Indigo 849

EDITORIAL indigo@palatinate.org.uk

Not conquering, but fighting well Indigo Editor Samuel Lopes ponders on how to deal with success and failure

W

atching the Olympics over the past two weeks, it has been hard to escape the tales of athletes falling apart. Chief amongst them was the story of figure skater Kamila Valieva, who, 48 hours after performing the first quadruple jump in Olympic history, failed a drug test for banned heart medication. With the world watching on during her individual event, she fell and did not place on the podium. It was a tragedy on many levels – not only the cruel and heartless response from her coach but the fact that she is only 15 years old. In the eyes of the world, her sporting career is already over. It has not been a triumphant Games for many.

Elite performances at the Olympics can reify the performative aspects of our own lives. The delicate performance spun over the past two years – the careful managing of risk, the forgoing of daily life – often seems liable to fall apart at any moment. New shocks always appear to be looming over the horizon; whether it’s the developing crisis in Ukraine, ongoing strike action or something more personal. It is easy to buy into the narrative that we are all lurching from crisis to crisis, desperately trying to pirouette our way to some sort of stability. The media has a role to play in this too; we as journalists – even amateur ones – have a responsibility to report on the world as it is, and not fall prey to telling sensationalist stories.

As many students enter yet another summative season, it can feel like the coming deadlines are something of a performance, especially when existing within the ‘Durham bubble’. Weeks and months of learning and study must be distilled into a few essays or problem sets, the judgement of which can decide your whole degree. Whatever summative season has in store, it’s important to take stock and remember how far you’ve come, and how much of our lives are still yet to be lived, bristling with possibility. Failure is not the end.

In my view, life – at Durham and beyond - is not and should not be viewed as a performance. It’s not something you can ‘win’ or ‘lose’. What may seem

Artwork of the week by Victoria Cheng

CONTENT

TEAM

CONTACT

Features (Page 3), Style (Page 4), Travel (Page 5), Books (Page 6 & 7), Stage (Page 8), Creative Writing (Page 9), Food and Drink (Page 10), Film and TV (Page 11), Interview (Pages 12 & 13), Visual Arts (Page 14), Music (Page 15)

Honor Douglas, Samuel Lopes, Nicole Wu, Nia Kile, Emerson Shams, Charlotte Grimwade, Grace Marshall, Isobel Tighe, Miriam Mitchell, Imogen Marchant, Gracie Linthwaite, Holly Downes, Stephanie Ormond, Lara Maomar, Josie Lockwood Christian Bland, Cameron Beech, Millie Stott, Ella Al-Khalil Coyle, Ben Smart, Saniya Saraf, Katya Davisson, Annabelle Bulag, Grace Jessop and Anna Johns

www.palatinate.org.uk

Indigo logo: Adeline Zhao Cover image: Anna Pycock Closing image: Verity Laycock

2

like a failure now can be a valuable learning experience later down the line. It is an unfortunate stereotype about Durham students that we were all rejected from Oxford or Cambridge, and although this is the case for many (including myself!) that is not what defines us. What does define us, however, is how we respond to failure and setbacks. How we learn and grow as people is more important than circumstance.

In this edition of Indigo, Music explores the musical choices of something that has become more of a performance than a sporting event – the Super Bowl (Page 15). Books gives a fascinating analysis of the tropes commonly employed in chick-lit covers (a genre, which, I must admit, is something of a guilty pleasure of mine!) (Pages 6 – 7). Interview delivers some very interesting discussions with Callum Robson and DUCFS fashion director Eleanor Pritchard (Pages 12 – 13).

At a time when stress levels are reaching their termly peak, I would like to express my thanks to all the editors and contributors that made this edition possible. Our vision for Indigo is to publish thoughtprovoking articles written for students by students, and I hope that our work provides some interesting perspectives to distract from upcoming deadlines and half-written essays. Know that whatever the outcome of summative or exams, there will always be more opportunities, more chances. The next Olympics are only four years away.

Thursday, 24 February 2022

Follow our socials Facebook: www.facebook.com/palindigo Twitter and Instagram: @indigodurham Have a question, comment or an article idea?

Email us at indigo@palatinate.org.uk or any Indigo section email address

Illustration credits (from left): Anna Pycock, Victoria Cheng

FEATURES features@palatinate.org.uk

The forgotten victims of the pandemic Film and TV Editor Grace Marshall discusses how Covid-19 has impacted the chronically ill

I

t is almost unnecessary to state that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic will be undeniably etched into global history forever. Claiming the lives of c. 5.79 million people and irreversibly altering societal outlook, function, and political discourse, the pandemic will weigh heavily on our hearts, and country, for many years to come.

Yet, as fundamentally important as it is to remember our lost loved ones, and uphold their memory, we must, too, consider the victims not yet lost: the chronically ill. Labelled ‘vulnerable’, these patients’ lives have been dictated by a loss of treatment and a subsequent loss of quality of life over the past two years. Their decline in health can be traced back to an overwhelmed NHS, whose ordinary procedures were halted in the race to tackle Covid-19.

I had the privilege of speaking to two patients of the North-West Lung Centre, situated at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester. Both suffering from a severe lung-related condition (not disclosed for privacy), these women spoke to me at length about their experiences of being chronically ill during the pandemic.

Their names have been altered for privacy.

Pre-pandemic, how often did you require treatment?

Jennifer: “Every fourth week.”

Hannah: “Monthly.”

What did this treatment entail?

Jennifer: “Spending five nights in the hospital having intravenous medication continuously for the whole period.”

Hannah: “Admission for medicinal infusion for five days.”

When this was cancelled, what support was offered to you throughout the pandemic?

Jennifer: “Nothing. All treatment was stopped, the team became unavailable — there was no alternative plan put in place. Just a ‘we’re not doing this’ attitude. I was left to get on with it on my own.”

Hannah: “None. I received a phone call on the first Thursday of lockdown to say they had cancelled the infusion service due to Covid-19.

I was told I’d get monthly phone calls but heard nothing for seven months.”

Illustration: Anna Kuptsova

When will your treatment resume?

Jennifer: “There is currently no restart date.”

What has your quality of life been like during the pandemic?

Jennifer: “Terrible. I spend most days, all day, in bed. I eat most of my meals alone in bed. I have the laptop for company. I haven’t really left the house. The stairs have become almost impossible to do. If I do go out, it takes nearly 3 hours to get ready and then I literally can’t do anything for the next three or four days.”

Hannah: “I have no quality of life as the treatment relieved the constant chest tightness which now affects everything that I do.”

What, if any, effect has the pandemic had on your health now, and your medical outlook?

Jennifer: “My medical outlook is uncertain. It feels like I’m hanging on waiting for the next plan to be put in place. I’m wheezy all the time.

I never get any respite. Everything is a huge effort.”

Hannah: “The pandemic has affected not only my physical but mental health as it now feels like I’m housebound. If I do push and do

something I suffer for weeks after, which makes me reluctant to do anything.”

W

ith no treatment plans in place, and their diminishing health evident, both Jennifer and Hannah exemplify a whole subset of society now significantly impeded by the absence of ordinary treatments during the pandemic. As around 15 million people in the UK live with a chronic illness, it is utterly devastating to consider the widespread impact of the cancellation of ordinary treatment upon these patients. Yet their suffering is not an indictment of the NHS staff who worked so tirelessly throughout this tragedy, but of the lack of forward planning and preventative measures in place.

Chronically ill patients should not be an afterthought. Their lives should not be held on the whim of expenditure or forsaken in times of crisis. It is imperative that we learn from the adverse effects of this pandemic upon the chronically ill and develop mechanisms of support that can exist in times of future tragedy.

But, for the chronically ill patients affected by a loss of treatment or investigation over the past two years, this is too little, too late. It is all we can do to acknowledge their suffering and commit to remembering their sacrifice during this pandemic.

Thursday, 24 February 2022

3

STYLE style@palatinate.org.uk

A look back at DUCFS...

Style Editors Grace Jessop and Anna Johns chat to model Chris Newton

T

he Durham University Charity Fashion Show 2022 raised a staggering £205,000 in support of Teenage Cancer Trust. The team, comprised of thirty-two exec members, fifty-two models, three presenters, as well as other volunteers and representatives worked to put together a vibrant show that was varied and captivating. The cast of models wore a range of collections from a diverse array of designers in a series of eight walks, centring around the theme: #IDENTITYCRISIS: A PROCESS OF SELFDISCOVERY. The highlights of the designers worn include Flora Mae Sharpe’s corsetry, Evie Knits inventive pieces and Sam Saint James’ bold use of shape and colour. Experiencing the show as one of the three thousand audience members was an amazing experience, and style editor Anna Johns spoke with Chris Newton to learn more about what modelling for DUCFS was like.

Why did you want to model?

I wanted to model because I really wanted to get involved in Durham Uni culture in a different way. I’d heard other people talk about how good their experience was in DUCFS and I just wanted to be a part of that. People always say it was one of the best experiences they’d had in Durham. My other reason was their diversity aim.

Last year there was a big thing about DUCFS and diversity. As an ethnic minority, I decided I wanted to make my own change, you know?

I wanted to make my own change On the subject of diversity, I feel like DUCFS gets hated on massively. People are saying it’s really elite and not diverse at all but did you not see the models 4

Thursday, 24 February 2022

this year? There were people of all different body types, age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality. It was there, they made an active effort. That’s why I wanted to audition.

Durham has a small sample size anyway. Coming to Durham, I feel like diversity at the uni itself is already non-existent. You have to think about that as well when you’re talking about DUCFS and diversity. I feel like everyone here’s from the same background... you know what I mean. But if you’re a minority and you’re saying that DUCFS has a diversity problem,

I think you should go to the audition. Be part of the change you want to see.

How were the rehearsals?

Rehearsals were fun!

I really liked them. It was really demanding and time consuming though, I ended up spending my whole weekend rehearsing all day long. It was still fun though; I was getting to know the rest of the team and I was spending a lot of time with them and it felt like one big family even though it was super early. It was very intense, not just for the models but for the exec as well. They put so much work into it, they were always changing things up! I had no time to do anything else when you’re rehearsing. You just end up learning your next walk during your breaks. It did get pretty stressful.

Leading up to the actual show rehearsals became more intense.

People were stressed out, they were nervous. You could see the anxiety building up, but I feel like that made it even more worthwhile.

What was it like on the night?

Amazing. The first night especially. The number of emotions I was experiencing was insane. I could look on everyone else’s face and they were all going through so many emotions. We were all completely silent. It was

so loud on the other side of the stage but backstage no one was speaking, we were all trying to hype ourselves up and get ready to go out. We weren’t nervous so much; it was more like anticipation and a lot of restlessness – at least for me. We were all just thinking, how badass can we be tonight? I can’t even describe the feeling but it was surreal. I remember when I first walked on stage the cheers were amazing.

The audience was insane.

I couldn’t even feel my nervousness anymore, I just felt at peace. I was standing there; I did my first move. When I carried on walking, I felt really powerful with every tiny little box step, people were just hyping me up and cheering me on. No other night could compare to the first night for me.

What was the best part of the experience?

The best part was definitely the people. I know that’s a cliché answer but it’s true. This year especially. I feel like someone cast a spell or something, but I love all these people. The models, the exec. It was just the small things, getting to know them, becoming close to them. I’ve made some really great friends from the whole team that I’ll carry on talking to for the rest of my life.

What would you do say to anyone who wants to get involved next year?

If you want to be a model, all I can say is be nice to your exec. Listen to them, respect them. Don’t annoy them, please, I’m begging you. If I find out that anyone is annoying the exec or not listening to them at rehearsals, I’ll come for you. They put so much work in, they’re stressed out constantly.

They have full degrees they have to do as well!

And just enjoy the experience.

Be prepared to put in effort though, you’ll need a certain amount of commitment for it.

Prepare yourself for that. But have fun, enjoy it, it was one of the best experiences of my time in Durham. Apart from that, all I can say is just apply! It’s open to anyone, it genuinely is. Just go for it.

Image credit (from top): Lottie Yates and Maddie Pink

TRAVEL travel@palatinate.org.uk

The rise of ‘workations’

T

Hugo Millard explores whether the future of travel combines work and play

he negative effects of the gruelling nine to five, day in day out, in the same workspace, have been well documented over the years. According to a 2019 survey by Rescue Time, people in work average under three hours of productive tasks a day. This highlights the issues brought about by the repetitiveness which has become the norm in our daily lives. In an era where efficiency is becoming the new obsession, why continue like this when the routine is completely flawed? One suggestion: ‘workations.’

problems with productivity, but also mentahealth. Spending hours on end for 45 plus weeks of the year, in the same place, exacerbates the already well-known problems associated with overworking, including stress, high blood pressure, and insomnia. Taking a ‘workation,’ on the other hand, allows you to look after different aspects of your life at the same time. Moreover, a change of scene is a very effective way of improving your mental health, which in turn boosts productivity.

While it might at first appear like a good idea, it has the potential to exacerbate a huge problem already existing in today’s world: our inability to switch off. As a result of the pandemic, there has been more and more enthusiasm for putting an end to the monotonous working hours we currently have, and making them ore flexible. Nevertheless, this blurring of the boundary between the two is actually not as good as it might seem. Due to the new flexibility of working hours

The routine is completely flawed It is a word that is completely new to most people, but this new concept has seen a surge in popularity during the pandemic. An amalgamation of the words ‘work’ and ‘vacation’, it refers to the practice of travelling to new places, as if you were on holiday, only you take your work with you. In recent years, it has become a method that many people have begun to try out and, due to the rise in technologies allowing us to work remotely, it has become even easier. However, while there is no doubting people’s new-found love of this pursuit, it is yet another representation of our issues with maintaining a good work-life balance. The very word itself is contradictory and encapsulates the nature of what humans have become in this modern-day society, which brings a demand to be constantly connected. Nevertheless, our current working situation is hardly getting the best out of us, so clearly something has to be done.

Nowadays, we find ourselves stuck in a vicious circle when it comes to work: the endless cycle of commuting, arriving at the same office, and returning home the same way.

This is now known to not only cause

It

and the fact they are no longer organised into work and rest, many struggle to fully take their minds off work. Professor Mark Cropley, author of The Off Switch, notes that ‘Phsiologically, people who can’t switch off are tense and irritable, they have high blood pressure, [and] a highheart rate.’

Recently in Belgium, to combat this, the government has introduced a law prohibiting civil servants from being punished for not fielding out-of-work-hours calls. This is a huge step in the right direction and follows on from similar actions in other countries, such as Portugal, where you can actually be fined for attempting to contact employees when not during work hours.

So how do you solve the problem? A potential solution which has been discussed widely is, of course, a shorter working week. Trials in Iceland, which took place between 2015 and 2019, proved to be an unrivalled success. Those taking part noticed feeling much better mentally and at less risk of burning out.

This was undoubtedly caused by the increased time with family and ability to take themselves fully out of the working environment.

The work-crazed society in which we are living is not one which often gives us the time we need and while ‘workations’ clearly have some benefits, in the long-run, they might just be adding to our problems. It is time to look elsewhere for a solution, and there seems to be one staring us in the face.

is yet another

representation of our

issues with maintaining a good work-life balance’

Image credit:

Anna Kuptsova

Thursday 24th February 2022

5

BOOKS books@palatinate.org.uk

The ‘chick-lit’ cover-trope epidemic Caitlin Ball argues that cover-image tropes are doing more harm than good

A

s readers, how can we be expected not to ‘judge a book by its cover’, when publishing houses are still banking on the fact that we will?

Walking into a bookshop, it is easy to spot where the ‘men’s’ fiction ends, and the ‘women’s’ fiction begins. Dark colours, bold capital letters, battlefields and far-off worlds characterise the covers of the former.

Light, bright colours, italic fonts and wistful looking (and generally also white) female models litter the ‘women’s’ section.

If you’re struggling to picture exactly what it is that I mean, give Lesley Pearse or Maeve Binchy a quick google for some epitomal examples.

But while a woman might feel more than comfortable to be seen browsing the bookshop shelf for fiction written by men, about men, sadly the reverse is mired in taboo. It’s not hard to see why, when women represent the

vast majority of English students and are constantly having centuries-worth of malecentric literature shoved down our necks.

We’re used to that.

However, these covers which display such tokens of femininity risk being deemed ‘chicklit’ on sight, and seem specially designed to repel male readers from women’s writing.

We know that reading for pleasure grew to be a distinctly feminine activity throughout the past two centuries. Literate women in the upper-middle classes remained in the domestic sphere, reading to fill leisure time while their male counterparts dominated public domains.

One can only assume the ‘chick-lit’ genre was created in the mid 1990s with the sole aim of preserving the remnants of this archaic binary, while we were all still coming to terms with the gains of third-wave feminism. Now, despite the fact that the decades since have seen vast changes in attitudes towards traditional gender roles, female readerships are still being treated as if they’ve got the time and energy to rifle through swathes of identical, all equally degrading book covers.

I sometimes joke that my mum’s been reading the same book for the past 20 years.

I know she’s gone through many a Lesley

Pearse, for example. But having the discernible, recognisable face of a model on each cover convinces a wider literary audience that the female experience is an easy one to simplify, and is undeserving of complexity and nuance.

I was shocked when I picked up one of my mum’s current reads to discover that this is the exact opposite of what Pearse’s fiction sets out to achieve. Each novel has a female heroine, yes, but in a different historical, social or economic context, allowing for a vast examination of solemn, complex women’s issues woven into each plot.

Much like the women on their front covers, modern female writers are continually being homogenised Yes, trashy ‘chick-lit’ novels exist, but the danger lies in all female-centric fiction being advertised as such.

Writers should not have to fight against the ‘chick-lit’ cover tropes that will immediately consign their book to the realms of ‘trash’ and ‘tripe’- to a genre that is more than ignoredoften actively sneered at- by the high-literature 6

Thursday, 24 February 2022

Image credit (from bottom left): Verity Laycock, Penguin.

BOOKS books@palatinate.org.uk

police.

This is, of course, all thanks to publishing houses who still believe that the key to skyrocketing sales is to slap the same, cheap visual clichés onto any books that are by women, about women. As Diane Shipley identifies in an article for The Guardian, ‘having cottoned on to the fact that chick-lit books sell like cupcakes, publishers are now adding chick-lit style covers to any book written by a woman whether it fits the genre definition or not.’

We should question why it is acceptable for publishing houses to run with gendered stereotypes on the covers of the books they promote, knowing full well they will only deepen the literary chasm between male and female writers and their readerships.

The use of tropes is, of course, a sure-fire way of drawing in your target audience, but then again, the very notion of selecting a ‘target audience’ seems restrictive and conservative. In an article for The Atlantic, Emily Harnett hit the nail on the head when she noted how ‘fiction about women… is too often characterized as niche-fiction—as too narrow to appeal to

anyone but women, or speak universally about lived experience and culture.’

While the literary world remains in league with the rest of the world in regarding the male experience as the default, this observation will ring true. The assumption that only female readers will be interested in the lives of femalewritten, female characters is hugely problematic.

I would like to challenge the narrative. If a book cover strongly reflects a decision to single women out as the ‘target audience’, others who may enjoy it are deterred, and disinvited.

Surely a book cover’s primary job is to grab the reader’s attention?

Using front-cover tropes as a projection of genre, especially when it comes to ‘chick-lit’ and female-authored fiction, is not always an exact science. Please don’t be completely put off by ‘chick-lit’-covers. If you have time, give more women writers the chance they deserve.

Image credit (clockwise from top left): Anna Kuptsova, Simon and Schuster, Penguin.

Thursday, 24 February 2022

7

STAGE stage@palatinate.org.uk

Starry eyed

T

Catherine Turner considers how we should respond to student theatre

o star or not to star, that is the question: whether the system is inexcusably reductive or flawed but necessary. The discourse around theatre criticism always seems to circle back to whether or not star ratings are actually needed. You tend to find yourself in one of two camps, all too easily branded as either a pragmatist (for stars) or an idealist (against stars) – unless, of course, you’re sat in the middle, straddling the fence.Critics, readers and theatre companies alike – myself included – habitually fixate on stars.

They are, after all, shamelessly slapped onto most reviews, under a bold headline and before all the words that few people will then persevere to read. Whether rightly or wrongly, we buy intostars – not just those on the stage, but those in the papers and on the posters too..

The values of student theatre criticism are not always aligned with those of professional theatre criticism.

Although the stars system lacks the nuance to really provide any meaningful criticism, its numerical decisiveness is undeniably compelling. Sometimes two or three stars are all potential ticket-buyers take away from a production as they turn away from it.

Like the starred product reviews on Amazon and Etsy, starred theatre reviews act as consumer guidance. They cater to the interests of the timepoor ticket-buyer and commodify theatre: this is what’s worth your money, this is what’s worth your time. But how can a one-to-five-star ranking

theatre criticism had suddenly readapted. The difficulties imposed on theatre-makers by their impractical working conditions were tacitly acknowledged. Critics were now rooting for (online) theatre as they never had before. Reviews became more empathetically responsive, more actively constructive. They evolved to suit a ‘new normal’ landscape, just as theatre itself had done to survive. The values of student theatre criticism are not always aligned with those of professional theatre criticism. We have different priorities. Not only that, but student theatre critics tend to share a much closer proximity to those they’re reviewing than professional theatre critics do.

During the pandemic, reviews became more empathetically responsive, more actively constructive; they evolved to suit a ‘new normal’ landscape, just as theatre itself had done to survive.

It should come as little surprise then that almost all DST reviews are clustered around the four and five-star mark. Nobody wants to receive a bad review, and nobody wants to give one either. It’s student theatre: we’re all in it together. This is where the star rating system feels so inadequate and indefensible. Palatinate has introduced half-stars to their starred theatre reviews – presumably in an attempt to help readers differentiate between reviews and, as an inevitable result, the ‘quality’ of DST shows. But a ranking system for student theatre doesn’t sit well with

Nobody wants to receive a bad review, and nobody wants to give one either. It’s student theatre: we’re all in it together. system ever be expected to reconcile itself with the various complexities of student theatre? It must be said that not all theatre industry principles necessarily apply here in DST (all that pays for me to make theatre, for instance, is my degree). Compared to the real world beyond University, DST is meant to be a relatively safe space – a space that effectively enables us to take risks and make mistakes, revisit the old and experiment with the new, figure out what works and what doesn’t.

It’s supposed to be serious fun; and student theatre criticism should reflect this.

A theatre review will always be an unavoidably personal and subjective interpretation, but surely it should still be attuned to its environment. During the pandemic, it seemed to me as though

8

Thursday 24th February 2022

me personally, especially with theatre criticism being so subjective.

The Scotsman newspaper introduced a one-to-five-star rating system in 1996 to help its readers navigate the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (approximately 1,500 shows were packed into three weeks that year).

Other newspapers then followed suit, until it became the norm we all know. But in DST, we’re typically looking at an average of three shows per week.

There is no need for us to have such a distinctly competitive system.

DST shows can afford – and frankly deserve – to be appreciated in their own right. Whether you’re for stars or against them ultimately depends on what (and who) you believe theatre criticism is designed for. But an oversimplified rating system doesn’t seem to be a pragmatic answer to the needs and nature of student theatre.

Image credit: Kristaps Ungers via Unsplash

Creative Writing creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk

Love and Identity Theo Mudhir explores a journey towards accepting idenity and Writer X tells us a narrative of young queer love and first experiences First Love

T

hea doesn’t know exactly when she fell in love with her childhood best friend. She wonders if it was when they were eleven and they sat together in a sock and ramen smelling computer room while trying to log into the big-bad world wide web together. Perhaps it was on their walks back home, her best friend always walking a few centimeters ahead, her thin plaited hair, dancing obliviously while she’d chatter animatedly about her math classes.

Sipping her coffee before me now, Thea continues to note how she’s happy that she didn’t know the exact moment she fell in love because she remembers the very second she realised it.

“The summer and winter breaks seemed longer at that age.” she recalls. “The internet was solely for Taylor Swift and online games that were reserved for the hour before dinner on the big family computer, so most of our days were spent outdoors.” Her face fills fondly with nostalgia.

“It didn’t snow that winter. The air was warmer than the autumn rains they had, and the afternoon sun would usually always turn a deep orange before disappearing into a blanket of tragic coal.”

Every afternoon, Thea and her friend would lie down on a patch of grass in front of a tired and run-down mill. Thea’s friend would chirp about her big dreams and how she wanted to be famous, but didn’t know if that would ever happen becausr she always felt like nobody would ever really love her.

This particular evening, Thea’s friend asked her what she wanted to do in life, where she wanted to go; Thea blurted out that she’d want to be wherever her friend was. Her friend laughed and looked away, pushing her hair away from her face. She said nothing and lay nestled near her, with her eyes closed.

That evening time seemed to fly faster than any other, neither girl realised the time until the church bells started ringing, which was their cue to go back home. Thea didn’t want to go back home that evening. She continued laying down while her friend sat up and stared at her. Her tightly braided hair looked almost golden in the orange light of the sky. When her friend bent down and pecked her on her lips Thea realised how much she loved her. The air around her, for once, buzzed as much as her heart seemed to. They ran back home, skipping every few steps together, their fingers entwined in childish certainty.

Image credit: Anna Kupstova

Thea finishes her coffee, smiles and says, “Her family moved to America a few months after that. Every year she’d come back for a few weeks and those were the best days of my year.”

Ode To a Little Boy

I

do not know how to interact with the body I have been given. I do not know how to relate to the tangible world if the vessel that anchors me to it was never my own. I often think of the little boy held inside, I think of the confusion that must have weighed him down. I would watch my brothers, born as they wanted to be, what a flippant slight of nature that was. What an unthinking trait they had that I would sell my soul for. With heavy hands and booming laughs, filling up space like they deserved it and they knew they did, like that biological hallmark that I fell short of held the key to all my problems. Maybe it would still my shaky hands and give tenor to my unimposing voice. How they would never cry, no cracks were ever elicited in the marble of their masculinity, standing tall like statues to be admired.

Masculinity was imposing, it was assertion and

mirth and that little boy wandered in its shadows, unable to understand his attraction to it.

They would not even wear colours on their clothes, as if lighter hues and tinges would let in weakness. How I used to sit in my ill-fitting dress wondering if the god I trusted existed in the schism between me and myself to which I had been exiled. And these were the questions that punctuated my teens, and this was the yearning that became the foundation for all my uncertainties.

Sometimes transition is not an affirming revelation but a metamorphosis through which you allow the self that had been restricted to the smallest parts of you to come forth and bring truth to what you have known all along.

Before this moment, all truths, all objectivities, all realities were mere shadows until the hands of the person you know you were meant to be grasps them. That ineffable turn, the indescribable moment at which the rest of your life, a life truly your own can explode to the forefront. Meaning can be brought to your relationships, to the work you put out, to each and every breath you take. And even though I knew that it was always there I still feel I have been sentenced to a life of grappling with masculinity, that the version of it I see in the mirror will always fall just short of the mark.

Yet why should masculinity be a weight upon me? Why have I always associated masculinity with bold colourless existence, imposing itself rather than flowing alongside the joy in life?

And is the moon not bright white and glowing in the sky as she conducts the waves from their heavy holdings? She has no harsh edges or angular construction but remains above all the masculinity to be found in this world. Realising is only half the journey in transition, the other half is finding where your masculinity fits within yourself. Those quiet moments in which I felt the most masculine were always those in which I was not defined by my masculinity but moving in symbiosis with it. The epiphany that it does not control you but it is yours to control.

When I have not pulled it from the depths of me but it is woven into my every action, not because I adopted it, but because I am simply a man. And so, today I wore my yellow jumper and she ran her hands along my shoulders as if they were as broad as the space between the ends of the earth, and I knew very well that should I cry I would still be just as much a man. I wonder what sort of ear splitting grin would fill that little boy’s face if he knew we live like this.

Thursday 24 February 2022

9

FOOD & DRINK food@palatinate.org.uk

Pancake Day: a celebration that can(’t) be topped Eve Kirman tells all you need to know about this fabulous, food-centred festival

I

t appears that Pancake Day this year has ‘creped’ up on us again and, as an avid pancake lover, I am as excited as ever. However, the movable date of Shrove Tuesday is always something that has confused me from year to year. While this may be common knowledge to some, for clarity: the date of Pancake Day is determined by when Easter Sunday falls, which, in turn, is decided by the date of the first full moon after the spring equinox. In other words, Shrove Tuesday is always 47 days before Easter Sunday and precedes Ash Wednesday. This means that Pancake Day could be on any Tuesday between 3rd February and 9th March.

Originally, Shrove Tuesday was a Pagan celebration prior to the arrival of Christianity. It was rooted in the belief that strained seasonal shifts were caused due to the coming of Spring at this time of the year. For the Pagans, the warm and circular nature of pancakes embodied the sun. Thus, the Pagans understood that by eating pancakes they would gain the power, light and heat of the sun in order to help them with this struggle of seasonal change.

Later, for Anglo-Saxon Christians, Shrove Tuesday was seen as a chance to deplete their rich food supplies of eggs, milk and sugar before Lent. Ceremonial fasting took place during the Lent period, consequently resulting in Christians avoiding food that they were most fond of. This practice is still carried out today.

For the Pagans, the warm and circular nature of pancakes embodied the sun

Editor’s Picks

Pancakes are simple and easy to make due to being composed of only three ingredients.

Further, each ingredient is viewed to symbolise a different aspect of spring and Christianity; eggs, flour and milk represent creation, the

10

The Pancake Cafe Open from 9am – 7pm on Pancake Day, this Durham staple is already taking bookings. Walkins will be available, too.

Their GF, DF and vegan options offer something for everyone.

Thursday, 24 February 2022

stuff of life and purity respectively.

However, it is not the history nor significance of Pancake Day that makes it, for me, one of the most exciting days of the year – it is, of course, the pancakes themselves.

Pancakes, while seemingly straightforward, can come in multifarious styles. The basic English pancake, slightly thicker than a French crepe, combines flour, eggs and milk into a batter which is fried to make the classic pancake that we all know and love. American-style pancakes have also become popular in the UK due to their thickness and fluffy texture, owing to the addition of baking powder. Mini Russian blinis are also common in Britain, known for their use as an appetizer. They are traditionally made from buckwheat flour as opposed to wheat flour.

Most countries have their own take on traditional pancakes with poffertjes originating from the Netherlands, boxtys from Ireland, jeons from Korea, crespelle from Italy, pikelets from Australia and raggmunks from Sweden. This goes to show how easily the basic pancake recipe can be modified by adapting a few ingredients or by changing the cooking style. But, for me, what solidifies pancakes as a kitchen staple is the variety of toppings they can be served with.

The traditional English and, somewhat surprisingly, most popular topping in Britain is lemon and sugar. Other popular sweet toppings include maple syrup, fresh fruit or chocolate spread. Controversially, however, I prefer savoury toppings, but this could just stem from my disproportionately large love of cheese. Therefore, I cannot recommend highly enough topping your pancakes with mushrooms, ham, tomato or pizza sauce with (of course) copious amounts of cheese. Nevertheless, whatever pancake toppings you choose, I’m sure this year’s Pancake Day will be flipping amazing.

Riverview Kitchen Renowned for their stacks of fluffy pancakes, Riverview will be open especially for Pancake Day. In addition to their collection of American pancakes, the cafe will offer vegan pancakes and crepes, too!

Other top pancake picks: Leonard’s Coffee House: huge portions with a variety of toppings.

Treats: complement your pancakes with eggs or a sausage.

Flat White Kitchen: a true Durham classic, you can’t go wrong here!

Image credit (top to bottom): Verity Laycock, Nia Kile

FILM & TV film@palatinate.org.uk

A celebration of shorts Film & TV’s contributors discuss their favourite short films for our shortest month

I

n celebration of the shortest month of the year, Film & TV’s contributors were tasked with discovering the very best short films to satisfy our ever-shortening attention spans.

Second Best

By Holly Downes Second Best, as the title suggests, exposes the realities of twin relationships – the exhausting battle to become the best when this term is only reserved for one. Being a dark comedy about the fierce rivalry between identical twins, whose inseparable bond is threatened when a sister’s successful gymnastics career steals the spotlight, a competitive streak starts to fuel their dichotomy. This is further instigated by their ambitious mother who projects her unattainable hopes and dreams upon them, measuring her self-worth with the twins’ accomplishments. Yet, when the twins’ lifestyles take an unexpected turn one day, the family dynamics are left fragmented forever.

It is a simple yet deeply provocative film Revealing the struggle to define oneself from the bubble of ‘twindom’, where twins are seen as one rather than separate individuals, simple dialogue, long silences and 2.66:1 aspect ratio film shots are used to reflect these feelings of bleak emptiness and isolation. Bearing the question of whether they will grow together or grow apart, it is a simple yet deeply provocative film that combines domestic tension, controlling mothers and the importance of sibling bonds.

If Anything Happens, I Love You

By Emily Doughty For a film that lacks dialogue, grief screams loudly through every moment of If Anything Happens, I Love You. The winner of the 2021 Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, it delivers an emotional punch which leaves its audience reeling. It languishes in the fact that it’s a mere twelve minutes, making every moment an intense watch as it deals with the grief of two parents mourning the loss of their daughter to a school shooting. The choice to use sketch animation makes the dark shadows of their grief

even more noticeable as the audience is given a view into the lives of these parents as they desperately try to deal with the unimaginable.

The film is known for removing politics from the situation The subject matter of If Anything Happens, I Love You is undoubtedly a political one as it tackles the polarising issue of school shootings, but the film is known for removing politics from the situation. By stripping the topic back to its most fundamental impact, the grief of those left behind, it makes it impossible for anyone to take a partisan approach. Because in the end, who could imagine the horror of the last communication of a loved one being “if anything happens, i love you”. 水グモもんもん, Mizugumo Monmon

By Emerson Shams

Mizugumo Monmon, 水グモもんもん, is a lesser known Studio Ghibli film by Hayao Miyazaki and that is for good reason. The fifteen minute

short was only displayed in Japan at the Ghibli Museum of Art, along with other short films by the production company. However, for fans of Miyazaki’s work, it is still worth the watch as the 2006 film can be found online.

Whilst using no words, the film shows a gentle love that is both longing and sad The film follows a diving bell spider (a type of aquatic spider) named Monmon, almost a reflection of a slice of life. As it goes about its daily routine, Monmon meets a water strider and falls in love. As the short progresses we see their relationship develop. Like with most Miyazaki, it has the foundation of mono no aware, 物の哀れ, or the pathos of things. Whilst using no words, the film shows a gentle love that is both longing and sad. Like with most Ghibli films, the music from the short is an integral part. It helps to bring the viewer along in the romance it portrays.

Mizugomo Monmon is personally, one of my favourite Ghibli films as it’s intricate story and beauty makes it stand out against other features made by the same company.

Image credit: Verity Laycock Thursday, 24 February 2022

11

INTERVIEW indigo.interview@palatinate.org.uk

Behind the lens with Callum Robson Interview Editor Steph Ormond speaks to Callum Robson about street photography

C

ounty Durham undoubtedly has its fair share of some of the most picturesque spots in England. As seen on Instagram, Durham City appears somewhat irresistable to cameras.

Taking mostly photographs of people, Interview spoke to Callum Robson [below], a street photographer and TEFL teacher originally from nearby Merton, and now residing in Oviedo, Spain about his street photography experiences in cities across the North East and, North and Central Spain.

of this guy playing a trumpet with enormous cheeks in Durham. Despite being runner up, it was displayed in The Baltic and moved around the North East as part of the exhibition. Now, the problem has been with Covid. Of course, I have continued to take photographs, but I don’t have any major projects now. Maybe that will change but the last couple of years, life really, has meant that I still do it but not as much asI used to and hopefully that will change with time.”

Inevitably, we move on to discussing Callum’s biggest project, Humans of Durham which ran from 2014-2015 and how he wished to capture the local community. “Again, it goes back to what I was saying about people and street photography. I had at some point followed the mother of all these projects known as Humans of New York which had millions of followers. online. The truth was that I wanted to replicate that in the community along with getting experience. I had seen other versions done across the board and I felt that I wanted to do it well.

It is very easy to become quite protective of what you create “I remember being interested in photography when I was young and asking for a camera for Christmas. It wasn’t the most expensive camera, but it was just something for me to get started with at the time. At university, I started taking photos of all sorts of things. Looking back on them, they were probably not very good but it’s that enthusiasm and passion that moved me forwards. I was part of the Snooker and Pool Club, and took on a very active role in promotion by taking photos for their events that were also used for the posters. Overall, I was trying to be as creative as possible with my camera and photography pursuits.”

On his photography style, Callum reflects on its beginnings: “I was part of a photography group in County Durham for a little while and everyone did their own thing – taking pictures of mostly landscapes and flowers which did not interest me. So, I started taking photos of people and thought ‘oh that’s good!’ Back then, I was the only person who did so. Eventually, the street photography thing pushed me on, and I was one of the runners up for the 2014 Port of Tyne Reflect Photography and Film Competition in the category: ‘Reflect Life’ for a photo

12

Thursday, 24 February 2022

“All the photos were in colour and tried to reflect the feelings of what was said by the people who were interviewed. That was my goal. I met some amazing people and took some brilliant photos. Even now, it is still very important to me that I was able to do it given what was happening at that time.”

Likewise, I ask Callum whether he would consider reviving the project and what he’s working on now. “Well, I have tongue and cheek mentioned it to people and they’re like ‘do it here then!’. My Spanish is decent now, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable going up to strangers and doing the same thing. With Humans of Durham, I had this feeling that it wasn’t going to last forever since I had other things that I wanted to do. However, like any artistic venture, I feel like it is one of those tasks that I would like to continue doing myself since it is very easy to become quite protective of what you create.

“I’d love to say that I have done twenty thousand things and that everything has been wonderful, but that simply hasn’t been the case.

Part of the reason that I did Humans of Durham was because I was looking for work. I took it on whilst doing some voluntary stuff in Durham to keep myself going and felt as if I needed to

keep ticking over. So, Humans of Durham gave me that push. Sometimes it was tricky since it could be hard to find people to approach or I wouldn’t be feeling it some days. Shortly after finishing the project in 2015, I moved to Spain and I have pretty much been here ever since and haven’t really been back to the UK since January 2020. I can’t believe it myself.”

Since Callum moved to Spain we ponder the differences in taking photos there and in his home area: “I always felt at home in Durham whilst taking photos. Was everyday a successful day? No. But I would like to think that there is always some buzz in the city, something happening which I can take photos of. I suppose where I’m situated now, I’ve lost a bit of motivation due to Covid and didn’t want to have a catalogue of people wearing masks.

Personally, there aren’t any major differences, just different cities. Durham and Newcastle are quite lively and in Madrid? There’s constantly something there to take photos of.”

Regarding future plans, Callum seeks to stick to his craft. “ I want to go to another big city since there’s so much to discover whether it’s a back alley or a square. It’s an endless experience since everywhere you look there is something.

Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities for this.

I would like to go to loads of places, there’s no fixed plan.”

You can view Callum’s work on @callumstreetphoto on Instagram.

Images credit: Callum Robson

INTERVIEW interview@palatinate.org.uk

Talking fashion with Eleanor Pritchard

W

Arjun Seth speaks with DUCFS fashion director, Eleanor Pritchard

e meet at Whitechurch, the popular coffee-stop connecting the hill colleges to Church St and down to the Bailey. As Eleanor later points out, this is quite fitting given that we’re discussing DUCFS, the confluence where creativity meets charity, and together form part of the spectacular showpiece that leaves many vying for a last-minute ticket on Overheard. I begin by asking Eleanor about the importance of the fashion show to which she is quick to highlight how it fills the vacuum of creativity left by the university’s lack of art-related degrees.

“I think for me its importance is bolstered at universities which do not offer creative degrees such as Fine Art and History of Art, where students can really express themselves in an arguably non-academic way.

It combines two great things: charity and creativity and enables like-minded people to come together. Moreover, fashion touches everybody and is meant to make us all feel empowered and valued. It is right that we celebrate this here at Durham.”

Fashion touches everybody and is meant to make us all feel empowered and valued “This year we had 32 exec committee members, and I was one of three fashion directors serving under a creative president. The creative president decided the direction of each of the 8 catwalks and as fashion directors, we were tasked with bringing each one of those visions for the walk to life by sourcing the clothes and communicating with designers.”

Sourcing the garments for such a large event is no easy task, which leads me to ask Eleanor how she went about selecting the outfits.

“I began simply by looking through Instagram, which is a great way to find new work.

Central St. Martin’s (an art college in London), did a white show recently, so I was getting in touch with designers from there.”

I then ask whether any DU designers of our own had their work showcased, to which Eleanor is pleased to talk about alumni from her own college, Trev’s.

“Yes! We were lucky to be able to promote a few student designers. From Durham, we had DemooJeans, run by former Trevs’ students who set up the brand during their time at college, they loaned us some jeans for the show. To be able to communicate with budding designers at other universities – in particular Central St. Martin and Edinburgh, was a great thing to do. We were able to give them a platform and showcase their work. To have their garments

was wonderful to appreciate and celebrate this by showcasing the empowerment that fashion ultimately makes people feel. Both for the wearer and the creator. Fashion touches everyone. I want fashion to make everybody feel empowered and valued. I don’t think it should be restricted to size, ethnicity, age or gender. It should celebrate everybody!”

It is no secret that DUCFS has been mired in controversy in recent years, as it failed to broaden its appeal and be more inclusive. This has often led to criticism, however Eleanor feels that things have started to change.

There have been issues in the past that the show has not been as diverse as it should be, but this year felt different

worn by models must have been amazing.”

Eleanor then tells me that she has her own sustainable jewellery brand, Felt Fancy, along with a blog, prompting me to ask how her interest in fashion arose.

“For me it first began when I was looking at sustainability and materials when studying GCSE Textiles. At this point I was already blogging about beauty and when I was learning about fashion, I realised that there was much more to it than just Urban Outfitters! Instead, it is more like a process both for the wearer but also the creator.”

Eleanor goes on to express that in many cases, fashion can demonstrate true artistic talent and be a tool of empowerment.

“Designers craft our clothes. The clothes are often like works of art. Doing the show, it

“This year, we were very keen to celebrate diversity at Durham, as unfortunately it has not been done enough. Many members of the exec were from international backgrounds, and I remember working with two people from Hong Kong and Lebanon, who were able to bring different styles to the table and these were included. There have been issues in the past that the show has not been as diverse as it should be.

But this year felt different, I felt a real sense of unity between the exec, models and hopefully wider student body too.”

Furthermore, Eleanor feels that DUCFS was able to perhaps at last establish a cohesive Durham community.

“I’d also argue that this year’s show helped to bridge the divide between students and locals too. We were able to include drag queens from the local area too – not just the university! We had some from Durham and even Newcastle.

It was great to see a rare integration and establishment of wider ‘Durham community’ of students and locals participating in an event together.”

DUCFS have raised a phenomenal haul of £205,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust this year.

A fantastic total that will help to recruit more cancer nurses for the North-East.

Image credit: Ivanovgood via Pixabay Thursday, 24 February 2022 13

VISUAL ARTS visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

The Lakota Massacre and the ‘stolen’ artefact Hugo Millard delves into the ethical implications surrounding ‘stolen’ artefacts

T

he controversies surrounding stolen artefacts appearing in museums are nothing new.

A debate surrounding the Elgin Marbles has been raging for years and has captured the thoughts of many intellectuals, historians, and curators worldwide. Recently, a similar discussion has commenced involving the Kelvingrove art gallery in Glasgow, who have received calls to return a collection of Native-American artefacts; these were looted from dead bodies following the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre, in which an estimated 300 of the Lakota tribe were brutally murdered by American soldiers.

In 1932, the Wounded Knee Survivors Association was founded in an attempt to receive some form of compensation for the atrocities that occurred. As well as lobbying the American congress into stripping twenty soldiers of the medals they received for participating in the massacre, their demands for reparations included the return of the stolen property. This included a Ghost Dance Shirt – believed to protect it’s wearer from any sort of harm – which was also previously in the possession of Kelvingrove art gallery. It’s significance was only truly discovered in 1992, having been repatriated in 1988 after thirty years on display in the museum without any mention of it’s colonial past. However, it calls into question why the other artefacts were not returned and very much highlights certain issues with museums holding onto such objects, especially given the controversial nature of their ownership.

Calls into question why the other artefacts were not returned This story followed on from the Egyptian government’s request, in 2019, that the National Muse14

um of Scotland prove that their acquisition of a pyramid casting stone, they have possessed since the late nineteenth century, was legal, otherwise demanding that it be returned. Although, from another point of view, the change of display surrounding the stone could have negative effects.

There is a huge advantage to exhibiting objects in historical context, alongside items from other eras, as it gives us the ability of directly comparing past civilisations, enhancing the educational tool that history is for us.

This is why housing them in diverse museums is of the utmost importance.

There is a huge advantage to exhibiting objects in historical context Nevertheless, it is vital to look at the manner in which artefacts arrive in a foreign country when determining where they should be kept. The means by which the Kelvingrove museum obtained the Lakota items are well-known to be the result of an atrocity committed by United States soldiers.

Due to this, there is an undeniable need for cultural sensitivity which cannot be understated.

Firstly, the looting of clothes from the dead bodies was fundamentally unlawful in the society of the time. Secondly, the fact that people died whilst wearing the clothing that is currently held in Glasgow, gives them a sacredness according to Lakota beliefs, something which cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, it is important to note a clear difference between the case of the clothing and objects such as the Elgin Marbles, for instance. The necklace and bonnet have never actually been on display at the museum and the moccasins only appeared on

Thursday, 24th February 2022

display for a brief period between 2006 and 2014. On the other hand, the Elgin marbles have been on display for almost 200 years, providing invaluable education for those who have been to see them.

Importantly, this is also completely free of charge, which cannot be said for the new Acropolis Museum in Athens.

The most effective way to change and make sure that the past is not repeated is through education Moreover, claims that sending the Lakota items back to their home would lead to a “slippery slope” of returning much of what our museums hold are absurd. As stated above, there is an immense difference between their situation and the situation of other con-

tested artefacts, something which cannot be ignored. It is hugely important that we acknowledge our colonial era and the mistakes that our country has made. However, while greater recognition of our unpleasant past is undoubtedly in great need, it is provoking many of us into thinking that returning all of the disputable artefacts that have been in our museums is the answer. It is not.

The most effective way to change and make sure that the past is not repeated is through education, and in many cases, sending items back to their origins would greatly impair this.

Furthermore, it would also hugely undermine the benefits that multiculturalism in modern society brings us.

There are certainly cases where returning artefacts appears to be the most ethical course of action.

However, it cannot be allowed to become a blanket rule, otherwise the effects would be catastrophic.

Illustration: Verity Laycock

MUSIC music@palatinate.org.uk

Half time full volume: it’s not just a game Grace Wakefield explores the choices behind the 56th Superbowl’s half time show

J

anet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock, and Jessica Simpson walk into a bar… no, really. This was the 38th Super Bowl’s half time show. Every year, the Super Bowl offers a variety of music which entertains, captures, and thrills the audience. Sunday’s 56th Super bowl was certainly no exception to this. Featuring Kenrick Lamar, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog and 50 Cent, the $10 million budget, combined with their musical talent; this half-time show was one of my personal favourites. This was the first year that hip-hop would be at the centre of the concert, and this carried with it an assortment of racial controversies. This, paired with the showcasing of artists whose creative and commercial peaks were enjoyed over a decade ago with little fear for their reputations, was a huge risk for the NFL.

for a hugely dynamic spectacle that demanded the audience to dance and sing along.

But the show was not only visually and aurally overwhelming. It illustrated battles that run through the veins of modern American society. The amplification of black voices at the half time show of a sport historically riddled with racial injustice, for one, represented a call for change in the NFL.

The amplification of black voices...represented a call for change in the NFL

Editor’s Picks

The show opened with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog performing audience favourite ‘Still Dre’, which made for a solid start.

The pair went on to perform ‘California Love’, a tribute to 2Pac who was shot and killed in 1994. This transformed the show from mere entertainment to a performance with deeply elegiac undertones. 50 Cent then appeared, hanging upside down from the ceiling of the set and singing breakout hit ‘In Da Club’. The eagle-eyed in the audience would have noticed that he was in fact in da club as he sang directly below a sign reading ‘Eve After Dark’, a famous nightclub in Compton, only 20 minutes from the SoFi stadium where the game was held.

Red lights and a multitude of dancers appeared

The song choices also demonstrated the artists’ wish to bring these issues to the fore.

Lamar’s familiar tune ‘m.A.A.d city’, which references the pertinent issue of gang culture, was largely bleeped out (it has been said that this was the half time show with the most bleeped out lyrics), but the audience’s familiarity with the song meant that the political message was nevertheless retained. Lamar then continued and sang one of my all-time favourites: ‘Alright’. Also extremely politically charged, this song speaks of devastating police brutality against ethnic minorities. The line “we hate po-po/ Wanna kill us in the street fo sho” was

carefully omitted, most likely due to the artist’s recent debacle with Fox News, who criticised his performance of the song at the BT Awards because of its politically motivated lyrics. It is telling that he chose to perform the song despite this.

[The show] will be remembered as a powerful...expression of long-held American indignation towards racial injustice The music stops abruptly and Eminem, insular as ever but still emanating his characteristic tension, appears and sings Lose Yourself. It was reported by Puck News that the rapper, moments before the game began, asked the N.F.L. if they approved of him taking a knee during the set, and his proposal was denied. The only white performer of the show ignored this advice and as he rapped “opportunity comes once in a lifetime” at the end of the song, he put his right hand to his head and dropped down on his left knee. This was, of course, a reference to San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, who knelt during the 2016 NFL season in protest against police brutality. In a subtle yet poignant moment, Dr. Dre played the opening melody of his late friend’s most famous hit: 2Pac’s I Ain’t Mad at Cha. The half-time show, rather than light entertainment and relief, was a strong articulation of off-field battles. It follows that the 56th Superbowl – more so than the Rams’ victory – will be remembered as a powerful and cathartic expression of long-held American indignation towards racial injustice.

Durham University Choral Society March 12th, 7pm

Durham University Orchestral Society March 5th, 7pm

A 120-strong DUCS will be singing Mozart Requiem and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms in Durham Cathedral. This is one of the biggest musical collaborations in the University’s history and promises to be a night to remember!

Join DUOS in Durham Cathedral for the first performance of Stanford’s Becket since 1890. Featuring cellist Richard Jenkinson, and two student vocalists, this will be a fantastic showcase of the University’s orchestral talent.

Illustration and Images (left to right): Sean Hermanson (via Flickr), Georgie Proctor, James Bailey

Thursday, 24 February 2022

15