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Month: February 2020

Live Review: Cage the Elephant at Victoria Warehouse

Cage the Elephants’ latest tour came to Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse on Wednesday the 19th of February with support from Chicago band Post Animal and California natives SWMRS.

Cage the Elephant being the rock powerhouses they are rarely find it hard to sell out shows and even full tours, however they were unable to fill out the crowd of Victoria Warehouse baring the question ‘would the show be as energetic as promised? Or feel empty and lifeless?’

The show opened with Post Animal, a collection of Chicagoan rockers with a love for synths. Post Animal have had little issue taking over much of America and garnering a name for themselves but they fell completely flat with the Manchester crowd. It felt as though they had been chosen to ease the crowds into the more energetic bands to follow yet instead it felt that there was no reason for them to be present at all.

As the green haired Cole Becker, of SWMRS, took to the stage of Victoria Warehouse all worries of the evening collapsing from under the feet of Cage the elephant before they even took the stage were forgotten.

Although after the tragic car accident that left lead guitarist Max Becker in hospital for months, some fans were worried about how the bands’ sound would be affected. Whilst Max’s backing vocals were missed, the band more than made him proud with each member of SWMRS seeming to up their individual energy to compensate and deliver a truly epic show.

Crowd favourites such as ‘Lose, Lose, Lose’ and ‘Berkeley’s on fire’ were hotly received and it doesn’t appear that it will take a long time for SWMRS to be headlining these shows themselves.

Relatively fresh from the release of Social Cues many fans of Cage the Elephant were excited to see how the band would blend newer tracks such as ‘Goodbye’ and ‘Night Running’ into the bands outstanding foundation that comes from legendary tracks ‘Cigarette daydreams’ and ‘Cold, Cold, Cold’.

Cage the Elephant are a band best known for their stage presence, and they more than delivered that to the Manchester crowd, as expected they were technically incredible. The delivery and mixing were excellent, although that’s more down to the expertise of Victoria Warehouses backstage crew than the band.

The bands new tracks held up better than I thought they would to the powerhouse tunes they have previously composed. Thus, making me realise that Cage the Elephant aren’t just the massive band I thought they were, seeing them live made them believe they are more in line with my own music tastes that I had previously believed. I’d argue that Cage the Elephant are one of the best live bands touring right now.

Unfortunately, the show ended rather abruptly for those of us watching from the balcony, as Cage the Elephant unleashed their penultimate song a mass of pyro erupted from the stage forcing the excess of smoke that had been used to raise up into the air with the heat. This caused those on the balcony to inhale much of the smoke and many left the show early moving into the smoking area choking on the clean air. This isn’t something I’ve experienced before at Victoria Warehouse but it didn’t seem to be an anomaly as dozens left the balcony early.

Although the show ended oddly abruptly the show itself was immense and even the evenings poor start and end was made up for by both SWMRS and Cage the Elephants stage presence. If it wasn’t for the smoke and Post Animal it certainly would’ve been one of the best shows Manchester saw this year, regardless of whether or not it sold out.

7/10 

Let’s Get Away: Amsterdam

Being half Dutch myself, I have always wanted to visit Amsterdam. Although I have been as a child, I don’t have a very clear memory from that trip. So, last summer I went again with my best friend and now Amsterdam is one of my favourite European cities with its quirky houses, never-ending canals, and charming little benches. I promise you that Amsterdam looks just scenic as and romantic as it does in The Fault in Our Stars movie.

You can take the train from Schiphol airport to the city of Amsterdam. Train tickets can be bought on Trainline and cost as little as £4.88 one way (with a railcard). From the train station you can take a tram to wherever your hotel is, but prices will vary depending on how far you are travelling.

The most famous aspect of Amsterdam is undeniably the canals. The city itself consists of around 90 islands that are connected by 1,500 bridges. Although it is possible to explore the city of canals on foot, what better way to experience Amsterdam than on a canal boat! The cheapest canal ride that we could find was around 12 euros, which included the ride itself and a tour guide. If you don’t fancy floating on the canal, you can take the tram or simply just walk along it. And, if you want to fully emerge yourself into Dutch culture, you could hire a bike for as cheap as 6 euros and experience their famous bike lanes.

If the weather is good, I would recommend a picnic in Vondelpark. Park Plaza offers breakfast, lunch and dinner – with vegan options on offer. Although the restaurant is highly Instagrammable and perfect for people-watching, the prices are not too student-friendly. Instead, one could opt for packing a Dutch lunch, such as a broodje kroket (a soft white bun with a deep-fried croquette).

Povertjes are the famous loved Dutch sweet treat that I would recommend to all. Povertjes are small fluffy pancakes, typically served with powdered sugar and syrup. You can find pancake houses on pretty much every corner of Amsterdam. Next to the Anne Frank House we ate at PANCAKES Amsterdam Westermarkt, and according to my vegan friend their vegan pancakes are amazing. Whatever you do in Amsterdam, you must go to a pancake house.

Photos courtesy of Isabelle Lock and designed by Phoebe Moore
Photos courtesy of Isabelle Lock and designed by Phoebe Moore

One of the most famous must-dos in Amsterdam is undeniably the Anne Frank House, which I encourage everyone to visit. It is an important reminder of those that lost their lives during World War Two and the suffering that they went through. Be sure to purchase your tickets online as early as possible since they sell out very quickly. Tickets cost 10 euros for an adult or 5 euros if you have a European Youth Card.

Another tourist sight is the Museumplein, where three major museums are located – the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum. We visited the Rijksmuseum for 20 euros per person, which is a museum dedicated to history and art in Amsterdam. If museums aren’t your thing, I would still recommend walking through the Museumplein as it’s a beautiful area in Amsterdam, definitely worthy of some photos.

For a night-out, Amsterdam has a range of clubs. The famous Leidestraat consists of numerous bars and terraces for pre-drinking. Clubbing tends to begin at around 12am, but clubs do not fill up until around 1am. Although we did not go clubbing, the best club according to tourists is Escape. Depending on which event you attend, entry can range from about 7,50 euros to 17 euros.

Amsterdam has so much more to offer than it’s coffee shops and Red Light District. From its canals to its culture and food, the city is certainly something special. And, if you plan smartly a weekend away can be highly affordable. I hope that you all visit Amsterdam and fall in love with the city, just as I did.

Let’s Get Away: Bologna

Whether you’re after a weekend to escape the endless studying, or somewhere to celebrate the end of exams in June, take a trip to Italy! There’s a myriad of beautiful cities to explore and plenty of cultural delights to indulge in.

Bologna, in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, is Italy’s food capital and a wonderful place to recharge whilst enjoying a rich culture. It’s fairly small compared to the bigger, more touristy cities of Rome, Naples or Milan, but it’s the place to try famous dishes such as tagliatelle al ragù (falsely known in the UK as ‘spaghetti bolognese’), lasagne and tortellini. 

Bologna has the oldest university in Europe, l’Università di Bologna, and the student crowd makes up a considerable part of those roaming its cobbled streets. I was lucky enough to study at the university for a semester last year, and I really recommend Bologna for a relaxing escape on a student budget.

Bologna is a medieval walled city, and nicknamed ‘la Rossa’ (‘the Red One’), due to its iconic cityscape of red terracotta roofs. Its characteristic red porticos cover most of the city streets; so in the event of rain, the city has literally got you covered! Bologna’s petite size means everything is easily accessible by foot, and you can explore the main sites in a day.

The best way to experience Bologna is to take your time and wander around the maze of tiny streets to uncover hidden treasures. Perhaps you’ll find an elegant café bar, a vibrant independent boutique or a gelateria boasting the largest range of flavours you’ve ever seen! It’s all waiting to be discovered, all under the watch of Bologna’s famous stone towers. These ‘medieval skyscrapers’ were constructed for unknown reasons but most likely in order to guard the city from any threats beyond its walls. 

Photos and design by Phoebe Moore
Photos and design by Phoebe Moore

The two most famous towers, le Due Torri, lie in the very centre of the city and you can climb up to the top of the tallest tower, la Torre degli Asinelli, for 3€ (with student ID) and see the views of the whole city and beyond. But only if you wish to defy the superstition to not climb the tower until after graduating university. The city’s students are warned against climbing up to make sure they get their degrees!

Bologna’s main and biggest square, Piazza Maggiore, is a beautiful suntrap. The Basilica di San Petronio lies on one side of the square, with free entry to see its stunning interior. Legend has it that its potentially grand exterior was left incomplete by the Pope’s orders, so that it would never be as wondrous-looking as the churches in Rome.

You can indulge in a pizza lunch in Piazza Maggiore, from one of the many street counters nearby that sell pizza by the slice. Or make your way through Quadrilatero, a tiny food market street that opens up into the main square. Once you begin strolling down this street, you’ll feel you’ve stepped into an Italian culinary wonderland. The little food shops and restaurants spill into the street, people are enjoying sumptuous aperitivi (nibbles before a meal) of meats, cheeses, bread and olives, and waiters weave in between the wandering crowds.

In the middle of Quadrilatero is Mercato di Mezzo, an indoor market full of eateries which is perfect for dinner. There’s a pasta counter serving a range of plentiful dishes for around 7€, and Rossopomodoro is an Italian pizza restaurant which serves great quality food.

Most people you’ll encounter in restaurants and shops will speak English, especially as tourism to Bologna from the UK and US is on the rise. However, I encourage you to have a go at the lingo and say “ciao, buongiorno!” to greet those you meet. 

To seem even more like a local, enjoy Italian coffee in the many colourful cafés dotted around the city, such as Pappare at the base of the Two Towers. Here you can indulge in a homemade pastry alongside your cappuccino – just be mindful that it’s a cultural taboo to drink a cappuccino after 11am. And never simply ask for a ‘latte’, as you’ll probably be disappointed when you’re presented with a glass of milk!

Head to Giardini Margherita in more favourable weather; a beautiful, spacious park just outside the city walls. You can while away the hours in the sun and also see the large family of turtles in the lake. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, take the 3.5km portico-covered route and walk up to the hilltop Basilica di San Luca which overlooks the whole city. The route begins in the city centre and the uphill trek is worth it once you glimpse the breathtaking views of the city and the surrounding countryside.

Currently you can fly to Bologna from Manchester for a 3-day trip (including travel days) in June from £57 return, however flight prices vary largely, depending when you book. Travel to Bologna and enjoy all the culinary delights it has to offer!

Flight prices correct at time of publication.

Will fans of Wuthering Heights enjoy the Royal Exchange’s modern adaptation?

Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights is a masterpiece that has cemented its place in the English literary canon and has inspired numerous adaptations for both stage and screen. After studying it extensively at school and growing up watching the 1992 film starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, I was excited yet also unsure of what to expect when I bought my tickets for the Royal Exchange’s adaptation of it.

After reading it was a modern adaptation, there was a slight tinge of disappointment that I wouldn’t I didn’t expect to see any period costumes; which I love. I was therefore thrilled to see that costumes of the time were still being used and it was the dialogue that had been modernised.

Adapted by Andrew Sheridan and directed by Bryony Shanahan, this performance without a doubt exceeded all my expectations. Every aspect of the play had been clearly thought through and was executed with precision: from the lighting to the music, with terrific acting by a diverse cast throughout.

Wuthering Heights tells the story of the star-crossed love between the childhood playmates Cathy and Heathcliff. Their love for one another is pure and innocent as children, and their personalities are so suited they appear to be almost kindred spirits.

Entering adulthood, their idyllic relationship and love are threatened by the harsh realities of the real world: with maturity, Cathy decides she is in need of a man that can support her, and to the detriment of both her and Heathcliff, she chooses their rich but weak-minded neighbour, Edgar Linton. Their love never fades despite her marriage and torments them both to the point that she dies of heartbreak and exhaustion after giving birth to her only child.

The cast were fantastic; each actor clearly gave their all and offered their own personal touch to their character. Rakhee Sharma struck me from the beginning as being able to masterfully embody the complexity and multifaceted character of Cathy. The acting during her psychological breakdown had the entire audience in tears. Standing in the middle of the stage and shouting for Heathcliff, the utter anguish and desperation in her face made it impossible for anyone to not feel empathy for her pitiful situation.

Alex Austin was equally striking in the complex role of her star-crossed lover Heathcliff. When Heathcliff is first found by Mr Earnshaw, and is a lost and hungry orphan on the moors, he likens him to a wild animal by salivating to the point that it dripped down to the floor. This makes the contrast with his growth into a reputable young man even more stark, whilst also expressing Heathcliff’s cunning maliciousness in enacting his revenge against Hindley and the Lintons.

Former Coronation Street actor Dean Fagan gave an impressive performance as Edgar Linton. Rather than making him the typical antihero, he appears very human in how his love for Cathy makes him vulnerable. His portrayal of his awkward English politeness serves to highlight his weak-mindedness when on stage beside the headstrong Heathcliff. All three performances perfectly complemented each other in one of the most famous love triangles in literary history.

Lighting designer Zoe Spurr deserves a commendation for the excellent lighting. Long tube-shaped lightbulbs were suspended from the ceiling in the opening scene and were adjusted in height to complement the mood of the scene that was taking place, an effective tool in reflecting the mood of the characters on stage. Heathcliff, in the height of his anguish, is pressed to the floor by the lights, inducing a sense of claustrophobia.

The musicians Sophie Galpin and Becky Wilpie opened the play with eerie vocals and instrumentals (guitar, mixer and electronic percussion), building the atmosphere with sound between scenes in times when emotions ran high and all that was needed was music to speak the emotions that were playing out on stage.

I would highly recommend this play to any lovers of the book, the films or to anyone who knows nothing of the story at all but merely wishes to know more of it and to spend an emotional evening of entertainment at the circular theatre inside the beautiful building of the former Stock Exchange.

Wuthering Heights runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre until the 7th of March.

Preview: Words Weekend at the Lowry

This event has been cancelled due to the coronavirus. We will let you know if it is rescheduled.

The inaugural Words Weekend took place at Sage Gateshead, and a third edition will take place in London later this year. But for its second edition, the festival will be taking over The Lowry at Salford.

There will be over 60 events, taking place over five spaces of the iconic venue. Every event will be accessible and BSL interpreted (by Manchester Deaf Centre), and 25% of the programme will be free.

Words Weekend aims to unite communities and ignite imaginations with a packed programme of talks, workshops, panel discussions, book signings, family events, music and spoken word.

According to Words Weekend, themselves:

“The names announced so far include local and international talent who champion diversity, social inclusion and the rich musical and literary history of the North West. Through the power of words and stories, Words Weekend aims to unite communities and ignite imaginations.”

They’re not kidding! Festival highlights include bestselling writer, Adam Kay; singer-songwriter and activist Bob Geldof, KBE; presenter, writer and activist Katie Piper; explorer and writer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, 3rd Baronet, OBE; broadcaster John Humphrys; writer Helen Fielding; writer David Nicholls; actors Anne Reid, MBE and Derek Jacobi CBE; singer-songwriter Frank Turner; and comedian and author Njambi McGrath.

What a line-up!

Photo: Words Weekend.

I, myself, am looking forward to seeing Katie Piper In Conversation and Anne Reid and Derek Jacobi In Conversation. Piper, especially, has inspired me massively with her burn-victim activism and advocacy, whilst Reid and Jacobi have both appeared in quality film and television.

An event like no other, this festival offers ordinary people the chance to see living legends in the flesh, discussing their careers, personal lives and topical subjects.

And if you’re not star-struck, like I clearly am, there are dozens of events exploring interesting subjects, ranging from forensic psychology and endometriosis to women in literature and sex workers’ rights. So, something for everybody!

The events are not too long, nor are they too expensive (as aforementioned, 1/4 of them are free). They are affordable, accessible, and promise to be interesting.

So, if you’re looking for something fun to do during the final weekend of March, why not try something different and spend your weekend with words?

Words Weekend runs at the Lowry from 27th until 29th of March.

Live Review: Champagne On The Rocks at The Wardrobe in Leeds

On a cold February Friday, situated a stone’s throw away from Leeds City Bus Station, the underground venue of The Wardrobe played home to Champagne on The Rocks, a Manchester-based acoustic, student duo.

Featured on the bill as the first support act for the band, Surefire Affair, the group maintained professionality whilst entertaining with their self-written indie rock compositions centred around themes of adolescence, heartbreak, and drunkenness — all of which struck relatability amongst a younger audience. 

The duo, made up of school-mates Tom Wood and Robin Cooper, have only been gigging together since September. Nevertheless, the professionalism shown that night was equivalent to bands many years more experienced. Their opening number, ‘Drink to Remember’ immediately highlighted their unique style of songwriting. Both originally from Leeds, their vocal style clearly displayed their Northern roots. The song also proves their songwriting process is highly effective — Cooper mentioned to me that they tend to write both lyrics and music together rather than separately.

Cooper explained the musical influences that have guided the duo. He mentioned a blend of Ed Sheeran, KALEO, Arctic Monkeys, and country group, Florida Georgia Line. Despite these influences of country not shining through into their performances in a big way, the duo did make good use of funk guitar rhythms on top of their Arctic Monkeys’ vocal styles and Ed Sheeran-esque rapping.

Two of the songs which showed these two distinct influences were Hot July and Manhattan. The former showed Wood’s experiences of a summer romance falling apart. It was in this song that Wood’s vocal brilliance was most displayed — this demonstration of his timbre and vocal range was impressive. Manhattan, on the other hand, demonstrated the group’s collective talent with  classic rock ‘n’ roll platforming Cooper’s virtuosic guitar skills alongside Wood’s rapping talent. Rarely seen due to its complexity, Cooper played his guitar solos almost entirely on acoustic guitar. With this skill, Cooper is exploiting a key gap in the market proving his rightful place in the band alongside Wood’s vocal strength. 

The boisterous and catchy song  ‘Burning Bridges’ finalised their repertoire; described by an audience member as “simply brilliant”, there is little to critique. The outro was extremely effective at showing the funk-influenced guitar rhythms, a point made better by Cooper switching from acoustic to electric guitars. Apparently, an upcoming acoustic EP featuring ‘Burning Bridges’ will be released later this semester — hopefully this will prove to be a big breakthrough for the band.

The duo delivered a fun and punchy performance. Nevertheless, they were slightly short of perfection. At times, Wood and Cooper appeared slightly nervous, preventing them from livening the youthful and fairly sparse crowd; however, I am sure this will be something that will be ironed out with more live performances. In addition, in spite of their acoustic style being highly effective, at times their songs were yearning for greater texture — use of a drum kit and a small backing of a bass guitar could lead to their songs to sound even richer than they do at present. 

Overall, Champagne On The Rocks isn’t just another acoustic band. Their genre-fusing, catchy compositions are just a glimpse of the enormous talent these young musicians possess. Currently, the band is looking to do more support sets for bigger bands; given what they deserve, the near future may well see the duo attracting support groups of their own.

7/10

Review: An Intervention (MIFTA)

An Intervention was a play that I went in to having only a faint idea of what it was about. I sat through the whole thing thoroughly impressed by the feat of both the performances and the direction.

The play is a two-hander, starring Ruby Hines as ‘A’ and Mariella Dyckhoff as ‘B’, and was written by Mike Bartlett.

The story is of two friends, or best friends, whose relationship becomes rocky around the same time as a British intervention into foreign territory. The constant cross references are a start for a great drama in the writing, but the real tension came from the direction and performances.

Sean McGettigan and Eleanor Hicks dealt with the issues that the play presents in a very gentle yet performative manner, which is exactly what a text of this sort needs.

A particular feature which I liked was the use of live music by a three-piece band made up of a flute, a trumpet and a double bass. By highlighting the moments of comical tension which original music, the audience were given some room from what could have become suffocating tension.

I do wish that the band could have been used more yet recognise not only that this could have taken away from the points of heavy drama, but also that this piece only had a three-week rehearsal period. To create a performance of this standard in that amount of time is an extremely impressive feat, and everyone involved should be very proud of themselves.

Both Hines and Dyckhoff were incredibly moving and showed each of their overflowing talent in the way that they held themselves throughout the approximately 90-minute performance.

Dyckhoff’s reserved and calculated character ‘B’ was performed with a brashness that left me feeling as though ‘B’ was having problems with me, not just her on stage companion. This became particularly impactful in the third act of the play, when the stakes are raised to the highest they could possibly be – and I applaud Dyckhoff’s ability to play a character who is calm on the outside but so clearly boiling up on the outside.

The stand-out performance, not only of the night, but of the drama society’s past year of plays, came from Ruby Hines. From the moment ‘A’ started on stage, the audience were hooked onto Hines’ every word. She managed to deliver to the audience a person, and a friend, rather than a character, and left everyone watching her in complete awe of her performance and her pacing.

In the funny moments, she had impeccable comic timing, and in the rest of the play, she knew exactly how to create tension with the smallest of movements and the most minute eyebrow raise.

This is, of course, a testament to McGettigan’s and Hicks’ direction, and everyone involved in An Intervention should be incredibly proud of themselves.

Review: A Monster Calls

The first thing I noticed on the opening night of A Monster Calls at the Lowry was that the audience was full of school-children. The original book and film may have been more kid-friendly, but this version of the story was a lot more raw, interpretive and dealt with some quite adult themes.

The set was minimal, comprised of white and beige tones – chairs for the ensemble and ropes suspended from the ceiling. The cast were dressed in neutral tones and all remained on the stage together, throughout the play.

Ammar Duffus plays the lead, Connor, a boy in Year 8 learning to deal with his mother’s cancer diagnosis. Duffus’ portrayal of the young boy is effortless. He was able to sound like a frustrated child without over-acting it. You forget that he is a grown man as he dominates the stage despite playing the youngest character.

One of the questions everyone was asking was – how are they going to create the Monster? Played by Keith Gilmore, the monster had a thick Scottish accent and strong stage presence. He spent most of his time suspended among the ropes, sometimes with a harness but often without. His ability to morph his body and spend the whole of the play climbing around the stage – in what can only be described as a full body workout – was outstanding. This, paired with his commanding voice and heavy, purposeful lines meant his version of the Yew Tree Monster was serious, sometimes scary, but still caring.

The ensemble were incredibly cohesive. They could work as one fluid unit for one moment, and in the next, they were all individual characters, each with their own distinct personalities. The play was highlighted by the use of interpretative dance and music. The cast were able to create physical movements to display emotions that are hard to describe and gave traumatic scenes more power.

The lead musician, Luke Potter, did an amazing job of bringing the play together. The music during the most pivotal moments and in between scenes was beautiful. It only added to the play and you almost didn’t notice the transitions because it was performed at such important moments and gave the audience time to think.

Some of the most important moments were incredibly realistic and relatable. A personal favourite was the clock scene. Duffus was given free reign of the chairs and threw them around to show him breaking his grandmother’s prized possession – a grandfather clock. You couldn’t help but sympathise with the boy as he destroyed the stage.

By the end of the play (spoiler) Connor was able to admit his truth and move on with life after his greatest fears were accepted. In this final scene, you could hear sniffles from the audience, and the standing ovation really punctuated the night.

Make sure you get down to the Lowry to catch this brilliant show – you won’t be disappointed.

A Monster Calls runs at the Lowry until the 29th of Feb before continuing its tour around the UK.

Live Review: The Mysterines at Deaf Institute

Up-coming Liverpudlian rockers The Mysterines arrived in Manchester on Friday night to play a sold out Deaf Institute. After previously supporting the likes of Sea Girls and The Amazons, it was time for the band to take centre stage.

The Mysterines
Photo: Jess Foster

Tom Mouse Smith — a fourteen-year-old singer-songwriter — began the night as first support. Smith played his set alone, relying merely on acoustics and showcasing his tracks such as ‘Dragonfly’ and ‘Could I Live With Being Fake?’. One could place his vocal talent in the range of Tom Grennan and Sam Fender, and his musical prowess was undoubtable.

Even though he managed to capture the attention of the room, his performance suffered from awkward interchanges of silence between songs and this became rather tedious. However, his young age must be acknowledged and his showmanship will surely progress with his talent.

Second support band, Children Of The State, began their set with technical difficulties although this was made up for by the excellent harmonica skills of front man, John McCullagh. Despite their performance lacking visual prowess, with their choice of attire merely blended into the background and the lighting could be described as unexciting, this soon became forgotten once the band were fully immersed in their performance.

There was definitely an air of Arctic Monkeys within their sound, with ‘I Shiver When I Burn’ being reminiscent of Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. McCullagh moved to the front of the stage to interact with the crowd, whilst guitarist Nathan Keeble kept up with energetic knee stomps and movements to the beat.

The Mysterines soon arrived on stage, oozing the energy that I had been waiting for all evening. The band created a bass line for front woman Lia Metcalfe to strut onto the stage, donned in an incredible leopard print two-piece and diamante sunglasses. There is a clear difference between confidence and ego, and Metcalfe has mastered it. Her vocal performance was effortless, accompanied by the heavy riffs of her fellow guitarists and a pounding drum beat.

The Mysterines
Photo: Jess Foster

There was a visibly positive relationship between the band members, as they chatted and smiled to each other in-between tracks, especially between Metcalfe and guitarist George Favager. The Mysterines were the antithesis of insecure, so poised in their talent that it appeared they felt no need to impress. ‘Who’s Your Girl?’ came first on the set list, followed by the likes of ‘Love’s Not Enough’ and the unreleased ‘Resistance’. A stand out performance was ‘Take Control’, which featured a truly euphoric bass line and sounded like something straight out of a 90’s romantic comedy. This track highlighted Metcalfe’s powerful yet sharp vocal talent.

The Mysterines were met by an overtly enthusiastic front row of fans, sharing the same love for songs that they both did and did not know. As for the crowd demographic, I would have expected a larger female to male ratio for a girl fronted band — Lia Metcalfe herself is the prime example of feisty, female, top, rock talent. Nevertheless, the audience really engaged with the band, at one point screaming the reoccurring line of “Gasoline, I just love to hate you!”

After a build up to the encore, a beautiful acoustic version of the unreleased ‘Still Call You Home’ was performed and kept the audience in awe. This atmosphere was short-lived, however, as the band ended with the same energy that they began, with the powerfully heavy ‘Hormone’ and an extended guitar riff to finish the performance.

The Mysterines rightly owned The Deaf Institute during their set, but that stage seemed a little small for such a self-assured, formidable band. They belong to larger venues, and equally big festival slots, and I cannot wait to see them achieve it.

7/10.

Must all good things come to an end?

What are your plans for next year then? The question every final year student dreads.

Between graduate schemes, masters, travelling, or getting a job where’s the option for ‘I’m lost and I don’t know what I want to do with my life?’

Some people cannot wait to graduate, for others this ignites anxiety about what the next step in their life will be.

Having witnessed both of my brothers graduate, I soon realised that post uni life isn’t all smiles and optimism. Both my brothers loved university and were devastated at the prospect of moving back home after graduation. At the time I was only a first-year student, and I couldn’t understand why my brothers were so sad about graduating. But, now as a third-year with graduation fast approaching, I completely empathise with why they felt this way.

Post-uni depression is a topic that is sadly not recognised nor openly discussed enough. City Mental Health Alliance reported that 49% of students surveyed admitted their mental well-being declined after leaving university. Some people struggle with the sudden absence of a structured learning environment or stepping into the unknown of their future.

The key here is knowing you are not alone and many people will suffer with post-uni blues. But do not suffer in silence. Whether that’s confiding in a relative, friend or the university support networks, people are here to help so do not feel alone in not knowing where your future is heading.

For me and many others, university is a place like no other. You’re completely independent, all of your friends live nearby, you can cook what you want, you can get out of bed when you want with few responsibilities. Of course, you can drink and be as loud as you want because parents aren’t at your pres! All of these make the prospect of moving home daunting, especially as you’re losing the independence gained over the three years at university.

But what happens once the utopian uni bubble inevitably bursts? Some people know exactly what they want to do after they graduate and others will stay in Manchester and continue living in the university bubble. Whilst some people may want to maintain their independence it isn’t always financially possible to avoid moving back in with parents.

For me, the word ‘graduation’ petrifies me. I love my life as it is and all of the pending uncertainties frighten me. I know that I’m never going to be in this surreal environment again. Living somewhere like Fallowfield, your neighbourhood is literally filled with students. I currently live around the corner from all of my friends and my boyfriend, whereas next year the reality is that my friends will be scattered across the country and I will be in a long-distance relationship. Many people will struggle with the reality of not being able to see their friends or partners as frequently as at uni.

Whether you know where you’re heading after you throw that mortarboard in the air or you don’t have a clue, the message here is to keep calm. Explore your options, and don’t rush into anything. Search for jobs and see what interests you, whether you want to take some much-needed time out and get an in-between job before you commit to a career, or if you’re ready to go straight into one.

Live Review: Dry Cleaning at Gullivers

I was not expecting to see Dry Cleaning on the evening of Wednesday 19th, but when the opportunity arose, I jumped at it. With two excellent EPs out on It’s OK records, Sweet Princess in 2018, followed up by Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks in August of last year, it felt like an exciting time to see this South-London post-punk band. Dry Cleaning, as the name would suggest, are a band that revel in the mundane. Florence Shaw’s lyrics intertwine the personal (“I can’t believe how fast my hair grew out”) with the general (“Do you believe hard work is what it takes to be successful?”), creating funny but often bleak depictions of the everyday.

An entire dissertation could be written dissecting Shaw’s lyrics, probably using phrases such as “the alienation of post-modern society.” Instead, I’ll just mention a few favourites: “followed by another porn account on Instagram” she deadpans on ‘Conversation,’ or when she repeats “I’ve joined a gym/ I’ve joined a gym close to the office” four times on ‘Dog Proposals’.

Supporting act Pozi were on first. A three-piece consisting of bass, drums and violin, it sounded a bit gimmicky on paper, but they were a pleasant surprise. They were particularly interesting when the violin was treated as a tool for creating weird, abrasive sounds.

When Dry Cleaning came on they wasted little time, swiftly opening with ‘Spoils’ which begins on the great opening line: “I’m cool with spoils/ just tell me who dies/ tell me who finds love”. The band were excellent, but Shaw was particularly captivating. Staring off into the distance gripping her mic stand, it felt as if the lyrics were coming to her there and then whilst the band just happened to be playing behind her.

Photo: Harry Thorfinn @ The Mancunion

Over the course of the night, Dry Cleaning got through most of their discography. The jangly ‘Dog Proposals’ from their new EP sounded great, as did fan favourites ‘Goodnight’ and ‘Magic of Meghan’, a sort of ode to Meghan Markle. They also debuted a new track called ‘Unsmart Lady’ which sounded promising.

Watching Dry Cleaning live was a lot of like listening to them through headphones, once in a while cracking a smile as you notice a lyric you previously missed. The phrase “Chicken Burger Pizza” suddenly stands out for some reason.

There was a great moment towards the end of the show when Shaw mentioned that there was merch at the back but that they only take cash. The bassist chirped in that they in fact do take credit cards now. “Woo credit cards!” Shaw said, which warranted a “waaay” from the audience. After an hour of hearing about how dismal modern life can be, ironically cheering for credit cards felt like a natural conclusion.

This was the first night of a tour which has already sold out in many places. If you get a chance to see them, I would highly recommend you do so.

4/5

Live Review: The Growlers at Albert Hall

Since the inception of The Growlers way back in 2006 there has been a low-level buzz surrounding the band, who have the appeal to draw in small but internationally diverse crowds with their unique blend of garage rock and experimentation.

The Growlers continued their latest stint on tour with their eagerly awaited return to Manchester for this special gig. It was astonishing to watch the crowds interactions whilst the band appeared to create rippling sounds with their unique underground style and tempestuous stage presence that has captured attention worldwide.

As we gathered in the church-like arches of Albert Hall it felt fitting that Brooks Nielsen would drift in ceremoniously towards centre stage like an unholy sermon leader. As he whipped the cables of the microphone around his head and into his prayer positioned hands it was apparent that he possesses some kind of alternative sense of arrogance and is careful to perform a set of contemplated movements. This probably sounds as boring as it is bizarre. It is not. In fact, Nielsen behaviour remained in infuriatingly cool throughout and seemed to delight the crowd who eagerly anticipated his every twist and quirky turn.

The gig itself was an impressive feat of endurance and outstanding engagement with the crowd. The band performed a healthy mixture of tracks from their newest to oldest in no particular order but the three hour long set appeared to glide by in the blink of an eye.

As musicians, their comfortability in the space was quite blindingly clear, taking the slightest off-beat moment and turning it into a characterful flourish or sudden change of musical direction. The performance was far from musically perfect but this seemed to be the whole point of their style and portrayal – taking the sense of the live and present to a whole new and experiential style.

Some tracks, such as the new highly synthesised ‘Social Man’ from their 2019 release Natural Affair, did not have the pulling power of the tracks from the earlier discography but with time these tracks had the ability to make for exciting waves in their performance.

Hits from 2018’s Casual Aquaintances and 2010’s Hot Tropics seemed to keep the crowd on their toes and whip them into an intensely excitable frenzy with much of the crowd attempting to get on others’ shoulders throughout the packed gig.

The event possessed an immensely enjoyable atmosphere which drifted alongside The Growlers’ often musically offbeat sound – a contradiction of this kind could not sum up this band’s overall laid-back and psychedelically charged tracks any better.

3/5

‘Never Taught in School’ the blog that aims to “Educate and Embrace”

Third-year UoM, Biomedical sciences student Tanyaradzwa Mwamuka is the woman behind the blog ‘Never Taught in School‘. The blog situated on Instagram has the aim to educate people on the rich diversity of African cultures and challenge the present negative media stereotypes.

Never taught in School was created around a year ago, Tanya explains how the inspiration for the blog came to her around Christmas of 2018 after she had spent some time as Manchester Universities African Caribbean Societies Cultural and Wellbeing Officer. After working on black history events such as ‘The Haitian Revolution Discussion’ she realised the passion she had for the topic. At the time of writing, her blog has over 500 followers and 129 posts, each with a poignant picture and caption that tells the reader about the history and culture behind the image. It came as a massive surprise to me that she studies biomedical sciences as the breadth and depth of her blog to me, as an outsider, first led to the assumption this research was found in readings from an anthropology or history degree. Tanya talked to me about how she follows blogs that explore the diversity of Africa and blogs like hers to gain inspiration for her posts. Researching the history and intricacy of different African ethnic groups became the fascination she uses to fuel her blog and her extensive independent research.

 

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The Hadandawa are a subethnic group of the Beja people. . .
One of the best-known chiefs was a Mahdist general named Osman Digna. He led them in the battles, from 1883 to 1898, against the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan- Britain and Egypt were exercising joint sovereignty in Sudan.They fought the British infantry square in many battles, such as in the Battle of Tamai in 1884 and in the Battle of Tofrek in 1885and earned an enviable reputation for their bravery Sources: "Anglo-Egyptian Sudan". World Digital Library – Library of Congress. Retrieved 25 November 2016. Monick, S. (1985). "The Political Martyr: General Gordon and the Fall of Kartum". Military History Journal.6. #sudan #bejapoeple #fuzzywuzzy #madhistwar #angloegyptianwar #sudaneseculture #sudanculture

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She explains that she tries to try to explore cultures we haven’t heard about; in feedback she’s found that people enjoy the diversity of the countries that she talks about and not just the countries that seem closest to our knowledge or experience.

She tells me that she’s had mostly positive reactions to her blog but there has been one troll. They attacked her positive representation of Zimbabwe which she felt that it was important to respond to, he was critiquing the representation since there are issues in the country at present and tried to say that it was better in colonial times. Tanya commented: “I am a reactionary person, but I wanted to give an educated response”. She continued to say: “Can I not still be proud of my country despite its issues” and explained that current issues that are present within Zimbabwe is not something she dismisses. In her blog, she talks about Mugabe and his legacy being controversial and the femicide in South Africa.

“I’m not ignoring the bad parts, my blog is overwhelmingly positive…. but that is the point of the blog.”

The ‘My Story’ Exhibition
Photo: Unekwuojo Agada

If this wasn’t amazing enough her and her team over the month of February hosted her ‘My Story Exhibition’. This came with three separate events that, while all different in their nature, had the same goal to ‘educate and embrace’ the diversity and complexity of the continent.

In her original exhibition, Never taught in School displayed banners with artwork depicting 12 individuals and their stories printed underneath – as shown in the picture. The banner was all different shades of brown representing the skin tone of the persons’ story but also to highlight diversity within Africa and the Caribbean. She states:

“I was reading about Africa and realised that black is not an ethnicity and to say that diminishes the diversity of the continent, “I like to say ethnic groups in stead of tribes, some people feel like the history of the word of tribe has a derogatory meaning… Tribe seems to only be held for those that are brown and black”.

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nevertaughtinschool *ANOUNCEMENT PART 1* Super excited to be hosting the 'My Story' expedition this February at the University of Manchester SU in collaboration with @summermaydesign . . Oral history is an important part of African culture but is slowly being lost. My Story aims to preserve this tradition and celebrate Afro-Carribbean people by telling the stories of African decendents. Me and my team will be running 3 events along side the exhibition which include: . . . 1. Discussion event on African decendents moving back to their 'home' countries 2. African print workshop 3. Music and spoken word showcase Tickets can be found on facebook.com/nevertaughtinschool Excited to see you all there!. . . #africanhistory #africanexhibtion #manchesterculturalevents #manchesterevents #manchesterafricanevents #manchesterhistory #manchesterculturalevents #caribbeanculturemanchester

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Photo: Megan Oyinka

Part of the ‘My Story Exhibition’, which featured vintage photos from the continent, emphasised the aim to display different stories from people of African and Caribbean descent in a bid to preserve oral history, something that is very prevalent in African cultures. Tanya stated that she feels that the stories are being lost. When she was talking to her dad she realised the extent of her own family history that isn’t written down and felt a responsibility to research and preserve these important stories. She explains that the exhibition naturally unravelled once a discussion had been started on the oral tradition important in many African cultures.

Tanya also emphasised that an aim of the exhibition was also to change the narrative surrounding the representation of Africa and the Caribbean, she told me, she wanted to show these stories that stray from the stereotypical struggle stories like the ‘when I was a boy I walked really far for water’, but stories that actually gave an idea of the rich history that we have to offer. She also adds:

“I wanted to get people to see the African and Caribbean people outside of the stereotypes that are portrayed on the media and for others to them to see them as real people”.

The ‘My Story’ Exhibition, Tanya talking to somone attending the exhibtion
Photo: Unekwuojo Agada

The exhibition held in February includes 12 stories but Tanya explains how that this project is a “life’s work” and she’s not entirely sure how she would present it in the future. She would like to present more stories from across the continent, through different mediums, videos, podcasts, books. “For me it’s something that will never end, it may be something that someone else continues after I pass.

“I have ideas all the time, once I complete something, I have a new idea, I don’t think it could end… we will have so many more new interactions [as the world develops] that we will have to explore there is no endpoint!”

To accompany the exhibition, she also hosted an African textiles printing event and a discussion event. This event tackled the question of whether African Diaspora should “move back home” and the consequences that come with these decisions, led and curated by her team members Magali Loota and Rebecca Bassey. She felt these questions were important as “I don’t just like to talk about history and culture but how these factors shape our society now”. Then to finish the exhibition she hosted ‘Afroverse’, an event which aimed to celebrate the young black talent in Manchester, ranging from singing and spoken word to fashion.

While the success of her blog, exhibition and events has a lot of her hard work behind it, she is aware it would have been anywhere near as successful without the help from the people on her team: Cara Thompson, Beverley Agyekum, Magali Loota, Rebecca Bassey and the creatives @LozTextiles (print workshop) and @Summermaydesign (banner artwork).

Follow @NeverTaughtInSchool on Instagram to learn more and to stay in the loop about any more upcoming exhibitions.

Review: Midnight Family

Mexico City has a population of 9 million – and only 45 government funded ambulances. This extreme shortage is made up for by a loose network of privately-run ambulances, each of which has to compete for financial gain.

With little official system in place, the private ambulances receive payment one of two ways: either they take their patients to private hospitals and are guaranteed payment from the hospital, or they take them to a state hospital and rely on payment from the patients themselves.

This creates a difficult situation for the paramedics; many patients can’t, or won’t, pay for the service, so often paramedics finish a night of work having earned nothing.

Not only do the paramedics struggle to make a financial profit, they are hindered from all sides by a deeply flawed system. They have to compete with other ambulances to get to the patients first, haggle to get paid, and often have to negotiate bribes from corrupt police officers.

The focus of Luke Lorentzen’s latest film is the Ochoa family, whose male members form a team of paramedics that run one of Mexico City’s for-profit ambulances. The family is officially headed by Fernando Ochoa, although without his 17-year old son, Juan, the business would sink.

Despite working within the margins of legality, Juan is in every sense a modern-day hero. He takes the lead when attending patients, as well as meticulously calculating the family’s expenditure and acting as a father figure for his younger brother Josué, who prefers the exuberance of riding in the ambulance to the drudgery of school.

The Ochoa’s work flits between the legal and illegal, the moral and the immoral. They are clearly motivated by a desire to care for their fellow citizens, and show great loyalty to their patients.

However, some of the scenes that show them racing other ambulances to get to patients first, and thus secure their payment, are more reminiscent of chase scenes in gangster films than anything from 24 Hours in A&E. However, undoubtedly clear are the deep flaws in the underfunded, understaffed system that would inevitably crumble without the assistance of families like the Ochoas.

Much of the filming is shot from the camera placed at the front of the ambulance, with the flashing red and blue lights flooding the frame of the ambulance’s interior. Therefore, for much of film, it feels like you are in the ambulance with the Ochoas, thus you are immersed in the action and the fast-paced events of the film as they unfold.

The more I think about it, the more I liked Lorentzen’s cinematic style. Documentaries are certainly in fashion, but unlike most, Midnight Family has no narrator, no presenter and no one telling you what you should think about its subjects. Instead, Lorentzen, who is his own writer, director and cinematographer, presents the Ochoa’s situation and line of work in as much detail as is necessary, and leaves it to the audience to debate the moral questions.

3.5/5.

Preview: Manchester Jewish Museum’s Festival of Belonging

From 7th-14th March, Manchester Jewish Museum will be putting on an innovative arts festival. They will be exploring “what makes us feel that we belong, how we assimilate in new places and what happens when we don’t belong”.

As part of their ‘wandering’ phase, they have been thinking about the stories in their collection of Jewish people who came to Manchester, and how they attempted to assimilate and foster a sense of belonging.

This is all the more relevant and topical, given the recent and ongoing topic of migration. Manchester Jewish Museum state the historical stories of Jewish migration will be linked with contemporary stories of migration to Manchester from Jewish and non-Jewish communities in the Festival of Belonging.

The festival features comedy, theatre, music, storytelling, films and visual art, and did I mention food?!

The programme goes as follows:

Dark Room (7th-14th March) is an installation exploring anonymous photos in the museum’s collection.

Family Storytelling (7th March) offers the opportunity to explore the amazing stories in the Story Selector Machine, brought to life

Good Appetite (8th March) features Theatre Chef Leo as the host for a unique foodie film experience.

The Great and the Grand (9th March) is a sharing of new musical theatre work in tribute to the sacrifices, support and adventures of “our” grandparents.

Immigrant Diaries (10th March) is an all-female, multi-faith night of comedy on the Jewish Festival of Purim, exploring the “hot topics” immigration, migrants, the refugee crisis.

My Jerusalem (11th March) is a solo performance derived from a song; a politically-charged tale of a drunken one-night stand, infused with stories of growing up in the turmoil of 1980s Israel.

Songs of Arrival (12th March) is a performance of songs based on the stories of Jewish refugees arriving in Cheetham from Manchester Jewish Museum’s oral history collection, as well as contemporary stories of migration to Manchester.

Rendezvous in Bratislava (14th March) is a cabaret by a woman and her grandfather, who she’s never met and just so happens to have been dead for 39 years.

Keep an eye out on The Mancunion‘s social media pages for a giveaway for Immigrant Diaries.

The Festival of Belonging runs at various venues from 7th until 14th of March.

Review: The Reanimating Project (Women’s Theatre Society)

What is sex?

This is a question the UoM Women’s Theatre Society brought into the limelight as they took to the stage in The Reanimating Project. Inspired by The Reanimating Data Project, a 1989 sociological study which considers the question of sex for women in light of the AIDs crisis, the play successfully conflates the transcripts of the original project’s interviews with the stigmas of sex. The play put 80s ideologies of sex in contest with a modern day understanding.

So, what was sex for the 80s?

With a vibrant set reflecting a bohemian-styled abode, the play began with a red-lipped telephone, which became central to the 80s-fashioned stage. The phone immediately rang and went straight to voicemail, which could be seen as an action of female resistance as a refusal to pick up the phone.

We were then plunged into the 80s as the 1989 hit ‘Ride on Time’ belted out of the Boombox carried on stage by a dancing woman. One by one, the cast joined her, a montage of flickering lives intertwining as they danced to Blackbox’s iconic tune; this idea of montage would frame the rest of the play, which showed separate experiences merging into a collective.

If the outrageous chorus of different coinages for “sex”, from “rumpy-pumpy” to “copulation”, did not wake the audience up, it was the shock of the limited sexual tutelage given by the Catholic teacher.

These scenes, although satirical, were challenging the problem of limited sex education in schools, adding to the uncertainties and anxieties in female social development. The pupils eyes widened at the sight of condoms and vibrators, the sexual libido being a strange, unexplored concept to them.

As they toss these between each other, the need to normalise the conversation of sex and masturbation became apparent; they should not be confined to the realms of taboo anymore. Sex outside of heteronormative boundaries was also exposed by the anecdote of a queer woman, who urged the need for queer sex to also be released from the chains of taboo.

Throughout the play, a folder was passed between the cast-members to read their character’s experience. This not only engaged with the transcripts from the original Reanimating Data Project, but the ripping of pages almost gave this ripping up of socially constructed conventionalities of sex. Indeed, once their words were finished being read out, their page was freely emancipated
from the limitations of the folder.

The sketch of a sterile, plasticised talk-show presented the quest for an “Ideal Woman”, as an 80s model of propriety, who were conditioned to be in full servitude to their husbands; it satirised the female preparation for sexual activity, routinely getting waxes and bleaching, to conform to this expectation of looking like Barbie in bed.

Scenes that followed were highly moving and poignant as they highlighted traumas of menstruation, the afflictions of miscarriage, and the importance of LGBTQI+ rights.

But what is sex today?

Opening up the Second Act was a mystical love guru who had a great façade of a ‘love’ counsellor, but, in reality, was quite a counterfeit, who in fact could not care less about your relationship problems. It highlighted that the problems that come with sex and relationships had not really changed for modern times; but the backdrop of society had changed, with a greater tolerability of society and a liberal mindset forcing the topic of sex and relationships gradually out of the constraints of taboo.

The presence of the whole cast on stage, watching from the side-lines and providing their own audience, gave such a feeling of community as they listened to the plights and experiences of other women.

The play’s experimental disposition was enhanced in the Second Act as we were immersed into a raunchy sex-scene: the stage was split in two, one side presenting a female experience and the other a male experience. The female experience intensely dominated the male as the female captivated the audience by her dialogue describing her predatorial vagina’s desires between her moans.

Despite its crude humour, this compelling performance screamed female sexual empowerment, breaking down yet again another stigma, this time of the dominative penetrating male.

One thing that was very prominent on contemporary ideas of sex, was a female’s relationship with social media. The pressures to look a certain way to impress a virtual world of followers exposed an issue, one that is not comparable to the social anxieties of the 80s. Expressed through scenes of selfies and slut-shaming, it highlighted the erosion of self-esteem for an individual and how the trajectory of sex changes from a shameful act to an act defined by body-count.

Sexual experiences were shared by actresses, my personal favourite being the misunderstanding of the female anatomy, as she described her experiences to be as erotic as a male prodding a PS3 controller licking an ice cream that is melting too quickly.

Despite their humour, these sentiments brought a certain comfort to the audience, as this act of sharing experiences emphasised that no one should be alone in their feelings about sex and relationships.

The play returned to the prop of the red-lipped telephone, once unanswered but now picked up by every cast-member to contact their past selves and give them advice.

With its dynamicity both on stage and in ideology, The Reanimating Project was a play that performed bravery. A bravery to challenge social stigmas; a bravery to push the limitations of theatre by devising a piece which had developed sociological transcripts into an art-form; but most of all, the bravery of the cast to bring a part of themselves into the characters they had created, and perform those characters to a sold-out show.

Review: An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (MIFTA)

Elliot Scott’s new play, An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, was performed at the King’s Arms as part of the Drama Society’s MIFTA season. The play was directed by Jacob McGoldrick, assistant directed by writer Elliot Scott, and produced by Hannah McEwen.

I was admittedly excited to see this play because I was on the playmaking module with Scott when he wrote it. I read some extracts in class and, thus, was curious to see it brought to life.

Set in North Somerset, An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty centred on a friendship group of four boys: naïve and impressionable James (Joe Llewelyn), sensible and mature Joe (Adam Tutt), wannabe YouTube gamer Pete (Oli King), and rebel Josh (Henry Bolden). Josh was a few years older than the others since all those his own age had left for university.

In their village, nature was being destroyed; a wall was slowly being built in the field where they once played. Now, the four boys sat in front of the wall, discussing video games and eating biscuits.

The narrative was divided into four short acts; each for a different season of the year. As the seasons progressed, the wall got higher, obscuring the beautiful rich green tapestry painted by designer Ellie Johnston.

In the first act, Pete painted ‘Jammo is a gaylord’ on the wall, intensifying James’s insecurity. Recognizable as typical behaviour of teenage boys by the audience, this caused a prolonged round of laughter. However, this ridiculous piece of graffiti could later be identified as the inciting incident of the play.

As the play went on, we watched Josh transform into a drug-dealer. Desperate to win Josh’s approval, and with the graffiti on the wall haunting him, James gave into pressure to smoke weed and to claim he had a girlfriend whom he had “fingered on the bus.”

All these small attempts to prove himself culminated in act three, when he downed half a bottle of vodka and was easily persuaded by Josh to take ecstasy. Drawing back on a challenge made by Josh earlier in the play, the intoxicated James then climbed on top of the wall. The tension was palpable as we all feared the worst and, sure enough, the act ended with James falling off the back of the wall.

The realization of this moment through stage effects was spectacular. As James toppled backwards, there was a sudden blackout, the sound of a crash and of Josh screaming. The lights slowly came up for act four with a dim spotlight focusing on the ‘Jammo is a gaylord’, now appearing to be written in blood. I still don’t know how they made James’s fall look so realistic.

The play was very short, a runtime of just under an hour. This was surprising in a world where we are so used to plays being of a certain length.

However, I do not feel the action could have been prolonged anymore. It was wonderful that we felt such a familiarity with these four boys after so little time spent with them. I think other playwrights should follow Scott’s example of keeping things short and sweet rather than pointless scenes for the sake of a longer play.

The accents were consistent and believable (or at least believable to me, a Londoner), and there was expert choreography of stage combat.

Llewelyn’s was the standout performance. Fidgety and gloomy, he brought across James’s innocence, which was tragic to watch be corrupted. It also helped that Lewellyn was significantly shorter than the other three actors in making us feel sorry for him.

Overall, the play provided a realistic glimpse into modern toxic masculinity that was nuanced and a refreshing departure from stereotypes of jocks. Peer pressure and the corruption of youth amongst boys was beautifully paralleled with the destruction of nature.

Have your say in the SU Elections

Elections are now open for the Executive Officer and part-time officer roles at the University of Manchester Students’ Union for 2020-2021.

This will be the Union’s 159th election season, with votes opening on February 27th and closing March 5th.

Polling stations are set up across main, north and Fallowfield campuses until Thursday March 5th in the SU, at the main library, Uni Place, Barnes Wallis building, the Schuster Building, Owens Park tower and Squirrels bar. Voting can also be carried out online throught University of Manchester Students’ Union website.

The SU describe the Executive Officer team and part-time officers as “your voice to the University and the community around us, and they make real change for students right here at our University.”

“Whether you’re passionate about welfare and student rights, creating positive change, holding the University to account or just voting for the students who you want to represent you, this election is an opportunity to get your voice heard and make an impact on what matters to you at University.”

Voting is open on eight full time Executive Officer positions, all of which are contested, as well as a range of part-time officer positions such as liberation, faculty officers, student community, and access.

Students Union polling station. Photo: The Manunion

Exec Officer candidates were given the opportunity to take part in hustings on Tuesday 25th in an event open to the student body.

Questions were submitted by students for candidates to answer, on topics including supporting international students and study abroad programmes post-Brexit, how to make the University more environmentally sustainable, improving intersectional inclusivity, mental health services and the current UCU strikes.

Last year’s election week was marred by controversy after four candidates, running on a ‘slate’ – or a common platform – and a further individual candidate were banned from campaigning in-person in the final days of voting after some students accused them of snatching their phones to then vote for themselves.

Two of these candidates were then succesfully elected, with Rana Phool becoming the SU’s first Postgraduate Officer and Kwame Kwarteng elected as General Secretary.

Kwarteng is currently running for re-election as Gen Sec for 2020-2021. Two other Exec Officers – Chloe Salins, the current Education Officer, and Adam Haigh, the current Welfare and Community officer – are also running for re-election.

Students Union voter incentives. Photo: The Mancunion

The Students’ Union are offering insentives to students to encourage voting, with rewards for all students if certain voter turnout figures are reached. The first two mile-stones of 750 and 1000 votes have already been reached meaning the SU are providing free upgrades on drinks at the ground floor coffee shop, Brew, during election week, and half price on all items at Brew during revision season in April.

Other incentives include free icecream and chips during revision season if 2000 votes are reached, 50% off all food and drink in the SU bar, 352, for 8000 votes made, a funfair at graduation if 15,000 votes are submitted and a promise to plant a tree for every voter if 20,000 votes are made.

For more information on candidate manifestos and how to vote, visit the SU website

 

Bliss at the Bernabeu and Europa League ease

Usually at the forefront of success in any football competition, Manchester has felt far removed from the pinnacle of the game, with the Premier League trophy close to completing its journey down the M62. However, the city can be proud of its clubs European exploits this week.

While the red half’s success may seem insignificant in comparison to City’s unlikely toppling of the Madrid giants, it may turn into a very important result for United. With the apparent disintegration of a ‘top six’ in the Premier League, top four places are being contested more than ever, with even 11th placed Everton still keeping the faith. Therefore, Europa League success for United could again prove vital in their route to the elusive benefits Champions League football brings to clubs even of their stature.

In Thursday’s game, the Belgian visitors proved no match for the Red Devils, with the large contingent of fans from northern Belgium returning home empty handed. While their ability to manoeuvre out of tough situations from defence with free flowing passing football, was enjoyable for the neutral, conceding five goals is evidence that a more pragmatic approach could have been adopted to take something from the game.

A player who might want to forget the game quicker than most is Simon Mignolet, whose return to the north west was a miserable affair. Investing in a new pair of boots must also be on the agenda, with his regular slips from goal kicks providing much amusement for the Stretford End.

Instead, the night belonged to United, with Bruno Fernandes’ midas touch lifting the mood of everyone at the club. His refusal to head back to the changing rooms after being substituted after Solskjaer’s offer demonstrates his commitment to the cause. Another January signing got in the act, with Odion Ighalo’s goal scoring instinct evident, finishing off a beautiful move involving Fernandes and Juan Mata.

It would be fair to suggest that it is unlikely he will break into the first team following his all round display, however using him in a similar way they use Sergio Romero as David de Gea’s backup could be an effective ploy, easing the reliance on the heavily worked Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. A tie against the leaders of the Austrain Bundesliga awaits for Solskjaer, with the overwhelmingly unknown LASK, keen to show their evident ability to a global audience.

In a month that started with a loss away at Spurs and included the announcement of their looming exile from Europe’s elite competition, Manchester City can take much confidence from an exceptional display at the Bernabeu. The slow start to the game possibly indicated that City may have been comfortable with a draw; Ederson having to be at his best to keep out a well placed header from Karim Benzema.

The second half provided more compelling viewing, with Isco getting the breakthrough, but flashes of brilliance from Riyad Mahrez and co. demonstrated that City were certainly still in the game. Sustained pressure on Thibaut Courtois’ goal, resulted in a well taken header and a calmly slotted penalty, giving an unlikely lead to the Sky Blues. It subsequently went from bad to worse for Los Blancos with Sergio Ramos’ red card resulting in a suspension, meaning he will miss the return leg. It undeniably sets up a mouth watering tie at the Etihad, with knockout stage Champions League football rarely producing simple conclusions.

Manchester students should be chomping at the bit to get their hands on any spare tickets.

UCL become first Russell Group university to ban romantic relationships between students and staff

University College London has become the first Russell Group university to implement a ban on romantic relationships between staff and students in an effort to protect against potential abuses of power and conflicts of interest.

The policy directly bans close personal and intimate relationships where the staff member has direct responsibility over a student, and asks staff to declare intimate relationships with students who they do not directly supervise within a month, or face disciplinary action.

Staff are being told to “avoid creating special friendships with students, as this may be seen as grooming”, and to only contact students through official university channels.

Speaking to The Guardian, behaviour and culture change manager at UCL Kelsey Paske said the ban, which was inspired by similar policies at Ivy League universities in the US, was “centred on protecting both students and staff”.

She added that there was a “need to recognise positions of power and power imbalances within higher education settings, and to help prevent abuses of power.”

UCL is only the third UK university to enforce a ban on sexual and romantic relationships between lecturers and students, after Greenwich and Roehampton. According to The Guardian, 97 universities have policies on such relationships, but many only discourage them.

In a survey conducted by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the 1752 Group, which campaigns against sexual misconduct by university staff, four-fifths of students said they were uncomfortable with staff having relationships with students. These relationships were perceived as “predatory”.

Rachel Watters, the women’s officer for the NUS, said: “Given the public focus on sexual misconduct in higher education and elsewhere, we would hope and expect more universities to revise their policies in similar ways.”

The University of Manchester currently has in place a ‘Consensual Relationships Policy’, which does not prohibit staff/student intimate relationships, but does oblige staff to inform their Head of School/Director in order to ensure that the lecturer will have no involvement in the student’s assessment.

The policy states: “The University values good professional relationships between staff and students.

“These relationships are heavily reliant on mutual trust and confidence and can be jeopardised when a member of staff enters into a romantic/sexual liaison with a student. At the extreme these liaisons may jeopardise professional relationships and can result in an abuse of power.”

“The University does not wish to prevent liaisons between staff and students and it relies upon the integrity of both parties to ensure that abuses of power do not occur.”