first ever live performance of the banger ‘Beautiful Escape’ is worthy of all the Snapchat story views it will inevitably get. The absence of artists like Loyle Carner and Jordan Rakei sadly does mean some of the best songs get neglected. This is made up for entirely however when Tom’s sister Laura takes to the stage for a blistering saxophone display at the end of the night on ‘Follow’, a showstopping moment made sweet by the chemistry and affection displayed by the siblings.

The highlight of the night without a doubt though is a twelve minute mash-up of instrumentals described by the singer himself as a “sort of medley of 90’s hip-hop”. Introduced with a nod to the J.Dilla influence on his music, Tom tears off pieces of tunes like ‘Come Back’ and ‘Hark’ to remind everyone of the lounge-y beats and keys that power his production style. One cannot help but get lost in the smoothness of it all. Above everything, the jazziness of the delivery adds clarity to what it is that links the traditional black genres Misch borrows from, something not every artist can do.

What is most evident and most satisfying though is the challenge Misch sets himself. Not just in the free flowing hip-hop homage, but throughout the set the young man resists complacency to reveal the depth of his talent. In 2016, a year that seems to be intent on reviving ways of old for arguably wrong reasons, nothing is more comforting than hearing so many cheers for something as outdated as a guitar solo.

Some songs certainly deserved inclusion, particularly Carmody feature ‘Wander With Me’ which is disappointingly absent, but between a cover of Patrick Wilson’s ‘Man Like You’ and exhibiting a brand new song, it is understandable that he tries to make room for new ideas. With more space and more time – both of which it is hard to imagine won’t come to him eventually – Misch’s live set could one day be a life affirming experience for many people.

If you are someone who gets excited about the blues, jazz, modern soul, hip-hop or chiselled blonde bombshells, Tom Misch has a song to perform for you. When he almost certainly appears at a festival near you next summer, do not miss it.

9/10

Preview: Messages to Palestine event

Written by Yinka Oyetade on . Posted in News.

In honour of the United Nations International solidarity with Palestine day on the 29th of November, three university societies: the University of Manchester Action Palestine society, BDS Campaign society and the Recognise Refugee Rights society will be hosting a ‘Messages to Palestine’ event in the Students’ Union.

The event which is being run from 2pm to 9pm will allow students to create video messages in which they can express their solidarity with Palestine, those who may not want to speak can also hold cards and pictures with solidarity messages too.

Part of a nation wide project, the University of Manchester and other universities will be making these videos which will later be compiled together and sent over to students in both Gaza and the West bank. A banner will also be placed outside the SU from the 28th – 31st of November on which messages can be painted on, it will also be sent to a University in Palestine.

A spokesperson from the BDS Campaign society has said that “through the event they hope to show Palestinians that the international community has not forgotten them and that they are not alone”.

The society says they will also be using the event to educate students on the BDS Campaign. The Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) Campaign is a call from the Palestinian Civil Society in 2005 for the international community to boycott Israel, this is seen as a means to place non-violent pressure on it to comply with international law and the Universal Principles of Human Rights.

One of the society’s demands is that the university in support of their cause “pledges to boycott the security firm G4S” and it has already received support from students and lecturers.

The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has claimed 237 Palestine lives and 36 Israelis since October 2015 according to an AFP count.

The Messages to Palestine event is going to be open to students and members of the local community alike.

Government urged to not use EU university staff as “bargaining chips”

Written by Shivani Kaura on . Posted in News.

Academics and MPs have issued a warning to Theresa May to stop using EU researchers as ‘pawns’ in Brexit negotiations.

A protest held in London on the 19th of November organised by the National Union of Students to protest the Higher Education Bill, which could allow tuition fees to rise above the current cap of £9,000 per year, was also attended by academics, students and scientific researchers from several institutions to call out May’s recent claim that EU nationals “cannot expect to be protected without reciprocal arrangements”.

Academic leaders,  such as the General Secretary of the University and College Union (UCU) Sally Hunt, called out May at the protest and told her to “stop using EU staff and students as pawns in Brexit negotiations”.

She added that May needs to “show some humanity. Do the decent thing. Give our people the right to stay”, and critiqued the way in which “people’s lives” were being used as “bargaining chips in a broader political landscape”.

Figures suggest there has been a significant decrease in those applying to UK universities and for jobs in academia this year following the referendum.

Since the EU referendum, it has been reported in The Independent that pro-remain Scientists for the EU have been “collecting evidence that many EU researchers and lecturers have been turning down or withdrawing their applications to work in the UK”.

However, scientists in favour of Brexit, speaking to The Telegraph, think that “Brexit simply offers a far brighter future for research and education. The vote also means that we shall escape deeply detrimental present and planned expansions of the EU’s power”.

The Science and Technology Committee however has announced that immediate action is needed, releasing a report on the implications for science and research following the EU referendum result.

Proffessor Ottoline Leyser, representing the Royal Society, has said: “There has been a lot of discussion about non-UK EU nationals currently working in the UK and what guarantees can be provided to them.

“I think it is absolutely not the way we should be proceeding – to use people’s lives as bargaining chips in a broader political landscape.

“I do not think that is a constructive way to arrive at a negotiation table either.”

The committees report, calls for “an immediate commitment to exempt them [EU researchers working in the UK] from Brexit negotiations on any reciprocal immigration controls for workers already in post”.

According to Professor Philip Nelson of Research Councils UK, “the biggest risks to the research base in the UK are around the people involved”.

The committee has revealed that it has evidence that researchers are turning down offers of work in the UK, due to the levels of uncertainty after the vote for Brexit.

“It is not really a question of us allowing talented scientists and engineers to come here; it is about us fighting for them to come here.

“There is an international competitive market for these fantastically talented people”, according to Dr Sarah Main of the Campaign for Science and Engineering.

Dr Main adds that in order for the UK to remain within this competitive market, the government needs to clearly state its priorities “for the place of science in our future” and “how it feels about the people that it wants to come here”.

University vice-chancellors have said it is crucial that international students and staff are free to come to the UK without unnecessary restrictions.

Jo Johnson, the Universities and Science Minister has stated that the government “intend to secure the best possible outcome for our research base as we exit the European Union. The excellence of our research and the attractiveness of the UK as a place to do it are fundamental to our continued success.

“Our international relationships make us a global centre of excellence.”

Nicola Dandridge, University UK chief executive has supported the report’s recommendation that a chief scientific advisor needs to be appointed to the Department for Exiting the EU. “This would help to ensure that the significant implications of leaving the EU for science and research were adequately reflected in the government’s post-exit plans.”

Live: Bastille

Written by Katie Shepherd on . Posted in Music.

6th November, Manchester Arena

9/10

If I am being totally honest, when I first heard that Bastille were playing Manchester Arena I was a little sceptical. I had seen them perform at Reading Festival the year before and had been disappointed, it had lacked that electricity that ignites a crowd into being part of it. I enjoyed it, but I just did not really feel it.

Any doubts I had, however, dissolved the minute the foursome filled the arena with the invigoratingly joyful ‘Send Them Off!’ No time was wasted in pulling the seated to their feet and the standing into the air as the crowd and band threw themselves into the show.

Vocalist, Dan Smith, successfully captured every member of the audience no matter how far back from the main stage they were. During hit track ‘Flaws’ he walked straight through the entire standing crowd, and though this, unsurprisingly, impacted on his vocals the impact on the room was incredible.

One of the most unique parts of the show was the dystopia-inspired concept running behind it. A politician introduced the bands on screen, opening and closing the show and TV screens throughout showed ‘broadcasts’ from WWCOMMS, a corporation invented by the band and runs behind the theme of the entire Wild World album. It was intelligent, both captivating and unsettling and ultimately set to raise the standards of arena shows.

Bastille have risen to heights that so few bands do, and yet their performance at Manchester Arena made it undeniably evident that they are exactly where they deserve to be. None of this felt even remotely lost on the band either; I lost count of the number of times Dan exclaimed “Thank you so much!” throughout the set and joy seemed to emanate through every track.

They delivered tracks spanning across their career, from the recent ‘Good Greif’ to the defining and ever brilliant ‘Pompeii’. However, some of the greatest moments came from their lesser-known tracks such as the powerful ‘The Draw’ and ‘Glory’, the track Dan named as being the explanation behind the album concept.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable and truly exciting show that determined Bastille as a band set to define the standards of live performances from now on.

Top 5: Films and TV shows currently on Netflix

Written by Eliza Slawther on . Posted in Film.

I often find UK Netflix to be a source of much frustration, containing a plethora of low-budget horror films and uninteresting health food documentaries, relying too heavily on its wide selection of hit-and-miss original sitcoms which make subscribing just about worth the money. However, if you trawl through the masses there are a few must-see films and TV shows — and with the Christmas break coming up it is the perfect time to binge-watch all the best that Netflix has to offer.

5.) Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

More than just a science documentary, this fascinating look into life on Earth as well as the workings of the universe itself is both a visual and educational treat. Neil deGrasse Tyson is the perfect presentor, combining the real world of scientific discovery with the made-up ‘Imagination Ship’. Each episode is captivating and varied, with the subject ranging from microscopic algae to the workings of the milky way. The show also pays homage to important scientists and discoverers, such as Isaac Newton and Giordano Bruno.

4.) Requiem for a Dream

Darren Aronofsky’s cult classic is a must-see film exploring the dark horrors of drug addiction, combining dark comedy with the tragic reality of life for addiction sufferers of all types. Perhaps most famous for its dramatic, instantly recognisable score, Requiem for a Dream is perhaps one of the most powerful and moving films of all time. This being said, it can be very emotionally draining so best to have a few episodes of Arrested Development lined up to lighten the post-viewing mood.

3.) Arrested Development

A four-series show which just keeps giving, Arrested Development is hilarious on all levels. Although each episode is a brilliant comedy in itself, the best jokes are the more subtle, self-referrential ones which have gifted the show with the cult-following and critical acclaim it deserves. For this reason it is crucial to watch the show in order and pay attention — this is more than your average cheap-pun sitcom.

2.) The Lobster

Featuring an absurd world in which humans must find love or be turned into an animal of their choice, The Lobster brings to light complicated questions about relationships, the individual and humanity. The beauty of the film lies in it simplicity, there is no need to question the premise or plausibility of the film — instead the cinematography, humour and characterisations speak for themselves.

1.) Pan’s Labyrinth

A beautiful fantasty film about a young girl called Ofelia in post-Civil war Spain, this film combines the horror of war with a dark fantasy world. Featuring striking cinematography and a gorgeous colour palatte alongside a captivating tale which truly captures the twisted, surreal fairytale world which becomes Ofelia’s reality, Pan’s Labyrinth really is one-of-a-kind.

Notable mentions: Bojack Horseman Dazed and Confused, The Thin Red Line, Slow West, Boyhood, Clerks, Gone Girl, Under the Skin, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Preview: Chinese Culture Festival 2016

Written by Isidora Cortes-Monroy on . Posted in News.

One of the advantages of living in the second most diverse city in the UK is the chance to learn about new cultures without having to board any planes.

Without even having to leave south campus, you can experience the wanders of Chinese culture in Academy 1, this Wednesday. Hosted by Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Manchester (CSSA-MAN), the event started at 2pm today and will finish at 7pm.

The Third Chinese Culture Festival will offer a wide range of activities to celebrate the different aspects of this Asian culture. The activities consist of but are not limited to:  food-tasting from different regional cuisines; cultural activities such as calligraphy and learning to use chopsticks; poetry readings and tongue twisters, and traditional leisure activities such as pitch-pot and mah-jong.

There is even a chance to photograph you and your friends in traditional costume. In addition to the variety of activities on offer, there will also be a souvenir stand selling distinctively Chinese presents such as a Chinese knot or bookmark.

The price is student friendly as it only demands £1 per activity, or alternatively £5 for 7 activities if bought in advance. Furthermore, if you visit all 8 activity areas you will be given a VIP guide to accompany you in the food area as you taste the different delicacies for free.

These events put on by the CSSA are worth visiting as they are hosted by the largest Chinese community in the UK. A non-political, non-religious and non-profit organization, CSSA-UK has been organizing and supporting cultural and social events with the help of Chinese students and scholars since 1988. As well as being active within the UK, the CSSA also boasts of a large global network of intellectuals, in and outside of China. This particular event will be organized by the CSSA-MAN, one of the Subsidiary Associations of CSSA-UK.

So whether you are a Sinophile or you are simply curious as to what pitch-pot is, this event will definitely be worth visiting as it is one of the few opportunities you as a student will be presented with Chinese culture in such a holistic way by other students.

Live: Tom Odell

Written by Jay Plent on . Posted in Music.

9th November at O2 Apollo

6/10

At the time of writing, Donald Trump is president. Whilst this may seem irrelevant, it is in fact hugely important, because it was on the day of this announcement that Tom Odell descended on Manchester to perform, continuing the tour for his latest album Wrong Crowd.

In short, his audience needed a pick-me-up (or a celebration, depending on their political opinion), and Odell delivered a set that impressed, dishing out tracks like ‘Another Love’, ‘Grow Old With Me’ and ‘Concrete’ to massive applause.

His band was an intriguing variety of backing vocalists, dual drummers and guitars, and their energy and enthusiasm for stagecraft echoed that of Odell’s. There was plenty in the way of tension; the moodiness of Odell’s first and second albums was not lost live, as the band often stepped back to allow for the man himself to ramp up the tension with a gentle nudge of audience participation.

But at times the set felt padded out. Most of the tracks ended with an elongated breakdown and build up to an additional chorus, and though this was effective the first time, after the third or fourth it felt played out and a little predictable. The audience lapped it up though, as audiences do in the spur of the moment, but at times the audience themselves were the most entertaining part of the evening.

As you can imagine, nothing quite kills the mood of a carefully constructed build up than a thick northern accent screaming ‘go on Tom lad’ on the upbeat of every climax. However, unlike the build-ups themselves, this did not stop being entertaining with repetition. For an artist with such a subdued sound, it was a surprisingly rowdy audience, a trait which Odell, to his credit, was quick to take advantage of.

Given the events of the day, it was inevitable that Odell would put in some flippant remark about the American presidential election. Whilst it felt a little forced when he began, ending his speech with the wonderfully cathartic line “he may be the most powerful man in the world, but he’s still a c**t”, was subversively funny, especially given that there was a child definitely no older than 9 years standing a foot away from me.

Overall, Tom Odell put on a convincing performance, which was definitely enhanced by the unique Manchester crowd. Tensions were high, sing-alongs were had, but ultimately Odell’s lack of compositional variety made the show enjoyable, but unremarkable.

A student life: the student journalist

Written by Jacob Nicholas on . Posted in Features.

Eliza Slawther is softly spoken, but this belies intelligence and determination. She’s hard working — not content to let The Mancunion be like any other paper — and has plans and ambitions far beyond what you would expect from the average student journalist.

First, I asked Eliza what her role in The Mancunion entails: “I’m the head film editor, so I just edit the film section along with my deputy… I decide what goes in each week and I guess I have the final say.”

Eliza’s using her position to try and make the film section more diverse and interesting. “Mostly it’s film reviews,” she told me, “but I’m trying to move away from that a little bit because its good for us to cover all the film things that we can… We got an interview with a director that was really interesting, we got to send someone to do that and we’re also covering the Manchester film festival and we do sort of previews and things”

Furthermore, Eliza is working on making a uniquely UoM film section: “I’m trying to get more up and coming film makers and try and work with them, like we got contacted by someone who used to be a student here and they’ve made a film about the jungle in Calais, so we’re going to write about that.”

All this effort to make a section unlike any other is to make it, “interesting for students, because that is our main readership.” Eliza told me, emphasising that “if someone’s already read a review of all the main films that are out there’s no point picking up The Mancunion and reading all the same things again.”

I asked Eliza whether this emphasis on a unique identity should extend to the rest of the paper, “Yeah definitely,” she answered, “because otherwise we’re like every other newspaper and that’s not what we want, we want to have our own student voice.”

Eliza also emphasised the importance of carrying out our own investigations, “because then it’s like with news and stuff you’re not just regurgitating articles that have already been written, you’re actually going out and finding your own information. It’s annoying because we’re all at university so we can’t just be running off to looking in to things but when we can it’s really important to be doing that.”

I then asked what made her get involved in student media in the first place, “I sort of thought I wanted to be a journalist but I wasn’t really sure,” she replied, “and then I ended up editing for a different newspaper and kind of enjoyed it but I felt a bit detached, because there wasn’t an office and it wasn’t based around our university so I thought I’d come here and have a go at it and then I really enjoyed it.”

And is film journalism something she’d consider a career in? “Maybe yeah, I think in general just entertainment journalism is kind of my thing.” But Eliza is not just limiting herself to writing about any one thing just yet, “I’ve been trying to write for the different sections of the newspaper, like news and lifestyle and everything to just try and get a bit of a breadth, which I think is really important for anyone who wants to do journalism. You need to spread yourself out.”

We spoke briefly about the role of Mancunion on campus. Eliza reckoned that because “the university is so big that it’s the only way students get to find out stuff that’s happening in the university, like the fight that broke out in the SU that we’re covering, I thought that was the sort of thing you’d only read here really.”

This extended to a discussion on whether The Mancunion should focus on wider issues or be more university-centric, “I think we should focus on both,” Eliza told me, “I think maybe just the fact that students are writing it means it’s always going to have a focus on students, because it’s always going to be written from our perspective and also if something happens it’ll always be how it impacts us I suppose.”

But this student focus should not mean The Mancunion does not look at wider issues, as it will not be long until they affect us too. “We’re the next generation, and in a few years we’ll be the ones who have proper jobs and everything and be sort of real grownups.”

And is student media important for wider society, not just students? “Yeah I think it really is,” Eliza responded: “Mainstream newspapers, especially when they’re written by older generations, they aren’t really that current with what’s going on in student life and I think their perception of students is quite different and sometimes students get painted in a bad light I suppose, like especially with things like housing and in Fallowfield with the parties and stuff, the mainstream newspapers present it as the students’ fault whereas with student media you get a chance to say ‘well actually this is our perspective on it.’”

Eliza also pointed out that current students will be the major journalists of the future, and writing of a student paper is “one of the only gateways into journalism, because it’s very difficult to get the same level of work experience on a normal newspaper.”

We then spoke about The Mancunion’s relationship with the university, and once again the answer came down to making a unique paper. “I think that it’s The Mancunion’s responsibility to report on things that are happening not just in the union but at the actual university, and that’s why we do the interviews with Nancy Rothwell and people like that, because where else are people going to read about it?

“Like with the freedom of information requests we can put in to the university I think we’re the only newspaper who would really report on that. So I think it’s important we keep a good relationship with the university, and report on all the great things they do, but also sort of investigate a bit and find out where our money’s going, things like that.”

I asked Eliza about The Mancunion’s relationship with the Students Union, in particular if she thought perceptions of the paper as a tool of the union are true or fair, “I don’t think [they’re] true, because anyone can write for the Mancunion who’s a student here, so it’s not like we’d ever not put out an article unless there was some major problem with it, but we put out articles with all sorts of people’s opinions, like right wing, left wing, anything and leave it open to discussion.

“So I think we’re not a tool of the union, we’re a tool of the students if anything. We will publish articles by the exec team but we’ll also publish articles that disagree with them. And that’s all part of the press I suppose, having discussions, sometimes heated ones… I think maybe there’s always a little bit of tension”

Is enabling students to have these discussions an important part of The Mancunion? “Yeah I think that definitely one of the main roles of the paper is to allow students to debate issues but in an educated way, or in a way that they’re actually writing their opinions out thoughtfully rather than just shouting or on social media. I think that’s what it should be used for. Not for really mean, insidious comments made towards just because people disagree with each other but somewhere where people can just have a civilised debate.”

And finally, the obvious question for a film editor – favourite film? “Oh my gosh that’s so on the spot! Probably Requiem for a Dream, I love that film. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Withnail and I, that’s a very hilarious film. I really liked The Lobster, which is not really a big one that I think most people say but that’s definitely in there. I’m not sure know what else. I feel like I’m one of those people that have loads of favourite films but I feel like I don’t have a favourite, it depends what mood I’m in. I mean it would be quite strange if I was film editor and I had one film that I was really settled on.”

Course: English Literature, third year

From: “Warrington, it’s about twenty minutes from Manchester, so pretty local!”

Balance of Uni life/Society life: “I’ve got myself into a lot of things this year! I do peer mentoring, I’m on the English Lit committee for the society, I’m the treasurer for that, and also do The Mancunion and work at the SU, so I feel like I never leave here, I’m here all the time. But it’s actually really helpful, I just have to time manage very well and make sure I dedicate enough time to everything, and I just try and get in to uni a bit earlier than I need to every day and stay a bit later and I feel it really helps.”

Worst bit: “When the deadline comes each week for the print paper worrying about other people to get their articles in, so having to rely on writers because if they’re too busy I’ve got to write something up and that can be quite stressful.”

Best bit: “Just how rewarding it is every week seeing a finished newspaper and it just feels great to see pieces in print.”

Where do you see yourself in 15 years time? “I’ll be 35 then so hopefully in some kind of job I enjoy! Hopefully to do with writing, or I’d love to be in the film or TV industry but that would take a while to break into. Although fifteen years, I’ve got time! So yeah film or TV but still doing writing on the side. Production or directing hopefully”

How to get involved: “Well it depends which section you want to write for, if you want to write for all of them or some of them. Just come along to the meetings, all the times are on the website, or if you can’t make the meeting then just send an email to the relevant section, and join the Facebook pages because that’s where everyone posts all the information!”

Preview: The Frost Fair

Written by Laura Joyce on . Posted in Arts.

With only five weeks left to do your last-minute shopping, visit the Manchester Christmas Markets, and get yourselves home for holidays, it is time to get festive. Well, the University of Manchester’s Whitworth Art Gallery have it covered.

This December, the Whitworth will become a Scandinavian wonderland for just one exclusive weekend, hosting a plethora of free events.The inspiration behind this exciting event has come from the Danish word ‘Hygge’. It means tradition, cosiness and warmth, as well as surrounding yourself with friends and family.

The Whitworth said: “The Frost Fair promotes art and togetherness, encouraging gallery visitors, the local community, and members of the whole family to come together and enjoy winter at the Whitworth.”

At the most wonderful time of the year, how better to celebrate with your loved ones than ice-skating. That’s right, an environmentally sustainable ice rink will be just one of the free activities available in this two-day shindig.

Short films, including images of the infamous Northern Lights, will be screened on an outdoor cinema in the Art Garden. There will be mulled wine, hot chocolate, craft ales, international street food, and even live music just to keep that festive magic in the air.

Walk The Plank, arguably the UK’s most outstanding outdoor arts companies, will also be performing an array of theatre forms in their performance of ‘The Ice Queen & Ice Queen’s Courtyard’. Taking place on the Sculpture Terrace, the display will involve puppetry and light displays. A play on the anonymity of ice and fire, this is sure to be an exciting performance from the ever-innovative theatre company.

Finally, on Sunday evening, there will be a spectacular fire and fireworks show to bring this ultimate Christmas weekend to a close.

So, I think we can give Santa Claus a rest this year — the Whitworth have it sorted.

The Frost Fair: 3 – 4 December 2016, 11am – 7pm

Chicken Katsu Curry

Written by Lily Carden on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Serves 2
Oven at 180˚C
prep time 20 mins
cook time 30 mins

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
Seasoned flour on a plate
1 beaten egg
Breadcrumbs
Butter
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2tsp medium curry powder
1tbsp plain flour
300ml chicken stock
1tsp honey
1tbsp soy sauce
¼tsp garam masala
Cooked rice to serve

Originally I made a healthy version of chicken katsu curry, baking the chicken with only a tiny spray of oil, but then I realised that sometimes only butter will do! Now, I pan fry the breadcrumbed chicken to get the golden colour and then bake in in the oven to make sure that it’s cooked through. It’s a great meal and really straightforward to make. For those who don’t like spice – this is as mild a curry as you can get, but no less flavourful for it.

Prepare the chicken: place the seasoned flour on a plate next to a bowl with the beaten egg and then a plate with breadcrumbs. Coat the chicken breasts first with the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Fry them in butter for a few minutes on each side, adding more butter as necessary. Place on an oven tray and put in the oven as you start simmering the sauce.

Gently sweat the diced onion and carrot in a pan with some oil and the lid on for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the curry powder and flour to the vegetables and then slowly pour in the stock, mixing all the time so it doesn’t go lumpy. Add the soy sauce and honey and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce but not stick to the bottom and disappear — add a little water if you feel there’s not enough liquid partway through. Stir the garam masala and any seasoning you would like through the sauce.

You now have three options: 1) leave the sauce as it is, you’ll have a lumpy sauce but it will still taste great, 2) strain the sauce so that it is smooth with not vegetable bits in it, 3) blend the sauce using a stick blender, this is my favourite method as you keep the healthy veg but lose the unsightly lumps.

Serve the chicken and curry sauce with rice. Try to use chopsticks if you can!

Rachel Maclean: ‘Wot u :-) about?’ at HOME

Written by Georgia Welch on . Posted in Arts.

Since opening its doors to the public in 2015, HOME Manchester has truly expanded its artistic horizons, building on the well established cinema audiences it garnered back when it was known as the Cornerhouse, and providing a platform for the most ambitious and unusual artists to showcase their work in the fantastic exhibition space it boasts alongside its theatre and cinema screens.

Out of the more peculiar exhibitions it has hosted since its inception, Rachel Maclean’s brash, original and slightly terrifying new exhibition, Wot u 🙂 about? surely takes the crown as one of the most exciting.

Acclaimed 1987-born Scottish artist, Rachel Maclean, received her BA in Drawing and Painting from Edinburgh College of Art, and will represent Scotland at the 2017 Venice Benniale.

Her newest work vividly explores the concept of happiness and self-esteem, even infusing it with a subtle commentary on the nature of technology as a means of validation. In the social media-focused world we live in, much of the artistic and televisual critique of technology we are exposed to is often generic and a little tired in its message.

Yet, Rachel Maclean’s mixed media approach and use of garish colour palettes helps to mimic the gaudy, wholesome aesthetic of children’s television, creating something altogether more unsettling and creative than we’re used to seeing.

The exhibition itself contains a range of different mediums. The wall hanging exhibits, ‘We Want Data!’ provide our initial introduction to the bizarre setting Maclean has created. Perhaps the most prominent piece was the 30-minute short film ‘It’s What’s Inside That Counts’ being projected onto three separate screens, drawing from the audience’s first encounter with this unnerving world.

Combining the bold and sickly sweet visuals of her physical pieces with undertones of nightmarish fantasy violence, the film examines the overarching concepts of transitioning between childhood and adulthood, and happiness as a commercial product — themes which are carried throughout the entirety of the exhibition.

The collection of individual 3D sculptures are yet another manifestation of this theme. They take the form of large yellow children’s TV-style monsters, visibly decaying and rotting as if to suggest the negative impact of attempting to achieve acceptance and be yourself as a teenager, yet constantly being plagued by the relentless pressure to act in a certain way by those around us.

They may be ideas we are familiar with, but Wot u 🙂 about? is a true accomplishment in terms of bringing unforgettable visual novelty and cerebral twists to a well-established topic, so be sure to catch it at HOME while you have the chance.

Wot u 🙂 about? at HOME Manchester – 29 Oct 2016 – 8 Jan 2017

Review: After Love

Written by Alasdair Bayman on . Posted in Film.

L’economie du couple — translated as After Love — hides no subliminal meanings in its title. In evoking a sense of pastness, the translated title benefits the overriding themes of melancholy in the film. Yet, behind the self-explanatory title, one finds a still introspective look into a domestic space that has plummeted from the dizzy heights of love into the realms of despair and hatred.

Set in the elegant home of divorcing couple Marie (Bèrènice Bejo) and Boris (Cédric Kahn), Joachim Lafosse’s ninth feature does not shy away from outlining the complications and degeneration of divorce and love. Both Marie and Boris have invested significant time and money into their outwardly idyllic home for their two identical twins, Jade and Margaux (Jade Soentjens & Margaux Soentjens). Boris, an architect, has designed and constructed the house himself, whilst Marie has paid out of her parent’s trust fund for all bills and materials used by Boris in the house’s construction. The fundamental crux of the divorce settlements lays in an even share of the house’s sale money — to which Marie is less than happy to do. This crux also serves as a narrative deterrent to siding with either Boris or Marie as both parties have applicable claims for more money than originally proposed.

Within the mise-en-scene, Lafosse chooses to adopt luscious peaceful whites in the home as a juxtaposition towards the internal struggles found in the adult’s divorce. However, both Bejo and Kahn give composed performances as the eponymous couple who have fallen out of love. The tender care that was once held between the two is there to see in the literal creation of their daughters, but more important can be felt in the numerous peculiar interactions between the two — including an unexpected sexual encounter. The subtlest of body movements in Bejo and Kahn’s performance depict Marie and Boris’s resentment towards their precarious situation. Still, their former love is captured in a poignant diegetic dance sequence, alongside their two charming twins. One of the film’s most powerful scenes, Lafosse channels Girlhood in a liberation and an expulsion of narrative and deep personal tension in this sequence. Modern life, in this instance, has dealt them a very bizarre and unfortunate hand.

Cinematographer Jean-Francois Hensgens delivers a striking suture into the couple’s life that alongside the natural deliverance and writing of dialogue delivers verisimilitude. In this reality, arguments between the couple, which vary from banality to the contemplative, are built towards effortlessly. For most of the duration, Hensgens and Lafosse make a conscious effort to avoid cutting away from the house itself. A significant lack of quick editing or long shots presents a tangible element towards the tension between Marie and Boris. In the latter stages of the narrative, however, a movement away from the household is formed.

Not only does this impact an overall reception of the film, but impacts a critical one. Lafosse’s inability to retain his initial artistic approach degrades the film, alongside its conclusion. Using a soft piano score — which is now a cliché of French cinema — also approximates criticism. Although this contributes to despondency, its incorporation feels somewhat tiresome in our cultural moment of art-house cinema.

What After Love shows us is the sheer destruction of a modern day divorce. Transgressing a Disney fairy-tale view of life and love, Lafosse’s world is unsympathetic and degrading to the individual. The verisimilitude at hand contributes to a complexity in the film; one that confronts its subject matter head on. Adult life is difficult, and After Love is not afraid to show this. Its courage of subject matter and overall execution make it a necessity to be viewed and discussed in light of recent cultural moments.

4/5

Review: The Blue Blue Sea

Written by Beth Armstrong on . Posted in Theatre.

With only three white chairs and a monochrome backdrop of a non-descript tower block, the staged reading of The Blue Blue Sea manages to conjure a tangible and depressive world through speech alone, reflecting the strength of Nis Momme Stockmann’s writing in this bare boned performance. Combined with the brilliantly sharp deliverance of the three actors, David Judge, Katie West, and Reuben Johnson — they give life to such a well-crafted script.

The protagonist Darko (Judge) is a deeply troubled young man and alcoholic who is shackled to his council estate but is fascinated by the stars that hang above it, though these he swears are impossible to see here. When he meets Motte (West) the estate’s teenage prostitute, equally as fixated on the blue blue sea of Norway, the pair do not so much as fall hopefully in love, but form a deep connection based on the flickering of hope they see in one another.

Motte, or moth in English, is attracted by the paradoxical light of Darko, though amid the darkness of their estate, this is not enough to save them. Nor is it enough to save Darko’s friend Ulrika, abused by her father, and literally pushed over the edge of one of the tower blocks by despair. But the play severs all false sentimentality with Darko’s bitter speech about the suffering of the rest of his neighbours, jabbing his finger at various anonymous windows in the backdrop.

We understand then that tragedy is nothing new to the estate, as common as the grey slate, the drug dealers and the ‘German and Russian kids spitting on the Turkish’.

The Blue Blue Sea is performed as part of HOME’s Berlin Now festival, and we can see subtle hints to this infamous city through David Tushingham’s clever translation; the ‘screen’ on Darko’s train refers to the looped newsreel on the Berliner Fenster of the U-Bahn, or ‘underground’ as the translation uses, effectively universalising the play.

This could very well be London, or even Manchester given Judge’s thick accent. His closing plea of ‘This isn’t Africa or South America. This is Germany, Motte’ comes as a minor shock as we are reminded of the play’s setting, though the situation of the characters is so recognisable to us, it only drives home the message of the ubiquitous nature of social disenfranchisement even in the world’s wealthiest countries.

The play’s bleak tone is broken occasionally by the comedic timing of Johnson who plays a series of chorus characters, switching effortlessly between Darko’s perpetually inebriated sidekick, a walking example of the apex of alcoholism, and a typically no-nonsense German security guard, representative of apathetic authority.

However, moments of tenderness do manage to puncture the desolation: one particularly touching scene occurs where Motte nonchalantly strips her clothes to reveal the scars on her back. ‘They’re beautiful’ marks Darko, with the surety that comes with stating a fact. But sadly the love of the young couple cannot compete against the ‘machine’ of the estate, and the blue blue sea is never glimpsed but remains for them forever a mirage.