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Month: November 2019

Review: Circus 1903

Written by Rosemary Russett on . Posted in Theatre.

Circus 1903 is what it says on the tin. A circus in the style of one found in 1903 is built before our eyes as we are drawn into a series of acts including juggling, contortion and puppetry. Very much a part of the show, an orchestral backing (City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra) provided the perfect backdrop for acrobatic and prop based acts alike.

An impressive opening showing the size of the cast swiftly lead into a trio of acrobats propelling each other into the air. Combined with careful choreography, this scene turns the stage into a circus, a showground for the acts that follow.

These included all the usual suspects: the juggler spun his clubs faster than any other I’ve seen, and the hula hooper aimed to spin as many hoops as she can while walking a golden sphere around the stage, but among these were nestled a few unexpected pieces.

A balancing act held the audience on edge as an increasingly tall stack of pipes wobbled under a sure-footed performer. An acrobat somersaulted high above the stage as her partner tossed her into the air, neither of them ever missing a beat. And the pièce de résistance: a pair of elephants – not real, of course – designed by the creative mind behind War Horse (Mervyn Miller), which allowed the early 20th century show to remain true to its time period while showing off the abilities of a truly talented team of puppeteers (and not harming animals!).

Further performers included a contortionist who smiled widely before shocking us with a series of increasingly impossible-seeming twists and bends, a hand-balancer who teetered at the top of a swaying tower, and a pair of acrobats – one of whom was spun and flipped on the other’s feet.

Also worth noting is the aerial piece in which a couple demonstrated the trust between the two of them in acts that elicited audible gasps at times. This piece was one of my favourites, because of the way in which the performers showed their technical skills and strength while maintaining a natural elegance and intimacy.

Unfortunately, the show was supposedly strung together by a ringmaster who seemed to still be living in 1903. He performed small magic tricks with children that he brought on stage, which on the whole were pleasing, but undermined this by making uncomfortable jokes (of a bearded lady who turned out to be a man: “or should I say gender-neutral person?”). He also took as long for each performance as each of the acts, which made for a test of patience between otherwise dazzling spectacles.

Overall, the show encompassed many elements of the perfect circus. Great music, choreography and, most importantly, amazingly skilled acts, were only lacking a talented ringmaster to become the show they were aiming for.

Joby Burgess: The drummer man playing the heartbeat of America

Written by elliscoopey on . Posted in Music.

On 3rd December, The Joby Burgess Percussion Collective make their concert debut, taking over the Royal Northern College of Music to present a programme soundtrack of American music. I sat down with percussionist Joby Burgess, to talk about how American culture has influenced his career and upcoming gig Credo in USA.

Most of us have been piped American culture from birth through film and music. For Joby “I believe in the USA” is a statement that is not just the title of his show, but something he embodies.

“I grew up as a rock’n’roll and jazz drummer and came very late to classical percussion”, says Joby. Beyond this, Joby is just as comfortable in the world of blockbuster films, playing on soundtracks such as Black Panther and Jurassic World, as he is recording concerti with international symphony orchestras, and touring his solo percussion project Pioneers of Percussion.

His new show is a non-stop soundtrack of American music; equal parts sound meditation, concert and DJ set, paying homage to the great percussion music produced in the USA.

Joby says: “As a percussionist, there’s so much important material that has come out of the country.” He goes on to explain how one can’t hear Edgard Varése’s ‘Ionisation’ without picturing the Manhattan street scene, with its sirens and anvils. Metropolitanism captured the imagination of many early American composers, from Varése to John Cage, to the world of the minimalists, like Terry Riley and Steve Reich, whose frenetic rhythm coincides with the beat of the big city. ‘These forces in percussion music have written some of the landmark pieces”.

The show is built around one particular landmark, Cage’s Credo in USA. The piece was written in 1942, midway through the Second World War, and has the core elements of what Cage’s music is about.

“He plays with found objects, a selection of tin cans, Balinese tuned gongs, electric buzzers, and creates these otherworldly sounds by placing objects in the piano”. The piece also uses gramophone and wireless radio to reproduce sections of records and tune into local stations.

“Bringing these elements together creates something that is born in the moment. It seems Cage was writing something to believe in at that point, which I think is rather lovely. Whether that’s belief in us as the human race or believe in the US as a country”, Joby explains.

At the time Cage was writing, America was discovering a collective identity, and pursuits of industry were a big part; the forging of the Union Pacific Railroad, followed by the engineering innovation of structures like the Brooklyn Bridge, the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge, or the Empire State Building (completed in 1931), then world’s tallest building.

It’s no coincidence the other piece we’ll hear by Cage is called ‘First Construction in Metal’ (1939). Engineering and construction prowess were, in many ways, the making of America. It was the preoccupation of many industries, including instrument manufacturers. It was here that one of Joby’s signature instruments, the Canna Sonora, was born.

“An invention of the Capone era of Chicago, it was created in 1927 by J.C. Deagan”. Joby notes how it’s an aluminium harp, comprised of vertical rods that make a sound when friction is applied. “Deagan was to percussionists what Stradivarius was to violinists”. In his day job he produced xylophones, marimbas and tubular bells, and moonlighted as the inventor of weird and wonderful new instruments. The Canna Sonora was one of two instruments he began selling that year, the other was the more widely known, vibraphone.

With Linda Buckley’s ‘Discordia’, everything comes full circle. Having worked together before, this is a new commission for the Canna Sonora, which premiered last May at the Barbican Centre. Linda conceived the work while she was living in New York just after the 2016 United States presidential campaign. “It’s a reflection on what she felt was quite an ominous time, politically”.

The Joby Burgess Percussion Collective also make their concert debut. First, they play some of Eric Whitacre’s music, arranged by Joby for marimba quartet. The triumphant finale brings together the combined forces of the Joby’s Percussions and a dozen players from the RNCM for a performance of Terry Riley’s ‘In C’.

“Credo in USA is not a concert, it’s a ‘happening'”. As part of RNCM’s Original Voices, an ongoing series that explores new kinds of concert experience, it promises a wall-to-wall experience with a short DJ set by Linda Buckley and Steve Reichs’ Come Out.

“We’re doing something else as well!” says Joby, ecstatic, “we’re gonna do a couple of Pauline Oliveros’ group sonic mediations to welcome people to the performance.” Students from the RNCM, the junior RNCM, and also students from Chethams School of Music, all-in-all about 30 percussionists will perform one of the Oliveros meditations. “It’s going to be a wonderful sound, for sure“.

Credo in USA is happening at the RNCM on Tuesday 3rd December, 7pm.

Photo: Becky Digiglio

Live Review: Big Business at Soup Kitchen

Written by blakecrompton on . Posted in Music.

Bonfire Night, traditionally associated with history and wonder, was brought to a new dimension this year in the basement of Manchester’s Soup Kitchen.

Big Business, with support from Cattle, presented bass driven, electrifying music that flooded the eardrums and melted the brain.

Cattle have proven themselves to be by far one of the best bands to come out of the Leeds DIY underground scene. As a titan of noise, they are compromised of two drummers, synthesizers and bass, driven though an array of distortions and a heavily effected vocal.

To say this was an exciting performance from them would be an understatement. Immediately after a brief soundcheck, they stormed onto the stage giving an unyielding set. Opening with ‘Caring’, the band presented a uniquely driven bass riff. As both drummers gradually built to the crescendo of ferocious bass, synth and cymbals, the crowd waited in anticipation.  The track then descended to a quieter, ominous bridge, broken by a vocal line, more akin to a claustrophobia attack in a lift, panicked and breaking out at all directions.

At the end of each track, Cattle seemed to be further established in their chaotic surroundings, and we, the audience, were willingly dragged down with them. They successfully presented each track using everything at their disposal, from a cowbell to choked cymbals. At the end of the set, they were all deluged in sweat. It was clear they had given us their all, both from their expressions and the sheer awe of the audience.

Shortly after Cattle graced us with their performance, Big Business took to the stage. Big Business are a two-piece act who have not only toured, but performed, with underground sludge rock legends Melvins. Their previous experience set the audience’s standards high, which they lived up to and exceeded with ease.

Their set was composed of this year’s release, The Beast You Are; an album filled with a distinct sound that is even better witnessed live. The album features heavy riffs and relentless drums, best heard on their track ‘Let Them Grind’. The trudging and relentless drums throughout paired with low and echoed vocals gave each moment just an extra lift.

One pivotal movement of the set was when ‘Lonely Lyle’ was slowly introduced. A song that is a hallmark for Big Business, with a melancholy vocal line, was accompanied by this dreading bass, almost as if it was sung by a crooner in the 1940’s to describe a feeling of dread or isolation. The song received an immediate reaction from the audience, most of whom had been enjoying the sensations of much lower range frequencies in such a small space, but this song elicited cheers and celebration — ironic for a song called ‘Lonely Lyle’.

With Big Business themselves, each song was amazingly composed and unique in its own way, which is impressive due to the limited resources available from bass, drums and vocals. But these were stretched to impressive extremes, with drum fills played with such intensity. The bass lines, simplistic yet full of menace, were played with the attitude of a sneering hell-hound barking at the audience with each break and fill.

Throughout the whole set, the tracks were awash with these fills and riff heavy moments; pumped through Sunn amplifiers, golden drum kits, and two very ferocious performers. Echoed vocals were looped to fill out the sound throughout the night and the modulated bass was carefully designed to successfully occupy the job of a mere guitarist. For they need none; the setup and sound presented by the headliners is complete enough to create a monolithic wall of sound, which is surprisingly colourful, whilst maintaining stark, traditional grunge-like themes.

This was a solid, amazing show and well worth the wait from the announcement of the gig months ago. The highlight was spectacular support acts who built the suspense for a truly bone-shaking gig.

8/10.

 

Review: Toast

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Theatre.

On a rainy Friday evening in Manchester, the Quays Theatre of the Lowry is warm, bright and thick with the smell of toast!

Toast is an autobiographical play based on the film and book of the same name by Nigel Slater. Slater is a world-renowned, self-made chef and author for Observer Magazine.

While the play is not a musical, it is still highlighted with key tracks from Slater’s life. His mother’s favourite song, La Mer, takes pride of place in one of the most memorable yet haunting scenes of the play. The smoothness of Blue Velvet was enough to get stuck in your head all evening, and the use of Psycho Killer to portray the food battle between Slater and his step-mother, ‘Auntie Joanie’, is comical but important.

The set is singular and fitting – the classic 60s kitchen complete with an AGA and a bright blue fridge. Not only does this set work with the themes of the play, but it also emphasises the significance of the kitchen – the heart of the home where everything happens, conversations are overheard, amazing meals are consumed, and life decisions are made.

Slater’s sexuality has always been something of interest to the press, but he cleverly tells his story by making the audience realise that that isn’t the thing that matters – the way his father and his generation made him feel like he couldn’t be himself is what matters more.

Giles Cooper does a stellar job of portraying Slater at ages 9, 13 and 17. His transition from child-like wonder to adolescent curiosity is seamless, all the while portraying a fascination for food, which gets stronger in every scene. The rest of the cast does an amazing job of playing multiple characters and acing several accents. Blair Plant strutting across the stage as a ring girl is enough to make anyone laugh.

Make sure to grab a slice of the action and see Toast while you can. Even if you just go for the boyish smile in the last second as our hero heads toward the green lights of the Savoy Hotel…

Toast continues its UK tour until early December.

Photo: Callum Barks-Moores

Live Review: The Ninth Wave at Soup Kitchen

Written by Jess Foster on . Posted in Music.

It’s not every day that you end up in a mosh pit with Walt Disco.

However, that is exactly what happened at Soup Kitchen on Thursday night, during The Ninth Wave’s return to Manchester. The Glaswegian duo played a stunning set to a packed crowd, just hours before the release of the second part of their debut album, Infancy.

Photo: Callum Barks-Moores
Photo: Callum Barks-Moores

Opening for the night was Manchester’s own Granfalloon, followed by Walt Disco. I have seen many live bands, but Walt Disco are without a doubt one of the best that I have ever witnessed. Frontman James Power strutted around the stage as if it were their headline show, donning a fabulous, glittery skirt — you simply could not take your eyes off him. Walt Disco played their most popular hits, such as ‘Strange to Know Nothing’ and ‘Dancing Shoes’, and at one point even brought out a coordinated dance.

Church-like music filled the venue as The Ninth Wave made their way onto the stage, accompanied by the opening synths of ‘This Broken Design’. Armed with a bottle of Buckfast and incredibly eccentric eye makeup, Millie Kidd and Haydn Park-Patterson maintained their usual Gothic persona and 80’s New Wave vibes. ‘New Kind of Ego’ followed next, and the crowd matched the energy of the band.

The only criticism I have is that the setlist was rather obscure, missing ‘Imitation’ and including only one unreleased track from the new record. However, the variety of the songs played made the set a true showcase of their talents.

Photo: Callum Barks-Moores
Photo: Callum Barks-Moores

‘Sometimes the Silence is Sweeter’ and ‘Half Pure’ drew attention to Park-Patterson’s incredibly raw vocals, and this was reinforced further during the hauntingly beautiful ‘Human Behaviour’. The pain in his voice was evident as he sang “So we could just exist/It’s better than saying goodbye,” and the focus of the whole venue stayed with him for the duration of the track. His counterpart, Millie, came down into the crowd for ‘Used to Be Yours’, and made her classic uncomfortable eye contact with members of the audience. The real strength in their friendship is undeniable, and it shines through their performance.

One of the highlights was, ‘A Wave Goodbye to the People Who Said I’d Win’, where the mosh pit was opened by none other than Walt Disco. This was a surreal experience, continuing during the incredible ‘Swallow Me’, while Park-Patterson was carried around on the shoulders of the crowd members. His audience surrounded him as he shouted “Swallow me, swallow me, swallow me” and ended the gig in a memorable and powerful manner.

The Ninth Wave are genuinely one of the most exciting bands around at the moment — a night not to be forgotten.

9/10

Photo: Brandon Taylor

Live Review: The Amazons at Academy 1

Written by Jess Foster on . Posted in Music.

On the 15th of November, one of Reading’s finest rock bands, The Amazons, returned to Manchester to play a sold-out Academy 1 as part of their Future Dust tour. The group, fronted by Matt Thomson and joined by Anteros guitarist Jackson Couzens, brought the venue to life with an extensive set of tracks from both their records.

Liverpool’s The Mysterines opened the night with a selection of bass-heavy songs, including their latest single ‘Who’s Ur Girl.’ Similar in sound to The Amazons, this band was a perfect choice of support and really warmed up the audience for what followed. Alt-rock band Demob Happy came next. They were a little less heavy than their predecessors, but still managed to hold the crowd with tracks such as ‘Less is More’ and ‘Autoportrait.’

Photo: Brandon Taylor
Photo: Brandon Taylor

The unfaltering energy that radiates from the crowd is definitely the highlight every Amazons gig. This was evident in Academy from the screams that filled the venue as soon as the lights dimmed and the first note of ‘Fuzzy Tree’ was sounded. Mosh pits galore. The crowd was not for the faint-hearted, as it would have been impossible for anyone to stand and enjoy the gig without being pushed. However, with a band like The Amazons, this is to be expected.

Both the band and the audience knew that this was a special performance, evidenced by the addition of covers to the set list. ‘Little Something’ was blended into a cover of The Beatles’ ‘Helter Skelter’; the encore followed by ‘Morning Glory’. As the audience realised that an Oasis song was being played, it seemed that every person in the Academy knew the lyrics as well as they did The Amazons’.

The crowd went wild for ‘Stay with Me’, ‘Ultraviolet’ and ‘In My Mind’, proving that the bands self-titled debut remains as loved as ever. ‘Palace’ was also a special moment, as phone lights illuminated the venue and fans took to each other’s shoulders. The Amazons truly know how to finish a performance, saving two of their most loved tracks, ‘Junk Food Forever’ and ‘Black Magic’, until the very end. They drew out the latter’s instrumental, along with its incredibly infectious riff, which ended the performance on a very powerful note.

Matt Thomson paid tribute to all the venues making up the journey to where they stood now, including Deaf Institute and the Albert Hall, as well as applauding the band members and stage crew. It seems this frontman is as humble as he is talented. If you’re into heavy music and mosh-pits, then The Amazons are the live band for you. For those who like simply to enjoy their music, you may be better off standing at the back.

8/10.

No harassing, MeToo Movement photo: Mark Morgan @flickr

She was not asking for it: end street harassment now

Written by beckymundill on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Street harassment is defined as experiencing unwanted touching, invasions of personal space, having graphic remarks shouted at you and, in more extreme circumstances, being grabbed or flashed in a public space. It effects people from all walks of life. Whilst predominately effecting women, they are not the sole victims. The University of Manchester, alongside most universities in the UK, have a zero tolerance policy for it, so why have 75% of female students experienced an unwanted sexual experience?

It’s time that we started acknowledging what’s happening. Street harassment is a daily reality for girls, it’s victimising, humiliating, and should never be accepted. To make matters worse street harassment has no consequences for the perpetrator.

I interviewed Lorna, a 19 year old student at a university in Amsterdam. One of her many examples of her struggle with street harassment included a council construction site worker flicking his tongue while she walked out of her flat and shouting derogatory phrases in Dutch. When we discussed this experience she said that she was made to “go to class feeling utterly embarrassed, despaired and violated” while the man walked off with “no effect to his dignity.” Lorna later reported this specific incident to the police and the council. Police said there was little they could do because she had waited until after her class to make the complaint. She is still awaiting a response from the council.

It is too often that the perpetrator victimises and threatens young women with no consequences to their daily life. 66% of girls like Lorna have experienced sexual or physical contact in public in the UK and it is inexcusable that this situation has been normalised in our society.

35% of young girls are harassed just for wearing their school uniform. This is disgraceful. Girls feel unsafe in the streets, many plug in their headphones to block out harassers to make them less approachable, have fake phone calls or even create fake boyfriends to avoid a situation that it is getting out of hand. Some have even gone to greater extremes and have changed what they wear out of the house in a bid to avoid having “you alright love?”, “smile for me” or “look at that ass” shouted at them.

It’s simple. Women deserve so much better than this; we should not have to tolerate it and we should not have to change what we wear just because we have the audacity to leave the house and walk down the street.

So what can be done to rectify this? People walk past and ignore situations like these every day; in clubs, in bars, on public transport, and in the street. Quite often, girls are too flustered or shocked to call out a perpetrator, especially as it might aggravate the situation. Checking that a victim is okay or asking if they need help is better than just rushing past and ignoring it, as is often the response.

It is time to stop being a bystander. It is never a victim’s fault and it is never justified; they didn’t ask someone to follow them, to grab them or to tell them to “bend over” or shout “slut” in their face. We need to put an end to this and change our mentalities. As Lorna said: “if one person gets some sort of consequence from their actions then that’s one person who may think twice the next time they consider harassing someone”. We need to stop being silent about street harassment and start talking about it.

In 2019, nearly two decades into the new millennia and in the era of MeToo, women shouldn’t have to feel like they need to protect themselves every time they leave the house, avoid specific areas or change what they wear to avoid harassment. It is unfair, misogynistic and completely uncalled for and we must start shouting as loudly as the perpetrators.

At the very least you can sign the OurStreetsNow petition, a campaign I found on social media, to help make street harassment illegal in the UK because for some unknown reason it isn’t.

Gym photo: Victor Freitas @Unsplash

Fact or fiction? The reality of gym intimidation

Written by lottienorton2 on . Posted in Lifestyle.

The gym. Loathe it or love it, gyms are opening all around us and ‘fitspiration’ is now a word in the urban dictionary.

For some, the gym is a place to free their mind or keep fit, for others it’s a place of dread. Many gym bunnies thrive off the endorphins they get from the gym and others see it as an alpha playground filled with protein shakes, snapbacks and lad culture. Traditionally, men are seen as the king of muscle gains, whilst women are the cardio queens.

Muscle has conventionally been deemed as a masculine trait and a reason why most women shy away from the weight section and focus on cardio-centred workouts. Years ago, women were absent in the weight section for a fear of getting bulky and looking ‘manly’. However, recently this has been changing.

Has this stereotype transgressed or is gym intimidation still a thing? I carried out some research in Hough End Leisure Centre to find out.

The weight section proved to be heavily male-dominated with only one woman and 15 men present, despite there being 12 other women in the gym. Does this highlight that women are intimidated by the weight section or do they just not want the same gains?

Gym fanatic Emily believes that as a society we have transcended the stereotype that muscle is masculine. Despite using weights, she said: “It can be intimidating; I think it depends on the gym you are in, I don’t find this gym as bad compared to others.” In her opinion, most women feel anxious to use the weight section because of a fear of embarrassment from being told that you are using equipment incorrectly.

Regular gym-goer Sam was in agreement that women are intimidated by how male-dominated the weight section can be, as is evident from my recent visit. But, he suggests this a generational issue where the older generations are more likely to shy away from weights than younger members. Sam reinforced Emily’s dislike that regular weight users also correct men, as well as women, on their ability to use weights. Sam said: “I don’t find they want to genuinely help you but instead do this to show off their abilities.” So it seems that gym intimidation is experienced by all genders.

Would women-only sessions reduce gym intimidation? Emily and Sam think not. Both stated that this would be a regressive step by hiding the problem instead of dealing with it. Emily added: “To ensure women feel comfortable in the gym, new members should be given better gym inductions.” This would help new gym members feel confident in their abilities and hopefully not undermined.

Hough End Leisure Centre do not offer women-only gym sessions but they do for swimming. Receptionist Kate says that this has been requested a few times but does not appear to be a widespread issue.

It seems that gym intimidation is experienced by both men and women with the overall consensus being a fear of embarrassment of someone critiquing your technique. More could be done by gyms to reduce this initial intimidation and provide more education around techniques. Or perhaps more buddy systems could be introduced, much like UpLift Manchester, for gym-goers to share their knowledge and encourage each other in the gym.

Review: Cherie Bebe’s Burlesque Revue – 6th Birthday Special

Written by Patience Kanjira on . Posted in Theatre.

At the 6th birthday special of Cherie Bebe’s Burlesque Revue, held at Matt and Phreds, I was warmly welcomed into the intimate, friendly atmosphere by Bebe herself. Our table had an array of nostalgic sweets, varying from sweet to spicy, which foreshadowed the mix of the night’s talents and performances.

The compère, Jonathan Mayor, was a sarcastic, flamboyant and crass drag queen, dressed in a trophy-like outfit, that likened themselves an over-the-top ‘Tory woman’. Jonathan’s biting humour garnered howling laughter from the audience; even though it was mostly at our expense, Jonathan’s blunt delivery still provoked giggles. Although, at times, the jokes seemed to be lacking, and the long length of Jonathan’s segments occasionally resulted in them losing themselves in them, as the acts waited to start their performances.

The first act, Amber L’amour, walked fiercely onstage in an elegant, sparkly, black, mesh gown and proceeded to sing and dance to a jazz version of Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love’. Although I enjoyed this arrangement of a pop classic, I felt her strengths lay in her sustained note during Queen’s iconic ‘Somebody to Love’, which garnered multiple cheers from shocked audience members. She impressed further later in the night: with gorgeous red hair that reflected her sparkly red gown, which was paired with purple gloves, solidifying her transition into the renowned Jessica Rabbit. 

Once again, I was impressed with her ability to sing popular songs, such as ‘No Diggity’ and ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’, in arrangements that completely changed the message and tone. It was an enjoyable performance finished off by an alluring rendition of ‘Why Don’t You Do Right?’ that left many people in awe.  

The second act was Vicky Butterfly, who was ethereal. She transformed into a gorgeous swan. It was clear from the moment she came onstage that she was a trained dancer. Her movements were fluid, gentle and swift, as she spun, slowly revealing more and more of herself. It was as if she was unravelling into a majestic creature; the classical, romantic music accompanying the piece heightened her evolution.

Carrying on with the sense of evolution, her next performance caused my jaw to drop. She came onstage with a cigarette in hand and cloaked in black leather. The harsh violins of the song ‘Sail’ played as she seductively revealed areas of her outfits to us and then, after finally removing her cloak and revealing an outfit that I can only describe as ‘chain bodice’, she picked up what looked like long, white angel wings. She began to spin around; the wings had light-bulbs on them, which changed colours at key moments of the song, until it was a cacophony of multiple colours. She elicited mass praise from the audience as she spun so fast that lights became akin to that of a tornado of colour. It was simply fabulous.

Now on to the third and my favourite performance of the night, the blonde bombshell Baby Daisy. Jonathan gave a detailed and adventurous description of Daisy’s performance, being akin to ‘French spy fantasy’, which immediately excited me. I was happy to see my expectations surpassed when a sultry Baby Daisy sashayed onstage in a 60s-inspired, sparkly, pink dress, matched with a black feathered hat and boa.

She descended into a careful teasing manner, acting as if she was going to throw a glove to an audience member, but she did not, to that audience member’s disappointment. Daisy’s facial expressions enraptured me; the confidence and fun she was having within the performance was evident. She was in her element.

However, nothing could have prepared me for her next performance. Daisy transformed into a sexy cowgirl, with the customary chaps and whip (which was real!) before she jumped onstage (rather than taking the hand of Jonathan, which had become routine), to show the switch in persona. She took us on a wild ride, synchronising her whipping to the music. She also whipped the audience into the adored palms of her hands.

Finally, but by no means least, Cherie Bebe reminded us why her name headlined the event. Her captivating entrance saw her walk in slowly, veiled with an Indian-style scarf, as she proceeded to do belly-dancing movements. She brought a taste of the global South to the British North. Her slow, paced-out strip-teasing and reveals worked to create a strong sense of anticipation that drew us in. It was encouraging to see the diversity in her style and culture. Her final outfit looked as if it was made on her body; it fit her like a glove. The choice of music, ‘I Put a Spell on You’, was complementary to the 1920s theme she created. I felt bewitched.

Cherie Bebe’s Burlesque Revue has three performances left this year, at Matt and Phreds and Richmond Tea Rooms, and dates have already been released for the 2020 shows.

You can also catch Cherie at Kunst Kabaret at Albert’s Schloss, which the Mancunion reviewed last month, and Mad Hatters Tea Party at Richmond Tea Rooms. The Mancunion also interviewed her last year.

Review: Rambert – Triple Bill

Written by Anna Jin on . Posted in Theatre.

Contemporary dance company, Rambert’s new show Triple Bill is a radical, lyrical performance that showcases three vastly different contemporary dance performances by three esteemed, multinational choreographers. It ran from 30 October to Fri 1 November at The Lowry, Salford, following on from last year’s Life is a Dream and 2017’s Ghost Dances.

Presentient is the first act by Wayne McGregor, who is from the UK. It epitomises the contemporary dance style and is all about physical expression. The company are dressed in blue costumes that drapes gracefully on their bodies. The blue fabric and the dancers’ fluid movements make them resemble a lake. Movements are not always coordinated; often multiple dancers do the same movement at different times with their own spin to it, making the performance appear natural and not rigid.

There are almost always a group of dancers on stage. The multitude of bodies sometimes moves fluidly together as a unified being, sometimes scattering into smaller groups on different parts of the stage. Even though there are so many dancers onstage at the same time, the performance does not appear chaotic because it is so well-rehearsed. Simple, extended white lines are projected on to the background, reflecting the dancers’ body lines and sharp angles that are McGregor’s trademark.

The next act, Rouge, is choreographed by Marion Motin from France. She specialises in Hip Hop, and this is her first time working with a contemporary company. She took the essence of the contemporary genre and modernised it for the 21st Century. The movements are quick and coordinated; the company works together like a well-oiled machine.

The floor of the stage is covered in smoke from dry ice; poles emitting fluorescent light are placed on the floor before the dancers are hanged behind them. The fantastical setting, the bright lights and the quick movements give the stage a surreal vibe.

The focus of the performance is the striking neon lights that flash brightly, both simulating a hectic city life and making everything else feel irrelevant because of their sharpness. The rods of light change colour frequently during the performance, from a dark red, to a blueish white, to an industrial white colour that almost hurt my cornea.

Not only are the lights extremely bright in the pitch black theatre, but they often blinked in irregular patterns. The intensity of the lights correlate to the intensity of the performance, but it is counter-intuitive, because the more intense the light becomes, the harder it is to watch the performance. Although the performers were amazingly talented and executed the dance perfectly, they were sometimes drowned out by the lighting.

In Your Rooms is the third and final act of Triple Bill. It is the longest dance performance out of the three, but it does not feel like it, because of how riveting and dramatic it is. Hofesh Schechter is an Israeli folk dancer and musician and his choreography has a clear political message.

The dancers’ movements are easily recognisable; one moment they are standing together with hands in the air as if they are protesting, and later they are on the ground with their arms before their face as if they are struck down. One performer holds a sign that says: “Don’t follow leaders” on one side, and “Follow me” on the other.

This is the only act where the light is cast briefly on the audience, as if to include us in the performance. This choreography has a strong sense of storyline and is paired with an ominous background narrator who is constantly being cut off. His voice becomes twisted, and then multiple overlapping voices are introduced, creating a spine-chilling atmosphere.

In between the chaos, we hear random sentences that do not make sense on their own but have a political message when you combine them: “Words replacing feelings”, “We have to communicate”, “Make the right choice”.

Rambert – Triple Bill is a radical form of theatre that combines storytelling with contemporary dance. It is an intense performance and will stay with you long after you leave the theatre. You can buy tickets for their shows, taking place all around the world, on their website: Rambert.org.uk.

Photo : People and Planet Manchester @ photo sent in press release

John Owens occupation: Meeting agreed between University leadership and student climate activists

Written by Nicole Wootton-Cane on . Posted in News.

University Senior Leadership and student climate activists are set to meet in an effort to end an occupation of the John Owens building by People and Planet and Fossil Free.

The protestors, who moved into the building on Tuesday morning, are demanding that the University cut ties with the fossil fuel industry, and intend to continue their occupation until the University fully commit to divestment.

A meeting attended by the protestors, Students’ Union Exec Officers, University Senior Leadership, and investment experts, is now due to take place on Monday in the occupied John Owens building, which is home to the University’s finance and Senior Leadership teams, including Vice-Chancellor Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell.

The past week has seen negotiations between the students and the University – On Thursday, protestors declined to meet with University leadership after registrar and COO Patrick Hackett issued a letter offering the protestors a meeting if they abandoned their occupation. Hackett said the University “would welcome the chance to meet to discuss the issues you have highlighted”, but that the protestors were currently “significantly disrupting the University’s normal business”. The letter said the University “could not consider” a meeting while “you are unlawfully occupying one of the University’s buildings”.

Speaking to Fuse FM, two protestors inside the building, Daniel and Kayleigh, called the move a “breakthrough”, but explained their decision to continue the occupation.

“Initially we were thrilled that we were receiving communication at last from the University, but eventually we decided that we would have to refuse their offer. We have a list of 7 demands and this one barely met the first.”

Kayleigh and Daniel said the group had enough supplies to see them through the weekend, and that they are determined to occupy until their demands are met.

A small protest staged by Fridays for Future took place outside the building on Friday in solidarity with People and Planet. Students at Newcastle University have also signed an open letter in support of the occupation, calling for UoM to follow the lead of Newcastle University and the University of York, among others, and divest from fossil fuels.

The protest has also received support from groups across the Greater Manchester area including the Manchester branch of the University and College Union (UMUCU) and the Manchester Green Party.

Lucy Bannister, Green Party candidate for Manchester Withington and University of Manchester alumnus, said: “I am heartened to see the energy on this campaign, which started whilst I was a student[…] I am disappointed that the University has made little to no progress and has failed to act on this urgent issue.”

People and Planet has been pressuring the University to divest from fossil fuels for eight years through a variety of campaign methods. Last June, a group of student occupied the same building for 24 hours, but were forced to leave after their access to toilet facilities and water was blocked.

Earlier this semester the group sent the University an open letter asking for a dialogue to be started about divestment and warned collective action if the University remained unresponsive.

The group say they have seven demands, which include the University opening a dialogue with their students, divesting from the fossil fuel industry, giving regular and public updates on the progress of their divestment process, and “engage with issues surrounding climate justice and decolonisation”. The group also demand that no punishment be inflicted on students participating in the occupation.

In his letter, COO Patrick Hackett reminded occupiers that “any occupation of University premises is unauthorised and without the University’s consent or licence; and accordingly the University reserves all legal rights and may take at any time appropriate disciplinary or other action as it sees fit”.

Speaking on Fuse FM, People and Planet told the University: “We are very disappointed with the fairly draconian response that you have enacted against this occupation. We would welcome a dialogue but only if it is in the John Owens building and doesn’t require us to end our occupation”. 

A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “We welcome the chance to meet with students as it long as it is through the appropriate Students’ Union representatives. We have offered to meet on that basis.

“The University recognises that students have a right to protest peacefully, providing that this does not unduly disrupt the conduct of the University’s normal business. However, by occupying the corridor and meeting room they are causing significant disruption.

“On the issue of divestment, our policy is clear and in the public domain as part of our Socially Responsible Investment Policy (SRIP). We no longer invest in companies with more than 5% of their revenue from thermal coal (the type of coal used in power plants) or oil sands (also known as tar sands).

“We sincerely hope that the students will accept our offer and we look forward to meeting them in due course.”

 

Photo: raver_mikey @Flickr

University and SU issue joint statement on strikes

Written by Nicole Wootton-Cane on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester and the Students’ Union have issued a joint statement on the strike action set to start this week, stating that they are both committed to ensuring “that the industrial action will not prevent students from graduating or progressing to the next academic year”.

Following a meeting between SU exec team members and University leadership, the University confirmed that it will not benefit financially from the strikes, with all money withheld from staff salaries to be reinvested into benefiting students.

Areas it highlighted would benefit from this additional investment included disability and student support services, scholarships for financially disadvantaged students, and a series of student-led sustainability initiatives.

The University has also confirmed that students will not be assessed teaching content missed during the industrial action, “unless that content is made up in an accessible way”. 

From Monday 25th of November, members of the University and College Union (UCU) will carry out eight days of strikes over pension and pay issues. Members have also committed to ‘action short of a strike’ past the 4th of December.

The Union has warned that if issues are not resolved, the industrial action will continue into 2020.

Both bodies sought to “assure you of our commitment to ensuring that students are not unfairly disadvantaged by the strike action”.

The statement continues: “While the University and the Students’ Union do not agree on every aspect of the current situation, we stand together in our determination to ensure that the impact on current students is minimised. Many students will never have experienced industrial action, and so clear communication is important throughout this period of uncertainty, hence this joint communication. We will continue to discuss the impacts of prolonged industrial action to make sure that students’ voices and opinions are heard at the highest level of the University and treated with the urgency they require. We will provide further updates on those discussions to keep communication and our stances clear, and will continue to work together wherever possible.”

“We want to assure you of our commitment to ensuring that students are not unfairly disadvantaged by the strike action.  If any student remains dissatisfied, there are established appeal and complaint procedures that your school or the Students’ Union advice centre can advise you on. Model documents for this are available on the Students’ Union website, and there are also FAQs which will continue to be updated on MyManchester.”

 

Mayor Andy Burnham and Sacha Lord to host student safety session

Written by Nicole Wootton-Cane on . Posted in News.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Night Time Economy Advisor Sacha Lord are among the guests on a panel discussing student safety in Greater Manchester on Thursday.

The event, which will be held at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Students’ Union, is run by the Greater Manchester Student Assembly, and will see all the universities across the region come together to discuss the importance of student safety, especially on nights out.

Burnham and Lord will be joined on the panel by Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett died in the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. A panel of student representatives and Nick Pope, whose son Charlie drowned in the Manchester canals will also be present to facilitate the discussion on how to improve student safety in the city.

The event is an opportunity for students to voice their own ideas and concerns around their safety on nights out – and organisers are promising to buy students who come along a couple of drinks for their trouble!

It has also been endorsed by Annie Mac, who said: “Safety on a night out is so important; whether we’re clubbing or just going out with friends. We have to look out for each other!”

“I’m delighted that for the first time, all the universities across Greater Manchester are coming together, along with the Mayor, Andy Burnham, to start openly talking about safety issues on a night out, and creating something that can be spread around the whole city region.”

Student Safety Session will take place on Thursday, 28th of November at the MMU Union (The Union) at 5:30pm. You can register online, or find out more on Facebook.

Andy Burnham. Photo: NHS Confederation @ Flickr

Andy Burnham admits he may miss rough sleeping target

Written by Kate Jackson on . Posted in News.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has admitted that his pledge to end rough sleeping in Manchester may not be met.

On his first day as mayor, back in 2017, Burnham made it clear that rough sleeping in Greater Manchester was one of his “top mayoral priorities”, pledging to end rough sleeping in the city area by 2020. The mayor’s flagship policy ‘A Bed Every Night’ (ABEN) has been at the heart of his pledge, but he admits that the policy has not been “perfect”.

Mayor Burnham stressed, however, that ABEN has helped 2,600 rough sleepers and has helped 950 find long-term accommodation since the scheme was launched in 2018. He says he knows that, should the target not be met, he will be judged in the mayoral election in May next year. While he says he will not shy away from criticism, he believes that he “couldn’t have done more.”

Mayor Burnham continued: “People need to hold me to account, and I won’t be hiding away, but if people could tell me what me or my team could have done more, I’d be happy to listen. We can’t control the number of people coming onto the streets, that’s down to government policy, all we can do is help as many people as we can.”

In a letter written to political leaders, the mayor described homelessness and the rise in the number of rough sleepers who have died on the streets as a “humanitarian crisis” and urged leaders to make the issue a priority in the upcoming election.

It has been estimated that 726 homelessness people, many of whom would have been rough sleepers, died in England and Wales last year. This was a 22% increase from 2017.

Burnham’s letter calls for the end of the freeze on Local Housing Allowance to prevent families getting stuck in temporary accommodation. The mayor also highlighted the law which allows tenants to be evicted by landlords after eight weeks, as one of the biggest causes of homelessness.

Alongside these proposals, Burnham believes that directing emergency funds towards ABEN schemes in cities across the country “could save lives this year and next”.

He argues, citing statistics from Crisis, that this emergency funding will also be cost-effective for the Government. Crisis says that it costs the public £20,000 for a person sleeping rough but Mr Burnham claims that ABEN would only cost £12,000.

While Mayor Burnham says he knows that more “substantial policies will be needed” in the long-term to prevent people from being homelessness, he believes his proposals will “make an immediate difference” for people sleeping on the streets.

Investigations open into Bolton hall fires as community rallies around students

Written by Megan Oyinka on . Posted in News.

An official investigation has been opened into the fire at the Cube accommodation block in Bolton on the 15th November.

The fire was reported to spread ‘very quickly’, with concerns being raised over the cladding used after videos captured from the night showed parts of the cladding falling to the ground after catching fire.

The cladding, made out of High Pressure Laminate (HPL) was ruled as safe when fitted professionally and with non-combustible insulation behind it, by the government back in July. A central part of the ongoing investigation will be if the HPL was in fact fitted correctly with the insulation.

The investigation will also look into the materials that make up the balconies, which potentially also contributed to the quick spread of the fire. The balconies, which are made up of composite materials which are designed to look like wood, are on every floor of the building excluding the ground floor.

The accommodation has two parts of the building. One part  is considered a high rise, but the part of the building where the fire happened is not considered a high rise flat, which therefore means it subject to different standards of safety.

In a statement GMFRS said: “It was established that the building did not have ACM cladding. There are two buildings in The Cube, Phase 1 is classified as a high rise building and Phase 2 (the building involved in the fire) is recorded as being under 18 metres and therefore not classified as a high rise building.

“GMFRS subsequently requested the fire risk assessment be reviewed and the materials used in the external wall system identified and assessed.

“Following the fire our investigation will consider the materials used within the external wall construction and what if any role these materials played in the development and spread of fire. This assessment was shared with GMFRS and in 2018, subsequent work was undertaken to both buildings by the building owners

“As The Cube is student accommodation, it is fitted with a fire alarm system and operates a simultaneous evacuation strategy.

“This investigation will be complex and take some time. GMFRS will continue to work with the building owners to determine when it will be safe for parts of the building to be reoccupied and in the interim when it will be possible for personal belongings to be collected.”

There have also been rapid responses to organise relief and support for students caught up in the blaze. The Manchester disaster relief fund has set up a just giving relief page to help all those affected by the fire. The block housed 221 people, 220 of which were students with a mix of both UK and international students.

The fund so far has raised 15% of their £100,000 target (figures correct at time of writing). In a statement, they said: “The primary purpose of the Greater Manchester Disaster Relief Fund is to award funds for the relief of financial need or disability as a result of a disaster”.

Those affected by the fire and applicable for financial support can apply through an online application.

Other support networks have also been set up in response to the disaster – ‘Books for Bolton’ was also set up shortly after the fire. The platform aims to connect people with second hand text books that could donate to those that have lost their belongings in the fire. Circuit Laundry has also set up a crowd funding page aiming to raise £10,000 for the displaced vulnerable students.

A number of students living in the flats were special effects make up students and through the fire had lost a large amount of the materials needed to complete their course. Influencers have taken to Instagram to donate surplus make up to those in need of such resources.

The University of Bolton was also praised through their response to fire, providing clothes and food and sending out appeals on social media letting people known what donations are needed.

Leah Mckee-Hearne a student who lived in the block said in a BBC interview that, “the University has just been amazing… we are shocked by the amount of support we are getting.”

She also explained that her and Courtney Peaker, a friend present in the interview, had low hopes for what was going to be recovered in the fire: “It was just all the little moments, it’s the memories and stuff, that was our whole life in that room.”

Photo: valorebooks @ Flickr

Study shows academies have higher university application success rates than private schools

Written by Joe Manock on . Posted in News.

Private schools are less successful at getting students into university than academies, according to a recent analysis of UCAS data.

The data shows that 87.81% of the 91, 485 academy school-leavers were successful in applying to university, a marginally higher success rate of 87.14% for private school students.

The statistics suggests that those attending academies, grammar schools, and sixth-form colleges have a better chance of enrolling in higher education than those who were privately-educated.

Academies are a relatively fresh educational phenomenon, introduced under New Labour. Since the mass expansion under the coalition, scores of schools have transitioned to academy status, releasing themselves from local authority control. Such schools still receive funding from the state.

The issue of these schools falling outside of the authority of local government has been exposed by a lack of school places, with forcing academies to regulate places not an option.

The UCAS data does not show which universities pupils from different types of schools are applying to. One possible explanation of the findings is that private school pupils are applying for more competitive institutions.

This perceived effectiveness of state-funded institutions is interesting to scrutinise, at a time when the Labour party has discussed the abolition of private schools at its party conference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manchester first UK city to embrace eco Christmas decorations

Written by Megan Oyinka on . Posted in News.

Manchester has become the first city in the UK to be lit up with biodegradable Christmas lights made with recycled materials.

Our famous worker bee city is leading the way in eco-friendly Christmas decorations, by using a lighting scheme that is predominantly made from renewable materials, with organic sources raw material and recycled aluminium.

The new Christmas-themed lighting scheme spans across the city centre using 360,000 low energy LEDs installed to 126 trees, and a fully LED Christmas tree at the Cathedral. In addition, all these lights have been specially made using 3D printing robots

In total the fairy lights accumulate to 22 miles of lighting that stretch from the very centre of Manchester to Burnley town centre.

Accompanying the LED lights, Manchester will also be home to 10 festive light sculptures, also adding to the trail around the city centre, with statues featuring in St Peter’s Square, Cathedral and Piccadilly Gardens, including a new crib in St Ann’s Square. Amongst these sculptures will be a giant Manchester bee alongside other statues of typical Christmas themes such as a star and presents.

The lights which were used for the first time at the annual Christmas switch-on which took place in Deansgate on Thursday 14th of November. The night, which was reported to be a night of “Mancunian Magic” by the Manchester Evening News included a display of fireworks and various performances from artists such as HRVY and X Factor girl group Four of Diamonds.

Pat Karney, ‘Manchester’s Christmas spokesperson’, said: “There is no Christmas without Christmas lights, so we thought we’d double down and get 360,000 of them – all low energy and made from eco-friendly recycled materials.

“We’re particularly excited about the giant light sculptures that will be big enough to walk around and get that ever-important Christmas selfie. Yet another excuse to visit Manchester this festive season.”

He also added a note of thanks to the supports of the original switch-on event , “Thank you to everyone who came down tonight and braved a bit of bad weather – but, as we know, in Manchester we make our own sunshine and we make our own Christmas.”

Manchester Museum returns sacred artefacts to indigenous Australians

Written by Joe Manock on . Posted in News.

The Manchester Museum has become the first museum in the country to hand back sacred objects to aboriginal communities in Australia, in the first of a series of events beginning on 20th November.

The event is the result of a partnership between The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and the Manchester Museum. ‘The Return of Cultural Heritage project’ is using the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s first voyage to the east coast of Australia to stimulate awareness in the process of returning cultural heritage items to traditional custodians.

The items in question were taken by force under the process of colonisation. Manchester Museum, which opened in the late nineteenth century, was founded during the height of the British Empire. The Museum ascribed to racial hierarchies and extracted items from a Western perspective. Statements were made which claimed that Aborigines were becoming instinct and that the Museum had a duty to preserve its culture. In fact, it was British actions endangering Aborigine culture.

Mangubadijarri Yanner, from the Gangalidda language group, confirmed that “they were forcibly taken because these items are scared cultural items that are used for ceremony and dance and song”. He said that such items would never have been given over willingly, and stressed the profound emotional impact of repatriation on himself and his community.

“Its something to have these items on display for people to see without context, in a cabinet or locked away in a basement but to actually know that these items will be returning home and that the people who created these items and their cultures and languages will continue to exist…real reconciliation, real practical change and meaning that’s what it means to us.”

AIATSIS has said it had identified more than 100,000 items in 220 institutions across the world. 32,000 sacred indigenous Australian objects are held by British institutions, including the British Museum and Liverpool World Museum.

Christopher Simpson, director of AIATSIS and a Wakka Wakka language group descendant, said his team had spoken to 43 British museums with stolen items and that 29 had shared information about their collections.

The partnership between AIATSIS and Manchester Museum marks an age of fresh insights and conversations. Esme Ward, director of Manchester Museum, hinted that the museum sector was in an “existential crisis mode”, adding: “Particularly museums that are born of the empire, what are we here for? How do we acknowledge our past? What do we do to confront that?”.

A powerful theme of global contentedness emerged from the repatriation ceremony. Esme Ward highlighted the fact that a museum’s duty is to foster “understanding between cultures” and “thinking about our common humanity”. The return of sacred artefacts to the AIATSIS project shows the Manchester Museum to be a pioneering force and a positive influence. The transparent dialogue and willingness for justice evident at this event should serve as an exemplar across the industry.

 

Photo : US Department of State @ wikimediacommons

Oxford Union President resigns over ejection of blind student

Written by jamesshepherd on . Posted in News.

Following the violent removal of a blind student from a debate at the Oxford Union last month, the President of the Union, Brendan McGrath, has stepped down after widespread backlash against his handling of the incident.

Ebenezer Azamati, a blind 25-year-old International Relations postgraduate student from Ghana, arrived at the No Confidence debate held at the Union on the 17th October early to secure a seat as he was concerned about disabled accessibility.

After leaving the chamber to eat dinner at his college, he was not allowed to re-enter. After being taken into the venue by a friend and finding the seat he earlier reserved, Mr Azamati was confronted by security resulting in his forced removal from the chamber and the confiscation of his union card.  

Following the incident, Brendan McGrath brought a disciplinary complaint against Mr Azamati, claiming that during attempts to remove him from the debating chamber, Mr Azamati had responded violently toward members of union staff.  The complaint led to a disciplinary hearing, the result of which saw Mr Azamati being banned from the Union until May 2020.  

The Union’s response to the incident prompted significant opposition and protest from within the student body.  

The Oxford University Africa Society (OUAS) felt the handling of the incident by the Union was “inhumane” and also unfair as the Union had failed to provide Mr Azamati enough time to bring forward his witnesses at his disciplinary hearing.

The OUAS asked McGrath to consider resigning from his position given the mishandling of the incident.  They blamed his “reckless” leadership of the union for the “physical, emotional and psychological trauma Mr Azamati has had to endure in the past few weeks”, and further claimed McGrath failed in his duty to ensure the safety of those who visit the venue.  

The OUAS’ dissatisfaction with the Union has been widely supported as on 15th November over 100 people joined a protest against the Union’s leadership.  During this protest, demonstrators called for McGrath to resign and criticised the injustice in the treatment of Mr Azamati by the Union.  

McGrath earlier claimed that he was still the “best person” to lead the ongoing negotiations with Mr. Azamati and his legal representative and that resigning “would be exactly the wrong signal to send when we have these institutional problems with the Union for an eight-week president to resign”.

However, after a motion to impeach McGrath was passed on the morning of the 18th November, the Oxford Union released a statement the following evening where McGrath stated he would be resigning as president.  

In his statement, McGrath apologised “profusely and unqualifiedly” for his “mistakes” and ends his letter of resignation by calling for a review of the Union’s policies with regard to disability “with the aim of fostering a culture of respect and inclusion”.  He recognises his failure to ensure that visitors to the Union felt welcome and also to recognise his “wider obligations” as Union President to represent the interests of Union visitors as well as members of staff.

Commenting on McGrath’s resignation, the OUAS said:  “It is the appropriate thing to do given his failure to responsibly handle this case from the start”.

“His proposal for the review of the Union’s policies with respect to disability is welcome and in fact is the sort of changes we want to see as an outcome of this incident.”

 

Lightopia: Heaton Park never looked so magical

Written by Anja Samy on . Posted in Arts.

There is something incredibly primal about the pull of a bright light in the dark. And in the otherwise pitch black of a Manchester park on a November evening, I couldn’t help but be entranced by the dazzle of Lightopia.

In keeping with its fantasy novel-esque name, Lightopia is a magical lantern festival of over 2000 lanterns, lighting up the fields and trees of Heaton Park until December 31st.

Why is it that we become no better than moths when we encounter something shining in the night?  I often joke to my friends that my idea of home decorating is to add some fairy lights to a room, so I was kidding myself that I would ever be anything but entranced by an entire park filled with sculptures which glow from within.

The designs range from under a foot to towering structures, symbolising various experiences throughout life and humanity, with titles such as The Love Gate, Elysian Field, S-Harmony, and The Flower Road.

A far cry from the June mud and madness of Parklife, the lantern festival is a sea of dark and calm, punctuated by glowing creations (and not a bucket hat in sight).

While some installations such as The Flower Road give you a sense that you are Alice walking through Wonderland, others are a little baffling. For instance, anyone who visits Lightopia will know what I mean when I say, there is a hilariously bizarre Bee sculpture which seems a little out of place among some of the more refined designs.

It must be acknowledged though, that this is an attraction for all ages, not merely the art snobs of Manchester.

Alongside the static designs, Lightopia also features a light show projected onto the spray of a fountain on the lake, as well as food and drinks stands. I have to admit the neon pink glow of the churros stand’s sign may actually have been my favourite light of the night.

Photo: Anja Samy

The lantern festival is open from 5pm to 10pm November 21st – December 31 -not including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Tickets are available from the on-site box office or online.

I definitely recommend a visit to Heaton Park this Christmas, for anyone with a moth-like love of bright lights, such as myself.