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EDITORIAL Thursday, 7 February 2019

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www.palatinate.org.uk

FILM & TV 3 Netflix’s Sex Education FASHION 4 &5 Durham University Charity Fashion Show 2019: Showcasing Fashion’s Sustainable Future

CREATIVE WRITING 6

Is the Poet Making a Comeback?

VISUAL ARTS 7 Making Art Online STAGE 8&9 Durham Drama Festival 2019 BOOKS 10 Hunting For a Story MUSIC 11 The Sound of Corruption FEATURES 12 & 13 Born and Bred FOOD & DRINK 14 Introducing Palatinate’s Wine Column TRAVEL 15

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tudent journalism is many things.

Frustrating, time consuming, rewarding and satisfying spring to mind. Especially as it’s 7:53 PM on a Tuesday and I could be at formal. However, there are many things that student journalism is not- paid for example. Although these days not a lot of journalism experience is paid. It’s also not easy at the best of times.

We are not nationals, and neither do we aspire to be. Neither are we professionals; see the typo in last edition’s editorial for details.

All of our time is voluntary, our enthusiasm individually induced. and our sacrifices accounted for. Long hours come with the territory, coffees are obligatory.

Despite this disclaimer I will never appologise for the content you see in the pages of indigo. It takes hard work and dedication to make this magazine what it is, and it is nothing without the enthusiasm of our section editors and writers. It may not be perfect. It probably never will be, because who has time for that? (If you know anyone send them my way) What I can promise you is authenticity.

What you see within our pages is true student opinion, creativity and passion, and that is something that makes us unique and dare I say it special. We may not be able to afford new computers, a sleek website or indate coffee in the office (ours is circa 2014), but what we can provide is relatability.

What we can provide is a platform. What we can provide is an opinion. What we can provide is the best work that we can.

Isn’t that worth more than indate coffee?

INDIGO EDITORS Adele Cooke Carys Frost (deputy) FEATURES EDITORS Kleopatra Olympiou Imogen Usherwood (deputy)

CREATIVE WRITING EDITORS Rhiannon Morris Susie Bradley (deputy)

STAGE EDITORS Martha Wrench Gabriella Sills (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 Piers Eaton Philippa Murrison TRAVEL EDITORS Abir Mishra Alex Bicknell Cummins (deputy) FILM & TV EDITORS Hugh Johnson Josh Sagoo (deputy) MUSIC EDITORS Fran Howard Tom Watling

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A Year Abroad: Kumamoto, Japan INTERVIEW 16 Reflecting on a decade of Empty Shop

www.facebook.com/palindigo Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @indigodurham Have a question, comment, or an idea for a story you’d like to write?

Email indigo@palatinate.org.uk to get in touch.

Film and TV 3

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Netflix’s Sex Education Teaching us to ‘Netflix & Chill’ responsibly

By Christina Fialova

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he phrase ‘Netflix and Chill’ was first coined in 2009 by an unaware Twitter user and its sexual connotations have been almost inescapable since Twitter users referenced it with a wink of an innuendo in the summer of 2014. The rise of online streaming has led us to an age where the media’s influence on society is bigger than ever and Netflix has picked up the gauntlet of social responsibility, distributing diverse shows with a progressive point of view. Netflix has embraced the opportunity to contribute to social and political conversations through its content and Netflix’s first big hit of 2019 is no exception. While many critics have marvelled at its combination of frankness with all things sexual and a certain homely wholesomeness, this fusion is not dissimilar to other teen comedies like Netflix’s own Big Mouth. Since Sex Education debuted on 11th January it has had, according to Netflix’s fourth-quarter earnings, more than 40 million households view it.

exploration of the awkwardness of living with a sex therapist is a catalyst for many of the show’s talking points. As a result, Otis’ home is a very sex-positive enviroment, filled with everything from explicit art to ornate dildos, yet he himself is incredibly uncomfortable about sex. ‘Let’s take things slow,’ he tells a classmate as they proceed to hold hands for 45 minutes.

Many of us will still have bewildering memories of our own sex education days Many of us will still have bewildering memories of our own sex education days.

What started off as an innocent enough conversation with our primary school teachers asking us to ‘put your books down,’ and a large group of girls subsequently being ushered out of the room, away from the prying ears of their male counterparts, to the dreaded birthing video and let’s not forget the good ol’ condom on banana manoeuvre. It is, therefore, no surprise that sex education in this country is often considered to be found wanting; portraying girls as ‘passive’ and boys as ‘predatory.’ Shockingly, little has been done to overcome Britain’s prudishness when it comes to the nitty-gritty of our sex lives yet despite its quintessentially British qualities, Sex Education’s approach

Netflix has embraced the opportunity to contribute to social and political onversations Sex Education, a coming-of-age drama, is the creation of British- Australian writer and playwright Laurie Nunn. Centered on Otis, a 16-year old virgin, played by Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ acclaimed Asa Butterfield and his charismatic mum, Jean, a sex therapist played by Gillian Anderson.

Jean’s clinic and various workshops are all ran out of their beautiful home and the

Illustrations: Creative Commons

towards sex education is certainly not.

Asa Butterfield’s performance is remarkably honest, frank but most importantly, like the show in general, relatable; irrespective of your gender all viewers will see a certain part of their teenage-angst riddled selves in Otis as well as his classmates. Not only does the show discuss sex positivity with regard to our peers, but it also considers the parental role. Jean’s significant boundary issues and holding the men she sleeps with at arm’s length while fixating on Otis’ personal life are addressed fearlessly without feeling too nuanced.

The heart of the show is its dynamic relationships

The heart of the show is its dynamic and varied relationships. This in no way should make you think that the show is not full of lewd and hilarious masturbation jokes you’d have thought only reserved for your friends as well as scandalous drawings no dissimilar to those which were to be found on many our own textbooks during our high school days. The Guardian’s Arielle Bernstein referred to it as ‘earnest but not preachy, moving without ever being manipulative.’ From burgeoning sexuality to body insecurities and even the actual process of having sex is all covered and not just from a cisgender or necessarily heterosexual perspective. The show illustrates how much better sex can be when we learn to communicate with our partners something which is lacking within the sex education curriculum.

FASHION 4

Thursday, 7 February 2019

By Anna Gibbs and Frankie Reffell Fashion Editor and Deputy

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efore DUCFS 2019, I wasn’t particularly hopeful about the future of sustainable fashion. I didn’t know if it could shake off either its niche, sci-fiesque mystery or alternate slightly lame, hippie image in order to be taken seriously in the fashion world any time soon. The strength of the designs presented on the three nights of DUCFS 2019, however, presented its audiences with a more positive and tasteful future for sustainable fashion, headed by these innovative young designers.

One of the most wonderful aspects of DUCFS is their consistent support of upcoming creatives, and their use of solely sustainable designers this time around is a credit to their commitment to ethos. I wasn’t expecting the creations worn this year to be capable of matching those of previous years, due to their comparatively limited resources. To my pleasant surprise, the need to showcase only designers in line with their charity focus, rather than inhibiting the creativity displayed, in fact enhanced it.

Bold colours and strong silhouettes were the main attractions, with Rose Elizabeth Connor’s collection, accurately described in the events programme as pioneering ‘sustainability by showing how an everyday household item- the shower scrunchie - can be completely transformed’, demonstrating that sustainability does not necessitate less of the extravagance nor craftsmanship which makes fashion itself so joyous and rich (both financially and culturally).

The clean accompanying graphics were excellent, and despite the lack of clarity in differentiating between the various designers (the programme was beautifully made yet too crammed full to follow easily), again helped to re-brand sustainable fashion as something very relevant and on-trend as we reach the 2020s. Such variety in the signature styles of the designers demonstrated both that fashion with a conscience does not have to mean a sacrifice of traditional cuts, tones or statement outfits, nor a limited pool of garments and tastes from which to choose.

Durham University Charity Fashion Show 2019: Showcasing Fashion’s Sustainable Future

FASHION 5

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Steve Trent, Executive Director, EJF, commented on behalf of the charity, “We’re truly delighted by the phenomenal achievement by DUCFS and the Durham students: to raise £150,000 over three nights reflects DUCFS’ fantastic leadership, dynamism and vision. We can’t praise DUCFS enough and send our heartfelt thanks for having been chosen as the charity partner this year. It has been a pleasure getting to know the team and to be inspired by their enthusiasm and dedication.

On behalf of all of us at EJF and the communities and partners we work with across the globe - thank you. We look forward to keeping in touch and showing the positive impact that the fundraising initiative has created or both people and planet”.

Photographs: James Gourlay for DUCFS

The care taken to align their charity with their creative direction was clear, and these steps taken by a group of students to not only support, but reinforce the EJF ( Environmental Justice Foundation) through fashion should be an example to many in the industry.

Frankie Reffell, Deputy Fashion Editor, attended Thursday’s show: ‘My favourite walks included the designs of Harry Odell (in particular the thatched duster coat), Archives, Elizabeth Midwinters, Rose Connor, and Yunrao Chen. The show had a distinct Vivienne Westwood feel to it, in particular the part of the show when a banner was raised with the shows slogan ‘PULL THE THREAD’- reminiscent of the finale of Westwood’s 2012 Climate Revolution collection. I did note that the distribution of models across the many walks was significantly uneven with a similar model type dominating the show. I hope this will be reflected upon in next years show.’

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CREATIVE WRITING Thursday, 7 February 2019

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Is the poet making a comeback?

Jess Clark and Gabrielle Smith discuss the impact of contemporary and traditional poets

By Jess Clark ne of the most dazzling performances I’ve ever seen was Kate Tempest at Green Man Festival 2017 in the Brecon Beacons, Wales. I already owned a copy of her novelised epic poem Let Them Eat Chaos but nothing could have prepared me for the energy, majesty and power of her live show. Dressed in understated, modest black clothing, and wearing little makeup, Tempest compelled the crowd with words alone, supported by just a few minimalist backing sounds. As an English student and lover of poetry, I was not only thrilled by the artist, but by the response of her audience, whose enthusiastic cheers were the loudest I heard across the whole weekend.

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politics, and social media have only rendered murkier. Collections which frame poetry within the context of “bibliotherapy” – reading as a form of therapy – hold appeal for a generation concerned with taking responsibility for their wellbeing.

As the online era encourages music artists to make money through festivals and gigs rather than CD sales, poets too are pushed to bring print work to the mic in increasingly creative and captivating live performances. It seems that poetry, as it becomes more accessible for the mainstream, could be an infinitely valuable resource for mediating emotion and improving mental health.

Nothing could have prepared me for the energy, majesty and power of her live show The notion of searching for clarity in a challenging political atmosphere is particularly relevant to Tempest’s work; her poetry spans themes from intimate relationships to a critique of authority and social values. Her spoken word and written collections highlight the intricacy of modernity, its unique problems and the disillusioning impact these have on individuals and communities. Let Them Eat Chaos narrates the stories of six alienated Londoners, each battling personal struggles, who find themselves awake in the middle of the night and are finally brought together in the outbreak of a storm. In such a climate, words possess the power to reconnect readers with something beyond the self: a shared emotional outlet providing sanctuary from isolation, and rediscovery of a collective identity.

The surge in popularity of poetry sales in 2018 may well be the result of people feeling an increased need to understand themselves, looking to both classical and up-and-coming poets like Tempest to illuminate what contemporary Western life,

As soon as you begin to write poetry, you have a poetic voice

By Gabrielle Smith he desire to write poetry either comes to a person, or not. Regardless of what age this occurs at, this desire cannot be forced through encouragement. It took no encouragement for me to use the medium for myself, though exposure to it was, of course, necessary in the beginning. As soon as you begin to write poetry, you have a poetic voice. As you hone your craft this becomes more prominent.

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The persisting idea that some poets are born great is the antithesis of this view. Yes,

the mental elasticity in some poets’ DNA makes their education and hard work in the profession more bountiful more quickly, but the drive to be able to authentically express yourself does not. It takes courage and persistence. You can be as sharp as you want, but if you cannot be bothered to learn to use form in an appropriate fashion, nor ask yourself hard questions, then you’re really only left with the wet, superficial statements that mock forms such as free verse, and yet still seem to pervade social media (and now bookshops!) these days.

It took no encouragement for me to use the medium for myself Both Plath and Hughes began to write their best poems in their late twenties, Byron and Shelley too. But, as it has emerged with the publication of the former couples’ journals and letters, the married poets only achieved their distinguished work through a self-conscious, tireless dedication to their craft. Reading Plath’s journals, it is hard not to see how these rules governed her life. In almost every entry there seems to be a reminder to ‘get my inner world peopled, and the people moving’, to ‘…study…, read…, Work, not expect miracles’. Hughes similarly writes of taking steps ‘towards making my writing my own…developing [sic] the wholeness and solidness of my thoughts and verbal expression of them.’ They believed their poetic voice was at its best because of the development of their inner voice, with all its wound-stemming opinions.

Their critics agree; Ariel and Birthday Letters are, to many, their greatest works.

Nature may draw you to poetry and stimulate you to write it, but true originality in the poetic voice derives from the two coveting forces which make up ‘Nurture’: the desire to know yourself better, and the drive to articulate this knowledge as truthfully as possible.

Kate Tempest: Simon Butler Photography via Flickr. Sylvia Plath: Lauren Coleman via Flickr

VISUAL ARTS Thursday, 7 February 2019

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Making art online A new media artist shares her experience

By Stella Botes Visual Arts Editor visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Willow Senior is an artist currently studying at John Ruskin School of Fine Art in Oxford. Her work leans towards new media technologies, from photography to website coding to text messages. This summer, she hosted an online exhibition titled ‘You’re Just Tame’, bringing together the work of various artists and collaborators in a novel online exhibition space. We met up with her to talk about what it was like to hold an exhibition online, and what it has taught her about both her artistic practice and life online.

give too many opportunities for underpayment, mis-attribution and wilful copying?

coding and designing a website, though I’m confined to a limited space, the design of the site is totally my decision. It enables me to have more creative control over how I express and present both myself and my ideas. It allows me to be creative but be a curator at the same time.

How do you think the art industry, and art audiences, have to catch up (if at all) with the rise of new media art?

Can you tell us a bit more about ‘You’re Just Tame’ and the inspiration behind it?

What draws you to the web/ online world as a medium?

What I love about the web as an art medium is that it is a great platform for making art accessible to anyone and everyone really easily. So in a sense it is quite similar to social media, but with more control over the design of the space. I find that all the social media’s we use at the moment encourage individuality and yet they’re incredibly limiting. You can only be creative within a structured square box. By

I think we are beginning to get caught up. But, there is a common misconception that art that features something to do with new media/ technology will be a comment about technology rather than anything else. I think because all these techniques are so new it becomes hard to think about anything else because the medium is so impressive or high tech. I went to the Saatchi Gallery’s virtual reality experience the other day called ‘We Live in an Ocean of Air’, an experience where the “invisible connection between plant and human is revealed through breath.”.

Though they were trying to get us to experience this, I found my concentration leaning more towards the tech behind the experience: the goggles we had to wear, the backpacks, the wrist sensors. So, I think as soon as the public becomes used to these sorts of equipment, the focus will be more on the art than anything else.

Image: Willow Senior

‘You’re Just Tame’ is an online art exhibition made up of works in different medias by lots of different people, including myself. I came up with the idea after someone on my art foundation off the cuff told me that I was tame. I spent quite a lot of time thinking about this entirely unnecessary/rather bizarre insult, reflecting on why the person had said it, what they thought about me, what I should have said in the moment… The exhibition is a reaction to that and a sort of cathartic way for me to process my experience and potentially resonate with others.

Do you think that the online world is a democratising influence for art, or does it

The online world is such a useful tool in terms of promoting yourself and creating greater accessibility for your art. Instagram has become a sort of new, more approachable art market.

Around 80% of art buyers under 35 now use Instagram to find new artists. And at art school, we are literally encouraged to make a name for ourselves onlinewhether that be through making a website, or an Instagram page. But, it is still way too easy for work to get copied and appropriated.

Because work is online and available to all, questions of authorship arise.

Who owns what?

So, I think whilst it allows for less well known artists to promote themselves, it still isn’t as good or protected as support from a gallery.

How has working in online art changed your own relationship to the online world, and especially social media?

I’ve realised a lot. First, in working with internet art, I’ve realised I don’t have to subscribe to the template format of any social media platform because I can do it my own way on the internet. At the same time though, I have also realised how social media has become a necessary platform for an unknown artist like me to showcase work. Third, it has changed my relationship with social media. Though I was spending a lot of time online, it wasn’t wasted like it usually is- when I deep dive through Instagram. Instead, I had a purpose and was using it productively. So I guess I’ve become more aware now of the countless hours we waste away scrolling and its destructive effects on productivity.

STAGE 8

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Durham Drama Festival 2019 Stage previews the biggest drama event in the DST calendar

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

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he Durham Drama Festival returns for its 45th year this month, presenting a selection of studentwritten plays and extracts. With previous productions having made it all the way to the Edinburgh Fringe, DDF is an exciting opportunity for all involved. This year, the festival promises to be better than ever with over sixty people involved in nine full-length plays and five extracts, all written, produced, designed, directed, and performed by members of DST.

be part of the team. It’s really lovely and so valuable to see a new musical come to life!

You’ve musical directed before in Durham, how does this differ? Are there any different approaches you take when confronting a student-written production?

Over sixty people involved in nine full-length plays and five extracts The General Programme runs from the 6th-9th February, showcasing the talents of nine student writers, most of whom this is the first time their written work has been performed.

The programme promises great variation with plays such as ‘Whatever Happened to Christopher Robin?’ providing great dramatic release, and light-hearted wit being presented in productions such as ‘Save the Date’.

Indeed, it is the first time in a while that a musical has been included in the DDF programme. Ollie Kirkwood’s musical, ‘Save the Date’, advertises itself as a fun and upbeat musical following the lives of singles all experiencing the wonders of online dating. I talked to the musical director of this production, Honor Halford-Macleod, about her entrance into the world of DDF and her experience of student writing.

Have you been involved in DDF before?

What attracted you to getting involved this year?

I’ve never been involved in DDF before, but this year I was especially keen to have an involvement because I saw that a new musical had been written by a Durham student, so I was especially keen to be part of the process. I really like contemporary musicals and I had heard that Ollie’s writing is really good so I knew I wanted to

if they don’t quite fit the cast member’s range. The writing is not necessarily set in stone so it’s nice to have that flexibility.

Why should people come and see it?

The characters are normal people who have varied experiences with online dating, and it’s very funny and enjoyable. The composer, Ollie Kirkwood, has done an amazing job with giving each of the characters varied material and the writing is in times very conversational and candid but also in times melodic and broader so it’s really interesting to listen to. It’s a nice length too so you can get your musical fix without being sat there for hours! The cast are brilliant as well, and they’ve worked very hard on learning the piece from scratch which is no mean feat!

DDF also offers students workshops given by experienced professionals

Image by Rosie Dart

“It’s really lovely and so valuable to see a new musical come to life!”

One big way in which this differs is that there are no recordings of the show on Spotify or anything, so the initial note learning process is so important.

It can take longer but it’s valuable to be thorough in the first stages of the learning because you can’t just rely on a recording to memorise it. Another way is that, because this show is new writing, it is still growing and being developed every day and so there is more freedom about changing pitches and registers of notes

Aside from the student-written productions, DDF also offers students great opportunities through the form of workshops given by experienced professionals. This year, they have managed to secure Alex Bhat, an actor who has worked on stage and screen for the BBC and Channel 4 in shows such as ‘War and Peace’ and ‘Chewing Gum; Peter Bradley, a freelance theatre director currently working as a Resident Director for the RSC’s Summer Season; and Geof Keys, artistic director of The Queen’s Hall Arts in Hexham. These workshops look set to be exciting opportunities for those who manage to bag a place.

Who knows, you may be seeing the work of the next biggest playwright!

DDF’s General Programme runs from the 6 -9th February in Caedmon Hall and the Mark Hillery Arts Centre in Collingwood College. Be sure to buy your tickets before they sell out. Who knows, you may be seeing the work of the next biggest playwright. th

STAGE 9

Thursday, 7 February 2019

General Programme 3: ‘Tuesday’ by Andrew Cowburn.

Daniel returns from school to an empty house, and we watch as the next forty minutes of his life unfold. Joined by Sophie, they talk, joke and laugh before he finally decides to answer his Dad’s phone call.

General Programme 1: ‘Whatever Happened to Christopher Robin?’ by Charlie Whitehead.

When Jane’s husband commits suicide, the press are intrigued to find out the lives that famous children’s author, Christopher Robin, and his wife lived.

‘Fire on Beacon Hill’ by Harry Jenkins.

After a year apart, a group of local girls return to Beacon Hill where witches used to celebrate their dark rites. In the glow of the fire, many things come to light and these old friends will discover just how much has changed.

‘Poseidon’s Playhouse’ by Alex Julian-Ottie.

Follow the mad mishaps of the local parish priest, who’s pathetic attempts to be loved by others go wrong.

‘Kay and Rex’ by Madeleine Horton.

A winter evening in 1957. Married actors Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall return home from a party and decide to keep the revelry going with a late night-cap. But secrets are being kept, testing the boundaries of their marriage.

‘Save the Date’ by Ollie Kirkwood.

This fun and upbeat musical follows the lives of singles all trying online dating. Who struggles to find what they’re looking for? Whocant catch a first fate? Who’s too scared to fall in love?

2.30pm on Wednesday 6th, and 8pm on Thursday 7th and Saturday 9th, Mark Hillery Arts Centre, £5.50

7.30pm, 7th, 8th, 9th February, Caedmon Hall, £5.50

General Programme 2: ‘Reckoning’ by Helena SniderMartin.

Two students caught having sex in school face the consequences of their actions while their teachers discuss their fate.

‘Ophelia Is Also Dead’ by Aliya Gilmore.

Ophelia, in a space for her to talk, for once.

‘Ladies Who Lunch’ by Niamh Collins.

Never talk of religion, sex, or politics at the dinner table, but motherhood? What controversy could possibly arise?

8pm on Wednesday 6th and Friday 8th, and 2.30pm on Saturday 9th, Mark Hillery Arts Centre, £5.50

BOOKS Thursday, 7 February 2019

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Hunting for a story

Books talks to Durham graduate Lucy Foley about her bestseller, ‘The Hunting Party’

By Shauna Lewis Books Editor books@palatinate.org.uk ucy Foley is versatile. Graduating from Durham in 2008, where she was an English Literature student at Grey College, she has been a fiction editor, journalist and now author.

Her most recent book, The Hunting Party was number four on The Sunday Times’ Bestseller List this week and is also being adapted for television by Seesaw Films, the company who brought us The King’s Speech.

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writing which undoubtedly many others feel, even with what she has achieved. She claims that being an editor herself helped her gain a thicker skin for the process, “it all felt very natural for me from the off.”

Finding it hard to balance the deadline for her second book in 2014, she made the “scary” leap to full-time writing.

“I like editing, but I love writing.”

Discussing her time at Durham, Foley says she “absolutely loved it, it all went far too quickly.” Revealing she is, indeed, part of the 70% as she met her husband here, she also cites looking up to a number of professors, including Michael O’Neill. Being pushed by another tutor to take an MA at UCL, she then moved into fiction editing.

Despite being her first crime novel, Foley has definitely taken to it well, currently writing her second murder mystery and soon she will start to work with the screenwriters for the television adaptation of The Hunting Party. “I’m just fascinated to see what she, the screenwriter, does with it. She’s thought of some interesting insights which are brilliant, “I hadn’t thought of them.” Undoubtedly more modest than her talent as a writer, Foley’s crime-writing career is only at its beginning.

Foley admits it wasn’t glamorous, lamenting the well-known amount of free, unpaid work many graduates have to do. “The first job I had was a receptionist for this little literary agency, I was doing things like unblocking the drains and killing mice. But I also got to read the slush pile, which is all the unsolicited manuscripts which get sent in. I was convinced I was going to find the next bestseller.”

It’s somewhat comforting to hear that she is subject to the same insecurities about her

Although hopefully not the case with her friends from Durham, in The Hunting Party, she comments, “These friends aren’t really friends any more, the thing that binds them together is history.” Mentioning that the characters of the novel are ex-Oxford students, she jokes “I just thought I’d have a little dig you know, get my own back in print.”

Undoubtedly more modest than her talent as a writer

“I was doing things like unblocking the drains and killing mice”

Perhaps more positive about her first job than she was at the time, but Foley testifies that this was formative to her as a writer.

“I very much came into creative writing from reading.” From here she moved into fiction editing, and began writing her first novel, The Book of Lost and Found.

When it came to send it to editors, she refused to send it to those she knew, “I felt that if it didn’t go well and if no-one wanted it, then that would be really embarrassing.”

As to the plot of a group of friends getting together, “I’ve done this thing before with groups of friends, ex-Durham students. It’s a bit like a family Christmas, there’s a perfect amount of time to spend together and if you go over that people start niggling each other.”

“I write the book that I want to read as a reader” When I ask about influences for The Hunting Party, she remarks that The Secret History comparisons came as a nice surprise, but And Then There Were None was in the back of her mind from the start. Stating she loves Agatha Christie and wanted to create a modern take, “I did with this book what I did with my first book, what I do with all of my books, which is to write the book that I want to read as a reader”

As for advice for any writers in Durham, Lucy reminisces how she used to be “afraid to put pen to paper.” The key thing though, “is just to start to start writing. It felt so clunky when I started, if I read back those first pieces it’d be like reading an old diary. Over time though, it gradually got habitual and I gradually got better.

She advises, “Write your way into it in whatever way feels natural, whether that’s writing little vignettes or short stories.

You really learn your craft, you can go off on however many writing courses, but the best way to learn is on the job.”

The Hunting Party is out now.

Photograph: Phillipa Gedge.

MUSIC 11

Thursday, 7 February 2019

The sound of corruption If you’re looking for the best new music, go online, not to the Grammys

By Alfie Whillis music@palatinate.org.uk

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n 2019, being an amateur music critic is easier than ever. Rate Your Music, an entirely free-to-use community-built database of music, boasts over 600,000 members actively reviewing and discussing the latest releases. Reddit pages catering to genre-specific communities have tens and even hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Internet personalities like Anthony Fantano have given hope to the aspiring critic that their opinions are valid and that there is an audience out there for them. Any discerning music fan can publish their opinions on a forum and receive feedback almost instantly from fellow fans around the world.

Whilst the Academy discourages members from voting in categories outside of their expertise, this is an unenforced guideline. To become a member of the Academy, you need 12 credits on releases and 2 referrals, so the membership is largely comprised of an older generation that are less likely to be familiar with new music. So, when members come to vote on a category in which they are unfamiliar with many of the nominees, they often just vote for the most well-known artist on the list.

The annual announcement of nominations is met with a barrage of criticism, most recently accusations of sexism and racism Meanwhile, the Grammys continue with their annual celebration of a music industry in decline. Without fail, the annual announcement of nominations is met with a barrage of criticism, most recently accusations of sexism and racism. This year’s list of nominations lays bare the Grammys’ conflict of interest: trying to represent the best new music, allowing the 12,000 members of the Recording Academy to pick, and trying to keep the nomination list representative of different musical cultures whilst maintaining television appeal. Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow described this year’s nominations as ‘incredibly relevant and on point’, and whilst the Grammys may have challenged accusations of a racial and gender bias with an impressively diverse list of nominations in the General Field categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best New Artist), for another year running the list fails at its primary purpose of being a collection of the best new music.

The issues with the Grammys largely stem from its voting system. Entries are screened by experts whom decide whether they fit the genre they’ve been entered in. The 12,000 voting members of the Recording Academy then cast ballots to decide the nominees and the eventual winner. The final result of this process does not present the best albums of the year, but rather the most mainstream.

Photograph: Flickr

They often just vote for the most well-known artist In a reveal-all article on Complex, a member of the screening committee for the Reggae category, revealed an unwritten rule amongst committee members: ‘be careful about green-lighting an album by someone who was really famous if you don’t want to see that album win a Grammy’. This is confirmed by looking at past winners of the Reggae award; 6 of the last 10 awards went to members of the Marley family, often beating out far more critically acclaimed albums.

Releases that lack mainstream appeal and artists that aren’t household names, particularly those from a minority background, are less likely to win. Frank Ocean’s characterisation of the Grammys as a “dinosaur that doesn’t represent young, black artists” seems appropriate.

Why would I ask the music industry executives when I can ask fellow music fans?

Recent attempts to diversify the voting members by allowing online voting to encourage younger members to vote and inviting more women and people of colour to register might begin to rectify these problems, but ignores a greater problem. The Grammys are not awarded based on musical merit or even on sales figures, but on the opinions of oftenuninformed music industry insiders, and if the winners are decided by the opinions of laymen that raises the question: why do I care what they think? If I want to know what the best new music is, why would I ask the music industry execs when I can ask fellow music fans? The voting system for Rate Your Music is remarkably similar to that of the Grammys, letting any registered member rate albums they’ve listened to. The scores are aggregated and ranked. Rather than attempting to take a snapshot, reducing the year down to one album per genre, the site allows scores to change as opinion changes over the years. None of the Grammys 8 picks for Album of the Year appear in RYM’s top 50 of 2018.

The Grammys are not awarded based on musical merit or even on sales figures The Grammys may have its place as ‘Music’s Biggest Night’, a television spectacle and a chance for the music industry to socialise, but it is not a celebration of the best new music.

Maynard James Keenan of Tool described the Grammys as ‘the music business celebrating itself’, and if the Grammy’s wants to regain some relevance perhaps it just needs to embrace that. For now, let’s stop celebrating the middle-man between artists and audiences, and start celebrating interesting, innovative new music. So if you find yourself in front of the TV watching the ceremony, why not turn it off and go online to see what people really think?

Why not turn it off and go online to see what people really think?

FEATURES 12

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Born and Bred

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s a student body, we hear plenty about Durham University’s most famous alumni (looking at you, former Editor of Palatinate and all-round Durham icon, Jeremy Vine), but we don’t know a lot about people who have called Durham home from birth or in childhood. So, after scouring the internet – and avoiding a page listing famous people from Durham, North Carolina, USA – I present a list of people who were born or spent their formative years in this fair city or elsewhere in County Durham. They vary from the well-known to those names lost to history, but at any rate they might come into good use at your next college pub quiz or, you know, when you inevitably try out for University Challenge and the starter for ten is on former choirboys of Durham Cathedral.

At any rate they might come into good use at your next college pub quiz

Cecily Neville

Born at Raby Castle in 1415, Cecily was Duchess of York and mother to not one, but two Kings of England, Edward IV and Richard III. She was known as the Rose of Raby, as well as Proud Cis based on her fierce temper. She died at the age of eighty, which is pretty impressive for the fifteenth century.

As grandmother of Henry VII’s wife Elizabeth, all English monarchs since Henry VIII have been descendants of Cecily Neville.

Jane Porter

Allegedly born on the Bailey in 1776, Porter is now known as one of the first English historical novelists ever, as author of The Scottish Chiefs (1810), a story about William Wallace which remains popular in Scotland today. She also wrote a number of plays and short articles about historical figures. She is not to be confused with the character in Tarzan.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Born in Kelloe, County Durham in 1806, Barrett Browning was an English Romantic poet and remains as significant an influence today as she was during her lifetime. She wrote poetry from the age of six and has one of largest collections of juvenilia (work written in her youth) of any English writer, leaving plenty for those of us struggling to write our summatives with food for thought.

Hugh Walpole

Now a largely neglected literary name, Walpole was a best-selling author of the 1920s and 1930s. Originally born in New Zealand, in 1897 his father was appointed principal of what was then Bede College, Durham, and thus he was enrolled at Durham School. Though not a fan of his time as a pupil, the city of Durham had a huge impact on Walpole and he drew on aspects of it for his fictional cathedral city of Polchester.

Photographs: Kleopatra Olympiou

By Imogen Usherwood Deputy Features Editor features@palatinate.org.uk

Ten people you didn’t know were from Durham

FEATURES 13

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Stan Laurel

One half of comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, he was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson in Lancashire, but went to school in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, before becoming a success on the big screen in the states.

As if a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame wasn’t enough, Laurel also has a statue on the site of the Eden Theatre in County Durham, which his parents used to own.

A film about his life with Hardy, Stan and Ollie, was released at the start of this year.

Tony Blair

The son of a Durham alumnus and lecturer, Blair attended the Chorister School here in the early 1960s and was a choirboy in the Cathedral. In his political career, he became MP for Sedgefield, County Durham.

Tony Blair attended the Chorister School here in the early 1960s and was a choirboy in the Cathedral

Rowan Atkinson

Born in Consett, County Durham, the star of Blackadder and Mr Bean was also educated at the Chorister School before keeping it local and attending Newcastle University.

Alexander Armstrong

Another Durham schoolboy, Armstrong attended Durham School on a music scholarship. He has said he was ‘unlike everyone else’ at school, and was ‘quite mercilessly teased for being posh’ based on his accent, even though he was the son of a GP at a public school dominated by offspring of wealthy industrialists.

Born in Durham in 1988, Steph Houghton has been captain of the England women’s football team

Steph Houghton

Born in Durham in 1988, Houghton has been captain of the England women’s football team (currently third in the FIFA rankings) since 2014. Prior to that, she first came to prominence in the London Olympics, scoring three goals for England. In 2016, Houghton was appointed an MBE in the New Years’ Honours for services to football.

Lost Voice Guy

Also from Consett, Lee Ridley has been active as a comedian since 2012, but was his victory in Britain’s Got Talent last year that has made his name. Prior to this, he won the BBC Radio New Comedy Award in 2014, joining the ranks of Alan Carr and Marcus Brigstocke. Unable to speak, he is the first British standup to use a communication aid in his act.

Unable to speak, he is the first British stand-up to use a communication aid in his act

FOOD & DRINK Thursday, 7 February 2019

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Introducing: Palatinate wine column Henry Biggs introduces his new wine column and gives readers a sample review of Dino Romagna 2015

By Henry Biggs food@paltinate.org.uk fter years of formal white and too many bottles of 2 litre red at Spags, it would be easy for a Durham student to grow disillusioned with wine. I want to change this, and so this is the first review of what will be a regular column in the Palatinate’s Food & Drink section where I review wines for students.

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It would be easy for a Durham student to grow disillusioned with wine I will be focusing on a type of wine well known to the students of Durham; bottles which can be found in market square Tesco for under £7 (a sensible editor suggested that my original plan of reviewing sub£5 wines would be too restrictive). My main hope is that, through this column, I will show that it’s very possible for

students to drink decent wine without chopping into their maintenance loan.

Dino Romagna 2015 – Italy £5.00 (usually £5.79), Tesco

I will be focusing on a type of wine well known to the students of Durham; bottles which can be found in market square Tesco for under £7

This bottle jumped out instantly from the bottom shelf in the wine section of North Road wine section due, in no small part, to the hefty discount which slashed its price from a steep £5.79 to a very reasonable £5.00. Every little bit helps.

As well as recommending which bargain wines to buy, and what food to eat with them, I’ll advise on which bottles to avoid when exploring the bottom shelf of the Tesco wine aisle. Along the way I’ll try to provide more general wine advice which should be useful in the real world. I hope you enjoy this column and find it helpful.

This bottle jumped out instantly from the bottom shelf

It’s possible for students to drink decent wine without chopping into their maintenance loan

The front label is written entirely in Italian, but do not let that deter you! Obscure Italian grape varieties, like this one, can be hidden gems.

Unfortunately, the Dino disappointed on this occasion. My enjoyment of this wine was, in all fairness, probably impaired by a late night in Jimmy’s the night before.

There isn’t much on the nose, but it has a big taste and is intensely spicy. There is potentially too much tannin, although that’s a matter of taste. I didn’t taste the berries promised by the label, but the taste of black cherries was definitely present.

Unfortunately, the Dino disappointed on this occasion I would drink it with a fatty meat like belly pork, as the strong tannins can cut through the grease in your mouth and let you better taste the wine.

In all, this is a pretty good wine for £5, despite its failings, and I would encourage cash-strapped students to give the Dino a go while that big reduction lasts.

Illustration: Kaitoise

TRAVEL Thursday, 7 February 2019

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A Year Abroad: Kumamoto, Japan Jayna Viswalingam explores distinct cultural idiosyncracies a world away

By Jayna Viswalingam travel@palatinate.org.uk n incredibly eye-opening cultural experience, or a year to chill and procrastinate third year?

To be honest, a year abroad is a bit of both. On the one hand it is a total gap-“yah” experience where academics take a back seat. Equally (and cheesily), the cultural underpinnings you engage with in a place like Japan are unique.

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technically.Women would usually only use the imperative form, for example, in very specific instances (like training a dog). I’m making no claim of superiority or inferiority: only difference. I was made uncomfortable, but I suppose feeling uncomfortable is part of the experience. It helps you question and affirm your beliefs, drawing conclusions.

It makes you question your own values and place in society

Culture shock is a real thing. Japan can be a bit of a shock to the system. What gets you is the language: you don’t really realise how hard it is not being able to communicate with people until you’re smiling and nodding to basically everything for a month. We are spoilt as English speakers; being put in a position where your form of communication isn’t the norm is a truly valuable experience.

If the experience of a different culture isn’t for you, I’d do a year abroad for the sightseeing. I am currently in Kumamoto, a part of the Kyushu Islands. There are so many beautiful surrounding areas like Mount Aso: a smoking active volcano. A great thing to do in Japan is walk around the local streets to see vast differences in architecture and nature. Overall, you get to experience incredible mountains and amazing sunsets, especially here in the south – Kumamoto is literally called the land of fire.

The cultural underpinnings you engage with in a place like Japan are truly unique Language aside, general culture is incredibly interesting in Japan. A country so advanced in its technology (putting British cross-country trains to shame), it’s also deeply rooted in tradition. It’s small things like no one checking that you’ve paid on the bus. They trust that you have. Rules are everything: you follow them because that’s what you do. Perhaps a little annoying at first, it is ultimately refreshing. Conformity is ingrained in a society where contribution is paramount. Perhaps specific to Kumamoto, I am in a community that trusts me absolutely.

Time abroad makes you question your own values and place in society. Going from Durham, where people are generally interested in daily political life, this was a big change. Here in Kumamoto, conversation about social issues, discrimination and the like are unpopular. While possibly only my personal, Japanese-lacking experience, it seems like people are either unaware or don’t make it a central topic of conversation. I was left feeling somewhat trapped in my thoughts. For example, I felt restricted from discussing that their language almost prohibits women from using certain wordsor forms, although not

Most importantly, the best part of Japan (or really any year abroad) is the food.

Kumamoto is known across the country for its specialties. The ingredients are fresh and usually local so, even when cooking for yourself, things just taste better. One of my favourite places is right by the uni where a lady handles the kitchen by herself ; in fact, you can walk into the most random places and be impressed every time.

You can walk into the most random places and be impressed every time

Photographs: DeltaWorks & rawpixel via Pixabay

So to answer my original question, yeah I’m pretty much spending my time eating and travelling. Yes, my wallet is emptier than usual and I will say that Japan is expensive but there are always cheaper ways to do things. I really do feel like I’m starting to feel I can call this place home and although there are still a lot of nods and smiles, I feel like I’ve started to get know the people and the city better. Most year abroad experiences will give you that and even though it’s also an excuse to avoid my third year I really wouldn’t change a thing.

THE indigo INTERVIEW Thursday, 7 February 2019

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Reflecting on a decade of Empty Shop indigo explores Durham’s art scene with Carlo Viglianisi and Nick Malyan

By Nathan Kelly Interview Editor interview@palatinate.org.uk

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decade ago, Carlo Viglianisi and Nick Malyan hosted their first ever art show in Durham as Empty Shop. 10 years on, the duo have just opened TESTT (The Empty Shop Think Tank) and are looking to the future. indigo met the pair to discuss the past decade of their Empty Shop project.

How did Empty Shop begin?

We were friends and both left Durham at eighteen, after meeting up again we decided to use an empty shop that Carlo was using as a photography studio as a community-focused art space, which was accessible to all – this became the first Empty Shop. We assumed a few of our mates would turn up for the first show, but after 150 visitors attended, we thought to ourselves there must be something in this.

By January 2010, we had move into the Empty Shop HQ space and had already had the best part of 10,000 visitors. Slowly we were becoming sewn into Durham’s cultural fabric.

Empty Shop HQ followed an artscentre model, every night various artists would present work through different mediums. Particularly, HQ housed many gigs, including enough jazz gigs to make it integral to the Durham jazz scene.

In a decade, however, we’ve just 45 spaces in total. Empty Shop isn’t anything except spaces and until that third person shows up, we have nothing. Most people only interact with a small part of Empty Shop because we explore so many opportunities with so many different people, it means it’s hard for people to get their head around the whole organisation.

Why did you choose to set up in Durham rather than Newcastle?

There’s certainly a different arts-ecology

of Durham to Newcastle. We consciously chose Durham because places like Newcastle had a ready-made art network and Durham lacked this when we were growing up. If a scene is ready-made, why bother?

What are your personal highlights after 10 years of Empty Shop?

he’d never been to a jazz gig before and the experience had opened his eyes to jazz. It was total vindication of everything we’ve done, and a recent highlight, the festival will be running again this year.

What are your future plans?

The interesting thing about Empty Shop is the balance between the grass roots and institutional stuff. Contrast, for example, a talk we gave to the County Durham Cultural Partnership AGM, just before the chief-executive of the arts-council, with our Empty Shop Open event in 2012 where we had an open submission process for the works submitted for display.

Over the past decade we’ve stuck to our guns entirely, never compromising on our ideology or ethos; we’ve been led by the collaborators and opportunities which have presented themselves.

Our work mostly revolves around TESTT, a set of studios which aim to build a network of contemporary artists in Durham. If students want to find out about TESTT events, social media is key.

It’s allowed us to create accessible events and give people experiences of art they otherwise wouldn’t. After our jazz festival, which only costs £10, a lad was elated:

Visit TESTT Space Floor 2, 26 North Road, Durham, DH1 4SG

Longer-term, we’re excited about developing our consultation work in places such as Hartlepool, supporting grass-roots artists whilst working with strategic partners. It plays to our strengths, allowing us to spread our achievements in Durham to other places.