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EDITORIAL Thursday, 29 November 2018

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www.palatinate.org.uk

STAGE 3 Butterworth critical hit comes to Durham FASHION 4-5 DUCFS 2019: Meet the Student Creatives Behind the Upcoming Shows MUSIC 6 The Punk Manifesto: the Rebirth of Rock FILM AND TV 7 Bohemian Rhapsody review CREATIVE WRITING 8-9 Perspective The Man in the Hut BOOKS 10 Helping or hindering?

VISUAL ARTS 11 Debate: It is ethical to use live animals in art?

FOOD AND DRINK 12 & 13 Crafty deceit?

Breaking up the beers

TRAVEL

14 Alone, Together FEATURES 15 I Came, I Failed, I Conquered INTERVIEW 16 Young Chef of the Year 2018: In Conversation

It’s 7:27 pm and I’ve been in the Palatinate office for around seven hours. Today isn’t a particularly long or even a particularly stressful day. Tomorrow I’m up early to do some work, interview, fence for team Durham and make it back before 5:00 early dinner.

Running around seems to be part of the culture at University as we push ourselves to sign up for one more society, have one more late night or another drink. Mornings are drowned in coffee, afternoons taken over by naps. When I talk to friends they tell me they’re so busy, they’re tired or late to a lecture. This busy culture is epistemic, the more people I speak to the more apparent it becomes. For some it’s the need to feel productive, for others it’s the need to be seen as sociable, desirable or even just wanted. Nights in are percieved to show a lack of plans, and nights alone as a lack of companionship.

Amongst the chaos that is being an undergraduate it’s hard to make time for yourself.

Halls are noisy, essays are imanent and nights out are enjoyable- it’s easily done. However, it is important to prioratise yourself. Rest and recuperation are not optional but necessary.

Your health and wellbeing are a priority, not an extra teathered to your to-do list.

Overworking yourself should not be a yardstick by which to measure your success, or a device with which to beat yourself. There will always be more items to add to the to-do list or more societies you can join. But there will not be infinite time to care for yourself mentally and physically.

Give the night out a miss. Do the lecture reading tomorrow. Take a deep breath and slow down.

AC

INDIGO EDITORS Adele Cooke Alex Leggatt (deputy) FEATURES EDITORS Kleopatra Olympiou Imogen Usherwood (deputy)

CREATIVE WRITING EDITORS Rhiannon Morris Susie Bradley (deputy)

STAGE EDITORS Kishore Thiagarajan Martha Wrench (deputy) VISUAL ARTS EDITOR Stella Botes Jo Chandler (deputy) BOOKS EDITORS Freya Neason Shauna Lewis FASHION EDITORS Anna Gibbs Ana Hamilton (deputy) Frankie Reffell (deputy) FOOD & DRINK EDITORS Rebecca Russell Piers Eaton (deputy) TRAVEL EDITORS Abir Mishra Alex Bicknell Cummins (deputy) FILM & TV EDITORS Hugh Johnson Josh Sagoo (deputy) MUSIC EDITORS Fran Howard Tom Watling INTERVIEW Nathan Kelly Zue Wei Long

www.facebook.com/palindigo Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @indigodurham

STAGE 3

Thursday, 29 November 2018

Butterworth critical hit comes to Durham

Stage speaks to Jake Murray ahead of the North-eastern premiere of The River

By Martha Wrench Deputy Stage Editor stage@palatinate.org.uk

J

ake Murray, director of Durhambased Elysium Theatre Company, has an impressive resumé. Son of Braham Murray, one of the founding artistic directors of the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, Jake Murray has had much of his own directorial success.

Having directed the likes of Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man and Angels in America) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle and Black Mirror) Murray founded his own theatre company in 2017 with friend and former drama student, Danny Solomon. He tells me what drew him to the North East to set up his theatre company and what his hopes are for his company.

I want to help people “When I moved to Durham I didn’t know what it would mean for me as a director. It so happened that the actor Danny Solomon, a friend and ex-drama student of mine, was living in Manchester in the flat I owned when I worked there at the Royal Exchange from 2001-8. We met for a catch-up in Waterstones in Manchester and I suggested we founded a theatre company that did work in the North. He said yes. I then proceeded to write to every theatre in the North East that I could. The first to respond was the Assembly Rooms in Durham, and we went from there.

Theatres, artists and supporters of the arts across the North East have welcomed us with open arms and so it feels wonderful to bring what we have to offer here.

I have never been happier than living in this part of England. The spirit of the area is inspirational, the people warm and friendly and it feels like we can bring something new and vibrant to the region. We would love Elysium to become a truly North Eastern

company, a company that the North East really embraces and feels is their own.”

On the 29th and 30th of November and the 1st December, Murray brings a regional premiere of Jez Butterworth’s play, The River, to Durham’s City Theatre. First staged at the Royal Court Theatre in London, this will be the first time that the play has been performed professionally in the UK since its premiere meaning that, (in Murray’s words), “when you come and see it here you will be seeing a bit of British theatre history”. Describing it as a “mysterious, sensitive, poetic, beautiful, and intimate” play, Murray’s enthusiasm for it is clear. He explains to me what compelled him to direct this play: “Elysium Theatre Company’s policy is to bring the best of world theatre to the north, with a particular focus on the north east where we are based. So far, we have done plays by Irish and American writers, but nothing by a British writer. Jez Butterworth will be our first. And who better to choose than the author of Jerusalem and The Ferryman, which are regarded as two of the best British plays of the last decade?

It’s also the first play we are setting up here. The play does not specify which bit of Britain it is set in. After I had chosen it my wife pointed out that the Tyne Valley is one of the key British centres for sea trout fishing, which is a central metaphor of the play; so I decided we would set it in the Tyne Valley, making even more of a uniquely North Eastern production.”

Since leaving the Royal Exchange in 2008, Murray has not only been busy setting up his theatre company, but he has also established a connection with Durham Student Theatre, aiming to aid and enhance aspiring young actors. I asked him what fostered this enthusiasm to help students gain more understanding. “I want to convey my enthusiasm about these writers and the excitement of theatre; I want to open people up to writers they may not have otherwise encountered, whose work remains a major inspiration to me; most of all I want to help people. There was no-one in my university who offered support, mentoring, advice or training and once I was out in the big wide world of theatre most of the mentors I had were fantastic but came from a generation that had had a very different experience of working in the theatre to mine.

I have never been happier than living in this part of England So I am very keen to be a resource to DST, through workshops, Q&As, seminars and lectures, as well as offering shadowing opportunities on our productions. Wherever I can I’d like to use DST students in a creative role. For instance, the music on The River is being written by a student, giving her a professional credit and the opportunity to flex her creative muscles.”

And Murray doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon with many ideas for future productions and collaborations.

ray atre ber be

M u r brings The River to the City Theon the 29th and 30th Novemand the 1st December. Tickets can bought on www.eventbrite.co.uk.

Image Google via Creative Commons

FASHION 4

Thursday, 29 November

DUCFS 2019: Meet the Student Creatives Behind the Upcoming Shows

By Anna Gibbs Fashion Editor fashion@palatinate.org.uk

How will the creative vision be manifested at the show itself?

Jemima Bunbury, Vice-President Creative: In order to give the show a narrative, we have broken the broader creative vision down into subsections, following the same progression as our marketing campaign and events. These will explore different aspects of the impact of the fast fashion industry and our own consumerism on the environment. In this way, the show should work as a culmination and reminder of the visual content we have been releasing over the course of the year.The designers and brands that are loaning clothing for the show have been carefully selected so as to visually express these topics. However, the creative expression doesn’t end at the designers.We hope to create a multi-media show, using music, lighting, performers and video content. For the venue itself, we are hoping to use lighting effects to transform Rainton Meadows Arena, and we are currently in discussion with a locally-based light artist to work on an installation to feature at the venue.

What exactly were you looking for when selecting them? Are you mainly using younger and recently graduated designers and artists?

Poppy Hawkes, Menswear Director: As Chloe said, when selecting the designers to include in the show we really wanted to strike that perfect balance between having established brands and lending a platform to emerging graduate designers.We have selected some really inspiring graduate designers who we truly believe are going to be some of the biggest names in fashion in a few years time. One such designer is George Clarke who draws inspiration for his most recent collection from prison denim and details of straight jackets using fully sustainable denim. Another emerging talent we are delighted to have in the show is Hannah Gibbons, who was the recipient of the coveted Debenhams Menswear Award at Graduate FashionWeek 2018. Her collection fuses workwear with traditional tailoring to create a relaxed, effortless feel.We believe that by selecting some of the most talented sustainable graduate designers, DUCFS will act as a launchpad to propel their careers to even greater success.

FASHION Thursday, 29 November

Talk us through the creative theme and direction

chosen for DUCFS 2019- will it link in with the chosen charity?

Sasha Reviakin, Head of PR/Marketing:We chose to support EJF not only because we have been so affected by their cause,but also because they exactly allow us to combine our charity goals with our creative vision. Our theme this year is “Pull theThread”, which acknowledges everyone’s individual responsibility in the social fabric to bring about tangible change. It is a visual exploration of the fast-fashion industry, and how the clothes we choose to wear impact people and our planet.We call for a change in attitudes, and a reclamation of fashion as a mode of self-statement and expression.This is completely tied in with EJF’s work. They use film and photography to creatively bring about tangible political and social change. For me, using such mediums is so exciting because they manifest environmental and human rights issues which often seem abstract and incomprehensible. We have been trying to make a similar link between the creative and the charitable, like with our photoshoots, to demonstrate just how many ways there are to shift attitudes and encourage activism.

Which of your chosen designers should we be getting especially excited to see?

Chloe Smith, Fashion Director: All of the designers that we have selected for the show have inspired us in their commitment to making positive changes within the fashion industry. The different stories behind their collections and the different ways in which they are contributing makes it so difficult to choose just one! One of the stand out graduate designers for me would have to be Rose Elizabeth Connor, whose collection we found at London Graduate Fashion Week earlier this year.

Her work is experimental in challenging our modern-day attitudes about waste through the creation of beautifully unique and thought-provoking pieces. However, I think one of the best things about DUCFS is that we are able to showcase such a range of collections, from up-and-coming designers to more established names.We are so excited to have Christopher Raeburn involved with the show, as his eponymous brand is without doubt one of the biggest names when it comes to sustainable fashion through his ethos of reworking surplus fabrics to create such considered and directional pieces.

Photographs: DUCFS

Designer: George Clarke Photographer: Maddie Flisher Creative Direction: Jemima Bunbury Models: Luke Thomson, Oscar Noble , Holly Orchard Makeup Artist: Tsara Crosfill Morton Location: HiYoU Oriental Food Emporium

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MUSIC

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Thursday, 29 November 2018

The Punk Manifesto: the Rebirth of Rock Music explores the new wave of punk artists and their call for liberation

By Matthew Prudham music@palatinate.org.uk

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s I raced home from Slaves’ triumphant gig at O2 Academy Newcastle, I realised that I had experienced music unlike no other. It boasted punk music’s character, pure and unleashed, but it went further: their political message was pronounced and fierce; and everyone felt it, the lyrics reverberating back and forth. When did this start? Well, there’s a definite correlation between a rise in punk music and its popularity and the existence of a Conservative government in Britain since 2010.

Slaves, arguably the leaders of its revival within the UK music scene, started gaining prominence in 2012 via the release of their debut EP ‘Where’s Your Car Debbie’. The collection of songs combined typical antigovernment politic with a diverse range of humour, from complaints about modern Londoner attitude to rather bizarre nonsense.

Punk was a movement against pop sensibilities and knowledge of the charts, but is now embracing all kinds of influences Meanwhile, Wolf Alice were also gaining traction. Born into the same sce­ne that Slaves indebted to The Fat White Family, their debut EP ‘Blush’ (2013), showed a different take on ‘punk’. Wolf Alice combined folk and electro-pop tendencies with core distorted guitars, even screaming at times – take ‘You’re A Germ’ from their debut LP, for example. This scene would also yield the talents of Shame and Rat Boy.

Editor’s Picks

Other punk bands started to pop up throughout the nation. Manchester gave

Anderson .Paak Oxnard (LP) November 2018 In his third studio album, Paak offers a rapper’s take on the funk scene.

birth to Cabbage and Strange Bones, Bristol yielded IDLES at the same time, and in Doncaster and Brighton respectively The Blinders and Dream Wife became increasingly popular. Yet what makes this punk scene different is its variety in sound – IDLES combine psychedelic and

hard rock influences, Shame pick apart the best parts of Britpop, Dream Wife are self-proclaimed Riot Grrl admirers, and The Blinders went as far as creating, á la Pink Floyd or Green Day, a totalitarian world in their debut release Columbia.

Slaves encapsulated this new-found freedom in punk when they covered the synthpop upstarts Superorganism’s ‘Everybody Wants To Be Famous’ on the Radio 1 Live Lounge; previously punk was a movement against pop sensibilities and knowledge of the charts, but this new wave is now embracing all kinds of influences.

Further, Punk is the genre that, in my opinion, is resisting the fake musical genre ‘boundaries’ popularised by online streaming services. You can find Slaves on the main stages of Reading and Leeds, Download, Community or Bestival, and we’ll see the upcoming rapper Slowthai supporting the duo at their massive Alex-

Yazmin Lacey When the Sun Dips 90 Degrees (EP) June 2018 Part of the UK Jazz resurgence. Velvety vocals reminiscent of old-school soul.

andra Palace date, a few days before he hits the Warehouse Project. Wolf Alice share fans with Anne-Marie and Bring Me The Horizon; people should be encouraged to listen to a whole range of music, not boxed into one ‘genre’. For me, my first exposure to Slaves encouraged me to explore a different side to music, that of metal and hard rock, genres that I had before guarded my ears against because it was not considered ‘alt-rock’.

Modern-day punk still has its vital political edge. IDLES’ second LP, which achieved trailblazing reviews, lampooned Brexiteers and anti-migrant stances, whilst Shame’s ‘Songs Of Praise’ presented a rather negative viewpoint of the right-wing. These punks are the soundtrack to the Jeremy Corbyn generation, and whilst this may lose them fans, especially those who desire politics to stay away from their beloved music (which is, in my opinion, impossible), indicates that they have made punk music an even more important genre. It is a genre that can enact real social change.

Punk is the genre that is resisting the fake music genre ‘boundaries’ that streaming services are attempting to popularise

In sum, I don’t think punk has ever been this healthy. Now receiving praise and acclaim from radio DJs and critics, it’s giving people a chance to be musically liberated. One might call it a musical revolution– it’s the genre that’s here to save us from musical division. Punk encourages us to explore the wealth of music available to us in the 21st century. And what is more punk than that?

Photos by Kmeron (above), Anderson .Paak, Yazmin Lacey and Laura Misch.

Laura Misch Lagoon (Single) February 2018 Misch mingles dulcet sax tones with electronic loops - more pared-down than brother Tom’s jazzhip-hop fusion.

FILM AND TV 7

Thursday, 29 November 2018

Bohemian Rhapsody review Dreadfully diluted Freddie Mercury biopic fails to capture the spirit of Queen or their iconic front-man

By Max Copeman

film@palatinate.org.uk

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n the first verse of ‘Another One Bites the Dust’, one of Queen’s biggest hits, Freddie Mercury swaggers “are you hanging on the edge of your seat?”

Before the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, the Freddie Mercury biopic directed by Bryan Singer, I can safely say that I was indeed on the edge of my seat in anticipation of the film. However, having seen it, I find myself now thinking about a lyric that comes later on in the song when Mercury snarls: “are you happy, are you satisfied?”

Unfortunately Freddie, no we are not.

The film seems tentative to properly address Mercury’s closeted homosexuality As the band’s success grows, we are given some all-too-brief reminders of Mercury’s closeted homosexuality and marriage issues, yet the film seems tentative to properly develop and address them.

It would’ve been so much better to have had some real insight into the fascinating personality of Mercury

The script is painfully superficial...None of it feels authentic in any way Such disappointment stems from the fact that Bohemian Rhapsody follows the career of one of the most idiosyncratic, flamboyant, magnetic and captivating rockstars of all time, yet the movie manages to be absolutely none of those things. We are introduced to Mercury (Rami Malek) as a young-man of Parsi descent who lives with his parents. He soon meets his future bandmates, and in what can only be described as an absurdly brief amount of screen time, they become Queen, Britain’s biggest band. What follows is a desperately mundane plod along their discography of the 1970s with little to no substance.

The script is painfully superficial and unsubtle, meaning that although the band members may aesthetically resemble the real-life rockstars, none of it feels authentic in any way. It seems that we are meant to be satisfied that during a series of band “arguments” (they’re so diluted I’m not sure we can even call them that) their insipid dialogue is conveniently interrupted when someone chimes in with an idea for a new song that we as audience members are familiar with. Exhibit A being the scene where ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ is conceived and Exhibit B being the creation of ‘We Will Rock You’. Was this really the creative process for one of Britain’s most beloved bands of the rock-n-roll age?

(albeit superbly) Mercury, as opposed to authentically incarnating him. Aside from the odd reference to Mercury being “high”, the film shows a regrettable reluctance to delve deeper into the darkness of Mercury’s personal life. In fact, the only time when it seems to actually address his troubles is when recounting his years in Munich in the 1980s. However, what is so alarming and distasteful is that a dreamlike montage of leather-clad men implies that it is his promiscuous homosexuality that is supposed to represent his decline.

As shown in the trailer, the film climaxes with a very well-constructed and replicated finale of Queen’s triumphant 1985 Live Aid performance. There’s no doubt that this is the highlight of the film and thanks to Malek, it is undoubtedly entertaining.

But there is an unshakeable feeling that it would’ve been so much better to have had some real and nuanced insight into the fascinating personality of Mercury, as opposed to recreated concert scenes.

Instead, it seems far more occupied with the glamour of their success, most notably in the almost pantomime scene featuring a bizarre cameo from Mike Myers that leads to a painfully dreadful quip about Wayne’s World. However, credit must be given to Rami Malek, whose performance as Mercury is admirable. It is a shame that his endeavours are hindered by the lack of quality around him, meaning that it feels as though Malek is impersonating

After Sacha Baron Cohen pulled out of the lead role and Bryan Singer was fired as director, it is remarkable that Bohemian Rhapsody even got made at all, yet the problem is that upon leaving the cinema, you’re not exactly thankful that it did. Music biopics are very difficult to get right due to the challenge of doing justice to the beloved protagonist. However, what separates the successful ones from the rest is that not only do they appreciate the music, they also do not dilute the lives and personality of their subjects.

The excellence of Queen’s music plagues Bohemian Rhapsody and only serves as a reminder that this sanitised and superficial film does not deserve to sit alongside the music. Unlike their beloved Mercury, this film has absolutely no kind of magic.

Image from Google via Creative Commons by Kimi Kagami

CREATIVE WRITING Thursday, 29 November 2018

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Perspective e i l n m a s e c e e Sand Mirrors

By Namrata Menon

View from Prebends Bridge

By Holly Murphy

My heart is full of the breath of Spring That wafts and waves Up and through my clothes As I stand on Prebends Bridge.

My heart is tickled by Summer pollen Hanging in the air While rowers heave on by Underneath Prebends Bridge.

My heart feels the chill of Autumn days Soothed by the colours of carrot, nut and cherry Burning bright as far as sight allows As is seen from Prebends Bridge.

My heart yearns for the cheer of nature In these worn and weary Winter nights Oh how I look forward to seeing this cheer

Old

By James Lendrum creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk

Morning spilled from the horizon, leaves damp with the day’s dew. Iced lungs on every breath. A grey sheen caked the grave. Her eyes had done that—become glassy, smooth, dull. Wilting weeds recalled the coils of her hair, and the sweet mist, spring rain, forced into his head the image of her oldest sweater. She wore it always. Ivory now; no longer its deathly white. He pressed the sunflowers deep into the earth. His ache would not be buried with them.

Yet the years recede.

Light peppers the cemetery with a cadmium ash. It is busier today. He waits. Frosty as before. Eyes catch her place, the great stone heaving forwards, lurching. Perhaps she’s breaking free. At this he laughs.

Sunflowers sink slower into the filth, but they are settled at last. He loves her still.

And inside him pools that same longing.

For a laugh or a hold. A conversation. He smiles thinly, and his fingertips feel a little less cold.

As habit dictates, he takes to the streets Walking along cars parked in fleets Past stores, schools, hospitals and gas stations Darting through tourists on their vacations To stand before the windows, small and tall Taking in the glass, the sill and all Inside, table salts, jam, an occasional vase Stand transfixed, returning his gaze...

But this eye contact is soon broken— By some rule unwritten, unspoken When on he glides to the next pane To behold these sand mirrors all over again.

Unnerved, people draw their blinds They are warned about strange men of all kinds.

What if he were identifying objects to thieve And lying in wait for the house owners to leave?

Hysteria mounts, he’s in demand And when he’s caught, he’s issued a command: “Tell us your name, you suspicious—” “Oh no, please!” He implores, “I’m harmless Narcissus.”

CREATIVE WRITING

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Thursday, 29 November 2018

The Man in the Hut

By Andrew Stemp creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk

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his evening was calm. The pink sky set in contrast against the blue speckles was mirrored by the water onto the hut, which sat a mere twenty metres away from the smooth rocks below. Even the timid lapping of waves upon these pebbles could be heard inside the hut. Storms weren’t uncommon here, and when they struck they would claw, gnash, batter and howl for hours on end; trying to exploit every crevice to seek a way inside. But he would always rest well these nights, the man in the hut, knowing that it couldn’t ever blow his house down. The cargo ships that sat just below the horizon, so only the very tops peeked out, were his only reminder that the world managed to keep on ticking by in his absence. The same world that he had written off a long time ago.

thoughts and memories would be ablaze with colours, textures, shapes, sounds. Every sunset that painted its way over the sea and into the cove, smothering the hut and everything around in its sweet honey like glow would hang from the walls of an everextending corridor. How much he wished he was allowed to make art when he was a child. Frustration and sadness were the only things he learnt at school. Everything was right or wrong, fitting a set formula.

His feelings, his only absolute truth was emphatically dismissed by every teacher he ever had in the name of science, maths and logic. Each time he attempted to express himself, his feelings, his little spark was drenched with buckets of a rigid conformity. All he wanted was his own little candle, that would have been enough for him.

As the pink hues turned to a deep purple and then to black, the man retired to the 4warmth and shelter of the k n o w l - edge that he never needed to ex- plain his feelings to anybody.

He knew the pain that comes from being dismissed, disregarded and being told that his feelings were wrong because they didn’t align with societal truths.

Time alone leads to curiosity, which he fulfilled daily. He theorised as to how the birds always knew which way to fly when migrating and discovered how the smallest and most delicate flowers which set roots in the jagged and inhospitable cliffs clung on during the harshest of weather. When a particularly devastating storm reaches the coast, erosion causes slumps of mud and clay to smother these plants. But they reappear, always. Growing just as beautiful and delicate as before. Their fight or flight response was always to fight. He admired that about them above all else. Recently a thought which had seeded many years before had started to grow out of his subconscious, which he would immediately disregard and distract himself from. Not often or too worrying to start with, but the minute hand can only rotate so far before the cuckoo will chime, and he would have to confront it.

His mind was an art gallery, all emotions,

friend, but it has grown in strength as he has become more detached from his past self.

Every day he would now think about what he had suppressed for so many years, and it was hurting him.

He knew that there must be people like him. People whom he could connect with and experience friendship with for the first time, people he wouldn’t have to change for, yet feel entirely safe around.

They would be someone to share all the joys he had, and to challenge him with new perspectives. To dance with and to paint the sky together. Someone to dream with and dream about. Someone to love.

He couldn’t face finding this person.

He was too long detached. Permanently one move away from being checkmated. Powerless and entirely at mercy.

This wore him down, he was dishevelled, lonelier than he had ever been and seeing no beauty where before it was everywhere.

Any joy was now rare and becoming rarer still. Acceptance was hard, a journey with no destination. He wanted to reach the end of the corridor, where the sun doesn’t rise.

His current life was easy: wake up, eat, think, sleep. His feelings entirely safe despite being unguarded, a secure comfort few ever experience and something he was always grateful for. He never felt lonely to start with, for he had never felt true community. Always an outsider even with his friends, he never belonged, no one ever got him. But the longer he had been alone, he had healed his past wounds more and more to the degree that he had forgotten the severity of his past pain. Sadness would now grip him, at first gently, welcoming him as a

Sailing into the bay was a lone figure on an old fisherman’s boat, the once vivid blue paint peeling, revealing rot beneath. The woman left her boat next to his, walked up to the man and said no words.

She sat. She looked nearly as broken as the boat. Her eyes displaying no sparkle, her face as pale as the sand beneath her bare feet. Hours passed with them sat side by side, still no words spoken. Clouds obscured what would have been another magnificent sunset, but the ochre tones were still visible. Still they sat, but now she slowly turned around to look at him, noticing the deep ridges on his forehead, she then led with her arms for an embrace.

“Thank you,” she carefully whispered straight into his ear.

“No, thank you,” he replied.

Image by Kenneth Larsen via Flickr Creative Commons.

BOOKS 10

Thursday, 29 November 2018

Helping or Hindering?

Books considers the impact of YouTubers’ book deals on the publishing industry

By Elise Boothroyd books@palatinate.org.uk

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n late 2014 it appeared that the era of the YouTube novel would come to a swift and dramatic end after YouTuber and blogger Zoe Sugg (better known as Zoella) came under fire for producing her debut book, Girl Online, with the assistance of a ghost-writer. But since then, Sugg and other British YouTubers have continued to release hugely successful novels, with Louise Pentland’s Wilde About The Girl and Carrie Hope Fletcher’s When The Curtain Falls both published in the last few months. Clearly, YouTuber authors are not going away any time soon.

Could it be that young readers are in fact picking up poor writing habits

The fact that YouTubers now write books almost by default is arguably most detrimental to their own fans, many of whom are children and teenagers. Such young viewers are perhaps more easily manipulated to buy books purely because they are covered with the names and faces of their favourite internet celebrities, whether or not they were responsible for the words inside. This potential exploitation raises multiple concerns.

Aside from wasting their money, could it be that young readers are in fact picking up poor writing habits by consuming

literature churned out at a rate of knots by untrained YouTubers or pressured ghost-writers? Or could this doorway into the literary world open up a whole new range of possibilities to further their education? To find out, I decided to flip through a few of these books myself.

We shouldn’t assume they are incapable of writing I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. Granted, I have yet to come across a YouTuber’s book that could be described as a literary masterpiece, but the majority are fun, relatable and easy to follow. If anything is going to encourage young people to have a read, these books stand a pretty good chance.

And encourage people to read they have; Fletcher’s most recent novel was a Sunday Times Top Five bestseller, and Pentland’s soared to the top spot of the same chart.

I can only hope that some copies of these books inspired a wider interest in literature. This positive outcome would totally negate any worries about YouTubers’ banal plotlines, lack of impeccable writing style or questionable authorship.

Besides, unlike Girl Online, there is no indication that Fletcher and Pentland’s novels were ghost-written; Fletcher, who is also a West End star, has dreamed of writing a book since childhood. Clearly, it is possible for YouTubers to be multitalented, and we shouldn’t assume they are incapable of writing purely because this isn’t the primary reason for their fame.

The practice of publishing YouTubers’ books could still be considered damaging from the perspective of other authors.

It must be particularly frustrating for committed novelists to receive rejection after rejection, only to witness ‘vloggers’ release hugely successful books, in some cases without stringing together a single sentence. Indeed, Zoella’s ghost-written Girl Online sold more copies in its first week than any other book since records began.

This success is hardly surprising given the size of her existing fanbase. Whilst Zoella has amassed an astounding 11.9 million subscribers on her main channel, Pentland and Fletcher are not doing too badly with 2.5 million and 650,000 subscribers apiece. It may seem unfair that these large audiences enable YouTubers’ offerings to overshadow other books. However, these sales are surely giving the book industry a much-needed boost, which may well benefit other authors in the long run.

These internet superstars have encouraged younger viewers to read Whether YouTubers’ novels are exploiting audiences and stealing the thunder of other writers or not, it’s not entirely their fault. YouTubers are offered book deals because publishing houses know that their books will sell. Perhaps publishers should maintain the moral high ground by refusing these deals and instead let them stick to what they know best – making videos. However, sales figures prove that audiences want to buy YouTubers’ books. And in all honestly, their books aren’t half bad. These internet superstars have encouraged younger viewers to read, some for the first time in a while, and I, for one, am not complaining.

Photo credit: Louise Pentland and Zoe Sugg via Gage Skidmore, Flickr via Creative Commons.

VISUAL ARTS

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Thursday, 29 November 2018

Debate: Is it ethical to use live animals in art?

FOR - Stella Botes Visual Arts Editor visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

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o animals have been harmed in the making of this…’ sounds familiar, yet underwrites many assumptions about our employment of animals in artistic projects. Is a disclaimer of harm sufficient? Should it be replaced with requirement for respect and dignity? Can harm justify artistic profundi- t y ?

Certainly, animal lives are valuable and deserve respect, and we can be much too trusting of artistic institutions for proper animal care sim- p l y because of their left-wing reputation.

However, a complete prohibition on animals in art denies their capacity to engage with the human world on questions of meaning and artistic exploration, as well as denying heritages of artistic collaboration with the natural world which goes back to pre-history. When we elevate animals to untouchable objects of our moral reverence, we forget their mortality and fallibility, and run the risk of forgetting our own frailty also.

Animal abuse is is not profound and cannot be labelled art It is my view that what we should be protesting is not the use of live animals in art per se, but the ends to which they are employed.

Art which uses live animals without respect t o their inherent value a living beings has no right to use these creatures in their projects. I speak here of weak and simplistic metaphor, cruel accessorization of animal bodies, and gratuitous use of animals for shock-value or aesthetics.

The requirements which artists should meet if they are to use animals must be more holistically articulated; sufficient (if not maximal) and humane care of the animal takes precedence - animal abuse is is not profound and cannot be labelled art. Secondarily, the use of animals should not be a substitute for artistic imagination, and any work with animals should be collaborative rather than objectifying.

Artworks involving animals, executed carefully and considerately, can provoke profound questions on our relationship with the nonhuman world and our capacity for cruelty. The living, breathing intensity of animals gives these works a potency which would otherwise make their meanings somewhat impersonal and two-dimensional.

Listings

AGAINST - Charlie Norton strongly believe that the use of live animals in art is unethical as it supports the socially accepted perception of other species as less than humans. To propose that the historical use of animals in ritualistic art forms justifies current practices undermines the western conception of our world as increasingly enlightened.

This view assumes that other species hold intrinsically less value just because they experience emotion, physical sensation and social attachment in a way we do not yet fully understand.

One of the most disturbing cruelties in modern society is the open practice of inhumane methods in the farming and fashion industries, to name two glaring examples. However, we are conditioned to turn a blind eye to animal abuse through unregulated claims of ethical practices (don’t even get me started on the term ‘free range’). To use animals in the art industry is simply to reproduce an existing disregard for their lives.

I

To use animals in the art industry is simply to reproduce an existing disregard for their lives A frequent response to this follows the lines of ‘surely if we make sure the animal is treated well, it’s fine?’ But even if fed, watered and otherwise physically cared for, the animal in question may be psychologically damaged by transportation processes, removal from social groupings, and displacement from their natural, or at least accustomed, surroundings.

Some artists don’t even go so far as to attempt ethical practice. In 2000, Marco Evarissti exhibited ‘Helena’, an installation which featured several functioning blenders, each containing a live goldfish. During the run, two goldfish were killed by participants who chose to activate the blenders. Evarissti avoided legal penalty by arguing that the deaths were ‘instant’ and therefore humane. However, this begs the question of whether the artist or the participants should have felt entitled to kill the animals just for transitory human entertainment.

Ultimately, the use of live animals in art is unethical as it not only puts individual animals at risk of physical and psychological trauma, but also reproduces the structural assumption that non-human species hold intrinsically less value than us. Rather than lazily accepting speciesism, art should challenge our treatment of living beings and stimulate the progress of a compassionate and thoughtful world view.

Catch your Breath at Palace Green Library: In collaboration with the university of Bristol, this exhibition explores breath, illness and wellbeing through objects from the University collections and new artistic commissions. Opens 24th November Kathryn Elkin’s ‘Queen’ at the Baltic: A presentation of the artists new video work, ‘Queen’ until the 16th December, accompanied by a day of talks and presentations with Elkin and her collaborators on the 1st December. Accessible Image Credits via Google via Creative Commons by train from Durham station to Newcastle

FOOD AND DRINK 12

Thursday 29 November 2018

Crafty deceit?

Food and Drink explores how craft beer is trying to trick you

By Piers Eaton Food and Drink Editor food@palatinate.org.uk

W

alking to Elvet Riverside, a board outside the HalfMoon Inn caught my eye. It promised me two craft beers for £6.45, and pictured bottles and cans which it believed showed off its range of ‘craft’ beers.

On it were two beers produced by Brewdog, two Goose Islands, and a Beavertown.

Brewdog, although independent, can be found at almost any Tesco’s, and has a market value over £1.8 billion. Goose Island is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev., a company with a market cap of $133.1 billion. The question this led to for me was, what is craft beer and why has the phrase become so prevalent?

Technically, if you wanted to, you could call that can of Carling you just downed in eight seconds ‘craft beer’, and impress everyone with both your pint time and your sophisticated beer choice Craft beer is one of those phrases that everyone has heard, but no one can explain. Some say the craft aspect of a beer is about the amount of beer produced, others it’s a beer that’s produced by an independent brewery.

Some will tell you it’s about the way in which the beer is brewed.

Google claims it’s “a beer made in a traditional or non-mechanized way by a small brewery”. These definitions are all wrong, because there is no official standard which separates craft beer from the rest of the pack. Technically, if you wanted to, you could call that can of Carling you just downed in eight seconds ‘craft

beer’, and impress everyone with both your pint time and your sophisticated beer choice.

A craft brewer, on the other hand, has some standards they must meet, in order to get recognition in the US. They either have to be small, independent or traditional. Here ‘small’ is a relative term, as you must simply stay under 6 million barrels.

Independent means that no more than 25% ownership by a non-craft brewery, which actually makes any beers made by the Craft Brew Alliance ineligible for craft brewer status, because Anheuser-Busch owns 32% of the company.

Traditional, the last requirement is basically meaningless. The Brewers Association defines a beer as ‘traditional’ if a “majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavour derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients in

their fermentation”. The inclusion of the phrase ‘innovative’ is important because it allows basic fillers used in mass-market beers to be acceptable. Why, if it’s meaningless, does it seem the phrase ‘craft beer’ seem so prevalent now?

Why, if it’s meaningless, does it seem the phrase ‘craft beer’ seem so prevalent now?

It’s probably because there is a growing desire among many people, like me, to have higher quality beer. Punk IPA, Brewdog’s bread and butter, is a good beer, and if I have the extra money to spend, I’ll buy it over a Carlsberg. The reason AnheuserBusch markets Goose Island as craft but not Budweiser is that ‘craft beer’ basically means ‘better than standard’. Even though it’s meant to, ‘craft’ is starting to relay a sense of authentic brewing or small independent breweries less and less.

Craft beer is becoming less descriptive and more of a selling point. The phrase ‘craft’ is about indicating a higher quality beer than your ‘standard’ mass market beer, even if some of those breweries are producing massive amounts of beer themselves. People often want to sit and enjoy a good beer, and mass market ‘craft’ beers are simply filling an opening in the market for precisely that.

Even though it’s meant to, ‘craft’ is starting to relay a sense of authentic brewing or small independent breweries less and less So when a menu’s craft beer section is full of corporately owned brands in one sense they are providing craft beer and in another they aren’t. They are providing better quality beers, but they aren’t providing the authentic, independent beers one might be looking for in a craft beer.

Image from Google via Creative Commons

FOOD AND DRINK 13

Thursday 29 November 2018

Breaking up the beers Rhodri Sheldrake-Davies gives begginners a guide to the types on tap

By Rhodri Sheldrake-Davies food@palatinate.org.uk

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n recent years, beer has come back in a big way across the UK, but the recent explosion in variety has left many stumped. Here, we’ll look into some of the most popular types on offer right now, so that next time you’re chatting with your chequered-shirt-wearing ale-drinking friend, you’ll have a grasp on some of the vocabulary.

Let’s begin with the beer most of us will have encountered. Lagers are by far the most widespread beer in the UK, including brands like Carlsberg. Easily identified by their Pale gold colour and foamy heads, these are the best entry point for anyone who is just starting out with beer drinking:

in colour, they balance malt and hops with other light citric flavours. These provide a great bridge between Ales and Lagers.

A modern favourite often confused with Pales is Golden Ale. Developed in the 80s as a thirst-quenching, well-hopped alternative to lagers, these are usually straw or copper coloured, with hints of vanillas, citrus and at times spicier flavours.

Foreign import lagers are also increasingly popular across the nation. These share many of the characteristics of more common lagers, though often have crisper, more distinct flavours.

They often rely on light hoppy, malted notes and can be far stronger, up to 5.7% ABV in cases.

Closely related to Brown Ale we find Rubies and Reds. Dark ruby with roasted, fruity flavour palettes, they are highly flexible and growing in popularity with brewers and drinkers alike.

Last, but most certainly not least, we come to the darkest of the Ales: Stouts and Porters.

These are distinctively very dark in colour, with profound, roasted, fullbodied flavours reminiscent of chocolate or coffee, often complimented by a creamy texture in the case of Stouts, or foamy heads in the case of Porters.

A popular misconception is that ‘Ale’ refers to a specific ‘type’ of beer. The categorisation of a beer as an Ale or Lager in fact refers to the brewing process. In recent years Ale has exploded in popularity, and there’s a wide variety to choose from.

The lightest of the Ales are Pales and ‘Milds’: which include American Ambers, Blondes, and English Pales. Usually golden

Bitters fortified flavours mean they won’t always be suitable for newer drinkers, though they’ve been the choice of pub landlords for years Most by now will have met with ‘Newkie Brown’, the best-known representative of a family known as Brown Ales. Possibly one of the most classic North East English types of beer, these are identifiable by their dark amber or brown colour and malty, full bodied flavours.

Lagers are by far the most widespread beer in the UK

A popular misconception is that ‘Ale’ refers to a specific ‘type’ of beer

A commonly encountered pub classic similar to IPAs are Bitters. These are generally deep bronze or copper in colour, with strong, grassy, hoppy and tangy bitter notes. Bitters fortified flavours mean they won’t always be suitable for newer drinkers, though they’ve been the choice of pub landlords for years.

A close relation to Pales: Indian Pale Ales (IPAs), have become a staple of craft beer in recent years, with sub-categories including West Coast IPAs, British IPAs and New England IPAs. They provide a hoppier, stronger: with ABVs of 5.5% upwards, and significantly more bitter alternative to lighter Pale Ales.

And so, that concludes our tour around all things ale and lagerful. Next time you’re looking to talk beer at the local or pick out that special celebratory pint, now, you’ll hopefully know a little more about what to go for.

Image from Google via Creative Commons

TRAVEL 14

Thursday, 29 November 2018

Alone, together

By Michael Power travel@palatinate.org.uk

Michael Power reflects on his adventures in Peru

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n August of this year I went on a DUCK expedition to Peru.

We visited many places, trekked through the Andies, and spent three weeks volunteering at Picaflor House, a charity-ran school in Oropesa, a small town 40 minutes outside of Cusco.

As I approached Gatwick airport I was understandably quite nervous. I was about to get on a 12 hour flight with 12 people I hardly knew. After 2 hours of generic small talk the group flew to Lima, the capital of Peru, and home to almost a third of the population. We intended to stay for only one full day, before moving onto Cusco, where we would be volunteering.

When we were volunteering, we would go to the school, tidy it up, help refurbish a room, paint a mural, and then when the kids arrived, some of us would give lessons, organise arts and crafts or play games with the children outside. At times I thought there was more we could have done to help, and the £1000 donation we all made probably contributed more than we did, but ultimately the kids had a better time because we were there. DUCK expeditions are very conscious that not all volunteering abroad does an awful lot of good (I heard condemnations of “voluntourism” more times than you can imagine), and while I don’t think it was perfect, and I certainly don’t think we managed to rid the world of all evils, I do believe that we really helped an organisation that has a tangible and

positive effect on the lives of disadvantaged kids in Oropesa, and I’m proud of that.

After our first week of volunteering, we took a night bus to Puno to see lake Titicaca.

On our first day there we had boat rides on the massive lake, we visited the Uros floating islands - man-made reed-based islands on which people permanently live, and we stayed a night on an island in the middle of the highest lake in the world.

they neglected to charge us. Eventually we confessed to our debt when they came to our hostel to ask why we cancelled.

The plane’s engine rumbled uneasily, and the pilot’s unruly pivots made sure the reports of high casualty rates never left our minds.

Nazca then gave way to Huacachina, a desert oasis. More peaceful than other parts of the expedition, the three days there were spent relaxing by the oasis or the hostel’s pool.

I believe that we really helped an organisation that has a tangible and positive effect Another week of volunteering later, we embarked on a 5 day trek. Led by guides Domingo and José, we saw turquoise lagoons atop the Salkantay mountain and experienced ludicrous changes of scenery, ranging from snow capped mountains, to a Gorillas in the Mist style jungle within an hour’s walk.

I was looking forward to seeing Machu Picchu on the 5th day of the trek. This ancient site truly blew me away. It’s bigger than I thought it would be, and its history is more interesting than I had realised. We walked around the main site for around an hour, before climbing Wayna Picchu (the mountain in the left picture), and absorbing an amazing panorama of tropical mountains.

It surpassed my already high expectations and I will never forget the experience.

I don’t know if I’m at all a different person than when I left for Peru After an emotional goodbye at the end of another week of volunteering, the travel week began with another restless night bus, this time to Arequipa. The home of our beloved FBC Melgar, for me the highlight of the two nights we spent there was watching them beat San Martin 3-2. From Arequipa we travelled to Nazca, home of the Nazca lines, massive ancient designs of animals and shapes made in shallow trenches in the ground, visible only from vantage points and the sky. I was lucky enough to survive an aeroplane viewing trip of the lines ran by a company so disorganised

Finally, we returned to Lima for 2 nights. Maybe it was because we were further from the middle of winter in the southern hemisphere, maybe it was because of how comfortable I now felt around the group, maybe it was because I was accustomed to GMT -5, but the city seemed to be more vibrant to me, and I enjoyed Lima more the second time round.

Aside from a change in appearance I don’t know if I’m at all a different person than when I left for Peru. DUCK Expeditions take place in a weird sort of vacuum - the group doesn’t know each other well prior to leaving, and you may never return to the country you are in.

Peru seems almost like a dream - slightly surreal After being back home for a bit, going to Peru seems almost like a dream - slightly surreal. I will remember the Peru expedition as a strange yet amazing isolated experience, and 5 of the best weeks of my life.

Images Google Via Creative Commons

FEATURES 15

Thursday, 29 November 2018

I Came, I Failed, I Conquered

Features celebrates embracing failure, being vulnerable and developing resilience

T

he words always sting: ‘We regret to inform you’, ‘we were very impressed, however’, the eternal cowardly use of ‘unsuccessful’ (you didn’t fail, you just didn’t succeed).

I’ve had my fair share of rejections. Behind every item you can see listed on my CV, there are many failures. Poetry competitions I didn’t win, positions I didn’t qualify for, journalism pitches gone forever unanswered, awards I didn’t win. Internships I didn’t get, teams I didn’t make. So many achievements I didn’t quite deserve.

And somehow, I am learning not to care.

My personal breakthrough came in the form of a) realising that everyone’s success is supported by an edifice entirely held up by failure and rejection and b) realising that sharing my rejections, or, to put it

somewhat crudely, owning them, frees me from them. When I think about my past rejections, I do not feel miserable. To acknowledge and accept your own failures is not to undermine your achievements.

It is to accept that failure is simply a part of the process. I know, for example, that it took a magnificent seven attempts for me to get an editorial position here at Palatinate. I don’t feel any less successful. I am not shy about it, though this does not come naturally to me. And the more I tell people about my failures, the more comfortable I get with them. I learn to inhabit them. They become my own space- not a non-space that I am barred from. It is so liberating.

The more I tell people about my failures, the more comfortable I get with them To have faced many rejections means that I dared to try. It means I dared face the risk of rejection (and the dread of interviews),

which used to put me off applying to things at all. It also means I no longer believe that ‘successful’ people have faced fewer rejections. The numbers really have nothing to do with it. Success is measured by success, not by how small the number of times you failed is. If you try to publish a poem a hundred times, and have it accepted once, your success is not 99% failure, but 100% success.

Let others see that they, too can be great and whole and still be rejected So put yourself out there. Get rejected.

Do not equate your ‘success’, however it is you measure this, to your self-worth.

Don’t be afraid to tell people about your failures. Be vulnerable, and openly so, and let others see that they, too can be great and whole and still be rejected. They can be rejected and still be whole. Be supported, and then move on. It’s all part of the process. You are resilient now. Breathe.

Illustration by Kleopatra Olympiou

By Kleopatra Olympiou Features Editor features@palatinate.org.uk

THE indigo INTERVIEW 16

Thursday, 29 November 2018

Young Chef of the Year 2018: In Conversation

By Zue Wei Leong Interview Editor interview@palatinate.org.uk

I

t has been an exciting year for 22-yearold Hamish Pearce, who claimed the title as M Restaurants’ ‘Young Chef of the Year’ 2018 after impressing the public and a panel of culinary experts during his takeover of M Restaurant, Victoria St. The New Zealandborn talent shares with indigo his culinary journey from Australia to London.

Tell us more about your experience competing to become M Restaurants’ ‘Young Chef of the Year’.

I found out about the competition, which has only been running for 2 years, on The Caterer, a hospitality-based website. It was very exciting because most challenges involving young chefs are often about perfect one dish or creating the same thing over and over, but this one was different and more about understanding the full operation of a restaurant.

Even in the initial castings, I could create whatever I wanted for my fourcourse menu – as long as I was sure that I could run that menu and work out the costs so that it can be profitable.

On the final night, I managed to book the most covers of 70 people, which was quite a big crowd to please! And I took over the kitchen, did all my prep and got ready for the big service for everyone and the judges at M Victoria St.

Right: the first dish of Pearce’s winning four-course menu monkfish ceviche, fermented gold kiwi dressing and gooseberry

Have you always been interested in cooking?

My family was very big into cooking from when I was very young – I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. I started working as a parttime apprentice at a local restaurant since I was 15. After school, I decided that this was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

What’s next for you?

Cooking is one of those things you can do anywhere around the world.

I went on to have a very Australianstyle training, where most of it was practical and hands-on in the kitchen. It’s been a few years now since I made that decision and it’s been truly incredible – I’ve been living in London for almost two years, an amazing city with different people, cultures and culinary influences.

Now you’re working as a chef at Pidgin, a popular restaurant in London. It has a weekly changing menu, often inspired by both Asian and Western cuisine. Do you find it difficult navigating that?

Well, it’s definitely a very interesting place to work because most of the kitchens that I’ve worked in have never had an Asian influence. There’s only five or six of us on the team and at the moment, our Italian head chef, Adolfo De Cecco brings a big Italian focus to our dishes. It can be difficult trying out different culinary aspects from Asian and Western cuisine because ideas might work out really incredibly to bring out that rich, umami quality or it might not.

Sometimes, we have a dish in mind and go about making it and other times, we listen out for key ingredients from different suppliers and build a dish around that. But we all love that constant pressure of trying to create something new.

And I think what’s more important is that our menu is incredibly seasonal so our diners get the best of every product or ingredient for the week; we never hold things on the menu for months at a time.

I’d love to travel the world but definitely to Copenhagen as Nordic cuisine is so interesting. I want to go back to New Zealand one day and set up a little place of my own where I can make my kind of food and enjoy life. That’s a long way off, though, because I have so much more to learn!

Do you have any advice for students at university cooking for themselves?

Trust the ingredient! If the ingredients are good, the food will be good. And look at what’s seasonal because it’ll usually be cheaper and ten times more delicious. It’s also better for the environment. Buy local, buy fresh and buy sea- sonal – you can’t go wrong.

Left: the stunning main dish of venison, fermented green gazpacho, onions and chard Images by Julian George, @chefsignatures