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Artwork by Khadija Khan

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EDITORIAL Thursday, 17 October 2019

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www.palatinate.org.uk

STAGE 3 Preview: Playland FEATURES 4&5 Society Spotlight & Big Fish, Little Fish, Cardboard Box

FOOD & DRINK

6 “Food is fuel”: An athlete’s relationship with food TRAVEL 7 An expedition to base camp FASHION 8&9 Loopy Love & Meet the Fashion Editors MUSIC 10 Female Conductors: It’s her time VISUAL ARTS 11 “The arts aren’t really valued”: Jasmine Fraser BOOKS 12 & 13 Autumn Reading & Finding a Space to Create with Ben Irvine FILM & TV 14 Is Hollywood tired of dragging ou TV shows?

CREATIVE WRITING 15 Ambivalence INTERVIEW 16 “I don’t live in a bubble”: Interviewing Alastair Sledge

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It’s hard settling back into university life; many of the conversations I’ve had over the past week have centred around feeling unsettled, homesick and a bit overwhelmed. Even as a third year, it’s hard settling back into a place after three months away. Even more difficult is the realisation of what lies ahead, although there’s friends to see, parties to attend and clubs to dance badly in; there’s also endless reading, deadlines and a seemingly ever-deteriorating sleep cycle.

There’s a beauty in the prospect of getting back into university life once more though, or for the first time. It’s always a good move to throw yourself in as much as possible, even if you need a break once in a while. Books looks at Autumn Reading, which is perhaps the perfect way to excuse yourself from the world as the beginning madness of term settles down. Or if you want to look at the more intense side of Durham, Food & Drink have examined the changing relationship between a DU athlete and the food he consumes in his daily routine.

If those two sides of the coin don’t fit, Travel documents the DUCK expedition to the Everest Base camp, and how pushing yourself out of your comfort zone doesn’t always lead to the most rewarding experience. Either way, your Durham experience is completely your own, and as we all settle back in, I think it’s important to remember that we shouldn’t be defined by other people’s experiences.

SL.

INDIGO EDITORS Shauna Lewis FEATURES EDITORS Kleopatra Olympiou Mary Bradshaw (deputy)

CREATIVE WRITING EDITORS Vacant

STAGE EDITORS Martha Wrench Gabriella Sills (deputy) VISUAL ARTS EDITORS Faye Saulsbury BOOKS EDITORS Imogen Usherwood Lotte Hall FASHION EDITORS Molly Goetzee Freya Ellingsen(deputy) Hugo Millard(deputy) FOOD & DRINK EDITORS Elle Woods-Marshall Imogen Higgins TRAVEL EDITORS Abir Mishra Alex Bicknell-Cummins (deputy) FILM & TV EDITOR Aadira Parakkat Madeleine Rosie Strom MUSIC EDITORS Matthew Prudham Theo Golden INTERVIEW EDITORS Kiara Davies Rachael Brown

STAGE 3

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Preview: Playland Martha Wrench interviews Jake Murray on his latest production, Playland

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

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s part of this year’s Black History Month, Durham’s own Elysium Theatre Company is bringing the northern premiere of Playland to the City Theatre. Written by one of South Africa’s greatest living playwrights, Athol Fugard, Playland charts the development of an unlikely relationship between two men divided by apartheid brought together by their search for truth and reconciliation.

I talked to co-founder and assistant director, Jake Murray, to understand more about his vision for the production.

A play that explores issues of race, most specifically apartheid in South Africa, how do you think it relates to current audiences?

Growing up in the 70s & 80s, the existence of Apartheid was very much part of my political upbringing. It seemed like the epitome of human injustice, and no-one thought it would come to an end. When it did, it felt like a time of global rejoicing and everyone felt that the world was about to enter a new era of peace, prosperity, and harmony.

“An intensely personal play” Now here we are more than 25 years

later and we are heading back to that injustice all over the world.

Far Right, populist leaders are in power all across the planet, often put there by admiring electorates, pushing racial hatred and division and redrawing the battle lines in terms of ethnicity, culture and religion which we thought had died all those years ago.

Playland speaks directly to all of this.

It serves as a warning of what happens when we let any kind of racial supremacism take over, when we entrench racial hatred in our political systems. It does so by being an intensely personal play. Fugard deals with it entirely through the prism of two men who meet each other one night and go through this extraordinary journey from hatred and antagonism to some kind of understanding.

Athol Fugard is one of South Africa’s greatest playwrights and yet is relatively unknown in the UK. What is it that attracts you to his writing?

I love the lyrical humanity of his writing.

The fashion with British playwriting over the last four or five decades has been for writers to be cruel and cynical, and consequently, I have always felt very out of step with new writing from my own country. Fugard is different. Although he writes about life under one of the most immoral and brutalising regimes of the last century, he never lost sight of the possibility that human beings could overcome.

His plays face suffering, oppression, loneliness, despair and suffering, but oppose that with a profound belief in the human spirit which is never sentimental.

This production is a twoman show, however, you are not shy of a bigger production

as displayed by your previous production of Miss Julie. Can we expect some more exciting projects to come?

“I love the lyrical humanity of his writing” Yes indeed! As are many modern theatre companies, we are confined to small cast plays because we can’t fund bigger ones, or at least not yet. Miss Julie was a fantastic opportunity to ‘go large’ with the Servants Ensemble, and the experience of working with DST and DUCT students on that was fantastic, and something we want to do again.

We have big ambitions and are talking to the Arts Council and all sorts of big theatres about how we can move towards bigger cast shows. We’re looking forward to returning to the Assembly Rooms next year as well.

We can’t say much, and we don’t want to offer any hostages to fortune, but our hope is that we will graduate onto larger scale shows over the next two years, and we hope to work more with DST students too...

Elysium Theatre Company brings Playland to the City Theatre between 24th26th October.

FEATURES 4

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Society Spotlight: DU Save the Children

By Gilah Allardice features@palatinate.org.uk

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n September 2018, over 45,000 signatures demanded that the British government call for justice for Rohingya children. Being the incredible achievement that it was, we personally handed this petition to Westminster to ensure that the public was heard.

This meant that over 45,000 voices allowed Save the Children to scale up its support programmes in Bangladesh and provide further life-saving support to these refugees. Over 45,000 voices helped reunite families separated by the conflict, set up emergency healthcare and shelter facilities, and supply safe drinking water.

Over 45,000 voices ultimately supported Save the Children in reaching 780,000 people in just over a year.

cumstances plagued by violence, poverty, hunger and disease. They are often denied education and human rights simply because of who they are and where they come from.

beyond college, or if you would like to be introduced to the world of politics and community work at a local and university level, why not become a member, or even part of the exec?

With the help of my friends and STC’s London headquarters, I established Durham University Save The Children to support the organisation’s core value: every child deserves a future.

We also run a college rep system, forming a network of people who spread the word about DUSTC and its campaigns across all areas of campus, working to boost student awareness in creative and fresh ways which appeal to students in all years, and collaborate with college JCRs on events like themed formals.

…and the rest of us? How did we help the Rohingya children?

We aim to spread awareness and encourage support for STC campaigns through promotional events and fundraising activities targeted at Durham students, such as our free-pint Swan socials and Hummus Fest X DUSTC. Beyond the University, we also contact political decisionmakers and local community networks to influence change with the help of the public.

Although once classified as one of the world’s worst refugee crises, many people still have not heard about what is currently happening in Myanmar… or Yemen, Venezuela, the DRC and countless other countries for that matter. Too many children worldwide find themselves in cir-

As a newly-formed society, we had complete freedom in designing unique roles and responsibilities for the executive team.

If you believe that every child should have the right to a childhood and a future free from human rights violations, if you want a new way to get involved in university life

College reps have the freedom to do whatever they want in order to publicise DUSTC in a positive way. If you’re a keen writer, write a piece on the Yemen crisis for the college JCR to print in their next paper. If you’re on a college sports team, organise a collection bucket for the next game. We look forward to your contributions!

Image Credit: Tumisu via Pixabay

FEATURES 5

Thursday, 17 Octobrr 2019

Big Fish, Little Fish, Cardboard Box

By Madeleine Wright features@palatinate.org.uk

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have read absolutely nothing”.

That skulked into my head right about the same time as tutorials began.

Thankfully for my English degree, it’s not quite true. Nevertheless, sitting in a lecture hall filled by driven, high-achieving and well-read students, it was easy to get caught up determining my own adequacy via comparisons. With post-Meningitisjab swollen arms, I had scrolled through pre-reading lists and filled out my health centre registration forms. Friends had assured me that Freshers’ Week would be any combination of utterly bizarre, intensely fun, and absolutely terrifying.

Coming from overseas, I was prepared for as much. I had not, however, pre-empted that the academic changes would need adjusting to too. In the move from school to university, some slip seamlessly into the academic side of things, but a great many are shadowed by unjustified feelings of inadequacy. We go from big fish, to very small fish, and at the same time lose the protective cardboard box too - it is easy to question your very place in this new environment.

The term ‘Imposter Phenomenon’, evolving later to ‘Imposter Syndrome’, was first presented in the late 70s by Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Dr. Suzanne A. Imes. The phenomenon describes feeling inadequate, undeserving of success; as if so far, what you have achieved has been down to luck and any moment now that luck will run out. University students are ripe for picking when it comes to this. Not only are we part of a sea of high achiev-

ers, but we no longer have the relationships and structures of school that gave us constant validation. Previously, with every correct answer and eloquent response in class, you grew in your teachers’ and classmates’ estimation. Now, I’m ashamed to say that first year passed without me retaining half the names in my tutor groups. Here, you can do well in an essay, but at school, to show that you tried hard was worth a pat on the back too. Without frequent personal feedback and validation, it becomes easier to think that you’re just not good enough.

At the start of second term, my friend from school called me in tears. Exams were ahead, and it was all too much. She’d been working more effectively than ever before. Still, she was convinced that she hadn’t done enough, couldn’t do enough, and she was terrified. One point broke through the sobs as I asked, “Who is this stress for?”. What followed was a conversation revolving around that simple question: you know what, who are we proving ourselves to? In the anonymity of university, surely it is now safe to focus your effort on doing yourself justice. For you, not anyone else. For me, that was the key.

School’s familiar cardboard box has dissolved from around us - now we need to learn, above all, to value our own achievements ourselves. For anyone experiencing uncertainty in the school-to-university

transition, the two things I’ve taken from first year are: 1) the need to stop relying on external validation, and 2) learning to feel content with being a work in progress.

Undoubtedly easier said than done – being satisfied with less than outstanding in every walk of life does not always come naturally. But wow: it’s liberating.

By finding ways to acknowledge your own abilities and personal successes, you can pull away from constantly judging yourself comparatively.

“I can learn from others without feeling inferior” I haven’t read the entirety of The Canon, but I’ll work on that. When someone mentions a poet I have never heard of, I can learn from them without feeling inferior.

Safe in the knowledge that with what I have encountered, and what I’ve learnt thanks to my international upbringing, I can offer completely different, interesting angles. And when my resolutions lose strength, Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail podcast always seems to work a charm.

Image credit: Rawpixel via Pixabay

FOOD & DRINK 6

Thursday, 17 October 2019

‘Food is fuel’: An athlete’s relationship with food Food & Drink talks to DU rower Sam Hawes about how his attitude to food has changed ByElle Woods-Marshall & Immy Higgins Food Editors food@palatinate.org.uk

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ith pre-season having just finished, many students are embarking or continuing on their DU sport careers.

We wanted to investigate how relationships with food change when performing high intensity sport and exercise.

Sam Hawes, a third year, has recently joined the DU rowing squad after years of school and college rowing. He spoke to us about the importance of food when training, including how he budgets and stays mentally and physically in-check.

Sam discussed how his attitude towards food has shifted since beginning his twicea-day, six times a week rowing schedule.

The overwhelming message from the very beginning was that “food is fuel”, a catchphrase he coined from the rowing vlogger Cam Buchan. Sam emphasised that, having moved up university level rowing, the need to “prepare to perform” is stronger, and food plays a key role in this. Not only the amount of food, but also his meal organisation around training. The qualified nutritionist for his team stresses that the rowers need to eat the energy that they burn in order to perform well. For Sam, this ranges from 3,500- 4,500 calories a day which he explained is how his “body recovers and rebuilds itself.” He treats each meal as if he is eating for two After a 6am breakfast of four Weetabix, Sam has his first session but refuels afterwards with a snack, such as bagels or flapjacks. During lectures, Sam always has a snack by his side. After his first lunch, normally pasta or rice-based, he has his next set of lectures and then another snack before his second afternoon session. His dinner, normally chilli, curry, lasagne or chicken pesto pasta, is necessary to rebuild his muscles.

He added that he does not have to follow a “strict diet”, which many people assume of those who play high level sport.

It is “just about eating loads” and is “dif-

ficult to fill 4000 calories when sticking to a certain guideline.” His emphasis was continually on the amount of food he needs to eat, not on what he is eating. However, he always tries to take in as much protein as possible. His top tip was buying vegetarian or vegan meals, designed to provide highprotein, and adding meat in to get double.

“He treats each meal as if he is eating for two” Budgeting is important regardless of how much sport you play, but the amount of food Sam eats left us wondering how he manages his money. He has found budgeting much harder with the shift in his training and food habits. It’s clear that Sam is highly dedicated to his sport and squad, adding that “food has become more of a priority” and he is willing to spend what he needs to perform well. However, he explained that he saves money elsewhere, for example by not Kluting as much, which compensates for the extra food he buys.

Although there are rowing socials almost every Saturday, which often involve drinking, Sam’s free social time with friends who do not row for DU has decreased. During fresher’s week, he felt “isolated” because his housemates, all college rowers, were able to go out together more often. With his 6am starts, this is not realistic for Sam. However, he expressed how he always makes time to go out for meals with his friends; his training finishes by 6:30 so he can eat dinner at normal times. It seems that when training so much, adapting your social life is necessary but you can still gain, and maintain, friendships within and outside of DU sport.

Our main impression was that Sam’s connection to food has changed in terms of the way he sees it as a fuel source. We agreed that this is a helpful and healthy message to everyone, whether it is fueling for exams or DU sport. There is a “food culture in rowing” but this revolves around a love for food, rather than viewing food as a chore. Sam joked that you’ll never see a rower without a box in their bag full of pasta. Rowers, and DU athletes, need to plan and manage their food more, but this does not mean that their social life or bank account has to collapse.

Image by Navya Lobo

TRAVEL Thursday, 17 October 2019

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An Expedition to Base Camp Was DUCK’s expedition to Everest Base Camp all it was made out to be?

By Alex Bicknell Cummins Deputy Travel Editor travel@palatinate.org.uk

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eciding to join DUCK’s Everest Base Camp expedition was an easy decision. It seemed the perfect way to end my summer, and I expected to return to uni a ‘changed’ person; triumphant with the feeling I had overcome a great challenge.

Nevertheless, I returned to Durham feeling at a loss and dissatisfied. Whilst the experience was wonderful, it didn’t quite make me feel the way I thought it would.

Our first night in Nepal was spent in Thamel, Kathmandu; a region lit up with fake North Face’s, trekkers and hippy expats. It was here that we met our wonderful guides, Bhumi and Ramesh, and the reality of the weeks ahead started to sink in. The night before our flight to the Himalayas was a restless one, horror stories of the dire consequences of altitude sickness, avalanches and a lack of working toilets keeping us awake. Bright and early on Friday the 13th, we flew to Lukla (the most dangerous airport in the world) to begin our expedition.

The trek was eight days up and three days down, and each was peaceful and wholesome. Our guides and porters were incredibly friendly and quite possibly superhuman; running up the mountain carrying two bags on their heads. Their positivity was infectious, and with every metre we climbed, the more enthusiastic we became. Whether it was a photoshoot with a Malaysian actor, guilt free carb-loading or a high five from a local child, we all found joy in the little things.

Just us, and a rock. We were underwhelmed.

Whilst the accommodation, food and even the scenery was repetitive, there was an air of content; we felt like we had been given guilt free time – no stress or worries. It’s just you, the path and the mountain ahead of you.

At 4000m the problems started. We had

caught a glimpse of the snow-peaked mountains through the clouds, and suddenly realised what we had been missing due to the ever-present mist. We’d been teased by a view of Everest, knowing we were unlikely to see it again with each passing day, the guides pointing into grey sky to show us where Mount Everest ‘should’ be.The mood became worse; evening card games replaced with oxygen level readings and early nights.

By the time we reached Gorak Shep, our last stop before base camp, altitude sickness was taking its toll on half of the group.

For the last three hours of walking up to base camp, the mood was one of frustration and discontent; those who were ill required regular stops and a slower pace, whilst those of us lucky enough to evade the effects of altitude would be restless and cold.

A speckle of orange amongst the grey rocks was our first view of Base Camp, and as we walked down to it, the rocks became boulders and the distant orange became tents. We were steps away from base camp when we had to ask, “is this it?”. A spray-painted boulder was before us; the tents no longer visible, the tallest mountains in the world vanished. Just us, and a rock. We were underwhelmed. We

took our pictures thinking, what now?

Three of us walked up a crest of boulders to look at the tents beyond; these were the proper explorers, headed to the summit of Mount Everest. It hit home how little we had done compared to them, how there was so much more that people were achieving.

They had science equipment and ice picks, whereas we had celebratory chocolate.

A few of the explorers spotted us watching them and waved us down to their site.

Despite being told we couldn’t go to main camp for security reasons, we scrambled down the rocks into their main tent where we were greeted with cups of tea, shots of vodka and a Polish Ski team who were aiming to ski down from the summit. Whether it was the booze or the bizarreness, it made reaching base camp all the more exciting.

I think my disappointment is rooted in the fact that I could’ve done more. This trek was sold to me as the ultimate challenge, the hardest thing I would ever do. Ultimately though, I didn’t return home feeling like I had pushed myself to the max, that I had conquered something, that I had made myself a stronger and more resilient person.

Photography via Wikimedia Commons

FASHION 8

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Loopy Love Georgia Barham talks to us about her student-run fashion brand

By Molly Goetzee Fashion Editor fashion@palatinate.org.uk

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oopy London is a student-run fashion brand selling bespoke, handmade earrings in Durham, Edinburgh and London. The business was started in 2018 by Durham University student Georgia and Edinburgh University student Millie. Their designs have featured in multiple college fashion shows and even on Made In Chelsea star Eliza Batten. Co-Founder Georgia Barham talked to us about accessories, business and what’s next for Loopy.

What made you decide to start Loopy?

“Best friends at school, Millie and I were always making things and coming up with whacky ideas. We’re both interested in fashion and funky accessories and would spend time in our holidays making necklaces, earrings, and headbands. We struggled to find funky, well-made accessories at an affordable prices so we started making our own. When people started asking us where our accessories were from, and if we could make them some, we realised that we could have fun advertising them on Instagram. Our key motivation was the enjoyment we got out of seeing people’s day brightened up by their funky coloured and jazzy accessories that we’d made for them. We’ve rather been blown away by how fast the Loopy trend grew!”

How does Loopy run at the moment?

“Loopy continues to be run on the ground by me in Durham and Millie in Edinburgh during term time, and by both of us in London during the holidays.

We don’t outsource so all the earrings are made by the two of us. We take it in turns to process online sales and share the management, finances and marketing of the business. In the holidays we rely on our network of amazing friends

and family who support us so well.”

What’s been the most surprising thing about starting a business?

“Since the beginning, we have been so shocked at the overwhelming support we have received. It’s absolutely crazy how fast the Loopy Love has spread, across the Durham and Edinburgh Campuses and beyond. The summer holidays saw Loopy explode and really take off: we’ve had several sample sales and pop-up shops, including our very own pop-up party on the Kings Road which was in collaboration with a Barbados Beach Bar called One Eleven. We had visitors from all over the place and it was particularly great to meet some of our enthusiastic Instagram followers. We love seeing people living the Loopy life!”

How do you balance uni life with running a business?

“Running Loopy alongside my degree can be challenging but I love to be busy and the stress is worth it. I’ve never really seen Loopy as ‘work’ because I enjoy it so much and it gives me a lot of happiness seeing people out and about, wearing their Loopy earrings and loving them.”

Business women that inspire you?

“Charlotte Simone - she built her business at a young age and we love her funky colourful fluffy scarves. Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey (Rixo) - we’re obsessed by their vintage print silk dresses and we love that the business started in the living room of two best friends, much like ours.”

Have there been any big changes since starting Loopy?

“The biggest change has probably just been the way we’ve grown so quickly. Moving from Instagram to a website saw a sharp increase in our sales which was very exciting. We’ve moved from selling only to friends to selling to people from across the world (we’ve sent parcels to USA, Canada, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Australia).

In recent news, we’re soon to be stocked in Barbados - we’ve gone international!”

Advice for aspiring Durham brands?

“Enthusiasm - love your brand! The more you love it and what it stands for, the more other people will love it too. It takes time to build a brand image but stick at it and keep positive, enthusiastic and committed. Running a business is the most worthwhile experience. And have fun!”

What’s the next step for Loopy?

“Keep spreading the Loopy Love! We love seeing our brand grow and develop. We’re about to launch lots of new products on our website (including headbands, socks and new earrings ranges). We’re also looking for Fresher Ambassadors at Durham to get involved and to help us spread the Loopy Love. Keep a look out on our instagram for updates at @Loopy_London. We’re always doing giveaways and sample sales!”

Photo Credit: Loopy London

FASHION 9

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Meet the Fashion Editors Palatinate’s friendly local fashion team

By Molly Goetzee, Hugo Millard and Freya Ellingsen fashion@palatinate.org.uk

Name: Hugo Millard College: Cuth’s Course: English Literature Year: 2 Role: Deputy Fashion Editor 3 words to describe your style: Clean modern drama Durham trend you couldn’t live without: Checked trousers Fashion predictions for the year: Return of statement coats and a rise in androgynous clothing Favourite item in your wardrobe: White turtleneck Favourite designer: Iris Van Herpen Style influencer to watch?: Mikko Puttonen Era that inspires you most: 1940s

Name: Molly College: Hild Bede Course: Liberal Arts Year: 3 Role: Fashion Editor 3 words to describe your style: Too much red Durham trend you couldn’t live without: puffer coat Fashion predictions for the year: full length jeans are back with a vengeance get ready for warm ankles Favourite item in your wardrobe: mum’s vintage Valentino denim jacket Favourite designer: Maria Grazia Chiuri Style influencer to watch?: baddiewinkle, always

Era that inspires you most: 1970s Name: Freya Ellingsen College: Grey Course: English and Politics Year: 3 Role: Deputy Fashion Editor 3 words to describe your style: hit and miss Durham trend you couldn’t live with out: wide legged jeans Fashions predictions for the year: lots of puffed shoulders Favourite item in wardrobe: pink denim dungarees Favourite designer: Molly Goddard Style influencer to watch: sunbeamsjess Era that inspires me most: 1990s

MUSIC 10

Wednesday 2nd October

Female Conductors: It’s her time “We cannot correct the misdemeanors of the past, but we can correct the future” - Sonia Bae

By Theo Golden Music Editor music@palatinate.org.uk

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his year, DUPO (one of the Durham orchestral societies) appointed their first female conductor, Sonia Bae, for their Chamber Orchestra. Yet, despite this success, it calls into question the diversity that Durham has on its podium.

DUPO has existed for over a decade and it is a society that sits alongside groups like DUOS and DUCE under the Music Durham umbrella. DUCE has never had a female conductor and DUOS hasn’t in at least over five years.

Furthermore, both DUOS and DUPO have two conducting seats that come up every year, but despite this, a woman has never been given the opportunity.

Why, as Sonia Bae put it to me, is it a “new concept” for non-musicians and a “novelty” for musicians that a woman fills this role? This is due to the systemic neglect and suppression of female talent in music throughout history. When one is asked to imagine a conductor, it is hard not to think of a 60-year-old white man in a set of tails or of names such as Sir Simon Rattle or Ed Gardner.

The role of the conductor demands that one has extensive training, not only as a performer, but also as an academic. Thus, the historically limited access to further musical education and opportunities for women has traditionally all but barred the podium to women. To put this into perspective, the Berlin Philharmonic, arguably the best orchestra in the world, did not appoint a woman to a full-time instrumentalist position until 1982.

Furthermore, the Vienna Philharmonic,, constantly marred by its politics, only had its first female conductor in 2005.

When I spoke to Sonia Bae, I asked her what continues to limit women from accessing these roles. She replied: “imposter syndrome”. Bae explained that

she felt “over-powered” by “over-confident course mates”, and that she might not belong there as much as others. However, Sonia really isn’t one to be scared off, saying “I always wanted to know what its like to stand on a podium, and I was a shy fresher with ambition”. Yet, Sonia still felt that she had to “prove” that she “deserved it”.

Sonia said that social media helped her overcome the perception that there is “a direction that women should go”.

Inspired by the likes of Alondra de la Parra, a fantastic female Mexican conductor, she felt empowered to pursue her goal.

A few years ago she “would have tried to be more manly” when approaching the role, she said. However, conductors like the CBSO star Mirga GražinytėTyla showed that “being true to yourself” was best for the “orchestra all round”.

Why should we care? As with all diversity, it provides a different perspective and a new energy. The goal is that it be “normal” to have a female conductor; we need to highlight this issue until, as Bae put it, “music transcends the gender-divide”.

How can we get more female conductors?

Durham needs more exposure to “female conductors in talks and masterclasses”, Bae said. I would add that this must be realised at a younger age. If we intend to get more female talent, we need to engage with children and show that women belong on the podium.

Work is being done. Since Marin Alsop’s became the first women to conduct the Last Night of the Proms in 2013, some female appointments have been made, and the creation of a womenonly course at Morley College. Yet in 2017, a study done by James Murphy of the Association of British Orchestras showed that only four of the over 100 conducting seats were filled by women.

One of the saddest parts of Sonia’s story is that she felt that she needed “a male-figurehead” to tell her that she “could do it”, and that because it came from a man it meant more. Bae says that it meant a huge amount to have “earn their respect as a conductor” but openly admits that this reality is “awful”. So, does this mean that even when women are succeeding in this field they are still not respected? Possibly despite there being female trailblazers, there are still not enough throughout the musical food chain, and therefore their success is still not completely tangible.

Bae also spoke of difficulties she faced being from a minority background, being spoken to as an “outsider” and feeling “isolated”. Music is a universal language, and contributions by all should be cherished and respected. We should be celebrating our diversity instead of having to call out the anomaly of a single female conductor.

Bae’s advice to budding female conductors is “don’t be so afraid, don’t think about what others will think.

Just go for it!”. I can’t wait to see what Sonia’s future looks like, and I can only hope that more follow in her footsteps.

VISUAL ARTS Thursday, 17 October 2019

11

“The arts aren’t really valued”: Jasmyn Fraser Visual Arts talks to the Durham artist about the lack of value attributed to the arts

By Shauna Lewis visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

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rowing up in Cornwall, artist Jasmyn Fraser has been surrounded by the local art scene from a young age. Although she says her physical surroundings haven’t influenced her work, the massive art scene in her hometown has; home to the Newlyn artists, the Tate St Ives and a creative atmosphere which she says has “influenced the way I’ve thought about everything.”

Despite the frequent use of many artists’ services, often their work for bigger societies like Music Durham and Durham Student Theatre do not offer the exposure which the society deserves. She acknowledges, “I think sometimes they’ll use those skills but it won’t feed back to the arts society” and their time and effort is seen as a small part of something bigger.

Describing herself as pretty traditional, Jasmyn previously drew a lot of floral arrangements but has since been influenced by her anthropology degree, incorporating bones and animal structures into her work. Although she intends for the bone structures to be “anatomical” rather than “morbid”, they appear to have a tone which is rendered almost quasi-Gothic.

She acknowledges the time and space limits that come with being a student as well, saying she’d love to spend more time on sculpture.

Undoubtedly, though, artwork has a commercial aspect which Jasmyn has embraced at university. Creating pieces for DUOS and Music Durham, she particularly enjoys creating work for music societies who allow more freedom of expression.

Talking about the issue of artists’ work often being undervalued, Jasmyn asserts, “I’m happy to do it especially if it’s for a good cause. When I’m not going to do it is when it’s an add-on for something, like if it’s theatre and they want a backdrop; there’s nothing to do with the artist.

I don’t really think it’s going to benefit us and I’m not sure how much it’s going to benefit them either, because they’ve probably got a creative vision.” As Communications Officer for Art Society, she says the projects they’re looking out for are those which are “furthering a cause and something we can work creatively with.”

Not only does Jasmyn want the Art Society to further their outreach, but she also wants to reach out to the community in Durham and the North East as a whole.

“Efforts towards a big change”

“I think we’re trying to get artists to talk to us about what they’re doing and make it more creative and not necessarily figurative; as well as trips to the Baltic and the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle. We’re just trying to link all the different bits of art in the North East to make it a more cohesive thing,” Something similarly talked about, but not often acted on, is the divide between locals and students; another issue which Art Society is working toward helping. “I’ve been volunteering for the RT Project, they’re a charity that does art for mental health for local people who are suffering with mental health issues such as dementia, depression or anxiety. They just come together and make art and students come along and they can just talk to them. Hopefully we’re going to do an exhibition with them which can merge the students and the locals a bit more.”

Speaking about the Durham art scene in a wider context, she mentions the elitism at Durham. “Do you know about the art collection we have here? No-one knows about it, it’s a very prestigious collection, they’ve got very expensive works.

It’s all in the Palatine centre, but they’re just on the walls, no-one really realises they’re there. I’m sure the public could see them in there but it’s not really marketed towards them, or anyone for that matter.”

It’s clear that the Art Society are trying to increase the outreach of their own members, as well as trying to focus on the social issues of Durham and it seems remarkable that the work they are doing doesn’t seem to be gaining the attention that other societies attain. Although they’re a small society, both Jasmyn and other artists in Durham seem to be making efforts towards a big change.

Artwork: Jasmyn Fraser

BOOKS 12

Thursday 17th Octobrr

Autumn Reading Sol Noya celebrates autumn as the time of year to get cosy with a book.

By Sol Noya books@palatinate.org.uk

A

few weeks ago, I saw the first sign of autumn: not a fawlling leaf, or a Buzzfeed quiz to assign you a Halloween movie according to your taste in pasta, but the unveiling of Starbucks’ latest line-up of pumpkin spice drinks.

As an avid bookworm, this immediately triggered daydreams of falling temperatures and shorter days. Why? Because I am a firm believer that autumn is the best time of the year for reading.

“All I need is a good book and a cup of tea”

banished for the next couple of hours.

This time of year, I’m very partial to the so-called ‘campus novel’. For me, stories set in universities and schools always seem to recall the feeling of new beginnings that come with the start of the new academic year. If you’re looking for a sign that you should read Harry Potter (again), this is it. Some of them also capture the autumn aesthetic flawlessly. The characters wear comfy flannels, colourful plaids, and cosy cardigans that the offerings from real-life stores on a student budget never seem to measure up to. For me, the effect is that reading these scenes enhances the feeling that it’s autumn, as well as highlighting all the good things about this season: the colours, the scenery outside, comforting snacks, and so on.

Mystery fiction is also a great genre Advocates of summer as the best seato dive into in autumn. I often find that son for reading may protest, but I find such novels are a bit heavy for summer, that between June and September, the but with the autumn chill and the advent endeavour of reading outside seems of Halloween, the ambience is perfect appealing (Belle does it all the time in to focus on thrilling detective chases for Beauty and the Beast!) until you’re aca couple of hours. Besides, tually doing it and only half of your atwhat other season gives tention is on the book. Instead, you’re us so many opportuoccupied with swatting away the cloud nities to put on a of mosquitoes hovering dangerously near and shifting your position constantly in order to keep yourself from being blinded or burned by the sun, and that, perhaps, you should take up rowing after all since the weather is so nice. Come late September, however, the bugs retreat and the need for SPF diminishes. Sunny early-autumn days are the ideal days to read outside, as it’s just warm enough to sit under the sun without having to worry about finding enough shade or being under the sun too long. Even better for reading are the rainy days that we get so often in Durham as Michaelmas term progresses. If a cosy seat can be found, all I need is a good book and a cup of tea, Image and it seems like all my worries can be via Flickr

trench coat or a deerstalker hat and channel our inner Sherlock?

My other favourite genre for autumn reading is fantasy. So many fantasy novels seem to be set in autumn – with their descriptions of the weather and the forests, but don’t quote me on that – that this time of year seems perfect to revisit them. If you’re a fantasy fan looking for autumnal reading, my goto books for this time of year are The Scorpio Races and The Night Circus.

So, if you’re looking for some bookworm friends this term, your best bet is to check the weather: if it’s sunny, chances are that they will be settling into Palace Green or Observatory Hill with their latest read. If not, check all windowsills, couches and beanbags in the vicinity. Chances are they will be curling up with a blanket and a warm, spiced drink, ready to dig into the next item on their to-be-read list.

It is, after all, the most wonderful time of the year for reading.

BOOKS 13

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Finding a Space to Create with Ben Irvine Lotte Hall interviews writer and philosopher about his self-published memoir.

By Lotte Hall Books Editor books@palatinate.org.uk

A

s I sit down with Ben Irvine to discuss his selfpublished book Space to Create: A Writer’s View on the Housing Crisis in a sleepy café in Durham, I am slightly apprehensive.

He seems highly aware his book isn’t something you would find on the shelf in Waterstones. I know very little about the housing crisis and politics, two key topics he investigates in this memoir.

Irvine assures me this is not a problem. When I press him on the ideal audience for his book, he is certain it is for “intellectuals, definitely. But this is a broad category so anyone should and could read this book.” Irvine seems open to students reading his book. He says with great concern “I worry for your generation.”

As an alumnus of both Durham and Cambridge, he found moving to London

after university does not always prove fruitful. He tells me “I inadvertently found myself caught in a crisis I shouldn’t have been in. I should be in the “metropolitan elite” with all my degrees but it turned out I ended up slumming it!”

The book follows Irvine’s search for the “physical and mental space to write every day” and he admits to having found this in Durham. I’m keen to know if he feels we must share the same political agenda as our housemates.

His response pleasantly surprises me “I want to say yes, in order to live in the same creative space as another you have to share their political views.

But I want to be able to live in a world where we disagree with each other!”

After multiple house shares, Irvine is no stranger to disagreements. He admits “what I’ve become obsessed with, essentially, is the way people argue.”

His political views changed from a socialist perspective as a student, to a more right-wing stance. He suggests capitalism is the solution to the housing crisis “I passionately believe the world would be a better place if we all embraced a free-market philosophy.”

One thing is for certain, Irvine is no stranger to setback. There’s the persistent house moves, the struggle for cash, even living in a shed at one point. This culminated in the collapse of his magazine Cycle Lifestyle which he admits is the point at which he succumbed to tears.

I’m intrigued to know his advice for students who want to become writers, he laughs, “This is like advice to my formerself really! Get a job. Get sober. Get organised. Get some money. You just have to!”

He quotes various philosophers without a blip, they just roll off his tongue.

“Nietchsze said ‘one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star’, I think that’s rubbish.”

I prefer what Voltaire said: ‘Be ordered and regular in your life so you can be violent and original in your work’ because in this day and age, it’s going to be hard to find some little artist’s hut down south. Someone’s probably got a Porsche parked in there!”

Irvine sees his profession as a writer, holed away in rural northern England, as the ultimate liberation. He deduces “This is the thing about freedom. Once you demand it for yourself, you have to demand it for others too.” Irvine seems certain “We have to bring students into this mindset, because shutting someone down will only entrench their views so instead, try and change their views.”

I leave, not with a bitter taste in my mouth from interviewing a man whose views completely oppose my own, but with a more open mind. There is an overwhelming sense that perhaps Irvine is partially right. It is time I demanded freedom, not only of speech but of mind, in order to create. Politics and philosophy aside, take my word for it that this memoir still manages to be a page-turner.

Image Credits: Ben Irvine

FILM & TV 14

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Is Hollywood tired of dragging out TV shows?

Alex Rigotti discusses the new age of television

By Alex Rigotti film@palatinate.org.uk

I

f someone had asked about the the hottest comedy of 2019, no one would have predicted the immense popularity of NBC’s The Good Place. Following Eleanor Shellstrop’s realisation that she’s mistakenly been sent to the ‘Good Place’ in the afterlife, the show offers a hilarious exploration of modern morality. It’s averaged five million viewers per season, but at the height of its success, creator Mike Schur has decided to cancel the show. Is TV finally respecting artistic integrity over money?

It’s more complicated to answer than you think. In the wake of the streaming era, companies’ potential for income has changed dramatically, especially for sitcoms. Think of The Big Bang Theory or Friends - on a typical cable network, sitcoms maximised profit with simple, funny premises and loose storylines which were easy to grasp. Traditional sitcoms, however, also risk delaying character development potentially destroying a reliable source of humour and, by extension, the entire show.

In comparison, The Good Place’s format and restricted number of episodes allows for rapid character development and focused storylines. The bite-sized chunks of The Good Place demand that the viewer sample the first few episodes, to become hooked, and find themselves suddenly enjoying the show, demanding our full and undivided attention. Streaming platforms allow shows such as The Good Place to have shorter narratives because there’s no need for syndication; people can watch shows whenever they want.

Furthermore, streamed shows are more inclined to respect their commitment to storytelling because of their online availability. It’s becoming more obvious to notice filler episodes created for the sole purpose of increasing profit. In the case of How I Met Your Mother, its final season could even be considered filler: its twenty-four-episode season revolved around the last fifty-six hours before Ted’s wedding. The more the show dragged out Ted’s narrative, the more

unbearable it became. It resulted in being detrimental to the show, the actors and the fans. The short, snappy style of The Good Place means that it can’t sustain its tight screenwriting for long; instead, it prioritises the experience of storytelling over profit.

“The potential for income has changed dramatically” This is also true of Jane the Virgin. The hit CW show played with the telenovela format, allowing for a weekly cliff-hanger.

But, there was a time limit that the show respected, too; the show ended after just five seasons. Shows can’t compromise on commercialism and narrative integrity.

However, networking companies can’t gain income from integrity alone – art needs a consumer, and fan bases are integral in this ecosystem. With social media now essential in establishing an audience, shows must make more effort to engage.

Take HBO’s Shameless, which maintains a fervent fanbase on Tumblr. Their efforts to connect with their audience have negatively impacted the show’s narrative. Fans sent death threats to creator John Wells when beloved character Mickey Malkovich left the show. In response, the show brought

Malkovich back for its tenth season. Shameless is being unnecessarily extended to retain its fanbase, rather than enrich them.

But The Good Place utilises its internet presence in a different way. Gone are the days where you’d have to wait for the timeshift channel. Fans can comb through the episode again and again. Nearly every TV show in existence is on some form of streaming platform, and The Good Place takes full advantage of this by scattering Easter Eggs in every episode. It honours its fanbase by constantly challenging them to find things, infusing their compacted story with added layers and elevating the potential for replays. The show’s acceptance of their nonrenewal forces them to use every opportunity to connect with its viewers creatively.

Ultimately, The Good Place signals something more than just commitment to a story or narrative integrity. Its tight structure, effective writing style and fan engagement strategies are perfectly suited to streaming.

The Good Place makes you want to binge the show and do it all over again. But its inevitable end doesn’t just champion artistic freedom - it’s showing TV shows how to optimise themselves for the streaming era, and, how to be successful at it.

Photograph: Nathan DeFienta

CREATIVE WRITING 15

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Ambivalence Creative Writing explores ambivalence through poetry and flash fiction.

By Lula Rose Roberts creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk I am always missing something, Always unable to discern Why I just can’t wait to leave And then wait to return.

I am living for a future And never for today, Waiting for displacement So that I can go away.

And I lead so many lives Which cannot intersect, Bisected by aeroplanes And never can connect.

I left my heart on an island And my body offshore, Torn away from England And always wanting more.

And multiplied yet still alone, I’m fractured to the core; Leaving pieces of me every place I’ve ever loved before.

So I spend my life waiting For some home I have contrived, From a broken heart still beating For all its other lives.

By Kate Baguley

The Duel While solitarily eating my dull packed lunch this afternoon, I observed something like a scene from an old Western film. Two girls assumed their positions at either side of the lunch queue; the sea of uninterested, famished students created a barrier between the two and their small cliques of angry spectators. The prima donnas looked virtually identical: glowing blonde hair sitting impeccably on their shoulders, both were of average height, with bodies that seemed undeveloped compared to their large egos. Looking at them, it was hard to believe that two girls so similar could have such a dislike for one another.

The shooting match began with both girls stood like meerkats, high on the balls of their feet. They peered over inferior heads, allowing them to quickfire insults at one another with their eyes. In their dramatic bubble, the air was fuelled with tension and contempt, the cliques cheering them on to rip the other to shreds.

This was the highlight of their year; it seemed long anticipated. Yet, the battle was little noticed by their fellow classmates, who seemed far too concerned with what the ‘Pie of the Day’ was and dreading the ring of the end-of-lunch bell.

Agatha It is around noon on a wintry day sometime mid-December, which is my usual time to reminisce about Agatha. How strange it is to live so close to a heart that beats no more; her chair still next to mine, her perfume still on the dresser, her Sunday clothes still in the wardrobe. Yet, here I am, the widower who lives later, taking at least three hours out of every day to remember the person who meant everything to me.

It takes me around twenty minutes to notice the young boy across the street standing at his window. I watch him, staring out into his overgrown garden that is plagued with ice - there is a sheer sadness to a child watching their play-space become unusable, his eyes begging for the ice to thaw. The young boy soon becomes weary of looking out and his curious brow rises towards today’s sky, which is almost as melancholy as the ice-ridden sight before him.

At this time, I’m about to return to my reminiscing, when the boy’s curiosity explodes into a ravaging joy - as if the sky itself had revealed a secret so indispensable that all previous knowledge was dissolved.

This unexpected encounter reduces the boy to tears, and I watch him fold up like origami, his eyes still hypnotised by the airspace which seems so mundane to me.

I long to have a mind that creates its own adventures. Instead, I am the man continuously returning to the same old memories, until I’m in the grave next to my own mesmerising sky, who told me secrets so indispensable- my Agatha.

Image by EliasSch via Pixabay

INTERVIEW 16

Thursday, 17 October 2019

“I don’t live in a bubble”: Alastair Sledge The Durham Union President talks about diversity, Roger Stone and his Union plans.

By Rachael Brown & Kiara Davies Interview Co-Editor interview@palatinate.org.uk

A

lastair Sledge may seem to fit the mould of a typical Durham Union President. However, his transgressive efforts to innovate and restructure the union to cultivate a progressive, diverse, accessible space for free speech establishes him as anything but that.

in regards to figures who speak harmful rhetoric. They have a real world influence on political discourse, and as such their ideologies must be engaged with.

It is abundantly clear from his track record, that creating a space for the political underdog underpins his political engagement. His activism was seen from a young age, where the stagnation of political engagement amongst young people influenced his activism, and during his tenure as Equalities Officer where union discussions diversified and the amount of female and minority speakers doubled.

He stresses, “I don’t live in a bubble,” and understands the financial hurdle a £60 membership represents for working class and underprivileged students, hence his promise to tackle the issue further while President.

“I don’t live in a bubble”

Despite this, he notes a grey area exists

“Efforts to innovate and restructure the union” On a less literal level, this dedication to creating a space for underrepresented voices is seen in Alastair’s passion and genuine dedication to improving financial accessibility to the Union. Discussing the numerous schemes he has attempted to implement, such as a discount for students on the Durham Grant and an installment system for payments, both blocked by the bureaucratic and fiscal difficulties they represented for the union and university, he adopts a wistful, personally affected tone.

With an ironically talkative nature, Alastair credits this role as having taught him a critical lesson:. of when to shut up.

Developing from his previous character, who in his own words, marched in with an slightly presumptious air of “I understand it all, I know how discrimination works, I read the Guardian” to appreciating that people, especially “minorities, are the most powerful when handling their own struggle.”

He understands that to give someone a space to speak is an inherently political act; this is reflected in his perspective of the union as a safeguarding institution, which has an ethical responsibility to choose who is entitled to speak. This includes: protecting the speech of Zhao Chan, one of the major leaders of the Hong Kong protests, and shunning figures such as Katie Hopkins and Tommy Robinson, whose brand of speech, according to Alastair, “adds nothing to the political discourse and just serves to victimise minorities.”

due to the sheer grandeur of hosting a man now under criminal investigation.

Despite this financial hurdle, its difficult to downplay how much the union offers. To the extent that over the course of three years the membership cost equals out to 90p per event.This Michaelmas alone the union has seven star-filled debates, 14 addresses by people from science to sport, outreach programs, socials, ticketed events and access to their own bar.

This includes American political consultant and former advisor for President Trump: Roger Stone. Alastair credits Stone as the most memorable speaker of his tenure,

“And if you’re brave”, Alaister adds as we end our interview, “you can drink back your membership fee entirely in free drinks from our socials.”

One of us promises to do just that.

Photography: Durham Union Society