Venue issue 251

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VENUlE Editor-in-Chief Donny Collins I concrete.editor@ueo.oc.uk Venue Editor Duncan Vicot-Brown I concrete.event@ueo.ac.uk Deputy Venue Editor Fiono Howord

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Fashion Editor> Kot Jones

Deputy Fashion Editor Honnoh Britt Fashion Contributors>Milly Sompson Eleonor Wilson, Rochel Howkms, Honnoh Brtll :Ao......~~~

I Arts Editor liz Jack son

Arts Conlributors>Horriet Jones, Rochoel Lum, Rebecco Hozlewood, V1ctouo H1ghheld, Ouncon Vicot-Brown [l!Jj]rml]@ill([!JJ~~~tm!(""@~dOOJ~~ I

Creative Writing Editor Robert Van Egg hen

Creolive Writing Contributors>EIIo Choppell, Seboslion Middleton, Jomie Sykes, Jomie Storr, Jennifer Grey, Rochoellum, Robert von Egghen

lWlJ..U:,U!lllll!~~~~~~~ I Television Editor> Tosho Galley Television Contributors> Moll Tidby, Helen Eolon, Amy Adorns, Beth Wyott, Notolie Fletcher, Mork Morris

Courtesy Taxis Prince of Wales Rd, Opposite RoccosjMercy

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Music Editors> Alee Plowmon & Alex Throssell

Music Contributors> Tom Duffy, Emily Prichord, Rose Clork, Josh Cliff, Jomie lewis, Jomes Woodward, Ant Firth-Ciork, Alex Throssell, Alec Plowmon IE.tlniJltamlW(C!~lilill~

I Film Editor>iPoul Martin

Deputy Film Editor> (otheri ne Watts Film Contributors>Helen Jones, lorno Pontefroct, Jomes Burrough, Ooug Boulf, Beth Oovison, Anno Eo slick, Tim Boles, Cormino Mosoliver-Morlow, Somontho Rogers, Som Oordoy, Emily Boter, Jock Burrows

COURTESY TAXIS DISCOUNT WRISTBAND

50 SEAT WAITING AREA IN THE HEART OF CLUBLAND

listings Editor>Geo rgino Wo de Listings Contributors>Georgino Wode

Competitions Editor>Henry Croft Competitions Contributors> Henry Croft

OPPOSITE MERCY/ROCCOS PRINCE OF WALES ROAD

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D1FE911I ISSUE 2~1

FASHION concrete.fashion@uea . ac.uk

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GLOBE TROTTING With th e Osca rs ju st aroun d the corne r, t he Holl ywood sta rl ets gave us a taste r of red ca rpet fash ion at the Go lden Globes. Th is week, t hree fashion write rs ta ke a look at dresses that leave us both green w ith envy and green with horror. We also take inspiration f rom those who got their outfits right on the money with a movie themed fashion shoot, showing you the look of high class glamour on a student budget. Dreaming of an entourage of stylists and designers? Topshop in Norwich is all you need. Christina Hendricks' dress is not enti rely flattering for a lady w ith a bigger she bust. However, does w in points in the sophisticat ion states.

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RED HoT

PALE AND INTERESTING

Oozing sex appeal on the red carpet in classic Hollywood Christina style, Hendricks and January Jones are the epitome of old school glamour in fearlessly showing off their killer figures.

Bejewel led draped tulle styles worn

by Scarlett Jo hansso n and Sandra Bullock

created etherea l grace; In keeping with 201o's love of all things neutral, beige, greige and nude these three classy ladies have ticked all the right boxes with these stunning ensembles .

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Red Dress; Motel atTopshop £45

January Jones looks polished in a cut-out tasselled column dress, but Ch ri stina Hend ri cks outshi nes her eo-star, pl aying up her famous curves in an elegant one shou lder design .

Scarlett is washed out by the shade of her dress and it's not the most inspiring or outfit flattering she's worn; she needs a littl e more wow factor. Nicole Kidman as always looks like an old sc hoo l Hollywood Starlet; her simp le dress is a good choice.

Lace Wa istcoat; Topshop £45

ENTRANCE WITH A BANG (.!)

I can't that He lena deny Bon ham Carter doesn't st and out. She manages t o pull it off surprisingly well.

Shoes; New Look £29.99

DARI< AND SEDUCTIVE

Helena Bon ham Carter dressed <1: w in her customary kooky a: style, fashioning a multiU co loured shiny lace affa ir and mismatched shoes, perhaps not to m everyone's taste. 1-

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So much black does run the risk of looking a bit sombre- in this case accessories are key and Longoria is sadly lacking in that department. Eva Longoria pulls off this glamorous number perfectly with an elegant hairstyle to match. Eva Longoria creates a dramatic silhouette in a beautifully cut, floor sweeping fishtail gown.

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Dress £39 and Cluster Ring £7 .50' both Tops hop

01 FE8 11

FASHION

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Topshop and Topman prove that fashio n from the good old Great British high street can knock the socks off of ludicrously expensive award ceremony attire . Our very own Bradley James and Emma McKee certain ly give Robert Downey Junior and LE~ i ghton Meester a run for their money with delicately bejewelled lace and metallic sheened suits which shout A-List quality.

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Taking time out from starring in blockbusters, this duo ditch the awards in favour of catching a cheeky movie at Cinema City. Home for the indie and arty films, as well as iconic classics, Cinema City is definitely worth gi ving up the globes for.

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If Red Carpet Fashion is anything to go by, Hannah Britt certainly thinks so. As actors and actresses posed their way dow n the red carpet at the Golden Globes this week, one thing was evident : it's a hard life for a boy. Before you strike this off as a piece of digressive anti-feminism, allow me to explain . The girls resembled a box of Quality Street - a huge array of shiny wrappers. Some, such as the disgusti ngly beautiful Angelina Jolie, made like the big purp le one and looked delectable. Others, however, did not fare so well. Catherine Zeta Zones, dressed like a badly trimmed Christmas t ree, left a bad aftertaste - the gross coconut toffee one often does. However, whether the dresses were adored or abhorred, at least one could say that they were interesting. The boys, on the other hand, were not so varied . Remaining with the theme of confectionary for continuity, the actors flexing down the red carpet were like a box of After Eights- delicious but all in the same wrappers . After a while the t aste became boring. Monotonous. A conveyer belt of suits. We girls can flash a little or a lot of leg, we can bump our cleavage up to t heir ch ins. Our straps can go sideways, longways, crossways ... The fashion world is our oyster. The same cannot be said for the hairier sex . His suit can be "sta ndard" fit, or "skinny" if he's

feeling indie. lt can be grey, dark blue, or black. Only the brave would dare to don a more exciting colour- stand up Elton John . Suits cannot be cropped or strapless, and if his trousers were cut above the knee he would look as if he has had an unfortunate run - in with an escalator. Girls can swathe themselves in chiffon, silk and lace. A boy can choose from a range of cottons or wool. Woman can dress as men; the trend for mannish dressing is huge this season with androgynous models such as Freja Beha Erichsen taking centre stage. If a woman wears a man's trousers, she is seen as edgy and fcshion forward . However, if the roles are reversed, some serious questions are asked about his sexual orientation ... Even the most beautiful of manly creatures cannot get away with wearing women 's clothing . Remember when David Beckham wore that sarong in 1998? lt was front page news material. Men can show a little chest (as long as it's a good one). However, if they reveal too much chest they look like a JLS audition hopeful. Fashion is not a rea lm of equa lity. And that is something that we girls should celebrate. As I am sure Emmeline Pankhurst would attest to, sometimes, it is bloody good to be a girl.

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Thank you t o Topshop and Topman fo r t he clothes and to Jack at Cinema City. Fancy something different, quirky, quaint? Head to Cinema City for a great night out

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BAllET>ST PETERSBURG BAllET THEATRE>THE SLEEPING BEAUTY (J) (.!)

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Who wouldn't know The Sleeping Beauty7 The classic fairytale of a princess who sleeps for a hundred years upon pricking her finger and wakes up after a prince kisses her is one that has lasted for centuries, whether Disney film or tradit ional ba ll et. St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre (SPBT) brought this story to li fe th rough Tchaikovsky's popu lar ballet at Norwich Theatre Royal and lived up to their reputation, exceeding the expectations of the audience. The choreography was spectacu lar, complimented by seasoned ballet dancers who made complicated routines seem flawless. lt does not take a professional to tell that the dancers have been through rigorous training - Atkhik Ohannesyan deserves recognition for her superb ro le as the lead, proving her talent in her shining moment during 'Rose Adagio', where Princess Aurora dances with four suitors. Ohannesyan performed a demanding routine with many arabesque movements and spinning all on pointed toe and with an enthusiastic smile on her face, making her performance highly enjoyable to watch. Dancing alongs1de her were Dmitry

Rudichenko as Prince Florimund and Anna Samostrevola as the Fairy of Goodness. Th1s dynamic trio demanded stage presence, particularly when the prince was led by the vision of the sleeping beauty in the woods. The world formed on stage only added to the charm, from the elaborate costumes to the detai led stage set- there were four layers of cloth used to create the castle, complete with fabric pillars for the interior. Another interesting device was the large semi-transparent cloth, whereby flashes of the storyline can be seen with the fading in and out of the spotlight. Where there wasn't ballet involved, the pantomime served to bring out the essence of the fairytale. Sergei Davydov was bril liant in the dramatic portrayal of the villain Cantalabutte. Not short of humour, the audience's laughter could be heard whenever the comedic routine of officer with the magical ly transformed donkey head appeared. Additiona lly in the third act, Dimitry Shevtsov and lnna Andreeva entertained the audience with Puss in-Boots and Cat's playful feline waltz, all of wh1ch built up the family -fnendly

atmosphere. The arrangement featured the best of Tchaikovsky's compositions, conducted by Vadim Nikitin. Those familiar with the Disney animation would recognise some of the scores that were adapted for the soundtrack. 'The Garland Waltz' was especially memorable as it had been adapted into the love song, 'Once upon a Dream'. There were very few flaws to this

performance which only adds to the impression that SPBT have produced a world-class interpretation of this ballet. Some of the audience may have found the second act comparatively short, with Prince Florimund's triumph over evil and Princess Aurora's awakening occurring a little too quickly to allow tension to build and enhance the impact of the scene. Overall however, the night was beaut1fully

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BAllET>ST PETERSBURG BAllET THEATRE>SwAN lAJ<E

Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky was a composer who firmly assimilated traditions of Western European symphonic mastery in a deeply original, personal and national style. With no need for modernisation, this production of Swan Lake embraced traditionalism, managing more beautifully than ever to portray the enchanting tale of Odette, a princess cursed by the evil sorcerer

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u The chance to see one of Ballet's al l time classics performed by arguably the world's rmost prestigious dance company promised ([ <( to be an unforgettable evening, and the St Petersburg Ballet's production of Swan Lake at the Norwich Theatre Royal most defin1tely did not disappoint. Z The St. Petersburg Ballet 0 Theatre was founded in 1994 I by Russian entrepreneur Konstantin Ul Tachkin, to deliver classical Russian ba llet to <!. u_ audiences worldwide. The company tour extensive ly, including repeated visits to Ul

Great Britain. lt is made up mostly of graduates from the infamous Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, where they trave! with their own fantastic orchestra under the baton of talented conductor Ale xander Kantorov. Swan Lake is a ballet by Russian composer Tchaikovsky and his wide ranging work accommodates symphonies, operas, ballets, instrumental and chamber music and songs. He wrote some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the classical repertoire including Swan Lake, The

Von Rothbart. Swan by day, princess by night, the only way to break the spell 1s if an unblemished youth swears fidelity and marries her, which IS where the character of Pnnce Siegfreud comes in during Act One. However, before he can confess his love for Odette, day breaks and she returns to the form of a swan . This played out beautifully in the duet sequence between the two characters which enchanterl the audience, highlighting SPBT's mastery of some of the most difficult ballet techniques and injecting a palpably emotive aspect to the performance. Act Two dazzled the audience with a stnng of stunning dances performed by the guests at Sigfreud's 21st birthday party. Whether it be by sorcery or one too many drinks, the Prince is fooled by the evil sorcerer into swearing his love for another woman,

who closely resembles Odette . Horrified by his mistake, the prince runs to apologise to his true love. Von Rothbart appears as a black swan and a heart wrenching battle

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managmg more beautifully than ever t o portray the enchanting t ale of Odette ... fi ll ed with stunn111g leaps and pirouettes is fought. Finally evil is vanquished and the spell is broken. Howev =r th1s ending clearly d1d not allow the impression of the ballet to fade in the audience's minds, as they remained spellbound by Alia Bochorova's performance as Odette and this showed in their applause, demonstrating that this is a performance not to be missed. This stunning ballet will finish its European tour in France in February.

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LITERATURE>HARUI<I MuRAI<AMI>NoRWEGIAN Wooo Coming into 1987, Haruki Murakami was a young author who had enjoyed a moderate level of critica l and commercial success for a han dful of genre-b lurring nove ls, known for blending both Japanese and Western styles with elements of Eastern mythology. When he announced that his next novel, Norwegian Wood, was essentially a romance, many of his hardcore fans assumed he'd lost his damn fool mind . Fast forward to today, and Norwegian Wood has sold more copies in Japan than any other novel, propelling Murakami t o such a leve l of fame that he fled to the US In 1991. But fear not.; despite the overwhelming sales figures, this is no Twilight. Proving that they are just better t han most people, t he youth of Japan went out in droves to buy a great novel that transcends the typical romance mould in every way. lt's the story of midd le-aged businessman Toru, his days as a student in late 6o's Tokyo, and his relationships with two very different women. One is Naoko, the long term girlfriend of Kizuki, his best friend . After Kizuki sudden and unexpected suicide, t hey take solace in each other's mutual grief, but Naoko's own fragile mental state threatens both their relationship and her life.

THEATRE>NoRFOLK The recent performance of Fiddler on the Roof at the Theatre Royal by the Norfolk & Norwich Operat ic Society was charming and enjoyable to watch, and received a glowing reception from the audience. The night undeni ably exhibited great pride in raw local talent and was a rem inder of how much musicals make us smile, despite their popular stereotypes. First produced on Broadway in 1964, and standing in history as a record breaking production, the show is and continues to be a huge success worldwide. Whether shown in New York, Jerusalem, Tokyo or Paris, Fiddler on The Roof is prominent in attracting diverse and large audiences with its dazzling dose of catchy songs, witty characterisation and bizarre imagination. Set in the quiet village of Anatevka, Russia, just before the Russian Revolution, we are introduced to Tevye (played by John Mclnnes), a poor but decent father of five daughters who doesn't live life as easily as he wishes. A Jewish man who often questions God's choices of the small pains in his life including his 'moaning' horse and his lack of sons, we see Tevye's appreciation for culture and tradition as a focus for the way he lives his life. Change, however, threatens all that he once knew, as his daughters reach out for independence and question tradition as being both shallow and limited .

The other is Midori, independent and unpredictable, whose past is in ruins and whose future is uncertain, but who ignites a previously dormant sense of excitement and strength in Toru . These two women lead him to a difficult choice, between grief or acceptance, the past or the future,

standing still or moving forward . These are weighty issues we're talking about here, and Murakami refuses to back away from some deeply distressing material. But it's not all gloom and nihilism. First of all, it's beautifully written; Murakami has a masterful grasp

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on the rhythm and musicality of prose, and passages flow as seamlessly as symphonies. lt's also funny, sexy as hell and seriously coo l, with characters discussing hipster trademarks as disparate as John Updike and Boris Vian (if you don't know who this is, you're missing out; check out 'Je Bois', the first line of which translates as 'I drink systematically I So I can forget all the friends of my wife') . Despite the worries of his fans, there are also beautiful surreal touches, the most impressive of which details Toru's attempt to remember a wa lk through open fields with Naoko. The scene deve lops and blurs as details are recalled or lost, the setting and description altering as the memory shifts between warm and bitter. lt's the most intelligent dissection of the nature of memory that you're ever likely to read . There's never been a better time to discover, or revisit, Norwegian Wood . With a film adaptation due for an international release this year(don'tworry, it's a Japanese adaptation, so it'll probably be fine), and its setting against the student protests in late 6o's Japan bring up some situations and characters that will be all too familiar for today's students. lt's thoughtful, gripping, inspirational and hip. And no-one sparkles. Duncan Vicat-Brown

NoRWICH OPERATIC SociETY>FIDDLER oN THE RooF

Love is presented as a key theme within the show, as Yente (the local matchmaker) loses her touch in her pairi ng involving Tevye's eldest daughter. In particular, we see issues of wealth, race and pride interfering with romance within the tight community, provoking questions in the audience's mind as to their actual significance in comparison to love, as well as love's importance for acceptance. Protagonist John Mclnnes was the star of the show as an average father who appreciates a drink and the comforts of money. Sympathetically the show also portrays a family separating and breaking away into the unknown, providing something the audience is able to relate to with a great deal of empathy. Tradition is seen as giving order, comfort and security to stop ourselves failin.g or falling "like a fiddler on the roof". The cast was full of all ages, and everybody seemed confident and convincing in their roles, whether singing or acting. The production effectively brought together the entertaining and talented efforts of all the cast members and was definitely a memorable, effective and most of all entertaining performance. A (perhaps) less profound but nonetheless relevant and refreshing inclusion in Theatre Royal's Spring programme. Harriet Jones

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TELEVISION ~ PRIMETIME> 1 0 O'CLOCI< LIVE 8 CHANNEL 4, THURSDAY, 1OrM 'L

DowNLOAo> GREY's ANATOMY

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The commitme nt of Channel Four t o prov iding exc it ing 'altern ati ve' co ntent ha s bee n ro oted into its DNA since its incepti on in 1982 . 10 O'Clock Live is another attempt by t he chann el to ret urn to those core princip les, combining its two famed strengths, comedy and news. Essentially a live hour of political disc uss ion front ed by fore head sa lesma n Jimmy Carr, token female Lauren Laverne, famed sourpuss Charlie Brooker and Lordamongst -Men Dav id M itche ll, 10 O'Clock Live att em pts to prov ide a fu n, anarc hi c alternative to Newsnight. All the ingredients for an excellent programme are here; funny, intelligent comedians, a variety of formats for debate and larks and even a set that looks like a TV budget, multi-coloured Tron. Sadly, from the evidence of the first episode, it may take some time to l1ve up to this promise. Some of the 'sketches' were woefully bland, with l1ttle or no time given

over to in -depth interviewing that made t he show f ee l a lot less slee k than intended . lt wasn't all bad news t hou gh - Dav id Mitchell's 'Listen to Mitchell' ran t -tocamera segment wo rked bril li antl y live, and Charl ie Brooker's partiall y prerecorded and carefully scripted analysis of the situation in Tunisia demonstrated how good the show could be if the hosts were all owed t o play to the ir strengt hs. In short, there is a mass of potential here for an excellent programme that maint ains and heighte ns Channe l Four's reputa t ion for innovation and the foregrounding of current affairs. Simply, it needs Charlie Brooker doing more scripted , pre -prepared analyses as per his Newswipe experience, more Mitchell rants, less cringe worthy sketches and more t1me given over to in-depth interviews. Despite these deficiencies, if you find Paxman a bit 'old hat', this is worth a look. MattTidby

Recently recommissioned for its eighth se rie s, Grey's Anatomy, th e hit Am eri ca n med ica l drama series, shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. This is despit e worried grumblings from fa ns t hat t he show cou ldn't surv ive th e departure of one of its main characters, Jzzie Stevens, played by the Emmy awardWinning Katherine Heigl (Heigl has now con fi rmed, t o t he relie f of m any, t hat she will return to Grey's Anatomy sometime in the near future). Always mo re focused on the drama than t he med icine, Grey's Anatomy is perhaps better categorised as a soap rather than a clear-cut medical drama, in the vein of some of its competitors, such as, House. But this does not mean the show is any less intelligent. Follow~ng a group of surgical interns recently arrived at Seattle Grace Hospital, as they struggle to Juggle their medical training with their personal lives. Grey's Anatomy has achieved both commercial

and critical success winning numerous awa rd s, in clu ding 3 Emmys and a Golden Globe, as well as spawning a successful spin-off, now in its fourth series, entitled

Priva te Practice. Th e show cen t res large ly arou nd t he trials and tribula t ions of one of the new interns, Meredith Grey, who narrates the episodes, and whose complicated love life, along with those of her fe ll ow interns, (who helpfully give their conquests nicknames such as McDreamy, McSteamy, and the equa lly im ag in at ive ly na med, McVe t ), w ill soon get you hooked. You too will find yourself being dragged into the fast-paced and often witty world of who's sleep in g w ith a fe ll ow in tern , who's sleeping with a patient, who's sleep1ng with their boss, and who's, well, just sleeping. All of wh1ch is set to a killer soundtrack. Of course. Natalie Fletcher Season 5 and Season 7 are currently airing on Living TV.

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~a: MARI< MORRIS LOOI<S AT WHY THE TV LICENCE FEE IS WORTH THE MONEY•• u

A seemingly anti-BBC atmosphere in the press has inadvertently exposed a broader question: is there a place for a compulso ry pub li cly funded broadcasting service in this U) modern digita l age 1 r The £140 a year for the license fee is a fairly large amount of money, especially for a:: those on low incomes like students, but this personal cost has to be weighed against the '<( be nefit s. The BBC provides programming of a consistent ly higher qua lity than ITV or Sky. it does t his because it can take risks, risks it wouldn't be able t o take with advertisers breathing down its neck. z it seems unlikely that programmes such as The Office, Gavin and Stacey and Life on 0 Mars wo ul d ever have been made wit hout th e BBC. Th e news con t ent from t he BBC is t he envy of t he world. Impartial, fair and easily accessible it benefits society even Indirectly; I U) without the BBC setting the standard, it is fairly easy to imagine how our news channels <( wou ld go the way of those in the USA: po larised , extremist and biased. 1.1.. One of t he last barricades against t he "fox ifi cat ion" of the UK news media is t he BBC. Anti-License Fee campaigners suggest a subscription model, why should they pay

for others to watch the BBC? A subscription model for the BBC simply wouldn't work, not enough people wou ld voluntari ly pay a charge to maintain th e qua lity of news and programming that it currently stands for. Advertising IS not a solution either, advertising would drive the quality of programming on the BBC down. This would be bad for society as a whole . There are many more arguments in favour of the license fee: the good work of the World Service, the commitment to niche programming, their online content; but in the end, there's one th1ng that many would say is even more important: there are no adverts on the BBC. Mark Morris

01F E8 11 ISSUE 1

TELEVISION

THE BEST OF THE BRITISH

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Venue has been taking a look at British drama and why we don't need to compete with American drama.

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BEING HUMAN (I)

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Recent years have seen an influx of supernatural -themed television shows including such American programmes as Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries and True

Blood. Being Human is the British attempt to break into the genre using alternative methods from its US counterparts. Being Human focuses on three supernaturals: Annie, the overly friendly ghost; Mitchell,

the 'vegetarian' vampire (most of the time); and George, the unwilling werewolf. Brought together by remarkable coincidence the trio not only have to deal with coming to terms with who they are but with each other and the dangers attached to being a ghost, werewolf and vampire in modern Britain . With the third series starting recently on BBC Three Being Human has managed to remind audiences

of what sets British television apart. Rather than focusing on special effects, Being Human is concerned with character and narrative, creating those that the audience can relate to . Not only this but there is a move away from the standarcl vampire-related formula emerging throughout US film and television : young, innocent human meets strikingly handsome, mysterious man, she finds out

::i: he is a vampire but doesn't care that he 0 u might kill her because 'true love' conquers all. Being Human may not have all of the features that make American television 2: great, but it is precisely this that makes _j it a fresh take on what is fast becoming a u_ saturated genre. Helen Eaton BBC ONE, SU NDAY gPM

ASHES TO ASHES

Spin-off shows can be tricky, as there is always a danger that they will never quite leave the shadow of the original, and consequently never come to be accepted by viewers as a show in their own right . For Ashes to Ashes, however, this was not the case, and it eventually came to be seen as just as iconic as Life on Mars, rocketing the 8os back into fashion almost everywhere - we even saw a return to the

previously unthinkable shoulder padsl However, it wasn't just the new time period which made the show so popular. The return of Gene Hunt (Phil ip Glenister) was celebrated by all, as the larger-than -life anti-hero who got away with saying on a weekly basis all the things which are now restricted by a PC twentyfirst century. Not to mention the chemistry with female "lead Alex Drake (Keeley

Brace yourselves

Captain Jack fans, for

this year- and the fourth series aims to top the thrilling Children of Earth by introducing new characters and locations. No longer solely confined to Wales, Torchwood will be set in places across America and around the world . This new direction will only strengthen the popularity of the show on both sides of the Atlantic. Instead of viewing the familiar Welsh landscape, imagine the heroic Captain Jack fighting off aliens at the White House, the Eiffel Tower, or the Roman Colosseum. lt will also be exciting to discover the

despite significant budget cuts by the BBC, proving that British drama does not need the same high budget resources as American shows, such as Lost, in order to (.!) z be successful. All it needs is a great concept, brilliant writing and an inspired cast. l-

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Hawes), which brought a more complex layer to Hunt's image. In addition to the popular setting and characters, the show's mystery surrounding how and why police officers appear to be sent back in time also kept viewers hooked, right until the final, phenomenal episode when all was finally made clear. Most impressively, the show grew in popularity throughout its three series,

new characters that creator Russell T. Davies has lined up, as lanto's death has widened the hole formed in the team after Tosh and Owen's deaths. Like Spooks the short life spans of main characters gives the show a constant new injection of life and keeps the programme fresh and appealing. Torchwood is arguably one of Britain's best dramas in recent years . With a creator not afraid to push the boundaries of drama and science fiction, Torchwood is quickly proving there is a level playing field with American drama .

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FE:811 ISSUE

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REVIEW>DON PATERSON>RAIN

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recently broke one of the unwritten rules of twenty-first century life and read the reader comments section of an on line newspaper. lt was a wel l-intentioned article about getting more children reading poetry. Most of the comments were dismissive, hostile or obscene, or sometimes all three. One though was quite baffling "al l modern poets are crap, apart from Don Paterson". You could be forgiven for assuming then, on the basis of that comment, that Paterson must be some sort of literary giant, towering above all other poets and rendering their efforts obsolete. Well then ... you would be wrong. Rain is a good collection , but ultimately it fal ls short The good comes in the disorienting quality of the poems- the w ry playfulness of 'Two Trees' where, having seemingly built the poem up to end with a great revelation, Paterson shrugs " t rees are all this poem is about"; the nagging sense of loss in 'Th e Swing' where the narrator describes putting up a sw ing for his children but having done so sees only "the chi ld that would not come". But then, ju st like Frank and Nancy, Paterson goes and spoils it all by ladling big dollops of sentiment everywhere. While the lesson, or moral, of the poem is left implicit, lines li ke "the bright sweep of its radar arc I is all the human dream" distort the focus of the poem, the poem's cu lmination in "I gave the empty seat a push I and nothing made a sound", which desperately wants to be an earth-shattering ending but isn't, ends up leaving us with the sense that Paterson has missed his cue. This is also the case with 'The Circ le', written for his son. Yet, while you cannot dispute the context, Paterson's end in g the poem w ith " look at t he little avatar I

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of your muddy water-jar I filling with the perfect ring I singing under everything" again means that w hat starts out as a subtle dialogue between father and son ends up stnving for something metaphys1cal and missing it. The poem for his other son , 'Why Do You Stay Up So Late' is better, and quite moving in its stark depiction of the complexities of the father-son relationship with the son trying to understand what it is his father does, ending with the bleak couplet "then I paint it with the tear to make it bright. /That is why I sit up through the night". Yet too often, one of Rain's main strengths, the formality of Paterson's poetry, ends up becoming one of its greatest weaknesses. Th e t itle poem apart, where the lyric acquires the force to brush such concerns aside, Paterson's verse too often seems sing-song, as if the main focus of the poem is to find a good rhym e. 'The Rain at Sea' would be much more effective if it did not contain suc h clunky rhymes as "There wo uld be all hell to pay. 1 I turned and shut my eyes and lay" Yet, just w hen it seems that Paterson has rather overdone it, 'The Lie' appears, building its mystery slowly through its hypnotic AABA rhyme scheme before bringing the whole thing crashing down and leaving us dazed and disoriented w ith the ferocity of it all. Rain then is a confusing collection; sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes both at the same time, and never clear whether Paterson meant it to be this way or not. lt is a deeply earnest book, and yet it contains an ode t o a godd ess of Georgian techno . lt beseeches us that "I fell to somewhere far below the earth" but, at the end of the collection , reassures us that "none of this matters". Paterson 's mastery of clear, direct English is to

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be admired but the sentiment wears off after a couple of readings . Rain ultimately seems a strange ly faceless collection, and what was so enchanting initially seems to have evaporated -the poetic equ iva lent oft he Chesh ire Cat. Ro bertVan Egghen

This article is taken from etceterart. blogspot.com. Check out etcetera for original writing, reviews and more

CREATIVE WRITING EVENTS Thursday 3rd February - Stop Sharpening Your Knives 4 Anth ology Launch The Stop Sharpening Your Knives series is fast estab li shi ng a reputat ion for spotti ng t he best new poeti c talent around. Edited by the poets Emily Berry, Nathan Hamilton, Sam Riviere, and Jack Underwood, SSYK 4 is being launched atThe Book Hi ve, Norwich on Thursday 3rd Feb from 6.30 . There wi 11 be drinks, readings, copies for sa le, editors and contributors mingling with whoever wants to come and join in. Free entry. The anthology is also available from Eggbox Publish1ng (www.eggboxpublishing .com)

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Tuesday 8th February- David Harsent at UEA Spring Literary Festival The poet David Harsent wi ll be reading from his new collection Night (published in January 2on). His last book, Legion, won the Forward Prize for best collection in 2005 and was shortlisted for both the Whitbread Award and the T. S. Eliot Prize. The event wil l be held in Lecture Theatre 1 at 7pm. Individual tickets are £6.

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Saturday uth February - Cafe Writers with Michael Symmons Roberts plu s Competition Winners Whitbread Prize winning poet Michael Symmons Roberts will be appearing at Cafe Writers, along with the winners of Cafe Writers 2010 Poetry Competit ion in Jurnets Bar, Wensum Lodge, 169 King Street from 7:3opm

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Tuesday 15th February- Norwich Poetry Club featuring Adam O'Riordan Adam O'Riordan will be reading from his new collection In the Flesh, published by Chatto and Windus. With support from Sam R1viere. Hosted by Luke Wright, the event takes place in The Bicycle Shop, 17 St Benedict's Street, Norwich from 7:30-9:3opm. Tickets are £5 .

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THIS ISSUE, WE INVITED SUBMISSIONS BASED ON THE THEME LIE STILL' ••••

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N ight Wanderers

We built the ca r park, and the industrial estate but still they come Despite the mess we make, movement like light from a quivering mirror

We'll wait here until they're gone . We'll hide here amongst the trees .

Always present if you bother to look, but untouchable. A flutter As you put your hand on the door. Only remnants: a gem blue egg, a feather Their bodies crack into w ings that meet at the tips Like last-kiss lips, barely daring to touch Virginia! white beneath, wrapping themselves unbridled Into their own robes . We are castrated at the shoulder blade And always just slipping under their wake, again . Deaf To the Earth's low song set in metal, magnetic chords .

We'll lie still until everyone's asleep and gone . We come out at night. At night we come alive . We'll climb out into moonlight, Ghost-light, that's right . Skip like young children . Break the silence, make up neat words. We burn like spirits, Borrow wings and fly for 7 hours at a time . We come down like meteorites. Now everyone's awake . We'll lie still with half-smiles in our sleep.

They taste the iron of the air on their oyster tongues, Try to garble it out to the morning sky but by winter the pressure gives

Jamie Sykes

Blind and lovesick on the serenade they will fly till they die Because they knew how to live all along

All you kept was the idea and nothing less of seeing the devil in her new dress.

And I will slip seamlessly under their wake, again

So that was that, you hoped, but in the press of darkening thoughts, only you could suppress the fear of waking with the dawn to see her wandering across the lawn as you sunk deeper into the austere feeling of being wrong in being here .

Ella Chappell

En Route Waking with the taste of last night in your mouth, and here and there flashes of a gritting lorry soundtracked by the beeping of its slow reverse Plugging in your iPod to drown it out, finding it midway through your favourite song and remembering where you were when you stopped listening to it sat on a bus, ignoring the man tutting, thinking of her and wishing you were not. In the morning, she is a thought fading like music from a car passing

Blocks of Colour

'All I am trying to do is order the nightmares of my thoughts, trying to escape the stares'. And so you planted yourself in the maze, stumbled from session to session till the days folded into one another and you had to revert to blathering about light and floods and hurt, wondering why putting something together involves breaking it up and you never realised how much this would ache or that she could come to you when awake . it all seemed so different to how it would again and you would often think of that moment when nothing had more colour than the flurry of traffic when walking alone and the hurry of her footsteps on the pavement interrupting what had at the time felt like something RobertVan Egghen

Sebastian Middleton

Hangover

QUOTE OF THE WEEI<

Bag rumbling as phone is stirring because Steve 5 is flashing up and suggesting 'Drink soon ? xx'. Was he the one from the club with long hair and a funny voice ....

" I want to give a really bad party. I mean it. I want to give a party where there's a brawl and seductions and people going home with their feelings hurt and women passed out in the cabinet de toilette . You wait and see ." - F. Scott Fitzgerald, Author of The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night, This Side of Paradise and The Beautiful and the Damned, chronicler of the Jazz Age, husband of Zelda Fitzgerald, notorious alcoholic and all-round hero .

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Three cups of coffee later and it feels like your teeth are melting into your cheeks . You scratch at your eyelids and take the pin out your head .

And Then and then I watch the clouds churn down blind channels transform into a dog a cat a cup with six handles and then the rain writes letters on the pane to the moth who circles up the light folds in and dies a tiny black eye and then I st and outside to see me pale and then

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Jennifer Grey

Breaking the Labyrinth Lie Still. The labyrinth is sealed . Its bloodhound snout will track The lost pup . Snarls by the door. Unconquered, the shadow master Makes its minions choke the floor. Frustrated fingers find her next. The child's house is home no more . By morning, blank faces Catch her periwinkle flush But that is all. The moonlit curse She was forced to never tell Grew her heart a concrete wall That waits to be decoded, For a door to be unsealed Till then nothing she can do but Lie. Still. Rachael Lum

Jamie Starr

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The 3DS is coming, and it's coming in a big way. Nintendo's late st han d held marve l w ill be sizz lin g its way onto the UK market on the 25th of March 2011 - a who le two days be fore the handheld hung ry US get their over-sized mitts on it. The good news came during the simultaneo us Nintendo 3DS conferences held earli er this month (one in New York, the oth er in Am sterdam) on the 2oth January, and as punters whack down their deposits left right and centre the anti cipat ion is building to a gripping climax. The question is, w ill it be wort h th e waif? The cynicism is audible when you mention to anyone that Nintendo are re leasi ng ye t another DS console, th oug h you wou ld think that anyone pay ing attention wou ld pick up from the title - 3DS -that thi s is not just another re-packaged DS; the 3DS isn't simply a smal ler or larg er DS, nor is it simp ly a conso le with a coup le of came ras thrown in, it is an innovative piece of 3D technology, pushing th e boundaries of not ju st handheld gaming, but gaming as a whole. Where else can you pla y The Legend ofZelda: Ocarina ofTime not on ly on the go, but in 3D to boot' Nowhere 1 That's where bubba 1 So what do you get in the box 7 The cherry is obviously the Nintendo 3DS co nso le itse lf, and then th ere's that spec ial extending telescopic sty lu s pen that make s me do some extend in g of my own if you get what I mean . Th ere is also a set of six augmented reality cards, w hi ch w ill allow th e player to interact with 3D environm ents

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Format: PS3 Release: Out Now Price: from £39 ·99 - £44·99 (collectors)

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Planet was a game that came out of nowhe~e and shocked the gaming community with its clevern ess, cuteness, its simp li city and z its depth . The idea is simple; it's a sid eD scrol lin g game, with a phys ics based level maker from w hi ch everything you see in the I (J) game is made. Add to this stunning visua ls <( and endearing presentation and you find lL you rse lf with a game that's won cou ntl ess awards and many more hearts.

and specia l graphica l t echno logy (th e conso le will come with pre -loaded software th at supports these cards), and a charging st at ion . Notice how there are no 3D glasses:> That's because you don't need them with the 3DS , it's glasse s- free 3D all the way. That's right, as I'm sure you've all heard by now the 3DS uses a spec ial process

swit ch it on only when they want to, and you'll be able to marvel at some incredib le spectac les. You may be wonderi ng w hat all this is going to cost. Nintendo were initially re lu ctant to announce a price point for the UK launch, althoug h the y cou ld n't he lp shouting about the US price point

bonus is th at many hi g h street reta il ers and on line outlets are sti ll taking pre-orde rs and deposits on the conso le, which is sa id to be li mited to 90o,ooo units for Europe during the first three weeks of release. Nintend o have high expectat io ns for their newe st member of th e family, particularly when we cons id er that the origina l DS took over three month s to hit one mi lli on European sales back in 2005. Confi rm ed launch titles include

Nintendogs

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ca ll ed autostereoscopy whic h eli minates the requirement for 3D glasses; t hi s really is low-mai nten ance handh eld gaming . Because of the co mplete la ck of g la sses the 3D w izardry can be switched on and off at yo ur lei sure, and it means deve lopers can

($250), though prices have been popping up online ranging from £219.99 (H MV) to £229 .99 (GAM E Group Stores GA ME and Gamestation), so it is looking as if the console wi ll be cheaper than the PSP Go was on launch back in 2009 (£249 ·99). Another

So with over three million user created levels and co unting already avai lable to down loa d for the orig inal game, what could possib ly be done to justify a sequel 7 Aston ishi ngly, deve loper Media Molecule has the answer. First of all the seq uel is compatible with every leve l alre ady mad e; so that's millions of leve ls to choose from to begin w ith, and no concern of missing out on any user made leve ls if you haven't played the first one. But wha t is th ere to convi nce you that you shou ld pick this up instead of th e first:> The graphics are on ly marginally better than the original's, but with the art sty le of the game it is hard to imagine how t hi s might be improved. Again, the general presentation remains similar, the outrageous ly end earing wo rld of Sackboys with the rea ssu ring vo ice ofStephen Fry guiding you into the game. The main game changers are th e new tools Sackboy can be equipped w ith . First of all is the Grabinator, w hi ch lets yo u to easi ly pick up and run around with objects; allowing there to be many more eas ily ope rab le puzz les than th e first game ever all owed. The other main tool is the Grapple

Hook, which is self-exp lanatory. Sackboy's new contraption becomes essential to much of the action gamep lay, and, w hilst it can sometimes be frustrating to direct, it mostl y behaves as you would expect and gives the game va riety that you'll want to exp loit. Another potentia l game changer is the package of Move-on ly co-operative levels which are great fun , but all too brief. As well as these tools, which feature throughout th e game, there are level specific weapons that always keep things fres h. For example there is our favourite, the Cak inator; quite sim pl y a gun that fires cakes. How such a simpl e idea can change gameplay shows the genius behind th e game; you can use cakes to fire at enemies, make fire tra ve rsable and, most impressive ly, to st ick to the leve l so you can create. Finally, Media Molecule have also made it possible to alter the visuals and audio to unrecognisab le levels, but, most importantly, they ha ve made it possible to directly control objects with your controller rather than with th e Aoaty Sackboy contro ls. Throughout the game a combination of cunning level design

Cats, Super Street Fighter IV

and PES 2011. Ubi soft have also con firme d that they w ill re lease eight title s for the launch window, but from day zero their ever popular Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell series w ill be busting out some title s alongside newer entry Aspha lt 30 and an entirely new Rayman ]0, which is by far th e most exciting news as the last true Rayman game w as nine years ago back in 2003 1 Th e 3DS may not be a console for everyone , many people shun handheld gaming right from the off, but this is by far the greatest leap in gaming anywhere and is serious ly going to be even more of a trailblazer and trend setter than the original DS was. With games pandering to the casua l market and many coming out that wil l slap the fa ces off all the hardcore garners (3D Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater anyone:>). Wi ll consumers feel alienated by it:> Nintendo certainly think so, but only tim e will tell. DJ Turne r

and surprises wil l often leave yo ur mouth agape w ith wo nd erment. Unfortunately this comes at the cost of the joyful grins the first game summo ned. lt seems the focus of the sing le playe r is to show wha t the engine is capable of and some of the magic of the music and the optimi sm of the first game has been lost. Fortunately, it is worth shouting aboutl Perhap s more importantly, already th ere are user created leve ls on line that w ill satisfy any gamer. Thi s is no longer a platform game; from 2-D shooters to music games, LBP2 is truly a game s platfo rm. Its potent ial is limitl ess and w hat's already there is enough to ju stify the purchase. Quite simp ly, if you enjoy games yo u cannot afford to mi ss this . Mehul Samani

+ Most versatile game ever produced

- Disappointing campaign.

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Fun links to pass the time between socialising and learning . Buds and Toys Pretty much self explanatory really. People take photos of their childhood toys with a little bit of contraband and it completely takes away that childish innocence they always had . Who knew Kermit was such a fiend? http://budsandtoys.com/ SeriorGif! Part of the Cheezburger family of websites (Failblog, Comixed), this time it's all amusing, weird and wonderful GIF images to help you procrastinate like any good student should . http://senorgif.memebase.com/ Great White Snark One of the geekiest websites you 'll ever want to casually browse, hosting some of the most amusing and unbelievable videos and pictures paying tribute to all corners of the nerd globe . Take, for instance, the Yoda Dressing gown, complete with ears, or real life Little Big Planet! http://www.greatwhitesnark.com/ Sleeptalking Man We've all done it at some point; said something whilst nodding off when we didn't mean to, or just chatting pure BS in our sleep . In a similar vein to 'S**t My Dad Says', this is a compendium of a 'mild mannered ' Englishman and his sleep talking antics . it even includes sound clips for your pleasure I http://www.sleeptalkinman.blogspot. eo m/

As Apple's App Store reaches its 10 billionth download, the nature and narrative of contemporary computing is changing into a more streamlined, simpler, centralised experience. Although Apple did not invent the idea of a centralised store for application programs (apps), they have certainly popularised it. Google, RIM and multiple other corporations have launched their own equivalents to varying success, with the Android Marketplace being the biggest competitor - it currently has more free apps than the iOS App Store, although less overall . Microsoft have taken (quite right) steps to stop Apple from trademarking the words "app store", and Amazon have confirmed that they are working on their own, undoubtedly similar app store. it remains to be seen whether Apple will achieve a Hoover or Aspirin level of brand recognition and monopoly on the word "app" to the extent that people start calling all programs "apps". In any case, the result of all this is that . it is understood by the vast majority of Smartphone owners that the sole and only way to download and install apps on their phones is to go through such stores. it's significance is in how it is spreading from phone operating systems to desktop OS like Mac OSX and Windows, and how it's easily foreseeable that within five years all software on all computing platforms will be exclusively available and downloaded from monopolized, corporate app stores such as Valve's cross platform Windows and Mac Steam gaming store. lt would make

Some of the best, most interesting or just downright funny people tweeting right now!

With Face book users expanding everyday, there are groups springing up for every occasion . Here are some of the best I

@Simwise Glamour model, Gamer, Music Journalist and just plain weird, ex- UEA student Alex Sim-Wise lets you into her weird and wonderful world filled with Otaku wonders and her newly acquired 'assclown'. Just by following her you'll discover some of the weirdest sights the Internet has to offer.

Should I save this last ÂŁ5 for my taxi? ... DOUBLE VODKA REDBULL PLEASE!

@robbrydon Chap. Plain and simple. This wonderful welsh comedian continues his everyday wit and humour onto his twitter page by just tweeting on as he does. The man's a natural at what he does, and his everyday tweets just show this talent even more. @GregPuciato Singer for Mathcore band The Dlllinger Escape Plan, Greg Puciato knows what it means to get mashed, rock hard and tear the place up . His Twitter is a mix of a mad man's observations on life and promoting his many projects. No matter what he's saying, it'll always be filled with profanities and it'll always be hilarious.

If you have ever scrambled around in the back of a taxi looking for your 'lost' ÂŁ5 that you drunkenly forgot you spent then this group is for you. With over 35,000 members it should make you feel less alone ne xt time you have to beg and borrow money off your friends just to make it home . Embrace your impulsive bar buys; it's not your fault, everyone knows it doesn't matter where you hide, it'll still be burning a hole in your pocket 1 I forgot your name, so I shall call you 'Oi' Meeting so many new people at uni can be a daunting prospect, even worse when you have a seminar with someone you know you've met and have already asked their name 5 times .. . the solution7 Facebook group, 'I forgot your name, so I shall call you Oi' has eloquently helped 333,164 people avoid social embarrassment. Kate Alien

computing a lot easier and safer for the majority of users, and would likewise make the distribution of popular software faster and more efficient. it fits in line with the Apple philosophy of taking responsibility and control away from the users, and

retaining it for themselves, which has proved extremely popular in recent years as Apple products like the iPhone and iPad sell extremely well, despite cries from their critics that they are restrictive . In hindsight, the evolution of app stores seems almost inevitable, as the Internet and computing becomes more consumerist, mainstream, and profitable. The target demographic has shifted, and

this new business model has been brought upon us because of that. Is it a good thing, though7 For t he majority, it will make things easier and smoother. Making software and computing easier for the masses seems like an mherently noble goal. Yet people such as Wikipedia's founder, Jimmy Wales, have called app stores "a threat" and "dangerous". While the goal of making things easier for the average user is laudable, one has to ask if the means it is being done by is the right path . Is taking away control and choice, which app stores arguably may do, really better than helping develop people's capacity to browse the open ecosystem of the Internet as a whole and independently install software on their devices? While this is simple enough for desktop OS, for a Smartphone, manually browsing and installing may be seen as too hassling and only for t he hobbyists. Therefore the solution to making the end user experience easier, but without binding our hands and shoving things down our throats is to simply have more than one shop in the high street. Apple would be loathe to do th1s, but should things such as the Amazon app store and others develop a quality and big enough range of exclusive apps on Android OS, then Apple would eventually have to cave and allow a free market environment. This would stop repeats of events that harm consumers such as the recent disappearance of VLC media player from the app store.

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Ever had trouble finding the words? Well now there's no need, with WordKit, a handy new Smartphone app that helps you solve anagrams, complete crosswords and even check spelling 1 Available on the android and iphone platforms for just 59P, this application has access to 12o,ooo words and is great for solving crossword puzzles and playing wordgameslike Scrabble . Since all data is accessed locally, you can use it on planes and trains without worrying about network connection . After testing the app in and around campus, people found it very easy to use . A particular favourite was for its use in anagram games.

Brought to you by Mozilla, the same company that unleased Firejox upon the world, Thunderbird is a no fuss e-mail client that serves as the perfect replacement for Outlook, iMail and the ever reliable UEA Webmail. The newest version of Thunderbird features tabbed e-mail browsing so no more never ending layers of windowed e-mails clogging up your screen . Featuring all the same jazz that Firefox users get, such as improved spam detection, customisable themes and a stupidly easy interface for adding new users and accounts, it's all rolled up into a neat and tidy package .

http ://it u nes. a pp I e. co m/g b/ a pp/ wordkit/id412794377?mt=8# Krishna Raghvani

www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/ thunderbird/ Vaughn Highfield

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Darren Aronofsky's fi lm has already received (I) an enormous amount _J of media attention, and has been met with polarised criticism. lt has been nominated for five > Oscars and showcases 0 w the undeniable talents of ::!: Natalie Portman. 0 Perfection to Nina u (Portman) is all about contro l. However it is Thomas (Vincent Casse l) ;r who shows her it is also _J about letting go. Her timid, u.. girlish ways are contrasted w ith Lily's (Kunis) rebellious w il es, and the film follows her progression from

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WAN chi ldho od to maturity through the role of taking o n both the White Swan and the Black Swan. However, Nina becomes imm ersed in the role of the Black Swan and obsessed with desire for perfection. She learns to let go of her innocence. Her progression is beautifully executed and sexually charged . Th e aud ience are taken into the mind of Nina through hand-held camera shots and tricks that blur the boundaries between illusion and reality. An interesting connection IS made between Nina's beauty and sexuality, and her descent into madness. Nina's fate is foreshadowed by Thomas' former star Beth

THEM E FROM SWAN lAI<E, PLAYED BACKWARDS. H E' s SO TALENTED, IT' S ALMOST HATEFUL.

(Winona Ryder), who is forced into retirement and is now suicidal. Nina's own self-destructive behaviour is apparent before she is cast in the ro le of the Black Swan, through her habit of scratching herself in her sleep. Her over-protective and controlling mother tries to protect Nina from

THE DILEMMA

herself and is the onl y person to notice that the role is destroying her. Yet, the mother also has a part to play in her daughter's destruction, and there are elements of emotionally abusive tendencies; living her own dream through her daughter, her need for control, ordering her to take her top off and

clipping her nails. Again, this emotional abuse has a sexual tone, and Nina 's break from asexual innocence ties in with the break from her mother. The film plays with the imagination, fooling the audience with what is real , so you do not find out the full devastation of the tragedy until the end . Play1ng on dualities, the film is simple, yet effective. The audience is carried through the conflicts in Nina's mind, her emotions and her experiences. Although Nina falls from a lift during the first part of the dance on the opening ni ght, she wins the theatre audience over and as the curtain closes whispers ' I felt it ... Perf ect.

lt was perfect.' Yet due to Portman's and eo-star Mi la Kunis' extreme method acting , the quality of the film has been tarnished in some respects. Both actors lost around twenty pounds, through rigorous training, to attain an authentic amount of ballet technique, and to present the realit1es of the pressure in this world to be dangerously thin. Although this may mean that a new diet fad appears in the wake of Black Swan's success, the film itself in fact shows the tragedy of striving for socalled perfection.

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: Director: Ron Howard : Relea se Date: 21/1!11

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when the Typically 3 name Vince Vaughn is mentioned, you would think ~ immediately comedy. The Dilemma r surprisingly turned out <( w to be everything but. [[ How ever, lu ck il y enough, U this was a pleasant sur pri se. Generally speaking , The Dilemma is a story (I) r of a man who w itn esses [[ his best friend's wife <( cheating and the dilemma of whether or not to tell. Fortunately, the plot Z' manages to dive deeper; a focusing on the true struggles one may face in ~ this situation. <( While trying to help u.. his best friend, Ronny (Vaughn) finds hi s own life

and re lationship rapidly falling to pieces. The film is one of true emotions and is essentially pulled forward by the characters . lt deals strong ly w ith the ideals of friendship and re lationships. The Dilemma sets out the premise of these ideals right from the outset with a discussion on how long it takes to fully get to know someone , and as the film progresses, it shows that it does not matter, so long as peop le stay true to each other. Although The Dilemma is not a comedy, it has comedic moments that really tie it together into a neat little package of brilliant effect.

Samantha Rogers

................... . . : Director: Clint Eastwood • : Re lease Date: 28/1/11 .A.ny • • fij"~

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afterli fe will walk a fine line between credulity and ridicule; nonetheless Clint Eastwood examines the subject, through three parallel story arcs. French journalist Marie, after surviving a natural disaster, is compelled to de lve into the arena of the afterlife. In London , twins Marcus and Jason are presented with the reality of death; whi lst in San Francisco George, (Matt Damon) former professional psychic, is attempting to lead a normal life. Eastwood's familiarly simp li stic direction refuses to overplay scenes, a technique perfectly suited to

Damon's quiet performance as a humble man searching for happiness. The most powerful sequence shows George tentatively beginning a re lationship with a young woman, only to show the heartbreaking speed with which it unravels. Hereafter's problem, however, is the structure; much of the running time is used to convincingly establish the characters. Thu s the strands converge at an inevitab ly fa st pace with such hackneyed devices that the plot descends somew hat into the ridiculous. it's a shame; up to this point the film finds itself upon the side of credulity, due mostly to the subtlety of Damon's performance, which remains worth seeing. Emily Bater

: Director: John Carpenter: : Release Date : 21/1!11 •

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has developed a burgeoning reputation as a has-been. Films suc h as

Ghosts of Mars have flopped massively in comparison to his early cult success with The Thing and Halloween and, with its formulaic plot, The Ward looks to continue th e trend. The movie follows Kristen (Amber Heard ), a troubled young woman , who is brought to an ominous asylum. She has no memory of her past, but, with the aid of her four ward -mates, comes to discover that she is under threat from something within the asylum itself. Unfortunately, mental asylums have featured

in horror for a long time and The Ward brings nothing new to the long list of associated cliches. Stereotypica l goodlook ing girls being picked off one by one' Check. Disproportionate amount of stormy weather' Check . Twist ending that's visib le a mile off' Check. In fairness, Heard does remarkably well with the flat dialogue she is g1ven, although other characters (the brainy one, sexy one, babyish one and angry one) are too stereotyped for empathy. The Ward also contains a hair-raising musical score and enough gore to discomfort the average cinemagoer, although die-hard horror fans may find it induces a yawn, rather than a scream. Sam Dordoy

••••••••••••••••••• •Director: Simon West • ••Release Date: 28/1./11 •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••

religious paedophiles. Arthur Bishop (Statham), is an amicable, taciturn chap who listens to classical music, drives a boat, and exits Statham's back in the overt scenes of destruction surprise role of squinting with unparalleled ease . automaton destroyer of He pairs up with his all things prevalently evil, mentor's son, Steve, and where he 'fixes things' the pair systematically - 'fix' being 'annihilate' plough through a bunch of and 'things' being 'skulls'. questionable men . Statham The film's logo of a gun is finds out he's been betrayed, subtly misleading, with a master and padawan share substantial vehicle-related a joke, then they blow up death rate over actual . a street and shoot a guy shootings in the face . around 40-50 times because Featuring a valiant effort he swears at them from a from Donald Sutherland, car window. That's upside The Mechanic nonetheless down. Simon West doesn't features children suffering from drug baron oppression, really touch on Con Air with casual slow-motion man- a constant sunset pallet, quaffing from an incredibly some horrific cliches and not suitable Ben Foster, and a enough explosions to merit healthy dose of aggression student price admission . against homosexuals and Jack Burrows

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RELEASES

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••Director: ••••••••••••••••••• Roger Michell • ••Release Date: 21/l./l.l. •• • ••

• • • •••••••••••••••••••• Morning Glory was far from glorious. From the screenwriter of The Devil wears Prada comes this new comedy starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton. McAdams plays TV producer Becky Fuller, a career-driven woman who has no time for men or a life outside of work . Becky lands herself a new job on a failing morning news show and brings in disgruntled ex news reporter Mike Pomeroy (Ford) to eo-anchor with the long-standing Colleen Peck (Keaton), in the hope that his legendary status will boost the ratings . The film is incredibly

generic. All too often we've seen the working girl who has no time for love, desperately trying to make it in a male orientated world . Predictably, things begin to go well for her when she hooks up with Adam, another producer, presumably her first romantic relationship for many years . Although the acting was good Harrison Ford seemed out of place in this film . Despite playing the role well, he seems better suited to the action adventure genre, and his intense drawl seemed to slow the film down . lt is always a pleasure to watch Ford but perhaps in this case he was cast for his star status rather than any true suitability for the role . Helen Jones

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: Release Date:28/1/11

Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) is facing a crossroads in her life; having been recently cut from the USA Softball team, she finds herself questioning everything from her life plans to her newly blossoming relationship with baseball player Matty (Owen Wilson) . What she certainly doesn't expect is the interception made by George (Paul Rudd), a man tackling both a federal investigation and a volatile relationship with his father (Jack Nicholson). This romantic comedy had all the potential to be adorable in its mushiness while creating some laughs

along the way but somehow it ended up falling short. None of the characters are particularly well deve aped, and the chemistry between them feels somewhat lukewarm . The way Paul Rudd's storyline interlinks with the rest of the plot feels awkward and stilted. Its most exciting moment comes way too late in, and it's a shame the director James L. Brooks didn't play upon it more . Thankfully, there are a few funny and endearing scenes sprinkled throughout the narrative, which rescue this film from complete failure . However, each time one crops up you do feel as if you're catching a glimpse of just how great this film could have been . Lorna Pontefract

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•••••••••••••••••••• •Director: Colm McCarthy • ••Release Date: l.]/l./l.l. •• • • •• • •••••••••••••••••••

Following the murder of his wife and child at the hands of former commanding officer Ouentin Turnbull (John Malkovich), scar-faced confederate soldier, Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) is left with the ability to speak to the dead. After discovering that Turnbull died in a fire, Hex turns to bounty hunting to satisfy his murderous desire for revenge, utilising his supernatural powers to track down his targets across the vast and desolate Wild West. Despite the popularity of the DC comic on which it is based, Jonah Hex· fails to deliver anything but a

Forget the backdrop of a grotesquely pristine Beverly Hills high school. Forget the cast packed with thirtysomethings playing late teen-somethings. This isn't your typical slasher movie. The setting of Calm McCarthy's gothicmeets- kitchen -sin k-d ram a is a cinematic outing council estate on the barren outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland . Mary (BAFTA Scotland award -winning actress Kate Dickie) and her teenage son Fergal (played by newcomer Niall Bruton) are on the run from her ex-lover Cathal (James Nesbit). In an

mish-mash of subplots, interspersed with gunfights, explosions and cheesy one liners, leaving the more important aspects of the story brief and unexplained . it's unsurprising that the film did so poorly in its release . The cinematic supernatural element of the film is given a back seat by the filmmakers in favour of Hex's unconvincing and perfunctory relationship with a prostitute, Lilah, played by the corset-clad Megan Fox.

•••••••••••••••••••• •Director: Jimmy Hayward • • •

: Release Date: 27/12/10

••Director: ••••••••••••••••••• James L Brooks •

Ouentin Turnbull is a one -dimensional and predictable villain, putting Hex into elaborate and easily escapable traps rather than killing him . lt is in fact Turnbull's psychotic Irish henchman, Burke, played by Michael Fassbender, who seems any kind of threat to Hex. The scenes with Fassbender are probably the film's only saving grace but they are few and far-between in a totally confused film. James Burrough

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attempt to track down Mary, Cathal draws on some kind of occult-esque Celtic magic to conjure up knowledge of her whereabouts . While Cathal pursues the exiled mother and son, a monster lurks in the shadows of the Edinburgh ghetto that makes Shameless's Chatsworth Estate look like Disneyland. What ensues is 94 minutes of classic blood and gore. What makes the movie different from other movies in the genre is its

•

intelligence. Nesb1t and Dickie offer deliciously dark and comple x performances. The gritty realism of the physical backdrop coupled with the atmosphere of gothic terror, as well as the strange eroticism evoked through the practicing of black magic, leaves us with a movie that is strange, yet compelling . The Outcast is worth seeing and more than worth the rental fee on those lazy Sunday afternoons. Doug Baulf

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Going by the title , you would be forg iven for thinking Sucker Punch is this years m Fight Club, or Million Dollar (!) Baby, or even some ungod ly Z seque l to the mess that was 1- Donkey Punch; however you lll wou ld be pretty far from _J the reality, or should we say lack thereof. After 2009's

Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga'Hoole

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Over the last decade it has been a joy to witness the 3 development and success of a once struggling British film industry. Through the > help of the UK Film Council, 1- there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of UK films produced each year. Th e Film Council l9 has emerged as the most z successful film support 1- organisation that the UK a: has ever had. With help from

'Pan's Labyrinth' on crack, or soft porn with big guns and dragons? BETH DAVISON takes a look at Zac Snyder's 'Sucker Punch'.

CoMING ... world in Jul y of last year, the gun toting, scantilly clad female protagonists (Vanessa Hudgen s included) now have many a fanboy salivating over their keyboards. The film it se lf combines the wor lds of fantasy, action and sci-fi to surrea l effect. Beginning in a mental institution, protagonist Baby Doll is played by Emily Browning (ot herw ise known as that-girl-fromL emony-Snicke tt - all grown-up) who must excape the mental asy lum within which her stepfather has imprisoned her for his own dark purposes. To escape this torture, as well as a labotomy that is ju st

fiv e days away, Baby Doll, along with her companions Sweet Pea, Rocket, Blondi e

thinking, and yes the girls do sound like extras from a Power Puff Girls movie but

and Amber, must fight for her Iife. Leaving the scenery of rural Vermont far behind, Baby Doll 's coping mechanism is that of an alternate reality, and from here on in things litera lly escalate to out of this world. I know what you're

have some faith in Snyder's talents - they really do kick some bad-guy ass as sti lls from the set reveal dragons, weaponry and exp losions ap lenty. In true Snyder fashion , the sty listic elements of Sucker Punch break every rule in the book

and as we move further into the imaginary world of Baby Doll 's psyche the snippets of CG I relea sed so far suggest that, as the tagline adequately suggests, You Will Be Unprepared. After the iconic sequences in 300 there is no question that Zack Snyder can do vio lent battles as well as anyone. Although his back-catalogue has been criticised for appealing only to niche audiences, this time around a healthy mix of battle scenes juxtaposed with the emot iona l frailty of our heroine means that Snyder may have found the perfect balance at last. Th e relatively unknown cast of lead ing ladies have been

perfecting their martial arts techniques and armoury skills for a large part of 2010 apparently learning from the Navy Seals themselves . Physically, th ey certainly look th e part and here's hoping they pull off emotional challenges of thi s reality- bend ing asylum drama with as much conviction . Whatever the outcome, cinema goers and Snyder fans alike certainly have their proverbial ears pricked. Having waited patiently for 2 years since Watchmen , lets hope Sucker Punch, released on March 25th 2011, is the knock-out everyone's expecting. Beth Davison

ANNA EASTICK chokes back the tears and takes a look at one of the great losses of the recent cuts: The UK Film Council.

MOVIES much -needed sources such as the Nationa l Lottery, a significant number of British films have become fully or part funded by the council. Recently nominated f or over 25 prestigious awards, The King's Speech has rec eived overwhelming success, and is partia lly funded by the UK Film Counc il. lt is start li ng to think that films suc h as these cou ld not have existed without this national financial backing . lt is unfortunate then to come to terms with the notion that soon there will be no UK Fi lm council. Yes, sadly, this short-lived

cinemat ic sav iour has come to an end. In July 2010, it was announced that the Film Counci l was to be abolished as part of the many costcutting measures made by the new Tory government. Th e organization is set to comp letely close down with its assets by Apri l 2012. The question here is obvious, w hy7 Why choose to axe the Film Counc il 7 Over the course of ten years it has channel led roughly ÂŁ16om into films such as Bend it Like

Beckham, The Last King of Scotland ancJ This Is England, building an archive of films unimaginable before its

founding . lt seems the new government has ostracized an organization that has helped to construct a strong British identity though cinema, and bring in considerable revenue while doing so. The CEO

of the UK Film Council, John Woodward remarked, British film "deserves better". So what happens now7 The prospects of the UK film industry look increasingly bleak, and the future is uncertain. lt is more than likely that the number of UK films produced each year will decrease and that products will have to rely on overseas financing, forming the basis of a film industry that we can no longer call our own. lt is not just money that is an issue; Briti sh films will now become internationally constrained by a significant

amount of overseas input. Just as our national cinema thrives, the new government has abruptly challenged the industry in it's prime. lt is a/most like the nation has sat down to wa tch a fi lm, and just as the story is about to get good; they are told they cannot watch the end. One thing is for sure, that if this were a movie, the Tories would be the villain s. So lets be the heroes of this story, let us support the fi lms funded by our ve ry own nation.

Anna Eastick

~ THE PoPCORN CHART r- Dick Van Dyke in ~ Mary Poppins

Generally regarded as the worst 'British accent' film history, thi s in performance alone showed that Dick Van Dyke cannot (I) 1- do a cockney accent. Or a: an Engli sh accent. Or a <( European accent. Or any accent other than Chicago. His voice jumped back and forth so often, it was like oz watching a schizophren ic combination of Ray I(I) Winstone crossed w ith <( Tom Cruise. Defending 1.1... his performance, Mr Van Dyke said the man the U

studio hired to teach him a cockney accent was Irish. Looking back, that might explain it .

Hallc Berry Catwoman

A young actress makes history by be ing the Afr ican -American first

Awful Cockney accents, Oscar winners donning lycra? This week TIM BATES counts down the Top 4 Worst Examples of Miscasting in Film.

winner of the Best Actress Academy Award, for a sta rtling role which saw her portraying a young woman in the American South, trying to deal with the racial undercurrents of loving a wh ite correct iona l officer from a raci st family. What do you do next7 Dress her up in lycra, give her a whip , and make her act a script that sees her strut around rooms like a dominatrix more then talk. You can argue th e X-Men film s had a part to play, but it was this film that wiped all her previous achievements off

Hollywood's mind.

Natalie Wood West Side Story

When a musical of this calibre comes out, it's easy to overlook the few mistakes it makes. But think about it: this is a film entirely about the racial issues around a white American boy falling in love with a PuertoRican immigrant girl. The first thing you need for that is a great hispanic young actress. So, of course , they hire Nata lie Wood, a woman about

as hispanic as George W. Bush. A mistake all the more glaring, because a much better candidate for the role, Rita Moreno, is constant ly sta nding right behind her.

John Wayne in The Conqueror In 1956, Hollywood picks John Wayne to play the

part of Mongolian warlord Genghis Khan. The result is every bit as bad as it sounds . An Asian accent from John Wayne would sound about as reali stic as one from Dick Van Dyke . To his credit, MrWayne seems to rea lise thi s, and de livers each line with the same American drawl he used in his Westerns. Slap on some quite racist make-up, and you 've got a role that's only good for one thing; type it into YouTube, and have a good laugh . Tim Bates

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contact ents@uea.ac.uk if you are interested

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GIG REPORTS OLYM PlANS: Olympians are stalwarts of the f\Jorwich indie music scene and Friday's head lining gig at the Arts Centre was held to promote the re lease of their new EP, To Our Wives and Sweethearts, out on the 24th of January. Support comes in the form of a set of indie garage -pop from aC ivilian, aka Phil Critten, who is definitely worth a look for his song 'The Madness' alone. He is followed by somewhat unhinged synth-punk clowns Death of Death of Discotheque, who even threaten to overshadow the headline act with their eccentric stage presence. The bizarre juxtaposition of these two opening acts makes it difficult to imagine what Olympians might sound like, but rather than encompassing the sounds of their two openers, they carve their own unique niche. Amid the fervent cries of their fans, Olympians take to the stage against a ~ kdrop of martial arts footage. And why not7 One may argue that Olympians provide the perfect soundtrack to duelling ninjas. They cal l it math-rock but it's more like echoes of early Biffy Clyro combined with Beach Boy-style harmonies. Their edgier songs keep the audience on their toes though and the crowd find themselves

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jumping erratically between sincere melody, complex intertwining guitar jams and outright explosions of noise. it's clear to see that Olympians have a loyal following at home. Their fans are on top form, constantly shouting out the titles of their favourite songs and the band pepper their set generously with tracks from the new EP, whilst still leaving ample time for old favourites. The intensity of their performance gradually increases as the heavier moments start to outweigh the gentle, culminating in a fantastica lly distorted zenith of thrashing guitar before the strings of lead singer Daniel's instrument snap mid -chord. Such is the composure of the band at this point however, that the bemused crowd wonder whether this was, in fact, all part of the act. Either way the set is untarnished. With recently confirmed dates playing alongside indie legends Dananananaykroyd, the future looks bright for these math-rock heroes, and j udging by this performance, they are fully deserved of such an honour.

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HOLY STATE:

NORWICH ARTS CENTRE

22/01/11

On a bitterly cold Saturday evening it takes something truly special to drag gig goers away from TV trash such as the desperate meat market that is 'Take Me Out'. Luckily, loca l night Twee Offl is not unaware of the power of temptation, pulling together an unmissable line up at the Norwich Arts Centre featuring one of the brightest bands to emerge in British music this decade, Holy State. Whilst bar staff ladled out themed 'Holy Stew' to hungry punters, three-piece opener M EN took to the stage and in a bout of pro longed banter, revealed themselves to be far more boyish than their moniker would suggest. However, the playful in-jokes with the audience soon gave way to heartfelt punk lamentations of the frustrations and disappointments of ordinary life in ordinary workplaces. There was no rock and roll pretension in their brand of upbeat catharsis and all those watching were faced with a bleakly honest yet exuberant band of brothers who stood in solidarity with everyone in ju st another mind numbing office job . Headliners Holy State entered Twee Off 1 as returning heroes: heads held high and a stuffed magpie perched on an amp, fresh from an arena tour supporting Biffy Clyro. Norwich bred (though Leeds based), the quartet have steadily built up a reputation as a tru ly progressive punk band through

re leases on both Holy State and Dance to The Radio. Launching into a set that showcased their hardcore influences with teasing hints of Fugazi-sty le riffs, Holy State let out a pounding torrent of sound that proved brood ingly sexy and as close as possible to being unhinged without compromising the well-oiled machine that is their live act. Though heavy, Holy State's sound is not the brainless clamour of so many hardcore bands clogging the arteries of the current scene. EP track 'The Beaus and the Oglers' was accompanied by Robin Ful ler's surrealist projections, the chattering teeth and stocking clad legs flickering behind vocalist Rob Jarvis as he earnestly yelled above the menacing din. In a nod to middle aged golfers everywhere, Bassist Dan Chaudron's pioneering use of glasses cords anchored his spectacles to his face despite the high level of trashing displayed during single Medicine Hat. As a band, Holy State exemp lifies an uneasy ba lance bet ween restraint and total release and with a debut album due to be released later this year, appears to have straddled the void between the two effortlessly. After a night of primal intensity, the audience spi lled eagerly out of the Arts Centre as hopeless followers of a new musica l cu lt . it's time to get devoted...

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ALBUM REVIEWS:

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White Lies second album, Ritual, is much like their first. Harry McVeigh's distinctive vocals continue to spill over emotional, epic indie anthems, and the band appears to be replicating the angsty ballads of To Lose My Life with a fresh addition of electro synth . lt doesn't work as well as one might hope. Their initial success came in catchy, powerful songs that made you want to run through the rain pretending that your life was as dramatic and poetic as their music. This doesn't happen in Ritual. 'Bigger Than Us' ends up being a less effective attempt at round two of 'Farewell to the Fairground', and instead of imagining all the poignant points of your life in slow motion with these new songs as background music, you are left feeling a bit irritated. 'Bad Love' is a perfect example ofthis, with the particularly cliched line "If I'm guilty of anything/ it's loving you too much" conjuring nothing but sickly annoyance. The electronic touches do reap some rewards though. The 8o's vibe works well

in some places; 'Peace and Quiet' has hints of a Joy Division/New Order sound, which complement s McVeigh's voice nicely but in other places they miss the mark and at one point during 'Is Love' they may as well have segued into The Human League's 'Don't You Want Me'! [Ed . I fail to see why this is an issue ... ] All in all, Ritual is okay. There are highs; 'Come Down' has a particularly nice section of vocals and good guitar and bass lines. 'The Power and t he Glory' starts off slow but once it gets going is a high point too . On their own the songs aren't offensive, but put them together and it becomes too much . lfthis album was your friend you'd be sick of them whining to you about their love life. If this album was your boyfriend/girlfriend you would have ended it as their initial sensitivity quickly became needy and their constant worry of their inadequacy drove youinsane.

Chapel Club's debut album, on first listen, is a bit hit and miss, flittering between inspiration and indifference. You want it to open up to you . Unfortunately, despite longing, wishing, praying and even grovelling for more on repeated listens, hit and miss is how it remains. it's not a great start when your debut's first track seems pointless. What they have aimed for is a mood setter, a wash of ambient sound to welcome you to the Palace which they have built, an overture of sorts. What they actually achieve is very little. At just shy of two minutes long 'Depths' is fine as a composition; a piece of background music for a poignant Attenborough-esque landscape shot perhaps, but as song, well, it's going to be nobody's favourite. The album sparks into life with the next track, 'Surfacing', which should be the opener. Its staccato verses are choppy and tense but finally crescendo into a cathartic chorus which impresses time and time again. it's a majestic song, one that shows the apogee of Chapel Club's talents in both their shoegaze instrumentals and, with the classic lines "dream a little dream of me", Bowman's poetic lyricism. From herein tracks wax and wane. Both 'Five Trees' and 'After the Flood' are disappointingly average and, despite only being four songs in the Horrors meets Editors tremolo/vibrato guitar lines are beginning

to grate, not because of their inclusion, but simply because the album is plagued by overproduction. What could have been a seminal release is marred by an overstated intent to follow in the footsteps of My Bloody Valentine .The vocals are lost and any promise to fill the shoes of those melodramatic indie giants are quashed as they begin to sound more derivative and even more predictable. This is not to say that there aren't some amazing tracks on the album. 'The Shore' is a brooding and dreamy, yet ethereal creatio~ ' and allows the band to show their more tender and darker side with the haunting lyrics "you liar/

Rose Cla

::i: The world already has one Kings of Leon' Unfortunately, this LP marks a magnificent leap away from the intelligently crafted, in insecurity-wrought lyrics present D previous Cold War Kids releases . w a: Mine Is Yours lacks the gutsy punch we are used to. Usually, Cold War Kids' songs 3 tell a story, but it appears the wit and guile we know and love has dissipated . Instead the focus of this release is the use of electric > guitars, which are employed in such a way

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lack the rough tones with which Cold War Kids are synonymous. Previous releases sounded like they were born of heavy drinking, bitterness, and betrayal. 'Finally Begin' sounds like a Come Around Sundown B-side . Often if a film is lacking in substance, every exciting moment is crammed into the trailer, leaving the cinemagoer with an understanding of the plot without ever having bought a ticket. This is precisely

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U> that some songs on the record sound as .._. if they would be welcome in any football a: ground's half-time playlist. <t: One thing's for sure, this LP is anthemic, and the band may accumulate new fans as a result of this straight-edged release, z though there will be some losses along the 0 way. Any fan eagerly anticipating another raw release with an air of the Deep South I U> and riffs that make you want to learn the <t: harmonica may as well stop reading now. l1... Where's the swagger7 The album is too polished and Nathan Willett's vocals

how Venue feel's about Mine Is Yours . When 'Louder Than Ever' was released as a single, it left fans wanting more of the same . However, disappointment ensued as the album becomes dazzlingly indifferent from the intro of track three onwards. With Cold War Kids' stunning debut LP Robbers & Cowards and the subsequent Loyalty to Loyalty being self-produced, we're at a loss as to why it was a good idea to fix something that wasn't broken! Bring back the magic. Bring back Cold War Kids. Josh Clift

you coward/you snake" echoing over their subdued instrumentals . '0 Maybe I' too, is a strong song, but by this point the album needs reinvigorating . Thankfully 'All The Eastern Girls' is track number nine. Superlatives in abundance could not describe how brilliant this song is. Its beautifully crafted lyrics, accomplished guitar parts and its position as saving grace of the album make it the standalone track by a country mile. You can skip final track 'Paper Thin', because the 'All The Eastern Girls' refrain of "This IS a love song/This is a love song ... " is a much more fitting ending and the best and most sincere thing they have done. AlexThrossell

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DOUBLE PAGE SPECIAL

Snatching at a CD that a room full of peop le are cu rl ing thei r lip at is never going to suggest ove rwhelm ing potentia l; but there's always hope, right? Nope. This bizarre school of angry foreign poisson's introduce themselves by an eerie dark opening with roll ing drums and twink ling guitars. The vocalist welcomes t he listener in the vei n of a ri ngmaster preparing an audience for an awe -inspiring performance. it's not what you get. The entrance song 'Johnny Sideways' chops between a creeping down-tempo verse and a chorus w ith guitars t hat utili ses

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balance and gives the listener a chance to catch their breath before bursting into 'Just Because'. The second half of the album is a step back from the foot to the floor tempo of the opening tracks. With delicate guitar sections and voca ls more me lodic in nature, 'Postcards of Persuasion' opens this up and demonstrates the more relaxed after party vi be of the Los Angeles quintet. This album has suffered from the hype and expectation of the music-media machine and as a result it was always going to struggle to meet the expectations placed upon it. Accusations of the album being too try hard in trying to create a dance-pop album of significance miss the point. This is an album to represent the lifestyle of LA party residents, not to break down musical boundaries. Funeral Party have created an album that 1s fun, easy and popular, if not revolutionary; rather like a Monday night at a Norwich nightclub.

Despite what the title might suggest , this album is not about a Monday night out at a Norwich nightclub. What 1t is about is a lifestyle fi lled with partying, dancing and sunset yard parties in L.A. Exploding out of the blocks with 'NYC Moves To The Sound Of LA' Funeral Party display the confident, cock-sureness that sets great bands apart from the average. The up-beat party tempo is relentless throughout the first half of the album and when coupled with the numerous shoutalong chants throughout recent single 'Fina le' a sometimes unnecessary in your face attitude is created. Criticised in some press for being "nothing new", Funeral Party happily play up to this with 'Where Did it Go Wrong' by wearing their influences on their sleeves. Hints ofThe Strokes and various other early zooo's American lndie bands shine through. Rather than detracting from the album this -rsroduces a change in sound to the opening tracks and gives the album much needed

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indie stabs and metal licks. Nowadays it's a bizarre format, but one that ran riot during nu-metal's hay-day. The vocals suggest an off-key combination of Influences from Serj Tankian, Jello Biafra, and Eugene Hutz; but are notab ly weaker and less dynamic than any of the above. By the second song 'Jesta', the vocals have lost any charm they might have offered and the weirdness in his voice just sounds obscenely forced. The music takes on the standard format of intro, verse, chorus, verse, etc; with the chorus delivering the typical heavy distortion supplied 1n every standard rock breakdown. it's very run of the mill stuff. Throughout the album, the band nod their head towards international rhythms, and even some tweaks at a late go's Primus obscurity but again lack the innovation to pull any of it off convincingly. In the pursuit of originality in an overdone heavy rock genre, too many styles have been bashed here. lt comes across as a messy and strained mush of ideas that fail to comm1t to pop sensibi lities as much as it does musical progression. For an edgy rabble of 15 year olds, this would be a product to be proud of, unfortunately they're not. Just Before We Go Mad 7 To waste t he amount of time they have creating this uninspiring, boring and dull artefact; they've clearly already gone mad. But it's not all bad' At least the album was recorded in tune . it's also very functional: it fits nicely inside any moderately sized bin, and it's also a digipack (the case is made out of card) which means you can supplement rising heating prices by burning it. Ant Firth -Cia rk

"Hey Johnny, what are you rebelling against/'' are the first words which greet you on Guilty Hands' debut album. Well, they are certainly rebellmg against the 1dea that they should fall into any part1cular genre. The further Desire on a Short Leash goes on the more it becomes clear that they will not fall into any easy indie cliches, and instead lead the listener along a wi nding path featuring a variety of musical ideas.

"The Killing of lsla Nicholson" allude to drowning. Any happy or optimistic themes are notably absent. But 1t's not all doom and gloom. Sure-fire 0 w single 'Gregory' could be an indie dance floor a: hit with 1ts upbeat tempo, bouncy synth-lines and driving guitar. Indeed if the band seems 3 to have a rather macabre worldview, this doesn't st op them from hav ing a good ear for melody and catchy repeating choruses, >

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as is also evident on opening track 'Razor'. The more interesting featu res on the album such as the use of jittery electronic beats and eclectic vocal delivery sets them z apart from your average indie band. Overa ll 0 Desire On A Short Leash comes off as a I confident yet darkly atmospheric indie-pop Ul album, but its not quite that simple... <( lL

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THE BROWNIES/FEVER FEVER O r how Norwich music came out of the ether to kick your tucking arse

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sort of regard as New York's recently deceased punk mecca CBGB's. On whether or not comparisons between the two have been drawn primarily because of their legendarily fetid toilets, Venue is unsure . What is clear though is that the calibre of bands performing at the Marquee last Friday evoked the kind of buzz that you'd expect from New York's premier punk club back in its '76 heyday. The joy of underground Norwich music is that it is relatively untouched by the stiflingly pretentious and ultimately selfserving factions that plague the scenes of the bigger cities . it has sustained itself; it has nourished itself and, in the process, created something with a distinct flair of it s own . it's a bit art rock, totally fuzz drenched and with enough British eccentricity to keep it consistently fresh and entertaining . Oh, it also kicks the shit; more than your favourite twee indie fuckup band ever did anyway. Friday night sees the Marquee packed out, sold out in fact, and smelling like a gym locker. There's a kind of nervous energy,

and a sticky haze in the air. Lady Panther takes to the stage, saying very little .They're letting the music do the talking, which is no bad thing . it rips like a bitch, a burning, fucked up rock and roll mess . Down and dirty like an old Kyuss record, the band somehow manages to keep their sound lean and mean with an altogether Britpunkier edge. No fuss, no frills, just back of the net and they're gone ... good start. While Lady Panther seems to have perfected the art of getting straight to the point, Cold Hands are apparently in need of a crash course in cutting the crap . Well, that and staying (relatively) sober before taking to the stage. While the trio has something of a burgeoning reputation on the Norwich scene, their set at this juncture feels like the weak link in an otherwise iron-cast cha in. They're sloppy, they're disengaged and they look and sound like they're two Jagers away from waking up in a pool of their own bile. An end set instrument swap doesn't do them any favours, and the resulting debacle is like witnessing an onstage car crash . Stick to the J20 next time, lads. If Cold Hands can 't find the strength to

clean up the ir act, they might at least want some of what Fever Fever is on (whatever it is, Venue can only assume it's very illegal. We also want some .. .). The band's infectious venom is the first sign ofthe night that East Anglia could be on the verge of a musical revolution . Distinctively jagged with a noise -punk, art rock flair, Fever Fever deliver the goods with a snot nosed British wit that feels like a valiantly raised middle digit to every shit band you've ever been forced to listen to . Venue doesn't quite know where they've come from . The important thing is where they're going . With a performance already confirmed for this year's SXSW in Texas and moguls such as Everett True amongst the converted, Fever Fever could well be the next big thing. That's something that we here at Venue wouldn't have a problem with . The night's headliners have organised

this gig as a fundraiserfor their own Gravy records . They've also motivated a large number of the audience into attending. They are The Brownies, and while their name might connote the junior continge ~' of the Girl Guides, the ir music is pure rock . Proper rock, in fact : the kind of rock that starts a movement. it's sexy, it's angry, it sounds like Ouentin Tarantino shot 'gos Riot Grrrl through the head with a twelve gauge shotgun and then turned it up to eleven. The band is a well -oiled machine, powered by relentless fuzz riffing that penetrates your eardrums and leaves you sore in the morning . Over all too quickly, The Brownies leave you wanting more. Indeed, they might be in contention with Fever Fever for the title of Norfolk's premier band . Ale c Plowm arr

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FRIDAY MARCH 4TH - 7 .30PM KEVIN AND STEVEN KATZENJAMMER PRESENT I LOVE A PIANO WWW KATZENJAMMER BIZ

TUESDAY APRIL 26TH AT 7.30PM THEATRE DE DECADENCE PRESENTS BURLESQUE VARIETY SHOW DRESS TO IMPRESS IF YOI WISH

SATURDAY MARCH 5TH 7 30PM GEORGE DIULON -THE GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW

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KWAVf <; NME AWARDS fOUR feat. Crystal Ca• - LCR - 7pm (approx. £~7- call for availability) * -The Town - LT~ - 7: 3opm (£2 .8o) * Snow White and the Seven SinsNorwich PuppetTheatre - 2:3opm/6:3opm

- LCR- ~opm (£3.5oadv)

The Caucasian Chalk Circle- The Playhouse- 2:3opm/7:3opm (HO-fi2) * Hairspray- Theatre Royal (daily shows until the ~2th of February) 2:3opm/r3opm (£6-£39·50)

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r - LCR- ~opm (£4.50) * Norwich Alternative Valentines Sale @ Waterfront- ~oam-5pm (£1 entry)

Phi I Beer Band -The Assembly House r3opm (H6) * Norwich Jazz Collective Presents: Pangaea- Norwich Arts Centre - 8pm (£4) V1bc> 111 fh!:'

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NT Live: King Lear- Cinema City6:45Pm eat. Bloc Party DJ - LCR - 1opm * (£6) * Juan Martin- Norwich Arts Centre - 8pm (£10-£i3)

- LCR - 1opm (£4.50) The Complete Works ofWilliam Shakespeare (Abridged)- The Playhouse -

7:3opm

(£~0-£12)

Varietease Burlesque Revue- Norwich PuppetTheatre- 8pm (Ho) * -The Other Guys - LT~- r3opm (£2 .80)

- LCR - ~opm (£3 .50 David Harsent- UEA Literary Festival 6:3opm (£6) Opera De Paris: Caligula - Cinema City-

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The Banff Mountain Fi lm Festival- The Playhouse -7:3opm (Ho-£~2) * Met. Opera : Nixon In China- Cinema City - 6pm (£2~ . 50)

- LCR - 7pm (H6)

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which you can spend your ~4th of February in Norwich. To all the hopeless romantics, why not go old school and take that special someone on a picnic. Prepare their favourite food; roll up a blanket and head on down to the UEA Lake for the perfect romantic atmosphere. Simples 1 If you don't fancy braving the inevitable cold, Venue would like to suggest an idyllic location to spend this special day. Nestled quietly in the centre of Norwich are The Bar and The Dining Rooms at Cinema City. This one building, dating back to the ~4th Century, houses a bar, restaurant and several cinema screens, with a covered medieval courtyard; adorned with fairy lights and timeless rustic charm for all its diners. With an impressive selection of food and wines on their menu including Wild Rabbit and Hazelnut Crusted Venison Loin, you won't be short of choice either. A word of caution, be prepared to hand over a decent amount of your student loan, as all of this doesn't come cheap! For the more "hands on" couples, get

Britten Sinfonia: English Song- Theatre

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VALENIINE'S IN NORWICH lt almost seems like as soon as we've had chance to put away our Christmas decorations for another year, shops are stacking their shelves with the commercial flora and fauna aimed at drawing in the hapless consumer into departing with their well -earned cash in the name of celebration. For some of us, Valentine's Day marks one day of the year where people become obsessed with the notion of "love" and get sucked into the hype of an over publicised, money making farce. However to some, this day means a little bit more. At its core, this is meant to be a day to celebrate the ones whom you love and cherish, no matter who they may be: this notion seems to have been lost to the masses under a tidal wave of marketing and cynicism. The truly special thing about Valentine's Day is that there are an infinite number of ways in which you can celebrate it, every one being as wonderful and unique as the next. So in the spirit of love, Venue would like to make some suggestions as to ways in

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yourself to Thai Wellbeing for a Couples Massage, where you and your partner can share the experience together. Two therapists will accompany you and perform a treatment of your choice from their wide range available. Last but not least, all the singles out there, Lola Lo are hosting a special edition of their student nightTrashed with the "Trashed

Chat Up Challenge". Pretty self-explanatory, just bring your best frie nds along and see if the sparks fly! With free entry all night, there z really is no excuse not to make the very most 0 of your Valentine's Day. I Ul <(

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The Kerrangl Re lentless Energy Dnnk Tour 2011 will be com1ng to the LCR on Monday the 7th of February. If you fa ncy go ing to see, amongst other musical heavyweig hts, Good Charlotte, a band that weren't even cool ten years ago, then all you have to do is bring your completed crossword to the Concrete Office by 3pm on 04!02/11. Nam e:

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Comedian Ange los Ep ithemiou will be performing at t he LCR on Thursday the 3rd of March . All you have to do to w1n two t1ckets IS c1rcle the correct answer to the follow 1ng quest1on and bnng it to the Concrete Office by 3Pm on o1/03/11 . What IS Ep1themiou's real name7 A) Renton Skinner B) Rent Boy Skmner C) Skmner the R1mmer Name · E-mail:

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dishes sen·ed 11'itlr free fHIII bread · co11 be modt• hotter if de.~ired ChickC' n T ikka Kalti . ...'.iS .~IS Tikka 13alti ......... ..... .. ........ S:i.'l:i & Mushroom Ralt i ...... £:1 .!1:1 g Prawn Ba lti .. .S7 .:i0 1\kat l-3alti .... SS .i'O .. ... £·1..10 l-3i!lti .... .... .S:1 . lJ .~ Vcgctab iP Haiti .... . Mushroom Balti .S:i. ~S Chi c ken Balti.. ... ..SS .!iO ME" at & Vt>g€' tabl t" Bal ti ..... SS.% Chi cken Sag Balti ... .. ......... !:ili. l 0 Chick en & Vegetab le Ha iti SS.9S Prawn Sag 13a lti ...... S!i. :>O

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Set Meal For Tu·o .. ...... ............... .. ............ £18. .50 2 Pap adum s Oni o n B h aji Chi c ke n Tikk a (s l art Pr) Ch i c k e n Tikk a M asa la 2 Pul ao Ri ce On ion Sa l ad

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\1 l ilt

dish es are n •ry mild & cr eamy Chicken Tikka Ku rm a . Lamb Ti kka Kurmil CliickPn Kurn1<1 .. . .. .............. . 1\>leal Kurrna ........ £4.')0 Prawn Kunna .. £4.40 King Prawn Kurnw .. ......... :-1/ .:iO Vegetable Kur ma

.... S5.9'1

CilickPn or Lamb .lalfrPzi .. Butter Chicken or Lamb .lc•p ra CilickC' n or Lamb .. IT/t'tfi/JIII

ufllti/JUl \

t 1111/i .\llfl t/1/t/.\. lt/1\/1/\

lft l.,~ e

.. ~5.9:i .. S4.!1:i t/ft

Dansak Dishes /to/ , .Will/' 8. Sl/ '1'£' /, COOked ll'itft

t ///I/ Ill

t till he• 1111/tft• lifll/t'li/ tfc'\ll't'tf

ChickPn o r Lamb Mak hani .... . ... ~5.SII ./11 r/ 1 life/,· 'fl h11rh~ l/l'c/111 (J < ftl\ rJ(.I' fl

Patia Dishes

Chicken or Lamb .lhal l 1\lasala hut Jfl/fJ/1 uu/:,·cltrlfll :O.:I"t'c 11 lnllt f'''flfll

ell/

1 .!! 11 1J..!c'l , \ · ·uf l.\lc l/117

.. .............................. .S.4.95 11/UIH/fll•'d If/ ·"'f'lc I'\

lllfft/1111/U/Ut'.\ ,\.: /J,• 11/lldt• IJu/11'1 1/ dt'\fl"r'cl

1/lt'tflll/1/ tfn .J .!Itll I

1\· c·uukt•cftn

t ufli.'c•t!

Ill

....................... :i4.9:i

111/h /c•f/1/t!lt ,·f.o 11 lift 111/l<'tfllll// lmiltllunuftcuk- c /Ill f>c• 11111dc• hu/1<'1 t!

i/c'\ll't'tf

Chi cke n or Lamb Tikka ['.lasala. , ""/:,

/111 .,,,,.,

............................. SS.SII

t•tl 'f'l ,., lwtg\ lu.,,,. 11trlt

\ ft~su!u

\U/1< ,.

.. ......... S4 .9.)

Cllick t• 11 or Lamb l'asa l)(l a.. llllfrl - t uu/:c ·If /!Ill t I ftl, /;,'I/ "r fw11f 1/ltfllllilf>

l't'l'l

Shahi Mutton

'<1111_1 . t!

Ill

\(///<

c' 1/ t/ ft

Uflll<

U(\ , llfiiiU//(f.\

'/'let' c\ \'flt!lillll

luglai ................ .... ..............

.. ....... .SS.9:>

lil<'tliuut , rh •' nlt/11 dtsft .t:uml\ll<'d utili ufntuntf, \11/lwtu., ,\. h•·t/1\ ( ·.,.,/,' •d 111/lt it '.'it t lt'tlill Fn1111 1/ut·fl/11

Tandoori King Pra\\'n Masa la 1unduun kln.r:.J 1fl/f 11-", uuk,·d 1

111

u .lJu...,ulu

\UIIc·l

' f 't't

..... Sil.Y:i uti '/'le •'-'

Ta ncloori King Prawn Drlighl ................................................... SX .9S f..111g f11"UII'I/.\ J..!,l'lff,•cf!l/ (/ dtl_\ ,,,,., lttf

Curry Dishes tlt e.\ 1' ciislt es are m edium sp! ced 1ritlt l(rary. ltolfu·ss liS r equired

ChickPn or Lilmb MPlhi .. lt!sfc• .

CliiL'kt•11 Tikka Palia ..... S4.lJ:i Chicken Palia .................... S•UO Lamb Tikka Patia ...... S:i.SO Meal Palia............ ...S4.SO Prawn Patia ........................ 5•1.·10 King Pra\\' n Palia ..... SI.Sil VPgetable Patia .................. S:l.XO

t 1/fl\/t 1/111 .'-.c'l'/'t'tf //'f J/ 1/ //it'

\fit'< 111/ lie r/t\ c\. \flit c'.\ < uu/,'c'tf '/'it 1

l e111if Sill/ Cl'

m edium spiced /tot . srrcet & sour

,\. '"·'"·cftn i>llll•·rtnlh \'tJ!~Iwrl ,\., rc·w n

Korai Ch ickE:'n or Lamb........ flll'dlf/111 fuel\·, 11 fii'IU!llh c'flh• \

C: lli ckt•n Tikka Dansak.. .S ~ .LJ:i Chi cke n Dansak ....... S•Ull Lamb Tikka Dansak. .. ... SS.SO Meat Dansa k .................... .S4.Sll Prawn Dan sa k . .................. S·1.>10 Kin g Prawn Dansa k .. .S7.SO Vegetahlr Dansak .............. S:l.XO

c'rJ() /(I•c/ fll ('c'l"\' t' /1

...... S:l.llO

Vledium

Madras

Vindaloo

Cli ickc·n Tikka Curry .. S4.10. ...S4.XO ................. £4.90 Lin n b Tikka Curry ...... SS.SO. .. .. .SS.60 ....... SS./0 C'lii<'k<·n Curry. ..S •I.Ill ...... :i4.:W. . ...... S4.:l0 M Pat Cm r v ........................S4.SO ...... SHiCl ....... S-1./Cl Prawn l'11 1:rv .. . .. ..... £4.:l0. . .. S-1.40 .S4.Sil King Prawn.Curry. .57.:>0 .... .£7.60 ...... S7.70 Veg<'lablc C' urry ..................... .S:l.fiO ............... .S:lBO

.s:uo ............

Bhuna Dishes lite •.\ £' dish es arc m Pdium 'piccd ,\. cooked ll'ilft OlliUIIS. !(l'l'e/1 pepp!'I'S 8. IOIIllltOI 'S <" are fairlr c/n·. ((Ill !Je mcule !toiler il'de.\ ir('(l

Chicken :l'ikka Hhu na ....... S-1.9:1 i.<•mb Tikka Bhnnii ... S:i.:iO Ch ic kPn 11hllnil .. £4 Meal l3huna .......... £4.30 Prawn 13 1iuna .. Kin g Pr<Jwn Rh una .... ......... SI.Sil Vegetab le Bh11n a

(J/ "t'f/ . t'CHJ/\'t'fllfl (/ f }I'U/11\ \'(/(}( 1'

Rogon Josh

'f'l• ,., 111111 lnury!l"l'"ill

Ta ndoori King Prawn .lh<tll Masala .... :0:1\.LJ:i Ta ncloori King l'rawn .lalfrezi ........... ::i9.lJ'i

all Rogm1 Jo.~lt dislt e.~ arl' fii 'Cfllll'l'd medium . p eel ed plum /IJIIIIII!J trit/1 fresh garlic. coricllufc.r. fresh ftigftly 11anmrcd spi ces~ fre~h /('mOll jui ce, ca11 !Jc made holler if d e.~ired

Achar Dishes

Chicken Tikka Rogon ........ S..J.'lS King Pra wn Rogon ............. S/.:)(1 Lamb Tik ka Rogon .. ........... SS.:iO Prawn Rogon ........... S-1.40 M eal Rogon .... S4.:i0 Chicken Rogon ...... S-1.:.!0 Vegetable Rogon. .. ........... s:l.RO

m ediw11 - cook ed i11 blended pickles 8. fi·esft spices

Dupiaza Dishes

......... SS.Sil Ch icke n Achar ...... SS. I 0 ............. ::i:i.~l:i Meal Achar. .. ........ SS.:W Prawn !\cha r ...................... SS.:l!l King Pra\\'n Ad1ill' ............. £7.'10 .. ......... SHiO Vegetab le Aclwr.

Sathay Dishes medium curry cooked reil it fresh musftrormts. potato & corirwde1·

Ch ickPn Tikk a ~at hay ........ S:i .SO Chicken Sa t hay ................ SS. I() Lamb Tikka S<tlhay ........... S:i.9S Meat Sat hay...... .. .... :-15.~0 Prawn Sathay.. .. ..... ~3.:{() King Prawn Sat hay... ...~1.30

all Dupia~a di.~lw .~ are moked 11·ith fr c•sh ch opp ed ouiou .~. coriauder. fre.~h tomato. l(l'l'l'll p epper ll'ilh medium spice.~. c1111 he made holler if 1/e.~ired

hicken Tikka Dupiaza......... ...S ·I.~IS b Tikk a Dupiaza .. S:i.:iO King Prawn Dupiaza .S/.:i(l Chickpn DupiaZiJ. .. .... .. S4.21l MPal IJupiaza . ...S 'I.:;(I Prawn Dupiazil ......... .S4.40 Vegetable Dupiaza .. .......... S:UlO

English Dishes lft l'.~l' c!islu•s arc sen ed u·ith cftips. lomuloc.\

Fried Chicken

8. fl l'US

.............. ..