As Halloween gets closer, our screens are once again being filled with spine-chilling horror films.
What better way to celebrate than with a ghoulish movie quiz? Whether you love old school slashers or spooky animations, grab your popcorn and enjoy a spooky horror themed quiz.
What is the name of the final girl played by Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween?
Which horror villain wears sharp gloves and attacks people in their sleep?
What phrase gets you sweets on halloween?
What is the famous catchphrase of the Jigsaw killer?
Which Tim Burton classic takes place across both Halloween and Christmas?
What movie and game franchise features the location ‘Racoon City’?
Can you name three famous vampires?
What does Victor Frankenstein shout as he creates his monster (in the movies)?
In which movie does a little boy see dead people?
Which movie features a boat named the S.S. Georgie?
What is the name of the tall, blank-faced man originating from creepy pasta?
Can you name the Stephen King classic, where a famous writer is paralysed in a mad woman’s house?
Which movie features a girl who iconically crawls through televisions?
From what movie does the quote “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” appear in?
What is the name of the ‘friendly ghost’ featured in movies and cartoons?
What is the fictional US day in which all crimes are legal?
What is the name of the villains in Hellraiser, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Psycho?
Which famous cannibal did Anthony Hopkins expertly play?
Which movie features a goofy gang of mystery solving teens and their talking pooch?
What is the name of the famous possessed doll, also seen in The Conjuring franchise?
Answers Below:
Photo: PinterestHumor @Flickr
Laurie Strode
Freddy Krueger
Trick or Treat
‘I want to play a game’
Nightmare before Christmas
Resident Evil
Examples include: Dracula, Edward Cullen, Blade, Marceline and so on.
The most eerie time of the year is coming quickly upon us. An ancient Celtic tradition that used to mark the beginning of the dark season of winter, Halloween has always celebrated, or forewarned, a blurring between the boundaries of the living and the dead.
These ideas have, unsurprisingly, saturated popular literature for centuries: ghosts, vampires and witches are only a few of the tropes that we see haunting the books that we read. To honour our fear of, and delight in, horror and creepiness, we have collected some spooky recommendations:
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
Recommended by Jacob
Dripping in the spooky atmosphere of Victorian London and with a plot rife with mystery, this terrifying tale of the occult is the perfect short story for Halloween. This bite-size novel traps you in an enthralling atmosphere from start to finish and delivers horrific realisation after realisation, never letting you escape to safety. Jekyll and Hyde contains everything needed for the perfect spooktacular tale for this Halloween; a cryptic monster, an eerie atmosphere and a twist that has gone down in history.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Recommended by Aileen
With sunken ships, a costume party, a chilling country house and a sinister housekeeper, Rebecca has all the essentials for a Halloween read. While working as a lady’s companion, the orphaned and unnamed heroine meets Maxim de Winter, a widower whose proposal of marriage changes her world. Upon returning to his estate, Manderley, she is haunted by the house’s memories of Maxim’s dead first wife. My only advice is to read the book before you consider watching the 2020 Netflix adaptation, which doesn’t do the story justice.
Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
Recommended by Victoria
Originally published in 1847, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is one of the most beloved books in the English canon. This is a classic worth its hype. Set against the backdrop of the wild Yorkshire moors, Brontë depicts a love so turbulent and passionate that it stretches to the grave and beyond. Heathcliff and Catherine are two of the most flawed characters in literature, but in Brontë’s hands their stories are wholly absorbing. This ghostly novel is the perfect book to curl up with in autumn and the spooky season (especially with Kate Bush’s eponymous song playing in the background).
The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gillman
Recommended by Ava
What do you think would happen to you if your husband locked you in your attic to help you recover from being slightly ‘hysterical’? And your doctor also agreed that this was a sound prescription? This kind of practice was not uncommonly inflicted on women at the end of the nineteenth century. Gillman’s short but highly impactful story charts the mental deterioration of a bright woman whose only preoccupation is the pattern, and eventually the movement, of the yellow wallpaper that surrounds her…
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith (and Jane Austen)
Recommended by Aileen
I know it sounds ridiculous, but who doesn’t love a bit of ridiculousness for Halloween. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a parody of the classic novel, in which 19th century England has been struck by a zombie plague. The Bennet sisters have to use their martial arts skills to fight off zombie attacks. Such an adaptation proves the longevity and adaptability of Austen’s characters. I mean, who’s surprised Lizzie Bennet can fight zombies? Not me. If you want a follow up, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is also a real novel.
I’ve always been a fan of religious-themed horror films. There is something really frightening about the evil stemming from something as powerful as god. It allows filmmakers to be really creative and express something that can’t often be expressed; horror that extends beyond the laws of conventional reality.
The Righteous, directed by Mark O’Brien, is a very good example of this. The film focuses on a former priest whose world falls apart following the death of his daughter. A series of strange, unearthly horrors follow, seemingly all stemming from the anger of ‘god’. The result is far from flawless, but manages to be one of the most imaginative horrors in recent memory.
Clip from The Righteous
Where most films of a similar niche take inspiration from the likes of the The Exorcist and The Omen, The Righteous is very different. Its influence, particularly in terms of aesthetics, comes from outside the horror genre. Whilst the film is nightmarishly dark, it draws from a particular sub genre of film about priests questioning their faith. This mixing of genres constitutes some of its most interesting thematic content.
What starts off as a nightmarish retelling of the book of Job turns into something even more unsettling, with the audience ultimately left to decide whether the protagonist deserves their sympathy. Its minimalist aesthetic also therefore enables it to turn from an inward chamber piece into something vast, cosmic and psychologically harrowing.
Visually speaking, it is very impressive. Shot entirely in black and white, it uses minimalistic framing and high contrast lighting to create a feeling of detached intimacy, while also alluding to a supernatural presence. Most impressive is how The Righteous avoids using traditional horror tropes to elicit cheap thrills. Instead it’s slow burn feel allows its horror to creep up on you and speak for itself. Combined with its excellent pacing, the film gets steadily more nightmarish as it goes on and it feels completely natural in doing so.
The Righteous is a well made and inspired horror film that promises much from its young director. With strong performances from everyone involved, stunning black and white cinematography and an unrelenting tone of absolute dread, this is a film that should not be missed.
Midnight is Korean director Kwon Oh-Seung’s first movie. An unusual addition to the horror genre, it distinguishes itself by tastefully making audiences sympathise with and admire its strange cast of characters.
Following a young deaf mother and her deaf daughter, audiences are plunged into the narrow streets of Seoul as she flees a notorious serial killer. The film is most effective in its use of sound with moments of dulled noise and silence, immersing viewers in what it would be like to be deprived of one of their most important senses.
Strikingly, audiences bear witness as to how the two women cope with their disability daily, and how close they are because they are overcoming the same challenges. In their apartment, special lights sensitive to noise help them to track movement which leads to some stylish visual images. The chase takes place at night, in both dark alleys and open public spaces. The film nails the tension of this as it seems nowhere is safe, not even the busy main streets of Seoul.
The recent success of Korean productions such as Squid Game and Parasite show a growing interest in the genre. Midnight is a similarly stylised interrogation of how our insensibility to people’s problems is the real horror story.
Commenting on social morals is central to the film as it depicts a truly despicable killer who is constantly playing different roles to lure his victims. As a result, Midnight makes the viewers reflect on human empathy by constantly making the characters choose between saving themselves or their loved ones.
There is very little blood or shocking gore on show which, if anything, adds to the tension and takes nothing out of the experience. Truly frightening and brilliant, Midnight is one of the festival’s biggest gems.
Don’t get me wrong, boycotts are one of the most powerful ways we can enact change as consumers today. Not only that, but they’re empowering to engage in. I remember when ‘Ben and Jerry’s’ refused to sell their ice cream in illegal Israeli settlements. I thought, wow, somebody’s finally responding to Israel with an appropriate and economically devastating action. However, I believe that boycotting clubs is not quite as fitting a response to the spiking crisis.
Having worked in a city nightclub myself, most of these places are very good at making up for a one-night loss. Deals on shots and deals on doubles. Not to mention how much they’re up-charging you for those Jägerbombs. Essentially, an economic boycott on a Wednesday – especially with Halloween weekend coming right after – isn’t really going to hit clubs as harshly as we have all been made to believe on Instagram.
Not that this isn’t important to engage with. It’s great to see fellow students taking this crisis seriously. Being willing to boycott Wednesday night sports socials is certainly a step in the right direction. But there are more effective, and even easier, ways to demand change from our local clubs.
We’re all very used to opening our Instagram and being instantly comforted by how socially aware all our peers are. The infographics are everywhere. I know I often turn off my phone, satisfied and comforted with how socially conscious we all are. I completely forget the whole internet isn’t seeing the story on spiking I’ve just seen.
I’d argue that managers of clubs, bouncers and non-student bar staff probably have no idea that there is currently so much student discourse on spiking. For that reason, most clubs will take a minor profit hit on Wednesday without even knowing it had anything to do with spiking. Managers will just think they had a bit of an anomalous Wednesday.
Hence I think it’s so important, if people have the time and are able, to directly communicate with local club managers. From my experience in the club industry, I really do think managers will be more affected by a stream of emails and calls demanding a response to the spiking crisis, than a fluke Wednesday night.
Many big city nightclubs – like Manchester’s ‘Factory’ – have a lost property email, a job enquiries email and a general one. They almost always have a number. I think a more appropriate response, to really force club managers to engage with us, would be to consistently bother them through these channels. Email them saying they are losing your business on the 27th of October and won’t be getting it back. Not until they put concrete plans into place to reduce spiking. This doesn’t have to be the case, by all means still go clubbing. But you’re much more likely to get a response.
This way, we are not only taking up their time, but genuinely forcing them to sit down and think: What are the most effective ways to reduce spiking? Am I employing the right security staff to handle this crisis? How can I ensure people feel safe in my club?
Similarly, contacting your local MP is another important step I believe we should all take. Some of the solutions to spiking that have been suggested, such as increased searching powers for bouncers, actually might have negative repercussions. Increased searching powers disproportionately affect black men, as we have learnt from the discourse surrounding BLM and defunding the police. And, given the Sarah Everard tragedy, many vulnerable women no longer feel safe around the police or other such institutions of authority. So that’s roughly about 54% of the UK population who can’t trust official law enforcement already.
It will take a lot of thinking and trialling new methods to solve the spiking crisis. And ultimately, finding these solutions is the job of our policy-makers. Not only are they legally required to respond to any email you send them; but having this debated in Parliament could lead to professionals being consulted at the highest level on what the best solutions could be.
It is also important to raise with our MPs how unreliable transport home is for women, and vulnerable men, as of late. Ubers are no longer safe or certain. While it is a privilege to be able to call an Uber home from a night out, I believe as many constant and dependable methods of getting home need to be available for women and non-binary people to feel safer.
The profit that clubs will make over the weekend, with Halloween on Sunday, will probably be huge. Ask your local clubs – Factory, 42s, Hidden, 256 – what they are going to do to make students feel safer. Drink lids are not enough with the rising cases of needles being used to spike people.
Ask them to employ medics onsite. Make sure spiked people get home safe, and free of charge, with a friend, policewoman or trusted member of staff accompanying them. Most importantly, train bar staff and bouncers to believe those who see suspicious activity or feel as though they have been spiked. Countless times, intoxicated women, non-binary people and men are kicked out for arguing with bouncers, without their coat, only to be left vulnerable on the street. Just as the spiker would’ve intended.
French director Vanya Peirani Vignes’ debut feature, Blast, premiered this year at Grimmfest. The thriller proves a tense and provocative watch. It constantly pushes its main characters to their limit while forcing them to confront gut-wrenching decisions.
The film follows a bomb disposal expert whose life and family are threatened by a bomb planted under their car. Locked inside with her two children, protagonist Sonia (Nora Arnezeder) has 30 minutes to disarm the threat and escape the impending blast. Vignes merges thrills with interesting political commentary and elevates the genre beyond mere ‘copaganda’. However, at times the film’s politics are unclear and a little clunky.
Blast Official Trailer
In conversation with The Mancunion, Vignes cites a real life conversation with a bomb disposal expert as his inspiration for the premise. Vignes was fascinated by this person who could muster near perfect self control in the face of imminent death, knowing that their “first mistake may be their last”. He cites films such as Kathryn Bigelow’s 2008 war epic The Hurt Locker as an influence. However, he wanted to put his own spin on things.
As a seasoned professional, we asked Vignes if he had any advice for aspiring filmmakers looking to break into the industry . He praised the utility of the mobile phone camera in allowing people to make films and access editing software with virtually no budget. He also advised that for one’s first filmmaking endeavour it might be best to work creatively with one single location and a minimal cast. Clearly he has taken his own advice in Blast as the film remains in one place throughout.
On screenwriting, Vignes stresses that once you have an original idea that sparks joy, it is imperative to not wait for the script to come to you, but to sit down and write a little bit every few days.
Blast is a thoroughly enjoyable thriller and a fantastic first entry for the French director.
The Night Belongs to the Monsters fuses a coming-of-age story with atmospheric cosmic horror to achieve a startling effect.
Sol (Luciana Grasso) is an introverted newcomer in a suburban Argentinian school. In her school life, she is forced to suffer with bullies. Her home life sees her clash with her mother’s new and aggressively drunk boyfriend. She is fraught with abandonment and frustration. Sol’s lonely cycles around town and frustrated demeanour paint a genuinely layered and sympathetic character.
Unfortunately, the other ‘evil’ characters are not as effectively written. On the one hand, this sets up a satisfying conclusion. Full of gore, both Sol and audience alike can smile at their inevitable comeuppance. However this absence of effective characterisation outside of the protagonist undercuts the interesting themes of class raised throughout by only giving depth to the more affluent outsider, Sol.
Whilst this is a relatively minor criticism and does not harm the horrific excitement of the film, it does simplify the story. In fact it renders the many images of working class suffering and poverty-stricken life as mere parts of an expressive backdrop rather than as meaningfully fleshed out social commentaries.
Nevertheless, when the moments of horror do kick in they are deftly handled with vibrant cinematography and a melodic, pulsating synth-based score by Darío Ramos Maldonado. Moreover, the pairing between Sol and her unlikely supernatural helper is gleefully endearing.
Ultimately, whilst it has missed an opportunity to explore more deeply the life of suburban Argentina, The Night Belongs to the Monsters is worth viewing for its sheer entertainment value alone. Dealing with relatable themes such as bullying, the film is a low-key piece of vengeful fun, perfect for casual viewing.
Set in a labyrinthine hospital run by sex-crazed maniacs, Forgiveness tells the story of three women who respectively wake up deaf, mute, and blind. The film unfolds in three parts and gives each protagonist a ‘chapter’ of story to themselves.
The cyclicality of these stories make the film both predictable and boring. They often consist of familiar scenes of panicked running and predictable jump-scares, only to be confronted and rendered helpless until the cycle repeats again. Although stylistically interesting, this choice, combined with the fact that the majority of the film has no dialogue, leaves the three leads feeling all very similar, and much like their disabilities, little more than thinly written plot devices.
Central to the film is a host of religious images and allusions. However, all too often these read as false and pretentious and appear incongruous to the torture-porn-esque story. With the majority of the runtime dedicated to indulging in sexual assault and preying on helpless women, the film is gratuitously unpleasant. The picture turns sour when audiences realise that the fetishised and objectifying gaze of the film is not just a thematic choice but stems from the directing and writing behind the camera.
Horror films have a long tradition of gore and nudity. Forgiveness seems to engage with this history without ever really understanding it. The austere tone and arthouse aesthetic of this film forgoes the opportunity to be playful and instead depicts torturous scenes of sexual violence for no tangible or thematic purpose.
Similarly, its depiction of of lesbian relationships in particular, seems very reductive as the film does little to explore these themes beyond their purpose as a gratifying spectacle for a male gaze. Writer and director Alex Kahuam has clearly bitten off far more than he can chew, or in this case and many others, even seem to basically understand.
Ultimately, Forgiveness gains nothing of its title and is a grimy and exploitative horror film. It dehumanises its protagonists in troubling ways and, even when taken outside of its questionable social contexts, it is a boring and repetitive watch. Familiar scares and one dimensional characters leave audiences questioning the need for such a film.
There were jubilant scenes outside St James’ Park on the day Saudi-Arabian backed takeover was announced. Newcastle fans celebrated as it spelt an end to the miserable reign of the hugely unpopular Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley. Former players and others associated with the club also shared their delight, with Newcastle legend Alan Shearer describing it as a ‘special day’.
However for those who have been affected by the at times brutal Saudi Arabian regime, news of the takeover was painful. The fiance of Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist whose death was allegedly ordered at the behest of one of the club’s new directors Mohammed bin Salman, described the acquisition as ‘heartbreaking’.
The takeover valued at £305 million was sanctioned by the Premier League after assurances were given that the Saudi state would not control the club. Instead, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) led by Bin Salman will own the club, a sovereign fund that has been built largely from oil sales. Oil money, and its enormous impact on football is nothing new, but it does raise further serious questions about the morality of the English game.
Since 2004 the Premier League has required a ‘Fit and Proper Owners Test’. This does not focus on moral issues but looks to ensure owners can afford to financially maintain the club. It is staggering that there is no political focus on this test, and that Bin Salman can so easily purchase a Premier League club.
The acquisition of Newcastle is a classic example of sportswashing. It is a vanity project, designed to enhance the reputation of Saudi Arabia throughout the world. Much like with Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, entire nation states become linked to popular and world beating clubs. Whilst Manchester City post videos on their social media pages of players enjoying the hot weather during mid-season training breaks in Qatar, slave labour occurs and thousands have died from building stadiums in the desert in preparation for the 2022 World Cup.
There are financial fair play restrictions that might prevent Newcastle from spending infinite amounts, but as shown by Manchester City overturning their Champions League ban, it seems being backed by an oil rich nation allows you to bend the rules. These nations are more powerful and wealthy than any football institution and can therefore act accordingly.
The sight of a good owner in the English top division is becoming increasingly rare, with the number of dodgy and morally bankrupt owners in the Premier League rising. It was refreshing when Huddersfield Town were promoted to the Premier League in 2017. Their owner was Dean Hoyle, a lifelong supporter of the club, and someone who was truly passionate about the team they owned.
Manchester United and Arsenal fans will lament over the state of their ownership. Once considered as some of the most elite clubs in the Premier League, the Glazers and Stan Kroenke have plunged these two great clubs into debt and have shown no real care to the teams that they own. They seemingly view their ownership simply as a business, and as a way to increase their vast fortunes, rarely attending matches or showing support for their teams. There is no greater example of this than Manchester United’s presence on the New York Stock Exchange. These owners treat their fans or ‘customers’ with contempt. Mike Ashley neglected Newcastle, and the team were relegated twice under his tenure. However, the poor running of a club is incomparable to numerous human rights’ violations.
It is questionable how Roman Abramovich amassed his fortune, with his murky past. He has been accused of fraud, blackmail, bribery, and is even ranked as the largest individual polluter in the world. Owners of this ilk bring football into disrepute. Football is historically a working people’s game, and whilst it has moved away from its roots since the creation of the Premier League in 1992, money has become further paramount. This is something we have to accept. Nonetheless, it is still sad to see how easily a country that stones people,vilifies the LGBTQ community, and murders journalists can take ownership of a club. Saudi Arabia will form relationships with the Tyneside club, and this will distract people from the wrongdoings of the Saudi princes and its government. This should not be allowed to happen. Football must not allow itself to become a further propaganda tool to unethical super wealthy regimes.
Photo: Max @ The Mancunion
Newcastle fans will try to ignore the immorality around the takeover deal. The potential of competing in Europe and at the higher end of the Premier League table is an enticing prospect for a fan base who have for so long been treated to season after season of underachievement and mediocrity. They will point to Mike Ashley’s underinvestment and lack of commitment towards the club. Until the signing of Paraguayan international Miguel Almiron from Atlanta United in 2019, their record signing was Michael Owen for £16 million in 2005, with Alan Shearer’s £15 million transfer in 1996 being next on the list.
Transfer fees had skyrocketed in that period and the lack of expensive signings massively hampered Newcastle’s ability to fight amongst the top end of the table. Therefore it is understandable to see elation from Magpies fans. There will likely be success delivered to Newcastle in the next decades with huge investment from the Saudi PIF, but it will come with questions over what price footballing success is worth.
Ultimately there is little fans can do to impact the Premier League’s decision to approve the Saudi backed takeover. We saw fans, players, and managers come together from all across the footballing world to condemn the European Super League, and they were of influence then. However, to the powerful football institutions, such as FIFA, UEFA, or the Premier League, money is a very powerful bargaining tool. The Saudi PIF certainly has this in abundance. It is sad how influential money has become in the beautiful game. Newcastle are a proud club, founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle West End and Newcastle East End. Their purpose is now not merely to win football games and entertain local people in the city. Instead they are also a tool used to try to soften the view of Saudi Arabia, and the many human rights violations that are committed there. The Premier League needs to change its Fit and Proper Owners Test and look at how it can facilitate sportswashing with such ease.
Nandi Padambo sits opposite us. Although she’s a fresh-faced second-year student at our very own University of Manchester, she has a wise look in her eyes. Is it her calm presence, the glow of her skin, or the fact that she has a blossoming model career that makes her seem so put together? Whatever it is, her magnetic allure is undeniable. It is very obvious why, at only 19, she has already been featured in Vogue Italia online.
As we make introductory conversation she laughs, flashing her gorgeous smile, and talks in her Yorkshire accent about life at University. Nandi studies Law. It’s going well so far, although she’s incredibly busy at the moment. Frequent trips to London for shoots, castings and meetings with her agency (BAME Models) are keeping her timetable jam-packed. We are grateful she has made time to sit down with us to discuss the intricacies of model life: the challenges, her favourite shoots and what it’s like being a person of colour in the industry. In an already notoriously brutal profession, is inclusivity lacking? Have things actually changed for the better, or is modelling still struggling to cater to everyone’s needs?
Photo Credit: Nandi Padambo
Did you wake up one day thinking ‘I could be a model’, or did you always have it in the back of your mind?
Not really, I thought ‘oh I’m short’. When you look in the media it’s a lot of skinny, tall models, but I realised I might as well try. I do have some insecurities. I’m still not at the place where I want to be: but some things are workable. If you just put your mind to it, you can get anywhere you want. I don’t have to do high fashion, I can do more commercial stuff.
If you could have one piece you’ve worn on a shoot, what would it be?
It would probably be one of the dresses that I did [on a shoot with the designer] Lydia Jackson. There was this purple one, it was beautiful, it was like a fairytale kind of dress. That’s one thing I’d wanna keep.
What modelling moment are you most proud of?
I think getting signed to the agency was probably my favourite? It was quite shocking, it was a big moment for me. I had to go all the way to London and meet the head of the agency, so it was kind of a step back moment.
Who is your favourite model?
Tyra Banks, I watched that show [America’s Next Top Model] religiously. She knows all the right angles. It’s more than just taking pictures, there’s so much to it. I look up to her a lot because she’s really found the formula for being a top model.
We saw a repost on your Instagram story about the problems POC face in the modelling industry with regards to hair. There was an interview with Monique Coleman where she mentioned that she had to wear headbands in High School Musical because none of the crew could style black hair. What are your thoughts on this? Is it still an issue today?
100%. At all the shoots that I’ve done, they’ve never sorted my hair out. It’s always me that has to do it. I’ve got a shoot coming up where there’s a stylist to do my hair. I am quite worried about it, I think most of the time they just don’t know what to do with black people’s hair. When they think of black hair, they immediately assume mixed-raced texture and they don’t know what to do with 4C type hair. They need to change that. I feel like you’re not really a hair stylist if you can’t do every single person’s hair.
Photo Credit: Nandi Padambo
Leomi Anderson called out make-up artists on Twitter for not having the right products for her skin tone. Have you experienced this kind of discrimination?
So far I haven’t had any problems with makeup. The makeup artists have been really good at getting the right skin tone. I bring my own stuff just in case, but I haven’t had to use it so it’s actually been pretty positive so far.
There’s still unrealistic expectations when it comes to size, how has it affected you?
If we’re being honest, they don’t really want anyone above size 8. It is getting more inclusive, but I feel like it’s still hard if you’re not size 4 or size 6 to be on top.
This photographer was telling me that before lockdown [a model] was a size 6, but during lockdown she gained weight and her agency took her off their books. She was happy with her new weight, but the agency was like ‘no, we’re not having you anymore’. You can be dropped just like that. You can get a message saying ‘we don’t want you anymore’, and you have to deal with it.
Photo Credit: Nandi Padambo
You are an active member of the ACS and also their well-being and inclusion officer. When you were campaigning for the role, you were very vocal about the importance of mental health, why is this your primary concern?
I’ve had a lot of family trauma that has affected me in uni, but it’s not visible. I was really vocal about [mental health] because I feel like you just can’t tell what people are going through. It was important to me to get up there and talk about it.
Studies show that 40% of fashion models struggle with their mental health. Are you offered any kind of support in the industry, or is this a taboo topic?
I’d say it can be. With my agency I haven’t had any problems. I don’t think I would come to them, but I feel I wouldn’t have a bad reception. This model was saying that her agency caused her mental health to decline by forcing her to lose weight. She went on a lot of drugs, because it messed with her mental health. I think it’s more of an issue at some of the top agencies.
Some of the agencies have removed their weight and height requirements from the websites but you’re saying that the pressure is still there.
Some of it is just for show really. Maybe they’ll take out the sizing, maybe they’ll take out the height, but they still don’t want [anything outside the requirements]. People actually love to see inclusivity and diversity in modelling, the industry just needs to catch up.
Photo Credit: Nandi Padambo
What does Black history month mean to you?
I feel like it’s very Americanised. I do relate to it, but it’s not my identity. It’s more like an American person’s identity. I don’t hear about black British, it’s just ‘America, America, America, African-Americans’. Although everything that happened in America affects me, because it’s my brothers and sisters, it’s my race, I feel like there needs to be more about British stuff. Apart from Stephen Lawrence, there is nothing really black British that you hear about. There are so many different things happening that we need to have a discussion about, or incorporate into this history month.
Any exciting things in the works? A little birdie told me that we might see you in a well-known pop star’s music video very soon…
Perhaps…[laughs]. I can’t really talk about it. There are going to be pictures coming out, but it takes like three months. The video is probably going to take a long time to produce, but the shoots might come out next month?
Making waves in the industry…Thank you so much for chatting with us!
It seems unsurprising that a film like The Spore came out recently. As an obvious response to the Covid-19 pandemic, it focuses on a world ravaged by a deadly fungal infection that takes over the human body and turns people into a zombie state.
This film certainly has its moments. Director D.M. Cunningham brings a visual flair that allows for some truly striking, and shocking, imagery. Unfortunately, this film takes itself far too seriously for what it is trying to be. It is hampered by weak characterisation and unambitious storytelling that doesn’t go anywhere, preventing it from being anything more than just a forgettable slasher.
The Spore trailer
The most impressive part of this film is definitely the visual aspect. It pays visual homage to a number of body horror films, most notably The Thing, but is so lacking in character that it fails to have any real originality. Cunningham clearly knows how to use colour and it contributes to quite a vivid aesthetic. This makes the use of practical effects all the more impressive.
For something that starts off like a relatively standard zombie movie, the stunning practical effects give you a real sense of the impact of this infection on the human body, and by extension, the psyche. There are some truly horrible moments where people realise their inevitable death as they are slowly consumed by the fungus. The film would be far more interesting if it had focused more on this, and less on trying to emulate other, better slasher films.
Poor dialogue alienates the audience. The characters feel one dimensional and painfully rehearsed. For a film that tries to show, in part at least, the human impact of this plague, it is unable to present people in a way that feels believable. The Spore resorts to generic clichés to cover these cracks. The result is something quite forgettable and a bit disappointing. It exists within an apocalyptic tradition of horror films but does nothing new to differentiate itself from that tradition.
Despite at times posing some interesting questions, The Spore ultimately sets up more than it can deliver on. The nucleus of a good film is certainly there but its unambitious cliches make it a mediocre watch at best.
A bright neon sign guides you down Quay Street to Blues Kitchen, one of the best places in Manchester to spend a Friday night. Blues Kitchen’s currently has a £5 cocktail deal on Wednesdays and happy hour 5-7pm on Fridays, making it accessible for students. With its sumptuous decor, a constant hubbub of chatter and a menu that puts most to shame, it’s no wonder that Blues is packed out. Busy yes, but the staff here don’t seem fazed. In fact, they whizz around the room like skaters on ice, depositing a drink here and a smile there with professional ease. When we ordered at the bar, our drinks were brought smoothly to our table- no need to lift a finger with this level of service. This was just the start to our Blues experience, which left us as content and stuffed as after Christmas dinner.
To start we ordered four cocktails between us, a far cry from our usual vodka lemonades. At an eye-watering £10.50 they’re certainly not cheap, but as a special treat they were exquisite. I had the Marmalade Cup, with real marmalade in, which was as sweet and comforting as a hug from Paddington bear.
Our other favourites throughout the night were the silky smooth Espresso Martini which was the best we’ve ever tried, as well as the Hurricane which came with the wow factor of a trip to Havana itself. Later, we tried the Pinot Grigio because I once read that every good restaurant should have a wine around the £20 mark! At £23.90, this wine was dry and refreshing, the perfect companion to the meal. Drinks wise, Blues really delivers.
Mouthwatering grilled meat at Blues Kitchen, Photo: Blues Kitchen
The menu at Blues hones in on its New Orleans theme. We started with the buffalo cauliflower, a deliciously spicy dish that ended on a sweet note. We paired this with the rich and creamy spinach and artichoke dip served with blue corn tortillas – our advice is to dip the cauliflower into the spinach for a real taste sensation. Blues is known for its burgers, and to its credit they were mouthwateringly soft, particularly its vegan burger. Stray further down the menu though, and treat yourself to the beef brisket. Flavoursome and moist, the brisket is a must-try for meateaters.
Burger at Blues Kitchen, Photo: Blues Kitchen
Side-wise, we had the mac ‘n’ cheese and the cornbread with honey butter. Whilst both tasty, they were perhaps the most average dishes we tried. Far from ordinary was the white chocolate and ginger cheesecake, resplendent with caramelised bananas. The perfect finisher, it was light, creamy and gingerbread sweet. If you’ve really got a sweet tooth, we suggest the vegan chocolate milkshake. It slides down your throat as smoothly as a happy hour pint at Friendship, and is just as refreshing!
Blues Kitchen at Night, Photo: Blues Kitchen, Jack Kirwin -JK Photography-
By this point, we were as comfortable as four plump pillows, and headed up to the club area. The club is free in Blues, and well worth a trip. Livelier than most clubs and far nicer an environment, we’ll certainly be returning soon! The music that night was mostly soul and pop, making for a vibrant, dancy atmosphere. Red and orange light played across the faces of the crowd as the live music from below echoed up.
Despite starring in the film, actors Mirabelle Lee and August Maturo were too young to watch their recent film Slapface at its UK premiere.
Slapface follows Lucas (August Maturo), a young orphan struggling in school. Bullied by the unpleasant twins in the neighbourhood, Lucas retreats into his own world and plays in the forbidden woods near his home. Stumbling upon Virago (Lukas Hassel), a witch rumoured to live in the forest, Lucas begins to form a bond with this strange figure as his struggles at home increase.
Photo: Slapface actors Mirabelle Lee (left) and August Maturo (right), photo by Benjamin Klauber-Griffiths @ The Mancunion
Director Jeremiah Kipp took a very hands-on approach to work with younger actors, reports actress Mirabelle Lee when The Mancunion spoke to the two lead actors earlier this week. Backstories and plot details were often decided on set. Similarly, Maturo reported that Kipp was very receptive to going off-script.
A crucial moment towards the end of the film was apparently the lead actor’s idea, a scene that allows many of Slapface’s social criticisms to transcend the film and reach audiences. A horror lover himself, Maturo relished the chance to put his acting talents to the test alongside his now close friend, and talented performer Lee.
Kipp’s unusual directorial style certainly stands out. A cerebral and often baffling plot leaves audiences more confused than gratified. However, impressive performances from its young stars drive the story forward despite its structural flaws.
The two left us with a parting piece of advice for any wannabe actors; expect to get a lot of no’s but don’t let that affect you. “Keep turning up, going to classes, and doing what you love”. An important message for everyone.
Belgian director and producer Abattoir Fermé and Stefan Lernous invite us to experience a unique movie that questions our grip over reality.
The film begins as Dave (Tom Vermeir) inherits a strange hotel from his deceased father. As the film progresses we begin to realise that time appears to be stuck, trapping Dave in this strange place. Events soon go from weird to downright spooky. A young woman appears from seemingly nowhere and wants to spend the night at the hotel, whilst Dave’s best friend organises an event that includes a live autopsy and dozens of very strange guests. All the while the cadaver of his aunt remains sitting in the hallway because Dave doesn’t have the money to take care of it.
Hotel Poseidon trailer
In the first part of the movie, we can feel the dirtiness, the process of decomposition as everything, including the people and the hotel itself, looks as if it was in decay. Most fascinating is Dave’s increasingly tenuous grip on reality. The hotel is both constantly changing and incredibly stagnant, which, combined with a sudden change to its colour palette in the latter half of the film, leads to a mismatched and often confused tone.
Hotel Poseidon will suit fans of the strange and confusing, although trying to understand it is a little bit too complicated. The director clearly wants us to use our imagination. Many elements in the picture require interpretation and evoke different explanations. While many of the scenes appear as if they existed only to confuse you, they will undeniably get you talking at the end.
Hotel Poseidon shows how a small production movie can have a deep impact. Not the scariest for sure, but an intriguing film of this year’s Grimmfest.
Though it may be described as ‘drama-thriller’ on IMDb, the opening shot of Stephano Lodovichi’s The Guest Room confirms its horror credentials. An Italian language film, The Guest Room or La Stanza is an entertaining, if at times obvious watch.
Decked out in the tattered remains of her old wedding dress, leading lady Stella (Camilla Fillipi) begins the film teetering precariously on the windowsill of her crumbling Gothic mansion. Ready to plunge into the white abyss below she is interrupted by a knock at the door. It is a man who insists he has booked a room, despite Stella not having run a guest house for many years. She relents and lets him in from the rain. However, as the film unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that this man may not be as much of a stranger as previously thought, but a manifestation of some buried guilt or repressed secret. His return enacts a dark justice and forces Stella and her ex-husband (Edoardo Pesce) to pay for a terrible crime committed many years ago.
The Guest Room trailer
If that doesn’t sound enough like the plot of an Edgar Allan Poe novella then don’t worry, the gorgeous Gothic set-design and harrowing score firmly place this film within the horror genre. The film successfully avoids falling for cheap thrills. The violence on screen is realistic, brutal and troubling. Guido Caprino, who plays the guest, is particularly spectacular in the role. His ability to shift from innocent to menacing leaves the audience constantly on edge. And, subsequently, unsure how to feel about him throughout the first act of the film.
However, the plot does at times lose focus around the second act of the film. This is most noticeable in the rather heavy handed reveal of who this mysterious guest is. On the whole though, The Guest Room is an emotionally compelling and reality-bending story and a valuable contribution to the horror genre.
Argentine director Daniel de la Vega once again takes on the horror genre in a pulpy mystery thriller that morphs into bloody, semi-operatic carnage.
On the 3rd Day follows Cecilia after a mysterious car crash. Anxious and confused, she begins to search for her missing son, Martin, after waking up in hospital. Gradually, the film peels back the layers of how the accident came to be and where he may be as a result. Filled with mystery, we gradually follow Celia into a confusing and uncomfortable world of horror tropes.
On the 3rd Day trailer
Featuring crazed cross-bearing Christian fanatics, incompetent policemen and a conclusion of blood-splattered victims. On the 3rd Day is steeped in horror DNA. Whilst it isn’t groundbreaking, the melting pot of influences from Hammer horror to Spanish melodrama to even the Italian Giallo is a joy to witness. The barmy climax of the tale may be hindered by some lacklustre special effects and unfold in a somewhat dissatisfying manner. However, the film never loses sight of its bolshy, unapologetic core. It even includes a gruesome post-credit scene for those who crave an extra dose.
Without being pretentious or taking itself too seriously, this is an easy and gruesome watch. There have been few too little additions to this fun and simple genre of horror in recent years. On the 3rd Day is a perfect alternative for those looking for something outside of the more polished and pensive horror of A24.
When I first heard that drag queens were going to take on murder mystery, I was pretty shocked – but also surprised that nobody had thought of this before. What a genius idea!
Direct from the West End – albeit with a different cast – Death Drop is a camp, dark comedy that sees a flamboyant host welcome an array of eccentric guests to her home (Shantay Manor, of course) on a dark, stormy night. One by one, the guests kick the bucket, hit the fan and choke on pancakes, as mysteries are unravelled and secrets are revealed.
Featuring a cast of international drag queens, the stars of the show are RuPaul’s Drag Race‘s Willam and Ra’Jah O’Hara. They’re joined by Drag Race UK star Vinegar Strokes and Drag Race Down Under (Australia) star Karen from Finance – the latter of which was recently interviewed by The Mancunion.
The play is written by Holly Stars, who also stars in the show – as identical triplets, the Bottomley sisters.
Stars’ writing is arguably the best part of the show (and this show has a lot of great parts). Each scene is an overdose of sardonicism and sass (and, occasionally, sex and sick – the latter of which might just kill you). Even the show’s title is brilliant, as are the subtitles ‘murder is such a drag’ and ‘Dragatha Christie’.
I particularly loved it when the play took a turn towards meta. There were instances where the cast addressed the audience, both directly and indirectly, and even times when the cast slipped out of character – portraying fictionalised versions of themselves, aware that they are in a play.
The most memorable meta moment came when one of the Bottomley sisters brought one of her sisters onstage, even though they are both played by the same actress. When another character reminded Holly that she is covering the role of all three sisters tonight, she told them that she had sorted it.
She then brought another actor onstage – whose character had recently met an untimely demise – now dressed as one of the Bottomley sisters. This actor (I will not say who so not to reveal who dies) initially refused to say their line before finally giving in. My description of this scene really does it no justice; it has to be one of the funniest live theatre scenes I’ve ever seen.
There was also an accidental meta moment. Vinegar Strokes seemed to have forgotten her line and ended up giggling, which would be scandalous in a more serious production, but in a drag production, it just added to the humour and enjoyment of the show.
Vinegar struggled to get herself together – though, miraculously, her co-stars all kept serious faces. The audience laughed and whooped, leading her to come to the front of the stage and take a bow, before getting back in character and finally saying her line.
The way that Vinegar handled this slip-up – even though she did not properly recover from it – was fantastic.
The cast, as a whole, deserve so much credit. Every single one of them embodied their character so well. I was very pleased to see drag kings onstage – they don’t get enough appreciation.
For those of you unsure what a drag king is – it’s basically the opposite of a drag queen: “mostly female performance artists who dress in masculine drag and personify male gender stereotypes”.
The “mostly female” part is especially important: gender is about blurring the lines of (if not even discarding) gender, so it really doesn’t matter who is in drag. A man can be a drag king, and a woman can be a drag queen – that is to say a person who does drag as their own gender. In fact, one of the best drag queens I’ve ever seen was a woman: Holestar in Hocum Pokem!
This drag whodunnit is an absolute riot. I honestly can’t fault a single thing. I always bang on about how much I love a big set – one that transports you to the setting/location – and this one did not disappoint. The costumes were obviously going to be incredible – it’s drag! – and I must also give a shout-out to the show’s use of sound and lighting (and lightning).
Whilst the show was a play, there were a few music numbers – Vinegar and Willam got to show off their vocals – that were especially enjoyable. Death Drop really throws everything at you except the kitchen sink – but after the Bottomley sisters throw faeces at you (I did tell you that things “hit the fan”), you might be wanting that kitchen sink!
Death Drop continues its UK tour throughout 2021. When it comes slaying in a town near you, be prepared to kill for a ticket!
The Kindling Trust was established in 2007 to interrogate the state of our entire food system. The mainstream agricultural practices we currently depend on are further fuelling issues of the climate crisis such as soil health degradation, the reduction of biodiversity, and increased economic inequality. With these tangled and pressing concerns in mind, the Trust seeks to create an alternative system, one that acknowledges the value of food and the rights of the land and labour force at each level of production. We spoke to Lizzy Haughton of The Kindling Trust to learn more about the growing projects taking place across Manchester.
A few students may be aware of Manchester Veg Box People, but many might not have heard of the Kindling trust; yet the two are pretty intertwined – could you give just an overview of the two organisations and how they interact/overlap?
The Kindling Trust and Manchester Veg Box People aren’t legally sister organisations, the Trust is a charity, while Veg Box is a co-operative, yet we work pretty closely. Fifteen years ago The Kindling Trust was set up to look at the entire food system, and how to create an alternative. Veg Box People is just one of the projects to come out of this.
It’s important to acknowledge the current barriers that keep people from accessing organic produce, and even the associations we have with the word ‘organic’. How do we work to remove organic produce from the realm of the middle classes, and keep it accessible for everyone?
The whole world of agriculture, or ‘better’ food, is still mostly middle class, mostly white, and it’s a definite problem. There’s no simple answer, but we are trying to tackle this principally, by sharing the message that organic is just normal food- food as it’s meant to be. Materially, it’s about making the veg boxes as achievable and affordable as possible. It’s such a huge aim – without wanting to misuse the term, we are trying to decolonise what we do, at all levels. At the same time, as with all charitable organisations, we do have to rely on the support of people that can afford it, to then do the work to help people in Manchester that can’t afford organic otherwise.
Manchester Veg Box People is the fastest growing veg box scheme in Manchester. Would you say this increase in interest has coincided with Greta/Extinction Rebellion pushing climate crisis to the foreground of people’s newspapers/minds? Or has it been a steady climb?
Interest was definitely growing, but COVID hit us badly either way. Partly this was a positive, there was a surge in people growing their own food. But as our collection points were closed, people had to go out and get their veg bags from points that were less convenient, and in lockdown that couldn’t continue. Before that, it was more steady. There is always competition, competing veg boxes, but we have some really dedicated customers, who share our ethics and values – looking holistically at the problem of the food system in general, and the values of the cooperative. We have seen a definite interest in other parts of the trust, there are more people volunteering than ever.
What volunteering projects are running at the moment? I understand Farmstart is more of a commitment for people wanting to become organic farmers?
Farmstart runs two days a week from January to November, with a day of learning at Woodbank, our main horticultural site in Stockport. Woodbank is our horticultural hub where most of the volunteering runs at the moment.
Our main project looking to the future is The Kindling farm, that will be an amalgamation of the last couple of decades’ work. We’ll be upscaling all of the different projects, upscaling from the 4 acres at Woodbank to a 100 acre site. Within this space, we’ll use the same growing techniques, offer the same training courses, community and social prescribing. The veg we grow will still go to Veg Box People, but we’ll also be able to start providing to big caterers, such as schools in Manchester. We’ve just ended our campaign to raise community shares, where we reached over £1 million. We’re still in the process of finding a farm, aiming for within 50 miles of Greater Manchester. We hope to have found a site by next year, and by 2023 to be growing, depending on the soil.
That will be amazing to know all of the produce will be grown so close to Manchester! How do you keep things as local as possible at the moment (when seeking produce for the veg boxes), and what do we even deem as ‘local’?
We aim to get everything from within about 50 miles of Manchester, that’s the guide. But it’s been difficult with Brexit and COVID; climate breakdown means that already farmers can’t always source us with enough. In the hungry gap (April/May, when the winter crops have been harvested and spring crops are only seedlings), we sometimes do have to go through wholesalers, and add a step in between. Generally we’re trying to keep the supply chain as short as possible, to make sure the farmers get fair pay and the food is fresher. It also helps reduce waste, as the farmers can grow according to what they know their crop can yield rather than us picking, choosing, and rejecting veg.
Manchester Veg Box People’s veg bags run as a weekly subscription, and can be collected from points across Manchester, including Lentils and Lather in Withington, and University Place on Oxford Road. The student bag, priced at £6, is the perfect base to build your meals around. It is great knowing a chunk of your produce is organic, in season, and comes from small scale growers throughout the Northwest.
The Woodbank Harvest Celebration will be taking place on the 24th of October at the Woodbank site in Stockport – come along to see what’s happening across the site, and to take part in workshops such a pickling and bird box building.
In a field perhaps overstuffed with white middle-class university graduates paying homage to their favourite 80s bands, Dean Blunt stands practically alone amongst contemporary Britain’s alternative music canon.
Initially cutting his teeth as a bassist for Graffiti Island, Blunt quickly moved on to start the experimental duo Hype Williams alongside Inga Copeland. Outside of the group’s boundary-pushing music, they were perhaps best known, and in some cases loathed, for not taking themselves too seriously. The pair were consistently changing their backstories in the few interviews they took part in. The final album the duo worked on together – Black is Beautiful – was supposedly recorded after Copeland had attended try-outs for Arsenal W.F.C. and Blunt had been on trial for a taxidermist robbing spree.
However, all of this was merely a starting point for the career of one of the most eclectic solo artists Britain has ever been witness to.
Dean Blunt stands out from his contemporaries who refer back to, and derive their sound from 80s new-wave and post-punk. Instead, his sample-heavy music draws from a myriad of influences. These include 90s jangle-pop, progressive rock, reggae, dancehall and dub. Meanwhile, his other project, Babyfather, plays with more modern sounds of British and American hip-hop and club music. But it also integrates the stylings of the work put out under his original pseudonym.
The endlessly fascinating musician routinely plays with genres that are hallmarks of Black British culture. His most popular album, Black Metal, could be vaguely summarised as ‘alternative’ or ‘art pop’. But there are moments of ‘blackness’ which at first sight appear largely at odds with the rest of the album. After a barrage of guitar-laden ballads, the tracks ‘PUNK’ and ‘HUSH’ greet the listener with the sounds of dub and hip-hop. Dean Blunt’s sung-spoken delivery even echoes that of iconic dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson.
At this point, the record’s title begins to make sense. The name Black Metal may be born out of a smirking ironic misnomer. But the album itself is very much a product of Dean’s life as a black man in Britain. The lyrical subject matter is also more akin to hip-hop than it is to dreamy alt-pop. Narrated with frequent use of patwa, Blunt speaks plainly of conflict with the police, clubbing, and drug use across the album’s 13 tracks. Even the song titles subvert the typical titling conventions of a by-the-numbers alternative album.
Dean Blunt more overtly refers to blackness in Britain in his previously mentioned Babyfather side project. Eschewing the rock stylings of his solo work, with Babyfather, Blunt creates his own lane of experimental hip-hop. Alongside the narration of DJ Escrow (a pitched-up James Massiah), Babyfather creates a musical collage. This consists of hip-hop, grime, dub, and club music, interpolated with the sounds of a past inner city London. Think sirens, old Nokia ringtones, and ambient noise. The group’s album, “BBF” Hosted By DJ Escrow, starts with a mellow guitar instrumental accompanied by a sample of Craig David saying “This makes me proud to be British” at the MOBO Awards. It is repeated to the point that this expression of patriotism becomes ironic.
Over the course of 23 tracks, Babyfather merge multiple genres, both new and old. Spinning similar narratives of clubbing, nightlife and confrontations with the police, the record becomes essentially a time capsule of life as a black man living in inner-city London. The radio dialogue interludes from DJ Escrow talk of peace and unity for his community in the face of outside oppression. This is done in a way that echoes the messages of reggae artists of the past.
It makes sense then why this experimental artist has achieved cult status in the music industry. His approach to black musical nostalgia is one that comes across as largely unique. Blunt’s production work for popular artists also shows similar artistic patterns of drawing from past black music. In his collaborations with A$AP Rocky, there are clear homages to Memphis rap (‘Gunz n Butter’) and Timbaland-era R&B (‘Benzo Amore’). His consistently referential and reminiscent style is almost like that of an archivist, digging out musical genres that are largely confined to history. By reworking them into modern collages, he is able to shed light on the modern Black experience – whether intentional or not.
The musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert is an adaptation of the 1994 Australian film of the same name. It follows three drag queens and their adventures through the Australian desert in their van ‘Priscilla’ to get to Alice Springs to perform a show (and for Tick to finally meet their son).
While the musical follows the plot of the film, and uses many of its iconic lines, the theatrical production is a thousand-fold more camp than the movie, thanks to the grandiose numbers and iconic gay anthems that punctuate the show.
The cast provided a captivating performance throughout the evening: you certainly can’t get bored while watching this show. The performance of Miles Western as Bernadette was absolutely fantastic. His portrayal of the older and sarcastic character was perfectly on-pitch as he managed to hit every nuance of that complex role.
Nick Hayes, who plays Adam/Felicia, also deserves a special mention for his amazing solo and embodiment of the iconic line that Bernadette throws at Felicia at the beginning of the play: “Great, that’s just what this country needs: a cock in a frock on a rock”. His singing was quite literally breathtaking.
Both Western and Hayes starred in the show the last time it came to Manchester, then lead by Joe McFadden. Theatre Editor Jay Darcy had the opportunity to interview all three men about their roles in the show.
A special mention should be given to the body-positive casting, which is still not the norm in musical theatre. It actually adds a much-appreciated touch of ‘realness’ to the characters and serves the plot so much more than a cast of model-size actors would have. It essentially represents the kinds of people one would see on such a wild trip.
On another note, the overall design of the show, both in terms of decor and costume, was exactly what one wants to see when they watch a theatre production centred around drag queens. The quick costume changes were particularly impressive as performers changed in and out of drag in a matter of a few seconds. The costumes were flamboyant, extravagant and enhanced the show’s humor by providing easy comic relief.
While fantastically full of humour, the musical missed some of the drag queens’ bitter-sweet experiences the film so perfectly portrayed. The movie’s actors, especially Guy Pearce, offered a tender and thoughtful performance that was not as present in the musical adaptation.
Even though the harder moments were still portrayed in the show, they just didn’t have the same effect. The quickness of changing from the tragic to the camp may not have let the audience ponder on the depth of lines like “don’t forget the cost of your choices”. This goes alongside viewers not being able to dwell on the violence of having one’s van vandalised with offensive language, or the gravity of being beaten-up for out-of-the-ordinary fashion choices.
Although a good show doesn’t necessarily involve a tearful audience, in this case, I do wish that we had more time to process the harsh realities that the drag queens have to face because the plot is deeper than just good puns and sarcastic comments.
Even though the movie came out in 1994, the issues that it raises concerning the LGBTQ+ community still ring true today. The musical doesn’t need to wash out the sadness for the purpose of comedy; the movie didn’t and it was arguably the balance of comedy and tragedy that made, and still makes, it a film worth watching. The two elements should be able to coexist, even in the world of a camp musical.
However, if there’s one thing that’s undeniable: Priscilla Queen of the Desert is the perfect feel-good musical for everyone. Whether you go watch it with your friends, your family, your spouse, or your lover, you can rest assured that you’re in for a fabulous soiree.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert continues its UK tour through Woking, Bromley, and Glasgow.
