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Justina Crabtree & Robin Marshall - indigo@palatinate.org.uk

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INDIGO 3 VIS UA L A RT S Culture on the up

4 & 5 F E AT U R E S One night stand-offs Revisiting the gap yah sagah

6 S TAG E Durham theatre companies in the spotlight

7 FI L M & T V Cinematic guides to growing up

8 & 9 FA S H I O N Fashion of the fittest

10 & 1 1 T R AV E L Madagascar beats to a different time Wine season in Italy

12 F O O D A Fresher’s guide to college food

13 B O O K S World War Three? Flicking through the new Man Booker Prize rule book

14 & 1 5 M U S I C Our interview with These New Puritans Are Haim really that spectacular after all?

The city beckoned, we heard its cry, and enticed by the promise of soaring temperatures and dazzling cloud formations, here we are. Yay! But in all seriousness, welcome back to Durham for what promises to be an exciting year. There is so much on offer here in our small part of the universe that compensates for its debilitating climate.

A new cohort of unfamiliar faces provides an unrelenting energy year on year, injecting the town with fresh doses of Oxbridge-rejection disappointment and gap-year hysteria. These are replaced quickly enough by the sudden, shocking realisation that no one cares. Vastly more important is the encroaching sense of pride in this city and in those who are fortunate enough to participate in it.

A quick glance at Stage is more than enough evidence of the abundance of Durham students’ achievements. It’s a competitive market out there – not so according to our twenty-something theatre companies all vying for citywide stage dominance. One doesn’t have to look far to be entertained outside of Durham, either: the Baltic is within easy reach, minutes away by train or literally graspable on the facing page.

Travel has a selection of the best stories looking further afield, and on your way you could stop off at Music to read some interesting interviews and reviews we’ve been privy to recently.

We hope you don’t mind our tweak on the usual freshers’ fashion shoot. We feel this approach is perhaps slightly more modest – in more ways than one.

To all those returning, commencing or just passing through – we present to you an almost entirely new editorial team, and look forward to providing you with stimulating material with which to idle away the cold, dark hours.

RM & JC

Cover Photograph by Rose Innes Illustrations by Harriet-Jade Harrow & Abi McDonald For more arts and lifestyle articles please visit www.palatinate.org.uk For those interested in writing for Indigo please email indigo@palatinate.org.uk

INDIGO EDITORS Justina Crabtree Robin Marshall BOOKS EDITOR Kate Wilkinson FASHION EDITORS Isobel Buckingham Katie Shuff FEATURES EDITOR Rohan Banerjee FILM & TV EDITOR Aalok Vora FOOD & DRINK EDITOR Diana Grant-Davie MUSIC EDITORS Larry Bartleet Sophia Smith Galer STAGE EDITOR Emma Dawson TRAVEL EDITOR Philip Whitehead VISUAL ARTS EDITOR Lucy Edwardes Jones

WRITERS Rohan Banerjee Bekah Coomber Louisa Cursons Emma Dawson Liz Ewing Will Firth Celestine Fraser Jessica Honnor Roy Manuell Frances Marsh Ismay Milford Tom Mitchell Abi Tavener Chris Williams

PHOTOGRAPHERS Lucy Edwardes Jones Naomi Ellis Liz Ewing Nicolas Heath Rose Innes Ismay Milford Nicola Toddhunter Emma Wind

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Lucy Edwardes Jones - visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

V I S UA L A RT S

soaring arts engagement in the north-east

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The BALTIC Centre is a fine example of the region’s vibrant art scene. Photograph by Lucy Edwardes Jones

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he north has seen one of the biggest regional increases in arts engagement in the last year, leading a national trend which sees visits to museums and galleries at their highest ever level.

The new figures disprove the common perception of the south as the centre of the country’s art scene.

The north is certainly not devoid of an up-andcoming arts scene or sites of national heritage and well-established museums. More importantly, these sites across the north are attracting the public more than ever before.

The north-east has heritage sites abound, notably our very own Durham Cathedral The study by the government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport found that over half of all adults in England visited a museum or art gallery in the period examined. Records began in the financial year 2005/06 and since then, the proportion of people visiting museums and galleries has significantly increased from 42 percent in all regions.

But the survey showed the north-east to be an area of particular growth; almost three-quarters

of adults in the region had engaged with the arts between July 2012 and June 2013. The north-east also beat the national average for the proportion of people who had visited a heritage site. The figures had climbed to 74.8 percent compared to a national average of 72.5 percent.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller commented on the findings by stressing the importance of funding organisations like Arts Council England and allowing the widest possible access to our national museums. She said: “these new figures show once again just how important the nation’s arts and culture are to people.”

The official statistics come from the Taking Part survey, which is commissioned by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and aims to find out how people spend their leisure time and understand their lifestyle choices to try and encourage participation in the areas that the DCMS represents.

Importantly, the numbers do not just show the number of visits, but the proportion of the population who engage in the arts. It represents a wider participation among society rather than a select group visiting these heritage sites, galleries and museums on multiple occasions.

It is no wonder that the north-east tops the tables for engagement with the arts, given its rich and diverse array of museums, theatres, and heritage sites. Newcastle has an exceptional range, including

venues such as The Sage and Theatre Royal. The Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, The Baltic, and The Laing are just three examples of some of the region’s excellent art galleries. The north-east has heritage sites abound, notably our very own Durham Cathedral.

The arts scene is thriving despite vast spending cuts So it seems arts are not restricted only to London or the South, as many perceive the case to be.

The arts scene in the north is thriving despite vast spending cuts of up to half their previous amount in places such as Newcastle. But there is a worry that arts engagement will suffer if museums and galleries have to deal with even more brutal budget cuts. As Maria Miller pointed out the arts are hugely important to us as a nation. But in order to sustain let alone grow this engagement there needs to be there needs to be continued and dedicated investment.

Story by Frances Marsh

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Rohan Banerjee - features@palatinate.org.uk

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date your shag

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Indigo dares to ask: can meaningless sex can be anti-climatic?

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nce you’ve worn out the pleasantries, compared accents, and scoured Youtube for a while, conversations at university will probably become more astute. Certainly, that’s how it was for our block at first. Then, after two days of avoiding any talk of sex, politics or religion, we had our first dining hall debate.

“I’m going on the pull tonight,” declared one of my house mates as he tucked into the starchy college cuisine. The echoing chorus of “lad lad lad” from some archetypal diners duly harmonised with cries of misogyny and feminist hate.

Sex is one of the principal pursuits for a student, a fact conceded by most universities some time ago with the presence of condoms in first year welcome packs, but where opinions get divisive is over how people get down. I mean in what context of course, not position.

Relationships are generally respected, while one night stands are more contentious. If you buy into the predatory accusations of the University of Sussex’s That’s What She Said report, you might feel that they’re demeaning and harmful to women. If you’re an enlightened libertarian like some of the people who go to Klute, however, you might think that they’re a great chance to exercise your freedom away from home.

As a world-weary postgraduate, my own stance is shaped from experience. I’ve done both types of

the horizontal tango and my inkling is that dating is better.

This isn’t to say that I’m into any sort of gender apologetics or that I think that “Blurred Lines” should be banned from our SU, but the luxury of comparison is something I’ve found incredibly difficult to overlook.

Take my last one night stand: the morning after was expectedly awkward and full of regret. Jane Doe and I barely exchanged two words as I scurried off to my non-existent 9am.

Don’t get me wrong, the sex was good (I think), though it’s disconcerting to consider that a stranger has seen my bits.

The echoing chorus of ‘lad lad lad’ harmonised with cries of misogyny and feminist hate It seems that in a hasty attempt to ‘hit that,’ sharking ignores much of the fun that can be had along the way. Aside from a faint whisper (shout) into each other’s ears amid the bayou of a crowded dance floor, the stage between blagging and shagging is

often bereft of any real romance, rather reduced to a mere passe of twerking and ungainly kissing.

Dating, on the flipside, if we can overcome the petty charge of primness, can provide quite the buzz – a daring complement or lengthy state of eye contact – the conversational tightrope we walk gingerly, is surely more gratifying than the mercenary, “your place or mine?”

Extending the chase might sound an onerous task, but I guarantee you the rewards will be worth the wait. Something that rarely sparkles in a wild drunken gamble is far more likely to glitter over the course of a quaint Bailey stroll. Intimacy with another person leads to more meaningful and enjoyable sex.

The table looked stunned at what I’d said.

Nevertheless, my intention was not to criticise or villify the one night stand culture – I can fully appreciate that some students just want to get laid – but the problem with just having sex is that it usually leaves you craving something more.

As students, we shy away from the courting taboo. Even some of our ‘respected’ relationships stem from tactical attendance of the same club.

Granted, it’s perhaps more virtuous to have a target in mind; but whatever happened to simply asking someone out?

Story by Rohan Banerjee Illustration by Harriet-Jade Harrow

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Rohan Banerjee - features@palatinate.org.uk

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stigmah?

MrsElvet

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Bekah Coomber considers whether gap year bashing should become a thing of the past

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undreds of people crowded around the Trevelyan College Bar, boozily attempting to make new friends. There was a mercenary exhange: what course, which college and where else did you apply? But I was asked something more; for what seemed like the hundreth time: “So you took a gap year?” rang patronisingly in my ears.

Teasing seems to have followed me everywhere over the past few weeks, whether it be with the admittance that I’m from the Midlands or that I study English. But no amount of banter can be as bad as that I receive over my decision to take a gap year.

Three years ago, the comedy troupe The Unexpected Items emerged from Oxford University and released a Youtube phenomenon called “Gap Yah,” detailing the main character Orlando’s drunken excursions to Peru, Tanzania and Burma. Since the video went viral, with over five million hits, it seems no gap year student can escape its wrath. There are assumptions of middle class pomposity following their declaration that they dared to do one.

I’d be lying if I pretended that I didn’t once agree with the stereotype myself. Were I standing in Trev’s bar a year ago, the grilling about why anyone would bother taking a gap year might have come from my own mouth. The idea of taking a gap year had barely crossed my mind two years ago. but sometimes life has different plans.

After confirming that I am actually a year older than most freshers and that I did take a gap year, questions instantly turned to why I’d put myself through such hardship. It was in December 2011 that I got an email placing me firmly in the company of many Durham students; I was rejected from Oxford. Gutted as I was, I soldiered on with the hope of eventually getting an offer from Durham. but in February, two months after my Oxford rejection, I received a similar email from Durham, granting me the unique experience of being both a Durham reject and a Durham student.

For what seemed like the hundreth time, ‘So you took a gap year?’ rang patronisingly in my ears I had to then consider doing something that had barely crossed my mind before and take a year out from education. Having little to no idea what I wanted to do, I trawled through endless gap year programs that I found on the internet. I could go trekking through the Himalayas, au-pair in Eastern Europe, or road trip across the USA; my posibilities were vast and daunting.

It was some sort of save-the-world mentality that led me to the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ – Malawi.

Despite a reputation for being one of the friendliest countries in the world, Malawi is also one of the poorest and under-developed. With just over 16 million people living there, over 50% live in poverty,

11% are infected with HIV, and only 61% are literate. But I can promise you, it is also one of the most wonderful countries in the world.

In spite of the polite discourse that otherwise occurs during introductions at Trevs, it’s here that my interviewer always begins to scoff. “So you didn’t do any work on your gap year?” they continue, before rolling their eyes at my unfortunate fulfilment of the middle class stereotype. It seems had I spent a year getting better A-Level results or working in a supermarket, they’d have been happy. The idea that I went to Africa (which I’m now told ought to be pronounced Africah) only seems to exacerbate the ‘Gap Yah’ image.

Some say that all she drinks are Hatfield Ticklers. Others have heard that she bathes in the Weir each morning at dawn. All we know is that she’s the first point of call for college catashtrophes and Durham dramas...

Dear Mrs Elvet, Why are all men who wear Barbour jackets just dreadful?

Perplexed Lady – Cuth’s “Au contraire PL, gentlemen who wear Barbour jackets are nothing of the sort. In fact, they are eminently suitable gentlemen to marry.”

For me, it felt like everything I had done since beginning my GCSEs was to further my future career and gain transferable skills. This is hardly surprising given the vast increase in unemployment for gradates in the UK at the moment. I felt like a gap year would be the perfect opportunity to, cheesy as it may sound, find myself and in the process, I learnt that journeys of self discovery are often more vilified than commended.

Next, conversation turned to what I actually did in Malawi. Unfazed by my time now, I recounted to upturned noses how I had to kill a chicken with my bare hands. Drinks were even spat out in surprise when I told of my suffering from malaria – twice – and that I was obliged to eat termites or have my showers from a cold bucket of water. Still, disgust soon turned to teasing.

I predict the banter will never desist. I envisage myself sitting around the Trevelyan College bar, perhaps in third year and once more having to explain why I’m a year older than everyone else. I might one day succeed in escaping from cliche and expel the myth of middle class pretentiousness. Or else I’ll have learnt to embrace the scoffing and teasing as I’m now able to say with all sincerity that taking a gap year was one of the best decisions of my life.

Story by Bekah Coomber Illustration by Abi McDonald

Dear Mrs Elvet, I can’t understand what the porters are saying which makes things rather inconvenient when you’re trying to get your post. Please save me some more embarrassment.

Awkward Southerner – John’s “Worry not, AS. I didn’t cope with that problem at all. Instead, I tried to convert the porters to my manner of speaking (constantly reiterating that the only way to prnounce ‘can’t’ is ‘carnt’ and not ‘canne’). To my great surprise however, my attempts were met with scorn, though of course their stinging words had to be interpreted by a friend of mine who has a distant relative from the North. Since then, I have conducted a vigorous campaign to increase the number of Southerners at Durham.”

Dear Mrs Elvet, My boyfriend refuses to wear anything but suits and resists all my attempts to explain that this sort of attire should be kept for special occasions. How do I convince him otherwise?

Desperate Girlfriend – Castle “My dear DG, he sounds like a catch.”

By Emma Dawson Illustration by Harriet-Jade Harrow

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Emma Dawson - stage@palatinate.org.uk

STA G E

all of durham’s a stage

3dTC Providing opportunities, feedback and support for fellow thespians – especially first-time or inexperienced directors. Interviews for our Fresher Director will be held soon!

Castle Theatre Company Old and prestigious, CTC benefits from choice access to historic venues, performing classical to contemporary, culminating in an international summer Shakespeare tour.

the Edinburgh Fringe and one at the Gala Theatre.

Fountains Theatre Company (Grey College) FTC is a steadily growing college theatre company responsible for putting on a range of plays from musicals to Shakespeare to modern drama.

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Raving Mask Raving Mask is a new theatre company committed to an experimental and innovative style, welcoming new writing and predominantly focusing on the theatre of the absurd.

FULLfuse Theatre FULLfuse Theatre was founded in 2013, and brings both new, devised works and contemporary British writing to the Durham stage.

ShellShock!

ShellShock! is the performance name of Durham’s Improvised Comedy Society. We run improv workshops, perform around Durham and have taken five shows to the Edinburgh Fringe.

Catharsis Theatre Catharsis Theatre exists to promote dark, psychological drama which enhances the naturalistic, enchants the mundane, and augments the real.

Hild Bede Theatre Winning 6 D’Oscar awards over the last 3 years, Hild Bede Theatre is one of the largest, most reputable and friendly theatre companies in Durham.

Society of Theatrical Arts at Butler STAB is the drama group of Butler, and throughout the year we do both internal and external productions, including an annual Murder Mystery Formal!

Collingwood Woodplayers The Woodplayers are Collingwood’s resident theatre company. We work hard, producing four quality shows a year, but we also know how to play hard!

Hill College Theatre Company HCTC is an umbrella theatre company for the Hill Colleges open to the whole University. Our aim is to give the audience a good laugh and we are renowned for our outdoor summer Shakespeare.

St Chad’s Green Door Theatre Company Green Door is being re-invented, we’re small but perfectly formed and looking for fresher talent back and centre stage. Come and say hi on Facebook!

Durham Ballet Company Ballet Company perform at college balls and put on a performance once a year. Auditions are held for ballerinas Grade 5+. Please contact us for details.

Durham Improvised Musical Give us a musical title, song title and location and we will create a completely original and totally improvised musical. We do public shows/college balls/ society events, so if you’d be interested in booking us please get in touch!

Durham Opera Ensemble DOE stage three operatic works a year. When arriving virtually nobody has done opera before, and we want to give Durham students new opportunities.

Durham University Classical Theatre DUCT is Durham’s only theatre company dedicated to staging productions over a hundred years old, reviving forgotten works and providing a platform to develop budding talent.

Durham University Light Opera Group DULOG is the largest musical theatre company in the University, producing five shows yearly, one at

Infinity Musical Theatre IMT is a musical theatre society based at Queen’s campus. We perform one large production a year, which is performed at the Arc theatre. This year we are performing Grease following on from Spring Awakening, Footloose, and Bad Girls.

Just Deserts Just Deserts shows quirky, whimsical and always original sketch comedy. Written and performed by our own members, our shows are unfailingly fresh.

Lion Theatre Company (Hatfield College) The Lion Theatre Company, Hatfield College’s official drama society, looks to put on performances that make use of the wide spectrum of dramatic talent within the College.

Ooook Productions!

Ooook! Productions is a friendly and outreaching theatre company that aims to provide accessible and enjoyable theatre, recruiting untested as well as experienced talent. Past productions have raised £11,000+ for charity.

St Mary’s Drama Society - Foot of the Hill Theatre Company We do three shows every year: the Christmas Pantomime, a Shakespeare, and the Summer Musical.

All are welcome. So, whatever interests may be, join!

The Durham Revue Sketch Comedy. Looking for members. E-mail us.

Hilarity. Edinburgh. Pals. We love you.

Thrust Stage Thrust Stage is an award-winning company dedicated to producing theatre of the highest quality across a wide range of genres.

Tone Deaf Theatre Company TDTC was founded with the aim of bringing small cast modern musicals to Durham and prides itself on its high quality of shows.

Trevelyan College Musical Society Outstandingly talented Trevelyanites take to the stage for the annual Epiphany musical, ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’. From tech to set and performers, we have it all!

‘Hair’, performed by DULOG Photograph by Emma Wind

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Aalok Vora - film@palatinate.org.uk

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parental guidance (no longer required) Films that encapsulate the daunting transition from awkwardly-inbetween to all-grown-up

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he ‘coming of age’ trope in films is one that has been mined to its core, and for good reason. Writers, directors and actors alike have been able to transmute their experiences and ideas into, sometimes timeless, filmic moments; moments that we as the audience can empathise with, take away and share with friends. These films seem particularly pertinent to the beginning of a new academic year; a time when freshers look to assert and consolidate their burgeoning sense of independence and finalists look to pastures new. So, here is a selection of some of our writers’ favourites. See if they can convince you that these films deserve a place in the pantheon of ‘coming of age’ greats.

Abi Tavener - Mean Girls Tina Fey’s award-winning comedy Mean Girls is a witty, intelligent and devastatingly sarcastic parody of the teenage high school experience. Even now, ten years after its release, Mean Girls quotations commonly roll off the tongue unimpeded, whether it be “shut up” or “she doesn’t even go here!” The film’s comical portrayal of a variety of high school female stereotypes (albeit exaggerated) results in every viewer either recognising or relating to at least one character, whether that be the beautiful mean girl Regina George, or the arty and alternative Janis.

Within this myriad framework of female stereotypes, Fey addresses many issues associated with ‘coming of age’, such as personal image, boyfriends, and sex; notably, Coach Carr’s sexual education class warns that, ‘you will get pregnant, and die’.

Such an overstated approach to serious and familiar situations simultaneously evokes feelings of both amusement and understanding from the adolescent (or even adult) viewer. Personally, protagonist Cady Heron’s assertion that her first day of school was a ‘stressful, surreal blur’ bears uncanny resemblance to my own experience of Durham fresher’s week.

Craig Roberts stares helplessly at the existential quandry that is adolescence. Photograph by Film4

Will Firth - Submarine Packed with more stylistic flair than would seem possible from a debut director, Richard Ayoade’s touching and hilarious ‘coming of age’ tale is one of the finest British films of recent years.

Submarine also happens to feature one of the finest performances by a teenage actor I’ve ever seen (always a crucial factor in such films). Craig Roberts’ portrayal of the protagonist Oliver Tate is spoton; recalling all the awkwardness and difficulty of school years, as well as the freedom of a child’s mind.

We follow Oliver through a quest for identity and love, as his world threatens to come crashing down around him (he is prone to the over-dramatic). The film has an irresistible charm as well as a sharpness of humour, but the emotional core is supplied by Roberts.

As you can probably tell; I absolutely love this film, right down to the individual pieces of its set design.

Watch it and you can’t help but laugh, cringe (perhaps at your past self) and come out smiling. On top of that, there are even original songs from Ayoade’s old pal Alex Turner. We should be so lucky.

Chris Williams - Almost Famous Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical account of a teenage journalist, sent on the road by Rolling Stone on the Stillwater tour, a fictional amalgam of

You can’t help but laugh, cringe (perhaps at your past self) and come out smiling all the great 70s rock bands, has to be seen as one of the greatest coming of age tales to be told on the silver screen.

Whilst delivering a heavy dose of hippy nostalgia, the themes delivered by Crowe through his naïve, music geek persona, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), still resonate deeply today. Miller rebels against an overbearing mother (Frances McDormand), a first love (Kate Hudson) turns to first heartbreak and everything in between is accounted for. Their occurrence within the acid-tinged haze of the mid-70s just makes the experience, for both protagonist and viewer all the more profound. What makes it particularly good, however, is how genuine and nonjudgmental the film seems to be. Crowe lets it be known that mistakes are there to be made. Fugit’s William Miller is not the only one with growing up

to do; all, from the preening wannabes of Stillwater to the pseudo-philosophical princess, Penny Lane (Hudson), are guilty.

Celestine Fraser - Moonrise Kingdom Wes Anderson’s latest masterpiece, Moonrise Kingdom, brings to life the coming of age tale of Sam Shakusky and Suzy Bishop - two gloriously odd 12 year olds who fall in love and run away into New England’s wildernesses. With parents, a scout troop, and Bruce Willis’ depressive cop in hot pursuit, Sam and Suzy survive on their own by combining their still childlike imagination with an adult resourcefulness (‘I forgot my comb but I’ll use my fingers’).

In true Anderson style, the protagonists somehow succeed in being simultaneously humourless and charismatic. Even if you can’t relate to Sam and Suzy as outcasts, you’ll surely root for them as underdogs. With their flat, deadpan delivery, they still bear the scars of never having ‘fitted in’.

Sure, Anderson’s earlier works have been charged with placing style over substance, but ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ is without doubt a quirky little film with one hell of a soul. And if nothing else, its warm cinematography and feel-good soundtrack should help alleviate any first hint of the Durham-winter blues.

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Katie Shuff & Isobel Buckingham - fashion@palatinate.org.uk

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looking fresh

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The leaves may have withered and the weather may be miserable, but the autumnal hangover has failed to penetrate Durham’s fashion consciousness. A plethora of new fashionistas has sprung up all over town, proving that the Jack Wills-and-Hunters stereotype has become as tired and worn out as summer’s flowers. Meet eight of Durham’s freshest fashionistas.

Name: Suraya

Name: Maria

College: Hill Bede

College: Castle

Style Icon: No-one in particular, but I always like to see what people are posting on Pinterest.

Style Inspiration: For me, style has to come from within, so I never like to follow any particular person in fashion.

At the moment, I am drawn to more androgynous pieces which combine elements from both sexes.

Style Inspiration: When I am choosing an outfit, I like the idea of mixing different textures to create a 3D effect.

I want to stand out in what I’m wearing but always in a more understated and subdued way.

Go to Piece: A crop top

Go to Piece: Anything which can be worn by both men and women.

Style Tips: Wear whatever makes you feel and look good.

Style Tips: Wear whatever makes you happy.

Name: Chris College: St Aidan’s Style Icon: Frank Sinatra, particularly in the 40s.

Style Inspiration: Anything from the 30s, 40s and sometimes I dip into the 20s. I like flicking through old photos from these eras for style inspiration.

Go to Piece: A crisp white shirt, as it goes with everything.

Style Tips: Don’t be afraid to experiment with your style to find exactly what works for you.

Name: George College: Castle Style Icon: David Gandy never fails to look sharp and pulled together.

Style Inspiration: I like my outfit choices to exude a sense of tradition and classicism, making sure that each piece complements one other. I also prefer to opt for more subdued colour choices, avoiding anything too garish.

Go to Piece: Grey jacket (pictured) Style Tips: Men should always keep their look simple and classic, acting as the background to let the girl stand out.

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Katie Shuff & Isobel Buckingham - fashion@palatinate.org.uk

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Name: Henrietta College: St John’s Style Icon: Daphne Guinness always looks incredibly beautiful and classic.

Name: Paddy College: St John’s Style Icon: David Gandy has a great taste in fashion.

Style Inspiration: I am always being inspired by Parisian street style.

Style Inspiration: I tend to wear all black as it creates a simple yet stylish effect. Durham’s cold weather is also a factor when I’m choosing an outfit so I like the concept of layering hoodies under jackets.

Go to Piece: Nikes (pictured) Style Tips: Dress for your body shape rather than blindly following the latest trends.

Go to Piece: It would have to be a toss-up between my Levi shearling denim jacket and my Chelsea boots.

Name: Jamie

Style Tips: Make sure you keep it simple by sticking to staple pieces.

College: St Aidan’s Style Inspiration: I tend to wear pieces which look good but are comfortable and relaxed at the same time.

Go to Piece: Long sleeves and a cool hat.

Style Tips: Don’t over think an outfit, always keep it simple.

Name: Laura College: Hatfield Style Icon: Sienna Miller. She always achieves that boho vibe.

Style Inspiration: I like the idea of layering pieces or adding an unexpected edge to my outfit, like the golden embellishment on a collar of a blouse (pictured). Mixing unexpected pieces together is also important, for example pairing a classic blouse with acid wash jeans to create a bold contrast.

Go to Piece: A black body-con skirt is perfect for both day and night as it goes with absolutely everything.

Photographs by Rose Innes & Nicola Todhunter

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Philip Whitehead - travel@palatinate.org.uk

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living ‘mora mora’ style

Ismay Milford finds the time to stand and stare, thanks to the slower pace of life in Madagascar

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n Madagascar nobody’s in a hurry. Buses leave when they’re full, workers wake with the sun, students and teachers turn up to school whenever they’ve finished doing what they were doing before. “Mora mora,” they say in Malagasy, all toothy smiles and reassuring nods. It means ‘slowly’, and it seemed a good a way of doing things as any. “How long will it take?” I ask, “Maybe 2 hours, or 5” goes the typical response. What can at first seem frustrating to an instinctive watch-glancer doesn’t take long to get used to, and proved to be unexpectedly liberating.

Worrying and hurrying the day through wouldn’t have made life any easier Catching a Malagasy ‘taxi-brousse’ was a perfect way to get to grips with this. Four to a seat in the back of a minibus, sacks of dried beans and crates of fish strapped precariously to the roof with fraying rope: off we cough, splutter and bump down muddy tracks. The back door swings open on its hinge and someone hangs out the back, ready to offer a hand to anyone jumping on en route. And just when you think that surely now the bus is full, extras prop

planks of wood between the aisle seats. Sometimes we stop to add something to the overflowing roof, often just for a chat to a passer-by. Coins and crumpled notes are passed down the bus and scribbled tickets passed back. If there’s been rain, then it’s all out to push through the mud and more often than not we grind to a halt and someone hops out to peer into the bonnet or slide themselves under the car.

We drive till the petrol runs dry and is topped up by plastic bottles rolling around on the floor. Nobody seems to mind the hold-up, and nobody bats an eyelid when the driver passes a discrete note out to a policeman on the side of a road.

Nothing in Madagascar underwhelms. Just like David Attemborough (in a way), it was the wildlife that drew me here and the real thing delivered all the vibrancy and curiosities that the documentaries had promised. Lemurs’ hands are uncannily human-like, worms are three feet long, there really are chameleons the size of a finger and woodlice the size of your hand. Rainforest mist blankets the hills, avocados are at least six times bigger than their supermarket cousins, piles of chillies and fresh green peppercorns are laid down on tarpaulin at sprawling markets.

But it’s the Malagasy people that made the trip incredible. Teaching in a large rural village, I was lucky enough to be welcomed again and again into the homes of friendly families. We sang, we danced, we ate bowl after bowl of rice and drank glasses of fresh tamarind juice. Nothing was rushed; time wasn’t kept. In the city, people sell vanilla pods from

baskets with steely determination, offer trays of something sweet and doughy through the bus window. A man with a vat of fresh coffee pours it into tin mugs and serves it with sweet condensed milk on a corner in the mornings.

We sang, we danced, we ate bowl after bowl of rice Life lived ‘mora mora’ was refreshing. But of course this was only the half of it, because once your’re out working then time is money. And money is rice in bowls and medicine for the children and shoes for when the monsoon comes. And if there isn’t enough left to give to the school then the teachers don’t get paid. In the midst of political riots and lootings, Malagasies roared with laughter at the prospect of almost forty presidential candidates standing at the ever-postponed elections. Worrying and hurrying through the day wouldn’t have made life any easier for the Malagasy people, so it only made sense to avoid it. And I couldn’t help but admire them.

Photograph by Ismay Milford

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Philip Whitehead - travel@palatinate.org.uk

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T RAV E L

a vine time in tuscany

Sick of formal wine already? Liz Ewing heads to Italy for something slightly more authentic we found ourselves running in the pouring rain, trying to avoid getting washed down the hill with the flowing water.

We visited Florence where we marvelled at the classical sculptures outside the Palazzo Vecchio and climbed the 414 steps to the top of the Duomo bell tower.

We were exposed to the boisterous dancing of the alcoholfuelled locals in party-mode

“I’m sorry, you’re going to have to get out and walk; my car cannot take the weight.”

Tomasso’s battered little Fiat Panda had scraped and scratched its belly across the crumbling, potholed drive for as far as it could carry us, but the gradient of the hill was just too steep for it to make it to the top. So, in the moonlight, we walked up towards the thirteenth century building that sat atop the Tuscan hill, passing the silhouettes of Cyprus trees, grape vines and olive trees.

This was Macea, a vineyard in the town of Borgo a Mozzano, and home to the Barsanti family. Tomasso, a student of œnology (wine-making) at Pisa University, had arranged for us to stay on the estate in return for our help harvesting this year’s grapes.

The three generations of the family, who lived in the rustic, three-storey house, were to be our hosts for the fortnight, and our good friends by the time we departed.

Locally-hunted wild boar sizzled on the barbeque Borgo a Mozzano, situated in a valley beneath magnificent sylvan mountains, is twenty minutes from the town of Lucca by train. Macea is a small, family-run winery, which adopts a ‘bio-dynamic’ approach to wine-making. For us, that meant competing with the weeds and long grass of the biodiverse terraces as we scaled the vines each day with our secateurs, snipping bunches of Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.

The family rents out a barn conversion to holiday makers. For us, one of the delightful apartments inside was free (though we were sometimes moved into a four-man tent for a night when international

wine importers came to stay).

As well as Cipriano (the jovial and energetic younger son of mama Barsanti), Frederico (another œnology student), Mauro (Cipriano’s eight-year-old nephew, aka ‘the forty-year-old dwarf’: a hilarious character with a crass Tuscan sense of humour) and Tomasso, we were picking alongside various guests from around the world who came and went from Macea.

After a morning’s harvesting and a session of grape-treading, we would all head to the long table on eldest son Antonio’s floor of the house and eat several courses of pasta, bread, meats and cheeses – three generations together. Every meal was accompanied by several bottles of unlabelled wine, taken from the house’s old cellar.

In the evenings, Cipo treated us to home-cooked meals including spicy rabbit stew, champagne risotto, carbonara and homemade gnocchi. One night, we sat in the garden of our apartment with other guests from around the world, waiting for Cipo to arrive with his arms full of various cuts of meat – including locally-hunted wild boar and chops of heart – all of which were sizzled on the barbecue and served with generous helpings of wine and sides of ham and melon.

At other times, we would accompany Tomasso to ‘osterias’ and ‘trattorias’, set within the quintessentially Tuscan hills around Pisa, where he intended to sell Macea wines. These places were far off the beaten track and frequented by locals. He’d order us his top picks from the menu – copious amounts of local foods, which usually totalled the cost of the wine we were trying to sell – such as wild pigeon pasta, ‘pig interior’ stew, and a delicious gnocchilike dish called ‘nuay’.

One day it rained so hard that the roads down to Borgo were awash with a fast-flowing river of muddy water. Since the grapes couldn’t be picked when wet, we kept an eye on the weather forecasts and chose days such as these to take trips to nearby cities. The area was well serviced by trains, for which

We caught a train to the sandy beach of Viareggio where we lounged on the sunbeds (for a price of 10€) in the September sun. One evening, after several glasses of wine in a piazza, Tomasso showed us Pisa from a student’s perspective, leading us through the maze of streets to the various hangouts of his classmates. And in Lucca, Antonio, a classically trained flautist, played at a charity jazz event one night. We were exposed to the merry sing-alongs and boisterous dancing of the alcohol-fuelled locals in party mode.

Though we often found ourselves sat, listening to Italian being thrown back and forth over our heads, dumb witnesses to the lives of working Italians, we were nonetheless made to feel truly part of the family during our summer at Macea. It is a trip I would recommend to anyone, especially if you’re keen on wine.

Photography by Liz Ewing

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Diana Grant-Davie - food@palatinate.org.uk

FOOD&DRINK

spuds, glorious spuds

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The words ‘college catering’ send shudders through many. Here’s one fresher’s perspective on dining hall delights that has the potential to dispel all myths.

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lthough I’ve always been fond of food, I was interested to see how I would adjust to ‘the Grey way’ of eating. Coming from a household where none of the ‘chefs’ were Michelin-star cooks and a ready-meal was quite common, (sorry Mum and Dad!), I was excited to experience something new.

One of the greatest changes I found was adjusting to Grey’s Saturday brunch. Initially, I was definitely not a fan of having breakfast at lunchtime, but I enjoyed it more the second time around because I missed having a proper breakfast (it may be the most important meal of the day, but Freshers’ Week significantly impacted my eating pattern!).

The cooking of the breakfast itself cannot be faulted; the thought of a full English breakfast acts as excellent motivation during the week to get up early, and the porridge gave me plenty of energy for my first lecture (at nine o’clock Monday morning – excuse me?).

The doughnut days are divine – Krispy Kreme, eat your heart out

However, it is lunch that has most consistently been my favourite meal of the day. It makes an exciting change from routine packed lunches. Standouts have been the pork wrap and the ham and mushroom pizza. My heart has a hole that only pizza can fill.

Another of the highlights has to be the roast dinner on Sunday, as this was one of the things I knew I was going to miss from home; my parents’ cooking skills do stretch to an excellent Sunday roast. The pork was cooked to perfection, and what’s more, came complete with my favourite: Yorkshire puddings.

The pasta-based meals have also become a staple. the Bolognese cannelloni and lasagne were particularly tasty. None of the food has ever been bland; if anything, the flavours can occasionally be a bit overpowering. Despite this, none of the meals have been unpalatable.

Spotting the occasional item of food disguised as something new a couple of days in a row doesn’t make it feel repetitive. Rather, I see it as a great chance to have a second helping of that pudding you really enjoyed the night before.

The desserts are on the whole fantastic, particularly when I can get my daily chocolate fix from them. The doughnut days are divine – Krispy Kreme, eat your heart out!

As for the potatoes, well, where do we begin? I

was warned by a Fresher representative that I would get to know many different varieties throughout my time here. I now scoff at my former disbelief with equal amounts of humility and mashed potato.

My heart has a hole that only pizza can fill The curly fries are infamous throughout Grey and when I eventually got to try them I was not disappointed.

What I particularly enjoy is the variety of meals we are offered. I never expected that coming to university would broaden my palate, but I can safely say it has! With the exciting and time-consuming challenges of being a Fresher, I am certainly grateful that one less task – foraging for food – requires my attention.

Story by Jessica Honnor Photograph by Naomi Ellis

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Kate Wilkinson - books@palatinate.org.uk

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BOOKS

a blow to british novelists

Will recent rule changes to the Man Booker Prize damage British literary culture?

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ast month it was announced that the Man Booker Prize, formerly open only to the Commonwealth, Zimbabwe and the Republic of Ireland, will extend its reach to include any novel published in English in this country. Consequently, the 2014 Prize will be available to thousands of esteemed American writers whose novels have successfully reached the UK. Unsurprisingly, this announcement has sparked fierce concerns among British novelists that their work won’t even get a look-in when competing with such a vast range of different authors and styles.

The rule change appears to give a clear advantage to major publishers, whose novels are more likely to be singled out, while less renowned companies will be drowned in the sea of books up for consideration.

Underdogs are utterly eclipsed by the thousands of revered international novelists now included The discovery of fresh literary talent therefore becomes unlikely, as the underdogs are utterly eclipsed by the thousands of revered international

novelists now included.

This decision also highlights a growing national concern: that British culture is slowly but surely becoming infiltrated by its overseas companions. The Man Booker Prize was a symbol of British individuality, providing the country with something of its own; a platform for national literary achievement.

The Americans have their own equivalents, in the form of the American Book Awards and the National Book Awards. Both of these accolades are only open to American writers, excluding Britain and the rest of the world. Why, then, has Britain chosen to renounce one of the few establishments that was unique to itself, in order to allow the Americans a look-in?

One argument might be that British writers will benefit from this fresh competition, pushing them to surpass American literature. Of course, it also encourages integration and equality between the different cultures, providing writers from any background with a fantastic opportunity.

However, these opportunities were already being provided through the Man Booker International Prize: an award available to authors of any nationality for a body of work published in English. In fact, the previous two winners were American: Philip Roth in 2011, and Lydia Davis in 2013. Was it really necessary, therefore, to extend the reach of the Man Booker Prize?

What’s more, it was decided earlier this year to create a new international award for literature entitled the Folio Prize, which is open to all works of fiction written in English and published in the UK.

This award will be given for the first time in 2014; the same year that the Booker Prize is set to change its admission rules. It seems that next year, Britain will be offering awards to a multitude of international authors, at the expense of its British novelists.

Jim Crace, an author shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize this year, told the London Evening Standard that the changes to the Prize will devalue it, making it seem ‘less essential’ to writers in the UK.

It appears that the UK is fated to share its literary creations with America It appears that the UK is fated to have to share its creations with America, from X Factor to the Booker Prize. Unfortunately, this fact may impair the chances of British authors of gaining the praise and renown that they deserve.

Story by Louisa Cursons Photograph by Nicolas Heath

Larry Bartleet & Sophia Smith Galer - music@palatinate.org.uk

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interview: these new puritans These New Puritans’ third album, Fields of Reeds, a mysteriously haunting but uplifting record, was released in June to rapturous acclaim. Indigo caught up with Jack Barnett, the frontman and mastermind behind TNP, to discuss how the album came about, dynamics within the band, music in the digital era and...Boogie Nights.

You must be sick of interviews surrounding the new album by now, what’s your schedule like at the moment?

I’ve actually just got back from holiday and this is the second interview I’ve done in ages, so you get me fresh and forthcoming! Since the album came out we’ve done a micro-tour of Tokyo, LA, Paris and London; took a little break to work on videos and artwork and play a few little festivals. Then we’ve got a few dates around the UK in October and then our European tour starts in Moscow in November.

So when you’re at a point like this, in between the album being released and the forthcoming tour, are you still writing?

I’m always doing demos and noting down ideas, I actually made a few demos a couple of weeks ago, but it’s hard doing things sporadically like that because you fall out of habit.

When you’re writing does everything fall into the realm of being TNP, or do you have certain ideas that are specifically TNP where others are definitely not?

Well, what I come up with isn’t always necessarily TNP but I would say the majority is. Previously, it would have only been about 20 per cent that I would work into TNP stuff: I recorded loads when I was younger and TNP was only a narrow aspect of that which I worked on with my brother George and friend from school Tom. The opening track on Field of Reeds was originally called ‘The Way I Do’ and features ‘an amateur singer

half-recalling fragments of a song’ which caused some legal trouble with Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

What happened and when was it that you found out?

Believe me you don’t want to mess with the Bacharach! Or Hal David! That track came about because as I was writing I happened to be between two rooms and in one room there was someone singing that song whilst doing the washing up and in the other room I could hear the piano being played. We found out at the mastering stage so there wasn’t much we could do music-wise. We could have left it with the song name that I wanted to give it and risk being sued tens of thousands, or we could change the name to ‘This Guy’s In Love With You’. I’ve come to terms with the name change now. I quite like it because it’s something completely different from any TNP title so it adds another flavour to the album.

Could you talk us through the TNP songwriting process? Did things differ this time around?

This time around I wrote everything in isolation, with George and Graham (Sutton, producer) having input once I’d played stuff back to them. When I’m in writing mode that’s all I’m doing, so I need the outside opinions to help me filter what I’m coming out with and get it all together as an album. When we’re actually recording, the group dynamic shifts the music around a bit because of the individual performances, especially George, as he’s such an unusual drummer. He doesn’t play like anyone else.

He’s a bit more like a drum machine: he programs himself! There’s one song [on the new album] called ‘V (Island Song)’ where it sounds like there are two drummers, but it’s all George.

How involved are you with the artwork for the band?

Do you see the production of something that’s a tangible physical object as something that’s important to you and your music or not?

The artwork side of things is left up to George so

he sorts out our videos; their themes, who’s going to shoot it, etc. I’ll come up with some ideas and sketches and then leave it to him.

It’s weird thinking about how important physical copies of music are to me, and I’m sure there are many others like me in today’s world because I download and stream a lot, even though I’m really fond of the physical product. I do genuinely think that simply having music as a large database devalues it. It turns finding and enjoying new stuff into something like having a boring I.T. job.

I think that’s why we feel it’s important for us to make the physical copies of our music significant objects. If it’s obvious that if we care about how you experience our music then you’re more likely to want to invest time in listening to it. It comes back to the fact that the most important thing for this band is to make the music we want to make, and damn the consequences! I think that on paper we’re ridiculously commercially unviable. I think everything we’ve done with the past two albums is completely at odds with pop culture. When we’re recording, sometimes I think “hmm, maybe this is too obscure…” but then I turn on the TV and see a game show about diving presented by Tom Daley and I think maybe that’s ok, maybe we should be disconnected from the mainstream!

If we were to make a playlist of our interviewee’s new music recommendations, what would yours be?

I’ve got to say ‘Boogie Nights’ by Heatwave. The keyboardist, Rob Templeton, wrote Thriller and Beat It and all the Michael Jackson greats. But Boogie Nights was his first hit! The video’s so funny, you have this core funk band all looking the part with this huge Chubby Checker-looking drummer spilling everywhere grooving away and then this nerdy white guy Rob Templeton playing the keys… definitely worth a watch.

Story by Tom Mitchell Photograph by Willy Van Der Perre

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Larry Bartleet & Sophia Smith Galer - music@palatinate.org.uk

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MUSIC

f there was ever a time to justifiably use the word ‘hype’ it’d be now, alliteratively and deservedly attributed to the three-piece indie outfit, Haim. Following the critical success of early singles ‘Forever’ and ‘Don’t Save Me’, their label Polydor put the three girls (Este, Danielle and Alana) under intense pressure over the course of 2013 to produce their debut album.

The term ‘cool’ too is grossly overused these days, but on this very special occasion, Haim comfortably earn such a description. There’s just something about their girl-gang, popped-collar appearance that evokes excitement similar to that surrounding The Strokes’ arrival a decade or so ago. While they effortlessly hold the image, and have celebrity admirers ranging from Mumford & Sons to the Arctic Monkeys, one question remains: can they write?

Days Are Gone opens like a series finale, dramatic, exotic drums pounding around mysterious synthesizers that echo as ‘Falling’ confidently announces the album’s introduction. Nicely juxtaposed with the second track, ‘Forever’, their first single from 2012, the record already feels like a teenage forest retreat: carefree and hopeful for the future. Fittingly, Haim can certainly afford to be.

Comparisons with Stevie Nicks vindicated, Days Are Gone is subtle, clever and catchy: three components that seem about as hard to find in the current, commercially-endorsed industry as a Brit award that Adele hasn’t already won. If you were expecting Este, Danielle or Alana Haim to roar like Katie Perry or moan like Rihanna then you’ll be bitterly disappointed with their debut.

At times, though, it feels like there is something lacking on the album. Lyrically simple and rhythmically certain throughout, the record never really explodes, but maybe this is why the album works so well. Its youthful attraction lies in its ability to utterly embody every eighteen-year-old’s utopian vision of how it’ll feel to be nineteen. Perhaps the best example of this is on the third track and highlight of the album, ‘The Wire’, where there is a recognisably-uplifting electricity that courses through every song. This is propelled by the prominence of ethnomusicologist Este’s bass, leading each track onto the next with shameless harmony.

One question: can they write?

Young love and emotional frustration lyrically dominate, lead singer Danielle purring “You know there’s no rhyme or reason/For the way you turned out to be” before the vocals oscillate between the three girls, toying with our attention and demonstrating the sheer versatility of the group.

It is, plainly put, an interesting first record. Sonically unique, but also refreshing: a sister act of three charismatic individuals proving to the musical world that girls don’t need boys to write their songs for them. This follows the thoughts of a famous friend of theirs, Alex Turner, who recently commented that ‘there aren’t any exciting new alternative bands out there’. Well there are exceptions to every rule, aren’t there Mr Turner?

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The title track on Days Are Gone is darker, losing a little of the smile-provoking Haim spark, but it provides an effective moment of contrast with the first half of the album, a frustrated organ hovering in the background. Still, it reflects the melodic essence of the band through its lyrical simplicity, “Holding on, holding on/These days are gone,” before a surprisingly effective Destiny’s Child-inspired bridge slips past.

No wonder Jay Z’s a fan. ‘My Song 5’ then introduces itself with an opening that wouldn’t sound out of place in The Phantom of the Opera as the trio continue to combine R&B, rock and roll, and even dubstep on this number. It should be a car-crash but somehow they make it work. Perhaps some credit here is due to the excellent Ariel Rechtshaid production work on the album.

Consistency rules on Days Are Gone; all eleven songs boasting faultlessly catchy choruses that retain the credibility that places them into the category of songwriters and it wouldn’t be unrealistic to name them the coolest girl-band since B*Witched... But on a serious note, Este, Danielle and Alana will without a doubt be a welcome challenge to the patriarchal world of music (see Robin Thicke for details).

Days Are Gone is not just a good group of songs; it’s a great album. Julian Casablancas once advised Haim, a handful of years ago when the three were naively wandering onto the music scene, to go away and ‘write some better songs’. Judge for yourself, but it looks like they went and did just that.

haim: days are gone Its attraction lies in its ability to embody every eighteen year-old’s utopian vision of how it’ll feel to be nineteen

Story by Roy Manuell Photograph by Tom Beard

Sudoku courtesy of sudoku-puzzles.net Illustration by Harriet-Jade Harrow