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Month: December 2022

Lula: Hope for the world and a lesson for the UK

Written by Jessica Tubb on . Posted in Opinion.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, or ‘Lula’, is the politician whose supporters proclaim “Lula ladrão roubou meu coração’”(Lula thief stole my heart). But who is he, and why is his election as President so important?

Former President Lula triumphed against Bolsonaro in the second stage of the Brazilian elections – which came at a critical moment for the country after its polarising past. But I believe that Lula represents something more than just hope for Brazil, and that his election should be celebrated by people across the globe. After the Covid-19 pandemic and years of Bolsonaro’s far-right politics, it’s clear to me why Brazil needs the former trade unionist. 

His previous term in office introduced sweeping measures that lifted millions from poverty, reduced destruction in the Amazon, and improved economic growth. However, his presidency was tainted for many by the stretch in prison that he served, on charges of corruption – although these were later revoked. Yet whilst his presidency, like any, was not perfect, I believe that from his election promises and his past, Lula is the best option for the future. Even more, I think that his example should be looked upon as a blueprint for other leaders across the globe and provides a reference point to scrutinise our own leader here in the UK.

Lula’s social policies from 2003-2010 brought about vast social changes, such as the Bolsa Familia scheme, which alleviated many people from Brazil’s social problems. This scheme should be looked upon as an example of real support for the underprivileged, which was effective in reducing poverty, inequality, and hunger, by offering a benefit scheme which helped parents and their children. Contrast this to Britain’s past with decisions, like the Coalition government’s cuts to benefits which saw 1.75 million pushed into greater poverty. Sadly, I believe that with the cost-of-living crisis it’s hard to hold hope that Rishi Sunak will be prepared to create a scheme as sweeping as his Brazilian counterpart. 

Lula’s promises for the future, like renewing the Bolsa Familia programme and saving millions from poverty, are credible as they come off the back of a proven track record of reforms. This makes it easier to understand the elation of many Brazilians at Lula’s election, which is the opposite of the feeling I get at the appointment of Rishi Sunak, coming after tumultuous weeks of changing PM’s. I find it hard to draw hope from Sunak’s promise to protect the most vulnerable in the context of this cost-of-living crisis, considering the measures of austerity that his party has previously implemented.

When it comes to tackling the climate crisis, the feeling of hope is echoed, and the world should rejoice at what Lula’s election means for the Amazon rainforest. Under Bolsonaro the Amazon rainforest was decimated, with over a 52% increase in deforestation in the last three years alone. But I feel that hope can be found in Lula despite bleak global prospects for the environment, as his promise to halt deforestation is credible because of his previous reduction to deforestation, and his future pledge to prioritise the environment. 

This again should be a lesson our government should learn from Lula. Whilst Rishi Sunak performed a U-turn after his refusal to attend the global climate conference COP-27, Lula immediately committed to attending the conference, even though his official term as president doesn’t begin until January 1. This stark contrast in attitudes is representative of the difference in commitments as a whole between the two leaders.

The election of Lula is an important moment, for Brazil and beyond, as it represents a decisive shift away from the far-right, and brings hope of progressive policies for millions. But more than this, I believe that it shows the possibility for real change, and why here in the UK we should be demanding political representatives who have our best interests, and the best global interests, at heart.

UoM’s Chancellor finds institutional discrimination in new London Fire Brigade report

Written by Rosina Read on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester’s Chancellor, Nazir Afzal OBE, has conducted a report into the London Fire Brigade, which found institutionalised racial discrimination and misogyny.

The report was leaked on November 25 2022. Afzal tweeted: “My review into the culture of London Fire Brigade has leaked so yes i did find LFB was institutionally misogynist & racist”. He urged people to “please ask your organisation to look in the mirror”.

The Independent Culture Review includes the experience of over 2000 people. This included members of the Grenfell community. In his letter to London Fire Commissioner, Afzal emphasised the distressing nature of the testimonies, urging them to be used as “the catalyst for change”.

The report found evidence of harassment and discrimination within the LFB, with failings for women, ethnic minorities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Of the brigade’s 4500 firefighters, only 425 are women, and around 17% of all staff “classify themselves as BAME”.

The report includes instances of firefighters going through women’s drawers looking for underwear and sex toys on house visits.

One Muslim firefighter has been mocked with “bacon and sausages put in his coat pockets”, and a “terrorist hotline sign posted on his locker”. One account of “horrendous racial abuse” describes how a black firefighter had a noose put above his locker.

Whilst it was concluded that this does not impact responses to incidents, London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe says he finds “little comfort from this, given the extremity of our own staff’s experiences”.

In his letter to Afzal, he stated: “There is no place for discrimination, harassment and bullying in the Brigade and from today it will be completely clear what behaviour isn’t acceptable and what the consequences will be”.

Afzal has called on other institutions to “please ask your organisation to look in the mirror” having been approached by members of the police, BBC, and the NHS.

“Whose streets? Our streets” chants echo during Reclaim the Night

Written by aliceshakeshaft on . Posted in News.

This year’s Reclaim the Night saw around 1000 students marching from Fallowfield to the Students’ Union in protest of gender-based violence. Speeches made highlighted the damage of gender-based violence, the need for intersectionality and calls for international solidarity.

On the evening of November 30, Oxford Road erupted into chants. Onlookers cheered and beeped car horns as protestors chanted “Whose streets? Our streets” and “Stop the violence, stop the hate” in calls to end gender-based violence.

Students marched down towards the Students’ Union to hear speeches given by several members who had helped organise the march.

Celina Pereira, the Students’ Union’s Wellbeing and Liberation Officer, spoke first. She said, “we are standing here for all those who have been robbed of their bodies, their rights and their lives.” She made calls for people to, “recognise sexual violence and call it by its name.”

Speakers emphasised the need for intersectionality when speaking about gender-based violence. They presented the struggles faced by trans people: “trans people especially are more likely than not to experience sexual assault, yet most sexual health services are strictly gendered”. Studies show that 47% of trans people are subject to sexual assault.

Following this Laya Hooshyari spoke about the need for international solidarity within feminist movements. She presented the oppression of women globally and called for “solidarity and help from our sisters, comrades and all people” declaring that “without international solidarity we are alone”.

She ended her speech, saying “we have to raise our voice. Our voice should be reached to all the oppressed. Should be heard on every street. So that we are all emancipated from oppression”.

Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, delivered the final speech, emphasising the need for change. “We cannot in five, 10, or 20 years time be stood here having the same conversations”.

Review: Spring Awakening (UMMTS)

Written by Hanna Patla on . Posted in Theatre.

If you thought my review of the University of Manchester Musical Theatre Society’s showcase was overly glowing, prepare yourselves for this one… This show was absolutely mesmerising from start to finish. 

Spring Awakening tells the story of a group of teenagers discovering both the joys and hardships of life. It delves deeply into complicated, often unspoken issues, including abortion, abuse, rape, and suicide. I’ve often felt that the original 2006 cast recording fails to capture the true essence of this magnificent show. The energetic moments fall flat and the grief-stricken ones lack power. Let’s just say neither was an issue in this performance.

Infectious energy was poured through the room by upbeat songs like ‘All That’s Known’ and ‘The Bitch of Living’. The fact that every male performer managed to memorise a whole song in Latin and execute it flawlessly is deserving of admiration. Josh Stainer (Ernst), Robin Collins (Otto), Kitty Sharland (Anna), and Ella Kendrick (Thea) all showed musical expertise in their use of harmony during the group numbers. They also often added needed comical relief to the show as well as pulling their weight during the tragic moments. 

Hannah McCoy’s portrayal of Wendla was skilful. She utilised a beautifully soft, breathy tone of voice to emphasise the important innocence to her character. Ilse (Francesca Wolfin) and Martha (Sophie Thomas) are both heavy roles and their song ‘The Dark I Know Well’ can be difficult to get right. Nevertheless, the mixture of resignation and rebellion they illustrated combined with their hypnotic voices created one of the show’s best songs. 

Charlie Steggall (Hanschen) and Daniel Garvin (Georg) showed extreme dedication to their roles during My Junk. They portrayed a sexual exploration which ellicited tumultuous laughter from the audience. Pretending to masturbate throughout an entire song requires a bravery and lack of self-consciousness that I would love to possess. Garvin hitting his top notes in a gorgeous falsetto was also very impressive. 

Megan Handy and Noah Wessel had the difficult role of Adult Woman and Adult Man respectively. They were both fantastic in differentiating between their many characters, from authoritarian school teachers, to concerned parents, a sexy piano teacher and a backstreet abortion ‘doctor’. Each character was distinct in delivery and it seemed as though they both switched every two minutes! 

However, Moritz (Xavier Moras Spencer) and Melchior (Michael Bryceson) stood out most to me. They were able to show such intricate expression in both speech and, impressively, throughout their songs. All the performers took turns placing flowers on the grave of Moritz during the song ‘Left Behind’. Bryceson’s grief-painted face was incredibly realistic. I felt the urge to get out of my seat and give him a hug. Fortunately, I restrained my instincts and avoided becoming the talk of the night! The decision to leave the chair Moritz used to take his life as well as the flowers his close ones left on stage was excellent. It posed as a reminder of what the characters had already lost, making the suffering that followed even more compelling. 

Now it’s not often I cry during musicals. I’m usually too busy analysing the acting, whether the harmonies sound right and other such technicalities. The only exception to this is the musical Falsettos, which gets me every time without fail. I certainly wasn’t expecting this show to hit me as hard as it did. From the moment before Moritz’s suicide onwards, I was a total wreck and for good reason… The cast were on a professional level in their masterful portrayal of heartbreak and misery. 

The violence throughout the show was also incredibly well rehearsed, leading to slaps, punches and beatings looking clean and realistic, adding the shock factor. Badly rehearsed violence can often end up looking slapstick, which was far from the case here. 

The technical team and the amazing pit band must be hugely praised. There was a slight issue with two of the stage lights during the first half, which caused a distraction from some of the more tender moments. However, this was rectified professionally during the interval. The band was always right on the money, adding a finesse which I believe can only be achieved through live music during a performance. 

Milena Gabrysiak has done a wonderful job choreographing the dances. The expressionism of the movement added perfectly to the tone of the show, never feeling forced. Likewise, Intimacy Coordinator, Eve Wenham’s input into the show has created an unmistakable connection between the performers, specifically Bryceson and McCoy as well as Josh Stainer and Charlie Steggall.

The traverse staging created an intimate feel which worked well for this show. I did feel that the small setting restricted the performers a tad. A larger setting would have allowed for a set that could have brought to life the location more.

The cast and creative team have succeeded in bringing to life this tender, yet intense, coming-of-age story with astounding musical skill and maturity. I can see each member of this cast having a long and illustrious career in performing.

 

Spring Awakening is playing in the Theatre Lounge until December 3.

Screaming Queens: representations of trans history

Written by Chris Meadowcroft on . Posted in Film.

Club Q Colorado Spring, November 19; a busy Saturday night. It is Transgender Week of Visibility, a week-long celebration of the trans community. It is moments into Trans Day of Remembrance when someone fires a gun in Club Q. Five people are killed, many more injured, in what is known as a safe space for LGBT people in Colorado. News spreads across the internet, Twitter is full of those who knew the victims; from trans facebook groups to those who frequent Club Q. A story spreads of a “drag queen” stomping on the gunman’s head with their high heel, it is later revealed that this is a trans woman who has been misgendered by the media. 

Violence in the trans community is something that feels inescapable. Last week, a woman told me how when she used the toilet in a city-centre bar in Manchester, other women banged on the cubicle door and demanded she leaves. Friends are unable to find work, or kicked out by their parents, or receive death threats in secondary school and never quite recover. So often we bear the brunt of violence, and we are never afforded the opportunity to tell our own stories. We lose our lives to transphobic violence, through a gunman or a quiet type of violence that strips trans people of their voices.

Who Tells Trans Stories?

The Danish Girl (2015) features Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe; one of the first recipients of gender reassignment surgery. Cisgender directors and actors tell the story of a woman’s transition. Similarly, we see events vital to the gay liberation movement, such as Stonewall, rewritten through cinema. Stonewall (2015) shows the Stonewall Inn riots, through the lens of a cis white gay man, ignoring both the influence of self-identified ‘transsexuals’ and ‘transvestites’, and that of Black and ethnic minority queer people.  

Reclaiming Our Voices

Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria (2005) is a documentary film focusing on the riots against police brutality at Compton’s Cafeteria in the Tenderloin, San Francisco 1966. The film is co-directed by and follows Susan Stryker. She begins the film by addressing the audience, telling us her interest in the area of study. Stryker, is herself, transgender, and came out during her P.h.D in United States History. We follow Stryker uncovering the archives to bring to life the riot at Compton’s, a seemingly lost historical event.

Compton’s Cafeteria was a place in which queer, particularly trans, women would come together, to support each other, to see who had made it through the night. However, this was not a safe space, the police were often called and harassed and arrested members of the community. Participants speak of the conditions at the time,  Felicia “Flames” Elizondo, “a lot of people thought we were sick, mental trash. Nobody cared whether we lived or died. Our own families abandoned us and we had nowhere to go.”

One night in 1966, a woman threw a hot cup of coffee onto a police officer inside Compton’s Cafeteria. After this, the cafeteria ‘erupted’ into violence. Protestors damaged a police car and burned down a sidewalk newsstand, symbolising one of the first displays of queer militancy and counter-violence.

Stryker’s documentary is a mix of the few archival footage of the event, and interviews with those who were at Compton’s Cafeteria Riots, or from the surrounding community. Everyone interviewed, bar one, is a trans woman. Stryker relies on those who rioted, rather than turning to organisations or institutions for the facts. Stryker amplifies the voices of those that are so often silenced.

 

Why do trans histories matter?

In Screaming Queens, Stryker acknowledges her own personal involvement with the project, she is looking for a transgender history, something to tether her identity to. History is important for our communities. Not to hold on to the past, but to root ourselves as we look toward the future. There are often claims that ‘transness’ is “new”, and a “fad”. By looking into the past we can see how attempts to silence us have always failed. We have always been here, fighting for ourselves, those we have lost, and those to come. We are not new phenomena, we cannot be scared out of being or back into the closet.

Transgender histories are as important now as ever, in a time it seems trans identities are increasingly under attack, our histories can remind us that we can fight back. Stryker tells the story of our ancestral Screaming Queens and encourages us to keep on their tradition.

 

Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria is available on Netflix.

daniel craig as detectic benoit blanc

Glass Onion review: Rian Johnson’s well crafted whodunnit

Written by Imogen Mingos on . Posted in Film.

Another Knives Out mystery has returned to our screens with Rian Johnson’s much-awaited sequel- Glass Onion. The film features a star-studded cast, another incredible setting, and a brilliant soundtrack to create a fantastic whodunnit perfect to watch with friends or family in the run-up to Christmas.

I am not a rom-com person (blasphemous I know!) so my family and I always look for films of different genres to watch together during the holiday season. When Knives Out was released in 2019, I was very excited about adding a murder mystery into the mix of family Christmas films, and it did not disappoint! I took multiple trips to the cinema to watch it with friends and my dad bought it as soon as it was released on Amazon. Long story short, we loved the film with its 1920s Boston mansion, witty script, and ingenious plot.

Glass Onion takes place in May 2020 back in the time of the pandemic, but don’t worry they come up with a clever way to stop characters from wearing face masks throughout, thanks to insufferable billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) who invites his closest friends to his private island in Greece for a weekend. Amongst them are wine-mom and aspiring-senator Claire Dabella (Kathryn Hahn), scientist Lionel Toussaint (Lesli Odom. Jr), whimsical model and fashion designer Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), entrepreneur and co-founder of Bron’s business Andi Brand (Janelle Monáe), Twitch streamer Duke Cody (Dave Bautista), and, of course, world-famous detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) himself.

Films of the past few years seem to favour a huge, random cast of A-listers assembled into one action-jammed plot to earn money; think The Grand Budapest Hotel, Murder on the Orient Express (2017), or more recently Amsterdam. Rian Johnson’s series is the latest to follow this trend, but with Glass Onion’s impressive scores of 92% and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, clearly, he’s doing something right.

Now, I’m a big fan of the arrogant yet somehow likeable detective (see Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes) but Blanc is far less brazen than his counterparts, instead favouring manners, charm and, as much as you would expect from a private detective, humility. Luckily Blanc features much more in the sequel than in the original movie.

Glass Onion contains plot twist after plot twist to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Its run time of 140 minutes didn’t feel too long at all to set up an elaborate and inventive murder mystery, get to know the characters and watch it all unfold. Despite the characters all being eccentric and larger than life, each actor carried their role out wonderfully making a billionaire, model, scientist, detective, entrepreneur, politician, and influencer partying together in Greece seem like the most normal event in the world.

Overall, I’d highly recommend this movie to anyone looking to escape for a couple of hours and watch a well-crafted, entertaining whodunnit. But don’t worry if you miss it in cinemas as it will be available on Netflix on December 23 – just in time for Christmas!

 

Glass Onion is in cinemas now and will be released on Netflix on December 23.

Beauty advent calendars: The best of this year

Written by Lucy on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

It’s not long before advent starts and for the beauty world that means 24 days of makeup and skincare. While these indulgent advent calendars do not exactly embody the traditional Christmas spirit, they are a great opportunity to get a lot of products for much cheaper than usual. From affordable to more expensive. If you are looking for a beauty advent calendar to try some new products, then we have listed some of the best-looking beauty advent calendars from this year.

Cult Beauty

With Cult Beauty having been the main and well-loved supplier of international beauty brands for UK girlies until the recent announcement of Sephora UK, it makes sense that they could supply an advent calendar with this year’s biggest products. Cult Beauty’s advent calendar has perhaps one of the most comprehensive selections this year.

While it does have some make-up and other ‘self-care’ type things it is definitely skincare heavy with the likes of The INKEY list, Youth To The People, Medik 8, and Drunk Elephant. It has 37 products in total, including 13 full sizes.

The advent’s highlights are the full-sized FARMACY Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Moisturiser and the Laura Mercier travel-size Pure Canvas Hydrating Primer. It is pure indulgent skincare and includes some of the best and newest names in skincare right now, most brands included being ones currently hailed by critics and skincare influencers.

Cult Beauty are also holding a Charlie-and-the-Chocolate-factory-esque competition where three lucky buyers will win a thousand pounds worth of Cult beauty credits to spend in-store. You can see the calendar and full product list here.

Sephora UK

This year Sephora has kept their calendar relatively small and humble with a traditional 24 products for £34, which are worth £85. These are all Sephora’s own products with a good mix of festive makeup, skincare essentials and self-care tools (like a gua sha).

This is a good option if you are looking for something more affordable with product basics, or are maybe thinking of trying some of Sephora’s Own now that they are selling in the UK. They are also doing a 12 days of Christmas collection for after Christmas. The collection’s a good option if you want to gift a beauty calendar as a Christmas gift but do not want to have to give your ‘giftee’ the present before Christmas.

You can find the Wishing you calendar here and the After-Christmas collection here.

Rituals

Rituals as given by the name is all about the ritual and process of self-care. Therefore Rituals is a good calendar to treat yourself if you are into scents and a healing type of indulgence.

They are offering three tiers of prices, the 2D Sample Size, 3D, and the 3D Premium. These each offer a range of beautifully scented spa-like products. From candles to hair masks, to perfumes and room spray. If you want 24 days of everything around you smelling amazing and like the inside of a fancy spa then these are the options for you.

You can find all three options and product lists here.

Lush

Soak your way through till Christmas with the Lush advent Calendar, for scent, colour, and sparkles galore. The Lush Advent Calendar is Lush at its most ‘lushness’ full of bath bombs, the famous bubble bars, masks, soaps and various other lush-like products, this one is for the bathers.

Like Sephora, Lush are also offering a smaller and cheaper 12 days of Christmas calendar, for a Christmas gift that keeps on giving.

Find the 24-day advent here and the 12 days of Christmas here.

NYX

Another 12 days of Christmas calendar, the NYX Professional Makeup 12-Day Advent Calendar has your NYX favourites and essentials for a discount at £45 for all 12 gifts. This one is good if you need to re-stock the basics.

Find it at Boots, with students earning 10% with a Boots Club Card.

MAC

MAC’s advent calendar comes with festive red lipsticks, base makeup holy grails, like the famous MAC Fix Plus and their classic nude creamy eyeshadows. This is a good balance of new and festive themes alongside the essentials that you would want from MAC. It’s great for that one friend that is obsessed with MAC specifically.

Find it on Lookfantastic here.

Benefit

The Benefit Sincerely Yours Beauty Holiday 2022 Advent Calendar is full of your favourite benefit minis. Including Hoola bronzer, Roller Lash mascara and Gimme Brow eyebrow gel.

Find it at Boots here.

 

Picture of the bookshelves in Didsbury Village Bookshop

Cosy Reading Spots in Manchester perfect for this winter!

Written by hannahmcquinn on . Posted in Books.

With the stress of Mid-terms mostly out of the way for students, there may be a little more time to explore cosy reading spots in and around campus. Taking the afternoon off to peruse a bookshop and cosy up with a delicious hot chocolate really is the perfect way to take the mind off studying. Here are my hidden gems when it comes to cosy reading spots!

Slightly off campus, but only a short walk or bus ride away, Didsbury Village Bookshop is like no other Bookshop I have been to! Lined with Penguin Orange classics, Folio editions, and Art History texts, this bookshop lies is nestled at the back of The Art of Tea café.

Not only is the bookshop beautifully arranged and packed to the brim, but it’s also home to a huge variety of classical texts that would suit anyone. Stumbling across the bookshop myself with a friend, I was so surprised to see a variety of texts preserved so well over time. Plus, once you’ve picked a book from the store, you’re welcome to read in the gorgeous adjoining café!

Next, a little closer to Fallowfield and campus is Café Bla. Located in Withington, Café Bla fills up quickly so be sure to get there in the morning for a guaranteed spot. Withington perhaps being an unexplored location by freshers, Café Bla is a hidden beauty when it comes to reading spots.

Hosting its own mini book library at the back of the café, its cheap drinks prices beat Fallowfield’s Costa any day of the week. Combined with its vintage decoration and fireplace, Café Bla is perfect for a relaxed afternoon reading.

Now we have all heard of Blackwell’s bookstore on campus, and as an English Student, I have certainly spent a lot of my time there! But have you heard of the Whitworth Art Gallery Café?

Being a lesser-known study or reading spot, with its huge glass windows and fantastic setting overlooking Whitworth Park, this Café is an underrated find. Run by the University’s hospitality team, Whitworth Art Gallery Café is also free entry. Now is the time to take yourself and your book into the gorgeous café and look around the fascinating gallery.

And finally, if you are looking for somewhere in town, Chapter One Books is the place to go! Located just outside Piccadilly Gardens, Chapter One Books is one of the most well-known cafés Manchester has to offer. It certainly does not disappoint with its cosy sofas, antique paintings, and intriguing hot drink selection.

Instead of heading to Café Nero or Starbucks in town, Chapter One Books is the ideal independent business to support and spend your afternoon in. I would recommend the beetroot latte!

So, why not cosy up with something which isn’t a textbook, and head to one of our recommended spots around Manchester!

How to DIY the perfect Christmas gift on a budget

Written by Harriet Alston on . Posted in Arts.

The start of December marks a significant moment in the winter calendar. It waves the green flag for Christmas celebrations, calendar counting, and excessive decoration of our homes.  Of course, these conditions result in only one thing – the most wonderful time of the year.

I will admit, I am an overt fan of Christmas. I find myself blasting Bublé in mid-November every year. This year, however, my favourite festivities have been somewhat shadowed by the looming cloud of living costs.

I have felt plagued by the pressure of gift-giving and Secret Santas when I can barely afford to heat my home – and I’m sure this feeling is mutual. Some say time is money, but by process of elimination, I have realised that my own time and labour is the only thing I can really afford. Because it’s free.

Thus, as Christmas approaches, I’ve been researching how to use my limited creative ability to craft some wholesome gifts. Obviously, my main source has been the search bar on TikTok. After mindlessly scrolling, I discovered Last Ember are hosting candle-making workshops at Hatch. Who doesn’t love a scented candle?

The workshops are priced at £39.50 – a perfectly reasonable price point for the experience, but not within the piteous margins of my student finances. Broke and inspired, I decided to DIY some candles at home instead. Here’s how it went.

I will confess at the preliminary stages I carried out minimal research. I had naively decided that candle making was straightforward and I would figure it out as I went along. I was mistaken. Luckily, this article documents any dos and don’ts.

Essentially, there are five main ingredients in a scented candle. You need wax, a wick, scented oil, coloured dye, and moulds. Good news – they’re all very affordable.

If, like me, you’re impulsive and feel the need to start a project at a moment’s notice, you can head to your nearest craft shop and nab them all in one go.

I went to HobbyCraft and bought 1kg of paraffin container wax (£10); 12 pre-waxed wicks (£3.50); a 4-pack of scents (£10); some assorted dyes (3 for £5.50); and some cute jars from the baking section (3 for £3). For those of you with rusty mental maths, the total came to £32.

Photo: Harriet Alston @ The Mancunion

You may be thinking – hang on, that’s almost the same price as the candle-making workshops at Hatch. You’d be correct. However, at the workshop, you can make two candles. By making them at home, you can make between six to eight candles (depending on size).

I split the cost of each material with my housemate, and we made six candles. This left me with three candles, individually priced at £5.30. Notably, there are many places you can purchase a scented candle for less – but where’s the fun in that?

Undoubtedly, the homemade element of these (affordable) candles is what makes them such a thoughtful and wholesome gift. If you enjoy crafting, the endless design choices, colour combinations, and scent variations make the creative process extremely satisfying.

Step one was very plain-sailing. All we had to do was secure our wick in the centre of our moulds. Admittedly, we had some old superglue lying around – if you don’t, you may want to budget this in.

If you want to make a variation of designs, you’ll need to sketch out a colour plan for each candle. Bare in mind that as you layer each section of coloured wax, you’ll need to leave it to cool before attempting the next layer.

To make each layer in our candles, we melted some clear wax in a saucepan – which notably melted a lot faster than anticipated. We then added our dye at varying levels of intensity. For example, I wanted one of my candles to consist of three layers, each sporting a different variation of purple.

Photo: Harriet Alston @ The Mancunion

I started with a deep wine red, poured a layer, and then experimented with drops of blue and pink to create a spectrum throughout the subsequent layers of wax. One of the few smart decisions we did make during this process was to test our colours out on bits of card before pouring to see what they’d look like dry.

Photo: Harriet Alston @ The Mancunion

For the most part, this was a fun success – but as time went on, we became trigger-happy. My housemate ended up with what can only be described as dirt-coloured wax for his final candle. Top tip – a little dye goes a long way!

Throughout the evening, we had about three saucepans on the go at once. We paid our respects to the colour wheel by ensuring that our yellows, oranges, and reds were housed in a separate saucepan to our pinks, purples, and blues.

After we’d mastered wax colouring, the process became simple. We worked on rotation: hot wax, dye, layer, cool, repeat. To scent a layer, we measured out 1 cap (around 2ml) of scented oil per 100g of wax pellets and mixed them into the pan.

Again, as time went on, we became overly confident and ditched the scales. I would be lying if I said I knew exactly which measurements went into each creation. That’s another don’t. Learn from my mistakes, and be more meticulous with your Christmas candles.

Photo: Harriet Alston @ The Mancunion

All in all, the DIY candle-making workshop was a success. My friend and I created six personalised gifts for our friends and family, and the house smelt wonderful after burning all those scented oils.

The whole process took around three hours – with breaks throughout to let the candles cool (and watch The Crown). It was a really nice way to spend an evening with friends, especially since it was too cold and drizzly to go out for a pint.

If you’re considering trying this at home, I hope this article guides you in the right direction. Be sure to keep an eye on any hot wax on the hob, and keep it on a low heat. Also, don’t wash your equipment directly in the sink afterwards. No one wants a drain clogged with solidified wax this Christmas!

We used warm water, soap, and paper towels to clean our pans in a plastic washing-up bowl. Admittedly, our methods for disposing of the resulting waxy water weren’t the most efficient. We ended up pouring it into an unwanted garden pot. On reflection, I would suggest that better methods exist.

If you’ve read this article and thought ‘what a hassle’, you can still sign up to Last Ember’s workshops. Either way, whether you’re DIY-ing it at home, or getting crafty at Hatch with a glass of prosecco, there is no doubt you’ll enjoy this wholesome way of gift-giving this year.

Primark goes online – RIP sustainable fashion

Written by Alice Henderson on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Primark is now trialling a click-and-collect service across 25 UK stores in the North-West, Yorkshire, and North Wales. The service includes all the in-store options from home and beauty, men and women to kids items. If all is successful, Primark hopes to expand the service to more stores across the UK. However, does this really have consumer comfort in mind or profitability?

Previous to this, Primark has always been in-store only. But why? Surely a move online would increase profits? Apparently not. Primark’s low prices make e-commerce challenging according to competitors. Peter Williams, former chairman of ASOS, Boohoo and Superdry spoke out, stating, “Given the Primark low pricing and narrow gross margin structure, it is difficult for the online channel to be profitable.”

Primark’s Finance Chief confirms this concern, explaining that “one-third of clothes get returned [and] that means someone has to pick it up, someone has to deliver it, someone in the store has to take it back, refold it. It doesn’t work at the lower price point.”

Online shopping has been the preferred retail experience for many shoppers for a while now. Younger generations, considered as a whole, have less of an inclination to shop in physical stores. E-commerce offers a simplified quick shopping experience, hence why it’s favoured by consumers. But digital shopping has thrown the high street into crisis. It is predicted that by 2030, nearly half of all high street shops will close. Primark’s click-and-collect service is only the beginning of a downward spiral of high street decline.

Despite this, the final push which forced the move to online shopping was the Coronavirus. At the height of the national lockdown, stores had to close. Yet even when retailers were permitted to re-open, shoppers were wary, and often reluctant, to venture into crowded spaces like clothing shops. For this reason, many have praised Primark’s attempts to move online. Online shopping provides the opportunity for those at higher risk of Covid-19 to shop. Although packages must still be collected in-store, the option to select pieces and create an order beforehand is reassuring.

What should be given equal consideration is the importance of fast fashion, or  affordable clothing, amidst the cost-of-living crisis. Of course, access to food, water, and energy takes precedence over clothing, but mass inflation will, without a doubt, change how society shops for clothing. Limited budgets for essential clothing items, like school uniforms, will push consumers in search of affordable options towards fast-fashion chains. In this case, Primark’s click-and-collect policy, especially given that it makes infant clothing ranges more accessible, has certainly come at the right time.

Yet from an environmental point of view, the move towards digital shopping is far from favourable. Major contributors to the environmental impact of shopping are excess packaging and carbon emissions from speedy-delivery services. Online shopping also creates an enormous amount of waste, most of which will have to go to landfill, which could have been avoided if clothing had been tried on in-store. There’s no need to make fast fashion more accessible.

But, perhaps what does need to change, is the availability of affordable sustainable clothing. Sustainable clothing brands have long upheld the stigma of being expensive, hard to come by, and of often selling unfashionable, dated styles. For this to change, there needs to be an increase in demand for sustainable clothing. Brittany Burns, Director of Strategy and corporate development at the non-profit Fashion for Good explains that “As [new] innovations become more mainstream, [this] drives the prices down. There’s a shift that has to happen.”

Independant fashion label AYM-Studio is an example of a fashion-conscious sustainable brand. Their pieces are modern, elegant and high-quality. Attention is given to wearability and timelessness. Although their price-point may be higher than the average high-street shopper usually spends, AYM expects customers to rewear and keep their pieces for a number of years. Although it’s admirable that Primark tentatively pushes for an inclusive shopping experience, we cannot ignore the inevitable impact their move online will have on the environment.

Bones and All review: A bloody mess

Written by Erin Botten on . Posted in Film.

Following the huge success of Call Me By Your Name and We Are Who We Are, Director Luca Guadagnino has teamed up once again with Timothée Chalamet to produce Bones and All. A far cry from his breakthrough summer romance, Guadagninio shifts his directorial focus to blood, guts, and addiction. However, despite the strong cinematography, cast, and music, Bones And All just didn’t live up to the hype.

Warning: This review contains spoilers

Set in 1980s middle America, the film follows Maren (Taylor Russell), a teenager coming to terms with her cannibalistic desires. This is made clear from the get-go, with the first few scenes acting purely as a set-up for the rest of the film. In the span of ten minutes, we watch Maren sneak out of her bolted bedroom to go to a sleepover. At first glance, it plays out like a typical Americana coming-of-age film, until Maren hones in on her friend’s finger, chewing flesh from the bone. From then on, the tone shifts to American horror.

At the core of the film are American culture and values, something Guadagnino emphasized as important to the capturing cinematography and tone of the film. Each set, costume, and landscape was carefully thought out, as Guadagnino explained to Vanity Fair, to represent “80s Americana” and its beauty. The camera shots perfectly add warmth whilst manipulating the emotions of views, perfectly framing each actor’s performance. Something Guadagnino never fails to do is provide stunning cinematography balanced by a delicate and eerie score.

However, beyond the visuals themselves, Bones And All fails to live up to its hype. The main cause of this is its plot or lack thereof. In some ways, the plot matches the lead’s turbulent life flawlessly, with there being no real direction or purpose to Maren and Lee’s life. At the same time, a lot is going on.

Most of the film is centred around Maren finding her mother. Yet, once we meet Maren’s mother, that plotline abruptly ends, with the film scrambling to find something else to focus on. This sense of aimless limbo carries on for the rest of the film. But, again, the aimless wandering was intentional, representing the nomad lifestyle of Maren and Lee.

The acting behind Lee, Maren, and the rest of the cast holds this film together. Had the lead’s performances been weaker, the film would have very easily slipped into a cheesy horror instead of a personal struggle. You can see the passion and empathy each actor puts into the part, especially Chalamet, who complements Russell’s lead role.

However, beyond the leads, the characters themselves feel pointless, with the script’s simplicity failing to add depth. At time, I questioned why certain characters were popping up, such as Sully (Mark Rylance). Sully represented everything Maren needed to avoid, with the ‘eater’ fully isolating himself from society to pursue his cannibalistic needs. In short, the man was a creep, which Guadagnino could’ve experimented with more. But, the character only pops up three times throughout the whole film, for no real reason than to stalk Maren. By the end, it feels like Sully’s only role was to kill off Lee, adding tragedy to perfectly round off Guadagnino’s love story.

The emptiness behind the supporting characters seemed to be recurring, acting only as a prop-up for the leads.  It was clear that each character had a role in the film, either as prey, a life lesson, or someone to lose. Through each role, they attempted to add depth or tie loose plot ends. But the characters themselves had little substance beyond their role.

Lee’s sister, Kayla (Anna Cobb) is the perfect example of this. Had she been more developed, Kayla could’ve been a strong character and added more to the plot of Bones And All. However, her only dialogue is either in conversation with Lee, or talking about Lee to Maren, miserably failing the Bechdel test. Even when her death is revealed at the end, there is little shock or empathy felt, partly because we didn’t know her, and partly because Lee too is dying as he realizes. Had Kayla had more screen time, showing her struggling in the wake of Lee’s addiction and isolation, it would have only added to the emotional poignancy that Bones And All was trying to achieve.

Ultimately, I really wanted to like Bones And All. The cinematography was stunning, akin to Little Women, and the score complemented each scene perfectly. But, at times, the script was questionable.

Lines were too blatant when they should’ve been complex or phrased differently. Call Me By Your Name did this well, with lines providing an insight into what each character was thinking without giving too much away. The speech was cunning and carefully performed, which is something that should’ve been added to Bones And All.

Had the script reflected Maren’s moral compass and Lee’s emotional turmoil, their love story would have had the same weight as Call Me By Your Name. Instead, as we watch Lee bleed out, his begging lines for Maren to eat him are laughable and odd rather than a beautiful last wish, which Guadagninio was trying to achieve.

What could’ve been a gory Romeo And Juliet turned into just another horror with an attractive lead. Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet poured their soul into each scene, but it wasn’t enough to fulfil Guadagninio’s vision of a true romance fuelled by inescapable addiction. Despite this, like Don’t Worry Darling, Bones And All is worth a watch simply for its cinematography and lead performances. Although I warn you, some bits are odd…

Bones And All is in cinemas now. 

No more heading the ball: The health hazards of the beautiful game

Written by Emma Breslin on . Posted in Sport.

Scottish football has introduced some of the most stringent guidelines in the world, setting a limit on the amount of time that a player can head the ball. But what are the links between heading and brain damage?

New guidelines have been implemented since the end of November. Professional footballers in Scotland are to be banned from heading the ball in training the day before and the day after a game. Clubs are also being told to limit the number of exercises that involve heading the ball to “one session per week.”

The introduction of these new guidelines was initiated following a conference at Glasgow University, revealing research that showed former footballers were 3.5 times more likely to die from brain disease and neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia. The study does not explain the cause of the increased risk, but it does explicitly designate heading the ball, and subsequent head injury, as ‘contributory factors.’

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) had previously introduced guidelines limiting heading in children’s and youth football in 2020 but expanded these to include professional and amateur clubs. Following consultation with 50 clubs across the professional men’s and women’s games in Scotland, 70% of people were supportive of introducing new measures to limit heading, and 64% of professional players “believed heading should be limited in training.”

Scotland has always been very vocal in preventing any risks of brain injury or damage across all sports. It was the first country in the world to have a single set of “concussion guidelines for all sports,” with the ‘If in doubt, sit them out’ campaign.

Others soon followed after Scotland’s initiative. FA in England introduced guidelines for clubs that limits players to ten ‘high impact’ headers a week during training.

Photo: Costas Kyriaco @ Wikimedia Commons

 

Links between head injury and neurodegenerative disease

John MacLean, the SFA’s chief medical consultant, said “while the research continues to develop, what we already know about heading and its effects on the brain suggests that there is measurable memory impairment lasting 24 to 48 hours following a series of headers and that brain-related protein can be detected in blood samples for a short time after heading.”

There is a profound number of players who have been recognised as suffering from dementia due to the “excessive amount of heading during their playing careers.” These include Celtic captain Bill McNeill, former England World Cup winner, and Republic of Ireland manager, Jack Charlton.

Concussions are a common head injury that happens to football players. A concussion happens when your head is hit extremely hard, and it is a type of “traumatic brain injury.” Approximately 22% of all injuries in football are concussions. Symptoms of concussions vary from headaches, memory loss, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and balance problems.

Subconcussive injuries are also frequent in football. This is when a person’s head is hit with a strong force, but unlike concussion, it is not severe enough to cause ‘obvious symptoms.’ However, the accumulation of more and more subconcussive head injuries over time can lead to severe cases of head trauma and brain damage.

This repetitive head trauma is associated with “chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurodegenerative disease.” A person is more likely to experience CTE when they are more exposed to excessive head injury over a sustained period of time. Symptoms of CTE include impulsive behavior, memory loss, impaired attention, and poor self-control.

Photo: Alasdair Middleton @ Wikimedia Commons

What does this mean?

Heading the ball has always been and will remain a significant part of competitive football, with some players suggesting that it will be hard to alter their ‘natural instincts’ to head the ball in games and training. With increased monitoring of training routines, football clubs will have to restructure their training plans and set pieces.

Hibernian L.F.C defender Joelle Murray told BBC Scotland that she supported the guidelines, but was worried that they would be a disruption to the success of the game. !You don’t want players to get out of that natural habit, that natural instinct of heading the ball. You wouldn’t want that to impact those scenarios on a match day so it’s trying to find the right balance.”

Luke Griggs, interim chief executive at brain injury charity Headway, said: “The new guidelines are a positive step forwards in terms of how football protects the brain health of players. Football has traditionally been fearful of change, so this willingness to evolve protocols and adapt to emerging research is a welcome development.”

Advancements in research and the overall recognition of the seriousness of head injuries continue to be fundamental to reducing health risks to professional and amateur football players. Continued research must be done to ensure that the effects of head injuries can be reduced as much as possible even though this may mean significant changes to the game itself.

The Anarchist Book Fesitval

Anarchist Book Festival 2022

Written by hannahmcquinn on . Posted in Books.

Now we all know that Manchester is home to such fantastic literary opportunities, with the likes of the Manchester Literature Festival shortly departing the city after its huge success. Perhaps less well-known is the Anarchist Book Festival. What is it, and is it worth attending next year? The Mancunion had the unique opportunity to visit first-hand and find out.

Advertised through small pamphlets around campus, the Anarchist Book Festival was first founded in 2001, under the name Manchester Radical Book Fair. Originally taking place in a basement in Northern Quarter, the book fair has rapidly grown and popularity over recent years. As reflected in its name change, which better reflected the content and philosophy surrounding the literature promoted, the festival now takes place annually at the People’s History Museum in Spinningfields.

Now don’t be fooled, these writers and activists at the festival were not tied to the violent, self-determining roots that anarchy is associated with. Extending into the 21st century, the anarchist writers of the festival reject the hierarchies in society and give the silenced a voice. I considered the writers too like a community, trying to abolish the restrictive measures of the government.

Lumpen Journals
Lumpen Journals
Photo: Hannah McQuinn @ The Mancunion

Standing out to me when I walked around was the huge variety of literature produced on the show! Seeing Brave New World first caught my eye. A book which satirises the education state of the utopian, perfect world led by the forceful Henry Ford, the anarchists perhaps see the mechanised learning of the novel as a method of indoctrination.

Essays, interviews, memoirs, letters, biographies, and short stories were all on show at the festival. Catching my eye was a collection of essays called Lumpen: A journal for the working-class writers, published during each quarter of the year. Each collection contains intimate and factual essays from varied authors, often considered from not clear, poor, and working-class individuals. Yet each abolishes the preconception of the class, addressing their daily struggles and concerns with society. Reading essays discussing issues of food security and not being able to feed one’s children, I was struck by the realness and honesty of the writers which symbolised the reality for so many others.

Too touching on the injustice faced by the NHS during the covid pandemic, the anarchist writers engage passionately with appropriate and evocative subject matter that is not necessarily praised nor deemed of literary importance. Once more, the accessibility of their material to helps extend their reach to wider audiences, being easy to read and often at low price points!

Not typically being the literature that I would engage with, I found attending the Anarchist Book festival a rewarding experience. Seeing the engaging essays, enthusiastic writers, and unique concepts, anarchy does not nearly denote chaos and unruly behaviour, it discusses controversy through honesty and passion!

Remembering Christine McVie

Written by Owen Scott on . Posted in Music.

From 1967 until today, Fleetwood Mac has had many changes in its line-up. It’s a band that has influenced music in such a great way, and one constant in the band, through its whirlwind career, has been Christine McVie, the architect behind many of the band’s most popular hits, such as ‘Songbird’, ‘Everywhere’, and ‘Little Lies’. Sadly, however, on November 30 2022, it was announced that McVie had passed away at the age of 79.

The passing of McVie was announced on the band’s social media accounts, with a statement reading:

McVie’s bandmates similarly posted about the tragic news on their own social media accounts, with Stevie Nicks sharing a handwritten note dedicated to her “best friend in the whole world”.

Christine McVie’s career was spent almost entirely following her musical talent wherever it took her, across the Atlantic and back again. She was born Christine Perfect in Bouth, Lancashire, to a musical family; her father was a concert violinist and music lecturer, and her grandfather was an organist at Westminster Abbey. Having such a musical upbringing, she seemed destined for a career in music, joining her first band Chicken Shack in 1967. Three years later, after marrying bassist John McVie, she joined the band that would make her famous: Fleetwood Mac.

 

Photo: McVie and her bandmate Lindsey Buckingham @ Wikimedia Commons

McVie became an integral part of one of the most influential bands in music, as one of its lead vocalists and its lead keyboardist. With Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joining the band in 1974, Fleetwood Mac released its hit self-titled album in 1975, with which McVie scored two Billboard top-20 songs. Later, with the legendary Rumours, came hits such as ‘Don’t Stop’ and ‘Songbird’, but for many Fleetwood Mac fans her most memorable work was on the band’s 1987 album Tango in the Night. Here, she penned fan favourites including ‘Everywhere’, the band’s third highest charting song in the UK ever, and ‘Little Lies’.

Following 1997’s The Dance, McVie stepped away from the band and returned to England. During her time away, she was awarded the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors’ Gold Badge of Merit for her work with Fleetwood Mac and her critically acclaimed solo albums. To fans’ delight, she formally re-joined Fleetwood Mac in 2014 and remained a valued member until her tragic death this year.

McVie’s impact cannot be understated. Musicians and musical acts the world over cite the band she was such an integral part of as an influence and, just this year, McVie had released an album named Songbird (A Solo Collection), celebrating the decades she has spent in the music industry. The album’s only feature from Fleetwood Mac is the title track ‘Songbird’, with the rest of the album being comprised of her, largely under appreciated, solo work. It’s an essential album for any fan of the band interested in McVie’s catalogue or for fans of McVie’s solo work.

One only needs to log on to any social media site to see the impact McVie had on her fans, with thousands of tweets and Instagram posts joining the memorial messages of her musical contemporaries, such as Neil Finn, Sheryl Crow and Haim. Acts like McVie are a rarity, as so much of her career was dedicated to her music and to the band which made her a household name. Her earnest love for music is perhaps what made McVie as beloved as she is and a true icon in music. The work McVie has done with Fleetwood Mac will live on in fans’ hearts forever.

 

For more on Christine McVie, check out Fleetwood Mac’s website here and listen to Christine McVie’s 2022 album Songbird (A Solo Collection) below:

Walnut salad

Review: I love Fruit and Veg from Europe

Written by Izzy Langhamer on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Winter’s here in Manchester, and the days are getting colder and wetter. In order to keep yourself in peak health, nutrition and good food are key. A colourful plate, filled with nutritious fruit and vegetables, is just as helpful as a lemsip when it comes to fighting off the Winter blues.

Whilst England has a lot to offer in terms of fresh food, there’s nothing quite like European fruit and veg to uplift your meals. Last week, we attended an event hosted by I Love Fruit and Veg from Europe at Canto in Ancoats and were treated to a menu featuring the very best of their seasonal selection. 

First, a bit about I Love Fruit and Veg from Europe. Co-funded by the European Union, their mission is to promote the seasonal purchase and consumption of European fruit and veg, with a particular focus on organic and quality foods. To put it more simply, they’re interested in “farm to fork” where everyone can access the same quality of sustainable, safe food.

For example, they promote prickly pear fruit grown in Sicily, which contains one of the highest concentrations of Vitamin C out of any fruit! The vitamins and minerals are evident in the vibrant colours of the fruit on display tonight, which put sad supermarket offerings to shame.

Cocktails at Canto
Cocktails at Canto, Photo: Izzy Langhamer @ The Mancunion

We started off with some lovely cocktails, a refreshing watermelon tequila cooler and a gin limoncello cocktail. Our meal began with a range of starters and appetisers to share: bread, dark butter, scallops, mushroom croquettes, pickled radish, confit baby artichokes, cheese and charcuterie boards, and padron peppers. There were a few obvious stand-outs. The scallops came with caramelised onions in a bed of salt, and the mushroom croquettes were a creamy and crispy taste sensation. 

We were handed a cheese board packed with a range of soft and hard cheeses, which paired nicely with crackers and chutney. Our padron peppers were exquisitely green and salty: we gobbled down a whole bowl of them! With each course, we were given a specially chosen wine. A glass of Le Rifra Libium Il Foyer from Italy paired particularly well with the cheese board, providing a pleasant lightness to the course. 

Stuffed aubergine
Stuffed aubergine, Photo: Izzy Langhamer @ The Mancunion

For my main course, I had stuffed aubergine with goat’s cheese, red pepper sauce, and basil. A hearty and rich dish, this would be perfect for warming up on a cold evening. My companion tried the chargrilled peri peri chicken, which she found moist, succulent and perfectly spiced. It came with a mound of yellow chips which were more akin to crisps. 

Our sides came long before our mains, which was an oversight that meant they were devoured before they could be tried alongside each other. The grilled asparagus com ajillo were gorgeously crispy and a welcome addition to our plates. We also had kohlrabi, rucula, green lettuce, and walnut salad, which showed off the leafy greens at their best. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to try the appetising-looking grilled peach panzanella, green and red lollo, toasted almond and burrata salad but from what I heard it was delicious – a great take on making a sweet peach into a savoury side! 

By this time, we were as stuffed as the aubergine! And there was still dessert…

All of which featured more delicious fruit on offer. We tried the mulled wine-poached pears, which came with thick double cream, and tasted like Christmas in a nutshell. The classic Italian tiramisu was divine: creamy, indulgent and the perfect balance of alcohol and coffee. The perfect finish to the night.

Review: Tyrants running game continues to dominate

Written by joshuagarside on . Posted in Sport.

The University of Manchester Tyrants return this weekend to ‘Uniball’ action with a 1-1 record. The widely anticipated season-opener against city rivals MMU Eagles, previewed in the Mancunion, fell to a postponement due to administrative issues. The extra week of preparation paid dividends against the LJMU Fury, leading to a 26-6 win. The following week saw a visit to the Sheffield Hallam Warriors, to play the favourites for both the North Division and to win promotion to the Premier Division, falling to a 51-34 defeat in a high-powered offensive showing.

The Fury proved tough early season opponents, with their defence limiting the Tyrants to only 6 points in the first half, courtesy of a Rene Stevens touchdown run. A similarly strong defensive effort from Manchester saw the score at half-time 6-6.

The second half saw a transformed team, piling on 20 points on offence. A switch from Offensive Co-ordinator Max Muchenje into a spread formation opened the running game, reinforced by a dominating offensive line, a unit pointed out by Head Coach Mike Ripley as a key to the Tyrants’ success this season. Second-half touchdowns were scored by Running Back Stevens and Quarterback Len van Dalsen, both rushing.

Head Coach Talks to the Team
Head Coach Mike Ripley gives the Tyrants a debrief after beating the Fury, 26-6. Photo: @ Kasonde Katepa

The defence also stepped up producing a shutout second half, bolstered by spectacular interceptions from Linebacker George Bowen and Cornerback Kev Carson and hard-hitting from rookie Corner Haruun Shobaloju. The defence contributed to the growing second-half score line with captain Dominic Williams blocking a LJMU punt and then returning the ball for a touchdown, his first in seven years, earning him the Tyrants’ Play of the Game Award.

Special teams played a key role in keeping the Fury to 6 points, with Kicker/Wide Receiver Josh Garside, making a key tackle to prevent Fury’s returner from scoring late in the fourth quarter. This was then backed up by a sterling defensive stand inside the Tyrants’ 20-yard line, book-ending the dominant Tyrants’ second-half performance.

The following week against the Warriors saw two talented offences battle it out. The first half was filled with short drives, often resulting in touchdowns or turnovers forced by the opposing defence. The opening salvos were no exception. Hallam received the ball from the kick-off and immediately threw an interception to Conor O’Hagan, his first career pick. Manchester followed up with a one play scoring drive courtesy of a 60-yard rushing touchdown from Stevens. The Warriors hit back almost immediately, only for Dalsen’s first passing touchdowns of the season to Wide Receivers Garside and Oliver Paver, the latter being a terrific 60-yard reception from Paver, on consecutive drives.

Player catching the ball
Wide Receiver Oliver Paver catches his first touchdown of the season. Photo: @ Kasonde Katepa

The offensive line continued to dominate, opening up the rushing game for Stevens, Benjamin Arnold and Jadeon Ng Hong Yu to dominate, alongside Garside on receiver-designed runs, resulting in multiple first downs for the Tyrants. The sheer domination of the rushing game in the first two games marking the Tyrants as one of the premier rushing teams in the North for a second season in a row. The defensive line deserves mention too, with dominating performances from NFL Academy graduate Destiny Olusegun and Williams, pressuring the Warriors’ Quarterback and stifling the opposition’s running game.

Despite faltering in the second half, with the offence only scoring on the opening drive, the defence kept the Tyrants competitive against a strong Hallam offence, which eventually pulled away and took the game out of the hands of the Manchester team. Despite the defeat, positives can be taken from the game, particularly from the strong showing by the lines and the performance of the defence in creating turnovers, with three total interceptions on the day.

Tyrants line up pre-game
Ready for battle against the Sheffield Hallam Warriors. Photo: @ Kasonde Katepa

The next test for the Tyrants comes against the 1-1-1 Sheffield Sabres at home on 27 November, kicking off at 10am, who come into the game fresh off the back of a six-point victory over the MMU Eagles. Following this comes the reverse fixture against Hallam, also at home, on 11th December, to take Manchester into the Christmas break. Both games will be played at the Armitage Centre in Fallowfield on Pitch E.

carey mulligan and zoe kazan discuss in an office

She Said review: Exposing Harvey Weinstein

Written by Alice McQuail on . Posted in Film.

She Said, based on an autobiographical book of the same title, follows The New York Times investigation by Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) and Meghan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) into the decades of sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Director Maria Schrader (Unorthodox) and screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz were both concerned with continuing the ongoing conversation surrounding the #MeToo movement which was ignited by this article. 

After the revelations in 2017, Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in a New York state prison on charges of sexual assault and third-degree rape. No one wants to see a film about him. However, She Said steers clear of depicting Harvey Weinstein – he is never actually shown on screen apart from an ominous but brief shot of his back. This is a film about the bravery of his victims for speaking out and the danger of doing so.

Carey Mulligan is in her element playing Twohey, the headstrong journalist. Especially after the success of Promising Young Woman where she plays a woman trying to expose the culture of sexual assault in nightclubs. Twohey is first shown going head-to-head with Donald Trump over his sexual harassment allegations before his election in 2016, we see from the start how close this cause is to her heart.

Zoe Kazan is equally impressive as Kantor who previously worked on cases investigating sexual harassment in the workplace. She learns about Rose McGowan’s (Kelly McQuail) account of assault by Weinstein and begins the investigation.

Twohey later joins the case, steering it away from solely focusing on the accounts of famous actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow, towards women who, in her words, “have no voice”. A former employee of Harvey Weinstein and one of the first women to go on the record, Laura Madden (Jennifer Ehle), says in the film, “It was like he took my voice that day, just when I was about to start finding it.”

Although the film goes into some detail about the experience of the victims, there are no graphic scenes of assault. This allows for a level of control of the victim’s experiences. Their trauma is not exploited for shock factor, instead, each victim is given a deeply emotional and respectful focus. Ashley Judd plays herself in an especially heart-wrenching scene where she recounts her own experience.

The film also includes interspersed shots of the younger counterparts of Laura Madden as she stumbles upon a film set in the opening shot of the film, and Weinstein’s former assistants Zelda Perkins (Samantha Morton) and Rowena Chui (Angela Yeoh). They serve as a sobering reminder of how young they were at the time.

The film adds a personal level to Kantor and Twohey’s lives to show how all-consuming the case became. In a conversation with her young daughter, Kantor is shocked to hear her say the word “rape”. It is a reminder of the importance of the #MeToo movement, to protect the next generation of women. Twohey is shown dealing with postpartum depression before the case begins, which Mulligan has also admitted to having struggled with. She claims she understood why Twohey clung to the case as something solid to focus on.

Eventually, with the supervision of Rebeca Corbett (Patricia Clarkson) and Dean Baquet (Andre Braugher), the article is finally completed in a classic shot of the “Publish” button being clicked.

She Said is a timely reminder of the ongoing abuse of power perpetuated by the Hollywood system. Although She Said is a landmark in Hollywood addressing its own problem, the #metoo era is far from over, we must stay vigilant.

4/5.

 

She Said is now showing in cinemas.

“This is the most controversial World Cup in history“- A review of Qatar 2022 so far

Written by The Mancunion on . Posted in Sport.

In his opening monologue to the camera, marking the start of the 22nd FIFA World Cup,  Gary Lineker got the mood surrounding Qatar spot-on. In his introduction, the presenter matter-of-factly and plainly stated, “this is the most controversial World Cup in history.”

Truly, one cannot provide an example of a World Cup that had been shrouded in such unbelievable negativity and dispute as Qatar 2022. Everything started with the scheduling of the tournament in winter, causing football seasons around the world to be disrupted. In turn, the winter affair took away the typical association of the World Cup with the joyous summer months – something that football fans hold incredibly dear.

More seriously, news surrounding the Qatari treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, Jewish fans, and migrant workers has continued to feed into the atmosphere leading up to the tournament. Subsequently, what is usually an iconic exciting global spectacle has become a battleground for moral and political disputes. For football fans, this has stripped the World Cup back from anything but football and national pride.

In order to bring the World Cup back to its football focus, it’s time for a mid-point review. Let’s look at the tournament’s successes and examine how the actual events of Qatar 2022 stack up against the points made during its unprecedentedly negative build-up.

The first thing that must be discussed when attempting to provide an embryonic assessment and review of the events of Qatar 2022 so far, is the obvious showpiece of the event – the footballing action on the pitch. When viewing the tournament from a purely footballing perspective, this year’s World Cup has delivered. The tournament has already provided us with a wealth of exciting sporting action, such as Cameroon’s breathtaking comeback from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Switzerland, and Spain’s methodical 7-0 destruction of a poor Costa Rica, that will surely go down as iconic in years to come.

Opening Ceremony, Photo: U. S. Department of State @ Wikimedia Commons

There have also been a number of upsets that have served to compound the exciting nature of the tournament, including Saudi Arabia’s brutal takedown of Argentina, and Japan’s comeback win against Germany. Moreover, in yet another mouth-watering twist, there is still (at the time of writing) something to play for in terms of qualification for the knockout stages of every single group in the tournament, meaning there is plenty more exciting action to come!

One slight dampener that can be placed on the footballing action so far though, is the mixed performance of the two representatives of the home nations at the tournament – England and Wales.  England started resoundingly and emphatically, taking apart Iran 6-2 in their first game on 21st November, with them racing into a 3-0 lead in the first half. But, questions have once again been raised about the team’s quality, and the abilities of their manager Gareth Southgate, after they stumbled and were arguably outplayed in a 0-0 draw against the US. Additionally, Wales, in their first World Cup in over six decades, have been lame at best. Drawing 1-1 in a complete deadlock with the US, and heartbreakingly losing 2-0 to Iran after conceding two goals in injury time.

Yet away from the football pitch, the controversy has not at all dissipated, and despite the enjoyment, there are still consistent reminders of the distinctly ugly nature of this tournament. There have been repeated abhorrent incidents surrounding Qatar’s draconian and at best medieval laws towards members of the LGBTQ+ community. The captains of the England and Germany teams were threatened with bookings by FIFA if they wore ‘OneLove’ armbands in support of the LGBTQ+ community in their opening games. And Welsh fans – before their opening game against the US – reported having bucket hats with LGBTQ+ insignia on them confiscated from them by Qatari authorities.

Members of other minority groups have also faced unacceptable discrimination in Qatar, as the 10,000 or so Jewish fans that have made the journey to watch the World Cup have reported being denied the right to public prayer by the Qatari authorities – a right they were initially promised would be protected. Additionally, reports have also continued to come out about the disgraceful and inhumane treatment of migrant workers. 6,000 workers sadly died as a result of unacceptable working conditions and treatment by the Qatari authorities. All of them were enlisted to build the showpiece stadiums in which the tournament’s footballing action has been played out.

 

Photo: Jacquelinekato @ Wikimedia Commons

Following on, when it comes to the experience of the one million or so fans who have journeyed to Qatar to watch their teams participate in the World Cup, the quality of the experience has certainly been a mixed bag. Reports around the potential fan experience during the World Cup were some of the most negative in the days building up to kick-off in the tournament, as the Qatari authorities took the decision to ban the consumption of alcohol inside stadiums, disrupting the staple presence of alcohol in the footballing culture of Europe and South America. However, alcohol is still accessible to many football fans in fan zones, and fans are greatly enjoying themselves in Qatar, as increasing amounts of supporters groups converge on the tiny nation, and help to build an atmosphere.

Nevertheless, some fans have had no choice but to stay in lackluster and over-priced temporary accommodation for the course of the tournament. These living quarters have no air conditioning, despite the searing heat of Qatar’s desert climate, and running water that is visibly dirty.

To conclude, just eight days into the most controversial edition ever of the FIFA World Cup, there are certainly many elements of the tournament so far that have been positive. The footballing action has been captivating – regardless of some unimpressive performances by England and Wales – and the majority of fans certainly seem to be enjoying themselves. Yet this cannot detract from the continued problems of LGBTQ+ rights, migrant worker deaths, and a lack of religious freedom. These have greatly harmed the tournament’s image, and the security and happiness of many fans, as well as Qatari citizens.

Moreover, any review of the tournament provided at such an early point as this will be at best rudimentary. Only the annals of time will decide how much of a success Qatar 2022 – “the most controversial” edition of the tournament in history – really has been.

Words by Thomas Woodcock

Extreme beauty procedures: The Botox craze

Written by Imogen Mingos on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Botox is no longer a stigmatic, elitist procedure but rather something that many people – celebrity or non-celebrity – get to prevent ageing. While some botox can be used to treat medical conditions, for cosmetic purposes it remains one of the best-selling beauty trends since the early 2000s with approximately up to six million people receiving botox each year.

It comes as no surprise that the procedure achieves such popularity, with successful results, it is proudly endorsed by celebrities. Botox even received a Cosmopolitan Beauty Award in 2021.

When the majority of people talk about Botox, they are usually referring to the dermatologic procedure whereby wrinkles are reduced on the face by smoothing out the skin with a nerve-blocking drug, but now it seems that people are using Botox on their feet, hair and even their bladders!

Upon reading Highsnobiety’s article on ‘foot Botox’ I knew that this was an area I would need to do a deep dive into.

So, what exactly is this new Botox craze and how exactly did it come about?

Botox (the brand name for the drug botulinum toxin) became FDA-approved 20 years ago and is the most effective way to minimise the appearance of wrinkles. It works via injection into the selected areas of the face and blocks nerve signals so that the muscles can’t contract and consequently don’t wrinkle.

The procedure is relatively mid-range with it costing from $250 to have your forehead done, but celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Cindy Crawford, and Linda Evangelista probably pay upwards of $600 for that area alone.

In a society where sadly older women are expected to stay looking eternally young in order to be perceived as attractive, it’s understandable that a lot of people turn to this cosmetic procedure.

What is news though is the trend of Botox being used on other body parts for a variety of reasons.

Extreme beauty procedures are no rare unicorn, in fact they now seem relatively common, for example the Kardashians’ Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) which they denied but their pre-2022 figures seemed impossible to achieve without them.

Despite the procedure having a high mortality rate of one in every 3000 surgeries, BBLs rose by 90.3% between 2015 to 2019. The beauty industry has once again created a procedure so that women can live up to ever-changing ephemeral beauty standards.

But foot Botox seemed to me to be almost too shocking to be true; if the headline hadn’t come from a Highsnobiety article I wouldn’t have believed it.

Writer Alexandra Pauly said that due to the resurgence of high heels after the pandemic as people return to the office and consequently office parties (as well as other in-person gatherings), people are “having trouble adjusting to footwear’s new heights,” and so are turning to Botox “to make their towering shoes more comfortable.”

The drug’s muscle-relaxing effect can also be used to address foot pain caused by high heels: “A shot of Botox… paralyses the muscles on your heel bone, thereby reducing discomfort.”

Some people are also receiving dermal filler (used in facelifts) to “the balls of patients’ feet for added cushioning.”

If that wasn’t crazy enough, Highsnobiety also published an article less than half a year ago about a New York City urologist administering Botox to Manhattan’s one per cent to cure ‘Hamptons Bladder’.

Dr. David Shusterman uses the drug to inject it directly into people’s bladders to decrease urinary frequency for women, “allowing rich people to drive to the Hamptons faster.”

His slogan ‘race to the Hamptons, not to the bathroom’ has allegedly helped thousands of people. They no longer have to pee in public bathrooms – thank goodness.

On the other end of the spectrum, botox is being used under an umbrella term to hydrate and strengthen people’s hair in the form of a deep-conditioning treatment. The name is purely a marketing move suggesting that the effects of smoothing and softening your hair will be as effective as those of Botox on the skin.

Since it is usually only received in hair salons, the treatment contains more potent forms of active ingredients. Plus, there’s added benefit of Botox being tailored to your hair type and sometimes even enhanced with red light therapy, to achieve an effect that could not be done at home. If you can afford the $30 – $300 dollar procedure, then hair botox is meant to be a brilliant quarterly treatment for all hair types and concerns.

Whilst I’m looking to improve my own hair health, I think I will give hair botox a miss for the time being!

So, what does the Botox craze tell us about society today?

In my opinion, it’s a reflection of the impossible beauty standards set out by a society that people are forever trying to live up to whether that’s through extreme beauty procedures, trends, or diets.

Of course, I’d never shame anyone for choosing Botox or any other cosmetic procedure, but I can’t help but wonder when society will embrace diversity, body positivity and ageing, amongst other things.

With the reincarnation of the deadly heroin chic trend that contributed to thousands of eating disorders in the 90s and 2000s, and now people getting foot Botox to deal with the discomfort of high heels, I’d encourage people to prioritise their own health above trends and beauty standards.

Let’s hope that the Botox trend stops where it is – I will certainly, for the moment, stick to my gua sha and Dr Martens!

The Lowry is visited by Santa Claus this Christmas

Written by Jay Darcy on . Posted in Theatre.

Greater Manchester and Chester have hosted quite a few premieres this year, such as the European premiere of Mrs. Doubtfire (which nobody was allowed to review), the world premiere of The Book Thief, the world premiere of The Time Traveller’s Wife, and the European premiere of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Now, The Lowry is set to host two huge premieres over the holidays. The regional premiere of the National Theatre’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane (based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name) will be playing at the Lyric Theatre, whilst the Quays Theatre will be hosting the World Premiere of Claus – The Musical.

Claus is based on The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum (the acclaimed author best-known for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the stage musical adaptation of which is currently having its Regional Premiere at Curve, Leicester).

Claus follows the titular Santa Claus (or, as we Britons call him, Father Christmas).

“Abandoned as a baby in the magical Forest of Burzee, he is gifted to Necile, a wood nymph, who showers him with love and names him Claus.  With a helping hand from the mystical inhabitants of the forest – Fairies, Knooks and Ryls – she teaches him that kindness is the most important lesson of all, a gift that Claus eventually shares with us, as he embarks on a journey to bring the miracle of Christmas to the whole world.”

With spellbinding songs from Andy Collyer, heart-warming storytelling, enchanting sets, and a whole load of festive fun, discover the story of Claus and how he became a man forever in our hearts – and on Christmas Eve, forever in our skies.

How the boy became a man. How the man became a legend.

 

Claus – The Musical has its World Premiere at The Lowry (Quays Theatre) from December 14 2022 to January 8 2023.