Below the Line - Issue 13 - Michaelmas 2021

CUlture THE RISE OF THE ANTIHERO

science the origins of the human race

environment India’s challenge to be greener Michaelmas 2021

Below The Line ISSUE 13

all things weird wonderful

&

Zoe cameron discusses extinction: why we should care about the ugly animals too.

environment | culture | SPORT | society | SCIENCE | ARTS | LETTERS | FACTS

environment

NOT CUTE - BUT still lovable?

Zoe Cameron asks why we should care about the ugly animals and not just the cute animals.

We as humans love cute and cuddly animals, but when it comes to endangered animals, we need to focus on the ‘ugly’ animals and give them more respect and support. For example, some people may not have heard of the Naked Mole Rat. This animal is a rodent in the Heterocephalidae family. They can live up to 32 years and their diet is mainly based on tubers and symbiotic bacteria. Within a group of Naked Mole Rats there is one queen rat and many male rats. Their system is a lot like the hive life of bees or ants, who have a short life span, in their case of about 70 days.

They are not cute or cuddly. ‘They look a bit like a sabre-toothed sausage,’ says Dr Chris Faulks, Reader in Evolutionary Biology at Queen Mary College, London.

Another animal that rates lowly

in the beauty stakes is the increasingly popular Axolotl.

This animal is a fish, and is only found in one lake just outside Mexico City. Nicknamed ‘the walking fish,’ it has four legs and is endangered because people eat them as it has become a ‘traditional’ dish in East Asia, especially Japan, where it is a delicacy. Some of you may think that people eating Axolotl is the same as eating cod or chicken, but I think differently. Cod and chickens are not endangered like the Axolotl is. If we keep on eating the Axolotls, they will become extinct but if we eat chicken and cod, it is quite easy to breed them back.

Admittedly, the Axolotl looks absolutely disgusting. But surely the look of the animal is not how we should rank the value of creatures in our ever-shrinking biosphere. In a world facing climate disaster, we can not afford to just care about the cute animals and leave the ugly ones out. We should care about all

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animals: they all have a role in the ecology of the planet, role – no matter how small or ugly – that might just save us from destruction.

from the editors Welcome to the Christmas Edition of Below the Line!

This year really has been a rollercoaster ride for all of us - in and out of lockdown; sporting triumphs and disappointment; world leaders meeting up to save the planet! We hope this issue will highlight the diversity, the ‘weird and wonderful’ nature of life.

COP 26 showed the true colours of some of our world leaders, and how finding an agreement for all countries to follow is almost impossible.

Continued on page 19...

environment

CAN WE BRING THE WOOLLY MAMMOTH BACK TO LIFE? Samarth Agnihotri looks back at the most famous land mammal that ever lived, and asks if modern scientists can use fossil DNA to bring it back to life and help rescue earth from the Climate Change disaster facing us.

Lost Worlds Have you ever pondered: ‘Could we bring the dinosaurs back to life? Or get a chance to see the long-lost sabre-tooth tiger? Or get to glimpse the unfortunately named Dodo?’

Bringing an extinct species back to life up until now has been a fiction, beloved of movie makers, but never taken seriously by scientists. Until now, the chance to see the wonderful animals that our generation could never experience has been the stuff of dreams. But now, thanks to the latest strides in modern archaeology and one company’s vision, we might all be able to get the chance to see the animals of our desires.

The last of the Woolly Mammoths Although most woolly mammoths died out more than 10,000 years ago, a few thousand in the furthest realms of Alaska, Canada and the Russian Arctic clung on until they finally perished after the world became warm again and after man had hunted them all down. It is currently thought the very last woolly mammoths became extinct on Wrangle Island, in the Arctic, near Russia, about 4,000 years ago, long after the end of the last Ice Age. However, this date is being pushed back all the time with the new discoveries that come ‘out of the ice’, sadly (and ironically, given they were Ice Age animals) because of climate change.

The stuff that dreams are made of?

Lots of dead woolly mammoths are found every year in the melting ice of Russia and Canada, often with DNA still preserved inside their bones. This has led to the idea that the species could be resurrected by using one of two scientific means. The first is by removing the DNA containing nucleus of the egg cell of a female elephant, and then replacing it with a nucleus from woolly mammoth tissue in a laboratory. The cell would then be

stimulated into dividing, and inserted back into a female elephant. The resulting calf would have the genes of the woolly mammoth. But there is a problem here. Most mammoths found in ice do not have enough usable DNA to guide the production of an embryo.

A second method involves artificially inseminating an elephant egg cell with sperm cells from a frozen woolly mammoth carcass. The calf that was born would then be an elephant– mammoth hybrid, and the process would have to be repeated so more hybrids could be used in breeding. After several generations of cross-breeding these hybrids, an almost pure woolly mammoth would be produced. But there are problems here too. Some years ago, this was done with African and Asian elephants, but the fact that sperm cells of modern mammals were viable for 15 years at most after deep freezing (let alone 4,000-plus years!) makes this method unreliable. Before any of the technical problems can be overcome, there are also ethical considerations too.

Choices, choices…

If we bring the woolly mammoth back to life, will it really affect global warming, or will it just be another dangerous animal people will want to kill for the prize of their tusks with the possibility of them killing people and wreaking havoc?

Three reasons for The first reason that we should try bring back the woolly mammoth is because it could save the modern elephants from extinction. The new elephant woolly mammoth hybrids will have greater resistance to colder weather, allowing them to live in harsher cold climates, whilst also having warm adaptations inherited from the modern elephant, therefore enabling the new species to have a greater range across our climate changing world. The second reason

that we should bring back the woolly mammoth is that they can help us ease the effects of climate change. As the woolly mammoths eat the tundra of Siberia and forests of the tropics, they will stimulate greater grassland growth in the former, whilst helping to manage the forests in the latter, and so help us plant even more trees to help combat climate change more efficiently. The third and final reason why we should bring back the woolly mammoth is so we can equip nature with a resilience against humanity’s adverse effects on vital ecosystems.

It is claimed by environmental experts that by 2050 the frequency of drought and wildfire will have increased.

Moreover, half of the Amazon Rainforest will be deforested within the next 28 years. This could lead to many animals being left without a habitat.

Consequently, there could be more pandemics and increased spread of disease. Some of this could be eased if we bring the woolly mammoth back to life. The first steps of a mammoth calf would be as significant as the 1969 Apollo moon landing. And with the technology we have right now, much improved since the two options were first considered, we can surely do this.

What can we do whilst we wait?

There are dozens of people working hard every day trying to bring them back, to save humanity. For all the hard work they do, the least we can do is not litter; take more care of the environment; get people to drink from paper or metal straws rather than plastic and recycle. If we want to make the planet a welcoming space for these majestic beasts, the last of whom may have walked their final steps when Jesus made his first, then we must prepare the Earth for them. All these things will allow the woolly mammoth to survive and give us the results we want. The future is very bright for the long-lost woolly mammoth.

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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CULTURE

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ROMAni AND TRAVELLERS

Megan Hunt looks at the way different groups have been discriminated against throughout history, and argues that we should understand and respect their culture.

There are around 300,000 Travellers in the UK and they are one of the most disadvantaged groups. The real population may be different as some members of these communities do not participate in the census. Why are Romani - sometimes referred to as ‘Gypsies’ or ‘Roma’ and Travellers among the most discriminated or hated groups in Britain and the rest of the world?

In 1554 Queen Mary ruled being a ‘Gypsy’ as punishable by death, and in 1650 the last ‘Gypsy’ was hanged in Britain. The Romani

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people are sometimes called the ‘forgotten victims’ of the Holocaust: 200,000 died in concentration camps.

One horrible stereotype of ‘Gypsies’ is that they steal, they swear and they litter and this often leads to discrimination towards them. Examples of this discrimination include: ‘We got turned away from the local doctors just because we are Gypsies’; ‘My son is being bullied at school about his appearance and his lifestyle’; ‘School friends

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never came to birthday parties’; ’Other classmates refused to sit next to my daughter’.

The reason behind all this is simple: it is because Romani and Travellers are different and choose to live a different way to the majority of the population.

They can be described as nomads – and this dates back over 1,000 years to the time Romani people were expelled from India - but generally, these communities have just removed themselves and

CULTURE are not a part of mainstream society. This is a choice they have made, and a very valid one. They have a shared culture and beliefs that hold them together. Their distinctive way of life and traditions include the importance of extended family and an entrepreneurial economy.

Also the Romani and Travellers have their own language: for example the phrase, ‘Loshalo shom te shom Romano chavo’ means ‘I am proud to be Roma’ and ‘Mydil Mincéir tashler’ means ‘I am proud to be an IrishTraveller’.

Romani communities have different attitudes and values to other parts of society. Romani people believe that girls should stay home and help their mothers with domestic chores

around the home. Romani mums say it’s very important to start staying home at a young age because it gives girls responsibility and commitment, as family is very important to their culture. Unfortunately, the expectation of the girls to help at home means that they miss out on their education.

The discrimination that Romani and Travellers suffer is unfair.

There is no evidence that criminal offending is higher amongst ‘Gypsies’ than other groups. Whilst they are a separate community, they still offer a valid contribution to society. They are entrepreneurial, many running their own businesses. Others are employed as teachers, police officers and health workers. Some are successful sportsmen such

as Tyson Fury. Others work in leisure and entertainment.

Each year there is a celebration of Romani and Traveller history. #makesomespace and #proudtobe all celebrate the history of these groups. Maybe next time you think badly of ‘gypsies’ you need to remember who they are and what they contribute, and respect the differences in society.

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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Sport

WHEN DOES HORSE RIDING STOP, and cruelty start?

Meredith Smith and Izzy Treadwell explore what is and what is not cruelty towards horses. think that it hurts the horse, but did you know that actually it is made with soft foam with help from the RSPCA? This creates noise, not pain.

As well as being a worldwide sport, equestrianism is also very dangerous. Many people say that it is cruel to the horse, but it really is not unless you mistreat the sport. Lots of horse riding sports are now banned because of how cruel they are considered to be, but in some places around the world it is still happening, in places such as America (Tennessee), China, Russia etc.

Horse riding is a sport where the rider controls the horse. It is very difficult because you have to control an animal which is around 1,200 pounds.

Many people think that horse racing is cruel to the horse, but really the horse wants to do it, as that is what it is bred for.

Horse racing is where a group of well-trained horses race. They run a few miles and maybe a few jumps, then finish. During the race, jockeys (well-trained riders) have a whip which they can only use seven times in a flat race (no jumps) and eight times in a jump race. The whip makes a harsh, slapping sound. Many people

Mule diving. This is where people force mules, (a donkey and horse hybrid) to dive off planks onto small planks into small pools of water by whipping them. The planks can be as high as 22 feet. Many accidents occur, such as: physical trauma, fracture, and even death. The weird thing is people enjoy watching this!

This sport is definitely cruel, and should be banned.

Neglect of a horse is a type of abuse that happens when the horse is not given proper food, shelter, care and treatment.

During the winter season neglect occurs more often, because it is more expensive to keep a horse healthy and warm or the owner is just lazy.

The most cruel and horrid sport within riding is Big Lick. This is where the trainer, owner or rider put heavy stacks of horseshoes and different acids upon the horse’s hoof. The acid makes the horse lift its hooves up in pain to look elegant.

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There are many other categories of abuse to horses, but we have only addressed the main ones that occur. This does not mean that everything about horse riding is cruel, it is about how people treat the horse.

CULTURE

a day of odd socks!

Monty Bolton reports on the efforts of the Cokethorpe Leaders in Action to fight against bullying.

I have been at Cokethorpe for nearly ten years now, so I think I can confidently say that it is a great school. However, one thing I always thought was missing was a way for the younger members of the School to voice their concerns, and benefit the school community. A sort of ‘task force’ if you will. So, of course, I was thrilled when I heard that the school was implementing just that! The ‘Cokethorpe Leaders in Action’. Aside from a name that makes you feel like a superhero, the CLA is an amazing opportunity for everyone to get a say. So when the elections came around, I shot my hand straight up, and before I knew it, I was sitting amongst Miss Jackson and a room of people I had never met before.

And yes, this was rather daunting; however I had just received my first task.

Mr Stevens had asked us to celebrate anti-bulling week and spread awareness around the school. So I spent some time thinking, and then I decided to team up with another member of the CLA: Freya Winfield in Second Form. We wanted to do soomething that allowed pupils to comfortably express themselves and feel like they can be themselves without being judged, and without breaking uniform rules, so we came up with the idea of doing an odd-socks day, which is relatively self-explanatory.

Everyone gets the chance to wear whatever socks they want: simple, right? I know that may seem like an odd way to celebrate anti-bullying week; however, who does not love wearing a pair of odd socks?

We posed this plan to Mr Stevens, and he gave us the green light to go ahead, so we had a busy week ahead of us.

job of raising awareness.

After a week of posters and nonstop thoughts about socks, the day had come. I got into school and was thrilled to see most of my tutor group wearing their spangly socks and legendary legwear. And then, came breaktime. I stepped out of my class to see so many bright socks across the quad, and whilst it may seem odd, it made me proud of Cokethorpe.

To be able to see all the pupils banding together, to spread awareness of a very serious cause. The wave of odd socks had also reached the Prep School, which to me is important as now they can understand what is happening a bit better.

This was truly an odd opportunity, that Freya and I were so happy to take part in, and we would like to thank everyone who took part.

We made posters and spread them all around the school; we got in touch with our peers and teachers, all to spread the message. An odd socks day is rather simple, to be completely fair, but a lot of the time the simplest ideas are the most effective. This small opportunity allowed the pupils of Cokethorpe to feel comfortable, whilst having a bit of fun! And this did a great

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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environment

making the bad better:

india’s challenge to be greener Chloe Wetherall investigates the problems India is now facing with climate change and explains how they are struggling and solving this crisis.

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Climate change is not just a conversation people have for the sake of it: it is a world issue that is affecting our environment and us now. Our everyday lives are causing climate change: from eating too much, travelling too inefficiently or buying excessively. Some countries are succeeding in the battle to help the climate. But many countries are struggling to reduce their carbon footprint, challenged with the conflicting social, economic and technological demands. India’s challenge to become greener is a massive struggle. The 1.3 billion population makes it the second most populous nation on earth. It has challenges with population, air pollution, material waste and water pollution.

conducted; this includes depositing the ashes of cremated loved ones into it. These clashing priorities have led this holiest of holy rivers to becoming undrinkable, leading the tens of millions who depend upon it to have to rely upon expensive sources such as plastic-bottled water.

Water pollution is caused by problems with waste water management, frequently caused by a lack of infastructure to cope with sewage or industrial and agricultural run off. It has had a huge impact on their environment.

Around 80% of India’s water is polluted because people are dumping raw sewage and rubbish in the country’s rivers and lakes. A few particularly bad rivers are the Ganges and the Yamuna which are both places where people live alongside them and from which they eat, drink, toilet, swim and throw their rubbish. Yet the Ganges is considered a holy river to the Hindus, one where rituals are

During COP26 India’s prime minister, Narenda Modi promised to cut its emissions to net zero by 2070 even though the key goal at COP26 was to reach their targets by 2050. They included a promise for India to get 50% of its energy renewable by 2030 and in the same year to reduce their carbon emissions by one billion tonnes.

While their target might disappoint many activists and experts this has impressed many people in India.

According to their Chief Executive Officer of the Council on energy, ‘it’s a real climate action’. But India, with China, brought the conference to near breaking point at the very end by asking to have a COP26

India is also struggling for air. It has been estimated that 60% of India’s population has been exposed to some kind of unhealthy air pollution. Methane is a huge pollutant released from landfills and wastewater treatment plants.

Emissions from fossil fuels, burning, stoves or generators come under this sector, therefore affecting the overall air pollution.

commitment to ‘phase out’ the use of coal changed to the vaguer statement of ‘phase down’. In many ways, this is not a surprise.

Both nations need to meet the demand for their hugely expanding energy markets due to their growing populations and expanding economies. To do this fast, they rely on coalfired power stations, which is good for them but clearly no good for the planet.

If India does what they have promised – and it is a big ‘if’ - it could be a big turn-around in carbon production, not just improving life for their population, but for the whole world. Even though they have promised to cut their emissions to net zero by 2070, even the little things they do along the way will have a positive impact upon the world, its people and the climate crisis the world is facing.

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environment

the greenest nation how the red and white on earth: nation has done it Ella Hogeboom investigates how Denmark is tackling the climate crisis and how it sets a high standard for the rest of the world.

Denmark has long put sustainability at the top of its agenda, as have many of its inhabitants. Sustainability is an issue that affects everyday life, like the weather. It is getting worse by the day and it is not fair that people in the younger generations are going to get the responsibility of looking after our world in a few years’ time. What can we do to help? Where can we get inspiration? Well luckily, we can follow in Denmark’s footsteps.

It is the most environmentally friendly country in the world and sets a great example to us in other countries that are not doing so well climate-wise. Denmark has faced climate change head on and has changed its way of life to help.

This includes efficient policies to reduce greenhouse gases, organic foods, eco-friendly hotels, and solar powered boats. Denmark has an EPI score (Environmental Performance Index) of 82.5 whereas the UK’s EPI score is 79.89 and the US’s is 71.19 (the higher the EPI the better).

Denmark is not perfect but it is on the right track. Here are some of the things that it is doing well: One of the main reasons that Denmark is doing so well is transport. Denmark is changing its buses from diesel to electric and more roads are being devoted to cycling. Each day around 1,200,000 km are cycled in Copenhagen and nearly 40% of all Copenhageners get to work or school by bike. It also continues its bid to become carbon neutral by 2025. Using more organic food is becoming a useful solution to one’s carbon footprint, and more than two-thirds of Copenhagen’s restaurants hold an eco-certificate.

They are asked to use compostable packaging and offer free-range produce wherever possible.

Denmark is among those with a carbon-neutral target and each hotel has an environmental manager to ensure good standards of sustainable design, energy, and food.

The Danish government is building more and more recycling centres around Denmark and less and less waste is being incinerated. It aims to recycle 70% of waste by the year 2024, and Copenhagen has recently found out that 72% of their population have begun to sort their biowaste, which support other environmental issues. This means that we can turn the waste into biogas and fertiliser. Denmark has focused on making buildings more energy-efficient; Copenhagen was the first city in the world to have a planet-cooling compulsory Green Roof Policy, and it has plans to be the world’s first carbon-neutral metropolis by 2025. A significant landmark is Copen hill, which turns waste into energy to supply tens of thousands of homes and businesses.

It only takes a little to do a lot. We can follow in Denmark’s footsteps.

It can start with small things like picking up litter or cycling to school or work instead of driving. We can also maybe change our heating systems to air source heat pumps instead of gas or oil and get electric cars. We can keep our gardens free of chemicals and plant more flowers to attract bees and use more reusable cups and plastic bags. We can also try and shop locally and organically.

Let’s all be more like Denmark.

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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society

we are not objects!

Lupe Van Landeghem gives her personal perspective on how the status of women seemingly has not changed much over the aeons, and how double standards seem to be the expectation of the day.

Since the first time that humans cooked meat over a wood fire under the stars at the mouth of a cave, it has been assumed that that was the woman’s place. Fire, kitchen – it is all the same. And, to me, it seems that little has changed in the aeons since then. Women seem to ‘be present’ only to obey men’s orders. We have never really been looked upon as equal to men or even (in some societies) as actual people. We are labelled according to what we look like or what we do. Our future seems to be decided by our past.

ones who have at least half the share in creating life in the first place.

a beauty standard that will never be reached.

Let us examine looks: I have heard it said often that girls of this current generation are so vain. Maybe it is not surprising in a nation where only 37% of women consider the word ‘feminist’ to be a negative term. Why, I thought, can not they put their brains to books instead of good looks? This was my gripe, when I was younger; I wanted girls older than me to aspire to more than just having a perfect body with a pretty hair-do.

And it will never be enough.

Some men have always looked upon girls and women like prey, or objects to possess. Some assume we dress up and make ourselves look pretty for them, when really, we just want to look good for us. Yet we are aware of the threats against us because of our looks: the sexist comments about how we should or should not look when we go out at night, especially when alone. It needs to stop. In fact, worse are the micro-aggressions; the daily linguistic slips that reveal so much.

For example, that being called ‘girly’ is a criticism, whereas being ‘manly’ is praise. That ‘fan girls’ are perceived as ‘crazy’ but when a man is a ‘huge fan’ of a sports team it is called being loyal. Even our architecture betrays out status. Why are baby changing facilities so often located only in the women’s toilets? It feels as if women are looked down upon, yet we are the

But then I stepped out into the world and I opened my eyes to the truth about being a girl. I heard young men make comments that were horrible.

Unpublishable things. I never grew up thinking those things about boys.

When I had thought of boys, I thought of dinner dates and soulmates not ‘boys’ that look at you like shark bait.

I have a voice and something to say.

Please, lads, do not assume that we belong in your bedroom - we belong in a conference room.

The worst thing about being a girl now is you must try so hard. So much effort goes into how we appear, and everyone thinks it is a normal thing. No one ever notices. Girls get judged so vigorously. You feel like you are nothing and you will always be something no one likes. As a girl you are not even a person: you are

DID YOU KNOW? 37% of women in Britain consider ‘feminists’ to be a negative term 7% of people in Britain are feminists

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It is a paradox. As a girl if you do not try, you look horrible; yet if you try too much, you are fake. It is never good.

Boys can do anything and that is normal; but girls do one thing wrong and you are a joke. Gentlemen, let me address you directly: have you ever thought how long it takes for us to match all on your checklist?

Ever thought about how we feel? Do you ever wake up wishing you were someone else? Because girls do. Do you not realise you are bringing us down every time you mock us, but yourselves as well? Because surely no man who wants a woman to feel likes this is worthy of the title gentleman.

To conclude: it is not easy being a girl. Sadly, our safety is in your hands, because it is not fair that we as females must get safety weapons just so we can walk out at night. When a sexual crime has occurred, it is still us that get asked: ‘what were you wearing that night?’ Or, ‘did you drink that night?’

Rebecca West said that: ‘I have never been able to find out precisely what a feminist is. I only know that I am called a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.’ If it’s not clear what I want to see, it’s one thing: change. Change, so that we as women are not just looked upon as objects, but as equal people to men, and able to make a full contribution to the society in which we all live.

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science

How some people deal with the perception of everyday discrimination Millie Cross investigates the effects that the perception of stress and hidden discrimination have on others by talking to Tod Hooker, Senior Resourcing Advisor, to see what companies are doing to help those under stress.

Different people react to stress in many different ways. Sometimes that stress is so severe that it is responded to with notable levels of self-harm, particularly if they feel it is caused by hidden discrimination. Trichotillomania is one of those common self-harms.

Trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder. It is when an individual injures themself by pulling out chunks of their hair.

It is prompted by an irresistible urge that they feel they need to do so, and is often prompted when one is stressed or depressed. The triggers can be seemingly minor, such as not hiring someone for a job.

But it is the reason for the act

that can trigger these spells of Trichotillomania. These vary hugely: from individuals believing they have not been hired because of their sexual orientation, to believing a teacher has given them a lower grade because they do not approve of their religion.

‘I think we are getting more knowledge about the condition’ says Tod Hooker, Senior Resourcing Advisor, ‘but It will be a few more years before others have a good understanding of it all.’

The challenges of the modern working world do not help those with the condition, Tod says.

On average, humans process more than 11 million things every day. But only about 40 of these are conscious thoughts.

This is probably central to why those with the condition Trichotillomania place such emphasis on certain things they have been told; those thoughts dominate their minds, despite all the other ones they have had to process subliminally, creating a confirmation bias in their minds.

We are all subject, to some extent, to this process, as we unconsciously make judgments about others as if from instinct.

Tod Hooker believes that some of this is learnt behaviour, from perhaps our parents or people we are around in our daily environment.

finding a secure object, place, or thing that you can go to for comfort. And finally, self-love is key. Self-love is a key thing that you need to support yourself and self-esteem. A way to do this is imagining you are a water ball; all the hate comments bounce right back to those who throw them.

Fortunately, more and more companies are becoming alert to the challenges of Trichotillomania and appointing people like Tod Hooker to help those with the condition understand what they are doing and how to help themselves.

Fortunately, there are treatments for those who experience this as Trichotillomania. Common ones are self-education about the condition, along with work on mindfulness, meditation, and breath control, the foundation of yoga. Furthermore, self-soothing is a great method in calming yourself. This could just be

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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culture

The rise of the antihero Henry Cook explores how the word ‘hero’ has changed over the years, and how this change can help self-esteem.

A hero. Someone who always does the right thing. Someone who is unconditionally brave, loyal and good-looking. This is the view that people throughout history have had, and who can blame us? The image of heroes like Hercules, Superman or James Bond have been set in stone in our minds. Hercules, bulging with muscles, completed twelve seemingly impossible labours, including: the slaying of a giant man-eating lion; the taming of the fire-breathing demon horses and the capture of a sacred deer protected by an angry goddess. Superman, also (surprise, surprise) with a muscly figure, created and destroyed a sun; bench-pressed the earth and killed countless super villains. James Bond, with his looks and swagger, saved the world one or two times, and survived countless near-death experiences seemly unfazed.

We have become accustomed to all these feats of bravery and courage. While a hero might not need to bench-press the world, we certainly expect them to do something close.

Heroes throughout the years have come in different shapes and sizes, but normally follow strict guidelines to make them into these fearless, strong, witty

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characters. However, what if I told you, that someone could lack all the qualities, and still be classed a hero?

Enter the antihero.

Characters such as Deadpool, who lacks noble motivations and can not take most of his missions seriously. Captain Jack Sparrow, whose role as a ‘captain’ is rather misleading - he is always drunk, scared or utterly stupid in most situations. Even characters that at first glance look rather dashing and brave, like Han Solo, are antiheros; all because they are simply portrayed as normal human beings. You or I would not have the guts to stare a supervillain in the face, and neither would most of them.

One of the first noticeable antiheroes was Huckleberry Finn. Published in 1884, it was a time when everyone perceived a hero, in a single-minded fashion.

Huck Finn was a boy who was ‘helping’ another boy, Jim, to escape from slavery. However, on his adventure down the Mississippi river, we discover,

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his true motives are not as selfless as they seem. He only wants to travel and escape his father, rather than help Jim find his family and escape slavery.

This is not that bad and the only reason Huck Finn is considered an antihero is for his morals.

Nonetheless he is still an antihero and is far from perfect.

So, many people might enquire ‘what is the point of an antihero, kids should not be looking up to scumbags like Deadpool.’ Well, maybe kids should not long to be a gun and sword wielding, vain maniac, but that does not mean they should look up to these impossibly perfect heroes either.

The rise of the antihero has allowed humour and reality to work its way into the word ‘hero’.

The legacy set by Huck Finn, that has progressively got further and further from the initial meaning of ‘hero’, changes people’s perception of heroes and allows people to see; even if they do not have the bravery of Superman, the wit of James Bond, or the strength of Hercules, they too can be a hero.

science

Where did we come from and where will we go

Harry Adams researches the origins of the human race and life as we know it.

Humans are currently one of the most influential animals on the planet.

Where some animals might fight for a territory that is only several miles across, humans will fight for territory hundreds of miles across and will do almost anything to get it. We are the only species who will kill another species because we are hungry or thought that it would look nice on our walls. Despite all of this, humans had a much more humble beginning than one might expect, dating back eight million years to the continent of Africa, where humans had just started to emerge from the trees.

If we go back to the beginning, like right back to the beginning, when mankind was still chasing antelopes across the savannah with rocks and sticks, it was clear that humanity was destined for more than any other species. For example, we were the first species to ever be able to harness the full power of fire and use that to increase our intelligence.

We are quite literally the species that made Bluetooth from fire. Humans used to be an incredibly diverse roster of sub species, such as neanderthal, homo erectus and homo habilis Where did they go, I hear you ask.

Well unfortunately homo sapiens tend to be a tad murderous, so we either killed them, or bred with them.

Either way, we are the last surviving member of the human genus. Around 300,000 years ago modern humans as we know them emerged and from there the only way was up.

Many scientists agree that a factor that shaped the modern form of humans today was agriculture.

This ability allowed us to sustain more members of our species at once and live in more concentrated groups.

This was both a good and bad thing, as we could now work better and more efficiently, but now that we were so much closer together, it allowed for viruses and bacteria to breed and get better at killing us. Early civilization started 3000 years ago in Mesopotamia where humans set up villages and looked after cattle.

But populations who control land bring conflict, and so the very first war ever fought in human history took place in Mesopotamia. Thus human civilization was born through conflict, war and bloodshed.

Rates of human development only sped up from here, as in just the space of 4,000 years, a blink of an eye in evolutionary terms, we have harnessed the power of flight, speed, heat and even space flight. These are all concepts that are unimaginable to other species. We are at a turning point in our evolution right now as we, for the first time in history, have the power to alter our own evolution and harness this power to live amongst the stars.

This is a concept that is the focus point of the story, All Tomorrows.

This story starts with humans having established themselves on Mars and our evolution diverging from one another. After a massive war we set aside our differences and create a new race of humans, the Star People. This is an inconceivably fast

change in our evolutionary history and humanity will never be the same.

Humans travel to other solar systems and evolve into other forms that would be unrecognisable as humans Some of them evolve wings that can be used to fly for hundreds and hundreds of miles. Others change into a species called The Swimmers who have evolved a streamlined body and fins that can slice through water.

All of this is very exciting, but we could also be at what is called the ‘Great Filter’. This is a concept that was created by Robert Hanson, which states that when a species reaches a certain level of maturity and advancement, it will have to avoid death and extinction by its own hand.

This filter might be in front of us or behind us. The challenge might be to stop us from using nuclear weapons on each other to send us back to the stone age, or it might be to prevent global warming from taking full effect on the planet. If we are lucky, the challenge might just be the evolution and formation of life on our planet.

So for now I shall leave you with the answer that we are but advanced monkeys with dreams of playing amongst the stars, and are the only species that have come close to this.

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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arts

HANS ZIMMER: A LIFE IN FILM Hans Zimmer is one of the best-known composers of the modern generation, producing many famous film scores.

What are his methods? How does he create such iconic and mesmerising music? Sam Farr investigates.

No matter who you are, I am sure at some point, you have listened to a piece of Hans Zimmer’s music. He began composing musical scores in the late 80s.

He was a new composer, in the shadow of John Williams, and was eager to make a name for himself. He composed scores for movies like Paperhouse (1989), Backdraft (1991), Nine Months (1995) and Crimson Tide (1995).

Now, you are probably thinking: ‘Well I have not heard of many of those movies’. And you are right. He did not just swan into the industry and take all the big blockbusters. That cliché only happens in the movies. He worked for his title.

As the new millennium dawned, his career began to take off.

He began doing three or four scores a year. His big break was composing Ridley Scott’s Gladiator (2000) with a number of other musicians. He also composed scores for famous movies like Mission: Impossible 2 (2000), The Last Samurai (2003), and King Arthur (2004).

In 2005, he composed the score for Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins (2005). Zimmer went on to compose the scores for all of Nolan’s movies (excluding

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the most notable scores on any animated feature film to date.

On the path of video games, he was the master behind Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2010), Crysis 2: Be Fast! (2011), and Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure (2011).

Tenet). He has created some of the most famous tracks in modern cinema with Nolan, and Interstellar (2014) is arguably the greatest score of the 21st century. The album focuses on time and if you listen to it all, you will hear a constant metronome keeping time, as time is a crucial part of Interstellar. This displays the true genius in his work.

He went on to compose Gore Verbinski’s Pirates of the Caribbean (2003 - 2017) film series, Dan Brown adaptions of The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and Inferno (2006, 2009, 2016). He also composed the Kung Fu Panda (2008 2016) film series, creating one of

Cokethorpe School | First, Second, Third and Fourth Form Pupils

Zimmer had the chance to work with Gore Verbinski again, when he composed the score for his epic western: The Lone Ranger (2013). Uniting Verbinski, Johnny Depp and Zimmer again.

During the same year, Zimmer began his three year commitment to Zack Snyder and an even larger seven year commitment to the DCEU (DC Extended Universe). He began by composing the score for Man of Steel (2013). Then went on to do Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). He finished (for

arts now) his DCEU commitment with Wonder Woman: 1984 (2020).

Zimmer briefly delved into the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) with Dark Phoenix (2019).

Despite the movie’s flaws, he still created a great score.

From an animation perspective, Hans Zimmer has certainly done his part, delivering both of the Boss Baby films (2017 and 2021) and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2021).

He has even done scores for Limited Series and Documentaries. Most notably: The Pacific (2010), Saints and Strangers (2015), Blue Planet II (2017), 7 Worlds One Planet (2019) and the incredibly famous, 9.6/10 rated on IMDB (making it the highest rated Documentary, TV, Mini or Limited series ever made according to

IMDB) Planet Earth II (2016).

A fairly recent partnership with Denis Villeneuve. One of the greatest directors of our time, led to him composing Blade Runner: 2049 (2017) and Dune (2021) which has just entered cinemas with a fabulous opening weekend, and for good reason.

As the second part of the Dune duology is upcoming, I hope Zimmer and Villeneuve carry on this partnership as it has proved stellar so far.

It would be a shame to talk about Hans Zimmer’s newly released albums without mentioning he was the master behind No Time To Die (2021), the most recent Bond film and Daniel Craig’s final bow. They should have gotten him in sooner! He delivered probably the best score of any Bond film to date.

Hans Zimmer has marked modern cinema like no other composer, his work continues to this day, and I hope it carries on for many years to come.

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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arts

jack and jill: the rewrite Kacy Nguyen

I loved her. I loved every part of her, each and every detail about her.

The way that, no matter how mad she was at me, she would always make me something to eat just to make sure I was not hungry. The way her eyes were always smiling even if her mouth was not. She made me a better me and I took her for granted.

Now I lay, broken and hopeless, on a cold wooden floor mourning over her. I could have saved her.

I could have stopped her from jumping. I could have shouted for her not to. But I did not. I was selfish and saved myself instead.

We agreed. I remember; we both agreed that life was not worth living and we agreed we would go together. I broke that promise and every day I regret it more and more. We made the promise the night before the incident. Her last night she lay in my arms; I clutched her as close to my chest as I possibly could; holding her so tight that I doubt she could breathe. But she did not care, she never made a fuss; she was just like that.

Morning approached. The winter brought out an icy breath and a coolness to bring out the warmth within. We walked up the steep hill. She tripped and nearly landed face first in the mud. We

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laughed; this almost gave me a sense of hope: maybe we could work things out. It was too late now. We made a promise.

At the top of the hill we stopped and glared down at the hollow, pitch black well. It looked different; maybe that is just because I thought this was going to be the last time I saw it. I took her hand and placed it in mine. She was pale, as if she were already dead, and her hand was shivering. I tightened my grip to steady the shaking. She gave me the nod and mouthed ‘I love you.’ I mouthed back ‘Always and forever’ and in that moment my mind went blank. It was like I did not know how to speak. Everything and anything I thought I knew was gone and all that was left was a tight grip.

Her tight grip. But not for long.

Leisurely, her hand started slipping away but my body could not move. It all happened agonisingly slowly, almost deliberately. In that moment I was in a coma; unable to move but aware of my surroundings.

She was falling but I stood there lifeless as ever, which is ironic because out of the two of us, physically I was the one alive but emotionally I felt dead.

My eyes squeezed shut, not wanting to witness my loved one fall to her death. I screamed painfully for her ‘JILL!’. No reply.

My breath got heavy. My palms got sweaty. Then… my heart dropped to the sound of her screaming, then shortly after a thud… silence. She was gone.

Knowing that broke me.

For a while I thought I would be able to forget about her, move on with my life. Yet, the more I try to forget, the feeling grows stronger as if I am falling into a hole waiting to hit the ground, but I fall endlessly, waiting for the day I can feel the pain she felt. Without her I am nothing, but with her I am everything.

I loved her. I loved every part of her, each and every detail about her.

This tale is not like any romantic story. This time it is different. It is not love like in the other books.

There are no butterflies in your stomach, no blush on your cheeks, no feeling of melting, when the two star-crossed lovers finally kiss. No. Only two lonely souls. One kind and one broken.

She fell in love with the way he is, and he let her fall. Now the broken soul is just a stone living with a ghost. Her ghost.

Cokethorpe School | First, Second, Third, and Fourth Form Pupils

arts

The story of Jack and Jill from both points of view Bryony Wyatt Jack’s point of view: ‘I win,’ Jill says, slapping her cards down on the floorboards. We have been playing for around 30 minutes, waiting for mother to finish dinner.

She is cooking stew, I can tell by the smell. The running river outside can be heard and mother must notice it.

‘Darlings, please may you grab some water, there is a bucket by the door.’

In synchronisation, Jill and I make our way to the door. I grab the headlight since it is almost dusk and Jill grabs the bucket. Everything is darker tonight, the sky is clouded over, concealing the moon. The ground is stiff-hard beneath us due to the winter frost.

Jill’s point of view: We begin our steady climb up the hill, Jack is breathing heavily behind me, a mixture of tiredness and the temperature. The cold air wraps itself around me – I should have grabbed that coat. The river flows downhill beside us, sloshing over the bank every now and then. We walk in silence, not an awkward silence – just silence. The hill’s summit gets closer and I can nearly see the outline of the well. Once every two days we make this journey, whether to collect water for mother’s cooking or water for the new-born lambs out in the shed.

We do not bother collecting water to bathe, the river deepens near the house so we just wash there. The well is getting closer.

It is not long before we are there. The bucket swings in my hands and I get ready to lower it down. Jack helps to tie the rope around the bucket’s handle and together we lower it into the well. The hill’s drop is only about a metre from where we stand so I twist

my body around, making sure I am facing it.

Splash.

The bucket has met the bottom and I can hear the water bashing against the bucket’s insides as it fills up. Jack grabs the top of the rope and I grab the bottom. Together we tug and fall into the rhythm of the river next to us.

I’m forced to turn my body around, back against the hill’s drop. Our feet edge backwards towards the cliff. If I look down now I could probably make out the bucket and the shimmering, swirling water inside. Three more pulls and the bucket is visible. Jack steady’s the rope and I lean forward to unhook the bucket.

Jack’s point of view: The bucket comes away easily but the rope still feels heavy, probably because it has stolen some of the water from the well. The river’s mouth runs right past my left leg. I can feel the cold spray against the backs of my knees. Suddenly the rope jerks, possibly caught on a rock, I feel myself falling backwards so I grab Jill for support. All hopes of stabilising myself are gone when she starts to wobble as well. I slip on the slimy pebbles of the river, bringing Jill with me. I wait for the ground to meet me. It does not. I hear Jill’s piercing shriek and that is when it hits me, no - not the ground.

All I can feel is air whipping past my ears, I turn my head to see Jill. We fall in synchronisation both shouting out for the non-existent help.

The ground is getting closer. I shut my eyes awaiting the final blow.

Crack! I have stopped falling yet I am still alive, why? It is not until I notice the hiemal water of the river swirling and bubbling around me that I realise I have plunged straight into it. Frantically I try to swim upwards, ignoring the throbbing ache of my crown. Where is Jill? The river caught her too… did it not? My head breaks the surface and my eyes search for Jill.

She is not in the river.

Jill lies still by the rocky bank. N-no… she can not be! This is not r-real!

Wake up – Wake up n-now! I am already awake. The throbbing of my head intensifies as I clamber onto the bank, metres away from where my sister lies - unmoving. I crawl over and shake her as hard as my aching body will allow. Blood collects in a pool by her left ear. I look closer and notice the huge gash mocking me on her left temple.

No one could survive a hit like that.

No one.

I curl up in a ball and lie there for… I don’t know how long; time escapes me. Numb, I get up and stagger home. Mother is sat on the sofa obviously waiting for us to return, for me to return. I use the back door. She does not see me. I make my way to the comfort of my bedroom where I fix my head up with brown paper and vinegar, something I learned from Jill. I curl up again, this time in my bed.

What have I done?

Why did it have to be her?

Why not me?

I fall asleep to the taunting song of the river outside.

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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lETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

I believe that schools could be more inclusive, and boldly so.

I have been at Cokethorpe for nearly ten years, and over that time many social topics have caught my attention, but none more so recently that the subject of jewellery.

I have been a pupil at Cokethorpe for over nine years and I have always found it to be a fair, inclusive and diverse school to study at.

For example, there could be more variety in the age of pupils that can do lessons or be in a class with one another (for example a 1F pupil could attend a 3F class in certain subjects). This would benefit pupils as they could find more friends in different year groups. In addition, this enriching of age grouping throughout the school would result in happier, freshlystimulated younger people, which is better for their mental health. There are other cross-age events that could take place, too. For example, running House events like a treasure hunt, where teams are in groups of seven, would allow for more inclusion across friendship or year groups.

Furthermore, schools should actively encourage pupils to offer each other a kind gesture each day. Just asking ‘would you like to play with us?’ or ‘would you like to come into lunch with us?’ can really boost morale quickly.

Just asking ‘how are you today?’ does the same thing.

If someone looks sad, just ask them how they are and include them in what you are doing.

These small changes could really make a big difference to this and any school.

Yours sincerely,

It seems to be a rather touchy subject among pupils and teachers, as to whether or not pupils should be allowed to wear jewellery beyond what is currently sanctioned such as rings chains or bracelets.

I have spoken to many of my peers, and most of them agree with me, when it comes to the wearing of jewellery, there is a desire for more liberal standards. The wearing of jewellery allows students to better express themselves and be their true self. I do understand that to some people, jewellery may dent the perceived standards at Cokethorpe School. However, it seems to me that many pupils would welcome rules that are more inclusive and understanding of their wishes.

For a lot of people, it seems the simple act of putting a piece of metal on their finger boosts their confidence.

I understand this may be complicated to some people, and admittedly it is hard to explain but I would love if this concept got some traction and attention.

Yours sincerely, Monty Bolton

Eddie Cale

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Cokethorpe School | First, Second, Third, and Fourth Form Pupils

When I heard about the theme of this edition, I was fascinated and wanted to write something; but it was a struggle for me to find an idea. In the end it when I thought back to the time I was most happy in school that it hit me.

Home clothes on Friday.

Now, I suspect that some teachers may be quite heavily opposed to it, feeling it disrupts order in the School and makes it look shabby and unorganised.

However, when I was able to wear my own clothes and express myself in school, I can certainly say I was very relaxed and that it helped me in my learning. I am sure that lots of other pupils would agree with me, school clothes can make us feel restricted and self-conscious. For example, a pupil might not feel that school clothes allow them to express their gender; or a pupil might feel so ugly in their uniform that they do not even want to go into school. All of this can negatively affect the mind and lower pupils’ performance in school.

I am not saying get rid of uniform, just have some sort of a ‘Freedom Friday’, where pupils can freely express themselves.

Yours sincerely, Henry Cook

EDITORial ...Continued from page 2 In our issue we focus on two countries, Denmark and India, and how they are responding to the climate crisis. We explore how Denmark is leading by example, whereas India has struggled to comply. We are delighted to see the advancement the nations have made and we hope to see more progress, as this is vital, not just for us, but future generations and our planet.

On a smaller level, the students of Cokethorpe united against an issue that is of real concern to them: bullying. In our issue you can see how this was done. We have delved into the different forms of bullying and discrimination in the world - Lupe has looked at the issues and the double standards that women have to deal with on a daily basis, whilst Henry explores the unfair stereotype of the hero and how that influences our younger generations. We hope to give our readers food for thought about these crucial issues.

As an editorial team, we have tried to shed light on issues that sometimes go unnoticed, groups that exist on the margins. We look at social groups who are sometimes marginalised, and ponder whether ‘ugly’ animals deserve our help and care.

In addition to provoking serious thought, as an editorial team we have decided to celebrate artistic achievement and we are proud to highlight the creative endeavours of Cokethorpe pupils. In addition, we have the usual round-up of art and culture in Oxford, proof that despite the difficulties of Covid, writers, artists, musicians and actors continue to delight.

We have a young team – First and Second Form pupils, just cutting their journalistic teeth. We hope that we have written something for everyone and addressed the issues that are deep in our hearts. With the end of term drawing closer we really do hope that you have a lovely festive season. This year started badly with lockdown but we have emerged s y a w We al e new victorious with a vaccine and a new climate agreement. We step in to 2022 with a hopeful smile and a positive mindset. We look forward to writing for you again welcom f i o s soon. writers ld like u Chief Editors: Harry Adams and Henry Cook you wo

the to join et in g team, ch. tou

Meet the Team Writers and Contributors:

Harry Adams Samarth Agnihotri Monty Bolton

Zoe Cameron Eddie Comerford Henry Cook

Millie Cross Sam Farr Ella Hogeboom

Megan Hunt Kacy Nguyen Anthony Skelly

Meredith Smith Izzy Treadwell Lupe Van Landeghem

Co-ordinators: Mr Elkin-Jones

Mr Allen

Chloe Wetherall Bryony Wyatt

Designer: Mrs Logan

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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arts

What’s on in oxford this season?

Anthony Skelly gives a rundown of what is on this season in theatres around Oxford.

school of rock new theatre monday 13 december - saturday 1 january School of Rock the Musical is based on the 2003 film of the same name with iconic songs such as, School of Rock,, Stick it to the Man, and, Teacher’s Pet. However, it boasts a rocking new score, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

In this show we follow pupil Dewey Finn on his journey to turn his classmates into a rock band. While teaching his classmates the true meaning of rock he falls for his boss, the headmistress of his school, and helps her rediscover her child within.

This show includes iconic songs such as, School of Rock, Stick it to the Man, and Teacher’s Pet. Tickets start from £13.

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Cokethorpe School | First, Second, Third, and Fourth Form Pupils

arts

pinocchio the north wall arts centre wednesday 15 december - monday 3 january Full of humour, this retelling of Carlo Collodi’s classic

by Creation Theatre sees the transformation of the North Wall Arts Centre into a magical wonderland.

Tickets range from £13.50 to £32.

9 to 5 The Musical New theatre tuesday 18 january - saturday 22 january This show is a 2008 musical based on the 1980 film by Patricia Resnick, reimagined with new music and lyrics composed by Dolly Parton.

Tickets start from £13.

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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arts

arts Reviews

Eddie Comerford and Anthony Skelly take a look at some of the best shows from the past few months.

The Woman in black The Woman In Black is a chilling ghost story about Arthur Kipps.

The story takes place as a play within a play with an unnamed actor playing Mr Kipps who wants this story told to exorcise the ghost who plagued him.

The show is brilliantly acted by the ‘two’ actors on stage, with Anthony Eden playing the role of ‘The Actor’ and Robert Goodale playing the role of ‘Arthur Kipps’.

The two actors work together perfectly to lull the audience into a false sense of security within the first 20 minutes before this security is shattered as the story begins to unfurl.

Over the next 90 minutes what follows is a terrifying piece. I went into this show thinking that as it was just a play it could not really be that scary. How wrong I was! Although one of the most enjoyable parts of the show was the aftershock within the audience, at one point featuring some crude words from the person sat in the row behind me. I do not wish to spoil this show so I will give a warning to those planning on seeing the show, do not sit on the right aisle of the stalls! All I have to say is following the end of the first act, it took the audience about 20 seconds to start talking again.

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I have to commend the staging of the piece. Whilst it has remained mostly the same since the show first premiered just over 30 years ago, it never feels old or stale. This is mainly due to the phenomenal sound design making sure the audience never drifts into a state of boredom. I only wish this show was longer, especially in the second act where the tension ramps up to almost unendurable levels.

Running at just two hours, including an interval, the time flew by.

show is currently touring and is now open at London’s Fortune Theatre where it has been running for over 30 years.

I would like to thank the Oxford Playhouse for giving me a ticket to review this show. Their annual pantomime, Robin Hood is currently running with tickets starting at just £15.

I would thoroughly recommend this show to everyone. The

Cokethorpe School | First, Second, Third, and Fourth Form Pupils

arts The Snow Queen

into the 21st Century, it examines bullying, loneliness, predators and many other modern themes.

Cast your minds back to December 2019, nearly two years and one pandemic ago, on that day, Eddie Comerford and Anthony Skelly went to see Creation Theatre’s annual Christmas production which was Hans Christian Andersons’ infamous tale, The Snow Queen at The North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford. It tells the story of Gerda, (played by the fantastic Annabelle Terry) who has to rescue her best friend Kai, (played by the great Bart Lambert) from the clutches of the Snow Queen (played by Natasha Rickman). The play brings the story

It features catchy original songs written by Gareth Jones and amazing choreography by Cydney Uffindell-Phillips. The show’s staging is visually spectacular, it is set in traverse with the stage in the centre of the theatre with seats both sides, this only adds to the engrossing storyline. Great lighting design by Ashley Bale and John Walton, helps create a sense of tension throughout the piece.

The secret garden experience

Anthony Skelly recently received a special package from the Oxford Playhouse. He shares his experience here.

Oxford Playhouse has partnered with WizardPresents to bring us The Secret Garden Experience which is a fantastic arts and crafts experience accompanied by eight audio episodes brought to life by award-winning Danyah Miller, with original music by musician and composer Arun Ghosh.

When you purchase this experience, a beautiful Secret Box, designed by theatre designer Kate Bunce, is sent directly to your door. Each package is numbered and contains activities that relate to that episode. The key to start your adventure is included in the first package but you could be a lucky winner of one of the three prize-winning golden keys, in which the prizes are family pantomime tickets for

Although at times, the show can be slightly strange, it is always captivating.

Creation are back at the North Wall this year after an enforced absence with their retelling of Carlo Collodi’s tale Pinocchio, tickets start at just £11.50 for under 18s for what promises to be a captivating adaptation.

2021 at the Oxford Playhouse, or a Secret Garden hamper.

the materials, but you can easily pause the episode.

When I received my Secret Box, I opened the first package, registered an account with my key on their website, and begun listening. In the first episode you listen to the story develop, but in the second episode you need to open the second package and your DIY adventure has started.

I did find that I needed to pause the episode for me to follow the instructions on what to do with

WizardPresents has also created a companion app which contains the eight episodes, which can also be viewed on their website, and some stunning augmented reality features.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this package if you were looking for a fun arts and crafts experience.

Michaelmas 2021 | Below The Line

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MAD Festive FACTS

XMAS

In 1843, a man called Sir Henry Cole was behind the first printed Christmas card, like the ones we buy in shops and send to each other today.

Many people do not like the word “Christmas” being shortened to ‘Xmas’. But what they might not realise is that ‘X’ actually represents the Greek letter ‘Chi’, which is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, ’Χριστός’.

The UK spends up to £48,000,000 on Christmas puddings!

Advent - the period leading up to Christmas - starts on the Sunday nearest to 30 November. It ends on the Sunday before 25 December. The word Advent comes from the Latin ‘adventus’ meaning ‘arrival’ or ‘coming’.

The Christmas story about how Jesus was born is actually pieced together from two different versions - one written in the gospel by Matthew and one by Luke.

In 2013, a Guinness World Record was made for the largest gingerbread house ever made in Texas. The house was 60ft long, 42 ft wide and 10.1ft tall, amounting to a whopping 1,110.1 cubic metres, as well as 35.8 million calories!

Jingle Bells was not originally written as a Christmas song.

It does not even mention Christmas, Advent or Jesus!

That is because it was actually written for Thanksgiving.

Epiphany is the name given to the day twelve days after Christmas on 6 January, when the wise men are said to have visited the new baby and Jesus was shown to the world for the first time. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek word meaning ‘show’ or ‘reveal’.

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Cokethorpe School | First, Second, Third, and Fourth Form Pupils

During early Victorian times, mince pies used to be made from actual meat! It is thought this dated back to Tudor times.

However, throughout the 19th Century, the traditional mince pie recipe started to develop to the one we know today, with fruit and spices.

London-based baker and confectioner Tom Smith invented the Christmas cracker in 1847 after being inspired by French bonbons and his crackling log fire.

Most of Santa’s reindeer have male-sounding names, such as Blitzen, Comet, and Cupid.

However, male reindeers shed their antlers around Christmas, so the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh are likely not male, but female or castrated.