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Month: November 2018

Photo: The Politics Project

An interview with Hattie Andrews: founder of the Politics Project

Written by georgiawiltshire on . Posted in Features.

Founded in Manchester in 2015, the Politics Project plays a central role in empowering young people within politics — not only in Greater Manchester but all across the UK. Connecting a wide range of schools with their MPs, the Politics Project offers a free democratic education for young students. This unique opportunity provides young people with an inspiring and motivating environment where they can establish their political voice. I spoke with the project’s Director, University of Manchester graduate, Hattie Andrews, discussing her motivations behind founding the project, the role of digital technology in youth empowerment, and what the future holds for the Politics Project.

With the impact of the Politics Project being felt UK-wide, I was surprised to learn it is run by a small team currently based in London, with Hattie and her colleague Josh Dell, the Project’s community advocacy lead, playing a crucial role in its ever-growing political momentum. The pair’s dedication to the cause is commendable, travelling across the country to assist schools and their teachers to provide a worthwhile political education to young students. The Project also runs training sessions for teachers throughout the year, educating them on the dynamics of digital surgeries in preparation for holding one at their school. I asked Hattie what her motivations were behind founding the Politics Project, she asserted: “I think I felt really strongly that young people didn’t have the chance to learn about the basics of how politics works. I was also aware of a big gap – the young people that were engaged often had engaged parents and that is how they learnt about politics. I wanted to level the playing field.”

The Politics Project is certainly making waves in the political world, having recently delivered a series of digital surgeries at WIRED Next Generation Festival in London’s the Tate Modern. The Project ran sessions with Councillor Timothy Burns as well as Darren Jones MP, tackling issues with local students including lowering the voting age and the influence of technology on daily politics. Digital surgeries typically involve a school’s MP appearing on video link with a school class where a session of questions and answers takes place. The opportunities provided by these surgeries are undoubtedly significant, signalling a shift towards a contemporary method of political activity which is able to emulate the fast-paced nature of British politics. When discussing the successes of digital technology in promoting youth engagement, I asked Hattie what sets digital surgeries apart from other methods: “Digital surgeries are about a side of politics that is often overlooked – the part that recognises politics as about relationships, emotions and feelings,” she explains, “if young people don’t trust politicians then they won’t become engaged in politics.”

In addition to the Project’s successes in London, the Politics Project has not forgotten its roots, playing a distinguished role in the political community of Greater Manchester, with Hattie admitting “there can often be a rural-urban divide in political opportunities, so we try to make sure we work outside of big cities as much as possible.” At the beginning of November, the Project ran a digital surgery with Lancashire born and bred Mayor Andy Burnham, connecting him with students in both Bolton and Trafford. From the comfort of his own office, Mr Burnham, via video link, discussed issues of transport, policy priorities, as well as his personal hobbies with local students. “The format is strangely intimate,” Hattie tells me, “politicians loosen up and are really open – this has challenged a lot of our existing narratives concerning face-to-face engagements.”

With MP’s calendars becoming progressively overloaded, the efficiency and lucrative nature of digital surgeries is a vital way of ensuring the youth of today are heard by their representatives. When considering the challenges facing youth empowerment in politics today, Hattie claimed “one of the biggest challenges is where politics sits (or doesn’t sit) in the education system,” the difficulty is in ensuring young people receive the opportunity to “understand the basics,” thus thanks to the Project’s surgeries this door has been opened.

Having recently attended a digital surgery alongside Hattie at a school in Bolton, it was refreshing and reassuring to see how involved the students were. The narrative dominating youth engagement is that they are apathetic, yet Hattie disagrees with this: “being apathetic suggests you have decided not to engage, from my experience a lot of young people didn’t even know politics was happening.” As a Politics student myself, I found it heartening to see these young students overcome their initial nervousness to voice their concerns and expectations to their MP. The relaxed classroom environment facilitated by the digital surgeries allowed for an enlightening insight for students into the politics of the day.

Despite the significant steps being made by the Politics Project, Hattie stresses there is still further to go, leaving the question of what’s next for the Politics Project? “We plan to start thematic digital surgeries looking at specific issues like Peterloo and climate change, alongside starting to think about how we can use the process to co-design policy and build relationships. There are also (very tiny) whispers of doing surgeries with politicians across the pond.” With the project already bearing much notability in the realm of youth political engagement, it appears the pursuits of the Politics Project will certainly continue to thrive in the future with exciting opportunities in the pipeline.

You can find more information about the politics project via their website  and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo: Sister Supporter

An interview with Sister Supporter

Written by Daisy Lester on . Posted in Features.

Outside abortion clinics across Britain, the pavement is a battlefield for issues surrounding the pro-choice movement.

As women attempt to access their legal rights, they are met with pro-life intimidation and religious vigils. A clinic on a quiet side street in Fallowfield is one of those targeted.

Establishing a stark counter-presence are Sister Supporter, a group of volunteers of all ages and professions who wear pink high-visibility vests, offering non-judgemental protection.

Eabha Doherty is a founding member of the group, which began in Manchester almost a year ago. It was a result of a workshop that the Ealing branch of Sister Supporter gave, in preparation for the anti-abortion, “40 Days for For Life” campaign which involves a period of sustained pressure by pro-lifers.

The Ealing branch had been campaigning for a buffer zone surrounding a local Marie Stopes clinic. They successfully achieved a harassment-free safe zone around the clinic in April, subsequently ending 23 years of intimidation.

Abortion was legalised in the UK 50 years ago, yet the conversation is as prevalent as ever. Ireland voted to lift a ban this year, but abortion remains illegal in Northern Ireland. In America there have been attempts to destabilise Roe Vs Wade – a 1970s Supreme Court ruling that said a pregnant woman had a constitutional right to terminate her pregnancy.

Sister Supporter says protestors are outside Marie Stopes’ Fallowfield clinic every Saturday, and sometimes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, targeting the clinic’s staff and users.

Eabha says: “Some of the staff have been working there for over 15 years, they’ve told us stories of what they’ve experienced… they understand and are happy that we are there, making their lives a little easier and defusing the situation outside.”

Sister Supporter’s role is shielding women from anti-abortion lobbies, and offering a protective escort for those who might otherwise be deterred from entering the clinic.

Signs are held stating “Thou Shalt Not Kill” and “fake news” leaflets are distributed claiming abortion leads to breast cancer. Protestors hand out grotesque model foetuses to women. “It’s very emotionally manipulative,” says Eabha.

In recent years, America’s influence has become apparent, particularly with “pavement counselling”. Eabha says there have been signs advertising “pregnancy hotlines” at the Ealing clinic. “I actually looked it up, it’s unfounded… its not an official counselling service… there’s a lot of unregulated therapists out there, it’s dangerous.”

Some of these pavement counsellors were offering financial aid to women, and proposing “safe houses,” where they would ostensibly help support the woman and her child.

Photo: Sister Supporter

During “40 Days for Life”, Sister Supporter volunteers dedicated themselves to unremitting counter-presence.

Amongst the usual anti-abortion tactics, lies were circulated by protesters, one claimed on social media to have “saved 30 babies” in a single day.

“We are up against fiction,” says Eabha. “We don’t have an issue with people being religious, we have an issue with people trying to prevent women exercising their right to choose, and accessing legal health care.”

She emphasises that Sister Supporter are not anti-religion, nor necessarily pro-abortion, they are pro-choice and carry the all-important task of enabling women to access their reproductive rights.

The support they receive from those using the clinic, their family members, and the local community, highlights just how imperative and vital the group’s work is. Although Eabha stresses that continuous counter-presence is, “not an ideal solution, no one should have to be there.”

Following the success of Ealing, the Manchester branch is working tirelessly to achieve similar safe-zone legislation. There is currently a petition which has reached almost 2,000 signatures.

Much of Sister Supporters campaigning involves raising wider awareness but Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s recent rejection of a nationwide buffer zone was a significant blow for local and national hopes for safe-zones.

Eabha says it was hugely disappointing: “There was a lot of evidence that claimed a buffer zone was needed, they really haven’t seen it with their own eyes.”

A large part of the process for securing legislation is collecting evidence and personal testimony to recognise the trauma experience as a result of anti-abortion lobbying. The difficulty lies in the fact that the problem in Manchester is largely hidden due to the tucked away location of the Fallowfield Marie Stopes clinic.

Eabha says: “There’s not a lot of footfall there, and we’ve had to bring it to the attention of politicians who don’t necessarily know its happening.”

Despite the disappointment surrounding national legislation, Eabha maintains they will get it eventually. “It’s in the hands of people like us to make sure change happens.” Eabha is Irish, and notes with optimism how the Irish government are already considering safe zones when tackling abortion legislation. “They are almost going to be one step ahead of the UK!” she says.

The Manchester clinic is a gateway location and is used by women travelling from Ireland.  “It’s awful that you could travel so far to access a legal service, and someone could stand in your way and tell you that you’re a sinner,” says Eabha.

Manchester City Council has voted to look into the problem, and with more petition signatures and exposure, a buffer zone in Manchester is looking promising — yet most likely still a couple of years away. In the meantime, Eabha and Sister Supporter will continue to offer their crucial pink counter presence in Manchester and across the UK in their battle for national legislation and the protection of women’s legal health care rights.

Sign the Manchester buffer zone petition here. Find out more about Sister Supporter via their website.

Photo: Marco Verch @ Flickr

An ode to The Font

Written by lauraswain on . Posted in News.

After ten years in business, The Font, Fallowfield will close on the 15th December. The heart-breaking news was announced on social media this week by the bar’s management team. The news has been causing much distress to the student population.

The Font, for me, was the place where my friends would meet on a Monday after a long day at uni. We would forget our worries and take advantage of the happy hour, offering two for one cocktails. Over time, we would be able to list these off by heart. The evening would usually go one of two ways. It would escalate into a spontaneous night out, or the end of happy hour would signal the dreaded return to your flat to power out an essay for the pressing deadline you had been avoiding. Nevertheless, situated in the heart of Fallowfield, there was no excuse for missing out on a cocktail and beating those Monday blues.

The Font was unique for its capacity to be the prime location of embarrassing drunken memories. While also being the place many saw as acceptable to take visiting relatives for a meal. Welcoming staff and the cosy décor contributed to The Font’s status as a Fallowfield favourite. However you remember The Font, whether it’s because of that awkward first date, hungover breakfasts spent piecing together the night before, or its popular weekly pub quizzes that brought out your competitive side, it is undeniable that the bar will be greatly missed by all.

Earlier this year, The Font had to shorten their opening hours due to enforced council regulations. It is uncertain whether these restrictions played a part in the management team’s decision to not renew the property’s lease.

Before their closure, The Font, Fallowfield have promised ‘one last big hoorah’ on Friday the 14th December. This won’t just be a chance to say a final farewell to the venue whilst you cry into your cocktail. It will be the opportunity to celebrate all that The Font has contributed to student life in Fallowfield.

Photo: The Japanese House @ The Mancunion (Jake Oliver)

Live Review: The Japanese House

Written by Jake Oliver on . Posted in Music.

Amber Bain’s (otherwise known as The Japanese House) presence on the music scene has been sorely missed. After a year of silence, Bain’s return to the airwaves – and the stage – is welcomed with both open arms and eager ears. Finishing off a nationwide tour ahead of her debut album Good at Falling (set for release early next year), the Gorilla performance shows the artist at her most powerful yet. It’s a night of intimacy, melancholy and poise but also that of confidence and a self-assuredness that solidifies The Japanese House as one of the moment’s most important acts.

There is most definitely an enigmatic atmosphere to The Japanese House, and this hangs inside the venue as audiences sway in anticipation. Support from Art School Girlfriend (Polly Mackey) with her dark, electronic synths helps create a hypnotic, trance-like ambience. It was a truly wonderful choice of support.

Bathed in a sea of soft pinks and lilacs, Bain, alongside her new live band, emerge on to the stage. There’s immediately a more confident aura surrounding the front-woman, who moves around with a fresh sense of versatility and swagger – qualities that older performances lacked. Usually more subdued, here it is apparent that Bain has really come in to her own and it’s a pleasure to watch. The addition of her new live band enable the whole ensemble to give off a more energetic and interactive show, injecting sharpness and passion in to each track they play.

The set is a career-spanning journey, plucking the best tracks out of an already stellar bunch from The Japanese House’s discography, aptly discarding those that simply wouldn’t hold up in this new whirlwind stage persona that Bain has adopted. It’s a wise move: the streamlined set provides more opportunities to actually move around and engage.

‘Face like Thunder’ opens the show up, a bright 80s-esque synth-pop banger taken from her 2016 EP. Starting the night off with a more uptempo song sees Bain now at ease, waving her hair about like a true rockstar. Old favourites like ‘Cool Blue’ and ‘Still’ are polished and perfected for live performances, sounding grungier than their recordings. ‘Saw You in a Dream’ gets the acoustic treatment for the first chorus before the drums blast the track back in to its full glory. ‘Swim Against the Tide’ sounds crisper, with the intricate guitar plucking sounding sharper and more defined.

“Do you guys want to hear a new song?” Bain asks halfway through the night, a wry grin etched on to her face. The audience cheer back, as the band launch in to ‘You Seemed So Happy’, a track with a heavier weight to it than anything The Japanese House have previously produced. Later, another new song ‘Maybe You’re The Reason’ further showcases the musical growth and experimentation that has been going on behind the scenes. Both songs are infectiously catchy, and demonstrated a departure from the fuzzy ambient percussion to more a nuanced pop-rock sound. The night was brought to a triumphant finale with the tender anthem ‘Clean’, in one of the sharpest live renditions of the track that I have ever witnessed.

The whole night stood as a true testament to incredible level of artistic and personal growth that Bain has undergone in the last three or so years. Seemingly embracing herself with confidence, but still retaining the soft, intimate qualities that fans adore her for puts Amber Bain in good stead for the next step in her career. The Japanese House can only go from strength to strength.

9/10.

Photo: Motion Twin.

Review: Dead Cells

Written by David Uncle on . Posted in Games.

Dead Cells has been out for a while now, but with it winning Best Indie Game at the 2018 Golden Joystick Awards, and given that its physical release was aided by Manchester based developers Merge Games, The Mancunion takes a retrospective look at the increasingly popular title, which also hit the headlines for being the subject of a now infamous plagiarised review by Filip Miucin, formerly of IGN.

And Dead Cells did not let us down.

The story is very minimalistic, primarily about the player character seeking to escape a prison island, but short sections of lore are drip-fed to the player throughout. It isn’t the most exciting story, and certainly doesn’t match the level of discreet lore delivered in the Dark Souls franchise, but it’s enjoyable enough and adds some context to the world.

The real highlight of Dead Cells is the electric gameplay and its intricacies. The combat is fast-paced, and every attack feels solid, particularly with the slower, heavier hitting weapons. As some kind of ninja, your character is quick on his feet and entire sequences of enemies can be avoided if you wish, though the combat is so fun I tried to get into as many fights as I could. The controls are smooth and responsive on both controller and keyboard, allowing for real precision in ducking and dodging in combat as well as performing acrobatics across the many stages.

Perhaps the best aspect of Dead Cells is the variety of weapons, accessories and gadgets. There are all kinds of weapons ranging from (dual) daggers, spears, whips, many kinds of swords, war hammers and even spiked boots, as well as ranged weapons such as bows. They each have different move sets, fighting styles and special abilities, and these abilities are part of what makes this rogue-like adventure so addictive.

Similarly, there are a large range of gadgets, traps, amulets and powers you can acquire. While you can buy certain gear to make them more common in the world, you usually obtain weapons from random locations in the world, and each time they have different abilities. For instance, in the first level you could find some dual daggers that deal massive critical hits if you get backstabs, but next time round it could be a claymore that causes health regen when you kill enemies. It keeps the game feeling fresh and new on every attempt, and no two runs are the same. This can result in some incredibly powerful combos. My most powerful resulted from finding dual daggers that dealt 500% damage if I was invisible; a potent tool if combined with an amulet granting me temporary invisibility.

My use of the word ‘attempt’ leads me onto a major feature of Dead Cells. Every time you die, whether you’re 5 minutes or 2 hours into the game, you start over. From the beginning. This has led to countless Dark Souls­ comparisons, except it’s even more devastating when you die… At least Dark Souls has checkpoints.  This sounds tough, and it is, but the persistent levelling system helps to offset this.

As you play, you accumulate ‘cells’, a currency used to buy some permanent abilities and buffs that’ll make subsequent runs easier, or blueprints for items allowing access to upgraded gear. Overall, I really enjoyed this permadeath mechanic despite the frustration it caused me at times. In every attempt, the world slightly changes its overall layout, the location of items and even enemies so each attempt felt slightly easier than the last, yet still different due to the constantly changing levels.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Cells. Gruellingly tough at times yet immensely satisfying, with great combat, controls and roguelike-elements that keep each playthrough fresh. It’s no wonder it won Best Indie Game at the Golden Joystick Awards.

9/10.

Photo: @Adam Szabo

Review: The Manchester Collective’s ‘Pierrot Lunaire’

Written by Urussa Malik on . Posted in Theatre.

‘Pierrot Lunaire’ was made up of a violinist, celloist, a pianist, and a…double bed in the middle of the stage ! This bed was the epicentre of Pierrot’s character, the character was seen sitting up in ecstasy or suddenly wrapped in a myriad of blankets . ‘Atonality’ is the buzzword of the performance, describing music where the chords are not symmetrical, this leaves the listener with a sense of incompletion and eerieness. To me, it sounded like the music was fighting each other.

The first piece of the performance was called ‘Moon Drunk’, made up of 21 poems, it was hard to tell when each began and ended. The sole character was a sad, lonely clown, portrayed by Lotte Betts-Dean, who employs the singing technique with the name Sprechstimme — translated to speak-voice.  Betts-Dean plays multiple characters by way of disassociative identity disorder — an anaemic laundry-maid and the sad clown, to name a few. This was interesting, if a little confusing.

The explanation of the double bed at the pre-show lecture was that because the (translated) poetry and music are so challenging to follow, the double bed imbued a sense of normality into the set, thus showing that these states of identity could happen to anybody. The mini-lecture was informative to those of us who were seeing the piece for the first time. Atonality was explained at length and by practise, via the helpful orchestra as well as the background of the original composer Arnold Schoenberg.

An enchanting moment in the show, was when Pierrot was following the flautist, who had left her seat and seemed to serenade Pierrot around the bed, with Pierrot following and gazing in awe. The singing itself was melancholic and erratic in rhythm, as though someone was sing-shouting and sing-whispering all in the same line, becoming barely audible at points. The entire performance was simultaneously inviting the audience closer and pushing us away.

The performance felt quite long, perhaps an effect of atonal musical pieces, but also quite heavy. Emotion flourishes through the music as well as Betts-Dean’s superb performance, bringing the character of Pierrot Lunaire to life. It is a challenging piece of theatre but still good and I look forward to attending future productions of the play, as this is the kind of theatre which is most enjoyed when you already have some knowledge about the reason for its existence.This is an assured performance of a particularly challenging piece of theatre.

Photo: Grace Revill

A live dissection experience: VIVIT

Written by Grace Revill on . Posted in Science & Tech, News.

“Real-life organs look nothing like they do in the textbooks”. This was a comment from a nursing student holding a heart in her hands at last week’s VIVIT experience at Manchester Metropolitan University.

The VIVIT Experience is an academically contextualised dissection, aimed at students and practitioners to help improve their understanding of anatomy, physiology, and pathology.

As we entered the mobile anatomy lab on Saturday morning, we were confronted with the world’s only bespoke semi-synthetic cadaver. The external body is made of silicone, designed and built by Samuel Piri and the Inspire to Aspire Events Limited (ITAE group) who own The VIVIT Experience. The organs are of swine origin, making the finished product looked eerily realistic.

The event started with a run-through of anatomical terminology and then progressed to 20-minute lectures explaining the anatomy and physiology of the skull and brain, the nasal cavity, the eye, the spine, the ribs and diaphragm, the lungs, the heart, and the gastrointestinal tract.

The information presented by the demonstrator was elaborate and yet also easy to understand. As each region was linked to respective pathological conditions and symptoms, it was very clinically relevant and engaging. The learning was also supported by using human cadaveric images and demonstration videos.

The lectures were separated by five dissections throughout the day which gave the participants an opportunity to put what they had just learned about to practice.  These dissections used pig organs from abattoirs, making use of waste products that would otherwise be thrown away.

Pig organs share a close anatomical relationship to human organs, making them perfect for clinically relevant dissections. It was great to see everyone engaging in the educational the experience as well as having fun.

VIVIT travels across the country to deliver workshops in schools, colleges, hospitals, and universities. It’s a great opportunity for healthcare students as not many establishments have access to cadaveric tissues. For many, VIVIT might be their only chance to see real organs before starting placements. It is also fantastic for any science students trying to grasp the concepts of anatomy.

VIVIT offers lots of different talks, making sure there is something for everyone. Whether you’re a GCSE or A-level student looking to learn the basics, or a qualified health practitioner looking to refresh and advance their knowledge, there is something available for everyone.

Alice Gwyn-Jones, a 5th year medical student and clinical lead for VIVIT last week, said; “we think it’s so important to get hands on dissections as well as learning about them in textbooks. We get a lot of students coming up afterwards and its clicked for them as they’ve actually managed to see the organs in real life and it’s been explained in a more clinical context so that they’ve been able to link it to things they’ve seen in practice.”

The experience is even in the process of becoming an internationally-recognised enterprise. Earlier this year, Samuel Piri appeared on BBC’s Dragon’s Den and was snapped up by Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones who gave him £90,000 to help bring the non-conventional business venture to other countries.

It’s so important that we continue to expand opportunities like this. By engaging and captivating audiences, we can help to inspire young people to pursue scientific and medical interests, and encourage those who already do. This event is perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about anatomy and physiology and gain dissection experience. Just make sure you’re not squeamish!

Photo: Ludmila Joaquina Valentina Buyo @ Flickr

Live Review: Jake Bugg

Written by louiseavey on . Posted in Music.

Blackburn may seem an unlikely destination, but for Nottingham-born Jake Bugg, there isn’t a need for pretence. Much like his songs, which are often autobiographical, based on a far from glamorous upbringing noting drinking, drugs and growing up on Clifton council estate, the inspiration behind his first hit single ‘Trouble Town’.

The synthesised meditative music, with tones mimicking Indian fleet music, plays at the introduction as if to summon Jake Bugg onto the stage. With complimentary blue lighting, seeming to induce everyone into a state of calm. A nod to ‘Shangri La’, meaning a fictional faraway place, often safe and beautiful, which also provides the title of his 2013 album, taking a much more spiritual direction with the intricately of lyrics such as “memorise the mantra” and spreading the message of “peace and love”. The state of calm is only exemplified as Bugg seems to appear on stage, casually taking a seat and taking a drink of his G&T, dressed in all black, exuding his usual confidence.

Fresh off the back from his North America tour and beginning his UK solo acoustic tour Hearts That Strain, the stripped back nature of his set was well received by a seated audience, of seemingly loyal fans, who sung his every single note back to him. Despite winning awards such as 2015 NME awards best solo artist and playing prestigious festivals such as Ottawa BluesFest, Paleo festival and a gig at the iconic Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, Bugg has stayed humble in his disposition. This echoed through his minimalistic yet captivating performance.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the set was ‘Bigger Lover’, a softer, delicate song about love and longing. His voice stands alone, often seeming incongruous to his whole demeanour. In his usual retro folk style, this new song seems different, much more grown up. As reflected in his reluctance to play the “old stuff” as he responds to constant audience chanting for ‘Lightning Bolt’. But his style has evolved as he has grown as an artist. Instead, now he is working to “make every album a little different”.

When the eagerly-awaited introduction to ‘Lightning Bolt’ began, the crowd seemed to simultaneously breathe a sigh of relief. It was worth the wait. The atmosphere had built to the penultimate song during his stripped back set. The electric energy pulsed through the crowd as Jake Bugg stood and singing, the pace of his strumming quickened. Despite the constant to-and-fro of the interaction with the crowd and Jake Bugg, all were at one during his final iconic number.

It was a credit to Bugg, that he was able to keep in such high spirits, despite the lack of energy in the stage’s set up and setlist. But the anticipated energy finally delivered through much-loved songs that brought me back to my teenage days. As the crowd sang along, I felt like they understood the sentiment too. As ever, Jake Bugg is the perfect reminder that our upbringing and circumstances are secondary in comparison to talent and passion.

7/10.

Interview with playwright and comedian: Jackie Hagan

Written by Orla Quilligan on . Posted in Theatre.

Photo: @Nick Field
Photo: @Nick Field

Jackie Hagan, playwright, poet, comedian, and Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellow is currently working on two shows, ‘This Is Not a Safe Space’ and ‘The Forest of Forgotten Discos’ — there is a lot going on. Speaking to her in a bare, uniform rehearsal room in Moss Side, the eccentricities, vibrancy, and powerful messages of her children’s play (the latter of the above) really came alive.

Hagan’s new play, ‘The Forest of Forgotten Discos’ is produced by Contact Theatre and whilst it is aimed at children aged five years and older, it is designed to be enjoyed by all ages. The play explores family problems which cause the main character to run away into a mystical forest where she meets Bear Minimum, Bear Grills, and Bear Hugs. All the characters in the forest share a feeling of having been forgotten in some way, but together they all seek, and end up uniting through, the power of disco.

Ultimately, Hagan’s aim in whatever she is creating is for it to be accessible. Jackie explained that she sees this play, first and foremost as “a really good opportunity to get families, whatever that family may look like, to open up about feelings of anxiety and the problems they are facing.” She even goes so far as to say that the play takes an almost anti-technology stance, encouraging families to engage together and even literally venture out into a forest, away from distractions and amidst the natural nurturing spaces of the outdoors.

Hagan is fully aware of the pitfalls of so-called ‘accessible’ theatre. She started creating theatre in 2013 and quickly found that theatre “is just wildly lacking in accessibility, though [she guesses] the world is, too.” This seems particularly poignant to me as if so many view theatre as being the suspension of disbelief and a form of escapism, why must it further let down those who may feel restricted in their everyday life? However, one of the first problems in accessibility arises in the advertisement of shows: “a lot of it is about the audience being able to come too. A lot of theatres just advertise their shows in their own foyer. Theatres need to reach out into specific communities to make sure their potential audience know about these shows. If people don’t know about an ‘accessible’ show, or that they will truly be able to engage with it, then it’s not going to be accessible.”

Hagan also commented on the need for the writing itself to be accessible to its audience. Hagan said of her method, “I like to think about accessibility from the very start. Then, if you imagine — and this is my mantra — that everyone wants to come, and you make it so everyone can, then everyone can and will come.” Then, she explained how playwrights have to bear in mind the content of their writing and the messages they intend to convey when classing a play as ‘accessible’. “You have to make sure the audience’s experience is good once they are watching the show, too. If they’re watching something where the message is ‘let’s fix all the broken toys’, it’s going to make a child with a disability feel like they’re equivalent to that broken toy.”

Being something of a polymath, I asked Hagan about her creative process in all her creative outlets. She explained that interestingly, a lot of her work comes from a place of anger. As a stand-up comedian, this could very well end up with a lot of her work being termed as “ranting”, but she posited “people don’t listen to you when you rant — it’s hard. You’ve got to mould your rant into something they want to listen to while remaining completely authentic to the message of the story you’re telling.”

This sums up why ‘The Forest of Forgotten Discos’ cannot simply be termed as a children’s play. Serious social and political injustices run in the undercurrent of all of Hagan’s work and this play is no exception: “there’s a lot of fun going on and a lot of daftness, but underneath that is a message about community and coming together. It’s all about diversity and never leaving anyone out.”

‘The Forest of Forgotten Discos‘ opens 11th December and runs at until 23rd December at the Hope Mill Theatre, look out for the Mancunion’s review!

In Conversation with HMLTD

Written by Olivia White on . Posted in Music.

Happy Meal Ltd, Hate Music Last Time Delete, HuMiLiaTeD…HMLTD.

Vivacious glam, punk, pop, rock, sextet HMLTD embarked on their voyage with new punk favourites and Rough Trade’s #1 Album of the Year winner’s, Shame. Both hailing from London, HMLTD have certainly secured their feverish reputation as one of the industry’s most thrilling live bands of the decade.

Thriving off theatrics with an intent to shock their audience, this London sextet delivers performances that utterly blur the boundaries between reality, dystopian parallel universes, and darker literature. Each of the 6 avant-garde, unearthly members are bespangled and garnished with garish costumes, printed scalps and defiant makeup forming one of the most fascinating current bands. In their outlandish realm, “nothing is ever too far.”

Having just released their new “punk-trap” single ‘Flex’, the twisted disco reveal that “the response so far has been great” but as they anticipated, some people were certainly “a bit confused — they love them (us) mixing genres but as soon as they (we) touch popular stuff, they (we) get ‘Oh this is horrible’ as a response.” But HMLTD stand firm in their creative decisions as they profess that they “love pop,” and that it is “very liberating to be able to write anything.” They see no value in restricting their artistic endeavours, in any capacity.

The backbone of ‘Flex’ was founded when guitarist James began “messing around with a new Japanese folk scale.” Even though the polished version we can now all listen to isn’t exactly reminiscent of the Japanese scale, Nico, the band’s bassist highlights the magic that coincides with an idea that can “blossom into something completely different to how it starts out” but that’s not without “arguments and fights” in the studio he laughs.

HMLTD have worked with a variety of unique professionals in the music and fashion industry who have facilitated exactly how the sextet wish to be presented. By working with Brockenhurst & Sons, the band have been able to experiment with themed performance spaces such as infancy. The band’s London show in Hackney (23rdNov) will take on the role of Frankenstein’s Laboratory. The show is advertised with free masks available at the door upon entry. Alongside this, they are also currently working with “a young, Turkish designer called Dilara Findikoglu” who showcases “amazing vampiric outfits” and has designed them each a set attire appropriate for their fantastical ventures.

As the nightmarishly eccentric and indefinable outfit reached their 5thevening of the tour, they finally greeted the city they’d been “most looking forward to” at Manchester’s O2 Ritz. After their last performance in the vicinity being an astounding grungy, sold-out Valentine’s Day revolt at Salford’s ramshackle White Hotel, the band expressed clear enthusiasm for being back in the northern musical hotspot. They enthused that Manchester harbours a similar music scene to London “with a wide group of people interested in all types of music but the environment is so much more conducive.”

It is clear that the tainted HMLTD possess a strong sense of pride and gratification over their work and what they stand for as a band. This can be seen in their attitude of having “never really felt like a support band — sometimes supports can get a frosty reception but they (we) don’t.” And rightfully so, all it takes is a quick scan of the room and you’d find yourself encircled with their peculiar merch designs worn by fans donned in the same outrageous fashion statements and outrageous hairstyles. This confidence is accentuated with a slight outline of light-hearted frustration. The band that so intrinsically work towards making their performance space as authentic and dystopian as possible have had a “giant fucking Shame banner” to compete with on this tour stretch.

With the band’s clear advocacy of individuality, inclusivity, and freedom of expression, I left them with one final question being, what advice they would offer to the upcoming generation to which James stated “Don’t let anyone fucking bully you at school and don’t feel like you have to dress like anyone else. It’s really hard when you’re young but you should let yourself come out a little bit and people will start respecting that.”

The potent HMLTD entered the elevated O2 Ritz stage with the sound of rapturous applause and equally spine-tingling shrieks. Flamboyant frontman Henry commanded the stage with his chiselled stature, yielding the gaze of every set of eyes that fell on his band of fairy-tale outcasts. Despite a few technical issues, HMLTD yet again put on a performance that left their audience gasping for air, stimulated nervous laughter, but most importantly has undoubtedly left an imprint in the minds of their observers for weeks to come as they return back to their lair for the new year.

9/10

Photo: The Mancunion.

Investing in destruction: how much does the University of Manchester invest in fossil fuels?

Written by miagair1 on . Posted in Investigations.

The University of Manchester has nearly £10m invested in fossil fuel companies, despite priding itself on being the first English Russell Group university to join the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted by The Mancunion reveal the University had £9.9m invested in shares in fossil fuel companies in the year to April 2018.

The portfolio included shares in BG Group, BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Imperial Oil, REPSOL, Rio Tinto, and Exxon Mobil.

Whilst the investment may be impacted by fluctuations in share prices, the total value has nevertheless nearly doubled from just over £5m in April 2017.

The University publicly commits to investing only in companies which have “acceptable standards of ethical or environmental practices”.

Despite having such a commitment in place for over a year now, according to the University’s investment portfolio, it has not yet invested in any companies that focus solely on renewable energy, or environmentally sustainable practices.

Last month, leading climate scientists warned that there was just twelve years left to save the world from a climate catastrophe.

A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “As a result [of the PRI], the University’s investment managers have incorporated environmental, social, and governance factors into their decision-making.

“The changes to the policy allow the university to pursue an ethical investment approach, whilst also minimising any potential negative impact on investment returns. The policy includes a commitment to identifying and promoting low or zero-carbon investments.”

The value of these investments represented 1% of total University income in 2016/17, with the £423.9m earned from tuition fees making up 45% of total income.

Campaign group People and Planet ranks British universities on their attempts to move away from fossil fuels. It says the University has made no efforts to divest while institutions like Durham, Leeds, and Bath, have all moved investments away from fossil fuels.

People and Planet held a demonstration on November 21, calling on the University to, “actually follow its plans surrounding social responsibility” and stop “actively funding the destruction of the planet”.

English Literature and the History of Science, Technology and Medicine student Hana Jafar believed the University should not be making investments in such firms “because the University claims to be socially responsible”.

She said: “It is ironic that a University that has invested in world class research on science, technology, and innovation fails to see a fundamental error in judgement in their unethical and unjustifiable investments. If I had known how unethical our University’s investments are, I wouldn’t have chosen to study here and put £15,500 into this institution every year”.

Economics undergraduate Prithwiraj Ghosh said: “I think that it’s hypocritical. For the University to present itself as such a green university, by investing in green spaces, and dedicating to carbon reduction, it’s hypocritical.”

Lily Shepard, President of the Manchester Energy and Environment Society, said: “Last year, the Carbon Majors Report by the Carbon Disclosure Project stated that just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions.

“While reducing personal emissions is still very important, it will be impossible to meet the 1.5 degree warning target set by the Paris Climate Accord without a significant reduction in corporate emissions. Getting big institutions like universities to divert from fossil fuels is a huge part of this.”

The Manchester City Council Executive recently aimed for the city to become zero carbon by 2038 — one of the most ambitious targets seen in Europe and around the world. The target was made in line with research from the Tyndall Centre, which is based at the University of Manchester.

Photo: Lerkrat Tangsri @ Pexels

Big businesses pledge to go green in Manchester

Written by joehurdman on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

A group of businesses operating in the Manchester area have come in-line with the Manchester council’s pledge to reduce waste in an attempt to stop the effects of climate change.

Companies such as the Co-op, Aldi, and Manchester Airport Group have all stated their intention is to become more sustainable and make Greater Manchester “One of the leading green city regions” in the world.

Particularly key is the inclusion of large supermarket chains like Aldi. Issues such as food waste produce a large portion of avoidable carbon emissions. In addition, the polluting effect of single-use plastics in the world’s oceans has also been largely publicised.

Aldi’s Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility, Fritz Wallerczek said in a statement: “With more than 20 Aldi stores in Greater Manchester we are supportive of the new sustainability plans announced for the region.”

The news comes after the Manchester Council launched their sustainability program, which looks at areas such as improving housing to be more energy efficient and a pledge to be Carbon Zero by 2050.

However, following the IPCC report published in October which warned that there are only 12 years before the global temperature will rise by 1.5C, action taken by the Council to go carbon neutral by 2050 have been criticised as too little too late.

The reliance on businesses to form their own policies on increasing sustainability, although welcome, has been seen by some as not addressing the clear danger climate change presents.

Critics have called for simple but radical policies such as the Carbon Tax proposed by economists William Nordhaus and Paul Romer, who won a Nobel prize for their work, to be implemented.

 

Photo: Bath Spa University @ Wikicommons

The UK only has one black, female, history professor

Written by Shivani Kaura on . Posted in News.

Dr. Olivette Otele, who was awarded a professorship and a chair in History from Bath Spa University last month, is currently the only black, female, history professor in the UK.

It was also reported by the Royal Historical Society that fewer than 100 History professors working in the UK today are from a black background. 94% are from a white background, with the survey suggesting that almost one in three black and minority ethnic historians working for universities have experienced “direct racial discrimination and abuse.”

Professor Otele, speaking to the BBC, said: “I think structural barriers prevent people who look like me and from other ethnic backgrounds from reaching the ladder and achieving certain things.

“You have to work harder, much harder.”

She added: “I’ve worked very hard and kept pushing and had a family, it’s hard. I’m tired. It’s bleak. Men go faster than us [in terms of professional progress].

“[Women] have the brains, the capability and the power to do it. Students — follow your dreams. Be realistic but follow your dreams. It can happen.

“I want to show women who look like me it can be done. I’m not superhuman.”

Professor Otele, born in Cameroon, specialises in collective memory and geopolitics and holds a PhD in history from Sorbonne University in Paris. Otele, focusing many of her papers about the colonial history of Britain and France, has also written about politics, slavery, and feminism.

The Royal Historical Society has imposed that a lack of diversity may be to blame for the impact on the “quality of teaching, learning, and research in history in the UK,” and has given suggestions on how to improve the system.

The research conducted states that the “histories of migration and ethnicity, and histories of race, imperialism, and decolonisation has transformed our knowledge and understanding of the British, European, and global past.” The Society believes working to tackle this issue is a main priority.

The Young Historians Project, a scheme set up by young people, aims to support young historians of African and Caribbean heritage in the UK.

divestment people and planet Photo: Sophie Marriott

What do we want? Divestment! When do we want it? Now!

Written by Chloe Hatton on . Posted in Societies.

For those of you that read this section regularly, you may remember our interview with People and Planet’s Sophie Marriott. For those of you that don’t, they’re a society that focus on all things earth-friendly, and one of the campaigns they’ve been running recently is trying to get the University to divest from fossil fuels.

Currently, the University has nearly £10m invested in fossil fuel companies, and People and Planet’s latest focus has been trying to encourage them to move away from companies like these, and instead invest in cleaner, greener energy sources.

You certainly can’t fault the society’s dedication to the cause. The team from People and Planet decided to brave the bitter cold and grey skies for a full five hours – all in the name of divestment. Taking to the streets on November 21, for their Fossil Free Shindig (FFS), they set out on a mission: to show the University that students don’t want their money invested in fossil fuels.

Photo: Sophie Marriott

Joao, one of People and Planet’s members, spoke to me about his enthusiasm for the campaign. Coming from Portugal, a country that is actively trying to generate all its energy consumption from renewable sources (and in March 2018 managed this) means that there is absolutely no excuse for the UK, and therefore Manchester, to still be reliant on fossil fuels.  

Armed with the very effective weaponry that is free food and musical performances, flyers in hand, they set up shop outside the Whitworth building, right underneath where the governors were meeting. As well chanting some very catchy slogans like “O-I-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi, you oily”, the protest also featured artistic interludes from the likes of Mathew Kerry (you may remember him from our review of Fuse x ComSoc: A CALM Time), performing some of his own songs, in addition to spoken word from Zoë Kempe Stanners.

Sophie, People and Planet’s press officer, said: “I am so pleased with the positive reaction we got from students. Throughout the day people came and joined us outside the arch to chat to us and listen to the various musicians and speakers we had. I hope that the Board of Governors recognise that the student body are eager for them to take their money out of fossil fuels.”

Photo: Chloe Hatton

Nick, their treasurer, added: “The support from students and other passers-by just shows how much support there is for action on climate change.”

If you want to get involved with People and Planet’s campaign for divestment, join their Facebook group or sign the petition that will be circulating in the very near future to show your support.

Photo: @Jonathan Keenan

Review: The Maids

Written by Jay Darcy on . Posted in Theatre.

‘The Maids’ is a radical play, in content, characterisation, and direction; based on the true story of the Papin sisters, who murdered their employer and her daughter, it was written by Jean Genet whilst he was in prison. With the quote from Genet, “maybe the characters are me, maybe they’re not” projected on a double-sided screen, combined with the male actors taking on female roles, the presence of the male writer is felt onstage. This is furthered by the prison uniforms that the actors wear at times.

One of the most surprising aspects of this play was the decision to cast the three female characters with male actors. Whilst the three male actors softened their voices and referred to themselves as women, their masculinity is not masked. All three men displayed beautiful characterisation and an ability to show the power shift between their characters. The physicality differences displayed when the maids (Solange and Claire) played by Jake Fairbrother and Luke Mullins were in the presence of their Mistress or not was stark and unnerving. This disregard for the binary of gender is just one example of the play’s refusal to conform to social norms.

‘The Maids’ marks HOME’s first ‘in-the-round’ performance, raising the stage to the level of the circle; this helped include the audience in the story, and it slowly becomes clear that we, the audience, and society, are part of the story.

It almost felt like we had been transported into Genet’s creative, sometimes disturbing, mind. When she was interviewed by the Mancunion, Sykes previously explained that the all-male casting also allowed the two male characters, (the milkman and the lover) who are alluded to but not seen, to be “present” onstage.

The play challenges many boundaries, from gender to class, and the misunderstandings that people from one group have about the people of the other. The Mistress (Danny Lee Wynter) was self-centred, but not necessarily wicked — rather, ignorant. She, too, is trapped in the role society has cast her as, and perhaps the gender-bending of the role signifies a desire to not have to perform or conform any longer.

Sykes makes it clear that it is not just the rich who have a disregard for, and a misunderstanding of, the poor. Fairbrother and Mullins played the maids with delicious deviousness and a daring desire to be rich and classy like their Mistress. They soon discover, however, that their Mistress’s fancy life is not so perfect, but it becomes clear that what the maids truly want is freedom and liberation. But from what? That’s up for interpretation. Perhaps from their dull, mundane lives, or perhaps Sykes wants us to think about sexual liberation and the restrictive constructs of identity.

The audience experienced the maids taking turns dressing up as their Mistress and practising killing her. The maids slipped in and out of their fantasy roles and true identities (which are perhaps constructed themselves), blurring the line between fiction and reality.

‘The Maids’ design (Ruari Murchison) was incredible! The stage floor was a large white circle within a black one, like a target. This imagery was continued with fake flowers affixed with darts so they stuck into the floor. Furthermore, the use of a video camera, with the images projected on the screen, created a whole new dimension to the class incarceration experienced by all three women. The stream of sand falling from the roof of the theatre, representing an hourglass signalled that time is always running out, not just for the completion of the maids’ murderous performances, but the maids themselves.

In a society where we care so much about self-perception, perhaps we get carried away and do not focus on the things that truly matter. Politics has become more divisive in recent years; Trump and Brexit have created a need for escapism from social imprisonment that is just as relevant today as when Genet was writing. ‘The Maids’ perfectly captures a social and cultural desire to resist and revolt, it is a triumph of direction, design and performance, demanding that we question the world we live in.

Photo : @Robert Workman

Review: ‘The Merry Widow’

Written by Sam Bronheim on . Posted in Theatre.

Having been initially apprehensive about the ‘The Merry Widow’, I found myself smiling throughout the performance, mesmerised by the operatic voices, the glittering costumes, and vibrant scenery.

The operetta, which was first performed in 1905, was adapted beautifully by director Giles Havergal to accommodate the humour of the 21st Century — such as a few Brexit related quips. More humour surrounded the relationships and conflicting attitudes of men and women, as the play encompasses themes of love and money.

The formidable Katie Bird dominated the stage with her presence and voice, holding the audience spellbound; her portrayal of protagonist Hanna Glawari encompassed modern attributes that made her humorous and charming as well as independent and outspoken. Her romantic rival, Danilo Danilovitsch played by Quirijn de Lang was equally strong. His amusing bachelor persona provoked laughter in the audience and complimented Bird perfectly; the romantic tension was ever-present.

However, the secondary plotline surrounding the secret romance between the Ambassador’s wife Valencienne (Gillene Butterfield) and the Count of Rosillon (Nicholas Watts), though relevant to the epic conclusion of the performance, received slightly too much attention and sometimes even distracted from the main plot. Despite this, the chemistry between Butterfield and Watts was undeniable, their farcical interactions encouraged many laughs, and above all their enchanting duets absorbed the audience.

The plots intertwined and flowed comfortably, however one scene in the third and final act involving a loud Can-can number felt rather out of place among the surrounding glamourous scenes. I found it irrelevant and slightly dragging, and though the dancing women were enjoyable to watch as they twirled across the stage, it added nothing to the rest of the performance. On the other hand, a song performed by the lead male characters – involving singing out their frustrations with the over-emotional and confusing ways of women – was a pleasure to watch, I found myself laughing through the whole number.

Overall, ‘The Merry Widow’ was a comical and vibrant performance that you can’t help but love. The biggest question I asked myself when leaving the theatre was not concerning the production itself, but about the audience. Why weren’t there more young people? Young people seem interested in musicals, but you say the word ‘opera’ to them and they recoil from fear of boredom. ‘The Merry Widow’ was my first operetta ever but I was more than pleasantly surprised.

So whether you’re looking for an accessible performance to ease into intense works of theatre or merely want to be captivated by voice and music for two hours, I recommend ‘The Merry Widow’. There is more out there than just catchy musicals.

Kinky Boots Photo: @Flickr

Review: Kinky Boots

Written by Jay Darcy on . Posted in Theatre.

Paula Lane, starring as Lauren in ‘Kinky Boots’, is most famous for playing the villainous Kylie Platt on Coronation Street, until she met a fate worthy for a loveable villain – bleeding to death.

‘Kinky Boots’, however, was not so bloody; it was very “reeeeeddd,” but this was the red of “sex” and “passion”, not of murder. Thanks to main character Lola (Callum Francis), I will never be able to wear red the same again. My days of innocence are over…

‘Kinky Boots’, based on the 2005 film of the same name, is inspired by true events in which a struggling shoemaker created a line of fetish shoes for men. An ordinary shoe factory owner forms an unlikely friendship with a drag queen to produce a line of high-heeled boots and save his business. In the process, the two men discover that they are not so different after all.

Callum Francis was the absolute star of the show. He understudied the role of Drag Queen Lola in the West End and starred in the show during its tour of Australia. His performance was camp, classy and, of course, kinky. His sass, sex appeal, and passion were exuberant; his vocals were insane, and his performance was both touching and hilarious.

Lane’s performance was excellent and I wish she had had more time onstage. She was witty, fun, and loveable as Lauren, a damsel in hot-mess. It takes a talented singer to pull off “good bad singing.”

I like a big show. At first, I felt it was dull and dreary, but I soon realised that was the point: Charlie’s business was failing, and his relationship was far from romantic. As his girlfriend stated, if he was sleeping with anyone, it wasn’t her!

One of the most excellent things about Kinky Boots was the set. When the show first started, it seemed as though the set wasn’t going to be all that impressive, which saddened me as a big set is what I look forward to in a musical! Granted, the exterior and the interior of the shoe factory consisted of big set pieces, complete with signs and staircases. But it was all quite dull and simple. Yes, it is a shoe factory, but the browns and greys felt dreary and mundane. However, it soon became clear that this design choice was on purpose: the dull colours and simple set reflected Charlie’s life of ordinariness, incompleteness and dissatisfaction.

The set, following the arrival of Lola, immediately became more sparkling and glamorous. The dull browns were washed away with dazzling reds; the brick walls were replaced with elaborate staging, fit for a quality performer. The drag queens even managed to use a conveyer belt as a catwalk! Lola added glitz and glam to Charlie’s simple surroundings: she didn’t just save his failing business; she saved his incomplete life.

Lola and her posse of sex bombs, each and every one of them, was a Queen. Not just Drag Queens. QUEENS. They filled the stage with their big muscles and perfect make-up, giving a great big middle finger to a society consumed with gender norms and values.

This show is far beyond the social concept of gender. Fortunately, they did not feel the need to preach to the choir, as is the case with some theatre such as the provocative, but preachy, ‘Jubilee,’ starring punk Queen Toyah Willcox and trans-feminine, performance artist Travis Alabanza at the Royal Exchange Theatre last year. Indeed, this show knew its audience, and it embraced the diversity.

The cast was diverse in every way, from race to weight; it was a perfect display of people from different backgrounds coming together to create something wonderful — the actors creating a fabulous show, and the characters creating the kinkiest of boots. Indeed, the show perfectly summed up what happens when all kinds of people open their minds and their hearts… they learn to love, they love to learn, and they get kinky!

Photo: @Eliza Lewis

Review: ‘The Country Wife’

Written by Jess Johnstone on . Posted in Theatre.

William Wycherley’s ‘The Country Wife’ is the second play by the Drama Society this semester, bringing the Autumn Season into full swing. Directed by Ella Dufton and Imogen Hayes, the raunchy restoration comedy follows the promiscuous Horner (Kwame Owusu) in his plan to seduce as many married women as possible by announcing that he is in fact, a eunuch! A hilarious tale of confusion and cuckolding ensues, and the cast do a wonderful job of ensuring that the audience fully understands the plot, despite the language it is written in.

For me, although all the cast were notable, Ottilie Nye (Lady Fidget), Elizabeth Key (Margery Pinchwife), and Charlie White (Sparkish) stood out above the rest with their attention to humour and ability to really go all out to make the audience laugh. Each of them inhabited their characters to the fullest and this made them the most dynamic to watch in any scene.

I found myself waiting for the moments when Lady Fidget would enter the stage; Nye’s performance opposite Owusu in the scene in which she crawls over him and almost gets caught in a compromising position by her husband, Sir Jasper Fidget (Cali Nice), had me in stitches! The comedic timing of all three is really what kept the momentum of the play going.

Another moment of hilarity came from Key when she appeared onstage holding a ridiculous amount of oranges, which she, of course, could not keep hold of and continuously dropped. The simplicity of the scene combined with Key’s expressive nature and delivery of dialogue had the whole audience in fits of laughter over such a silly concept! White’s portrayal of the drunken and energetic Sparkish provided constant laughs throughout the play and his over-enthusiastic nature kept me engaged even in scenes where he was not the main focus.

However, it has to be said that the flow of the piece was massively hindered by the scene transitions and the movement of set – with each set change bringing members of the cast onstage to slowly remove or add a seemingly heavy glass cabinet full of glasses and to add or remove the central set piece of a sofa. The music accompanying the transitions also didn’t seem to fit the world of the play that we, as an audience, had been invited into, meaning that each transition was quite jarring and prevented full immersion into the piece.

I admire the decision of the directors to modernise the piece and make it more accessible for a contemporary audience, however, it felt that some of the character’s traits had been shoe-horned into the play, such as Sir Jasper’s ‘vote leave’ badge, which bore little relevance to the plot or his character. I understand there was potentially a desire to make poking fun at the upper classes more politically relevant but here it just felt tokenistic with no real relevance.

Overall, I think the cast and creative team did amazingly well in handling such a difficult text! The humour that worked well was mainly down to the cast and I think there were moments when the direction perhaps could have drawn out more of the comedy within the text! I did, however, wholly enjoy the piece and left the play having laughed in abundance.

Photo: UMWRFU

Changing Rugby at UoM

Written by miagair1 on . Posted in Sport.

Rugby has historically been seen as a ‘male’ sport. But the RFU, along with UoM’s Rugby Development Intern, Lucy Simper, are trying to change that.

I sat down with Lucy, to find out what her role entails, and how rugby is changing at the University. Having being an active tennis player growing up, and captaining the University’s team, Lucy has always been involved in sport, earning her a place in the University’s exclusive XXI Club this year.

She enjoyed playing so much while at University, that she decided to take a position in the Athletics Union after graduating as the Rugby Development Intern.

Her role covers both the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, and is designed to help grow rugby at both institutions. But much of Lucy’s role is to increase female participation in the sport, stating that the goal was a simple question of “how big can we get this”?

Alongside the first team, a second team means that there are now two teams competing in BUCS. This has been matched by participation, with 80 women now paying full membership.

Lucy said that unfortunately “around 20 girls don’t get into the matches each week”. So there are plans to set up a third team to allow more players to get time competing. In the meantime, she has set up a development team to put on “additional events for girls who don’t get into the teams”.

Some of these events are forging part of the Athletics’ Union This Girl Can campaign – which aims to get more girls regularly participating in sport.

When asked why there is a lower participation rate for women’s rugby compared to men’s, Lucy said that girls “tend to think they need a certain physique to play rugby; many think they’re too skinny, or not strong enough”.

But this certainly isn’t the case, and girls of all shapes and sizes have the potential to be great players, and have a great time while they’re at it.

Lucy added that the one thing that really struck her was “the ethos of the club”. Explaining that “the girls are so supportive of one another” which creates an amazing atmosphere for new members.

If you’re interested in getting involved in women’s rugby then check out their Facebook page to find out more.

Photo: Nazionale Calcio @Flickr

England win UEFA Nations League group in a thrilling game against Croatia

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

England came from behind against Croatia to win both the match and their group in the thrilling final game of the UEFA Nations League Group Stage. The victory sends the Three Lions through to the Semi-Finals of the competition which take place next June.

Croatia, the side which sent England home from the World Cup this summer, looked as though they would win yet again after Andrej Kramaric scored for the visitors in the 57th minute. Kramaric, who plays his club football with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, seemed to have an eternity to shoot. When he finally picked his spot his attempt was deflected off Eric Dier’s thigh past a diving Jordan Pickford.

The scoreline didn’t reflect the football being played as England were dominating in terms of chances but couldn’t seem to convert them into goals. Croatia, on the other hand, managed to find the back of the net with their first effort on target. If the result stayed the same England would have been relegated to Group B of the Nations League.

Gareth Southgate was determined to make sure his side wouldn’t be lumped together with other poor international sides such as Germany, falling from the upper echelon of European football that is the Nations League Division A. He brought on Dele Alli early on in the second half before making a double substitution ten minutes later with in-form Jadon Sancho and Jesse Lingard coming on.

These substitutions proved pivotal in the England comeback. Jesse Lingard tapped home an equaliser with 12 minutes of ordinary time left before Harry Kane scored from a Ben Chilwell free kick. The Croatian side was stunned. In seven minutes they had gone from topping the group to being relegated.

The atmosphere around Wembley was electric. Every one of the 78,221 knew exactly what those two late goals meant. Not only did we save ourselves from embarrassing relegation, not only did we top our group and progress to the Semi-Finals next June, but we took revenge on a Croatian side that ended our World Cup dreams, relegating them in the process. It doesn’t stop the hurt, but it certainly helps.

To add insult to injury for Croatia, the now iconic ‘3 Lions (Football’s Coming Home)’ anthem rang around the ground as the final whistle blew. We may not have won the world cup be we still have a chance of winning the inaugural UEFA Nations League. The newest, and some would argue most elite, international competition there is.

Talking about the victory after the game, Southgate said “I think the most pleasing thing of the year has been the connection with the fans and being able to share brilliant experiences with them. Today was brilliant, I can’t remember the new Wembley like that. We have exciting players that give them excitement.”

“We were by far the better team in the first half and we came back from a soft goal. If you’re going to win a game that’s the way you want to win. We were playing against a very, very good side. To keep the ball, use the ball and create chances was very pleasing. And you have to keep calm, when you think the chances have gone then you have to keep believing.”

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford echoed his manager’s sentiments saying “the atmosphere is probably the best we’ve had at Wembley. This Nations League makes you want to beat the best. We’ve beaten two of the top 10 sides in the world. Now we have another semi-final, it’ll be a good summer.”

Elsewhere in Division A of the Nations League, three more teams joined England in the Semi-Finals and three more joined Croatia in Division B. Netherlands stunned everyone by taking 7 points from a possible 12 and topping a group which included France and Germany. As previously mentioned Germany, who underperformed massively at the world cup, continued their run of poor form winning none of their four games.

Switzerland took the third spot in the Semi-Finals topping their group on goal difference, Iceland finished rock bottom there on 0 points. Finally, the fourth spot went to Portugal who went undefeated in their group, while Poland also failed to register a win.

So, England knows their opponents: Portugal, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. All eyes now turn to the draw that takes place in Dublin on December 3rd. There the match times, venues and fixtures will be announced. If England wants to win their first major trophy since 1966, they will need to win two more games.

Southgate and his players will be confident that they have a good chance of lifting the inaugural Nations League trophy, an achievement that will surely cement Southgate as one of the greatest managers ever to grace the beautiful game.

Joking aside, there is no doubt that this England side is the most promising we have seen in many, many years. We have young players, talented players, playing as a team, not as individuals. Players who want to represent their country, who are proud of what that means.