i771

+ It Happens Here - unreported sexual violence + Oscars week special + An inside eye on college fashion shows

painting hope

indigo

1 9 F E B

Kate Wilkinson (dept. Sraddha Venkataraman) - indigo@palatinate.org.uk

2

3 F E ATURES We take a closer look at the reasons behind unreported sexual violence at university.

4 & 5 F I LM & TV We look into the Oscars crystal ball.

6 & 7 V ISUAL ARTS We take a closer look at art projects that aim at helping Syrian refugees.

8 T R AVEL We visit a World Heritage Site th featured in many classic films.

9 B O OKS Is the pen still mighter than the sword?

1 0 MUSIC R a e M o r r i s : t he nicest girl in m usic.

1 1 S TAGE We probe into the differences between stage and screen adaptations.

1 2 & 1 3 FASHION A quick look at this year’s college fashion shows.

1 4 FOOD & DRINK Satisfy those post Pancake Day cravings with a few simple recipies.

15 C R E ATIVE WRITING A few musings on ‘growing up’.

For more arts and lifestyle articles please visit www.palatinate.org.uk www.facebook.com/palatindigo @palatindigo Cover photo by Hannah Rose Thomas Illustrations by Mariam Hayat

INDIGO W

e’re now over half way through term and as essay deadlines edge nearer Billy B is looking fuller than usual. Everyone has different approaches to work, different ways to trick themselves into studying harder. Some make elaborate schedules, some buddy up for ‘group study’ sessions, and some pull all-nighters in the library now that it’s open 24/7. Don’t fall asleep though or you’ll be asked to go home. One night I had a chat with some of the security officers and one of them told me about the time he found an abandoned coat draped over a chair. There was something odd about it and on closer inspection he found someone curled up asleep beneath it. Poor, miserable soul.

Getting to your desk is a good start but how can you ensure productivity? When it comes to improving concentration some block Facebook, some look after themselves better with more sleep and exercise (sensible people), and some drink so much coffee it may as well be on drip. Some students, it emerges, take modifinal. Last week The Observer suggested that the trend for using the so-called ‘smart drug’ for improved study and exam performance is increasing in Britain having become popular in the States. Reasons for this trend are largely put down to increased pressures on students to achieve top degrees in order to secure a job.

Just remember, the stress is temporary.

A good way to get through exams is to have something to look forward to afterwards and it’s certainly not too early to start organising now. What better way to procrastinate than search potential holiday destinations with our new online Indigo Guide to the World?

We haven’t published an ‘Indiguide’ to Syria yet and I doubt that we will. It’s hardly a holiday destination and in Visual Arts this issue Hannah Rose Thomas tells us about her work with Syrian refugees in Jordan (p. 6).

The release of Fifty Shades of Grey sparked debates about its presentation of sexual relationships and the issue of consent. Sadly sexual assault happens off screen all too frequently and Features looks at what It Happens Here is trying to do about it (p. 3).

Finally, for a more light-hearted read, why not lose yourself in the gossip that surrounds the annual college fashion shows! (p. 12&13) KW

INDIGO EDITOR Kate Wilkinson

i

N D I G O

DEPUTY INDIGO EDITOR Sraddha Venkataraman BOOKS EDITORS Atifa Jiwa Florianne Humphrey CREATIVE WRITING EDITOR Celeste Yeo FASHION EDITORS Jessica Ng Megan Magee FEATURES EDITORS Zosia Eyres Ellen Finch (deputy) FILM & TV EDITORS Jonathan Peters Caroline France (deputy) FOOD & DRINK EDITORS Anisha Mohan MUSIC EDITORS Anastasia Symecko Will Throp (deputy) STAGE EDITOR Amy Price TRAVEL EDITORS Oliver Collard Naoise Murphy (deputy) VISUAL ARTS EDITOR Frances Marsh WRITERS

Ellen Finch Jonathan Peters Caroline France Hugh Memess Hannah Rose Thomas Jane Simpkiss Laura Glenister Alice Evans Naomi Ellis Rosalind Ware Katie Allen Alice Evans Meabh Broderick Anisha Mohan Izzy Lim Yashodhara Trivedi

Benedict Tan

PHOTOGRAPHY / ILLUSTRATION Hannah Rose Thomas Laura Glenister Sean MacEntee Johan Persson Meg Edmond Venus Loi

Jon Dudeney Harriet Peel Anisha Mohan

contains sensitive content that some people might find upsetting

N D I G O

i

Zosia Eyres (dept. Ellen Finch) - features@palatinate.org.uk

3

F EAT U R E S

1 9 F E B

why they didn’t tell the university Ellen Finch explores the reasons behind low report rates of sexual violence, and takes a look at the organisation leading the discussion in how to provide survivors with better support in the future.

O

ne in seven female students is a victim of serious sexual or physical assault. One in four is a victim of sexual violence in general.

Ten percent of these students have reported the assault to the police, and only four percent to their university.

These figures, taken from an NUS ‘Hidden Marks’ survey in 2010, don’t include male survivors of sexual assault: even without these additional statistics, they depict a worrying cultural trend.

Whilst sexual violence is disturbingly prevalent, the majority of survivors appear to feel unable to report their attacks to their institutions.

Since its publication, the NUS report has sparked conversations in universities around the UK about the level of support offered to survivors of sexual violence and abuse, and about the quality of education that institutions are offering about the issue. It is becoming clear that universities – including Durham – need to offer more in terms of advice and support.

The survey also draws attention to the reasons why the other ninety-six percent of female students didn’t report their attackers: half said it was because they felt ashamed or embarrassed, and forty-three percent thought they would be blamed for what happened. Laura*, a former student who agreed to talk to Palatinate, said that she didn’t tell the university because she

could cope with it. I told myself I deserved it and could handle it myself.”

It has become clear over recent years that we need to create a supportive, compassionate environment at university which reaches out to survivors. This environment should include a network of people who are trained to deal specifically with sexual violence and support survivors in a positive, constructive way. “I can’t imagine how you would just go and tell all of this to a college tutor who has no experience in sexual violence,” said Laura,

It Happens Here is using the most powerful tool available at university - the student voice to initiate action and instigate change to explore options for raising awareness about sexual violence and supporting students more directly. The group is using the most powerful tool available at university – the student voice – to initiate action and instigate change. Their hope is that Durham University will continue to engage in discussion and commit to change alongside the campaign. They firmly believe that it is the university’s duty to work to create a culture that supports survivors and educates the student body: It Happens Here, and its affiliated organisations, is the medium through which such a culture can be created.

It has become clear over recent years that we need to create a supportive, compassionate environment at university which reaches out to survivors felt she wasn’t a ‘good victim’ – “I came to university really vulnerable because of lots of things that happened in my life before.” She became involved in an abusive relationship. “I was raped and sexually assaulted a number of times both by him and by multiple other men. I reported the last rape, but I didn’t tell the university, partly because I was about to leave and partly because I don’t think he was a student. All the other sexual violence was from other students who were known to me.

I couldn’t tell because I was convincing myself I

introduction of It Happens Here Durham. The organisation was set up with the aim of educating students about sexual violence and creating a safe place for all members of the community. Since its launch in September 2013, the organisation has led discussions about sexual assault and prompted change in and around the university, and its network of organisers has grown dramatically in recent months. It is creating a culture that gives survivors more options, better support, and a chance to share their story.

Working closely with the university to establish a clear, coherent policy on helping survivors, It Happens Here hopes

of her own experiences. “The questions over why I had willingly sought out sex with a stranger, why I’d stayed in a relationship with a man who raped me, why I was abusing alcohol, why I was compliant with some of the violence - as a vulnerable, confused twenty-year-old, I didn’t even have the answers myself.”

Durham’s approach to sexual violence and abuse is changing with the introduction of sexual violence awareness campaigns, particularly the

For more information on the ‘It Happens Here’ campaign and how you can help, visit http://ithappensheredurham.wordpress.com, their Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter @DU_HappensHere). *Names have been changed.

Photograph: It Happens Here Durham

1 9 F E B

4

Jonathan Peters (Caroline France - deputy) - film@palatinate.org.uk

F I L M & TV

oscar predictions

i

I N D I G O

Jonathan Peters and Caroline France gaze into the Academy’s crystal ball Best Actress Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night, Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything, Julianne Moore – Still Alice, Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl, Reese Witherspoon – Wild With a Golden Globe already under her belt this year, Julianne Moore is most likely to bag the Oscar for her role as a professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. There is general consensus that she is ‘due’ an Oscar, and with her four previous Academy nominations, her emotionally complex portrayal of a woman struggling to maintain her identity puts her in good stead to take home the award.

Who should win: Julianne Moore Who will win: Julianne Moore Best Supporting Actor Robert Duvall – The Judge, Ethan Hawke – Boyhood, Edward Norton – Birdman, Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher, J. K. Simmons – Whiplash This category has some strong contenders for this year’s gong and more than one arguably deserve the prize. After winning a series of awards already for his role, J.K. Simmons has the best odds as a ruthless drum teacher. A personal favourite is Edward Norton, who is a delight as an arrogant theatre actor in Birdman, although his status as a comic relief character means that his role may not be serious enough to win votes from the Academy.

Best Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu – Birdman, Richard Linklater – Boyhood, Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher, Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel, Morten Tyldum – The Imitation Game Linklater will likely receive the award for best director due to the ambitious novelty of the critically-adored Boyhood, which scored six Oscar nods this year. His coming-of-age project spanned twelve years, demonstrating a professional commitment that will not go unrecognised.

However, arthouse film Birdman is equally original and Iñárritu (the first Mexican director to be nominated) displays a technical brilliance which is unmatched in this year’s crop of films.

Who should win: Alejandro G. Iñárritu Who will win: Richard Linklater Best Original Score Alexandre Desplat – The Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat – The Imitation Game, Hans Zimmer – Interstellar, Gary Yershon – Mr. Turner, Jóhann Jóhannsson – The Theory of Everything With an impressive eight nominations in nine years, Desplat has composed the score for films as diverse as two Harry Potter films, The Queen and Zero Dark Thirty. His two nominations mean that he is definitely in with a chance, but only once in the past seven years has the Golden Globe winner not go on to win the Oscar. Therefore Johannsson’s gorgeous score to the Stephen Hawking biopic means Desplat may just miss out.

Who should win: Alexandre Desplat Who will win: Jóhann Jóhannsson

Best Adapted Screenplay Jason Hall – American Sniper, Graham Moore – The Imitation Game, Paul Thomas Anderson – Inherent Vice, Anthony McCarten – The Theory of Everything, Damien Chazelle – Whiplash The game is wide open in this category, with every nominee a contender to scoop up the award. The controversy over American Sniper on whether it contains a pro-war message has got everyone talking, which just might swing the votes in its favour. Adapted from the autobiography of Chris Kyle, America’s ‘most deadly sniper’, writer Jason Hall p o rtrays a military man who is deeply affected by war at much personal cost.

Who should win: American Sniper Who will win: American Sniper Best Visual Effects Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, X-Men: Days of Future Past Despite another space epic, Gravity, winning last year, Interstellar is in with the best chance of taking the visual effects prize thanks to its stunning creation of various cosmic phenomena.

The space genre was pushed further than ever before with Interstellar and the effects met the challenges of the storyline every step of the way, consulting scientists for visual accuracy.

Also in with a shot is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which created remarkably convincing CGI apes able of conveying a surprising range of emotions.

Who should win: Interstellar Who will win: Interstellar Best Actor Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything, Steve Carrell – Foxcatcher, Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game, Michael Keaton – Birdman, Bradley Cooper – American Sniper Cooper’s third nomination in as many years, although that’s unlikely to prove charm for his portrayal of Chris Kyle. Redmayne is remarkable as Stephen Hawking, delivering a far subtler performance than the Oscar-bait narrative deserves, although Keaton will probably walk away with this one, given that the Academy loves a good comeback story – Birdman is his The Wrestler.

Who should win: Michael Keaton Who will win: Michael Keaton Best Supporting Actress Emma Stone – Birdman, Patricia Arquette – Boyhood, Meryl Streep – Into the Woods, Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game, Laura Dern - Wild We get it, Meryl Streep is America’s greatest living actress – but she doesn’t require a nomination every single time she walks onscreen, especially if the film in question is Into the Woods. Knightley is more natural in The Imitation Game than anything else I’ve seen her in, but there’s no Most Improved award. The money is on Arquette, for acting superbly for twelve years in Boyhood.

Who should win: Patricia Arquette Who will win: Patricia Arquette

I N D I G O

Jonathan Peters (Caroline France - deputy) - film@palatinate.org.uk

i

5

F I L M & TV

1 9 F E B

Best Animated Film

Best Cinematography

Ryszard Lenczewski/Lukasz Zal – Ida, Roger Deakins – Unbroken, Robert Yeo- Big Hero 6, The Boxtrolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Song of the Sea, The Tale of Princess Kaguya man – Grand Budapest, Emmanuel Lubezki – Birdman, Dick Pope – Mr. Turner Lubezki’s camera takes Birdman all in a (supposedly) single, continuous shot, swirling round the Broadway theatre and New York streets, covering intimately every space it inhabits, and disorienting and enchanting the viewer. Pope, however, is the most underrated nominee, in Mike Leigh’s superior Turner biopic, turning every shot into a painting resembling the artist’s own, with beautiful, delicate cinematography that never comes across as showy or distracting Who should win: Dick Pope Who will win: Emmanuel Lubezki

A controversial category, since clearly the year’s best animated film didn’t even receive a nomination – over the course of the year The Lego Movie has marked itself out as a modern classic, unlike nominees such as The Boxtrolls possessing real, rare, cross-generational appeal, but will probably just have to make do with Best Original Song. Out of the rest, Disney’s Big Hero 6 is receiving critical and commercial love (although not quite on a Frozen level), whilst How to Train Your Dragon 2 was a huge hit this summer and proves to be one of Dreamworks’ highest-quality properties. The Academy likes traditionally animated films too, perhaps strengthening the bid by relatively lesser-known Song of the Sea. Studio Ghibli’s The Tale of Princess Kaguya is perhaps another underdog here, proving that there’s life in the old studio even after the departure of its founder and creative force Hayao Miyazaki.

Who should win: The Lego Movie

Best Picture

Best Original Screenplay

Whiplash, The Imitation Game, Selma, Boyhood, The Theory of Everything, Birdman, Alejandro G. Iñárritu - Birdman, Richard Linklater - Boyhood, E. Max Frye and American Sniper, The Grand Budapest Hotel Dan Futterman - Foxcatcher, Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel, Dan Gilroy - Nightcrawler Compared to 2013, when almost every nominee was remarkably strong, last year was a relatively minor one for truly great filmmaking. Plenty of so-so nominees Leading the pack with an impressive nine nominations, The Grand Budapest Homade it onto the shortlist, including fine but forgettable science-light scientist tel is unlikely to win many of them, too quirky and slight to match up to some of biopics The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything, and Clint Eastwood’s its heavyweight competitors. So it will likely receive the conciliatory screenplay flawed and politically-divisive American Sniper. Out of the rest, the two most prize (awarded last year to Spike Jonze’s Her. The script does deserve it however, hyped are Birdman and Boyhood – the former is hugely entertaining and well- mixing laugh out loud gags with surprising emotion, and deftly balancing lots of deserving, although the latter is the more astonishing achievement, and given complex stories-within-stories without ever becoming bogged down in exposiits twelve-year development cycle is unlikely to be repeated for a very long time. tion.

Who should win: Boyhood Who will win: Birdman

Who should win: Wes Anderson Who will win: Wes Anderson

Durham Film Festival 2015 Hugh Memess previews this weekend’s events

Tell me about the Durham Film Festival. What is it and when is it happening?

It’s a chance for student and professional filmmakers to showcase their talent, and get their work seen by people from across the world. It’s an opportunity for anyone interested in film to see new ideas and innovations, with many funny, emotional, exciting and thought-provoking films on offer. Durham University’s annual film festival is to be held on 20th and 21st February. Friday is devoted to viewing the best of the local and international entries. Saturday is dedicated to workshops and seminars with experts on the film making craft, working in the industry.

How long has the festival been running?

Over the past three years, the Durham Film Festival has received outstanding examples of student film from all over the world. Now in its fourth year, the festival is open to both student and professional film productions through unique award categories.

Who are the judges this year and what are they known for in the film industry?

Chris Terrill and Richard Edwards-Earl are among this year’s judges. Chris is a documentary

film maker who has worked on the front line in Afghanistan and Richard is a freelance film maker who has worked on Edge of Tomorrow and Paddington. Chris has seen the real depths that humanity can sink to in Afghanistan – so our showings will need to be good to impress him.

Paddington has been credited with providing a major boost for the British film industry, and Edge of Tomorrow noted as one of the best films of 2014.

Have you seen the entries yet? Any ones to look out for?

There are a wide range of films being shown, from the hilarious to the heart breaking. We’re still in the process of judging at the moment, but I can say that there are a great many very fine movies and such a variety that everyone will have their own favourite.

What is the process for selecting what gets shown?

The Durham Film Festival committee and the Durham Student Film (DSF) society exec watched through and discussed the films to choose the ones to be shown.

What are the ambitions for the festival in future years? Do you envision the growth of Durham’s film scene, or the town becoming a real hub for independent British filmmaking?

Durham is a magnet for television and film makers. The City and its environs makes it a wonderful setting for all kinds of production, from Inspector George Gently to Harry Potter. The Centre for Film and Digital Media at the University of Newcastle means there is a real regional centre for film in the North East and cultural initiatives such as our Film Festival create a locus for innovation which attracts yet more talent. We hope to see the festival expand in scope and breadth in the next few years. Durham students continue to prove themselves as talented filmmakers, with many fine films being made through the filmmaking society, DSF. Interview by Jonathan Peters

Images (top left downwards): IFC Films, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, Fox Searchlight, Warner Bros Pictures, Sony Classics, Warner Bros, StudioCanal, 20th Century Fox, Focus Features

1 9 F E B

6

Frances Marsh - visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

V I S UA L A RT S

i

N D I G O

conflict transformation through art

Durham student Hannah Rose Thomas talks about her year abroad in Jordan organising art projects with Syrian refugees

T

he humanitarian disaster in the Middle East is unprecedented in the modern world and the estimated number of people currently displaced by violent conflict is more than after the Second World War itself. It is estimated that seven million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in March 2011, seeking refuge in neighbouring countries or within Syria itself. A constant stream of refugees has flowed from Syria into Jordan since late 2011. As the violence escalated, the human tide swelled and refugees poured across the border; sometimes as many as 1,000 in a single day. There are currently over one million Syrian refugees in Jordan. Over half of all those displaced are children. Seventy-five percent of these are under the age of 11.

I worked for three months between April and June 2014 for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Jordan, organising art projects with Syrian refugees. I heard many stories that brought tears to my eyes. One young boy Mohammad, aged 12, from Dara in Syria said “The war in Syria is scary, but the scariest thought for me is the thought of not being able to return one day.”

For the UNHCR art projects, I chose to use recycled refugee tents – a powerful symbol of displacement – as the medium to convey our message. The goal was to turn these symbols of loss and displacement into beautiful pieces of artwork, in order to raise awareness for the plight of refugees. We played with the idea of ‘fragments’, ‘pieces’ and ‘shattered lives’. Lives fall apart when people are forcefully expelled from their homes and need to be rebuilt. We aimed to translate this theme by using recycled UNHCR tents to show the shattering and reassembling of lives.

My role was to prepare the vision and theme for the three refugee tents and travel with them to remote areas of Jordan where they were painted by groups of Syrian refugees. Each tent took around three days to paint, and involved up to two hundred refugees, in groups of thirty at a time. Syrian refugees, young and old, male and female, were invited to express their feelings, poetry and drawings on the tents.

There have been countless psychological studies that show the benefits of artistic expression in overcoming trauma. There is a liberating element to art. Free and safe spaces are important for children who might feel trapped by their trauma. The art projects provided a rare chance for the refugees to express themselves and helped with collectively processing the ordeals they have experienced.

The theme for one of the tents was ‘The

Impact of War on Families’. I gave each of the participants ownership of an area of tent canvas to paint their experience of war. Some of the images were heart-rending: burning houses, and dead bodies floating in rivers and tanks.

The theme for the final tent was ‘Hope’.

I asked the Syrian refugee children to paint their hopes and dreams for the future on the tent. The most common image drawn was the home – expressing their longing to return back to the life they knew in Syria. One young boy named Abdullah, aged 13, said: “My father is a farmer. I cannot wait to work with him in the fields again, pick the fruit from our orchard and just do everything again.”

The refugee children loved being involved. It was quite chaotic and messy at times – our hands, feet and clothes were covered in paint – but there was always laughter when we were sliding around on the tents.

It was all worth it just seeing the smiles on their faces.

There have been countless psychological studies that show the benefits of artistic expression in overcoming trauma

One of the Syrian women, clad in a burqa, took off her shoes to join in painting with the children. She approached me at the end of the day in tears. She spoke in Arabic of how hard living as a refugee estranged from home is, especially for the children. “But, look at the smiles on their faces,” she said, “you are bringing them hope.”

It is important to make the refugee children aware of their importance. Their voices and ideas are painted across tents as well as exhibited internationally, with the hope that the world might take notice and help prevent these atrocities from happening to the next generation.

These three painted refugee tents were displayed in an exhibition in Amman to commemorate World Refugee Day on 20th June 2014. The tents will be displayed in Durham Castle on 3rd March, in the Nine Altars Chapel of Durham Cathedral from mid April to the end of May and on London Southbank in June 2015.

Photographs: Hannah Rose Thomas

N D I G O

i

Frances Marsh - visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

7

V I S UA L A RT S

1 9 F E B

judging a book by its author Jane Simpkiss visits ‘On Seeing The Author’, at Palace Green Library

T

he premise of Palace Green’s newest exhibition, ‘On Seeing the Author’, is an unusual but interesting concept. The exhibition explores the idea of how we perceive and imagine the author behind the books, plays and poems we read and what effect this has on how we read them. It seems at first quite a cerebral and abstract idea but on reflection it is a fundamental question that affects our everyday lives. We are continually fascinated by the lives of the people who have written

‘On Seeing the Author’ is much more an exploration of ideas than objects our favourite works and our own imaginings of how they think and feel undoubtedly influences the way we read their words. The image of the author has always preoccupied us. It is not limited to literature but could be said to apply to other areas of modern culture as well - we are desperately interested in the lives and personalities of actresses and musicians and indeed our understanding of them changes the way we view the films and music they create.

‘On Seeing the Author’ tracks our interest in the persona of the author through the centuries,

examining our understanding of writers from classical times right up to the present day. Particular attention is paid to John Cosin’s Library in Palace Green Library, an impressive 17th-century, woodpanelled room that was decorated with paintings of authors of the works in its collection. The exhibition consists of a selection of books from Palace Green’s own library each showcasing images of their authors juxtaposed with a series of photographs commissioned from Julian Germain of the authors and poets who appeared during Durham Book Festival.

I was unfamiliar with most of the authors featured in this series of photographs but felt I had an understanding of who they were purely from Germain’s images. These photographs captured the essence of this exhibition well. From reading the brief biography of each writer I immediately considered their photograph in a different light, and similarly the setting they were photographed in changed the way I viewed the subject matter they wrote about.

Unlike most exhibitions, ‘On Seeing the Author’ is much more an exploration of ideas than objects. None of the volumes on show from Palace Green’s collection is particularly exceptional and in fact, although the space may be beautiful, most do not regard the images in Cosin’s library to be particularly skilful or beautiful. However, the artefacts on display, such as the book that the images in Cosin’s library were copied from, are still valuable and

Photograph: Palace Green Library

thought-provoking. They encourage us to reflect upon our relationship with the author, artist and artisan within our society and how our changing perceptions of these people affect our culture as much as their works. It is an unusual but interesting angle from which to approach an exhibition and considering the small size of the show, the curato-

John Cosin’s Library is an impressive 17th century wood panelled room that was decorated with paintings of authors of the works in its collection rial team have executed it effectively. If you have not been, Cosin’s library is worth visiting, and will be open more frequently whilst the exhibition is on. The questions raised in ‘On Seeing the Author’ might just change how you view the library and its content- you may not judge a book by its cover but you most certainly do judge it by its author.

‘On Seeing The Author’ will be exhibited at Palace Green Library until 26th April.

1 9 F E B

8

i

Oliver Collard (dept. Naoise Murphy) - travel@palatinate.org.uk

T RAV E L

ait-ben-haddou

N D I G O

Laura Glenister visits the inspirational locale which has graced the scenes of many movie classics

I

n the Moroccan province of Ouarzazate lies the stunning ksar (castle) of Ait-Ben-Haddou, a UNESCO world heritage site and beautiful example of traditional Southern Moroccan architecture.

It is also a site with a star-studded past: Jesus of Nazareth (1977), The Mummy (1999), Gladiator (2000) and Prince of Persia (2010) are just a few of the many films that have been filmed there. Traditionally a trading post for passers-by, the fortified Berber city is nowadays home to only a handful of inhabitants, and sadly has become a bit of a tourist trap. However, it is still a fantastic place to visit that buzzes with historical and cultural charm.

A collective group of dwellings, this is a beautiful example of the traditional earthen techniques of Southern Morocco, and it is obvious why this location –which has most recently hosted the hit show Game of Thrones – is so popular with filmmakers.

Ait-Ben-Haddou was designed as a protective fortress, with strong defensive walls and tall angular towers, making it a perfect battle setting. The ksar is set in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, and the barren desert scenery makes for a stunning backdrop.

The architectural techniques date as far back as 757AD, and the fact that any restoration is still

Photographs by Laura Glenister

done using earth and wood adds incredible authenticity to any movie set.

Hollywood has also had an impact on AitBen-Haddou: David Lean, among others, set about restoring some of the more dilapidated buildings before filming Lawrence of Arabia, meaning many of the buildings are in extraordinarily good condition for so old a site.

Visiting tourists can try a bit of sparring in the Gladiator Arena just outside the main entrance.

There is much more to this town than its Hollywood accolades. It is also well worth braving the steep walk to the summit of the town for the breathtaking panoramic views and a visit to the old fortification and loft. From here, visitors can see the contrast with the nearby modern town, to which the majority of Ait-Ben-Haddou dwellers have relocated.

As well as walking in the footsteps of some huge Hollywood names, visitors can wander the winding streets and pick up some ethnic arts and crafts made by the local Berber people: traditional paintings and scarves are amongst the most popular.

The town can easily be accessed from one of the major cities – the easiest being Marrakech – with a tour guide company, as a one day trip or as part of a longer desert tour, which can also include a visit to the nearby Atlas Studios and usually a fairly knowledgeable tour guide. Alternatively, tourists can make the journey independently and avoid some of the tourist crowds by going at an off-peak time.

Movie fan or not, at just 10 dirham entry price – that is just under £2 – it is well worth the trip.

P

holidays from hell Alice Evans ends up out of her depth

I

Illustration by Mariam Hayat

n Majorca when I was younger, my family and I experienced a very odd and nightmarish event.

Our villa was surrounded by farmland, which was picturesque yet powerfully smelly.

This was a tiny part of the problem though. After an afternoon excursion, our hire car purred into the drive, and due to the sickly heat inside the non-air-conditioned car, my siblings and I gambolled our way around the side of the villa, straight to the swimming pool.

Alas, what we found there rather hastily suffocated our previous appetites for a leisurely swim. An extremely unfortunate sheep had, against the better judgement of the rest of its meandering flock, entertained the idea of a blissfully refreshing dip.

We feasted our eyes on a floating, bloated ewe, frozen in its final moments of helpless fluster.

My primary research can confirm that hooves are no substitute for flippers. Worst of all, in order to relieve ourselves of said sheep, my dad proceeded to knock on the door of several farms in the vicinity.

Since we had neglected to bring a Spanish dictionary, my wonderful father began to re-enact the sheep’s final moments, majestically combining baaing, gurgling and a furiously mimed sheepypaddle, followed by a melodramatic death. Unsurprisingly, the bemused Majorcan farmer was left feeling distinctly out of his depth. Just like his sheep.

N D I G O

i

Atifa Jiwa and Florianne Humphrey - books@palatinate.org.uk

9

BOOKS

1 9 F E B

is literature still dangerous in the western world?

Florianne Humphrey discusses whether the pen is still mightier than the sword

N

obody these days holds the written word in such high esteem as police states do” is the opinion in Italo Calvino’s novel If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller. The notion that governments must recognise the power of books through the very act of banning them is echoed in the fates of the nine hundred writers around the world who were harassed, imprisoned, murdered, or who ‘disappeared’ last year.

Durham University English Society hosted a talk before the Christmas break, inviting guest speakers to discuss whether literature really is still dangerous in the Western World, sparked by PEN International’s November campaign ‘Day of the Imprisoned Writer.’ Every year, literary organisation PEN International stands in solidarity with writers that have suffered persecution for their views by sending letters of appeal, raising publicity, and staging events to call for their immediate release from prison. In particular, PEN highlights the cases of five persecuted writers, including Kyrgyzstani Azimjon Askarov who has been sentenced to life imprisonment after exposing corruption in his country.

Fellow authors have even written open letters in support of those imprisoned. Argentinian Alberto Manguel told Iranian poet Mahvash Sabet, who is facing twenty years imprisonment, that “generations of readers to come will remember your name as they remember theirs, long after the names of your jailers have been swept off the memory of the earth.”

Although it may seem that book censorship could only exist in less democratic or less developed countries, only taking effect in the Western World between the pages of dystopian fiction, governments have in fact banned certain texts from entering public circulation for political, moral, and religious reasons. The US is guilty

Words have just as much power as bullets of banning books on countless occasions, such as John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, supposedly due to its shocking description of the poor, which Steinbeck later admitted was a diluted version of the realities of that era. Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, after being called “the filthiest book I have ever read” by the editor of the Sunday Express, was banned by the Home Office in 1955 on the grounds that it was pornography. However, it was published without controversy in the US, a country that has withdrawn Stephen Chobsky’s best

selling Young Adult novel The Perks of Being A Wallflower from libraries due to its apparent explicit sexual content and homosexual aspects. Therefore, if a novel that was only published in 1999 is still censored in a presumably democratic country, does this mean that the pen is still mightier than the sword?

Our current climate certainly requires reactionary literature. Although we may not be in the midst of a revolution or a war, our society is fraught with problems of gender inequality, poverty, racism, religious tension and, most currently, the threat of terrorism. There are countless campaigns that have had

an impact, such as Emma Watson’s recent He4She canvass, clearly showing a market for literature that reaches out to society in response to a particular issue.

However, is it even a writer’s duty to compose ‘dangerous literature’? Arguably, literature’s aim is to entertain or enlighten, and if it achieves this without abrasiveness or controversy then surely it still retains its societal value? Many people have an idealised view that writers should write gritty, politically charged, underground literature on a shoestring that stabs at the underbelly of authority and consumerism. Writing is not only a catalyst for freedom of expression but also a job, and a writer must tap into current literary trends and comply with the agendas of publishers if they want their novel to have a chance of gracing the shelves of Waterstones. Perhaps it is unfortunate that publishers are reluctant to invest in controversial novels that are less likely to gain a mass audience, but it does not mean that commercialism is destroying the power and influence of novels. Realist and social novels such as Monica Ali’s Brick Lane – which details the oppressive life of a Muslim woman forced into an arranged marriage and taken into the alien world of East London

– are still shocking enough to change mindsets; in this case, racist attitudes. Although these novels are not directly ‘dangerous,’ they allow the reader to improve their understanding of the culture or situation that the author has experienced or observed, still enlightening the mind in the same way as censored literature.

In a world of sound bites, buzzwords, and 140 character limits, perhaps the problem is not the writer but the audience. It is old news that nowadays, thanks to social media and texting, we lack the concentration and ability to absorb lengthy passages. Therefore mediums such as Twitter, which holds a large platform thanks to the accessibility and ease of concise tweets, could be more ‘dangerous’ and influential in the Western World, for example, with the recent #JeSuisCharlie hashtag.

Whilst books take a while to write, publish, and then reach the mass market, tweets are short and instantaneous and can therefore make a greater immediate impact on society.

‘Dangerous’ is, in fact, a word outside definition. Guns are dangerous, so then are books not weapons because they don’t kill? Words have just as much power as bullets if used in the correct way, as George Orwell’s dystopian world of Nineteen Eighty-Four shows, but whilst a gun only requires one person pulling the trigger to do harm, literature needs the ideas and talent of the author and then the interpretation of the reader to be effective. Maybe literature will not spark a revolution but, in a world that is far from perfect, it is important to remember the description of Spanish revolutionary author Federico Garcia Lorca fighting against the dictatorship of Francisco Franco: “This man is more dangerous with a pen than a gun.”

Word of the Week

Logomisia: The hatred of certain words - the most hated is moist.

Photograph: Sean MacEntee

10

1 9 F E B

Anastasia Symecko (dept. Will Throp) - music@palatinate.org.uk

MUSIC

Rae Morris @ King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut

i

N D I G O

Naomi Ellis

I

don’t know if you’ve heard but Rae is the nicest girl in music. Fact.

Yes, I do feel on first name terms with her after one gig, and no, not just because she thanked us profusely after every song, not even because she stayed behind afterwards to chat and take awkward pho-

R

ushing in late from the icy streets of Gateshead to the cosy, wood-panelled Caedmon Hall, I might as well have stepped right into Nashville, Tennessee. The Hall is a gem, hidden upstairs in Gateshead Central Library – not where you’d expect to find a packed room listening to support act Andrew Combs’ gentle Texas twang. As I start to make notes on my phone I’m painfully aware that mine is the only mobile in sight. A pleasant change from the Instagram-your-life-as-you-live-it crowd you normally encounter at a gig. Combs is a well-suited opener, with an enviable ease in front of the crowd.

‘Pearl’ and ‘Too Stoned to Cry’ are notable proof that he “knows what he’s doing” in the words of Earle.

As the lights come up and I head to the bar (read: library café with beer in the fridge) I notice that the majority of the audience are middleaged, peaking at about 55. That explains the lack of iPhones then. But the more I think about it the more it makes sense: at just 33, Justin Townes Earle has had more than his fair share of life-experience and he writes with a maturity and authenticity which draws an older audience. We return to the barn-esque hall and gear up for Mr. Earle himself.

He takes to the stage accompanied by Paul Niehaus on electric and (occasionally) slide guitar.

This leg of his seemingly constant tour accompanies the release of Absent Fathers, the second of a twin album, written and recorded together with Single Mothers, released in November of last year. It brings him up to seven studio albums in as many years, and the songwriter has a lot of experience to pull from for what is arguably his most personal album to date. The illegitimate son of country, rock and folk star Steve Earle (of ‘Galway Girl’ fame) and raised by his mother in Nashville, he certainly isn’t shy about addressing the issue in song form or otherwise. ‘Call Ya Momma’, and the eponymous ‘Single Mothers’ reinforce his on-stage quotation that “Women have a better track record” - I can’t say I

tos with fans, but because she is just genuinely, very lovely.

Supporting her was long-term friend and collaborator, Fryars, who features on the album in the track ‘Cold’. In all his oddly auto-tuned glory, Fryars was fantastic. With his two bandmates they made an intense and sardonic trio (the drummer looked like an uncle who had stumbled into the wrong gig and decided to play), surprising us all with quirky riffs and a thumping beat that left us dancing. Definitely one to watch.

Then Rae bounced on stage and the whole room went quiet at that voice. Her range is showstopping. Hailing from Blackpool, her endearingly husky accent is transformed when she sings. With her incredible range she has the rare gift of one minute kicking out a brazen ballad like ‘Don’t Go’, and still transfixing you the next with slow growers such as ‘Skin’. The album itself is a mature and varied debut that is really refreshing in contrast to her male solo counterparts, Ben Howard and Tom Odell, who appear to have let fame take its toll in their darker, quite self-obsessed, recent work. Ac-

companied by a female drummer (a real stand-out), a percussionist and a guitarist (who surprised us all by whipping out a double bass halfway through) all of whom took part in harmonies, Rae’s set had real depth and force.

A vocal and aesthetic cross between Kate Bush and Regina Spektor, Rae Morris has been building momentum since her first EP in 2012.

Having only released her first album, Unguarded, last month it was clear she still hasn’t quite got over her own success: “I can’t believe I get to have my own King Tut show! Goodness me!” With big features and even bigger hair, it was a joy to watch her perform – she smiled throughout the set and clearly loved every minute on stage. How refreshing to experience a musician who isn’t too cool to enjoy her music.

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut calls itself, ‘the best music venue in Glasgow’; a bold claim which lived up to its bravado with this gig. Rae Morris is certainly on her way to the top and so it was a privilege to listen to her on the ascent whilst she has her feet still firmly on the ground and a smile on her face.

Justin Townes Earle @ Caedmon Hall

disagree. The family theme doesn’t end there: ‘They Killed John Henry’ was written for his granddad; his uncle writes a Communist newsletter for a paper in Jacksonville, and he inherited his potty-mouth from his grandmother - he really is fond of the old swear words. He also pays tribute to his godfather, Townes Van Zandt, to whom he owes his middle name and undoubtedly some of his sound, with a cover of ‘Rex’s Blues’.

Justin Townes Earle is that rare breed of artist who honestly doesn’t regret any of his old material, (granted I wouldn’t if I had his back catalogue). His setlist spans most of his discography, and not just for the sake of the old favourites, though we are treated to ‘One Night in Brooklyn’, ‘Memphis in the Rain’, and my personal favourite ‘Harlem River Blues’- paired with Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’, it makes for an understated yet buoyant encore.

Apparently he once vowed to himself he would never write “I love you” in a song, and, with so much to say and so many ways to say it, I for one am glad. He writes about everything from the Christchurch Earthquake of 2011 to Billie Holiday, whom he cites as a major influence on his vocals. He is self-admittedly not a trained musician and at one point spends a good five minutes tuning his guitar (which Combs knocked over earlier, “Y’all don’t tell!”) but this honesty just highlights how great he is. He tells anecdotes about Bob Dylan getting arrested (Google it, it’s hilarious) and quotes Shakespeare. He has many opinions on what is and isn’t country, and if anyone knows, he does. But most of all he puts on a really good show, playing even better acoustically with just one other band member, or occasionally alone, than on any of his albums.

He may not be universally renowned, but Justin Townes Earle is in it for the long run and I definitely recommend catching him on his next stint in the UK.

Rosalind Ware

Images: AMG Records and Sonic PR

N D I G O

i

I

Amy Price - stage@palatinate.org.uk

STAGE

stage and screen screen or stage?

Katie Allen

came away from a recent Broadway production of Les Miserables surprised to find myself feeling a little deflated. Don’t get me wrong; I had greatly enjoyed the show. Yet at the same time I felt an uncomfortable nudging in my heart, and recognised it as the prodding finger of disappointment. I was astonished; I had waited all week for the show with bated breath. However I couldn’t but think ‘well it wasn’t like that in the film’.

Snapshots of comparison flashed in and out of my mind; I had thoroughly enjoyed my first Les Mis experience (the recent film starring Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway) and so it was always going to be hard to beat. But I had assumed, without any qualms, that the theatre version would surpass it.

I began to wonder if my expectations had simply been unrealistic. Had I really expected to be able to see the anguished details of Fantine’s facial features when her hair is chopped off (especially from my back row seat)?

In other words, have the leaps made by cinematography left the theatre miles behind, tarnished and tired?

Look how far TV and film have already come. Com-

11

1 9 F E B

pare the original silent movies to the high quality musical films of today: Les Mis, Hairspray, even the popular phenomena Glee and High School Musical, are all testament to the success of the screen. After all, it lets people enjoy high quality musical shows from the comfort of their own home, bringing musicals to the masses.

Entire commercial brands have been built off the back of these; I am yet to hear of any stage musical that has had quite such a ripple effect.

In spite of this, I believe that the theatre still has something special to offer. It offers absolute bravery. During shows the cast only get one chance to stir up the hearts of the audience. To achieve this they must not fail to make themselves vulnerable; they have to give raw performances and bare everything. On the contrary, screen versions can silently sneak their way to success: scenes in which lines are forgotten can be retaken; songs can be re-recorded; and the cast don’t necessarily have to sing and dance at the same

time. The theatre is a different matter altogether.

Plus, there is something about the ambiance of the theatre that will simply never lose its charm.

With it comes a certain feeling of sophisticated dignity; a feeling of being ‘cultured’ and an excitement that the cinema just doesn’t quite provide.

tainly been an increased demand for the autobiographical genre in the arts; indeed, over half of the films nominated for Best Picture for the 2015 Oscars are based on real lives (American Sniper, The Imitation Game, etc.). This arguably alleviates the pressure for stunt doubles and elaborate action scenes on the stage.

On this theme,one of the most successful screento-stage adaptations is the romantic comedy Once. Despite the tiny budget of only €112,000, the story depicting what happens when “Guy” busker meets “Girl” Czech immigrant in Dublin was an instant success. In some ways, Once does parallel Glen Hansard’s and Markéta Irglová’s real lives – which perhaps adds to the allure.

The minimalist set in the Phoenix Theatre pays homage to the film’s small budget, although hiring Ronan Keating to play the lead role in London until the production closes on 21 March 2015 probably undermines the cutesy charm of the cheap set.

Returning to the issue of stunts, in Gurinder Chadha’s 2002 film of Bend It Like Beckham, Kiera Knightley developed all of the football skills herself, so that no doubles were required. I wonder how this will work in the musical, opening in May 2015 in the West End. Nevertheless, I’m sure the vibrant Indian wedding will make for a colourful scene, and the intensity of the love angst between the two friends and their football coach will create a satisfying tonal contrast on stage; the film has sufficient theatrical potential that the difficulty of realistically portraying a skill on stage should be overcome.

Therefore, we can perhaps conclude that there is a definite recipe for success when transferring a film to stage: no need for stunt doubles, a simple and believable storyline with few characters, and a light-hearted love story. With this in mind, there is little doubt that the stage version of Frozen will be horrendously successfully in the near future…

Look out for ‘Into The Woods’, the Hild Bede Theatre musical showing in February.

‘it wasn’t like that in the film’

Let’s face it; there will always be something magical about viewing the performance live. It’s like watching a rugby match: even though viewing it on-screen provides you with a commentary, close-ups and replays, there is something that little extra special about actually seeing it in real-time. There is a certain empowerment that comes from hearing ‘Do you hear the people sing?’ sung out with such gusto right in front of you, that causes you to instinctively reply with a spine-tingling shiver - a response that may be forgotten pretty quickly, but will certainly never get old.

So next time I go to a West End show I will gorge on the authenticity of what is going on right in front of me.

from screen to stage

P

Alice Evans

lenty of plays are adapted for cinema. Les Miserables is perhaps the best recent example, making £300 million in its jump from ‘the boards’ to Hollywood’s boardwalks. But can a stage production adapted from a film be just as successful?

The first difficulty when moving from screen to stage is that stunt doubles cannot be used. This would make a theatre adaptation of the hysterical gun-shooting, bomb-exploding and car-chasing of the Taken films pretty tricky. Indeed, most action films would crumble in the theatre, much like the unsuccessful Spider Man: Turn of the Dark musical that was plagued with troubles on Broadway. It is problematic that a stunt-heavy main part would require the theatrical actor to either be trained up (costing money), or to already be able to perform the stunts (limiting the range of talent at auditions).

Fortunately for theatre, in recent years there has cer-

‘can a stage production adapted from a film be just as succesful?’

Photograph: Johan Persson.

1 9 F E B

12

Jessica Ng and Megan Magee - fashion@palatinate.org.uk

FASHION

a fall from heaven

i

N D I G O

Ahead of the highly anticipated Hatfield College Charity Fashion Show on 1st March, Indigo sat down with the Executive Committee to talk all things fashion, models and charity.

Can you tell us about your theme, ‘A Fall from Heaven’?

Lily, Chair: The inspiration behind the theme originally was the seven deadly sins. We liked the idea of the show having two differing possibilities, with the light and dark themes making it really exciting. Guests can expect the more light and upbeat part to the show, but also the more dark and serious, in terms of decorations, music, make up and a few other surprises.

Katharine, Decs Coordinator : Guests can expect ultimate decadence. We have had lots of fun with the theme in terms of decor with glitter, metallics and luxurious materials! We have been meeting with Already Sorted, our Decorating and Lighting company, for a few months now and the marquee is set to look amazing, with a customised catwalk, DJ booth and more. Guests will also have a lot of treats on the tables, with Propercorn being just one of many things we have lined up!

What has been the most difficult part about organising one of Hatfield’s biggest events of the year?

Anna, Treasurer: The most difficult bit about being on the exec has probably been not being allowed to tell anyone about the plans for the show! Specifically for treasurer,

tracking everyone’s expenditure and ensuring we are within budget.

And your favourite?

Lila, Publicity and Marketing : Definitely one of my favourite parts from my side was the model announcements with all the photos being released. I also loved seeing how crazy something like ticket sign up was, with a huge queue before we even arrived, and the show selling out in less than an hour was definitely a highlight.

In three words?

Dapper, classy, rah...

What brands do you have involved this year? Any particular favourites?

Alexandra, Fashion Coordinator: Well this year we have been lucky to have really great brands. Personally I love the very original Just Winston shirts and the Young Ones girls collections. But I am also very excited to be including Jack Wills Spring Collection dresses and playsuits!

Phoebe, Secretary: I am really looking forward to seeing the Jaded Lon-

don walks, I think their stuff will work really well on stage, especially items like their catsuits which I don’t think we’ve seen in shows previous to this year. I also think its great that we have so many student start up brands like Young Ones, Oswald and Kane etc.

Describe Hatfield style in three words.

Alexandra: Dapper, classy, rah…

Model auditions are always a fun aspect of putting together a fashion show. Can you tell us a bit about the audition process?

Camilla , Model Coordinator: Too busy fraternising with said models to give a response.

Why should we be excited about the Hatfield fashion show?

Lowri, Ents Coordinator: The show this year will not only be showcasing some of Hatfield’s best talent both on the catwalk and behind the scenes but we’ve also got great entertainment with some of Durham University’s spectacular dance groups. With Signal DJ Robbie Murch, the evening promises to finish off Hatfield’s biggest weekend of the year with a bang.

Jessica Ng and Megan Magee - fashion@palatinate.org.uk

FASHION i Trevs go green

13

1 9 F E B

N D I G O

T

he fourth of February was a big day in the Trevelyan College calendar, marking their highly anticipated, inaugural fashion show.

On entrance, guests were greeted with champagne; coupled with the back-tie dress code this made for a classy atmosphere. However, the eco-themed watering can centrepieces on the tables, whilst nice, were understated, jarring slightly with this.

The first walk of the night was ‘Four Elements’.

Fire, Earth, Wind and Water were represented with – as with all of the walks – clothes sourced from upcycling, the models’ own wardrobes, vintage shops or charity shops. One of the highlights of the night was a feature from a local student and Age UK volunteer, Kerry. She designed a couple of impressive dresses using recycled carrier bags. As well as bringing the theme to the forefront, this reminded people about the good cause behind the show,

Lauren Glenister and Meabh Broderick experienced Trevs first ever fashion show. The verdict? All other colleges should be green with envy...

blackout symbolising mankind’s destruction of the environment. Whilst this was an inventive and engaging concept, it was a little lost on a crowd who, by this point, had enjoyed copious amounts of wine.

Overall, the night was a huge success and everyone involved, particularly Chairwoman, Maria Fairbank-Azcarate, should be thrilled. Considering this was their first fashion show, it was organised and executed well, managing to be enjoyable whilst also raising awareness and funding a very worthy charity.

it was a little lost on a crowd who, by this point, had enjoyed copious amounts of wine for which donations were collected throughout.

Our favourite walk of the evening was the ‘Vintage Walk’, which took us through the different fashions of the twentieth century, from the glamorous 1920s through to the grungy 1990s. The final walk ventured into more serious territory, with a sudden

a model’s take

Two veteran models discuss this year’s Grey College Charity Fashion Show, taking place on 28th February.

What brands are you most looking forward to showcasing on the night?

Victoria: Lipsy - I’m hoping to channel my inner

prom queen.

Ed: There are rumours of a BHS walk. If so, that.

Any signature dance moves or poses for the night?

Ed: I’m not afraid to get the nipples out. I’m many things, but a prude is not one of them V: The white girl booty grind.

E: I’m not afraid to get the nipples out. I’m many things, but a prude is not one of them.

Dream song to walk to?

Models to look out for?

V: Chloe Kealey.

I developed a huge girl crush after watching her in the Uni Fashion Show.

E: Roxburgh. Although he won’t be sporting those school boy shorts from DUCFS, unfortunately.

Would you rather wear head-to-toe stash or tweed?

V: Got to be stash, I’m all about the comfort look.

E: Tweed is baller.

V: Justin Bieber’s ‘One Less Lonely Girl’ is my jam!

E: It has to be Lana Del Rey’s ‘Blue Jeans’ - so emotive, tears everytime.

Photographs courtesy of Meg Edmond, Venus Loi and Jon Dudeney.

14

i

Anisha Mohan - food@palatinate.org.uk

1 9 F E B

FOOD & DRINK

flippin’ marvellous

N D I G O

Anisha Mohan answers what to do and where to go in Durham to satisfy your post-Pancake Day cravings

W

hile it was Pancake Day a few days ago… maybe you missed out, forgot completely or just want a repeat. Food and Drink are here to tell you that you don’t need a day to tell you whether to eat pancakes or not!

Plus if you’re planning to buy toppings, batter, or ready-made pancakes, the supermarkets are going to be dying to get rid of them to make way for more Easter eggs, so throw caution to the wind and break free of conformity!

Here are some tips, recommendations and recipes to satisfy your pancake-y needs for all abilities, budgets and laziness levels.

Photograph: Anisha Mohan

Homemade:

Convenient treat: The Pancake Café at Crossgate serves large crepe -style pancakes filled generously with sweet or savoury fillings. Some popular combinations include: leek and blue cheese; maple and bacon; scrambled egg and smoked salmon; banana, honey and cinnamon; and lemon and sugar; although the menu is frequently updated.

Savoury pancakes are served with a salad and sweet ones with ice cream. Yum. Plus they are open later than most of the city’s cafes with closing time at 6pm from Tuesday to Saturday and 3pm on Sunday, closed all day Monday.

Fancy your hand at making them yourself? Jamie Oliver has a really simple pancake recipe that’s quick and easy.

Makes 4-6 “really good ones”: 1 egg, 1 cup selfraising flour, 1 cup milk and pinch of salt. Whisk.

Pour into a hot frying pan. Flip! Done.

American: If American is more your style, Saddlers café on Saddler Street (of course) offers a good selection of American style pancakes on their breakfast menu, which is served all day! They have a good variety of toppings to suit all tastes. Friendly staff and quick service in this café make it a great one to visit.

Lazy (and cheap): Tesco in market square, or if you can venture there, big Tesco, do a good selection of pancake goods. There’s plenty to choose from, pre-made Scotch pancakes, chocolate-filled rolled crepes or packs of ready-made flat pancakes.

If you want to make them yourself but without the hassle of buying separate ingredients, their Everyday Value batter mix starts at just 15p!

Chinese New Year Noodle bar

Celebrate with food!

Wok Next - Re-branded from Woksupp, the concept remains largely the same and popular among students.

This fast-food noodle bar has a street-food vibe and allows you to tailor your meal from lots of sauce, noodle and rice options, as well as vegetables and various meats. You can even get a few popular Chinese-style starters in there, including prawn toast and spring rolls.

This place is ideal if you want a quick box of hot food according to your needs and tastes. It is perfect for picky eaters or maybe Chinese food novices. However, the pennies can add up once you load up on all the good stuff!

It is rammed on a Saturday with locals getting their fix, but they do have a delivery service and you can order via justeat.com. The opening hours are Monday-Thursday and Saturday 11am-11pm and 11am-3am on Friday and Saturday. It’s good for if you fancy noodle or rice stir-fries rather than Chinese curries or dishes in sauce. It claims to be a health alternative noodle bar, which is probably better than ordering take away; you see it cooked right in front of you so it’s super fresh. You can find them on Claypath.

Take Away Pushing the boat out, The Yellow Dragon is nice, a bit out of the way and has a £3 delivery charge, but they prepare the food pretty quickly. If you have a car then you can get there in 15 minutes and they have it ready for you. The set menu is good value and food is of good quality. If you want something a bit cheaper, Lucky Dragon is closer, meaning a smaller delivery price at £1.50. The food is good and will satisfy your cravings.

student sweet corner Recipe by Izzy Lim Here’s something a bit fancy. Lets face it, healthy eating died with January, work is now non-stop, and baking is therapeutic! Maybe you’re celebrating handing in a big piece of work, or just want the night off. These cupcakes sound extra impressive but don’t take too much time. Perfect for a treat!

INGREDIENTS • 150g self-raising white flour • 1tsp baking powder • 125g unrefined golden caster sugar • 125g butter (unsalted), softened • 2 eggs • 3 banana(s), over-ripe and mashed • 50g fudge pieces • Fresh cream, caramel and fudge to decorate METHOD • Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and whisk eggs and sugar together, until pale yellow • Sift flour and baking powder, and add this to the mixing bowl, together with the softened butter • Add in the fudge pieces and mashed bananas • Spoon batter into the cupcake cases • Put in oven for about 15 to 18 minutes • When the cupcakes have cooled, add a dollop of caramel on top. Pipe on some fresh cream and decorate with fudge pieces.

N D I G O

i

Celeste Yeo - creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk

C R EAT IV E W R IT I N G

Growing Up

By Yashodhara Trivedi You think you have a plan Doodled on the edge of a notebook In fifth period, English class.

Lofty goals and sun-kissed dreams Bursting through The fading ink of your sloppy scrawl.

You feel invincible, Your life spread out Like a jigsaw puzzle, Waiting to be made whole On a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I know what you’re thinking.

I can read it in the curve of your mouth As you sneak a glance At a passing mirror.

I bet it’s nice to feel so brave, To watch the world Quiver at your touch.

Life becomes your little pet, Nuzzling into the palm of your hand.

But pets die, and mirrors break, Sunday noons are ruined by work, Old notebooks get left behind And jigsaw pieces disappear.

A Letter to Holden Caulfield Re:Purposed Dear Holden, Here’s a secret. Everyone has a story like yours, except that they shove it under carpets, blankets, plasma TVs… Perhaps it’s not a secret. Because I know it. So does everyone.

What you feel about Oral Expression is funny yet interesting. I’ve felt that way so many times, years back.You flunked Oral Expression, you didn’t turn up for it because it wasn’t what you needed most at that point in time. What you needed most was what you wanted most. And so you did what you felt most.Your feelings about Oral Expression, ‘I like somebody to stick to the point and all. But I don’t like them to stick too much to the point.’

‘What I think is, you’re supposed to leave somebody alone if he’s at least being interesting and he’s getting all excited about something. I like it when somebody gets excited about something.’

- I guess you just discovered what Oral Expression isn’t, that’s all. We all have to, at some point in time. Oral Expression isn’t expressing how you feel and what you think out loud. It isn’t about being interesting, or making other people interested in you. It isn’t about you or who you are talking to. You don’t talk to the class, you don’t talk about yourself. You are talking about something and staying on that subject. Because they want you to learn how to express yourself in a useful way, so that you can be useful next time. Oral Expression is a class activity for everyone to say things in a certain, useful way. Digressing is bad because you end up saying a lot of things and saying nothing.

You say a bit of something, and then go on to something else, telling others a little bit of everything but not very much of anything. That is why it is not useful to digress.

What you want is to talk to people, those who would be excited to talk to you and who would like to listen to you get excited about something, anything. We all want that, we all need that. I think Mr Antolini understood that too. He just didn’t know how to say it in a way that you would know he knows. Adults don’t like to talk about themselves much, they have learned how to be useful. It’s true what he said: ‘This fall I think you’re riding for – it’s a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man falling isn’t permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. He just keeps falling and falling. The whole arrangement’s arranged for men who, at some time or other in their lives, were looking for something their own environment couldn’t supply them with. Or they thought their environment couldn’t supply them with. So they gave up looking.’

You didn’t know what you were looking for, you didn’t know where to find it. You were yearning for that invisible, sinuous cord between two people. You didn’t have to look far. You found it in talking to old Phoebe. You didn’t have to leave at all.

Take deep breaths, Holden. Talk to people, then pause, and allow yourself to feel the silence between you and people. I believe you are in a better place now.

P.S: Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If do, you start missing everybody. I miss you

Illustrations by Harriet Peel

15

Your friend, Casey

you too.

Re:Purposed

By Benedict Tan So I, With humble words did rhyme A coloured coat to usher nigh The thoughts, methought belonged to the Sublime.

I stood upon a self-construed stage Spewing praise in wanton lines, Preaching ‘thus and so’.

And at its height, my pulpit speech Stirred the Voice: I spoke.

Then passed, the whispering did teach: Cease the noise.

Day of Love’s parade, and silent Rage, Tree and Stone the visual signs; With these I now sew.

Re:Purposed: “take these verses!” did me cry.

Yet, stay! A voice addressed my mind These words: it is not I, But Thine.

1 9 F E B

comic by Mariam Hayatccomic by Mariam Hayat