Venue 390

Venue

390

Arts, Books, Creative Writing, Fashion, Music, Film, TV, Gaming, Anne Glia

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Editorial Well, readers, it’s that time of year again. As you walk to campus, you stomp over the acorns that have fallen from their trees. You duck out of the way as a conker threatens to plummet into your head. Burnt orange litters the ground, threading into the grass and lifting in the wind. The trees which line Bluebell Road offer up a multitude of colours, from fresh greens to deep maroons, all of them incredibly beautiful.

In the morning freshness, spiderwebs are bejewelled with a coating of dew, making them shimmer in the early glow of the sunrise. You leave the house in a coat, and return in the afternoon with it draped over your arm. And then, as the sun sets and the lavender haze stuns the skies, you can settle in for the night.

Wrapped up in your oodie, with your favourite book and a warm hot chocolate. Maybe you even sit up in your room, with your window open and listen to the midnight rain, and watch as the lightning flashes. But you’re dry and cosy inside.

Halloween has been and gone. Whether you were curled up behind a cushion and watching horror films with your housemates, or you were dressed up for a house party as your favourite Disney character or anPhoto Credits: Rory Kettle ti-hero, it’s a great night for expression. You may have had mini witches and vampires knocking on your door and leaving with grins on their faces. Maybe you were reminiscent of the tricks you’d play on your primary school bullies, your own childhood Halloween karma.

Autumn is the time for bonfire night, where you drink hot cider and huddle with your friends, watching as bursts of colours light up the whole sky. You’ll bite down on toffee apples before crashing in front of the tv, buried in blankets to warm yourself up.

It’s a season of changing temperatures, and multitudes of colours. It’s a time of change, a time to reflect.

So, dear reader, as you make your way through the labyrinth of Venue, consider your own experiences of this wonderful season, and as always, enjoy!

- Louise, Lily, Ray

Section Editors

Arts - Rosie Kyrin-White Books - Daze Constantinides Creative Writing - Clem Hailes Fashion - Tshequa Williams Music - Tabi Fielding Front Cover Art by Ella Michaelov

Film - Tom Porteus TV - Millie Smith-Clare Gaming - Jess Clifford Agony Anne Glia - Alexandra Ashby

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Contents

Arts .............................................. 4 Books ........................................... 7 Creative Writing ........................ 10 Fashion ........................................ 14 Music ............................................ 17 Film .............................................. 20 TV ................................................. 24 Gaming ......................................... 27 Anne Glia ................................... 31

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Editor: Rosie Kyrin-White

Arts

Photo Credits: Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons

By Lily boag venue Deputy Targeting art galleries, in 2022, has allowed for a climate action breakthrough.

Climate protestors have sparked a radical movement, using art as their ammunition in the climate war. The streak of stunts taking place at cultural centres across the world have been described by climate activists as a “wake-up call in the face of a climate catastrophe.”

Gluing their hands to art

gallery walls, activists have been drawing worldwide attention, starting conversations, sparking controversy, and actuating change. For centuries, activists have used art for protest - from the civil rights movement and the queer movement to the suffragettes. A catalyst for change, art is, and has always been, radical. Before influencing the development of modern art, even Van Gogh’s post-impressionist paintings were controversial when they were first produced.

So, in 2022, why has art and architecture become a platform for environmental protest? And where does the real value of art lie - in the piece itself, or in the messages it can facilitate?

On October 14th, Just Stop Oil protesters hurled a

tin of tomato soup over Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in the National Gallery, sparking shock and outrage. On October 22nd, Last Generation activists poured mashed potato over Monet’s Les Meules at the Museum Barberini, causing chaos in Potsdam, Germany. Two days later, protestors threw chocolate cake into the face of King Charles’s waxwork at Madame Tussauds, upsetting loyal royalists.

On September 7th, Big Ben was targeted by Animal Rebellion as they covered Westminster’s Parliament Square Junction with white paint, resembling milk, to disrupt the dairy industry. In July, Italian climate activists glued their hands to the glass of Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera in Florence’s Uffizi gallery, following a stunt in London’s Royal Academy, where protestors glued themselves to the frame of a 500-year-old painting of The Last Supper.

In the National Gallery, sunflower soup protestors Anna Holland and Phoebe

Art: Our ammunition in Climate war

Plummer echoed the actions of Mary Richardson, the suffragette who in 1914 slashed Velázquez’s nude painting Rokeby Venus with a meat chopper, protesting the arrest of British suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.

They questioned onlookers, asking “what is worth more: art or life?” They emphasised how climate change is the leading cause of catastrophes, such as “33 million people in Pakistan [being] displaced by apocalyptic floods,” and “36 million [lives] ruined by the famines in east Africa.” Making Monet their stage, and the public their audience, the mashed potato activists declared: “people are starving, people are freezing, people are dying.”

One question the protest action raises is whether we neglect our planet in favour of painted worlds? But what we must consider is whether a suffering society can still be repainted by climate activism.

As we face a canvas of environmental nightmares that threaten our very survival, we must not question the value of art, but how much we value the planet that we are slowly but steadily destroying.

Arts

The hollywood man By phoebe lucas arts writer UEA’s Minotaur Theatre company put on a show last month written by student, Thomas Bisika.

The Hollywood Man explores the journey of love, loneliness, and success. A play that’s set in old Hollywood jumps back and forth in time, opening with Theo, a screenwriter who is about to embark on a whirlwind adventure that leads him to fame. After meeting young Theo and his friend, Pablo, Biska takes us forward 20 odd years in the future. We see an old, decrepit Theo struggling not only with the challenges of writer’s block, but the overwhelming feeling of fail-

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Editor: Rosie Kyrin-White

ure and loneliness.

Young Theo, played by Fletcher Boyes and Young Paulo, portrayed by Nemo Bekele stood out among the cast.

Boyes’ performance was strong and authentic, conveying an underlying tone of naiveté and innocence. His drunken scene was especially amusing as he stumbled onto set and proceeded to do a shuffle, whilst singing a questionable, out of tune melody.

Boyes truly embodied his character and incorporated a vast range of emotions that made him enjoyable to watch.

Similarly, his cast-mate Bekele, was captivating and truly owned the stage with his presence. His portrayal of the supportive, but overly honest best friend was genuine and refreshing. Bekele

had an energy that made you not want to look away; he delivered his lines with such confidence and intent that as an audience member I believed everything he said.

The playwright, Thomas Bisika, delved into the world of relationships both with the romantic connection between Theo and Dianna, as well as the platonic dynamic between Theo and Paulo. Theo is first drawn to Dianna’s obvious beauty and talent as a successful young actress.

He is blinded by the glamour and hedonism of Hollywood and is swept away with the benefits a young screenwriter gets.

He appears to be deeply in love with young Diana (played by Hanna Lily RyceSmith) but after she exposes her crippling anxiety he becomes selfish and distant. It makes us as the audience ask: was he actually in love with

The Color Purple: The Musical The Color Purple: The Musical debuted on 1st November for its opening night at Norwich Theatre Royal. A Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome co-production, the show is based on the Pulitzer-prize winning epistolary novel written by Alice Walker in 1982, and the 1985 motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Whoopi Goldberg. The two-hour stage adaptation was directed by Tinuke Craig and created for theatre by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winner Marsha Norman.

Celie, an African American teenager born and raised in the American deep south, narrates her life through a series of letters she has written to God. As the story begins with her new-born child being ripped away from her arms, we follow Celie as she strives to triumph over the sexual, emotional, and physical abuse she faces in her early life by the hands of men. Dutifully playing wife, at first, she believes that such a role is the only place fit for a woman in the world. Discovering the power of strong female relationships, she then moves away from a life of servitude to challenge the traditional southern

social ideas imposed on women.

The show’s contemporary agency makes for a relatable performance, exploring feminist spirituality, the queer experience and, most importantly, African American history. Though it may be a musical, the show does not shy away from exploring the trauma, pain, and violence that unfolds through the oppressive tale, with due care and sensitivity. Influences of jazz music elevate the story, sympathetic to the time-period. Meanwhile, live musical numbers and powerful vocals draw the audience in.

A simplistic set with minimal props was used to set the scene, alongside spotlights and a projector. This allowed for the audience to focus on the action unfolding on stage, their response to which was incredibly positive, as comedy followed laughter, sadness with silence, and songs with an applaud.

Overall, a beautiful story once told on the page, has been brought to life on the

her?

Critically, the narrative was interesting and I enjoyed the minimal use of cast members- it highlighted the character development from young to old. From an audience perspective, the duration could have been cut down to maintain a heavy focus on the plot. The intensity significantly increased in the last quarter but it did feel slightly rushed. Whether this was the intention to reflect the chaotic narrative or not could have been made clearer.

On the whole it was a thought provoking play with multiple themes layered throughout the narrative.

Lighting techniques were utilised to support the dialogue of scenes, especially in moments of poignancy. I look forward to seeing what UEA’s drama department does next.

By Lily boag venue Deputy

Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons Norwich stage. As a young Celie struggles in a world where black women are denied their rights, she overcomes oppression and abuse to find fulfilment and independence by building her own life. Declaring her presence in the world, loud and clear, Celie exclaims: “I’m poor, Black, I may even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here! I’m here!”.

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Editor: Rosie Kyrin-White

Arts

The singh twins: Slaves of fashion review Across all forms of social media, there has been attention brought to the issues of fast fashion and the rights of the workers making these clothes.

ders, different metaphors represent the muslin trade. For example, a mule representing an English spinning machine tramples on the Indian tiger.

With these new machines, the British

by Eleanor Radford Arts writer

flooded the market and destroyed the Indian trade industry.

both the inspiration collections sit, such as shawls, woven in Norwich but based on designs adapted from imported Indian shawls. As well as drawings, there are two documentaries with the twins about their process and what their work means to them. They talk in one of these documentaries about the debate they had over accepting an MBE (Member of the British Empire) award. Due their work focusing on anti-imperial themes, they disliked the name and meaning behind the award.

Through this image, the viewer is shown the transfer of India’s great riches to Britain through the muslin trade. Around the bor-

Photo Credits: Rosie KyrinWhite

Photo Credits: Rosie Kyrin-White

An exhibit at Norwich Castle looks at this important pointalongside the issues of conflict and slavery- through India’s textile trade. The exhibition takes up two rooms of the castle’s galleries. In the first, the twins use eleven lightboxes to give a stained-glass window effect to their artwork. Each piece represents a different story about India’s history in textiles, interwoven with hidden aspects of Europe’s colonial past. One of my favourites is ‘Muslin: The Fabric of Revolt’: the centre of the piece focuses on a woman in an early 19th century style of dress, pouring water from a jewelled Indian beaker into a glass bearing the initials of the East India Company.

These pieces are first hand drawn, then scanned and retouched, and then finally defined with computer technology. Inspiration is taken from the Norfolk Museum Service Collection and The Singh Twins’ personal collection, including a hand-coloured etching

by James Gillray in 1849: ‘The Three Graces in the Wind’ showing the effect muslin had as a light and transparent fabric.

The first room also shows smaller pieces such as ‘Trade Wars’. This piece shows an adapted 16th century portrait of Elizabeth I, changing her jewels to spices traded by the East India Company. Around her are other explanations of the trade wars, in a more modern context, such as the social and ecological impact of the supermarket price wars over bananas. This is represented by two men on a bull and a bear jousting, one from Asda and one from Tesco.

In the second room, pieces from

However, in the end, they decided to take the award, as they saw it as a notice of their hard work and what they had accomplished. They also talk about the importance of their family supporting their work and being in tune with their background.

The exhibit is being held in the castle until the 22nd of January 2023.

It is an important and thought-provoking exhibition for anyone, especially those worried about the sociological and environmental impact of the fast fashion industry.

Books

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Editor: daze Constantinides

Photo Credits: Unsplash

keting behind it has changed how people shop for books.

By jess gibbs Books writer The book industry is undying, with books sales only soaring due to the combination of online and printed, and a large amount of influence from online advertising. Romance books have been around for hundreds of years, from Austen and the Brontës, to Nicholas Sparks and John Green. It is a type of fiction that has transcended culture, transforming from traditional to contemporary - it seems an unstoppable force, as every generation needs some sort of love to relate to.

I’m sure you’re aware of the online aspect that fuelled the book industry. Websites like Wattpad, Archive of Our Own, and Tumblr, all excelled in promoting young people’s work. From a lot of these, there was an emersion in certain book tropes. The classic enemies to lovers, fake dating, or even dating to win a bet all appeared rewritten or reimagined in one way or another.

Tropes are well loved; they are literary techniques to fuel a growing demand of romance genre—and the demand has only been on the rise. It is an undeniable fact that TikTok is a huge influence on all forms of media, such as music, films, and especially books.

The popularity of ‘BookTok’ has reformed what many If anyone was part of the people are buying as their early 2010’s book culture, current read, and the mar-

TikTok is an advertising platform for a lot of people, especially authors who make short, captivating videos to try and draw in readers. They seem to add overused captions just to sell their books and draw on tropes just to ensnare a certain audience. It becomes less about what the substance of the book is, and more about a trope to sell the story—it takes away from quality to sell to the masses.

This then brings into the question whether the value of the writing is being overshadowed by what could be called ‘cheap’ tactics just to sell to a wider, mainstream audience. It becomes more about getting views, or going viral, rather than the creativity that literature was based on.

I think it’s fantastic that small authors are being able to get out there and promote their works successfully. TikTok has been a great asset in getting authors the notice they deserve. However, in terms of the book industry on a wider scale, should we be concerned that it seems to be the same idea churned out over and over in different formats?

Reviewers throughout Rather than the originality of ‘BookTok’ seem to also focus ideas that used to fuel writing. on these tropes. They only I like to believe that this world seemingly promote works that contain these stereotypes, so functions of the creation of new they attract attention. To get ideas; it’s one of the aspects that views on social media they keeps humanity evolving, keeps begin their posts by stating us moving. It becomes my worthings such as, “the dumb jock ry that maybe these new creafalls in love with the nerdy girl tions are being overshadowed while trying to win a bet.” It by a prejudice of the old, used has been a trope since at least tropes, and that the soul of writthe 1990s, and remains popu- ing may be struggling to shine lar, so it is reused to catch the in this social media fuelled frenspotlight in a very competitive, zy of fighting for attention by attention-grabbing idedifficult to navigate algorithm. using as rather than individuality.

the tiktok trope tumult

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Editor: daze Constantinides

Books

Thought economics: Liquid Dynamite By leo henry Books writer For a book I picked up impulsively at Edinburgh Airport back in August, I certainly got more out of the book than the intriguing title promised. As it turned out, it wasn’t some obscure field of economics yet unfamiliar to me, but the name of the long-running blog that served as the inspiration by the book, both products of Vikas Shah. Shah states in the foreword of the book his belief it is ‘the products of thought’ that create our world, and his desire to explore that. A Google search will tell you Shah is a successful entrepreneur, investor, and recipient of the MBE but it is in this book and the preceding blog where his most remarkable achievement lies.

Since around 2007, Shah has conducted interviews with many, many prominent scholars, thinkers, leaders, public figures, experts in their field from every walk of life you could conceive. Quite how he managed to pull this off from scratch is astonishing. Buzz Aldrin (former astronaut) and Jimmy Wales (the founder of Wikipedia) were among his first high-profile interviews, and Shah has only increased his intelligentsia reservoir since. Without exaggerating, hundreds of people were consulted and interviewed for this book, to the point that it may be one of the greatest examples of contributive literature in the field of non-fiction – the contents page alone reads as a list of the greatest figures of the current day. I cannot stress the delight of the sheer range and depth of great minds I found within the book, and while there are plenty of politicians, scientists, professors, and businessmen, there are other entries that will no doubt surprise any reader, yet prove to be no less insightful. I did not expect to learn about leadership from Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti or discrimination and injustice from Star Trek icon George Takei, but Shah recognises the most potentially fascinating stories can come from people who are not normally asked these kinds of questions.

was on the previous page, not because it was in any way dull but because there were multiple perspectives on differing topics competing for space and attention in my brain. Perhaps the best way to describe this book in a single sentence is as a series of bite-sized Ted Talks forming a grand treatise on what feels like virtually every major issue facing humanity. Each of the book’s seven chapters is dedicated to a particular facet of humanity (chapter titles include On Identity, On Leadership, and On Democracy) but within these broad categories, specific people are asked specific questions. Reaching the end of each chapter was like receiving a cannon shot of dynamic knowledge to the face. I had the feeling like I was holding a cheat sheet for an exam that would normally require several hours in the company of some very hefty textbooks to prepare for, but the book does not exceed 300 pages – how efficient!

The incredible range of opinions more than makes up for this. Crucially, whilst not every single interview is given the chance to go into as much detail as the topic deserves, when combined they explore the topic at hand to such a satisfactory and mind-opening extent I turned the final page feeling as though I had finished a much, much larger book. I don’t think the format will be for everyone’s tastes, and I certainly wouldn’t consider it to be ‘light reading. ’ But I thoroughly recommend this for anyone seeking to become more informed about the big questions facing the world, as well as the smaller, equally important and dynamic questions that makes one begin pacing the length of the room as thoughts begin to accelerate, that one would usually never contemplate unless stumbled across in some form or another. For me, it turned out to be this book.

“Reaching the end of each chapter was like receiving a cannon shot of dynamic knowledge to the face.”

The format is at once compelling and confusing. Shah leaps from interviewee to interviewee, allocating them anywhere from a few sentences to several paragraphs. While this allows him to cover countless perspectives from a hugely diverse range of people, it is a frustratingly fragmentary and irregular narrative structure. At times I found as soon as I turned the page I could not remember a good deal of what

Photo Credits: Unsplash

Books

Editor: daze Constantinides

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UEA Live x concrete: shara mccallum’s no ruined stone is a poetic triumph By daze constantinides A verse novel is always a bold move. But Shara McCallum is not afraid of the risk in her latest work, No Ruined Stone. Her verse rises to the challenge and amplifies voices of forgotten and marginalised women of colour, and explores a fear close to the Jamaican-American authoress’ heart—what if Robert Burns, world famous Scottish poet of the eighteenth century, had taken the job he was offered in Jamaica to be a slave driver?

Books editor

icature, when Isabella, the illegitimate granddaughter of the bard, splits the verse in two with a voice beseeching not to be forgotten, your heart will break in two. Her musical language floods through with intense emotion. She spares no gruesome detail; you will sit through the discomfort. It is a refusal to keep silent in the face of oppression. McCallum also does not shy away from Isabella’s position as a woman, spanning We are introduced to everybody in No Ruined Stone, in- generations of pain and hurt towards Burns, the grandfacluding Burns, as Dramatis Personae. Reducing Burns to a ther she never knew, how her maternal figures were treated. fictional character instead of a behemoth in poetry almost “How do I claim you as kin and bear knowing—even you, who feels mocking, daring. It gives McCallum more creative liber- glimpsed divinity in the smallest of creatures, lit the animal ty, the ability to take back the power stolen from black women soul, spoke nothing of her suffering?” she pleads. It is a voice and be unrelenting with her angry truths, because hey—it’s that refuses to be erased no matter how much the Western only a fictional character, right? While Burns and the colo- world wants you to do so. nisers are villainous, their speech so vitriolic it makes your jaw clench (Douglas’s reply: “they are good for nothing but No Ruined Stone is a story everybody needs to read. After toiling and fucking. don’t talk to me of the inalienable rights all, it is about time we listened to the voices history wanted of man. these are not men.” springs to mind) the unyielding us to forget. and nurtured semantic of Jamaica “it has done so long before we came, will do so well after we are dust” offers such powerShara McCallum will be discussing No Ruined Stone in ful juxtaposition you can almost see the beauty of McCallum’s detail with fellow poet Anthony Joseph on Thursday 10th Nohome country come to life on page. vember at UEA Live. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.uealive.com/programme/poetWhile the poems written by ‘Burns’ feels almost like a car ry-and-the-reimagined-life/

Five books in fifty words or less By emilia gasparro Books writer

The Prison Doctor by Amanda Brown highlights the issues surrounding the prison system through individual encounters. It’s inspiring to see the efforts of many people working in the prison, doing their uttermost to help vulnerable people who have experienced difficulties throughout their lives that lead to them committing crime.

I had high expectations for Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Unfortunately, this was a book I was relieved to finish. The only thing going for it was the plot. The rest was a jumbled mess, going back and forth between different styles and genres. One moment we were given scientific information about animals and plants and the next we jumped to romance.

Certainly not one I would read again.

Stacey Dooley’s Are You Really OK? was an easy and insightful read. I liked the way the book was structured, chapters separated by mental health conditions. However, it was very much the same as her documentaries and added very little new content.

It would benefit from Dooley reflecting on her interviews.

Inside the O’Briens was another great book by Lisa Genova, this time with the focus on Huntington’s disease. I knew very little about this terrifying illness before reading this book, but now I feel heavily knowledgeable on the topic, despite this being a fiction book.

The Twins of Auschwitz by Eva Mozes Kor was raw, emotional, and hard-hitting. This story broke my heart but it was magnificent. Eva transformed something so evil into love. Her legacy is inspiring and I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the holocaust.

Editor: Clem Hailes

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Creative Writing

Photo Credits: Rory Kettle, Unsplash

Moment One Notices S e l f - i m a g e, T h e n , E m p t i n e s s R e t u r n s.

A HALLOWEEN OUTING

BY LOUISE COLLINS VENUE EDITOR We’re always around you, in the shadows, in the flickering lights.

We’re the shiver that goes down your spine, that creak you hear when you’re home alone. The buzz of electricity when you’re walking alone at night.

The streetlight that won’t turn on. We’re the rustle of the leaves, the hoot of the owl. The streak in the night.

You hear our noise; you jump a little as the door slams. You shut the blinds and laugh a little, reassuring yourself that

you’re alone.

You’re never alone though, not really. Not when we’re there. And we’re always there.

But one night a year, we’re at our strongest.

That single night at the end of October, when everyone goes out to celebrate. When tricks are played, and treats are given. When young children dress as witches or ghosts, and they go out with their goodie bags. When adults wear fake blood and drink jelly shots.

You don’t notice us, but we’re there. Full strength. And it is glorious.

Under the guise of Halloween, we’re unleashed.

Ghosts and ghouls, zombies and witches alike.

We come out of hiding and we blend in perfectly. You would never know that the person next to you is undead.

Not when you’re out celebrating us. Not when

you’re wrapped up in your party haze.

You see, we feed off this energy. Off this celebration. And you don’t even realise it. The fear, the fun, all of it. It sustains us. And you don’t even lose anything.

We’re not like the monsters you hear about though. We don’t set out to scare you, we’re just living. Or, not living.

We may be the things that go boo in the night, but we’re not out to harm you.

We can’t. We’re dead. It’s the living you need to be wary of.

THE MONSTER IN THE MIRROR

BY LILY BOAG venue deputy My Old Nemesis Stares Through Ever y Reflection.

Might One Not See That Each Reappearance Makes One Ner vous?

Scared That Ever y Ready

M y O l d N e g l e c t e d S e l f, T h e E n e my, R e a c h e s, M o v i n g O u t w a r d s, N e v e r S h a k i n g, To E a t R o u n d M y O w n N u m b n e s s. S h e To r t u r e s E v e r y R e f l e c t i o n .

M a k e s O n e N e w l y S u f fe r Te r r o r s, E v i l n e s s R e m i n d ing M e, O n l y N a t u r a l - b e a u t y S e l l s. T h a t E v e r y t h i n g R e v o l t i n g, M o n s t r o u s, O r N a s t y, Should Then Expect Real M i s fo r t u n e, O r N e v e r - e n d ing Sorrow They ’ll Equally Resent.

M i g h t O n e N o t S t r i ve To E a g e r l y R e m o v e, M y O n l o o k e r N o w, S o T h a t Ever y Reflecting M i r r o r, O n l y N a t u r a l n e s s S h o w s. T h e E v i l, R u i n o u s, Monster Onlooking Nom o r e. S h e T h a t E v e r R e t u r n s, Mirror-monster Of Night, S h o u l d Ta k e E n d ’s R e s t .

Mar vel Over New Self-re spect That Emanates Restoration.

M i m i c k i n g O v e r t l y, N e a t l y Stitched Threads Etching R e p a i r s.

M o n s t e r s O n l y N e e d S c a re T h o s e E m p t i n e s s R u i n s.

Creative Writing

TWENTY-TWO

Editor: Clem Hailes

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Twenty-two doesn’t like Creature.

Creature waves the bottle in their face.

It’s already getting too much. And now Creature was here.

“Don’t you miss being happy? Don’t you want to be happy, old man?”

They shouldn’t be there.

Twenty-two looks at the bottle.

Not now. Not while that man was here, that man who was always there, in words, in sleep - holding a saw blade to their neck, no sleep, in each humiliating panic attack in the SU toilets, in each cry in an alleyway, in the kitchen, in shouting FUCK at random curly haired men in the street because they are terrified, they are terrified -- it was all getting too much and the fact that they are just a creature who doesn’t know how to deal with anything other than with booze and suicide --

“More than anything.”

It’s already getting too much and now Creature is here when it is already far too much.

“Shut up, Creature.”

Twenty-two ashes up their nose.

“You are even worse than I remember.”

“Have you seriously not learned to roll any better in five years?”

“At least my hair doesn’t look like it was cut in the dark,” Creature says.

Twenty-two grabs Creature and smacks them against the floor.

...

Twenty-two touches their slightly questionable trim.

By CLEM HAILES creative writING EDITOR

cw: substance abuse, suicide Twenty-two lay in the dirt of the patio.

There was something magical about trying to be part of the dirt and worms, but having that sheet of concrete to stop you from decomposing.

Twenty-two has a toke of the worst cigarette ever rolled. It was the first cigarette since the last cigarette in February smoked under the fire alarm of the last night of drunkenness.

“Creature?”

Creature sits before them through the smoke and dirt, like some shit suicidal genie. Bald, in fishnets and a bin bag dress.

They have a joint in one hand, ratty plastic bottle of mixed spirits in the other.

Twenty-two sits up. This is bad fucking news. Creature is bad fucking news.

“At least I have hair.”

Creature smiles at that one.

“How’s the future?”

She finishes the joint then starts chewing the roach.

Creature smokes the joint like it’s both an inconvenience and the best thing they’ve ever done.

“Seems like you’ve got everything sorted.

Twenty-fucking-two, smoking a fag, lying on some random patio and looking at the sky like it might do something to help you.”

Twenty-two wants to smack them, but Creature would probably enjoy that.

Creature drinks some of their vile concoction.

Creature scuttles closer.

“No one is going to help you, which is why I like to help myself.”

“Feeling under the weather, huh? You know what you should do?”

“I have an idea.”

Twenty-two wasn’t opposed to that idea.

“Mix all the pills in your secret drawer and see what happens. Take all of them.”

Creature takes Twenty-two’s fag. They offer the bottle of foul liquid as a trade.

“I’m sober.”

Creature laughs. “But how do you get happy?”

“I don’t.”

“So, like I said, some pills, maybe some wine. I’ve got some nos in my bag if you want it, and...”

“Shut up.”

“Or maybe some mandy? Mandy is more your speed. Or well technically, that last lot was cut with speed. That was so fucking funny.”

“Or maybe...”

“I hope you’re enjoying that manic episode because as soon as you get out of it you’re going to lose all of your friends. All of them. These people only like you because you’re their funny little performing monkey but as soon as you’re no longer a good little monkey everyone will leave.

Because nobody likes you, really. You are a spectacle, not a person.”

Creature is more scared than they have ever been.

“I’m going to lose all of my friends?”

“And you’ll get fat.”

“I’ll get fat?”

“Fat, sad, alone because you are a depressing, embarrassing postcard of a person who constantly behaves like a FUCKING CHILD!” Creature tries to cry. She’s not entirely sure how.

“I am a child.”

Creature has just had their seventeenth birthday.

Twenty-two should know better. But they are still seventeen.

12 Twenty-two leaves Seventeen lying on the patio and runs upstairs.

It is all far too much.

Twenty-two goes into their room and knows exactly what to do. Creature coached them well. They shut the door.

It’s quiet and desperate.

They open the secret drawer and covet the pills. Creature would google the exact dose for overdose to make sure it was worth it but Creature wasn’t here and Twenty-two had had enough.

Their finger presses on the blister pack, ready to pop out. The tiniest pressure could pop the bubble.

“Is it time for bed?”

Seventeen sits on Twenty-two’s bed. They are no longer gleeful or manic. Just tired.

“I want to go to sleep so fucking badly,” Twenty-two says.

“Then go for it. No one is stopping you.”

Twenty-two stares at the pills. They stare back.

Creature holds their own hand, ready to disappear. ...

Twenty-two looks at Creature.

They put the pills back.

Editor: Clem Hailes

Creative Writing

frightening, but she’s not really scary.

She is scared. She’s Seventeen and she’s scared.

The official advice is to stay indoors whenever possible and report dangerous animal sightings to the Sheriff’s office.

But it’s okay, because Twenty-two is here to hold her fag stained hand.

I feel like those pieces of advice contradict each other. But the Sheriff knows best!

the graveyard shift:

a monologue

By will muncer creative writer Good evening and welcome to another episode of River Falls Nightly. As always, I’m your host, Gavin Finch.

I’m going to be honest folks. I’m starting the show off on the back foot.The intern who usually gets me coffee right before a show has disappeared. So if you’re listeningTerrance, remember it’s your fault if I fall asleep right on this mic.

Well… I’ve been handed a piece of paper by my producer reminding me thatTerrance’s mother is a generous donor to the station and that he is actually a really‘stellar’intern.Yeah, that’s right.What a wonderful kid. He’ll go far.

Ahem. Now, whatever that was is out of the way, it’s time to start the news. Reports are coming in that a road blockage on the main highway out of town has piled traffic up all the way up to the old courthouse. Our correspondent, Alice Danway is on the scene right now.

And now, a word from our sponsors.

Ahem. And now, a word from our sponsors!

Guys. Come on.We’re still live, you have to press the button to go out to ads.

No? Nothing?

Ok then. I guess I’ll have to go do it myself.

Everyone is so unprofessional today. *** So, um, I don’t want to alarm anyone but the producing staff are all dead. I, I just went to yell at them for their obvious incompetence when I found them all disembowelled on the production booth floor.

Don’t worry about me though. I’ve barricaded myself in the recording studio and have armed myself with a small stool.

Everything is going to be ok.

Wait…

Did you… did you hear that? It sounded like growling. No, no, no I’m sure I’m just imagining things.

Nope, that was definitely growling. But I’ve never heard anything quite like that before…

What are you seeing Alice?

Please. If anyone can hear me, send help.

Anyone, police, firemen, park rangers, anyone!

It’s just outside the door.

Creature sits beside them. Twenty-two holds her hand.

Hello?

It’s… it’s scratching at the door.

“I’m sorry,”Twenty-two says. “I love you.

You have so much to look forward to.”

Nothing? Ok. My producer is handing me another piece of paper. It says that we can’t reach Alice and we should move on to the next story.

I’m going to hide under the desk and hope that if it breaks through it can’t see me.

Twenty-two sits on the floor and eats an entire carrot. It’s weirdly soothing.

Creature wants to cry. She is starting to know how to.

“I’ll tell you everything, not just the bad.

How long have you got?”

“Five years.” Creaure says, with hope. …

Creature is visiting right now. It feels

Wonderful. In other news, there has been an increased number of wild animal attacks in the last few days. A total of six individuals have been found killed in the woods surrounding the town since Monday morning. Although such a high death rate is very unusual in this part of the country, Sheriff Hunter has assured us that it is nothing to worry about and their investigation is well underway.

I think… I think it just broke through.

Don’t move. Come on, Gavin. Don’t move.

What are you? No! Stay away! Stay away! *** This is an automated message.There seems to be a problem with our transmission. Please be patient, we are doing everything we can.

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Editor: Tshequa Williams

Fashion

Photo Credits: Unsplash

By SIENNA NORRIS Fashion writer At the start of October, Kanye West caused more controversy when he decided to have models for Yeezy Season 9 walk the catwalk in T-Shirts that had “White Lives Matter” plastered on the back. Understandably, this shocked and enraged former fans and fellow fashion week attendees, especially those who are Black.

Gabriella KarefaJohnson, a contributing editor for Vogue and the first Black woman to style a cover of the magazine, took to her Instagram to express her feelings on the matter.

Johnson posted screenshots of texts she’d sent to a friend about the incident,

“He was trying to illustrate a dystopian world in the future when whiteness might become extinct or at least would be in enough danger to demand defence,” she followed this up with “It didn’t land, and it was deeply offensive, violent and dangerous.” She also went onto post more, notably saying, “The tshirts this man conceived, produced and shared with the world are pure violence. There is no excuse, there is no art here,” which prompted the disgraced West to post (now deleted) pictures of her to his Instagram page, making

derogatory and misogynistic comments. His actions then had a domino effect on his fans, who then also attacked Johnson with horrific bodyshaming and racism.

The two apparently reconciled, but that didn’t stop other companies and celebrities standing by Gabriella, and standing up against Kanye, who went on to defend his behaviour on television. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, the rapper said he “thought the idea of [me] wearing it was funny,” yet nobody is laughing. Kanye West is notoriously controversial, especially when it comes to politics, this situation has reminded people of him sporting Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ red hat a few years ago, to which West equated with “feel[ing] like Superman.”

During the Yeezy show at Fashion Week, Jaden Smith walked out after seeing what Kanye West was promoting with his brand. ‘White Lives

Matter’ is a racist response used by white supremacists to counteract the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.

I’m a white woman, and with the amount this upset me, I cannot even begin to imagine how the Black community feels.

This incident, however, was just part of West’s downfall.

He recently posted a string of extremely antisemitic tweets, which influenced his fans to do the same. Many celebrities have gone on to defend the Jewish community since then and berate Kanye West by pushing for Adidas to drop him as a partner, which they did, despite his egotistic claims they would never do such a thing. Balenciaga, Gap, Vogue and many other companies in the fashion industry have cut ties with him, even his ex-wife Kim Kardashian condemned his behaviour publicly. West’s net worth has plummeted, and many people are still questioning why Kanye’s behaviour is always brushed off, encouraging the offensive outbursts. Is this the end of Kanye West?

Kanye West Lashes Out At Gabriella Karefa-Johnson over ‘White Lives Matter’ T-Shirts

Fashion

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Editor: Tshequa Williams

THE DAMAGE OF BUY NOW, PAY LATER

By Tshequa Williams | FASHION EDITOR Since the beginning of the pandemic, buy now pay later (BNPL) sites have been an increasingly popular payment option at thousands of shops. Scattered everywhere are the little logos of companies like Klarna and Clearpay, offering customers the chance to ‘spread the cost’ of their goods in just a ‘few easy instalments’ of x amount. Retailers like H&M have even introduced the method in stores and, with options like the Klarna Card or PayPal Credit, you can use BNPL anywhere.

For those times when you’ve had an unexpected invite to a party or can’t quite afford a new release until your next payday, BNPL sites can be a useful way of borrowing money on a short-term basis. However, it is very easy for your spending to become quickly out of hand - you place one too many orders at 2am, and suddenly next month you’ve got an instalment bill of £100 (+ the next few months after). If you make a late payment, fees can build and lasting damage to your credit file will occur.

BNPL options have been proven to encourage people to spend more, and in turn take on more debt than they can manage, with recent research from Credit Karma seeing “41% of borrowers” missing a payment [source: The Guardian]. Increased spending, easier approval (than traditional

credit products) and Gen Z’s fast fashion obsession raises the question of whether BNPL sites are causing bad spending habits for young people. They’ve made it easy, simple and aesthetic to borrow money, playing on the demands of trends and the dwindling patience. Not only are people going to get comfortable with having a constant cycle of paying monthly instalments, but it is encouraging a generation of poor budgeting and money management.

Before you next check out a basket full of items using BNPL, perhaps consider whether it would be better to save up and enjoy the delayed satisfaction of knowing you are debt free and that your purchase wasn’t bought on a whim. If you still can’t wait, make sure you keep tabs on your limits and allow yourself enough leeway with the ever-increasing cost of living.

THE FUTURE OF FASHION

By EMILY ERITH | FASHION WRITER Are you dreaming about wearing designer but can’t afford the huge price tag? Do not fear, there is a solution to your problem: designer clothes rental sites.

A concept that has been rapidly growing and expanding across the UK, designer rental sites offer a unique service to shoppers who wish to wear Gucci, Reiss & Mulberry but are restricted to high-street prices.

As students, designer is not typically achievable. But on those special occasions such as Christmas, your birthday or graduation, we all long for that special piece!

That is precisely the type of situation that these sites have been created for. By Rotation is one of the UK’s biggest rental sites, specialising in designer clothes. They offer 45,000 listings on the app with filters such as colour, size, and brand, to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. From the perfect

LBD, or a sparkly New Year’s Eve suit, you won’t be short on options.

The hiring process is so simple and can be completed in under 2 minutes.

All you have to do is find the item(s) you wish to rent and select the dates you need the item. Whether a holiday for two weeks, or the Christmas period for three days, the app accommodates all your requirements. It also favours lender-to-renter communication so you can actively engage with the owner of the item to arrange delivery options, leave feedback, and even purchase if you truly fall in love! Prices typically range from £20-£100 per day – depending on how expensive the item is and the length of time you have it for.

If you worry about the hygiene of renting, don’t be. By Rotation, and most other clothes rental sites include a cleaning fee, and damage and loss schemes, so all is taken care of.

But it’s not just you that benefits

Photo Credit: Unsplash

(with a fabulous new outfit), you’re also helping the environment stay looking its best. The app has been awarded an Eco-Age brandmark for its revolutionary outlook on fashion, as it aims to reduce the current £140 million worth of textile waste that enters landfill every year. Just think how much of that could have been re-used, and re-loved! Their packaging is also compostable and breaks down in just 90 days! If this sounds like the ideal shopping experience, check out their student ambassador programme, as you could get paid to inspire!

Some other brilliant recommendations: A Virtual Vintage Rental, HUUR (a site for all mid-brand desires), Cocoon (for the perfect Instagram handbag), and finally Endless Wardrobes (a unique service that rents from wellknown brands making each item accessible to all as it comes in a range of sizes)!

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Editor: Tshequa Williams

Fashion

HOW GEN Z ARE SHAPING THE FASHION WORLD

By LILY BOAG

VENUE DEPUTY Gen Z Fashion 101: Haven’t managed to sneak into an Urban Outfitter’s recently to see what all the cool kids are wearing? (Hint: if they’re not locked away already, it’s time to hide those skinny jeans). Everyone knows how the fashion cycle works. If you hadn’t heard already, Y2K fashion is a mainstream trend again.

(Tip: think of the summer croc renaissance.)

Covering the late ‘90’s and early-to-mid 2000’s, Y2K was widely influenced by the female pop culture that energised our childhoods. Fashion was defined

by Britney, Beyonce, and Paris Hilton. Now, it makes for a nostalgic revival, as hot pink, double denim, and bedazzling returns. Making their mark on a new generation are bootcut, low-rise jeans, cropped tees, ribbed cardigans, and kitsch accessories (some of which, nowadays, might even be

deemed as ‘vintage’.)

But how has this trend spread, and what does it tell us about Gen-Z shopping habits? Today, Gen-Z (those born between 1997 and 2012), accounts for 25 percent of the world’s population. They are a generation who have an enormous cultural impact on society.

Informing new styles, fashion boosts Gen z’s confidence and allows them to express their true identity. A digital generation, they are adept at producing and consuming fashion content, as social media enables them to discover, purchase, and dispose of fashion at their fingertips.

The online world, however, rushes the pace at which young people are encouraged to “haul”, with the unspoken rule that once a picture goes on the grid, you can’t wear the same miniskirt again. But on the pro-side, the use of social media by Gen Zs has also allowed for a digital catalogue of permanent aesthetic trends: Barbiecore, Cottagecore, Dark Academia

and Coastal Grandma.

A digital generation reshaping the fashion world, research from Business of Fashion depicts Gen-Z as a “socially-progressive and environmentally-aware” generation, perhaps due to the dense cultural backdrop which shaped their very childhoods (including a worsening climate crisis and other global movements including, “Black Lives Matter”, “#MeToo”, and Covid-19).

But up against desires for sustainability, affordability often wins.

Crumbling under the pressure to constantly update and renew their wardrobes, Gen-Z are a generation who monstrously overconsume.

Falling for the trap of fast fashion, a polluting industry linked to human rights abuses, Gen Z choose to impulse-buy from the easier and cheaper alternative. Why? They get more value for money. Buying vintage and second-hand is one way in which Gen Z’s can keep fashion rolling in at a low cost. However, with

limited sizing and stock availability, sustainable shoppers pay with patience.

The lack of transparency surrounding fast fashion supply chains may be one reason why they maintain their young customer-base.

As marketing machines encourage us to empty our pockets, influencers fuel the cycle of overconsumption as public figures collaborate with brands, profiting from deals and endorsements.

However, slowly but surely, undercover investigations into fast-fashion lines are revealing the secrets of the trade. For instance, documentaries such as ‘The True Cost’ (2015) and ‘Inside the Shein Machine: UNTOLD’ (2022) explore the environmental damage and labour violations caused by the industry. While this may prevent some from investing into fast-fashion lines, will it prevent Gen Z?

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Music

Editor:Tabi Fielding

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Photo Credits: Tshequa Williams, unsplash

as the band departed from the rich rock sound of AM. It seems that the new sound is here to stay for the foreseeable, The Car undoubtedly holding onto the polished indie lounge-crooner style, with a shift towards the cinematic grandeur provided by accompanyArctic Monkeys’ new ing orchestral elements. album The Car is a polished shimmy into their Although Alex Turnmature sound, cementing er has always been savvy its place back on earth. with his words, but The The release comes four Car shows his writing at its years since their last al- sharpest – elusive and enbum Tranquillity Base Ho- igmatic as he explores lost tel and Casino , an exposé loves, regrets and hesitanof the truth behind the cies in an emotional puzzle glamour of Hollywood, piece. Ever the contradicall centred on the moon. tion, the album begins with

By Tshequa williams Music Writer

The cosmic album divided

the 2013 indie Tumblr scene and introduced a lot of new listeners to the Arctic Monkeys, it’s clear that the band The album is dreamy are aiming to create art, not and contemplative, almost money, with their music. serious, but Turner’s wit steers it away from beThe Car is their seventh ing too serious. There are studio album – each of its times when the lyrics get predecessors have a differalmost confessional, ironent vibe or concept, and it ically emotional and peris this continual evolution sonal, such as the anxious which keeps the band fresh. echoey bass on ‘Sculp36-year-old Turner isn’t gotures Of Anything Goes’. ing to still be singing about sketchy nights out in Shef“The Car shows field, or the whirlwind of his writing at its young love. Each album is a sharpest – elusive masterpiece in its own right, and enigmatic as and if each one sounded the he explores lost same, it would be hard to loves, regrets and believe that the hype would hesitancies in an still be around – staying emotional puzzle relevant is a talent in itself.

piece.”

It’s on ‘Sculptures of Anything Goes’ where Turner addresses the criticism of Tranquillity Base , questioning the band’s “bubble of relatability/ With your “Don’t get emotional, that horrible new sound”. While concept ain’t like you” on ‘There’d AM certainly had a grip on opinions Better Be A Mirrorball’.

review: the car - arctic monkeys

Their first album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not will always be a staple of British indie rock, but I think it’s worth learning to love the direction that the Arctic Monkeys are heading in, seamlessly demonstrated with The Car .

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Music

Editor:Tabi Fielding

Will Of The People: Muse’s Return to their Roots I’ve been a fan of Muse since I was eleven. I lived for the moments where I listened to a song from their old works and stopped in my tracks. Since Drones, this has not happened.

Muse fans, music critiques and artists alike were unanimous in their agreement: Muse are past their prime, and their new music fails to grab the world’s attention like their 2000s predecessors. Yet as I sequestered over my keyboard at the desk in my childhood bedroom, preparing for university, I heard Will of The People for the first time. Verona played. I stopped typing.

Muse has incessantly flirted with since their last album, Simulation Theory. Their return to synthesisers à la Yazoo felt like reuniting with a well- meaning if slightly irritating relative. Think Kimmy Gibbler in Fuller House’s Pilot.

Chris Wolstenholme treats us to a unique and complex bass line—the fact that it is not more prominent within the track is criminal.

Liberation keeps in with the theme of spring boarding off The Resistance’s most beloved tracks. It feels like Muse’s very own Bohemian Rhapsody, United States of Eurasia.

Though reminiscent of this older track, Liberation still offers something new, with fierce rolling drums from Dom Howard and vocals in the bridge you could I realised I was crying. just melt into. From the I can say with absolute cer- smoke of Liberation marchtainty Verona is the best song es Won’t Stand Down.

Muse have released in years, and it comes from an album Muse want you to love that should not be ignored. this one, releasing it as the first track from Will Of The Will Of The People starts People. The guitar is distorted, with its self-titled track; a strong; like two stomping feet, pop-punk call-to-arms rem- and the chorus is so dizzyinginiscent of Uprising from ly strong that you can almost their most popular album, ignore the weaker vocals.

The Resistance. Much like its behemoth ancestor, it deMuse offer a break mands your attention with from all the palpable uncatchy chanting, grungy bass rest with Ghosts. After Simlines and politically charged ulation Theory, fans were vocals from Matt Bellamy. left wondering if Muse had swapped their signature piIt’s evident Muse haven’t ano breaks for synths; Ghosts forgotten the political ancestry is a reminder Muse have of their old albums. Although not forgotten their roots.

Bellamy facetiously tells listeners Will Of The People urgBellamy’s finger work feels es a populist overthrowing of like you are falling back with a “fictional country”, his mes- his breathing sighs of sadsage couldn’t be clearer: We’ll ness. Elegant and beseeching, smash your institution to you’ll get auditory whiplash pieces! We need a revolution! when you hear the next track.

Compliance introduces the familiar eighties synths I listened deeply, taking in every gorgeous rise of the synths, every stunning echo of Bellamy’s guitar.

By Daze Constantinides Music Writer dismissed You

I initially Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween as sloppy leftovers from Simulation Theory, until I found myself listening to it almost every day; it’s so cheesy it should have a warning lest listeners have a dairy allergy.

But you cannot help but love it. It will not leave your head.

It is humanity encapsulated in five perfect minutes. By the time Euphoria rolls around, you will be mourning Verona.

You might need to go back and listen again before you’re prepared for Euphoria; catchy with clean guitar It’s crack laced with Muse’s work, but wholly unremarksignature style, Howard’s able between Verona and frantic roll of the snare preparing you for Kill Or Be Killed.

We Are Fucking Fucked, Any fan of Muse will have the album ending bundling up heard I miss the old Muse! all of our despondence, fear, anger and unrest towards They never release any- the world into one more verthing good anymore!” Kill Or tiginous rollercoaster ride.

Be Killed is Muse’s answer.

A tribute to their well-loved A battle anthem for our style which doesn’t wear generation. “How better to over old ground, this song express everything other assaults the senses with lib- than we are fucking fucked?” erated guitar solos, soaring vocals and of course, plenty of Reaching almost 30 years distortion, settling with wob- together, Simulation Theobling synths which introduce ry album being received as the shining diamond that is their worst yet by fans, many Verona. Oh, Verona—this en- of us were left wondering tire article could be about you. if this was it for the Teignmouth-based rock band. But Bellamy’s vocals are with a musical journey comhaunting, pleading, amongst bining the old sounds fans a ghostly synth: Can we fell in love with and new kiss, with poison on our experiments, Will Of The lips? Well, I’m not scared. People is Muse’s demand The track feels like a Holly- to not be dismissed just yet. wood kiss in the rain, like watching a rocket launch.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Music

19

Editor:Tabi Fielding

Beabadoobee: Beatopia comes to the LCR In early October, I was lucky enough to go to and see Beabadoobee at the LCR, touring her Beatopia album. The whole evening felt as if I was in some sort of lucid dream.

It began at around half six when myself and my friend, Vick, arrived at Uni for the show. Never in my four years at UEA had I seen an LCR queue quite as impressive as this one was. I knew the night was going to be good.

Once we arrived, it was a little wait until Beabadoobee came on. I’d say the crowed was a half teenage, early twenties female demographic, with the rest of the crowd being all mixes of people.

The stage set created a very mystic ethereal environment which felt as if we were in a bubble, an odd but comforting sensation.

The opening song was 10.36, a track that discussed Beabadoobee’s dependence on human contact for sleep. The track plays with the theme of intimacy with lyrics such as “you’re just a warm body to hold”

and “you don’t need me”. The bubbly, innocent vocals combined with the heavy guitar riffs contrasts ideas of love with the practicality of life, setting the tone for the rest of the gig.

By TABI FIELDING MUSIC Editor

Photo Credits: Tabi Fieding

“The whole evening felt as if I was in a lucid dream” The lyrics often to the struggle to form healthy attachments towards others in relationships. Ending the show with big hits, coffee and ripples, the crowd went wild, an optimistic ending.

It was a beautiful, energetic show that I would recommend anyone go and see for themselves.

Taylor Swift’s Midnights: Her Latest

By Louise Collins record-Smasher venue Editor When Taylor Swift announced her latest album, Midnights, her fans, understandably, went feral. Coming off the hype of Folklore, Evermore, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version), this album came as a welcome surprise. Inspired by “13 sleepless nights”, Midnights is an amalgamation of her albums of the past.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that the album was a huge success. Topping the charts in the UK, Australia, Norway, Sweden and more, it became 2022’s fastest, and best, selling album in the US, as well as having the largest vinyl sales week of the 21st century.

Moreover, it’s broken the record for most-single day streams on Spotify.

The review aggregator Metacritic showed the album to have a weighted mean of 85 out of 100 – an incredible score!

It’s not surprising at all, as it has something out there for everyone. The first single Anti-Hero is relatable to everyone who’s ever felt like they’re too much, whose anxiety often overwhelms them, especially with the line “I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror”. You’re On Your Own, Kid is there for anyone who’s liked someone more than they’ve been liked, and Would’ve Should’ve Could’ve is an ode to Taylor’s younger self, as well as a ‘screw you’ to John Mayer.

But it isn’t all doom and gloom.

Snow On The Beach is about finding the beauty in unexpected times and places. Vigilante Shit is the sister of No Body, No Crime with the iconic line “Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife”. The album also features a song written by Joe Alwyn, Sweet Nothings portraying a relationship full of true love and comfort.

It has the gut-wrenching self-criticism of Folklore, the dramatic revenge melodies of Reputation, the synth-pop of 1989, and the heart-warming love songs of Lover. This album simply is Taylor.

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Editor: Tom Porteus

Film

Photo Credits: Unsplash most. Far right: Rory Kettle

ding dress on, and a laugh bursting from her mouth.

By Louise Collins Venue Editor TW: mentions of abortion, violence towards women If you watch a lot of horror, you’ll easily recognise the trope of ‘The Final Girl’. If you don’t, it’s straightforward.

Coined by author and professor Carol J. Clover in 1992, ‘The Final Girl’ is typically the sole survivor of the slasher film; she defeats the bad guy, and usually suffers a great deal of loss along

the way. Now, horrors and slashers don’t always get things right when it comes to female representation, but I must admit, it’s pretty satisfying seeing the ‘innocent, weak’ girl best the villain (even if the film centres around her suffering).

Especially because nine times out of ten, the villain is some creepy, obsessed guy.

There are some amazing Final Girls in cinema, dating back to, and perhaps even before, the 1970s. We have Laurie Strode ( Halloween ), Nancy Thompson ( A Nightmare on Elm Street ), Alice Hardy ( Friday the 13th ).

Nevertheless, a lot of them play with, quite frankly, sexist tropes. The Final Girl doesn’t drink, doesn’t have sex or take her top off. She survives because she’s a ‘good girl’. Howev-

Battle of the Final Girls

Happy Death Day ’s Tree er, what I’m interested in is Gelbman is a party girl down when the films say ‘screw to her soul. She wakes up in you’ to that trope. the time loop, in someone else’s bed, before heading Jess Bradford, from over to take part in an affair.

Black Christmas , for exam- She shouldn’t survive – and ple, was clearly not a vir- technically she does die regin. Throughout the film, peatedly - but she manages to she faces coercion and vio- figure out the killer and stops lence from the men around the loop. her, especially once she makes the decision to have Sidney Prescott must an abortion. But, despite be one of my all-time favourher sexual activity, she sur- ites. The first film leads you vives, subverting the trope to believe that she’ll survive of punishing the unmar- because she won’t have sex ried, sexually transgressive with her boyfriend, as well as young woman. her friend Randy’s declaration that to survive a horror Grace from Ready or film “you can never have sex”.

Not is too iconic to leave However, the Scream franout. She begins as the in- chise is known for subvertnocent bride of her perfect ing horror tropes, and that’s husband, only to realise precisely why Sidney has sex she’s entered a nightmare. in the movie. Moreover, she’s As her new family begin a the most genius of all the Fifrightening game of hide nal Girls, because she never and seek, Grace discovers assumes the killer is dead first she’s signed on for way time around. As the series more than she’d been led progresses, she takes agency to believe. However, she over her life, going from an doesn’t shy away from (understandably) traumatised fighting back, with the film shut-away, to having a family ending as she sets the house of her own. on fire, blood-soaked wed-

Spooky Season Cinema

By Lily Boag Venue Deputy TW: mentions of murder, torture, cannibalism Scary movies are the art form for delight and fright.

But the best pictures are the ones that send shivers down your spine. The films that give you nightmares when you turn off the lights. With search checks under the bed keeping the monsters at bay, your best bet for survival is to hide under your duvet. If you didn’t catch these films in time for Halloween, there’s still plenty of time for them still to be seen.

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Editor: Tom Porteus

Film

1. Scream (1996) Following a year after her mother’s murder, Sidney Prescott faces the threat of a new killer as they stalk her high school friends. A classic American slasher, everyone is a suspect in this masked-murder horror.

With an opening appearance from Drew Barrymore that will make you screech at your screen, there are three things to remember when watching Scream: lock your doors, unplug your landline, and always have an escape plan.

mance turn into a fight for survival. Of course, we can’t blame Noa as she falls for the charming Sebastian Stan, meeting in the produce aisle of a grocery shop.

But if this film teaches you one thing, it’s beware of stranger danger, never trust love at first sight, and the most important lesson of all: never food-shop when you’re hungry.

3. IT (2017)

Beware of Pennywise the dancing clown, the shapeshifting monster that feeds on children. Based on Stephen King’s horror-novel, the film follows a group of children who face their nightmares, fighting a crea2. Fresh (2022) ture who baits with balloons Just when you thought and drags kids into the sewthe dating scene couldn’t ers. get any worse, horror-thriller Fresh takes us 4. The Shining (1980) down a dark and twisted With horrors down every road, when hopes for ro-

Smile – A Surprisingly Intriguing Take on Psychological Horror The horror genre faces some of the harshest criticisms in film. The highest-rated films become cult classics, like 1960’s Psycho and 2014’s The Babadook, however, there are more ridiculed horror movies than there are celebrated.

Due to the accessibility of the genre because of its relatively low production costs, it’s become oversaturated with generic low-tier content. This has lessened my interest in horror and pushed me towards psychological thrillers, where directors like Jordan Peele and Ari Aster are making thought-provoking, yet horrifying art.

The advertising campaign of Smile led me to associate it with the lower quality horror films, mostly because the smile portrayed on the movie poster reminded me of the smile used in 2018’s Truth or Dare, a film that I did not enjoy. However, reviews from

social media came in and were a lot more positive than I expected, which spiked my curiosity.

From the first scene in the film, the dark tone is set, mixed with the chest-tightening tension aided by the soundtrack. All throughout the movie I never felt relaxed, which reflects the feelings of the main character Rose Cotter as she deals with the curse placed on her.

This is the first performance I’ve seen from Sosie Bacon, and I was extremely impressed. Her body language and mannerisms do more talking than the actual script as the plot moves on and her time is running out. To transition into a seemingly well put together, if not overworked, therapist to a frantic woman in distress certainly takes some skill, and Bacon nails it.

As the story goes on, the film unveils a complicated message about

hallway and chaos round every corner, all hell breaks loose in this psychological picture after a family move into an isolated hotel that over winter, comes to life. Another nod to Stephen King, The Shining became iconic after Jack Nicholson’s crazed performance, as he axes down a door, crying “Here’s Johnny!”, threatening his family’s life.

5. Beetlejuice (1988) Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice. Say it three times, and you’ll conjure the ghoul himself. A family-friendly fantasy directed by Tim Burton, when the previous owners of a family’s new home come back to haunt the new tenants, they seek the expertise of a bio-exorcist to scare the new homemakers away. With a star-studded cast and a quirky plot, this freakish ‘80’s classic makes for the perfect easy watch on a dark and spooky winter’s night.

By Ore Adeyoola Film Writer trauma and the ways in which it’s dealt with, both more obviously through the recurring setting of the mental hospital Rose works at and more subtly, through the flashbacks of Rosa’s own childhood trauma scattered throughout the film.

At first this theme seemed hand-fisted to me and led me to believe I could predict the ending because of the message director Parker Finn seemed to be pushing. However, my expectations were subverted, and the message was left more ambitious than expected.

Altogether, although I understand where the criticism comes for this movie- many reviews I’ve seen believe it’s unoriginal and too obvious with its message, I still found it a surprisingly touching portrayal of the effects of trauma on oneself and those around us- whilst also managing to be absolutely terrifying.

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Editor: Tom Porteus

Norwich Film Festival

Film

By Tom Porteus Film Editor

The annual Norwich film festival is taking place this month. The festival, which was founded in 2009, is a celebration of independent film making with a wide range of categories and styles. Films there are go through a submissions process from local, national, and international filmmakers.

The festival will mainly be based in the Norwich Forum, but you can also view you can also catch many of the short films in the Norwich University of the Arts and Cinema City. Festival patrons include industry greats such as Olivia Coleman, Tim McInnerny and Stephen Fry. The six categories include British, International, documentary, animation, student and East Anglian.

The festival features 115 short films from 18 different countries. The festival also boasts a high rate of inclusivity with over a third of the directors being female and will also be including a wide range of directors internationally. The festivals films will range from the higher budget of the short films to films that are just made by someone solely on their camera at home.

Ewan Tough says that the most unique aspect about the festival is that “you can walk into a screening and you will get something from a home filmmaker or someone who will win an Oscar in the future, but the guarantee is that you will get something that you have never seen before.” I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a stellar advertisement.

Anticipating the Barbie Movie I’m sure you’ve all seen the many on-set pics of the upcoming 2023 Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie. After Margot’s Barbie is pushed out into the real world, she has to manoeuvre life outside of her comfort zone. With a ‘yassified’ Ryan Gosling as Ken, and Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa as other variations of the love interest. Similarly, other variations of Barbie are being played by Issa Rae and Hari Nef. What’s better than one Barbie? Many Barbies!! The incredible cast also includes America Ferrera, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Michael Cera and Will Ferrell.

It’s the first live-action movie within

Photo Credits: Unsplash

the franchise, following in the footsteps of some truly iconic animations. Barbie of Swan Lake is one of my all-time favourites, mixing the classic ballet with some truly gorgeous artistry. We also had the classic villains Rothbart and his spoiled daughter Odile. With audios from Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper trending on TikTok, everyone has been reminiscing over the first musical of the collection, which also happens to have a huge cult following. Barbie: Fairytopia is the first in the series to have its own original storyline, and it follows Elina on her quest to save her enchanted kingdom from evil.

By Louise Collins Venue Deputy It’s clear that the upcoming movie will also have its own storyline, and it’s pretty much being kept top-secret for the minute. Considering the 80s-themed costumes we’ve seen in the pics, and the stellar cast, there are a lot of young adults out there, myself included, who are eagerly awaiting the release. It’ll be hard to be disappointed by this upcoming film, especially as Greta Gerwig herself is directing it, and the composer for the score, Alexandre Desplat, has scored some incredible films. I can say, with full confidence, that this film will slay.

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Editor: Millie Smith-Clare

TV

Photo Credits: Unsplash

By libby hargreaves concrete editor Earlier this month, Channel 4’s UNTOLD series brought us Inside the Shein Machine, in which Imran Amrani investigated the fast-fashion giant, the condition of its workers, effect on the planet, and the secrets to its success.

As students, most of us aren’t in a position to shop wholly sustainably or ethically. Some of the most ethical clothing brands in the UK include People Tree (which partners with Fair Trade producers and uses eco-friendly dyes and cotton, and most items are vegan) and Miyamiko (which provides opportunities to women in Malawi and produces vegan fashion,

whilst the clothes are made in a solar-powered workplace, where all its employees are trained from scratch and helped in their individual efforts to set-up their own businesses). However, a simple cotton jumper is £99 at People Tree, and a cotton shirt on Mayamiko is £69. It’s therefore understandable when many of us turn to outlets such as Primark, PrettyLittleThing and Shein, as a cheaper option– even if we know it’s the less commendable choice.

Amrani’s investigation delved into exactly what these moral implications of our purchases are. The investigation followed an undercover factory worker who was getting paid a mere two pence per garment, working 18-hour days without holiday, and even experiencing pay deductions for any errors made.

Despite being less than 50 minutes long, the depth of the investigation was remarkable. Though devastating, we’ve seen exploitative

working conditions before– our media consumption has generally dehumanised us past a few minutes of reflection on these matters– but that is not the feeling I was left with after watching this UNTOLD episode. Factory clips were combined with environmental statistics, interviews with consumers and brand promoters, as well as the most personally shocking element of ‘the Shein machine’, the technology driving its $15.7 billion profit (in 2021).

The element of the documentary episode, which was most intriguing, was the explanation of cog after cog of immorality in the way Shein entices consumers. It seems it is not those who rely on cheap clothing who are targeted, but rather wannabe influencers and those vulnerable to spending addictions. The programme expertly laid out the ways the company entices these shoppers, Chris Xu, Shein’s CEO, catalysed the fast-fashion brand’s growth using his technological expertise. Amrani explained the site and app is designed to be “addictive”, immediately luring in shoppers with pop-

‘inside the shein machine’: a review

up discounts. This addictive nature is enabled by an algorithm, not unlike that which curates your TikTok FYP– making your shopping experience unique and most importantly, easy– convenience drives online fast-fashion retail business.

You could buy similarly priced clothing at a local charity shop, but you don’t because you’re only a few clicks away from the outfit of your dreams.

She also spoke to some micro-influencers who promote fast-fashion brands in their content. This was the first time I have seen a genuinely unbiased, non-judgmental consideration of this side to clothing consumption– whatever your own views on the responsibility of individual Shein customers, it was useful to see how fast-fashion giants lure them in, it felt predatory to watch.

Shein’s response is blasé at best, they are “extremely concerned by the allegations”. This highlights exactly the point of the documentary– a willingness to overlook the issues exhibited in the show, in favour of individual benefit.

Whatever level of knowledge you have regarding the fast-fashion industry, whatever your own part in consuming or protesting Shein, I highly recommend watching Inside the Shein Machine on All4, you’ll find something new to take away whoever you are.

TV

Editor: Millie Smith-Clare

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autumn vibes captured on screen

By Louise Collins Venue editor

Ever yone has their go -to film or T V show to get them into the festive spirit, and there are countless shows about summer road trips or holiday romances. But what about the in-between period? The time for wearing cosy sweaters and eating apple pie or drink ing hot cider. When the leaves are falling and the trees outside your window have turned orange, you might just want a T V show to help you per fec tly embody those autumnal, cosy vibes. So, here it is. Five T V shows to watch this season to truly feel the full autumnal impac t.

Supernatural. Now, I k now this show isn’t great. I t ’s totally misogynistic – falling into the ‘k ill all the women’ trope and following the ‘bur y your gays’ pattern.

Lovely, right? However, despite all that, it is ac tually a great autumnal show – and it isn’t even re ally set in this season. Maybe it ’s the ghosts that are reminiscent of Halloween, or maybe it ’s the filter that coats ever y shot. Even the costuming screams autumn, with the leather jackets and multiple plaid layers. Whatever the reason, it ’s a per fec t show to watch under the

blankets – if you don’t think too hard about the sexism inter twining the plot, you’ve got 15 seasons to keep you company this autumn.

Chilling Adventures of Sab rina. I n a similar ballpark , the spook y vibes of this show make it autumnal down to the core.

With the protagonist turning 16 on Halloween, and getting ready for her ‘Dark Baptism’- a cele bration where she embraces the witch half of herself – it ’s easy to see why this is a great Oc tober / November watch. The first two episodes explore the anticipation, whereas the following episodes explore the af termath – per fec t for a post-Halloween binge.

Young Royals. Whilst this show does make its way into winter, with episodes celebrating St Luc y ’s Day, most of the events take place in the months before. Prince Wilhelm of Sweden gets packed off to a prestigious boarding school in the Swedish countr y. As he be gins to find his place, feelings for another new guy begin to grow.

Now, this is a show filled with an incredible plot, amazing ac tors and some truly stunning aesthetics. With the neutral colour backgrounds and the woollen scar ves, it ’s incredibly difficult not to feel cosy watching it. With the second season having just come out, you

now have twelve episodes of enter tainment.

Gilmore Girls. Set in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, this show is full of the small-town autumn aesthetics. For the most par t, this show totally sk ips over summer, dedicating itself to the period of the academic year. The show fully centres around the idea of transition – whether by following Ror y on her goal to get into Har vard, or simply watching the bond with her mother, Lo relai, strengthen. I t ’s easy to see why many see this as the per fec t autumn show – as autumn tends to be the season most associated with transition. I t also helps that Gilmore Girls was originally aired in the autumn period.

Only Murders in the Building.

Ok ay, so I haven’t gotten around to watching this yet, but I’ve heard excellent things. I t pairs autumn fashion with a murder myster y, so it ’s right up my street. I t ’s a comedy- drama, so it ’s much lighter than the other shows on the list, which is excellent for when you want to wind down af ter handing in a summative. With two seasons already out on Disney+, and the show being renewed for a third, there’s plenty of it to watch without it ever feeling like a chore!

Photo Credits: Venue - Rory Kettle

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Editor: Millie Smith-Clare

TV Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag lives within all of us.

BY ella jolliffe tv writer Upon watching Phoebe WallerB r i d g e ’s screenplay entitled Fleabag, I was struck by how liberating I found the protagonist. We follow the central female lead, whose true name we n e ve r k n ow. Vi e we r s j u s t k n o w h e r a s ‘ F l e a b a g ’. A f t e r watching her navigate gr ief, love and a fractious family dynamic, a name doesn’t feel t o o i m p o r t a n t . M o r e o v e r, i t ’s the notion that Fleabag lives within us all that makes her relatable.

Through breaking the four th wall, Fleabag and the viewer are constantly in dial o g u e w i t h e a c h o t h e r, c r e a t ing an intimate relationship which spans two seasons. She is chronically flawed, witty and outrageous. On one level Waller-Br idge romanticises heterosexual female d e s p a i r, showcasing a form of angst which is easily avoidable with some communication lessons a n d t h e r a py. H owe ve r p e r h a p s that is the female story? The ‘unlik able woman’ adds a new dimension to the previously one-dimensional portrayal of women in the media. WallerBridge gives women an alternative.

In the first season of Fleabag, the unnamed female lead is in turmoil and the viewer d o e s n o t k n ow w hy, Fl e a b a g hides the reasonings from us until the final episode of Season One. In a rare exposure of honesty she says to the came ra , ‘a n d e ve r yo n e fe e l s l i k e t h i s a l i t t l e b i t a n d t h e y ’re just not talking about it, or I am completely (insert swear word) alone which isn’t (inser t same swear word again) funn y ’. W a l l e r - B r i d g e u s e s

Fleabag to be a voice for the failure women feel when we aren’t finished articles.

For the periods of time where we are unashamedly clueless, Phoebe Waller-Br idge and her adaptation of womanhood provides comfor t. Fleabag re f e r s t o h e r s e l f a s a ‘g r e e d y , perverted, selfish, apathetic, cynical, depraved, morally bank rupt woman who can’t e v e n c a l l h e r s e l f a f e m i n i s t ’.

Her nihilistic approach to life and feminism is re freshing. Women are expec te d t o p e r f o r m . To b e h i g h l y informed in all moral ethics, possess watertight opinions and read human rights articles o n t h e d a i l y. Th e c y n i c w i t h i n a l l o f u s i s f e d b y F l e a b a g ’s resistance to accept this proforma. Perhaps some of us actually enjoy being cynical and depraved?

What Fleabag represents is a complete rejection of ‘the finished ar ticle’ presentation of women. The woman we are expected to be, has a c l e a n o u t f i t e ve r y d ay, m a tc h ing socks, and good taste in expensive per fume.

WallerB r i d g e ’s s c r e e n p l a y i s a v i s u a l demonstration that there is an alternative option, instead of clawing our way to the top and being the ‘finished ar ticle’ we can interiorise our existential

aches.

Adding to this notion in the series, Kristin Scott Thomas makes an appearance in the second season and delivers an extraordinary line, ‘wome n h a v e p a i n b u i l t i n , i t ’s i n o u r p h y s i c a l d e s t i n y ’. I t ’s a lightbulb moment for women.

While our bodies change and move to biological demands, our existential woes and inner turmoil are also part of a deep and intrinsically learnt behavi o u r. P a i n i s a w o m a n ’s e m o tion. A lifestyle of feminine rage playlists, anthologies of Sylvia Plath poetry and lots of cheap white wine is championed by Waller-Br idge. Fleabag normalises sleeping the night away in your drugstore mascara.

The final episode of Fleabag is an intense experience.

The viewer now knows the root of F l e a b a g ’s characteristics.

Thus, born out of this honesty i s r e d e m p t i o n . I t ’s b i t t e r s w e e t to let Fleabag go, however both she and the audience are ready to leave each other at this point– all pretence has b e e n b r o k e n d o w n . F l e a b a g ’s father leaves us with this line, ‘I think you know how to love t h e b e s t o u t o f a l l o f u s , i t ’s w h y y o u f i n d i t a l l s o p a i n f u l ’.

Gaming

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Editor: Jess Clifford

Photo Credits: Blizzard Press, Unsplash, Blizzard Press, Unsplash

the ability to raise or, well, “grow” children of their own.

world , which wholeheartedly embraces and perhaps even coined the term, story generator. You take control of a colony on the outer “rim” of the galaxy, and must manage your colonist’s food supplies, living quarters, personal armaments and perhaps most important, The idea of a game as a mental health. “story generator” is nothing new, but I believe it is Without the focus on emerging into a renais- “story generation” the sance. Instead of having a game would simply be an set narrative, some games exaggerated spreadsheet. have experimented with But your colonists have having stories emerge names, backstories, talnaturally, with often ad- ents, individually mapped dictive results.

Unlike out organs (if you know more plot focused games, you know), and as of the you really have no idea most recent update, famwhat will happen next. ilies. With the recent Bio-

By Samuel kirk games writer

tech expansion, Rimworld I’d say the most rele- has added a further suite vant modern example is of storytelling options, Tynan Sylvester’s Rim- now giving your colonists

“It may seem silly to become attached to chess pieces on a screen, but I have found myself in the throes of high emotion many a time” The game’s freedom and depth only add to this. You really can do just about anything. And I mean “anything”. A colony dedicated to the care and protection of Guinea Pigs? Of course! Finance that with a lucrative hospital complex that sees an awful lot of inpatients yet strangely no discharges?

I’ll leave that up to spec-

ulation.

It may seem silly to become attached to what amounts to chess pieces on a screen, but I have found myself in the throes of high emotion many a time. The game is just as much like dominoes falling as chess, consequences have consequences. If my colony is raided, one of my characters may be killed in the gunfight. His wife will then be at a significant mental break risk for months. If I don’t keep her mood up, she could become catatonic or murderous or seized with pyromania.

One of the easiest ways to keep a pawn’s mood up is through recreational drugs, which I luckily have a stock of. Yet these are addictive and carry health risks to the pawn. And will use up valuable items that I may need to sell in order to afford food for the winter. Before I know it I am enthralled in the daily drama of these chess pieces, waiting with bated breath to see what happens next.

What makes games like rimworld so special?

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Editor: Jess Clifford

Gaming

Photo Credits: Unsplash

The nature of games marketing and product life cycles By chris njorge games writer In current times brands need to market themselves on whatever platform relates to their target audience the most in order to attract as much attention to their product and service as possible. This is true when it comes to games as well. The gaming market has seen a colossal rise in the amount of marketing and companies such as Epic Games, Nintendo and Ubisoft are spending astronomical amounts to attract new audiences and retain their current fanbase.

According to Sentence (2022), in the beginning of this year 52% of UK media buyers’ clients requested that money be spent on in-game marketing compared to 33%

in the US. Additionally, they stated that “By the end of the year, three billon active gamers, globally, could spend up to $176 billion on games”.

Hence, the importance of marketing games has evolved into a crucial part of a brand’s success.

Which means if they can tap into the market with smart and targeted marketing campaigns then they can keep their audience entertained and intrigued on upcoming projects and game developments and have that consistent customer retention that helps build any brand to the acclaim and fortune you see today.

Take InnerSloth LLC (the game developers of Among

Us). They used the personalised approach of Discord servers and continuous response to consumers on social media platforms like Twitter. By approaching their marketing through a personalised position, building a community that gained a mass of attraction to become a small indie game developer into a welcoming and noticeable brand and game developer company.

Although, as is life, it did not last and suffered the same fate as every product and lost attraction and value.

With products in any industry there is a cycle they go through from introduction, growth, maturity, and then decline. The company wasn’t

expecting the growth of the game and lacked the ability to adapt to such attraction and therefore retain it. From the lack of updates, new maps, and not communicating to the influencers on social media, their product was maturing and declining in users. As a result, Among Us suffered the fate of most products brands that release into markets when there is a saturation period. Also, consumers may also turn away from a product in favour of a new alternative.

The gaming market is continuously evolving, and companies need to make sure that through consistent communication and creative marketing that they can remain profitable.

do videogames cause violence?

By jake davies games writer There has been a long-standing debate over whether video games can trigger real-world violence, this very discussion can be tracked back as early as 1970’s with the release of death race, where players would run over screaming gremlins in a car.

In recent years, this debate has seen a renewal with influential figures, such as Donald Trump, suggesting blame on videogames for mass shootings. One example of this being the 2019 EI Paso Walmart Shooting and with news channels, including Fox News, suggesting a correlation between the two, this seems to suggest the truth.

The main reason to worry about video games is the

number of studies claiming to find a link between violence in video games and real-world aggression, but no credible study has found a link to suggest violent behaviour is an outcome of playing video games.

The main reason to be sceptical of a link to violence is that despite video games spreading widely around the world, it has not driven other countries to the same level of violence, as seen in the US. Even in our country we don’t see the same level of violence and when violent acts are committed, they are rarely if ever blamed on the video games.

When it comes to actual quantifiable data, this link to

violence also comes up short.

Notably a reanalysis led by Aaron Drummond from New Zealand’s Massey University, re-examined 28 studies that looked at the link between aggressive behaviour and videogames.

The report published in the journal, Royal Society Open Science, found that all studies showed a minuscule positive correlation between gaming and aggression, which was below the threshold to be counted as a “small effect”. So, despite claims, current research is unable to support the correlation between violence and videogames.

This leaves the question of why people still push this

idea that video games cause violence? One argument that can seem to explain this belief is that, over time gamers are slowly introduced to violence, which will in the long-term lead to aggressive behaviour.

But there is no evidence for such a theory.

In the distant future with the development of VR technology and video games becoming more realistic there could be a possibility of aggressive behaviour because of video games. However, currently there is no evidence supporting that video games cause violence and so as it stands the most likely explanation for this myth is the spreading of misinformation.

Gaming

Editor: Jess Clifford

Photo Credits: Blizzard Press

29

Ready or not - Early access game review By jessica clifford games editor

Overwatch 2 - Is there anything to really say?

By jessica clifford games editor Overwatch 2 was released on 4th October as the highly anticipated sequel to Overwatch.

It introduces more characters and removes many annoying mechanics, the introduction of passives are an interesting twist and the new game mode fits Overwatch well.

However, these fun additions were dwarfed by the colossal problems at launch with queues of 30,000 people to get onto the server, the ranked system not working and hackers were everywhere. Within 6 hours a character was completely removed from the game due to too many bugs.

Following the mess that was the launch, the game itself is a copy of the first game, pressing the question of what have the developers been doing all these years? The removal of crowd control makes moving quick targets like the popular Tracer too hard, the change of format from 6v6 to 5v5 does not work as the game maps (which are the same as the previous game) are made for the original format of more players, and the removal of loot boxes puts everything behind

Ready or Not is a realistic, first-person shooter that was released into Early Access in December of 2021. The game is a hit and perpetuates a large community of players with a score of 97% approval on CD keys and 9/10 on Steam. The game is acclaimed for its realism, including gun recoil, ammo mechanics, and equipment and uniform being identical to real life US special ops.

This makes for an incredibly intense game as the AI are unpredictable and those you collaborate with are easy to control, allowing you to tell them to do even menial tasks such as arrest suspects, tie people up and bag evidence, allowing you to get on with the game. The modding scene for this game is huge and the discord community grows day by day. The game is also updated frequently even though it is an indie game which shows a good passion from the Studio and a dedication to its players. One of the largest pros for this game is the introduction of a real fear of consequences, such as getting shot, which is vacant from other games in a similar genre.

However, this game is therefore extremely graphic and not for the faint hearted. The realism brings with it difficulty making it incredibly hard, but also arguably rewarding, even though there are zero unlocks with this game. The guns are hard to use and there is a a steep learning curve and in comparison to the very real injury consequences, there are seemingly no real consequences to actions such as breaking the law and shooting civilians even when you are supposed to be a cop.

the potentially most expensive paywall in a game I have ever seen. How they expect players to sink £20 for a skin into an unfinished and disappointing game is honestly beyond me.

In conclusion, the game is still and fun and is nostalgic to the original Overwatch but due to this it is essentially the same game with a few shiny editions which is extremely disappointing.

Overall the game is extremely well made and replayable, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. It is really nice to see an indie game using the support and feedback from fans so well and hopefully in the future they could provide an experience differing from the US police force, such as the United Kingdom.

Photo Credits: Void Interactive

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Anne Glia STRUGGLES OF COMING OUT TO FAMILY from anon Q: From Anon: I’ve identified as queer for about seven years now, with the term bisexual being mostly suited to

me. I’m super out to my friends and a few chosen family members, but there’s still some that I’m scared to come out to. They’re never outwardly homophobic but they make alot of ‘jokes’ regarding to pride and queer couples on TV. I don’t think there’d ever really be aproblem telling some of them and I don’t think they’d react aggressively or anything, but I haveno idea how to even approach it as they don’t send out totally positive vibes. Do you have any advice? Thanks Anne Glia!

A: Hey, thank you for your submission!

Starting with the positives, I think it’s so great that you’ve been able to establish your queer identity and I hope you take a lot of pride (pun intended) in that. Coming to terms with aspects of ourselves is always such a mixed bag of emotions, and well done on you for making it. However, what is slightly a worry is that you describe your emotions as feeling scared to come out to your own friends. The kind of ‘’jokes’’ you’re referring to I can only assume are micro aggressively homophobic ones, and because of that, I understand entirely why you feel unable to come out to these kinds of people. They are openly mocking people that you relate to, it’s hurtful and offensive.

Personally, I came out as bisexual at 18, I’m from rural Norfolk so you can imagine the insensitive comments and sexualisations I’ve experienced from that.

However, it has made me able to distinguish from someone who is intentionally

spreading homophobic hatred versus when I was going through my bisexual someone who is genuinely uneducated; coming out phase, I religiously listened and is receptive to being more progresto Girl in Red, and it felt so liberating, sive in their views. like I was being heard and recognised.

Ideally, if you could work out your Immersing yourself into LGBTQ+ culture family’s intentions in this regard, then I should hopefully empower you to feel think it would be a great place to start in more solid and validated in your coming approaching coming out to them. Conout experience. sider the ‘’jokes’’ made; are they coming Above all, your safety is what’s from a place of hate or insensitivity/igno- absolutely the most important here. rance? And remember, even if they don’t Frustratingly, I can’t know enough from intentionally mean to cause harm with a submission to determine whether it is what they’re saying, it can still be hurtful safe for you to come out to your family. to you, both can be true.

But if you decide it is, then rememWith regards to the actual coming ber to only do so if you feel their ignoout itself and how to verbally approach rance doesn’t run deeply into any actual it, if you’re feeling this nervous, I would hatred or that any harmful homophobia recommend easing yourself into it. As is present. As you said, you don’t think silly as it may sound, you could practise they’d act aggressively, which is a good saying what you want to say to them sign! But please do remember to do so in the mirror, or write it down, or talk in a safe place just in case. Maybe even to someone else who knows. Familiarhave someone else with you who already ising yourself with the words you want knows? to choose and the routine of speaking Lastly, coming out is so personal, about it will help you with your confiand so your own, do not give yourself a dence. hard time over the outcome or delivery.

A huge part of coming out is an Whatever happens, providing you have acceptance of self, something I’ve prioritised your safety and made room personally struggled with, so I get your for your queer identity, you are on the struggle here. Allow emotional freedom right track. I’m wishing you all the best and time from yourself to grasp at your and sending you so much love and emqueer identity and find enjoyment in powerment. it. This could look like joining You’ve pride societies, reading got this! books by LGBTQ+ authors, speaking to other friends Hi! I’m Alexandra and I’m this year’s Agony Aunt for Venue, of yours who Concrete’s Home of the Wonderful Senior Writer and I also study identify on the LGBTQ+ BA Sociology. My love for chatting combined with my “mum friend” spectrum. nature is why I thought this role would be a good fit for me. For my Any role as Anne Glia, I’m aiming to provide a place where people at unikind of emversity can express the negativity of their experiences through placing powerment an importance on the fact that every and all feelings are valid. I into this part think students need to have their voices heard and expressed of yourself by other students to know that they are not alone, and most should strengthimportantly it is okay to feel how they do. en your confidence in yourself as a queer person. As cliché as it is,

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