VOL XXV, Issue 1, Otwo

Volume XXV, Issue 1 19th September 2018

BREAKFAST WITH THE HAPPY PEAR A EULOGY TO HANGAR IN DEFENCE OF FORTNITE KATIE DEVLIN: FROM OTWO TO VOGUE

OTWO VOL. XXV ISSUE 1 CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR Brían Donnelly

DEPUTY EDITOR Dylan O’Neill

ART & DESIGN EDITOR Fiachra Johnston

OTWO CO-EDITORS Clara Brannigan Tara Hanneffy

ARTS & LITERATURE EDITOR Heather Reynolds

GAMES EDITOR Ash Gomez

FILM & TV EDITOR Emma Kiely

MUSIC EDITOR Aoife Mawn

FASHION EDITOR Shane Cullen

ONLINE OTWO CO-EDITORS Adam Lawler Ash Gomez

CHIEF OF ILLUSTRATIONS Freya Williams

CHIEF OF PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Fagan

CONTRIBUTORS Niamh McCarthy Katie Devlin Sarah O’Byrne Jess Viola Tomas Hade Shivani Shukla Robert Burke Shruti Shukla Jack Knowles Erin Jennings Kristen Bell Cormac Lehnen Rebecca Sibley Connor Dee Sophie Finn Maeve Conway Ciara Dempsey Lig SPECIAL THANKS TO INTERVIEWEES AND SUPPORTERS.

LETTER FROM THE

CONTENTS

EDITORS

Arts & Literature 5-8 Games 9 Film & Tv 10-13 A Day With...

14-16 Music 17-20 Food 21 Fashion 22-25 Travel 26 Aperture 28

Hey folks!

Welcome to Issue One of Otwo, and our first issue as Co-Editors with matching fringes!

We’ve got a really exciting issue for you here, with some fantastic content. There’s all the regular stuff that you know and love, and one or two new features that we think you’ll enjoy. We have a new Otwo Alumni Corner, where we chat to some past members of the team, and find out what they’re up to. We’ve also got new features such as ‘This Month In…’ and ‘Fashion Flashback’ in the Music and Fashion sections.

There’s food for thought in our Arts and Literature section this month, with articles that explore a various range of current topics concerning your favourite literature and new and original poetry for you to check out.

Also featured is a Dublin Fringe Gig Guide, which you can head along to until 23rd September.

Are you, or a loved one, hooked on Fortnite? Or are you, like Tara, confused by the entire concept of such games? Whatever the case may be, the Games section has a fascinating article that looks at both sides of the debate, that will give you plenty of insight into this new phenomenon.

Film and TV buffs will be pleased to learn that the section is packed full of reviews of some of the hottest releases. Are horror films your thing? Check out what our Film editor has to say about The Nun. We have guides on some of the best Netflix films and TV shows to watch while you procrastinate.

Our resident foodie Clara headed along to The Happy Pear and had breakfast with Dave Flynn, while they chatted about staying healthy and happy in college. Check out that interview to see some of his tips and to find out more about that famous ‘swimrise’. It’s in the centre, so it’s hard to miss.

Are you mourning the loss of Hangar? Wondering where on earth you’re going to head for techno and cans now? A fascinating article looks into the demise of Hangar and the state of Irish nightlife in the Music section.

As usual, there’s also current album reviews, one of which celebrates the long awaited return of Hozier and a great festival roundup, just to reignite those post-Electric Picnic blues.

The theme of the fashion shoot this month is ‘Revivals’, and there’s also an article celebrating the style icon that is Madonna. Finally, in our Travel section, find out where we went on our holidays!

- Tara & Clara xoxo

Soapbox:

Under the influence Niamh McCarthy

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

Beware Aquarius. You might be allowed to bring caffeine into the library now, but don’t even think about bringing a sandwich.

Librocop is watching.

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Leo July 23 - August 22

Avoid unwanted confrontations this month Leo. Remember, exact fares only on Dublin Bus. They don’t take notes.

Virgo August 23 - September 22

Don’t be reckless this Fresher’s Week Pisces. Multiple society membership cards won’t make you happy.

Yes, it’s your birthday but don’t take on what you can’t handle order the plain chicken fillet roll with mayo, your friends will respect you far more for telling the truth.

Aries March 21 - April 19

Libra September 23 - October 22

Time is on your side this month Mystic Mittens forsees a decent timetable for you.

Taurus April 20 - May 20

There are arguments ahead for you this month Taurus. Keep the kitchen clean and avoid them for your own sake.

Gemini May 21 - June 20

New City, who this? Yes, enjoy yourself during freshers week, but use protection. Chlamydia is rampant on res.

Cancer June 21 - July 22

You enjoyed Mamma Mia 2 to an almost unhealthy degree, but use this inspiration to your advantage and join the Musical Society.

Mystic Mittens wants to assure you that you are worth more than Mondays at Diceys. So much more.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21 You keep doing you Scorpio.

Ignore the haters.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

Don’t waste your time and money this month Sagittarius. Be a trendsetter, bring a packed lunch.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 Don’t take all the tinfoil off your Boojum Capricorn. You’ll only expose yourself.

I have a secret to admit; and it’s a dirty one. I once bought something because of an Instagram ad.

In retrospect, I shouldn’t be surprised. The bloggers I follow on Instagram are the ultimate salespeople; you’d swear they’ve just won the lottery by the big, whitened smiles on their faces.

They dress stylishly, have perfect makeup and hair, and carry the ultimate companion: a flat white. No wonder I was sold. Yet, one phenomenon this year put into words what we had all been secretly thinking about these self-titled ‘Influencers’: Bloggers Unveiled.

Should an episode of Reeling in the Years be created for 2018, there is no doubt that the social media storm that was ‘Bloggers Unveiled’ would secure a brief musical montage of its own. The account, which amassed just under 200k followers before it was shut down by its anonymous moderator, highlighted the photoshop, fake reviews, undisclosed sponsorship deals and outright fraudulent behaviour that was rife in the blogging community. Side by side photos would point out the wobbly skirting boards indicating that a photo had been altered. Plastic surgery and filters showed that the makeup products pushed by influencers might not be the life changing quick-fix I had been hoping for.

Of course, I could just unfollow these bloggers.

Cleanse them from my life like what the endorsed products claim to do to my skin. But then what would I do at my bus stop? Or when I’ve a spare minute in the queue for a chicken fillet roll? I used to read around 70 books a year when I was younger; but now three hundred pages back to back just seems like far too much commitment. I can’t help that the bite-size, easily digestible content they create is just so much more appealing to a gal-on-the-go like myself. And so what if I buy something off a sponsored post every now and again? It’s just my way of paying for the content that fills the empty parts of my day.

Despite all my complaints, and all the industry’s faults, I just can’t shake my need to scroll endlessly when I’ve nothing better to do. I am totally under the influence.

OTwo

The alumni corner - Katie Devlin Katie Devlin

Fashion Editor Vol. XXIII, reflects on her time in UCD how working with Otwo led her to a new life in the New York fashion scene.

The day after graduating from UCD with my BA in English, I (impulsively) packed up and moved to New York with just one job interview lined up and no concrete plan to speak of. Thankfully, that interview was successful, and I started my first real fashion job as an accessories assistant at Harper’s Bazaar.

A few months previously, when I was struggling over my dissertation and editing the fashion section at OTwo, I never would have believed that I could actually be working at one of the biggest fashion magazines in the world. Gradually, life in the fashion closet and the multitude of bags, shoes and other miscellaneous accessories that it revolved around, had become my new normal. Most days consisted of running through Times Square to pick up bags of designer samples, endless subway excursions and some very long and tiring days packing trunks for upcoming shoots, but the excitement and awe made up for any fatigue.

A few months later, a dream opportunity arose and a few weeks later, I started my new job as a fashion market assistant at Vogue.com. I now work on the fashion team for anything from video content to shopping stories. I also handle my own markets, most notably the activewear market, which amuses my friends and family as I haven’t

played sports since I was benched in under 12’s GAA. As you can imagine, working at Vogue can at times be amazing; spending Valentine’s Day on set with Cardi B and directing Uma Thurman to the bathroom at the Met Gala are among some of my favourite out-of-body experiences. Although it entails a lot of hard work, long days and a thick skin, so far it has been worth it all.

For many reasons, I am incredibly grateful to have started my career at the University Observer. Not only did it give me a platform to openly discuss and analyze fashion, it also helped me to develop my voice and gave me an outlet during college to write about something I really loved, instead of solely Shakespeare (whom I also love, just not as much as McQueen). It let me “play” the role of fashion editor, both testing the waters and laying the groundwork for the future.

People can be really quick to dismiss arts degrees, but they are entirely what you make of them. I thoroughly enjoyed my education and use it at work a lot more than you might expect. I would also definitely not be where I am now if I had studied something more vocation-focused, and would never have found OTwo along the way.

What’s hot, what’s not

Hot

Leopard print - To be honest, the popularity of leopard

print is cyclical. There’s only ever a brief period of time when we turn our noses up at it before we’re all donning t-shirts and pants in the gloriously loud animal print again. You’ll have seen it plastered all over your Insta feed lately. The latest development in this craze is the appearance of the leopard print two piece a trend that we can all get on board with. Leopard print UCD tracksuits anyone?

The Stella - The Stella Theatre has reopened its doors and has

been beautifully restored to its 1920’s glory. We’re deeming it the hottest place in Dublin to go on a date. There’s a cinema screen, cocktail lounge, and refreshment bar which has all of the cinema favourites like popcorn, but with a twist in the form of a prosecco tap. Prosecco and movies? Sounds good.

Dua Lipa - There’s only one person in this world that could get

away with wearing a bra, a Dad shirt and tracksuit bottoms and still manage to look like amazing - Queen Dua Lipa. We can’t get enough of her. She’s our generation’s guiding light when it comes to romance (New Rules is an anthem), and supplied one of the best bops of the summer with One Kiss. She is, essentially, a goddess.

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Not

Alex Turner’s buzzcut - The hearts of many twenty-

somethings were broken recently when Alex Turner, frontman of the Arctic Monkeys, revealed that he’d shaved all his gloriously floppy, grease-laden hair off. First he was sporting a funny beard, and then came the buzzcut - and the affections of 2013 AM-era fans were lost. It’s not easy seeing your tween-grungey-tumblrphase hero transforming before your eyes.

State visits to Ireland - We’ve just had enough. Between church leaders, princes and now world presidents (or not, as the case may be) we’re sick of the negative energy these kinds of occasions generate. Let’s not even mention the cost.

Or the traffic restrictions. Or the speeches. It’s just all too much.

Paper coffee cups - Let’s be real, we’re all guilty of getting

our tea and coffee in paper cups. It’s quick and easy. Cafes now offer discounts to people who bring their own cups, which is some serious encouragement. Reusable cups look cool, they help save the environment and they cut down on costs for you.

You can now bring coffee into the library, so be brave and be the James Joyce trend setter. Whereas the paper cups will get you on the receiving end of dirty looks from the barista, people behind you, and society in general.

OTwo - Arts & Literature

Cinematic retelling: Keeping history alive Sarah O’Byrne examines modern media’s role in retelling and preserving lesser known moments in history.

History has always been written by the victors. Almost every single battle, competition and rivalry has been documented on film at this point. Usually featuring a white, heterosexual male lead, these films are created mainly as Oscar bait, as well as to supplement learning in Junior Certificate history when the teacher has a gap in the curriculum. But what about minorities who have overcome difficulties and emerge triumphant? If it weren’t for cinema, we may never have even known their names.

Without films like Pride (2014), events surrounding the LGBTQ community may never be acknowledged. Pride follows a group of young people in 1980s England who, after seeing the abuse the miners are receiving from the police, and seeing how this aligns with their own struggles, decide to set up L.G.S.M. (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners). However, they face obstacles when the occupants of the small Welsh mining town are split on whether or not to accept their donation.

Likewise, Made in Dagenham (2010) explores an equally overlooked victory in Britain. It takes place in - you guessed it - 1960s Dagenham, and follows the fictional Rita as she leads the other female workers in a not-so-fictional strike at the Ford Dagenham plant in an effort to gain equal pay for women.

Filmmakers will often use notable names to attract attention to their

to their film, and Made in Dagenham is no exception. The film was produced just two years after Sally Hawking’s critically acclaimed role in Happy-Go-Lucky (2008), which transformed her into a bankable star. Without using prominent stars like Hawkins, Bob Hoskins and Rosamund Pike, a film about an easily unnoticed strike would never have earned $12.3 million at the box office. Made in Dagenham’s tagline, “an ordinary woman achieves something extraordinary”, perfectly sums up the aim of these films. Both Pride and Made in Dagenham are about mundane people who accomplish a great feat. It is very likely that without Made in Dagenham, the deeds of these women would be swept under the rug, since the event was not deemed important enough to be included in school books.

These are not just skimmingthe-surface type films. Made in Dagenham also highlights the struggle of the middle class in the 1960s. Rita’s son’s teacher patronisingly asks if she is “from the estate” when she tries to complain about his corporal punishment, providing further context to the inner-workings of class dynamics at the time.

Similarly, Pride examines the stigma against gay people in the 1980s, but also those infected with HIV. These films do not just explore the struggles of LGBTQ and female characters, but also that of further marginalised groups.

More recent films, such as the Oscar nominated Hidden Figures (2016) and The Post (2017), examines the hidden contributions of women to major institutions. Without films like Hidden Figures, the labour of women of colour to the space race would go unrecognised.

Hidden Figures tells the real-life

“It is very likely that without Made in Dagenham, the deeds of these women would be swept under the rug, since the event was not deemed important enough to be included in school books.” story of three African-American women - Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) - who help NASA launch a man into space.

The most recent example of this phenomenon in this article, The Post, brought the story of Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) to light, a woman who most likely would never have been heard of without seeing this film. Graham, the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, risked her career to uncover a long-held government secret. Although it was criticised for its use of clichés, The Post

The Post did earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and Best Actress (Streep - obviously), and reminded the world of Katharine Graham’s legacy.

Despite its criticisms, it is vital to note that clichés are essential for films like these. If these films didn’t use cinematic formulas, then they may never capture a broad audience, resulting in these historical events being lost and forgotten.

The added dramatics help lend importance to the events as well as attract a wider audience. Be on the lookout for swelling music, sensational dance numbers or melodramatic and somewhat unrealistic climaxes. Pride even combines all three and has an honest to goodness spontaneous sing-along in the local community centre, reducing Andrew Scott to tears.

If it weren’t for films like Pride, Made in Dagenham, Hidden Figures and The Post, these victories would be completely blotted out. Films like these bring niche history to the attention of the mainstream audience, and give them the recognition they deserve. If a film feels the need to resort to cheap laughs or a shoehorned fictional romance to capture the attention of the masses then it is worth it if one more viewer becomes aware of the story of Graham, Johnson, Vaughan, ackson and L.G.S.M., along with many other such admirable historical figures.

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OTwo - Arts & Literature

Poetry Boyfriend Material

Tomás Hade starboy baby tied down with string cell block wrap around porch try not to float away starboy, baby feet cant touch the ground cuz itll skin you raw to the knees and you know he doesnt date boys like you, starboy baby second hand jeans boys brown eyes yellow teeth boys bruised knuckle bleeding boys starboys he’ll never cut you loose, baby helmet head and busted lip you deserve to fly finger lace sky bed where’s your home, starboy? it aint here, starboy yellow brick highway, baby house with 14 beds, baby so far to go and so fucking much to see starboy baby

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Femme fatale tropes throughout history

Jessica Viola explains how female characters in classical fiction use their femininity to usurp and

undermine male-dominated power structures.

In classical literature, the capabilities of women are often undermined through the misogynist structures in which they live. Femininity is often used as a tool that has granted women throughout the ages the power to cleverly achieve their own goal. Female protagonists are written to cleverly trick and deceive their male counterparts through their womanly charm. Whether it is in Classical Greek tragedies, such as Medea by Euripides, or the post-modern classic Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, these women use their femininity as a weapon in order to be successful in their own misogynist settings.

In Euripedes’ Medea, the female protagonist manages to use her feminine charm to manipulate the misogynist stereotypes that exist around women of this time. The overall perception of the people of Corinth is the prejudicial idea that women are helpless without men. This classic Greek tragedy tells the story of Medea, a recently separated mother, who vows to strike revenge on her ex-husband Jason for leaving her to be exiled out of the land of Corinth. In this text, Jason represents the male dominated opinion in their society as he, like many others, views women as vulnerable and weak.

In order for her scheme of vengeance to take place, Medea must convince Jason that she needs help from him. She uses the stereotype that women are weak without men to persuade Jason into getting what she wants.

At one point, Medea’s act of weakness is so convincing that she openly weeps in front of Jason to show her vulnerability and states, “but women-are women; tears come naturally to us.” Once he agrees to help her, Jason is made a pawn in Medea’s plan for revenge. This form of feminine manipulation, playing a helpless victim, allows for Medea to achieve her goal of revenge for Jason leaving her.

Lolita is a novel that demonstrates weaponised femininity through sex and lust.

In Nabokov’s novel, a middle-aged man, Humbert, possesses a paedophilic obsession with his step daughter, Lolita. While at first in the novel, Lolita obeys Humbert when they travel cross country with their affair. When she settles in her new school, Beardsley, Lolita learns that she has total control over Humbert.

This is due to the fact that Lolita is spending time with boys of her age and not devoting all of it to Humbert as done before.

In Humbert’s eyes, he only sees this young child as a form of his desire and for sex.

Lolita realises how dependent Humbert is on her and from then on, she begins to charge him

“By weaponizing their femininity, Lolita and Media both change their circumstance and power level, f lipping the sexism of their worlds to their benefit.”

for sex. Due to the objectification of women and the transactional culture of sex in America, Lolita is unable to associate sex with love.

Instead, she uses it to her benefit as a tool in order to control Humbert. Lolita physically uses her body as a weapon in order to manipulate Humbert into getting whatever she wants, such as money and gifts.

The female characters in Lolita and Medea both share common features as they both are able to manipulate the men in these stories into getting what they want. Both use the misogynist structures they exist within to manipulate those around them and gain power they would otherwise be denied. By weaponizing their femininity, Lolita and Media both change their circumstance and power level, flipping the sexism of their worlds to their benefit.

OTwo - Arts & Literature

Krypton is sending their best: Superman the immigrant

Kristen Bell

The concept of Superman, at its core, is that of a god. He is a supernatural, infallible being who protects and serves humanity at a level that would be impossible for any other singular person.

However, behind Superman, exists a man. Clark Kent, the humanity which motivates

“Fans and creators alike have taken to referring to Superman as a ‘DREAMer’” Superman, drives him to be the hero, has became such a cultural milestone. Due to this, Clark is where most of the internal conflict originates throughout the various iterations of the character, since his conception in 1938. A large portion of this conflict is derived from these conflicting personas.

Clark, a humble, kind child of farmers from Kansas, and Kal-El, the superpowered ‘Last Son of Krypton’, battle for dominance in the life of Superman. His attempts to balance these two identities is what creates the majority of his internal struggle.

These identities represent the two worlds, the two origins, he has to balance.

On the one hand, Superman is a farm boy from Smallville. The only son to his parents, he is a quiet reporter, an All-American father

and loving husband. On the other, he is Kryptonian. He is one of two survivors of his home planet, and depending on the specific run, the sole owner to the knowledge of Krypton. He exists in an everpresent struggle between his lived history: the knowledge of where he has come from, and the knowledge that he will never truly experience the land which he is supposed to call ‘home’.

This struggle is one faced by many who immigrated at a young age, particularly those who were adopted into their new home, as Clark was. This has not gone unnoticed by writers either, many new recent issues depict Superman protecting and aligning himself with immigrants faced with violence or deportation to violent or unfamiliar lands. As well as this, fans and creators alike have taken to referring to Superman as a “DREAMer”, a young immigrant who is fully assimilated to American life by adulthood, who arrived to the United States without documentation, and followed the specific “DREAMer” path to gain citizenship.

Superman’s Kryptonian identity remains a background feature throughout his multiple iterations, creating internal drama surrounding his guilt for not engaging with it enough in his day to day life. Writers typically alternate between neglecting visits to the centre of

of Kryptonian history on Earth, and most recently, his internal debate over how much of his Kryptonian identity he wishes to pass on to his half-Kryptonian son, Jonathan.

However, these underlying conflicts are ever present as moments for introspection in an otherwise action heavy comic.

This conflict is seen far more clearly in one of Superman’s main companion comics, Supergirl.

Supergirl, which tells the stories of Kara Zor-El, Clark’s elder cousin and the ‘last daughter of Krypton’, is typically depicted as arriving to Earth five to ten years

Kara struggles to find a place on Earth while still maintaining her heritage, an intrinsic part of herself To her, to give up her heritage is to give up Krypton, a land to which she can never return. after the emergence of Superman.

Clark typically being in his midto-late twenties at the time of her arrival. She is in her late teens when we first encounter her,

escaping Krypton upon its demise.

Immediately, she struggles to find a place in this new and confusing world she finds herself in. She cannot speak the language, has no friends or support network, and her only existing family is twentyfive to thirty years older than she is.Kara struggles to find a place on Earth while still maintaining her heritage, an intrinsic part of herself. To her, to give up her heritage is to give up Krypton, a land to which she can never return. This struggle is absent from Clark’s story, as he grew up in the heartland of America, only discovering his heritage later in life.

Both narratives are easily discernible, as are the complexities of the aftermath of immigration, the settling and the settled, those who are detached from their heritage by circumstance and those who have to find a way to balance it with their new life. It serves to create internal tension for the work, to create a more rounded story than ‘Godlike Character Saves the Day #978’, by adding a level of political commentary that comics are seldom without.

Without this, the stories would never have withstood the test of time and would likely have faded into obscurity, along with countless other superhero stories which lacked the internal conflict to make their tale eternal.

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OTwo - Arts & Literature

Gig guide: Dublin Fringe Festival Epoch 9-23 September 2 Curved Street Free Entry Ayesha Ahmad brings her first solo installation to Temple Bar. Open from 12-6pm daily, the installation displays photography, masterfully playing with movement and light to capture the transition periods of summer between completing the Leaving Cert and beginning in college.

Hookers Do It Standing Up 18-21 September The International Bar €13/€11 Concession A stand-up hip-hop mash up from activist and sex worker, Lady Grew. Dubbed “Ireland’s favourite courtesan” by the Sunday Independent, Lady Grew brings her award-winning show back to Dublin after a short stint in the U.S.

Billy 18/22 September The Boys School, Smock Alley €14/€12 Concession BILLY is a theatre project that wants to help you organise your life. Developed at SCENE + HEARD, BILLY is the solution to all the mess and clutter you’ve accumulated in your life. Unfollow those life hack blogs, unsubscribe from those YouTube gurus, because BILLY is all you need.

Confirmation 18/22 September Studio 1, Lir Academy €15/€13 Concession Xnthony returns with a musical memoir following his journey from his Confirmation to his home county voting ‘No’ during MarRef. A complex piece which explores his connection with Roscommon and those he grew up with, it is not something easily missed.

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The feminist resistance and the modern dystopia Feminism and dystopia seem almost inseparable. alignment has come to the forefront of the genre.

Shivani Shukla looks at why this unexpected

The model of a dystopia is that of a bleak grey world of tortured, bound souls, ruled by cruel authoritarian powers. Dystopian societies are mostly created in critique of present social and political conditions and incite a sense of probability, however scant, of this becoming a reality.Though most dystopian works feature male leads, a sub-genre known as feminist critical dystopia has evolved since the latter part of the 20th century, that focuses on stories in dystopian settings narrated by a woman.

“Every woman’s mind has that eerie dark corner that fears and questions whether society is truly becoming more equal rather than regressing.”

All novels in this subgenre have been penned by female authors who are feminist activists.

With the desire for a more progressive society gaining ground through feminist movements, subtle and outright, each such story has an undercurrent of reality, stemming from personal experiences of discrimination, fear and also hope.

The most popular novel that centres around a female protagonist in a dystopian setting is Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Offred’s insight into the workings of Gilead, a society that depicts a scenario wherein men have successfully ‘repurposed’ women as objects to bear their babies. It has a grim poignancy that resonates profoundly with the fundamental philosophy of misogyny. Gilead became a place which horrified every reader because of Offred’s seemingly detached outlook, carrying a tone of suppressed disbelief at the occurrences around her and gave us a grave alternate, and sady not too unbelievable, reality. Atwood’s tale is comparable to the intense narration and brave acts by Katniss Everdeen within the petrifying

world of Panem, in The Hunger Games, coupled with moments of real vulnerability, making her a heroine to readers.

Characters in a dystopian setting always have a sombre aspect to their personalities. On one hand, such novels narrated by male characters are mostly centred around themes of aggression, as seen in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, or conformity to social norms, as seen in Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange. On the other hand, female narrators typically have a softer but more impactful connection to the world in which they live, reacting in seemingly passive ways but with an undercurrent of a deeper rigour for change.

Additional themes such as the dominance of the society by male leaders due to ‘greater’ strength and intellect are not too far from the traditional ideology behind sexism, which is a social construct rooted in a basal fear of domination by women on the part of men.

Female protagonists in dystopian novels tend to be subversive towards such misogynistic rule-setting and find some manner of liberation at the end but not without having suffered intensely at the hands of the male-dominated societies and looming future repercussions.

Such narration can be a powerful message of feminism.

Every woman’s mind has that eerie dark corner that fears and questions whether society is truly becoming more equal rather than regressing into worse patterns of maledominant behaviour. The fictional works that use women’s voices as the mode of narration make for essential reading for everyone who believes in an equal society, as they help in understanding their own roles in a society, as millennial women and men. Dystopias are worlds that portray societies at their worst and unless the present, ‘real’ society becomes more proactive in negating such adverse thoughts, there will always be an undertone of regression.

OTwo - Games Will Life is Strange 2 challenge its predecessor’s progress?

Ash Gomez raises concerns about how the title will fit in with the series’ legacy.

There are very few games with a positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community. Life is Strange, a graphic adventure that focuses on identity through a time-traveling mechanic is one of the few exceptions to the rule. Released in 2015, the game received generally favourable reviews and became a cult classic because of its portrayal of young women in romantic relationships. The game was then followed by the prequel Life is Strange: Before the Storm, released in 2017. Riding off of the wave of enthusiasm for these titles, Square Enix is set to release Life is Strange 2 later this month.

Trailers and press releases for Life are Strange 2 have revealed that the upcoming game centers around the relationship between two brothers, and moves away entirely from the set of characters introduced in the other two games.

As the main character of the first game is a bisexual woman, fans are wondering how the sequel will compare in terms of representation.

It is a bold move for Square Enix to throw out the two elements that made their franchise successful so far -the characters introduced in the first game, and the important relationships portrayed between those characters. he series is still far from perfect representation.

It has been accused of succumbing to the “bury your gays” trope, in which LGBTQ+ characters are portrayed only if their stories end in death or tragedy. Even Before the Storm, which seemed promising because it predates the disaster that concludes the first game, still forces its gay characters to go through constant hardships before they are allowed a glimmer of happiness.

Life is Strange 2 releases on 27 September.

Hopefully, the latest installment does not rewind the progress made by the other titles so far.

In defence of Fortnite Ash Gomez

argues that Fortnite does not deserve to be the target of everyone’s annoyance.

Players need to be at least two steps ahead of themselves at all times if they want to avoid a quick elimination. The learning curve is immensely high in Fortnite, but that makes it all the more satisfying when players finally begin to notice progress. Difficult games teach children to persevere, and the added element of building can keep young minds active.

Children can do a lot worse than Fortnite. Today, the video games industry faces mounting pressure as concerned parents continue to wonder about links to aggression. The online community of gamers is wrought with an exclusionary ethos on the basis of sexism, racism, and homophobia. With this context, the Fortnite craze is a welcome

Undoubtedly, at the mere mention of Fortnite in the headline above, readers have rolled their eyes and rushed to the next page. Every couple of years, a game like Fortnite sweeps up the enthusiasm of young gamers while the rest of the world recoils, so determined to hate any kind of fun they do not immediately understand, that they decide to openly mock children. Does an innocent game like Fortnite deserve this level of hatred? No, it does not.

Fortnite Battle Royale (more commonly referred to simply as Fortnite) is a cartoonish game in which one hundred players are dropped onto an island to battle each other, with the last player alive deemed the winner. The game borrows many elements directly from another popular battle royale game, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), but Fortnite opts for a colourful, friendly vibe. In PUBG, players use realistic weapons modelled after real guns and grenades, with blood splattering the screen when they become injured. In Fortnite, players can launch “Boogie Bombs” and perform flips in golf carts. It comes as no surprise that these elements allowed Fortnite to quickly became the go-to game for many children.

Fortnite is a deceptively hard game. While PUBG can be conquered by anyone with basic third-person shooter skills, Fortnite requires extensive knowledge about its vast array of weapons, traps, and building materials in order to have even a chance of winning. Players

“The Fortnite craze is a welcome change to the usual, disappointing array of headlines plaguing this community.” change to the usual, disappointing array of headlines plaguing this community.

The disdain toward children and their love of Fortnite illuminates a larger societal problem that is magnified by the internet. Children love things in an unfiltered, wholehearted way, which prompts them to copy Fortnite dances in public and watch hours of content from Let’s Players on YouTube. Meanwhile, young adult culture has deemed that caring for things, especially mainstream things, is no longer cool. When children decide to collectively be obsessed with a new thing, like fidget spinners or Minecraft, it is immediately disregarded by the adult world. Never mind the fact that every adult was a child once, and undoubtedly had interests that were viewed as annoying or silly. Somehow, children, today are expected to be more self-aware than anyone that came before them and are not allowed to make any embarrassing mistakes, or else the internet will make an example out of them.

Children are lucky to be allowed their carefree innocence; it will be gone sooner than they could ever realise. The least that adults can do is to hold their criticism and let children enjoy things unabashedly - even if that entails numerous small figures flossing in public!

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OTwo - Film & TV

The Nun review: Jumpscares as old as catholicism Emma Kiely

The third installment of the famed The Conjuring franchise, The Nun, serves as a prequel to the events of the first and second film. Set in 1950s Romania, a young nun commits a violent suicide and so, the Vatican is alerted. Priest Father Burke (Demián Bichir) and American nun-to-be, having not taking her vows yet, Irene (Taissa Farmiga), are sent to the monastery to investigate the suicide. It is revealed that Irene is the younger sister of Vera, from the earlier entries in the franchise.

As soon as they arrive in the disturbed abbey they can sense something sinister is afoot. They are guided to the grounds by the devilishly handsome French-Canadian man ‘Frenchie’, pun intended, (Jonas Bloquet) who lives in a nearby village and who found the hanging corpse outside the monastery. The trio are then confronted by the demon ‘Valak’, taking the appearance of a Nun, who is fervently trying spread the horrific evil that lies within the monastery.

This film is exactly the same as many mainstream money-making horror pictures that have come out in recent years, in that it is enjoyable and exciting to watch, but stripped back. It’s actually quite a bad film. This is a somewhat surprising, as its predecessors were both exciting films with stable character backgrounds, a balance between horrific and light-hearted moments and well-thought dialogue. However, this horror picture just went that step too far. The Nun fell into the trap that many horror films lay for themselves and that directors need to know: you can’t rely solely on jump scares to scare the audience. The over-reliance of jump scares is just lazy and there is about two thousand of them in this film. They’re more annoying than frightening.

Another point that can be made against this film is that the mood incredibly unstable. One minute ‘Frenchie’ is making sexual advances towards Irene and delivering cheesy one-liners and the next minute the audience are meant to be wrapped up in a moment of prayer and allegiance to God. It’s difficult to decipher what the film is all about because the atmosphere is constantly shifting.

The in-depth exploration of religious evil forces is a commendable feature of this film. Many recent horror films explore demonic forces but never the religious background. The Nun really hones in on the religious element to paranormal activity.

In a nutshell: An acceptable horror picture that will get old after the fifth jump scare.

Directed By: Corin Hardy Starring: Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, Jonas Bloquet and Bonnie Aarons

Crazy Rich Asians review: A shiny, dazzling film Emma Kiely

This film is just brilliant. Through the cast’s stellar performance, the film offers an indulgent insight into the opulent lifestyle of the super rich.

The plot follows the typical formula we’ve come to associate with the genre: Chinese-American professor Rachel (Constance Wu) is head over heels in love with her Chinese-Singaporean boyfriend Nick Young (Golding), living a happy life in New York. Throw in a friend’s wedding so Rachel can meet his family, who happen to be the wealthiest family in Singapore, and you have an idea of what to expect. The film follows Rachel as she tries to prove herself to everyone in Nick’s family, especially his austere mother Eleanor.

However, it really is Wu, in her role as the film’s lead, that perfects the film. She is every bit as affable as the titans of the RomCom genre such as Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan, able to deliver comedic and dramatic scenes with ease and entertaining intense chemistry with

with Golding. However, the film’s shining star is inarguably Awkwafina who plays Peik Lin, Rachel’s old college roommate living in Singapore. She is both refreshing and hilarious to the point you’re disappointed every time she leaves a scene. Awkwafina is undoubtedly a shining star in comedy that we will hopefully be seeing a lot more of.

The only pitfall is that the film tries to integrate subliminal messaging. The main plot sends hopeful messages that ‘where you come from isn’t always where you end up’ and that you should always be proud of who you are. The sub-plot follows Nick’s cousin Astrid (Chan) a beautiful millionaire style icon whose husband feels inferior and emasculated by her success and so, has an affair. Unsurprisingly, Astrid embarks on a journey of self-discovery and I think what the film is trying to convey here is that no woman should be ashamed of her success, which is true. Astrid, however, putting on million dollar earrings and happily leaving her husband, more readily implies that consumerism and materialism leads to happiness.

By the end of the credits, you’re left with the elated feeling that you could be that simple girl who falls in love with a millionaire and live happily ever after. With films becoming so political and heavy, this film touches on what we really love about films and that’s living vicariously through the more fortunate.

In a nutshell: A shiny, dazzling film that reminds us why we love Rom-Coms.

Directed By: Jon M. Chu Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan and Awkwafina

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OTwo - Film & TV

The crown jewels of Netflix originals With Netflix dominating our screens, Netflix’s original content in recent years has infiltrated the public mainstream and it has become a dominant content-producer for television, film and comedy specials. Netflix content is hugely popular, with series after series highly praised by critics, a large number of which going on to win Emmys, Golden Globes and earning cult followings.

Just recently Netflix shows such as Glow, The Crown, Black Mirror and Stranger Things all won at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Receiving a large amount of nominations were shows including Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, Black Mirror, Kimmy Schmidt, and Narcos. Netflix’s original show Glow recently made history at the Emmys with their stunt coordinator, Shauna Duggins becoming the first female to receive the award.

Glow is a charming show that revolves around a wrestling group formed for television.

Alison Brie stars as wannabe actor Ruth who somehow ends up a part of ‘The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling’, or GLOW. A show, that on appearance, might seem odd, strange and with a bit of a ridiculous premise all come together magically to explore friendship, female empowerment, and the 1980’s aesthetic. It does this all while making you laugh out loud.

Netflix original show Master of None has won best writing in a comedy or musical series at the Emmys for the last two years. The show offers keen, realistic depictions of stories that aren’t so openly spoken of with a large dash of witty comedy.

The show mainly focuses on Dev (Aziz Ansari) and his romantic relationships. It is filled with comedy throughout and insights into racism, ethnic experience in

Jack Knowles

takes a look at the best of their original productions.

America, religion, modern dating and a love of food. Lots of food!

“Netf lix content

is hugely popular, with series af ter series highly

praised by critics,

a large number of which going on to

win Emmys, Golden

Globes and earning cult followings.”

With multiple Oscar nominations to its name, Netflix is taking not only television seriously, but also films and documentaries; Mudbound being one of them.

Mudbound is a period film that is set in Mississippi during World War II. The film focuses on two families, one white, and one black as they struggle during the hardship. The documentary follows the sons from each household, who form a friendship as they return from serving in the war. Mudbound received four Oscar nominations

received four Oscar nominations from Cinematography to the bestadapted screenplay. Although it did not win anything, it shows that Netflix original content is of a high standard and something to check out.

Icarus is a Netflix documentary in which Bryan Fogel investigates the possibility of doping during an amateur cycling race. This documentary won the Oscars ‘Best Documentary Film’ at the Academy awards this year. This film is a shocking, eyeopening journey into the world of doping and the corruption in the sports world.

The New York Times recently insinuated that Netflix is the new home of comedy. Netflix has brought in huge comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Russell Howard. They have made the likes of Hannah Gadsby huge stars. Some comedy specials to be excited for include Ellen DeGeneres, Relatable on December 18 and upcoming specials from Russell Brand, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld and Ray Romano.

Netflix has a lot of original content to be looking forward to. Emma Stone and Jonah Hill’s new sci-fi show Maniac is based on the Norwegian television series of the same name and is premiering on 21st September. The Shape of Water director Guillermo del Toro will have a horror anthology series on Netflix called Guillermo del Toro

“Mudbound received four Oscar nominations from Cinematography to the best-adapted screenplay.”

Presents 10 After Midnight and will be personally created stories

by Guillermo himself. He will direct and write a select few and he will personally select writers and directors for the series.

Two highly anticipated films that are also coming from Netflix recently premiered at the Venice film festival. Roma, directed

by Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity, and Children of Men) follows a year in the life of Mexican family living in the 1970s. It won the highest award at the festival—‘The Golden Lion’. Another film to watch out for, having also premiered at Venice, is Joel and Ethan Coen’s new picture: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. It is a western Anthology consisting of six chapters and will star James Franco, Liam Neeson, and Brendan Gleeson.

The list of upcoming Netflix originals is endless; there are some to be excited about, and some already amazing content out there. It’s hard to know where to start. So, just go ahead and discover Netflix’s large, accumulating, library of content - from comedy to horror, there is something to match everyone’s tastes.

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OTwo - Film & TV

The best of cinema from around the globe

Shruti Shukla brings you through some fantastic films from all over the globe that you might have missed.

Slavoj Žižek called cinema “the ultimate pervert art. It doesn’t give you what you desire - it tells you how to desire.” Each minute and each frame of this life is deftly captured, whether it is more inclined towards reality or imagination. While history provides us with objective facts that cannot be questioned, cinema provides us with intersecting or parallel perspectives of thought, action or inaction through innumerable gazes.

Thoughts and ideas presented through the skilled lens of cinema are not rigid, but questionable, debatable, open to discourses, tirades and doubts.

Cinema acts as a reflection of our deepest passions, and serves as a mirror that helps one connect.

Hence, cinema introduces one to the indefinite facets of being human.

It’s inevitable that we take a look at an American film and one of the best from American cinema is David Fincher’s Fight Club, based on Chuck Palahniuk’s

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1996 novel. Starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter, the film has the potential to confuse, disturb and provoke thought in the minds

“Cinema acts as a ref lection of our deepest passions, and serves as a mirror that helps one connect. Hence, cinema introduces one to the indefinite facets of being human.” of the audience. A must-watch, the film deals with an unreliable, insomniac narrator; a love interest who is a regular at support groups for testicular cancer and a mirrored image reflecting the absurd in the mundanity of daily life. The narrative captures psychology, revolution, and the growing and suffocating pressures of the twentieth century drowning those caught up in the consumerist culture.

1996 Indian-Canadian film Fire chronicles a forbidden tale of lesbian love written and directed by Deepa Mehta. It is a part of her “Elements Trilogy”, a work that includes Fire, Water and Earth. Each film reveals and explores love, partition and the inherent misogyny in the colourful setting that is India. Taking into account that it was the first film loosely based on Ismat Chughtai’s notorious work Lihaaf, that explicitly talked about patriarchy, homosexuality and the suffocating lives of women in a society that thrives on misogyny, this work

becomes extremely important in the light of the recent scrapping of Section 377 in India, which was used to criminalize sexual activities “against the order of nature”. The film is a must watch for its raw representation of the hypocrisy of forced values and for the brilliance of the work of Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das.

The 2002 crime film City of God hails from Brazil, directed

by Fernando Meirelles and Kàtia Lund, depicting a wave of violence amidst the growth of organized crime. The film held the audience’s attention by shattering the stereotypes forced upon favelas; normalcy and niches of human life were seamlessly captured in the poverty and violence-stricken slum called Cidade de Deus in Rio de Janeiro. The film is a must-watch for people capable of seeing behind the iron curtain.

Revolving between the lives of the characters, it blossoms in its portrayal of hope that grew in the depths of strife and hardships.

The 1985 Japanese masterpiece, Ran, heavily inspired

by Shakespeare’s King Lear, was written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. While the film runs along the same lines of King Lear, focusing on the ‘old man’ at its centre, chaos overtakes and makes the narrative into a poetic drama dissolving into a Shakespearean tragedy of love, loss, betrayal and poetic justice.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is the 2000 wuxia film, directed by Ang Lee. The film has won awards, critical acclaim and the hearts of its audience.

The story follows a stolen sword, Green Destiny, in nineteenth century Qing dynasty while the

film unfolds smoothly along with the chase. From effortless scenes of martial arts to the celebration of strong females and power, the film enamoured the audience with the insurmountable grace in every frame.

European cinema has always produced many in-depth, well written and moving films. The 1999 Spanish film, All About My Mother (Todo sobre mi madre) written and directed by Pedro Almódovar, deals with issues of sexuality, identity and emotional crisis, faith, existentialism and a

“[City of God] held the audience’s attention by shattering the stereotypes forced upon favelas” constant questioning of desires and purpose of life. The film has vibrant and diverse characters revelling in the multitude of identities slowly uncovered throughout the narrative of the film. A must-watch for people who enjoy a little drama mixed with brilliant performances by women breathing power, excellence and breaking glass ceilings in their portrayals of characters that penetrated the society’s façade of normality.

Some other foreign pictures to check out are the Indian film Newton (2017), the 2001 Japanese anime picture Spirited Away and the 1973 Spanish film The Spirit of the Beehive (El espíritu de la colmena). It just goes to show that there is more to the art of film than the big-budget Hollywood pictures.

“Hi, are you still watching?”

OTwo - Film & TV

Robert Burke investigates whether binge-watching is ruining the spectacle of television.

Short attention spans. One of the traits that our generation is branded with, and endlessly condemned for. Truthfully, we cannot disagree with the fact that we are all guilty of easily losing attention to some extent or another. We see it poking its intrusive head in everyday life; we zone out or become distracted during conversations, forget why we walked into rooms, and almost always forget to actually listen when we ask someone their name.

However, one of the less talked-about side-effects of short

“That passiveaggressive message that pops up from Netf lix to remind us that we probably haven’t seen daylight or had human contact in several hours.” attention spans, is the disastrous effect it has on our appreciation of a TV series when we binge-watch.

With the exception of Game of Thrones, no series has managed to engage me fully, from openingscene all of the way through to the credits. After three or four episodes in a row of anything else, the series becomes a soundtrack as I enter a dazed state, or background noise as I dive thumbfirst into whatever rubbish is filling my phone screen. I assume I am not the only one to experience this almost trance-like state, otherwise the rest of this article is pretty pointless. However, the question must be asked whether this is a reflection of our own faults, or if the quality of TV series out there is dwindling? When you consider the calibre of series being released nowadays, the former seems far more likely.

Oddly, some of us view binge-watching as one of our most valued, and in fact, bragged about skills. After all, how often have you boasted to your friend about how many seasons of Breaking Bad you managed to squeeze into your weekend off? Like it or not, many of us are guilty of having a lack of patience and are driven crazy by a sense of suspense and waiting, always expecting everything on demand.

Enter online streaming.

Unless you have caught up to a show in real-time, which is without a doubt a feeling that leaves us deflated and lacking a sense of

purpose in life, then we have seemingly endless hours of our newest series-crush to watch.

What could be better than that care-free, honeymoon period of not knowing what time of the day it is, getting a dead leg from sitting down for too long, and enjoying the emotional rollercoaster of the series? Well, potentially watching the series like a ‘normal’, or ‘functioning’ human being.

Are we ruining the spectacle of TV series today by having the facility to binge our way through an entire series in less than a week? If we are incapable of focusing on most tasks for hours on end, how would it make sense that we could remain attentive for a TV show for hours on end? The simple answer is, we can’t. That passive-aggressive message that pops up from Netflix to remind us that we probably haven’t seen daylight or had human contact in several hours.

The concept of a cliffhanger does not seem to have as much effect nowadays than before.

Cliffhangers, season climaxes and even the expository stage of a series are slowly losing the impact that they once had.

The latter is designed to build an

emotional connection to the protagonists over several episodes, allowing you time to understand their points of view.

The climactic stage of a season is meant to draw out the sense of building tension and create a

“Clif f hangers are designed to leave you in suspense, uneasy at the lack of closure and mulling over the depth of possibilities of the next season.” sense of momentum.

Finally, cliffhangers are designed to leave you in suspense, uneasy at the lack of closure and mulling over the depth of possibilities of the next season.

In that sense, have we killed these concepts by immediately satisfying our impatient needs instead of having to wait a week before seeing the next episode, and months on end before the next season?

In my opnion, binge watching turns TV series into outrageously long films, therefore diminishing the wonder and

entertainment that they are written to create. After all, they are two entirely different forms of entertainment. The prime example of TV shows adapting to this new development is the aforementioned GoT, which is releasing film-length episodes for season 8. Prior to the success of this HBO adaptation was BBC’s modern adaptation of Sherlock, giving the audience 80 minutes installments each week.

I have found that any series I have watched in real time, I have enjoyed more than one which I have binged. It allows me to sit in wonder (and torture) between episodes. I can experience that sense of excitement and anticipation coming up to the next episode. I know that this sounds like the “I read the book before the movie” guy, but I feel that I have sound reasoning.

So, for the survival of the TV series industry, try to refrain from binge-watching the entire series, and actually take the time to mull over each episode before diving into the next one. After all, that twenty second pause that Netflix gives us in between episodes is far from sufficient.

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OTwo - A Day With...

Breakfast with The Happy Pear: Clara Brannigan sits down to chat with Dave from the Happy Pear to ask for some advice on how students can live a healthy and happy life, even at the most stressful of times.

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Image: Instagram @thehappypear

OTwo - A Day With...

Dave Flynn invites me to sit in the Garden of the Happy Pear in Greystones. I sip on a wonderful latte made by one of the baristas called Anto. Dave eats something bright and delicious looking from a glass jar.

The Happy Pear has moved from one success to another over the past 14 years. Dave explains how it all began. “I was walking down the street one day, and a piece of broccoli fell from the sky.” He begins to laugh.

“Ah no, it came from an evolution of things. We had changed, when I say we I mean me and Steve, being my identical twin.” He reflects, “by the time we finished college we were a bit disillusioned, we’d bought into the American dream of ‘money makes you happy’, then once you’re successful you can do what you want. We were playing semi-pro rugby, we were doing modeling and we had degrees in business. We thought we were going places.” A note from Steve eventually revealed how he felt: ‘I’m going away and I’m not coming back until I am Happy, and I know what I’m into.’

Steve bought a one-way ticket to Canada and the brothers travelled separately for a number of years until Dave received a call from him. “He called me up one day, he says: ‘Dave, Dave, do you want to try and start a health food revolution?’ I thought that meant revolution with like big rallies and placards! Then he goes: ‘do you want to start a vegetable shop?’ So, aged 24 we started a little vegetable shop with an idea of changing the world and making it happy and healthier and building a community. Right in the start, it was all about using business as a vehicle for social change to create a world we’d want to live in.”

“You think you’re bulletproof and invincible and you can burn the wick everywhere, but I think during those periods when we were drinking like fish all night, we didn’t feel like ourselves.”

Social media has been a huge factor in the Happy Pears’ success, especially their Instagram, where they vlog their daily lives. Steve explains how useful it has been for their brand. “Well, we always felt we had a strong message. We weren’t doing it to have a fleet of Ferraris or Armani suits. We were doing it because there was a higher cause.”

“As soon as social media began to take off we felt totally out of our depth at first, but realised we could use the platform to amplify our message and to inspire people to build a community and be healthier.” Dave thinks back to when they first began to advertise: “I think we started on Facebook but before that, we used to put up posters, like physical posters, on lamp posts about our baking festivals. The best thing before social media we used was the local parish bulletin for our ads.

That’s how we got the word around.”

Now, the brand has become international, with people regularly travelling to be part of the ‘swimrise’, everyone morning Dave and Steve head to Greystones beach and swim while the sun rises and now people join them every morning as a community thing or people just

“I think there will still be the people who eat pizza and drink cheap beer, but then there are other people who will be more conscious about what they eat. For those people, it doesn’t have to be that expensive.” travel from different places to join them. Lately, the twins have attracted other celebrity attention with Russel Brand being featured on their Instagram stories. “We ended up doing a podcast with Russell Brand. He’s over here filming and I think he had watched the Netflix show we’re part of: Somebody Feed Phil, and we had met him a couple of years ago because we were doing stuff with Jamie Oliver.”

The pair or (pear) recently worked in collaboration as part of Jamie Oliver’s Footube Network.

At this point in the interview, Dave’s two lovely daughters joined us. The air was filled with giggles and laughter as they clambered onto their Dad’s lap.

Dave offers some advice from when he and Steve were both fresh out of college. “You think you’re bulletproof and invincible and you can burn the wick everywhere, but I think during those periods when we were drinking like fish all night, we didn’t feel like ourselves. I felt more like myself when I went away. I needed to go by myself into new environments to see what I was interested in outside of the peer pressures.”

When it comes to food, it can be difficult for students living out of home for the first time. It’s easy to succumb to the temptations of convenience food and using the dominos vouchers that are handed out during Freshers’ Week.

Dave ponders, “I think there will still be the people who eat pizza and drink cheap beer, but then there are other people who will be more conscious about what they eat.

For those people, it doesn’t have to be that expensive.”

Dave and Steve have a series of YouTube videos that feature student-friendly meals. “We’ve shot videos where we’ve given ourselves 25 euro for the week and we cooked enough for 8 meals in an hour. I think the expensive foods are meat, fish, cheese or processed foods. It’s not vegetables and fruit, rice and pasta.”

So, what according to the brothers, are the top five ingredients every student should have in their press? “Definitely porridge and tinned tomatoes are great. Coconut milk is good as you can quickly throw stuff together with it. I always love tamari, it’s like a wheat free soya sauce and brown rice is a great option too. Each of these ingredients can be fleshed out if you have some vegetables.’’

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OTwo - A Day With...

‘Don’t take life too seriously’, is the two brothers’ mantra in life. They explain that there are many routes to happiness. “Food is just one aspect of it. I think when you’re twenty, have fun, get stuck into life, be curious and really try learning as much about yourself that you can. You know maybe you’ll look back at your college experience and you wished you would have gone on that trip or not have taken things so seriously. Your exam results, although important, do not define you. You just never know, you might be studying business and then at aged 24 you start a vegetable shop. Then ten years later it’s much more than a vegetable shop.”

The pair have a few plans for the coming year, but Dave does not forget to reflect on how far they have come.

“Well over the last 14 years, it’s gone from just me and Steve to about 170 other people working with us. We have products in the UK now, so we have been really focusing on that and we’ve loads of stuff going on online.” They also have plans to expand their farm. Dave discloses his favourite thing that has come from setting up The Happy Pear: “the people have been the best bit of the journey.

The age-old saying, as cheesy as it is, figure out whatever you’re interested in and turn that into a job. Nowadays it’s even easier to make a living. But the most important part is about making a difference.” The Happy Pear’s food products can be found on our own very campus in Centra. Don’t forget to check out their Youtube Channel, for healthy and easy recipe ideas.

Image: Instagram @thehappypear

“I think when you’re twenty, have fun, get stuck into life, be curious and really try learning as much about yourself that you can. You know maybe you’ll look back at your college experience and you wished you would have gone on that trip or not have taken things so seriously.”

Image: Instagram @thehappypear

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OTwo - Music

ALBUM REVIEWS

Christine & The Queens

Hozier

Paul McCartney

Chris

Nina Cried Power

Egypt Station

Erin Jennings

Shivani Shukla

Aoife Mawn

There’s no other musician quite like Christine and the Queens. Technically a solo music group, Christine and the Queens attracted considerable mainstream attention back in 2015 with her fantastic experimental synthpop single ‘Tilted’. This breakthrough was ultimately the ember that sparked the path to international fame.

Back on the radar with a new album set for release on 21st September, we’re met with Chris, a macho, bolder and fiery persona. Chris may resemble an alter-ego, but the Christine and the Queens singer, Héloïse Letissier, attests that Chris is how she feels now, an evolved extension of herself. It is an unapologetic expression of defiance, a refusal to being confined to societal norms.

The singles released during the summer ‘Girlfriend/Damn, dis-moi’ and ‘Doesn’t Matter’ have already made waves online as her latest impressively choreographed music videos. Chris retains the playfulness of Christine and the Queen’s original sound and her bilingual French flair.

Fans should expect more high-tempo and funkier beats, punchy basslines and heavy 80s electro-pop influences throughout the album, and, most noticeably, snappy lyrics with a daring message to get across like in ‘Damn (What Must a Woman Do)’. There’s a lot more in this album than purely a pop reinvention.

Chris is an ode to self-expression, mirroring the ever-evolving nature of the human psyche with a modern perspective.

In a way, the arrival of Chris could have been predicted all along, as found in the lyrics of the song ‘iT’ from her debut album ‘Chaleur Humaine’ it reveals “she wants to be born again”.

After four long years of restless rewind sessions of Hozier’s heartache-inducing songs, the world has been blessed with his new four-track album, Nina Cried Power EP. The songs ‘Nina Cried Power’, ‘Moment’s Silence’, ‘Shrike’, and ‘NFWMB’, released on September 8th, have already been listened to over 1.3 million times. ‘Nina Cried Power’ has been the most streamed followed by, ‘Shrike’ a familiar Hozier sound. The lyrics to the songs have stemmed from Hozier’s protest against racial oppression and is a rebellion against the powers-that-be, much like his most famous song, ‘Take Me to Church’.

‘Nina Cried Power’ pays ode to the powerful music of the American civilrights era that inspired a whole genre of soul music, and the louder tone makes it quite distinctive. In contrast, the mellow tones of ‘Shrike’, coupled with a nostalgic feeling of loss, of what is uncertain, reminds you why you fell in love with his voice in the first place. The song has a somber, melancholic feel, intensified by an undercurrent of Irish folk music which gives the songs a whimsical aspect.

His sonorous and enchanting voice in ‘Moment’s Silence’ takes you on an instant high. Labeled as the “bard of our age”, Hozier’s crooning tones and perfect lyrical composition will sway us all and induce nostalgia for things that we did not even experience first-hand. All in all, this album has something for everyone, from the tear-jerking ‘Shrike’ to the more profoundly moving ‘Nina Cried Power’. It is time, again, to revel in Hozier’s glorious voice and forget the world!

What can we even say about Sir Paul that hasn’t been said before? The man is the king, the creator of popular music. ‘Egypt Station’ is his 18th solo album; that’s an album for every year the average fresher has been alive. Somehow, despite fifty years in the business, McCartney is still evolving, keeping up with his younger counterparts with ease.

‘Come Onto Me’, the first single released from this album could be taken straight from ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’- it’s so reminiscent of The Beatles, again highlighting how Macca’s music transcends generations. This album flows fantastically, it mixes the best of modern music with the sound we’ve come to expect from McCartney. The end product is an album with varying genres and themes, with one thing that pulls it all together: the lyrics are simple across all eighteen songs.

While artists are often criticised for their basic vocabulary, that simplicity has become McCartney’s trademark; there are no frills or complications, just straight down the line love songs that let their melodies and message do the talking.

Track 4, ‘Happy with You’ is the perfect example, an ode to his wife, and the contented life he now has with her. That is the overarching feeling of the record; he is no longer the young rock n’ roll star he once was, but he’s happy to leave that life behind him now, and if this album is anything to go by for the future, we should be too. That being said, let’s hope that doesn’t mean he’ll be spending any more time with James Corden.

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OTwo - Music

A eulogy to Hangar Kristen Bell pays homage to what was a staple of Irish nightlife, Hangar

Unbeknownst to many, Dublin lost yet another cultural Mecca this summer to the ongoing attempt to turn our city into a heavily stereotyped and commercialized facade, fit for a never-ending conveyor belt of tourists that systematically come and go at their leisure. Hangar, a modest nightclub with a cult-like patronage, tucked comfortably into St. Andrews Lane in the center of the city, was the heartbeat of Irish session culture since its 2014 opening, providing a space for world-renowned DJs and local favourites to perform to flocks of electronic music disciples.

The exception to the exclusionary aura that Dublin nightlife has recently embodied, Hangar served as a city-wide melting pot, proving that a blissful and inexpensive night out was achievable with nothing but techno and a few cans. Hangar was a place where anything went - you were embraced into a warm hug by the place and its patrons whether you were wearing space goggles and tracksuit pants or a pink wig, a cape, and chunky high heels.

Skyrocketing rent prices and prohibitive “key costs”, a sometimes five-figure sum of money required just to grab the keys of your new space, have trickled down into the minutia of nightlife, raising prices of pints and cover charges astronomically, as detailed by Una Mullally and Catherine Cleary’s investigative research into the curiosities and misfortunes of Dublin nightlife.

This in conjunction with a growing demand to please tourists more

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than locals and maintain “cultural purity,” or a completely idealized and exclusionary version of Irish culture, ultimately led to Hangar’s untimely demise.

The closure and demolition of this sacred space for commodification, a 115-room “pod-like” hotel is taking Hangar’s place, has opened the door to

“Hangar served as a city-wide melting pot, proving that a blissful and inexpensive night out was achievable with nothing but techno and a few cans.”

difficult conversations regarding the intersection between the booming hospitality industry in Ireland and maintaining and preserving Irish culture.

If I were to poll a hundred people on their perception of Dublin nightlife at the pickup location for a hop-on hop-off tour bus, I estimate with near certainty that an overwhelming majority of tourists would detail Dublin as a green cobblestone dreamland where Guinness flows as freely as the Liffey, in tiny pubs filled with old men in tweed caps.

And they’re not wrong.

It can be that, and there will always be room for that. But Dublin nightlife has evolved to include the gaff-grown session counterculture that has its origins in a rebellion against €10 cover charges, overpriced pints, and

shite Top 40 music blaring from the speakers of any Harcourt Street club until sunrise.

The session is not new, but is only just creeping its way into mainstream and popular culture through music, film, and social media. Dublin-based rappers Eskimo Supreme and Caspar Walsh of the duo Versatile detail the antics of the session in their brilliantly hilarious yet oddly relatable raps that allow the curious to peer their heads into the door of the session culture without committing to the lifestyle.

Similarly, Emmett Kirwan’s 2015 spoken word poetry play-turned film, Dublin Oldschool, paints a vivid visual picture of this not-sosecret realm that exists within our city. While the popular meme page with nearly 600,000 likes, Humans of the Sesh, created a unified, online community for those to joke about Dutch Gold, lament the loss of 12.5 gram Amber Leaf packages, and provide important drug safety PSAs with humour and wit. For said humans of the session accustomed to drinking Tesco cans by the canal and abusing their two-week free gaff, Hangar gave them a home that was void of time and immune from the elements.

They didn’t have to wait for their gaff to be free or the sun to shine, mind-altering music perpetually blared through the speakers, and everybody was invited to join.

The sale and demolition of Hangar is a personification of the fervent attempts to hide

this subculture integral to Dublin nightlife while highlighting the notion of an overarching and commodified Irish monoculture that exclusively exists as a masquerade. Why have we collectively refused to embrace this colourful, vibrant, and youthful energy harvested through the session? Why are we investing more in the ephemerality of tourism than the likes of those who have built a home in this dynamic city?

These questions are ours to answer, and the decisions

“Dublin nightlife has evolved to include the gaf fgrown session counterculture that has its origins in a rebellion against €10 cover charges, overpriced pints, ours to make. We can either embrace the energy of the session and include this subculture in the “official” Irish discourses that we spoon-feed to tourists, or we can let it wither out of sight.

We can nurture and support this exponential creative growth, or we can chop it straight down at its peak. While the decision may seem clear, it will be a hard-fought battle against the monocultureenforcing hospitality industry to reclaim our cosy niche within the ecosystem of Dublin’s nightlife.

Do not let Hangar die in vain.

Forgotten classics - Pavlov’s Dog - ‘Pampered material’ Connor Dee Trudging through the extensive library of phenomenal hits, Connor Dee recounts his personal favourite forgotten classic.

OTwo - Music

Gig guide: concerts WOODEN SHIPS 18 SEPTEMBER WHELAN’S With fuzzy guitar riffs and soft vocals sung from behind impressive beards, Portland-based quartet Wooden Shjips will deliver a night of laid-back psychedelia on the 18th of September.

The holiday might be over, but Wooden Shjips will fill Whelan’s with chilled out summer vibes so you can hold on to that tropical feeling just a little longer this September. Just don’t count on being able to understand too many of their murmured lyrics.

Tickets from €16.

Check it out if you like: Tame Impala, Spiritualized, Moon Duo

ROSS FROM FRIENDS Tight pants, big shoes, and even bigger hair, 1975 was a curious year. With it came some of the most pivotal cultural events to appear on the silver screen such as Jaws, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and of course, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The likes of the Bee Gees, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Elton John still held the charts in a vice grip, and there was no chance of mercy from their almighty Spandex get-ups.

Amongst such legends, it doesn’t stray too far from the imagination to guess that there must have been some poor souls lost in the dark shadow of these giants. But as Charles Angoff once said: “History is a symphony of echoes heard and unheard.” Whilst this cacophony was embellishing itself upon the metropolitan masses, there was one pan flute-wielding band, tooting with a graceful erraticism in St. Louis, Missouri that demanded a curious ear. This band takes the form of Pavlov’s Dog, with their album ‘Pampered Menial’.

This prog rock album brings to mind a denim-clad, edgy teenager with a rage against their pop hungry peers at school; the 70’s equivalent of the 17-year-old in a vintage shirt in Workman’s smoking area, smiling internally at his maturity as he smokes the cigarette he scabbed off the bloke with the septum piercing. We are greeted with a classical piano in the albums introductory song, ‘Julia’. It soon changes to that familiar acoustic guitar we’ve come to expect and love from the genre.

However, it was the intense pitch and trademark of the band’s frontman, David Surkamp, which brought the band into their marmite-like world of existence. But much like marmite, you need to spread it on your toast and try it at least once before you come to your conclusion. If there is one thing you can take away from this, it is just the impressive act of how high Surkamp can screech into the heavens. Along with the rocking, unrelenting piano and guitar riffs in ‘Natchez Trace’, his

singing seems like an awe-inspiring attack of the senses. Later, comes the life-questioning lyrics of ‘Theme from Subway Sue’, preempting the uncertainty of the coming 80s.

Though as Surkamp explains “it’s a long road, a very, very, very long road, a very, very, very long road” until any answers surface. Another worthy track to note is the final, and almighty, ‘Of Once and Future Kings’, a striking epic

This prog rock album brings to mind a denimclad, edgy teenager with a rage against their pop hungry peers at school; the 70’s equivalent of the 17-year-old in a vintage shirt in Workman’s smoking area, smiling internally at his maturity as he smokes the cigarette he scabbed of f the bloke with the septum piercing. to conclude on, with guitar solos that bring you to the core of this band’s battle with the surrounding world.

It’s important to note this was during the years of Led Zeppelin’s peak. Pavlov’s Pooch may not stand tall against them, but they kept them on their toes. It’s their slight off-kilter manner which prevented their commercial success, but simultaneously it is this quirky album which illustrates so beautifully that passion for a genre that could have grown huge if nurtured correctly. If enjoyed with the right respect you’ll find yourself drooling along with each note from this diamond in the prog rough.

21 SEPTEMBER Button Factory British producer Ross From Friends is bringing his lofi-house beats and spacey samples to Button Factory later this month. Joined by his entourage on saxophone, keyboard and electric guitar, the London-based artist will perform hits from the recently-released debut album, ‘Family Portrait’. Join the effortlessly cool crowd at the Button Factory on 21st September and expect to hear the dreamy melodies of ‘Talk To Me You’ll Understand’ and the fresh funk of ‘Don’t Wake Dad’.

Tickets from €20.

Check it out if you like: Mall Grab, DJ Boring, Hidden Spheres

ANNA CALVI

28 SEPTEMBER TIVOLI THEATRE Get your fix of sultry autumnal vibes at the Tivoli Theatre where Anna Calvi will be performing her signature brooding set on the 28th of September. The seductive synths and twangy electric guitar from her latest album, ‘Hunter’ will leave you dreaming of femme fatales and Halloween long after she has left the stage. Plus, if you missed out on Florence + The Machine tickets, Anna Calvi will fill the Florence-shaped hole in your heart for half the price.

Tickets from €25.

Check it out if you like: PJ Harvey, Florence + The Machine, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

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OTwo - Music

your essential summer festival roundup Cormac Lehnen recounts all the music events from the summer, that you might have missed.

As you may have noticed from the recent onslaught of photos posted on social media, Electric Picnic has come and gone for another year, and for many festival-goers, the three-day event in Stradbally has become a sort of ritualistic pilgrimage which marks an end to summer. Now it’s all over, we’re taking a look back on some of the highlights brought to us by the litany of festivals which have taken place in unique settings across the country this summer. From the crashing waves of Donegal’s Sea Sessions, to the picturesque woodland gardens of

“The surf ‘n’ music infused festival of fers its punters a truly unique experience which has earned itself a loyal following, and rightly so.”

Curraghmore House, which hosted the inaugural year of Waterford’s All Together Now, here is your summer festival roundup.

Cast your minds back to the beginning of summer, when this year’s line-up of festivals kicked off with the return of Life, which took place in the stunning location of Belvedere House.

The emphasis placed on female performers was fitting, as Life coincided with the weekend Ireland voted to Repeal the 8th.

The electronic-infused sound of the festival delighted the mostly young crowd, many of whom swear by Life as the quintessential

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A few weeks later, nestled in the heart of Kilmainham, Forbidden Fruit returned for a glorious sunfilled three days of music, with acts such as Glass Animals and Justice kicking off the first day. Indeed, it was Forbidden Fruit’s stellar lineup that truly saved the festival, as the compact grounds may be growing tiresome for returning guests, who are given little to really explore around the grounds.

Those who attended in 2017 may recall the wash-out which ensued due to downpours. Thankfully, this year saw crowds basking in the sun, which allowed the three-day event to live up to its potential as the blissful beginning of a scorching summer in the capital.

Donegal’s Sea Sessions celebrated its tenth birthday this year, with anthemic-indie band Walking on Cars topping the bill, alongside British acts Dizzee Rascal and Rudimental.

The surf ‘n’ music infused festival offers its punters a truly unique experience which has earned itself a loyal following, and rightly so.

The picturesque surroundings of Bundoran beach encapsulate the early summer feeling perfectly, and the crowds truly felt as if the holidays were just beginning.

Once again, attendees were graced with sunny weather which, accompanied by the unbeatable shore setting, makes Sea Sessions a truly one of a kind experience.

Complete with a lake and gardens which were full of nooks and crannies waiting to be explored, Curraghmore House offers its attendees an authentic outdoor experience rather

rather than bombarding them with commercial entities. The emphasis on visual stimuli gave All Together Now a unique character which you would be hard-pressed to find at the other festivals we’ve mentioned. Unlike Electric Picnic, punters were not stopped before entering the main arena, and were allowed to bring their own cans with them throughout the grounds which gave way to a more relaxed and immersive atmosphere, along with removing the feeling of being restricted that, unfortunately, many other festivals have had to resort to for security. The age policy of over 21s also helped the festival to set itself apart from the likes of Longitude, which is fast becoming known as a Transition Years’ retreat. Due to the older crowd and lack of expectation, there was a general feeling that people were actually there for the music.

“The surf ‘n’ music infused festival of fers its punters a truly unique experience which has earned itself a loyal following, and rightly so.”

Perhaps the crown jewel of All Together Now was the firebreathing Arcadia Spectacular Stage, which stole the show every night. This festival’s debut was an undoubted success and many are saying that it could become the

new Electric Picnic if they continue with the same laid back approach as they did this year.

With early bird tickets having already sold out in record time, Electric Picnic continues to

“Longitude...is fast becoming known as a Transistion Year retreat.” dominate the Irish festival scene.

This year’s line up was surely their most pop-centric to date, with acts such as Dua Lipa and the ‘love em or hate em’ Picture This taking to the Main Stage.

However, returning Picnickers were still spoilt for choice with a wide range of acts performing in tents scattered around the site. Queuing was the biggest problem faced by the crowds over the weekend, but with it being Ireland’s largest festival, that was to be expected

Notable highlights of the weekend included performances

by Massive Attack, Nile Rodgers & Chic, King Krule, Nina Kraviz and the The Prodigy, to name a few.

One thing is for sure, the Picnic is putting up a hard fight to remain the quintessential Irish festival.

Now with college back in full swing, we’ll have to wait until next year for the cycle of summer festivals to return, but until then try not to curl up into a fear ridden ball every time someone posts a scaldy picture of a weekend you can cringe at, yet remember fondly simultaneously.

Quick quesadilla Sophie Flinn

The passage into student life comes the saddening realisation that you may not be able to keep up the habit of treating yourself to a cappuccino every morning and indulging in overpriced trendy Mexican restaurants.

So, if anyone else is interested and would like to make tasty, and healthy(-ish) food at home for literally under €7, you may enjoy this recipe for a homemade quesadilla.

It’s a nice one that hits the spot when you’re craving a cheeky takeaway. It takes under twenty minutes to make and makes for great hangover food! There is little space to go wrong with this general formula but feel free to play around with ingredients and add/takeaway spices depending on how you feel. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Ingredients:

- 15g mozzarella or feta cheese and 15g cheddar cheese grated - 22g cooked chorizo diced - 2 falafels - 1 clove garlic chopped - Cherry tomatoes or bell peppers chopped - Small amount of de-seeded red pepper chopped - 1 spring onion chopped - Rocket leaves - 1 tortilla wrap - Vegetable oil - Chilli sauce

OTwo - Food Method: 1. Heat vegetable oil in a pan on a low heat until warm.

Add the falafel, chorizo, cherry tomatoes/peppers, garlic and red pepper. Season with salt/pepper/ dried chilli flakes and fry on medium heat until nicely browned.

2. Transfer cooked ingredients to a bowl and add cheese, spring onion and rocket, mix together.

3. Take wrap and add chilli sauce to one side. Fill wrap with ingredients from bowl and fold over.

4. Heat vegetable oil in pan on medium heat. Add the quesadilla to pan and cook each side for 4-5 minutes until browned. Press down with a spatula if necessary.

5. Season and cut into quarters. Serve with desired condiments chilli sauce)

(guacamole/salsa/hummus/sour

cream/

Image: Katherine Lim, Flickr

The cheapskate foodie’s guide to Dublin

Shivani Shukla gives you the rundown on the best, and cheapest, spots to satisfy your taste buds around Dublin.

I’m sure you’ll all be hunting for easy-on-thepocket food to fill you up after a night out, to take out that new crush of yours, or simply to find a decent meal to stop embarrassing stomach grumbles. Here’s a mini guide to the best places on-campus and in Dublin’s city centre that’ll leave you with enough change for another pint.

For those of you that have a craving for Mexican, try Boojum, Zambrero and Pablo Picante. All three have student deals. With several branches across town, the burittos will have you fiull to the brim. For light eaters like me, it will make for a meal and a half.

If lusting for ramen, noodles or good old fried rice, head to Kokoro, Aobaba or Takara all within the city centre. Takara wins narrowly with the best-priced sushi in town. Most Asian grocery stores also have restaurants tucked at the back. Venture in for cheap, freshly made food.

Here’s a shout-out to Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) for the assortment of burger combinations with a generous price of €12. GBK is situated in three

three prime locations, each of them excellent quality. Vegetarians can avail of a series of options on the menu, offering for any meat patty to be swapped for a vegetarian one.

The real bonus is the unlimited refills on drinks.

Mongolian Barbeque in Temple Bar has a fantastic early-bird deal - you can get unlimited food for €13.95 before 7 PM. Make the most of it.

Lemon Crepe and Coffee Co. on Dawson St. offer satisfyingly sweet, as well as savoury, crepes. They also offer delicious sandwiches that will make a perfect lunch before heading to UCD from town.

For late night binges, post partying

around town, find your way to the nearest WOWBURGER for cheeseburgers. Visited by legendary Anthony Bourdain, Roma II on Wexford Street makes for a great late-night stop.

Nearly all UCD society cards offer food and beverage discounts so make sure to avail of them as we won’t be students forever!

Image: Pamoja55, Flickr

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OTwo - Fashion

WANT IT, PRINT IT, LOVE IT Revive your college wardrobe with this selection of vintage and contemporary prints.

OTwo - Fashion

Kicking off Issue One with a bang, Otwo’s chosen theme is ‘Revivals’. This may be a new academic year, but perhaps we need to look back in order to look forward where fashion is concerned.

Due to the surge in 80s and 90s fashion trends recurring in the last year, we have chosen to put our own spin on things. The way we have chosen to look at this trend is through using vintage clothing. Faybella is a boutique with an online website, making it accessible for students.

This collection features select vintage pieces that our Fashion editor, Shane, thinks are perfect for this trend.

This photo shoot gives inspiration for how you can style these pieces with an edgy flair.

Clara Brannigan

Photographer: Alex Fagan Stylist: Shane Cullen Models: Assia Buono, Sofia Dragacevac

Clothing kindly sponsored by: Fayebella Boutique, 67 Lower Main St, Arklow, Co Wicklow www.fayebella.com

OTwo - Fashion release of her 1984 album, Like A Virgin, cemented Madonna’s status as a serious artist globally, as well as showcasing her bold sense of style.

Bleached hair, a wedding dress and crucifixes were just some of the wardrobe choices Madonna opted for in this era, pulling off each look with sheer confidence.

Over the years, Madonna has never shied away from controversy or taking risks. From wearing a satin slip in front of a burning cross for her Like A Prayer video or a power suit and monocle combo for the Express Yourself video, she never failed to draw attention. One of the many standout moments was at the 1991 Academy Awards, where Madonna stole the show wearing a Marilyn Monroe inspired sequin gown and diamond necklace, accompanied by none other than Michael Jackson as her date for the evening.

Away from the stage and music videos, Madonna has a passion for fashion. Earlier this year at the Annual Met Gala, she nailed the “Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” theme wearing a black Jean Paul Gautier gown, completed with a mesh veil and black roses in hand. Madonna and Gautier share a special friendship spanning over 20 years, with some of her iconic fashion moments being credited to the French designer. Whether it’s breaking records or rules, Madonna looks set to continue doing both.

The reinvention of herself each era is what Madonna does best. With a new album also came a new sound and look, something which pushed her ahead of her peers. In 2005, Madonna kept that momentum going with the release of her Confessions On A Dancefloor album. With hot pink leotards, tinted sunglasses and custom Jean-Paul Gautier boots, Madonna brought disco fever back. It was a successful era for her, fighting off chart competition from the likes of Spears or Aguilera.

“The reinvention of herself each era is what Madonna does best.”

Madonna: sixty Years a Style Icon

Shane Cullen reflects on Madonna’s longevity in pop and fashion.

The Queen of Pop, a Material Girl or the Good Girl Gone Wild: everyone knows who Madonna is. The music icon recently celebrated her milestone 60th birthday and made sure everyone knew about it, posting a daily countdown for fans to celebrate with her across social media. From her inception, Madonna has strutted on to the pop music scene, armed with her own vision, sound and style. The music icon has her eyes firmly on both success in music and fashion.

Debuting on the pop scene in the early 80’s, Madonna soon became one of the biggest influencers of fashion for that decade. The

Boys, boys, boys

Maeva Conway reviews a new milestone of makeup for men.

Last month, French fashion powerhouse Chanel launched their first ever makeup range designed for men, Boy de Chanel. The collection was introduced exclusively in South Korea on 1st September and will be available worldwide on the Chanel website from November. Distribution to the Chanel boutiques is set for January 2019. The collection is made up of three products: a sheer tinted foundation, a matte lip balm, and an eyebrow pencil available in four shades.

The Boy de Chanel franchise is named after Boy Capel, Gabrielle Chanel’s lover. Her legacy lives on in this new line as the brand’s foundation goes against the grain of societal norms. In a statement given upon the announcement of the range, Chanel said: “Just as Gabrielle Chanel borrowed elements from the men’s wardrobe to dress women, Chanel draws inspiration from the women’s world to write the vocabulary of a new personal aesthetic for men.”

Boy de Chanel has followed in the footsteps of other makeup brands, such as Tom Ford and Clinique which have previously launched makeup lines for men. Meanwhile, MAC featured YouTube beauty mogul Patrick Starrr as their spokesperson. Men wearing makeup is not a revolutionary concept, but it is only in recent times that it has not been considered a taboo. Social media platforms have been instrumental in the emergence of male MUAs such as CoverGirl James Charles and beauty guru Jeffree Star.

Although there was an overwhelmingly positive response to the launch, the brand still received criticism online. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, one of the UK’s biggest beauty influencers, Jake-Jamie expressed his happiness at the release of Boy de Chanel but argued that makeup for men should not be marketed separately: “I personally prefer a genderless approach to makeup. I just wish we lived in a world

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whereby gender boxes didn’t exist”.

Men wearing makeup in the fashion industry has been commonplace since runway shows started, but it will take more time for people to accept this in the modern social milieu. A criticism of Boy de Chanel is its lack of diversity in its foundation selection, the limited shade range of four shades has raised some eyebrows. The impact from the launch of this collection has the potential to shift perceptions of gender conformity and gender performance, and to a certain degree blur the lines between the masculine and feminine.

OTwo - Fashion

Fashion Flashback: The 1998 MTV Video Music Awards

Looking back on the greats that came before us,Cíara

Dempsey takes a look at the

VMAs of 1998.

The runway rundown

Shane Cullen reviews the drama and dresses at this year’s New York Fashion Week.

Heels were flying earlier this month as the stars and stylists gathered together for New York Fashion Week’s Spring/Summer 2019 showcase. Aside from the heated exchange between Nicki Minaj and Cardi B at The Plaza Hotel, big name designers fired up their shows with an array of collections from the bold and brash, to the colourful and political. As ever, New York Fashion Week lived up to its hype with catwalk appearances and surprises across the week.

Creating a beach club vibe at New York’s South Street Seaport for his spring/ summer collection, Michael Kors brought sunshine to the runway with 60s inspired floral print crop tops, skirts and dresses. One thing that you can’t deny about Kors, is that he knows how to draw an A-list crowd to his shows. Lining the front row of his show included Hollywood royalty such Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta Jones and Tiffany Haddish. Ashley Graham and Gigi Hadid were on hand to model, with Graham wearing a tropical fish printed dress and matching headscarf.

It wouldn’t be a Fashion Week without Jeremy Scott. The Moschino designer brought 90s revolt to his show with captioned clothing such as “riot”, “peace” and “shock”.

Scott said that the collection was a reflection of “aggressive times”, adding that he is using his platform for activism in areas such as LGBT issues and women’s rights. While there were political statements made, Scott also brought the expected fun side to Moschino’s show.

Every year there are new changes introduced to the New York Fashion Week calendar and this year many designers chose not to follow it. Earlier this year, American fashion designer Alexander Wang debuted his Spring 2019 collection back in June and will launch his Autumn/Winter 2019 range in

“One year on from the release of Fenty Beauty, Rihanna has reached a new level of success” December, a first for New York Fashion Week.

Victoria Beckham also decided against hosting a show as she plans for the 10th anniversary of her self-titled label at London Fashion Week this month.

One of the talking points of the week was Marc Jacobs, this time some of it being for the wrong reasons. The French designer’s show was delayed by over 90 minutes, causing Anna Wintour to leave before the show started.

When the show eventually commenced, Jacobs visually wowed the audience with an 80s theme, with many pieces in shades of candy pastels. Elaborate frilly dresses and wide shoulder blazers followed suit, proving that Jacobs’ collection was worth the almost two hours wait. The Guardian reports that the Marc Jacobs brand has recently found itself under strain, following European store closures this year. If it is “make or break” for Jacobs, this collection is onto a winner.

Making an appearance to close New York Fashion Week at the Brooklyn Naval Yard in true style was Rihanna. This year it wasn’t a Fenty X Puma show with motorbikes mid-air, instead it was a show dedicated to her lingerie collection, Savage X Fenty. The Savage X Fenty show featured a diverse range of body shapes, colours and sizes, including plus size models.

Five months on from the launch of Savage X Fenty and one year on from the release of Fenty Beauty, Rihanna has reached a new level of success. After the models had walked the runway, wearing a fitted dress and sunglasses to compliment the look, Rihanna appeared to a cheering crowd, effortlessly showing everyone how to be an icon.

For every illustrious awards ceremony, there’s an equally illustrious red carpet. However the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards carpet stood out as one of the greats, hosting an array of iconic and bizarre fashion ensembles.

Although Madonna took home “Video of the Year” for Ray of Light, the awards themselves play back-up to the truly memorable moment: Rose McGowan’s iconic see-through, backless, beaded dress.

Accompanied by her then-boyfriend Marilyn Manson, McGowan wore her transparent gown with a leopard-printed thong and platform heels, a look so iconic that it has been replicated and honoured on a multitude of red carpets since, most recently

by Amber Rose at the 2014 VMAs. Manson wore a leopard print suit with a red fur collar

“Gwen Stefani donned a pastel blue bralette and a bizarrely structured-skirtover-pants ensemble, this galactic look was not out of this world.” over a bare chest, which complemented McGowan’s look, but paled in comparison.

Also in attendance was Gwen Stefani, wearing a look that can only be described as tragic. Donning a pastel blue bralette and a bizarrely structured-skirt-overpants ensemble, this galactic look was not out of this world. Stefani is as memorable as McGowan, but for all the wrong reasons.

Stefani also committed the cardinal sin of wearing platform sandals, in a year where platforms dominated the carpet.

The VMA’s red carpet has always been a little more unconventional than any other red carpet affairs, and although these looks stand out, other stars graced the carpet with rather more conventional looks.

During her peak-Buffy years, Sarah Michelle Gellar appeared in pastel pink jacquard skirt and a strapless top, accompanied by a quintessential nineties up-do. However, as with many of the VMA red carpets since, it is the risqué and eccentric looks which are forever on our minds, for better or for worse.

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OTwo - Travel

WHERE I WENT ON HOLIDAYS

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sUMMER IN THE CITY

FUN IN THE SUN

TARA HANNEFFY

CLARA BRANNIGAN

I wouldn’t go as far as to call myself a seasoned traveller, but I’ve seen a bit of the world. In particular, I’ve been to a couple of cities - New York, Madrid, Kraków, Málaga and London. I can’t figure out whether my love of cities is linked with my obsession over Metro train systems (Madrid’s is by far the best, in case you were wondering), but for some reason, I gravitate towards loud, bustling spaces, despite the fact that I grew up in the country. So when I found myself back in London for the fourth time this summer, I almost felt at home. Yet, no matter how many times I’ve seen it, London always gives me something different. That is perhaps why I love it so much - you could spend weeks there and discover something new every day.

When I travel to somewhere new, I rarely go to museums or tourist attractions, because I prefer to just walk, take in my surroundings, and experience life as the locals live it. However, when I was in London this summer, it was 35 degrees celsius. Have you ever been on a tube that has no air conditioning in that kind of heat? It’s not something I recommend you try. I’ve never felt heat like it, and as much as I like a bit of sun, that was just a little too much for my liking. The heat scuppered my walking plans, so I decided to try the tourist-friendly route of sights instead.

I went to the British Library and The Sherlock Holmes Museum on the same day. It was nearly too much for my English student heart. The British Library is any book lover’s dream. The Treasures Collections is a personal favourite - to be able to view original manuscripts is mindblowing. As for the Sherlock Holmes Museum - if you’re a Sherlock fan, you’ll probably feel emotional. I did. Finally, we went to see the Imperial War Museum, which is a fantastic (free) resource, and very well air-conditioned.

However inconvenient it was, ‘hot London’ is great. St James’ Park took on a very hip new ‘burnt out yellow’ look, and there was a great buzz around as people flocked to any available outdoor space for some fresh air. In the evenings, the restaurants and bars down by the Thames were thronged with merry people. This is why I love London - a city that’s always changing, and rarely sleeping.

For the first time in years, I went on a family holiday. We went to a remote place called Gümüşlük, near Bodrum in Turkey. I truly deem this one of the most beautiful places on earth. As I have visited here many times, I didn’t feel compelled to see any of the tourist attractions, opting to lounge on the beach or by the pool instead.

The holiday consisted of a lot of relaxing, but this led me to mingle with the Turkish culture. I spent many a night, sitting outside late into the evening on chillout cushions, playing backgammon and drinking Raki. I explored one of the local markets in Yalikavak the aromas and variety of the colours of the spices were spectacular. The market was full of fresh fruit, vegetables, and beautiful cakes and pastries like Baklava. It had an extensive and varied clothes section, where you could purchase traditional clothes, or you could opt for the latest on-trend Adidas pieces or ‘designer’ handbags and purses. My suitcase came back weighing double the amount!

I went to the beach almost every day, partially because it was 38 degrees and also because the beaches are stunning; imagine the Dingle Peninsula in the sun. On the more popular beaches, you can pay 30 Turkish Lira, which works out at about 4 euro, for a sun lounger for the day, a beverage and a meal of your choice. Bargain!

I was particularly obsessed with the meatball Koftas, that were served with grilled vegetables and sticky rice.

I went on a boat trip around the Aegean coast in my second week there. The trip was about 7 hours, stopping at multiple bays and exclusive beaches. My personal favourite was a stop they called ‘The Aquarium’.

I quickly understood the nickname, because the water was a fantastic aqua, and was crystal clear. Feeling adventurous, I jumped off the top of the boat with a few others. I brought my snorkel and had a look at the exotic fish.

The highlight of the trip was heading down to the local village of Gümüşlük, to watch the sunset over the sea in the evening. Once it got dark the village came to life. The place is full of multicoloured lights made from Gourd, which is a fruit that is very similar to squash. Some of them even hang off branches and trees that are in the sea. This place is a Mediterranean fairyland that is well worth the visit.

OTwo

Fatal Fourway

YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING “BACK TO COLLEGE” TALE DYLAN O’NEILL: Mine is the tale of “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished”. It was was within

the first weeks of semester one of first year. I was in digs at the time, which meant I had go home every weekend to work. One weekend, I was asked to pull a double shift on Sunday, because my coworker was sick, or on maternity leave, or getting married... I don’t know. I knew working a double would mean I’d miss the train back to Dublin and I’d have to wait for the 5:00 a.m. train on Monday, but I needed the money so I agreed.

Monday morning came around and I decided I’d drop my bags off, before heading to my Molecular Biology lecture. I was not sleepy for long. When I turned the key in the lock of an empty house, I heard the three *beeps* that woke me up. A few seconds later, because my landlord hadn’t told me the code, the surrounding houses woke up too... not to mention the guards. I had a fun time explaining that to them.

TARA HANNEFFY: I have been known to be chilling at home, blissfully unaware that I’ve mixed up my shift times, only to get a call from work asking me where I am. Despite my past errors, I blindly believe that I’ve checked my timetable correctly, and disappoint myself every time. So, when I rocked up to a seminar in my second year, buoyed up by the timetable successes of my first year, I believed nothing was amiss. We’ve all been in the wrong place at the wrong time at one point. It happens to me too regularly to even be considered amusing. To make this whole situation worse, I was late to this seminar. It took a good ten, maybe fifteen minutes for me to realise that I definitely hadn’t signed up to this module, and that I was in the wrong class. I debated for quite a long time about whether I should just pretend I knew what I was doing, or if I should admit my stupidity (walking out wasn’t an option). I did the latter, was mortified when I discovered that my class was scheduled for an hour later than I originally thought. I spent the rest of the term hiding around the corner so the lecturer from the earlier class wouldn’t spot me.

CLARA BRANNIGAN: You would think with age comes responsibility, but in second year I

appeared to be aging backwards. When second year came around, I had a solid group of pals and had worked a decent summer job, so I had some money in my pocket. We weren’t just going out, we were going out out. I knew the suss now, the real Black Monday go-ers went to Copper Face Jacks. I headed to a friends house for pre-drinks, people kept arriving - I remember thinking this is what a college party is. No one noticed the time - then there was a sudden panic that we’d missed the last bus. We Hailo’d some taxis and made a dash for Coppers.

Eventually I had lost everyone bar one friend. We hobbled to Babylon after too much tequila, ordered our chicken burger meals and headed home. To my horror, when I woke up, I was still blind drunk. I threw on anything I could find and headed to my Sociology lecture in Theatre L. As the theatre became stuffier and stuffier, I began to feel ropier and ropier. With the taste of tequila still in my mouth, I dashed to Newman’s bathrooms, where I spent the next two hours hugging the toilet. I later discovered we’d left one of our friends out with no money and no phone - he had a long walk that night.

BRÍAN DONNELLY: In October of 2015, during my second year, I found myself cycling home with a family friend who lived nearby. Despite my suspicions that he might try to sell me drugs, we pedalled idly beside each other, chatting for a while, before I attempted to make a turn on my route home. When my friend asked me where I thought I was going, I replied (to reassert my dominance), “home, you dweeb”.

What came next was nothing short of a cataclysmic shift in my perception of life, and of the world I believed I knew. This boy, at eighteen years old, barely more than a child, in a clear attempt to enfeeble me, told me that I was going the ‘wrong way home’.For more than the entirety of first year, I had cycled a route from my familial home in Knocklyon, to leafy Dublin 4, which took over an hour. The jester who upended my peaceful existence cycled a route which took less than half that amount of time. A cursory glance at Google maps revealed that I had strictly adhered to a route so circuitous and unnecessary that I had almost never been on time for any of my tutorials, regardless of the time at which they were held. Say nothing.

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APERTURE #1: “WELCOME TO CAMPUS”

Camille Lombard

Camille Lombard Mark Jackson Want to be in future installments of APERTURE? Check our Facebook page for each issue’s theme Submit your photos to design@universityobserver.ie