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Cressida Peever - indigo@palatinate.org.uk
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INDIGO 3 F EATURES
We look at stories from the Holocaust following Memorial Day
4 & 5 MUSIC
We interview the famous Bombay Bicycle Club, and the lesser known Alexander
6 & 7 V ISUAL ARTS
Our look at the moral questions of fake paintings, and a review from White Cube 8 & 9 FASHION
Durham’s Fashion Week reviewed 1 0 FILM & TV
A prediction of which films deserve to take home the Oscars
1 1 F O OD & DRINK Learn more about Durham’s mouth-watering foodie societies 1 2 & 13 STAGE
A snapshot of our theatre-hates, as well as tips from a first-time producer 1 4 BOOKS
We review the tale of love, loss and adventure that is ‘Above All Things’
1 4 & 15 TRAVEL
Swap Durham’s Palatine Centre from Rome’s Palatine Hill in this edition
For more arts and lifestyle articles please visit www.palatinate.org.uk
Cover photograph by Cressida Peever Artwork by Judy Hurst
The image on the front of this edition of Indigo shows a painted velum made by Judy Hurst to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the foundation of St Cuthbert’s Society. The vellum acts as a painted history of Cuth’s, depicting both spiritual and human involvement in the Society’s creation and development. The picture, for me, is a symbol of college pride, and helps me to put my daily life into perspective, not only through thinking of my time at Cuth’s in a historical context, but also by reminding me of the positive influence that college life has had on me over my comparatively short three years here. I feel very strongly that the college system helps individuals to get the best out of themselves, not only through Welfare and student support systems, but also by giving students a college identity and encouraging involvement in college life. As a particularly shy and awkward Fresher, I’m convinced that it was the mutual college identity that helped me to make friends and gradually build up my confidence; I would have struggled to keep my head above water in an enormous university without this crucial difference in administration. In October, Cuth’s held several events to coincide with its anniversary, one of which was an evening of short speeches from alumni about their time at Cuth’s. I was struck by how much others’ experiences resonated with my own: many spoke of the lively community and unforgettable memories, long standing traditions and invaluable experiences. Most prominent was the feeling of having received an all-round life education. I’m sure that those of you at other colleges feel similarly. Thus, the news of proposed college centralisation makes me deeply sad. This step towards diminishing college identity moves to eradicate what makes Durham so special, jeopardising the integrity of our unique University experience. Even if your college involvement and awareness has been limited, I’m sure you can agree that whatever part it played in your time here has been a positive one. Therefore, I urge you to fall back in love with your college, and prove to the decisionmakers how invaluable our collegiate system is for high achievers (such as ourselves) to maintain a healthy balance of work and enjoyment during the academic pressure of working towards a degree from one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Cressida
INDIGO EDITOR Cressida Peever BOOKS EDITOR Kate Wilkinson FASHION EDITORS Isobel Buckingham Katie Shuff FEATURES EDITOR Francesca Jaworska FILM & TV EDITOR Aalok Vora FOOD & DRINK EDITOR Diana Grant-Davie MUSIC EDITORS Sophia Smith Galer Jack Collins (deputy) STAGE EDITOR Emma Dawson TRAVEL EDITOR Philip Whitehead VISUAL ARTS EDITOR Frances Marsh
WRITERS Charlotte Kume-Holland Olivia Le Poidevin Jessie Honnor Suzanne Lithgo Darren Almond Lucy Flascher Laura Ryan Farah Thobani Priyanka Paunrana Joe Skelton Eleanor Gunn Elgan Alderman Thea Crawfurd-Svensen Zosia Eyres Connie Bettison Kaavya Lakshmanan Eli Huebner Alexandra Webber-Isaacs Cressida Peever Ralph Weiner Lise Lie Stefan Kotz Leying Lee Hatty James Philip Whitehead
PHOTOGRAPHY / ILLUSTRATION Harriet-Jade Harrow Rose Innes Joyce Uerpairojkit Mariam Hayat Cressida Peever
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Francesca Jaworska - features@palatinate.org.uk
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for the dead and the living
One month on from memorial day, Charlotte Kume-Holland looks at the stories of The Holocausthotograph: oouinouin via flikr “For the dead and the living, we must bear witness” Elie Wiesel – Holocaust Survivor
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ne month ago today, the 27th January, was Holocaust Memorial Day. I’m sure for most people this was one which passed by unnoticed, but it marked the 69th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Soviet Union in 1945. When I became involved with The Holocaust Educational Trust- a charity set up 26 years ago with the purpose of educating young people about the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance- the driving force wasn’t because I had a great passion for history and wanted to learn the details of the biggest genocide of all time. Nor was it because I was aware of the genocides still happening in Rwanda, Cambodia, Darfur and countless other countries. It was because of my interest in people, in society, and how we relate to one another, and I firmly believe that there is so much that the Holocaust can teach us about the best and worst of human nature, and that is why it should be remembered. Before becoming involved with The Trust in sixth form, I knew very little about the Holocaust, apart from a few history lessons. I knew some of the facts and figures; 6 million people were murdered,there were concentration camps, I’d heard of Auschwitz, but the figures didn’t really mean anything to me, and from the many conversations I have had with friends and family since my involvement, this seems to be the case for most people. When the opportunity arose to take part in the Lessons from Auschwitz project, which including hearing survivor testimonies and visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau, I knew I’d find it interesting and potentially upsetting, but I don’t think I realised just how much of an impact it would have. When you’ve seen and experienced the power of Auschwitz and survivor testimonies first hand, you don’t forget it in a hurry. Now, as one of the Regional Ambassadors for The Holocaust Educational Trust, I continue to try and pass on the messages of the Holocaust today, and I think the most effective way to do this is through stories. After all, “stories are persuasive, what got Hitler to power was stories, and what will keep the memory of the Holocaust alive and relevant is stories,” (Nick Robinson, MP, 2013). I’ve been lucky enough to speak to and hear testimonies from four survivors now; Zigi Shipper, Eva Clarke, Hannah Lewis and Rudi Oppenheimer. These survivors spend hour after hour reliving their past to young people, in the hope that this generation won’t forget. Listening to them, it’s incredibly hard to comprehend that this was their life, their childhood, their family. Seeing the serial numbers still stamped upon some of their arms is extremely powerful - serving as a reminder of their painful past which will never go away. So here I turn to Hannah Lewis, a survivor of the Holocaust, as I think it’s important to include part of a story. At 6 years old, Hannah was forced to watch her mother die.
“I just remember my mother who has incredibly calm and strong, getting on her knees from the bed, putting her arms around me, she gave me a huge hug and then without a word got up, walked to the door, opened the door and closed it behind her.. and so I sat there waiting for her to come back.. I looked out of the window, saw the Gestapo line them up...And I saw her fall, and I saw blood on the stone... and in that one moment I grew up.” She goes on;“But I knew that I mustn’t cry, I knew instinctively that she had played her last dice to give me a chance to live and if I cried they would know.” Both Hannah and her mother showed incredible, unimaginable, strength. Sadly this story is one which can be told a thousand times over, and resonates with the experiences of the Rwandan genocide in 1994. However, there are other stories of the human capacity for strength and hope which emerge from such evil. As Primo Levi discusses in his book “Survival in Auschwitz”, he found himself confused upon seeing his friend bothering to wash, because, what was the point when it wouldn’t help them to live? His friend then explained: “We are slaves, deprived of every right, exposed to every insult, condemned to certain death, but we still possess one power… the power to refuse our consent... so we must certainly wash our faces without soap in dirty water and dry ourselves on our jackets. We must polish our shoes, not because the regulation states it, but for dignity and propriety. We must walk erect, without dragging our feet, not in homage to Prussian discipline but to remain alive, not to begin to die.” I think the words speak for themselves, but it is these stories of strength, compassion, acts of kindness and determination and care that I think really stand out and have an effect. They remind us that the Holocaust was about the destruction of individual lives – lives which were deemed less worthy of living, and worryingly this is a concept which still exists today. Therefore, we shouldn’t necessarily remember the Holocaust for its historical worth, or just remember the facts. As the event begins to feel ever more distant without living survivors around to tell the stories themselves and only grainy black and white photographs, it will become harder for future generations to engage with it. So how can we remember? Even if it’s watching a film; Schindler’s List, Shoah, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, or listening to just one survivor testimony, many of which can be found online, we are helping to keep the stories alive. These are such powerful stories and should not be forgotten. We don’t just remember for the sake of the past, we remember for the sake of the future. To find out more about The Holocaust Educational Trust and the work they do, visit http://www.het.org.uk Story by Charlotte Kume-Holland Illustration by Harriet-Jade Harrow
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Sophia Smith Galer & Jack Collins (deputy) - music@palatinate.org.uk
bombay bicycle club// interview
Olivia Le Poidevin speaks to Suren de Saram, drummer of Bombay Bicycle Club. The band have just scored a number 1 album for the first time with So Long, See You Tomorrow and they are currently touring. Have you ever been back to the takeaway service you named yourselves after? Have your north London roots been important to you? They actually invited us for a curry quite soon after we started up. So although we regret our name, at least we got a free meal out of it, I suppose...I think our north London roots probably had more influence on us in the early days; less and less so now. There are some obvious references on some of the songs from our first album and early EPs, for example our song ‘The Hill’ on the first album is about a part of Hampstead Heath which is a big park next to where we all used to live and where we spent a lot of time. When we started out we were one of a number
“we’ve always maintained that it’s important to have a life outside of the band” of bands to come from our school and neighbouring schools who began having some success, so it was a creative place to be. How did you form the band? In an age of huge record-label competition, and thousands of new bands on YouTube etc, was it difficult establishing yourselves and becoming successful? We originally got together to play a school assembly. Our head of year knew we each played instruments so asked us to get together and play something, and
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that was the start of it all. A couple of our friends started putting on underage nights soon after that and asked us to play so those were our first proper gigs. Everything has happened quite naturally for us. We weren’t one of these bands that started out thinking, “We’ve got to get signed as soon as possible,” and everything is geared towards that. I think this is part of the reason why we’ve had a relatively long career so far. We gave ourselves time to develop and a record deal eventually came. The main difficultly we had was we were so young when we started and there were a lot of people that didn’t take us seriously back then just because we looked like these nerdy kids. I think some people still see us as being those same kids and so don’t give us a chance now which is a shame.
develops the electronics and samples that we introduced on the previous album further. It’s our most dance-influenced album yet but there are also some very intimate moments.
What sparks your song-writing? Life experiences, art, traveling?
Have any of you been to Durham? What did you think of it?
We’ve always maintained that it’s important to have a life outside of the band so we don’t fall into the trap of just writing songs about tour life like some bands though. That doesn’t make for particularly interesting songs. When we’re home it’s important to us to catch up with our friends and maintain relationships so there are things to write about. Travelling has been a big influence on the sound of this particular record. Towards the end of touring the last
I actually applied to go to university in Durham. I remember going up there for the day with my dad. I remember having a look around the music department and then going to sit by the river and watching the rowers…if I had ended up going to university it looked like it would have been the ideal place to be.
“this definitely feels like the album that’s captured our sound best” album, Jack would often stay on in a country after we’d played there to write new material if we had a break before the next show. He spent time in the Netherlands, Turkey, Japan and India, with the Indian influence being the most blatant on the album. There are various Bollywood samples on the record, the most obvious being a clip of the song ‘Man Dole Mera Tan Dole’ from the 1950s film Nagin which features on our song ‘Feel’. What can we expect from the new album? Is this your best yet? I think you’re always going to be most proud of your latest piece of work as it represents you best at that current moment. This definitely feels like the album that’s captured our sound best, and that’s probably largely down to the fact that it was self-produced. We’ve been more cut-throat with this album than any of our previous albums in terms of quality. We ended up leaving some very strong songs off the record - songs that we would have put on previous albums in an instant. As I mentioned, this album
We are from a student paper at Durham University. Did any of you go to university – if so what is your best student memory? None of us went to university unfortunately. We all applied with a gap year, pursued the band during that year and then ended up withdrawing our places. Jamie our guitarist is actually doing an Open University course in his spare time at the moment though. I’m sure he has many wild stories to share from that.
Where did you get the idea to use the soundtrack from a 1950s Bollywood film for ‘Feel’? Do you think it’s important to have a range of influences in such a multicultural world? [Jack] picked up a lot of old Bollywood records while in Mumbai, one of which was the soundtrack to the 1950’s film Nagin. He took it back to the studio that he had been lent for a couple of weeks and started playing around with it. Soon after, the studio owner came in and asked him why he was watching Nagin. It was only then that Jack realised he was sampling one of the most recognisable Bollywood songs of all time! I guess it’s more relevant than ever to be bringing music from different parts of the world together, as the lines between countries and cultures blur more and more. But whether we’re in a multicultural world or not, it’s important to have a wide range of influences and our back catalogue shows that we’ve always had that. It’s the only way to progress. Finally, do you have any advice to students at university who hope to pursue a career in music? Just try and get yourself heard as much as possible. Take any opportunity to play in front of people, it could always lead to something. Don’t make getting a record deal your primary goal - that’s not going to lead to anything good. If you’re doing it for your own enjoyment, have good songs and are focussed then things should fall into place. Just give it some time and don’t rush things.
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Following the release of Alexander’s debut LP Say Hello, the alt-pop band who have been together for just over a year have received impressive critical acclaim, selling out venues all over the UK in 2013, including during their September headline tour. It is clear that the band have had a successful breakthrough year – but 2014 looks set to be even better for the Durham-based four-piece.
Sophia Smith Galer & Jack Collins (deputy) - music@palatinate.org.uk
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alexander//interview
Recently I was fortunate enough to talk to Anth Snowdon, the lead singer of the band. Listing their influences as musicians as diverse as Jamaroqui, Death Cab for Cutie and Fleetwood Mac – whose song, ‘Dreams’, he later mentions as being the one song he would have with him if stranded on a desert island – the fact that they rely on each other as close friends to introduce new artists to listen to speaks volumes of the solidarity and companionship within their band. This solidarity is even evident in the band’s name. “We didn’t really want to have a band name that sounded cool, we wanted something that represented the music. We all write the music together [so we thought] why don’t we call the band a name, as if we were one person?”. The other members of the band include Jamie Clark, the guitarist, who is the messiest member according to Anth; “He’s lovely and sweet, but he’s always leaving stuff around”. The title of best dresser begrudgingly goes to James Simpson, the bass player - “I’ll give him that one!” Drew, their drummer, on the other hand, is the best dancer, “known for his sensational dancing in gay bars.” It’s reassuring to find a band with such talent that has formed organically, through a group of good friends, rather than being crafted and manufactured by management or labels. They are clearly a fun-loving, young band, and that definitely comes across positively in their music and their attitudes to performing. However, in one amusing anecdote he shared, he admitted that at one gig when the crowd got quite excitable it took a turn for the worse. “Someone fell into a microphone stand and then the microphone hit me in the face – I was checking for my teeth!” Anth is very complimentary of the support in the north-east, claiming that they are lucky to have such a great fan base here – they sold out the O2 Academy in Newcastle and feel privileged that they can still have a reception like that locally even whilst they are trying to expand their musical terrain into the rest of the UK. “Even though we can still play shows in other cities, we’ve always had the most reception here.” He also indicates that the band finds recording in Durham very beneficial for the musical process. “The thing about Durham is that it’s one of those places that not everyone in the country has – you’ve
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al television after just a year so it’s quite good to achieve something like that.”
Of this song which was their breakthrough hit, Anth is nothing but proud. “‘Say Hello’ means a lot to me. It’s kind of being selfish and being honest at the same time. People will write a song saying they’re the victim of heartbreak, whereas with me, in the song ‘Say Hello’ I was being honest, trying to get away from a certain kind of relationship. Although there’s a few new tracks which we haven’t recorded yet which are fresher to emotions now.” His love for this track is demonstrated by ‘Say hello to a week of feeling better’, a line from the song, being his lyric-of-choice if he had to have one tattooed on his body. The positivity and optimism in this is imbued in the fact that the band also cares a lot about the fans and taking advantage of the benefits of publicity by giving something back. They worked with charity Beat Bullying last year to donate proceeds from their single ‘Find My Way Out’ to the organisation. When asked about the motivation for this, he said: “A lot of people have come forward to talk about abuse, self-harm, bullying at school – so we all sat down together and said we wanted to give something back, because people are obviously finding something that relates in the music.”
“we wanted to give something back, because people are obviously finding something that relates inback, the “we wanted to give something because peoplemusic” are obviously finding something that relates in the music”
Photo Credit: Pomona got the cathedral and the countryside. We feel more creative in open spaces…for me writer’s block is caused by being in confined spaces.” In Durham the band feel mentally refreshed. He also seems to share many a Durham student’s thought - “I’m so proud to have Hogwarts right next to me!” But what’s his opinion on the north-east music scene? “There’s a lot of talented musicians and bands up here,” he says proudly, but he’s keen to point out that the bands are required to have such drive simply because they don’t reside in London – in order to become a more ‘national’ band, as Alexander undoubtedly have, they have to work even harder. “It’s a shame it’s not like London up here, because in London everyone gets a shot, whereas here we’re a bit more pushed to the side.” I suggest that it’s even more of an achievement and a reward when you manage to make it when you’re not in somewhere like London. “Yeah, I guess so…if you want to be famed nationally then you’ve got to try, you’ve got to give it a go.” Whilst one of Anth’s favourite north-east music venues to perform at and watch gigs in is the more obvious choice of the Academy, his true loyalties lie elsewhere. “I prefer Tyne Theatre…I love the vibe of it. I went to see a band called Daughter there” - this was the point where I got overexcited at the coincidence that I too had been at that very same gig - “That was a sick show, the sound was incredible, I was really blown away by it.” One defining moment of 2013 for the band was the teen soap Hollyoaks featuring their song ‘Say Hello’ in an episode. “That was mental, I didn’t even know that was happening. I was actually having a bad day, and my manager texted saying ‘Apparently you’re on Hollyoaks tonight’. We didn’t expect to be on nation-
Despite what they have achieved in such a short space of time, they remain grounded, and are well aware that they still have a lot to learn about the music industry, as revealed when I asked whether he had any advice for bands just starting out. “I don’t think that we’re in any position to give any advice… we’ve still got a lot of learning to do.” He was, however, keen to impart the wisdom that you should “always make sure you’re writing about something that’s meaningful.” The band’s plans for the rest of 2014 involve rediscovering themselves again with some new material. “We don’t even know what kind of record it’s going to be, this year we really don’t want to push anything too hard, because we’ve had such a great year, we’re doing well now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves… we’re still young. The aim of the new stuff is hopefully to have a lot more emotional depth to it, but still feel-good stuff.” That’s not to say that the band are going to take a true break anytime soon; whilst Anth aims to finish university this year, they’re certainly not one for slacking musically, with their February tour having kicked off in Glasgow on the 15th February. With regards to other places they’d like to tour next: “We talked about Europe…I’d love to go to Austria.” But for now they’ve got their sights firmly set on UK domination. The band played at Newcastle University on 16th February - let’s hope they don’t forget about little old County Durham as they embark on this steady rise to fame. Story by Jessie Honnor
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Frances Marsh - visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk
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drastic actions for fake chagall
Suzanne Lithgo scrutinises the news that a fake Chagall is to be destroyed and defends the right for it to exist in its own virtue
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or 22 years, Martin Lang believed he was in possession of a genuine Marc Chagall painting. Titled Nude 1909-1910, Mr Lang paid £100,000 for the painting, but has recently been informed by the Chagall Committee that the painting is fake and must be destroyed. The art dealer, from whom Lang bought the painting in 1992, believed Nude 1909-1910 to be by the Russian-born artist. Although lacking official provenance, the dealer said the painting had been in private ownership and before that owned by a dancer named ‘Kavarska’, who was understood to have been a friend of Chagall’s first wife. Nude 1909-1910 also appeared in a book by Aleksandr Kamensky, a Soviet art historian and friend of Cha-
the painting’s authenticity initially looked promising gall, published in 1989. As a result, the painting’s authenticity initially looked promising. However after in depth research of the painting’s provenance and scientific testing, Nude 19091910 was found to be fake. Although painted with gouache which Chagall frequently used, the pigments of the paint were dated to be a lot later than 1909 or 1910. The first owner of the painting, ‘Kavarska’, could not be traced either. Nude 1909-1910 was sent to the Chagall Committee in Paris, led by the artist’s granddaughters, who confirmed the painting was not genuine; they stated it was purely an imitation of the authentic Reclining Nude (1911) by Chagall. As a result they have demanded, under French law, that it be seized and destroyed, an extremely rare occurrence in the art world. One reason for this drastic proposal is that the Russian art market is inundated with forgeries. Art dealer James Butterwick, who specialises in Russian art,
believes more than 90% of the supposed Russian avant-garde art on the market is fake. This is because the demand for Russian art soared after the
destroying the painting will deter others who could be in possession of a genuine masterpiece from having their paintings examined, and hopefully authenticated, by artists’ Committees.
the Chagall Committee have demanded, under French law, that it be seized and destroyed, an extremely rare occurrence
In 2011, a painting believed to be by French Impressionist Claude Monet was deemed a forgery, yet not forcibly destroyed. Bords de la Seine à Argenteuil was bought for £40,000 in the early 1990s, and after providing strong evidence to support its authenticity, the painting was judged as fake by
fall of Communism, when Russian masterpieces became available to the West. As demands for this sought-after artwork grew, so too did the number of forgeries on an inconceivable scale. The Committee argued, understandably so, that it is their responsibility to destroy any fake Chagall paintings, to ensure as few forgeries circulate the art market as possible. In fact two paintings assumed to be by the Spanish artist Joan Miró were recently burnt by order of the artist’s Committee on the grounds that they were forgeries, despite their owners battling against the decision.
the Russian art market is inundated with forgeries Naturally Mr Lang said he wanted to keep Nude 1909-1910 “as a memento”. The painting should be appreciated for its own workmanship and aesthetics. He wrote to the Committee proposing they mark the back of the painting as a forgery and return it to him or, if the painting is destroyed and eventually found to be genuine, to be guaranteed a reimbursement of the sum he paid. He argues that
the painting should be appreciated for its own workmanship and aesthetics the prestigious Wildenstein Institute in Paris, who publish Monet’s catalogue raisonné, despite world experts on Monet refuting this verdict. The owner is still in possession of the painting. On the other hand Danseuse Bleue, assumed to be by Edgar Degas, was deemed authentic by the Degas catalogue raisonné and was subsequently added to their register. It was revalued from its unauthenticated state at a few hundred pounds, to at least £500,000 as a genuine piece by the French Impressionist. As Martin Lang waits for his reply, it appears unlikely that the Committee are willing to alter their radical decision. One wonders in situations like this about who should rightly confirm authenticity of artwork. Should the family of Marc Chagall be considered too biased in this case? If the painting is marked like Mr Lang suggested, then the painting could be recorded as a fake and never sold as a genuine Chagall. Nude 1909-1910 does not need to be destroyed. It should be kept by its owner to be appreciated as an artwork in its own right. Photographs: Wikimedia and Ian Burt
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Frances Marsh - visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk
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Darren Almond’s ethereal landscapes at the White Cube leave a lasting impression on Natalie Taylor
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ne of London’s leading contemporary art galleries, the White Cube, has opened its doors to a new exhibition, featuring Darren Almond and his photographic series Full Moon and Present Form, as well as a group of small-scale bronze sculptures.
blood-red shrubbery. Darren Almond’s fascination with geology, myth and history is revealed even further in his second series Present Form. These photographs depict individual standing stones on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Similar to that of
On a personal note, I was initially struck by Almond’s time commitment and dedication to the Full Moon series, which exposes him as a highly unique and fascinating artist. Influenced by Charles Darwin’s Voyage of the Beagle, Almond has been working on this series over the last thirteen years, taking photographs under the light of a full moon of various different, highly remarkable landscapes from all over the world. His destinations include Patagonia, Cape Verde and Tasmania. Using a long
viewing the exhibition triggered a sense of jealously and awe at his adventure and unique creativity
using a long exposure camera lens, his photographs reveal remarkable detail that is undetectable to the human eye
Stone Henge, they form part of a stone circle and are wrought out of some of the oldest known rocks in the British Isles. Dating back to 3,000 BC, they were thought to have been used as a method of astronomical observation, to measure moon cycles. In the photograph Ceithr particularly, I found the beam-pole shaped form of the rock to be almost unearthly: how was it still balancing upright? I certainly thought it looked far too exotic and peculiar to be British!
exposure camera lens, his photographs reveal remarkable detail that is undetectable to the human eye, thus depicting the artist’s intimate connection with his surrounding landscapes. A particular favourite is Argentinean Patagonia: an almost hauntingly beautiful landscape, with the crisp light of the full moon exposing the pristine detail of the natural
The final aspect of the exhibition is the presence of six pairs of bronze cylindrical sculptures, each representing the individual weight of the astronauts who walked on the moon. The medium of sculpture attributes a completely new dimension to the exhibition altogether; contrasting this vast scale of the photographs and the works depicts a sculp-
tural connection between man and the moon. Entitled Apollo, these sculptures are a symbolic method of mapping visible and invisible space. Darren Almond’s passion for nature and moon cycles encompasses all three of these series. The collection has taken Almond to every continent over the last thirteen years. Personally, viewing the exhibition triggered a sense of jealousy and awe at his adventure and unique creativity. In the heart of Bermondsey, the White Cube is exhibiting ‘To Leave a Light Impression’ until 13th April, and in
a hauntingly beautiful landscape, with the crisp light of the full moon exposing the pristine detail of the natural blood-red shrubbery my opinion is thoroughly worth viewing. The gallery also exhibits pieces by other famous contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Anthony Gormley. But it’s Darren Almond who will be be one of the most talked-about contemporary artists this year - it’s a must see!
Darren Almond’s ‘Argentinian Patagonia’ and ‘Ceithr’ Photographs: Darren Almond, White Cube
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Katie Shuff & Isobel Buckingham - fashion@palatinate.org.uk
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FASHION
Behind the dream
Lucy Flascher gives Palatinate an insider’s view of Durham’s most glamorous night of the year This month saw Durham University Charity Fashion Show reemerge victorious with a show that celebrated its 30th anniversary with a bang. Coinciding with February’s New York fashion week, the black tie event, in all its sartorial glory, copped a multifaceted allure this year, embracing traditional signposts of DUCFS’ past successes including glam-wear from Sorella, sharp shirts from Beaufort & Blake, and of course, the hotly anticipated underwear walk. Held at Durham’s The Sands, the show this year was sponsored by companies including RBS, PWC, and Durham University Women In Business. Durham’s finest hit the catwalk once again, this year successfully raising nearly £10,000 for The Poppy Factory to assist in their mission of creating paid employment opportunities for the wounded, injured or sick ex-Servicemen and women through their ‘Getting You Back To Work’ scheme. President Ella Gould envisaged an event that would entice guests to ‘Dare to Dream a Fashion Dream;’ this vision would amalgamate in fabric sartorial inspirations from her upbringing in France with cues from current trends. The result was a carefully chosen selection that proved both enthralling to the fashion conscious student demographic yet simultaneously laid the foundations for a highly entertaining show. Such was the success of exec member Francesca Haszard’s social media efforts that, due to a technical slip, all VIP tables had sold out even before tickets officially went on sale. This success continued on the night, with months of hard work culminating in the intricately planned show being finely executed by Ella and her twelve strong team, weaving stylish collections and reams of bountiful fun into an effervescent evening, drenched in glamour. The set featured an arrangement of voluptuous clouds - dozens of soft-sculpture puffs suspended from the starry night ceiling. These clouds, coupled with the dazzling table displays of glittering stalks and bucolic bird cages, served only to add to evening’s already sparkling elegance. This glittered motif then permeated the catwalk; female models bore iridescent asymmetric makeup with natural hair, their countenance suggesting a playfulness typical of DUCFS’ previous shows. This was no sober illumination, but an unruly sartorial romp, raucous even, yet with a subtext of refined elegance. “Alcohol definitely impacts on the atmosphere,” president Ella commented, “but these products are a great opportunity for brands to promote their name.” Guests indulged in an array of culinary delights, with Krispy Kreme doughnuts, sugared sweets, cheese boards and PWC cupcakes scattered across each table. As elements of both causality and concomitancy, these treats complimented the abundance of alcoholic beverages and served to help fuel a fashion-filled evening of unadulterated chatter and laughter. The night was beautifully executed - chic, unfettered and, typical of DUCFS, a continuation of past years’ sophisticated evenings of highly embellished sartorial melodrama. Guests began the evening drenched in the bubbles of a Champagne reception, an atmosphere that saw the exchanging of coy glances, fervent compliments and amorous conversation. The professional demeanour of exec members facilitated a smooth entrance into the main event, as tables then entered one by one. Interludes of high spirited crowd interaction from compères Hector
and Freddie were injected between the playful walks, which, for Fashion Director Bianca Morris bore the fruits of months of sourcing and carefully made selections. Caledonian influences featured throughout Beaufort & Blake’s quintessentially British walk, followed by the girls dressed in Sorella’s heavily patterned leopard prints and floral designs. The audience swooned as male models swashbuckled onto the catwalk; adorned in casual wear from Malmö, they shared the spotlight with the girls dressed in vibrant swimwear, displaying an eclectic mix of african bead designs, tassels, and fedoras. DU Dance Troupe similarly did not disappoint, this year providing show-stopping performances of contemporary dance, a contrast to their usual hip-hop ensemble. The night’s success, however, was possible only through great collaboration, from “team members, brands, sponsors, the DSU, and even the police all working together,” Gould pointed out during a preview. “People don’t realise how many groups are involved.” The audience also played an important part, a role that saw a few guests bid almost a grand to see Ajay Sangha and both compères partake in the underwear walk. Moment of generosity and willingness such as these are crucial in raising money for the chosen charity, the raison d’être of the show. As the show progressed the mood grew bolder, culminating in the show’s finale - the underwear walk. The atmosphere climaxed in a cacophony of shrill screams as the female models hit the catwalk sporting Annette’s raciest lingerie designs. Female and male guests alike rushed to the stage, like bees to honey, in order to catch a glimpse of the honey tanned models, who sported the most luxurious of lingerie. Voluptuous curves and rippling pectorals delighted the crowd, as the DUCFS exec tried, in vain, to control the audience’s excitement. The female models exuded sensuality as they spilled onto the catwalk; silk chiffon cups and duck-egg blue satin were adorned by some, and erotic black lace by others. The male underwear models, despite falling short of a consistent tan (a few thighs lacked that extra brush of St.Tropez), fell no shorter of the females’ wildest desires as they, too, ignited waves of enamored passion throughout the audience. Guests moved on to Wiff Waff’s official DUCFS after-party, yet behind the glamour and glitz of the night, are months of laborious work and dedication, a labour intensive journey undoubtedly hit with unexpected stumbling blocks. This year’s exec hoped to provide plenty of building material for years to come, and the dazzling success of this year’s show will certainly provide such foundations, the seeds from which many more fruitful shows and charitable donations such as these will be born.
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Katie Shuff & Isobel Buckingham - fashion@palatinate.org.uk
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FASHION
Photo-
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Photograph: Rose Innes
Aalok Vora - film@palatinate.org.uk
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F I L M & TV
oscar glory
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Laura Ryan gives her picks for the major Oscar nominations
W
ith the Oscars round the corner, being broadcast on the 2nd March, we thought that now would be an apt time to have a go at picking the winners. Not knowing much about sound editing or production design, we’ve stuck to the six most prominent categories in competition. So see if you agree with the predictions, make your own, you can even place some money on it. Just don’t blame us if you lose. Best Picture: Gravity Many have pegged 12 Years a Slave as the favourite in this category; it’s a wonderfully powerful film and it may well win. But it shouldn’t. Critics are already calling Gravity the film of the decade. My mum, conversely, called it the most boring film of the decade, citing that Gravity’s only redeeming quality was its brevity (at 91 minutes it’s on the short side). My mum has a point: very little actually happens in this film. But it doesn’t need to. It should win for Sandra Bullock’s 3D floating tears, for the breath-taking visuals and for redefining the space movie.
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) I’m sorry Jennifer Lawrence, but you can’t be the ultimate action heroine of our time in Hunger Games, be one of the hottest actresses on the planet, be dating Tony from Skins and win an Oscar two years in a row. You’re great, everyone knows it, but sometimes you have to lose. As well as this, the incredible 12 Years a Slave really must win an acting prize. Nyong’o plays Patsey, a cotton-picker who is repeatedly raped by her slave master Epps (Michael Fassbender). It is by no means an easy watch, but the performance of this relative newcomer is bold, complex and graceful.
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) Again there is competition from the British director of 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen, but the directorial award seems a safer bet. Having already won the Golden Globe, Cuarón, who in the past has also directed the dystopian sci-fi film Children of Men and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, looks a clear favourite. Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) I think we’d all like to see the so-called “McConaissance” culminate in an Academy Award. Years of suffering through mediocre, or sometimes downright awful, rom-coms (see, or rather avoid seeing at all costs The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) are almost worth it to see McConaughey blossom into a serious actor in the stirring Dallas Buyers Club. The actor shed around 50 pounds to play ingenious AIDS patient Ron Woodroof, and the film, based on a true story, was apparently filmed in only 25 days. Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) Probably the surest bet of the night despite the acting royalty in this category. Both Streep and Dench feature and Sandra Bullock was magnificent as Dr Ryan Stone, but all are rank outsiders for a change. Amy Adams (American Hustle) seems to be the only feasible alternative to Blanchett, whose portrayal of broke former New York socialite Jasmine in Woody Allen’s often tragic comedy-drama has seen her tipped for Oscar glory since day one. Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) First-time nominee and 30 Seconds to Mars frontman has already won a plethora of awards for his portrayal of an HIV positive transgender woman, including a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award, but I’m sure he’s left room on his mantelpiece for the big one. Picture Courtesy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Diana Grant-Davie - food@palatinate.org.uk
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FOOD & DRINK
drink
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spotlight on Durham’s new societies
food
Farah Thobani and Priyanka Paunrana tell Indigo about the the latest food-related societies On Sunday 9th February, The Durham University Baking Societ y held its first event – a cake crawl! Durham’s keen bakers left their books at home for an afternoon of pure indulgence. The event began at Esquires, where attendees celebrated their wise decision to invest in membership (£5 for the year) with the scrumptious assortment of cakes and biscuits the café has to offer.
Next the bakers headed off to Leonard’s, one of Durham’s hidden gems, where they got to know each other better in the café’s lovely setting as they sampled more cake, deserts and some delicious scones. The baked goods were served on sharing platters, allowing the cake crawl attendees the chance to try a selection of the cafe’s offerings.
The cake crawl became so popular that the group had to split into two halves, so that everyone would be able to fit on the tables, indicating the popularity of the society. and the demand for an event such as this.
Meet the Baking Society Exec: (from left to right in the photograph below)
The Society is looking to grow and plans to host more events soon, if you’re interested in learning how to bake, share recipes, meet other baking enthusiasts or just like cake then please like the Facebook Page to hear more about upcoming events. Cake crawl venues: Esquires Coffee Houses Durham - 22 Back Silver St Leonards Coffee House - 1 Back Silver St Treats - 27-28 Silver St
plans for 2014:
&
Baking Society President, Siobhan Fenner, often feels the need to overcompensate her physics degree by bringing flowers and cake into all areas of her life – and what better way to do this than start a Baking Society? Her favourite thing to make is Millionaire’s Shortbread, admittedly with much thicker layers of caramel and chocolate than boring biscuit.
Publicity Director, Joyce Uerpairojkit, reads Politics and Education and has an infinite love for the coffee that often accompanies baked goods. Her favourite spot is behind the viewfinder snapping others’ delectable creations. The DU Baking Society Treasurer Rachel Choi, studies Chemistry, which in many ways is like baking (both involve mixing and measuring), although she prefers the end product of baking! She loves all desserts and enjoys spending her Saturdays baking yummy treats for her long-suffering housemates.
Liaisons Officer, Pryanka Paunrana, reads law and has a weakness for chocolate and hazelnut. She loves to experiment with “healthy baking” and most recently made some spinach muffins, which unfortunately tasted as bad as they sound but she’s determined to keep trying!
The afternoon ended at a Durham favourite, Treats, where attendees were treated (pun intended) to generous slices of the most delightful cakes. It was easy to see why the cafe was so busy, with large portions of both cakes and hot drinks. The event included something for everyone, including gluten-free options, and was a major success!
Farah Thobani, the co-founder of Durham’s new Come Dine with Me Society explains the society’s
Come Dine with Me is coming to Durham! You’ve probably watched numerous repeats on Channel 4, critiqued the food and judged the contestants but now it’s your turn!
The Durham University Come Dine with Me society is being established so that you can meet new people, brush up on your culinary abilities and even make some new friends along the way.
Come Dine with Me is coming to Durham!
If you’ve already signed up, you should be getting an email in due course. To sign up, either email come.dine@dur.ac.uk or message us at https://www.facebook.com/DUCDWM. We’ve already had a lot of signups so message us today in time for our first event which we hope will be coming shortly! Photography: Joyce Uerpairojkit
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Emma Dawson - stage@palatinate.org.uk
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STAGE
theatrical irritations
N D I G O
Durham theatre-goers share the things they find most annoying when going to see a show. ‘When people go out of character just before they’ve
easier!)’
irrelevant can dominate the play and are detrimental to
reached the wings.’
- Eli Huebner
the performance as a whole.’
- Joe Skelton
‘When the audience at a play give off a very self-con-
- Cressida Peever
‘I hate it when pantomimes use exactly the same jokes
scious air; they are not here to enjoy the play, but to be
‘I hate it when the programs are obscenely expensive.’
year after year in the same town. It’s like they think
seen as artistic.’
- Ralph Weiner
we’re goldfish.’
- Alexandra Webber-Isaacs
‘It annoys me when the company posters promise things
- Eleanor Gunn
‘I dislike it when companies use an inappropriate
and then they just don’t deliver.’
‘I saw a stand-up comic in Edinburgh who was really
conceptual idea to try to give a well-known play a fresh
- Lise Lie
funny, but one guy in the crowd found it even more hi-
angle. For me, a concept should highlight an underly-
‘I hate it when people get insulted in the theatre
larious than everyone else watching, to the point where
ing theme of the play, or comment on an aspect of real
because I whisper too loud. I also hate it when a play
his laughter almost alienated the entire audience.’
life (a historical event, religious outlook etc.) through its
doesn’t stop, although we all see where it is going.’
- Elgan Alderman
twinning with the script. Concepts that are tenuous and
- Stefan Kotz
‘People who think it is okay to eat things with noisy
Photograph: Harriet-Jade Harrow Compiled by Emma Dawson
wrapping. Crisps don’t belong in a theatre!’ - Thea Crawfurd-Svensen ‘Updates of Shakespeare that are done purely to be controversial. I’ve seen some very good adaptations, such as Hamlet set in a psychiatric ward, but you can tell when directors are doing it for its own sake.’ - Zosia Eyres ‘I really hate audience participation as I can’t stop thinking about who will be picked next and am completely distracted.’ - Connie Bettison ‘People who arrive offensively late to the theatre, and then require you to stand and let them into the aisle as they make the loudest, most obnoxious noises and disrupt the play.’ - Kaavya Lakshmanan ‘When directors/designers decide to change the setting of the play. If the play has no necessary setting or time period, then shifting the play to a non-period-specific setting is okay. However, sometimes directors decide, for whatever reason, that a play would make more sense in a different location or time, without a good justification
Listings
(often it comes down to the different costuming being Durham University Classical Theatre
Infinity Musical Theatre
Aidan’s College Theatre
presents Journey’s End
presents Grease
presents Bedroom Farce
at Fountains Hall, Grey College
at ARC, Stockton Arts Centre
at the Assembly Rooms
from February 27th to March 1st
on February 27th to March 1st
from March 6th to 8th
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Emma Dawson - stage@palatinate.org.uk
STAGE
“What does that actually mean?”
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Leying Lee shares what she wishes she’d known before she produced for the first time. Photograph: Mariam Hayat
Let’s start at the beginning, with the title of this article. I realise it might sound rather arrogant, but I assure you that this isn’t so much an ‘I now know better than you’ than a ‘producing was a great experience I want to have again, so I’m articulating things that I wish I knew the first time.’ So without further ado… Know your job. The first thing people would ask me after I’d excitedly announce ‘I’m producing the Freshers’ Play!’ was ‘That’s great. What does that actually mean?’ After a few instances of mumbling something about budgets, I belatedly realised that it would probably be a good idea to find out for myself. The way I explain it to myself is that the director deals with the production creatively, the technical director deals with the obvious, and the producer deals with everything else, not just budgets! Publicity was a very large part of the job and I am revealing my naiveté by admitting that it was something that hadn’t really crossed my mind when I started. In each production your role and responsibilities will be differentso make sure to establish them clearly with your director, technical director, and co-producer if you have one. Once you expand your team, designate who in the crew you will be keeping tabs on. This is not to say that you shouldn’t take initiative with an issue that may arise, but neither does the costumer need every member of the production team breathing down his/her poor neck because you’re all doing each other’s job. Know the play.
ted and capable people who know what they’re doing
idea to start booking rehearsal venues, planning, and
makes a world of difference. I was lucky enough to have
scheduling. In hindsight, this was something I should
teamwork. ‘Know the play’ doesn’t just mean know what
this, and it allows you to get on with worrying about
have placed on high priority. Equally, the show may be
happens, it means read it thoroughly and understand it
the things a producer should be worrying about, rather
over, the get out may be completed, but you still need to
well. Also, an understanding of the stress, responsibili-
than doing a lot of the aforementioned breathing down
sort out lost property and make sure crew members get
ties, and skill involved in others’ roles makes for a team
necks. You’re also going to need kind friends that have
reimbursed for their spending. Beautifully colour co-
with a lot less tension and a lot more smiles and sympa-
nothing to do with the production who can put up with
ordinate your expenses spreadsheet if it makes it easier,
thy! Your job involves facilitating the director’s creative
your production related stressing, venting, and ranting
but you need to put in the work from start to finish so
vision where possible and suggesting improvements and
if need be. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your
you don’t let people down.
ideas. It would help to know what they’re talking about
elders and betters, or the person who has the waistcoat
Be kind.
when they mention the motivations of certain characters,
you need to borrow for a costume. Members of the DST
idiosyncrasies, or the Brechtian style. Similarly, it was
Exec insist otherwise, but I feel that my many emails
one to finish on. Also, if it were number one then this
great for me to be able to discuss lighting gels, fresnels,
must have irked them a little. However, it doesn’t mean I
would be a much shorter article because this is sort of
and cycloramas with authority in meetings with the
regret them because their help for a novice like me was
all that is needed. Ultimately you’re working with people
Technical Director, or just recognise when to stay out of
vital, but as a disclaimer, it also doesn’t mean that I now
and that work is going to be a lot harder if said people
her way when she and her team were furiously rigging
endorse that the Palatinate readership go about making
think you’re horrid. You may be under pressure, you
lights at 2am.
Dan Gosselin, DST President, their agony aunt.
may be dangerously close to punching a wall, but if you
Get the perfect team.
Work.
keep your head and go about things in a pleasant way, I
This is invaluable for effective communication and
This should really be point number one, but it’s a nice
In general, surround yourself with amazing people.
I’m assuming producing is something that you love
This isn’t cheating but looking at how much easier it
to do, so why wouldn’t you put the effort in? You may
thing will come together and you’ll be punching the air
makes your job, it feels like it is! A crew of commit-
not have even begun auditioning yet, but it’s a good
instead.
can almost guarantee that come opening night every-
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Kate Wilkinson - books@palatinate.org.uk
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BOOKS
Review: Above All Things
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Hatty James embarks on a tale of love, loss and adventure
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t. Everest has long stirred the hearts of men and women around the world. The effect of Tanis Rideout’s new novel Above all Things is no different. In the novel she narrates the story of George Mallory’s third and final attempt to climb the summit in 1924. Rather than staying with the expedition, the plot moves between Ruth, George’s wife back in England with her three young children, and George and his final climbing partner for the summit attempt, Andrew ‘Sandy’ Irvine. Each of these
The novel is based on the real events of that expedition, but there is a lot of creative license employed characters is given their own voice, and the narrative moves between them. The novel is based on the real events of that expedition, but there is a lot of creative license employed when Rideout portrays the motives and emotions of the characters represented. Although we will never know the actual events of that last, fateful, attempt, Rideout manages to make these people come alive in the novel. Whilst she could have made wild assumptions about the expedition, and indeed takes the imagery a little far in the beginning, she settles down to a story of hardship and struggle embedded in a feeling of reality. The plot line weaves between the three main characters, allowing them each flashbacks to flesh out the feeling of reality that she weaves into their portrayal. Towards the end of the book, this is done through hallucinations, a rather poignant plot device. The fight the men
made to gain every footstep, their pain, obsession and determination bleeds through the text. Their brutal journey is well represented. In fact, the only place the story falters is when the narrative moves back to Ruth, the wife, left at home. When reading the novel I felt that Ruth’s voice isn’t given enough space to establish her presence as a character in the plot line. Her best moments come in George’s flashbacks and hallucinations. Back in England she takes on a rather annoying demeanour, and when this character is seen in relation to Rideout’s portrayal of the men’s expedition, she appears rather pathetic and self-indulgent, provoking a wish for the plot line to return to the men. In fact the novel only focuses on Ruth’s story for a few days, while giving months to the men. The effect of this timing leaves the author the task of portraying months of pain within a few days, and as such has the effect of turning what is otherwise a likeable and strong character into an annoying, repetitive voice.
This is the story of George, his obsession with the mountain, and his incessant desire to finally climb to the summit. As the blurb proclaims the story is about the love between George and Ruth, I felt let down by her lack of representation. Their love is rep-
resented, but mainly through George’s eyes. This is the story of George, with a supporting cast; his obsession with the mountain, and his incessant desire to finally climb to the summit. This is beautifully presented by Rideout and it is for this reason alone that you should give the novel a chance. This book is really George Mallory’s story; his motivation, his journey and his sacrifice.
I would recommend it as an enjoyable read; but maybe to my mother rather than an adrenaline junkie It does contain some (admitted) historical inaccuracies, and if I were to categorise its traits, I would say it is a softer, more feminine version of climbing accounts than one often reads. The novel reads more as a fiction – it focuses more on emotion than the actual step-by-step climbing process; but that makes it no less enjoyable, and no less real. The story is interesting, well-written, and while inevitably sad, it is a good, solid read. This does not pretend to be a factual book, and I would recommend it as an enjoyable read; but maybe to my mother, rather than an adrenaline junkie. It is a good place to start for anyone who is interested in the many attempts made to conquer Everest, either from an academic interest or fictional basis, however it is by no means a true account of the actual events – not that we will ever know what truly happened to those two men on their final, fatal attempt in 1924.
Above All Things was published 6th February 2014 by Penguin Photograph by Gunther Hagleitner via Flickr
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Philip Whitehead - travel@palatinate.org.uk
15 twenty four hours in ‘the eternal city’ T RAV E L
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Philip Whitehead swaps Durham’s Palatine Centre for Rome’s Palatine Hill
R
ome: the eternal city. The phrase itself conjures up postcard views of the Colosseum at night, wreathed in a protective layer of exhaust fumes from a thousand Vespa scooters, or of the Vatican at sunrise, the marble colonnades of St Peter’s Square turning milky-white in the early morning light. I’d been to Rome a few times before, on school trips and family holidays, and my recollections were of afternoons rushed through museum after museum by guides with a less than perfect grasp of English, jostled by Japanese businessmen on one side and Spanish pensioners on the other. And so, a month before starting a Classics degree, I decided to go to Rome with a friend as part of a longer InterRailing trip, to try and find some of the Roman spirit which I could sense on previous visits but which I had never had the chance to immerse myself in fully. Our trip got off to a superb start, stepping off the slow train from Florence at Termini station in the middle of a torrential downpour that left us running for cover, desperately trying to locate our hostel on a map that rapidly turned into a soggy piece of paper. More by luck than judgement, we finally stumbled across the right door to be greeted with the smell of pasta and smouldering joss sticks, said awkward hellos, and collapsed into bed. After next morning’s traditional hostel breakfast offering of dry croissants, we visited the Musei Capitolini, perched on the top of the Capitoline Hill. The museum’s piazza, the Campidoglio, designed by Michelangelo, is in itself worth climbing up the steps for, both for the impressive views and the replica bronze
statue of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius on horseback. Inside stands the original, shielded from the elements in an airy and spacious atrium that provided enough space for quiet contemplation as well as the steady parade of tour groups. The rest of the museum is a treasure trove of classical sculpture, rooms filled with busts of the good, the bad and the ugly of Roman history and Greek mythology, marble likenesses of Cicero and Caesar that have stood the test of time. Another highlight for me was seeing fragments of the Fasti Consulares, inscriptions recording Roman history year on year, with
Salvatore had an unorthodox approach to opening prosecco bottles the names of long-dead men in dusty books suddenly becoming real before my eyes. The museum has something for everyone though, and if all you’re interested in is finding a unique viewpoint to photograph some of Rome’s most famous sights, it succeeds here too, with a quiet balcony overlooking the Roman Forum. There’s no one to hurry you along here, and being on a much higher elevation means you can appreciate the elegant decay of millennia old columns and porticoes far more easily, all without paying another admission fee to gain access at ground level through the Colosseum and the Via
Sacra, the ancient city’s processional thoroughfare. The evening gave us an opportunity to sample Roman nightlife at the command of our hostel owner, the snake-hipped charmer Salvatore, an Italian John Travolta lookalike with a selection of plunging v-necks to match. His unorthodox approach to opening bottles of prosecco, which involved creeping into people’s rooms, aiming the bottle at his unsuspecting guests and firing off the cork with a shout of “it’s party time, eh?” quickly became a talking point. As a result of Salvatore’s charms, we spent many happy hours in a bar getting to know our fellow travellers, missed the night bus back and decided to make a return journey by foot. We walked halfway across the city, down a deserted Via del Corso, through the Piazza Venizia, past the oversized marble Altare della Patria, built to celebrate Italian unification and nicknamed the ‘wedding cake’ by exasperated locals, and down Mussolini’s Via dei Fori Imperiali, flanked on both sides by the archaeological remains of Trajan’s Forum and the Forum Romanum.The spooky quiet and complete absence of any traffic made the walk especially memorable – it felt as if we had Rome to ourselves, and peversely, the city felt a much safer place with no one else around. Twenty four hours in a place as exciting as Rome can never be enough to experience it fully, but as we found out, it is enough time to get soaked to the skin, get a feel for some of its rich history and walk its streets until your feet are very sore indeed. Looking back on the experience in hindsight, I might not have learned much to help me with my future degree, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun while travelling.
ain: Peever ount evi F Cressida e’s Tr Rom graph by o Phot
Illustration by Harriet-Jade Harrow
Aphorisms by Shreyas Murali Thottuvai
“More often than not, we confuse our method of celebration with the cause of our happiness.” “The perfect life is not the one with the most happiness, but the one with just the right mix of illusion and reality.”