Veig Magazine - Issue 1 by Emmy Charlotte I'Anson

ISSUE 1

EDITORS

LETTER

EDITORS EDITORS

LETTER

EDITORS

A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR I’M WRITING THIS A FEW DAYS BEFORE MY MASTERS DISSERTATION HAND IN AS IT’S THE FINAL PIECE TO THIS PUZZLE, BOTH THE COURSE AND THIS ONLINE MAGAZINE HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING ADVENTURE. I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING THE ASSORTMENT OF ARTICLES WE HAVE INSIDE FOR YOU IN THIS FIRST ISSUE, FROM REVIEWS ON THE THEATRE AND GAMES TO DATING CLICHÉS AND TRAVELING. I’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED PUT TOGETHER THIS PIECE OF WORK. IT HAS BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH YOU ALL.

EMMY L’ANSON

Editor

NICHOLAS MCKAY

Graphic Designer

EDITORS EDITORS

LETTER EDITORS EDITORS

LETTER

n o i h s a F l a v i t Fes S

Author: Emmy L’Anson

ummer season fashion means one thing for all budding fashionistas out there and that’s festival. A girls must haves for a festival are a good pair of denim hot pants, a cute, flowing boho dress, a decent pair of welly boots (normally Hunters) and dry shampoo. Team them with a group of friends, some good music and weather and a drink and you have the perfect festival atmosphere for the summer. Here we show you what the celebs were rocking at the summer festivals this year.

4 1 0 2 a l l e h c a o C – r e l t u B d Austin

3 1 0 2 l a v i t s e F V – t t o Pixie L

n a s n e g d u Vanessa H

4 1 0 2 a l l e h c a o C – s en

g d u H a s s e Van

4 1 0 2 l a v i t s e F V – e r o m t i h W a ur

4 1 0 2 a l l e h c a o C – r e n n e J l l a d n e K d n a e i Kyl

4 1 0 2 l a v i t s e F V – h s o t n i k c a M illie

Alex

4 1 0 2 y r u b n o t s a l G – a Chung

HOW TO… Live With The Ex next article

Author: Emmy I’Anson

t has been just over a year since I packed up my things and moved out of my home at the time that I shared with The Ex. I met The Ex when I was 17 and we pretty much went through all the typical teenage into adult problems together. We survived University together, went through two family divorces, holidays, moving etc. The decision to break up during our final year at University I now realise was stupid, seeing as we lived together and we couldn’t really get out of our contract. Since moving out and living with friends and on my own I have pulled together a few tips on how to live with The Ex, if a break up ever happens while you are living with them and you unfortunately can’t leave for a while.

BOUNDARIES AND RULES – Can you have other

people over while you’re living together? Are you even allowed to date someone else? Talk with The Ex, make sure you both know where you stand with one another. It’s not just about dating as well. Do you still share your grocery shopping together? What about cooking? Washing clothes? There’s so much you used to do together that you don’t anymore which you need to go over so you both know how this new situation works. I was a doormat and still shopped and cooked for The Ex, don’t do a me, make that person make a sandwich for themselves.

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS – Try and have

separate beds ASAP. If that’s not possible for the whole time you’re still living together or for a while then decide what side of the bed you have or who has the sofa. Everyone knows that if you can’t spoon the person next to you then star fishing in the bed is the next best thing.

PULL BACK ON THE FRIENDSHIP - If you’ve

managed to come out of the break up and still get on, try and remember you both need space too. My breakup led to countless nights sitting on the sofa together playing games and watching Game of Throne’s when he got back from work. It’s great to still have a friendship out of it but you need to try and distance yourself from each other, it can’t be how it was before. Watch that TV show on your own don’t sit around waiting for The Ex to get home, play video games with another friend. You’ll soon realise you can do it all without The Ex.

KNOW EACH OTHER’S SCHEDULES - The less

time you see each other the easier it is for one another, especially if one of you starts dating someone else. It’s never fun to watch your ex get on with their life while you’re sat there with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s while crying at The Notebook. Have a sit down and try and figure out when each of you are about, if you attend those parties together anymore and how you handle all that “their my friends” situations. You’re both adults here and need to ensure you make life easy for yourself and for the people around you. And if you’re not getting along, stay out of each other’s way or even flat out ignore each other if necessary. No one enjoys being in or having to endure a fight over pointless crap.

TRY NOT TO SLEEP WITH THEM (it’s bound to

happen though.) - You’ll both be lonely or drunk or just plain bored and you’ll remember that The Ex knows you and that the sex was good. You’ll think, “What’s the harm, its just sex”. It might well be “just sex” but before you go jumping into their bed or make out with them on the sofa just think about the awkwardness the next morning and the fact that you just don’t work as a couple.

MOVE ON – Sooner or later one of you will move

on. This can happen while you live together or are finally apart. Don’t get left in the dust going over old photographs and memories, move on too. Everyone hates that awkward situation when you bump into The Ex and you’re still hanging on, wearing tracksuit bottoms, a hoody with crisps down the front and you’re looking “fine”. So to avoid that awkward moment get up, get out and get going.

DON’T – Don’t do it, it wont be easy, it will be very messy.

The start of something

Beautiful next article

Author: Connor Dann

elationships nowadays are not what they seem. It appears that whenever people meet up for drinks or meet up for a night out, the main topic of conversation always seems to be their love life. The word “relationship” doesn’t seem to mean anything at all now, and I believe the reason for this is because relationships seem to come into existence quite quickly and then fade away just as fast. People don’t seem to care much about who they hurt or what they do, and why should they? It’s 2014. You can blame the papers, you can blame the TV and all of those terrible reality TV shows but at the end of the day the one thing that people don’t realise is, the reason people get themselves into the situations they do is because everybody loves a drama. Drama is, for most people, the best form of entertainment and also a strange recreational drug that I like to call a ‘life filler’. People’s lives are so empty and meaningless in these current times that they feel the need to create these delusions in their head that they are ‘working through some things’ and ‘they can’t take the pain’ anymore. But it’s not all doom and gloom, there are still good relationships out there. They are the relationships that stay off Facebook and Twitter, stay off the lips of drunken men and women; they are the relationships that actually work and mean something. There is no real way of preparing to get into a good relationship. It will always be difficult at certain points and at times you will probably want to kill one another but that’s the way it is. Thinking about my own past and current experiences of relationships I feel I have some words of wisdom to share with you about how a relationship works. The first time you meet someone, there must be a spark. Both of you won’t realise what this spark is, it just seems to happen. At the end of the night you will realise you had a great time, and that great time was because you had met someone special. The self-analysis will begin to happen in your head and you will question actions that you did that night. It will question the looks she gave you, what she meant by saying what she said and that slightly longer eye contact than usual. The next day that person will be on your mind. Not as a giant headline, but more of an interesting little article that you tell your friends about. If she is never seen again then the memory of her and that spark will soon fade and eventually die out until it is struck again. But! If you do see her again then the process will undoubtedly be repeated and subsequently each time you meet up after that, until eventually that spark will ignite something spectacular. You may both decide to take the plunge, but this should be only after getting more and more comfortable with each other. Then you can both put a label to whatever “this” is. Your newly found relationship opens up a whole new can of worms, but that should be kept for another article. Until next time.

THERE IS NO REAL WAY OF PREPARING TO GET INTO A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

Girls on tour A

holiday away with the girls should be a write of passage. I believe every girl should go through a holiday with her fellow females at some point within her life - whether that be a relaxing break somewhere aesthetically pleasing, filled with coffee shops, reading and cocktail bars; or a mental partying break in one of the grimiest, yet surprisingly endearing resorts in Europe. Personally I prefer the latter. Whatever the holiday, country, or the group there is something that will always remain the same - the routines.

Author: Eve Howard

1. The Breakfast You’re on holiday, so why not treat yourself? A fry up is usually the popular choice. The local greasy spoons rely on routines like these to be your ‘home’ whilst on your retreat. Here you can discuss the day’s ahead- or usually the night before and the antics that the group got up to. Either filled with hangover heads in need of a good OJ and hash brown, or in-depth chats about the manic far off life at home. You can guarantee one thing; breakfast is full of fry-ups, laughter and usually the holy one - WIFI!!

2. The Pool vs Beach War Well naturally. Some girls love the pool and some like the beach, but which is better? There is only one way to find out…. FIIIGHHHHTTTT!!! - No seriously, this is serious stuff. The pool has the dilemma of no breeze, but then the beach has… you’ve guessed it sand, eww. Girls can’t always find the happy medium of all agreeing, but one thing that always seems to settle this argument - the talent. No, I’m not talking about the local belly dancer or tribute act. I am talking about the quality of men. Is there some eye candy? If yes then usually this option wins. It doesn’t matter if the group you’re with are the confident type to start chatting to the boys, then by 12’oclock you are all drunk in the pool with a vodka Red Bull in one hand whist trying to climb up one of the boys backs for a shoulder game of volleyball - of course. Or your girls are more reserved and happy to just appreciate the pleasing view whilst roasting in the summer heat- either way a nice face and body is always welcomed whatever the holiday.

3. Scheduling Plans Now this heavily falls on what happened in stage 2 - if you have found some male companions by the pool/beach, usually this is a big group decision “Do we all fancy going somewhere together tonight?” and “What time is Pre-drinks going to start”. I’m going to put it out there and say that when boys are involved with the decision, it’s much easier to make plansbish-bash-bosh. However when its just the girls, there is always the: “Shall we do this?”, “or what about…” and then there’s the: “We could always do”. This is all round more stressful because someone is always unhappy. I’ve found making the evening plans in advance at the beginning of the week really helpful. This way you can plan outfits, schedules and also save yourself a bit of money by booking tickets to events in advance.

4. Getting Ready Ritual

5. Pre’s

This is serious shit. Who gets in the shower first? Nightmare situation, which only girls can understand. That feeling when the slowest member of the group gets in the shower last and you all exchange looks as if to say “We’re never getting out on time”. Now my girls and me have tried and tested this and we have decided you have two options - 1.) Get the slowest member in the shower first, simply tell her to jump in straightaway. This way there is a good chance she will be ready when the rest of you are. 2.) Get the quickest at getting ready in the shower first, this way you can be ready with your glad-rags on, sitting on the balcony with a drink and beginning the pre-drinks. No one wants to be around the heat of the hairdryer or being around the last minute flap as the slowest girls get ready. I prefer the second option, get ahead with a nice relaxed getting ready session and don’t get all hot and bothered whilst others stress about outfits, grab a glass of wine and head for an outdoor seating area with your girls!

My personal favourite part of the night. I love pre-drinks. All your group are looking fresh and could take on the world. Drinks flow, occasionally a cheeky fag comes out (only on a girls holiday of course) and conversation is at its peak. The predrink chats are important to all girl friendships. The most inappropriate and in-depth chats come out within pre-drinks. As the alcohol flows within the veins and the head becomes hazyyour group puts the world to right and rightly so. Then the boys - you know the ones from the pool/beach - they turn up to pre’s. Within the 30 seconds of them knocking on the door, before anyone answers every girl with do the following:Lipstick, hair check, under eye makeup check, top check, boobs check and do a quick bum check in the mirror, whist stretching the legs. FACT. Once the door is open, your group are all a delight; funny, sexy, crazy and out to show that your girl group is better than the rest. Music, dancing and selfies are the rituals.

6. Nightout Mainly a buzz of excitement and newly found love for anyone and everyone you meet. Literally on holiday you love, and you love hardcore. Everyone is just so nice!! The lights, the music, THE PEOPLE! YOU HEART LIFE! Group photos, the generic bathroom mirror picture, the new crew you have formed and the duck lip poses for every Instagram. We all know girls, you can’t help the duck-lips, it’s a disease. Whether a cocktail bar or super club, the drink takes over and when we are happy on holiday, with our best friendswe are very bloody happy. Then something happens - we all have that friend, you know; the one that can’t have too many vinos because everything becomes emotional. Yeah you know who I’m talking about - the waterworks flow and flow and then hysteria kicks in. The girl groups then reunite to calm down the by this time semisuicidal friend and will lead quite nicely onto the next phase of our routines.

9. Repeat I have had many holidays, both chilled and crazy. I have partied more than relaxed, but both have been just as important to me. Girls are awesome; we have a bond between friends that boys just will never understand. But really I believe a girls friendships must be built on a solid foundation of alcohol, sarcasm, inappropriateness and shenanigans.

7. Food It’s a great part of the night. I mean really, really, really great. The greasier the better. Cheesy, carby, salty, potatoey (not a word), burgery (also not a work), madness is all the best cure for a hazy head. And its demolished in seconds. Gone. The walk back to the hotel room is fun. If escorted by the new boy crew its usually bonkers - there is going to be song renditions, games (Mainly street races from what I can remember), photo bomb challenges and sometimes still drinking challenges.

8. Bed It’s comfy, you may never want to get up. You may not even remember how you ended up in bed - but it is truly amazing, when you finally sober up and you’re still fully made-up, fake eyelashes and all. Then you’ll sit and think “I have no idea how I got into bed last night”. You wake up in the same room as your girls and the next hour will be hilarious, reminiscing of what happened last night and the realisation that you all have matching tattoos. Holy shit.

hile at work I got chatting to some friends about your typical dating do’s and don’ts and the clichés around such topics as “sleeping with a friends ex” and “does the guy pay on the first date”. Everyone has their own opinions on such matters; some follow their friend’s advice while others stick to their guns on what to do when going on a first date. I decided to sit down with my friend Sam and discuss some of the typical clichés we all encounter.

Author: Emmy I’Anson

DO’S - DONT’S - ETC. Should you kiss on the first date?

EMMY

SAM

YES

If you like the person and want to date them then yeah go for it. It also lets you know if you get that whole butterfly in your stomach, sweep me off my feet experience.

YES Is having sex on the first date ok?

I for some reason don’t think it matters; I’ve witnessed situations where it’s worked and hasn’t worked. I have been given the advice that if you want a relationship with the person you shouldn’t as it gives the person a wrong impression. But in my opinion surely if that person wants to be with you they wouldn’t mind, or wouldn’t suggest sleeping with you on the first date. I however didn’t recently and it worked out better for me, so maybe my advice isn’t so valid on this one.

NO Should you leave it three days to call them?

Does the guy pay for dinner/ drinks on the first date?

I hate this whole thing. If you like someone then you should just go for it, I don’t like this game at all. Half the time when they don’t contact you they are busy, we all have lives that we have to live and we can’t always revolve our lives around someone new. Regardless of if you are a boy or girl, don’t wait three days just talk to your date, arrange a new date if you get on with them and start something new and exciting. If you’re not interested just say so, or don’t contact them at all.

MAYBE When you go out on a first date either yourself or your date should pay or as the girl you should at least offer. Especially if you expect the guy to pay for you. I’ve always paid for a round of drinks to make up for not paying for dinner.

MAYBE Is clinginess a good thing?

I personally want to say no as I know how annoying it is to have that person who won’t leave you alone. However, I have also been that girl who won’t leave the guy alone and I understand both sides. You don’t want to be the girl who doesn’t want to reply etc and seem uninterested but at the same time, the dating game is tough and everyone knows you have to leave it some time to “play it cool” which I think sucks! So just go with your gut instinct. We live and learn.

YES Is dating in the work place ok?

Dating at work is normally fine. As long as you don’t shove it in people’s faces and keep the arguments behind closed doors, then it’s ok for the people around you. You need to ensure there are boundaries and that you both understand that work ultimately comes first. Also it varies from work place to work place. An office environment is completely different from a retail environment.

YES Is it ok to talk to your EX when dating?

It depends on how the relationship ended. If you broke up due to drifting apart and still have a friendship then I don’t see how that would affect your new relationship. As surely it shows that you can come out of a relationship and still be friends with the ex. However I do see how it can cause problems as sometimes it does make your new date feel that you’re not over your ex. Not everyone understands so it is a tricky situation.

NO Can you date/sleep with a friends EX?

There’s girls and guys code with this sort of thing. It hurts your friend and the others around you. Most of the time it’s pointless, however if you do genuinely have feelings for that person and it would become something else then go for it, but most of the time it’s not worth the risk. The person may say they’re fine with it, but really deep down, they never are.

As long as the date went well then yes. Gives yourself an inkling whether there’s chemistry between the two of you.

NO It gives the person a bad impression, makes the individual seem easy. It also could suggest that they wouldn’t be the type of person you’d want take home to meet the parents. However it depends on what relationship you’re after, if you don’t care where it’s going then go for it. It’s what you want from the date that should make the decision for you, if you’re after something serious then hold out.

NO Don’t wait three days; if you like the person you don’t need to wait, otherwise some people think you’re being a dick. Also if you’re a girl don’t wait for the guy to make contact we’re in an age now where girls can make contact with the guy and we like it. And girls if he hasn’t called you in three days don’t panic; he may just be playing it cool.

YES The guy should pay for dinner but he shouldn’t be expected to pay for it. The girl should at least offer to try and pay or suggest a round of drinks or something. It makes you think that you’ll be paying for everything in the future which isn’t a turn on.

MAYBE You need to show you care, but you can’t over do it, otherwise you will scare them off. There’s a fine line between showing you want them and being clingy. For example there’s talking every day and then there’s complaining about them not replying after half an hour or less, and leaving hundreds of messages and missed calls on the phone when they don’t respond to you.

MAYBE Sometimes It can work out brilliantly and other times it can work out terribly. You need time apart; you can’t always be on top of each other. But because you have things in common etc, you have that extra support in the work place. It depends on the couple and how they work it in the work place.

NO Makes your current date jealous, it can make it look like you still have feelings for the person and that you are not over them. It can be the start of a fair few arguments. It can cause suspicion in the relationship, which isn’t needed when you first start dating, and then that can continue, which ultimately leads to no trust in the relationship.

NO I’ve seen friendships break apart over situations, which involve this. It then causes problems in the relationship. Do you really want your friends sloppy seconds?

aylor Hiley, 20, is an upcoming comic book writer with a love for Chloe Grace Moretz and Dead Pool. Finding his love for comic books, film and the media at a young age in school, Taylor has dedicated his free time to creating a range of stories that he soon hopes to share with the world.

Author: Emmy L’Anson

I was troublesome at high school, all the teachers would say I was disruptive and they were quite nasty towards me. Due to not always paying attention in class I was told I wouldn’t amount to anything. Which led to media studies, which I found I had a great passion for, especially creating short films.

As a kid I would always take a camera and play with my toys and then that spawned into a love of story telling and that expanded from movie making to short stories. Which then led to me wanting to make my own novels into a graphic novel and that novel was End Of The Line.

There’s a certain scene in the book that I would have loved to see visualised and I don’t think I have the tools to do it in film, so I decided that a comic book would be awesome for that.

Well my guy (his artist) Federico Zumel, whom I wrote a graphic novel script for, he’s created everything I wrote and visualised it how I wanted to. So far he’s created eight pages of the graphic novel and is still continuing the project for me.

He ain’t no Superhero and I can’t say why as it’ll spoil the ending.

The story is about a detective called Nathanial Richards, he has a very delightful cocaine addiction, and he’s a recluse and doesn’t have any friends in or outside of work. He loves his job but he doesn’t love people. One day he stumbles across a crime, he witnesses it but due to his circumstances he can’t tell the police why he was there. He then decides he has to seek out the criminals and seek justice.

I want to continue to write short stories. I actually started writing a new short story the other day. Which is about an alternative kind of place where the government are really strict and they keep tabs on everyone. There are then basically protests and riots every week and the police have been allowed to use force during the protests. And a man goes to these protests to make sure the people are ok, he’s kind of like a vigilante and one day at one of the protests a video of him fighting the police in riot gear goes viral and he then becomes the most wanted guy.

If you’re passionate about something do it. If you don’t like it what’s the point? Think before you do things, just because your friend likes something doesn’t mean you like it.

Female star wise Chloe Grace Moretz, male star wise it would have to be Christian Bale because I’d love a challenge.

Thanks Emmy.

I’d say it’s Dead Pool. It’s awesome. I also like an independent one called Happy – can’t remember who did it unfortunately.

A TEENAGER LIVING IN THE G Author: Anonymous

rowing up in this iconic era we were totally unaware of the impact our time would have on the world, through music, fashion and lifestyle. In 1960 I was fourteen years old, the Rolling Stones were never my cup of tea – too rebellious for me! I idolised the Beatles even to the extent that I use to catch a later bus to school so I could be on the bus that a gorgeous young man resembling Paul McCartney travelled on. My Mum and Dad approved of the Beatles as they appeared on TV wearing smart suits! We had great TV music programmes like Ready Steady Go and the Six Five Special where we were able to let our hair down and dance to this wonderfully liberating music. I remember my friends and I getting excited when the first coffee shop opened in our town, we use to go there after school and listen to the latest hits on the juke box, such heady stuff! The late 1950’s had opened the door for a revolution in music and film with stars such as James Dean and Elvis Presley, and even earlier than Elvis were Bill Haley and the Comets who were the forerunners of Rock ‘n Roll. Other music genres came onto the scene and many clubs opened where you could go and see your favourites playing jazz and soul music. I went and saw names such as Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and Long John Baldry and the Hoochie Coochie Men. Wonderful names never to be forgotten!

‘JOBS WERE EASY TO COME BY... I WAS ABLE TO WALK INTO A BANK LOOKING FOR WORK... WITHIN TWO WEEKS I WAS WORKING!’

This music had quite an influence on fashion brought about by the various people who followed their favourite music. The Mods were into the Blues style of music, the boys wore long jackets and the girls wore the longer midi skirts and they rode around on mopeds. The Rockers wore leathers, and rode motorbikes and these two tribes would often mark Bank Holidays by converging at seaside towns such as Brighton and Blackpool where the police would be kept busy maintaining the peace. Our parents tut tutted at us thinking we were all causing riots! The revolution in fashion began in the 1950’s when Mary Quant opened her first shop, Bazaar on the Kings Road in Chelsea in 1955. I remember loving her chiselled hair style and thinking how cool she looked, but this was just the beginning of the liberation in fashion that was to follow. It wasn’t long before my girlfriends and I were all wanting to wear mini-skirts and go to London to the Kings Road. The media was also influencing events as we were now able to see what was going on around the country via the television. Models like Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy appeared on the covers of Vogue and we all drooled over their fashions and their hair styles. Two such different models you could not get, The Shrimp with her lovely long hair and Twiggy just the opposite with her very short cut and incredibly slim body. We could only dream! Jobs were easy to come by. I was able to walk into a bank looking for work, that same day I was taken into see the Manager and he arranged for me to be interviewed in London in a couple of days time. Within two weeks I was working!

15/07/2014 Somerset House,

LONDON

Author: Mitch Richards

n an almost-a-coincidence-but-not-quite situation, I had the joy and privilege to watch Bastille the day after Bastille day (which also happens to be leading man Dan Smiths birthday) in one of the most beautiful settings London has to offer; the courtyard of Somerset House. First up we’re treated to the dulcet and atmospheric synthy sounds of Kyla La Grange. Floating across the stage like an ethereal land mermaid from heaven, Kyla and her band delivered a sublime set of catchy hooks and stunning, haunting harmonies. Definitely one for fans of Kate Bush - be sure to check out Kyla’s album ‘Cut Your Teeth’, which came out earlier this year. Bastille, as usual, came out firing on all cylinders. Yes, they are a pop band responsible for some of the biggest chart hits of the last few years, but One Direction they are not. Taking to the stage to the ‘Twin Peaks’ theme tune before bursting straight into ‘Bad Blood’, Bastille then took the Georgian Courtyard of Somerset House on an incredible aural and visual journey. They played pretty much everything you would want to hear; from the melancholy chords and melodies of ‘Overjoyed’ right through to the all singing, all clapping anthem ‘Things We Lost in the Fire’. For the encore, Woody (Bastilles Drummer and also allegedly the second most famous supporter of league two football giants Plymouth Argyle) led a sing along of happy birthday for Dan, much to the frontmans slight embarrassment. After thanking the assembled crowd, Bastille’s parting gift was an excellent medley of covers, which as an extra special treat brought Ella Eyre out to join in on a cover of TLC’s ‘No Scrubs’. Rounding the evening off with the huge UK number 1 “Pompeii”, Bastille at Somerset House will certainly feature in my most memorable gigs of 2014, the one thing making it even more memorable was if they had organised it for the day before’ actual Bastille Day. There’s always next year I suppose…

‘YES, THEY ARE A POP BAND RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHART HITS OF THE LAST FEW YEARS...’

FILM REVIEW W Author: Taylor Hiley

SCORE

5/5

hen this film was announced, even the biggest comic book fans didn’t expect much or had even read Guardians of the Galaxy previously, only the uber nerds. So to say this was a huge risk for Marvel would be a massive understatement but Marvel being the go to company for great superhero films delivered on a spectacular sci-fi adventure. I honestly can’t think of a Marvel studios production that I haven’t disliked. (Except the Amazing Spiderman 2, which technically was done by Sony pictures) The team includes Peter Quill aka Star-Lord played by Chris Pratt (Emmet in Lego Movie.) Drax the destroyer played by Dave Bautista (WWE fame). Gamora played by Zoe Saldana (Star Trek) Rocket Raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper (Hangover) and everyone’s favourite; Groot voiced by Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious) who says exactly 4 words in total throughout the film, no joke. The story follows a band of outlaws, criminals and an assassin who team up to escape a prison, so they can sell an orb for a high price. Everything goes wrong as they get more than they bargained for when they are hunted down by a lot of dangerous people. The film has a perfect blend of lovable characters with an awesome Scifi universe coming together to make a film that is so hard to not enjoy, I was certain when I took my family to see it, I knew that they would all love it, (they did). Though it is sad that they had to make a movie for these characters to finally expand their fan base, it does open more doors for comic book characters who are not that well known to have their own big screen adaption finally. (Fingers crossed for Deadpool) With great humour, awesome special effects, great script, fantastic soundtrack and an awesome cast, this makes this film the one to beat in the remaining months of this year.

MARVEL BEING THE GO TO COMPANY FOR GREAT SUPERHERO FILMS DELIVERED ON A SPECTACULAR SCI-FI ADVENTURE.

GAME REVIEW Author: Sam Bowden

SCORE

5/5

I know I’m late in reviewing this game as is has been out since November 2011 but when asked to review a game by my editor my first and only thought was Skyrim. This was due to the fact that even though the game is almost 3 years old there is so much content in it that needs to be talked about. As a warning as this game has been out for nearly 3 years there will be spoilers within this review so there be it, you have been warned. For those of you who don’t know Skyrim is the fifth instalment of the elder scrolls franchise. The elder scroll games are a series of role playing game set at different periods of time in a land called Tamriel. Skyrim is set 200 years after the previous game Oblivion in the northern country of the Skyrim. The game opens in a similar way to Oblivion as a prisoner on their way to be executed. On your journey you learn there is a civil war raging within Skyrim between the imperials’ fighting for the empire and the Stormcloak rebels. Just as you are to be executed a dragon attacks and during the chaos you escape. The rest of the game you find out you are something called the dragonborn and the only one who can save the world from a dragon called Alduin who is prophesized to destroy the world. Now that the basic overview of the main story is done, the review may begin. My biggest love with this game is the difference in the graphics from Oblivion to Skyrim. As you can see from this picture comparing the characters in the two games you can see there is a drastic difference. Also the world graphics have improved vastly as the terrene varies vastly across the map as you trek through snowy mountains, swamps, woodland and many different caves and crypts to explore. Along with the graphics the pure amount of content is amazing, personally I have played well over 100 hours of Skyrim admittedly not all in the same saved game but I have still not got close to doing everything the game has to offer. Not only has the game got a ridiculous amount of content but also every bit of the content is customisable as you have a choice within most side quest

The Elder Scrolls: SKYRIM

The Elder Scrolls: OBLIVION

to choose two different actions. For example with the dark brotherhood quest line once you have been taken to the abandoned shack to kill the three hooded people and to payback the brotherhood for the contract you stole, there is the second less known option to attack and kill Astrid which leads to the ability to destroy the dark brotherhood sector within Skyrim. Not only are the quest options customizable, your skills set is also. Through out the game you level up allowing you to spend skill points to improve individual skills such as archery, heavy or light armor, one or two handed weapons and my personal favorite skill smithing. Smithing is a great skill as it helps you level up extremely quickly and also allows you to create the best armors early on making you unstoppable very early on. Over all I think this game is a solid game with amazing graphics and content allowing for so many different ways to play suiting how you like to play whether that be archery single handed or magic. So as a result I give this game a solid 10/10 this may be the fan boy in me but I really don’t care I’m in love with this game and think it is going to be hard to beat. Even though I think Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag comes very close which will be my next review.

I HAVE PLAYED WELL OVER 100 HOURS OF SKYRIM...

So until next time keep playing game and keep nerding out.

Spoken word Thoughts about Page to Stage

Author: Dana Segal

’ll never forget my first experience of spoken word. This is because I didn’t realise it was until someone had told me. I thought I was watching an extremely well written monologue – a colloquial, personal and passionate fictional story about the death of a young girl’s brother. I cried. A lot. When I found it was all true, and that the beautiful Hibaq Osman was pouring her heart out on stage, recounting every ounce of truth about such a seminal moment in her life with incredible courage and lyricism, I cried again… and a lot more. Spoken word is an unusual and amazing performance art that seems to have reared its head amongst our generation of artists. Whilst there are many poets such as Benjamin Zephaniah and John Cooper Clarke, and writers like Allen Ginsberg who have utilised live performance to amplify their message, this time it feels really different, and a lot more collaborative. A perfect example of this is Shame by John Berkavich. This incredible show combines spoken word, dance and animation to explore five shameful stories from John’s life. He so beautifully articulates it himself (not surprising as a poet…): “…by creating a show about all the things I am ashamed about, I hope to create something that I am proud of, which will help me to step past and move on”. The power of spoken word amongst the artists seems to be on a semantic level. It’s like the form of spoken word can allow an artist to express themselves in a way that feels more honest and rawer than traditional art forms. Through that honesty, a deeper understanding of self is created, and supported by a supportive and encouraging audience, can be life-transforming. Take for instance the brilliant Bang Said the Gun. Bang are brilliant at creating a supportive and interactive crowd – from rice shakers, to elected applause starters, every spoken word artist who performs at Bang feels like the stage is their home. It’s certainly inspired me as an artist: I recently began working on a project with Toby De Angeli, an extremely talented spoken word artist who wanted to develop his storytelling through collaborating with a theatre-maker and a musician. Our show, Lost Boy Sketches, has been as fascinating to make and watch as it has been rewarding to learn from. Each night a different audience created a different performer in Toby. Each night, different responses created different ways of telling certain parts. As a director, it couldn’t have been more annoying. However as a spectator, I found myself fascinated by how much of the performance is dependent on the audience, something I personally feel has been lost in a lot of theatre and new writing in the UK. I’ll be interested to see where the genre goes and how it continues to grow and develop in the UK over the next few years. I hope that through collaboration with music, theatre, animation, dance, film and live art it doesn’t get lost in the mix. I hope it never loses its honest and raw power. I hope it never loses its connection with audiences. But I do hope to see more and more of it emerging on our screens, in our theatres and at our festivals.

‘THE POWER OF SPOKEN WORD AMONGST THE ARTISTS SEEMS TO BE ON A SEMANTIC LEVEL.’

outh Africa may not be the first country that springs to mind when planning a backpacking trip but think again, this beautiful country has so much to offer at an affordable price. This is definitely a country you should consider when planning your trip whether you are experienced or a novice. South Africa has affordable accommodation aplenty for backpackers, from Cape Town to the empty but stunning beaches of the Eastern Cape. This country manages to combine the amenities and attitudes of a western country with the charm and beauty of an underdeveloped third world country. It also has the added advantage of a common language being widely spoken. Check out the affordability of the accommodation and you will be pleasantly surprised and taking along a friend will halve the cost. Most backpacker hostels are double rooms and have good amenities. Having a friend with you will help with any car hire costs, but you can also use the Greyhound and Baz Bus services which offer good value for money. Kruger National Park is world renowned but there are numerous other national parks which offer much cheaper options; Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape is well worth a day trip and it is not just elephants that you will see. A trip along the Garden Route by car can take anything from two to four weeks depending on how long you stop at each hostel and an alternative is an inland route through the Overberg and the Winelands in the Western Cape. Plettenburg Bay and Knysna are popular tourist destinations and possibly should be avoided for your accommodation but well worth a visit. Jeffries Bay is a must for surfers and cheap clothing and Dungeons near to Cape Town is a surfer’s paradise. For your accommodation there are a number of websites for backpackers and these sites will offer you advice on not only where to stay but help with getting around, volunteer programs and internships. With volunteering you get to visit a wonderful country and get a chance to make a real contribution through community work, education, child care or working with wild animals. For those considering this country as a destination then here are a few tips before you decide, but don’t spend too much time thinking about it. Avoid peak season which for a country in the southern hemisphere is December and January as well as June and July and Easter – at these times tourist hotspots will be busy. Book your flights and accommodation in advance on line but leave some leeway as there may well be local moneysaving deals. South Africans are very outgoing and friendly and only to eager to help out. Backpackers can make up to 850 Rand a day(about £45) which should cover your accommodation and food as well as transport, but if you are doing voluntary work you may need to cover some of these expenses. When travelling avoid buying food and drink at popular tourist hotspots as they are generally higher but even these prices are better value than at home ! My visits to this country have been unforgettable, for those of you who are thinking of it I say – prepare well, research your trip, take along a trusted friend, stay safe and enjoy.

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK IS WORLD RENOWNED BUT THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER NATIONAL PARKS WHICH OFFER MUCH CHEAPER OPTIONS;

Living the

Gluten Free Life

iscovering that you are a coeliac when you are in your mid twenties is no joke, and for those that do not know what this is, it is a lifelong autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten. About 1 in 100 people have the condition and once diagnosed, it is treated by following a gluten-free diet for life. Following that discovery you then discover just how many foods contain gluten. It was a huge learning curve for me but luckily my partner was wheat intolerant so she was a great help. We are now both learning how to live with the implications, hard at times but you soon discover that there is help out there. For a start there is the “Free From” section in the supermarket, somewhere you may not have spent any time browsing but for us a great place to start. Here you can find gluten-free products but unfortunately the choice is limited and the prices are high; then there are the Health Food shops and on line specialist companies. We already had a bread maker so we were able to make bread for both of us now, however I do miss the French baguettes, cakes and puddings that were always part of my diet. It is just amazing how many products contain gluten – even those sausages for the BBQ – and you find yourself reading the small print on the back of glass jars to make sure there is no gluten used. I soon found help by downloading an app from the Coeliac Society available for iphone and Android which I could use to read the bar codes on packaging. There is also a handy book from the Society which lists all of the foods you can eat. Shopping is so much fun now ! Eating out has also presented some challenges as many restaurants do not cater for coeliacs and those that do tend to charge a third more for the equivalent meal. The situation is improving and Pizza Express is amongst the growing number of eating places where you are catered for. We have in the past had to resort to ham, egg and chips or a jacket potato when looking for a reasonably priced lunch and if we were really lucky a tasty risotto. My partner is now trying to master baking for me, a whole new experience for her and so far the cakes have either been like biscuits or have fallen apart and required a spoon to eat them with, still I have manfully eaten them with a smile on my face and secretly hoping there might be some custard as well. The last attempt was a fruit cake and she followed the recipe meticulously. When it was taken from the oven she remarked that had she dropped it on her foot she would have been in plaster for 6 weeks. The cake may have not looked that good but it was very tasty so maybe there will be a second attempt. My diagnoses was made a year ago and now I am more comfortable with what I have to eat, yes I do still miss tasty bread and cakes but I have discovered alternatives and I am doing what it takes to keep me healthy.

‘FOR A START THERE IS THE “FREE FROM” SECTION IN THE SUPERMARKET, SOMEWHERE YOU MAY NOT HAVE SPENT ANY TIME BROWSING...’

For more information visit coeliac.org.uk

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