Hillhead Review
Exposed: Chinese social media fuelling plagiarism at Glasgow
Students cite limited English skills as well as high work loads as reasons for using paid essay-writing services.
Odhran Gallagher Editor-in-Chief
News
Students at the University of Glasgow are using paid essaywriting services available via social media to plagarise assignments. These services, sometimes referred to as ‘gunners’, are widely available via the Chinese social media app WeChat, and offer to write academic assignments in exchange for large sums of money.
An investigation by Hillhead Review has revealed that the practice is widespread at the University of Glasgow. We spoke to several students who have used these services or are aware of other students doing
so. One international student from China, who graduated from a one-year postgraduate course at Glasgow last year, told Hillhead Review that the problem is “definitely widespread enough to bring attention to the school”.
The problem is ‘definitely widespread enough to bring attention to the school’.
She told us: “I remember at the beginning of one course in the first lecture our lecturer took some time to warn us ‘don’t use the paid essay services’ so I think
that they already know that a lot of people are using it otherwise they wouldn’t have taken the time to discuss it with us”
When asked about why she thinks students feel inclined to use paid essay-writing services, she told us that often students are motivated to do so because they have a lack of proficiency in English, saying: “I was recently talking with my friend about a student she knows who is in Glasgow International College who is already using paid essaywriting services because her English is not good enough to complete her course by herself.”
Continued on page 2
In conversation with a Ukrainian student
Hannah Shedden Writer
Sasha Diachenko, 20, is a Ukrainian student at the University of Glasgow. Born in Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, he spent his childhood in the city before moving to Odesa at the age of 10. When Sasha was fifteen, he moved to Poland for boarding school to continue his education, learning Polish in the process. His family remained in Ukraine. He then moved to Scotland to begin his undergraduate study in International Relations. I spoke with Sasha about his journey to Scotland, how the war has impacted his life and his perspectives on the ongoing invasion and its trajectory.
Was your move to Poland due to the political instability in Ukraine?
Not directly. However, the uncertainty and instability of Ukraine made me look for education abroad. For some reason, it’s quite a popular way of thinking.
The independent student newspaper of the University of Glasgow
Credit: Sasha Diachenko
Paid essay-writing services ‘widespread’ at the University of Glasgow
Continued from front page
Glasgow International College came under fire last year for offering entry to University courses at reduced grades and English language requirements for international students in exchange for higher than normal fees ranging from £20,000 to £42,000.
Another recent graduate from the School of Life Sciences who came from China to study at Glasgow, told us that: “A lot of people use it, probably about a quarter of the people I knew in my class did…it’s so easy”
They [students] don’t really care about the quality of the degree, it’s just good to say you’ve gone to a world top 100 university.
He elaborated on the money that students pay for essay writing services, saying: “Some of these people charge £1 or £2 per word so an essay can cost thousands… They [students] don’t really care about the degree, it’s just good to say you’ve gone to a world top 100 university and the quality of the degree isn’t as important to them.”
Another student echoed this sentiment, saying that “a lot of international students don’t care about the major, they just care about the rank of the uni.”
If you want to use it, it’s very easy to find someone to write essays for you.
Students told us that these paid services are very easy to access, with one saying:
“When I was an international student I received adverts four times for paid essay-writing services from people sending messages to me on Instagram.
I don’t know anyone that has been caught by the University for it
I think if you want to use it, it’s very easy to find someone to write essays for you.”
A quick search on Insta-
converts to roughly £200.
A postgraduate student from China studying at the Adam Smith Business School admitted to using paid essay-writing services on WeChat, saying: “It’s actually really easy to do, all I have to do is give them the information. They write them quite quickly too and the grades are okay, I’ve never failed from using an essay written by a ghostwriter.”
When asked if he was concerned that he would be caught by the University he told us: “No,
gram shows that several accounts linked to WeChat offering these services follow the official University of Glasgow account. Hillhead Review contacted one of these accounts via WeChat, posing as a student who wanted an essay written in exchange for money.
The account quickly responded, offering the price of 1000 Chinese Yuan in exchange for an essay, which
I’m not worried [about getting caught] because lots of people I know do the same thing and I don’t know anyone that has been caught by the University for it.”
A freedom of information request seen by Hillhead Review showed that there were a total of 2,716 academic misconduct cases among students which resulted in penalties between 2021 and
2024, 73 percent of which related to international students. However, between 2017 and 2023, a total of only eight students were removed from their studies as a result of academic misconduct.
Essay-writing guidance documents for several subjects mention the use of plagiarism services, including Economic and Social History’s document, which says: “The University strongly discourages the use of proofreading and essay-writing companies by students…You are encouraged to report commercial essay-writing service publicity on University premises to the Student Conduct Team.”
I’ve never failed from using an essay written by a ghostwriter.
Moreover, the University’s declaration of originality, which all students have to sign upon submitting any assignment, contains a stipulation that you have “not sought or used the services of any professional agencies”.
The University of Glasgow has been contacted for comment.
Messages between Hillhead Review journalists and an account offering to write essays in exchange for money on WeChat.
University splashes 40K on new Principal
This figure, paid to a recruitment firm, is noticeably higher than the cost to headhunt similar senior roles.
Alan Rubin Castejón Writer
The University of Glasgow has spent £40,000 on recruiting its new Principal and Vice Chancellor, Andy Schofield, Hillhead Review can reveal. The sum of money was paid to the professional recruitment agency Saxton Bampfylde, which the University announced they had begun working with on 16 April 2024.
Professor Schofield, who is currently the Vice-Chancellor at Lancaster University, will officially take on his new role in October 2025. He succeeds Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, who announced his intention to step down earlier this year. Schofield has extensive experience in higher education, having previously served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of Engineering at the University of Birmingham. His
academic background is in theoretical condensed matter physics, and he has held notable positions in various academic organisations, including the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
The £40,000 fee billed to the University of Glasgow by Saxton Bampfylde is considerably higher than what the firm has charged for similar public sector projects
The £40,000 fee billed to the University of Glasgow by Saxton Bampfylde is considerably higher than what the firm has charged for similar public sector projects. For example, in 2014, Saxton Bampfylde’s headhunting of
Carol Mills as Clerk of the House of Commons cost £18,000equivalent to nearly £25,000 today when adjusted for inflation.
Furthermore, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) was billed nearly half the inflation-adjusted amount compared to the University for headhunting services in 2011.
Unlike the University of Glasgow, other major Scottish institutions such as the Universities of Edinburgh, Dundee,
and St Andrews have typically conducted the headhunting process internally, led by senior university members.
However, some Scottish universities have also turned to outsourced executive recruitment. The University of Aberdeen and the University of the Highlands and Islands have also relied on Saxton Bampfylde, with the latter paying £52,398 in 2020 to support the search for its new Vice-Chancellor.
Redundancy warnings as higher education feels the pinch
Labour’s first Budget spells bad news for universities, with the sector already in dire financial straits.
Katherine McKay Editor-in-Chief
The University of Edinburgh, University of Dundee, and Robert Gordon University have issued redundancy warnings to staff. This comes amidst budget cuts to higher education and a decline in international enrollments.
The Principal of the University of Edinburgh, Sir Peter Mathieson, told staff that involuntary redundancies could be “unavoidable.” The University of Dundee said job losses were “inevitable”, and Robert Gordon University has placed over 100 roles at risk of redundancy.
This news comes amidst the national insurance rise in the first Labour Budget, creating extra financial pressure on the already stretched university sector. The University of Edinburgh claims that the increase to national insurance has “created a multi-million pound increase to our salary bill.”
The budget also promises an increase in tuition fees in England, with Wales and Northern Ireland likely to follow suit. Some critics have suggested that this increase is too small to meaningfully boost the higher education sector..
The decline in international students has also had a
serious impact on British universities, including the University of Glasgow. In recent years, international enrolments have been a major source of funding, but recent decline has led to an increased financial strain for many universities.
Principal of the University of Edinburgh
Sir Peter Mathieson told staff that involuntary redundancies could be ‘unavoidable.’
The University of Glasgow has not announced any
redundancies so far, but the financial situation following the Budget means that a similar pattern is likely to spread across higher education.
The Scotland Official for the Universities and Colleges Union, Mary Senior, said that this is a “deeply worrying” time for staff and students.
Sir Peter Mathiseon said, “I don’t underestimate how unsettling this news will be, however, it is important that I am honest about the scale of the challenge we have and transparent about the actions we need to take to address it.”
University suspends investigation into Rector
Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah has denied allegations that he commemorated terrorists.
Alan Rubin Castejón Writer
The University of Glasgow has closed its investigation into Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah who was elected earlier this year, deeming the claims unsubstantiated.
An investigation into the Rector was launched by the University last term, as reported by the United Kingdom Lawyers for Israel (UKFLI), an advocacy group which challenges the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement.
This followed allegations of social media posts from Dr Abu-Sittah which “commemorated terrorists”.
Principal Muscatelli responded to the UKFLI by saying: “Given the serious nature of the allegations set out in your letter, I have asked our Clerk of Senate –the returning officer for the election of Rector – to investigate.”
However, as revealed through a Freedom of Informa-
tion request, the investigation was closed after finding the allegations to be unsubstantiated.
In his correspondence with the University, Dr Abu Sittah distanced himself from the accusations, stating, “I reaffirm the fact that I do not support any organisations that are proscribed in the United Kingdom nor have supported any acts which are illegal under UK law.”
Dr Abu-Sittah claimed that the accusations were part of an organised campaign of defamation
Throughout his campaign, Dr Abu-Sittah claimed that the accusations were part of an organised campaign of defamation, aimed at undermining his work and advocacy.
Dr Abu-Sittah secured the position of Rector in a decisive
first-round victory during the election on 25 March 2024, receiving a total of 4,172 votes. Paul Sweeney MSP, the runner-up, trailed behind with just 430 votes.
The Union of Jewish Students and the Glasgow Jewish Society (GJS) criticised Dr AbuSittah for statements praising members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a political organisation designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., EU, and Canada.
Notably, UK guidance distinguishes between the PFLP and its paramilitary offshoot, the PFLP-GC, with only the
latter being a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK. Central to the allegations is Dr Abu Sittah’s eulogy for Maher Al Yamani, a PFLP co-founder and one of his former patients. Al Yamani was involved in planning the 1968 hijacking of El Al Flight 253, an act that resulted in the death of an Israeli national.
Dr Abu-Sittah denied being a member of any terrorist organisation, asserting his eulogy reflected a personal relationship rather than ideological alignment.
By-election to take place in Partick
University of Glasgow student Nicholas Budgen is among the five candidates contesting the council seat.
Leonard Hockerts Writer
A by-election has been triggered in Partick following the death of a local councillor - Kenny McLean. Five candidates have been confirmed for the election, set to take place on Thursday 5 December.
The SNP candidate Cylia Porch told Hillhead Review: “Being a councillor isn’t just reporting potholes or missed refuse collections, but being a voice for the constituents who live in your ward, and that voted for you.”
The Labour Party’s candidate is James Adams, also spoke to Hillhead Review, saying: “Residents and young peo-
ple across Partick East & Kelvindale are calling for real change to build a brighter future for our city…Neighbourhoods should be places where everyone feels safe, supported, and connected. This means well-lit and clean streets, sustainable public transport that gets young people to work or study on time, and schools and public spaces that foster community growth and enable future generations to thrive.”
Nicholas Budgen is the candidate for the Liberal Democrats. He is a University of Glasgow student and President of the UofG Liberals. Speaking to Hillhead Review, he laid out his priorities: “Having studied at the University of Glasgow for
the last two years, I’ve seen firsthand the extent of Glasgow’s housing crisis - an issue that affects families living in inadequate housing as much as it affects students struggling to find somewhere to live near campus.
“As Councillor, I will be vocal in holding the council accountable for the delivery of more affordable housing, whilst maintaining robust protections for private renters.”
The Scottish Greens have selected Heloise Le Moal as their candidate, who told Hillhead Review: “If elected I would work with our existing 11 Green Councillors and the community to help improve our litter system, address soaring rents and
shameful homelessness rates, and make our buses more reliable, green, and affordable.”
The Scottish Conservatives have selected Fatem Hameed as their candidate, who previously stood in the Hillhead by-election, and before that she represented Labour in two General Elections. Hillhead Review approached her for a comment.
This by-election is expected to have a low turnout. Three other council by-elections were held in Glasgow on 21 November, all of which were won by Labour. They had an average voter turnout of 15 percent, with just 12.4 percent in Maryhill. The by-election will take place on Thursday 5 December.
Reform UK beat Scottish Greens in Maryhill
Ellie Gomersall came fourth in the council by-election, taking fewer first-preference votes than Reform’s David McGowan.
Katherine McKay Editor-in-Chief
Labour retained their seat in the Maryhill council by-election, with Marie Garrity taking the Maryhill Ward. Reform UK came third after the SNP, taking 12.7 percent of first-preference votes compared to the Greens’ 12.1 percent.
Ellie Gomersall, the 24-year-old Green candidate and former President of NUS Scotland, framed her campaign around gaining a foothold for the Greens in Maryhill. She had hoped to provide an alternative for Labour or the SNP. Her main issues included improving waste
and recycling, and bigger investment in Maryhill tenements.
David McGowan, a postman from Glasgow, was the Reform UK candidate in the by-election. His campaign centred around not being a politician and his passion for wanting better for the community. This included more funding for schools, improved litter management, and better social housing.
This result comes after Reform UK came third in the popular vote in the July General Election, winning 14 percent of all votes. A rebrand of the Brexit Party, founded in 2018, Reform UK’s main policies include freezing immigra-
tion and restoring law and order.
Dr Ewan Gibbs of the University of Glasgow took to Twitter/X to say, “Whilst party activists will take the wins they can get, there’s also a missing the wood for the trees story here. As it stands there is likely to be a far-right MSPs group in Ho-
lyrood soon…Reform are polling pretty well across Scotland.”
Ellie Gommersall told The Bell, “People see Reform as a rejection of the status quo. The Greens should be that too, but because of the Bute House agreement, we’re seen as the party of government.”
Transformative research at Glasgow
From historical discoveries, to cutting-edge research in cancer treatment technology, Hillhead Review examines the groundbreaking research taking place on campus.
Katherine McKay Editor-in-Chief
The University of Glasgow is constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation, and shaping the future of progress across many fields. Take a look at our summary of the University’s most interesting and groundbreaking research this month.
Archaeological discovery unveils Scottish history
An excavation at Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands has unearthed many important artefacts which have the potential to change the face of Scottish history. Alongside the National Trust for Scotland, undergraduate students from the University of Glasgow have spent two years digging for evidence of the Massacre of Glencoe, and other important chapters of Gaelic history.
The researchers have found shoe buckles, French
and German pottery, and decorated knife handles, amongst a plethora of other items. The dig also found remains of MacDonald of Achnacon’s house - a key character in the infamous Massacre of Glencoe.
The importance of these discoveries to the field of Scottish history cannot be understated. A picture is painted of life in Glencoe, allowing the tragedy of the most notorious massacre in Scotland’s history to be studied and further understood.
Evacuations Co-Director Dr Edward Stewart said: “These artefacts may be small and unassuming, but they represent the very real human experiences that unfolded here.”
Research reveals bacteria as a potential treatment for bowel cancer
The bacteria Salmonella could be used to fight bowel cancer according to a study by
the University of Glasgow and the University of Birmingham. Salmonella prevents T cells from causing collateral cancer as an immune response. A safe form of Salmonella was tested on mice, where it was discovered the bacteria released an amino acid asparagine, which suppresses tumour growth but is also crucial in the fight against cancer by stopping the metabolic process.
This discovery could lead to a radical shift in the way bowel cancer is treated: a disease which kills around 17,000 Brits a year.
New PhD scheme to train students in cutting-edge sustainability methods
Researchers from the University of Glasgow will lead a new initiative promoting Exascale computing to PhD candidates. Funding from UK Research and Innovation will help doctoral students develop skills in biological sciences, engineer-
ing, and environmental sciences.
Exascale computers can make one billion calculations a second, allowing for advanced modelling of the Earth’s natural systems. This technology also allows new insight into workings of the natural environment: particularly important for studies into climate change and sustainability efforts.
With their completed PhDs, graduates will face the world’s environmental challenges using this cuttingedge computing and their new understanding of physical and social dimensions.
The Head of the University of Glasgow’s School of Environmental & Earth Sciences, Professor Todd Ehlers, said: “This project provides a springboard for training future scientists to address these challenges while maintaining UK competitiveness in this rapidly advancing field of research.”
Minimum Unit Pricing has failed
Minimum Unit Pricing has failed in every way, yet the Scottish Government continue to cling onto their anti-alcohol rhetoric.
Katherine McKay Editor-in-Chief
Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) was implemented in 2018, with it initially costing 50p per unit of alcohol, rising to 65p at the end of October. Designed to reduce alcoholism, the policy is really just another SNP failure to add to the ever-growing list. Alcoholism remains rife in Scotland, with MUP serving less as a preventative, and more as a punishment for society’s most vulnerable.
Since 2018, alcohol specific and related deaths have grown. That is a fact that the statistics could not spell out more clearly. Alcohol related hospital admissions appear to be down slightly since the introduction of MUP. This could be manipulated in many ways, but all that this data really shows is the failure of NHS Scotland, who are treating fewer patients today than before the pandemic. Alcohol-related hospital admissions are down because all hospital admissions are too: NHS Scotland is on its knees, due to… another SNP failure! There appears to be a theme here.
Scottish alcohol deaths are usually compared to England, and an estimate is created to suggest what alcohol deaths could have looked like without MUP
Many major news outlets, including the BBC, have claimed that Minimum Unit Pricing is working to reduce alcoholism. They do this by clever manipulation of the statistics. Scottish alcohol deaths are usually compared to England, and an estimate is created to sug-
gest what alcohol deaths could have looked like without MUP. In other words, these numbers are pulled out of thin air.
While alcohol purchase may be down ever so slightly, Minimum Unit Pricing has clearly not done what it set out to achieve; so why has it been increased instead of axed?
The SNP have always hated alcohol consumption. As soon as they came to power, plans were put into place to rid Scotland of its longstanding pub culture.
MUP was brought into legislation as a sunset clause; if by April 2024 it had not worked, Parliament could vote to scrap it. It did not work. But instead of doing what is best for the country, the Government voted not only to extend the policy, but to increase it. MUP is not and has never been about reducing alcoholism.
The SNP have always
hated alcohol consumption. As soon as they came to power, plans were put into place to rid Scotland of its long-standing pub culture. Then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described Minimum Unit Pricing as one of her “proudest achievements.”
It is true that Scotland has a deeply rooted history with alcoholism. But MUP has never been the way to fix this. All that it has achieved is making poor people poorer. In 2022, Public Health Scotland found that the poorest sufferers of alcoholism experienced “increased financial strain”, and cut back on necessities such as food to pay for drink.
To help alcoholics, more sophisticated plans and policies must be put in place. Minimum Unit Pricing instead punishes alcoholics, children of alcoholics, and, predominantly, people who just like a drink.
The biggest problem with the policy is that it assumes everyone in the economic system is a rational actor; any fool without so much as a National 5 in Business Studies can tell you that this
isn’t the case. As a student, I have found myself prioritising alcohol over food shopping or having the heating on, on more than one occasion since October. I’m willing to make sacrifices in order to maintain my drinking habits. And I am not an alcoholic, just an average student living on a budget, wishing to occasionally go out and have a few drinks and a bit of fun. To assume that someone suffering with genuine alcoholism will be deterred from buying and drinking alcohol just because of a rise in price is frankly idiotic.
The biggest problem with the policy is that it assumes everyone in the economic system is a rational actor
Minimum Unit Pricing is a complete failure. Next to the reversal of climate change goals or the terminal decline of schools, we begin to see a picture of Scotland and Scottish politics; something that could only be described as a laughing stock.
Glasgow’s still miles better
Don’t let the ugliness of the construction sites make you think otherwise, Glasgow has a bright future.
Jan Jasinski Guest Columnist
Sauchiehall Street has been disembowelled for over a year. Chain-link fencing encloses the on-going works, which have transformed it into something of an archaeological site. BT’s digital ad boards emerge from the rubble like the ominous monoliths from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001. Further up the street, the legendary O2 ABC concert hall has been finally deemed unsalvageable following a devastating fire five years ago. One could easily suggest that this scene is
Glasgow in 2024 crystallised.
Sauchiehall Street has become emblematic of Glasgow’s supposed decline, with the usual suspects using it to bash the council or the SNP.
It’s hard to be expected to be optimistic about the state of the city in this context. And yet, I think there’s hope.
We have great universities, pioneering in their different areas. The University of Glasgow is expanding rapidly, while reducing its reliance on international students, in the face of so many geopolitical challenges.
Housing is developing rapidly. Merchant City contin-
ues to grow with the new Candleriggs development. The land left behind by the demolition of St Enoch station back in the sixties, which has been a grim car park since, is set to be redeveloped as a walkable community.
New restaurants are thriving, and pubs seem to stand strong against the overall collapse of the sector across the country. The Barras get busier every weekend.
Buchanan Street is alive and well, while the new Buchanan Galleries could prove to be a new kind of resilient, nimble shopping centre for the post-Covid era.
A short defence of the monarchy
Local journalism is thriving too, with The Glasgow Bell providing a brilliant alternative to the AI slop served up by Glasgow Live, while student journalism is faring better than ever, as exemplified by this up-start outlet.
And even on Sauchiehall Street, city officials promise the fencing will be down in time for peak Christmas shopping season next month. There’s lots that’s wrong with Glasgow, yes. But the city is a better place than ever to be a student in, and perhaps, like me, to stay after you graduate. It’s still miles better.
In light of recent attacks on the Monarchy, people are seemingly not thinking about the reality of the alternative.
Odhran Gallagher Editor-in-Chief
There is a surreal sequence in the latest series of Netflix’s The Crown, in which the late Queen Elizabeth wanders through the streets of London in common clothing before attending the Coronation of King Tony Blair. Zadok the Priest is drowned out of Westminster Abbey in favour of a choral rendition of ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ as the archetypes of New Labour watch on in admiration. What is an albeit bizarre and feverish sequence was, in my opinion, a rare instance in which a television show, which attracted both praise and criticism from Monarchists and Republicans alike, was on the money.
The monarchy is an institution which has not had a very good few years. With the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022 many critics seem to see how the institution itself had been mostly hollowed out during her reign, the extent of which only
being properly revealed in the wake of her death. The dull and uncaptivating campaign group Republic among others, have attempted to capitalise on this moment: organising relentless stunts against the monarchy including the holding of placards at official engagements which simply say: “Not my King.”
Prepare yourself for eight years of President
Tony Blair followed by eight years of president
Boris Johnson
The past few months especially have also seen something somewhat unprecedented: outright criticism of the monarchy in the mainstream press. A recent investigation by The Sunday Times has revealed the extent of the House of Windsor’s property portfolio, and the levies it raises from schools, charities, and (that most un-
touchable of institutions) the National Health Service.
Of course it is impossible to predict if and when the monarchy may collapse, but I think it is worth reminding people of what would replace it if it did.
Gone would be King Charles the, perhaps a bit ludicrous, figure who is nonetheless the living embodiment of our nation’s history and to replace him would be eight years of President Tony Blair followed by eight years of President Boris Johnson. And after that who’s to say? President Nigel Farage? And as for the property portfolio, pre-
pare for it to be sold off to oilsoaked Middle-Eastern Sheiks and European Oligarchs just as so many of our national assets have been since the 1980s.
The monarch is much like the King on the chess board, their power derives from preventing others from holding their position. Let us not, in a swirl of iconoclasm, forget that in the seventeenth century we had a republic and ultimately ended up with a military dictatorship. I think that the quarter of the population who support the introduction of an elected head of state ought to bear this in mind.
From book to stage: Murder on the Orient Express
Is the famous genre of the whodunnit novel really fit to be adapted to the stage?
Martin Mullaney Writer
With a career spanning fifty-some years, Agatha Christie remains one of the single most prolific authors in history. Therefore, the question on the mind of anyone bold enough to translate her work to another medium must be: what makes this riff on the Queen of Crime unique? Certainly, this challenge was in the back of my own mind when I saw the latest take on what is perhaps Christie’s most famous story: Murder on the Orient Express. The story, of an unexpected murder on a snowbound train car, has this time been adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and directed by Lucy Bailey.
Characters must convey who they are, or how they wish to be perceived, to an audience of hundreds, without the benefit of a few dozen paragraphs.
Such a drastic switch in mediums necessarily requires changes to the original book. Christie’s prose, though no doubt prone to archetypes and tropes (many of its own invention), is often subtle, with a quiet grace and efficiency befitting the aristocratic vistas it so frequently describes. By contrast, Bailey’s version is, in a word, big. It has the subtlety of, ironically, a freight train. To a point, this is necessary. Characters must convey who they are, or how they wish to be perceived, to an audience of hundreds, without the benefit of a few dozen paragraphs.
The character Ratchett exemplifies this. His description in the novel, that of an elderly man whose benevolent appearance is
unable to disguise the darkness of his character, is ditched in favour of a performance marinating in gangster cliches right out of Guys and Dolls, which immediately communicates to the audience, in the absence of an omniscient narrator, that the man is bad news.
Michael Maloney’s portrayal of protagonist Hercule Poirot, the little Belgian detective famous all over the world for his little grey cells, is a standout. When it inevitably comes time for the suspects to be assembled and the detective to elucidate the mystery, Maloney pulls off the requisite monologue, replete with just the right kind of pomp and flourish and wit, with aplomb.
suspect?) though, on balance, they are beneficial expediencies. A highlight of the evening was the set, ingeniously designed by Mike Britton. The rotating train car, able to break into smaller sections, lent a kineticism and seamlessness to the production. As it stands, the show is suitably claustrophobic for its premise; intimate, but not cramped. As the story advanced, and Poirot drew closer to the truth, the set could open up to match.
That said, I was left feeling that the show’s breakneck pace turned the central mystery from a compelling, methodical build, to a frenetic countdown to the, admittedly excellent, de-
Other changes include some less integral characters being merged together, or excised entirely, for the sake of a tighter story. For example, the character of Doctor Constantine is gone, with his function being appended to one of the suspects, whose role in the book is perhaps smaller than their eventual importance to the solution would merit.
These decisions create small issues with which the more pedantic in the audience may take issue (i.e. why, for example, can we take points such as the time of death as factual, as the narrative clearly intends, when the person supplying them is themselves a
nouement. The particular loss of one small conversation, between Poirot and Princess Dragomiroff, feels especially unfortunate. In the play, the latter character is largely relegated to comic relief which, while entertaining, loses once again some of the subtle intellect of Christie’s original story. The play’s use of the overhead projector, frequently in an attempt to achieve the same aims, failed to match the sense of cold melancholy that Christie so deftly creates in a few paragraphs.
Upon its release, Orient was simply another in Agatha Christie’s ever expanding bibliography. Its popularity, however,
turned what was once a Christie novel into the Christie novel. This has brought on another key change, that being in how Poirot himself reacts to the conclusion. To most subsequent interpreters of the book, it seems to stand to reason that Poirot’s definitive adventure cannot simply be the most compelling story in the canon of a character who remains largely unchanged. Rather, it must shake him to his very core.
The show’s breakneck pace turned the central mystery from a compelling, methodical build, to a frenetic countdown.
The constant momentum of Ludwig’s treatment leaves any ethical query limited to the opening and closing monologues. In essence, it becomes less of a question for the characters and more one for the audience. As the set falls away, and Poirot, the last one on stage, takes a bow and becomes Michael Maloney once again, we are left wondering what we would have done in his position. It’s here that I’m struck with another reason as to why, of all the multitudinous whodunnits starring the peculiar detective, this one has become definitive. Like all the others, it challenges the audience to solve the mystery, but afterwards it asks them what they ought to do with the answer. While this question is never made explicit in the original text itself, it is a testament to both the power of the story, and the innate potential of adaptations, that it continues to be asked all these years later. Murder on the Orient Express remains as relevant as ever, and this particular version, though bumpy at points, is worth the ride.
The best of Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum
Rachel Oatway considers her favourite paintings and exhibitions housed in Kelvingrove.
Rachel Oatway Writer
Dalí’s Christ of St John of the Cross
Salvador Dalí’s Christ of St John of the Cross (1951) necessitates a room of its own. After stumbling into the vacant room in search of solitude, I was confronted by the towering masterwork and instantly struck with vertigo by its disorienting composition. The display is a spectacle: nestled in darkness, the work reveals itself under lights carefully placed to mimic the painting’s own. The palpable venerance is appropriate considering the painting’s status as the most important artwork in Glasgow’s civic collection. Now returned to Kelvingrove after a visit to Dalí’s hometown, Figueres, there is no better time to visit this masterpiece.
Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style
In my grandparents’ kitchen, the centrifugal force of my early family life, the upper cabinets were adorned with roses. Long after their passing I moved to Glasgow, where those roses lined my walk to university. Mackintosh etched his
legacy into Glasgow’s skyline, designing iconic buildings including the Glasgow School of Art, the Willow Tearooms, and House for an Art Lover. The Kelvingrove Museum boasts an extensive body of works from the creators of the Glasgow style,
instils the viewer with trepidation, his expression of consideration and palpable anxiety suggesting an uncertain fate in battle. The painting’s subject is unknown, commonly theorised to depict Alexander the Great, the God Mars, Apollo,
known as ‘The Four’: Mackintosh, Herbert MacNair, Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, and Frances MacDonald. This collection is essential viewing for students eager to discover Glasgow’s artistic history.
Rembrandt’s A Man in Armour
A Man in Armour is a stand-out piece in Kelvingrove’s collection and a remarkably empathetic depiction of the human condition. The young man weighed down by armour
or even the artist himself. Look out for the added strips of canvas along the painting’s perimeter, thought to have been added to match the dimensions of a painting of Aristotle at the demand of Alexander Don Ruffio.
The French Art Collection
A considerable silence hangs in the French Art room. The vast space is absent of architectural distractions, commanding attention to the French greats who line its walls. Key
works include Renoir’s The Painter’s Garden and Still Life, c.1908, testaments to his artistry and perseverance against arthritis, and Van Gogh’s BluteFin Windmill and Alexander Reid which display his mastery of colour and texture. Other works include those of Cézanne, Courbet, Seurat, and Vuillard, making for a truly spectacular collection. Monet’s Vétheuil and View of Ventimiglia returned from Japan just last month, necessitating a visit.
A Big Cat with a Bit of Writing Underneath
Composed by John Knowles around 1991, Big Cat engages with feminist history and depicts the predatory nature of the Temporary Discharge for Ill-Health Act (1913) which allowed for the release of prisoners weakened by hunger strikes, only to recall them after recovery. I visit this painting regularly, like an old friend. When my grandparents passed, my tether to the world of art and culture died with them. I found it in snatches, pockets whose threads unravelled each time I reached for them – until I met Big Cat Its tongue-in-cheek title and charming eccentricity are unlike anything else in the gallery.
A Ukrainian student’s experience studying in Scotland
Continued from front page
You must move and study abroad to earn money fairly and honestly. Ukraine’s instability influenced my perception of the future, that my country didn’t seem stable and peaceful. When I studied in Poland, I used to go back and forth to home every couple of months and I spent my whole second to last year of school, (11th grade in Poland) studying online at my Polish school in Odesa because it was during Covid. From there, it was my ambition to study abroad and from Poland to go Westwards.
It’s very interesting how your mind gradually comes to accept war as part of your country’s life and identity.
The last time I was in Ukraine was four days before the war started. I left Ukraine on 20 February, on one of the last flights from Odesa. We Ukrainians didn’t think that the war was going to start until around 22 February. I just went back to school because my winter break finished.
Given that Ukraine has experienced conflict in the East for so long, did it feel unimaginable that the situation would escalate?
It seemed irrational. Even from a Russian perspective. When you try to walk in Russia’s shoes even prior to the invasion. If you try to think what Putin could have been thinking, even though control over Ukraine has been an objective of his politics for a long time, it seems irrational because the potential losses outweigh the benefits. It’s very interesting how your mind grad-
ually comes to accept war as part of your country’s life and identity. Start thinking of your country as the country who is at war and kind of adding this war dimension to your imagination, to your perception of your country. It felt very weird in 2014, but by 2022, it became normal, you know?
How do people react to you saying, “I’m from Ukraine.” Do you feel that people treat you differently?
There is definitely this feeling of awkwardness, a feeling that people cannot really find proper words. It’s hard for them to approach the subject in a way which would be comfortable. I work in a restaurant, and I have an accent so people often ask where I’m from. I say: “I’m Ukrainian” and that’s usually where the conversation stops. Or people say “Aww.” That reaction shows some kind of empathy or compassion, but at the same time, it’s rare those conversations ever go beyond the war. People tend to speak only about war, not about culture or anything else. However, I still think it’s fortunate that the war is talked about.
Why do you think there might be a bit of compassion fatigue amongst Brits and Scots?
It might be that people don’t feel that Western support and their support makes an impact. I also realise it’s linked to the cost-of-living crisis, particularly in Ireland, the narrative about falling living standards is tied up with support from Ukraine. The fatigue is understandable, as the war has been going for almost three years now and required a lot of resources. However, I don’t think we’ve seen this fatigue in the UK as much as in other places. Support for Ukraine hasn’t become a dividing issue for the
Tories and Labour, and I think that makes the UK an exception.
How has the University’s support been? Has this been consistent?
It’s hard for me to say what the support was like at the beginning of the war as I wasn’t here. The support is there, you can see the flags on buildings, advertisements of Ukrainian events and the Ukrainian Society. The University has sent emails to make people aware of counselling services, but it is hard to say what else the University could do. In general, the UK Government supports Ukrainian refugees to a great extent, we have access to the NHS, the welfare state, and free tuition in Scotland.
Do you have any thoughts on the lack of support for other refugees?
There is certainly a division and a privilege that is not felt by other refugees such as Palestinians, Syrians, and people from the Middle East. It’s difficult to say why we receive this help, is it because we are White? Europeans? Is it due to support from the U.S. ? It’s very unfair. Myself and the Ukrainian Society of Glasgow believe that all refugees deserve equal compassion, help and attention.
It’s difficult to say why we receive this help, is
it because we are White? Europeans?
What do you think the U.S. election of Donald Trump will mean for Ukraine?
One-hundred percent of Ukraine’s taxes go towards the war effort; therefore, Ukraine is reliant on the U.S., the IMF and the World Bank. Trump’s victory
brings bad news for ideological dynamics in the West, it signals the erosion of values that we came to accept, like liberal internationalism, interconnectivity, cooperation, and the upholding of international law. Trump may lead Ukraine to accept a peace deal they may not otherwise. If a peace deal is not a strong deal for Ukraine it may increase the likelihood of further conflict. Despite this, Trump’s election is a great opportunity for Europe to take on a new role. The U.S. was once the role of human rights watchdog. Now, Europe may have to take on that role and detach from the U.S.
What would you say to Scots who want to continue to support Ukraine?
Most encounters with Scots, in the context of my being from Ukraine, are super supportive. Some have been to Ukraine and tell me how nice a country it is. Scots have something I like, a straightforwardness, which allows them to say what they think. It makes me feel closer to Scottish people and it’s amazing. I would say to donate, but Scotland has also done so much for Ukraine and I don’t feel excluded. That makes asking for more, almost silly.
Finally, what gives you hope for Ukraine?
The thing that gives me hope is the large population of Ukrainians going to western universities, studying, doing PhDs and even becoming professors. Ukrainian scholarship in Glasgow and Edinburgh, both really great institutions, gives us agency. It allows our perspective and our stories of ourselves to be heard, especially as they were minimised during Soviet times. It allows us to have a say in our future.
Best hidden study spots on campus
Find out Hillhead Review’s top secret spots on campus.
Naomi Mooney Writer
For Glasgow students, as deadlines are building up and winter exams are fast approaching, it’s increasingly becoming a chore to find a space to study between classes. This is particularly true if you don’t want to wake up at the crack of dawn to get a seat on one of the Library’s quiet floors. For a change of scenery, why not try one of the following lesser-known study spots?
Public Libraries
The public libraries dotted around the city make for great alternatives to the University Library. The closest ones to campus include Partick, Woodside and Hillhead Libraries, all of which have places for quiet study. However, a personal favourite is the Mitchell Library, which is one of the largest public libraries in Europe and is located on North Street (close to Finnieston and Woodlands). It houses a
cafe, several reading rooms and – if you sign up for a free library account – access to desktops.
GUU Libraries
Secondly, there are two libraries within the Glasgow University Union, of which I wasn’t aware until my second year: the James Bridie and Walter Elliot Libraries. They are comfortable and convenient, with the only downside being that they are relatively small.
Zoology
Museum
Next, we have the Zoology Museum in the Graham Kerr Building. It is part of the Hunterian, so it is a great place to study, especially if you would enjoy looking at the exhibits when daydreaming. This option is less convenient if, like me, you are partial to bringing last night’s leftovers to uni and reheating them for lunch – only the Fraser Building, Main Library and JMS Learning Hub have microwaves.
4 Professor’s Square
If group study is your thing, consider Professor’s Square. Designed by the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, Professor’s Square was used as accommodation for academics in the 1870s. But nowadays the buildings are used as university offices and teaching rooms, with numbers 5,6 and 9 having bookable study rooms (via the UofG Life app). A disadvantage of these rooms is that food is not allowed inside, but what better excuse to go to a nearby cafe for a sweet treat?
The ARC
Lastly, we have the Advanced Research Centre, which was built where the Western Infirmary used to be. Having opened in 2022, it is one of the newest, shiniest buildings on campus. You will find an ‘open study zone’ that is available to all students; it is conducive to deep focus and just a very motivating environment. The one downside is that some of the chairs have no backs, so it is great for studying for a few hours, but perhaps not the whole day.
1. Which river flows through the Grand Canyon?
2. Which planet in our solar system has the most moons?
3. Who oversaw the removal of the Parthenon Marbles from Athens? 4. Who directed the critically-acclaimed film ‘Parasite’ ? 5. Which country has won the most Fifa World Cups? Answers on back page
Would you like to see your own words in print? If so then you can write for us by joining our contributor’s group via the link in our Instagram bio @hillheadreview
Alternatively, you can also contact us via email at editors@hillheadreview.co.uk. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any stories or questions you may have.
Thank you for reading,
Odhran Gallagher and Katherine McKay Editors-in-Chief
Puzzles
Across
1 Pub personnel (3,5)
5 Electrical resistance units (4)
9 In a declining direction (9)
10 Common climbing plant (3)
11 Confused impression (4)
13 Having a run of good luck (2,1,4)
16 Go out with (4)
18 In jeopardy (2,4)
19 Foot joints (6)
21 Small amount (4)
23 Expresses sorrow about (7)
Hillhead Review Quiz - Answers
Colorado River
Saturn
Thomas Bruce, Earl of Elgin
Bong Joon-ho
Brazil
25 Work (4)
27 Let tears fall (3)
28 Flight between floors (9)
30 School year division (4)
31 Singles out (8) Down
1 Soon-to-be flowers (4)
2 Propel a boat (3)
3 In the direction of (7)
4 Failed to recall (6)
6 The common people (3,6)
7 Small telescope (8)
8 Syria’s continent (4)
12 Chief civic dignitary (4,5)
14 Orderly (4)
15 Brindled moggie (5,3)
17 Alike (4)
20 Without artifice (7)
22 US film awards (6)
24 Altar projection (4)
26 Long seats in a church (4)
29 School craft subject (3)
